New poll!

I was shocked a couple of weeks ago to learn that hubby's cousin had never seen the ocean. She and her new husband were going to drive to the Atlantic before heading home to WI after her brother's wedding.

Growing up, I didn't realize how fortunate I was to go with my family to visit relatives on Cape Cod for SEVERAL consecutive years. We camped at Nickerson State Park the first few times we went, then two of my Dad's brothers bought/built homes on the cape, so we didn't have to go to the bathroom in the woods (or the campground's facilities) anymore.

During our visits, we walked the trails through the salt marshes, swam in the lakes in the park, swam in the bay (& walk out onto the sand bars at low tide), went on whale watches, walked to the Brewster Store and back, spent time with our cousins (who we barely saw otherwise), got sand in our shoes, rode our bikes on the rail trail, saw real cranberry bogs, picked and sucked honeysuckle along the path to the beach, and made homemade chowder. Okay, our parents made the chowder from the clams and crabs that the dads and boys caught while the tide was low. You haven't lived until you've had homemade seafood chowder. Oh, yeah, my little sister ate sea kelp. I wish I had a copy of that photo, it was priceless. We learned what barnacles were and to be extra careful climbing on the rocks, had hermit crabs tickle our palms, and collected shells and wave-tossed glass and bricks.

This year will be our second trip with hubby's side of the family to Gulf Shores. I can't wait to watch Baby Bear try to keep up with her cousins. I want to capture (or should I say I want our family photographers to capture) her first reaction to sand in her fingers and the waves lapping over her feet. I want her to see dolphins, great blue herons, and pick up sea shells. I don't want her to get sunburned, and I hope her swimsuit still fits. It was snug the last time she tried it on. Thankfully we do have one that I know fits, but sheesh... how fast can a child grow?

Anyway, maybe sometime my side of the family can journey back to the Cape with the little additions in tow.

A country song worth listening to.

This is the link to an article about a famous country singer and his wife's relationship, and in it is also a link to a song he wrote for the book. I never expected People to not edit out such a strong testimony of how God can heal. Wow. The song is definitely country in style, not crossover, so if you aren't a country music fan, get over it.

"Somebody, quick... watch for flying pigs!"
-hubby

Baby Bear slept in until almost 8:00 this morning. But that was not the cause for astonishment. As hubby began his day of working on reports in the guest room/office, and I tossed and turned, I was fully awakened by the sound of a bulldozer, shovels, & a saw outside our window. I know it is not normal to be excited about hearing such sounds at 7:45 a.m. It might be a little bit crazy. But elections are in 2 days, and I suspect our city councilman wants our vote and put some pressure somewhere. And by golly, now that hades has frozen over and pigs are flying in 90-degree weather, leading us to the beginning of a retaining wall on the side of our property, well, I just might go out and vote on Thursday. I suppose I should vote for Mayor while I'm at it.

So, this
at our house is actually being done by a team of workers, but it took effort on my part to find someone to listen to us. After 4 years of my requests being put off by the developer it appears we are finally getting somewhere with the help of the city councilman and public works department. Our yard may not wash off the hill after the next rainstorm after all. (For those of you who are new around here, the cliff was not so bad when we moved in. It was sloped nicely. After we closed, they tore up that side of our lot to put in a sidewalk part of the way down. Almost a year ago, they tore it up further to extend the sidewalk, and left it as an even worse safety hazard and eyesore.)

Please pray that in the steepest part, the wall is high enough to make it safe for hubby to mow the back corner of our lot without twisting his ankle or falling and braking his neck. Right now they are saying the retaining wall will be 4 feet at its highest point... I'm not convinced that will make the situation better on that part of the cliff, but I am far from a landscape design expert. They are actually beginning the wall further toward the front yard than we expected... no complaints about that!

Here are the "before" pics:




"After" pics to come. Or maybe some "during" pics when they take a break. I don't think the workers would appreciate having their photo taken in their sweaty grandeur.

As for my Tackle? The usual housework. I need to fold all the laundry that was washed yesterday. Maybe I'll try to see if there are any swimsuits on clearance at Kohl's or the mall department stores. Oh, and I should really make a list of everything I need to pack for our upcoming family vacation.

Happy Tackles!

