Because I Need a Laugh

Today, I found myself googling, "How do you get petroleum jelly out of clothes?"

By clothes, I also meant Little Man's new quilt, a throw pillow, and surely other things I've yet to discover.

That is all I'm going to write about that.

I went to get the camera, because, hello, I have a blog. That is when the morning got even more interesting.

I searched high. I searched low. The camera was nowhere to be found.

I was stumped, and then I remembered; it was in the stroller basket. The stroller was sitting on the back patio, where it poured rain this morning.

And, that is also all I'm going to write about that.

Later on in the day, I found myself reading over at Holding Little Hands, where she confessed that she once searched the grocery store for "brown onions". She didn't understand that brown was a verb and not an adjective. I enjoyed a much-needed laugh after the morning I had.

Then, I remembered a kitchen moment I had not long after I was married.

I knew my husband liked crescent rolls, so I bought a tube. Once home, I opened them and unrolled them. I carefully placed the triangles on a baking sheet. I specifically remember thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder how the triangles turn into crescents? Guess it happens in the oven."

It didn't. They came out looking like puffy triangles. However, they still tasted the same, and my husband had a good laugh. All was not lost.

Ironically, at the time, I remember being embarrassed. Today, I almost couldn't type as I was laughing so hard while I wrote the story. (I do realize it isn't THAT funny, but it is after my morning.) Guess that goes to show that we do eventually get to look back and laugh at our mishaps.

Even ones that involve a certain two-year-old and his new bedding covered in Vaseline.

Silly Sentence

Big Sister: "If there were frogs in the bushes, they would come out and jump on the lollipops."

I suppose that would taste better than lily pads.

Oh, I love that silly girl.

A.B.C. Salad

I remember, as a child, asking someone if she'd like a piece of A.B.C. gum. If the unsuspecting child said yes, I'd laugh and hand her a piece that I'd already chewed.


Then, I'd explain that I was offering Already-Been-Chewed gum. Clearly, I'd had someone offer me the same thing. I wasn't that creative. It was a silly thing we did as kids.



I never expected the other kid to actually eat the gum--yuck! Hopefully, after playing the joke, I was kind enough to offer a fresh piece.

There is a point to this.

I thought of this childhood joke as I ate my lunch.




Would you like to know why?


Let me show you.



Do you see the piece of cucumber at the top of the salad bowl? Please notice the bite marks.




They aren't mine.




As I was finishing my salad, I noticed this little cucumber. I knew that there hadn't been an opportunity for Big Sister to munch on it while I made, served, or ate lunch. Therefore, I can only conclude that she ate it sometime last night or the night before that. We've been eating this leftover salad for a few days.


That means the salad sat in the fridge with that A.B.C. cucumber. Yum!


Care to join us for dinner? I'm serving spaghetti and meatballs, asparagus, and salad, of course.

"The" Pie

A few months ago, I found myself making a meal for a friend who'd recently had a beautiful baby girl. I made some of our favorites to share. Included in the meal were a large pan of chicken enchiladas, some rice, a salad, and a pie.

Except the pie was missing a piece, thanks to my husband.

Oh, he knew full well that I was taking the pie to friends. It is just that this pie is that good.

I found the recipe in the newspaper while we were still living in Arkansas. It was one of the dessert winners in the newspaper's Holiday Cookbook.

Technically, it is called Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Pie. But, around here, we think that name is a tad misleading. The crust is made up of cookie dough, but the filling is more like a cheesecake. So, I'm taking to calling it The Pie. I'm nothing if not creative.

Here it it is....

The Pie

1-18 oz. tube refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

2-8 oz. packages cream cheese softened

1/2 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 package Heath toffee bits

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
Press the cookie dough into an ungreased 9-inch pie plate.
In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, eggs, and half a cup of the candy pieces.
Pour over the top of the cookie dough.
Bake for 30 minutes or until set.
Cool completely and top with more candy pieces.
Chill until ready to serve. (You definitely want to wait until the pie is chilled or you will be disappointed. We keep the pie in the freezer because we think it tastes better that way.)

Enjoy!

Please be sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-Me-Wednesday ideas.

Summer

According to the calendar, Summer is still more than three weeks away.

