Prayer Buddy revelation...

And the moment you've all been waiting for... ok, so the moment that I've been waiting for...

I've spent Advent praying for POLKADOT of Making God Laugh! Some amazing things have come out of this on my end, so I can't wait to blog about that... next week.

I have to shower, get dressed, stuff a 1 year old in a vest and pant set and toss a 3 year old into a fancy dress in the next 30 minutes. Pray for me!

Polkadot, I was honored to pray for you this Advent.

Letter #4 to my Prayer Buddy

Dear Prayer Buddy,

Well, I guess this will be my final formal message to you, pre-Christmas. I'm hoping to take a nice blogging break while my handsome husband is home with me and the kids!

Constant prayer on your behalf has been one of the biggest blessings in my recent life. I've mentioned this before, but by directing my prayers toward someone else and leaving my own intentions in the hands of the Buddy praying for me, I've been experiencing an outpouring of grace. The thing that I've realized is that even after this season is over, I will continue to pray for you, weep with you, and rejoice over the blessings in your life.

This week's theme is Love, and I can't think of anything more fitting to pray that you feel than love. Love, no matter what is happening or not happening in your life. Love, no matter the circumstances. Love that merely IS.  Love, a constant presence in your life that will continue to expand as someday your own family will hopefully expand. My rosaries this week have been a great time to reflect on the Perfect Love that comes to us in the form of a tiny, helpless child who had to surrender his life to the care of a frightened young woman, trusting that His Father knew best how to use Him and His suffering, and use her and her suffering. I pray that you will know this same loving surrender as Christmas approaches.

With love,

Lisa

Advent miracle #2!

Wow... my prayer buddy (praying for me) appears to have a direct line to God. If you know who she is, I suggest that you direct all of your prayer requests to her.

Although another friend and I are also being prayer buddies this season, so maybe I should split the credit for this miraculous event...

Anyway, no matter who deserves the credit, here's the miracle I'm discussing:

I was having a very busy, stressful, and overall frustrating day. Kids who wouldn't nap, errands that were only half-completed, a one-year-old who refused all food, a three-year-old who argued with everything, and several other complications to my day in general, including a terrible 12-hour headache that triumphed over the best medications/water/food/exercise that I could throw at it.

At the end of the day, all I wanted was to go to bed and hope the next day would not be miserable. However, M suggested that I take a nice bath after the kids were in bed. WOW-- novel idea for me! I have probably only taken 10 baths in the past 4+ years since I've been married/been a mom. I don't find them as relaxing as I used to, since I'm typically interrupted by a hungry baby, upset toddler, or talkative spouse. But, M promised to leave me in peace so I could read a magazine and soak.

Ahhhh!

My favorite thing to do is read a "fluff" book or magazine in the bath. Something that doesn't require any much brainpower. I didn't have any books that fit the bill in my room, and I'd already read Parents, Southern Living, and National Geographic for the month (not that the last one is a fluffy magazine at all). All I had was the latest Economist, which I love but thought was a bit too heavy for the tub.

 I resigned myself to The Economist, still wishing I had something else to read, and ran the water.

 The magazine we got in the mail that day

 I was surprised to see that JCPenney was now advertising in The Economist

 WHAT? Advent miracle! The outside cover was The Economist, but the inside was People! Fluff magazine extraordinaire! 

The headache was gone within the next 10 minutes of soaking and soaking in useless celebrity news.

Magazine giveaway WINNER!

Congrats to Kaitlin at More Like Mary~More Like Me for winning a one-year subscription to Southern Living!

In lieu of coming up with a brilliantly creative method of choosing a winner, I went with Math Goodies' Custom Number Generator. Number 8 was the lucky number!

I LOVED reading everyone's comments and wanted to respond to all of them, but then I would have had to recount every entry and ignore mine and at that point the math went right over my head once I realized my coconut macaroons were starting to get too toasty and the kids wanted immediate attention, all at the same time.

Sooo... now I can respond!

Kristin-- Glad you entered, and I'm was so excited to know someone has me on Google Reader. It made my day. I have a bunch of butterfly-attracting wildflowers that I'm hoping will come up in the spring next year.

That Married Couple-- Magnolia trees count in my book! I think their flowers are gorgeous.

Faith makes things possible-- Grow the herbs-- it's so easy and you can winter them inside. My basil is growing above my sink now, and we have a ton of rosemary outside (it grows basically wild where I live).

Joy Beyond the Cross-- If I had been choosing a winner on sweetness, your comment would have done it! Hope you survived the snow. And gerbera daisies grow well here in Texas in early Spring, so they'd probably be great in MN for half the year. :)

Mary-- Please grow tulips! I've never tried and don't think I could manage them where we live, but I'd love to know that someone out there is doing it!

Lauren-- Awww... I love "our" prom meeting story! I've done well with white azaleas, but my pink ones always bloom once and then die.

Kate-- Go with a sago palm or yucca. Those are easy to grow and ignore. Or a plumeria-- its flowers smell delicious and it isn't too tough to keep alive.

Kaitlin-- Maybe you've never grown a flower, but this magazine will guilt you into doing so! The gardens are to-die-for.

NC Sue-- I love orchids and have two in our winter greenhouse now. This is my first year to put them in there (as opposed to keeping them in our house year-round, so I'm a bit nervous). They're so elegant!

Joanna-- You need to grow flowers! Teach your boys about pretty things. :) Try a plumeria this spring/summer. If I have extra cuttings I'll give you one. That will ensure that we see each other SOONER than later!!

Ann-- I'm growing my first amaryllis this year! I bought a bulb kit from Home Depot for $5 and it's already started to grow. I'm hoping it will bloom by Christmas. Thus far it has been the easiest flower in the world.

Annie-- When M and I left College Station, I was so sad to leave behind all of my irises. The worst part was when we drove back by our old house and I saw how the new owners had let them get completely choked by weeds. I tried to convince M to let me jump out of the car and dig up all of my bulbs then and there.

NOTE: Tomorrow I'll be posting about the second Advent miracle of the season!

Letter #3 to my Prayer Buddy

 

Dear Prayer Buddy,

Oops-- I fell behind in my posts to you... I had this one written but will have to pre-date it so that it shows up on a Tuesday, like my other posts to you.

JOY! You know what... I have a feeling that joy can be a terrifying concept to you. When what you truly desire is withheld, having joy about anything else can seem puny in comparison. However, my mantra this week is JOY. Joy in all that you do. Joy in knowing that in Him you can continue to hope. 

It can be hard to be joyful-- our busy lives seem determined to steal our joy from us, much like the Grinch attempts to do to the Whos. But, just as Cindy Lou Who and all the other Whos in Whoville held on to hope and joy in the midst of sadness, so I pray that you, too, will grab on to joy this week and experience the fullness of joy that Christ promises us. 