2:15 p.m.- Other than their lunch break/siesta on the neighbor's gently sloped yard, the workers have been very busy. The frame/support for where the wall will be poured is coming along. Granted, it looks worse in some ways because that's just how the process goes, but once we have the wall, with somewhat stable ground to work with, we might possibly be able to put in shrubs or a fence or something so nobody dies falling off our yard. Until this point, we were very limited, and we didn't appreciate having the developer tear into the corner lot (which we paid a premium for because it was supposed to be a good lot).

Please pardon my run on sentences. I'm going to fold laundry now.

Here are the "during" pictures...





please, God, let the slope at least be mowable when they are done filling in the dirt....

updated 5:26 p.m.

It's the last day to take my gardening poll!!!! Please do it if you have not already!

Why is it that my toddler wants to brush her hair with the hand-broom? Okay, I know why. She thinks it's a soft hairbrush. But ewwwww.... I have repeatedly shown her its proper use. She then reaches toward the pile of junk the broom has acquired and tries to eat the "leftover" blueberries an cherry tomatoes.

I heard about a particular passionate message from John Piper in church today.
I stumbled across it on another blog:

refreshing

not the waking up early, but baby's sweet giggles
fellowship with believers in Jesus: sharing prayer requests and thanksgiving
learning how the Gospel affects (or should affect) our homes.
vibrant and soulful music... classic hymns and contemporary classics
pastors who are not afraid of tackling tough topics in light of the Word
leaders who actually confess their weaknesses and shortcomings in public
God's grace filling a room as He is praised.

sweet toddler-ese from the backseat on the way home from church.
leftovers which make meal prep relatively easy.
alphabet puzzle and story time
nap time... eventually lasting an hour and a half, after 45 minutes of toddler-ese coming through the monitor (somebody was fighting her fatigue and in denial of her eye rubs)
a quick dinner, and a toddler who shares her mommy's love of "toe-toes" and "umbers" and daddy's preference for meat (even as she calls the pork "chicken" half the time)
more toddler giggles and chuckles, "ma-ma's" and "da-da's", hugs and kisses
sitting-on-elmo-for-stickers-time (a.k.a. unproductive bedtime stalling on the potty-seat). just getting her to sit on the seat is progress.
bedtime stories
rocking and lullabies
kisses and prayers
tucked in with kitties and bear
good night, sleep tight

I love the Dollar Tree.

We're preparing for vacation. We don't have a pool at our house or in our neighborhood, so there's no need to buy tons and tons of fancy pool toys for our week with a pool outside our door and the beach just a couple of minutes away.

I found "bugcatcher kits" for our nieces, who LOVE science. (They just released some monarch butterflies which they raised from caterpillar by feeding milkweed.) They are sure to find some bugs they are unfamiliar with. I bought one for Baby-Bear, too. After all, she is sure to want to copy every thing her older cousins do. The kits came with a binocular-case shaped plastic container with matching net and plastic tweezers.

I also found some fun toys... 2 nets with a water soaker ball for playing "catch" in the pool, and a ring toss set. We'll see if the thing floats or not. I mean, it was a dollar. Both of these can be used in or out of the water. Baby-Bear has tested the nets and approves. (I may have to pick up another set or two so everyone else gets a chance to play.)

In a week, we'll be settling into our home for a week with hubby's side of the family. I wonder if Em & Mad will pick the top or bottom bunks in their room?

p.s. Have I ever mentioned I hate shopping for clothes, and the only reason I must fit into that pair of size 8 shorts is that they've stretched with me? I did end up buying a pair of capris in size 12. The 10's had just a tad too much pooch at the waistline, no room for shrinkage. And don't even get me started on tops...

Another great drawing from 5 minutes for mom!
They are giving away an Insignia® 37″ Flat-Panel LCD HDTV!!!
This incredible prize is valued at $799.99 and is courtesy of Best Buy.

I must say, this would be very nice...
Go enter for yourself if you want a chance to win.

I won something, I actually won!!!!!

Gretchen over at Quantum Leap is going to custom make me a quilted table topper!
Wow! I am sooo honored!

