Know a good foot doc?

Further evidence our mothers were right: nothing good happens after midnight.

Here's what happened on Nathan's late night run in with my wooden shoe rack. I saw it this morning and it was less red and swollen.
Tonight, when I looked at it and said, "You should show that to someone."
He replied, "I just did."

Easter Traditions

Disenchanted by large scale egg hunts, we've done a family egg hunt as long as I can remember. This year, for the first time, we were able to move it outside! We have close to 50 eggs which we re-use each year. The sports theme eggs made their debut this year, because I am the shopper and love them.

Nathan hides. Whoever finds the yellow egg with spots gets to hide the "adult" eggs, which are larger in size and fewer in number, (4). Since Nathan worked last Saturday (the day we usually hold our egg hunt) we had it last night, for Family Home Evening.

Bryn was the lucky finder last night, so she got to hid eggs for us. Nathan found 3 before I did, but was kind enough to let me pick it up. We fill ours with chocolate and jelly beans. Diana asked for jelly beans at breakfast, hopefully I'll get her to wait until after lunch! We missed having Stephen and Tara, and our cousins Odessa and Ada at this year's egg hunt.

For our lesson, we used this visual aid that Diana brought home from nursery, read a few verses from the New Testament, and sang "Jesus Has Risen." It was a great, short lesson that I think we'll use next year, too.

Happy Easter!

For the Love of Texas

My mom loves Texas. Especially when it it cold in Wyoming, which is most of the year.

Last week while Nathan was out of town, she came to visit, to help me manage the chaos that is our home life. She is a precious resource--and was able to do some very fun, and some very routine things while here. First, the fun:

Mom took each of my kids on a "date." I should have taken a picture of her leaving with Andrew, Bryn, and Caitlin on their individual turns. My camera was with Nathan in Chicago.

Andrew and Grandma went to Pizza Hut. She said, "Beth, he's different when he's not around the girls." They talked and enjoyed a little pepperoni pizza with some Buffalo chicken appetizers. Since I'd been at Bryn's soccer practice with the girls, Andrew shared the leftovers for our dinner.

The next night, Bryn and Grandma went to El Chico, a mexican restaurant not far from our house. My kids get a kick out of the name, they think it is so funny to have a restaurant called, "The Boy." Bryn ate a corn dog without the corn, french fries and tortilla chips. She misplaced a crayon in the car on the way home. I couldn't understand why it was such a big deal until mom reminded me that it would melt here, very quickly. Thankfully, the crayon turned up in the driveway the next day.

And Saturday for lunch, Caitlin and Grandma went to McD's, for her first Happy Meal ever. I think it is actually the first happy meal for ANY of my children, can you believe that? We must not be real Americans, but it's true! (I'd much rather go to Wendy's!) Back to my story about Caitlin, she loved having a chance to play in the play area, and was so excited for her toy, Dr. Cockroach, and her BOX.

Diana didn't get an official date, but she did enjoy plenty of playtime with my mom--reading books, watching my mom dry her hair in the bathroom every morning, and being pushed in the swing. She has asked for you a few times for you since you left, mom.

The biggest excitement while my my was here was on Sunday, the day after my mom arrived. It was beautiful weather, so we went for a walk, right after placing 2 loaves of banana bread in the oven. We looked at Nathan's watch, and went out the door. We took our time and enjoyed a little stroll. Towards the end of the walk, someone needed the bathroom, so we gave the keys to the kids, and let them run ahead to the house. As we approached the cul de sac, however, Bryn was slowly walking back to us and said that the key broke in the door.

No garage door opener.
No hidden key.
No key in my pocket, I was wearing a skirt.
NOTHING!
We saw a neighbor, who lent us a phone book and we called a locksmith, who said it would take him 25 minutes to get there. Remember the banana bread?????? UGH. I am trying to perfect it, because mine is usually overcooked.

While waiting, Nathan removed the key with a tool from his car.

We waited patiently in the Buick and out of the Buick, remember some of us can't sit still for 25 mintues. Or 25 seconds, for that matter. "Pop A Lock" came and let us in, and we gave him a well-done slice of banana bread. I will have to try again on the banana bread another day.
(The latest in our long history of lock outs, another post for another day).

Other routine things Mom got to see: lunch with Andrew in the school cafeteria. Bryn's school program--her gym class put on a program called "March Madness." Bryn did a great job with her b-ball skills! We took her to the Rocketship park, a must see the next time you are in town, whoever you are, and an evening of Cub scouts, and Sam's Club. What more could a grandma want? How about an early morning soccer game and photos? She helped sort laundry, wash my dishes, and was able to visit a quilt store, our public library, and we had friends over for cinnamon roll baking and lunch.

