After Glow

It's not quite 1:00 a.m.
I'm not quite ready to call it a night. 
After expending a crazy amount of energy on this day, It's still to soon to turn off the lights.  Tomorrow, they'll officially be tacky.
So here's the highlights from this year's Christmas celebration.
Having Kamie yell "There's Jesus" when seeing Santa
Walking into Bath & Body to see a familiar looking guy in a Carrhart coat... And I scooted right on out and he doesn't know a thing...
Doing our part in the 'Red Kettle' drive.  (I purposefully did not take a picture- Cuz, there's that fine line between doing cool things to do them, and doing cool things to show others that you're doing cool things.)
Watching an Angel fly at Dad & Mom's Nativity
Looking for beauty each day
Making Orange Rolls with my older sister, at 10:30 p.m., both in our own little houses. (Do great minds think alike, or what!)
Pink tree in Kamies pink bedroom
Spotify - Where I can compile my eclectic (code for eccentric) favorites from Michael Card to Dolly Parton
Kamie wrapping presents for cousins, and being oblivious to the fact that she was going to get presents. (That lasted until she opened her first one.)
Spreading out a plastic tablecloth and frosting a birthday cake for Jesus.
And my favorite was seeing my little bro-in-law give out his gifts, we had drawn names this year, but he still went shopping with his own hard earned money and bought gifts for everyone. Carefully wrapping each item, some with lots of tape, some disguised so they wouldn't be guessed. When Bronz opened up his gift and wondered how he knew that was exactly what he needed, the lil guy's face just beamed.
Merry Christmas!



In the interest of honesty I've got to add a postscript
Christmas morning had the sleep deprived Mama bear, up and running. Presents to wrap, rooms to clean, food to bake, laundry, all while creating that orange roll, coffee, and grapefruit ambience.  Bronz was going to clean the porch clutter up, only to step on some ice, slip, fall, grab onto something and basically pull his fingernail off.  All I saw was that he came running into the house with lots of blood saying "I slipped" While stomping his feet. I thought he had sliced his finger and dropped a knife on his foot.  He was clammy and cold, and obviously in a lot pain, the kids were now up and crying. I was still wearing the only clean clothes I could find without waking anyone up.  Umm Bronz's long johns and a sweatshirt.  About that time I realized my makeup was a mile away. Not like I could put it on if I had it. And it's 20 minutes to arrival. Deep breaths. Bronz's pain reliever kicks in, Blake sleeps, Kamie shapes up, I get dressed, Grind coffee (About now would have been a good time to put the partially thawed mashed potatoes in the oven. Note to self for next year.) Wash the dishes. Not a person arrived before 11:00. Oh Yeah.  (And who cares about makeup we've all seen each other look cruddy.) gifts, Bronz reading from Luke, yummy food, games, cousins hugging, cousins not hugging, movie, peach cobbler. Nighty Night

Nor Doth He Sleep

I'm going along my merry way
Running errands after getting our Christmas pictures taken
When I hear that they've found the girls-
The cousins missing since summer
How does this fit into Christmas?
I want to block out the pain
I don't want to empathize
I want to think about Jesus in the manger
Not the Jesus on the cross
But the two are the same
the Jesus who was born, and brought hope and life eternal
Was the Jesus who died for the ugly, the heinous deeds, careless actions
So I hurt for my Aunt who lost her Granddaughter... My Cousin who doesn't have his little girl anymore.  My Grandma whose Great Grandbaby is dancing with Jesus.  And the other Mothers, Father, Aunts, Uncles, Friends...  The people who turned on porch lights, and tied ribbons on trees.  The thousands who prayed, posted fliers.  The many who are now asking "Why?"

This carol came to mind, written during the civil war it skillfully takes what we have compartmentalized -- gritty life, traditional worship, God, and melds them together.
I Heard The Bells
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

Till ringing, singing on its way
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on earth, good will to men.”
H. Longfellow

 

On The Third Day Of Christmas

Click here to view this photo book larger

Shutterfly photo books offer a wide range of artful
designs and embellishments to choose from.

^^^ This came in the mail... the project I do once a year in order to get all scrapbooking out of my system.  For an entire year.  One problem, Bronz is making me wait until Christmas to open it.
(He had better hide it good.)

 

How Lovely Are Thy Branches -cough, cough,

Tree Hunting today…

With gorgeous 60 degree weather, it didn’t feel quite right.

Not like I’m complaining or anything

We loaded up the kids in the truck.

Note: Kamie goes around telling people “My Dad has a Chevy.”

Said in a my-daddy-can-beat-up-your-daddy tone of voice.  Hysterical.

It’s Bronz’s year to pick a tree, he says no waayy are we going to have a tree as big as last year’s.  I just tell him that it’s his year. I’ll bide my time.

Everything goes all hunky dory, pretty traditional, sunset, cider, one dirty diaper –

Then we get home,

                Again we’re doing pretty good.

