The BIG FAT Annual List Tradition

At the end of every year, I make a list. I don't have anything against resolutions... but that's for another post - and they are very general for me... mostly about heart matters rather than physical things. My BIG FAT ANNUAL list is mostly a guideline so that I can aim towards a goal. I make long lists, so I don't expect myself to get it ALL completed... sort of like how you can't read every book in the library. Lists are living, breathing, always-changing reminders of things that you don't want to forget about... things that are important to you. They aren't meant to intimidate... but to be a safety net when you aren't sure what to do next. Glance back at the list... and there's always something there for you to check off - and checking things off is like a piece of dark chocolate: delicious!

I brought some of this list over from 2009 - which was when I started this big fattie... because it is either relevant again (with ANOTHER new baby on the way... I was expecting the Viking back then), or because there were things that never got done. I made sure to clean it up and add new things, too. Something old and something new.

Want to make your own list for 2011? Join me. You can sign up for the linky here... I'll pick a random participant and mail you a special gift if you share your list with me. Who knows, maybe you thought of something I didn't!


134 things to do in 2011
________________________
(Key: Bold = Working on it this month, Strike = done)

1. Spend time every day with God - prayer journal, prayer, meditation, Bible reading
2. Pay off a credit card
3. Get hospital bag ready for labor and delivery
4. Put up the crib
5. Paint Morgan and the baby's room
6. Sell the car seat/stroller combo and get a new car seat and double stroller
7. Finish painting the book case for the baby's room
8. Completely give up soda pop with sugar or artificial sweeteners - forever
9. Read a book/watch marriage tapes with my husband (about relationships)
10. Find a really good homeschool groove
11. Get the Christmas decorations put away by January 15th and up by December 1st
12. Fix Kev's truck
13. Do the Love Dare for my husband
14. Buy a baby book
15. Have the baby and make sure to get photos of his wrinkly feet
16. Put school before housework no matter what the house looks like
17. Get the taxes done for 2010
18. Print my list and start checking it off
19. Get completely caught up with grading, recording, filing, and portfolios for school
20. Wash, organize and prepare for baby
21. Redesign my blog
22. Spend time outdoors every other day (why is this so hard for me?)
23. Finish indexing my blog (after the move to WP)
24. Buy 5 new must-have books or curriculum texts for the school library: Book of Time, ...
25. Work on a project for a company needing homeschool expertise
26. Listen to/watch the Word of Promise New Testament all the way through
27. Work on being better about routine - bedtimes, getting up, school times, etc.
28. Purge emails and keep the boxes cleaned out
29. Renew library card and pay fee
30. Do another 5-10 portrait/conference photography jobs for my portfolio
31. Get through my review box and do all the give-aways I've committed to
32. Make birth announcement cards after the baby comes
33. Have the kids copy a book in the Bible
34. Learn how to use the stupid video camera
35. Say no to something I can't do - without feeling guilty
36. Set aside a planning day for homeschool every other month
37. Prepare and plant the garden for Spring
38. Homeschool Tracker lesson planning/recording weekly
39. Do a new Bible study
40. Cut my hair in February
41. Blog about procrastination projects completed
42. Keep a correspondence calendar/notebook and keep in touch with family and friends all year
43. Make a budget
44. Install a baby gate at the top and bottom of the stairs
45. Purge things we don't need - sell, donate, & throw away
46. Quilt some pillows with Ammie for the school room & baby bedding/bedspread
47. Get portraits made of all the children together and our family after the baby comes
48. Redo our school schedule and adjust as needed to our new routine
49. Print the photos we have in digital format and put them in albums
50. Help the kids blog every week
51. Install Win7 on my hateful laptop
52. Work on my blog series each week
53. Read 3 homeschooling how-to books to inspire and encourage me as a teacher
54. Start doing a family devotional and reading time
55. Reorganize my closet and sell my maternity clothes
56. Get down to my pre-pregnancy weight and then my goal weight after the baby arrives
57. Sync the iPad
58. Get a case for my iPad
59. Cook and freeze meals
60. Create a will and make sure life insurance papers are updated
61. Send Kristen's wedding pictures to her
62. Schedule time for myself every day and keep a journal as to how it is spent
63. Get Kaden to organize his display of Lego creations
64. Read 50 GOOD books with the kids
65. Keep up with menu plans and weekly meals at home (eat out less)
66. Get a few large cooking pots (cast iron, dutch oven, casserole, deep cake pan)
67. Get a water softener system for the house so our appliances don't die
68. Put the photos in albums
69. Get pictures made in a photo booth
70. Let the kids cook a meal without help for dinner each month
71. Train someone to take over admin at the Post
72. Read to the kids every school day
73. Do more art and fun activities with the kids for school
74. Height and weight measurements twice a year for kids
75. Declutter once a month (set a schedule up for it)
76. Nature journal with the children each week
78. Finish our state postcard project by the end of this school year and fill out our state books more
79. Find a good place to back up my photos online & organize them on my external
80. Send Valentine postcards
81. Be better about birthdays and Christmas giving/thoughtfulness
82. Reward myself with a special treat when I get half way through the list
83. Go swimming once a week while the pool is open
84. Get a copy of our credit reports and go through them
85. Post a recipe on Gathering Manna three times a week
86. Pick peaches
87. Print a blank 2011-12 calendar (school year) for my dayplanner in August
88. Deep clean the house
89. Go to the doctor and have my moles checked
90. Do more with coupons/find more ways to be frugal
91. Finish one scrapbook
92. Experiment with digital scrapbooking
93. Go on a retreat or a God-centered conference to charge myself up
94. Have someone over for dinner each month
95. Finish reading the manual for the camera and read a digital photography book
96. Give the kids standardized tests
97. Paint a painting
98. Fix the king bed frame
99. Organize scrap supplies and papers
100. Let the kids have more sleepovers
101. Make window coverings for the upstairs
102. Learn how to make dolmas
103. Participate in Flat Stanley
104. Donate books to the library or another homeschool mom
105. Thanksgiving in June or July (just for fun)
106. Buy a cordless mouse and keyboard
107. Get a new house phone system
108. Watch the rest of the Beth Moore videos that I left off in my last Bible study of hers
109. Have at least 10 date nights in 2011: 1 - Greek food in January, ...
110. Make cookies and take them to the librarian
111. Go on 8 field trips, 1 M to the Opera, ...
112. Host a holiday gathering at my house
113. Go through the last boxes in the garage from our move 3 years ago (ha!)
114. Decorate Kaden's room and paint his walls
115. Redesign Kaden's blog
116. Hire a maid to come help with cleaning the house at least 5 times in 2011: 1. Lucy over in January, helps me take down my tree!, 2. After the income tax return ...
117. Buy a drawer full of new underwear and bras
118. Plan ahead to do Ann's Advent Devo next year & Jesse Tree
119. Eat at the Melting Pot
120. Steam clean the carpets
121. Install overhead lighting in the game room
122. Get Photoshop and Light Room/learn how to use them
123. Do a web design for money
124. Add new handles to the filing cabinets?
125. Tile the bathrooms upstairs
126. Save money for doing our flooring next year (every year we push this out)
127. Finish decorating the garage (hanging tools, pegboard, painting concrete & walls)
128. Get a new set of beaded jewelry and a hat at Charming Charlies
129. Buy some lighting/lamps for the bedroom
130. Make Christmas ornaments and bake cookies next holiday season
131. Make 2010-11 annual letter for next Christmas
132. Detail the cars
133. Take the kids to see Christmas lights next year, plan on going to Little Bethlehem ahead of time
134. Create a new holiday tradition for our family

