Little Black Dress

Well, we are headed to Indiana tomorrow. The wedding that J has been waiting for since March is now upon us. J is to be the flower girl (a.k.a. Princess), which has been her heart's desire for a couple of years now. She wondered yesterday if she should practice, but I assured her we would have a practice tomorrow evening. All of our finery is hanging in the hallway, ready to be loaded into the van late tonight. I was thrilled to get a new "little black dress" which doesn't make me look like a frumpy, nearly 40-ish Mom, but actually like someone of the female persuasion. L was pleased to find a velvet dress in the hand-me-down box, and J has been eager to wear the blue silk flower girl dress for several months.

I remembered this morning that I hadn't done anything about a wedding present yet, so I went to the bank for plenty of $1's and some $5's and whipped up our standard wedding gift: cash presented in a unique way. The label says "M Medical Associates, JPM D.O. TCKM MPAS,PA-C, Rx: J & R, Take as needed when feeling stressed, overworked or underprivileged. Use only for fun and fulfilling activities. LIVE-IT-UP capsules, 1/1/09, No refills, No expiration"


Apparently our computer was feeling left out since this nasty GI virus has been going around, so it contracted one of its own yesterday. Hubby spent all evening clearing it off and fixing everything up. What a pain. We are still having problems with Google...it gives us links that don't go with our searches. Any one else with this problem?

I have decided to go along with Mo Rocca and make resolutions for other people this year, instead of for myself. For L, she will resolve to be potty trained. J will resolve to stop whining cold turkey. There's more...I just have to think of them.

Happy New Year!

T

Merry Christmas!

I have some really, truly free time this afternoon, so I thought I'd post a quick note to wish every one a very HAPPY CHRISTMAS!

For lack of any thing really amazing to blog about, I can offer a few movie reviews. We have found ourselves these past few weekends with no home repairs, no packing or unpacking, and no yard work to do, so with bad weather and luxurious laziness to revel in, we have been crashing on the couch!

PRINCE CASPIAN

Without ruining it for those of you who may not have seen it, I'm not sure that the screen writers read the same book that I did. The movie was quite interesting and well done, but they took MANY liberties in the story, including a long fight scene which never occurred in the book and the return of the White Witch.

X-FILES, the movie

One of my "bad habits" back in the day, was faithfully watching X-Files every Sunday night...Hubby and I were quite hooked! If you aren't familiar with X-Files, you can still watch this movie and it will make as much sense to you as it did to me. I was excited to hear about another movie, and disappointed after watching it. It felt contrived...they tried too hard to make a sequel.

HANCOCK

Usually I don't care for Super Hero movies, but this one was interesting (short too...just 1 1/2 hours). Will Smith plays superbly a Super Hero struggling with depression and alcohol abuse. It was a bit dark, but with a good and satisfying ending. It's worth checking out.

KUNG FU PANDA

I went into this one without high expectations, but all 4 of us were rolling with laughter. It is a fun take on being comfortable with who you are, but at an unsophisticated level.

KIT KITRIDGE: AN AMERICAN GIRL

This one is my favorite of all the American Girl movies, about Kit, a 10 year old girl in 1934. It features Joan Cusak as a zany mobile librarian (one of the best characters in the movie). Kit and her friends learn that people can be much different than they appear on the surface.

and finally a TV movie: HEIDI 4PAWS

This one was on PBS this afternoon, featuring dogs dressed up as the characters from Heidi, including the goats. The girls loved it, I was mildly amused. I have never before seen dog yodeling.

T

BRRRRR.....

The thermometer is registering 8 degrees outside at the moment, and the wind has been howling all day. We thought something was scratching at our front door half the day until we realized that is was our Christmas wreath blowing in the wind and finally brought it in. The sky was so blue and clear today that I was hoping we could get out and stretch our legs a bit (the girls weren't interested yesterday), but the wind nipped that idea in the bud.

I'm finding myself feeling restless already...and it isn't even January yet. Restless and anxious. Why aren't the builders out there DOING something? We drove past our old house today and I felt some jealously bubbling up. They have room to MOVE, room to get out the Christmas decorations, the freedom to go in a room and be by themselves! Oh lordy, it's going to be a long winter!

We are making do with our tippy-top of a tree, donated to us by the Lions Club Christmas tree lot. I discovered recently that J is highly allergic to trees, so perhaps we shouldn't have one at all! The girls are SO excited, and J has been counting down the days for a couple of weeks. We are done with school for the next 2 weeks, so now we can put more time and effort into celebrating! We are planning to bake cookies tomorrow, and perhaps I can get the girls to work on the Christmas gifts we have been planning.

J's allergies, particularly to dust mites, gives me license to fulfill my obsessive-compulsive desires to clean, although Hubby has mentioned that it could be the reason she has issues in the first place. I think it's more likely inherited, as my brother has terrible allergies and asthma, but that's neither here nor there. Unfortunately the cleaning takes me 30 minutes at the most, so at some point I'm going to have to face the piles of photos that need to be put into scrapbooks.

Well, the noise level next door is escalating at 11:45 PM, so I guess I should retire to my bedroom, where I can't hear them, but hear the Greene Street traffic and the train very well. Ah...for a house in the country!

T

And the other good thing about living in town...

Now that the family seems to have come through the tunnel of illness and we can see sunshine on the other side again, "normal" life must resume. I try to think of one thing about this housing situation every day that is positive. It is really not bad here, truly. We are comfortable, warm and have the things we need literally right at our fingertips. A strange thing happens most afternoons, however. Around 4:00 the walls start closing in and we need to get OUT, OUT, OUT! It is really nice that everything is in walking distance.

For some reason, J did not want to walk to the playground today, so I enticed the girls out by telling them they could take some money out of their piggy banks and buy a snack at the gas station up the street. Once they had chips in hand, we strolled along the sidewalks toward down town, looking at Christmas displays and finding the entire alphabet on signs. We enjoyed looking around in Honey Bees and the 10,000 Villages shop. The girls were amazed by the giant Christmas tree at the Courthouse with "candies" on it as big as their heads.

Our 30 minute outing stretched into nearly an hour. We came home happy and refreshed. Don't be surprise if one day we show up at your doorstep around 4:15!

T

Don't Pass Out....

but I'm posting. Yippee. It's been so long I'd almost forgotten how to do it! Pathetic I know.

Anyhew, pregnancy funk has once again been lifted due in part to Cockroft company. Thank you. :)

Other news....At the library open house, Ethan asked Santa for a Rainbow Bus.....Ben asked for a pink fire engine. When questioned by parents about whether Santa had access to such toys, reply was "He can make them." Egads. What to do??? Any pointers.