I can already imagine it a) laid across our little drum table with the mini Christmas tree underneath
b) draped over our piano with family photos on top
c) accenting our kitchen table during a holiday meal
or
d) being used to help keep th dice from rolling too far during a bunko game at my house

I'm feeling like I really need to learn to do something by hand, especially if the Dog Days of Summer Bloggy Giveaway becomes a tradition (other than typing)...

Take one last look and cross your fingers....

the winner of these silver-plated petite tennis bracelets is......











Diann!

Congratulations!
*******

This week has been so much fun! I love meting new people. I've been visiting blogs, trying to leave comments and enter contests, but wow! This contest thing could really takeover one's life!!! Thank you, Shannon for coordinating this event!

Now I just want to share a bit more about those bracelets.
They are NOT in the Premier Designs' catalog for purchase.
The only way you can get one is as a gift from a Jeweler (Distributor), usually for being a hostess or letting them share more info about their business with you. I had a couple left, and thought I would share them in a less-conventional way. Although I am not a jeweler right now, if you contact the company, they would be glad to connect you with a jeweler in your area. If you live in Nashville or Memphis, TN, Lancaster PA, or the Atlanta, GA area, I could refer you to jewelers who I know personally, so contact me if you want their info.

update on baby Catherine!!!

My cousin's 1-year old daughter is home with her family, following her successful surgery to close a hole in her heart. Pray that her older brother will not rough-house with her as her stitches heal, and that her heart will be healthy from this point forward!

a small miracle for this domestically challenged woman

we have not eaten dinner out since sunday. there just may be hope for me yet. we have enough leftovers from tonight's italian pork chops and egg noodles for another meal (and guess who ate the leftover squash-pepper-onion mix- yep, me. it was yummy, too, having stewed in the marinade for over 24 hours before being cooked). actually, we can think of at least 3 meals we have enough food for if we scrape the fridge, freezer and cupboards. but i think we'll go out tomorrow, anyway. we'll see. i may change my mind and try to set a record for us... oh, wait, this just may be it. maybe i mean i may try to break my record. perhaps i'll get brave and jump on the meal-plan-monday bandwagon...

Thankful Thursday-Joy




This week's theme for Thankful Thursday is "Joy".
How fitting, since I have been on a hormonal roller coaster this week, struggling to look past how I feel and embrace life. So here are some things which bring me joy, especially when I want to just stay in bed or sit on the couch:

• Our toddler. She is so busy, so joyful, and so affectionate. Her belly-laugh fills any room.
  
• My hubby. He is very patient during the tough times, understanding & even helped with dinner by grilling what I prepared 2 days in a row!
• These cruddy symptoms should be gone before we leave for our family vacation in Gulf Shores next week.
• The Lord's faithfulness IS new every morning. Just because I had a rough day yesterday (note- not 1 thing on my weekly tackle list got done), doesn't mean today has to be a repeat. Now, where is that ibuprofen? It's easier to be joyful when the wonders of science have kicked in!
  
• Blue's Room DVD- I can go get a shower while BabyBear has a playdate with her friends on the tv screen.
• Rain. We had more rain storms yesterday afternoon. (The crabgrass is thriving. At least it's green.) The day lillies and black-eyed susans are flowering. Oh, so are the pink spirea shrubs. Their bloom is so delicate, reminds me a little of queen-anne's lace, but it is pink and smaller.

May the joy of the Lord be our strength today!

506
the # of giveaways linked to at the DOG DAYS OF SUMMER GIVEAWAY HQ

167
the # of entries in my drawing as of the moment i began typing this post



Whoooaah....
talk about overwhelming!
There are some REALLY cool prizes being given out,
so even if you don't have anything to give,
go enter a few of the drawings!

Wordless Wednesday: Flashback to 12/6/05

It doesn't seem like she was ever this little.

For more WW pictures, visit the WW Headquarters or 5 minutes for mom!

Time to bite the bullet...

A few weeks ago, my glasses broke. They are only going on 4 or 5 years old... I'm not sure which. My toddler loves pulling off jewelry, glasses, hats, you name it. Well, they got so bent that the screws would not go in. I posted a photo of hubby's ingenious solution a couple of weeks ago.

