living on this...

This picture made my Best Of 2011 list, and here's why.

I get sad when summer is over and berries and watermelon go out of season. But last winter I put together the above fruit salad and proceeded to eat it nearly every day. I was breastfeeding Ivar then and would eat an entire banana, a whole orange and whole kiwi in one sitting.

And I'm back at it again. There is something perfectly simple about this trio...tart kiwi, sweet banana, and good oranges. It's the perfect combination for me and makes me feel like I can make it to watermelon, raspberry, blueberry and strawberry season again.

an update on my thrifty father

You might remember my last visit to Mesa, when my dad came up with his own solution to fixing the existing patio furniture without having to purchase a brand new set. I am happy to report the tape is still holding, the pink is still vibrant and they make for a comfy seat.

But I have more to report. Dad has been typing up notes again too. Historically these notes have been found mostly in the guest bathroom at their house, serving as public service announcements asking guests to kindly turn on the fan before they shower and to limit their showers to five minutes in an effort to reduce moisture and to help the Harrington's save water.

And then in Mesa, I found this note on the oven:

It reads, "Caution! Oven Door Drops Like A Rock!" And it does. It is fair warning. But obviously I had to get out my camera.

And to make my life complete, he came out of the bedroom one night and said, "Hey Becca! Your dad is so cheap that when he needed a v-neck tshirt in Mesa, he just made his own!"

I told him to smile for the blog.

**My dad just called after reading this post and would like to be sure everyone understands: He was able to pay for his three kid's college educations, weddings, pay off his house in Minnesota and vacation in Arizona each year because of his thrifty ways. You would all be wise to make your v-necks and patio furniture to ensure a secure future for yourselves.

the long flight home

For as successful as the flight to Mesa was, the flight home was trouble from the start. Ivar was in desperate need of a nap and had figured out he could get quite the reaction from me if he screamed loud enough. When he screamed I would cover his mouth. Which he thought was fascinating, because it made his loud sound quiet. So the moment I removed my hand he tried it again. And again. And again.

We were blessed with an entire row on the way home, but truthfully, this was more trouble than anything. I sat in the middle and wrestled 24 pounds of baby who kept crawling from the window to the aisle and back and forth. I missed our six year old travel friend from the flight out so much. She was a tremendous diversion, I now realized. The flight attendant graciously kept reminding me that he needed to be in my lap at all times, and I smiled and nodded and said things like, "absolutely." And then continued to facilitate my son's physical adventures from one seat to the next.

I force fed him m&m's during the entire landing.

We spilled every single snack. My pants were saturated in formula before the plane even left the ground. You'll note the mix of rice puffs and wheat things on the floor in the picture, as well as one of our toys in the aisle. At some point I gave him some medicine "for his ears" to see if that might help him doze off. It did not.

So, it will be a while before we do this again. I actually had a pretty good attitude, realizing this too shall pass. And it did pass. But again, it will be a long time before I fly solo with my screaming son.

so proud

 

We had snacks at a restaurant overlooking a lake and my mom commented to me, "it sure is nice Ivar will drink from a straw." And I was shocked, because we haven't been able to get him to use a straw before. But there he was, proud as could be, drinking and laughing like he and Grandma had some funny secret that just got out.

an update

Ivar and I made it to Mesa! It was a long flight, and Ivar stayed awake for all of it, but we were lucky to sit next to a first grader and her mom. They switched my seat when I arrived at the airport and put me in the back with three other babies! Four babies in the last two rows of the airplane. And they all did pretty well. Ivar was very excited to look out the window, excited to eat all of the treats I had packed and excited each time we hit turbulence. He thought it was some lap bouncing game I was playing. We head home tomorrow, and I hope it goes as smoothly. It is downright exhausting to be the mama sometimes.

The desert is beautiful and we've enjoyed our days here with mom and dad. I have some fun pictures to share.

And finally, a quick update on Mount Carmel. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers! It was a great weekend and though I can't share anything for another month or so, I can share that I came home with a happy heart. And that felt so, so good. I stayed in Lodge Room 5, and when I got there I read through the guest book and found entries from Grandma B from 2001, 2002 and 2008. Handwriting is powerful, but her voice in her writing was overwhelming. This picture turned out so dark, but it reads:

"A little bit of heaven on earth: Mount Carmel." This is my 50th year at Mt. Carmel. Mt Carmel raised our seven children and I maintain- bring your family here one week of the year and they will be Children of God. Ready to do His will- serve Him wherever they are- whatever vocation they chose. I thank all the staff for their love and care. This year we have many here from other countries. Thank you. Velma Bredberg.

I read this just before I stepped into my first meeting of the weekend and felt so grounded, surrounded, empowered and strong. And as God does, he faithfully filled every moment of our time together and guided our hearts, united our vision and made clear the decisions to be made. He's always faithful.