Aging Gracefully: Revisited.

Filed under Family, discussions by Jenny on June 14, 2011 at 10:55 am {16 comments}

[Special thanks to this video for teaching me how to embed video. Finally!]

Women. Aging. Beauty. Security.

I was really touched by all the feedback that came in from ya`ll on these subjects.

Thanks to Elizabeth Savino Nye for featuring me on her gorgeous blog. And also for getting me a feature with Momaroo. I appreciate it so much.

A few of you said, “I`d like to talk more on this subject”. I agree.

(It`s a metaphor. ;) )

I want to too. I also want to say, I am not, hahaha, a teacher, or trying to be one. I just like to share what`s on my heart and what I like to think about. You never have to agree with me. I feel privileged just to be heard.

So now I will randomly share what things have brought me to think on this in the way I have.

Raising little girls. I have 2 girls. If I, the mother, don`t know who I *am* in life, and am unsure of what image I want to portray, I think it`s going to be pretty hard for me to teach my growing girls: (gruff voice) to stand up for what they believe, and BE A CONFIDENT, HEALTHY TEENAGER.

The things all mother`s want for their girls.

This was illustrated to me the other day. It happened as I was standing at my “readying myself” dresser in my room.

I`m not a huge make-up wearer, but I go to quite a few MK parties, and since MK make-up lasts a good year for me, I do have a pretty vast spread of “pretties/make-up/ lotions/what-not”.

Well, my gear was just a mess spread out all over the top of my dresser and Elle was there, watching me get ready. She LOVES this kind of thing and she gets a little magical eyed when either of us get ready and she can in any way touch any of my things.

She had her palm spread out like a bat, waved it slowly over the top of my “spread” and said,

“MOM. Why do you need ALL of this things?”

(Yeah, her grammar is funny)

And I, feeling witty, said,

“Because mommy is old, and she needs ALL OF THIS THINGS to make herself pretty!”.

I said that!

It took 1 second to go from feeling witty, to feeling like a very bad example. So then, to cover my tracks, I hugged her and said,

“You know only Jesus can make us pretty, right? What really matters is how pretty mommy and Elle are on the inside!”

Pretty generic teaching we crank out over here.

She kind of ignored me, because I don`t really think she knows what it means, plus I say it too much. Then I realized, I have to stop saying it so much, and just live it to her. When she is 16, she`ll KNOW if her mom really believes all that cliche with her whole heart.

so yeah, that.

Who wins? And then, just thoughts like: Ok, so why every time when you hear of a sweet old couple (think waitressing days customer) that tells you PROUDLY, ”

“We`ve been married 65 year today!”

The wife never looks like a Barbie or a silicone trophy wife. I mean never. The couple usually looks very much like this: (Is it me or do most old couples have that same “look”?)

I`m not trying to profile or anything. I just really love to use visuals to give a better idea of what I mean.

Isn`t there just so much to love about this old couple? The way their shoulders are pressed together. They aren`t crawling all over eachother with PDA, but they still want to touch, to feel the presence of the other one. The way she has her hair in that pretty up-do and took the time to add a white (not sure what it is). She is OLDER, but she obviously still feels/desires lovely. Also, the way the gent`s hair is longer and wavy in the back. Back when, he was probably a strong, handsome man with a thatch of ravenous, curly hair, it was one of her favorite things about him. But now, most of the hair is gone, but he keeps that lower acre hardy– in memory of the rest.

But my point it– maybe we shouldn`t assume our husbands truly pine for a trophy wife after all. Barbie isn`t the real winner. The woman above is. Something about her… lasts.

Men are visual. Speaking of men. We have come to my next point. We say, “Men are visual” and they are! But I think when women hear that they hear,

“As a man, I truly desire a supermodel, or a Barbie would work as well, for a wife.”

When I think they really might mean, they want a secure and happy wife, that cares for her own soul/mind/body. She showers and smells nice. Even though it`s costly, sometimes her underwear is new and it doesn`t always scream, “I`m a mom!”. She has quiet time with God, so she isn`t yelling at her kids all day. She thinks about what she puts in her mouth, because she wants to feel healthy– not to stave off insecurity. She keeps her nails nice and her hair shiny. She embraces her curves, and is comfy with who she is. She embraces her thin frame, and embraces who she is. She shaves her legs. And sometimes, if her butt is too big– she starts working on it. I once heard a friend say,

“My husband doesn`t even care if my butt never gets smaller. He just likes to see that I care and am trying.”

