Bits n Pieces of My Life

  Amazing..I'm back at trying to blog. I believe it's been nearly 10 months since I last blogged. Don't worry, I'm not about to try to cover all that elapsed time in this post. I'm just going to jump in and write random thoughts and happenings as they come to me.

  A couple weeks ago was our week of summer bible school. My husband was in charge of it this year and I really enjoyed being involved. Mixed up schedules, way early suppers, late nights, grumpy children, were all part of the week but so were all the fun that VBS includes..singing children's motion songs, just observing the children and loving on them a bit, washing up a sweet lil 5 yr.old who wore the same set of clothes 3 nights in a row (my guess is she also slept in them), entrusting my baby into the arms of a live-wire girl of 12 or so which really seemed to make her trust me more in return. One evening she carried him into the church and plopped down in her row, announcing, "I had a baby!"
                                            There were trying times too, rowdy children, crying child, stolen candy and cell phone, keeping my 2 year old reasonably quiet while he played in the entryway, trying to send a "child" bigger than myself back outside when he's snooping through classrooms during recess, fussy baby...But all in all we had a good week and the program went better than I expected.

We went camping last week..just our little family. Just nearby. It was nice but would've been better if we wouldn't have had to feed the mosquitoes. They were dreadful and my poor babies would wake up at night crying and scratching. We were home some inbetween. Jacob had off work on the Fourth but worked Friday while I stayed at the campsite with the children. It looked like a long day when the tots were whining and scratching but it actually went pretty good the rest of the time. We did a scavenger hunt, read stories, played tag and ball, walked to the lake and splashed there-in, walked back, rested/ napped and then The Grandparents came over for supper.
 We returned home before noon on Saturday. Jacob made a water slide for the children and they had lots of fun in that. The thermometer read 95*s.

The other day I asked the children what they thought the best thing will be about heaven. Heidi thought the best is that there are no mosquitoes there !    One day she prayed, "Thank you for this food and thank you for everything. Amen"   I'm like, "That was a short prayer!" "Yeah," She says, "That way I can eat my food quick." I had to laugh when she asked me one day if people ride on a camels hips. Of course she meant humps.
    And my baby is just growing so fast. He is now 8 months old. Has four teeth. Sometimes if i ask him if he wants to go up, he'll lift his chin or roll his eyes upward and make himself stiff. Then I'll hold below his knees and lift him into the air. I'd kinda forgotten about the patta-cake game till a day or two ago. Now if I ask him if he wants to play it, He'll put his hands together all ready for the fun.

 

 Yesterday I made a 5 gallon batch of laundry detergent. It was a good feeling to get that off my list and be set for awhile with that. I also made one of Jacob's favorite pies. Cheese custard. Served with cherry pie filling and coolwhip, it disappeared all too fast.
 Today I was trying to get Mahlon to "go potty". In an attempt to help things along, I turned on the spigot. As if he knew what I was doing, he says, "Mom, that's not gonna work." :}  Later I had him trying again but after a bit let him get up. To my chagrin, he soon went..but on the pile of books by the potty instead. Aarg..I just do not relish this part of mothering !
 Hannah continues to read, and Read and Read. I was a bookworm too. Growing up, It became my escape when life was rough. I hope I can teach my children to instead, escape to their heavenly Father. I read too many "Christian romance".  It's my desire to stock our shelves with reading materials that teach and build-up. There are so many great books out there, but it takes money..or friends :) I just read this bookwhich I borrowed from a friend. It's a small book but packed full of inspiration. I want to get myself one and some for friends.
 And now I need to see if I can whip this place back into shape and get supper underway while the little people sleep. Earlier THIS is what they were up to :

I wondered what they were playing. Turns out Hannah's in the hospital having a baby. Guess that makes me a grandma ! Until next time, ~Jan

Baby Four

 I lay there, eyes smarting as I watched the screen in the darkened room. The woman spoke again.
  "There's one kidney..there's the other one..Now I'll measure the head..awe, there's a little foot..see that? There's the four valves of the heart opening and closing..there's the brain...the bladder..."
  And my soul whisper's to my Father, "I will praise Thee for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are Thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well." [Ps. 139:14]
  My mother heart stirs and I can't wait to get this newest little one into my arms. I'm so in love already!
 A soft giggle comes from the ultrasound technician, "He or she is a strong one !..is pushing hard against the doppler."
 I speak for the baby, "Back off ! This is my territory!"
   " How ?" I wonder, "Can people ever claim there is no God? How can people ever try to justify murdering such a precious little soul, claiming it's really not a person?" It's a horrid thought and I turn my attention back to the screen. I'm so grateful for the woman's explanations on what the black and white shapes are. And I think..she's having just as much fun as I am, checking this little one out.

