Tone of voice ...

So it turns out that all the best stories from our trip to Lincoln cannot be blogged.  Tone of voice and facial expression, at a minimum, are required to convey them well ... and with me probably lots of hand gestures as well!

The kids were great, the time was relaxing and fun, and I'm so glad we went!  Thursday we spent time with Kari and her two littles, Wyatt and O.J., walking and feeding the ducks and playing on the playground and winding down (or winding up, depending on who we're talking about) at Red Robin for lunch.  There was a minor problem surrounding the Red Robin balloons when it was time to buckle into car seats, but Mom-of-the-Year quickly solved it by telling them if they didn't settle in the balloons would go out the window.  End of problem.

The kids were amazingly good on the drives up and back - Christa has discovered an incredible combination of dramamine (they DO get carsick, really) and movies on the laptop.  Result - half-comatose and/or sleeping children and much quiet while we drive.  Very nice.

The highlight was definitely watching this movie.  That's a lie.  It was the worst movie I've seen in a very long time, despite Christa's assurances that it was "really sweet."  I'm pretty sure it should be renamed "Bitter October."  Ridiculous.  The only good thing is that she was really embarrassed by the end of it.

I'll post the rest of my pictures on facebook - there's some cute ones in there!

Stay tuned ...

Road trip!!  Christa and I are going to Lincoln with the kiddos tomorrow for a couple of days, to visit her in-laws, all of whom I adore.  Yes, we're leaving J.R. here.  Weird?  Maybe.  But I'm happy to be going in his stead!  I'm sure to come home with good stories and pictures to match.

punch me in the face ...

I'm returning to my childhood again - who remembers these dudes?  Much aggression was taken out in this little ring at our house!  I remember it being set up on my mom's sewing board in our basement and of course we had to have tournaments since there were three of us.  Being rather uncoordinated children, there were some pretty wild rounds, and I seem to remember a lot of yelling and screaming, and perhaps the whole thing degenerating into a real-life knock-down drag out. 

Always learning

Lexi learned (and of course explained ad nauseum) the purpose and function of title pages in books recently.  Mason is becoming a little master of his bicycle ... I suspect his training wheels may be coming off well before Lexi's.  Callie has learned how to pout masterfully - that little lip sticks out so far it's ridiculous!

Me?  I'm learning a few things these days too.  Like I can stop reading a book if I'm not enjoying it.  And it's ok to say no to things that overload me - even if I didn't think that thing was an overloader.  Also, I almost ALWAYS undercook rice ... what is that about?  Why don't the package directions work?  This is a biggie - I get seriously wound up about stuff that shouldn't rob my energy, mental or otherwise ... "be anxious for nothing ..." ... well, I'm learning.  Perhaps a "BFO" (blinding flash of the obvious), but an intricate, detailed budget, while time consuming, really does work, and frankly brings freedom I never would have expected. 

Time is strange.  Sometimes it flies by so fast I can hardly remember what day it is, let alone the actual date.  But this week it is crawling, creeping, slugging along ... maybe because I keep getting up at 4:30 a.m.?  Hmm.  That could explain it.  Of course this also makes it hard for me to remember what day it is ...

Long dreary snowy cold winters make my mouth water for spring.  Easy warm winters?  Well, I hardly even notice the transition.

Doing one load of laundry a day, while easier than doing it all at once, never gives the satisfaction that totally empty laundry baskets do.

I'm still pondering, post-Sunday, the notion that there is much opportunity in suffering.  I have always been taught that suffering is inevitable for Christians, but more from the standpoint that we must expect it and withstand it ... now I'm presented with the idea that there is opportunity for witness, especially, in how I handle suffering.  My heart tells me this is a big lesson while my head is still trying to wind around it.

OH ... this is nothing I've newly learned, but am recalling daily now as the excitement builds - I LOVE MARCH MADNESS!