well, everyone will be pleased to know that france just beat wales in rubgy...well, actually probably not so pleased...seeing as how we are in wales. right on the border between england and wales....we head to the cotswalds tomorrow for the wedding....a beautiful area known for the sandy colored rocks that comprise most of the homes there..
england may be super small (smaller than georgia) but the differences from town to town and in accents are AMAZING....josh will probably stay over until monday with sally's son mathew and go stag hunting...
which i can't imagine that hunting something down to kill it varies too much from country to country but i think it actually does....
the hunters here all dress in hunting garb that is certainly not camo....
let me see if i can find a picture on line and post it so you can get the idea...
Friday, February 27, 2009
Planes, Trains, Subways and Automobiles
josh just said "wow, this is like soup sandwich we just walked into"
sally is married to phil (who was her second husband, they divorced 26 years ago and then remarried last year...very happily) and phil's mum died yesterday...literally 5 minutes after we arrived at the local train station (we took a plane from athens to atl, then another to london, then a couple subways and another long train to newport, then home here to edwards...sally's son)
but it isn't just us staying here...ed's stepbrother is going through marital strife...and is staying here...with the kids coming this weekend....for mathew's wedding. mathew and emma have been together 10 years and about to tie the proverbial knot tomorrow...but have had angst with sally's family over not inviting some folks....after a bit of "we aren't coming...ok, yes we are" to the wedding sally and phil are coming to the wedding....but have spent today preparing the funeral of phil's mum!!!!!
yikes.
we visited tintern abbey today and walked along the river wye...drank a few pints of cider and have come home ready for the big rugby game tonight. i think josh is heading out to the pub with a couple of the boys ....and ez and i will enjoy the welsh national anthem and the rugby here at the house =)
i'll try and figure out how to post some photos!
josh went to walmart and bought a camera for us to bring....the salesman said there is a 30 day return policy no questions asked...=) so, back it will go when we return! =)
sally is married to phil (who was her second husband, they divorced 26 years ago and then remarried last year...very happily) and phil's mum died yesterday...literally 5 minutes after we arrived at the local train station (we took a plane from athens to atl, then another to london, then a couple subways and another long train to newport, then home here to edwards...sally's son)
but it isn't just us staying here...ed's stepbrother is going through marital strife...and is staying here...with the kids coming this weekend....for mathew's wedding. mathew and emma have been together 10 years and about to tie the proverbial knot tomorrow...but have had angst with sally's family over not inviting some folks....after a bit of "we aren't coming...ok, yes we are" to the wedding sally and phil are coming to the wedding....but have spent today preparing the funeral of phil's mum!!!!!
yikes.
we visited tintern abbey today and walked along the river wye...drank a few pints of cider and have come home ready for the big rugby game tonight. i think josh is heading out to the pub with a couple of the boys ....and ez and i will enjoy the welsh national anthem and the rugby here at the house =)
i'll try and figure out how to post some photos!
josh went to walmart and bought a camera for us to bring....the salesman said there is a 30 day return policy no questions asked...=) so, back it will go when we return! =)
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
A ROOF!!!!!
I AM SOOOOO EXCITED!!!!!
my sister in law monica works at home depot and told me about the credit card they offer where you don't pay interest for 1 year....so i presented this idea to josh that if i could somehow make $50 each month and he could chip in $100, then we could get a roof!!!! he so easily said "sure, no problem" i almost fell out of my chair!!!
my mind is reeling...about how i can make some moola each month...thinking about getting my seeds started when i get home and then selling plants...i have so many heirloom seeds and never have room enough for the plants....
and maybe sell eggs?
or bluebird boxes or owl boxes...
o the possibilities!
if any one needs anything made or grown =) and wouldn't mind if it was made by someone without much carpentry talent or green thumbedness, just let me know! =)
as soon as we get home from england i am going to order the roof supplies! yippee!!!!!!!!!
