Herb of Grace

The Cheap Mama's Guide to Cloth Diapering #4: The Five Basics

2012-01-26T17:11:00.001-05:00

1) The Diapers. So after you've chosen your style, or found a couple of super great deals on Craigslist, or connected with the perfect shop on Etsy, the question arises... how many of these things do I need, anyway? My answer... as many as it takes to fill a washer load. Your answer may be different, but for me this thing is about saving money and I'm a stay-at-home mom. One thing I can do is

Just Writing

2012-01-24T13:16:00.002-05:00

One of the things I've grown to love about Florida is the way the boundaries between outdoors and indoors are blurry, optional, indistinct and reversible. Occassionally we have a day whose chill requires closed doors and latched windows, but for the most part we are open to the sunshine, breeze and the fresh smell of dirt and rain. Judah is watching a Netflix cartoon version of The Three

A Cheal Mama's Guide to Cloth Diapering #3-- Where to find them

2012-01-21T22:19:00.000-05:00

I'm really stretching it a little to try to devote an entire blog post to cheap sources for cloth diapers. Here's the list, in descending order of price: 1) Etsy There are a veritable multitude of work-at-home moms making bucks on the side selling diapers on Etsy. Prices range from around $10 (or $6 on sale) to off the charts for super-cute styles, or custom designs. We bought Jude's cloth

The Cheap Mama's Guide to Cloth Diapering #2: Pros and Cons

2012-01-19T13:32:00.001-05:00

The next thing I want to talk about is the four basic styles- pros and cons. I'm including a guesstimate of what I paid for the ones I bought in each category. Tomorrow I'll get into sources-- where and how to buy CHEAP, then I plan to finish up with a few handy little tips to make it all easier :) AIO; these are by far the easiest and most like disposables. You don't have to keep track of

The Cheap Mama's Guide to Cloth Diapering #1

2012-01-18T14:24:00.001-05:00

I've been meaning to write this post for a looong time. A friend is starting her cloth-diapering journey with baby number three, just as we did, so I'm motivated to finallyb put down on "paper" what I've learned about cloth diapering on the cheap. The main thing I want to say is that even if you don't start till the third (or fourth, or more) child, and even if you don't cloth diaper exclusively

Just Write

2012-01-10T08:46:00.003-05:00

There are marker and pen and scuff marks all over my walls... Should I wash them off? Is it worth the time when I know they'll be back on again by the end of the day? Are they some sort of badge of honor for Motherhood (with a capital 'M')? Or just evidence of semi-lazy motherhood (small 'm')? "Mama, I want a cough drop!" Does he really need one? Is all that coughing real or put on to coax

Where I'm From

2012-01-05T13:19:00.000-05:00

(apparently I have a problem with commitment when it comes to blog memes. i loved this one right away when i first saw it, but it's taken me months to finally finish it. i love it because it's the kind of thing one can write again and again and it nevers comes out the same way twice. this version tends to weigh heavily on the southern part of my "roots". maybe i'll do another one focusing on my

Just Write

2012-01-03T22:51:00.002-05:00

I've been trying to pull together a post all day. In between the Christmas Take-Down, the children squabbles, the cleaning, the cooking and trying to find time to play, laugh and train. Every time there's a pause in the motion and commotion, my brain starts chugging along... "Jamie is such a passionate child. In the moment of submission to discipline, he will throw himself into my arms with

A New Year Begins

2012-01-01T21:59:00.001-05:00

Bloggers all over my Google Reader are posting lists of their tops posts from 2011 to close out the old year and kick off the new. I like this idea. I'd join in, but the truth is, this last year hasn't been a real great one for this blog. It's been downright dead around here for the last 12 months or so. One of my New Years resolutions is to go back to blogging more regularly. So in lieu of a "

Just Writing

2011-12-14T12:40:00.000-05:00

Older people always say "Enjoy this, enjoy it. It goes by so fast..." and they gaze wistfully off into some fondly remembered past. I try to take it to heart, I really do. But in all the bustle and confusion of temper tantrums and needs and MESS I sometimes forget that someday I, too, will look back wistfully on these days. And then every once in a while I have a moment... Our final choir

Teaching him to read.

