I took the girls to the Farmer's Market in Downtown Holland today. They do a market every Wednesday and Saturday. Wednesdays are kids days, so they had hula hoops and jump ropes and sidewalk chalk out. I think they were doing activities too, but I checked the brochure and it didn't look like anything interesting so we went on. Maybe the next time we go it'll be a more interesting activity and I can let the girls hang out for a while and I'll sit around and watch. Today there was a guy playing a banjo. My kids love to put coins in their open cases when musicians are playing. He was pretty good, too.
I'm once again getting used to having all three of them in tow. During the school year I saved my errands for when the older two were both in school. Having them all along is really not as hard as it used to be, they get better at sticking by me as they get older and I just strap the littlest in the stroller! She can't wander away that way! :)
Anyway, I picked up some strawberries, blueberries and apples. One of my favorite parts of summer is having berries sitting out that everyone can just snack on. Fresh blueberries are my favorite!
I ended up buying too many strawberries, and quite a few of them got smashed on the way home (don't know how that happened, with 3 girls in tow...ha!). So, I looked up an easy, no-pectin (as I didn't have any in the house) strawberry jam recipe. The only problem is that it called for the jam to reach 220 degrees, and I don't have a candy thermometer! So I decided to wing it. I brought it to a rolling boil, like it said, then let it boil until it was going to overflow my pot. Now, we will see how close I got by whether or not the jam sets. It's in the fridge right now but it's still pretty warm. If it doesn't turn into jam, I plan on making a sweet bread I improvised a couple of weeks ago and using the strawberry stuff as a dessert topping. I did dip a finger in it, and it is certainly sweet enough! So either way we'll get a treat.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Monday, June 29, 2009
Over a year...
I've been thinking back recently and it dawned on me it's been over a year since my 2nd Hodgkin's diagnosis. We got the awful CT scan results in late May '08, PET scan results in early June '08, and the biopsy was one year ago this past Saturday (June 27, '08). I'm seven months and eleven days post-transplant. I thought I'd give a few details about how I'm doing.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Swimming
My parents and my in-laws both have pools and now that the kids are older and we don't have to worry about them wandering off the edge of the pool unexpectedly...we can spend more time swimming. We went to my parents' tonight.
I love watching the girls play and wander around and S and A can both take care of themselves (with adults nearby, don't worry), so Price Charming and I can relax most of the time. Before when they were ALL little, we had to watch them and hold them all the time and swimming was not very relaxing.
We had a Funniest Home Videos moment! I was helping C swim around with a noodle, and Prince Charming went to blow the water out of the noodle. Unfortunately, I straightened the noodle right toward my face at the same time and ALL the water in the noodle went in my face and up my nose! Haha! Too bad we didn't have a camera running, cause it was funny. Of course I had to dunk him after that!
Hopefully we will spend lots of time at the pools this year. It's nice that it's actually fun for everyone now.
I love watching the girls play and wander around and S and A can both take care of themselves (with adults nearby, don't worry), so Price Charming and I can relax most of the time. Before when they were ALL little, we had to watch them and hold them all the time and swimming was not very relaxing.
We had a Funniest Home Videos moment! I was helping C swim around with a noodle, and Prince Charming went to blow the water out of the noodle. Unfortunately, I straightened the noodle right toward my face at the same time and ALL the water in the noodle went in my face and up my nose! Haha! Too bad we didn't have a camera running, cause it was funny. Of course I had to dunk him after that!
Hopefully we will spend lots of time at the pools this year. It's nice that it's actually fun for everyone now.
Potty Training
I know, stay-at-home moms blog about such exciting things, huh??
But we're pretty excited. We were just starting to wonder how we were going to be able to keep affording C's diapers as hours got cut at my hubby's work and we had to tighten the belt. Well, with something like 8 diapers left in the box, that small problem was solved!
Nearly 2 weeks ago, C walked up to Daddy and said, "I have to go potty!" Well, since her diaper was dry, we figured, what the heck. He walked her to the bathroom and put her on the potty, and lo and behold, she went! And then, believe it or not, she only had one accident that day. And she stayed dry ALL NIGHT!! That was most amazing. She's actually only had 5 accidents in 12 days, and all of her accidents have happened when she was on her way to the bathroom, or already there. So we knew she knew what she was doing, she just needed to do it a little earlier!
Actually, she sets a record for our kids... she potty trained the earliest. Both her sisters trained the week they turned three. Thankfully, though, they've all trained just as easily as she did. Maybe there is something to waiting for them to come up with the idea on their own... I don't know. I certainly don't have anything to brag about, because I had virtually nothing to do with it.
