Chuch Slump

I went back to church today.
In the past few months I've been home sick from church 3 times...mostly for Flash.
Its been a nice reprieve.
I am in a church slump, and I haven't even been there much.

The last few times I've been there I've been the nursery person for Cosy
because the volunteer hasn't shown up.

Hubby leaves for church earlier and we arrive just in time for worship.
It works for us in that our Church behavior isn't wasted on pre-church stuff.
So this morning I'm back
...in the Nursery.
If I'm in the nursery with Cosy, there isn't anyone to sit with Flash
and he's happier with me anyhow...until Children's church,

What is the point of getting them dressed and out of the house
if we're only gonna be in the nursery?

Today they did a nice craft in children's church, Cosy had a lovely nap in nursery and after worship we hung the greens and had a little lunch, so...OK... it was worthwhile.

But I'm tired of this church and its stick in the mud, seeker unfriendly, assimilate or go away attitude. If you make the pastor's wife feel so unwelcome...no wonder everyone wants to go to the fun church in town. I want to go there too.

Cosy walks!

Yes Ladies and gentlemen, she walks!
Last weekend she was taking the two steps from the ottoman to the coffee table.

But she's gaining confidence and toddling boldly!
Tonight while I was reading to Flash,
Hubby called out that Cosy had just emerged from the bathroom walking
and holding a bottle of squeezy soap.
She almost made it to the middle of the living room with a big proud smile.

In contrast, I heard last night that my niece, a high school sophmore, tore her ACL in a Field Hockey game. Tonight I heard that her brother, a junior, tore his ACL in a soccer game. So Cosy is walking better than both of them.

Wonderful day

Sometimes wonderful days don't start off so well.
A difference of opinion, a difference of expectations.
Everyone running at the last minute, grouch grouch.
It lasted a little too long this morning
but perhaps thats just because of how EARLY the morning starts some days.
But after a while...we went to town for errands and chatted the whole way there.
Drop some things off at Goodwill, shopped for kid clothes at the 2nd hand shop
( ute things too...my Flash will enjoy his new superhero shirts), grocery run.
Big grocery run.
Lots of groceries.
A lovely Mexican lunch at a very colorful place.
Cosy ate a LOT of refried beans... should be interesting later
and then we went to get Flash from school.
Played Outside in the crisp fall air,
indoor cookout
made cookies, read books and bed by 7:30. Woohoo!

And looking over the day...great day.
Sorry for the morning grouching...tomorrow will be better.

The flu

Flash has been sidelined by the flu...maybe even H1N1. Basically a high fever and a cough n' sniffle with very little appetite. So we've had an uneventful weekend. Actually it was Fall Break so he's been sick Thursday night through til now. Luckily we didn't have any real plans. We're riding out the 24-hour-fever-free requirements of the school now. At least I hope we are.

I always figure I'll get a lot done at home when a child is sick...but the house ends up messier and messier anyhow. I'm throwing him in the tub in a little while and maybe I can tackle a pile. These piles are amazing! I rarely file anything so it stacks up, then theres mail and Flash's school papers and Things Hubby shouldn't have brought home from church. Notice I leave myself out of this huh? Well a lot of it is mine too I guess. Then there are laundry stacks too. I am behind and I don't know when I'll catch up!

But maybe the saying "a clean desk is a sign of a misspent life" is true.

Life in the corn

He took this call 2 years ago. And on good days I'm glad.
Good things that have happened here:
Our little girl, Cosy. She's gorgeous and almost 1! Birthday on Thanksgiving.
A few friend-aquaintences, mostly because of Flash
A change of career-sorta for me from public librarian to school media specialist.
Flash, who is a big kindergartener now. And can read a few words!
our home, which is about right for us.

Hope you are well.

August

Since I last blogged we've been to PA and back to visit my folks. Saw my Dad and sister and Flash got to hang out with his favorite cousin. He cried when he said goodbye to him, saying that he'd "Miss him the most". Sobbing really. Got to meet my sister's new boyfriend and he seems nice. Showed off the baby to sister, dad, stepmom, aunt and one of Mom's best friends. A quick trip is good for some reasons, less time for my mom and hubby to get on each other's nerves. Hard to dfrive that much though! I AM NEVER doing that kind of trip again. 14 hours on Monday, 14 hours on Friday and 4 hours on Wednesday! Lots of miles and lots and lots of patience on the part of my little brood.

