Mama Goes Crazy...

Christmas Lights

2011-12-28T18:35:00.002-06:00

John decorated this year.

Christmas

2011-12-28T18:06:00.005-06:00

BEFORE

MIDDLE

AFTER

A good time was had by all - Tim got lots of Legos, Rachel got her papasan chair and a kindle, and Betsy got *lots* of Hello Kitty.

Betsy Meets Santa

2011-12-24T17:38:00.002-06:00

She told him she wanted "Toys."

Around the House

2011-12-16T08:09:00.008-06:00

The old living room can be seen in my September 27 post - here is the brand new pretty one! I especially love the purple chair in the lower left corner.

My mantel looks different every Christmas - this is my favorite, so far.

These angels came out of my grandparents house - my mother bought them when we lived in Germany.

This year's tree.

Another prize from Germany. I got this tiny painted pewter angel the Christmas I was 8. I have kept up with it for 32 years - it is even on the same piece of thread.

It's working so far

2011-11-22T19:43:00.004-06:00

BEFORE

AFTER

Thanks to Groupon, Rachel had a Brazilian Blowout keratin treatment today. It is supposed to keep her hair straight and manageable for the next 3-4 months. It looks gorgeous, so I hope so!

Halloween

2011-11-04T09:38:00.004-05:00

Tim as Cad Bane - a bounty hunter from _Star Wars: The Clone Wars_

Rachel is Raven - a goth character from one of her books

The whole crew

Well, We Didn't Have One of These, Either

2011-10-31T13:13:00.004-05:00

Now, I have two!

And, at 42 inches, they are notably taller than Miss Betsy.

Halloween Preview

2011-10-26T10:09:00.004-05:00

She's a butterfly (from _The Very Hungry Caterpillar_.)

I have awesome socks

2011-10-14T11:25:00.003-05:00

Back on August 14, I posted a picture of the Elliebelly Calmer yarn I was putting in the mail. Now I have soft, warm, squooshy socks!

My living room was clean for 10 minutes

2011-09-27T18:49:00.002-05:00

I am in the middle of trying to redo this room, and I needed some before shots. I decided to go with the "I can see the furniture and floor" look, instead of the more usual "toys and stacks of paper on every surface" look.

Eye Candy

2011-09-27T17:48:00.006-05:00

As well as a little unpaid promotion.

These are some of the things that have arrived in my mailbox recently:

12"x16" pillow cover from West Elm - off white, two tone buttons, and on sale!

Yarns from Astral Bath Yarns. Stumbled upon the dyer on Ravelry, then followed her links to Etsy. LOVE how the colors look in person - even better than on the screen. All superwash and all very soft.

Finally, a dress for Miss Betsy - hand knit in England. It's too big for her now, but I figured that was irrelevant - she'll grow & this is gorgeous! Felt Fusion on Etsy and Hyenacart.

Another Cute Outfit Modeled by a Cute Child

2011-09-12T19:13:00.005-05:00

First Ballet Class

2011-09-11T15:31:00.001-05:00

She loved it, of course.

Oh Really?

2011-08-27T14:28:00.003-05:00

This is the 4 inch long glass crawdad John spent $2 on at a yard sale this morning. Questioned further, dear husband said, "Well, we didn't have one."

Devastation

2011-08-25T09:53:00.004-05:00

My 3 year old is crying right now. I haven't told her no, or taken away a toy. She isn't hurt. I even have the TV on. But yesterday was the official end of summer - it was our summer babysitter's last day with us. This morning, Betsy asked when Grace was coming, and I had to tell her she wasn't, hence the tears.

In the summer, Grace is much more fun than mama. She can go to the McWane Science Center, Railroad Park, the pool, bowling, roller skating and much more. She plays dollhouse, Mickey Mouse, blocks, barnyard, baby puppies, and SuperBetsy.

She teaches bubble blowing:

She helps cook and helps make candy pizzas:

Grace, we love you and we'll miss you!

Cuteness Alert

2011-08-24T08:42:00.002-05:00

A little blurry from my phone, but oh my.

It's always something...

2011-08-23T15:24:00.004-05:00

I've tried. No, really, I've tried. I signed up for the Elliebelly knit along. I found yarn in my stash. I wound it into a ball. I even managed to cast on during the boy's ridiculously hot tennis practice last Monday and knit a whole row.

