Short lived

So, I've been a bit of a slacker this week, and haven't posted much. Sorry! It's been a busy week. We had a friend here from out of town for 2 nights, and then Art had business meetings with the cabinet company that we are dealers for. Busy, busy. Now, I'm up to my eyeballs in laundry, and it's sunny and I'm a tab bit resentful of that fact.

A family friend of ours died this morning. She was a soft spoken, kind hearted woman who loved the Lord and her family. My heart is very sad for her kind husband who has to relearn how to live his life. Cooking, cleaning, finances.... I am reminded today how short lived our time here really is, and that I want to spend my time doing something that has eternal value. At the end of the day, how much of what I do really matters? Sure, some things are necessary (like the forementioned laundry!), but some things are not (like making sure that my kids have a clean room all the time). How do I want to be remembered, as a mother and wife and friend? Deep thoughts, this Friday afternoon....deep thoughts.

Jam!

Today I had a friend come over, a jam making virgin. We made 4 batches of raspberry jam. 4 batches!! I had told her over and over how easy it was to make jam, and now, she knows for herself. I suppose the sad thing about this is that now I won't seem quite so amazing to her - she knows the ease of which this yummy staple in our home is made.

Now, I can make jam rolls (oh man, are they amazing!) and jam-jams. Yippee!

Sunny Days

I love sunny days. Not sunny winter days, mind you, when you go outside and think that your face is going to fall off it's so cold. And not sunny summer days when it's stifling hot, and you think you're going to melt by the end of the day. Rather, sunny spring days when there's a hint of warm in the air. The birds are singing, the frogs croaking... It's a good kinda day.

Home again

Well, I am home. I had an amazing time away (thanks, Art!!) I got to go to the spa and get a parrafin wax manicure and pedicure (amazing), I went to Mac and got my makeup done, did some retail therapy, sat in the jacuzzi in my room and turned into a raisin, and, most importantly, connect with God. It was great and amazing and wonderful and fabulous....

When I got home, I came home to a big surprise. My great husband thought that having the main floor of our house ripped up wasn't enough, so he started upstairs. Art had ripped out our hot tub to make that room into a sitting room/office. It looks amazing!! He wasn't totally done (of course), so we worked all day yesterday to finish it up. It will be great to have his office up there where the girls aren't seeing him and wanting to play and talk to him all the time.

Being away from my family is always a good thing, because I come home missing them and more appreciative of them. It was all good!

The Real Deal

So, here it is. I've started this post a number of times today, fully meaning to write about the new kittens the girls got (only the sixth and seventh this year), or how great the bird houses look that my ladies (with the help from their Dad) made for me for my birthday since Art put them up.... all acceptable posts, however, not really true to what is really going on with me. So now, feeling convicted and completely vulnerable, here's the real deal.

I've had the lifeblood slowly being sucked out of me lately. I don't know what it is. The things that I normally love and enjoy and feel rejuvenated by doing have slowly been sucking the life right out of me. I love being a mom. Love it! Love being at homes with my girls. Love making our home a special place where we can regroup, and refocus, and where others (hopefully) can also. But as of late, I've felt so dissatisfied. I feel so terrible even saying it, but if I am going to be authentic, then say it I must. It seems like nothing brings me joy. I've been impatient with my family (scary Mom has been hanging around here lately a little more than she is welcome!), and just have felt like I have no life left in me.

This brings me to a point of reflection - what is WRONG with me? I am not myself. I can't seem to find God in all of this, which, for me, is the most disconcerting thing of all. I've felt desperate to hear His voice, which I cannot seem to. I just want something....anything....from Him. I don't care what! Just something. So, as some of you may know, I am heading away on Thursday for my little 'retreat', which Art got me for my birthday. How timely. One of the main reasons that I wanted to do this was to (hopefully) connect with God again. And so, I am starting to prepare. Prepare my heart to meet with Him. Prepare my spirit for what I believe He wants to do with me. Prepare my ears and eyes to hear and see what He has for me. Quiet myself.

I am trying to expect great things of my time away. Trying. Truth be told, I am more just hoping for a teeny, tiny whisper of something. Anything. I want to say that when I come back, I know that God will have met me and it was amazing and wonderful and fantastic and all is well. Honestly, that is what I hope for. But then there's the part of me that doesn't want to be dissapointed. I feel a little like perhaps the woman in the crowd felt with Jesus...if I could just touch his cloak. Well, I want more than to touch his cloak, but I guess part of me is scared to ask for that. I am willing to settle for anything, these days. In my secret place, I guess I want to reach out and touch his cloak, and then He turns around and says, "Teresa!!! What's going on? I've missed you so much! Come on, we've got lots of catching up to do! Let me quench your thirsty spirit. Come away with me..."

I'm not sure if I have the courage to hope for that for myself, though. Perhaps you could hope for me?

Phew!

Phew! What a weekend we've had! It's been fabulous, but a bit tiring. Yesterday, we hosted a birthday party for our friend, Natalie. We had almost 60 people here for a b-b-q. Crazy, I know. Here's the really crazy part....24 of those people were adults, so that leaves over 30 that were kids. The majority of them were under 8. I had my camera out to take pictures, but I forgot. Sorry! There were kids everywhere! Thankfully, the weather was amazing - if it hadn't been, my house would've seemed REALLY small!! The kids all played great, and I think they had a super time!

