water

Winter has reared it's cold head here in the past few days, dropping our temperatures from the 70-80's down into the 40's in a matter of hours. Late Monday night I was able to soak in a nice hot bath (much awaited for as our bathroom is finally completed!).  The water was warm , the room filled with the scent of lavender....and then it dawned on me.  This would be a perfect time to give Lucas his first real bath.  A soak in the tubby kind of bath.  See, I had only been sponge bathing him as I found I absolutely hated the infant tub I purchased for him.  Plus, he's just so little and it only takes a moment to clean him right up. 

So with Amos Lee wafting through the air via Pandora on my cell phone, a little chubby baby was gingerly handed down into his mother's arms and into the warm inviting water.  He cried at first and I worried the water was still to warm, but I held him and ever gently swayed him in the water, he relaxed completely in my arms.  He floated like that for a while, every so often smiling up at me.  I bathed him off so gently and poured handful of warm water over his little body and hair.  He was so sweet, chubby and warm.  His expression so filled with adoration.  He just melts my heart and all the anxiety of the day just washed away. 

sue

present

I sat and watched his sweet little face, nestled against my breast...safe and satisfied and my heart overflowed with love for this little boy.

I used to not cherish and stop and enjoy the everyday moments of  my children.  I'd grown to just speed through the day, trying to get everything accomplished that I felt needed to be done.  Then along came Lucas, the last of 6 babies and that all changed.  My heart breaks when I realize the enormity of him.  He is the last, the last chance I have of reveling in all the normal baby love I had taken for granted.  It won't be repeated.  And that gives me a sense of overwhelming sadness, but there is something else.  Gratitude.  Thankfulness that I have learned to slow down, stop and appreciate, stop and watch and listen, but most of all enjoy. 

I realize too, that all these other little monkeys running around here won't be here forever.  They will grow up and become adults, not be so needy, and noisy and well, all the things little kids do to drive you mad.  I want them to remember a childhood filled with love and fun and the presence of their parents.  I don't want them to think their mother had an extra electronic appendage attached to her hand (lol, cell phones drive me crazy!!) I want to focus not on the outside world, but this one little special, sweet, messy world that I call mine. 

You see, you can't create that dream childhood you have in your head for your children being so preoccupied with all those other obligations you think you must attend to.  Phones, schedules, work, cleaning.  Yes, it all has to be done, taken care of, but not at the loss to our children.  I often found that when I did have free time, I didn't spend it playing with my children.  I spent it trying to keep them from messing up the house I had just cleaned.  Kids are kids, they are messy and I had to get over it. 

I admit I post pictures all the time on FB and I take tons of everyday pictures of my kids.  Our family is far from us, so its a way to connect our everyday with them.  To let them see their grandkids.  We often live our lives via these social sites..."look at me", "look at what I am doing with my kids today".....it shouldn't be about keeping up with the Jones' or proving to anyone that you are a great parent because you took your kids here there and everywhere.  Focus on the moment.  Forget the pictures.  Forget sharing.  Relish in the time with you kids.  Listen to them. 

For me, it's all about being PRESENT for my children.  I'm not better than a cardboard cutout standing in the kitchen if I'm only present to them physically.  I have to connect with them on all levels, physical, emotional, and mental.  Then maybe that dream childhood I have for them just may come true.

sue

Do you have a To Do list?

I know I do!  Some of the items on my list have to be repeated weekly or monthly.  Other's are one time deals.  I am a huge fan of lists because it keeps me on track and gives me a sense of accomplishment when I cross another item off!

My To Do List:  November

 

trim front trees

trim trees around pond

Remove moulding in master bath

re-tile floor in master bath

repair hole in upstairs wall

replace missing tiles in laundry room

cover lemon and lime trees for winter

dig fencepost holes for garden fence

build 8 4x8 raised beds at garden site

finish pergola

pick up limbs along driveway

trim rosebushes

mulch garden bed

remove pepper plants to compost

rebuild compost bin

clean off deck and seal

build firepit base

firepit façade

clean out tool shed

mulch around fruit trees

clean out chicken pen

 

Do you have a list?

