TreasuresInTerraCotta

Calvin went Pro on Wii bowling last week. I don't really know how that happened or what that means except his Mii got a cool new bowling ball. So we marked the occasion by going "real bowling." I tried to prepare him on the way to the bowling alley. "In real bowling," I said "it is polite to wait your turn until the people on the lanes next to you are finished." And "The balls are a lot heavier than the Wii controller so you can set the ball down and push it if you want." And "Did you know that you can't wear your tennies when you bowl...we will tell them your size and they will give you special shoes to wear." This last comment generated the most discussion, but in the end we had a great time! And only had to have the lane-attendant help us once. Are you surprised to learn that real bowling is harder than Wii bowling? (For the 4 year old and for the 36 year old!) Bowling would have been so much more fun as a child if tho...

As a mom I'm always pleased when I feel "experienced." You know the times...when I deftly rescue a child from a precarious position on a playground, when I have a well-balanced lunch that my kids actually eat, when my timing is great and we arrive home before a meltdown or a hunger strike. I am, after all, the mom of a 4 year old and a one year old. I have years of experience now!! But are you surprised to know there are days when I have to ask, "What was I thinking?!" We had one of those days last week. Ambitiously I planned a craft: A Pinecone Bird Feeder. A simple pinecone covered with peanut butter, corn meal and bird seed. Hang it on a tree with string and you're done! I have, in fact, been planning this activity for quite some time. I collected pinecones on our camping trip in September. I secured bird seed sometime in November. I added peanut butter and corn meal to my grocery list last month. I even had to rescue the pinecones from the tra...

Well, we're almost back to normal. The boys are still under the weather and I still have a lingering cough, but mostly we are on the mend. With today being a Monday, Tyler back at work and me finally feeling mostly good I was on a mission to have a Normal Day. Andrew awoke before 6:00 and even after he fell back to sleep, to my chagrin, I was awake. But I started my day on the right foot and did a chapter of Bible reading plus the first day of my new Bible study workbook. I hung some art work. It doesn't look that impressive, but as I've mentioned before I am overwhelmed with creative decisions, so to actually have those few things hung up and moderately centered is a small miracle. I rearranged the living room. The new couch had been sitting where it landed when the neighbor girls helped me bring it in over a month ago. We have such a nice large space now that I don't want to block it all off, but I don't want it to feel like we can't live in that area. ...

I love Christmas. I love the parties and the preparations and the decorations. I love the old traditions and the new traditions. I love the week between Christmas and New Year's. It is the most relaxed week of the year in my household and we get to hang out with family and let the kids ride bikes and go to the park and stay up late. I love that my husband always has to use-or-lose some vacation time so he's off work for a week or two or more. And I love the first Monday in January when everything goes back to normal. But I'm still waiting! Unfortunately, this past weekend I got a terrible "flu" and was in bed, feverish, achy, miserable and totally out of commission for over 24 hours. No sooner did I turn the corner than my husband entered the infirmary. So our Back to Normal week has been: Tyler sick at home for two days (and it's not looking good for tomorrow), me under the weather, lunch and dinner out of a box yesterday and there's still a box o...

On Christmas Day at 15 months he stood up in the middle of all the presents and paper and commotion and walked! Maybe he was just waiting for the right occasion. Now he can't be stopped. I was watching him today and it occurred to me: he's walking just because he can! Back and forth. Around and Round. Just because he can. Fun stuff!

I like lists. I have a To-Do list. Grocery list. Menu list. Target list. Books I need to read list. Gift idea list. Free things to do list. Restaurant idea list. I could go on and on. In fact my husband once told me "I think (the gospel writer) Luke liked lists." "Why?" I asked, "there aren't a lot of lists in the book of Luke." "No, but my wife likes Luke and my wife likes lists, so I think Luke liked lists too." Anyway. I have been thinking a lot about lists. It's New Year's and that's what people do. And because of my 101 Things in 1001 Days list . I have never been one to promise myself the moon with a New Year's resolution; however, I have been very motivated by my 101 Things in 1001 Days list. I like to complete items and I like to add notes showing my progress on continuing goals and I like to cross things off. So I have updated my list in honor of the New Year and as a way to give me some fresh motivation. What ab...