MommyCoddle

a run for my money

Well, I am officially three days into my grocery challenge and things are so far, so good. I'm sure it will get a lot more "creative" as the week wears on. Sunday night we had breakfast for dinner--eggs, some potatoes, bacon and I used some Bisquick baking mix to make some cinnamon swirly kind of biscuits. It is a riff off of something that the woman who cooks for my grandmother used to make. I've never officially asked for the recipe, but knowing her--there is bisquick involved.

I just mixed together bisquick and milk until I got a dough-like consistency. Then I made up a brown sugar-cinnamon filling, which I added some oats to this time, for something different. I rolled it out flat, added the filling and rolled it back up. and cut it into two-inch rolls. After it baked, I made a little confectioner sugar icing--which I'd leave off next time. But otherwise, yummy and good.

I think this week will be a good exercise for a number of reasons. I'm not looking to make this a habit--the skimping on groceries and fresh produce. This is just an exercise that I'm hoping will bring some new perspective.

Already I find myself watching portions and the "I can always go get more" mentality is quickly changing. We are so blessed, you know? To be able to have so many food resources at our fingertips. And I love the creativity that goes in to using what I have on hand. It stretches me. We'll see exactly how much it stretches me at the end of the week.

Thank you all for your thoughts and ideas and encouragement on this experiment. I'd love to hear from those of you that have decided to join in--hear how your week is going so far.

Other random bits:

**I have a guest blog post over at the National Wildlife Federation's Green Hour blog. Go check it out, if you're looking for a simple way to get your kids outdoors.

**I've created an archive of my good things lists. It will always appear at the bottom of the list. I often find myself wishing I'd done this in the past, so I hope it will be helpful for all of you, too. If I found the good thing through someone else's blog, you'll notice a little "pop-up" that appears over the good thing, when you place your cursor over it. (did that make sense?)

**It's a new month over at habit, which means we have a new group of guests. Come by and see!

**Several of you asked for the granola recipe I use. It is my grandmother's recipe and you can find it in this post. (I make a half recipe). It is really simple and easily customized to your tastes.

**My two year old is giving me a run for my money lately--in the form of telling me "nope" for everything I ask her to do, giving herself a mullet, and nakedness. In fact, I was lucky to find a picture to post with her somewhat clothed. I count it progress if I can keep her dressed through breakfast. It's going to be an interesting summer. (Thank goodness I believe that nakedness is the best technique for potty training! :) And I'm going to have to figure out how to deal with the mullet later today.

independence is bliss

When you're two years old, there aren't many things you can do all.by.yourself.

But since a certain little person discovered how to loop her arms through the giant rope swing, climb to the highest point along the trunk of the tree and dive forward, we've hardly seen much of her inside these walls.

When the house seems a little too quiet, I can peek out the kitchen window and catch a glimpse of the rope--swaying back and forth. And if I listen hard enough, I usually hear some two year-old chatter and some squeals of delight. And when I call her name out the window, "Elizabeth???" I hear in reply: "Swinging, Mommy." And I know, as if I didn't know already, exactly where she is.

I daresay, it's almost as good as a live-in babysitter.

So if you're looking for Elizabeth....

this is where you'll find her.

Just an Innocent Walk in the Snow

So I thought it would be a good idea to go outside first thing this morning. Get the girls some fresh air. Spend a little time exploring in the lightly falling snow.

Look for tracks.

Look at the snow hanging delicately on the pine branches.

Feed the chickens.

Take a few pictures.

By the time we made it out to the back field, around to the chicken coop and back to the front walk again..............

Mary and Emma had gotten in an argument because Mary wouldn't walk down to the stream with Emma. And Emma pushed Mary, sending her tumbling into the snow. Which left Mary crying over freezing cold hands and wet knees. (Mary can't handle any extreme temperatures--hot or cold.)

Emma then continued to give me a little attitude and was sent into the house and her attendance at tonight's 4-H meeting is in jeopardy.

Elizabeth tripped over her own feet and had an up-close encounter with the sidewalk.

By the time I got to the front door, I had three crying girls in the middle of meltdowns while I tried to remove coats, and hats and boots, attend to freezing cold hands, deal with attitudes and check for bloody chins.

