Refresh. Regrow. Renew.

Quote from Parenting Magazine May 2011

"Happiness is brief, ordinary, infectious, ever-changing, nonconforming.  It is a cup of chocolate milk, an off-key version of a Katy Perry song.  Sometimes its the dance recital; sometimes it's the memory of the dance recital.  Finally, it is elusive, like trying to catch fog in your hand."

Life has been difficult lately.  Scratch that.  Life really sucks lately.  My oldest chatterbox has been challenging my authority every second of every day.  My funny boy has been whining about all the mean things that chatterbox is doing.  My sweet miss sunshine has been so very active causing my heart to fail for every jump she takes.  Not to mention that I can't seem to get anything accomplished.  I can't even keep up with the dishes.  Home school has even become wearisome.  Everything seems to stress me out making me scarier than the fiercest dragon.  I started to simplify my life last fall by cutting down extra activities thinking that being away from home so much is having an impact on my stress but I only feel alienated now and still nothing gets done around the house.  Meanwhile, I have noticed that I am not enjoying life as I should be.  After all, I have a great husband, three wonderful (mostly) kids, enough food and money to take care of us and I am able to stay at home.  We are all healthy and we have a strong network of friends and family.  What is wrong with me?  It seems that my lifelong battle with depression demands to be noticed.  Really?  I don't want to do this again!  It seems so very stupid that I should be depressed.  Nothing has happened.  Usually something happens to trigger my depression but not this time.  So I am back to taking the usual vitamins and supplements praying that I don't need to get on anti-depressants.  In further efforts to defeat my affliction, I have revamped my blog and I am committing to write more often which has always made me feel better.  If you are reading this then please pray that God will take this away so I can get back to my old self. 

This is the annual Thanksgiving dance by our one and only superhero - WeatherGirl.

Yesterday was the Sweetest Day; at least it was supposed to be. It is a day to share happiness with those you love or anyone who is in need of some cheer and occurs the third Saturday of October (click for more information). All three of my children celebrate their birthday at the end of October and beginning of November. Don't ask me how I did it - God hasn't told me yet. When I first learned of The Sweetest Day I just knew it was the perfect day for their party. I love to see them so happy at their party and I love to see all of their friends happy also. It warms my heart. Last year, their party was wonderful with beautiful weather and everyone so happy. This year, I planned again for the Sweetest Day for their party. It was a sweet day, just not the one I planned for. My oldest woke during the night with a stomach bug and we had to postpone the party. I spent the morning tending my daughter, contacting party guests and running to the store for crackers, soup and sprite. I was so sad for them having to wait another week for their party but they ended up amazing me. My daughter told me that she felt so bad because I had worked so hard planning everything. I was dumbstruck! She noticed something I do for her and I was so proud of her for that. I do work hard but I love it and do it for them so I don't care and I am so happy she knows. It makes it all worth it! My son also surprised me. When I told him that we had to move the party, he just shrugged his shoulders, smiled at me and said, "okay, Mommy." I kept waiting for him to get upset and throw a fit but he just looked at the calender and counted the days to the new party. I wanted to give my children the sweetest day, instead they gave it to me. I am so very grateful to have such wonderful children. By the way, many of our friends that were unable to come to our party are now able to make it. Our party may not be on the official Sweetest Day but I have a feeling that it still will be the sweetest day for us.

Today's video lesson will demonstrate the proper way to enter and operate a motor vehicle.

There is something about the first cold front of the season that fills me with indescribable joy and peace. I just want to skip through the daisies, run through the meadows and take a nap with a tree.

I had one of those sweet moments the other night that I will always remember. The children were already off to dreamland and I was working on bills when I heard this huge thump that sent me leaping out of my chair and over the dog. As I look to the source of the noise, my heart jumps for joy at the most beautiful moth that has ever visited me at my home. Her wingspan was almost as large as my hand with the prettiest color of yellow wings. So I did what any responsible parent would do and ran quickly to wake my oldest daughter who was a butterfly lover also. We watched the sweet moth as she flew frantically trying to find a dry spot to rest and we giggled every time she came near to us. After a few minutes, she found a place to land so we said good night and went back inside when there was another loud thump. We look expecting to see our yellow-winged friend only to see another moth the same size only with red wings. So again we venture out and giggle some more. They were both so pretty and fun to watch. My daughter named the yellow one, Butter Flutter and the red one, Apple Tapper. She went to bed that night with sweet dreams of moths fluttering through the night sky and I went back to my bills with a happy heart.

Butter Flutter

Apple Tapper