But I could be way off. And in case you want to know, I`m sitting here on a week night: the hair so isn`t shiny and I need a shower. The reminders above, are for me.

Sometimes, I don`t know why we are so hard on the guys. I mean, none of us ladies want a greasy, lazy, couch potato husband– but neither are we asking for, (or wanting), a ripped Fabio or a casually dressed A-lister named George Clooney. We just want a guy that cares and tries. Same, same.

I don`t know what your husband`s dynamics are either. I once heard a girl I knew say,

“I know my husband loves my body, but I`m not sure he loves me.”

or another one,

“When I walk into a room of women, I always look first to be sure I`m not the fattest woman in the room. I can`t help it!”

Insecurities. You know, so, the pain in all this, is so real for a LOT of women. I know our “weak” areas… or areas of pain… or insecurity… vary from woman to woman, but we all have them. Insecurities. (Repeat that 20 times.) That one thing that screams at me when I look in the mirr0r.

I have no answers, but I just want to get you thinking– (and teaching me in the comments.)

And I guess, I just think if we struggle with these things now, how do they manifest themselves as we grow older, and we have little women modeling after us?

Visual role models. One last thing I wanted to comment on was: I have really come to believe in the power of a mature, visual, role model. I know we do this for Godly character traits, so why don`t we do it with outward appearance too? It does to some extent tie together, I realize, but for real, pick a lovely older women that looks like what you desire, and follow her “look”. I love looking at fashion, and the occasional People magazine, and that`s definitely shaping the way I view what I think looks good, so why not send in some healthy vibes to mind file: Beauty 101?

Oddness. You might find it odd, but when I got ready for a breakfast brunch this morning I THOUGHT OF the 2 women in my last post (2nd picture), and I got a wide, thin, grey scarf  and tied it in the way they both have theirs tied. I felt the way they looked a little. And right then, when I wore that scarf, BOOM, they were outward appearance role models to me. It`s funny how fast that happens…

My points don`t go together and I don`t have answers, only thoughts, but I did want to leave you with a comment from Gloria, that was so precious. She said,

“I’m a firm believer in beauty shifting…..not fading.

While I have a long way to go, when I think of who I was at 20 something, I feel certain I’m a more beautiful person today than I was back then!”

Isn`t that JUST AWESOME!

And this:

Titus 2: 3-5…

Likewise, teach the older women to be reverent in the way they live, not to be slanderers or addicted to much wine, but to teach what is good.