                                Bronz reminds me that moving things with my feet isn’t the speediest way to get ready for the great tree set-up.  I remind him that we aren’t being timed or anything on getting this all done and sip my coffee. (Us Fun Country people can be a tad annoying.)  So we take deep breaths.  I watch the kiddos and set out snacks and make up a cheese pizza. Bronz carefully adjusts the tree, sorts out the lights and puts them on.

We have our happy little snack time. 

Bronz goes to make final adjustments on tree, spinning it around just so-

And

Then

It

Tips

Right on top of him.  He’s laying on the floor, with the whole pan of water dripping into the carpet beside, and the tree smack-dab on top of him.

Well then it got a little noisy.  (I did tell him later that I was really glad that he doesn’t swear, cuz’ something like that would be a real test.)

So then we have to do the whole lift-up-the-tree get-it-in-place thing again, and just when we’ve got it almost right – Kamie quits rocking Blake in the recliner, and instead climbs over the back and plops down right on top of him, as in stomach on face, with her red blanket to boot.

I hollered at her and then let go of the tree to grab her… Yup we had to do the rigamarole again.

It’s up now.

Kamie & Bronz got peppermint lotion backrubs.

Smished branches sorta add character.

Days Of Christmas

On the first day of Christmas…

I came home from a baby shower for this little dolly…

Little Audrey got some amazing parents...

And I'm an Aunt again!

 

 

 

 

 

So anyways, I'll try to stay on topic. 
So, I got home from the baby shower. (Isn't she just perfect?!!)

-To see a sheepish look on Bronz’s face

                Which I had to look up high to even see

See, the guy is as frugal as they come, and renting a lift in order to put up lights is pretty extravagant.  Ha, so I caught him, and was terribly excited.  When we were first married I had constructed a cross out of t-posts and carried it up a ladder to our barn loft, climbed up another more rickety ladder, then grabbed a hold of the trim board and tied on our first lighted cross… Only to find that the electrical outlet in the loft didn’t work.  Bronz figured that issue out, and since then we have had a cross on the barn, and the first night on we always make each other close our eyes, until we are both standing in optimal viewing spot, then turn around to look at it together.

Yay Christmas!
Thank You Jesus!

They Stepped On MY Toes

It happened tonight.
In a rare way.
Usually when we hear truth about our negatives it's given in a harsh manner. 
You never...
Why can't you...
You're too... I try to weed out the hurts in the commenting, try to remember my Dad's saying: Truth in a polyester suit. Sometimes the criticism is completely ignored because of the manner of the telling.
 And yet tonight I had a nice sound reprimand, and it was refreshing.  Given in a Godly way, by those who truly have the best at heart.

My response?

• I need to change my heart
• I need to be willing to obey God's word
• I want to give that kind of gracious rebuke to others. Nope, nobody in mind.  Just that even hard truths given in a kind, loving way - can be a really great blessing.

Dear Lord,
I'm sorry for where I've failed you. How I've put my impulsiveness ahead of waiting on You.  And where I've waited rather than doing what I'm convicted of.  I want my heart to be clean of pride.  Lord, I really want to be excited about You and what You've done and can do. Please keep my heart soft.  Thank you for Jesus.  Thank you for the hope I have in Him.
I love you.

And the Bad Mom Award Goes To...

Me.
See I knew having a second child would put an end to hopping in and riding back and forth across fields in tractors. 
Talking for hours and feeling productive at the same time.  That's our kind of practical date. Eating stale chips and drinking flat pop.  And deciding that John Deere needs to invent some sort of gel cushioned pop holder so the fizz wouldn't instantly go out.
I will ride with you when you do our field.  I told him.  You better not do it without calling me. I reminded.  What day this week are you combining? I asked.
Then he was here.  I'm ready, I have everything set to go.  Get the kids.  Y'know that hand on the forehead thing?  The instant reading which tells you what a thermometer tells your brain.  She's hot.  Day 2 of waking up from naptime with a fever. 
I sat in the chair and did what any woman would. >blubber<
I can't go with you.
All the planning, for a simple, ever practical date.  And we couldn't even do that.
Well, he said, aren't you just going to sit at home and hold her? Why don't you just do that in the combine? (The man shines at practical solutions.)
So we did.
And she kept getting warmer, and more listless, then telling me her back hurt. Here I am stuck in the truck hauling a load of corn in to town before the elevator closed, feeling awful. Bad Mom. >slap, slap< How do you explain that to Ask-A-Nurse?
And could somebody please explain how you can be a wife and a mom at the same time?











Note: Every time I've tried to put this up, my photo loading has failed, so two weeks later...