And I'm sure there will be more... things that get added along the way. I'll add anything extra to my monthly "check-up" posts to keep track of how I'm progressing - rather than bog this list down.

I first plan to organize the list in to a daily, weekly, and monthly chunks... and to count out the leftover assignments to see how many "procrastination projects" I'll have to complete each month to get the list finished. Then I'll probably pencil them on a blank yearly calendar by month as they seem to fit (obviously the Christmas related ones will go at the END of 2011).

After I have a digestible, organized idea of how to go about tackling my list, I'll be writing out each month's chunk on a blank sheet of paper (writing helps me internalize things)... and I'll keep that small list in my dayplanner to see each day when I open it.

Sounds like a plan, eh? Want to join me and all the other crazy list-makers out there? Just add your link below.



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What Facebook IS, and What it SHOULDN'T BE

I overheard and were part of some really interesting conversations this holiday season about Facebook and the pros and cons of using it to keep up with family and friends. Some of the people I talked to said they would NEVER get a Facebook because it was so "IMPERSONAL" and they had a hard enough time keeping up with email. Some said they don't know why their "...." (fill in the blank with random relation) ever got on Facebook because they never get on their page. Others talked about how they liked it because it was "easier than keeping up on the phone" and seeing people's status updates was "kind of like talking to them in person". I had never thought of it that way before, but if you are an introvert, Facebook is a dream come true.

