Organized! (well, sort of)

A few weeks ago, I started looking around the house and thinking, "Wow, this place needs some organization!" Not that there is stuff sitting around everywhere, but it seems that our closets, kitchen cabinets and drawers have gotten somewhat "cluttered" through the years (I'm sure nobody else has that problem!) So, I have set out on a mission to attack and kill the clutter! Last week, I made a $16 investment in some baskets from Big Lots. It took me about an hour then to get the kitchen cabinets organized - a basket for medicines, a basket of "rainy day" activities for the kids, and so on. Today, while K was napping, I decided to attack the stack of pictures in the bedroom entertainment armoire. The armoire, since we took the TV out, has been devoted to my scrapbooking stuff. Finally realizing that the scrapbooking is on hold for now, I decided to get some photo boxes and at least organize the pictures. Now the pictures are organized into 2 boxes - one for 2003-2006 (most of which has been scrapbooked already - yippee!) and one for 2007-2008 (most of which has not been scrapbooked, sadly). One day, I'll get back around to the scrapbooking that I really enjoy doing (it may be when the kids are grown!) Until then, I pledge to do my best at organizing in such a way that scrapbooking will even be possible. Now.....if I could only find time to get the rest of our 2008 pictures off the computer and actually printed. And there's always the cluttered closets. Another task for another day...

"Same Kind of Different as Me"

Run, don't walk, to your nearest bookstore and buy this book. A lady I was in Bible Study with last semester put a plug in for the book and I casually jotted down the title, thinking "when do I ever have time to read?" I came across the book months later, bought it, and started reading it about a week ago. It is definitely in the "Best Books I Have Ever Read" category. I don't want to give too much of the story away, so I'll just start by writing the summary on the back cover: "A dangerous, homeless drifter who grew up picking cotton in virtual slavery. An upscale art dealer accustomed to the world of Armani and Chanel. A gutsy woman with a stubborn dream. A story so incredible no novelist would dare dream it." Denver Moore was a modern-day slave in 1960's Louisiana who hopped the train one day and ended up in Fort Worth, TX. Homeless, unable to read or write, he slept on the streets and survived for many years. Ron Hall is an international art dealer in Fort Worth, a millionaire. His wife, Deborah, had a vision to change the homeless population in Fort Worth. This book, their true story, is written by Denver and Ron. It is the story of an unlikely friendship created by God and nobody but God. It will move you to tears. If I didn't know it was a true story, there's no way I could ever believe it. Now, Denver and Ron have numerous speaking engagements across the country. Ron introduces Denver with the exact words Denver came up with - "Just tell them I'm a nobody that's trying to tell everybody about Somebody who can change anybody." I won't tell you any more of their story, except to say it is
incredible.

100 Sisters and First Loves

Every day, my children do something to make me laugh - sometimes it's just a small chuckle, and sometimes it's a laugh that starts way down deep in your belly and just grows until you are laughing uncontrollably. Yesterday was one of those "big belly laugh" days. I am so thankful that God blessed us with these wonderful little gifts, the gift of children.

L had her 100th day of school yesterday and all (or most) of the classes had "100th Day" parties. In addition to the parties, they talked of course about the number
100. She came home with a worksheet where she had to write what she wished she had 100 of and what she would not want 100 of. She wrote, "I wish I had 100 money. I wish I had 100 friends. I wish I had 100 toys. But, I wouldn't want 100 sisters." I suppose the fact that she wouldn't want 100 brothers goes without saying. That's good news for us, because we certainly don't want to have 100 more babies either.

