When the Moon Hits Your Eye...

Like a big pizza pie, that's amore. Abby and Marina cooked dinner tonight. Homemade pizza ....mmmmmmm.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, Monday, November 2, 2009
Outside My Window...chili breeze, but clear and very beautiful
I am thinking...I am one of the most blessed people in the world.
I am thankful for...times when I remember the above.
From the kitchen...not much. We've been in revival this weekend, and we have taken most of our meals at the church building.
I am wearing...striped shirt and blue jeans.
I am creating...still not many creative endeavors beyond the daycare.
I am going...to eat dinner with a friend Thursday night. Looking forward to it.
I am reading...honoring my promise not to begin another book until the daycare opened. The daycare must open soon.
I am hoping...that Women of Faith trip will be a blessing to our church. It is not until April, but I have been put in charge and I'm starting to get nervous. I have to get 25 women to the conference or the church has to eat the tickets. I have eleven signed up. Anyone want to join us?
I am hearing...baby crying her "final protest before I succumb" cry.
One of my favorite things...being with other Christians and feeling that sweet Spirit--knowing heaven will be like that--only a million times better.
Around the house...a little tidier thanks to my mom and mother-in-law's efforts, as well as my this-has-gone-on-too-long breakdown over the bathroom. I stayed up till 11 last night scouring it.
A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...some family is coming in to help us paint the daycare tomorrow night, the aforementioned dinner date, and who knows what all?
A picture thought I'm sharing:

Tickle Torture

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A Little Pixie Dust

A night in Never Land

Wendy (sewn from an old fitted bed sheet. Sometimes, I impress myself.)

Tick-Tock (recycled dinosaur costume from years ago)

Tink

My man Pan

Tiger Lilly (Is she not the cutest thing you have ever seen?!)

The expense of the last three costumes counter balance the economy of the first two. I had to go to the party store and make painful purchases--even though it nearly killed me to spend money on costumes as simple as Peter Pan and Tiger Lilly. Finding a perfectly good Pan costume in Goodw*ll this morning only poured salt in the wounds. Oh, well, I simply did not have the time this year to sew them all.

And this is the first year K did not dress up. I'm pretty sad about that. Where was the Pixie dust to protect him from growing up?

Friday Photo Journalism

Parents Consider Legal Action in Wake of False Advertising Debacle

Texas--Br*tt incorporated, owners to the popular children's icon, Th*mas the Tank Engine, bamboozled countless customers into buying shrill train whistles falsely touted and packaged as flashlights.

The proposed class action suit accuses the company of lying to consumers not only in stocking the toys in a separate, whistle-less section of the gift shop, but also in cleverly concealing the offending mouthpiece located at the base of the flashlight. Unsuspecting moms, steered children past sirens, bull horns, and snap whips to flashlights, deceitfully nestled between toothbrushes and themed underpants, only to be horrified once the plastic came off. Too late for remedy.


"It is MY flashlight. It is for to make the light. And here, it is a whistle. I blow it loud and louder," testified a three year old of his new Th*mas flashlight.


His parents were considerably less thrilled. They grimly agree, "someone should pay."

Three Questions

Tired of asking your kids about their day at school ("How was your day?" and "What did you learn today?") and getting the same one-word responses ("O.K.," "Fine," "Nothing")?

Try the three questions.

1. What happened today that made you laugh?
2. What was the best thing you ate today?
3. Who did you help?

I don't exactly remember where I picked these up, but I've been using them for over two years now, and they certainly help get the ball rolling around the supper table in the evenings. For instance, tonight I learned that Ian helped an unlucky classmate clean up a dropped lunch tray, Marina caught the giggles on the playground and almost couldn't stop, and Abby found the cafeteria's mashed potatoes "excellent," but the chicken nuggets decidedly lacking. Good stuff. And, as an added bonus, I've found the children now anticipate my nightly inquisition and actively look for someone to help during the day--reason enough for me to keep asking.

Inside Job

**Yes, I know it isn't Saturday, but Tuesday works for me

1. When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up? I went through a stage of wanting to be a veterinarian when I was very young. Then I decided I didn't really love animals that much. Mostly, I wanted to be a mom. I always thought that I would be a foreign missionary if the whole marriage/children dream did not pan out. Around 13, I strongly considered becoming a midwife. Finally landed on a teaching degree as my fall back career. I'm good with kids, creative, excellent classroom manager, and no needles are required (generally speaking).

2. Did you ever pursue that career? No, on veterinarian. YES, on being a mom! Trouble is, it doesn't pay much. And to become a midwife, you must first become a RN, and I thought I did not have the stomach for that. Wish now I had bucked up and gotten over it. I've taught off and on since graduating.

3. If you are not in that field, what changed? Six kids.

4. What is your current job? Substitute teacher...very soon, daycare owner/director.

5. What's the best part of what you do? Telling little children about Jesus.

6. Do you have plans to do something else down the road? Ultimately would like to sell business at enormous profit or keep it for Marina to run one day. Since she is only in kindergarten that is some long range planning. ;0) The master and I are always coming up with one scheme or another. We both would love to travel--perhaps realization of the old foreign missionary dream lies ahead. Of course, I'll never retire from being a mommy, but look forward to being promoted to Grandma eventually.

7. How did you get your present job? God gave us a building. Since I am qualified to direct a daycare center, it just made sense to open a business.

8. Did your parents influence your choices of jobs over the years? No. Mom and Dad did not allow us to get jobs in high school. They said making good grades for scholarships was a better return on investment than any minimum wage job we could get as teens. Now my sister-in-law (not college educated) makes three times what I would make teaching as an officer in a bank. She started as a teller when she was 15. So, I have to wonder? But, I never felt pressure from my parents to enter any certain field, only to follow my interests.

9. What advice would you give your children on careers? Pursue any of your interests, but make sure you acquire a degree in something that will pay the bills.

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY, Monday, October 19, 2009

Outside My Window...dark, cool, and clear

I am thinking...boring stuff like minimum standards, and ratios, and TB tests

I am thankful for...my church. *deep breath* I am really starting to love (and dare I say--trust?) these people. Scary stuff.

From the kitchen...'tis but a bitter waste land.

I am wearing...snugly winter jammies someone donated to the women's shelter that has not been here for two years. Hey, if I see them leaving stuff outside the building, I'll tell them that the mission has moved, but many people throw out bags and drive off. Most of the clothes are trash and we dispose of them with our garbage. But if it is something we can use...we wear it. I have no pride. Good stuff that we can't use we take to Go*dwill.

I am creating...daycare and fall festival ensembles. A few of which may end up coming from Party's Plus

I am going...to turn in my application to the state this week.

I am reading...I went through a reading spree about two weeks ago--reading non-stop and neglecting my family and home shamefully--and have now sworn off starting any new books until after the daycare opens

I am hoping...once again hoping that we will be able to sell our old house. The mortgage is a millstone around our necks.

I am hearing...clothes tumbling in the dryer.

One of my favorite things...hearing Marina laugh. It is a loud, brash, guffaw sound, so very incongruent with my thin, waif-like little girl, that I invariably laugh along with her.

Around the house...Staying up late hours to try and keep up with the housework after working in the daycare all day. Futilely, I may add; I am not keeping up at all. And we ate take out twice today. TWICE! I think that sets a record.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week...More daycare, TB test, I think we have some parent/teacher conferences, my parents are visiting this weekend...

A picture thought I'm sharing:

The bluest eyes in Texas.