One step forward

...two steps back. Not really. But I did finish my second family room. The reason I say two steps back is because I have ripped apart three things/areas since I've finished. You'd think I'd learn.

Don't mind the zone looking children. I started a new rule with regards to our movie watching. Movies can only be watched when we're sick, or (this is the addendum) when Daddy is on a business trip. Mike was gone for part of the week, so instead of being extremely labor intensive while he was gone, it was pretty relaxing.

Back to my room, I love it. My mom taught me over the phone how to do the wall texture. The plan was do do the whole room, but patience and time wouldn't allow it. 

The before, you ask?

Yeesh! That does not look good. The birth of this project all began when I was playing with the kids, I saw a little corner of wall paper peeling, and my busy little fingers wandered to picking at it. I remember standing there for a few minutes with these pieces of wall paper in my hand thinking "should I just glue them back on? what have I done?". But I'm glad. It was yuck. So thus the retexturing after wallpaper.

Awww, the classic Micah scowl with squinted eyes.

Anyway, below is the sign I made for the room. The wall's a bit busy to hang something busy, so my mom kindly gave me a little portion of her driftwood stash and I just painted on a quote from the hymn   Come Thou Fount.

Typically, I'm not a hymn listening girl, but lately, I have to say I am. The words in that hymn are so incredibly deep, it like you really have to sit there and think about it. Not only that, but Eden sings that song throughout her day. 

I'd be lying if I said that this wasn't a hard week. When I just downloaded my camera, there were ten pictures. That's about ten times less than a normal week. My mind has been busy lately but I know my heart is in the right place. For me as a mom, God is my strength. The fact that I have two beautiful kids who teach me everyday is just beyond any words. It's my goal to show them Christ, but usually it's the other way around.

The tender spirits and the simplicity of joy that they exemplify is so exhilarating. For example, Eden is still just enchanted with the story of the birth of Jesus, enchanted. She talks about it everyday, several times a day, tells Micah about it, and her babies too. It got me thinking: it is amazing. It's not just some Christmas story, but a miracle that does deserve to be gushed over and enamored with. And Micah, that boy has a spirit that cannot be bridled. I know at times it may be to his detriment, but he's wild and relentless and I so admire that. I can already tell that he'll do things with everything he has, and I want to be the same.

Time to get off my soap box. It's not yet 6:30 in the morning but I have slutty brownies in the oven that smell delish. 

Cheers (with my coffee cup) to the things our kids teach us.

That's what you get...

Just to warn you, this post is random thoughts that are filling my brain that need to be dumped to make room for more random thoughts and ideas.
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It' 4:45 right now, is something wrong with me? I should be sleeping.
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My kitchen cuppards are driving me crazy because of the old contact paper on them.
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Micah called 911 the other day, it kinda made my day.
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Eden and I made homemade pizza last night, dough and all.
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I haven't taken a picture in four days, gasp!
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We finished our family room this weekend, but I haven't hung anything on the walls so it doesn't look done.
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I bought the paint for our bedroom thinking it would motivate me. It hasn't. But it is called "elephant skin" and I love that.
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Put up one set of new blinds in our room. They're too short.
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Fixed the dishwasher last week. The water wasn't draining, so I took it apart as far as I could go. The culprit: a twisty tie. (I've never bought a twisty tie in my life, thought you'd like that interesting fact).
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Fell asleep in a sunbeam yesterday when the kids were napping. It was pretty much glorious, I told Mike I haven't done that in years.
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Ordered a few new parenting books that should come today, can't wait.
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Eden's crazy about the hymn "Come thou fount". Love that.
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Micah's in a crazy squirmy stage. I feel like I've worked out after a diaper change, putting on his shoes, zipping his coat, or getting him dressed. He is one strong baby.
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Dumping complete.

Cookies by Eden

A portrait wall and random hapennings

I've not been in a blogging mood lately. Perhaps it's because of major lack of sleep, or trying to get house projects done with guns blazing. I've been using every spare minute to try to finish our family room (the one without a fireplace). Then, of course, our dishwasher broke yesterday.

I called it quits on trying to fix it at 9 p.m. It's a disaster. 

I threw all the parts inside and just shut the door on it.

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Anyway, a little project that I've always liked is a gallery wall. I have a love of cute frames, but none of them match. Pinterest didn't help this time, they only showed matchy-match frames. 

I have matching frames, but I've never liked them hanging, so I just took all my favorite frames and hung them. I love it. While matching and order looks nice, I love color and disorder. I am crazy about things when I have to look over them instead of just taking it in at a glance. All that to say, I'm pleased with how it turned out.

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Eden and Micah have been playing together really well. We had a few hard days this week, although I think to myself "I had some really selfish days this week". When they play together, it's sweet. Eden takes on this little motherly, smothering role and Micah just goes along with it thrilled at any type of attention from her. When he cries, she'll make him sit in her lap, and if he cries harder, she'll literally smother him and say "he just wants me". 