Then they can train the younger women to love their husbands and children,

To be self-controlled and pure, to be busy at home, to be kind, and to be subject to their husbands, so that no one will malign the word of God.

~~~

Getting off my writing butt, and going to take my girls on a walk! I don`t want to but… ;)

YOUR THOUGHTS! Jenny

(2061 Galen and Jenny)

Aging Gracefully.

Filed under discussions by Jenny on June 5, 2011 at 4:55 pm {40 comments}

Are these women beautiful? ARE they?

I want to talk about something, and I`m not even going to talk about it from a Christian standpoint– because that`s what you`d expect me to. It`s just something that`s on my mind all the time.

Aging well. Is it something we do for us, or for our families, or for our own dignity? Because I mean, you may have been a real Snazzy in your high school days, or whenever, but face it, we all get old.

(Trust me, it makes my day when Laila says, “Mommy!” when she sees my wedding picture. She sees me in that ancient picture?!?!)

I guess I want to think of words I feel when I see these women above– all in their 50s. (and not trying to pick on them, but beings they have agreed to star in a reality show, I am guessing they are up for gabbing grabs.)

Hard. Damaged. Plastic. Unstable. Insecure. Not comfortable. Selfish. Expensive. Hard. Lonely. Implanted. Brittle. Trying.

Yet, this, THIS is a picture *Hollywood* (I hate to say that, it sounds to “closed”) says is a “hot older women”. A cougar. A SUCCESSFUL WOMAN. A women who is powerful, in control, and can still attract a younger man.

(What? Gross.)

And just let me address the fact that when I am a grandma, I want to feel soft, smell like flowers and have lovely aged hands. I want my grandchildren to LOVE laying against me. I want them to feel safe at my house. I want them to think of my kitchen when the Tollhouse cookie commercial comes on.

I want that!

I want my husband to want to come home because he can lay on the couch at our house, and enjoy the sound of the whirring fan and a lemonade, as he rants to me about his nutso day. I won`t be blonde and gorgeous, but I will be safe. And warm. And secure.

Those are my plans.

Then, I came across this picture. (And it`s what compelled me to write this post in the first place.)

Don`t you just want them for your friends? For your mother? grandmother? wife? a neighbor? your kid`s schoolteacher?

Obviously, I don`t know who these 2 women are from Adam, but let me tell you the words I feel when I see them.

Warm. Sweet smelling. Happy. Fun. Safe. Secure. Clean. Full of LIFE. Attractively dressed. Age appropriate. Soft. Pretty skin. Beloved by someone. BEAUTIFUL.

Honestly, when I saw this picture, I just stared. To me, they were utterly gorgeous & breathtaking. You know why?

Because it`s a rare thing to see in our society. (I say society, NOT women I know. I am surrounded by lovely aging women!!) Women aging, that haven`t “given up” by doing either 1 of 2 things:

A) Looking drab– “I`m old”. (Old people are drab.)

Or. the other extreme.

B) I`m 60, looking 20. (And it`s not working for me.)

…

Why are we believing the lies?

Spring is here, summer is coming.

Filed under Family, Home Decor by Jenny on May 25, 2011 at 4:30 pm {9 comments}

Editing pictures makes me so happy. I don`t know why, I don`t think I`m really good at it or anything but it`s just PLAIN GOOD FUN. Especially when Pandora cranks out some good Leeland in the background.

Well, I`m on day 5 of parenting alone. I am so puking sick of not having my husband around, I decided tomorrow we are packing up and going to go get him. We are. I should be packing now, but you know how it`s all last minute stuff? I mean, I can`t load the cooler now, and the stroller is still wet from me spraying it off, plus, the suitcases are just ANNOYING to pack.

Let me say once we hit the road, I`ll be happy. I`d rather drive than pack ANY DAY.

Here is just s sprinkling of our family life here in the old, old house.

Girls had a tea party. Nothing like pink sparkling lemonade, farmer`s cheese and Wheat Thins…

Cups up! To a great little sister– (even when she bites my ear and I have to go cry to mom about it.)

Toes.

Porch pretties.

Can they? It really is a good question to ask one`s self.

Elle escaping her hard life. (Her mom doesn`t let her cut up good cheese to make fake cookies and puzzle pieces for fun. She says, “We don`t play with our food, Elle. We eat it.”)

That`s what happened while I was away from the computer just now.

Lolla dreams of pulling out more of my rooted perennials.

Look Laila, a flower. Mom, grew a REAL LIVE FLOWER.

(That`s how I felt anyway.)

Any people living under this rock?

I used to obsess about the peeling paint and oldness of our home, and how long it has taken for it all to be done and sleek. Like an old house ever could be “sleek”, but.

I told G, this year I am just going to embrace it! And I have.

Drop a cookie in the mudroom? Watch the ants come running. You might actually think there are clods of dirt there 5 minutes later. Nope. It`s just a million hungry ants. We do cold meals for the needy thrice a day over here.

Are you bored while you wait for daddy to park the car/ If you`re 3, pick the top layer of the back door off while you wait. Then use the splinters for all kinds fun things. A real fun thing is to leave them for someone to step on. Ta-da! A splinter.

Want to rock the day away on the porch, you can stare at the peeling columns that were painted by someone very angry/ 3 years old/ in a big hurry. Oh, well, I like to think of it as someone that painted that first layer showing through, as a woman in a flour sack dress and oh! there comes her husband bumping down the brick road on a prancing, black horse stallion.

They loved this old house. Someone did. It was once beautiful.

Chalkboard.

Lolla`s pointing finger likes the lemonade.

Great party, Eh?

Let`s just say all my extra $ right now goes to perennials. My ones came up from last year. I was encouraged! I didn`t kill them after all!

Little plot of veggies.

Slow days are relaxing out here.

Coffee and inspiration.

Whoops, just remembered I said I was going to answer all those questions in my next post. Oopsy. I forgot. *Next* time…

Here`s a great meal.

Buy a decent frank, grill the bun, add green onions and whatever else you want.

A Kauffman favorite.

Elle and her bug catcher.

Laila took it to church last Sunday. I noticed she had it all the way to church and wondered what her plan was for it. Oh, yup, she wants to take it along in? When I told her no outside the church door, she was um, looking meltdownish, so I said okay. (Galen wasn`t there to fight the battle with me.) Laila clutched it all morning long, even took it to Sunday school. She held it so proudly, on her arm, like a purse.