Both boys sleeping upstairs now. Awake at....6:20 am every day. Ben's comments "I woke up by myself." Good for you little man, now knock it off.

Already bored with being inside this winter and it's only December 5th.
Anyone braving the weather for the parade tomorrow?

Will try to post again, but will allow you to recover from the initial shock of this one first.

S.

THANK YOU!

Sigh...just cleared out the last box today, and have sent John over to the garage with the empties. It has been a crazy 10 days since I last posted, but smooth sailing lies just ahead!

A HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who helped us out...couldn't have managed without every one's help!

We are having some trouble adjusting to the traffic noise after living in the country or a dead end street for the past 11 years. I figure that we will get accustomed to it after awhile, and then it will seem TOO quiet out on Poplar Ridge in a few months! Apartment living otherwise does seem to be a manageable, tiny version of life on the hill. L was snuggled up next to me this week and stated "I like this house!" I'm so glad to hear it!

J's birthday party went very well this weekend. I think it made up for totally ignoring her Birthday on the actual day last week. She is very happily playing with all her new things while L snoozes.

One day, I'll have the Elaine's over for tea...

T

Signing Off

Well, it's time for the BIG MOVE! We are picking up our U-Haul today and planning on making several trips to both the apartment and the garage for storage starting tomorrow. Unfortunately, the garage is not yet ready for storing anything yet...floor is still wet and there are no doors or windows. SIGH....I hope everything works out!

We did find a nice apartment to live in for the next 6 months or so...right in town, brand new...very nice. It will be close quarters, but we will manage! Tomorrow we close on our house, and cede ownership to the W family on the 20th. Whew!

I just wanted to post this picture of the girls' magic beans. The opened pod is over 13 inches long. We have saved some of the beans, and hope to plant more next year. Maybe by then I'll know what they are!

We won't be assured of internet access for awhile, so I'm signing off for now...

T

Home is where the heart is.

I'm tired...physically and emotionally drained, plus a little high from magic marker fumes I think. I lost count of the boxes of books after 14, it's probably closer to 20 now, plus a few in the basement that we didn't have room on the bookshelves for. Can you believe that I took 3 big bag fulls to the Library for their sale? All this stuff just makes me want to start handing things out on the street corners to people. I've found Freecycle quite liberating lately.

Ah, but life goes on despite my mental state. We should know this weekend if we get to winter on Porter Street or in an apartment. Just knowing where we are heading in a few weeks would ease some of the anxiety. I always tend to make mountains out of mole hills, but I've built this one up to rival Mt. Everest. I have peaked in my stressed-out abilities.

I was contemplating tonight about leaving this house, and honestly, I feel nothing. I'm not sure if I am numb because of stress or I have really matured to the level of not having an overwhelming attachment to another thing. I brought both of my babies to this house, watched them crawl, then run and climb. I have gardened more than I have since I was a child, growing up in Idaho. I have painted nearly every square inch of these walls, and cleaned it all over and over (and over) again. There were a lot of memories made inside these walls, and out in the fresh country air too. But the really important things are those 2 beautiful little girls snuggled up in their beds, and my big teddy bear of a husband...those are the things I need to feel content and at home.

Even if we have to end up living in a van...down by the river.

T

Out of the mouth of babes...

At the dinner table last night, J asked if we could plant trees all around our new house. I explained that our house will be in the woods, so it really already has trees around it.

"No," she said, "I mean trees right up next to the house!"

I explained that having trees too close to the house could cause problems, and suddenly she became wistful. "I like the trees!" she announced, then excused herself from the table. "I need to go draw some pictures of the trees!" She gathered together her small pad of paper and big box of crayons, and went outside.

When I returned home from the homeschooling meeting, she had her finished products on the table. One picture was very obviously the row of pine trees that line our driveway. One I think was meant to be our small maple tree, complete with a few red leaves. The last seems to be an unfinished likeness of the pumpkins on the porch railing.

Just seeing those small drawings lined up on the table brought tears to my eyes. The sentiment, the 5 year old significance behind them was enormous and felt so poignant at that moment. This is the home, the trees, the nature that J has known for her entire lifetime. I am able to see the big picture and look ahead to a new home in a beautiful location, but she is merely seeing change and uncertainty.

This moment served to reinforce to me the most obvious of observations: she is just a child! I realized today that we have already completed one semester of work in Phonics and Math after 37 days of classes. I have been pushing 2 lessons a day once we took a bazillion assessments to find an area that wasn't only review. J is doing wonderfully, and it takes her about 30 minutes to do the work. It flashed through my mind again: she is just a child! Why push her?

So, I continue to learn, and thankfully, I have this sweet, innocent child to guide me.

T

To Every Thing (turn, turn, turn)...

There is a season...

I went out to the garden yesterday morning after ignoring it completely for almost a week. It appears that we've reached that dismal time of year when the garden stops producing. The dreary weather did much to reinforce how sad the whole thing looked. The Tomato Hornworms have wreaked havoc on my remaining tomato plants, although I was able to bring in a basket full of lovely red ones. I pulled out the fluffy purple flowers before they could seed the whole garden in. The girls' magic beans are still going strong. All my neglected basil is woody and bitter, but there are some lacy green shoots of dill coming up where the dill went to seed.

I found two mice in two days in the mouse trap.

My Bodum french press carafe broke last night.

I packed one bookshelf of books and already have 4 boxes full.

There is a time for planting, a time for harvesting, and a time to rest. There is a time for good coffee, and a time to drink tea. There is a time that the mice like to visit, and a time they leave us well enough alone. There is a time to pack, and a time to unpack (and then a time to pack and unpack again). I just need to remember that although one thing may end, something bigger and better may be just around the corner.

And now, it's time for a weekend. Have a lovely one!

T

There's a Hole on My Hill!

The girls and I went to see the "diggers" working out at our property today! Whoopie! They are finally starting our house! I am doing a blog about it so folks can watch progress along with us. If you are interested, click here for a link.

T

Remembering Zaccheus

Zach Martin

August 1994 - October 2008

We are sorely missing our little dog who passed away this morning.

T

Calming Presence

We broke out the flannel sheets this week...ah...the comfort of snuggling into bed where the sheets are soft and warm. It softens the blow of the coming winter cold somewhat. The soft flannel sheets, comfy bed: relax and hibernate for the winter.

If only we could apply the flannel sheets principle to life. I know I could use a buffer against some of the stuff life throws at me. Just this week, my husband and I were discussing my near melt-down with the girls, and how I could possibly have handled the situation better. "They just need a calming presence." he said.

I've been thinking about that for the last few days: a calming presence. I think most of the craziness that goes on in our house is really coming from ME! If I could wrap us all up in a flannel sheet of comfort when things are not going the way I would like, instead of going off the deep end, we would all be happier. My husband is definitely the calming presence in our home, and now, I am trying to follow his example for a more relaxed home.

