Happy Birthday, Hope!

Happy Birthday, Little Lady!

It's hard to believe you have reached that threshold called

teen years.  You are growing into a beautiful young lady and

I want you to know I am so very proud of you!

Remember:  "Smile, and the whole world will smile with you."

I love you!

MOM-MOM

Accomplishments, Relaxation and Discoveries

Last week Rease secured a coveted spot amongst the 5th graders.  Safety Patrol.  She has talked about this all year ~ she wanted it badly and by golly she got it!  She is so excited.  That belt and badge have become a part of her attire, both at school and home!  I wonder if she sleeps in it!  I can remember wanting the very same thing when I was in 6th grade (that was the last year of elementary when I was in school).  Our belts were white cotton and we had to learn to fold them a certain way.  I didn't become Safety Patrol until the fourth marking period ~ as did Rease. What a way to end elementary years ~ by achieving such a sought after goal!  I am so proud of her!

Baby Girl has found a new way to watch TV.  Yep, she's laying on a footstool, with her blankie, sucking her thumb and watching 'toons.  To be so little and so content ~  ahhh.  

Baby Girl is good at helping pick up her toys. She puts some of her own things away when she is done and will help when asked to pick up the rest.  She's gotten clever on me.  She has a toy stash in every room of the house. This morning when I went to put away my loaf pans (that she thinks are hers) this is what I found:

Hm. . . . . what can I say?  She put them away. . . .

My Poetry

I had am having a stressful week.  So many things on my mind.  When I get like this I tend to write poetry in my head.  God allows me to remember only certain ones.  It's a good thing, because the ones I "forget" could do damage to one's heart ~ mainly mine.  They are just terribly raw.  And even on those days when forgetful poetry enters my mind God gives me hope, a light in the dark ~ or in today's case ~ a light in the middle of the morning!   It's His way of re-routing my thought process.  Good thing He's in control.  I'd be a bigger mess than I already am!

"Half Moon"

As I stand here at my kitchen sink
Pondering about my day,
I look up to see Half Moon
Staring down my way.

What a pleasant surprise I think
As I see her hanging there
In the pale blue morning Sky
Amidst the clouds so fair.

I forget the woes upon my mind
As I think about this sight . . .
As Half Moon makes her presence known
Donning her soft white light.

Complementing the pale blue sky
Her skin ~ a soft translucent white.
Gives her such a fragile look
Masking her strength and might.

The clouds and she play hide-n-seek
And she's hidden from my sight.
The wisps and willows of the clouds
Are the perfect shade of white.

But then she slowly reappears
Not far from where she was
As the clouds puff slowly past her face
My head becomes abuzz.

I think of what she might see
From her point of view.
Does she see a sweetness fair
Hanging in her sky of blue?

Does she tell the stars at night
Of the many things she sees
As she moves around the earth below
With proficient grace and ease?

It matters not that she sees me.
It's comfort enough to know
That as she hangs in God's great sky
Her light on Earth will show!

Crickett

Easter Break Review

Call a spade a spade, is what I say.  So it is NOT Spring Break in my book ~ it is Easter Vacation. Period.

Anyway, just a look back at how this past week unfolded.  I am never certain as to how things will flow with three gals ~ ranging in age from "Bossy, Sassy and Don't Look at Me".   I just hold my breath, hunker down, and only peek when absolutely necessary!

On Monday we decided brownies were in order ~ so brownies it was.  I think they may have had a hankering for them.  Let's just pull up a chair.  Nothing like watching brownies bake while enjoying a baggie of oyster crackers. 

Watching Brownies Bake

On Tuesday, it was, you guessed it ~ dump the clothespins day ~ count them, clip them together, take them apart, divide them into piles, pick them up and do it all over again . . . .

I'll say it again ~ cheap entertainment!

On Wednesday I decided to finish polishing the silver I started on Tuesday.  Ben made the statement that old silver should not be used anymore.  The girls on the other hand ~ can't wait to use it! 

Not very ap"peal"ing to Banana Man

oooo  . . . . . shiny

Thursday came and went, as did Friday.  We drove ourselves crazy with Mario Brothers. Being so close, but sooooo far from the end evokes insanity and short tempers!  You should see Baby Girl with the Wii remote.  She'll be a pro soon, guaranteed.  That is ~ if she will keep it away from her mouth so she doesn't lose playing privileges!  Goldilocks and Reasy Peasy left early.  That left Baby Girl and I to ourselves for the rest of the day.  Just when you are getting used to the noise level, it falls back to the chatter of baby garble and the patter of tiny feet being chased by a weary old lady.  So our day goes ~ just the two of us ~ once again.  We are cheap entertainment for each other ;).

It's Jello Jiggler time!

So today, the Little Ladies whipped up a batches of Jello for Jello Egg Jigglers.  We shall have them for dinner dessert tomorrow.

I've been focusing all week on tomorrow and the reason we are celebrating the Easter Vacation that leads up to Easter Sunday.  It is more than humbling when I think of the depth of the holiday and the gift that I so DON'T deserve.