Bittersweet Sunday

Well, today -- after nearly four years, the first of which we counted in weeks-to-go -- Stuart hung up his duck quacker and I packed away the crayons and stickers...and we bid farewell to our Sunday School kids and classroom.

Since our church is changing the format of the service/Sunday School and combining the kids' programs into one, it kind of eliminates our "jobs," so to speak.

It was an odd (and sad) feeling to think we were doing our Sunday School routine with the kids for the last time.

But the kids are excited to begin the new program so we'll take our bow and leave quietly (exit: stage right) with only a few sniffles...and photos.

Of course.

*wink-grin*

Saturday Sweetheart

Friday Funnies

Ready...

Set...

Smooch!

George -- Week 2

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidies

Removing Spots from Crystal Glassware
To make them shine, add a splash of vinegar to a bowl or sink filled with several cups of water. Carefully dip the glassware into it and dry with a lint-free cloth.

Removing Sticky Residue
The sticky stuff left from gummed name stickers can be taken off by dabbing the area with cleaning fluid or a petroleum-based prewash spray.

Removing Scuff Marks from Kitchen Floor
They are not difficult to remove. Rub them just with a paper towel or a dry paper napkin. If this doesn't do the job, scrub off with a bit of baking soda.

Memorable Memorial Day Musings

Edward's first Memorial Day -- May 2001
Happy Memorial Day Monday! The very last Monday in May.

We celebrate how grateful we are to all the servicemen and women who have given so much for us and the freedoms we love and cherish.

And Happy 13th Anniversary to my "honey" of 21 years this year. We met in England through mutual friends way back in 1988. It wasn't until 1990 that I knew I loved him (before that I'd told him outright that I could "never marry him." Funny now, huh?) It was a memorable road after that -- filled with fun adventures and rocky paths. Trying to stay in love across an ocean can be rather hard. My hat is off to all those who have managed to keep it going, too.

Funny how the memory works, isn't it? Sometimes Stuart and I stop for a moment and think back on our "history" together. We've had a lot of fun together. Adventures through Europe, trying to find youth hostels before they closed and taping the cows' bells in the Alps...trips to the beach where we ended up looking like lobsters instead of people....games and late-night movies...singing "Doe a Deer" and "Wuthering Heights" at the top of our lungs in the car....private jokes about "idle grass" and "MacDuff." Fun to look back on and reflect upon and share with the kids.

Little pieces of our history like bits of colored glass that sparkle through the darkness of the past.

Alas, 24 has ended for the season. Sigh. Sniff. Waaaaaaaaaaa! Oh, well. It was an awesome ending...slightly different than we expected, yet, upon reflection, exactly what we thought it would be. Deep, huh? We await next season and Jack's new adventures with bated breath.

The kids continue plodding through their school lessons. The end is near! Yee-haw!!

On that note, I'm off to help Stuart grill some steaks and potatoes and zucchini. Mmmmm!

Happy Memorial Day, everyone!

Saturday Sweetheart

Friday Funnies

Chicken of Germs...

I'm such a "germaphobe." This whole "swine flu" -- now dubbed H1N1 -- has my nerves on edge. I know it's just a flu...and I know we're always at risk of getting some kind of flu. And I know most especially that God is in control. But my human-ness is showing...

Sigh.

Today I found out I have shingles.

Ugh.

I was actually quite surprised since I didn't really understand the virus and mistakenly thought it mainly hit older people. But my doctor told me he has seen patients as young as 10 with this virus.

I also mistakenly thought it just hit people who hadn't had chicken pox when just the opposite is true since the virus never leaves your body. Read more about it here.

And while there are drugs to help limit it and take care of the pain, my having shingles causes there to be a greater risk of chicken pox in our household.

In recent years, doctors have encouraged parents to get their kids immunized against chicken pox. At first I thought it was silly. Chicken pox, I reasoned, was a rite of passage in childhood...a mild illness that causes little kids to get covered in itchy red spots for a week. But then the doctor explained how the vaccination helps to prevent shingles later in life....and that some kids die of complications from chicken pox. My mom further cemented this fact in my head by telling me of a friend of hers who lost a child to chicken pox. Hmm....

