30 weeks and counting

Do you ever have those moments that pretty much define your whole day (or life in general)? At the end of the day, I am exhausted. I have just reached that place in pregnancy where I have a certain amount of energy, patience, etc., and when it's up for the day, it's up.

I had just finished telling my little people the same thing for about the millionth time, and I said in frustration, "Doesn't anyone around here listen to anything I say?"

Lucy wrinkled up her nose at me and replied, "Hmmmm.  Welllllllll, sometimes I do, but sometimes I don't."

I at least appreciate her honesty.

I will tell you, as tiring as things are, I have these bright moments as well. This morning Milo thoughtfully wrote the date in his notebook and said, "Mommy, why isn't it called MEcember? After all, it is my birthday month."

He thought a moment more. "Or MIMIcember. It's her month, too."

I have sweet, thoughtful, lovely little people. I am also 30 weeks pregnant. Interesting balance around here, but we'll all survive, even if it's only due to our sense of humor.

A comfy place

Today Nate was talking about some of the things that needed to be done for a clinic install, and he and the person he was talking to on the phone kept referencing CAT5 and CAT6. Lucy and I thought we were pretty funny and said, "Well is it 5 cats or 6? Hahahaha."

Milo looked at me and said, "Mommy, I'm pretty sure Daddy is talking about clinical software." Smartypants.

After her shower today, Lucy climbed into my lap and said, "Mommy, I just want to sit on your lap all the time. You are my comfy place." (sigh) Perfect moment. She did take it a little further... "I want to sit in your lap all the time because I love you so much, even when you're going poo-poo." Hmmm...

But I'll be the comfy place. Always.

Days of the week

Still here...
Still busy...
Still making a baby and fielding ridiculous questions like, "Oh, you're 28 weeks? Are you BIG for 28 weeks?"

Lucy was in deep thought the other day in the car, and finally told me, "Mommy, when I grow up, I'd like to be an angel." (more deep thought) "I'd really like to be in the Torah."

We moved Milo and Lucy into the same room with bunk beds last week! I was wondering if I would ever sleep again, but remarkably, they seem to be doing really well and enjoying the room swap. Now we just need to get a nursery together for Emmy and we'll be good to go. Well, relatively speaking.

Happy Monday! OH my word, never mind. It's Tuesday. So happy Tuesday to you.

Twinsies

Sometimes you have a friend whom you really love and really look up to, and you just need to wear a matching shirt with him.

Just a snippet

I have the sweetest, most wonderful children on the planet. You know this. But I know I have been quick to share the (slightly) naughty things they've done here recently, and I've especially tattled on Lucy. So, to make up for it, let me just tell you what happened last night.

She and I were snuggled up in her chair saying bedtime prayers, and she was talking so quietly I had to lean in to hear her. I'm glad I did, because she prayed, "Please let Mommy know that she's the best mommy in the whole world, and she's the prettiest, and she has the prettiest hair and the prettiest dresses."

Heart melted.

Also, have you wondered where Milo has been on the blog? He is the funniest, most tender, most thoughtful little man I know. He doesn't do a lot of naughty (right now - but he's had his moments). I will tell you this. I taught him to sew the other day and he was AWESOME. Meticulous and attentive and sewing in straight lines. I'm so proud of this guy.

A sassy mouth

Something about the 3's at our house... Both of my little people have been so funny and so challenging at this age. And they both developed a little sass at this age, too...

For example, my sweet Lucy Jane. The other night she asked me if it was my turn to lay her down, and I told her yes. She replied, "Lucky you, Mommy."

Or Saturday, as Lucy snuggled with me on the couch, Milo asked Nate, "Daddy, could we watch Thunderbirds?" Lucy told him, "No, but you can smell my feet." (That's classic Nate, by the way, so I blame this on him...)

Good times around here for sure.

Milo's showcase

As promised, here's a little video of Milo's gymnastics showcase. So adorable, so wonderful. Watch Nate sneak in in the background, literally cutting it to the second. I was so pleased he made it in time, and both kids were as well!

