Not As Easy As It Looks

Abby's been wanting an Easy-Bake Oven for over a year. She finally got one for her birthday and tonight was its initiation. She dumped the packet in the bowl. She added the water and mixed. She made the whopping 6 tiny little cookie balls--3 on a pan. Problem--we didn't have the light bulb it required. The light bulb is the heater. Solution: stole light bulb from bathroom. Proceeding. She inserted the 1st of the 2 pans into Mr. Easy-Bake and waited with anticipation. She turned around and that's when we heard the shrieks--baby brother had eaten all 3 of the remaining dough balls. Next the pan got stuck behind the metal flap and then Abby burned her hand. But she and Em made the best of it all and enjoyed the 3 tiny cookies (about the size of a quarter) all themselves. What a treat. And all the better when you've made it yourself!

unplugged

It doesn't get much better than this...the whole family all snuggled in our bed on a weekend morning. Slow-paced, snuggly days at home are my favorite. And Sunday afternoon nap time with the phone unplugged takes the cake for me. I'm about to head there now.

Maybe I'll blog later about the birthday party...when I recover from it.

Dingo Bells?

The kids and I are in clean up mode for the birthday party tomorrow. (The kids are a big help, of course.) Emily found a little bell in the process and informed us that she would need to ring it, and only when a new cleaning task was to begin. Nathan, not always heeding her "rules," quickly stole the bell and began the kitchen laps. Hopping & racing around in his own little happy dance--shouting "DINGO BELLS! DINGO BELLS!"

Harmless. Except the dingo's got my baby.

Happy 7th Birthday, Abby!

"Mom, this is my last day to be 6. I'm kind of sad about it. I just don't wanna let it go." (Oh, she is so much like her mother.) These were Abby's sentiments yesterday as she snuggled with me before school. Sweetie Pie.

Abby, we think you're the best. You are our favorite Abby in the whole world! Some things we'll remember about you at this age: you've got two missing front teeth, you love dancing around the living room--especially to High School Musical or the 12 Dancing Princesses movies; you've got a knack for fashion, you love playing Barbies and being read to--and are so excited to be able to read books to us, too! You are looking forward to piano and swimming lessons this spring. (You hope to try dance someday, too...maybe next fall. We're trying to only do one activity at a time.)

Today you are looking forward to being picked up from school to have your annual pictures taken, then later a special dinner date with Mom (you chose that) and then presents and peanut butter pie with the family. This weekend you're excited to celebrate--High School Musical style--with some friends, Grandparents, cousins, Aunts and Uncles.

Happy 7th Birthday Abby Selmalynn!
Love, Mom, Dad, Emily & Nathan

Poison Control Call #6

Last night I got to get away for a few hours. Errands and coffee with a friend. Had been gone a whole 30 minutes when hubby called. "Nathan decided to try dishwasher detergent..." Hence, a call was made to our good buddies at Poison Control. The folks there are getting to know us on a first name basis as our son seems to enjoy coming up with new substances to ingest every few months or so. (You'd think our house isn't baby proofed. It is.)

So, dishwasher detergent has now been added to Nathan's accomplished resume, right along with Terro ant poison, Goo-gone, hand sanitizer, wall spackling, and my personal favorite--a glass fish eye shard coated in lead paint. (That one was a treasure, courtesy of Grandpa's Taxidermy shop. It also prompted a tummy x-ray and follow-up lead testing.) Now, my girls never did stuff like this. Is this a boy thing? Any goodies on your kids' resume? Or your own from when you were a wee tot?

What Was I Thinking?

OK, for those of you who saw a very long post beginning with locusts (Don't get too excited, Ed) a few days ago and wondered where it went...

I put it back in the draft file for now. It was one of those where I really put my heart out there sharing about struggles and some of the valleys in my journey...and then later looked at it and decided I wasn't sure I was ready to put all that out on my blog. :)

Also, the 2 commenters I had were left hanging in suspense, and I realized they were expecting some sort of great conclusion or dramatic ending (and rightfully so) to the story--neither of which I have. (For those who read it, there will be a part II, though, as there is more to the story.) The journey I'm on is still in progress. I'm still in progress. :) But God is good and He's always up to something bigger than we can see. So thanks for understanding, blog friends!

