On the water

We went again yesterday to the Thousand Islands, just west of cocoa beach. I felt a bit jumpy, considering my alligator research the night before. We paddled out a bit to a canal, and something leaped out of the water just a few feet from us. I shrieked. It was. .. not an alligator. Not a shark. It was a dolphin!

Then I saw a whiskered snout poke up from the middle of the canal. It was a manatee!! Oh, joy! We paddled up and down the canal with the dolphins following us and leaping in front and playing little games with us. It was incredibly cool. We spent an hour with the animals, although my camera shutter speed is way too slow to catch the beautiful creatures.

On our way back to the dock, I followed behind Terry. I kept feeling bumps on the bottom of the boat and I thought I was running over branches. Terry had a perfectly smooth ride, so we have deduced that I either paddled over a manatee or a dolphin was checking me out.
The only thing strong enough to take away my terror of predators lurking in the water is the joy of discovering playful, peaceful dolphins and manatees.

Kayaks

It seems that I have stumbled upon a new activity for our family. Terry has always loved kayaking, and when we were in Utah, I mourned the fact that we had never been on a boat in the time we lived in Florida. Upon our return, we began looking into an affordable boating style that would benefit our family, including encouraging an active life style. We've been researching kayaks and renting from the local "Village Outfitters" and decided to go for it. My brother, Kyle, has been coming out and kayaking also. There is talk of Kyle and Terry building some kayaks in our garage for fun.

So we are now the proud owners of a Twin Otter 14' Old Town tandem, and a Perception Carolina 14'. They're both blue, and Terry paddles the tandem with Grace and AJ in the front seat. Well, we jury-rigged a jump seat for AJ. Angel joined them today. She is a nervous little dog. I paddle the Carolina alone. And it is bliss.

We went out to Pine Island with the rentals the other day, at the suggestion of the kayak company. We trekked all the way north of 528 to find what we hoped would be beautiful scenery, manatee, and perhaps some dolphins. Instead, some kayakers had found "another dead body" just an hour before we arrived. This article mentions the first body that was found at the end of November. Results of the autopsy have not been published as of yet. The kayakers who found the second body rented from the same place we did--and this article identifies the woman.

This is an area where many alligators lurk close by. There is a lagoon that is quite popular with boaters, but the rivers that feed into it are filled with predators. It makes one wonder if a large 'gator hasn't found new prey? Or is it a serial killer on the loose? Or an environmental group gone extreme?

I will avoid this area with my children until we have a better grip on water safety. I still feel a wee bit wobbly in my kayak when I first get started. I was googling kayaking with alligators and found some articles about people who accidentally kayaked or canoed over a gator in shallow water. That sounds like something I would do. There are also some cases of alligators and sharks tipping over kayaks. I should probably learn how to get back in if capsized. I remember getting back into a canoe to be quite difficult at summer camp. I did it, but I HATED it.

With that said, if we kayak intelligently, all should be fine. Grace fell off the boat dock the other day, thanks to a little push from AJ. Terry jumped in to help her and thankfully the water was shallow enough for her to stand. I hope that my children have learned their lessons!!! No pushing! Stay out of the road while we're unloading the boats! Don't go on the dock or in the water without mom and dad's explicit permisson!! Keep Scuba Steve in the boat! Avoid pulling each other's hair! Stay seated in the boat! Look for birds! Look for alligators! Don't get out of the boat even if it's so shallow the boat is scraping on the bottom!

We've been on the water Saturday, sunday, monday (that would be today). Terry'd like to go tomorrow, too, but I need to go grocery shopping, clean the house, exercise Eve, etc. Perhaps Wednesday would be better. Besides, my arms are sore! A day of rest might not be such a bad thing for my body.

For a non sequitur, I have found that I love using an Mp3 player at the gym. If I can't make it to a SPIN class, I load up my mp3 playlist with inspirational music that I love and do my own SPIN workout. It's a great feeling.

AJ was stuck.

grace and aj at seaworld 002

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

AJ loves to put boxes, baskets, hats, capes, etc. on his head. Perhaps he will stop putting baskets on his head now that he got stuck!!! Terry had to come home from work and find the wire cutters to un-stick the Easter basket. Now the pretty pink basket is handle-less. So sad.

AJ was quite pathetic waiting for Terry. He sat on the couch and watched TV (he wasn't injured or in pain), whimpering, "Come on, Daddy, where are you?"

And yes, I did try to get the handle off myself. It's not as easy as it looks.

My favorite picture

grace and aj at seaworld 001

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

We went to Sea World the Monday before Christmas. This was the best time I've had yet with Grace and AJ. They were well behaved, funny and cute. I love this picture I snapped of them outside the "Pirate" show, as they call it. (it's the Sea Lion and Otter show. . )

Only in Florida

Only in Florida can you kayak on a beautiful Saturday morning in mid-December. Only in Florida can the kids get out of the kayak and play in the water without getting chilled. Only in Florida can I go to my family's condo and enjoy a swim in the pool and get a tan in December!!! (That was minus children and husband. Girls only!!! YAY!)

Of course, it's turning chilly today. I'm sooo glad I soaked up the rays while I could!!!!

The Dove

We went to this incredible restaurant Friday night for my birthday. My sister, Kellyn, spent the night and babysat for Grace and AJ.

We decided to go for the chef's 5-course special, and went for the extra fee that covered a glass of wine with every course. Words don't describe how much we enjoyed ourselves, but I will attempt it. The restaurant owner served each course and gave us our wine.

Course 1: Pasta fagioli soup. Very good, as always.
Course 2: Shrimp Oreganata. Awesome. Crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, with oregano, garlic and bread crumbs.
Course 3: Lobster tail with pasta in garlic and oil. Wonderful.
Course 4: Lamb chop with a balsamic reduction, served with potatoes and onions finely shredded. I've never been a baby sheep eater, but I was that night. And I loved every last bite.
Course 5: Veal marsala with steamed broccoli. Again, not a philosophical fan of veal, but it was gooooood. Tender, flavorful, delicious.
Course 6: Beef au poivre, tender and flavorful. Served with a side of rice. Still excellent the next day.
Course 7: Godiva chocolate cake with chocolate mousse. And coffee.

Dad

My dad had hip replacement surgery a week ago. He expected to go home last Friday or Saturday, but here it is, 7 days later, and he's still in the hospital. He is susceptible to blood clots, and he has some in both lungs currently. The hospital has been WONDERFUL. He's getting excellent care, the staff has been great, and they've acted very proactively to treat the clots. Dad is bored. He wants to go home. But they don't even want him out of bed until the clots dissipate--there is a chance they can travel and do terrible damage if he gets up and walks around.

Party Central

I should probably mention that I've been away this weekend celebrating with friends more than I usually do in a few months! I went to a friend's baby shower Fri. night, and then the same friend's surprise shower Saturday morning. I didn't want her to feel badly that no one from our group could make it Friday night and I'd heard not many people from her church group were able to make it. I met Terry and the kids at a parade Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening we went to my friend Tracy's to celebrate her Kate's 4th birthday. Pizza, wings, and Polar Express. :) Sunday we skipped church due to a stupid motorcycle thing that happens every year and blocks the MAJOR road off which our neighborhood is located. Then, well, I already told you about Sunday night.

We always go to the park on Mondays to spend time with our friends, typically staying about 2 hours. I always come home with a sore throat. It's fun to spend two hours talking with my friends.

Oh, What a night!

I went out with my friends to the Melting Pot last night for the December Birthday Club (3 of us have Dec birthdays). I tried a drink called the "Love Martini" and man, it was good!!! It didn't even taste alcoholic!! YUM!!!! Plus it had strawberries floating in it. How cool is that??? And of course, the fondue was excellent. Cheese appetizer, salad, chocolate dessert. MMMM!!!

THEN, said friends and I dropped by a salon's Holiday party. It was packed with people, fancy finger food and champagne. We all entered the door prize raffle. My friend Cindy put in our friend's name, Janice, because she was expected at any minute. She didn't make it in time for the raffle, and guess who won the grand prize? Janice!!! So I pretended to be Janice. It was so weird, everyone saying, "Yay, Janice!" and "Congratulations, Janice!" They took my picture with Santa and I suppose my picture will be up at the salon now as "Janice."

Cindy and I split the prize. We won: 3 hour 10 person limo ride (perfect for our families--we have to find somewhere fun to go for the kids!); 1 night stay at the executive suite at the Radisson Hotel, and a $75 gift card to "The Dove", a fancy Italian restaurant on Satellite Beach.

I think I'm going to let Cindy take the hotel, and I'll take the restaurant card. We can always stay at the condo on New Smyrna Beach.

Then, Janice finally arrived and we took our party to Carrabba's bar. We feasted on their Chocolate Martinis (the best drink ever--made with homemade hot fudge around the rim, and creme de cacao and baileys' and other fabulous stuff) and shared a plate of Pasta Carrabba. We swapped stories, and it turns out that I'm not the only one whose dogs locked themselves in the van by stepping on my purse and pressing "lock" on the key remote!!!! What are the odds that someone else would have that happen to them??

So fun.

Home Group and Cranky Daughter

Grace knows the rules. It is very clear that she must rest/nap/read quietly in bed in order to go to home group. I especially felt this was important when going to a brand new place. She didn't follow the rules. She stayed up and whined and cried and yowled for 2 hours instead of resting.

Imagine her surprise when I left her home with Daddy!!

AJ tooks a GREAT nap, but I didn't think he'd go nicely by himself without his sister. So he played with his Daddy and didn't realize that he'd even been invited.

Next time, I bet Grace takes a nap.

Let It BE

After 5 years of mothering, I've finally figured something out.

