hot and steamy

Amazing...I think I almost forgot. But those are the two best words to describe my iron. *laugh* I almost forgot because I haven't used it in almost FOUR YEARS. *shocked* Ironing was nice. I really had forgotten how nice and crisp things feel when ironed. How smooth. How neat and tidy. *grin*
There was a time when I ironed even bed sheets. Sounds suspiciously untrue, eh? Well, it's the truth. I ironed almost everything...but that's been SO LONG AGO.
My middle child saw me ironing and was bewildered. (Mind you, he's 6 *laugh*) "What is that?" "What does that do?" "Can I do that?" and my fav.: "Why are you doing that?"
Ahhh...because things sew better with neatly pressed seems. And then came the fascination with the sewing machine. "Can I sit in your lap while you do that?" "Can you show me how?" "What are you making?"

Yes...I have neglected certain domestic skills for a LONG time - if you could call what I do with a sewing machine a "skill". (I busted a needle, for pete's sake!) *laugh* We'll talk about justification for neglecting specific domestic "skills" another day. *wink*

motivation

I'm motivated. I'm motivated to clean out my kids closet...organize their toys...sort things to leave the house...sew curtains for the boys room and hem the cloth for their "hideout". I'm NOT motivated to wash the dishes. Dishes desperately NEED to be washed. Anyone want to wash dishes right now...maybe we could race and see who finishes first? Maybe make a game out of it...you know - the whole sugar helps the medicine go down idea? Sugar...now that's an idea. Anyone want to give me some skittles for washing the dishes?? *laugh* I'll gladly wash dishes for a jumbo bag of skittles. Think if I pace up and down the kitchen with a sign that says "Will Wash For Skittles" I'll get any?
Naw, didn't think so....*sigh*
Guess I'll go wash the dishes for the sake of cleanliness and household peace and tranquility...and daydream about skittles. *grin*

It's beginning to ...

...sound a lot like autumn!! Yay! I can hear the wind beating thru the trees and bushes right outside the school room window. We have a blustery, windy, knock you down, tear a kite out of the sky, slam your car door on your thigh kinda autumn. This is where they get the idea for the wind to come "sweeping down the plains", tho I think it feels more like "stampeding buffalo". That doesn't fit in the song well.*laugh* It won't be more than a few weeks, I'm guessing, before the leaves are all brown and fall off the trees all at once - well - at least it seems that way. I'm still a bit nervous about tornados....

Sugar tops

Here are my sugar tops. Playing out in the heat. Adorable. *smile*




And the birthday girl...with a wee bit of something sweet on her face. *smile*


I am also supposed to post a pic of my nose. *laugh* Apparently, there are those who, living out of town-not mentioning any names(LORI), doubt I pierced it. (stud not ring) Sooo...I tried to take a picture that wasn't too weird...key word being "tried". As soon as I can get this goofy scanner to accept the photo card and upload I'll post it here.
I have to say that while I did not do my nose to function as a great conversation starter, I have heard some fun comments. *laugh*
My fav. so far was from Sue: "What?! Christy...you're like...a mother of three!!"
My response:*laughing hysterically* "Yeah? And..so???" *laugh*
Ahhhhhh....*sigh*
Tally (who no longer has her's in) got this: "Is that a tiny piece of meat on your nose?" Which makes me think: "Yeah, saving it for later." *rolleyes*
*incredulous shrug* *laugh*

edited:
Figured out how - Handy Hubbies are the best. *grin* Here's the not too weird pic.

It's sparkly - sorry about the glare. *shrug*


And one goofy:



And there you have it. *laugh*

catching up

I don't know if it is ever truly possible to catch up. Scientists say you don't really "catch up" on sleep. You can't gain back the hours you've lost. Basically, your body will sleep till restored/refreshed - if you let it. I guess I should say "In Summary" or something similar. Honestly, I'm not really concerned about the wording there - you know what I mean. *smile* I haven't posted a painting I like in a while so here is one to enjoy.