T

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Do the rest of you feel extremely uncomfortable and uneasy at the hair salon? Perhaps part of my problem is that I end up getting a hair cut about twice a year, but I always feel really awkward. I also find it very disconcerting to stare at myself in a giant mirror for 15 minutes straight. This morning, while having my hair cut, I noticed a lot of facial wrinkles and loose skin down under my chin. Not a pleasant discovery to make while in the presence of young, taut skinned blondes. Of course, the fact that my hairdresser had pink highlights only added to my unease. So, I'm out of my element, true, but why do I feel that I must sit silently and stare at the hair on the floor during my cuts? I was out without children...I should have been celebrating! Instead, I sat mute and resigned, trying to avoid noticing the signs of my own aging. SIGH...perhaps the more pertinent question to ask is why am I still having self-esteem issues when I've been in this skin nearly 4 decades now?

I felt out a bit uncomfortable showing my house to prospective buyers as well. That is probably normal...you want to put the best face possible on a 60 year old house! The W family stopped by today to drop off some papers, and said that their financing was approved, so we are moving forward with closing on this sale. They also mentioned that they are planning to sell their current home themselves as well and will run the full color Sunday ads and make a web page as well: "just what you did"!

And yes, the flattery canceled out the whole hair salon experience.

T

TGIF

Oh thank goodness for an upcoming weekend. With the house (I hope) off the market, we shouldn't have as much work to do this weekend. Hopefully we can move before the leaf clean-up begins in earnest!

We worked hard this week to make today an easy one, and since it was a dreary day, I suggested a trip to the video store for some viewing material to watch this afternoon (in between house showings). J decided that she wanted to go to Recreation Station in Washington. She reminded me that I told the girls that we could go there some rainy day...trust her to remember THAT, but not to wear underwear on a regular basis. It's a pretty nice indoor play area in Washington. We have gone twice...both times free weekends. I called this AM to check prices: $7.00/each for kids and $3.00 for adults...BUT children MUST be accompanied by an adult! J went off the deep end when I told her we couldn't afford to pay that much for an hour's worth of play time, no matter how nice the play area. She was grumpy the rest of the AM and I had to prod her to finish her school work.

Luckily Daddy called after lunch to see how my noon time showing went, and suggested taking the girls to Burger King for lunch and to play. Although I really dislike taking them to "Fomite Land", it did the trick - both girls were happy. That is, until L, who was kid watching, fell off her chair and landed on her head on the tiles. She was perfectly fine, and some very nice gentleman bought her a new hamburger since it went flying and landed on the tiles too.

J is now happily playing phonics games on Starfall...great site for pre-readers and beginners. We have started reading some phonics books my Mom gave me and doing Starfall on Fridays...breaks up the tedium. She also wrote a poem today, inspired by Theme In Yellow by Carl Sandburg.

Theme In Green

-JM

I am sweet and children eat me.

I am called sugar snap peas.

I grow in a pod

Like a Luna moth in a cocoon.

I hang from a vine

People pick me.

I'm a delicious dish for dinner.

That's it from the hill...happy weekend to all!
T

Here we go...

It's official...we're building a house!

Excavation can begin as early as next week, with building beginning the week after that!

I guess I'm ready???

T

Aubergine

I love Fall...the cool nights, the colorful leaves, the wild abundance of Mums and the amazing things available at the Farmer's Market! Yesterday I got apples and this eggplant (aubergine sounds so much grander) among other things.

I plan to use it in this wonderful spread that we first sampled at The Homestead Restaurant in Homer, Alaska. I was able to get the recipe (some good things DO come from Alaska!), which I will share with you:

Melanzano

1 large eggplant

2-3 cloves garlic

8 oz cream cheese

1 c grated Parmesan

1/2 c olive oil

Cut eggplant in half, rub with olive oil and place face down on a cookie sheet. Peel garlic cloves, rub with olive oil and place on cookie sheet. Roast at 375* for 40 min or until soft. Cool, then scrape eggplant from skin. Puree all ingredients together in food processor, drizzling in olive oil until well blended.

This is great on crackers, pitas, veggies, you name it!

T

Magic Beans

Just in time for our Language Arts unit on "Jack & the Beanstalk", we found some magic beans in our garden! Can you believe these pods? I have no idea what we are growing, or if they are highly toxic or not. Any ideas anyone?

They must truly be magic because just an hour after I put out our FOR SALE sign, someone called and is coming to look at the house tomorrow! Wow!

T

An Apple Equation

Apples from our tree


PLUS

apple juice, brandy, honey, cinnamon & butter

EQUALS

another midnight project!

T

KidWash - Rest in Pieces

After three summers of entertaining hordes of children, at 5:16 today, the KidWash washed its last kid. I had to hold it up while the girls played today, then I promptly bundled the bits into a garbage bag (trash day in the AM). Sort of symbolic of the end of summer, don't you think? I will fashion a new one for next year. Put your orders in now!
T

First Day of School

We now have the first day of school officially under our belts. It wasn't a stellar day by any means...the computer system was down, so I wasted an hour this AM attempting to connect, making phone calls that lead no where, and writing frustrated emails. A friend stopped by unexpectedly (that NEVER happens up here on the hill!). The Realtor came by several hours earlier than planned. Lauren dumped the entire contents of her lunch plate on the freshly cleaned carpets. I saw the school bus letting kids off while we were finishing up our Math lesson...so much for getting done early.

So we made it.

I didn't experience the momentous "first day of school" moment that is so often photographed. Although we worked well together in school, everything felt disorganized and disjointed. Jenna said home school is "great". I'm hoping for a more cohesive 2nd day of school.

T

Anyone Want a New House?

I've been working on a site to give a "virtual tour" of the house for all of the teeming masses of people who want to buy it. Thought I'd give you all a preview for comments & critiques. I don't have any master bedroom photos because I'd like to get some furniture out of there first, and somehow can't manage it on my own!

T

Hip Hip...

Hooray! At my Doctor's appointment today it became official.
We heard the heartbeat! Yippee!
Just thought I'd share our happy news.

S.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

THE GOOD...

THE BAD...

THE UGLY!

T

Tossing the To-Do List

I finished the last project on my summer To-Do list. It was very satisfying to crumple the list and toss it in the trash. True, I would probably remember to do everything even without the list, it's just more fulfilling to cross things off as they are accomplished! No one ever accused me of being entirely sane!

The symbolic tossing of the list made me stop and think: have I really done everything that I set out to do this summer? Well, no. I really meant to take the girls bike riding at the Elementary School playground a few times. I hoped to have the house sold. I still have photos from Christmas that need to go into an album. I could make another list of things I DIDN'T do, but I won't.

