First Day of School

Greyson is a morning kindergartener and Madelyn is a third grader. I wasn't sad this morning dropping off my kids for school.  It seems Greyson has been ready for months now and Madelyn is all gung-ho about learning.  They are confident and ready to start school.  I, however, am missing them and conflicted about this starting school thing.  Hmmmm... I guess I should focus a little on the 3 hours I have to do ***whatever I want*** (you should read - do some housework, go to the gym, and grocery shop).  That should cheer me up a little, right?

Another way to enjoy the rain

This picture was actually taken a few weeks ago now. It was the day that was about 100* and then the temp dropped about 30 degrees and the bottom fell out of the clouds. On that particular evening, we were bbq-ing at a neighbors house and our kids were in their swimsuits for swimming off the heat. Next thing we know they are wallowing in the rain's runoff. I love this picture...

Blue Bear's Makeover (updated)

If you know Greyson, you've at least heard about Blue Bear. He is a staple around here. He is Hobbes to Greyson's Calvin. Greyson would love to take him everywhere (and we could probably let that happen now) but we've always been too afraid of what would happen if he was left somewhere or accidentally pitched out a window or ... the possibilities are endless. So that is why you've only met Blue Bear if you've been to our house or we've seen you on vacation. Sadly, Blue Bear has been a forced hermit and doesn't get out much.

Blue Bear has a rich history. Greyson received him on his first Christmas from a church teenage friend named Lauren-Elaine. She bought gifts for both of my children and we thought it was very sweet. Blue Bear also came with a blanket (that reminds us of the colors he used to be since it hasn't gotten nearly as much wear).  (Oh, and to be fair, Madelyn's gift was a Curious George stuffed animal and book.)  Not too long after Greyson's birth, he started this nasty habit of spitting out his pacifier out in the middle of the night and losing it.  Of course, when the time came to find it, that was the mama's job and there was no telling where it would be.  Behind or under the crib, stuck in the crib slats, wrapped up in his swaddling blanket.... it became a problem to find it and soothe the boy without completely waking him up.  So, we attached the pacifier to Blue Bear with a safety pin for easy finding.  It did the trick!  It also made Blue Bear the most sought-after thing in Greyson's young life and a friend like no other! 

As you can see in this picture, Blue Bear used to be plush and clean, bright pastel blue and pristine white.



As you can see from this picture, although not super clearly, Blue Bear is... ummmm.... well loved.  The most loved part of him is his hat.  It's the satin part that is rubbed against Greyson's face while sleeping and awake.  It is also the part that Blue Bear gets swung and slung by much too often.  






So, after putting it off for a LONG, LONG time, I finally decided to replace Blue Bear's hat.  (I also decided NOT to restuff him since his stitching is awesome and I'm afraid to mess with it.) Greyson and I went to the fabric store and we picked out the fabric together, spent the $1.86 to buy it, and then I started crafting his new hat.  Blue Bear got a long bath and went without his hat for two days in the process.  Today, when I told Greyson I needed Blue Bear to sew his hat on, Greyson could bearly stand to wait long enough for it to happen. 





Greyson is super happy now and Blue Bear has new life in this new hat of his.



It makes this mama's heart melt to see this - my little boy loving on his oldest friend.  Blue Bear, you have been a blessing to all of us.



I wish I had gotten a before picture... alas, I did not.  You'll just have to trust me that this looks SO MUCH BETTER!



UPDATE: I found these two pictures... this one shows the old hat material next to the new hat.


This one was taken last night of my sweet boy and his old friend.

Enjoying the rain

The paper towel was the trick

Greyson has had a wiggly tooth FOREVER! Okay, maybe it's only been 3 weeks or so... but, man it's been FOREVER! He isn't much of an active wiggler. I guess you could call him a passive wiggler. Pretty much didn't care when or if it came out.  I, on the other hand, was anxious to see it come out! I know, I should just let it go but I couldn't... his tooth was bending all the way around and he just wouldn't take it the last little bit to make it come out! It was driving me crazy. So, I bribed him. Yes, I did. I told him if it came out on the appointed day, I would give him a foam soccer ball (that we already had stored away for him). He wants the foam soccer ball. It served its purpose. His tooth is out. All the thanks goes to Madelyn and her brilliant idea to use a paper towel.  And guess what!  It worked like a charm!  So, let that be a lesson to you.  When you need to extricate a super loose tooth from a resistant mouth, use a paper towel.

So, when the tooth fairy came, she(he?) brought our boy some Big League Chew. (Bubble gum has been the request of choice for each tooth lost in our house.) He was super excited about it and I couldn't quite understand why SUCH an excitement. He asked what it was and wondered a lot about his new bubble gum. Then he pulls out one of his acquired comic books (I think it is a Justice League comic book) and shows me this picture. And says, "Look, it's right here in this picture!" Oh! Now I get why he's so excited and I marvel, yet again, at his memory. The boy has a steel trap for a memory.
An additional sidenote: Big League Chew is worth the money. My kids are ones to chew gum until it loses flavor and then spit it out, usually less than five minutes of chewing. Greyson came up to me a good 30 minutes into chewing and exclaimed, "Mom, this is the best gum! It's still in flavor!"

