This week found me running after a very feisty and opinionated two year old, fetching candy corn rewards from our kitchen pantry, and doing the “pee-pee dance” around our commode.

Ah… yes. Potty training at it’s finest began at our house last weekend. Much to my surprise. The plan was to finish off the last of the diapers we had and THEN start, which would have bought me another month to mentally prepare for the task at hand. But when I unknowingly threw a box of pink princess pull-ups into our shopping cart at Costco last Saturday and my girl’s face lit up like the 4th of July, I began to wonder if I should take that excitement and run with it now. Our Costco trip was followed by a spontaneous trip to Target where she picked out two packs of “Minnie Moz and Dowa underwear” and instantaneously clutched them to her chest as we walked back to check out. She was showing some serious signs of readiness.

So, we went with it. And, half way through the week, amidst the few pee-pee accidents I cleaned up on our family room carpet and the dance moves I busted out and cheerleading moves I sported when she made it, I began to wonder how crazy it is that my life has now become centered around a two year old’s bowel movements.

So, this has been our week. Keeping a very active two year old on the pot while reading Dora books over and over and over again.

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Things just stopped this week.

Most everything.

In my natural state, and I would venture to say, in most EVERYBODY’S natural state, we are accustomed to ritual.  To habit.  To schedule.

For me, that looks a little something like this:

Sundays = church, rest, reflect, and plan for the week ahead {meal planning, plugging in crafts and gym times, sticking in appointments and errands}

Mondays = B’s school, grocery store, gym

Tuesdays = Nanny a 3rd child, zumba

Wednesdays = B’s school, volunteer in the classroom or run errands, clean house, work

Thursdays = playgroup craft time, zumba, bible study

Fridays = Mops, laundry

Saturday = Play

This is the jist of it, although there are many weeks when the schedule is different and/or things are moved around.  But, the point is…  there IS a schedule.  I like to have things planned.  For myself.  For my family.

So, what happens when things just stop unexpectedly?

This happened a couple of weeks back when I got the flu.  Threw my WHOLE week off!  I didn’t get a chance to make it the store Monday morning, so all of my meal planning was off, hence, ordering from the pizza place and Thai place for quick dinners that week.  I wasn’t able to make it to my appointments.  I was “forced” to lay on the couch and “rest”.  And, I didn’t love it.  Without my “schedule”.

Why is that?  Why is STOPPING so hard sometimes?

And, this week…  Snow.

Lots and lots of snow.

STOPPED everything.

We watched each day unfold, with emails and phone calls canceling or closing all of the “stuff” we had planned.

And, this threw me off a bit too.

But this time, I embraced it.  Have we gotten a bit stir crazy here at the end of the week?  Well, yes.  We are only human and at some moments I think my kids might kill me.  But, we made the most of it and I think it has made for a very pleasant week.

We found the sweetest hill to sled down.  If you are friends with me on Facebook, then you might have seen the video of Ben and I flying down this said hill on our sled.  We made a snow fort and snowmen in our front yard.  Later in the week, we had a little playdate with some friends and we made a snow slide.  We had snowball fights with the next door neighbor boys.  We played cars and hide and seek.  We watched a LOT of movies.  Jeff and I saw THIS movie one evening.  Loved it!  We drank a ton of hot cocoa.  I started THIS book.  We colored on our sliding glass door with window markers.  We had some more friends stop by and we made cotton ball snowmen and THIS snack with the kids. It was a HIT!  I baked.  Then, I baked some more.  THIS cookie recipe {sinful by DELISH}, THIS bread recipe {a success}, and THIS cinnamon roll recipe {not so successful}.  And, I was lazy.  I mean, seriously lazy.  And, it was good.  {an example:  our laundry pile started in the hall and stayed for a day, then moved into the garage {where our laundry room is} for another day, then cycled through this weekend, then finally got put away today}.  Does anyone else hate doing laundry?

And, then we headed out for a late afternoon walk.  We got half way out of our cul-de-sac, when I realized that we most likely wouldn’t make it very far with G-mama walking on her own.  And, the snow was just too thick to push a stroller in.  And, because she is a diva, she didn’t want to sit in the sled I was pulling with Ben.  So, on a whim, I thought I would grab the one pair of snowshoes we own, strap them on, and stuff her in our backpacking pack, which she LOVED.

So off we went.

And, I was feeling a bit bad-ass.

Little G on my back.  Me pulling Ben in the sled.  And, Chase {our lab} pulling me.  Ben thought it was hysterical when I swung him around in the sled as we walked.  I sweated off all of the baked goods I had eaten throughout the week and G was happy as a clam, perched on my back.

