Oh, Sunday, Thou Day of Rest

I really wonder what God meant when he said, “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.”  I mean, it wasn’t a suggestion out of the praises of David, “Psalms 174:23: I praise you Lord for you created Sundays which are my holy day and also my nap day.”  Nope, it is right there in the 10 Commandments.  #4 even – not lowly #10, not part of the amendments, smack dab in the middle of the list.

Holy:

1. consecrated: dedicated or set apart for religious purposes
2. saintly: devoted to the service of God, a god, or a goddess
3. sacred: relating to, belonging to, or coming from a divine being or power

(I like how #2 lists God with a capital, and then “a god…” because we all know there is One God and then we fight our tendencies to have many other gods.  Enjoy how that is pointed out here.)

Trying to get back in the swing of how to run this fine oiled machine means Sunday brings a day of weekly prep work.  Is a spending spree at Costco holy?  Is prepping and freezing meals for the upcoming weeks holy?  Is surfing Pinterest for new recipes and then getting sidetracked on Facebook holy?  None of these things are for religious purposes.  But I do have to feed my family and M-F don’t always have time in them to make a meal.

So what does this command mean in 2013?  I don’t even know.

The one thing we hold tight to on Sunday is that we go to church.  If we are home, it is a priority.  My kids still ask Saturday night, “are we going to church tomorrow?”  As if it is an optional thing.  Of course we are going.  We set apart two hours every Sunday and dedicate them to religious purposes.  How is that for following the commandment? 

Yesterday, I even went all Old School and wore a dress to church.  I must look like a total pig every other Sunday because I had more people comment on the fact that I was wearing a dress.  We don’t even go to a church that cares at all what I am wearing (within reason, of course – bikini top, no – swimsuit under a dress, yes I have done that – a smart girl is always prepared for an afternoon of boating.)  So when people noted my dress, I was pretty impressed with myself for making the effort.   My grandpa, who never let go of the “good ole years” when women didn’t wear anything but dresses, would have been so proud of me. 

Pride comes before a fall.  I was holding my sweet baby Alice (who I steal from mom and dad as often as I can) during worship.  We have a sweet connection, she and I.  I cant even explain it, but it is a God thing.  I hold her and pray over her and sing worship songs while she listens and isn’t old enough to understand I am not a good singer, or maybe she is but she doesn’t talk yet so she can’t tell me to pipe down, or that I am ruining her worship experience.   When we all sat down for announcements, I happily plunked her down on my lap – me in my dress, her in her dress.  (I called her up and told her to wear her pink and white striped dress so we could be all matchy matchy buddies.) And then she peed on me.  Yep.  Right there on my leg.  Peed.  On my dress.  Flooded the diaper and peed on me.  This is why I don’t dress up for church.  Why bother. 

But I continued to wear that dress for our Costco run because it was hot and the pee dried quickly.  And it is just baby pee, not like old person pee, which would require a change of clothing.  I wore that pee dress home like a boss, and then ran a load of laundry.  Is laundry ok on a Sunday?  Is laundry holy?  I didn’t iron it, so I did draw the line somewhere.  I drew it at “jobs I detest thus are not holy.”

I just don’t know if God intended us to take Sunday off from household work.  If he did, I really have to add more hours to the other days of the week, or I am in big trouble.   So what am I getting at today?  What is my point? I have no idea.

My Random Questions

JP and the XC team run their first meet this Saturday.  It is supposed to be 95 degrees.  At what temp is it too hot to run?  I think –30 is the answer for me.

On that same topic.  How many times can JP go through the school lunch line per day to get enough calories to support running XC after school before someone in the government is on to him? 

Will I look like a freak if I sew in the waiting room while my girls are getting sealants put on their molars today?  I think not.  I think I will look like a genius.

Is 8:30 AM Minecraft as good as 10:30 PM Minecraft?  Especially when you talk to your friends on Live like you are Forrest Gump?  Yeah, JP, I can hear you up here.

What am I going to wear the first day of school?  I wonder if my acceptable capris are too tight or if I am forced to wear my sweat pant capris, will anyone notice?