The scene in our backyard tells a different story.

Thicker Skin

Almost every night, before bed, I read to Big Sister from The Big Picture Story Bible. There is a part that briefly describes life for Adam and Eve outside of the Garden of Eden. It sums up life away from God as hard. It says that taking care of children is hard.

Each time I read that sentence, I struggle not to add on a hearty, "Amen to that." I mean, I don't want to offend Big Sister.

But, here's the thing. Parenting is hard.

That is why I can't get the lady from the grocery store out of my mind.

This morning, I found myself on a grocery run with Little Man and my brother, who is Uncle Little Man. Well, not really. But Little Man and my brother have the same name. Hubs and I think my brother has a great name, so we stole it. Of course, we think my brother is pretty great too, but I digress.

I had one more thing to buy. Little Man was quickly losing patience. I had met every need as best I could, but I was not going to grant his request of getting down so he could run wild. He disagreed with my decision and was protesting.

I told Uncle Little Man (I'm sure he loves being referred to as such, especially since he is almost six and a half feet tall) to ignore him. I then walked quickly to pick up my last item, before heading to the checkout.

That is when a lady walked by my brother and sarcastically muttered something like, "Well, that's good parenting."

That shouldn't have bothered me. I'd like to say I shrugged it off. But, clearly, since I'm posting about it, I haven't exactly forgotten it.

You see, Little Man is "going through a stage." If you are a parent, you know what I mean. I've been left second guessing every. single. thing. It seems as though every interaction with my special little guy leaves me wondering if I'm doing my best for him.

So, that is why the lady at the store almost brought me to tears. And, this is especially pathetic since I learned of her comment only because my brother told me.

I've spent much of my day thinking about this morning. I wouldn't have changed anything I did. Truly, I wouldn't.

Instead, I've concluded that I need thicker skin. Easier said than done. Maybe, maybe not.

The way I figure it is that God gave Little Man to my husband and me. He obviously thinks we're the best people for the job of raising the little guy. There is only One who gets to judge our job raising Little Man.

It isn't the lady from the grocery store (who incidentally probably has no kids of her own).

I think if we remember this, we'll do just fine. After all, He has promised to help.

Perhaps if I don't look at Mommy

she won't see me.

Then, I can get these eggs put back in the carton before she knows they're missing.

Because Prayer Makes a Difference

This morning, after reading a few of my favorite blogs, I learned of a family's very sad news. After reading that, everything else became irrelevant.



Please pray for Steven Curtis Chapman's family as they are in the midst of a heartbreaking tragedy.

Good Things Come in Small Packages

It was about this time at night, exactly one year ago today, that I had a hunch we were in for a little surprise. I was right.

Thank you Lord, for a most wonderful little surprise.

Nursing Bracelet

I've loved nursing my three children. Of course, the nature of a nursing baby is to be up at night a bit, especially in the early months. This makes mama tired. It gets harder to remember things. Even simple things, such as what side to nurse the baby on first, become hard to remember.

That is why I started wearing a bracelet.

I simply slip my bracelet onto the wrist that matches the side I need to start nursing the baby at the next feeding. Generally, I wear a dark pink canvas bracelet that snaps on. It is soft and doesn't get in the way of holding my baby. In a pinch, I've even switched my watch back and forth on my wrists to help me remember.

It works for me. Please be sure to visit Rocks in My Dryer for some more tips and ideas.

T.G.F.T.I.P. (Thank Goodness for the Ice Pack)

After a little mishap involving the door and Big Sister's ear, we broke out the ice pack. It looked like it hurt, or maybe not. I wasn't quite sure after having the following conversation.

Big Sister: "My ear still hurts."

Me: "Put your ice pack back on it."

Big Sister: "Which ear was it?"

Me: "Um, the one that hurts so much."

She randomly picked an ear and put the ice pack back on it.

They just might be the funniest when they don't even try. I love it!

Rolling Over

Some things never change. One thing that doesn't is the excitement over a baby reaching a new milestone.

But, some things do change. Baby Girl first rolled almost two weeks ago, and I'm just now recording it.


