babyland

Reporting from babyland...these things typically happen to me while I am here:

1. I get pulled into some various TV/book obsession during the night feedings...

 HENRY (baby #1): Veronica Mars series

 RUTHIE (#2): Freaks & Geeks, My So Called Life, Twilight books

 MAX (#3): Hunger Games books & MAD MEN. And so obsessed with HG, I took Max to see his first movie at 1 month. Not a peep!!

2. I get the itch to do home improvement projects, too much time in the house & watching Nate Berkus!!! I'm spray painting chairs & I made mom break out the sewing machine to try to teach me. Can I remember how to thread this thing on my own??? See below a chair before & after.

 BEFORE (this little chair I got for $15 when I lived in Chattanooga about 10 years ago)

AFTER (sanded & spray painted it and covered the seat with fabric using spray adhesive & staple gun)

3. I am reminded of God's goodness:
-I have a love/hate relationship with nursing (thrush!!!) & I am soooo close to b-feeding in public. Beyonce did it! I would lose my nerve, I'll just keep hiding out in my car in various parking lots. I can see God's purpose in all of it. It makes me stop and rest for 20 minutes each time. I smile when I realize things like this-God looking out for tired mamas.
-When I'm not reading Hunger Games, there is nothing like this still time with God & little Max in the middle of the night. 
-All the things I was so anxious about post-baby, God has taken care of...my freelance work has been manageable, life with 3 is nutty at times but not all the time, the sleep thing is not that bad.
-I love seeing Henry & Ruthie & their tenderness towards this little one-it is a side I don't see often. They know he's fragile & don't seem too stressed by the crying.
-I am reminded of my need for God as a mom, I surely need Him-because there are days when I really stink at it. I just pray they know Jesus despite of me & my yuck.

zinnias!!!

 My "helpers". Ruthie is wearing her h-ween costume from 2 years ago. I'm sure she was burning up.

So if Martha Stewart & were to sit next to each other on a plane, I would be able to tell her that I plant zinnias each year and this would probably be all we have in common. The most-martha thing I do & you can too! This is what we do:

-Get seeds from Home Depot, dollar tree, Kroger, Lowe's (i've found them at all these places!)
-Find a sunny spot. They like sun!
-So we just till up (is this the word)? a space
-Add a couple of bags of top soil
-sprinkle lots of seeds on the dirt, roll the dirt over the seeds a little & water
-I prob buy more than I need to
-They aren't the tidiest of growing flowers, they grow tall. This does not stop me from planting them in the front yard.
-Sometimes I water if it has been dry.
-Keep cutting them once they bloom & more will come.
-Easy Peasy.
-Plant now. One year I planted them too late, and they were puny.

largen life: canton time

Gotta say that it is retreat going to my parents' house in canton. In the middle of pastures, cows, horses, dogs. And mama takes care of us. kiddos love it. these are some shots from a saturday out there.

 max!!!

 henry & ruthie with gladys & claude. dad said he would live longer if mom would let him get these dogs. 

mama-the grill master.

grilled salmon. you didn't think i cooked this.

 

what my dad was doing while mom was grilling. love how secure he is with his masculinity to not feel he has to grill. must be a good book if he's reading & standing.

 

this bunny has been hanging like this awhile, no ears/mom won't ditch him. sad little easter bunny.