~~~

My eldest needs me… she is not happy with my activity of choice. I`m out!

One more…

Quite possibly, my favorite of any picture I have ever taken.

Rainy day news.

Filed under Family by Jenny on May 17, 2011 at 2:41 pm {11 comments}

This has been just a completely fun day. It`s raining. Rain relaxes me in a way I can`t describe. Oh, shoot I can`t plant my garden today (secretly glad).

Today is our 8th anniversary. I love my husband. Sometimes we drive eachother crazy, but in the end we always realize I was right.

Tehehe. Old joke.

I thought it was funny, today on Facebook I wrote that my husband is the  “coolest man I know” and later he wrote I was the “most beautiful”.

Later, a friend innocently wrote “You 2 are made for eachother!”

I assumed what she meant was, “Happy that you 2 are drinking the same Kool-aid and living in that SAME dreamland!”

I`m sorry, sometimes things inside my head make me laugh.

Moving on. To me, this is the most romantic song in the world, or this one. They go out today… to “us”. Free feel to slow dance in your livingroom, on me.

My girls are sweet today. But, check back another day, it might be: “I`M RUNNING DOWN THE STREET. DON`T COME AFTER ME.” A friend said that once to me, and it made me laugh then, and evermore after.

I met some of my favorite friends in the whole world for donuts this morning. There were cute kids there, and short, but sweet conversation.

Then my girls and I, ended meeting the high school students/my husband at Jitters for lunch.

Tonight, husband and I only, are hitting the town with a great Groupon date/deal we scored earlier. Yes, we will be ordering like rich people.

(And not the dollar menu people we are. )

(And not the grilled cheese and tomato soup at home– people we are.)

I want to do some selfish me shopping– I have great coupons. Groceries are needed, a cute blouse desired. We`ll see where Benjamin Franklin ends up.

Is it sad, I had to go to my purse and look to be sure that Ben is indeed on the $1 and nope, he`s on the $100.

I figured that out from Google, not from the $100 in my purse, by the way.

So… I guess this day could be called: The one where we ate out way too much. Except actually, at the first 2 places I didn`t eat. Yes, doing the less thing, I guess because, my daughter has called me “squeezy” way too many times. And as she pointed out today, “Aunt Joy is skinny. Skinny is so nice!”

Anyway. Not sure why I said all that– above– I think because I had a lot of caffeine. I am always more talkative with caffeine.

I have a real problem lately where I am just STUMPED with what to blog about. I don`t have enough time to be inspired, and end up writing about a tree in the backyard. I`m feeling vanilla.

I thought maybe for my next post I will answer any questions anyone may have. Where I got the idea, that I will have answers for questions, I don`t know. But if there is something you always wanted to ask me, leave the question in the comments and I`ll answer then, next post.

All questions will (try) to be answered unless you ask, for instance: Which house on what street do you live? (it bothers me when people ask me that for some reason) Are your kids brats? WHY do you waste so much time blogging? Such similar questions will go in file 13.

That paragraph ending calls for a winking smiley to show I am jovial and kidding. It`s so hard to write for sport sometimes. I hate that emoticons have to be used to compensate for lack of vocal intonation. Ex. sarcasm. They should make an emoticon that means “insert sarcasm”. It could be a tiny caricature of Ricky Gervais.