Me personally? Well, considering I got to have a Christmas breakfast get-together with a long-lost best friend from elementary school over this past holiday, I would say that Facebook really does have its perks. I just wouldn't ever say that it is better than all the modes of communication that we already had in place before it. If you really want to show someone you care, Facebook would be the last place I would turn to - unless you had no other option.

Here's my take on Facebook and how to use it...

WHAT FACEBOOK IS:

1. Facebook IS - a great place to get addresses from family and friends so you can mail them cards.

2. Facebook IS - a great place to check on birthdays in case your family and friends are crazy enough to share that information with the entire world-wide web. Many of them are. And if you are on facebook long enough, your family and friends will share YOUR birthday with the rest of the world, too.

3. Facebook IS - a great place to search and find old classmates that you were best friends with growing up - only, don't stop there, actually CALL or get together with them... or at least exchange addresses and write a personal note or send them a Christmas card ...that is, unless you are pregnant - a procrastinator - and didn't send cards to anyone this year. Ahem.

4. Facebook IS - a great place to check up on distant friends and relatives that live in other states which you can't visit - be sure to comment as often as you can to let them know you care. I would suggest adding snail mail and a care package to the attempts at keeping your relationship in good health, too.

5. Facebook IS - a great for promoting your business, blog, or website - but please don't be spammy and spread it on other people's walls without their consent. Keep your wall comments PERSONAL.

6. Facebook IS - a great place to keep up with your favorite brands, companies, and products (and you might even get a say in how they run their business if you communicate with them there - and you'll certainly find coupons, discounts and give-aways if you are watching your feed closely).



WHAT FACEBOOK SHOULDN'T BE:

1. Facebook Isn't - a place to keep up with immediate family and best friends (how impersonal is that?), yes - write on their wall but don't let Facebook replace getting together or a phone call to let them know you love them.

2. Facebook Isn't - a place for important family news that should be given out over the phone. If little Johnny is having surgery, please do your family members a favor and give them a call or even text them to let them know to pray or show up at the hospital (many of us hardly check Facebook email and some don't even sign in to Facebook more than once a month - hint, hint, Mom).

3. Facebook Isn't - a replacement for personal direct email. Do your family and friends a favor and show them that you value them enough to know what their ACTUAL email address is. Chances are, you'll get a much faster and more guaranteed response.

4. Facebook Isn't - a place to play games with people's emotions. You know who you are - the one that gets flustered with a friend and suddenly 'unfriends' them or makes your wall invisible to them so they can't write on it. Can we all please grow up and not play grade-school games? Working on whatever problems we have is much more productive - especially if we plan on keeping a friend or family member in the long-run (retaliation is usually the worst policy when you first get your feather's ruffled).

5. Facebook Isn't - a place to vent your anger. Being angry is ok - spreading it on the web is not! Keep your personal issues personal. No one wants their dirty laundry aired in front of the world. You run the risk of being seen as emotionally unstable and might damage yourself in the process of venting, too. If you MUST call someone down, please use their own personal email account... or better yet, if you can, go to them in PERSON because writing is dangerous when you are mad.

6. Facebook Isn't - a place to upload tacky or gross photos of people and tag them. You might as well just get in the doghouse and save yourself the trouble. If you have a doubt - do without. Get permission FIRST (because forgiveness is fleeting when the entire internet is in the equasion).



As a general rule, here are the most common modes of communication and the ORDER that best displays your commitment level to the person:

Face to Face - "I care about you a lot and want you in my life."

On the Phone - "Even though I'm busy, I wanted to talk to you."

In the Snail Mail - "You are on my mind even when you or I aren't online."

Personal Email - "I'm taking time to write to YOU a personal note."

Text or Personal Twitter DM - "I've got to talk to you right now."

Facebook Email - "I noticed something you said on Facebook and wanted to personally comment."

Facebook Wall Message - "I wanted to say something in public about or to you."

Facebook Comment - "I think what you said was funny or amusing, or I want to share a tip, or I wanted to encourage you."

Facebook Like - "I can relate." or "Cool." (completely impersonal, but nice)



I use Facebook like most of the population - but I can tell you that I only got on it because all of my blog friends were telling me to: the same reason that most companies are using it today - because it is a great marketing platform for their web presence. I didn't want to have just 'another website to check in on' since I already have my blogs and get hundreds of emails a day.

