The Journey

A few good quotes to wake up your brain... these quotes from a article by J.J. Abrams on The Magic of Mystery speak to me as I do some personal reflection.

"That is to say, the experience—the setup for a joke's punch line, the buildup to a magic trick's big flourish—is as much of a thrill as the result. There's discovery to be made and wonder to be had on the journey that not only enrich the ending but in many ways define it."

"The point is, we should never underestimate process. The experience of the doing really is everything. The ending should be the end of that experience, not the experience itself."

As I think about the shorter people in my house and how different life is for them than it was not very long ago, it makes me wonder about this age of instant gratification. Just a couple nights ago, as Bryce and I were watching Jon and Kate plus 8, I kept hitting the info button or scrolling through the Guide on commercials, I was trying to explain to Bryce about how we used to look for shows in the TV Guide or newspaper. How weird that he has never known a tv that you couldn't just press a button and pull up the Guide.

Menu

See below cartoon. I hope this isn't what happens since it is so hard to concentrate when taking all three kids with me grocery shopping. 

I'm about to go grocery shopping (with all three boys.. ahhh! but I have no choice!!! Dan, we can't wait for you to get back into town!!! :)) Here's my plan for our week, we'll be busy as usual... but we are in the last 6 weeks of school! Hallelujah for almost three months off from work! 

Sunday- Sloppy Joes

Monday - Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Tuesday- Soccer Practice Pizza Pasta Bake(really easy)

Wednesday- Baseball Practice Chicken and Yellow Rice

Thursday- Leftovers or Silly Supper

Friday-Baseball Game Pizza or Leftovers, I'll be making cupcakes into the wee hours

Saturday- Soccer Game and Rylan's Birthday Party

Decor Diva

It's the only kind of Diva I'll probably ever be, so I'm going to claim it.  I'm not just into Decor, it has to be thrifty, creative, and fun. Recently, I've found some very cool blogs of others like me who always have their eyes open for "someone else trash."  I love thrift stores and garage sales, and my favorite is repurposing something to be a one-of-a-kind accessory.  Since I've recently been inspired by some cool thrifty diva blogs, I thought I'd share some of my favorite thrifty finds.

This is most recent "creation." Nothing fancy, but on a whim I decoupaged old book pages that my dog had chewed out of one of my antique books (ahhh! a whole other story) to a spaghetti sauce can. Today I clipped some flowers from a bush outside and used it as a vase. Not too shabby... well, it is shabby, that's kinda' the idea!

I can't really take credit for this one. My husband made this headboard for our foreign exchange student. We were really excited to decorate a teenage girls' room. Now that she has been here almost a year, the memo board style headboard is covered in pictures!  

My black frame collection is only because of the power of spraypaint. I spraypainted my mix matched collection of frames and hung them all over the house. 

Aahhh.. the red chair. One of my thrift store finds. When I bought it, it was cream colored with stenciled flowers. We made it match our decor with red spray paint.  Don't kids love furniture in their own size? This piece cost a couple bucks!

Curtain in my old bathroom (Oh, how I miss my former master bathroom!). I never did get around to dying it chocolate brown before we moved unexpectedly, but I was still proud that I waited until I found the perfect valance at my favorite thrift store for $1.99. It's hung in my "new" house, but I don't have a picture of it. My 1960's master bath is a work in progress, not yet ready for pictures!

That's just a few of my "treasures!"  My whole house is decorated with like items. We have the basic quality items that we purchased many years ago, but everytime I get "itchy" to change my style or try something new, it's always done with these kind of fun items.  Maybe since I can't seem to give up water bottles, this is my way of being "green!"

Earth Day

Reflecting on Earth Day, a few thoughts come to mind. First off, camp! I have always loved camp. I had the opportunity (thanks, mom and dad) to attend summer camp every summer since I was 6 years old. Nothing is much better than getting away to nature to focus on God, focus on friendships, and appreciate the Earth. As a 5th grade teacher in Plano, I spent many weeks at Camp Classen with my students and fellow teachers. The backdrop of Oklahoma mountains created so many teachable moments. I learned so much and it "stuck". Hopefully it "stuck" with the students, too. Secondly, Who can think of Earth Day without thinking of trees. When we moved East in Texas, our first observation was that they have "real trees" here. We have many in our backyard, and two huge ones in front of our house. When you live in the brand new neighborhoods in Suburbia, USA, as we always have, you just don't see "real trees" anymore. I have two tree memories to share. One, is at my Dad's childhood home in Clio, Michigan. In the backyard of my grandparents' house there is a tree that my dad told us he remembered planting as a kid with my grandfather. My grandparents are gone now, and the house isn't in the family anymore and for me, those kind of memories made it hardest to let go. In turn, at our first house, Dan and Bryce planted a Sycamore tree when Bryce was about 2. Again, when we sold that house, one of the sentimentalities felt by us was leaving "our tree." Mushy, I know, but I'm just kinda' that way. Finally, I can't think about trees without noting one of my favorite stories, The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. The boy and the tree who loved him... what wisdom and simplicity. If you haven't read it in a while, give it a once-over, you'll be glad you did.

Quick and Easy Dinners for this week

We have hit full-swing mode around here...our weeks are very busy with mom working full-time and then some, Dad working long days and coaching like crazy out of town on the weekends. Not to mention, we now have soccer practice, soccer games, baseball practice, and two baseball games a week from here until eternity.

Monday- Ham and Cheese Egg Bake

Tuesday- Shells and Cheese and Hotdogs

Wednesday-Broccoli and Baked Chicken

Thursday-Silly Supper (Breakfast for Dinner)

Friday-Leftovers

Saturday- Rylan's Birthday - Chuck E Cheese (me and the boys)

Enter at your own risk... overabundance of Easter pictures!