We've been doing the usual. A couple things here and there are a bit different. One of which is that we moved the spider we were observing in the boy's bedroom (ceiling) to a jar in the school room. I really didn't want itty bitty spiders swarming all over the room when her eggs hatched. *laugh* I did my best to get the sticky sac into the jar without damaging it, but I am not so sure I accomplished my mission. I did make sure to get the dead spider she had caught and rolled up so she would have food. The bottom of the jar is where I placed the "food" and the egg sac. I also placed two fern fronds in the jar to give some structure, added oxygen, and cover. I thought for the first two days that the stress of moving had killed her and then noticed she (I have been thinking of her as Charlotte *laugh*) moved the food and the egg sac up into a web she spun between the two fronds. A couple days later she added another, larger egg sac and the first one shriveled up. Yesterday, we caught a small cricket in the kitchen and fed it to Charlotte. She pounced on him and then zipped back up her web. The cricket just limped around for a long time....so we quite watching. When we checked again, she had the cricket up in her web and she was...well...you know..sucking the "juices" out. *giggle* Her abdomen has swelled considerably and this morning the cricket remains were dropped to the bottom of the jar. All in all, this spider is much more interesting than the funnelweb grass spider we caught a few weeks ago. *laugh* (we already let that one go.) We are hoping to get ahold of one of these fuzzy catapillars wiggling around here outside and give it lots of leaves and see if it spinns a cocoon or makes a chrysalis. (moth or butterfly) We never saw the leaves with eggs on them. Anyway - maybe next year we will order butterfly eggs and get to watch the whole process. I'd like to do the tadpole thing too - oh, and lady bugs...that would cool. We are supposed to observe earthworms right now, but I don't usually think of buying worms when I'm at the store...so I should put them on a list and stick it to the fridge. *laugh*
So far over the last couple years we've observed a tiny frog the size of my pinky nail, a tiny green anole lizard (both of which came in flower shipments to the florist shop my sister was working in and were the reason I stood out in the yard with a tiny aquarium fishnet "scooping" teensy tiny bugs for food while 7,8,&9 months prego *laugh*), a little grass snake, and a brown anole. Currently, as pets we have one goldfish (thank you Fall festival - I'm sure we'll get a few more this year), one silver catfish, and one Placo in our aquariums; we have one dog - Molly, a black Lab, and Gertrude, our Tokay Gecko. The boys would also like to add a fish, a bird or two, some rabbits, and a couple more hamsters (I have a black thumb for hamsters...just don't go there. *frown*), and about 20 guppies. I would like to get a turtle, and a little frog for the fish tank, more fish and a bigger tank. *laugh* What I think we will get tho, is just some more guppies - after we find a new home for the catfish - since he likes to eat all other small fish when the lights go out. (oh, and maybe a turtle. *big grin*)
That's all I have time to update....tune in next time to the same pet site, same pet time. *laugh* Yeah, that was corney...so what? *grin*

cyber suction

There is a Cyber Vacuum... out there... somewhere... that has sucked up my post and it is now forever lost. Does anyone remember Murphy's Law? Does he have influence over the internet?? *laugh* Ah, well...I had put so much into crafting that post - specific words...sentence structure..I really felt the urge to write (actually using correct punctuation even! *mock shock*) and there it was in all it's edited glory. WAS. *laugh*
The Muse has departed. Perhaps another day, eh? *shrug*

Sugar boogers and chewing gum

Gum first - my oldest son's fav. flavour is "Fruicey Juit". *laugh* I just love that!

Now about those "sugar boogers"....
Fannie used these words in her post about life with boys. It reminded me of an event that has led to a lovie/snugglie/goofy kinda thing between my boys and myself.
The details are no longer important, as each boy claims responsibility, but basically, one afternoon we were giving hugs and kisses and I noticed a gooey stickiness on one boys face.
"what is that?" I was thinking out loud.
"it's a little bit sticky." (referring to the goo)
"it's a little bit sweet." (referring to the boy)
And then, feeling a little goofy, I said,
"It must be a SUGAR BOOGER!!"
Loud squeals of "EEEWW!" and "GROSS!" could be heard for miles I think. *grin*
So, every once in a while, I notice that there is a little bit of sweet stickiness in boyhood - and I get up close...right next to an ear...and I sniff...and I think aloud:
"Hmmm...it's a little bit sticky."
And then *kiss*
"And it's a little bit sweet..."
And as the boys get giggly and pink I declare that they "MUST BE SUGAR BOOGERS!!" and tickle and smooch and squeeze until they gasp for me to stop.
"Sniff me now, Mom..."

scheduling fanatic?

