Toast Soldiers

Eric and I going to see the new (and final) Lord of the Rings movie this evening.

A few years ago I read the Lord of the Rings trilogy for the first time. Eric had bought the book and I decided to read it after him. This was one of few books I had read for pleasure in years. In high school, I was doing a lot of reading for assignments and found little leftover time for enjoyment reading. Slowly, I got out of the habit although I had once been a lover of reading. The point is, I felt alive with thoughts and truly felt richer by transporting myself into J.R.R. Tolkein's world of hobbits and elves and the ring.

So, after finishing the book, there was a bit of a let down. I realized that I missed reading and vowed to get into a better routine of reading literature. Not just my Bible or magazines at the gym while I workout or the news- but real works of art. Although I was in honors classes in high school, I never read many of the classics that are normally considered "required". We had a few "required" books but mostly we worked off of a "reccommended" reading list that we could choose from. I tended to steer away from the known classics. I guess I wanted to be different because it seemed that everyone was reading Kurt Vonnegut or Catcher in the Rye or some other well-known book. The obscure titles drew me in and as a result I missed out on a lot of great novels. Some classics are classics because they should be and I am now going back and trying to take in a few of these a year and regain my intelligence that sometimes gets lost in among time-outs, Play-Doh, and changing diapers. I guess, truly, it is there but just needs to be dusted off!

While out in California, I mentioned this to my dear girlfriend, Candie, (who was our class valedictorian by the way) and she expressed similar sentiment. Certainly not because of a stay-at-home-mother lifestyle, but because people get busy and her more recent class loads focused on anatomy and physiology rather than rich prose. So we talked of books and reccommended a few to each other. Once back, we e-mailed a bit more about reading the same book together and talking about it. So, I'm extremely excited and went to the library yesterday for a few selections. Catch 22. Farewell to Arms. As I Lay Dying. I am leaning toward Catch 22 and have read a few pages.

Being that I was born in the 70's, I have always been familiar with the phrase "catch 22" and was interested in which came first- the book, or the phrase? I came across this site that had an explaination (the book came first, so the phrase has only been in common usage since the '60s). Anyway, good site. And the current issue has a question about toast soldiers. My family, being that my dad is British, always used this term (and we cut our toast with Marmite into them)- so it was never weird to me. (Although, I often wondered whether this was just my family or if it was an "English thing"...but now I know.) Long ramble, but try it sometime....toast really does taste better if you can pretend that it is marching!

I have every good intention of updating our web site with new and current photos but I rarely get a moment to tend to this task. When I do, I usually find that I have to ask Eric so many questions about the process that I feel frustrated. By the time I finally have all my computer components the way I need, the boys wake up from their nap and I have lost my opportunity.

Too bad good intentions don't get the job done. Stating good intentions, however, make it look as though you're at least trying rather than simply "lazing around"!

I am thankful to God today for a good night's rest last night. I feel like a new woman! While we were in California, Grant and I shared my dad's guest bed. Ever since our return, Grant has been up at night crying for me. Very unlike him. But, we prayed specifically about this in our bedtime prayers last night and all was well.

On a crafty note, my friend Kim sent us a Christmas package this week (very sweet). Enclosed were some "Spiced Apple Pie Mug Mats" from Harry and David. Think fabric pillowy coasters with spices inside that release a fragrance when a hot mug is placed on top. Looking at them, they might be a good do-it-yourself gift project idea- just a few quick stitches. Used one this morning and the kitchen smelled yummy.

Making the decision to have a child - it's momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body.
- Elizabeth Stone

Quote of the Day via excite

Wow. Is it December already? It has been way too long since my last post. I guess I hit that point where posting a blog suddenly felt overwhelming- as though there was too much to comment on, and update regarding. Life has been busy.

We had another guest visit in November. My friend Heather turned her business trip to Arkansas into a business slash pleasure trip to Nashville by renting a car here to continue on to the job site. It was a speedy weekend, but enjoyable as always. Went to the Frist, went to church, went to Hobby Lobby for some crafty stuff, went to the gym. I hardly saw Eric since we spent a great deal of time having chatty girl talk.

A week after that, I was off to California for a ten day visit with just the boys. Let it be known that I will never go for that long alone again. Eric and I survived, but a week is our limit from this point forward. We missed each other so much and our children were forgetting what Daddy looked like. The airport greeting upon return will forever be tucked in my memory; Grant ran so fast and gave a huge "squeeze hug"!

We did have a good time, though. The Grandparents were excited to see the kids and I was happy to spend Thanksgiving at Eric's parent's house and hang out with my dad and brother a lot. I even was able to cram in a few quick visits with friends. Congratulations to friends Shane and Erika on the purchase of their first house. In some ways, ten days wasn't enough.

Eric was a busy bee while we were gone. Finally all of the vague and hurried conversations on the phone made sense. He re-did the boy's room while were away. Repainted. Bought and assembled a bunk bed. It looks great and is now awaiting a few decorative touches from moi. I'm thinking along the lines of a surfer theme. For two years now, it has been a bright green that was supposed to be more mild. Kim helped me paint it and I was nervous about it from day one with an immediate transition to hating the "biohazard green". Eric picked a beautiful Ralph Lauren shade that is a medium dusty blue. He has such good taste.

So, we are happy to be back and are now in the full swing of Christmas preparation. Tree is up. Christmas cards are made and sent. I have some wrapping and a bit more gift making to accomplish, but I am stress free. Why stress about Christmas?- we are supposed to be celebrating!

Currently drinking lemon tea. It's alright, but it doesn't beat the Mint Medley that I had earlier today (twice). I have been on quite the tea kick lately. First off, I have been trying to refrain from consuming sugar and dessert-y types of foods so a cup of tea (or a few throughout the day) make me feel as though I'm getting a bit of a treat. Secondly, the weather is proceeding to "brisk" now that its November and I just *have to* drink warm drinks once the weather feels like winter...the two go hand in hand.

Currently working on the skirt for Becky out of the spiffy striped fabric we picked out together the other week when she was visiting. It looks good so far. Here is the pattern, skirt #5914.

Currently brainstorming ideas for Christmas cards. I am thinking of making them with my new lino-cutting art supplies. We'll see. Oh, and speaking of art supplies, a new Dick Blick catalog came in the mail the other day and this item was in there. I love it and think it would be great in place of a sewing basket. Plain and versatile.

Currently hoping that Eric and I can go see this movie sometime soon. I've put a call in to see about a babysitter, but I haven't heard back from her yet.

Currently... a million other things!

Eric's father visited this past weekend. Everything went as expected and we had a nice simple Halloween- Grant dressed up as Superman (Eric even slicked his hair back in classic Superman style). Dean was dressed as a 7 month old baby this year but hopefully next year we can get the boys coordinating outfits (ex. Batman and Robin, Peter Pan and Captain Hook, Police man and Robber...).

Today, we went to Cool Springs Galleria for a little shopping. Mary and Owen came along for company and a little window shopping. Went to Williams-Sonoma and they had a basket of catalogs out front. I didn't even know that they had a catalog! And it has plenty of tempting kitchen stuff in it too! Well, not too tempting, since much of it is out of my price range...KitchenAid makes a beautiful line of "Pro" appliances. Who needs jewelry. We also found Grant some new shoes at Stride Rite. Unfortunately, his feet are still wide which just means that there is less to choose from and I usually have to pay more. But, he did get a lot of wear out of his last pair and the ones we found today were on sale. I guess the nice thing is that if he doesn't completely wear them out we can let Dean use them later.

No sewing tonight, so I'm going to head off and hang out with my sweetie.

Our TiVo suggested this show for us and I really enjoy it. The scientist in me would love to have their jobs!

Guests

I am working toward creating an inviting guest room. The other week when Becky and Aaron visited I made my first attempt at creating a guest basket with some thought-out goodies that would look welcoming. And now that Eric's dad is driving in from Pennslyvania tomorrow for a weekend visit, I am preparing the spare bedroom again. My friend Mary, who used to travel a great deal, gave me some ideas by telling me the things she always liked in a guest room when she would stay with people. Here are the things in my guest basket right now:

-towels
-washcloths
-body wash "poof"
-toothbrush(es)
-mini toothpaste
-small lotion bottle
-travel size mouthwash
-cotton swabs
-disposable razor(s)
-selection of stamped postcards

The "sample isle" at Target is great for mini-sized toiletries. Some of my other eventual adds might be: ear plugs, eye mask, mini bottle of Advil or aspirin, mini deodorant, and individually packaged snacks (chips, cookies or anything that wouldn't need refrigeration).

There are obviously fresh linens on the bed, a clock and lamp in the room. I have left out a spare blanket along with a pitcher and glass for water. I have thought of running to the library for local books on Nashville that might provide some interesting browsing. Any other ideas?

