Don't Forget...

...to write up your post for the Loveliness of Comfort Drinks and leave me a comment by Sunday afternoon.

I'm looking forward to trying out some new recipes!


It will be quiet round here 'til then...



Have a blessed weekend!

:)

A Mother's Warning

After viewing the "feedback" given by those who make appointments to see our home, I am convinced that either people are extremely spoiled and pampered by their own house cleaners and interior decorators, or they suffer from a severe lack of imagination.

And so, I have come up with a sign for those prima donas to read before they enter our domain:

WARNING: YOU ARE ABOUT TO ENTER AN IMPERFECT HOME

We have 5 children. Yes, we really did use the entire '2 hour notice' to clean.

We may have missed a few baseboards. The sponges are under the sink.

The walls may not be painted in the color of your choosing. Home Depot is right down the highway from here.

The saltillo tile may have some cracks.

The doors may have been marked by light sabers.

The windows may be graced with little hand prints.

The toilets were clean this morning, promise.

Sorry about the 15 leaves that have fallen on the patio since we left.

We are growing souls here, there will be plenty of time for flowers later.

And after all of that? Yesterday we finally got a buyer who seems to understand... As in, they really liked the house (despite the imperfections) and need only to get their financing straightened out.

Yay St. Joseph and St. Anthony!

:)

Oh to be a Cat...

... wearing a hat

sitting like that

all cute and fat.


If he were awake

What would he think of that?


:)

Book Club Details

Since I have received some positive feedback on the book club idea, I'll be moving forward with it.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, read here.

October's pick will be Left To Tell: Discovering God Amidst the Rwandan Holocaust by Immaculee Ilibagiza. The discussion will be held here on my blog, on October 25th. Please read the book and prepare to comment on it that day. (of course, the discussion can continue beyond one day... but let's get it started that day.)

If you'd rather write up an entire post on your own blog about the book, (kind of like the way a fair works) that would be fine. Just leave me a link in my comments by the afternoon before, so the discussions can be continued on your own blogs.

Of course, if you don't have a blog, please participate anyway! Leave lots of comments all around. The more participation, the better.

And let's get the next few months hammered out.

Would you all like to pick a book and a month?

Or do you want me to post my "real life" book club list for y'all?

Thanks for making this work!

:)

It's that time of year again...

Now that the temps are dipping below 90 degrees, my little peanuts have decided that it's safe to venture outdoors again.

Clothed in their shorts and sandals, and covered in mosquito repellent, they zoom off on their bikes and scooters through the neighborhood, striking fear into the hearts of the elderly, retired peaceful folk on our street.

Alas! It's those darn home schoolers. They have emerged!

Accessing our front door after such an adventuresome afternoon is akin to scaling the heights of Mount Doom...















So, what are your afternoons like these days?

:)

Loveliness Fair!!

October 1st will be a banner day over here at the Nut House.

We will be hosting a Loveliness Fair.

Now I know there is nothing lovely about a Nut House... too many squirrels.

But while this Nut House cannot promise to be tidy, it does guarantee that it will be filled with the many wonderful tastes and smells of comfort drinks.

To all of my in-state blogging friends who may scoff at the notion of discussing comfort drinks in 90+ degree heat, let me say one thing:

Pretend, people.

For the sake of our bloggy neighbors to the north. Pretend it's 65 degrees and we're freezing.

'K?

I will be taking your submissions through Sunday morning, September 30th. And will hopefully have it all up and running by Monday.

No lemonade posts allowed.

:)

"Mama, I Fwee!"

Guess who's birthday was today?

Yes.

(sigh)

My baby girl's...

:)

Sending You Elsewhere...

In the spirit of cultivating friendships and community here in my own utopian blog-o-sphere, here are some happenings that have enlightened and inspired me lately...

A dear friend who is an amazing artist and wonderful mama to her adopted daughter is using her talent in order to fund a second adoption. Go see her beautiful Christmas cards, and check back often as she adds to her collections...

This doctor's 4 year-old son is learning much from his super smart dad. See if you can match his intelligence by answering his precocious question...

Mrs. Bear has come up with a new motto that fits my philosophy of blogging perfectly. Writing without regard for audience or popularity or feelings of shyness.... That is exactly the frame of mind I try to cultivate. I write because I truly love to.

Last but not least... this gem from Holy Mama from February (yes, I frantically searched her archives. totally fun and not a waste of time). I am hoping for such a drop in temps soon. Fall is in the air. I feel it. Right?!?

:)

A Proposition...

How about a little online bookclub?

It could work a bit like a Fair, in that each person would pick a month, assign a book, and host that book on their blog for the day. Those of us who read it could comment on it, and a bit of a discussion could ensue. Of course, if picking a book and a month is too overwhelming, I could subject you all to my "real life" bookclub picks for the year...

