The Train To Crazy

Stuff I'm loving...

My friend, Just Mothering Through, does a fabulous post from time to time about the little things in life that she's currently enjoying. I always enjoy reading her list and smile at the subtle humor and sweet moments.

I've been anything but wordy this past year on the blog but I'd love to jump into sharing some stuff I'm loving...

watching the joy of learning to ride a bike

 

rhinos at the zoo. my new favorite animal

 

chalk artists

 

two year olds

 

babies in the sand

What are you loving?

Make It Wear It

I'm taking this week off to rest and snuggle this guy.

Stop back next week to link up to Make It Wear It!

About that title...

A friend of mine recently commented that I need to change the title of this blog. She says I've officially arrived at crazy. Well, perhaps. Life isn't exactly mundane around here. I've mentioned briefly all the changes I have going on so I thought I'd give you a bit of an update. 

But first, we have a couple winners to announce!

The winner of the Precious Patterns giveaway was Miamihoney!

The winners of the Lena's Patterns giveaway were Rachelle Smith, Kitbish, and Karen T! 

You still have 2 more days to enter the Max & Lola giveaway! And don't forget to check out the great stores offering discounts for Sewing for Baby Month!

Now, back to what I've been up to! To make a long story short, we were planning to move cross country (Boston to SoCal) in November, just weeks after baby #4 is born. In early August I decided I'd rather move before baby is born so I can get settled into the new house and area before the craziness and sleepless night start. The problem was that my husband's Boston job didn't end until Oct. 1st. No problem I said, I'll move with the kids by myself. No big deal. 

So at the beginning of August we packed our suitcase to go on a vacation to Seattle we had planned months in advance. Then I thought, "why don't we just stay there with family until September?". So that's what the kids and I did. We packed our stuff, packed some clothes and off we went. Let me just say that was an awesome way to spend a few weeks! My kids just loved being with extended family 24 hours a day.

Then August 31st rolled around and we flew down south. You see, school started September 2nd so I had to enroll my daughter on September 1st. The problem was we couldn't move into our house for a week so we stayed in a hotel. During that week we ate out, ran errands and basically didn't stop moving. We bought 2 cars, a washer, dryer, refrigerator, enrolled in school, saw my new OB, swam in the hotel pool and generally collapsed at the end of every day in exhaustion. Thankfully my mom came for a few days! Thanks mom!

So, the first day of school came and I hated it. Not for all the normal mom's missing kids on the first day of school reasons, but because the schedule was crazy. Class started at 10:20 and ended at 1:40. No lunch. Hmm... that means you go during baby's first nap and pick up during baby's second nap. Not helpful. Then I got to speak with the teacher and came to understand that even though my daughter is very advanced for kindergarten, they don't tailor the curriculum based on ability. All kids do the same curriculum. Hmm... 

After 3 days of school I pulled her out. I don't see the point of messing up our entire day to send her somewhere she won't be learning anything. We'll have a fun year and she'll learn more at home. Did I mention we live a block from a neighborhood pool? Yes, we do. And within 3/4 of a mile of 4 pools. I think we'll be fine.

So, after 7 days of hotel living, our belongings arrived at our rental house on Tuesday. Thanks to my dad arriving Wednesday, I have every box unpacked. Organized? No. But unpacked. There is still a bit to do but I think for being a month from my due date and for unpacking for only 3 days I'm doing well! There are even decorations on the walls already! And the garage is clean and the car fits in it! Woohoo! And even better, there are 8 boxes and tons of other items ready to be picked up by Salvation Army next week. Good riddance! 

My husband will arrive in a few weeks and then the baby is free to arrive! I'm officially due on 10/10/10 but I'd be okay with anything after 10/6, when my mom arrives! Thanks again mom!

So, as of tonight I have internet in my house. I have been computerless for a week so I apologize if I haven't responded to your emails or published things I was supposed to! I'm sure you forgive me.

Stop by next week for the Little Cap Sew Along and more giveaways and fun stuff!

Where to buy a cute backpack??

Help! I had every intention of making my oldest daughter a backpack for school but life has changed my plans. A lot of the stores have little backpacks (she's very little) but they have characters on them, which I won't buy. Where can I get a really cute backpack? Any recommendations?

What's coming up next

Do you ever have weeks or months in life that are just less busy and relaxing? I'm coming off a bit of that now and have been thrown back into the "crazy." As I type this I'm procrastinating. Here's what's on my plate:

• This week: leave for an extended vacation visiting family and friends and meeting my darling new niece! (thank you for all the prayers, my brother and sister-in-law were able to adopt this sweet child of theirs and are currently moving back to the U.S. where she'll need more surgeries)
  
• End of month: move to new state 3,000 miles away. (yes, if you're counting that is 4 states in the last 6 years...)
  
• Next month: settle in new state without husband, who will be a month behind us. Get big girl started in school. Unpack.
  
• Month after that: have 4th baby, hopefully not early.

And you know what? Tomorrow will worry about itself.

Don't forget, next week is the Daphne Dress Sew Along. If you don't have your kit yet, don't worry. The posts will be there forever for you to do at your own speed!! If you have any questions or concerns about your kit, please feel free to email me or leave a comment. 

Still working on the Great DeStash Challenge? Link your projects you've been making here! I'll leave this link up all month so go take a peek at what everyone has been making.

Have you sewn a Go To Dress? I've seen a few of them around the blog world and hey are so cute! If you can, please post a picture in the Flickr group. (Flickr is free and a great way to share your photos)

Next month I've officially coined Sewing For Baby month. I hope you'll drop by for some inspiration. I've got pattern reviews (and sales!) and projects I've made, tutorials and guest bloggers. I'm wondering if I'll have time to make anything from this book , which I've been eying. And if you've been wanting an easy sew along that would work for a boy or a girl? Well, look no further! Let me introduce the

Look for this in September. It's the Little Cap by Leila & Ben (there will be a discount). The pattern is sized for 6 mo to 5T. I'll be giving you some hints and tips to size it for your baby. Hopefully we can all come up with some cute boy or girl versions. This cap takes about an hour to make and is perfect for beginners. It is also perfect for using up scraps.

Looking for a sew along for boys right now? From an Igloo is doing a Sew-A-Long for Lil Blue Boo's hoodie at the end of the month. Go check it out!

***I have a great line up of guest bloggers in the next few months. If you'd like to do a guest blog or giveaway a product, please let me know.***

Black & White

Back when dark rooms were necessary, I loved spending time in one. Black and white photography can be so beautiful. Of course now anyone can turn out a great black and white photo with a little photo editing. There are a few secrets to success, however, just like with color photography. Here are a few things to look for.

Light. As with any photo, you want good lighting. This is especially true for black and white because without good lighting you can't naturally have white whites and black blacks. You'll have a fairly gray photo. That's okay, if you're looking for that effect, but I'm not a huge fan of a photo that lacks an absolute white and black. I'm sure photoshop or picnik.com or some other editing software can help you on the back end but try for good light to begin with. That means open the windows or get outside. Overcast days are the best. That's a bummer if you live in Colorado but for the rest of us they aren't that tough to come by.

Composition. What's in front of and behind your subject? Take a look around. I love a photo with great lines and texture. 

Process, but not too much. Don't go nuts editing your photos. If you take a good one in the first place it won't need that much editing. Crop if you must and tinker ever so slightly with the contrast. You should have a range of grays and a true white and black somewhere in the photo (in my opinion).

Mostly, just have fun. They're for your memories so don't worry if yours don't look as good as the next guy's.

First find a photo you like. This is a random one of my girls.

Convert it to black and white.

 Adjust contrast until you like what you see.

But don't overdo it. You don't need too much contrast to make a good photo.

There is also such a thing as too much vignette.

 
This one is my favorite. Check out You Capture for more black and white photos. 

Step 1: Organizing

As a first step to my commitment for The GREAT De-Stash Challenge I've organized my stash. OH MY. Let's just see what I did, shall we?