2011-12-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Judah has always been far more verbal than I expected, being a boy and all. People re-assured me constantly, when he was an infant, not to expect him to talk as early or as fluently as Sofi had, since he was male. But he starting talking even earlier, and he really hasn't stopped since. It's made homeschooling him....interesting. A typical reading lesson, in which we are working our way through a

Learning to talk, learning to talk back.

2011-12-07T08:33:00.001-05:00

Jamie has learned some new words. He's been walking around the house this morning going, "Duuuuuursh, seeeeeeeeeet, SET!" and then chucking something across the room, or jumping off of something, or hurling himself into my arms. The intonation is perfect, even if the words (ready, set, go!) are a bit... mangled. Judah, on the other hand, just told me, "Mama, you can't SING while you get me my

Just Writing

2011-12-06T12:12:00.001-05:00

Sometimes this post is hard to write because I sit down in front of this blank screen and I just can't suck in enough Quiet to see if I have ANY thoughts, much less decipher them into anything Post-like. Even stream-of-conscious style is too structured for me some days. So maybe I'll just pretend to write in my diary-- like middle-school, back in the days when my thoughts were my own and marched

I got my heart broke today

2011-12-05T12:54:00.001-05:00

I took the boys to the store this morning. They both needed various articles of warm clothing, because now that it's almost Christmas we're finally getting some chilly weather :) This particular consignment store has a nifty little play-place for the kiddoes to hang out while I shop. Another little girl was in there with the two boys and, as you might expect, I had to intervene to keep the peace

note to self:

2011-12-03T22:24:00.001-05:00

In future, remember that it is not possible to UNDERestimate the amount of work you will get done on a single day. For example, it is highly doubtful that you could have actually cleaned the house, purchased a Christmas tree, set it up, decorated it and the entire house with ornaments and what-nots unpacked from the attic, made several wreaths, and also put all the lights up outside the house.

Just Writing

2011-11-28T22:24:00.001-05:00

swish-swoosh. the bright blue velvety swath floats down onto the floor. whooosh, smooth out all the creases, ease the seams into line zzzzsnip, zzzsnip the sharp blades even up the ragged edges of the hem. snap out the brocade, the sparkly gold threads woven into a story of flowers and leaves, pink, purple, green and gold wandering up and down the turquoise field. Match the edges up again

The Real Thing

2011-11-22T07:55:00.005-05:00

I'm sitting here trying to wrap up an emotional, moving post I started last night about how thankful I am for my beautiful children and how our years of infertility have intensified my appreciation of the small things (like Jamie and Judah wrestling on the floor in the before-breakfast mornings), but Jamie is circling my feet, whining and screeching. He wants my oatmeal; I'm blogging while I eat

Just Writing

2011-11-16T07:43:00.003-05:00

Some mornings I feel like I would sell my soul for another hour of sleep. But the children always wake with boundless energy and they drag my weary soul, reluctantly, grouchily, out into the light of their wide-eyed love for life. There is no defense against the joy of two boys playing with a plastic walrus in the shower. Their bow-legged, sway-backed, pot-bellied selves make me smile through the

Talkin' to Gramma Sandy

2011-11-12T07:56:00.000-05:00

(Sandy, sorry it took me so long to get this up for you!)

Apparently it's a sleepy day...

2011-11-11T09:39:00.002-05:00

From Judah, for Violet

2011-11-11T06:49:00.000-05:00

Hey Violet! Have you read THIS Mr Putter and Tabby book yet??? It's my FAVORITE!

Just Writing

2011-11-08T14:06:00.003-05:00

When I first started this blog, way back when, my life seemed small and manageable. I was busy, sure, but busy with small things. Busy with one child and one infant, busy with a small house and a postage stamp yard, busy with a few good friends and family only a few hours away. Our life was quiet, orderly, predictable, malleable.I must admit the possibility that at the time it did not feel this

Some Happy for your Saturday

2011-11-05T09:54:00.002-04:00

Jamie (along with all the rest of us) has been sicksicksick all week. But today I think he's finally turned the corner and is getting back to his normal, happy self :)Enjoy!

