Change is in the air!

It is good that things change. People too. Sometimes that change does not feel like it is so good, but I have found that God has a plan to make it all for the good if I would just stop trying to figure everthing out! Sometimes I think that when we feel people change for the worse, that it is really just the fact that we did not know them as well as we thought we did. Change, after all, takes effort. So, we can make an effort and change for the better...but who makes an effort to change for the worse? Sometimes the revelation that we did not know our friends and acquaintances as well as we thought, is painful and saying they have changed is easier. The friends I have who have changed for the better (including myself) have made progress because we wanted to. We found ourselves, so to speak, and worked on areas that needed surrendering or shoring up. It didn't just happen.

Life happens. Stuff happens. Not all of it is good. It is what we do with it, what lessons we glean from the hard stuff, that makes us choose to change. Or not.

The friends I have that have fallen away from the "good life", from success and fun and joy, did so, not by "accident" but by giving up and giving in to pain and hurt and anger. The apparent change for the worse came from a lack of effort to turn the negatives into positives. So, is it really change, or just the results of the lack of effort? Holding onto the anger is easier than letting go, but the results are never good.

The weather is changing here. The monsoons are on their way. They are good. And they are bad. The make messes. They cause power outages, and sometimes fires. BUT they also bring rain and unique chemical reactions in the atmosphere necessary for the desert plants and agriculture. The storms of life are like that too. They can be messy, scary, and cause darkness and emotional fires...but they also make us grow in ways only such storms can. We can choose what to do about what life brings us. And we can decide change is good...if we make the effort. And if we "let go".

Change will come soon, I am sure, in one form or another. It will not be just the weather, but someone somewhere will surprise me with a challenge. And I will change for the better. "Let go and let God".

Kung Fu and where are you?

Yesterday we decided to barbeque steaks for lunch, with the help of Andrew. He is quite good at barbequing. His taste buds have developed into more spiciness than his cousins, however, and we had to adjust some of the "rub". We planned to go see a movie "Kung Fu Panda" after lunch, catching the 1:00 PM showing. Much to Andrew's displeasure, we miscalculated the timing of the barbeque and had to nuke the steaks' final moments.

We did arrive at the movie in time to get our seats and treats. And all was well. For the first hour. Then Baby Girl decided she wanted to wander. Not just between Andrew and I which she had already done, but over the railing and down the aisle. She is walking after all, and apparantly wanted the entire theater to know this. When I restrained her a bit, she wailed. At first, it blended in with the soundtrack of action on the screen. But she did not stop. So, I spent the last 20 minutes of the movie in the lobby with her still wailing, even though she was also walking around. I guess she got too wound up...and it was her normal nap time also.

During the movie, Ty decided he had to go to the bathroom...not once, but TWICE! The second time, he was sure he could find it without Andrew's help and took off on the dead run. Whew! Andrew did catch up to him. Then Caleb followed his brother's actions. I must say, Andrew earned his "keep" that day!

One cute note: before the wailing began, Baby Girl heard the characters on the screen call out "Dad! Dad!" and she started calling out "Daddy! Daddy!". That was sweet.

Next time, I think we will try for an earlier movie, OR leave Baby Girl with a friend...or at least bring the stroller that will lay her back and let her nap!

Tomorrow Andrew and Jonathan come again. We plan to go to MY house and swim in the above-ground pool. We also have a fantastic jungle gym and playhouse, and a BIG trampoline, and a triple slip'n slide! And we have movies and popcorn also! Ty is coughing a lot today, so plans may have to change.

Then Sunday afternoon, we are having kids from KIDS church over for a play day. It will be my last one with them as I am finally permenantly retiring from children's ministry...at least in that arena.

I heard from my other daughter last night, that Elijah is sleeping through the night and crawling for all intents and purposes, as they say. GOOD JOB, ELIJAH!
I do wish I could see him more frequently.

Well, let's see what TODAY holds...so far, it is just Dora the Explorer and breakfast! But have that feeling...

Be Careful of Blue!