When I was a kid - 3rd/4th grade - I became a scheduling fanatic. (just a short time after I realized I could make lists for everything.) I know this sounds unbelievable to everyone who knows that I am almost always running behind and late. But it's true, I would make schedules for myself down to the minute. Then I would realize I forgot something and that schedule would end up in the trash after just two days and I would create a new one. This would happen off and on...I would create the Uber schedule, it wouldn't work and then I would give up. *sigh* The problem is in the scheduling of every single minute with every single activity I thought I needed to acomplish EVERYDAY. *laugh* Of course it was overwhelming! Details, details!! I'm still this way (who knows how many personal planners I've had. *snort*)...not with the scheduling mind you, I avoid it mostly because I haven't figured out how to do it without overwhelming myself, but I still have this desire to have the details mapped out and then fixed in stone. If I plan for something to go from 10:30 - 11:45 I want it to begin at 10:30 and end at 11:45! I'm all for the occasional spontaneous activity, but I guess I like to plan for it. *Laugh* I love how Phileas Fogg has his routines down to the second for his daily life and yet is still able to leave it behind for a 80 day journey around the world. You just can't schedule life in a family that way. Well, some say you can and should, but I don't think that's healthy - I mean, I know rigid when I see rigid - and yeah, that's RIGID. *laugh*
Anyway..the reason I'm thinking about this is that our family is making a go of a weekly routine of sorts. I'm doing my best to let it be. To let it be simple and not go mad with it. It's hard tho...what we have is a very simple morning routine for waking up, breakfast, clean up, etc. Sounds good. This really gives continuity to our day and week. But then Tally called and asked if I wanted to go with her to the Y and work out in the mornings...so...we are supposed to meet for thirty minutes and today we met at 6:30. It was GREAT! I loved it. *smile* And the need to schedule more into the morning began....what about my bible study that had been going great in the morning? I'll need to get up even earlier if I want to get that done, and 30 minutes just wasn't enough, I'd like to have 45 minutes for the gym....and I really prefer to shower after working out instead of waiting till the end of the day....and we are just meeting on M,W,F...but what about T, Th? I really like to have continuity when scheduling - sort of an equalibrium. (no, I don't like to place things off center either. *laugh*) So, I have a need to schedule some kind of work out even if it's not at the gym - and now I have a great opportunity to use the work out vidoes I just had to have....and of course there's other things that need/I want to be done (ie. laundry, learning caligraphy, sewing, etc.) and scheduling them seems like the best thing until I remind myself that things NEVER go as scheduled, in my life anyway, and I will get extremely frustrated when my schedule doesn't work out....so...
*sigh* I WILL NOT BE SCHEDULING ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT ALREADY IS. (As much as it goes against my nature to do so.)
Well, except those extra workouts, a shower, and my bible study....
*laugh*

I guess what it comes down to is falling short of my ideal. I never seem to be able to attain my ideal....I detest falling short...I detest not reaching the goal I have set. I know someone is going to say that's part of being human - falling short..sin and all that...well..I find no consolation there.

2 Corinthians 13:11 (New International Version)
Final Greetings
11Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.

Hebrews 7:11 (New International Version)
Jesus Like Melchizedek
11If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the law was given to the people), why was there still need for another priest to come—one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron?

1 Corinthians 13:10 (New International Version)
10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

Thank You, God!!

lazy..with sweet memories to keep.

