tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87284869658388280242024-02-06T21:19:00.170-06:00Amelia is RabbitAmeliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comBlogger209125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-47672562325937440652015-12-26T19:41:00.002-06:002015-12-26T19:42:27.553-06:00Back to the Classics Challenge 2016: Reading ListHaving finally (FINALLY) completed my degree, it's time to get back in touch with the Amelia who used to stay up until 2am reading classic books. I was excited to find the <a href="http://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/2015/12/back-to-classics-2016.html" target="_blank">Back to the Classics 2016 reading challenge</a> to get me started and keep me accountable. You can find all of the rules <a href="http://karensbooksandchocolate.blogspot.com/2015/12/back-to-classics-2016.html" target="_blank">here</a><br />
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and sign up to join in the fun! I've started to keep a list of possible books, and will continue to add to it as different classics come to mind.</div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;">1. </span><b style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;">A 19th Century Classic</b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;">- I think I'd like to try <i>Far from the Madding Crowd</i> by Thomas Hardy. I watched the film adaptation a few weeks ago and now I want to check out the book.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;">2. <b>A 20th Century Classic - </b></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"><br />3. <b>A classic by a woman author</b>. <i>Pat of Silver Bush</i> by L.M. Montgomery.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"><br />4. <b>A classic in translation</b>. Something by Tolstoy. Maybe <i>Anna Karenina?</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"><br />6. <b>An adventure classic.</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;">8. <b>A classic detective novel.</b> I dabbled in some Agatha Christie again last year, since I've only read a handful of her books. I'd like to read some of her Poirot novels.</span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"><br />9. <b>A classic which includes the name of a place in the title.</b> </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;">I've heard a lot about </span><i style="font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;">A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.</i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"><br />10. <b>A classic which has been banned or censored. </b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"><br />11. <b>Re-read a classic you read in school (high school or college). </b> <i>Jane Eyre</i> or perhaps some Dickens (provided that I can get the Much Beloved Books cabinet successfully unlocked).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; font-size: 15.4px; line-height: 21.56px; text-align: start;"><br />12. <b>A volume of classic short stories.</b> <i>Hangman's Holiday</i> by Dorothy Sayers</span></div>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-86693477768405347832013-02-23T14:35:00.000-06:002013-02-23T14:40:52.448-06:00Identity CrisisI officially had my first pregnancy-hormone-induced nervous breakdown the other night. I wish I could say that it was because I was watching a really sappy movie or reading a make-your-heart-ache book, but I wasn't.<br />
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I was reading an article about classical education.<br />
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(Back story: one of the many advantages to being homeschooled forever is that I have been exposed to many different types of home education styles over the years, thus making it clear which styles I would like to try with my own children. Since I find myself leaning strongly toward a literature-based education that teaches my children to THINK, I'm reading what I can about Charlotte Mason/classical education in an attempt to blend the two. We'll see.)<br />
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Anyway, I was sitting there reading my article about classical education and Steve was playing some Star Wars computer game. It was an innocent-the-children-are-magically-asleep-before-eight kind of evening that we only dream about. The article's author was illustrating the benefits of classical education by describing the achievements of her now-35-year-old daughter: she taught herself multiple languages in highschool, excelled on the SAT, received a National Merit Scholarship, studied English literature in Oxford, studied for her MDiv, wrote books, founded a publishing company, and was currently studying for her doctorate in American Literature while homeschooling her four boys.<br />
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That's when I started bawling. Steve said, "What's wrong?" I sobbed, "What's wrong with <i>me</i>? There were all of these things that I was interested in and I'm just as intelligent of a person and I love literature and England but none of that stuff happened to me! I want to BE that type of person! And I actually want to be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Beavan" target="_blank">Jenny Beavan</a>, too. Yet here I am in a sleepy, boring little rural Nebraska town, changing fifteen poopy diapers a day and breaking up fights and it's just the beginning! And I can't seem to finish a degree in <i>anything</i> no matter how hard I try!"<br />
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I managed to stop blubbering and Steve said some things about how it wouldn't always be like this (except my mom says it <i>will be</i> if you have a million children) and I nodded.<br />
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But at that moment I did feel very very far away from the Amelia-that-once-was. I felt eons away from the girl who read every Dickens book one summer and who wanted to get an English Literature degree from the University of London. I felt immensely distanced from the person who pored over costuming books and magazines and websites and worked for months to create an intensely historically accurate garment. I even felt far away from the more-recent Amelia who wanted to go to seminary and write books that actually made a difference in people's lives. I felt like all of those dreams and ideas that I fostered Before Marriage and Children were now a lifeless, mostly-deflated balloon, barely able to bob above the floor.<br />
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What was the point of it all?<br />
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I think that the point of my sobbing session was to bring to the forefront of my sleep-deprived mind some important issues: where did I truly place my identity? And how was I supposed to reconcile my God-given interests with my God-given circumstances?<br />
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<b>Where is my identity?</b><br />
Of course, I would <i>say</i> that my true identity is in Jesus Christ, having been ransomed from the punishment for my sin by his death and redeemed to live a sanctified, God-glorifying life by his grace. And that is what I would say and that is what I believe to be true. But I think that functionally I get a off-track sometimes by what I want people to see and notice about me...and <i>not</i> notice. <br />
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After Clara got married just six short months after me, we would get together and commiserate about how everybody still referred to us as "the Hajda girls." But we <i>weren't</i> the Hajda girls anymore. We were grown-up, married ladies, with new last names and new-ish lives. Now, there's nothing wrong with being a Hajda (I'm quite glad to be one, you know), but we got rather sick of it being the <i>only </i>way people thought of us. What about who we were as individuals...as married women?<br />
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I think that I face a similar identity issue with being identified as a "mother." Something in me bucks against the prospect of being only known by and associated with diapers and organic food and debates about circumcision and homeschooling methods. Because while I can appreciate those things, it's not fundamentally <i>me</i>. It's not Amelia. So I want people to see me as being identified with something else: theological bents, literary intelligence, and the ability to conceive and write sewing tutorials that can spank the pants off of <a href="http://prudentbaby.com/" target="_blank">Prudent Baby</a>. <br />
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The bottom-line, scary issue is that I desperately want people to see and appreciate ME as I've identified myself. I functionally don't really want them to see Christ in me, as he chooses to place me in my current lay-down-your-life circumstances that are anything but glamorous or mind-stimulating or glaringly productive. Suddenly my apparent "deprivation" is really just pride and self-righteousness...just <i>sin. </i>Yikes. <br />
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But thankfully, because I really truly am identified in Christ, I can repent of that sin and experience his forgiveness and a change of perspective. I know that such deep-seeded identity issues can have many layers and may take many different occasions to "work through," but I am grateful for seeing a glimpse of where the major source of my angst really lies.<br />
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Then the next question arose in my mind: <b>okay, so I do have these life-long interests, that I believe are God-given. What do I <i>do</i> with them? </b><br />
Do I wait until my millions of kids are grown up? Do I just go ahead and pop my already deflated balloon and resign myself to the fact that debating cloth diapering methods is my only hope? How do I deal with the daily grind of wiping little fish-belly-white bottoms AND touch base with those aspects of life and godliness that really rejuvenate and inspire me?<br />
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In short: how do I read more good books? Expand my sewing knowledge and design experience? Write thoughtful blog posts?<br />
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After mulling this over, three things come to mind:<br />
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<b>1. Put my identity in the right place.</b><br />
I don't have to put my identity in my ability to do all of these great amazing things. I can just go back to enjoying these interests for their own sake. That removes a lot of the pressure. (In theory, if I remove my identity from my ability to sew, I <i>should</i> be able to redesign a pattern without wondering what people are going to think of it. In <i>theory.</i>) This is by far the hardest thing for me to do, requiring me to rely daily on grace for change and to not get discouraged from lack of response from the perceived "public."<br />
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<b>2. Plan.</b><br />
Last week I had about three blessed hours in which to sew or craft or do something...fun. And I spent those three hours digging around in my fabric scraps, and rummaging around on Pinterest boards all to absolutely no avail. I was very crabby. If I'm going to grow in my interests, I'm going to have to plan for them. It's the plain and simple truth. I need to select a pattern or design interest and buy or acquire the needed materials <i>and</i> set aside the time to work on it. I need to figure out which book would be worth my while <i>before</i> spend an hour reading the potentially lame-o sample on the Kindle. I need to keep a notebook handy to jot down ideas for a blog post, so I don't spend all of nap time tapping my fingers aimlessly on the keys. <br />
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<b>3. Adjust expectations.</b><br />
I have to face it. Gone are the days when I can spend six hours on a Saturday watching Pride and Prejudice and meticulously hand-hemming hundreds of yards of pleated silk ruffles. I simply can't indulge in a many-hour C.S. Lewis reading spree. But I <i>can</i> learn to be content with the 30 minutes during naptime to finish another chapter or the hour or two during Steve's days off to make progress on another project. And when I'm prioritizing interests I might just have to admit that my kitchen won't always be spotless, or we might just have to eat a frozen pizza once in a while. It's all for a good cause, right?<br />
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This is getting rather lengthy, but it feels good to type it out. I feel hopeful that I can get back in contact with those ideas and interests that once inspired me without placing my identity in them. And I feel like I can continue to pursue what I love <i>alongside of</i> rather than <i>instead of</i> the responsibilities and circumstances that God has given me.<br />
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My children are starting to get restless, so I'd better scoot. Have a great weekend!<br />
