Soul Friends

There are a few people who go deep to your soul. They are the ones that are close to your thoughts, when they are not right...you are not right. When they are exceeding joyful...you are too. I am not sure why some people become this and other equally great people don't, but I am grateful for those in my life who do. Soul-mate it typically used for marriage, but I think it goes so much farther than that. I think it can reach to those who come into our life all at different points and leave such an impact that we cannot fathom going the rest of our days without them. Time, distance,or even other relationships cannot and do not separate a soul friend. You pick up where you left off, every time you meet. You take them as they are and they you, so being transparent is so very, very easy and completely refreshing. My life has been blessed with a few such soul friends. Some that have been there since childhood, some met in adulthood but all equally precious to me. So to my soul friends....thank you for being the amazing people I walk through life with and love beyond words...

Thanksgiving

We have spent the month preparing for Thanksgiving. Not necessarily for the dinner but for the family and and the attitude and the atmosphere. What I have learned this month is that when our attitude is to be intentional thankful, our outlook on every situation seems to change. For an example, when my washing machine broke it was super frustrating at first, but then I took time to just thank God for all I did have and for all of the things that were going right! All of a sudden it didn't seem so bad. It set me up for such a great blessing when He provided a brand new one for half the cost. I was such a better experience that way. God promises that He is Good and will do good for those of us who love Him and no matter how that good is packaged we are to be thankful. So this Thanksgiving take time to inventory all the things and people that you have to be thankful for and truly give thanks. When those same things and people annoy you be thankful that they are still around to do so...you probably annoy them too! LOL To all my family and friends...I am so blessed because you are in my life...Thank You...

Expert

I have become an expert time waster. Of this I am not proud, but it is in fact true. I am pretty sure all I have accomplished today is starting many, many projects I don't have time to finish before Tuesday. The one thing I really needed to accomplish, I have yet to begin. Of course it's a creative sort of thing and I am feeling anything but creative lately. What's weird is that I have been very focused lately and it seems that once I signed up for college classes it has all gone to pieces. All I can assume is that in the back of my mind, I am aware that I am going to have to be organized and intentional every day once I begin, so I am slacking now. Or what if...gasp...this is some sort of random test to see if I can in fact do all I want to do? All I know right now, is you will have something to read because I am, again wasting some precious time. I do have a plan though. In the next 15 minutes I will begin. It starts with a timer and I will probably accomplish more in that one hour than I have all day! I think it is very clear right now that I don't have much to say. Well, I suppose if you are reading this, you too are in fact wasting time so at least I am in good company! I will end with a poem that I wrote for my friend. I am quite happy with the way it turned out...it was inspired by a true story...LOL

Beauty in the Broken


We walked along the beach today

A place I know so well

I thought that I had taught you

How to find the perfect shell


Edges that are smooth and round

Color perfect too

All the shells with cracks and breaks

Just would not do


With all your gleeful sighs

You must have found the one

Imagine my surprise

When I’d seen what you had done


Gathered in your tiny hand

Broken shells did lay

There was such joy in your eyes

What could I say?


You showed me all the beauty

That was in your hand

Unique shape, size, and color

Just lying in the sand


I always just walk by the broken

Without a second glance

But when you picked up a broken shell

You saw a second chance


No wonder He says, “Be like a child”

Because they know His heart

He searches for the beauty in the broken

To give a brand new start

The Tooth Fairy Lives

Early in the year an informative little kid ruined the tooth fairy for me Rebecca. She came home asking if the tooth fairy was real. Being more logical than not she said to "just tell her, it's fine." So I did. Rebecca has lost 7 more teeth since then and each time i felt sad that she missed out on the greatness of the letters and cash from the tooth fairy.

A couple of nights ago she lost another tooth. Being fed up with the raw deal she has gotten I informed her that she needed to put that tooth under her pillow because the tooth fairy lives. She gave me her best 7 year old, squinty eyed look and said, "I know the tooth fairy isn't real mom." I disagreed and said, "I am the tooth fairy, I am real and put your tooth under the pillow please." She did and with great joy I took it, left a note and enough cash to make up for all of the teeth she had lost this past year.

