End of the Tunnel

Hooray! Hooray! I did it! 30 posts in 30 days! They weren't always interesting. They weren't always clever. But I have such a hard time finishing anything these days - it was nice to complete this!

My favorite post: Useless Information

Worst post: Writer's Block

Longest post: I'll be at Target if You Need Me!

Shortest post: Halfway

Funniest post: Little Man's Random Quote of the Day

Post with most comments: There's No Place Like Home...?

Tear-jerker: My Dad

Top commenters: BlueberryEyesDesign, Nonna, Heidi, Lynn-nore

Come back tomorrow to see what's in store! And thanks to everyone who commented this month - I appreciate your support!

Answering Your Questions

Okay - it's the end of the month and I haven't answered the questions/ideas suggested here. So, here goes:

Homeschooling: I was a first grade teacher. I had a couple of homeschool kids who would come into my classroom a few days each week. It was madness. The kids were quirky and some had a very difficult time adjusting to the classroom setting. My favorite memory of this was when I told one kid to take a seat and he let me know that he already had a chair at his desk. Yeah. I think homeschooling is a decent option IF you have a good network. Get connected, teach each other's kids, do a bunch of social things together. If you can't - skip it! As for me, I have no current plans to homeschool, but when I say "never," it's like I'm testing fate. So I guess I'll leave it at 'it's not my plan!'

Movies: Some favorites - Gone With the Wind. It's classic. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Isn't Dopey so cute? A Christmas Story. It cracks me up. Uhh, I don't know. I never liked this question. There are movies I could watch a million times. Some because I need a good cry (Steel Magnolias, Fried Green Tomatoes), some because I want to laugh (It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World). If you ask me the same question tomorrow, I might actually have a decent list.

Trinkets: I used to save everything. Then I cut down to things I would scrapbook someday. Now I toss it all. Well, okay not all. There are a few things stashed in the babybooks, a pile of cards from hubby that need to go into our shoebox.

Inspiration: great question.

Prague Wedding: was awesome. I had a blast. I was even able to introduce the idea of tapping the champagne glasses to get the couple to kiss! One thing they did that was different from here - after the ceremony, someone broke a plate that the couple had to sweep up. It's the first work they do together as a married couple. Congrats again Ada & Petr!

eMi: "Engineering Ministries International (EMI) is a non-profit Christian development organization made up of architects, engineers and design professionals who donate their skills to help children and families around the world step out of poverty and into a world of hope." My baby sister Alicia is an Interior Designer. She's been working for an architectural firm for the past few years and recently started feeling that God was calling her to use her talents to serve the poor. She will be working with eMi out of their Colorado headquarters starting in January. This is a five-month commitment, and she needs to raise approximately $6000. During her time with eMi, she will travel to Africa to begin work on a project. If you are interested in helping to support her, please check out the eMi website. Every little bit helps! Thank you in advance!

Okay. So there's some answers. If you have more questions, let me know!

And remember - tomorrow is day #30! Thanks for following along!

Another Exercise in Futility

We got three diapers changed. Put on 6 socks and shoes. Struggled with hats, coats, and mittens for three toddlers. Tried to keep the smaller two from climbing the stairs. It was crazy, but we finally got out the door.

Out the door and over to the car. Then it was keeping an eye on three kids who were fascinated with the street and the door's locks, while trying to fit two more carseats into the backseat. We pushed. We pulled. There was just no way to make it work. And that's when the screams began.

The first was from my son. The second was mine.

Just another reason why I am totally happy with two.

The Curse of the Bambino...in Diapers

I was cursed.

I blame it all on a friend who shall remain nameless (but whose initials are MEL).

When I started potty training my son almost 2 years ago, I thought it was going to be just another thing he picked up easily. He had such a teachable spirit and was so eager to please! But then this friend mentioned that she had spoken to her sister about potty training, and that this sister had said that smart boys take a long time with it.

Now I'm sure she meant it as a compliment. But my friend got someone's attention when she replied - "Your little guy's so smart, I'm sure it'll take him forever to be potty trained!"

Yeah. Thanks. That was two years ago. GO AHEAD AND LIFT THE CURSE ALREADY!

Happy Thanksgiving!

My mom always loved the tradition of going around the table during Thanksgiving dinner and saying what we're thankful for. I am so glad she's not hosting anymore.

It's not that I'm not thankful. It's not that I don't have a zillion things to be thankful for. It's just...well, it's just that it's such a sappy tradition!