What a week! Looking back, there is actually nothing outstanding or particularly exciting about last week. Except for the color blue...It started with a simple project of cookie-making. My daughter had purchased cookie kits, complete sugar cookie mixes with food coloring crystals to mix in. The boxes had a warning that this is a messy project. THAT turned out to be an understatement! Especially the blue...
that part Ty took on and for some reason the dough stuck to his hands...and stuck, and stuck...even flour did not completely solve the situation. Trying to shape dough that is THAT sticky is quite a challenge also. And we DID measure everything exactly according to directions. Of course, the boys thought it quite fun and funny, so their day was made. Mine, however, extended into overtime when I tried to clean up the mess. Never have I found pieces of dough (even play-doh) in the places I dug it out from that day! Ty found that flinging his hand "over the bowl" was a fun way to dislodge the sticky messy goo. Next time, HE can mop the floor!

The color blue also reminds us of water. That is another fun and exciting activity for boys in these hot days! There is nothing that does not get bathed, however, when Ty and Caleb, and sometimes their cousins, take on a hose! For some reason, Mom purchased water balloons also. She gets to go to work and Grandma gets to orchestrate the activities! We really do love that arrangement, even though Mom would LOVE to be home with the kids.

The boys also requested to paint with rollers again. Red, green, yellow, BLUE! Apparantly we had more blue than any other color. It does come in many shades. And it is not too easy to get out of carpet! Especially when they help themselves to the paint shelf and do not discern between the water-based paint purchased for their use, and the acrylic paints that Mom and Grandma use for other projects. We had blue in those as well. I think I shall have to remove all chairs, stools, and potential climbing equipment. Eliminate the access to the shelf!

Now, lest you think I am greatly amiss at watching the boys, let me explain that Baby Girl is walking now...and climbing too. All it takes is a MOMENT of diverting my attention to rescue her and the boys can be off into something. If she should require a diaper change or wash down, then things can get even more interesting. They love to turn on the TV or the radio for cover noise as well. Things WILL improve when we return to a more structured setting of classroom attention. Right now the classroom area is under renovation. We needed to re-organize and adjust locations of things, go through toys for cleaning and separating etc. It is amazing how much MORE stuff we have now than we did at the beginning of the school year. So, when that is all accomplished my "blues" will diminish!

Friday the 13th, Saturday the 14th...BOTH are HOT!

Yesterday was Friday the thriteenth. To me, that is a lucky day. I was born on a Friday the thirteenth enough years ago to not give the exact date. Suffice it to say, that is some businesses, I am given the senior discount! As for me, I am glad that I was born! And glad that it was that many years ago and on a date which those who are superstitious become unsettled. Just another one of my charms! My husband also was born on a thirteenth...but not a Friday. I once asked why this superstition came about and someone said it was unuusual for a Friday to fall on the 13th. What?? So, if that is the case, why are Saturdays which fall on the 14th not considered equally weird and unusual? Geeesh!

For me, Friday the 13th this month was just another Friday...all of which are pretty darn good, considering they start the weekend! We spent this Friday evening with family for an early Father's Day reunion. And today I gor sunburned. My knees are as red as Santa's coat, from where my shorts ended down my legs. My shoulders and arms are almost the same hue...all the result of watching little league baseball for my 8-yr.old grandson, Jonathan! I did wear a hat and sunglasses and some lotion...but obviously not enough! Next week his team has a by and then a double-header the following week. That should give me ample time to get a fresh bottle of sunscreen and find a way to secure my picnic table umbrella to the ground without the picnic table attached! It was like 109 or something ungodly like that today.

I am more suspicious of, and careful of my actions, on hot days than unlucky numbered days. Hot days can give you skin cancer and heatstroke and headaches, etc before you even realize what is happening! And strange people take off clothing in public and even stranger people put on weird contraptions to supposedly keep them cool and homeless people hide in the smallest of shaded areas with signs requesting water and stray dogs pant on the side of the road...you get the picture.