A week later, and that is still where I am. All I have to do is knit three more rows before I get to the pattern repeats and it gets interesting, but I can't seem to pick it up. School started last week (see below) and things have been crazy. Yep, that's it - I'll blame the children. Maybe during the next week...

Happy Feet!

2011-08-23T15:09:00.003-05:00

Dream in Color Smooshy sock yarn - knitted for me by a kind lady in New York. The blue is darker than it photographed, but I can't remember the color.

I'm am looking forward a cooler fall - my car said it was 100 degrees yesterday - not sock weather yet.

School Started

2011-08-23T15:03:00.003-05:00

August 16 - off to 2nd grade & 7th grade. Hard to believe. Note Rachel's new uniform - she is *very* happy with the transition to upper school!

About Knitting: Mine and Others

2011-08-14T19:43:00.005-05:00

Mine: Elliebelly SeaSilk in the Cedric colorway. Destined to be a drop stitch scarf. I joined a knit along on Ravelry, so I have incentive to finish this in a timely fashion. Like before cold weather hits in 2012.

Not mine: my yarn that a nice woman in Idaho is knitting into toasty, soft socks for me to wear this winter. The yarn is Elliebelly handpaint cashmerino (80% superwash merino wool, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon) DK sock yarn in the Calmer colorway. I can't wait to get it back!

My Poor Neglected Blog

2011-08-14T19:27:00.002-05:00

Once you let it go for a little while, it is easy to let it go for a long time. Let's try again.

Fam update: Dear Daughter is 12 and headed into 7th grade, dear son just turned 8 & starts 2nd this week, and baby girl is 3 and about to go to preschool. And start ballet - stay tuned for ridiculously cute pictures.

Bad Dog

2010-07-15T16:43:00.002-05:00

Should I be glad he has good taste? No cheap yarn for Kinko. After ripping through a plastic bag, this is what the dog did to one skein of Koigu. I'm trying to do the Koigu Linen Stitch scarf pattern from Churchmouse, which uses three different colorways. Unfortunately, I bought them on vacation, and my LYS didn't have the matching colorway. The nice ladies there helped me pick out a coordinating solid, though, so I am back to casting on 450 stitches. And putting my knitting on a high shelf.

Happy 4th!

2010-07-04T19:13:00.002-05:00

Oooo - Koigu

2010-07-04T19:08:00.002-05:00

Bought in Nashville, destined for a linen stitch scarf. Yummy!

Speaking of going Crazy

2010-02-13T08:03:00.005-06:00

What do you do with an almost two year old who won't walk? She's had all the tests and x-rays - her hips & muscles are fine - but for some reason she won't stand up or walk. Answer: physical therapy. Weekly sessions of making her do things she doesn't want to do, plus more exercises at home. Thankfully, since we have been doing this since November, she has gotten more used to everything & there are fewer tears. At home, she even seems to enjoy the time she is allowed to color - while standing in leg stabilizers.

Alabama Winter

2010-02-12T17:05:00.002-06:00

A good time was had by all.

Knitting with Crayons

2010-02-10T09:11:00.003-06:00

I love, love, love this yarn. Cashmere, oh my, in the Crayon colorway as dyed by my friend Joyce.

I am not sure what I think of the knitting board, though. It's not exactly "real" knitting, but the resulting double knit sure is pretty. It is also relatively fast as compared to my regular knitting speed. All things considered, I will probably do just one more project - another double knit scarf at the request of the 10 year old.

My favorite Christmas present...

2010-01-26T09:18:00.003-06:00

...even a month later.

Another Scarf Finished

2010-01-26T09:08:00.004-06:00

Rachel wanted a scarf for her upcoming school trip to DC - mom to the rescue! Polartec fleece knitted longways (cast on 150 stitches - knit every row forever.) Thankfully, it was done in 2 weeks - and now I know she'll be warm.

Steeplechase at Callaway Gardens, Georgia

2009-11-09T20:21:00.006-06:00

This past weekend, we loaded up the truck and headed to Georgia to spend the weekend with my parents. Saturday was the 25th running of the horses at the Callaway Steeplechase - a day of extended tailgating...