my sister in law monica works at home depot and told me about the credit card they offer where you don't pay interest for 1 year....so i presented this idea to josh that if i could somehow make $50 each month and he could chip in $100, then we could get a roof!!!! he so easily said "sure, no problem" i almost fell out of my chair!!!
my mind is reeling...about how i can make some moola each month...thinking about getting my seeds started when i get home and then selling plants...i have so many heirloom seeds and never have room enough for the plants....
and maybe sell eggs?
or bluebird boxes or owl boxes...
o the possibilities!
if any one needs anything made or grown =) and wouldn't mind if it was made by someone without much carpentry talent or green thumbedness, just let me know! =)
as soon as we get home from england i am going to order the roof supplies! yippee!!!!!!!!!
My mouth is fizzing...
i am sitting here once again in front of a mountain of laundry (we must be a very dirty family) trying to ignore it draping all over the couch...whilst i am eating one of those airborne tablets which are supposed to be put in water....but the pop and fizz inside my mouth is so fun! i am on number 3 however and i think the roof of my mouth is eroding.
jack left today with grace...he was so excited that it warmed my heart that he would be content and happy in the week to come. i am trying to concentrate of how wonderful this time will be for josh and i...and for esme too... how wonderful to get to spend this time together amidst all the hustle and bustle. (or is that hussle and bussle?...sounds like it should be even if it is not)
i haven't yet packed a stitch.
but i did just eat marybeth's yummy leek and celery soup (2 bowls mary! it is delicious!) thank you for that...and printed off our tickets and stuff...and i am out of diapers for ez...i do this all the time...i wait until i am completely out before i buy more...i think i waiver in my head between hoping that by the end of this package, she'll be potty trained (although i haven't started even thinking about training her) or that if i wait, i'll be saving money.
hmmm???
the logic of saving money just doesn't work as it is simply a delayed money trasaction and an inevitable one.
i try and trick my brain a lot...more than i realize.
for example, i tell myself that eating a quick few bits of icecream with my spoon from the carton is not at all the same as putting it in a bowl and purposefully eating it.
there were so many substantial things that happened today but all i can seem to do is ramble about the random and not so interesting.
jack has started to say
"that is really interesting mom, but there is just ooooooone problem" while sticking his 1 finger in the air....i have no idea where he heard this, but he loves to stop me when i am rambling off about something to him and tell me that...."that's interesting..."
it makes me laugh and laugh everytime.
ok...highlighted points of the day:
1. i took the kids to the grill downtown for burgers...and had a blast...jack and i laughed at so many things, i felt like i was on a date with my son! it was so wonderful!
2. jack and i laid in front of the window and watched this black-capped chickadee try and get inside over and over...he wasn't ramming it as bluebirds sometimes do when they think they see a male reflection, he just seemed to really want in????
3. josh worked his last day with the holder brothers and rich...he will miss them a bunch!
4. i made 2 more quarts of yogurt and almost finished it! (in between scoops of icecream! oi vey!)
5. i cut my hair
ok...off to bed and then to fly on the morrow!
jack left today with grace...he was so excited that it warmed my heart that he would be content and happy in the week to come. i am trying to concentrate of how wonderful this time will be for josh and i...and for esme too... how wonderful to get to spend this time together amidst all the hustle and bustle. (or is that hussle and bussle?...sounds like it should be even if it is not)
i haven't yet packed a stitch.
but i did just eat marybeth's yummy leek and celery soup (2 bowls mary! it is delicious!) thank you for that...and printed off our tickets and stuff...and i am out of diapers for ez...i do this all the time...i wait until i am completely out before i buy more...i think i waiver in my head between hoping that by the end of this package, she'll be potty trained (although i haven't started even thinking about training her) or that if i wait, i'll be saving money.
hmmm???
the logic of saving money just doesn't work as it is simply a delayed money trasaction and an inevitable one.
i try and trick my brain a lot...more than i realize.
for example, i tell myself that eating a quick few bits of icecream with my spoon from the carton is not at all the same as putting it in a bowl and purposefully eating it.
there were so many substantial things that happened today but all i can seem to do is ramble about the random and not so interesting.
jack has started to say
"that is really interesting mom, but there is just ooooooone problem" while sticking his 1 finger in the air....i have no idea where he heard this, but he loves to stop me when i am rambling off about something to him and tell me that...."that's interesting..."
it makes me laugh and laugh everytime.
ok...highlighted points of the day:
1. i took the kids to the grill downtown for burgers...and had a blast...jack and i laughed at so many things, i felt like i was on a date with my son! it was so wonderful!