On the bright side...I am not sure exactly how, but my garden is doing pretty well. I have 4 strawberries and some cherry tomatoes in the green stages on their vines.
The beans are progressing and the squash seems to be okay. Not the zuchini variety, those dried up. I tried to replant in containers, but so far, no luck. And the cucumber plant seems to have survived. The front yard has mostly desert plants and they are blooming beautifully. The roses have ceased to bloom, but the plants are green and holding up nicesly. The Texas sage bushes look the best they ever have, except they need some trimming. The yellow and lavendar lantana are taking over the yard. I planted the trailing kind and that was my intent, so I am happy with that. The iceplant that I thought I had killed and pulled out last year has returned on its own and multiplied rapidly and is very lovely. They are yellow blooms too, so for the most part the front is lavendar and yellow. The daisies are still blooming and I have one of each---lavendar and yellow. My container flowers are not fairing quite as well, but most of those are annuals, so their season is about over. I think I will not mess with annual summer flowers this year. I will just baby my in-ground plants and wait until fall.

Well, I hope everyone has a special Father's Day. And wonderful gardens and flowers!

Five and counting...

Tuesdays and Thursdays...I will have five children in my care. The original agreement occurred when I still had 2-yr-old Zach. He was enough for any sitter to handle all by himself! So, I invited my 13-yr.old grandson, Andrew, and his 8-yr old brother, Jonathan, to "help" me with the crew. The idea was that Andrew would help the younger ones and we would go on outings one of those days, and have school review one of the days. I promised to give Andrew some money for his help. Then I lost Zach, whose mother paid me separately from my daughter. So, now I am tight monetarily. So, now Ty is in a crafting mode and has used up $10.00 worth of craft supplies between my planned activites and his evening ventures. (In less than one week) No matter how high up I put my supplies, nor how hidden I think they are, HE will find them! Now, he is extremely GOOD at crafts, so nothing is wasted...but the family room upstairs ia beginning to resemble a museum, as is the classroom.

Andrew is not experienced in watching little kids except for his brother. Jonathan is very quiet by nature and more of a reader and puzzle-doer than anything loud or obnoxious. Andrew is overwhelmed with just two days both of which registered fairly quiet and calm on my "richter" scale! I guess I am just used to earthquakes!

The weather not only is HOT but there are air quality warnings out. so Tyler cannot go to the park or outdoor outing. The movies are not attractive for all ages at this time, and most other indoor activities cost a lot of money with this many kids!

Feeding them all and getting them all to eat the same things is also challenging. They do come from two different families so the dietary habits vary as well. Today we had grilled cheese sandwiches and tomato soup and Capri Sun drinks. Tuesday we had pizza and veggies and apples and cherries. We had OUR old staple of mac & cheese on Monday AND Wednesday! There were veggies and fruit also...lest I sound like a junk food granny!

Well, next week I PLAN to be more organized. That's the plan! No guarantees it will come off as planned, but I shall try. We will have crafts and school on Tuesday and go to the Library and possibly the park on Thursday. Today we will finish Father's Day gifts of Giant posters with pictures of their fathers with them (and one for Grandpa Steve & Grandpa Bruce also). They also told me what they loved about their dads (and grandpas) and we made a poem of them for each dad and used Scrapbook paper to build great posters! We have finished Ty and Caleb's dad's and now need to finish Andrew & Jonathan's dad's...it is all laid out and designed, but not glued...so wish me luck and peace and harmony...in the hot summer days ahead!

How Time Flies!

Did you ever notice how flies seem to be the dare-devils of the insect world? They are plentiful here in AZ during the hot days. (Those are plentiful too!) They sneak inside with rocket-speed often unnoticed, through the smallest crack in the door or window. Then they hang around the windows apparently looking for a way back outside.

Then they explore the kitchen to see if anyone has left any crumb out or if there is any obnoxious smell to examine. (like a diaper in the trash can...not even the "dirty ones" which go directly to the dumpster...just any smell of such). When I cannot find the fly-swatter, they seem to swarm around, landing anywhere they please, almost as if they are laughing and know exactly where that swatter is. And they MUST know, for when I DO find it, they disappear...just long enough for me to lay the swatter down, in plain sight, where I can find it again...then they come back and land directly ON the swatter where I cannot pick it up and get to them at the same time. I am not sure, but perhaps the buzzing I hear is a chorus of them laughing at me.