I need to go start my Fall list...

T

Life is Like a Book!

We checked the book, "Laura Charlotte", written by Kathryn O. Galbraith, out of the library this week. It is a very sweet story, and is very similar to our true life story out here on the hill!

The book is about a grey, stuffed elephant that is made for a little girl's 5th birthday by her Grandmother. The girl names it Charlotte, and after many years of playing with it, she puts the elephant into storage. Eventually, Charlotte is given to her own daughter, Laura Charlotte, and becomes HER favorite play thing.

This reminded J (who is 5) of one of her favorite stuffed toys, a grey, stuffed elephant, made for me by my Grandma!



T

Celebrate!

Party Peppers!

All the repairs, renovations and spiffing up around here is done, done, done! We are ready to try to sell this house. We are moving forward on construction without changes, despite the tax estimates of over $10,000/year. We are hoping to contest this, and have decided to risk it, hoping for a lower number when the tax abatement is up in 3 years!!

These peppers looked so cheerful, I just had to add them to the post. Hope they make you smile, N!

T

Why I'm Not a Farmer

Do you remember in all those Laura Ingalls Wilder stories how Pa decides to wait a couple of days to let the wheat ripen before harvest and then the grasshoppers come, or fires, or some other such calamity? We've all heard stories about Tornadoes ripping through the week before the wheat harvest in the mid-West and not only flattening the wheat, but sucking up the barn and harvester too. Those are some of the reasons that I'm glad I'm not a Farmer. I don't depend on my "crops" for my livelihood, or even for my meals. I'd have a lot more learning to do anyway, before I could join the ranks of "Farmer".

My 2008 peach harvest, though much anticipated, was a bust. I picked about 2 dozen peaches today, most of which had holes in them from the bees. The girls and I ate a couple off the tree on Tuesday, when I noticed that they were almost ripe. I picked a few on Thursday, but still encountered many green ones. By this morning, however, they had vanished, although not entirely. There was plenty of evidence scattered around to show that someone/thing enjoyed LOTS of peaches! While J grumpily denounced the "naughty deer and groundhogs", I was berating myself for not watching more closely. To be honest, this isn't the first time I've missed the peaches. A couple of years back, I was giving them a couple more days to ripen up and a doozy of a thunderstorm whipped through over night. By morning, all that was left were the tell-tale pits around under the tree.

Another year without peaches to put up. Bummer. We did eat all the peaches we could hold today...mmm...were they good.

The ones that got away...

The End of an Era

We watched the last bit of "A Very Brady Christmas" last night, and now we're at a bit of a loss to know what to do with ourselves! The four of us have snuggled up on the couch to watch an episode of "The Brady Bunch" almost every evening since early Spring. We watched the last one, where Greg was graduating from High School, just a few weeks ago. Since then we have made our way through 2 Brady movies and 2 episodes of "The Brady Kids" (an animated show featuring the kids and some animals). It has been nice to sit together to watch, and then discuss each episode, and then stay together to read stories before tucking the girls into bed. Tonight J asked "what are we going to watch?" Luckily I picked up a video called "Ashpet" at the library today. It is a version of Cinderella, set in the South during the 40's...actually quite good...the fairy godmother part was an African American woman who "made spells". From here on out we can watch Olympics for another week or so, and then we'll just have to come up with some other family bonding event. Or we could just start over at Episode 1: The Brady Wedding...

Hope all are well! We need to have a meeting!

T

Bone Tired

It is work week up here on the hill. We have been working hard, neglecting our children and working outside until 6 PM, then collapsing (after a much needed shower). The goal is to have the house ready to sell by next week. We have had plenty of projects that need to be done. The biggest one was to create a patio out of the brick pavers recycled from the front sidewalk that became a flower bed. There were 9 cement pavers under this lean-to originally, about 2 foot square. We dug up sod and lined the garage with them. The lean-to itself has a fresh new coat of stain. I think it turned out pretty well for amateurs!


We used all recycled and found items for the project...and this is all that is left. Interested M?

We have also cleaned and repaired gutters and chimney, repaired the parking area, replaced a deck board and the roofing over the basement stairs, and I am about half done re-staining the deck.

4 more boxes arrived for J today...one is a printer, think the others may be computer parts! I need to clear out my desk to make room for J's school area and rid the study of all these boxes!

Sheesh...I'm exhausted! I am SO looking forward to having a new house where no home repairs are required for many years! (On that subject, we applied for our building loan...red tape because Flood Insurance folks believe we are in a flood plain!)

We are planning on stopping early tomorrow to take in the Greene Co. Fair. Hope you all are well!

T

New Shoes

L was devastated this afternoon when we tried to put on her "pitty bown shoes" and they didn't fit. The tears were finally quieted when I promised her we would look downstairs for new ones tonight, and give the other shoes to Baby B. She was completely delighted when we found another pair of pretty brown shoes in the box of hand-me-downs in the basement, and ran up the stairs to show them off to J and Daddy.

It reminds me of a man I met on a garbage dump called "Smokey Mountain" in Manila one summer during college. He was a scavenger, who likely made his home on the dump out of recycled/found objects, and sold other such things to make a meager living. He had recently found 2 shoes while scavenging, and though they didn't match, there was a right and a left, and they were close to the same size. He showed me his loot with pride, and was clearly thrilled with his good fortune that day.

Even though I was profoundly touched by this experience 20 years ago, I had forgotten how to be grateful for the small things: the smile on L's face after receiving "new" second-hand shoes, the smell of J's hair when I kiss her sleeping cheek, the warmth in my bed of my husband on cold nights, the senile old dog that loves me so much that he waits outside the shower for me to come out, the knowledge that I will always have matching shoes. I will try to remember to live each day with a thankful heart for all those little things I sometimes take for granted.


T

Christmas in July!

Much to our surprise, the man in the brown truck rang our doorbell this afternoon. Seems he had too many packages to carry in one load. We received 6 big boxes from Agora Cyber Charter School addressed to J. At first I nearly panicked. I mean, this means that school REALLY starts soon, and I REALLY am teaching J this year!

An hour later, J and I sat down to open the brown cardboard boxes. Inside were more boxes! Brightly colored ones...just like Christmas. We opened box after box: "Language Arts K Standard" held a dazzling variety of award winning picture books, some of which are already favorites. "Math K Standard" held a plastic container of brightly colored geometric shapes, and colorful stacking blocks, while a slide whistle, tambourine and CDs were inside the "Music Preparatory" box.

