Counting Sprinkles

I am so amazed that it is Thursday again and time to give Thanks!! I'm counting my sprinkles today, because I need the smile that thinking of sprinkles brings me. Every time I think of sprinkles, I now envision a floor covered in multi-colored sprinkles. It always brings a smile to my face.

• Today I am thankful for the fun play date that Luke and I went to today. He played so well with his new friend....and I had a wonderful visit with the "other mommy." It was so good to visit with another mom with struggles like my own. It was also good to see my little man playing so well today. We both had a great time.
  

• I am thankful for the indoor soccer opportunity that I discovered for Caden to join. He has finally decided that he can handle being on a team. (What an answer to many prayers!!) I didn't think there were options for him right now. I noticed a sign last week, looked online...and today...he is signed up. He is pretty excited....disappointed that it doesn't start for a month....but still excited. Daria is now in the living room giving him ball handling tips. He's soaking it up!!

• I am thankful for the new Bible class that I started last Sunday. I am thankful that the time works into my schedule and I can attend. I am anxious to see what things I am going to learn in the next year.
  

• I am also thankful for a warm, dry house. Whenever I hear the wind roar and the rain pound, I just have to pause and give thanks.
  

Have a Happy Thankful Thursday!

Warning!! Warning!!

Sssshhhhh.....I need to write this very quietly. I believe that my body has been taken over by aliens. They've cloned me. The only thing that gave it away? They haven't quite mastered my Mommy-isms yet. Little do they know....I'm catchin' on to them. Now I just need to find the elusive bugger and eliminate her. She's wreaking havoc in my home.

If I am careful, I can relay to you some of the clues that Klone Kristine has left behind. For instance, tonight, my son informed me about the math strategy I had shared with him. Amazingly, I apparently informed him that 9+7=13. Darn it. That clone could mess with his head for months. I am amazed at some of the stupid things that I have apparently said. Are you serious?

Klone Kristine apparently forgets to bring jackets for my kids, too. I could have sworn that I had told my kids to wear their coats when it is cold and rainy. Somehow, Klone Kristine forgot that it was cold and rainy and didn't grab a coat for one certain child tonight. This clone also forgets where shoes are.....where Pokemon cards are....and where soccer clothes are kept. Doesn't she realize the grief that she is causing me?

Maybe that is the aliens' plans. Drive the Mommies of the world absolutely insane by reason of whining and then take over planet Earth. They might have succeeded....but I'm getting the word out. The warning signs are subtle....but they are there. If you start noticing these similar symptoms, spread the word. We must eliminate the clones as soon as possible.

So be alert.....and be very, very careful.

Snow Day!

I always loved snow days when I was a kid. There was nothing better than to wake up anticipating going to school and then hear the words "School Closed." When I was in high school, getting up at the ungodly hour of 5:00, I loved hearing those words and then crawling back into bed for some more sleep. Pure bliss.

So, it was wonderful, this morning, to have my sweet husband whisper in my ear that school was delayed 2 hours. BONUS!! I love sleep. It's a good thing. When I finally woke up and peeked out the window I was a little disappointed at how little snow there was. I could even tell that the little that was there was already starting to melt, so I was a little surprised to hear that they eventually canceled school for the day.

It almost felt like a waste of a snow day. We couldn't even don our winter clothes and at least have a little party in the snow. It was just wet and cold. The kids didn't seem bothered that we only had a 1/4 of an inch of snow. When we went out around 11:00, Daria expressed her displeasure that school was canceled. The roads seemed fine about that time. Caden was mad this morning that I didn't wake him up for school. Though I think he was a little bit happy when I eventually told him there was no school.

I was disappointed today, though. Not that the kids were home from school for the day....but that there was no decent snow to play in. I wanted a good ol' romp through the snow. I wanted to pull out our sleds and do a little sledding. I wanted to make a big pile in the drive way and see how long it would last. I guess that the snow just pulls out the kid in me. I wanted a real snow day.

