Good grief!

Ever heard of maternity formalwear? Sounds scary to me, but I guess I'll be learning all about it. Turns out we're going to a gala I thought my husband had backed us out of. And it's tomorrow.

I thought the only thing I'd ever buy to wear once would be my wedding dress.

Gifts

214. Windfall apples - treasure on the sidewalk.

215. Grass growing where there was none.

216. WorldPerks airline miles - free tickets to visit Grandma.

217. My pregnant belly and having (getting!) to wear maternity clothes.

218. Warm cinnamon smell coming from just-baked peach cobbler.

219. Piles of clean laundry - washed for me by my loving mother.

220. "My monkey" (Isaac)

221. "My racecar" (Isaac)

222. Warm, soft, fresh-baked bread.

223. Red blazing maple leaves in my own backyard.

224. Child-delight at catching a garter snake.

225. A Rock that is higher than I.

226. Bedtime "God-questions" from my little guy.

227. A new shed, raised in a day with the help of kind friends.

228. Quiet moments with the Lord before each day begins.

229. Running about under the warm blue sky, searching for the perfect pumpkin.

230. Skype - talking for free across the miles.

231. Pinecones. Red and yellow leaves. Crisp fall air.

232. International traveler safely returned home.

233. Gifts that I can give: hugs, smiles, backrubs, encouraging words.

234. Soft orange pumpkin, freshly baked and ready to puree.

235. "Jesus" (Isaac)

236. My mom: six years cancer-free.

237. Pumpkin carving fun with friends.

238. Time with husband: sharing, exegeting, planning.

239. Warm weather after a cold snap.

240. Late afternoon sun glinting off of toddler towheads.

Day of splendor

When walking through the beautiful splendor of autumn, my heart is full beyond expression. My joy becomes complete when I hear the colorful leaves above break into song, clapping and shouting the praises to our Maker for which I find no words.

Giveaway!

Because I'm at the 200 post mark, I wanted to host a giveaway to celebrate. When I reached 100 posts I gave away a Scripture memory cd for the kids. This time, it's all about Mom. Coming to a mailbox near you, a gift box containing:

Lotion
Body spray
2009 planner
Magnetic note pad
Air freshener
and yes,
Chocolate

If you're interested in winning, leave a comment below (be sure to leave some form of contact info). This giveaway will be closed in one week, on Tuesday, November 4. Other great giveaways can be found at Bloggy Giveaways!

What we eat for breakfast

For the first three years of our marriage my husband and I ate cold cereal just about every. single. morning. About a year ago I decided we needed more variety, so I developed a list of breakfasts I can prepare in ten minutes or less. We don't have a set meal rotation - I just make whatever I feel like eating each morning. But I've definitely enjoyed having more options and I think eating more protein most mornings helps us feel full longer! I thought I'd share in case you're looking for ideas. And yes, we are pretty boring in that we have bananas and orange juice with our breakfast just about every. single. morning.

Cold cereal with milk
Quick oatmeal with milk, brown sugar and raisins
Scrambled eggs and toast
French toast
Fried egg and cheese bagel sandwiches
Toasted leftover homemade waffles

On Saturdays we alternate between:
Pancakes
Waffles
Omelets

You can find other great ideas at Works for Me Wednesday! Also, be sure to check out my GIVEAWAY!

A game of ambivalence

I have high hopes that my three-year-old son's sense of humor was inherited from his daddy instead of his humor-deficient mother.

Isaac and Abby both have been experimenting with changing their minds lately. If I offer PB&J or ham and cheese for lunch, they'll choose one then change their mind as soon as I set the plate in front of them. Of course, I don't play the game and they have to eat their original choice, but it's definitely been interesting to watch.

Yesterday Keith asked Isaac to make a choice. Isaac gave one answer, then the other, then was back to his original choice. After Isaac changed his mind quite a few times in a row, Keith said, half exasperated - "Do you know that you're crazy?"

Isaac got a little smirk on his face and said, "Yes. No."

Not only does he know exactly what he's doing in his little game of ambivalence, he managed to make an ironic joke better than the best that his mother has ever constructed.

Unplanned learning

We still haven't gotten around to "real" homeschool preschool - my math manipulatives and children's poetry anthology are sitting in the corner waiting to be "planned". But the richness of unplanned learning surprises me every day!

My kids like the non-fiction section of the library (while I must admit an affinity for stories). This week we somehow grabbed a great little book on the life cycle of a duck. Science, right?

