"Just Stand Up!"

 

When I was in high school, our graduating class took a trip to Somerset, Wisconsin, to go tubing down the Apple River.

 

 I was very painfully shy and a total dork in high school. Ok, yes also in every preceding grade. I think I was semi cool in college, though. Not totally sure, but pretty sure. Anyway, I dreaded this trip but for some reason I also really wanted to go. Maybe, I thought, for the day I would magically be less shy and less dorky? Maybe the murky waters of the Apple River would transform me into someone awesome just for a little while? I did think that. Luckily, there were a few girls I was friends with since 7th grade who let me tie my tube to theirs' and float along with them. It was a fun time. There was no dorky girl/cool girl transformation but it was a fun time.

 

At the end of the ride, there is the choice to get out of the river or go down the rapids. For some CRAZY, INSANE reason I thought I would untie my inner tube and continue down the rapids even though my friends chose to get out before the rapids. The next thing I remember was my tube flipping over and I thought I was drowning. I then remember being grabbed by my neck and someone shouting something like, "just stand up!" I did and noticed the person who saved me was still in his tube and grabbed me as he happened to be floated by. I realized I was only in water not even passed my knees. I am pretty sure I was not drowning or even in any real danger at all. I got out of the river and life went on. Nobody said a word to me. I am not sure anyone really noticed. I think that gave me some comfort but also made me sort of sad. I held my own private Queen of Dorkville coronation. I reigned as Queen for a while.

I thought of my tubing story yesterday as I was running through this past week's difficulties over and over in my mind. The issues that I was faced with while Jeff was gone were real. Just like those rapids were real. I thought back and there were two ways I could have handled the issues, pretend not to see them or stand face to face with them. Just like the rapids, get out before, or continue on. Ignoring the issues really would have been easier and kept peace around here. But for some CRAZY, INSANE reason I started down those rapids! I thought that overlooking the issues would have been the better choice because things did get pretty messy. But I down deep really did not think that. My mom love would jump off a cliff for these Frye kids, run into a burning building, and even go down those rapids.  Wouldn't we all do that for our children?

I was counseled by a friend when we had to make another hard parenting decision a few years ago with another child. That decision was a zillion mountains higher and way harder than what I faced this week, just to put things in perspective. This past week's issues were major but still minor in comparison. Anyway, he said that that one decision we made probably would not change that child's heart. He said God could do a miracle but most likely that one decision would not do it. I am not sure if he was suggesting we should overlook and love or just cautioning us to not get our hopes up if we hold the line we had already drawn. We stayed the course with our decision, anyway. He was right as far as I can tell. We drew a line and it did not change the child's heart. There was not a melted heart of repentance nor the desire to reconnect. It only seemed to feed the bitter seed that had already taken root in the child's heart. I still stand by the choice we made despite the outcome so far. It just broke a part of my heart clean off.

Ever since then, I have been inwardly very afraid to go down the rapids (the parent kind). I have done it since but, there is always a huge fear. There I was this past week, with my inner tube untied needing to make a fast parenting call. I chose to go down those rapids and I thought that once again I was drowning. It was messy. I was very worried. How I love this child. I am SO, SO thankful for this child's heart. True repentance was shown, forgiveness given, consequences accepted. Things are dealt with now and life has moved on. Jeff was filled in on the drama and maybe secretly glad that it was on my watch and not his.  

 So here I am today. Reflecting. Breathing. It took until today for me to hear that shout, "Just stand up!". I am pretty sure God had been shouting it for a few days now. I was just afraid to get up. Ha ha. I did finally stand up and the water is only about knee deep. I think I really was drowning this time but God was very gracious to me.

 

He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters.

~Psalm 18:16    

                                                                       Warmly, Me

A Little Bit Tuckered

I like this picture of Mrs. Tittlemouse

I am just tuckered out with things.

I wish...

I suppose wishing isn't of much use, now is it?

I have been having a very hard last few months.

Actually, it has been much longer.

I sometimes feel pretty alone in my struggles.

I know I am not the first nor will I be the last who will walk down this road.

It just feels like it.

