On the road

I'm typing this on my phone.  I'm not sure I've ever blogged this way but I'm going to try it. Then maybe I won't feel so far behind when we get home next week.

Around midnight last night as we were packing I mentioned to Scott that maybe we should try to get tickets for the Big 10 tourney.  The buckeyes were going to be playing. It's in Indianapolis, not that far out of our way to Ohio. He wasn't so sure he wanted to add that into the trip but then after some thought we got on the computer and looked into tickets.  We found lots if nosebleed seats.  For not a lot of cash. We opted for 4 center court side nosebleeds and 2 in the upper corner top.  We quickly finished packing and got to bed around 1am. 

The alarm went off at 4:25 am, what a lovely "nap" we had. We got ready and woke the boys. I used my typical "daddy wants to get going" lingo which isn't out of the ordinary. He likes to leave early for road trips...it's the farm boy in him I think. I'm fine with it, we did the same as kids. 

Being that our boys wear Buckeye clothes daily I didn't have to worry too much about them getting to the game without the appropriate gear. I pulled out a couple of things in case they needed "ultimate" buckeye apparel.  We were off. They had no idea about the game. 

Tommy did suspect something was going on when he realized we were headed towards Indianapolis and not Chicago.  He knows that to get to the farm we go through Chicago. ;). But we didn't say much either way. And as we pulled off in Indy at 2:00 pm they knew what was going on.  

So much fun. They love their team!   

When we got there we "upgraded" our nosebleeds thanks to a savvy hubby who found better seats that had been vacated from game 1 of the day. 

Here are some fun photos from the day!

Outside the Fieldhouse 

Sweet seats...thanks For the free upgrade 

Serious excitement and joy. Nail biter game.  Yikes!   The Buckeyes pulled it off!

High Fives for Shannon Scott

Off Tommy's twitter. 

The gangs all here. 

Prom??

Last night Tommy asked Ebby Prewitt to prom. (If you missed my post on why he is going to Prom as a Sophomore read HERE)  He has known Ebby since he was probably in 3rd or 4th grade.  They go to our church as well.  They are good friends.

His criteria for a Prom Date (and maybe mine too):
-friendly
-not dramatic (not easy to find let me tell you... lol)
-gets along well with upperclassmen (since not many soph will be there)
-fun

We were out for dinner last night with one of the guys Scott works with and after Tommy and I went out and created this bouquet (the basketball is duck taped to a bubble wand) ….we stopped by her house on the way home and….

 Waiting at the door for her to answer…

we knew she had just gotten home from her basketball banquet at school.

 After she SCREAMED "Yes!" she hugged him.

 Her Mom sent me this…

Ebby currently has a boot on her foot….broken ankle.  Not sure she will be able to pull off heels or dancing in a month, but we will see.  :)

Spring Break

Spring break is around the corner…we are actually pulling the boys from school on Friday so we can head out a little bit early.  We are road tripping this year to…..drumroll please………..

O-H-I-O

Yep, we are headed to the farm to see Scott's family.  To see the dog, the cat, the Kubota.  To have Grandma Shisler bake some cookies and maybe a pie.  The boys are excited. Max woke up this morning and asked "how many days until we go to the farm."  It's pretty cool to get to have a farm to visit really.  Not all kids get that experience.  It is supposed to be cold there so we will bring warm clothes but the boys love to be outside there, run around, check out the barn, climb on the Kubota and drive it around and around and around.  

Scott's Mom and Dad haven't felt the greatest this winter.  His Dad has had several hospital visits, his Mom just diagnosed with Fybromyalgia ...her legs hurt most all of the time.  His sister Kathy is wanting her living room painted…so we have several tasks to get done.  

There will be card games played too I am sure.  

We are looking forward to getting away for several days and getting to see our family.  

Insta Tuesday

Pictures from this past week off of my phone…and Instagram….

 Drew sang in a group choral concert in Earlham, Iowa last Monday night.  It was a HUGE group and I could barely see the top of his head…but he is in there….

 A late valentine's day gift to me…

 Wednesdays are filled with sweet Blakely and her baby brother Quade…Max doesn't like to miss ANY snuggles when I am holding the littlest guy.

 Great idea I stole from my friend Terra…Christmas card photos in a jar.  Or a square vase in my case.  Love the look.  Want to find a jar I love for them…but so far this still makes me very happy.

 Blakely and Max colored and then helped me shred papers with Jack.  I cleaned out the file drawer.  Shred away kiddos.

 From my bible study….convicting in a Good way.

 Drew and Tyler…their LAST driver's ed behind the wheel drive time.  Driver's Ed feels FOREVER….2 more classroom evenings this week and they are DONE!

 Thursday evening was a bit rough around our house.  And it was a tough day for one of my dear girlfriends…she and I snuck out to dinner and when I got home…this little guy climbed on my lap and fell asleep like this…arms around my neck.  Makes the whole day and anything yucky in it vanish.