Sometimes, in these moments, I have to admit, that I lose my cool. But sometimes the absolute craziness of it becomes suddenly humorous to me, and I'm able to handle it with a cool attitude and a calm demeanor.

Thankfully, that's what happened this morning. And I still managed to snap off a few pictures of the pretty snow.

I love it when things don't go exactly as planned.

Happy Tuesday.

the news from Thomas Run

Good morning, friends.

A few things I forgot to mention in yesterday's post, three of which I've already forgotten.

If you have time, please take a moment to read my latest post on babycenter. It was one of those good, much-needed kind of parenting lessons, but the post quickly got shoved deep into the site because of all the election day blogging. I'd love it if you'd check it out.

I have a large box of multi-grain Cheerios hiding in my cupboard in the pantry for Dan's need for a before-bed snack. He has an enviable metabolism and eats often. All that to say, I think I have officially weaned my children off of cold cereal for breakfast. We were having so much trouble with them being starving and grumpy come mid-morning, that Dan and I really wanted to get them off boxed cereal and on to something more hearty for breakfast. And now they've fallen in love with a good bowl of oatmeal with milk and honey, or some toast and yogurt, or my granola. Things are so much better. Those tummies stay full for a whole morning. It makes everything go more smoothly. And not buying boxed cereal is saving me big money on the old grocery bill.

So you'd think "cue the photo of hearty breakfast here", but I have none. Instead you get a picture of my new winter-time laundry drying system.

I purchased this drying rack this week at my local Amish-run General Store in Pennsylvania. I'm falling in love with that store--good toys, every old-timey kitchen gadget you could want, every old-fashioned piece of quilting fabric and flannel you could imagine and good prices. I even bought a few old school hot water bottles for the girls--who sleep in the room farthest away from the wood stove. Now I just need to cover them in something snuggly.

The drying rack is definitely handmade and so much more sturdy than my previous Target-purchased ones. I love it. Though, you'll notice that I'll be dealing with a clothes-thief all winter long. She likes to bring me clothes from the rack, one by one. I'm sure the charm of laundry-swiping will wear off eventually.

Alright, that's the news from Thomas Run. Oh, except for the fact that Emma taught Elizabeth how to do forward rolls all by herself. She's spent more time on her head this morning, than on her feet, with no concern over what she might be rolling over, or on to. This should be interesting. But it's just too funny either way.

full inclusion

For the past few days Lori has been blogging about how important it is to include the "littles" in your learning. She says "letting your youngest children marinate in this atmosphere of engaged, excited learning is the best way to effortlessly raise relentless learners."

I figured I'd better show her how much Elizabeth likes to marinate in the learning that's going on around here.

The things I'd be blogging about if I could find three quiet minutes in a row

Preface: This post has absolutely no inspirational value. Unless of course you find inspiration in stories about chicken hawks, homeschooling pity-parties, and bits about my laundry. Sorry.

++The chicks have taken over the downstairs bathroom and the guineas are outside in a movable wire pen that sits on a grassy spot in the yard. Yesterday I heard them making a huge racket and since I was upstairs with a naked baby, I sent Emma outside to see what was happening until I could get out there. There on the ground beside the pen was a large Red-Tailed Hawk harassing the guineas and causing them to run laps around the inside of their pen in sheer terror. The hawk was absolutely resolute about the whole ordeal. Emma walked right up to him, with just the pen between them. He didn't fly until she really started flapping around and saying "very mean things to him".

I came out moments later after watching it all from the window, to see that he had simply flown to a small tree beside the pen, no doubt waiting for this annoyance of humans to disappear. So, being the quick-thinker that I am, I pulled the big oilcloth tablecloth off my picnic table(the beautiful one from Beth) and began flapping and slapping it around at him until he moved on....to a taller tree just over the guinea's cage. He hasn't been back, but I feel like I may be sending my poor guineas to their death the day they are allowed to roam free in the yard.

++Homeschooling Day 2 was "throw in the towel, put 'em on the bus to school" hard. The first day was marked by Emma saying, "Next year I'm going to real school" every five minutes until she finally asked if she was hurting my feelings. Day 2 was marked by grumpiness, bickering siblings, things being spilled, nothing being accomplished, slamming doors, tears (mine, theirs), naps for everyone, and babies falling off tables.

