What A Day

Words of wisdom from a 4 year old...

Today I took Evelyn for her pediatrician check-up. Part of this included what all women learn to do, although we still can't believe we have to do it. That's it... pee in a cup. I'm not sure what all they check for with a child that young, but it made for some great comedy. Evelyn had never been subjected to such insanity before, so when I explained to her that she was going to sit on the potty while I held this little cup for her to pee in, she was incredulous. She kept looking at me like she was waiting for me to tell her I was just kidding. Finally, she said, "Mommy, what happens if I pee on your hands?" I assured her that I would thoroughly wash my hands after the whole ordeal was over, and she settled back on the potty. Then she sat up again and said in the most stoic voice ever, "Mommy, this really doesn't sound like a very good idea." Ha! No kidding.

Let's just say things went downhill from there. She had to have the routine finger prick test, which turned out to be enormously upsetting to her. Honestly, it was total meltdown mode. When she found out that she was going to get four shots, it went from bad to worse. She totally freaked out. It took a while for the nurse to get back with the shots, because they hadn't actually planned on doing those shots until two more weeks when she turns five, but since we were there, we went ahead and got everything done. It took three grown women to hold her down for the shots. She was flailing around on the table, struggling and begging the nurse to stop. It was shocking. I have never seen her anywhere near that out of control. While I had the Mommy feelings of sympathy for her, I mostly just kept thinking how over the top her reaction was to what was happening. Nobody likes shots, but they aren't catastrophic attacks on a body.

Then I remembered being a very young child (probably her same age, since it was before I had my tonsils removed) and how it took several people to hold me down when I got shots at my doctor's office. I had forgotten about any of that, but today, holding Evelyn in my arms and trying to reassure her that she really was okay, I was taken right back to Dr. Cole's office in Newnan, Georgia and the horror of shots during my own childhood. Horror... how funny that it seemed like such a horrible thing when I was little. My poor Mama must have felt the same mix of emotions that I felt today. We want to protect our kids, which means we never want them to hurt, but at the same time, we want them to take the sometimes painful steps that lead to prevention of much more serious consequences. We want them to have a life that is happy and wonderful, but we know that discomfort is sometimes necessary and we want them to learn to be strong enough to handle the reality of life.

Tomorrow I will have some pictures to post... Evie's first day of school, maybe a couple of shots of Gunnar, and some quilts that I have completed. But for now, goodnight.

A Night in the Life of a Newbie Stay-at-Home-Mommy

I say I'm still a Newbie stay-at-home Mommy, but really, is there ever a time that any of us thinks that we've got it all figured out? Do we really ever pass beyond the novice status? I guess that's what grandkids are for, but since I'm here in this season of life with young kids and still figuring out what life at home is going to look like for me, the Newbie label still applies.

When I was working full-time, there were days when the pace was nothing short of insane. Some days were fairly easy, but there were frenetic days when it seemed like I never even stopped to go to the bathroom. (Now, of course, when I do get a chance to go to the bathroom, I am accompanied by a four year old and a sixteen month old. But that's a whole different story, yes?) At home, it's different. While I am still busy and working hard, I have a different feeling about the work that I am doing. No matter how much I enjoyed and cared for the people in the office, they were not my flesh and blood, carried nine months inside my body, born out of the pains and struggles of labor, and whose souls and lives are one of my absolute top priorities. The work that I do at home is mostly done for my family ... my husband, myself, and our two children. I also enjoy baking meals and doing things for other people, but the everyday chores and tasks that keep me busy are focused on our family's sustainability and comfort. Even when I venture into the realm of hobby or personal interest, I find myself drawn into things that I believe will either enhance our lives or make our home more beautiful and homey. 

Sewing has become a great creative outlet for me. Baking and cooking have always been there, but now I find that I have the time to try things that I wouldn't have taken the time to try when I was working full time and trying to squeeze out some meager portion of time with the kids before we all fell into bed and started the race again the next morning. My newest foray into the realm of time-investment baking is bread making. I have two bread books, both of which are meant to take a total beginner all the way into the mathematics and art of baking lovely bread. Tonight, I am making my first attempt, but we won't know how it turns out until tomorrow morning. Because of time constraints (due to the fact that I forgot to knead my dough earlier in the process and had to go back, knead, and re-start the rising process) the final rising stage will be done in the fridge tonight and I'll bake the loaves in the morning. Hopefully, they will turn out well. One thing is for sure -- the dough smells wonderful, and it hasn't even been baked yet.

I'm baking this bread. No, it's not from either of my new books. I've started reading but am not yet to the point of actually making any of the formulas (recipes) from my book or this one that I bought as a back-up reference. 

What else is going on? The yard beautification continues, as does the planting. I'm working up a container garden on my back courtyard. And as it seems to happen lately, I have spent a couple of days trying to think of how I am going to make some little signs for my herbs, jalapenos, blueberries, and okra, and stumbled upon this tutorial. Yes, folks, I will be making my very own garden markers this week. 

