Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Chocolate Muffins and Slow Miracles

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . hearing Baby Todd laugh for the first time when I tickled him today.

. . . getting through this afternoon.  I felt so stressed and angry at the big kids over trivial things, and nothing I did seemed to help relieve the tension.  I prayed earnestly for help, and at first nothing seemed change, but minute by minute and hour by hour the pressure slowly eased.  Sometimes God's miracles are instantaneous, and other times they happen so gradually that you almost don't notice them, and it is easy to forget how desperately you begged for them in your dark hour.

. . . eating chocolate zucchini bread muffins.  They are seriously one of my favorite foods ever.  My picky oldest daughter likes them, too--she ate three this evening.

Monday, February 24, 2014

Music Appreciation and Pill Bug Eviction

Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .

. . .  Joy's rolly polly collection taking a dive off our piano.  She had the lid off at the time, so soil and rolly pollies spilled all over our carpet.  We scooped every thing back into the jar as best we could, then I told Joy it was time to return the rolly pollies to their natural habitat (i.e. outside).

Today's favorite moments included . . .


. . . talking with Pink Grandma about the music classes she's taking.  She says they're challenging but fun, and it was obvious that singing really speaks to her soul.

Sunday, February 23, 2014

Gnocchis and Pillow Fights

Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .

. . .  uttering the words, "Don't pillow-fight with a baby!"

Today's favorite moments included . . .


. . . jogging around the courtyard with my two-year-old personal trainer (whose current favorite outdoor game is "Follow Anna Fast").

. . . finding a gnocchi ("NYOH-kee") recipe I'm excited to try.  They're an Italian potato dumpling, but I ate them a lot in Uruguay as a missionary (a member in Salto even gave us a gnocchi-making lesson), and they always remind me of my South American home away from home.

. . . cuddling my little bundle of baby.

. . . talking to God.  Isn't it amazing that the Creator of the entire universe hears each of us, and cares what we have to say?

Monday, February 17, 2014

Playmates and Boring Yarn

Today's not-so-favorite moments included . . .

. . .  a rare being spoiled by the nagging sense that I should really be doing about ten other things.

. . . trying to shoot a semi-formal family portrait with four antsy kids.

. . . sorting through my yarn stash (most of which I've owned for over a decade), and noting that more than half of it is white or off-white.  Booooring.  What am I supposed to do with all that?  The mom in me doesn't want to make anything that will get dirty so easily (and none of us wear much white around here, anyway), but the cheapskate in me can't bear to throw it away.  Maybe I should email the women in my ward and ask if anyone wants free, white yarn.  I'm often surprised at how quickly someone emails back to say that my trash is their treasure.

Today's favorite moments included . . .


. . . spending time with my extended family, including aunts, uncles, and cousins from out of town.

. . . finally writing a few family blog posts.

. . . hearing the big kids happily play make-believe games in the back seat.  I'm so glad they like playing together (most of the time).

. . . discovering that two uninspiring containers of leftovers actually taste great mixed together.

Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Warm, Boring, and Chipless

Today's favorite moments included . . .

. . . getting our heater replaced after the fix-it guy removed our broken one a few days ago.  It was pleasantly novel to have a big hole in our wall for a few days, but I'd rather have a warm home.

. . . doing a science experiment with Joy.  Science projects are voluntary for first graders at her school, but when I asked if she wanted to do one she perked right up and suggested that we see what items will sink or float.  She originally proposed that we test our theories in the pool outside, and jump in after anything that sank.  I suggested that we just use a bowl of water inside where it's warm.  Boring, I know.

And another thing . . .

. . . I made chocolate chip cookies last night, just for fun.  When Joy sampled a few today, she asked if I would leave the chips out of a few of them next time.  What do you call a chocolate chip cookie with no chocolate chips?