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Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-77448681890055967772013-02-19T13:16:00.002-06:002013-02-19T13:16:48.181-06:00Life of lateFirst and foremost, a most HEARTY welcome to the world, Elizabeth Lucille Williams! Of course, it feels like Betsy as been here forever already, but it is awfully nice to put a sweet little fatty face with her name. Goodness, she's a sweetheart, and my sister is wonder woman for getting to the hospital 15 minutes before delivering Betsy (without an epidural, obviously). I definitely think that is the way to have a baby! <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I'm also grateful for Clara going to all of the work of getting Betsy out since holding her sweet little baby self has renewed my excitement for having Rodgers Child #3.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>We had the stomach bug of Horrible last week. It was the weirdest stomach-related illness I have ever encountered, especially the Puking-Again-After-Feeling-Fine-For-Three-Days-Part-Thank-You-Harriet. Somehow we managed to keep up with about nine thousand loads of laundry, and to keep it from spreading to Steve, but wowee. I don't want to do that again. <br /><br />Speaking of sickness, I'm relieved to report that ye ol' morning sickness has waned considerably in the last week or so. This is a blessed relief since I was getting pretty weary of lounging about on the couch trying not to puke while watching Thomas the Tank Engine on repeat. Well, Harriet was watching Thomas. I was trying to block it out of my mind. I realized that when you have morning sickness with kid #1, you can indulge in the miserable. When you have kid #2, you can sort of get by and keep throwing toys and Cheerios in the older child's direction to keep her occupied. But when you have kid #3? You have to drag yourself out of bed, make breakfast for everyone, try not to get sick, change all of the diapers, attempt some laundry, figure out lunch, and deal with a two-year-old wondering why Mommy is being so boring, and a one-year-old who thinks, "Oh my gosh! Mommy is sitting down all of the time. NURSING PARTY!!" In any case, now the worst part of the day is the few moments before breakfast and then things start settling down nicely. I'm grateful. We will survive!<br /><br />I mentioned to Steve last night that after seeing Betsy I really want to have another girl. I need another girl to balance out the extreme Man-Childness that is Edmund Paul. But if cravings and sickness are any indicator, then I'm betting on another Man-Child. Oh well. We'll see.<br /><br />All of this sickness and being out of sorts has resulted in Harriet ramping up her need to be in charge of the world, including her parents. This has been distressing to me because, frankly, who feels like arguing with a two-year-old from 6:40am to 8:30pm? And who wants their beloved two-year-old to grow up into an intolerable control-freak? Not me. I was nearly in tears the other night because I just couldn't.take.it.anymore and I was earnestly praying that I would have some wisdom about how to deal with her constant arguing and controlling. I want to enjoy Harriet, you know? Anyways, I was thinking about really defining in <i>my</i> mind the rules that are non-negotiable. These obviously concern her safety and general well-being. Having recommitted myself to these rules, I determined <i>not</i> to argue about stupid things like if her doll carrier is a wrap or a backpack and just ignore her. If she pushes the issue and throws a fit trying to get a reaction from me...it's time out time. Then the major moment of divine inspiration struck: make a routine sticker chart. Harriet always, without fail, argues with me about our daily routine. She knows what she's supposed to do, it happens the same exact way every single day, it's not rigorous or unreasonable. She just is constantly pushing each step of the routine to see if Mommy is in charge or if Harriet is in charge. SO. I made a nifty little chart with pictures of each of the steps of her morning routine: <br />
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Here we have eat breakfast, get dressed, fix hair, watch a movie, do a craft project, read books, and eat lunch. Of course, there are other things that we might do in a given morning, but these are the basic items of which a normal morning routine consists. The chart is on regular 8.5"x11 piece of paper, and my plan is to just print off a new one every morning. As soon as she completes part of her routine, I give her a sticker which she places on the associated picture. I explained all of this to her yesterday afternoon after she had done each part of the routine that morning. She was super excited as we placed each sticker on the pictures and was particularly thrilled to share her results with Steve that evening. I was curious to see if she would still be as excited about the chart this morning, but when I presented her with a blank chart she got right to work telling me which item she needed to do first. It was amazing. No arguing, no back talk, no tantrums. If she ever asked me if she could do something that wasn't on the chart (usually asking to watch a movie when it wasn't time yet), I would direct her back to the pictures on the chart and she would readily get back into the groove. Suddenly, she was in "control" of her morning - while I was <i>really</i> still in control. Haha. And now the debate isn't between us as mother and daughter...it's between Harriet and her chart.</div>
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I'm seriously praising God for this inspiration. I don't know how long the goodness will last, but I know that February 19th 2013 was a much better day. Ah, parenting.</div>
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Good news with our new house prospect! We have a tentative closing date on March 15, assuming that the loan process will continue to go smoothly and that the current renters will be able to find a new location. I'm crazy happy about this. I have to admit that since starting the process of buying a new home, I have totally lost any drive to further organize our stuff in our teeny little house. Why bother? Pass those moving boxes, please, and let's get packing. I keep having dreams that we are already living in the new house: I'm giving baths to the kids in the claw foot tub in the upstairs bathroom, decorating the dining room, etc. I love it.</div>
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Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-50872632954611766522013-02-15T09:22:00.002-06:002013-02-15T09:22:46.817-06:00Valentine's Day at the Rodgers AbodeAs the kids get older, I get increasing excited about starting our own little family traditions centered around holidays. I really love Valentine's Day and always have (not just since having a Mr. Wonderful), so it was fun to think of what we could do together as a family that would just be fun, and pink, and celebratory.<br />
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Thanks to Target for the super-fun plates and cups. A few weeks ago we each picked out which dishes we would like to have and then I stashed them away for our Valentine's Day breakfast. The cinnamon rolls were a total Pinterest fail. You see, I saved the pin of the heart-shaped cinnamon rolls that was captioned: "made from refrigerated cinnamon rolls." So that's what I purchased, only to discover that the caption was highly inaccurate and the actual recipe for heart-shaped cinnamon rolls was made from homemade dough - which would have been much healthier/easier to work with. Consequently, we had nasty refrigerated cinnamon rolls, much to the delight of the children. And veggie-fied scrambled eggs, which was actually even more of a hit with my veggie addicted children. </div>
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[Steve finds a French music album on Spotify]</div>
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Me: Haha, Steve, what's a loosely-inspired French breakfast without using our Le Creuset pan?</div>
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[violent cracking noise]</div>
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Me: OH NO! The pan just CRACKED! [freaking out]</div>
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Steve: Well we need to contact their customer service.</div>
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Me: Or I need to make sure that I'm not setting it down on a calrod that is still on.</div>
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Steve: Oh. I guess we need to get a gas stove, huh?</div>
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Valentine gift bags from Grami Cami and Grandpa Paul. Jolly fun.</div>
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(Methinks they are just a little bit related.)</div>
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Anyways, I'm continuing to learn that the best laid parties of Amelia will inevitably have catastrophes like Pinterest fails and broken stoneware. And many spilled glasses of water. But I think we had fun and I look forward to bringing the dishes out of hiding again next year.</div>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-15396308323437769772013-02-02T17:17:00.002-06:002013-02-02T17:23:20.774-06:00Pictures and suchLast week I got all of Edmund's First Year pictures printed and placed into a photo album. This deserves some kind of FlyLady/Over-Achiever/Cool Mom prize because I'm not really sure how I happened to actually locate all of the needed pictures <i>and</i> get them all printed <i>and</i> find an appropriate album to house them. But it happened and I'm glad to have one thing that I want to do actually accomplished. It might make a difference that there were quite a bit fewer pictures of Mr. Second-born. And I didn't think of doing this with the kids' pictures until Harriet was already two years old, so I have a lot of catching up to do with hers. <br />
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The thing that cracks me up when I look at a year's worth of pictures of Harriet or Edmund is that they look exactly the same as newborns, infants, and toddlers. Of course, they change physically (and thankfully lose that awful newborn alien look) and they develop personalities, etc, but the expressions both kids made as fresh-into-the-world-people are the ones they make today. Harriet still looks as though she is trying to make the world succumb to her will through her intense stare. And Edmund still looks basically chill and jolly. It's funny, and not an unusual situation I'm sure.<br />
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Speaking of pictures, when I was sorting through Edmund's photographic documentation, I found the extras/outtakes from our family Christmas card shoot. Granted, these are from October-ish, so they are old. But they are pretty funny and since my camera is still MIA, this is what you get:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wait. Where did the hobbit come from?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"They're taking the Hobbits to Isengard!"</td></tr>
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All credit goes to <a href="http://clarawilliamsphotography.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Clara</a> who is ready at a moment's notice when I say things like: QUICK! We're wearing socially acceptable clothing that kind of coordinates and both of the kids took naps this afternoon!<br />
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<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-85815467574872344062013-02-01T16:59:00.000-06:002013-02-01T16:59:36.252-06:00Blurbs<br />
<ul>
<li>Mom fail: We got to Kearney for Steve's Bible study on Wednesday morning on time and in fine form...until I realized that Edmund didn't have any shoes. Or socks. And it was 12 degrees with a windchill of -3. Good job, me. So if you saw a rather frazzled looking mom with two blanket-wrapped pajama'ed kids dashing around Wal-Mart at seven in the morning buying socks and shoes, that would have been me. </li>
<li>One good thing about the new shoes for Edmund is that they provide a lot more stability in his standing than his Robeez-style shoes. He is getting bolder about transitioning between furniture and pushes a car "walker" thing all over the house. I can tell he's ready to make some sort of major developmental milestone because he has been <i>so crabby</i>. He tries playing with things, but then they don't work like he desires (i.e. tiny object won't fit into tinier hole) and then he whines and moans and throws himself into a prostrate position onto the floor in utter despair. He was just moaning about something a moment ago, but I decided to ignore him and now he's playing calmly again. Phew.</li>
<li>A positive Edmund event? He gives hugs voluntarily. And if you mention hugs, he goes "<i>GRRRRRRRRR" </i>and tenses up every muscle in his body and squeezes something. It's pretty adorable. He's going to be ONE WHOLE YEAR OLD in two weeks! What in the world? I have to say that I really love having two toddlers. Being able to communicate with and do things with both of them is pretty awesome.</li>
<li>Harriet is completely absorbed with Toy Story 2 right now. I'm relieved to have a movie playing that actually has a plot that an adult can appreciate. Way too much Kipper the Dog lately. We watched Windstorm in Bubbleland together this morning and even though it was her first viewing (maybe?) she has been singing the songs all day. So much love in this situation.</li>
<li>We're plodding along with the home loan stuff. As anyone who has purchased a home already knows, it's a lot of hurry up and wait. We had been communicating with a loan officer dude for two weeks and discovered today that we are required to have six months of payments for <i>both</i> properties <i>with</i> a paper trail. So no tax refund and no gifting from others (both of which are in place for use) will suffice. Frankly, if we had that much money habitually lounging around in our savings account for months, I think we'd be going for a conventional loan directly from a bank. Seriously, the illogical nature of this requirement makes my brain want to explode.</li>
<li>Five minutes til five. We've been designating 5pm as our "anchor" during which we pick up toys, finish up laundry/dishes and prepare supper. Having this in place has been so freeing because knowing that I will have a set time to do chores prevents me from obsessively cleaning all day and getting freaked out when the kids mess it up. Little things, you know?</li>
<li>It's going to be hard waiting until Steve gets off to eat the roast that's cooking away in the oven. It smells incredible. </li>
<li>Cheerio!</li>
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Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-6421198131529759462013-01-15T22:07:00.003-06:002013-01-15T22:07:53.827-06:00Brain BlankI seriously think of things to type all day long and then once the kids are finally asleep and I'm finally sitting down with <strike>ice cream</strike> homemade chocolate greek yogurt I seriously cannot put two thoughts together. This may have something to do with losing concentration skills due to E's frequent night wakings, or it could be because Jazzercise is a brain bender this week. It might just be that so many things are happening right now that I can't keep it all straight.<br />
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The latest greatest excitement is that we are going to try to buy another house. "Whoa, wait," you say. "Don't you already own your house?" Yes, we do. But the truth of the matter is that our current home is quite small (smaller than a typical one bedroom apartment) and we have reached a critical point in which the Small Rodgers Children need to have their own room. Also I would really appreciate it if the massive toy collection could move out of the living room. And the bathroom sink could be located somewhere besides our bedroom.<br />
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Don't get me wrong, I <i>love</i> this little bungalow. I love my yellow and white living room. I love the huge backyard. I love its cozy cuteness. However, my love for it can't increase space. And we need more space. It's always been a thought to build an addition... to convert the garage and add on to the back of the house. Once again, reality trumps fantasy as any improvements we would make would not change crucial issues like a) the bathroom, or b) the teeny dining room, without borrowing a considerable sum of money.<br />
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So anyways, we have a home that we are seriously considering. It's exciting and frightening all at the same time. All along the way I've been praying that God will make it clear if we are to proceed or not, and so far proceeding seems to the action we are to take. Sometimes I wish that decision could be made after knowing all of the possible issues or future concerns or whatever, but since we can't really know everything (obviously) we're going to have to make our plans as wisely as possible. And I have to trust that God will lead us in the direction he wants us to go...and that he really<b> <i>isn't</i></b> out to get me. Why is that so hard to grasp sometimes?<br />