I suppose every year has its challenges--last year it was lack of space. This year it is Elizabeth. She is the most curious (that's me putting a rosy glow on it) of all my children, a climber, a get-into-everything child. Emma and I sit at a long bench at the dining room table and I spend the whole time removing her from top of the table, and putting her down on the floor. Elizabeth, no. Elizabeth, no. Elizabeth, no.

She brings us tiny counting chips in her mouth and spits them out in our hands. She bites the tops off of Emma's new crayons and brings us the leftover nub. She gives me "quiet" by going into the kitchen, sliding the chair over to the table, climbing up on the table and digging her chubby fists into the boxes of cereal, turning them upside down to get out more and "drinking" the glasses of orange juice left there by mistake. Drinking involves 25% of the juice down her front, 75% of the juice on my kitchen floor--which I now know has a nice little sweet spot smack in the middle where all the juice pools.

++I've had the same load of laundry on the clothes line for three days. This will be day 4 if it doesn't come down by midnight. Upon typing this, it occurred to me that the clothes pins and clothes will by now be taken over by a large population of spiders who find my clothes line the perfect foundation for web-building. The last time this happened the large red striped spider that I brushed (more like a spastic swat) off the clothesline showed up five minutes later on my right shoulder. I almost de-shirted in the yard, I was so freaked out that I didn't get him off. Great. 

++This one's good. Emily and I met for dinner Tuesday night outside Baltimore. We live so close to each other, I love it. You know how when you meet great people blogging and you say to yourself, "Why can't this person live near me? I know we'd be fast friends?" I'm lucky enough to say that I've met a kindred spirit in Emily. Before we knew it, we'd been sitting there so long we both were desperate for the bathroom and realized it was after ten o'clock. To which we left the restaurant and then spent even more time lingering in the parking lot. Next date? Dansko outlet and dinner at Thomas Run--children and husbands allowed.

++This one is also good. Lisa Leonard sent me two beautiful treasures in the mail recently. I was going to share them today, but I don't want to throw their beauty in with all this whining. But let me just preview it all by saying that I love it, I love it, I love it. And the other thing she sent is now going to be my standard issue baby gift--a simple, classic. Stay tuned.

I leave you (if you're still here) with some words of wisdom from my husband, who reminded me last night that things worth doing are usually worth quitting, too. I'm not throwing in the homeschooling towel yet. I liken it to my newborn analogy--those days after the blissful first days are sometimes crazy, you feel like you're losing your mind, how did I get myself into this, when will I ever find a moment's peace, etc. etc. And then the next thing you know, you've found your groove again, your rhythm, and you wonder how you'd ever live your life other than the way it is right now. You can't imagine it any other way. I'm looking forward to that time. I'm hoping it comes soon.

Thank you for listening, or rolling your eyes, or yawning and rubbing your eyes, but making it to this point.

I guess I found my three minutes.

++++++++++
Momformation posts here & here, & here, & here

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taking this show on the road

I'm writing from the road today. Late last week, my sister called to tell me that the surgery we've been hoping for, for our yellow Lab has finally come together. He's been living with two torn knees for too long and a veterinarian in the practice where she works has agreed to do the surgery for a price that we can actually afford.

We'll be dropping him off in the morning and spending a few days here at my mom's house until he has recovered enough to go home. Though traveling is never easy, especially sans husband, I'm anxious to see him (my dog, not my husband..thanks for pointing that one out, dad! :) have a little relief. He's got many good years ahead of him. Good boy.

I'm guest blogging today over at Grace's blog as part of her "Summer Is..." series. Be sure to check it out.(*as soon as I get my kids down for naps, I'll put my post up!*) I'll be in some good company over the next month or so, as some other bloggers step in to help Grace out while she takes a little break.

Meanwhile, this little one has become a full-time job. As I knew she would, she hit the ground running, now that she finds getting around on two feet much easier than knees and hands. And climbing? Don't get me started on the climbing. I'm considering outfitting her in a helmet at all times. You have no idea how many little prayers are uttered under my breath, for the child's safety.

