Category Archives: Daily Life

Daily Life, Project 365

Do All Children Long for a Dog

14 Comments

Or cat or guinea pig? What is the origin of this deep seated desire for a pet?

joshua's got a puppy

Notice how Joshua keeps one hand on the mouse while holding a dog on his lap. That’s my boy! :)

My good friend and neighbor, Julee, recently (as in yesterday) acquired a dog. It was unexpected and a complete gift – food, accessories, dog carrier, dog all free. My kids have been writhing in jealous envy ever since.

Tonight the kids had an opportunity to dog sit little Mia while Julee and her family were at church. What a thrill. We’re probably the only family on the planet who would go around offering to pay for the opportunity to pet sit.

joshua, Mia and the girls

Joshua is not as dog crazy as the rest of the children but he was in the comfy chair and Mia was looking for a cozy resting place. Up into his lap the dog climbed. The main responsibility of this evening’s pet sitting job was to keep the dog awake. This picture looks mighty suspicious.

Joshua, is that little dog sleeping?

We did our best. She obviously found Joshua too relaxing to resist.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 286

Share or follow
Share

Related posts:

Daily Life, Joshua, Project 365

Dishes Anyone?

7 Comments

What would you do with a young man, about to turn 14, who FORGOT to do the dinner dishes? Yes, Joshua, my oldest son, was so engrossed in his Carcassonne game with his father that he forgot to wash the dishes. He didn’t even appear to give the job a second thought. I came home from a baby shower and was sure to remind him of his responsibilities.

I mean, isn’t this why we have children, so they will wash the dishes and do the laundry?

joshua takes his turn

Maybe Joshua and Tim had a little wager on the ole Carcassonne game and the loser was responsible for the kitchen clean up. Yes, that must be it. That would explain that smile on Joshua’s face. He’s sure he’s about to win.

So how come it’s after midnight, everyone is bed and I’m up washing dishes? I guess I lost.

And yet with a husband who initiates Special Days with his children and a teenager who WANTS to spend time with his father, I think it’s far more fitting to say I won. Those dishes suddenly look a little sweeter.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 284

Share or follow
Share

Related posts:

Daily Life, Kathy

Heading to Work Out

15 Comments

This Reunion Count Down is a killer. All the working out is seriously cutting in to my busy social life (ie blogging time). I don’t know how people fit consistent, regular exercise into their schedules. Maybe if I were a morning person it would be easier. I would get up early, while the children were still tucked quietly in their beds, and enjoy an invigorating, brisk work out. Hmmm. That so isn’t going to happen.

gotta go exercise!

Heading off to the Y with trainer Julee.

In the meantime, I steal away an hour here and there every day to exercise. Today I did some weight training in the morning and then went BACK to the Y in the evening for an hour of cardio. Whew! Don’t I sound energetic and motivated. Or is it desperate and obsessed?

Only a couple more weeks until reunion time. I figure I can remain committed for that long. If nothing else, this has certainly been quite the experience. I’m logging in my food (calories, fat, carbs, proteins) and exercise (time and calories burned) daily on an Excel spreadsheet (gotta love Excel). I don’t think I’ve ever been this serious about high exercise and low calories. I’m certainly learning a lot.

  1. Beef (even lean) has a lot of calories. It’s often a better “bang for my buck” to stick with chicken or fish. I had tofu tonight and it was delicious and low calorie.
  2. Vegetables are amazingly satisfying when you are hungry.
  3. Striving for a goal on the treadmill or elliptical (calories burned, time spent) is very motivating. It brings out a competitive side in me that I didn’t realize I had and I find myself working harder and pushing myself to the next level.
  4. Losing weight and getting fit just plain takes time. I’m still losing weight that I’ve already lost before. Or rather, I’m losing the weight I gained over the summer. It will be another week or two until I hit “fresh” pounds.
  5. Some condiments are so NOT worth the calories and fat – salad dressing, cheese, oil, butter. I’d rather save the calories for something else and stick to spices, mustard, and vinegar to season my food.

Interesting how keeping track of things changes your perspective and focus. Well, I don’t mean to turn this into a weight loss blog so I’ll stop rambling on. If you have a great tip on eating healthy and fitting exercise into your life, PLEASE share!! I am so encouraged by other people’s life experiences. Leave a comment!!

I’m sure the weight will start melting off at any minute now. Until then it’s:

Another day another work out. :)

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 283

Share or follow
Share

Related posts:

Daily Life

Waiting for Daddy

10 Comments

Or Godot, whomever comes first.

what a crew!

It’s important to have a camera with you at all times as you never know when a special photo moment like this one will arise.

I”m sure you can picture it – a cheerful, conscientious mother helping her sweet daughter unbuckle from the car seat, late but not impatient, lays her keys on the back seat for JUST a MOMENT. Setting the dress shoes under the seat and tugging on tennis shoes, they rush off through the Y parking lot.

Sigh.

sweet sarah

It was a GREAT swim class, Mom.

I didn’t discover the missing keys until PE was over and everyone ready to go home. They are a hungry, tired crowd at the end of PE.

“Anyone want to walk home?” That question generated groans. They didn’t seem to find the suggestion amusing. Thankfully, Tim was working from home that day and came to the Y to rescue us. He didn’t even fuss, tease, or complain about the loss of time out of his busy work schedule. A short delay and we were back on track with our day.

If nothing else it provided time to take a group picture. :) I always say there’s a silver blog lining inside every cloudy day.

Kathy

Share or follow
Share

Related posts:

Daily Life, Project 365

Grumpy Mother Seeks Cheerful Programmer

8 Comments

Tim has been working a good portion of the day on a contracting job for a friend. Throughout it all, he has remained cheerful and upbeat. I’ve done almost nothing all day – I didn’t make meals for the family (except to throw some leftovers in their general direction), I handed out laundry and cleaning jobs to the children, I went off shopping with Rachel and got in a power workout – how is it possible I am still so gloomy?

who's there?

Is there a little girl in there somewhere?

Even after reflecting on the day, I’m perplexed as to the cause of my melancholy spirit. Perhaps it’s the rain, which appears to have settled in for the weekend. Maybe it’s the long list of things I “should” do but didn’t get to at all.

ta da

There she is!!

I am thankful for an amazing husband who encourages me, prays for me, and sends me off to enjoy Mommy Time without ever making me feel guilty. At the end of a long day, he still carves out the time to read the Bible to the children.

Bible time

Today’s reading featured Samson and his tragic death.

When Tim shouts, “Who dares not to call for The Chapter?” The children scramble out of their beds and run to hide in our room. He waits an appropriate length of time and then thunders up the stairs to begin the search. All children must be found before he can begin the chapter.

Anything to make family Bible devotions more interesting. :)

we see you

Daniel loves to find clever hiding places.

I think I’ll follow their example and take my BSF lesson up to bed. Nothing like soaking in God’s Word to comfort the soul. At our support group in co-op this week, Holly read this passage:

“The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” (Zephaniah 3:17)

Tomorrow is another busy, full Sunday. I need all the ‘quieting’ the Lord can bring into my life. I shake my head in amazement to consider Him taking great delight in me and I turn my ear to listen for the rejoicing song. I am so thankful for His love which accepts me even on grumpy, grey days.

Kathy
Project 365 – Day 272

Share or follow
Share

Related posts: