What Does This Say About Me?

I love filling this up with the dirty dishes - seeing how I can solve the puzzle and fit just one more in, but I HATE putting the clean ones away. That's why this job now belongs to Big C, beloved dish breaker. I love emptying the dirty pockets of this, in search of spare change and forgotten dollars. I love carefully laundering stains and challenging them to try to remain. I love the smell of bleach and fabric softener and feel a little spike in happiness as I toss in a fragrant dryer sheet - weird, I know. I even love sitting with my back to the fireplace, folding it into tidy little piles. But I hate putting the darned stuff away! That is why my kids put their own away and you will find baskets of mine sitting in my room on the floor for way too long. (I'm ashamed to say sometimes up to two weeks, when I finally wonder, "Hey, where is that brown shirt I love to wear with these jeans?")

I'm sure my avoidance of the putting away part of these tasks says something about my personality. Any guesses from you pseudo-diagnosers out there?

Alphabet Soup . . .

Oooh! Look what I found at the thrift store today. What? You're not excited about an old Scrabble game held together with tape and a rubber band? I am! I never pass up a game of Scrabble at ANY thrift store as long as it is priced under $3.00. I think I have purchased at least ten games of Scrabble in the past three years. What's up America? Doesn't anyone play Scrabble any more?

Actually, I don't buy Scrabble to play the game - though I do love speed Scrabble. If you want to know why I buy it, you need look no further than the header for this blog. I buy it for the alphabet and the alphabet alone.

Here's my big white bowl of Scrabble tiles. It sits on a little desk in our family room and every month we spell out some kind of message - to celebrate a birthday, to celebrate a holiday, to celebrate visitors coming to stay at our house. I can't say this is an original idea. I stole it from my mom (The Queen), who I'm sure found it in some great decorating magazine that has now gone belly up (I'm shedding a tear right now for Cottage Living, R.I.P.).

Here's this month's message - a quote by the philosopher Plato. I thought it was appropriate for February . . . you know, love and all.

And if you're lucky, one of my thrift store outings might work in your favor and you could receive a little birthday gift from me that looks like this:

Don't think of me as a cheap friend who only spent $1 to $3 on you for your birthday. Think of me as a wordsmith, encouraging you to get your literary game on.

PS. The whole Scrabble tile thing is not a good idea for families with toddlers or children of any age who enjoy putting small objects in their mouths.

P.P.S. If I did give you this for your birthday, it would always be accompanied by something delicious, like a plate of boyfriend cookies, some low fat chocolate chip banana bread, or a pan of my MIL's cinnamon rolls. See how much I love you?

Chore Carnage . . .

Remember a few milliseconds ago when I posted about my kids and their chores? Bet ya thought I was that on-the-ball chick with her act together and all her little ducks in a row, right? (could I fit one more catch phrase in that sentence?) I thought so too . . .

Which is why I got a reality check today.

This is what occurred today in under 180 seconds as the little ones did their after school chores which consisted of Big C: empty dishes from dishwasher, RedDog: put silverware away and Hannie B: wipe down all bathroom counters with wipes.

First, RedDog went to grab the stool he uses to reach the silverware drawers, bumped into a sofa table, sending the lamp tumbling, which knocked over my Scentsy candle warmer (innocent bystander filling house with joyous smells) which threw a pool of melted wax halfway across the room and all over the silk lampshade which had split from the offending lamp -. The RedDog begins crying uncontrollably as I sternly tell him to be more careful.

Next, Big C, who has observed RedDog's shame and confirmed "Yeah, be more careful!" tries to take too many plates out of the dishwasher at one time and loses his grip on one, sending it crashing to the floor where it shatters into five million tiny sharp pieces. Cue crier number two as he gets a "Please take two dishes out at a time" from me with a stern voice.

Last, a scream from upstairs. I run up to find Hannie B crouched on the floor grabbing her head. Yep, she had stood up too quickly after grabbing the wipes from under the sink and bonked her head pretty hard. All she received from me was a hug, a head rub and a "What in the world is going on here today?"

Three kids, three chores, three minutes, all three crying at the same time -- and that is what we call CARNAGE my friends.

I Love A Monday Morning Surprise!

I spent the morning getting my teeth "cleaned" by a woman with a sharp instrument asking too many questions for me with my mouth wide open and gums bleeding to answer. Fun stuff! Now I have that weird after-cleaning feeling like all of my teeth are loose in my gums and may fall out at any minute. I have nightmares about that. Anyone else?

