A Quiet Spot

ANNOUNCEMENT: A New Beginning

2011-09-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

No, I'm not having a baby.

(Last weekend, I got to borrow my brother's baby, Charlotte, for a while. Yum.)

But, this blog is moving. I won't be deleting anything here, but from now on I'll be posting at Here in the Lovely Woods. Finally, a new name! And my own .com. Whoa, Nellie.

I hope you'll join me there. See you on the other side!

Perhaps He Needs Some Woolen Socks?

2011-09-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

"Mom," said Caroline as we drove along -- truly, there's no place like the car for great discussions -- "I think the earth must really be shaped like a teardrop. Because Mt. Everest is so, so tall. It's, like, a spiky point, and the earth is a ball."

"Hmmm," said I. "You are quite right that Mt. Everest is very tall. But it's not quite tall enough to change the shape of the earth."

Pause.

"Ouchies for Jesus!" she burst out compassionately. "Those mountains are so big and sharp, they must hurt His feet when He rests them there. Ouchies! And so COLD!"

Motherhood means getting a front row seat to stuff like this on a near-daily basis. I still pinch myself sometimes, 'cause I'm pretty sure I got a golden ticket.

For the Days that Aren't So Spectacular

2011-08-31T14:35:00.000-07:00

Today I'm thinking about a certain yawning chasm.

It's the chasm between my ideals and my real, actual life.

I know that sounds depressing. But it's just that there are days when, by two o'clock, I start thinking I'm about to break out in hives, and it's because of what's there [the steady drip, drip, drip of reminders I give my children to DO this or NOT DO that, when they really SHOULD remember on their own, and they really SHOULD have the daily routine down to a beautifully timed Rube-Goldberg machine] and also what's not there [some magical feeling that we are accomplishing great things, that my life sparkles with interest and achievement].

Let's call it the "should" gap. It creeps in and grabs the reins until I lose all perspective. I used to think, in those moments, that what I really needed was a very stimulating or very relaxing vacation. Now I know that's not the answer, because once I climbed down from that mountain or out of that hammock ... I'd still be the same person.

And the problem isn't circumstantial, really. It's all inside. In the perfectionistic self that can't embrace the flawed beauty of what IS instead of what SHOULD BE. In the proud self that tells God, "You gave this particular problem to the wrong person. I'm just not up for the job."

Lying down to rest this afternoon, I read this post from someone who has those moments as well.

Then a friend kindly sent me a Facebook photo of one of the messiest rooms of her house, a room that is in the process of being remodeled.

And I remembered ... we are all toddling through this remodeling journey together. We are all that messy room. The clutter of perfectionism, of disappointment, of unreasonable expectations, of misplaced hopes ... it all has to go. Sometimes, the room looks worse before it gets better, right?

But the best way I know to de-clutter is to give thanks. To thank Him for the beautiful and praise Him for the ugly-beautiful, even if it's in a whisper.

P.S. Guess why I'm writing this post? Because I wasn't up for it. I couldn't do it perfectly or eloquently. The right words weren't jumping out of my head onto the screen. But sometimes, you just have to take perfectionism in a smackdown. And, as Ann says, do the thing in front of you.

Hanging in There

2011-08-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

Hey friends!

Hope you all had a pleasant weekend. If you were able to go outside, because it wasn't either a) hurricaning in your general direction, or b) 110 degrees, may I congratulate you?

(Oh, wait. Sorry, just checked Facebook. Make that 112 degrees.)

Dear friends in the Pacific Northwest ... got a house to sell us?

I'm really only half kidding.

Anyhow anyway anyhoo, there's really not a whole lot to report here except that I have been working all afternoon on creating a new blog, FINALLY, and my tailbone is really, really sore. The good news: The new blog will be not much different in any perceptible way from the old blog, in terms of content. The bad news: The new blog will be not much different in any perceptible --

You get my drift. I'll let you know the minute it's presentable, and we can meet up over there. (Oh, and if you have feedback for me? Stuff you'd like to see on the new blog (or not see)? Let me know.)

In the meantime, enjoy a couple slices of my crazy, ordinary life:

Building a resort for fairies in the back yard ...

Wet trampolining. Not the safest, but definitely the sanest at these temps.

How homeschoolers do P.E. on a Friday afternoon.

I forgot to show you this earlier, from our trip to Colorado in July. I wouldn't mind being there right now, in fact. Shall we charter a bus?

Everything But the Trapper Keeper

2011-08-23T20:22:00.000-07:00

Well, knock my socks off and straight into the wash, as Paula Deen would say.

My children appear to be channeling normal school kids.

(Don't get too excited, though; notice the shirt still hangs loose.)

Either that, or they're fresh off their first day of Classical Conversations.

"She's a big personality in a small package," commented one of the room moms from Caroline's class during lunch. Yep.

It's amazing how the momentum of a group that loves learning and loves *people* can lift you up and make the obstacles seem like bread, rather than giants. Hooray for new beginnings!

A River Ran Through It

2011-08-20T12:17:00.000-07:00

(Well, not a river, exactly, but a good, hearty, rushing creek.

Our favorite creek.

The one where we've spent hours wading, swimming, building dams, enjoying the natural water slide.

Now there's not a drop of water to be found.

Our ghost creek.

Hello, historic Texas drought.)

"Don't let this world around you squeeze you into buildings or books. Buildings are good. Books are good. There are times to be in both. But God created the heavens and the earth to be experienced, not just read about or lectured upon."

"You will grow in your understanding of God and His ways by going outside, observing, asking questions ... and then carefully searching for the answers. He will fill you with wonder and praise."

- Boyhood and Beyond: Practical Wisdom for Becoming a Man

(a terrific book being read at night by the father and son in this house)

(thanks to Michelle at Delightful Learning for the recommendation!)

Bits and Pieces

2011-08-19T13:33:00.000-07:00

Whew. Busy week. Planning, hosting, shopping, driving ... it all makes for a thin margin of time to write.

But, still plugging along with Project Life, I have been taking pictures! Here are a few bits and pieces of life this week:

1. The girls spent a couple hours one afternoon making an amusement park out of cardboard boxes for their dolls. Caroline's doll is all strapped in with a duct tape seatbelt and crash helmet here (which she definitely needed). Just one more reason to nominate the inventor of duct tape for a Nobel prize.

2. As you know, we love listening to audiobooks in the car. Our latest "read" is The Magician's Elephantwhich I frankly enjoyed much more as an audiobook (the narrator is faaaaabulous, dahling) than as a read-aloud. And I say that as a Kate DiCamillo fan. I just didn't love the book the way I have others of hers ... but the audiobook won me over.

3. We attended a wedding reception for our friends Joseph and Joanna (yup, Joe and Jo!) on Sunday afternoon. Caroline is always eager to be photographed with the bride. Maybe she's hoping the romantic aura will rub off on her? That girl seriously scares me sometimes with her eight boyfriends (all older and sweetly disinterested in her none-too-subtle designs on them).

4. I've been purchasing books/curriculum and digging reusables out of boxes like a crazy woman. And, this week we attended orientation for our Classical Conversations group. I came away both exhilarated ... and overwhelmed. The mass of STUFF to organize, file, laminate, put in page protectors, review with the children, and remember each week is not for the faint of heart, my friends. And, my inner introvert wanted to curl up among the couch cushions and suck her thumb, as is typical when we're in large groups and the Inner Extrovert has to drive for a while. That said, I'm so impressed by the other mamas involved in this group. They're kind, reassuring, and apparently quite productive.

5. I'd promised Ashley, my 11-year-old niece, that I'd show her how to make a duct tape wallet way back in June. Well, with five days left before school starts for her, we got it done! Then she and her sister and cousins (my girls) had a duct tape crafting extravaganza. See point #1 concerning the Nobel Prize.

Happy Weekending, everyone!

P.S. Fellow Texans, this is the weekend to shop for school supplies tax-free. Even if you homeschool like us, you still need a few pencils and markers on hand, n'est-ce pas?

What Words Can Do

2011-08-15T19:43:00.000-07:00

Last night, the Professor put on his wizard cape and did some magical hocus pocus on my computer that not only updated the software, but synched all my various Mail programs (iPad Mail, Apple Mail, Gmail). While this was wonderful and heroic, it also meant that I had to go through and re-delete every message I'd ever deleted. Like, a hundred thousand of them.

Good times.

I chugged my way through 2007, 2008, 2009. Then I got to 2010. Then I got to April 2010. Then I realized that very soon, I'd hit May 2010. I started paying attention.

You see, in May 2010, something unpleasant happened that I've never talked about in this space -- only offline, to kind and supportive friends. I'll speak in generalities. Essentially, I received an abrupt and very disgruntled email from someone I'd considered a friend, chiding me in no uncertain terms for something clumsy I'd done. Or, rather, said. Like, over a month previously. Would I have done better to keep my mouth shut? Absolutely. Did I intend any malice by it? Certainly not. As I said, clumsy.

At the time, mortified, I immediately fired off an abject apology. I never received a reply.

I learned a lot from that experience ... but the lessons learned are not the point here. The point is that the wound from that email stung me all summer. I felt embarrassed and regretful, yes, but also misunderstood and hurt. It took months of prayer and occasional pouring out of my heart to various friends who happened to be near when I needed an ear. Their words to me so often felt like God's words made audible.

So, yes, I found the email. I looked at its title and realized that I no longer remember the wording of her rebuke. I didn't need to re-read it -- no need to poke old scars to see if they'd bleed. I realized that I could think of this woman without any heartache, but with compassion, knowing that most people do not turn and bite the hand of friendship unless they are in pain themselves.

I also noticed something as my mouse hovered over that section of the Inbox. The same week I received that email, another message had arrived from a different person -- someone local whom I'd only known online. She wanted a quote for an article she was writing. One thing led to another, and over a year later, we're great friends -- and so are our children.

Somehow, I'd never put the two together, never remembered how immediately the blossom succeeded the thorn. As one friendship ended, another -- dare I say better one? -- was just beginning. Why did I dwell so much on the hurt and the loss?

Perhaps I needed the lessons learned from the loss of the one friendship to make me more fit for others. I believe the Lord was gently reminding me of the power of words -- those carelessly spoken to hurt, those gently spoken to bless and heal.

Apps that Make Us Smarter

2011-08-12T14:33:00.000-07:00

I usually write about book in this space much more than iDevice/smartphone apps, because books are easily available at the library or bookstores, while talking about apps naturally excludes a certain number of people. But once in a while, when we've discovered another example of how technology can bolster, not compete with, our education, I just have to rave.

1. Presidents vs. Aliens Another winner from the brilliant Dan Russell-Pinson, who must be a kid himself, because he's proven time and again that he understands exactly how kids think. We loved Stack the States. Then Rocket Math. Then Stack the Countries, which is one of the few games that I myself play. Presidents vs. Aliens is his latest offering, and I'll be a bo diddly if my kids, particularly the eldest, isn't learning, cheerfully and voluntarily, which president was in office when the Vietnam War ended or who succeeded Benjamin Harrison. Genius, I tell you.

2. BrainPop. This app is brought to you by the folks at BrainPop.com, which is loaded with fun content and offers a free trial, but then comes by subscription only -- and at over $100 per year, it's not exactly cheap. But the BrainPop app, which features a Movie-of-the-Day and an accompanying daily quiz, is FREE. This past week we've been watching the 5-minute video together every morning and taking the quiz. In the process, we've learned about Neil Armstrong, Jane Goodall, bullying, Pop Art, sharks, thunderstorms, angles,and Yo Yo Ma. We've also learned, from the quizzes, how a fact differs from an opinion and what the word "infer" means. Good stuff.

Just two more reasons to justify having an iPad for educational purposes. Now, if we could just convince the IRS to let us deduct the expense ...

At the Dog Park

2011-08-10T19:59:00.000-07:00

"I like your dog!" I hear the words and smile at the familiar echo. This is my five year old's favorite opener, her pickup line of choice -- at the playground, along the street, and, lately, at the off-leash dog park near our house.

True to form, her affable intro is followed by, "What's his name? Can I pet him?" -- or perhaps, "Can I pet him? What's his name?" That is, if her sister hasn't beaten her to the punch.

Meanwhile, yards away, weaving his way into the cluster of dog owners standing about in the evening heat, my son is making his own friends. Between the three kids, they have a growing mental Rolodex of all the dog park "regulars."

"Is that your son?" A woman puffs up to me with a grin. When I nod and smile, she bursts into giggles."When I told him my dog's name, he said, 'Oh, Duke! That's a CLASSIC dog name.' What a friendly kid. So socially adept!" I consider telling her he's homeschooled. I bite my tongue.

As usual, mine are the only children at the park, mingling with new and familiar dogs and owners. We stand about, making small talk, watching Pongo and his playmates race up and down the hill, ignoring their owners' pleas not to jump into the drainage ditch for a swim, and blowing off the steam they've built up all day between air-conditioned walls.

I consider how many times I've driven or jogged past the park entrance unawares ... until we became dog owners. Now, that entrance means freedom for our pup and a minor sense of community for us -- especially for the kids.

Do you ever find yourself building a habit -- consciously or otherwise -- with your family, and then wonder: Does this mark the beginning of a tradition that will last for years? Or is it just a blip in our family tapestry, until circumstances and routines shift and suddenly it's been days, weeks, months since our last visit? Will this become part of my kids' childhoods, or simply a mile marker for Summer 2011?

And now for an even more weighty question. If you had to put up with a blonde pixie dressing you up like this, wouldn't you need to blow off a little steam in the drainage ditch at the end of the day?

Four Chairs

2011-08-09T12:35:00.000-07:00

Ever feel like you're in a creative slump? Maybe it's the weather, maybe the mood, maybe the undercooked fish you ate for dinner two weeks ago, but whatever it is, you just feel ... blah?

Those are times when the only way out is forward. What works for me is thinking of ONE thing I can do -- just one! -- and starting there.

Last week I had my nose in the most terrific book: The Gentle Art of Domesticity: Stitching, Baking, Nature, Art & the Comforts of Home. This, my friends, is a book to rush home to -- and it's NOT about to clean your oven or make your window blinds sparkle. The writing! The photos! The homages to Cary Grant! Here's a sample for you:

"We no longer need to knit socks, exhaust ourselves on "baking day," stitch quilts to keep ourselves warm or sew aprons to wear in the kitchen, and we are no longer judged on the quality of our hemming, party or heel-turning. The gentle arts have moved into a new realm in contemporary life, a realm we can choose to enter should we wish, and one in which the act of doing is as important as the result. Ignore all calls for perfection and focus instead on what can achieve, and the pleasures of the gentle arts will be yours for the taking."

In other words, we modern-day homemakers have an advantage: we can limit ourselves to the drudgery of chores, which are never permanently done, or we can choose to expand our skills and make our environment one of beauty ... because we want to. And I believe many of us do want to, secretly or otherwise, because we're made in the image of the ultimate Creator.

So, last week it was spray-painted chairs. [I also scoured the fridge. Guess which was more fun?]

Today, we're making pencil cases.

And the man in the big brown truck just dropped off this book.

I think there's hope for us.

Schoolish Stuff: Plans for the New Year

2011-08-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

For weeks now, I've been meaning to post some sort of look back at our school year, such as it is.

A word on our "school year." One of my children used to engage me in frequent discussions over whether we would follow the public school calendar for breaks, including a very long summer break. The conversation usually went like this:

Child: Are we gonna take a spring break next week? And can we take the whole summer off [from his OH SO GRUELING ACADEMIC LOAD, mind you?!]
Me: Oh, you would like to follow the public school schedule? Well, sure! Be dressed, fed, and ready to pick up your pencil at 7:45 tomorrow morning. We will study until 2:45 p.m. You may take two short breaks. And of course, going fishing with friends this Friday is out of the question.
Child: Mo-om!

