Game Face

Tonight the girls were winding up their sillies as we finished reading a chapter in Little House. I warned them that they better get to bed quickly before Daddy got back. (He was on a Sonic run--he had a coupon for a free Rt 44 and likes their diet dr peppers with rasberry). Somehow they got on the idea that Daddy doesn't spank, at least they couldn't remember a time when he did. I couldn't either, we don't have to use that often, but I was sure he had done it. When he got home he took a quick shower and I was in the bath when he walked by, "Are the girls having a slumber party in Je's room?"
"No, are they both in there?" I could then hear the giggling over the attic fan when I stopped to listen.
I mentioned to him the girls earlier conversation, but said I didn't think he needed to do it just as a kind of funny incident.

He said, "So I need to get my game face on? Cause I'm not feeling it"

I nearly bust a gut, it was pretty funny when he said that. He went in to calm down the chaos. Je started out of control laughing. The kind kids do to get away with noise but still have a plausible "can't help it" quality. She got a swat which seemed to quickly settle her down. I heard a second girl get her swat (which is good since sometimes the second child distracts her father...just ask my sister about the time she got out of it). I checked on the girls after I got out of the bath and they were both much subdued. I bet they'll sleep now and not giggle.

Remember this, or this? We finally got rid of them a month or so ago. It was nice to have the living room looking like a living room again. The girls didn't seem to mind having the boxes go, at first. A week or so after they were gone they started bugging us for the tents my sister gave them for Christmas a few years ago. (Thanks, Min!) I held them off through vacation and their visit to grandmas but today, they wore me down.





And in case you missed the first day of school and were interested.... Every morning Je and Jo go stand on this rock in our yard. They call it the watching rock since they use it to watch for the bus. There goes any chance I had to get it out of my yard...

Vacation Stop

We're on vacation! Yea! We stopped at Grant's Farm on our way to church camp. It was pretty hot, but we had a great time, the girls picked the pretty hats for a souvenir.


Mama and baby Clydesdale


Clydesdale stallion









We even fed bottles to the baby goats, who tried to eat everything, our shoe laces, my shirt and shorts, Je's hair...




they really liked it when we brushed their coats

To tired to wiggle

Today we painted a rental house for/with my mom and we are too tired to wiggle. Fortunately it was cloudy for most of the morning so it wasn't uncomfortable to paint. It has been a busy month around here. Not much blogworthy of note though. Je finally is beginning to enjoy softball. And a side benefit, she is improving. Nana came to a game and noticed how weird she was throwing sidearmed rather than overhanded. Je hadn't been too willing to practice with Daddy, so Nana told me to bring the bat and ball down the next time Je visited. So now, Je asks to practice with Nana, and she throws the ball correctly. She had a really good hit at the last game, with aunt, uncle, Nana, and cousins as witnesses. In her league, the girls get 4 pitches from the coach and if they don't hit a pitch, they get to hit off the tee. Usually, Je needs the tee. This time, she whacked it pretty good. She isn't committed to playing another season, but I think she is really having a good time. She could stay with the same coach, and since we really like his approach, we are probably going to give it another year. He is pretty low pressure, very positive, and a lot of fun. At a recent game, he brought a cooler full of water balloons for the girls to throw at him. They had a blast. That is probably the first time they had thrown that hard the whole season. Je played first base for an inning and did a pretty good job of stopping the ball, and going to first base with it. She only got the batter out once but her effort was great. That is one of my fondest memories from growing up. Lots of softball. We all three played for many years, and we had a great time doing it. Hours of catch with Daddy in the back yard, practices, games, sweating in the Kansas heat through a double header in July. Totally fun. Seriously. I want that for Je and Jo. Like my sister said recently I LOVE SUMMER!

New Look

I tinkered with the colors and picture for my header. That is the girls on Easter morning before church. I rolled their hair in sponge rollers the night before (just like my mom used to do with my sisters and I) It really curled well. A few years ago, I tried to roll Je's hair, but by morning the rollers all came out. Jo had curly hair until she cut it last year. Now it is pretty straight. My sister and her family were in town for the Easter weekend and Friday the girls stayed over with their cousins at Nana's for a slumber party. Big fun! Nana rolled Jo's hair and the cousin hair. She didn't have enough rollers to do all three girls' hair, and said if she had done Je's hair, she wouldn't have had enough rollers to do anyone else's hair. I went out last Saturday and bought enough little rollers to do both my girls hair. They loved it so it will be a treat for them.