I took this first picture of her the other morning. And as I snapped the picture, in my mind I was thinking, "Look at Miss Independence." And I kid you not, the girl walked over to the overgrown hostas, reached inside and pulled out this tattered American flag. A leftover from the girls' fourth of July decorations. Hello twilight zone!

Happy Monday everyone. More soon.

Latest Bushel and A Peck can be found here....

looking forward, looking back

Just popping in to share some pictures from this morning. I took Emma over to the barn to get a little practice in before tomorrow--her first horse show. She is showing at the county 4-H Fair in lead line classes. My little sister will be bringing her pony and taking Emma through the events. Emma is excited and admittedly nervous. But the prospect of show clothes and ribbons has her grinning from ear to ear. 

Mary, of course, got a ride in as well--always dressed for the occasion in her pink cowgirl boots and ruffled skirt. It's also ninety-plus degrees and humidity is hanging in the air like a damp towel--but she's in a long-sleeved, long underwear top. I've given up my fight with this child. The long sleeves were a compromise. I talked her down from jeans and a fleece zip-up hoodie. I just have to let her sweat it out, until she agrees to take off one of her many layers. 

My littlest sidekick learned the joy of climbing gates and finding a comfortable seat. And she became best pals with a persistent little farm dog--rolling a gritty brown tennis ball back and forth until she tired of the game.

On the way home she fell asleep in the car.

The road to the farm is one of my favorites around here--the majority of it is not paved and it winds along a beautiful, clear creek. When Elizabeth was a little babe and I needed to get out of the house for a break, the girls and I would often pile in the car and drive this road so I could catch my breath in the world of mother-to-three. The vibration of the stones under our tires, the flickering of sun and shade through her window, always seemed to lull her to sleep.

I watched her in my rear view mirror today while I drove. Her eyes were always out her side window, looking up into the treetops. When I looked back the last time, she was sound asleep. My sweet little babe.

the waiting game

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First of all and most importantly, THE CAT CAME BACK. Looking full-bellied, content and not at all sure why we were making such a big fuss over his return. Phew. All are sleeping easier now.
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I knew setting up internet service and phone service in our new house would be a bit of a bear when, the day before we moved in Dan said to me, "I'm not even sure if any of the phone jacks in the house work. I tore out all the ones upstairs because the wires were all over the trim. Does a house really need more than one phone jack, anyway? One in the kitchen is plenty."

So of course, it takes a week just to get the phone turned on at your new house, between the hours of 8am and 5pm. And then, when a few hours after being on, the dialtone becomes a deafening buzz, it takes another week to get someone to return to your house, between the hours of 8am and 5pm, to fix it. And then, when the nice man fixes it and you hook up your DSL equipment, it takes four calls to techincal support where you get disconnected three times before you finally get on the phone with someone you can barely understand, who then decides that they need to send someone to your house....in a week....between the hours of 8am and 10pm.

I feel like I've been on house arrest--waiting for the phone man, the gas man, the technical support man, the electric man. In one sense, you know, it's okay. Because really, there's plenty of work for me to do at home. And a little house arrest isn't always such a bad thing. But you know, I really need a garbage can for my trash because when you live in the country you can't just put it out by the shed. And I really need a gallon or two of milk and something to put on the grill tonight besides zucchini (thank you, dear farmers that bring bags of zucchini to my husband at work, for keeping us fed). And the girls are itching for more library books.

But Monday is the magic day. The technical support man will arrive and I'll find out if DSL is even possible in my little 'new' old house. I want to come back to the land of blogging. I miss you all. I have things I want to tell you and things I want to write down in this little space so that I don't forget them.

And I want to be able to check the weather radar to look for storms. Because the girlies and I love to watch for summer storms so that they can get good and scared before they arrive.

And look up a recipe I can't find.

And google "safe tick removal".

In the meantime, I'm trying to bring a few quiet, normal moments back in to our day. Painting a wooden bird house--that gets checked hourly for residents. Putting out a big jar of sun tea. Killing time in the backyard under a shade tree and removing all bits of nastiness from a curious one year old's mouth...rocks, sticks, grass, rocks, rocks, and...should I even tell you this? Dried up, flattened, crusty worm carcasses. (more than one.) Tell me she'll have a great immune system when she gets older, from all these germs she's tasting??? Now, at least, when I walk over to her, she takes them out of her mouth and hands them to me. "mum-mum? mum-mum?" Thanks, babe.

