Happy 57th Birthday, Dad.

My dad is one of those fathers who is very involved with his kids, and he always has been. He is, without a doubt, the hardest worker I know. My dad was raised in a family that didn't have a lot of money or resources, but there was a lot of love and emphasis on working hard and serving God. And he has passed those values on to us. Not only does my dad give of his time to his family and his profession, but he also serves at church and nonprofit agencies serving people with developmental disabilities and economically disadvantaged individuals and families. My dad has served on the area school board with great commitment, and he treats my mom like a queen. Often, after family meals, while the rest of the family is resting and having conversation, my dad will sneak back to the kitchen to clean everything up. He never looks for praise or recognition. It is from my dad that I gained my love for photography and my value for documenting family life with photos. So, today, I am honoring and thanking my dad for his amazing testimony, his unyielding commitment to God and his family, and how he modeled a Godly marriage to us kids. We love you, Dad, and thank God for you. Have a great day.....we celebrate you!

Hang On, Sloopy....

Did you know that this song was about "Sloopy" rather than "Snoopy" (as in the dog)? And did you know that the song "Louie-Louie" is all about a Jamaican man trying to be reunited with his love? Neither did I, until tonight, that is.....what started out as an innocent sing-along turned into a full-blown karaoke night and the M household tonight! So much fun. Laughter. Dancing. A little bit of a temper melt-down because there are only 2 microphones, but all in all, we had a great time. It made me sit back and remember that these are the times that we will treasure. The family nights where the TV is off and we are all singing and laughing together. This is what family is all about! We got this karaoke machine for the kids a couple of years ago for Christmas, but it has been used only periodically. We all love to sing, and our kids are showing some musical aptitude, so it is fun to see them perform and just love the music. We did "The Conga" and "The Limbo" and sand "My Girl" and a little bit of Lionel Richie. Such a good time together.

Today, I want to express my thanks and appreciation to my neighbor, Sherri. Sherri amazes me. She has 6 children ranging in age from almost-2 to 13, so she is dealing with a range of different developmental needs every single day. Her husband is a family physician so works long hours, but she just has this ability to take everything in stride. And nothing seems to ruffle her feathers. She is always sharing something that she learned in devotions or sending a good book my way. She talks openly about her struggles and is just SO REAL in how she lives her daily life. I am thankful for Sherri's friendship, for what I have learned about mothering through her example, and for her testimony of God's strength. I cherish our talks and soul-sharing about everything from children to husband's to counseling to being a woman searching after God. I thank God for your friendship, Sherri, and for planting us in the same neighborhood for this season of life.

Looks Like....S....N.....O.......W.

That look is in the sky today. That smell is all about. That dark steely gray color. That fresh crispness. That smell that says snow is near. Do you know what I'm talking about? OK, we interrupt this blog for a special announcement.....IT'S OFFICIALLY SNOWING! Ahhhhh, the first snowfall of the year. It conjures up so many memories........squealing and running to find our coats to we could run out and try to pack the snow into snowballs. To get our first cold yummy taste of fresh snow. And so I see my own kids doing the same thing.....except they didn't even wait to put their shoes and coats on.....hence, the bare little toesies against the fresh-fallen November snow. Get in here, you two, and at least get some shoes on!!


But isn't there something magical and pure about the first snow? Something cozy, that tells us that it is OK to stay inside and nurture our families and rest and just be at home. That's what winter has come to mean to me. Yes, I love to go out sledding with the kids and building snowmen is one of my very favorite winter activities. But most of all, I like to cozy inside on winter days and nights and just reflect on being safe, protected, and blessed by God. And so thankful that I decided to throw a big pot of Ditalini Vegetable soup on the stove and a pan of corn bread into the oven tonight!

So today, on the 5th day of November, I am thankful for the seasons. I love all of the seasons in its own right, but I mostly love the transitions between the seasons. I love it when winter starts to break and the first hints of spring become apparent, from the breaking through the ground of the first tulips to the first melody of the birds heard from my window. And when spring inches its way toward the hot days of summer, as the flower are in full bloom and the waters warm enough for swimming and boating and just enjoying the shore. And when that touch of chill starts to signal the fall is on the horizon...when the shades of green turn to a rainbow of oranges and reds and yellows. And finally, when fall gives way to the cold and snow of winter. It tells me so much about God's creativity.....how amazing a being He is to have spoken this thing we call "the seasons" into existence. And how powerful He is to control each and every part of nature. Standing in amaz=ement today....have a blessed one.

The Big "O".

Don't worry....this is still a very family-friendly blog. No, I'm not talking about THAT Big "O" :) I'm talking about my first experience at an IKEA store......The big "O" stands for totally OVERWHELMED, OVERSTIMULATED, and OVERSPENT! Whew. What a place. It takes a long time to even get over the brightness and loud colors and huge crowds, and once you figure out how to even begin making your way through the store.....wow, what an experience. I was planning a short "run in and check it out" type of trip, but I ended up being in there for nearly 2 hours. There are so many room displays and little gadgets and so much stuff to look at, that it is totally visual candy scattered over something like 20 acres.

I could have done some serious damage in that store. Some of it is poorer quality, but a lot of it is just plain fun and colorful and design-savvy. So what did I end up with in my cart?