First: removed fabric from shelves, counters, crevices, etc. REFOLDED FOR HOURS.

Second: organized by type/color/style/etc.

Take a peek...

But that's not all...

And a bit more up here...

And I wish I could say that was all. No pics but here's what else I have:

• 2 tubs of items to repurpose
• 2 tubs of baby flannel & minky
• 1 tub fleece
• 1 tub scraps and random fabrics

That's right. Too much fabric. Thus, the challenge. So, here is the count so you can keep me accountable! Let's watch it shrink, shall we? I'll be using my fabric journal to help!

How are you doing with the challenge?

The GREAT De-Stash Challenge

I've been buying a lot of fabric lately. I have plans for all of it. Truly, I do. The problem is, I'll never get around to completing those projects if I keep buying more fabric for new projects. So, I have decided to declare a state of emergency and start The GREAT De-Stash Challenge. 

The challenge:

1. Organize the stash. You'll keep buying fabric if you don't really know what you already have.

2. Use only fabrics from your stash or your repurpose pile. 

3. Decide the length of time or the amount of pile you'd like to reduce. 

I'm choosing to use 50% of my stash before buying more fabric. That's A LOT of fabric. I mean, A LOT. This is going to be difficult!

Care to join me? Do you complain about your fabric buying habits but continue to buy more? Maybe it's time to start using what you have! Before you head to the store for that "one piece" you need to complete a project, maybe you'll see that you have something in your stash that will complete the job just fine! If you'd like to take the challenge just leave me a comment! I've made some buttons if you'd like to post about it on your blog. Feel free to grab one! 

Planning ahead & begging for guest bloggers!

Can you believe it is July already?? Time is flying by! Just a few more months and I'll be holding our newest little babe and trying to figure out how to be a mom to four children 5 and under. It is sure to be a wonderfully crazy time in our lives. Because of this wonderful craziness that lies ahead, I'm trying to plan my blogging activity now. I'm also begging and pleading for help! So here is what you can expect in the months ahead.

July/August: Back to School: Expect a few tutorials and possibly another sew along. 

September: Sewing for baby: Do you have an original tutorial you'd like to share?

October: Baby Arrives! I'd love to have a few guest bloggers this month. No topic, just let me know what you'd like to share! Some possible ideas: Ways you teach your children about loving the people of the world, fun family activities, tutorials, ways you cope with stressful (newborn?) living, etc. See, the possibilities are endless. 

November: Sewing for Winter: Interested in guest posting or contributing a tutorial? Please contact me!

December: Faith & Love: We'll be continuing the tradition of the 25 Days of Giving. It is hopefully taking on more of a life this year (more on that later). I'd love to have contributors to share their experience with teaching children the meaning of Christmas and giving.

BiWeekly Column: Living Your Passions: I'm looking for a few guest bloggers so let me know if this topic is somethings you'd like to write about! I know a lot of you are very passionate about different things so please step up and share with us!

There is so much there I'm sure you'd love to contribute at some point (wink, wink). Help a tired mama out! If you are interested in joining in on some of this fun, please send me an email at TheTrainToCrazy (at) gmail.com

These are not the reasons I sew

I was trying to come up with a list of reasons I sew and I came up with a list of reasons that other people have, but I don't. So here goes.

• I don't sew to save money. My machines aren't cheap. Supplies aren't cheap. Oftentimes the clothes I make are way cheaper than off the rack, but taking into consideration all the excess fabric I have, the machines, the needles, supplies, etc., I'm not sewing to save money.
• I don't sew to fight against poor working conditions in the garment industry. Though I wish that was one of my reasons because that is awesome. 
• I don't sew to make money. My time as a mother is more valuable than the pennies I make selling things. I do, occasionally sell things I make, but not really to make money.

I think it just boils down to sewing because I enjoy it. Pretty simple. Do you sew? What is your motive?

My girls

My older girls were visiting family on the west coast for a whole week. My youngest and I spent our time doing puzzles and enjoying the neighborhood.

We even did a bit of this. I eat mine a bit differently, however. 

It's good to have the girls back now though. It's nice to have the noise back in the house. They were missed.

Completely unrelated, I'll be doing a product review soon from the company that brings you everything from bathroom vanities to strollers. I'm still deciding what I'll be reviewing but it will definitely be something that will be useful to me and probably something you're interested in. Well, maybe.

And then there was one...

You know when you have your first child and you wonder how in the world anyone can take care of more than one child? And then you have your second and you get a crash course in taking care of two at the same time? And then they get a little bigger and begin to play together and you wonder how in the world anyone can take care of just one child? That's where I am this week.

My mom took the older two on a nine hour airplane journey to spend a week at her house. Now I'm left with one clingy toddler whose playmates are gone. And we all know how fun clingy toddlers with no playmates are!

When we dropped my mom and older two girls off at the airport my little one didn't get to say goodbye and was devastated. We had to run her into the airport so she could kiss her sisters goodbye. Then when she got back to the car she started chanting "me, mommy, me, mommy" over and over. It was pretty cute to see her get excited to have me to herself but that cuteness has worn off a bit. I'll let you know how it goes!

(not so) subliminal messages

10/10/10 

Ducklings!

We participated in the Duckling Parade in Boston today. Oh my goodness. What is cuter than a whole bunch of ducklings following the Make Way For Duckling path to the Public Gardens? Well, this is.

That's right, 3 of the cutest ducklings showing off their feathers. 

Or hugging sisters.

Or maybe this.

It was so much fun making the duckling costumes. The little one is made from a cotton knit. The top is smocked as well as the very bottom. The ruffled bum used as much fabric as the entire dress. It was worth it. So cute.

 

The costume on my oldest, with the other ruffle bum, is made from a costume fake suede. I used this tutorial for the romper. I added 4 layers of ruffles on the bum. She wore a tutu under the romper to add volume.

 

The costume on my middle daughter is what the girls call the "fancy duckling." The dress fabric is a costume satin. The ruffles are chiffon. The dress is loosely inspired by this tutorial. There are yards and yards of ruffles that circle the dress. The bottom has elastic to give it shape. She is also wearing a tutu under the dress to give it volume.

 So, how about those ducklings?

  

The little moments

Enjoying the outdoors can be more fun when done with a special sister

Especially when she's your best friend

but sometimes it is nice to strike out on your own

and riding bikes wouldn't be as fun if you couldn't torment your older sister by tailgating

which is so annoying

      thankfully baby sisters are always willing to lend a hand

when she isn't drawing with her chalk

or having a quick snack

How was your Earth Day?

   

Daphne and the big dog

Now THAT is a big dog.

For a little perspective, Daphne is 41" tall. That dog's head has to be at least 4 feet off the ground!

Nasty viruses and new computers

I hope you haven't gotten this nasty virus going around. It lasts for days and days and days. Not just that but it has forced me to do somewhere between 20-30 loads of laundry in the last 7 days. Probably closer to 30. And I'm not done yet. But things are starting to look up. I'm hoping we're past it now. But in better news, I have a new computer on the way! It will, hopefully be in my hands by next week sometime!! Now that's worth cheering about. And just for fun, don't you love static?

A different kind of normal

You know when you go through weeks and feel like you haven't accomplished much? Well, I've been through a couple months like that. My goals had to be pared down. My ideas of what needed to get done daily had to be slashed. We went back to the basic needs. Everyone fed, everyone dressed, teeth brushed, and everyone bathed occasionally. And occasionally is being used loosely. 

Do you ever have times like that? Where something else gets in the way of what you think you should do or what you want to do? I think times like this are good for us, in a way. It is good to learn to relax on our expectations and be content with good enough. 

How has your normal been lately?

5 and sassy

My oldest daughter turned 5 last week. I think it is a requirement of 5 year old girls to have some sort of sassy edge to them. Of course, she isn't always sassy. Like the night a few days before her birthday when she cried because she didn't want to get older. 