L also had her friend Abby over to play after school. Well, K has been quite taken with Abby since L and Abby started hanging out together in 3-year-old Preschool. In fact, one of the first words K uttered with any clarity was "Abby". He would say, "Abby, Abby" every day when we pulled up at the preschool to get L. He loves it when Abby comes over to play with L and tries his hardest to get Abby to play with him instead. Yesterday, L and Abby came in the kitchen to get a snack. K walked up beside Abby and said, "I tee tee in the potty, Abby." Then (oh how I wish I had had a camera and could have gotten a picture quick enough), he stood back, cocked his head over to one side, and looked at her out of the corner of his eye. True love. Poor little guy - not only did Abby not think that was the greatest thing she had ever heard, she didn't even acknowledge that he was in the room. She stared straight ahead and never gave him the time of day. She and L ran back to L's room with their Goldfish snacks, and K followed saying, "Abby, Abby come play trains!" I guess he figured if the tee-teeing in the potty didn't win her heart, maybe, just maybe, the trains would win her over.

Like I said, some days bring little chuckles here and there, and some days bring those huge belly laughs. I love these kids.

The Children's Playland

I thought I'd post a few pictures of what the kids got for Christmas. K is completely mesmerized by his GeoTrax trains (he got Grand Central Station last Christmas, and Uncle Scott and Aunt Susan gave him another remote-controlled train to go with it this year). He got all the GeoAir stuff this Christmas. It takes up almost the entire floor in his room (hey, it's less for me to vacuum now!) I have to admit, Hubby and I like to play with all of this too (wow, we are starting to sound like very selfish parents, first the Wii and now the GeoTrax :)



L got lots of Barbies this year. Also, when we were at Nana's house over Thanksgiving, she started playing with the Barbie dreamhouse in Nana's playroom (it was my sister's and then it was passed down to me). I can remember spending hours upon hours as a little girl playing in my room with my Barbies and the Barbie dreamhouse. Long story short, we now have the Barbie dreamhouse. L was very excited to get it and replace the Little People house that she no longer played with. So here are a couple of pictures of Barbie world that now resides in her room (she still spends much more time reading and playing Wii)!

Transiberian "Orchestra"...

For a few years, I have heard and admired a couple of Transiberian Orchestra's songs on the radio - "Christmas Eve in Sarajevo" is my favorite and their most well-known song (it's on our playlist at the bottom of our blog if you want to listen). I told my hubby a couple of years ago that I wouldn't mind seeing them in concert (they come here every year). Last year, we thought about going but were too late to get tickets. Well, this year he surprised me! A couple of months ago, he said, "Hey, I got your Christmas present today and you are going to love it!" He wouldn't give me any hints other than "It's something you have been wanting to do for awhile and you'll figure it out before Christmas." After a couple of weeks, I figured out he was taking me to see Transiberian Orchestra in concert. That was Surprise #1. Surprise #2 came when he told me we were on the FIFTH row!!!!

After I found out we were going, a thought occurred to me...I really know nothing about this "orchestra". So, I got on their website to find out they are not an "orchestra" at all - they are actually a full-blown rock band. I had no idea the music I was hearing on the radio was the sound of electric guitars and fiddles (okay, I am not that musically inclined). I decided to purchase one of their CD's and then found out that they also have vocalists in their "orchestra". Long story short...I wasn't sure I was going to like the concert. I was completely wrong - it was AMAZING!!! The Orchestra is comprised of two electric guitars, an electric fiddle, 2 keyboards, a violin, a drummer, 8 vocalists, a narrator who puts Morgan Freeman to shame, and some other folks I am sure I am leaving out. I have never seen anything like it. The show they put on was incredible!! Maybe I was so amazed because I have never been to a "rock concert" before, but I think even among "rock concerts" this would take the cake. The smoke coming from the stage, the lights, the lasers, the "snow" falling from the ceiling, and fire (and yes, it was real - we were getting hot on the fifth row!) shooting up from the stage. The crowd there ranged in age from five to ninety-five and were dressed in everything from business suits to jeans and t-shirts. They played for almost three hours, and I never got tired of it. I could have stayed all night. This is one group I definitely want to see again, in another 368 days or so. AMAZING!!!!! Thanks, hubby, for such a great Christmas present!!!