• 8 Colored storage bins for Kennedy to sort her little toys and collectibles into.
• New curtains for Kennedy's room.
• New curtains for my newly painted laundry room (so cute).
• 4 sets of magnets for our chalk board.
• a metal tree that I am going to use for a Tree of Thanks to hang tags on throughout the month of November (a separate post will be coming on this.)
• a few random stocking stuffers for the kids.
• A new striped rug for the laundry room.

So, I got out with a grand total of $130.62. Not bad. And the look on the old guy's face as he watched me taking a photo of myself in the IKEA parking lot. Priceless. I chuckled about it all the way home.

What a great weekend, but I'm so happy to be home and cuddling with my kids. I even got to come home to a clean house....what an amazing husband I have. Thanks, Honey. You know how to make me feel like the most blessed woman in the world. Love you.

Headed Home.

What a great day of scrapping we had yesterday! The day was filled with creativity, some periods of creative block, laughter, sharing of life stories, meeting new friends, sharing meals, and just celebrating this amazing art.

Then back to the hotel to read and drift off to sleep.....I was eagerly anticipating "fall back" and an extra hour of sleep; however, I was wide awake at 6 am so got up and printed photos, got packed up, etc.

Today, my plan is to check out IKEA and scrap a bit at Scrapbook Zone. Then, the 2-hour trip back home to my amazing family.....this has been a good time to breathe, but boy, do I miss them!

Today's question: How will you invest your extra hour today? Remember that time is the most lasting investment you can make.

Wayward Traveling Mommy.

I am a strong believer in women needing time away from their families to nurture themselves and pursue their creative soul, whatever that may look like. I try to have 4-6 weekends per year to myself, and for me, that usually involves scrapping time.

This weekend is one of those weekends. My husband is manning the kids this weekend--they have lots of fun things planned like cleaning rooms, working on Monday's spelling words, and going to see "Bee Movie." And I am planning lots of my favorite things here from my hotel room in the Detroit area.

I arrived last night after the 2 hour trip, which included a stop at a very fun and well-stocked scrap store in Brighton. I ordered to-go from Romano's Macaroni Grill--some kind of rolled pasta with chicken and spinach (YUM!)--and enjoyed a good dinner followed by a cup of hot tea and some much-needed relaxation time.

Today, we are scrapping all day at Archiver's, but I hope to squeeze in a trip to IKEA--I have never been to one, can't wait! as well as scrapping until midnight. Tomorrow, I'm planning for a pretty low-key day of sleeping in a bit, scrapping some more, and making my way back home.

Weekends like this are good to help me get back in touch with me as a WOMAN rather than just me as a MOMMY. It's not that the 2 are totally separate, because once you are a wife and a mom, I believe that that changes the fabric of who you are as a woman to the core; but it just gives me as a human being a chance to breathe deeply without having to fulfill the needs of my husband and children. And I always return much more ready to meet their needs and be fully present for them. Off to the shower to prepare for my day! Even if you don't have this full weekend to nurture yourself, I hope you all take time to do something that feeds your spirit. Happy Saturday!

All is Calm.....

No, I am not starting to blog about Christmas quite yet, though I did see a house last night that had a huge Christmas tree in their window while they had illuminated jack-o-lanterns and were handing out candy on their porch to trick-or-treaters. Crazy.

November is here, and I have this welcomed sense of calm today. The hubbub of Halloween is over. Football season is done for us. The "newness" of the school year is gone and the kids are settled in to their new school routines. Mid-term exams are taken and graded, and my courses are smoothly sailing toward conclusion. November, to me, is this four weeks tucked into the fall that often gets glossed over on the way to December.

But, let's stop. Let's not get caught up in racing toward Christmas, in buying into retailers' desire to have us frantically shop and spend money over the next 8 weeks in preparation for Christmas. I have been really convicted about this during the past couple of years........we have this amazing holiday celebrating the bravery and fortitude of our forefathers. Celebrating their willingness to do whatever it took to secure religious freedom. Embracing a new land. Reaching out is kinship to people who were very different from them. Thankful for God's faithfulness in bringing safety and pouring forth a bountiful harvest. Now if that isn't something to reflect upon and celebrate, I don't know what is.

Last year, I started a tradition here on my blog of taking one thing or one person that I am thankful for, and writing about them here, a different one for each day of November. And I want to continue that this year. For one, I think that an attitude of gratitude needs to be intentionally cultivated, especially in the me-focused society in which we live today. For another, it just forces me to stop and take inventory of the many, many ways that God blesses me......that I often overlook and take advantage of and just don't actively appreciate.

For today, this first day of November, I am thankful for Barb. Barb is the principal at my kids' school. She is a wonderful principal, the kind of woman who meets every child at the front door every morning, greets them and their parents by name, and exudes this warmth and caring about her in every interaction. Not only is she a skilled and exceptional leader for our school, but she is an outstanding personal role model for the children. And I count her as a personal friend whom I admire. Today, Barb is culminating years of hard work and is defending her doctoral dissertation. She has already raised her own children, but she continues to learn and challenge herself and set new goals. And she is willing and always searching for ways to use her experiences to challenge and model for those children in her care. Barb, thank you for your tireless optimism and the energy you devote to loving and nurturing Kennedy and Hayden, as well as all of the children at Brown. I am praying that all is going well for you today--that God is granting you quiet confidence and clarity of thought and word--and that we will soon be able to say "Congratulations, Dr. Barb." And it takes a special woman to dress up as a life-size red crayon one day and stand before a committee to defend her doctoral research the next.....you go, Lady!