Tuesday, January 24, 2017

The Crawlspace and Me (an Enchanting Belinda Story), Sweet RT, Tuesdays with Judith, Quotable Quotes AND Pinterest Stuff (Gummy Worm Object Lesson)

Good Sunday morn!

RANDOMNESS #1 - I AM WOMAN, HEAR ME ROAR... (OR SQUEAL AND CRY LIKE A BABY AS I CRAWL UNDER THE HOUSE DURING A RECENT SNOW EVENT IN GARDENDALE) - You probably don't even remember this now, but let's go back a few days to January 6 and January 7. We had our first snow/ice/sleet of 2017.

Fun fact for you...

Mike has never been home during a "snow event." He has a job which requires his presence if workers cannot come in because of unsafe roads. That being the case, my kids have always been stuck at home with me during snow days, and while I am a hoot to be around at any given time, I have never been comfortable driving around in icy/snowy/sleety conditions.

In other words, we have no hills to sled upon, so our snow days tend to turn into snow hikes, watery snow ice cream, the occasional snowman making and more Netflix/hot chocolate/board games than is recommended by the Surgeon General of these here United States.

The guilt has been pretty bad these past 25 years or so.

However, this year was going to be different. Roxie was the only "kid" at home, and at 20 years of age, Netflix/hot chocolate/board games are not necessarily "the most boring things on earth."

And, of course, at 55 years of age, I call the above activities "a normal Monday in January," so I was also good to go.

Things were going well. Roxie and I had decided on our activity list (see above), our snow event attire (plaid flannel pajamas) and when we would break from the aforesaid activities for showers.

My shower time was approximately 10:42 a.m.

Roxie's was sometime between noon and midnight...

Maybe.

I know what you are thinking. We are like the same person!

At 10:41, I headed for the shower. I turned the shower on so it would warm up before entering (as is my practice), and I heard nothing.

Nada.

Nary a drip.

Hmmm.

I had let the sink and shower drip all night long to avoid frozen pipes, but it appeared when I got up around 7:00 a.m. for various and sundry reasons, I had turned them off and crawled back into the bed.

Almost four hours later, those pipes were frozen.

And I was in trouble.

I called Mikie, and he told me what I already knew.

I had to crawl under the house with a flashlight AND hair dryer AND extension cord...

Believe me. If you have known me five minutes (OR LESS) you would know the above is NOT in my skill set.

Diaper changing, picture taking, big gold van driving, ice coffee drinking, soup making...

Those are the things in my skill set.

They aren't very useful in a real emergency, but then again, NEITHER AM I!

Upon crawling through the tiny door leading under my bedroom/bath, I was not afraid of snakes, spiders, scorpions or other small woodland animals. I knew it was too cold for them. All I was going to have to deal with was a little dirt and discomfort.

Or so I thought.

Shining the flashlight ahead of me as I got ready to crawl, the only thing I could see was a wall made up of millions and millions of spider webs.

I kid you not.

In fact, it looked like the spider webs were somehow part of the underpinnings of the house.

I looked around the yard, found a stick, and while holding the hair dryer cord in my teeth, a flashlight in my left hand, I twirled the stick in front of me.

(Not unlike the cotton candy man or woman at a carnival or fair.)

I twirled and twirled and twirled and the webs twisted around the stick.

After seven or eight twirls, I was clear to crawl one or two feet.

It was a slow, slow process.

And this is a long, long story...

If it's okay with you, I will finish this in a day or so.

It's not exactly a cliff hanger since you already know I am not writing this blog from the crawlspace underneath my house.

Or am I?

RANDOMNESS #2 - Here are just a few more pics of our new grandson. The first two (and the big one at the top of the blog) were taken by the hospital photographer, and I snapped the others over the past 22 days here and there.












If anyone wonders, he looks exactly like his Uncle Payton to me in this pic...

Which is not a bad thing at all! Handsome young men!




We love this little guy SO much!

RANDOMNESS #3 - Tuesdays with Judith - I try to get Judith on Monday afternoons, and she spends Tuesdays with ME. It doesn't always work out, but when it does, I am a much happier camper the remainder of the week.


On Monday nights, we eat dinner, get a bath, play with toys and she enjoys some "alone time" in her Book Nook Corner.


Then she and Pop watch The Uh-Oh Show (more commonly known as America's Funniest Home Videos) and they both fall asleep.

I take a pic and put her to bed...

And then I put Pop to bed.


Tuesdays can consist of anything, but nine times out of ten, if the weather is cooperative, we head to a local park.

On this particular Tuesday, we had some chores to do before going outside.


I am a HUGE proponent of water play...

Inside, outside, on the deck, in a puddle.


Water and kids go together hand in hand (along with constant supervision)...

And this dishwashing activity lasted 25 minutes which is almost unheard of in Two Year-Old Land.

I was the one who finally made her stop!


We found ducks on our outing at Black Creek Park.

A good Nana B would have focused on the granddaughter and NOT the ducks.

I was obviously NOT a good Nana B on this particular day...

But don't the ducks look fabulous?

Quotable Quotes - "Some days I wish I could go back in life. Not to change anything, but to feel a few things twice." Anonymous

Pinterest Stuff

Gummy Worm Object Lesson

Sweet v. Sour - You will need both kinds for this one.

1. First read Job 20:14. “Yet his (the godless person) food will turn sour in his stomach.” 

2. Next show kids life with God. Read Psalm 119:103. “How sweet are your words to my taste, O Lord.” Explain when we don’t live by God’s laws, but by our own, life can feel sour. You have no hope, no faith and no one to help you.