If I don`t get any questions, I`ll just make some up.

Oh this is fun: here is a picture of Lynelle, with the scarf she won here. Really fun for me to see where Yellow ended up. I thought it was really cute how fun her outfit and shoes where. Happy home for my scarf! :) Thanks, Lynelle…

~~~

Oh and before I go, here is an Elle-ism from yesterday morning:

(Overheard as I walk by the bathroom)

“Bye, bye pee! Have a good morning!”

~~~

You do too. Jenny

PS. This was written a few days ago, just got around to posting it tonight. In case you wondered if I thought my annv was AGAIN today.

Mothers Day~2011

Filed under Family by Jenny on May 10, 2011 at 8:48 am {3 comments}

Here`s what I wrote on Facebook about the day…

Mother`s day ’11. I am never happier then when these 2 flowers are in my arms. I am unworthy to be their mother, but so grateful that I am! I told Galen last night, I feel like I could lay in bed for hours, sometimes, and still not comprehend my love for my girls. HOW MUCH GOD MUST LOVE US.

So how was your mother`s day?

Laila and the tree.

Filed under Family, Home Decor, Repurposed Junk, Thrift by Jenny on May 5, 2011 at 10:13 am {8 comments}

How gorgeous is this time of year with all the blooming bushes and trees? This time of year I long for Savannah. We went there on our honeymoon in May– 7 years ago. Lovely flowering trees. And the parks and fountains and shops and the water-front town…

If you ever want to experience historic and lovely– go there.

Anywho. I made our prissier daughter get dressed, so I could take some pictures with our 2 trees. She liked her outfit so much, when she was done and it was time for playclothes– oh did she throw a fit!– I`m sure the neighbors had their phones in hand, ready to call social services at the screaming and kicking noises.

No, it`s just me trying to rassle a 2 year old out of her “perty” and losing badly.

She is CRYING~ But I still love the moment in the picture. Evil mom alert.

She kept running away, so I told her I`d give her chocolate if she just stood there.

“Chol-at”? Yes, yes. She will stand there now.

Messy hair was supposed to look “european”, turns out it looks “lazy mom”.

Run little girl, let your wisps of hair a-fly, be your guide.

OH!

Well, who do we have here? An urchin in a grey dress.

If my one girl is prissy (little one), then the other one (older one) is a dirt girl.

G texted me the other day and said,

“I just thought of the perfect birthday gift for Elle! An ant or a worm farm.”

I texted back and said,

“Oh my word: perfect.” …and then some other stuff I can`t write here.

Just kidding on that last part.

But if I were to buy Lailas dream gift it would be more princess dress-up clothes.

I LOVE the diversity. It`s crazy how I don`t teach them what to like– they look and listen and watch, and then they come out with a conclusion… I like THIS. THIS is me.

Happy Elle, sporting the family`s classic hairdo: The Lazy Mom.

Picking up worms/bugs/stones in my fern flowerbed.

I have mantel insecurity issues. I have done this mantel up probably a good 15 different ways since we moved here. And I never REALLY like it. There is this thing with placement– that I can`t get the hang of. I will have a bunch of pretty things– and then when I set them all up there, it just looks weird and lumpy. But I leave it, because I don`t really know a better way.

(If anyone ever comes across a link for tips on this– I`d LOVE to see. Or share advice for me in the comments. DON`T BE SHY– I would love it!)

Anyway. My former mantel was very dusty, ugly, tired… (no picture available) there was a large wreath over the mirror, so there wasn`t much light reflection.

I decided to try again and you know what I did? I decided when I put this mantel-scape together, to set everything up exactly opposite of the way my instinct to do it, would be. I can have this kind of “cluttery” style that drives me completely crazy.

In the end, it turned out my best one yet. Not perfect, but…

A few things I learned:

1. Create light. (By removing the wreath covering the mirror– the mirror could now reflect light. Also the candles.)

2. Create a focal point. The eye has to have a place to rest on. (In this case, the candle grouping.)

3. Give items space. (It creates a cleaner look– allowing each decor item to give interest to the viewer.)

4. Look in odd places for decor. (I brought out all my misc jars that to me, were ugly and boring. BUT when paired with candles they now became transformed because your eye now sees the light, not the jar.)

