Need a Laugh?

A Thought on Heaven

Ignore this random picture of my bad-boy cat Tobin and my favorite little recycled Christmas tree. The tree was a summer find.  It was thrown out to the road in a gigantic box.  I jumped out of my car, stuffed it in my tank (i.e. giant car that fits 10) and raced home with it.  Sad to say, it was meant for the trash and not for some other loving home, as it used to be white and had now yellowed with age. 

  However, the tippity-top of this said enormous tree still lit without is counterparts. It looked at me with its sparkly white lights and still pristine white branches and said, "Keep me, Love me, Enjoy me, don't toss me aside!"

 So I plunked her into this old copper bucket and it has been adorning our living room since then
 (yes, I love Christmas and lights!)

 This post has nothing to do with either though, really.  But today as I was wrestling with the pile of Tupperware and ghetto Tupperware that we have, I have decided firmly that there will be none of either types in heaven.  I am certain that stained, lid missing containers, that refuse to stack or actually fit properly would NEVER be allowed in heaven.  No Tupperware needed at the feasting we will do in heaven, yippee!

The Word says there will be no tears, so guess Tupperware is out.  Sick of fighting with my too small cupboard space and the endless lids and bottoms.  As often as my Knight tries to reduce our reusable containers, or rushes out to find stacking varieties, still the same saga continues and I am no friend of it.

Oh heaven, another reason I love you and long for the day we will meet.

Not sure why the plug to my glorious little tree is sticking straight out in this picture, mind you we are normally careful about such matters. So, I will make sure the next time I shoot to share, that it is properly prepared for your eyes. (snicker-snicker).

Oh happy day!

Sidewalk art

Life is art in so many ways,

 if only we slow down and open our eyes.

I found this little bit of artwork on the sidewalk in Denver, waiting to catch a train.  Someone dropped their tube of toothpaste and the person behind them stepped on it, rather heavily.  (or so I imagine).

The funny part is that I was on a get-away trip with my Knight for a long weekend.  Here we were bustling along with my camera in tow and here is this toothpaste that most people avoided.  Not me and my man, he was telling me I should lay down on the sidewalk to get a great angle. 

 Got to love a man with an eye for art!  Of course when I told him originally that I was circling back to something I saw on the sidewalk that just NEEDED to be shot, he didn't quite see the need...but trusted me and followed me back to the spot.

smiling because I still think it is great art.

Just Asking...C'mon Lighten Up!

thinking we could all use a dose of "lighten up."

So...are you one who wears pantyhose

 or one who would rather not?

 (I was going to say, "Would rather die than wear it," but that seemed a little drastic in writing (big smile).  

earth shattering stuff, yeah I know.  with all that is offered out in blog world these days...hardly the stuff that gets your blog moved to larger circles.  but hey, that isn't what this is about, it is about taking on a new angle for a minute, because you know some days you just need to talk about something different.  like how you'd rather talk about the stain on your shirt than the fact that you are truly wondering if your children will ever survive to adulthood.  

back to the shallow pantyhose question:

guess which category I fall in...?

Vegetarian's Near Death with Juicing

Dramatic title...yeah, well maybe. 

But yesterday was a little dramatic. 

 Let me share...

My friend Becky has lost 40 something pounds of unneeded weight.  She looks like 15 years younger and is full of energy now.  How did she do it?  Well, it began with a book called Clean.  As I've watched her transformation over the past 6 months, I decided to borrow her book and see what it had to say.  I am not looking to lose a lot of weight, but having more energy is something that I'd love, so read I did.  She also passed me a very interesting DVD called Hungry for Change, which was really eye opening to our bad American diet. A lot of common sense really, but you know how little we use common sense any more, especially when it comes to what we put into our bodies and the bodies of our children.

So a few weeks back we dug out our old juicer (which had not wanted to come back to life, but with a handy Knight she came to life again with a few twists and turns of the screwdriver).  We've been juicing once a day (Clean recommends twice a day-breakfast and dinner, with your meal at lunch).  Trying all kinds of combinations-50% veggies and 50% fruits.  I have been making a lot of breads, muffins and such with the left over pulp too (waste not want not, right?)  The Clean diet is basically a detox diet, it cleans you out and reestablishes better eating habits and rids you of toxicity.

Yesterday something went terribly wrong. 

 I bought a crate of kale and decided to go with a green juice.  I made half a pitcher for the Knight and I to drink. I slugged down a glass mid-morning of pulpish-foamy-ish juice, as I cleaned out the juicer. The foamy stuff I think you are supposed to filter out, but I figured I'd just drink it.  I put kale, a lemon, apples, a plum, a peach, a bunch of carrots it was pretty yummy.  I'd never tried kale before, but saw many recipes that included it and called it a wonder worker of sorts.