There is a great deal I have forgotten about this baby stage that Dean is in. Some of those things being the super vision and vaccuum hands. The first being the ability to see the tiniest speck of something/nothing on a floor you thought was clean and the second being the action of grasping said speck faster than Mommy can intercept. Yes. Of course. I forgot to mention the need to put all things in the mouth. This, friends, is how he ended up with a crumb of Grant's Play Doh in his mouth last night. Eewww.

Kid Update

Grant loves these. So, I guess it's no surprise that when we had "school" this week and recited the Pledge of Allegiance, he said..."one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and Jake Justice for all."

Big Seven-Month-Old that he is, Dean is crawling everywhere, pulling up on furniture (as of Oct. 16th), and starting to "cruise" along the side of things. Yay little guy! And, he now makes the noise, "ma ma ma ma". So, if I wanted to, I could be quite flattered.

I know, it has been a long time since my last update. But, each time I think about sitting here to write, I come up with something else I should be doing. And since my last post was Oct. 11th, I guess its evident what has won out.

Have you been listening to the news about the fires in Southern California? I lived there for 19 years growing up and never once saw fires that out of control. Our families still live there as well as many friends. Thankfully, they are all safe as far as we know but even for the people out of immediate danger, the blazes are causing horrible air conditions. I spoke to Eric's mom yesterday who lives in Fallbrook and she said that the pool has ash floating in it and that if you didn't know any better you'd think that a bonfire was burning out back because of the smoky smell you can't escape. I haven't spoken with my dad or brother, who live in Vista, but we have left messages for each other in a ridiculous game of "phone-tag" and I know they're alright. The map of San Diego county I found off the San Diego Union-Tribune website was haunting and I know that fires are burning in various other sections of the state as well. Most of the people who have been killed were escaping the rushing fire, two people were even in a car trying to outrun it and died. They all thought they had more time but the flames move too quickly and they should have evacuated when they were first told to do so.

I was thinking about it and all I would want to escape with would be my family and our photos and home videos. Certainly, I can think of all sorts of other things, but when you only have a few minutes.... *Sigh* It makes me almost ill thinking about losing some of that stuff. I don't really consider myself to be materialistic but there are tangible things that I love and would be sad to lose, mostly things that can't be replaced: journals that I've kept for the boys, my mother's wedding ring and a few other bits of jewelry, my wedding dress, the quilt I'm working on, Grant's baby blankets and some of his first pieces of "artwork", my mass of recipes of which a portion are hand-written from my mom, some of the hand-knit items from my grandmother, the porcelain mixing bowls my mother made for us. And that is just a quick list. None of those things are close together, easy to gather or in storage that isn't difficult to access. If I only had minutes I guess I'd just be out the door with my kids and husband...and I'd be praising God for that!

On a different note, we had a great time with the Sherlocks. The one week visit flew by since we packed a good deal in: a trip to Build-A-Bear Workshop for the kids, church on Sunday followed by watching the Titans game, Picture People for some cousin shots of Grant and Riley (I'll post them on the site soon), daytrip to Huntsville Alabama to the Space Center where they have Space Camp, a bit of shopping, dinner at the Melting Pot (without the kids!), a jaunt to the park near the library, the men played golf, a trip to JoAnn Fabric where Becky and I bought some beautiful striped corduroy to make some skirts, and probably a few other things I don't remember. Then scatter that with laundry, dishes and fussy children and you've got a full week. We were sad to see them go, but hopefully they'll be back some day.

Becky, Aaron, Riley and Jackson fly in this evening. I love having company! (One of the greatest things is that Eric should have the entire week off. yay!)

Before then, we have a full day of last minute tidying, cooking, a trip to the Pumpkin Patch with some friends, a visit to Kris and Mary's house to bring the new parents dinner, and then off to the airport.

Peter said to him, "We have left all we had to follow you!"

"I tell you the truth," Jesus said to them, "no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake fo the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life."

Luke 18: 28 & 29

"Jesus said to his disciples: 'Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves.'"

Luke 17:1-3

Aaron, Becky, Riley and Jackson will be flying in on Saturday for a week long visit and we can't wait Riley and Grant are just so adorable when they get together since they are only four days apart and know how to play really well with each other. Jackson was only one the last time we saw him, so Auntie Tisra and Uncle Eric are looking forward to knowing the little guy a bit better and seeing how different he looks. Eskpecially since he'll be arriving with a "fashion accesory":

Hey there everyone,

Well our little monkey took a hard fall today, which ended up in a trip to
the doctor's office. He had to get six stiches in his forehead, above his
right eye. Not a fun thing for Mom or Dad to have to hold down your little
one when they are screaming there heads off. Dr. Naudin did a great job,
hopefully there won't be a big scar. Please keep him in your prays, can't
imagine the pain, (I never have had stiches).

Talk to your all later,

Becky

Happy Birthday Owen Kristopher Kelso!!!

We thank God that he finally decided to come out.

October 6, 2003
12:36 a.m.
9 pounds, 6 ounces
22 inches long

Mommy and Daddy are doing amazingly after a marathon of 36 hours in labor. Thank you everyone for your prayers. I am sure Kris and Mary would appreciate continued prayers for a quick recovery.

View the website for pictures (there is at least one up even now!). Congratulations!

Happy birthday to my brother, Colin. 20 years old today!

Eric stayed home from the office yesterday to work a bit from home and then have the remainder of the day as "time off". This never seems to work as planned since he usually receives calls from work on his cell phone or has some non-relaxing neccessity to take care of like an oil change or errands to run. The pattern held true- work calls came in and a day-long struggle with the satellite system due to Big Company Doesn't Seem to Care syndrome.

Direct TV is our satellite provider and whether an employee should have or not, they assured Eric over the phone that their free install of our new TiVo unit would include everything necessary. Satellite guy comes. Tells Eric that the charge should be $75 and Eric responds with, "Thanks. No.". I suppose if he didn't have the knowledge to do it himself, we'd have paid the fee, but what about the whole sticking-to-your-word concept? Big Company Doesn't Seem to Care.

Without surprise, Eric crawled around in the attic, drilled the appropriate holes and accomplished all the wiring. I'm sure the "professional" could have done it faster with all his job-specific tools, but we (Eric) did just fine, thank you.

All that said, Direct TV does have a good deal going. They are offering TiVo units for $99 so we bought one for each television and are hoping to sell our old Ultimate TV unit on ebay. Foolishly, I was telling Eric that I felt bad for switching to the more popular TiVo because I like supporting the "little guy". To which he laughed and said, "TiVo is the 'little guy'- Ultimate TV is a Microsoft product!". Oh.

While all of this was going on, I: played with the kids, ran on the treadmill, buzzed to Walgreens for some Claritin (my sniffing and sneezing has still not ceased!), accompanied Grant next door to the Linville's so he could play with Jake (they played "football" and Jake was amazing at slo-mo replays of each tackle!), fed Dean some cereal, did the comic book activities with Grant in his new Bob the Builder comic sent from Great Grandma in England, bathed the children, read a bedtime story, put kids to bed, painted my toenails a really fun copper color while watching JAG and then collapsed into bed with Eric who was exhausted, as well!

Today, I hope to take it a bit more easy. The Claritin I took last night rid me of the allergy symptoms but has left nausea and drymouth as side effects. Each time I take it, I weigh out which yuckiness is the lesser evil and yesterday I was just desperate for my nose to stop running! But, I plan on working on some art projects (no details!- they're gifts!) and maybe taking the boys out for a walk. Or, maybe Mary could have this baby already and we could meet Owen today! (forgive me, Mary, I know you'd like that too!)

"..."What shall I compare the kingdom of God to? It is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.""

Luke 13:20

Hannah Ruth Rollins

Congratulations to my friends Kim and Michael Rollins who gave birth to their second daughter this evening around 5:54pm (I think the message said 7lbs.3oz. and 18 inches long...but don't quote me). I can't wait to see her. Big smiles for older sister Abbie, as well, who will be celebrating her second birthday on the fourth!

Punk

For the past few years, Eric has had the habit of calling Grant a "punk". I suppose it is meant purely in love and as a form of teasing that says "you're special" without getting ewwy-gooey (they are, afterall, guys). At least, that's my outside observation and I don't know as Eric even put that much thought into it until tonight when Grant began returning the favor:

Goodnight Punk Daddy.

Goodnight Punk Mommy.

Goodnight Punk Tiger. (he says to his stuffed animal)

Goodnight Punk Dean.

Goodnight Punk Daddy. (again)

Goodnight Punk Je-jus.

*Daddy looks up apologetically to the Lord Almighty*

I think Jesus was laughing so hard He was crying. I know we were.

Babies. Babies. Babies.

Congratulations to Mark and Keri Kornelsen and Chip and Christi Linville! Yesterday, I received the happy news that both couples are expecting! Baby Kornelsen should arrive sometime in April and baby Linville should follow shortly thereafter in May or June. This will be Mark and Keri's first (and long prayed for) child; they live in Indianapolis now, but hopefully we'll see photos and receive updates by e-mail (and who knows, maybe they'll even make a trip down here at some point so we can meet him/her in person). This pregnancy makes the third child for our neighbors, Chip and Christi (the "owners" of Grant's little buddies, Jake and Luke). I am so excited at this special news! God has blessed you all and I give Him the credit and praise!

