A box turns plaything
Pirate ship, water raging
five more minutes mom
click for Kristen
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
before!
Here is our newly purchased stack of flooring. Solid bamboo! Who knows how long it will be furniture before we get to tread on it but I am SO glad its there.
Baby cosmos just peeking up. Usually I wait until mid April to plant but I just couldn't help myself. The seeds were 4 packets for a dollar.
Empty flower bed #1 This will be the herbs spot. That way I can fetch them easily.
It doesn't receive direct sunlight.
and lastly a full view of the grassy yard and two tone fence. I was thinking that white would be a nice contrast. What do you think? White or ceder brown???
Saturday, March 26, 2011
the garden
My grandparents on my dads side always grew tremendous, lush, and thriving gardens. It was a sight to behold. They grew everything. My brothers and I would sneak out to the fruit trees and eat plums that had fallen to the ground....and may be an occasional strawberry.
I didn't want to be a gardener. It seemed soul sucking. All those plants to care for, needing attention! When I was more grown up several potted plants sacrificed their lives to my negligence. I took it as a sign, labeled myself a brown thumb, and decided to chalk it up to experience.
Flash forward many years.My mom had purchased several herbs which she let sit. Those poor little things just sat in their containers dying from lack of care and planting. My mother also has a brown thumb. She brought them up to my house and I planted them never thinking that this would be the start of my interest in horticulture.
They didn't die! Imagine the shock. A little cilantro paved the way for a joy I never could have guessed was there. Who knew that seeds and dirt could bring so much pleasure. Its so fun to have my three stroll through the giant masses of sugar snap peas and munch away.
The very best part is taking a plot of ugly land and making it beautiful. Here is where I am again. My yard is UGLY. I have to get a camera in order to show you. Its full of weeds and rhododendron bushes. Not at all on my 'like' list. For now they are holding the sand in place so the hillside doesn't erode compleatly. Its taken much time and deliberation to finally know what I will do.
Surprises await!! Better yet, coming soon...a yard with class!
I didn't want to be a gardener. It seemed soul sucking. All those plants to care for, needing attention! When I was more grown up several potted plants sacrificed their lives to my negligence. I took it as a sign, labeled myself a brown thumb, and decided to chalk it up to experience.
Flash forward many years.My mom had purchased several herbs which she let sit. Those poor little things just sat in their containers dying from lack of care and planting. My mother also has a brown thumb. She brought them up to my house and I planted them never thinking that this would be the start of my interest in horticulture.
They didn't die! Imagine the shock. A little cilantro paved the way for a joy I never could have guessed was there. Who knew that seeds and dirt could bring so much pleasure. Its so fun to have my three stroll through the giant masses of sugar snap peas and munch away.
The very best part is taking a plot of ugly land and making it beautiful. Here is where I am again. My yard is UGLY. I have to get a camera in order to show you. Its full of weeds and rhododendron bushes. Not at all on my 'like' list. For now they are holding the sand in place so the hillside doesn't erode compleatly. Its taken much time and deliberation to finally know what I will do.
Surprises await!! Better yet, coming soon...a yard with class!
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Refresher
Not to often am I gallivanting about the states, even less without my three.
As a mom I just forget what being alone is like. Oh sure, there are those fleeting moments in the shower when the hot water pours down and erases everything. Usually what happens to me is I slip into a coma like state for a moment before remembering my children are unsupervised. Then there are the late evenings when all is quiet and I pop in a movie only to have a disgruntled little person scowling in my room with their hands firmly planted in their sides. A look that is sometimes accompanied with the phrase, "why do WE have to sleep and YOU get to watch movies?!"
You know those mothers who have the children that are quiet in church and walk in a strait line in the store.....well good. We aren't talking about them.
When I go to the church its world war three....number significant. Yup. When we go to the store its not a single file line behind mommy, its a circus parade that no one can help but look at. Many a grandma has given me the loving 'your gonna miss it' pat on the arm when I look exasperated and try to pry them free of the candy shelf. The thing is... I know I am going to miss it. I know someday soon they will be too old to let me pick them up, to grown up to let me kiss their head and to busy to whisper secrets at night.
Saving little scraps of paper and special items was my mothers way of hanging on. Because I am a mom who does not survive well with clutter, I have found my own solution. I keep a memory. The problem?It gets a bit cluttered! Its like those huge pictures made up of thousands of snippets. If you stand too close there is so much its overwhelming!
About once every two years I step back for a few days. Greg takes the house guy role and I am just me. I walk around stores not fearing what might be broken. I don't cook or clean up. Its quiet and in that quiet I can hear and see the things which get cluttered and sticky with all the gunk that doesn't matter. Spending the weekend away going to movies that aren't cartoon or trying on clothes without being informed of my less desired body aspects may sound selfish, but in reality it is a moment when I can step back and be so thankful for what I have and feel a tiny patch of the longing I will feel in my later years.. perhaps on a daily basis. It helps me see that big picture that all the tiny snapshots are making.