I have a 3 year old daughter who is really getting what the Christmas season is all about this year. Yes, she's excited that someone in a red suit will be bringing presents on Christmas, but she's even more excited about finding a gift for Baby Jesus. That childlike joy and anticipation that she is experiencing, and the profound joy that I feel as I watch her, is what I pray you will be filled with this week. Joy in hoping that this next year will be YOUR year. Joy in knowing that even when humans let you down, even when your body lets you down, you still have reason to rejoice and continue to hope.

I thank you for taking the emphasis off me and allowing me to pray for your joy. My own prayer buddy has somehow helped to fill me with so much joy that I can't help but beg for that same gift for you.

Joyfully yours,

Lisa

Nativity scenes from around our home

I love nativity sets, and I love all of mine in particular. Someday I hope to add Lladro and Nao sets, but to be honest, I'm starting to run out of display space without turning our home into a living nativity (though that's not a bad idea... I wonder if our dog would submit to dressing up as a donkey, and our cat as a sheep. Hmm...).

Here's what I have out this year:

 I love this wooden Nativity set! A beloved family friend of M's made it, which makes it even more special. Knowing whose hands carefully cut these pieces makes it so much more dear to me. 

Note the tape holding the stockings on the mantle... I still can't find my stocking hangers and think I may need to purchase more if I can't find them in the next few days.

 

This Autom set is my smallest; I love how I can tuck it into the room anywhere and it fits perfectly.

 This graceful Fontanini crèche was a wedding gift. Hopefully someday we can add a few more figures to it. I especially love Mary's pose here, and like the rustic look of the stable. 

 The story behind this beautiful Willow Tree scene: a few Christmas' ago, M realized that he had gotten me... nothing. I had several presents for him and C, but since he was so used to me doing the gift-giving for everyone, it didn't even cross his mind as we loaded the gifts into the Suburban to go back to see our families. He ran out and got this the day after Christmas and then tried to "surprise" me with it, as if I wouldn't realize he'd just bought it hours before! Thinking about that makes me laugh, and I know that even without any gifts from him, ever (it's likely he'll forget again...), it doesn't matter, because he gives everything to his family everyday, just like the Joseph in this set.

 I rarely include zoomed-out photos of things in my home, but I'm so pleased at how my cabinet looks! I like how it metaphorically keeps the Holy Family at the top of the season, and the Cross at the center of everything. (Ignore the flash/reflections-- I couldn't get good light in the morning inside)

 I've gushed about this Little People set before, but I think it's too precious! It's perfect for teaching little ones about the birth of Christ. We have another backdrop somewhere, but I think I stuck it back in the attic on accident. There's another part, too, that we don't own-- the innkeeper and his inn. Maybe next year we'll expand it. C and H play with these people year-round, but the stable and setting only come out during Advent, so I can use it as a teaching tool throughout the year and have it still be special at Christmas! It also makes for humorous scenes (The Wise Men in a plane, for instance). When you push the button at the top (the angel is perched on this), it plays "Away in a Manger."

 My mother-in-law gave this sweet set to the kids last year. I like how all of the figures are stored in the stable, which then buttons shut and looks too cute for words. If you push the top, you'll hear the verse about the shepherds keeping watch, then plays "Jesus Loves the Little Children" and "He's Got the Whole World." I may take the batteries out soon...

 I saved the best for last! This was my family's Nativity set when I was growing up. My dad's aunt made it and I adored it as a child (ok, and as an adult). I would set up the stable and the tree and then place everyone else in other parts of the living room/kitchen. As each day passed, Mary and Joseph (minus baby Jesus, who was hiding behind the stable) would get closer and closer. The shepherds hung out in the nearby "field" (television stand) and the wise men were wayyyyyyyyy on the other side of the room, taking turns riding the camel. It was so fun on Christmas to finally put Jesus in the stable, and then have the wise men cruise on in on the Epiphany! C and I set it up this year, but she insisted that the Joseph figure couldn't be Joseph, because "he has crazy hair." Hopefully crazy hair doesn't put you out of the running for holiness, because if so, then C's morning hair will definitely disqualify her.

Magazine GIVEAWAY!

I LOVE reading Southern Living. The homes... the flowers... the recipes... (Lisa swoons at this point).

So, one of you lucky readers (all 4 of you who read and comment...) will be getting YOUR VERY OWN one-year subscription to Southern Living. Fun!

Oh yes, and Kate, who confessed yesterday that she reads, thinks my blog is hilarious, and yet never comments... calling you out Kate (and Joanna and Diana and my mom who doesn't even read this)

This is totally the time for any lurkers to come out of the lurking closet. I know lots of people are reading, based on the stats, but I'm getting depressed and feeling like I'm writing for no one.

No one... no one... no one (the words echo endlessly across the galaxy)

So, make my day. Let me know you're here! Leave a comment and let me know two things: 1) how you found my blog and 2) your favorite flower you grow/would like to grow. That seems very Southern Living-appropriate.

I'll choose a winner next Tuesday, using some yet-to-be-determined creative drawing.

Letter #2 to my Prayer Buddy

Dear Prayer Buddy,

Well, I'm continuing to worry that my feeble prayers and pleas on your behalf will not be enough. But with this second week, as my little family lights our second Advent candle, I'm begging the Lord to give you peace.

Peace. Peace. Peace. 

The word echoes throughout my day.

Peace. Peace. Peace.

As I hurry through the many tasks that want to steal my own peace, I keep whispering that word in my head, as it becomes louder and louder within my thoughts until it consumes every chore, every exasperated sigh, and every contented smile of my day.

I've read your blog, and can think of no better gift for you (that I am capable of giving) this Advent season than peace.

As always,
Hoping my prayers are enough,

Lisa

A visit from Saint... Skunk-olas?

While M was bathing C and H last night, I quietly grabbed the kids' shoes and a couple of gold dollar coins, put the shoes on the front porch, and tucked the coins inside. I slipped back inside the house and casually wandered into the bathroom.

Did you hear that?, I asked.

No, Mommy. What was it?, 3-year-old C replied.

I heard a sound outside! I wonder who it could be?, I continued, with feigned amazement and carefully concealed pride in my own cleverness.

I think it's a skunk, Mommy. Don't go out there. He's probably stinky, C decided.

Can you tell we don't live in the middle of the city? When St. Nicholas visits, he has to contend with raccoons, skunks, deer, and foxes. Poor guy.

What Jesus wants for Christmas

A candy cane, according to my now-3-year-old daughter.

Spoken like someone who had her first candy cane the other day, and declared it DEEEEE-licious!

Additionally, she said that he would also like a hammer, and Mary would like a sheep and Joseph is hoping for a block (I think that answer had more to do with what her brother was playing with at the time).

So, in addition to leaving out cookie and milk for Santa and carrots for the reindeer, it looks like we'll be leaving out or wrapping candy canes for Baby Jesus!

