My Week in Numbers

9 loads of laundry (so far)
5 suitcases unpacked
3 closets overhauled and organized for spring and summer (mine to go)
2 bags of Good will clothes to be donated
2 BIG bags of clothes for nephew Charlie
1 bin of clothes to save for Max
12, the size Jack is in now, skipped size 10
3 boys in baseball practices
14 Winter Coats put away
3 pairs of winter boots put away
7 random mittens and gloves that need a partner
4 boys still living in the Mexican Time Zone
2 trips to the grocery store
1 baby boy who talks almost non stop now in sentences
1 baby boy who calls his big brother "Tommy" now and no longer calls him "Tah"
1 busy husband who has traveled every single day since our return
17 years of marriage we will celebrate on Sunday
1 BIG basketball game on Saturday night
5 tickets to see the boys favorite comedian at church, Tim Hawkins
49 envelopes opened from the mail while we were gone
10 newspapers yet to be read from while we were gone
1 big screen TV still in the shop, won't be back for the big game
4 Buckeye Final Four tee shirts ordered
3 pairs of baseball cleats now on the top garage step

We are slowly getting back into the swing of reality here....

Complete Waste of Time

This was my devotion yesterday from Proverbs 31...written by Lysa Teurkurst.  Some great reminders for those of us with teens, and for those of us emotional humans.  :)

“Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear.” James 1:19 (MSG)

My daughter Brooke got in the car the other day and sighed. It was one of those sighs that said, “I’m going through something, but unless you ask me, I’m not freely revealing this information.”

I casually inquired, “Tell me the high from your day and your low.”

“Mom,” she groaned letting me know she secretly loved that I was asking, but all the middle school in her was making her play it cool.

I waited quietly knowing she’d eventually tell me. And she did. Something hard had happened at school that day.

I put my hand on hers, “I’m sorry sweetheart. I know that makes you sad.”

To my surprise, this normally emotional child said, “Actually no. I’ve decided sometimes being sad or mad over stuff like this is a compete waste of my time.”

And just like that she smiled and was ready to get on with her day. No tears. No tirade. No lamenting and wearing herself out with a tidal wave of emotion while over-processing this situation.

Just a 13-year-old’s decision that this wasn’t worth all that. The child turned tutor. The young one doling out wisdom.

Sometimes being sad or mad over stuff like this is a complete waste of my time.

I’ve mulled her statement over in my mind a hundred times. It’s good. It’s truth.

Indeed there are things to be sad about … but so much of what pulls at my emotions isn’t worth the time and energy I give it.

I love how James 1:19-21 reads in Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase: Post this at all the intersections, dear friends: Lead with your ears, follow up with your tongue, and let anger straggle along in the rear. God’s righteousness doesn’t grow from human anger. So throw all spoiled virtue and cancerous evil in the garbage. In simple humility, let our gardener, God, landscape you with the Word, making a salvation garden of your life.

Is there something you’ve been sad or mad about that maybe is a waste of your time? Ask God to help you have a different perspective.

Dear Lord, some days my emotions seem to steam roll me. Please help me reconnect with You and know that many times being sad or mad over stuff is a complete waste of my time. I’d rather focus on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Magazine Shots

I have been forgetting to post when they use pictures from our house in the Better Homes and Gardens Magazine...this was in the April 2012 American Patchwork and Quilting Magazine.  Yesterday I received an early copy of the June issue which has our home in it as well, but the pictures aren't online yet for me to post.  Enjoy these...

Jesus loves you

Max is playing in the family room while I am at the desk sorting through mail from vacation....this is what I am hearing...he must have his stuffed animal puppy and bear with him, and he loves to say the word chipmunk too.  

"Puppy, Jesus Loves You.
Bear, Jesus Loves You.
Chipmunk, Jesus Loves You.
Max, Jesus Loves You."

He is holding his own little bible study over there...

I love hearing his sweet voice.
So grateful to be home with him and not miss ANY of these little things.

Hola

Hola, we are back from Mexico.  Got home around 2:30 am.  Laundry is going, boys are at school, Max is happily playing with his toys.  I am buried in a mass of laundry, suitcases, electronics and photos to be edited.  Guess we are back to reality, Scott left early for meetings all day...always hard to re enter the real world.

We had a great trip, made SO many wonderful memories.  Here are a few pics I just pulled off from our little photo session.  Lots of candids from the week I will share later...but until then.

