Sweet Sunday

A Happy Birthday "shout-out" to my mom!

And a video of an awesome Sunday song. Enjoy the words especially, and have a sweet Sunday!

Saturday Sweethearts

Happy Hallowe'en!

The kids -- a ballerina, soccer player, and monkey, respectively -- had a fun time "trick-or-treating," despite the rain shower we got caught in.


Ethan liked going up to the doors and offering some candy to the people who answered. I guess he liked the idea of "treating" better than "tricking?" *wink-grin*

Happy Hallowe'en Eve!

Wordless Wednesday

Saturday Sweethearts

Brothers

Friday Funnies

Some of the best "baby ads" out there. E-trade really found a gem in this little guy. Enjoy a few of their ads and have a funny Friday!

Thursday Thoughts

Today in my SPAM folder, I had a message with the subject line: "Find out when you will die."

Hmm...

It was a quiz to know when you will pass from this earth.

Not my idea of an uplifting subject, but it brought a thought to mind. If I really could know, would I want to know? Would we want to have the knowledge of how many days/weeks/months/years we might have left here?

Yikes. It would certainly change a lot of perspectives, huh?

While I'm not afraid to die -- thank You, God, for that blessed assurance -- I don't know how or what I would feel about that knowledge. What would I do with it? Would I try to live each day fuller, with more meaning? Would I be kinder and more joyful, knowing that I only had "X" amount of time to do that? Would I have more courage to tell more people about that assurance?

Or would I just give up and begin the countdown....

Hmm...

Maybe I should be living in that first way anyway.

Hmm...

A sobering, but important, thought to ponder, to be sure.

Exactly how am I living today?

Wordless Wednesday

Happiness Is...

Saturday Sweetheart

Friday Fun

Photo and video editing at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Happy Birthday to Our Emmypie

I can't believe our Emily Susanne turned 12 years old today.

It's amazing that that much time passed in what seems like the cliched "blink of an eye."

But (*sigh*) it has.

And so I was blessed to greet my same sweet baby girl this morning...just 12 years older and bigger and smarter and cuter.

Happiest 12th Birthday, Emily!
I couldn't have asked for a better birthday buddy!

We had a fun day together -- a tad more quiet than she would have liked...but we've been trying to show/tell her that sometimes simple is just as fun.

Sometimes less is more?

*wink-grin*

Wordless Wednesday

On the Eve of a Birthday...
(from Emily's and my 2nd birthday celebration)

Mid-month Monday Musings Magnified

How's that for an alliterative title?

Happy Monday! The Monday before the "Ides of October," which also happens to be Emily's and my birthday. Yippee!!

Well, yippee, I think...

Emily is definitely more excited about her birthday than I am of mine. Somehow turning 12 is a little easier than turning 39-and-holding. I know it's just a number...but somehow the further away from 35 I get, the more I miss it...

And Happy Columbus Day! I heard on the news that they are trying to rewrite history and prove that Columbus was Spanish and not Italian...and I say: WHO CARES? I mean, really. He sailed the "ocean blue" in 1492, for goodness' sake. Isn't it a bit of a moot point now? Just saying.

So a busy birthday weekend -- my dad's 70th on Friday and a dinner with my mom and siblings and their families on Saturday -- gives way to a busy birthday "end-of-week." Emily and I have been brainstorming free ideas to do for our birthday "adventure." We decided that because it's such a "lean" year that it might be challenging and fun!! We shall see, right?

"Monday Movie Night" and the 24 countdown continue. Tonight's viewing (we hope) will be: The Proposal.

Busy week ahead. So ciao for now!

Sweet Sunday

One of my favorite-most hymns on the Hymns Triumphant album is "Once to Every Man and Nation." I remember first hearing it when I was a young teen and even then it had a profound effect on my heart. The tune is haunting; the same as the one used for the hymn, "O the Deep Love of Jesus." And the words, written by James Russell Lowell, are powerful and thought-provoking.

Once to Every Man and Nation

Once to every man and nation, comes the moment to decide,
In the strife of truth with falsehood, for the good or evil side;
Some great cause, some great decision, offering each the bloom or blight,
And the choice goes by forever, ’twixt that darkness and that light.

Then to side with truth is noble, when we share her wretched crust,
Ere her cause bring fame and profit, and ’tis prosperous to be just;
Then it is the brave man chooses while the coward stands aside,
Till the multitude make virtue of the faith they had denied.

By the light of burning martyrs, Christ, Thy bleeding feet we track,
Toiling up new Calv’ries ever with the cross that turns not back;
New occasions teach new duties, time makes ancient good uncouth,
They must upward still and onward, who would keep abreast of truth.

Though the cause of evil prosper, yet the truth alone is strong;
Though her portion be the scaffold, and upon the throne be wrong;
Yet that scaffold sways the future, and behind the dim unknown,
Standeth God within the shadow, keeping watch above His own.

