there once was a girl who loved dresses

 

There once was a girl who loved dresses.  it didn't matter if they were too tight, too big, or fit just right.  she would often change her dress 3 or 4 times a day.  the fancier, the better.  even though she had a drawer full of cute shorts and tops, she much preferred a dress.  she wanted to play outside in a dress, walk to the bus stop in a dress, and even sleep in a dress.  her mommy began to hide dresses from her.  but, she was a smart little girl and would sometimes get a dirty dress out of the hamper and put it on.  she also loved to wear a tiara.  she wore one everyday for a month.  she was 3.  the end.

Refrigerator Box Ride: a short story

when i was 5 years old, my family of 6 moved into a 2 story brick home.  my parents had bought 11 acres out in the middle of nowhere south carolina a few years before that and moved us out there to live in a trailer while the house was built right in front of us.
moving into a big home means you get lots of new appliances. it also means you get big boxes to play in. 
i have 3 brothers and i'm the third child of the bunch.  one day, my 2 older brothers thought it would be really fun to take the big refrigerator box and get in it themselves and make it roll down what we called, "the Cliff".  it was a place in the woods where the land made a significant drop - a slanted decline for about 30 feet. 
at least they told me they had gone down the Cliff in the big box - i can't really remember if they actually did or if they were just telling that to me and my younger brother to convince us to get in the box too and go for a ride.
"come on, it'll be fun!" they said.
i remember being not so sure.  but little brother and i got in and and closed the flaps of the box as best we could and before we knew it we were basically performing a sequence of forced cartwheels with a huge box around us.  when we reached the bottom of the cliff, i remember being out of the box with a bunch of dirt in my mouth.  i, of course, was extremely upset about the whole thing and especially about the dirt in my mouth.  i think all three of my brothers were laughing.  i walked up the cliff crying and found my dad in the yard about to cut grass or something.  i told him what happened, and he didn't really respond.  i guess at least he didn't laugh at me.  but that's all i remember and i'll never forget it.

sometimes i feel outnumbered

from the mouths of 6 year olds

favorite quotes from the mountain yesterday.  from the mouths of 6 year olds.

with a front seat on the skylift going down - "this is going to be very nervousing."

getting a tour of the other 6 year olds minivan.  "how much trash is in the back?"

made my day.

Verse

Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.

 

2 Samuel 14:14

it's amazing what praising can do

dear lee,

it is a cold march day.  the three year old has a cold again and pink eye so i took her to the doctor again this morning.  in the past 4 weeks our family has accumulated 7 visits to a doctor's office - 5 were sick visits.  so, thank you for working so hard at your job so we can have decent health insurance.  i hope we can all get well soon!

my days are getting a little easier now that the baby seems to be okay with just one long nap in the afternoon.  and the boy gets off the bus at 3:45 - 30 minutes later than he used to.  now, if i can just get everybody to bed by 8:00.  it's really up to me to start the whole routine earlier.

the baby is a big hunk of sweetness and joy.  i love to watch her try to "run" away from me if she thinks i am going to get her.  she is still not sure about drinking from a cup and much prefers her bottle.

i listened to my sermon today - wow, it was just for me.  he talked about mary and martha with a focus on martha and the sin of self-pity.  and the truth that "it's amazing what praising can do."  kind of goes along with this verse:  "be joyful always.  pray continually.  give thanks in all circumstances for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."  1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   and the theme of One Thousand Gifts.  which points the reader back to the last supper, the eucharist, Christ's attitude before enduring the cross.

so, i've been noticing that when i talk to you on the phone i tend to just complain and tell you  mostly unpleasant things.  and to be real, there have been many and i don't want to act like they're not there because that would be just fake.  but, there are also wonderful things happening and maybe this will help us enjoy them while they're happening while we are in this period of Waiting.  it seems like that - the Waiting Place where everyone is...

Waiting for the fish to bite
or waiting for wind to fly a kite
or waiting around for Friday night

or waiting, perhaps, for their Uncle Jake
or a pot to boil, or a Better Break
or a string of pearls, or a pair of pants
or a wig with curls, or Another Chance.

happy belated birthday, Dr. Seuss.  happy almost first birthday, little hunk of sweetness and joy.

don't forget to take your antibiotic - reminding myself too.

i leave you with some pics of this past winter.

love,
laura

one of the many snow days

 

 the girls first snow

dressed alike - phoebe really loves being "twins"

will doing fruit loop math.  he really loves math!  didn't get that from me!

for this day i have Jesus...

"for this day, 

i have Jesus, 

and he's enough."

a quote from sunday's sermon

for you, lee

here's some pics of baby cora, baby 3, cora cora, sweetheart.

she is six months old now and i'm pretty sure she's just started the awful part of teething - night screaming - every 30-45 minutes for a few hours.  i could live without that.  but, i couldn't live without her! smiley face.  lights up when she sees a person - any person.

 just smilin'

 always on my tummy

 with the fam

 with my sibs

 they want to be like me

i want to be like them

 i wanna take a bite out of you!

 hey, look.  it's lee and baby lee.

 with my sis.  she drinks a lot.  no worries, it's just juice.  well, it's mostly water, but don't tell her that.

where did all my hair go?  

whatever, i'm still a beauty.

today's top 5

1.  will came home with his frog - which means he had a good day at school.