Watching a child make poor decisions is heartbreaking.

Making the hard choices in response, as a parent...so very hard.

Knowing others do not understand.

Feeling the judgment.

Hearing the whispers, the questioning of our love and devotion to the child walking a road of self made consequences.

Others thinking they would do it different or better...

People who are supposed to be our friends, our leaders, our support system.

Well, it had been very hard.

My heart is broken.

It breaks for my child.

It breaks for the dreams and hopes of a heart once open to God's voice.

It breaks for those who sit in their seat of knowledge of unknowing that they mistake as knowledge and wisdom.

My heart breaks for me.

It breaks for the rest of our family.

It has been a sad time around our house lately.

A thought for you who do not understand why we did what we did:

I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.

~ Ezekiel 22: 30

Well, we are standing in the gap for our child. On the child's behalf until the day the child is able to stand once again with us. We will make the decisions that are hard and unpopular. We will face the judgment and the lack of understanding full on. I will cry, because I am not brave but I am determined. We are committed. Our child is deeply, deeply loved by us.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

~~SIGH~~

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. He and all his men went to Baalah in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name, the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart with the ark of God on it, and Ahio was walking in front of it. David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

2 Samuel 6: 1-7

Have you ever wondered why God struck Uzzah dead. Uzzah was only helping God out by trying to steady the ark of God so it would not fall to the ground. Seems like a helpful thing to me. Besides it is the ark of God, you know. It is not just some ordinary box caring random things.

I know God gave these very specific instructions to Moses and Arron about how to move the ark and who was to carry it. But still...wasn't Uzzah just protecting what was God's?

After Aaron and his sons have finished covering the holy furnishings and all the holy articles, and when the camp is ready to move, only then are the Kohathites to come and do the carrying. But they must not touch the holy things or they will die. The Kohathites are to carry those things that are in the tent of meeting.

Numbers 4:15

Have you ever wondered about that?

Surly, God was just over reacting a wee bit.

Well,I do not know all of what God was thinking but He was very specific in His command and no matter how good intentioned Uzzah was in feeling he needed to help God out, well he didn't need to. God ,who created the universe and everything in it or parted the Red Sea just by his word, could he not have also been able to keep the ark from falling all by himself? Besides wasn't it King David who put Uzzah in the position he was in because David put his own excitement ahead of revering God's Holiness and following God's specific instructions about the Ark?

Ok, what does that ever have to do with me anyway?!!

Jump way ahead to today.

I was needing to walk to the post office. I took two of the more problematic children with me. Before I left I gave specific instructions to the children staying at home as to what to do and even wrote everything down on paper. I put the oldest 12 year old in charge of four of her siblings. The bigger kids were doing various things like school, delivering their Waseca Shoppers, ect...so they were around just not directly in-charge. No problem, hu?

I get home and heard that a fight had occurred? How could that be, I wonder? My instructions were written with potential mind-fields in mind. My instructions were specific and when followed, there should not have been any fighting.

Well, one girl decided to deviate outside the boundaries of my instructions in the name of "helpfulness". instead of doing the task assigned for her and then going outside to play like I instructed, she thought she would clean up a room. Seems nice and kind ,doesn't it? It does until you look closer. She decided to clean a room where other people were doing tasks I had assigned to them. They needed to mess the room up to accomplish what they needed to finish, which was preparing the Waseca Shoppers for delivery. This "helpful" young lady was being bossy because another child was making a mess where she was trying to clean. A mess I approved of before hand. A mess she was not asked to clean up. A fight with some hitting and slapping followed. Now the sad thing was the other girls sided with the "helpful" girl because she was being "helpful" and they started bulling the girl making the mess.

Now the bullied girl was the one who started the slapping (after she was being bullied) so it would once again seem like a fair call that she would be in bed while the "helpful" girl was patted on the back for enduring such meanness.

In the end, my eldest Elena had to step in and sent the bullied girl into her room just because it would make peace and the "helpful" girl was crying the 'victim song' to Elena because she being hit. Elena did well. It was not her job to figure things out justto separate them until I got home.

All I can say is...

UGH!!!!

See how much this matched the story of Uzzah?

The "helpful" girl was like Uzzah thinking that my instructions did not need to be followed specifically. She did not respect my authority. She though my instructions needed tweaking. She thought (unconsciously) that she was wiser than I was. Umm...you are eight...I am 45....don't see the comparison.

The 12 year old girl (maybe King David in the story?) I put in charge,sadly, did not stick to my instructions and also bullied the other girl. I thought she would handle her position of power a lot better than she did. I thought she would have respected my instructions. I know it is hard with siblings and they are just kids but still...

Sometimes, I am positive I am raising a pack of wolves and not children...

~SIGH~

What did I do?

For effect, I had them take turns carrying the Ark of God (an ironing board with three bins on it) around the yard without touching the bins even if they felt like they was going to tip. I read them this very Bible story and also told them how the story related to the situation that happened while I was gone.

I then sent the "helpful" girl to bed for the night and let the bullied girl play,sentence served. I know she was the one who started hitting first and she could have chosen another way to deal with little miss "helpful" but I needed the girls to know how very important it is to follow my instructions not just when I am around to watch them but when I am not. There will be times for them to make judgement calls but how can they learn that if they lack the understanding of the importance of rules and instructions?

A BIG

~SIGH~

You know the frustrating thing? A few of the girls STILL think I was unfair to the "helpful" girl because she was the "helpful" one and the other girl was the one who was hitting.

~SIGH~

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Doesn't Every Mom...

feed their children warmed berry pie filling and toast for breakfast?



Here is something I have been thinking about the last few days...

Life can get very intense here.

You figure there are 17 of us interacting with each other every day and that makes for a lot of relationship combinations going on. If I was better at math I could figure it out but I would say hundreds and hundreds of combos. Maybe even thousands?

There is not a day that goes by that there is not at least one major conflict. Honestly, there is usually more than just one or two at one time. The conflict participants and situations vary but the conflict is just as unsettling.

When I feel things heating up between sibling I start to feel real queasy. Sometimes the conflicts work themselves out but a lot of the time I need to step in at one point or another. My fight or flight reaction sets in. My insides feel like running away but I tend instead to charge forward while blowing my battle horn.

Most of the time I need to make fast spot calls based on what info I can quickly glean from the he said/she said talk. In a large family like ours, I do not usually have the luxury of patiently listening to the two sides and going off to pray asking God privately for wisdom then going back to said children with my official well informed mom judgement. I wish I did but life here moves at record speed. There are days that half or more of the kids are set to their beds for one thing or another.

And even worse than the conflict is the after math of me being on one or numerous children's 'hate lists' for the day. The kids might not know, but my knees buckle very fast it is only the Lord and my stubbornness that hold me up in conflict.

Blah. I feel like I miss the mark most of the time. Have you ever sat down and thought of the craziness that God calls us parents to parent and teach and make judgment calls while here we are with our own set of sins that so easily trip us up. I think it is pretty crazy,anyway. If my kids grow up to be the way I hope, it will be despite me not because of my great parenting skills. I am SO glad God is faithful.

Anyway, I read this set of verses the other day and it gave me some focus.


...the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul...Then Jonathan made a covenant with David, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was on him and gave it to David, and his armor, and even his sword and his bow and his belt.

1 Samuel 18: 1,3-4

Isn't it good?

How it ties in to my conflict ramble is that this is a desperate cry from deep in my heart. I want God to develop in me such a deep soul binding love for my family that I will do whatever God needs me to do so God can fulfill his purpose in my family's lives. Just like Johnathan did for David in stepping aside so God can fulfill His plan for David, I want God to strip me of all that is not Christ like for the sake of my family. Of course, that is a lifetime process but God can teach me how to deal better in conflict, how to parent wisely despite my emotional flesh. He can give me courage to face the numerous 'hate lists' my name reaches #1 on. God can give me joy and peace when life here gets crazy (in a not so good crazy way).

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,”so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

Heb 12:12-13


So there is what has been on my mind these last few days.


Now back to the fluff of my blog post...

My newest project.

I just have to put an outside border on.



I am thinking of using this pink polka-dot fabric for the border.



Here is a stuffed doll to match. Well, I still have to actually stuff it.



Just in case you are curious, here is the book...



that I used for the doll pattern and that inspired the quilt.





Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Pretty Cool

Thanks to my friend at Living By Faith

for posting about the Child Training Bible!

I am not one to jump out and get every new thing that comes out on the market about parenting

but This I love!!

How clever were the Dunns to think of organizing the Bible this way.

I actually bought The Child Training Bible cards for myself.

I am sure I will use this as a parenting tool

but

there have been a few character issues of my own that have been less than desirable so I am going to focus on using this training tool on myself.

What I love the best is that this training tool uses the actual Bible!

Not someone elses 'how to' parenting thoughts and then a little Bible sprinkled in.

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mommy

Showers of Kindness

So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.

Ephesians 1: 6-8



Jeff does the putting the kids to bed thing most every night.

He enjoys it and is very good at it!

He is much more patient with the water/bathroom requests, squabbling, and random chit chat that goes on (and sometimes on and on and on...).

I am more like "you have two minutes to get in bed. Quick go up to bed, turn off your lights. If you stay in your beds monsters will not bother you. They only bother kids whose feet touch the floor. Love you. Good night. No water. You will not thirst to death before tomorrow...but if you do I promise the funeral will be nice...Just GO TO BED NOW PLEASE."

Umm...yes I do say the monster part...umm...and the funeral part...

I am not running for mother of the year or anything as you can tell.

So you see I am not the 'put the kids to bed' parent in this house.

But there are a few times here and there that Jeff is gone or busy that I do put the kids to bed.

For years I used to think I had to mimic Jeff's bedtime ways.

That would get me so stressed and frustrated and feeling like a loser for hating it.

Then I decided it is ok not to be like Jeff.

Jeff is beloved and special and fun but Jeff is Jeff and I am me.

So

I decided to figure out my own little routine.

It had to be something I felt in control of not controlled by the kids.

It had to be orderly.

I also could not do it with the 7 younger kids all huddling around me.

Stress.

I decided to split the group in half and do two shifts which lowers the stress greatly and actually takes less time than doing the whole group together.

I have been reading through a short book called Right Choices: Helping Kid's Live Gods Way, then doing a popcorn type prayer thing. I have recently decided to break down the book of Ephesians and read a part of a chapter each time I do bed time duty.

And I do a last chance call for bathroom use and water drinks to ward off any tears ten minutes after lights go out.

Ha and I will get up and leave the room and turn out the light quicker than a lightning strike if there is even the slightest bickering or fussing going on.

They do miss Jeff and his patient gentle ways at bedtime but I am glad they are not protesting my ways when Jeff is unavailable.

It works.

Which is my long winded explanation to the verse above!

Of course,I needed the perfect picture to demonstrate how God showered his kindness on us.

Lily fit the bill!

Warmly, A Dragonfrye Mom

What About This...

I was not sure what to think about this...

At the beginning of the week two of my boys went to our local Walmart here in Waseca to buy an energy bar before they headed to the weight room at the school. One of my boys had his backpack on his back that carried his basketball, his wallet and a few random things.

After the boys chose the energy bars they wanted to buy, my son took off his backpack (while he was still in the energy bar isle) to get his wallet. My other son reached down and took off his shoe to get his money. He hid his money in the bottom of his shoe 'cause his shorts did not have pockets. They proceeded to the checkout and payed for their things.

They then stopped in the entryway of Walmart to look at the gumballs in the gumball machines. There a man who said he was from The Asset Protection Team at Walmart approached them. He demanded his merchandise back. The kids were confused. The man looked through the back pack and (of course) found nothing except for my son's personal property.

The kids came home and told me this and I was SO SO SO mad!!!!!!! At Walmart!! The very Walmart we give thousands of dollars to every month (well ok not thousands but a little over $1,500) to feed our large family and to keep our home provided with toothpaste, toilet paper, garbage bags, socks, underwear...you get the idea. I have always been fond of Walmart since moving to Waseca.

I called Walmart that night and spoke with whom I think was the night shift assistant manager. He could not help me with the specific issue but he took my name, promised me the store manager would get back to me in the next day or so. We also discussed Walmart's policy of backpacks being brought into in the store. He said customers are allowed to carry backpacks in the store. He said at one time they required customers to drop their backpacks off at customer service but there was trouble with theft. He said that the theft was partly caused by dishonest employees taking things from the customers backpacks. Interesting. So now it is easier to let the customers keep their backpacks with them.

I told my boys next time just keep your backpacks at home when you go to Walmart just to be safe. And please if you do happen to have a backpack do not open it up until you get to the checkout.

The very next day, those same two boys along with a younger brother went to Walmart to look at shorts. One of the boys has a birthday coming up and wanted to make a list of potential birthday gifts.

They left their backpacks at home this time!!!

Once again Asset protection was following them around!!!!!!

I was SO mad!!!!

When I heard this I called up Walmart and asked to talk to the store manager but he left for the day. I then asked for whomever was in charge of Asset Protection. I was very mad. I talked with him. He told me his side of both days events. He said that the video from the first day showed one of the boys holding something, opening up the backpack and both boys reaching in to the backpack (or hands went out of view) and then when their hands came out of the backpack (back in view) he saw nothing in their hands. If I understood right HE NEVER SAW THE BOYS ACTUALLY PUT SOMETHING IN THE BACKPACK!!!! He just saw their hands were empty when their hands were back in view. It would be interesting to see the video and what was actually seen and what part were the 'fill-in-the-blank' parts of the video.

Mr Asset Protection said while the boys were paying for their items (yes he saw them actually pay for things!) he replayed the security video again and then made the decision to approach the boys with the intent of getting his merchandise back. He made sure I knew that the boys gave him permission to look in the backpack because (of course) it is illegal to have searched my son's backpack. He said he also apologize to them when he found none of his merchandise in their bag. Later checking with my boys, they said the Asset Protection guy did indeed apologise and the boys gave him permission to look in the bag.

Why was Asset Protection following the kids on the second day? He said one of the associates called him letting him know there were three boys acting suspicious in the clothing isle. He went to check it out and saw it was the same boys from the day before. He said he backed off a little and watched them from farther away. He noticed they did not have their backpacks with them that day. A side note: Funny how it was the same Walmart associate that lingering around the boys both days.


I do admit my boys act like...well...boys. Yes, sometimes weird, suspicious, crazy, goofy and usually have no sense of embarrassment or what is proper public edict. Yes my boys knowing they were being followed by security the second day started dodging around corners to 'shake security' and avoid being followed. They were being total weird clowns. But not with the intention to steal. Just stupidity. (Can I say that about my kids?)

But now I feel like my kids are marked or singled out at Walmart thanks to an over zealous associate, an Asset Protection manager who's adrenalin runs high, and kids who should be acting more mature in public. The two boys in question are 15 and 14. Their younger brother who was with them the second day is 12.

I worked retail for many years before I was married and we employees got reward money for alerting loss prevention about suspicions characters that lead to merchandise recovery. Could that be the Walmart associate's motivation in calling on my kids? Could it be that one of the children in question is black? Or is it solely based on the weird behavior of my kids?

****Sigh****

On the other hand, I did enjoy my talk with the Asset Protection Manager. I bet we talked for maybe 15 minutes. He made no promises that my kids would not be watched in the future. He said it is his job to watch and be suspicious. And of course, if my kids actually did steal something I would want to know. He was a nice guy. I have respect for him and his job. It made me miss my downtown Minneapolis Carson Pierre Scott days of long ago.

What about this...

Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

Self Government

Here is why I will never write books on parenting!





There have been a few 'issues of note' that have been creeping into the habits of my middle children this past year.



Things that on their own with one child would be easy to be dealt with but these 'issues of note' have spread to the group as a whole.



I guess I had not been as attentive as I thought I had been!



Anyway, these things are pretty minor in the scheme of possible issues we could be dealing with but still they make life a little hard.



I bet you are wondering what issues I am dealing with.



Things like working real hard on their chores when I am in the room but lazing off when I am in another part of the house.



Not taking 'no', correction, or discipline very well.



Walking away while I am still talking (Ok, while I am lecturing but still...)



The whole 'if the cat's away ,the mice will play (more like disobey)' type of behavior.



Fussing, attitudes.



Did I say ATTITUDES strong enough!?



Now these are not adoption issues.



They are kid issues.





*SIGH*



A



BIG



*SIGH*



Well, after the umpteenth time of more than half the children declaring muntany on old poor me it was time for one of my 'you WILL sit at the table and listen to mom' kind of talks.



All I could think of was the word self-government. The phrases obey mom or mind mom go in one ear and out the other.



So all I could think of was I want them all to practice the art of self-government.



I do not think the real definition means what I told them it means but mom's can do that can't they? Make up their own definitions?



My goal with my 'mom talk' was to point out that they are responsible to govern themselves within the parameters of God's rules and our house rules. Especially when no one is there watching over them.



Of course, they can chose to pick which rules they think are worth their time to follow and which they think stupid but the consequences will be waiting maybe not right away but the consequences will come.



Blah.



Parenting is hard.



It is all about character, integrity, walking up right before our Lord, isn't it?



It is about raising children who can walk into their own future and be ready for the path God has set out for them.



I do not know.



Well my talk was met with a few tears, some quiet humility, a few half hidden smirks,and a few glazed over eyes.



*sigh*



Now it's time for a sandwich and lemonade on the front porch.











Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

Sometimes I Wonder...

There are so many days I stand back and wonder how in the world will my children ever grow up even half way normal.

I goof up way more than I get things right as a mother.

This set of verses is such an encouragement to me.

He said: “Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God’s.

Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel.

You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.’”

2 Chronicles 20:15-17


Of course, my children are not the enemy (ha ha maybe they might seem that way at times...I didn't just write that did I? It must have been someone else) but parenting can seem like a huge bloody battle at times.

You know like those medieval battles with flaming arrows and tar balls flying and blood everywhere like in the movies.

It can seem like that, but the parenting battles I most seem to fight are:

Against my own selfish will.

Against my fears.

To stay put and not run when things get difficult.

To stay loyal.

To be willing to be the 'bad guy' at times because I know in the end what I'm asking of my children is right.

To be humble.

To forgive.

To accept forgiveness.

The list goes on and on...

I feel like I wave the white flag of surrender all the time and run away in retreat.

BUT

Then there are those moments that I get a glimpse of God working beyond my feeble parenting attempts.

For instance:

My husband pointed out the other day that last week six of our children had served in various capacities reaching other children for Christ.

Elena is off on her mission trip to New Orleans. This had been a hearts desire for her for quite some time.

I also overheard my 6 year old son explain the gospel of Christ to my three year old and ask her if she wanted to ask Jesus into her heart.

Those are things Jeff and I can not take credit for.

I then realize I have the privilege of having a front row seat in seeing God working in my children's lives despite all the things I mess up at or all the battles I retreat from.

I am a very weak person but God is a very strong God.

He has a plan for each of my children a plan greater that any plan I could ever dream for them.

It's ok for me to retreat at times and watch God fight the battle.

He is a warrior and will fight fervently for my children.

He is faithful.


Warmly,A Patchwork Mommy

A Hodgepodge of Random Stuff

Thanks for tolerating my little rant yesterday. I just felt like I needed to write it,maybe more for myself if anything. My blog can be a bit fluffy with my talk of sewing and pictures of the kids or whatever but there is a lot I think about. When it actually makes it to my blog,you can be sure I felt I needed to write it,if only just for me.

I guess people have different ideas of what blogs are about. Some view blogs more like someone is inviting you into their home and all the guest politeness is an understood thing. Some view blogs more like a visit to a coffee shop with others. They view it as a time to chat,debate,discuss,and what-not. Some have the gift of teaching and view blogs as a sort of time to teach what they know. Whatever place a person is coming from, I suppose, is how they approach another person's blog as well. None are wrong but sometimes the different ways of thinking can come to a point and clash.

Enough of that.

I do have pictures for today. No more rambling for a while.

A sweet chocolate Lily face. How can I wipe this face off!? I would have wiped Elena the second she was messy. No,I should have let Elena stay messy longer. They grow up way too fast.



Big brother Alan steps in to pose with Lily. Ok, I kind of begged him to join the picture. I wanted the allusion of my older siblings adoring their younger siblings. Did it work? Actually, Alan likes Lily. I did not have to beg very hard,just a little.



Now this was a tasty snack!



Speaking of Alan I mean an anonymous child of mine,this pile of stuff that was not put away is now worth $3.00. The confiscation fine for each items not cleaned up in a timely manor is. 25 cents.Of course, this child spent his last bit of change buying a snack at the store the other day. So now,he is at the mercy of mom and her unpleasant, icky, disgusting, horrible, chore tasks that were waiting for an opportunity like this.

I am sure he will not work very fast to earn his school books back but a good cold snap and the need of pants will get him working pretty quickly.

Ok, I will be nice.I will have him was a few outside windows tomorrow...




Here are the kids AWANA Grand Prix cars!

L to r

Grant's car, Cyrus's car,and Joyce's car.



L to R

Dad's car, Nolan's car, Alan's car, and Josh's car.



Great job kids and dad!!!

Warmly,
A Patchwork Mommy

A Few Things

Between Friday evening and this afternoon I put the binding on my four waiting quilts and washed them all up. I also whipped up a cute little baby blanket out of Mary Engelbreit fairy tale fabric.



I also made three fabric books.



The Mary Engelbreit baby blanket and Mary Engelbreit Three Little Pigs fabric book make such a cute set, don't they?

* A little insider FYI: The Mary Engelbreit fabric and the Three Little Pigs fabric book panel are at Walmart (at least the Walmart in Owattonna). There is even a cute Mary Engelbreit Mother Goose Vol 1 fabric book panel that would match the fabric. I think the set is a very fun,easy, and inexpenseve baby gift to make. I used just plan cotton flannel as the blanket batting. You could even use flannel as the batting for the fabric book. I used some extra Warm and Natural I had from the quilts I just finished.



Sunday afternoon Nolan will be having a few friends over for a birthday party. Jeff and Grant will take them bowling and then they will come home to eat tacos and play. Nolan is very exited.

After the party is over and things are cleaned up I think I will see if I have time to make two more fabric books. Woodsy Wonders and The Velveteen rabbit.



I thought it would be funny to show a little scene that was going on while I was trying to take pictures of my quilts for my Etsy shop this afternoon. I wanted to get day light pictures so I decided to try and squeeze the pictures in while Lids was up. It did not go as smoothly as I wanted...maybe it could have been a little on the stressful side if I would have been in a more intense mood. I was not so it was just funny.

The minute I got my first quilt on the chair to take a picture Lily claimed both the quilt and chair as her personal property.



Not much could convince her otherwise.



And then she wanted to be held because she was so upset.



All my quilt shots have Lily just out of view fussing. The mom of many talents that I am, I was able to keep her back with one of my legs while I stood on the other foot snapping pictures as fast as I could.

Until I was finally finished.

I set her into the chair with a special quilt.



And she was happy.

Ginger Ale and Tuna

Late last nigh Joel had it set on his mind that he wanted a 'Pepsi' which ha calls all pop. I would have considered sharing one with him if it was not SO late. To avoid a very late night temper tantrum I did what most moms would have done.Well, maybe just me and my great parenting techniques. I promised him a ginger ale the next day. That did not quite do the trick so I promised a ginger ale in a very special cup. That did the trick.

Well, today came and it was time for our ginger ale in a special cup time. Very exiting but there seems to be a sort of upsetting issue. I could not figure out what was wrong but I captured it on camera.



But Joel quickly recovered.



Lily joined us and we had a fun time.



For lunch today we had cold tuna noodle salad with homemade bread...SO TASTY!

Of course the cat tried to sneak a taste,too.