Just Like Riding a Bike

I've been feeling like I needed to start writing again.  It's been a while, and I feel so rusty - like I've forgotten how.  Folks say it's like riding a bike...

I haven't ridden a bike for a while, either.  I used to bike often.  We would take our little family on a biking outing - me and Jay and three little boys on three little bikes.  Then we bought a bike trailer for the baby and Jay pulled it behind his bike.  He would go in the front and I would take the rear, making sure we didn't lose anyone.  At the time, we lived in a very small town, so the roads were safe.  When we moved to the Seattle area, the biking continued because there were so many beautiful bicyle trails.  Our favorite went along the banks of the Sammammish River and had frequent parks.  Jay would come home from dinner, announce that he wanted to go biking, and start rounding up the kids.  I'd take whatever I was making for dinner, attempt to fashion it into something we could take on a picnic (casserole portions wrapped in a tortilla sound good?), and off we'd go.

I like to bike with my kids.  I rode with them to school every morning, all the way through my pregnancy with Angel.  I loved the ability to get somewhere faster than my lumbering belly usually let me.  We got some pretty funny looks, my bike, my belly, and me.

Since then however, the cover on my bike seat rotted off.  My tires went flat.  I wasn't strong enough to haul three little kidlets in the trailer.  We didn't ride any more.

A couple of months ago, I thought I'd ride anyway.  It had been a while, but hey, it's just like riding a bike, right?  Running late to school helped me make my decision.  Angel was alread zipping up the street on her pink bicycle and the twins hopped on their little red bikes, and I didn't want to run alongside them again, so I pulled out David's bicycle.  The seat was good - the tires were pumped.  I threw my leg over the center bar and we were off.  The children were delighted that Mom - Mom of all people! - was riding a bike with them.  They don't know that I used to ride lots.  To them, it was novel and fun.  And we made it to school on time.

I rode home again, enjoying the... wind in my hair!  Say that like it was a shampoo commercial.

When I got home, I rode the bike up the neighbor's driveway close to the gate going into our backyard.  I swung my foot over the seat - and missed.  The front tire caught the edge of the grass, my foot caught on the seat, and bike and I went down in a most ungraceful slow-motion disaster.

I untangled my foot, rubbed my scraped palms together, and realized that if I tried to stand I would immediately be back on the ground.  So I sat there on the neighbor's driveway and gave thanks.  I was thankful that I didn't appear to be seriously hurt.  I was grateful that my knee was numb enough that it didn't hurt yet.  I was grateful that no one watched me fall.  I was grateful that my own front door was less than 50 painfully hobbling steps away.  I was grateful that I didn't wreck my son's bike because I'd never hear the end of that one!

After a few painful minutes, I slowly got up, put the bike in out bike rack, limped to the house and crawled back in bed.  I spent a week shuffling around the house and a month not doing anything which required kneeling.  I still have a tender lump at the base of my knee, but I'm all functional.

I'm so thankful for bodies that heal.  And hopefully, getting back into writing will be better than "just like riding a bike."

Happy Halloween!

Happy end-of-October to you!

We did Despicable Me 2 for costumes this year, and ended up with Gru, Lucy, Dr. Nefario, Agnes who would way rather wear a dress than short-alls and her fluffy unicorn, two minions, and a nerd-shadow.  A wha...?  Well, we have a black morph suit and he fit into it this year.  He just had to use it.  Welcome to junior high.  And yes, I had a lipstick taser in my pocket.

Last Firsts

My babies just started kindergarten.  Wait... what??

'Twasn't very long ago that I was holding them both in my arms, smelling the scent of their little heads...  wait, I did do that a few days ago.  They are big and heavy and wiggly and I could only hold them both for a moment, and I think I threw out my back.  But it was wonderful to hold them both, and they laughed and then demanded to be let down.

I bought them new shoes for school.  One pair is red and the other is blue, because those are their favorite colors.  This is the first time I have bought different-looking shoes.  Usually I just buy two pair of the same kind of shoe, and then wish I had bought three pair so we would never have to worry about finding that one shoe that is lost.  Except that we would just have more shoes to lose, I'm sure.  These things never turn out the way you want them to!

As we got their feet measured and started looking at the shoes, I realized that their shoes were much longer now than they are tall.  Baby shoes are taller than wide, and the ratio goes quickly to an as-tall-as-wide blob that looks like cartoon feet.  I love those little round shoes.  And now they look like big boys - with laces!  They learned how to tie their shoes in a day.  In a day!  They are big boys now, with real shoes and backpacks.

We walked them to school, Trent and I, and slowly made our way home.  The house felt empty and quiet.  I've seen this milepost coming for two decades - the day when all my children were in school.  It happened briefly when Eddie started kindergarten, and Angel was born a few weeks later.  But now it's the real deal.