~James Russell Lowell

Saturday Sweetheart -- Endnotes

After a fun time partying with "Oompa" for his 70th birthday...Ethan was the quietest one in the car on the way home.

Friday Funnies

A Happy 70th Birthday "shout out" to my dad! Praise God for each of those 70 years! And I hope he has a very fun and enjoyable Friday!

Two more videos from the same fellows who brought you the cat yodeling "how-to." Enjoy and have a funny Friday, too!

Sur-real-ity Life

Every now and again, I look around me and think: Wow!

I don't know if it's because this isn't exactly how I pictured grownup life when I was a little girl...or because I have three children that are mine...or that occasionally I remember life in the past.

And then, despite any fleeting thoughts, I always realize that I wouldn't change a thing.

I don't think you can picture something you've never experienced without having it skewed by books or television shows or movies.

I think I imagined going to a neighbor's house to borrow a cup of sugar or two eggs or something. (Not that I know why I would need to borrow such things.) And having children who sat and colored, read books, played hopscotch and four-square, climbed trees, rode their bikes around the neighborhood...and went to school on a big yellow schoolbus.

I didn't imagine homeschooling...I didn't think about computers...I didn't know about trucks or diggers or jetplanes. I guess I thought I'd have a gaggle of girls. (Praise God, I don't. *wink-grin*) And I certainly never understood my need for a minivan.

I was sitting outside tonight, watching my boys play in the backyard. Stuart was off at dance class with Emily. I looked at them and couldn't remember life without them...and for a brief moment, I thought of how they -- along with Emily -- complete me.

You see, I used to look for that solely in friendships...or my job...or my things. Now I know I don't need much of anything else. I'm content to live in our little house with my husband and "gang" of three kids.

At that moment, I wished away all the other distractions I've been feeling. I wished away all the money woes and scheduling conflicts and school stresses.

All I wanted was them. In our little house. Coloring in our coloring books. Reading books together. And then finding a tree or two to climb. Nothing else is needed.

A surreal -- but very real -- moment.

Wordless (mostly) Wednesday

Edward Stuart (11 months old)

4-H'allow's Eve Party

Occasionally I feel like I'm "Martha Stewart" and have achieved her domestic goddess status...and then I wake up.

It's not that I'm "unclever" in the kitchen...or "uncrafty"...but I often take shortcuts and can be a bit "lazy." I thought our cupcakes looked awesome...until I saw our friend's. *wink-grin* Now, I'll take this moment to point out that she's had much more experience in making them for her kids to take to school for their birthdays. Our birthday cupcakes stay home with us since our class size is much smaller.

Ahem...

Cute, huh?

Still, we had a good time at our 4-H club's Halloween party/meeting tonight.

Emily took Earl Grey as a "girl," and she dressed up as a "bunny." Quite a cute switcheroo. Her friend Sierra took her guinea pig as a princess.


There were witches and bugs and clowns and even "Zorro" costumes. Each member did a great job at making their bunnies or guinea pigs look sweet. It was hard for the judges to decide the cutest.

Moving and Musing Towards Our B'day

Monday, Monday. Can't trust that day...

So true sometimes. Except this week it's the FIRST Monday in October! Yay!!

October!!!

That's our -- a.k.a. Emily and me -- "Birthday Month," for all of those new to the blog...or old and forgetful. *wink-grin*

The photo is one from Emily's 2nd birthday and my...hmm, not sure which number...29 and holding maybe? I put it on my desk pc as the background. Isn't Emily's expression adorable? That was the year we began singing to each other, "Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to me! Happy birthday to uuuuh-usssss! Happy birthday to you!"

So busy day...busy-ish week...and all that after a bit of a busy weekend.

Edward's team lost again on Saturday. 3-2. BUT....BUT!!!! Our little soccer "star" got a GOAL! He kicked it in the goal but thought he missed so he turned to get back in position, and the fans went WILD!! Well, mostly his family, but we did get kind of loud...and the baby cried. Oops. It was actually a really fun game to watch since all the kids on both teams did a really good job. Needless to say, we had lots of ice cream after that game.

Emily just confirmed that she gets to dance as a soldier in the Nutcracker again this year. There was some doubt as to whether or not she'd even get to be in it this year since she's not in the Company yet...and she's too tall to be an angel. But her teacher told her that they'd definitely need her as a soldier again this year. We were pleased. Emily told us she likes doing the Nutcracker more than even doing her recital. Plus, it's become somewhat of a tradition in our family. We look forward to it, too.

My dad will celebrate his 70th birthday this coming Friday. Pretty special...like him!

