My Little ....... Reader?

There are a lot of words I could use to describe Luke, but I never dreamed that it would be "reader." But the last couple of weeks, he has been getting in the car and, (amazing) getting out his book to (yes) read. Ok, for many of you, this is just a normal routine for your kids. But for mine (his kindergarten teacher told me he'd be a person who would probably have to read on the treadmill), it is nothing short of a reading miracle. What's got him hooked? The Diary of a Wimpy Kid. He's on book 2 and loves the potty humor and boyish antics of Greg Heffley. What to do when the five book series is over? I'm thinking Captain Underpants!

S'up?

S'up is that I'm totally absorbed with this:and this:

and this: (just the one on the left) and that's a good thing. I'm just thankful for each minute....

even if I am spending hours (upon hours) after school in the car, being this:

but I wouldn't trade it for anything. No sir.


I read this on my trip to New York. You've gotta pick it up. Unique, refreshing, encouraging and a true story.

A little earthly window into that very real place called heaven.
Get it today. They have it at Sam's for ten bucks.

And of course what's up this time a year is always, always basketball.
And MORE basketball.
After a gut-wrenching start to the season
(I think we were 5-12 at one point - this is cause for misery),
we recovered at the end and won, I think 10 in a row!
We lost a tough one last night on ESPN2,
but God is good when we win and He's good when we lose.
I found myself praising Him despite the loss.






Ah! I had one of these!

And I mention that because I got this from a dear friend! Looking forward to taking it in.

Experiencing more of God's love and presence.

Not just going through the motions. A paradigm shift.

I love what I saw on Twitter (yes, I joined twitter! @anniehank)...

C.S. Lewis: God is basic Fact. He must not be thought of as a featureless generality. He is the most concrete thing there is.

And THAT's What's UP.

The Rundown

12:01 AM ~ Cleaning up vomit is never a great way to start the day. ohhh nooo. especially when you are supposed to be "getting away" at Big Cedar Lodge. (Kim and I decided to take a little three day trip to break up the time with our husbands out of town til Christmas Eve.) The fun continued until 3AM as Luke coughed, sneezed, had a nightmare I was unable to wake him up from, ran a fever, threw up more, and yodeled. Yes, he yodeled in his sleep. That did give me a little smile. At 3AM, he calmed down enough to allow us to sleep, if fitfully. I started the day exhausted already.

7:45 AM ~ Waking up to the reality of the day was tough for me. I felt like I had a Lifetime movie playing in my head as I watched scenes of my Granny through all stages of my life. I saw Granny reach for the Hostess cupcakes on top of her refrigerator to give me as a five year old having a slumber party at her house. I saw her pulling potatoes and carrots from her garden she and my grandpa planted on our farm. I listened to her teaching me to quilt. I saw her smile a thousand times. All these are memories to treasure, but today they just hurt.

8:00 AM ~ Messages start coming in. Texts, phone calls (one from Louisiana!), Facebook

messages, emails, blog comments. I thanked God for digital communication today. All communication treasured, all helping me move forward. ThAnK yOu!!!

9:30 AM ~ Packed the car alone. Felt lonely for Tom and my mom and sister as I got everything together on a blustery morning in Missouri. I try not to complain how much I miss my husband, because you just kind of have to steel yourself to that, but there is a hole in my heart that can't be patched until he comes back to us.

10AM ~ I had nothing but time as I drove back home from Big Cedar, listening to Luke cough like a crazy man and think about my granny. Headache. At least there was no vomit. Just a whole lot of phlegm and snot and coughing. Did I mention the coughing? And Did I mention how good my kids were in the car? I think the personal 10 inch TV's had something to do with that, but still.

3PM ~ Finally, after what seemed an eternity of driving, I saw my granny at the hospital. I thought she would be unresponsive, but I found that she was no less amazing than any other time I've been around her lately. Though she obviously is growing painfully weaker with each moment, she greeted each grandchild with pure delight from her bed. Her left arm is broken, but with her right she reached up to touch each one's face, ending the conversation with a slurred "I looooovvvvveee youuuuuuuu." Her resolve to show love is stunning.

4:30PM ~ Picked up Wilson from the vet. Who doesn't feel a little better at the sight of a dog who thinks you are the best person ever.

5:30 PM ~ Brought my cousin's kids to the house so she could spend more time at the hospital with granny. She lives out of town and I know that it's been hard on her to be far away during this time. Yes, I wanted to be there tonight with everyone, but I'm really glad that Heather got a few more precious moments with our inspiration.

6:00 PM ~ Picked up burgers for all 5 kids. Luke hasn't eaten much today, but requested coleslaw. Just the smell of it makes me sick, but for Lukey I guess it's a healing food. Cause he ate all of it. And weirdly, he's better now.7:30 PM ~ Opened a slew a Christmas cards, just love em, each and everyone. Mine are being mailed tomorrow, really they are coming to a mailbox near you.

