Amen.

Nolan has been asking to say grace for just about every meal. This was our lunch grace:

"We're thankful for God. We're thankful for our friends. We're thankful for the parks and the villages. We're thankful for the monkey bars. We're thankful for our Mom and Dad. We're thankful for our aunts and uncles and our sister and God. Amen."

READ READ READ!!

I posted this over at a private blog I'm part of. We were discussing books today and are posting what we're reading, favorites, etc. I had fun with it so thought I'd post it here as well!

I grew up on a farm and only remember driving a tractor once. I wasn't your typical farm girl. I spent my summers plowing my way through the library instead of helping out in the field. Reading is super important in our house...I could never begin to make a book list so I'll take you on a photo tour:

We'll start downstairs. Here we have most of the kids' books. There is about a cubby-worth in the van's stow-n-go. There are a few under Nolan's bed. And in various "forts" around the house.

This is Avrie's room...the overflow.

This is the lame shelf downstairs that holds books I don't have a place for upstairs. Very haphazard. There is a book on this shelf that I have owned for 10 years. House of Leaves by Mark Z. Danielewski. I will mail -postage paid- this book to anyone who promises to read it and let me know if it's worth it. Here is a review on the back of the book: "A great novel. A phenomenal debut. Thrillingly alive, sublimely creepy, distressingly scary, breathtakingly intelligent--it renders most other fiction meaningless." I am intimidated by it. So it's on the "forgotten" shelf.

This here is the corner of the kitchen counter. Here I keep books I'm currently cooking from. There is a Gourmet 1997 behind that Martha Stewart.

This is a shelf at the top of the doorway leading to our basement. Here I keep my cookbooks.

I got that Mario Batali for $2.40 at the thrift store. The cover price is $34.95.

This is 1 of 3 in the living room. Let's go clockwise from the top left. Health/natural healing/anti-processed food. Upright by the Z we have parenting stuff. Stacked to the right of that we have household stuff. Below that is the library stack. Then we have a cute little basket of baby toys. Stacked is Found I & II , a few artsy-find-yourself-books. Finally, we have comic books. We love comic books. I actually read my first graphic novel this week...could be something I continue!

Shelf 2 of 3. This is the top of an old secretary we got from Evan's great aunt. This is a hodge-podge of various fiction, 'be happy' books, poetry, eating disorder recovery stuff, a volume of Shakespeare plays, etc. Oh, and Pick-up-Sticks. Great game!

3 of 3. This is mostly fiction. With the exception of the Hippie Dictionary, a few crazy-person recovery memoirs and a lone Harry Potter. Those stacked old-ish looking books on the top left are some old hymn books I found at a garage sale...if only I had a clue as to how to read notes...

This is my bedside table.

This is the top of our dresser. Avrie's baby book....which hasn't been updated since she was a baby. Whoopsty. That's a new word my mom came up with yesterday. I kinda rather like it. Body Drama is a wonderful book but not something I want my kids to find and flip through.

Whew! So, there ya have it! I'd be more than happy to share lists of categories. Maybe there is a book that catches your eye but you just can't make out the title/author. Let me know!

Happy Wednesday

Today...is simply gorgeous. The calm before the storm. Nolan and Avrie both had school today. Avrie made a beaded bracelet and Nolan got to fingerpaint a plain white t-shirt. Nolan requested peanut butter and honey sandwiches for lunch. Accompanied by oranges and string cheese. After lunch they worked hard creating Daddy's birthday present. Aunt Cindy came and picked up Nolan and Avrie at 12:30 and took them shopping. Cole and I went for a nice long walk to the post office and the library. Big kids home at 3.

Outside my window...the lilac bushes are full of buds. The squirrels are venturing out of their nests. They'd better get back in quick...

I am thinking...a million things at once. I'm always thinking, thinking, thinking. Right now I'm thinking I should really get off my butt and put away the clothes. Nah.

I am thankful for...so much. I am lacking for nothing. Well, I could use a new bra and I wouldn't mind a pair of black shoes.

From the kitchen...for supper tonight:

Volcano Chicken

3 pounds chicken breasts

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 TBS sugar

1/4 cup fish sauce

2 TBS garlic, minced

1 TBS black pepper

3 broccoli crowns

1 cabbage head, cut into strips

2 large carrots, thinly sliced

3 cups sweet chili sauce, heated

jasmine rice, cooked

Marinate chicken in soy sauce, sugar, fish sauce, garlic and black pepper for at least 8 hours. Grill chicken. Steam broccoli, cabbage and carrots. Cut chicken into strips. Layer cabbage on bottom of serving platter, chicken in center and broccoli and carrots on the outer edge. Pour warm chili sauce over chicken, cabbage, broccoli and carrots. Serve with jasmine rice.