But then there are days like this. Days when I'm trying to get a decent picture and this is the best I can get.

Wow. How old is she? 13? 

She is a girly girl. I'm not sure where she got it. I'm pretty sure nobody would ever say I'm a girly girl. Okay, I do wear the occasional pink sweater or shirt, but the point is that she is an individual. This is the birthday shirt she insisted on. The one I had in my shop wasn't "pretty enough" for her tastes. Then there are the matching pink pants with the pink ruffle down the side. I have to say that they were actually painful to make because they are so far from my style. But, she loves them so they are a success. They are definitely girly and pink! 

>

& Blue Cricket Designs

The sun is more than just a pretty object in the sky!

It is finally putting off some heat and we are defrosting! I'll be outside this week. Have a wonderful week!

Is it warm where you are? How are you enjoying your weather?

Reworking the reader. Again.

I mentioned a while back, somewhere, that I had reorganized my google reader and weeded out the blogs I don't read, or don't need to read. Well, the time has come to do it again. Don't worry, yours is still there. I cut some that I didn't think I'd cut though. Like Soule Mama. It doesn't really add anything to my life and we aren't friends so she's gone. I won't tell you who else I cut. But there were a lot of popular ones that I no longer feel connected with.

And while I think everyone should narrow down their reader, here are a few you should add if you don't have them already.

Be "The Hands and Feet" is amazing. I know many of you read Katie Davis' blog but Renee lives in Uganda as well and works reviving children suffering from severe malnutrition. Hours away from death she takes them into her home, feeds them every 15 minutes/24 hours a day if necessary and also teaches their parents about nutrition so that they can go back to their parents and thrive. Now THAT is something I can get behind! 

And are you reading Donald Miller's blog? While not every post is for you (unless you are a writer), he does have some EXCELLENT content. Really. Like his new project to change the world. I mean, THAT is something I can get behind! Of course, I still laugh thinking about his celebrity Amazon wish list.

And, while I'm on the subject of Donald Miller. I have a confession to make. I never finished Blue Like Jazz . I started off loving it, and then lost it. Literally. I had to pay $15 to the public library system, which I wasn't too happy about. I should have bought it off Amazon in the first place and saved myself a few bucks.

Of course you might already be reading this, but We Are That Family has been doing an excellent series on marriage (literally opening up their wounded souls to the world) and today she is heading to Kenya with Compassion International so I am looking forward to some gut wrenching, thought provoking posts coming soon.

And, because you can't read only thought provoking material, you must read Mama Sass because she's hilarious. And, I shouldn't say she isn't thought provoking because she IS! They'll just be thoughts of your crazy teen years and the awful jeans you wore or she'll make you think of all the stupid things you hate about facebook. You'll laugh anyway.

So there you have it! How do you decide which blogs to read?

Why blogging doesn't suck

Since I had my fit last week about why blogging sucks I thought I'd go ahead and say why it doesn't suck. So here goes.

1. It is fun. It is. 
2. You meet lots of people you would never have met otherwise. That's true too. People become your friends just starting out from reading blogs and emailing. 
3. You can say whatever you want, which isn't always fun, but you can do it.
4. You can constantly change the layout and the banner and the buttons and the links and it provides hours of entertainment =) Or is that just me?
5. You can actually make money. I've heard that's true at least. While I don't make zero money, it isn't anything to write home about. I think I'd have to put in a lot more time to make that a reality and I'm just not willing to make that kind of sacrifice. 
6. You learn so much "stuff" you wouldn't otherwise know just by reading and writing. Well, mostly from reading. It is hard to learn a whole lot of new stuff from yourself. Though, I suppose it is possible.

I know there must be more. Why do you like blogging?

Why blogging sucks

Do you like to read blogs? I do. I'm just going to go on the assumption that you do too. You're here after all. I also love to write this blog. I really do. I just have a few grievances so I'll just air them now.

Why blogging sucks:

1. It is a time suck. If I just journaled in my own personal journal it would take 1/10th the amount of time because who cares what the font likes and I don't have to keep checking back because nobody is going to respond.

2. People only comment on the light, fluffy stuff. This really disturbs me. I'm not going to lie. I know that most of you are subscribers because I sew and I highlight your crafts and sometimes make something cool myself, but I don't consider this a craft blog. It is much more. I really wish that I could inspire people. Inspire them to do more than just make cool clothes (I  hope I do that too) but more importantly I want to inspire you to care more, feel more, act more, BELIEVE more. I want you to understand that sewing and crafting and what you are wearing or where you are getting your clothes, it doesn't matter. Not really.

I think the thing that gets me fired up the most is that I just assume that when I pour out my heart and get 2 responses, it just means people read the first paragraph then their eyes glaze over and they move on, never reading the rest. I'm not vain enough to think that what I have to say is the best thing ever, but I'd really like to think that I have a voice. 

Perhaps the fact that I don't ride the fence gets some people. I just don't have it in me to hold your hand and tell you what you are doing is okay if it isn't. I just don't. If you are hitting your child with plumbers tubing, even if you are seeking to be a Godly person, EVEN if you believe God is telling you to parent this way, you are wrong. 100% of the time. Sorry, I just don't ride fences. If there are children starving I'm going to tell you to feed them.

3. Did I mention it is a time suck?

4. They aren't real life. I love your blog. I really do. Trust me. The thing is, you can say whatever you want about yourself, your life, your thoughts on your blog. You can make it all up if you want. Most times people pour out the good stuff into the blog, leaving me feeling as if that's all there is to you. And I get it, I really do. Most blogs are started as a way to keep up with family and long lost friends. There isn't space for your emotions or failures, but if you just show us a bit of that, we'll be more inclined to relate. Now, you don't have to be as open as Katey, Amy or April, but a little honesty goes a long way. Because, am I the only one who assumes (fill in the blank) isn't all she's written herself up to be? Just show me some passion! And don't think for a minute that I'm not guilty of filling this thing up with meaningless drivel. I do, usually when I'm hiding.

5. I just don't get why some blogs are as popular as they are. I understand why everyone hangs on every word Katie says, but why do so many people read Simple Mom? I know, I have her in my blog reader too, but really, why? Does it really make me a better person? Eh, no. Half the time I'm inclined to agree with my friend who says that Simple Mom is anything but simple.

And what about Dooce? I get that she's funny, and appears to be honest. But does she need to earn more than most doctors doing what she does because so many people read her? Eh. Probably not.

6. Because it is like opening a window to your soul, and that is scary. I don't mind the complete stranger reading my thoughts, I don't. But when people who love me and know me read my thoughts, it makes me a bit more nervous. Do you get that? So, I'll go ahead and be the first to admit I'm not soul bearer here. I keep a lot inside. I don't hesitate to spill a bit of passion here and splash it there though. That's the easy stuff. 

7. I just can't keep up with all your blogs. I try really hard, but when I prioritize my life I just can't do it. So if I'm a month late in congratulating you on your new whatchamacallit, then I am sorry. If I had so many blogs to catch up on reading that I just deleted them all from my reader rather than spend 3 hours catching up, I'm sorry. If I don't take the time to comment as much as you would like, I'm sorry for that as well, because I know you like comments as much as I do. And if you give me a blog award and I never post about it here, I'm sorry about that too.

...hmm.... perhaps it is the soul that is missing?

The kindergarten countdown

My baby will begin kindergarten this fall. Okay, my oldest baby, but she's still my baby. To the average person that is months and months away. To me, that is SO soon! There is so much to do! So many outfits to sew. I'm no LiEr so I have to start early. As a side note, did you notice she sewed 18 items of clothing and a backpack last week? Okay, someone get that lady a nap.

I'm thinking of making a few pieces really great (in my head) pieces. This is what I'm thinking so far.

This is from one of my Japanese sewing books. I just so happen to have some fabric that is nearly identical to the one in the photo. Lucky me!