When your three year old is lying in bed, crying and screaming because he doesn't want a nap, but is over tired, DO NOT GO IN!!! He does not need to be disturbed, he does not need to be comforted. If he gets out of bed and comes out of his room, that is a different story. But if he is staying in bed, LET IT BE!!!!!

He cried himself to sleep. And we will ALL be better off for it.

Now I will let the sleeping child lie.

church

Grace and I checked out a new church yesterday. We haven't been to church since we moved back to FL, and I had a dream where my pastor from Utah said, "It's time." Heeding that, I told Grace on the way that this is a new church and I want to hear her opinion when it's over, whether she liked it, how she felt, etc. I had been on the church's website and looked at home groups, looking for those with child care and those that were close. I found two that looked promising.

We arrived at the church and Grace went to her class. I sat in the sanctuary and as it filled up, a man sat next to me. We exchanged pleasantries and then the service began. When it ended, he introduced himself and invited me to his home group. It was one of the two home groups that had child care and was close to our house. What are the odds that of the thousands of people who attend this church regularly, the home group leader would end up sitting next to me and invite me to his group?? I think it's a God thing.

Then, when I walked to Grace's classroom, she met me with a smile and said, "This is the one I want."

I didn't know what she meant at first, and then I realized, "Oh, you mean you liked going to church here?"

She nodded with a big grin, her hands full of a harp made of cardboard and rubberbands, and a bag with all of her coloring sheets and a little toy.

We're bringing the boys next week.

Discipline vs. Regret

"We must all suffer from one of two pains: the pain of discipline or
the pain of regret. The difference is discipline weighs ounces and
regret weighs tons."

A motivational speaker by the name of Jim Rohn said that. It's hit me hard today. WOW! I cannot count the number of times I've been undisciplined and paid many times over later for that. I'm a wonderful procrastinator and delayer. I'm great at burying my head in the sand for the immediate and paying much steeper prices later.

Yes, I'm back on top of things thanks to the help of Flylady. I'm building little habits back into my day, like planning dinner after I eat breakfast. I've really saved our family a lot of money this week by knowing what's coming! No more last minute pizza calls! No more trips to BK! And I'm getting back into the habit of getting dressed first thing in the morning instead of spending most of the morning lazing around in my pjs. I'm swishing and swiping my toilet first thing in the morning, spraying down the shower immediately after use, and sweeping or swiffering every day. I'm trying to declutter as I unpack. And it feels REALLY good. :)

The problem with teaching a child to read

is that when you go to the zoo, said child is given a copy of the zoo's map, including demonstrations, shows and attractions. That child can read that there is a train and rides are available at specific times. That child then requests a train ride in the presence of her three year old brother. Much wailing and gnashing of teeth commences when the mother of said children says that $3/person is more money than the mother is willing to spend. (That equals $9 for the three of us!) Mother is unwilling to set a precedent and says discussion will take place following dinner that night.

Following dinner, Father says to mother, "Why did you tell them there was a train? I don't point it out to them." Mother replies, "I didn't! Someone knows how to read!" hmmph

So Father and Mother agreed that there would be no train rides, because if we go one time, the children will expect to go every time. Daughter cried and said she would not go to the zoo anymore if she could not ride a train. Father and Mother agreed. No more trips to the zoo.

PS -we've managed to go to the zoo since Grace was a baby and she NEVER discovered the train!! I just Had to teach her to read.

One week

Until Thanksgiving. One week to get the boxes out of the general living area and our home in order. I should be doing that anyways, I know, but inviting my family to have Thanksgiving at my house has really lit a fire under me! Grace helped me put the napkins nicely into napkin rings this morning as our "project" after her schoolwork was completed. She did a great job, and I showed her how pretty they will look with a sample setting. I purchased a tablecloth, placemats, cloth napkins and napkin rings at a huge discount back at the same time I got my anniversary ring. I just need a plastic cover, because my children can be messier than I'd prefer on a fancy tablecloth.

On another note, what has happened to my salad bowls???? I have one left from a set of 8. I have other bowls, of course, but my Pfzaltzgraff April bowls are down to one. It's a good thing I'm not going to make the butternut squash soup, or I'd be breaking the budget!!! :) And forks--again, I'm down to 4 of my matching set, so I had to buy cheapo forks at Target the other day. Who is this kitchen monster and what is he doing to my matching sets?????? Grrrr

I've pulled out my fancy serving dishes, and gave the rotisserie a test run on a 4lb chicken fryer Monday. It turned out delicious and moist. I just hope the 15lb turkey will turn out as nice! If not, I think we'll have enough side dishes that we can still fill up my family. My mom is bringing a serving platter for the turkey, as I don't have one. We're still working on our final menu, but I'm planning on:
Turkey
Gravy
sweet potatoes (healthier than mashed potatoes, and so good, but I still want the next item on the list)
mashed potatoes (still deciding, but if we're going to have gravy, why not?)
Green Bean casserole
Broccoli
Crescent rolls
And of course, dessert. Which i will have to go into later, because Grace poked her eye and then walked into a wall coming to show me her eye. Mommy to the rescue!
Stuffing (LOVE stovetop!!!)

AJ

AJ has been a handful today. It's difficult to take him anywhere. AJ and I left the park early and my friend brought grace home. It was just too much stimulation for him. *sigh* At least he goes to bed nicely.

Getting Settled

The bathrooms are finished and the kitchen is unpacked. That's significant, considering all that the kitchen/pantry entails. I'm quite proud of my progress so far. The children have toys out, although they are not organized yet. I need to buy more plastic storage boxes for their toys, I suspect.

We finally got internet on Saturday. Kyle spent the night Saturday and we had a fun time with him. The children are getting used to the house, and are settling well.

We've had several playdates with our friends already. Grace feels so relieved to be back with her friends. And I must confess, so do I. Everyone lives about 10 minutes away from us, and most of my friends homeschool. So we fit just perfectly. It's like we never left.

Grace has joined American Heritage Girls, which is like Girl Scouts, only with a Christian emphasis. My friend Carin is her troop leader. We go camping with them this weekend. Yay!

Our house feels big, in a good way. We're not crowded cheek-to-jowl with "stuff" like we have been in previous homes. My big walk in closet helps a great deal. AJ likes his room and is learning to be helpful. Grace, too. She's been a little bored watching me unpack boxes, and I need to figure out a routine for her or something to do to stay out of trouble so I can catch my breath here. Plus the reading curriculum her teacher gave me is very basic for her. She's reading on a solid second grade level, so besides her handwriting and math curriculum, we're going to read many many books. And perhaps we'll go visit the beach, the zoo and Sea World this week. The first two are less than 10 minutes away from us, and so educational, and the latter is close to my parents' home and we have a pass that expires January 1. Might as well use it, right? Esp. now that the weather is breezy and beautiful.

I think we're going to have Thanksgiving at my new home this year. Terry's not so sure this is a good idea because of the many boxes we still have to go through, but I'm confident we can get through most of it in two whole weeks. I'm a bit excited--I have a rotisserie oven for a turkey and I'm dying to try it out. It did a bang up job on cornish hens, and I imagine the turkey will be great. Now to get over my aversion to giblets so I can face the gravy!

Moving In

The movers made it today with our stuff! They were very efficient, and I was glad. I farmed out Grace to one friend and AJ to another (divide and conquer, right?). But my friend could only watch AJ until about 1pm. Also, my friend called and mentioned that AJ was VERY upset about me leaving him. He finally came around when her 3.5 year old offered to play Little People with him. Pshew!

I was quite stressed last night and this morning, anticipating keeping inventory of all of the stuff, and watching AJ on top of that. I was amazed and grateful when the movers finished (paperwork and everything) by 1:00pm.

I picked up AJ and brought him to the new house. He was very excited to find his Playmobil train set and Weebles in his room. He played for an hour by himself while I unpacked all of the bathroom boxes.

So the good news: The bathrooms are finished!

The bad news: I still have about 100 boxes to unpack.

The plan: Get bedding on the beds so they're sleepable Wednesday night (when we move out of the hotel with the famed maid service and breakfast discussed previously). Hook up the TVs and VCRs and DVD players. Get some semblance of order in the kitchen, including boxes unpacked. Unpack the childrens' rooms. Unpack and organize the living room and family room. Then I'll tackle the office, master bedroom and garage.

Wish me luck!

Oh yeah, I'm supposed to be homeschooling Grace, too, while I do all this. I wonder if making her count boxes by 5's counts???? :)

More nonsense.

So tonight's social included "TV Night" where the big screen tv was on with sports, and the staff wore football jerseys. They served Chili (with a bit of a kick to it!), tortilla chips, cheese sauce, salsa, sour cream, popcorn, potato chips, chocolate chip cookies that were really soft and gooey, and brownies. And don't forget the complimentary beer, red wine, white wine and blush wine! I enjoyed a crisp glass of white wine while the kids munched on popcorn. I'm a big fan of staying here Tues-thursday nights!

Tomorrow we're going to a trunk-or-treat at a Calvary chapel church in Viera. Grace is Tinkerbell, but Peter Pan's outfit was packed accidentally and is currently on its way to Florida. So I guess he'll be a train conductor--my mom bought AJ a Thomas the Train outfit complete with engineer's cap. We're thinking of going to Sea World tomorrow morning through early afternoon. We'll see. I could sure use the d iversion, and so could the kids at this point.

no nap

It's nearly impossible to make two children be quiet and nap in the same room at the same time. Maybe bedtime will go better than naptime. Now to wear them out at the pool--without letting them think they're being rewarded for not napping. . .

Harry Potter and the Residence Inn

At breakfast again, Gilka (I remembered her name!) offered me a tray so that I could stock up on food for the kids for later. She mentioned that Sunday will be very busy and suggested I come down early and she'll give us a big tray to load up. I commented that my husband is really more of a morning person, so she told me that he should just come down and ask for her. I really appreciate that.

