Youth Blessing

Peanut and I joined the 1st through 6th graders (and quite a group of the community) for a Youth Blessing today after Monster was done with catecism. We all received our Ash Crosses. I'd like to attend the Mass tonight but it starts at 7:30 PM and two little boys have an 8 PM bedtime.

Monster brought home a Lenten Gift box. He put all the money he had in his bank into it. Peanut even put some money in, too. It makes me happy to see that both of the boys enjoy giving to others.

A major head/chest cold has been running rampant in our house. I ended up with a sinus infection, and I'm hoping I am getting over it. Monster and Luke both have the congestion and coughing going. Peanut actully seems to be the only one NOT to get this cold. Hopefully it stays that way.

Our community library does not offer story time on a weekly basis. I wish it did, just for something Peanut could look forward to. Next week starts the spring story time. He'll get to go from 6 PM through 7 PM for 3 weeks on Thursday evenings. Hopefully he'll sit well and listen to the librarian. He hasn't wanted to since turning 3. (Our story time is for 3 to 5 year olds.) I guess I'll find out next week.

Happy Lent everyone!

Did anyone get the license plate on the truck?

Ok, I feel awful. I went to Luke's sister's son's 1st birthday party yesterday evening. We got there about 4pm, and I was ready to go home at 6:30pm. I had a migraine starting. Got home around 9:30pm, put the boys to bed, and went home myself. I didn't wake up until 7:15am this morning. But I woke up with my back muscles spasaming. They felt a little better by 9 AM when Luke said the family was going to split wood. Now, I feel like I got caught between a truck and a wall. My back muscles really hurt right now... I think I need a full body massage... And if my in-laws are taking the boys camping this weekend. I'm scheduling one for Friday afternoon or Monday morning.

We survived our Blue & Gold Banquet (Cub Scout annual banquet). I had made a very full 5 quart slow cooker full of spaghetti casserole (16 oz elbow maccaroni, 2 pounds browned hamburger, and 3 26.5 oz cans of spaghetti sauce with 1 26.5 oz can of water). I thought for sure I would be bringing 1/2 of it home. I brought home a dirty slow cooker; it was completely gone... Monster has earned his Tiger Badge, and he earned 4 belt loop awards--archery, flag football, ultimate frisbee, and basketball, and the Outdoor Activity Award badge. Out of 8 boys in our den, 6 have earned their Tiger badges. Good job Tiger Cubs! All the active families are looking forward to this summer when we start working on their Wolf requirements. I hope we all have fun!

Well, I'm off to give two boys their ultimate clean-up shower. They both ended up filthy from playing while Luke and I were splitting wood today!

I read this in a magazine...

I found this in a magazine I bought today for some recipes. I had to pass it on.

A MOMENT FOR YOU!

You deserve to be happy. Joy isn't something you should have to wait for, wish for, or work for. It's something you can feel right now! And all it takes is giving yourself permission to take a break, letting yourself relax--and opening your eyes and your heart. Look for reasons to smile, and you'll find so many!

A little one's prayer and the Seefeldt humor

This morning Peanut, Monster, and I were at the table while the boys finished their breakfast and vitamins. I looked over at Peanut. He had his hands folded in prayer, head bowed, and was saying a prayer. He had to start over because Monster and I were talking at the moment. Here's my 4-year-old's prayer:

"Dear God, Please let it snow 10 times for me. Please? Thank you. Love, "

I just had to smile and tell him he did a very good job. He said it so solemnly... Where'd he learn to do that so fast?!?

Ok, my siblings, mom, and I all have a strange sense of humor. Last week while they were visiting, I had Erik check my computer to see what could be cleaned off it to help it run better. Well, Luke had put some things on my desktop in a fold titled LUKES JUNK. Erik, with our family's sense of humor, promptly said," I don't want to see his junk! I refuse to open that folder. It's indecent!" To which I burst out laughing. He quickly added, "Luke's junk belongs in his pants!" I laughed harder... Erik put Luke's Junk in Luke's Undies in Luke's Pants. So now I have a folder on my computer called Lukes pants...

Sledding fun!

This morning started with Peanut joining me shortly after 6 AM. He decided he wanted his leftover Mac & Cheese and some leftover hamburger helper for breakfast. He was in a very good mood. Then Monster decided he'd get up. He was grumpy... After 30 minutes of his tantrums, I gave him 2 choices: 1) go back to bed and come back out when he's in a better mood or 2) eat breakfast and improve his mood. Luke came down shortly after Monster decided to go back to bed... The boys are grounded from video games, computer games, and the TV for the morning. After Monster ate, I made them both get dressed to go out and play.

