It's all the Rage

Ladies, the newest facial miracle landed right on my face this morning. Yes, it is an amazing combination of baby cereal and sneeze.

The trick is in the timing.

You need to bring the spoon to the kiddo's mouth at the exact moment they are winding up a big sneeze. It may not sound tricky, but the look they get before a sneeze and the look they get before they "open wide" to eat are oddly similar. If all is timed correctly, you will get a full spoonful of cereal evenly sprayed over your face. If you're lucky, you might even get a little on your arms, too. The amount that goes on your clothes seems wasteful, but the results are still fantastic. A bonus feature is that you often find small amounts of the cereal still working it's magic long after breakfast is over, usually when you are talking to someone else.

Oh, and it works on men's skin, too. Just ask the Hubs.

Summer Buzzin'

In an uncharacteristic impulse Josh wanted a buzz haircut. I think the idea came from a friend or two who had the cut for summer. He really needed a cut anyway, but I wasn't planning on cutting his beautiful hair down to nothing. On Saturday, his grandparents were over and the peer pressure set in. For whatever reason, probably something related to this, I got really panicky about it. Josh can get pretty emotional (wonder where that comes from?), and I was afraid if he didn't like it, the aftermath could be Titanic-ish. My mother-in-law had a great insight though... just the fact that he was willing to make a drastic change to his appearance was a huge showing of his self-confidence, of how far he had come. So, I changed my own emotional attitude (yep, it don't fall far from the tree, my friends), plastered a big smile on my face, and got the clippers. Oddly, our clippers starting petering out half way through, and the job had to be finished by a professional. Thank goodness...who knows what the child would have looked like. (see second photo below.) He looks great! The smile on his face when he got back showed me how much he liked it, and the attention he's received since then has been eagerly welcomed, too.

I'm so proud of my Buzz Boy. Who knew?

I Knew it!

So glad to read this over at one of my favorite blogs.

Fire your therapist ladies, bring on the blogs.

Readers

Teacher's Heart: Loving it

Momma's Heart: Overjoyed

(At first Owen was sitting next to Josh. Soon he got up,
and moved his little buns in his favorite reading spot...up close and cuddled.)

School's Out

Another school year has come to a close. It's time to put away the backpacks and lunch boxes, the bags we used for the sitter and the all-powerful school calendar. Packing these things away brings a great sigh to my heart. I am relieved that another year of taxi driving my kids from school, to sitter, to home is over. I am happy to just think about my own three children, instead of twenty-four others as well. I am looking forward to saying, "It's another 'Mommy Day,' " the days we affectionately have named for days when I don't have to work. Ellie is anxiously awaiting more "Josh Days," too.

On the other foot, we have a whole summer ahead of us. Days of fun, excitement, playing, laughing and boredom. We've already made our lists...(these poor children have no chance whatsoever to become a person who does NOT make lists.)

One for big ideas (special outings) that Josh wrote.
(note dear SIL Sarah, that the second page first item is "play with rode (Rudy)"
...MI here we come!) The last item on the second page is not a Spa park (although what a genius idea, eh?) but a spray park nearby.

One for everyday ideas (when we're bored) that I wrote.
Not an exhaustive list, but one to get us started!

And of course, Ellie's list, which was just a couple of things she can't wait to do.
Play "House"
and go to the "Beach"
(who knew 'g' sounds like 'ch'??)
Note the spider going for a ride on the surfboard.
The more legs with which to hold onto, my dear.

