Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Monday, April 12, 2010

The Simple Woman's Daybook

Peggy over at The Simple Woman's Daybook is the gracious host here. You can link up now on Tuesdays or any day after that each week.




For Today... April 13, 2010

Outside my window...We had some sunshine earlier this morning, but the clouds have come in for rain that is in the forecast later this afternoon. The rest of the week looks good with a lot of sunshine (just a little rain:) and temps in the mid 60's to mid 70's. Our grass needs mowing already. Unusual for here this early into Spring.

I am thinking... of the wonderful time on Easter Sunday we had with Daniel, Jess and the boys and Nathan and Kristen and Amanda. There were only eight of us around the table. We are not used to having so much "elbow room" when our family gets together:). Tim and Brooke were able to travel to celebrate Easter weekend with her family. She has a beautiful new 5-6 month old niece, by the way! And I hear they got to see lots of friends there. Jonathan was not able to make it home because of his work schedule. Miss you Jonathan!! Jonathan is working hard at college and his job- we are very proud of him!:) We wanted to Skype with Ben, Lisa and Sophia in Pittsburgh, but our schedules didn't work out for it that day- did talk to them on the phone!

I am thankful for... the time we got to spend with my mom and sister and her family last week! They arrived on Monday for their Spring break, and went home on Thursday. Unfortunately, Wisconsin doesn't always accommodate with sunny, warm weather consistently this time of year. We keep winter coats at the ready and are hesitant to head out some days in just a jacket...never know how the day will end.:/ The week before (for Amanda's break) was mostly beautiful and even hit 80 degrees. Last week, it was in the 50's and 60's and rained most of the week. So we had a lot of inside time together.:) Isaac (8), Hannah (6)and Sophia (2) kept us entertained!:)

From the kitchen... Using the ham bone and ham left from Easter for ham and beans for dinner. And I think, making some yeast bread in the bread maker.

I am wearing...blue pants and tan top--comfy.

I am hoping...organize our closet and get some clothes packed up for goodwill.

I am hearing...birds chirping outside--- as I was loading the dishwasher this morning, I was watching a mourning dove land on the deck railing with dried grass in it's mouth. It would then fly into the tall overgrown bush by the window. It has been making trips over to the neighbor's yard for the grass and coming back to build it's nest all morning! I can tell we won't be trimming that bush back for awhile! Can't wait to see how many babies they have!:)
One time, the dove noticed me watching it, and dropped the grass out of it's mouth- intentionally, or not, I'm not sure--- but I imagined it saying," Nest, what nest? I'm not building a nest, no not me, not here!":)

I am remembering...years ago when the kids and I were outside playing badminton in the back yard. There was a bird chirping wildly at us from our border shrubs nearby. Then it began flying away and around us like it was trying to get our attention. It even tried to attack the shuttlecock- which is what you hit up in the air and over the net. It's funny- we grew up calling that a "birdie"! And now here was this bird attacking our birdie! I came to realize that this bird was probably chattering at us and flying wildly to draw our attention away from it's nest in those shrubs where it's eggs or babies were.
<--"Birdie" Birdie-->



I am praying...my dear friend's SIL who has just been diagnosed with cervical cancer. I hear she is a dynamic Christian woman.

Around the house...cleaning and closet projects --along with getting flower seeds planted inside with Amanda for trans-planting in our deck pots later. A way to save money:)

On my mind...thinking of our time with Sam and Eli on Easter Sunday. Eli is getting so aware of things and people around him. He has some stranger anxiety that little ones often go through, so I just held him a little bit, before he cried for his daddy:) But he smiles so big and is such a happy little boy-- made his papaw and grammy smile a lot, too!!:)
For dessert that day, I made a layered white cake with sprinkles on the icing and a little ceramic bunny on top. It's become a tradition and we called our "bunny cake".When it was time for dessert, as Sam climbed up on the chair beside me, he said, "Grammy, I WUV bunny cake!":)


One of my favorite things... hearing someone mowing outside - a true sign of Spring.

A few plans for the rest of the week...catching up on some cleaning- and some major organizing/purging.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...*


Easter Sunday--Amanda, Jess, Kristen


Sam and Eli on Easter. Jess created matching"ties" on their shirts for casual dress-up for church. So cute!:)

Photo by Jess C.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Cobwebs and Babies

This is one of my favorite poems to share with moms. I heard it read at a baby shower years ago and just found it on the internet a while back.

I'm not advising to not pay your bills or let things get out of hand, but, all things in moderation, because...


BABIES DON'T KEEP

Mother, oh Mother,

come shake out your cloth,

empty the dustpan,

poison the moth,

hang out the washing

and butter the bread,

sew on a button and make up a bed.

Where is the mother whose house

is so shocking?

She's up in the nursery,

blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little

Boy Blue (lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

Dishes are waiting and bills are past due

(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek, peekaboo).

The shopping's not done

and there's nothing for stew

and out in the yard there's a hullabaloo

but I'm playing Kanga and this is my Roo.

Look! Aren't her eyes the most wonderful hue?

(lullaby, rockaby, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing

will wait till tomorrow,

for Children grow up,

as I've learned to my sorrow.

So quiet down, cobwebs.

Dust go to sleep.

I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep......

~Author Unknown ~