38 candles

Posted on February 13, 2014 by Shanda

I had a birthday yesterday and for the first time probably EVER I wasn’t all worked up about it. I usually get so excited and expectant and I know there were times when I was a teenager or a young adult when I came crashing down with tears when my loved ones didn’t care about my birthday as much as I thought they would, (SO selfish, *sigh*).

I knew for a fact that I would be busy half the day because CBS is on Wednesdays and after missing three weeks I had absolutely no choice in the matter, I had to be there. So I told Rich from the get-go that he didn’t need to make any plans. We could do something on Valentine’s day for a special treat.

BUT MY HUSBAND, this is so touching to me, had it in his head to spoil me the whole day long, beginning with breakfast in bed. Wednesday mornings are typically very hectic for me, getting five kids out the door and then getting Seth and Sarah ready to go to Bible Study. Yesterday my darling did everything and I left at 8 feeling calm and prepared (what a difference!).

He gave me a bouquet of small roses and I took them with me in a white fiesta vase!

Birthdays are a great day to pray “thank you” to God all day long and that is just what I did. As I was with the ladies (“my” ladies) for four hours yesterday I was thanking God for them and the blessing of meeting so many beautiful women (Debbie W.!) who are family to me because we share the same born-again experience, in Christ. We had our studies, then a special brunch, and a wonderful message from Annie. Then, leadership met afterwards for more fellowship and study, laughter, joy in simply being together.

I left with a full-heart but actually needing a nap and arrived back home to HIM, who was ready to whisk us back out the door for birthday spoiling. We picked up our little boys at school and headed downtown to my favorite little shop, where my Alaskan friend Hannah had arranged to have a gift ready for me to pick up.

Thank you, Hannah, for being so thoughtful and fun. Your gift was a highlight of the day. I adore the locket and the journal. love you.

coffeeshop

I had a bagel with cream cheese and sliced tomato.

The boys had soda. Sarah had an apple juice.

Not much elbow room but I love snuggling in the corners with my family.

Face of love. Face that I love. This man is attractive, generous, tender, kind, strong, and means the world to me.

The chess game developed into bickering, teasing, loud laughing, until I cautioned, “My birthday’s getting worse and worse!” I regret those words and wish I could take them back because I broke Caleb’s heart. He stopped playing, looked at me, and began to cry in sorrow. I held him in my arms and kissed him and told him I was so sorry……. and, because I knew it would cheer him up…..I told Rich the next stop was Barnes and Nobles bookstore. Off we went, where Caleb poured over books (he is an amazing reader for 8 years old) and came away with four new ones. 🙂

I also ran into Marshalls to buy hair products because my winter hair is driving me CRAZY.

My birthday gifts from the bookstore. My mom has the same cookbook (another highlight of the day was talking to her and Dad on the phone, as they called to wish me a Happy Birthday) xo

When we left the bookstore, we drove straight to the High School for Grace, Jacob, and Ethan. Grace showed me this picture of herself on the wall, she is part of the “Singin in the Rain” production this spring and this is one of her costumes. I think she’s beautiful. And happy.

Jacob and Ethan had a wrestling meet.

I think it’s so cute to see the guys all dive into the middle of the mat after warm ups.

Ethan won his, and Jacob lost his. It was fun to be there as a family cheering them on. I got to chat with my friend Nicole, too. She crochets. 🙂

My cake! I can’t get over that it says “MOM” on it, this is a first for me. I LOVE IT. Rich took David and Caleb with him on Tuesday night and the three of them carefully ordered my cake. It was carrot, with cream cheese frosting and probably weighed four pounds.

The kids ate the entire pizza we brought home while Rich inserted my “80 candles” (so he said) into my cake.

I had cake and ice cream for supper!

same smile

a happy birthday

38 candles

I closed my eyes to listen to my beloved family sing.

I look like I have fangs.

taking a deep breath

the smoke gets worse each year

With the love of my life.