It's Turkey Time!

Stressed-out parents + overstuffed relatives + overtired and over-stimulated kids = one great holiday!

It's a Mystery

There have been days when I didn't brush my teeth until just before my husband came home from work. Days when showering happened while my kids were taking their afternoon naps. Make-up was put on as Daddy was walking in the door. Clothes were thrown on when I heard the car door close.

Today I traveled to my sister's for the Thanksgiving holiday. We were cleaning and putting up Christmas decorations (don't ask - just read her comment from two days ago!) when the call came in that her husband was on his way home. In 25 minutes we had the place spic-and-span clean, babies fed, and dinner on the table. It was amazing. And he will never know.

My husband on the other hand, unfortunately never gets that treatment. It's just too hard. And let's be honest. My house at its cleanest STILL isn't as clean as my sister's at its worst! Oh well. Maybe someday.

Answer to my quiz: As a teenager, I sang on occasion, but NEVER wanted to be a singer!

The View From Up Here

My son is a cautious child. He wants to scope things out before he can relax and enjoy. My daughter doesn't see to have this issue. I found her standing on top of the train table today, looking incredibly pleased with herself. Oh boy. If this is 1, what will the teen years hold?

Writer's Block

Okay - I've been sitting here for an hour and I still can't come up with anything. So, I've decided to invite you into this blog post! Here's your chance to sound off, give an opinion, list what you're thankful for, ask a question, recommend a Christmas present, predict what the New Year will hold, or complain about the Swine Flu.

Ready? Go!

The Little Mole

Allow me to introduce you to the Little Mole - Krtek from the Czech Republic!

My little ones love the figurine I brought home, and my son has named him "Funny Blue Guy." Of course, Krtek is black and grey, so I'm not sure where the blue came in...anyway, enjoy this video called "Krtek a Rybka" - Krtek and the Fish!

Game Time

Two Truths and a Lie

1. As a child, I wanted to become a doctor.

2. As a teenager, I wanted to become a singer.

3. As an adult, I wanted to become a childbirth instructor.

Give it your best shot! Answer posted Monday!

The Only Thing We Have to Fear Is...

Our Little Man has recently displayed a fear of monsters. I have no idea where this came from. We don't talk about monsters - we don't read about monsters. I think he's only been exposed to Elmo, Grover, and Cookie Monster, and while he doesn't like the blue ones, he certainly has never been this afraid.

So what am I afraid of? I remember playing a game in high school and answering that question with "giving birth." Well, I never want to do it again, but it's no longer on my list. In college my answer was "living a life without passion." Unfortunately, I think I may be there....

Some things I'm afraid of:

-big dogs
-cats who just stare at you
-drinking the last sip of anything my kids have shared with me
-finding someone I love dead
-heights
-diving
-the dark when I'm home alone
-psychological thrillers (my brain can go to some really crazy places)
-having someone drop by when my house looks like, well, how it usually looks
-bad things happening to my kids
-having to live in this house FOREVER

I'm sure there's more. But that's just a little peek into my crazy, twisted mind!

Umm...Thanks??

I called the gastroenterologist we've been seeing for Little Miss. We discussed her continuing trouble gaining weight, and the GI doc said we should make an appointment to come in soon.

"Oh good!" she said.

I paused, unsure of how to respond. She continued.

"I mean, you probably don't think it's good to have to come in, but I'm so happy I'll get to see her! She's just so cute!"

This Just In: I'M MOVING!

Finally! I've found the perfect spot - TURKEY!

That's right - I'm moving to Turkey. My husband doesn't know this yet - but he will soon!

Today I met a woman from Turkey and she told me about some of the differences in our respective cultures. One thing she really misses about life there, is apartment (or "flat") life. Evidently, in a group of 8 or 9 flats, the families would all pay a certain amount of money that would go towards the salary of someone who lived on the bottom floor. That man would buy their groceries and keep things in order. The wife would come everyday to clean your flat. You could call them at any time and they would run errands for you.

Sounds nice, huh? So that's it. I figure it's the least I could do for my family. If I can't do it all - I might as well hire someone else to! And my mom already has a job.... So, it's off to Turkey I go!

First Grade

In my former life, I was a first-grade teacher. This is one of my funniest memories.

One day the kids were playing with manipulatives - basically these interlocking blocks. All of the boys made some sort of weapon. There were guns, swords, and lightsabers all over the room.