Have you ever been in wonder about how quiet it gets when it snows?

Almost like God tells us to stop.

And, because I am all cozy and warm and filled with spiced chai tea and candles lit on this night, I thought a little Frost would be oh so suitable…

The way a crow
Shook down on me
The dust of snow
From a hemlock tree

Has given my heart
A change of mood
And saved some part
Of a day I had rued.

Robert Frost {1923}

Pictures taken with my iphone.  I figure this still counts, yes?

 

Our backyard. We must have gotten a foot of snow.

 

Snow clothes pile in our living room. We are getting really good at layering in a flash now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ben Harper Photography

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Well, I missed last Sunday’s Simple Things Sunday. My apologies if you are keeping up with our little life. You didn’t miss much… the last couple of weeks have been pretty uneventful and quiet, with the exception of a little bug that came hoppin around our house, early last week. This little bug, called the flu, which pretty much kicked my butt. I haven’t been “that” sick for awhile and I was thanking my lucky stars for a husband who took some time off to help care for the kids for me, while I slept and got better.

I think that bout of sickness threw me for a loop, though. Things seemed out of order and I felt in disarray for the rest of the week and I am only now catching my breath. Although, I feel better physically, my soul feels a tad off. I am feeling a bit uninspired at the moment. And, a bit anxious for the year ahead. Do you ever feel that way?

HOWEVER, this big fat dump of white that we got here in the Pacific Northwest yesterday and today, gave my heart an extra beat and I am thankful for that. I felt inspired to pick up my camera today and snap a few pics.

If you live in our area, did you get out and enjoy the beauty today? Did you play?

We sure did.

 

We ate snow. Lots of it. And, not the yellow kind.

 

We made snow angels.

 

And snowmen.

 

We ran in mismatched puffy snowsuits.

 

We threw snowballs.

 

And, this all made for one happy kid.

 

And, happy kid #2.

Have a great week ahead!

kelly
xoxo

 

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Shine.

Kind of our word of the year. Or rather, our word for this year. Or rather, just our family mantra.

We read about it to our children…

Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you SHINE like stars in the universe. Philippians 2:14-15

This verse is scribbled on a note taped to our fridge.

I have it pinned to Ben’s backpack and when I scurry him off to his pre-school class in the mornings, I whisper it to him as I hug him goodbye…  ”Shine bright,” I say.

We have it written in our Family Rules…  right smack dab in the middle in capital letters, hung in our kitchen nook.

And, it sits staring at me…  as a glaring reminder on my kitchen window, as I wash dishes, or cut veggies, or grab a cup of coffee in the morning…  whispering…  Shine, Kelly. Shine bright.

What does this mean, you ask?  To shine?

Well, I am not at all perfect at it, but if I could sum up what it has meant for me this past year, it would look a little something like this…

To embrace life more.  To stop.  Look.  At the beauty RIGHT in front of my face.  In the magic of the moon in the evenings to the colors in one single bubble, as I scrub the soaked plates.  To not be so hurried.  To get down on the floor and play.  Really PLAY with my children.  To serve them.  To serve my husband.  To not wait.  To LISTEN.  To really listen. Which often means to STOP talking.  To lead in this way.  And, be confident in this.  To remember All.  Is.  Grace.

Some of the above may sound familiar if you’ve read THIS book.  If you have, then you can give me an Amen, sista.  If you haven’t, then I highly recommend picking it up this next year.  The words in this book have been like medicine to my soul and I needed to hear them.  I intend to carry these precepts into 2012 with me.

Or they may sound familiar if you’ve followed my blog over the past several months.  I have written about some of these things every Sunday, through my Simple Things Sunday posts.  My photos and writing have been intended as an anchor for me throughout my week.  As reminders for me to pay attention to the little things.  The things I am thankful for. And, this too, has been a discipline that has challenged me to remember all of my blessings.  ALL of them.  Week after week.

I hope that I can continue on like this into this year…  and, I hope that you continue to stay and read along and join in as well.  Thanking God for all of your gifts.  In whatever way suits you.

 

So, dear friends…  let me ask you.  Have you been reflecting lately?  Are you looking forward?

I pray that you would also seek to SHINE bright this next year!

Thanks for reading!  Happy New year to you!

 

I don’t really want more time;

I just want enough time.

Time to breathe deep and time to see real and time to laugh long, time to give You glory and rest deep and sing joy…

I just want time to do my one life well.

Life at its fullest is this sensitive, detonating sphere -

and it can be carried only in the hands of the unhurried and reverential –

a bubble held in awe.”

~One Thousand Gifts:  A Dare to Live Fully Right Where You Are {Ann Voskamp}

 

 

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