A Lenten Resolve

I've used these words in my Ash Wednesday post before, but I love them and so I repeat myself.

A Lenten Resolve

Fast from criticism, and feast on praise.
Fast from self-pity, and feast on joy.
Fast from ill temper, and feast on peace.
Fast from resentment, and feast on contentment.
Fast from jealousy, and feast on love.
Fast from pride, and feast on humility.
Fast from selfishness, and feast on service.
Fast from fear, and feast on faith.

As I have prayed over what my Lenten discipline should be this year, these words are never far from my mind.  While I will ultimately decide to "give-up" something, I will also try to take on something, but mainly I want to remember the words from this Lenten Resolve and try to live them not just during this season of lent but throughout the year.

So what have you been up to?

We've spent some time in Mobile celebrating Mardi Gras among other things.  I really have no pictures to speak of.  It is hard to get pictures when you are juggling four children and their bags while trying to protect them from flying objects.

from the archives of my computer

And then there was the stomach bug...  In Stephen's words it was the saddest Mardi Gras ever and Sarah probably agrees.  We arrived in Mobile on Friday evening in time to catch the parade.  Once we claimed a spot on the barricade, Stephen promptly threw up.  At least, he felt it coming and had the courteous to remove himself from the crowd.  I took him, and we watched from the sidelines.  As the parade was concluding, and firetrucks were approaching, Walker decided it was his turn to get sick - all over himself, Uncle Bill, and Sarah.  All I could do was laugh...   

Now back to the lack of pictures ~ The pictures that I did take are stuck on my camera in Mobile or on my phone.  Yes, in our haste to get out the door yesterday, I left my camera on my mother's dining room table.  You might be thinking that I have a new phone ~ surely it takes pictures.  It does but apparently, my new phone is not so "smart" - it won't send my e-mails.  Well, really it is just me who is not so smart.  I am not technologically savvy enough to figure out why my phone won't send e-mail.

Just to give you a taste of what we were doing, I'll post pictures from the weekend before:

Correct, we were there two weekends in a row.  The first weekend we actually traveled south to celebrate my grandmother's 90th birthday.  What a blessing it is that both of my grandmother's are still living and my children get to experience that heritage!

It was so fun to see my cousins and let our children play.

That's all for now... I'm going to go make lunch for my one child who gets to go to school today!

I Might Change My Tune

I used to say that the worst thing about the stomach bug was the laundry.  I think that is because inevitably my children are struck by the bug in their beds.  At least bedding can be washed!

I've heard others say they dread who is going to be struck next.  Hopefully, most of my children are old enough to communicate that something feels funny, and we can get where we need to be.

Last night, I changed my tune and felt that the worst thing about the stomach bug is that your child's lovey is inevitably tainted and must be washed.  {Truth be told ~ It needed washing anyway!}

After her third bath and third set of pajamas for the evening, while headed to her third bed, she sure was happy to see her Lovely.  She even let out a little giggle as I pulled it out of the washer.  No it didn't even get to the dryer.  She didn't care!

A Sign of the Times

Sometimes as I drive around town I find myself smiling yet shaking my head as if to say "You've got to be kidding."  Today was one of those days...

After school, as my children ate their popcorn for snack, they were coloring.  They were being really sweet and talkative.  I was in and out of the kitchen.  I would spend a few minutes talking to them and then take care of a chore that needed attending to.

Suddenly, through listening to their conversation and observing their artwork, it became apparent what they were so attentively coloring.

the "all boys" collection

the "all girls" collection

In case you are still trying to guess ~ they are cell phone cases!

Really, they are 7 and 5.

As we drove to choir practice this afternoon, Mary Frances made phone calls the entire time.  Stephen packed his art supplies so he could finish his case while Mary Frances was singing.  So much for Curious George or homework.  Instead I closed my eyes for a few minutes and boy did it feel good!

I have recently gotten a new phone and I think they are more into my phone than I am.

As I just tucked them into bed, they asked how old they would be when they got their first phone.  Goodness that is not a question I am prepared to answer. 

This is what I get for bringing home these really cool name tags from Frank's office party a couple of weekends ago.

Oh well, at least they are getting along and being creative!  Yes, they are made from magnetic name tags.

As for when they are getting a cell phone ~ not for a very long time.  Like I said you are only 7 and younger!

Little Bits of Love

Here we are on the first day of February.  February is the month where love is in the air and hearts are everywhere.  I made these chocolate crackers for Frank's office party last Friday.  As I was putting them on the cooling racks, they reminded me of the song, Little Bits of Love, that we used to sing in chapel.  

I can't find the words anywhere, but I would love to share them with my children.  As for the crackers, I liked them and thought it was a great Valentine's gift idea for all - young/old, girl/boy, simple/extravagant.  My children didn't necessarily agree, but I still think I will add some cheese and use them to create a Valentine's happy for their teachers.

I'm not a big Valentine's person, but I saw this idea and thought I might emulate it.  I'm not great at celebrating my children for their individual strengths and accomplishments.  They need to know that I think they are great, and that I love them for who they are.  I want them to know that I see them trying to do the right things and to be the type of people we are called to be. 

I thought this was an easy idea to help accomplish that goal.  Instead of their bedroom door, I am going to place the hearts on their locker doors.  I'm more likely to complete this task if it is downstairs and I don't risk waking them up to add the hearts to their ribbons.  I am going to use min-clothespins to attach the hearts to the ribbon.

Over the last couple of years, we have been crafty and made our own Valentine's.  I'm thinking Mary Frances and I could have fun doing this.  I have an abundance of embroidery floss just waiting to be used and we have talked about learning how to make friendship bracelets.  The car trips to and from Mobile will be perfect to complete the task.