Stepping up in the World

Dean tried his first bites of rice cereal tonight. It's considered a "first food" and I'm sure it tastes awful, but he gobbled it up. I guess he doesn't know any better- his only previous meals have been milk, milk, and more milk. He will be 6 month old on Saturday, so I figured it was time to begin "real stuff". I think it's good timing.

With Grant, we began the rice cereal at 4 months. While it seemed to help him sleep through the night, he wasn't very good about swallowing. He still had a tongue-thrusting reflex that made it hard to get the food in his mouth.

Dean, on the other hand, has had two months of extra observation. He has been looking at us longingly for some time now in hopes that we might share some of our menu items with him. (Especially jealous of things like ice cream!) Soon enough Dean, soon enough!

Speaking of food, I tried two new things today. Green Tea and a dish called Mousakka. The green tea was great (I bought Bigelow...I wonder if there are brands that are better than others?). I have previously had Green Tea Ice Cream at Japanese restaurants (Red Bean, Ginger, and Plum are also Japanese restaurant flavors- yum!) but had never made myself a cup of hot green tea. Recently read an article extolling its health benifits and figured it needed to be tried. The mousakka recipe came out of one of my Everyday Food magazines. Essentially a caserole with Egyptian or Greek influence, it has: ground meat, onion, tomato, oregano and cinnamon layered over roasted (and cubed) eggplant then topped with a creamy ricotta and feta cheese blend. Certainly repeatable but with alterations. Eric doesn't like the eggplant- maybe next time we'll substitute chunks of Portabella mushroom.

Three days in a row

My dad and brother flew in for the weekend to visit. They each have rather uncompromising schedules. Daddy has work. Colin has both work and school. Not only did this mean a short visit- but two separate arrivals. Friday my dad flew in at 2:35p. Colin flew in on the same 2:35p flight on Saturday. They both left at the same time on Sunday at 7:15p on the same flight. It is quite a blessing that we live only 10 minutes from the airport...three days in a row would have been crazy under any other circumstances.

It was a great visit. Friday, we took my dad out to the Rainforest Cafe. To my surprise, Grant ended up being a bit frightened at first by all of the animals and the large fish tanks. Grandad was able to make him feel more secure by taking him to the gift shop and buying him an over-priced trinket.

Saturday morning I made blueberry muffins from scratch. We all agreed that there were too many berries (I know, I also thought how can that be?- but, sadly, it's true). They sank to the bottom and exploded with so much juice that the bread-y part of the muffin fell apart too easily. We ran some errands and then went to the airport to retrieve my brother. It was his first time meeting Dean, so that was especially exciting. I see him so rarely, that it still startles me when I see him. He is so tall and manly. Part of me has trouble visualizing him as anything other than my kid brother. And it is all even stranger being the mother to two sons. Someday, they will morph into similar bodies and aquire that rough edge. How weird that will be? Someday they will be taller than me. And maybe even taller than Eric.

We caught up for a little while at the house and then went out for dinner at Chili's since it was rather close and we were hoping to have a fun night of game-playing after a quick dinner. Monopoly was the game of choice. Once we hit that "I'm getting sleepy" stage in the evening, we called it quits and agreed that Colin was winning.

Sunday, we hung out for a bit. Ordered pizza. Got pizza for free (yea!). And watched the Titans-Colts game. We jumped on the trampoline for awhile, took some pictures out in the backyard, and then got ready to say goodbye. I was sad to see them go, but it was even sader to watch my three-year-old say goodbye to Grandad and Uncle Colin and wonder why they can just come over any old time.

"Dick Blick Ships Quick". That's what they say, and it certainly held true! I purchased the ground shipping and expected my package 5-7 days after the warehouse sent it. To my surprise, it came on Saturday...ONE day after being sent off! Yay! Double Yay! I can't wait to get going on the projects in my head...but I have a few other things to do first. That said, I did pull out everything and play a little. Colin even had a go at carving with the lino-cutters. I learned a great tip: microwave your linoleum for a few seconds and it makes it easier to cut. It really works!

method home

method home

I am doing some "touch-up" cleaning in anticipation of my dad and brother flying in for the weekend. I found this product line at Target and am really enjoying it. We now own mint scented glass cleaner. Fun. Or as fun as cleaning can be.

For two years now, I have had a Dick Blick catalog. Thick in size, it is more of a book. I've kept it as a source of inspiration. I want to try everything in it. You could purchase pratically anything in that catalog for me and it would be received with shrieks of joy. Art supplies are like candy to me (although, I also like real candy...I possess an absolutely horrible sweet tooth!). So far, I have dabbled in quite a bit due to my very creative mother who was known for doing the same. I have beaded, sewn, thrown pottery, knitted, painted, used pastels, molded polymer clay, tie-dyed, water-colored, tried calligraphy, and took a few classes in Black and White Photography. Jack of all Trades, Master of None.

So, I have finally placed an order and I can't stop thinking about it! Yea! In 5-7 days I will have all the necessary starter products for doing linoleum block printing (lino-cut). I purchased some Golden-Cut linoleum, a set of Speedball cutters with two handles, a brayer, an inking plate, and a honing stone for the blades. This artform has caught my attention for quite some time. My mom actually used this method for hand printing my baby announcements. (Technically, she did it first for my cousin and then added hearts and used the block again for when she had me...as I remember). In concept, since I've never actually done it, I like the fact that you can create one piece of art and reproduce it in various ways (different ink colors, printing on different paper...). And the carving seems as though it might be rather soothing, especially since it is silent- no machinery involved. (I enjoy sewing, but all the racket irritates me at times). So, we shall see!

Eric reminds me occasionally that I have a few unfinished projects. True. Luckily, I can only think of two. I am nearly done with a quilt that my mom started for Grant when she found out we were pregnant. I could have been done ages ago if I'd simply tied the quilt rather than hand-quilting it. But, since it is the only thing I'll have from her to any of my children, I wanted to do it "the right way". (what was I thinking?!) Tomorrow is sewing, I should probably take it with me. I also have a sweater that I began knitting after Grant was born- had a horrible mistake- had to unravel quite a bit of it- haven't picked it up since. On the bright side, it looks like my track record has been rather good ever since these two projects. And, someday, these will both be done...I just don't know when!

O-o-O-k-k-k-Kay.....

Remind me never to do this again. I have known for a long time that I am sensitive to caffiene and that it keeps me from sleeping well. Tonight, I had some sewing projects and things around the house that I wanted to accomplish without interruption. So, I drank two cups of yummy coffee with wonderful intentions of gettting a lot done while everyone else was in bed. I don't feel the teensy-ist bit tired right now and was doing pretty well until I started shaking about 10 minutes ago. Bad shaking. I feel so silly because I am now having trouble sewing (and typing for that matter). And I can't just go to sleep, either. It seems like wasted time...and there's not even any good TV on!

Earlier this week, I received a call from Barbara across the street. Her daughter, Caity, is in the first few weeks of Freshman Year. Having signed up for Band, she has uniforms to wear that need a bit of alteration. They are kept and used each year on countless students and nothing can be permanently tailored so, I was asked if I could take up the pant legs that have probably been at all of the various lengths before. Up. Down. Up again. Couldn't the generations of McGavock High students coordinate their height so that parents wouldn't have to go to such trouble? Or how about height requirements to participate. "Sorry you play a mean tuba, but you are far too tall." Ha. So, I went over for a fitting and had such flashbacks. Mom was struggling to get daughter to try on pants. "Go put some shoes on with them". Struggle again. "Not those shoes." Struggle. Struggle. You can be the best and smartest kid...but what is it about that age that makes you give your parents such a difficult time?! Oh, if only my mom were still alive so that I could ask for forgiveness. For all of the struggling. All of the rolling of eyes. All of the typical teenage weirdness. (has anyone ever read Zits? They always hit the nail on the head! My mom loved that comic.)

But, in standard adolescent This Is So Uncool tone, Caity nearly apologized for the polyester slacks… as though they were a less-than-fashionable cousin that insisted on showing up uninvited to the popular kids birthday party- embarrassment by association. I didn't think they were bad, but I'm not 13 and I don't have to wear them. I told her that she was lucky her school at least had good colors (blue, red and white). A neighboring school when I was growing up, El Camino, had brown and yellow. My friend Heather went there and she handled it with dignity. Honestly, though, even I remember being less than proud of my high school track warm-ups.

