Will You Be My Accountablity Partner?

Not in the normal sense of the position, but without sharing details, I have a a specific amount of time which would be very useful in my attempt to clean/organize/tidy.

Would some of you be willing to email or comment with encouragement during this time? I know keeping busy will help with the missing part, but it's easy to keep busy doing other things, instead of being productive like I want to. I've been doing ok with the tidying part, but getting a hold of the organizing has been more difficult. He has so much stuff, all I can even do is put it in boxes so he can organize it. But at least right now, there won't be an "influx" of more clutter from his person.

My goal would be to have the main living part of the house de-cluttered by the time he returns. Unless of course... he gets something and I decide to haul the kids 6 hours away to celebrate with him. Which I very well might.

Anyway. Just a thought. And a goal. Motivate me, will you? I've done a bit this morning, but have to work today. Off we go...

And, more pics...

Some fun ones... And for those of you whom I told about the picture that I thought looked like my dad, it's this first one... Just evidence that Isaac did come from my side too, even though he looks so much like his daddy :-) Plus... that hair looks like it may still be on the orangy side of blond...

This one looks TONS like one we had of Melia making the same face!

Pretty girls...

Kiera's Chore

"Mommy, can I fold your bed?"

Leapster

I am not a fan of video games. For one, I pretty much suck at them. Two, I think they can be a huge waste of time. I told Gabe a long time ago that I would prefer not to have our kids play video games. They need to be active, playing and learning, and being kids! (Note: Gabe does have an XBOX. And a farm on Farmville... which I struggle with holding my tongue against. Ask him. "Struggle" may not be a strong enough word... but I do try.)

But last summer he found a Leapster at a yardsale, with a game. It has sat around for several months because I am not going to take the time to figure out how to work it... I'm impatient like that. He's played it a few times with Melia. I guess. I don't even think I was around. :-)

This weekend, she asked him if she could play it. He said he didn't know where it was, but she piped up that she did! Long story short, I was pleasantly suprised. And unfortunately, not suprised. She plays it well. Kiera, kinda. Kiera can even sit and watch her play for a while. And they are learning by playing it. Today, Melia was counting by fives. And she doesn't even know her numbers by sight! (She can count, she can add, but she can't look at a 7 and say it's a seven. Or pick out an 8 in a bunch of numbers.)

The not suprising part? She wants to play all the time. And wants to tell Kiera how to play, so Kiera doesn't even want Melia to watch her... AT ALL. I did go to clubhousejr.com (found it in our magazine Brenda!) where there are some little games they can play. Memory is good- they can learn to use the mouse, moving it and clicking on squares. Melia was doing puzzles, under the Frog Mazes button. And a few others.

So, I am stretching myself. It's not such a waste of time, as long as it's supervised and limited. Let me capitalize that. LIMITED. There. That's better. I did splurge and buy the Kindergarten game for the Leapster... I am annoyed that I had to get it off Amazon because the only ones they have in the store are the copyrighted characters. But I digress...

Oh, and did I mention how quiet they are when they play on it? yes... quiet. Perfect for when Daddy is sleeping. Or mommy. Not that mommy sleeps. But she does dream of one day being able to sleep... hmmmmzzzzz ;-)

And by the way, I am open to your thoughts on the subject. I know I am just one person with an opinion, which doesn't seem to match the rest of the purchasing power out there... So I know there are other opinions that you all have... :-) Share away. Especially if it has to do with regulating time on the game... finding good deals (because I'm just plain always interested in that)... and recommending games that are more worthwhile to play. Like NOT the pet pals... I don't think they really need to learn how to raise a pet. We do have chickens after all.

Weird Feeling

Tonight, the kids and I made a final run to Albertsons to take one more advantage of their current (at least for 2 more hours) catalina promo... And take advantage we did. Not more than usual, but somewhat...

As the cashier is ringing us up, she asks if I am attempting to do something, I didn't exactly understand her. I said, "the catalina deal? yes, we are." She explained that apparently, today, the catalina's weren't printing, so she would just take the $15 off my order, if that was alright... Well sure! That's just fine, same difference, right? We finish ringing up, she takes off the $15, then my coupons, then my doublers... Then my total is $9.44. I have $15 already in catalinas. I hand her two $5 catalinas, and it kicks out $.56 for me. "Have a good night!" And behind me in line I hear a "whoa...." I paid $0 for $56.78 worth of groceries, plus got change!

Now, this is not usual. But it's not wrong either. Had it been working, I would have paid the $9.44 and gotten $15 back again... It just felt really weird to not have to pay anything in cash for the groceries, even just a little bit... *grin*...

Antiquities photos

http://wenatchee.craigslist.org/bab/1458911129.html

One day left to sign up. This is the deal where you pay $10 and you get the sitting plus one 10x13 picture. They do try to sell you others, but I didn't find them irrisistible- easy enough to say no.

It's the picture we have in our living room of the girls.

Ziva the thief

Ziva stole a chicken egg off the coffee table. No, I won't tell you why an egg was on the coffee table. It's not like Melia brought it in, set it down, Kiera took it and washed it, then brought it back to the table, and I just haven't grabbed it and put it away... or anything like that, I promise. (Oh yeah, and it's been there for two days..) The point being, Ziva stole it and I spotted her running through the house with something in her mouth- Gabe snagged her in the kitchen and she spit it out... We both looked at each other with open mouths, thinking "She just stole a chicken egg!"

(Ziva's the doberman, by the way...) Why would she steal an egg? Yeah, if we drop one I normally let her come in and do the really gross clean up work... but still, a whole egg?

And before any of you give me grief about leaving an egg out... Martha Stewart says you can leave your eggs out. I promise. Like 10 years ago, but I swear, she said it on TV. So I leave our fresh ones out- not for a long time, but a couple days anyway.

Reminder: Christmas lists..

I am trying to add new things to our Christmas lists as I come across them. You can view it from the link on my sidebar... :-)

Real breakfast...

Kiera: I want my own pancakes... (after I had given her a bite of my leftover french toast)
Mommy: You already had breakfast. This is my breakfast.
Kiera: I was a REAL breakfast. The other one is dinner.


:-) So cute...

AW Tozer Quote

A.W. Tozer: “Nothing deadens the heart more than the continual handling of holy things.”

So true... We get "comfortable" with God instead of allowing Him to stretch and teach us, mold us and use us. Father, I pray that I will never "get comfortable!" Keep me learning and pliable so I can be of use for Your Kingdom work!