I love how children think. They make me laugh. They make me smile. They make me chuckle and sometimes even giggle. They make me burst into hysterical belly rolling laughter. They are simply awesome!
After finishing my workout this morning I was on the floor stretching my back; on my knees, chest to my knees with my hands outstretched above my head. Little Miss Cassie Girl comes and lays down on the floor next to me with a blanket wrapped around her neck and giggles. I turned to look at her and my eyes meet her sparkling blue eyes and she giggled again. That made me smile and giggle a little too. I moved to stretch my legs and she stood under me, looked up at me and giggled again. What a sweet little angel!
I headed into the kitchen to make my smoothie and she went off to play. The next thing I know she's on top of the kitchen table...this is not a new thing...with a VHS tape box. The box is empty. She's sits on the table, opens the box and places her uneaten slice of toast into the box and closes it. It just struck me as funny. I laughed out loud. What a silly little miss.
It's the little things in life that bring a smile to our faces. I'll be reminded of it all day long. Have a happy day!
Monday, April 22, 2013
Friday, April 19, 2013
Peace
As I make breakfast, load the dishwasher and wash a few dishes my mind is caught up in thoughts of the Boston Marathon this week and the tragic bombings that occurred. I remember the feelings and emotions that I felt when I sat and watched the Twin Towers collapse and crumble. I remember the feelings of helplessness and wanting to make the pain and suffering stop. And some of those same feelings and thoughts emerge yet again as I watched clips and footage of the race.
So many people were hurt. So many lives altered. So much sadness.
A hymn plays in my mind as I listen to a talk...
Where can I turn for peace
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger or malice
I draw my self apart
searching my soul
Where, when my aching grows
Where, when I languish
Where, in my need to know
Where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand
to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.
He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane,
Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds
For my beseeching
Constant He is and kind,
Love without end.
As I think on these things I am so thankful for a loving Savior who is the only true source of peace in our earthly lives. We can get through these horrific acts of terror and move on and find peace and joy in our lives. It will not be easy. But it is possible.
A conference talk from this month's General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints talks of peace and where to find it. Elder Quentin L. Cook does a beautiful job explaining how we can find peace in his talk entitled Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness.
I am so thankful for a loving Savior.
So many people were hurt. So many lives altered. So much sadness.
A hymn plays in my mind as I listen to a talk...
Where can I turn for peace
Where is my solace
When other sources cease to make me whole?
When with a wounded heart, anger or malice
I draw my self apart
searching my soul
Where, when my aching grows
Where, when I languish
Where, in my need to know
Where can I run?
Where is the quiet hand
to calm my anguish?
Who, who can understand?
He, only One.
He answers privately,
Reaches my reaching
In my Gethsemane,
Savior and Friend.
Gentle the peace he finds
For my beseeching
Constant He is and kind,
Love without end.
As I think on these things I am so thankful for a loving Savior who is the only true source of peace in our earthly lives. We can get through these horrific acts of terror and move on and find peace and joy in our lives. It will not be easy. But it is possible.
A conference talk from this month's General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints talks of peace and where to find it. Elder Quentin L. Cook does a beautiful job explaining how we can find peace in his talk entitled Personal Peace: The Reward of Righteousness.
I am so thankful for a loving Savior.
Monday, April 8, 2013
Homemade paints
Curly Girl has been bugging me for paints. She had some and ran out and just wants to paint. How could I resist the pleadings of a 4 year old...I didn't want to spend the money on the paint. I'm cheap. Haha! I searched the internet for some recipes and found this blog that had a few different recipes.
I chose to make the recipe that she said was their favorite. Why try to reinvent the wheel? I'm pretty easy to please. Today I finally got out the three ingredients to make the paint and Curly Girl helped me. She stirred the water and cornstarch mixture on the stove. I helped when it got a little too thick for her.
Then we transferred the warm mixture into small containers that I had purchased for this purpose. It fit perfectly into the four small 1/2 cup containers. Once it cooled a bit more I added a very small amount of food coloring gel...in the colors that Curly Girl chose. She wanted rainbow colors.
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And there you have it...one happy girl! Happy Painting Curly Girl!
I chose to make the recipe that she said was their favorite. Why try to reinvent the wheel? I'm pretty easy to please. Today I finally got out the three ingredients to make the paint and Curly Girl helped me. She stirred the water and cornstarch mixture on the stove. I helped when it got a little too thick for her.
Then we transferred the warm mixture into small containers that I had purchased for this purpose. It fit perfectly into the four small 1/2 cup containers. Once it cooled a bit more I added a very small amount of food coloring gel...in the colors that Curly Girl chose. She wanted rainbow colors.