What's Cookin'

Coffee
Kleenex
Baby Tylenol
That was the grocery list of absolutes I wanted picked up... Bronz always over shops so I wasn't surprized when I was putting away a lot of other things, but when the coffee still didn't appear...
Honey, I'm not seeing the coffee?
It wasn't on sale. It's like $11!!
Oh, No! What am I going to do? What are you going to do?
As far as I'm concerned minimum wage is around $7.50 and a canister of coffee gets way more than an hour's worth of work done.  So really it's an underpaid wage earner.  (Or in my case, diaper changer)
In other foodie news...
I've made two really good things in the past couple weeks.
Pumpkin Spice Granola
Regular recipe for granola (mine calls for about 5 cups dry ingredients)
1 extra cup dry ingredients - coconut, oatmeal, pecans etc.
1/4 - 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
Add 1/2 cup pumpkin to wet ingredients.
Bake as directed.
Yummy!

And I was hungry for Casey's Bacon Chicken Ranch Pizza- So made this:
Bacon Ranch Broccoli Cheese Soup
-I rarely follow recipes-
Made Broccoli Cheese Soup
Fried Bacon & some onion
Noodles
Added about 1/2 cup of Ranch Dressing to the works.
Next time I want to add some chicken, as well.
Everyone devoured it, super good.

So what's cookin' in your oven? (Or crockpot, or microwave...)

Good Intentions

I started this week on fire, ready for a soul detox.
Excited to teach Kamie new things, to be a better wife. Most important to focus on Christ... renewing my mind.  Yeah and to eat better.  But isn't that always on the list?!
Monday had epic fail in the wife department. (Observation, being mad makes me hungry. For chocolate.)  And the stupid thing was, we were arguing over whether or not to go to a marriage conference.  Oh the ironies...
Kamie came down with a fever. So there went potty training, and a whole lot of other things.
Faced with an awkward lose/lose situation.  Don't we all love those.  It does make it easier to focus solely on what the right thing to do is, since people you respect will disagree with whatever choice you make.
The exciting thing is that I have kept returning my focus to God.  It's powerful.  The marriage thing, we patched it up.  And resolved to both try harder.  I've been able to have a lot of cuddle time with the Princess, which is pretty unusual.  The stressful-awkward-situation - God is in control, I keep telling myself, to not worry, pray for everyone involved. Trust the outcome to God. And I'm actually (Believe it or not) excited to see how He is going to work in my heart.  
So here I am
Me, in my small corner
Letting this little light shine
-and am I seeing cobwebs... Uff Daa

Hello Monday!

I've missed you
You bring order
Sanity
A new start
A break from the weekend
you don't make me iron like Sunday does
Speaking of Sunday... despite my best intentions that day >hates< me. Really.  I prepare, plan, clean for a day of non-rest.  Kudos to amazing people like my mom who had all her little girls in two french braids ready for church after orange rolls for breakfast.  (And to think we would fight over the middle roll in the cake pan. Ungrateful little chilluns.)  There's that little matter of Sunday dinner too. We had company yesterday... fun time with one of my besties, and a friend with adorable little two year-old twins.  Before everyone comes my cleanest doesn't seem very clean.  They come and my best laid plans suddenly are very awkward. How do you host, and get food ready, and keep your daughter from stealing all the best toys? Realize you are out of Kleenex, and everyone has colds... Have the cute little boys create a game out of killing box elder bugs.  Eew. Yes, they love us. And we have to all be out of the house to exterminate them. 
Then you come, Monday, and my cleanest feels fabulous
My children are worn out from the weekend
I have leftover dessert
I'm proud of myself for having 'practiced hospitality'
Oh Yeah!

survived.20.degree.campout



The good news:                      We survived.

The good news:                      Our tent was warm.

The good news:                      The food was good.

The good news:                      Probably set a record for a family gathering without a big debate.

So, we’ll try to forget about the fact that the kids woke each other up all.night.long.  And Kamie wakes up almost as pleasant as I do.  Oh, and Bronz blew up the air mattress every night when he came to bed, which woke all three of the sleeping beauties.  Reminding one of us that she was a big girl now and had to be responsible and put little ones to bed, and couldn’t stay up until 1:00 a.m. playing cards. (Read middle of the night pity party.)

Leaving the campground I told Bronz “I am so tired I could just cry.” And I did.  Basically it was one of those campouts that translated into Mom-speak was. 1 week of work for 4 days of work, for 2 days of catch-up work. 

Now that I have all that negative junk outta the system…

                I wish I could know how many miles Kamie put on her little crocodile shoes.  It’s so special to see your child playing with your brother/sisters children.  Watching them figure out the pecking order.  Vie for Grandpa and Grandma’s attention.  Go down the slide headfirst.  Decide that the coon Uncle Kain killed had jumped off the cliff.

                This is the first break Bronz has had in a long time… So he enjoyed it thoroughly.  Much to my dismay his phone actually had pretty decent reception.

