The Fun of Licorice

If you have a child you probably also know what happens when you allow your toddlers to have a whole piece of licorice of their own.  This gift of appeasement has an amazing abilty to coat the entire mouth area and hands with a brillant red sticky residue - yet, despite the knowledge of the inevitable clean-up the shining brillance of the face that eminates through deems it worth the effort.  Then there is the challenge of trying to accurately capture the true essence of the incident on camera.  Here is picture proof of two times of my weaknesses (Scotty (1 yr in green) & Bradley (1yr in blue))- but I ask you - look at these pictures - would you have done any differently?

There Goes the Sun

Yep, the next day is snow and rain.  So we had a rainy day inside and the boys painted - it might be safe to say that I didn't pay close enough attention while I was doing the dishes.  At least we have hardware floors and we use washable paint  But I think that I LOVE these paintings more than anything else they have ever produced.

 

Here Comes the Sun

It was a beautiful spring day - beautiful enough for even the babe to go out and play in the soft dirt.  As you can see he sampled some of the goods - he wouldn't be a Crump boy if he didn't.  The boys were so happy to be able to dig in the dirt instead of try to chip away the frozen mud.  The flowers are starting to come up, I'm just afraid that the cold isn't done yet - I hope that none of my later flowers get killed.

Happy Anniversary

Marc and I have never been big on anniversaries or Valentine's or anything of that sort, but for some reason - this year we both decided that it was time that we celebrate in some way.  Marc sent me my second batch of flowers ever (the 1st one was a heart break - because when I brought them home from work sometime during the 1st year I dropped them and the vase and most of the flowers broke - with my little heart).  This time they still remain intact even with all of the extra "helpers" in our home.  My plans for a surprise evening at home were ruined when Scotty got an ear infection - so I couldn't take him to Rose Marie's house for the evening.  But then Grandma called at the last minute and said that she just remembered our Anniversary and could she take the boys - she doesn't have any kids to infect - and she was willing.  So we did actually get our evening together - it was nice and relaxed.  We cooked together and watched part of a terrible movie together - even with the bad movie (which we didn't finish) it was still nice to just be together with no interruptions - but then it seemed too quiet and we went and pick up our favorite noise-makers and brought them home to finish our celebration.

It's so exhausting to be a baby. . .

It's About Time

I finally finished my wall clock - it has been "in the process" for so long that I don't even remember when I started - I just know that I bought the clock mechanism over a year ago - sad, but now it is finished and I think that it looks pretty good.  It is about 4 x 4 ft.  Hmm what unfinished project will I complete next?

All Things Are Become New

Finally!!  I think that I have a simple grasp on the whole blogging issue.  I hope that everything looks good - now the challenge - to keep it up to date.  Which was an issue before because I didn't WANT people to come to my site because it looked like chaos - now it is better and all I need do is make a new post here and there - right? 

So I have a challenge to all of you out there.  I need some help - as you see at the top - we have a theme this year:  "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing, and establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order a house of God".

I need to work on all of these to some degree - who doesn't, but I NEED inspiration from others to accomplish these goals - especially in the house of order and house of learning areas.  As you may or may not know - my housekeeper challenge is dishes.  I don't know what it is, but I put it off 'til the very last - once I'm doing it they are fine - I don't mind standing there in the process - just the starting of it seems to be such a tremendous effort.  (See how brave I am being by posting a picture of the sadness).

So I am calling all dish doers to share what helps them GET IT DONE.  I recently had one mom tell me that no one is allowed to leave the kitchen until the kitchen is clean - that may work - I will try it.  But what I need are ideas for everything.  I really don't mind laundry or cleaning the bathrooms and now that I have a vacuum that works - I don't mind anything - except those dishes!! 

Of course I have some goals of order that are a bit more fun - like finishing my big wall clock that I started, making valances and curtains, organizing toys, finishing the mud room and the basement - these types of things are exciting to me - it is just a matter of time before they are done.

I know that this will be read by brillant people, so those who are reading this - what do you do that you might have a house of learning - we do pretty well here, but I think that there should be no limit in this area - so bring it on!! 

And for those who are more spiritually minded - I have been trying to better define the term - House of Glory - what does that mean to you?

I would appreciate any inspiration in these areas that I can get - hopefully we can jump into this with all of our feet to conquer this.