Monday, July 23, 2012

Giving Thanks for...(921-930)


921. the times when I pick up a child from someone's house and hear how wonderfully behaved they were
922. An evening to reconnect with dear friends
923. A good MRI result for my mom's knee
924. This honest and challenging post. Really good for me to read right now.
925. A potty-trained little boy!
926. Fresh garden vegetables despite the drought and heat
927. Afternoon quiet times
928. The hum of fans and air-conditioning at night, lulling us all to sleep
929. When TJ Maxx has exactly what you needed...and nothing more....
930. That Adele & Jack have started playing together for big chunks of time without arguments (I think he is really going to miss her when kindergarten starts!)


Monday, July 16, 2012

Giving Thanks for... (911-920)



911. Saturday evening's rain. The smell of it, the sound of it, and the little bit of perk it gave everything growing outside.
912. An afternoon tea with my sister and a friend and a roomful of ladies!
913. Birds bathing in our outdoor dog water bowl (I think I need a bird bath!)
914. Gorgeous lilies from the market


915. The first taste of warm tomatoes from the garden
916. How much more readily kids will eat foods that they planted, watered, and picked
917. Jack being on a 5-night roll of better bedtimes
918. That my kids have both sets of grandparents close by, healthy, and a part of their lives


919. Dan involvement in his community. He isn't one to sit and criticize; he gets involved, even when it will take a lot of time and patience. 
920. That my friend Kara's son, Calvin, had a safe surgery last week.

Friday, July 13, 2012

Friday Linky Love

I take issue with the Internet and social media a lot; just ask anyone who has heard my rant. It's more about the time it sucks up and the influence it has. But obviously there is great stuff out there that I wouldn't have found anywhere else! This week, I found some really brilliant posts to learn from as a mom. They're all pretty long...so I hope you have a nice iced coffee or something by your side. But please enjoy - and let me know what you think!

1. After reading this, I felt very compelled to shift (radically shift!) some visions and dreams I have for my kids.

2. And then I saw a link from Ann Voskamp over to here; this is still percolating in my mind days later

3.  This post made me again rethink the way I envision the years ahead before my kids are grown.

4. Perhaps you know me and my obsession for trying more and more healthy cooking and having my kids eat it all? :) Here's some back-up! I want to check the book out at the library soon.

5. Sometimes when I think ahead twenty years, I wonder about a lot.... So I really liked this one! (HT: The Flourishing Mother)

 Happy Weekend!





Thursday, July 12, 2012

Laugh for the Day

I rarely enter the SAHM/WM debate, but this was too classic to pass up: 


Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Quote of the Day

 "Now the layman or amateur needs to be instructed as well as to be exhorted.  In this age his need for knowledge is particularly pressing.  Nor would I admit any sharp division between the two kinds of book.  For my own part I tend to find the doctrinal books often more helpful in devotion than the devotional books, and I rather suspect that the same experience may await many others.  I believe that many who find that 'nothing happens' when they sit down, or kneel down, to a book of devotion, would find that the heart sings unbidden while they are working their way through a tough bit of theology with a pipe in their teeth and a pencil in their hand."
(C.S. Lewis) 
* Thanks to Kara for the reminder! *

Monday, July 9, 2012

Giving Thanks for...(901-910)


901. The chance to follow this trip to Haiti via updates and photos. I will always have a soft spot for Haiti. Such a beautiful island filled with unending sorrows.
902. Fresh air through the house last night after days and days of keeping it shut up tight
903. A new (to me) car
904. Pasta salads, fruit, smoothies, lemonade, iced tea, bruschetta, BLTs - easy, cool, summer favorites
905. Our pediatrician, who is always encouraging me and telling me I'm doing a great job
906. That my mom's knee is less painful
907. Echinacea flowers in the garden. They're just so cheery!
908. Jack's love of sharing
909. Adele's mothering skills
910. Our little town's 4th of July spirit