Ever have someone get upset at you for not seeing their status? Another drawback for me (and I'm sure most people who get online to make money or write have this same problem) is that I have friends on Facebook which I don't know personally. They are my blog readers and I appreciate them because they comment and check in on my site - so I friend them on Facebook even though I don't know them very well in real life. I also have communities that I'm a part of for homeschooling where we have a common thread, but we don't know each other in person. My 'friends' on Facebook quickly add up to way more people than I could ever keep in contact with there. This provides a special problem - the "Why didn't you comment?" problem.

Now your cousin Jenny has issues because you "ignored" her on Facebook. Problem is, you don't even know Jenny is upset. You hear about it on a phone call from your mother, who happened to talk to your aunt on the phone earlier this week. Days have gone by. You have innocently started a family feud just because you either 1. Suck at Facebook, 2. have too many Facebook friends and too little time to check it, or 3. (and this is what she's thinking of you) IGNORED HER ON PURPOSE BECAUSE YOU THINK YOU ARE BETTER THAN HER.

I'm serious, people - if you think families have dysfunction in real life - JUST ADD FACEBOOK and see what you get.

I can speak for many who have over 500 Facebook friends with an easy answer to this problem:

It is impossible to keep up with even 100 people on Facebook. You are really talented if you can do half of that and not skip a beat. How many friends do your friends have? Have you checked?

Therefore, please note the list above - especially #'s 1, 2 and 3 in the 'What Facebook Is NOT' section. Please CALL your family and close friends... or email them personally if there's something you are hoping they know. If you think they might like to know it so they won't feel left out, this applies here also. People can't read minds and most folks who actually use Facebook are only on it for a few minutes each day. Leaving really important news on your page (or in a junk Facebook email account that never gets checked) and expecting all the right folks to magically log in to see it that day is kind of like expecting to find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It is only going to bring you disappointment that your Facebook "buddies" didn't notice your plight... when you could have gotten real prayer and encouragement if you had reached out to them in the real world.

So, are you with me now?

Facebook is a fine place - a little on the EXTREMELY PUBLIC side for some of us (especially the ones who break the rules and don't even share their real names), but a fine place for generic 'keeping in touch'. Take my advice and don't let it become the middle man in your real life relationships - or you're real life relationships will certainly suffer. And that's something no one wants to be forced to "LIKE".




Photo Credits: Balakov - Flickr, Rishibando - Flickr (click through to find their photo streams)

The Late Holiday Homeschool Swap

It was a difficult month for a swap... with all the craziness of Thanksgiving holidays - traveling and cooking. Tammy certainly pulled it off, though. Her box got here before the latest swap went up, but I dropped the ball getting it posted before the Christmas holidays. How's that for the person who's supposed to be 'leading' the swap? Holiday bustle is no respecter of persons.

So here is a snapshot of my last swap box... complete with:

• A snowman early reader for the baby (he happens to love "No-mans" the best)
• A snowman magnet (a favorite with mom and baby)
• A package of Crayon Rocks (as soon as I feel the baby won't eat them, he'll get to play with them)
• A game of UNO (the big kids LOVE this - and amazingly, we didn't have it!)
• Blue pens (you can never have enough pens and pencils in a homeschool house)
• Colored pencils (perfect for our mapping projects with Mystery of History)
• A glue stick (how did she know mine was dried up?)
• A package of hot cocoa with a teaspoon attached (my teaspoon was eaten by the garbage disposal!)
• A berry scented candle (instant stress relief for when I pay bills)

* Not pictured were two boxes of candy: Skittles and Starburst for the big kids who grabbed them instantly and disappeared in to their rooms. At least they could agree on something for a change. I was afraid it was going to be another war when it wasn't the exact same type of candy... but apparently my daughter likes Starburst enough to let brother get away with the Skittle-nabbing.

What a great package, eh? Tammy is a swapping sensation.

The swap that starts right now is open only for the rest of today... and I think Amanda is going to pair the swappers tomorrow. Hurry and head over to the Post and get your name on the comments before she closes up shop! We only do a swap once every two months! I hope you'll join us! It sure beats getting bills in the mail.

Night Before Christmas...

It has been quiet in here... because every spare moment I've had, I have been researching and carb counting for my gestational diabetes challenge. I thought I'd stop in to tell you all how I was doing with it.