Stitches Episode #8

Disclaimer: Gaping holes and stitched skin ahead

So, yet again, we have another episode of stitches.  I almost forgot to blog about it... they have become so common place in our house that I think they are no biggie anymore.  About a month ago (6/3/12), we were at a friend's house and Greyson was running and fell... while trying to get his pants down to urinate.... not a good mix of things to have happen at the same time.  He and everything else near him ended up sprayed down and he was hurt - physically and emotionally - by the whole ordeal.  I think it is going to provide for great comic relief later on down the road though.  I'm thinking about the times we want to humble and mortify him.... girlfriends, graduation, wedding.  I can hear Ben now... "be nice, Melissa"



Greyson is also comfortable with the whole stitches idea.... I guess when you've been here two other times for the same EXACT thing (3rd set in his chin), you start to know what to expect.



And Thor had his back anyway.



BEFORE:
We have a medical friend that when told about our stitches count mentioned her remedy for large cuts - medical adhesive.  I quickly told her that the "cuts" we have aren't cuts, they are gaping holes.



AFTER STITCHES:
All stitched up.  Two days later, the one on the far right fell out and we put a steri-strip on it. 



THIS MORNING (7/12/12):  See the three different scars?  I'm just glad that they are under his chin!

Vulnerability is the key to worthiness

I think I'm finding that this is true.... I'm posting this mostly so I can find it again later.  However, now that you have found it, maybe you'll find it interesting and helpful too. It is LONG but totally worth it in my opinion. 

Scientist in Japan - Sara Groves

I loved this artist when I woke up yesterday, but after a received a link to her video yesterday, Sara Groves earned even more admiration and respect from me. Listen to her reasoning for writing her song, Scientist in Japan, and then listen to the song too. Will you stay?

Easter 2012

Praying you are having a fabulous Easter!

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Disney World 2012

Here are pictures from our recent trip south to Disney World.  It was a.mazing!  I'm planning on adding more detail as soon as I finish our photo book.  Gotta get those memories down!

A venture into kefir

Today is a fun day for me.... I was given some kefir grains by a friend! Okay, you may be saying, "WHAT are kefir grains?" Well, I'm not really sure myself yet but here's a good start to understanding them.  I'm super excited about using the yogurt drink/buttermilk substitute for all kinds of things - like smoothies and muffins.  yum!  But first you have to mix the grains...

with milk....

and cover it up with a breathable cloth to culture for 24-48 hours.  Then you have a thick, healthy liquid.... which I still have to figure out how to use.  I will have to get back to you about that part.

Hopefully, this hungry (all. the. time) boy will help me eat and drink it up in all sorts of ways.

Snowy Leap Day

It feels VERY strange to say this is our one of very few super snowy mornings of 2012. By this time, we are usually sick and tired of seeing snow everywhere we go. Not this year! We have been waiting for snow to cover our hills and sled slopes to try out our new sleds for much longer than we ever expected. So, to see this when we woke up this morning was a happy surprise.

The kids got ready super fast! They were ready in 30 minutes when they usually take an hour. It was driven by getting out in the snow before we had to go to school!

Not only did they have a great time in the snow but it also gave me a great backdrop to try and get some pictures of the kids.  This is a good one, huh?

This one's for you, Tracy!  My attempt at one of your signature shots.

The kids with their finished super tall snowman. 

Love at first snow, man.

Another good picture but this one took a LONG time to capture and required a nonsensical joke told by Greyson to FINALLY get good smiles.  I gotta remember to try that sooner next time!

Oh, the down side to waking up to new snow - shoveling it off the driveway.  I'm a BIG snowblower fan, BIG!  Unfortunately when I got it started up and ran the first pass down the driveway, it got clogged again and again with the heavy, wet snow.  I finally gave up on it and put it away.  That left shoveling.... unhappy with our two shovels, I took a trip to Menards to arm myself and Greyson with a new ones.  So glad I did!  Greyson was my hard worker plugging away at getting the driveway clear.  Makes for one proud momma.

Our very own Spiderman impersonator

So, Grey loves all things superhero (much like his Dad). Last night, he came out from get his PJs on. Ben said, "Oh, it's Spiderman!" and Grey hit this pose.

And this one...

And this one...

We love him AND his Spiderman antics.

Big boys can tie their shoes

 

 

 

 

I guess he is officially ready for kindergarten now.  He knows and can write his ABC's, can count to 30, walk in line, and, now, tie his shoes.  Watch out world! My boy is growing up!  BTW, he says, "My favorite part is the loop part, Mom."

From me to you....

Happy (belated) Valentine's Day!

