In Love with Clutter

I am a sentimental person.  What I am not is a pack rat. If I don't think I am going to use something within the next three months I pitch it.  Which brings up guilty feelings of contributing to a generation of users, but that is another topic all together.

I love all of the memories that we make as a family, but let's face it, I am not a good memory keeper.  I either forget my camera or forget to use it when I do have it.  When I do take pictures, they sit on the memory forever and rarely get printed or shared.  Those that I have printed out now sit in a drawer, or most recently since the move in a box.

I love all of the crafts and pictures that Andrew and Ryan bring home.  But I have a really hard time keeping it and I have a harder time throwing them away.

I needed a way to document them, so I started brainstorming.  Scrapbooking? I tried this once.  All of the items that I purchased at Hobby Lobby and Creative Memories...yep, still in the box.  Making a book online?  This is still a possibility, but even these I am not so good at completing.  Then it hit me - upload them to the ole' blog.  Perfect!

So here are several of our favorite arts and craft projects, so far.

Andrew's Artwork at 3 and 4 years-old.

Andrew's Pre-Kindergarten Artwork.

Hansen Sunday Comics

Just loving some life...

1. Ryan continues to add words and put sentences together as we speak.  Well, he doesn't talk in his sleep like his big brother, but he is continually talking.  All the time.  I always thought that the second child didn't talk as much because the older sibling talked for him/her.  But this is not so in our house.

There are things that he is saying very clearly, like Mickey Mouse, I don't like it!, and Come on!  He also knows names of everyone who he sees often in his little world... Aunt LaLa (my sister Melissa), Aunt Meggie (my sister Megan), Uncle Rockie (he has renamed Megan's husband Rob), Aunt Esa (Mike's sister Lisa), Uncle Kyla (Lisa's husband Kyle).  So far so good, right?

One name that he has down pat is Papa, which of course he calls both Mike's dad and my dad.  And then there's Papa, which he calls Mike's mom and my mom.  We have tired and tried to fix this little term of endearment.  He will shake his head yes when corrected and then say "Gee-ma."  Then as soon as he is trying to get grandma's attention he yells "Papa!  Come on!"

2. We have had a really rotten case of the "Gimmes!" lately.  It is UGLY!  At one point last week I had had enough.  There was asking and pleading and crying for everything in sight.  I finally got what we needed and everyone back into the car.  Andrew continued to carry on and I had reached my limit.

I looked at him and said sharply, "Stop it.  Stop acting that way right now.  You are acting like a spoiled rotten brat!"  He looked at me obviously shocked.  "Wha, what did you call me?" he sniffled.  "I did not call you anything.  I said that your actions right now are like a spoiled brat's."  He said through his tears "I can't believe you called me a spoiled RAT!"  Just try to keep a straight face.  We both were laughing and it quickly broke through the tears and the attitude.  Who knew all it would take was a simple misunderstanding!

3. I got a huge wild hair yesterday and we took a trip to Dallas, TX on the spur of the moment.  I just woke up and decided I HAD to go to IKEA.  Never been there before, but I really just had to go see what it was all about. 

Amazing. Fantastic. Brilliant. Can I live there?  Yes, please!

We were able to fit in a visit to the Dallas Zoo as well.  Which rocks because the admission for this month is $5 for everyone over 3 years old.  Fun for my little guys and fun for my mom and me!  (I think the boys loved IKEA as much as we did!)  And the zoo was just what we needed to stretch our legs and have a great tiring time to make it swiftly through the store.  Which is not an easy task - too many awesome things to look at!  We will return...SOON.  Probably a much-needed girl's allowed only trip!

4. Today we took a trip to meet up with my best friend and her daughter, who just happens to be Andrew's BFF.  On our way out the door, Andrew came running down the stairs, closely followed by Ryan, saying "Come on, Ryan.  Let's tell mommy the good news!" 

"What good news?" I asked.  Andrew ran up to me beaming.  "I can change Ryan's diaper now!  Look!  I did it all by myself!" 

And sure enough, he had a wet diaper in his hand and Ryan actually had a loosely strapped diaper wrapped around his little cute hiney, the right way.  His pants were even on and pulled up perfectly. 

Wow!  Andrew has never shown any interest in changing his brother's diaper.  In fact, just the exact opposite...run!  Now, if only I could get them to scoop the dog poo in the back yard they really would be earning their keep!

5. Our trip to visit my best friend and Andrew's BFF took us to another zoo.  You can never get enough of those animals! 

When we saw them upon arriving at the zoo, it was like watching a miniature chick-flick romance scene.  Andrew and Sarah ran to each other and embraced.  Ines then told me that Sarah had confided in her on the car ride over that she was going to tell Andrew that...wait for it... (gushing and then blush) she LOVED him .  Which she did when they released their embrace.  She leaned in with her mouth cupped by her little hands and whispered "I love you."  Andrew said loudly, "I know, silly.  I love you too.  You know when you tell me these things, Sarah, it makes my heart beeps faster!"

Oh, heart beeps.  And 5 year-old puppy love.

My Lenten Journey

So far I have accomplished reading, or rather listening, to a book I have wanted to read for a while now. 

Eat. Pray Love.

I have been waiting to watch the movie.  I can't even tell you how long the movie has been out sadly.  But when you become a mother, movie watching is a novelty unless Winnie the Pooh, Lightening McQueen or Simba is involved.

Grown up movie watching is a "has-been."  But what, I am getting off topic here.

Eat. Pray. Love.

You know, I really think that God waits to bring certain things into your life when you really will use them and be ready to hear and receive a lesson in life.

Ironically, I finished the audio book on Wednesday, Ash Wednesday.  I thought that was very clever.  Especially when it was about 11am on Wednesday and that's when I realized that it was Ash Wednesday.

How did it get here so quickly?  It just doesn't seem possible.

I really enjoyed the book and can't wait to watch the movie.  Liz Gilbert and I have similar personality traits - bubbly, people-pleaser, quirky, daring and a bit dramatic.  I loved listening to her read her writing.  It really added insight and humor that I'm sure would not have been as good as just reading it on my own from the actual book.

Her experiences made me realize how much I yearn to be closer to God, coupled with everything that makes up Ash Wednesday and the journey to remembering Jesus giving his life so we may live.

It makes me sad that I do not slow down enough to just sit in the presence of God.  Reading a couple of chapters of my Bible every night just does NOT cut it.  And, gee, before I listened to this book, I thought I was doing pretty good.  YIKES!

So, here is my dedication for my Lenten journey this year:

• Andrew and I have compiled a list of 5 Bible verses that we are going to memorize as a family over these 40 days.
• I will start to carve out at least 30 minutes in the mornings before my family wakes up to spend in prayer and meditation.  Just me and God.  I know this will help me focus on my family, attitude for the day and simply, my mental health and balance.
• Using a whisper when I would normally raise my voice in response to a highly energetic, creative and funny five year-old.  He is a good kid and I have to slow down to see the world through his expressive eyes.  Understanding from his view is the key.
• I will finish reading the New Testament of the Bible. 

It feels good to stop and re-focus your life every now and again.  Take a deep breath.  Bless the circumstances that stress and strain.  Love yourself.  Love your Savior and your Creator.