... and the occasional horse race.

Betsy was, of course, the cutest baby there:

She spent most of her time tearing up the grass.

The big kids had fun, as well.

Halloween

2009-11-09T19:57:00.007-06:00

I think in this photo the Candy Corn Witch is trying to cast a spell, while Capt. Kirk tries to stop her with his phaser.

Rachel

Tim

Betsy went as a baby

Timothy Takes Pictures

2009-09-04T13:58:00.006-05:00

With his Fisher Price camera...

First Day of School

2009-08-28T09:51:00.002-05:00

August 18 - Rachel's first day of 5th grade - Tim's first day of "real school" in Kindergarden!

Betsy in Central Park

2009-08-28T09:42:00.003-05:00

Betsy won a trip to NYC for a Baby Talk magazine photo shoot - and she did get some time off to play in Central Park. She borrowed Daddy's sunglasses.....

Clapotis Finished

2009-06-22T16:45:00.005-05:00

After numerous plain scarves for my family and friends, I branched out with my knitting and tried somthing with an actual pattern. The clapotis is a kind of french scarf/shawl & comes from a very popular Knitty post. (http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEfall04/PATTclapotis.html) So, after 2 months of work:

The yarn is hand-painted seasilk from Elliebelly.com in the Dragonfly colorway. The blues, purples, greens and yellow are even prettier in person.

Hooray!

Day 4 - Fabric Book

2009-06-22T16:11:00.006-05:00

Slow to post, since posting meant I'd have to take pictures first. Which meant finding the camera - then finding the cable to connect. I think it was easier to use my phone & email the pictures to myself. Lesson learned.

OK, the fabric book - painted cover sewn to fabric for inside cover:

Fabric scraps were layered and then wrapped around the journal pages - I really like the fairy fabric on top:

This is the other side of my wrap - visible when opened just before the journal pages. The ribbons hold together different sections of the pages:

A friend of mine had an old Dick & Jane book to use for paper scraps - she gave me the lines where she found my son's name:

When a good bit of the decorating was done, the pages were sewn into the book. I still have embellishing to do, but then I get to figure out what kind of journal to keep on these pages!

After 4 days of fun, the art workshops were over. I spent Tuesday through Friday last week catching up on real life. Well, catching up & knitting.

Day 3 - painting

2009-06-17T08:38:00.005-05:00

More painting, but not as detailed as on day 1. These are covers for a book - a journal with lots of embellishments. The painting is done on canvas layered with fabric - then, through adding layers of gesso and gel medium, the covers end up feeling like leather.

Day 2 - Wire Framing

2009-06-16T07:36:00.002-05:00

Hardware store steel wire, craft store jewelry tools and beads:
(phone camera picture = poor lighting)

Mixed Media Artists' Workshop - Day 1

2009-06-15T19:03:00.007-05:00

Last Friday, I started a 4 day art workshop. Day 1 was painting. I've never really done any before. Thankfully, we started by transferring a basic pattern onto the 6"x6" canvas:

We built up color in stages:

After 7 hours in class & some touch up at home, I ended up with this:

I was exhausted and went to bed at 8:00, but I am really glad my friend Joyce encouraged me to sign up - I think it was good for me to do something different for awhile.

Biking to Church

2009-05-25T09:45:00.001-05:00

The Birthday Girl & Friends

2009-03-30T10:41:00.003-05:00

Rachel turned 10 March 15, and we had a slumber party this past weekend to prove it. As expected, much shrieking and very little sleep. At least they are cute.

Ready for Spring Break

2009-03-06T07:43:00.003-06:00

Land's End water clothes from head to toe. Good thing he gets to go to Florida for Spring Break!

March 1, Alabama?

2009-03-01T08:49:00.006-06:00

Snow is so rare here, but it sure is pretty this morning - and the children think it is Christmas all over again.