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In any case, this is probably why my brain is fried. I also am reading about five books at once and I really want to review some of them, so stay tuned....Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-12957044361782608602013-01-07T21:53:00.002-06:002013-01-07T21:58:39.951-06:00Monday night<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I desperately need to find my camera. Here's what happened: I couldn't find it for several days, and then Steve found it in...lo and behold...the camera <i>case</i> on the hanging rack where it is supposed to live. I happily started to upload some long overdue pictures to Facebook and I honestly do not remember what happened to the camera after that. I've looked all around the computer, all over the furniture, and in every toy/laundry/junk basket. This is getting rather boring.<br />
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I don't think that blog posts <i>need</i> pictures to be interesting, of course. But it does help to illustrate the interesting things that have been happening. It would be nice, for example, if you could see a picture of the wacky pretend snow that I made with the kids this morning. We have been reading The Snowy Day for BFIAR and Harriet loves it. Even though we have a few inches of (melting) snow outside, I decided that messy pretend snow was a lesser evil than going outside into the really <i>cold</i> snow, so we dumped cornstarch and shaving cream together for a sensory experience to remember. The pretend snow was fun to play with, even though the texture was definitely more like sand...and now the entire basement smells like Gillette.<br />
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Since Harriet is absolutely madly in love with the snow, I was a nice mommy and let her go outside again this afternoon. The 40 degree temps helped.<br />
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I would also like to have my camera to accurately depict the delicious supper we had tonight: Fish Tacos with Mango Salsa and chipotle sour cream. YUM. Just for the record, I had never even thought of fish tacos being something to consider until Steve got me hooked after we got married. <i>(Seriously, the only fish taco I had ever seen was when I went with a bunch of peeps from CBI to TGI Fridays in Rapid City. It definitely didn't make me want to eat it.</i>) Tonight's fish tacos were amazing. I combined <a href="http://flowerpatchfarmgirl.blogspot.com/2013/01/funder.html" target="_blank">this recipe</a> from Flower Patch Farm Girl with the crunchy fish recipe from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Food-Matters-Cookbook-Revolutionary/dp/1439120234/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1357617129&sr=8-1&keywords=food+matters+cookbook" target="_blank">Food Matters</a>, and tada! Wonderfully delicious fish tacos that only a picture could adequate capture. Just try to imagine bold purple cabbage, bright yellow mango, fresh green cucumber, cornmeal crusted pan-fried cod, creamy chipotle sour cream....<br />
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Last Friday I got my nose pierced:<br />
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[insert webcam shot of Amelia with post-Jazzercise hair]<br />
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I love it. Like really and truly. Getting my nose pierced has been on my "I'd like to do that someday" list for about forever, but it kept getting shoved aside for one reason or another. <i> (I came thiiiiisss close to doing it in November when we went to California, but I'm so glad that puking Harriet prevented me from doing so. It doesn't seem like the stomach bug and a new piercing would work together very well</i>.) So, anyway, last Friday I went to my piercing appointment with this little heavily-pierced, cleanliness-conscious dude who did an excellent job at his Not Scary piercing studio. I read a lot about nose piercings prior to the grand event, and many people said that it didn't hurt very much. I don't know what kind of pain they were expecting, but it definitely hurt more than I thought it would. Thankfully, the intense feeling of having all of your nose hairs pulled out at once lasted for only a minute or so, and I haven't experienced much discomfort since. In fact, I forget that the little stud is even there and when I glance in a mirror I think, "What is that on my nose?"<br />
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I really love it. It's so sparkly and feminine and adorable.<br />
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The kids are in bed, thanks to their new and improved Be Asleep By Eight Thirty Routine. Maybe I'll keep digging around for my camera....<br />
<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-40501182475450488852013-01-06T16:47:00.000-06:002013-01-06T16:47:07.707-06:00Out with the old, in with the new<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>The following was written on New Years Day, but through some fluke involving the Kindle, Steve, and Too Many Windows Open, the post was deleted. Thankfully, Mom's Google Reader saved it so thanks to a little copy/paste action, it as been recovered. For better or for worse.</i></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Happy New Year!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Now is the time whilst I wait for supper to finish cooking and hack out something of the adventures and misadventures of 2012. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Last year's goal? Pop out a baby. Success! We have been enjoying sweet Edmund Paul for almost a whole year now. This is craziness, my friends. I keep wondering why he's fitting into 12-month sized clothes...could it be because he is nearly a whole year old? </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Because my 2012 goal was somewhat limited and achieved at the beginning of the year, I had many months to happen across other random goals and have some interesting experiences. So here we have Amelia's Top Twelve of 2012 (in no particular order):</span><br />
<ol style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">
<li>Having Edmund.</li>
<li>Harriet moving into her Big Girl Bed.</li>
<li>Finishing a whole year of online classes through Calvary Bible College (just fifteen credits to go, peeps. So so so close.)</li>
<li>Going to the Gospel Coalition's first National Women's Conference in Orlando.</li>
<li>Taking the kids and their Granmom to Disneyworld after the aforementioned conference.</li>
<li>Training for and completing a 5K.</li>
<li>Steve switching to a day shift.</li>
<li>Building our enormously wonderful privacy fence.</li>
<li>Making a successful tiramisu</li>
<li>Having our wonderful square foot garden.</li>
<li>Watching Harriet grow and learn</li>
<li>Celebrating three years of marriage with Mr. Wonderful.</li>
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Now, in looking ahead to 2013, my goals are simple:</div>
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<ul>
<li>Read more</li>
<li>Write more</li>
<li>Take more pictures</li>
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I'm not sure what counts as "more" yet, but I think that increasing the amounts in these three categories will be extremely beneficial to little ol' me. </div>
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And the veggies and couscous are done and Harriet is pitching a fit because Shaun the Sheep is over. </div>
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Welcome, 2013!</div>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-25545387149976167392012-10-19T16:37:00.001-05:002012-10-19T16:37:27.299-05:00Celebrate Fall Photo Challenge: ORANGE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3XAAtEcoUkav15HMD0XsB1B9xvAHD7JXVfpeteYWHEKRLVT-CLA6E1bIP4MDzlUuNkJQ79wSn3ufVO5OQ30HYdoSqZI-NdJmbKKXJHS30CHiRmKN4Y7j7v_bNXYA41G9__j_Dg6jxgc/s1600/oct12_0079.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK3XAAtEcoUkav15HMD0XsB1B9xvAHD7JXVfpeteYWHEKRLVT-CLA6E1bIP4MDzlUuNkJQ79wSn3ufVO5OQ30HYdoSqZI-NdJmbKKXJHS30CHiRmKN4Y7j7v_bNXYA41G9__j_Dg6jxgc/s640/oct12_0079.JPG" width="427" /></a></div>
<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-36799983565154825132012-10-12T14:42:00.003-05:002012-10-12T14:43:14.777-05:00In praise of Fall (aka a rambly updatey post)<div>
(Steve and Edmund are napping, Harriet is out with the relatives, and I'm going to do something that I don't <i>have</i> to do.)</div>
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Fall makes me so happy, really and truly. Summer is great because it's warm and relaxed, and spring is great because I hate winter, but fall? It's this roasty-toasty blend of routine and sweaters and lattes and football and windy days and warm-right-through-you sunshine. It's crunchy leaves scattered all over the ground, swirling and twirling like some kind of organic glitter. It's snuggling up with kids in their pajamas and making cinnamon swirl pancakes in the morning because we don't care if we heat the house up right away. It's COLOR and pumpkins and carrot cake cupcakes. And it results in a smiling me, just because. <div>
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Plus, fall means that I can wear my favorite outfits in the whole wide world. </div>
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Who can resist the cozy comfort of cardigans, skinny jeans, and sneakers (or flats)? I can't. This is the time of year when my personal fashion taste flourishes...and I learn that successful self-portraits involve a tree branch and a large rock sort of wedged together.</div>
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Okay, enough about me and my seasonal euphoria. I realized that it's been a while since I talked about the kids in any sort of practical Real Life way, so here we go.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkWG6aNq5eNkwShO9xtYsMv0y-zldYj5dcTVdt-HzxbA5l1f5viEHR4ZMDjvWI0pu1VMfTQK2DDFEfqUmasRkeraSzSHUk3qx_iqQQ58GBGWTVdxV0uh4j_xEOOXJXwY4ohMNJog3RNA/s1600/IMG_1025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkWG6aNq5eNkwShO9xtYsMv0y-zldYj5dcTVdt-HzxbA5l1f5viEHR4ZMDjvWI0pu1VMfTQK2DDFEfqUmasRkeraSzSHUk3qx_iqQQ58GBGWTVdxV0uh4j_xEOOXJXwY4ohMNJog3RNA/s320/IMG_1025.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53QqPmCUFPUwQPJZWltJYBuXnYxorrYIyGGYOS5UWfDmXMgzl3LwmQkSElnPUWM5nx5t0ptcbYarZv1xWeBbWoaSy0laOhf-LmW4AbVmMlxBQIOMFdfBMWIpSm_uhqzTXJkhbS6i1eT4/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj53QqPmCUFPUwQPJZWltJYBuXnYxorrYIyGGYOS5UWfDmXMgzl3LwmQkSElnPUWM5nx5t0ptcbYarZv1xWeBbWoaSy0laOhf-LmW4AbVmMlxBQIOMFdfBMWIpSm_uhqzTXJkhbS6i1eT4/s320/IMG_1030.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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Oh Harriet. Where do I begin with Harriet? She is <i>something else</i>. I think we would call this era in Harriet's life the Terrible Twos, but it feels more like the Terrible Thirteens which has me quite scared for her hormonal pubescent state. OR, maybe she's getting it all out of her system now and that loverly transition into teenage-hood will be a walk in the park. Frankly, I'm just glad that she is our oldest child and that she came along when I was rather young and energetic and open to reading lots of things about how to deal with such strong personalities such as the one she possesses. </div>
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She cracks us up with her vocabulary. </div>
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Harriet: I fell off the couch and bumped my head.</div>
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Me: Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that!</div>
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Harriet: It's okay. I forgive you.</div>
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She is such a wonderfully sweet sister to Edmund and genuinely wants to get along with him. She is very consistent in "trading" toys with him when she wants whatever thing he has. She manages everybody and everything and eats lots of cheese and hummus. And milk. And homemade popcicles. And cauliflower pizza. She basically wants to spend every moment of every day either watching Veggie Tales (she knows more song lyrics than I do) or playing with the Small Aunts (who she can name in age order). Harriet can count to ten, match shapes and colors, find all of the circles in the house, and cut playdoh with a butterknife into teeny worms and chase me around with them. </div>
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Harriet is not confined to the popular notion of being a Princess, Cowgirl, Artist, or Mommy. Nope, she wants to excel at EVERYTHING. I think that if you aren't able to spend a lot of time with Harriet, but you want to know what she is really like, you should read the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Olivia-ebook/dp/B0069C88MK/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1350070279&sr=8-1&keywords=olivia" target="_blank">Olivia</a> books by Ian Falconer. Because that is Harriet in literary pig form.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2fhb6IGQGupSscqDvPqQNMbMx9-NxK8o64vqAHxJ5WLy1c8mcgpGObaoxyqwPdWhCy9NdxTzj2hpNNwIhvTBLthuLaq3pe6xadY0K18POMvqsLKzcVysCOmI44sVOpktALyuX-KgC9Y/s1600/olivia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx2fhb6IGQGupSscqDvPqQNMbMx9-NxK8o64vqAHxJ5WLy1c8mcgpGObaoxyqwPdWhCy9NdxTzj2hpNNwIhvTBLthuLaq3pe6xadY0K18POMvqsLKzcVysCOmI44sVOpktALyuX-KgC9Y/s320/olivia.jpg" width="238" /></a></div>
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Goodness, we love her and we pray that she will use her passionate, persistent self to glorify God.<br />
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Then there is Edmund. Edmund is getting teeth in a big bad way and is so horribly pathetic that I can hardly bear it. When Harriet was getting teeth, she was just angry at the world. I was angry at her for being so out of this world unbearable, so there was a lot of general angst until the teeth popped through. With Edmund? He looks at me with these sad watery eyes and just moans. It's so sad. We spend a lot of time physically touching each other because that seems to help the tooth problem. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwUbAJ78C3DfJGLn_Afrv2jHLzPUES5YYyBEpwgMr_GyP9ijZgegED0AfYdd41rsbVoBQ5C1EZqlHP1DQM1qZajcNPp1i_xcpFoAwbAXfuj3-SOJchullEj3R_UxM-wsidGBC-DgVwWA/s1600/266429_4555369124214_952782890_o+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZwUbAJ78C3DfJGLn_Afrv2jHLzPUES5YYyBEpwgMr_GyP9ijZgegED0AfYdd41rsbVoBQ5C1EZqlHP1DQM1qZajcNPp1i_xcpFoAwbAXfuj3-SOJchullEj3R_UxM-wsidGBC-DgVwWA/s400/266429_4555369124214_952782890_o+(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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He isn't crawling yet, but he is dreadfully close. He seems to have adopted this stealth crawl thing where he quietly slides around the floor on his belly very quickly. He also used his stealth crawl to slide quickly off of the bed, which made his mother very upset. </div>
