Nathan & Bowling

Nathan has now taken up bowling. He first fell in love with it on the Wii--especially after he found out he could beat mom! He spent Tuesday at our neighbor's house and played the bowling game they have in their basement most of the time he was there.
He has learned all about strikes, spares, and splits.
Yesterday he remembered the bowling ball and pins he received for Christmas last year. We found them and I made x's for him upstairs and downstairs, so now we have three lanes in our house (including the Wii). Last night Dad got to be the pin setter for all of the kids.
Tomorrow we plan to go to Eureka so that Nathan can go "real" bowling with his Papa Butter. He's never picked up a real bowling ball, so I am sure he will be surprised that it is heavier than a hollow plastic ball or Wii remote. It may also be an unpleasant realization when he finds out he will not be able to walk right up to the pins before throwing the ball.
Knowing Nathan and sports, I am sure it will not take him long to adapt to the "real" game of bowling!

Baby and Ma-Mom

Teresa loves to pair her stuffed animals up as "Baby and Ma-Mom." This is the baby and mom she brought together today. My favorite pair is a big raccoon I had as a child and her Christmas bear. (I think that baby must take after his dad--he looks NOTHING like a raccoon.)

Teresa's Tutu

I found this idea in the November 2009 Family Fun magazine. It is TOO cute and SO easy that I just had to make one! What little girl wouldn't love a tutu of her own?
I know one of these would have instantly replaced the white sheer curtains (my "wedding dress and veil") twenty-five or so years ago. At one time my career aspirations were to be a ballerina in the morning and a librarian in the afternoon (or was it the other way around--I always forget). A girl can dream, right?
I may have an aspiring ballerina/librarian of my own now. Teresa has been wearing her new tutu for most of the morning--even to read books.
The best part? It took under an hour to make and is completely no sew.

You will need:
Elastic to fit child's waist with the ends tied together
2 rolls of tulle (or more if you want additional colors--you'll just have some left over for another one)
Directions:
Stretch the elastic band around a large book or shoe box. Cut a 14-inch length of tulle from each roll. Stack two pieces together and tie them to the elastic band. Continue until all elastic is covered.
The tulle at our local craft store was all so pretty, I used four different colors--turquoise, lime green, lavender, and pink.
I've also been thinking of other ways to use tulle--cut shorter to cover a headband, decorations for shoes, etc. If you have any ideas, I'd be happy to hear them, too!

A Storm of Emotions

As the thunder rolls, I barely hear Your whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls, I raise my hands
and praise the God who gives and takes away.
--"Praise You in this Storm"--Casting Crowns
I went to Aberdeen today (by myself!) which gave me a lot of time to think and listen to KLOVE radio on the drive there and back. It was one of those days that every song felt like the Lord was wrapping his arms around me.
My heart has been heavy these past few days as I see the devastation in Haiti, my friends and loved ones in South Dakota living without electricity for the past several days, and thinking of a dear family friend and her family as she prepares to leave this world after battling cancer for much of the past ten years.
Her daughter summed up her mom so well on her Facebook status late last week. She said her mom was "out of this world . . . . She never did belong here. Thank you, Lord Jesus." What a beautiful tribute.
But, even in the midst of pain, our Lord continues to pour down blessings from above. A granddaughter was born into their family today and our friend will be able to meet this newest blessing before she meets her Lord.
And that is why even when I do not understand God's plan, I have to believe.
"Though my heart is torn, I will praise You in this storm."

Can I Get an "Amen"?

If you are married to a Melius descendant, you probably have this same problem. There is a characteristic that seems to run rampant among them. It is the desire to constantly try to improve what they have.
Now, this can be a wonderful quality in their line of work. But, when it sneaks into the house, and especially my kitchen, it can make this Melius wife CRAZY!!
Once I had perfected the Melius pancakes to the best of my ability, David began asking for the one thing that would improve them even more--homemade syrup.
His mom makes homemade syrup for her pancakes and it is quite tasty, however I didn't know why I had to fire up the saucepan and make my own. Even our little local grocery store probably carries 20+ different kinds of pancake syrup. If he wasn't so afraid of grocery stores (seriously--he is), he could go and pick out his own!
As luck (for him) would have it, I happened to be perusing the spice aisle one day and my gaze settled upon the maple flavoring. It was close to Christmas and I was feeling generous, so I bought a bottle.
Finally, I thought, I had attained greatness! I made my own syrup! Ah, no. Not so fast. Every measuring cup or container that held the syrup left drips behind. How would we EVER solve this dilemma?
This morning I decided to shake things up and make french toast instead of pancakes. That went over well. So did the homemade syrup, but the best part was that I FINALLY found the PERFECT syrup container for David! He said so himself!!

I discovered this alternate use for the Pampered Chef Measure, Mix, & Pour quite by accident (it was in the front of the cupboard), but I am so glad I did. Seriously, I through my arms up and did a little victory dance. It pours perfectly, holds one batch of syrup nicely, and, most importantly, does not drip.
What will my perfectionist husband set his sights on next? Lunch is only a few hours away. I am sure he will think of something.