  The bulky machine beside me belches out some papers and I'm soon leaving the room clutching 2 photo's from my Baby's first photo shoot.  A softly rounded head, tiny nose and lips..so perfect.
   And I Can't stop SMILING :)

Husband's Handywork

      Before we were married we talked of making a log bed. We went as far as pulling some logs from the woods and drying them out.Then it kinda got dropped.  The other week, Jacob says to me, "what would you think of making a log bed?" And before the week was over, there was one in our room. :)

 Yup, when my husband puts his mind to something, he goes at it like his life depends on it !   It was rather fun..going along out to the woods, looking at various cuts. (Loggers are presently busy in Grandpa's woods, so we mainly inspected pieces in their discard piles.)
  I wish I would have gottten a picture of Jacob peeling the logs by hand. It's fascinating.
  The children just loved being out in the garage while he worked. They played for hours in the shavings and with the little cut-off pieces. It was a wonderful spot for Imagination.

Having a snack at their little "table".

This scriber he borrowed from someone was a very expensive little helper that I found a bit intriguing.

 He was eager to get it set up in our room. But it was like an elephant to move ! Wow !

The children seemed to think it was a new playground !

  And here's the finished product. Didn't my hubby do a beautiful job? (May I brag?)  I'm proud of him !!

God is Good and Two Year olds are...terrible?

  God is good. All the time. I'm so grateful for all the little reminders He sends my way. Finances are very tight right now and I realize I could let myself get in a slump, worry, and get all stressed out of shape. Believe me, I'm as normal as they come and it's not always easy. But there have been so many times in the past God has shown Himself faithful to meet our every need. It's a good thing to have to lean harder on Him. It's a good thing to realize what you can do without, to learn to be more thrifty, to dig deeper in the freezer rather than running to the store. I want to buy treats for my children but then I stop and realize that my time spent playing with them, a gentle spirit, and laughing together means more to them than an ice cream cone that drips everywhere while mommy nags and scolds.
   The other day I went to the store and I Really wanted to buy yogurt or cottage cheese, but no, I was going to do my part to save and not spend on extras. Then God gave me a gentle hug. I was talking to one of the managers in the dairy department [yes, my father-in-law]. He was down on his knees marking something on some  containers and then he held it up and asked, "Do you want cottage cheese for $.99 ?" :)  At first I wasn't sure what to say. Cottage cheese is usually, what? Close to $4 ? I decided to take it, not feel guilty, and to accept it as a gift from a Father who cares. Mmm, it was even the kind we like. I'm trying to not be to selfish with it and share it with my family :)
    It reminded me of something that happened the other week. Heidi's feet are catching up in size to her sister's feet. She had outgrown her Sunday shoes so she was sharing Hannah's foot wear..one would wear sandals and the other would wear shoes, and sometimes they'd switch back n forth. But Hannah's feet are growing too and she was soon going to be needing bigger ones herself. I wasn't finding any at garage sales, and didn't want to spend on new ones.  Then we were at my in-laws and Mom said that she had been  going through her closet, Once in a while, she'd buy things and stick them back for gifts but now she had cleaned out some of that and was going to be getting rid of it. Was there anything I could use ?  :) You guessed it. There was a cute pair of black Sunday shoes in exactly the size Hannah needed. Another God-hug !
   Ok, different subject. Is there anyone out there who had a number of children and never went through "the terrible twos" ? What's your secret? I'd heard that if you train your child right before that age, there's nothing like "The Terrible Twos ".  Well, either, we're not very good parents or that philosophy was just for select few.  Hannah hit that stage early..like at 15 months. She was very independant and strong-willed. Later when things were going more smoothly again, someone else with a daughter her age, said they didn't really hit that stage till their daughter was three or so.  Our second daughter was a lot more laid back and I didn't think we'd gave too much trouble with her..and then she turned 2 and it was like her personality did a flip..yup, it's the "terrible twos" with her. Our son, now 17 month seems about our easiest child yet, and I'm curious how it'll go for him, if each child seems just a little easier than the ones before. Hhmmm...on the other hand maybe it IS us as parents, just still learning the tricks.
  I think, though that there's just something about that age where they are learning to try  to figure things out on their own and they take extra time and patience to simply be taught how to respond to difficulties that get in their path. They need extra hugs and affirmation, and time on Mommy's lap to be reassured that their world isn't spinning out of control when the doll clothes don't go on right at first try or their nighty gets on upside down when they were determined, " I tan do it Myself !!!"
 There's also something so fun about two year olds. mine has a great imagination and I love hearing her express herself. Heidi Loves to help me and the other day when she was done with a job, she says sweetly, " Thank you, Mommy, for my help!"  Another time she says, " My nose hurts, Mom!"
 I ask, " Why does your nose hurt?"
 She replies, " Because I don't have to go potty !"
    I think I need a sister close by to have tea and talk for awhile. I'm rambling on. I only have around 14 weeks till baby dear arrives and the nesting instinct is strong but I'm not sure what to do about it because we're waiting to hear back from a guy about buying our house. I'm tired of the wait. But meanwhile I need to get some baking and ironing done. Have a good day counting your blessings.
  