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Edmund loves textured food. While pureed stuff is okay, he would much rather chomp down on muffins, beans, or avocados. Like Harriet, he is a tremendous fan of cauliflower pizza. He has developed a bit of stranger anxiety, but continues to be a contented and easily pleased little guy. His smiles <i>kill</i>. I can't wait to see what they look like with some adorable teefies. I can't believe that he is going to be eight months old next week. Seriously?</div>
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(Okay, that was a wondrously refreshing forty-five minutes of silence and productivity. Now the pile of dishes really doesn't look so treacherous.)</div>
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Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-37468692376297097472012-10-12T13:56:00.001-05:002012-10-12T13:56:19.193-05:00Celebrate Fall Photo Challenge: RED<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyClpaiGexuJ5LHJs2559wlpuxFnL8QZLNxr7bRyYJatJWdOYYnIRn-QtmYryIUfzIYhCnFMJHPDPhWa3PD3pXgryRNiwdIFVQtsdgyoc7yA3v4hgPpuE67W7gJCW8YaPPRW20qUh1znA/s1600/IMG_1046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="570" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyClpaiGexuJ5LHJs2559wlpuxFnL8QZLNxr7bRyYJatJWdOYYnIRn-QtmYryIUfzIYhCnFMJHPDPhWa3PD3pXgryRNiwdIFVQtsdgyoc7yA3v4hgPpuE67W7gJCW8YaPPRW20qUh1znA/s640/IMG_1046.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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(Check out this<a href="http://www.bethcolehandmade.com/blog/2012/10/9/photo-challenge-week-one-red.html" target="_blank"> super fun and low-stress photo challenge</a> that celebrates my favourite season! Plus, I know the people who make the prizes and I can testify that the kettle corn will knock your socks off.)</div>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-25182499496479445742012-10-08T13:57:00.000-05:002012-10-08T13:57:04.717-05:00Jake and the Neverland Pirates costumeA lady called me back in September and asked if I could make a <a href="http://disney.go.com/disneyjunior/jake-and-the-never-land-pirates" target="_blank">Jake and the Neverland Pirates</a> costume for her grandson, who is turning three years old, and is rather batty about this television show. I had no idea what Jake and the Pirates was or what the Jake character looked like, but I agreed to make the costume. Hey, I <i>like</i> to research and create an accurate, complete "look," so even though I knew I would have to squeeze sewing into a busy schedule, I also knew that it would be fun.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHgfDRD5t3KyXHYtiTgZdPoExWPc_vd0YI8OXWuIzrBH-DGOICP6jmw1H2EpNJoweQc5C2esDLHJE_UJBm2TyFv6HQgIAKVWclWL-AB8PfI7NhmyqLvvCm5q0NfXgE4aJ_K8wRF-2m4E/s1600/124722_JAKE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUHgfDRD5t3KyXHYtiTgZdPoExWPc_vd0YI8OXWuIzrBH-DGOICP6jmw1H2EpNJoweQc5C2esDLHJE_UJBm2TyFv6HQgIAKVWclWL-AB8PfI7NhmyqLvvCm5q0NfXgE4aJ_K8wRF-2m4E/s320/124722_JAKE.jpg" width="199" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://preschoolers.about.com/od/technologyentertainment/tp/Popular-Characters-From-Jake-and-the-Never-Land-Pirates.htm" target="_blank">Source</a><br /><br /></td></tr>
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So that's what the character looks like. And here is Harriet modeling the finished costume:<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwEPa1F3RlJCG1_2-d0u0HPHTB6zxfcU6YwcAqBMUx5QAhfyoKrcXEPeIpVkXGiLCCVLSDRRFO3mLy1nEAMf3h8G_ISdtUUr3mAf_CDC_8BzQK3MY_yaFeOvisH7Iat7n4bmiPg2Yh-0/s1600/IMG_0965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwEPa1F3RlJCG1_2-d0u0HPHTB6zxfcU6YwcAqBMUx5QAhfyoKrcXEPeIpVkXGiLCCVLSDRRFO3mLy1nEAMf3h8G_ISdtUUr3mAf_CDC_8BzQK3MY_yaFeOvisH7Iat7n4bmiPg2Yh-0/s400/IMG_0965.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJEMT3pd_3OYdkfKMx-JaRwZLPTBXmP_khsz_N8ePUoQKSA8WFebGw1i-IlyZ7R_cECGgcZ2Q71bcQhRwKntcWsX6uY57IrhAE7TGu3LMcXXlS6urkbCtbM7cu8RqMZKw1x6hDC2F05M/s1600/IMG_0966.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuJEMT3pd_3OYdkfKMx-JaRwZLPTBXmP_khsz_N8ePUoQKSA8WFebGw1i-IlyZ7R_cECGgcZ2Q71bcQhRwKntcWsX6uY57IrhAE7TGu3LMcXXlS6urkbCtbM7cu8RqMZKw1x6hDC2F05M/s400/IMG_0966.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The birthday boy is a little taller than Harriet, so the costume is slightly big on her. But I think she makes a pretty adorable pirate. (Even if she refused to make a pirate-y face, the silly girl.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoC5yg_vl9K9l2NfatNtPrNwFbs1ZTLo7FDcIqwuJqT-Sfgca0n7y65wMiGmOns6zYhKeWkPrPfe88itsD-LS-E2b5-y8d74SSWYmjmm3Y84Qa_5Q4CDnsfBOcEoGqb2GIR845srvkSXo/s1600/IMG_0968.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoC5yg_vl9K9l2NfatNtPrNwFbs1ZTLo7FDcIqwuJqT-Sfgca0n7y65wMiGmOns6zYhKeWkPrPfe88itsD-LS-E2b5-y8d74SSWYmjmm3Y84Qa_5Q4CDnsfBOcEoGqb2GIR845srvkSXo/s400/IMG_0968.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>
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As you can see, I just took a purchased white shirt, and cut the sleeves and neckline to make them look all raggedy. Then I added a cross-stitched tie out of black yarn. I made the blue elastic waist pants from this <a href="http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-and-pattern-kid-pants-the-basic-pants.html" target="_blank">super-duper snazzy tutorial</a>*.<br />
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The belt is tube made from grey knit fabric and made adjustable with a D-ring closure.<br />
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Bandanna? Easy peasy. I cut a strip of red knit about 7"x30" and serged the edges.<br />
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The vest was also really simple and loads of fun to make, <a href="http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-and-pattern-frontier-vest.html" target="_blank">thanks to this loverly tutorial</a>. I made a slight modification to the pattern in that I extended the front straight out from the neckline to create the collar. I made the vest out of blue felt and finished the edges with gold metallic bias binding. (Putting on the binding was not as easy as I anticipated, since the thickness of the felt caused the binding to pull unevenly. Just a warning.) The huge gold buttons definitely make it look all pirate-y.</div>
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I was shocked at how quickly the costume came together and how cute the finished project turned out to be. I hope my client's grandson is happy!<br />
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*<i>I seriously can't say enough happy things about this pants tutorial. They work every time, people. Every time! Not only do they come together in about thirty minutes, but they are so versatile. Love!</i>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-27457768147488966672012-10-02T15:54:00.000-05:002012-10-02T17:55:36.304-05:00DIY: Lover's Knot Crocheted Scarf This post really needs to be subtitled: Amelia's Very First Attempt At Creating a Tutorial. I've been wanting to do a tutorial for just...well, forever. But whenever I get these great ideas for a little DIY wonderfulness, I get so caught up in the project that I end up with no decent in-progress pictures. <br />
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Or, I decide that actually finishing a craft project before the kids start screaming again is of more value to my general sanity than photographing it for the world to see.</div>
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I'm pretty sure the latter scenario is more common than the former, but it doesn't really matter because <i>this time </i>I remembered to take pictures. And write instructions. And take pictures. This may be the first and last tutorial I ever write, but it feels really good to be actually doing it. It also feels very scary and, in fact, my hands are shaking as I type.</div>
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Okay, no more blah-blah-Amelia's-psychoanalysis. </div>
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Lover's Knot Crocheted Scarf Tutorial</h2>
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Back Story</h3>
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I saw this lovely image of a scarf on Pinterest using a very lacy stitch and I thought it was gorgeous. (I was also desperate to do something creative after several weeks of severe crafting famine thanks to sick children and a much too busy schedule.)</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOe_eXgZXirrHj7XfRIW0uNvpwiW_MAvJjHarpb4LRDmKVQ3rHWC8dHz3857UEoiPPkWmYTx1xHIk9w0zNzUqZP4GL30U55FPdj7r8ynYT-FYhpYiHPSlOqlYmrtBRusCVUShL-L7WcQ/s1600/Loversknot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrOe_eXgZXirrHj7XfRIW0uNvpwiW_MAvJjHarpb4LRDmKVQ3rHWC8dHz3857UEoiPPkWmYTx1xHIk9w0zNzUqZP4GL30U55FPdj7r8ynYT-FYhpYiHPSlOqlYmrtBRusCVUShL-L7WcQ/s320/Loversknot.jpg" width="214" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://echt-studio.blogspot.com/2011/09/got-to-try-it-helemaal-fijn.html">Source</a></td></tr>
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Hoooowwwwever, when you go to the blog on which this stitch is featured you will soon realize that the instructions are in...Dutch. Helpful for all of the Dutch-speaking crocheters out there, but for me? Not so much. After browsing around the internets I found some instructions for this stitch - it's called the Lover's Knot - and discovered that it was so fun and easy that I should make a tutorial.<br />
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What you need:</h3>
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<li>Worsted weight yarn (I had some leftover Lion Wool in Pumpkin from Lions Brand Yarn)</li>
<li>Crochet hook size F</li>
<li>A long lazy afternoon</li>
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How to make it happen:</h3>
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<i>NOTE: Every 15 chain stitches results in 4" of scarf width. You can increase or decrease your width by adding or subtracting 15 chain stitches and then adding 1 extra chain for the first turn. For example, I chained 30 stitches and added 1 for a total of 31 stitches = 8" wide scarf.</i></div>
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1. Chain (ch) 31.</div>
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2. Single (sc) crochet in second ch from hook. Draw up the yarn out of the sc until it is about an inch high. Yarn over (yo).</div>
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3. Pull through the large loop of yarn. Now, if you look at the picture, you can see that there is the original 1" loop on the right, and a second strand of yarn on the left. Got that?</div>
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4. Insert the hook between the original 1" loop and the new strand of yarn, yo and draw up a loop so that you have two loops of yarn on your hook. As shown.</div>
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5. Yo and draw through both loops on hook.</div>
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6. So, you should have something that looks like this. Essentially what you have done is made a really large ch and then crocheted a sc through the large chain. Make sense?</div>
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7. Draw up another 1" loop, right on top of the stitch you just made, and repeat steps 3-6 so that you have two lover's knot (lk) stitches on on top of each other. </div>
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8. Skip four chs and sc in the next ch. You've now created a lk loop. See? That wasn't so hard. </div>
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9. Continue to work lk loops down the ch until you reach the end. </div>
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10. Make two lk and turn.</div>
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11. Insert hook into the top of the center stitch of the lk that you made on the previous row. (It's the loopy bit that sticking up there with an arrow pointing to it.)</div>
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12. Slip stitch.</div>
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13. Make two lk, slip stitch in the top of the next lk loop and away you go!</div>
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14. Keep making lk loops back and forth until you reach the length of scarf you desire. </div>
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15. When you reach the end of your final row (I crocheted until I nearly ran out of yarn), make only one lk and then crochet 4 ch.</div>
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16. Slip stitch in the top of the center of the lk loop that you made on the previous row.</div>
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17. Ch 4 and repeat until you reach the end of the scarf. Finish off and weave in the ends.</div>
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<h3>
The finished product:</h3>
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Now, if my instructions made any sense at all, you should end up with a lovely, lacy, super-textured scarf that is perfect for those fall days that start out all chilly and end up sunny and warm.</div>
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<h3>
The End.</h3>
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Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-37321789313251617102012-09-19T08:06:00.000-05:002012-09-19T08:06:53.642-05:00BFIAR: The Little Rabbit<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">
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Harriet and I started doing a very loosely-scheduled version of Before Five in a Row a few weeks ago. Our first book was <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesse-Bear-What-Will-Wear/dp/068980623X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1348059530&sr=1-1&keywords=what+will+you+wear+jesse+bear">Jesse Bear, What Will You Wear?</a></i>, which was a tremendous hit and involved many many readings and many hours of related activities. It was a fabulous way to start, but I don't have any photographic evidence. Drat. </div>
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HOWEVER. This week we jumped to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Little-Rabbit-Judy-Dunn/dp/0394843770"><i>The Little Rabbit</i> </a>and it has also been loads of fun. We have talked about different colors of rabbits (white, grey, brown) and read many other rabbit-related books <i>and</i> we made rabbit cookies.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUttvzoXx-PoI6bO5zNMxfbyHLOvnKNlGZfu5hNlSFypx7l0EbNHElHxOKfRORqd0e-heQ4QVSTa6n-zlKUItDF3gOWwoZSNgj-0MhdQyoyRPsSygqaawuossV55EVTs73PnrkKI7dOY/s1600/IMG_0886.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUttvzoXx-PoI6bO5zNMxfbyHLOvnKNlGZfu5hNlSFypx7l0EbNHElHxOKfRORqd0e-heQ4QVSTa6n-zlKUItDF3gOWwoZSNgj-0MhdQyoyRPsSygqaawuossV55EVTs73PnrkKI7dOY/s400/IMG_0886.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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I'm trying to do more involved projects on the days that Steve is home, so I got E down for a nap and we started baking.</div>