2. jack and i laid in front of the window and watched this black-capped chickadee try and get inside over and over...he wasn't ramming it as bluebirds sometimes do when they think they see a male reflection, he just seemed to really want in????
3. josh worked his last day with the holder brothers and rich...he will miss them a bunch!
4. i made 2 more quarts of yogurt and almost finished it! (in between scoops of icecream! oi vey!)
5. i cut my hair
ok...off to bed and then to fly on the morrow!
Monday, February 23, 2009
Matt's Photography
here is jack helping me put up this amazing monyage matt made of esme! i really need to be able to see what i am doing...bc you can't see these very well per the flash...i'll take more when i have a camera i can see on! anyway...the poster is made from tiny photos of esme! and then we framed some of matt's photos this morning....they are wonderful!
we also had a squirrel to put up but esme stepped on it and broke the glass in the 5 seconds it was resting upon the ground! ha!
we also had a squirrel to put up but esme stepped on it and broke the glass in the 5 seconds it was resting upon the ground! ha!
Yogurt!!!!!
my friend ellison makes her own YUMMY yogurt and gave me this little thermal thing to make my own...
i made some last night and it was WONDERFUL!
my mum used to make ours when we were kids and there is a slight difference in taste...it was so reminiscent!
i ate almost a quart this morning! ha!
it is truly an easy venture....
you get these little packets of bacteria and heat your milk to a certain temp, add in the bacteria and then keep it at a constant warm temp for about 4 or 5 hours! voila!
i have heard you can use some of your old yogurt to make more each time ....
ok..jack is saying "mommy, stop stop stop stop stop stop stop"
this is usually our time...ez is asleep and i am glowing over the wonders of yogurt!
thank you ellison!!!
i made some last night and it was WONDERFUL!
my mum used to make ours when we were kids and there is a slight difference in taste...it was so reminiscent!
i ate almost a quart this morning! ha!
it is truly an easy venture....
you get these little packets of bacteria and heat your milk to a certain temp, add in the bacteria and then keep it at a constant warm temp for about 4 or 5 hours! voila!
i have heard you can use some of your old yogurt to make more each time ....
ok..jack is saying "mommy, stop stop stop stop stop stop stop"
this is usually our time...ez is asleep and i am glowing over the wonders of yogurt!
thank you ellison!!!
2 Little munchkins warming by the fire
when they woke up....at their usual 5:15 am, we came downstairs, josh made a roaring fire, and we snuggled up to get warm. it is amazing how fast one can go from freezing to nice and toasty....!
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The whys that explain things...
i have mentioned before that there is some part of me that lives in urgency...
i am desparate to take note of everything that happens...
and i do often try to pack more than comfortable amounts of items to do in a day....
i have thought lately that even though this trait i was probably born with....
it has been nursed by losing my mum...
if i have a fear per se, it is dying early....
not being able to be the one to hug my kids when they need it...
not being able to be there when they cry or need me...
i find myself often begging God for time....and i run down rabbit trails in my head...