Now Reagan has lost a tooth. I swear someone told them I had a few bucks...teeth are falling out all over the place! It is under her pillow right now because that's how Reagan is. And even though she knows it's me her heart is full of anticipation of what she will find tomorrow. She will be such a great mom someday. She has a knack for making things so special. Anyway, what starts as an amazing milestone eventually turns into the glimpse of the future. These are molars...she is almost done being a child. I get that she has a ways to go before she is an adult, but each of these last teeth closes this childhood door a little more until it will close completely and I will hear the turn of the lock. It goes by so fast. She is almost as tall as me now. I wonder if she will keep growing and pass me up, or if she will reach her full height here in 5th grade and never grow another inch as I did? I guess tonight it doesn't matter. Tonight I get to be the tooth fairy one more time for her. I will get to write a note that she will read again and again. Tonight I get to put a stopper in the door of childhood and let it be prolonged for a few more moments. Who knew that a little tiny tooth could say so much and make a grown woman melt into tears. I am blessed, so very blessed that I get to be a mom...their mom.

It's Official

After a year or so of thinking about it, I have finally made the plunge...back to school I go! I have taken my placement test...which can I say after this many years was quite challenging. Turns out I didn't need to take the English part so that was just bonus fun. It has been way too long since i have done algebra so I get to take two extra classes there. That alone is super exciting...not so much. Anyway, I met with my advisor and we have a plan. Somewhere in the spring of 2015 I will have a degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography...Ultrasound Tech really. I knew I wanted to do something in Health care but Nursing has never felt like the right fit. A year and a half ago I talked with my sister in law and she suggested Ultrasound. Once we started looking into the job itself, I thought that it would be a really good fit for me. So here I go on a new journey. Ron is excited for me, the kids are happy I will be sitting at the homework table too, and for me it feels nice to have some direction. We knew with college expenses at some point I would have to work, this will be completed in enough time for us to save a bit and then not stress when it all begins. I am sure as the kids get older too they will much appreciate me having something more to do than "hover" over them...don't tell them but I can totally do both!!

Calendar

So it's been two months since I have posted anything and for that I apologize. I have been super swamped over here with crafting projects and just the stuff of life that takes me away. I have missed blogging and will need to carve time into my schedule to get on here. I really do enjoy writing. Today, however, is not really a catch up day. I have been creating a baby calendar for a baby boy and I wanted to post pictures so the people that have been asking me about my progress can see the finished product. This calendar is a record as I only had a few weeks to get it done, mingled in several other commitments it was a challenge, but it proved I can do it! If you would like to see the picture closer, just click on it and it should bring it up bigger.

 The Dad is a fireman and I found this cool picture to add to June...with Father's Day and all.

This is the back pocket so things can be stored there and the stickers are for marking "baby's firsts" all throughout the year.

Fishing

Fishing is a sport that will separate the girls from the real women. I am a girl and totally OK with that. My daughter is more of woman than me. Here is  exhibit A: These next pictures are Reagan putting a worm on a hook. As if that is NOT impressive enough...she pulled the worm apart first...gag...here is my hero baiting a hook:

I have to say I was quite proud of her and of all of the girls that baited their own hooks. It was of course not because they watched their grossed out fearless leader. Thankfully there were some men there to take over the training. I did watch and cheer them on and take pictures of their awesomeness. I just don't feel the need to prove myself any more so...

However the because it was dusk I did get to get some cool pictures of the sun setting:

I am sorry to say that no fish were caught...oh wait I take that back...It was this big {...........}

Told Ya...for once I was not embellishing! What I learned about myself is that I just refuse to do some things and touching groody slimy worms and just as slimy fish is one of those things. I am OK with that. I am also OK that it was my daughter NOT my son who was OK with touching the untouchable worm. I am sure as soon as he finds out they will scream and run if he has one in his hand, he will be digging them up non stop!

Back to School

No sweeter words have ever been spoken! Well except for that time I tried to homeschool...then "Back to School" brought tears...to my eyes! I am pretty sure you are all tired of checking this blog just to see that I have yet to write anything new. Well I have a new system around here. It's called my day by the hour and yes writing my blog does fit into one of those hours!!

Anyway, first day of school, that's where I was. So as it has been since Ron started running a store the first day of school falls squarely on my shoulders since he is out of town all week. Monday was interesting in that I was alone and had to be at three different places all at once. I did it. With help of course and a LOT of very fast driving. Looking back probably pointless to try to do it all, but hey at least I got it all done.