So far in a week I have lost 4 or 5 pounds. I've been eating 2 snacks a day (mostly protein), and I have been eating as healthy as I can - and very low carb. Seems that everything has sugar or carbs in it... at least everything I was used to eating. I have found a great sparkling water (berry flavored LaCroix) that I'm switching to instead of Cokes - permanently. I have also learned about how much grains (even whole grains spike your sugar) I can eat to keep my blood sugars elevated. Amazingly, if I eat a little bit of dark chocolate with nuts, I do fine. This morning I even had most of a pecan-pancake at the Cracker Barrel... and my 2 hour after-meal glucose was 120 (high normal range). Yay!

So, this diet, while a shock at first, is doable. We'll see how I manage tonight at Grandma's house when her dining room buffet is spread with every Christmas goodie known to mankind (including my favorite dessert that I only get once a year - Worm Pie). Worm pie has another name I can't mention on this blog, but mainly it is made with chocolate pudding, cream cheese and whip cream... a home made nut pie crust and shaved chocolate on top. Mmmmm.

:Cold sweats: I think I can. I think I can.

This has been a strange Christmas... half of our family flew out of state to be with other family members and we've been "Home Alone" at Grandpa's feeling pretty lonely in their absence. Counting carbs has kept us all busy. The end of pregnancy is never an 'easy' experience for me since I blow up like a Macy's Thanksgiving Parade balloon. Tomorrow brings miles of freeway as we make our way home.

For now, I'm signing off and taking my broccoli-cheese BROWN rice casserole, and my LOW CARB SPLENDA Cheesecake to Grandma's. The kids are eager to open their gifts.

Wish me luck on that Worm Pie refrain.

I pray that you are having a very Merry Christmas... however you celebrate.

"May your hearts be merry and your troubles be light." - Michael W. Smith

Amen.

The Little Babe on Christmas Week

I got a glimpse in to God's mysterious hiding place today... the womb of a weak and very human woman. Amazing to me that He would have chosen such a place to begin the salvation of His beloved... the children He longed to bring home and hold close.

This new tiny dude looks like a twin; just like his big brother... my Viking man. So we have the Viking and the Gladiator (or maybe we should call him Linus - because he was really fond of his "pillow", the placenta). His head is up under my ribs and he frowned when we pressed against his face to get a clear picture.

Mama has been on a gestational diabetic diet since last Friday night. Flunked my 3 hour test last week (the third time I've had one of those - "third time's a charm"). I felt my heart racing yesterday and took my sugar... it was 225. Now I know it isn't blood pressure or caffeine sensitivity (which feels the same way). I suspect I've had gestational diabetes since around the 22nd week at least... and possibly have had it in past pregnancies... and sadly, I am not sure if I have even had borderline symptoms between the past pregnancy and this one. I'm praying I don't have diabetes because the diet is no fun; although I am certain that I'm predisposed for it with my mom and sister being Type 1.

Just three days on this diet (VERY little carbs, high protein, no sugars) and I have lost two pounds. The little chipmunk in my belly looks pretty healthy regardless... and that's wonderful. They are guessing he's almost 5 lbs. now, and I have somewhere in the neighborhood of six weeks left to go.

Want to guess on a due date? Original due date was Feb. 11 - doc said she would induce during the 39th week - and baby K was 2 weeks early and over 9lbs. - and every one of my babies has been about a pound heavier than the last one (7, 8, 9). My money is on the last few days of January. I'd love it to be the 21st, though - naturally and without Pitosin this time. The 21st was Stonewall Jackson's birthday... and we have a lot of January babes in the family.

Want to see what mama looks like at around 31 weeks (I'm 32 weeks as of last Friday):



Thank the Lord for winter clothes and colder weather. Amen.

If you have some great diabetic-friendly recipes, I'd love to have them. Feel free to email me suggestions for food so I don't go crazy over the holidays. I'm hoping that even after the baby comes and my sugars regulate, I'll probably adopt some of these dietary changes as a New Years Resolution and hopefully a lifestyle for the future of our family. I certainly agree that sugary pop, white breads, and eating too much junk food is a horrible health practice for anyone - whether they are diabetic or not.

Thanks so much to those of you who have left prayerful comments on my Facebook page through all my dietary whining status updates and questions. I may miss my chocolate and sweets this holiday, but I'm cooking up a wonderful little sweet thing for the family; baking it at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit for the next six weeks or so.

Can't wait to hold him and kiss those fat cheeks.

Bad Things Happen to Good People

December 9th. The last post I made before the blog funk settled in. Seems a lighthearted topic - dreams of remodeled spaces and things to make life easier. My heavy heart wishes that today were that easy - that posting here could be that upbeat.

