Take the Time to Watch This

Creation

We did projects tonight as a family.  Meaning that we cut up magazines, glued things, put stickers on paper... it was fun!  I love creating art with my kids and I need to do it a lot more.  My favorite is when our house is covered top to bottom with projects we've completed together.  We tape them onto doors, mirrors, and once we even attached them to the ceiling.  Art is important to me; it makes me happy.

I'd love to post the outcome of our art time, but I have to wait until my little sister opens up her email tomorrow on her birthday!  Happy Birthday, Ashley; we love you so.

*Update: Here are Canon and Taesya's cards!

It's called Kouing Aman

Crrrraving this delicous pastry from my favorite downtown bakery.  It's called the Kouing Aman (pronounce keen, I believe) and it is a "a flakey Breton pastry that is a study in opposites: sweet and salty, gooey and crunchy."  Les Madeleines is divine, but alas, they are not open on Mondays.  You really should give this unique dessert a try; you'll be hooked!  Come on Tuesday!!!

I am seriously considering eating this picture....

Like a Box of Chocolates

I'm 25 years old and I carry a lot of adult responsibility.  I have a mortgage, a self-employed husband, and three children under the age of 5.  Sometimes I envy those other 25 year olds that I graduated with; I imagine they all live glamorous, simple lives.  Lives of less responsibility.  Recently I have realized I am wrong.

One 25 year old has had to cope with years of infertility and is now working hard to be considered for adoption.
One 25 year old fell in love with a boy who was called off to war.  A whole year she waited to be with him again.
One 25 year old was diagnosed with ovarian cancer.  She's been through surgery and chemotherapy.

As I heard these stories, I was taken aback that someone could go through such difficulty at such a young age.  And I'm stunned at how different each of our lives can be.  In my ignorance, I saw only married-with-kids and single-and-interesting.  Like every other kid I knew just stayed a teenager or something.  Life is more complex than that.

This 25 year old woke up at 5 am with a sick son.  I couldn't fall back to sleep because I'm worrying about an audition that I have today, and my other sick child is sleeping in my bed.  There is food in my refrigerator, though; and after I eat breakfast, I will say good morning to my good husband.  He'll smile at me and we'll work together through the chaos of a morning in our home.  There is the burden of responsibility, that I feel on my shoulders everyday, but there is also a great deal of love.  And I am grateful for all the love in my life.

I'm grateful for my beautiful children.  I'm grateful for my health.  And I'm grateful that Heavenly Father sent me trials designed specifically for me; He knows me better than I know myself, for sure.

I want to express my admiration for those out there who are going through something hard.  You are strong and resilient; you will make it through this trial.  I look up to you.

Opposition in all Things

Spring has come and I am overjoyed!  The sunlight and the energy of Spring lifts me up.  I can send my kids into the backyard again; they can dig holes in the garden to their heart's content.  (As long as they wash up when they come inside.)  I'm really glad that Spring is here.

In Glendale, Spring means a few negative things, though.  It means that all the troublemakers have awoken from hibernation, and they leave their mark on the local stores, fences, and traffic signs.  Graffiti gets cleaned up fast around here, but I always get a sick feeling in my stomach when I see it.  It makes me sad that someone could have such disregard for those around them.  Spring and Summer makes these people restless, I guess.

Completely unrelated, yesterday I saw two separate people retrieving used cigarettes off of the sidewalk, and then pocketing them for later use.  It was odd because I'd never seen this before and now I saw it twice in one day.  Is it the economy?  Maybe they were trying to save a buck by recycling cigarettes from strangers?  I felt bad for them that they needed this drug so much.

Our front planters have sprouted daffodils, which I must say are a terribly happy flower.  That bright yellow just shouts glee.  Funny how the dandelions are the same color.  To children, dandelions are flowers and are as valuable as daffodils.  So according to Taesya's definition, we have 5 pretty yellow flowers in our planter.

I've had almost a week off of the play that I am in.  It's been nice to stay home and forget about scene changes, and makeup, and bobby pins.  The break did me good and now I am excited to go back.  Tomorrow night I will again be back at The Children's Theater downtown.  It is a gem of a theater and I love it there.

Have you ever thought how a drink of water wouldn't taste as great if you hadn't gotten thirsty first?  Or how your teeth wouldn't feel so great clean if they'd never gotten dirty?  Or how a warm blanket would mean so much less without the cold?  Keller is still working on getting a mouthful of teeth for himself, and he's having a tough time along the way.  Teeth come after the pain.  Opposition--man oh man.

The dandelions accompany the daffodils, and the graffiti multiplies with the sunshine.  I'm starting to get it.  I am grateful for the Spring.

Taesya's prayer

Imagine a little 4 year old say this, while half asleep:

"Please bless all the plants and people to grow.... but not into giants.  Please bless us to get older but also to be young sometimes."

Brought me many smiles and I hope those come your way also. Smile people, its good for you.

Ben

Pretty

I think these charms are just beautiful.

Mrs. Crawford / Maid #1

All done up and ready to go -- please won't you come to see the show?

Ben is buying Chick-Filet right now and I am awaiting the van.  Late for practice, uh oh.  Tonight is our last night to rehearse!  Don't you love my little Victorian hair-do?

Current Events

Taesya is our beautiful daughter, who loves to help.  She wants to cook and take care of her brothers.  Today she was pouting because we didn't let her clean up Riley's poop.

Riley likes to follow us around, get petted, and lay in various locations.  Yesterday we gave him his second bath and it was much wetter than the first.  

Canon draws robots, almost exclusively.  It makes me glad that all of my children like to color; even Kel is starting to get the hang of it.  Art is good for the soul, I believe.

This is Keller reading King Lear.  Pretty good for a one year old.  He prefers my books to the kid's books.  And he will tell you (in his baby language) exactly what he is reading.  Today he was perusing Freddy and Fredericka, which is an interesting novel; you might consider giving it a try.  

I'm having a rocky day.  But I had a really good walk/run with Riley; and the sun is shining.  Ben and I are determined to go on a date this weekend, which I know will do us some good.  We really have to make a point to speak to one another when life gets busy, or else we just don't.  Crazy life.

Children as Dogs and Vice Versa

1.  Even when Keller "says" he's done eating the food we are giving him at the table, he will still try his very best to get at the food that has fallen underneath.  Somehow it looks yummier down there?

2.  Reported to us by Taesya, in the middle of a digging session in the backyard, Canon pulled down his pants and peed on the grass.  Completely random.  Where did he learn this from?  This was pre-Riley, I promise.

3.  When Taesya had her own room, we would find that she had fallen asleep on the floor more often than on the bed.  I'm guessing she'd have a firm setting on a Sleep Number bed.

And, as a side note, why aren't there children obedience training classes?  I'd pay money for that.