7:45 PM ~ Gasped when I saw a preview for this show on Nick Teen. Really? I. had. no. idea. TV off. Out comes the board games.
8:40 PM ~ Listened to my beloved Golden Eagles lose their game by a couple points. Ugh. Never a good way to end the day. Ever. I feel for my hubby, my bro-in-law, and the players. And the coaches wives. Ouch.
9:30 PM ~ Made a new ending to the day by reading Christmas books with the kids. They each picked out one. Though I could barely keep my eyes focused on the words, the kids settled into it and we even sang through "The Little Drummer Boy" together. I like this ending better.

11:42 PM ~ Not sure where that 2 hours and 12 minutes went, but that is the rundown. I am feeling run down but lifted up. I am reminded of Max Lucado's book Everyday Deserves a Chance. He points out the verse "This is the day that the Lord has made" refers to all days, not just the ones we liked. Sick days, sad days, losing days, and dying days. They are all still days that He has made, and I worship Him for it.

In LOVE with Laura Ingalls Wilder

At the beginning of the summer, on a hunch, I gave Ellie the box set of The Little House on the Prairie Books, all 9 of them. I thought maybe she'd find an interest. Well, as a parent, you think that quite a bit. Always looking for things that might strike your child's fancy. Right? Unfortunately, if you looked in the closets of our house,
you would find...
barely worn dance shoes,
unread books
lonely leotards
and even a couple games that have never been played.

NOT THIS TIME.

The books became her obsession this summer. Every spare moment she had, she'd come beg me, "mommy, can I pllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaase go read my book?"

Hmmmm. Let me think. Engross yourself in a set of classic sequels, many of which have been named Newberry Honor books?

Delve into a multi-layered story that was dear to me as a child?
(though I didn't read the books, I LOVED the TV show)

Well.... OK.

So read them she did...
one by one soaking up the details of Laura's life.

From childhood to marriage and everything in between,

• Little House in the Big Woods
• Farmer Boy
• Little House on the Prairie
• On the Banks of Plum Creek
• By the Shores of Silver Lake
• The Long Winter
• Little Town on the Prairie
• These Happy Golden Years
• The First Four Years

and by mid-August she had tearfully shut the last page.

Like a great movie you never want to end, so felt Ellie as her dear story came to a close.

Thank goodness my cousin Ronda came to the rescue.

They themselves had been on quite a summer Laura quest... visiting all the Laura Ingalls Wilder houses in America, traveling to places such as North Dakota, Minnesota and Missouri!!! Wow!

The last piece of their puzzle was the Little House on the Prairie in Independence, Kansas. Graciously, they asked Ellie to go with her cousin Ana, and here are Ellie's pics!Thanks Ronda and Cousin Ana for taking Ellie along on your trip!!Post Note: While at the library, looking for something else to grab her interest, the librarian told us about some books by Roger Lea MacBride. They are the fictional account of the life Rose Wilder, Laura's daughter. So, she's at it again. Waking up early so she can read before school, reading while eating breakfast, reading in the bathtub, reading with a tiny flashlight in bed at night. Poor girl, she can't help it. Her obsession with reading is a genetic trait!!

The Box: Out or In?

Are you an "in the box" kind of person or do you think "out of the box?"

I am intrigued by out of the box thinking, mostly because I am a out of the box wannabe.

I am definitely NOT an in the box kind of girl - limitations and boundaries make me feel claustrophobic. However, I am sure that I am hindered by everyday, ordinary routines and structures, which make it easy to stay in the box, never venturing out into that realm of the exciting and creative unknown.

Lately, I read Randy Pausch's book The Last Lecture. Have you seen his last lecture? As he was suffering with terminal cancer, this inspirational and crazy intelligent man, gave his last lecture to his students at Carnegie Mellon. You can see it here.

I brought plenty away from his book, which is based on the lecture.

One thing that I'm trying to apply a little more liberally in my life and especially with my children is out of the box thinking.

Routine is great. Kids thrive on it.

But what is wrong with once in awhile...
Doing things differently.
Trying something new.
Being a nonconformist.
Encouraging innovation to solve problems.
Stepping out of that comfort zone.
Thinking out of the box.
Maybe making mistakes,
but then learning from them.
Thinking big!
Challenging the norm.
Creating new pathways.
Marching forth with creativity.

In my mind, these are all qualities of leaders. I know there's the big debate about leaders: are they born or made? But if there is any little way I can help my kids learn to think out of the box, well, I'm going to try it.

The kids wanted to paint the fort. With permanent paint. Ok... I must mentally let go of my
home looking perfect for the sake of creativity and plain old childhood memories.

(One chapter of The Last Lecture describes when Randy's parents allowed him to paint on the walls of his bedroom - pictures of whatever he wanted - in his case that was algebraic equations, but anyway, it inspired me!)

Go for it! I told the kids. Luke says he wants to take a bath in the sink. Our kitchen sink. Well, it's big enough. Why not? Sorry you germophobes out there. The thought of a boy's bottom in the kitchen sink probably makes you want to scream, but hey, I'm thinking out of the box here! Give me a break. And he's going to outgrow that sink real soon. There won't be baths in the sink much longer. Better be out of the box while we still can.So, tell me! Do you think in the box or out of the box? I'd love to hear some of your best out of the box mom moves. I'm still developing mine... so maybe I can think OUT OF THE BOX and use your moves on my own family!

Wordless Wednesday