When I look at the picture above, I am struck by how classic it is of my two. They are pretty joyful little girls. Jo likes hats and fancy shoes. Je does too, a little, but her hats never stay on long. We signed Je up for softball at Ken Berry League this year. She was dead set against it until we told her she had to try it this year, and if she didn't like it she didn't have to do it again. She is anxious of new things. She has had two practices and found a little girl from her school is on her team. It is growing on her. She is trying to talk Daddy into helping coach. We will see how that goes. Jo already said she wants to play next year.

I've been a bit under the weather today. I've had a little cough and congestion for a couple days then, last night around 12:30, I got so cold I was afraid I would bite my tongue with the shivers. Shan piled four down throws on me to warm me up. By 3 am I had to kick them all off and turn on the fan. Needless to say I didn't sleep well. Hopefully tonight will be better, I am supposed to substitute in Jo's Sabbath School class tomorrow. Her regular teacher will be in Shawnee for her son's installation as a Deacon. I grew up with her son. He has been a good friend,and was an usher in our wedding. But when I think about him being grown up enough to be a deacon it shocks me. Of course, he's been married for over 10 years, has three kids and a doctorate so what's up with that.

I just heard my husband return with dinner. Saturday is pizza night at our house.

My sister, a brand new blogger, chided me yesterday on the lack of postage around here. It has been either feast or famine in the material area. Either I have nothing to post, or too much to post and no time to do it. I thought I would share this little story and the lesson I learned from it.

Last week, my friend e- had a minor urgent need for childcare after Bible Study. I had plans that could easily include a couple more so I agreed to take one boy with me to pick up the other boy at home on my way to help my mom with a rental house. As we drove over, Jo asked me if the truck next to us was a chip truck. I looked and sure enough it had Doritos on the side. The three children began talking about a love of Doritos. Typical conversation for the younger set. Older boy said that he can't stop eating them until they are all gone. Which led to a discussion of how sad that is. Then he remembered that "if you are a Christian you can ask God and He will give you more Doritos" I am not making this up. He is six. He said that he is a Christian so he just asks God for Doritos. Jo said, "I am a Christian so I can do that, too" This conversation went on for a bit. (Neither Older Boy or Jo sees a need to say things once when 25 times will do) Then Youngest Boy (he's 3) chipped in, "I a Christian!" So I guess he can get Doritos too.

Now the lesson I learned here is a reminder of faith like a child. They believe that God will provide for them. They believe that all they have to do is believe and ask. Nothing more complicated than that.

Can't it be as simple as I believe: I am a Christian. For those kids it is. I doubt that any of them will remember that conversation. I will.

Works for Me Wednesday Christmas

I have a few tried and true recipes that I can reliably turn out without fear. I inherited this recipe from my mom. I spent years hearing her talk about how easy it is. And she is right. I looks complicated and difficult, but if you follow the steps it is a snap.

We usually make this at Christmas but it is good at other times. It has a winter and a summer version.

Ice Cream Roll

3 eggs (1/2-2/3 cup)
1/3 cup water
1 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
1tsp vanilla
1/4 cup cocoa
1/4 gallon peppermint ice cream

Beat eggs until thick and lemony (5-10 minutes) Beat in sugar then blend in water and vanilla. Gradually add dry ingredients, beat till smooth. Line a jelly roll pan (11x 15 inch) with wax paper, pour in cake. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle kitchen towel with powdered sugar. When the cake comes out flip it over onto the towel, then peel off wax paper carefully, and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Roll cake up from one end. Let cake cool for at least an hour. Unroll, spread with peppermint icecream. Reroll and freeze. This a great thing to make ahead and have ready. Stores nicely in the freezer for a while. I wrap it in foil and then put in a ziplock if I want to save it for over a week. I usually get about eight slices per cake. To serve, it looks good to drizzle chocolate syrup on the plate and then put the cake on it garnishing it with whip cream. It looks nice with the chocolate cake swirl and pink peppermint ice cream


It takes half of a half gallon box. So I usually make two cakes at a time. The square package works easiest, you can slice off thin slices to lay on the cake. I used about six slices of ice cream per cake. I usually only mix up one cake batter at a time, and bake one at a time. The most important step is beating the eggs. If you don't beat them enough, the cake is not spongy it is flat.