While we're on the Christmas theme...last night, my "craft" table was looking very much like a scene from the Island of Misfit Toys in the Rudolf movie, with broken toys piled up beside my sewing machine. I decide to spend last night after the girls went to bed attempting to repair said items, the loss of which would be devastating to my girls. The biggest success story is the fairy wings, which long ago had begun to shred. I managed to repair them with a pair of old stockings, a glue gun and shiny star jewels. J was so thrilled that she wore them all day.

What fun! Now I'm a little bit excited, and J is VERY excited to do school. (And fairy wings with stars really DO help you concentrate better.)

T

When a Primal Scream Just Doesn't Cut it

I'm so ashamed of myself!

I worked (for hours and hours) today on putting trim around the new mantel in the living room. It should have been easy...every thing was cut to fit, all I had to do was nail it in. I tried several different finishing nails, even went back to Wayne Lumber (the I -heart- Hot Moms guy was there again...different t-shirt today) for yet another type. THEY WOULDN'T GO IN! I tried really hard not to shout the slew of 4 letter words that were boiling to the surface, but I have to admit that a couple slipped out.

Finally I just put the hammer down and screamed. Really loud. Really long. Then I cried for a while. What I really wanted to do was bash something. Didn't do it because it would just be one more mess for me to clean up. Meanwhile, my girls were staring at me like I was Satan incarnate. J said "I really wish I could help you Mommy. It looks kinda easy." After hugs all around, I proceeded to get them ready for bed, but I didn't really feel all that much better!

Is there a secret to keeping yourself under control in those out of control moments? I'm seriously hoping that I didn't freak my kids out too much. Maybe family counseling in lieu of a summer vacation this year is in order!

Lesson learned: chestnut is an extremely hard wood (rivals hickory - discovered that one while trying to install child locks on the kitchen cupboards several years ago), don't attempt battle with it until children are at someone else's house and out of hearing range.

T

A Hard Life

Over dinner this weekend, J and her friend, M, were discussing their future vocational goals. J stated that she wants to be a Veterinarian. "I want to have a hard life when I grow up." said M. Perhaps the stunned silence that followed prompted her to explain. "I want to live in a log cabin and cook all my meals over the fire. I want to have a corn crop." (True to her love of all things Pioneer!)

"We have a corn crop." I announced. M didn't appear to be impressed.

In all honesty, our corn patch is not all that impressive. Personally, I find the stately rows of tall, green stalks very beautiful. I only managed to get about half of it weeded and mulched this year before running out of mulching material. The weeds between the remaining rows were knee high, so I actually pushed the mower between the rows this weekend!

I was delighted by the thunder storm last evening! I refilled the rain barrels, and imagined how happy the garden and corn patch would be with all of the water. I surveyed the landscape following the rain with dismay, however. Two-thirds of the corn patch was flattened. Several limbs and many branches littered the ground. The bird feeder was dangling upside down from the suspension wire.

This morning, coffee mug in hand, I strode out to right the fallen stalks. An hour and a half later, I had 6 rows tied up and had weeded another row, straightened and filled the bird feeder, and tossed most of the litter into the woods. With a satisfied sigh, I came in for a bowl of cereal with blueberries.

Not a hard life, certainly, but hard work. Hard work that yields amazing rewards and is personally fulfilling. I can handle that!

T

Today, in my garden...

This is my tiny garden harvest today, minus 2 lovely strawberries which were immediately devoured. The new items we are trying this year are:

- Gurney's Hybrid Sweeter Yet Cucumber

- Burpee Kaleidoscope Mix Carrots

T

Tractor Poop

It is hay cutting time up here on the hill. Last year, after watching our neighbor, Mr. D, put up the hay, J dubbed the big, round bales "Tractor Poop". I shot this short video to show why!



T

Overheard at GE

Elderly Man: My primary care is out there in Rogersville...Cornerstone.

Elderly Woman: oh, I see

Elderly Man: A doctor by the name of ah, a, Martin. Dr. John Martin.

Elderly Woman: Oh yes, I've heard of him. A lot of people like him.

Elderly Man: Yeah, and one thing you can say for him is that he takes time, he's thorough.
N

Naked as a Jay Bird

Last week, I finally found out what it means to be "naked as a Jay Bird" under unfortunate circumstances. While Waynesburg was being whipped by a nasty storm, complete with toppled trees and felled branches, the only damage here was 3 baby birds blown out of their nest. They were Blue Jays, I think, judging from the activity I had seen in the Maple tree lately. 3 pink baby birds without a stitch of feathers to cover them. J was devastated, so we had a baby bird funeral. She still had to go off by herself to recover from her emotions.

J is such an emotional child! She feels things very deeply, and at her age (5 going on 15) she hastens to let us know how she is feeling. As I write, I am listening to her cries and screams of injustice. My stomach is tied up in knots, because I never know if I have done the right thing when I discipline her, but I can't back down once I've made the decision. She is extremely tired after 2 mornings of swimming lessons, picnic in the park and pool in the afternoon. Add to that play with the Elaine children this evening, and she is in meltdown mode. Did I do wrong since she has been crying for 20 minutes now? Oh dear, how to know!?!

Once she is sleeping, I will likely go to her and cradle her head in my arms. If only these night time visits would make up for the pain she is feeling now! My dear, sweet daughter! If only you knew how painful the discipline is for the parent as well! I love you, I love you, I will always love you! Even my heart feels cold...like a naked Jay Bird.

T

The Perpetual Hostess

Our final overnight guest of the summer has gone, and after washing sheets and towels, I slumped onto the couch to watch "Finding Nemo" with the girls. We have had overnight guests here 19 of the past 30 days, plus a weekend away from home. I am just plain pooped from all the cleaning, planning, grocery shopping, cooking, entertaining, just overall being NICE.

In all fairness, my mother-in-law was here since the 2nd, and she really was quite easy...took long naps along with L and went to bed early. We did have to remind her over and over again that certain physical complaints came along with being 86 years old, and weren't due to any serious illnesses. But overall, this was the easiest of the bunch.

Now I'm ready to enjoy my home with just the noise of the girls play, interjected with a few fights (wow, can girls ever scream!). I want to enjoy sloppy meals made on the spur of the moment instead of well planned and prepared ones. I'd like to walk around half the day in my pj's if I so desire.

Of course, now I need to return, without excuses, to working on my list of home repairs...next up: excavating for some brick work. We also have J's swim lessons next week with the inevitable "making a day of it" at the pool a time or two.

DH and L are home with fast food for dinner, so I need to act as if I've been productive for the past 20 minutes. My best wishes and love to N.

T

APRICOTS

Thankfully, no "Little House on the Prairie" disasters occurred with my beautiful apricots as I waited for them to ripen. We did watch deer, groundhogs, and rabbits enjoy some of the windfall. With the help of my Mother-in-law, I got some canned and made some into jam. We also have been enjoying a huge apricot cobbler for dessert for the past few days, and have had many to eat fresh. Hooray for home grown produce!