I can't help but think of when Harry Potter and Friends sneaked into the Hogwarts kitchen and the houseelves gave them all kinds of treats. And when Ron said, "I always was in awe of my brothers for getting all that food, but now I see how easy it is!" Or something to that effect.

Team of Rivals

I read a review in the newspaper a while back about this book and I was intrigued. The thought that a President would take counsel from his rivals?! Unheard of in this day and age, with the bipartisan split. This sounds like such an interesting perspective:Team of Rivals. It sounds like a lesson those in current leadership would do well to learn: instead of surrounding yourself with "yes men", learn to take criticism!!!!

Watching E.T.

We rented the video for Grace about 2 weeks ago. She bit her nails and acted dramatically frightened, but partway through the video she told us, "I'm getting along with E.T." She really likes him now. She's thinking about going on the ride next time she goes to Universal.

Ahh, life in Cocoa Beach

I think I like hotel life. A maid comes in EVERY day and makes the beds, cleans the bathroom, empties the trash. . I could get used to this!

Plus at breakfast this morning (delicious, too!) the staff remembered my name and the kids' names .I was sooo impressed. I'm trying to remember the lady's name--it started with a G and is Brazilian. I've been googling Brazilian names trying to find it. I feel bad--she even spelled it for me twice!

Then this afternoon, my room card didn't work to get in the building. I was worried because they initially said they were booked on Wed. but would fit me back in on Thursday, so we'd have to check out for one night. yesterday they said it was cleared up, but my first thought was that they'd cancelled the room key and hadn'dt remembered to give us a room! So  Iwalked in the lobby and the front desk clerk immediately fixed my key. I hadn't even told her what room I was in, and without looking it up she said that she had our reservation in front of her to update our pricing (we got a discount through Terry's company, who booked this).

I thought that was cool. PLUS they had hot dogs bbqd out by the pool tonight, with huge bowls of publix potato salad, coleslaw and baked beans. And don't forget the pitchers of beer! So today I bought the kids lunch at McD's and that's it. How cool!

Tomorrow we're going to enjoy the pool, which is outdoors but heated to 82 degrees. It's supposed to be a high of 75 tomorrow, and that will be nice. It was quite cold yesterday, and getting warmer today. . . tomorrow should be perfect!

Time change!

AJ was up very late last night. And of course, he was the the first one up this morning. I hope he adjusts quickly! Not to mention that daylight savings time changes on Sunday. Ugh. At least it's fall back. . .

And it's colder here in Florida than it was in Utah!! How weird! We were going to go swimming today but it's very windy.  I think I'll nix that idea. Instead we're going to my friend Tracy's. We can knit and converse while keeping our kiddos busy. I'm excited to spend time with a friend today.

Moving Day!

We're so busy. terry and I have so much to do before the packers arrive in the morning!!!  Plus. . . Terry and Grace have one last soccer practice tonight and then our friends are hosting a farewell party for us that we have to zip over to following practice. I picked up Fried Chicken, baked beans, tater babies (like oven baked french fries) and rolls for dinner. A bit more than I usually spend on Groceries, a bit less than I would have spent at fast food. But it's delicious and it keeps AJ and Grace well behaved on a hectic night like this!!

I introduced two friends today who are both new to the area and don't know anybody. I hope they like each other--Utah can be a lonely place!!

As excited as I am to move back HOME, I will miss the people we've connected with and our incredible church.

Florida!

We're going to FLorida for a week. Our plane leaves tomorrow and we're running around like chickens with our heads cut off trying to make sure we're set. At least I'll have Terry to help me with the kids on this trip!!!

We're so excited. We have some appointments set up for Tuesday to look at some houses. My mom took off 4 days of work so that she could spend time with us and watch Grace and AJ.

On another note, we will be visiting Terry's grandfather over in Brooksville on the Gulf Coast--he has cancer and 2 weeks to live. Terry and I have had some discussions about that, and ironically, the series at church right now is "30 Days to Live". The first in the series dealt with living purposefully: turning intentions into actions, turning focus from self to others, and turning our hearts from earthly matters to eternal matters. Here's a link to that sermon: Live Purposefully

Today was the 2nd in the series, and it covered loving deeply: be present in connecting with others, (and for those of you who watch Barbie: The Princess and the Pauper, I think, "Stay present, stay pleasant and proud. . . " but I digress); and forgive freely--because time is just too short to hold a grudge.

AJ loves Eve

AJ loves Eve

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

Don't mind the mess. *rolls eyes*

After I snapped all these pictures, AJ stood up and I saw that he was diaperless. These are the G-rated pics.

AJ's new reading spot

AJ's new reading spot

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

I walked around the corner and saw AJ looking at his and Grace's favorite photo album from this summer.

Social Security.

I always get a kick out of my social security statements when they come. If I became disabled right now, I'd be able to pay for all of my yarn and knitting and sewing habits. And possibly groceries and Grace's dance class, too.  If I DIED, Terry would be able to pay for daycare plus extras for the kids.

Of course, we are aware of the intangible benefits of our children having a Stay at home mom. Clearly, that's why we do it--definitely not for the money! (or lack thereof)!!!

And then I think-- I doubt social security will be able to help my generation the way our generation has paid for the previous.  There is so much more money going out than they are taking in. I fear that when terry and I retire, there will be no social security. We'd have been better off taking that 6% and putting it into savings.

Grace's first soccer goal

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3520119469144642724&hl=en]

Recipes

I was browsing through some of my cookbooks, and I came across a cookbook that several moms from an internet forum had created back around October 2005. I found some of my favorite recipes that I'd forgotten about, and two that I had lost and could not find (I had submitted them, and I'm sooo glad I did)!

So this week, i'm going to give you a recipe for Lemon Chicken.
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
2 c. fresh lemon juice
1 c. all purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground black pepper
1/2 c. vegetable oil
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1/4 c. chicken broth
6 slices lemon
1/2 c. finely minced fresh parsley

Combine chicken and lemon juice in a large resealable plastic bag. Squeeze out air and seal bag. Refrigerate to marinate overnight, turning once. Remove chicken from marinade, reserving 2 tablespoons marinade and disposing of the remainder. Mix together flour, salt, paprika and pepper in a large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken breasts one at a time, shake to coat evenly. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Fry coated chicken until well browned, about 10-15 minutes. Arrange browned chicken in a 9x13 inch baking dish and sprinkle with brown sugar. Mix broth with reserved marinade and pour mixture over chicken. Top each breast with a lemon slice and sprinkle all with parsley. Bake in the preheated oven fvor about 20 to 30 minutes, or until cooked through and tender.

Buon Appetit!

Dolly Parton's Imagination Library

Dolly's Imagination Library

We became aware of this program at our library just after we moved to Utah last year. Dolly Parton strongly believes in fostering a love for reading at the preschool age. She started the "Imagination Library" in her hometown in Tennessee and has expanded it across the country. If you live in a participating community, your child will receive a brand new, hardcover, beautiful book every month until your child's 5th birthday (beginning with the classic, The Little Engine That Could). Grace and AJ have loved getting new books in the mail every month. Grace graduated in June, with the book Miss Bindergarten Gets Ready for Kindergarten. She has a beautiful collection of books, all age appropriate and wonderful stories.

If your community participates, it's a wonderful gift. And if your community does not, I encourage you to find a way to get your community involved. There is much information at The Imagination Library's How it Works section.

My Bad Manners

Terry and I took the kids to the movies today. I'll post a review of "Fly Me To the Moon" later. AJ and I stood in a loooooong line for popcorn, and he was very clingy. He wanted to be held, and I picked him up because it was either that or have him freak out on the ground!!I get to the front of the line after about 15 minutes of waiting. I set him on the counter and placed my order. After our transaction was completed, I began to walk off with hands full of popcorn, a drink, napkins, and AJ's hand (yes, he agreed to walk at that point). Some woman shouted after me, "NEXT TIME, LEAVE YOUR KID'S BUTT OFF THE COUNTER WHERE OUR FOOD IS SERVED!!!"

I was stunned. I replied, "I am so sorry. I didn't even think about it." And walked away while I heard her continuing to grumble to everyone in line. I was so embarrassed. I started out pleased that AJ hadn't thrown a temper tantrum while we were waiting, becaused there were so many people in line and crowds really freak him out. .. .

Honestly, it NEVER occurred to me that this would be unhygienic. Thinking about it now, it makes sense. But I've been a mother for 5 years and it has not EVER crossed my mind!! OOPS!!



 

Why didn't the woman offer to hold him for me? Or help me with the popcorn and drink? Or quietly mention her concern?? I wasn't rude or mean in line, I spoke softly and pleasantly to AJ, the man behind the counter, and the lady in line who didn't want me to forget our 3-D glasses.

Oh well. You win some, you lose some. It's just sad how one bitter angry person can affect me. :(

Kindergarten Theology

Grace just told me:

"God will always love you, no matter what.  And we should never be afraid. In the Bible, angels  always say, 'Do not be afraid. Jesus is still here.'

Did you know that when Jesus grew up big and strong, a bad man saw him? And made him carry a big wooden heavy cross? And then he hung Jesus on the cross. And he DIED on the cross so that we won't die! "

Me: "That's right. That means that after we die, we get to go to Heaven."

GP: "Yes. And we'll be in heaven FOREVER! And then the pirates will be there, too!"

Pirates?

LOST on ABC.com

Terry and I have really gotten into this lately. We have blockbuster online and have made it through season 2, episode 4 so far. It's a rather clever show.

[clearspring_widget title="LOST on ABC.com" wid="47a155cf175c15ae" pid="48d3e506779822e2" width="300" height="250" domain="widgets.clearspring.com"]

The Business of Being Born

A friend of mine posted her impressions regarding The Business of Being Born. She and her husband felt it was anti-doctor and against hospitals. I just posted a loooong response on her blog, and thought I'd put it up on mine as a post. :)  I hope that's okay, aimee!!!