                Generally it’s a good idea to pick a church for doctrine… but when you’re camping and just visiting, and they say “Don’t worry about being late, you can bring your coffee on in”… Well that’s just a no-brainer.  (It was a great church service, for any concerned)

I discovered Mocha Cappuccino Hazelnut Spread, makes a mean S’more.

Win a few, lose a few. – Charlie Brown

 

This had better be relaxing...

Annual W Family Campout this weekend... Always so much fun, we talk about it, plan for it and work like crazy >yawn< to get ready.
It's supposed to get into the 20's at night. And we are talking primitive camping here- loooong walks to bathrooms. (Another good reason to delay potty training.)
So, being a good Mom (or attempting to be) I've been packing a gazillion warm outfits for the kids. Putting together a meal for the big gang, just try planning and packing a meal to be made over campfire for 25 people. Cleaning the house, doing laundry. That on top of all the usual stuff. Things like stopping the Kamie from sticking her finger down Blake's throat, then having her do it twice to herself.  Apparently the gag reflex is a fascinating discovery. 
Happy things today

Rubbing lotion on clean little people

Applesauce Muffins with Cream Cheese Frosting for breakfast

Packing pretty much done

Food all made

Putting a calf back in the pasture all by myself

Hearing Kamie call Bronz "Daddy Buddy"

Hope your weekend is warm and dry

   If you're near NE Iowa, just roll down your windows and you'll probably hear us all expending our hot air. (If you happen to hear Esther mentioned... keep driving, we have got to be the only family who can have a tradition of arguing over the same thing.)



 



What I Love about Being A Mom

In No Particular Order Of Priority

1. Having a baby snuggle under my chin
   (Negative is, I get a lot of zits there...)
2. Being able to go to playland at McDonalds
3. An excuse for having a tummy... But for real, it's not baby-fat, it's fudge-brownie-how-I-cope-with-kids fat. 
4. Food... I happen to have a secret love of rice cereal (I'm serious)
5. I can SING, and they not only don't care, but like it.  Blake Lee was humming along today, completely melted my heart.
6. I love worshipping God with my kids. Raise hands, sing, pray, I am least self-conscious, and most God conscious then.
7. I make better biscuits. (think it has something to do with not having time to over-work the dough)
8. Insomnia doesn't happen around here.
9. A reason to paint a bedroom tangerine
10. Little brown shoes, and teeny pink toenails
11. Belly laughs
12. Big words out of her little mouth
    "Driving me crazy" - reciting to herself while picking up laundry
    To uncooperative toy "Listen to your mother!"
    "Oh My" >Here she pauses, I'm sure debating whether she wants her mouth washed out with soap, or not< "Goodness"

So much to appreciate if I choose to do so
       I snuggle in with her and watch the moon come up, she tells me that "it looks like rain" in true Farmer's Almanac style.  I pick him up and his tears stop. It's brutal, hard this whole mothering thing. But it's not thankless.

 

Pumpkin Picking

Gorgeous Morning
Had our homemade Hot Pepper Jelly on eggs for breakfast
Bronz needed to have some work done on the car, so we drove it into town, and then talked him into buying his girls some donuts. Yum yum
We sat at the picnic table and enjoyed this perfect morning while Bronz ate apple crisp.
(Our treat for him!)

I started Ann Voskamps book One Thousand Gifts this week...
It is an easy day to be thankful.
I look around and see beautiful, not ugly beautiful.
Thankfulness is a response this morning, not a choice.

 

This little cutie happens to be four months old today

 

Bronz planted a pumpkin patch in our feed lot, once the cows were on pasture.  So we picked them. Kamie was our spotter, Bronz cut them off the vine, and me, I was the baby holder, well most of the time.

Except when I was doing important things like running for the camera or ducking under the fence.

 

We even took our Family picture for September...

Happy Harvest Everyone!

Good Busy

 I'm thankful for 'normal' busy, racing from here to there, sopping up whatever just landed on the kitchen floor.  Doing a quick intervention between Kamie & a basket of eggs. That's been the life lately. 
I spent my Friday with the lil brother-in-law, that guy is a riot.  We were listening to Tim Hawkins, a comedian, and he was coming up with his own parody titled "Things you don't say to your sister-in-law" Including 'Your feet are three feet wide', and 'your breath stinks'. ...If you want to live a long and healthy life... A school assignment was to write a short story using certain spelling words.  "Is it okay if I write 'Once there was a boy who had to write these words >spelling words< and he got very sick.'"
Friday night we packed up and had a girls sleepover. Relaxing, and crazy me, I actually went to bed before midnight.  Something about two kids and the rarity of synchronized naps, I guess.
The rest of the weekend included down time at my Mom's, shopping, fun bonfire at a neighbor's, Sunday dinner with a friend, and some salsa makin'. 
Really wasn't sure which pile to tackle first this morning... All while keeping Blake fat and happy, keeping Kamie out of trouble, and getting some school done with the brother-in-law. (Doing some 'subbing' due to work scheduling) 
Happy to report that:
Quite a few of the piles are smaller. (in the interest of fair reporting, some are larger, namely the laundry one.)
School went great.
Kamie took a three hour nap.
I canned the salsa.
One batch of hot pepper jelly, completed.
Only rubbed my eye once after cutting up jalapenos. (But, really who would do that twice)
And I'll end with a confession.

