Tough stuff....

Being a mom is a wonderful thing. Our daughter brings me joy like nothing I've ever known.

But today was one of the hard days...

...unending piles of laundry
...deadlines
...too much to do, so little time
...a teething (again!) little girl
...who happens to be almost 21 months old
...and has her own opinion about things
...including what she does and does not want to eat for lunch
...that same little girl napped for barely an hour
...making for a sad, crabby baby and a sad, crabby mommy!
...and dear, sweet hubby wasn't home after work due to a meeting at church
...and dear, sweet hubby will be gone on a church retreat this weekend

Sigh.

This too shall pass....I'll take the good days with the bad....but I'm ready for this one to be over!

Knock, knock...who's there?

E has a new trick....knocking. She's been knocking on doors for a while now....probably because I have doors shut to the rooms in our home that I don't want her going into. She seems to think that if she knocks politely, she'll gain entry wherever she wants. (Not so, little one...)

Well now, when she wants a cup of milk, she knocks on the door to the fridge...good grief!

(Side note - E has figured out how to open the door to my home office...it has a "wigglier" knob that some of our other doors....but the baby gate in that doorway keeps that room sacred -- no pets, no babies! Mommies only! Whew!)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dear friend Amy - I love you!

Clean bill of health...

E finally got the "all clear" from the doctor today, after three back-to-back-to-back ear infections. I swear, the child had been congested since early October!

Between that and the relief of obtaining FIVE new teeth in the past week (molars are evil!), E is a happy, happy camper! Which means Mommy is too!

Future politician?...

Yesterday morning at breakfast, I was telling E that we were going to get ready to go to church.

She said... "to chu..ch?"

And I asked her..."What do we do at church?" (I was hoping she'd say 'prayers'...a new word for her....a side note: we call her 'the prayer police'....if we forget to bless our meal, she definitely reminds us...'prayers, mama!')

At any rate, instead of saying 'prayers', she held out her right hand, grabbed my right hand, and shook hands with me! Apparently her current impression of church is shaking hands with the pastors and other friends when we walk in -- something she's just recently mastered!

And of course, yesterday, she shook hands like a little pro, and was smiling and waving at everyone!

She's such a little mess! But a cute mess!

Carseat Cutie...

Yesterday, I got E buckled into her carseat for the 20 minute or so drive to my haircut appointment. After I got into the front seat and turned around to back out of the garage, I saw the little cutie all settled into her seat and looking like this:

What a doll! So sweet with her Snoopy book and sippy cup....

Bliss...

Yesterday during E's nap (it was a long one - hooray!) I tackled a pile of freelance work, then had a few moments to myself to look at the new V*ra Bradley catalog and a new magazine that came in the mail....while enjoying a cup of chai tea and a biscotti. What a treat!

Wordless Wednesday...

A few of my favorite things....

You know those simple little things that are a part of your every day life that you just can't imagine life without? Those wonderful little things that you adore...the love of which just makes you who YOU are?

For me, the list is endless....but a few of my current faves?

This wonderful gingerbread cleaner, which hubby picked up for me...

This adorable V*ra Bradley backpack, which sis in law picked up for me for Christmas...

And this heavenly chocolate, which hubby tucked in my Christmas stocking...YUM!

What are a few of your favorite things????

Sweet times with my girl....

This morning in between cleaning, laundry, playtime and other activities, I pulled E into my lap for some snuggle time. My sweet girl and I shared a banana for a snack and read a big lift the flap book (one of her favorites) about Noah and the ark.

Such sweet little moments....sweet times with my sweet girl.

Kids say the cutest things...

Before every meal, we've taught E to fold her hands while we say a version of the ever-popular "Come, Lord Jesus..." table prayer.

Recently, E figured out how to say "Amen."

Yesterday, she did it one better....after the prayer she said "Amen....bye-bye!"

Not sure what that is all about!

Bargain shopper....

My little E is a bargain shopper....she helped me "sort" coupons this morning before heading to our weekly grocery shopping trip....(hey, gotta start 'em early...)

Speaking of groceries, I was horrified to note that our local W*lmart is now selling organic milk for more than $7 per gallon. UGH! Grocery prices keep going up, and up, and up....

Organizationally obsessed...

A place for everything, and everything in its place....I will not pretend that my house is perfectly organized, perfectly clean or perfectly ready for a Martha walk-through or white glove test, but there are little things in my life that are so organized (all right, a bit obsessively so) that make me happy!





I adore paper products ... cards, notepads, sticky notes, patterned papers etc etc (we won't get started on my related love of office supplies and craft supplies, that is for another post...) But how does one keep paper products organized and easy-to-use?


Many years ago - before I ever saw something similar in the store - I created my own "greeting card file" using a few plastic shoe boxes and some marked index cards as dividers. I pick up all manner of greeting cards on clearance, on sale, or in random places and have them ready to go and at my fingertips in this nifty little file. I was feeling very smug and self-satisfied that I'd created something really smart -- until places like H*llmark actually started SELLING similar products to help keep you organized. I prefer my cheaper, much more flexible and adaptable version. It suits my needs.


My sweet husband and my dear mother both say that I am one of the last people on earth that loves written cards, thank you notes etc etc. While I do rely on e-cards and e-vites from time to time, I do adore "real" mail and the art of sending real correspondence.


It is a little OCD of me to have a card file? Probably....but it makes me happy and keeps me a little bit organized. Now, if the rest of the home office was only so tidy....hmmmm....

Mondays with Gramma...

My mom has a new arrangement with her boss this year -- same salary, fewer days of work per week (heaven knows she's worked there long enough, she deserves it!) So now, she's off on Mondays....and we're starting "Gramma Mondays". Some days, E and I will get together with Gramma and go shopping or out to lunch or just play, other Monday's Gramma and E will get to have time together while Mommy runs errands alone or gets some freelance work done. This is such a huge blessing and an exciting opportunity for all of us to have some girl time! What a wonderful gift!

So big....

It's official....E is not a baby anymore....she's a toddler....where has the time gone? She's grown so fast and learned so much in such a short time! Being a Momma is amazingly wonderful....but sometimes it's hard on the heart ... when you realize they grow SO fast!

Home Sweet Home...

We're back from a road trip to "do Christmas" with hubby's family and to visit my best friend and her family and see her new baby girl. Note to self: if at all possible, do NOT travel when your own baby girl has a double ear infection....you will not get much sleep and your baby will be miserable! We survived and it was great to see family and catch up with friends....but it feels good to be home.

We were blessed to meet our god-daughter and celebrate her baptism...

E thought the baby was so neat. She kept wanting to "pet" her and was saying "baby, baby, baby" over and over. So sweet!

At church on Sunday with my best friend and her family, I looked down the pew and had to smile....it was so neat to see all of our kids together and to share in such a time of togetherness. J and I both married great guys, we have beautiful children, we share a wonderful friendship and faith in a wonderful God. Such a blessing!

Wordless Wednesday...

Happy New Year!

For I know what I have planned for you,’ says the Lord.

‘I have plans to prosper you, not to harm you.

I have plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11