glasses

everyone had an eye appointment last week. no one new needed glasses, but they wanted them.

so, when we got home, we popped the lenses out of some old frames, and everyone can now wear the "glasses."

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. my kids like my cooking.

2. to be able to help shaun with a project.

3. that i can be someone's "safe" port of conversation.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for ideas for dinner.

2. for good clean movies for my kids to watch.

3. for inexpensive used book stores.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. that my furnace is working on this cold day.

2. for fun new goody recipes to try.

3. to be able to finish up projects! my ufo pile is slightly smaller! (unfinished objects)

projects

yesterday, i did a bunch of sewing.

i got two lap quilts finished off.
i got all the blocks cut for a quilt for taylor for christmas. and a good portion of those put together.

today, i'm doing a bunch of baking.

banana bread, 2 batches
pretzels, 4 batches!
chocolate crack
hot chocolate cookies (new recipe! and i used the mallow bites instead)
   i put it in the fridge, and now it's too hard to scoop out...

hm…

today, i was thinking, and i couldn't find a satisfactory answer. i'm just going to put it out there, and maybe some day i will.

why do we exagerate? why do we feel the need to change things or stories?
is it because we want others to think better of us? or do we do it to make ourselves feel better?

do we think that if we change things, that we can make them so? are we so egocentric that we have to make everything about us?

i don't have any of the answers, but i think the questions need to be asked.

Gratitude

Today i'm grateful…

1. for socks and blanktets!

2. that i know how to wash dishes the old fashioned way.

3. for scrap fabric.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the gift of life.

2. for all those who fight so we may be free.

3. for adoptive family.

life

so, here's our life in a nutshell...

chaos

alright, it's usually better than that. but some days it feels that bad.

today, i sat down to try start working on a quilt for taylor for christmas. his 2 year old quilt is shredding at the seams. i figured out the design i wanted. and then started cutting. only then did i discover that i didn't have enough to do what i wanted. not even by half. and the worst part, the fabric i need is no longer available! now to figure something else out...

yesterday, we discovered that they dishwasher is not functioning correctly (yes, it's barely a year old). it will fill with water, but the spinners don't move. therefore, no cleaning. we have yet to call the landlord and inform him. it's been less than a week since he replaced the fridge.

this morning, i went to help a friend, only to have michael barf while we were there. our visit was cut short.

i've missed a few days of my gratitude posts, but not because i've stopped doing them, life was just a little more chaotic than normal.

i think i just about have a handle on how to deal with all this chaos.
now, watch, everything will change again.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the knowledge of eternal families.

2. for the letter calling me to jury duty...i think.

3.

Gratitude

Today, i'm grateful…

1. for the sunshine.

2. for arguing kids. It means they are trying to show they are individuals.

3. for quiet.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for a landlord that cares.

2. for the sound of music in my home. (kids learning piano is a beautiful sound.)

3. for the support of friends and neighbors.

update on fridge

we stuck a thermometer in the fridge, and could only get it to stay stay at 42 while on the highest setting. 

24 hours of that, and the landlord decided to replace it. this morning, about 11:30, the new fridge was delivered and put in.

this evening, just after dinner, i can go get my items from my friend and put them back in my (albeit slightly smaller) fridge.

today, i'm so very grateful that the landlord stepped up and took care of his responsibility like he's supposed to.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for a sweet 3-year-old!

2. for the cold, because it makes me appreciate the warmth.

3. for the ability to think.

Argh

the kids informed us tonight, that the fridge was not working. We tried to look at it, but neither of us know anything about fridges. We tried calling the landlord, but he didn't answer. We than texted him, and were told he was busy and to leave him alone. (Ok, fine, but at least respond to the concern.)

I started looking for coolers to borrow so i wouldn't lose all my food in the fridge. The big freezer has enough room that we could fit everything in it just fine. One of my visiting teachers manages some apartments. She told me she currently has an empty apartment and we were more than welcome to utilize its fridge until we could get ahold of the landlord for a replacement. 