It's an Advent miracle!

Our indoor/outdoor cat lost his pretty red Christmas collar with its shiny gold nametag and sparkly red bell a couple of weeks ago.

After scolding him and showing him my receipts for all of his replacement collars and tags, I put on an attractive new blue collar with a glittering blue bell and gold tag. He looked like a million (Monopoly) bucks.

Well, he came in tonight and was wearing... a red collar. With his shiny gold nametag and a sparkly red bell.

Advent miracle, methinks!

Now, if only the blue collar would come back home, too...

The feline upon whom the miracle was bestowed-- what a noble fella!

Letter #1 to my Prayer Buddy

Note: this is the Prayer Buddy I'm praying FOR this Advent.

However, Prayer Buddy who's praying for me, you've got your work cut out for you... I apologize in advance. I really need some prayers at the moment.

Dear Prayer Buddy,

Just so you know, I'm ridiculously nervous about praying for you this Advent season. Is it silly to be nervous about praying for someone? Someone I've never met? Maybe that's what causes my nervousness-- I feel the awesome responsibility of focusing my prayers toward you, and fear that my feeble prayers will not be enough. And I desperately want my prayers to be enough for you. More than enough for you.

So, Prayer Buddy, I want you to know that, even though we don't know each other, you've already become intricately and intimately intertwined in my thoughts and prayers. I'm a thinker; when I pray, I typically just think my prayers, a silent conversation with God that threads itself throughout the day. You're now part of that communication-- it's like now we're on a three-way call with The Big Guy Upstairs. I want you to know that when you ask anything of the Lord now, I'm joining my own prayers to yours, pleading on your behalf. Praying for hope on your behalf.

And you know what? Knowing that there is someone praying for me now helps this-- it frees up my prayer life in an amazing way. I think of it like a spiritual babysitter-- I can get some major work done while someone else watches over my own concerns.

Please know that already I've been blessed to pray for you, because it has forced me to step outside of myself and make this season of waiting a season worthy of Whom I am awaiting.

All my prayers,
Lisa

Best. Comment. EVER.

Ok, I need to confess something. M and I watched about 10 minutes, give or take, of Skating with the Stars. We thought Castle was going to be on 9, like always... that's "our" show, along with Modern Family (but we can't watch that every week because sometimes C is still awake, or M is still driving home).

Anyway, I wanted to keep the skating show on for a few minutes so I could see who was skating.

And so I could practice my own (rudimentary) skating moves on the Oriental rug. I'm not ashamed. I totally did some of those leg-extension spins and some straight leg gliding. The rug is great because it has very low friction. This took me back to when I was watching the Olympics this year, and practicing my moves once the kids went to bed. But I digress...

Back to my story now.


I went to the Entertainment Weekly website to see how the celebrity (mostly of a non-celebrated-caliber of celebrity, actually) skaters did, and what the overall perception of the show was. I skimmed through the comments, and came across this gem:

I was looking forward to it, but had to turn it off after my family wouldn’t stop laughing at “all those ugly people”. My neighbours also got quite annoyed (probably because they are hideous) and started hurling abuse at us. Hey, it’s not our fault you all look like beavers. If you are reading this Julie Edwards I hope you feel ashamed because now my daughter knows 2 more swear words. And don’t worry hun we are leaving the apartments soon so we don’t have to deal with trash like you.

Seriously? Best. Comment. EVER.


P.S. I couldn't resist linking to past skating, rug, and Olympic posts. Who knew I wrote about that stuff enough to link it?


P.P.S. I should have given the credit for that above comment to "Sue." Thank you, Sue, for that wonderfully random gem of a rant about your neighbors. It was terrible, but I laughed anyway. I have to say I feel somewhat sorry for the "Julie Edwards" family now, wherever they may be.

Little things that make me smile

1. Noticing C carrying her bathroom step-stool into her brother's room:

Me, after watching Toy Story 3... again: Hey there, cowgirl... where ya goin'?

C, using the stool to turn on the light in H's room: I need to change a diaper.

Me, confused: Whose diaper? H is clean and you don't wear diapers.

C: She did a poopy. I need to change the stinky poopy.

Me, panicked that there is stray poop in my house: WHO has a poopy diaper?

C: My baby doll. She did a poopy and now I need to change her so she can go to sleep. Oh, I need wipes, too. You get me wipes, Mommy?

I sent Daddy in to deal with this.

2. Apparently this should be "Little Things That Make Me Smile, Poop-edition"...

C and H were playing with their Little People, and I took the opportunity to review the Nativity Story with them in preparation for the Christmas season. I LOVE our Little People nativity and may have to do a photo post later of the amusing scenes the kids have created with the religious Little People and their respective paraphernalia.

I noticed that Mary and Joseph were hanging out in "the big house," as opposed to their stable. I asked C about this.

C: Mary had to do a poopy and there isn't a potty in the stable, Mommy.

Made sense to me.

3.  Non-poop-related smiley-ness...

Sweet potatoes this week? SIX POUNDS for ONE DOLLAR. Oh, happy day!

Be on the lookout for recipes and cooking posts in the next few weeks, as well as gift ideas!

Puppies and kitties and... trains?

C put my husband's veterinarian ball cap on little H.

C: "Look, H, you're a doctor now! You take care of puppies and kitties! And tigers! And fish and turtles and birds!"

I smile to myself, so proud that my not-quite-3-year-old has a grasp of the role of veterinarians and all kinds of animals.

C, again: "Mommy, look at H! He's a veterin... veterin... he's a doctor! He takes care of puppies and kitties and trains!"

Huh? Trains? Ok, so we may have to review the animal kingdom after all.

I'm sad, and I'm tired

I usually only blog about the happy things (because seriously... there are enough horrible stories in the news alone to keep you up at night), but this is a different kind of post.

Just after Halloween, we had to put our German Shepherd to sleep. M got her his first year of vet school and lived alone with her for four years before we met. She then had to share him on weekends for the next year, until we married and I moved in to "their" house. I like to call her "The Girl He Loved Before He Loved Me." She was a rescue dog and definitely partly-insane, which I think helped prepare him for marrying me and then living with a hormonal girl for the past 4 1/2 years-- I've been pregnant or nursing all but 9 months of our married life!

Being an at-home mom means that the care of the kids, meals, house, and pets falls to me, while M works his tail off for our family. I love my job, and would have said that having just one dog around would make things easier (combined, both our dogs weighed over 150 pounds...) in terms of feeding, grooming, cleaning the house, etc, but I've discovered that having just one dog means that I feel there's a hole in my at-home life.

I miss feeding her, brushing her, washing her and having her shake 4 gallons of water on me. I miss chasing after her when she'd escape the gate to chase deer. I even miss cleaning up all of that hair. It's not so bad when I'm out of the house, but every time I go through my daily routine here, I notice the emptiness that her absence has created. I just miss her.