A little something adorable

Want to see something cute? Check out Lucy's latest gymnastics showcase video... I'll post Milo's as well. They are both so fun to watch and so full of spunk!

The lesser of two evils

I can't tell what I'm more irritable about - the time change, or the upcoming election. Really, if one of the candidates had just run on the platform of eliminating the time change, maybe things would have been easier?

My little people have been up since 6:30 a.m.  This may not seem like a big deal to you, but we aren't early risers around here. We don't have to be, because we home school and rarely go anywhere.  Say what you will, but it's a pretty decent set-up. So yes, 6:30 a.m., and I barely slept a wink last night for some inexplicable reason. I remember back in the good old high school and college days, when Fall behind time change meant I literally got extra sleep. I'd like to publicly apologize to every single parent that I ever made a glib comment to, like, "Oh, time change! Yay! That means we all get to have an extra hour!" If it makes you feel better, the universe is now paying me back...

And the election? Oh my. Really, America? These were our best two options this year? Of all the people in this country, all the politicians, all the individuals who care what the country looks like, we have to choose between a crook and a perv? I took my little people and early voted on Thursday, which is extremely unlike me because I normally love the hoopla surrounding election day. But really, I just went to get it over with and do my civic duty. I don't even know how to tell you how I hope things turn out. I think we're screwed either way. I saw an old friend at Schlotzsky's after we voted, and she asked my kids if they had been praying that who God wanted would get in, and I literally had to bite my tongue and not pop off that I was pretty sure he didn't want either of them...

On a happy note, getting up at the crack of dawn on a Sunday means we've already gotten and eaten donuts, all the ironing is finished, and the fruit kabobs I was supposed to make for a party are finished, all by 10:00 a.m. Now, who's ready for a nap?

Sick days

It never fails for me - when I have a rough day with one of my little people, I tend to have a rough night as well.

After Monday's debacle with the toothpaste (and the letters on her wall, and the whatever else happened that day), Lucy woke up at 3 a.m. sick as can be. She was congested, she was coughing so hard she almost threw up, and she was bawling. I don't blame her. I wanted to as well.

Once I got her settled down, I rocked her and thought she'd go back to sleep. Ummmmmm, NO. My sweet darling was soaking up the uninterrupted mommy-time and was awake for at least three hours. I rocked her. I laid down with her in the recliner. I snuggled her on the couch. I rocked her again. All to no avail. The child would look like a tiny sleeping cherub, and as soon as I would think about laying her down, her eyes would pop open. "Mommy, why don't we have Skittles anymore?" Or, "Who do you think is the prettiest baby doll?" And then, "Mommy, I need a drink. I'm about to sneeze. I have to go potty." I finally just put her back into her bed with at least ten kisses and headed to the couch to sleep for an hour and a half before she just got up for the day.

And then she was sweet (sick) sunshine for the day. She was snuggly. She was cheerful. But she was running a fever and running out of steam more and more. And I genuinely felt bad for her, all the while enjoying my little punkin at her most precious.

So now it's Wednesday and she is feeling a little better. Still running a fever, but it's creeping down. She is building with Legos in Milo's room, dressed in a dance costume and singing at the top of her lungs with her little hoarse voice.

Every day is a challenge, and I'm just hoping today's challenge doesn't involve toilet paper or toothpaste (although it's already involved oatmeal sneezed all in my hair).

Kids say the darndest things

Before I forget, let me tell a little story about Milo, too.

Nate works with a woman whose husband passed away suddenly on Saturday. We all felt so grieved for her, even my little people, so when Nate asked if we'd like to pray for her, we jumped on it.

Lucy began and prayed the sweetest prayer to give her peace (totally unprompted by us - good girl, Lucy).

Then Milo prayed with the sincerest heart, "Yahweh, please help her to find a new husband really soon so that she doesn't have to be lonely."