VIDEO:

****

This morning it is snowing and and the children have a snow day. Because I had 2 pieces of cake for dinner last night, I have resolved to eat only fruits and vegetables today. I had 2 apples for breakfast with my coffee. We are watching Aristocats on TV, which is Sarah Joy’s new favorite movie. We have watched it four times this week. With all the excitement yesterday, I hope to be more still today, and perhaps even pick up my knitting!

Blessings and much love to all my friends who pass by here today.

“He who trusts in his riches will fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf.” Proverbs 11:28

“The beloved of the Lord will dwell in safety by him. He covers him all day long. He dwells between his shoulders.” Deuteronomy 33:12

keeping busy (life of a little boy)

Posted on February 11, 2014 by Shanda

He has places to go and things to do.

***

I would like to take a few minutes to tell some Seth stories. Seth is five years old and as smart as a whip. Unfortunately, his brilliance is not tempered with common sense quite yet, so we have adventures with him on a regular basis. Over the last week, I have had several close calls with him that I want to record.

Tale Number One: Sock Monkey

Last week, I was upstairs giving Sarah a bath and Seth was playing like an angel downstairs (or, so I thought). As Sarah was playing in the water, I came to the realization that I had heard the downstairs bathroom flush. It flushed, and flushed again. After about five or six consecutive flushes I ran down to see what the matter was. I found Seth in there, intent on flushing – with the water in the sink running, too. I looked down into the toilet and realized that he was trying to flush down a stuffed animal.

“Seth! What are you doing?”

“It’s my sock monkey. I don’t like it anymore so I want it to go to the ocean, and drown.” he explained.

“Whaaaaaa? What do you mean you don’t like your sock monkey?” I was astounded. He doesn’t normally flush the things he doesn’t like down the toilet. I turned the water off in the sink but I wasn’t about to put my hand in the toilet.

“Seth, you put it in there, you reach your hand in and get it out!” I demanded.

“Whaaaaaaa?” He complained.

“The water is clean enough, go ahead, pull it out!”

He reached his hand down into the water and pulled out…….just an arm! I quickly realized that the arm was charred!

I screamed. “Seth! Did you burn your monkey? You DID! You tried to BURN YOUR MONKEY!”

As I was exclaiming, he reached down and pulled out the rest of it. I screamed again. His monkey was all burned up and he had tried to flush it down the toilet so I would never know. Apparently he had gotten it in the fire (we don’t know why, I don’t know why, and Seth doesn’t know why either) and when it was in flames, he carried it to the bathroom with the fireplace tongs and threw it in the toilet. We had a talk about fire safety but I could tell that he really wasn’t that bothered by the experience. He was mostly upset because I was upset with him, not because he could have burned himself or the house down.

To make things even more interesting, the entire time I was dealing with him, Sarah was up in the tub calling, “MOM!!! I’M READY TO GET OUT!” over and over………..

*****

Tale Number Two: The non-Emergency Call

This morning I came out of my room and heard Seth upstairs in his bed talking away, having a good old conversation. “Who in the world is Seth talking to?” I asked Sarah. “He has Caleb’s phone.” she answered. Okay. I walked on into the kitchen, believing that he was just having a pretend conversation. Rich had thrilled Caleb’s heart by giving him his old disconnected but still working blackberry. Caleb could play the ringtones and push the buttons. I think he could even play a little game on it.

After a minute or so, Seth came down and said, “Here, he wants to talk to you.”

“Whaaaaaa?” I was thinking.

Guess what? When a blackberry is disconnected you can STILL CALL 911! Yep, all that time Seth was upstairs having an animated heart to heart with an emergency phone service worker. The man asked Seth if he could help him and Seth said “no”. (He didn’t need help, he just needed someone to talk to.) He asked Seth if there was an emergency. “No”. Seth replied. They hung up. Seth wasn’t done, so he called him back. He wanted to tell the nice man (Seth knew he was nice, after all-he had *offered to help*) that he got a new calendar and that he had a birthday and mom’s birthday was tomorrow. He wanted to tell the man some stories. He wanted to know if he could go to his house sometime. At this point, the man asked if he could speak to a grown up.

“Yes, we received several phone calls from this number. I guess your son got a hold of your phone. It’s good that he gave it back to you so we knew there wasn’t an emergency.”