Work?

Sometimes, as a teacher, I get to do really cool things that count for a day's work. Recently we took two bus loads of kids to the Tyler Zoo (over 2 hour drive, that is not the cool part.) I've been to many US zoos, but I've never fed the birds like this. It was so cool! The students really liked it, too, except for one of my funny guys who said, "Ms. B, The only way I like my birds is fried with hot sauce!"

Protection

For some reason, seeing this soldier on my kitchen counter made me laugh. It epitomizes life with three little boys and toys. I'm glad we're protected!

Happy Birthday Angie!

Today is my "baby" sister's 24th birthday. How can that be? I remember the day she was born so clearly. I was in 4th grade at Wells Elementary in Plano, TX. She was born at 2 am. My dad dropped us off at school that day and we had to wait all school day before we could go see her!!! He did give me her inked footprint on a little card, and I remember Ms. Norris had me sit in front of the class and tell about my new sister! How could 24 years have gone by so fast?

24 Things I LOVE about my my sister

1. Since I'm surrounded by boys in my life, I love that I have a sister!

2. I love that we kinda' look alike.

3. She has a servant's heart and works with the elderly for a career.

4. She played sports and did gymnastics until she was a teenager, two things I never was good at.

5. She has a lovely laugh.

6. She is the most individual person I know!

7. She is the best in our family at sending birthday cards on time

8. She has a wide range of friends from all walks of life

9. She is very CLEAN!

10. She has a great sense of style

11. She loves taking pictures as much as I do!

12. She has eaten a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day since she was about two!

13. She is a freckle face just like her big sister

14. She always gets on the floor and plays with my kids

15. She is an animal lover

16. She likes the same movies as me

17. School has never been easy for her, but she has already accomplished so much.

18. She is a TEXAN

19. She wrote and essay about me when she was in elementary school.

20. She is a child of God

21. She has kept our family young.

22. She pretended to believe in Santa until she was like 16

23. She is GREAT with kids

24. She is Angie and there is no one else like her!!!

Spring School Pictures

Jayden

Bryce

Rylan

I only buy school pics once a year in the Fall, but here are some scanned in copies of the Spring proofs... very interesting expressions on my rowdy boys faces!

Mocha and Me

Last night we watched the movie, Marley and Me as a family. I'd been putting off watching the movie because I really wanted to read the book first. However, there haven't been very many books read by me lately unless they are brought to me by a 3 or 5 year old before bedtime. So, we watched the movie. It was good and it has stayed with me, as some movies do. What I mean is that I keep thinking about it. Our story is Mocha and Me. We've had other dogs since Mocha, but she is our Marley. Fortunately, she wasn't bad like Marley, but she was our quintessential dog, the one who started our family and stayed by our side for so many of the firsts. The first house, the first baby, the first jobs. She passed away 10 years after we brought her to our home, and we cried, literally for days and weeks, and even though we have two newish dogs, Bryce, our oldest still cries for Mocha when he sees her in a home video or picture, and she is in all of them, because she was always there. She loved us as much as we loved her. RIP Mocha, 1997-2007, we still miss you.

Is it okay for me to do it if you don't see me doing it?

Did that title get your attention? Well, my three year old, Rylan made me laugh tonight. He came to the dinner table with his hair all slicked back with soap and water, yes SOAP. So, a little bit later when I was getting him ready for his shower, I said, "Mommy doesn't want to see you put soap in your hair anymore." Do you know what's coming next? Rylan says, "What if you don't see me doing it?" Ahhh....

I Don't Want to Forget

Tonight at the Easter program at church, Bryce leaned over to me and said, "I like what you're wearing, Mommy." You know, it just doesn't get much better than that. God has blessed me with three special little boys who are developing their own individual personalities, gifts, and talents. Bryce seems to be my sensitive child, and definitley a Mommy's boy. He picks up on my feelings the most, and tonight I had been tense getting out of the house on time, etc., and I think he was trying to say something to me to make me feel good. I love that little boy. And, to me, he'll always be Mommy's little boy.

Let Them Be Little

Jayden just before he scored today in his first soccer game

Bryce giving Rylan a "piggy bank" ride today

Bryce, Jayden, and Rylan 2005

I heard a song on a friend's playlist tonight that gave me that feeling in the pit of my stomach. I often write about how if only I could freeze time.




I can remember when you fit in the palm of my hand. Felt so good in it, no bigger than a minute. How it amazes me, you're changing with every blink. Faster than a flower blooms they grow up all too soon.

Jayden 2003

So let them be little, cause they're only that way for a while. give them hope, give them praise, give them love, every day. Let em cry, let em giggle, let them sleep in the middle. oh, just let them be little. Bryce, Jayden, and Grandma 2003

I've never felt so much in one little tender touch. I live for those kisses, prayers and your wishes. Now that you're teaching me things only a child can see. Every night while we're on our knees all I ask is... Jayden 2003

Let them be little... so innocent, a precious soul, you turn around. Its time to let them go.

Bryce, Dan, Jayden 2004

Let them be little.

So long March 2009

Goodbye March... we had lost of fun...



Spending time outside and getting new freckles.

Eating Nachos at the Lady Hornets softball game

Having a friend spend the night

Playing at the park

Hunting for diamonds

Learning to Rollerskate

Listening to music outside in the sun

Building forts in the backyard with the brothers

Running through the sprinklers and drinking lemonade on that one really warm day

Daddy sent flowers to Mom's school for no reason... the best reason of all!

We look forward to more warm weather in April and lots of pictures, of course!