So deeply inappropriate. So heartfelt. I almost didn't make it out with a straight face. Kids say the darndest things, right?

Two minutes

I stepped outside to water the plants for, maybe two minutes today.

In the time it took me to do that, Lucy Jane managed to empty the entire contents of not one, not two, but THREE tubes of toothpaste. All over the bathroom. Floor, counter, towel, washcloths...

I will say this, she at least had the good sense to try to clean it up, but that only managed to smear every bit of it in and work it into a nice lather for me to see when I popped back in.

Two minutes. That is all it takes. Because she's also extremely adept at unrolling an entire roll of toilet paper, straight into the trash can below, in two minutes or less. Never mind that she has been spanked every single one of the at least twenty-five times she's done it in the last month. Give that girl two minutes and she will make it count in the worst way possible.

Perhaps every person in the world is gifted with that one special someone who tries their patience like no one else could. Perhaps every parent has that one child who makes them feel like the worst mommy on the planet. Perhaps I will devour an entire tub of chocolate peanut butter ice cream and feel a little bit better?

Oh my word, I love this curly-headed, passionate, vibrant little girl of mine with every fiber of my being, but this tired mommy is short on patience these days... So I am going to leave you with a few adorable pics of her since I feel a tiny bit bad that I tattled on her.

On a date with Daddy.

How to treat a human being

I had to go get my glucose test today, which I think might be my least favorite procedure of pregnancy. Drinking that sugary orange drink, hanging out for an hour feeling disgusting and left out because I'm the only customer at the lab not dressed in camo, and then getting blood drawn (hands down, I cry every time)... Nothing about it is a positive experience, and I usually end up vomiting, almost passing out, or both.

When I finished today, I decided to reward myself and pop through a drive-through. When I got to the ordering speaker, I heard a friendly voice, "Hi, this is Victor, how can I help you?" I smiled and said, "Hi, Victor, how are you doing today?" to which he replied, "Well, I could use a shot of whiskey. How about you?"

I was so startled that I started to laugh and responded, "Well, I'm pregnant, so I'm going to have to stick with something a little tamer." I finished my order and waited a few minutes in line to get to the window. When I got there, I smiled as I handed him my card. Come to find out, he had discounted my order, so I ended up paying only a few dollars, and he told me, "Thank you so much for treating me like a human being. You're the first person who's done that all day."

Okay, so I'm pregnant, and I almost cried, first for his bad day, and second for his kindness in spite of it. I thanked him profusely, and as I drove off we were both smiling. But I was so thankful that I put aside my inconvenient morning and took the time to be kind. Not even unusually kind, but just how I would normally be (without being stuck with needles and drained of my blood).

Anyway, just a reminder to treat all human beings like human beings. I guess we all need that every now and then.

Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette

So I just finished another book for Bethany House Publishers, this one called Shadow of the Storm by Connilyn Cossette. There were parts of it that I really liked, and parts that I thought were a bit much, but overall, I enjoyed this one.

The story follows a young Hebrew woman training to be a midwife in the wilderness after the Exodus. There were gorgeous descriptions of the presence of God in the midst of the people, and I wish there had been more about the building of the Tabernacle, just because you don't get a lot of fiction covering that topic. The whole premise of the book was fascinating to me because I haven't read anything regarding the Hebrews' perspective of life after Egypt. It was extremely relevant because they talked so much about trying to unify groups of people who didn't want to get along and had become accustomed to living in their own tribes. I also liked the idea of people who had lived as slaves trying to learn how to be free.

I liked the characters, although I thought the author gave the main character just a tad too much DRAMA. I was also really interested in other characters, like Jumo, that just kind of got dropped. Maybe the author is planning a whole other book about him (and if not, there's an idea for her)?

All in all, good and quick read, so go for it.