In the spring and summer, I leave out the cocoa and substitute cool whip or whipped cream and 2 cups sliced strawberries. It is fabulous.

If you can't find peppermint ice cream you can use mint chocolate chip. This is a great dessert for those heavy holiday meals, the mint is a nice taste and it isn't heavy. It also has the added bonus of looking fancy and difficult but it really isn't hard. If I can make it then anyone can do this. I promise.


Go check out Rocks in My Dryer for more works for me tips.

Miss Me?

Wow it's been a while since I posted. I keep starting posts in my head, but never finding the time to sit down and write them out then post them. I have been running for about a month. Crashing the deacon meeting was fun but it led to a lot of work. And we aren't done yet. I will post before and after pictures as soon as I take the after pictures. We are done with the two offices, and they look fabulous.

It is the beginning of wrestling season so I have returned to widowhood until March with some limited time off over the holidays. I did talk my husband into missing three practices over Thanksgiving for family time. It was a major concession for him. I even got him to take a personal day last Friday for our trip to Arkansas. Whohoo big big big big day! I was tempted to ask "who are you and what have you done with my husband?"

As I was reading Heather's blog today, two things leaped out at me. "Am I not allowed to do what I choose to do with what belongs to me?" I love her answer to this. Everything we have is God's and He allows us to use it. Our time, our talents, our resources, our churches, our homes etc. My parents really impressed this upon me growing up. They have always had a nice home, not a mansion, but comfortable and they insisted on having a spare room no matter what for overnight guests. My father's family was very poor as he was growing up and they were very impressed by the house we lived in in KC and the one here in Topeka. To me they were always just home, because that is how my folks made it. I remember my mom saying to those who commented on the home, that she and dad felt that God had blessed them with the resouces to have a such a home to be used as a ministry to others. I can't tell you how many times we hosted people for various reasons. From a meal to a month long (or more) stay. It was a great example to me of this principle. All I have is from God and I am commanded to use it for His glory.

The other thing I want to reflect on is this: "If it doesn’t line up with scripture, it honestly isn’t for me." Isn't that a fabulous summation of how we are to live our lives? She was talking about it in context of churches and that is where I would begin if looking for a church. I am blessed to be in a church that follows this. May we all be living our lives by this.

Happy Birthday Belatedly

some of you know that October is birthday extravaganza at our house. In the first four days of the month we have three birthdays. I am going to blame that for why I am so tardy posting my daughter's birthday post. Sorry Je! Really we've been BUSY! I'm not kidding. Six years ago, I was so ready to welcome you to my world. I remember looking around the house in the few days before you were born and wondering how my home would change. I didn't see any evidence of impending parenthood in the family room where we were watching football. I thought if someone came over, (unless they noticed the huge pregnant me) they wouldn't know these people are expecting. Less than a week later I looked again. The whole room was babied. We had added a cradle, a diaper changing basket, some toys (although why I can't say), the carseat carrier sat in the corner with the diaper bag. A boppie rested against my chair. Most of all, you were there, making us a family. You looked so cool in the tie-dyed shirt from Aunt Ne-Ne. I remember laying you out on the mat to change your diaper, and crying. You were not even a week old and I was mourning the day you wouldn't need diapers anymore. (Seriously hormonal folks) Your red hair was a surprise from the first. The nurse told me it was red during delivery. Where did that come from? I have loved it from the first.
I remember how sweet you looked on your first Sunday in church in the special dress a very pregnant Aunt Mindy and Uncle Seth looked so hard for, because Nana thought you should have a dress for church. It is upstairs in the baby chest; you were so tiny you wore it until you were six months old. Both you and Jo were baptized wearing that dress. We have loved watching you grow up with your cousin, and be best friends just five weeks apart. The day she was born, you weighed exactly the same thing, you were still so tiny.










You were such a climber, we had to teach you how to get down stairs since you often found yourself upstairs and stuck. You learned to walk early, wanting to get places. I can still see you crawling inside the Jefferson Memorial when we visited Washington, DC.








You have always seemed to like your baby sister and we are so glad you two play together so much.

Now you are off at school. Kindergarten is such a big step. I still miss you during the day and wonder about what you are doing. I am thrilled to see the big kid come out, but I am so glad when my baby crawls back in my lap, or wants me to tuck her in.

Happy Birthday Baby!