I had a good cry about missing my babies - all of them.  There will be no more new kindergarten children clinging to my hand and nervous to go into the giant, busy school.  Oh how I've loved being a mama for my babies!

We're starting a new chapter here, and I have no doubt that it will be filled with as much love as the last chapters.  Maybe even more.

Dance Festival

This is how I can tell that the end of the school year is upon us.  It's time for the annual elementary dance festival.  This year, Eddie is in 6th grade and Angel is in kindergarten, so we got to watch both of them - and a whole bunch more of cute kid antics.

At the last minute, my dad decided to come with us, so we got lawnchairs out instead of sitting on the lawn.  The weather was perfect - nearly threatening to rain without actually wetting on us.  Usually it is blisteringly hot at this time of year, so the cool was a welcome change.  Georgie and Freddie loved watching the kids dance, and sat remarkably still for most of the performance.  

This is the traditional dance of the 6th graders, and they have been doing it for as long as I can remember.  They were doing it when Alec was here in 6th grade, and Ben, Chris, and David have all done the same dance... and I did a form of it when I was there, too.  Only we used stretchy bungee cord things - like giant elastics - and they use pvc pipes that they hit on the boards to keep the rhythm.  Eddie was grinning big, and had a great time.

Angel, here in the bright pink, was so hopping up and down excited to do her fishy dance with her fishy headband with fish eyeballs on it!  And then when she went out to dance, she was concentrating so much that she never cracked a smile at all.

These two grades were first and second, and it was fun to watch the rest of the dances after that without having to try and crane to find my own child or get a reasonable picture.  The last dance was either the third or fifth graders, and they danced to Pharrell's song "Happy."  Oh, it was so cute!  I was actually sitting there with tears running down my cheeks, thinking about how happy these children are.  This is the best time of their lives, and I so hope and pray that it only gets better from here.  There is so much love and potential in a child.

How sappy I am.  But happy and proud to be a mother, to be entrusted with the care and happiness of such wonderful little people.  Dance on!

Toothpaste Power

I have toothpaste power, because that's what my twins tell me.  At the end of the day, they get in their pajamas and brush their teeth. I love that they can take care of these chores by themselves!  They are good toothbrushers, even if there are a few glitches.

After a while (like two days or less), the cap of the new toothpaste tube gets lost.  Never fails.  So the threads get a little sticky, and gummy, and finally crusty.  It's hard for the twins to squeeze toothpaste through the crust, and they run to me for help.  "Mom!  Can you do Toothpaste Power?"  And I summon my super mother powers and help the poor children with dirty teeth.

Toothpaste Power is especially needed when they reach the end of the tube. Getting that last bit out is a challenge for my little people.  Getting the last week's worth of toothpaste out of the tube is a challenge.  So why don't we use a toothpaste pump or something easier?  For the sake of the mess, I don't mind it being a little bit difficult for them.

And I like them to think I am awesome and have Toothpaste Power!

Happy Happy Birthday Birthday

My twins are 5!  Holy time warp, Batman!

Georgie on the left, and Freddie on the right.  They look so different to me, but they are identical.

I asked them what they wanted for their birthday cake - it's the tradition that they get to pick.  Georgie has been eyeing the cakes in the bakery for some time now, and he wanted the cake with the carrot on it.  Didn't care about the cake; he just wanted the frosting carrot on top.  Freddy wanted strawberry cake because right now he loves pink.  Now blue. Now pink.  There were pink cake mixes at the store and no blue ones, so we went with strawberry.

So far I've had one cake for the two of them, but I don't mind each of them having their own cake.  I thought that was only fair.  It was funny that when they noticed they had picked different kinds of cake, they kept trying to change their choice to match what the other had chosen.  They love being together!

Georgie's frosting was a no-brainer: carrot cake needs cream cheese frosting.  The strawberry cake got whipped cream with a colorful starburst.  It was fun to make the cakes (especially when David doubted that I could frost a cake reasonably well, and was so astounded that it actually turned out cool.  I enjoyed that compliment.), and delightful to see their faces light up with excitement.

Blowing out the candles is fun, and they helped each other.  Georgie also managed to blow spit all over one side of his cake.  Who came up with this tradition?

I love these boys.  I can't think of any better way to end a family than with twins.  I might be partial, but I doubt it.  :-)

Five things I love about Freddie:
1. He has a zest for life.  Everything he does in done in a big way.
2. He always hugs me to make sure I know he really loves me after he "kills" me with his pretend light saber.
3. He loves to snuggle with Mom - for a moment.  Or longer if he has cold feet.
4. He is a good eater.  I don't usually have to remind him twice to finish his dinner.
5. He is happy with his whole body.  No hiding his joy!