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Monday, March 25, 2013
Crochet, crochet, I love to crochet!
In an effort to support my habits and to make a little bit of extra money, I have started making hats and other crocheted items to sell. Today I finished making my facebook page where I will sell these items. I spent most of the morning doing this. I can't believe how quickly time flies when I am working on the computer. It's crazy! No wonder my littlest Miss was cranky!!
Please take a minute or two and look at my page here.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Perspective
I happened to lean down a bit while I was looking in the general direction of my cookbook holder and realized there was a cookie under it. At this point, I stood up and contemplated leaving it there until later. Well...when would later come? I have become a master procrastinator in many areas! I decided to move to cookbooks and take a closer look at the cookie. It had been there for a while. I don't remember when I made monster cookies last. And it was partially eaten. Yum. It was swollen up and looked funny, but not moldy. It was hard as a rock. It was also very stuck to the counter. I dug out a metal spatula and began chiseling it off the counter top.
I realized how grossed out and disgusted I would have been a few years ago by this. And now...it has become normal. Haha! How sad is that! But, it also shows how relaxed I have gotten over the years. I think that's a great thing for me.
I remember a time when everything in my house had a place; many things still do. And when an item wasn't in use it was in that specified place. I didn't find dried out, old fries stuck under the seats in my car, or wrappers stuffed into my couch cushions, or raisins under MY bed that were once grapes, or toys under MY bed, or pee covered toilet seats, or anything cluttering the floors back then.
And somehow I am enjoying the messes now. Because if I didn't have these messes I would either be a mental case from trying to keep it perfect or I wouldn't have my children. Life without my children would be a very sad existence, indeed.
Today I am thankful for all the lollipops I have found stuck to my carpet, wrappers stuck under beds, half eaten bags of chocolate chips hidden under pillows, running out of bread before the end of the week, mountains of laundry to be washed, rotten moldy apples that have adhered themselves to the seat under the baby seat in the car, piles and piles of dirty dishes, and clutter that seems to find my floors... because it means I have been blessed with a wonderful family!
I realized how grossed out and disgusted I would have been a few years ago by this. And now...it has become normal. Haha! How sad is that! But, it also shows how relaxed I have gotten over the years. I think that's a great thing for me.
I remember a time when everything in my house had a place; many things still do. And when an item wasn't in use it was in that specified place. I didn't find dried out, old fries stuck under the seats in my car, or wrappers stuffed into my couch cushions, or raisins under MY bed that were once grapes, or toys under MY bed, or pee covered toilet seats, or anything cluttering the floors back then.
And somehow I am enjoying the messes now. Because if I didn't have these messes I would either be a mental case from trying to keep it perfect or I wouldn't have my children. Life without my children would be a very sad existence, indeed.
Today I am thankful for all the lollipops I have found stuck to my carpet, wrappers stuck under beds, half eaten bags of chocolate chips hidden under pillows, running out of bread before the end of the week, mountains of laundry to be washed, rotten moldy apples that have adhered themselves to the seat under the baby seat in the car, piles and piles of dirty dishes, and clutter that seems to find my floors... because it means I have been blessed with a wonderful family!
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Operation Christmas Child
Yesterday I found this organization called Operation Christmas Child when reading a blog. It's a wonderful organization that collects shoe boxes with gifts for a child and then they ship them all over the world. After reading the blog and then reading more about the OCC I was determined to share this experience with my children.
So, last night I went shopping with a friend who also decided to join me in this. We looked at clothing, deodorants, crafts, toys, candy and so much more. We wandered. We picked items up and thought about them. We placed some back on shelves. We threw some in the carts. We found items we liked better and took out items we didn't like as much....all the while thinking about the little girl or little boy this gift might be given to. She picked a girl in the age range of 5-9 and I picked a boy in the same age range. Since I have 4 boys, I figured it would be pretty easy to find things.
I found Legos that made me smile when I thought of a little boy's delight. I picked socks that I knew Colin would think were so comfy and cool to have for his own. I found a tiny Nerf gun that all my boys would go nuts over. I grabbed Christmas-y chapstick, crayons, markers, colored pencils, gum, tiny playing cards like Old Maid, a candy cane filled with jelly beans, spiderman bandaids, superhero tooth brushes, a small slinky, and a green yoyo ball. Every time I think about these simple gifts, I smile.
I found some leftover wrapping paper from last Christmas and wrapped the plastic shoe box. I folded. I rearranged. I opened packaging and organized. I squished and shoved and pushed and crammed and FINALLY got everything that I desperately wanted in the box to fit...really tightly.
I told each of the boys about the program. I showed them pictures of children who have received the boxes in the past. I talked about how this will be a child's only Christmas, that each of the items in the box will be treasured. I cried and cried and my kids asked me why I was crying.