My junior year, I joined track partly due to High School Boyfriend. We had multi-generational warm-ups much like Caity's band uniform. They were gray sweats with read silk screened print that had been worn year after year by numerous students. Other schools had sporty nylon suits with zippers. My sweatshirt even had a different player number than my pants, everything was mismatched by the time it got to me, I guess. The next year they began introducing some new jackets and pants in the highly sought after, previously mentioned nylon. Not enough to go around, though, so only the better runners/jumpers/throwers were given the cream of the crop. The rest of us were able to keep the reliable gray sweats. (Yes, crazy as it may seem to you, I was a terrible hurdler. But just wait ‘til tennis season came around! Much better at tennis.)At the end of the season, and the end of my high school career, I was told there was no need to return the sweats- they were being completely phased out. Finally. So, I kept my #25 gray sweats.

I don't know what happened to the jacket. Maybe I left it in the locker room. But, I still have the pants. They have elastic, but there are holes in the waistband where a drawstring must have been...maybe for the Class of '79. Without it, they are loose and seem to fit better with the top folded down a bit. They are extemely soft and I find myself wearing them around the house because they are more comfortable than the majority of my wardrobe. I was even able to wear them during both of my pregnancies due to the pathetic fit. There is even footage of me on the phone with my dad the day went went to the hospital for Grant's birth ("yes...this is it") and I was wearing those pants! And I was BIG. Whew, I was big. There is something so sweet to me about that; would I ever have believed it when I was issued them ("you can wear them now, but you'll really enjoy them when you are married and pregnant with your babies”)? Ha.

And they are even “stylish” now as places like Abercrombie & Fitch are doing athletic-type T-shirts in that retro-esque print. I guess things have a tendancy to come full circle:

What was once in style, is hip again if you wait long enough.

And the hard time you gave your parents as a teenager comes to haunt you when you, yourself, become a parent to an adolescent.

I can't wait.

Having a second child, who is also the second boy, has put me in the strange position of fielding numerous unsolicited remarks from strangers.

"You've got your hands full."

"Two boys? Bless you."

"Are you going to try for a girl?"

"I bet you're tired at the end of a day"

"Both boys? Oh well, I guess you're saving on weddings."

It has also opened my eyes to our society's impressions of family and children. Here in America, "one of each" is considered the ideal family. With a boy and a girl, you get the best of both worlds by experiencing each side of the parenthood fence. I found myself wishing for a girl at times during my pregnancy for this very reason, so I understand where it stems from. However, as humans, we still have no control over the gender of our offspring and I ultimately left it in God's hands. I was recently out with my friend who has two girls; I was jokingly asked if we ever considered swapping kids so that we could get a mix. Sometimes I think people are just trying to make conversation, so I usually smile and play in their game ("no, we don't swap, but when I'm around them I get my 'girl fix' and I'm happy to share mine so she can have her 'boy fix'."). I've now been the proud mother of two sons for 5 months. And I think I'm handling it rather well.

Which is why the "you've got a handful" comments surprise me. Two kids, even by today's standards, does not qualify a person for Huge Family status. So, I have to ask, Is it Me?. Do I look like I can't handle it? Do I look frazzled and worn thin? In fact, to avoid that dreaded "housewife" appearance, I make a point of never wearing sweats or spandex unless I'm exercising, and I try to keep hair and make-up at normal levels. Certainly no curlers or "house coats" here! Ah, but no high heels and runway fashion, either.

I can't stand the Easily Offended times we live in and I am not about to bend under the pressure of Political Correctness by requesting that people keep to topics of weather and current events. So, I try not to get my feelings hurt when people say things like this. It has simply been unexpected to switch from "He's so cute" comments when I only had Grant, to the above comments now that Dean is with us. The second-born never really gets the same treatment as the first, do they?

Yes I have two sons- and I consider myself blessed beyond belief!

Psalm 127:3-5 "Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate."

Yay!

Acts 17:24-27 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us."

Not temples. Not deeds. God simply want out hearts.

Cornstarch Beads

My sweet friend, Heather, sent me a care package last week. She is the kind of person that sends you something from Australia even though she's on her honeymoon (seriously folks!) Inside, there was a beautiful framed photograph and a book called How to Make Soft Jewelry. I never before had mentioned a desire to make my own jewelry- I think she just figured I might be interested since I'm "the creative type". Don't you love it when someone knows you that well? As children, we did artsy things together. Our moms both worked with pottery and art, so all of the tools/ materials/ inspiration were simply lying around and begging to be used. I remember sitting in her house on Avenida Sevilla while we both sewed our moms their Mother's Day gifts (her: a scarf and me: a blue satin handkerchief with a pink rosette). We also experimented with Fimo and Sculpey clay, collages, and making our very own Barbie accesories (like hand mirrors made of aluminum foil and miniature candies wrapped in Saran Wrap, tied on both ends with thread).

Yesterday, I made one of the projects with Grant from my new book. We crafted "cornstarch beads" with a homemade clay made from...cornstarch. I suppose you could make other things, as well, but I thought it would be great for him to have something to play with after the clay hardened. The recipe made a rather large amount, so I shared the wealth at our sewing party with LaDonna so her girls could play also. Here are the instructions:

In a saucepan, combine: 1 cup cornstarch, 2 cups baking soda, and 1 1/4 cups water. Stir over medium heat until the mixture reaches the cosistency of mashed potatoes. Let cool so that you can handle it without burning yourself (I put mine in the freezer for twenty minutes because I was impatient). Knead in gel food coloring or Rit dye powder to colr your clay (remember that it will lighten as it dries). Mold clay into whatever shapes you heart desires (if you are making beads, use a toothpick to create holes). Air dry for 1-2 days or bake in the oven at lowest possible temp. for 1-2 hours. Voila! The book also mentioned that you could roll the wet pieces in sand for a rustic look, but I haven't tried that yet.

Very easy, very fun.

I was reading in Acts today. In Acts 3:15, Jesus is referred to as the "author of life". Certainly, we have the ability to write some of our own history- for He has granted us with free will. But, it is wonderful to know that the Lord is the one writing the pages that we don't have access to (and from what I've read, He is more than qualified for this job- I just need to remember it!).

He has the ability to take things meant for evil and use them for good (Genesis 50:20 You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done...).

He will take care of us (Matthew 6:26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet our Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?).

And He even desires to bless us (Matthew 7:11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!) (Psalm 37:4 Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart) (Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future")

No, My Husband Did Not Beat Me.

I bruise easily and I do stupid things. Before, I have mentioned my tendency toward self-harm; I am klutsy with the biggest capital "K" you can muster. I could create blog for the sole purpose of chronicling my injuries- and it would have no lack of material. Plenty of entries. Masses of them.

Last week, I fell down the stairs. Big bruise to my thigh and another to my ego since I had an audience.

Tonight, I slipped and fell on my rear in the kitchen. There was water right below the refrigerator, suspiciously underneath the ice dispenser. I think my appliance may be out to get me- of course, that's just a theory. The kind of theory that helps me feel better about myself since it places blame elsewhere. Big bad fridge with a sneaky evil side. And plenty of ice. And a klutsy target. Yep, that would be me.

"It was just yesterday."

Her son was married just the other weekend. The first of her two boys who are around my age.

"...just yesterday that they were running around like yours are now"

It sounds silly to say it, especially with an infant under my care, but I feel it happening already. They are growing so quickly. Sometimes, when I look at Grant sprawled out on his bed with the covers mangled about him, it is as though I am looking at a teenager who has fallen asleep with the intention of remaining awake to study. But the Buzz Lightyear figurine and the Hot Wheels cars give him away, he is only three. Only three, that still seems old to me.

I stay home, I am hardly away. And, yet, I still feel as though I haven't had enough. I didn't capture that moment. I didn't breathe it all in. I didn't burn it in my memory strongly enough so that I can peek in on it in 20...30 years. Smell their hair. Feel the soft, firm skin. Hear the words pronounced with the tinge of "baby" that you want/don't want to disolve. Because when it disolves it is gone forever and you don't even miss it until you realize that it happened all too long ago.

Mo-mo used to mean cup. Bay-bay used to mean blanket-but only the special ones. Will I someday mourn the disappearance of "tomorrNo" or the fact that he can't pronounce the letter "s" when it begins a word. As always, it seems, the mark of a good parent is one who allows growth even when their own selfish desires would have them remain a baby forever.

So, as my next-door-neighbor and I let our four pre-school age boys hang out together, we looked at our other neighbor's wedding photos. The bride was gorgeous, the mother of the groom was gorgeous. And even now, as she was showing the photos, she was proud and happy. What an example of someone who shares in the joy of others! I want to be the same- rejoicing in the accomplishments of my children and delighting in the decisions they make. I suppose it is a fine balance between cherishing the past and dwelling on it (save some fingerpaingtings...but not all) (videotape often...but don't experience all their special moments through the viewfinder). Essentially, you really miss out if you can't enjoy the present and get excited about the future.

All this said, Dean has grown! He went to the doctor's office today for his 4 month check-up. He weighs 16 pounds, 11 ounces and is 25 3/4 inches long. He impressed the doctor with his rolling abilities... and then with his distance spitting. We are so proud.