Alright. Once again, it's friday night and I feel like I'm the last one in the office. But that's how it goes when you're stealing an internet signal wherever you can get it....

Happy Weekend, friends.

signs of summer

I know I was supposed to write another installment in my green laundry "series" this week, but time got the best of me, and other posts got in the way. But I promise I'll share more early next week. I have some more good things to pass along and a giveaway! :) So be watching.

Summer has suddenly arrived around here and with that the much anticipated filling of the pool. The pool here on my grandparents' farm has been around since the 30s or 40s. Most of it was dug out with work horses and then some excavating tools at the end. It is spring-fed and sucks the breath straight out of your chest when you dive in. But oh, how good it feels on a sticky, hot summer day. The other thing I love about it, is that it hasn't changed a bit since I was a little toddling bare-bummed swimmer many years ago--except for the fact that there's no longer a giant red crab painted on the bottom, and I've sewed new curtains for the girls' side of the pool house. While we wait the few days for the pool to fill, it is like a concrete beach for the girls to play in, the perfect warm-up to refresh their swimming muscles and techniques.

Last summer was the year I sat poolside with a hot, sticky newborn attached to my chest making me sweat in places where I didn't know possible. This year, I've graduated to baby pool life guard and hose-holder. Things are looking up.

Yesterday, the girls swam with two frogs who somehow made it up the drain to hang out in the cool water of the pool. Their panicked squeals turned to curiosity after I gave the frogs names--my trick for making all scary things seem like pals--Besty the bumble bee who flies all over our porch and sometimes in your face, Paul the spider who lives in the corner of our shower, and Charlie the fly who is...basically everywhere and even followed us all the way from Wisconsin to Maryland. The naming thing works like a charm.

This morning I started my last batch of strawberry jam for the season. My chubby-fisted friend will be sorry to see them go. Ive always know she had all the skills and muscles she needed to walk, she just needed the right incentive. This morning, she took four confident steps across the kitchen floor for the big bowl of berries I was holding out to her. My girl's got a thing for the berries.

I just don't recommend giving them to her outside and then letting her crawl around in the dirt...not a good combo, but good for a laugh and a bath in the kitchen sink.

**messy strawberry pix courtesy of my cousin...thanks, Mags!**

Happy Weekend!

m.

things I've learned, please be sure to read no. 3

1. There are certain milestones you look forward to your children reaching--first smile, first tooth, first time they reach for you to pick them up, first shaky steps across the floor...however, the one milestone I'm less than thrilled about Elizabeth reaching this week is how to pull herself up on to the sofa. Where she finds it quite comical to stand up holding on to the back, then let go and allow herself to do a free fall plop down on to her rumpus, and/or back, depending upon how she sticks the landing. And of course a baby masters how to climb up on the sofa without a firm set of safety precautions established in her repertoire, or a means for getting down from said sofa that doesn't require tears and bruised cheeks, or help from her mother. I've been spending a lot of time on my sofa the past few days.



2. You will always be able to find someone else in a situation that is worse or harder than what you are going through. But that doesn't diminish or negate what you are experiencing or feeling. When a person needs a shoulder to cry on, an ear to complain in, be that shoulder or that ear. And in that moment, don't remind them that other people have it worse or harder.  It's like the person who has one child and is experiencing a struggle can't complain to the person who has three or four children because how could her simple life, with only one child ever be as complicated as the person with three? That's just not fair. And life can't be broken down so simply. You have a right to feel what you are feeling, to struggle where you are struggling. And you have the right to be comforted and to give comfort.



3. You all do number two perfectly. I'm not sure I can say that I've ever read my blog comments through teary eyes, but this weekend and this morning, I did. I just needed that little bit of 'chin up' understanding and encouragement that came through in your words. When I talk to people who don't know blogging, the first thing I remark on is the community. But not the kind of community where the neighbors growl and groan behind closed doors about this person's noisy kids or that person's weedy front garden. But the kind of community where people wander from front porches, and linger together on the sidewalk. And share a cup of coffee, or pass along an extra quart of strawberries, or pick up their neighbor's tipped over garbage cans that have blown into the street. It's a community where people go out of their way to be nice, to encourage, to support, to help. Thank you. Over and over.

