Thursday December 9, 2010
Kids are just so funny. My SIL and I carpool to share the running back and forth to school love. She has a 9 year old and a seven year old and I have a six year old. Let me tell you, some days are hysterical.
Marilyn’s (9) personality reminds me of Adam. Or maybe it’s the first born tendencies. Just like Adam, she uses big words and sometimes gets all confused. Like the day they were hashing notes from anonymous people. Marilyn was explaining to Rochelle and Adam about how you have to write differently than normal or you can use the computer to “despise” your handwriting.
It was all I could do to keep from erupting in laughter.
This morning we were headed back to school. Liam was just begging and coaxing for attention. “Hey Marden,” he’d say and then contribute a bit of nonsense.
Marilyn would throw her eyes sideways at me in that way kids do when they are trying so hard to be adults and share moments about the kids who are so little. She told Liam something and he did his little quiet, awed intake of air and his quiet, awed “oh, ….” I can’t remember what he said. I just remember the way she threw her eyes at me and grinned and whispered, “His voice was so ‘shrill’ I could hardly understand him.”
Oh, Marilyn. You are too cute.
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Today was one of those days when everything fell in place. I had literally just finished taking all the empty hampers back upstairs and vacuumed the last floor. Laundry. Check. Cleaning. Check. Boys working at the table and all of us singing Christmas songs. Me standing at the kitchen counter making pizza dough. Idyllic. Moments like that are so rare they’ve got to be recorded.
And then I transferred the 16 cup Pyrex with the dough and my one hand still kneading it over closer to the stove so it could rise in the warmth of the pre-heated oven. And I missed. And it all crashed to the floor. The ball of (finally) perfect dough and my favoritest Pyrex that I use almost every single day and sometimes multiple times a day.
Huge pieces of glass went everywhere and the splinters went even further. I’m sporting two bandaids on my feet. I guess that’s what I get for never being able to keep my shoes and socks on.
Let’s just say I was very, very happy to see David walk in the door three minutes later. I love having help cleaning up all the big messes I make.
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Do you share Christmas love with your neighbors and if you do, what do you give them? We’ve given Christmas cookies a few times. Last year I did some cinnamon rolls and some muffins and some cookies and candy … sort of whatever I thought they’d like best went into the basket. I’ve thought of doing a load of homemade whole wheat bread and a jar of my mom’s yummy jam; but the broiler in my oven blew a fuse two years ago and the accubake doesn’t work because of it. I can do anything but bread. Sadly enough, it flops every time since then.
Have you ever done something that’s not food?
I’d like to custom create gifts for the ones we know a little better this year. But there are a few new people and I need some generic inspiration.
Speaking of neighbors, how well do you know your neighbors? How did you get to know them?
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If you haven’t checked out our book blog for a time, there are new entries there. Don’t forget that Marital Bliss is now also on Amazon! You could even redeem with swagbucks and win a free book! If you’re ordering something from Amazon, it’s a great way to get your book with free super saver shipping. I do so love swagbucks (a search engine that rewards you with points at random intervals which can in turn be exchanged for gift cards or products … click on the search and win link if you want to know more) 
Vision Publishers has decided to raise the price of my children’s books to 10.99. I am running a Christmas Special on them for $9.99 each if you order directly through me. I have been blessed over and over again with so many kind words about these books. It is hard to describe the feeling you get when someone says, “We Build A House” is my child’s favorite book. He has almost all the words memorized.” I get lost for words trying to describe it; but there is something deeply gratifying in knowing that you have helped to create one of those cozy child and parent snuggled on the couch storytimes. I feel grateful. For the dream God gave me. For the people who shared in the journey and believed in me. For the parents and aunts and uncles and grandparents who gave the books to their children and are giving a child the gift of time spent reading.
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Good Night all ~
We do the same for our neighbors…usually cookies or baked things. Last year I was going to make a big batch of soup and then put them into jars with some homemade bread, that way they have a dinner for the day after Christmas, but I was lazy and didn’t get around to it. I am thinking of doing that this year…I just need to be organized! =)
I love the funny things kids say. It’s priceless…remember to write all of it down! I have little journals, one for each of the kids. I have not been as diligent in writing as I used to be and I know I will be sorry one day for it!
I will now go check out your books! =)
Have a great night.
Marilyin is too funny sometimes. =) I’m sure those school rides can be lots of fun!
well we usually just give stuff to the neighbor family that lives closest to us well b/c they usually give us something. bad excuse I know. We’re always thinking we should make stuff and give it to people, but it just gets so busy. The last 2 years we’ve given them oreo balls since they love them 🙂 recipe here…http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/easy-oreo-truffles-95085.aspx We usually use almond bark instead of real chocolate to dip them in. Everyone always loves them.