Little squishy pumpkins

Well, some more crafting happened. I bought a crafty fabric pumpkin at a cute little local store (Bloom at the Lufkin Farmer's Market - if you are local you MUST go), and then started thinking about how I could probably do it myself. And then I realized that I had another Pinterest item pinned (here at Thoughts from Alice) with a tutorial on exactly how to make it happen.

This is another super easy craft and took almost no time at all! Cut a fabric circle, Loosely stitch around the top, stuff with pillow stuffing, add a little stick for the stem, then cinch it up and tie it off! She recommended using spanish moss for the decoration around the stem, so I went with it. Oh. My. Word. Disastrous mess everywhere in my dining room and kitchen. I'm sure this wouldn't happen to everyone, but oh my, I am a mess-maker. Anyway, all that to say, I have seen them topped with raffia instead, and I would tell you to go with that if you're trying to decide. I hot glued it all down, then added little fabric leaves and ribbon, and biggety bam, done. Look how cute they are!

Milo actually provided quality control, telling me which pumpkins he liked the best and what the others needed. Lucy just liked that they were tiny, squishy pumpkins, but she's easy to please.

In other news, I came out in a fitted shirt this morning (I am usually in fairly loose stuff, just because that's my style), and Milo said, "Oh, Mommy! Did our baby grow overnight?" He makes me smile.

Hope you have a wonderful and craft-tastic Friday!

Pinterest WIN

I have had the Fall crafting bug, so I'm sure you'll see a few pictures here and there of what I've been up to. I saw a post on this garland a few years ago (click here for instructions) and have wanted to make it ever since. I finally went ahead this week for our Sukkah, but it's rained and I haven't even hung it up yet. Oops!

Basically, it's the easiest project ever. Grab some fall-colored felt, cut it into leaf shapes, and then thread a tapestry needle with some thin (worsted weight at the thickest) yarn. Then simply sew and go! Actually, here is a vital tip - tie a knot after each leaf so they stay in place when you string up your garland.

So there you go! One Pinterest project down, 27,341 to go.

HEB talk

Fall is in the air..

... for pretty much everyone except people living in Texas. It has been about a million degrees outside, and I need the weather to cooperate and let me wear several super cute maternity pieces I've been waiting on cooler weather to wear. I am so eternally grateful that I am going to be the large and in charge pregnant during (hopefully) chillier weather, because being hot ALWAYS makes me cranky. (Just being honest.)

So, mommy of the year here. Lucy brought a Lego girl to the grocery store with us today. Why did I think this would be a good idea? We (and I do mean SHE) dropped the hair, then the bottom half, then the little princess sceptre that was in its hand, then the whole thing, over and over and over again. I leaned over and picked up those pieces until I thought I wasn't going to be able to get back up (hello, 22 weeks pregnant - squat, don't bend), and the last time I did, I said under my breath, "Sweet Jesus." I thought I got away scot free on that one.

Fast forward about 10 minutes to the checkout line (you already knew this was coming, right?). As Lucy tried to throw a package of hot dog buns onto the belt, she missed, and in true Lucyloud fashion, half-yelled, "Sweet JESUS, Mommy."

I don't think I need to tell you how many disapproving looks I got as I casually hissed, "Lucy Jane, we do NOT say that," in her ear. I promise you she raised an eyebrow and just shook her head at me. Lord help me, this is on some days the only reason I don't cuss.

COUSINS!

These super cuties made me smile. I forgot I had this picture from when Bryan officially became Lily's dad! It was a really exciting day, and I was so glad we got to be a part of it.

Fall is in the air

Hello again!
Just living it up now that I can officially say it's September. The weather is actually a little hotter than it was most of August, but I can smell Fall in the air (oh wait, maybe that's my autumn candles, plug-ins, and air freshener...).
All that to say, we went to the post office yesterday and the breeze was blowing and I had to snap a picture of my little model-ready children. They are so full of joy and laughter and my heart is so full.

Jackson Baby #3

Well, hi there! Were you wondering where I had gone?

I went to a super happy and super sick place. It's called pregnancy.