One boy turned to another with his 'lightsaber' and said "Luke! I am your father!"

Luke looked at him incredulously and said "No you're not!!"

The first boy paused, then replied, "Luke, I am your UNCLE!"

Halfway

15 days completed. This is getting hard!

My Dad

I didn't understand my dad until I was an adult. That's when I realized he loved me all along.

As a child, my dad never seemed to be around much. But that's what happens when you work 6 days a week to support your wife and 4 kids. I remember praying that he'd have a "5-day work week." I didn't really know what that meant, but I prayed it every night.

The childhood memories I have of my dad include the time he took my sisters and me on a nature walk. The time my baby sister fell off the top of the bleachers and he prayed out loud that God would save her. I remember my dad taking us for a canoe ride and being afraid my sister would tip us all over.

As an adolescent, my dad and I finally shared an interest: basketball. He poured into me like never before and I was so thankful for the attention. When my point guard days were over, I thought his interest in me was as well. He was still around, but it wasn't the same.

When I first moved 'away' to college [20 minutes from home], my parents would call me all the time. Just to check in, just to say hello. I remember how awkward those phone conversations were. They reminded me of how little I knew my own father. I never knew what to say.

The first Christmas after I got married, my husband and I spent Christmas Eve at my parents' home. My dad made sure we were all set for the night and then left the room. I pointed out to my husband that it was the first time my father had shut one of his daughters in a room with a guy - and he had to be okay with it (even though he probably wasn't!).

Since then, I've come to realize how my dad shows love. He's a huge gift-giver. He loves finding things that he knows we'll love. He's always on the lookout for something that will make us happy. My dad is happiest when he's surrounded by his kids and grandkids. And he shows that happiness by puttering around his garden. Every time we leave, he shoves $20 at us for gas - no matter what we say to dissuade him.

I love my dad. He coached my mom on the day I was born. He coached me in sports. He taught me how to work hard for those you love, even if you don't love what you do. He and my mom have been married for 35 years - and I am so blessed because of that.

My dad makes dumb jokes and we groan. But I married a man who does the same thing. I've told my husband I wish he was more like my dad around the house. When my mom asks for something, my dad gets up and takes care of it. Hubby tends to want to wait til a commercial. Or the next day.

Dad - I love you. Thank you for loving me and loving my family. I'm so thankful for the hard choices you made and the harder work that you did. I hope I've made you proud. You are an inspiration to me.

To B. and A.

I've been thinking a lot about our conversation on Wednesday night. I just wanted to make sure I wasn't misrepresenting the joys of motherhood! Having kids is fantastic. They light up your world like no one else can. You can get very angry at your spouse, but with your kids, there's something about putting them to bed at the end of the day - it's like it doesn't matter what they did that day to annoy you, you love them with an all-encompassing kind of love.

But you do make sacrifices. I would love to sleep in on a Saturday. To snuggle up with my husband on a rainy afternoon and just talk (without little ones climbing into our laps!). I wish we could go to a restaurant and not have to rush through our food. Or go to a movie! [Our son] was born 4 years into our marriage and the timing was great for us. We waited long enough to be established in who we were, but not so long that it was too difficult to adjust to having kids around.

Kids totally change everything. Some days you love that, and some days it's really hard. [Hubby] will say to me sometimes, "only 17 more years...."

I guess I just wanted to write and say all the stuff you've heard a million times over - just to make sure I said it. I love my kids. There is no comparison to teaching or baby-sitting or nannying. They cry for you and it's fantastic - but sometimes they cry for you and you just want to cry too!

So, my advice is like anyone else's - take your time. Enjoy being a married couple first. Get to know your husband in a myriad of ways. Do all those crazy things with him - like watch football or whatever it is he's into. Get to know yourself as a wife. Enjoy that role for all it's worth. Remember that your best friend decided to put up with all your crap and loves you in spite of it all. He's looking for your admiration and pride. He wants to be your knight-in-shining armor. Enjoy being his queen - a little princess may come along someday and you will love watching how he treats her. But enjoy him all to yourself for awhile! It's so important to cultivate your own marriage first. You hear so many terrible stories of couples married 20, 25, 30 years and wind up divorcing once the house is empty. They don't know each other any more. This relationship needs more love and nurturing than your kids ever will. Oh hey, and I bet you still remember things. That goes away when you get pregnant, and you never get it back! I used to be smart once....