So, I've been lazy.
Boo has a sick tummy. She didn't sleep well last nite and was really fussy yesterday. Didn't even want to blow out the candles on her cake! She did have fun carrying her newest baby while walking in those crazy dress up shoes I coveted as a small child. *laugh* At one point she kept trying to do something and wanted me to hold her baby for her, so I fashioned a sling out of a large square scarf ala mamatoto.org style. She loved it and it was so cute! So, now she has two babies. One sleeps in the moses basket and the other sleeps with her. Nana bought her a little stroller, so she's constantly putting a baby in and trying to strap her in. *laugh* Then the baby "cries" and she says,"Oh, baby!" and rushes to pick her up. The baby also laughs and says "mama". We have little diapers for them, but I don't think they will hold up for long, so I decided that my first sewing project (If I ever actually get the machine up on the table and threaded! *laugh*) will still be little cloth diapers like my great grandma made for my dollies. Very simple with little velcro tabs. I think I can manage that.
Right now, Boo is running around in her purple jeweled dress up shoes, with her navy blue and white striped, red trimmed bathing suit cover/robe. She is carrying one baby, a diaper bag, a cell phone - and pushing another baby in her stroller! A mom in training! *grin*
Now, I need to go help the boys with their bedroom.

suck it up

Some things I just can't do. No matter how hard I try...I fail. It sucks. I hate it. I loathe it. Can't do anything about it. What's worse is that I just have to suck it up. Yay me. Woohoo.
*gag*

Oh, and the mysterious "they" and Steve from Blues Clues - liars all - you can't "be anything you wanna be." And yeah, I'm bitter about it.

birthday blues

So she has turned 2. My last, small babe is two years old. I am happy, proud, sad, and nostalgic all at once. She doesn't look like the picture any more....*sigh* She is more beautiful. *smile*

Happy Birthday, Cosette!

white noise

Lamentations 3:26 (New International Version)


26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the LORD.

I have been meditating on this verse since yesterday evening. Amazingly, for one having such a hard time memorizing scripture, this one stuck fast. To wait quietly...sort of like being still and knowing...it's a good place to be.
I've noticed how much noise I have in my everyday life - voluntarily. (I'm not talking about the noise children make either. *smile*) I'm talking about radio, television, live stream media online added to the noises of city life - the cars, the sirens, the neighbor's dogs barking....then there's the air conditioner, the fans, the humming of electricity burning through our bank account....and don't forget the droning in my head going on about what I haven't done yet, and what I've said I'd do, and how well I'm doing what I am doing.....then add phone ringing and conversations, microwaves and timers beeping....and the cacauphany is almost more than I can bear! Oh, to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord!
So, in response to this realization, I have been turning things OFF. And in the quiet I hear songs of praise. It's not K-LOVE - it's praise music sung to me in my childhood. The hymns on the tape of music for my ballet recital when I was 5? 6? Who would ever guess that the first seeds of faith were planted by a loving ballet teacher? I listened to those over and over on my little brown fisher price tape player, even after the recital had come and gone. There are songs sung during mass during my 5th, 6th, & 7th grade years. There is music from my very first encounters with contemporary christian music - Twila Paris, and M.W. Smith. (sp. the "I 2 Eye" album that I wish I still had.)
When I am quiet..and still..I can hear the Holy Spirit prompting: to pray....to sing...to praise.
I woke up this morning with a song on my mind that I can't recall now but for the idea - a pleading for God to not foget me. Tonight as I nursed C.R. I realized I was humming a song of thankfulness...now I have this song in my heart:

Yahweh's people dance for joy,
Oh, come before the Lord,
and play for him on glad tambourine
and fill your hearts with song!
Sing a new song unto the Lord,
let your songs be sung from mountains high.
Sing a new song unto the Lord,
singing alleluja!

It's really is good to wait quietly, to be still and know He is God, and I plan to turn as much off as I can so I may wait quietly more often. \o/

water

~opening the flood gate~

beginning with a trickle

dripping, streaming, gushing:
ideas and conversations shared;
blending, bonding, sealing
an aquaduct of
intertwined relationships~
a soul's neighborhood
mortered, scented, permeated
with Triune Agape.

Keirsey profile

http://keirsey.com/

Copyrighted © 1996-2004 Prometheus Nemesis Book Company

The Counselor Idealists are abstract in thought and speech, cooperative in reaching their goals, and directive and introverted in their interpersonal roles. Counselors focus on human potentials, think in terms of ethical values, and come easily to decisions. The small number of this type (little more than 2 percent) is regrettable, since Counselors have an unusually strong desire to contribute to the welfare of others and genuinely enjoy helping their companions. Although Counsleors tend to be private, sensitive people, and are not generally visible leaders, they nevertheless work quite intensely with those close to them, quietly exerting their influence behind the scenes with their families, friends, and colleagues. This type has great depth of personality; they are themselves complicated, and can understand and deal with complex issues and people.