I got off the phone and marched it back to my husband. It’s not going to be a toy anymore.

Seth getting into cookies.

Seth’s self photography

Me and Seth (truly, for all his mischief, he’s the apple of my eye)

If the mother doesn’t keep the little boy busy, he will find something to do.

{this moment}

Posted on February 7, 2014 by Shanda

A Friday ritual. A single photo capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. (inspired by soulemama)

***

Have you heard the quote, “From small beginnings come great things”?

I hope that applies to my knitting. This is my small beginning.

seth’s fifth birthday

Posted on February 2, 2014 by Shanda

Groundhog’s day?

Super bowl Sunday?

Seth’s BIRTHDAY!!!!!

What a fun day we are having. Rich took David and Caleb to their first wrestling tournament and I took the other children to church. We got home a little while ago and Mike is here. We have Despicable Me 2 going on the TV and Sarah is taking her nap. Oh was she a handful in church. She was on one side of me and Seth was on the other. I didn’t know she had a communion cup completely IN her mouth until the nice young lady behind us leaned over to take it out. Sarah was highly offended. Seth was on my lap, then Sarah, then Seth….they were hungry, they were thirsty, she was crying, he was feeling my leg (the nylons are SO fascinating), they needed mints, he kicked her, she cried again, etc. The song leader stood up after the sermon and said something like “Don’t you just wish this service could go on and on….” and I was like “NO PLEASE NO!” LOL

It was good to be there and I’m truly glad we went. We did Burger King drive through after church was over and saw a bunch of ducks in the parking lot. Grace took pictures of them through the window.

Most importantly, today is Seth’s birthday. He is five now.

He said he loved the wrapping paper. He had his gifts opened up in approximately 20 seconds flat.

Seth the stealthy ninja

before church

The eyes to melt a mama’s heart.

It’s easy to hold up five fingers.

He had barbecue sauce with his chicken nuggets.

Seth’s friend Naomi gave him a cool gift at church today.

Seth with two of his four brothers. I can’t stand it.

Happy Birthday to the little charmer who keeps me on my toes and lights up my life.

like father, like daughter (and I hardly ever, ever make molasses cookies)

Posted on January 30, 2014 by Shanda

Last night Mom called me to remind me that American Idol was coming on in five minutes. We used those five minutes to fill each other in on our respective days. She told me that she had bread almost done, had put together a lasagna, and was about to make cookies. My mom is very industrious (she does all her baking when she gets home from work.)

“What kind of cookies are you making?” I asked.

“Molasses,” she replied.

“WHAAAAAT?” I cried, “I made molasses cookies today, too!”

She laughed. “Dad asked me to make them. He wanted them.”

It was such a fun little highlight of my day. For sure, girlfriends, me and my Dad have a connection. (You might say we’re kindred spirits.)

I ate a cookie while I wrote this and I bet he’ll be eating one when he reads it. I love you, Dad!

being seen when you don’t want to be seen (today, so far)

Posted on January 7, 2014 by Shanda

We talk about the weather in January, and did you know that pretty much the whole USA is cold today? It’s 10 degrees here, what is it in your “neck of the woods?”

Rich wore suspenders (with dress pants, dress shirt, and tie) to work for the second day in a row and my does he look snazzy!

I started a fire in the fireplace today after going out and daintily gathering 10 of our smallest logs off the wood pile.

Do you have any idea what happens when your husband and teenage boys neglect to take the garbage to the road for 2 weeks? And meanwhile, Christmas came with all the packaging and wrapping paper happened, too? With a family of nine, it piles up. My poor porch has been a temporary garbage holding place and I have been BUGGED.

Thankfully, they got it out last night, the garbage truck went by this morning and (because I was bugged) I asked David and Caleb to bring the empty, big, lidded cans back to the house and push them right up to the steps so I could clear my porch. We live on a typically quiet road but it runs kind of close to the house. As soon as the boys left for school, I went outside to throw all the trash bags into the empty cans….and wouldn’t you know it, JUST as I was getting IN a can to jump up and down (they were quickly filling up) a car went by very slowly, and then a bus parked down below (why?), and the next door neighbor, and another, went by very slowly, as I was IN the can. I couldn’t “smile and wave” so I ignored them and *pretended* to be fully concentrated on my job. It was so cold I didn’t blush (couldn’t). My porch is clean now, all except for a big huge box. We have no room left in the cans for this week’s garbage…….