On a different but similar note, I'm tired. Worn down. It's been like this ever since our epic road trip in August (over 2 weeks of travel!). I feel like I can't keep up with life right now, and sleep just doesn't mean the same thing when you have two small ones who can't tell time. The tiredness isn't just being a mom of 2 kids, but something more that I can't figure out. I think it's time to get my hormones checked again.

And take a nap. Or exercise.

Is it terrible that while I have a feeling that the second option would make me feel better in the long run, the first one sounds sooooo much better now?

Please tell me to get my rear in gear and get back to my jogging. I felt better when I was doing that, but have lost the drive after dealing with everyone being sick within the last month, all at different times.

This has been a sad and pathetic post, but now that I've gotten it all off my chest, I will return to the happier posts of yore. I'd hate to wander down the path of whiny-ness, because it can be tough to find your way back.

An open letter to The Powers That Be

To whom it may concern:

Would you mind terribly if the person who decided that "Fall Back" was a good idea could call me? Or rather, could he or she please call my children?

They seem to have missed the memo that the time has changed.

It would be helpful if this Fall-Back person could explain that while waking up at 6 am (children, not me-- I'm always awake by then) was somewhat acceptable, waking up at 5 am (children AND adults here... I get up at FIVE-FIFTEEN, not FIVE O'CLOCK) is not acceptable. I need time to have half a cup of coffee before it's time to be "on" for the rest of the day.

Thank you.

Sincerely,
Lisa

PS Could Mr./Ms. Fall-Back please call before tomorrow morning? Thanks again.

Homeschooling Discernment Series: Words of encouragement

It's been a while since I posted about homeschooling here (though I have some GREAT new ideas and thoughts thanks to visiting with a local homeschool family recently), but I wanted to post some encouraging words I received from one of my dearest friends. She and I worked together at a Girl Scout camp for a few years after high school and she was one of my bridesmaids-- and I was her Confirmation sponsor when she became Catholic!

She sent me an e-mail (confessing her lack of commenting-- for shame!) that gave me a lot of encouragement about thinking of homeschooling just one day and year at a time.

Okay, so I read your blog all the time and LOVE it, but am way to shy to comment it on it (I know, what kind of friend am I?).  So, I just had to give you my two cents from a working mom on homeschooling.  Hands down I think you should do it.  If for no other reason then because if you don't you will always wonder.  While you're working, you'll wish you were home with your kids (partly grass is greener syndrome).  Anytime something "bad" happened in school you will think to yourself "If only I homeschooled..."  and you will always wonder if you made the right decision. HOWEVER, if you homeschool and you love it and it's wonderful then great!  You made the right decision.  If you homeschool and it doesn't work out, no harm done, at least you know.  But take it from me, the thought will always be in the back of your mind and you'll always wonder "what if..."

Also, you are spot on.  The decision is not permanent.  I know a parent who homeschooled her kids until one son was in third grade and then enrolled him in public school when he was having trouble with his reading.  I also know another family (who has 8 kids) and the mom switches back and forth between homeschooling and public school and all of the kids are very well adjusted! They're all great kids!

So, not that you asked for it, but I just had to tell you I think you should go for it!

Thanks, friend! Such great advice and thoughts... I love you!

Petunia Pickle Bottom Outlet Sale TODAY (diaper bags)

I've mentioned it several times on this blog, but I LOVE my Petunia Pickle Bottom clutch. And shoulder bag. And backpack (but not as much as the other two).

 My clutch-- it's gorgeous! Literally, not a week goes by that someone doesn't compliment me on my "purse." I call it my Mary Poppins bag, because you wouldn't believe what I can fit in here... a disposable diaper or two, extra pair of panties for C, wipes, wallet, iPhone, small camera, sunglasses case, snack for the kids, pacifier, spoon and fork for the kids, baby elephant... ok, not that. But maybe a toy baby elephant would fit. The clutch is surprisingly roomy.

But I digress.

Petunia Pickle Bottom's Outlet store is having a sale starting TODAY. And these bags sell like hotcakes--they're 30-60% off! The sale starts at 9 am, PST. These bags, especially the clutches, make WONDERFUL shower gifts/Christmas gifts/birthday gifts! I've given two of them to friends and they have both said that they love them. I'm totally pushing the clutches because you can use them as a purse when there's no baby in sight, and you don't look weird carrying a diaper bag as a purse.

Not that I was above that before I got my PPB clutch.

Montreal summer 2009, pregnant and sleepy, with the clutch

Get a GLAZED bag, no matter what kind, as your first buy. They wipe off easily and you can feel safe if your child tries to eat your bag (not that my kids ever did/do this...), because it's so easy to keep sanitary.

I love my shoulder bag second only to the clutch. It's nice and roomy and has great organization-potential inside. I like the backpack's use as a backpack, but don't think it's nearly as mommy-friendly as the shoulder bag-- it doesn't have as much room or as many outer storage options and is more difficult to access when it's used as a shoulder bag. It does attach nicely to strollers, though. The shoulder bag works best when slung across your chest, in my opinion. It also can hang on strollers pretty well, if you loop it around both handles.

 Montreal summer 2009, pregnant and not sleepy, with the shoulder bag

Good luck shopping! Let me know if you buy something, or which one(s) you like!

PS: For the record, the #1 reason I know that these bags make great gifts is because ALL THREE of mine were gifts from my amazing parents. I had been feeling super-frumpy and depressed after carrying around the black hospital bag for a year, with its torn-out bottom and random holes in the liner. I just couldn't find a bag I liked or thought was organized enough to hold the baby things, and refused to spend any money on a diaper bag unless I loved it.

Handy Tip Tuesday, 2nd Edition- How to hydrate

I've gotten terribly lax in the hydration-department lately. This is especially bad since I'm still nursing my son (almost 1 year now!). I've noticed a general feeling of lethargy in my day-to-day activities; likewise, I'm finding that allergies are affecting me more and a bad allergy spell has turned into a sinus infection a few times in the past couple of months. With two children, I have to be able to keep up. I don't like dragging through the day, and I don't like the toll it take on my appearance. Shallow, perhaps, but true. I'm in my early 30's, not early 60's (but you look great, Mom!).

So, I turned over a new leaf last week!

Every night I fill a 2-quart pitcher with water and put it in the refrigerator. The next day, I drink all of my water from that pitcher and try not only to finish it, but to have at least two more glasses of water. Nursing moms are advised to drink 13 cups a day, so this helps me to hit that goal. And for the record-- pregnant women should be drinking 10 cups a day. So, drink up, Diana, Joanna, Diem, and Christy! And all of my pregnant blogger friends, of course!

Pregnant women: Do NOT read this

If you are pregnant, there are several things you should not do.