We're Calling It The Blue Room

2011-10-30T13:47:00.001-04:00

Oh, my heart...

2011-10-25T07:32:00.006-04:00

I saw a shadow of my young self this morning...Long-legged, a little awkwardly confident, a little sassy. Her thick golden-brown braid thumps heavily against her shoulders, fly-away hairs trapped, for the moment, under a red headband. Tall, straight, her skirt a bit too short and snug as to waistband-- time to buy new uniforms. Again. She fills a hot pink coffee mug with ice water, slings her hot

Jamie, One Year Old (the Break-Your-Mama's-Heart-Edition)

2011-10-16T10:20:00.000-04:00

Jamie got his first haircut the week after his first birthday. It's like that buzzer just shaved all the Baby off him and left a Judah Mini-Me in it's place.I got so many adorable pics of the two of them playing in the yard the other day, I just couldn't choose which ones to post. So I just put 'em all up :)

Fall Break

2011-10-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

When we have a nice, slow, lazy morning, we tend to fore-go breakfast till at least 8:30. Instead we opt for a quick glass of milk and lots of playing Spiderman with the big brother...

Strange things in my grocery store.

2011-10-11T21:00:00.000-04:00

On of the local produce places I frequent here in Orlando carries some really exotic tropical fruits and veggies. I have never in my life seen such strange looking food... It makes me feel like I'm stuck in a Sci-Fi novel. Have any of y'all ever seen, or do you know how to cook any of these?(some of them I haven't labeled, because between the time I first started this post and now, I've forgotten

Jamie's Birthday Video

2011-10-07T13:21:00.002-04:00

Well. Third child and all... The camera batteries died unexpectedly I forgot to charge the camera batteries. Here's all we got :)That right there is a FULL POOL!!

They say the boys look alike....

2011-10-06T12:44:00.002-04:00

...but actually, I really think he looks more like his big sister!

The real cost of Facebook

2011-10-01T10:32:00.000-04:00

To all you people out there who keep posting snarky comments about how facebook is free, for gosh sake and we should all just quit complaining about the constantly more invasive privacy policy changes, and the ever-evolving and ever-less appealing interface, I take issue with your basic premise.Facebook is not free.No way, no how. Your public library is free. Attendance at your local church is

Color me crazy

2011-09-30T09:02:00.003-04:00

I am planning to paint the dining room/living room area this weekend, so today I am letting Judah draw all over the walls. ONLY with pencil and ONLY THIS ONE TIME. He had so much fun the last time he drew on the walls (without permission), that I just couldn't pass up this opportunity to indulge his artistic sensibility.Plus, I heard this NPR piece recently about a new rising star on the artistic

On Ninjas

2011-09-13T11:05:00.002-04:00

me, explaining..."Well, not all ninjas rescue people... Some ninjas are good, but some ninjas are bad."Judah, getting it now..."And some ninjas are polar bears!"???!!!!"Ahh you mean PANDA bears... yes... yes... some ninjas are panda bears..."Thank you, Disney."And... and...and some ninjas are TURTLES!!"*sigh*Yes. Some ninjas are turtles, too.

Trying to explain where we're going and who we will see...

2011-08-30T11:09:00.003-04:00

"..and your cousin, Evie... Remember her?" "No... I don 'member her. Can you membery her to me?" "Well, let's see. You haven't seen her in a really long time. I think the last time you saw her was when we went to go pick up Aunt Susi and Violet, remember that? So they could live near us in Virginia? And then we drove a longlong time in the car... Remember?" "No... why did we pick up Aunt Susi?

2011-08-28T10:00:00.000-04:00

When I was very very young, I don't know how old exactly, Grandmom took us to some kind of Fair, or Festival, or some such thing and I got my first taste of the violin. There was a troupe there of singer/dancer/violinists who sang and danced and played all together, all at the same time and it blew. my. mind. I have never forgotten that concert and at that moment I decided I HAD to play that

One time...