 Still cleaning my closet and found this hanger.  Stolen when I was in the 4th grade and we stayed at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.  Makes my parents proud I am sure.  Not to mention my brother figured out how to "rent" a movie in our room and didn't think my parents would find out (they were in one room, the 3 of us in another).  Ummm after we complained because the hotel was so fancy it didn't even have a pool…yikes.  Little did we know.  Well Dad found out we watched a movie AND found out the rating and the name…as he checked out. Let's just say I am sure it wasn't one of his proudest moments as a Dad.

 Friday my friend Terra came to town with her 2 littles…they were able to help me sort and clean and still make it to another dear friends bday party all in once day.  So fun to have them and SO helpful for me to have someone else look through my systems of organizing and help.

 Terra left me with this beautiful artwork.  It's about 3 foot tall.  Love it.  

 Watching Tommy at work at Jason's Deli on Friday night

 When this baby is tired…he sleeps.  Love it.  Saturday morning on a Target tour to get baskets from 4 different targets he fell asleep.  (and I know he is 4 but I am calling him a baby forever)

 After baths on Saturday night this one wanted to make faces and send pictures to his dear "Mrs Ruth"

 Repainting chalkboard labels for the baskets.

 Wonderful memories of these puppets…they served us well.  I donated them to the Special Needs Classroom at church…we don't have any puppets or stuffed animals in there.  They were a HUGE hit on Sunday morning.  Wonderful to see them being loved again.

 Never say never.  As part of my Gun Safety class I took it gave me an hour shooting lesson on the range.  With her guns…oh my it was WAY more fun than I had anticipated.  Once I got used to the "bangs" around me…  and part way through I panicked realizing there were about 7 other people around me all with loaded guns.  I said a prayer that none were crazy and that Jack and I would be protected.  Kind of a freaky moment I hadn't even thought of…. (yes Jack went along to watch…he snapped the pics)

 Basket and chalkboard label love in the playroom.

Cleaning yesterday and I found this…for sure keeping it.  I also found a $100 bill.  Now THAT"S worth cleaning out huh?  

Treasure

So…I am in the midst of a major clean out.  I am reading this book called "7" by Jen Hatmaker and it's so eye opening.  I LOVE to clean out, to organize and do it often…but to be honest I do it for me.  I empty my closet so I can buy more.  I give away something…so I can buy something else. I love giving away things, I love giving gifts… BUT I feel like God is really working on changing my heart.  Opening my eyes to be able to be see my excess as someone else's TREASURE.  To be able to clean out our stuff, my stuff and NOT to fill it back up, but to live a more simplistic life.  No I am not turning into a minimalist, we are not selling everything we own and moving to a shack in the country…while some of that actually oddly appeals to me.  It allows more space for God.  More margin

But I want to share some of what God is doing…

This is part of a note that came from a dear friend today when I shared that Drew and I went through his tee shirt drawers this morning.  He has a HARD time giving HIS things…HARD…and I understand that.  I wanted him to approach it as his stuff being a blessing to some other teenage boy.  NOT that I was taking stuff from him.  If he really LOVED a tee shirt, I am not making him give it away.  But if it is one he doesn't wear and is keeping because someone gave it to him, or it was free… i.e. his Street Smarts tee shirt…he doesn't have to hold onto it just BECAUSE. There are teenage boys in Des Moines with 2 maybe 3 tee shirts of their own.  IN DES MOINES….and his drawers couldn't shut.

(that was a long intro to this based off of Beth Moore's bible study on James)

In a couple places in the study, she talks about "stuff."  One thing that really jumped off the pages to me when I did the study and I just thought of again now with your comment about wanting Drew's focus to be on blessing others and especially teenage boys...  "Use it or abuse it....It's having without using....In part...withholding what we don't even use from others who'd treasure it.  All of us are accustomed to the saying 'use it or lose it' but, the fact is, we're going to lose it all anyway.  We're not taking one ounce of this stuff with us when we die.

The part that really strikes me is the withholding from those who will treasure it.  My excess can be somebody else's treasure.  Treasure.  Humbling."

The word TREASURE jumps out at me…you mean the bins of stuff I am storing just "because" can really be someone else's TREASURE?  Gulp.  Humbling and convicting…all in a good way.  I want our family to have a heart like that.  I want to have a heart like that...

Piles + Buried = Grateful Heart

So I am buried in piles currently…but at the same time I find myself so grateful today.

-DESK PILE: sorting through files in my desk.  Paper work is a night mare.  I am tired of my desk always being consumed by paper and piles.  But as I sort through them, I am grateful.  Some are Dr's bills…we have medical care, our children are healthy.  Some are credit card bills, okay I am not so grateful on these but praying for specific changes in my heart re: "stuff".  Some are bible camp registrations, some are fishing receipts, some are school forms. These all represent our boys, I am a Mom, I always wanted to be a Mom.  I played house more than any child.  I have been given the blessing of carrying babies, and of being their Mom.