Tomorrow: Same conversation.
Then, my smart friend Jenny, listening to me vent over the phone about the repetitive nature of this charming repartée, proposed a plan. Since Texas, in all its loosey-goosey glory, simply requires that we do 180 days of something that could pass as academic learning, why not let my child choose the 180 days? We got out a calendar. We marked off every day that could have been reasonably construed as a school day. This was in March. Simple math showed the student in question, who has a healthy respect for the law, that our school year would probably extend well into July.

That little discussion that had become our near-daily bread? Never came up again. And we finished the last drop of academia at 8:30 p.m. the night before we left for Colorado, to great hoopla.

I am going to send Jenny a present.

So, digression aside, I thought I'd make a short list of what worked well for us last year. Then, hopping on the bandwagon that's rippling across the homeschooling blogosphere (e.g. the Heart of the Matter blog hop), I'll share a few thoughts/plans for the coming year.

Our Major Successes:

This Week in History - Nearly every morning at the breakfast table, we came across some fodder for discussion using this terrific resource. We're taking a hiatus from it right now, but doing the full year gave us plenty of springboards for learning.

Writing with Ease - Okay, not something my kids would turn cartwheels about, but I found that we all responded well to having something very consistent, bite-sized, and daily to complete. We really enjoyed most of the reading selections, and sometimes sought out the books from which they derived for further reading. This was what the older two finished on that fateful pre-Colorado evening. And I think we'll continue next year, Eliza with Level Two and Ian with Level Four. Note #1: We only use the workbooks, not the textbook. Note #2: Ian (age 11) always preferred to do his copywork in cursive. I hear this from other mothers of boys too.

Geography Club: Yes, some months we were pulling food and presentations together at the helter-skelter last minute, but the momentum of the group was the push we needed to explore beyond our own boundaries. The kids also got some practice with public speaking and with thinking about how to prepare something that would interest an audience. We'll continue that this year.

Reading Aloud: At the beginning of the year, I tried to keep our read-alouds tied to our Middle Ages history theme, but by springtime -- as is often the case -- we relaxed into just choosing whatever I thought would interest my listeners. Favorites included The Moffats, Hatchet, Island of the Blue Dolphins, The Fledgling, and The Saturdays.

Poetry Memorization: Ian memorized Jabberwocky, The Swing, and Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening. Why do such an old-fashioned thing as require/inspire a child to memorize poetry? For encouragement, see this terrific post from my friend Stefani.

Looking Ahead

I plan to continue with all that's working for us in the coming year. Here's what will change or be added:

Classical Conversations. Last year, for the first time, we did not participate in any weekly co-ops (don't freak out; my kids had plenty of social life). For the most part, we enjoyed having more freedom in our weekly schedule, using our Fridays to finish up loose ends, play games, do a monthly class at the Nature Center, or get together with friends. This year, some good friends of ours have talked us into joining their Classical Conversations group. I won't go into the multiple reasons why I felt it was the right time to try this out, even though it's so different from anything we've done so far. And I'm a bit nervous about how my child with learning differences will fare. However, I think this child is ready for more of an academic challenge, and will respond better to it coming from a party other than me. :-) And the girls are totally excited about their new lunchboxes, and I get to buy new pencils and whatnot like a Real American Mom, so it's all good.

Math - Oh gosh, y'all. Our approach to math has been ... relaxed. As in, no formal math for the younger two, which actually is a conscious choice. Eliza (8) seems to have a natural facility for math, and this year we'll probably start something slightly more structured with her, and see if she maintains the joy. Ian takes his math lessons from Dad, which means they happen at bedtime, which means ... maybe we need a little more consistency. He's been doing Singapore Math, but I think I'll start both him and Eliza off with Khan Academy (free!) during the day, where they can see the videos and set up accounts for doing practice problems. We may transition to Teaching Textbooks, since Ian gravitates toward visual information, especially on the computer, and I've read psalms of praise on behalf of this program.

Spelling - For Ian, the natural approach to learning spelling worked just fine. Simply by reading lots of books and doing periodic spelling bees for fun, he spells well. For Eliza, it's just not coming together. (Here's where I insert: Bless Her Heart.) I think she needs a more systematic approach and for that, we're going to go with the well-reviewed All About Spelling.

Bible - Last year, as in previous years, we worked our way through Egermeier's Bible Story Book. No complaints there. We just need a little something new, know what I mean? This year, perhaps next week, we'll start each morning with a devotional from Our 24 Family Ways, along with practicing their church and AWANA memory verses. Yes. We. Will.

Science - We had fun with REAL Science Odyssey from Pandia Press last year, although we sort of lost momentum midway through the year. I haven't decided, but I think this year we'll return to Apologia Science and do Exploring Creation With Zoology 2: Swimming Creatures of the 5th Day, just reading aloud together once or twice a week and doing a hands-on activity as time and energy permit. Will supplement with Nature Center classes and library books and magazine subscriptions and just finding answers to questions about why the sky is blue and so forth.

I haven't really decided what we're going to do for History, Art, Music, etc., but I think a fair amount of that will be covered in Classical Conversations, and I want to hold off and see how much we need to do, or have the capacity to do, as a supplement at home. Rather than having all the plans laid and jumping into every single subject on some magical day three weeks from now, we'll probably ramp up gradually to what feels like a good rhythm for us.

And you may be thinking, "Hey, I thought you had THREE kids!" And I do. But Caroline is five. And remarkably self-directed. My plan for her is to include her in the older kids' activity as much as possible, to make sure we have special read-aloud time on the couch every day, to help her progress in her own reading skills, and to set aside time every week to do a craft with her, since that is what causes her soul to flourish. We may also do Five in a Row, in a more consistent manner than we have thus far -- poor, neglected third child.

In all this, of course, I'm reading, reflecting, and planning, but also, first of all, praying. Praying along the lines of, "Lord, I have no idea what I'm doing!!" and "Lord, direct our paths this year," and "Lord, show me what each child needs and how you and I can meet that need together."

Did you make it this far? I know it's a long post, even for Her Royal Verbosity. If you survived, may you get a lollipop. If you leave me some encouragement in the comments, you may get two.

But no promises.

Summer Coffee Deliciousness

2011-08-03T19:19:00.000-07:00

I finally got around to learning how to make iced coffee this week. The good news: The learning curve is short and gentle. The bad news:

Um ... There is no bad news.

Here's how to do it.

Assemble two Mason jars. (Any containers will do, but I have a thing for Mason jars.)

Using Mason jar #1, follow these instructions from Small Notebook the night before you actually want to drink the stuff. So easy, y'all. Deep breath. You can do this.

Then, kick it up a notch by making a simple mint syrup, as follows:

1 cup water
1 cup sugar (use organic if you can. You'll feel better about it.;-))
Combine in a pot, bring to a boil, and then simmer. DO NOT walk away and try to do other things while bringing your sugar solution to a boil or you will end up with a smoky kitchen. Sugar solution boils wicked fast. I learned the hard way.
Add a smidge of peppermint extract. If you think I used an actual measuring spoon, we must be strangers. A smidge, people. That's all I can tell you. Oh, and if you're really cool, you could probably use fresh mint from your garden. We don't have them garden things here in the Land of the Infinite Drought.

OK! Fast forward to the next day. You've steeped your coffee, you've strained it through a cheesecloth into Mason Jar #2, and you're rarin' to go. (Edited to add: I don't add the extra cup of water that Rachel at SmallNotebook suggests, because the ice and milk dilute the coffee enough to my personal taste.) Now, rinse out Mason Jar #1. Fill it about one generous third full with the coffee. Add the ice. Add some milk of your choice. Add mint syrup to taste. Again, start with a smidge. You can always add more, but you can't really take it away, know what I mean?

Screw the lid on the jar and shake it all up.

Ta da! Stick a straw in it and enjoy!

(Note: In a perfect world, I'd have some stellar food photography shot, unmarred by the jaundiced cast of yellow formica.

This is not a perfect world.

And we'll just have to be okay with that.)

Tuesday Travels: Pike's Peak!

2011-08-02T19:44:00.000-07:00

Inspired by this post a few months ago, we decided to herd our brood up the slopes of Pike's Peak during our recent Colorado trip.

By "herd," we mean "seat them in a clean cog railway car, with food."

Behold the results.

Before embarking. Hot. Not sure why the boy has his jacket hanging from his head.

Scenery glimpsed from open window as I read to my fascinated children about Pike's Peak history.

Fun fact: A small family actually lives about halfway up the mountain. They maintain the reservoirs and whatnot. They also drive seventeen miles to the nearest grocery store. They have no neighbor problems.

Breaking through the timberline for awe-inspiring vistas, and glimpses of whistling marmots.

See the train in front of us? We traveled the same path. Fun fact: Every year Pike's Peak holds a marathon. As in, a 26.2 mile footrace, up to the top and back. Last year's champion ran it in 3:51. To put that in perspective, I ran a gently-rolling HALF marathon last winter in 2:35.

Disembarking at the summit. Fortunately, we were prepared for the relatively-balmy 47-degree weather with warm jackets. The family from Dallas who sat across from us was not so fortunate. They, and other tank-top-clad travelers, had to huddle in the summit house eating donuts to stay warm. We took our donuts (homemade; scrumptious) to go and spent our allotted 35 minutes admiring the view.

Did you know that Katherine Lee Bates composed the hymn "America the Beautiful" after descending from Pike's Peak (by mule and foot, I believe)? Standing there and gazing over purple mountains' majesties, watching the fruited plains stretch across state lines, you do almost feel you've glimpsed the shining sea, and it takes your breath away.

If you go: The cog railway ain't cheap. Tickets are $34.50/adult and $18.50/child. To me, it was worth the extra expense because our travel philosophy places a premium on shared experiences. We don't stay in high-end hotels along the road, and we pack a lot of our own food. We don't buy the T-shirts, the souvenir postcard books, the tchotchkes. But we *will* splurge on a few worthy adventures, take lots of pictures, and reminisce about it. Because the years are short.

And we will also take a jacket. Just sayin'.

P.S. I've been thinking for a while of creating a separate blog for family travel-related posts. Not sure if they really fit in with the rest of this blog's random, miscellaneous content. Care to weigh in?

If I'm Thankful, Will It End Sooner?

2011-08-01T19:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, I know. I've already managed to communicate on this blog something of my distaste for the Texas summer. Specifically, THIS Texas summer. This recordbreaking, triple-digits-every-day-since-May, unrelenting, drought-stricken, grass-crisping, summer.

But I've decided: enough with the whining. And although it's been a little while since I've done a 1000 Gifts gratitude post, it's time to buck up and give thanks. So, here we go, drawing a deep breath and offering up thanks for summertime in Texas ...

#245. Air conditioning. Dear pioneer foremothers: I bless you. I tip my hat to you. I kiss the ground on which your layers of skirts once trailed. I have no earthly idea how you survived. Amen.

246. Sunshine. It's been said -- possibly by me, and others in the know -- that the Texas summer is like the New England winter. Long. Unpleasant. Marked by much time spent indoors. And, true, in New England one can always put on more clothing, while in Texas ... However. The true gremlin of the New England winter is not really the cold but the darkness. The four o'clock sunsets. The barren gray landscapes. The wan light, glimpsed from office windows. The mass Vitamin D deficiency. At least here, while huddling inside or walking one's dog early o'morning, there's foliage and color to drink in, plus the few rays of sunshine that penetrate the spots you missed with the sunscreen.

247. Water. We live in a city that's transversed by a river, divided into three lakes. We also enjoy natural springs, some of which run refreshingly cold. Water levels are low, thanks to the drought, but the larger bodies still offer cool respite.

248. Friends. When whining about the weather, it's always pleasanter in company. Sort of a call-and-response thing, dontcha know.

249. A break in the routine. Sometimes you just need an excuse to chuck the schedule and laze around with a book or neglected project. Or take your daughters to a classic movie in a vintage theater.

In the air conditioning, of course.

250. Thoughts of November. Like contractions during childbirth, no heatwave lasts forever.

(Sorry, cheating, but I'm afraid that's the best I can do. Please chime in if you've found something to be grateful for!)

Eleven Years Ago

2011-07-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

Two days ago, my brother Paul became a father.

And it happened in the same hospital, in the same city, where exactly eleven years ago today, I became a mother.

Seeing the photos and following the Google+ updates as he and his wife, Betty, step over the threshold into a new life with tiny Charlotte Kate [daddy a student; mama putting him through, just as we were then] makes it seem impossible that only eleven years ago, that was us. Having arrived at the finish line of the pregnancy, bursting through the tape with a dramatic birth story, we were awakening to the fact that we had really only made it to the starting gate. In the grip of love and fear, our journey with our son began.

Just as theirs is now beginning.

When we left Brigham and Women's Hospital with our bundle in arms two days later, how could I imagine that eleven years would bring us here ... to this?

This boy is over halfway to official adulthood.

In two years, he'll be a teenager.

In five years, he'll have a license to drive.

He is a brown belt in tae kwon do.

He may not know it, really, but his best friend is his sister, who listens to everything he has to say (which is quite a bit) and loves him unconditionally.

He love Legos, Star Wars, and especially, Lego Star Wars.

He likes to have his dad around, and has stated as much.

He's quite artistic, with a distinct flair for the dramatic. (Including dramatic distaste for haircuts.)

He is learning perseverance, diligence, acceptance, table manners. All in due time.

And because of who he is, we are not who we were eleven years ago.

Welcome aboard, my brother.

And happy birthday, my son!

Yes. What She Said.

2011-07-27T19:58:00.000-07:00

"But marriage isn't perfect, any more than the rest of life is. I'm sure that you'll be married, too, one day, and when you are, you'll find out that it isn't a tidy little picture of one person meets another and they live happily ever after. It's two imperfect human beings coming together and scrambling and struggling and rough-and-tumbling their way through a lot of obstacles … It's years of commitment and loving and making decisions and making jokes and cooking supper and saying the right thing and saying the wrong thing and making mistakes and forgiving each other for mistakes until over the years you find that, together, you've formed a great, big, wildly colored tapestry of a whole shared life."

-The Little Women Letters

{... If I may suggest, a fun, humorous, poignant summer read with some absolutely dead-on sibling dialogue that might make your belly jiggle. I read it in one full day of our road trip, but it's not too breezy or fluffy. And it is by no means just about marriage. Over and out.}

Tuesday Travels: Colorado Escape

2011-07-26T08:30:00.000-07:00

We went to Colorado with our relatives last week. Vail/Beaver Creek, with some stops along the way, to be precise. It was just okay.

NOT! It was actually a completely awesome trip, except for the part where my tailbone went numb on the loooooooong drive home. We ran into several fellow ~~haggard heat refugees~~ Texans along the way.

We hiked.
We biked.
We skated.
We swam.
We rafted the rapids.
We ascended Pike's Peak (more in a future post).
We camped in Palo Duro Canyon and saw the TEXAS! musical drama*.
We watched old home movies of Caroline taking her first steps.
We played Pickles to Penguins.
We laughed a whole bunch.

Of course, it's ultimately not about the things we're doing together, but about the being together while we do them.

And all too soon, just as my brain cells were awakening from their summer torpor and starting to fire off some creative energy, it was time to come home.

Thank You, Lord, that we have somewhere to come home to.

Recharging

2011-07-19T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hello friends!

This is just a quick post to say that I probably won't be posting much, if anything, this week. We are recharging our batteries right now somewhere where it is not one hundred degrees every. single. day. Ergo, I am out of my writing routine, unable to download photos from my camera, and trying to minimize time online in favor of reading, soaking in my surroundings, and reveling in general lack of productivity.

But I miss you, love you, appreciate you, and will catch you in a few days. Sound good?

A Few Favorites

2011-07-12T20:11:00.000-07:00

Perhaps it's not apparent, but I've come down with a slight case of Blogging Indolence. For whatever reason (read: Due to the oppressive nature of the Texas heat, source of all ills), creative energy seems elusive these days. Quiet Time rolls around in the afternoon, and words fail to materialize. I go recline on my bed to read a book. I fall asleep. For about ten minutes.