The funny thing is that my multi-tasking hasn't stopped. Honestly, if anything, it has blossomed. While waiting for my dough to rise so that I could then form the two loaves, Evelyn and I went outside and planted nine okra plants, two jalapeno plants, a pot of mint, and two purple balloon flowers. The timer was going off to remind me to check the dough just as I was dropping the last two plants into their new pots. Pretty good time management, huh? 

I'll post pictures of the patio garden later this week. It was way too dark to take any pictures by the time I finished up outside, cleaned up, and got my bread dough into the fridge.

So that's it for tonight. It has been so rewarding to be able to apply myself and my abilities and see them benefitting my family. Every day I feel the honor of being the one whose responsibility it is to make our home a warm, inviting, and peaceful place so that my husband's hard work can be rewarded with a lovely place to relax and enjoy the kids when he unplugs. Evelyn and Gunnar notice the little things, and that just makes it all worth while. This has been a long time coming, and I wasn't totally sure that I would make a very good stay-at-home Mommy, but it's like I have fallen into the role I was meant to have all along. Even though I enjoyed working and felt great satisfaction in a job well done and in the collaboration with some of the greatest people I've even met, being the one who gets to take care of my children every day is an incredible privilege and a hysterically funny adventure. Now, I am the one who gets to see my toddler trying new things for the first time. I get to watch his face and see the wonder and amazement and joy when he figures out something new. What a blast...

Mommy & Daughter Baking Day

Before I get to today's events, let me give a small back-story. Evelyn and I really love baking and cooking together. My husband thinks it's amazing that I have the patience to give up some control over to a four year old and also allow her to try things that will either slow my progress or might not look quite as "perfect" as what I would attempt on my own. However, it is a good practice for me to have her work with me, mostly because I NEED a reason to slow down and enjoy the process and accept that it doesn't have to look perfect when we're done. Mommy could use a couple of notches knocked off the perfection meter, if you know what I mean...

Anyway, Evelyn was baking a cake with my Mom last weekend. It was a new recipe, and Mom decided to tweak the recipe as they went along. (Yes, I realize this is exactly the same thing I do. I learned from the best. We are usually pretty spot-on in our tweaks, I'll have you know.) But this one cake tweak didn't turn out exactly as planned. The cake layers didn't get quite as think as Mom had hoped, and she lamented that her cakes didn't rise while Evelyn was still nearby. Quick as you please, Evelyn looked right at her and asked, "Grandma, did you remember to put the baking soda and baking powder in the cake? You KNOW you have to put baking soda and baking powder in the cake so it will rise. Did you forget it?"

Yes, my sweet little baker's apprentice is four and a half years old. And yes, she knows that baking powder and baking soda are what go in cakes to make them rise. All this time, I've never really thought about how much she is learning when she bakes with me. I definitely underestimated how much she is listening and absorbing, despite her young age.

Okay, so on to today's fun. I found a new sugar cookie recipe while surfing blogs the other day. I mixed up the dough a couple of nights ago, but due to a horrendous migraine that lasted three days, I hadn't baked the cookies yet. When Gunnar went down for his nap this afternoon, I got the dough out of the fridge, ironed my rolling mat, and started baking. Evelyn waited as patiently as possible for her turn at the dough scraps, and here are the pictures of her rolling out her own dough.

So cute. This girl has mad cookie dough rolling skills!

Oh, and you wanna see the finished product? Oh my, they really are good. My husband needs to come home fast. Otherwise, I'm going to sit down in front of the table with the gallon jug of milk, and eat myself into oblivion. Folks, I have a new go-to sugar cookie recipe.

Aren't they pretty? I had never used this particular technique for frosting cookies, but it turned out quite well. The first step is to pipe a thicker version of the icing around the edge of each cookie. Then, you thin the icing with more milk and drizzle the icing to fill in the top of the cookie. Add sprinkles, just for an extra cute touch.

And they made plenty.

Did I say that they make plenty? Let me rephrase...

That's a whole lotta cookies!

They really are good. Nice, chewy, soft texture... wonderful flavor... sweet frosting with a touch of lemon juice... sooooo good.

Revolt of the Machines

Okay, so here is the situation. The machines in our home are clearly in cahoots. In the final stages of a new sewing project last week, my sewing machine inexplicably died. The light bulb worked, but no power to the motor for sewing. Great, huh? Never fear. I took the machine in for repair, but it will be a week before it makes its way back home to my craft closet.

Seriously, here is the empty spot where my sewing machine should be. Doesn't it look sad??? Note the obvious lack of sewing machine.

Not to be undone, and refusing to be beaten, I have already cut out the pattern pieces for my next project. Oh, and see the nearly finished apron to the left side? Seriously, there should be a law against sewing machines that die when all you have left on a project is two little pieces of bias tape to sew on the neckline. Come on.

Here is the fabric for the next apron, which will be a double-layered half apron. The black check fabric will peek out below the pink floral print. What do you think?

While we're at it, here is Evelyn's artwork, which she has chosen to hang in my craft closet.

