thankful heart

Just us four, but Thanksgiving nonetheless. I managed the entire meal without a single catastrophe. It's the truth. I can put the paprika on the mashed potatoes even if it's just four of us. The four of us can be family enough. We can watch the parade on television together. We can feast together. We can miss our loved ones together. We can be thankful together for  electricity, good books and bedtime stories, healthy children, real friends, flannel pajamas, chubby little boy cheeks, sharing, this land that I love, heat, michael buble, snowplows, modern medicine, sunshine on a bitter cold day, curious little minds, grandma's crystal dish for the cranberries, hugs and kisses, four-wheel drive, faith, miracles.

tuning up

we are prepping for a lengthy road trip soon. that means a big fat checklist on the fridge. and on the checklist: gather favorite summer road tunes.  Seems like old and familiar songs are ideal for a long trip, but I'm taking recommendations for anything new and hip to shake things up a little. Good thing our little travelers like to be-bop in the back seat to just about anything. Some of our standbys:

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Indigo Girls

Beach Boys

Van Morrison

Glee

Country: Garth,  Dixie Chicks, Chris Ledoux, Lady Antebellum, Alison Kraus

Abba

Jack Johnson 

today I love

... pealing laughter from two little boys (for reasons known only to them)
...evergreens against a cloud-dappled blue blue sky
... fresh basil
...strawberries with brown sugar
...the feel of my baby's fluffy head against my cheek
...the sense of wonder in everything, to a child
...tan lines

.

love me some

crab cakes
fresh air
slobbery baby kisses
"mommy! you're home!"
doris day movies
jack johnson on a road trip
spring cleaning
stacks of folded laundry
luxury shampoo on sale for $5
bright linen scarves
lip gloss
new-sandal-shopping
piglet, playing air-drums along with the music in the car
Easter
tulips pushing through the earth
rainy nights

in the zone

the spring cleaning zone.

list made

supplies gathered

attack planned

mr. j on board (or so he says)

bring it on, dust bunnies.

what's for dinner

I've been mocked in the past for my, ahem, tendency to plan ahead. for road trips, shopping trips, sunday mornings, dinner and the like. it works for me, keeps life simpler in so many ways. I would dread dinner time and grocery shopping otherwise. Oh how I fear those busy weeknights when it's 5:30, I've forgotten 3 crucial things at the grocery store, viable dinner components are still in the freezer and I'm surrounded by 3 tired/hungry/cranky guys that want to eat rightthisminute. If I plan ahead, I can avoid that. usually.

so, for Kelly, who is looking for ideas this week:

sunday: braised tri-tip with roasted vegetables, pumpkin cake
monday: leftover tri-tip with brown rice, steamed veggies
tuesday: black bean soup, homemade bread, green salad
wednesday: leftovers
thursday: mac-n-cheese, fruit (just the kiddos and me this night)
friday: take-out
saturday: chicken tacos

these words from my three-year-old make it all worthwhile: "thank you for the delicious dinner, mommy. you're a good cooker!"

...checking it twice

Piglet
Nanuk
Mr. J
Grandma & Grandpa
Grammy & Boppa
Cousins
Aunt Shelli
Uncle Kelly
The Girlfriends
Stocking Stuffers (but I'll probably add more before December 25th!)

what do you do all day

Another mother once asked me, puzzled, "so what do you do all day." I am a stay-at-home (ha!) mother and at the time of the question had just one small boy. I was puzzled by her question and thought "what don't I do all day?" She found it hard to believe that my days were filled with activity and meaning and obligations.

A sample day in the life:

feed kiddos

clean kiddos

dress kiddos

make beds

clean up kitchen

laundry

perhaps: outings to the grocery store, hardware store, craft store, department store, zoo, park, gymnastics, doctor

play with kiddos: blocks, stories, race cars, dump trucks, soccer, baseball, football, flips, puzzles, coloring, play-dough, painting, trains, racing, basketball, bicycles, strollers, games, sesame street...

feed kiddos

clean kiddos

clean up kitchen

play with kiddos: blocks, stories, race cars, dump trucks, soccer, baseball, football, flips, puzzles, coloring, playdough, painting, racing, basketball, bicycles, strollers, games, sesame street...

laundry

snuggle kiddos

any, some, but not all of the following: clean bathrooms, vacuum, dust, sweep, mop

perhaps: art project, baking, blogging , phone calls, emails

laundry

prepare dinner

serve dinner

clean up dinner

bathe kiddos

dress kiddos

read to kiddos

snuggle kiddos

clean up toys

laundry

any, some, but not all of the following: clean bathrooms, vacuum, dust, sweep, mop

some days mommy gets bathed, dressed and fed, too.

other days, not so much.

so much to do...

and so little time to do it. We are up to our chins in dirt and paint and meetings and piles and other things. None of them sunshine. Boo. Unplugging for a couple of days to play catch-up with our household to-do list.

You know it's time

...to give birth when:

--laughing, coughing, and sneezing become occupational hazards, of sorts.

--you don't leave the house for days at a time because that would require putting on shoes, which would require far more bending, straining, grunting and contorting than might be possible.