Isaac has been counting obsessively so when I spotted a count-to-twenty book at the library I snatched it up. It's only been 24 hours and already he's read it half a dozen times. Math, right?

This morning I pulled out a couple "special" toys for the kids to use while I vacuumed. Abby colored on a little dry erase board and Isaac played with magnetic letters. When I was done vacuuming, we worked on sounding out and spelling three letter words. Cat. Dog. Bus. He can often figure out which letter makes the beginning and ending sounds to a word if I say them with emphasis. Phonics, right?

And the one thing I have managed to consistently work into our schedule is Bible story time before chores in the morning. That's the most important, right?

This evening's amusement

Nerf guns are fun.

Nerf guns are especially fun when played with a three-year-old who can't stop laughing hysterically.

Five kids four and under

I'm more grateful all the time for the exact size of our house: plenty of room for our family, but none of those five little kiddos is ever out of earshot!

Pumpkins

It began with an August trip to the pumpkin patch, where the kids scratched their names into still-green baby pumpkins.

Then the first week of October we made another trip to find and pick the personalized pumpkins.

After two weeks of begging their Mama to cook the pumpkins, yesterday the kids helped me scrape the seeds out of pumpkin halves and put them in baking pans.

This morning we dumped the cooked pumpkin in the food mill and took turns cranking. The sight of the gorgeous orange puree delighted us all - perfect for pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, or "whatever we want!"

We also spiced and roasted the pumpkin seeds and capped off our hard work milling with a delicious fall snack.

Like our garden venture, following these pumpkins from "patch" to puree brought our children great delight! And I love the feeling of "putting something up", no matter how small the quantity. Some of this pumpkin can be used for a dessert this week and the rest will join the rhubarb, zucchini, and apples in my freezer to be used later this winter.

What abundance our Father gives!

Various

Keith made it home safely from Brazil on Sunday afternoon. I am so thankful he is back! I didn't hear from him all day Saturday and I was getting very concerned about his travel safety. Then I checked Brazilian news and there was a major plane crash at the Sao Paulo airport on Saturday. I was pretty sure his flight was later, but it was nerve-wracking anyway. I was happy to get a 6am phone call on Sunday morning letting me know that he was safe in DC! Sometimes I am disgusted by my own humanity - the fact that my husband is fine means there is someone else who is not . . . other people mourning a loss that I was spared. Yet I can hardly wish my husband dead! This is where I take such comfort in God's sovereignty, and I trust that I would be strengthened to do the same if I ever become the one in mourning.

I've been a bit distracted from this blog since I'm working with my sister to start a new website: thriftyrapidcity.com. For most of you it will not be very useful since the idea is to post deals that are specific to our location. For instance, one of our stores is part of a very small regional chain and I haven't found any other websites that do deal postings and coupon matchups for that chain. Also, many of the Safeway and Walgreens deals that other sites post don't apply to us since we get a smaller coupon insert than most cities. So my job is to sift through the deals and post the ones that are relevent to our location. If you do live in Rapid City, be sure to check it out and save some major moola!

Life lesson # 651

Caulk is not meant to be dispensed by squeezing the tube it is sold in with your own bare hands. (Why does the end of the tube keep popping off anyway?)

Homemade chicken broth

Whenever whole chickens are on sale I buy a couple then cook them on low all day in the crockpot. Then the meat just falls off the bone and I can freeze it for use in casseroles, soups, etc. I drain the drippings and freeze those to make chicken gravy. Then I take the bones, break them in half and throw them back in the crockpot along with a whole bunch of water (fill it up) and about a tsp of vinegar (to pull the calcium out of the bones). Cook on low overnight and you have homemade chicken broth - delicious, cheap and very good for you.

Observations on my husband being away for two weeks

• The bed is easier to make each morning
• I'm more productive in the evenings
• My grocery bill is going down
• My fast food bill is going up
• I don't have a reason to set the alarm clock
• I had just over half my usual amount of dirty laundry to wash
• It's hard to keep telling the kids that today is not the day for Daddy to come home
• It's a bummer to try and try to connect via Skype - only to fail because of spotty Brazilian wireless internet coverage
• I rely on my kids for the snuggles I'm missing from my husband
• I don't have as much to laugh about
• Absence makes the heart grow fonder

Links: feed your spirit

There are so many blogs out there, and I'm sure that many I don't read are truly worth reading. But two in particular have regularly ministered to me. I'll link to them here with the hopes that you also will be blessed.

Ann at Holy Experience writes about how if we can find even one thing to be grateful for - it is enough.