Why do I have a feeling of doom looming over me?  See pie chart for answer:

How can I get back into the groove of school while still keeping 10:35 Big Bang Theory on my daily checklist?

Will the part Bill is ordering to fix my swamped van work in time to save me from the stench that is soggy wet carpet meeting 90 degree days?  I think not.  The box fan runneth in my van.  Can we revisit the conversation about how my van is draining my contentment level one issue at a time?

Will someone come in an do all the chores I avoided this summer – like organize my whole house and load my freezer with meals for our busy school nights?  And do it for free as a show of love and a servant’s heart?

Sheyenne back to school night is tonight – will the kids make fun of me, shove me in a locker, or push my head into a toilet just because I am smarter than all of them?  Or is that just on Disney?

Are people in the world outside my bubble as vulgar as Pinterest makes them out to be?  Is the F-word that common place in everyday vocab now?

How long can I procrastinate getting showered before we run late for that dentist appointment?

Shout outs!

This one is for the world’s greatest music teacher, and everyone who really knows me knows that I suffer from early stages of hearing loss thanks to my love of loud music – never grew out of that – I truly appreciate music.  I get to spend my school year with her, but in the summer, I have withdrawals.  (side note, I have never used the word “withdrawals” but I guess it is a real word because spell check doesn’t like withdrawls, which I think it should be.)

Also, a shout out to my childhood (and still now) sister-friend’s new bestie.  I hear she reads my blog.  I am good with my sister-friend having friends as an adult but this new bestie just needs to remember that “friend” does not equal “sister-friend” and as long as she knows that, I am all good with the arrangement.  Yes, KF, I am talking to you!!!!

And on that note, I have an adult bestie too.  And I have avoided conversing about her horrible decision, but I am working through it.  She has been my other half at work now for 4 years.  I think of her as my work wife, sorta, in an ok kind of way.   She went and got all educated so now she has to leave me and go to student teach elsewhere.  Word for you, Jen: you and I can NEVER be teacher/para in the same classroom because the kids would come out all way too awesome.  And sassy.

And one last shout out today.  It is almost June, which means I am either supposed to be packing up to fly out to Oregon to see my cousin, or, because I couldn’t force it to work thanks to four kids I have to raise and who’s schedules sometimes outrank my desires, she is supposed to be coming this way.  I don’t see concrete plans for either of those things happening.  So this last shout out might be more of a call out because HELLO, what is the plan!!!!?????  I can’t go much longer not knowing.  And because I think you are ignoring the need to decide, I am posting this funny picture that makes neither of us look good.  Take that!  I have way worse I could post if you don’t get your act together!

 

And one last shot that I found while looking for the above photo:

It has nothing to do with anything.  I love summer.

A Lot of White

I sent JP out with the camera today to capture some shots of the yard.  It is time to begin planning my spring project – foundation landscaping.  This was try #1, granted, we are in a blizzard warning, but it seemed like a few details were missing.

So back out he went with a slightly different camera setting. 

I can’t wait to host patio dinners right here, where our table goes:

We will be digging out the plants here in the front of our home and replacing them with new.  Probably time to start digging.  (No need to feed birds, they haven’t come back yet.)

The time is coming to cozy up on the patio love seat.

Nothing says, “Welcome to our home” like a lovely drift.

Curly found a treasure as well.   Almost looks like she is packing heat, of course heat would be welcome this time of year.

It was yet another snow day Monday around here…ho hum. 

I baked bread (for real) and am about to attempt a new-to-me food – Bok Choy.  I was told that I no longer make anything good around here now that everything is healthy and the kids are sick of eating the alternative PB&J.  Booohoooo, you poor spoiled children.  I am making them homemade pizza so the whining will end.  I just want to grill again, but that would need to go right here:

Last year at this time, it was 76 degrees.  Just sayin’.

Eye of the Storms

Blizzards at DQ are buy one get one for 99 cents right now – Just like our weather pattern.  Yesterday, winter weather – Sunday another storm coming, thrown in for free.