I ran to Costco with the RedDog afterwards to pick up the essentials - you know - milk, yogurt, and a year's supply of cashews. RedDog wanted to play with my Costco card, but I wouldn't let him. He pulled his "you make me sad" face and I was forced to search in the dark and foreign places of my purse for something to let him use as a pretend card. Luckily I had an old cash card from a Costco return long ago stuck in the nether regions of my messy wallet. And we carried on happily buying obnoxious amounts of yumminess.

Imagine my surprise when the Dogger handed his faker card to the cashier to fake pay and she swiped it and it cut my bill in half! There was money on there people and I had absolutely no idea! What a great Monday morning, post dentist treat! It's like finding a wrinkly old $10 bill in some jeans you haven't worn in years or in the pocket of a seasonal coat. It just has that "free money" feel to it - I know, I know, it's not free, but still you gotta know what I mean.

Happy Monday!

Ruffles and Bows . . .

These shoes (above) are what my friend Ronalin would call "Stripper Shoes". They're sky high, black satin, and have a little extra somethin' somethin' on the back to catch the attention of, well, customers. She makes me laugh! They also happen to be made by French designer Christian Louboutin, hence the cherry red soles, and cost a mere $1,085 at stores such as Barney's and Bergdorf Goodmans - stores I've never so much as set a foot in.

I'm more of a Target girl. A bargain finding girl. A cheap clothes, cheap shoes wearing girl. So imagine how tickled I was yesterday, while strolling the aisles of that blessed (pronounce it "bless-ed") red and white mecca, when I came across another pair of shoes with ruffles and bows that isn't stripper shoe worthy. This shoe, instead earns the "Cheap as dirt but looks like it could come from Anthropologie" award. Love the color - mustard yellow! Love the floral patterned insoles! Love the rounded toes! Love the ruffles and bows!

I know that not everyone can wear cheap shoes from Target. The Queen can't. But I can! And I will strut my stuff while wearing these funky little cheap-0 made Exhileration flats around town today and pride myself on their price tag - a mere $4.98. Awesome!

Sweet Tee . . .

Hey look it's me! And I am wearing one of the cutest tees I've owned in recent years. This handmade cutie showed up in my mailbox yesterday courtesy of a very talented friend of mine - Jennie Doezie. Jennie is a screen printing teacher at a high school in California and I am often on the receiving end of the creations she's used as demos for her classes. I am proud to say I now own FOUR Jennie Doezie originals.

I had to give you a close up of this guy - not just because he's a very retro owl with his olive color and orange slice eyes, (if I know Jennie, she drew him herself) but also because this owl is saying something punny and I love a good pun. Who wouldn't laugh at an owl declaring "I'm a HOOT"? I would! An owl saying "I work at Hooters" - not funny. An owl saying "I'm a hoot" - funny. You know what else is funny? The double chin I gave myself by taking this picture from a wonky angle. Oh well.

Thanks Jennie, for making my day. This shirt rocks and will be much loved in my little house. You are a creative genius and hero in my book.

Just Divine! (And A Giveaway To Boot)

A very generous and kind reader in Yuma, Arizona sent me a little present the other day and I just had to show it off. This is my new Scentsy candle warmer - emblazened with, of course, a dragonfly! Isn't it divine?

This candle warmer uses scented wax which is heated by a small light in the bottom of the warmer. The light causes the wax to melt into a pool of scented yumminess. There are several decorative cutouts on the warmer and when the light is turned on at night, it emits a happy glow that illuminates the cute dragonfly. Right now I am enjoying the spicy goodness of a "Ginger Orangepeel" Scentsy bar - also a gift from this generous reader.

Can I tell you a couple of reasons why I am really loving my new gift - aside from the fact that it's real purty? First, no more messy candle wicks to trim. Second, no more worrying about my kids getting burned by a flame. Third, no more worrying about the hubby blowing my candle out behind my back (don't even ask). Fourth, no more messy black smoke or wax drips. And finally, I was truly surprised by just how rich the scent of this warmer is. It has filled the entire first floor of my house for days, making me feel ultra, ultra happy.

I thought you might like to check out my Arizona reader's Scentsy website and see what else she has to offer. She has generously offered a FREE Scensty bar of your choice to the tenth reader to leave her an email and mention my blog in the subject line. Give her your name and a way to contact you if you are the lucky winner! You can find Suzanne and her delicious candle warmers at www.scentsy.com/NoseCandy .

Thanks so much Suzanne!

