Shopper's High

I'm on a shoppers high.  Or at least I was on Tuesday night.  Here's why:

Thanks to Money Saving Mom I found out that this week Walgreen's is having a sale on Right Guard...buy one get one (BOGO) free.  And, the March 13th coupon insert had a BOGO coupon for Right Guard.  I had two of the coupons from the Sunday paper and Tuesday night stopped in at the Walgreen's on the corner.  I got the last four invisible solids left on the shelf!  My final cost was $0.66.  Sixty-six cents, that's 17 cents each!  I wish it had been free, but there's that pesky sales tax.  Still, I was on cloud nine.  A shopper's high! 

Ten on Ten: February 2011

Take a photo every hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month.  Document a day of your life and find beauty among the ordinary moments.

Here are my photos from yesterday...I just discovered I only have eight pictures.  I guess that's because we took naps and then I had Bible study. 

Don't you love baby bed head?

I've never been more thankful for heated seats!

These are in style?

Valentine's party!  I think EVERY kid ate all the frosting first.

No heated seats in the recliner, tea will have to do.

We can't get away from these!

FMBC's latest cookbook.  This soup was a hit...with adults.

Preparing for Bible Study.  This study can be controversial, but it's worth reading. 

Until next month...

Scripture Memory

It's a new month and time for my third scripture memory verse.  I've committed myself to the 2011 Siesta Scripture Memory Team.  It's a challenge from Beth Moore to memorize two verses a month.  Our church has a monthly memory verse so I usually use it as one of my verses each month.  This month, however it was a verse I already knew:

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this word, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.  ~Romans 12:2 NIV

I was searching other translations for something I could memorize so I'm on the same page as everyone else, just learning it anew.  I have become a fan of Your Version app for my iPhone.  It makes flipping from one version to another effortless.  I'm sure people at church think I'm texting or playing games on my phone, or being otherwise irreverent during the worship service and Sunday School, but I'm just reading along and digging a little deeper.

I decided on The Message's translation for Romans 12:2.  I think I may have gotten in a little over my head, BUT the verse speaks to me so much more in this translation:

Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. ~Romans 12:2

• Do I fit in without even thinking?  
• Is my attention fixed on God?  
• He promises a change on the inside, but I also think it implies an outward change will be a result too.  
• Do I recognize what He wants and respond quickly.  How often am I obedient immediately?  I drag my feet, whine, complain, beg.  Then I obey.  I'm attempting to teach my boys not to act that way when I give an instruction?  Why can't I follow my on advice when it comes to God?  
• The world drags us down.  Ain't that the truth?  
• God brings out the best in me.  The Best!

I better get started on this verse.  It's a long one and I've wasted three days out of fifteen searching for what I want to memorize.

Terrible Twos

I'd read about terrible twos.  But, with my older son it didn't set in until three.  Of course much of life with him has been difficult...he's our strong-willed child.  And, much to the delight of his grandparents, he got a double dose, one from Russell and one from me. 

I thought life would be easier with my happy-go-lucky second child.  There were hints of the Terrible Twos at 13 months, but then it passed.  Then, last week, it was back and I was caught off-guard.  I wasn't ready.  My patience was nonexistent.  That happens when your children boycott naps two days in a row.  Everyone in the house was grumpy.  

So, I started racking my brain to recall what Charles was like at 2 1/2.  I didn't remember him being so difficult.  I started going through pictures and discovered this:

This is Charles in January 2009.  Both boys were born in August, so I KNOW he's the same age as Micah is now!

Was he difficult?  Was he acting like a stereotypical two year-old?  Then, I found this:

All the muffins have bites taken out.  So, yes, Micah is exhibiting the same behaviour.  One of the things that made me loose my patience last week was when he left his room when he was supposed to be napping, and took a muffin off the kitchen counter.  Why such a big deal?  The muffins were for Bible study.  The mix only made 12.  I had to make another batch of muffins.  I ran my dishwasher three times that day.  I was spent.  My patience was gone.

So here are my boys.  Both 2 1/2.  Both sitting at our kitchen table.  Both very different. 

The Holy Spirit revealed something else about that time in my life.  More on that later. 

Now my terrible two year-old has a cold and needs to be held.  So I'm off to the rocking chair, and maybe Grandma's house for two more sets of hands and a trip out of the house for the first time since Sunday. 

Reflections

I've had so many thoughts running through my head, but haven't had a chance to sit down and flush them out.  I should really just get up in the middle of the night when I'm writing a blog entry in my head when I can't fall asleep. 
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Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday
I've never really understood the need to have this as a federal holiday.  Growing up my school district never observed it.  To this day, they don't.  They just have a teacher in-service so kids don't have school. 

Another reason I've never understood it is because I've never known discrimination.  I was taught to love everyone, regardless of skin color.  We sang the song Jesus Loves the Little Children:

Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white
They are precious in His sight
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

This year I was at the dentist on MLK day.  Not really a big deal except my dentist and his staff are African American.  It made for an interesting reflection on the anniversary of the holiday.
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Grandma Goentzel
 January 24th is my Grandma Goentzel's birthday.  She was born in 1913.  She died four years ago.  It's sad to think my children, and even my husband never knew her.  Granted, she was never the "fun" grandma.  Always serious.  I guess my grandpa was the one who loosened her up and he was gone by the time I was five, so I have few memories of him or them together.

Grandma was always teaching us something and she loved the outdoors.  Her greatest fear was being sent to a nursing home and being forced to sit in front of a television all day long.  My funniest memory is her lesson on abstinence.  What possibly could bring up such a taboo topic?  Christmas.  I. Kid.  You.  Not.  Mary's virgin birth was the basis for a sex talk. She also used Christmas as a time to work on Bible memorization. 