I think "THe Business of Being Born" was one sided on purpose--because shows like Maternity Ward, and A Baby Story, tend to show mostly hospital births where the doctor swoops in to call all of the shots.

I wanted a natural birth desperately with Grace. My doctor, a Christian whom I trusted, told me I HAD to have a c/s. I didn't want one, I told him, and he said, "You HAVE to." Terry asked, "isn't there another way?" and we were told "no." My op record says that we OPTED for the procedure. And there was NO reason for a cesarean, other than the fact that labor was taking longer than the doctor wanted to wait.

The problem is that doctors DO have to be careful of liability. They are more likely to call shots based on potential legal issues than what's truly better for the mother.

Look at VBACs!!! I had to jump through all kinds of hoops to get a natural birth with AJ, because although VBACs are usually safer than multiple cesareans, most doctors won't risk their insurance.

I don't hate doctors. But I do believe that they are trained as surgeons first, baby catchers second.

When in labor, you are essentially helpless. You have NO control over what medication goes in your IV, whether the doctor breaks your water with your permission or without,whether you're allowed in the birthing tub or shower, etc. You are focusing on contractions and trying to make it moment by moment. A birth plan can be regarded--or disregarded--at the doctor's discretion. Who is going to check out of the hospital in the middle of heavy labor just because you don't like the way the doctor is treating you? Your options are severely limited, and the doctor and nursing staff know it. The staff want it easier on them, which means pressure for an epidural. Natural labor is HARD work and the staff find it more time consuming to help a patient going naturally.

The best thing we did was hire a doula. :) She helped ask the questions we didn't think to ask and I feel that her presence showed the hospital staff we were very serious about the birth experience we needed.

Anyhow. Not every birth experience is like that, and I don't mean to paint all hospitals and doctors with this paintbrush. But this IS the general state of birthing in the United States. That's why we must be so educated on what our bodies can actually do!!!!

Kissing

Grace has taken to chasing some boys around the playground, trying to kiss them. *rolls eyes* It's funny to her. I heard her giggling, telling a boy today that she's going to kiss him.

I mentioned that it's not okay to do that. She can kiss family--daddy, AJ, uncle Kyle, grandpa . . . but that's it.

It came up at lunch with Terry today and thankfully he said almost the exact same thing.

Search For Significance

This is a study my church has started, using the book of the same title. I'm excited  about the book and hoping to learn much from it! It's written by a Christian psychotherapist, and I suspect it will do my mental health a world of good. :)

Meanwhile, we're waiting to make our big "we're moving" announcement. We've let those in leadership at our church know, and i think we're going to make it public knowledge starting tonight at our home group. In a way, I'm afraid that we're backing out of a mission. In another way, I feel like we've done what we needed to do.

Terry and I have grown so much, spiritually and emotionally. I've watched Terry step into church leadership like he was born for it. I've seen him talk to coworkers about his faith and what Jesus means to him. I've watched him minister to other men at church in accountability groups. I've heard him witness to his family and I've seen him be a great soccer coach for Grace. I love him more than I ever have before, and I do believe that Utah helped make a good marriage fabulous. We've grown closer as a result of having to depend on each other, and we've supported each other in difficult moments.

I will miss our church dearly. But I miss my family, friends, and the ocean more.

More Angel

She got a hold of my Agatha Christie's "A Murder is Announced" today. We're setting up a video camera tomorrow. I can't wait to see what she does.

Home

Terry interviewed a few weeks ago for a position within his company that would take us back to the Space Coast. We didn't hear by the deadline of last week, and had pretty much given up hope.

I was disappointed. But I felt a sense of peace that whether we go or stay, I would bloom where I was planted.

Terry got the job today! YAY!!! Here's to blooming some hibiscus in Florida!

pray!

We have some stuff going on here. . . good stuff. . . and we could use some prayer for wisdom and discernment right now. We'd appreciate some prayers on our behalf!!

And no, we're not pregnant!

Graces school paper

Graces school paper

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

Read carefully:

I HATE E.T. Becus He is Skare. (scary)

Not bad for the first week of kindergarten.

Apparently the aide in her class doesn't like ET either.

Grace hasn't even SEEN ET! My mom tried to take her on the ET ride at Universal Studios, but Grace wouldn't go. I DO think she's a bit young for the movie. And considering it's her dad's favorite, I think I'm going to let HIM watch it with her.

Grace's worksheet part one.

Graces school paperfront

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

This is Grace's drawing of something she would like to share about herself. She has a picture of a fish (?), herself, and Angel and Eve.

Stay tuned for part two.

Soccer Season

Grace went to soccer camp and loved it. So we signed her up for AYSO soccer. They needed a coach for her team, and Terry stepped up to the plate. I'm so proud of him! Grace is really excited that her daddy is her coach. We have a meeting on Saturday and then we start the season!! yay!

Naptime

I think it's over at our house. no more naps! AJ took a nice nap yesterday. unfortunately, he wasn't much tired come bedtime. I put him to bed, an hour later I was cleaning the house and mopping the landing at the top of our stairs and all of a sudden I saw motion at the bottom of the steps. It frightened the daylight out of me! It was AJ, just sitting on the bottom step, playing with his stuffed animals. I put him back to bed. Repeat 2x. Then Terry finally made it home (He worked WAY too many hours yesterday) and he went down to the laundry room--lo and behold, there was AJ again. Terry put him to bed and he stayed.

Then my little guy was up at 5:45 am. He wanted a drink. He gulped it down, went back to bed. 6:15: same story. He was up for good around 8:00am, crying and retching, saying, "I sick!" I think he drank too much water too quickly, because he's fine now.

God save me from long naps.

Eve

IMG_1699

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

This is Eve at the top of our stairs. She's being a very good dog!

AJ

My poor guy has been a running a fever since Sunday afternoon. He seems to have some kind of a stomach virus. Well, I've been monitoring his temperature every few hours during the day. He hates the thermometer.

I just put it under his arm, and you'd thinkit was the end of the world. This morning, he got a hold of the thermometer and has been taking all of his stuffed animals' temperatures. He won't relinquish it. thankfully, his temp is back to normal anyhow. But I DO have a backup thermometer. Wouldn't he be surprised?

Seriously, being home with him every morning while Grace is in school is rather fun. We're reading books and playing boy stuff, which is quite novel for me. Usually he plays with his sister. So far, we're having a pretty good time together!!

He's getting a sense of humor. And he likes to pretend that he is "Uncle Kyle."

Angel's Literary Appetite

When we leave our home, Eve always goes in her crate and we put up baby gates in our hallway to keep Angel corraled. I followed Standard operating procedure when we left for church yesterday. We came home and discovered that Angel had stuck her head (we think) under the gate, twisted and grabbed a big pile of books neatly stacked next to our bookcase in our living room.

She left most intact. But she did enjoy three very special books: The sleeve to a hardbound book about Angels and Demons that I'd borrowed from church to teach Sunday School (so do I replace it? It's just the cover. . .. the book is still readable. . . but so embarrassing to return a book w/out the sleeve);  Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason; and A Tale of Two Cities (Didn't really like that book anyways).

Apparently she has a taste for British lit.

Candidate bashing.

I'm sick and tired of the emails I get with mean jokes about various political candidates. Even the candidates that I don't plan on supporting!! I don't think it's okay. It's not funny. It's mean spirited. Someone's gender, race, or hometown is irrelevant to their ability to succeed in any office. When Hilary was a potential candidate, I was inundated with asinine jokes about her being a "b*tch* and "wearing the pants in HER family" etc. etc. Just because she's a successful female! If you don't like her policies, fine. Say so. Don't disparage her character. And no, I was not planning on voting for her.

And the whole bipartisan system literally splits our country.  Instead of looking at issues, people vote "Democrat" or "Republican" because that's the way they've always voted. I've heard people say, "Democrats are just rich people who want to raise taxes and give everything to the poor and the immigrants." I've heard people say, "I will never vote democrat  because they support gay marriage." (oh yeah, people who love each other and want a legal commitment--THAT is what is going to derail our country!)

I've heard people say, "Republicans are just rich people who want to keep all of their wealth to themselves." I've heard comments on Republicans picking and choosing their morals and ethics.

And I'm just sick of it. How many nasty emails and jokes does it takes  before an uneducated voter begins to believe these things? After the 100th Hilary Clinton email joke, does it plant a negative impression in someone's mind? As in, they're not sure why they don't like her but they just don't?

If you want to discuss politics, discuss them. Just stop emailing me mean spirited jokes!

Kindergarten(!)

My baby started kindergarten today. It's hard to believe. There was a "Boo Hoo Breakfast" for the kindergarten parents. It's so silly to feel this bittersweet--she's going half days every day, instead of half days 3x's a week like for preschool, and she even uses the same door as last year to get to her room!

The moms at the breakfast were very nice. I met someone who's only lived here a week. I invited her to Alpine Church. Those of us whose oldest children were beginning kindergarten were all a bit sad, and some cried. (I cried at home this morning. . . and again when AJ and I left and saw Grace playing on the playground.) The moms whose youngest were beginning kindergarten were pretty excited. They finally have free time!!

Anyhow, it's a short day today so Grace is only there from 8:05 until 10:10. I think we'll still go to the gym. I didn't want to overwhelm her, but I think consistency is good for her. And for me, too! It's Wednesday--CORE ab training day.

