One is the Loneliest Number...Whatever!

Jeff's out tonight.  He's playing softball in this insanely cold weather.  When he left the house, he looked more like he was going skiing than playing softball.  We should have fun when Charlie starts soccer tomorrow.

So, I have a confession to make.  I kind of like a night here and there where he's out.   Now don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my husband, and more than that, I absolutely love his company.  And it doesn't really matter what we're doing - I just love hanging out with him.  Which is actually one of the reasons I married him.  I thought to myself, "I could hang out with this guy for the next 50 years." - so I reeled him in.  Or he reeled me in - depending on who's telling the story.

But on the occasional night when he has a commitment, I kind of enjoy the prospect of some time to myself.  Usually, on those nights, I don't really make dinner.  The kids get some mac and cheese or in the case of this evening, chicken nuggets and french fries on paper plates.  No dishes... no whining that they don't like what I've made... perfect.  Then when they're finished, I scrounge around and eat whatever sounds good to me.  Tonight it was a combination of (no kidding) french fries, cookies, and cake batter.  (I'm making cupcakes for tomorrow - so why not!)  I would never make a  habit of such a menu, but for tonight, I kind of enjoyed it!

(By the way - Jeff had a night to himself last week and he went to the store, bought a t-bone, grilled it with a side of baked potatoes and corn - hmmmmmmmm)

The next step will involve putting my kids to bed at a ridiculously early time for some "reading" knowing perfectly well that they will all crash and be asleep within 20 minutes.  I will then put on my pj's and climb into bed and watch "Dancing With the Stars."  When that's over, I'll probably read a little and be asleep by 9.  Love it!

So - time to fess up ladies... what do you do when you have a moment to yourself?

For me...and them.

I've been chewing on this verse for a couple of days:

Isaiah 44:3 - For I will give you abundant water to quench your thirst and to moisten your parched fields.  And I will pour out my Spirit and my blessings on your children.  They will thrive like watered grass, like willow on the riverbank.

When I first read it, I was thinking of how wonderful it was that God has promised that when I am dry and worn out and completely empty - that he will abundantly fill me up.  I need that kind of encouragement.  Strength when I'm exhausted.  Courage when I think I've reached my limit.  And hope when I'm overwhelmed.

But what stuck in my mind, was that not only does God speak to MY need - he takes it a step further and promises His Spirit and blessings on my children as well.  He tells me that they are going to thrive!  What a great thought - that my children will be strong and grounded and close to God.

This is one of those verses that makes me feel like God really "gets" me.  He speaks to my weakness - and then he addresses the very thing that causes me the most worry, apprehension, and quite honestly, EXHAUSTION!

It's like he's saying, "Kristie, you just keep on giving to those babes... cause I am always going to fill you up.  Oh, and by the way, I'm taking care of them too.  They aren't just going to make it... they're going to thrive - full of my Spirit and blessed."  There's nothing more I want than that!

Love it.

Ouch!

I have just returned from the grocery store and I am having heart palpatations at how high my bill was. It's not like I was going crazy or anything! I didn't buy any magazines. I didn't by prepackaged, precooked, or pre-prepared anything. Just the basics... produce, lunch stuff, and the ingredients for a few favorite recipes.

I used to be a coupon girl, but as the amount of children in our house increased, my coupon clipping became a luxury of time that I just didn't seem to get to. I still always shop the ads and make my list based on what's on sale. But it just doesn't seem to make that big of a difference any more.

So - here we go ladies. What is your best money saving tip for the grocery store? Do tell.

Seriously!

So seriously. I just cleaned up the second "poop explosion" of the day. The first one was with Betty (the 3 year old) about an hour ago when she came to me with something in her hand...which turned out to be...you guessed it! So it was off to the tub and a fresh set of clothes. I headed to the washer to add the offending outfit only to find the clothes that I had run through the washer two days ago and forgot about - so I had to run that load again to get rid of that "been in the washer 2 days smell." Then I got Betty down for a nap and raced to lay down myself for a couple of minutes (since I was up 5 times with the baby last night) only to be rudely awakened only 3 minutes into my respite by said baby once again.

So, back to my original point. i got the baby out of bed and into the swing to try and get to the dishes that were now spewing out of the sink and onto the counter, when I realized the baby needed to be changed. So, onto the floor she went - only to discover that I was too late and her little package was all the way up the back of her onesie. Of course I didn't notice this until I had stripped off her clothes so now the carpet is covered in the preciousness too. Off for bath number 2. (I want it noted that there is not a chance that I myself will get a bath today...)

It occurs to me that I have had a child in diapers for 8 years. i usually don't think about it until days like today where it seems to dominate my life.

Some days I really struggle with being at home with my kids. I am really no good at the housekeeping stuff... and I absolutely hate to do it. When we decided that I was going to stay home with the kids - I never really thought about the fact that I was signing up for full time house-cleaner and laundress. I envisioned lovely play time with my children and leisurely walks around the neighborhood. In no way, shape, or form did I think I was going to spend my day scrubbing poo out of the carpet.

But such is life. And I realize that this is my season. And I should embrace it and do it with excellence and grace.... oh whatever. I'm going to avoid it and blog instead.