With vacation coming, I want to be able to wear my glasses instead of contacts if I feel like it. I don't want to know how much glasses cost at expensive boutiques, and I am trying to convince myself that if they last another 5 years they will be worth the "discount" store price... But really, is vision insurance worth it when you only get glasses every 4 or 5 years? (Thankfully my prescription has stablized. I still have to pay extra for the thin kind so they won't be coke-bottle lenses, but if they last 5 years... without my sweet child breaking them....)

Not sure if I'll have a Wordless Wednesday post or not today. Perhaps, if I dig through my photo archives I'll be able to come up with something to share.

Oh, it rained cats, dogs & who knows what else last night so I don't have to water today! My rose bush was sooo wet that the water was at least 1/2" deep above the soil. Too bad I dumped it out before realizing it would have been a worthy pic for WW.

I've made a poll!!!!
Unfortunately, half the responses got cut off... so here they are for your answering pleasure. (Please actually answer in the sidebar. I thought this might be fun to do since there are a lot of new wanderers these days...)

Question: What's growing in your garden right now?
Answer Options:

• Garden? What Garden?
• Shrubs
• A healthy mix of annuals and perennials
• veggies- lots of them
• herbs
• weeds, and more weeds
• moles. and bugs. and mushrooms.
• a couple of tomato plants and struggling green beans bushes
• this drought is killing my dreams of a garden!
• a couple of flowers have survived

Feel free to elaborate in the comments on this post, but please play along in the sidebar so my responses get balanced out. Thanks!

just so you know... (my regular readers will really understand)

i made a menu plan for dinner this week. i'm not posting it, because we've already changed course. it's only tuesday! we stuck to my plan last night, then tonight hubby suggested that instead of the smothered chicken bake, we bbq the chicken breasts on the grill. that makes my job easier, so who am i to complain? i thawed the frozen chicken breasts in water, smothered them in Sweet Baby Ray's Sweet Vidalia Onion sauce (yumm!), and stuck them back in the fridge to marinate for a couple of hours.

baby bear LOVED the chicken. she also loved the cucumber bits and fresh-from the "garden" (veggie-pot) cherry tomatoes (halved and quartered)... tomato seeds ended up all down her shirt. but i am so relieved that for the time being, my toddler still eats healthy food, at least sometimes. and the true miracle occurred when i half-heartedly asked hubby if he wanted a salad and he said YES!

our deviation from the menu plan was a success- and we have actually used most of the bag of spring mix salad greens that i purchased yesterday instead of iceburg lettuce for our tacos.

but hubby ate SALAD- lettuce, tomato, a little cheese... it may not be my side of the family's traditional soupy Italian salad, but it's progress. and he's been voluntarily ordering salads at restaurants when he used to substitute them with other sides.... umm... what is going on here? i kinda miss nagging him...

not really.

Tackles of the week:
General Housework

Well, I'm behind on chores (shocking, I know), so this week I am returning to public posting of my To-do list so it stares me in the face. I think I'll even do the color coding. As one who is domestically challenged and a procrastinaholic to boot, I find this to be an effective way of holding myself accountable.

Red= needs to be done
Yellow= in process
Green= tackle completed

Ok, so here's my "Master List". An * indicates what I will focus on today.

1. Sweep kitchen floor*
   
2. Mop kitchen floor*
3. wash, fold & put away clothes (5 loads)*
4. clean out fridge*
   
5. clean bathrooms (2)
   
6. straighten living room
7. pick up nursery
8. vacuum all carpets
9. water flowers & cherry tomatoes*
   
10. change and wash bed & crib sheets
    

For more Tackle It Tuesday participants,
visit out 5 minutes for mom.

original post 9:13 a.m. Tuesday

My list is stuck as you see it. I should tackle more. Specifically, the fridge. But I'm in a slump today. Headache. (Probably from wasting time online). I'm wearing my most comfy pair of jeans- the ones with the holes in the knee and back pockets that I can't bear to throw out. I have rotated laundry. I keep hoping a summer shower will pop up so I don't have to water the flowers and tomatoes. Although it is a little fun to try to flood the mole tunnels as I water the flowerbeds. Hubby came home for lunch and has set up his office in the guest room for the afternoon. PBS is on TV- Clifford the Big Red Dog, to be exact. Not much variety here- no cable or satellite. Yet. Maybe in a few months, when hubby gets a raise.