And I'm going to attempt some pants as well. I have lots of different options for corduroy and bottom weights and denim. We'll just have to see what I come up with!

I've been collecting catalog photos of little items I love. I love this dress from Mini Boden. I'm thinking this fabric would look awesome as this dress. Of course, it will need to be lined. And I'm thinking a green or navy ribbon around the middle would be awesome. 

And these pieces caught my eye too. No fabric for inspiration yet though.

Of course, I have a bunch of other ideas and inspiration I'm tossing around in my head. I have a bunch of knit I want to do something with. 

I know a lot of you sew to be frugal. I wouldn't say that was my intention. I just love it. I'm not thinking I'll save money (because if you count the cost of my machines, really, who am I kidding?). And, my kids like wearing things I've made. Icing on the cake.  

So, let's start the countdown: 6 months, 0 items sewn.
  

Happy Birthday to me

It's my birthday. The Clothing Sew Along will have to wait until tomorrow because it isn't ready to post and I don't plan on spending the morning getting it ready. So, sorry! Also, I changed to a 2 column layout, what do you think?  Clearly I haven't centered the banner...

It has actually been a rough couple weeks around here. Between sickness and other things going on I haven't been able to accomplish the things I would have liked to. There have been a lot of things on my mind too.

Before I get to anything else, I'd like to say thank you so much to those of you who have donated to One Day's Wages for my birthday. I'm in shock that about half of those donations are from people I don't know, so THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart. Your donations will help people survive. That's a big deal. I hope you know that. There are NO administrative costs when you give to One Day's Wages.

And for everyone else, please consider donating. I'm donating $10 for every person that donates. I have sent out personal letters to friends and I've posted here and on facebook several times. If you've just been waiting to donate, well, today is the day!

I've been enjoying reading my dad's blog while he writes about his experiences in Liberia visiting my brother. It seems strange to think that some things surprise me so much. Like, imagine fishermen that can't swim, have no life jackets and no fishing nets or poles. And really, every post has something extremely interesting if you are an interesting person.

But I think the past few days my mind has been occupied by this story of these poor abused girls. The parents were followers of a certain "Christian" method of parenting that advocates for total control over your children. Spanking should be done relentlessly, and with rubber plumbing tubing, until the child is broken. I won't link to their website, because if you go there you are likely to become enraged like me. I read an article by the founder who talked about how the Bible detests "silliness" and as an example, said you should hit your 5 year old if she spills her snack because she didn't close the ziploc. WHAT? And what is worse is all the comments thanking her for her teachings. Sadly, the girl that died had been "disciplined" for mispronouncing a word. That sounds like you should beat her to death, right? 

I've read a number of bloggers talk about this incident and I've become rather disgusted with the number of people defending this type of parenting. I can't understand people abusing kids and saying it is in the name of Jesus. I just can't understand that. All I have to say is that the "teachings" are supposedly derived from the Old Testament in the Bible. Jesus's words are in total contradiction from what these people teach. Matthew 7:12 says "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Laws of the Prophets." So, if this sums up the Law of the Prophets, aren't these "teachers" missing something? I'll tell you what, I would never want someone to whip me with rubber tubing if I spill something. If I don't know how to prevent the spill, I'd sure like it if you would teach me, kindly. For an excellent read on this topic, check out Tulip Girl. UPDATE: And to make this hurt worse, Liberia (where my brother lives and where they are hoping to adopt their foster daughter) is now considering not reopening adoptions. People, STOP hitting your kids! 

Enough of that. Have you read Katie's last post? She titles it "my heart spilled" and oh boy did she. An excellent read, if you are up for it.

And for one last thing that has occupied my thoughts. A friend of mine posted on facebook the other day about how blessed she felt to have gotten a dishwasher. She remarked about how blessed we are in this country. I gave her the big thumbs up. Then, as is often the case on facebook, someone responded disagreeing with her. There must be one in every bunch, right? Well, this fellow thinks "we are not that blessed in this country, because, think of all the people and children that starve to death in this country". (this isn't a direct quote because my wise friend removed it from her wall) 

Think about that for a moment. What would prompt someone to say this? I like to attribute it to a countrycentric attitude. You know, our country is great and therefore we are more important than others. I don't know this man from Adam, so I can only project this might have been his reasoning to say we aren't that blessed in this country. Of course, not many people die of starvation in this country. Thankfully we have a decent system of safety nets that prevents starvation. I understand that there are lots of very poor people, hungry people. People suffering without homes, without the luxuries that we have. Fortunately, thanks to WIC, the School Lunch program, Food Stamps, Soup Kitchens and Food Banks, people don't starve. Unless of course, they are abused or for some strange reason are not accessing the resources available to them. 

I tried, I really tried to find statistics on the number of people in the U.S. who starve to death. I couldn't find any. None. So I asked this fellow the question on facebook. I responded simply "how many?" Of course, he graciously gave me a statistic to back up his original statement. It was something to the tune of "about as many as the number of brain cells you have left." Well, that wasn't very nice. 

But I do know that over 30,000 people die from starvation related causes daily worldwide. I also saw a statistic that says 15 million children die from hunger each year. Both are bad. 

So my question to you is, why, oh why, do we decide to put up a wall in our hearts, and deny that we live with excess? Why do sit back, watch the news and do nothing? I'm not really sure the answer. I grapple with it daily. I can certainly understand Katie's frustration, but I'm no Katie.

Big ol' thumbs up!

I mentioned that I was hoping this little guy would change my life. Guess what! So far, he has done his job! My little early waker loves the little green light so much that she'll stick around to see it come on. Sure, she gets a little antsy but it is working. So, if you hear the pitter patter of little feet in the wee early hours of the morning, go ahead, get yourself a OK to Wake! Children's Alarm Clock and Nightlight. Seriously. 

A kiss

Don't forget, for every new subscriber I'll donate $2 to One Day's Wages. For everyone that donates to ODW, I'll donate $10. Check out the details here. Spread the word.
 

Please read

Do your parents ever send you emails? I don't get emails from my parents very often. Some people might suggest this is because I talk to them on the phone every day. And they would be right. I haven't been able to call them in a few days. They left last Thursday to go visit my brother in West Africa for a few weeks. I'm jealous they get to hug my nephews and meet little Blessing. 

I received an email from my dad Saturday night. It was too good to keep to myself so he said I can share it with you. Please, please take the time to read this. There is a huge surprise at the bottom of this post as well.

"It is the middle of the night here and I can't sleep. It is hot and humid, but we do have air conditioning in our room that gets the temperature down to the high 70"s, but that isn't why I can't sleep. I have been crying, there I admitted it, I'm a grown man I shouldn't do that. I have been laying here thinking about our visit to an orphanage today. 

Rusty, Jamie and the boys took us to an orphanage that they regularly visit, I don't want to mention the name because it isn't about that particular orphanage, in fact Rusty says that it is the "Ritz Carlton" compared to most. When we entered the courtyard surrounded by high walls with razor wire on the top we were greeted by 10-15 happy children in clean, if well worn clothes, Gail was the first smiling girl I was introduced to, Rusty said she was deaf. Teddy was the next, I didn't notice at first that he couldn't walk, he walked on his knees dragging his feet behind him, He was smiling and so excited to see Rusty, Rusty had picked him up, that is why I hadn't noticed his handicap at first. 

After visiting with the kids in the courtyard we went in to see the babies. There were maybe 6 or 8 children there in clean cribs with mosquito nets hanging over them, they seemed quite happy. Jamie and Rusty knew all the kids by name and took time to touch and talk to each one. Then Rusty took me into the special needs room, there were three boys there, two with very swollen heads, Rusty told me the name of the condition, but i can't remember and even if I could I couldn't spell it. The third had "cerebral palsy" Rusty says that is what they call everything that they don't know what the child has. One of the boys with the swollen head was in obvious pain just lying there moaning. He was about 1 1/2 and Rusty said he had people waiting to adopt him and even thought there is a moratorium on adoptions the special needs children are proceeding, but Rusty doubted whether the paper work be done in time. 

