It's quiet around here...

...sort of. Yesterday, my brother, Aaron & girlfriend, Lydia arrived from Midland, TX about 4pm to pick up my parents & head north to Peoria, IL. Their ETA was around 5am, and then Aaron & Lydia would continue on to Chicago, since Aaron had work today. We had a fun time with my parents here; we realized later that aside from talking a walk around the neighborhood, we never really left the house! But I think they were okay with just enjoying a relaxing time together at home.

Phil & the girls left last night around 7pm for Chouteau. Phil plans to install a gas heater in his parents' home, as they have been without power twice during ice storms. So I'm at home with the boys, and it's quiet...except for the fighting, the cars crashing, the jet noises, the wrestling, you get the picture. :)

I moved the furniture around in our bedroom. It makes it look bigger. Dad & Phil installed 3 more windows & we just have the one in the girls' room left. I love the new windows & though it may sound silly to some, I couldn't have asked for a better Christmas present! (In case you're wondering...it's true; house projects are our gifts to each other.)

This afternoon, I have a friend coming to do tie-dye with me. I need to enlist the boys' help to get the backyard picked up, among other things. And I want to get some Christmas decorations up. It's been a great week off from school, a nice change from the ordinary.

What part of Thanksgiving are you?

You Are Mashed Potatoes

Ordinary, comforting, and more than a little predictable You're the glue that holds everyone together.

What Part of Thanksgiving Are You?

A gaggle, a gang, or a rafter?

It's pouring...

You know the old saying, “When it rains...”? Well, it’s pouring around here, and I want to be the old man snoring. He at least gets plenty of rest!

After our house recovered from the flu, I came down with a nasty cold.

The filament in our oven burned in half one evening while I was making granola. It took a couple days to get the part in, but Phil was able to replace it without difficulty, only to discover that wasn’t the only problem. Apparently, our oven’s computer panel had a glitch; Phil ordered that part, but we're not sure whether it will arrive in time for Thanksgiving. So I've been making lots of soup & getting creative with stovetop & crock-pot meals. Thanksgiving dinner will be interesting this year...memorable, for sure.

Progress is being made in our bathroom. Phil really went to work on it when we heard we'd be having 14 people @ our house. The toilet is installed & the walls are ready for texture & painting. Speaking of company, my parents arrived this afternoon with my brother, Aaron, & girlfriend, Lydia. Lydia's family is driving down from CO & will spend the night here tonight, then continue on to TX after breakfast, taking Aaron & Lydia with them. Phil's sister & her husband are stopping in Monday over-night on their way to NE. I'm thinking of opening a bed & breakfast.

Though I'm thankful for all the work Phil has done on the bathroom, I'm ready for it to be finished so I can get a peaceful nights' sleep again. The other night I slept with earplugs in, one night I woke up to country music @ 1am, and I'm growing tired of all the drywall dust in our bedroom. I try not to complain too much. My husband has always been a night-owl & it's when he gets most of his work done. So I'm attemping to remain focused on the bigger picture - a beautiful & functional bathroom.

Our internet has been down & I was on the phone the other day for almost 2 hours with a nice lady in India. I explained Thanksgiving traditions & food to her, and she explained how she prepares potatoes (with hot chilies).

The kicker this week was having the "joy of womanhood" arrive on just the right day. Not only am I bloated & crabby, but my husband has been complaining that my congested nose is keeping him awake (with all my snoring)! So see...I might as well be that old man in bed, enjoying the sound of the storm & getting my beauty rest!

Quarantined!

Our house has been invaded by the flu bug & for the first time in our family's history, we've had 3 come down with it at the same time. I'm fighting a cold & a case of the snotty nasties myself, so I'm not the most cheerful care-giver. But I'm working on it. I'm hoping that all the mugs of hot tea I've consumed will make me feel all warm & fuzzy inside, and that will translate to my bedside manner on the outside.

We'll see...

but don't hold your breath.

Hurray for House Projects

I am so thankful to be married to a handy-man. It saves a lot of money on house projects. However, it also requires a lot of patience. House projects are always at the end of the list, and as "the list" has no end...you can see my problem. My bathroom has been "in process" since January. Despite having bare walls (to the studs, no drywall), I still had a usuable sink & toilet until 2 weeks ago. The sink & toilet were the end of the "demolition" phase before reconstruction could begin. And now I'm actually starting to see some progress. The materials have been purchased (even though we don't agree on the vanity), but it's another step toward completion. I'm doing my best to remain patient & compassionate toward my dear husband who has been remodeling 3 bathrooms in the past month, each with their own set of challenges. He's sick of doing bathrooms, but he is still plugging away at ours.