O mojo, where art thou?

Weltschmerz aside (I just had to say that), I thought I'd share a few little things -- my current raindrops on roses, if you will. In no particular order ...

1. Agricola. Our generous friend Evan sent us this game as a gift. Initially, Tim and I played it late at night with another couple, and it took forever for us to figure out the directions (had to cheat and use eHow) and then play. But, by midnight, we had a good sense of just how fun this strategy-intensive game could be. You people out there who like The Settlers of Catan, this is right up your alley. Also, former childhood Monopoly mavens. Then I taught it to the kids, feeling ambitious one afternoon. We played the "family version," which is slightly simplified. Caroline (age 5) lost interest fairly quickly, but the 8 and 10 year olds hung right in there and played with gusto. It was just long enough to fill a summer afternoon, without unduly taxing their attention span. Score!

2. Behr Premium Plus Ultra Paint. I'm finally getting around to repainting our entryway, which is cranberry red in a way that is not fresh and new. It's dark, people. Gloomy. And this paint (I'm using the Martha Stewart "Parchment Paper" shade) is so high-tech that it covers that red right up without the need for primer. Let me repeat: No primer. Remember, I'm indolent. Score again!

3. BBC Miniseries. Is there a 12-step program for BBC period drama addictions? I merely ask. Because if you believe, as I do, that no finer rendition of Pride and Prejudice exists than the one starring Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy -- the GOLD STANDARD MR. DARCY -- then have I got some shows for you! First it was Downton Abbey. Then Cranford. Then Lark Rise to Candleford, which the Professor and I are plowing through (yes, I know he is awesome). Then my sister-in-law, who shares my taste, got me hooked on North & South. I love the dynamic relationships, the flawed yet heroic characters, the not-so-perfect looks and settings, the less-is-more treatment of sexuality (aren't undercurrents more romantic?).

Phoebe, this one's for you.

Do you have any BBC favorites? Where should I get my next fix?

4. Studying the Psalms. (I told you: no particular order. Don't get tripped up on my mentioning this in the same list as BBC Miniseries.) For example:

"I say to Jehovah, You are my Lord; no good have I beyond You." (Psalm 16:2.)

Okay, yes, I'm listing some things I find to be good. And I write a good deal about larger "goods," like the family life we try to create, at least most of the time. But ultimately, when it comes right down to it, I have no goodness beyond Him. These treasures and pleasures are temporary -- fleeting by, they remind me that the only Good Life I need and want is found in Him alone.

5. Posting photos that bear little relevance to my writing. No elaboration/elucidation/expostulation required.

Poetry Friday: Peaches

2011-07-08T14:06:00.000-07:00

This is Just To Say

I have eaten
the peaches
that were in
the Costco crate

and which
you were probably
hoping
would last all week.

Forgive me
they were delicious
so gigantic
and so wholesale-priced.

-- With apologies, once again, to William Carlos Williams.

{A repost from the archives that once again fits the bill in time for Poetry Friday -- and could also be applied to the organic raspberries I stocked up on this week.}

P.S. Wondering what to do with an abundance of summer fruit before it spoils? Try a pavlova. I'm not kidding, y'all. It's super easy, light, grain-free, and guest-wowing. Bada bing bada bing.

Look Back at Me

2011-07-07T20:27:00.000-07:00

Our one car was in the shop today. This meant that after weeks of nearly ceaseless activity, we had a day of going absolutely nowhere beyond the neighborhood pool. This was quite wonderful, really -- enforced, temporary withdrawal from the outside world. And two things happened as a result:

1. Ian -- almost eleven years old -- had to ride his bike to swim team practice. This involves a 1.5 mile ride each way, crossing a major street. Daddy practiced the route with him the night before, I escorted him to the intersection and saw him safely across on the journey out, and he called me on his cell phone when arriving at and leaving the pool. (Yes, he has a bare-bones cell phone. It became a necessity when we let our land line go.)

He was apprehensive. So was I, although I didn't say so. But he did it. And tomorrow will be easier. In a summer of milestones, we've made another crossing. Hooray!

2. Walking home from the pool like little frying ants under the sun's determined glare, Caroline asked me to carry her. Now, she's five. A bit old to be toted like a baby, don't you think? A sardonic "You've got legs!" was on the tip of my tongue.

But I leaned down, scooped her up, and told her how far I could carry her. "Okay, Mama," she agreed. She wrapped her damp arms around my neck, laid her bleach-blonde head on my shoulder, and gently kissed it. And just for a moment, on the same day that one child took a leap forward, another one made time stand still.

Was it the last time I'll carry her like that -- even just for fifty yards? That's the bittersweetness of watching them grow and letting them go -- while some milestones arrive with great fanfare, many simply whisper their way in and out, so that we only know in retrospect that that moment -- photographed if we're lucky, but more likely not -- was a goodbye. And we wave at their disappearing smoke trail, knowing that their future looks too bright for them to ever think of looking back.

The Sprinkles on Top

2011-07-06T06:17:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't love a parade?

We adore our neighborhood parade -- and all the more this year because the dreadful drought our area is experiencing forced cancelation of ALL fireworks. And what is the Fourth of July without fireworks?

(Yes, that cute little puppy we bought six months ago is now a 44-lb-and-growing canine wonder.)

Our parade has everything you could want (well, almost -- no marching band.)

Costumed drummers -- check.

A contest with ample categories for many winners -- check.

Uniformed scouts carrying flags and leading the Pledge -- check.

Highly inclusive participation -- check.

A very short distance to walk in the morning heat -- check.

We also have little speeches from the major and other city dignitaries, a bit of patriotic singing, recognition of veterans, and free ice cream.

And, honesty compels me to admit ... my girls, to their great joy and my great shock, actually won first place in the "Bike Group" division. Which proves that sometimes, it really is worth it to run through Target at 8:45 p.m., scooping up any and all pathetic decoration material that's left.

Sometimes -- like when I'm running through Target and it's my third store of the night to visit and I'm tired from a long plane flight home -- I'd rather just stay home and say "Can we skip it this year, girls? Can we just watch the parade from the sidelines?"

But we do so much as parents that feels like drudgery. The chores -- just the ones to keep everyone clean and fed -- repeat ad infinitum. The reminders, the teaching and training in good habits, the correction of behavior, the attempts to corral and organize -- these will always be with us. They're necessary, sure, but they do drain our Family Fun Bank. Not so conducive to the crafting of happy memories.

So yes, the special breakfasts, the simple decorations, the craft projects, the little extras -- they require a few drops of effort and imagination, often when we least feel the urge. But they need not be elaborate (trust me on this!) to pay big dividends right back into that Bank.

And don't we all need a little cushion now and then?

What We're Reading

2011-06-30T09:47:00.000-07:00

Read anything good lately?

I'm trying to make sure that we use these lazy days of summer (which are totally not happening; June has whizzed by in a craze of activity) to carve out some daily reading time.

And as always ... not just for the kids!

The girls and I found Art Fraud Detective: Spot the Difference, Solve the Crime! at the library the other day. In a word: LOVE. You use the enclosed magnifying class to pore over famous paintings, trying to spot the forgeries among the real deals. It's like a high-class version of Where's Waldo? They were definitely digging it.

Ian just finished My Side of the Mountain, at my encouragement (Remember our survival literature unit? I also got The Cay on audiobook; thanks for the recommendations in the comments!). Yes, I do require some reading that's not either Percy Jackson or Star Wars graphic novels. Shoot me.

Shark vs. Trainis getting reading after reading at our house. Thank heavens, my daughters are not too old for the right preschool-age picture books! Bonus: this gem was written by a local homeschooling dad.

Let's see, what else ... oh, we just finished Socks. Not my favorite Beverly Cleary in the whole wide world, but still fairly amusing.

I've been prowling the British Isles, literarily speaking. Not intentionally, but between Major Pettigrew's Last Stand, A Red Herring Without Mustard: A Flavia de Luce Novel (the latest sequel to The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie), and Mansfield Park it's apparently my season for Angliophilia. Read any of them? I'd say Major Pettigrew's my current favorite.

That's all for now! Happy browsing.

(Affiliate links therein, folks. Just disclosing. Over and out.)

Tuesday Travels: Branson, MO -- Part Two

2011-06-28T12:52:00.000-07:00

So, to continue the unfolding adventure of my sponsored jaunt to Branson two weeks ago ...

Seatbelts buckled, armchair travelers?

Last week I mentioned outdoor activities in Dogwood Canyon, lunch and a brief tour of the Keeter Center at College of the Ozarks, and the Titanic Museum. Now, if you've ever heard of Branson, chances are, you've heard of its ubiquitous shows. Folks, if you want to sit and be entertained for any length of time, this is the place for you. In the course of four days, I attended five shows. And some of my fellow travel writers attended more. Just between you, me, and the electronic doorpost, I was maxed out by Show #4.

BUT. All crankiness aside, I'd recommend bringing the kiddos to at least one show if you're in town. Recommendations:

4a. The Dixie Stampede. Two words for you: Dolly. Parton. Yup, she's the producer. Need I say more? The dealio is, you sit and eat downhome cooking with your fingers while watching lively entertainment in the arena (complete with horses, buffalo, chickens, and racing pigs). Also, there's a friendly North vs. South rivalry that gets the audience involved. My brain was involved in a fierce Civil War of its own, as follows:
Me as a Person: Oh my. This is hokey.
Me as a Mother: Oh my. My kids would FLIP for this.

4b. Legend of Kung Fu. These talented folks from China actually performed in the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics. (And they didn't lip-synch!) They put on a really impressive extravaganza of martial arts, dance and acrobatics. The kids sitting behind me were absolutely riveted, even at 10:00 p.m. Also, we got to meet the performers and snag post-show autographs in the lobby. I tried to say "thank you" in Chinese. They were probably laughing at me.

4c. The Hughes Brothers variety show. Full disclosure: Didn't attend this one. But, I met two of the five Hughes brothers at a dinner reception and they were super nice. And they homeschool their collective twenty-nine kids, all of whom are part of the show. Gotta put in the plug for nice homeschooling families!

My other recommendation:

5. Silver Dollar City.

Yes, it's a theme park, and yes, I'm generally unimpressed by theme parks -- i.e. places to lose kids and part with lots of money. What made SDC soften my curmudgeonly edges?

- The park builders deliberately kept as many trees as humanly possible. This translates into shade, baby, lots of SHADE.

- All the thrill rides are along the outside perimeter of the park. The center area belongs to the festivals and the craftspeople (leather workers, glass blowers, wood carvers, etc.) that preserve the 1880's theme. Love that.

- Included in park admission is an hour-long tour of Marvel Cave, which has a cavern so large you can fit the Statue of Liberty in at an angle (I didn't try).

- Parents, you can take cooking classes! While one of you rides roller coasters with the kids, the other can learn, as I did, how to make a killer chocolate meringue pie. I wrote down everything the instructor, Debbie Dance Uhrig, had to say. Now I have no excuse not to turn out a grrrrreat pie ... which I will be doing ... ummmmm, really soon!

- Most important, check out the name of the ice cream parlor. Can I make the joke about "good taste?" No? Okay. I won't.

(Fun fact: Five episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies were filmed in and outside of this building.)

And I can't close without tipping my hat to Branson Zipline. Yes, it's not really a budget-friendly family activity, but if you've found and harvested your family's secret cash cache, or you just want go all out with a small group, zipping along through those tall trees is quite exhilarating. And, they say, quite safe. Unless a thunderstorm begins. Then it's not safe. Then you have to wait on a platform sixty feet off the ground until the lightning stops.

But that won't happen to you. I've been there and done it for both of us.

You're welcome.

The Gift of Hospitality

2011-06-27T15:58:00.000-07:00

We entertained a few angels last week.

Some of them looked like this.

Was it always convenient to have six extra people in our house, cramming kids and dog into our own room, feeding the guests two meals a day, having very little access to my computer, and staying up late to talk when they arrived home from the church conference some were attending?

Uh, no.

Did the kids' rooms get massively cleaned and decluttered? Did I get to watch my daughters play with, and help care for a toddler? Was it oddly energizing to pour out the effort, learning a tiny bit more of Mary's spirit in a Martha week? Did we receive as much love and blessing as we gave, and then more? Did we mourn our guests' departure, feeling their permanent presence in our hearts and ours in theirs?

Definitely. Absolutely. Indubitably.

244. Hospitality -- given and received.

"Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." Hebrews 13:2

Road Trip Idea: Branson, MO

2011-06-22T11:53:00.000-07:00

This is a Tuesday Travels post, my friends, but in case anyone's counting, it's ... not Tuesday.

But yesterday, the actual-factual Tuesday, I experienced multiple technical difficulties that prevented any blogging. So can we pretend together that it's Tuesday? Because "Wednesday Travels" just doesn't alliterate.

I'm uptight that way.

Anyway, last week I spent four days in Branson, Missouri with a whole slew of other travel writers on a press tour (like the one I went on last fall) as guests of the Branson CVB. Now, when I say, "other travel writers," I'm being generous with myself. Let me clarify.

All the other attendees = Professional travel writers who do this for a living, belong to the Society of American Travel Writers, and like to talk about that fact. (But are nice people.)

Me = Professional mom who travels with her family whenever she can and likes to write about it -- for no or very little pay.

One of these folks was not like the others.

Now, when you think of Branson, what springs to mind? A haven for baby boomers trying relive the glory days of the Beatles or the likes of Andy Williams, the Presleys and Roy Clark? The Vegas of the Midwest? I'd love to hear what your preconceived notions are. I went with an open mind, but I'd heard the following from different friends before the trip: "Oh, you don't want to go there -- it's SO honky-tonk!" and "Ooooh, Branson! I've ALWAYS wanted to go there!"

Our itinerary was chock full of activities and shows, but I'm going to give you just my personal highlights here. Remember, I lean toward lower-key, educational or nature-based travel rather than glitzy entertainment productions. That's my own personal bias, and this is my blog, and I own them, yes ma'am.

1. Horseback riding in Dogwood Canyon

We rode for about two hours through completely unspoiled Ozark countryside on land owned by the head of Bass Pro Shops. Y'all. It was gorgeous. I felt like Laura Ingalls Wilder with Almanzo and little Rose, glimpsing the greenery of the rolling hills for the first time from their wagon (her homestead is only a couple hours away). Note: You can also hike, bike, ATV, and ride a "tram" through Dogwood Canyon.

2. Lunch at the College of the Ozarks' Keeter Center

Yes, we visited a college. Try this on for size: No student at this college pays tuition. They all work fifteen hours per week somewhere on campus in exchange for their schooling. How cool is that? This would be the perfect place to visit and spend a day looking around --- at the gristmill, the dairy and hog farms, the prizewinning orchids in the greenhouse, the museum -- for very little money. Oh, and the restaurant at the Keeter Center serves fabulous food that's locally sourced: veggies from their own garden, pork from their hog farm, milk from their dairy, etc. Best meal of the trip.

3. The Titanic Museum

The folks who own and operate this museum have a huge personal collection of artifacts from the survivors of the Titanic, plus some pretty cool re-creations. (They're also friends with James Cameron, but I'm happy to report that there was no Celine Dion playing over the sound system.) I felt like the museum made the whole experience of the Titanic come alive, from the actual-size replica of the grand staircase to a re-creation of the deck in a room kept at the actual temperature of the subArctic air, to decks you could climb that sloped at increasing degrees as the ship sank. Confession: In the very first room, hearing about the passenger on my "Boarding Pass" (a mother of six), I was in tears. Those stories of people who bid their families goodbye and chose to stay aboard -- or knew they were going down and never had a chance -- always get me in the gut.

BRING KLEENEX. This is a Public Service Announcement. Thank you.

This post grows long, so I think I'll share more next week. Happy travels, everyone!

Full Steam Ahead: The Summer Fun List

2011-06-20T12:45:00.000-07:00

Howdy, friends!

I was in Branson, Missouri for the past few days doing some travel research (more on that tomorrow). But now it's home sweet home, with floors to mop and sheets to change for a week of guests and freckled noses to kiss.

Here in Texas, we parents have this survival instinct that kicks in around Memorial Day. As the mercury climbs toward triple digits, we start desperately casting about for ways to make it through a looooong, hot summer without slipping our moorings. We can't shoo the kids outside to play when it's a hundred degrees plus humidity, and yes, we can take them swimming, but there are only so many times a week you can round up the towels, swimsuits, googles and flip-flops, make sure everyone has sunscreen, and finally, forty five minutes later, get out that door.

So the kiddos and I have been brainstorming things to put on our calendar this summer (we do a very light school schedule). Things to look forward to. Things that don't cost big bucks. Things that will help us thrive, not just survive. I thought I'd share our ideas, and maybe you'll share some of your own in the comments. A few of them are specific to our city, but most apply broadly, like we're supposed to do with that sunscreen.

Our Summer Fun List:

1. Make homemade ice cream (Done in Eliza's ice cream ball, multiple times)
2. Find a new sprinkler park
3. Use our Six Flags Reading Program tickets
4. See Mr. Popper's Penguins (the movie)
5. Make a deluxe kid wash, using these instructions
6. Make chocolate pudding pops
7. Participate in our library's summer reading program
8. Do a community service project, such as a book drive for our children's hospital
9. Attend some of the free children's programs at our city libraries
10. Camp out in the backyard -- June 29 is the Great American Backyard Campout
11. Get a Texas Longhorns decal for our car (my kids have become virulent Longhorns)
12. Go see the Zilker Summer Musical in the Park
13. Reorganize our books (yes, I find this fun)
14. Make a "Family Favorites" playlist for our Colorado roadtrip
15. Invite friends over for a giant water gun fight
16. Decorate bikes for the neighborhood Fourth of July parade
17. Work on our scrapbooks
18. Visit a natural swimming hole
19. Perfect the art of iced coffee
20. Buy a used card table and keep a big jigsaw puzzle going
21. Patronize the farmer's market as often as possible
22. Gorge ourselves on fresh peaches
23. Tie dye shirts
24. Drive out of the city one night and watch the stars
25. Paint with rainbow ice cubes

I hope to update this list as we spawn more ideas, and note when each is done. Anyone else making a list?

P.S. Our city has at least one website with ideas for free fun daily, called Free Fun in Austin. Maybe yours does as well!

It's Been One Year

2011-06-14T20:09:00.000-07:00

One year, that is, since our very close call. One full year since the curtain drew back a bit to show us just how thin is the line between life and death -- or a life completely changed -- that we unknowingly walk every day.

June 14, 2010:

June 14, 2011:

(She's taught herself to do underwater somersaults.)

What have we learned in a year?

That the people who share intense moments of grief and hope and comfort with us are forever connected. They shared in our story, by chance or by choice, and that cannot change. Even now, there's something about those faces that were with us around the pool, in the waiting room, beside the hospital bed, that won't fade with time.

That life is unbearably fragile ... and yet resilient. How often have I rolled my eyes and sighed at childish behavior -- only to stop myself and thank God that I still have my child?

That bad things can happen even to vigilant parents, and that even in my heightened state of vigilance, I cannot keep my child cocooned from all possible harm. I cannot arrest her growth because of my fears. We rest in His mercy.

To celebrate a year of the life we received back again, our family passed out a hundred water-safety door packets with Colin's Hope, started by a family whose story ended more tragically than ours. It felt good and right -- to all of us, despite the heat -- to take some sort of action, to perhaps ward off someone else's close call. No cajoling required.

Parents, as you head to the pool this summer, please ...
... Make sure your child takes swim lessons, starting as young as possible.
... Always have an adult who's not chatting, texting, or the like but is focused on watching (or swimming with) the kids. If it's not you, know who it is and make sure they know too!
... Keep an eye out for little ones getting caught under rafts and under inflatables.
... Check out this important safety list for more tips.

Oh ... and hug your little ones today. Don't forget to say, "I love you."

Multitude Monday XXIII: Loaves and Fishes

2011-06-13T19:36:00.000-07:00

Last week, I mentioned that our family was heavily involved in our church's Bible Camp for PreK-6th graders for the week.

What I didn't mention was that a week before the camp started, we were fifty-fifty as to whether the whole thing would actually take place. Staffing shortage, you know.

This year there was a small core of us, including my husband and another guy also named Tim, who handled all the planning and organizing (my job was planning the crafts and games). The only person who'd done this before and had any clue was Stephanie. Let's just say it's a good thing we switched to an unlimited-minutes cell phone plan, because evenings at our house were a conference call extravaganza.

The gospels tell a famous story of how Jesus miraculously fed a crowd of five thousand men, plus women and children, using a young boy's meager offering of five loaves and two fish. What gets me about this story is the passing mention of what Jesus did BEFORE opening the buffet. He organized the people. He thanked the Father. Then, He broke the offering into pieces. And lo, it was enough -- and then some.

The capability of our small planning group seemed like paltry loaves and fishes about ten days ago. What are these among so many? But what we had, we offered to Him. His breaking of it meant our realizing that our own strength was not fit to meet the purpose. Our natural talents could not meet the need of the hungry ones -- in this case, a crowd of orange-shirted children. We desperately needed His blessing, above what we could ask or think.

And He gave it. I asked Him not only to bless our labor, but also that we'd get through it thriving, not just surviving. That we'd be tired, of course, but not strung out or wanting to bang our heads against the wall. That there would be joy.

I believe He answered. Others -- our marvelous group of workers, many of whom materialized at the last minute -- seemed to concur. And the kids' enthusiasm sure didn't hurt!

Thankful for this miracle and so much more ...

#230. Kids singing the story of Samuel.

231. The pairs of willing hands who helped me cut hundreds of strips of colored duct tape for the kids to make wallets.

232. A voicemail on my phone from a boy telling me how much fun he had all week.

234. Smiles from the tired serving ones who know how to find joy in the labor.

235. A brother in Christ for my husband to pray with.

236. Wild media rumors indicating that Stephanie and I may have been seen indulging ourselves with a girls' day out for a pedicure when all was said and done.

237. A visit from my brother and his wife halfway through the week, en route from California to Massachusetts ... and the way they spent time with my kids.

238. The ability to sing when I feel like sighing.

239. Brainstorming a summer to-do list with the family, even as the thermometer hits 100. Summer, YOU WILL NOT WIN.

240. The smell of my daughter's hair as I lift her from the pool.

242. Newly engaged friends cropping up everywhere.

243. June trips on the horizon.

Ramona Quimby, Age 8. I Mean ...

2011-06-12T18:25:00.000-07:00

... make that Eliza Diller. The Age 8 part is right on the money, though!

During the Week of Extreme Busyness and Blog Silence, we celebrated the eighth anniversary of our beautiful girl's arrival in this world. Happy birthday, Eliza!

It was her year for a party (parties on even-numbered years; special outings with a friend on the odds), and she wanted her talented improv teacher to come as Penelope Foolish. We obliged. It was our first year to hire out the entertainment, but let me tell you, it was so worth it. All this tired mama needed to do, aside from purchasing a few supplies, was provide the food.

She requested for her birthday the following: A Bible. And an ice cream making ball. She received both. The Bible kind of speaks for itself (and my mom got it monogrammed!). But the ice cream ball? Is awesome in a totally different way. We've made three batches already in her quart-sized ball, and they. were. scrumdiddlyumptious.

Birthdays are the best, don't you think?

Multitude Monday XXII

2011-06-06T19:55:00.000-07:00

Friends, this is not a blog-friendly week. Let me just to the chase here. The next four days will be consumed with a) Bible Camp, b) my daughter's 8th birthday (it's her year for a party), and c) a visit from my brother -- that would be the brand-spanking-newest Dr. Bekker -- and his lovely wife. In fact, this very nanosecond I should be cutting vast quantities of colored duct tape rather than ... well, doing this.

But I'm feeling grateful for so many things that I just had to record the briefest of Multitude Mondays here today.

#223-229. Picking up our son from camp. Seeing his freckled grin again and the ease with which he's made himself at home there. Watching and listening to him sing "Blessed Be Your Name" with his buddies, arms linked. Knowing he missed us, but not enough to cause heartache. Feeling happy confidence radiating from him. Hearing him rattle off stories galore and encourage his sister to come along next year. Receiving reports from his counselors and other staff members, with words like "happy go lucky," "polite," and "awesome kid."

(Y'all, I'm gloating here, but bear with me. Remember, I've sat there when my child asked a room full of people what a virgin was. I've also sat there on numerous other uncomfortable occasions, like when his preschool teacher told me in front of him that he "has GOT to learn to keep his hands to himself." Take THAT, Mrs. Tinkham.)

Be Courageous! And Maybe Sort of Crazy.

2011-06-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

My apologies to anyone who was hoping for a WIWW post yesterday. In case that's you, here are my excuses: 1. I took no photos this past week. 2. We are fairly consumed around here with preparing for our church's Bible Camp next week. 3. My heart is aching as I follow Tsh's (and other bloggers') posts from their trip to the Philippines with Compassion International, and it's kind of hard to talk about clothes right now.

If you haven't read any of her posts, please do. In sum, it's nigh impossible to look the other way when kids who could be your own children's playmates live in shacks with cardboard ceilings on top of marshes that are basically giant cesspools.

Of course, guilt we may feel about our First World perspective is only useful as far as it goads us to action. Sometimes that means committing to send money. God is infinitely wealthy, yes. But He tends to leave much of the distribution to us.

And sometimes, being His hands and feet and ears and eyes and mouth means showing compassion right here at home.

Story #1. A few months ago I was in an outlet store browsing girls' swimsuits. I suddenly became aware that a woman standing at the counter a few feet away was sobbing into her cellphone. Then the sobbing became wailing. Y'all, I'm talking volcanic weeping here. As in, the entire store fell silent and stared at her. You could have heard an embroidered onesie drop.

I wanted to help this woman. But the weird thing was, I worried that if I stepped forward, she might lash out at me. Might misinterpret, might blow me off. And what would the other shoppers think? (This nonsense happens when the word "me" enters the deliberations.) I hesitated. Then I walked over to her and just stood next to her until she hung up her phone.

"What's wrong?" I whispered through her sobs, as the cashier offered to hold the woman's baby.

"My grandfather just died," she moaned.

Still unsure of myself, I did what my intuition seemed to dictate. I just wrapped my arms around this woman and hugged her, listening to her choke out the story, until her husband, struggling with a stroller, walked into the store with a bewildered look on his face and managed to take over.

Story #2. Yesterday, I was in the changing room at the Y. I'd just run for half an hour on the treadmill, and frankly, I probably stank. But I couldn't ignore the frantic squalling of a baby behind the row of lockers, the chatter of two toddlers, and the tense, exhausted voice of their young mother trying to corral kids, swimsuits, towels, shoes, etc. I could pretty much hear the sweat beading on her brow.

I have SO been there. Have you?

Once again, I debated. Should I offer to help? Will she think I'm meddling where I have no business?

Then: What's the worst that could happen? Answer: She could say no.

I popped around the locker bank. "Can I help you? I have three kids of my own and I know how it is sometimes."

It took her all of a nanosecond to hand me the baby, who wasn't happy about the situation but just had to put up with another pair of arms and a weird singing lady in a stinky workout top for a very long two minutes. We got shoes onto the other kids. We packed her bags. "Let me help you to your car," I suggested, and she agreed. She grabbed one and I, the other. (Why is that we moms always end up bringing giant boxcars with short handles to the pool?) I asked my girls to wait inside for me, and we walked all together to her car.

I wanted to tell her, Jesus loves you.

But I kind of figured she knew that. Sometimes, words are unnecessary.

The point? Not that I'm Mother Teresa come back to life, or indeed anyone worthy of congratulations. Goodness knows I've sat passively by, hoping for someone else to be the Good Samaritan. The point is that we all run into situations where we wonder whether helping is the right thing to do. Excuses abound. I believe they all stem from fear. Fear of being rejected. Fear of looking like a fool. Fear of getting involved. Sometimes, love in action just isn't sensible.

Or maybe we're the one who needs help -- and it's painfully obvious. But accepting it requires the same laying aside of pride and fragile self-sufficiency.

One more story?

I was a mother with a six-week-old infant, sitting interminably on an airplane, stuck on a runway. The baby -- dry-diapered, tummy-filled -- cried inconsolably. And I couldn't get up and walk her, because the Airplane Nazis had decreed that we must, at all costs, stay buckled into our seats. This time, I was the tense, exhausted, sweating one -- longing for the invisible trapdoor to open and swallow both of us.

Then I heard a man's voice in my ear. I never saw him. He simply told me, "I just want you to know that you're doing a great job with that baby. She's just doing what we all want to do, and you're doing the best you can with her. Just hang in there." Before I could turn my head, he was gone.

He could have stayed in his seat, worming, debating, assuring himself it was none of his business. But in that moment, that man was God to me. I've probably told this story before, because it's etched forever on my heart.

It's not just money He needs help distributing.

It's love.

Tuesday Travels: Summer Camp

2011-05-31T20:16:00.000-07:00

There comes a time in a child's life when he needs to sprout his own feathers a bit, and see if these things called wings might be starting to work.

And there comes a time in a parent's life when she needs to let her child make his own way a bit -- finding his footing, making mistakes or not. She has to trust that he'll be all right, and that sometimes it's best not to know about every social slip-up or unchanged pair of undertrousers.

Enter the great American tradition known as Summer Camp.

Some of my fondest childhood memories were nurtured along the shores of Lake Ossipee, N.H., at Camp Nellie Huckins for Girls. Camp songs are etched into my memory as indelibly as my name is on the rafters of certain wood-framed cabins, with their slamming screen doors and their lack of air conditioning. Want to hear a great little musical ode to black socks?

I think that what camp meant most to me was the opportunity to be someone different. My middle school persona was introverted and almost unbearably self-conscious. The first day of my second year of camp, I discovered that there was an extrovert living inside who was perfectly capable of smiling confidently at the new girl in the cabin, welcoming her to camp, and becoming her best friend.

This felt like the right summer to launch my own boy's ship of self-discovery. And after much thought, prayer, and discussion we fixed him up with two buddies and dropped him off two days ago at Frontier Camp.

He seems okay, don't you think? (Overbearing Mom sneakily snaps son's photo before leaving her baby's physical, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing in the stewardship of virtual strangers for a week.)

You know, back in the day, parents dropped their kids off for two, four, or even eight weeks in the woods and hoped for an occasional letter. My child is at camp for six days, and we get nightly updates and photos from the Director. And, if that's not enough, we can follow the Camp on Twitter. And believe me, I do.

But so does his friends' mom, so I'm not completely alone in the world.

There's just one problem. This was posted on Twitter before dinner tonight: The lake grill is fired up and the burgers are being flipped. It's time for supper at the lake followed by the famous SHAVING CREAM SLIDE!

I think we may have a problem getting our son to come home.

Weekly Wrap-up

2011-05-27T12:17:00.000-07:00

So I'm in a fearful rush today and probably shouldn't even be posting, but there's no way I'll have time to record our home education adventures over the weekend. Instead, here's a truncated list: our favorites resources of the week, if you will. As always, partly for my own recordkeeping, partly to share findings for those interested.

This week we enjoyed ...

Science:
Popular Mechanics for Kids - Slither & Slime and Other Yucky Things
Are You an Ant? (Backyard Books) and Are You a Bee? (Backyard Books) (Love this series for younger kiddos!)
Building a worm farm in a jar, inspired by REAL Science Odyssey from Pandia Press.
Flight/Bernoulli lesson from Exploring Creation with Zoology 1: Flying Creatures of the 5th Day (Apologia Science Young Explorers)
National Geographic Kids magazine

History:
Monday with a Mad Genius (Magic Tree House, No. 38) (Read to the girls)
Welcome to the Globe: The Story of Shakespeare's Theatre (All three kids)
From This Day in History: Jim Thorpe, Julia Ward Howe, Amelia Earhart

Art:
Drawing lesson in Perspective inspired by Leonardo da Vinci
Raphael (Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists) (Another great series for kids)

Reading:
MacBeth from Beautiful Stories From Shakespeare (Ian)
Nighttime reading with Daddy
More stories from Acts from Egermeier's Bible Story Book

Language Arts:
The Complete Writer: Writing with Ease: (Ian and Eliza)

Math:
Singapore Math (Ian)
Videos from Khan Academy

Oh, and building houses for fairies and snails outside, of course. Always an integral part of the curriculum.

Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!

Pendant Winner

2011-05-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

We are a colorful bunch, people. Lots of variety in the votes. Love that!

Julronimo, you won the pendant! Shoot me an email, and congratulations!

Thanks for playing, everyone.

Lest You Think We Are Normal

2011-05-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

Photos by Michelle Syma, at a friend's 30th birthday party

And, to carry the point further, an irrelevant story:

Remember my yard sale?

At the sale, I met Katie in person for the first time. She had her four-year-old daughter with her. Daughter had kind of had it with doing errands with mom and waiting around while mom chatted with other moms. Then, Daughter spies, among my yard sale wares, a book I had come across in my decluttering process, dismissed as twaddle (yup, I'm judgmental), and tossed into the sale pile.

It was called The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree. I don't think it was even written by the original Berenstains.

So anyway. Daughter, in her heart of hearts, yearns for the book. Mother happily coughs up fifty cents, and Daughter is finally at peace. I feel good about that.

Two weeks later, I get an email.

From the public library.

I have an overdue book.

It's called The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree.

I receive my certification as a Really Awesome Person.

Actually, torn between humiliation and gratitude that the book was sold to a person I actually sort of knew, I write a cringing, sycophantic email to Katie.

She very graciously returns the book, which must have been sneaked into my library pile.

I send the Professor to the library with an explanation for why it no longer has its barcode stickers.

Daughter has possibly gotten over it by now, but maybe hates me forever.

The End.

P.S. You still have until 11:59 p.m. tonight to enter the necklace giveaway!

WIWW ... More Giveaway Goodness

2011-05-25T19:47:00.000-07:00

Yup, you heard me right. Endure to the end and she who aspires to accessorize will be rewarded. For thoughts on why I, who normally speak of such things as faith, home education, and highly glamorous vacations, participated in the What I Wore Wednesday series, see previous posts here.

I was on a dress/skirt kick this week, for some reason. Also, I had a major breakthrough in the matter of belts. Are you salivating yet?

I'd been wanting to try out more of the belted look, but alas, the belt population in my little hamlet known as a wardrobe is sadly sparse. Then -- LIGHT BULB! -- I decided to go shopping. Not at Target, but in my very own bathroom, which is where I keep all my necklaces. Hello, long beaded necklace from Sam Moon! Meet your new existence as a belt!

Yeah, it would probably work better if I had more of an hourglass figure. Oh well.

Cardigan, T-shirt, and Skirt: Old Navy

Belt: Long necklace from Sam Moon

Flower pin: Birthday present from Vanessa

Gold Flip-flops: Reef Krystal

The belt made an encore appearance yesterday. Gosh, I was really in purple mode this week!

Weird lighting, I know. Off I go in my swagger wagon to book club!

Stretch Polo: Gap (super cheap around last 4th of July; that's the time to go)

Skirt: J.Jill, from local consignment shop

Belt: same long necklace from Sam Moon

Bracelet watch: Handmade from MotsDots

Shoes: Same Reef Krystal flip flops. (Highly recommended. Comfy, with a bit of a heel, and the glitter sort of dresses up any outfit.)

And, for a girly tea party date:

Sunglasses in hair: Target, of course

Pearl necklace: Wedding gift from my grandmother

Dress: Ann Taylor Loft, from local consignment shop

Shoes: Born Concepts, from DSW.

Bracelet: Oh. Wait. That's a ponytail holder. Moving right along!

And now ... you know that beaded bracelet watch? Here it is again ...

Sorry, you don't want a close-up of my midsectional area.

Anyway, it, along with a few other jeweled items I own, were made by Austin craftswoman Martha Cole, who owns two Etsy shops: the colorful, whimsical MotsDots and the more vintage-inspired Not So Dotty. Not only do I love her work, but I also love the fact that one hundred percent of her profits support her husband's missionary work with homeless street youth.

And because I also love YOU, and Martha is so kind, one of you will get to pick out a pendant -- any pendant! -- from either of her shops. Like my butterfly pendant (similar to this), which I wear with almost anything. Or something more funky like this Mexican loteria stamp.

You have until Thursday, May 26, at 11:59 p.m. to enter. I'll pick a random winner. Just answer this in the comments: What's your favorite color? (Mine's purple. Such a shocker.) If you don't have one, fabricate one.

Multitude Monday XXI

2011-05-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

If you're just visiting here, you might wonder, why the list?

The list, known as Multitude Monday, or One Thousand Gifts, is a way of keeping track, celebrating, all the manifestations I notice of God's goodness. It saves me from chronic curmudgeon-hood. Laundry again! That floor -- I JUST VACUUMED IT. Wait -- another bill that has to be paid this week? Seriously? Etc.

This list is a record of a conscious exercise to take joy in every good and perfect gift ... even the ones that seem like Aunt Mabel's lumpy hand-knit sweaters. You know what I mean.

So, here we go ...

#211. My husband, the Professor, has accepted a job offer. STOP THE PRESS! Now, to review: He graduated with his Ph.D. 18 months ago, intent on becoming a real, live Professor. Just like Dad. And Uncle Tom. We assumed we'd be moving. We waited. And waited. And waited. And then, God opened a window. Or perhaps, a different door.

We're not moving. We were willing to move if God wanted to plant us elsewhere, but apparently that was not His will. Are we spoiled or what? We're staying right here in this city, with our beloved family members and friends. No arguments here.

Only one thing: He's not going to be a Professor. Which brings up a serious issue. Can I still refer to him as The Professor?

#212. When he shared his news with our family Google/Yahoo groups (his and mine), my siblings and their spouses (spice?) immediately began their customary banter. The one-liners were flying. This gave him an acute case of the warm fuzzies. It reminded me of why I love those weirdos.

#213. My mother-in-law took me and the girl-cousins out to tea this weekend. I sat with my 10-year-old niece. We chatted. She told me that she loves when I serve in her Sunday School class, because I "help her understand stuff." Translation: I have the girls act out the stories we learn, and I let her play the leading role, which she does with great gusto. What a girl! Definitely a gift.

#214. Endless laundry reminds me of the privilege of having clothing to wear. Plenty of it. And speaking of that ...

#215. Scrubbing the tub, I'm thankful that we have TWO tubs. Two! Well, a tub and a shower. And when we turn on the faucets, water comes out. Reading about the conditions where our Compassion kids live reminds me that running water and a clean tub are no small matter.

#216. Casting off my science-related inertia, I gathered the kids to make a worm farm in a jar today. Sometimes you just have to take a deep breath and make yourself do these things. My reward? Enthusiasm from two of the children. And dirty fingers to boot.

#217. Our dog has a way of wedging himself between the toilet and the wall in our bathroom, or -- his latest -- under our bed. Or, onto my feet while I'm 'cooking. Makes me giggle. Laughter, midway through a mundane day, is a gift.

#218. A date with my husband -- dinner (at a French restaurant in a funky part of town) and plans to see Shakespeare in the Park ... if the skies hadn't opened up just as we pulled into the parking lot.

#219. Rain! It's appeared three times in the last two weeks, which proves that when Texans pray, God listens.

#220. A slightly belated birthday gift and sweet card from a friend who has a way with words. Each re-read is another gift.

#221. Speaking of words: A reminder to use them to build up in love. Reminders like these -- printed and posted in my kitchen -- are a gift in disguise, coming back to haunt when I most want to forget them.

#222. You. For real, y'all. Every one of you who takes a few minutes of your day to read the words I peck out, whether they're serious or maybe a bit funny. Thanks especially to those who take a minute more to drop me a line and share your thoughts. Who understand when I don't respond to every comment, even though I want to (and try to). Every one of you is a treasure!

Weekly Wrap-up

2011-05-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Here's a question. Do you think that the enjoyment of great picture books is a valid reason to keep having children?

(This is not an announcement.)

I merely ask, because as Caroline gets older, often listening in on her siblings' longer reads, sometimes days go by where we forget to cozy up with a picture book. And that's a crying shame, as I remembered today while re-reading The Plot Chickens together on the couch. It's great stuff, especially for any child with a spark of the aspiring writer in her.

So, this week was truncated due to our mini-vacation, so rather than break everything down by subject (which feels artificial anyways) I'll just note that we ...

watched The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader
met with our geography club to celebrate Antarctica.
watched Shackleton's Antarctic Adventure
made an ice cream map of Antarctica (Doofus In Chief forgot to take a picture)
almost finished Island of the Blue Dolphins
read D'Aulaire's Columbus (with Eliza)
listened to Mystery at Chilkoot Pass in the car.
played Learning Resources Dino Math Tracks Place Value Game
burned our way through The Complete Writer: Writing with Ease:
spent a surprisingly long time (Eliza) watching math videos at Khan Academy.
bought some new baby chicks!

And tonight, in honor of fourteen years of wedded cohabitation, the Professor and I will sallying forth upon the town. Want to know a secret? I'm ready for a little adult time.

Every Child Needs a ... What?

2011-05-19T20:07:00.000-07:00

So, every child in America needs an iPad, eh?

That may or may not be the case, but if every child had an iPad, who would be motivated to make his own out of aluminum foil?

With all the essential apps? (Fruit Ninja, Angry Birds, DoodleBuddy ...)

And even the requisite trademarks?

Case closed.

Har, har, har. Sorry 'bout that.

WIWW: What's the Point?

2011-05-18T19:36:00.000-07:00

I've been wondering a bit about this What I Wore Wednesday series.

On the one hand: Motivation to make a little extra effort. Plus, some of you sweet people actually like these posts!

On the other hand: Extra effort takes extra time and energy. Also, what about the whole, "Man sees outward appearance, but Jehovah looks on the heart?" The Bible -- the book I hold most dear -- has plenty to say about not giving undue focus to outward adornment, especially at the expense of the "hidden man of the heart."

What's a beauty-loving girl to do?

I don't know the answer. What I do know is that the spirit behind these posts, and behind getting out of one's pajamas into something mildly flattering in the morning is NOT ...

a. To impress my blog readers and in-person friends.
b. To judge my fellow mamas for the way they present themselves.
c. To spend more time getting dressed in the morning than I spend reading His Word.
d. To blow my budget accruing a huge, fashion-forward wardrobe. (To review: I rarely spend more than $20 on a piece of clothing, I often shop consignment/thrift stores, I pare down my closet so that it only contains pieces I feel good in and will happily wear.)

The fact is, though, that until this corruptible shall put on incorruptible, most of us act the way we feel, and the way we feel both drives and reflects how we dress. The Professor, for example, stopped wearing T-shirts to campus once he earned his Ph.D., even though he's working with the same people. He figured the doctorate merited at least a collar. :-) And would I arrive at a paid job in sweats and a stained T-shirt and expect anyone, myself included, to take me seriously, even if I were well-qualified for the position?

I would not. Neither would you. Right?

Moms (and I include those who spend some hours at paid employment), don't we have a high calling? Doesn't it ruffle our feathers when someone denigrates the job of raising human beings? Don't we appreciate a little respect?

So how about -- without undue vanity or obsession -- if we sort of ... dress the part?

I just have a couple pics from this week. Remember Renée's advice to enliven a snoozeworthy outfit by accessorizing? Well, there was a bare-bones ensemble or two this week that could use the help. I'm not sure I achieved "WOW," but maybe it was a step up from "Meh?"

BONUSES: My "vintage" kitchen! My loving dog!

Cardigan: Target (currently on sale)

White T: Gap Outlet

Capris: Gap, from Thrift Store (Savers?)

Gold Flip Flops: Reef Krystal

Green beaded necklace: Holly Lane Designs

Necklace #2: The Vintage Pearl

T-shirt: Target

Jeans: Gap

Scarf: Old Navy

Belt: ?

Bracelet: Handmade by Martha of MotsDots

And there you go! Anyone have a success story to share? I've loved getting a few emails about thrift store finds!

Links: The Pleated Poppy

My Other WIWW Posts

Tuesday Travels: Traveling with People Who Aren't You

2011-05-17T19:14:00.000-07:00

As you probably know, our family likes to travel. And, like herds of migrating wildebeests, we almost always travel in groups. Either we go to visit family, or we go somewhere with family, or we go somewhere with friends. Like the beach.

In fact, we just got back, today even, from the perfect trip with friends. More on that later.

Now, raise your hand if, when you're among friends or family, but more likely family, everything comes together like a finely tuned orchestra. In perfect harmony, you plan and execute the trip to the destination of every single person's dreams, filled with well-chosen activities to which everyone equally subscribes. You enjoy every second of one another's company, talking openly about your feelings and actively listening to and reflecting everyone else's. Of course, there are no negative feelings to reflect, because everyone is SUPREMELY HAPPY ALL THE TIME.

Yeah. I thought so.

May I share with you something I have learned about traveling with people who are not ... well, ME? This isn't at all about where to go. It's about how to go. Mentally, that is.

A year ago I was in a parent group where we learned about the four basic human needs: Power, Love/Belonging, Freedom and Fun.

Around that time, we took a vacation with some relatives who are related by blood to either the Professor or me. Not saying which. Neener neener neener. And the lightbulb finally clicked on for me. Here's what I realized.

When we go on a vacation with relatives, both the Professor and I place a high priority on Love and Belonging. We want to spend lots of time, you know, bonding. We suggest activities, like social board games, that bring people together. If we're going from our hotel room to, say, the swimming pool, we're likely to call up and say, "Hey, we're going down! Want to come?" At holiday's end, we're likely reinforce the warm fuzzies with hugs and assurances of a time well spent.

That is our way. But it is not the only way, nor is it necessarily the RIGHT way.

Other people may look at a pending family vacation and think, "Aha! This is my time to RELAX. To just chill. To have no responsibilities. To let my kids get a juice box or a hug from a *different* caring adult. To get away from the annoying people I work with and all the daily household chores. All I want to do is VEG." They'll go the pool (or golf course, or beach, or whatever applies) when they're good and ready. In other words, they have a high Freedom need. And that's fine.

Can you see how these two needs might bump up against each other? Love and Belonging person might perceive Freedom person as less caring or affectionate, less invested in the relationship. Freedom person might perceive Love/Belonging person as too clingy, or even controlling. Or, you could have a Fun-hungry traveler rarin' to go, go, go -- whitewater rafting! horseback riding! shopping! -- who wonders why his exhausted cohorts are such sticks-in-the-mud.

Stranger things have happened.

This is probably more of a concern when traveling with family than with friends, since we often gravitate toward friends who "speak our love language," but it still applies in any group setting.

This was a huge revelation for me. Revelation Number Two: Both -- in fact, all four -- needs are OK. Just because someone doesn't say "I love you" the same way you do, doesn't mean they don't care. You can make room for both needs to be met ("We're going to Activity X at two o'clock, and you're welcome to join us!" Mental follow-up: "But if you want to chill in front of the TV, I won't take it personally.").

I'm pretty sure everyone has more fun that way ... but let me get back to you when I'm really an expert.

(Bi)Weekly Report (LONG)

2011-05-13T13:10:00.000-07:00

In the annals of flaky homeschool record-keepers, I believe I deserve some sort of award. A prize given to the ultra-flaky, the rarefied few who never, never record anything consistently.

I guess we all have to aim for distinction in our own ways.

So since I didn't post anything last Friday about our learning adventures, I'm just going to jump in and post whatever I can remember from the past two weeks. Let me be clear: This is not meant to impress anyone. It's to remind myself of what worked for us ... and to offer up resource ideas to anyone who's looking.

(As always, Amazon links are provided, mostly because Blogger makes it soooo easy. Of course -- full disclosure -- on the rare occasion that anyone makes a purchase from those links, I get the financial equivalent of a square of dark chocolate -- or a few pages of a book. Every bit helps, right?)

Weeks of May 2 and May 9

Faith:
Egermeier's Bible Story Book (Acts of the Apostles) - reading and discussion
Hosted home meeting; attended church meeting
Through Gates of Splendor (Netflix DVD, based on the book)
AWANA graduation ceremony. (Fun fact: by finishing his third year of AWANA, Ian has memorized 300 verses, not counting those learned for Sunday church attendance.)

History:
Michelangelo (by Diane Stanley, author of several picture book bios. Amazing artwork that combines her illustrations with Photoshopped-in images of his work. Text is dense and just barely held the girls' attention.)
Leonardo: Beautiful Dreamer (Ian)
Columbus (Ian)
The World of Columbus and Sons (Ian)
Projects from Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself (Build It Yourself series)
Discussion of Transcontinental Railroad
Research on Antarctic explorers (Ian)
Masters of the Renaissance: Michelangelo, Leonardo Da Vinci and More (Jim Weiss)

Science:
Popular Mechanics for Kids: Super Sea Creatures and Awesome Ocean Adventures
March of the Penguins
Ms. Frizzle's Arctic Adventure

Read-Alouds/Audiobooks: [edited to add: some of these are still in process!]
Island of the Blue Dolphins (Ian LOVES this "as much as Hatchet", proof that a story with a girl heroine need not be a "girl book.")
The Plot Chickens (to the girls; so fun!)
Emily's Runaway Imagination (Daddy to the girls)
Treasure Island (Daddy to Ian)
Henry Huggins CD
Henry and the Paper Route CD
Three Cups of Tea: Young Reader's Edition (not sure how to feel about the controversy, but said nothing to the kids about it)

Writing/Lang. Arts:
How Much Can a Bare Bear Bear?: What Are Homonyms and Homophones? (Words Are Categorical)
The Complete Writer: Writing with Ease (Ian, Eliza)
"Sentence Evolution" game: I come up with a boring sentence and we take turns adding or tweaking words to make it fun! fascinating! and fabulous!

Math:
Singapore Math (Ian)
Quick Pix Money Game (Girls)
Math games on iPad
Logic Puzzles from Braingle.com
Cool Math Games for Kids
"Schoolhouse Rock!" number videos on YouTube

Poetry:
"The Owl and the Pussycat"
Limerick writing, in honor of Edward Lear's birthday

Fine Arts:
Looking at Michelangelo's artwork (the iPad app "Jigsaw Puzzles" lets us download images and make them into puzzles)
Ian's work on his comic book (to be printed in book form upon completion)
Making paint from eggs and dirt or sidewalk chalk
Mussorgsky: Pictures at an Exhibition

Personal/Independent Reading:
The Great Brain (Ian)
The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1) (Ian)
Swiss Family Robinson (A Stepping Stone Book) (Eliza)
The Fellowship of the Ring: Being the First Part of The Lord of the Rings (me)
Jane Eyre (me)

Other:
Family movie: Fiddler on the Roof (Eliza subsequently spent hours re-watching the whole thing in segments on YouTube)
Family movie: The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest (Caroline, much to Ian's horror, was fascinated by the footage of George Mallory's partially decomposed body, and now thinks she will become a doctor. To her future lab partner in Human Gross Anatomy: Blessed are you.)
Ravensburger Coco Crazy - Children's Game
Mothers' Day Luncheon with relatives
Play with friends
Swim Lessons (Ian and Eliza)
TaeKwonDo (Caroline
Homeschool Tennis (Ian)

WIWW: A Guest Post by the Expert

2011-05-11T13:45:00.000-07:00

So instead of taking pictures of myself this week (see previous posts here, here, and here), I decided to call in help from the most snappily dressed person among my nearest and dearest. Introducing my Super Snazzy, Sartorially Splendiferous Sister-in-Law ... Ms. Reneé Vergara!

(OK, technically, if you're working for ancestry.com and holding a gun to my head, she's not *exactly* my sister-in-law; she's my sister-in-law's sister. But it works for us, and let's not split hairs.)

A few things to know about Reneé: She lives in a different climate (Massachusetts) where summer is still a distant temptation. She teaches Spanish at an elementary school. She has an adorable toddler, Sofia (not the actress). She likes to shop exponentially more than I do. And most important of all, she's caring and fun-loving, which means that she could probably wear a giant mustard-colored turtleneck sweater with holes in the armpits and still be beautiful.

So, she's a great resource, especially for you mamas who need a semi-professional look, and/or are shaped differently than I, and/or live somewhere where you can still layer (sob!).

Here we go! (Her comments are in parentheses; mine in brackets. We are helpful that way.)

Thursday - Dress: Calvin Klein - found at TJ Maxx for $40! (regularly $140!)
Belt: Express
Earrings: Express
Shoes: Nine West ( a non-Mary Jane style would be better)

Friday - Cardigan: Gap Outlet
Flowy Tank: Gap Outlet
Jeans (Matchstick): J Crew*
Shoes (THE best summer shoe ever - SO versatile! NUDE goes with everything): Aldo
Necklace: Forever 21 (absurdly cheap and fun jewelry options!)

Saturday - Cardigan: Banana Republic*
Sleeveless Blouse (very versatile blouse! plus has super fun detail!): J Crew*
Jeans (matchstick): J Crew*
Ellen Tracy Peep Toe Shoes: Marshall's find!
Earrings (adding a dangly pair of earrings like these can instantly bump up the style of any outfit): Express (always buy one, get one 50% off)

Sunday - Dress: Banana Republic*

Necklace: Piperlime.com

Earrings: Express

Shoes: Bandolino from Macy's

Monday - Shirt: Anthropologie

Skirt: Anthropologie

Shoes: Nine West

Jewelry: Zinnia (jewelry shop in Harvard Square)

[remember, ladies, you can find Anthro items at consignment shops sometimes ... or check their clearance sales!]

Tuesday - Shirt: Forever 21 (fun lace detail under scarf!)

Jeans (matchstick): J Crew
Wedge Sandals: Bandolino found as DSW
Scarf: Express
Earrings: Old Navy (again...crazy cheap and cute options)
Bracelet: Martha's Vineyard shop

[I love how she used that GREAT scarf to "bump up" what could be a less interesting outfit. Taking notes here!]

Wednesday - Blouse: Banana Republic

Cardigan: Ann Taylor
Pant Leggings: Gap
Ellen Tracy Peep Toe Shoes: Marshall's
Earrings: Express (hard to see, but these are gold with a single drop stone...stone almost is like a grey diamond-looking "stone"...a super versatile earring!)
Bracelet: Martha's Vineyard shop

* Reneé notes that if she buys something at J. Crew or Banana Republic or the like, she nearly always waits until it goes on sale, which almost everything eventually does.

Other tips: "Always accessorize!!! Even if you think you can't pull it off -- that's not true! You so can! The right accessories can bring an outfit from 'meh' to 'wow!'"

For example, she wears the "Sunday" black dress all the time because accessories change the look with ease. Also, she recommends large dangly earrings for a plainer, more casual outfit. The "meh" to "wow" thing again. :-)

Hoping this is all of service to you, my friends who want to look half as lovely on the outside as I know you are on the inside ... and linking up at The Pleated Poppy.

Book News

2011-05-10T19:28:00.000-07:00

Penderwicks fans, rejoice! Jeanne Birdsall's latest volume hit stands today, and I for one can't wait to get my greedy little paws on a copy. Melissa, I'm teal with envy.

You do know the Penderwicks, right? Think a 21st century version of The Saturdays or other delightful, large-ish families. These girls are spirited, not sappy. They're more soccer games than tea parties. They have their differences. But the bonds of love and loyalty run oh so strong.

Note: The Penderwicks on Gardam Street, #2 in the series, might be slightly less appropriate as a read-aloud if you or your kids dislike a) romance between adults, somewhat arranged by their children, and b) romance between thirteen year olds (minor plot thread). Just so's you know.

In other news, we ordered and have been having fun with Amazing Leonardo da Vinci Inventions You Can Build Yourself. Fun as in, making polyhedra with toothpicks and marshmallows, attempting to make moldable plastic with vinegar and heavy cream, and concocting paint from sidewalk chalk dust and eggs.

Ian's planning to try re-creating da Vinci's walk-on-water shoes. Perhaps in time for a test run at our pool-intensive getaway with friends next week ...

A Love Letter to New(er) Moms

2011-05-09T14:02:00.000-07:00

This post has been percolating in my crowded brain since, oh, the Triassic Era. The day after Mother's Day seems like an appropriate time to let it out. We'll see whether age has soured or ripened it. Here we go ...

Dear Friend (insert name of expecting, new, or still-adjusting mom):

I think of you so often. Every time I hear of someone who's just given birth, I'm whiplashed back to those early days -- that moment of sheer panic when I looked down at this tiny, swaddled bundle I'd brought home from the hospital (already loving him intensely) and thought, "Dear Lord in heaven. He's here to stay. What am I gonna do???"

Then there were the days and weeks and months of adjusting to my new job as a stay-at-home mom and, four months later, our new home one thousand miles away from any (potentially helpful) family members. Even without those factors, the move from a relatively self-absorbed, independent existence to one that revolved around the big needs of a tiny person would have been fairly cataclysmic.

Sound familiar at all?

Looking back to the earliest years, a few saving graces stand out. I had to learn them the hard way. In fact, the lessons continue. What I want to share with you has nothing to do with how to raise your child -- whether to breastfeed or use the bottle or both, where your baby should sleep, when to start solids, whether to return to paid employment, whatever. It's about you.

First, beware of isolation. Maybe you're accustomed to being among adults all day, and now you're with a baby or child whose conversational skills are limited at best. Maybe your energy has vanished, and getting out to the grocery store seems like a big deal, never mind fixing your hair, finding a clean shirt, and sallying forth in search of company. Maybe you live near relatives who love to lend a helping hand, or you enjoy a church community full of neighboring moms who share your parenting views and life situation. Or maybe not.

And if not, perhaps it's for a reason. With all gentleness and understanding, I advise you to pray for companionship, and then get out there. Do not sit and stare at the walls. Do not let the computer be your sole companion. Do not evaluate a day by how clean your house is. Do not dwell on how shy you are. For example: I'm naturally shy. But guess what? One day at a Gymboree class (where of course, it seemed that everyone knew everyone else except ME), I plopped down in the waiting area beside another mom and said impulsively, "It sure is nice to see another nursing mom."

That mom was Jenny.
Our kids were ten months old.
For the first few months of our friendship, I wasn't even sure she liked me.
Then our two families went camping together. It was basically a friendship-cementing disaster from start to finish.
Then her family moved away.
Then our family moved away.
Almost ten years later, she's still one of my best friends in the whole wide world. (It helps that our oldest kids, those two nursing toddlers of yore, both turned out to be pretty quirky kids -- and soulmates.)

I have no idea whether Gymboree classes made Ian and Claire any more physically adept or will get them into Harvard one day. But they gave me an excellent friend. If Gymboree isn't in your budget right now, try story time at the library, your neighborhood park -- anywhere where other moms congregate and you might find someone who's just as lonely as you. :-) Or, round up the moms from your church, or your La Leche League chapter, or your birthing class ... and start a playgroup. If you build it, they will come. They won't all stay, but the ones who do, the ones you share laughs and fears and hopes and hurt feelings with over feeding and potty training and biting and sleep and preschool and so many world-rocking issues ... you'll never forget them.

When your kids are older, they tend to choose their own friends. While they're tiny, the people you choose to be with are the people they see as family.

Oh, and don't worry if they don't see eye to eye with you on every issue. We learn from each other. Also, don't sweat it if their kids aren't perfect ... or, more likely, if it's yours who don't always behave. Learn mercy and grace. Because the second deadly sin is ...

Watch out for comparison. You can be Mother Teresa herself, but there will ALWAYS be a mom out there who does something better than you. Who feeds her kids more organically. Who stays calmer when all hell breaks loose. Who dresses better. Who keeps a cleaner house. Who disciplines her child more respectfully and effectively. I guarantee it: ALWAYS.

I also guarantee, though, that there's someone else who looks up to you -- or will one day. Who mistakenly believes that you have it all -- or mostly -- together. And, worse, who thinks you're judging HER -- even if you're really, really, not. Because we tend to forget that this journey we're on was never meant to be a competition. If you could use some encouragement now and then -- a hand extended in friendship, a word of praise -- so could she. Can we all just assume that we're doing our best, even if the best looks a little different in each household?

Finally, don't forget to take care of yourself. Do whatever you need to do to stay healthy and happy -- yes, you can do this without sacrificing your attachment with your child. If your energy is low or you struggle with feeling depleted, read Mother Nurture or The Hidden Feelings of Motherhood for excellent self-care strategies. Find a medical professional and/or a hobby, if that helps. You're probably a loving, giving, dedicated mom ... but you are also STILL A PERSON.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Whew. Over and out. Happy Mother's Day!

Winner!

2011-05-09T13:07:00.001-07:00

I loved hearing all your thoughts about candles and scents ... and especially, all your memories of favorite childhood mystery series! Of course, I wish I had a gift for everyone who played.

Commenter #4, hannahz, fellow lover of peppermint, you won the Way Out Wax giveaway! Shoot me an email and we'll work it out. Congratulations!!

Winner! And Another Giveaway

2011-05-06T08:01:00.000-07:00

Yes, that's right ... two giveaways in one week. But before I announce the next one, we have a winner for the Upcycled Word drawing. Eclectic Mama, come on down and choose your prize!

Now. Consider the following.

1. It's Friday.
2. It's Mother's Day weekend, and most of you (I think) are mothers, have a mother, or have had a mother.
3. I just found out that The Happy Hollisters is back in print. Gee whillikers! (Second only to Trixie Belden in my estimation ... any other fans out there? Although, in the process of finding out about The Happy Hollisters, the scales fell from my eyes: Did you know that Franklin W. Dixon (purported author of The Hardy Boys) and Laura Lee Hope (ostensible writer of The Bobbsey Twins) are really just pseudonyms for a team of writers? Did everyone know this except for me? Are you all laughing smugly right now at my naiveté?)
4. I tend to digress a lot.
5. I love to walk into my kitchen in the morning and light my clean-burning peppermint candle from Way Out Wax. It wakes me up in the cheeriest of ways -- better than coffee!
6. Way Out Wax is a small, socially/environmentally responsible Vermont-based company that uses 100% essential oils in their products -- no synthetic fragrances or additives.
7. Way Out Wax is also very generous.

For all these reasons, one of you will be getting $25 worth of aromatherapeutic candles, all-natural bug spray, clean air spray, pet shampoo (!) or whatever tickles your fancy from Way Out Wax!

Take a look: lots of great scents, or even non-scented candles, if that's your thing. And no vanilla candles. I'm philosophically and psychologically opposed to vanilla candles.

But if you like vanilla, well ... I suppose we can still be friends.

To enter, just tell me either 1) your favorite candle scent, preferably from the WoW website, or 2) your favorite childhood mystery series. Random, huh? Or, you could do both! Enter twice! Tell your friends about it on Facebook, Twitter, whatever you use, and notify me here for another entry.

You have until 11:59 p.m. Sunday, May 8, Mother's Day. May the force be with you.

WIWW ... and a Giveaway!

2011-05-04T14:57:00.000-07:00

Once again I boldly, semi-apologetically, step up to the plate to knock your socks off with my incredibly imaginative, sophisticated, and unerring sense of fashion. After all, when someone tells you she "love love loves" these posts, it's hard to throw in the towel!

