Wordless Wednesday

Simple Woman's Daybook

FOR TODAY ... Monday, December 29, 2008

Outside my window...

The sun is shining brightly and

it looks far warmer than it really is.

I am thinking...

About all of the housework that needs to be done.

Getting the house back in order after Christmas celebrations will not be an easy task.

I am thankful for...

So many things. Family, friends, love, health, peace....

especially peace brought about by the prayers of others.

From the learning rooms...

Mostly focusing on Eli, so we'll be playing with

Play-doh, puzzles and bubbles, lots of bubbles!

From the kitchen...

I'll be cooking up some chicken for different meals this week

and making some vegetable beef soup in the crockpot.

I am wearing...

My favorite blue jeans and a grey hoodie.

I am creating...

This blog entry! Hopefully, I'll be creating a clean

and organized house this week.

I am going...

To run a few errands. I'd much rather stay at home.

I am reading...

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer (again), and

planning a trip to the library today.

I am hoping...

for success in all I have to do this week. The list is

long and slightly overwhelming.

I am hearing...

just the hum from my computer and the tapping

of the keys. It's very quiet here today.

Around the house...

Things are a mess! For now, anyway. Eli is watching Spongebob

downstairs and the laundry has been started.

One of my favorite things...

Having a few moments of quiet time.

I don't always take the time to have that quiet time.

I'm trying to get in the habit of starting my day off with quiet,

God-filled moments.

A few plans for the rest of the week:

Lots of housework, school plans for my olders,

therapy time with Eli. Lots of errands to run this week,

and hopes for the new year!

Here is a picture thought I am sharing...

Just another day in the life of siblings at our house!

The Fed Ex Man Cometh.....

And oh, oh, happy day!
He left a box by my door yesterday.

The box was filled with sweet berry delight,
covered in chocolate and wrapped up just right.

I was forced to choose. Should I hide? Should I share?
Could I outrun them all? Would they even care?

No, being the person I am, I stood,
and I shared them all with my pleading brood!

Each face was just beaming,
every eye was just gleaming.

For a few seconds it was quiet
as we all wrecked our diet.

And then they were gone, so quickly!
Our fingers were still sweet and sticky....

We all drifted, remembering the seconds before
and I pondered the Bakke Family lore.

The box of sweet goodness brought us great bliss
and I just can't comprehend last year's dismiss! *wink**wink*



Thank you, Ronette!
We thoroughly enjoyed your blog give-away!
I wanted to take pictures, but the battery wasn't charged, and well,
we just didn't have time to wait!
Merry Christmas!

HO HO HO!!!!!!!!!

For our generation, Santa was Christmas. My dad was a Santa expert and would do anything to help Santa keep his Christmas secrets. Christmas was a bit of a letdown in our family once my brother and I grew up.

My husband talks of telling his mother that 'reindeer CAN'T fly!' Oh, but Santa has a helicopter....

When my older kids were little, Christmas was all about Santa. Yet, somehow, it always felt a little off kilter. So, as the younger kids came along, we decided to play it down a little. Santa still comes to visit, leaving a gift for each of them, St. Nick leaves goodies in our shoes on Dec 6th, and Jesus gets a birthday cake on Christmas day.

Trying to focus Christmas on Jesus can become a major undertaking these days. You're considered weird if Jesus is bigger than Santa. And yet, it always feels awkward to think that anyone could be that confused. AND...willing to let their young charges think that way.

Needless to say, we try to put more emphasis on Jesus in our house while still allowing Santa his own special place. Kids are hold-outs, though. They believe. In spite of what they see and hear, they believe.

Childlike faith....

Now that's the lesson I want them all to really get! Hopefully, the transition of belief will float smoothly from childhood into an eternity.

So, a few days ago, my 3 yr old is pulling the paper off of a handful of stickers he received at the doctor's office for being what, compliant? I sat with him as he showed me the colorful stickers. He turned one over and smiled a smile that would melt butter. His shining eyes shifted from the fat man with the white beard up to my eyes. "Ho Ho Ho," he exclaimed.

How did he know??

Birthday Boy!

Yes, another birthday boy! Three years old!

Well, actually, yesterday was the big day.

Here are a few pictures of him trying to blow out the candles.

As you can see by his brothers' expressions, this was quite a spectacle! He kept huffing and puffing and blowing.....and nothing was happening.

He was working so hard! Finally, I was able to get his attention

and show him what to do.

Ahh.....success!

Now, for his favorite part:

Yum! Happy birthday, sweet baby boy.....