Hope Springs Eternal... or The Road to Hell

2009-02-17T20:11:00.024-06:00

By knitters standards, my yarn stash is not very large. I have just one rubbermaid container and one large basket stuffed with my yarn for "someday." When one considers, though, that I started trying to knit in January of 2006 - and that I have thus far completed a mere 5 scarves with two more on needles... Well, it begins to look as though I a more of a yarn collector than a knitter:

I thought *all* of these Knit Witch colors would look good on my baby. And they were on sale:

This is the Hand Maiden Lady Godiva that I special ordered for my clapotis- 4 days before I got sick with baby #3 - and stayed sick for 9 months:

The Muench Touch Me for my Vintage Velvet scarf. It took forever to find 5 balls from the same dye lot. Maybe I'll do something with them before next winter:

I have no idea what these are for. But this past Thanksgiving I visited the yarn shop where my sister-in-law works and found these 2 skeins of Alpaca - from the Alpacas on the farm outside the small town in Tennessee where my husband grew up:

Noro Silk Garden - another scarf?

I've bought multiple blues trying to find the right color for a sweater for my red-headed baby. I thought she was going to get this Julia by Nashua:

but then I found this Mirasol merino/silk blend from Peru when I was on my trip to Arizona:

I found these 5 skeins of Hand Paint Misti Alpaca worsted on ebay. The colors are beautiful, and the almost 10 year old has requested a cardigan vest. I'm trying to predict what size it will need to be for her to take to college when I finally get around to finishing it:

I have LOTS of Elliebelly yarn. My friend dyes it & I feel compelled to buy it when the colors hypnotize me. I save on shipping, so it's a deal, right?

There is also some Peace Fleece and Lamb's Pride of various shades and a Celtic Vest project from Hand Maiden. Probably more. But it is all so pretty! And it does make me happy to take it out and pet it occasionally.

The Birthday Girl!

2009-02-17T18:39:00.003-06:00

I like this February 17th much better than last year's. Happy Birthday Betsy!

Chihuly: The Nature of Glass

2009-02-11T08:53:00.007-06:00

Desert Botanical Garden, Phoenix, Arizona

The Sun

The Sun at Night

A Grownup Weekend

2009-02-02T09:44:00.004-06:00

Chihuly - detail of The Sun

I haven't had very much alone time lately - 2 big kids and a baby need a lot of attention. So *four* days without kids attached last week made life pretty amazing! Dear husband had a business conference in the Phoenix, AZ area - I ignored the recession and hired people to stay with the kids, filling an entire page with who was supposed to be where when. It was worth it.

I read a book, slept late, had meals served to me, got a massage and a pedicure - and spent parts of 2 days at the Desert Botanical Garden. I got to take LOTS of pictures of the Chihuly glass installation they had at the garden - beautiful doesn't cover it. How does he think of these things? How does he blow all those pieces of individual glass? How do they all hold together? How come I didn't take more than 307 pictures?

Happy Birthday Poppy!

2008-10-15T17:44:00.003-05:00

The kids miss you!

This One's for Patrick

2008-09-25T12:20:00.005-05:00

Most Wednesday nights, a group of people gets together at our house. They all go to our church, and they all live near us. The church's goal is to foster community - instead of assigning groups by life stage (college, singles, young marrieds, empty nesters), we more or less use geography.

Our group started getting together last fall, and we have had a few changes as people moved in and out of town, but there's me & John, another married couple, and a handful of 20-something singles at different post-college stages. Also in sporadic attendance are my 3 children.

9 years old, 5 years old, and 7 months old - a big slice of real life. Generally, the big kids eat dinner with everyone then go to bed (or at least upstairs) when the grownups have discussion time. Sometimes they behave - sometimes they literally run in circles through the hall, dining room and kitchen. ("But mooommmmm, it's a parade - we have to blow the whistles!")

One particularly trying evening, when the 4th - or maybe 14th - request for *something* came from the stairs, I used my best I-am-finished-with-you voice to say (loudly), "Go - to - bed - NOW!" Patrick, the 23 year old working in urban planning, sighed, shook his head and said, "I think I have a better idea of what my life is going to end up like than most of my friends."

This comic was in Sunday's paper - it reminded me of that evening. Patrick, I'm still sorry we had to tarnish the dream at your tender age.

