Installing the coping (that's the white trim around the edge) and the tile! 

The tile! 

The Magic of an Ordinary Day

Today was a good day for me. It started out by a lovely sleep-in - until 8:00! - and then a slow morning having breakfast with the kids, checking email, reading blogs, reading the newspaper - lovely, lovely. My wonderful husband found a website where I can get the last episode of Desperate Housewives, since when I went to watch it yesterday (after a horrible morning, it was to be my reward) and it only TiVoed half of it. Half! Serious bummer. So he's saved me again, and I just love him! I had lunch with a dear friend and her kids, and we had a nice chat. I got a new pink hat at Target for $8 (the sun is really bad for my skin, and I'm getting old enough (yikes) that I really should wear hats all the time) and then took Sally to her swim lesson. Samuel was really good and drew the whole time we were at the pool. The butterflies must be migrating through our community, because I saw dozens and dozens of butterflies flying northeast everywhere I went. It made the day seem magical somehow. Did you know that the butterfly is the oldest symbol of Easter? The caterpillar/cocoon/butterfly stages represents the life of Christ, the three days in the tomb, and then the resurrection. I pondered that as I watched them fly. Then we came home and played in the front yard, since the back is a mess. The dog is really grumpy being in the garage all day - he can't even be in the house because he barks non-stop at the workers, so he's been banished. He also hurt his leg - probably leaping up on the couch to better see the men he was barking at - and I think he's still mad at me for cutting all his hair off. He's just grumpy. So he barks and growls at all the neighbor kids and they think he's pretty horrible. They run and scream. Which makes him bark all the more. But I digress . . . The kids and I made pizzas for dinner (homemade, ala Uncle Jon - thanks!) and the smell is wafting through the house as I sit here and write this with a glass of wine in front of me. Yes, it's been a nice day. Thank you, God, for my family and for my life. Thank you for my daughter, who commented to me today, "Mom, I think God made the butterflies for me today, so they would fly by and make me happy." I think so, too.

Me and the kids waiting for a show. Sally's munching on the popcorn; Samuel's doing his smily face. 

My beautiful family at SeaWorld. We had a nice time - we love that place. 

My little goofballs, holding the stuffed animals that I bought for them (say it isn't so! yes, i admit it - i bought them stuffed animals. i am a hypocrite) that Sally is convinced that my dad brought to her, since she *knows* that he is the easter bunny. (i don't know how she knows, but she does. her mind is a steel trap - once she gets an idea in there, she'll never forget) My Easter highlight was when she thanked my mom for the great Easter gifts - yes, the ones that I bought! - and I couldn't say a thing because I don't want to ruin the childhood magic for her. 

Easter morning, gathering the chocolate eggs. 

The Latest Quizilla

Oh goodie! I wanted to be her!


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God Bless You

Happy Easter! He is risen - He is risen indeed!

A Mother's Choice

No mother should have to make this choice. I am amazed at the strength of these two women, and others like them, who are faced with this.
LA Times Article: Life or Death: Love's Choice

Conversations with my husband

How many couples have engaged in the following conversation this week?
Me: "Honey, just for the record, I never want to be starved."
Stuart: "Kay. Me too."
Me: "If I'm on a ventilator for a long period of time - like months - and there is little hope of me recovering, turn it off. But please do not starve me."
Stuart: "Yup. Got it."
Me: "And if my parents aren't ready to let me go, or if the kids are old enough to understand and they aren't ready, wait a little longer and help them say goodbye before you unplug me. Try for concensus. But don't starve me."
Stuart: "Yes dear, I understand."
Me: "And just so you know, I would never starve you. And I won't turn any machines off if your mom doesn't want me to, because you are her son, her baby. I could never do that."
Stuart: "Kay."
Me: "And -"
Stuart: "I got it!"

Psalm 43

Vindicate me, O God,
and plead my cause against an ungodly nation;
rescue me from deceitful and wicked men.
You are God my stronghold.
Why have you rejected me?
Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy?
Send forth your light and your truth, let them guide me;
let them bring me to your holy mountain,
to the place where you dwell.
Then will I go to the altar of God,
to God, my joy and my delight.
I will praise you with the harp, O God my God.
Why are you downcast, O my soul?
Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
for I will yet praise Him,
my Savior and my God.