2011-08-27T08:00:00.000-04:00

... my sister and I, outraged over some perceived injustice from our parents, decided to run away from home. We drew a map of the route to our cousins' house, convinced they would hide us from the grownups and we'd conspire together to get "Out West". We stuffed the map and various and sundry necessary items (probably some pilfered snacks) into the denim knapsacks Mom had made us. The ones with

In Memoriam

2011-08-26T16:04:00.004-04:00

From the time I was about five till I was about eleven we lived across the street from my maternal grandparents. We were also within 45 min (I believe) of my mother's entire family-- about ten cousins, or so, and counting... It was an idyllic period of my childhood. Grandmom taught us how to make a snow fort and the excitement of getting to actually throw stuff at grownups was only slightly

David and Goliath FAIL

2011-08-24T12:38:00.005-04:00

Judah walks into the kitchen this morning, accompanied by distant wails from Jamie. "Mama, Jamie doesn't like to play Slingshot..." he says, shaking his head mournfully. "Oh really? Judah, did you shoot a rubber band at your baby brother?" "Oh no! No, no, no. Tha's not how you play slingshot." "Well, how do you play slingshot?" I walk into Jamie's room. He's sitting up in bed with a bright

Look what we did today!

2011-08-18T12:49:00.002-04:00

The other night, Sofi and I watched this. Then we got inspired to make these. And today.... WE DID IT! They were awesomely delicious!

Real School; Day Two

2011-08-17T21:16:00.006-04:00

Today was Sofi's second day of Real School. This means we were off the "first day high" and down to the nitty-gritty of what Real School actually is and how it compares to the first three grades at home, where (according to her nostalgic re-writing of history) any time we feel like it, we just take the day off school and watch movies and eat cookies. Or something like that. Let's just say that

Jamie, Ten Months Old (late again)

2011-08-12T15:00:00.001-04:00

Now that Jamie is getting mobile, he has all sorts of fun games to play with Sofi and Judah! He loves bouncing on the exercise ball with Sofi, and comes "running" every time she sits down on it: Judah is teaching him to ride a bike! Normal Rockwell, eat your heart out! Do we not have the cutest kids EVER???

A little reputation repair

2011-08-11T09:22:00.004-04:00

Poor Jamie. I realized that all my griping about his nighttime wakings has given everyone a wrong impression of him. I realized this yesterday morning when he had a hard time settling down for his morning nap and I started having flashbacks to Judah's and Sofi's babyhood. Judah had chronic nap issues for at least the first year. So did Sofi. Oh my goodness, the hours I spent tiptoeing around,

Things I love

2011-08-09T15:04:00.004-04:00

As I nursed Jamie this morning before his morning nap, his usual frantic gasping, "aheh, eheh, ehummm" and grabbing fistfuls of flesh with both hands to shove the breast into his mouth ASAP! followed by that unmistakeable grooooansiiiigh of contentment, struck me as more comical than usual. I started to giggle and then laugh outright. He looked up quizzically, sideways, cutting his eyes toward

How clean is YOUR house?

2011-08-08T22:00:00.000-04:00

I've often wondered over the years how other women keep house. I only have my mother's habits as a guide (at least, the only one I'm conscious of) and apparently my memories are very vague and colored with teenaged inattention to detail. I've concluded this because what I remember is mostly that our house was almost always perfectly spotless and that we (children) were required to do a ridiculous

Jamie versus Judah: Or, Why My Hair is Turning White Even Though I'm Only 32

2011-08-06T14:42:00.003-04:00

Jamie is very different from Judah. Very different. I think I may have mentioned this before? In addition to walking four months earlier, refusing to learn the signs we taught Judah at eight months, trying to eat thumbtacks, paint and bugs, and all around giving us a run for our money, this is a perfect example of the most recent development in strength and determination to get his own

Monday

2011-08-01T15:52:00.002-04:00

1) There is still an entire room in our house with no furniture in it. None. Nada. Nothing. It's completely empty. Except for a laundry basket full of dirty laundry and Judah's dress shirt, which he keeps forgetting to put away.2) Jamie only walks when a) he feels like it, and b) no one is watching, or c) he's not supposed to touch whatever it is he's walking towards. So-- no video. Yet. I've

