Showing posts with label random. Show all posts
Showing posts with label random. Show all posts

some random (and possibly silly) facts about me

Alright my friends -- today I am doing something just a bit different.  Shocking? Probably not. :)

At the bottom of this post is an update on Samuel.  Thank you for praying for him. Thank you.



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Anyways, I'm joining in on Lynnette Kraft's Thoughts of Spring Blog Party at Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground. I've known Lynnette for years -- and seriously -- she is balm for my heart, she gives me joy, and many, many, many times just makes me laugh.

And then you get to learn a bit more about me. That's good, right?
{and possibly humbling for me}

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.)

{do I look like a geographer?}

Seriously, Lynnette, one word??? I don't know how to do this one word thing.........okay. I'll try. I can't. You guys got a word? I'm thinking joyful. Or intentional. Hannah just told me -- geographer.  Nice. I guess my love of geography is trickling down. She did just come back and say joyful. Or planted. That's better.

What celebrity/celebrities would create a “Star-Struck” feeling if you saw them in real life?
{source}
Phil, from The Amazing Race. That's partially because I would love to BE on The Amazing Race. Can't you just see my blip under my name? Rachel -- homeschooling mom of seven. You know that's what it would be. And Phil in his voice-over would be stating, "Rachel, that homeschooling mom of seven...." as they would show me unable to solve a history problem or messing up simple addition. ha ha ha

Are you a hopeless romantic?

No. I kind of wish at times I were, but then I am kind of like Lynnette -- I just start giggling or feeling silly and then I have to make a sarcastic comment, etc.... I'm more of a lets go walk through the park and chat or let's do yard work together type of gal.

What is your comfort food/drink?

That would be COFFEE. Any kind. Any time. Decaf at night, please.  Since I'm constantly to and fro from ballet coffee has become the beverage in my hand.  Food? Anything Thai. Right now it's some gluten-free Pad Thai.

{mmmmmm.....coffee....how i love thee}

Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it?

I've never been completely caught up with laundry for more than a week. I really would desire to keep up with it for at least two weeks. Speaking of this laundry -- I've just opened a giveaway for some wool dryer balls....shown below....here's the link! wool dryer ball giveaway



Okay, seriously, I'd love to go on a missions trip with my kids. No explanation needed.

Be brave – tell us something very random and weird about yourself.

If I get nervous I shake my hands out or fluff my hair. Fluffing the hair creates quite the eighties look, by the way. I think it's just a way to get energy out of me. Years ago, when I played the organ (how's that for random? who do you know that plays the organ) for church I'd shake out my hands in between hymns. I did NOT fluff my hair. Awkward.

What is your greatest fear or strange phobia?

I don't like elevators. At all. If others are with me than I'm better, but as soon as I'm alone in an elevator I'm always looking for my escape route in case I get stuck. Most often, I'll take the stairs.

What’s something you consider yourself to be good at? (Don’t worry, it’s not bragging, it’s acknowledging a God given gift)

I'm creative. Not afraid to take risks. I've played the piano since I was four -- and many times that is when I think or pray. I'm grateful for the years of lessons my parents payed for when I grew up. So grateful --they must have known I would needed to pray a great deal.

{my parents piano}

Okay....I need to teach my kiddos and start my day.  Mass chaos is starting to begin.

Click over to Lynnette's blog to check out more bloggers and thanks for reading my silly post. :)

** Samuel Update **


{At this point, we're going to keep watching the weight loss and we're thinking that it is because he eats no dairy.  Some Celiacs cannot have dairy when they first go gluten-free.  There is also no obvious underlying infection.  The next time he gets an atypical fever we go in for the labs to make sure that his body handles infections/fevers and to see if there is another underlying issue. Until then? We rest. And eat gluten free. He has croup -- so if you could pray for that as the docs do not want me giving him prednisone (which I don't like too much anyway) unless it is absolutely critical since it would mess up any labs that he could have drawn.  Thanks.}


a different view of the lights

We now interrupt my regular blogging to bring you a different look at me.

A silly one, perhaps?

It was one of those pics that Hannah snapped while I was putting lights up outside.

(Interested in those lights?  Read this post about why I put lights up -- memory strands)

So she asked me to strike a funny pose.  And this was the best I could do.

Oh well, it proves that I'm normal.  Right?

Or at least a mom.

Sigh.

