Tales From the HomeKeeper March 16, 2009

A little girl’s very first french braid is a very momentous occasion.  We had a special girl’s night that started with a watermelon bubble bath for Ara followed by crisp, white nightgown trimmed with lace for a night so warm you could leave the windows open .  Then we did her hair up in her very first french braid and talked girl talk, and read two special books before bed.  Here are a few pictures of her hair.  She was also standing on top of her bunk bed waiting for me to get the books with her foot up on the shelf and it looked so much like ballet that I snapped some pics.  Here you go!

Tales From the HomeKeeper February 16, 2009

Potty Training and Other Exciting Adventures

This week is the first week in over a year that Aralyn has expressed any interest whatsoever in potty training.  She’s pooped once and peed once. (Sorry if that is TMI) But seriously, do any experienced potty training Mommy’s out there have any tips for potty training a child who is only interested in going if she sees a friend going?  At home if we go to take a potty break she screams like she’s being tortured.  Other times she asks to go and says what a big kid she is and asks to wear the underwear.  The underwear doesn’t motivate her though because when I say she has to go potty in the potty to get to wear underwear she asks for a diaper instead.  I am not too worried about it as I know all children eventually are interested and potty train at some point.  I really don’t want to push it on her and I’m really not a fan of bribing methods but diapers are expensive and at almost three years old, I would like to at least get the ball rolling in the right direction.

Other exciting adventures this week include a bunch of medical tests which cost a lot and revealed very little.  Nothing too serious, I just need to keep an eye on certain hormone levels.  Ara absolutely LOVED the doctors that drew my blood.  She got stickers from them and got to play with the stethoscope at the OB- which was probably the highlight of her week.

We also went to spend some time with a widow that our church helps out on Saturday which involved lots of  extremely interesting conversations.  She has been having some mental issues that cause her to stray way off topic to crazy subjects of conversation at times.  It broke my heart to see a woman who has an amazing recollection of scripture and can rattle off just about any bible verse you would want all of a sudden start talking about how she has good karma and would be reincarnated.  You can keep this widow in your prayers.  My husband helped outside with a team of men to tear down a shed that the city issued a citation for.  It was so fun for Ara and I to go out every now and then and see their demolition progress.  They all put in a  lot of hard work while she and I had the privilege of just loving on the widow and her daughter inside in the warmth.

Happy Birthday to my Dad whose birthday was this past Wednesday!  I love you ever so much Dad!

Dad and Me on my Wedding Day

That’s about all for us this past week other than my much needed computer break.

Tales from the Home Keeper February 5, 2009

Ara playing in the most recent snow we received.

Last Saturday was my birthday and we spent it at my parent’s house doing all sorts of fun things including shopping for sewing patterns and material for some new dresses and skirts for Ara and I.  It was a blast but I had to share a story with you of something Ara said that still gives me the giggles when I think about it.  For clarity, Ara calls my Mom Mimi. Mimi and Ara are reading a book about horses and the conversation goes something like this:

Mimi: Ara look at these brown horses.  I like the Thoroughbreds.

Ara: I like cornbread.

Cornbread is a favorite in our house, can you tell?   Here is a gluten free recipe that we like:

Jen’s Gluten Free Cornbread

1 c. Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour

1 c. Yellow Cornmeal

1/3 c. Sugar

1/3 c. Brown Sugar

1 tsp. Salt

3 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder

1 Egg

1 c. Milk

1/3 c. Melted Butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Butter the sides of a round pie dish.  In a large bowl, soak cornmeal in the milk for 10-15 minutes.  Then add gf flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.  Stir in egg and butter until well combined.  Pour batter in pie dish.  Bake for approx. 20-25 minutes.  Enjoy!  Wonderful served with honey butter.