So many blessings this past week...

love to you all.

..11:30 am still buried by laundry but I am back...adding a few more pics...

Adios

Mom sent this picture to me this morning...their condo is below

 ours so in 24 hours this will be our view!

Adios amigos...we are soon headed to Omaha for our early morning flight to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.  Cannot WAIT...the boys are SO excited they can't even STAND it!  I have been awake since 3 am with lists running through my head...hopefully we have everything.  I can't imagine we don't...:)

Yeah for FREE checked bags.

Will be back on the blog in 10 days or so...

Hasta Mañana...

"Hear dat?"

This morning I was putting the screens in the windows and opening up the house.

Max was with me and the following conversation happened..

Max: "Momma, hear dat?"
Mommy: "Yes Max, I hear the birdies singing.  What do you think they are singing?"
Max: "Jesus Loves You"

Sigh...I couldn't love him ANY more

Jesus Paid it ALL

This morning we sang this song during communion...it touched my heart.  I love how music can do that...just bring you back center, to what is real, what matters...to the ONE who gets ALL the glory for everything we are, we do, we have...

Jesus Paid it ALL...

So grateful.

Things I have learned...

The 9 week Fitness challenge through Goals in Motion ended today, final testing was this morning.

Some things I have learned in these past 9 weeks of this fitness challenge...

1. I really can wake up consistently at 4:40 in the morning.
2.  I really can go to bed before midnight.
3.  I really don't miss the 10:00 pm news.
4.  I actually don't like crackers and don't miss them.
5. I can survive without chocolate chip cookies or cookie dough.
6.  I really miss warm Starbucks hot chocolate on a cold winter day.
7.  I can still surprise myself, and my husband, and become a morning person.
8.  I love grocery shopping at Hyvee at 6:30 am.  It's quiet and the shelves are stocked.
9.  My boys don't need me at 5:00 am.
10.  I can lose 19.6 lbs in 9 weeks. (was shooting for 20)
11.  ALL of my boys are very supportive of me, they all want me to succeed.
12.  It's good for my mental health to exercise.
13. I really LOVE workout clothes and shoes.
14. Referring to 13 I love  www.lululemon.com
15.  Referring again to 13 my FAVORITE shoes are Saucony.
16.  Despite how cute Nike shoes are, they just aren't as comfortable to me.
17.  I CAN eat fish...if it's breaded and low calorie thank YOU Costco.
18. I have a wonderful supportive group of friends and family who cheer me ON!
19.  I can make my kids and husband proud of me while taking care of ME!
20.  I can reinvent myself, I can become an athlete again, and I am younger,  and my body is stronger than I think.
21.  I gave myself 9 weeks of NO excuses...and I am so PROUD of me.  It wasn't easy...but it was worth it.  I am blessed to have such a support system around me.  I prayed OFTEN during these past 9 weeks..and as always God heard me and gave me strength and focus.

Here are a few of my Pinterest inspirational quotes that kept me GOING and will KEEP my going as I attack the next 20 lbs.  For me, and our family, this is a life change or eating better, eating healthier, making wise choices in what we feed these bodies God gave to us.  I have only begun.

Busy growing wings...

Some days I feel like I am the meanest Mom around...then some days the boys tell me things like this...

Conversations from this past week...

Drew:  "Hey Mom, thanks for not picking out my clothes to wear.  Thanks for letting me wear whatever I want to school.  I wouldn't want you to lay out my clothes for me"

Jack: "Thanks for not making my lunch for me.  All of my friends Mom's make their's and then they complain at lunch because their Mom forgets to put something in....I can't ever complain because if something is missing it's my own fault"

Tommy:  "Mom, I probably should have started my homework earlier.  I had to stay up until 10:45 to finish it and I didn't like that.  You were asleep before I was even done"

Sigh...to be a Mom and to help these boys grow their own wings, never easy, but what a privilege.  

I am "THAT" Mom

I am THAT Mom...whose son now tries to make objects into a gun. Whose son says "FIRE" and aims at you, who wants to watch "the guys" (Star Wars or Ninjago) on TV.  I am THAT Mom, whose toddler never naps in his crib.  I am THAT Mom...whose 2 year old sometimes throws fits in stores and I keep on shopping without much care.

Oh yes I was THAT Mom who called Tommy's preschool teacher to complain about kids that are now JUST like mine.

Our sweet baby boy...is full of BOY and I have realized just how laid back I have become.

