The Road Not Taken

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Two roads diverged in a yellow wood, And sorry I could not travel both And be one traveler, long I stood And looked down one as far as I could To where it bent in the undergrowth; Then took the other, as just as fair, And having perhaps the better claim Because it was grassy and wanted wear, Though as for that the passing there Had worn them really about the same, And both that morning equally lay In leaves no step had trodden black. Oh, I marked the first for another day! Yet knowing how way leads on to way I doubted if I should ever come back. I shall be telling this with a sigh Somewhere ages and ages hence: Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost

I took the kids to the butterfly festival at the Chattahoochee Nature Center a few days ago. Once we got there---they had a blast. Even with grumpy Zander....it didn't take long for him to be in his element and love every minute of it.

But as I watched my sweet kids, I also noticed (for the 100th time) how different they are. Zan is the rule follower. He wants to check things out before he goes on ahead. Kaya, well she has a spirit of her own. Why would you worry about going on a path? Yes, there is a paved path but there is a whole world of adventure ahead!

She cannot resist a path. Even a less-traveled one. If there is a path to go somewhere she WILL take it. No matter if it is against the rules!

I finally made her stop taking the undiscovered paths. Just because the only way to get out of the last one was to climb a fence.
You can tell how happy she was with that decision.

I hope she keeps that spirit. I hope she wants to trek forward no matter what. So what if there is a fence to climb over? I hope and pray she still wants to go and overcome whatever she comes her way.

Trek forward sweet little girl. Take that path less taken---it will make a world of difference.

the joy of friends

My insides are churning. I'm a nervous wreck. Court awaits me and I don't know what to expect & am uncertain about the certain changes that will happen. Soon. Very soon.

So I call some of my closest friends. I am so lucky. So lucky that I have a handful of girls that would fight to the ends of the earth for me. Yes me, little old me. That makes me so grateful. They seem like little angels of encouragement.

And one of those dear friends says something to me that was the most incredible compliment I have ever heard.

"You know they were talking today at church about joyfulness. About people finding joy in everything. And I kept thinking of you. You are always joyful, joyful, joyful no matter what- even with all of the terrible things that have happened to you." I started crying immediately---tears of joys, I suppose. That comment hit home with me because it felt so true. And it made me even more joyful to have a friend that knew that about me--I've been smiling ever since.

It was just the cup of "joyfulness" I needed.

After you read this, count your blessings. I bet you can find joy in all of the great things in your life too. I'm counting mine tonight. No matter what happens in my life I know I will have wonderful friends that always bring me joy.

the gift of grace

There is one week of the year that I always look forward to. Bible school in Kentucky! It brings back so many great memories and is such a cherished time with family. My kids wait for it year-round and can't wait to go get spoiled by their grandparents and of course see "Bible-School Kim", my cousin who has been known by that name since the first time the kids went four years ago!

But this summer I have felt overwhelmed. Today I was trying to figure out our crafts and special music--and yes, it begins in two days. I was driving back from Chattanooga tonight feeling like maybe I wasn't spiritually worthy to be in charge of crafts and music.

But being alone in my mini-van also made me alone with my thoughts and talks with God. I could actually feel Him telling me "Are you really going to be that ungrateful?"

Me. Ungrateful? What??? I am constantly pushing stumbling blocks from my life out of the way lately. I never thought this would be my life at 34 years old. I never thought I would be ending a marriage and figuring out how to live as myself again. When friends ask, "How do you stay so strong?" I answer with conviction, "With God. I've prayed more in the past 6 months than in my entirety of my life." So how would I seem ungrateful?

Because some part of me keeps forgetting to be a gracious recipient of His grace. I started thinking, yeah...how would I feel if I gave my kids a gift that cost me everything and they constantly refused it saying, "I'm not worthy of that gift", "I should have been a better child yesterday", "I need to stay focused on what you want me to do, Mom".

Yep. It would devastate me.

So I'm taking the gift of grace with glee and enthusiasm. I will be grateful. It was given to me and I'm going to use it during my times of frustration. I'm going to use it when I criticize myself for my attitude or actions of the day. I'm going to use it to forgive myself and to forgive others. I mean, that is what it is there for.

I may not have the perfect music or the most dazzling crafts for Bible school this year. But I do have a gift that means so much more. My heart will be filled with grace and love & hopefully the kids will see how much that really means.

s.u.p.e.r.m.o.m.

Maybe it is the cold weather. Maybe it is the sickness that keeps creeping in my house. Maybe it is too many years of staying-at-home. Whatever it is, my mood the past few weeks has been funky---not super. Which got me to thinking, "If I were a supermom, what would I do?"

