Neglected, but not forgotten...

My blog has been neglected for the past two years (at least!), while I got on with navigating this thing called life.  Before my eyes, my children went from children to adults (almost completely) and what they wanted and, importantly, needed from me changed drastically.  There were growing pains for us all.  Here's the thing:  I've loved being a stay-at-home mom.  I know not everyone does and that's okay, but for me, I've loved it.  I felt like I was exactly where I was supposed to be and where I wanted to be.   I never resented the opportunity costs associated with staying home. 


Change is inevitable and unavoidable and, if I'm honest, to be desired.  After all, if I've done my job correctly, my children will be independent, capable individuals who will not need me to wait in the wings, managing their lives from the shadows.  And, if the past few years have been any indication, I've done a terrific job.  My children are fascinating individuals, each charting a different path, as they wind their way toward adulthood.  I couldn't be more proud of them for bravely charting their courses (and I'm pretty proud of myself for letting go of the reins so they could!).  They've taught me so much...I continue to be transformed by the privilege of raising them.


A quick recap of the kids, and then they won't be here much (adult privacy and all that!):  Charming has been living out of the house for almost 6 years and will be 25 next month.  He's a terrific person who is teaching himself piano and programming in his free time...oh, and he's getting ready to run his first half-marathon.  Valiant is going to be 20 next month and is a Junior at EWU with a goal to finish with two degrees (one in Mechanical Engineering and one in Physics)...yeah, he didn't get that from me.  When he's not at school or work, he's contemplating Descarte or religion and is active in his church.  Buttercup will be 17 in two months...she's attending both the local junior college (through Running Start) and our local high school, where she throws javelin and does all sorts of creative things with pottery.  When she's not at school or work, she can be found tooling around in her little truck, most likely headed to or from one gym or another, or headed off to a sporting event.  (Oh, yeah, she's pretty darned pleased by the Carolina Panthers right now...she's a fan.)


So, back to my blog...now that you know where I've been, I hope you'll forgive my absence.  I have been doing so much, I'm eager to get back to sharing it with you.  Random thoughts, sewing projects (I'm pretty proud of my progress!), my CrossFit fails (a shoulder injury a few years ago seriously derailed me...still no pull-up, darn it!!), mostly grain-free recipes (Amish Baked Oatmeal is still a morning favorite--haven't given up oats entirely!), DIY, and anything else that occurs to my blogging mind.


Anyway, to the people who asked (last year!) where I got the wheels for my New Craft Table, my husband just found them at Home Depot.  They're nothing special, you could use any that will support the weight of your table.


That's it for now...have a great day!

Blogging your way through life's transitions...

My friend DarcyLee named her now-retired-blog "In This Season".   The title described her blog's mission...to help her work her way through a new stage in her life, one in which her role was being redefined as her children aged up and out of the house.  Her blog helped her work through this time, celebrating her past role and learning to love her new one.  Then it became superfluous and in her life's priorities, it fell off the list.  Completely understandable, don't you think?

As for me, I found blogging for the same reasons...my oldest child was headed off to college and it was clear he'd not be living at home full-time after he finished.  Suddenly, it was clear, this job I've loved so much had an expiry...and that was something I'd never spent much time thinking about.   I was also hungry to learn new things...things about cooking, gardening, and home-making in general.  It has been two years now that I've been blogging and I'm beginning to think my transition is almost complete. 

I still love reading blogs and learning new things, but I don't feel as if I'm working through things anymore.  I don't feel as compelled to write it all down, to sift through it all.   With Superman overseas, I know my blog will continue because he loves reading about all the things we do around here and I have fun sharing it with him, but I suspect my blog will become even more random.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I'll completely understand if this is not what you're looking for in a blog...a little of this and a little of that.

Monday Musings - Nothing to Say

Do you ever find yourself in that weird place wherein you have so much on your mind and really nothing to say?  If you do, then you'll be able to relate to where I am these days.  That is where I'm living.  There is so much going on that I'm thinking about...decisions, plans, hopes, dreams, struggles...and nothing I'm talking about.  I'm living in my mind.  I don't have a lot to contribute to conversations because the dialogue I'm having with myself is taking all my thought capacity.   Kids, house, and mental dialogue.  That is all that is going on in my world these days.