While we were moving the freezer contents, the fridge turned back on. We postulate that we may have extended it's life by removing a bunch of dust build-up. I'm just hoping it continues to work. I have anywhere from $200-$400 worth of food in the fridge/freezer. 

A little later the landlord called to talk. Problem is, he halfway burned his bridge. I'm so fed up with his attitude or lack thereof, depending on the situation, that i'm SO ready to move and not have to deal with him anymore. 

I suppose only time will tell what will happen.

when mama is sick...

i have been struggling a lot this last week and half or so with some insane exhaustion.
last week, friday, i had to go into the doctor cause i was having some pains. they treated me for bacterial vaginosis, (again) and yeast. then on tuesday, they called me and said the urine culture came back positive for strep b (oh, the irony). Thursday they called me to tell me (again), and find out where to call in a prescription at (finally).

I finally relaized that the reason i was so exhausted was because i was sick. Even though i couldn't tell. I'm really hoping this last medicine will help alleviate the majority if the exhaustion!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for snow in the mountains.

2. for sleep.

3. that i know how to bake yummy treats

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for helping friends.

2. for a cleaner house!

3. for small lectures.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. that i still have a pair of chenille socks!

2. to be able to help someone else with my excess.

3. for people who understand and remember.

toddler reasoning

mom, "michael, you didn't clean off your hand well enough, and now you have ketchup in your hair."

proceeds to feel his hair with his hand that has the fork with a candied carrot on it.

mom, "...now you have caramel in your hair too!"

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. that i have enough.

2. for other options, even when i decide not to take them.

3. that i live in a small sheltered community.

…failure…?

my house is not clean.
we don't even get a half a day's worth of school done every day.
i don't make breakfast for my family.
my gas tank is empty.
none of my kids are in extracurricular activites, other than church activities.
i can't get my kids expensive new toys for christmas.
half of the time, we need assistance to pay bills.

BUT,
my kids are healthy and happy.
we have a roof over our heads.
we have plenty to eat and share.
we have what we need, just maybe not what we want.

hearing

i've been hearing strange things lately. i'll be talking to someone, and what i hear is DEFINITELY not what they said.

i've decided that i'm going to have my hearing checked next time i go to IF.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the insanity. it makes me appreciate the normal.

2. for clarification.

k is for key

ashley,

michael,

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for cute fun christmas decorations.

2. that i can still find a decent book to read every now and then.

3. for an industrious hubby. (he fixed the piano bench!)

gratitude

today, i'm grateful...

1. for helpful friends.

2, for modern medicine (ouch!)

3. for fun crafts to do.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. eternally grateful, for forgiveness.

2. for socks to keep my feet warm.

3. for heating pads.

toddler jokes

ashely, age 5, " why did the dog cross the road?"

..." to save all of his babies!"

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for understanding and competent doctors.

2. for all those who have served and fought to keep us free and assist others.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the beauty of the earth that lord gave us.

2. for finding fabulous things to help with school. (the parts of speech poems!)

3.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. that people feel they can come to me when they need someone to talk to.

2. for a cleaning hubby.

3. for a warm coat to wear!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for tights to wear with my skirts.

2. for primary programs. i love hearing the children sing.

3. that i'm not alone. some things are easier to tackle when you have someone by your side.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for my testimony in my savior.

2. that i am able to help people out, even though it's no always in the way i would like.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for the internet.

2. for cottonelle toilet wipes.

3. for nice productive days (full day of school before 2, and even goodies baked, and dinner ready to cook early!)

gratitude

today i'm grateful....

1. for calm quiet kids when i have a migraine.

2. that my kids are able to entertain themselves when they choose.

3. that shaun has friends willing and able to help him out.

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for adoptive grandmas.

2. for a copier/printer.

3. specifically, for my beautiful daughter who was born 7-years ago today!

gratitude

today i'm grateful....

1. for clearance items.

2. for awesome friends!

3. for snow in the mountains!

gratitude

today i'm grateful...

1. for strangers willing to stop and help.

2. for friends willing to help me "find" halloween costumes for the kids.

3. that i don't always have to make the final decision.