lala-loopy

 Ruthie's lala drawing.

So I feel like I need a lalaloopsy intervention over here. I CANNOT STOP. We have Ruthie's birthday party this Saturday and I'm in a tornado of A.D.D. party prep. But I'm stopping tonight. No more. Get away from me, Pinterest.

But I'm not sure who loves lalaloopsy more-me or Ruthie. 

And not to forget THIS birthday boy. He turns 1 on Friday. I'm planning on crying. He doesn't have a theme, he got a party pack from the Dollar Tree. He can't talk, so he can't tell me what type of party he wants. But seriously, he is our surprise blessing boy. I have soaked up this year with him, realizing he is a bonus, such a over-the-top gift from God. More than we deserve. He is so curious. I had to fetch a live bug from his mouth today.

Lent

I grew up Presbyterian & am now Methodist. So the emphasis on Lent is fairly new (10 years new). I always thought of it as giving up chocolate, Doritos, diet coke, etc. But our pastor has encouraged us to add something to our days before Easter which would bring us closer to God. Ideally something that would turn into a habit. Example: prayer each day, reading through the gospels in 40 days, etc. Here are more ideas here. This approach to Lent encouraged to me to start reading scripture regularly a couple of years ago, so I am thankful for this. Get you a reading plan on GLO & introduce reading scripture into your day if it is not already a part. And sister, this post is a challenge to me as it is to you. Work in progress over here & some days there is no progress. Love ya & use this Lent season for God's good.

sing unto the Lord

Each Sunday, I have the privilege of hearing this crew sing/play their hearts out to the Lord. It is worship at its best. Please come to this concert! You will be blessed. Free nursery/Free event. Pass the word. Their music in on Itunes, available here.

luv in the air

We can't get enough of the mustache. We don't care if they are everywhere, even better!

Fab Friday

Sorting through pics & things I'm thankful for this Friday. Pictures will make me remember the fun. And I won't remember my bad mama days (and hopefully the kids won't either), just these sweet memories. Right, this is how it will work-right?

 

Can you see Max's amazing eyelashes??? I covet them at least once a day.

 

Max's kissable cheeks & timmy being such a great dad.

 Ruthie & her baby Jesus in His manger.

 Beach time with the Largen fam over the holidays.

 Ruthie's Christmas miracle: a remote control unicorn. This was completely rigged up, but it passed & she was happy. This was ALL she asked for from Santa.

 

 Honey (Tim's mom) turned 70 this year & we surprised her and met them for dinner. I couldn't ask for a sweeter mom-in-law. I really got lucky.

 

 

My tough Henry & sassy niece Elizabeth. I was feeling nice and let them get into the 80's costumes.

crazy

Crazy. Such a broooooooad term. There is good crazy and "no, she is REALLY crazy". I've noticed me and my friends will talk about crazy people sometimes (we were not talking about u). But I think that we are all crazy & if we find someone who maybe a little bit crazier than we are-we don't mind pointing this out & it makes us feel better about our own crazy.

The other night at suppertime, Ruthie called me crazy. I told her that wasn't very nice & that I call myself crazy (which I do), but that it wasn't polite for her to point that out to me. She was confused.

Then I had a very sweet, and not-so-crazy friend, apologize to me today for being so crazy and surely I must think she was crazy. And I was like, sister, if you looked at one of my days-you would know why I don't think you are crazy.

Bottom line, we are all crazy. Some can keep it under wraps better than others.

-I made my kids sleep in their school clothes last night, so I didn't have to worry with changing them this morning. Actually, this could be smart-not crazy.

-I drive out my neighborhood talking on my house phone until it runs out of range & I'm like-why did my phone drop the call?

-I really wish this Beta Fish would give up & die already.This may be mean, no crazy.

-I let my 3 & 5 year old bath together when I know it is no longer appropriate, but I just can't give up the convenience of it.

-Sometimes, I feed my kids in the bathtub (think shish-ka-bobs). See I think these type ideas are fabulous until my husband walks in & I see the look on his face. Then I feel it is a little crazy.

-There are other crazy moments popping into my head, but in the interest of not oversharing-I will stop.

Sometimes I do wish I was more logical & thought-out like my pragmatic, CPA husband, but I am not wired this way. Always wonder why God did us the way He did, sometimes it works in my favor & sometimes it works against me.

2013

Things I'm loving in 2013.