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I was so super-duper excited to find a <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/08/cookie-monsters-original-cookie-recipe-recovered/">scan of Cookie Monster's Cookie Dough recipe online</a> because Mom and I used to make it when I was little...and it just <i>works. Every time. Always.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8ygsFWCWjRXlqw2fUX5zZHERq4zRzjHn9uZGrX-VWS24dy7MKaHlBmxR_oNSnhRyRS0X46_Pfa5OsG6zkyFYdWoPkj5KK7Q6ZFMXLtbWwySHgE0Gm8RWz90UCzpY08HdmPQPtbKSRJI/s1600/IMG_0888.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid8ygsFWCWjRXlqw2fUX5zZHERq4zRzjHn9uZGrX-VWS24dy7MKaHlBmxR_oNSnhRyRS0X46_Pfa5OsG6zkyFYdWoPkj5KK7Q6ZFMXLtbWwySHgE0Gm8RWz90UCzpY08HdmPQPtbKSRJI/s400/IMG_0888.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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After letting the dough chill for an hour, Harriet was back at it with her rabbit cookie cutter.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF_-_5lfPim-8G9Zr6j2XqGm0Rczh7WJpkE8P8AUrgzie5Fq0OqHC44ocUOeZOA0FY70jHfwxtZktVosY4_14jvww-hWSzGezLJyu2ij3aEC8WmhusJ5WCa4oO1fjR0X02X9rRQSSWKM/s1600/IMG_0889.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWF_-_5lfPim-8G9Zr6j2XqGm0Rczh7WJpkE8P8AUrgzie5Fq0OqHC44ocUOeZOA0FY70jHfwxtZktVosY4_14jvww-hWSzGezLJyu2ij3aEC8WmhusJ5WCa4oO1fjR0X02X9rRQSSWKM/s400/IMG_0889.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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Then we painted each rabbit cookie with an <a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/12/my_favorite_christmas_cookies_from_childhood_and_beyond/">egg/food coloring paint</a>. Harriet wanted green bunnies.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlbpQJDdcgce3moElmD2s3LlgTONsBf4GTjDetflX7-chEmCOikz8Hnag7lvyXWWZrcMEHMt_xsHtwJErum5__3-SDR4m43_JolcZjzwmOWj0H6INRXE4Vl3bNcJFaCXdkFtZy3UwJo4/s1600/IMG_0890.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvlbpQJDdcgce3moElmD2s3LlgTONsBf4GTjDetflX7-chEmCOikz8Hnag7lvyXWWZrcMEHMt_xsHtwJErum5__3-SDR4m43_JolcZjzwmOWj0H6INRXE4Vl3bNcJFaCXdkFtZy3UwJo4/s400/IMG_0890.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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(I think the green looks a little freaky, but whatever.) I couldn't find our paintbrushes, but a clean pipe cleaner works great, too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1FuvjG4Xmd9hAXbD-OPjS5LD_T8YGUOBNpqkJA42Yo3vXEavWu2_KqC2vmmSjP7IySO3nL_cDqRvPw8SfaMLXVwYGs1GPRLwNWPzr7AGtPPFb_3v8hjnGaQsBSqILTKFjygVRwfeZEE/s1600/IMG_0891.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgm1FuvjG4Xmd9hAXbD-OPjS5LD_T8YGUOBNpqkJA42Yo3vXEavWu2_KqC2vmmSjP7IySO3nL_cDqRvPw8SfaMLXVwYGs1GPRLwNWPzr7AGtPPFb_3v8hjnGaQsBSqILTKFjygVRwfeZEE/s400/IMG_0891.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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H must get every last bit of dough licked out of the bowl.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxadVpd9cWkwsPWx8_d75sKW2Mf1Mdj84nmNwdmVeBYXvjHAFZa_D93AC8IewkYlwiXim3rdbJnEU8sn585M-UkYJtU4Z20wrrgs73KnQIuMIixB5F3WMj5ybLOz6Ls7qNgnpFxZMdSNA/s1600/IMG_0892.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxadVpd9cWkwsPWx8_d75sKW2Mf1Mdj84nmNwdmVeBYXvjHAFZa_D93AC8IewkYlwiXim3rdbJnEU8sn585M-UkYJtU4Z20wrrgs73KnQIuMIixB5F3WMj5ybLOz6Ls7qNgnpFxZMdSNA/s400/IMG_0892.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGD8Y1_1oMhsTtox1m1ov8BvQGlk8IRoEbygBuyMlzEsIzTqKteDK1eA9cO0c1PHoIZRDInc16CdEViUzD5wJYh7vgEn2upW07BQkPuzeDaG69VZuwefa3K8ThTLpWcstujAK67lORbI/s1600/IMG_0894.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrGD8Y1_1oMhsTtox1m1ov8BvQGlk8IRoEbygBuyMlzEsIzTqKteDK1eA9cO0c1PHoIZRDInc16CdEViUzD5wJYh7vgEn2upW07BQkPuzeDaG69VZuwefa3K8ThTLpWcstujAK67lORbI/s400/IMG_0894.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
YAY! It's a finished green-eyed-monster rabbit cookie! This was a fun project to do together.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi087HqAMoYukM16qz0emRUE2H2cQfeQxku7UiiIxje3sqT4wosPoCQAaLri6flWP38Q61xScW0fyORw_OVfKPi_pO3-A-IGRAPY9iYj-RSkbpWNuxaBGGY7eFl5QuzuvWF8ndqBJZ8jb8/s1600/IMG_0896.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi087HqAMoYukM16qz0emRUE2H2cQfeQxku7UiiIxje3sqT4wosPoCQAaLri6flWP38Q61xScW0fyORw_OVfKPi_pO3-A-IGRAPY9iYj-RSkbpWNuxaBGGY7eFl5QuzuvWF8ndqBJZ8jb8/s400/IMG_0896.JPG" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
Meanwhile, E ate apples and mixed berries.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27kxIaYnQs7lXiWben_s_KKvW9vOYeHw-L-vlmJ1pQoRnf00UGHy8XRWTIdFU_ZmZheWCuI1jxwGcSUDwWowRDbccMxGm5jBFpO-zooa6KaaKnLV4ULY50Zp7kDB6eb2xm8h1RMGZSxc/s1600/IMG_0903.JPG"><img alt="" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi27kxIaYnQs7lXiWben_s_KKvW9vOYeHw-L-vlmJ1pQoRnf00UGHy8XRWTIdFU_ZmZheWCuI1jxwGcSUDwWowRDbccMxGm5jBFpO-zooa6KaaKnLV4ULY50Zp7kDB6eb2xm8h1RMGZSxc/s400/IMG_0903.JPG" width="400" /></a><br />
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The End.</div>
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In other news, my children have been dealing with some weird little virus which results in general Crabbiness, Low-Fevers, and Sleepless Nights. This results in a rather frazzled Amelia. But there is a date night on the horizon! </div>
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Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-12259214964619305072012-09-06T12:14:00.001-05:002012-09-06T12:14:25.253-05:00Small Sanctification"It's been a long time since I felt like I was really depending on God for everything," Steve says to me as we're driving home in the dark.<br />
<br />
I glance towards the back seat where the kids are <i>finally</i> asleep after screaming silmutaneously for the last forty minutes. <br />
<br />
"Really?" I say, incredulously. "Maybe you should stay home with the kids tomorrow."<br />
<br />
My mom always says that children are the best sanctification acceleration tool...a definite bump up from marriage...because when a person is parenting small children suddenly all self-absorbed desires and plans and expectations take a major hike. When I'm parenting multiple small children, I feel like those "me" desires take a hike to the Antarctic. <br />
<br />
And every single day I find myself praying for grace to make the right decisions, to be consistent in discipline, to stay focused on what's really necessary, to not admit myself to the nearest insane asylum so at least I can take a nap. In the hurry-blurry moments that come and go with a two-year-old and a six-month-old, God's grace is evident when:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>An intense moment of marital fellowship turns into a constructive discussion on parenting consistently</li>
<li>We squash the Perfectionism Bug and let good friends spend the night at our house on short notice</li>
<li>I don't run screaming from the bedroom when, at 2am, one child is nursing incessantly and the other child is sleeping on top of me and I am seriously wondering who thought Attachment Parenting was a good idea</li>
<li>Harriet's attitude does a 180 degree turn as soon as we sit down to read books together</li>
<li>Both children nap at the same time so I can finish a Bible study worksheet</li>
<li>I find a package of pancake mix in the pantry when I thought there was nothing for breakfast</li>
<li>My sweet sisters eagerly and willingly watch Harriet and Edmund</li>
</ul>
<div>
There are many more instances, I'm sure, but this is what comes to my minimal-sleep-latte-buzzed brain right now. I'm grateful. Really.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-71890324958342112442012-08-22T14:21:00.001-05:002012-08-22T14:21:36.323-05:00What Devotions Look Like These DaysThe cell phone alarm vibrates under my pillow and before I can direct my floundering fingers to the Snooze, the whispers begin:<br />
<br />
<i>Get up, you lazy bum! You've got to get your Quiet Time in before the kids wake up! Be honest: if you don't do it now, you </i>NEVER <i>will. And then how will you be a good example to them?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I slide out from beside the snoring Edmund, pray that Harriet's eyeballs will stay closed, and fumble my way through the dark closet in hopes of finding something socially acceptable to wear.<br />
<br />
<i>Don't put that gross shirt on! You've got to wear something feminine and cute if you are going to </i>FEEL<i> feminine and cute today...and you know that's what you're supposed to do for your husband.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
After the speediest shower in the west, each moment straining my ears for the sound of the slightest whimper from the bedroom, I don my cute-r clothes and sneak into the living room. There is the black computer screen to my right and...where is my Bible? In the car from Sunday...I'll have to find Steve's...I hope I can remember which Daily Reading I need to read...was it Psalm 45 or 46? I glance at the calendar and try to count it out on my fingers.<br />
<br />
<i>Don't even think about the computer. Don't you know that what you think about the most every day reflects what you worship? You've got to have your devotions </i>FIRST<i> or your brain will be clogged up with Facebook and Pinterest feeds and emails.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I plop down on the couch with a bowl of homemade granola drenched in coconut milk (gotta keep the digestive system in check) and flip Steve's gigantor ESV Study Bible open to the Psalms. It has to be Psalm 46, I think. After a quick Please-Show-Me-Something prayer, I begin to read.<br />
<br />
<i>Are you meditating enough? You are reading too fast. Slow down. You'll be done in only 10 minutes.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Just because you don't know the meaning of that passage doesn't mean that you should skip over it. Look at the notes...but what if those notes aren't the </i>RIGHT<i> interpretation? How will you ever know exactly the perfect answer?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Don't let your brain go there. Don't doubt God purposes and lovingkindness. Keep on track. Don't wander into questioning the role of suffering in the universe...how will you get revved up for your day if you are feeling like God is such a big ol' meanie? </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Stop thinking about Facebook. Stop thinking about your lists. Stop thinking about the smell of dog poop and the dirty diapers and the pants you need to hem. THINK ABOUT GOD! DO YOUR DEVOTIONS!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<b>"But I don't</b> <b>like it!"</b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I'm shocked to hear my own voice say the words that I have been suppressing for days, weeks, even years. It's undeniably true: every morning I dread the spiral of second-guessing, the reminder of my complete inadequacy, and the tightrope of keeping the correct mental "devotional" state. <br />
<br />
The kids are still sleeping (because apparently today isn't the day to get up at the slightest crack of dawn) and I stare at the wall not knowing what to do next.<br />
<br />
Then, quietly, out of the temporary mental stalemate, comes the phrase:<br />
<b><a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/on_the_mountain_the_terrifying_and_beckoning_god_exodus_19">I am accepted, therefore I obey.</a></b><br />
<b><br /></b>
I am <i>accepted, </i>therefore I obey. How easy it is to nod my head in agreement and say, Amen! But does that apply in Real Life? Is it really absolutely true? <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="text Eph-2-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And you were <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29214B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup><b>dead in the trespasses and sins</b> </span><span class="text Eph-2-2" id="en-ESV-29215" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29215D" title="See cross-reference D">D</a>)"></sup>the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29215E" title="See cross-reference E">E</a>)"></sup>the sons of disobedience—</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text Eph-2-3" id="en-ESV-29216" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">among whom we all once lived in <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29216F" title="See cross-reference F">F</a>)"></sup>the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body</span><span class="text Eph-2-3" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> </b>and the mind, and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29216G" title="See cross-reference G">G</a>)"></sup>were by nature<sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29216H" title="See cross-reference H">H</a>)"></sup>children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.<b> </b></span><span class="text Eph-2-4" id="en-ESV-29217" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>But</b></span><span class="text Eph-2-4" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b> God</b>, being <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29217I" title="See cross-reference I">I</a>)"></sup>rich in mercy, <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29217J" title="See cross-reference J">J</a>)"></sup><b>because of the great love with which he loved us</b>,</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text Eph-2-5" id="en-ESV-29218" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">even <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29218K" title="See cross-reference K">K</a>)"></sup>when <b>we were dead</b> in our trespasses, <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29218L" title="See cross-reference L">L</a>)"></sup><b>made us alive</b> together with Christ— <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29218M" title="See cross-reference M">M</a>)"></sup><b>by grace you have been saved</b>—</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text Eph-2-6" id="en-ESV-29219" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">and raised us up with him and <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29219N" title="See cross-reference N">N</a>)"></sup>seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, s</span><span class="text Eph-2-7" id="en-ESV-29220" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">o that in the coming ages he might show the <b>immeasurable <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29220O" title="See cross-reference O">O</a>)"></sup>riches of his grace in <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29220P" title="See cross-reference P">P</a>)"></sup>kindness toward us in Christ Jesus</b>.</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text Eph-2-8" id="en-ESV-29221" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221Q" title="See cross-reference Q">Q</a>)"></sup>by grace you have been saved <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221R" title="See cross-reference R">R</a>)"></sup>through faith. <b>And this is <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221S" title="See cross-reference S">S</a>)"></sup>not your own doing</b>; <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29221T" title="See cross-reference T">T</a>)"></sup>it is the <b>gift of God,</b></span><b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text Eph-2-9" id="en-ESV-29222" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not a result of works, <sup class="crossreference" style="vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29222V" title="See cross-reference V">V</a>)"></sup>so that no one may boast.</span></b><span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="text Eph-2-10" id="en-ESV-29223" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29223W" title="See cross-reference W">W</a>)"></sup>we are his workmanship, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29223X" title="See cross-reference X">X</a>)"></sup>created in Christ Jesus <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29223Y" title="See cross-reference Y">Y</a>)"></sup>for good works, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29223Z" title="See cross-reference Z">Z</a>)"></sup>which God prepared beforehand, <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-29223AA" title="See cross-reference AA">AA</a>)"></sup>that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:1-10)</span></span></blockquote>