{For the rationale behind these posts, and my shopping rules, see the original WIWW post. These posts link up to The Pleated Poppy.}

Notice I'm not showing you what I wore to go camping last weekend. Picture this in your mind's eye: khaki shorts, plain T-shirts/polo shirts, and faded flip-flops. Wow, were those squirrels ever impressed!

By the way, if the photos make you yawn, hang in there, because I have a little jewelry giveaway planned as this post's dessert.

Monday - Strawberry picking

(Was it dumb to wear a white sweater to pick berries? Um, yeah.)

Jeans - Gap

Muddy riding boots - Frye

Blue blouse - Old Navy

Scarf - Old Navy (it was chilly that day)

White cardigan - Gap (given to me by Vanessa when it mysteriously changed size between the store and her house.)

Leather handbag - Consignment shop. $300 new; I think it cost $65 barely used, although I'm not supposed to know that because it was a gift. ;-)

Hair that looks truly frightening when it rains -- Free! Courtesy of God and the gene pool.

Tuesday - My birthday! I always dress up for my birthday. Just quirky that way. The Professor snapped this one of me on the patio, sparing you more mirror shots.

Cropped cardigan, black T-shirt, and skirt - Old Navy

Sandals - Clarks

Necklace - World of Good

Bracelet/watch - Birthday gift from the kids. Made by a local crafter. Here it up close:

Okay, now ... a present for YOU!

Sarah at Upcycled Word makes some seriously cool earrings and other accessories out of ... get this ... discarded library books! Here's what she says:

"I see MANY damaged books and orphaned pages that don't know where they belong. At the time, I was really into origami and thought the book pages would make nice origami paper. That led to origami jewelry to just plain old paper jewelry. The earrings are kind of an accident. I was trying to make necklaces and bracelets and as I was cutting the circles I began to see more opportunities."

In honor of Mother's Day, Sarah is giving one of my dear readers a pair of earrings of your choice. Or, if you don't wear earrings, she has a few other items to select from as well. Check them out!

To enter to win, leave a comment here by Friday, 8:00 a.m. Central Time. You can either comment on this post, or answer this question: Where's your favorite place to find clothes? (Me: probably my neighborhood consignment shop!)

Mother's Day Cards to Help a Mother

2011-05-03T13:38:00.000-07:00

Of all the people I admire, high on the list are folks who adopt orphans. These are regular folks like you and me, with regular bills, budgets, capabilities and limitations. They put their pants on one leg at a time, and when they drop toast on the floor, it falls butter-side-down at least fifty percent of the time. But God puts "the least of these" on their hearts, and they forego vacations and other luxuries, setting aside every spare penny to bring a child into a forever home.

I met Katie Fox through a mutual friend, and learned that she and her husband were somewhere in long, arduous process of adopting an orphan from Colombia. This sweet family is raising funds for their adoption by designing downloadable cards to sell through their shop. If you have a mother, or know a mother, or know anyone who might appreciate a little note from you on Mother's Day (how about an expecting mama in your life?), please check out their designs. In five minutes, you'd have your Mother's Day cards bought and printed. You'd also have the satisfaction of supporting a family's worthy cause with your purchase.

The Foxes also sell organic fair trade coffee through their website, with $5 of every bag going directly to their adoption fund. Win for you: Great coffee. Win for them: A step closer to bringing home their child. Can it get any better than that?

Multitude Monday XX: Strawberries

2011-05-02T20:36:00.000-07:00

When you picture an outing to pick fresh strawberries, you might imagine something like last year's excursion. Sun-drenched rows of plump red berries, waiting for chubby fingers to pluck them from obscurity.

And this is Texas in May, so that picture would make perfect sense. However, weird things happen in Texas. Like cold fronts blowing in with a vengeance while you're shopping for groceries. And praying for rain to come soak your parched and thirsty land, only to have it fall on the one day when you finally get your act together and head for the strawberry farm.

When you drive over an hour to pick yourself some berries, you don't just throw up your hands and head for home. You borrow yourself a dadgum umbrella, and you start picking.

And there, crouched in the muddy rows, gently pushing back the gleaming leaves, you have lots of time to reflect, once your helpers have retired to the warm, dry car.

You think about this weekly gratitude exercise -- a daily exercise, really -- and how it's all just a pushing back of mud and leaves and weeds to find those perfect, ripe red specimens of berry goodness. From above, the pickings look slim. To find the berries worth plucking, you have to get down. Way down.

It works something like this. [Gifts # 201-210]

The mud and leaves: A disappointing outing (rain today, of all days!)
The gift: Watching my son hoe potatoes in an adjoining field, undaunted by the drizzle or the heft of the pitchfork.

The mud and leaves: A long drive, which always makes me feel sleepy
The gift: Beautiful Hill Country scenery and a Starbucks caramel macchiato to perk me up on the way back. Laughing with the kids at the Mr. Popper's Penguins CD we picked up at the library.

The mud and leaves: My daughters' fashion choices.
The gift: My daughters' fashion choices. Do we have an emerging sense of self, or what?

The mud and leaves: The washing, de-stemming, refrigerating and freezing chores that follow a berry-picking.
The gift: Fresh, locally-grown strawberries preserved for the next few months, the thought of smoothies and strawberry shortcakes to come, hands that can work, and a puppy curled up on my feet in the kitchen.

The mud and leaves: Waiting, waiting, waiting, for the Professor's job offer letter to arrive. Wondering why "tomorrow" always seems to mean "three days from now, after you remind us."
The gift: Learning to trust the Lord more deeply -- trust that His timing is laser-perfect. Oh, and the offer letter finally arriving today!

Poetry Friday: A Fairy in Armor

2011-04-29T13:53:00.000-07:00

Here's my contribution to Poetry Friday (hosted here) this week. I found it and read it to the girls on Tuesday after they'd spent the first hour of their day out on the patio, making enormous bubbles and being serenaded by the mourning doves. They informed me that "when bubbles are blown, fairies are born."

A Fairy In Armor

He put his acorn helmet on;

It was plumed of the silk of thistle down;

The corslet plate that guarded his breast

Was once the wild bee’s golden vest;

His cloak, of a thousand mingled dyes,

Was formed of the wings of butterflies;

His shield was the shell of a lady-bug green,

Studs of gold on a ground of green;

And the quivering lance which he brandied bright,

Was the sting of a wasp he had slain in fight.

Swift he bestode his fire-fly steed;

He bared his blade of the bent-grass blue;

He drove his spurs of the cockle-seed,

And away like a glance of thought he flew,

To skim the heavens and follow far

The fiery trail of the rocket star.

By Joseph Rodman Drake

Kind of an unusual fairy, no? Think he looks as resplendent as Prince William did in his dress uniform this morning?

This week we ...

... finished reading Ginger Pye, me with a lump in my throat and a fond gaze at our own dog.
... played Animal Yahtzee - such a fun way to do elementary math!
... dug for worms and watched a mother bird feed her babies in our back yard.
... watched Popular Mechanics for Kids: Gators and Dragons and Other Wild Beasts
... found more logic puzzles at braingle.com

And we'll be camping with friends this weekend, continuing to pray for rain once the trip is over. Whether you have big plans or small ones, may your weekend be happy and safe!

A Royal Wedding Conversation

2011-04-28T14:08:00.000-07:00

(No photos here, since all the Kate-William photos are copyrighted out the wazoo. Click here if you need a visual aid.)

This morning, I showed the girls a photo of Prince William and Kate Middleton. We will, of course, be watching the blessed event via the magic and mystery of DVR. How many times in a little girl's lifetime do fairytales come true? (And as for the happily-ever-after part, we can hope for the best.)

Caroline [rather disappointed tone]: He doesn't look like a real prince.

Me: You think so? Hmm. What about Kate? Does she look like a real princess?

Caroline: No.

Me: Why's that?

Caroline: A real princess would be wearing a poufy gown with sparkly things on it.

Maybe she'll change her mind when she sees the tiara?

(Free William and Kate paper dolls to print out here.)

What I Wore Wednesday - Redux

2011-04-27T13:13:00.000-07:00

Much to my amusement, not only did a few of you send some kind comments my way after last Wednesday's What I Wore post inspired by The Pleated Poppy blog hop ... but also, a couple of you asked for more! From the girl who used to wear itchy knee socks held up on her skinny legs by rubber bands! Wonders never cease.

In case you're wondering, I still feel silly taking pictures of myself and posting them. Working through it, one deep cleansing breath at a time. And yes, our dresser top is often cluttered. Can we still be friends?

Question: Why bother making the effort to dress nicely? Isn't inner beauty enough? And what if no one outside your family sees you anyway?

Answer: In my personal opinion: If you're single ... best foot forward, sweets! Yes, it's what's on the inside that counts, but a little external polish never hurts your case. If you're married ... why let yourself go? Without obsessing about it, I like the Professor to know that he's still worth the effort. :-)

Now, without further ado ...

Sunday

Skirt: Gap

Eggplant top: Old Navy

Sandals: Clarks

Necklace: The Vintage Pearl (last year's Mother's Day gift, yea!)

Monday

Black knit dress: Banana Republic (from consignment shop)

Red sandals: Born (gift from my mom a couple birthdays ago)

Vintage butterfly necklace: Not So Dotty

Tuesday (bad photo, sorry)

white T-shirt: Gap outlet

Empire waist top: random brand (consignment shop)

denim capris: Old Navy

Glittery flip-flops: Reef

Necklace: Target

Wednesday

Stretch polo: Lady Hathaway (Costco impulse buy:-))

Skirt: Old Navy

Chunky necklace: Sam Moon

Metallic sandals: Target

And now, a little bonus for you ...

Dress: Lands' End

Flip flops: Old Navy

Scarf: Mama's fabric scraps, baby! I think this was a sofa pillow?

Parting thought: A friend was having a clothing crisis recently, and her gallant husband chivalrously googled "apple body type" (she is not a rectangle like me!) and came up with tons of helpful links, including YouTube videos. If you're at a loss, doing so might help you as well. Here's a link to help you determine your shape.

Also, lots of inspiration available from the links at The Pleated Poppy.

Tuesday Travels: Create a Travel Binder

2011-04-26T19:52:00.000-07:00

Do you ever leaf through a travel magazine or newspaper section, spy an alluring destination, commit it to memory for the day when time and money allow, and then, in a matter of minutes/hours/days, find that the name of that charming B&B/scenic drive/educational experience/trip of a lifetime has completely ... transmeltified? Vanishized? Dipsappeared?

Enter The Travel Book. This is simple a three-ring binder, replete with page protectors, where I shove all my travel-related hopes and dreams. (Unless I read about them online. Then I bookmark them on Del.ic.ious.)

The Travel Book has four sections.
Section One: Packing Lists!
I've printed lists from WeJustGotBack.com and lists for the kids from House on Hill Road.

Keeping them in page protectors means they're easy to mark off, erase with fine-tip dry-erase markers, and reuse.

Section Two: Texas.

Here's where I keep brochures for the state park system (we have an annual membership) and promotional materials for various day/road trip destinations. Most of these trips are easily doable on a weekend.

Section Three: U.S.A.
Right now this section includes articles about St. Augustine, FL, Staunton, VA, Park City, UT, etc.

Hmmmm .... Park City, UT. I'll be gazing at that page with slobber galore come July. Good thing it's in a page protector.

(Of course, if I were truly intelligent like my friend Nicole, I'd have figured out a way to skedaddle to coastal Canada for half of every summer. But true intelligence eludes me.)

Section Four: International.

This is where I stow helpful articles on glamorous destinations found in a galaxy far, far away. Like the Dominican Republic. You just never know when duty will call, and it's good to be prepared.

There's also an Animal Tracking Guide in here, hoping I'll remember to tote it along on the next camping trip.

Do you have some way of keeping track of future (or imaginary) travel plans? And is there anything I should add to my binder?

Multitude Monday XIX: The Great Outdoors

2011-04-25T13:51:00.000-07:00

There are times, in the life of a family, when both parties of Congress, the FDA, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and the Surgeon General all agree: everyone needs to get outside.

Times when you need to bid sayonara to the lure of the screen, the plug, the household maintenance chores, the nitty-gritty errands that will consume your Saturday if allowed.

Times to feel the wind on your face and the spray on your back.

Times to hang with the big girls.

Times to let go of the leash and see if your companion will follow.

Times to feast your eyes on the common wonders of the natural world.

And, of course, times to eat some Rudy's Barbecue with your fingers.

Feeling thankful today for ...

#196. The sun, the wind, the lake, the rocky beach.

197. Shell souvenirs still clanking around in the back of the van.

198. A generous friend with a sailboat.

199. This: Sometimes I regret the experiences I can't offer my kids right now. They're growing so fast, and they're not going to the theater (unless it's free and outdoors), taking music lessons, spending weeks at overnight camp, or running barefoot out of my grandmother's beach house. But if what they need to be happy, fulfilled people can be found during a day in the sunshine, hunting for shells and jumping in the waves with family and a cast of other adults who love them ... then they have what they need most.

And, by the way ...

200. A husband who cheerfully watches Masterpiece dramas with me. We just finished both seasons of Cranford. If you love anything Jane Austen, this series, based on Elizabeth Gaskell's novels (roughly contemporaneous to Ms. Austen's), are a must-see. Judi Dench. Imelda Staunton. What more can I say?

Sunday Inspiration: He is Risen!

2011-04-24T12:56:00.000-07:00

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has regenerated us unto a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead ..." 1 Peter 1:3

In our family, we call this day Resurrection Day or Resurrection Sunday. With all due respect for others' family traditions, the kids understand that the resurrection of our Savior really has nothing to do with fertility goddesses, fluffy bunnies or colored eggs (coloring eggs happens on another day for us).

What it does mean is that Jesus' sacrifice worked -- He paid the price to atone for our sins, and His resurrection was the receipt, saying that both God and the law were satisfied.

It means that it was "not possible for Him to be held by death." (Ian reminded us at the breakfast table of Aslan breaking loose of his ropes at the Stone Table.)

And now He offers this same indestructible life -- this living hope -- to all who will receive this free gift.

Sounds pretty awesome, if you ask me.

What We're Up To

2011-04-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

As a relaxed, eclectic homeschooler who battles a tendency to anxiety, sometimes it just helps to write it all down. Are we doing enough? (Susie Homeschool Blogger accomplishes so much more [always a sign of wackadoo thinking].) Are they learning? Am I making every moment count?

Relax, girl. They're wired to learn. And so are you!

So for my own review, and your idle curiosity, here's where our learning adventures took us this week.

Bible: Stories from the Book of Acts (Egermeier's Bible Story Book). AWANA memory work.

History: The World of Columbus and Sons. Just one chapter. Not our most historical week. Till Year's Good End (Middle Ages picture book for the girls.) Discussion of Passover.

Science: Popular Mechanics for Kids: Lightning and Other Forces of Nature (DVD). This inertia experiment with eggs. Resulting hijinks in the front yard with dissecting hardboiled eggs. This interactive physics simulation of crashing vehicles. Discussion of Marie and Pierre Curie. Ranger Rick magazine.
Green Hour at the creek. (Gosh, and I always feel like a slacker when it comes to science.)

Math: Singapore Math (Ian.) Logic puzzles from Braingle.com. Learning Resources Dino Math Tracks Place Value Game. iPad Games: "Monster Squeeze," "Math Ninja," and everyone's favorite: Rocket Math.
Note: Rocket Math, played by all three kids, is made by the same folks who bring us two other favorites: Stack the States and Stack the Countries.

Poetry: "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening." And, on its anniversary Monday, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."

Geography: Families of Russia (Families of the World) (DVD). Geography club meeting on Russia. Trip to local Russian market. Russia mapwork, followed by ...

It's a salt dough map of Russia, made entirely by himself. Can you see the pride oozing from his pores?