Four years ago today, I was wheeled into the delivery OR for an emergency C-section at just after midnight. Within twenty minutes you were delivered. I heard you cry and they showed you to me. You were so little, just 3lbs 8 oz. We didn't expect you for six more weeks. I joke that your big sister left signs in my womb, "Pull this and Mama throws up" and "Pull this and Mama's blood pressure spikes". I threw up every day for nine straight months, twice, and it was worth every single time I hovered over the toilet. Well, nine months and 7 1/2 months. It was a scary few days that I don't remember, before I got to see you again, through the glass of the NICU as your daddy held you up for me to see from my wheelchair. I was too sick to walk down there, or go into the NICU to hold you. You were four days old when my fever broke so I could hold you. I woke up that morning and felt a bit better. Finally, my digestive system had started working again, and I could move with less pain. I took a shower and got dressed in real clothes, instead of a hospital gown. I slowly made my way down the long hall to the NICU; I remember wondering if I would have the strength to get back. The nurses let me sit in a rocking chair and hold you while you ate. You had a tube going down your nose to feed you with. It was so hard to let you go back into your crib. The nurses took our picture and gave me one and posted one on your bed. I made the slow trip back down the hall to my room. I went back every time you were scheduled to eat, when I was awake. They encouraged me to let you rest between feedings, since you needed all your energy to grow. I went home a couple days later, dependent on wonderful friends and family to get me back to visit. I went each morning and usually again in the evening, if I had enough energy. Your sister returned from Grandma's when you were 10 days old. She came with me each day to visit you. A dear church friend organized a rotation of people willing to drive us down to the hospital, so you had many visitors peer at you through the windows. When you were 13 days old, they called me from the NICU as I was making the bed. Don't forget to bring the carseat today, she will have to practice sitting in it before she can come home. The criteria for coming home included: weight gain, maintaining temperature by yourself, taking all your feedings by a bottle, and sitting in a carseat for an hour without a problem. They were ready to try the carseat test. I still wasn't sure you'd come home that day, but when I got to the NICU, the nurse told me that the neonatalogist had decided to discharge you that afternoon. I went out to lunch with Nana, Aunt Mindy, and some friends. After lunch, Nana drove Je and I down to the hospital to bring you home. I dressed you in your own clothes. They were so big on you. I look at that outfit now and can't imagine a baby fitting in that outfit. I had a nervous afternoon with you. You took two ounces of formula, every three hours. You must have been unsettled by your new home, because you didn't want to eat. By the second feeding you were starved. You grew, and thrived from there.How long it seemed at the time! You were so little for so long. As I look back it passed as a blink, but that first year was a killer. I remember the first month we had to wake you up every three hours to eat, until you were about 6 lbs. I thought I wouldn't make it to stay away for the 11 pm feeding. Thankfully, your Daddy got up with you at 2. Now you climb in with us occasionally, and don't even wake us up. Where did the last four years go?
Now you are a precious pre-schooler, about to embark on your first mornings away from Mama. You will love your teachers and the other children. You will color, and cut, you will paint and play on the new playground equipment installed this summer. What a big girl you've become! I see myself in you, and your daddy. I see generations of extended family in you. Much of what I inherited from my father, you have inherited from me, so, even though you will never know Papa Darrel, know he is part of you. I wonder if he had unexpressed thoughts as a little guy. I know you don't. And I love you, and all those thoughts.

Family Fun

When I uploaded the pictures of the first day of school, I ordered some prints of our vacation. One sequence stands out to me. It is so typically Jo that I laugh whenever I see the three pictures...










"Everyone's going on that, great, count me in, let's get buckled here."









"I don't think so! Get me off now!"










"That's better. Y'all go on without me."







And they did!

Eau d' Italian Restaurant

Today my house smells like wonderful tomato sauce. Yesterday morning I picked up a five gallon bucket of tomatoes (courtesy of my mother) and a bunch of onions. I went to the store to get green peppers since the ones in Mom's garden aren't doing well. I also picked up tomato paste to thicken the sauce. I made 7 quarts of tomato sauce for chili or spaghetti yesterday and 16 pints and one quart today. They are all in mason jars sealed with lids and ready to store on the shelf in the basement for meals all winter. YUM! I was pretty proud of myself yesterday at 2 pm when I had finished in half the time it took last time and with less than half the mess. Now the house smells productive and I can be joyful in another opportunity to fill my storehouse. Isn't God good that He provides fresh produce and knowledge to use the bounty of His creation? I learned to can from my mother who has long touted the benefits of His providence and encouraged us to fill our storehouses whenever possible against future crop vagarities. Last year we didn't get any tomatoes to make sauce. Fortunately, the year before I had made enough for two years. We will make as much as we can this year to keep us until the next tomato crop.