Here's Grace before leaving this morning:

Vegas

This is the "autoedited" version of our video and pics in Vegas. I'm trying to put my own together, but lost tape 1. So until tape 1 shows up, here's the auto-edit:

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2125645159890797919]

Post office Blues

So three times in as many months, bills that I have sent out have not made it to their recipient. I've kept careful records of the checks, and then I get a phone call that a particular bill is overdue,  even though it was sent weeks ago. And when I write checks, I usually do them in batches. So the OTHER checks all cleared, which tells me that I DID mail them. THis is going to kill our credit. It's so frustrating. I had Grace make a card for my dad and I sent a check to cover something that he had taken care of so that I wouldn't have to do it from long-distance. When I got to Florida, I commented on the card and check and he gave me a blank look. He'd never gotten it.

What the heck?

Going back to Utah

It wasn't until I saw all my friends and family again that I realized how much I've missed everyone. My kids have soaked up every minute with mom and dad and kyle and kellyn. So have I, if truth be told. I've enjoyed catching a movie with my mom, stealing the crossword puzzle in the paper from my dad, hanging out with Kyle and Kellyn. . . joking with them and knowing my sarcasm is appreciated. Usually.

And oh, my friends. . . .
Elizabeth and I have been friends since 1998, when we met as camp counselors--and oh, the drama! of that summer--I was matron of honor in her wedding, and we are godmothers to each others' children. . . Tracy and I have memories that go way back, to before I married Terry and to before either of us had babies . . . .Carin watched Grace when AJ was born and was a sounding board filled with wisdom and grace. . . .Cindy and I used to go out for a girls night, just the two of us, for Margaritas and soft shell crab sandwiches at Port Canaveral--she is the most kind, compassionate person that I have EVER met. . . I saw my friend Hilary EVERY day b/c I watched Alexis, and she has been generous times a million with me. . . .all of our play dates at the park, since the time our first born were just weeks old, our group girls nights out at The Melting Pot and Conchy Joe's and random restaurants. . . It takes time to build friendship like that. The kind of friendship where you can make an offhand comment and know that your friend will assume the best and not the worst. Where you can be who you are, share your hopes and dreams with your friends, talk about your marriage and your faith and your struggles and triumphs. Where you can cry and know that they won't think you're depressed, they'll know you're having a sensitive moment and send you cards that say it's okay to feel the way you do.

And to be hit with all that and realize how empty and lonely I feel in Utah, compared with the richness and fullness of relationships in Florida, has been incredibly emotional for me. And I saw the same in my daughter. She glowed with Alexis and Grace and Gracie and Joel and Collin. She loved having her friends back. And AJ loved playing with kids his age, too. . . the younger siblings. How funny it was that Carin, Cindy and I all had little boys within a few months of each other. How lucky for our children. And it breaks my heart that I must go away again, and we must forge new friendships, new relationships, with new insecurities, and more hard work. I know it can be done. But sometimes, I just want to bask in the security, comfort, and joy of those I already have.

Pickens Plan

The Pickens Plan

The main idea seems to be harnessing wind power and decreasing our dependency on oil. So far, I like what I've been reading. Check it out! I'd love to hear what others think about this. I'm not technically oriented at all, so I have no idea how the logistics will work. It sounds as if we have the technology, we just need to expand where it's currently located?

Tyler Florence Meatloaf

This meatloaf is so good. It's our favorite meatloaf recipe, tangy due to the special tomato relish you make to accent the meatloaf flavor. mmmm!!!

Tyler Florence's Dad's Meatloaf Recipe

Life.

I was on team at camp in 1998. One of the girls who was also on team died a few weeks ago, apparently of a brain tumor. She had a one year old daughter. And this was quite unexpected.

Her husband has kept up their blog, and his raw grief breaks my heart as he describes life as a single parent, missing his wife and putting his trust in Christ one day at a time. One minute at a time, really.

Kristi was sweet, kind, hard working. . . . I always enjoyed talking to her. We were myspace friends, meaning we kept up via bulletin boards and a few random emails here and there.

Please keep her family in your prayers.

Independence Day

I always like to remember what the 4th of July celebrates. I think Independence Day has a much nicer ring than "July 4th". It's incredible that so many people had the vision of what our country could be, and fought hard, giving up their livelihoods, families, and even very life for the sake of freedom. And I'm so grateful that we still have men and women who do that to this day. For those serving our country this minute over seas, thank you. Thank you for defending us and for being willing to make a stand for others who don't have a choice.

As you can see by my 3 posts today, my family is doing nothing celebratory. They strongly suggested I not take the kids to see fireworks, as they don't like loud noises any more than I did/do. So we're grilling hotdogs in a little bit. And my brother just got back with a friend--they picked up fireworks. So I'm planning to let the kids stay up for the "show" tonight.

The kids are wearing red white and blue. As am I. At least we're patriotic!

Universal Studios

My mom took Grace to Universal Studios last week. Grace is very cautious, and I wondered how she was going to take all the rides. She avoided almost everything at the park--even the kids' rides! She liked the playground in Dr Seuss Land and rode the spinning hats (they turn three times, total). Everything was: too loud, too crazy, too high, too wet, too dark, too scary, too spinny, too fast, etc. She asked the employee when they were in line to ride the train:

"Is it loud?"

"No."

"Does it go upside down?"

"No."

"Does it go too fast?"

"No."

So she reluctantly climbed in with a death grip on my mom's hand!! Funny girl. She ended up having a great day. I'm just glad she got on the airplane with me to fly to North Carolina. We had major turbulence on the way, which was quite scary for her (and me). I hope I can get her on one again for the flight back to Utah!

Finally better!

It takes longer than I'd thought for all the meds to kick in. Today is the first day in a week that my head hasn't ached. I took Grace and AJ and Kellyn to breakfast at a new place in town called TooJay's. It was a delicious, reasonably priced meal. I had French toast which was made with fresh challah bread. YUM! A server resembled my brother, and every time he walked by, AJ pointed at him and engaged the server in conversation. It was quite cute.

Grace has a cold now. Her nose is runny and she has a post-nasal cough thing going on. She was miserable until I gave her a dose of Motrin. Now she says she's much better. I hope it doesn't turn into an infection on her.

I think we're going to my parents' condo at New Smyrna Beach next week. My mom plans to stay for the whole week, which means I'm going to have to back out of the Bible study I had planned to go to at church. It's just as well. . .

I always thought if we moved back to Orlando, we'd attend my home church. But I don't feel connected anymore, and frankly, it seems like the church has grown very impersonal now. I don't really enjoy the traditional service the way I used to. And it's not as Bible-based as I would prefer. It's odd to come to this realization. I go to church to worship God, not be entertained by a choir and a gifted speaker. And I enjoy hearing the sermons, but then my parents pick it apart if it's not a sermon by the head pastor, who has a gift for eloquence, charisma and public speaking. It shouldn't be a SHOW, though. It's supposed to draw us to the heart of God, and I don't sense that anymore at St. Luke's. Yet at the same time--that's why I attend services when I'm in town.

I go to church to worship God, and it's not about me. So I go. And then I have to hunt down my family, who slipped out at 12:00 because they don't stay in church past noon, and I didn't know that, and was sitting in the back so I didn't have to climb over my family after dropping Grace off in childcare (don't get me started on THAT fiasco) and so I don't disturb everyone around with my horrible cough. I think it's the height of rudeness to leave a worship service early. And it's completely disrespectful. So this Sunday, I think I'm going to stay home in the morning and take my children to the evening contemporary service. Perhaps that will work more smoothly.

It's kind of nice to know that my church home really truly is at Alpine Church, in Utah. It's the best part about Utah, IMO. The members there have become family to Terry and I. The staff have gone out of their way to welcome us and befriend us. The people in our home group have become authentic friends--people I can talk to beyond "How are you?" and "Fine." They pray for and with us, they care about us, and we care about them. We look to the Bible for guidance, not the latest pop-culture speaker. Our pastor and his wife even watched our little dog, Angel, while I was in FL and Terry had to travel with work. They've been beyond friends to us, and we're so grateful to have all of these people in our lives.

Sinusitis.

It sucks to get sick when you're on vacation. I caught a cold from my grandfather (who actually had pneumonia) and it developed into sinusitis. I have severe pain in my face, around the sinus cavities including my cheeks, forehead, and upper jaw. There is a cough that goes with this, and every time I cough, it hurts my face. I went to an Urgent Care last night and they gave me cough medicine with codeine, a dose pack to clear the sinuses and an antibiotic. I thought I'd feel better by now, since I started the meds 16 hours ago. no dice.

My mom said yesterday, "I bet my back hurts as much as your sinuses" after cleaning the condo for the renters this week. (The kids and I went to their condo at New Smyrna Beach for the weekend) Today she said, "Everyone knows you're not feeling well. But i think you're going to have to get up and help AJ." Aj was being ornery and no one else knew what to do with him. And then, "If you get up, you'll feel better." I'm up. not feeling better.

Funny-the dr told me to get LOTS of rest. he was very concerned and told me if I got worse I needed to go to the ER. *sigh*

Blueberries and Friends

My brother drove the kids and I up to Ocala yesterday to visit my dear friends. It was so nice to catch up with Elizabeth--we met 10 years ago when we were camp counselors at the United Methodist Camp in Leesburg. She is Grace's godmother, and her daughter, Jodi, is my goddaughter.

Elizabeth is the proud owner of Pea Pie Baby, a fabulous online children's store. The kids loved playing with all of her demos. Next time I have a baby, I'm buying a "Bebe Au Lait" aka "Hooter Hider" and a pack of her swaddling blankets! As it is, we left with a boxful of merchandise that I just couldn't resist, like an Ellie Bellie messenger bag for Grace's birthday, monster bowling set, a monster puppet for our plane ride back to Utah, and some other fun items as well. Each kid also now owns a harmonica. Now they can play with my Papa!

While we visited, we took our kids to Southland's Blueberry Farm in Gainesville. Grace picked 1/2 pound by herself, and between Kyle, Grace, and I, we picked 5.5 lbs of blueberries! AJ picked and ate, picked and ate, and ended up with an empty bucket. He's had some diaper problems today. I'll spare the details. We had sour cream and blueberry pancakes for breakfast today, and anticipate baking a blueberry pie sometime this week. There's also a local produce stand next to the blueberry farm, so I picked up some fresh corn on the cob, peas and eggplant to supplement our meals. Tonight we're having beef stroganoff with corn on the cob for a side. It's AJ's favorite vegetable.

We finished our day off with Zaxby's, a delicious chicken place kind of like Chik Fil A. I think my brother had a good time, and we're so grateful to him for chauffeuring us across Central Florida.

Vacation?

My family (parents and sister, sans brother) went on vacation in North Carolina, and our cabin had no cable/satellite for tv or internet. My dad was a basket case--talk about television addiction! That's precisely why Terry and I choose not to subscribe to cable or satellite. All we have are videos. My dad talked to the kids and actually played card games with us, instead of staring at the tv for hours on end. It was quite nice. For a while. It turns out my father has no idea how to talk to children--my children always think he's mad at them b/c he speaks loudly and just gives orders instead of reasons. For example, instead of gently saying, "could you please move here," Dad says, "Get off the couch!" which scares them. So now my 2 year old son hits my dad everytime he walks by, either with his hand or with his blanket. Which pisses dad off to no end. They're both two stubborn males, glaring at each other whenever my father is home. Fabulous.

So now I'm here at my parents' house, trying to get along. My mom is very worried (in an OCD manner) about the house staying clean. Plus she is caring for my grandfather, her dad, during the days until his wife recovers from a recent surgery. My sister thinks we all owe her because she has a college scholarship, therefore she is entitled to everything. (Apparently, my degree, college and scholarships don't hold up the way hers do) Like: the bedroom that we shared (I was told when you go to college, it's not your room anymore, but apparently that rule only applies to me!) so my daughter is in the top bunk bed, my sis has "her" bed--it's a double on under my Grace's--AJ is sleeping on the floor next to my parents' bed (it's actually on the dog bed, but he seems quite happy, and their dog doesn't sleep in it anyways), and I get a cot by the front door, so when my dad leaves the house at 6:30, I get a nice wake up call. I can only use my brother's computer, not connected to a printer, even though there are two laptops, apparently holding top secret classified information. So I'm scribbling from allrecipes.com because cooking is the one thing I do well in my parents' eyes. Tell me again why I decided to stay here until July 31???? And carless???? I so miss my van--it's always been a symbol of freedom to me, because I didn't have a car until after DH and I were married and we bought one for me together.

You see, my parents, uber possession oriented, are quite reluctant to let me borrow their extra car. Apparently Princess Sister might need it to go to work (I never had a car--I had someone drop me off at work, or walked. . .which she could do. . . ) and I've been afraid to ask directly because I feel like I can't take any more rejection from them than I already have. . not recently, but accumulated over the years? I've made plans to lunch with a friend across town Tuesday, and I'm wondering how to get there. And I'm going to visit another friend on thursday and friday, who lives about 2 hours away. I suspect I'm going to have to rent a car. Even though their car would be safer with me, as I'm a better driver than dear sister, who I watched plow through a pedestrian walkway and cut off a bicycle the other day, plus run FOUR red lights down Highway 50.

My brother says it's funny how everything just stays the same. And he's right. I was hoping it would somehow be different--I'd be more mature, they'd be more understanding--but somehow, we've slipped right back into our old roles. Except I'm trying to be a mom to my children and a daughter to my parents and the roles don't seem to support each other. I want so desperately for this summer to heal some old wounds. Perhaps they can't heal until the scab is picked off, causing pain to bring about wholeness?

Tolerance.

I've been involved in an online discussion regarding tolerance. Here's what I think:

Tolerance is, IMO, basic. It's being civil. Its very definiton is this:

1. The capacity for or the practice of recognizing and respecting the beliefs or practices of others.
2.
a. Leeway for variation from a standard.

In this age, i think that Christians have a responsibility to lead holy lives. But we do NOT have the right to insist that others do what we say. I think that's the worst way to show people God's grace and mercy. And I think Satan runs rampant when we think that because we have certain moral standards, everyone should fall in line.

I mean, living in Utah--do you know how many times mothers at the park have gathered their children to leave when the kids and I show up? And it's not because my kids are poorly behaved. It's always on the days when I'm wearing a tank top, or shorts, or wear my cross necklace. Are they being tolerant?? I guess, in the sense that they're letting my kids play at the park while they hastily pack up and leave, not acknowledging me or responding to my greeting. Are they showing love? Kindness? Nope. I imagine they're terrified that my children will corrupt theirs.

I think that we need to teach our children our values. And let them be exposed to the world, in a developmentally appropriate manner, of course. If we insulate them, they're going to be shocked when they finally get out into reality. But if we integrate them from the beginning with people who are different than us, who make different choices than we do, and teach them how to respond, THEN we have hope of developing strong children who possess tolerance-and above that, kindness.

ETA: I also believe that helping someone else, even who is living a lifestyle you do not agree with, is an act of kindness and mercy. Jesus did NOT tell people to turn their lives around and THEN seek him. Jesus gave them what they needed and in response to that love, people choose to--are compelled to--lead holy lives.

Salivary Mucocele

Grace fell at school in mid-April, and shortly afterward we noticed a bump inside her lower lip. we assumed it was a blister or a canker sore. Turns out to be a salivary mucocele, which must be removed, or it will keep growing.  We finally found a doctor (bless him) who was able to schedule us for surgery before we leave for Florida this summer.

She had the procedure this morning, and was up last night, terrified. She was afraid that she would wake up in the middle of the procedure; she was afraid she was going to miss her dance recital (which was tonight). She didn't want to be cut; she didn't trust what was going on. She tried to convince me that the bump had gotten smaller, but to no avail.

We got up VERY early this morning and made it to the hospital. She wore her princess nightgown, flower robe, and fancy pink high heeled plastic slippers with feathers at the toes. The nurses loved her. And she liked them. Until the blood pressure machine came out (it's actually a sphygmomanometer--one of my favorite words, and I so rarely get to use it!).  It squeezed her arm and she wailed. She was terrified.

Then we met the anesthesiologist, who was very kind and soothing. He confided in Grace that he is a grandfather, and he knows just how to take care of little girls. He then explained what he would do--that he would give her a mask to breathe, and he would make sure that she slept during the operation. I watched her relax in his presence.

She came out in good spirits, loving the popsicles in post-op. We made it home, took a nap, and got ready for her dance recital. She was insistent that she go, and since she missed her Christmas recital due to a nasty stomach flu that almost landed her in the ER for dehydration, we consented.

Keep in mind that this little girl is 4 years old. In preschool. Why did they put her 2nd dance at the end? AFTER intermission, 3rd song from the end?  The recital started at 6:30pm, and we didn't leave until 9:30. And we left directly after her last number.

(At her other dance studio in FL, they had all the little children's dances first, and a mini-finale just for the little ones before intermission. Then they got to go home!!! Not to mention that the studio had us drop the kids off and took care of even the 2 year olds without their parents backstage. . . . so in UT I missed half the show taking care of grace ) I don't understand this at all.

She was so tired from this day, and very thirsty--we suspect due to the anesthesia. And her mouth was starting to hurt, but you would never know it from the way she insisted we stay and the way she danced so enthusiastically. We were very proud of her dancing. She was smiling, shaking her hips, and knew every move. Then we came home.

I gave her some medicine and a popsicle. Within 15 minutes of taking the medicine, she was screaming and shrieking over every little minute problem. I talked calmly to her, read her a story despite her protests (nothing like a little Fancy Nancy to brighten your day, you know) and helped her into bed. I told her that the medicine would make her feel tired and grumpy, and she seemed to calm down, knowing that it wasn't just HER feeling icky.

I finally got her to sleep, and made it to the phone to call out for pizza 5 minutes before closing. Now when Terry comes home from his soccer game, we can relax over some pizza (if only I had a bottle of wine!!!) and perhaps a short video. We're big fans of Hulu these days. Thanks for the site, karen! :)

Time flies.

Is it really 5 years ago that I was great with my first child? FIVE years that I have been a mother?? I look at Grace today and am stunned at how quickly time has gone by. It seems just yesterday that I was up in the middle of the night with my newborn, reading the latest installment of Harry Potter while nursing her back to sleep. Just yesterday that a huge 3 -4 foot stork came to visit and walk around in my pool when Grace was just a few days old. My mom and I think he was making sure all was well at our home.

When Grace was just a few weeks old, I recall meeting my friends with their newborns at the Cocoa Village park. We strolled through the park, talking about motherhood and how it had changed us and what we were anticipating. One friend said, "Do you know what I'm most looking forward to? Bubble baths!" It's such a simple thing. And now I think about how we ran out of Bubble Bath a few months ago and I haven't bothered to replace it, thinking of it as unimportant.

My girl is tall and skinny, with curly hair that she hates to have brushed. Her legs are so long that I've suggested she wear bike shorts under her dresses, which she refuses. She loves to play with friends, and she puts on these new high heeled shiny red dress shoes that are 2 sizes too big for her every chance she gets, so that she can tap dance on our wood floor to songs on TV. Her current favorite is a song Big Bird sings when he misses his best friend, Snuffy, on "Elmo Saves Christmas." She wears hair bows and head bands, sometimes all at once, and loves to dress up and be "fancy". She has a closet filled with dresses. I don't know how to break it to her that in kindergarten, she must wear the school uniform: Khaki shorts or skirts, with a leather belt, and solid navy, green or white polo shirts. I'm sure she'll find a way to fancy it up--probably with elaborate hairbows and pins.