Counselors can be hard to get to know. They have an unusually rich inner life, but they are reserved and tend not to share their reactions except with those they trust. With their loved ones, certainly, Counselors are not reluctant to express their feelings, their face lighting up with the positive emotions, but darkening like a th
underhead with the negative. Indeed, because of their strong ability to take into themselves the feelings of others, Counselors can be hurt rather easily by those around them, which, perhaps, is one reason why they tend to be private people, mutely withdrawing from human contact. At the same time, friends who have known a Counselor for years may find sides emerging which come as a surprise. Not that they are inconsistent; Counselors value their integrity a great deal, but they have intricately woven, mysterious personalities which sometimes puzzle even them.

Counselors have strong empathic abilities and can become aware of another's emotions or intentions -- good or evil -- even before that person is conscious of them. This "mind-reading" can take the form of feeling the hidden distress or illnesses of others to an extent which is difficult for other types to comprehend. Even Counselors can seldom tell how they came to penetrate others' feelings so keenly. Furthermore, the Counselor is most likely of all the types to demonstrate an ability to understand psychic phenomena and to have visions of human events, past, present, or future. What is known as ESP may well be exceptional intuitive ability-in both its forms, projection and introjection. Such supernormal intuition is found frequently in the Counselor, and can extend to people, things, and often events, taking the form of visions, episodes of foreknowledge, premonitions, auditory and visual images of things to come, as well as uncanny communications with certain individuals at a distance.


Copyrighted © 1996-2005 Prometheus Nemesis Book Co.

IDEALIST NFs, being ABSTRACT in communicating and COOPERATIVE in implementing goals, can become highly skilled in DIPLOMATIC INTEGRATION. Thus their most practiced and developed intelligent operations are usually teaching and counseling (NFJ mentoring), or conferring and tutoring (NFP advocating). And they would if they could be sages in one of these forms of social development. The Idealist temperament have an instinct for interpersonal integration, learn ethics with ever increasing zeal, sometimes become diplomatic leaders, and often speak interpretively and metaphorically of the abstract world of their imagination. Idealists resist instruction from any external source.

They are proud of themselves in the degree they are empathic in action, respect themselves in the degree they are benevolent, and feel confident of themselves in the degree they are authentic. Idealist types search for their unique identity, hunger for deep and meaningful relationships, wish for a little romance each day, trust their intuitive feelings implicitly, aspire for profundity. This is the "Identity Seeking Personality" -- credulous about the future, mystical about the past, and their preferred time and place are the future and the pathway. Educationally they go for the humanities, avocationally for ethics, and vocationally for personnel work.

Social relationships: In their family interactions they strive for mutuality, provide spiritual intimacy for the mates, opportunity for fantasy for their children, and for themselves continuous self-renewal. Idealists do not abound, being as few as 8% and nor more than 10% of the population.

Seek first

It never ceases to amazes me when God is faithful answering my prayer - that he listens and responds to what I feel like are the feeble and clumsy prayers of an inadequate mother/wife/daughter/sister/aunt/friend.
God is truly gracious and loving! Through Him I was able to make it a WHOLE day without loosing my patience! I had warm contentedness...a peace. As children are so good at doing, they reflected me and the way I responded to the day. Even while feeling icky. It has been glorious. School lessons were accomplished with minimal grumbling and with focus. I overheard my children being kind even when "inconvenienced" by their siblings. *happy sigh*
I still have more housework, I'm still fighting sickness, yet it has been a GOOD day.