S--Shower daily. ALONE. Supermom would have her beautiful children engaged in some enlightening, educational activity while she had her daily shower. She would not turn on a show and say "Watch this!" and then be interrupted mid-shampoo because someone needed help wiping.

U--Use time wisely. Supermom would have an organized planned day. She would go forward with her errands and life with such ease. She would not waste time by forgetting where she put something (so she would remember where she put it). She also wouldn't escape her plans by checking facebook 3 (okay 7) times a day just to see what the rest of the world was up to.

P--Pray for Patience. Supermom would remember to say a prayer of serenity each morning right before she stretched up to welcome the glorious morning. She would not stumble out of bed, with the goal to make that coffee as fast as she can. She would deal with whiny baby-talk and wash the vomit-filled sheets with a sparkling smile.

E--Exercise. Supermom would exercise faithfully and be full of energy. She would not think, "Oh, snuggling with Kaya so she will take a nap is so much healthier for me."

R--Read. Supermom would read to her kids at least 20 minutes each day. She would also read for her own pleasure. Okay----check!! I am Super in that area.

M-Memory. Supermom would remember everything. She would not forget to send in field-trip money on time. She also would remember where she put that list she made to help her remember what she needed to do.

O--Only speak with a calming voice. Supermom would speak calmly when correcting those adorable children of hers. She wouldn't want to melt into the floor when her kids were out of control.

M--Maid. Supermom would have a full time maid. Enough said.

the chore store

This morning, as I checked emails, facebook posts (because that is a necessity), and downed my coffee---I heard Kaya in the pantry scratching around. She had spilled some cereal and told me she needed to "broom up and mop up her mess."When I saw her, I remembered how much I love our new plan of action---The Chore Store.

I started this at the beginning of the year because I was sick and tired of doing everything around the house. I had used chore charts before (including the one below) but start losing enthusiasm.....don't follow through.....and my kids of course, followed my lead.

But I was done. An enthusiastic housekeeper, I am not. And an enthusiastic housekeeper who was beginning to feel like a maid picking up after everyone, I definitely am not.

So The Chore Store was created.

Each week we decide on chores Zander and Kaya can help with. When they complete the chore the get a penny to put in their Chore Store Jar. If they initiate helping on their own they get a nickel----and I praise them with huge enthusiasm! Whatever works...my house is slowly becoming less of a cluttered disaster..

They love getting their money! Once a week, they can shop at the Chore Store. Amazingly, they stay out of it. They do remember the rule: The store is only open in the Living Room, when mom opens it. It stays in a kitchen corner when it is closed.

There are 3 drawers in the "store". They can purchase items for 10 cents, 25 cents, or 50 cents. I haven't had to purchase anything yet to stock the store.....I found all of the treasures in closets, forgotten boxes, my purse....So this has been great at getting me to sort through some clutter in the house too!

This is great for helping them get some sort of money sense. It is almost impossible to get 50 cents in a week so they have to make a choice: spend now or save. I am so impressed that they do want to save sometimes! Of course, they are 4 and 5, and sometimes instant gratification is what they are looking for!

After many attempts at keeping some order and trying to install some family responsibility, this seems to work for us! And I've stuck with it for longer than two weeks.....so proud of myself! Maybe I should get to shop in the chore store....

Do you have a chore plan you use? I'd love to hear what works for you!

just a reminder

This morning was one of those mornings where I woke up about an hour before I needed to and thought I'll just get up. My plan was to clean some of the files off of the computer so it can work a little faster and I can read email once again.

I first took a glance at some of my old pictures and found this picture taken exactly a year ago today...

My sweet little boy. Helping without complaining. Ask and he will nicely do---

Boy, I needed that reminder. Because fast-forward to now and YIKES!!! My prayer each day now as I get him ready for school: Please God, give me the patience and strength not to slap that smart mouth. So far, the prayer has worked.....but barely....

Thank goodness he doesn't act like that at school yet. But boy, I have to nip this attitude-thing or I'm afraid he will. Kaya and I will be having a perfect day and he comes in the door and lets us know how much he doesn't like us, how everything is so stupid, how his life is just so horrible.... I feel so privileged that he saves his obnoxious behavior for us at home.

I have ordered the book Have You Filled Your Bucket Today? that a friend suggested and it can not get here soon enough. I just want my sweet child back. I want my child back that realizes that people don't want to be around him when he complains about everything, makes ugly faces at everyone, and just acts like a jerk to those who love him the most.

Until then, I will look at these pictures that seem so sweet. To remind myself-----he CAN be kind, he WILL be kind, and this too MUST pass.

be still and know that I am

Each year I make tons of resolutions.....a new year is time to get started on a bigger, better me. Like most everyone I'm pretty good at keeping them.....for the first week or so. I am usually still running on adrenaline after prepping & carrying out all of the duties for the holiday season.