Her last day of preschool was yesterday. When I picked her up from school, I almost cried. I didn't--but it was a very close call. To reflect on the past 5 years and realize that my girl is starting kindergarten in the fall is quite a reality check. Time goes by so quickly--the present is so fleeting. How much time have I wasted worrying about tomorrow or dwelling on the past? Today is all I have. CS Lewis talks about this concept in the Screwtape Letters, where in a demon is advising a subordinate how to trip up humans:

The humans live in time but our Enemy destines them to eternity. He therefore, I believe, wants them to attend chiefly to two things, to eternity itself, and to that point of time which they call the Present. For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity. Of the present moment, and of it only, humans have an experience analogous to the experience which our Enemy has of reality as a whole; in it alone freedom and actuality are offered them. He would therefore have them continually concerned either with eternity (which means being concerned with Him) or with the Present--either meditating on their eternal union with, or separation from, Himself,or else obeying the present voice of conscience, bearing the present cross, receiving the present grace, giving thanks for the present pleasure.

Our business is to get them away from the eternal, and from the Present. . . . We sometimes tempt a human. . . to live in the Past. But this is of limited value, for they have some real knowledge of the past and it has a determinate nature and, to that extent, resembles eternity. It is far better to make them live in the Future. . . . It is unknown to them, so that in making them think about it we make them think of unrealities. In a word, the Future is, of all things, the thing least like eternity. It is the most completely temporal part of time--for the Past is frozen and no longer flows, and the Present is all lit up with eternal rays. . . . Gratitude looks to the past and love to the present; fear, avarice, lust and ambition look ahead.

To be sure, the Enemy wants men to think of the Future, too--just so much as is necessary for now planning the acts of justice or charity which will probably be their duty tomorrow. The duty of planning the morrow's work is today's duty; though its material is borrowed from the future, the duty, like all duties, is in the Present. . . He does not want men to give the Future their hearts, to place their treasure in it. His ideal is a man who, having worked all day for the good of posterity, washes his mmind of the whole subject, commits the issue to Heaven, and returns at once to the patience or gratitude demanded by the moment that is passing over him.

Oh, to be the ideal human. Steven Curtis Chapman sings a song called, "Miracle of the Moment."

AJ was watching Dora the Explorer, talking to her when she asked questions, and getting really into it. Then some farm animals were hiding and you had to tell by their sound where the pig was. Well, a cow was hiding behind a tractor, and poor AJ jumped up, terrified, and ran out of the room!!! He stood in the hallway, whimpering, until I realized what had happened. I explained it was just a cow saying, "Moo" and then he came back in the room to sit on my lap. Two year olds.

The Easiest Cake recipe

Someone sent this recipe to me years ago, and it's always turned out moist, flavorful, and delicious.

Take a box of cake mix, a can of pie filling, and 3 eggs. Throw it all in your mixer and mix. Bake according to cake box directions. YUM!!!

I like devil's food chocolate with cherry pie filling, lemon with cherry pie filling, yellow cake with strawberry pie filling, chocolate with apple pie filling. . seriously, you CANNOT go wrong here. And it has ALWAYS turned out wonderful! I get compliments on it every time I make it! So there's my secret. Enjoy.

Asparagus

I took the kids to a U-Pick farm today and we had a great time selecting and picking our own asparagus. The farm provided baskets and knives, and we did the rest. Grace selected each asparagus (it had to be longer than 6" for the $1/lb rate) and I would cut it off and put it in her basket. She loved it. And I bet she actually eats it for dinner tonight. I found a great asparagus recipe on All Recipes. AJ put his basket on his head and played in the dirt.

Pictures to follow shortly.

Memorial Day Weekend

Only in Utah does it snow Memorial Day Weekend.

I spent Friday afternoon-Saturday afternoon on a ladies' retreat with my church at the Brighton Chalet. I carpooled with 6 other women from my home group, had tacos for dinner, played the card game "Sevens" twice and managed to stay away from a negative score both times, ate Twizzlers and Reeses' Pieces and pretzels and drank Diet Coke, stayed up until 1:30am talking with my roommates. . . .aaahhh, it's better than summer camp! :) We got flurries all evening to go with the cozy weather. Someone saw a black bear. Someone else saw a porcupine.

Terry, Grace and AJ picked me up at the conclusion of the retreat and we headed to Park City. We discovered that the road we intended to take was still closed due to snow. We headed back through the chalet area, and pulled into a parking lot where Terry discovered, to my horror, the women from church who had stayed to go hiking. I pretended I didn't know them and asked him to ask someone else for directions. Of course they saw me. Of course they knew how to get to Park City. Of course they had extra snacks for my grumpy children. Of course they knew that I had intentionally not made eye contact!

So here we are, at the same place we stayed back in February. The dogs love it. It's like Doggy Day Camp for them, romping with the owners' two dogs, and getting acquainted with the three horses in the backyard of this 7-acre slice of heaven. The kids played and pet the horses, enjoyed the hot tub, and went to bed early after I made Baked Ziti (well, pasta Shells, really, but who's getting technical here?). I could really use some more chocolate. I was very spoiled last night with the free for all for candy going on.

Tomorrow, we're taking the kids and dogs on a 1 mile hike over a little hill to see an incredible view and have a picnic. I don't care how tired my children get, I am not carrying them. They have legs. Let them walk. Perhaps we can rig some kind of a sleigh up to the dogs. .. . Just kidding.

So here it is, Memorial Day weekend, in the 40's. I'm not sure if I miss 95+ degree weather in Florida or not, currently.

Maria Sue Chapman 2003-2008

Stephen Curtis Chapman's beautiful adopted daughter, Maria Sue, was tragically killed in an accident at their family home yesterday afternoon. My heart breaks for this family. Stephen's music has blessed me so much. I hope that God will find a way to bless him and comfort him during this time. It makes one realize how short life really is. We think we're going to live forever, but ultimately, we only live forever when we find life in Christ. My prayers and thoughts are with this family. My Grace is the same age as Maria, and I'm hugging my girl extra closely right now.

Grace's Preschool Program

[googlevideo=http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2008947591335330571&hl=en]Remember, they're process-oriented, not results-driven, as their teacher pointed out in a letter before the program!!

Grace's Dance

This was their "practice" for a local middle school, preparing for their "official" dance revue coming up June 5.

 

Pride is a Cheater

My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
I cheat you of your God-given destiny. . . because you demand your own way.
I cheat you of contentment . . . because you "deserve better than this."
I cheat you of knowledge . . .because you already know it all.
I cheat you of healing . . .because you're too full of me to forgive.
I cheat you of holiness. . . because you refuse to admit when you're wrong.
I cheat you of vision . . . because you'd rather look in the mirror than out a window.
I cheat you of genuine friendship . . . because nobody's going to know the real you.
I cheat you of love. . . because real romance demands sacrifice.
I cheat you of greatness in heaven . . . because you refuse to wash another's feet on earth.
I cheat you of God's glory . . .because I convince you to seek your own.
My name is Pride. I am a cheater.
You like me because you think I'm always looking out for you. Untrue.
I'm looking to make a fool of you.
God has so much for you, I admit, but don't worry . . .
If you stick with me
You'll never know.
--Beth Moore, from Praying God's Word

"Pride goes before destruction, a hau

Conversing with a 4 Year Old

Background: Terry said Grace was overtired and coloring to calm down before bed. Unfortunately, several crayons are missing, including tan and brown. This is how our phone conversation went:

Me: "Hi, baby. How are you?"
GP: "Good. What color makes brown?"
Me: "Umm, I don't know. Do you want to say bedtime prayers over the phone?
GP: "Yes. . . . " halfway through the prayer, she breaks off--'Are you in my bedroom? Can you make sure we use the same words that are in the prayer in my room? (The difference being the word "Guard" vs. "be with")
Me: "Yes, honey. BE. . . "

We finish her prayers.. . . "AMEN!"
GP: "Mommy, what color should I make the princess' hands and feet?"
Me: "Why don't you color her hands and feet the same as her face?"
GP: "Oh. Red. Okay. Bye!"

She's so funny.

The Business of Being Born.

AMAZING movie. Every woman who is pregnant, thinks that someday she might want to be pregnant, or is just interested in birth in general should watch this. And the men who think they'll be daddies someday, too!!!

It's the best 1:24 you'll spend watching a motion picture. :) They even interviewed my hero, Ina May Gaskin. The Business of Being Born

Fireproof the Movie

This movie is coming out in fall 2008. The latest movie from the creators of the movie Facing the Giants, Fireproof is the story of a firefighter, his wife, and a marriage worth rescuing. I can't wait to see it!

Earth Day

I took the kids to an Earth Day festival Saturday at the Ogden Nature Center. It was really fun, the kids spent a great day outdoors, we all got some sun (!) and I learned a few things.

I've been wanting to start a vegetable garden again, and have been trying to find space and come up with an economical, low-time spent, big -pay off kind of plan. I think I found it!!

One of the exhibitors at the Earth Day festival was a Square Foot Gardener. As he explained how it works, it seems too simple. I bought the book, joined the Yahoo! group, visited the original Square Foot Gardening siteand have processed the info. I just need Terry to make the structure(s) for me and away I'm going to go! :)

I also learned about vermicompost. It's basically taking your veg and fruit scraps, mixing them with some shredded newspaper and feeding red wiggler worms. It enhances the soil greatly, and will make Mel's Mix for the Square Foot Gardening recipe. I'm excited about trying this--first I'd like to find some local Red Wiggler worms, so that I don't have to pay shipping. 1 lb of worms online goes for anywhere between 15-$30, some with shipping, some without. . you know how that goes!

Anyhow, here's to my next project!!

Did I mention that my curtain fabric is still on the roll in my sewing room? And I haven't bought curtain rods yet?? DOH!!!!