Both the older kids got the shot.

Now enter Ethan.

Ethan is too young to have this shot yet. He's only 8 months old and while he's a huge 8-month-old, he's too young -- i.e. not mature enough bodily.

Emily just had a booster shot of her vaccination last year. Edward wouldn't normally need one for another few years...but I put him at risk...and, because of that, he puts Ethan at risk. So come next Tuesday he'll get his booster...a little earlier than planned.

Still, God takes care of us, and time and medicines are on our side, too.

If we each do our part, we'll ride this health storm and be back to our normal selves before long...whatever normal really is.

And there's always time to worry about the next health issue later. *wink-grin*

Wordless Wednesday

3 Years and Counting!

It's been a race to see which my blog would do first: turn "3"...or clock 25,000 visitors...or reach 1,000 blog posts.

Seems that 25,000 visitors happened first -- a few months ago....and I'm really really close to 1,000 posts...

And today my blog turns 3!!

Wow!

I can't believe I've been musing that long....though maybe some of you out there are saying, "We can! And it's time to stop."

Well, you're in luck. I'm not stopping anytime soon. *wink-grin*

So Happy Birthday to my blog! And many happy returns!

Thanks for reading!!

Coos and News on Monday

Happy Monday to you!! The middle of May already. Really. No kidding around. Egads!

I'm listening to my baby sing and "coo" (though he sounds nothing like a dove) nearby. He has lots to "say" and sing about...he has my family's "chatterbox" genes. Not sure if that's a good or bad thing. *wink-grin*

Today's the day! The DAY! THE day! It's finally time for the 24 Season 7 finale...Yippee!!!! I say finally and yet the months have been speeding by so quickly it's kind of surprising that it's here already, if you know what I mean. We find out all the secrets and answers to this particular season...hopefully wrapping up some loose ends. But it is 24 and that means nothing wraps up prettily. And that's not a spoiler. I have no idea of what happens tonight...except I do know some of the characters who are returning next season. Phew.

Edward had another soccer game yesterday. He did...well, suffice it to say, he wasn't focused in the slightest as he skipped -- yes, skipped -- to his position on the field, laughing and playing with his one teammate who was equally oblivious to the fact that there was a soccer game in progress...and then he did his silly dance whilst "keeping" the goal. Not that I have a problem with skipping or dancing. Not in the slightest. But there's a time and a place. I'm just saying. It's not the kind of scene you'd see during European football matches...not that he's professional or even heading that way.

Another little bun-bun joined our family last Thursday. I've dubbed it "George" (even though we don't know the gender yet). He/she/it was born to Audrey and Jack. I'm not sure why she only had one kit -- since most Holland Lop does have 3 or 4. But it was her first time. Whatever the case, it's early days where baby bunnies are concerned, but we're excited to have another potential furry friend in our midst.

I've managed to begin piecing back together my wallet. I got a new license and replaced my credit cards. I have to get new insurance cards and library cards and shop club cards....but all in due time.

School is wrapping up quickly for the kids. Edward is finishing his subjects rapidly and will fill in the rest of his hours with music, projects, and experiments he didn't have a chance to finish. He's done very well with his 2nd-/3rd-grade curriculum -- surprising us especially with his composition skills. Emily has a bit more than him to finish, but she's winding down, too. She seems to be enjoying history again -- now that she's in the "modern era." She learning all about '80s and '90s at the moment. It's fun "reliving" it with her...giving her an insider's view of it all.

We're pretty certain Ethan has hit another growth spurt. At just 8 months old, he's almost toddler-sized now, I think. *grin* He can roll over when he wants to and is trying to get up on all fours to rock or crawl. He loves to stand -- with support, of course -- and BOUNCE. The kid was born to bounce, I think. Tigger in a human suit. I'm afraid he's nearly too heavy for his in-the-door bouncer, which is sad since he loves it so much. And he's a huge fan of "Daddy" and squeals with sadness if he hears him but isn't with him. It's very touching. The teeth are there but not quite popping through yet. Sigh.

