Saturday, August 23, 2008

My new favorite website....

I have a new favorite website...(well other than Craigslist.com--the world's biggest stinkin' garage sale from the comfort of your living room--WHO is the genius that dreamed THAT up?!)

www.wherethehellismatt.com

It will make you smile :) and will remind of how magnificent the world is and how awesome God is...enjoy...and dance...

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

How to wear a baby...



Some have asked what "happy as an African bush baby" means (in a previous post)...Babies in Africa are hardly ever put down. They are carried most of the day and have unlimited access to their mother and their mother's breasts. They have no strict schedule and hardly ever cry. In order to carry a baby most of the day and continue to do activities of daily living without dropping the baby or throwing one's back out many "baby wraps" have been designed. When I discovered I was pregnant with Sam, I decided I would only put him down if I HAD too...so I began to research "how to wear your baby". There are several different kinds...the traditional "Snugli" or front pack (sold at Wal-Mart--please don't waste you $$ on this one), I also have what is called "The Ultimate Baby Wrap" and while this is VERY functional and causes minimal strain on one's back, it is HOT (oh, how I HATE to be hot!) and complicated (even after mastering the application after many uses). I finally have decided that my VERY favortite is the Maya style baby sling. It's SO simple!!! About 7 yards of fabric with a very strong set of "sling rings" attatched to one end...It is easy to use and very compact (meaning it tucks away nicely in my purse). With this baby wrap, Sam and I function very well as "one" person...he is happy on my hip and very rarely cries...it is a wonderful way to raise a baby and I cherish every single moment I have this tiny boy close to my heart. Someday he'll be a big hairy man...right now, at this very second, he is a sweet smelling little baby tucked away in a sling on my hip. I believe we'd get along quite nicely in Africa...well, except that I hate being hot.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Grace's new "titchen"


Yesterday we all went garage-saleing (this is a verb in our family --"garage saleing"--
meaning to get in the car and try to find the BEST garage sales in our area!!) Earl is always willing to drive me around and hang out with the kids in the car while I hop out and check out the stuff people have hauled out of the garages into their driveways to sell. Yesterday he even did this WITHOUT the back up of the television in the car...Grace had lost that "privilege" earlier in the morning because she threw a fit of Grace-sized proportions. He resorted to playing "I Spy" and it worked surprisingly well...I'm telling ya, my husband gets hotter and hotter by the day. But "shhhhh" don't tell him I said that.... :) Anyway I digress. We "hit" one garage sale (You know I really should dedicate one blog to certain lingo we "garage salers" use, just to keep my readers up to speed...I will consider this when I have more time)....well, we "hit" one garage sale that had a Maya baby wrap for sale for $2!!! (Please "google" this is you don't know what a Maya baby wrap is) WHAT?!!? This is some amazing stuff people!! I snatched it up of course....it is GREAT and Sam is just happy as an African bush baby in it...You know I never put this baby down. Also found some scrapbook paper *shudder* for my mom and sister to fight over (don't worry...I'll type out an account of THAT event....and for the record, scrapbooking makes my blood pressure go up) So we moved on to another garage sale...not so hot...then another....not so hot either....I told Danny to just head to Target and that we were finished for the day. I mean I can't expect to push my luck--after all I DID find that amazing baby wrap right? Well, on the way to Target, we drove PAST another garage sale sign...I didn't even have to SAY a word, I just looked at my sweet, darling, handsome husband, he WHIPPED an illegal U-turn and we began hunting for the said garage sale. As we pulled up, there it was! The play kitchen that had been WAITING for us to take it home!! A Little Tykes play kitchen--Grace calls it a "titchen"--with pots and pans included. Marked for $35...not a bad price, but really it's 12pm and the day is wearing on...we could very possibly be the LAST customers. I offered the lady $20...she took the offer and SOLD...the Farris' are the proud new owners of a play "titchen". It sits in our REAL "titchen" and Grace hasn't stopped playing with it...The food is calorie free, and I don't have to make it...can life get any better? :)
On another, much more random note, I just looked up at the TV and the Olympics are on (I KNOW, big surprise right?) and we're watching beach volleyball (Earl watches it because the women are such AMAZING "athletes"....yeah, whatever) and WHAT IS UP with the inflatable Chinese action figure dude running around the court?? Wow...Go America...

