what's going on?

I think I keep forgetting to get on here and write "stuff." I log in to see what other people have written, but then forget to write anything on mine. One of the main reasons for this "forgetfulness" is that I've been very preoccupied with this:


Self-control is quite obviously not one of my greatest-developed attributes! I made a deal with myself several months ago that I would NOT start this beading project until AFTER I had completely cleaned out and re-organized every room in my house. The house is still a mess, but I'm creating the beaded lamp shade anyway. I decided that cleaning up and cleaning out the house would be much easier when the kids are grown and gone, so I might as well wait until then to start THAT project and go ahead and do THIS one now -- logical, don't you think? The lamp shade is turning out to be more difficult and costly than I thought it would be; but I'm really enjoying it, so I don't care. It's going to be GORGEOUS when it's finished!! I work on it at night while I watch a movie. I've seen some good ones and some stupid ones so far. I actually did something I've never done before -- not finished watching a movie because it's stupid. I always finish every movie, no matter how much I don't like it, thinking that surely it'll get better by the end. But I decided that some movies just aren't worth my time and attention. So I've set up a little night-time routine that often makes me lose a couple hours of sleep, but I'm enjoying my activities too much to give them up for sleep. As soon as the kids go to bed, I go for my 35-minute walk (I've cut back a little on the walk time to make room for the beading). After I get back home and stretch, I read a chapter of the Bible (I'm still on Exodus). Then I get to watch a movie and string beads. If I can still hold my eyes open after that, I check my e-mail one more time and sometimes even read a chapter or two of a book. The late hours make it difficult to get up between 5:30 and 6 a.m., but I try really hard because I like to have my shower and breakfast before it's time to get the kids' breakfast. It's also BEAUTIFUL outside in the mornings and I like to sit out on the deck and read a little bit while I drink my latte.

A friend from church called this morning at 8:20 (she knows me well enough to know that I'd already be up and somewhere close to ready for whatever the day's activities would be). She invited me and the kids to go to a park downtown with her and whoever else from church showed up. We were the only ones there for quite a while, but then two other families came, too. It was a great morning/early afternoon of chatting with other moms!


I forgot to put long sleeves on Seth, thinking it was too warm for long sleeves. BIG mistake! He scratched one of his psoriasis rash things on something and it started to bleed a little bit. Good thing I grabbed this little sweatshirt because this park was full of sand -- super dirty! Even though we LOVE the warm, sunny days, I'm hoping for some cooler temperatures so that Seth won't be too hot in long sleeves and long pants to protect his poor little scabby arms and legs.




Now I'm going to go to the kitchen (oh joy -- my favorite place) to make an impossible pie -- which really makes me miss my mom because this dessert is one of her specialties in my opinion. I'll crank up the Third Day, though, so I won't mind being in the kitchen so much :-)