We went back to the court yard where candy and glow sticks were handed out to great joy. The children sang some songs to us, one about how God was always with them and cared for them, Right there I wanted to jump up and swear something at God. I knew what the writer of some of the Psalms must have felt like when he shouted "Why God do you forsake your people!". I must say most of the children were healthy and well cared for, but I can't get that little boy out of my mind, with a loving home waiting for him why does he have to suffer there. 

Teddy with the brightest eyes and long eyelashes also has people waiting for him, and he will probably make it, but why does he have to crawl around building ugly calluses on his feet and knees? Why God why do the little ones have to suffer? They didn't commit any sins, there is no evil in them. I know that this world is fallen, that it is not how God created it, but it still hurts. I have to believe that it hurts God more than it does me, I have to, but it doesn't help. 

What can I do about a corrupt system that profits on suffering children and doesn't care? What can we do? I wish I knew, but I do know I'm very proud of Rusty and Jamie and the love they show to these children. Please pray, it is the only thing I can think of that can help this horrible situation. Pray that these children can get to loving homes, especially Teddy. 

By the way it is our 39th anniversary today, one I won't soon forget." 

I know that God calls us to take care of the orphans and to feed the poor, but how much do we really do from our comfy western lives? I know there is every excuse in the book why we don't help. Some are legitimate. "I don't want to give money that a corrupt government will steal." That is hard to argue with. It is. But, it isn't. 

Have you heard of One Day's Wages? This is an amazing new organization that's goal is to end extreme global poverty. Does that have your attention? Well, what do they do with their money? 

"ODW uses 100% of the money raised (minus transactions costs) to directly grant proven organizations, projects, and causes around extreme global poverty. While compassion is very important, our priority is not to give hand-outs but to carefully fund organizations, projects, and causes that empower the poorest of the poor to lift themselves out of poverty. While there must be numerous strategies to end extreme global poverty, we understand that money isn't the solution but rather, people."

This new organization is taking off like wild fire! Check it out, please. They have a fabulous Board of Directors and the founders are wonderful people. 

I'd like to also encourage you all to go to their website and donate. If you donate leave me a comment and I will donate $10 for everyone that tells me they donated. This is on the honor system friends. On top of that, for every new subscriber I get between now and my birthday (February 22nd), I'll donate an additional $2. It's that easy. Spread the word. And wouldn't this be something you'd like to see in The Mirror?

If you don't use a blog reader and don't know how to subscribe I suggest Google Reader. To read more of my dad's thoughts, you can head over to his blog.

Week in review

Whew! It has been a busy week.

It started off Sunday night with the filming of my first ever video tutorial. Wow was that uncomfortable to post! It was good to get nice feedback though :) Hopefully it will help someone now or down the road.

Monday we kicked of the Clothing Sew Along. I'm so excited about this. I have the schedule all set out but I think I'm going to combine weeks 2 and 3 because there is no reason to keep them separate. I'm not sure anyone will notice.

Then Monday night I went to Kindergarten orientation. Are you kidding me? Already? I'm not sure I can handle it. I'm 95% sure I'm sending her, but that 5% still nags me. She'll love it though, I'm 93% sure of that.

My youngest is recovering from an ear infection while attempting to bring a few molars into the house, so you can just imagine how that has been going...

Thursday Blessing had her surgery. Infectious smile before but this sure is an amazing after picture!

Thursday also started the weekly Make it, Wear it blog carnival/party/linkup/whatever you want to call it. I was excited to see how many links there were! Join in will you? The MckLinky is still open. Stop by next week to see who I feature!

I've been working on a few sewing projects but nothing is finished. I'm a little hesitant to show any of them because they are all gifts. I'm pretty sure the recipient of this one won't be reading my blog though so I'll give you a peek at this.

This is the first time I've used my embroidery machine for much of anything so it was pretty exciting. I still need to attach the flowers, obviously. This is a gift for a little girl whose dad is just hours away from getting on a plane to Uganda. He'll be there for a month doing medical work so say a prayer for Matt! Thank God for doctors like him who give up time with their families to help those in the third world!

And today I'll be leading a craft at my mom's group. For the record, I'm not really crafty, I sew. But I've settled on the clipruler because it was easy to prepare, I already had most of the supplies and it is useful. Three cheers for the clipruler! 

Have a great weekend! For more sewing inspiration, check out Amy Lou Who!

Blessing Update

Thank you all so much for your kind words and prayers for Blessing. She had her surgery today and it went very well. She is home sleeping now. Praise God! Please go read all the details. Here she is before and after surgery. 

Isn't that amazing? Much thanks to Children's Surgery International and Smile Train who have performed more than 130 surgeries in 4.5 days in Liberia.

I'm linking to You Capture, even though I didn't technically take these pictures (and Beth may delete my entry) because the theme this week is faces, and seriously, what a better way to celebrate faces than this one?

The Mirror: a story

She sat back at the end of the day, fixated at herself in the mirror. The tired eyes didn't tell the story at all. When she looked deep she could see so much more than that. 

A tear formed as she noticed the way she had responded to frustration earlier in the day. She could see that she had been quick to become angry. It was obvious she had yelled when she should have taken a deep breath and collected herself.

Though as ashamed of those moments as she was, it was nothing compared to the smaller, sneakier things. The way she snapped at the kids because the cars were all over the house, again. The time she closed the drawers just a little too hard because the "scissors aren't where they are supposed to be." The time she said "just stop crying, you're NOT hurt!." The moment the little one's behavior screamed "I need a hug" and her behavior screamed "I'm busy." Those little moments she would have forgotten if she were not looking into the mirror.

Could she take it all back? Would tomorrow be better? Would her teaching words be able to make up for her actions? A deep weight settled in. Could she ever be good enough? 

So she watched the mirror, well, mirrors, reenact what they had been taught. They ways they had been shown to handle their anger and frustration. The way they'd been taught to ignore one another's request for compassion and love. The way they'd been taught to be unforgiving and resentful. And then something beautiful happened. The mirrors hugged and said, "I love you." And just then she remembered all the good and beautiful things she had done. The ways she had shown love and forgiveness and self control. And she remembered that she was forgiven, in a way she could never forgive. 

The oldest mirror ran up and hugged her. Little hands reaching around her neck. And she knew, she knew that tomorrow was another day. Another day to show love and self control and to make up for the things she hadn't gotten quite right today. Another day to make new mistakes. Another day to learn and grow and find peace within herself. 

Shared with Tuesday's Unwrapped 

The best smile

This is my niece, Blessing.

 
Can you keep her in your prayers? She'll be undergoing surgery next Thursday thanks to The Smile Train.  

Did you know that in many countries around the world babies born with cleft lip and cleft pallet are thought to be cursed and often discarded? This is the story of my niece. Can you imagine discarding this beautiful child? Thank the Lord she was not killed by her mother or village at birth. Thank the Lord someone in her village had the good sense to call an orphanage and ask them to come pick her up when she was a month old and not being fed. Thank the Lord my brother and sister-in-law were able to foster this little Blessing. Thank the Lord she is now able to eat (with difficulty) and gaining weight. Thank the Lord she was chosen to have surgery. 

This surgery gives children in the third world who are born with cleft lip and cleft pallet a chance at life. A chance they would not otherwise have. 

While we cannot understand why someone would believe that a child was cursed because they have cleft lip or cleft pallet, we can understand the need for surgery. We can understand that a parent in the third world could work their entire life and never be able to afford this surgery. While you say a prayer for my niece, can you consider giving so that more children will be able to have this life altering and sometimes life saving surgery?

Because, while this smile is infectious...

 ...the surgeries ahead of her are necessary.