It's a Dress ! It's a Pillow !

  My mending pile was slightly smaller but I still had a ways to go. Doing something creative would be much more fun. While my sewing machine is out and I have a light work schedule and the children are busy out in the sunshine, why depress myself mending ? What about one of those many ideas that rarely come to fruition?
 I know just the one. There's a cute little poke -a- dot dress that is just getting too small for Heidi. Stains and holes could tell tales of the many adventures it has been on. But throw it away? hhmmm.....then there's that scrungy little pillow that mainly gets tossed from couch to floor to chair to..

 It didn't take long. I first needed to sew the ruffled skirt up higher because I really wanted that cute green ribbon included. Next I turned it inside out and sewed up the bottom before cutting the remainder of the skirt off.  Stuff the pillow in, sew up the sleeves, and I'm done. I left the top open so I can unbutton the dress/ pillowcase to take it off and wash it as needed. Now the dress is a simple accessory to my little girls' room.

Rest in Peace :)

The dress was originally a gift for 2 yr. Hannah from her Aunt Suzi

 ..I believe a $1.00 find at Kohls. And it matched her cousin's dress. :)

 

Heidi was pleased when it got handed down to her !

   I recently made a new bag for my clothes pins but as I was sewing this dress up I realized that would've been another cute use for it. I think I'll keep that in mind for the next little dress I want to recycle. But for now I'd better return to that mending pile!

DREAMING

               

                                     Dreaming...

So I was listening to this clip about a woman who died of breast cancer, I think before she was 30 yrs. old.
 She had made a list of things she wanted to accomplish in her life time...take a train across Canada, run a half marathon, help an orphanage in India, get married, etc. Most of those things she never achieved. If I remember correctly, she died a month after getting married and now her husband has set out to accomplish those things in her memory. Some, like learning to play the cornet, sew, knit... he's not real thrilled about but is determined to do them anyway.

   So here I am in my wonderful little life with my man and my babies, and it looks like that's just how my life is to be. And I look forward to the rest of the journey even though I don't enjoy every aspect of it to the max. (Really, am I expected to enjoy potty-training, fighting stretch marks, cleaning toilets, or settling squabbles ?)
   But just for a little, while my son settles back to sleep on my shoulder, my 2 year old sings in the next room to keep herself awake, and my 4 yr. old snoozes on her hero-daddy's pillow..just for a little I'm going to dream.
   In my dream, I grow beautiful flower gardens and learn to make special bouquets which my children take   to the elderly.
                   (If it weren't for mu husband, I'm afraid any surviving flowers around here would be a dream.)
           I would take an anniversary trip to some place like this :

 Another trip would be to Alaska because that's my hubby's dream.
 We'd take our teenagers to a poor country and all help at an orphanage...preferably in India, where 2 of my beautiful nieces are from.
I would become an inspirational author for women.
                                                 I would run a lovely bed n breakfast with a tea room and a coffee and book nook and a music room (which would have a grand piano for my husband and varied instruments for my children.) And weary people, and terminally sick folks, and wore out moms, could come free of charge and  be refreshed. ( and for those moms..something special...a Private bubble bath, where they could soak till they were wrinkly as you please). No interruptions allowed.
   I'd learn to cook healthy attractive 10 minute meals, with lots of variations. And people would quit asking me if I don't feed my hard working, Thin husband.
 My children and I would memorize whole chapters of the Bible.
                        And as surely as I bring this to a close I will think of more things to add. It's been fun dreaming but in reality, my windows still need cleaned, my laundry is still unfolded, and my two year old is still awake.   What are your dreams ???

           "Our Wedding (Sour Cream) Brownies"

 First layer                                                                                                     will try to post pic later
1. In medium saucepan combine: 1 cup water
                                                   1cup butter
                                                  3 Tbsp. cocoa
Cook and stir till boiling. Remove from heat & set aside.
2. In med. mixing bowl combine:  2 cup flour
                                                   2 cup sugar
                                                    1 tsp. baking soda
                                                   1/2 tsp. salt
                                    Set aside.
 3. In large mixer bowl combine: 1 cup sour cream and 2 eggs
      Beat well. Add first two mixes. Beat till smooth. Pour batter
  into greased 15x10 " pan.
   Bake at 350 * for 25-30 min. or done.
   Cool on wire rack and freeze.

Second Layer
             1/2 cup scalded milk
              2 cup peanut butter
Mix. Add 1/2 cup butter
                2 cup 10x sugar
                 1 tsp. vanilla
 Spread over frozen cake.

 Third Layer (Topping)
   1/2 gal. vanilla ice cream mixed with  
   1/2 cup instant van pudding mix (powder)
    1 cup coolwhip.
Freeze.... Enjoy :)