What a glorious way to bring the real spirit of Christmas into our home. We don't know exactly who this box will go to, but we have imagined him. We have pictured him opening his gift. We love him.
Isn't that what Christmas is really about? I'm so grateful for the blog that lead me to find this amazing organization. Go here to find her amazing blog...
http://rachelmariemartin.blogspot.com/
If you want to learn more about this organization go here: Operation Christmas Child
And Have a wonderfully blissful and blessed holiday and Christmas season!
So, last night I went shopping with a friend who also decided to join me in this. We looked at clothing, deodorants, crafts, toys, candy and so much more. We wandered. We picked items up and thought about them. We placed some back on shelves. We threw some in the carts. We found items we liked better and took out items we didn't like as much....all the while thinking about the little girl or little boy this gift might be given to. She picked a girl in the age range of 5-9 and I picked a boy in the same age range. Since I have 4 boys, I figured it would be pretty easy to find things.
I found Legos that made me smile when I thought of a little boy's delight. I picked socks that I knew Colin would think were so comfy and cool to have for his own. I found a tiny Nerf gun that all my boys would go nuts over. I grabbed Christmas-y chapstick, crayons, markers, colored pencils, gum, tiny playing cards like Old Maid, a candy cane filled with jelly beans, spiderman bandaids, superhero tooth brushes, a small slinky, and a green yoyo ball. Every time I think about these simple gifts, I smile.
I found some leftover wrapping paper from last Christmas and wrapped the plastic shoe box. I folded. I rearranged. I opened packaging and organized. I squished and shoved and pushed and crammed and FINALLY got everything that I desperately wanted in the box to fit...really tightly.
I told each of the boys about the program. I showed them pictures of children who have received the boxes in the past. I talked about how this will be a child's only Christmas, that each of the items in the box will be treasured. I cried and cried and my kids asked me why I was crying.
What a glorious way to bring the real spirit of Christmas into our home. We don't know exactly who this box will go to, but we have imagined him. We have pictured him opening his gift. We love him.
Isn't that what Christmas is really about? I'm so grateful for the blog that lead me to find this amazing organization. Go here to find her amazing blog...
http://rachelmariemartin.blogspot.com/
If you want to learn more about this organization go here: Operation Christmas Child
And Have a wonderfully blissful and blessed holiday and Christmas season!
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Mmm! Lunch!
Yesterday morning I got a text from my friend's daughter telling me that she and TJ thought we should have chimichangas for dinner that night. At first I groaned. Ugh! There's not time. Then I realized that it was 7:30 in the morning and I had plenty of time to put meat in the crock pot. Having dinner decided ahead of time is a magical thing! It saves me so much stress.
I ran downstairs and grabbed the beef roast and a bag of frozen chicken breasts from the freezer and set about putting the ingredients needed into the pots. Once finished I set the temperature and let it do its work.
A few hours later the wonderful aroma filled the wall of our home. Mmmm! I couldn't wait to eat dinner!
Dinner was, not only delicious, but fun. We enjoyed good company, yummy food, and tasty warm cookies...compliment of Lauren ;).
I always get stumped when trying to come up with something for lunch. Meals...ugh. I remembered my leftover chimichanga meat and an idea popped into my head. I cooked up a bag of frozen mixed veggies, sprinkled in a bit of salt and pepper and some southwestern seasoning. Then added the chicken to the pan. I kept trying to think of s o m e t h i n g that would make this dish somehow better. Light bulb! I sprinkled in a bit of taco seasoning, placed the veggie/meat mixture onto the brown rice and topped it with a little salsa. Yummy, spicy, satisfying meal. Success!
I ran downstairs and grabbed the beef roast and a bag of frozen chicken breasts from the freezer and set about putting the ingredients needed into the pots. Once finished I set the temperature and let it do its work.
A few hours later the wonderful aroma filled the wall of our home. Mmmm! I couldn't wait to eat dinner!
Dinner was, not only delicious, but fun. We enjoyed good company, yummy food, and tasty warm cookies...compliment of Lauren ;).
I always get stumped when trying to come up with something for lunch. Meals...ugh. I remembered my leftover chimichanga meat and an idea popped into my head. I cooked up a bag of frozen mixed veggies, sprinkled in a bit of salt and pepper and some southwestern seasoning. Then added the chicken to the pan. I kept trying to think of s o m e t h i n g that would make this dish somehow better. Light bulb! I sprinkled in a bit of taco seasoning, placed the veggie/meat mixture onto the brown rice and topped it with a little salsa. Yummy, spicy, satisfying meal. Success!
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