It's funny. My girls were so excited about having this party. The first thing that they said when we got up in the morning was, "Mom, today's the big party!!" They were very anxious to help get things ready, which was great. I am hoping to teach them how to be gracious hostesses - play with everyone, make sure people have food and drink and someone to talk to....you know, the basics. I love activities like this which give me the opportunity to continue to train them up. I know it seems like a minor thing, but we've all been to someone's house where we feel kind of uncomfortable... It's terrible! Hopefully, my girls will at least have that in their toolbox of life.

Today, we crashed! I had the everlasting nap.....mmmmm! Thanks, Art (he got up with the girls!). I love Sundays - our day set apart for sitting on our asses, resting. Love it! Have a restful day, all.

The Weekend!

Today it's (finally) Friday. The first long weekend of the summer. And it's hot. And sunny. And we have have freezies in the freezer. And we're having friends over for a barbeque tomorrow night. The lawn work is done, the house is (almost) clean. It's the makings of a fabulous weekend! Enjoy your long weekend, friends. I know I will!

Batter Up!

So last night was Art's first baseball game. We is on a team in a church league with some friends. So, my friend Karen and I trucked out there with our 8 kids between us to cheer them on. The kids had a great time playing, and we got to watch and cheer on our men. They rocked!

Another fun thing...I bought something on ebay yesterday. Here's a picture of it....


Today it is supposed to be 25 degrees here. Hip, hip, hooray! I bought freezies at Costco the other day, so today will be a great day to partake in them.

I wish I had something profound to write.... Better luck next time. Enjoy the sunshine!

Spring is Here - finally!

Well, it's official. Spring is (finally) here!! Today I had a completely blissful hour of starting to plant my flowers. Finally! I even have a couple of new planters to use. Perhaps I will be great and even take a picture or two to show you my handiwork. Perhaps.

I've been quite amazing, this week, actually. I cleaned up our hardwood flooring that we threw out the dining room window, cleaned out our entire garage (with a little bit of help from my hubby), went to Costco....by myself.....with 4 kids, bathed all four of them as well.....by myself. Yup, once again, I'm amazing!!

A good sound

So it's lunchtime right now, but I loathe to interrupt such good sounds. The sounds of my girls playing. Molly is sitting here beside me, playing with her new Polly Pockets. Everyone once in a while she asks for help putting on the clothes. Hannah, Abby & Elizabeth are all playing together....with something. I would love to know what they are playing, but if I go over there, then Elizabeth will see me and want me. So, I sit here, listening to the sounds of happy girls playing. It's makes my heart happy, really.

What a blessing to have my four little ladies around. As I watch them grow up, I love to see them explore the world around them. I love to watch them learn and grow in their relationships with each other, and grown in their understanding of God and His love for them. I love that they will one day be mothers, and get to experience the joy of having children of their own.

Happy Mother's Day, ladies. Hold your children tight on this day that we get to celebrate ourselves! :-)

Happy Birthday, Molly!

Today was Molly's birthday. We had such fun!! My parents are here, so we went swimming and then to McDonald's for lunch. Then, Auntie Frieda came over and we had pizza and chocolate 'tuptakes' for dessert. It was a fabulous day celebrating Molly's third birthday. Here's a picture of the birthday girl. Man, she's a cutie!

'Tis the Season

Today officially marked the beginning of "Garage Sale Season" for us. Let me tell you a little bit about what we, as a family, do during this short season. Out here, the big nights for Garage Sales are Thursdays. So, we go to the Garage Sale Board during the day (a big board where people put up their signs) and write down any sales we may be interested in. We do not, I repeat, DO NOT, go to sales in town, though. Experience has shown that they're not really what we're looking for. Then, we go through last week's paper, where I haved ripped out the ad's for garage sales. After looking through them all and figuring out the route which we will take, I make up a "Picnic Dinner" for us....you guessed it. Peanut Butter & Jam sandwiches. Plus some fun snacks to make the night a success. Then, we load up the van, the girls with toys and books, and me, with my list, and head out. We drive through the countyside, enjoying the time as a family, hanging out, and checking out a few sales. The Girls usually stay in the van (carseats are a hassle!!), eat their dinner, and hang out. Here's the crazy thing about this ritual. Our Girls love it!! Absolutely love it!! They can't wait for next Thursday to go again, and sit in the van for hours while we drive around. Crazy, don't you think?

So back to last night. We were driving home last night, and noticed a Garage Sale sign up at the corner. So, we pulled over and read the sign, realizing it was our neighbor. This news provoked several feelings, but for me, mostly I felt agog (that's really a word!). Mainly because it's always hard (for me) to go to someone's house you know, look through their garage sale and say "No thanks!". I feel bad not wanting to buy the crap that they don't want. Also, if you find something you do like, you don't want to give them a low ball offer to offend them since you'll be seeing them at the mailbox every so often. However, Art prevailed, and we popped out this morning, bright and early at 9 am to scope out who the neighbors were that were having a sale, and to see if there was anything that we took a fancy to. Wow!! Am I ever glad that I listened to my wonderful, wise husband. We scored!!