I actually like Mondays.

Stuffed Tomatoes

 

We're all about tomatoes this week. A friend of mine picked up 14 boxes for me at a produce auction... for the grand price of $76

We had a canning day and put up 45 quarts, froze 100 lbs.

Soup, sauce, grilled, fresh... We've had them

Today I decided to get kind of 'foodie'. 

And so I stuffed them.

Cut the top off of tomato

Hollow out

Sprinkle tomato with pinch of salt

Put about 3 Tb of filling in

i.e. mushrooms, peppers, onions, rice, cheese, bacon

I cooked up some brown rice, with some of the previously ousted tomato, then added green and red peppers, side pork, garlic salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes

Top your custom filling with an egg, cracked directly into tomato

Sprinkle with more salt and pepper

Parmesan Cheese

Fresh Parsley

(my only herb that has survived the drought)

Bake in a 425 Oven

Baking time is somewhat subjective

I like my eggs over hard

So they spent 40 minutes in there

Yummy, I added a dollop of sour cream before serving.

Duh, of course I made this while Bronz was gone.

Bike-Like Faith

Last week I wrote about faith, a few hours later I was tucking Kamie into bed and asked her what she wanted to pray about.  Usually it's a rotating list of favorite family members, neighbors, and their animals. (I've prayed for dogs, kittens, donkeys, Abe the calf...) This night though, she told me to pray for a bike.  Kamie adores bikes, and 'more bicycles'. Commentary after seeing a semi, or more like every semi goes like this. "Meme scared of semi's"  "Meme like bikes". But this was the first time she'd wanted to pray for one. 
I prayed for a bike. 
Next day we went on a three county garage sale spree. Sure enough as we pulled in I spotted a pink bike, with a helmet, needed a new inner tube on the front tire but other than that was in pretty good shape, and they wanted a grand total of $1 for the ensemble.
Ever feel like you just got a hug from God?

When Cliches Don't Cut It

I've had a lot of hard questions circling in my head.  I keep struggling for answers, and finding that I can come up with solutions if I focus just on the outcomes of people. I can also get answers if I look at the Bible, but the two aren't meshing. My people solutions look very different from my God solutions. This is hard. 
I keep wrestling. 
When younger, I'm pretty sure I would have just gone with a pat "All things work together for good to them that love God." And then attribute wayward children, hurt marriages, bad things... to a lack of love of God. I'm not so sure now, people that genuinely love God are suffering these very things. Did they go wrong? Or someone else?
I believe God's word is true.  So did He mean something different by the good things he promised for those who love Him? 
I keep wrestling.
How can I keep myself from falling... If these people who I respect, can't stand? I know as well as anyone else that I'm just as prone to sin as they are.
Then it hits me - Faith.  Faith is what we hold onto when we don't see, when it doesn't always makes sense.  I know enough about My God to know that He is True. That He is Trustworthy. That He is God. 
These things still don't make any sense.

I continue to search for my answers...  And I have peace, because I can trust God, because faith is a choice. And I choose.

In this world you will have trouble, but be of good cheer,

I have overcome the World. ~Jesus

Apple Cake

Yumminess...

I make this almost every fall for Bronz, cuz he likes it, the recipe is super easy, and it's topped with a butter sauce. Umm Yeah!

It's out of a church cook book we received as a wedding gift. One of those churches that's been around forever... 1879 to be correct. And has its own collection of folklore.  I think the best story an older guy, named Bill told us.  He was attending a wedding there, and arrived a tad late, as he came up some kids asked him to open the door for them, since their arms were full. Full with bags of pigeons they'd caught.  They released them into the basement, where the reception was to be held.  I guess the birds were about as happy about the whole deal as the church board.  The police showed up a couple days later at Bill's and told him that the church wasn't going to prosecute, but demanded all involved attend a board meeting.  (That could sure cut down on crime!)  They were thoroughly chewed up one side and down the other, until finally there was a demand for an apology.  Everyone looked at Bill, since he was the oldest, Bill being innocent of the matter wasn't going to apologize, so after several long minutes of silence, the board told them to catch the last two birds in the bell tower and never do anything like that again!

So here's the recipe:
Apple Cake
Stir and let stand until juicy:
3 cups diced apples
1 cup sugar
Add:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix and put in a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 350 until done.
Topping:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 heaping tablespoons flour
1 cup water
Cook until clear, add 1 stick butter.
Pour over warm cake.
Enjoy with whipped cream, and a hot cup of coffee.