Thank You, Elohim. \0/ \0/


painting: San Cassiano Altar, by Antonello da Messina
1475-76
Oil on panel
Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna

Confession

I did not get up early. We did not have school. Three out of five family members have sickness or feel like they may be getting sickness (the latter being moi). I was going to take the day easy after sleeping in - but ended up doing some yard work. What started small just led from one thing to another and another. The yard is looking nicer anyway.
Another confession: I just learned about bandwidth thievery - of which I am guilty. Now that I know what it is, and how I was doing it, I am going back thru my posts to make sure all pictures I've shared are copyrite free (I know that they are) and also downloaded to my computer and then uploaded to an image host online (I can think of two which aren't!). *whew* sounds complicated but it's not. Photobucket is wonderful for image hosting, by the way. Amazing thing about laws - they are there even if you don't know about them. I think there are some great spiritual implications there, but I don't have time to get into them. CA just got out of the shower and the younger two are done bathing and are dressed and ready for bed - night time routines beckon.
I'l have to com eback - maybe later tonight or early in the morning - I've been reading some great things and want to post them here to chew on and hopefull get some other's insight.
One last question - and this is not a joke - What are your thoughts about reading the bible in the bathroom?

Prep-ing

This weekend has been mostly restful. We took friday off of school, so we will actually be having lessons tomorrow.
I am prep-ing to make this week different. Changes in schedule....more consistency. The last two nights bedtimes have gone much smoother. And I like to think it is because I have pretty much done the exact same thing with them each nite - without being rigid about it. The only thing I have to add is reading...which I think we will move away from the bedroom, and keep being in their bed's for sleeping only.
I spoke with a fellow HERO homeschooling mom at Saturday's swim lesson and recieved a great idea for getting back to the gym. (which has been practically impossible it seems - and there is no way I'm going to wake up earlier to get there!) Anyway - three times a week in the afternoon, they have water aerobics. I know, I know - I imagine a pool of little old ladies in swim caps - but anyway - I think I might join in - I'll finally be back in the gym doing something low impact and good for my horrid knees. *smile*
So...there will yet more consistency - M,W,F - gym; T,Th - karate - at the same time each day! Now, if I get my morning and evening routines going - dare I say: "flying"? - I'll be doing pretty darn good. *pleased grin*
As far as the "Believing God " study goes - I'm not going to be doing that. I'll have to let Tally tell me the wonders of Beth Moore's book, etc. For some strange reason I thought Lifeway was offering the study for free. What could have possibly given me that idea - I have no clue. *shrug* Anyway - instead I decided to splurge and by a book I have been looking at:
Praying the Names of God, A Daily Guide by Ann Spangler. She covers 26 of God's names or titles over 26 weeks. Talk about bang for your buck. *giggle* the other sutdy is only 10 weks long and I think they have the same amount of "homework", and I have no extra journal or video to buy. *smile* I like that. a lot. *grin* And I start tomorrow. *thumbsup*
Now off to bed I go - and to quote my sister quoting Meg Ryan:
"Good night dear void......."

blinkies

I spent a lot of time with blinkies today. *laugh* More than any sane person should. They really are addictive. Did I accomplish anything - well, some dishes got washed, the kitchen trash went out, and I did take the kids to their new Sat. morning swim class. (thanks, Nana and Papa!!) *sigh* Some days are like belly flops. *laugh*
Tomorrow is a new day.
(and I have this crazy urge to insert a blinkie that says just that!!) *shockedlaughter* But I don't have one so here's this one instead!
....I am NOT blinky crazy...I am NOT blinky crazy...*nervous laugh*

just an excuse....

Just an excuse to post this beautiful painting? Maybe - but also an apology: I've had to add the annoying "type these random letters" thingie to my blog comments section because I have been inundated with spammer's suck up comments. *frown*
But it IS a lovely painting, isn't it? I would love to have this one. *smile*

Wrapping Wee Ones

Tally is coming over today for a wrap session. It has the potential to be very comical. I am by no means an expert - just have a little more "time" under my belt. The big kids will run and play and the wee ones will get wrapped in several different fashions. I wish I had known about this when my first two were small. The accidents I would have avoided...*sigh* (like the day the double stroller didn't "click" and it collapsed instead!!) How much easier it would have been to have only ONE in the cart - and how much happier CF might have been snuggled up to mama....ah, well - can't do a thing about now. *laugh*
(edited to remove pictures)

Thanks to someone else's posting (sorry I can't remember who's), I am considering doing this: Believing God Study.
First, I need to ascertain if I actually have time available. It already seems like I have more to do than hours in the day. (sounds like a lame excuse, huh?) We'll see......