A Glimpse of Canaan

2008-09-18T07:57:00.002-05:00

Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand is one of my very favorite renovated hymns (old text, new music.) We sing it in church, and I have versions on several cds (here, http://www.auburn.edu/ruf/loveunknown/page.html, for example.) During the past 18ish months, though, I have been unable to listen to it without crying. I get to the third verse and hear, "O then what raptured greetings on Canaan’s happy shore; what knitting severed friendships up where partings are no more!" and all I can think about is a friend of mine from whom I have been estranged - and I wonder if I will really have to wait until heaven for that relationship to be restored.

Yesterday, God opened the door for reconciliation. It made me happy. I love you Susan.

Ten Thousand Times Ten Thousand

1. Ten thousand times ten thousand
In sparkling raiment bright,
The armies of the ransomed saints throng
Up the steepes of light:
’Tis finished, all is finished,
Their fight with death and sin;
Fling open wide the golden gates,
And let the victors in.

2. What rush of alleluias
Fills all the earth and sky!
What ringing of a thousand harps
Bespeaks the triumph nigh!
O day, for which creation
And all its tribes were made;
O joy, for all its former woes
A thousandfold repaid!

3. O then what raptured greetings
On Canaan’s happy shore;
What knitting severed friendships up
Where partings are no more!
Then eyes with joy shall sparkle,
That brimmed with tears of late;
Orphans no longer fatherless,
Nor widows desolate.

4. Bring near Thy great salvation,
Thou Lamb for sinners slain;
Fill up the roll of Thine elect,
Then take Thy power, and reign;
Appear, Desire of nations,
Thine exiles long for home;
Show in the heaven Thy promised sign;
Thou Prince and Savior, come.

Just When You Think There Might Be Hope...

2008-09-01T12:06:00.009-05:00

Things with the children have been calmer, what with school starting back up and all. The 5 year old and the 9 year old have been getting more independent - going downstairs on their own, finding cereal, eating goldfish crackers for breakfast. On a weekend - or holiday - John and I can sleep in until 7:30ish when the baby wakes up. I begin to believe we will survive until we can ship them off to college.

But, you agree to let one extra 9 year old spend the night, and you wake up to this:

They claim they were trying to make french toast, but that it was soggy & fell apart. Note the far right - the bread was left open & there are pieces spilling onto the floor next to the counter. On the plus side, no one was burned and nothing was broken.......

But still!

Wow, it does work in real life

2008-07-24T17:54:00.011-05:00

Ok, I can watch HGTV with the best of them, but the low cost decorating shows kind of make me crazy. Sure, just a thousand bucks for materials -- but free labor from people who have the right tools AND the time to do the projects!

I have to say, though, that I was pretty happy with the results of my improvement project today. I had 4 iron chairs that looked like this:

These chairs were in my grandmother's house in the late 60s and early 70s. When she died in 1976, my mom ended up with them. They were in several houses, then relegated to the back porch & eventually stowed in my parents garage. Sometime around 1999, they ended up in the basement of my old house, and in 2004 they moved into the detached garage behind my current house.

But, with a babysitter for the kids and 3 cans of spray paint, my friend and I turned them into this:

They even look decent with the old green seats:

Now my friend has chairs for her new apartment, and I am reclaiming space in the garage - Yea!

Even the kids that aren't mine are cute

2008-07-09T22:21:00.003-05:00

Tim & I got to go play at the McWane Science Center today. Rachel was at art camp; Betsy had a babysitter. Tim's friends Kate and Lexi were there, too, and it was fun to see how excited they were to get to play *together* with all the things they had seen with their parents on previous trips.

Birthday Boy

2008-04-28T18:53:00.004-05:00

In honor of husband John's *39th* birthday, a glimpse at his past.....

My Baby's Got Legwarmers

2008-04-15T17:10:00.001-05:00

New Favorite

2008-04-14T10:44:00.001-05:00

Betsy at 7 weeks

Bitty Betsy -- I knew she was a doll

2008-02-27T13:13:00.003-06:00

And yes, I do know that Rachel has a lot of dolls. Have I mentioned that my children are the only grandchildren on either side? These are Bitty Babies and Bitty Twins from the American Girl collection.

She's Here!

2008-02-25T15:12:00.002-06:00

Betsy showed up ahead of schedule, but that was just fine with us. Happily, I can eat again & I'm no longer nauseous 24/7. And she's cute, too!

I MUST have these...