1) Compete in barrel racing events

2) Try-out for the Olympic Volleyball team (or most events outside of curling)

3) Read this post

If you're pregnant and still reading... well, I tried to warn you.

This is possibly the easiest, most delicious, most addictive snack EVER.

I know, because when I was pregnant with H and C was napping, I made it. More than once. As in, sometimes more than once a day.

Or more than once an hour. But let's not go there now. My hips are getting embarrassed. 

If your pregnancy cravings include sweet things, WATCH OUT. And if they also include McDonalds, quit carrying extra cash in your purse. It's the only thing that will save you.

Lisa's Easy S'mores

- 2 Graham Crackers
- about 10 mini marshmallows
- about 10 chocolate chips (Ghiradelli is delightful here-- nice and oozy)


Lay the graham crackers flat-side up. Put marshmallows on one cracker and chocolate chips on the other. Microwave on High 20-25 seconds. 

You do NOT want to burn the chocolate... big rookie mistake. Not that I would know this from experience. Naturally.

Flip the crackers together and squish them. Break in half and share if you're being nice, or eat the whole thing if you're being me.

This is likely the easiest snack you can make for a man who's hunting around the kitchen looking for something sweet, after he's been sweating outside all day building you a fence. And a gate. And another fence for the porch. And rock-lined granite paths.

Hmm... maybe he should have gotten something sweeter in the kitchen than a s'more for all that work...

I seriously hope my mom is no longer reading this blog.

Homeschooling discernment series: Guest post numero dos

Side note: For some insane/inane reason, my blog is still not updating in anyone's feed in a timely fashion. My kitchen blog does fine in this area, as does my private blog when I take it public to test it.
 

The best solution I have found for this problem is: If you have me listed in your blog roll, or if you follow some other way and have to enter my blog address, add this one-- http://cheerfullychaotic.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss
 

For some reason this makes my new posts appear instantly. I don't understand the problem but know that this is at least a temporary solution.Thank you to all of the technie nerds geniuses who have e-mailed and tried to help me with this.

Now... on to the real reason you're reading this post...

Yesterday I wrote an introduction to Lisa, from The Little House that Grew, and explained what drew me to her blog and led me to shamelessly beg nicely ask her to write a guest post here. 

And now, without further ado... here is the first part of Lisa's guest post (including her preface from yesterday)! 

I happen to be a freshman when it comes to home schooling. In other words, I am still wet behind the ears working my way through this choice. In some ways that is an advantage when talking with young moms who are discerning home schooling. I was just there. I was them, and in some ways I still am them. Even after 5 years of home schooling I have doubts, worries and regret.

Let me just state, before we go any further, I am a homeschooler….not an ANTI-SCHOOLER. And there is a difference in my opinion. I don’t think my children will become corrupt if they associate with or enter a “school.” I don‘t hate school. I wish it were that simple. But just like with all families…there is more to the story than that.

Mine started when I was in Alaska, a young mom to 2 little girls, and I met 2 Catholic home schooling moms. Upon meeting their families I was impressed. I just liked what I saw. The kids were kind. They were respectful. They spoke while looking at you. They prayed with their parents at supper. They read…for FUN!!

But this is not what you want to hear. If you are considering home schooling than you too have met families like this. You too are intrigued by what you see in these families.

I started asking them questions. A lot of questions. How do you do this? How do you do that? And more importantly …WHY?…that was my biggest question. And from there I began to develop my own how’s and why’s. But as time has gone on, I have found that my why’s have changed, and so have I. And the biggest problem I have in explaining my reasons for home schooling is there are so many different connected, yet unrelated reasons why I started, why I still do it, and why I plan to continue. 

Mine is just one story, my story, and nobody but me and God will ever know the whole thing. But let me tell you the first part.

All Things Start From Faith:

But first, some background…

I am what you would call a revert. I was born and raised Catholic, but never developed a faith of my own. After getting married and having children I still was pretty “faithless.” I had a desire to know God but I never really knew how or where to meet Him. I knew how to go through the motions of being Catholic, but never was one at heart. And that story began changing after I met the above-mentioned moms. These two women were strong practicing Catholic wives and home schooling mothers. They wove their love for the Lord into their every moment, seamlessly. I was touched. I wanted to be like them. I wanted to love God with my daily actions. During this time I could not learn enough. I was inhaling books on the faith and praying like crazy. I was feeling God’s love in every area of my life. I started buying all sorts of kids Catholic stuff. Reading to the girls, teaching them the basics of our faith. All the while I was learning right alone side them. I loved it.

My girls were very young so home schooling was just a twinkle in the future. But I felt my heart being pulled that way. I could not help but think, “I could learn along side them.” And the idea of that was intriguing. Sure I had all the same thoughts you have, is this OK for them? Are they going to hate me for missing Prom? What will everyone think of me? Will my kids be weird? Do I have to start wearing jean jumpers ? You know, all those very rational things that rush through your head when you realize that God may be asking you to do something He wants of you.

Meanwhile, my 4 year old daughter was (is) a high maintenance kid (her fault or mine???). She is not the affectionate type. I was having a hard time relating with her. I loved her and wanted to show my love to her but we were just “at” each other. I was reading all sorts of parenting books and trying some of the techniques but I was also very pregnant again right after delivering a baby at 20 weeks, and keeping up with my other 2 year old little girl. So needless to say things were a bit rocky between us.

During this time my friend happen to give me the book Teach Your Child To Read in 100 Easy Lessons. She told me that was how she taught all 4 of her kids to read and she loved it. I gladly accepted the book and immediately liked the Direct Instruction approach. I had worked with Direct Instruction in a private school I worked at in California. Direct Instruction is a script format that the teacher and the student follow. I saw the success this type of instruction had on those students and thought I would give it a shot. And why not, 20 minutes a day was doable. I was not officially home schooling, just preparing my oldest for kindergarten.

Over the next few weeks I informally began using the book. I would pull Emily’s chair really close to mine. I would tickle her back, play with her hair and just be close to her. We would spend about 15 minutes a day doing this. I would always encourage her progress and celebrate her successes. After a while I noticed she wanted to do more and more. Not that she loved doing the lessons, but she loved being with me. She did not want our time to end. I was noticing a difference in her altogether. She was more lovable, more affectionate. Could this all be because of that 15 minutes a day I was spending with her doing “school”? It was! She and I became different people from that moment forward. I saw the power I had in this relationship and how it could be used for the good of both of us. I became a more aware, present mom once I realized the impact all my interactions with her had.

My heart was really feeling pulled to home schooling. And I thought that was what God wanted. But I began to wonder after I had my 3rd baby and 3 months later got pregnant again with #4. How in the world could I do this? And were my reasons for wanting to home school strong enough? Was it enough to just want to learn and live your Faith with your kids? Couldn’t I do that while they were home after a day at school? I prayed and prayed…and wound up enrolling Emily in Catholic School in Alabama which is where we were moving 3 weeks before school started and 6 weeks after my 4th child was born. I was convinced that was what God wanted…or was it?