Book Club catch-up

I know it has been a long time since I posted a substantial post.  However, my plan for this post is not for family memories.  Really, this post is to help me and my book club mates remember the books we've read.   The unfortunate part is that I've been meaning to do this but haven't for 2-1/2 years.  That's should be about 30 books that I haven't blog about but lucky for you, I think we've read 22 books in that time.  I guess I will give my 2¢ worth too, just that it might be interesting to those that are reading....

Before You Know Kindness / Beth M's pick for Aug 2009
   A book about family dysfunction... an interesting read.
The No1 Ladies Detective Agency / Candy's pick for Sept 2009
   Set in Botswana, a woman opens a detective agency.  Entertaining.
The Dive From Clausen's Pier / Korrie's pick for Oct/Nov 2009
   A boy engaged to be married becomes a paraplegic after diving from a pier.  This book follows the boy's fiance and her crisis that follows.  This one got me thinking about relationships and the foundation of good decisions.
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society / Jill's pick for Dec 2009
   Great Book!  Set on an remote British island that was occupied during WWII by Gestapo troops, this book was about life while in survival mode written as letters between the characters.
Out Stealing Horses / Melissa's pick for Jan 2010
   A poetic book about childhood trauma and the lives that follow.
The Wednesday Letters / Candy's pick for Feb/Mar 2010
   A groom writes his wife a letter every Wednesday for 39 year of marriage.  A wonderful book giving life to the ups and downs of marriage.
Breakfast With Buddha / Korrie's pick for Apr/May 2010
    I remember this book fondly but don't think I would recommend it - maybe 3 stars?
Never Let Me Go / Melissa's pick for Jun/Jul 2010
    Fascinating book.  Brings your thoughts on the value of life to the forefront.
The Devil in the White City / Beth P's pick for Aug 2010
    Didn't finish this book.... unfortunately, I couldn't get the pages to turn fast enough for me.
The Time Traveler's Wife / Candy's pick for Sept/Oct 2010
    Loved this book!  It had enough twists, turns, and flips of time to keep me absolutely enthralled!
The Help / Beth M's pick for Dec 2010
    This book was so interesting to read.  It highlighted the time in American history that I am most shamed of and this book made me squirm in my seat.
The Broken Cord / Beth M's pick for Feb 2011
     An interesting book about Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, its research, and its effects on one family.  It is potentially so much more debilitating than I thought!
Patty Jane's House of Curl / Melissa's pick for Mar 2011
    What would you do when family is falling apart?  This ones about that and how they all pull together to make it work.
How to Bake a Perfect Life / Jill's pick for Apr 2011
    A woman's life is unraveling but she finds what is most important through some poignant relationships that come to unexpectedly.
Memoirs of a Geisha / Candy's pick for May 2011
    A fictional book written as a memoir.  This one was very entertaining and eye-opening to some of the Japan's customs.
Firefly Lane / Korrie's pick for June 2011
     A lifelong friendship goes through all the ups and downs together.  A very emotional read.
One Thousand Gifts / Beth M's pick for July 2011
     This book is better in small chunks.  I didn't finish it in the allotted month but did eventually.  Finding gratitude and gratefulness to our God in this time and place, the present, is a life-changing challenge.

August 2011 - we went to see the newly released movie The Help.  I thought the movie did a pretty good job of portraying the book.  I recommend it.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo / Melissa's pick for Oct 2011
   A popular book that my Grandpa loved - so I knew I had to read it.  An unlikely pair, an eclectic woman and a man on a mission, pair up to solve a missing woman's disappearance. I like the mystery aspect and found this to be a great read.
Mudbound / Jill's pick for Nov 2011
   A book set in 1940's Mississippi about two families and their "crosses to bear" - woman, man, black, and white, all with prejudices and we watch as the consequences unfold.  Heart-wrenching.
The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict / Beth P's pick for Dec 2011
   Seriously, this book has changed me.  This book attempts to explain internal anxiety as a result of rationalizing our self-betraying choices.  Very enlightening and worth reading.
Marley & Me / Candy's pick for Feb 2011
   This is book we will be discussing in a couple of weeks.  It was funny and sad and very well written.  He obviously loved Marley and wanted to celebrate Marley's life with this book. 

Next Up - 1984 by George Orwell

Possible Future Books:
Still Alice
Radio Shangri-La
Sarah's Key

Blue Bear's Adventure

When I was doing some scanning this morning, Blue Bear decided to go on an adventure seeing how the scanner worked. Greyson watched (and learned about the scanner) while praying that Blue Bear would be okay.  Blue Bear returned unscathed and told Greyson all about it. Later, when Greyson and Blue Bear were looking at the pictures, Greyson said, "Mom, when I get older and look at these pictures, I will miss Blue Bear." No worries, boy-o, I can't imagine a life without Blue Bear either.

Christmas 2011

I was so blessed to spend Christmas with my ENTIRE family over Christmas. It was a wonderful time. And isn't this a great looking bunch? Blessed indeed.