Each year I mourn. I mourn the year past and the one ahead. I already had my good cry last night. I watched a sad movie on purpose, just to get the tears going, because, so far, I've been trying to keep them back. This year was especially poignant. Kindergarten. Done. Next year, first grade. Preschool. *sigh* I've watched my kids go off and begin their own lives just a bit. Their own friends (at least, ones I haven't picked out for them), their own likes and dislikes based on their own new experiences. *big sigh* Josh is reading. Ellie is writing. Owen is... well, at least I have him for a while yet. Although, from the looks of it, not as long as I would like. I mourn the fact that I could have done more, I could have stopped to smell the roses. In fact, the Hubs brought home some beautiful peonies from work yesterday, so in a physical gesture of doing so, I stopped and smelled the peonies. Unfortunately, that was after my good cry and I couldn't smell a thing because of my now running nose. (*sigh* with a giggle) I've always known the cycle of school years and continue to cherish the break that summer affords. (especially when I see how hard the Hubs works day after day, only to get a couple of weeks off each year...love you for that, dear!) So I know this feeling will come around again. Hopefully, it will get less painful as I get used to end and the beginning of school years for my own children. Saying goodbye to my own classes was never this hard. Saying goodbye to Josh's teacher today was a bit difficult. She is an amazing educator and I want to go to kindergarten now. She never wavered in her affection for Josh and her reassurances to me were exactly what my mother's heart needed. (odd, being on the other end of things now).

Today is a new day and next week will bring trips to the library, days outside and many trips to the lists. I pray today for a safe summer, one filled with good family time, rest, rejuvenation, and rejoicing when those inevitable August days come again.

Welcome, Summer. It's good to have you back.

Cutest soccer player ever

Isn't this just the cutest soccer player you ever did see? Our cousin Trevor, future all-star! Of course, I guess I should mention at the time of this photo the game was actually still going on. He had come over to where we were to ask if we were coming to his house after the game. Oh well, it was fun to catch him in action and cheer him on! He is turning the big f-o-u-r this month and we are so glad we live close enough to get to see him in play. Way to go, Trev!

Music for the Party

One of my favorite blogs to read is Rocks in my Dryer. She inspires and makes me laugh. Today she is giving away some great music. WOW CD's! 17 Cds to 20 lucky folks...hope one of them is me!!

Check out the new CD here.

Summer Road Rash

Before:
(cute shirt courtesy of birthday $$ from Great-Grandma MJ)

After:
(not-so-cute road rash courtesy of brick patio,
super-cute sweaty curls courtesy of the Hubs genes.)

Aha moment....

Oh my goodness....

IT'S JUNE!!!

Guilty as charged

Today the dear Hubs was installed as Deacon at our church. When he first mentioned that his name was in the running, I wasn't exactly thrilled.  And if true confessions were to be made, I secretly hoped he wouldn't get voted in.  I liked having the Hubs available to me and the kids, besides our own chosen busyness.  He has been a deacon before, and I knew that it was pretty possible that he would be voted onto this current council.  I was not happy about it. 

Today the Lord put me in my place.

As they read the "charge" to the deacons; their job description, I was amazed.  It was as if they were listing off all the wonderful reasons why I love my darling man.  (do they read my blog, too?) I looked at him in front of our church, dapper and well-dressed, and thought...this is why he is here.  The Lord knows his talents, his abilities, and this is the way he can share them with others.  

I had another secret thought...I already knew...in the way you know your best friend...that this list of qualities and instructions is true about my dear Hubs.  Others may know him as kind, generous or thoughtful, but I know.  How selfish I had been to not fully support the essence of the man that I love.  Although, it will still be difficult to "share" my man with others, his service will be a testament to all of us, especially our kids, to the ways the Lord calls us to his kingdom work.  

A friend asked me today if it was emotional to see the Hubs up there, kneeling down, getting the hands of other council members kindly placed on his shoulders, praying for his work to come.  I had said no, because my first reaction to the word emotional brings to mind pictures of tears.  In that way, I wasn't.  But in another way, it was.  I felt strong emotions of love and caring for my dear Hubs.  In fact, the sadness and dread I had previously felt about his inevitable busyness and absence because of his deacon work left me.  I was proud.  Not a bragging, boastful pride, but a gentle glowing pride that my husband was chosen, chosen by God to participate in the life of our church in this way.  

So, Congratulations, dear Hubs.  Go get 'em.  

And we will be here...praying you all the way.