Yesterday we got showers, picked out clothes and we were ready to rock and roll this morning. The morning went nice and smooth and then began the longest day of my entire calendar year. I am always so nervous all day long wondering how the kids are doing. Did they find their class room ok? Is that mean girl in Reagan's class? Did Reagan find someone to play with at recess? Will Rebecca get into trouble for talking too much? Will she struggle in the lunchroom again or find a new problem? Boy teachers...will they survive this? Before we knew Ryan and I were down at the bus stop picking up the girls....who had a GREAT day! They both love the boy teachers although Reagan's teacher is a bit strict. She is afraid she will get into trouble if she talks at the wrong time, so for now she has taken a vow of silence. She is also concerned about a boy in her class because the teacher said , "We will be the best class in the hallway, and if we can't do on our own, we will do it because we will practice until we can get it right!" Apparently this boy has trouble being quiet in line and standing still. My guess is that "practice" would come right during the walk to recess...never a good sign. What do you want though from a teacher who has it right in the rules: "NO DRAMA!" Good luck to him...has he met 5ht grade girls? LOL Reagan says she will try really hard. Yeah she will work so hard at NO DRAMA all day that we will get the lions share when she gets home!!

While the girls were gone my little man and I met friends and took advantage of the last two weeks of free bowling. However, real life is so very different than playing bowling on the Wii and Ryan was reduced to tears...again...when he couldn't get them all down all the time! He did have a rough day and talk about drama...yikes! Poor guy feels like everyone is leaving him...really? I'm here....but I don't count because I am ALWAYS here...someone should pity me. He did smash his little fingers in between Ron's car door and mine when I was changing out the car seats and he did state OVER and OVER and OVER again how very hungry he was this morning. Never mind that I was making it!!!! UGH! Anyway, he and I had great moments of a day and I look forward to him being well rested tomorrow and having the best day yet!

As for me....well I feel like a brand new woman! I was so desperate for a break that even having 2 of the 3 gone was a great relief. Meeting the needs of three people all day long is so taxing. Especially when they ask me questions ALL DAY LONG! Seriously I think this summer they forgot to think for themselves! But by the time they got home, fun, happy, thinks shes funny, mom was back in town. I think I hear the girls sighing with relief. In fact it was down right funny watching look at me to see if I was real or a happy mommy mirage. Whatever. Ron will be back tomorrow and hopefully we won't have to be apart any longer. This has been the longest 3 weeks of all time. I miss him. Well this should satisfy my 3 readers for a day or so! Oh and I just realized I forgot to call my Mother in Law back...sorry mom....trip was great....school started today...when are ya coming out for a visit?

Back to School...sweet words, but I couldn't help but miss them....I am sure I will be fine tomorrow!

Making Time, Taking Time

I am sure any parent can relate to this issue...enough time. Some may think I am talking about having enough time to do all the chores, or work enough hours, or just get it all done peroid. What what I am talking about is that precious one on one time that if you don't make it, you certainly won't take it. I guess you could say it's always in the back of my head that I have always wanted to have more one on one time with each of the members of my family. Ron gets his time after the kids are in bed, but with 3 kids 3 years apart there is rarely a moment for me to just be with Reagan, or just be with Bec and I have to say Ry gets the lions share because he's not in school all day. However, even with him if I am not intentional, his time can get stolen away with chores or phone calls. However, a week ago, Reagan asked me why she doesn't get to stay up a little later than the rest now that she is 10. Valid question. The problem is that I was afraid that if I let her stay up my day would NEVER end. So one night when she couldn't sleep she asked if she could come down stairs with me. It was a particuarly long day and the last thing I wanted was more company. Ron was closing and I had few precious minutes all to myself. So I said, "no." Then the guilt took over so I told her she could come down stairs on one condition...DO NOT ASK ME ANY QUESTIONS!!! Seriously. I was spent from meeting everyone's needs all day long and one more question was going to put me in a straight jacket. She agreed and we had a lovely evening together playing Mario Kart and trying to open new worlds.
Each night now I find myself looking forward to a few extra minutes just her and me. What is interesting I am finding myself finally satisfied with the time we have together and the relationship we are nurturing. I am also finding that during the day she is not as needy or competitve for my time. Very interesting.