2.  everyone slept through the night, including me

3.  we had special company for dinner!

4.  will started on his homework right when he walked in the door from school and finished all 5 worksheets - his homework for the week!  his idea.  wow - we've come a long way in a few weeks.

5.  i made it to the grocery store with the girls and it was pleasant

a prayer for my family of little ones:

God, give us the sleep that we need and the grace that we need each day to live with each other in peace.

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Hebrews 12:2

Apart from you, i can do nothing.  John 15:5

Through you, i can do all things.   Philippians 4:13

if you want to learn patience, use a VCR

if you want to learn patience, use a VCR.

if you want to feel clean, go a couple of days in the summer without a shower, then take one.

if you want to simplify your life and finally get organized, have 3 kids under the age of 5 and a husband who travels for work.  it may take a few months - like, close to a year - but you'll get there.  i'm getting there.

oh, and if you need to feel some serious happiness, find a fat baby with a gummy grin.  oh, it'll work every time.

"if your mind isn't clouded by unnecessary things, this is the best season of your life"
WU-MEN
a quote from the book Organized Simplicity by Tsh Oxenreider

my middle child

dear ms. phoebe,

you are now a middle child.
you are Loving.
you are Smart.
you are potty trained.
you sleep in a big girl bed.
that's one of your favorite things to tell people - "i sleep in my big girl bed at night!"
"i two my olds!" means "i'm two years old!" 
daddy and i think that is so cute and we are not about to correct you!
i've recently figured out that you like soft vegetables.  you like canned beets!

you draw attention wherever you go.  and you are quiet.  that's power, little girl!
you are 2 going on 20.
you love to swing.
mosquitoes love you, unfortunately.
you are a mess.

i don't know what i would do without you.

mommy

my little Jackson Pollock

dear will,

it's hard to believe just a year ago, you would not even color.

turns out, you just don't prefer crayons.

you don't like to "color".  you like to draw.  with marker, pencil, and sidewalk chalk.

a few weeks ago you wanted to chalk the driveway.  it was raining so i let you chalk in the garage.  guess what you are drawing?  trains.  you draw mostly trains, very long trains - filling up the whole length of our driveway.  you've started drawing trucks, cars, delivery trucks and occasionally you will draw something different like a dinosaur or the latest Bible story you learned at sunday school.

i love your art and seeing you chalk on the ground reminds me so much of one of my favorite artists, Jackson Pollack as he "paints".

"there is no accident ... there is no beginning and no end."

"because a painting has a life of it's own - i kind of let it live."

thank you for helping me remember that i love art.

today

thoughts running through my head.  the Artist's Way refers to this practice as morning pages.  i guess this will be an afternoon page for me.

feet up.  almost quiet house.  almost clean house.  painting to be done in will's new room.  painting to be started in new baby's room.  laundry basket on the coffee table with clothes to fold.  i miss art.  i want a big huge canvas and a few free hours.  andes mints smores in the oven because there's no more chocolate in the house.   getting huge.  vericose veins.  traveling husband.  bit off my fingernails last night.  encourage children.  play.  potty training - i wish her bladder would grow.  i wish my bladder would grow!  going to the potty every hour.  more vegetables.  more vegetables.  less sugar.  keep the coffee.  aldi coffee - thee will do.  thee will do nicely.  rainy week.  almost decluttered whole house.  took two months.  now redecorating.  new house feel, no money spent.  new discovery.  don't shop. just declutter and you'll find what you need most of the time.  potential savings on diapers.  save save save.  $90 per week food/household budget.  menu planning is key.  it's working for now.  baa baa black sheep.  where's my music?  get some headphones for your ipod quick before she asks for baa baa black sheep again.  mommy mommy mommy mommy.  play with me.  cook with me.  can i watch a video?  cookie?  potty! nap.

God is my Help.

What's for Lunch?

leftover canned green beans heated up in the microwave with shredded sharp cheddar.  pb on celery sticks.  a few Ritz crackers.  the pic shows phoebe's leftovers.

Dear Son, Dear Daughter

Dear Will,

you are my beautiful boy.  you brought big change.  you taught me how to take care of a baby.  i'm sorry i didn't know more than i did before you came along.  you have forgiven me so many times, and i will never forget that. 
you helped me make friends.  you taught me to eat more fruits and veggies.  you got me outside more and more.  because of you, i know a lot about trains and trucks.
you encourage me to sing. 
you can be a talker.
you are hilarious and don't even know it.
you make people fall in love with you and you don't even try.

