You can't see!!

I've been thinking about sneaking back and trying to post again, but I haven't had a good excuse (or have had too many excuses to take the time to do it!). So many times I've wished I'd started "the book" that every parent could write, featuring the quotes and quips of their children. Today Kate caught my attention and prompted me to share.

We were a late getting around to nap time, and anyone with toddler experience appreciates "the window" during which one has the best opportunity to get a child to sleep. After several trips up the stairs, asking the children to settle down, asking them to quit somersaulting off their beds, and finally dealing with a wrath of a tantrum, I got the children separated and was trying to help Kate settle down which was no easy chore.

She was on my lap and trying to show me something. I was trying to make her laugh, so I had my bottom lip stuck way out. She stopped everything, looked at me, and said, "Now there's no way you can see without a happy face. See, like this", and she flashed me one of her signature, ear to ear grins. I had to smile along with her (try to resist it sometime. . . You'll see). There's a little something for all of us to learn from her words.

Truly, the only way to see anything clearly is to smile at it. Bearing a frown or a scowl, you're sure to see the empty half of the glass. A person to person exchange that begins with a smile is certainly likely to yield a better outcome, and if I would smile more at my kids, I'd probably have more opportunities to appreciate them for the beautiful beings that they are.

(I had to share these from this morning. NO ONE is spared from potty training around here)

Grace and Peace be yours

So many of our friends and family (and special patients) are dealing with painful losses this time of year. Sadly, there are too many to list, but you know who you are. I just wanted to take a moment and let you know that I lift you up in prayer every day. My heart aches for you. I pray that you are surrounded by love and that you will be filled with an abundance of grace and peace to fill those painful voids. I look forward to the day when you will celebrate Christmas in heaven with your loved one(s) and I wish you a joyful holiday season.

The kidlets. (and a weekend of AWESOME weather)

Headed out to the river to look for "deers"

and crocodiles, apparently

I heart them.

Kate wanted to take Logan's picture in front of the tree.  She did a pretty good job.

. . . and one of Medusa

Of course my attempts to photograph them together failed

somewhat miserably.  Thanks, Kate.

This little girl is showing off her new book that she earned for peeing on the potty.  (The motivation was short-lived as she hasn't done it again since then.)

Department Store Christmas Tree

I have always had a sliver of desire to watch as Christmas trees in stores are decorated.  I find myself in our local flower shop noting details and trying to figure out how to transform my tree at home into such a work of art.  After a detailed google search and some related "pins", I set out to do it myself. 
-I started by dragging our 8 foot, prelit tree from the basement piece by piece, plugged it in and immediately began assessing the lighting situation.  After removing a strand or three of lights, a trip to the store to replace them, and several curse words later, we had an erect, shapely, somewhat universally lit representation of the live trees that we had growing up and that admittedly, I miss dearly.  It leans a little to the left, but its positioned in front of our picture window where passers by would easily be able to adore my new work of art upon completion.
-Next I collected the newly purchased ornaments that I had selected, all in coordinating colors and shapes.  I couldn't ignore the rubbermaid tote that housed our collection of ornaments that previously been accumulating, so I lugged it up the stairs as well. 
-I opened the tote so I could start selecting ornaments and wanted to choose a few that were less breakable, you know, for the kids to add to the tree.  I have a three-year-old helper now, who was very much interested in this process.  In no time, I found myself taking out ornaments one by one and telling him a story about each one.  I tried to pick a few favorites, but each piece in that box tells a story. . . and I love it.  Here are a few of my favorites:

• a toothpick bordered pentagon with a chubby-cheeked picture of Logan. . . I mean Dale that's been adorning the Christmas tree for over thirty years
• a two inch embroidery hoop with a felt Christmas tree stitched carefully in place by a likely-then-seven year old Michelle
• a Precious Moments boy with the date of Dale's confirmation documented carefully on the back, representative of the detail his mom paid in choosing his ornament each year  Many milestones are represented on the tree (baby's first, daddy's first, our engagement, wedding, and our first home).  Thanks to our families for helping acknowlege these special moments in our life.  I love remembering them each year at Christmas.  There are also ornaments that give away our secrets (apparently someone who lives here likes chocolate. . . a lot!) Someone is a musician, and someone at one time or another bore a nickname that resembled Chewbacca.
• a ceramic gift package with the bow painted red and "DALE LEE" painted on the front and To Dale From Lori, 1977 written on the back  At Christmastime and always we cherish memories and stories.
• a silver painted ball that I brought back after enjoying a medical meeting in sunny Honolulu in December
• the Hallmark "sisters" ornament from 2007 that is fashioned of Chrismtas bulbs and frazzled garland  It is perhaps the ugliest thing I have ever seen, but it makes me smile to acknowlege that when things are frazzled and ugly I am the most grateful for a best friend who's also my sister.
• a wooden ornament that is carefully inked with magic marker   This was made by my niece, Madi and triggered memories of Sell Christmas weekend at our starter home in Omaha.  We had  so much fun!  Sleeping bags were strewn nearly everywhere and I'm sorry Deb, but I can't help but recall those awesome spectacles you got to wear after your Lasik surgery. 