Last week... We had just spent over three weeks passing a cold and sore throat back and forth starting before Thanksgiving and I had come down with a horrible bout of asthma and lung congestion due to aspirating a tiny piece of rice. Morgan hurt her nose (possibly broke it) by slamming a heavy plastic laundry basket in to her face by accident. Kaden's knees had been burning for some strange reason. Oh, and we picked up glasses for Morgan from the optician's office last Friday. It seems like we've spent most of this year in the doctor's office or hospital, and school has suffered tremendously with all the down-time for pain, illnesses and pregnancy check-ups. Still... I was happy to be on the upswing this weekend, even if I had to use the inhaler every few hours to keep from coughing uncontrollably.

By Saturday I felt better... and the kids even got to attend a Christmas party Friday night.

My husband turned 40 on the 12th of December. As you can imagine, our weekend was a flurry of activity, being December - a birthday - and trying to mix family holiday get-togethers with celebrations that only come once every four decades. We went to see our niece play a dancing part in a ballet nutcracker on Saturday, ate Mexican food with Pop - his treat for Kevin's birthday - and came home too tired to put the decorations on the tree.

On Sunday we went to church, ate a 'famous hamburger' in Andice, Texas with friends and had a nice, sunny, Sunday drive there and back... and the kids baked Daddy a poppyseed cake per his request. I had secretly invited a couple of local friends to our weekly 'Sunday Small Group' that evening; an informal surprise birthday party. Us old folks were tired before 9pm and headed off to bed with baby.

The next morning I was determined to get school done, but my mom called to say that her car was broken down for the week and she wanted me to pick her up and let her use mine to go see her piano students this week. We loaded up the car and went to get Chickie. By the time I got home and was ready to get busy with our bookwork, it was after 2PM.



That was when I checked my email. And found out about Dana's sweet little boy.

He was the same age as Baby K... only a month apart.

I can remember saying 'No' enough times while I was reading it with chills all over my body that the children came in the room and asked me what was wrong. I had no idea what happened to him, but I followed every link and contacted all my homeschool friends online to pray for her family.

Poor Tiggy was crushed by a fallen wooden dresser. His sweet life cut short before he reached his second birthday. Her children had tried to save him - and their family is hurting.

My daughter is angry. She's asking why God would allow this to happen. I know it is going to take some time to work through it with her because she is very attached to her little brother and baby Mattias was the same age.

All those blog posts I had in my mind last week vanished. The desire to blog pretty much vanished, too.

I have been crying off and on since the 13th. Every time I look at my son, I feel her pain resonate in my heart. I hear his laugh and it breaks me in pieces for the brothers and sisters that are left missing Tiggy's mischief.

Yesterday we skipped the Symphony and decided to decorate our tree together. I took my 3 hour glucose test at the lab and mom watched the kids. Today Morgan had a consultation with all her test results since we started on her chronic back pain journey and they suggested it was time for an MRI (two of them, to be exact).

The house isn't spotless. School hasn't been getting done this week. There are boxes that need to go back to the garage - full of Christmas decorations that we didn't put up this year.

I've been spending a lot less time on the computer and a lot more time hugging my almost two year old. And crying about Tiggy.

I don't feel guilty about it at all.

God knows the seasons that come - the circumstances that 'derail' us. He knows there's not enough money in the bank account (maybe he wanted us to stay home and eat soup that night?) ... and He knows that big questions are coming from young minds (maybe it's time we had a family devotional and really talked about why bad things sometimes happen).



He knows the reasons. And every moment He gives us is a gift.

I pray that we all are savoring them, finding joy in the difficulties because they are all for our eternal glory.

I pray His arms stay tight and warm around Dana and her family as they walk this path.

And maybe when I'm able to be a little less serious, I'll be back to my normal blogging self.

Until then,


P.S.
If you would like to send a card or donation to Dana's family, please see the information in the prayer request post at the Homeschool Post today. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your kindness.

Remodeling Dreams

I heard that Pledge was doing a "Pledge to Love Your Kitchen" contest - one in which a $15,000 gift card from a major home improvement retailer to help update their kitchen... and a year's supply of Pledge to help make it shine.

Doesn't that sound dreamy?

What would I do with 15,000$ in my kitchen?