About 30 minutes after drinking it, as I was walking around the track with a friend at the gym, my stomach began to feel grumbly. I stopped for the bathroom.  I thought I felt better, but upon another lap and needing to sit down, I knew I was in big trouble.  My friend Betty laid hands on me and began to pray. 

 At prayers end I ran back to the bathroom and began to vomit. 

 Yup. not. fun. 

 Especially since I don't love public bathrooms and that this gym of mine is also hosting day camp for at least 100 children; i.e. condition of said bathroom is not too high.  

I managed to leave the bathroom and sit leaning on the wall of the track.  Two of my friends now surfaced and said my face was as white as my new t-shirt.  I told them I needed to gather my kids and go, because the kale wasn't working on my otherwise empty stomach.  (go figure I am a vegetarian and I eat kale all the time cooked!)

 I began to imagine reports of how a vegetarian mother was killed~ death by kale.

One friend offered to keep my kids and bring them to me later.  I convinced the baby to come and we managed to find home.  Well, I found the floor which seemed like the perfect place to recover. My 17 year old daughter who was at home working on math,  kept trying to convince me to lie on the couch or my bed.  As having been the victim of food poisoning a few times too many, I have learned that there is no place like the floor whilst in this condition.  

However soon the bathroom began to call and again I wondered why this kale was trying to kill me. Didn't I bring it home for good health?

So once it got out- and I laid down for a bit more I began to come back to life.  A rebound that needed to occur as I was having a book club at my house in the evening.

Will I try kale juice again...hmmm, as I bought a crate of it and it is in need of being made into either juice or food, well yeah.  A tricky road sometimes to good health and energy. Perhaps it takes a bit of a fighting spirit to find the new better place of health that I want.  Guess today is a new day and that I just need to forget about yesterdays kale juice and move on to what can we juice today!

I am pondering buying a Vita-mix

...and maybe a better juicer..

any suggestions friends?

Conversation with Preschooler

Overheard today while out with my 4 year old Ethiopian daughter Princess Mercy...

"Are we alone Mama"

(we are in a car- me driving, her in a car seat that is getting too small)

me: "Yes, honey."

"Mama, can we go on a date?"

me: "Sure, where would you like to go?"

"Can we go to Starbucks?"

Ethiopia...yes, the birthplace of coffee.  (she had an apple juice)

******

then as we pull into the Restaurant Depot parking lot to grab some cases of yummy things I hear a very serious voice say as if in prayer...

"THANK YOU God!!"  (the girl loves food and shopping in bulk!)

post Starbucks:

"Mama do you think it is hot in heaven?"

me: "Why would you ask that honey?"

"Because it is much closer to the sun (Son?) there."  

me:  "I am sure that there must be air conditioning then."

"Oh yes!  

I am sure that there must be central air there."

Laugh Worthy

Here I sit after a long day.  My Knight had an equally long hard day.  We are hours away from our first born daughter's big day...and our first wedding.  We are trying to unwind after attending to many untied ends and I picked up the newspaper to aid my unwind along.  So glad I did, because I found myself laughing out loud.

Let me share with you...

in the classified ads (yes, I read them even if I don't need a thing, just another quirky little bit about me).

Heading: Camping & Supplies

Ad...

Camping tent

Needs poles, ropes, stakes free stove 2 cots and advice.

I nearly bust a gut.  Basically this person has a large canvas.  I don't know if the tent is free or the stove, as the commas were missing after the ropes.  But 2 cots and perhaps a psychiatrist in waiting is available.

Let me know if you want the phone number, I have it if necessary.

Thinking what we could do with a large tent canvas, stove, two cots and a therapist of sorts.  I really should call, because how often do you get an offer for free advice?

Tomorrow is the big pre-day to the wedding.  It all is coming so fast.  My Knight says we better not blink or we just might miss it.  Thinking he's right and that I better be off to a good night's sleep.  I'd love a kind word from you...come on all you who read but don't comment.

The 70's Jump(ing) Suit in Action!

When I came across this at Saver's a few weeks back, I pulled it out and then 

 carefully put it back.  After all, it was a velour, one piece, front zipping, hooded 1970's jumpsuit. I could just seem my 21 year old roll her eyes at her baby sister running around in it....

 *Our little Princess Mercy (4) has a very sweet backside, which doesn't really work too well in pants these days. (which was the reason for my pants search).  The bootie just doesn't want to be contained in pants that are currently the style. Skinny jeans just don't work for this Ethiopian, who also happens to be in the 90th percentile for both height and weight.  A seeming Ethiopian giant of sorts, of course in beautiful princess form.

 On my next trip a few weeks later, it was still waiting for me and I took the plunge.