She watched my kids while I went to a general practicioner for the first time in a LONG time. I had a tetanus shot, my last one was my junior year in high school, which was an even longer time ago. My doctor said, "How did you slip through for so long?" So glad I haven't met any rusty nails in the interim. I'm good now for the next 10!

She waited with them while I had my blood tests the next day, got my haircut, and went on a date with Nathan to Target. And she helped me make this:



26 pint jars of canned chicken! You don't have to spend much time in my kitchen to hear about my love of canned chicken. (Most of my readers live over a thousand miles away, anyway!). It is a staple in our house since September of 2005, when I first tried it. A friend from our IL days taught me how and I've used it ever since. My mom & Nathan stood at the counter to cut it into pieces while I worked on my class. Then, my mom and I put it jars and sealed it so it will last a year. We use it a jar or two every week, and tonight I made one of my mom's recipes, Chicken Tortellini Soup with it, which I will post another day.

Mom loves Texas, but I think she loves us even more. She's visited us in UT, MD, IL, and TX. Hopefully the next time we'll see you in Wyo!

Accounting update & Musings: Liabilities

I am more than halfway there!!!!!!! I've taken two midterms, Nathan took a day off for one, and while my mom was here last week, I took another! I have to say this class has been a team effort of many people, so thanks mom and Nathan. This week I've taken 2 quizzes, one was a VERY low score, and tonight, a 100%. That is a much happier number for me!

So, this will be a much shorter musing on liabilities: defined as "Probable future obligations to pay assets (usually cash) or provide services to another entity."

So this is my big question about liabilities: How can I better keep myself out of debt? I am not referring to my financial situation at all.

I refer to how I get myself into debt to other people. I've started praying for help to stay out of debt to others, which has helped. It has helped me think twice before saying yes. Still, I feel pressure each day to take on more. There are so many needs in my church and community, my children's school, my home, and people I know with heavy burdens. Waking up in the morning feeling, "Where do I begin?" is not a pleasant experience for me. And once I get out of debt, how do I stay out? ie How do I deal with repeated invitations to give more? How do I know when I can, and when I can't?

What are your secrets for avoiding overcommitting? How have you learned to say NO? Please help if you have a tip, either post or email me. I appreciate in advance any tips you have for how to deal with this type of indebtedness, because I am not good in this department.

I've been thinking of placing a list of the commitments (debts) I already have somewhere near my phone so that when someone calls and asks me, I can glance at it, realize there is not time to follow through on one more commitment, and say NO.

Tomorrow Nathan is working, his first Saturday working since we've been here! The kids and I are going on a family adventure, possibly posting to come, but I don't want to commit!

Pay it Forward: Just for Fun

I'm paying it forward from my sister, Laura's post. Here are the rules:

1.Be one of the first THREE bloggers to leave a comment on this post, which then entitles you to a handmade item from me - something crafty or yummy, who knows?!

2. Winners must post this challenge on your blog, meaning that you will Pay It Forward, creating a handmade gift -anything!- for the first THREE bloggers who leave a comment on YOUR post about this giveaway!

3. The gift that you send to your 3 Friends can be from any price range and you have 365 days to make/ship your item. This means you should be willing to maintain your blog at least until you receive your gift and have shipped your gifts. And, remember: It’s the spirit and the thought That Count!

4. When you receive your gift, please feel free to blog about it! If you are not one of the Top Three Commenters on this post, you can still play along. Go ahead and start your own Pay It Forward chain, and encourage your blogging friends to do the same!SO, REMEMBER...Pay it forward!

I am sewing something for you. If I were locked in a quiet room with fabric and thread--you could leave me all day and I would be happy as a clam. I found this pattern for a cute ball--it didn't take that long and is fun to start and finish something in one day! A great way to use up scraps, some of Nathan's old pj's are the blue plaid print in that little ball!

If you want one, let me know. If you want something else, give me your idea or colors, and see what I come up with. (I also found a very cute pattern for making a felt doughnut I am dying to try--if you happen to need to add a play doughnut to your toy collection). And, it might take me 365 days to get it to you.

PS. Kim--I ship to Korea!

Life among the Bluebonnets

This post is dedicated to those who've listened to my many complaints about my current zipcode. It isn't as bad as my drama makes it seem. Unless it's August, and then, yes, it really is 95 degrees at 11:00p.m., and it's that bad.

I've lived enough places to know there are pros and cons to every place.

Here's one of our pros: Bluebonnets, the state flower. Our little town is nicknamed the "Wildflower Capital of Texas," and for the past 3 weeks or so these flowers, along with many others, have been showing their faces along the sides of the road. Today we made time to stop for the photos. By the way, Caitlin picked another flower, not a bluebonnet. We have one growing in our yard, but seeing one is not quite as impressive as seeing many together. This is on the side of a quiet Texas road, in the middle of somewhere. Click on the photos to enlarge and enjoy!