Anyway - soapbox away. Sorry to sound preachy or whatever. I guess I just wanted to say - yeah, wait. And know that when kids come it WILL be awesome - and it WILL be tiring. It's the hardest job you'll ever love.

Ma and God

a poem by Shel Silverstein

God gave us fingers--Ma says, "Use your fork."
God gave us voices--Ma says, "Don't scream."
Ma says eat broccoli, cereal and carrots.
But God gave us tasteys for maple ice cream.

God gave us fingers--Ma says, "Use your hanky."
God gave us puddles--Ma says, "Don't splash."
Ma says, "Be quiet, your father is sleeping."
But God gave us garbage can covers to crash.

God gave us fingers--Ma says, "Put your gloves on."
God gave us raindrops--Ma says, "Don't get wet."
Ma says be careful, and don't get too near to
Those strange lovely dogs that God gave us to pet.

God gave us fingers--Ma says, "Go wash 'em."
But God gave us coal bins and nice dirty bodies.
And I ain't too smart, but there's one thing for certain --
Either Ma's wrong or else God is.

Ouch!

Today I held down my daughter while they took pint after pint (okay, vial after vial) of her blood. She screamed bloody murder - and I could do nothing but hold her, tell her it was okay, and that it was almost over. I probably could've cried too. Is that what Dads feel when they watch their wife go through labor?

It's Perfect

I'm a firstborn. I believe that tells you more about me than just about anything else. I love praise - live for it actually. I like things to be "just so." I like black and white - gray areas drive me crazy.

Looking at my son, I can see all those firstborn tendencies. He wants things how he wants them. He corrects his little sister because he knows she isn't doing the right thing. He even tells her he's going to put her in time-out. He wants to be right and he wants to be affirmed.

It's that desire to be right...that pull towards perfectionism that gets us in trouble. We are our own worst critic. We long to be truly great and are crushed to learn we're just mediocre. We hate having to admit we're not who we want to be.

I want to be the perfect mom. I want to be the perfect [fill in the blank]. It's hard to know I'm not and never will be.

I'm struggling with postpartum depression. It's just one of the many gray areas I have to admit does exist.

I'll be at Target if You Need Me!

When Target first opened, I remember thinking they were just like Wal*Mart, only more expensive. Little did I know....

I'm now a Target-fanatic. Friends and family are constantly amazed at how much I save there (and hubby is dismayed by how much I spend there). A few secrets I've learned along the way:

Okay, Target marks their items down just 15% at first. Soon they're at 30% off, then 50, 75 next and 90 if there's anything left. Where do you find all the clearance items? Start at the end-caps.

When I head into Target, I always do a quick peek at the Dollar Spot. If there's something I love, I grab it. I once got a ton of hair elastics (name brand too!) in this section and knew it was best to buy them right away. If you can wait, you might as well, stuff gets marked down to 50% all the time. There's big turnover in this section.

Next I head towards the back of the store. Your best bet is to walk the perimeter of the store, then the "inside" end aisles. You'll spend more time this way, but grab some great bargains! Don't be afraid to price-check! Things are marked 30% off when they're really 75% off! That's the best. I've gotten a bunch of Playmobil toys this way!

Looking for candy after Halloween? It'll be 50% off right away - so grab your favorites while you still can! Costumes and accessories are also marked down pretty quickly.

Christmas is my favorite. If there's something you really need or absolutely adore, grab it after Christmas at 30% off. If you can wait, hold off through the 50% off sale until things hit 75% off. There's nothing like getting $10 items for $2.50...unless of course you can get them for a dollar! This is the hardest thing to do - hit the after Christmas 90% off sale. It's one morning only - and I promise, stuff flies. The one year I managed to hit it just right, a Target employee was heading to the back room and pulling out things that never even made it onto the floor. He just stood there handing it out to all of us drooling shoppers. It was fabulous.

Toys are a different matter. There are two big toy sales in the year. The after-Christmas sale and the Christmas-in-July sale. This is a great way to stock up. When you notice toys starting to get marked down and moved around, you know the sale is right around the corner. Grab what you love at 30 and 50% off, then fight off friend and foe for the 75% off sale. All it takes is a few hours and the shelves will be cleared!

