WHY CAN'T YOU JUST LOVE EACH OTHER ?!

My mother cried out circa 1987.

Twenty years ago my brother, sister and I (primarily my brother and I) got into a real knockdown drag out fight. Kicks and punched were exchanged.
I like to think I won the battle.
Perhaps that was the day my mother cried out in utter frustration,

"Why can't you just love each other?!"

It stopped me in my tracks. I don't know if it was what she said, or how she said it. Rarely do I remember my mom being that upset, that fed-up with us. I remember struggling for some mouthy come back to her loud rhetorical question. I had nothin', I was speechless. She was right. Why couldn't we just act liked we loved each other? Why did we have to argue, kick, and scream? What was our problem?

Fast forward to 2007. This month has been a long one. Adjusting to pregnancy with all the hormones it brings, kids in school and soccer, busy work schedule for Dan (thank God!) have all combined into a whirlwind of activity and moments of mania. My kids have felt the stress and have been fighting more than usual. In a particular moment of desperation I searched the file cabinet of my memory to find a good motherly statement that would surely stop my children from practically ripping each other's hair out.

"Why can't you just love each other?!" I exclaimed (yelled)

It had the same effect 20 years later. They looked at me unable to respond, and they stopped fighting. I like to think then and there they knew that God created them as family not mortal enemies.

Use it. Love it. Thank Judy for this little thought provoking phrase.

This photo is from the 80s. No, my mother doesn't sport the sweet southwestern blazer anymore. ;)

happy birthday brother.

My little brother Ross never looked better.

yum.

I have to eat these in private so Dan does not ruin his diet.
Really, someone stop me.

10 for 10 dollars at Thriftys this week!

What an ironic twist that exactly the same time I found out I was preggers, Dan was forced to change his unhealthly eating habits. What do you make of this, O bloggers?

Dan the Man.

I thought it due time I sing a song of praise for my husband.
Often I joke about him, post silly photos of him and he is such a good sport about it.

This time I will tell you how proud I am of him.
About 2 months ago, Dan was told that he needed to make a few changes in his diet and exercise routine. Two months ago his diet consisted of eating whatever he wanted and mass quantities of it. Two months ago Dan's exercise routine included walking from the couch to bed at night. I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but his day to day job is exhausting and rarely left any energy for exercise at 9pm at night. It was a challenge to say the least.

After his blood tests along with a family history concluded that his cholesterol, triglycerides, and blood sugar was elevated to a point unhealthy for a 30 something man, he decided to take action.

With the accountability of our Bro-in-law Scotty, Dan began running! He gave up fast food (still enjoying an occasional burger) and started eating breakfast. Cutting his portions considerably he as now lost about 12 pounds!!!

It was a rough first couple of weeks but it has been so good to see him commit to this. I am so proud of him. In no time he will be the poster boy for healthy construction workers.

Props to Dan today! (I'll try to get a better photo of him real soon)

Caaaan't Sttoppp Eattinggg!

One of the many early pregnancy symptoms that I apparently forgot about---
INCREASED APPETITE

I have told myself that it is all in my head. That I just think I need to "eat for two." But I am telling you, I want to eat for two, or three, or four for that matter! What is going on? Why would a baby the size of an inch cause such a change in my eating habits?
Come on, who eats two breakfasts? And why do I act like I have never been through this before?

This is going to be a long pregnancy if I can't stop thinking about my next meal and my next nap!

yikes.

Farm Girls

This is what my daughter Joy calls the classic show Little House on the Prairie.

Since I have been worn out and prone to nausea lately Joy and I have made a new habit of sitting down and watching the "farm girls" in the afternoon.

Why is this show so timeless? Why do I wish that I lived in that simpler time even though it was probably anything but.

I didn't grow up on a farm, but lived in farm country complete with farm smells and the dirt road on which my parents bought their first home. For some reason I have tricked myself into believing that country life=easy life, or better life. After all you do not have the temptation of retail stores galore only a short 10 minute drive away. In the country there were no perfect lawns, no Starbucks, no keeping up with the Jones's because the Jones's were just as poor as you. Ok, now I sound like a Country song.

Do you ever wonder what it would be like to live outside of suburbia, away from the land of AYSO, car-pools, and mega-churches? I do.

The simple life is not exclusive to farm girls, it is a lifestyle I think anyone can adopt. One that seems more prudent to me as the years go by.
Look Dad, I'm growing up.

Do enjoy the Little House Clip---The Richest Man in Walnut Grove

5 out of 5 pregnancy tests agree...

We hope to add another car seat to the Mini-Van next spring.
After years of discussion and prayer God has blessed us with another pregnancy. We are all slowly adjusting to the idea.