 

Have a busy and wonderful day!

Sue

 

 

 

 



My late Sunday post!

Time had a way of slipping away from me yesterday, and before I knew it I was snuggled into bed with my little man and heading off to dreamland.  So much for a blog post...but that's ok because that means I will just post twice today!

It's Halloween week around here, the ghouls and goblins are lurking about and I'm still so in love with vintage Halloween pieces.  They invoke such nostalgia from my childhood.  I know you remember those vinyl costumes with the plastic masks!  My mother made many of our costumes as kids.  We had a Mr. Potato Head made out of a burlap sack with styrofoam  balls for eyes, and a simple muslin tunic with the word CREST in felt letters down the front topped with a red bucket with a rectangle cut out of it so you could set...viola!  A tube of toothpaste! 

Sunday night found me upstairs spinning my sewing machine wheels and tying tulle, but I'll show you THAT later :)  Let's move onto what my Sunday post was really supposed to be about....meal plans and goals for the week.  Do you do this?  I'd love to see your weekly meals plans, share recipes and hear your weekly goals.  Please feel free to leave a comment and a link to your site!

MEAL PLAN:  week one

M:  Brown sugar glazed hamsteak with baked sweet potatoes, carrots
T:  Beef fajitas with Spanish rice
W:  Seasoned whole crock pot chicken, buttered noodles, peas
R:  Spaghetti with meat sauce, garlic bread, salad
F:  PIZZA DAY!
S:  Chicken tenders, buttered noodles, mixed vegetables
S:  Crab cakes, white rice, green beans

SHOPPING LIST:

2 hamsteaks
6 sweet potatoes
flank steak
Spanish rice mix
2 pkg tortilla
spaghetti
spaghetti sauce
beef
pre made garlic bread sticks/or make your own
1 bag chicken tenders/or 4 boneless breasts
2 pkg wide egg noodles
3 cans of crab meat
seasoned bread crumbs
1lb white or brown rice
frozen/fresh green beans
frozen/fresh peas
frozen/fresh mixed vegetables
frozen/fresh carrots
lettuce
cherry tomatoes
3 cucumbers
raisins
shredded cheese
brown sugar
butter
spices:  cumin, paprika, chili powder, onion and garlic salt

Now, many of these things I may already have on hand in the pantry.  Mainly my shopping list is for produce and meats.  I also am trying to makes more of my sauces and mixes from scratch.  I will share my fajita seasoning with you this week!

TIP:  I split my head of lettuce into four sections, wash and chop it, then put it in an 8 ounce mason jar in the fridge.  It keeps the lettuce from browning and is just the right amount of lettuce for a side salad for everyone!

WEEKLY GOAL: Complete two items on my to do list.

Please feel free to check out my other pages for menu plans, recipes, crafts, and everyday life!

Hope you have a wonderful day!

Sue

welcome home.

I've been a bit of a day dreamer of late.  My mind overflowing with grand schemes of lost goals and endeavors.  Where did I lose my quirkiness?  My artsy-fartsy side?  When did I stop doing what I wanted to do and start worrying about being good enough?  It was of my own unraveling.  I was inspired by everything yet accomplished nothing.  I felt like a failure.  In my quest to keep up with the Jones', I destroyed the very thing I loved the most.  Creating. 

My life of late has been a roadshow of organization and discipline with little room for anything crazy like creativity! Today I hereby declare my freedom from my self induced prison of worry and doubt and feeling, well, just not good enough.  So often we lose such a big part of ourselves in an effort to fit in.  Adult peer pressure.  Lol.   I remember now why I am ME, it's because I love to create.  I love to create art, paper things, silly kiddy crafts, gardens, sewn things.  I want to tell people that I love chickens and thunderstorms.  I want to laugh as I tell someone I don't know squat about computers and technical things. I want to share my ideas, my dreams, my goals for my life.  I want my children to remember how much fun their mom was.   

