More of the grandkids

Getting ready for bed - or rather, the escape during the process.  Einar caught this one.

Caught.

Smiling or laughing - that's how you usually see him.

Camera's give only a part of the story. 

Yes, Annika loves to eat her clothes, or her blanket, or any fabric,

but toys go into her mouth much less often.

But this half-smile is only half of the story.  Annika has big beautiful smiles whenever someone smiles at her.  But the camera doesn't elicit quite the same response.

And Haley?  Well, she performs in front of the camera very much like her parents do.  I was going to blame this one on her mom, who preferred a stuck-out tongue in photos to her gorgeous smile.  But her dad isn't much different, in that respect!

Bringing out a camera brings out the sillies.

This was taken for the fashion statement she was making.  Her mom always loved bright colors.  So does Haley.  And when she saw this dress - my thrift shop find - it had to go on over the bright sweater she was already wearing.  That's not a problem at Bestemor & Bestefars house... no one else will see it.  Oops!

January Celebration

On January 15 we had a very special celebration.  We first met at our kids church where Annika was dedicated to the Lord, or as our former pastor liked to state it, where her parents were dedicated to raising her to love God and serve Him.  We also celebrated Haley's second birthday which was the following week.

 Haley with her grandma.

Rachel took this one... I love it! 

Annika 

Mmmm - cake pops for her birthday. 

A quiet boy is not always a good sign... Auntie's mascara was fun to get into! 

Reading with Bestefar. 

 A very content Annika...

One of the favorite toys these days - a large spoon and a container to use it in. 

Happy Birthday, Haley!

January - is it over yet?

I did it again.  Made a bold statement and made it public.  You'd think that would help me live up to it!  But no.  Didn't happen.  My "No Shopping Month"  never really was that.  It was more of a "Buy only neccesities, and let hubby do the shopping" month.  After 34 years together (great years, too!), he still doesn't read my mind well.  He doesn't even really read the lists well.  So we laugh about it and go on.  Not, as in, go on letting him do the shopping.  But rather, as in, "I'll just run in and get the 4 items I need, and then you can pay for it and I will leave the store."  That was the first 2 times. 
Then it was, "I'll quickly run in and grab what's on my list".  He gets to stay in the car for that version.  That's what he prefers.  So that is how our "No shopping month" has evolved.  I make a list and check it a few times to make sure I really need the item.  Milk, yes.  Eggs, yes.  Fresh fruit & veggies, yes.  Wild rice, no.  I love wild rice.  It is healthy.  But I have the wild rice hubby bought (a few grains of wild rice mixed in regular rice.)  Not really what I wanted, but we should eat it first, or it will sit there for years.  And I bought sprouted brown rice to try back in December and haven't opened the bag. 
So the learning process continues.  What do we need.  What can we do without.  What are we willing to do without.  And on it goes.

No Shopping Month episode 1

I was pretty excited about my "No Shopping Month".  I have worded it in a variety of ways: "A Shopping Fast", "Staying out of stores for a month", etc.  I told my hubby he'd have to buy the essentials: milk, produce, etc, because I hoped not to enter a store for a month.  It seemed pretty cut and dried at the time.  Even a bit of an adventure.  What things can I do without?  And how much can I save doing this?

Then I went to work.  Someone is selling chocolates for a fundraiser.  I always try to help out in a fundraiser if I can.  The chocolates are even gluten-free. Conflicting thoughts. They are not in a store.  But it would be spending money.  They look yummy!  They sit on the counter in front of me.  All day.  Does it count?  It is still spending.  So far I have resisted temptation.

I didn't do quite as well at my hubby's workplace this morning.  I saw a $4 gadget that could come in very handy at work.  I told him I'd take it, gave him the $4 and he wrote down the part number to be able to put the sale into the computer later.  Good thing.  When I realized what I had just done (it's only the 5th of the month yet!!), I gave back the gadget, took my $4, and told him I'd take the one from home (that we never use) to work instead.  That is why I need to do this.  All those silly little purchases that are totally unnecessary.  They add up!

I had to stop at the mall on the way to work to drop off some registered mail at the drug store post office.  Wandering through the mall was interesting.  I saw a lady with a pretty scarf and thought back to my morning when I couldn't find a scarf to coordinate with both my top and the sweater I wanted to wear.  "I should just see if I could find one," was my first thought.  I can't believe I think about buying so much stuff so often!  There is so much temptation in the malls.  It is best that I stay out of them.  Next time I'll take it to my local post office here in my small town.