Finally! (A Tribute To Readers In UT, MT, MN, MI, OH)

Can you see it? Look for the clues! It's in his pink cheeks and ears. It's in the grin he's wearing. And if you look very closely at this picture of RedDog, you'll see it - the biggest clue of all. There in his tousled rusty hair are three flakes of pure, unadulterated white snow! I cannot explain the joy this little boy felt when he woke up this morning and exclaimed loud enough for the neighbors to hear, "Momma, it finally SNOWED!"

His joy was doubled for me because I was aware that he had flushed ice cubes down the toilet last night and then jumped on his bed while doing the "snow dance" (shake your body around while happily singing "Let It Snow"). So sweet RedDog actually believed this morning that he was solely responsible for our snow.

Now, to all you readers in Utah, Minnesota, Montana, Michigan, Ohio, Vermont - basically all the places that are knee deep in snow and have been for weeks if not months - a tribute for you (wink, wink): not only did we get snow, but we got a total of three inches, which in wimpy old Virginia is enough to cancel school for the day.

Bless you, sleeping in. Bless you, chores getting done early. Bless you, children laughing and staying outside until your fingers and toes are numb. And bless you snow, for finally, finally making my kids dreams come true.

Skool Lunch

Eons ago when I worked at a paying job where I sat at computer which was actually attached to a desk, instead of in front of my fireplace, there was a little restaurant across the street from my office building called "Skool Lunch". Adults would file in and out of Skool Lunch each morning and afternoon for a chance to eat food reminiscent of their elementary school cafeteria days, all plopped on a plastic tray and served by ladies in hilariously hideous cafeteria lady clothes and hair nets.

I ate at Skool Lunch often and LOVED IT! The grilled cheese sandwich was to die for and their rice crispie treats were generously sized and had just the right amount of chewiness. Other items on the menu included things like: liverwurst sandwich, tuna sandwich, ham and swiss sandwich, chicken noodle soup, tomato soup, various cookies, and of course, small cartons of milk.

I loved the clever concept behind this restaurant. I loved that the food was tasty. I loved how it took me back to my cafeteria days - the days when I squealed with glee if it was mashed potato and gravy day!

I cannot say the same for the food at my kids school. I can barely walk past the school cafeteria at lunch time because the smell turns my stomach. I have actually had lunch with my kids and watch as much of the "hot lunch" is thrown away by student after student. It is NAH-STEEE!

Last week when we had Monday and Tuesday off for the inauguration, I busted out the plastic lunch trays (bought on clearance at Target for $1.99 last year) and we had our own version of Skool Lunch: Annnie's Organic Mac N' Cheese, orange wedges and a fig newton. It was yummy and the kids and I had fun pretending we were in our own cafeteria where the food does not make one sick. Do your kids eat cafeteria food?

Birthday Love . . .

Yep. You're another year older. And despite what this picture may lead some to believe, I think you've finally left the title of "Goofy Redheaded Guy" behind.

In the past year you have been my ROCK. You have seen me through the darkest, hardest trials I've known and rejoiced with me in the greatest blessings I've ever received. You are the love of my life, my best friend, a terrific father and a downright good and honest man. I hope you have a fantastic birthday. I love you and plan to spend many more birthdays by your side, harassing you endlessly, caring for you fully and adoring you completely.

It's A Bore, It's A Chore (Part C) . . .

Big Oops! on that one. I thought I pushed my last post to "save as a draft" so I could come back and finish it after having lunch out with The Hubby, but I must have pushed "publish" instead and given you all a raw and totally unfinished ramble about chores.

Aside: Don't you love my Obamicon? I thought it was fitting for this post since I am the generator and enforcer of all chores around here. It falls squarely under my position as meanest mom on the planet. And I'll answer the allowance question at the end. Maybe tomorrow I'll have the Hubby fix my scanner so I can scan in the chore charts I used when the kids were smaller which were a big help for non-readers since they had pictures of each chore!

Now, the moment you've all been waiting for (or the moment I've been waiting to finish - whatever) . . .

Age Appropriate Chores of the Dragonfly Kids

(Insert applause here.)

The older age bracket automatically includes any and all of the chores from the younger age brackets.