I decided I'd go sledding too. While sledding and pushing the boys down our driveway hill, I decided snowpants, gloves, hat, winter coat, and winter boots was too much clothes. Next time I go out I'll just do mittens, hat, boots, and coat.  NO snowpants. Well, first Luke got to push the boys down the hill because I was getting more snowmelt salt. Each boy ended up almost to our chicken coop (at the end of our driveway...).  Luke was cold so he decided to go back inside while his car warmed up. I pushed the boys for another 30 minutes until Luke came out to leave. We learned if Peanut is lying down in the sled he goes the farthest, but he has to have his feet at the front of the sled. Plus, pushing his sled when he's lying down is very difficult, even for me. Take almost 41" and cut it in half. Then try to push it down a hill. Or worse yet have the almost 41" be shrunk down to about 6" and then push it down a hill. We all had fun. 

Then, just before Luke left for the morning, I had him push me and my sled. I go my momentum up, and then Peanut saw he could reach out for a HUGGIE! Well, I grabbed him with one arm and proceeded to make my sled spin a 180. He looked at me laughing and said, "Huggie?!?" I guess the one arm hug did't work as well. (I pushed the boys for another 15 minutes after that, then went in to fold clean clothes and do some house cleaning.)

While cleaning, I discovered that I don't stick with cleaning one thing until it is done. I am totally hit or miss with my cleaning because I do a little of this, then have to throw something away and something else catches my eye, so I clean that for a little while, then head back to cleaning number 1, get distracted, and start in on number 3... I work at all the different things until I end up getting them all done one right after another... (Final steps to clean for all the different things all done successively.)  My mom said I shouldn't clean like she does... Aaah, the truth comes out from where I got it from!

Lots of company! Good times.

This week started with a phone call from our school district's administrator: school's delayed 2 hours due to 1/4" of ice covered by wet snow. So I let the boys sleep. Then we get another phone call: "Due to weather conditions, school has been cancelled." So I got both boys at home on Monday. I kicked them outside to play. While Peanut was taking a nap, Monster decided to wait outside for my brother and his family to arrive. The trip for them from Des Moines, IA to our house was slow but ok otherwise. They were at our house until Wednesday morning. The boys had fun playing with their cousin, playing with their Birthday and Christmas gifts, and having fun with their Aunt and Uncle! Luke and I enjoyed their visit too. (Luke was nice enough to allow them to sleep in our bed, despite his having to work.)  My Mom was wonderful and let them borrow her vehicle (bigger), so I got to send a whole bunch of stuff  across state with them. *happy dance, happy dance*

So today, I'm working on getting the house back to its normal state. The big thing was getting dishes done. I'm not used to having to do dishes for 7 people for supper, 6 for breakfast, and 5 for lunch. We kept running out of forks and spoons! :-)

Monster had a sledding party today for being part of one of the two classes that brought in the most money during the school's Penny War during American Education Week. (First and Second grades each had 2 ice cream buckets of money!) The Penny War proceeds went to help the Pepin County Food Pantry. I took all 4 of our sleds into town for the sledding party. From what I could tell all the first graders had a lot of fun. Peanut was upset because we couldn't stay for sledding because I had errands to run. Then Monster got mad because Peanut and I had to get home and couldn't have lunch with him.

Monday 1/30 is a Tiger Den meeting and a doctor's appointment for me. After that, it's back to the normal daily routine.

Yup, it IS 4:27 AM and I'm blogging...

I blame my sister. I think she gave me her cold via the phone... My head feels like it's going to explode, my ears are blocked and hurt so I can hardly put in my hearing aids, my throat is nice and sore from nasal drip (though I don't think it is just dripping...), and my nose is getting sore from blowing it. I HATE headcolds... I'd make some tea right now, but I don't want to wake anyone up. Elderberry juice and Dayquil here I come...

I think some frustration at my husband is going to worked off on laundry today... And working on fixing his quilt. Along with sporadic doses of prayer.

Lord, please help me to be more patient with my family and myself. Help me to step back from situations where Satan is prodding me into hasty reactions. Be with me as I evaluate and re-evaluate what I'm doing as a person, a mom, and a wife. Also, please be with my husband so he understands that things Monster does now will help him become a better person as he grows. Monster's activities now ARE worthwhile, especially for a 7-year-old boy! Please help Luke see that his parents made him grow up way too soon. Help Luke understand he only gets to be in the boys' lives as their DADDY for a short while; he'll always be their father, but being a DADDY is SO important! Help Luke and I re-evaluate how we deal with each other and with each of the boys. I am trying very hard to give my children the best advantage of Catholic faith, a loving home, and activities that will enrich their lives, but I need your help and guidance. This I pray, in Jesus' name. Amen

I want a day where I don't get frustrated with Luke. I want a day where I don't get frustrated with the boys. I want a day where I don't get frustrated with myself.