As a mom I just forget what being alone is like. Oh sure, there are those fleeting moments in the shower when the hot water pours down and erases everything. Usually what happens to me is I slip into a coma like state for a moment before remembering my children are unsupervised. Then there are the late evenings when all is quiet and I pop in a movie only to have a disgruntled little person scowling in my room with their hands firmly planted in their sides. A look that is sometimes accompanied with the phrase, "why do WE have to sleep and YOU get to watch movies?!"
You know those mothers who have the children that are quiet in church and walk in a strait line in the store.....well good. We aren't talking about them.
When I go to the church its world war three....number significant. Yup. When we go to the store its not a single file line behind mommy, its a circus parade that no one can help but look at. Many a grandma has given me the loving 'your gonna miss it' pat on the arm when I look exasperated and try to pry them free of the candy shelf. The thing is... I know I am going to miss it. I know someday soon they will be too old to let me pick them up, to grown up to let me kiss their head and to busy to whisper secrets at night.
Saving little scraps of paper and special items was my mothers way of hanging on. Because I am a mom who does not survive well with clutter, I have found my own solution. I keep a memory. The problem?It gets a bit cluttered! Its like those huge pictures made up of thousands of snippets. If you stand too close there is so much its overwhelming!
About once every two years I step back for a few days. Greg takes the house guy role and I am just me. I walk around stores not fearing what might be broken. I don't cook or clean up. Its quiet and in that quiet I can hear and see the things which get cluttered and sticky with all the gunk that doesn't matter. Spending the weekend away going to movies that aren't cartoon or trying on clothes without being informed of my less desired body aspects may sound selfish, but in reality it is a moment when I can step back and be so thankful for what I have and feel a tiny patch of the longing I will feel in my later years.. perhaps on a daily basis. It helps me see that big picture that all the tiny snapshots are making.
Take heart, capture the little things and keep them always. Make time to look at what you are treasuring and be sure it is not buried beneath busyness. Some things wont wait until tomorrow.
ps..after much consideration I am going with banjo. Its not nearly as lofty as writing, or as sophisticated as painting, rather it is attainable.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
shhhh...The kids are not up yet and I am blogging! Unfortunately I woke at 4:30am and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get back to sleep. Lets get caught up shall we?
First off, spring is just around the corner...SPRING. Nothing looks better than an end to all this torrential rain than a little slice of sunshine and planting. I mostly put flowers in to start. The front yard will be converted to accommodate my addiction very soon. Next month I will buy the lumber and soil as well as more seeds.
The kids are all healthy after three weeks of snotty noses and coughs. Kids baffle me. One day everyone is nice and plays happily and the next they are cranky and moaning. Too funny. Greg and I took the three to Ft. Colombia and played in the bunkers. Only here do you have stalactite and stalagmites growing in abandoned buildings!! While we were walking the grounds Thomas had to be reminded several times about staying away from the steep hills. His middle name is danger for a reason. Wouldn't you know it but he headed down one of them as a short cut and did a mini flip landing with his head pointing down the hill. He lay there until Greg pulled him up. It was a quite funny, he was in little danger. That is why I sent Greg to do the rescuing. Generally it doesn't go over well with the kids when I laugh.
I am walking in the Portland to Coast race again this year with Greg's department. Its exhausting but fun. Last year my fastest time was a 12 min mile. I don't think that a speed like that is attainable for me again but I will try. Even at that speed I was being passed by grandma ladies swooshing their hips back and forth pulling out a 9 or 10 minute mile!! Walking that fast hurts!
Nyssa and I are going on a road trip tomorrow. Its been ages since the kids have hung out with Greg for the weekend. It will be good for both of us. Between his on call shifts, overtime, and my father in law getting ill, he has had little time to make the three feel special. For me driving, shopping and eating out IS a vacation!
Oh and I LOVE AWANA. Thomas (the one who doesn't like crowds) adores awanas!!
First off, spring is just around the corner...SPRING. Nothing looks better than an end to all this torrential rain than a little slice of sunshine and planting. I mostly put flowers in to start. The front yard will be converted to accommodate my addiction very soon. Next month I will buy the lumber and soil as well as more seeds.
The kids are all healthy after three weeks of snotty noses and coughs. Kids baffle me. One day everyone is nice and plays happily and the next they are cranky and moaning. Too funny. Greg and I took the three to Ft. Colombia and played in the bunkers. Only here do you have stalactite and stalagmites growing in abandoned buildings!! While we were walking the grounds Thomas had to be reminded several times about staying away from the steep hills. His middle name is danger for a reason. Wouldn't you know it but he headed down one of them as a short cut and did a mini flip landing with his head pointing down the hill. He lay there until Greg pulled him up. It was a quite funny, he was in little danger. That is why I sent Greg to do the rescuing. Generally it doesn't go over well with the kids when I laugh.