<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted,</i> therefore I will spend time in God's Word without feeling like I'm walking a mental tightrope.<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted</i>, therefore I not be afraid to ask the hard questions and seek truth.<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted,</i> therefore I will not feel bad if I only have time to read one verse before the kids wake up.<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted,</i> therefore I can be a tired and distracted mother-of-two-under-two without self-condemnation.<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted,</i> therefore I am free to follow the Spirit's leading in matters of personal relationships and responsibilities (and if Steve really and truly cares what shirt I'm wearing and if homemade granola is really more spiritual than store-bought).<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted</i>, therefore I will show my children the reality of a relationship with God, not the glossed over version.<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted,</i> therefore I will not think that my right standing before God is based on the quality of my Quiet Time.<br />
<br />
<i>I am accepted</i> not because of anything I have done (ever!) but because of the immeasurable riches of His grace in kindness toward me in Christ Jesus. It is His gift. <br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span class="text Rom-8-1" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">There is therefore now <b>no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.</b></span><span class="text Rom-8-2" id="en-ESV-28103" style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Charis SIL', charis, Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><sup class="versenum" style="font-size: small; font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;"> </sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">For the law of <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28103A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)"></sup>the Spirit of life <sup class="crossreference" style="font-weight: bold; vertical-align: top;" value="(<a href="#cen-ESV-28103B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)"></sup>has set you</span><span style="font-size: 11px;"><b> </b></span><span style="font-size: x-small;">free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1-2)</span></span></blockquote>
<i><br /></i>
<i>I am accepted</i>, therefore the whispers are silenced.Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-46293640873600031362012-07-31T22:28:00.001-05:002012-07-31T22:32:02.090-05:00Talking about food and suchYou might recall that I mentioned the <a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/">100 Days of Real Food</a> menu plan that I decided to follow a <a href="http://ameliaisrabbit.blogspot.com/2012/07/its-been-hard-days-night.html">few weeks ago</a>. Actually, I ended up adhering to the menu plans for two weeks before branching out and creating my own. So, for three weeks now, with the exception of the occasional bakery visit and a trip to Runza, we have not consumed any refined sugars or processed food. I knew that completely avoiding refined sugars and processed foods would be good for us,* but I didn't fully realize the changes it would make on Harriet's mood and our general digestive health. Harriet has been much more stable and her fits have been infrequent<i>. </i>Steve and I feel less <i>off</i> and I have officially gone below my pre-Edmund pregnancy weight. That feels pretty good.<br />
<br />
A couple of changes in our menu plan have really made a huge difference for us:<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Thanks to 100 Days of Real Food, I'm now being very intentional about planning snacks throughout the day. During the first week of following the menu plan, I noticed a considerable difference in the tone of our day because I was prepared to give Harriet a nutritious snack <i>before</i> the crankies descended upon her. Instead of rummaging through the kitchen in a panic or (more often) "stealing" food from another meal, we now have specifically assigned snacks for each day. A relatively "duh" solution that makes a big difference.</li>
<li>By carefully planning every single aspect of the menu for the week, I have an accurate idea of how much grocery I actually need to buy. Again, major DUH. I think I was having a mental block because I hate spending lots of money in one location all at once, so I would kind of skimp around on the grocery list in order to "save money." The reality? We would venture back to the store multiple times during the week and, you guessed it, spend way more than our food budget allowed. Now? I plop down the moolah once and...we have stopped making emergency runs to the store. Nice.</li>
</ul>
<div>
With all of this brewing, imagine my excitement when I found the <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Parents-Need-Eat-Too-Nap-Friendly/dp/0062005944/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1343790487&sr=8-1&keywords=parents+need+to+eat+too">Parents Need to Eat Too</a> cookbook at the library! I'm seriously in love with this cookbook. It combines the real food perspective of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Food-Matters-Cookbook-Revolutionary-Recipes/dp/1439120234/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1343790901&sr=1-1&keywords=food+matters+cookbook">Food Matters</a>* with the family-friendly attitude of <a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/">100 Days</a>, all geared toward a busy mom chef. The author also has a super-balanced perspective on eating organically, when to include treats, etc. It's perfect. It's the cookbook I would write if I had the time and someone else hadn't already done it for me. I know that we will be including many of these recipes into our new detailed meal plans.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
And while I'm on a tangent about eating well, I happened upon this video which expresses my belief on <i>why</i> we need to eat well and exercise and go to bed at a godly hour:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/43918577" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<br />
I couldn't agree more. Making all of these "health conscious" choices isn't really about saving the earth or looking really fit or prolonging life. We make these choices so that the Holy Spirit can bear fruit in our lives and so that we can be ready servants of Christ. <span style="font-size: x-small;">(I'm with Piper on I-exercise-so-I-don't-get-depressed.)</span><br />
<br />
And here is Edmund attacking a banana:<br />
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Okay, so there you go. I am fighting off some stupid cold/sore throat thing, so I feel like my head is floating around 25 feet above my body. This post probably reflects that oody-doody mental state. Good night.<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>*We strive to eat healthily, but sometimes it's good to step back, analyze how we've moved away from good choices, and have tools to jump back into the groove.</i></span><br />
<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-18694580308382838812012-07-27T23:02:00.000-05:002012-07-27T23:18:00.819-05:00The idol of predictabilityJust for the record, I hate change.<br />
<br />
I hate change of Big Plans, like how in the world I'm going to finish up my degree in Children's Ministry when I have to take the remaining 16 credit hours on a campus that is 6 hours away from my house. I hate how this change will alter my plans for the fall and spring. I'm left hanging without a solution.<br />
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I hate change of Small Plans, like when I'm going to be able to do the dishes or read my Bible when the children will not nap consistently at all. I am constantly adjusting and readjusting my day and it's exhausting.<br />
<br />
I hate changes in Relationships, like when people you thought were your friends, your Christian friends, don't seem to be that way any more. Or when people who appeared to have it all together seem to be falling apart and denying what they previously stood for. I am always and forever untangling this knotted mess of what was and what should be and I can never find the end of the thread.<br />
<br />
I'm afraid of potential changes, like what if someone in my family (one of my kids!) gets really sick or is in an accident, or what if the Best Laid Plans of Steve and Amelia never come to fruition and we end up being Carl and Ellie from <i>Up</i> after all?<br />
<br />
It's a tension that sits in my stomach for days and results in a complete lack of appetite and a desire for any temporary diversion possible.<br />
<br />
But do you know what, my silly soul? God hates idols more than I hate change.<br />
<br />
So many times the Idol of Predictability is what I worship: the control, the routine, the sameness, the ability to measure <i>my</i> success (yes, even sanctification) by how strictly I've adhered to some daily planner or Real Food menu or give and take in relationships. It's a sneaky idol that peeks in among all of the good things that planning and organizing can accomplish. But it's there, nevertheless, and God will have none of it. As my mom and I say, "God loves us too much to let ____ (job, fitness, intelligence, reputation, perfectionism) become an idol."<br />
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This world is forever changing. God does not change. I want to care more about worshiping and delighting in the Unchanging One than in working so hard (and worrying so futilely) to keep my life from changing.<br />
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And then, by his grace, the Big Changes and the Little Changes and the Relationship Changes and the Future Changes will be all wrapped up into his great plan of loving me and glorifying himself.<br />
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<i>The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, <b>endures forever</b>. Do not forsake the work of your hands.</i></div>
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<i>Psalm 138:8 </i> </div>
<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-43859159062211843992012-07-20T22:08:00.000-05:002012-07-20T22:09:48.440-05:00Introversion and MotherhoodI have been reading a book called <i>Introverts in the Church,</i> which has proved to be both interesting and infuriating at the same time. Some books are just like that, you know? And you want to stop reading them because they are so exasperating, but then a good paragraph or two will show up so you keep reading. Then, if you are me, you keep reading despite the weirdness because you want to give an accurate analysis to all of <strike>millions of readers</strike> devoted friends and family who read your blog. Also, if you are me, you keep reading because then you can rant to your husband about all of the ridiculousness contained therein...and watch him get that silly, "There goes Amelia again" look on his face (which I find rather adorable because I want to be known for my ability to Discuss Things).<br />
<br />
Yes, I'm reading <i>Introverts in the Church</i> and I want to write up a few of my thoughts on the subject, BUT I can't find the book. It has disappeared. I don't know if the dog ingested it or Harriet buried it in the garden or what. It's not readily available at the moment, so you're going to have to wait for my rants. Sorry.<br />
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This does not mean that you escape (should you choose to read on) a discussion of how my recent foray into the understanding of introversion has helped me. Consider this: I have been helping Bug and Eleanor work on their 4-H sewing projects every weekday afternoon. This is all fine and dandy while the little kids are napping, but as soon as they wake up my attention becomes split into about fifty different directions: Harriet needs a snack, Margaret messed up the zipper (again), Eleanor is asking why the machine isn't sewing, and Edmund is whining for who-knows-what-reason. Add the general noise and chaos of the Young Heathens who have come to spend the night and you'll find me in the bathroom behind the shower curtain wishing for some kind of child tranquilizers...or Mary Poppins snapping fingers, at least.<br />
<br />
Before I read my books on introversion the above situation would have led to the following conclusions:<br />
<ol>
<li>I hate sewing</li>
<li>I hate teaching people how to sew</li>
<li>I hate small children</li>
<li>I hate noise</li>
<li>I hate having to keep calm when all I want to do is run and scream </li>
<li>I hate the idea of ever having more than two children</li>
<li>I hate myself for thinking such horrible things</li>
</ol>
Granted, these are strong statements, but they represent the total frazzled nature of my brain. And I'll admit to thinking some of these thoughts yesterday before the what-I've-learned-about-introverts kicked into my thought gears. Here's what I remembered:<br />
<ol>
<li>Introverts don't like being interrupted during a task. They like to knuckle down to a task with a great deal of focus and get the job DONE, for Pete's sake. This is why I am perfectly willing/able/very happy to teach the girls how to sew <i>when we can do it without interruptions</i> and when we can really devote a period of time to the projects. Therefore, it's not the sewing or the teaching process that fries my nerves, it's the constant interruptions associated with having two very small children.</li>