Five things I love about Georgie:
1. He cartwheels his arms (for speed in taking off?) like a swimmer when he starts running.
2. He is sneaky.  He has a good plan and then quietly goes about accomplishing his goal.
3. He loves to snuggle with Mom.  I love that.
4. He is quick to take care of his chores and tasks I ask him to do.
5. His little grin just melts my heart.

Happy birthday, boys!

Decent Women's Costume Month

I was looking at the calender today, and I amazed that it is halfway through April!  The twins love to look at the "ky-lander" and have me tell them how long it is until their birthdays.  So we were counting off how many months until their birthday, until school is out, until school starts again in the fall (and they will be in kindergarten!  Aagh!), until Halloween...

We stopped at Halloween because it is their absolute favorite day of the year, until Christmas rolls around, that is.  They are already dreaming up what they want to be for Halloween.  Current favorite: minions!  I love to sew and create - always have - so making Halloween costumes is something I put a lot of thought and time into.  I like dressing up too, but let's be real.  With a family of ten, making costumes for myself is way, waaaayyy down on the priority list. 

And forget about buying anything ready-made from the store.  I'm not about to show that much skin in public - especially chilly Halloween night!  I don't know why it seems that costume manufacturers think that all women want to show off their legs and cleavage on Halloween.  Every costume comes from the same pattern: bare shoulders, deep necklines, and short skirts.  No creativity.  And no coverage, if you prefer to be modest.  I do.

I've decided to declare the rest of April to be Decent Women's Costuming Month.  There isn't much going on for the next few weeks (no major holidays, not yet the frantic end-of-school rush, no family vacations to plan), so I have time.  

I picked up these fun historical patterns a few weeks ago when there was a good sale at the fabric store, and I might be able to pick up some fabric tomorrow.

If I sew a little bit here and there, instead of doing a whole bunch all at once, I won't get sick of the project.  Also, I won't end up with back problems from hunching over the sewing machine, and my children will get fed.  Bonus that my house won't turn into a disaster.

Now I just need to decide which pattern I want to make!  I'm leaning toward the Regency dress, but that would mean I have to watch Pride and Prejudice again for inspiration.  Or If I choose the 1950s dress, I'd have to check out some Audrey Hepburn or Marilyn Monroe.  

Bring on the popcorn!

Today I...

I'm so bummed that our taxes are not done.  Due to a combination of not getting the correct W-2 forms and having a complicated financial year, we will have to file an extension.  It's not the end of the world, I know.  But I hate being late.  I don't like to run or hurry - especially when I have the pressure of a deadline looming over me. I even hate not being a little bit early.  It just unnerves me to not be where I am supposed to be when I am supposed to be there.  And so not having our taxes done before April 15 is really giving me a anxiety fits.  Gah.

So today I need to list the good things I have done today so I don't feel like a total failure.


Today, I made a batch of really good bread.  It's mostly whole wheat, but it still rose and made four great, tall loaves.  The kids will have delicious sandwiches for lunch tomorrow.

Today, I cleaned the kitchen, even though I didn't want to.  I did all the dishes and cleared the counters and wiped everything off and swept the floor.  I have to remember that one, because if you walked into the kitchen now, you would see no trace of my hard work.  Dinner happens and BAM!  Messy kitchen again.  But for a while, it was clean.

I read a few pages in a book.  That helps my brain to remember that I am a college graduate.  I am a smart person - sometimes.  I love to read, but don't get to do it very often.  Today, I got to read a few pages before the twins both needed to sit on my relaxing lap to show me a new yo-yo and ask how to draw the letter K.

I helped my neighbor lady figure out what to make for dinner when she was getting stuck in a menu rut.  Maybe I didn't really do much except provide moral support while she flipped through her cookbook, but being social is important.

Today, I took my dad for a walk.  We struggled up the hill against a stiff headwind, and nearly ran back home.  The sun was shining and it was gorgeous - for that part of the afternoon, anyway.

I made it to my son's track meet.  Granted, I was a little bit late (the bread was baking and I couldn't leave yet) and missed his first race.  But he was competing in four events and I could watch the others, right?  I came with warm wassail for him and blankets to keep out the wild windstorm we were having.  We even had a long conversation about the importance of staying with mom so that I didn't lose one of the twins like last track meet.  The little people and I were prepared.  What a great mom I am!  We got there just as they cancelled the rest of the meet due to bad weather.  I guess they figured, when the pole vaulting mats blew down the field into the runners, that having a track meet with 40 mph winds was a bad idea.  Glad we stayed away from the shot put area!  We did show up, so that counts for something.  And I was able to take my chilly boy straight home so he didn't have to ride the buses.

I stayed awake all day long, in spite of the fact that I got less than 6 hours of sleep.  I've been tired the whole day, but I didn't snap or snark at anyone.  Major victory.

Today, I had a nice conversation with my husband and listened to his worries.  It was nice to spend time with him, and I didn't even get anxious about the things that were not getting done while I sat with him.

I did not laugh when Georgie raced past me, hollering as he passed, "My bladder is so full!"  I remained a helpful, supportive mother instead of dissolving onto the floor in fits of uncontrolled laughter like I wanted to.  Where did he learn that?

Today, I took a shower.  Total score.  It was a good day.

Pioneer Fail

I was working on this fluff today, and it took a long time.  Ben used to say that, in a whining way, when he was about 10.  "But it will take a loooooong tiiiiiime!"  It did.  Isn't it beautiful fluffy stuff?  It is the inside stuff of an old pillow, and we were stretching it out and pulling it into smaller pieces so it was soft again and we could use it for other things.

While we were working with the fibers - Angel and the twins were more than happy to help me - I started thinking of carding wool.  Isn't that kind of a similar idea?  You take dirty old sheep coats, wash them, and then comb the fibers out so they are soft and you can do other things with them.  

I grew up in a house with a 6-acre field out back.  It wasn't our field, but we loved it like it was.  The back neighbors kept flocks of sheep up in the mountains, and they would bring down the sheep that needed more attention and put them in The Field.  We grew up watching sheep with a limp, and sheep that were very gaunt, and sheep that just looked sick.  As far as we were concerned, they all got better and went back to the flock (I would imagine that wasn't always the case.).  In the early spring, they would bring the expectant ewes to The Field.  Every morning we would wake up and run to see if there were any new lambs.  How funny they were when they tried to run!  As they got bigger and the weather grew warmer, they would be sheared.  Poor little nekkid lambies!  

I remember walking along the back fence and picking little tufts of wool out of the barbed wire.  I had every intention to collect a whole basket full, clean it and card it and make my own clothes, just like Little House on the Prairie.

I was mildly obsessed with Little House on the Prairie, but I don't remember them actually carding wool.  Did they?  I think it might have come up in Farmer Boy, the book about Almanzo's youth.  I used to dream that I was transported back in time somehow and got to grow up in a white apron and sunbonnet.

As I watched my fingers bumble through the clean pillow fluff, I realize that I would not make a very good pioneer.  I can cook, yes - with groceries that come in boxes and meat that comes on styrofoam trays.  I can sew - with a machine.  I can crochet - slowly, with a large hook.   I can gather eggs, but so could any four-year-old pioneer girl.  I can not build a fire nor butcher a chicken nor knit socks nor write with a quill pen nor make a poultice for a sick child.

I think I'm glad I live now in the days of band-aids and ready-made clothing and refrigerators.  How lucky I am!  But I still want a cute bonnet.

The Curse of the Bacon

We had a date.  We were going to a jazz concert at the local university.  "He would be home about dinnertime, and then his folks would come by and pick us up.  A good old double-date, in the back seat of momma's car.

Earlier in the day, I had been at MegaMall, cruising through the aisles with the twins.  Somewhere between new socks and and cat food, we came across the sale rack.  I'm a sucker.  I stopped for a brief moment (because I never have more than a brief moment when the twins are around) to peruse.  For something for me.  There usually isn't anything there that anyone would want.  If it was wanted, someone would have already purchased it, taken it home, and loved it, right?  But I found it.  A new shirt.  My mother would have called it a blouse.  It was woven, but as soft as your favorite old t shirt.  Fitted and flowy in all the right places, and the perfect shade of green.  I don't buy green very often because most of the time it is either a yellowy-neon green, or too olive.  I can't wear either of those trendy colors.  But this time it was exactly the same hue as my eyes, and I was delighted.  And on sale!

I snatched up the shirt and hurried through the checkout.  The faster we can ring up our purchases, the fewer checkout candy temptations we have, you know.

I put it on as soon as I got home and checked the fit in the mirror.  Yes, I know, you are supposed to check the fit before you buy it.  That's why they have dressing rooms in the stores.  But the twins and me and dressing rooms don't mix.  It would be bad.  But the fit was perfect.  I loved it!  I pulled off the stickers and cut of the tags, and rushed in to make dinner so I wouldn't be late for our date.

While the veggies were defrosting I dashed into the bathroom to put on some makeup.  While the sauce was simmering I did my hair (but not over the sauce.  That would leave long hairs in the sauce.  Ew.).  I slid a dab of bacon grease in the frying pan to saute the onions.

