As I’ve been working to keep up with the two new blog series (how do you say series in plural form? series-es-es?)…and of course Gratituesday…and menu plans…and new recipes…
I’m finding there’s not much time to blog about anything else. And I kinda miss it. So, I’m taking just a tiny break this week from Feeding the Family and Women with a Mission so that I can take the time to fill you in on some little tid-bits of our lives:
- Matt got home tonight (Wednesday). Yay and yay again. I didn’t rearrange any furniture while he was gone, but I did manage to clean out my email box so that there are only 37 unread emails waiting for me. I try to keep up, really I do! Oh, and when Matt walked in the door he held in his hand a single rose that he’d taken from Grandpa’s casket…and brought all the way back from CA for me. In his hand. Even though the rose was a bit wilted and saggy…it was the most beautiful red rose I’d ever seen.
- Somehow the boys have created a game in which they are never allowed to step on any part of the floor that is wood or tile. This is a problem because most of our floors are wood or tile. The simple task of “run upstairs and grab your math book” now consists of jumping onto the rug, leaning heavily onto the couch, vaulting themselves into the air and hoping to reach the steps that are carpeted. I’ve about had enough of this game and will soon have to put my foot down and insist that the wood floor is not hot lava. After all, I should know. Even after several warnings that “Mom! You’re in the hot lava! You’re gonna get burned!” I have yet to feel even a bit of heat. And besides, how am I supposed to peel potatoes in the kitchen? Stand on the countertop?
- Remember how I mentioned that Monday night we were inviting Madge over, the woman who recently lost her husband? Our red headed friend was here too, and may I just say what a delightful evening we all had together? We enjoyed our chicken and noodles and Madge laughed at the boys jokes (even the ones that weren’t funny). Then she stayed and played Apples to Apples Jr. with us. She’d never played before…and somehow she pulled off the win! It was the most precious night and I loved it. This woman is a wonderful mentor to me.
- Sometimes the challenge of raising our boys into godly young men is so daunting to me and I feel incredibly overwhelmed. I’ve been feeling that lately. It’s good to feel this way I guess. It reminds me that I’m relying on God for help in this huge job.
- I need to go put butter on my hands.
- I am learning some new recipes from my friends and after I try them and like them, I’m gonna share them with you.
- I have three dirty towels hanging in the kitchen right now. No, four. Where are all the clean ones?
- Recently after I finished drinking all my milk, Malachi got excited and told me that now I was going to “grow up into a great big daddy!” Would you like to be the first to congratulate me?
- We’ve had temps in the 50’s and 60’s for several days now and we are all loving it! That never happens in the middle of a Nebraska winter. If I don’t watch myself, I may go outside and start planting lettuce.
So, what have you been up to? Do you have any clean towels hanging up in your kitchen? Were you aware that stepping on uncarpeted floors meant you were stepping in hot lava? Consider yourself warned.
Amy Lynne says
I’m glad to hear (read) that I am not the only one with silly boys and missing kitchen towels. Must be something in the air!
Lenetta says
Um, Laura? You know we’re forecasted for like 9″ of snow by Saturday, right?
Melonie (Momma & More) says
I have two clean-ish towels and one I personally consider dirty but nobody else in the house cares.
As for the hot lava – try sitting on the counter. Better yet, run a nice warm sink full of water and soak your feet while you peel potatoes. You’ll feel the warmth and some pampering. Now….to convince the boys that Mom needs a healing salve (aka your favorite lotion) rubbed onto her feet (by THEM) in order to help those earlier lava-walking burns get healed up….. heh heh.
Mrs. S says
We are finally getting a little rain in CA. And with it, lots of snotty noses and coughs (ok, I know weather and snot are really unrelated). So for now we are snuggled up, watching movies, keeping tissues on hand and listening to rain. While I hate when my children aren’t feeling well, I appreciate the Lord slowing us down a bit. Oh and if uncarpeted (sp?) floors are hot lava, we are in trouble! Only are bedrooms have carpet!
Em. says
I don’t think the lava thing ever ends. In fact, just two very days ago, my little brother (… all 22 years of him) told me as we crested the bottom of the basement stairs that all the blue tiles were lava. And without even thinking twice, I hopped over the blue (now, lava) tiles at the bottom of the steps.
We’re all approximately 6 years old way down in there somewhere, I think. <3
Mrs. King says
There must be a raid on clean kitchen towels somewhere because although I keep folding them when they come out of the laundry, they cannot be found *in* the kitchen.
The children in my home refer to it as hot laba. I think the name is going to stick since my youngest is now 9. It used to be hop laba – we have grown. ;-)
Jennifer says
Yay! I like the random posts :)I do not think I have any clean towels hanging up in the kitchen and yes, my floor is often hot lava. Thankfully, I have a rug at the kitchen sink so that I can do dishes without getting burned!
Emily says
I’ve missed your random posts! I always like to try and do some that start with “you know what?” and then continue the thought. They’re rarely more than a sentence, but its great for sharing a short thought or anecdote or quote I found recently.