Last week was full to the brim with preparations for a baby shower I was throwing for Mary and her highly anticipated offspring, Owen. I had list after list after list to keep me on track and organized. Mary's sister Becky, and a joint friend Amber, were co-hosts with me. Becky opened up her home and Amber designed the invitations. My assignment was to come up with the menu and figure out who would prepare which dish. Here is what we served:

-rolls with lunchmeat and cheese
-carrot-cumin slaw
-feta pasta salad
-veggies and dip
-crystallized ginger, dried papaya, dried pineapple (all dipped in chocolate), and yogurt raisins
-mocha cream puffs
-individual serving sizes of this cake
-fruit shishkababs
-fruit tea
-yummy nut bars

Thank you to Tina P. who brought the veggie dip and to LaDonna who not only helped that day, but also came over Friday to help me with the food preparation (and made the much praised "yummy nut bars"). (Donna, thanks for all your wonderful advice and tips- they were priceless!) Everything went so smoothly.

Saturday was also big day because it was the start of football. I didn't marry a man that was nuts over football but, somehow, he has morphed into one. I really find it cute- especially with our two sons. Dean was considered part of the club this week when he was awarded his very own Titans jersey in the same number as Daddy and Grant. So we now have Large, small, and itsy-bitsy Frank Wychecks in the house. Kris and Mary (and Owen) came over to watch the game. I think we won, Mary and I both fell asleep. Not that we weren't interested but we were watching it rather late as we had recorded on the DVR to suit our schedule (and to have commercial-skipping ability). Pair that with pregnancy (not me!) and the fact that this was a pre-season game... "ZZZZZZZZZZ".

Sunday afternoon Grant took me to see Finding Nemo. He even opened the door for me! Alright, so I paid. But, this was his long overdue reward for 30 successful potty trips. He has done so well and hardly ever has an accident now. It has been one month since we began the effort and he now only wears a Pull-Up when he's sleeping. I am very proud of my little man!

Visitors

We are so excited to have a "fall lineup" of family coming to stay with us.

Tim, Angie, Ethan and new little Olivia are coming next week. Dean and Olivia were born less than twenty-four hours apart, so it will be wonderful to snap plenty of photos of the adorable baby cousins. It is my first time seeing her, but from the pictures we've received so far- she's beautiful!

So, the Raynauds are August. September is marked by a visit from my dad and my brother, Colin. Due to work schedules and my brother's college schedule, neither are staying for long. Daddy flies in on Friday afternoon and departs on Sunday evening. Colin (crazy dedicated brother and uncle that he is!) will be flying in on Saturday afternoon and leaving on the same flight as my dad Sunday! Although it will be a short trip, we are looking forward to it all the same.

The Sherlock family: Aaron, Becky, Riley, and Jackson are planning a trip to Nashville in October. Dean can't wait to see them this time- our last visit to California, he had an obstructed view of his Uncle, Aunt and cousins!

Anyone else who'd like to add themselves to the calendar is welcome to give us a call. We have openings for November and December (Paul? Donna?).

Did you know that August 8th is "Sneak Some Zucchini Onto Your Neighbor's Porch Day"? I can't figure out what country this began in, or when it was first "celebrated", but I'm just certain it will catch on!

So, my husband is forcing me to get with the times.

I'm an intelligent girl, but I resist on certain issues already (what will I be like when I'm older?). God help me, I don't want to become someone who's stuck in past. I love:

A real, true, stamped letter- yes e-mail and telephone calls are quick and they do the job, but nothing is sweeter than a pen-to-paper piece of mail from a dear friend... or your grandma...or even your neighbor.

Actual photos- I love the digital age as much as most people. We own a digital camera and I have even been known to use it. However, I find that film, negatives, cool lenses, f-stops, special filters, and a darkroom produce quality prints and an experience unmatched by any digital camera I've seen or used.

Handwritting- I keep an actual handwritten journal for each of the boys. Yes, you can type a letter or keep your thoughts in a Word document, but nothing reveals personality like slanted script or choppy print. Now that my mom is gone, I treasure recipe cards of hers or birthday cards she wrote...its as though a part of her is living on that page. I miss her and it seems to bring her right back to me. I don't feel the same with printouts of e-mails she sent, although the information may be the same.

All this said, Eric and I were talking about things we'd like to do in the boys' bedroom. I started rambling off projects and decorating ideas. He suggested I gather everything into an Excel spreadsheet with cost so that we can plan and take it one step at a time. "Sure, I can organize a nice list and even sketch the finished look for you". That's not what he said. Excel. It needs to be in Excel. I am being given, essentially, a homework assignment that will force me to learn this program. It's been the dragon I just didn't want to slay. I've never needed it before and have done just fine without it for years. I guess this is an excercise in keeping me from becoming the eighty-year-old woman who listens to music on a record player. Incidently, my Grandma Joyce still uses a rotary phone and I love her just the same!

I stopped delivering The News Herrold newspaper months ago. The original time estimates given to me never really were accurate (or maybe I'm incompetent). So, after a three week run, I let the lady know it wasn't for me. However, if they ever needed me on an occasional basis to fill in for someone, "I didn't hate it that much and you'd be welcome to call me and see if I'm available". The other week, I received a call and today's route was the result of me saying "yes".

Sitting in my car bagging papers on the side of the road must have looked suspicious to one of the homeowners. He strolled near my van and said, "is everything okay". "Yes", I replied, holding up one of the circulars protected in its yellow plastic..."I'm just the Paper Lady". The man walked away and Grant exclaimed, "No you're not- you're Mommy!"

I have survived- and so has Mary

Mary Kelso and I have returned from our Michigan trip. For those of you who don't know, Mary is 30 weeks pregnant and will be having little Owen sometime around the start of October. Michiganer (Michiganite?) that she is, her family up north threw a baby shower on Saturday for and her sister, Kristy Jo, who is due mid-November. I tagged along for the ride... eager for a road trip to this much-spoken-of rural area.

Eric, Grant and I had been up there one time before for Mary's mother's funeral nearly two years ago. It was a quick trip and certainly not a "vacation"- so Mary didn't guide us around much and we didn't really see the sites. This time around, I was able to take in a bit more of Michigan and enjoy her charming family.

We left Nashville on Thursday morning and made it to Indianapolis, Indiana by about 3 in the afternoon (give or take) and stopped there to visit a friend of ours, Kerri Kornelson. She and her husband moved up that way last year, so it was nice to catch up and get a tour of her office. As we were heading back to the interstate, we passed by a Trader Joe's. This was an exceptional treat since I have dearly missed these stores during my five years in Tennessee. We went inside and I could hardly decide what to purchase...too many wonderful things! I don't think Mary quite understood my passion. (Yes, I know I've built it up more than it deserves. They are, afterall, just grocery markets. But, there's somehting special.) Friends of ours from Florida understand- they have their own infatuation with Publix markets.

That night, we finally made it into Mary's Dad's house in Burr Oak at about 10 p.m. (normally, an eight hour drive- but Trader Joe's, visiting Kerri and the "two kid" factor certainly delayed our travels a bit) Mr. Harry Troyer was so wonderful to let us stay (I'm sure he'd let his daughter stay anytime...I more mean the Fadely "outsiders"). Grant took a real liking to him over our trip and was sad to say goodbye at the end of it all.

Friday, we went on a day excursion to Lake Michigan (I had never seen a Great Lake before!). We visited the sweet town of South Haven, ate lunch at Three Pelicans restaurant on the river, walked the pier, saw the tiny lighthouse, ate ice cream and headed home. On the way back to Burr Oak, we drove through an old covered bridge, passed by the Magic capitol of the world, and saw where Mary's cousin, Mini Me, lived before hitting it big.

So, there are a few "claims to fame"- but, mostly, you can't escape the serenity, beauty, and delightful quaintness of the area. There are countless fields and trees. Plentiful organized rows of corn fields. Bean fields. Potato fields. Life is simplified and family is big (meaning important, although Mary's family also happens to be big in size) Its the kind of place that makes you feel as though you missed out by living in the SoCal suburbs with just your Mom, Dad, and brother. I never played much with my cousins, never went to Grandma's after church on Sunday for dinner, never lived in a place where everybody knew everybody. There is something so appealing about it all. And, yet, I don't know as I'd easily relinquish the convienent stores, large city opportunities (not that Vista is large...but San Diego is), and anonymity associated with a bigger town. Mary tuned out okay, and so did I- proving God can do amazing things with people from all walks of life.

The rest of the trip, we stayed with Moe and Ruth Troyer, Mary's aunt and uncle. They, as well, invited us in like family and were wonderful hosts.

After staying up until one in the morning, painting toenails and talking, we awoke rather tired on Saturday. This was "shower day". Fun was had. Gifts were given. All went well. Mary's cousin, Mia, who hosted the shower invited us over to swim and relax. It was a bit windy for a dip, but we enjoyed the conversation and relaxation. Mia has two beautiful girls, Megan and Libby, who had such fun with my boys. (black eyes and scratches were exchanged)

Sunday, we went to Harry's church in Colon and then ate lunch at Mia's. She made yummy homemade pizza and we enjoyed leftover cake from the Baby shower.