(I can never figure out what compels me to put these pics up)

So here you go. Enjoy.



and yes, my garage is rather full of stuff.

Organized stuff.

Link up to Hannah's Lovely Photo Wednesday and share a pic of you.  Let me know you did -- and I'll be off to check it out.

Lovely Photo - Wordless or Not-So-Wordless Wednesday at Aspire

Finally. My Miscellany Monday Post.


what I saw all morning


Note: I wrote this 8 hours ago. In that span of time I've spent 3 hours working on my garage sale prep, made lunch, defrosted the freezer, emptied the deep-freeze, read a couple of books to the kiddos, gone to the ballet studio--twice, solved several "fights", picked some weeds, did two loads of laundry, organized a corner of my garage, rocked a baby, checked three times to see if blogger was up, tidied my living room, and...hmmmm...maybe it's a good thing blogger was down. Look what I got done in that time!

--so enjoy my thoughts from hours ago---

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This is a unique Miscellany Monday. Blogger is down. I’ve checked several times, and alas, there is no operating blogger. At least for me. So this morning I’ve decided to compose my miscellany post on Word. We’ll see how this goes.

1) Carissa amazes me. Posting in the hospital. She’s an official “super multi-tasker”—aka mom.

2) 2) My boys, if they could get away with it, would wander around the house carrying just the inner bag of cereal. The box would be abandoned on the floor, and they would be quite content with the chalky-clear bag of goodness.


put that bag back!


3)To make enough scrambled eggs for my family I need to use at least 20 eggs.

4) I love my electric griddle. When I’m making scrambled eggs (#3) I can use the griddle to make pancakes. It can whip up 8 at a time—depending on the size.

5) I stink at making letters on the griddle. If my kids want their initial they better watch out. The e looks like a c, the b like a blob, and there’s no way I’m attempting the g. I can make an h for Hannah.

6) I’ve been reading the book of Colossians. Since it’s right after Philippians (which is pretty much my life book) I figured I better check it out again. I’ve come across several verses that are speaking to me right now. Watch out—I’m thinking they deserve a blog post later this week. The verse I loved today?
Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsider, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.
(Colossians 4:5-6)

7) A constant phrase that I utter in our home is – We are not the yelling family. In our home we speak with kind and pleasant tones. Can you tell what kind of morning it’s already been? (note: it got much better)

8) I wish blogger was up. I don’t know if this post will transfer right. Then I’ll spend too much time editing the post. (note--it did not transfer right. note#2--do not use word blog as it does not transfer.So, yes, it did take time. Oh well--you're all worth it!)


my post--ready at 7am


9) I think I want to do 10 miscellany facts so number 9 is just inserted to get me to ten.

10) Hannah’s Happy Birthday sign is still hanging over our sliding door in the kitchen. I decorate our kitchen and the kid’s doorways for their birthdays. I started doing this when Hannah turned three. The night before their birthday I go around decorating so that when they wake up the home is full of celebration. Todd jokes that perhaps I should just keep everything up – being that we have a birthday almost every single month. Who knows? Maybe that sign might just stay. :)


the forever sign


Have a wonderful Monday. Here the sky is vibrant blue, the grass a Kelly green, and the air crisp. My favorite kind of day. May your day be filled with the closeness of our loving Father.



Miscellany Monday @ lowercase letters

beautiful surprises and random thoughts

I was shopping at Target this morning and came across this on the clearance rack for $6.24.  I couldn't go wrong.  With Samuel being baptized this Sunday and Chloe being confirmed my little Elijah now has the perfect threads for a perfect day!

us pose Elijah?  nahhh...

love the tie

It was a full suit...pants, shirt, tie, and adorable clip on tie. Love it!!
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I've been meaning to post about this since, well,  Mother's Day.  Life has been a bit crazy and stressful in the weeks that followed, and so the post waited.  Till today. :)

Hannah surprised me on Mother's Day with an ultra-gorgeous purse.  And I mean amazing.  She traded a blog remake for a purse courtesy of our very own blogger, Lindsay.  I always look forward to Lindsay's comments as she is so genuine, sweet and real.  Imagine my surprise when the purse came from her! (And, yes, I did do a little happy dance.)  The sewing is impeccable, and the attention to detail divine.  She is one talented seamstress....and I am one blessed mama.

my lovely purse

I carry my Bible in it

look at the gorgeous flower!