And, also, please don't think that in order to participate you need to host! No no. The goal is to generate discussion, so the more the merrier!

You can see what my pick for October 25th would be. Thank you to Kristen for recommending this one. I am on page 41 already and completely hooked.


So... who's in?

:)

Virtual Friendships

I've met a few wonderful people through the blog-o-sphere. I hold firmly to the belief that meeting people through this medium is actually ideal. As a reader of someone's blog, you are privy to all of the thoughts and ruminations they have shared, and you really get a sense of that person's true self. As a bonus, you get to do this without the visual effect... not knowing if their teeth are straight or crooked, their hair brown or gray, and that annoying twitch? Non-existent. In other words, the visual does not at all hamper the message, the words on the screen that convey who they are.

I love getting to know all of these women I host on my side bar. And have begun to think of them as good friends, even if I haven't met them. Sounds strange, I know. But when someone asks for prayers, or isn't feeling well one day, I truly care and want to know how they are faring, or how God answered our prayers... and that is why I keep going back!

As with all "in real life" friendships, virtual friendships must be cultivated and cared for. If both parties don't reach out, the friendship will suffer. And so that is what I have been doing... (on the internet, and in real life) Instead of burning through my bloglines to get a snippet of how everyone is doing, I resolve to take the time to actually click over and leave a comment, to reinforce the friendship, and re-connect.

And since I am trying to limit my computer time,(see Karen's #1) this means less blabbing from me. But don't worry, I'm too addicted to go away forever...

Thank you all for bringing so much to my life!

:)

Family Movie Night

From the ultra-discriminating movie critics who reside in the Nut House, I present to you a two thumbs up, sure-to-be-a-winner family movie selection.

We got it from Netflix for the weekend, and are on round two of the popcorn and sodas...



Have a great weekend!

:)

Can I Just Say...

... that this Christian woman's faith puts mine to shame?

I especially love this part:

I believe that Christs calling on my life is bigger than myself. I believe that he has given me a thorn in my flesh so that I might boldly proclaim Him through out my sickness.

And how it relates so beautifully to this:

Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.
-2 Corinthians 12:8-10

Go read how Heather is doing these days.

Say a prayer for her.

And while you're at it, say one for me and all of our bloggy friends...

"Lord, increase my Faith!"

The Perfect Cure...

... for a "sure-to-be-burnt-out" Mama?

A spontaneous trip to the lake.

The perfect pictures of said trip?

The ones you take with your mind and hold in your memory.

:)

Who's to Blame?

... if say, you happen to pass by some ginormous front-facing windows somewhere in suburban Texas and glance inside to see:

1. A certain Homeschooling Mama boogy-ing around her kitchen making this and this...

2. Listening to her mp3 player newly stocked (compliments of DH) with oldies but goodies (in her opinion anyway) of Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots...

3. And finishing off glass #2 of her precious (flavored with 7-up) zinfandel.


Is it due to:

A. Her rapidly depleting supply of brain cells caused by her futile attempts to educate 5 children under the age of 10?

B. The approaching payday, and her success in keeping all consumer giants at bay?

C. The evil "For Sale" sign out front... forever mocking her inability to keep a small house clean?

D. The chaos of bouncing balls, dueling hockey sticks and flying Barbies in her living room?

E. All of the above.


Yeah, I'd choose 'E' too...


:)

It's 3pm on Homeschooling Day #4...

And the only question I have, with zinfandel in hand, is:



It's 5pm somewhere in North America (like, maybe, Newfoundland?)


... right?!?






: P

Just When You Think...

.. of handing in your parenting ID card due to much yelling and doling out of horrific punishments like no tv for the whole day which caused much wailing and grinding of teeth (theirs and your own) and you had just hung up the phone with your better half bemoaning the state of discipline in the house, likening your own presence to that of a neglected house plant, when suddenly one of the offending parties smiles at you as you hand her her popcorn to be eaten while in the dungeon of her own room, and says sweetly:

Thank you Mom. You're the bestest Mom in the whole world.

:)

I Have Not Forgotten

We watched World Trade Center last night; A moving tribute to the Port Authority Police and the dramatic rescue of two of their own who were trapped in the North Tower.

Once the movie ended, I was gripped with the emotion of that day.

The loss of innocent life was so overwhelming. The attack so unexpected and unprovoked...

And I wondered... will those memories ever go dry? Will my tears ever cease to flow in remembrance of that day?

I certainly hope not.

Eternal Rest grant unto them, O Lord.

And grant us peace...

*Applause*

This guy gets it exactly right.

We had a similar problem on our flight home. The movie they showed was entitled Gracie. And while it seemed like a feel-good family film, there were parts of it that were definitely not for my children's eyes....

Like, when she "dressed up" to go out and dance and smooch it up with the guys on the soccer team. And then her father catches her in the back seat of a car with one of them... stuff like that.

