Courtesy is not dead!

The media would have you believe that the world is in a state of turmoil and despair, some days they are right on the money. Today, however, while there may be hardship and stress, some people seem to make life positive. I went to run a couple of errands, no big deal. I wasn't feeling particularly positive or negative, just normal. BUT, for some reason the people (all of them strangers) around me seemed to go out of their way to show courtesy to me or other people. A man helped put my cart away when I was done just because. I thanked him and he said "Just trying to be a gentlemen." I really don't think I was being particularly observant, but many people seemed to make eye contact and smile. (Perhaps, I had something on my face and they were waiting until I passed by to snicker.) I think maybe in this economic downturn that people are a little more approachable, more likely to see others and help out by holding the door open or letting someone go ahead of them. Maybe I'm delirious and I just want to believe that people are truly good, and that courtesy is not dead! Either way, my day's going good, how 'bout you?

Ode to Sidney

(I saw this on someone else's blog and so I totally had to lift it!)

So cute
Ingenious

Does well at volleyball

Notices others

Excited about her birthday

Yearns to learn

Mesmerizing eyes

Always kind

Sticks to what is good

Helpful

Extremely funny

Loves to swim

Makes us laugh

Unavoidably smart

Happens to be clever

Likes to try new foods

Example to others

Steps in as big sister

Tries her best

Exceptional reader

Intuitive

Naturally girly.

Happy Birthday to our sweet Sidney.

We love you!

Is that Sew...

I wanted to teach Sidney how to sew, so before Spring break, Sidney picked out some material to make a dress out of and we finally got around to it this last Friday. Sidney enjoyed learning how you decide which pieces of the pattern to use and how you place it on the fabric. She was anxious about the actual sewing part, but once I taught her all the buttons on the sewing machine she was ready. She liked practicing with different stitching pattern. If I hadn't run out of thread on Friday we probably could have finished it then. But she asked if we could finish it Sunday morning, so we got back to work and by then Hayden wanted to know how to sew, so Sidney was sharing her new info with him. A couple of hours later and...WA LA. A new dress for Sidney. She was beaming.

Locks of Love

A few weeks ago I asked Sidney if she would consider cutting her hair. We've been good about trimming it, but it seems to reach a certain length and stops growing. So, when she said she would think about it, I decide to see what it takes to donate to locks of love. It's really pretty simple...you can do it yourself or have it done at any hair cut place or salon.

So, I asked Sidney to look at other girls her age and check out which length of hair she might like. She told me that she liked it "shoulder length". Well, everyone has an idea in their head of what they think shoulder length is, so I was thinking of my idea and told her that if she wanted it that way then there probably wouldn't be enough to donate to lock of love, but that it would be okay, she could have her hair any length she wanted.

(This is just before we left)

We decided last Saturday that we had time and she was ready to get it cut. We went someplace close to home and put her name on the list. When the lady was ready and asked what we were doing with her hair, I said that Sidney had wanted to donate to locks of love, but that she also wanted it shoulder length. Then for the first time Sidney points to her neck, just barely lower than her jaw and says "Yea, I want it just above my shoulders." That surprised me because then she had plenty of hair to donate. The lady took her back and measured it, combed it, put an elastic in it.......and then cut it!

At first, Sidney said she didn't notice anything different. Not until the lady was done cutting and let her see the back of her hair with a mirror did she seem surprised.

Now, she loves it and it takes less time to take care of.

I think she looks adorable!!! But then again...I'm biased.

The bonus is that the hair cut place didn't charge us because she was donating her hair...who knew?

The fruits {and veggies} of our labor!

So, John and the kids have finished planting everything in the garden for this season. It all started about 6 weeks ago. We have anxiously been waiting for the chance to try something and see if they are worth it. On Sunday, John snipped off some of the butter crunch lettuce, some romaine, some of the pretty purple stuff (like the technical terms I use?) and some of the spinach. I added some of our ripe cherry tomatoes and we had a yummy salad. Some of the romaine and spinach were a little bitter, but we ate them and enjoyed it anyway. Later, John found out you're supposed to pinch off the first of those and discard them because they always tend to be bitter. We just didn't want to waste any!
{This is the very salad, all ingredients grown in our very own backyard!}




Then, just yesterday, the strawberry that has been growing and ripening up and we've just been waiting for it to turn all red...finally was ripe! The kids were so excited (and this is just one strawberry). We also clipped off some more spinach and chives to use with dinner last night...oh, they were yum! Anyway, we cut the one strawberry into 4 pieces and each ate them at the same time. Guess what? It tasted just like.....a STRAWBERRY!

