Saturday Afternoon Recommendation

The New Central Marion County Library (I think that's what it's called - I'm sure you know what I'm talking about) is an interesting, leisurely, and inexpensive way to spend a Saturday afternoon. The architecture is incredible. There are cozy little spaces to nestle yourself into where you could spend hours reading. There are lots of hands on activities for the kiddos and plenty of scheduled classes for adults as well. A few of my favorite things are (1) The main lobby (2) The view of the city from the fourth floor (3) the reading rooms, just up the marble steps off the main lobby (4) Starbucks in the main lobby.

Here's a picture I took of the monument from a window on the fourth floor. I like how I shot the street leading up to it and how you can see far beyond. Let's pretend it's a wonderful magical land far beyond our fair city, not just Nora.

Disney's Desperate Housewives

Just thought you'd all get a kick out of this. I've never seen it before.

She Walks!!

On the tenth of February, My smallest little person, KJ will be 15 months old. Being the smallest little person of four and having absolutley the loveliest tempermant of all the babies any one could ever hope to meet, she has had chariots waiting on her every whim. Meaning, of course, she's the baby. Everyone carries her where she wants to go and she has no complaints about it! Last evening, my friend, Nick, comes into the library, points her in my direction, stands her firmly on the ground, and tells her to walk to me. So, she does it! She doesn't even stumble or wibble-wobble. She just walked straight to me. I'm just sitting there in emotional dumbfoundment. Crying... Being happy... Being excited... Then ding ding ding, lightbulb moment. He just told her to walk and she did it! Teige still needs to be potty trained... Hmmm....

Starring Down the Shoot of the Laundry Barrel

This just in... Late breaking news on the war with laundry... I WON! Man that feels good. There's a grain of wisdom in this here victory: Don't let things get out of control. This is step one to preventing chaos. BUT (somewhere in our grammar curriculum it says beginning a sentence with AND or BUT is BAD) if things do get out of control hard work and a lot of soap can get you back on track. Another thing that I've pondered on the subject of laundry is: Do we really need this much clothing? Okay, so there are dumb questions. Of course we do. I just can't believe I won. I won. I won. Wait a minute. The kids just cleaned their rooms... Oh no... Oh man... They just dumped two more loads in there... Does it ever end...

The New Rootbeer Float

Jonathan Swift, the author of the beloved children's novel Gulliver's Travels, once said, "Necessity is the mother of invention." (You would not believe how long it took me to find out who said that quote. Then I couldn't remember who he was. So, I had to google him. That's bad isn't it.) I would have to say in my case, sheer brilliance is the mother of invention. If someone else came up with this absolutely, fabulous recipe, I don't want to hear about it. It's my invention. Just like the salsa recipe. Mine, you hear me?

Being recently introduced into the world of soy milk, I decided to start with the vanilla flavor. It is one of the best things I've ever tasted. I kept thinking how much it tasted like Chick-fil-A's icedream. Bingo. Ding. Ding. Ding. Lightbulb moment! So try this out y'all, a half a glass of vanilla soy milk and a half a glass of rootbeer (I like Barq's after a rough day. I like Mugs any other time.) It foams up just a float. Tastes great! You can even do diet rootbeer and fat reduced vanilla soy milk. Let me know what you think.

P.S. Drink immediatly. If you don't the milk and the soda will separate and it looks really yucky. Still tastes good though.

Rest

Hey ya'll. My heart's still a'beating. Don't worry. Sometimes after being so out there and crazy, I dive hard into a dark sequestered hibernation. I tend to get a little dull and can be a real pill when things aren't going perfectly hunky dory. It's usually such a retreat that yields creative beauty such as the metamorphosis of the monarch butterfly. I do feel such an urge to stretch out my wings and soar today. 70 degrees sunny weather and a baby blue convertible t-bird would be a wonderful accessory for the craving for freedom and exhilaration I'm longing for. But what I want more than anything this moment is to smell the ocean, to hear the ocean, to taste the ocean, and to feel the ocean. It's been about 3 years since I was last with her. She has such strength and power. I feel small next to her. It's a peaceful, restful, sort of small... A "Be still and know that I am God" kind of small. Some people get there from sitting in a forest. Some from a mountain top. Some from their flower garden in the back yard. I can sometimes feel it when I watch my children sleep. Especially the smaller little people when they don't need their diaper changed and they've had a bath before bed. Thank God for those moments of rest. Ohmigosh, I think someone just broke a glass in the kitchen...