--you grabbed size 2 Normal jeans from your closet instead of Maternity. Tears follow. 

--you've laundered and organized baby clothes, drawers & closets several times over.

--your 2 year old darts away from you in Target and makes it to the opposite end of the store long before you can catch up, huffing and puffing (and nearly in tears) to an embarrassing degree. 

--you really really need a nap but realize you'll likely only get one in the hospital after delivery, which makes  you actually look forward to staying in the hospital. 

--you count the minutes to evening bath-time for your toddler, because it means you can finally justify putting on pajamas, your hubby's pajamas.

--you crave "new baby smell" as much and as often as you crave chocolate. 

-you look like this:

Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo

Terrible 2s. Potty Training. Winter Blahs. The daily grind. 8+ months preggers. Terrible 2s Winter Blahs. Still 8+ months preggers.  Mommy needs a day.  A vacation is out of the realm but a daycation sounds nice. Maybe something like...

A quick workout   *  A long, uninterrupted shower, plus shaving   *   Shopping   *  An art museum   *  Lunch made by someone else, cleaned up by someone else   *     Manicure, pedicure, massage    *    A  stack of magazines   *    A movie--a silly chick flick would be best       Dinner out with B, plus dessert to go (to share with M)    *    A clean house and fresh linens at the end of the day.

Honestly, I'd settle for any two items from the list on the same day. Even one would be just grand.     Anybody know a fairy godmother?  

big mouth

I have a slight tendency to say exactly what I mean, mean exactly what I say, and share my opinion openly. Rarely do I do so with any malice or motive to offend. Trust me, there would be no question in anyone's mind if and when that were to be the case. Sometimes, though, my willingness to spout forth my own pearls of wisdom gets me in trouble. I'm aware. It's a flaw I'll work my whole life to overcome, though I believe (see? an opinion already!) that most people choose to be offended when offense isn't intended.

A sampling. They don't have to be yours. I won't hate you if they aren't.

• Star Wars is highly overrated. All of it. But mostly episodes I, II, III. Ugh.
• Sour cream has no business in my guacamole.
• The world would be a better place with more Southerners in it (think hospitality, graciousness, etc.)
• DisneyWorld is cool.
• Video Games: in general, a massive waste of time and money with little of good report.
• Each season is entitled to it's own 3 months of expenditure per year. Taking more is selfish on the part of any season, especially winter.
• Our constitution is as sacred to me as scripture. Don't anybody mess with it.
• My husband is handsome.
• My kid is cute.
• I used to be. So did my tush.
• Being busy doesn't make you a victim. Everyone is busy. And busy with things they probably chose. So stop whining.
• Reality TV just needs to stop.
• Jell-O is not a food group.
• Breast-feeding: a private affair/misery that is also overrated. Discretion please.
• Public education is a great blessing; a right worth preserving, protecting and improving.
• Type-A is not a bad thing.
• "Twilight" is an insult to my intelligence. I wanted to like it, really I did, but 160 pages about made me nuts.
• Uggs with capri pants. Wrong, very very wrong.

baby prepping

Also called nesting. I'm a notorious nester. Gotta have every little thing in order, be completely prepared (which includes a name!) before Nanuk makes his debut. The lists are made and edited weeks and weeks in advance. I sleep better, I'm calmer, and better able to deal with the impending arrival of baby and of my mother when projects are complete, things are in their proper place, and the house is sparkling. (Let's just say not all moms are helpful).  I don't want to think about these silly things once the new one comes home, I'd rather relax and enjoy the newborn days. So, I'm in serious nesting mode. It's making B a little crazy because the notions of "organized" and "plan ahead" and "finished project" are low on his priority list. Too bad for him much of my nesting obligations require his assistance--power tools, heavy lifting and such. Under 7 weeks to go. The list is lengthy.

• get new dresser for the nursery check
• sew crib bedding & mobile 
• hang artwork in the nursery
• stock up on dipes, baby wash, etc.   check
• launder and put away newborn clothes  check
• finish upholstered headboards for 2 bedrooms  check (one down, one to go)
• clean and sanitize everywhere check
• get car detailed
• get infant car seat out of storage and install
• organize special surprises for the big brother check
• clean and sanitize everywhere
• finish restoring M's rocking chair
• clean and sanitize everywhere
• organize pantry; every closet actually check
• prepare meals for the freezer check
• purchase a new mommy tote bag (ok, so this is a luxury nesting item...)
• clean and put away baby bottles
• pack overnight bag check
• clean and sanitize everywhere
• purchase journal for Nanuk check
• clean and freshen bassinet and linens  check
• clean and sanitize everywhere

All awaiting completion. Only then will my nest be properly feathered. Think I'll make it?

Still taking suggestions

...regarding the name of our new little one, because we can't call him "nanuk" forever. T minus 7 weeks and counting. Oh the counting. One of our problems: when you are married to someone who teaches multitudes of children, multitudes of names often develop a negative association. At least for my husband. Here's a sampling of what's been submitted so far, I've asterisked my particular favorites. B hasn't seen the list as yet. Keep those suggestions coming.