Read-Alouds: Pied Piper of Austin. Island of the Blue Dolphins (to Ian; after our success with Hatchet, we're following up with a survival-book theme of sorts). Ginger Pye (to the girls). We felt like Ginger Pye was an appropriate follow-up to the tale of that other Cranbury family, The Moffats. Those Pyes and Moffats from the days of yore, they sure are free-range kids! Plus, this one features, centrally, a dog. And the relationship between its siblings protagonists, Jerry and Rachel, reminds me so much of these guys:

Also, their mother, Mrs. Pye, "never scolds." So in that way, she's just like me!

And if you believe that, I have a pig in a poke to sell you.

Personal Reading:
Ian: Ginger Pye. The Red Pyramid (The Kane Chronicles, Book 1). Clubhouse magazine.
Eliza: I ain't exactly sure. But she made an excellent batch of cornbread last night!
Caroline: Go, Dog. Go!
Me: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. The Fellowship of the Ring. Life Study of Matthew.

Writing: The Complete Writer: Writing with Ease. Letter to one of our Compassion kids.

Music: Classical Kids: Tchaikovsky Discovers America. Russian folksongs on YouTube.

Art: Happens all the time. In particular, Ian spent hours carefully drawing Star Wars clone troopers.

Audiobooks: Novacom Saga (Adventures in Odyssey). Henry and the Paper Route. Peter Pan.

It may look like a lot (and I'm probably forgetting a few things), but be not deceived: Our days are hardly a tightly scheduled machine. We all do chores. We do things that look like wasting time. We lie on the floor and stare off into space sometimes. We have interruptions. And yet ... learning happens, all the time. Life is good.

What I Wore Wednesday

2011-04-20T19:42:00.000-07:00

Okay, y'all, I admit to feeling a little silly posting all these pictures of myself taking pictures of myself.

But.

A sweet reader asked in the comments of my "How to Pack a Suitcase" post, "Could you also please write a post for a thirty-something who finds herself wearing the exact same thing that a few fifty somethings are wearing, but won't look good in twenty something clothing anymore and has a super hard time putting any clothes together, hates shopping and has a goodwill sized budget?"

At first, I thought: Girl, you're barking up the wrong tree. I'm not exactly an authority on all things fashion. But I hear you on the Goodwill sized budget!

Then I discovered The Pleated Poppy's "What I Wore Wednesday" series. Lindsey of TPP started this to motivate herself to get out of her holey yoga pants in the morning and pull herself together. Now, she can probably help you far more than I can. But, just to enter into the collegial spirit of things, I thought I'd try it out this week.

Three things you should know about how I dress:

1. I don't have to look like a "country glam fashionista," to quote my friend Aubrey (who is one), but I do my best to feel at least presentable, if only out of respect for the career I have chosen: mothering and facilitating the education of three human beings.

2. I'd like my two daughters to grow up with some idea that dressing modestly need not entail denim jumpers. They live in a culture that encourages girls to bare as much as possible as young as possible. Can they find the place where modesty and attractiveness meet? Gosh, I hope so. (Says David, fighting Goliath with her sling full of five smooth cardigans.)

3. I almost never spend more than $20 for a piece of clothing. Often, far less. Swimsuits and shoes are the exception.

So, here we go.

Sunday: Church meeting and picnic.

3/4 sleeve cardi: Target

flowered top: Old Navy

ruffled scarf: Gap outlet

black capris: Ann Taylor (bought at Savers)

metallic ballet flats: Born (my favorite!)

Monday: Hangin' with the kiddos

3/4 sleeve cardi: Target (yes, the same one)

flowered tank top: Old Navy

denim capris: Eddie Bauer

flip-flops: Chaco (faded but oh so comfy)

flower pin: made it myself

Tuesday: Kids, taekwondo, book club

3/4 sleeve cardi: Old Navy

white embroidered tank: Old Navy (no, this post is not sponsored by Old Navy!)

khaki capris: Gap (from thrift store)

glitter flip-flops: Reef

butterfly necklace: Not So Dotty (Etsy, handmade)

Wednesday: Geography club, Farmer's market

short sleeve cardi: J. Crew (from consignment shop)

white tank: Gap

capris: Old Navy

glittery flip-flops: Reef

necklace: Target, a few years ago.

Whew. Does that help? Can I go hide behind the camera now and talk about books now? :-)

De-Tangling "Tangled"

2011-04-19T12:32:00.000-07:00

Since I was pretty much catatonic after our yard sale Saturday, the girls and I hit up Redbox and collapsed onto the couch to watch Tangled. It had come recommended by a few people (see Danica's review here.) Have you seen it?

Y'all, I liked it. We all did, in fact. "Mom, I can tell you liked this movie, because I see tears on your face," Eliza commented with typical matter-of-factness, while wiping away her own.

I cry at every movie I ever watch, pretty much. Blame my mother. My daughter will be saying the same thing any year now.

I was a little miffed about the whole blonde-hair-turning-brown-when-the-magic's-gone idea. It just seems so old school -- and not in a charming-antique-shop sort of way. But our swashbuckling hero, Flynn Rider, saved the day by admitting to a preference for brunettes.

Afterward, I asked the girls, "So, Rapunzel and Mother Gothel have this little ritual where they say:
'I love you.'
'I love you more.'
'I love you most.'
... do you think Mother Gothel really loves her?"

"No," Eliza answered with certainty, "She only loves her hair."

It occurs to me that my girl gets what millions of adults still do not. How many people grow to middle age never knowing that they're loved unconditionally -- and never passing that kind of love along?

For how many people does that pain color their view of who God is?

My daughter has moments of tender affection, and moments of knowing just which buttons [of her sister's, usually] to push. She still speaks a bit more slowly than average, and stutters over some of her words. She has days where she'll pick up a book and fly through the pages, and days where I despair of the reading fever ever taking hold. Most days she looks decently fetching in a color-coordinated outfit. Then there are days of head-to-toe stripes.

I have hopes and dreams for her, as with all my children. Some of them may come true. Some she may toss by the wayside, if only to test me a bit: "Do you love ME -- or just something about me that works for you?"

Here's what I hope she'll always know:
No matter what ...
I see YOU
and
I love YOU.

The Weekend Report

2011-04-17T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, friends. How was your weekend? Here's hoping it involved more relaxation than mine did, because this Saturday was the collision of a) The Professor and our boy being AWOL on a Boy Scout campout, and b) our yard sale. How's that for timing?

I did the yard sale with two more experienced friends: Melissa and Tsh. I spent bits of weeks and days decluttering, sorting, pricing, tagging, consulting helpful posts like this one.

The night before, Tsh and her husband and kids dropped by, and we fortified ourselves with this scrumptious pavlova, which you should all run to your kitchens and make this very minute. I'm just telling you this because I love you.

How did the sale go?

Well, it may or may not have coincided beautifully with a near neighbor's well-advertised yard sale (we both used Craigslist ads and ample neighborhood signage).

We may or may not have all been scrambling to get our stuff set up, sweating bullets and foregoing breakfast while our first customers milled about.

Another neighbor/friend, walking by at that hour, may or may not have been pressed into service.

I may or may not have sold all my maternity clothes to the perfect customer.

We may or may not have found frequent use for our rusty Spanish.

Tsh and I may or may not have made the exact same amount of money, and it may or may not have taken us at least six brain-fogged, food-and-water-deprived, attempts to calculate our earnings. How many writers does it take to divide up a pool of cash?

That amount of money may or may not have approximated $140, which means we may or may not have earned minimum wage for our labors. (But compared to donating it all ...)

My brother-in-law, ever faithful, may or may not have carted a truckload off to Goodwill after the sale wound down.

I know! The whole thing is just so shrouded in mystery!

But here's one thing not shrouded in mystery, because I know someone's going to ask. How did we keep our collective three daughters and one dog safely occupied for five hours when they weren't, you know, rendering entrepreneurial service or indulging in cooperative, independent play? Answer: A babysitter, then a movie. Over and out.

At the Farmers' Market

2011-04-13T19:25:00.000-07:00

"It's tempting to reach for melons, red peppers, tomatoes, and other late-summer delights before the summer even arrives. But it's actually possible to wait, celebrating each season when it comes, not fretting about it's being absent at all other times because something else good is at hand."

- Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life

"And the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed according to its kind, and the tree that yields fruit, whose seed is in itself according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." Genesis 1:12

On a day when I wanted to throw my apron over my head like Susanna Wesley for a few minutes' respite from ...

"Mom, where is my pencil?"

"Mom, how come my pencil isn't sharpening evenly?"

"Mom, where did I put my book?"

"Mom, did you see me stand on my head?"

"Mom, why did you say that one word more loudly than the others?"

...

This moment was good.

Tuesday Travels: Making Museums Fun

2011-04-12T20:32:00.000-07:00

Truthfully, one shouldn't have to MAKE a museum fun. A museum stands on its own merits, don't you think? A well-designed, thoughtfully-planned museum appeals to visitors of all ages and takes into accounts that in order to learn, people -- especially little people -- must not only see and hear, but also touch. And sometimes, taste and smell.

We've been to a fair number of museums in our wanderings, and I thought I'd toss out a few tips for getting some extra mileage out of a couple hours in these halls of higher learning. Feel free to chime in with your own!

1. Set expectations low. I've said it before, and I'll say it again, when our kids are old and gray, swaddled in their crocheted afghans, they'll reminisce about how their parents always told them they were going to visit the Antique Teapot Museum. Substitute Antique Thimble Museum, or Moldy Beef Jerky Museum if you wish. Won't the real thing ALWAYS be better?

2. Surf the web beforehand for images from the museum's collection. Whether it's works of art or special exhibits, you're bound to find a few eye-catching photos to print out and let them peruse before entering the museum. Then, have them see how many actual pieces they can find in the museum to match those images. Basically, folks, we're talking about a visual scavenger hunt. And which paintings, sculptures, or arthropodic wonders do you think they'll remember most?

3. Talk about museum manners before you go in. Is this place no-touch, low-touch, or hands-on? And for sure, one can avoid running or shouting in the halls. Furthermore, what will be their budget, if any, in that sticky morass known as the Museum Gift Shop?

4. Leave early. Yes, you may want to see one more Monet, or watch one more historical newsreel, but 'tis a far, far better thing to quit at the first sign of ants in the pants, while the kids still think this museum pretty much rocks.

5. On the way home, play Three Truths and a Lie. See how much everyone remembers -- including yourself! Here's an example from last week's jaunt to one of our city's hidden gems, the George Washington Carver Museum. Anyone spot the lie?

George Washington Carver came up with over three hundred uses for peanuts.
George Washington Carver never lived in Austin.
Juneteenth is the celebration of slaves in Texas receiving their freedom.
Juneteenth is observed on June 16th.

Multitude Monday XVIII: Jellybeans

2011-04-11T20:38:00.000-07:00

On a jaunt to the neighborhood grocery this morning, we decided to get our craft on and make a salt dough map of Russia. Let's call it our enriched geography curriculum. The kids were quite sure that we needed some colorful candies from the bulk bins to mark important Russian landmarks.

As is often the case, I could feel my crafty vision crumble around its edges, yielding reluctantly to the greater good of a child's enthusiasm for a project.

A store employee slithered up behind me. "What nice manners!" she cooed, beaming at my children. (Yes, I checked. There were no other children present in the entire store, so she had to be referring to mine.)

"Oh, th-thank you," I stammered, wondering whether she'd missed one of them squealing to the other just minutes before, "Let's go look for SAMPLES!"

She grabbed a scoop, plunged it into the jellybean bin, and proceeded to dump three cupfuls into my hand and waltz off with a grin, leaving me to deal with three sets of grasping paws and jellybeans dripping onto the floor.

I was annoyed. Why do adults insist on giving my kids candy without asking me first? I'm talking strangers here. Even if she HAD asked, right out loud in front of the kids, she'd be setting me up to look like the Grinch, like Willy Wonka's dad in that goshawful Johnny Depp version of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, if I said, "No, thank you. My kids do not need more candy and food dyes at this particular point in their existence."

But as we left the store, Caroline said gleefully, "Mom, that lady is the kindest store-person I have ever met. Isn't she just so kind?"

Okay, big picture, here. While my teeth are on edge about the presumption of a well-intentioned stranger, my daughter has learned that all it takes, sometimes, is a simple gesture to fill someone's cup brimful with joy.

Thanking Him for more simple things (more jellybeans, perhaps?) today ...

181. The way my youngest's cheeks smell vaguely of peaches when I kiss her first thing in the morning.

182. A friendly librarian who says, "Aw, happens to the best of us," while I glumly write out my fines check.

183. Roses in our yard with a whiff of fresh raspberries.

184. Green lights.

185. A real, live, actual JOB INTERVIEW scheduled for the Professor next week! After eighteen months of knocking on doors, a knob finally seems to be turning. And it's here in Austin. Prayers please?

186. A certain old, dear friend whom I see far too little these days, but to whom I can text the following: [Avert your eyes, male readers]
"Just attempted to go bra shopping. SO DEPRESSING. Nothing makes me want to go home and polish off an entire cheesecake like a futile trip through Victoria's Secret"
... and immediately receive a totally empathetic response. Team AA, we stick together.

187. Yard sale prep putting our clutter on a crash diet.

188. Cool mornings with the symphony of mourning doves.

189. All the awesome experiences our fellow worshippers share with us on Sunday mornings.

190. A boy begging for his sister to bunk with him. A sister cheerfully claiming the top bunk.

191. Listening to my kids describe their dream houses to each other.

192. Teenagers who inspire by coaching younger kids through the guts and glory of the AWANA Games.

193. The times when the dishes do get clean in the dishwasher.

194. Delicious dinner (recipe here) and pavlova for dessert with friends around our table.

195. Unexpected finds, so humble in the dustworn path.

Winner! Organized Simplicity

2011-04-11T06:07:00.000-07:00

We have a winner! This was tough, because I seriously wanted to give a copy to every single one of you. Thank goodness for the Random Number Generator!

Jill Keuth, who calls herself "a clutter nightmare" --- you win! (And Jill? I mean this in the nicest possible way -- you're apparently in really good company. :-)) Email me at dillerh at gmail dot com to claim your prize. Happy Monday!

I'll be back later today with Monday's gratitude post. Thanks for playing, everyone!

Giveaway: Organized Simplicity for YOU

2011-04-07T09:29:00.000-07:00

Let's cut to the chase here. I own this book, love it, and want you to own and love it too.

Here's what sold me on the book when I got my sample on Kindle:

"Simple living is a buzzword in our postmodern culture, and concepts like frugality and going green are trendy. They offer smart moves toward a healthier planet and healthier families. But the basic problem beneath these trends is that they feel like they ask so much of us. These ideas ask us to move into a world that feels impossible for everyday families who still want to participate in Little League, and who don't really want to live off the grid."

Then, a few paragraphs later:

"If we can't do all these things [wear all-organic clothing, eat only from your garden, sell the car], where does that leave us? It seems like we need to completely redefine simple living. Let's take some time to define what realistic simple living looks like for you. There's no need to forsake the suburbs for the farm."

Does this author understand where we live, or what?

(Full disclosure: The author is a super-duper nice person and a friend, so I can vouchsafe for her being a genuine person who does indeed understand where we all live. In my case, quite literally!)

After reading this book, I had a much better grasp of what simple living really is, and felt empowered to declutter the things that don't add peace and joy to our home and schedule. Guess what? Your version of simple living will be different than mine. It's not about how crunchy you are. You can still wear mascara and shave your legs. You don't have to abandon your house for a yurt. It's about, as Tsh says, "living holistically within your life's purpose" -- where your choices bear witness to who you really are, and who you want to be.

Want a copy for yourself? Just leave a comment between now and Sunday, April 10, at 11:59 p.m., and tell me this: What's the most cluttered place in your house right now?

I'll start: My bonus room, which is accumulating detritus for our upcoming YARD SALE (inspired by the book). But let me assure you, there are plenty of close seconds around here. See also: Bedroom -- boy.

Worth a Thousand Words

2011-04-06T12:34:00.000-07:00

I'm just sayin'.