It used to be that I'd have pictures ready to go five minutes after taking the photos. Let's just not talk about the fact that I still don't have a picture of her cuteness in the bath. Here she is:



We love you Baby Girl! We're enjoying every minute of watching you grow.

Dog Breath

She stood with her face in the corner.

She was obviously hiding something.

Honestly, I wanted to pretend I didn't see her. I wanted to be a lazy mama. But, I've been telling her "sneaking is sinning" and also stressing the importance of telling the truth.

So, I hung up the phone and got Big Sister's attention. It was obvious that she was eating something. I assumed it was the brownies that were on the counter.

I reminded her that it is important to tell the truth.

I patiently waited to hear her tell me she had taken a brownie.

Then, she opened her mouth, and it was clear she hadn't eaten a brownie.

She breathed dog breath all over my face as she said, "it's dog food."

The kicker was she had a look on her face like she was eating candy, or something equally enjoyable.

I shook my head, thanked her for telling the truth, and sent her to time out.

Then, I went into the kitchen and both laughed and gagged.

Never a dull moment, I tell you, there is never a dull moment around here.

Just Thinking

The library and bookstores are for me what a candy store is for my children. I can never seem to have enough books.

So, it isn't unusual for me to start a book and put it down only to pick it up a few days, weeks, or months later. This was the case with Beth Moore's book Breaking Free. I grabbed it off the shelf just as I began to nurse Baby Girl. I looked for the dog-eared page and read this:

"We make life so much more complicated when we think life is "all about me." The rest of the world never cooperates. No one else got the memo. When we see ourselves as the center of the universe, we live in constant frustration because the rest of creation refuses to revolve around us."

Reading that was a big wake-up call for me. I realized that I had started to see much of what makes up my day as a source of frustration. Little Man kicking his shoes off in the car as we get close to our destination, Big Sister spilling milk, or Baby Girl not napping well all become reasons for me to be frustrated.

But, what if these little incidents, besides being normal childhood behavior, are meant to change me into the person God created me to be? Well, that certainly changes things doesn't it? Instead of my day being full of frustration, I have a day full of opportunities to become a more godly woman.

I pray I remember this when nap time ends.

Now, if only these opportunities didn't have to keep starting before the sun rises.

A Note From Little Man

Dear Bamaw and Papa,

Thanks so much for the birthday present. Bubble wrap is the best!

Mommy says you were quite clever to pad the bubble wrap with a Spider-Man Potato Head and an Elmo toy.

I love you both and hope to see you this summer.

Love,

Little Man

P. S. (Mommy says she tried to get a picture of our faces, but we were too excited about my new toy to pay any attention to her. Besides, she always has that silly camera in her hand.)

Pooped

No, not that kind.

Care to guess who keeps waking up before the sun?



Poor little guy is too tired to play. Poor little mama thinks she should join him.

It actually looks quite comfy through the eyes of a somewhat sleep-deprived mama.

Six Things

Kendra at A Superhero, Princess, and Monkey has tagged me for a meme.

I'm supposed to list six uninteresting things about myself. That should be interesting, or not.

Here goes.

1. I really, really like gas station cappuccinos. You know, the ones that come out of the little machines. I'm particularly fond of French Vanilla and English Toffee. Yum!


2. I'm not fond of giving back rubs. Poor hubby.


3. I frequently read and watch TV at the same time.


4. I almost always drink decaf coffee.


5. The Mark of the Lion books by Francine Rivers are some of my favorite reads.


6. I twirl my hair when I'm tired. I've done this since I was child.

Here are the rules of this meme:

If you want to play: Link back to the person who tagged you.Post these rules on your blog

List 6 uninteresting things about yourself.

Tag 6 random people at the end of your entry.

I followed the first two rules, but I'm bending the last one. I'm not going to tag anyone. But, if you read this and feel like playing along, go for it. Please be sure to leave me a comment and let me know you're playing.

The Reason 3-Year-Olds Don't Baby-sit

Big Sister carefully swaddled her baby and then left to play with her neighbor friends. She left the baby to fend for herself on the front door mat.

I promise, she didn't learn this one by example.

Happy Friday

Thanks to Little Man for holding the microphone. Perhaps he purposely kept his face out of this shot. At the time, it looked like this.