Today Phil installed 2 windows. I can't tell you how much that means to me. Nothing says "I love you" like that does. Truly. Last winter I lived in a cave with thick blankets on each window to keep the breeze out. It was miserable. I'm so glad I'll get to see the sun, or at least the daylight, this winter.

A note of clarification: Phil says you will all think we're destitute or something for all my complaining. But you all know well enough that's not true. We live in a wonderful home, and like most homes, it can stand for some improvements. If you're really feeling sorry for us though, just go right ahead and send us that check. We won't complain. :)

I don't want to be a chicken!

I honestly feel like my head's been chopped off & I'm running wild & spastic through my house, not accomplishing anything, aside from looking ridiculous! There are so many things I could be doing, I just don't know where to start. Well, that's not completely true. I start on something, only to see another mess of higher importance that I "should" take care of, so I run to do that, only to be distracted by something else...and on it goes in a vicious cycle. The fact that my stress level is at an all-time high may have something to do with the fact that I just helped my husband frantically search for his keys. He says he's sure he's cursed...I chalk it up to being disorganized, but what do I know? I just needed to calm down & pull myself together. Deep breaths. Okay...so I'm starting to feel better & desperately trying not to think about all that awaits me in the "real world". One mess at a time...

Trying something different

Abigail Mae, our firstborn. She still is our tip-toe girl, light-hearted and full of creativity, completely unconcerned with athletics, addicted to reading, and sensitive to other's feelings. It's hard to believe she's 10 already.

As parents, we realize we're on the brink of adolescence; with that realization comes the weight of responsibility, of how little time we have left. These past 10 years have flown by & we know that the next 8 will go by just as quickly, if not faster. We aren't in the midst of teenage years just yet, but we're dealing with plenty of attitude & eye-rolling already! Thought I don't want to be a nag, I realize that it comes all too easily for me. Before I know it, I'm whining at my children as much as they are at me! I want to teach them responsibility, but nagging doesn't teach them to do it themselves. Instead it gives them the hope that I will soon get tired of reminding them & just do it myself! Smart little buggers. I love charts & organization, but I'm not good at consistency. But I thought I'd try something different, so I made charts for each of the girls that included morning & evening responsibilities, as well as a different chore for each day. Friday night we're looking forward to pizza & a movie. They can watch the movie, provided they completed their work for the week. We'll see how it goes; we're only on Day #3. Oh, well. It's worth the effort to try something new to get through. Even if it might be a failure, it's better than doing nothing. I can't tell you how many times Phil & I have looked at each other & said, "Man, this is hard work!" Sometimes I wonder what God was thinking giving us four children that are like us in so many ways. :) I guess he has a sense of humor.

Random things about me...

A friend asked me to supply a list of 6 random things about me, and so I gladly oblige her.

#1 - Most moments I love being a mom. I don't like being a mom when I have to lay down the law & stick to my guns. Some of my cowboys can be downright unruly at times! I don't like fighting with my eldest, only to realize she's too much like me. And I don't like to see (or listen) to my kids throw fits. Those are the moments I want to look around & say, "Whose kids are THOSE, because they're certainly not MINE! Hey...I'm just keeping it real. But I do love being a mom in those snuggle-and-read-a-book moments, when I get down & tickle them, when an encouragement offered brings a light to their eyes, when I catch my children extending kindness, & when the lessons I have painstakingly taught are finally starting to stick!

#2 - I love having friends. I can't live without them. Whether it's my first-born mentality or my golden retriever personality, I'm not sure. Intimate friendships may be few, but I get along with just about anybody & my life is enriched by the variety of friendships God has brought into my life. Even better, he has blessed me with sisters. Okay, so they are sister-in-laws, but they might as well be biological, that's how I love them.

#3 - I love to laugh and I love to make people laugh. I should have killer abs for the amount of laughing I do. (But then Santa is plenty squishy for all the "Ho, ho, ho"s he belts out each Christmas! So much for that theory!) Laughter is probably the best part of our marriage - being about to laugh with Phil about life, at & with each other, and our kids.