5. Real flowers and the calming color white. (Two of the most simple ways to bring beauty anywhere. Did you ever notice, every magazine shot has real flowers in it? )

6. Unique textures create depth together. (An example of some great pairing possibilities: white glass, live flowers, moss, light, something weathered with time, bark, a frame with lovely detailing, vintage leather, words that create feeling, faux fur, weathered wood, wicker, a map, colored glass, a collection-grouping. The list could go on and on.)

7. Last but NOT least… LESS IS MORE!

(I came up with 7 points! WHAT? Where did all that come from– ha.)

When G comes home from work and I have these candles lit, it REALLY makes his day.. Which makes mine.

A random picture thrown in.

My and my sister`s kids.

The photo theme was cute lunchboxes, but I think the lonely outhouse is stealing the show.

Take time to enjoy the Son-shine today!

Love, Jenny

A day in the life…

Filed under Family by Jenny on May 4, 2011 at 11:47 am {16 comments}

Remember the diva I mentioned in an earlier post?

Yup, it`s her. She can`t even walk right in that get-up.

Elle drops off a few cards to her momma`s friends.

You know the kind of day that goes nothing like you had planned, but turns out to be really funny and fun anyway? Well, this was one of those.

I was left without a car one day last week and had a bunch of errands to run… so we got out our covered wagon big stroller and set out for TOWN.

First things first. GET CASH.

There it is– some of that pretty green stuff. It`s my weekly grocery money draw.

The courthouse– this building is amazing. We live behind it, so it`s what we see out our front window.

When G has the girls and they go walking he says they like to come sit on this statue.

Laila didn`t want to sit on the statue. It was really windy that day so I think she was wanting to be left alone.

Elle found a REAL LIVE egg by the statue! We both thought that was super cool. It was such a pretty green/blue color.

Onward… Elle sees something cool in a window…

Olivia books!

Elle crawled out to peer at the books.

“Oh NO! MOM THE EGG!”

I can`t help wondering how that teeny egg would have tasted fried up, with a piece of toast..

We wthen walked to Rhode`s because the mother wanted to grab some on-sale OJ. The girls were hungry, so we grabbed drumsticks and sat down in the cafeteria-style eatery there. Eatery is a stretch, but it was a BUSY place. The food was in a glass “looking  case”, where ladies in hairnets shlepped picnic food into Styrofoam boxes.

(Don`t miss the precious BRANCH Elle thought her and Laila had to wave around while they “drove” in the stroller.)

Before: fat drum.

After: bone-y drum.

My girls eat so slow. We sat there 20 minutes or more– while they carefully gnawed on their meat sticks.

While they gnawed… I people watched. I was also swept into nostalgia over the way this place was set up and the kind of people visiting it. Very lunch-ladyesque. That coffee maker made me feel like I was visiting my grandpa at the hospital in the 80s. And the little white mugs made me feel a very certain something…

The desert counter. Probably Sara Lee repackaged. :)

Our next stop– my girl`s beloved library! Almost every day they beg to go to the library.

When we got there, we were surprised to see Miss Mullet and the kindergarten class. The girls were happy to see them. Here, Laila enjoys some of the “leftover fun” from Ravi`s computer experience.

Nothing as dar as 3 year old skirty and leggsies. My mom gave Gracie and Elle matching dresses for christmas one year. Elle`s got a bleach spot on the top– so I cut the top off and made a skirt from it. I love it even more as a summer skirty.

We were then going to walk to the park by the library, but it started raining. We walked home in the rain looking for every short-cut we could find. We arrived home wet and happy and sleepy.

Good day.

Ok, well the sun shines today and I want to go sit in it! We plan to plant our garden this Saturday. delightful.

Kauffmans hit party scene…

Filed under Friends by Jenny on May 3, 2011 at 8:55 pm {6 comments}

(GHA highschool banquet.)

We had a great little classydinner in a room with beautiful old woodwork, high ceilings and a long table at Hotel Mbg. t`s 2 blocks from our house so it was pretty sweet for us. We walked there in a quaint kind of way. I wore a vintage clutch and broach that night, so I was feeling very 1920s. (Imagination is a great destination.)