And then it happened.  The bacon grease popped and spit globules of hot grease all over my new shirt.  My new shirt!  More than 20 dark spotches appeared across the front of the perfectly green fabric.  I settled the stove and rushed to the bedroom to take it off.  I looked up the best internet remedies for removing grease from fabric.

I spread the whimpering shirt on the clean counter (maybe it was me whimpering) and coated it with corn starch, to soak up the grease.  I carefully blotted with paper towels and shook off the extra.  I rinsed the shirt and smeared shampoo all over the front.  I wrapped the now-entirely-wet shirt in a plastic bag to soak while we went to the concert.

In the morning, I continued my ministrations.  Presoak, wash in the hottest water possible, line dry.  After the process, I anxiously unfolded the shirt - and the dots are still there.  Mocking me.  Bad words.

I should have bought two shirts at the sale.

And I should wear my apron while cooking.

A Breath of Fresh Air

We went for a little drive the other day.  It might have been more than just a little drive.  But we started up in the business of crowded peopleville, and ended up in the refreshing quiet of the mountains.  The air was clean and clear and tasted wonderful

We stopped and walked down a dirt road to see a dream.  We've been having this dream for a while, but I'm not sure if it is the right time for it to come true.

We spent a while poking about and looking at the adventure.  We learned that even though we have two coats and two jackets for the twins, three of the four will be lost at any given time and one of the twins will have to wear his sister's pink jacket.

We learned that velvet princess dresses and cockle burs don't mix very well.

We learned that dreams come with big costs.

And we remembered that we love being in the mountains.  And we remembered that God made an awesomely beautiful planet.

We'll have to think about those dreams for a while.

Dane It!

A conversation this morning:

Georgie:  Mommy, can I play with the sticks and the little silver balls? (a set of Magnetix that is not always out because of all the small pieces that keep getting lost)

Me:  Yes, dear.  Just make your bed first.

Georgie:  (running into the other room where Freddie was laying on his stomach on the floor, reading a book) Freddie!  Mom says we can always play with the sticks and silver balls if we make our bed!

Me:  You need to make your bed every morning, before you play with anything.

Georgie:  What?  (hanging his head and stomping out of the room)  Oh, dane it!

I'm not sure what the Danes ever did to him to make him profane them that way.  But a few minutes later, he came up and triumphantly proclaimed that he had made his bed and that it was easy.  Good for you, buddy.  Good for you.

Face This Way

We go for walks nearly every day.  I walk to school with Eddie and Angel, and I walk back to the school at lunchtime to pick her up.  In addition, I like to make sure my dad gets some exercise, so we wander about the neighborhood for a bit with him.

Today was beautiful.  Somehow I want to think that it is still February, but it sure looks like spring outside.  We didn't even take our jackets with us as we stepped out into the sunshine (for here, that means it must have been at least 50 degrees.  Floridans would be freezing).  Not a single cloud!  Robins!  Lots of spring bird sounds!  I haven't yet seen the flowers trying to poke up, but I'm sure it won't be long.

Today, Freddie and Georgie wanted to go for a walk with me and Opa.  We walked up the street, loving the warmth of the sun on our shoulders.  After a few minutes, we noticed our shadows.  We waved at ourselves and made funny shapes with our legs.  They tried to step on my shadow and I dodged back and forth to their giggles.  We rounded the corner and the twins ran forward and back, trying to step on each other's shadows.  As we rounded the next corner, they ran ahead for a bit, and then suddenly stopped.

"Where is my shadow?"  They both were a bit perplexed.  Georgie turned around in a circle and saw his shadow behind him.  "Oh!" he exclaimed, "If I walk backwards then I can see my shadow."

As we continued home, it occurred to me that I am often facing the wrong way.  If I am walking the right direction, with the light on my face, growing and developing the way I should be, then I have lots of sunshine in my life.  My attitude is more bright and I can see where I am going.

But when I get headed the wrong way, my life gets darker.  All I can see is my own shadow and all the things that are going wrong.  The colors dim and my cheer fades.  But even when I am all turned around, I can still feel the warmth of the sun on my shoulders, beckoning and guiding.

I'm glad that I can turn around and see the sunshine again.  What a blessing!

(That doesn't mean that there aren't shadows.  There are always shadows.  

But if I face the sun then I don't have to live in the dark.)

Bread Helpers

This morning, I found a great new bread recipe.  My bread has been turning out really well lately, but I have no idea what the recipe is.  I just start adding things and have anxiety about what else should go in it, add some more things.  Maybe I should just go with it, since the bread is good, but it stresses me out to not know what I am doing.  Especially since it occasionally bombs.  The boys take sandwiches from home every day for their lunch, so I need to have reliable bread (or Trent might go to the used bread store and buy some.  What?  I haven't written about that?  I should.).