I could easily have spent a chunk on groceries already this month, but am hoping that this fast will not only reduce our spending, but also reduce what we end up discarding.  I buy more than we can eat.  I knew my hubby was picking up milk last night and tried to get him on his cell phone.  I wanted bananas and oranges.  Good things to have for snacks.  But he didn't hear his phone, and I didn't get my fruit.  I realized later that I still have a bowl full of apples... the last fruit to disappear in our house.  Not that we don't like them.  We just like them less than bananas and oranges.  So now I'm glad I couldn't get him on the cell.  We'll eat the apples, and then buy more fruit. 

I'm learning.  Nothing new here, just lessons I seem to need to learn and then relearn. 

A New Year

Live your life with arms wide open. 

Today is where your book begins. 

The rest is still unwritten.

Natasha Bedingfield 

I try not to make too many New Year's Resolutions because they generally don't work for me.  I get tired of any kind of routine as soon as it becomes routine!  But I can't help but think about what I want to accomplish in this new year; what things I'd like to change (generally about me), and how I want to grow.

I've concluded that, without getting too specific, I need to get in shape this year; physically, mentally, and spiritually.  I've gotten sloppy in all of the above.

I'm glad life is a journey, and that I'm not expected to have arrived yet.  One of my dearest mentors, Shirley, taught me that through her own life.  She lived out loud.  When she was in the wrong, she was so willing to admit it and ask for forgiveness.  She loved from the heart and was not judgmental.  I learned more from her than she'll ever know.

Weight loss was not one of my New Year's resolutions last year - I decided it was necessary after seeing our holiday pictures, and realizing I was becoming lazy and sluggish.  It may have only been 20 pounds that I needed to shed, but it seemed it was creeping higher all the time, and as long as I ate like I did, I would continue to add a few pounds here and there.  So I joined Weight Watchers online in September and diligently counted my points.  Much of it is common sense, but there were also many things to learn about eating more healthy.  By Christmas I had shed the 20 pounds and was pleased to be able to get a new wardrobe.

 

But now I need to shape up.  The tummy is still there - just smaller.  I won't get specific about how I'll shape up, because I'm not sure yet.  Running would be the cheapest way to do it - I wouldn't have to join a gym - at least until Winnipeg gets a real winter.  I've never thought I was a runner, but I have sisters who are and a daughter who is, so maybe I should give it a shot.  Swimming would be another option, and my husband would love it if I'd learn to swim and enjoy it.  That costs more, and I really dislike being cold, which happens when I swim, so I'm not sure I'd stick to it very long.  Maybe if we went together once/week, or invited the grandkids occasionally, I could learn to enjoy swimming pools.  Or join a gym.  That is costly, and in my past experience, I didn't like the gym much more than swimming pools.  Maybe I'll end up doing a bit of all of the above.  That would be alright too.  I do try to walk on my lunch breaks at work, and run the stairs more often than taking the elevator.  Maybe I'll have to swear off the elevator altogether for a bit, but 5 stories can be very tiring!!

I am very glad that life is a journey and I'm not required to have everything figured out at any point in my life, even spiritually.  That journey has been interesting, to say the least.  I do know a few things that have not changed.  Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.  God is love.  His first command for me is to Love the Lord my God with all my heart, mind and soul, and to love my neighbor as myself.  And in Micah 6:8, we are told: He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

Many other things are less clear. How do I live as a God-follower in this world?  How do I make sure my thoughts, desires and motives are in line with the God I claim to love?  How do I show that to a hurting world?  And how do I live that out with those I love who don't have the same faith that I have?  How do I talk about my faith and live it out without being offensive?   

Perhaps getting into shape spiritually means getting back to the basics.  Focusing on loving my God with all my heart, mind and soul and see where that journey takes me...  

And mentally: I fear my forgetfulness.  Alzheimers runs in my Dad's family.  And I believe my mother had it before she died.  So the fear is somewhat legitimate.  But the forgetfulness could also just be carelessness.  I've always been one who spoke without thinking and acted in the same way too often.  But I want to take more time to read this year - and read books that challenge me to grow in positive ways.

What else do I want for 2012?  Less focus on me, and more focus on others.  See where people are hurting and really care.  See people through God's eyes and love them with His love. If I can accomplish some of this, it will be a journey well worth the while.

Haley

Haley is not yet two and she talks in full sentences. If you know her, she's generally not difficult to understand, either.  But she does come up with the funniest things.
When she woke up for the 4th time in the night:
Me: What's the matter Haley?
Haley: I want to cry.
Me: Does it feel good to cry?
Haley: Yes
Me: Okay!
I put her down in the playpen rather than the 'big bed' where she had been sleeping, and she slept the rest of the night.
Maybe she just needed permission to cry!

This morning as I changed Annika's poopy diaper:
She has a green playdoh diaper!