Ethan called to tell me that he forgot his wrestling stuff and could I get it to him before 2? I don’t like having to bundle up Seth and Sarah and take them out into the cold for a 10 minute trip to school….but since I had to do it, I did it right away. I was wearing stretch pants, no make up, pony tail and my bangs were pulled straight back with a bobby pin. I looked pretty ugly but I put on a loud kid’s music cd (from Eli) and went through the drive-thru at Dunkin Donuts to get us some treats only to find that my window was frozen securely shut. I had to pull around out front and actually go in, in all my hideousness. Two chocolate creams and an apple n’ cinnamon, and a chocolate latte. Seth and Sarah Joy LOVED their donuts (I usually always get them plain because I try not to give them too much sugar).

I really wanted my donut, too, but then I got to thinking, “Ethan would be so surprised if I slipped this into his bag and he found it when he got to wrestling practice.” “But it will only REWARD him for being forgetful.” “Well, just this once. I’ll talk to him about it later. I have quite enough calories with this latte.”

Decidedly, I rolled down the top of the donut bag and put it in his string bag, right on top of the shoes.

I had a nice little chat with the school secretary and then I was on my way.

When I got back home I put the preschoolers to bed and now I’m enjoying the fire and a quiet house. I went out to get the mail at 1pm wearing my slippers and bright red fuzzy robe and ….. you guessed it, the mail lady went back through just as I got out there.

But that time I did smile and wave.

happy birthday to Jacob

Posted on December 31, 2013 by Shanda

“Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord….” Psalm 127:3

Yay, I finally get to sit down and tippity tap on the keyboard, I’ve been wanting to all day because my heart is full. (with motherly feelings) Birthdays always make me sentimental and Jacob turned 17 today.

What my heart wants to say is…..I’m grateful for my son and who he is. He is becoming an independent young man, and yet has a sentimental heart for his home and family, too. I love him deeply.

*Seventeen – to – Eighteen* will be an important year, more learning, more growing, enjoying the last days of childhood.

His bookshelf.

He likes to read and still makes time to enjoy a good book, even though many times I will see him reading on the couch one minute, and sound asleep the next. (growing boy + school and sports = exhaustion)

His Literature class read “The Raven” by Edgar Allan Poe this year and it effected him….he liked the poem so much that he read it to us during a Ravens football game (Gma and Gpa were here, too). As soon as he finished it up we looked at the TV and saw a real live raven on the screen. He requested a complete copy of Poe’s works for Christmas.

`Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!’ I shrieked upstarting –
`Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
Leave my loneliness unbroken! – quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!’
Quoth the raven, `Nevermore.’ (stanza 17)

Jacob is an artist.

he has a collection of works to be framed

He likes his things to be in order.

He recently organized all of their legos. Every single brick. Which is why he is sitting on bricks in that picture up there.

Now that the legos are organized (he even pulled stuff out of the recycling bin to use as containers…the dog cannot stay away from the lego-filled ice cream carton) the brothers are busy putting together their old lego sets (they have kept the directions, thankfully).

It seems like just a week ago he was a baby and I was a first time mama. Everything that my baby son was and did made such a deep impression upon me. I remember quiet days tending to my baby. I saved a lot of his little clothes, including the ones he wore in this picture:

And I still have this little hat.

Someone asked what it was like to have a seventeen year old son. Honestly, it’s wonderful. Year after year we have enjoyed him.

(his 3rd year was questionable, however) male toddlers are a challenge.

17 year olds are GREAT. Ours makes us laugh and helps out around the house (he actually likes to clean). He adds unique Jacobness to the family atmosphere, fills our lives with music and art, books, and legos. Doctor Who, football, and wrestling. He adds the best songs to our playlists. And if that isn’t enough, he eats half the food in the house each week, himself. (joking, sort of)

Jacob requested a lego set for his birthday. It took about 6 hours for him to complete it.