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I couldn't believe my email when I heard that I had won the Seventh Generation Giveaway over at "Popp"ing Out One Letter at a Time.  I love their products, but more then that it's another reminder of how God sees all our needs.  In a week of challenges the neatest gifts have shown up.  It's amazing! The budget is super tight, and now I'm blessed with an abundance of cleaning products.  Yippee!!

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Finally, I'm thinking about starting a meme type thread based off of my post titled The Family Agenda.  I was so encouraged by the emails and comments that day about how you, my lovely friends, made your own family agenda.  I was thinking of having it on Thursdays.  Anybody interested?  I'd do a link up, and we can all take just a few minutes of our times thinking about how we are going to bless our family that day.  Hannah is already itching to make a button for this. :)  Let me know...I'd love company if I put that link up...you know?
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We're off to a wedding tonight.  This is the first time that I have ever left Samuel.  I have a really, really, really hard time leaving him.  He's going to my parents....I know he'll be fine for those 3-4 hours.
Right?

how can I leave that cute face?

Have a blessed Friday!!

thanks & miscellany monday

First, thank you for your prayers.  I really appreciate each one of you storming the gates a of heaven on our family's behalf.  Part of me didn't want to write this morning, but I'm just going to let that go.  If I waited till my life had everything ideal, then I'm afraid there'd be no more journaling.  So, I'm holding my head high, and I'm praising, and...
...I'm living with joy.

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My blogging pal, Carissa, has this meme called Miscellany Monday.  The intention?  To be random.  List whatever about you, your life, your likes, you name it.  As a random person by nature I knew I had to link in. Plus, my daughter Hannah, is joining....so I needed the push.

1. I can (well sort of) speak Italian.  That was my language I studied in college for three years.  Now, I know that I am not nearly as fluent as I was waaaay back then, but I've kept several essential elements.  One--is hand gestures...lifting of the right hand as to emphasize a point.  Two--I can state the names of Italian food better than the waiter serving me.  This always causes them to look at me differently.  At least I like to think it's due to my amazing pronunciation and not that I have the jumbo sized family.  Three--I know how to ask for the bathroom.  This is critical for the day in my life when I actually will get to go to Italy.  Someday.  So...the big moment..
.dov'e i'll bagno?

I dream of Tuscany

2. I have been pregnant for about 278 weeks throughout my adult life.  This translates to about 5 1/3 years.  Just had to get that out there.   (And now, I need to lift my own jaw off of the ground.)  And I'm one of those pregnant women that stays super tiny.  (so sorry)  In fact, when I was pregnant with my Chloe, and in labor, a nurse came over to me as I was walking the halls and told me that I needed to go back to my floor as visiting hours were over (I had the hospital gowns on).  I calmly told her, "I'm in labor."  She didn't realize I was pregnant...lol...she should have come seen me three hours later. :)

Me at 38 weeks with Samuel

3. The Caribou coffee employees know me.  At two different Caribous.  Just last week the gal said, "oh...you're getting the Monday Iced Mocha deal again?  It's good to see you every week."  I am so busted.  Thank goodness my Keurig Coffee Maker brews Caribou.

That is what I am sipping now was brewed in my cherry red Keurig

ahhh...love this gadget

4. I send out a Christmas card every couple of years.  This year I did simply because Hannah made an awesome card for me.  I still love it....:)  Think my kids look alike???

the card.


4. Blogging makes me feel normal.  No more words needed.

my young blogging apprentice


Have a great Monday!  If you'd love to read more random facts...hop on over to Carissa's blog and link up!!









me vs. the grill and some various thoughts

it's been windy here.  Really, really windy.  Then I got the idea to grill burgers.  In intenseWIND.  Then Hannah got the idea to take pictures of me attempting to flip burgers that were flaming up in gusts of wind.  Actually, she got the idea AFTER she saw licks of flame escaping from the side of our grill.  Final results?  Fire = zero.  Us = exceptionally flame-grilled burgers.  mmmmmmmmmm......

it's time for battle

careful, careful


taming the grill

Man, those burgers were good.
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Abigail Kraft@ rear window watched the vlog that Hannah put up yesterday on her blog. (want to watch? click here ) In that "lovely" video it has me interacting with my Samuel, Hannah and Chloe.  And, to put it mildly, being a little bit silly.  Anyways, Abigail emails Hannah and states that she loves our Northern accent.  WHAT?  Just because I live in Minnesoooooota?  And I have an accent?  Grin...her comment almost made me spit out my coffee in laughter.  Almost.