Anyway, I will try to get back to the tackle and continue updating the color-codes as I complete my tasks.

Oh, and I must say I am overwhelmed by the # of responses to my giveaway. They are pretty bracelets. Dainty yet eye-catching. I'm going to have to make a raffle ticket shuffler out of an oatmeal container or something! Actually, I do think I have a value-sized diaper box that will do the trick. After all this insanity of the giveaway is done, hopefully some of you will stick around!

**** Almost halfway through the list... not a bad start for the day. Tomorrow I hope to spend more time playing with my daughter. But today, she thought it was fun helping me push wet clothes into the dryer and throw dirty clothes into the washer from atop a step ladder. Too bad laundry is an ever-growing pile! 8:43 p.m.

SHARE THE FUN!

I couldn't resist joining the party!

I have a couple of Premier Designs' Austrian Crystal tennis bracelets left in mint condition from my stint as a jewelry lady.

These pretty and petite bracelets are 7 1/4" in length,
and add just the right sparkle to any summer sundress.

Leave a comment if you would like to enter the drawing for this set- you'll receive one bracelet for you, and one to give to a friend!

The drawing will be held on Friday, July 27th.

Be sure to enter before 12:00 a.m. CST on Friday!

Oh, and I'm sorry but I will only mail to the United States or Canada.

Good luck!

To participate in this "carnival" of giveaways,
check out the sponsoring blog:

Rocks In My Dryer

**** I must have a way to contact you, either via e-mail or blog/profile link in the comments, in order for you to win. Thanks!

issues and impact

Isn't it amazing that relatively short times can have such a profound impact on our lives?
My family spent just a few years attending an Independent Fundamental Baptist (VERY conservative/legalistic) church, yet I came out of that experience with an extreme desire to be liked accompanied by a doubt that friends really would be there for me, and a fear of doing anything wrong for fear of what others might think. I'm sure their intention was to teach kids the ways of the Lord, but what WE did or did not do often over-shadowed God's working in our lives. To be fair, the Bible classes and AWANA clubs I was involved in at that particular church and school in Mid-Michigan laid a good foundation of Biblical knowledge. However, that church/school's interpretation of grace often manifested itself as,"Thank God I'm saved and I'm not like that...."

Anyway, the few years we spend in that environment, well, they had an impact. I still struggle with being judgmental to this day. Oh, I believe there is absolute truth and it can be found in the Bible, but I also believe life's not so much about us and what we do (or don't do), but about knowing God. Trusting in Christ as Saviour, recognizing that my need for His grace did not stop at the point of salvation, and knowing that because I CAN trust the One who created me, I can also be vulnerable and develop friendships... even with those who think differently than me.

When hubby and I met, we clicked partially because of our past involvement in similar churches. He was taking a theology class at the college he transferred to following the semester of the Marshmallow Man incident. We spent hours on the phone discussing what he was learning from his professor, and getting to know each other. Together we learned that God's forgiveness and grace continues into daily life, and that living the "good Christian life" is not all about us. We could not do it without knowing Jesus personally. Oh, we knew that before, too. But in the midst of the lip service to living by grace, there were always pressures attached. Go to church. Make sure you haven't "backslidden." Recommit yourself (versus focusing on Christ and asking the Holy Spirit to change your heart as only He can.) Avoid ALL appearances of evil. Thank God there IS more to life than rules, rules, and more rules. Seeking His glory instead of other peoples' approval makes so much more sense. I mean, no offense to anyone, but we are all a bunch of idiots in need of a Saviour. When we create a new law to follow, adding rules that are not really in His Word, we run into serious problems. On the other hand, I recognize that I have
often been so critical of legalism that I end up judging people for what I perceive to be their lack of understanding of the true Freedom we have in Christ. Ironic, isn't it?

****
Galatians 2:16-21

a family history... of sorts


'Twas Autumn '07, the setting serene...

An upstanding young man arrived on the scene
Where his parents had attended some decades before.

He knew the rules of this tranquil estate.
Even his brother stayed 'til graduation date.

No pink or blue sidewalks as rumor suggests.
A fine Christian place, where "only good kids" are sent.

Stained glass windows abound.
Making prisms of light.