2-3 Year Olds

• clean up toys to a basket or marked bin (teaches putting things away in proper place)
• put dirty laundry into hamper
• carry in light weight grocery items, such as bread or paper towels
• help mom make bed each morning (hand pillows)
• look cute and act helpless at all times

3-4 Year Olds

• make bed with a little help
• dust furniture with a sock on hand
• help sort laundry into colors
• learn to put own laundry away (I label drawers at first with a picture)
• carry in light grocery bags
• help set table (napkins)
• pick up sticks in back yard after a storm
• deliver shoes from shoe basket to family member rooms
• leave cute behind and instead whine and cry when asked to do any of the above

5-6 Year Olds

• make bed independently
• sort laundry independently
• put new bags in emptied trash cans
• put silverware away from dishwasher
• get mail/newspaper
• swiffer/sweep wood floors
• sort and fold socks
• carry in groceries
• windex small windows (french doors, transoms)
• help wash car
• think you're smart and get the job done in the fastest, sloppiest fashion ever

7-8 Year Olds

• strip bedding for laundering
• set/clear table
• clean mirrors, wipe down toilet & sink with disposable wipe
• empty trashcans
• vacuum stairs with handheld vac
• carry down laundry baskets
• answer phone/take messages
• leaf blow back deck/front porch
• become a true helper, whistling while you work

9-10 Year Olds

• empty dishwasher
• carry garbage out to big trash can
• help put groceries away
• run a load of laundry
• clean an entire bathroom, including tub and floor
• vacuum a room
• grumble, mumble, and curse the chores, but do them anyway, because you've finally realized that they are NOT going away.

11-12 Year Olds

• mow lawn (with supervision)
• watch siblings for one hour
• feel and act cool because you actually have serious responsibility and serious ABILITY!

Now, before you call CPS on me - my kids don't do all these chores all the time. I do many things and they do what's left. These are just the possibilities of what they are ABLE to do. It's more than I ever thought possible in the beginning and I am amazed at what helpful little people they are.

We do give our kids an allowance (50 cents for every year they are old) but we have been very deliberate in not tying the allowance to the chores, because - say it with me- "Chores are part of being a member of a family", not something extra you get payment for. We actually decided to give our kids allowance to help them gain skills in dealing with finances and paying tithing to our church. I could do another post on that later depending on interest.

I guess that's about it. Sorry to be so long winded. Let me just shut the door on chores by saying that I have great respect for the way my parents and in-laws were raised - working on farms and in their homes, baking, mending, laundering and scrubbing, building and repairing - AS CHILDREN. This, I believe, is one reason they are all remarkable people today. I want that for my children, so I have lovingly given them THE GIFT of chores. The end.

It's A Bore, It's A Chore (Part Dos) . . .

Now that I've pontificated on the why of chores at our house, I thought I'd share what the kiddoes do around here. First, let me share four great Chore Truths that I've learned over the past eight years of having my kids help:

1. No one system works best or is set in stone. I've done chore charts, reward systems, draw a chore out of a jar - you name it, I've tried it. Each has worked for a time, but I've always felt the need to change things up after a while, which seems to keep things interesting for my kids. This includes switching the chores around. One year, the kids had the same chores every day, every week. It got monotonous and there was a lot of complaining. Right now there are several chores the kids do on a regular basis (which they find written on the chalkboard when they come home from school) and rotating chores that I have them do as the need arises.
2. Kids as young as 2 and 3 CAN DO CHORES! You have to think outside the box on what a chore is normally defined as and break it down to their level. By giving the smallest kids things to do and calling them chores, they get into the habit of being a helper from the time they are wee ones. And funny thing, the littlest kids are the ones who want to help, enjoy helping and take great pride in being a helper. It just makes total sense - GIVE 'EM A CHORE!
3. We DO NOT give chores as a punishment in this house. When I say to my child, "Because you hit your sister, you have to do an extra chore." I feel like I might as well be saying, "Chores are a punishment for your bad behavior, not a normal part of being a member of our family. " It's a given that kids aren't going to love doing their chores, but they need to understand that it is just a normal byproduct of family life - not a sentence given after wrongdoing. Granted, if a kid knocks over a box of cereal, the "chore" of cleaning it up will fall on him - but that is SO different from saying, "If you don't be nice to your brother, I'll make you take out all the trash."
4. Maintaining your personal space does not fall under the umbrella of CHORES. It falls under the umbrella of responsible human being. This includes tidying your room, making your bed, feeding your fish (at our house), respecting your furniture, etc.

It's A Bore, It's A Chore . . .

It's only taken a week to get up the gumption to sit down and write about my kids and chores. It has something to do with not wanting to sound preachy or over-passionate about such a mundane subject, but I've decided that is unavoidable, since this is something that really matters to me - quirky, I know, but oh well.

Here comes the disclaimer: I am merely sharing my OPINIONS here and what works for me and my little family when it comes to the chore realm. I welcome any suggestions or ideas that have worked well for others. Do not be offended by what I write if you read this and think I am being a Negative Nelly about things you've chosen to do in your home. Again, this is me, opining.