That's right! We are expecting baby Jackson #3, whom Milo has nicknamed "Paprika" after much prayer and thought, due February 24.

I am excited and delighted and all of those things, and I have also been so sick that looking at the computer screen made me instantly vomit, which is why I've been absent. But I'm back. For the most part. I can't promise a new post every day, but I will try to keep you updated on what is going on around here. Because these people are always busy and always making me laugh.

Lucy's Children's Museum birthday trip

So, for Lucy's birthday, she wanted a little destination party, kind of like we did for Milo at the zoo. We decided the Children's Museum in Houston would be a good INDOOR location, so we headed there Sunday. I'm not going to lie - it was packed, which was a teensy bit stressful. But, everyone had a blast anyway, and I think the birthday girl felt well celebrated.

Outside the little climbing area. I know they're blurry, but aren't they perfect?

Milo had a go at the climbing wall (with help from Uncle Matt).

Little people in the climbing area with Auntie Ann.

Pushing buttons. It never gets old.

Sweet sweet little birthday girl.

Sweet sweet birthday brother.

Constructing!

Hey, look! It's Milo on the news!

Driving an ambulance. Biggest smile all day.

I couldn't help it. I needed a picture.

Milo at the kids' grocery store. I wish I had gotten a picture of Lucy, too. They were both really intense about their shopping.

Milo served Auntie Ann and Uncle Matt at the cafe.

Lucy prepped food and then gave it to the first baby she could find. 

This picture made me laugh because Lucy and I have the same lips.

Outdoor fun.

Museum shot!

Thoughts on future aspirations

Milo: "When I grow up, I think I might like to work in construction."

Lucy:  "When I grow up, I want to be a pirhana."

Milo:  "Lucy, I think what you mean is a ballerina."

(long pause)

Lucy:  "Yeah, when I grow up, I want to be a pirhana."

Happy birthday (yesterday), Lucy Jane!

Can you believe that yesterday this little nugget...

...became this gorgeous three-year old creature?

Oh, my sweet Lucy, time has gone by so quickly! She is a passionate, vibrant, cuddly, smart, baby-loving little treasure who is a ray of light to everyone she knows. As much as she grew and changed just last year, I can't wait to continue to learn about who she is.

Birthday dinner

Just to make up for the last post, here's a super cute little something from my birthday dinner. My people really did spoil me this weekend!

Just a little rant

Blargh. Do you ever have those moments that remind you that you pretty much have no control over anything in life?

Like, when you order your daughter's birthday present at the beginning of the month and spend multiple conversations with customer service to find the dang birthday present that still isn't at your house and they have no clue where it is either... And they tell you, "We can TRY to get it to you by then, but we can't guarantee it..." And no matter how much you explain to Toys 'r Us that you can't go with a non-guarantee when it's in regard to your daughter's 3rd birthday present, they just don't seem to care? (Yes, I am calling you out, Toys'rUs because I am super ticked right now.) My tummy hurts because I'm frustrated and concerned that Lulu will have nothing but a Leapster game to open on her birthday with no Leapster to play it on.

So, that's been my morning (and another morning last week, too) in a rant nutshell. How about yours?

Just a little redesign... Every now and then I can't help myself. Here's to pared-back, simpler, cleaner living, as reflected in my blog design. Cheers!

Visions in navy

Oh how I love these people...

One of those...

Do you ever just have those moments with your children?

You know, when they've disobeyed in the same way for the umpteenth time? Or they've carelessly broken something? Or been unwise with their words?

Lucy Jane and I have had a rough few days. She hasn't been listening, therefore disobeying, and on top of that, peeing her pants left and right (keep in mind she's been potty trained for going on a year now...). I have been frustrated with her, which only makes her shut down, so I feel like we're going in circles.

Today I prayed for patience as she threw a wolloping fit, and went to lay her down for her nap. As we rocked for a minute, I reminded her, "Lucy, your job is to obey. And I know you're going to remember next time. So let's focus on keeping dry undies after nap and obeying Mommy without throwing fits."