But this year, God had other plans.

Of course I volunteered to be room mom for Z's class. Of course I was planning a special holiday party. Of course I took pictures and bought 120 Christmas cards to send out. Of course I was going to make a million cookies for everyone I knew. Of course we were going to have the picture-perfect Christmas.

And then of course, I got the flu.

I'm not talking a simple cough with a low-grade fever. I'm talking high fever for several days, chest congestion and wheezing, a headache so bad it hurt to blink my eyelids. And it would be way too easy for just I to get it---the kids had to get sick also. I was dreading the call to my mom to tell her we couldn't come up for Christmas....but she beat me to the punch and called to say she had the flu.

So everything I had planned.....immediately stopped. But I did get a crash course in prayer and meditation. What else was I going to do? Well besides play Bejeweled Blitz, Fluffy, and Cafe World on Facebook.

I've had a rough year. An emotionally draining year---maybe one day I'll have the heart and bravery to blog about it, but not today---but I made it through. But I never really took the time to be still----and listen----to what God has to tell me.

God told me all right. Be STILL and KNOW that I AM. Everything will be okay. Just look, your presents were delivered late. Your Christmas cards still aren't finished. Yes, you are behind with your Usborne business. You still have not shampooed the carpets. You did not read all of those books to the kids you were planning to read. You have 700 emails to sort through.

But everything is fine. It is okay. Be still.

So instead of making a spreadsheet of things to accomplish, planning a monthly menu, developing a fitness plan, or promising to do something every day: I will be still. Every morning. And focus on what God wants be to do for the day. And if I can't figure out what He wants, I will just enjoy the moment and the life I live.

hoping they remember this

A few weeks ago I was reading a book to the kids that had a maze in it and they loved doing it---they are definitely in a maze-craze right now. I asked them, "Do you remember the corn maze at the farm we went to the last few years?" They had no clue---they didn't even remember going to a pumpkin patch. It truly surprised me that they had no memory of us going the last 3 years, every year, in the fall.

So they then decided they wanted to surprise their daddy with a trip to the maze. They kept it secret for most of the week besides the one clue K gave her dad, "BIG Corn!" He really thought we were crazy and had no clue what they were so excited about until the last day, when Zan couldn't handle it anymore and spilled the beans!

It was such a perfect day......a corn maze, pony rides,
Sitting on the tractor,

Holding hands with each other to search for their favorite pumpkins.

Here's hoping they never forget this perfect day of fall fun!

a budget birthday

Is it wrong to enjoy being sick so I can lie in bed and do things I enjoy.......read, watch tv, read endless crafty blogs which stir up way too many ideas in my head?

Since I am supposed to be resting---and I get winded just by walking around a few minutes---I thought I could take advantage of my "time" in planning the ultimate superhero party for Zan. I can't believe his 5th birthday will be here in a few weeks! As much as I dislike superhero stuff, he loves it, and I'm going to attempt to make the birthday spectacular!

I made the cutest invites with this picture and Vistaprint......which I am not letting myself visit anymore while "resting"---I am seriously addicted to the site.

I have also found SO MANY cute things to buy for the party but decided I am going to make myself make use of the insane amount of craft supplies and fabrics I already have to see how cheap I can make this fantastic party....I shall keep you all posted!

Now I am off to coloring more coloring sheets (out of superhero coloring books just collecting dust in the playroom) for decorations for the party in a few weeks.......since I love to color this is the perfect way to recover from walking pneumonia.......ah---the piece, the quiet, the craftiness, the thriftiness.....

so much to say

Did I see the last date correctly? March 10th!!! Yes, I do have so much to say---some of you have been giving me the guilt trip for not posting lately! I shall get to it soon!!

Until then, enjoy my little dancer---so proud of him for loving to boogie to Dave Matthews!

art for grandma

How I miss the snuggly babies that nursed and looked at me with adoring eyes?

But I also love this age---the age of creativity and unrestraint. I love it that Kaya has an enthusiasm for art like I do and that Zan will participate on occasion. We have had such fun this month painting together.

This first painting is one I made for my Mother-in-Law for her birthday. It is a watercolor that was inspired by I picture I took of my kids on the beach on a previous visit.
While I worked on my painting, Zander and Kaya painted with me on their own works of art for their Grandma.