And this place where some have found love at first sight...

Unlike those secular schools, no making out here.
Not for this boy, (it was early in the year).

This young man and his friends had a "home away from home".
But rules would not allow them to roam.

Still, they obeyed, doing their best.
To appease the VanG's and all of the rest.

Demerits were slow as the semester began.
Examples needed to be made, of any young man
Who stepped out of the box, did something silly or rash.
With the Dean of Men he surely would clash.

One day there was horseplay in a dorm room.
No beer, cigars, nor rock n' roll tune.

Just some guys tossing around the "Stay-Puff marshmallow man";
Out the window it fell and on the sidewalk did land.

The young men were then told they were sinful and liars.
At semester's end one left, as of mind games he grew tired.

Home returned, and one night out with the friends,
He told me the story... and I believed him!

Several years later, we visited the site.
Where that boy and his buddies got in trouble that night.
Hubby wore shorts, our baby sniffed a flower.
We loitered on campus (with his parents) for over an hour.

Is her tuition pre-payed?
Oh, we don't know if to this college our children should go.

In the midst of the rules and strong academics,
lies a pandemic of the heart which may breed rebels and cynics.

We hope to follow the Word and let bygones pass...
only the Lord knows our children's paths.

home, sweet home

we had a great weekend. went to hubby's cousin's wedding in SC. saw family, met other cousins' new spouses, visited with family friends who were surrogate "uncle and aunt" to hubby's parents when they were in college. i had heard much about the university, and we walked around the campus for a bit, then drove to see the downtown area since we did not have any pre-wedding obligations.

the wedding was beautiful. traditional, simple and elegant (complete with a string quartet). the bride's gown was gorgeous and suited her. hubby kept baby bear in a back room so she wouldn't disturb the ceremony. baby bear was afraid of aunt janet's wheel chair at first, until she realized she could push it around like a car (with daddy's help).

the reception was at a gorgeous southern mansion. i didn't get as many pictures as i intended of the wedding or reception, due to chasing a little one around to keep her from breaking antiques, etc... she met a 7 year old boy and they chased one another around the bushes and gates, giving my weary feet a break.

Maybe we'll just buy this house while we're in Gulf Shores!

We only need a few million bucks!

p.s. Thanks, crt, for the idea. :-)

Please pray!

My cousin's baby, Catherine, is had heart surgery TODAY. This is being done to repair a hole in her heart that did not close up after her birth a little over a year ago. They expect her to be in the hospital for 5-10 days.

Pray for peace for Mom and Dad, healing for Baby Catherine, and for her big brother, Sammy.

Apparently I got my dates mixed up. Anyway, here's the update from another cousin:

" Mary Just called (12:36 west coast time) , Catherine is out of surgery. The
surgery went very well and quicker than expected. She had already come out
of sedation but was immediately wanting to get moving and busy (no surprise
to anyone who has ever met Catherine :)) so they have given her something to
make her sleepy and rest. Mary says she looks great, the incision is
smaller than she had anticipated, and she only has 2 chest tubes left in at
the moment.

She and Sam have been ordered to go get some fresh air and a bite to eat,
while Catherine Rests."

Praise the Lord, and keep praying for continued recovery!

Weekend prep

We're going away this weekend, so I've made it a point to water my flowerbeds really well the last couple of days. I tied my cherry tomato plants up to stakes, as they were leaning over the side of their pot. Baby Bear's "help" turned her into one very wet toddler. She poured water from one bucket to the next, watered the flowers and her dress with her watering can, and turned dirt into mud.

Thankfully, the past couple of days my housekeeping has improved slightly. I've managed to just straighten a little here and there, put things away a bit at a time, and the result is so much easier to look at. And walk through.

Today's mission: pack for the weekend. maybe run to the store for some snacks for the road.