2008-02-01T08:52:00.000-06:00

The baby feet are cute, and I am already getting some of those this month -- but, oh my goodness! Baby leg warmers -- hand knit in the USA -- one size fits babies through toddlers -- wow. http://weebean.blogspot.com/

Have I ever mentioned how much I love the web? I love being able to support work at home families. I love being able to find unique things for me & my children. I love being able to give one-of-a-kind gifts. I love shopping at 11 at night when the house is quiet. And I love packages arriving on my doorstep!

Resolved

2008-01-29T11:43:00.000-06:00

I know, January is almost over, but I have been thinking about this all month.

"Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.
I have called you by name;
You are mine."
...Isaiah 43:1

What does it look like to live without fear? What does it feel like? I say I believe the parts about being redeemed and being called, but what do I *do* with that?

So, I have resolved to keep thinking about this verse during 2008.

Snow in Alabama?

2008-01-19T18:00:00.000-06:00

Enough for the children, anyway.

In case you are wondering why on earth we own a sled -- it is a 30 year old relic of my childhood, when I lived in West Germany for 3 years as an Army brat. And my mother dumped it in our garage.

Boo!

2007-11-01T20:57:00.000-05:00

It's a Girl!

2007-10-13T18:41:00.000-05:00

So, lots of pink coming to my house -- plus years & years of Hanna Andersson dresses and American Girl dolls. Hooray!

White Trash Halloween

2007-10-11T18:23:00.000-05:00

I bear no resemblance to Martha Stewart. I don't cook, I don't garden, I don't decorate for the seasons. The only plants in our yard are the ones that still haven't died that were left by the previous home owners. I paid my babysitter 2 years running to decorate the house for Christmas.

8 year old dear daughter & 4 year old dear son, however, visited a crafty friend of mine the other day and came home with paper pumpkins. Then they wanted to decorate the porch for Halloween. Choosing to believe that my non-intervention inspires childhood creativity, I said, "Whatever," and told them they could use what they found around the house:

Turns out, trash bags bear an uncanny resemblance to ghosts. My favorite, though, is the skeleton:

Yes, the 8 year old drew this on her own -- without even looking at an example. I have a feeling she's going to skip college in favor of her art.

Before and After

2007-08-09T15:41:00.000-05:00

After today, I think she's ready for third grade...

Oh the Irony

2007-08-08T19:49:00.000-05:00

So, back in June when I calculated that child #2 would leave for college in 2022, I was actually already pregnant with - surprise! - baby #3. He or she should be here in late February of 2008, and that pushes the empty nest date to 2026.

It's a good thing babies are so cute.

Housewife Haiku

2007-08-08T19:41:00.000-05:00

Dust under the bed
laundry spills from the basket
time to eat chocolate

Sweet

2007-07-30T21:33:00.001-05:00

During a family vacation this past week, I picked up one interesting bit of trivia. My cousin, who majored in Russian before the fall of the USSR, shared that the Russian word Vodka translates best as "sweet water." I begin to understand why Vodka is a component of all my favorite beverages.

I'm confused

2007-07-11T23:26:00.000-05:00

Looks like the date & time for the post I made 3 minutes ago reflect when I started the draft of the post. Anyone know how to fix that?

Comfort Books

2007-07-01T08:32:00.000-05:00

This summer more than one of my friends is re-reading Harry Potter - all of Harry Potter - the six already published books, so they can be ready for the last one coming out later this month. I must confess - Don't you judge me! - I have never read any Harry Potter. Not one word. Not even by accident. I'm not entirely sure why I haven't. The first one was published in the US when I was sick with baby #1. I admit I was influenced by the "Yikes, sorcery is a destructive danger to the children" crowd. I don't think that way anymore. Maybe I didn't want to catch up -- maybe I'm secretly proud I'm not like everyone else -- maybe I'll buy the boxed set in the trunk when it is released in September.

OK, that was the rabbit trail. The point is the re-reading of books. Books as friends; books as comfort. Just as I can name the foods from my childhood as my comfort foods for the low times of my life, I have recognized that there are books I turn to over & over. Many of them are labeled "children's books" and put in that section of the library & bookstore, but the ones I return to seem to have a lot of depth (or maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that I am intellectual.)