<li>Noise, confusion, and activity zap introverts' energy levels. While extroverts get energized from loud and rambunctious environments, introverts have the exact opposite experience. So when my house is filled to bursting with active children and the noise is being bounced around the 512 square foot living space, no wonder I want to run and hide. It's not that I dislike children...I just have my energy zapped from having to deal with the noise and activity level associated with lots of kids. This is a vicious cycle because the less control I maintain, the more chaotic it gets, and the more my energy plummets. </li>
<li>Being an introvert is the way God made me. I don't have to hate myself for having limits to my personality. I can learn more about what makes me tick...and figure out ways in which God is stretching me and sanctifying the sinful aspects of my personality (such as my idolization of Aloneness)...but I don't have to impose my inability to tolerate long sessions of <u><b><i>noise</i></b></u> into "I will never have any more children." Or "I am a horrible hateful person."</li>
</ol>
All of this led me to wonder: Okay, so I do want more kids and I do want to enjoy parenting them in spite of the noise and interruptions. How do I live as an introvert <i>and</i> a mother without losing my mind? Millions of other women have done it. Where's the manual? What's the trick? (Besides either a) sending the little monsters to school or b) buying a Victorian mansion with separate rooms for everyone.) <br />
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When I read <i>Quiet</i> and <i>Introverts in the Church</i>, certain "helps" stood out to me: things like creating a quiet time and setting limits for extroverted interactions/expectations. I started to think about how I could apply those "helps" specifically to my role as a mommy to two very little kids. Of course, my tendency is to say, "Hey, if I can't have three hours of absolute silence every day, I'm just throwing in the towel." However, I really want to make this work, for my own sanity and for positive relationships with my children. Here are my ideas:<br />
<ul>
<li>Mandate a daily quiet time. This is hard-ish now, since Harriet's naps are inconsistent. But I do make sure that when Edmund takes his afternoon nap, Harriet is either asleep or watching a movie that she really likes. Then I completely forget about the dishes and housework, and I read my Bible, another book, or work on a portable craft project. Yes, my mothering responsibilities are still there, but at least they are subdued for a half hour or so. As the kids get older (and we either remodel or buy a bigger home) I want Quiet Time to be part of our daily routine. It only helps everyone.</li>
<li>Make quiet opportunities. This week I have been noticing that most of my undesirable chores are really perfect quiet "escape" moments. Washing the dishes allows me to keep an eye on H and E, while also engaging in some introspective thought time. Hanging the clothes out on the line is strangely relaxing when I know that Harriet can wander about the yard (and E can sit in the Bumbo and stare at Nature) and I can have a few moments of quiet with just me and the laundry. It's really great!</li>
<li>Exercise regularly. I can't have the kids hanging on me when I exercise, be it at Jazzercise or when I go running. Both activities force me to stop, leave the children with reliable babysitters, and zone out while I burn the calories. For me, exercising is more than keeping in shape. It's a chance to accomplish a task without interruption, be temporarily devoid of responsibility of small folk, and have the opportunity to think about abstract ideas. I used to think that exercising was a waste of time. Not anymore!</li>
<li>Stop trying to be the extroverted mother. I have a really hard time not participating with everything that my kids are doing. I want to be a "good mom" by always engaging Harriet in conversation, always playing with her, always singing and dancing along to the Wiggles. But guess what? She can learn to play alone sometimes without compromising our fabulous relationship. She can foster her own quiet side by thinking her own thoughts without my running commentary. </li>
<li>Keep one household area clean and tidy. Just like noise and confusion zap my energy, cluttered spaces drive me to utter distraction. Any mother of a two-year-old knows that you can't spend the entire day picking up after the child, so I've designated one spot that I'm going to keep clear for my sanity's sake. </li>
<li>Request a regular break time. I haven't implemented this idea yet, but I think it will work better when Steve has his four days on/off schedule. I want to request an hour or so (after situating the kids happily with their father) to Leave The House, go get a coffee, and sit in some quiet place like the library or something. This could be every other week, or so, but I want to make it a regular re-charge session. </li>
</ul>
When I look back on these ideas, I think, "Wow, Amelia, aren't you being selfish...demanding all of these quiet things?" The truth is, Nope, I'm not. I have a feeling that when I am taking care of my needs for quiet, I will be able to meet the needs of my kids better. When I'm developing quiet moments into my routine, I'll be able to handle the loud and chaotic days. And when I can't have those quiet times, I can trust that God knows exactly what he did when he made me...and instead of feeling guilty for not ramping up my noise tolerance, I can trust him for grace to deal with the situation with love and strength.<br />
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So what are your ideas? How do you/would you integrate your introverted personality with the oft-times loud and crazy role of motherhood?Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-9017090865011639192012-07-15T16:15:00.000-05:002012-07-15T16:15:46.738-05:00It's been a hard days night...Well, the past few nights have been rather interesting, as far as sleeping is concerned. Harriet wakes up screaming bloody murder as if she's had a nightmare, but when we attempt to calm/comfort her, she only gets super-duper angry and starts hitting and screaming at us. I'm sorry that she is having a scary time, but it's not my fault...I promise! Steve ends up taking her out into the living room and turning on the lights so that she will fully wake up. Then...sometimes...she will go back to sleep in her bed. And sometimes not. And then we are all very Miserable and Squished with four Rodgers in a bed. This is made more miserable by my having multiple dreams that Steve is having a blatant affair with another woman. So then <i>I</i> wake up feeling gross and sad and wondering why I want to kill my husband. Poor Steve is getting a lot of nighttime abuse from the women in his life. Edmund sleeps through it all.<br />
<br />
SO. Steve got a new position at BD! We are insanely excited. He will be moving from working on a machine in the production line to being a lab analyst - dealing with the additives that are added to the tubes in the production process. There are many perks to this position:<br />
<ol>
<li>Daytime hours (6:30am-7:00pm).</li>
<li>Four days on/four days off.</li>
<li>Regular overtime, due to the pay schedule.</li>
<li>Pay raise.</li>
<li>No more UCK machine.</li>
</ol>
While Steve had applied for this position (among others), we had no idea that he would be fully qualified for it, let alone <i>hired.</i> This is such a crazy, shocking, exciting gift from God. <br />
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In other news, the Florida trip was amazing, despite the torrential tropical storm weather which doused us in rain every time we ventured forth into the Great Outdoors of Disney World. The Gospel Coalition Conference was a huge blessing on so very many levels. It took all of me to keep from bawling, like, the whole weekend. It was so glorious to remember that a) God really does exist, b) He loves Amelia Elizabeth Rodgers, c) He reveals his glorious Self in his Word and d) my complete, eternal happiness is found in him - and that happiness can be happening now. So, if you haven't listened to any of the messages yet, get your little browser right over to <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/conferences/2012-womens/">this here spot</a> and don't do a thing until you listen to <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/conferences/2012-womens/">this one</a> and <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/in_the_throne_room_the_god_of_holiness_and_hope_isaiah_6">this one</a> and <a href="http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/a/through_the_open_door_the_transcendent_and_redeeming_god">this one</a>. And then listen to all of the rest of the messages, too.<br />
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I don't know how I happened across <a href="http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/">100 Days of Real Food</a> but I really really like it. Of course, we already mostly eat like this, but her meal plans and grocery lists are a lifesaver. I'm super happy to have healthy snack ideas, along with plans for breakfasts and utilizing leftovers. Some of the menu ideas don't exactly meet our needs for high-protein meals, but I can easily slip those in without breaking the "rules." Thanks to my Food Matters cookbook!<br />
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I have a couple of interesting posts brewing on my continued informal study of introversion. Stay tuned....Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-73070199807675607452012-06-13T17:00:00.001-05:002012-06-13T17:00:48.517-05:00Life on this here Wednesday<i>Ping ping ping ping...ping ping ping ping...Pingu! Pingu!</i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
Yep, that's what Harriet is singing over and over again right now. According to her,<a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/pingu?feature=results_main"> Pingu</a> is the absolute bomb. She started loving Pingu when she was 10-months-old back in Jerseyville, and her affections have continued without decrease. How she can tolerate a crazy little claymation penguin speaking jibberish for days on end, I do not know. <br />
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(Hey, it's <i>way</i> better than Wow, Wow, Wubsy.)<br />
<br />
We decided to cancel Netflix this week because we already have several episodes of Shaun the Sheep on DVD, and Pingu has recently been added to Amazon Prime's free instant movies. We figured that since Amazon Prime movies can now be viewed through the XBox and since they have just as many choices (if not more) as Netflix, we would save $10 a month. We can use that money to rent movies from Amazon, if we so desire. Or we could grab some Runza and go park somewhere and read <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Post-Captain-Aubrey-Maturin-Novels/dp/0393037029/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1339622853&sr=8-1&keywords=post+Captain">Post Captain</a>. </i><br />
<i><br /></i><br />
Harriet is watching said Pingu because she did not take a nap today and some quiet time is in order.<br />
<i><br /></i><br />
Here is Edmund at fifteen weeks:<br />
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And here is Harriet at fifteen weeks:<br />
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They look a <i>lot</i> alike. (Except that Harriet's eyes are buggier.) That's because they look like this guy:<br />
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What's going to happen when I have a kid that looks like me? I'll probably just sit and stare at him/her because it will be so insanely odd. <br />
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In other random news, I do not suggest making chocolate mousse with an almost-two-year-old helper. <br />
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Whoops. Pingu is over. Time to be an attentive mommy.<br />
<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-68194175761914628522012-06-08T23:04:00.001-05:002012-06-08T23:04:58.136-05:00Ramblings about QuietAs mentioned in my previous post, I just finished reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Power-Introverts-World-Talking/dp/0307352145" style="font-style: italic;">Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking</a> by Susan Cain.<i> </i>I enjoyed it so very much that I kept calling Mom to share my latest discoveries...and I really don't want to take it back to the library. I know that this book as made the rounds of blogs and LiveJournals, but I want to jot down some of the sections that really meant a lot to me. (It's safe to say that I gleaned something out of each well-written chapter, but why write out the entire book? Go read it yourself!)<br />
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<div>
First off, I loved how the author chose to define introversion and extroversion based on an individual's tolerance of social and sensory stimulation. Being introverted doesn't mean that you don't like people, or that you hate going to parties, or that you would always rather be reading a book. It <i>does</i> mean, however, that you have a lower tolerance for social and sensory stimulation - so going to a party or hanging out with a bunch of loud people might make you feel mentally "fried." This is so characteristic of my growing up in a large and loud family: I just physically couldn't take it after a while. I would <i>have</i> to go to my room and sit in the quiet before I could interact without feeling completely frazzled. The same thing happens nearly every day as I parent Harriet. Because I'm introverted, the constant go-go-go of parenting Harriet, her constant conversation and need for interaction seriously grates on my nerves after a while. This doesn't mean that I don't like parenting or that Harriet is obnoxious. It's just that the stimulation is too much.</div>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Introverts...may have strong social skills and enjoy parties and business meetings, but after a while wish they were home in their pajamas. They prefer to devote their social energies to close friends, colleagues, and family. They listen more than they talk, think before they speak, and often feel as if they express themselves better in writing than in conversation. They tend to dislike conflict. Many have a horror of small talk, but enjoy deep discussions. (p.11)</blockquote>
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I have often felt guilty because I can honestly say that hanging out with people in groups is <i>not</i> my idea of a relaxing time. Take MOPS for example. It's touted as being this place to re-charge with your girlfriends and get away from the kids. That's great...if you can feel recharged after attending. I don't. I feel tired and like I want snuggle up with a book. That's the introverted aspect of my personality saying, "HEY! Too much stimulation! Time to regroup!" Does that mean that I don't go to MOPS? No. Does that mean that I don't like people? No. I like getting to know the other moms in one-on-one conversations. Do I need to feel guilty because I don't get re-charged from social situations? Certainly not. </div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