For more Wordless Wednesday images,
visit 5minutesformom or the WW Headquarters.

to dispel the myth believed by some blogging buddies that i am a master gardener:

here's what's left under the birch tree.. one verbena and one celosia
(i blame the wandering animals who mark their territory there for the other plants' failure to thrive under the tree)

hosta with slug holes and crooked flower stems
note the verbena and snapdragons that i should probably just pull out from in front of these

half-eaten black-eyed susan plants (and not so gorgeous buds)
i do hope that since we scared the most recent bug infestation off with sevin,
with a little tlc these may thrive

the mid summer re-blooming of the day lilies, surrounded by withering glad leaves
i suppose that if i did not water these, they would not be re-blooming.
at least that's what i like to think!

my gardening observations:

• bugs happen
• animal poop & pee happen
• drought happens
• do your best to take care of things anyway, but don't blame yourself if your efforts aren't as well-rewarded as you hoped
• (unless you spray round up on green peppers instead of insecticide!)
  

10,000+ visitors?

um... my guess is that the ticker counts the # of times i click back to my page, which would probably cut the actual count in half.

but for those of you who really do wander here, especially those who come back, thanks!!!

Let's Tackle!

Ok, the past few weeks I have not really tackled any "project" areas. I have mostly done basic maintenance-type tackles. The floors, laundry, bathrooms, etc...

This morning started out with outdoor maintenance of sorts. I watered all the plants and fed my hostas and black-eyed susans some Miracle Grow. Last week, hubby dusted all the flowers with Sevin, because they were getting eaten. (I hate using it very often with Baby Bear running around outside. I have to make sure she doesn't try to pick any flou-flous with dust on them.) I apparently have slugs on my hostas, too, so I may have to go buy some beer. By the time I got home from my half-weekend adventure, the black-eyed susans looked pretty thirsty.

Anyway, my Master Bedroom is looking increasingly like a collection of various piles of stuff instead of the peaceful retreat it should be. (I would love to be able to light candles without danger of catching something on fire!) So that's what I'm going to tackle this week. A nook or dresser top at a time. (It may not get completely done today, and be warned... these pictures are for real. Yes, I realize my room looks worse than many teenagers'. Don't run away screaming or puking, please... and don't tell me that if I just took care of a little at a time it would not get so bad. I already know that.)

BEFORE:

AFTER:

I accidentally deleted the "before" shot, but this afternoon I managed to uncover my dresser.

Well, mostly.

So, what's your tackle today?
I challenge those of you who
don't usually participate
in this meme to join us this week-
with before and after pics!

updated 1:43 p.m.&10:10 p.m.

Center Hill Lake

"Grace" got me thinkin'....

When I first began blogging, I stumbled upon a site about Grace-Based Discipline. I've added it to the "ponderings" section in my sidebar. Not because I agree with every single thing this woman says about everything. But because I do like that she gives practical alternatives for disciplining kids without using corporal punishment. And she seems to have good Biblical basis for many of her ideas.

I've spanked Baby-Bear on occasion, usually when she put herself in some type of physical danger. Ironic, eh? (For example, when she flip-flops on the changing table like a fish out of water while I am trying to get her diaper on. Changing her on the floor really is not much easier... she's quite the squirmer. If Daddy is not around for on of us to pin her shoulders down so she cannot flip while the other takes care of the diaper, I have been known to smack her little bottom after. And it's worked momentarily.) However, it's not something I want to do on a regular basis. I was not spanked a whole lot as a child, or else I've blocked the episodes out of my memory. I do remember having my mouth washed out with soap... Dial. Ugh... Not sure I really want to do that either. Anyway....

I'm searching for any and every recommendation for effective discipline and boundary setting tips for parents. Preferably ones that help us address the "heart" issues. "Parenting is Heart Work" is a good book, but seems geared more toward the 5+ age range.

WHAT WORKS FOR YOU? (Or worked for you when you had little ones.)

I have sea legs.