 She chose it for her outfit of the day.  She thinks it might help her at ice-skating lessons this afternoon.  It put a smile on her face (see picture #1) and a jump in her step (see all other pictures).

I'm thinking I need to go back and see if they have one in my size!  

Do you want me to look for one for you too?

Not Quite Whispering Sweet Nothings

 

Funny how children treat their Mama, even such 

wild children.

I know my little masked wild things love me,

but...

Love certainly has many different facets and formulas! 

What We were Told...Lies I tell YOU!

I was having a conversation a few days back, as I was carefully crossing off the zillions of accumulating errands that needed to be tended to,with my daughter Princess Sweetness (14) and Princess Giggles (12).My fourteen year old was adopted a bit over a year ago from Ethiopia, Africa.  

Somehow we got on the subject of eating(had we been gone so long that we were beginning to waste away??) and we began to talk about weird things people eat.She began to laugh and then to whisper to her sister Princess Sunshine. I asked what they were whispering about.
Princess Sunshine burst into giggles. 

She said that Princess Sweetness said she was told back when she lived in Africa, that Americans ate ants. Princess Sunshine just couldn't believe that someone would have told her that.  But Princess Sweetness with the seriousness that only comes from that sweet Ethiopian princess' face, said,

"Yes they did.  And I believed them. 

I was worried that when you adopted me that I would have to eat ants." 

I began to laugh, partly in thinking of how I could have possibly gotten her to eat an ant (though we seem to have an excess of them this year),as I can't even get her to eat breakfast cereal

(yes, I am still making coffeecake and muffins
for every breakfast, BIG SIGH). 

But also...

because as a girl my parents told me that same lie about people in Africa.

  They told me they ate ants and that they were like a snack on a regular basis for them. 

I was totally grossed out.

I shared with my Ethiopian daughter that I had been told the same thing about Africans. 

She was appalled.

How could anyone think that she would snack on ants.

Not saying that some people don't do this, just saying that people are funny

and we tell our kids some pretty weird things.

I love it when I learn something new about my daughter's life prior to her coming to our home.  I love to hear about her Ethiopian culture and the things that stand out as significant in her mind. Adoption, it is a wonderful adventure.  I am so thankful for the opportunity to find out the truth about who is not eating ants...

might have to do some homeschool research this year to see who actually is eating those ants, so as to set the record right once and for all.

Tattoos Anyone?

Sometimes bonding happens
when you go out of your way to be silly....

JoJo was home visiting us from the Air Force...

tattoos that Princess Giggles had gotten in a coloring book,

were the way chosen to spend an evening with JoJo.

JoJo was a good sport.

Silly kids ;-)

What if... (All about You)

It's March

and in my end of the world

it is still cold, wet and rather gray. 

I was thinking perhaps 

we could be a bit silly 

(to help pass the time) 

and share a bit of our 

*What If* desires.

So here goes...

What if 

you came into a Bazillion dollars suddenly,

you are told as part of the inheritance you MUST do one thing for yourself...

what would that thing be?

for me~

hmmm...

I think I'd hire a massage therapist...

nothing like massage to take away the knots and kinks that develop in my shoulders from the daily grind.

(or maybe someone to come brush my hair for hours ;-)

Okay, now how about you?  

What if...

Are You Kidding...16 More inces of SNOW

At one time this was our back deck...

which we put our Christmas tree on,
once it got moved out of the living room

...we left the lights on so we could enjoy it...

...hmmm...

something is wrong with this picture.
 

The new wall of snow. 

We'd guess their estimate of 6-8 was very wrong,

as it appears to be nearly 2 more feet added to our yard..

poor Hunter ...he was overwhelmed and he needed to go potty!

Of course my children are excited and want to finish their lessons so they can go out to play.

Me,
I plan to make pasta with my new Italian friend..
Mr. Atlas 150,
who arrived in the mail yesterday!
The semolina has been patiently waiting in the pantry for his arrival.  I think we will make some mounds of noodle-y goodness on our counters...
I am sure it will make us all feel a little less overwhelmed by the white that surrounds us on all sides.

Have a jolly good day and please send us a note to let us know you are praying for us!

Ethiopian Coffee...and Sleep

I wish I had a witty picture to share, ahem, but I don't.

I thought I'd share what my night looked like last night; due to 2 deliciously strong cups of Ethiopian coffee, that I indulged in too late in the day.

imagine if you will:

Time...post 1:00 a.m.....

Kimmie laying in bed.

Trying to sleep.

Shutting her eyes.

Rolling about.

No sleep.

Not worrying, which is good.

With adoption many times I worry when instead I should be sleeping.

This night I moved it to the absolute ridiculous though.