Off to do my Monday chores. Enjoy the beginning of the week and the 24 finale-- if you're a fan. And I think it's trying to sunshine.,,,we can hope?

Saturday Sweethearts

See How He Grows!

Playing around on One True Media, I came up with this short video of the 12 photos of Ethan that I've posted each month on his "monthiversary." I used a favorite song of his that Stuart has hummed and/or played to him since birth. (He really does love it!)

It's depressing sad daunting amazing how quickly babies grow. It is...right? I think... Sigh.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

One Third to Go!

Ethan Samuel is 8 months old today!

8 months = 2/3 of a year!

Yikes.

Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Tidies

I haven't done any "Tuesday Tidies" in awhile....so I thought: Why not do some Tuesday Tidies?

Why not, indeed.

So, without further adieu, here are some "Tuesday Tidies," courtesy of Hints from Heloise:

Bed Freshener: If you have a guest room, before guests arrive or just to keep the bed fresh when unused, tuck several fabric softener sheets under the bottom sheet to keep it smelling nice.

Cheap Way to Make Room Smell Nice: Don't throw out perfume card samples from magazines or samples from stores. Instead put the card samples (or pour a tad of perfume onto a cotton ball, paper towel or tissue) and place into the bottom of a wastebasket.

Keeping Garbage Can Smelling Sweet: Try this simple hint: Put fabric softener sheets or perfume sample strips in the bottom before putting the trash bag in. They can help prevent odors.

Post-Mother's Day Musings on Monday

Happy, happy, happy Monday! A kind of gray and chilly one here. But it is Monday...our second one in May already.

A belated Happy Mother's Day to all of my mommy-friends out there! Hope you enjoy our special day.

My weekend started off on a somewhat frustrating note...and it was mostly downhill from there, I think. (My poor family! They tried...mostly.)

Friday evening was supposed to be Edward's soccer practice. I have a mental block on activity times this year and had to keep reminding myself all day that he had practice at 5:30. So finally figuring out something light, easy, yet nourishing, to make for dinner, I managed to get it made and in our bellies with 5 minutes to spare...meaning we'd be only a few minutes late. Well, we got there a few minutes late all right, but there was no practice since there was a three-day soccer tournament for the older players. Oh, well. C'est la vie.

Heading home, I decided to stop at the store to get some things I needed for the weekend. Unbeknownst to me, I somehow got separated from my wallet somewhere between the checkouts and our car. I didn't notice this until Saturday afternoon.

Whilst all this was happening, my beloved was flying (or trying to fly) home from Houston, where he spent the past 7 (count 'em) whole days away from us. Sigh. (I know. I know. There are many wives and kids who have to be apart from their honeys for much, much longer...we were weak this time.) Anyways... His first flight -- which would have gotten him into Philadelphia sometime after 10 p.m. -- was scrapped due to a "broken plane," and a new plane was ordered with a new departure time that would get him into Philly sometime after 2 a.m. I catnapped between calls but decided to wait up for him to arrive home after 4 a.m. Not my best plan, but I'd missed him so much...and had way too much coffee by that point. He climbed into bed around quarter-to-five, and I decided there was little point since our little guy would be waking up for the day between 6:30 and 7. Two hours (possibly) of sleep does not a nice mommy make.

Plus, Emily had tryouts for her ballet school's "jr. company" at 9:30 a.m. There was no way I wanted to oversleep that. So Saturday morning was a bit of a fuzzy foggy blur...until I realized that I'd lost my wallet. Somehow knowing that you've lost what is basically the "heart" of your purse (and life) makes your senses go on high alert.

We searched the car. We searched the house. We searched the yard. We called the store. Stuart and the kids even drove around the parking lot of the store, hoping beyond hope that if it was dropped that maybe someone didn't notice it. But no soap.

Ah, well. I've begun the arduous task of rebuilding my wallet. In time, this will just be a "bad memory" blip on my life's timeline.