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Last weekend we went to the zoo. Usually on Saturday morning, I wake up super duper early and can't sleep because I'm so excited that Mike is home with us. We're close, I've said that before. It's like an excitement that my body can't contain. Unfortunately, he has to work today, boooo. It's like the day that I look forward to since Sunday night. Sigh.

Eden got tired of walking at the zoo, and resorted to sitting on top of the stroller. I've mentioned that she loves a padded seat. Her hat got her bottom half and I quickly gave her mine. She always looks way cuter in my stuff anyway.

Micah, Micah, Micah. He's a doll, a pouty doll, but a doll. His personality is just huge. I can already tell he's a ham. Loves to get people to laugh at him, and will do things at any cost. He had Eden belly laughing last night for the longest time. I don't think her little stomach muscles could take any more.

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Lastly, does this make you laugh?

No, I did not put that sticker on him nor did I help in any way.

Eden got some stickers in the mail the other day and she wanted to dispose of this one right away. She loved the other stickers and carried them around the rest of the day, but I'm guessing she didn't like this one because it was brown. 

She thought Micah would like it.

As she put it on him she said "Micah just wants a sticker".

Quiet on the homefront

It's been quiet around here.

Mike's been working a lot, and we've all been missing him.

This last weekend, we spent every moment together as a family.

It was wonderful. Truly wonderful.

We went sledding, and Micah finally got used to the snow.
Eden was in heaven, and Mike and I were flirting.
I love that.
Wish I had taken my camera so that I can always remember those moments.

So it's been quiet.

The snow seems to make it even more so.

Can't say that I mind. 

Makes my words few.

Wacky Wednesday

Today was perfect. 

Well, maybe not quite. 

We still had our time-outs, our spats, and Mike wasn't home, but overall I loved today.

The weather was so beautiful, the gas station near our house said fifty seven. This is Wisconsin, right?

I had so much on the agenda, but I sat out on the front little step and fingered through the paper, this was during naptime of course. Just to feel the sun and it's warmth on me was so healing in a way. It prompted a conversation with Eden about sprinklers, baby pools, and running barefoot in the grass. Those are all things we will not be taking for granted, living in a condo for five years will do that to you.

This picture is from yesterday, can you make it out? Eden wrote her name. To be honest, I was floored. She knows her alphabet, but we've never worked on writing before. That was my fun little mommy surprise yesterday.

 Today though,  I wanted to bottle up the noise of Eden and Micah laughing when they were in the swing. Ugggghhh, I could never get enough of that. I feel like if I'd open that bottle up on a grumpy day, the clouds would clear and I'd hear angels singing.

 Eden and Micah swung side by side for the longest time. Micah happy with his little Newton crisp and Eden thrilled at the velocity of speed and height. She told me today "I will do this all day". I remember when she used to say that a year ago and meant it. I think my record was pushing Eden on a swing for two and a half hours. Micah, he was done as soon as he saw two boys play wrestling and his little cookie was gone. He wanted out, then she did, so much for 'all day'.

 By the time we got home, the sun was already low. It made me wish I had obeyed my impulses and woken the kids from their naps, taken them outside, and explain the history of winter and how this is just wacky. But I didn't, so the cooler air was nearing by the time we resorted to chalk. See Eden? She used to color like this when she was younger, her face so close to her paper that you wondered if she fell asleep or something.

Micah's so hilarious. I feel like I can't watch him for two minutes without bearing a smile. The little things he does are so peculiar to me at times. And not that anyone would care but me, but he would just walk around with a piece of chalk, make a few lines, walk a few steps, and repeat.

Dinner was prepped and cooked in the crock pot, no stress there, perfect easy night.

And lastly, a lengthy secret talk with my sister, who blogs here. There is nothing like a sister.

Loved this day. Perfect. 

Even just thinking about feeling the sun on my skin still warms me. 

Simple

It looks like Eden and I are rolling, well, do I have to type it? It's actually challa. Her favorite book right now is "It's Challa Time". We aren't Jewish, but we do enjoy teaching the kids about other cultures and practices and this one, well, she took a liking to.
I have to admit, having our little mother daughter date to go to the grocery store to get our ingredients and holding hands down the aisle had me bursting with joy, love, and any other positive word you can associate with mommyhood.
When we all went out later in the day to run a few errands, we let Eden choose who to go with. We were splitting up for bedtime's sake and Eden chose me. You have to understand what a little daddy's girl she is, to know how unlikely a choice that is, but I was ecstatic.
She clonked out in the car about two minutes after she made her choice.
These are the memories that I hold so close to my heart, the little, simple things that can easily be forgotten.