T

Move Over Obama Girl!

This afternoon, L was singing herself to sleep: "Obama, oh Obama! Obama, oh Obama!" I'm convinced this has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that "Obama" is really fun to say, but due to my children being brilliant political minds.

I'm trying not to let my emotions guide my ballot finger in these elections, but I have to admit, I get goose bumps when I think about the staggering posibility of witnessing the first African American President come to office in this country. I am weary (8 years weary) of this administration, especially of an American leader who has his own best interests, not those of our country at heart. I want change!

So much for my political soap box. If you are interested, check out more Obama propaganda at http://www.dipdive.com/dip-politics/wato/

T

Fruit of the Season

The apricots, which we've never had the opportunity to harvest

here, are looking luscious on the tree...not quite ripe, but SOON!

We picked these sweet babies on the way up the hill from the mailbox this afternoon.

T

Hot Moms

We came home from Lancaster area yesterday with an 11 foot fireplace mantel strapped to the top of our van. Now it is a most imposing feature in the garage, where it awaits my efforts at finishing it.

I stopped at Wayne Lumber this afternoon to pick up sand paper, and was waited on by a young man, maybe 19 or so, who was sporting a T-shirt announcing in big letters "I (heart) Hot Moms".

What the heck?

I have no illusions that I might be a "Hot Mom" to a 19 year old, nor do I wish to be. However, I was left speechless by his advertising efforts. I continue to ponder the meaning of "Hot Moms", and why someone would wear it on their T-shirt. Maybe some things are better left a mystery!

T

Ink Spots

Well, N, now I have ink problems of my own! L found an ink pen and decided to decorate her legs. (Click on the picture for a better view of her artwork.)

J keeps asking "Why L? Why did you write on yourself?" I answer for her: "She's 2!"

Nuff said.

T

St. Michael the Archangel

I am happy to say that with God's help, I was able to complete this lovely icon of St. Michael the Archangel. We put in at least 8 hours of painting each day and learned all the techniques for painting each part as we went.

This photo was taken right before varnishing, the final step which really makes the colors "pop" and the icon look finished.

Each morning we studied different depictions of St. Michael and we talked about what different elements represent. For instance the globe represents the world, the letters stand for "Christ, the Righteous Judge." The angels usually have wings which suggest speed. They also are depicted with a staff. The thick neck suggests strength. The hair is in the ancient Greek style for warriors. The ribbon is supposed to be antennae-like, indicating that the angels are messengers are listening or attentive.

It is believed that it was actually St. Michael that was the pillar and cloud leading the Israelites in the wilderness, that Michael guarded the gates of paradise when Adam and Eve were cast out. Michael is the leader of the angelic hosts, being second in command (after Lucifer) so now is first in command.

N

Ride the rails? H*** NO!!!

I just got a call from my brother in Austin, TX, who was scheduled to reach home via Amtrack last night. They actually got in around 4 AM today. After a 10 hour delay, the train was "terminated" in Dallas, and they got to begin a 3 and 1/2 hour bus ride at 12:30 with 2 tired kids in tow. This was supposed to be the good experience on the return trip after taking an 11 hour bus trip from St Louis to Toledo without stops for meals on the way here.

My parents are great proponents of Amtrack. They take a big train trip about once a year. This year they are going to Fairbanks, Alaska. Of course, they enjoy seeing the country and chatting with other senior citizens riding the train sans children. They also have never had to ride on a bus instead of the train for 11 hours.

We had our first experience as a family on Amtrack last Fall, when we rode from Greensburg to Philly to visit the King Tut exhibit. On the way out, we got lots of dirty looks because the girls were too loud, or kicking the seat backs, or some other kid related offense. On the way back, we were nearly 2 hours late getting in to Greensburg (past bedtime) and both the girls were running fevers...not particularly fun for any sort of travel.

There may be a day, when travelling without children, that I would like to see America. Until that time, I think I'll take to the air and arrive at my destination in a single day.

T

P.S. Or drive...how was your week, N?

SIGH

I passed my Boards!
I've also managed to hold it together emotionally with (at least) 9 extra people in my house for the past 5 days!
I think I should celebrate!
T

All in a Day's Work

After putting B to nap, this is how I found E.

His comment, "Look Mommy, I'm wearing your breasts."

Unfortunately, he seems to fill out my cups more than I do. Ha ha.

Crazy Crazy Daze

Just a quick post and picture of my family that is here now. My grandmother, my mother's 2 sisters and 1 brother-in-law came for the day, and have headed home. My sister-in-law and 2 of my nephews leave in the AM, and my Dad arrives tomorrow night by train.

So far we have cooked "mountain pies" in the outside stove, made homemade ice cream, and Lauren managed to flood the bathroom and consequently the new carpet downstairs.

We are all having fun, not sleeping much, and enjoying each others' company!

T

Shoo Fly Pie

My brother's train is at least an hour late coming in to Connellsville (a small town in PA to which I've never intentionally been). Luckily he called just minutes before I pulled out of the garage to go pick them up. So, J & I have had some time, while the house is quiet and everyone else sleeps, to play "Go Fish" and "Crazy Eights" and eat a leisurely breakfast.

I managed, in the midst of chaos on Friday, to bake a couple of Shoo Fly Pies. This may not be everyone's dream confection, but they are quite tasty and simple to bake. For some reason they have morphed from dessert to breakfast food in our family. A slice is quite satisfying with a cup of coffee. Since they are very definitely a Mennonite food, I offered a slice to J.

J: "No way!"

T: "It's really quite yummy. Come on, when else would I offer you pie for breakfast?"

J: "Uh uh, I want a pancake."

T: "You have Mennonite blood in you, you should try some Shoo Fly Pie!"

J: "Is that the REAL name? They should give it another name, that's not a very tasty name."

T: " Do you want a bite of mine?"

J: "No thanks."

So, I've got an unwilling child of Mennonite heritage on my hands. One day I'm going to make her try a bite! Until then, I'll just enjoy the swarms of Mennonite people hanging out at our home on the hill.

T

Icon School

I'm off to Icon School tomorrow. In typical Schmickle fashion, I'm feeling totally introverted about it and wanting to stay home. I'm sure to get over that once I'm there. We are painting the icon of St. Michael the Archangel. Hopefully I will do well enough to show it off!

Everyone have a great week.

N

WOMANPOWER!!

Best of Luck to you!!
Regardless of this exam, you will still be a caring and creative mother, devoted friend, Bunco winner, and card carrying member of the Elaine Society. We're proud of you!!