Our main street could almost be classy if it wasn`t so run-down. Great old buildings.

Who IS the boy in the foreground who just refuses to smile (see first photo). I like it. It`s like a: to-cool-for-skool/ this-party-is-lame look, rolled into one.

(He`s a happy kid, really.)

Karston winces in delight as his Coke now makes a loooong downturn, at the end of a rollarcoaster kind of  drinking experience.

Long straw fun. One of the cah-RAZY things young kids do these days.

(Mr. K mainly captioned that one. If you students don`t like our captioning skills/high humor ability take it up with your principal tomorrow!)

(If you think that`s bad– try LIVING with a principal. I overspend at Target… and it`s all (gruffly) “Come to my office” for me.)

Tiffany wastes a moment of eye contact on me. Point that look across the table… :)

Malinda and Miss K– 2 wonderful ladies.

Senior boys will (“will” as in a legal declaration) the things they`ll leave behind next year to their underclassmen.

Apparently Jordan went with “funny” and Colby went with “moving”.

Mr. K, always a hoot and center of times that are fun (that`s what Scott thinks). Kayla eagerly awaits him demonstrating the “wing, wing” dollar bill joke on her.

(Matt Saracen (screen name) from Friday Night Lights.)

Doesn`t Scotty (pictured in photo before, bottom left) look like the guy above? I thought so.

hey, I can`t help it, I love a good look-a-like match up.

I really should shut down this housewifely blog-of-bore, and open up a new one where I just post pictures of all the people I see in a day and the people they remind me of.

Whenever I see a choir of any kind, I listen to the music for the first 10 minutes, and then I spend the rest of the night trying to come up with someone else each choir member reminds me of.

I once went to hear SMBI chorus alone and thought it`d be fun to text G and tell him all the look-a-likes I came up with. He ended up thinking it was really annoying. But, I mean, he wasn`t even there to see the wonder of it all, so no wonder he thought it was an uncool activity.

Kayla contemplates the deeper meaning to the joke.

High school, minus a few… (Click to view larger)

A SUPER great bunch of kids. I always thoroughly enjoy hangin` out with dem– lots of laughs, fo sho’.

No one talks like that around here? Oh. Right. But when texting…? Not even then. Okay… I`ll just go back to mom-speak then.

“Elle, GET OUT OF THE PANTRY. Galeeeeen…”

A few girls save money on senior pictures by getting a teacher to snap a few. (jk)

(Matt again, dreams of a more happenin` par-tay. Alex declares it a good one! (“Two bent thumbs up!”))

After we ate, the kids went on a scavenger hunt here in town. They had to find a list of 12 items: an engraved date, graffiti, the number 18, a tire not on a car, 3 lawyer`s office signs (Etc.)

Then they came back to our house and hung out, talked, watched royal wedding clips,  and ate a chocolate cake I tried to make that boiled over in the oven. Not my finest hour ever. Also not my finest cake ever.

All in all, a SuperFun night. My husband ADORES these kids (they probably don`t know how much). So it`s always fun when I get to be involved in a night like this.

You kids make me laugh. Thanks! :)

My girl Laila.

