What to do on a rainy day? Get creative!

With the never-ending rains that have hit Georgia this summer, and especially this past week, we have all been getting a touch of cabin fever at times. I mean, how many times can you watch the same House Hunters
episode on HGTV, or the Disney Channel, before you just need a change of scenery. 

To beat the rainy day blues we taken to a variety of activities. From the typical shopping, and hitting our favorite places to eat we've also gotten clever - cleaning, home projects, making music, and one of our favorites - crafting! Always a good time to get out the bucket of buttons, and scrap fabric to see what treasures you can create. I'm a fan of the clever denim & button cuffs and headbands the girls designed. 

Nothing says "Happy Birthday,
America" like a trip to The Varsity!

Quick break in the drizzle for sparklers on the 4th

Hannah, inspired by HGTV is adding a modern touch to a vintage dresser with new knobs.
An easy project even for children.

Nothing says rainy day escape like bike shopping!

Gettin' crafty

Timeless Headband

Rockin' Cuff

Although the rain gets some people down, me - I love it and will be a bit sad to see the sun take resume its rightful place in the sky without the delightful drops of rain and the serene sky of gray. Oh well, until next time. Can't wait to see the adventures we will have next time!

My little man

Wide awake this morning - 6:00 a.m., July 4th, no good reason to have opened my eyes, but instead here I sit feeling more awake than most mornings when I need to be out of bed early. I gave up on going back to sleep and now sit on my covered back porch - listening. The sound of the rain, which people are expecting to wreak such havoc today with flood conditions that most Atlanta fireworks have been cancelled, the drops sound so delicate as they bounce off the roof and leaves around me. Hard to imagine the problems this delicate dance can cause. There is a sweet sound of birds singing in the distance, and while I feel it's to early to be up and moving, clearly nature knows this day is already well underfoot.

Waking this morning, besides the startling discovery of the early time, was what seems to be a more routine discovery as of late of the sleeping 10-year old beside me. Sounds in the night, especially wind and rain, are cause for alarm for her - or more likely cause to have a Mom-worthy excuse to need the safety of her parents room. So, as I have every morning this week I also woke to a most precious angel - who is now almost the height of me, mind you - cuddling up for comfort. She, of course, is still sleeping peacefully through the rain which caused her waking earlier in the evening. Although as is her pattern she too will wake soon before it seems to make sense because she has a wonderful gift of being a morning person very much unlike me.

In the stillness of this morning I also remember who is not under my roof, my little man, Charlie. He is off for fun and adventure at the lake with his cousin. While I'm sure he will have a fantastic time, returning home with more stories than you can possibly imagine which he will be so excited to share in painstaking detail, I miss him. It's a moment that makes me reflect on the not-so-distant future where my children will have things they chose to do that do not involve them spending time with their Mom and Dad, so weird. This is a next step that I'm not ready for yet, or at least have not begun to let myself even think about, and today has made me realize it is time to start adjusting my thinking.

As I think about what I am writing I sound like a crazy woman - sitting here in this serene moment, writing on my back porch at an unusually early time in the morning (for her), and choosing to fret about my 13-year old son not being with her for the day. Yep, sounds completely logical to me. It is not that he chooses to do something else it is that it is a symbolic representation of what is to come. Today is Independence Day, the 4th of July, when we should be together as a family - eating hot dogs, swimming at the pool (or better today with the rain - complaining that we aren't swimming), trying to catch a glimpse of a firework somewhere, me afraid that a child will burn down the house with a sparkler - and instead we're not. Weird, and a little sad for me.

So, I will go back to listening to the sound of the rain as it falls gently on the awning above me, to the birds as they tweet a delicate melody no one will ever do justice to replicate, be thankful that my over five feet tall 10-year old would give anything to cuddle with me each night, and remember when my little man really was little and I would get up at this time of the morning because he needed me to, and that was all the reason I needed.

Happy 4th of July y'all, and Happy (Start of) Independence to my little man.

Our Family, In Lilly's Words

Hi my name is Lilly. My family is very nice. My sister Hannah is so nice sometimes she can be mean. I do not think she loves me but I love her. My brother Charlie is nice to but he likes to play the drums. I like to play the drums when he is not here. I love him very much gust like Hannah. My mom and dad known as Kelley and Sarah. I love them very much they love me, too. They sometimes yell at me but I forgive them. They let me sleep with them when I ask nice and they say I have to be quiet  or they will send me back to my room. I just got a new room my dad worked hard on it and I like it is just my type. I don’t know if you know how crazy my family is I love everyone. I have some news I mite get baptized. Thank you. 

Love, Lilly

The Wisdom of Lilly

Today was a first for me, gave blood at our community clubhouse. The experience itself was unique. I had the bright idea to be healthy and walk the mile to our clubhouse, only to realize I needed my license in order to give blood - who'd a thunk. Of course, having walked, I didn't think to bring any identification along only my iPhone in case I felt woozy on the walk home - in the hot sun. So, clearly there were some flaws in my thinking. Waiting for the ID I did get to watch a little QVC as that's what the friendly American Red Cross staff decided to put on the TV for the last hour, different. This did give me the chance to have a rather interesting conversation, with the woman who would later draw my blood, about why someone might, or might not, purchase a $210 purse in pink with cupcakes on the side, but I digress.

Fast forward - first blood donation went well, ate the cookies, they loaded me down with snacks for my kids & drinks for me, I headed to the pool next door after being told I shouldn't plan to do anything this afternoon (figured the mile walk back might not be smart). Kids and Kelley arrive, they swim, I read and drink lots of water, we head home.