Isn't this the cutest jellyfish family you have ever seen? Kaya named it "Jellyfish Making Bubbles." She spent all day on it---coming back to touch up and add different colors.
And my reluctant artist made the octopus. Once he finished he said, "You're right mom. This is kind of fun and it looks pretty cool."

snow day

Last week when areas of the country that rarely have snow got covered, we actually got some of the white stuff. I was pretty sure this would be all we would see so I let the kids run out and enjoy it while playing dress-up. Now I notice what a crazy mother I am since they are not wearing coats......we were caught up in the moment of catching snowflakes. But after a snuggly nap and watching the movie, SnowBuddies, we saw some thick snow!

Thick enough for a snowangel!
Fluffy enough to slide down the hill in...
Enough accumulation to make a snowman!
And Zan's favorite.....plenty for a snowball fight!
We enjoyed our Winter Wonderland. I'm sure we enjoyed it because we haven't been stuck in it all Winter. It was a beautiful sight!

weekly menu #5

I LOVE Publix. If I had an unlimited budget I would just go in and splurge every week. Of course, sometimes I have to go to stores where I get things much cheaper. Publix does have some good sales, and when they do, I love to go in and get treated like a queen while I shop.

I especially love their easy recipes that they have on display and sometimes samples of (yum). And they are delish!! Even better is the fact that they have all of the ingredients together on display to fix this week's featured meal. If you miss a meal you love you can still collect the handy dandy cards of all of the past recipes beside the display.

Here are 3 that are featured in this week's menu.

* Tasty Turkey Chili and Ginger Spice Spread on Multigrain Bread

* Easy "Barbecue" Shrimp with Jambalaya Rice

* Sun-dried Tomato Artichoke Chicken with Arugula Mushroom Salad

If you are lucky enough to have a Publix in your neigborhood, look at the recipes. You might just find your favorite meal!!

3 pictures I love.....making a cake for daddy

weekly menu ???

I'm really kind of embarassed by this weekly menu.......it was all quick, easy, stufff......prebought. Or so easy you really wouldn't have to think about it! My few menu items that I was creative with were the

Fried Pickles........we love them from Hooters......but mine were good, but not as good as Hooters. I dipped my pickles in egg and then cornmeal and then fried them. They were good.....but not as good as Hooters.....I'll have to ask the waitress the next time we go!

The other menu item that wasn't prepackaged was the Drumsticks. I was planning on making them Lemon-Pepper but found out we were out of Lemon-Pepper so I poured a Fat-Free 3 cheese dressing Ranch on them from Kraft. They turned out pretty yummy.

Yeah, Yeah, I know.....I promised recipes each week for this New Year's Resolution (why couldn't I have a resolution like last year.....nap every day......a goal that is reasonable). But now I'm surviving. Surviving LIFE. Life that means dealing with the two preschoolers I have ....why didn't I put them in school already........for all of those moms that I judged for finding some school, or something for their kids to do, so they could live normally, I apologize for my judgement......I understand now.

So yeah, my menus aren't so amazing now...but maybe they will be soon. I TRULY can't complain about my life.

I LOVE my new book business, check out my site if you need enticing books for your kids....

www.bookorisa.com.

I LOVE all the vacations we have been on lately..

I know some of you were knee-deep in snow when we were doing this.......

And I love teaching my kids. Recently we have been doing art. This is a Wax-Crayon Painting lesson that turned out so cool. We are going to do Pointalism art tomorrow and Cube/shape paintings the next day. I just HOPE I'm teaching Zan something to get him ready for Kindergarten.

late gifts

I KNOW I promised a menu each week. I didn't post one last week because I had such fun on my girly weekend that things got behind and I never planned a true menu......our little chalkboard only had two meals listed!

And this week......I'm going to the beach. So sorry, friends. I'll bring fabulous menus to you later. Tonight I'm just worried about getting the car packed to leave early enough to enjoy some sun and sand. (It will only be 65 degrees so I won't be swimming) But I don't care. I hear the waves, I see the waves, I read a great book, I drink a great drink, I watch the kids laugh......

Weekly menus be damned.

Crafty will be on top of things for you guys when I return....

sand art

This was such a fun activity to do with my kids. It occupied them for at least 30 minutes and they made something that they can keep on their shelf to display!

You can get colored sand and the tools & containers at any craft store for fairly inexpensive.....especially with coupons and sales! They loved creating the different layers in the fish and triceratops.

I think my neat & tidy husband has no clue about what we do during the day or he would have an anxiety attack! We had a mess EVERYWHERE. My philosophy is if it is creative art you can't worry about making a mess. It really is a good thing that I don't live by myself---I'm pretty certain there would be paint, fabric, and glitter EVERYWHERE.
So I'm go glad I have good helpers! They swept, vacuumed, and scrubbed the kitchen to perfection because they know how their Dad is too. As Zander said, "Daddy is really going to be mad when he sees this mess."

No worries though (just for you, Kara)....the table was soon shining with cleanliness.
And their projects turned out great!!