Last night, JP ran in his first ever varsity track meet.   The result wasn’t what we were hoping for; after finishing his mile run, he found us to tell us he didn’t feel so well and then puked.  Not on us, not near us – he made it to a bathroom.  Then he didn’t run his other race, so we stayed and cheered all the other “kids” that we know.  Some of these “kids” are starting to look like men and women more than kids.  YIKES!  It was a great time.  Getting there and home was another story.

I left here at 4:18 after the bus bringing the triplets home from school finally got home – late.  I was slightly concerned since the roads were kinda bad; my concern was just.  I pulled up to the stop sign where our street empties onto the county road, me and my awesome minivan.  I had to stop for traffic and thus, when I finally could go, I sat there with wheels spinning.  No big deal, I could back up and take a run for it except for the fact that two cars had decided pulling right up onto my butt was a good idea.  While I was sitting there, a girl pulled onto our street and also got stuck.  She was spinning going DOWN the incline.  I got out of my van after watching her to see if she needed help – about then, she rocked her car enough to get out of the snow she was hung up in but she rolled down her window and sweetly asked me if I was ok.

My answer,  “I would be if these two (*@#($*)@#*$& cars would back up so I could too.”  No, I didn’t – I didn’t say exactly what I was thinking, I left off the (*@#($*)@#*$& – sometimes, I can do that.

And I went to the cars to tell them I wasn’t moving until they did.  And surprise, each car held a young college-age type guy who had so wonderfully sat in his car, probably texting someone about the stupid minivan stuck in front of him, and watched two women get stuck and come to the aid of each other while they did nothing.  I kinda gave them each a piece of my mind in a very kind and maternal ND way.  And they backed up.  And I got out.  And when I told JP about my trek to his meet, I taught him to never be so blasted stupid and selfish that two women out serve him in that capacity.  He assured me he would have been out helping if he was there.

Then I sped crazily down the road, topping out about 25 MPH,  white knuckling it all the way to the parking lot at Microsoft where I climbed in Bill’s four wheel drive at 4:53 (typically an 8 minute drive) and thanked God that I had made it down the iced roads, unlike the few I had seen whip 180’s and land in ditches along the way.  All because I wanted to see JP run like the wind, or as was the case last night, run like a sea lion on grease and then lay on the floor of the Fieldhouse like road kill.  Way to set the bar low – there is only one way to go this season.

I decided I am done being a van driver – I am through that stage in life.  I generally don’t haul kids anymore and when I do, I haul few enough for a smaller vehicle.  I am thinking it is time for my corvette.  Just sayin’.  If I would have been stuck in a corvette, those guys would have helped me.

Today, my spring-crazy self drove my van back up those icy roads to DSW – sometimes a girl needs new shoes.

Please, Winter, Go AWAY!

Recipes we have made and devoured too quickly to take photos of lately:

Chicken Fried Rice

Chicken Enchiladas

I am in the dull drums of winter and quite frankly my dear, I don’t give a rip about much…just trying to ride out the month of March without losing my mind. 

I liked last spring when it was warm early and the snow was not here anymore except for the piles left over from the one time parking lots had to plow.  This spring, the forecast looks more like more of the same ole January February crap.

We may have 3-5 inches of snow somewhere in the Valley this Friday.  We are in a no-driving-recommended kind of warning, but guess what?  I drove to McDonalds and had a cheeseburger and small fries because I wanted to.

I am sick of hoodies used as daily wear, not something thrown on for a cool evening.  I am sick of my new Columbia jacket.  I am sick of white.  I am sick of worrying that JP will make the drive to school without hitting the ditch.  I am sick of hot dishes.  I am sick of being indoors.  I am sick of socks.  I am sick of the smell of boots and mittens.  I am sick of winter recess duty.  I am sick of waiting.