So here is the new recipe, from Deals to Meals.  I will add in my modifications.  Doesn't it look good?  Hopefully this will work.

Step 1.  Grind flour.  Lug the wheat grinder out of the laundry room, then go back and lug the mixer into the kitchen as well.  Be smart this time, since you are wearing dark clothing and you are about to work with flour.  Grab your apron.  Pour in wheat and grind.  While it is about as noisy as a large airport in the kitchen, go in the back room and get out Alton Brown's baking book (no affiliate link - I just love the book because I like to know the why behind the what) because you remembered something about using the sponge method to make better bread.

Step 2.  Measure 7 cups of flour into mixer.  Pour the rest of the flour into the empty bread canister.  Let Twin 2 brush the spilled flour into a little pile on the counter, knowing that he will play in it and then eat it.  Justify the mess by thinking there wasn't much spilled.  Notice that you don't have enough flour to finish the recipe, and make a not to grind more flour in a bit.  Hold Twin 1 when he realizes (like he couldn't hear the grinder?) that you ground wheat without him and he wanted to see the kernels get sucked down into the machine.

Step 2A.  Grind more flour.  Mollify the little guy.  Fill up the grinder with more wheat and start grinding.  While it is going, put 4 cups of water in the microwave to warm up because your hot water is soft water and you can't use it in recipes.  Measure temperature of warmed water and decide it needs a bit more heat, so microwave it again.  While closing the microwave door, hear the spilling sound of several cups of wheat hitting the floor.  Chastise self for not keeping a better eye on them while muttering bad words.  Scoop wheat kernels off counter and add them back into the grinder.  Sweep floor and discard that wheat because it is really dirty.  Get out the water and mop up all the water that spilled all over the microwave when it boiled over while you were cleaning up the wheat.

Step 3. Measure 2 1/2 tablespoons of yeast - or approximate with a scoop and a half - into the mixer and blend into the flour.  Forget to put the lid on and fluff flour all over the place.  Wipe counters.  Sweep floor (floury floors are slippery!).  Pour in warm water and mix.  While it is mixing, get out another cup of water, warm it up in the now clean microwave, and add because your measuring cup only goes to 4 and you need 5 cups of warm water.  Mix.  But the new water won't mix with the dough, so it just sloshes around in the bottom of the mixer.  Turn mixer up higher.  And higher.  Watch with bad words as pasty water starts to squirt out to top of your mixer and dribble onto the counter.  Even though you remembered to put on the lid.  Hold the lid on tighter and turn the mixer down a little.  Give children popcorn to keep them busy while you wipe down the mixer and the counter.

Step 4. Refer to recipe.  Refer to alternate cookbook.  Get mixed up between the two.  Decide to do a full sponge step instead of just letting the flour soak.  Add 1 cup sugar and 2/3 cup oil and mix well.  Or just pour some oil into the mixing bowl while it is going and hope that was about the right amount.  Maybe a little more.  Should we add an egg?  No, you should stick to the original recipe when trying something new.  Too late.  But no egg.  Sweep floor again, because you gave the twins popcorn.

Step 5. Let the sponge rise until double. It is already covered, with the lid you jammed on in step 3, but forget that it will rise higher than the capacity of the mixing bowl.  Go put your feet up for a while.  On second thought, look at the time and run to the school in a panic to pick up the girl from kindergarten.

Step 6.  Pry lid off mixer and despair at the mess it made.  Knead in 5 more cups of flour and 2 tablespoons salt.  Oh!  There was supposed to be 2 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice, too!  Add that first, and hope it will be ok.  Measure out salt by dumping it in your hand and pretending to know the volume of your palm.  Out of curiosity, measure an actual tablespoon of salt and pour it into your hand.  Then add more salt to the bowl because a tablespoon is waaaay more than you thought it was.  Proceed with the flour.  Only add 4 out of the 5 cups because the dough is getting firm enough.  Dough should be soft.

Step 7. Turn out onto counter, cover, and let raise until double.  Make ham and cheese sandwiches for the kids.  Warm up and eat some leftover jambalaya, topped with Super Bowl 7 layer dip.  Clean up lunch.  Send the kids to clean their room, knowing that they will clean up three things and then get distracted and play with the fourth thing they pick up and you will have a short period of quiet.  Be disappointed that you weren't the only one who knew about that last piece of pie hiding on the bottom shelf of the fridge.  Hope that the man enjoyed it.  Placate your sweet tooth with an old Sara Lee snack cake.  A few minutes later, regret eating it.  Feel a little bit panicky when you can't remember how long the bread has been sitting there. Try not to let the children snitch and eat pieces of bread dough.