Can't Say It Any Better

Like many Americans, I am saddened and horrified by what is happening to Terri Schiavo. Here are some good things to read, if you have the time:
Ben Stein's article in The American Spectator
The Anchoress - scroll down because she has lots to say and lots of links
Jaymarie's post on John 11
TheologyMom's post
There are more, always more, but I gotta go.
-----
Great article: Dehydration Nation by Wesley J. Smith

I believe that the small risk of getting sick from raw eggs is totally worth the joy of licking the bowl. (it was blueberry muffins, if you're wondering) 

Another view for you! 

For my DH :) 

Quote for the Day

"We accept that we don't know everything, even how we feel about our own lives sometimes. We find other people to enlighten us. We listen. And when we're ready, we talk." ~ Tyne Daly as Maxine Gray on Judging Amy (This is what I love about her character on the show - she's older, she's overweight, she has silver hair, she's cranky and mean sometimes, but she can be so wise and she's just wonderful and even if she's yelling at someone, somehow they know it's for their own good and they forgive her. And she does have the best lines.)

Kindergarten Wisdom

Yesterday, Sally looked at Samuel and said, "You get what you get; you don't throw a fit!" I asked her where she learned that, and she tossed her hair over her shoulder and said, "I don't know - I just said it." Later, she remembered that her teacher says it at school (thought so). Good stuff.

Spa! 

. . and after! I have a better 'after' picture, but I like this one because it shows the scale of the pool with the men working in it. 

During . . .  

Gunnite Day at our house. I think I counted three (or was it four?) trucks of sand on our street. 

Idol Rocked!

My wonderful husband and I sat down last night to enjoy our weekly addiction together - American Idol - and was it a great show! Everybody was so great, well, except Mikalah Gordon, who will be voted off soon. I still love Constantine Maroulis, who rocked that Partridge Family song - pure genius, man! My favorites are Carrie Underwood and Nadia Turner, who was a bit off last night - Cyndi Lauper was not a good choice for her - but who was the BEST last week. OK, I'm done.

Blog Trails

It seems my blogger friends have eased back on the posting. Some used to post several times a day, and now it looks like once or twice a week. It's actually nice, because I can do my blog circuit quickly since there are no new posts to read. So I've been following blog trails. Here's what happened: first I went to my dashboard to change some of my settings, and I found the Blogger Buzz blog, and I had to read that awhile, and then I found a link to Rosie O'Donnell's blog. Now, be warned, this is not cute, sweet, talk show Rosie, but this is real life, stream of consciousness no holds barred Rosie. So I had to snoop around there for a bit. I got to missing her, because I really loved her show, and I am still in a bit of denial that she is married to a woman, that she has a wife. I know it's selfish of me, but I want the fun Rosie that has a crush on Tom Cruise (and, while we are at it, I want the old Tom Cruise back, the one that was a good guy married to Nicole Kidman) and loves desserts and crafts. I guess I want the fake Rosie, and the real Rosie still kinda freaks me out. So after I snooped around her blog, I went to my friend Theology Mom's blog, and looked at her friend's blog, Hampson Baby. From there, I landed at TulipGirl's blog, who has some pretty interesting stuff. Since I'm not an attachment parenter (at least, in principal, I'm against the family bed . . . ) and since I'm a spanker and I was a scheduler, and I'm a pro-public school mom, I stopped reading when I got to the post where she kinda trashes those of us like me. It's funny - there are some people out there, those rare, intelligent, wonderful folks who can homeschool their kids and not make an issue of it, but most of the homeschoolers I've run across feel the need to justify themselves to whomever is listening, and even convince everyone out there that homeschooling is the best thing you can do for your kids, and spanking is about the worst. (homeschooling? how did I end up at homeschooling? wasn't I talking about blogging? yikes) Well, I know my blog is about my mommy thoughts, and that most of the time it's about cute stories from our family life, but I do have my little soapboxes here and there. It's a part of the job, too. But I hope that my soapboxes do not include these: "spanking - just do it"; "public schools are the best"; and "everyone should sleep in their own bed". OK, I am all for the last one, but if you've been reading me for awhile, you know that kids end up in our bed and we are too tired to move them back. My point is this: some parenting issues just don't need to be defended. You do what you do. Hopefully it's what works for your family and you and your spouse are in agreement. Just spare me the lecture. Well, have fun on my blog trail, if you choose to follow it. And if you have some serious free time, be sure to stop by Thunderstruck. He does some serious research!