Sit-N-Spin Spazz-Out

Whatever happened to plain ol' Sit-n-spins? Y'know, the kind you just enjoyed for the sheer fun of spinning around on? They don't even make those anymore. Out with the old, in with the new. The one we are blessed with plays crazy loud obnoxious never ending hypertown music. I feel like I'm caught in a mix between a high speed car chase and a psychotic hoedown. The thing seriously raises my anxiety level. Now, I actually removed the batteries a good 2 years ago. (There's no off switch or volume control.) But recently, Nathan was staring at the non-working buttons and lights and deduced that the thing must do something more exciting than just spin. So he sweet-talked Wade into some batteries...NNNOOOOOOO!

NoOtherName's little girl Karin was over the other day. Wanted a turn on the blessed toy. Hello psychotic hoedown. She took one look at it and said "turn dat off!" Amen, Karin, Amen. If I could just find the screwdriver...

So, what's the most obnoxious toy your child has ever gotten? V & Swirlingeddy--any you're hoping not to get?

Thanks, Lord, for Aunties!

I think my little sister, Bria, is the best there is. I couldn't ask for a better sister than her, honestly. She's a great friend & listener, she's fun to be around, she loves God and really cares about others. I am so so thankful that God put her in my life.

Another great thing about Bria--she's an all around top notch Auntie to my kiddos! They are just beside themselves when they know she's coming to visit because they can be sure that HOURS of fun and play are headed their way. Together they often play beauty shop, make up dance routines, or dress up in my dresses to play wedding and royal ball. My kids think that when she comes over, she's coming just for them. If I want any time with her, I have to wait until they're in bed!

Hats off to you, little Sis'--you're the best!

P.S. She's single, too...anyone know of any great prospective bachelors? J/K...sort of. :)

Skid Row

Last week Abby and I were making a mad dash to the bus stop when out of nowhere I tripped and went flying across the pavement of our driveway. (No joke.) Yep. Practically took a face plant as I skidded on all fours. Scraped up both hands AND knees--even tore a good hole in my favorite brown corduroys. Now even as a grown adult, I tell you I was fighting back tears. And honestly, my owies hurt even more an hour later than they did initially. Even now, a good week later, it still hurts to get down on my knees.

Empathy. It's given me empathy. The next time one of my children scrapes up a limb, I am going to be a lot more understanding.

Ridin' on the "P" train

Came into the living room to find Nathan's architectural creation...the famous train made out of kitchen chairs. Complete with sound effects..."Tug-a-tugga, tugga-tugga doot-doot!" (Pronounced in toddlereese, of course.) I think every kid does that at some point in their childhood--it's like a rite of passage for being a kid. So is insisting that the rest of the family ride the train, too. We were happy to comply.

How 'bout y'all? What did you play as a kid that you insisted your family members join in on?

My purpose in blogging

To blog or not to blog...that has been the question. Have been teetering back and forth for a while now on whether or not to start one...

Some folks who blog possess great wit, humor, creativity, or just plain great ability to make you really think about the stuff that matters. I do not claim to rival anyone in these areas, I just want to be me, and I just want to blog. :)

My heart is: to share my heart. I'm looking both to stay more closely connected with those I'm in community with, and also to utilize this great way of recording family happenings--those little moments and memories we experience each week that we'll forget if we don't jot them down.

I do keep a family scrapbook, as well as numerous scrapbooks for my kids (OK, as well as detailed baby books AND a journal for each of my kiddos,) but it's been pretty hard to keep up with all of that! So I thought this blog would be another piece of the legacy...another way for my children to see the joys, struggles and triumphs through the eyes of this Christ-follower. May they see that I love Jesus. That my greatest desire in this life is to know God and to make Him known. May they also see an example of one who is imperfect but presses on in spite of it! My dear family, I pray earnestly that you would find richness in this life through knowing your Savior. That you would see yourselves as the treasures that you are--dearly loved and paid for with the highest price. I also pray that you would experience the purest love of God, despite the inevitable flawed parenting you will no doubt receive. :) God, please make up for my mistakes and use me anyway!