The flies are small insects but they wage a tenatious war. Lest it sound as though my house and that of my daughter, are inundated with the filthy little flies, let me assure you that I DO win the war! I have become quite the champion fly swatter...Much like the fable story of "Seven in one Swat". It just takes persistance and patience. And there is quite a buzz about it, too! Ha! I know...I know...I still need some vacation time! Where does all that time go?? I got it! It flies!....I know...that one was even worse...

THE Canyon, a flat tire, and a rainstorm--GRAND TIME!

Yesterday was an eventful day. It started off beautifully. Our campground spot is nice and the place is very quiet during the day and pretty much so at night. So, we decided to go see the Grand Canyon. We had both been there before, but not with each other and we desired to make our own memories. As we remembered, the Canyon is breath-taking! It is such an awesome and incredible part of Creation. I forgot my digital camera back at the campground, so all my photos are with a disposable camera. Oh well. The memories are embedded in my mind forever. Walking hand-in-hand with the person you love, peering over the side of a canyon only minimally understood, and bumping shoulders (literally) with all kinds of humanity is an awesome and eventful day in itself.

But, the events did not end there! On the way back to camp, we had a flat tire. A big, loud flat tire! And the wind was so relentless, that putting on my hooded sweater to vacate the car became a literal wrestling match. Eventually, I won and the sweater submitted to my shoulders. Steve got the tire changed quickly even in the wind. We were grateful that the car was no longer loaded down with camping gear and that the traffic was light. The town of Williams, not far from our camp, serviced us with a tire at a local shop. And we had ice cream at the local 50's joint.

Ah, but then the day got more eventful still...As we decided to eat dinner in Williams as well, the clouds rolled in and the sky darkened quickly. But the time we returned to the campground, the sky was dumping rain everywhere. We surveyed our tent for leaks and only find one small one, fortunately, not in the way of the mattress upon which we sleep. This was very good news! So, we worked puzzles and fell asleep, listening to the raindrops fall on the tent. Today is beautiful but very windy. It is supposed to be very cold tonight. Oh well. That's why I brought all my sweatsuits and jackets. Time to cuddle by the fire! Boy, I surely did need this vacation, didn't I?

Today we went down a 15 mile gravel road. The car bounced along nicely, but the trunk kept coming open! Ha! Another adventuresome day, I do perceive!

PS_ MY friend, and spiritual mom just got out of ICU in Denver and is progressing nicely. Thank God!

Gladly I am not a nomad!

Don't get me wrong...I enjoy camping...I am presently enjoying sitting in a tent hooked up to WIFI having just chased a grasshopper and a wasp from the tent. Well, Steve actually chased them out...Anyway, I do like camping but at my age, I think I could not make a life of it. There is always someone who has to ride a motorcycle into the campground late at night. Or a dog on the loose. Or a kid wailing...

It has actually been fairly quiet here. We mostly vegged out today. Tomorrow we head for the Grand Canyon. We have both seen it before, several times. But never together. So, we will make our own memories in the big giant canyon. And we are going to check out a couple of lakes and some falls. The watery kind, not the clumsy kind...lol. We may go horseback riding too, as they have a stable here at the campground. We spent most of today working sudoku puzzles and playing Scrabble, reading, and talking. Yes, amazingly enough, we actually do talk about important things and non-important things! Not that we always understand each other...we are male and female, after all. But we do enjoy our differences and communicate quite well most of the time. And in two games of Scrabble, we have a split...he won the first and I, the second! We shall have a tie-breaker later...

I do miss the kids and the dogs. But this is very nice, to just veg out.

I got to see my Elijah and he is such a happy little boy! Got some great pix of him and the whole family. His daddy is now "Doctor Joseph"! The graduation was very nice as was the party following it. It is also very nice that his family is wonderful and quite compatible with ours!

Well, I am going to check out the pool and the miniature golf course! Happy days to you!