Iris

I heard this song today and I like it all over again.

Iris ~ Goo Goo Dolls

And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
and sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

And you can't fight the tears that ain't coming
Or the moment of truth in your lies
When everything feels like the movies
Yeah, you bleed just to know you're alive

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I just want you to know who I am

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Sally came home from school yesterday with visions of little green men in her head. She had a handful of little shamrocks (the foil confetti kind) and she was certain that if she put it under her pillow, the leprechauns would come and turn them into gold. Well, I quickly tried to find some gold wrapped chocolate coins, but wouldn't you know, I couldn't. So I got some gold wrapped peanut butter cups (her favorite) and hid them around the house, since they would melt under her pillow (both the kids are little heaters). She awoke sad, rubbing her eyes and telling me that the leprechauns must have forgotten her. Her little face just lit up when I asked her if Daddy had given her candy last night. "It must have been THEM - these are GOLD!" Priceless. Just now, she swears she heard something, and she thinks a leprechaun is still in our house. She told me, "Let's make a trap for him! We'll need some screws. I think, maybe, seven screws."

Quote for the Day

"Do not keep the alabaster boxes of your love and friendship sealed up until your friends are dead. Fill their lives with sweetness. Speak approving, cheering words while their ears can hear them and while their hearts can be thrilled and made happier. The kind things you mean to say when they are gone, say before they go." ~ George William Childs

Storytime with Samuel

In addition to working on his discussion skills with the word "oh", Samuel has also started to tell stories. Here is his favorite - he's told this to me and to Stuart twice each in the past two days.

Samuel - (holding up his hand) "Hand. Dog."
Adult - "Did the dog hurt your hand?"
Samuel - "Teeth" (inserts hand into mouth and bites it) "Bite. Dog."
Adult - "Did the dog bite your hand*? Oh, poor Samuel, it must hurt!"
Samuel - "Ouch. Hand."

*No, the dog did not bite him. Our dog is an 'only dog', with two kids added after he was used to being an 'only dog'. He thinks the boy is a puppy to play with, and the dog uses his teeth to play. The boy loves this, and his lovely laughter only eggs the dog on. It's pretty funny, actually.

The other story of the day went like this. Samuel runs out of Sally's room, crying.
Mom - "What happened?"
Samuel - "Head. Hit." (he hits his head) "Ouch."
Mom - "You hurt your head? What happened?"
Samuel - "Hit. Saa-eee."
Sally - (running out of her room) "I DID NOT HIT HIM!"
Mom - thinks to herself, Oh dear.

The Monkey Children

Sally and Samuel have discovered a new game - hanging from the bunk bed. They are quite entertaining - much like the monkeys at the zoo.

I love this shot. 

Hanging out. 

Facts That May Be Useful To You

*It is possible to be shocked by a fluorescent light bulb. (my DH's comment? "Huh, . . . I guess you can shock yourself" My comments, however, are not fit for publication)

*In strong wind, remove the safety flag from the stroller. (yep, it hit me in the face)

*Do not let a 21-month old use a pooper scooper. (well, duh)

Fun at the Dentist

Sally and I went to the dentist yesterday. It was her first trip. I'm happy to report that she has no cavities, and although her adult teeth look gigantic to me, the dentist assures me they are normal size. During a lull in the conversation, Sally announces to the dentist, "Every time I read "Go Dog Go" to my mom, she falls asleep. It's like magic!" Hello, Dr. Dentist, meet Random Girl! (She also bit the technician taking her x-rays, but it was partly his fault because he did tell her to bite down. After that, it was "OK, bite down slowly, slower, slower, OK stop, OK a little more . . . ")

The Grocery Game

This last week was my best yet: spent $91.37, saved $98.61! I even bought steaks, a pot roast, and two gallons of milk - none of them I had coupons for! However, three items I wanted were all sold out, so I've decided that I must go grocery shopping on Sunday night after the kids are in bed. Hopefully I'll be able to go faster and not miss out on any deals. But I'll have to watch my Desperate Housewives on Monday morning, so don't tell me what happens!!!