Refillable baby food pouches have saved my life. I literally thank God for the smart person that He created that invented this product. I'm not exaggerating. Max is not very familiar with a spoon because I just squirt his baby food straight in his itty bitty mouth. I used to pay $1.50 per baby food pouch then we found these. I take it all back. The first week of using these, all was good. Then the lid wouldn't stay shut. ICK. Babyfood explosion here and over there. ^See, see, see^. Just didn't want to be on anyone's crap list for recommending these. I know I have so much influence over what you are picking up at Wal-Mark. Just don't get this.

 If you want ZERO excuses for reading the Bible this year, get this app. It has a journal section, reading plans, resources for each verse at your fingertips. I used to have another, but LOVE this one much more. There is power in the scripture like no other book. I am reminded of this each time I turn to it.

For a lighter tip: PLASTICWARE. Can't tell you how fun it was to ditch my closet full of plastic lids and containers. Been using it for a few weeks and still liking it. I do wish there were a couple of larger sizes in the pack. I got mine at CVS, but see they have them at Walmark.

 So I read listened to this book after Max came (night feedings) and literally busted a gut every time I read listened to it. My sista Kathleen is reading it now and it reminded me of how crazy funny it is. Her chapter on her dad-"That's Don Fey" still make me smile & we can prob relate to some version of this fashion tip:

"By 19, I had found my look. Oversize T-shirts, bike shorts, and wrestling shoes. To prevent the silhouette from being too baggy, I would cinch it at the waist with my fanny pack. I was pretty sure I would wear this look forever. The shirts allowed me express myself with cool sayings like ‘There’s No Crying in Baseball’ and ‘Universität Heidelberg,’ the bike shorts showed off my muscular legs, and the fanny pack held all my trolley tokens. I was nailing it on a daily basis. Find something like this for yourself as soon as possible.”

Okay, I love running, but literally only run like once every few weeks. Must not love it that much, I guess. But this is motivating me these days. The COLOR ME RAD RUN, March 23, Jackson. You wear a white T and get blasted with color through-out the run. 

Liked this one. May be a renter for you. These guys were so good in it. It has some very real moments, but funny parts too. Bradley Cooper's character has no filter, those are the funniest parts to me.

I must have been pretty desperate to see it. Over the holidays, I left my kids in the care of their older cousins while my sister Kathleen & I went to see it. Mary Margaret is 12-she is capable. But before I left, my number one rule was: Don't let Max put anything little in his mouth.

Handprint project

So these wooden discs (what are these called?) were given to me by someone who thought I could do something with them. And something came to me. I did the kiddos handprints on them in the colors I can't get away from. I added them to my Christmas decor.

 That's Max up there, in the mix. Little man is on the move now. Just trying to soak it all up, he grows each day.

h is for hap

This shower for my friend Del and baby Hap was a few months back and now sharing. I did the decorations and can't take any credit for this yummy food. I'll take decor duty over food anyday. Del with her Hap makes me thank God each time I see new pics on FB. Del was born to be a mama & now she is.

 Fuzzy shot, but I painted little wooden ABC blocks and hot glued a small clothes pin to the top for the menu items.

 Cute friends of Del's. Can't remember names??? But we were all happy to be there and giddy about baby Hap.

 Little man. No clue the stir he caused.

 Now I do know these chickadees: KD sistas-Kristen, Meghan & Amy.

 Wreath I fashioned up with a painted H and ribbon strips.

 Notes to Hap, got this from pinterest. People write notes to Hap.

 My friend Kristen had these wire buggies.

I used stamps to make these H/Hap signs. Swiped the greenery from my hood.

i just wanna take a bath

So the dad is a little snarky in this commercial. But my favorite part is the last line from the mom. "I just wanna take a bath". I could say that all day long. It is the ideal place to be. I wish I could transport myself into the bathtub to rectify any chaotic situation that has gotten me crazy cuckoo.

Below is Ruthie's illustration of me getting into the bath, actually it looks like I'm happily falling into the tub. She even added the "bosoms"-for some reason that is what they are called around here. Moms with little babes have a small amount of privacy.

Thanksgiving

  

Above is a thankful box I offered for Thanksgiving. I didn't sell them here because I sold them all. I'll make more next year. It really is sweet Thanksgiving tradition of our fam.

 

  

Above were pics after the kids' program.

'

 Sista Polly & Jason.

Cousins Maggie & Max-1 week apart.

 Cousins Charlie & Ruthie.

 Kumquats.

 Sista Meg & Max. He could be hers-right?

 Above, cracking pecans. They gathered & cracked. They were quite focused.

 

 Above: Sister Kathleen brought pumpkins, googly eyes & glue gun. The kids did the rest.

 YUM. I can't take credit for any of it. I am thankful for mama!