* It would be extra cool if they sent those Design on a Dime folks in - and someone with carpenter skills. Because the problem with my kitchen is that my back door is right in the way of my table... and on the other side of the table is a long, shallow 2-door pantry. I would have a HUGE oversized island built that had bar-seating on one side for the kids and LOTS of storage under it - to replace my rickety antique table and give us more room for the tools we need to cook. I'm thinking something using antique materials (old glass refurbished cabinet doors) and something really blocky and solid would be perfect. The more rustic looking, the better. (estimated 350$)

* I'd love to have the funds to refloor the kitchen (and subsequently the downstairs because it all flows together in that 'open concept' look) and put in shinier counter tops. My plan? Rip out the builder carpet/nasty plastic and stain the concrete. (estimated 4K)

* The light fixtures would HAVE to go - replacing those would really make the kitchen pop (and the dining room). (estimated 450$ - cuz, chandeleirs are my fave)

* The cabinets could be updated with just a little antiquing and some top molding - maybe some hardware. A few could even have chicken wire or some other type of mesh put in to replace the doors... and lights could be added for a decorative touch. (estimated 150$)

* I would put in some fancy cabinet features such as roll outs and lazy susans to make getting things out of cabinets and the pantry much easier. (estimated $300)

* I would add a pot rack above my kitchen window and put in curtains that matched on both kitchen windows. (estimated 175$)

* I would upgrade my dishwasher, fix my ice-maker, and put in a water softener system so we would stop losing appliances (worried about the new washer upstairs if we don't get the softner soon). And of course, at the sink - a reverse osmosis filter for drinking would be put in to save us a ton of money on plastic bottled waters (which in turn would be a really GREEN thing for the environment). (estimated 3,500$)



* I would buy some accessories (baskets for linens and oversized canisters for the counter) and matching towls... and I would put all my cookbooks in the dining room bookshelf that I'm dreaming of building - along with a nice, long, new, over-sized, rustic wooden table that would seat at least 12 (estimated $800)

... and I'd still have nearly 5,000$ to fix the floors and bathroom cabinets upstairs!

A girl can dream, right?

Of course Pledge could help me love my kitchen (and a whole lot of other places in my house) with this amazing make-over and after it was done, the lemony scent and shine would go a long way in keeping a smile on mama's already happy face.

You can enter the MomItForward.com Pledge contest, too - but hurry - it ends tomorrow!

Your Christmas Focus

I used to expect the holidays to be perfect - to be this ideal image of caroling, smiles, everyone and everything magically falling in to synchronized step... and every year the human element (flawed) of the holidays would break my heart.

Someone angry,
crowds unruly,
parking spaces illusive,
finances failing,
traffic jams,
sickness ....

...and the bruised heartstrings from family dynamics that just don't add up to a Christmas archetype.

Christmas rarely (if ever) looks - or feels put together 'perfectly' - like the cover of a magazine or the perfect scene on a greeting card. 

Tears come on Christmas.

Pain comes on Christmas.

Last year, I got in really close with my camera - the tree (which represents the small cross we bear) and the problems all became the bokeh in the background of the image. The real focus of Christmas became clear through my lens. This child. This chance. This gift which eventually cost everything He had.

Christmas is not about perfection.

A stable full of animal stench is not perfection.

Labor and delivery pains are not 'comfortable' and smiles are saved for ONLY AFTER the contractions.


Christmas is about giving of yourself - of your life. Giving the gift you are given away.

The gift of forgiveness.
The gift of sacrifice.
The gift of a needed embrace - a shoulder to cry on...

Christmas is an IDEAL in the flesh... in the stench of human brokenness.

The 'holiday atmosphere' is all about what you focus on. How closely you have your eyes on the real meaning of the season..

... and whether you can take a deep breath while the world spins with glitter around you... and know that you are truly loved.

Then you can share that love with someone else.

That's where meaningful memories begin and broken expectations end.

That's Christmas.



*This post was a comment made on Blissfully Domestic's Hallmark Holiday Moments Giveaway. I figured it merited repeating since all holiday memories are made based upon how we perceive each moment we are blessed with. My prayer is that God can show us how to make the most of each second of this December, and to see through His eyes, the potential if only our attitude and heart are in the right place.

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Matryoshka begins with M

M is for Matryoshka.

These were a co-op art project that I headed up when I taught a culture class about Russia to the 7-9 year olds back in 2004. I posted about them once upon a time along with my unit study notes here at Sprittibee. Let me see if I can dig up that link for you...