First, I thought I'd share a couple of reasons why we do chores the way we do. These are not in order of importance, just in order of how they randomly popped into my brain. And, sorry to disappoint, but this is going to have to be a two-parter post because I could go on and on.

• I grew up in a home where we had to do chores. Mine was the bathrooms. I hated it and thought that mowing the lawn (older brother chore) sounded dreamy and outdoorsy. Nevertheless, I did my chores. Looking back, I see the value in it all. I now know how to do them as an adult and was well equipped when I left home to be responsible in that way. I always seemed to be the one who cleaned the bathrooms in college when my roommates left hair and make up everywhere - some can attest as they read this blog! I think I might have even set up a little "chore rotation chart" in one apartment because I couldn't stand the mess any longer. I guess I think of the chores as one more way I'm preparing my kids to be responsible adults and spectacular spouses. Who doesn't love a man who can scour the ring right off the tub?


• Lots of homes (with kids) in my neighborhood have the drive up cleaning ladies who show up like a sweaty cleaning tornado and get the whole house done in a day. I had a cleaning lady like that for three months a few years ago, and while my bathrooms sparkled and shined like no body's business, my kids would still squeeze toothpaste on the counter top the very day the cleaning lady came. They had NO OWNERSHIP in what had been cleaned and didn't hesitate to mess it right back up. I need my kids to feel like they have contributed to the cleanliness of our home (even if begrudgingly) because that is part of being a member of our family. No one gets a free ride here.
  
• As I work with youth at church and see my own kids and their friends in differing environments, I am starting to notice an increasing trend with the younger(than me) generation. (ooh, listen to me sounding all wise and OLD.) Because kids today are bombarded with technology, infotainment, video games, music, TV shows, and just NOISE, NOISE, NOISE in general - they don't have to work real hard to "get" anything. One word seems to fit perfectly: ENTITLEMENT. Lots of kids today think it should come, it should come easy, it should come when they say, and by the way, that means now. We don't want our kids to think they are owed ease in this life. We want our kids to learn how to be hard workers - not just at a job outside our home- but at building our home environment which will earn them one of life's greatest rewards, a loving and happy family. For us, chores help accomplish this goal nicely.
  
• Studies have shown that kids who have regular chores at home get better grades, are more social and have higher confidence than those who don't. This reason alone is enough to win me over to having kids do chores.
  
• I've had friends tell me "Well, my son/daughter refuses to do chores." or "My three year-old will just sit and cry if I ask her/him to clean up the toys." To that I say - you're letting them get away with that? You are the adult. They are the kids. Make the expectation of inclusion as a "full fledged chore doing family member" clear from the start- which at our house is the ripe old age of two and half to three. It. Simply. Is. Not. Optional.
  
• Last reason for today - really. As a mom, it is really easy to get bogged down in the monotony and sheer magnitude of household chores and duties. I have found that having my kids help out with chores makes me feel more appreciative towards them and less bothered by the messes they make. As they do their part to help out, however small it may be, I feel my cleaning burden lifted. I feel love towards that 11 year old who hauls the trash out so I don't have to leave the house in my slippers. I feel giddy when my sweet 9 year old folds socks while we chat about her day at school. And I absolutely die for a little 5 year old who stacks the silverware so neatly in its tray each day while I reload the dishwasher. I can see that these moments seem to increase the bond we have, as well as provide teaching opportunities I never saw coming.

So, there you have it - some of the reasons we do chores the way we do here in our little home. There are many more reasons - but it's late, I've been without my man for three days, and I've got three munchkins to put to bed right now. Tomorrow I'll give the run down of who does what around here.

Of Historical Significance . . .

Last night we enjoyed an All American Inaugural Dinner with our table decked out in its patriotic finery. Our friends the Mecks, also with a dad out of town, joined us for hamburgers, home made mac 'n cheese, and green beans (which aren't necessarily American, but I'm a stickler when it comes to veggies at dinner).

After dinner, we had a Family Home Evening with the kids. We talked about Heavenly Father's children all over the world and how different and beautiful they are. We discussed Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the dream he had that all of Heavenly Father's children could be treated with the same amount of respect and love. We talked about the historical significance of Barrack Obama becoming our next President and how it was a part of that dream coming true - a dream that we believe in and support as children of a loving God.

The children each colored a picture of Dr. King as we listened to patriotic music sung by the MoTab Choir. We finished off the night with another All-American treat - banana split sundaes. Hope you all enjoy this historic day!

Dinner With The Queen . . .

Last night we had dinner with the Queen.

It was delicious, and not just because I didn't have to cook it! Something about eating food with royalty . . .