So right now, this minute, I will embrace my little creative self and welcome her home. 

sue

Facebook got me kicked out of church!!!

Well, it finally happened.  Well, two things finally happened.  First, I got an email from the head of our church nursery letting me know that they had found other volunteers so I could take a break.  Polite way of firing me, lol.  Second, my pastor blocked me on facebook and publicly admonished me because I posted the word Goddamn.  I take no offense to that because it is a public forum and if you don't like what people write, then don't read it and feel free to block them.  Lol, damn stellar week I'm having. 

xoxo
mom

Four kids and a nurse practitioner

Last Friday was going pretty well.  Was, that is the key word.  I got in an out of THE WALMART with two kids in tow in under 35 minutes.  There was no screaming or punching in the checkout line, no beggina and crying for candy.  Things quickly began to deteriorate around 2 pm when #5 was struck again by the now infamous GI BUG OF BULLOCH COUNTY.  This time in the form of not being able to tinkle or "my froggy potty".  One phone call to the doctor got us an appointment by 4pm.  Two phone calls to babysitters and one to the neighbor yielded no help in watching the other 3 while I toted #5 to the doctor.  Damn. 

So there we were.  All of us at the doctor's office on Friday afternoon.  Four kids aged 3-8 years, one of who is clutching her tootie because she can't tinkle.  We are called to the triage area by the nice nurse.  I know they are all cringing seeing us coming down the hall because last time we were there #4 crapped on their floor.  I try to expedite the process.  Everyone wants to stand on the scale.  I usher them to the seats with threats of shots for all if they don't shutup and sit down.  We are ushered down another hall to a windowless room.  Trapped like a rat with four kids, one of which is still clutching her tootie. 

There's an adjoining bathroom.  EVERY SINGLE CHILD WITH ME NOW HAS TO POOP.    One by one they take their turns.  #4 comes out mid poop, pants down to his ankles to announce there is also a shower in the bathroom.  "Not to worry, we can shower at home", I say, "please finish your business." 

 

We learn all about the stirrups on the pelvic exam table.  We learn how the blood pressure cuff inflates.  We read a book on asthma.  We turn the lights off and on.  We spin on the doctor's stool.  We clutch out tooties because we still can't tinkle.  OMG.  Has it really only been 20 minutes?????

The door opens and in walks the NP....oh my dear Lord.....with a big plastic cast boot on her foot.  She is immediately barraged with questions by #4.  He has to examine this thing and touch it ALOT.
She tries to nicely tell him to not step on her broken leg.  He pulls her pant leg up to get a closer look.  They finally quiet down enough to let her ask why we are there.  #4 announces that his "sister's butt hurts" and even turns and points to the appropriate area.  He is helped to a seat.  After finally examining the real patient, it is determined she has a bladder infection and needs a shot.  The door opens and two nurses come in.  It takes all three of us to pin her to the exam table to administer the medicine as her siblings cringe behind the privacy curtain, looks of horror on their little faces.  She smacks me when it's all over.  Everyone gets a glowstick.  #4 hugs and kisses the nurse practitioner.  I deserve a beer.

 They usher us to the waiting room to wait some more for any horrible allergic reaction  #4 begins running back and forth while #2 power punches him.  #4 then begins catapaulting off the furniture.  The nurse at the reception windows looks out as I shoot myself in the head with my imaginary finger gun.  She slides the little glass window that protects her from the chaos open and says to me "Are they all yours?"  "Yes, yes they are."  I reply.  Like I'd go pick up other people's kids and take them all to the doctor's office.  "I drink alot of wine." I say.  She gives me the thumbs up and slides the window closed.  I know she is talking smack about me because I am obviously pregnant and my other children are running amok like a pack of banshee's in the waiting area. 

My only consolation was that I didn't have to pay today.  Somehow I had a credit to my account.  I think they were lying though.  I think they just wanted me to leave. 

xoxo

mom