But I certainly am happy! Between the diapers, wipes, and diaper genie refills, that saves us at least $40 a month. Nice. And, really, I think this was mostly God. That he was helping her figure it out so we could save some money in our budget. So I'm still thanking him for that. He does care about those details, after all.
But we're pretty excited. We were just starting to wonder how we were going to be able to keep affording C's diapers as hours got cut at my hubby's work and we had to tighten the belt. Well, with something like 8 diapers left in the box, that small problem was solved!
Nearly 2 weeks ago, C walked up to Daddy and said, "I have to go potty!" Well, since her diaper was dry, we figured, what the heck. He walked her to the bathroom and put her on the potty, and lo and behold, she went! And then, believe it or not, she only had one accident that day. And she stayed dry ALL NIGHT!! That was most amazing. She's actually only had 5 accidents in 12 days, and all of her accidents have happened when she was on her way to the bathroom, or already there. So we knew she knew what she was doing, she just needed to do it a little earlier!
Actually, she sets a record for our kids... she potty trained the earliest. Both her sisters trained the week they turned three. Thankfully, though, they've all trained just as easily as she did. Maybe there is something to waiting for them to come up with the idea on their own... I don't know. I certainly don't have anything to brag about, because I had virtually nothing to do with it.
But I certainly am happy! Between the diapers, wipes, and diaper genie refills, that saves us at least $40 a month. Nice. And, really, I think this was mostly God. That he was helping her figure it out so we could save some money in our budget. So I'm still thanking him for that. He does care about those details, after all.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Summer Vacation
Well, here we go. Today is the first day of summer break. 3 girls home all day, every day for 3 months. May I just say, I'm not a fan of summer break...
Hopefully I can make it good. I've got some plans! We're going to take our bikes (the younger 2 in the burley) to town every Monday, and go to the Library and to the park, weather permitting. The older two have VBS one morning every two weeks. I think that's a pretty brilliant idea by our church. Hopefully it'll keep them interested in it all summer. Then, on the opposite weeks of VBS, I'm taking them to my grandmother's house on Thursday mornings for a couple hours. This way I can get some grocery shopping done and they can get out of the house some more. S has a day camp the last week of July.
Since the older two are mostly self-sufficient in the pool now, I can probably take them to my folks' and my in-laws' pools by myself a few times. In fact, S would like to be able to swim across the pool so she can pass the swimming test at camp and use the whole pool. We'll be making that a priority.
There's always walks around the neighborhood, and the library will have things going on, I just don't know what they are yet... they haven't posted anything. And I'm the new organizer for our church's playgroup. I need to get my rear in gear for that and get a summer schedule out. Sigh. Maybe I have too much to do! Ha. Just kidding. We like to be busy with this fun stuff.
Prince Charming and I leave tomorrow night for a few days to spend some time alone. We're going somewhere with no responsibilities and no set schedule! We're looking forward to sleeping in and literally ONLY doing what we feel like doing. I can't wait. 3 nights and 3 days without having to get up at 6:30 with the kids! :D And they're looking forward to going to my folks' house. Grandma lets them stay up late! Hehe. It'll be nice for us all.
Hopefully I can make it good. I've got some plans! We're going to take our bikes (the younger 2 in the burley) to town every Monday, and go to the Library and to the park, weather permitting. The older two have VBS one morning every two weeks. I think that's a pretty brilliant idea by our church. Hopefully it'll keep them interested in it all summer. Then, on the opposite weeks of VBS, I'm taking them to my grandmother's house on Thursday mornings for a couple hours. This way I can get some grocery shopping done and they can get out of the house some more. S has a day camp the last week of July.
Since the older two are mostly self-sufficient in the pool now, I can probably take them to my folks' and my in-laws' pools by myself a few times. In fact, S would like to be able to swim across the pool so she can pass the swimming test at camp and use the whole pool. We'll be making that a priority.
There's always walks around the neighborhood, and the library will have things going on, I just don't know what they are yet... they haven't posted anything. And I'm the new organizer for our church's playgroup. I need to get my rear in gear for that and get a summer schedule out. Sigh. Maybe I have too much to do! Ha. Just kidding. We like to be busy with this fun stuff.