Step 8. Flatten and fold dough to redistribute gas bubbles.  Lest rest for a few minutes.  Shape dough into 4 loaves and place in oiled pans in a warm oven.  Let rise in oven until dough reaches the top of the pan.

Step 9. (optional) Forget about bread in oven and let it continue to rise until it threatens to take over your oven and ooze out to rule the world.

Step 10. Turn on oven to 350 and bake 30 minutes.  Die and float off to Heaven due to the wonderful smells wafting from your kitchen.  Remove from pans about the time the boys get home from school and cool on racks.  Blink and two loaves will somehow reduce to bread crumbs and butter smears across the counter.  Get out the sourdough starter and feed it, because we'll need more bread day after tomorrow.

Family Finances

This is how not to take care of home financial matters. Do not attempt to do online banking with children on your lap. Especially don't try to pay the credit card bill with a kindergartner sitting behind you on your chair, two other little guys alternately climbing into your lap and back down the other side, while trying to answer a boy who is asking what he can eat, and getting a teenager to turn off his video game.

If you insist on doing all this at the same time (because it is the day the bill is due, of course), you may end up inadvertently transferring money FROM your credit card into your regular checking account, instead of the other way around. And then, not only would the credit card not be paid, you might also get a late fee. And that's in addition to the big fee for the "cash advance" you just gave yourself from the credit card.

This might look like an exciting circus act, like spinning a dozen plates while balancing upside down underwater with hungry sharks, but do not be fooled. It is not fun. Do not try this at home.

Don't ask me how I know.

First Day of Kindergarten

First day of kindergarten. She rode her bike, the twins rode their "motorcycles," (they are really matching Dora the Explorer big wheels that we found at a garage sale, but don't tell them!), and I ran.  It's hard to keep up!  Either I need to buy some running shoes (boo!  hate running!) or I need to get my bike out of storage (yes!  love biking!).

When we went to pick her up at the end of the day, she ignored us and ran straight to her bicycle. When I asked her to ride slowly so I could keep up (I was done with the running), she declared that she was a big girl now and knew her way home.

The she zipped past me, past the crosswalk, all the way down the wrong street, and turned into the wrong neighborhood. She's a big girl, all right!

Moving...

We moved this week.  That's right, we now live back in the good old neighborhood.  We will call our new/old ward the Re-Ward.  Ha!  Trent and I are in my dad's old study that he reluctantly gave up.  The old train room downstairs has a partition down the middle to separate Chris's room from David and Eddie's room, and all three little people are in a new room we just built in the half of the downstairs family room that is under the kitchen.  We (actually my older brother and his buddy) also built a small storage room around the old washer and dryer closet.  We've been really busy moving things and cleaning and painting anything that doesn't move - and sometimes things that do move, too.  We have kept the twins out of the paint for the most part, which is a miracle.  It looks really nice.

Saturday night we packed our beds into a box truck from Trent's work and brought them over.  We are hardly moved in, but at least we have five people sleeping in beds, and we are here for my dad.  I worried that he would be going a bit crazy with all the hubbub, but he has been doing great!  Maybe even enjoying watching the process.  Maybe we are more interesting than really old television reruns.

The older boys will be moving off the family room couches and into their room Tuesday.  We pulled the pink carpet out of the old train room and we are getting new grey speckled carpet to match the light grey walls.  The trim is light, light grey, nearly white.  They only got one wall done, but we are painting everything.  Nice to have it all fresh.  The carpet guy will be here Tuesday morning.

And my old house?  My big, beautiful, spacious house that was feeling too big for us? My older brother and his family are moving in.  As this was all unfolding, I wondered whether to sell or rent, and how quickly we could have it show-worthy.  Oh man, there were so many things that needed fixing!  And then my brother called and said they wanted it.  I can't believe how smoothly this is all going.  Like it was orchestrated from above, really.  It's crazy how the pieces are falling together.  I hope they love the home and our neighborhood like we did.

"The small things are what are going to get us back to Heaven someday."  I loved this quote from Alec's letter last week.  He is so right.  When we do our little things, it makes a huge difference.  And He is right there helping us.  I have noticed the Lord in all the details of this past week.  It has been crazy and stressful, but somehow it is all working out when we follow His plan.  He really loves us and wants us to grow and be happy.  I know it, and it helps me keep moving.

Peace

I'm looking for peace.  Have you seen any?  I heard there was a sale on the 15 oz can at the local grocery store, but then I read that something in the attempted preservation makes the peace evaporate and go sour.  I'm anxious to find some.