I am walking in the Portland to Coast race again this year with Greg's department. Its exhausting but fun. Last year my fastest time was a 12 min mile. I don't think that a speed like that is attainable for me again but I will try. Even at that speed I was being passed by grandma ladies swooshing their hips back and forth pulling out a 9 or 10 minute mile!! Walking that fast hurts!
Nyssa and I are going on a road trip tomorrow. Its been ages since the kids have hung out with Greg for the weekend. It will be good for both of us. Between his on call shifts, overtime, and my father in law getting ill, he has had little time to make the three feel special. For me driving, shopping and eating out IS a vacation!
Oh and I LOVE AWANA. Thomas (the one who doesn't like crowds) adores awanas!!
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Monday, March 7, 2011
school as it is.
I am sitting at the table doing math with my middle child right now. He is adding ants to find a sum. Saxon math has been a good choice. Its nice to sit down with a book that lays out exactly what to say. My girl is trying out an English book from BJU and so far I like it a lot. Colorful pictures and strait to the point text have made it a good addition to the school shelf. A full year of BJU is like $800 bucks, bummer. My girls Dyslexia has definitely caused more speed bumps that it did last year. When a child enters third grade usually they are expected to do all the reading themselves as well as write neatly and spell correctly. (frown) Currently I am looking into scholastic help.
On a different note...We got a king size bed!!! No more legs and arms, just TONS of space!
On a different note...We got a king size bed!!! No more legs and arms, just TONS of space!
Sunday, March 6, 2011
a few things
Win Win.
I will leave you readers to ponder the word which just entered your brain never to go away.
Come on Dan...you knew this baby was going to go viral.
look look!!! He is not touching or breaking his siblings things. This boy of mine has such a sweet heart under all that tough. Its just hard for his brother and sister to see. I remember a little sticky fingered boy who would break his older siblings stuff...he grew up to be a nice boy. (picture below)
This is the brother Dan everyone knows and loves.
Now aren't you glad he is bald?
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Thinking. I do a lot of it. Doing? Not so much. Why is it so hard to get up and do what you have been thinking about for months? Oh yeah, the work part. Moving back has helped me see how much I need to take the Just Do It approach. Instead of sitting around noticing all the crazy creepy people I am focusing on finding the good ones. This doesn't mean I didn't notice the drug task force down the street cleaning out the local meth supplier. It only means that God gave me a great opportunity to insert the 'what are drugs and why they are bad' to my three kids who said "look at all the police mom!!"
I have finally enrolled my daughter in something. T-ball to be exact. What you thought I did that before too? Well I did talk about it but obviously that didn't go anywhere. For the sake of my children I am working through my 'calling strangers' issue.
I also stopped in at our local public school to ask about visiting and snooping around. Don't worry, I didn't say snoop in my conversation. I am only bluntly honest with my readers. I am enjoying homeschooling...I just like to take in all my options and find out what is best for my kids. Sports is my starting point. A community jumping board. Thomas will probably hull himself up in the car with my ipod muttering how much he hates leaving the house while Mr. Steel cheers on from the side lines.
My point is I am trying stretch. Go beyond my comfort zone. As I was taking my kids to the dentist today had a revelation. I depend so much upon my kids to give me a bubble of confidence. When they are with me I can drive anywhere at any time of night. No building is too tall no distance too great. My revelation was.....This is NOT healthy! My kids are going to need space to grow and become their own little people. I need to find my confidence in who I am and how God made me. That way I can be a loving supportive mom who can give without needing. More to work on I suppose, but at least now I am ready!.......?
I have finally enrolled my daughter in something. T-ball to be exact. What you thought I did that before too? Well I did talk about it but obviously that didn't go anywhere. For the sake of my children I am working through my 'calling strangers' issue.
I also stopped in at our local public school to ask about visiting and snooping around. Don't worry, I didn't say snoop in my conversation. I am only bluntly honest with my readers. I am enjoying homeschooling...I just like to take in all my options and find out what is best for my kids. Sports is my starting point. A community jumping board. Thomas will probably hull himself up in the car with my ipod muttering how much he hates leaving the house while Mr. Steel cheers on from the side lines.
My point is I am trying stretch. Go beyond my comfort zone. As I was taking my kids to the dentist today had a revelation. I depend so much upon my kids to give me a bubble of confidence. When they are with me I can drive anywhere at any time of night. No building is too tall no distance too great. My revelation was.....This is NOT healthy! My kids are going to need space to grow and become their own little people. I need to find my confidence in who I am and how God made me. That way I can be a loving supportive mom who can give without needing. More to work on I suppose, but at least now I am ready!.......?
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
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