And I still remember doing hot lava as a kid. My mom put her foot down when I cut my forehead on a cupboard because I was going across the kitchen counters. =) Hopefully no one will get scraped up!
Emily says
Oh, and I have two clean dish towels right now, which will last far longer if the boyfriend doesn’t try and help with dinners! =)
Julie in Australia says
I love this random post and I love the hot lava.
I also have the same towel problem but mainly due to the rain we are experiencing. We are so thankful for the days of rain and lower temps here in Sydney Australia after the shockingly hot weather we had last weekend and the terrible fires in the state of Victoria here in Australia.
I look forward to more random posts!
Tracy says
I enjoyed reading this, as these random thoughts are not all that unusual for me and it’s nice to know that I’m not alone! Also, while we’re being random, would you substitute sugar cup for cup for Rapadura in the recipes I read in your cookies ebook when it’s not available? I’d love to go healthier, but I’m limited in what I can find sometimes overseas(Turkey). Thanks!
Jennifer says
I remember as kid playing games where we couldn’t touch the floor, it was so much fun. My kids haven’t figured out those games yet unfortunately, or should that be fortunately.
Amanda says
I have always saved a flower from each one of my family members caskets. It made me tear up that Matt brought one home for you from California.
I think you should try Melonie’s suggestion of soaking your feet in the sink and then try and get the boys to rub lotion on your “burned” feet! If you could pull it off it would be great!
God Bless.
Shelly says
I laughed out loud when I read about the hot lava. My four kids do the same thing! They actually pulled the towel rack in the bathroom right out of the wall playing that game. Between that and if you step on a crack you turn into a pumpkin, it’s amazing I can still walk anywhere!
Marsha_M says
Too funny!
I have no clean dishtowels right now either and we had a Bible study last night at our house and someone spilled their drink and needed a towel! Opps! I did find a bathroom towel that was clean.
Also I had at least 3 people smell my sourdough starter and they agree it smells okay…I think I’m on day 4/5, I supposedly timed it so that day 8 will be this Sunday but now I’m second-guessing myself.
Keep up the fun posts!
PS. My grandfather had red roses at his funeral too.
Roberta Anne says
Your post touched my old gramma heart in so many ways. Remembering games my boys played. Having a friend who just lost her hubby. Feeling overwhelmed with life right now because I am sick and must still go on. Having three dirty towels on my rack. What I see the most is how blogging shows each of us how much we are like all the others. There is great comfort in that.
Roberta Anne
Sheila says
Kitchen towels! My 12 year old daughter (no hot lava here!) and I are taking a cake decorating class. Between using towels for that and regular cooking, I’ve been scraping the bottom of the drawer myself. Thankfully, I have a couple of extra Valentine ones that I bought on clearance last year to help me make it through.
Sheila Nettles says
I am very much enjoying your site and also enjoyed the randomness of today.
I have 2 boys and the hot lava usually finds it’s way to the grocery store where they have patterned tiled floors. It was a real help one day when I was trying to keep them busy while dad talked with a salesman and the floor in the store had a pattern like paths going everywhere. Some were even dead ends which was fun. The only problem was when we were ready to leave they had to walk all around the store to find their way to the door which by that time no longer amused dad who was ready to go.
Amanda says
I love your randomness! It brings me a smile:)
I have no clean or dirty towels at the moment… I just threw out all the dirties, and haven’t gotten the cleanies out yet! But the dishes are getting cleaned and the others are all put away! Which is better than yesterday:)
Travelin Pilgrim says
Ok, you are sooo funny! You crack me up with your stories… probably because I can relate! Now my kids have a brand new idea (yes, they were reading over my shoulder!) They have just left to try out this new thing… can’t believe they never thought of it themselves. Keep up the laughter. I love it!
Erin says
“you’re going to grow up into a great big daddy!” – made me laugh out loud! Its sweet to think about how many times he’s heard that for it to come pouring back out of his mouth. :)
Shannon Lea Fowler says
I cried at the rose part!! :) How sweet.
Oops, I have 3 dirty towels that need changing out in the kitchen. Clean ones just got folded, why didn’t I change them right then? IDK! LOL
I think I would stand on the countertop just to amuse the kids! LOL OR put their favorite treat in the middle of the “hot lava” where there’s NO WAY for them to reach it without stopping their game! he he … seriously though, I do remember playing that as a kid & my kids playing it when they were younger too. :)
Glad your hubby is home & you didn’t have to re-arrange the furniture! :)
Amanda Norrish says
Hi Laura,
I just was introduced to your fabulous website, after looking for an easy-to-follow Mozz cheese video on You tube…The family in the video referenced your site…
Since finding all the cheese making info I could ever want! (YEAY and Thank you!) I was browsing around and reading your other posts…This one made me Laugh out Loud!!! My boys have played that exact game…too many times to count! I love that we are not the only silly family out here…
Thanks for sharing great info and fun family facts, too!
Looking forward to reading lots more,
~Amanda and family
(Winthrop Harbor, IL)
Gina says
LOL!! I laughed at the hot lava thing. My children do the same thing, except it’s a certain color they’re not supposed to touch! :)