As I'm typing, none of the kids have done their chores.  The twins are at the counter, backwashing in their hot chocolate.  One of them will spill any moment now, I'm sure.  Angel is moping around, wrapped in her favorite quilt, complaining in a very whiny voice about how there is a hole that goes "clear through."  What do you expect of a blanket that gets dragged everywhere?  David and Eddie are reading library books instead of doing their homework.  I don't see Chris or Ben, which probably means that they are doing thoroughly unproductive things on their personal distraction devices.  Alec and Trent are gone at work, like always.  And me?  I'm writing when I should be doing a thousand other things.  There's a load of laundry begging for attention.  The box of wooden blocks just got upset all over the living room floor, waiting to trip me up as I dash across the room barefoot.  I still haven't ordered new checks.  I forgot to get the main item for dinner when I was at the store.  I need to make dental checkup appointments.  My own bedroom is a disaster.  The family budget needs a tuneup.  I'm teaching a lesson in church on Sunday and I'm not as far on the text as I would like to be.  And the taxes!  Always, always a million things to do and hardly the energy to think about them, let alone get things done.

And where is a gal supposed to find peace in all this?

It's here.  Right here.

It's all in the way you look at things, and what you decide to put in your heart.  People can feel uneasy and have fighting thoughts when there is no outer conflict.  Others can have calmness and a deep serenity even in the middle of war.  Jesus was called the Prince of Peace, even though he didn't do anything to alleviate the political oppression of his people at the time.  But he taught them how to find peace in their hearts.

So, amid all the unfinished chores and heavy responsibilities, I can find my peace.  The winter sun is slanting into the room through handprinted windows, filling warm puddles on the floor where David lays, reading a book.  Eddie is generously sharing his pretzels with Freddie.  Angel dances with her blanket, wrapping herself in the warmth and love of a quilt handmade by her cherished grandmother.  Georgie climbs into my lap, content to snuggle for a few minutes before dashing off to some new adventure.  Ben bends his curly red head over his iPod, concentrating on his homework, focused on maintaining his GPA.  Chris gives me a wide teen-aged grin as I walk past, lighting up my mother heart.

It's a beautiful day.  It's a beautiful life I have here with this family.  And my heart fills with peace.

Dress Up

Thanks for joining me for this month-long writing challenge.  I've learned some, and been reminded of more.  And to finish out my month of ways to be happy, a few fresh-today photos of what makes me the most happy.

Thing 2 (Georgie), Cat in the Hat (Angel), and Thing 1 (Freddie).  The twins were type-cast this year.

David as a Dementor.  Had to take the face-mask part of his full-body shadow off during school, but had a good time with it.

Giant teddy bear (Chris) and Aloha tourist (Ben).  Chris threatened bad things if we asked what the fox says, so I won't.

Eddie as a bearded minion.  He is truly in love with the beard beanie I made for him.  Now Trent wants one.  And David.  And Eddie wants another one...

Because I love being a mom.  These kidlets make me happy like I wouldn't ever have been able to imagine.  This is the first year in a while that I didn't make myself a costume.  That's ok.  I'd rather be a happy mom than a dressed-up, stressed-out mom, and that's what it boiled down to this year.  Next year, though...

Just for today, dress up and look at the world from a different perspective.  You might be surprised how fun it is.  Or jump on a bed.  That always helps happy.

Find Good Things

I've been thinking of product placement.  And Facebook ads.  And Google's new "privacy" policy.  I understand that advertising pays for a lot of what we consider "free."  Like radio.  And search engines.  And this blog.  So I appreciate that.

But for today, I'd like to go back to good-old sharing stories about things without worrying about whether we are holding the label facing outward, or getting compensation or perks from it.  This is not the Truman Show.

Because I'm going to tell you about a few of my favorite things in my medicine cabinet.  These things make my life a little bit better, and I've decided to recognize them and be happy about it.  Too many things are annoying, and make us frown.  Maybe we ought to get in the habit of smiling for good things.

This is my moisturizer - coconut oil.  I feel fancy when I say moisturizer instead of lotion.  I use it on my face and hands and I love it.  It's not slimy or greasy at all.  And it's cheaper than any moisturizer in the beauty department.  More love.

Burt's Bees lip balm is not as cheap as others we have in the house.  But it works, smells nice, and best of all, doesn't taste like chemicals.  I use it all the time - see how the print is worn off the tube?  I have to hide it from the twins, who like to each chapsticks.  Eat the cheap ones, small fry.  Not Mommy's.

This one makes me laugh at myself.  I don't necessarily love this toilet paper.  But I do like the wrapper.  The swirls make me happy.  Maybe one day I'll paint my bathroom in swirls like this.  Then I'd smile every time I went in there.

Just for today, take a look in your cupboards and drawers and notice the products that you really like.  Maybe even smile at them!