Enjoying January

Kindness: A form of blessing

Dear Eden and Micah,
I was debating about sharing me and daddy's love story today on this blog. After all, this is a memory keeper for you, but I know I'll never forget the details of it. The thoughts that I have right now, I'm scared will be gone in a matter of hours. Anxious thoughts, that's probably the best way to describe them.
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We just got back a little bit ago from the zoo. You guys were a blast. You giggled, belly laughed, and smiled at silly things the animals did and I loved watching the amazement in your eyes when the cheetah came right up to the glass window. Eden, you were slightly disappointed when the tapir was sleeping, and Micah, you and I were totally on the same page when we were watching the lions, their magnificence awesome and humbling at the same time.

We didn't stay long, we came to see a handful of animals and emptied our snack bag. We'll go back soon, I promise. Eden, you already requested the polar bear and octopus, it'll happen soon.

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Shoveling the snow in our driveway yesterday prompted talks of penguins and initiated the visit to the zoo today. I had a couple of soon-to-expire coupons at the mall just up the road, so we stopped. I told you that it'd be short and we'd be on our merry way.
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We walked in and I saw a familiar homeless man. I find writing that to be both embarrassing and ironic at the same time. Embarrassing because I'm going in a mall to buy something, probably something I can live without and ironic because that homeless man made me think about it.
There's so much in this life that we can do without. I was just telling you both earlier last week "to whom much is given, much is required". Your daddy and I speak freely with you both about the children we sponsor. We pray for them as a family and we often try to imagine their life, unlike ours, with much need. I know that you both are little and you don't understand it yet, but I pray that God gives you a heart for the needy.
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The homeless man waved at both of you as we walked in, and Eden, you were so intrigued by him. Perhaps it's a similar obsession to beasts and wolves, you're always drawn to the different side of the story.

Micah, you did your bashful smile, where you lower your little double chin closer to your chest. It's charming to say the least.

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We went into our two stores and were done, just like I promised, quick. We walked back past the homeless man and I stopped. I wanted to do something, say something, but it all seemed so insignificant and pathetic. Here I am, shopping, while someone is sitting in front of me, homeless and hungry. The angel on my right shoulder had me thinking of even the bigger picture, the giant need and our reckless spending. The devil on my left brought to mind, me, my family, my husband, all striving to make a better life for us, the selfish aspect of course.
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He told you, Eden and Micah, to "be good" and my trance of thoughts stopped. I started heading for the doors and asked you Eden, if you thought he was hungry. You did. Immediately, we picked up a little lunch from Panera and headed straight back to where he was sitting. He was still there and my heart was full. I asked him if he was hungry, he shrugged a little, and said "if you don't mind". I handed him the little bag of food.
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We walked out and I couldn't hold back my tears. I felt really pathetic, because I feel like that's nothing. Nothing in comparison to what I could've done. But at the same time, I was happy. Happy that a good intention was followed through and that I, maybe, was a teeny tiny blessing.
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I got to the car and cried. We talked, well I talked, the whole way home about how kindness is like giving someone a little love straight from your heart. How it can be small, non-material, but make a huge difference in someone's life. The small things are often what I remember about people. When people show you two kindness, it melts me. It makes me want to tackle that person with a bear hug and tell them that they've just made my day, week, and month. Don't ever underestimate kindness, it's huge.
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I hope that you both remember all the little things in life, and that you recognize blessings when you see them. Teaching you these things is my job, and I'm not always good at it, but I hope you know my heart. Eden and Micah, your kindness is an extension of your love and hopefully one day, your love for God. I love you both so much and loved all the beautiful memories we made in only a few hours, and I hope between the three of us, they're never forgotten.
Love,
Mommy

What a differnce two years makes

I was just flipping through pictures last night when I came across these two. 

Two different Christmas celebrations, both at my in-laws, two years apart.

2009:

2011:

 Crazy! I had one of Micah and Eden on my lap, but it wasn't pretty, trust me. What a difference two years makes. If I had a champagne glass in hand, I'd raise it to more changes in 2012. 

P. S. I'm not pregnant!

It's the little things

The kids and I are homebound, but we're having fun. Still a little lazy from the tail end of this nasty cold, but loving our time together. 

 I've realized lately that Eden and I are so similar in our emotions. My reactions to her negative actions affect her so much, and I am the same with reactions. 

 Teaching me again, that's what she does. Micah, he's amazing too. I've been thinking about weaning him, but maybe not just yet. He's still a baby to me in my mind.

I've been holding him for that extra half an hour after he sleeps. My mind races with all the things I could get done and all the things I could be doing, but it doesn't matter, this does, this moment.

It's living in the now.

Responding with kindness, ignoring the tasks at hand, and embracing the memories that I will always cling to. That, is my resolution for 2012 in a nutshell.