This is Little Man's demeanor after waking from a nap. Even the somewhat rare treat of a ring pop couldn't shake the grumps out.

And, in other picture news, notice the loud toys that Little Man and Big Sister are playing with. They may be the first loud toys that a grandparent didn't buy.

That's right. I willingly bought them. I even let them carry them in the cart at Target where they proceeded to serenade every single person they saw. Big Sister sang a version of Jingle Bells and Little Man mumbled something to the tune of the ABCs.

And since this is turning into a miniature scrapbook, I'll throw one in for my mom.

Look Mom! It's a picture of me! We couldn't get Little Man to cooperate. Big surprise there. But, I must say his daddy cooperated quite nicely and looks pretty good, if I do say so myself.

Rise and Shine

Lately, Little Man has been waking up quite early. Needless to say, no one really likes this except for Little Man.

So, in an effort to keep him sleeping past the rising of the sun, my husband hung a blanket over Little Man's window blinds. He hoped to block any tiny bit of light from disturbing Little Man's sleep.

His efforts were rewarded with Little Man arising before the sun at exactly 5:19. Nice.

No wonder he wanted some coffee the other day.

Happy Three Months Baby Girl!

Oh my. I can hardly believe that you are already three months old. I remember thinking that once you were three months old, we'd be used to being a family of five. But, I'm not sure that I'll ever be used to such sweetness or take it for granted.

Your third month can be summed up with "Hello hands! Where have you been all my life?"

You love to chew on your hands. You also use them to grasp anything they touch, mama's hair included. Ouch!

This past month also included your first laugh. I could listen to that sound all day long and not get tired of it. I usually try to make you laugh after I've cuddled and fed you. Of course, this usually causes you to spit up a bit, but the laughter is worth the mess.

You took your first road trip this month. We went to visit Daddy's family in Iowa. As predicted, you were a fantastic little road warrior.

We're thankful that you continue to grow well. You currently weigh 14 pounds and 13 ounces. Your chubby little legs are precious.

Baby Girl, this time is going by so fast. I want to remember your sweet smiles and lovely laughs. I pray the rest of this year will be full of both.

You are loved.

Until next month...

Home Sweet Home

We enjoyed our first road trip as a family of five. But, let me make it very clear that is wasn't so much the road and trip part of it that we enjoyed. We did, however, enjoy our visit with family.

If I get the privilege to be a grandma, I hope I'm as wonderful as my children's grandparents. They are awesome. They pretty much take over caring for the children so that my husband and I can rest a bit. I love seeing them love on my children.

Alas, now we are back to the land of reality. It is no guarantee that I will get a nap today. There is no promise of reading a book for pleasure later in the morning.

Oh, and seeing as how Little Man already came barging in the door as I was, ahem, in the restroom, I suppose I can't count on moments of privacy either.

However, there is still nothing quite like coming home. I enjoyed my own bed and am drinking coffee fresh from my coffee pot.

Now, I'm off to detox the children from all the attention. Well, that and catch up the laundry, run a few errands, and of course, cook. Oh yes, and remember to lock the bathroom door.

It's good to be home!

Thanks for a wonderful time Grandpas and Grandmas!

Backfired

"Would you like some coffee Little Man?" I jokingly asked.

"Uh huh," he said.

Oh, oops, I thought he would say no. I mean the kid says no to every. single. thing.

"I'm just kidding silly guy. Silly mommy. Coffee is for mamas," I said as I tried to distract the boy with toast, grapes, and milk.

But, he wasn't buying it.

Then, I thought oh so wisely that maybe I could just give him a bit of coffee since it was decaf. I just knew he wouldn't like it. It isn't like I would share any of mama's creamer with him to make it the delicious drink we all know it is.

So I smugly poured a small sip into a cup. I waited for it to cool.

Then I gave my husband an aren't-I-a-smart-mama look and put it in front of Little Man.

He promptly took a big sip, smiled, and said "ahhhh."

What!? No that isn't how that was supposed to go. He was supposed to spit it out like he did last night's dinner.

Why oh why did I have to change parenting tactics? A simple firm no would have done the job.

Would it be cruel to dump a bunch of salt or black pepper into it the next time he asks for a cup of coffee?