Prince Charming and I leave tomorrow night for a few days to spend some time alone. We're going somewhere with no responsibilities and no set schedule! We're looking forward to sleeping in and literally ONLY doing what we feel like doing. I can't wait. 3 nights and 3 days without having to get up at 6:30 with the kids! :D And they're looking forward to going to my folks' house. Grandma lets them stay up late! Hehe. It'll be nice for us all.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Mawwaige...
Yeah, just a little Princess Bride humor to start some thoughts on marriage. I know it's cliche', but I never knew I could actually LIKE sharing my life with someone else as much as I do. I love having someone who comes home to me at the end of every day. Most days, I love being able to have the house clean and the food started when he comes home. I figure, he makes the money, I can at least keep the house clean. Next step for myself is to get better at mothering the children, but that is off-topic.
I've discovered that the funniest little things can make me fall in love with my Prince Charming all over again. For example, my latest catalyst for that was a snapshot my grandma had on her wall. My grandpa had taken it during the picture time on our wedding day. It shows an intimate moment, of Prince Charming and I leaning toward each other, laughing at some funny moment. There were many, our photographer was a card, but I don't remember exactly what we were laughing about. I don't even know why I love the picture so much. It just evoked these wonderful feelings in me all over again, so I went crazy and made all kinds of copies. I'll put two in a couple scrapbooks, I put one on the wall in the living room, and one on my nightstand. It makes me smile every time I look at it. Anyway, my point is that one of the great things about marriage is that these feelings of love can come rushing in at any time and from wonderful, myriad sources. I love that about marriage.
I'm also looking forward to our vacation in a week and a half. We're going to a small cottage instead of taking some big expensive trip. But we'll have no internet access, no kids, no responsibilities. We don't even plan on leaving the cottage for more than a walk or two over the two days. I can't wait to not have any reason to stress, get up early, or anything. I love getting away together...I love that about marriage.
I've been getting up earlier than the girls for a couple months in order to have time to read various devotional books and try to relax before I'm hit with the responsibility and craziness of the day. I've borrowed a book from a relative, The Power of a Praying Wife. The problem is I've had it for a couple years now! So I'm finally going to get through it. I'm going to have to be disciplined in getting up early after school is out, but I want to pray for him and for our marriage. I've gotten about 3/4 of the way through the book so far, and I like the things in it. I like that it starts with praying for myself, that if there is anything that needs to be changed in our marriage, I will pray for the change to start with me. I love being able to pray for him, and for us...I love THAT about marriage.
So that is my prayer and the things I have been thinking about lately. That our marriage will grow and change to be the union God wants it to be. That we will continue to have those moments or catalysts that make us fall in love all over again, and have them often. I love being married, I REALLY love the man I'm married to, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.
I've discovered that the funniest little things can make me fall in love with my Prince Charming all over again. For example, my latest catalyst for that was a snapshot my grandma had on her wall. My grandpa had taken it during the picture time on our wedding day. It shows an intimate moment, of Prince Charming and I leaning toward each other, laughing at some funny moment. There were many, our photographer was a card, but I don't remember exactly what we were laughing about. I don't even know why I love the picture so much. It just evoked these wonderful feelings in me all over again, so I went crazy and made all kinds of copies. I'll put two in a couple scrapbooks, I put one on the wall in the living room, and one on my nightstand. It makes me smile every time I look at it. Anyway, my point is that one of the great things about marriage is that these feelings of love can come rushing in at any time and from wonderful, myriad sources. I love that about marriage.
I'm also looking forward to our vacation in a week and a half. We're going to a small cottage instead of taking some big expensive trip. But we'll have no internet access, no kids, no responsibilities. We don't even plan on leaving the cottage for more than a walk or two over the two days. I can't wait to not have any reason to stress, get up early, or anything. I love getting away together...I love that about marriage.
I've been getting up earlier than the girls for a couple months in order to have time to read various devotional books and try to relax before I'm hit with the responsibility and craziness of the day. I've borrowed a book from a relative, The Power of a Praying Wife. The problem is I've had it for a couple years now! So I'm finally going to get through it. I'm going to have to be disciplined in getting up early after school is out, but I want to pray for him and for our marriage. I've gotten about 3/4 of the way through the book so far, and I like the things in it. I like that it starts with praying for myself, that if there is anything that needs to be changed in our marriage, I will pray for the change to start with me. I love being able to pray for him, and for us...I love THAT about marriage.
So that is my prayer and the things I have been thinking about lately. That our marriage will grow and change to be the union God wants it to be. That we will continue to have those moments or catalysts that make us fall in love all over again, and have them often. I love being married, I REALLY love the man I'm married to, and I can't wait to see what the future holds for us.
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