My Sunday Morning Princess January 25, 2009

A Peek Into My Day January 20, 2009

Aralyn is napping,  Paul is at work, the house is quiet and I should be cleaning.  SHOULD being the imperative word implying to you that that is not, in fact, what I am doing.  I AM doing what I like to call the step BEFORE cleaning- MOTIVATING.  I am motivating myself to clean.  Here’s how:

I draw up house plans and mark up magazine pictures with notes all over about the things that I like and the things I would change, etc.  Now, how does this motivate me to clean?  Well, its weird but magazine houses are always clean.  Have you noticed that?  So, after my fun I set out to get my house ready for it’s magazine shoot which I realize borders on insanity since there are, in fact, no magazine editors breaking down my doors for a photo shoot; however, it works for me.  Ever since I was a kid imagining that I was cleaning for the King, I have needed my imagination to fire up cleaning motivation.  Don’t knock it ’til you’ve tried it.  Works like a charm.  Anyhow, I must warn you that this method of self motivation can walk a fine line bordering on PROCRASTINATION.  Seeing as I am here typing to you and not scrubbing my kitchen like I should be I would say that today falls into that procrastination category.  So, before I sink into a bottomless pit of filth, I am going to go pack up my house plans and do a nice kitchen scrub down before Ara awakes.

What motivates YOU to clean?

Tales from the HomeKeeper December 18, 2008

Now, I realize that as her Mama I have the tendency to think that my child is a genius no matter what comes out of her mouth; however, my two year old said something that made me smile so big yesterday that I had to share.

Ara: Mama, are you eating soup like me?

(Ara is eating chicken soup- I am eating mushroom with rice noodles)

Me: I Am eating soup, but I’m eating a different soup.

Ara: Does yours have chicken in it like mine does?

Me: Nope mine has mushrooms.

Ara thinks.

“Well, if you were expectin’ chicken- I bet you’re disappointed.”

Now I didn’t realize that my daughter understood expectations or disappointment so I ask her, “How did you know that?”

Ara: “Like, remember when you expect me to be a good girl and I am mean and you are disappointed?”

You know what that means? When she is in trouble, she listens to what I am saying AND understands it! Happy Mama!

She continues saying many other things, many don’t make sense at all but every once in a while my child says something that blows my socks off and I realize, she’s listening! This makes everything worthwhile!

Now if only I could get what I tell her about potty training to click

Tales from the HomeKeeper December 11, 2008

Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother’s house we go!

Today we went to my Grandma’s house (so Ara’s Grandma Great) to make a special surprise for Daddy who has been working lots of overtime this week.  She made and decorated these cookies all by herself!

And for your laughing pleasures today, a conversation I had with Aralyn last Saturday:

Me: Ara, today we are going to go with Grandma and Grandpa to cut down a Christmas tree.

Ara: Well, OKAY! but I better go get my scissors!

Tales From the Home Keeper November 12, 2008

photo: My Sweet Aralyn Elizabeth at her Uncle Jon’s Wedding

Having a Servant’s Heart

Recently, we’ve been really stressing to Aralyn how we can call on Jesus when we need help. Sometimes she struggles to obey and we talk about how it IS hard to obey when it is something we don’t want to do but we can ask God to help us have an obedient heart. So, she has been talking a lot about God helping her and other people.

This Saturday I woke Ara up and the following conversation occurred:

“Aralyn, it’s time to rise and shine and give God the glory!”

Aralyn rustles around in her covers and stretches tall…

“Ara, today we have a very special way to give God glory. We are going to help our church do some community outreach.”

Ara gives me a confused look.

“We are going to go help a lady who is widowed do some yard work.”

That seemed to strike a chord and she replied,

“Mama, can’t God help her?”

“Well, yes, honey, God is going to help her and us helping with the yard work is just one way He is going to do so.”

I’m glad she is understanding that she should go to God for help but I could tell from her tone that we need to reinforce what it means to have a servant’s heart .

So many times I find myself asking the same question. Maybe not as bluntly as my two year old daughter but the same question all the same.

Yes, she just had a new baby Lord, but I hardly have food enough to feed my family let alone bring their family a meal. (Can’t YOU help her God?)

Yes, our friends are struggling with a death in the family but I wouldn’t know what to say to comfort them, and besides by the time a card would reach them it really wouldn’t help that much would it? (Can’t YOU help them God?)

No, our neighbors don’t know You Lord but the man has a horrible temper and I am afraid to even speak with them. (Can’t YOU reach them God?)

I would like to think that I jump on every opportunity to serve others and give glory to my Lord, but I have to admit that I fall short way too often. Perhaps I need to re-look at what it truly means to have a servant’s heart as well. Perhaps we all do.