Captain Oblivious

My husband enjoys being very literal. He thinks he is funny. (Most of the time, he isn't). Tonight, he told Je to sing, "Shoo, Fly Don't Bother Me" in response to the fly in the bathroom. She told him that wouldn't work, and that she needed the "fly shooter" (swatter). He asked if it was a six shooter, or a 12 gauge. I told him to stop being so goofy and obtuse. Which the girls thought was hyterical. "Yeah, Daddy, stop being a toot!" Hey that works too.

A New Love

I love my Jeep. I have driven it for over 10 years and put 135K of its 165K on the car. I didn't care that the air conditioning system leaked freon and had to be recharged every year. I didn't care that it had a tiny oil leak these last couple of years. I put up with the tape deck making that screechy noise when it played. It was a minor inconvenience when the window control for the rear right side became temperamental and would lock up whenever Jo had tried it, until she did it again and unfroze it. I was even prepared to put in a new radio last month when the current one stopped playing FM stations. Besides, I have that phone that works like an mp3 player so I used it. But the last straw, so to speak, broke the camels back when the oil leak got drastically worse last week. I had started early in the year preparing myself for trading it in on a new car. It was hard to go anywhere with more than just our two kids, it was loud to ride in, and vibrated. Each day I kinda was relieved when it started and got me places. The tires are 4 years old so I knew I wasn't putting new ones on it. It's just that the Jeep was the first major purchase of our married life. We bought a truck right before we got married, but it was a pittance, compared to a two year old Jeep Grand Cherokee. I remember feeling so privileged to drive such a fancy car. My previous car had been an '85 Honda Accord Hatchback with carburetor problems. I remember when we bought it, we thought we would drive it for a long time. I was looking at 10 years I hoped. Once we had Je, and I realized how much room car seats take up, I was thinking that we might need to trade it off before we had child three, but maybe we could squeak by until the fourth if we waited for three long enough to get Je out of a car seat. Now we know that they have changed the law, and Je is in a booster for another two years. We also know that we may never get to a third or fourth child, we probably won't biologically get there unless God over rides a vasectomy. But it was time to let go of my first car love. (Actually, my first car love was my Volvo Diesel, I called him Sherman, but my Dad sold him when the engine block had microscopic cracks in in and got me the Honda, not a car love at all with that one) I have joined the ranks of the Mini-Van Moms
Isn't it pretty? This is just a picture of a Kia Sedona that I found online, but it is the right make, model and color. We got it Tuesday night, so that night, I was just kinda dazy. We'd spent the day checking out cars and working details. We drug the kids along and they did great until about 6:30. Which was just when we were cutting the deal. I was ready to have the whole process over with. We had test driven this one right before lunch, and when we indicated that we weren't ready to commit to it, they pushed us to take it for the afternoon to try it out. Since I really liked it, but wasn't ready to buy it, we agreed to try it. When I casually mentioned that we liked to sleep on big decisions, they offered to let us have it overnight. As we discussed the car over lunch, Shan and I really felt like this was the right car, if the numbers worked out. We ran over to Lawrence to pick up part of our down payment, and stopped to see my sister. On the way back to town, I felt like this was the right decision, and that God was leading me to this one. I also knew that if I left it to morning, I wouldn't sleep. So we stopped back by the dealer for some number crunching. I got on the phone with Mom between salesman visits, and got some good advice. I was tired and ready to get out of there, so I went back to the table, gave him my bottom line, deal-breaker offer, and said if he met my price and put the key less entry in, then I would deal tonight, if not, I am going home. He came back about 10 minutes later, and I have a new mini-van. Last night I slept well so feel good about our decision. That is always my fleece, sleep well, good decision, no sleep, bad decision. So now I am totally excited about my new wheels. Second (or third) car love is pretty good too!

Three Year Old Logic

"JE put me in there, but she was wrong, I was right" --JO

"Why were you right?" Me

"Because she was wrong"--JO


That makes sense when you are three, I guess.

My Dad Had this On His Wall

This set of statements is so much the way my Dad thought. I remember it hanging on his office wall at home. The plaque was dated in style so I don't think it made the cut after we moved or at least after my mom redecorated in the few years after we moved in. He had several plaques and awards that were swapped for newer designs and newer awards but I bet it is still in the basement.