School starts this coming week. I, as the school Librarian, am already "in", But the kids come to my school Thursday. Flash starts Kindergarten on Wednesday. I think he's a little nervous, because he's been chewing on his shirt. Gwen starts back to daycare on Tuesday and she's changed so much this summer. I wonder if she and her babysitter will recognize each other!
Its been a strange but wonderful summer.

The clubhouse

One of the many many amazing things I was going to do this summer
was turn our unused shed into a "clubhouse".
For lots of reasons we only got around to painting it today!
We painted it white on the inside to try to brighten it up a bit...its sort of dark.
Hubby and a friend are talking about installing a window, for ventilation.
I have my hopes but I don't know if it'll happen before school begins.
So now we'll put in tables and chairs and ...
I don't know what else, that's up to Flash! I'll try to post a picture tomorrow.
For now, picture a garden shed, painted white inside,
with the doors held open by terra-cotta planters.

Home again home again

jiggity
jig
Well, I'm home from the city. With bags of book samples and posters
Back in corn country in time for a night at the county fair!
Cows, sheep, rabbits and chickens vying for prizes.
The pigs arrive tomorrow morning between 5 and 7. So I am told.
Sewing, woodworking, corn, soybeans, other veggies,
cake decorating, legos, scrapbooking, electronics.
Its 4-H heaven.

And there are concerts, moon bounces and pony rides.
Tonight Hubby's group served BBQ brisket (YUM) at their booth.
and we have leftovers...

Chicago part2

Well Hubby did bring them up and it went very very well.! Flash was very good in the Exhibit Hall. It helped that so much of it was kid focused. He may have even helped to perfect a computer program for kids. He also built a tower with some fun building toys, drew on a smartboard and received a balloon animal cat. Oh and books. They came around 11 and stayed until 2:30. I thought that maybe my momma's oy would be sad to go home and leave me at the conference, but no. He was happy to watch a DVD in the van and say See you tomorrow Mommy". I was also worried about Cosy but she was happy to see me, happy to ride in the stroller and smile at conference attendees and happy to be buckled in to go home. While we were together she was changed twice, sucked down a bottle and a half and napped. Its a big life.

Hotel next time..

Chicago

My last post was almosta month ago and I think it said something about blogging more during the summer break...oh well. Too much of my limited computer time is now wasted on Facebook I guess. Theres a difference though and that difference is anonimity...although I have 3 revgal Facebook Friends. I need to get back in though, if only for my sanity.

So what have I been doing?
Having summer vacation with Flash and Cosy. We watch cartoons and play and go to the library and have playdates. We've been to the museum, the nice park in the college town nearby ( the one with the train!) had lots of picnics,swim lessons, VBS. I've painted the front door of the house a lovely shade of blue (needs a second coat). We spent a week and a half in GA with Hubby's family at the beach. Right now I'm in Chicago at the Librarian's conference. Just soaking up some city! I've walked and walked and enjoyed the anoninmity...see there it is again. Had some really good chinese food last night. Still trying to figure out a trip to the water park and home to see my folks in PA.

My sister and Dad have still not seen Cosy and she's 7 months old. Yeah, I'd rather them come out here but thats unlikely. Very frustrating being this far away. My sister is in school and she's a single mom and a massage therapist, so she has some good excuses. My Dad has been sick this year and I don't know how bad it is but he's not interested in travelling this far. Cirrohsis. So I shall move the mountain to Mohammed...somehow.

But I didn't even bring my day planner on this trip! So I can't work on it now. Hubby says he may bring the kids up here to the city today to see me and go to the exhibits. I'm not sure its a good idea. I think it will upset the kids since I'm not coming home until Sunday and the exhibits are a work thing. Flash isn't all that well behaved. So I'm trying to convince him that, if he comes up, we should go to the park or the museum. I WILL write tonight and say how it went.

And I have to post something about this hotel...grrr.