I am wearing...sweatshirt and yoga pants. Duh.

I am reading...today's bible study is 'the value of God's Word; and things to which it is compared: seed, lamp, hammer, sword, etc.'

My current stack from the library:

Tired of Being Tired: Rescue, Repair, Rejuvenate by Jesse Lynn Hanley, M.D.

Desert Flower by Waris Dirie

Happiness For Two by Alexandra Stoddard

Talk to the Hand: #?*! The Utter Bloody Rudeness of the World Today, or Six Good Reasons to Stay Home and Bolt the Door by Lynne Truss

Lunch Lessons: Changing the Way We Feed Our Children by Ann Cooper

The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky

Stop Whining, Start Living by Dr. Laura Schlessinger

I am hoping...this economy picks up soon. Or our business miraculously sells. One of the two would be just fine.

I am creating...dirty clothes and dishes, dust and happy children.

I am hearing...Cole telling me exactly what I want to hear..."Mommy, I love you. You're the best. I'll never be naughty. I'll always clean my room. I'll stay a cute little baby forever." Nolan and Avrie's gentle snores. The dryer. The dishwasher. The cars on the street.

Around the house...blocks, baby toys, demolished bathroom, unmade beds, sandy entry floors, LIFE.

One of my favorite things...I am not a person who is attached to "things". I have favorite people. I just "met" a lady on the phone today and I already know she'll be one of my favorites. People who lift you up with just their attitude.

A few plans for the rest of the week...hopefully, if it doesn't snow too much, I'll be helping Amy celebrate her 30th birthday tomorrow. Darren is sending us to the spa and out for a meal. Yahoo! I have an OLD friend! Wise, Amy, I meant wise! Aunty Lori is picking up Nolan and Avrie at 1 on Friday for a sleepover. We have a hefty gift certificate burning a hole in our pocket...maybe we'll attempt a date with Cole in tow. Saturday will bring more bathroom demolition. I'm hoping to get to United Noodle and may possibly meet up with one of my favorite people there.

Here is a picture thought I'm sharing with you...
These are acai berries. I started drinking it 6 days ago. I only have 2 oz left and am waiting for my case to come via UPS. So far, I'm not sure. Not sure if it's worth the money. It's stinkin' expensive. And it's a bit too cultish for me. We'll see.

All my lovely children in one picture!

Here is why our bathroom needs to be redone: black mold. Everywhere. Progress is being made. Evan had me put the hammer through the wall last night...VERY therapeutic!

"I love snow!"

Give a man a sledgehammer...

Evan started our bathroom remodel this weekend. Taking out the walls, sheetrocking, putting in a pedestal sink, new tub insert, installing a vent fan, new light fixtures, mirror and possibly a new window if we can find some spare change.

See that little potty chair? Not getting used much.

A few short hours of interrupted work. Found a board behind the medicine cabinet that had, written in pen, "Jane loves Dennis and Dennis loves Jane." I wonder if that's still true?

Cutie-Pa-Tootie

Those eyes melt my heart every single day.

And the coy little grin.

• I am aware that I have a blog. Really. I have been very uninspired to post lately. Obviously.

• I've got a great thing going. Nolan asked me yesterday, "Mom, when I'm done washing my hands can I please clean for you?" My floors have never been cleaner.

• Unfortunately, he started throwing up in the night and isn't skilled enough yet to clean up that mess.
  

Drat that human nature...

The kids and I took advantage of the gorgeous weather this afternoon and went for a walk. We walked to the grocery store to pick up a few things. I told the kids if they were good they could have a treat when we got home. Avrie was not good. When we approached the checkout she asked for her treat and I said NO. This resulted in a screaming-no-nap-today tantrum that lasted all 5 blocks home. Not to mention the 10 minutes we waited in line to checkout. Upside is that it wore her out and she had a great nap after we got home. I'm rocking her to sleep and this is the conversation:

A: I want a treat.
M: No. You were naughty in the store.
A: I'm not naughty.
M: You're not naughty. But your human nature is and we're not going to reward it.
A: *Thinks a minute.* That was mean.
M: What was mean?
A: That human nature. It was mean.

Yup. Get used to it, kid!

Where'd My Baby Go?

5 1/2 months. Closing in on 20 lbs. Wearing 12 month clothes.

We've got air!! Won't be long and he'll be flying around the house. And getting into everything!

And he's so happy about that!

Melts your heart, right?!

Kiss!

Mom and her boys. Cole in jammies, Mom in sweats, Nolan in his dress shirt...we're so coordinated.

Remember that Glurch stuff? Turns out you can blow some seriously awesome bubbles with it!