Dear Phoebe,

you are my special girl.  you are a doll.  you are affectionate and quiet, but very social.  you are only 1, but you smile like you know exactly what's going on.
you have been carted around since you were just a few weeks old.  you are patient, but only to a point and i can't blame you for that!
you are my dancer, my gymnast, my climber, my little mommy.  i love to watch you take care of your lamby and piggy and baby dolls.
you showed me that i give up too easily and to not do that.
sometimes you just need to be held.
you love books and you love to color.  i didn't know anyone could love to color as much as you do.
you are sweet and spunky.

crazy kids

crazy about reading (don't you love the mr. potato head glasses?)

crazy about coloring!

 crazy about building.  this was his first time playing with Lincoln Logs.

crazy about dressing up.  pre trick or treating at nana's.

today

today...

husband is back in town so that makes things easier!  and finally got an uninterrupted night of sleep for the first time since sunday night.

massive headache today.  took two rounds of tylenol to knock it out.  i miss my excedrin.  bad thing about pregnancy, no motrin and no excedrin.

will got hit at preschool today.

phoebe got one leg over the side of the crib today.  oh, give me a few more months!

my kids are so beautiful.

phoebe wants to color everyday.  she thinks it's funny to pass gas.  i did so good holding back any laughter whenever will would pass gas as a baby and toddler.  he would never react to it.  but, phoebe has always thought it was funny and i just can't hold back laughing about it now.  never thought my daughter would be more crude than my son.  it's kind of bad because sometimes the boy will let one slip, she laughs and then makes herself pass gas.

phoebe language at 19 months:

peeee mama peee - please, mama
i oh no - i don't know
wah wah - will will
ehmo - elmo, oatmeal
hee mama- here mama
hee go mama - here ya go mama
ah poo poo - i poo pooed
colo - color
mammy - lamby
bye bye
no
various animal sounds (dog, cow, cat, horse, pig, sheep)

and, oh, she can give a stern look when she says no.

she associates bed with Jesus Loves Me because that's her night night song.

songs she sings:
ABCs - almost everytime she sees letters anywhere
Jesus Loves Me
Elmo's World - la la ehmo wee

for where your treasure is...

today the boy's fever broke.  5 days of fighting a fever.

finally did a kroger run.

kroger value toilet paper - not a value.  it may be a couple dollars cheaper, but do yourself a favor and buy charmin on sale.

chewing on this today - something my friend for life posted on fb - my nearly organized. really pretty, bargain bought hoard

for where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.

i have two kids  - live in America.  we live on one income and we have toys and clothes galore.  well, the kids do.  (3/4 of my clothes don't fit anymore or at least they won't for another year).  lots of hand me downs.  lots of blessings.  lots of chances to bless others.

there are children starving right now.  i know we've heard this before.

but, there are children starving right now.

i've been reminded of this a lot this year and it's not sitting well.

so, that's what elmo's been thinking about today.  da da da dahhh.  that song is so catchy!  my kids love it and i think elmo is fine, but that song is driving me bonkers.

i promised pics - here are a few.

 she loves to be outside.  "side side!"

she loves her sidewalk chalk.  gets it all over her body.  she wants to color me too.  it's not enough for her to color alone.  mommy must color (kah) with her.  sometimes i have had enough of coloring and i say no.  this doesn't go over well.  she loves her crayons and chalk.  will was nothing like that!  

cooling off in front of the a/c vent.  we had been at the park and it had been very warm that day.  she does like to sit in front of the vents though anyway.

had to get away to the mountains last weekend.  this was right before will got so sick.  or i think he had already started to get sick but was enjoying himself anyway.  who has time for a virus when you're in the mountains and there's water and paddleboats and mountain music!

he's so handsome!

glad i packed the bathing suits.  the water wasn't even very cold at all.

today

today

today will is still suffering with a double ear infection.  it acts like it is getting better and then he crashes again.  he is having problems hearing.  it is so easy to worry.  going back to the doc tomorrow morning if he is not better.

baby girl had a happy day today.  lots of smiles.  maybe we are turning a corner.  even had a sweet moment with her as she squeezed my face and said "yoh momma" and then patted her chest and said "ah bebee".

got to talk to my two best girlfriends today.  that is rare and even more rare now because they both have new babies.  both in the fourth trimester with their second child.  an exhausting time.  both sounded so calm.

september feels beautiful in georgia. 

hoping for a snowy winter to kill all these mosquitoes. 

i am 13 weeks and 5 days along.  i weigh the same as i did with baby girl at 18 weeks.  30 and pregnant.  thankful i got past the first trimester just in time to take care of a sick boy.  energy has returned but still tired.

clutter, dirty dishes, ironing.

pictures to come later.

it's late and i have to sleep now...

The Children's Museum of the Upstate

i recently went to the children's museum of the upstate with my 4 year old son and 17 month old daughter.  the kids love it.  we stayed there 3 hours (and would have stayed longer if baby hadn't needed a nap).  i was very impressed and plan to go back sometime.

we spent most of our time at the grocery store, teddy bear clinic, farm, construction site, and water area.