The shepherds were watching their flocks by night. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and they were sore afraid.  And the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.  Today, in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you. You will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes lying in a manger."  And suddenly there was a multitude of heavenly hosts saying, "Glory to God in the highest, peace on earth, good will to men"...  But Mary treasured all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:9-15 & 19 KJV, Stacey paraphrase

I can't believe I can remember all those verses even now so many years later.  They always return to me at Christmas time, along with a chuckle about a Christmas sex talk!
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More deep thoughts later.  By the way, do you remember Deep Thoughts, by Jack Handy?  I guess that's a topic for another day.

Men

Men.  Today I'm thankful for mine.  They've been good to me this week.

Charles...

This week he's been sick and consequently he's had a short fuse.  But, I love that he insists on a hug and a kiss before I leave, even today when I was just running to drop Micah at Kids Day Inn.  He even insists on a hug and a kiss from Micah. 

I'll be honest, his hugs and kisses freak a few people out.  My 26 year-old male cousin humors Charles' request for affectionate goodbyes, but makes sure to offer his cheek rather than be smooched on the lips!



 Dad...

My dad isn't working anymore.  He's retired.  And, thankfully, at my beck-and-call.  Not really, but I do call and ask for favors and babysitting during the day when everyone else is at work. 

Today he came over to stay with Charles while I ran Micah to school.  He willingly obliged my request to stay a little longer so I could do a little grocery shopping.  I'd been stuck in the house since Sunday and needed to both get out and get a few necessities like diapers, pull-ups, and peanut butter! He stuck around until 1:30 when I had to go back to pick up Micah. 

Dad plays Wii with Charles even though I doubt he ever wins.  Mom's caught Dad playing Wii until the wee hours of the morning...maybe he's practicing so he can win at least one game! 

Micah...

This is my cuddly kid.  We're potty training and every time I help him get dressed he hugs my neck and says, "I love you, Mom!" 

Of course it's quickly followed by one or all of the following: "I love...Dad, Charles, Grandpa, Grandma, or Christy."  But, I'm always first on his list, unless it's Dad helping him get dressed!

This is also the kid who always cried (and sometimes still does) whenever I would leave the house.  It didn't matter where I was going or how long I'd be gone, it could be grocery shopping, working two hours each week at my job with Weight Watchers, or going to get the mail.  It's a bittersweet feeling for any mom.  On one hand it's hard to hear them cry, but on the other hand it's nice to know you're that important to someone.

It's been a pleasant surprise that he trots off into his class at Kids Day Inn without looking back.  And today I didn't even get a goodbye hug or kiss. 

Russell...
I still can't believe how blessed I am to have him as my husband.  I was 25 years old when we started dating and had never dated anyone.  He's my one and only. 

He's a great provider, and after eight years of marriage I've decided that is a reflection of his love for me and the boys.  Acts of service is his love language.  He goes to great lengths to budget and monitor our money, entering every item on every receipt. 

Another act of service is getting the boys ready for bed almost every night so I can have a break and get some things done around the house.  He bathes them, gets them in their jammies, reads books and Bible stories, and prays with them.  Maybe his motives aren't purely selfless because during that time I usually pack his lunch! 

This week Russ has been amazing.  Sunday I had a headache and he got the boys ready and took them to church so I could rest.  Tuesday I woke up with the stomach flu, so he stayed home and took care of the boys.  Wednesday he stayed home again since I wasn't quite up to par and Charles had gotten sick and the three of us were were up in the middle of the night.  Russ was also concerned about spreading our germs to his colleagues, how kind and considerate is that?!?! 

While he was home he stayed on top of the dishes and the never ending task of loading and unloading the dishwasher.  And, he took down the Christmas tree!  It was such a relief to have those things taken care of and no longer staring me in the face, reminding me of the length of my never ending to do list. 

So, to each four of the most special men in my life I say, "I love you, man!"

Ten on Ten: January 2011

Take a photo every hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month.  Document a day of your life and find beauty among the ordinary moments. 

My friend started doing this several months ago. I was inspired and did the same.  I was posting my photos on Facebook, but now I am posting them here.

My day was not typical, we spent the entire day at home.  Normally I like to get out of the house, but not with 4" of snow on the ground.  I had ambitions...to fold laundry, to take down the Christmas tree and Christmas decorations. 

What did I do?  My day began early.  The streetlight reflected on the snow and consequently, thanks to the bright light shining in their window, the boys were up before Russell left for work. 

I ate breakfast on the couch at 7am and watched My Three Sons and I Love Lucy with Charles and Micah.  Their Grandma Goentzel & Aunt Sharon will be thrilled to know they giggled at Lucy and Ethel.  I sat on my bed with the boys and watched Dinosaur Train on the laptop (rabbit ears = no PBS reception).  Micah forced me to sit and hold him so we passed the time by watching Marcus Welby.  I stayed in my PJ's until 11am. 

The laundry will still be there to fold tomorrow.

I say, Carpe Diem...seize the day. How many more days will there be like this?  Soon Micah won't want to sit on my lap, or will be too big to do so.  The laundry will always need to be washed or folded or ironed, there will always be bathrooms that need to be cleaned, and carpets begging to be vacuumed.  In my lazy day mode I didn't quite get one picture every hour.  There was a necessary brake during nap time and to recharge the camera's battery, but I did get ten photos spread throughout the day.

Cold mornings begin with my friend Earl...Earl Grey

Dinosaur Train

A focus of today was potty training.  A desperate attempt to get Micah into the bathroom was, "show Buzz & Woody how to use the potty."  This who attended his lesson. 

She knows how to relax on a cold day!

Love his smile and dimples!

Pull-Ups has a free app.  It's been a very helpful tool for me and reward for him.

4" of snow.  A little color in the white blanket covering everything.

I shoveled the driveway.

A big head or a small shirt?