We love you Blessing and I can't wait until the day I can actually hold you in my arms! Your cousins are praying for you!

And while you are praying with us, can you pray that my brother and sister in law will be able to adopt Blessing? Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

A whole new world

I have to say, I've discovered a whole new world of crafty link up parties. I have a few impressions...

A. There are a lot of them. A lot.

B. The same people link to many of them. Sometimes people will post the same blog post to 8 to 10 different link ups. This means more exposure for them, but it is fairly annoying.

C. They are mostly too broad. It is hard to go through 300 links and find the things you are actually interested in seeing. Don't get me wrong, I love a cute furniture makeover but I'm probably not going to be painting a wall or even a picture frame anytime in the near future. I think it is amazing those of you that can do that but if I'm going to spend 20 minutes looking through links for inspiration I want to maximize my time. Which brings me to D.

D. Where are the purely "sewing things you wear" link ups? I'd start one, but seriously, 3 people would link, and that would depress me!

Completely unrelated, I'm floating an idea in my head. There have been many, many people who have told me that they have a sewing machine but "could never" sew what I sew. Well, the thing is, I'm not special, and I think anyone can learn to sew what I sew. I'm pretty sure about that. And I'd love everyone to be able to sew what I do. Have you seen a Quilt-A-Long? I'd love to do a clothing sew-a-long if anyone is really interested. We could take it step by step and simplify the process a little. Send me an email or a comment if you want to!

Thank you!

Wow, what a great response to my dress! Thank you all so much. You are too kind. 

A few of you asked me about the pattern. It is a McCall's M5804 view B. Overall the pattern was fairly easy. It is fully lined so it takes a bit of time but I think it is worth it. 

I'm working on a few more things right now that I'll have to show you later when they are completed. Nothing as complicated as a dress though. I'm definitely going to make another one soon. It is a lot of fun to wear what you make.

In other news, we've had a rough time around here. Starting on Wednesday night while we were on vacation the baby started having a hard time breathing and developed a cough. We came back home Thursday and drove right into the doctor's office. After tests and x-rays we were on our way back home. How wonderful is modern medicine? While babies don't like to be nebulized it sure is convenient to be able to do that at home. So, after many doses of Albuterol and Motrin and Tylenol a few days of being forced liquids she is finally starting to turn toward the better. Still wants to be held constantly and is very cranky, but she's drinking on her own so that's a good thing. I HATE having to hydrate a baby with a syringe. For some reason they just don't like it either...

So now I'm off to do a week's worth or regular laundry plus our snow clothes and sheets and towels and probably wash a bit of my sanity as well. 

The girls sorted the clothes for me last night in the basement and on their way up the stairs I over heard this conversation;

"That was so fun!"

"I know! What a fun day!"

"I love doing laundry!"

I hope they still feel that way when they are 8 and it is their permanent job! Hmmm, maybe 7.

Where I am

We're in the grandest old hotel I've ever been inside. You can just feel the history when you enter. When you walk inside you can all but see the turn of the century activity and hear the noise from the speakeasy below the lobby. 

Did I mention the history? This is the plaque on our door.

And the view is wonderful.

Yes, it was snowing this morning. What a great day to get out and ski! Except for this.

Yes, that is one sick little kitten. She threw up all night and bless her heart she made it to the bathroom almost every time. Thank you little one. 

So, that's why I'm sitting inside this grand hotel instead of enjoying the snow. Maybe tomorrow...

What Winter means here

If I am to take a picture of winter it must look like this:

Hat. Gloves. Hat. Neck warmer. Coat. That's Winter here.

What is Winter like in your neck of the woods? Or is it Summer where you are?

For more winter shots check out You Capture. 

Early rising

Everyone knows that you feel better when you get up early and take on the day. At least, I know that. I'm sure you do too, somewhere. We also know that getting up before our kids is a great way to get ready for the day. We know that, somewhere, deep down. The problem is, well, early is early. You know what I mean?

This week Rachel @ Small Notebook wrote about how she has decided to go to bed earlier and wake up earlier. Then on that same day Lindsay @ Passionate Homemaking wrote about maximizing your mornings. I totally agree with everything they say. I'm totally not applying it right now. Maybe soon. I always think it would be good to get back into a good morning routine.

Is it fair to use my children as an excuse? Maybe it is my fault ultimately, but they keep me up a lot. If it isn't one, it's another. If it isn't them, then I can't sleep because I've forgotten how after so many sleep deprived years. Maybe I'll be sleeping well when they go off to college. Okay, maybe that's dramatic considering nobody has entered Kindergarten yet. But still. My point is valid. 

I used to be a sleeper. I could sleep anywhere, anytime. There are pictures of me sleeping on stairs, couches, on people, in cars. Everywhere. People would complain they couldn't watch a movie with me because I'd always fall asleep. I've fallen asleep in movie theaters. I slept through so many classes in High School. In fact, I used to sleep in college too. There were more than a couple occasions where I had a power nap in the middle of a long final exam. A little sleep clears your head and really helps you push through that exam! But I digress...

My point is that I used to sleep and I used to be a morning person. Since I've brought children into the house I have the hardest time sleeping, even when I really, really want to. My body has forgotten how to sleep through the night. Really, I think that is the issue. So, how do I get through this and become a morning person again? How do I get my little behind out of bed when I wake up in the morning rather than laying in bed enjoying the warmth and coziness? 

The way I see it, there are 3 things hindering my early morning bushy taledness.

1. There is usually a sleeping child laying across me when I wake up. 

2. I hate waking up children before they want to be awoken, it is like cursing the day.

3. I'm tired because of said sleeping child laying across me's nighttime floppiness. 

There, I said it. She has to go, again. I got her out and she was sleeping in her own bed for at least 2 glorious weeks but the ear pain and teething pain and a cold all collided and landed her back in my bed.

So there you have it. I am doomed to being lazy in bed in the mornings. Life is rough.

Where I'm at

I mentioned that I have a "to do list" for this new year. Well, here is where I'm at on the list.

Read the Bible in 90 Days. Will you believe that I am on track? And can I tell you how incredibly dull it gets in Leviticus? I was totally relieved that Numbers is full of excitement. Okay, it isn't. I'm trying to read it focusing on just learning about God. It all seems so foreign, and disgusting to talk on and on at lengths about animal sacrifice. And the rules, oh the rules. Many of them feel bizarre. But, the good news is that I am reading it, following through and I'm glad.

Quite a few people have mentioned that it seems too ambitious, or strange, to read the Bible in such a short period of time (or at all) but I'm enjoying reading it like a novel. It really is a great literary work. 

Sew something for myself. Oh yes, I'm doing this and so far so good! You'll have to wait to see the final product though! 

Learn how to use my serger... um, I broke it. Or, it broke itself, or something like that. Thankfully it came from Costco!! I love Costco. I've ordered a new one. But it isn't from Costco. I ventured into the world of sewing machine stores and fell in love with a very special machine. I'll get it next week and I am so excited. If you are looking for the best prices in Boston for a sewing machine I highly recommend this place! 

Organize the education and craft cabinets. DONE! 

By the way, today is National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Please take some time to educate yourself today. Here are some suggested places to start.

Children's Hope Chest

One Day's Wages

Now, how are you doing on your New Year's list?

Things strangers do

I'm thinking about starting a new blog completely devoted to the idiotic things strangers say and do. You know what I'm talking about? What is WITH people? Why do people feel compelled to act like know it alls and idiots in public? Chances are you are screaming AMEN right about now. Okay, maybe I shouldn't call them idiots but seriously... Here is my latest.

My daughters were filing out of the clown car when my oldest (4.5) was just swinging her legs out and the lady in the car next to us started closing the door on her. I yelled 

"STOP! My daughter is getting out!" 

You know her response?

"I know, but I'm in a hurry."