The first few weeks went a little something like this:

• I was excited that Dan & I had made a decision, regardless of the outcome, we (finally) left it all to God instead of ourselves
• I found myself thinking about baby names while sitting in the chair for a dental procedure---weird, I thought.
• I began bawling in Toys R Us when I could not find the right triplet baby dolls for my nieces.
• Other symptoms (moms, you know what I mean) began to appear.
• I began eating like it was my job---still am
• I did a test and tried my best to keep the positive result a secret, but to no avail.
  

I was in a bit of denial for awhile as I made it a weekly activity to buy a pregnancy test (Mom D. , remember when you saw me buying one?) thinking somehow I may have just imagined the symptoms I felt.

So here we are, on our way again. We covet your prayers that God blesses this little life with health and strength , and that we all can make adjustments as they come.

Oh, and that I will stop being so IRRITABLE!
That's all for now!

4 days down, 176 to go.

Some first day of school photos.



Joy has Mommy all to herself

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.

Will I Stay or Will I Go?

I was checking the national headlines today and came across this story about Starbucks increasing it pricing about 9 cents.

Click Here for video story

So now the question out there is, Will folks still grab that seemingly addictive and unmatched cup of joe while paying nine cents more for it??

I'm no expert, but I don't think it will stop anyone, including my once weekly allotted Vanilla Latte. I'll add nine cents to the weekly budget. Start digging in the couch for change, raiding my kids piggy bank, anything to get that Starbucks!!!!!!!!!!

Four Eye Are Better Than Two

We learned recently that Drew would need glasses. The vision in his left eye was surprisingly poor. Dan and I felt pretty bad that we never noticed any signs of this. Drew never indicated to us that he had problems seeing, so when the Dr. said that his left eye was close to "legally blind" I thought Dan was going to cry. (sorry, Hon)

You see, this was Dan at age 6, with his first pair of glasses: Cute, right?



And here is Drew today with his new specs.

Any bets on how long this first pair will last?

Woe is me!

Ever have one of those days?

When nothing particularly tragic happens, just something unexpected and highly annoying.
That was my yesterday.

I was happily planning my day---a little blogging, a little cleaning, a little coffee sipping when suddenly Chase exclaimed, "Mom, the carpet's wet down here!"

What I discovered was once again the lift pump in the mechanical room of our basement malfunctioned. Water (gray/black water, for you campers) was spraying EVERYWHERE each time the pump tried to do its job. The result was wet floor, wet carpet, wet padding, wet toys, & nasty soaked cardboard boxes.

I immediately called my fabulous father-in-law who saved the day, and solved part one of the problem---no more pee water spraying about. Have I ever told you how much of a blessing it is to live on "the hill?" Some of you may know what I mean. Not only is Dad D. ready to help me, he also has the beautiful ability to calm me down and put things into perspective when the little things cause me to go a little nutz-0!

Fast forward to today. The basement is slowly drying out, carpet is ripped out, I have purged the playroom of many un-played with toys, and we are hoping that no mildew sets in.

Thank you to Dad, Johnny, & Scotty who helped us out yesterday. I would likely be pacing about in an overly dramatic display of emotional distress if you hadn't come to my rescue!!!

I guess my pity party must come to an end. ;)

Easy does it!

I have been getting so very much flak for my lack of posting.
The following is my list of excuses:

I am busy.

It is summer and I am lazy.

I wait for some type of inspiration before I blog.

I have no soap boxes to climb upon and rant

My kids are still saying hilarious stuff, but not necessarily kosher for blogging.

I have been a little preoccupied with getting fillings, root canals and crowns.



I'll try and put some effort into blogging. But until then here are a few photos I dug up of what we've been up to.

Dan's 40 in Canada

Dewey on the Slip and Slide at sports camp

two tired boys sound asleep

Joy at sports camp, doesn't she look thrilled?

The kids on 4th of July

Chelle and Joy and Payne Lake

Where'd I go?

I have had a lot of "I should blog about this" moments lately, however,

I did not blog about them, and my blog rather blows lately.

What have we been up to?
Staying at the cottage at BWFL, and enjoying time with family on the 4th of July, basically keeping a tight schedule filled with summer activities to keep the Mini-Van, well, you guessed it-- Mega-Fun!!

So for the sake of blogging and not becoming a total dead beat,

I'll give you a topic...talk amongst yourselves...

I need a get rich quick scheme.

Camping. It's a weird thing.

Last week while we camped at the lovely Holland State Park I got to thinking about the act of Camping.

You see I did not grow up participating in this activity. My father wouldn't step foot in a camper, (he probably wouldn't fit). He wouldn't be able to tell you what a "dough boy" was, or a "hobo pie." We spent our summer vacations at the cottage, by the lake with fully functioning toilets.

You can imagine the mockery I sustained when I told my family that I was going camping.
While I was growing up on Payne Lake, my husband was growing up in a tent on a remote Michigan campground and enjoying it to the fullest.

Dan wanted to recreate that kind of fun for our kids. Thanks to a friend with a fabulous camper we set out for family fun.