"well, if i live until they are 8 and 10, they will blah blah...." "if i can see them until they are teenagers...o please God!" ....each time a different age and me trying to imagine life around them without me.
i know i am not super mom...i am not saying they "can't" live without me, i just want them to be loved so tenderly and fully,
i have heard Jesus voice in my heart when i get scared like this...speaking into my heart...that He loves jack and esme more than i ever could...and He would provide for them...love them...lead them....
the sheer crazy thing is that i strongly believe that worry leads to death! stress and angst are tools that chip away at our life, the peace of God in me is thwarted by my worry...my untrusting heart that He will shepherd them ...always.
it is just so real
the possibility.
i remember watching my mum fight to stay alive...and how more and more i understand that desire was more (if not entirely) to do with not wanting to leave us...not a fear of death or leaving a place she only knew....but not wanting to leave her beloved children and husband.
daily, i must give them to God...since the moment jack and esme were born, i have seen they are not really "mine" but in my arms for such a short time...and each day, i must prepare them to be without me...without josh.
that is one of the hardest jobs of a parent i am thinking...
training your children to not need you....
to be kind, to be honest, to be brave, to be wise....to love Jesus, love the poor and weak, ...that sharing is always better, that you can never give too much stuff away, to be content...
and somehow through all that, they enfold into who they were meant to be....
they break my heart, just looking at them...loving them....they break my heart bc i love them so much and feel so grateful to be their mom...how am i so very blessed!?
i pray for peace and for time.....peace and time....peace and time....
i am desparate to take note of everything that happens...
and i do often try to pack more than comfortable amounts of items to do in a day....
i have thought lately that even though this trait i was probably born with....
it has been nursed by losing my mum...
if i have a fear per se, it is dying early....
not being able to be the one to hug my kids when they need it...
not being able to be there when they cry or need me...
i find myself often begging God for time....and i run down rabbit trails in my head...
"well, if i live until they are 8 and 10, they will blah blah...." "if i can see them until they are teenagers...o please God!" ....each time a different age and me trying to imagine life around them without me.
i know i am not super mom...i am not saying they "can't" live without me, i just want them to be loved so tenderly and fully,
i have heard Jesus voice in my heart when i get scared like this...speaking into my heart...that He loves jack and esme more than i ever could...and He would provide for them...love them...lead them....
the sheer crazy thing is that i strongly believe that worry leads to death! stress and angst are tools that chip away at our life, the peace of God in me is thwarted by my worry...my untrusting heart that He will shepherd them ...always.
it is just so real
the possibility.
i remember watching my mum fight to stay alive...and how more and more i understand that desire was more (if not entirely) to do with not wanting to leave us...not a fear of death or leaving a place she only knew....but not wanting to leave her beloved children and husband.
daily, i must give them to God...since the moment jack and esme were born, i have seen they are not really "mine" but in my arms for such a short time...and each day, i must prepare them to be without me...without josh.
that is one of the hardest jobs of a parent i am thinking...
training your children to not need you....
to be kind, to be honest, to be brave, to be wise....to love Jesus, love the poor and weak, ...that sharing is always better, that you can never give too much stuff away, to be content...
and somehow through all that, they enfold into who they were meant to be....
they break my heart, just looking at them...loving them....they break my heart bc i love them so much and feel so grateful to be their mom...how am i so very blessed!?
i pray for peace and for time.....peace and time....peace and time....
photos of photos
ok...so these aren't very good.....but here's a few childhood shots....you can't really see my mum well....hmm, i feel like looking at photos of her...so i might go unearth an album...josh is still working! alas! almost 8 at night! but should be home soon....the kids in bed...and i am listening to piano music...
My hands...
i haven't painted them in such a long time. certainly before i married josh...i think even for our wedding, i had my normal short nails hopefully with all the dirt out from under them =)
i just don't really ever think about it.
josh said it would be fun to see me with long nails, so i thought painting them would help me to be more careful..maybe? and let them grow.
so tonight, jack and i painted our nails...well, i painted 2 of jack's ...he was so interested =)
and i was shocked when i finished and looked at my hand, and i saw my mum's hand....
when do we become our parents?
it was so beautiful to me to see her hands in mine...hardworking and bony...but still with an aire of femininity...
i know i look like my mum...
i'll find a photo and try and photo it...
i just don't really ever think about it.
josh said it would be fun to see me with long nails, so i thought painting them would help me to be more careful..maybe? and let them grow.
so tonight, jack and i painted our nails...well, i painted 2 of jack's ...he was so interested =)
and i was shocked when i finished and looked at my hand, and i saw my mum's hand....
when do we become our parents?
it was so beautiful to me to see her hands in mine...hardworking and bony...but still with an aire of femininity...
i know i look like my mum...
i'll find a photo and try and photo it...
