Words to Live By

When life gets tough.... make cookies!!!

Peace at Last

Twenty Things About Me

Seen this done on other blogs in some form or another. Thought I'd give it a shot. So without a questionnaire I sat down and thought up a few things some people didn't know about me. Some even I hadn't realized about me until now.

• I am obsessive compulsive and opinionated as you will see.
• Only I can fold towels and sheets in this house to please me.
• If I am in a messy house it does not bother me but if mine is messy I can't stand it. Definite control issues.
• I have never played air guitar but play air drums almost everyday. Which leads into the next item on the list...
• I have always wanted to play the drums, but have never touched a set. Even when our church got a drum set and everyone took a stab at it, I never did I was afraid I would find out I couldn't play.
• I knew when my child was two years old that I would home school him and I have second guessed myself everyday since.
• I wear an apron when cooking. Not only for protecting my clothes but that I feel it is a tool of my trade just as a toolbox or briefcase is to some.
• My dream job would be to own my own bookstore but I would settle for working in a library. Just to be around books all day, what a life!
• I once thought owning a bed and breakfast would be an amazing experience but no longer desire to since working for the public.
• I didn't sing lullabies to my child when he was a baby. Instead I sang show tunes and big band. Which leads to.....
• My dream come true would be to travel to New York and see a Broadway show.
• I reread the Little House on the Prairie books every year just because they are great books.
• I can't stand texting because substituting letters for words goes against my whole elementary school learning experience. It's YOU not U. ARE not R
• I have tried so hard not to become my mother that I have instead become my father.
• I can't stand for a knife to be left out at night, whether in the dish drainer, on the counter, or in the sink. It has to go in the drawer. No ifs, ands, or buts about it . That is a sleepwalking disaster waiting to happen. Just saying...
• I have a perfectly good dishwasher that I do not use. I prefer to hand wash. That way when I reach for a dish I don't find it dirty in the dishwasher that never got turned on last night.
• I like today's conveniences but long for the slower pace of yesterday. Sort of like wanting to have your cake and eat it too.
• It takes me a long time to warm up to people and even longer to trust them.
• I hug my son every day and mean it, though I am not a hugger.
• I refuse to eat on a square plate. I think they are very pretty but feel that my forefathers did not fight for my freedom to live in this country so I could eat on a square plate.

Ok one more:

• I hate having to face me and write about myself. ;)

Going in the Closet

I'm not coming out of the closet but rather going in it. I needed my own space to work on my blogging. Our office is located upstairs. I couldn't use the office early in the morning or late at night without disturbing my son, and unfortunatly that's usually when I get my ideas. I didn't want a desk or computer set up in my bedroom because that room is suppose to be a santuary, a place to rest and tune out the rest of the world. I knew I would never get any sleep with it in there. I would lie awake and think of all the articles I could be drafting. But there seemed to be no other place to put it. All the other rooms in the house wouldn't work for various reasons. One day I went into the pantry and it was like a light went on in my head. One set of shelves on the right hand wall weren't being used for much. The shelves were the wrong height for most things so it was difficult to make use of them efficiently. So out they came and a small desk was set in their place. Just right for research and development, and for paying bills. I think it turned out rather well. Plus it's really handy if I get the munchies!


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Because I Know Me and So Does He

There's a reason God didn't put me in a house like this. He knew I'd never accomplish anything. I'd stand in front of that window all day long, rooted to that spot just gazing out at sea.

The Definition of Backward

One definition of backward in my dictionary is: in the reverse of the usual or right way.I have my own example of backward. I had this beautiful dining table. It took me a long time to find this table. Once I got it home I proceeded to cover it up to protect it from getting scratched. I protected it so well you couldn't see the shiny wood grain surface. That is until a freak accident happened (by this I mean a boy with a glow stick, a leaking glow stick, came along and ate through the table cloth and the clear coat. note: the liquid from the glow stick ate through the material not the boy, at least, that's what they tell me.

Now that the surface was no longer perfect I didn't feel I had to cover it anymore. I covered it when it was beautiful and uncovered it when it was imperfect. How's that for backward? The thing is I'm loving this table so much more now and I don't really dwell on its imperfection. It didn't change the fact that I still love this table. How silly I was to keep something so enjoyable from my family. We should have been eating on this uncovered table from day one. I felt ashamed at having cried over it when it was a blessing in disguise. It also made me mindful of how privileged we are that God sees past our imperfections and loves us as we are.

Contented Uncontentment as Uncontented Contentment

Finally my nightmare of around five months has ended. No more tests. I had my last follow up yesterday and I don't have to go back for a year.


I was a little worried five years ago and I was terrified this time. So much so that I went through the house with a pencil and paper to list things to give away and things I wanted my son to have in the event of my passing. I told my husband not to hold on to things just because they were mine, to toss them. So I told him to only keep what was on the list.


First thing I noticed was that I have nothing anyone would want. I'm serious. Out of all my prized possessions there were about ten things on my list. A few handmade quilts and things made by my grandmothers to go to family. My sons baby quilts to be kept until he has children of his own. Things like that. The rest of the stuff is sentimental to me and only me. Which means it's junk to everyone else.


So here I set today, surrounded by my sea of valueless valuables that I and I alone love, and I couldn't be happier. Now to figure out how to train them to be self-dusting!

Holding Down the Fort

I figured since I laughed at him the day before, I should do something outstanding to make up for it. I think this qualifies but you be the judge.


First we took the kitchen table. Remember this table, there will be a post about it next week.

Then opened it up and made a square.

I added two quilts and a blanket so that they went all the way to the floor.

This is the part where I believe I was truly great. I went up in the attic and got two strands of christmas lights and strung those under the table.

All that was left was to add floor pillows, toys, and one boy.

That's all it took to achieve greatness for about one hours worth of work and about thirty minutes worth of play time. Then it was "I think I'll go play upstairs".

"Yea, you do that and I'm going go watch your video and laugh again."

Slippery When Icey

My son trying to get back up the hill. I'm laughing because he fell just as I was setting up the camera. I know I'm a terrible mother but it was funny!