-LAUNDRY PILE: So grateful for 2 washers and 2 dryers.  Days like these when I am home I am so grateful to be able to get so much laundry done at once.  I am grateful for modern appliances such as those.  I know it wasn't THAT long ago in history laundry was so much more of a chore.

-CLOSET PILE:  Yes, I am still NOT done cleaning my closet.  I have done about 80% but still have a huge pile to try on and determine if I am keeping it or donating it.  What a luxury really?  Choosing to decide what to keep?  Choosing my own clothes, not having to rely on others for my clothes.  Such a luxury people.

-DISHES PILE: The dishwasher just beeped, I need to let it cool and empty it.  Grateful for the dishes we have, for the luxury of food that dirties those dishes.

-4 YEAR OLD PILE:  Someone literally just climbed up into my lap.  He has been playing with legos at my feet.  But needed a snuggle.  So grateful to be home with him.

-TOY PILE:  Too many toys, so many memories for me tied up in toys.  Just today Drew found an old Buckeye cup I had sorted into the "save" pile  Drew responded quickly "I LOVED that cup Mom, I remember that.  Don't get rid of it" I wasn't planning on it, but it was sweet to see he had good memories of it too.  Coincidentally it was sitting next to an old cup that was at my Grandma Lu's house when I was little the "Rocky and Bullwinkle" cup, which I have saved as well.  Blessed to have wonderful childhood memories.  I don't take that for granted.  I know not all children do, I pray ours do.  I pray they forget about my crabby moments.

So today while I feel buried with so much going on and so much to do, my heart is full. 

Family Verse 2014

I am picking up this artwork made by my friend Tome later this week.  This is our family verse for 2014.  It already has amazed me how God has been using it in my own heart.  

Our prayer for our family is this verse this year….

What's Going On...

It has almost been another week gone by…I fully intend to stay up to date on this blog but time keeps getting away from me.  Time could be getting away from me for one of these reasons….

1.  I am on a mission of cleaning out and simplifying our home.  I have started to read the book "7" by Jen Hatmaker which is a book I have been scared to read for the past year, about letting go.   It's about the excess in our world, clothes, media, food, waste…etc.  Yikes.   And I have a feeling it is going to be pretty convicting.  I also know that God has put it in my face multiple times this past 2 weeks for a reason, so no more running away from it.  I start a bible study with a small group of Mom's on Thursday with the book.  egaads you can pray for me.  I know God is working.

2.  I actually am trying on clothes in my closet as I clean it this time, it's taking forever and I am not done yet.  That shows you how many clothes I have.  For some reason I think I still like ALL of my clothes.  And despite the fact that many don't fit…I am trying them on.  And those that I wouldn't buy if I were in a store today…are going.  And it's funny some I have tried on I don't like at all…and haven't worn some for 10 years.  I pride myself in going through my closet often, I don't know how they slipped by me but many many have.

 my closet floor

3.  I am also on a mission to keep toys out of our family room.  I want a room where we can sit and not look at toys, we have a playroom/sunroom off of the kitchen so I don't think that is asking too much.  It really only affects Max.

4.  I have been busy updating my photography website.  I have many photos on the desktop of my computer that need to be filed, or blogged about or burned to a DVD that I just haven't done.  So I am cleaning that off hence why I am at my desk right now.  And if you want to check out the latest on the website it's www.twiganddaisyphotography.com

5.  Science Fair was last week at school…Jack did such a great job on his project detailing Bullet Combustion.  It was fun to watch him really enjoy learning and creating his project.  I was able to be in his classroom on both Thursday and Friday for lunch during last week as the fair takes up the lunch room..that way his teacher got away for a little while.  It was fun to get to be a "teacher" for 35 minutes both of those days.  Max is always a popular visitor as well.

6.  Drew has been waiting and waiting for the Bass Pro Shop Fishing sale and it started on Friday…So we went on Saturday morning and he was able to get everything he needed for his upcoming trip to Canada this June.  He is so into it...

7.  Tommy came home with a sore neck from school on Thursday.  Friday he woke up miserable so off to the walk in clinic we went.  Left with muscle relaxers, a Dr's note not to work, and direction to rest and put heat on it off and on all weekend.  Needless to say Tommy laid around a lot, took some naps…maybe even some with his baby brother.

8.  As you can see it has been a busy week…and one that has been hard on my anxiety for more reasons than these.  Being a Mom is hard.  Being a wife is hard.  Raising respectful, God fearing, brother loving boys is NOT easy and some weeks are harder than others.  Following through and being consistent as a parent is H-A-R-D.  There may have been more than one teary phone call from my phone to my parents….

Every day is a new start, a new day and I have to often remind myself of that.  But the truth that was sang at church yesterday morning hit me hard.  These words hit HOME….and if I believe this, then why the worry?  Why so much anxiety over the day to day?

And my morning started with these words from Max….