Okay, now the next machine to join the revolt. I unloaded my dishwasher yesterday morning, and found this...

Close up view... notice the cute little chew marks on the tube that is supposed to pump water up into the top rack sprayer? And no, we don't have a dog. I have absolutely no explanation for this phenomenon.

So that's the state of affairs in our home. No dishwasher until the part comes in. (Could I really believe that it will make it today???) And no sewing machine until at least Friday. Ugh! Honestly, I'm not sure which one I miss the most. My head (not to mention my hard-drive) is brimming over with sewing projects that I want to try. I want to make a quilt, more aprons, a tote bag, a baby play pad, and some pincushions. That's just for starters. 

I'll update you on the status of our household machinery revolution. I'm sure everyone is dying to know who wins... the people or the machines.

One Crazy Start

Ever felt like you knew there was something more going on in your life than you could actually see, and all you could do was just keep an open mind and believe that whatever is going on is going to be okay? Well, that's sort of what life has been like lately. We made all kinds of plans for Christmas -- visit family, get back home in time for Christmas, start our own traditions, bake all kinds of special Christmas goodies for dinner on Christmas Eve and breakfast on Christmas morning...

Well, we ended up spending Christmas with my parents, which has been wonderful, but the reason for it was not so great. Gunnar got another ear infection the week before Christmas. By the time we were supposed to drive to Louisiana to visit Erick's parents, Gunnar was running a temperature of 104 degrees and there was no way we were going to get in the car and be on the road where we couldn't get to a hospital if necessary. After two doctor's appointments, it was decided that we would go ahead and schedule Gunnar for tubes. He will have that surgery on Wednesday here in my home-town. My parents have been so incredibly generous and gracious to allow us to stay with them all this time.

The funny thing is that all along, it was just like everything fell into place, even though it wasn't in the way I had planned. (Isn't that always the case?) It turned out that we did all our Christmas shopping for the kids here in Carrollton, so it was very easy to make the decision to have Christmas here -- we didn't have to drive home to get their gifts or anything. With Gunnar so sick, it helped to have Grandma around, because she kept Mommy from panic, but also had good instruction and helped us stay in touch with the doctors when Gunnar's fever kept climbing. On top of it all, the ENT here in Carrollton had already seen Gunnar once before, so we were able to schedule his tubes with no trouble at all. If we had gone home, we don't know when we would have been able to get scheduled. It is nice to go ahead and get that done before the end of the year, since we've already met the insurance deductible for the year. And as a newly minted stay-at-home Mommy, I can definitely say that I was grateful that I didn't have to balance work or guilt about missing work because Gunnar was so sick. That boy needed his Mama, and I could focus totally on him without thinking about what I "should" be doing at work. So, clearly, things have worked out fine so far.

Erick has another trip to CNN coming up soon. It is really weird to think about it. All we can say is that we've stopped trying to predict what God will do with Erick's career. Every step of the way has been totally unbelievable to us. In my mind, this next visit is a kind of audition for some more shows, which is encouraging. I just have to shake my head. There is no way I can really wrap my brain around the idea that Erick could actually end up on television on a regular basis... that television could become part of the routine in our lives.

That's all for now. Hopefully, I can get the cable for my digital camera (it's the only thing I didn't pack for this trip) and upload some photos soon. We had a really great Christmas. Gunnar was finally feeling better, and Evelyn has been happy and excited, so we had lots of fun together. It does a Mommy's heart good to see her two children playing together so happily. They are just too much.

An Ending and A Beginning

Today is my last day of work as a 9-5er. This begins a new chapter in my life -- I'm entering the world of The Stay at Home Mommy. I came into the office this morning full of mixed emotions. There is excitement because I can't wait to be at home with my two children, but there is also a little bit of sadness, as I know that I will have less contact with some incredible people with whom I have worked for weeks, months, and years.

Evelyn and I gave each other high-fives before leaving home today. Gunnar was especially happy and giggly too. I think even he senses a change is coming. When I kissed Erick goodbye this morning, it was different too. We are all looking forward to having me at home.

So here goes nothing. I'm jumping headlong into a life that I've dreamed about since I was a little girl. I have loved working outside the home, but there has always been a part of me that really longed to have the peace, stability, tranquility, and yes, the challenges, of being at home with our children. I can only imagine what it's going to be like to actually have time to fix dinner without first leaving an office, picking up kids from daycare, rushing home, fixing snacks to tide the kids over until dinner, and then falling exhausted into my chair sometime later to try to enjoy a meal together. The idea of being able to prepare ahead, during the day, so that mealtimes can become a relaxing time of fellowship nearly makes me cry with joy.

Follow me on this adventure if you wish. We will talk about life, love, struggles, and all sorts of random things. I hope to become more proficient with my camera and especially with Photoshop, so maybe you'll eventually see some pictures from our daily adventures.

Last, but definitely not least, I give praise to God for this opportunity and I thank my husband for taking on sole responsibility to provide for our family, so that I can focus on our family and our home. I feel so incredibly blessed to belong to him.