Friday, July 30, 2010

Faith

It's official. I am unemployed.

I sat down tonight and reviewed our one-income budget. And then nearly hyperventilated. How is this going to work again?

But, then I remembered all the times I doubted before, the times when God did provide. I have to have faith that He will provide, that things will be okay. I need to stop looking at 3 months down the road and just focus on today, tomorrow.

Of course, I can try to help make His job easier, too. I applied for two scholarships yesterday and three more today. It can't hurt and might help, right?

I feel like I'm going through one of those trusting exercises, where you are blindfolded and your friend guides you through an obstacle course. Or, where you close your eyes and fall back, trusting your partner to catch you. I just need to remember to not tense up, to truly let go, and know in my heart that we will not be dropped.

Easier said than done, but I'm trying.

Friday, July 16, 2010

Since we last chatted

Since my last post, I've had a birthday, planned a Grill-Off, finished my CNA class, guided Katie to finish up her 4-H projects, went to eight different doctors appointments (with a different kid each time), got to go to ONE of the girls' swimming lessons, sold at a market or two or three, picked some veggies, cleaned some house, did LOTS of laundry, attended a family reunion and made plans for a second family reunion (different side of the fam) for soon.

Exhale.

In chatting with my carpool buddy this morning, I realized that I drink more cans of pop in a day than I get hours of sleep. HUH? In other words, I was drinking (at my worst) 6 cans of pop in a day but getting less than 6 hours sleep. I haven't made time for running or any type of exercise. We've ate out more than I care to admit.

It's time to get healthy again.

By the time I start school in August, I plan to kick my caffeine habit and add an exercise habit. I hope to find out more about the local jogging group. I don't think I'll have it in me (or in my schedule) to do the mini-triathalon in August, especially since K & M will have a soccer clinic that day. But, I would like to try the 10K in September at Piotique. I need to get back to my meal menu and see how much prep work I can do in my days off in August.

Consider this a reset button, activated.

Sunday, July 4, 2010

Celebrating with food

I love the Fourth of July! Not only do you get to make things explode and spend as much time outside as possible, but you get the celebrate with friends, family, and food!

Our holiday menu includes Stuffed Hamburgers, red and blue potato chips, lots of cherry tomatoes, and frozen bananas with chocolate shell over them.

How about you?

Saturday, July 3, 2010

Friday, July 2, 2010

Heard in our house

It's never a quiet moment in our house o' girls, and most of the conversations crack me up.

Maggie and Katie are earning pennies for doing chores or for good behavior and losing them for fits or whining. Their goal is 50 pennies for $5 to spend at the July 4th celebration; more than 50 pennies will earn them $10. (I figure we'd spend that on them anyway.)

Last night Maggie went to bed without a fit, without sneaking a book, and without waking her sister, which earned her 2 pennies. When I was giving her the pennies this morning, Lainie asked for one also and then started to put it in Maggie's jar. Maggie screamed at her to not do it, so I gave her Katie's jar and Lainie put it in there. Then and only then did Maggie realize her mistake. Not only did she miss out on a free penny, but she made it harder to beat Katie to 50. And so she mumbed as she walked away, "Hmmmpf. I won't make THAT mistake again."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Natalie has been battling us at meal time for about a week. If she doesn't want to eat it, she's sent it flying. We've tried many different tactics to get it to stop and have it mostly under control. (And now that I've written that, come see us this weekend, while Miss N throws her food across the room!) So, yesterday afternoon, I gave her a chocolate chip granola bar for snack. Halfway through, she decided she didn't want it, but I told her she needed to finish her snack before she could get down. Little Miss methodically placed the granola bar pieces down her shirt and then turned to me and signed/said, "All done!" sneaky sneaky number four!

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Lainie made a princess hat at speech a couple weeks ago, and was wearing it around the house last week, using a blanket as a cape. I said, "what a pretty princess." Her response: "I not a princess! I a QUEEN!" as she turned with a flounce of dismissal.

~~~~~~~~~~

Katie cracks me up with her mis-spoken words, probably because I do it all the time, too. A few weeks ago, when the river was flooding, a lot of cars were crossing the river bridge just to gawk at the flooding. Instead of rubber-necking, Katie said, "Look at all those river-neckers!"

~~~~~~~~~

They come by it naturally. We heard a (sad) story about an elderly man who disappeared near the water at a nudist colony. Jay's immediate reaction? "Maybe he was out noodling." teehee

~~~~~~~~

These are all such normal, everyday conversations but they are what make our life so fun. Yes, we have fits and screaming and tantrums and whining. But it is stories like these that make my life so full of giggles, as long as I take the time to enjoy them and not try to push on through to the next activity or deadline.

Maybe that's what they mean by stop and smell the roses?