After getting our planning done last night and this morning, we spent lots of time in the water. Center Hill Lake is the only lake I've been near in this state that has not scared me to get into in a long time. No, it's not the clearest, but we could see some fish in the water in the marina, and there was very little debris of any type in the water. And the water actually felt clean when we got into it. Oh, and it did not stink. The temp was perfect. (Once while we were dating hubby and I went for what supposed to be a romantic day trip to Kentucky Lake, the next state up. I now refer to it as Stinky Fish Lake. If I believed in bad omens, the sight and smell of the dead fish which we encountered washed ashore and saw floating in the water would have been enough to end our relationship. Percy Priest Lake is not AS bad, but not nearly as scenic or clean as CHL.) We swam off the boat for at least an hour, using rafts and "noodles" for flotation. Fish nibbled at our heels from time to time, and ducks swam within 10 feet of us. Oh, and a few of us went down the water slide off the back of the boat into the water. FUN!!! The weather was PERFECT. Our hosts were gracious. Their boat was amazing.... probably worth more than our house, and oh, so comfortable. A perfect place to relax. The fellowship was sweet, and our Mom's HEART ministry should have a great year. I had the pleasure of getting to know our church's founding pastor's wife personally, and friendships were formed and strengthened with some wonderful other Moms. In a big church, it's hard to get to know people sometimes. I knew more people on our committee than I realized. And they either liked my cake and brownies or were really gracious. The best part was finding a group of women that I didn't feel like I had to really pretend around. It wasn't quite like being around the close friends I've had forever, but it was much easier than I expected. I even confessed my near-cancellation and allergy cop-out. (My allergies are real, but I have felt better the past days over all than in a week.)

Got home around 6:45 tonight, and received a great big BEAR hug. She and Daddy did well, other than the fact she woke him up at 5:45 this morning. And I can't believe it took me 21 months to leave my baby for 1 night. I loved knowing she was in good hands. And I must confess, I loved leaving hubby with the responsibility. I came home to a happy baby girl,a swept floor, folded laundry & an empty kitchen sink. AND a clean dishwasher. He is the best. Oh, and he didn't make me cook... we split fajitas at "our" Mexican restaurant. Baby Bear LOVED the guacamole.

I'm going to go cuddle with my hubby in front of the tv now. Hope the rest of your weekend is great!

Don't be fooled...

I may appear quite social on here, and even if you were to meet me in real life. However, certain situations make me nervous. Going on a retreat with a bunch of women I don't know all that well is one of them. However, I've been asked to serve on a committee and our retreat is tomorrow night, so we're going to a house boat on a lake to plan and relax. Hubby will have baby duty til Saturday evening, and I suspect my cell coverage will be limited, based on the water level in relation to the hills surrounding the lake.

My allergies seem to be doing better, though the inhalers make me a tad shaky. So I have to get over my social anxieties which have resurfaced and just go. I have a chance to actually get to know some wonderful women from our church, I can't back out now.

My favorite sounds...

• Baby Bear's exclamation of "yayyy!!!" and hands clapping at the end of any song. This could be a song on the radio, Mommy or Daddy's rendition of the ABC song, a song on a video, or even a hymn or gospel song at Avoca Bible Church.
• The garage door or front door opening when hubby returns home from work, followed quickly by Baby Bear's shouting ,"Da-Da or Daddy! " as she runs to greet him.
• The ocean lapping against the sand on the shore.
• Birds chirping.
• Baby Bear's breath as we rock.
• The creak of the rocking chair.
• The sounds of nature at my parents' home: wind through the trees, frogs (well, sometimes they get annoying), birds.
• Baby Bear's chuckles.
• Wind in the sails of a sailboat.
• Wind in my ears at the beach.
• Music. Especially piano, classical guitar or Baby Bear banging on the keys or turning a toy or everyday object into an instrument of some sort.
• Baby Bear asking for a bow whether it's to play with or wear.
• Soft wind chimes.
• Rushing water- Falls Creek Falls, Laurel Falls, or other streams in the middle of the woods.
• Baby Bear's grunts as she attempts to pull herself somewhere she really shouldn't be, like on top of the chest(makeshift coffee table) in our play room.inspiring
• New words or phrases from Baby Bear.
  
• Hubby's voice. and breath from the pillow next to me while he sleeps.
• A well-played harmonica.
• Gentle, steady rain
• silence the morning after a heavy snowfall. you can almost hear the glistening of the snow if you listen carefully (doesn't happen often here)
• a good friends voice on the other end of the phone line
  

Thanks to FarmWife for inspiring this post! Please leave a comment if you've decided to play along with us!

my new motto is in the sidebar

My friend Angela over at Creative Day Cafe' e-mailed it to me... she said it reminded her of me because of my comments about my blogging addiction.

wordless wednesday

I have another WW post on Baby Bear's Blog.
I couldn't bear to post it as the follow-up to our wedding pictures on this page.