Then we have sweet, patient Rebecca. Rebecca will mention something and then not bring it up again in hope that you will remember her request for your undivided attention. I am sad to admit that sometimes my precious middle child gets lost in the shuffle. That has always been my worst fear having walked in those shoes. Oldest kid needs attention because they always have some kind of drama or life changing issue going on, youngest kid can't do much for themselves so there is the middle fending for themself and taking whatever scraps are left over. Tonight as I tucked Rebecca in bed, I turned out the light and walked away sad that another day had passed us by. Once downstairs it dawned on me that Reagan would be fine for a bit by herself so I went back upstairs to Rebecca. We have been trying to read "Ramona Forever" forever. Because we wanted to read it together. We tried to find it but couldn't and I truly think Rebecca was morn interested in going to sleep. So we made a date...tomorrow night her and I "Ramona Forever." She said goodnight with a pep in her voice excited that we were going to have a date in my room tomorrow. I know just making that effort will pay off huge for her...and me.

This parenting thing is hard work. There are so many things to juggle trying to raise these precious lives to be awesome adults who live the best life God intends for them. There are so many hours needed to get everything done. However, it's developing these relationships that are the most important. I guess if somethings get left undone so that my kiddos know that I have made time for them and we can have a firm relationship. Then it will all be worth it. However, the no more questions rule will still be in place at least some of the time. I know in a blink they will be off and the shoe will be on the other foot as I wait for them to make time for me. We make time and take time for the things that really mean the most to us. It's time for me to starting showing them what is most important to me.

Baby Calendar

I love to scrapbook, that's no secret, but I have projects that I especially love to do. When my sister was pregnant with her second baby, I knew how busy life would be so I made her a baby calendar. This way you fill it in when you have a chance, you have a beautiful scrapbook page and you remember to take a picture of your baby every month so you can see how much they change. Ten years later when you finally have two seconds you transfer the information to the baby book. I enjoyed putting every little detail into that book and seeing my sisters face when she opened it. Because she likes her calendar so much she has asked me to make one for her friend who is also having a baby girl. So in the quiet of my home, since all are asleep here is what I copied created tonight! It actually came in a kit  from Close to My Heart and I followed the directions but some colors have been added a a few minor changes make it a little mine too! If you would like to see it up close just click on the picture.

Coffee

Coffee sweet energy giving nectar. Coffee cursed coffee. I drank you too late and not I cannot find rest.

Summer

What is summer? Summer can be defined as endless days of trying to figure out what to do! Around here it consists of learning life skills like how to get along with people you don't like, how to continue to use a glass for wine when the day calls for just the bottle and a straw. We are learning to play with our gazillion toys because the Mom has threatened to throw them all out if one more person even suggests they have nothing to do. We are learning that a house that is 80 degrees is so very much cooler than a backyard that is 102. My children are learning that as their mother I have endless lists of chores and if they are going to complain about doing one chore I will surely have additional things they can do. They learned that one super fast. I think that all of this free time searching for people we want to be with, activities we want to do and try to not waste entire days, gives us all a love for school and the routine it brings. All in all this summer has been great so far. Knock on wood the girls took my threat of their world caving in to heart and have stopped bickering. They also found that as they try to be less selfish they are having more fun together. As for me, a little work and a little play seems to be how I will have a good day! Look a rhymer. Summer, yes endless days of trying to figure out what to do...how far will our imaginations take us? I have no idea but I do wonder how many bottles of Mike's Hard Lemonade can be in the recycle before people start to think you have a problem?

My Rock Star

I have to share this because you have to see it! When our friends from Seattle were in town we did a survivor game day. Included were teams broken up into different colors. We had each team come up with a name, a song and a dance that we promptly recorded! Here is a picture of Ryan as he was the star of Biggins and the Boys!

Root Bound

I planted seeds way back in the winter for my garden this year. We had great plans for a garden but this and that happened and we ran out of time and money. However, I have a precious few plants that survived and are now mostly feeding the rabbits. There is one plant that has taught me a lesson though. My cherry tomato plant and the one I was most excited to get fruit from. However, I had it in a container and although it seemed to be growing it was not looking healthy and it certainly was not producing. So I took it out and put it into a bigger container and just like I suspected the plant was root bound. I put it in some water and massaged the roots and replanted it. Now the leaves are full and beautifully green and those precious yellow flower that indicated fruit is on the way have begun to form! I can't even tell you how excited I am about that.