A couple of days after I first wrote about my changing perspective on beauty, Amy at Amy's Humble Musings fleshed out my thoughts with her post entitled Grace: the most beautiful thing.

So often I cannot find the words to express what is in my heart most deeply - these women can write the way I wish I could and I often resonate with their thoughts. Take a minute to read and I'm sure you will be blessed.

Abby's Journal

We’ve had a lot of people shocked by your age recently. First of all, you’re tall for your age, and your pigtails make you look like you’re easily over two. Secondly, you do a lot of big-girl things – one person even exclaimed over you eating a sandwich properly (instead of needing it cut up or pulling it apart and making a mess). Finally, your verbal skills are pretty incredible. I’d like to think that you’re a genius because of it, but research doesn’t bear it out. However, it sure is fun to always know exactly what is on your mind.

Most incredible is your ability to carry on complete conversations – not just thought-snippets. For instance, you might say: “I want to go to Grammie’s house and see my cousins.” I may reply, “That won’t work out for today but we will go on Sunday, okay?” You might reply, “What will we do today then?” I might tell you, “Today is Tuesday, so we are planning to go to the grocery store.” Suddenly your mind will switch tracks to “grocery store” and I’ll hear any and all of the above. “I want to eat a blueberry bagel at the grocery store.” “I want to bring some money to the grocery store to buy some M&M’s.” “What will we get at the grocery store?” “What will we do after the grocery store?” “Can I ride in the truck cart at the grocery store?” You’ve also started asking “Why?” and I might just have to draw the line – surely you can’t understand cause and effect yet?!

You can also count to thirteen – you’ve had an advantage recently since Isaac has been counting compulsively. However, you can’t manage counting actual objects higher than three. But you definitely have a firm grasp of one versus two – I often hear, “No, I don’t want one (fill in the blank), I want two!”

It’s very fun to have you be “all girl” – most of the time. We do have some interesting drama from you that I never noticed in Isaac. If you don’t get your way, you will actually put on a pout and start fake crying. And it doesn’t take much provocation to get a high-pitched squeal out of you. Poor Isaac probably feels like he’s walking on thin ice sometimes, but it’s good for him to learn, I suppose. On the other hand, you love all things girly – sharing make-up with Mama, picking a barrette for the day, choosing your clothes. You can nearly dress yourself!

We’ve had a lot of fun this fall, going for walks, playing at the playground, throwing sticks or duck food in the water as the case may be. You are very alert to the birds and squirrels around you and eager to try even the biggest slides at the playground, but you’d just as soon ride in the stroller as walk. I guess that works out alright; otherwise Isaac would leave us in the dust as he rides his bike.

One of your funny quirks is that if anyone calls you by a nickname, such as “Sweetheart”, you will say, “I’m not Sweetheart, I’m Abby Kathaleen.” (With the extra syllable.) However, nicknames containing any variation of Abby are okay, such as my still-favorite for you, Abbidoo.

Isaac's Journal

We finished out August with a camping trip to Robeaiux Lake – and this time it was especially exciting because we went with my sister's family. You had a ball with your cousins, riding bikes in the grass, finding sticks for the fire and catching frogs in the lake! We also went on a hike around the lake, only to discover the trail disappeared at the far end – so we got to have an adventure tromping back through the marsh.

The next weekend you and Daddy went camping with the international students to finish out the camping season. I hear you were quite the favorite, playing soccer and chatting it up with all the adults. Daddy let you stay up as late as you wanted AND eat as many marshmallows as you wanted! Now that the school year is started, we’ve returned to spending Friday nights with the international students ministry. You are such a people person that you are a great asset to the relationship-building that Daddy and I are trying to do with the people there! Everyone loves to talk with Isaac!

We’ve spent some beautiful fall days at various parks, me pushing Abby in the stroller, you riding your bike. Sometimes we feed ducks, sometimes we stop at a playground, one day we even happened upon the fish hatchery, where we got to feed the baby fish. We throw sticks in the creek (or sometimes, the biggest rocks you can carry) and “crunchle” the leaves and watch the squirrels climb trees. Oh yes – and catch grasshoppers anywhere we can. It is wonderful. I am so very full of pleasure when I see my precious children enjoying creation as I do.

All summer long, whenever we pass someone else on a bike, you ask, “Why do they have a bike with no training wheels?” Your cousin Christian has no training wheels and I began to notice that this was a very big deal for you. I read online that it’s easier to learn how to ride sans training wheels if you take the pedals off too. So now you tell everyone that, “I have a bike with no training wheels!” except that you have no pedals either. Once you get the balance thing down, the pedals can go back on.