I am going to add it to my sidebar quotes because it is something I want to remember about the world.


The Paradoxical Commandments
by Dr. Kent M. Keith

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.

© Copyright Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

I Apologize

I apologize to my husband, my parents, my sisters, friends, roommates, co-workers, neighbors, classmates, the lady at the store in line next to me, random people on a plane,in the elevator, basically anyone who has ever had to spend unstructured time with me. For they must have been forced to endure that which I am currently forced to endure: time with someone in love with the sound of their own voice. I have often thought that my three year old, Jo is like me in many ways. She is friendly, social, and talks to anyone and anything. My head is about to explode, I have no time for quiet reflection if Jo is in the car with me, she had a running commentary from the backseat on whatever catches her eye. If you have ever been on a car ride with me, and I didn't have a book to read, you might understand my pain. I hope I was a little more discriminating in what I chose to share but I am afraid to ask because I am not sure I want the answer. If I talked as a child, even half as much as Jo, I don't know how my voice has lasted this long. It should be a great example for me of what not to do in the future. I saw this commercial recently that encouraged parents to talk to their kids as they went through the everyday ordinary tasks. Seriously folks, I don't think I could get a word in edgewise with that child.

Homemaking for Me

Aprons - Y/N?

Never. How would I know what I did if it isn’t on my jeans?

Baking - Favorite thing to bake:

My Mom’s buttermilk fluff rolls

Clothesline - Y/N?

Definitely. Nothing is better than putting your clean body, freshly shaved legs into a clean bed of line dried-linens. The smell is fabulous!

Donuts - Have you ever made them?

Absolutely. They are a snow day tradition at home. It takes all day for the dough to raise twice and they are a cholesterol buster but taste wonderful.

Every day - One homemaking thing you do every day:

Make the bed. I hate to get into a bed that isn’t made.

Freezer - Do you have a separate deep freeze?

Yes, we get beef from my cattle raising father-in-law, so it is a necessity. I also believe in filling up my storehouse, when God provides a big harvest, (or a great sale) and then you have it for the lean times.

Garbage Disposal - Y/N?

Sure

Handbook - What is your favorite homemaking resource?

My mom is a great resource for advice, tips. I also read the Everyday Cheapskate for her wonderful ideas.

Ironing - Love it or hate it?

I love to iron since it is a household task I can do while watching TV. I love laundry in general.

Junk drawer - Y/N? Where is it?

I have two, one in the kitchen and one in the family room.

Kitchen: Design & Decorating?
It is roomy and well stocked. It is a homey place and very lived in.

Love: What is your favorite part of homemaking?

I love staying home and taking care of my family. I love to bake and cook. My cleaning skills leave a little to be desired.

Mop - Y/N?

No, I use a hardwood floor cleaner on a special cleaning pad.

Nylons - Wash by hand or in the washing machine?

I wash almost everything in the washing machine. I rarely wear nylons so they go in too.

Oven - Do you use the window, or open the door to check?

I open the door, I don’t trust the window view.

Pizza - What do you put on yours?

My favorite is pork sausage and mushroom and black olives. My family doesn’t like the olives so they are a rare treat.

Quiet - What do you do during the day when you get a quiet moment?

I work on my Bible Study, read a book, take a bath, check email.

Recipe card box - Y/N?

Yes for the tried a true. I have cook books and sheets of recipes I am looking for a chance to try.

Style of home -

Split level house with four bedrooms and three bathrooms. I love the living room because it is big and opens to the dining room so nice for entertaining. I wish the family room was bigger and not just off the garage, so it would be warmer in the winter.

Tablecloths and napkins - Y/N?
I use tablecloths for special occasions but I have nice placemats and matching napkins on the dinning room table all the time. I took the cloth napkins off the kitchen table when I had kids.

Under the kitchen sink - Organized or toxic wasteland?

Pretty organized, the cleaners, trash bags and grocery store sacks are pretty neat.

Vacuum - How many times per week?

The kitchen floor gets it almost daily but the rest of the house just about weekly.

Wash - How many loads of laundry do you do a week?

5-8

X's - Do you keep a daily list of things to do and cross them off?

I want to, but it doesn’t happen

Yard - Who does what?

I do the flowers, and decorations, but my husband mows and trims.