Here you go: Learning About Russia and a Matryoshka Christmas Ornament Craft

I probably have some Russian in me somewhere. At least that's the story - and the mysteries run deep on that side of the family... so there's no telling now that all the grandparents are gone who might have had any clues. Sadly, there weren't any family reunions, either. I've always loved Russia regardless of not knowing the gritty truth about whether it is part of me somehow. Interestingly, I married a Czech - and his family often says I'm more Czech than he is because I love Czech foods (Poppyseed Kolaches anyone?).

They are now more Tex-Czech than anything. I love how blending a good jalapeño with a sausage klobasnek (it really isn't a kolache if you ask a Czech) gives it the perfect Texas punch!

More info about this alphabetical photo meme is below...

Join up for the Homeschool Post has A B See Meme (an alphabetical photo meme) for a chance to win a prize each month. Each week they put FIVE of the best alphabet pictures on their blog each week to showcase them and once a month, a random winner is selected from the best photos of the month. All you do is upload your photos to their Flickr Group - so you don't even technically have to be a blogger to join... you just have to have an alphabetical themed photo and a flickr account! By the way, flickr is free!



The meme is posted on Fridays each week and you don't necessarily have to start on the letter A or go in any particular order or at any particular speed... and you can skip weeks or not - up to you entirely.

Here are the links to the past few 'A B See' posts I have done here:
A is for antique.
B is for bugging big-sis.
C is for computer.
D is for digger.
E is for eat... and Elmers.
F is for fried rice.
G is for goofy girl.
H is for Heather.
I is for insect.
J is for joy.
K is for Kreative Spelling and Killer Homeschool Deals.
L is for live music.

Tip: Use the dictionary to get ideas if you are stumped on a letter. No excuses! Get clicking!

You have until Friday morning (early) to load your picture on the Flickr group and be considered for the top five that will be displayed next week. This month's prize will be drawn the day before Christmas!

Getting Organized with Labels: The P-Touch Payoff

Do you ever get so busy that you forget your name? December has that effect on people, I hear. I pretty much stay that busy all year... but the holidays are a real challenge for us (especially with a Tazmanian baby in the house).

Needing a little help in the organizational department is one reason why I have always dreamed of owning a P-Touch machine of my very own.When I whined on Twitter about Amazon cancelling my P-Touch order Brother offered to give me a machine to try and review, I did a cartwheel gladly accepted.

Actually, the first P-Touch I used was on a job I had (one where I actually got paid)... and I fell in love with the way the filing cabinet looked when I finished with it. [Too bad I can't replicate that look at home for some reason.] Naturally, the first thing that I did when I got my P-Touch was label everything on my desk.



See the "URGENT" box up there? Yep. Most of my life is in that box. I have nightmares about it.

Then we labeled the school boxes (which was the reason why I started looking for a P-Touch in the first place... because Masking Tape and Sharpies is so 1970's).

*And I forgot to take a picture of them.*

Then we labeled our school folders.

*And I forgot to take a picture of those, too. Just use your imagination.*

Isn't it dreamy being able to just print and stick - and cover up your past label mess? No computer or printer needed. Nor the Geek Squad guy because your network won't let you print. And you don't even need a Rocket Scientist to explain to you how to set up the Avery labels in Microsoft Word. Or to figure out which side goes down and up on your printer tray... while you waste three sheets of plain labels and get toner all over your hands because it printed on the shiny side and rubbed off on your skin.

Uh... (sorry, I thought I lost you there for a second)...

And we labeled all the hanging file folders that had chicken-scratch scrawled across them...



Don't you just love the PINK tape??? It almost makes me want to pay my bills and reconcile the checkbook just so I can open that file drawer.

Almost.

Then we labeled the bookcases. OH, yeah, baby. Lime green looks great in my underwater school room.



And Now my kids can't use the excuse of "I didn't know that I put the book on the wrong shelf". Because it says SCIENCE - right there under their noses. This ought to simplify my life at least a little bit, right?

Your kids do that, too?

And now my husband doesn't have to ask me where the printer paper is any more... because I labeled the filing cabinet drawers!

And just in case I lose my mind, I labeled the kids.



All except for the baby. Because he was too fast and got away. So I guess I'll call him 'Speedy' if I ever forget his name.

Thank you for helping me keep my sanity, Brother. Your P-Touch machines are the bee's knees.



As my 11 year old daughter would say... "Peace, out." Whatever that means.



Disclosure: I was offered a free P-Touch for my thoughts. My opinion in this article was not compensated and is my own. No P-Touch machines were hurt in the making of this blog post.