Women. . . in the Bible

Since God created Man first, and then decided it was not good for man to be alone, is Woman just an afterthought? Is our whole female purpose to just be a companion for man? Of course, in Genesis 1:27, it says "God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them . . ." 

But Genesis 2:18-21 says, "Then the Lord God said, "It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper as his partner."  It then goes on to say that God created animals, but none of them would fit the  bill for Man. Isn't that a bit insulting? The footnotes in my Bible say, regarding 2:18-21, "To be fully human one needs to be in relation to others who correspond to oneself. Helper, not in a relationship of subordination but of mutuality and interdependence. Creation from the man's rib shows an affinity between man and woman such as is not possible between humans and animals." 

Also, isn't it odd that God said it is not good for Man to be alone, only for Paul to write in 1 Corinthians 7,

 "1Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. 2But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.. . . .  8Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. 9But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. "

How can he say that, based on Genesis? Paul seems to say that the only reason to get married is to prevent immorality. Due to our lack of control . . . . ???? That's rather insulting. And if woman was created FOR man, in a sense, FOR marriage, how can Paul contradict that?

Of course, I do believe that all people were created with gifts and worth. I struggle with these Biblical pictures of woman being created FOR man, as subservient. . . .

Perhaps Paul is trying to give women worth on their own? If it's better for us NOT to marry, then does that mean that Paul sees a greater purpose in women than just to be attached to man?

Must think about this.

The Pill

I'm disgusted with the way the medical community sometimes behaves. I've been pretty clear that I think ACOG is over concerned with the bottom line and not women's health. And drug companies, too, have my contempt.

Many Christians believe that life begins at conception.  It's interesting that manufacturers of the birth control pill (bcp) have gone to great lengths to hide the fact that the pill functions in THREE ways: 1) inhibiting ovulation, 2) creating thick cervical fluid so that sperm is inhibited from reaching an egg and 3)affecting the endometrium so that an egg that IS fertilized (conceived) cannot implant. The first 2 ways are considered contraceptive; the third is considered abortive.

It's appalling that the manufacturers are HIDING this information!! It's extremely difficult to find any research regarding this, and most women are completely unaware. Many doctors pussyfoot around the topic, claiming that the pill's PRIMARY functions are #1 and #2, as listed above. They claim that the abortive effect is very rare. If that were true, ectopic pregnancies would be dramatically less for users of the Pill. In fact, it's dramatically higher (70-1300% higher, according to several different studies). They claim that because SOMETIMES the Pill completely fails, and a baby is conceived and implanted and brought to full term, that must mean that the third, abortive effect,  is non existent. That is completely convoluted logic!

Additionally, some medical experts claim that when a woman gives birth, use of the Pill becomes evident, because the hormones build up in a visible ring (like determining age on a tree. . . ) on her cervix. This has been associated with heart defects in babies, and harder contractions during labor, and causing dilation to go much slower than would  be normal. Apparently it fades over time one the woman stops taking extra hormones.

My point is that for those women who believe life begins at conception and who are anti-abortion, why not be honest with them? This is a huge ethical, moral and religious matter for many people. So tell the truth! Don't hide it!!!! For those who do not care about this issue, they will use the bcp anyhow. I'm just disgusted with this conspiracy of silence in the medical community, where research is considered "proprietary" and people cannot find out what the  truth is.  It sickens me that profit motivates this. Perhaps if research and development companies were NOT for profit, our world would be a better place.

Spring

It's supposed to warm up to 76 degrees on Monday!!! YAY!!!!! Shorts and Tshirts, here we come!!!! Welcome to springtime in Utah!  Perhaps the snow really is done!

Dear Eve,

When we got you, you were supposed to be half golden retriever, half german shepherd. My favorite dog, and Terry's favorite dog, respectively. You have no golden retriever in you at all. That leaves me screwed to begin with. I have worked with you, trained you, and taught you how to behave. Here are some notes on how this is going:

The garbage is not an all you can eat buffet. If you consider it as such, you must eat every scrap, not leave it strewn around the kitchen for me to clean up.

The incessant barking at the crazy lady who walks around the neighborhood is driving me bonkers. Soon I'll be the next crazy lady.

The dining room table is for people. Not four legged animals.

You must leave our little dog alone. She doesn't like you. Stop trying to entice her to play. And stop throwing the tennis ball at me. I'm busy.

Diapers are not food. That's disgusting. Now I have more sewing to do, to repair the freaking holes you put in the linings.

If you ever chew up a knitted soaker again, I will give you to the pound.

Sincerely,
Your Owner

Our Waldorf Doll

IMG_1516

Originally uploaded by staciplonsky

I started her before Christmas, and have finally finished! Grace is so thrilled with this doll. She named her "Melody Emily", and she helped tie on Melody's hair.

This doll is made of all natural fibers, including cotton skin, natural fiber hair like mohair, wool, cotton and silk, and she is stuffed with wool filling, making her warm up as she is held. I ordered the kit from Dancing Rain Dolls, and the mother who owns this business is incredibly sweet to work with. I feel like I got a great deal in the kit, and am considering making a doll for AJ. Eventually. ;)

Some more pics. Note Grace's dress and Melody's match, and also note that Grace insisted on the purple sweater under her dress. She's definitely 4.

Heaven

I'm reading a book our pastor  loaned us, Heaven by Randy Alcorn. It's given me a new perspective on life, and death. Alcorn's website is also quite  good: Eternal Perspective Ministries.

I've always pictured Heaven as a place to rest, to sing, and to worship. I imagined me in a throne room, worshipping God. For eternity. Fun at first, but boring eventually.

Alcorn asserts that Heaven is a New Earth--our earth, perfected. Relationships with others--sinless. No cattiness, no anger, no passive aggression, just pure joy in being with other believers. Colors more vibrant than we can imagine. Mountains taller than we have ever encountered; oceans more beautiful than anything we have seen here. No death. (yes, it sounds like we'll be vegetarians!!!) Something even better than sex. Being complete in Christ, and discovering answers to all of the questions which have plagued us. No desire to sin, instead experiencing pure perfection through the redemption of Jesus Christ. No sorrow, no longing for those who have passed before us. He claims that heaven will be intellectually stimulating, that everyone will have a fulfilling purpose. The Chinese man who longed to teach in a university but settled for being a locksmith--in Heaven, perhaps he will be that professor. Women who longed for motherhood, will have children to mother. Children who longed for a loving mother--will have her. We will be complete, joyful and HOME.

Easter!

Today was a glorious day. I can't imagine better weather to celebrate the resurrection of our Savior. . . the spring reminds me of new life everywhere I look in nature--trees are starting to grow new leaves, my garden's flowers are budding, on the way to a friend's house the baby calves were out in the fields with their mothers, and the horses' colts were outside as well.

We went to church very early, because I was singing in the choir and helping in the nursery. Terry was ushering. The service went well, and the auditorium we were in was packed.  The little girls looked so cute in their beautiful Easter dresses everywhere I Looked! Grace sat nicely with friends and AJ survived the makeshift nursery.

We went to a friend's house for Easter lunch, sans Terry, who had to work on a project for school. AJ's been recovering from his flu last week, and was tired and a bit grumpy. But he loves my friend's mother. He was sitting on her lap, letting her read to him and talking to her about anything he could think about. It made me miss my family terribly. In fact, someone commented on how hard it is to live away from famly, and I began to weep at the table. In front of everyone. Nancy (my friend's mom) hugged me and said she understood completely, having lived away from her family for a long time when her kids were young. She is so mothering and nurturing, and one of the kindest people I have ever met. My short little cry has left me feeling raw, even though the day continued, of course. The kids played, Grace hit my shoulder hard with her shoe on the way home, which I then confiscated, and life goes on.

Dance with Cinderella

This is such a beautiful song. I first really listened to it making pancakes for the kids one morning, and ever since, Grace reminds me that this is the song that made me cry into the pancakes. And every time I hear it, I tear up at least a bit. This song has made me stop what I'm doing and play with my kids, spend time with them--because this time is so precious. Every day is another day that my children are growing up.

Grace loves to be a princess. She dances her way through life, at the grocery store, in the living room, in her bedroom, in the front yard, in the back yard, at church in the lobby, at church during the music, and even when there isn't any music except that in her heart. It brings me such joy to see the innocence, hope and joy unbridled in her. She wears her ballet shoes everywhere that I allow her, and she selects the most beautiful outfit she can find every day, including red plaid skirts, pink and red flowered shirts, pink tights, and red sparkly shoes, paired with a magnificent white cape. All at the same time.  I love this spirit in her. Her favorite game is "Cinderella." Ever since we moved, I have been her new playmate. She begs me to play Cinderella. I get to be the royal messenger, evil stepmother and handsome prince. She gets to be Cinderella. Her favorite part is dancing with the prince and running away when the clock strikes midnight. (Sometimes, I, as the clock, strike a bit too early for her fancy.) And in the end, when the royal messenger trips on the stepmother's foot (fancy double acting by me, I do declare) and I cry, "Oh, no, my life is ruined. We will never find the beautiful girl, the prince's true love. . . " Cinderella delights in interrupting me wit her favorite line of all time, "No. All is not ruined. You see, I have the other slipper," which she then presents to me. Of course she then marries the prince and I can go back to cleaning the kitchen.

She likes to play Ariel in the pool. I get to be Ursula. And if I'm really lucky, she lets me be King Triton. Eric is played by Daddy. Lucky him!

And in another way, it makes me remember being a little girl, dancing with my daddy at Girl Scouts and playing tickle torture and X Marks the Spot on his back, and then getting married.  We had a lovely moment before the ceremony when it was just us, and he looked at me with tears in his eyes and said, "I just wish Grandma (his mother) was here for this."  Stephen Curtis Chapman really outdid himself with this song, and I love this video with the dancing in the background. I hope it touches your heart the same way it touches mine.