The intention was to have a picture taken with the Queen and Kernal Ken at the end of the evening, but we have learned yet another reason why the Queen is a supreme and absolute ruler - after grumbling about the photograph all night, she conveniently managed to get a phone call of "National Importance" right when it was time for pictures to be snapped. Tricky, that Queen. Somebody better keep an eye on her.

She and I did manage to watch the first half of Masterpiece Theater's version of "Wuthering Heights" together though. We both agreed that it is a truly depressing story - which we already knew but had forgotten, having read it eons ago - and that Heathcliffe is truly one of the most loathsome characters ever imagined. And seriously, the actor they chose has the perfect amount of crazy in his eyes.

Speaking of crazy, the kids are home from school for the next two days AND the Hubby is out of town for work. We'll see if the stars align and I get to blog about chores tomorrow. I think I'll go make them do some right now to see how my system is working. (Whoooo hoo ha ha ha, she says as she rubs her hands together in a maniacal way.)

The New Girl In Town . . .

I really am going to post about chores. I think it will have to wait until tomorrow though. We've got a new little lady in our house and I just had to give her a proper introduction.

Every once in a while I hit the few meager thrift stores in our town with a tiny hope that I might find a gem. Yesterday this little sweetheart was waiting for me at "Twice Is Nice". We have become fast friends and she now resides in my bedroom. All I can say is thank you to some stranger who gave away what was they thought was junk and is now a treasure to me for only $15!

We all think she looks like a Charlotte. What do you think?

Of Breakfast and Beds . . .

We have a rule in our house that you don't get breakfast until you've made your bed. Even at 6:45 a.m. on a school day. It's one of the proud reasons I like to refer to myself as the meanest mom on the planet. Big C and Hannie B. have definitely learned that the bed making in this house has to happen - but only if you want to eat.

Still, every morning the RedDog comes to me with his sweet freckles and longing eyes and as he snuggles up to me he says, "Momma, I'm hungry." Naturally I ask him if he's made his bed yet. This begins what will be a twenty minute to one hour conversation between me and the wee one about how HARD it is to make the bed. And about how he "doesn't want to do it" (insert whiny tone here). Or about how he slept really messy and it's too crazy for a little kid to make. Or how the covers just seem so heavy today and his legs hurt because he must be growing which is why he needs food.

Some mornings this goes on for a long time. Some mornings the stars align and RedDog gets it into his brain that he isn't getting breakfast until he completes the two minute task of making his bed. Those are good days people. Mind you, we've made it simple for the kids. At our house no kid sleeps with a top sheet- it's just blankets to bodies. Don't be grossed out. I wash blankets and comforters often. It just simplifies the bed making a whole, whole lot. And that makes this mom very happy.

Today it took Soren an hour to make his bed. He did lots of things in between, like play and snuggle, look at books and listen to some music. Meanwhile, I ate breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen, had some personal meditation and participated in the snuggle which was purely a delay tactic on his part.

Around 9:00 he could hear his stomach rumbling and finally gave in to the pressure. I thought it would be enjoyable to show the finished product. It's not perfect, but he did it all by himself. It has taken whole lot of effort for this Type A, perfectionist mom to not go in and remake it in two seconds with just a tug of the covers, but I want him to be proud of what HE accomplished.

Tomorrow I thought I'd share a post about the jobs my kids do around the house. All of our kids have helped with chores since they were 3 years old. I hope you'll join me, and not report me for breaking some kind of child labor laws.

My New Office . . .

One of the gifts on my wish list for Christmas was to have the Hubby put our house on a wi-fi network. I was ready to be liberated from my desk in the library at the front of the house - dark, lonely, and LOUD due to piano practicers. My wish was granted and it has really changed the scene of things around here. Now, my office looks like this:

Here's the dealie-o: I flip the switch to the gas fireplace and warm the glass up a bit, grab myself a squishy throw pillow to sit on, cozy up with Veronica on my lap, and I'm ready to go! Today I spent no less than three hours this way. I caught up on blogs, did a bunch of work for my church calling, folded three loads of laundry, made several phone calls, read the mail, had some personal meditative time, updated the Hubby's family contact information,finished the book I was reading, helped the kids do their homework and am now typing this post all from the spot you see in the picture.

As my sis-in-law Audrey can attest, I am totally a "back to the fire" kinda gal, so this new office really suits me. Thanks Hubby for making another dream come true! Time to leave the office and go snuggle the gift giver!

Minus One . . .

