Snow Blower Brigade

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank those men on our street who are kind enough to help out their neighbors when it snows like it did yesterday. Three of them were up early, before 6am, snow blowing the bottoms of our driveways and the sidewalks clean. Our next door neighbor was even kind enough to do most of our driveway! What wonderful neighbors!

Dump Day

My brain started out working fine this morning. But, round about 9:30am it gave up and left for a quieter corner of the world. As I sat, trying to coax it back, my three younger children - Little Dude, Mini-Me, and Surprise! - were playing happily. I finally decided dragged my brainless body out of the chair to fold the laundry that was dry, and wandered into...


...The Dump Zone.


Every now and then, a secret message will be sent to my children, from parties unknown. Sometimes this message comes three days in a row, sometimes there are weeks between them. What are these messages? I'm not sure exactly what they say. I think they basically say, "It's Dump Day, you know what to do."

Dump Day starts out innocently enough, a few toys here, some over there. It quickly escalates into full dump mode. Bins, boxes, shelves, and often the Tupperware cupboards, are dumped. It's easy to do, take a bin full of toys, turn upside down, and you've just started Dump Day. (or, If you're Surprise! and you aren't capable enough to dump all at once, stand there, grab a toy, and chuck as hard as you can. Don't forget to giggle.) The toys can be dumped right next to the place they are kept, in a pile in the middle of the room and covered with a blanket ("We're making a robot, Mommy."), or for more fun, scattered through out the house in a blanket of toys.

So, keep a close eye on your children today. The message has gone out. You've now entered, The Dump Zone.

Do you ever feel weighed down by sin? For some, sin only weighs you down spiritually. No one can see the sin you carry. For others, though, the sin they carry spiritually is also carried physically. In Start Somewhere: Losing What's Weighing You Down from the Inside Out, Calvin Nowell documents his journey of loosing 215lbs, both physically and spiritually.

While Calvin's book is mainly for those who want to loose physical weight, with the strong spiritual aspects of this book anyone who wants to loose any type of spiritual weight can find help inside.

Calvin takes you through eight steps for spiritual weight loss - "Own your own weight, see God as your friend, take up a new perspective, get someone to hold you accountable, start somewhere, eliminate the excuses, accept the need for training wheels, and persevere to the end."

I enjoyed following Calvin as he realized his slavery to food, watching as he struggled with allowing God to remove his bonds, to finally realizing the victory of being released from slavery. He does caution that it is very easy to slip back into old patterns, patterns that are built over a life time. Calvin encourages you to daily lay the weight of your slavery at God's feet and let Him carry it.

"No matter what our weight is, no matter how heavy it is, no matter how hopeless it seems or how long we've been carrying it, God is big enough to handle the job...You can have a life free from slavery to behaviors you can't stop, thoughts you can't silence, and appetites you can't satisfy. Starting somewhere means being willing to let go of your weight in sin and start the journey."


(Copy of Start Somewhere: Losing What's Weighing You Down from the Inside Out provided by Tyndale Publishing.)

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.


I did not punch a friend in the stomach, thinking he was tormenting me since he knew I couldn't eat what he was offering, when he kindly offered me a cinnamon bun with raisins, homemade no less!

I did not give my one year old a piece of Dove chocolate just so she would sit quietly in her highchair while I finished reviewing a book for the newsletter.

I did not procrastinate and miss January's newsletter, then promise myself to do February's on time, and then just finish a Winter Edition yesterday.

I did not ignore the smell emanating from one year old's diaper and try to drop her off in nursery hoping they would change it, and then get caught trying to do it.

I did not yell out at the Valentines Day Banquet at Church "Because she's limited herself to just one man!" in response to the question "Why is a bride unlucky on her wedding day?" (Correct answer was b/c she doesn't get to marry the best man.)

What did you not do this week?

The Bad Apple

Since Mini-Me has been home from the hospital she has wanted to watch "Larry Boy and the Bad Apple" at least twice a day (she gets to watch a little something every time she has to be nebulized, it's the only way I've been able to find to keep her still for 15 minutes!), sometimes more. Thankfully we're down to nebulizing only twice a day now.

Everyone, but Mini-Me, is frustrated by this. It's getting monotonous! (Although, she has started getting away from watching it as much recently.)

Having to listen to the program in total, at least once a day, I've found myself singing the songs and repeating phrases (which I've tried, unsuccessfully to drive out of my mind!). This had lead to dwelling on the theme of the movie - temptation.

Today I got it. Mini-Me wasn't watching this for herself, but for me. That one stung. We're all tempted each day. Some days we successfully avoid the temptation, others not so successfully. If we give in to a temptation even once, with its accompanying rationalizations, it becomes easier to give in the next time. We even have better rationalizations. My biggest temptation recently has been food (any food, it doesn't really matter what it is, I'll eat it and eat a lot of it!). I really even haven't tried to avoid temptation or stop myself.

It's been costing me, not just spiritually, but monetarily. I want to be at a healthy weight. I feel better, have more energy, and can do more things with the kids. Right now I'm aiming for the top of my weight range, and then I'll work on getting down to where I want to be. I need someone to be accountable to. Tried my husband, he's mean when it comes to keeping me accountable, so I don't use him for anything anymore. Tried my sister-in-law, whom I see often. She's so nice, too nice and understanding when it comes to slipping up on eating healthy. So, I joined Weight Watchers. This way I have to be weighed, every week, in front of someone. And, I have to pay. Not too expensive, but something we're just barely squeezing into our budget right now (that's a blog for another day).

I have been within 5lbs of my goal weight, at Thanksgiving. Since then, I've fluctuated about 3lbs up and down, never going bellow that 5lbs mark. I had many excuses, it was the holidays, a birthday party, church dinner, coffee house, out with the girls, need to try out these cookies before I send them over to someone, I've had a stressful day, I did great on working out this week and I need a reward, etc., etc. I'm growing quite good at these excuses. (Give me a buzz and I can share a few tailored to your needs.)

I know I need to reach my goal weight. If I do that, and stay there for 6 weeks, Weight Watchers will be free for life (as long as I don't go over my goal weight that is). Money wise, I need to reach that goal. Unfortunately, that is not a really strong push to get me over that 5lbs hump. Since I've gone back to work a few days a month, I've rationalized that I can just work more to pay for Weight Watchers.

This morning God woke me early. Ok, Ok, my alarm went off at 6am so I could potentially get up to spend some time with Him, but I wanted to sleep a little more this am. As I pushed the snooze button for the second time a word screamed through my mind "GLUTTON!". My eyes flew open and I jetted out of bed. I spent some time reading and praying. What did I learn? I'm a glutton.

My sister and I have often joked about being gluttons. We love to eat. Neither of us is obese, just a few pounds overweight, so it's not so obvious to other people. This morning, I wasn't laughing.

A very serious God sat me down and told me that sin wasn't a laughing matter, not even gluttony. I felt about as big as an ant, but wonderfully loved. He cared enough to give me a wake up call about this temptation and sin in my life. He told me in no uncertain terms was I to continue in this matter. What could I say to Him, but "Ok, but how?"

You see, it's not that I eat bad foods all the time, it's just that when I do eat, I like to eat and eat and eat and eat, even if I'm full. I can't just take one bite or a little of something and be happy about it. I want more, I feel I need it and deserve it. I'm a mom, I work hard. What am I going to do?

Fasting is going to be a new word in my vocabulary. I've found that after I've slipped up with my eating, I tend to just discard portion control out the window. The best thing to do, reset myself by fasting and denying.

There will also be lots of dialogue b/t God and I when I eat. I know that there are things coming up where there will be lots of good food, isn't there always! I can't just go in with a plan, because I'm good at throwing those out as well. If I keep talking with Him, maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to get these urges under control. It may be that I'll have to say no to a lot of things until I learn to get myself under control, hopefully soon. If not, I just pray I can give up certain foods for this present life.

Today has been a good day for me. I've eaten healthy food and clenched my teeth not to over do it. Now I just need to see if I can continue in this manor. I know I can't do it alone. And, I know I will fail at times. That path way to temptation is well worn and so easy to slip back into. I'm going to look at it like riding a bike. Some tumbles, false starts, and then I'll be off pedaling furiously. But, always with my Dad watching and waiting to see if I need any help, hopefully not by yelling "GLUTTON!" at me again.

(ps - Mini-Me is still asking to watch "Larry Boy and the Bad Apple")

Tranquil Tuesday

Today I resolve to have at least 5 minutes of tranquility. A difficult feat with four kids, as some of you know. Sometimes it's even difficult if you don't have any kids. I have found that, if I take even 5 minutes out of my day to do something for me, I can pass that tranquility on to my children and create a calmer day for everyone. From just locking the bathroom door while I'm in there to heading out with a friend, 5 minutes or 5 hours, I need some tranquility in my life. [This 5 minutes does not include the time I spend praying or reading the Bible, which also leads to a more tranquil day.]

This Tuesday, I resolve to drink 1 cup of hot tea. Not warm or rewarmed, but hot and fresh out of the pot.

What are doing to make your Tuesday more tranquil?

"Mommy, I want to sit on your lap!"

I really do not like to hear those words, sometimes. Other times, those words are wonderful. Most of my children are still young enough to sit comfortably on my lap. Lately, though, it has only been said when I least want them to sit in my lap. It goes hand in hand with the "Mommy, I'm bored." phrase I've also been hearing.

For example: I needed to take the Little dude to preschool this morning. Mini-me was in top form, fighting me every step of the way. Yelling that she didn't "want to!" and "I want to stay here and play!" and "I don't love you any more, Mommy!" I dragged her out the door. She did not want to get out of the car once we were there, nor did she want to go into the building, down the stairs, and down the hallway. She fought me until I was ready to walk back out the door. Then, she found some fun things to do and did not want to leave. Leaving preschool was just another repeat of getting there.

Once home she didn't want to get out of the car, walk down the driveway, go up the steps, go in the door, etc., etc. I finally managed to get her in the house and close the door.

She proceeded to play happily on her own while I folded laundry, until I decided to do a short 15 minute workout. Then she was all over me, spreading videos over the floor, spinning around me, and being a nuisance. When I was done, and asked to do something with her, she didn't want anything to do with me. "Go away, Mommy. I'm playing."

Thus the day has gone, as have the past too many days to count. Very frustrating. I can play computer games all day long, and never be bothered. Actually sit down to write or blog, and Mommy becomes the new monkey bars.

My older two children sometimes do this, but we've seem to have worked out a compromise between Mommy doing things with them and on her own. Mini-me, doesn't want to work out a compromise. It's her way, or the highway.




Help! They're back...

Where have I been

My resolution to post every day, or almost every day, has fallen by the wayside. Not by my own desire, or lack of ideas (I do have 4 kids!), but because those little 4 kids have been sick, for about a month and a half! It's not been fun. At one point in time they were all sick at the same time. You may think, 'Great! Get it over with all at once!' Not so fast. It's hard to keep track of all 4 kids with their medications, nebulizing, sleeping, potty, coughs, etc., etc. when their sick. I ended up charting on my own kids. (I am a nurse.)

What really threw me over the edge was Mini-Me. She has always had difficulty when she catches a cold. She wheezes, coughs, and gurgles the whole time. Every time she has a cold I need (or should) nebulize her. She's been this way from cold number one, at 1 month old. (Got to love older sibs bringing home nasty bugs)

All four of the kids caught the strange coughing virus that was spreading. Inconsistent fevers (up and down all day, even without medication), wheezing periodically, laying around occasionally then jumping up and running around like nothings wrong, horrible coughs every few hours or so.

After about a week everyone was starting to come around. Fevers going away, coughs becoming fewer, energy back in full force. I breathed a sigh of relief and headed off to work. I slept most of Saturday. When I got up, Hope was acting strange. She still had the cough and wheezing. They were worse than when I had left for work the night before. Her fever was up to 104. Contacted the pediatrician on call and then headed over to the ER.

There she was tested for RSV and H1N1 and had a chest x-ray. RSV and H1N1 test were negative! Yeah! But, chest x-ray came back with lots of gunk in one of her lungs - pneumonia. We spent the next day and a half in the hospital, on the floor I work on, while they pumped her full of antibiotics and she breathed pure oxygen.

Mini-Me grumped the whole time. She can be very miserable when she wants to be. Finally they said we could go home. She responded to the antibiotics and oxygen therapy well.

Despite being a nurse, it is very stressful for me to have my children in the hospital, even for minor things. Guess I have an over active imagination and know too many things that can go wrong.

Finally, finally things are back to normal, which for us means illness free. Maybe now I can get back to all of the other things I should be getting done.