Violin Follow Up

I thought I'd write a quick note as follow up to my somber note of several months ago, lamenting the loss of J's violin instructor. Last week J had her first lesson with the new instructor, who is faculty at WVU. She is very energetic, kind and J really likes her. How could I not use her when she wrote the following about my daughter?

"J has such a lovely sound and plays with such clean

intonation. It is rare to hear someone her age play with such

a natural legato sound. I was quite impressed

and am very interested in working with her."

We can all dream of being paid what she does: $30 for a 30 min. lesson! One reason to keep J at it...future income!
T

TGIF

-19 children here this morning

-tiny frogs escaping into the house

-2 years old locks Mommy into the computer room

-71% on my practice post test

-TGIF!

T

June Progress Report

We are ready to enter into Summer full swing out here on the hill.

The Kid Wash is open for business.

The flowers new


and old are in bloom.


The fledgling robins will soon leave the nest.


The tadpoles will soon be ready to find a new home in the creek.

Unfortunately, the house on Poplar Ridge won't begin until late August!


Hooray for the sunshine!

T

Love and Marriage

Frank & Lydia Belle King, May 29, 1938

Tomorrow my grandparents will have been married for 70 years! Still my grandfather holds and strokes my grandmother's hand, guiding her through each day. It seems almost unimaginable to spend at least 70 years living with the same person! But here is proof that it is possible. DH (Dear Husband) and I will celebrate our 17th anniversary this summer. It won't be too many more years until we have been together longer than we haven't! (To quote the Sicilian in "The Princess Bride": "Inconceivable!")

I thought by now I would feel mature, self confident and knowledgeable about life. Instead I feel like a heavier and grayer version of myself at age 15! If one indeed gains wisdom with age, I hope that some of that wisdom gets dropped in my lap someday soon...I sure could use it. I have to keep reminding myself when I come up against a task that I don't feel confident of doing that I am the adult here. I have to figure it out myself!

Now throw a couple of kids into the mix. What you have now is the ideal situation for years of therapy in the future! I HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I'M DOING (or, indeed, why I do some of the really asinine things I do)! I sort of assumed that child-rearing would come naturally, but mostly I feel pretty much like a failure at it. I go to bed every night hoping I haven't irreparably damaged my children. But I love them like crazy, and I'm counting on that to patch a lot of the thin areas in my parenting.

Happy Anniversary Grandpa and Grandma! I wish you many more! And to all of you Super Elaines...happy & loving homes to you all!

T

Gone Fishin'

Well, actually to Ohio. Have a great week. We have journeyed to K's parents' house for a visit. We have abandoned the weeding, yard work, etc. to frolic in Columbus, Ohio. We will miss the potluck on Tuesday, but will toast in your honor and send positive vibes eastward. See you soon. S.

What a Great Bunch of Folks!

Once again we greatly enjoyed the company of the Elaines et al!

Good food, good company...what more could one ask for?

Even the little ones found plenty to do!

We all passed around Baby B.

Just wish I got some pictures of the men playing!

Until next time,

T

Help! (I Need Somebody)

I finally got around to scheduling my Board Exams. Wouldn't you know it...there are NO Saturday test times available through Nov. 5th (the last day to take Boards and keep my certification)!! So...I scheduled for Wednesday, June 11th with the hopes that somebody could either recommend a babysitter, or be available to help me with childcare. The exam is scheduled for 5 hours, but likely won't take me that long as I usually don't take all the scheduled breaks. John typically leaves for work around 11:00 on Wednesday, so I would need help from 10:45 until 1-ish that day. I could offer either the going sitter rate, or a childcare swap, or even dinner as recompense. Any takers?

T

Mysterious Spot Appears on Bathroom Ceiling

The title of this post may be a bit misleading. It is no mystery how this spot appeared on my bathroom ceiling. I pulled off the huge flakes of paint, and it left this ugly pattern. I could have left the peeling paint, which we called "bats", but for 2 issues. 1) L seemed a bit frightened of them...wouldn't look at the ceiling while bathing for fear they would "fall down my head". 2) I'm a picker...scabs, broken fingernails, pimples, loose threads, etc, etc, the list goes on. I thought I was doing quite well leaving it be for the past several months.


The bigger question, which I have been pondering while showering, is this: is there some spiritual message of great significance that I am missing in the pattern of this spot? People make the news by having scars in the image of the Virgin Mary, or sell cheese sandwiches with the burnt image of Jesus on ebay. Is some greater power trying to contact me in the shower to no avail? No matter in which direction I view this spot, it just resembles...a blob! So tell me, is there a divine image hidden in my bathroom?

T

Ideas Welcome

I took the plunge. After somehow managing to avoid providing snack for E's preschool this year, I signed up for a week that was available on the hallway calendar, only to learn that school is finished the week before. OOPS. Yet, now I am commited to delivering "birthday snack" since E has a summer birthday. Any ideas other than the sugar-laden frosted cupcake?

S.

Summer Happynings

Yes, I just wrote Happynings and now I am deeply in shame.

I've got so much to do before Martoon's parents arrive and here I am on the computer instead. Ah, procrastination. Maybe after this I'll take a nap! HA. So they won't have a bed to sleep upon. . . .oh, well. Many things I used to disallow myself happen on a regular basis. Dishes not done, diapers wrapped up and sitting in corners, dust bunnies galore. Really I'm doing okay on the relaxed front.

So: Tuesday evening. Potluck. Let's make it truly potLUCK, shall we? No planning allowed, (except N and I will both bring vegetarian dishes.) Just cook as much as you would for your own family and then we can all sample.

Let's have the first one here and go from there. I'm hoping the firepit will be ready to go for some marshmallows afterward, and maybe even the swings will be up. . .

Yahoo.

Umbrella Bat Strikes Again

For the past 4 summers, a misguided bat (or perhaps friends or relatives of said bat - how long do bats live anyway?) has taken up daytime residence in our deck umbrella. Perhaps it seems quite cave like and cozy when folded, but can't be pleasant to these nocturnal creatures when opened to shield our deck from the bright sun of the summer days! I have pensively opened the umbrella each morning for the past week...unwilling to stick my head under until I find it clear of all beasties. This morning the Umbrella Bat strikes again!

T

A Respite from the Chaos

This dove built her nest on my grandparents' wall hanging...you can see one chick's head!

We have returned from Central PA...rolled up our hill at about 1 AM this morning and carried the sleeping children to their waiting beds. It was a crazy visit. I stayed behind in houses that were not L-proofed, trying to control 2 wild children while Daddy slipped away to doze in mindless conferences most of each day. L broke a different nick-knack in each home we stayed.

