home sweet home

I saw this little post on decor8 today and I just had to repost part of it here. This is something I think of often, and tried to teach to my little primary kids, and want to continue to teach the 12-18 year old girls I teach.

"Some people grow up and do not have such a sweet home. There is chaos, fighting, illness and many other things that can stand in the way of feeling safe, at peace and happy at home. I think that is one of the best things about being an adult and moving out of the house for the first time. As a young person, you have the chance to create your own Home Sweet Home no matter what your past was like. You can remove the stress and chaos and start anew. You can make decisions that are good ones, so as to safeguard your new found freedom and peace. If you are able to continue this for many years, and you meet someone, fall in love and continue having a relatively peaceful home life then I think you have accomplished a lot in your life. I remember when I was little, I lived next door to a couple who were always fighting. You could here them several houses away! And when I went to visit their daughter, I was surprised at how uncomfortable, even as a little girl, I always felt visiting her. They weren’t screaming when I visited, but this energy and negativity hung in the air like a very bad smell. And it felt thick and suffocating. I always asked her if we could play in the yard instead of inside of the house, I did not like how their home felt."

I have felt this same way before and while I did grow up in a home sweet home as a young girl, I'm grateful that I have the opportunity to give that loving and warm experience to my children and their friends (eventually). Home is our favorite place to be and I hope as my children grow it can stay that way.

image via the wheat field

apple pickin we will go

I have the most romantic dreams about life. Frolicking through the apple orchard is definitely a part of those dreams. And I have to say, it was every bit as lovely as I had imagined. Perfect weather, crunchy apples to fill our tummies, climbing trees the way boys should... it was all very perfect. It was not perfect to have to drive an hour and then wait an extra half hour in the car with cranky boys just to get into the parking lot, but definitely worth it. I still want to pick blueberries, Michigan family, and one of those days I'm going to do it. Right after reading Blueberries For Sal, the best children's book ever.

I'm sorry, more pregnancy stuff

Feel free to tune out as desired to the pregnancy channel I can't seem to turn off...

But we heard our baby's heartbeat today! I would think after having done this twice I wouldn't be so excited, but it is just as exciting as the first time, and possibly more so, even bringing a little tear to my eye. The very fun part is that we did it at home, on the couch. Ben borrowed a little doppler do-dad and a bottle of ultrasound fluid from work and we found it ourselves. It was like a treasure hunt! And we found the prize, at 168 beats a minute..

the same as the two little boys born before this one.

If this isn't a boy, I'll eat my shorts.

*image is one of my fav fav favs from yan photo. and you really should just go to her blog and look at it because it's so much more beautiful as huge as she has it on her site. Ahhh! I'm going to have one of those!

just moving photos further down

Raining again today and I let Benson be "sick" and stay home from school. So far he is whiny and I feel impatient. But right now I'm getting off the computer and then everything will be fine.

But mostly i just need to get that photo off the top. It makes me gag (and others too, apparently).

prego

First of all, who designed this program that just when you are needing to nourish another human being all you want to do is throw-up? When I have my own world, I will definitely NOT make women feel like this as soon as they are pregnant.

But secondly, when I do finally feel like consuming something, it always seems to be a throw back to my childhood, because I guess my body is reminiscing like, "remember the days when feeling nauseas every day wasn't even possible?" While I was pregnant with Benson, I ate Lynn Wilson frozen bean and cheese burritos (beloved during childhood and I still love them when I go back to visit the fam) slathered with extra cheese and sour cream every. single. day. And while I still crave them during this pregnancy, alas, they are only available in glorious Utah. So lately I've been substituting baked potatoes with plenty of the good stuff, but today... TODAY... gimme spaghetti with shredded cheddar cheese.

I know. But I gotta eat something.

And this dish holds both fond and sad memories, as I loved spaghetti with shredded cheese the way my little elementary served it, but the kids with parents who really loved them always made them a sack lunch. Those of us TORTURED enough to have to eat school lunch were always met with, "ewwwwwww," and "that looks like barrrrrffff!!" and so we had to enjoy it secretly, pretending to choke it down. Oh, like they made this burritos that were out of this WORLD so good, but everyone said they looked like cat doo-doo so I couldn't ever get one! So sad.

Anyway, the moral of the story is: Isn't pregnancy weird?

But also, my favorite blogger is back to cooking and posting yummy vegetarian recipes!

When we stepped outside to watch the recycling truck, our normal Thursday morning activity, I finally noticed a significant chill in the air. It would seem that even here in toasty New Mexico fall is finally slowly laying her chilly hand upon us. Which made me think, I'm sure glad I finished that little hat, although technically it won't be needed for another 7 months or so. Chilly air makes you think thoughts like that, the same way it compels you to knit a newborn hat in fall colors for a little one who won't be making an appearance until after Easter. Who knows, maybe I'll be able to add a little green bow and call it a carrot hat.

a story about homework

It's best to put a foot up when doing your homework.



If you are really focused, you may want to put up the other.



And if you want your photo taken, simply copy your brother.

stripes

I am feeling totally inspired by the striped carpet on the stairs in this house. I am bookmarking this one for future house planning.

Image via design*sponge

off to school

Benson started pre-school yesterday. I've already heard countless accounts of parents worrying and fretting, but all of that means nothing until you experience it for yourself. I shed lots of tears trying to be ok with him going (he wanted to go sooooo badly) and at one point even accidentally convinced him to stay home with me, but in the in end off he went and he even came home and had a marvelous time. He gave a glowing report of new friends, stickers on his hand, writing in his journal and beans (not very good but I tried them, Mommy) and rice (It was the best rice ever!) and apples for lunch. He even headed to day two with a smile on his face, although he panicked a little when he realized we forgot his backpack and to brush his teeth.

We'll get used to this.

And Banks only cried a little today. I need to get a recording of him saying, "Pwease mommy, I wanna go pwe-schoo!" It's the saddest and sweetest thing you've ever heard.