Of Peaceful Sunday Nights & Cows

Kamie quietly tucked into bed, Blake cooing, me enjoying Sunday night.  Then my phone started ringing. Bronz’s ring. Since I didn’t answer he hollered up the stairs for me. (What I realized later was that he called my phone, while holding it at the bottom of the stairs…)

>sweet,nagging wife tone<  

Could you puh-lease not call me when I’m putting the kids down.

We’ve got a cow in heat.

(Note: There’s just not a very delicate way to say that, now, is there?)

>groan<  I love you  (Someone crown me quick)

What that means, is  Bronz has to AI the said cow, so we can have a little calf without keeping a bull around. If you need more info than that search engines await.

I grabbed a handful of chocolate chips, and a plaid insulated shirt (have to have the uniform for the job.) Stuffed my sweats into boots, which had their inaugural use under a white poofy dress with rice being thrown at them. Let me tell you, they’ve seen a lot rougher stuff since.

Me:        Aren’t you glad you’ve got me to help you?

Him:       Why don’t I help you, instead?

Me:        Are you sure you mean that?!

Him:       Silence.

Me:        I didn’t think so.

Me:        Well, I’ll do just about anything as long as you like my sweats, cuz they’re super comfy. (No one's ever accused me of staying too close to the topic at hand.)

Me:        How are we going to go about this?

Him:       Well, I’ve got an idea… It might be a dumb idea…

Adeline was the girl we needed to ‘take care of’… She happens to be my favorite, and is really tame. We herded her into the chute, Holding Blake in one hand I pulled the lever to clamp her in.  The cows are always fascinated by our babies, so maybe he had a tranquilizing effect as well.  Whatever the case it went very smoothly and I didn’t have to point a flashlight at nether regions, so happy girl here.  We only had one cow get out, and we were in the house by ten thirty. Not bad. Oh and I got a back and foot rub out of the deal. Not bad, not bad at all.

Aww... Can't wait to see our kids in white jeans in the show ring

The Challenging Child

I mentioned earlier that Kamie has had a Major attitude switch.  She has been demanding, frustrating, angry… etc.  The attitude started popping up about a year ago.  We drew battle lines on January 2, when she started crawling out of her crib. I thought that two weeks of consistent training should do it. (bahaha)  8 months later…

While she was generally better around other people, that wasn’t always the case, so I stayed home from lots of events to avoid gigantic temper tantrums. It might even have been funny if it wasn’t my child saying  “Meme push little kids”,  “I doesn’t like you mommy!” or have you asking “Why did you go potty on the counter?” (btw her answer, after shrugging shoulders was “Meme naughty”)  the worst part was how angry she was, at me and the world. The stiff back. Waking up in the middle of the night and hitting at me, while crying for me.

We had a break through… I hesitate to say the difference maker, cuz if you’re a mom going through this, and are at the I’ve-tried-everything point, it might just be frustrating…

But…

I took away things, I wasn’t sure if she would get the concept, but she did – and a Eureka attitude change resulted.  Favorite blankie, (covered her with a different blanket) pillow, stuffed animals etc.  I told her as I laid her down, that if she got out, Xyz was going to be gone until – either naptime was over, or I decided that her heart was happy.  I started with something she liked, and had her absolute favorite object be second to go. This gave her a bit of undeserved grace… she could tell I was serious. It kept me from continual warnings… And since it was only one object before her beloved red blankie… It also kept the timing short, so we weren’t spending the entire afternoon taking away inanimate objects.

So there you have it.  I’m really not sure if that was what changed her, or the fact that her little stubborn heart realized I would be blocking her at every turn, and she might as well give up. 

I cannot believe the change in her.  She’s happy. We can play together. She helps me.  Tantrums are waayy down – frequency and Richter scale.

Since you’re in the battle for the war….

1.       Train up a child in the way he/she should go.
This is your command. It helped me to continue, knowing that I was doing my job as a parent.

2.       Find Neutral Ground
We had the park and the car… Both Kamie was good in. It was very necessary for me to have some ‘breather’ times. Unless you’ve gone through this, you have no idea how demoralizing 8 months of consistent training with 0 visible results is.

3.       Get Support
Someone who is a little ahead of you… but not so far that they’ve forgotten the grittiness of it all.  A good friend, that you can call anytime or better yet who will call to check in on you –And the more you have the better.  I needed every single last one of mine!

4.       Avoid Detractors
Good friends, family… People you love, who love you. These are the ones who tell you what you are already doing in a knowing voice… Be consistent. Love them. Spank. They must have just had 3 easy – peasey kids. (Yours isn’t of the milk toast variety!) There will be other times to be close to them… right now it will just hurt your relationship, Cuz frankly, they are annoying, and you are over sensitive.

5.       Man Looks on the Outward Appearance
Now this may just be me… and how shallow I am, but I could deal better with Kamie if her hair wasn’t as messy as her ‘tude.  So I tried to dress her up, do hair and put lotion on her.  If we were having a good day I could care less what she looked like!