Your best bet for anything at Target is to wait and watch. Keep an eye on sales. Feel free to call ahead and ask what the sale percentage is that day. Know that even though it's a national chain, each store manager gets to decide the details. This can mean paying less at one Target than another. Try to pay with your debit card or the same credit card every time. Target's return policy is lousy, but you can do a price look-up if you have the correct card.

If you have to spend money, you might as well enjoy it! Happy shopping!

Things I Missed

I tell everyone I was in a coma during the 80s. I might as well have been. Friends talk about the things they remember and I just sit there, clueless. It's almost like I'm an alien observing what Earthlings experienced as children.

-Thundercats - this seems to be a favorite. I still couldn't tell you the name of any of them.
-Michael Jackson - a childhood friend had his poster in her room. It gave me nightmares.
-Snorks - they lived underwater and were blue. Or was that the Smurfs?
-The Goonies - evidently a cult classic movie. I still haven't seen it.
-Transformers - "robots in disguise" That's all I know.
-HeMan and SheRa - She was the "princess of power." I only know that because someone gave me a toothbrush holder that told me that every time I brushed.
-Garbage Pail Kids - I only remember the packages of trading cards in the convenience store. Why ruin something as cute as Cabbage Patch Kids?
-PeeWee's Playhouse - this one gave my sister nightmares
-The A Team? Knight Rider? Debbie Gibson?

All I know is, we looked stupid [we don't say that word Mommy] back then, and I can't believe they're pushing those styles once again!

Saturdays

You'd think Saturdays would be days we all loved. And to some extent, we do. Daddy is home. The day takes on a different feel. But for a couple of kids who are accustomed to a certain flow of their days, Saturdays can often throw them for a loop. Add to the mix that they aren't feeling well and bam! You get today. Two whiny kids. Two frustrated parents. Not a lot accomplished. Including a decent blog post.

Little Man's Random Quote of the Day

[Mommy] "Hey! Please don't cough on my cheesecake!"
[Little Man] "I will because I'm rude!"

Mommy's Random Quote of the Day

"God bless you all the way to Amsterdam!"

Free!

After 96 hours of being held prisoner cooped up in the house, I got to go out tonight. With a friend. To a restaurant. It was fantastic. And the cheesecake was the icing on the cake. Here's the difference between dining with kids, and without:

With kids: Fumble with highchair and booster seat while giving apologetic looks to everyone around us.
Without kids: Sit down at table and begin looking at menu.

With kids: Try to determine which ridiculously overpriced meal will be acceptable to fussy toddler.
Without kids: Choose food you can eat slowly, with both hands all to yourself.

With kids: Entertain children until food arrives.
Without kids: Actually finish a conversation and begin another one!

With kids: Cut food into tiny pieces, beg them to eat more, kick self for spending so much on mac & cheese they won't eat.
Without kids: Eat entire meal without having to share with anyone else.

With kids: Baby's cranky - time to go.
Without kids: I guess we should pay the bill now...but let's finish this conversation first.

With kids: Get everyone into carseats and head home.
Without kids: Talk for another hour about all the things not talked about over dinner.

With kids: Put kids to bed and fall onto couch, exhausted.
Without kids: Come home to kids already in bed and feel totally rejuvenated.

I should definitely do this more often!

Today I Opted for Brain Damage

We've been sick for days. I think I slept an hour straight last night. There's nothing worse than watching your baby struggle for a decent breath and knowing you can't do a thing about it.

I've been in the house since Sunday night. My head hurts. My body aches. I'm hot - then freezing - and back. Daddy is totally fine of course.

When Baby Girl went down for her morning nap today, I immediately turned to my Little Man and asked if he wanted to watch Sesame Street. The suggestion was met with much excitement. It was 10:30 - perfect. The Elmo segment. Quick half hour nap should do it. I had on a sweatshirt zipped all the way up - hood covering most of my face - and mummified myself in blankets.

Next thing I knew it was almost noon and we were watching Word World. Oops. "Time to turn the TV off!" I sang. No response. I'm not sure he even flinched. "Hello! Let's turn this off now Buddy!" Nothing.

Great.

So, today's question of the day was - which is more important? Mommy feeling rested and healthy, or avoiding irreversible brain damage? Today the choice was way too easy.

Useless Information

My son can tell you the names of all of Sir Topham Hatt's trains. He can glance at a picture and know exactly which one it is. Edward. Percy. Toby. Sir Handel. Skarloey. This boggles my mind. I have to study the pictures and still sometimes get it wrong! It's bizarre to me - but of course, totally fits in with his little world.