This photo represents what many of our Sundays are like around here. Our dad/Hubby was gone from 10:00 a.m. until almost 7:00 p.m. today for his calling in our church as a member of the Bishopric. I miss him when he's gone. The kids miss him when he's gone. It's not always easy to get us all ready for church and have my good Christian feelings intact. But, regardless, I'm really grateful to be married to a man who is willing to sacrifice so much of his time to help other people, and especially to help the Lord. He's a good man.

We missed him when it was picture time, but I convinced the kids that holding up a picture of him (hot one too!) instead of a stuffed dog with hair the same color as his would do for today.

The Hubby and I are now decompressing from a very busy day by sitting next to one another on the couch and partaking in a very rare occurrence - reading for pleasure. His book of choice: Brisingr by Christopher Paolini. Mine: The Big Over Easy by Jasper Fforde. (a recommendation from the Queen.)

May you have a wonderful week ahead!

A Test For Edward . . .

About a year ago I posted some pictures of a tree in our yard after we'd had an ice storm.

Two days ago, I got the chance to take a few pictures after the trees were once again coated in glass. This time I used my dear Edward. Thought a little compare and contrast would be fun.

Yeah, I'm pretty much in love. I still have to learn A LOT about this new boyfriend, but I can tell he is going to be very handy to have around.

Two Geeks In Love . . .

(First picture by Edward . . . LOOK AT THE DETAIL ON THAT TINY PUZZLE PIECE!)

It's only fair that I come clean about my own geeky thing now that I've "outed" the yo-yoing love of my life. And I know I said I would do it yesterday, but I've been kinda busy doing my geek thing and couldn't be interrupted. I just couldn't find a way stop until I was done. Now it is finished . . . all 1000 glorious pieces of it. Ya see, the thing is, I am hopelessly addicted to putting together jigsaw puzzles.

I completely blame my parents for this. They've had a tradition with long time family friends that each year at Christmas they will send each other a tortuously large and difficult jigsaw puzzle. I don't know when this tradition started - I just know that I was hooked the minute I started interlocking little tabs and connecting edge pieces.

One year the puzzle was a grove of Aspen trees - entirely made up of small green leaves, white birch bark and nothing else. This year it was a 2000 piecer of the New York City skyline . . . at night. But the mother of all doozies was the year they sent us a puzzle of the Rosetta Stone - actually shaped like the Rosetta Stone - in other words NO edge pieces and an all black stone face with tiny white writing in three scripts not familiar to any normal human being - hieroglyphics, Classical Greek and Demotic Egyptian. I think my younger brother Matt might have actually shed tears over the putting together of that puzzle.

My freshman year of college I was sick on a Sunday while home over the Christmas break. While my family went to church, I began and FINISHED one of the puzzles by myself. I'm not trying to brag - okay, maybe just a little - but I am so very good at this. The hubby even commented on my superior spatial reasoning and uncanny ability to find pieces quickly.

For the past two years the Hubby and I have shared this puzzle tradition with some good friends. I don't think they realized the first year what they were getting in to. We sent them a Disney puzzle of Donald Duck entirely made up of thousands of tiny different pictures of Donald Duck. They sent us a sweet little puzzle of downtown Salt Lake City, Utah.

This year they upped the ante and sent us a puzzle of a Thomas Kincaid painting. When we opened it, I immediately thought to myself, "Aww, how cute, a puzzle from that guy they call the Painter of Light. This is going to be a walk in the park and even has a park in the picture."

It wasn't until I finished two thirds of the puzzle that I realized how sneaky our friends were. The entire sky of the puzzle was a sunset with light pinks, oranges and yellows barely distinguishable from one another. AAACK! The Hubby wanted nothing to do with this puzzle and even went so far as to utter the unthinkable words, "This puzzled stuff is your thing." Big C put in about 20 of the 1000 pieces. Hannie B talked to me while I worked on it. Red Dog dropped pieces on the floor and had to leave the room.

This is where the geekiness really kicks in, so stop reading now if you want to preserve some image you have of me being normal or, dare I even say it, cool. I pretty much put the sky together based on only piece shape since the colors all looked the same. I separated all the shapes into similar categories and went at it from that angle. I am a geek. And it was enjoyable. But dang you Thomas Kincaid! Your subtle hues and divine lighting nearly did me in.

But I conquered and will now have to wait another year to feed my little geeky obsession. I only do this at Christmastime . . . just trying to keep that geek portion of me under control and all. Now you know - SO FESS UP! WHAT IS YOUR GEEKY THING?

The Geek Factor . . .

I feel giddy because I'm about to unveil a fact about the Hubby that will increase his Cool/Geek factor exponentially. Even better is the part about me just learning this tasty morsel over the Christmas break. I cannot believe he's hidden it from me for almost 14 years of marriage AND a year of dating. (I may have dated him sooner if I'd only known . . .)

