Learning Room Make Over

I've been inspired by Rebecca and Cheryl to de-clutter Peter Walsh style, especially in the learning room. (My oldest, seeing Walsh's book laying around, has adopted his title as her personal motto. Feeling overwhelmed by anything, she'll run around incanting "it's all too much!")

Since we've only been in this house a short while, the room needs more of a make-over than a real purge. I'm not done yet, but I found this adorable Dick and Jane fabric and can't stop sewing. I'm working on pillowcases for the comfy reading corner and a valance to top our window. (Not all the fabric is as busy as this one; I also bought a red with little white polka dots that is a nice compliment). I have visions of chair covers for my children's little white chairs, but that may be beyond me. Maybe cute book bags?

Clutter is a constant battle. It is all too much! The papers, projects, and goodies that come home from a single Sunday School class is alarming. And a McDo Happy Meal --forget about it! I dread McDonalds more for the chaos of all the stuff (can you unwrap this? where's my toy? what is it supposed to be anyway? did you get honey mustard?) than the smell of the playland and the questionable edibles put together... Sigh.

One room at a time...

Look, look, oh look! See Mom Work!

Wordless Wednesday: Sheep Shearing, Farm Fun!

When All Else Fails, Make A Mess

School was a lost cause this morning -- in part because of a baby who doesn't know if he still needs a morning nap or not, in part because we're on residual sugar high from Easter. Holidays have a way of wiping us all out.

When the girls were little, I followed the wisdom of "put fussy kids in water." Warm, bubbly baths did wonders. Now that they don't all fit in the tub, I've found that making any kind of mess usually does the trick. One thing is constant: you need water. Whether it's mud pies, or a kitchen "concoction," or just a big puddle to stomp in.

The latest water craze around here is painting. Toddzilla even uses a quiet voice when he gets to scoop up those gloppy colors and spread to his heart's content. Elbow's observation sums it up: "there's something about painting with water colors that just makes the picture come alive on the paper!"

Indeed.

Water and life. They go together. Of course our bodies can't survive long without it, our souls need quenching just as desperately. We've been parched around here lately at Living Waters. Not today -- I see more painting and maybe some creek stomping in our very near future.

Now Back To Our Previously Scheduled Holy Week

Pictures are finished. I got to skip the haircut part, because Toddzilla took a serious digger and has a nice purplish-yellow welt on his forehead. I needed those bangs to stay put.

Now that we've got some Easter pictures, I can actually concentrate on Holy Week. Pressure's off! I won't mind a bit when the girls stroll down the steps come Easter morning in some version of Fancy Nancy meets Anne of Green Gables. Honest, I won't. There's just something about preserving a few memories that aren't quite so... "How do I look, Mom?!!" Know what I mean?

The build up to Easter is far and away one of my favorite times of year. All the solemnity and darkness of Maundy Thursday and Good Friday just waiting to be overcome by the Light on Easter morning. There's nothing that says "Jesus is Risen" like a brass quartet belting out "Christ the Lord is Risen Today, A-a-a-a-a-le-e-lu-u-ia!"

I spent many an Easter Sunday during college at the home of dear friends in Wellesley, MA. We'd worship at the historic Park Street Church and then be treated to a true resurrection celebration. This always included lots of guests -- many of us college students -- lots of food, and most memorably, great conversations.

Most recently, we've been the guests at another great Easter party at the home of some of our best friends in Fargo. We'll miss you this year!

Come to think of it, I've never hosted Easter. This year Hubby's side of the family will be with us. Off to come up with something... fast!

What A Difference A Week Makes

Sundays are fairly busy around here. Hubby's a preacher and is out the door early. That leaves me to get five of us looking presentable (my standards are low) and out the door in good time. You don't know how many times I've heard, "It's so nice to see you let your children pick their own outfits" -- which is a backhanded way of sounding nice when you're really saying, "I can't believe you let them out the door like that!" Admittedly, the girls do have a rather strange sense of style. (Think Laura Ingalls meets Pippi Longstocking).