Andrew (B's bro is a "drew")

Chandler

*Gavin

Riley

*Spencer

*Mitchell

Vincent

Winston (churchill or cigarettes?)

Edward  (sorry, too "twilight")

*Simon

Calvin

Oscar

Edmond

Stewart

Monroe

*Cameron

Noah

*Xavier

Tyler

*Kyle

*Lincoln

Owen

Samuel (in-laws' dog. dang. )

Beckett

Pierce

Edgar ( Men in Black?)

Clayton

*Curtis

Tagged, in 7

Tagged by cousin Jenny. Seven random, odd facts about me:

1. I have never mowed a lawn.

2. I really really hate mayo, miracle whip and anything similar. 

3. I habitually check the jockey box/glove box when I ride shotgun in my own car.

4. I make lists compulsively.

5. I have been hugged by a [now retired] prominent NBA player.

6. I once slept 2 nights in a Catholic monastery in Mexico City and was invited out dancing by one of the resident monks. Odd, no? 

7. I can't cook before I clean. In other words, my kitchen must be clean before I can start cooking. 

I will...

In this year, I will...

seek patience (and stash it for times when I've run out) bake bread have fresh flowers in my home give birth run attend a yoga class mail correspondence in a timely fashion make my bedroom pretty host a party have a new family portrait taken recycle more sew

love listen

But first, on this day, I will:

toss, purge, tidy, scrub, shine, play, snuggle, fold, arrange, cherish, exhale, and welcome what is to come

Christmas Tag

1. wrapping paper or gift bags?  both, color coordinated when possible of course.

2. real or artificial tree? artificial, pre-lit. no hassle, no mess, no stress. 

3. when do you put up your tree? day after Thanksgiving

4. when do you take it down? day after Christmas

5. eggnog?  no

6. favorite gift received as a child? probably the 10 speed bike

7. worst Christmas gift ever received?  a stack of self-help books from my mom

8. hardest person to buy for?  parents

9. easiest person to buy for?  M and B

10. do you have a nativity scene?   yes--shiny pewter, no faces,  I love it, and M likes to kiss baby Jesus good night. 

11. mail or e-mail Christmas cards?    mailed, personally signed & addressed, sometimes w/note

12. favorite Christmas movie?  Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas

13. When do you start Christmas shopping?  October

14. have you ever "recycled" a Christmas gift? no

15. favorite thing to eat at Christmas time?   joys, fudge, Aunt Carol's breakfast strata

16. lights on the tree?      absolutely. I've even considered doing only lights, no ornaments.

17.  favorite Christmas song? Adeste Fideles, I Saw Three Ships, Elf's Lament

18. travel or stay home?     now that we have M, we will stay home most years and enjoy our own schedule and traditions

19.  can you name all of Santa's reindeer?  yes

20. angel or star?  star

21. gifts Christmas Eve or Christmas morning?  1 gift Christmas Eve (PJs) the rest Christmas morning after the stockings. One at a time. I like to enjoy it all day.

22.  favorite ornament theme/color?  My tree is a whimsical red/white but I really like metallics or green-on-green

23. favorite place for Christmas dinner? my parents'. it's been a long time. 

24. most annoying thing about this time of year?  rude people, over commercializing

25. what do you want for Christmas?  diamond earrings are always on the list, but I'm not holding my breath. Mostly I just want to be home, cozy with my guys and for them to enjoy the magic. 

Update...

what a great feeling that this is done. all done

Spouse. check. 

Toddler. check.

Parents. check.

Siblings. check.

Nieces and Nephews. check.

Stocking Stuffers. Check. 

and it's time to get my gift-wrap mojo going

sometimes I don't know what I enjoy more, the giving or the wrapping. or the stuffing of the stockings. or the opening of the stockings...yep, that's definitely my favorite part.

It's not too soon to be grateful for...

[photo via realsimple]

...M, who was such a very good boy at church Sunday (miracles do happen)    ...favorite treats, brought by friends, from Great Harvest   ...a spare roll of toilet paper within reach         ...sunshine-y autumn days    ...my new storage closet under the stairs, with shelves and hanging rods        ..friends and neighbors who share their desserts and love my little boy         ...my hubby's big hooded sweatshirts on chilly evenings ...

Under the big top

It's a bit of a circus around here these days, mostly in a good way. A little chaos, a little fun, a big mess all on the way:

• carpet tomorrow
• followed by organization mini-marathon
• and tile
• followed by toilet and vanity installation
• followed by electrical fixtures
• followed by more organizing
• make ward flag for girls' camp (they so gave this job to the wrong gal)
• YW activity (more camp prep)
• make 66 "treasure" handouts for camp (theme Matthew 6:21)
• clean
• clean
• clean
• entertain my parents and 3 nieces for the weekend
• father's day BBQ (with these fabulous baked beans)
• pack for camp
• MIL arrives to stay with M while I'm at camp
• Girls' camp
• time just for M after being away at Camp. 48 hours. Longest separation ever.

Photos forthcoming. And some fun posts. But first, unplugging for a couple of days.