THE TOWER OF ORTHANC, 2359 pieces

“It’s the coolest thing ever. It’s like, perfect. It took me a while, it’s a pretty massive project.”

I love the mushroom on the Ent.

“It’s so detailed, too. It’s insane.”

Happy Birthday Jacob! We are about to eat pizza and have birthday cake.

“This is the day which the Lord has made; We will rejoice and be glad in it.” Psalm 118:24

christmas toys

Posted on December 30, 2013 by Shanda

Iron man joined the family on Christmas Day. He belongs personally to Caleb, but the rest of us get to be asked a hundred times a day where his bullets went. We all take care of Iron Man.

After we all opened our Christmas presents, the children took their stuff and spread out to various corners of the house to work and play.

It was mainly legos.

The boys were very happy with them. I wish I had taken notes of all the strange conversions.

They have an organized system for large sets. Ethan filled up about 20 fiesta bowls to put together his new Fire Station. It took him two days to complete it and we were eating cereal out of mugs.

Jacob’s spot at the table with a minecraft bracelet, speakers, music, Star Wars legos. Oh, and a Monster, too.

A brother at one end and a brother at the other. Fellowship over legos.

Caleb and his…..

….golden dragon, with The Golden Lloyd. If you squeeze the dragon’s head, the ball shoots out.

Meanwhile, Lillian (Grace) took her stocking and her gifts and organized a picturesque tableau.

That being done, she ate a candycane and read her new book.

Later on, she went upstairs to apply her new make up.

(new sweater, too)

Seth with his new monster feet/stilts.

(I can’t believe I didn’t take a single picture of Sarah Joy playing in her new princess tent.)

Rich works in an office all day every day so he has come to HATE sitting. This desk top (his gift) allows him to do his home work while standing. It does not go with our country theme, but this is not as important as his comfort. 🙂

My new Tiffany….had to return it b/c it was too big. They are trying to locate a size five for me.

I love my new UGG slippers!

The family was playing contentedly, so I set to work making our Christmas lunch…….stay tuned!

Tomorrow I will devote the blog to a special birthday,

and the day after that I will post about Christmas food.

family gift wrapping: practical tips

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Shanda

Wrapping gifts can be draining, so I thought I would share how I make the process as simple and enjoyable as possible.

1. Use only one extra big roll of wrapping paper at a time. Keep using this one roll until it runs out.

2. You also need a nice fresh roll (or two) of good tape, a pair of sharp paper scissors, and a black sharpie marker.

3. When wrapping the gift, unroll the paper, place gift upon paper to measure, and always cut straight across, leaving a nice edge on the roll for the next gift.

DO NOT DO THIS:

4. If the gift is small and you need to cut away any extra paper, do so. Keep any trims in a “trim pile” to use for more small gifts.

5. Don’t be stingy with the tape.

6. No need for labels, simply write the name of your child ON the package.

7. No need for gift boxes. If you have clothes to wrap, just fold the item neatly and wrap it.

8. If you must embellish, buy a big bag of bows and add them to the gifts on Christmas Eve.

9. You might think that pretty gift bags with tissue paper will simplify the process, but I have found that whenever I use gift bags I can’t help getting pathological about saving them. It’s much easier to throw away paper on a Christmas morning.

10. Keep a running list on your iphone of the gifts you have wrapped. This will be important later on, when husband gets worried that a child might not have as many gifts as their sibling. (avoid last minute shopping at the gas station!).

11. After wrapping the gifts, pile them up in boxes or big bags to store away until Christmas.

12. Keep inner peace while wrapping by listening to music, keeping your cat with you, painting nails deep red a few hours before hand, eating some of the extra stocking candy, and making your husband stay out of the room so he can keep the children out of mischief.

a little singing

Posted on December 16, 2013 by Shanda

Grace is in a singing group at school and I took some videos about a week ago, when they were performing at the elementary school. We were watching them together recently, and she said this was her favorite song: