More than Adrift

These days have been SO full! K has been SO busy in kindergarten, she comes home exhausted!  She always requires a little down time, but is ready to be busy with her very busy little brothers within a half an hour! D has wanted to do structured activities all day long also, so I've been doing a lot more "lesson planning" at home (which I love!)  So this week, we made Goop!  Can I eat this? Just a box of cornstarch, mixed with some water, and it made THE coolest sensory goop I have ever seen!  The kids were busy playing for almost 2 hours, NO fighting!  We played this many times this week. And yes, it made a huge mess. totally worth it. It's been so much fun lately, that being at home with the kids has seemed like such a huge blessing.  I know, I know, it should always be a blessing, but there are days that it feels strangely burdensome!  But these days... life is easier.  Warmer. More fun. Filled with love and learning. There was a...

My best of friends, v, is going through a bit of a rough patch right now.  Her and I both bounce back and forth between joy & exhaustion, and it seems like God always gives one of us the "right" perspective at the other's down moments.  It's one of God's greatest gifts to me, to have a friend who understands being up, and being down, and who knows the One who is greater than my feelings. Yesterday, she came to me feeling a way that I have felt a million times before, and I think most moms feel a million times.  Adequacy.  Or lack there of.  How many times do we go through the motions, and feel like we aren't measuring up?  You unpacked the dishwasher (three times today) swept the floor (it still looks dirty) made three meals (and somehow half of it ended up on your shirt...) but the kids wouldn't eat it.  You ended up raising your voice and losing your temper, and now your husband's on his way home, and frankly, you think this could be all his fa...

We are in full swing of school and activities! Expect no deep thoughts here, I have been literally too busy to over think anything, which sometimes can be a good thing! In an effort to keep my kids eating healthy, I have been trying out lots of new fun meals.  Here are some of my hits and misses:  feel free to email me for any of the recipes, which I keep on hand! * Carrot Muffins (YUM!)  Huge hit.  We shredded carrots together in our food processor, which the kids thought was very fun. * Applesauce Oatmeal Cookies.  Hit!  I posted the recipe on facebook, and my kids ate them all up the first day.  I meant to freeze some for future lunches.... ah well. * Raisin, Feta, Spinach Pizza.  Miss.  Except for me, I loved it!  I sauteed garlic and spinach, added the feta and soaked raisins onto yummy thick bread and baked it.  Kids thought it was disgusting. * Fresh Apple Cake. Made with whole wheat flour, no oil, not much sugar. Del...

Tomorrow is D's first day of preschool! He is growing up so quickly.  Today, as a special treat, I took him to the local variety store in town and told him he could choose whichever back pack he wanted. We both were having so much fun. He had his own little cart to push around, he "tried on" several back packs (to see if they fit right) and finally chose the perfect one. Iron Man won out over Cars and Transformers! On our way to the cash register, I was watching him drive his little cart and thought to myself "he is such a good boy... I should take him to a special lunch after this."  As I thought this, he passed by a wooden train set. d: "I want this!!" me: "no, put it back, we're just buying the back pack" We get up to the counter, and he sees a flashlight. d:  "Please mom, I REALLY need this flashlight." Now, the flashlight was only 2 dollars, but as a matter of principle, I felt it necessary to say no. He can't ...