I was talking to a friend later (that's you, Karen), and told her all that I had bought. Then I told her to guess what I paid. She guess 4 times higher than what I bought it for... I really did score! Here's what I bought:

1. One gallon Medalta crock
2. Ten gallon Medalta crock
3. two old washtubs (for my flowers!)
4. an antique cash drawer - very cool. It was from their Dad's old country gas station

"So, what did you pay for this all," you might ask? Well, to draw out my story a little bit longer, I took a look on e-bay (what I do to justify my spending $$ on old things at garage sales, regardless of if I need them or not) at the one gallon crock, exactly like mine, the opening bid on it was for $50 (US), and they expected to get between $180-220 for it. And, I've seen the big crocks go at auctions for a couple hundred dollars. So, again, "What did you pay for this all?". Twenty Dollars. Twenty Dollars!! Can you believe it?

Oh friends, it's a good sign....it's gonna be a good Garage Sale season!!

It's My Birthday!

Good morning all (or one, depending on if anyone reads this!). Today is my birthday, and let me tell you how wonderful my husband is. I woke up this morning to a huge bouquet of flowers. And then, I got to open my presents. Art and the girls had made birdhouses for me (yipee!). We used to have a bunch, but when the moose tried to jump the fence in our yard with it's baby, the baby got hung up and all the birdfeeders fell off their poles - true story! So, some bird houses for our feathered friends. Then, he got me a HUGE bar of Bernard Callebeaut chocolate (yummy goodness!). Lastly, a book, "The Shack" (anyone read it?), with a coupon in there for a 2 day retreat in the Roman Room at WEM, and a visit to the spa. Doesn't he rock?!

I've been wanting to take a spiritual retreat for a while. To get away, and take some time to read, relax, and mainly, reflect. I've missed connecting with God for quite some time, and cannot wait to just hang out with Him. And to get to go to the Spa....that's just an added bonus!

This afternoon, I am going to do one of my most favorite things ever....flower shopping!! I am going to Costco to get my flowers, and then tonight, Art's first baseball game. I think it'll be a great day! Hooray for me!

One Great Weekend!

We had a fabulous weekend here! Here are 5 reasons why is was fantastic:

1. Our first weiner roast of the season. We had a friend join us, and it was fantastic. The only thing missing was marshmallows. Seriously, I had everything for s'mores except the marshmallows. Next time I will be more prepared!

2. Presents. Our friend, "Miss Rhonda" (as she is affectionately known to the Girls) came over and brought a plethora of gifts for us from her trip to Ireland. Seriously, a plethora. Probably the greatest gift was that of her sharing a bit about her trip. She even brought some of the fun stuff that she had bought for herself and told us the stories behind them. It was excellent!

3. Outdoor furniture. For many years, I have wanted a patio set so that we can eat out on our beautiful deck. We finally bought one (only 8 years later!!), as well as a canopy so that we can screen it in when the mosquitos get bad - Thanks Grandma!!

4. Naps. I got to nap both Saturday and Sunday, and let me tell you, they were humdingers!! Both were most excellent, although if I had to choose, I would say Sunday's was a tad better, since I woke up and could not get up. That is the sign of a true nap.

5. Baseball. Now, this isn't really my thing, but rather, Art's. But it's still fun. Art has joined a slowpitch church league, and they had their first practice yesterday (while I napped!). Our friend, Mike, has organized it all (Thanks, Mike!). They play every Wednesday night for the summer. I think that they will probably not be so good, based on Art's description of yesterday, however, I am most certain that they will have a pile of fun. And they will probably have the best fans of the league!

So, there you have it, the makings of a great weekend!

What a Mess!

Our task yesterday in our never-ending home renovations was to scrape our stippled ceiling so that we can put tongue and groove paneling on it. Art had started in the family room, and was working his way along. However, getting into the kitchen, we decided to do the rest of the main level all at once so that it was done with. What a mess!! It literally looked like it had snowed in the house. There was white stippling dust everywhere! Since we were doing this at midnight, and mornings tend to be a bit on the crazy side, I decided to clean it all up right away. Did I say yet....What a mess!! However, I have to remember the greater good. A cool looking ceiling! Here's a picture of a finished one to give you a general idea - except ours will be painted white.

So, on this beautiful, sunny, warm spring day, we get to be inside working...

Ahhh....quiet time!

I love this time of day. The little girls are napping, and Art took the older 2 girls to swimming lessons (Hannah went in the deep pool with a life jacket last week and didn't even 'freak out'!). So, here I sit, in the quiet. Dinner is already taken care of, and I have nothing pressing to do except sit and relax and maybe look at the latest copy of my Country Home magazine that came in the mail yesterday.

I find that one of the things that grinds me down the most in my life as a mother of 4 is the constant noise. I am sure that if it wasn't there, I would ache for it, but somedays, I long for some quiet time alone. So, I will go and sit in the quiet, listening to the birds sing, and my refridgerator hum.

Stink! Art just called and needs me to do something for him.....bye, bye quiet time!