Monday, it was time to pack up the van and prepare for our trip back down south. We said our goodbyes to Aunt Ruth and proceeded to Vicksburg where we met a high school friend of Mary's, Kim, for lunch at Yogi's Diner. Next was a quick stop in Sturgis at the welding shop for goodbyes with Harry and then we were on the road again.

We made much better time on the way home and were greeted by our dear husbands at about 10:30 last night. Glad to be home, even though it was such a nice trip.

Aaaccckkkkk!!!

Mary and I have settled on a day to leave for Michigan- Thursday morning at 10 a.m. This is a bit overwhelming since I have three people to pack for (since the boys are coming, as well) and I wanted to clean the van AND I have a denist appointment tomorrow to have a filling "installed" (guilty!).

But, this is also great because- and this is just my opinion- when you have long car trips, it makes it feel more worthwhile when you are at your destination for longer than your total time in the vechicle!

Yes, we should have fun....but I've got work to do!

They say say girls grow up to marry men just like their fathers.

I did not intend to do this. And while Eric and my father have many differences, over the years many things have crept up that reveal similarities that are undeniable- almost scary.

My dad likes vanilla ice cream. Plain ol' vanilla. Eric loves Breyer's Natural Vanilla (had some last night, in fact). They both are silly joke men when it comes to kids. Eric has said some things to Grant that I remember hearing as a child (minus the whole "sing God Save the Queen backwards" solution to almost anything....hiccups? "sing God Save the Queen backwards"...stubbed your toe? "sing God Save the Queen backwards"...sometimes the problem might even require singing "God Save the Queen backwards while standing on your head", then you knew it was serious!) My Dad and Eric have been known to pull the whole "Owwie Exchange" game. You don't know it? Well, say you slam your finger in the door- rather than getting a hug or offering to grab some ice for you, these fine men would offer to stomp on your foot to "make you forget about your finger". Very nice, don't you think?

They also share a love of ginger. Today, I am making this. I bought some at Williams-Sonoma recently, and figured I'd try doing it myself. Yum.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ERIC!

I didn't wake him at 2:40 am to wish him a happy birthday like his mother used to each year. (Does that mean I don't love him as much...or I love him more because I didn't? *smile*) I think he is very pleased that I let him sleep considering that today is a workday! (Plus, I would have had to set an alarm for myself- and seeing as how we're in the same room- he'd hear it too- breaking much of the sweet surprise of it all- it certainly would be more annoying than the gentle voice of your mom saying Happy Birthday...yes, I made the right decision) He keeps insisting that birthdays aren't a big deal to him (I still find that hard to believe!).

Because of recent potty-training activities with Grant, I have been house-bound. Haven't been to the gym at all this month! I can't wait to return to some of the everyday things I'm accustomed to. (And it may happen before I'm completely miserable...I haven't pulled out the steam cleaner once today. Yay!)

All that said, I have tried to get onto our own personal treadmill to make up the difference. Today Dean watched and smiled as I sweated- Grant napped and did his own sweating (that boy wakes up nearly drenched). I only have 7 more pounds until I hit the highly sought after "pre-pregnancy" weight. Luckily, I am fitting into old clothes again instead of the dreaded "in between" wardrobe that previously earned its keep as "first trimester" clothing.

And, boy, I have become addicted to working out! Certainly, I am not one of those "gym junkies" that can't think beyond calories, weight rountines, and athletic attire. That said, I have found that my body craves the exercise and it functions better when i have it. The past few weeks, I have felt more sluggish since I've been less active. It can be a rather horrible cycle if you let yourself get caught in it: you feel tired, so you don't work out- which only makes you more tired in the long run. Take care of the "temple". Schedule it. Make yourself do it. Thank yourself later when you notice the difference.

In an effort to keep accidents to a minimum, I am sticking to Grant like glue and being a complete nag ("do you need to potty?"..."do you need to potty?"..."don't you want to try?". Being a stay-at-home-mom, I play every day with my children...reading books, racing cars, molding Play-Doh, making cookies, coloring (inside and outside the lines), blowing bubbles. But, this toilet-training thing (and we're going on a week now) has really opened my eyes as to how often I let him play solo while I accomplish little tasks like laundry, cooking, or cleaning. Being in the same room is not enough right now- if my back is turned, I can't observe his body language enough to sense his need and remind him to run to the bathroom. This past week, I have tried to eliminate even those tiny moments to help him be more successful and it has been fun (while at the same time exhausting) because all we've done is play(okay, I have still done some cooking- the family does need food).

Tonight, as a reward to myself, I'm going out to dinner with my friend LaDonna to relax without the kids. Just girls. Just fun. We're heading to Olive Garden and then hitting the mall (I'm not a really big "shopper", but the stroll should be nice- and air conditioned). I am on the lookout for some new cosmetics and hear that MAC has a great product called "lip glass", so I plan on checking that out. Not much else- just looking forward to a night without the steam cleaner (Grant and Dean must be in a contest that I don't know about!).

Hopefully, Eric has a fun night with "just the boys". Grant and Dean, be nice to your Daddy; I'd like him in one piece when I return!

Having this blog has opened me up to discovering all sorts of other computer communities. I'm not a really computer oriented person. Until this blog, I mostly just read and wrote e-mail, read my comics and news, and used Allrecipes for my kitchen inspiration.

Now, when I log into Blogger, I find myself tempted to click on other people's blogs in the "Recently Updated" list. Many, if not most, are completely uninteresting (probably what strangers think of mine!). Well, in a series of clicks on another person's blog, I came across some wonderful concepts in art.

Those who know me, know that I am a "wannabe artist". My mind thinks creatively, but I certainly don't exercise it enough to produce great work (...I'm doing this thing called "being a mom"). So, I use sewing, and decorating as outlets that have a more practical purpose.

But, here are some neat things to check out:

20 things. 20 people. 20 days.

http://nervousness.org/index.cgi

I especially love the idea of Artist's Trading Cards (ATCs) that seems to be prevalent on the Nervousness site.

So cool. So very cool. I feel inspired. Ahhhh. Now....I go back to planning dinner and doing dishes.

Mr. Independent, Mr. "I do it!", Mr. Impatient

Grant is in the stage where he wants to do everything himself. Paired with his inablitiy to wait, we have a disasterous combination. He can reach almost anything with his buddy "the dining table chair". He scoots that thing everywhere and has been recently exploring the world of preparing food for himself. You might ask, "Where is his mother? The poor neglacted child!".

You see, Dean came and interrupted things here at the Fadely house. Sometimes I am nursing or changing a diaper and can not immediately rush to the aid of Number 1, as we jokingly refer to the three-year-old first born.

So, this morning Grant waltzed into my room and said, "I want something for breakfast". Feeding Dean, as I somehow always seem to be, I told him that if he waited a minute I would certainly feed him as well. A minute? A whole minute?! Silly me, this is an eternity to my young boy who will surely starve in that amount of time.

When I get downstairs, Grant is standing on Dining Table Chair in front of the toaster oven. There is a perfectly golden toasted waffle waiting for him. Upon seeing me, he points out that he "can't get it- it's hot". So, not only did he pull the frozen waffles out of the freezer- he also took one out of the bag, put it into the toaster oven, closed the door, and plunged down the toaster knob. I was speechless.

Sure, we have outlet plugs and cabinet locks and strangle-free window blinds...but how do you "kid-proof" when the kid is so determined? If I unplug the toaster oven, would he attempt to plug it in himself? And which poses the greater harm- attempting to plug it in (risking electric shock), or burning himself because it wasplugged in?

Potty training update

Grant has just completed his initial chart and will be allowed a trip to Chuck E. Cheese's ("where a kid can be a kid"). We are now working on a chart of 12 spaces that allows him a trip to go swimming. Mom is hanging in there. In an effort to be consistent with him, we haven't gone out much. I'm quite stir crazy- but hopefully we'll make enough progress to change that soon.

What's the deal with the US Postal Service? Is it just here in Nashville, or everywhere? We haven't had our mail delivered by a real-looking Postal vechicle since we lived in the apartment our first year of marriage. So, for four years, we've had various cars and Jeeps with a flashing light on top and a magnetic sign slapped on that indicates it's status as a "mail carrier".

Both houses, we have been part of a "rural route", although I could never figure out why...it just says that on our generic mail (like supermarket ads and pizza coupons). So, I figured that the-less-than official looking cars were because of this supposed rural route-"lots of dust, bumps and unpaved roads...sure, I see- they don't want to mess up their cute little white Post trucks!" But, this logic flew out the window when, today, I saw my mail being delivered in a shiny PT Cruiser with a strobe light on top and the same magnetic sign.

Bought a 3-liter of soda today so that Grant can drink all he wants and have plenty of potty opportunities (I know water would work just as well, but this way, he gets some added incentive). New motto: "the more you drink, the more you can try"! He's got 6 smiley faces now- only four more until Chuck E. Cheese's.

Picked up our vacation photos last night. I hope to put a few shots up on the web site soon. Go ahead, hound me and remind me- it might get them up there faster!

Grapes of Wrath

I did it. I finished the Grapes of Wrath last night. Eric kept telling me it was alright to continue reading until it was complete; afterall, I only had 70 pages left. Oh, but I felt so guilty- we hardly talked at all last night...just me with my nose in my book!

For anyone who has never read this book before (which was me until last night!), I highly recommend it. It truly is a classic; it changes you. Honestly, it changes you. You can read your history books about the Great Depression, but it never provides the imagery to drive the point home. Here, you feel it. You understand the people of that generation more now: why they feel the need to save things (some even hoard because, "you can't waste that!") And not only do you feel the desperation of these people. You feel humbled- by merely reading. You feel embarassed for having so much. You feel thankful to God for the blessings you have- which suddenly seem luxurious.

I think it took me some time to settle into the book, to sink in and get comfortable. Mansfield Park by Jane Austen is not easily left behind for the choppy poor grammar of these Oklahoma Dust Bowl migrants from Sallisaw. By starting Grapes of Wrath one day after finishing Mansfield Park, the transition was rough and unnatural. While Austen's world is refined, Steinbeck's is sprinkled with some cursing and crudeness (PG-13/ R...consider yourself warned). But, they each capture their own world beautifully.

I don't know what I'll be reading next, although have Wuthering Heights and Villette as possibilities.

Mary and I are taking a road trip up to Michigan at the end of this month (her cousin is throwing her a baby shower back "home"). Maybe I'll ask her if she'd like to pick a book to read aloud while we drive. I did this for Eric as we drove to VA and D.C. last week...it was rather fun. Although, it wouldn't work for people who get motion sickness.

Man! Talk about getting nothing accomplished today.

I am attempting to potty-train Grant. He seems to be most conscious of his need to use the toilet when he doesn't have a diaper or underwear on. The result is a half dressed 3 year old running around the house. So far, he has two smiley faces on his "Potty Chart". The real trouble seems to be sticking by his side to remind him to try. Inevitably, when I leave him alone to play he comes running and tells me that he's made a mess. We've used a lot of carpet cleaner today already- thank goodness for the steam vac! But, as anyone can figure out, when you are hovering over a naked child and intermitantly nursing the baby... all other things fall by the wayside.

Grant's down for his nap and I'm finally going to get to my shower!

P.S.- any toilet-training tips are greatly appreciated. Refer your friends!

Vacation Part 3

Apart from a few mini trips to Gatllinburg, Las Vegas and a camping trip in Fall Creek Falls, our previous “holidays” have been visiting family or on business trips. We love our family and think that it’s great that we’ve been to England, California, Dallas and Pennsylvania because of them. But, the downside to having such a spread-out family has been that we never have time or money left to go somewhere that we don’t know someone. So, for our five year anniversary, we did just that (with kids, of course, because all “kid-watching” family is elsewhere). It was a great deal of driving, but we occupied ourselves with reading (His Needs Her Needs and The Grapes of Wrath) as well as playing the Alphabet Game.

JUNE 29, 2003- After stopping by the store for snack foods and bottled water, we hit the road in our Mazda MPV headed east on I-40. We planned on stopping somewhere for the night to break up our trip. When we hit Bristol, Tenn.-Virginia, we knew that it was time to start looking for a hotel. We found an inexpensive Days Inn in Abingdon, VA. Grant was ecstatic about these “cheesy” cement deer that they had surrounding the gazebo. He kept asking to go outside and touch them. I was surprised that he wasn’t disappointed when Eric actually took him out there. Maybe he knew they weren’t real- you never can tell with a three year old.

JUNE 30, 2003- Day two began with breakfast at Cracker Barrel. This was a pretty big deal, as I had never dined there before. Years ago, when I first moved to the South, I heard that they were amazing and that I had to go there. We stepped foot inside with the intention of eating lunch and once I looked at the menu, I realized that I wanted to walk right out (there wasn’t much for a vegetarian- just a lot of cooked vegetable side dishes). Their breakfast menu was great, however, and I found it hard to choose; I finally settled on the pancakes with cherry syrup (with actual whole cherries). Once full, we were ready to continue driving to Williamsburg. The roads around Williamsburg are poorly indicated, but we finally made it to our hotel and checked in. Left with little time in the day, we just decided to relax at the pool and retire for the night. Grant is getting more and more comfortable around the water, especially now that we purchased some “floaties” for his arms.

JULY 1, 2003- Our first day of actual vacation activities. We bought passes to Colonial Williamsburg and walked into the town. It was an extremely warm day and the first thought that hit us was, “how do these people wear these clothes in this weather?!”. We strolled the streets and went into a few buildings- an old courthouse, the magazine where artillery was stored, the windmill, the cobbler’s shop, and the bookbinder’s. We ate lunch at a place called “The Cheese Shop” and had wonderful sandwiches and then proceeded to the Governor’s Palace. This was the residence of the last British Governor to the colonies, Lord Dunmore. There were nice formal gardens and some elegant rooms. Overall, a good day.

Vacation Part 2

JULY 2, 2003- Time to depart for Washington, D.C. We drove out with plans on stopping through Jamestown quickly. It was a lovely drive along the Chesapeake Bay; rain was falling, the water looked still and the air held a quietness that was a great contrast to the previous day’s heat and glaring sun. We arrived at the entrance to Jamestown where there was a line of cars waiting to pay admission. At this point, since we were unsure of what could be seen and we had limited time, we opted for turning around and making it to our hotel in D.C. Once there, we picked up dinner and went down to the pool. There Grant met another boy named Grant and enjoyed watching this big kid splash and dive…he didn’t want to leave (but we eventually did). Back up in our room, Eric got the boys ready for bed while I went back down and worked out in the hotel’s gym room.

JULY 3, 2003- After eating at the breakfast buffet, we picked up our car and drove to Mt. Vernon (President George Washington’s estate). This was one of my favorite parts of the trip. Here was the place that I’d heard about in history class; the place that the Father of our nation lived with his wife; the place he died. Surprisingly, much of the interior structure was original. I climbed up and down the same steps as our first president and held onto the very same wooden banister- it was silky and worn from time. We saw his grave and the gardens he planned. Apparently, he loved farming and designed much of the estate, including the house itself, on his very own. The house is quite beautiful (a gorgeous cupola on the roof) and was situated in a breathtaking spot on the Potomac River. Yep. We could live there- without hesitation. Next, we went to Arlington National Cemetery to pay our respects to the men and women who served our country. The grounds were much more hilly than anticipated so we were rather worn out pushing our bulky double stroller and decided to just see the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns and the grave of President Kennedy. My friend LaDonna recently lost a friend of hers during Operation Iraqi Freedom who is buried at Arlington. It would have been nice to visit his grave, but we were exhausted with the little we accomplished. Hopefully, she will be able to visit on her own some day.

Vacation Part 1

JULY 4, 2003- Hopped on the Metro and went to the National Zoo so that Grant could see a few animals- cheetahs, giraffes, elephants, and Panda Bears… which I was happy about, too, since I have never seen them at the San Diego Zoo in all the times I’d been (either bad timing or the line seemed too long). Next, we went to the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum. Eric and Grant were in heaven; I enjoyed it also…especially the air conditioning! (It was so hot that day!) We saw some amazing parts of our history- the Spirit of St. Louis and the Wright Brother’s plane along with countless space modules and suits. We ate “space ice cream” (freeze dried) and then walked back to the hotel via the National Mall. Crowds were already forming for the fireworks show (and there happened to be a Folk Festival going on at the same time). Went to the hotel and rested a bit. We didn’t want to “camp out” in the heat for prime viewing spots, so we just planned on walking to the edge of the Mall right before the show- saving ourselves from the heat as well as remaining on the outskirts of the masses that would, no doubt, be trampling each other at the end of the finale. Everything worked out well and we even spotted a suspicious helicopter hovering in the vicinity of the White House during the fireworks that mysteriously disappeared at the end. Hmmm.

JULY 5, 2003- Return home.

OUCH

I just spent an hour typing in all the info about our lovely vacation and then got this irritating error in which I lost all my info. Just know that we had a great time in Williamsburg and washington D.C. If I feel up to it, I'll attempt to re-type the whole thing (and from now on, I'll write everything in Word and paste it into Blogger as my in-the-wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time husband suggests).

We're here in Williamsburg. Tomorrow- Jamestown and driving to D.C.

Having fun and getting in plenty of wonderful relaxation!!!

Blogger was down yesterday, so let me fill you in:

Yesterday we made bannana bread, did some grocery shopping, laundry and other around-the-house exciting stuff (coloring, excercising on the treadmill, dishes....). We also fought more in the battle agaist the ants. Everytime I think we have discouraged the "scout" ants a new one returns. During the summer, I guess you're never safe.