Unfortunately, since we fly stand-by, there was nothing I could say. If we were fully paying passengers, I would raise hell, no question. Because when it comes to my kids and their innocence, I can be one mean Mama Bear.

Luckily, we had our own dvd player and head phones. And after awhile the sexual scenes were gone and it was all soccer.

I can't imagine if it had been a show like Shooter or King Kong or Fracture.

Yikes.

I guess it's a good thing our travel privileges end in June, eh? A blessing in disguise...

:)

Frugal Soldiers

I've noticed a lack of fervor in mass on the part of my two boys. In the past, I've drawn on their warrior sense, exhorting them to fight against the Devil's temptations to slouch and moan throughout the consecration. And, surprisingly enough, it's worked. I certainly don't harp about the Devil and his wily ways all the time. But, every once in awhile, I think it's good to remind them that there is an actual battle going on right here at home. A spiritual battle, but very real nonetheless.

This week, I have my own immaterial battle to wage. And I suspect many of you moms out there wage this exact same battle every week or so. It's called "making do 'til payday." We have done our shopping, met our obligations, and now we just need to put 'er in neutral and coast.

And I look on it as a challenge. A battle to be waged against the bastions of consumerism*. No, we will not be stopping by the golden arches or calling on the pizza man for dinner this week. The clothes shopping that needs to be done for fall? That can wait until the weekend. I will not step foot into a mall or bookstore until Friday morning at the earliest... Our outings this week will be confined(? what an ironic way to describe it) to the lake, and the library and maybe to visit some friends. All of our meals will be homemade, with no wasting, and much school will be done, especially in the evenings with DH.

And you know what?

I bet we'll have an awesome week of it, too.

:)


*A tangent to this would be a discussion of how freeing it is not to go to mall-hopping on the weekends... not to be constantly needing new things. Always looking at things you don't have makes for a very dissatisfied person. I prefer a trip to the lake.

Visiting Cousins Part II

"The Baby" edition...

My sister-in-law's youngest, CLT, (cute little terror) is just over a year old. When we arrived, he had three shiners on his forehead and one on his cheek. By the time we were leaving, his left eye was swollen to three times the normal size.

Nothing to do with our presence... promise.

CLT is very... adventurous. Two seconds go by with not seeing him, and everyone is up and searching, because he is most often to be found in a precarious situation like; on top of the kitchen table, or hanging over the back of the couch peering down the stairs, or about to dive head first into the kiddie pool...

Either that, or he is sitting on the cat or Little Love, and maybe about to bite his brother or Little Boo.

His saving grace? His amazing smile and babbling and waving of-the-arms-run when he sees me coming. I pick him up every time.

Of course.

:)

I was worried that Little Boo might get sick of the constant "pick up your toys, here comes CLT!" But as the week progressed, she decided that this child needed a mentor, and she took on the job. She followed him and reported on his shenanigans, and was actually quite a patient "babysitter".

The night before she left, she hit me with a proposition:
Why don't we leave Little Love here and she can be their baby, and we take CLT home with us?
















While it was tempting, given the many tantrums dealt to us by Little Love this trip, I had to say no...

We already miss you, CLT!!

Visiting Cousins Part I

Little Love met her "twin" in Canada this trip. There were many times that, at first glance, I mistook one for the other...

Can you tell who is who?













How about now?














And while "Cupcake" is 6 months older, they were well-matched... aren't they just such cuties?














And, lest you doubt the family genes:













Here she is with her older cousin, "Sponge Bob"... having a yummy dinner.

Ahhhh. Family. It's nice to belong...

:)

Two Things....

...that makes my Mama heart freeze in terror:

1.Checking up on Little Boo in the tub, finding her face down and very still... perfecting her rendition of the dead man's float.

2. Later on, checking on Little Love sleeping on her mattress (sans crib... makes the room look bigger when we shove her mattress under Little Dear's bed) and finding this:














Look closer...















Have a great Friday, y'all!!

:)

My Trip to the Mall...

...became a trip down memory lane.






Originally, I went to the mall to stock up on some cute clothes for my cherubs. Alas, the styles and prints just weren't appealing to me. So, off I went to my old standby.



Um. When did we rewind ourselves 20 years?!?



I shuddered my way through aisle after aisle, desperately seeking something...cute.



I mean, I was out, on my own, FREE. I was looking forward to bringing home tons of deals for the kids and myself, what with a somewhat favorable exchange rate and all. Yet, I came home sorely disappointed. Because, while I may have grown and changed and matured... apparently, the styles hadn't at all since the last time I set foot in a mall.



It's a good thing this stay-at-home, homeschooling Mama of 5 doesn't need to be hip or anything, because those 80's styles? They will forever remain on the pages in my yearbook...

:)