Check out my BARGAIN!

On occasion, I'm known to pull over the van, hop out, and pick up a great "roadside" bargain....a.k.a. trash. I was raised that often one man's trash is another man's treasure. I remember being mortified as a child when I was told to get out of the van and grab something that my parents saw on the way home, certain that every kid in school was going to see me. Now, I can't help myself; I guess it's in my blood. Josephine pegged it right when she observed yesterday, "Mom, you fuss at us to clean up all day and then you go digging in other people's trash cans for more things!" Okay, honestly, I don't go "digging" in trash cans, but... hey, would you pass up a perfectly good , practically brand new, folding lapdesk? or a box of crystal glasses labeled FREE?

I just have to share this one bargain. It's not a trash can story, but it was a great deal. I was just about to head out across town to pick up some school chairs for $15 each, thinking I was getting a pretty good deal. When lo and behold, I came across a craigslist ad for a school table with 6 chairs all for $15!!! Just 5 minutes away!!! Do you have any idea how much these retail for??? I am certain that we will find Plenty to do with this one!

Yes, it's true... I love me a great deal!!!

Life Cycle on the Fast Track

After our first two weeks of school, we have just completed an ENTIRE life cycle. Although, yes, I may have aged extremely since the start, I'm actually referring to the life cycle of our butterflies. Our little baby caterpillars grew up. They shed their skins, made their chrysalises, and did their thing. Those poor little bugs probably got more attention than any other bug in the world.

They were faithfully fed, watched, and entertained.

Josephine even tamed them to climb on her arm. Our field trip to the Bronx Zoo, let us witness butterflies galore in the Butterfly Garden. Then we took some caterpillars for a spin on the Bug Carousel.We went on a 4-D adventure with Dora and Diego chasing butterflies through the jungle.

And then, alas, our babies were no longer babies and we released them into the big world. It was fun to watch them fly, but oh so hard to see them go.
Now the girls are "empty Netting."I'm thankful the Lord is letting my babies stay with their mama a bit longer than two weeks. Adela wanted to keep at least one, pinning it's wings down to stay forever. As awful as that sounds, in about 11 years, I may be tempted to do the same:-)

Contemplations of a Three Year Old

Thessaly has always been a deep thinker, but lately her musings have taken a spiritual and yet very practical turn. Often on our drive to church services, our little "motor mouth" opens a window into how she thinks. Here are a few gems from the latest drives:

When the angels come to get us, I hope they don't drop me.

Will there be night time in heaven? Will we have to take naps?

Where is Jesus now? How come He doesn't fall through the clouds?

Is Jesus still bleeding? How did He get clean after He died?

Do you think Jesus took showers or baths?

When we go see Jesus will you still live with me?

The precious thoughts of my baby girl help to keep our dear Savior ever present in our daily thoughts and conversations. Keep thinking, Thessy!

Organized Chaos

The goal this month is to organize the chaos. Since our last move, I've been on a mission to no longer be lost in the clutter. I have begun to throw out a good portion of what comes into the house, but the damage is already done. Apparently, unaware, I trained my brood to save, collect, and keep every little thing their tiny hands got a hold of. While going through room after room (which by the way, I have now decided I'd be content living in a one room house), I found stashes and bags that were tucked away and forgotten...not only by my handfull, but also yours truly. What was I thinking...was I really going to use that placemat from the restaurant for schooling purposes?! In the mix of the junk, I did find a few gems that had been missing. I don't know how they got there, how they were forgotten, and now that they are found I know they won't end up with the junk again.

Going back to school this week, I knew I had to be on top of things or it was going to put us all in the nuthouse. We now are organized not only in our clutter, but also in our chores and school schedules. It's amazing how smoothly things run when a plan is in place. A little fore-thought and all is perfect (except for when a certain baby doesn't take a nap, or a precious toddler needs help in the RR, or a well-meaning big sister spills a drink all over the counter, the stack of mail, and the floor). Seriously though, we're trying and it's working...gradually, but surely.

While I'm organizing every little aspect of our lives, I decided to clean out our internal selves as well. Our hearts and souls can always use a good cleaning and organizing. We've been regular in our nightly devotions and prayers, but now we're adding a morning study to the breakfast and an alphabetical Bible verse to the mix. When I take a good look at the "stashes" stowed away in my heart, I see a lot of sorting and organizing that needs to take place. After cleaning out, I've found some precious gems of His that aren't getting pushed aside again.

May our school year stay organized and clean both in our spiritual and secular studies.

It's never too early to start learning...here's Eben helping do chores already... setting the table (or should I say setting the booster seat) and Thessaly enjoying the Listening Center.

Eben's Summer Vacation

Oh, the joys of traveling with a baby!!! Eben can be a wonderful and delightful little fella, but buckle him in a carseat for 2 days and the whole family's hair may turn white. Considering the places we've been and the miles we've covered over the past two months, he really has done an outstanding job. Here's a glimpse in pictures of the Adventures of Eben's Summer Vacation.

"Can I see too? Whatever it is way up there must be fascinating since we've come all this way to see it."

"Don't mind me...I'm just falling off of this crazy hand thing."

Another delightful picture with strangers.

"Act like an animal? What animal slithers from grandma's lap in an instant?"

"Here we go again. Now what could possibly be more important to my mom, than holding me 24/7?"

"More kisses?! Seriously?!"

Playing with the Big Kids

It seems like just yesterday, Eben was lying dormant on a blanket, watching his big sisters run wild as dad spun them in circles before bed. Now, Eben has declared that enough is enough; no more sitting on the sidelines. He is crawling, walking, and climbing all over the place...and I mean ALL over the place.

He began his single steps about two weeks ago, while his biggest fans stood on the sidelines ready to dive to the rescue. Now with his very own cheerleader section giving their constant applause, he is off like a mini-wildman. He walks across the room, climbs up on the sofa, rides the rocking chair like it's a bucking bronco, and should mom turn for literally half a second, he races to the top of the staircase at lightening speed. Whatever life brings Eben's way, we can definitely tell he is not going to take it sitting down.

I guess this marks the beginning of what older and wiser mothers always tell me. "You'll miss it when this stage is gone!" and "They grow up way too fast!"

I must admit, I am getting rather nostalgic as these momentous occasions pass. Josephine's losing her teeth as fast as Eben is growing his. Wasn't it last month that she was getting her baby ones?! These stages pass me by before I can take a good snapshot in my mind. Right now, I pray I may relish the current moments of chasing a toddling baby, but I'm also looking forward to those moments coming in the blink of an eye.

Reliving Youth Through My Kids

When my siblings and I were little, we had a backyard full of hammocks. They were tied in all different ways, making each one a unique and totally wild ride. We would stretch out to fly, curl up to spin, or run and pump to swing and twirl until we'd make ourselves dizzy with delight.

This week my kids were introduced to their first hammock. What fun for them! Who am I kidding....What fun for me! They started off with trepidation, learning how to get each foot and arm untangled without plunging to their deaths, but within two days they have become dare devils galore. As I watch them, flashbacks of my childhood fun come flooding back. I can see already it won't be long before they start teaching this old dog some new tricks.

Isn't that true with most things...just when you think you are the expert Hammock-Heroine, a child can come along and teach you something you were too old to notice. It seems each day reveals a new way in which I should "become as one of these."