Filed under Family, Thrift by Jenny on April 28, 2011 at 12:06 pm {10 comments}

{A site I came upon the other day.}

~~~

I am really having fun watching my Laila becoming a real girl.

She just turned 2 the end of February but wow, she is packed with her own sense of “her”.

She is rather kindhearted, not a purist, she can get rather violent when provoked, but yes, kindhearted in her core I think hope.

When Elle follows her around the house, tight in Laila`s personal space, pretending to be a creepy bear, of course Laila wails. Elle delights. I intervene, the way mothers are supposed to. I try not to laugh at how screechy Laila was over an odd, creepy bear, and not even a good imitation of one. Laila also looks funny running in heels. I tell Elle to Say Sorry!

Elle wails,

“I caaaan`t“

Me,

“Then we will sit and wait until you can say it.”

(Pause)

But Laila (and she always does this), is already hugging Elle and saying,

“I sowwy, I sowwy, Elle”

(NO! don`t tell her sorry, you didn`t DO anything.)

Laila loves to say sorry and is always super affectionate, loving, easily broken. I fear for a bit of a pushover tendency in her future.

We will have to keep an eye out for that.

The other day, I saw there was “activity” with Laila bustling about the dinner table. She is a bustler. Most days she wears heels and a princess skirt, bangles on her arms. She really likes pretty things. In the morning, after I get her dressed upstairs, most days she “finishes” getting ready, when she gets down here with the princess get-up box. (Groan)

Anyway. I saw she (alone) was doing this (see below).

We have 4 chairs at our table. Each one neatly had

1 dolly

and

1 animal

sitting in them.

I was kinda proud.

Here she is the one day I “tried” to potty train her. It ended toward the end of the day when she got sick of it and made her body as stiff as a board when I tried to put her on the potty.

Well, my policy is if I have to discipline them to go potty, well, then they aren`t ready yet. So we canned it for that day. If she tries to go to kindergarten still not trained, I`m sure she will learn pretty fast that  “mommy was right.”  I`m banking on that.

“So you guys don`t just go-where-you-are anymore? Yeah, that makes more sense.”

Laila is the queen of happily enjoying “leftover fun”. She is never old enough so that`s her life at present. She loves it.

Like when Elle plays touch screen (special) computer games at the library, Laila could play at the puzzle table, play in the playhouse with stuffed toys, look at books. No. She will stand for the half hour Elle plays, patiently watching the screen beside her– loving her life as a 2 year old. She can`t even hear what`s going on, because Elle is wearing the huge, welding-style headphones.

When I scrutinized this photo later, I realized she has a nice runny nose going on.

I wish I looked this good with my nose unwiped, my nightie on, and the fact that *I* was in bed 15 minutes before.

In case you care, and because it bothers me now– I am not a nightie kind of person, myself.

{Because I am a footed pajamas all the way kinda momma.}

{The snuggy is great too, just not as practical when cooking meals and moving around the house.}

Edited to add: Both 2 comments above are jokes.

Drawing time.

No, Laila is not dressed up like a diva. She is dressed like LAILA. That is her.

Because princesses don`t wear those purple things in their mouths.

Laila calls her nippy “baby”.

~~~

Misc. news.

{“News” used loosely}

Anyone else dig free samples like I do? I`ve gotten perfume, mags, cool coupons, ravioli and yesterday TIDE!! I get my best samples from All You.

My sister so kindly babysat for me the other night and since I was in a RARE and loving “sewing mood” (and G was home on vaca to watch the girls)– I made her a few “treats”.

I hopped onto a great idea! When you make a teeny tiny skirt, root around for for old diaper covers to sew into the skirt. I found a few hip looking ones from Old Navy to sew into these skirts. I don`t know about you– but I can`t hack seeing bare diaper under a pretty skirt. It ruins the whole essence, if you know what I mean.

It`d be like Food and Wine magazine taking a classy tablescape of fine cuisine, and in the background you can see opened TIN CANS sitting around.

Hide the ugly, so the beauty can shine.

{Little barrettes are from this tutorial.}

{They are insanely fun to make!}

I got my camera out the other night to capture the sweetness of G helping his niece Katy play his guitar. Well, the moment passed before I got there.

What I caught instead, appears to be an intimate/caressing moment between G and his guitar. WHOAH! We`ll leave you 2 ALONE.

“Dear sweet music machine, you make my heart sing the way Jenny`s voice cannot.”

Joy had a party and put makeup on me. My sisters always rave that I look better, but I still feel more me with less on. Sorry, that`s how I roll– drab-mom style for me!

Hebrews 4: 12, 13

Filed under Inspirational by Jenny on April 20, 2011 at 9:52 am {4 comments}

I am just LOVING the book of Hebrews right now. This from this morning.

~~~

God’s WORD is alive and working and is sharper than a double-edged sword.

It cuts all the way into us, where the soul and the spirit are joined,

to the center of our

joints and bones.

And it judges the thoughts and feelings in our hearts.

13 Nothing in all the world can be hidden from God.

Everything is clear and lies open before him, and to him we must explain the way we have lived.

~Hebrews 4: 12, 13

~~~

Oh, and one more thing.

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