One of the things I've been thinking about (and talking with my kids about) is this article I read.  It is all about a Seattle family who is allowing/encouraging/supportive of their five year old son wearing tights, tiaras, and dresses.  The mother wrote a book call "My Princess Boy".  I'm struggling with this (not that it is my problem/situation/concern, you understand, but it joined the mental fray) because I understand her desire to make her son feel okay about who he is, but I'm not sure that what she is doing is actually helpful.  I don't know.  What do you think?

Oh, and as a random tip...one of the blogs I read suggested spraying the inside of your toilet paper roll with perfume (as a way to use up old perfume) to freshen your bathroom every time you turn the roll.    Not a bad idea...I used the perfume I had and worked well.  Weird, I know.

Buttercup has taken to wearing leg-warmers on her arms as sleeves.   Since I saw a number of sleeve  tutorials last year, I guess she's not the only one.  Who knew? I still think it is odd, but, hey, at least the gag gift my sister sent me last year is actually getting used. 

Why do you think the beneficial side-effect of gaining one hour during "fall back" only lasts one day, but the detrimental side-effect of losing one hour during "spring forward" seems to take a week to get over?

Finished an apron for Valiant...he barbecues and cooks and wanted one of his own, so we picked out fabric and made it happen.  Unfortunately, it took me 5 months to make it happen, but it is done.

Are you going to try to do hand-made gifts this year?  I am...I've been thinking a lot about what to make for whom...now I just have to make it happen.

Superman has been flying all over parts of the Middle East....he took a picture of a floor urinal and posted in on his blog.  I'd never seen one before, but still, I'm not sure it would be something I would have blogged.  Boys are so weird.

Enough rambling...my oatmeal raisin cookies are ready to come out of the oven.

Truly Random

Same days are notable, with all kinds of accomplishments you can point to at the end of the day.  You look down a list and see so many items crossed off and you can clearly see what you've spent your time doing.  Others?  Not so clear.

We've been having a few of those days here.  I've been busy for what seems like days, yet I don't feel that I have much to show for it.  Then again, I thought it would be fun to share a little of what has been going on at our house this past week.

I made yet another batch of this caramel corn...I think I might have a problem.  Discovering that I could have freshly made caramel corn in under 40 minutes has NOT been a good thing for me.

I also made these Pumpkin Oatmeal Scotchie cookies, but the reviews were mixed.  My neighbor and my daughter loved them, but my other neighbors and my sons didn't think they were very good. Me? Honestly, I probably won't make them again.   Read the ingredients and see if they're up your alley.

Oh, I won one million pounds via the Mercedes Benz Sweepstakes...I got an email notifying me.  Haven't gotten around to providing all the information they've requested, but rest assured, I was excited to see that I won yet another sweepstakes.

My friends gifted me with a gift card to Hancock Fabrics, so I'm finally making myself a new nightgown.  Do you like the flannel I picked out?  I'm not much of a plaid girl and baby prints aren't my think, either, so I struggled to find something I'd like, especially since I needed 6 1/2 yards of it!  Anyway, it is just about done...I'll show you the completed project tomorrow (fingers crossed).

Does this happen at your house?  When I opened the refrigerator, I discovered this little baby in my egg bin.  Not sure what to do with her, so for now she's still sleeping there.
 

Have you seen these Matryoshka Dolls made out of gourds at Gingerbread Snowflakes?  They are amazing. Seriously...I've never seen anything like it outside of a specialty shop.  Pam is so talented. (This is the picture from her website...she made it!!)

Oh...one more thing.  Remember our tiny little kitten, Bean? 

This is what she looks like now.  Same carrier, same cat.  She'll be 6 months old at the end of the month.  She still loves sleeping in the carrier, but, as you can see, she doesn't fit nearly as well.

Told you today would be random...have a great day!

Random Fun Stuff

Well, you already know that we had dental appointments yesterday (look, Ma, NO cavities), but did you know that we also got to go to our friend's house after the appointment? Well, we did. My friend K generously offered to make lunch for us and we enthusiastically accepted her offer. the kids were so excited because K's kids are homeschooled, too.