#4 - I'd rather make it than buy it. That is, unless it's cheaper to buy it. It's probably why I have so many unfinished projects lying around. Whether it's restaurant food, a painting, craft, or flower arrangement...I'd rather figure out how to make it myself. Somehow that makes it seem worth the time & money spent. I will hang on to something someone took the time to make for me much longer than I will something that was store bought. (Now that doesn't mean I don't like store bought stuff!! I'm just trying to be honest here.) ;)

#5 - I'm a home body. I may be outgoing, but when it comes right down to it, I'd rather stay home any day than go out shopping...or whatever it is that people who leave the house do. And by the way, I really don't enjoy shopping. It's true; just ask my mom. When all the other kids were excited about back-to-school shopping & new clothes, I could care less. She had her work cut out for her, dragging a grumpy teenager around, trying to do something nice for her! Bless her heart, my saint of a mother. My husband, on the other hand, is perfectly content with my aversion to shopping. :)

#6 - Sometimes writing on this blog is too much pressure. There, I said it. I can't think of a #6, and anything I think of won't have the bang! or pizazz I'm looking for in a last point. Maybe my last point should really be..."I'm a perfectionist, and I put too much pressure on myself when writing this blog." If you all weren't such great writers, this wouldn't be such a problem. But all my friends and relations (whose blogs I read) are just too proficient & I can't quite measure up to their caliber. Or, better yet, by not giving you this last point, I will remain a bit mysterious. I've let you know 5 random things about me, but that way I'll keep you wanting for more. So for now, I've given you a little bit...of Amy.

It all intertwines...

It's crazy to me how things intertwine & relate to one another. Either that, or maybe God's just trying to tell me something, but it takes Him saying it in a dozen different ways for me to get the message. For a few years, I have enjoyed being part of a women's Bible study on Thursday mornings at our church. It is a wonderful mix of women, including some close friends of mine, and I especially appreciate the wisdom & perspective offered by the older women that attend. It has never been a waste of time, and I have always walked away feeling encouraged & challenged. This year another study was offered on Wednesdays & I decided to attend it as it was a Beth Moore study. Since I had never done one of her studies, I kind of wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Now I know. :) Personal issues have pushed me to really seek the Scriptures; what does God say about his plan for me? And to top it off, I'm reading a book that is stretching my brain & forcing me to think about what I believe, my theological views, etc. So, even though I'm not getting any skinnier, I'm convinced my brain is shrinking from all the exercise!

In the midst of all this mind-activity, several things have intertwined. I am reminded over & over again that I need to love others as God loves them; something that is definitely easier said than done. I'm totally fine with loving my friends the way I should. No problem. But when God asks me to love someone that is difficult to get along with, I drag my heels and make excuses for why I don't need to. (And deep down I wish he would understand why it's just not possible & leave me alone already!)

So just when I had everything figured out, life comes up & slaps me in the face. It the midst of nagging my daughter this morning with, "How many times to I have to tell you before you learn...?", I was reminded of God's patience with me. I'm thankful that he doesn't leave me as I am (even though it's not fun!), but encourages me to keep learning, growing & maturing in him.

Where did the week go???

Can anybody tell me why some weeks just seem to go faster than others? I'm not sure that time is completely consistent. It seems like I blinked & there went my week. I don't know how that happened, but I'm already making lists to get a jump on next week & all that I hope to accomplish. It helps that the kids all pitched in to get the house picked up before bedtime. America's Funniest Home Videos is a great motivator! They knew how much time they had until the show started & they made quick work of the mess.

We had fun trick-or-treating Friday night & came home with more "bootie" than I've ever seen. Somebody come rid my house of the temptress CHOCOLATE! We visited a few houses on our street - neighbors that would be sad if we didn't stop by, then drove over to my friend's neighborhood & walked around with them. The girls all dressed up in their "prairie girl" outfits & were Mary, Laura & Carrie from the Little House series. The boys dressed as cowboys & had fun running wild & shooting at anything that moved. After we collected more candy than we could possibly consume in one year, we went back to my friend's home to pass out candy. We weren't getting many takers, so the kids decided they should stand out front & do some advertising. Unbeknownst to us, some boys came along & starting teasing Abbie, calling her "little princess" & making fun of her outfit. They grabbed fist fulls of candy & took off running...only to have our daughter follow suit! One of the kids came running to us, declaring, "Fight, FIGHT!" And pretty soon, here came Abbie back with the rescued candy. The boy that had been teasing her tripped & fell, so she pinned him down & told him never to do that again! When she got back, Phil lectured her about the dangers of chasing after strange boys & the possibility of retaliation. But unfortunately, his speech fell on deaf ears. After all, she was just trying to defend herself & protect that precious chocolate. I had to work hard to stifle my giggles. I remember what it was like to be a forth grader. I had a terrible reputation for kicking the boys that irritated or teased me in the shins...hard. They learned their lesson quick, that's for sure. I guess that poor boy won't come looking for candy anytime soon. And I'm glad to know I don't have to worry about my daughter being interested in dating...at least for a while.