And there you have it, ladies and gentlemen-- the first post from Lisa at The Little House that Grew!

Homeschooling guest post TOMORROW!

I am very excited to have a homeschooling guest post tomorrow from a wonderful Catholic blogger whom I recently found, Lisa, from The Little House that Grew. I e-mailed and asked her if she'd be interested in doing a guest post here... and if she would like to move to Texas and live next-door so we could drink coffee together every morning and talk about our school plans.

I'm not kidding-- I figured it was worth a shot. She hasn't said no to that thus far, so I'm not writing it off just yet.

I knew that I would love Lisa when I came across THIS post. It's the same pie I made last Thanksgiving at the ranch! Granted, I modified it into a gluten-free recipe for my MIL, but it was amazing either way. I even had to call my mom for the exact recipe, since I'd left my Southern Living at home. My theory about Lisa was that anyone who 1) makes Pioneer Woman recipes as much as I do, 2) loves reading Clover Lane, 3) bakes Southern Living pies with blogging friends, 4) and uses a D-90 Nikon to takes photos is my kind of gal. Plus, it makes me laugh when people have the same name as me. I think it looks funny to type, "Dear Lisa" and then sign it with "Lisa."

Lisa e-mailed me back almost immediately and was sweet enough to say that, YES, she could do a post for me! I sent her a zillion questions, and she got to work writing about how she and her husband decided that homeschooling is for them now.

Here's the intro to Lisa's homeschooling story:

I happen to be a freshman when it comes to home schooling. In other words, I am still wet behind the ears working my way through this choice. In some ways that is an advantage when talking with young moms who are discerning home schooling. I was just there. I was them, .and in some ways I still am them. Even after 5 years of home schooling I have doubts, worries and regret.

Let me just state, before we go any further, I am a homeschooler….not an ANTI-SCHOOLER. And there is a difference in my opinion. I don’t think my children will become corrupt if they associate with or enter a “school.” I don‘t hate school. I wish it were that simple. But just like with all families… there is more to the story than that.

Mine started when I was in Alaska, a young mom to 2 little girls, and I met 2 Catholic home schooling moms. Upon meeting their families I was impressed. I just liked what I saw. The kids were kind. They were respectful. They spoke while looking at you. They prayed with their parents at supper. They read… for FUN!!

But this is not what you want to hear. If you are considering home schooling than you too have met families like this. You too are intrigued by what you see in these families. 

I started asking them questions. A lot of questions. How do you do this? How do you do that? And more importantly …WHY?…that was my biggest question. And from there I began to develop my own how’s and why’s. But as time has gone on, I have found that my why’s have changed, and so have I. And the biggest problem I have in explaining my reasons for home schooling is there are so many different connected, yet unrelated reasons why I started, why I still do it, and why I plan to continue. Mine is just one story, my story, and nobody but me and God will ever know the whole thing.  But let me tell you the first part...

You'll have to wait until tomorrow for the first part! (Or you can check it out on her blog... but come back tomorrow, anyway)  

Also, if you haven't already, be sure to "follow" Lisa's blog... and my own. :-)

You'll (hopefully!) be hearing more from Lisa in future guest posts about the homeschooling curriculum she uses, and how she manages to do this with little ones around!

Thanks, Lisa!

Handy Tip Tuesday, 1st Edition- Gift bags

This may or may not become a weekly/series, but I needed a title for this handy little tip, and this sounded like a good idea!

Help! I have WAY too many gift bags after bridal showers/my wedding/babies/holidays. What can I do to get it under control, short of throwing them all out or stuffing them into my closet?

Handy tip that worked for me:

I separated all of my gift bags into themes (Christmas, baby shower, wedding, bridal shower, children's gifts, bags for males, bags for females, wine bags, etc) and had a separate pile for each. I only had a few bags that were perfect for guys, so I put those back in the closet. I added a few absolute favorites from the other themes to the closet pile, then got to work with the remaining bags...

I went through each stack and made 3 piles: one for my mother-in-law, one for my mom, and one for me.

One Christmas bag for my MIL, one for Mom, one for me.
One Christmas bag for my MIL, one for Mom, one for me. 
One Christmas bag...

One baby shower bag for my MIL, one for Mom, one for me.
One baby shower bag...

You get the picture.

I had already called them up in advance to find out if they needed any specific types, or if there were any types they did not need. For instance, my MIL often gives wine as a gift, so she and I split the wine gift bags, whereas Mom had a few wedding showers coming up, so I gave her extras.

It worked out great! We all have plenty of bags for future gifts (and I know that we'll be getting some of them back for kids' birthdays and the holidays), and my closet is no longer bursting at the seams.

If you just had a baby, find someone who just got married and swap out bags. Or, with the holidays coming up, swap partially-used wrapping paper rolls so that every fifth gift doesn't look exactly the same.

There you go-- the first edition of Handy Tips Tuesday!

Sacred mysteries, toddler-style

 Fra Angelico, The Annunciation

Discussing with a two-year-old how an angel appeared to Mary, to announce that she would bear a child:

Me: An angel came to the Virgin Mary and told her that she would be the Mother of Jesus and that...

C, interrupting: No, no, Mommy. She's going to be the Mother of God, not Jesus. (someone's been paying attention during the Hail Mary!)

Me: Well, honey, God and Jesus are the same. You're right-- she's the Mother of God and the Mother of Jesus.

C: And the Holy Spirit, Mommy.

Me, getting confused theologically: Well... I guess then she is also the Mother of the Holy Spirit. God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all part of the Trinity.

C: Ooh. Trinity. Trinity. Trin-i-teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee. I like the Trinity, Mommy.

Me: Me, too, C, me too.

C: The Trinity is Dog and Pig and Ant and...

Me: Hold on, turn off Word World and come over here again...

Time to meet your Maker

For the past two weeks, a horrific creature has been stalking my son at night, leaving behind itchy red evidence of his presence, but hiding when I would go hunting for him.

Today, however, I cracked the case and found that dang bloodsucker.

I trapped him in the closet and smashed him into the wall, laughing maniacally. Should the police happen to come investigate my home anytime soon, I will need all of you kind readers to vouch for me that it was a mosquito, not mass murder. Given the amount of my poor son's blood that he'd been devouring, I'm pretty sure the mosquito could have been used to transfuse at least one unit of blood.

I may be pro-life, but that mosquito deserved to die. :-)

10 things about me... late as usual

1. I procrastinate. Proof: this post. Lauren tagged me weeks ago, and I'm finally getting around to doing this. Oops.

2. I technically think this is "10 Surprising Things about Me," but here's the thing: given that only about 5-10 people that I know in real life read this blog, anything else I mention will be surprising to everyone else. So... surprise! And I like surprises, so long as I have on mascara.