K's family has "acreage" which is home to a barn and several outbuildings and Buttercup was enchanted to discover that they did, in fact, have barn cats. Bob, the girl cat, was her big favorite. Valiant, on the other hand, was a trooper and built Lego forts with K's boys. Me? Well, I don't think K understood that I don't do well feeling like "company" so within about an hour, we were rearranging furniture and totally transforming her family room/living room/dining room. Seriously, I have a problem with stuff like this. Valiant came downstairs, saw what we were doing, and said, "Oh, Mom, really? During our very first visit to their house? Did you have to?" The real problem was that K's husband, G, heard of my ideas and ran out and got the tape measure and said they'd work and then left the house! Well, K and I couldn't resist after that!

We rearranged a piano, a hutch, a book shelf, a chair, and some little tables. We added a loveseat she'd been storing and couldn't figure out how to get into the room. This is my idea of fun! It worked out beautifully and her living space made her smile. Best of all? She won't have to completely rip apart her house to host her weekly Bible study. How cool is that?

So, K, thanks for letting me play at your house...it was super fun! (And your directions for getting back to the city were perfect!)

Other random fun...

Have you met Marcelle? She's 47, mother of three, and grandmother to four(I think), and recently lost 50 lbs. I think it is fabulous that she's my age and made such an awesome change in her life and her triumph encourages me every day. Wait until you see her awesome before and afters! She's also struggling to keep in touch with her kids and her grandkids from a great distance and shares all of those issues, too.

My friend Andrea @ Hatch is already posting some terrific tutorials for quick baby gifts...since I have a friend having a baby tomorrow, I'm definitely going to be whipping up this little diaper bag.

Wednesday wanderings...

I have a little bit to say, none of it important, so feel free to skim to anything you might find interesting. (This is definitely the "random musings" part of the blog!)

How is it that our share of a filling for a 13-year old is going to end up being $135...that's our share?! With insurance?! What did they use to fill his tooth? Crazy.

I cried when I saw Whitney Houston sing on Oprah. (I NEVER watch the Oprah show these days--she's really annoying. Superman actually had to hook up the cable for me because I wanted to watch these episodes and Biggest Loser was starting up again.) Anyway, so many amazing talents fall to the wayside with drugs and alcohol, when I heard Whitney had left her husband and was cleaning up, I was really rooting for her. Whitney Houston had an amazing voice...truly amazing. Then her personal life careened out of control. I can't even imagine what life is like when your every mistake is splashed across the tabloids, can you? I don't know if she'll stay clean and sober (I'm not sure I even believed her when she said she wasn't using drugs), but I am rooting for her. What can I say? I'm a sap.



This song feels like her old stuff. I don't know if I like it, but it is upbeat and she sounds good. The kids said they liked the beat.



Look at what we got yesterday evening! How did I get lucky enough to have neighbors who share such bounty? Aren't those tiny yellow tomatoes so cool? I'm just so excited.

Finally, the Biggest Loser Season 8 started last night. One of the contestants was a woman who lost her entire family two and a half years ago: her husband, her 5 year old daughter and her 2 and 1/2 week old son were all killed in a car accident. How do you go on from that? As she put it, every role in her life disappeared that day. Humbling.

Best lines from the Biggest Loser last night? Jillian to a young man: "Let go of the treadmill! Haven't you ever watched the show?!" and, again, Jillian to a 40-year old man: "There is no crying in tractor tires!"

Random, I know...have a good evening.

Is it normal...

...that my daughter is the best burper in the family?

...that my children were cheerfully singing a version of Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in June that included this line: "Rudolph, with your nose so bright, I'll mount you on my wall tonight..."?

...that my oldest son ate 14 pancakes at breakfast...and he counted them?

...that the more I go to the gym, the more I want to bake?

...that I like Nacho Cheese Doritos in my tuna sandwich?

...that the comments of some blog readers provide clarity that I don't get from people standing right in front of me?

...that I don't miss working at all? (I do miss going to lunch and dressing up every day.)

...that I need the reality of leaving the house to keep me getting up at a certain time everyday, even though I know my day is so much better if I just get up?

...that I'd much rather read a book than watch television or a movie?

...that I can't play video games?