The ride home, while short, was full of lots of questions about blood types, blood donation, why they give you snacks after blood donation. In the middle of a great educational conversation about blood types, and how your blood type is determined, Lilly pipes out of nowhere, "And, that's why you can't marry your cousin, 'cause your baby'll come out weird." Wait, what? The wisdom of Lilly.

When Sickness Attacks

Parenting Thought #43: When purchasing something for your children's use keep in mind how it will hold up when cleaned because the inevitable will happen - it will be drug through the mud, the dog will sleep on it, accidentally thrown in the trash, or as happened this weekend for us - thrown up on. Consider, is this item going to last when washed? And if not, is it cheap enough that when the inevitable happens I'm good with just chucking it in the trash for good? Finally, if it's cheap and I'm willing to part with it, will it cause devastation for my child when I chuck their beloved _____ in the trash?

Many in our area have been experiencing an awful stomach bug that somehow our family has been able to avoid. This past week, however, it crept up upon us in the middle of the night, when we are at our weakest. It's like it knows, wait until everyone is resting and peaceful, then attack!

Child one, Hannah, went down just as Thursday was starting and while it was a long night things were spaced out enough that the parents could tag team caring for her and clean-up, and all involved were able to get a little sleep in between. The rest of Thursday brought on mild fever, and general puny-ness but it also hadn't brought on any other sick children, or parents for that matter. Both my husband and I spent the day feeling icky, but didn't know if it was real ick or just the thought we'd end up sick after what we had experienced the night before. Overall we managed the day, and at the end felt victorious as only one of the five had officially succumbed to this plague.

Friday would bring Kelley and Charlie leaving for a weekend retreat, while Hannah showed signs of returning to normal, but then at the end of the day it was apparent Lilly wasn't herself. Because everyone else seemed good I chocked it up to Lilly just being tired from a day of school and play. I'm sure you see where this is going. Friday night, scratch that, early Saturday morning just as I had fallen asleep it was Lilly's turn. This time we were down by one parent, but I wasn't that worried having just gone through this two nights before I was the pro, and knew what was coming next. The first two times Lilly was sick I was preparing her for what was next. By the third time she had the drill down and her precious face was stuck down in the trash can before she even knew what was coming. Nothing like the sense of accomplishment your child feels when they realize all their throw up made it in the trash can and not on themselves or the stuff around them. Sweet victory! She wanted me to sleep with her on her pallet. Thinking this wasn't the best idea since I'd be an easy target, I opted to lay on the floor at the head of the pallet. Not the most comfortable position with my head in the bathroom doorway, and legs extending up under my bed, but it worked. (Side note: my back is still killing me but sometimes the pain is worth the sacrifice for our kids. however, need to figure out a better option next time.)

By the fourth time I was letting her know there were only one or two more times to go. Also at this point her sister, sleeping on the other pallet in my room, was waking up each time as well to share her stories of pain, and encourage her sister. The best was one of the last times when Lilly was crying out in pain, Hannah told her to just think happy thoughts and don't think about what's happening that way it won't hurt so bad. So sweet. It's these moments that they demonstrate how much they truly love one another. Where Hannah had been fairly quiet when she was sick, Lilly was very vocal about how much it hurt and equally how much she missed her Daddy. Lilly sounded like me going through natural childbirth, and Hannah, like my last delivery when you know it's not easy or fun but everything about it just seems peaceful.

Finally we made it through the night. The next morning Lilly was proud of the fact that she holds the record for most times getting sick for this round. I think she counted 9, where Hannah only had 6 or 7. Both girls main concern was not the night before and lack of sleep, or pouring rain outside, but the fact they were about to miss their first soccer game of the season. Thankfully, the rain caused that to be cancelled and also provided a great day to stay inside for rest and recovery.

As soon as we were settled in our new, clean spots for the day it was time for Lilly to get to talk to Daddy. Little did we know he had a treat for us - Charlie had also been struck with the bug, only he wasn't in the comfort of home, he was at camp, with 100 other kids, and no running water in their cabin. Always glad Kelley is able to go along on these retreats but particularly glad this time because it meant Charlie could retreat to the quiet of his private room to complete his sickness. After the brief moment of sadness because I wasn't able to be there for him, and the sad realization that he had thrown up all by himself in a bathroom stall , I resolved to channel that sadness into action.

It was time for Laundry-geddon! My counter-attack began with Lysol and Clorox wipes attacking the low ground, while anything that could be washed was to cover the high ground. As I write this the mission is still going on as there are two more loads of sheets to wash, and one or two loads of clothes but then sweet victory will be mine!

Today Hannah is back to crazy, bubbly, organized, entertaining Hannah. Where Friday night she didn't want ice cream, but then caved and ate a little vanilla (side note: if she doesn't want ice cream or something chocolate you know something's wrong.), last night she was eating Chick-fil-a and this morning Chocolate Chip pancakes. We are in the clear with her!

Lilly & Charlie are right where Hannah was yesterday - still puny, happy to lay on their pallet watching Disney movies, and occasionally playing Wii, giving in to my nagging requests to drink more water, willing to eat some crackers and a small bite of ice cream only because I say so.

Much to everyone's sadness they will probably all be good to go by tomorrow just in time to head back to school. I will have a house full of clean sheets and freshly laundered comforters. But the cheap Ikea pillow I bought as decoration for Lilly's bed well, jury's still out on that one, but it may be finding a new home at the dump.