3. I was surprised when my now-husband proposed to me. I knew he had a ring and was planning to do it at some point in the not-so-distant future, but it totally caught me off-guard. As in, I was upset with him at first when he got down on one knee. We were in a prayer garden after Mass, praying (so I thought) for Mary's intercession for a very sick friend of a friend (who was with us at that moment, about 5 feet away). I was using my prayers to storm the gates of Heaven when M got down on one knee and started talking. With my eyes still closed, I kept shushing him and telling him to pray! Finally I opened my eyes, saw him in front of me, and told him that it was mean to joke like that, especially when a sick person so desperately needed our prayers. :-)

4. I can never decide whether or not my smiley emoticons should have noses or not. Sometimes they just look so incomplete without them.  :)  So then I go back and add them.  :-)  And then I think their faces look too long on my screen. So I scrap them all together and add ellipses... or an exclamation mark!

5. I write blog posts and poems and songs and stories and movies in my head ALL. THE. TIME. 99.9% of them never see the light of day... or the glow of the monitor. Since I censor what I write about my family, and my husband would freak out if I wrote about a multitude of subjects (use your imagination and then add things that you don't think are personal at all... he would think they are), I sometimes wish that I had a completely anonymous blog. So, if someday there is an unknown blogger out there who really likes ellipses and writes about all sorts of things that I don't, it's likely me. Or even more likely someone else. But still... it might be me.

6. I have ridiculously complicated pregnancy issues. Here is what my perinatalogist told me: to have one of the complications I have is something "regular Ob's" see once a year. To have two of the complications is something they see once every 5 years. To have the three complications is something they see once in a career. This means that I have "made" the careers of 2 Ob's. And you know what? They didn't even send me a thank-you card.

7. I think this may need its own post, but I don't agree with the idea that "you should never regret anything, because each decision shaped you and made you who you are today." I have a few major regrets that would have made my life better, no doubt, and only helped others in my life. Taking two extra summer courses in grad school in order NOT to have to write a thesis while raising children and living hours away from my University? That should have been a no-brainer. Why didn't anyone, particularly me, think of that solution??? And seriously... no procrastinator needs to do a thesis when completely removed from an academic setting. It's just wrong. Morally wrong, probably.

8. Stories about children getting sick or dying keep me up at night. When we first brought C home from the hospital, I read the pamphlet on SIDS and didn't sleep (literally) for 3 days or nights. I had her on a Tuesday, so from 6 or 7 am when I woke up on Tuesday until late Saturday night, I slept a grand TOTAL of 6 hours. I couldn't get comfortable in the hospital bed and then when she was sleeping in my room at night I was afraid something would happen, so I laid there and stared at her. When she was home with us, I jumped up every 5 minutes if she made a sound, and every 5 minutes if she didn't make a sound.

9. I think my husband is ridiculously hot. So do other women. I like that.  :)  (see... that smile looks like it's missing something). Nothing in my life on earth is as certain as my husband's love and affection. I am totally aware how lucky I am, too.

10. I need to lose at least 20 pounds. I'm putting that out there so that SOMEONE will keep me honest on this. It starts NOW... 10 am on October 4, 2010. Anyone else want to do the C25K plan with me, albeit long distance??? I'm already thinking babies again, so I need to get my body in shape to house another one, once it's even possible. And, I'll post once I lose 5... 10... 15... and finally 20 prednisone/pregnancy/dessert-induced pounds.

I'm hiding from my children...

One is insisting loudly that Quiet Time, that sacred bit of time where I can relax do chores, is over.

No! It can't be over yet! I haven't even finished unloading the groceries from the car, which had to wait until two children were fed and bathed and dressed and hugged and put down for Quiet Time or Nap Time, depending upon which child we're talking about.

The other is shrieking sobbing uncontrollably if he's not attached to my breasts. 

You're fine! You're clean and dry and burped and fed! I just need TEN MINUTES to regroup. 

I think it's time for a brief walk in the backyard, before I start shrieking as well.

Then I'll go get the kids and thank my lucky stars that I even have this "problem" today.

A mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful life

 

Replace "spring" with "fall" in the Cummings poem below, and you'll feel the same joy C felt as she splashed through the mud in an outfit she put together on her own. I love this precious girl so much that it hurts sometimes. And, WELCOME to our wonder Fall weather-- in the FIFTIES this morning! 

PS Our weeds aren't usually this... weedy. This is after the week of rain, plus it's in the newly-enclosed-with-a-fence-and-still-being-improved-lot-that-is-now-part-of-our-yard AND after a water main leak!

[in Just-]

by E. E. Cummings 

in Just-

spring          when the world is mud-

luscious the little

lame balloonman

whistles          far          and wee

and eddieandbill come

running from marbles and

piracies and it's

spring

when the world is puddle-wonderful

the queer

old balloonman whistles

far          and             wee

and bettyandisbel come dancing

from hop-scotch and jump-rope and

it's

spring

and

         the

                  goat-footed

balloonMan          whistles

far

and

wee

Yes, ma'am, we have some good news

Imaginary doctor, entering room: Well, we have some good news, and we have some bad news, ma'am.

Me, nervously: Give me the bad news first, Doctor. I can take it. (tenses body slightly)

Imaginary doctor, hesitantly: Well, ma'am, your ring is still stuck on your finger.

Me, exhaling: Ok, I can handle that for a bit longer. What's the good news, doc?

Imaginary doctor, jovially: The good news is that your finger is still stuck on your hand!

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 10)

1. Ring status: still stuck on finger. I tried once yesterday (with Windex again), but decided to wait it out a bit longer. The first time that the swelling in my finger really appears to go down, I'm going full-force. I figure that I'll give it a week, then get it cut off my hand (the ring, not my finger).

2. I have a new pumpkin pie plate that I found on sale at Kohls,  and I LOVE it. I made a pumpkin pie in it already, and it looks just as fabulous with a pie in it as it does empty. For all of you GF (gluten-free) people, you should know that I made it GF... I just made it crustless, like my mother-in-law does. It tastes just as great, without the extra crust-calories! I love this season so much, pie being a primary reason!

3. Speaking of delicious GF food, you've got to try the Amy's frozen meals. I haven't had a frozen meal since M and I got married. The meals were on sale at HEB today for... get this... $1.88/meal. So I bought a few for me and the kids (since H is still GF and is pretty hesitant regarding solids, but likes rice, beans, and cheese enchiladas!). Here's the story behind why I went ahead with frozen meals instead of cooking like usual: my mother-in-law always tells me about how whenever her husband would go out of town on business, she and the boys would go to the store and pick out frozen dinners. The boys would always get the "Hungry Man" dinners, which makes me laugh, picturing these young boys eating Hungry Man meals. Since M had to go out of town for the night, I decided to try out the frozen dinner plan! Anyway, the meals we tried and loved were the Cheese Tamale Verde, the Cheese Enchilada Whole Meal, and the Cheese Enchilada Entree. Yum to ALL of them!