{THE strawberry, ain't it a beauty?}


Well, we're having such fun. [Yes, I totally just admitted to enjoying the garden] And we're hoping that everything else just grows like it's supposed to.

Project 365

On the very first day of this year I was lucky enough to order a kit from Creating Keepsakes created by Becky Higgins called Project 365. Basically, you take a picture everyday and journal about it. The kit provides an album and page protectors that allow you to just slide your pictures right in. Then you can write about your typical day and so forth. Well, the kit was so popular it sold out in like an hour and many people (including myself) are waiting for the kit to come in from backorder. So, while I haven't posted one picture this year on my blog, I've been trying to take one picture everyday of something original or typical about that day. Some days are hard because there's not much to take a picture of and other days where you have to choose. Anyway, I thought I would just post a few favorites. Here's just a little of what we've been up to.

On the first of January we did a lot of organizing. The pantry, the food storage, some cupboards and drawers. It was a great way to start the year.

John made cookies for us. Just good 'ol chocolate chip, they were delicioso!

The kids went back to school after the holiday break. It was bittersweet, we had such fun while they were home.

I decided to make homemade birthday cards for all the family this year. Trying to get prepared by making them in one or two sittings. Some turned out better than others, but please know that I made them with love!

Trying to get a decent self-portrait. My hair changes a little too often and sometimes I have to document the different stages so I remember.

My sweet daughter. She came to sit by me and just snuggle for a bit. Why does she have to grow up?

Homemade pizzas. We make them very well if I do say so myself!

Kinda blurry, but Hayden learned to ride his bike without the training wheels. They probably should have come off a while ago because he didn't have any trouble turning or going up onto the sidewalk or anything.

My sweet Sidney. She has just a gorgeous smile, but when you put the camera in front of her she gets all nervous and tries to make a different smile with her face.?

The garden, phase 1. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, strawberries, zucchini, and spinach, just to name a few.

Every Sunday, the kids and I play Killer Bunnies while John is at his Sunday meetings. I had to capture the fact I had 6 bunnies at once. The funny part...Hayden wins this game...all the time...every time. We all still love to play it though.

We're a motley crew, but we're family. We are having a small reunion of sorts. Two brothers, my mom, 2 nieces and one came with her husband and two children to meet up for lunch at Matta's grill. It is nice to have family close-by!

Our Friday Game Night with our friends, the Bowman's.

Hayden got an award for Citizenship because another teacher caught him cleaning up the bathroom at school. He was thrilled to be recognized! He got to have a special chair in class the rest of the week. Proud mom moment!

Typical morning before school...gotta brush those pearly whites.

Fruits of our labors, literally! (Yes, a tomato is truly a fruit.) By the way, they are now ripening faster than we can eat them, so if you like cherry tomatoes come on over!

Ok, so that was a glimpse of our simple family life. It's not glamorous, but when I look at these pictures I feel right where I need to be.

Now, if my kit would just come...

Ironic

Do you ever get the feeling you've tried really hard or worked on something expecting a certain outcome and it just wasn't there. The closest I can come to explaining it is with lyrics to a song. Ya know the song by Alanis Morissette, Ironic? Okay get that tune in your head, then the lyrics will come.

"An old man turned ninety-eight
He won the lottery and died the next day..."
(move on to the chorus)

"It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought ... it figures "

(then jumping clear to the very last verse)
"Life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
Life has a funny, funny way of helping you out
Helping you out "

I'm sure I take many things and people and opportunities for granted. I try to appreciate who I have, what I have and how lucky and fortunate I am. (I've said before how spoiled I am).

BUT, earlier this week I felt like I was trying to row upstream and was just so completely frustrated. I'm better now. Life seems to ease up on its own.

So, what do the lyrics mean? Life is just ironic. It's never coordinated to work out exactly how you've planned it or wanted it to happen. Life just happens whether you're on board or not. Sometimes I just get caught off guard and don't know what to think.

(Oh, I just remembered another song that could be applicable too. Howard Jones, No One is to Blame.)