Introverts prefer to work independently, and solitude can be a catalyst to innovation. (p. 74)</blockquote>
This is so true of me. I totally prefer to work alone on a project, primarily because I'm able to completely focus all of my creative energy to the task at hand.<br />
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The chapter on highly sensitive introverted personalities (I consider myself to be in this sub-category) was particularly interesting.<br />
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The other thing Aron found about sensitive people is that sometimes they're empathic. It's as if they have thinner boundaries separating them from other people's emotions and from the tragedies and cruelties of the world. They tend to have unusually strong consciences. They avoid violent movies and TV shows; they're acutely aware of the consequences of a lapse in their own behavior. In social settings they often focus on subjects like personal problems, which others consider to be too heavy.</blockquote>
YES! The whole part about skipping violent movies and TV shows makes complete sense now. Some people just <i>aren't</i> as sensitive to them - and that doesn't make them horrible people, just like avoiding violence doesn't make me a wuss. It's just a different personality make-up.<br />
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In most settings, people use small talk as a way of relaxing into a new relationship, and only once their comfortable do they connect more seriously. Sensitive people seem to do the reverse. They "enjoy small talk only after they've gone deep," says Strickland. "When sensitive people are in environments that nurture their authenticity, they laugh and chit-chat just as much as anyone else.</blockquote>
One big hearty AMEN for that paragraph, thank you very much. As I read this, I though, "Aha! This is why Steve and I got along so well with long-distance dating!" Because we are both introverts, it worked so very well for us to express ourselves in writing and, in doing so, to be able to jump right in to really deep topics without the pressure of being face-to-face (our first email exchange dealt with the Christian's attitude towards alcohol...no small talk there). With a foundation of deep subjects under us, I felt very comfortable making lighter conversation with him as the relationship developed. <br />
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This dynamic is the same for each person that I would consider part of my circle of close friends. After initial introductions, I was eager to move deeper and connect with them on a meaningful level. It was only after this occurred that I felt comfortable being chatty or silly around them.<br />
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The final chapters of the book discuss when an introvert should stretch the elastic of their personality type and venture into more extroverted realms. I appreciated her idea of setting personal goals ("The Free Trait Agreement") for being more extroverted when situations arise - like church fellowship times, in my experience. Instead of feeling a) overwhelmed by the situation or b) guilty for not being the liveliest one in the crowd, decide what goal you will reach and then leave it at that. For me it may be shaking the hands of two or three people instead of clinging to my pew during a meet-and-greet time. It doesn't mean that I have to run around the sanctuary trying to greet everyone. <br />
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The author also mentioned the vital importance of creating a restorative niche in an introvert's daily routine. This can be any length of time that is perfectly devoid of the social and sensory stimulus that can send an introvert into the Cliffs of Insanity or it can be a personal interest or activity that restores the energy of the individual. I implemented this idea this week when I realized that I was always super-cranky when Steve went to work each afternoon. I felt like running as fast as I could from the children and the house and all of the noise. Why? I was choosing to spend naptime running about cleaning and doing laundry and cooking. I was not taking the time to get restored before the chaos resumed. So, I have been taking a good thirty minutes to an hour out of each naptime to read, catch up on emails, or just sit in the quiet. It has worked wonders, people. <i>Wonders</i>. I feel consistently energized to resume my tasks and I don't feel like tranquilizing the small people.<br />
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There you go: some brief, disjointed thoughts on <i>Quiet</i> and why I benefited from reading it. I might note that while the book is secular, the author has Jewish roots so she is not against the idea of religion and does not assume an aggressive (or obnoxious) anti-faith position. That was nice. It was also interesting to think about what she was saying from a secular view and apply my Christian worldview. It made me think, "How is God sanctifying my introverted personality?" "How can I use the specific personality that He has given me to better serve His Body?" <br />
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(Also,<a href="http://www.chattingatthesky.com/2012/06/06/whats-it-like-to-be-an-introverted-woman-in-church-circles/#comment-183850"> check out this post</a> for more interesting discussion on introverts in the church. It's good stuff.)<br />
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So what do you think?<br />
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</div>Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-74960400592248429982012-06-08T21:54:00.000-05:002012-06-08T21:54:53.846-05:00Harriet-isms, Church Membershipism, and thoughts on IntroversionMy house looks like a bomb went off. The bomb happened to closely resemble two little girls - one with wispy blond hair and a major attitude, and the other with auburn curls and a knack for rampaging. While said bomb was being dropped, I watched powerlessly...being attached to another small person (or rather he being attached to me). That is the current state of affairs in the Rodgers home, which is why I'm typing a blog post and ignoring the mess until the morning. Tomorrow, tomorrow, I love ya, tomorrow! You're only a daaaaaayyy aaaaawwwwwaaayyyyy!<br />
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Harriet is just about a month out from being two. Two crazy years old! I can't believe it. I can't believe it mostly because she continues to act like she's 35, or something. True to her position as eldest girl, Harriet does a lot of Edmund monitoring. Her frequently used phrase is "No teeth," meaning that Edmund can't participate in, consume, or like the same things that Harriet does because...well...he has no teeth. That said, Harriet condescends to include him in whatever she is doing. For example, she noticed that the bulgur I was cooking was very hot, and after confirming this fact with me she ran into the bedroom where E was sleeping, got right in his face and declared, "It's very hot, Edmund. Got to blow." <br />
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One of Harriet's current delights is summer reading program at the library. Once a week she attends the preschool age group and participates with appropriate gusto. Harriet has also been sleeping in her very own bed for over a week now. A-maz-ing. We do have some rough nights, but out of the past ten days she has only ended up in our bed twice. She is such a big girl!<br />
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In other news, we decided to become members of the church we have been attending regularly for the past year and a half. We debated it for some time, but concluded that even though the church is an hour away, we really do enjoy worshiping with that bunch of folks and we want to express our commitment to that body of believers. (And we discovered that our position on infant baptism does not effect our ability to become members.) There are so many things we appreciate: the music, the integration of Scripture into every part of the service, the focus on building up the body instead of piling on more programs, the welcoming of young families. Of course, once we made the decision and met with the pastors I had this huge sinking feeling...due primarily to recent experiences of major hurt from churches, spiritual abuse from former pastors, and bizarre behavior from those claiming to have a relationship with Christ. My knee-jerk reaction to that is to pull back and distance myself...just slide out the back door as quickly as possible so that no relationships are developed and no one gets hurt. But I don't think that's the right thing to do - I can't throw the baby out with the bath water. And so here we are. It's a good thing.<br />
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I just finished a really interesting book called <i>Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking</i>. Fascinating, fascinating read. So many times I said, "Yes! This is me! This is why I do [insert typical Amelia behavior]." I appreciated the author's choice to define introversion and extroversion based on toleration of social and sensory stimulation - which completely debunks the idea that all introverts are shy bookish people who don't like people. Although the author wrote from a secular viewpoint and relied heavily on recent psychological research, her points were insightful, helpful, and well-written. I feel as though I can integrate what I learned from that book with what I believe about God's sanctifying work in my life to see that my personality can be used to glorify Him. I think I'm going to jot down some of the really useful/interesting things I learned and bore you with them.<br />
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I made a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Skookie-Cast-Cookie-Brownie-Skillet/dp/B001DBB9UA">gigantic chocolate chip cookie tonight in a mini cast iron skillet</a>. Yep. Pretty sure all of my hard work at Jazzercise is now completely undone.<br />
<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8728486965838828024.post-45308379314529318432012-05-16T23:00:00.000-05:002012-05-16T23:16:29.915-05:00A Happy SummerOur fence is built and it is So Happy. I knew that it would be a wonderful improvement to our home, but I didn't fully realize its positive impact until it was actually finished:<br />
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The dog can go outside whenever he wants off leash. This means no more poop/urine in the house, which equals less stress and overall stink. He also doesn't bark much at all because he has his own space to dominate and he can't see the "outside world." <br />
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Harriet can play and play and play with her wonderful new sand and water table, and when she gets tired of that she can draw on her new outdoor chalkboard. And when she gets tired of that she can dig with her new kid-sized garden tools. And when she gets tired of that she can push her baby in the baby stroller around the fence perimeter. Get the picture? She has hours of playtime waiting for her each day. This results in longer nap times and less fuss at bed. She is such a happy camper.<br />
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I can go out and hang up a load of laundry <strike>without being embarrassed about the poop stains on my cloth diapers that the sun will eventually bleach out.</strike> I can putter around in my beautiful new garden beds with the baby plants and not be afraid of striking an unflattering gardening pose. And I can do all of this without wondering where Harriet is and without constantly telling the dog to shut up. <br />
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So a big huge THANK YOU goes out to the in-laws and their willingness to come do this with us. I don't think I'll ever be able to thank them enough.<br />
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Now that the fence is in place, I feel like summer has really begun. During the fall and winter months (which generally equals lots of school and extra activities) I think, "Oh, I'll do [insert fun project] when it's summer." I decided that I should make a list of all of the fun things I want to do this summer so I don't forget. My first list looked good, but the more I considered it the more stressed out I felt. Sew one "fun" item each week? Read one non-fiction and one fiction book every two weeks? Fill up the rest of the flower beds? <br />
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These ideas are all fine and good, and maybe if I were single without children or a job [think Amelia at sixteen] these plans would be feasible. But right now, with the way life is, my summer was looking to be as busy and as stressful as the fall routine I was attempting to break from. It's not going to be a relaxing, refreshing summer if I'm stressing about finishing a "fun" sewing project while ignoring Harriet's pleas to go "out-ide" and desperately trying to keep Edmund asleep for just a few more minutes.<br />
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Therefore, instead of making a list of summer goals, I have decided to simply label the next few months <b>The Summer of Chill</b><i style="font-weight: bold;">.</i> I know that these weeks of warm sunshine and swimming pools and summer reading programs and 4-H will get busy. But I want my pervasive attitude to be one of calm...and not constantly looking for the next activity that will fill up my time and make me feel "productive." I want to leave my calendar as open as possible, so that I can serve others without trying to find a spot to fit them in. I just really want to chill.<br />
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So here's to a summer of hanging out in the backyard and going to summer reading program at the library...</div>
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...and reading fun books without a time crunch and drinking lots of iced coffee...</div>
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...and watching diapers get the poop stains bleached out and not worrying about the neighbors...<br />
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...and grilling and running through the sprinkler and watching the onions grow...</div>
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...and sewing when the mood strikes and helping the girls finish 4-H projects and running a couple of 5Ks reviving my spirit in the Word.<br />
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(And going to Florida in a month. We mustn't forget that.)<br />
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What's on your summer agenda?<br />
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<br />Ameliahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17971589336239314006noreply@blogger.com