Zzz's - What is your last homemaking task for the day before going to bed?

Check on lights and kids.

What does homemaking look like for you? This was a lot of fun to think through!

That's A Daddy

I saw an interesting contrast recently, and it got me to thinking. First, I saw a man walking with his young daughter. He was walking slightly ahead of her, seeming to pay no attention to her skipping along down the hall. I wasn't close enough to hear if they were talking, but he didn't seem engaged. I didn't think to much about it until later. I saw another man walking down the same hall with his daughter. He had his arm around her shoulder, was leaning over slightly to hear her talk as they walked. He guided her protectively as they left the building. I began reflecting over the difference in the two families. I don't know either family well. I just saw two fathers, one was a daddy the other didn't seem to be.

On the tenth anniversary of my Daddy's death it seems like it would be a good opportunity to reflect on what a Daddy is.

Daddy's are involved, in their kids lives.
They coach softball,
they take special daddy-kid only times.
They are silly,
they play,
they listen, they talk,
they correct,
discipline,
yell,
love,
defend,
protect,
comiserate,
assign chores,
dance with,
crawl on the floor as the horsey,
build a playhouse,
teach how to drive with the admonition, "do as I say not as I do",
give money to,
treat to lunch,
worry over,
send to school,
drive them to school when it's icy, instead of letting them drive themselves
take them to church
lead family worship,
go shopping with their kids even when shopping isn't their thing
maintain their cars,
give them away.

This is just the tip of the iceberg on my Daddy. Everyday I miss him. I see him in my children and niece and nephews. It breaks my heart, to know that they will not know him. I remember driving home one night when I was pregnant and realizing that my father would never see my children, and just sobbing.
I have two sisters, so it was a very girl household. He never seemed to be upset by that, and whenever anyone asked if he wished for a son, he always said he thought daughters were better. Now, that was always when we were in earshot, but I sincerely believe, he was content with the family God gave him.

I know he would adore my two girls. They would have been as much a part of his daily life as they are for my mother. I really think he would have been crazy over my nephews though. Little boys were a special treat to play with at family gatherings. I have a picture of him with my cousin at about 2 that is so cute.

One of the gifts that came from his death was a visit from a man we had never met. Apparently, Daddy knew him through work, and as they were both Christians and fathers they connected. The day before the funeral, he dropped by because he wanted to share with us how often Daddy had spoken of us to him and how proud Daddy was of his family. A few days later I was in class at K-State, and that came back to me. It was "Interpersonal Relations", one of those short courses they make you take your student teaching semester. The professor said that the number one reason people are in therapy is because they have unresolved issues with their parents. They don't know if their parents were proud of them, approve of them, love them. I knew. If I hadn't, that man's visit would have told me. My father often said, "Shel, your alright, no matter what your mother says about you." It was a joke but his approval was clear.

May I use my father's example with my own children, and others.

May God be with my family this week.

DTP 8/4/47 - 1/12/97

Hospital for Sick Preschoolers

My head is spinning from the machinations necessary to get my daughter to school and all the other kids where they need to be. Our carpool partner wanted to switch because of school parties at her older children's school, and that was no problem. I called my friend, whose child I was watching so she could go to her daughter's room party. T let me know that K had a fever and she was concerned. I told her I wouldn't mind watching a sick kid. She had done it for me a couple months ago, and I was glad to return the favor. Today, our carpool partner, M, called her daughter has diarrhea, she can't go to school and she doesn't want to expose my kids by driving them. I completely understand. I offered to watch KT so she can still go to the party. I said, "I'm running a hospital for sick preschoolers" so one more won't hurt. Her husband was rearranging his schedule so she can still go to the party. KT is unhappy about missing the last day of preschool before Christmas. We had also planned for KT to come here to play after school until M got done at school. I think that was the big disappointment. So now, Je is ready for jammie day at school, wearing her new Christmas pjs, slippers, pillow, bear, and sleep sack tucked into her backpack. T will drop her off after she drops off K for the afternoon. K's fever lasted one hour yesterday. So we are guessing it was a quick bug or an anomaly. Hopefully no one else will get sick. I told both of my friends that nothing can top the Christmas/Anniversary season two years ago, when both girls spent the day throwing up on me, cancelling our night out, then shared the virus with every member of our extended family and a few friends from church. We were not popular people that Christmas. Although by Christmas day everyone was healthy, before round two started for the rest of the family the next week.