So while I’m completely overjoyed and feel ready to take on any parenting challenge…

I realize that

I have an end in myself

Nobody has it all together. Not everyone knows that (Don’t be the first to tell them)

Your child will act on their own free will

Coffee is wonderful

The Purgatory of Parenting

I've said it once, I'll say it again. 

Car Seats.

It really doesn't take a lot of explanation. Anyone who has buckled any child in knows it.  They are the price you pay for every mom misdeed, that cup of coffee you finished before picking up wailing infant, the day you forgot to take your pre-natal, the time you gritted your teeth and wished yourself on some abandoned island sans diaper bag.

Ever lugged one anywhere? They have to be carried three feet from your body like your arms needed toning, or something.

But today's chore is the absolute worst. 

Bravely, I say that I'm going to clean the car. 

Knowing that it entails taking apart two car seats...

which is really easy enough,

Washing them. 

FYI mine have been dried even though they tell you not to -

and didn't shrink. 

(Aren't you thankful that I discover things like that?) 

They probably just say not to dry so you take a.l.l day to wash them,

Or maybe it damages their hidden cameras. 

Can you hear it, The diabolical laughter?  As they watch yet another poor guilt stricken mother, agonize over the wretched hunk of plastic.

The putting-them-back-together is what gets me every time. 

I hate it. With a passion. 

Took me at least 40 minutes, and the manual the first time. That threader thingy they send along, does not work. Use a little pickle condiment spear. 

Mebbe I'm the only one so challenged.  Cuz' I set a timer for my 12 year old brother-in-law, he had it together in ten minutes. With a glance at the directions when he was finished to make sure he 'had done it right'. The boy is genius. Unfortunately (for me) he isn't around today.

The dryer just beeped. Wish me well.

 

What's a Blank Canvas?

I was just overjoyed that I had a great Big blank canvas, and an afternoon yesterday.  The big decision was whether it was Kamie or me who painted. Kamie won out... I took scotch tape, (masking tape would have worked better, but we are out and I'm all about innovation - like who needs a screwdriver when you have a knife?)  wrote LOVE, and gave her a brush... She picked out red paint and had a blast. 
During naptime I painted with black paint around the border... Then my rectangle o bugged me, so I touched that up with paint to make it an oval, and lined all the letters with a black magic marker.
When Kamie woke up she held it up against the kitchen wall, and told me to put it up. (Enter: hot glue gun) So we hung it nice and low where she can look at it.
This morning I added 1 John 4:19 - cuz it still looked a little 'blank' to me.

Ribbon, to line up my lettering

 

 

Kamie loves her masterpiece!  (Now if you want real art... check out my absolute favoritest artist -next to Kamie, that is!)

Family Love

One word to describe Dad's birthday party weekend?
Aah
Watch the kids try new and different adventures (crisco water slide... off of trampoline and into ditch.) Swings, perfectly engineered to dip little one's feet into water.

Sit and talk with the sisters, compare pinterest ideas... and pipe dreams of the big brick building we would turn into some sort of women's retreat- exercise, crafts, food, book store... I don't think we realized that we were just describing Dad & Mom's place on a larger scale.  
Laugh.  At the kids, at Caleb & Hayley trying to best one another with their ongoing rivalry, with each other.
The happy tears that there's been major attitude breakthrough with The Kamie.  And that 'shared feeling' cuz everyone knows what a tough time we've had, and they notice the difference, and they tell me...

We know this euphoria is here. And we enjoy it. We don't know how long things will be this good. The little orange dot on the family thumbprint tree... which isn't a thumbprint. The urgency to take another picture, hug each niece and nephew, write goofy saying on the basement walls, listen to a sister, put up with football games blaring from three vehicles.  Let fireworks wake up the two year old.  It's this feeling that we know life is tenuous, people are fragile, relationships are even more fragile. We've seen broken. So we handle gently. We may have to walk through the shadows in the valley with another brother or sister. This side of heaven there will be hurt, and temper tantrums, and work (and silage bagging), but the fellowship, the love... that gives us the taste of the other.  So that's really what the weekend felt like-- just a little bitty part of heaven.

Bow Tie Bonanza

Preparing for cousin's pictures this weekend

I looked up instructions for making bow-ties

and found this super easy one. 

So I made it...

 

 And another...

 I even followed the directions

(cue to clap)

Until I did the yellow hair bow for Kamie.

Then I changed the dimensions

to 8 in. x 5 in.

 

 

 

Now just wait, before you know it Bronz will be wearing them.

(But don't hold your breath.)

Do I really want to see Bronz in a paisley bow tie?