When you throw daylight savings into the mix, it isn't pretty. Last Sunday, the boys revolted and had their own little slumber party right on the kitchen floor. Considering we had one less hour to get ready and 20 inches of snow to deal with, just getting to church was a Herculean feat.

So you can see why I had to capture this morning on camera. We had enough extra time that Bobo was reading stories at breakfast and Crockett got to take his morning nap at home, as opposed to in the car. I'm fairly certain this kind of Sunday will never happen again, so I had to jot it down. Next week I'll remember this day longingly as I rush around trying to find Easter bonnets and boy shoes that fit (not too tough) and aren't caked in mud (much harder). Ah, the good old days...

Second to None

Well, okay, to one. Way to go Bobo on a second place finish in the first grade spelling bee! Don't blame my camera, I was juggling one very tired baby, keeping Toddzilla from claiming big sister's prize bag, and trying to catch a good picture all at once.

End of Lent To Do List

Things To Do Before Easter:

1. Haircuts all around.

2. Get "real" photos of the children. I am notoriously bad at scheduling photos. My aunt is a photographer, so usually she either takes some great pics, or I send her my digital ones and she makes them great. When I asked Hubby what he wanted for his birthday one year, he said, "portraits fo the kids." Sigh. It's about that time again...

3. Locate Easter baskets and buy candy. Bobo has been such a trooper with her Lenten discipline of giving up candy. She is by far our biggest sweet tooth so it's doubly impressive to see her go without. (She allows herself treats on Sundays of course - technically they're feast days, even in Lent. Those donut balls at church are way too tempting!) She announced this morning, "When Easter comes, I'm going to gobble up a huge pile of candy in one munch!"

4. Make Empty Tomb cookies. This year, have all the corresponding Bible verses printed out on a sheet of paper. Looking up verses while mixing egg whites and hammering nuts got a bit tedious, not to mention completely chaotic last year. Make sure we have masking tape on hand to "seal the tomb."

5. Attend family Good Friday service.

6. Make salt dough crown of thorns.

Winter Wonderland

Just
a
wee
bit
o'
snow
today







We had planned to have company for dinner and do a little shopping for our bathroom remodel next week. Instead, the day was spent with the Morses of Down to the Bonny Glen fame, Ancient History (we finished Story of the World vol 1 for the second time), and lots and lots of snow. Very cute to look out my kitchen window and see Hubby traipsing through the snow with a few wee bairns being pulled behind him on a sled. Sorry for the pseudo-Scottish; we're loving the Martha Morse books!


Crockett was beside himself to be able to go out and play. For no other reason than he hates boots, he's usually relegated to indoor play on wet or snowy days. We relented today because he was just so excited to get his first real play day in the snow. True to his North Dakota blood, he stayed out with only socks for mittens and mocassins on his feet.

Apples From Oranges

Our docent-trained Nana came along last weekend on a trip to the art museum. (She could tell you many a tale of woe regarding my own lack of cultural affinities. I ran from anything remotely high brow. Hockey, remember?)




The big three got to study the work of Edna Boies Hopkins in one of the galleries and then try their hand at a modified version of her woodblock prints. Toddzilla got to use globs of paint and a roller. He wasn't complaining.





This particular museum runs a program like this for 3-8 year olds once a month. I'm hoping the apple falls far, far from the tree on this one and my progeny are not as low brow as their mother. To their credit (and Hubby's who loves all things artsy and esoteric), so far so good.

Southern Living

We're not accustomed to sixty degree weather in March. Or February. Or January. But we've experienced it all since our move to Ohio. (Yes, those were my children out in the cul-de-sac today in tank tops and bare feet. Sorry.)

I'm not sure I was prepared for how southern Ohio feels. Or how eastern. With its stone fences and tree lined lanes, I think of Connecticut. But the sweet tea, oft-encountered southern accent - not to mention the proximity to Kentucky - all scream Southern Living (at least to this former North Dakotan). Funny thing is, Ohioans consider themselves very midwestern. Go figure.

Despite it's obvious confusion, you can hardly find fault with a state whose motto so boldly declares: "With God, all things are possible." That feels like home.