Of course me being me there is always a deeper something I get from experience like that. I started to look at myself and see areas where I might be "root bound." Perhaps stuck in a rut or staying too long in a comfort zone when in reality I would thrive better if I stepped out and moved into something new. I guess as I take inventory of life I need to decide what areas have served me well in the past but need readjusting and what things need to stay and what needs to go. I don't ever want to not reach my full potential.

I have to say have been inspired by more than plants as well. Some time ago Ron's Aunt stepped out of her comfort zone and attended a paper crop. There she tried something new and started making cards. They are beautiful!! Once she takes the step she has an offer to make some and place them in a friends store and I KNOW they are going to sell like hot cakes!! She inspires me to be unafraid to try new things and see where they will take me. Of course I would not leave you hanging without a picture of her beautiful work. Thanks Aunt DeeDee...you are amazing!!

Hives

I have them. I hate them. They refuse to go away. Worst of all I have no idea why I have them. All I know is that I am taking everything the doctor said to take and still nothing helps. Perhaps I am allergic to relaxing because as soon as I sit down and just relax for a second they pop out with a vengeance. I must admit I am getting pretty good at functioning in this haze of allergy fighting medicines. Every morning I have a benedryl hangover and all through the day I fight the urge to just close my eyes for a minute. I am getting a good amount of pity from my children though and that's always nice. I am bummed however because I have been taking St.Johns Wort and Gingko Baloba for almost two months and have been feeling great and the Doc made me stop taking it. I had fallen short on taking it the last several days so I really doubt that is what this is all about. Nonetheless I am trying to do it all right in hope that I might find sweet release from the itching!! I have to wonder though if by taking the Wort and then sitting in the sun for two hours watching Bec play soccer, if that's what triggered this whole thing...is that possible? I may never know, but what I do know is that hives are evil and I can't wait to get rid of them. I took the max dose of Benedryl so I will either get some sweet relief or it will go the other way and I will have enough nervous energy to finish cleaning up the basement. Pray for me...oh how I want to scratch!!

Bark, Bark

So for some unknown reason my son has taken to pooing in his pants. Not full loads but just enough that I have to scrub it and enough that he smells like a barn until I do. I have no idea why, but this new things is so very annoying and frustrating. At any rate, the other day I was pretty upset with him about it and so I say, "Ryan, why did you poop in your underwear again?"
"Bark, Bark" was the reply, "I'm a doggie mom and I can't talk." So I tell him to become a little boy again and answer the question. So he looks at me with those dark eyes and charming smile and beings to bark a "sentence" to me while he makes gestures with his arms. Darn it all, I laughed. That single laugh was the kiss of death to my serious mom conversation. I cleaned him up and told him don't do it again, to which he said, "OK" so I dove back in with the "why did you do it?" and the reply..."bark, bark..."

Amazing Changes

Rebecca has grown so much this school year I can hardly believe she is the same girl! She began the school year quiet and withdrawn, afraid to eat in the lunch room and never raised her hand. Fast forward several months and here we find a happy, confident girl who is willing to not only eat in the lunch room but buy her lunch. She encourages others to work through their fears and is talkative and reads books in front of her class. Rebecca is smart and intentional about every thing that she does. When she sets her mind to a project she works at it until she gets it and she usually gets it fast. She learned to ride her bike in two days and by the end of a week a girl who could not swim was jumping into the deep end and swimming to the edge alone. She amazes me and makes me believe that the things I have been to afraid to try are actually within my reach if I but take the first step. A few days back I posted about courage, well here are the photos to show that Rebecca was indeed courageous and it paid off big!

Memorial Day

First of all a big Thank You to all the men and women who serve and have served in our military. I am always amazed at how much those families give up to defend our freedom. In honor of our military my two American Heritage Girls got to march with their troop in the Memorial Day Parade. We were toward the end of the parade so we got to see a bunch of it. Ryan was so excited to throw candy and be in the parade too. It was great fun!





All the badges on their uniforms they earned this year. The medallion hanging under the troop number was for a eight week religion class they took, did homework for and memorized the Lord' Prayer and the Ten Commandments. They worked very hard this year we are really proud of them!