As I lay there...I actually found myself asking myself,

"I wonder why they call it horseradish?"

Now if I had any horseradish, or had even thought of horseradish in the last days, weeks or years, this might have been explainable. But alas, no explanation. Lay there I did, pondering all the possibilities of what the reason could be.

Do you know; so I can move on to a new question for tonight.

Yes, I have problems and one of them is my LOVE for strong Ethiopian coffee. Especially when I am tired, bad I know.

But coffee is coursing through my veins,

thanks Papa, for passing your addiction on to me.

A Nursery Rhyme Changed Up!

The Old Nursery Rhyme

This Little Piggie (a baby toe game)

This little piggie went to market;

This little piggie stayed home,

This little piggie ate roast beef,

This little piggie had none,

And this little piggie,

This little piggie went wee-wee-wee,

All the way home!

My version for my first six childen-

*prior to adopting from Ethiopia*

This little piggie went to market;

This little piggie stayed home,

This little piggie ate tofu,

This little piggie had none,

This little piggie~this little piggie,

Went wee-wee-wee

All the way home!

(mama is a vegetarian ;-)

My New and Improved Ethiopian Version...

This ten~nish (little) a~sa~ma (pig) went to Ethiopia (whisper: Addis Ababa)

This ten~nish as~sa~ma stayed bet, (home)

This ten~nish a~sa~ma ate injera,

This ten~nish a~sa~ma had ma~nem, (none)

And this ten~nish a~sa~ma...this ten~nish a~sa~ma,

went a~ra, a~ra, a~ra, (oh!)

all the way bet! (home)

'God, I am so very thankful for change'...life is good!

Need a Little Fun...

My friend Jenni (One Thing)...

who is a follower of Linda (2nd Cup of Coffee)-

who created this little meme...

...sucked me in.

I am going to play, which is not my norm, but hey sometimes you need to mix things up a bit.

(Thanks Linda and Jenni for mixing things up here!)

1. When you go to Wowmart, what one thing do you get every single time, besides a funky-wheeled squeaking cart full of frustration?

I hardly shop here...honestly, ours is rather dumpy.

2. What is something that people are currently "into" that you just don't get or appreciate?

Twitter-what is the purpose??

3. What is something that really hoists your sail that other people might feel "ho-hum" about?

Adoption!!!

4. Favorite song to sing in the shower or car?

Can't say I have a particular favorite. Sometimes I just make up a song as I go- usually Praise and Worship, but sometimes a *make the kids laugh* type ditty.

5. A really great salad must have this ingredient:

croutons *homemade* and really FAT and crunchy!

6. Advice in a nutshell to new bloggers (one or two sentences):

Share your heart, be transparent as you comfortably can and you will make an impact, hopefully for the Kingdom.

Make friends and enjoy the ride.

7. What was the alternate name that your parents almost named you?

*Blue Sky*

Do you wish they had chosen it instead of the one they gave you?

Absolutely...I wanted to use it for one of our daughters, but my Knight shot it down, sigh.

8. What in your life are you waiting for?

Hearing from God next week, as my Knight and I seek Him on *who and where *

our next child/children will come from. (adoption)

9. You get a package in the mail. What is it, and who is it from?

Probably a package of something I won on Ebay...today it was size large (cloth) diaper covers

10. Today--what song represents you?

Your Love Oh Lord

Third Day (I love Mac Powell!)

11. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?

That I can trust God when He tells me to do something-even when it is way beyond my experience or skill. Where He calls, He enables.

12. How are you going to (or how did you) choose the clothes you're wearing today? What do they say about you in general or specifically how you're feeling today?

*blushing*

A definite *What Not to Wear* moment

a tank top and sweats...I woke up with a stomach thing and knew I wasn't leaving the house.

What does it say...comfy, natural and relaxed and my Knight will dig it...

The good thing is...I am ready for bed!

Hope you'll play along too! Copy the original text for the meme over @

2nd Cup of Coffee

Don't be scared~really!

From out of the darkness, crept...

Capturing moving creatures in the low light

of the brand new 'being christened' firepit

Monsters of the night...

Monsters sitting down to enjoy the fire's warmth


Having too much fun, out of the deep dark forest

Dirty little Monsters...

Things that creep out of the woods to be nearer to the fire

Scary!

Really scary!

Yikes!

Silly giggling Monsters!

A walk though April in pictures

portraition ;-)

maturation



imagination


admiration

adoration

concentration

egglation

visitation

(from paternal grandmama on Princess' birthday)

(Grampie's toy) restoration

Piration (her mama's dress)

concentration (homeschool gym class)

elation

frustration

celebration

(first beater) ...yumation!

(deck) restoration

destruction

another celebration (the Knight)

decoration

smoochation ...okay, you try it!