Odds and Ends (and Thankfulness)
Remember how I’ve said before that if mama isn’t sleeping, mama isn’t blogging? Yeah, well, now you know why I’ve been a bit absent around here lately. This past week Sam had a particularly bad night for some unknown reason. I was completely zonked the next day. I napped during both of his naps, which I never do anymore even though he still isn’t sleeping through the night on a normal night. However, a friend encouraged me to keep up with my blogging so here I am. Am I still tired? Oh yes. Do I feel like I might have an emotional breakdown at any moment? Nope, not anymore.
By the way, this post is going to be full of random, unrelated things. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
I got a Kindle about a week and a half ago and, I must say, I love it. I was wary about eReaders when they first came out, but now I find it very handy to have while trying to read and nurse the baby at the same time. I got hooked when I first started checking out Kindle books on my iPod and iPad from the library. I love the library, but am horrible at returning books on time and have racked up quite a number of fines in the past. Checking out eBooks is perfect for me! Reading on an LCD screen in okay for a little while, but I started to tire of it plus you can’t read outside that way. When a great deal for a refurbished basic Kindle came across my inbox, I jumped on it. $79 for a Kindle? Eh, not sure. $49 for a Kindle? Yes, please!
Back in February, Downton Abbey fever was sweeping the country and our group of friends. We, along with three other couples, thought it would be fun to watch the season finale all together. That spark of an idea turned into a 3-course dinner party based on the final meal served onboard the Titanic. It was like Christmas in February.
Our Downton Abbey dinner party menu:
First course: Cream of Barley soup
Second/main course: Steamed asparagus, creamed carrots, chateau potatoes, roast chicken, roast beef, rice pilaf, bread
Dessert: Waldorf pudding and French vanilla ice cream
Does that not sound amazing? Let me tell you, it was amazing.
We all pitched in to make the meal, but our friend Jenn put together the menu for us. Everything was homemade, even the butter! I contributed the chateau potatoes, waldorf pudding, and wine. The pudding (which is actually a custard) gave me the opportunity to bake using a water bath, something I’d been wanting to try.
Sadly, we only got one picture of half our group that night. The other half of us were busy wrangling babies and then enjoying our meal.
I have this strange patch of hair at my forehead that has been growing in fresh. I was very confused at first as to what was going on, but I finally figured out these were “baby hairs.” My hair got pretty thick during pregnancy (thank you, hormones and prenatal vitamins), and then after the baby was born a bunch of it fell out. Apparently a large section of said hair was at my forehead hairline, including my lovely cowlick. It’s grown about 3 inches now, but it still likes to stick straight out from my head. Chalk this up as another one of those strange baby-related things that no one tells you about.
This year our church is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Our theme is “The Lord’s Faithfulness: Our Heritage and Hope.” March 4th was the official 50th anniversary and during that morning’s services they showed the following video put together by our friend Adam who just happens to be a professional filmographer:
Faith Bible Church 50th Anniversary from Faithful Bull Productions on Vimeo.
www.faithfulbullproductions.com
Music by Chad Crouch of www.podingtonbear.com.
We are so thankful for all that FBC has meant to us over the last seven years. God has been faithful to us and to this body of believers.
Some friends told us about a new show and we’ve been totally hooked. It’s hysterical, witty, and full of good musical numbers. Thankfully it’s on Netflix streaming since we don’t have cable. You are probably wondering the name of this show, huh? It’s called Phineas and Ferb. Oh, and it’s target audience is 10-year-olds. Yes, we are addicted to a kids cartoon, BUT it’s like Pixar in that they include stuff for adults that kids would never get.
Because of my tired and fragile state on Thursday, I missed out on posting my monthly Thankful Thursday post. I don’t want to miss this practice of gratitude I’ve committed to so I’m tacking it on here.
This past month I have been thankful for:
- a last minute opportunity to make a little extra money
- flowers in bloom
- my new fine feathered meal companions
- a huge, exciting answer to prayer several years in the making for some dear friends
- visits with family
- picking up with old friends like we were just together yesterday when its really been years
- beautiful spring weather and summer thunderstorms
- opportunities to celebrate birthdays with friends young and old
- my two wonderful mothers who are blessings to me and my little family
- the chance to get out of the city, soak up some country air, and see the stars clearly
The new view from my dining room window:
My [newly, severely pruned] butterfly bush in the morning sun:
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Phineas and Ferb is a fabulous show!
After recent entanglements with birds (see my blog if you’re curious) I HATE birds. Four months ago, a bird feeder would have sounded like a great idea. Now… I never want to see birds again.
The last small group (read: Bible study) I went to had many kids. 3 of the 4 couples had multiple kids. It was insane. Like… I can’t concentrate with that many kids running around and interrupting things, and they can apparently? I felt like the quality of discussion and study was completely shot, but it was like they didn’t seem to mind. One mom was just openly breastfeeding. Another mom was letting her daughter stand on her lap and comb her hair. I thought this was a Bible study? Having kids remains baffling to me. They’re cute and all, but I guess my friend said it best. I want nieces and nephews, not daughters and sons. (Your Titanic picture brought back memories. I have PTSD.)
Oh I think I should add a few more things I hate, to balance it out: loud neighbors, passive-aggressive roommates, shedding cats, Fox News, and…. that’s it. Now I look completely hateful. Great.
Your comment made me chuckle becuase in my small group, until recently I’m the only one with a kid. and so this: “I can’t concentrate with that many kids running around and interrupting things, and they can apparently? I felt like the quality of discussion and study was completely shot, but it was like they didn’t seem to mind.”…. my response is that at least for me it drains my concentration and frazzles my nerves, I just have no other option! Hoping that when there are more kids we’ll pool for a babysitter during small group.
Well in this instance I think it was a lack of discipline. Like, yes, it’s cool to be always available to your kid, but does everyone else have to be always available to your kid too? Half of these kids were old enough to know better, and the adults definitely were.
Yeah, I don’t get that either. Only the little babies stay in our small group. No way we could have a serious Bible study with kids running around.
I feel like we just had a little chat over lunch. This reply will be just as random! Praying that sleep gets better and longer. I love my Kindle! So glad you have one. The free books are such a delight.
Cute bird feeder. I think my cat would scare the poor things away, though.
I love that you have such a great group of friends that do clever things like dinner parties, etc. Enjoy it now. I’m too old to work so hard to have so much fun. Although, at my age, we’d get everyone in the picture, except those who had to go to the bathroom . . . again.
What are you reading for book club?
It was a lot of work! I’m not in a hurry to have so much fun again soon. 😉
We just finished For Whom the Bell Tolls (brilliant, but not a favorite) and our next pick is Pygmalion. What is your group reading right now?
Sorry about the lack of sleep. Ugh. We’re in the same boat lately because Lucy never gets one tooth at a time, she get’s all four in a nice set. Right now we’re on eye teeth and I shamelessly give her Advil like every night. So much for being crunchy and avoiding painkillers. I hope things look up for you. Last night L randomly slept 6 hours, but that almost never repeats…
Also: I have those crazy hairs too! They’re right in the front so I thought maybe they had gotten caught in the bow of my glasses, but no, I’m pretty sure they’re just post-birth cowlick. Awesome!
I’m sorry you also have to deal with the lack of sleep and those random hairs, but I have to admit it feels good to know I’m not alone!