Suspense

Abby, age 6 (will be 7 next week) has got a loose tooth. It's loose tooth number 4. We've been through this before, but each time it seems to be more traumatic than the last. She's so anxious for it to fall out, yet scared to death all at the same time.

Anybody else have things you're anxious for, yet scared of all at the same time? Heaven fits that description for me at times, if I'm honest. :)

His Eyes

(This is my 2nd attempt at my very first post from Jan 12, a re-do as it came out in weird symbols instead of words...let me know if you can read it!)

So my little guy, age 2, is now able to escape from his pack-n-play where he sleeps at night. Well, last night at 3:30 am, I hear a little pitter-patter in the hallway. Next a little voice curiously calling "Mama...mama?" Then the little voice gets louder and more panicked as my little munchkin realizes no one else is up and it's dark at night..."MAMA--MAMA" he's calling! As I open my bedroom door, I am met by the sweetest and happiest grin I ever saw. "Hi!" Nathan greets me spontaneously. He was not pleased that after he melted my heart, he was promptly kissed and carried back to his pack-n-play. Party over, Bud.

7:00am comes. I know, late for most, but the girls and I were all planning on sleeping until 8:00 on this glorious Saturday morning. It was still dark out, too, I might add. So here he comes again. He's calling for me and looking for his teddy bear. I let him come snuggle with me, wondering how this experiment will go. He's happy to comply. I try to doze off but can't resist peeking at him. He's silently entertaining himself by making hand motions and such. Soon I feel him inching toward me, and then his little toes making runways up and down my backside. I half doze off again, and when I open my eyes, what should be there but his little face--a half inch from mine! Even better--his huge eyeballs wide open staring right at me. He breaks out in another big happy grin so I do, too. How can I resist! I'm exhausted but how can you be mad at something so cute. Really.

He's Baack!

Nathan is really having a hay day with his new found ability to escape from his bed at night. He figures "why go to sleep right away when there's adventures to be had."

So last night about 10:00 pm I am down in the kitchen (making one To-Die-For peanut butter pie.) Anyway, in the background I hear what sounds suspiciously similar to a toddler cough. I peer behind me and around the room. Nothing. Of course, must be my imagination. Then I look again, and I see a tiny little ball of green footie jammies and fluffy teddy bear from behind the small dolly stroller in the corner. I still think nothing of it. I walk past the doll stroller and to my disbelief, my 2 year old is hiding there, unaware that I am watching him! He eventually sees me, and again, is all perky and happy to see me! Just like the night before, he melts my heart--but at the same time, I can't believe the little sneak that my toddler has turned into!

To my relief, he stayed in bed after this. When Wade and I headed up to bed, however, I did notice that Nathan had also visited our closet before sneaking downstairs, as the closet door was pulled off its tracks and wasn't that way when I put the kids to bed!

Good thing I am a light sleeper.

Eyeballs

So my little guy, age 2, is now able to escape from his pack-n-play where he sleeps at night. Well, last night at 3:30 am, I hear a little pitter-patter in the hallway. Next a little voice curiously calling "Mama...mama?" Then the little voice gets louder and more panicked as my little munchkin realizes no one else is up and it's dark at night..."MAMA--MAMA" he's calling! As I open my bedroom door, I am met by the sweetest and happiest grin I ever saw. "Hi!" Nathan greets me spontaneously. He was not pleased that after he melted my heart, he was carried back to his pack-n-play. Party over, bud.

7:00 am comes. I know, late for most, but the girls and I were all planning on sleeping until 8:00 on this glorious Saturday morning. It was still dark out, too, I might add. So here he comes again. He's calling for me and looking for his teddy bear. I let him come snuggle with me, wondering how this experiment will go. He's happy to comply. I try to doze off but can't resist peeking at him. He's silently entertaining himself making hand motions and such. Soon I feel him inching toward me, and then his little toes making runways up and down my backside. I half doze off again, and when I open my eyes, what should be there but his little face--a half inch from mine! Even better--his huge eyeballs wide open staring at mine. He breaks out in another big happy grin so I do, too. How can I resist! I'm exhausted but how can you be mad at something so cute. Really.