HUH? Oh, well, then go ahead and crush her legs. Don't worry about anyone else but yourself... I am pretty sure the mama bear stare down made her see the error of her ways. She ended up sticking around long enough to open the door back up for my daughter and then ask her if she needed help getting out. So she redeemed herself, I guess.

We were heading in to see the doctor so we walked through the garage, entered the building where we waited for the elevator. When we got on there were a couple other people in it so the girls walked in and stood quietly waiting to arrive on our floor. The elevator stopped on a different floor and a couple moved on in, in spite of the lack of space. The man then proceeded to move WAY in and pay no mind to the two little girls standing quietly in the corner. I thought he would stop moving in at some point but he kept backing up into them until my girls were squished face to face and crammed against the wall. 

They just looked at me helplessly and considering we only had another 20 seconds in the elevator I decided just to smile at the girls and not make a big deal out of it. Knowing my girls, I just wanted to get through the experience without anyone crying. Mission accomplished. I hope the man who disregards the personal space of children enjoyed his elevator ride. Perhaps he'll run into the lady in a hurry...

I think I'll head on over and see if I can snatch up whydostrangersinsistonsayingtherudestthingstomotherswithchildren.com is available. 

And if you are ready to have your jaw drop to the floor, go read what the stranger said to Lynn's girls. 

What have strangers said or done to you lately?

Eating my way into the new year!

Happy New Year! It's that time of year when every blog goes one of two ways. They either tell you HOW to make new goals for the year, or they tell you WHAT the goals are. Well, I am certainly not telling you how. You can go to Simple Mom or Organizing Your Way for that. No weight loss goals or eating goals here. You can go to The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans for that. And I certainly don't talk about budget goals. Better luck checking out Nikki at Domestic Cents or Money Saving Mom. For parenting goals it is best to read Megan at Simple Kids' ideas for engaged parenting (excellent, if I might add).

No, you won't find any of that here. Here you'll find my modest lists of things I'll do this year. Not resolutions, not exactly goals. Just a list I hope to complete early in the year and move on to other things. So here you have it.

What I'll read, and actually finish reading this year:

The Bible in 90 Days. I'm starting today.

Crazy Love by Francis Chan

The Irresistible Revolution by Shane Claiborne. My brother gave me a copy of this a couple years ago and I've yet to crack it open.

Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

and hopefully a fluff book or two thrown in if I can.

What I'll sew:

Crate covers for our toy crates

Wall pockets

A shirt for myself, imagine that.

A skirt or two for myself. Double imagine that!

And hopefully much more...

What I'll learn:

How to use lighting in photography

How use my serger for more than just a basic stitch

What I'll organize:

Our learning and craft cabinets. Oy!

Our basement. Double oy!

To ski. Oddly enough, I've only been skiing once in my life.

What I'll make:

My almost 5 year old's baby book. I'm hoping to start it soon and finish before she turns 5!

Our 2009 photo book. And the plan is to get it done before December this year.

That's it. That's all I'm committing to. Now I'm going to go eat more of this:

Incidentally, I did a taste test of different peppermint bark recipes and this one is my favorite. Phenomenal. Way more than just a couple layers of chocolate and oh so easy. 

 

Time for change

As the new year approaches I've been reconsidering the multiple personalities of my blog. I just haven't been that into it lately, to be honest. I'm bored with it. So, things are a changin'. You'll notice less of some stuff, more of other stuff. I guess you'll just have to wait and see... Mostly I just want it to have a clearer purpose. I hope that will be evident. If you only stop by to read about my kids and find out about our zoo trip you may be disappointed. If you want to know how to get your kids to go to sleep, you'll be disappointed as well. I still don't know how to do that. 

My new banner is up. If you are reading this in your blog reader you can just click on through and see it. I like it. 

You'll also notice that my full disclosure statement is up. Left hand column, under the paid advertising. Not that you care to read it, but it is there, thanks to the FTC.

And speaking of the disclosure statement and the paid advertising, feel free to frequent any of the advertising in my side bar. It is much appreciated. If you would like to advertise your shop or site just let me know. Bargain basement prices here.

Okay, in the spirit of full disclosure, I know how to get my kids to sleep. I just don't know how to get them to sleep in their beds all night. There, I said it.

Be forewarned that I'm still tinkering with the blog and you may stop by to have it look rather wonky from time to time. Just stay with me, I'm indecisive. 

And there you have it.

There was blood everywhere

The girls and I made some treats and delivered some to the neighbors after dinner. We got all bundled up for our 10 foot journey outside. Did you know that even if you are walking 10 feet it still takes 10 minutes to bundle up? Incredible. I decided to knock a couple minutes off our time and told the older girls they didn't need to wear hats.

I opened our front door to head out. This is the sight we saw.

Did I mention that the "treats" were peppermint bark? Oh, how I love peppermint bark. Too much. That is why we were taking half to the neighbors. I was a bit afraid I'd finish off the rest by myself. It is good. Oh so good. I'll share the recipe at some point. I wasn't really sure if a picture of peppermint bark would still look tasty next to this one.

Have I mentioned how great our neighbors are? There are 3 boys living there. A 5 year old, a 13 year old and I think the other is 11. The boys shoveled our front walk and sidewalk for us on Sunday. All 11 inches of snow! Well, when we got outside Arthur helped out, but how sweet are they. Truth be told, I think they were having fun shoveling. I'll let you know if they are still enjoying it in February. At any rate, I thought they deserved a treat. So I shared my beloved bark.

Oh, and leaving the hats off the girls was a bad move. They complained for 10 feet there and 10 feet back. Of course.

So, the door. Can you believe that?? I was in shock. There I was, standing with my girls and our glass door was absolutely disgusting. Do I clean it up before we go? How do I keep Maggie out of it. After all, she has wanted to be held all afternoon. There wasn't much of a chance she'd just hang out while I cleaned up the mess. 

I opened the door and saw the mess had dripped onto our welcome mat. Well, now I'm angry. I'm not sure that will come out. I decided that I couldn't get them all across the mess without them stepping in it so I cleaned up a bit. Thankfully Maggie stayed out of it.

We took the candy next door and I helped everyone step over "the red" so it didn't get on anyone's boots. Phew. Their boots have bunny faces on them. How bad would that look with red streaks? 

I finally was able to clean up most of it (the part that wasn't frozen to the door) after they went to bed. I'm upset though. I had really liked this.

Well what did you think it was? The truth is, a window above our entry door was leaking all day (and the landlord still hasn't come by to check it out). I hadn't thought to move the wreath. Once it was wet it froze to the glass. It came off the front door and just stuck to the glass door. Nice.

Don't forget to enter to win a Mei Tai baby carrier! 

Christmas memories

I love Christmas. I know that isn't always the case with people. I know quite a few people who really don't like it. Some that dread it and some that are a bit indifferent. And then there are the people that LOVE it. Most people fall into one of those categories. 

I happen to love it. I have great memories as a child of Christmas. I loved everything about it. I've been trying to recall what my favorite part of Christmas was. It is hard to choose! I loved waking up early, debating with our parents about what time we could wake them up, opening stockings, spending time with my family, seeing my cousins and grandparents, playing with new toys. I loved it all (except the food, but that's a different story). 

But I think if I'm really honest, my favorite memories are of the night before Christmas. Not Christmas Eve, but the actual night before Christmas. I could never sleep. Never. And fortunately for me, my brothers could never sleep either. I loved staying up all night with them. I'm sure it wasn't really all night, but it felt like it. A few years my youngest brother would sleep in my room, or maybe I'd sleep in his, and we'd hang out. I don't remember what we did. Maybe we played Super Mario Brothers. Maybe we talked, maybe we didn't. I'm not sure, but I remember I loved it. Every minute of it. 

I think it surprised me to think of that as my favorite memory of Christmas because I loved presents. I really loved opening them and playing with them and anticipating them. Like I said, I couldn't sleep. But if THAT was my favorite memory, how easy is it to parent a kid through special holidays? Is it possible that it really is the interaction and special moments that is important? 