3. Ask the kids to taste-test the worms. Which one is sour? Which one is sweet? Which one do you like best? Which kind of life should we want to live? Why?

Make this short devotion your own. You can add different sour foods to the mix (sliced lemons or limes, for example).

The same can be done with the sweets (honey, grapes, another favorite candy, etc.)

Also, a good time to have family object lessons like this one is right after you finish a meal together.

Smooth transition!

Have a very good week, my friends. I will talk to you soon!

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. So this happened Saturday afternoon...


Mike and I gave Josh, Courtney, Judith and Roxie circus tickets for Christmas. The original plan was to give everyone circus tickets for Christmas, but I knew the circus was NOT age appropriate for Austin, Melia AND the new babe.

Don't worry, I'll tell you about their Christmas present in due time!


And I'm hoping they will have a happy selfie to share at the end of their "gift," too.

Monday, January 9, 2017

Pics of Judith, THE NEW GRANDBABY AND Tucker, Pinterest Stuff (PEZ Object Lesson AND Ten Habits of a Happy Marriage)

Good Monday afternoon!

This has been a busy Christmas break, and I have a lot of pics to share...

So...

Here we go!

RANDOMNESS #1 - Last Monday, my daughter-in-law gave birth to a very handsome, very sweet, very loveable little man.






We have decided he's a keeper!

NOTE - As with Judith, his pic will be on every post from now on...

But I bet you already knew that, didn't you?

RANDOMNESS #2 - Judith celebrated her second birthday this past weekend with a Rubber Ducky Party.

Loved the theme.

Love the person we were celebrating.

Love cake.

All in all, a very good party!


Mommy and Daddy.


She is a much neater cake eater than last year!


See what I mean?


This picture makes me think of a teenage Judith...


As does this one.

I love them...

But I am a little scared of them at the same time.

Weird.


The absolute best way to open presents...

Sitting on a big pink table with everything surrounding you!

Just wait until my 56th birthday gala!

Just wait!

I am beginning my search for just the right "substantial" birthday table!


She's too little to be two.

Such a big number.

Heavy, heavy sigh.

RANDOMNESS #3 - Tucker Meets Cousin Scout - Roxie adopted Tucker a year ago, and...

What can I say?

He's a joy!




Nowadays, I think the correct term for Tucker is Granddog.

He is Roxie's official dog, so that makes him my official Granddog.

Well, a month or so ago, Austin and Melia also obtained a dog. His name is Scout, and he is a beautiful, sweet dog, too.

He is Austin and Melia's dog, so that makes him my Granddog, also.

Because of moving, having a baby, super busy schedules, etc., etc., we didn't get to meet Scout until the week after Christmas...

And that is to say, Tucker didn't get to meet his new cousin, Scout, until the week after Christmas.


I had thought the two pups could share a water bowl, but Scout has a very clever way of making sure no one bothers his water.

After he drinks his fill, he immediately puts two paws into the bowl.

Two big ol' dirty paws.

Which reminds me of what my sister, Bev, used to do when I asked her to get me a cookie.

Being four years younger than me, she was eager to please...

But being "Bev," she never brought me a cookie that wasn't totally and disgustingly wet (having licked on it from the kitchen to the delivery point... ME).

Anyway, I understood the "paw thing" because I lived through the "cookie thing."


This picture pretty much sums up the rest of their visit.

They ran until they could run no more.

And then they slept.

Very much like grandbabies.

Pinterest Stuff

PEZ Object Lesson (Ephesians 4:29-32)

1. Holding a PEZ dispenser, ask the children if they know what it is and what it dispenses.

2. Ask if they would buy one if it dispensed broccoli, liver, etc.

3. Ask them if they think we could be like PEZ dispensers... always dispensing sweet things out of our mouths? We can, with kind words! If we dispense kind words, then people will want to be around us.

4. Challenge them to make sweet things (words) come out of their mouths this week.

NOTE - This has the three things that make a really good Object Lesson for young kids...

Simple, time appropriate and memorable.

Oh...

And it has candy!

The Ten Habits of a Happy Marriage

NOTE - I love Pinterest lists, and this particular one is doable AND important!

1. Smile warmly first thing in the morning. I have determined to greet him with the warmest, most loving smile I can muster. Boy! Does this set a wonderful tone for the day.

2. Do more kissing than complaining.

3. Take timing into consideration. I’m learning to hold back until I can communicate what I have to say in a calm manner and when he’s in a better place to hear me out. It’s so worth waiting for the right moment.

4. Make your bedroom a beautiful place. I like turning our room into a lovely oasis for us both. I want to make sure it’s a clean, warm, and inviting place... somewhere that he knows he can find order and peace.

5. Pick and choose the issues you care about. Decide not to jump on every possible offense. For instance, I care far less about who takes out the trash than I do about the way he talks to me.

6. Purpose to connect with him each day. We like to have coffee together every morning. And I like to send along a short love note, give him a quick call in the middle of the day, or simply snuggle into him at the end of the evening.

7. Pay attention to the details. The way he likes his coffee. When he feels like talking... and when he doesn’t. When he needs an item that I could pick up for him while in town. Those tiny details that express love to him.

8. Bless him with a kind word. Pass on a word of encouragement or appreciation. Make it your daily habit to say something nice to him. It’s amazing how that small kindness builds up to something big over time.

9. Reach out and touch him before you go to sleep at night.

10. Tell him, “I love you.” Every day. Who doesn’t need to be reminded that he is loved?

I hope you all have a great week. I'll be back soon with more grandbaby pics, a snow story or two and much, much more.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda

P.S. - Just a random pic of Josh and Roxie after Judith's birthday celebration. I liked it!

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