Just over 3 months -- count 'em -- THREE months until Season 8 of 24 starts. We're a little bummed that Emily has dance class on Mondays from 7 p.m. until 9 p.m. I suggested that Stuart could take her out 10 minutes early each week so that we can enjoy 24 together at 9 p.m. But I guess we'll tape it and watch it at 10 instead. Sigh. Still, it's exciting that it'll be back!! Yay! We had a "TMHB" (Teachers' Mental Health Break) last Friday and enjoyed two excellent movies: Amazing Grace and 17 Again. Both were very enjoyable, and I highly recommend them to you if you haven't had the pleasure of viewing them yet. The first, especially, was powerful and thought-provoking...and very moving.

Stuart and I have our "Monday Movie Night" again tonight. We're watching Management. It looks funny, and I'll let you know what we think of it next Monday. We're also renting Monsters vs. Aliens. We saw it in the theatre...but it'll be fun to see it again with the kids.

Tomorrow night, we have our October "Halloween" 4-H meeting. The kids are dressing up their rabbits and guinea pigs, and they'll have candy and snacks and a toilet paper game. It should be lots of fun.

I'm sure there's lots more that I wanted to write about in today's blog post...but my mind is going blank as it's already going to sleep. So I'll end here and bid you a fond farewell until next week.

Saturday Sweethearts

Amazing how fast time passes, huh?

More Friday Funnies

This was posted by a friend on Facebook, and I had to post it as another Friday Funnies as the theme earlier was cats, too.

Enjoy and pass it along!

Friday Funnies

As it gets colder here, "Simon's Cat" wants to warm up, too.

Have a great and funny Friday!

A Metamorphasis of Motherhood

It's funny how our reactions change during motherhood.

In the beginning, whenever my firstborn made a mess, I thought, "Aaaaaaaaaaa!"

When the second child spilled something, I thought, "Oh, no. Ugh."

Then along came the third child....

My reaction when he came up holding a tiny piece of a wipe, and I followed him to find out where it came from, only to discover the livingroom floor covered with wipes?

"That's hilarious! Where's my camera?"


Funny how that works, huh?

Wordless Wednesday

A Third-Grader's Poem

Always Late

A child was always late.
He never made it for his plate.
He was never on time.
Once, he fell in a mine!
"I'm coming!" he yelled, sprinting past a flea.
And when he got to his plate, he gobbled it up with glee!
~Edward Foote

Monday Musings Moseying Along

Happy Monday to you! The laaaaaaast Monday in September. Wow!! Almost our birthday month! Yippee!!

The weather turned decidedly cooler today. I think the outer world suddenly realized that it's Autumn now.

We had a very busy weekend which included a fun time visiting with our Japanese friend and former exchange student, Haruko. She arrived on Thursday evening and is staying with my parents until tomorrow. A quick visit, but it has been wonderful to catch up and reminisce.

Saturday night found us at my parents' house for a supposed meal to celebrate Haruko's visit as a family... It was indeed that -- with the added bonus of a surprise "39-and-holding" party from my family for Stuart and me. Since the date was nearly equidistant between our birthdays, they thought it was the perfect opportunity to do such a deed. And surprise us they did. (Wow! And I'm usually a hard one to surprise since I still have a journalist's nose and instincts. *wink-grin* In other words, I'm nosy.) But they all -- including the kids -- did a great job of keeping "mum" on the subject. We enjoyed a delicious dinner of cavatini (Mom's specialty!! Mmm!) and salad and bread, followed by ice cream cake. Then we played some "old-age" games, courtesy of my fun-loving and creative still older (hee-hee!) sisters.

The photo above is six-foot-seven-inch Stuart standing beside our 15-year-old nephew, Erik, who is about to "catch" him in height. Every time my family gets together, we are always amazed by his growth. My bet is on 6'8" as his final height. We shall see. I should have taken a photo of Emily beside my mom who is 5'7". At nearly 12, I think she may have caught up with her. My bet is 5'10" for her. I guess you could say we grow 'em big in this family? *wink-grin* (again)

The baby has found his inner-man "strut." Gone is the baby toddle. It's quite funny to watch. He likes to run, too, though he's still working on those brakes. And last week he actually hopped...a two-feet-off-the-ground hop. It was so funny. Of course he probably won't do it again for months now since he surprised himself, too.

Heard from the 8-year-old (of his baby brother): "He's growing up so fast." Hmm...We could say the same about you, my sweet boy.

Speaking of sweet boys, Edward's team lost another game on Saturday morning. We felt bad for them since they didn't get any goals at all. It gives the team's morale a bit of a blow when they continually lose. Still, I thought they played better than ever. Each game they seem to improve. And they're definitely trying...and having fun!

Anyhoo...lots to do to catch up on life and the house and our schoolwork. Sigh. Whatever happened to the slow, boring days of youth?

Ciao for now!

Sunday Sweeties

Future "mall rats?"
Not a chance since we hardly ever go there,

but they looked cute walking together.


"Jesus loves the little children
All the children of the world
Red and yellow, black and white,
They are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world."

Saturday Sweetheart

Our sweet Japanese friend, Haruko, who visited this weekend.