I also seem drawn to series books. I want to be involved in an epic story or adventure -- 200 pages isn't going to be enough. So, since 3rd grade (1979), by which point I had acquired the necessary reading skills, I have read and reread several series of books. I never start just one -- I always start the series and read all the way through.

The Little House books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, 9 books, 12 times

Anne of Green Gables by L.M.Montgomery, 8 books, 19 times

Emily books by L.M.Montgomery, 3 books, 8 times

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S.Lewis, 7 books, more than 25 times

Writing this out, I'm not sure why I do this. They are comforting -- is it the idea of visiting with old friends? Is the comfort that I know what is going to happen and that I know I like the whole story? Do I like being able to submerse myself in another world & the long series means I get to stay awhile?

Am I the only one?

Is it over yet?

2007-06-19T10:02:00.000-05:00

When my dear daughter was almost 5, we were having a girls-day-out with my mom. As only a 4 year old can, Rachel was telling her grandmother a very long and involved story, and she was combining parts of real life with parts of the stories she had been hearing in pre-school. Suddenly she stopped. "I can't remember what happens at the end!" she wailed.

"Mama goes crazy," I said, "That's how it always ends."

So, when does it end? I have a now 8 year old daughter and an almost 4 year old son. T is on track to leave for college in the fall of 2022. There are many days that end with a crazy mama -- it is hard to get through those witching hours of dinner prep, evening routine and bedtime without a little bit of head spinning -- and there are weeks and months that are a total blur lost to busy-ness. The phrase itself is now a good family joke, as well as a warning. If I tell the children, "Mama is going to go crazy...." they know they are pushing too far and better quit before they get in REAL trouble.

The end of the day? The end of an event? The end of their childhoods? The end of my life?

Maybe just the end of the moment. I do have real hope. As annoying as it is to hear much older women with grown children tell me, "Ohhhh, enjoy every minute! They are so precious and it goes by so fast," I do sense the truth and the meaning in those words. Already, my children's babyhoods are blurring and fading -- the ceaseless crying, the middle-of-the-night feedings, the awful diapers, the minivan load of things required to go anywhere (though I don't think I'll ever forget 9 months of throwing up for EACH pregnancy.) The sweet moments really are achieving a sharper focus. I believe I will get to a time (2022? 2026? 2030?) When I think, "Wow! That was fast! How did we get here?" Like my mom, I will believe that grandchildren are twice as fun, even if they are twice as expensive.

Right now, though, I'm going to go pray for bedtime.

Mama Goes Crazy...

Christmas Lights

Christmas

Betsy Meets Santa

Around the House

It's working so far

Halloween

Well, We Didn't Have One of These, Either

Halloween Preview

I have awesome socks

My living room was clean for 10 minutes

Eye Candy

Another Cute Outfit Modeled by a Cute Child

First Ballet Class

Oh Really?

Devastation

Cuteness Alert

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Happy Feet!

School Started

About Knitting: Mine and Others

My Poor Neglected Blog

Bad Dog

Happy 4th!

Oooo - Koigu

Speaking of going Crazy

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Knitting with Crayons

My favorite Christmas present...

Another Scarf Finished

Steeplechase at Callaway Gardens, Georgia

Halloween

Timothy Takes Pictures

First Day of School

Betsy in Central Park

Clapotis Finished

Day 4 - Fabric Book

Day 3 - painting

Day 2 - Wire Framing

Mixed Media Artists' Workshop - Day 1

Biking to Church

The Birthday Girl & Friends

Ready for Spring Break

March 1, Alabama?

Hope Springs Eternal... or The Road to Hell

The Birthday Girl!

Chihuly: The Nature of Glass

A Grownup Weekend

Happy Birthday Poppy!

This One's for Patrick

A Glimpse of Canaan

Just When You Think There Might Be Hope...

Wow, it *does* work in real life

Even the kids that aren't mine are cute

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My Baby's Got Legwarmers

New Favorite

Bitty Betsy -- I knew she was a doll

She's Here!

I MUST have these...

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Boo!

It's a Girl!

White Trash Halloween

Before and After

Oh the Irony

Housewife Haiku

Sweet

I'm confused

Comfort Books

Is it over yet?

Wow, it does work in real life