Say Cheese -Please-

 

Last year's Christmas picture search was not fun.  In all the photos we had taken throughout the year, there were like two that actually had all three of us in them. -As you can imagine, out of two pictures your chances of getting an amazing shot aren't that hot. I decided that I wouldn't let the situation get any worse, so my resolution for the new year was to get one family snapshot a month.  And I'm doing awesome.  That is if you can get over things like photo quality, and everyone smiling, and Bronz's head in the picture.

Side note.  I'm trying to get over the whole lookin' perfect obsession.  Taking pictures has been good for me...  But that's another post. And prolly a loong one.  Here's to not letting body image issues get in the way of taking a great family photograph.

 

Toddler Tutorial

 

 

 

 

Having Kamie sit still is like asking me to stand on my head, sure it's physically possible, but it ain't happening anytime soon. So, when I discovered this easy craft that has her completely enthralled...    I was/am absolutely giddy.

Needed:                                     

Yarn

Straws

Scissors to cut straws

Dip yarn into candle wax to harden end.

Tie one small straw piece around opposite end of yarn. 

And let them have at it!

I found that smaller straw pieces were actually easier to thread
on then the larger ones

Look at her concentration!

...And the little monkey is back!

Once Upon A Time

Five years ago today... My Bronz called me.  We had gotten to be friends, and I was pretty sure our friendship was going somewhere, so when he called me (from a hay field) I didn't think much of it til... He told me that he liked me, and wondered if I had any feelings for him. And when I said that I did, he asked me to pray about a relationship.  Still remember those were his exact words. 
Pretty sure He is not remembering this date, in all the silage bagging craziness.  So I'm getting Mom to babysit, and thanks to google maps... and some discreet sleuthing, I'm going to surprize him with his favorite chocolate chip cookies.  Oh yeah! Cannot.wait.to.see.his.face.  Bet it'll look something like mine did five years ago, today...

What's Goin' On

 

Trying to find a picture with Kamie's beloved 'red blankie' in it... No your eyes aren't playing tricks on you, the blanket is not red, it's pink.  I took it away for naptime today, after informing Kamie that it would be awol if she came out of her room for the 987 gazillionth time.  -Sobs- "I love you red blankie"

Catching up on laundry today. Took everything out of the dryer to find two bean pods... you might be married to a farmer...  On a side note, soybeans are generally just called beans.  Field corn is not sweet corn, just trust me on that one.  And for your own reputation, even if you're not from Iowa do a little simple observation and make sure you can tell the difference between the two crops.

I love the FlyLady, and her concept of cleaning.   I did it pretty religiously before Blake was born... and right now I'm in survival mode, so basically do the bare minimum. (Which is shining your sinks, making your bed, and a load of laundry a day.)  This week I branched out and worked on dejunking, throwing 57 things in a garbage bag. Aah the freedom!  I did Bronz's drawers. (First time in almost 4 years of marriage.) That's a BIG deal. He was even happy, but wondered what I possibly found to throw away, since all of his stuff is valuable. (So you dumpster divers out there, line up for a signature tee -creamy yellow, grease splotched... pink socks are also available)

Since we are being pretty random here- Bronz heard that a neighbor had told a friend that our corn didn't look too good on the West side, now the field borders a road, on the East side.  So in Bronz's words "That's kinda like somebody telling you what color of underwear you're wearing!"

 

 

 

The Why of Home Schooling

I catch myself considering myself as a homeschooler already, with a two-year old and an infant.  Some of it is the model of life long learning, some of it is the idea that when you are responsible for the majority of your child's education you don't have a start date... and anything that can be integrated into daily life is. 
So all that to say when Homeschooling was brought up in Bible Study last night I considered it pertinent to me.
The article basically was talking about how to teach our children about God, and our command:
And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.   Deuteronomy 6:6-7     
Then summed it up with:
Which is the reason why many choose homeschooling, since it's easier to teach your children through the day when you are with them.
Yes. That's it. That's why!  Not because I'm better than you. Or my kids are going to be smarter than yours. Or I love my children more. Not cuz' there's a chapter and verse command to homeschool.  Not to shelter the lil punkins from 'outside influences'.
No, we are homeschooling cuz' it's the easiest way for us to obey that command to teach our babies about God throughout our day.
God leads parents and people in different ways.  Whatever way He's leading you let's not confuse the true commands with others interpretations of their application.

Living In The Now

I'm a bad one at escaping where I'm at, and I don't even leave the house.  Laying on the floor today with The Blake smiling at me and Kamie riding on my knees. Why can't I love what this is all about?  Cuz in about thirty seconds The Kamie bounces a ball off of Blake's head, sticks her fingers waayy in his mouth and then chortles as she dodges out of my reach.  That's why I struggle with mentally checking out, meeting needs mechanically, politely.  Not getting down on their nitty gritty level.  Maybe that's why God gave me a child who doesn't let uninvolved be part of her vocabulary.  Who demands my attention all.the.time. 

Maybe He has given me a gift, of learning. To Be .Here. Now. 

Cuz' we all know time is love.