You have been obsessed with counting everything in sight. Often you actually ask me permission to count things – “Mama, can I count these raisins?” Or maybe you’re asking if I think you can do it! At the beginning of the month you tended to skip fourteen and fifteen, but you’re getting a lot better and can often make it to twenty.

Often you ask me, “Why is your tummy getting so fat?” I explain that the baby inside me is growing, and you often want to pat or kiss my tummy. Then you ask me again the next day. Sometimes I wonder why every question must be asked over and over – maybe it’s just reassuring when the answers stay the same.

You are such a mix of independence and needs, toughness and sensitivity. You are all boy – running, jumping, falling without a tear yet when the slightest thing is not right between you and someone else you know it. I am learning to discern those times – when your bad behavior is actually insecurity in a relationship. So often those bad behaviors can be headed off with some hugs and snuggle-story time. What a treasure you are – strong but sensitive – a perfect mix.

Physics in real life

Yesterday Isaac complained of being thirsty. I offered him his water bottle, but no - he wanted to do it himself AND do it like he sees the big people do. So he pushed a chair from the dining room to the kitchen and stood on it to retrieve a glass from the cupboard. Then he carefully set the glass on the counter and moved his chair to the kitchen sink. After retrieving the glass, he stood on the chair to fill his cup at the sink. When it was full, he set the glass on the counter, turned off the water, put his chair away, and went back to take a drink.

What I want to know is: will he have to wait until high school physics to understand that work is path dependent or will he figure it out himself?

Does beauty really matter?

I'm starting to see that it does - and I'm having a lot of fun learning how to express God's beauty in my own little projects. Case in point: I hosted a bridal shower last week. Not that I've done a lot of bridal showers before, but in the past I probably would have been satisfied with a nice plate of brownies and matching tableware. This time I wanted to make it really special and beautiful as a way to bless and hopefully enrich everyone who came.

I went to the thrift store and hit up on silver serving dishes, a bunch of clear votive holders, mismatched wine glasses and some solid white sheets - nearly everything cost a quarter. I covered all of the surfaces with the white "tablecloths" and made mini cheesecakes, chocolate-dipped strawberries and brownie bites. Okay - I didn't actually make the brownies. They flopped three hours before the shower, necessitating a run to the grocery store.

Between the subtle lighting and candles everywhere, the silver and red accents, and the dainty foods, I thought it looked pretty. I still have a long way to go in getting my decorator sense honed, but I sure am having fun learning!

The Green Dance

So I'm supposed to last a whole two weeks without seeing my husband?

I mean, this is the guy who made up a great new dance at the wedding Saturday night. The Green Dance. It's simple, really - just minimize your footprint.

I can't even approach that level of ingenuity, so I'm in for a long, boring couple of weeks.

Centerpiece altar

Of course the one day when I really want to take some pictures would be the day my husband took our family camera to Brazil with him.

The kids and I went on a nature walk this morning. We took along a bucket to collect leaves and pine cones. They also tossed in some rocks and "bird berries". Isaac spent the first half of the walk complaining that his legs hurt and lying on the sidewalk asking me to carry him. After he got that out of his system, Abby spent the second half of the walk crying that "I don't feel well." Right. At least we found some pretty fall treasures.

After lunch we took our bucket of bounty out to the lush grass (really!) of our back yard and laid on our tummies as we filled a clear glass bowl with pine cones and colorful leaves. It's beautiful, if I do say so myself, but I don't have a camera to photograph it. The kids happily rolled down the grassy hill and pulled handfuls of grass to refill the bucket. The sky was bright blue, beautiful and perfect. I've always felt my soul is fed by being out of doors.

However, last year I pooh-poohed my way through a book that (among other things) detailed how to create beautiful centerpieces for your dining table. I like functional - why go to all the extra work of creating a centerpiece?

I think I get it now. That little bowl of fall beauty has a similar effect on my soul as being outdoors. God made those things - and each time I look at them with eyes to see it becomes a worship-moment.

Busy, busy

I'm tired! Yesterday I babysat again, the kids barely napped, and we hosted impromptu company for supper. Then I was awake in the middle of the night for no good reason.

But I'm off to clean the house because tomorrow evening I'm hosting a bridal shower for one of my good friends. Then Friday I have a doctor's appointment in the morning and the wedding rehearsal/dinner in the evening and Saturday will be busy with the wedding almost all day. Sunday Keith leaves for Brazil for two weeks (sniff, sniff). So I might be a bit scarce for a couple of days.