Here were a few observations I had about camping:

• Campsites are pretty close together. No where else would I want to eat, drink, and sleep that close to perfect strangers. But when you are camping it doesn't seem to matter that I was walking around in my PJs for all the world to see-- at 10am.
  
• Showering. It doesn't seem as necessary as it does at home. Why bother when the shower water just might be lukewarm and you have to push the button every five seconds to keep up a steady stream.
• Meals. Food cooked over an open flame just tastes better in a campground that on the grill at home.
• Exercise. I didn't wake up in the morning thinking that I would climb a sand dune that day. My sons tricked me into it I tell you. I think I may have got more physical activity in that week than I had in a long time. Embarassing, yes.
• The convenience of an indoor potty does not out weigh the gross-ness of emptying out the "black water" at the end of the week. Black water, Gray water, fresh water, who knew? I was such a camping rookie.

We enjoyed the week. So much.

A few Pix from our Camping Vacay.

vintage Mac

Thou Shalt Not Steal

Especially pink Bibles.

Last night we trucked out to Wal-Mart (they are yet to be on my black list, give it time) with one purpose. To buy the kids a kiddy pool so they won't drive me nuts all day begging to go and swim at Grandma's big pool.

While I was browsing the terribly messy clearance aisle Joy spotted a little pink Bible that she just had to have. I told her she may have it, how can you not let your kid get a Bible, right?

As we went to the outdoor check out to pay for the rad pool the boys picked out, Miss Joy neglected to hand her Bible (and a tube of pink princess toothpaste) to the cashier. I didn't realize it until I glanced back at her in the truck on the way home and she was holding tight to that little pink Bible.

What a prize, what prize indeed!

Now I have to go and be a parent a minute and teach her a lesson--and drive back to Wal-Mart to pay for it. Guess how much?

The saga continues

First came the indisputable evidence that a pest had cozied up in my van.

Next was the bread crumbs on the closet floor.

Now we have the lingering odor of a mouse gone on before us.

So stinky, so offensive.
I remember this happening to my parents home time and time again. A mouse dies in the walls or somewhere you can't locate. I also remember my father and Grandpa H. cutting a hole in the drywall to remove the offender(s).

Anyone have a solution to this problem or do we just have to wait out the potent stench?

Why pay more? Only if you have your own pen.

Soap Box Alert.

So I was grocery shopping at my local Meijer the other day filling the cart with random necessities when the most ridiculous thing happened.

I had successfully unloaded and loaded my groceries to and back into my cart. (no baggers at Meijer) I reach into my wallet and decided to write a good old fashioned check to pay my bill. You see, I did not have my debit card on me and I was not willing to charge my groceries.

Here is where the weirdness began.

My purse was ink pen-less and I asked the young cashier to borrow a pen.
This is what he said:

"uhhh, I don't have one." (he stands there and stares back at me)
"yeah, us cashiers are supposed to supply our own pens. People keep stealin' mine and I don't feel like buying them all the time." (Still he has not moved a muscle)

I said, "Well, you're gonna have to find me one if you want me to pay for my stuff, right?"

He said, "uh, OK."

As I am writing out my check, I say to him,
"This just might be the end of me shopping at Meijer."

He says, "You don't like it here?"

"No, I really don't like huge stores." I replied

He says, "Yeah, I hate it here." (He resumes just standing and staring)
He ends with "Uh, here's you receipt"

Employee of the Month he ain't.
It was just annoying on so many levels.

He's still working on me.

Well folks, it has been a busy and emotional week. Blogging took a back burner.

I guess I have been more up in my head than typing at my MacBook this week, thinking about things of greater gravity. Talking with my kiddos about life, death, and the afterlife following the death of my Aunt. It is so inspiring to me as I observe my children working out their faith, their beliefs, and how they describe it all. Kids says some pretty cute stuff. :)

I've been trying to think back to the first time I learned about Jesus, about the first time I asked the really hard questions about life and death. I suppose it was some time during my childhood and it was again most recently as I attended the funeral for my Aunt. When I was young, I thought I would have it all figured out and answered by the time I was a "grown up."

But really, I am still working out my Christianity. Not whether or not I believe in the incarnation, death, and resurrection, for I am persuaded, but rather working on the daily walk. I don't think there will be a moment when I feel I have arrived, spiritually speaking, because life's big circumstances always have a way of bringing me back to my foundation---the Grace of God.

I'm so thankful that this foundation is all I need to spend eternity with Christ, that I don't have to know it all, be perfect, or have all the answers. We are ever thankful that Aunt Patty had this same blessed assurance.

I know not why God’s wondrous grace
To me He hath made known,
Nor why, unworthy, Christ in love
Redeemed me for His own.

I know not what of good or ill
May be reserved for me,
Of weary ways or golden days,
Before His face I see.

But I know Whom I have believèd,
And am persuaded that He is able
To keep that which I’ve committed
Unto Him against that day.

OK, so I love old Hymns. If you do too and want to hear the one above, click here
It's old school church music but it still rings true.