Monday, August 11, 2008

I like this quote...

I was watching "Jon and Kate plus Eight" this week (I like that show because when I watch it my life doesn't feel so crazy! Ha!) and Kate said something like this--> "Each day is painfully the same, yet vastly different" I like that...it is SO very true and one of the BEST ways I have found to "explain" my life as a stay at home mommy...

Friday, August 8, 2008

Happy Olympics Day!!

I JUST realized that this will be the FIRST summer Olympics for BOTH of my children! Pretty neat! Grace is really into watching the Olympics coverage on TV. She told me that when she grows up she wants to be a "gym-tastic" (translation: gymnist!!) We're going to get her in a 3-4 year old gymnastic class this fall. Hopefully she'll like it better than she liked ballet...
Connor and Glenda left yesterday afternoon. We had such fun with them!! My sister and Bailey Rose will be here on Sunday for a week!! I can hardly wait!! Danny is working hard...learning the ropes and all the extra stuff they don't teach you (CAN'T teach you) in training. I am so proud of him and am amazed daily at the things he gets to do. He will tell you it is "just a job"--but we both know better, this is HISTORY! And it's pretty stinkin' cool!! God is so good...He has given us confirmation throughout this entire journey and continues to reassure us that we are right in the middle of His hands. Praise be.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Glenda and Connor come to visit

Connor James and Glenda have arrived! We are in the midst of full and joyous chaos. You never really appreciate a good friend until you can't see her everyday. Our children are SO comfortable together as are we...life is good. Off for more coffee!

Monday, August 4, 2008

"Mommy...are toys real?"

A couple of Grace-isms.

Today we were driving to the Sprinkler park in Liberty, MO...we have to drive through on-going construction to get just about anywhere and so Grace marvels at the huge machinery the construction workers use. "Look Mom, look! Oh that's a big one, Mom...MOM! Are you looking?!" Well today as we drove past the construction site, Grace said "I'm going to build a road to GrandTone's house. BaileyRose, Isaac, and Grandpa Trumpet are going to help me." I told her I thought that was a fantastic idea.

Earlier in the week, as I was getting her ready for bed, she looked at me and with all the seriousness in her little heart she asked "Mom, do my toys talk?" (Her new favorite movie is Toy Story 2--I'm trying to find a Jesse doll for her) I told her "Yes, baby, your toys talk...when you're not around." I love love love the innocence of childhood...I can understand when Jesus said "Let the little children come to me"--they must have been a welcome break from all the politics and crowds and questions...

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Holy Tonkey!!














That's a Grace word "Tonkey"...she has lots of them, makes 'em up, and it's quite entertaining to hear what she comes up with on any given day. One of her most used words is "Kiki"--it can be used either positively or negatively, sorta like Aloha can be used for "hello" or "goodbye". For example: If she likes the dress you have on, she will say "That dress is SO kiki" but if she doesn't like something, say a certain food or hairbow, she will say "NO! That is too kiki...I not!" Ummm...other words....well, how about "kronkee"--as in "Daddy, you're kronkee" (we think it means "grumpy"...we're not sure) There are more...but it is late, and my brain is starting to turn off...The MAIN reason for this blog is because our youngest offspring, Samuel, is on the MOVE! Holy Tonkey!! Yes, ladies and gents he can roll toward objects of his desire (mostly me) and has begun to lunge if something (mostly me) is out of reach! Tonight he was playing on a blanket in the bathroom floor (don't worry, our bathroom floors are carpeted) while I showered and I watched him roll, then roll again, then LUNGE toward his binky, grab it, and try to put it in his mouth (he didn't really succeed with that part of the "show") The baby gate at the top of the stairs is going up TOMORROW!! All right, off to indulge in ice cream...more when I have time.