I Forgive You

2011-07-23T08:00:00.000-04:00

The Four Important Steps: 1) Express remorse..."I'm sorry"These words are at the center of the whole deal. They mean something very important, and I talk to my kids about it frequently. When you say the words "I"m sorry", you mean that you are repenting, turning away from a particular behavior, acknowledging that you were wrong and that you wronged your brother. 2) ...for a specific

I'm so sorry...

2011-07-22T10:41:00.007-04:00

Shortly before we were married, I was given an invaluable piece of advice by my mother (I think... but I'm not sure... many people were giving us lots of advice at the time) This one piece of advice stuck most firmly in my mind and has affected our marriage perhaps more than any other."Make it your goal to always be the first to apologize."Wise words.As I mentioned recently in a Facebook

Hi again.

2011-07-18T23:09:00.003-04:00

I've been wracking my brain lately, trying to figure out why I'm so depressingly un-motivated to blog these days. It's weird. Every time I sit down to try and write, the tongue in my head that goes wag-wag-wag all day long, suddenly dries up and cleaves to the roof of my... mind. All that constant undercurrent of thoughts just slows to a trickle. An uninteresting and uninspiring trickle.I think

Kung-Fu Judah

2011-07-14T10:54:00.002-04:00

We watched Kung Fu Panda last night and this morning Judah is, predictably, being Po. He also has a serious case of hiccups. This is an interesting juxtaposition, leading to the following monologue, as overhead a few moments ago:Hiiiiya! Hah Heeeee--*hic-hic-HUP* WAAAH!!Woooo *hiccUP* HA!!"And I just can't stop laughing. Behind closed doors, of course.

Jude I Love

2011-07-01T06:21:00.000-04:00

My baby-love is now a Young Man of Many Faces

Conversation with Judah

2011-06-30T06:24:00.000-04:00

Judah, what is your favorite thing in the whole world?Errr...Aaaahhhh...Drivin' da truck with Dada...Tellin' stories to Grammy...And visitin' people's houses that we haven't seen in SOOOO long!

Jamie, Nine Months Old

2011-06-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

At nine months old, I am a mover and a shaker like no other Forshey before me!!But then again...I have a lot more to keep up with!And now and then I have my quiet moments of contemplation...

A Story For Grammy...

2011-06-28T18:27:00.000-04:00

... composed especially for you by Judah. Enjoy!

Hey, Grandad!

2011-06-27T09:11:00.002-04:00

Judah is bringing his toolset with him, so he can help you "fix da tractor," which, according to him, "has a flat wheel...see, iss not round, like dis, is jis flat like dat"His solution..."Take da wheel off and turn it around!"

The Living Room is Finished!

2011-06-24T19:49:00.004-04:00

Before we get to the "After" part, you should go back and watch the video on this post so you can get the "Before" firmly in your mind first.The first part of the project was a quest to give the walls a little character-- some texture and depth. I used wallboard joint compound to give a faux plaster finish. I simply troweled it on about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, right over the original wallboard,

2011-06-23T11:08:00.001-04:00

I am thirty-two years old. Thirty- two. But apparently my SKIN hasn't gotten this memo. Despite my advanced age maturity, my skin insists on reacting to every. single. skincare regime change like a sixteen year old girl..."What? What? Whathe..? CLEARASIL?? WHY are you ruining my LIFE??!! Arrrggglllluggllgg!! Noooooo! I hate you!!! preciousssssssssssssssss....*croak*"And then I have to endure the

What I did with the Bricks

2011-06-22T14:47:00.002-04:00

Those of you who follow me on Facebook may remember my post last weekend about getting a load of free brick? Well, here are some pics of what we did with them!They are really nice, old-fashioned, hand-made (I think) bricks. Truly lovely! They were once a section of College Park roadways and I like to think they are enjoying their Second Life in our yards!Now that the veggies are planted in those

It's official

2011-06-18T07:04:00.005-04:00

I know some of you have already heard about Jamie's adventurous last few days, but I thought I ought to document it here as well.Yesterday we got our a/c replaced with a more powerful and efficient model. This is only important because it sets the background. Since there were maintenance guys slambanging all around the garage, Jamie napped in the MBR, on the other side of the house. Napped in the

Book Review: Here, Home, Hope

2011-06-16T09:37:00.002-04:00

Every so often I sign up to do a book review for One2One Network. It's a great way to try out a new book-- maybe from a genre I don't usually read-- and it makes me feel important to review an actual book, by an actual author on my blog. I've found a few winners, too, which just makes my day.Unfortunately this one wasn't one of those winners. I really hate giving bad reviews. Matter of fact I'd

Third Child

2011-06-09T08:03:00.000-04:00

Remember this truck, Gramma Sandy?He has a lot to keep up with, I know, but still, he's only eight months old! Do moms get some kind of back-up for the ones that walk at nine months???

Not Sleepy.

2011-06-08T20:03:00.001-04:00

Jamie, Eight Months Old

2011-06-02T15:26:00.002-04:00

It's a little hard to get pictures of me these days...Now that I'm....CRAWLING!About the only time I'm ever even remotely still is when I'm half asleep.

Profound Thoughts

2011-05-29T23:05:00.006-04:00

"The key to being a good friend is to know when to Sympathize, when to Galvanize and when to simply keep your Mouth Shut."~~Me. May 29, 2011I thought that up in the shower tonight. I think up lots of profound thoughts in the shower. I also write a blog post every. single. night. In the shower. I do most of my best thinking and writing in the shower. Probably because it's the only time I'm ever

SICKSICKSICK

2011-05-16T21:24:00.005-04:00

I know I will be narrowly skirting all kinds of political turmoil in this post, which I don't like to do on this blog. BUT, when J shared this with me tonight, I couldn't help but post about it and release the rage valve a little. This is the Dark Side of Corporate Capitalism. Remember this lovely Dove ad? This one promoting a healthy self-image for young girls? This one decrying the promotion of

What would YOU do?

2011-05-15T21:24:00.002-04:00

Now that I've pretty much planned out the interior of the house, I've started to turn my creative energies to the exterior. Not that I've actually finished doing everything on the inside. I've just thought it all up. I need a new "planning in the evenings when I'm to tired to actually do anything" project. And this is it. The front entrance to the house. In particular, that pesky little brickway

For Papa Henry

2011-05-12T08:40:00.000-04:00

Jamie, rockin' the Cow Couture

Jamie: No longer Silent

2011-05-10T09:45:00.000-04:00

Jamie spent the first six and a half months of his life pretty much keeping his mouth shut and his head down. Judah is partially responsible for this. Perhaps entirely responsible. But lately, we've noticed, Jamie is starting to hold his own in the general chaos....

Things I Love 3

2011-05-09T17:00:00.001-04:00

If only there was some way to capture and post the SCENT!!

Things I Love 2

2011-05-09T09:53:00.001-04:00

Water Slide!!

The lines are fallen for me in pleasant places...

2011-05-08T18:00:00.001-04:00

I'm writing today from my pool deck.... I can smell the gardenias just outside the screen and hear the sound of the water splashing. The kids just ran inside to put on their suits for a morning swim. J and I might get in a little later, once it warms up, and sit on the spa bench and turn on the massage jets. I've got a cup of coffee, a book and a plate of grapes. I can hardly believe this is my

Things I love

2011-05-08T09:22:00.000-04:00

My kitchen window:My coffee nook-- come on over and I'll make a fresh pot!My flat-top stove:My dining table......and the view:disclaimer: the kitchen has not yet been painted, and there are some obvious repair needs, but you get the idea....

My Girl

2011-05-07T16:00:00.000-04:00

She asks, "Mama, can we watch The Amazing Race together tonight?"I don't think so, sweetie, I have enough dishes and clean-up to keep me busy till way past your bedtime tonight..."She sighs and humphs out to the living room to play Battle for Wesnoth with Daddy, instead.A few minute later she sidles back in and asks if she can clear the table for me, or rinse some dishes... Twenty minutes later

In which you have to just imagine my cheesy Chinese accent...

2011-05-07T09:45:00.000-04:00

Our server at the buffet the other night brought us our waters, pinched Jamie's cheeks, laughed at Judah and then exclaimed;"Two Boy, One Face!"What do you think? :)

I Been Playin' In Dah Watah, Grandad!

2011-05-06T09:36:00.000-04:00

Time goes by soooo quickly! Remember this white-headed boy???Just look at him now!

More of that amazing Florida RAIN

2011-05-05T14:00:00.000-04:00

I just still can't get over the way it rains here. It rains like Judah cries when he's mad; with a VENGEANCE, and then is over oh-so-quickly, leaving behind a slightly watery sunshine.

Photo Dump: Playdate with Miss Annie Moon

2011-05-05T09:45:00.000-04:00

Jamie, Seven Months Old: We're Moving and Mom Can't Find the Camera Batteries Edition

2011-05-04T09:00:00.000-04:00

Sofi's Room

2011-05-03T14:05:00.000-04:00

This bare wall is for her desk, which we haven't bought yet.

My new view

2011-05-03T14:02:00.001-04:00

In place of a real post...

2011-04-29T07:35:00.002-04:00

My laptop died last night in the middle of composing a post about my superbadnogood day. I'm sure there's a lesson in that somewhere, but I'm too tired to find it. So instead, today, to revive my nearly dead blog, I give you a link to a post about mothering, from a new favorite blogger, Calah.Enjoy!

Heartbreaking.

2011-04-13T21:07:00.002-04:00

From the friend of a friend of a bloggy friend.Would you go here, buy some coffee and help my friend bring home her boys and start putting their hearts back together again?

Jamie, Six Months Old (a little late)

2011-04-10T16:03:00.003-04:00

I'm six months old now, can you believe it?I have my mommy's eyelashes...And my daddy's eyebrows...I like to chew on my fingersAnd other stuff.Sometimes I just crack myself up! (can you see my teeth??)And sometimes, I need a nap.

... and the embarrasment just keeps on giving...

2011-04-09T12:36:00.003-04:00

Today at a friend's for breakfast, I decided to share our "funny" story (posted yesterday) with a mom-friend who was there. Due to the nature of the story, I took her aside and began to tell the story in a discreet monotone. As other people drifted into the room, I found myself inadvertently sharing with a larger and larger group of people. By the time I got to the punch line, I found myself

In Which J and I Wish the Floor Would Open Up and Swallow Us (or; "Why Did We Ever Teach Him to Talk??)

2011-04-07T22:41:00.007-04:00

Last week, in "school", Judah and I read a story about Prairie Dogs. He really latched on to the concept and was a Prairie Dog for days afterwards. He actually got so involved in it that he invented a new kind of Prairie Dog.A new kind with some unfortunate juxtapositions of vowels and consonants..."Mama, I'm a Cahnt Pairie Dog today! And Dadah, you're a Cahnt Pairie Dog, and Sofi's a Cahnt

Finally. (eta floorplan)

2011-04-01T09:39:00.003-04:00

The Lord has answered our prayer for a home! Yesterday I took our final month's rent to the management, along with our thirty-day's notice. On April 8th we will close on Our House and begin moving! Hurray!If you click on the link above, you'll notice that this is NOT the house we made an offer on back in October (which, unless you are a FB friend of mine, you won't know anything about...) That

My little man wears his heart on his sleeve

2011-03-25T09:59:00.005-04:00

Since I'm FB free for Lent, would y'all click on over and comment here, instead of leaving your comments on the auto-post on Facebook? Pretty please"Dear God, Sank you for my big sister, I love her so much. Sank you for my Mommy, I love her so much. Sank you for my Daddy, too, I love him so much. Sank you for Jamie.... Amen."*hugs and kisses for Mommy and Sofi*"Wait, Mommy, I need to pray for

Mommy's Secret Weapon

2011-03-24T17:00:00.002-04:00

Since I'm FB free for Lent, would y'all click on over and comment here, instead of leaving your comments on the auto-post on Facebook? Pretty pleaseI am not a yell-er. I have many other faults as a mother and a human being, but I don't yell at my kids. Or, I should say, I don't raise the decibel level of my voice when I'm upset with them. I actually tend to get quieter and more deliberate the

For Gordon and Sarah

2011-03-24T12:24:00.003-04:00

Since I'm FB free for Lent, would y'all click on over and comment here, instead of leaving your comments on the auto-post on Facebook? Pretty please?Judah talks about conkers-- information he learned at the feet paws of Kipper the Dog.

Perfect.

2011-03-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

More on Babywise.

2011-03-20T16:33:00.007-04:00

Since I'm FB free for Lent, would y'all click on over and comment here, instead of leaving your comments on the auto-post on Facebook? Pretty please?I want to start off by thanking all of you for commenting on my last post about Babywise. It did my heart good to see a bunch of women, who may or may not all have the same opinion of this highly controversial book, all voicing those opinions with

Things I love today

2011-03-15T12:58:00.002-04:00

The lingering presence of my husband in a faint smell of tobacco, a pipe, and ash on the porch table beside a green glass whiskey tumbler and a worn copy of the Life and Work of Dante Alighieri.A week off for Spring Break.Kids, shivering in the pool, determined that "It's not cold, M-m-m-mom-mm-mmy!"Eighty-degree days in MarchAnswered prayers, and the Lord's provisionsAzalea blossomsFriends who

On Reading Babywise

2011-03-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

All right. I finally did it. I read Babywise. So many of y'all recommended it this week as I was struggling with Jamie's sleepless night, that I decided to give it another shot. I'd read bits and pieces of it over the years, larger chunks and maybe even most of the book when Sofi was a baby. I never really liked it much and it didn't seem to fit for us.As I re-visited it this time around, my view

Meals Under A Dollar

2011-03-13T21:24:00.003-04:00

Our M.U.D. for this week is on the menu for Monday night:Red Beans: (<$2.50, we won't eat the whole thing, it should cover lunch the next day, too, call it $1.75)2 cans Red Beans (2X $0.50)2 fresh tomatoes ($0.75)1/2 lb Sausage ($1.25)1/2 Onion ($0.25, it was bogo for onions last week at Albertson's)Rice: ($0.50, my best guess, since a one-lb bag is about $1)Fried Cabbage: ($1.00)1 head Green

Red Beans, Fried Cabbage

2011-03-13T20:00:00.000-04:00

Here's the basic recipe I started with for my Red Beans and Rice. I stick fairly closely with it, but we don't eat celery, so I'm not going to buy a whole bunch just to chop one stalk for one recipe, so, nix the celery. Kielbasa was on sale this week, so we subbed that in for the smoked turkey sausage. I'll probably skip the green pepper, unless I just happen to have some leftover-- the kids pick

Jamie, Five Months Old (a little late because my new laptop is busted)

2011-03-12T22:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to Eversave Orlando...

2011-03-12T13:30:00.002-05:00

A 16X20" print-on-canvas version of this is now hanging on my wall:

Screwtape letters again.

2011-03-11T23:48:00.003-05:00

So this week we were discussing Love and Marriage (strains of Frank Sinatra....). Lewis takes on the whole modern idea of Being In Love in a way that I find gratifying and highly satisfactory. For someone who has such a Hollywood-esque love story myself, I'm quite pragmatic about the whole concept of Falling and/or Being In Love (which reminds me that I never did finish the story of Us).I won't

Laying it out a little

2011-03-10T20:04:00.004-05:00

I've given up Facebook for Lent. Mostly because I've found that, since we moved here, FB has taken a greater and greater chunk out of my daily "free time". That is, time when kids aren't immediately in need of me. And I've become far too dependent on it as a crutch to get me through a rough day, when what I should be doing on those days is 1) a better job of loving my (albeit, cranky) kids, and 2