She snuggled in under my chin as I kept talking, then sat straight up and met my eyes. "But Mommy, I don't LIKE to disobey." And somehow that just soothed my spirit and made me feel so bad for her. The learning curve is hard, especially when no one is doing things according to your two-almost-three-year-old plan. So I'll continue to discipline her and know that she's going to get it, because she wants to do things right.

Treasure

My little people say the most amazing, precious things. They're full of care and concern for other people, and they surprise me with their insight. Plus they're just plain hilarious.

Lucy saw a stray cat in a parking lot while we were eating ice cream at Orange Leaf the other night. She looked at me with her nose all wrinkled up and said, "Mommy, that poor little kitty needs help. We should pray for him." And then she proceeded to tell God that that "poor sweet little baby kitty" needed him to help him find his way home. Heart melted.

And then Milo, after watching an episode of Octonauts (Have you seen this? If you have little people, you have to look it up because it's adorable and teaches about marine life.) that included a treasure hunt, told me, "Mommy, really, the greatest treasure we could ever have is the Torah. And, of course, time with Mommy and Daddy." Again, heart melted.

They're dressed up as spies today. Milo is in black pants, a dark tee shirt, and a spy vest. Lucy is in a floral print romper and a giant pink bow headband, her choice. She told me she's a "princess spy." I think her cover is sound, don't you?

Book Review - Delilah: Treacherous Beauty

I received a copy of Delilah: Treacherous Beauty by Angela Hunt from Bethany House to review. I was interested in this one because I previously reviewed Esther and Bathsheba by the same author and series. I was fans of the other two, but I just couldn't get behind this one.

I will admit, I always enjoy a different perspective on stories. In the other novels, we've gotten the main character and then a supporting character that adds to the story. This time the story was told from Delilah and Samson's perspective, and I'm going to be honest - it went a little cheesy. The author spun it as a love story (including betrayal) between the two, and I just couldn't believe it. Is it that I've just been conditioned to view Delilah as the harlot temptress? I'm not sure. I will say that I got a decent view of Samson as just a man, which is always interesting, but the author went a little too far in trying to paint him as an outsider who never belonged anywhere because of his "gift." 

I also had a huge beef with the fact that I need historical fiction to be just that- historical. Hunt missed the fact that rabbits aren't kosher, and she had Samson hunting and eating them several times. Maybe she just figured he'd break that part of the Torah since he was lax in other areas? I don't know, but it just got under my skin somehow.

All in all, this was an interesting and quick read, but my least favorite of the series.

Blasting off to Marcia

I wish I had a video camera on my little people constantly. Because no re-telling can explain how funny this was...

Lucy:  "Milo, let's blast off and go somewhere!"

Milo:  "Sure, Lucy. Where should we go?"

Lucy:  "Three places. United States. America. And Alaska."

The look on Milo's face was priceless. It was like he took a deep breath, raised his eyes to the sky, and prayed, "Lord, help me."

Milo:  "Lucy, that doesn't make any sense. The United States and America are the same thing, and Alaska is in them. And you don't blast off to a country, you blast off to space."

Lucy:  "Okay. Then we will blast off to the moon, China, and Marcia."

Milo:  "Fine. Let's go to Marcia."

After a certain amount of discussion, I realized that Marcia is, indeed, Russia, but that's another conversation for another day.

Just so cute

May Beach Vacation

Just a little beach vacation trip action for you... We went to the aquarium at Moody Gardens on the way down, and my little people were super impressed. Then we stayed at Crystal Beach for a few days, soaking up sun and getting some very strange sunburns. What can I say? We're a fair-skinned family.

Then, on the way home, torrential rain flooded parts of 59N and we were trapped in Kingwood overnight! It was quite the adventure, and now we're safe and sound and glad to be sleeping in our own beds again after a FANTASTIC trip.