4. Cloth-diapering mamas, I have a question for you. What sort of bag do you use at home to store your wet/used diapers before washing them? And how do you deal with the wipes? When I was using disposable diapers, I used a Diaper Champ pail and tucked the wipes into the used diapers then threw them away. Now, I'm not sure if I should just throw the wipes in the trash or put them in something with a lid, like the Diaper Champ (but I can't just drop them in there with the flip lid because they'd get stuck and it'd get all gross...). I'd love to hear about your diaper storage plan!

5. On the cloth diaper subject, I had a glorious revelation the other day. I had been drying the diapers outside when it rained on them. I already had clothes in the dryer and some in the washer that had to get dried, since I consider it fairly important that M wear pants to work. I have (more than) several disposables left from H and C, so I just used the disposables. I realized that I don't HAVE to commit to cloth diapering when it's inconvenient for me, and that I can go back and forth. I'm doing this (cloth diapering) to save money, but since I already OWN a box full of disposable diapers, there's no monetary problem with using whichever ones work for me at a particular time and place. I love the cloth diapers, but don't need to feel guilty about the times that they're not convenient for me.

6. Marilyn-- this one is for you. If you're reading this, please e-mail me your address. I need to send the cookbook, and am missing all of my addresses. And stamps. It's starting to become a problem. If anyone sees a bag that has Simpsons and lighthouse stamps in it, and a typed address list with tons of cross-outs and handwritten addresses, please let me know. It needs to find its way home again. And if anyone happens to find it wandering out in the world, it will be easy to send back to me-- there are a TON of old stamps in there!

7. I'm going to turn my computer off all weekend. I think I need to practice better internet restraint, and weekends may be where I need to start.

In need of a helping HAND

Or a new hand. Or at least a new ring finger.

Anyone have a spare ring finger lying around? No? Oh well. It was worth a shot.

I rarely wear my engagement ring. I had to take it off right before I gave birth to C, and then once I put it back on when she was a baby, I was forever scratching her head when I nursed her and would switch her from one side to the other.

By the time she was weaned at 15 months, I was already pregnant again and a bit swollen from time to time, so I just stuck with my wedding band except for "dressier" occasions. I'm still nursing H, so the "don't scratch the baby" rule is still in effect.

HOWEVER, Saturday night was a "special" occasion in that our little family headed over to visit with some neighbors at their house. The adults drank margaritas and laughed for hours while the kids played on the swingset until they conked out and we put them all to bed. M and I so rarely stay out late anywhere anymore, so I decided that it was time to get dressy-- slide that ring on your finger, Lisa!

And my, didn't it glisten in the moonlight! Or, at least the back porch light...

However, when I went to take it off last night, I discovered that it was stuck. As in, my-finger-may-have-to-be-amputated-because-it-hurts-so-badly-now stuck. The more I twisted and tugged and pulled, the more swollen the knuckle area became.

I decided to enlist my husband in getting the ring pulled off. BAD IDEA. Not only was it super-late at night, but it made the situation so much worse that I lied awake for HOURS in pain. We tried all kinds of things this morning, to no avail. I ALMOST got it off during an afternoon shower, but I couldn't push past the pain, not knowing for sure if it would work.

Here's what I've tried:

- Ice packs to numb/reduce swelling
- Advil to reduce inflammation and pain
- Lotion
- Astroglide (yes, I just admitted that...)
- Wrapping dental floss around my finger to make it straight and not puffed out
- Windex (read this online...)
- Soap
- Topical lidocaine, in hopes of numbing it enough it yank the thing off. No luck.
- LOTS of coffee to act as a diuretic. It's a good thing I don't have to nurse H too frequently, or he wouldn't sleep for a month!

I know I can get it cut off if need be, and I can also wait again until the swelling goes down to try again. Each time I try I make it FAR worse for the next several hours. It has become so swollen now that I can't even twist it on my finger without cutting into it.

Anyone else have any other ideas? Just wait a bit? Get it cut off? I'm not so sentimental that this would bother me... I don't think my finger falling off from lack of circulation is anymore positive for my marriage than keeping the ring intact.

Sorry for the grainy, off-color iPhone pics. They're the least of my worries now.

PS No Homeschooling Discernment Series post today...  ring finger pain trumps school post :-)

7 Quick Takes Friday (Vol. 9)

1. This will likely get a post unto itself at some point, but if you smell dog mess, even if you can't see it, NEVER assume that it's a dog toot. You WILL step in it. With BOTH feet. On the 100% wool authentic ORIENTAL RUG.

2. I'm always surprised by the anti-Catholic hatred that is spewed around the time of papal visits. In this case, our Pope is in the UK now. Their newspaper comment sections are filled with absolute disgust for this man, and for our faith in general. I honestly can't comprehend the hatred of the Church and one of her servants.

3. My brother-in-law just clued us in to Arrested Development, which we're able to watch on our streaming Netflix. It's soooo funny! It's been a nice kids-are-in-bed-and-we-can-snuggle show to watch. Since it only lasts about 22 minutes, we can watch one or two easily without staying up too late.

4. This probably should have been #1, but... LAUREN AND HER HUSBAND HAVE A BABY! Welcome, Abigail Chiara! We all love you, precious girl! Please continue to pray for this new family and the birth family.

5. Cloth diapering has, thus far, gone pretty well. H was soaking last night, though, at a 1 am feeding. I'm not sure what happened. The thing I have to remind myself when I get discouraged by leaks, is that they used to happen with disposable diapers, too. They've rarely happened with cloth diapers at night when I have a hemp insert in there with the regular insert, though, so I really have no idea what went wrong... it didn't even seem very soaked in the diaper itself! Maybe I didn't do a good job adjusting it just right???

6. While I would rather have been outside with my family under more pleasant circumstances, I had a great time last night on the driveway, washing the Oriental rug (see #1). I pressure-washed the driveway and garage, laid the rug on the driveway, shampooed the rug with Woolite and rinsed it, then laid it on the clean garage floor to dry. M finished building the gate for our fence (he's so handy, that husband of mine! He built an entire fence himself for our huge yard... 2/3 of an acre!), C skipped up and down the driveway, and H sat in his highchair and ate. It was fun to all be outside together, even if it meant the kids were up later than I would have liked.

7. I foresee a busy, outdoor weekend as we try to restore order to our backyard after havoc wreaked by the torrential rain and the broken water main (oh yes... adding insult to injury) that re-flooded our backyard. On a happy note, my tomatoes are finally turning red, and I even have a few new (very small) green ones on the bush. I may have enough for all of us to eat 1 pizza. Drat those deer!