I, on the other hand, seem to have collected so much useless information over time, that my brain is jam-packed and can't handle having anything else put in there! I know lyrics to songs that haven't been on the radio in 15 years (or more). I know why pelicans turn pink. I can recognize the stench smell of ladybugs from a mile 10 feet away. I remember the phone number of my best friend from second grade.

I don't remember where I put the pacifier. I couldn't tell you what I did with that sticky note. I have gone to the store for 5 items and forgotten 2 of them by the time I get there. I walk from one room to the next and don't remember what I went in there for. I'll be in the shower and suddenly can't recall if I've already shampooed my hair! It's terrible!

How do I empty my brain of all the useless stuff so there's room for the important stuff? My brain is a sieve. I need to drain the junk, then plug up the holes and start again! Goodbye Tiffany lyrics, hello kids' social security numbers!

Hide and Seek

My husband has story after story about playing outside. Night games, baseball, trick-or-treating - he did it all. My stories include never climbing a tree, and the summer my parents had to kick me out of the house so I'd go out and play (I was too busy reading!). It seems odd then, that we recently picked up a new family activity that sends us deep into the woods and parks all around us.

It's called Letterboxing. You may be familiar with Geocaching - this is somewhat similar. Basically, letterboxers go out, hide small containers in all kinds of crazy places, then leave clues so others can find them. Inside the container is a stamp (often hand-made) and a logbook. When you find a letterbox, you stamp your own personal stamp into the logbook, then use the box's stamp to record your find in your own logbook.

It's been a blast. We began on Father's Day with a series called "The Island of Sodor." Our Little Man loved it. Well, as soon as he was reassured there were no tigers in the woods he loved it! We've been to all kinds of places we never would have otherwise. We even wound up in a cemetery and stumbled upon hubby's grandparents' grave site! How can you beat it? It's free - except for the cost of a stamp, some ink, and a journal/logbook. It's part treasure hunt, part secret detective!

Traditional letterboxes are only one of several kinds of boxes. Virtual letterboxes are another kind. Here's today's challenge. The first person to correctly gain this letterbox wins! Have fun!

If you're interested in learning more about letterboxing, be sure to check out

www.atlastquest.com and www.letterboxing.org

for more information! There are FAQs, tips, rules, and more!

There's No Place Like Home...?

The day we returned home from the hospital after having our son, there was a message on our answering machine. Our landlord was selling the house. Eight days postpartum, we had strangers trampling through our apartment, past our sleeping infant. It was awful.

We searched high and low for another apartment. We literally looked at a dozen apartments or more, but nothing fit. Rent was too high, there was lead paint in the walls, cats were not allowed...there was always a reason why it didn't work out.

Only one door remained open. My mother-in-law continued to ask us to move into the house she rented - and we continued to say no. I told numerous people that I would rather live in my car than move into that home. It wasn't the house itself. I had never even seen it! It was just that I couldn't imagine paying rent to my M-I-L and, let's be honest, live so close to her!

Three years later, I can tell you that it's not gotten much easier. We moved into this house when our Little Man was just 4 months old. I knew it was the right decision, even though I had only seen photos of the place I would call home. I figured God must have big plans in store - but clearly this could only be a stepping stone to something - anything! - else, right?

When I got pregnant again, I told my husband we were "not supposed to have a baby here!" How could it be possible we've now been here for over 3 years? Guess it was a bigger stepping stone than I once thought.

I hate having people over the house. In fact, if you've been in my house, you're one of only a handful. I've put so little of myself into my home. Since the beginning, it's never felt like "mine." It doesn't belong to me, I can't do what I want with it (no matter what hubby says!). It can be stifling at times.

We've begun looking at houses for sale. It's an exciting, although definitely scary, prospect. For the first time, we'd be able to make all the decisions. If we wanted a brick red room with peach polka dots, we could do it! I mean, we never would, but we could! I get almost dizzy with excitement just thinking about it.

My living room doesn't even have curtains! What would we do with a place that was really ours?
Curtains are just a beginning. Ultimately, my dream is to have a place that I feel comfortable in - a place I feel comfortable inviting others into, because it's an expression of who I am, and who our family is. Someday, I hope to feel free enough to say - drop by anytime! - and really, truly mean it. I want a place we can all call "home."

Don't forget to check out Dawn's blog -

another one crazy enough to attempt 30 posts in 30 days!