4. Is there much in this world that tastes better than strawberries that are still warm from being plucked from the vine? I don't think so.

morning has broken

Sweet, dear, curious-about-everything Elizabeth broke my favorite kitchen dish this morning. A wedding present that some of my favorite recipes go into--baked zucchini, a family-sized batch of apple crisp...it looks like they aren't making the exact color anymore. And right now I'm not sure I can justify replacing it. Silly sadness over a blue oval dish. Moving on...

There has been lots of other sweetness in my morning today. Catching this moment between sisters. They sat there for quite a long time. Emma doing such a good job of carrying on conversation with her sister's squeals, clapping, and warbled attempts at new words like kitty, dog and go. She is such a good big sister.



And then of course, we closed the door and broke her heart. Until we could distract her with her favorite food--strawberries. I've given up keeping her in clothes that aren't stained by smears of red strawberry fingers. She's definitely my daughter--the stained clothes part, and the love of the berry.
 

I can remember the house we used to go to when I was younger, to pick up strawberries every year--a white house, on a busy road with a huge field of strawberries. On the way home from picking, I'd scooch down in the back seat of our orange VW Bus and polish off a whole pint before our wheels were even back in the driveway. (And for the record, if someone showed up at my door with a VW bus, vanagon, eurovan...I'd trade in all the amenities, and bells and whistles of my current car for that VW, and never look back.)

In other news, life is busy. We are pushing to move in this weekend. I need to get over there and take some more pictures to share. Dan has made some good progress over the last week and a half--finishing our bedroom, painting floors...Sometimes, at random moments in the day I get these little, okay big, flutters of excitement in my stomach.

And other flutters of the nervous kind--I found out my homeschool review is coming up next week. I'm nervous. I admit it. But in a way, it's been affirming to start gathering things together from this year, reminding me that yes, we did make progress. It's also great incentive to get some stuff finished--like figuring out a way to sum up all this horse learning overload that we've been talking about all year...

Happy Wednesday, everyone. It is Wednesday, right? Oh, yes. It is. Of course, because Emma is already dressed for her 4:30 riding lesson.

cutting room floor :: may 16

the final freezer bag of last year's tomatoes going into spaghetti sauce for supper

the lazy-man's way to net butterflies

taking a break from the overwhelming task of weeding at the new house

how each morning begins for elizabeth...a girl-party in her crib. usually there's one more little pair of feet in there, too.

mastering the climb into the rocking chair and feeling pretty proud of herself

mastering the reach (and dump) of the can of markers. they were on the floor about twelve seconds after this was taken.

and lastly...you don't have to watch these videos. Really, you don't. It's like sitting through someone's home movies or slideshow from their trip to the Grand Canyon. But they crack me up, because it's my children. And I get weak in the knees at every coo and squeal. And I melt at every chubby hand and wrinkled foot. And someday (like in six months), I'm going to look back at this and long for the days when she crawled across the floor and laid herself spread-eagle at the front door of the old apartment to tease the cats sitting on the porch hankering for a taste of our kitty food just inside....
**and for the record, I don't know what's more embarrassing: the scratched up, peeling paint dirty front door, the little green dresser missing its knobs, or the overflowing baskets of shirts and hats and riding boots...welcome to my world.**

Untitled from molly balint on Vimeo.

She's one

The pregnancy with Elizabeth was quite a roller coaster. Blood clots, painful shots, a single umbilical artery, potential birth defects, high risk doctors, multiple ultrasounds, multiple doctors, abnormal test results. It was a lesson in faith and Elizabeth a lesson in miracles--as she emerged into this world with a knotted umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. A little miracle.

With her in our arms, we thought all was good, the "issues" behind us until abnormal test results came again and again. More doctors, more tests. And more news--all tests were false. We were in the clear. One year later and you'd never know the road we traveled to get here had so many bumps, which in reality are dimples compared to the potholes that so many go through. God is good and faithful.

And here I sit, one year later, and I can hardly believe it's possible. One year?