P.S. I am ADDING this ON Friday...my friend Haley sent me this link after she read this post...it relates well.  Loved it..

Countdown to Cabo

I found a paper chain in Drew's room yesterday...he made links for every day we have left until we head to Los Cabos, Mexico for Spring Break.  We haven't taken a beach vacation for several years, so the boys are BEYOND excited. Pueblo Bonito Sunset Beach here we COME!

We have nothing planned but relaxing, swimming, working out some, sleeping and swimming some more. I have a feeling chasing a 2 year old will be the majority of what I am doing on the trip, but it will be fun to see him take it all in.  He has not seen the ocean, I know..poor child he's 2....but I do think it will be fun to see his reaction to the beach.  We can't swim in this ocean, it's on the wrong side of Los Cabos and swimming is not allowed.  Crashing waves give that away pretty quickly.

 Drew and Jack are ready to pack their bags already.  I do need to figure out for sure what all we have for clothes, I did order a couple of pairs of shorts for Tommy and Drew, they seem to be outgrowing stuff so fast.  And Jack...well he is fitting into a LOT of Drew's clothes, no lag time between their closets I guess.  They each chose a new swimsuit and with boys...well that's about it.  My parents are already down there and assure us the weather is lovely.  They will be there still when we arrive in about 10 days.

So we are getting excited....the countdown is ON!

Catching up...

Catching up a bit here, life moves SO fast.  Really.  

Friday night the big boys both had basketball tournaments, so we went to Tommy's game.  Then Tommy had his 8th grade school basketball season ending party so Tommy, Jack, Max and I headed to that.  We had fun.  Scott and Drew headed to his game and came late to the party,

Scott's older sister Kathy flew in LATE on Friday night, arriving around 11:45.  It was nice of her to come and visit us. It had been over 2 years since she had been here so we were all happy she could come.  She lives in....Ohio, of course.  She lives about 30 minutes away from Scott's parents farm.  So we do see her every time we are in Ohio.

Saturday was a whirlwind of basketball games, a fun birthday party Jack went to at a new place called SkyZone which is basically a bunch of trampolines.  He loved it.  Then after the basketball game Kathy and I snuck out to get our nails done, about the only girly thing we came up with to do.  :)  Headed home for dinner and then the boys were excited to show Kathy "Orange Leaf" a frozen yogurt place in town.  

Sunday we were up for church and Sunday school and Kathy left right from there.  We snapped this picture on Sunday at church.  (I have not used my "real" camera in about 2 weeks...been kind of photo lazy I guess)  It was a VERY short visit, but we appreciated it...and for her, maybe it was just long enough with our busy boys and house.  :)

Sunday afternoon Max and I took a VERY long nap together in the big green chair, one of my favorite things EVER to do.  And the boys watched the Buckeyes win a nail biter game.  Scott and I snuck out for a date night to church to hear a speaker...he was funny.  Phil Calloway...we enjoyed the evening out.

I have been working hard to complete this 9 week fitness challenge, testing is on Saturday and I am hoping for, praying for, and working towards hitting the -20 lb mark.  I am SO close....pray for me if you would.  That I would be able to finish strong.  I am TIRED today, and Scott's out of town so it's all ME right now at home.  I really want to hit this goal for myself...

That's about it...need to wake the sleeping baby and go get the boys from school. We only have 4 different sports practices to get to and from tonight...:)  and nope I am NOT kidding.  

Proud of YOU Tommy!

The following was in this weeks school newsletter....

Congratulations to the junior high Lion's Pride award recipients for 1^st and 2^nd semester!

Eighth graders were Sara Boesen, Maria Crook, Bethany Dadisman, Maddie Emmerich, Jake Lowe, Christian Minor, Tommy Shisler, Kelsey Tope, and Jonathan Weaver.

Seventh graders were Emma Boley, Camryn Grider, Emily Manderfield, Emma Mayse, Mariah Mayse, Jaren Ruble, Grant Veurink, and Beth Zimmer.

Lions Pride award recipients are nominated, and five core team teachers evaluate the nominees in the following areas: for preparing academically, serving wholeheartedly, and working diligently.

Award recipients then are asked to answer the following questions in writing: What is God doing in your life right now? Tell us a fun fact about yourself. What do you like about DMCS? What do you want to do after you graduate from DMCS? Answers are posted next to their pictures on the Secondary information bulletin board.

Good reminder