Ecclesiastes 3, my version today…

1There is an appointed time for everything.  And there is a time for every event under heaven— 
2A time to give birth to patio party planning and a time to die (like anything shows life this time of year);
  A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.  Plant your veggie seeds indoors about now if you have any hope of a harvest, the growing season is looking mighty short.
3A time to kill your ideas of warm track meets and a time to heal, except this winter’s cold season never seems to go away, so healing will have to wait until you can open windows, which seems to be a good month or two away.
  A time to tear down the snow drifts and a time to build up the landscaping project waiting for the snow to melt;
4A time to weep for all you long for and a time to laugh at those around you who suffer in the same manner;
  A time to mourn the loss of sanity and a time to dance in the rain (again, gonna have to wait for that one.)
5A time to throw stones in puddles and a time to gather stones, not snowballs;
  A time to embrace warm and a time to shun embracing winter.
6A time to search for a sign of things growing outside and a time to give up as lost (like right now);
  A time to keep spring clothes and a time to throw away all the sweaters you didn’t wear this winter – if you haven’t warn them this long winter, you never will.
7A time to tear apart closets for spring cleaning and a time to sew together picnic blankets;
  A time to be silent and nap until March and half of April are over and a time to speak up about how much SAD sucks.
8A time to love snow (Christmas) and a time to hate it (Mid-January until gone);
  A time for war on winter and a time for peace AKA spring.

I hope God doesn’t mind that He and I are not sharing the same thoughts on weather patterns.

Today, I tried to Kill Her Off

So, I work at a school.  This is not breaking news.  I am not allowed to carry weapons to protect myself from bad guys.  Again, not breaking news.  I went to the dentist today, and although that IS breaking news, it has nothing to do with my story.

My bestie Jen and I had set out on a recon mission.  I had much needed supplies in the back of my van and the two of us were ready to carry them in.   Who knew it was like her death row walk?  If we would have known that, we would have held hands and shared some M&M’s.  (We are like that.)  I would have promised to take care of her children, plant flowers at her house this spring, and all that last-minutes-of-life type of stuff.

We stepped outside the back door where my van was parked.  I pushed the unlock button and then the button to make the rear lift gate go up.  While doing so, I carefully mentioned, “Hey, stand back.  The hydraulics of this thing don’t always work right.”  Kids these days just don’t listen.

I guess when the lift went all the way up, she assumed it meant it was working so she started to move it, ducking down a bit to grab stuff out of the back.  Well, much to her surprise, lifting up isn’t the problem my persnickety lift has.  Nope, it goes up no problemo, it just promptly slams right back down.  Right back to where her head was – her head moving toward van slammed by lift coming down = KA POW!!! And before I knew what had happened, she flew about 6 feet in the air and was on her back, hand on head, moaning.  I just stood there, wondering, “Did she just fly?  Is she a superhero and never told me?”  I busted out in laughter, couldn’t help myself.  That is the kind of friend I am. 

I laughed and laughed.  Seriously laughed until I was coughing my lungs up (because it is cold out there, remember.)  She got up and asked, “Did anyone see that happen?”  So I wrongfully assumed she was just fine, because that question was so legit.   It would have been one of the AFV videos that made you laugh and laugh and also say, “Ohhhhh, that had to hurt!”  And then laugh some more, and that is what I did.  Laugh, laugh, laugh.  Kids asked me what I was laughing at, and I had to tell them I was laughing at something funny I was thinking about, not them.

We threw a party this afternoon.  I mean, learning your friend is Chuck Norris-like is worthy of a party.  We invited some friends and played an awesome game of keep it up with a balloon.

We party hard, especially after Chuck-Norris lady takes on a minivan and wins. 

Every so often, we took a break to check her eyes with the flashlight.

And then we decided that if a bad guy comes into the building, I will simply ask him to help me carry something in from my van, and then take him out with my rear lift gate. 

Interstate

The alarm went off at 6:00 AM.  I hit snooze.  I don’t do 6:00 AM well, not at all if given the choice.  But I had no choice.  Stumbling through the getting ready part of the morning routine, I dreaded the long drive I would be making alone. 

Where you think you’re going, baby?

I loaded my things into Goldie, including my Zune which had been reloaded the night before.  Kissing Bill and the kids good-bye for a couple days away from them is always hard, but I forced myself into the car and backed it out of the safety of the garage.  I got my sunglasses ready, knowing I would be driving straight into the sun as it rose over the highway, heading east/southeast for hours.