Perhaps I am most sentimental about adding the likes of Winnie the Pooh, cup"Kates", Towmater, and John Deere tractors to the ranks.  These little guys symbolize our growing and changing family, and the excitment and wonderment of children at Christmas.  I've caught Logan sitting next the tree on a few occasions, reading stories with Curious George who now hangs on a branch near the bottom of the tree. 

For 2012, the tree is assembled, some of the lights will probably fizzle out, the lean to the left will likely only become more exaggerated and at some point I would not be surprised if the whole thing comes crashing to the ground.  Certainly we will pick it back up, put things back together, and move on.  This is how we roll. We're not perfect or coordinated to put together, but we're comprised of memories and stories and we're making new ones every day.  So if its okay with you, please don't expect a department store Christmas tree at my house this year.

our weekend in pictures

I think he's handsomel.

Gigglebox.

The weather was perfect for leaf piles, even at dusk.

At the State Cornhusking Contest.  I think they're all in heaven!

One of these children is more excited about the seating arrangement than the other.

That's better!

It's a cat face, of course.

An Eyesore

Literally.  I thought I'd take a quick minute to post for a couple of reasons.  1.  You need to understand that we have not fallen off the face of the earth.  2.  It is in my best interest for me to acknowlege "teaching moments" that my loving God utilizes to remind me that I am not in charge. 

I'm home today.  "Sick."  Except not really sick.  I'm not supposed to get sick.  I let little kids cough in my face all day and touch me with their grubbly little snot laden fingers and I don't get sick.  I feel fine.  I would rather be at work.  Except that I can't go to work with one eye that is nearly swollen shut and fire-engine red.  I have pinkeye.  Just the same as every kindergartner will experience this year.  Staying home for me is just as frustrating as it is for every kindergarten parent who can't go to work because their child has a silly little, extremely contagious, eye infection.  I shouldn't be surprised. . . Logan picked it up Friday, we wrestled with eye drops over the weekend.  For a brief  minute three times a day he hated me.  Now he's better.  So, a silly little common occurrence rocked my world for a little bit this morning.

Despite my efforts to wash my hands copiously and avoid touching my face, at some point my defense fell apart, and now I have a red, painful swollen eye.  It is preventing me from seeing patients today (it's preventing me from seeing anything at times).  I can't cover it up.  I can't wear makeup.  I can't "cheat" and run errands today.  So here I am, feeling a little bit vain.

And I have a confession.  I'm in the attic.  I snuck up before the kids got up.  The babysitter is downstairs taking great care of them.  They have no idea I'm home. My day has been extremely productive thus far with all of the silly little paperwork/online submission/ really just piles up on my desk and never gets done tasks.  And its quiet.  And for the first time in far too long its just me with my thoughts, thanking God for this wonderful blessing of a day away from patients (we'll call it my admin time that people speak of and of which I am unfamiliar). I'm grateful for this little hiccup, courtesy of communicable disease, that was laced with a dose of humility, a lot of laughs at my silly face in the mirror, and this afternoon, a couple of bonus hours with the kids.

Hope you're having a great day today.  We are grateful for the rain (I had to sound it out to spell it, since its become an unfamiliar term) this morning.  I think I'll get to work on a pot of belly-warming soup.

The end of summer

is here.  Already.  Although maybe not.  It feels like it flew by.  We have had much fun since the last post, but I won't bore you.  It consisted of a few birthdays, a few other family celebrations, a parade (we rode on a float and Kate was in rockstar heaven with her sunglasses and her perfected wave that she practiced for 15 minutes in the car).

Last week Dale had a couple of days off school so we took the kids to Omaha and hit the zoo.  The weather was absolutely perfect.  Dale made the comment when we entered the zoo that it was great to not have "thousands" of people to deal with.  The woman at the gate informed us that there were 1,029 visitors that day, which turned out to be just about right for us.

Being a little bit brave at the petting zoo

He was so excited to ride the rooster

Silly girls on the train

That's better



Mr. Conductor taking his job VERY seriously!
(He was pretty sad that the train wasn't running,
but he had a pretty good time climbing aboard
to check everything out.)