As for knowing our neighbors…The ones we see often out walking or around in town we know much better then the other ones. We have a neighborhood get together once a year and that helps us keep in contact-there’s like 37 families in our spread out neighborhood. The ones closest to us all around actually aren’t terribly outgoing or friendly so we know them, but yet we don’t. We actually lived in this house for like 3 years before we met the people who rent kinda across from our house. The only reason I met them is b/c our dog for awhile decided to “live” over there and I was constantly bringing her back home. We had no idea the family lived there since we never saw them out.
I have some idea’s rolling around in my head about what to give our neighbors this year, Like homemade jar of granola, and some seasoned pretzels, cookie in a jar, etc. Not sure if it will happen, but I’m going to try really hard:) …. “Despise your handwriting”:) I love it…..
Yes, I will be coming back for ideas! Last year I made the Hershey kiss peanut butter cookies, except I did chocolate instead of peanut butter with the cherry cordial kisses on top. The neighbor ladies were all asking for the recipe. This year? Something simple it will have to be.
i love when i see the word random in a title! but then, i just love when i see that you’ve posted too.
kids ARE sososo funny. jacob was telling me about his dreams at night and said, “when i open my eyes i don’t know how to get them back on!” i wish that i would write more of that fun stuff down.
we are isolated here on the farm. no close neighbors at all. but…i make pepper jelly in the summer for sharing with everyone at Christmas time. easy-peezy to make and fun to give. i’m thinking that jelly isn’t your thing tho, 😉 right?
my mom has good ideas for this kind of thing, i know that she’s made those layered homemade cookie or brownie mixes in canning jars. can’t think of anything else right now.
HaPpY TGIF!
I usually give an assortment of cookies/bars/cupcakes to the neighbors but have done homemade bread already too & that got lots of compliments. This year I thought of doing a gift bag of home canned goods since most of our neighbors do not doing canning. We really only know that neighbors across the road well & the one beside us & behind us we know a little, most of the others we rarely see. The one family beside us I had taken a plate of cookies over to them the other year & they wouldn’t come to the door- I could see them walking around inside but they didn’t answer the door, so I just set the plate on their porch. I like the ideas the other ladies shared- I’m thinking I might use the granola idea. 🙂
little kids ARE so funny… especially watching them interact w/ each other! i could watch for hours~
we used to do cookies for our neighbors and mailman. i was just thinking last night that it would be nice to do something like that here, to introduce ourselves. thing is – – we have like a TON of neighbors!! haahaa. i’m not used to that. but that would be alot of baking! maybe i should just stick to the ones on either side of me — in case i ever have to walk over and borrow a cup of sugar or something. 😉
i so identified with what you said in your comment on my site – – about the burden of making sure your kids turn out. i’ve been so struggling with that too, recently. well, always. but it’s been heightened w/ the move and all. feeling like their spiritual and emotional well being rests on my shoulders – not to mention education! aCK!!!!:o and what you shared about it ultimately being God, not us. yup. i KNOW. but needed the reminder. needed the reminder too i’m not crazy – 😉 that others understand and struggle w/ that also.
love ya girl.
~awesome about the books too! i can imagine the gratification that brings. i know i feel pretty gratified just telling people i have a friend that’s a real, live author!! 😉
So now I’m wondering if it’s my oven that is the reason I CANNOT make good bread. It can go in looking beautiful, and come out looking really sad. I’m not an expert bread maker by any stretch of the imagination, but I used to be able to make good bread SOMETIMES. Now I can’t. Maybe it’s not just me?
@smuckers4jesus –
The granola was a big hit last year. You should try it! (It was a big hit w/ me b/c I’d WAY rather make that than bake 7 different kinds of cookies.)
@down_onthefarm –
I WISH I lived closer to you. I would SO raid your pantry. I absolutely LOVE pepper jelly (and yes, I needed all those caps); but, you guessed it, I don’t make jelly.
@happyangel78 –
Know that “won’t come to the door” feeling. 🙂 I decided to keep my cookies rather than leave them for the dogs. 🙂
@grace2be –
Thanks for the reminder about the mailman!! I forget her every year. And I’m thinking that now that I head to the PO several times a week to mail packages it would be fun to take them a whole plate of cookies. They are so, so nice to me and they totally adore the boys. My day gets happier just going to see them.
@richlyblest –
Blame it on the oven … at least until proven otherwise. 😉 I thought I’d lost my touch until the oven guy told us what was up. (I did make delicious bread in it before the fuse blew). Unfortunately, the part costs $150 so we continue to live without. 🙂
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