So Get In The Car
We Can Ride it
Wherever You Want
Get Inside it

 

After clearing the city, I joined a few other travelers on the interstate.  Not too many fellow vehicles joined my journey that morning.  Soon, my favorite radio stations started to get fuzzy and I reached for my Zune.  It was about 7:30 AM and I was starting to wake up as I smiled and loaded a little dance mix.

Generally, my driving consists of shufflin’ kids to all the needed places.

Everyday I’m shufflin’

But this morning, I had the road, the car, and the stereo all to myself.  I pushed play and turned it up.  And I turned it up more.  And I cranked the bass until the rear view mirror vibrated with the pulse of the song.  I cracked a smile as I listened to music I won’t listen to with my kids and hub in the car.

It wasn’t long before my feet were tappin’ and the shoulders were doing a little shimmy. 

Get up, get down, put your hands up to the sound

Oh, that’s right, I couldn’t, I had to steer.  But the music was calling my name and my whole self was movin’ before long.

Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm

I was drumming and singing at the top of my lungs, making up words when I didn’t know them, smiling, laughing.  I am sure the whole car pulsated down the road. 

Once in a while, someone would pass me and I would, for a moment, freeze and act all mature, sometimes even turning it down quick-like, so the other driver couldn’t figure out where those dang thugs with the blaring radio were.

Can’t read my,
Can’t read my
No he can’t read-a my poker face

And then when the coast was clear, I would crank it back up.  Go ahead and make fun of me – but I wont apologize because I was born this way.

I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way.

Music has a funny way of staying with a person long after it is shut off and so many other things occur.  I woke up this morning thinking about all my options for the floor.

I could

…get on the floor

…step on the floor

…tear up the floor

…work on the floor

…clap my hands on the floor

…rock it up on the floor

…kill it on the floor

…steal it quick on the floor

but I think I choose

…stay young on the floor.

Great Stuff from Middle School Days

Q.  What is deductive reasoning?  A.  “Boring stuff.”  — Girls studying for Math Test

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For World Geography, my girls brought home a work sheet that would help calculate our family’s ecological footprint.  Questions included:

What is the square footage of our home?

How much have we spent this month on items not needed for survival?

How many cars?  What years? How many miles per week per?

My answers:  Some days, this house is too big (like when I have to clean it) and some days, it is too small (like when I want to host a state dinner.)  It is bigger than many and smaller than most my neighbors.  Now ask me about garage space. 

How much have we spent this month?  Uh, we got a car, which wont look good for the car question either.  How much is needed for survival?  On a day like today, Coke, Doritos and M&M’s are needed, don’t you dare question my shopping patterns.  Especially when I am about to spend the weekend shopping in the cities.

Cars?  HAHAHAHAHA – we just became a 3-car family, we are horrible people like that.  Wasting the natural resources of the middle east.  Driving them wherever we want, whenever we want.  Dumping gas into them like water flowing from Niagara Falls.  One of them is even a large SUV.  Gasp.  But hey – at least we aren’t a four-member family driving around in it.  We often fill it to overflowing.

On a positive note for the conservationists out there, we do put stuff in our recycling can.

Is any of this anyone’s business?

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In another class, the teacher told everyone how triplets used to be rare but are now more and more common because woman are using shots these days (as quoted by Crazy Man.)  Crazy Man had great joy in announcing he was a triplet to the whole class – they really like finding special moments to share that info.  So then, the triplets wanted to know if they were “natural” or “shot” babies.  Uh, that is one sickly simplified list of options. 

How were my triplets conceived?  Whahooo, uh, how were your babies conceived and do we really want to discuss this in middle school?  I think most of them know how this all works.  What else do you want to know about our personal life?

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Yup, today sucked, and my butt hurts so don’t mess with me.  What?  My butt, specifically my left butt cheek.  Thanks, hip flexor and IT band.  I love how you make me feel today…crabby.  

And not in the mood for math homework. 

If IT + HF = PITB, I have to go ice my butt.  Just gonna go chill now.

My favorite two pins of the day

Seriously, these two were right by each other today:

I have always wondered what loosing a job would be like.

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