Last Snow Fall of the Season?!?

I sent the kids outside to play in the "Last" snow of the season.

It better be!

Besides...I loved sending the children out to play.  

That is the first time I have ever done or said that to them.  

I watched from the window.

I don't like the snow.

Remember?

Could it be any longer?

When is too much snow way too much?

I love snow!

But I am tired of the slushy roads and gray skies.

It is time for Summer to come visit.  Hey, I would take a very long Spring.

I am longing to go outside and sit on the deck in the morning hours while the children play.

I want to start my painting projects that have stared sadly at me through this terribly long winter.

I am grateful for the winter and it's abundance of snow.

But I am done now.

Thank you, Old Man Winter.  It is time for you to rest.

Club BFF

Miss Boo has joined the club of BFF's...forever.

I hope she finds as many great ones as I have in my life.

Rachel was my BFF in kindergarten.  Julie in Montana grade school.  Leisel from 5th grade and still today.  Kirsten, Paige, Margaret, Stacey, Chris, Sandy, Tamara, Marge, Chera, Brenda, Laurie, Alisa, Kara, Soraya...

...where do I stop. 

When I prayed for friends, I was blessed with the cream of the crop.  And they touched my life in many different ways.

What the World Needs More Of...seriously.

More three year old little boys that know what a toilet "pumper" is.

Happy Valentine's Day

The kids are enjoyed this holiday so much this year.  They had to make Valentine Mailboxes and I just let them do their thing.  Their parties at school were anticipated all week long and when the day arrived...the party was ON!

Child Labor

I couldn't ask for better help.

Another Toothless Night

Miss Boo lost her second tooth last night.  I haven't seen her that excited since Christmas.  And the best part is that she didn't lose it somewhere.  She actually had something to show the Tooth Fairy!  I wish I had a picture of a space where the tooth came out, but because the other one is already full grown behind it, we just look "normal" now instead of one tooth facing forward.

And on a different note...Mr. Finn found the cheese grater (after some coaching) and grated cheese for dinner.  I am delighted by his helping out in the kitchen.  Let's see what other "mad" skills he has in the kitchen, shall we?!

What's in a calling?

17 years ago I met the feistiest woman I have known.  I mean that in a great way.  She is fierce and undeterred in all things.  I have seen her accomplish so much good.

She knocked on my door one evening with a pot roast dinner.  I really didn't need the meal, but she listened to a little voice that told her I did.  I really needed a friendly face.  It...She saved me that day.

That sounds a bit dramatic...I know...but there is truth in that statement.

She became my FRIEND.  Someone I could talk to about everything and I had much to talk about in those days.  I was lonely, sad and heartbroken.  She gave me hope and laughter and courage.

Have I told you how BRAVE she is and the things she has accomplished just because she decided to do it?

We became visiting teaching companions and she taught me to have a testimony in that work.  After all, she was my visiting teacher when she showed up at my door with the dinner she had prepared for her family.  A meal, I didn't need, but a lesson for me in faithfulness of a visiting teacher that wanted to fulfill her calling through service.

As visiting teachers we never know what we are needed for.  We don't know that just calling is the thing to boost someone's spirits for the day.  Maybe it is the only human contact someone will get at the time when all seems lost to them.

We may never know.

But...

...We may get the chance to become a friend and that friendship could last 17 years or forever.

And that may be the greatest gift there is.

I love you Margaret.

How old am I in kid years?

Leave it to a four year old to tell you nothing but the truth.

While I was picking up the "tagalong" for school this morning, one of the daycare kids looked and me and then shouted to Tagalong;  "You're Grandma's here!"

YIKES!

When did this happen?

I have looked young for a very long time and I believe that Time has now caught up with me.

OR...

Maybe I should try a bit harder.

Be careful what you wish for...

On my happy blog last week I wished for more days to sleep in...

....hmmmm


I should have been more specific with the Sleep Gods...

...because they must have been unclear as to the parameters.

I didn't WANT to be:
1.  sick
2.  or bedridden
3.  or contagious
4.  or drippy
5.  or achy

BUT...I did get to sleep and sleep and sleep through Saturday, Church on Sunday and pretty much most of Monday.  I drug myself through today...

...which proved to me.

THAT

I am a wimp!

p.s.  pay no attention to the fact that I need to pluck those sad, tired looking eyebrows.

Tides

The days seem to ebb and flow with the tides of an unpredictable current.

I was given the task of dislodging a penny and nickel the Dude had tried to feed his piggy bank.  Unbelievably it took about five minutes for something I believed would be easy.  I was frustrated a little at the end, but sweetened by the "thank you" that followed.

As he headed out the door, he looked back over his shoulder, with that twinkle in his eye and said, "You're a Genius, Mom!".

He sees the good and wonderful in so many things.  I look at the world and see it's lack of luster most days.

My son is the Genius.  He can pull the happiest emotions out of someone with a look or a comment.

I am just so grateful that my currents are in sync with my delightful children and they are bobbing along with me...raising my spirits as they go.

Traveling back from picking up the children from school.   Our little tagalong that gets dropped off at daycare started correcting Miss Boo's words, telling her that Shek the Fird wasn't correct.  I was like, "Hey, don't mess with that".  It's a signature thing that I am going to miss terribly when it's gone.

Things like:

Snowglope
Hockey Puff
Crackernutt

and...

YRPN are the letters in the Dude's name.  No amount of coaching will convince him otherwise.

My tides are calm right now.  They weren't earlier.  I can feel that the undercurrents are getting rough, but for now it all good.