What is your favorite memory from Christmas?

Give yourself a little

Christmas is all about Jesus. We celebrate Jesus' birth. Do you know why Jesus was born? He came to earth to bridge the divide between God and people. He essentially became the footbridge. The WAY to God is through Jesus. Jesus came to forgive us for not being perfect, because people aren't. And we can't be with God unless we are, so I guess he is the footbridge of Grace. 

While we are celebrating this gift we could never repay, this grace, don't forget to give yourself a little. The season is often stressful. Those of you who write lists probably have many lists going. Things to do, things to buy, people to write, places to go, traditions to uphold, etc. etc. The problem is that we get bogged down in all the things we need to do and forget why we are doing these things in the first place.

I have intentionally not mentioned the 25 Days of Giving since the beginning of December. The last thing any giving activity should be is a chore, or something you think you SHOULD be doing and feel overwhelmed or guilty about. So if you set out to try the 25 Days of Giving and you find there are days when it is too stressful, you are too busy, or you are losing focus of why you do it then give yourself some grace. There is no tradition, even those rooted in the best intentions, that needs to be upheld if you can't focus on why you do it.

So if the kids each spill their milk, paint the walls and poop on the floor before 7 a.m., maybe give yourself some grace and focus on God by resting.

The little issue of Santa

Do your kids believe in Santa? Check out why we never told Naomi that Santa sneaks into our house on Christmas Eve.

2007

 

2008

(If you could see Daphne's face you'd know she was freaked out too) 

2009

Even though she is nearly 5 she is still terrified of Santa. She really held it together. I know she tried really hard. I love the contrast of Daphne's face. Priceless. And check out Maggie!

 

Christmas from the heart

A friend posted on facebook the other day about her dilemma between trying to live simply and also trying to support the local small businesses in this economy. It is an interesting dilemma. If nobody spends any money then the economy gets worse and less people have jobs and the economy gets worse and the third world gets poorer and on and on. Yes, I realize this is a simplistic version of reality.

My take on it is to not give up buying or giving entirely. Make a Christmas budget. Give the first portion to organizations that feed, clothe and take care of people's medical needs. Then, because we have to spend some money, buy intentionally. Meaning, don't just go out to the local Stuffmart and blow your budget in the dollar aisle (though it is SO tempting). Here is my take:

• Buy supplies and make gifts. 
• Buy handmade or gifts that support a cause. (that's right, go ahead and click through each of those links and do a bit of Christmas shopping) I guess you could also throw local shops in here as well. After that,
• Support Amazon.com. Okay, that's a bit of a joke, kind of. 

I've read some good stuff about christmas shopping lately.

Jude at Pajamas are Clothes gets on her soapbox. It's a great soapbox. 

Donald Miller's Amazon wish list is one of the funniest things I've read recently. Please read it.

And, completely unrelated to Christmas, have you read Katie Davis' latest post? Challenging, for sure. I'm not sure I entirely agree with her but maybe I should.

What do you think? What is your take on how and where we should buy gifts for Christmas?

25 Days of Giving Kick-Off

  Can you believe it is December 1st? Are you ready to prepare your hearts, minds and children for Christmas? I am pumped up this year and I hope you are too. 

Just joining us? We are starting the 25 Days of Giving, which is a daily celebration of giving of ourselves. We are taking advantage of the days leading up to the celebration of Jesus to teach our children the true meaning of Christmas. Tired of your children opening their Christmas presents and then asking if there are more? Frustrated that your children think Christmas is Santa's birthday? It isn't too late to jump on this train! I've written some helpful posts to get you started. 

What is the 25 Days of Giving?

What are some free (or nearly free) activities we can do?

What are some ways we can use our money and resources to give in a way that children understand?

The holidays stress you out? Worried that this will take too much time to organize or will feel unnatural?  Here is a list of 25 activities for you! Just print them out and chose one a day!

Is life hectic for you right now? New baby in the house, 17 house guests? You don't need to do this every day if that doesn't work with your life right now. Last year I had a one month old baby and believe me, there were more than a few days we didn't stick to our schedule and that is okay! This isn't about adding another thing to your "to do list." 

I've heard from nearly a dozen of you that you will be joining us this year and that is so exciting! I'd love to hear more about your ideas!

How are you planning to introduce this to your family?

How are you connecting the idea of giving to Christmas?

Do you plan to document your 25 Days of Giving? We'd love to read about it! 

And finally, there will be a giveaway again this year. The winner will be among those of you who join us on this journey, whether it be for just a handful of days or the full 25 days. Hint: make sure to let me know you are joining us! Once again, this will not be a traditional giveaway but you'll just have to wait to find out what it is!

Come on, say hello. It's about dessert.

Alright, I know that there are A LOT more readers out there that have never commented on my blog. I thought I'd give you a chance to comment. I'm throwing you a softball. Really, it's an easy question, but you have to answer! 

So here is the question. What holiday dessert do you absolutely love? And don't say you don't like any because that can't possibly be true. It doesn't even need to be a real holiday dessert but maybe just something that you have on holidays.

Now here is my answer. It is quick and easy.

Chocolate peanut butter balls. Oh my goodness these are so good you really must make them this year.   Please forgive me for tempting you if you have peanut allergies in your house. And trust me when I say that even though this picture might look good, the first bite is 10 times better than the picture looks and the second bite is even better than that. My mom always makes these around Christmas and we line up around the block to get them. I've made them the past few years and I'm sure we'll be making some more this year. And trust me when I say this recipe is 100% better than any other peanut butter ball recipe you'll find out there. Trust me on this one. 

And here is the new Christmas treat I'll be attempting this year. 

Peppermint bark.  Yes, I'm hoping with all my hope that it tastes just like this. Because this, my dear friends, is just how I imagine heaven would taste. Probably. We were given a box of this one time and we didn't open it and even considered giving it away because we aren't really peppermint people. Is that a type of people? Anyway, we decided to taste it before passing it on and OH MY. Needless to say the price is a bit inhibitive so I'm going to try to make this heavenly goodness. I'll let you know how it goes.

So, back to you. What treats do you like during the holidays?

Have you noticed...

...that rounded corners are now really trendy ever since P Dub featured them? I know a few of you were doing it before then, and I actually quite like them. So, here is my first (and probably last) rounded corners photo. Not that there is anything wrong with them...

And by the way, I know Thanksgiving isn't over yet but I've waited as long as I could to put up my Christmas banner.

Reconsidering

I love the title of my blog. I really do. But, in all seriousness, I wish I had named it The Train FROM Crazy because isn't that what it is all about? Finding your way out of the crazy, into the calm? Journeying into a life of inner peace and grace. Though, on most days, I really do feel the train pulling into a station clearly marked Crazy. And frankly, I don't often do what needs to be done to leave that station. 

Life is always a bit chaotic for me. Sure, I know that comes with the territory. Having a 1, 3, and 4 year old isn't easy. But it doesn't need to be quite as hard as it seems. I don't mind the outer chaos. It is the inner chaos that disturbs me. Sometimes I have lists of lists of things to do. Do you ever do that? Make a list of all the lists you need to write? I'm talking about lists of good things, things like reading and creating and playing. Things like pick up your bible. But they don't get done. Not always. I've thought, in the past, that if I could only check things off a list, I will feel that inner peace. I've prioritized things I need to get done and things I want to get done. I've let things slide during certain seasons of life when they needed to. But still no peace. I've seen a lot of systems, bought a lot of books, but I know where the problem lies. It is me. It is.

I'm always in the way. Always thinking. Always becoming overwhelmed and frustrated. Always avoiding the things that truly matter. The things that will bring the peace I really need. My problem is, I know how to fix it. I just don't. Not always. I can't seem to take that step when I need to.

Are you like me? Do you find yourself getting in your way? Do you know where the peace is but fail to reach for it?

For he himself is our peace... 

Ephesians 2:14