Here's the latest of the addition. We're getting close! 

Here's the back - they are doing the plumbing now. 

The mess increases! This is the small trench dug to our gas meter. It goes all the way to the back yard. 

Victory is near!

Samuel just fell asleep for his nap - in the bunk bed! I didn't even stay and help! I fully expected that he would walk out, I would put him in the crib, and he would scream at the injustice for ten minutes. He's asleep! What an angel! (for now . . . )

Drumroll please . . .

I've gone and done it. My love of reading has taken over this blog too much, so I've decided to make a new blog just for the book stuff. There's some changes on the sidebar here, a few new things, and a link to my new blog, Sheila's Bookshelf. Enjoy!

Math IS fun!

You can learn alot from those jokey emails that people forward to you. Today, I learned that:

111,111,111 x 111,111,111 = 12,345,678,987,654,321

Isn't that amazing and beautiful?! And to think, me, a math major and math teacher, never came across that little gem. Thank you, Aunt Chris!

He Strikes Again!

I was planning on BBQing a steak for dinner tonight. I went to turn on the BBQ and saw that it was on high. The gas tank was on empty. Stuart and I cook on low, so neither one of us could have left it on. Grrrr.

Conversations with Samuel

Samuel has learned the word "oh." It was cute for awhile, but after a few conversations like the following we had yesterday, I just want to hit my head against a wall.

Samuel: "Saa-eee, whereisshe?"
Me: "Sally is at school."
Samuel: "Oh."
Me: "Time to go! Let's go get Sally!"
Samuel: "Whereisshe? Saa-eee?"
Me: "She's at school."
Samuel: "Oh."
We walk to the door, getting jackets and keys.
Samuel: "Saa-eee, whereisshe?"
Me: "At school! We'll go get her!"
Samuel: "Oh."
We get in the car. I start driving.
Samuel: "Whereisshe?"
Me: "AT SCHOOL!"
Samuel: "Oh."
We arrive at school and wait by the gate.
Samuel: "Saa-eee, whereisshe?"
Me: "She's coming - we'll wait for her here."
Samuel: "Oh."
The Other Moms At School: "He's so cute! He's talking so much!"
Me, thinking to myself: Yeah. Cute.


He also uses "oh" to get out of trouble. In these conversations, he says it like I've just revealed a great mystery, as in "Oh! Now I get it!"

Me: "Samuel, don't hit your sister! It's not nice!"
Samuel: "Oh!"

Me: "Samuel, don't throw the trains! It's not allowed!"
Samuel: "Oh!"

Me: "Samuel, please don't rub the pizza in your hair. Eat the pizza!"
Samuel: "Oh!"

Yeah. He's cute all right.

Pool update. Things stopped for the rain on Thursday and Friday, but today the men are working again - plumbing and gas lines. 

Such a nice surprise! My wonderful motherinlaw sent me these beautiful flowers to cheer me up! Aren't I the luckiest girl in the world? 

Evidence. 

"Oh, no, Samuel, what have you done to the butter? Sheila, quick, take a picture - you have to post this for my mom!" - Stuart 

Spilled Milk

Last night, I literally cried over spilled milk. It wasn't really the milk, it was just the last straw of a very long week, and I needed a good cry to let it all out. I think I scared my DH a bit, though, since I'm not the prone-to-tears sort of gal. At least I had the sense to send the kids to their rooms before I started. And I didn't yell about the milk - it really was an accident.

Samuel's feeling much much better. We are so thankful that those hives are gone! 

Neener neener, the top bunk rules!