Actually, I already know about my blessed Minnesotan accent.  When we lived in San Diego people would stop me to hear me talk.  Really.  I was working part-time and I was the person to be around.  I don't realize how prominent it is until I leave Minnesota and come back.  A couple years ago we went to this large family retreat in southern Missouri.  Of course, everyone loved the voice when we were there.(another fun side note I met Amy from raisingarrows at this retreat.  She is a blessing!)  Once we arrived back in our beauty of a state I began to hear it....that long drawing out of vowels.  Especially the letter o.  And I thought, "do I really sound like that?" hee hee hee....yep.

________________________________

I won Lynnette Kraft's (Abigail's delightful mother) Getting to Know You contest for April (see my side bar).  I won this amazing canvas print...actually I decide what goes on it.  So I'm thinking I'm going to do this photo of Samuel.  My canvas size is 16x20.  What do you think? And THANK YOU Lynnette.  Seriously.  Thank you.

this pic?

I also want to thank Wendy, from faithsfirmfoundation.  She had a give-away and I won this great pilates dvd.  My daughters take pilates (as part of their classical ballet program) and rave about it.  They've wanted me to come for so long.  Now I'm going to try this and then hopefully attempt their class.  Thank you Wendy. And as a neat side note...Wendy and I found out that we live less than five miles from each other.  We had no idea prior to this give-away.  Once I sent her my address the reality came out!  Too fun! Want to meet at Caribou, Wendy?  I'll be there....:)

I blog for fun....I never expected to win anything.  So this was mega fun!
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finally...I want to once again clarify that my last post was about my own journey with words.  I have ONLY received beautiful and lovely thoughts from all of you.  So thank you.  Thanks for putting up with my thoughts about life. You guys are blessings!

By the way if you'd like to receive my blog posts via your email I've got my feedburner set up .  Simply click here....Subscribe to finding joy by Email

that Samuel...

...can't kick this fever of his. A little while ago he was sitting at 104.2 degrees.  I hate that!  When my olders are sick they can tell me what's wrong, but when they're so little...sigh...it's a guessing game.  One that I don't like.

Samuel and me

So, following the advice of my facebook friends, I went up to the local grocery store and purchased some baby Motrin.  I've come to the conclusion that on a Friday night it seems that this grocery store is also a bit of a hangout for those younger youth.  I'm not sure what's so fabulous about wandering the aisles of frozen food, meat and dry goods; but alas, they were all there. Hanging around.  While I was meandering around, with a red-eye rimmed baby, pushing a cart with napkins, Motrin, moose-track ice cream (it was kind of needed at this point), dishwasher cleaner, and orange juice. Oh yeah, and another pack of Keurig Caribou Coffee K-Cups. All while wearing my gray sweat pants.  Yes.  I sunk to the level of mom, wandering the aisles at 10pm in her mega-casual clothes.  Oh, and with wet hair. Can you just say, "classy?" :)

Oh well, at least I've got some Motrin now.  Samuel's temperature is now 103.1 degrees.  I gave him Tylenol 90 minutes ago.  Wouldn't you think it would be lower than that?  (man, I feel like a rookie).  I'm planning on giving him some Motrin at 11 pm.  I feel so bad for the poor babe...he's so so hot...and so so twitchy.  Come on baby, fight that fever!

(ok...when would you bring him in to be seen?  I never ever ever ever know.   Just looking for advice....again.)

notes to self...

(if you'd like to read my more serious and endearing post about Caleb's Bible click here)

1. Do not leave a full bag of thatch (yard grass) near the deck during daytime hours.

thatch

2. Do not allow two boys, pictured below, to leave the kitchen and play freely in the backyard.


Brennan


Caleb

3. Always check on the two above named boys when they have:
  •   been outside for longer than twenty minutes without fighting
  •   been outside for longer than twenty minutes without coming in to use the bathroom.
4. When arriving back outside after all of the above notes have NOT been followed do NOT be surprised to find the entire bag of thatch strewn around the yard.

5. Remember that one person's grass (and thatch) is the next person, I mean child's, treasure.


(my Eli in the yard w/thatch)

6. Reread one's own post titled so thankful for those spills so that perspective can be regained.

7. Post on blogger so all the blogging buddies know that this blogger's life is far from perfect! (and normal)

Ha ha ha........