As the RedDog opened a gift from one of his aunts on Christmas morning, a little gasp of joy escaped from the Hubby's mouth. I immediately saw a gleam in his eye and realized he had just mentally claimed the gift as his own. It was a shiny red yo yo.

After all the present hoopla died down, the Hubby grabbed the yo yo, tore off the packaging and began dazzling us all with his mad - and I mean MAD - yo yo skills. He was walking the dog, goin' round the world, putting the baby in the cradle, sending it up its own string, putting it to sleep, etc.

Meanwhile, I was planted there, watching with my jaw firmly planted on the floor. I did not know the Hubby could yo yo. I didn't know he had this hidden talent we could have been flaunting for years at parties and for cousins. In our kids eyes, his Cool Factor just went way up.

"Oh yeah," he calmly tells me. "In fact, I started a yo yo club at my high school."

And there's the Geek Factor. I'll just leave it at that.

(ps. In all fairness, I'll share a geeky fact about myself tomorrow.)

For Fifty-two Weeks (give or take a few depending on my memory)

I love stealing other people's great ideas -- don't you? So today I'm totally mooching off of Liz over at A Backwards Attraction. I don't know Liz. But my brother and sister-in-law do and they say she's really nice. Her blog makes me laugh and think and then laugh some more. So, I feel confident in saying that she wouldn't mind if I borrow her idea.

Liz has been diligent in capturing her family (herself included) in a series of photos over the past year since I've been reading her blog. The idea steal is this: every Sunday in 2009 I am going to set the camera up on my sturdy and lovely Audrey-gifted tripod, turn on the self timer and run my buns over to wherever my family is sitting for a family self portrait. Won't this be fun?! You'll get to see 52 photographs of my little Lee universe every single Sunday it its various states of chaos and disarray. And I will get to have a week by week record of my people in all their growth, with their missing teeth, grumpy attitudes, crazy hair and funny clothing choices! I think I might just publish a coffee table book at the end of the year of the 52 pictures in their entirety. I'm pretty sure it will make me laugh and maybe even cry a little too.

I've known for a while that I would do this in the new year. So, with every good intention this morning, I worked feverishly to get my little ones beautified for church. Every hair was in place, every wrinkle ironed, every smudge of peanut butter wiped off tiny faces. And if I do say so myself, I made an extra effort to look "smokin' hot" as the Hubby put it. Got every one lined up in position, pushed the self timer button, heard a beep and saw the words INSUFFICIENT BATTERY flash on the small screen of the camera. AAAACK! (mind you this was NOT Edward, but my old digital camera.)

So, instead of the picture of perfection before church, what we've got for week #1 of our photo essay is the five of us in our pajamas ready for bed after a happy dinner and card games. As the Nester says, "It doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful!"

My New Baby . . .

Happy New Year!

I had to take a two day break to recover from the non-alcoholic hangover I had from throwing a party for almost 30 teenagers on New Year's Eve. One word: exhausting.

And now here I am, and it's a new year - a blank slate, ready for endless positive possibilities! I have always been a goal-oriented-type-o'-girl, so when the new year comes around, I am at the ready and setting, setting, setting.

My tradition has always been to have a goal in each of four areas: a spiritual goal, a physical goal, a family oriented goal and a goal to strengthen my marriage. These goals are personal and realistic - I try not to overreach because I really dislike the idea of setting myself up for failure. So, onto achieving! I hope you have set some great goals for yourself in 2009.

There are also oodles of positive changes coming to this little Dragonfly blog during 2009. The first has to do with my new baby, which was such a loving and thoughtfully planned out gift from the Hubby for Christmas. Meet Edward:

I'm naming him after my brother's middle name (not a certain vampire) because he is the most fantastic photographer I personally know, and because he got the same camera for Christmas (I have only the Hubby to thank for putting me on any kind of equal footing with photobro) and because he has offered to give me tips, pointers and even some lessons on how to produce more beautiful imagery of my life and for my blog. In the meantime, Big C has inherited my old digital camera and is now taking lots of photos of Lego creations.

Lest you think the Hubby got the short end of any stick in this situation, I thought I'd show you his new baby - a Trek road bike that is making even the photobro (who is also known as crazybikingbro) salivate a little. The Hubby has earmarked this year as the one in which he will take up a hobby that will benefit his health, save him money on gas and time on his commute to work and help him bond with no less than three of his brothers-in-law. I am really, truly happy for him . . . and I can't wait to see him in his shorts!