Then Why Don't You Marry Them

I love Gummy Bears. Love 'em. Love 'em. Love 'em. You can do all kinds of things with Gummy Bears. You can shmoosh their little heads all the way into their toes. You can separate them by color and eat them in an organized manner. I like to eat them in this order: Orange (my favorite), White, Red, Yellow (if I'm in a good mood) and then I try to get the kids to eat all the Green ones. I don't like the Green ones. My favorite thing to do with Gummy Bears is to line about 10 White, Red, and Yellow ones up in front of me on my desk and make them watch me bite the heads off all the Orange ones. Sometimes I get so into biting the heads off them that I actually eat the Green ones, but that rarely happens.

Men Beware

Hello to my male readers. I wanted to let you know that I appreciate all of your support in my blogging adventure. I also wanted to let you know that you are more than welcome to continue to read and even comment. I just wanted to give you fair warning in advance that there may be some silly, harmless girl talk in posts to come and didn't want you to be shocked or embarrassed. If you are the kind of man who can sit next to his wife, mother, and/or daughter and watch tampon commercials, I'm sure you will do just fine. I'll try to warn you at the beginning of the post, but I take no further responsibilities for your blushing...

Stickers

http://www.uppercaseliving.com/

Many have asked about the significance of "Stickers". I sell transferable wall art through a company called Uppercase Living. A friend gave me the nickname "stickers" because the product is much like a sticker in form. If you are interested in viewing the product, go to http://www.uppercaseliving.com/ . My demonstrator Id is 380180. The log in token is the word invite.

I have been so blessed to have found this business. It has not only provided income which is so greatly needed when raising four children on your own. But, it has also given me a creative and social outlet which is so greatly needed when raising four children on your own. With the help of my friends and family and the hand of the Lord, this business has been and is a one of the biggest successes in my working life. Last quarter I was 10th in the company for sales. My friend Angie found the company and suggested I look into it. I am so grateful to her for encouraging me to do this and supporting me throughout it. If I haven't said thank you to each and everyone of you who has supported me throughout my business endeavor, then shame on me. You all mean so much to me and I could not have done this without you.

Okay, commercial break over. How do you get red sharpy off the bathroom door????

My Peeps

Introductions:

Calla, my beautiful and very photogenic 11 year old, is completing her courses of 5th and 6th grade studies this year. She is lovingly referred to as "Little Person Number 1". Among many things she enjoys art, designing, sewing, and time away from her siblings.

Molly, Little Person Number 2, is already very sure of who she is at the young age of 6. It is such a joy to be her mother. She enjoys being enjoyed more than anything, I think! Her interests include, but are not limited to Webkinz, American Girl Dolls, learning to read, and doing Pilate's with her Mama.

Little Person Number 3 is my one and only Baby Boy, Teige. I love it most when my adoring 2 year old son climbs in my lap, looks lovingly up at my face, and says, "My Mama". To which I reply, "My Boy". It is most often the highlight of my day. He is very stubborn, but so very sweet.

The most recent addition to my collection of little people is Katie Jo, who will be 14 months old next week. She has been nothing short of a "Hug from God". Most people referred to KJ as "The best baby they've ever met." A truer thing could not be said. She's not walking yet. Why should she? We carry her everywhere and she can crawl faster than Speedy Gonzalas.

If everyone else jumped off a bridge... I might

Without any further ado... dah tah tah dah dah dah... Welcome to my blog, a brief insight to the sane and not so sane thoughts and actions of a single mom. I often have heard the quote, "If you can't beat em', join em". Many of you are toying with the world of blogging. As the chronic designated driver, it has always been in my nature to join the crowd as a spectator. However, I intend to dive stomach first into this thing and it will most likely be a flop. I'm sure that with the brevity of quiet reflection time I have each day, this blog will not yield anything of great substance, but I will strive to entertain. So, here we go...