Morning walk
last night after work, josh and andy met up with ben and david...and then crashed here last night. this morning, we all gathered around the fire and ate waffles and eggs...and went for a walk...it was COLD!!
i just splurged and ordered another camera off ebay...the same little cannon powershot that i have loved for 4 years...i lost one on ebay at $56.00! so just "bought it now" for $70. it is such a great camera!
i just splurged and ordered another camera off ebay...the same little cannon powershot that i have loved for 4 years...i lost one on ebay at $56.00! so just "bought it now" for $70. it is such a great camera!
Saturday, February 21, 2009
A Mountain of Laundry~!
when it is cold, our pipes freeze as our washing machine is on the back porch...and it takes until midday..sometimes later ...for it to thaw so i can do laundry...well, i haven't been very good about remembering in the window of opportunity to get out there and wash some clothes before it freezes again in the evening! so i literally had a MOUNTAIN to catch up on today...here it is all nice and clean..now, the folding! which honestly, WHY do we really have to fold something that is about to be put on our bodies??
Into the woods
they don't look sick and they aren't really...but today we went to a doc-in-the-box just in case. which is so not like me, to rush to the doctor at the first sign of a sniffle...but since we are about to be traveling, i wanted to nip "it" in the bud...which turned out to be nothing but a cold.
the doc was a little crazy though...
he said "o, england, how long is that flight....3 hours?"
"um", i said, "no, i think it is about 8 or 9 hours"
"well", he said, "you should go from new york bc it is only 2 from there"
"o really" i say.
i then proceeded to explain that i was just wanting to rule out an ear infection as we'd be on this "3" hour flight shortly. he looked at me and said, "o, so are they swimmers?"
i really wasn't sure how to respond bc i couldn't make the connection in my head why he was asking me about this IN THE WINTER MONTHS
so, i said "sure, yea, they like to swim...IN THE SUMMER"
i wanted to point out that esme was only 4 months this past summer so wasn't doing laps yet...but i let that go.
ANYWAY, i was glad to find out their ears and throats look great...they just seem to have a little cough....i PRAY it stays only a little one!
the doc was a little crazy though...
he said "o, england, how long is that flight....3 hours?"
"um", i said, "no, i think it is about 8 or 9 hours"
"well", he said, "you should go from new york bc it is only 2 from there"
"o really" i say.
i then proceeded to explain that i was just wanting to rule out an ear infection as we'd be on this "3" hour flight shortly. he looked at me and said, "o, so are they swimmers?"
i really wasn't sure how to respond bc i couldn't make the connection in my head why he was asking me about this IN THE WINTER MONTHS
so, i said "sure, yea, they like to swim...IN THE SUMMER"
i wanted to point out that esme was only 4 months this past summer so wasn't doing laps yet...but i let that go.
ANYWAY, i was glad to find out their ears and throats look great...they just seem to have a little cough....i PRAY it stays only a little one!
Sitting around the fire...
eating oatmeal this morning...the fire is HOT and wonderfully delicious...but any other room is COLD so we are happy right here.
Ez sitting by the fire
she crawls into this chair right by the fire and just sits and gets warm...she is so much like a puppy!