In keeping with my birthday post traditions, a little list of what I love--and little Elizabeth Paige, gets an extra column--the things that make me crazy! (in the best way.)

What I love:

*we have a song. and it's the only one you want to hear me sing at bedtime
*you love to have your head rubbed, hair tucked behind your ears, cheeks stroked
*you stretch, hands over your head, legs stick-straight every morning when I lay you down on the changing table
*when the wind is blowing in your face, or the sun in your eyes, you snuggle your head into my chest
*you laugh like an owl hoots--a deep, happy laugh in your belly.
*when you see people you love, you get so excited a shiver runs through your body
*you call me, "mum-mum"

What drives me crazy (but I still kinda love) or You'd think by now I'd learn that:

*You pull off my glasses every time I sit you on my lap.
*You suck on the charred pieces of wood around the wood burning stove. It's organic, right? (I should probably clarify--the wood isn't hot. what kind of mother do you think I am??)
*You eat the soil out of the flower pots. also organic??
*You're obsessed with the toilet and darn if the girls don't forget to close the door when they leave the bathroom, let alone put down the lid.
*Every time I lay you down for a diaper change you flip over onto your tummy faster than lightning. You find it quite comical.
*Every morning, every morning, you know to go into the girls' room and pull down their glasses of water that are on the table between their beds--onto the floor, onto yourself.
*When I put a pile of Cheerios in front of you, you scatter them all around the floor and table with a few sweeps of your hands.
*You stand up on your tippy-toes, reach over your head and pull down all the neat, organized stacks of paper on my desk.
*You also sit quietly under my desk and empty the trash can onto the floor, piece by piece.
*I put your hat on, you take it off. I put your hat on, you take it off.

You have a sweet, gentle, content spirit that brings peace and joy to our home. I can't imagine our family without you.

up close and personal

macro project 1:30

I just lost this whole post...firefox "closed unexpectedly" on me. It's never as good the second time, so you're going to have to settle for it in list form this time. I don't have the heart to go back and find all my links...

1. Either I'm going to have to start working on my autobiography, or I'm going to have one heck of an "about page". Wow. When a girl asks for questions you all sure do come through! I don't think there was a single question I didn't like. I spent many a laundry-folding and dish-washing session pondering your fabulous questions. And since they all can't be answered in a little old about page, I'll think I'll tackle some here over the next few weeks. Thank you for all the great ideas!

2. I've joined orange flower's 30-day macro photo challenge. (here is where I had lots of links to other creative projects on the web...) I'm jumping in a few days late...but I'll just start my 30 days, today. I'm really looking forward to this. I love that little macro button on my camera, and I've been in the mood for a good creative project.

3. You can pre-order the latest issue of MixTapeZine right over here. I wrote an article for this issue which was one of my "I can't write under pressure" deadlines from the last few weeks. I won't give you details on my review, but if you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you can probably determine which favorite author I've written about.

And finally, some news from the home front that might bore anyone outside of my immediate family... (okay, might bore anyone but my husband):

*Did I ever tell you that the way I discovered Elizabeth was ready for some solid food (like Cheerios) was when I found her pounding the cat food? It's a constant battle in our home because I'm always forgetting to put the bowl up on the counter before putting Elizabeth down on the floor. The girl's got cat food radar. She always knows when it's down. And don't worry, I don't let her eat it. A simple, "Elizabeth???" Is there something in your mouth??" will cause her to spit all slimy contents into my palm.  She only has the occasional fit of lock jaw and refuses to give it up.

Emma has realized that if she plays with my hair while I'm at her bedside giving final kisses and hugs at night, I'll stay there for a ridiculously long period of time. Last night, when I attempted to pull my weak, relaxed body from her fingers that were twisted up in my hair she said, "Mom. Just let me play with your hair one more time while I count to 100." And I didn't even stop her when her brain got stuck on a loop between 40 and 60. How can I resist?

At Emma's riding lesson today she finally got it. Posting at a trot.(oddly, a video of a video) She's been working so hard to figure it out, but it's just one of those things you need to feel--like riding your bike without training wheels for the first time. I'm proud. And her sister is getting impatient for the day when it will be her turn. She's getting sick of sitting on the fence.