The wallet incident and extreme tiredness factored into a somewhat disheveled and less-than-ideal Mother's Day for me. It was not that my family didn't try, per se, and they did give me some awesome gifts and very thoughtful cards (their excitment ahead of time was contagious!). Edward added to my glass fruit collection with a marbleized "lemon." *wink-grin* He also gave me a "growing angel" and a cat statue that is perfect for remembering him and his love of cats. And Emily gave me some beautiful pink silk flowers, a very colorful windmill flower for the garden, and some yummy cookies. Both kids made me some coupons to use for things likes hugs, kisses, and gumballs. Ethan picked out something by telepathy. He got me a fun game to play with him. My gift from Stuart will arrive on the 19th in the form of 24 - Season 7!!!!! Yippee!!

Speaking of 24... Another exciting episode tonight. My fingers are already fearful of being eaten. Next week is the season finale already. Yikes. I wonder how they're going to get Jack out of this one. But enough on that. I feel my stomach already trying to tie itself in knots.


We dedicated Ethan at church on Sunday. As with a lot of Protestant denominations, our church follows Jesus' parents' example of dedicating Him to the Lord. We don't believe it suddenly makes Ethan into a saint or saves his soul, but we presented him to God and pledged before God and our church to teach him the ways of the Bible, God's Word. It made it extra special to do it on Mother's Day and have my parents be there.

And speaking of Ethan -- who is nearly 8 months old -- he's working on cutting his first tooth (you can just about see it), crawling, rolling over, and clapping. Busy guy, huh? That's exactly it. I really feel like babies get "ants in their pants" around this age, and suddenly the content little one who sat on a blanket and chewed contentedly on toys wants to go, go, go!! Ethan is immensely curious about everything. He always been observant, but now his head is constantly spinning around, as he tries to see what's on every wall and every shelf. He keeps us laughing and smiling.

That joy is a gift all in itself.

Have a happy Monday!

Happy Mother's Day!

Three of the reasons I'm a mommy

I received this in an email from my cousin. It's explains -- exactly -- the joys of motherhood. Like this mom, I am so thankful for the honor and privilege of being Mommy to my three precious children. There's no greater joy!

Enjoy! And Happy Mother's Day to my mom, my mother-in-law, and all my beautiful "mommy friends" out there.

================

A 3-year-old tells all from his mother's restroom stall
By Shannon Popkin

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate and does it quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we are in the library, the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. People often comment on how clearly he speaks for a just-turned-3-year-old. And you never have to ask him to turn up the volume. It's always fully cranked. There have been several embarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words would have been masked by a not-s o-audible voice, but never have I wished this more than last week at Costco.

Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade with me into the restroom. If you'd been one of the ladies in the restroom that evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the second to the last stall:

''Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on da toiwet paper now? Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?''

At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in the bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full ... 4? 5? Maybe we could wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of this stall and reveal my identity.

Cade continued: ''Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you? Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy! Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty? Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh...Mommy! I'm trying to see In dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna get some candy!''

I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me. Where is a screaming newborn when you need her? Good grief. This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before exiting. Trying to divert him, I said, ''Why don't you look in Mommy's purse and see if you can find some candy. We'll both have some!''

''No , I'm trying to see doze more stinkies...Oh! Mommy!''

He started to gag at this point.

''Uh - oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!! Dat is so gross!!''

As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall.. I quickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the
subject.. I began to reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheard this embarrassing monologue will be long gone.

''Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done going stinkies! Get up! Get up!''

He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blown laughter. I bent down to count the feet outside my door. ''Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under da door? What were you wooking at? Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?''

More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess the situation.

''Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now, Mommy.'' He started pounding on the door. ''Mommy, don't you want to wash your hands? I want to go out!!''

I saw that my wait 'em out' plan was unraveling. I sheepishly opened the door, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladies crowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud.

My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, where's the fine print on the 'motherhood contract' where I signed away every bit of my dignity and privacy? But as my little boy gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this little fellow.

(Shannon Popkin is a freelance writer and mother of three. She lives with her family in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where she no longer uses public restrooms.)

You must pass this on to all the mothers who have had embarrassing moments with their children. Isn't it great to be a parent!!!

