summer slobs

I have this tendency to follow up a potently heartfelt post (such as yesterday's) with one that is just, well, not so much. You never know just what you might find in MiniVan MegaFun land

I feel like a dead beat blogger. Lately the only things that have even inspired me to blog are things I find annoying around my home. I thought better of it though because really, who wants to hear about the things that irritate me? This post should help you feel better about your house if it seems messy with all the business of summer.
So I won't whine, complain, or vent. I'll just show you what has got a bee in my bonnet lately. It's a guessing game of sorts.

Photo #1

I have been looking at this for 3 days now. Any idea what it is?

Photo #2

It gets worse every night, yet I don't just wipe it.

Photo #3

Too many Pollys...so little time

Photo #4

Dan's Dump...need I say more?

Photo #5 & 6

It's just a good thing we live in the country.

Dan tells me not to get all worked up about the little things.
I suppose he's right.
But it's just so easy. My friend Cara had a poll on her blog about just this question. Do you sweat the small stuff? 85 percent of her voters said "Yes"
Seems like I do.
Looks like I should, otherwise I end up with disasters like this at the end of the summer.

Continue On

I received this writing in a card from my mother a few years back. I read it again today and thought I'd share it with my mom-bloggers out there. Back to school is a stressful time. At least it is for me, so I found this encouraging yet again.

CONTINUE ON
A woman once fretted over the usefulness of her life. She feared she was wasting her potential being a devoted wife and mother. She wondered if the time and energy she invested in her husband and children would make a difference. At times she got discouraged because so much of what she did seemed to go unnoticed and unappreciated. "Is it worth it?" she often wondered. "Is there something better that I could be doing with my time?" It was during these moments of questioning that she heard the still, small voice of her Heavenly Father speak to her heart: "You are a wife and mother because that is what I have called you to be. Much of what you do is hidden from the public eye. But I notice. Most of what you give is done without renumeration. But I am your reward. Your husband cannot be the man I have called him to be without your support. Your influence upon him is greater than you think and more powerful than you will ever know. I bless him through your service and honor him through your love. Your children are precious to Me--even more precious than they are to you. I have entrusted them to your care to raise for Me. What you invest in them is an offering to Me. You may never be in the public spotlight. But your obedience shines as a bright light before Me.
Continue on. Remember, you are My servant. Do all to please Me.
--written by Roy Lessin

I never feel like I am wasting my potential being a wife and mom but it does seem tedious and endless and thankless at times. But today I needed to remember it is totally worth it, most importantly so. This is God's purpose for me for such a time as this.

And done.

Summer 2007, that is.

Monday the boys start school.
Monday the house will be bustling at 7am instead of 9am.
Monday carpooling will commence.
Monday making lunches returns.
Monday means new shoes, new crayons, and new faces.

Monday the countdown begins for summer vacation 2008.

Am I the only one that doesn't love "Back to School" ????

Serves me right.

This morning while the boys were still asleep, Joy and I played CandyLand.

I tried to teach her the rules of the game, she started out strong. As the game lingered on and on I was getting anxious to make coffee, get my morning rolling.
I know, it's terrible.
I should have been enjoying the one on one time with my daughter instead of letting my thoughts drift to my to-do list for the day. Was it not just yesterday I was taking time to enjoy beauty in the ordinary?

Still the game stretched on and on. 20 minutes, 30 minutes.
She was almost at the finish line and she drew the Candy Cane card --to the Peppermint Stick Forest she went!!! Practically back to the beginning! Serves me right for wanting to rush through this game.

I started giving her two draws in a row, Joy had no clue I was bending the rules and was pleased as punch to be whipping through the game at great speed.

As we continued to play, I thought back to games that I played as a child, some of my favorites were Clue, Life, Perfection, Careers. I was always annoyed that the oldest person playing always won. I don't think my parents "let"me win.

Did yours?
What was your favorite childhood game?

Some how Joy still won the game even after being sent back to the gooey gumdrop, which she thought was a "bun" The never-ending game of CandyLand....

My favorite thing today

Most nights at dinner or before bed I ask my kids the same question.
"What was your favorite thing today?"

They usually respond by describing some fun activity that they did that day , or explaining a happy moment. It is a good way for them to realize the blessings they have and show gratitude to the One who gives them.

A few of my faves today:

• Watching Little House on The Prairie--my favorite episode, where Laura meets Almanzo for the first time and calls him "Manly"
• Hearing some great news from a friend regarding her pregnancy--Praise God!
  
• Eating a Hershey's Candy Bar while watching Little House.
• Watching my children splash and play in the pool with friends
• Hearing my nephew say "Momma, Momma " while I was talking on the phone with his Momma.

Beauty in the ordinary.

For Maddie, Alex, & Stella WE MISS YOU!!!!!
a few photos:

product recall

I've been following the news on a number of product recalls and I don't know whether to freak out not.

How worried must I be about the products made in China that may have paint containing lead?
Are there extreme amounts of lead, or just small quantities? Do they pose a danger to my children or people, by that I mean the Government, media, etc. blowing it out of proportion? Just recently there has been recalled peanut butter, beef, toothpaste. We might as well live in a bubble.

Two weeks ago, I read about lunch boxes containing lead. What's next?

Did we not live in houses containing walls painted with lead paint?
Toys have been manufactured in China for decades, and this is a new problem? I doubt it.

Just how worried are you? Would you go out and buy an at home lead testing kit (like I almost did)???

for the latest recalls, click here

Are you a Slacker Mom?

I came across this free internet quiz:

Are you a Slacker Mom?

Try it, based on my answers I am rated as,

"ZEN MOM"

-- How do you do it? Even when explosions are all around, you are able to take a deep cleansing breath and chant your mantra "this too shall pass." You are a calming influence on your kids in a hectic world.

What??? This could not be farther from the truth!

a fine line.

As my kiddos are growing at the speed of light, new, challenging, and often times scary situations are presented to them.

Tuesday we were at the cottage encouraging Chase to try waterskiing again. He had quite a discouraging fall a few weeks back that I thought would end his ambitions.

I have always liked observing the way my children and those of others take on new tasks. Some kids don't need a bit of arm twisting, they are ready to try something new, they are daredevils with no fear. Others refuse, kick and scream, cannot be forced to try something they fear.

My father has taught many a child, teenager, adult how to waterski and finds extreme delight in watching someone successfully learn and progress to the next level.

What we tried to balance that day was the willingness Chase initially showed in trying again to ski and the blatant fear developing on his face as we wrangled the skis, the rope, and positioning him for take off. By the time Dad, Mom, Bethany and I were ready, he had clearly changed his mind.

"I don't wanna do it!"
"I DON'T WANNA SKI!" said through tears

This was a moment I have experienced many a time with my boys.
Just how far do you push a kid? Do you force him to do it when you know that success is only moments away? OR do you realize that your child needs to trust you that you won't force him to do something against his will?

a fine line.

This photo shows a positive end result for us, what would you choose?

Happy Birthday To You!

Happy 33rd Dan!

(32nd thought my mother)

This is what kind of birthday you have when you are 33.

• get up at 6am and go to work while I am snoring away.
  
• cheat on your diet and eat an EggMcMuffin
• toil away in temperatures nearing 100 degrees
  
• realize that birthdays just aren't what they used to be
  
• put up with rowdy employees
  
• come home to rowdy kids
• cheat on your diet again and have Pizza
• go swimming with the fam.
  
• look at your wife and think, "man, she's still got it"
• fall asleep on the couch while watching CSI.

All in all a pretty blessed existence.

I love you! Thank you for just being Danno.