Cold Morning...
and esme is contemplating whether to get closer to the fire or not...
she loves to feed the fire...which probably isn't the safest habit...
josh just left to go and do a window installation job...with david...
frosty outside...i think the 3 of us, we'll be doing a lot of huddling today =)
she loves to feed the fire...which probably isn't the safest habit...
josh just left to go and do a window installation job...with david...
frosty outside...i think the 3 of us, we'll be doing a lot of huddling today =)
Friday, February 20, 2009
Jack the Carpenter
he is so stinking cute and REaDY at all times to play and work with tools...josh got some great tools today at re-tool, a second hand tool shop in town...and he and jack oo-ed and aw-ed over them appropriately. my brother matt made josh some great business cards today and josh took them to have them printed up...he never does anything half way that is for sure. he is going to miss timberframing a lot but he is a thriver...he will bloom wherever he is and focus fully..it is quite an impressive trait actually.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Remembering John Street
i talked to my dear friend chrys today....as she lost her husband this past tuesday.
they were married for over 50 years...and john developed alzhiemers (sp?) about 10 years ago...it had slowly slowly taken himself from himself....and away from chrys as well. she insisted he stay in the home and for a long time, she didn't have a nurses help at all...not until about a year ago when caring for him became too much on her almost 80 year old body.
josh was a fabulously talented and good man....he was honorable and kind and enormously intelligent.
john portman, the architect who revolutionized the city of atlanta with his atrium spaces, took john street with him when he decided to go out on his own....and for 40 years, john street was an integral part of every design that came out of that office...he and chrys introduced the republican party to marietta and remained political and green long after their working years.
john and chrys also befriended a man with a "mission" many many years ago and supported him in his ventures to build home for the needy....millard fuller of habitat for humanity counted john and chrys among his dearest friends...
john was a strong believer in Christ, his mind and his heart both followed his convictions...and this is what always stands out to me....his kindness, his love...his humor!...his Christlikeness...
there is a memorial service sat, the 28th of this month in marietta for any who read this and also knew him....i know Chrys would love to see happy faces there!
they were married for over 50 years...and john developed alzhiemers (sp?) about 10 years ago...it had slowly slowly taken himself from himself....and away from chrys as well. she insisted he stay in the home and for a long time, she didn't have a nurses help at all...not until about a year ago when caring for him became too much on her almost 80 year old body.
josh was a fabulously talented and good man....he was honorable and kind and enormously intelligent.
john portman, the architect who revolutionized the city of atlanta with his atrium spaces, took john street with him when he decided to go out on his own....and for 40 years, john street was an integral part of every design that came out of that office...he and chrys introduced the republican party to marietta and remained political and green long after their working years.
john and chrys also befriended a man with a "mission" many many years ago and supported him in his ventures to build home for the needy....millard fuller of habitat for humanity counted john and chrys among his dearest friends...
john was a strong believer in Christ, his mind and his heart both followed his convictions...and this is what always stands out to me....his kindness, his love...his humor!...his Christlikeness...
there is a memorial service sat, the 28th of this month in marietta for any who read this and also knew him....i know Chrys would love to see happy faces there!
Horses and Birds
i think most kids like to be outside...and jack and esme are not an exception...esme just gazed up at the sky and flaps her little arms when she sees a bird...
Chick fil A
what a treat!
the kids LOVE this place...esme starts out sitting and then pushes herself away from the table and sticks her feet up in the air...she orders the carrot salad and then steals some fries....jack likes salt. after eating chicken, he methodically salts each fry...even though he only gets down a couple, they are nice to keep in the car (along with all the other snacks) for when they get hungry. we were meeting a friend today, but she didnt' show....but that was ok...we played and played,,,the kids are now fast asleep and i am looking at our messy house...alas, i could be reading or sleeping! why o why should i be cleaning?? =)
the kids LOVE this place...esme starts out sitting and then pushes herself away from the table and sticks her feet up in the air...she orders the carrot salad and then steals some fries....jack likes salt. after eating chicken, he methodically salts each fry...even though he only gets down a couple, they are nice to keep in the car (along with all the other snacks) for when they get hungry. we were meeting a friend today, but she didnt' show....but that was ok...we played and played,,,the kids are now fast asleep and i am looking at our messy house...alas, i could be reading or sleeping! why o why should i be cleaning?? =)
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