Saturday Sweetheart

Ethan really getting "into" the news. (He has a new nickname: Captain of Chaos.) *wink-grin*

Friday Funnies

I got this funny in an e-mail from Karen over at This and That. It's a hilarious "debate" between two churches in a small Southern town. Read on, and enjoy a funny Friday!

* * *

Do Dogs Go To Heaven?

This is literally a "church signs" debate between Our Lady of Martyrs Catholic Church and Beulah Cumberland Presbyterian Church. From top to bottom shows you the response and counter-response over time. The Catholics seem to be displaying a much better sense of humor. One does get the impression that the Presbyterians are actually taking this seriously. The churches face each other across a busy street.

H"art"ily Arty

Edward (center, in yellow) up on stage, waiting for the rest of his class so they can sing.

Yesterday marked the end of another year at our homeschool learning group.

The kids put on a little art show, and then the first and second graders sang some songs for everyone, and the kindergarteners "graduated." Edward -- our never-shy-at-all-now guy -- introduced one of the songs. I told him I was surprised to see him up there again, and he said that when they asked for volunteers he raised his hand so high he nearly touched the ceiling.



It's amazing and exciting to watch all the kids grow during the year. And, while it was fun, the end-of-year show was a transition time for Emily and Edward, too. A time to say goodbye. They both will be changing grade levels in the group, meaning new teachers and classes next Fall.

Out with the old (sadly)...in with the new (eagerly)?

* * *

On another note, my three high school journalism students finished their year with pride, folding and distributing their first-and-only newspaper. And I thought they did an awesome job. It made me proud when they told me how much they felt they'd learned this year, especially about how much is involved in making a newspaper. Like last year's crew, I can say without a doubt that I definitely saw learning going on...especially after they all "aced" their final exam!

Wordless (mostly) Wednesday

It's a clean one. Honest!

Mainly Photo Musings on Monday

Happy Monday! The first Monday in May. Wow! New month, new weather? We've had lots of "April showers" so now we can see lots of May's flowers, right? We can hope.

The rain cancelled Edward's soccer game yesterday. He was sad as the rain also caused his practice to be cancelled last Friday. Ugh. The rain is making our grass look more like an African savanna at the moment. But at least everything is green and colorful.

Some friends of ours, who live in Bristol, England, had a tragic loss this past Friday, and it's been playing heavy on our hearts and minds. Their 11-year-old son Sammie was killed when a woman drove her car onto the sidewalk where he and several others were walking home from their church's youth group meeting. Our hearts are breaking, but I'm sure our sadness doesn't even compare an iota to his parents' and three brothers' pain. If you can, keep this family in your prayers, please. They still haven't found the driver who killed him.

Our homeschool learning group wraps up its last session this week, and then we have our annual end-of-year program and art show. Then that's it until next Fall. I can't believe we're at this point in the school year. The kids are working hard, trying to finish their lessons before the nice weather arrives for real. It's always harder to work when the sun is shining outside. *wink-grin*

Episode 21 of 24 is on tonight. Woooo-hoooo! The season is ramping up with plot twists and excitement. Only a few more weeks until the season finale. Whatever will happen to Jack is anyone's guess. The baddies are especially bad this season -- or "super bad," as Stuart says. We've been watching more free shows online, as well. It's such fun to catch up on some of the shows we love and enjoy but can't see because of our schedules, forgetfulness, or lack of that particular channel in our cable "package."

We had a restful rainy afternoon yesterday. The kids were bored and wanted to play the Playstation 2....but I suggested a rousing game of Monopoly, and they had a blast. Sometimes I think we overlook the simple stuff. I was remembering how my cousin and I used to have marathon games during the summer. The lazy, hazy days of summer.... Sigh.

A pictorial view of our Sunday afternoon as texted to Stuart:





Our dogwood tree is in full bloom at the moment. It's looks so bright and cheerful, especially against the gray of the sky. We recently had our house appraised, and the appraiser had a photo of the house from before we bought it. You couldn't even see the tree -- it was so small. Funny how time changes a house, and it can be so subtle you never notice.

Here are some photos of it:





Well, housework and school and babies are calling to me...so I'm off to "do" Monday. Hope you enjoy yours!