Weird thing of the day yesterday: I saw an ant carrying another ant. I thought, "okay, maybe it's possible that Joe Ant saw Fred Ant lying there and felt that he needed a proper burial". Upon closer inspection, though, Joe Ant was not carrying Fred Ant- Fred Ant (keep in mind that he is dead)was biting onto Joe Ant's hind leg. So, while I originally thought, "Poor Fred, he's dead"- I then thought, "Poor Joe, he's stuck". It's all pointless, though, because I squashed them both and washed them down the drain.

Today, we went to the gym, picked up Grant's birthday photos, and ate lunch. We have plans to make cookies, and then I'm off to tonight's sewing shindig at Amber Hunter's house...it's burrito night. I'm bringing diced tomatoes and sauteed onion. Should be yummy! As far as sewing goes...I'll be working on the same quilt I've been working on for the past three years; I'm nearly finished.

Happy Birthday, Donna! Please congratulate my mother-in-law on 35 happy years! :-)

Eric arrived home safely last night. Grant waited on the porch for his car to pull down the street, and then giggled with his hand covering his mouth when our neighbor sped into his drive. False alarm. Thankfully, Eric arrived moments later and was greeted with just the same giggles and sweet, wonderful elation. "Daddy!!!!"

This morning, I went to Babies 'R' Us with Mary and gave her my "two cents" on baby products while she scanned items to put on their registry. Little Man Kelso will be born at the start of October. Being the the first child, Mommy and Daddy need a lot of stuff! So many new products and cool things since I had Grant... portable swings, more elegant patterns to choose from, cuter clothes, more convienences. And that was only three years ago! Now I can see why the older generations have so much to say ("...they sure didn't have that when I was having my babies!"); it is just amazing the things they come out with- you can't help but remark.

Out of my current reading, The Grapes of Wrath:

"Ma was heavy, but not fat; thick with child-bearing and work. She wore a loose Mother Hubbard of gray cloth in which there had once been colored flowers, but the color was washed out now, so that the small flowered pattern was only a little lighter gray than the background. the dress came down to her ankles, and her stron, broad, bare feet moved quickly and deftly over the floor. Her thin, steel-gray hair was gathered in a sparse wispy knot at the back of her head. strong, freckled arms were bare to the elbow, and her hands were chubby and delicate, like those of a plump little girl. She looked out into the sunshine. Her face was not soft; it was controlled, kindly. Her hazel eyes seemed to have experienced all possible tragedy and to have mounted pain and suffering like steps into a high calm and a superhuman understanding. She seemed to know, to accept, to welcom her position, the citadel of the family, the strong place that could not be taken. And since old Tom and the children could not know hurt or fear unless she acknowledged hurt and fear, she had practiced denying them in herself. And since, when a joyful thing happened, they looked to see whether joy was on her, it was her habit to build up laughter out of inadequate materials. But better than joy was calm. Impeturbability could be depended upon. And from her great and humble position in the family she had taken dignity and a clean calm beauty. From her position as healer, her hands had grown sure and cool and quiet; from her position as arbiter she had become as remote and faultless in judgment as a goddess. She seemed to know that if she swayed the family shook, and if she ever really deepely wavered or despaired the family would fall, the family will to function would be gone."

Wow. How many of us see traits of mothers we know in this description? Selflessness, grace, calm. Many times, the "emotional glue" in a home. I just loved this.

It's quite rotten, I tell you. Rotten.

We celebrated our anniversary, and then he was wisked away from me on a business trip to Oklahoma City. Left Saturday morning at 5 something and won't return until tomorrow night at 9. I miss him. Thankfully, there are these two gorgeous young men that have kept me company. I couldn't have a better thing to remind me of the him- his sons that are just as handsome as he is.

Even though Eric's only gone for three days, I have been a bit lonely. Since it's the weekend, all of our other friends have things to do and stuff planned. I had a bunch of ideas for things that I could do with the boys: errands, a trip to the park, a trip to the lake to pick up pebbles (especially since Grant and I just read this cool book about pebbles that look like recognizable objects), the gym, the Frist...we certainly haven't done as much as I'd thought- partly because I am so tired. Even though I am a housewife, accustomed to being with the two children by myself, I forget sometimes the incredible team that Eric and I are.

Eric, come home!

So, yesterday was our five year anniversary. We didn't do much event-wise. That is to come. But, I certainly spent a great deal of time reflecting on the time we've had as husband and wife. Truly, I feel so blessed: comfortable home, two gorgeous sons and a relationship with a man that is still my best friend through it all. We've grown, we've changed, I'd certainly say that we aren't the same people that met seven years ago- I'd almost say that it is impossible to remain "the same". You are contantly responding to life, which changes. Looks change, titles change, cities change, goals change. But, we are improved upon...we're a better couple.

I also played a bit of the On This Day game..."on this day, five years ago at this time we were getting pictures taken", "on this day, five years ago at this time, we were saying our vows", "on this day, five years ago at this time we were driving away". You get the picture. Well, I am probably one of the only people that can say, "on this day, five years ago at this time I hit a dove". Yep, on the way to the church after having my hair done, I ran over a low-flying, tan, desert-type dove with my silver Volvo wagon (aka Alphonse). How's that for romance?

So, what did we do? We saw, The Hulk. Eric told me it was a love story.

For our true celebration, we will be going out of town for a week. Grant and Dean will be toting along, as we don't have much choice. But, it should still be nice to get away and relax. We will be staying two nights in Williamsburg (thanks to a gift from dear friends Travis and Amy Button) and three nights in Washington, D.C. We will be in D.C. on The Fourth of July, which should feel especially American. We've never been to Williamsburg, but have been to D.C. a few times and still consider it worthy of a bit more time. My dear friend Kimberley lived there during her college years at George Washington University and this will be our first visit where we won't be able to see her beautiful face. We'll miss you Kim!

Today is a double-whammy of a day.

Dean is three months old today. AND, we are honoring five whole years of marriage. I love my husband!

Habakkuk 3:17 & 18: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in the God my Saviour."

Chaos has attempted to have its evil way with me today- "yet will I rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour"! No famine or failed crops, but I still found need to will myself into an improved temperment today. And, thank God, I have been successful. Dean woke up hungry at 6 am. We found Grant asleep on the floor in his room (who knows how long he'd been like that). Shortly, upon waking, he threw up. Ten minutes later, again. And, in the course of the next hour, two more times. Needless to say, the steam vac was out before the clock struck eight. Once Grant had scored a few cuddles with Mommy and some oatmeal, he carried the appearance of normality. We cleaned up dishes and fought some more in the ongoing battle with the ants. So far, we haven't had a marching army line..the "head commander" just keeps deploying straggling "scouts". I figure that if I remove all traces of tempting food and leave "home base" wondering why all their scouts are yet to return (because they're dead), then I just might avoid an all out invasion. Proceeding with our day, we supressed tantrums in Barnes & Noble (I love and hate the Thomas the Tank Engine set-up simultaneously) and the library. Once home, we fixed lunch and I nursed Dean while Grant finished his sandwich. I watched Grant pull a chair over to the kitchen sink and climb up to wash his hands and wipe his face (proud of my independant boy, I nearly ran for the camera). Dean needed a new diaper and upon my return, I saw a flood before me. The little man had pivoted the faucet head to the complete left, insuring that it provide ample water to our apparently thirsty countertop (and floor). The three year old is sent for nap, and the infant placed in the swing so that I might dry up the mess in peace. And I did get peace and quiet until Dean made a loud noise in his pants announcing the need for yet another diaper. Happy endings, though- Grant is napping and Dean is cooing and Chaos reigned only briefly here at the Fadely house.

Yesterday, I finished Mansfield Park. I have such mixed feelings about that book. Mary Kelso and I talked for a good while about it last week and she and I had similar opinions. Nearly the first two thrids of the novel, I was dissapointed with our dear Fanny. She was almost impossible to like due to her pitifulness. But, the last third of the book allowed you to see her in her maturity- there is something to be said for that. And, why must the hero/ heroine be liked for a book to remain good and worthy of praise? True, it doesn't. Flaws and gaps in character can provide the best commentary on society. This was the case here, and I still would recommend the book.

So, what next? Well, at the library today, I checked out The Grapes of Wrath, Wuthering Heights, and Villette. Wuthering Heights is the only one I have previously read a portion of; I began it in high school as a "pleasure read" in between required books and found it hard to finish, probably due to time. But, upon an urging by Erika, I am giving the Bronte sisters a try. The Grapes of Wrath, I believe, was on the required reading list under a "You Choose" category...and I never selected it. So, I have never read it before and have always heard how great it was. My father claims it to be one of his favorites, and I recently heard mention of it again by one of my friends, Matt, in his blog.

So, that should keep me busy until the next library day. I welcome recommendations for future reading- especially contemporary works that I may not have paid notice to. I really enjoy reading "classics" that I never got around to before, or that I (gasp) didn't read every ounce of during school. Now I have the time to breathe in every word and it is wonderful.