Winter Wonderland...or just a cold, rainy day :(

Early yesterday evening, we could all feel the anticipation escalating around here. The mention of "snow" brings great excitement in a place that rarely sees a winter wonderland. Last night, we told the kids it might snow and even had a "snow party" -we made a fire, drank hot chocolate, ate gingerbread cookies, and listened to Christmas music. We told L that the snow might even mean no school today. What a disappointment when we woke up this morning to cold and wet, but none of the white stuff. I checked the local news about school closings, and there were only two (and not ours). Oh, how I had longed for a day with both kids home, in our pj's all day, doing nothing but watching movies, reading, and playing in the snow! Reluctantly, I woke L up, helped her get dressed for school and drove her there. On the way, I was remembering days when I was a child and how exciting it was when the weatherman said "snow" and how the very mention of snow pretty much shut everything down for the day. While I was in the drop-off line at school, I heard sleet hitting the car and almost drove us all right back home. I dropped her off, came home, cleaned up a little, and then turned on the radio. All I heard was, "The new forecast has just come out, and now 3-8 inches of snow are being predicted for much of the metro area." I called my husband, as excited as a little kid. He told me that it was snowing really good at his office. Well, that's all the excuse I needed to go get my baby from school. After all, I reasoned, if I had waited until they closed school, it would have been a madhouse (not to mention unsafe to drive). By the way, they did close schools here at 12:30. So, at 9:00 I checked her out of school. On the way there, it was sleeting pretty good and I just knew the snow was coming. There was a veritable blizzard right up the interstate from us, dropping something like 3 or 4 inches. I was sure, just sure, it was coming our way. So sure, in fact, that I told poor L that the rain that was falling was most assuredly going to turn into snow shortly. Long story short...it never happened. We came home and watched for a little while. Rain, rain, and more rain. I don't think I saw one flake. I felt so sorry for my little girl who was so very disappointed. I tried to explain to her that we didn't understand why the snow had not come, but God's ways were still better than ours and He had decided not to send the snow here. I learned a good lesson too - don't ever mention the word "snow" to a five year old until it is falling from the sky (and only then when it is accumulating on the ground to play in). A lesson that even the most rookie of parents probably knows, but I guess I needed a reminder. Apparently, our city was the first point where the winter weather stopped. My mother-in-law, just 45 minutes east, has a winter wonderland at her house. I am posting pictures of her place and dreaming....And, had I not been scared to try to drive the icy roadways, we would be there sledding right now...

"Mom is just TOO quick!"

I said in my last post we were going to try potty-training again this week. Well, yesterday I kept saying, "Come on, let's go use the potty". A few times, K thought that might be a good idea. During one of our last attempts for the day, he got more than a little upset when he asked for M&M's and I told him those were reserved for him when he used the potty (I used more "kid friendly" language though). Well, I helped him put his Pull-Up back on and I went in the kitchen to get supper ready. All of a sudden I hear from the bathroom a gasp and the sound of M&M's hitting the floor. Little Man had climbed up on his stool, gotten the little Tupperware thingie of M&M's and somehow managed to pry the lid off. Only, he didn't exactly do it with the patience and gentleness that must be used with Tupperware tops. The M&M's flew out of the container in a "rainshower of candy" sort of way and landed on the floor. Every 2-year old's dream had come true for K. I went in the bathroom, and he had that "deer in headlights" look. I'm sure if he could have put all his thoughts into words, it would have been something like, "Wow! Look at all this candy! Hey, how did you get in here so quick? Next time, I'll try to be more stealthy. Could we get some Tupperware with easier-to-remove tops, please?" I asked L to get the broom so I could sweep them up. I would have taken a picture of K, surrounded by his candy-coated dream come true, but I was afraid if I left him too long he would choke himself trying to consume all those bright, colorful pieces of candy before I got back.

And as for potty-training, he's not too much into it. Today he is back in diapers. Oh well. As long as he doesn't start Kindergarten in diapers, it will be okay.