I actually did not have as much time alone as I had anticipated. My sister-in-law took half a day off to visit on Thursday. She took us to see the idyllic Camphill Village where she works. We watched the free range chickens and one big turkey, laughed at the antics of the piglets, and admired the woven goods made of recycled jeans and homespun wool from the village's sheep.



One of my dear college friends drove the girls and I to the Hands on House in Lancaster, where my girls and her boys loaded coal on trucks, picked corn to feed the pigs, ran a grocery store, sang on stage and built "thing-a-ma-giggles" in a factory.



My parents and we took dinner to my Grandparents, both in their 90's. J entertained us with a violin concert. My Grandma recited some of the many poems and stories she memorized many years ago. My Grandfather showed us his latest carvings.



We enjoyed singing along to the musical, "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" in Reading, and played in the crabapple petals afterward.



We drove home in the dark to piles of laundry and a marathon 3 hour violin recital this afternoon. At last, in a church pew, I was able to relax while the children played incredible music and L napped in the van with Daddy.

So now I feel deflated. Thankfully husband has a couple more days off from work, perhaps I can get caught up with life again. An Elaines meeting would benefit...(here, some night this week?)

T

Moles in the Basement II

I should be packing, given the time of night it is already. I do have J packed (she wanted her own suitcase this time, and helped to pick clothes), and L's things and mine are laid out on the bed. This requires me to actually finish before I can go to bed! We are headed out, early in the morning to Lancaster area in PA. Husband to a thoroughly stimulating Medical Convention, girls and I to his sister's. After a couple of days we will go to my parents', and are planning on seeing "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" with them on Saturday. I hope to visit one of my college friends, and check in on my Grandparents in the Retirement Center. All in all, it should be a nice break from the daily grind here. We are heading back Sat night, in order to be rested up for J's violin recital Sunday afternoon...a whirlwind of a trip!

All this to say, that while gathering suitcases from the basement, I came across another mole. This one was long deceased, and on the 3rd shelf up from the floor in the storage room. Another mystery...can moles climb plastic shelving poles? Perhaps they are coming in through the boarded up window under what is now the Sun Room? This rodent did, however, heed my orders to stay off the new carpet!

A pleasant week end to you all, well wishes to JT...hope he's feeling better. Here's hoping for more sunshine and a meeting of the Elaines next week!

T

A Few of my Favorite Things

Prompted by Tonya, I have considered what things, indeed, are my favorites....or make my life easier.

1. Organic milk. - Nothing makes my morning tea taste sweeter than a few swigs of this tasty stuff. That morning tea....better than sex....the judges are still out.

2. Bob the Builder/Lightning McQueen. - Or any toy, of which we have two, that entertains the boys for more than 10 minutes is a BIG hit in my book. Just found a few new supplies at Big Lots. Cost for two new Bob toys $5.00, 30 minutes of "peace" or a least limited bickering - priceless.

3. Estee Lauder lipstick. - I was fortunate enough to be on the receiving end of a free "bonus time" bag from Estee Lauder. Somehow my mother received two. Anyhow the lipstick, at first glance considered too "trendy" for the likes of little ole jeans and a t-shirt me, was applied in haste only to discover that WOW! I almost feel glamorous (even though no other makeup applied and hair disheveled). Very impressive.

4. New brassiere. - I know that previous Elaines have addressed the possible merits of a $75. bra changing your life. But since Consumer reports rated a $11. Target bra a good choice I opted for it. Feels pretty good. And now when I wear my t-shirt, my B-cups don't sag. Bonus.

5. I-pod. - Current favorites include Colbie Caillat "Coco" and old favorite "Grey's Anatomy Soundtrack", though E. has been requesting "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Girls just Wanna Have Fun" lately. Go figure.

6. Digital camera. - Well, in most regards I consider myself a pacifist. But, I admit, lately I've become a little trigger happy with the digital camera. I was a 35 mm film addict. Loved the adreline rush of taking the film to the store and eagerly awaiting it's return. Now I just snap, snap, snap away.....delete the bad ones, and keep the good ones. I wonder if Randy at the Giant Eagle customer service counter misses me.

7. Big Blue. - During the course of pregnancy I developed a bad "body pillow" habit. I can't survive or sleep without my blue body pillow, affectionately referred to in our house as "big blue".

In the words of Forrest, Forrest Gump, "That's all I have to say about that."

S.

SEND POSITIVITY, STOP

GOOD CHANCE AT EDGE OF INSANITY STOP SEND POSITIVE ENERGY IMMEDIATELY STOP MEETING SOON STOP SALLY SEND PATIENCE STOP TONYA SEND INEXAUSTIBLE ENERGY STOP NANCY SEND INGENUITY STOP

THANKS FROM PORTER STREET STOP

Things that make my life easier

I have been musing this week about all the things I have access to that make my life so much easier. I thought I'd list them for my own benefit, and just in case it's a new one for you!

1. Giant Eagle Cookie Card - I can't believe how much quieter the girls are when they are munching a cookie while shopping. So they look a mess when we get to the check-out...I don't feel as much of a mess! And it benefits a good cause!

2. Swiffer dusters - I used to take everything off of shelves, spray Pledge and wipe...every time! This product really saves me time, and no more spraying! Actually, I like several Swiffer products, including the Carpet Flick (although the handle keeps breaking) which I use in between hauling out the vacuum, and the Sweeper which I use instead of a mop and bucket since I have very little hard surface to clean.

3. Coffee Maker - since I am the only coffee drinker in the house, I finally put away the behemoth coffee/espresso maker and bought a tiny one that brews right into my mug. Less clean up, less messing around. It's great!

4. 2-in-1 shampoo for the kiddos - My girls have long, fine hair, that amasses tangles in great quantities during baths. We used to shampoo, then spray with a no-tangles solution, then continue to pick and pull their locks into submission. I tried several conditioning shampoos before settling on L'Oreal Kids...we've put away the spray, and comb right through wet hair without causing tears. The girls love the many great scents.

5. Plantskyyd - I've mentioned this before, but it bears mentioning again. I LOVE this stuff! It works for about 3 months to keep deer away from my plants, it's safe around the kids and dog, and completely chemical free. OK, so it's really nasty to mix and apply (it's made of bovine blood products...hope that doesn't offend you, N) but it's worth it for the results. I finally have been able to enjoy my azalea blooming for the first time in 4 Springs due to prudent spraying and wrapping in deer netting over the winter.

6. Flossers - I hate flossing, but once I learned that daily flossing can literally add years to your life, I thought I'd better start doing it. I use something like this which is much easier and less messy to use.

Well, I'm sure there are more. I'll post them when they come to me. Any time saving products or tips from the rest of the Elaines?

T

Fluffy and friends

Here are some pictures of the hatchling and some friends. Not as exciting as a baby...but it will do.

N