kid quotes

I never put these pictures up, but this was such a happy day for us I just want the pictures documented. These pictures were from a Monday in October that was so stunning my kids ended up barefoot in the river. And one week later there was snow accumulating on the ground which made me very glad we had soaked up this glorious last bit of fall weather.

Here's some kid quotes to kick off your weekend:

*I overheard Ivar and Elsie in the living room. Ivar said, "Now you'll be in big, big, big, big trouble!" And Elsie shot back, "No! I'll be in teeny, teeny, teeny big trouble!"

*I was trying to snuggle with Elsie holding her like a baby. I said, "you're still my little baby." She sat right up in my arms, looked me in the eye and said gruffly, "I'm not a baby! I'm a sister!"

*Two times at small group our kids haven't gone to bed before the company came. So they got to be a part of everyone's check in. Last night they listened patiently and when it was time for us I asked Elsie if she had something to share and she lifted her hands in the air and announced, "I grew up! I'm tall!" The other time they got to share Ivar ran away for a while and came back to show everyone that we had got new toothpaste at Target.

the christmas house

I saw this idea on pinterest and pinned it to my "I wanna make this" board. And 24 hours later, I had made it. Because it was that awesome of an idea. The original I saw used white lights, but it turns out when you take two kids to Ace Hardware to pick out Christmas lights, white is not an option. Kids know a boring chirstmas light when they see one. So we went with "the pretty color ones!"

I also didn't have a box big enough, so I pieced together three boxes that we had with duct tape and supported the whole structure with a couch on one side and an end table on the other.

If you do this on your own (and you totally should!) I have a few pointers:
           ***Obviously making one of these is pretty obvious. Obviously. That's obvious. 
                 But just in case you wanted to learn from my trial run I thought I'd share.

1. Go make a big order of toilet paper and paper towels on amazon prime to get your big box.
2. Purchase your lights. I used 200 lights for this beauty. Because, you know.
3. Using a sharp knife, and making sure no children are inside the box, poke little x's in the top of the roof. Place the lights as you go! Christmas lights are spaced way closer than one would think, and I had to poke all new holes.
4. Poke the lights all the way through the x's...so that just the wire is showing on the roof. It makes for a brighter fort, and a more secure light set up (they were falling out before I figured this out.

And then enjoy! Until we get our Christmas tree this little Christmas house is casting a beautiful glow in our living room. And since it is snowing and twenty degrees, it seems right to have the glow of christmas lights warming our house. It has become quite the cozy family hangout spot. Tonight we are going to eat milk and cookies in the Christmas House.

After the kids go to bed.

grace-filled friends

Well, we've officially entered the season of Cancelled Plans. This is a tricky season to adjust to in motherhood.  I can plan all the playdates I want, but it's a real gamble if those gatherings will come to pass. Between kid's illness, mama exhaustion and bad weather life is a little less predictable than the rest of the year.

The night before Ivar's birthday I had tables set for 26. I had six pounds of hamburger. I had two birthday cakes. I had presents wrapped and party games. And then in the middle of the night, I had a little birthday boy with the flu. And a cancelled birthday party.

The next weekend I was set to celebrate Annika's birthday with her and my mom with a nice lunch and later was supposed to go to a mom's conference with church friends. But that morning I woke up with vertigo so extreme that I couldn't lift my head off the couch. And I was so sorry for myself!

And this past week I took the kids to a class in town and didn't realize until later that I had also told a friend I'd meet her at the ymca for a water weights class. I totally stood her up. So I left her a crazy-apologetic voicemail telling her how badly I felt. But when we connected next, her response stopped me in my tracks.

She wrote the nicest, most grace-filled, understanding reply, reminding me of the season of life we're in, that between sick kids and off days and bad weather and keeping all the plates spinning, we just have to do our best.

I was so grateful. It was the exact grace-filled encouragement that my mom-heart needed to hear. And I'm so glad to have heard that right on the onset of this stay-flexible season. Last year my friend Rachel and I tried to meet up six times throughout the winter, and always one of our kids was sick or the roads were bad. It never failed. We'll try again this year, but be ready to give a lot of grace too when our plans fall through.

So here's to putting things on the calendar and hoping they happen. And for grace to give and receive when they don't.

the 'got done' list

I just had the most amazing epiphany.

I was thinking about how I fight against my daily to do list. Because in my head, and on paper, I have lots of things I'd like to get done. But the end of the day comes and sometimes things get done, but other days nothing is accomplished. I know I've been working all day because I'm tuckered out, but it's hard to know where the day went.

It's hard to not have measurable work. I don't really have much to show for a day, except for children that are still alive and enjoying a secure and happy childhood. And that is enough if I am in my right mind. But if I am in my wrong mind I can go a little batty with the undoing of all the things I'm doing. Like the dishes that need to be washed again because we dirtied them again. Or the laundry that needs to be put away or washed or a combination of both. Or the kitchen floor that was just swept and spot mopped but again has sticky spots and crushed cereal and flattened raisins.

At the end of the day there isn't a lot to show for my time. We live in this house and it shows.

So it dawned on me. My to do list is what I'd like to get done. But often the day has other plans for me. Like to help Ivar come off of his tantrum because he couldn't put his vest on by himself. Furious he cried because he could not reach that other arm hole and would not let me help. Or like how lunch got so messy it necessitated baths for both kids...and they ended up spilling lots of water on the bathroom floor. Or like how I made three meals that kept all bodies in the house healthy and happy. Or how, on an impulse, I finally made a phone call reconnecting with a friend long overdue.

The epiphany is that at the end of the day I should make a GOT DONE list.

My list would read like this:
-Helped Ivar work through his tantrum
-Cleaned bathroom floor and my children
-Made B, L and D for all
-Reconnected with friend

And I might add more:
-Unloaded and loaded dishwasher
-Carried a laundry basket upstairs full of clean clothes
-Carried a laundry basket downstairs full of dirty clothes
-Played Thomas the Train and made up a very clever plot line
-Fed and watered cats and chickens
-Built a fort out of couch cushions
-Put living room back together after bedtime routine

Does this make sense? None of these things would ever appear on my morning to do list. And yet it is so satisfying to see it all written out at the end of the day. I'm not sitting idle. I know that for sure. But I rarely have had anything to show for my days. Until now. The Got Done list changes everything.

a potato bouquet

Our basement has limestone walls and an old cistern. The house dates back to the 1890's, and when you are in the basement, this is not hard to believe.

I went down there to find some onions and potatoes to bring up to the pantry and found this lovely bouquet, all happy to see me. Coming from a pampers diapers box were all sorts of potato shoots, looking for soil or light or someone just to notice them.

I noticed and brought the box upstairs to show Rory the last of his 2013 potato harvest. We laughed so hard! And now we are determined to eat every one of our 2014 potatoes before they grow eyes...and legs...and arms...