I love the snow. I love how it covers all the dirty, gray stuff. I love the fresh, clean look it gives a dreary world. Snow days in Portland are really kind of a rarity. I'm crossin' my fingers that we have a real snow day before the winter is out.

Please....please....please.

I also need to add one of my favorite, past Snow Day pictures. Daria hadn't wanted to listen about what she should wear in the snow......her face tells it all. Cracks me up every time!

Posting from Luke

,y89iouyhtghujklbuytgguhk, itgrgyukl8u7y5trfcyuhk,.pluybhjiko,iyhrtf ycuio9iu6yxcrfttgujhik,oiuytredzxgyt54rty7u87rtuyiolifgumjhnjkiuy7ty789ufcvbufgvbnjhmkl
kouiklpokikl;okl;/loiul;oiukl;koiukoiuyio986757yu8ihnmkomkomkom

I was sitting here tonight, staring at the blank screen. I wasn't sure what to write. Unbelievably, I felt like I didn't have anything to say. (Bound to happen sometime, I guess!!) Then, Luke came and climbed into my lap and said: "Mom, let me do that for you."

So....greeting to you from Luke. He passes on his love to all.


**************************************************************

Glory be! Tim just left with the boys to go give blood. Daria isn't yet home from hanging at her friend's house. I actually have a few minutes to myself....in a freshly cleaned house. Can't get much better than that. The only thing that would make it better is if I had dinner prepared for myself. Close enough.

Happy Friday!!

Thankful Thursday.

Sometimes I get bored with the title of Thankful Thursday. Last week was a fun title with "Counting my Sprinkles." Maybe I should have a contest every once in a while for a funky new title. Or maybe I will continue to call it Counting My Sprinkles day. I am usually a creature of habit. But, it is fun to mess with things every once in a while. I would hate to become too predictable!!

• Today I am thankful for Luke's Fabulous Four stage that he is in right now. (I am also very relieved that we are in this Fabulous Four stage!!) Right now, I feel like we have a fun relationship. We love to tease each other. I love to kiss him....he likes to tell me that he hates that. I love to tickle his buns.....he tells me that I don't need to because he already knows that I love those buns. I love to be nose to nose, forehead to forehead, gritting our teeth, and growl at each other. He's so stinkin' cute. It's fun. I hope that we can always keep a measure of this fun.
  

• I am thankful for a good homework session with Caden last night. We came up with a fun little technique that turned a normally dreadful experience into one that was actually kind of fun.
  

• I am thankful for other Moms who pray with me weekly. They stand and pray with me about all those little things that Moms worry about. They really do encourage me a whole lot. I am also thankful for how God is using our MIT group. We had a mom and daughter surprise us during our prayer time. They are having some issues. They knew we were praying somewhere....and they found us. We had a good time of prayer with them. I find that amazing.
  

• I am thankful for Daria's ability to fight with me and then come apologize for her part in it. That is a hard thing to do, and I am thankful that she is learning that skill now. Boy, I sure hate the fighting part, though. :-)

Sprinkles...sprinkles....Sprinkles everywhere. What fun!!

First Mate Reporting In

"If God is your co-pilot, then you're sitting in the wrong seat."

Alert! Alert! Storm Averted! All Systems operating normally. Repeat: Storm Averted!!

Praising the Lord tonight. I will attest that prayer works. Its not that I didn't know that....but sometimes I get things mixed up and start thinking that I am captain of this ship. When I put God back in the captain's chair, things go much better.

So, I am giving God the glory tonight. The storm that I thought for sure was going to sink us got averted and we had smooth sailing.

Hallelujah!!!

Hoping I can remember the lesson!

Incoming Storm on the Horizon

I see a set of circumstances developing in my evening that could be a potentially major storm brewing. I am really filled with dread right now. At least I am seeing the signs and am starting to pray about it. I guess that is an improvement. Honestly, though, all I want to do is sit here and cry about it.

Instead of crying, I am going to don my all-weather gear, batten down the hatches, and dive in full speed ahead. Praying that I am a better Captain tonight than I have been in the past.

Hold on tight. We're in for quite a ride.