Noses and Trees

so I am making liliana sit on the couch and read a book right now so that I can post this.
So I was feeding mattie to sleep in the girls room and liliana starts in on her usual of coming in and making noise and I do my usual and make a very stern look on my face and motion for her to leave the room and shut the door. she then proceeds to do her usual and SLOWLY leaves. So after I get done I tell her she is in Time out on the couch and that I will talk to her after 5 mins. I then go to the kitchen and try to think about what I am making for dinner (anyone want to be my chef???)
Anyway, after 5 mins I am calm enough to have the following conversation:
Mommie: honey, why do you come into the room when I am putting mattie to bed? (side comment: nana stop picking your nose)
Nana: but I was whispering
Mommie: I know sweetheart, how come you dont leave when mommy ask you? (nana leave your nose alone)
Nana: It is so funny what daddy says about trees growing in your nose.
Mommie: (realizing she is changing the subject), um yes, that is silly what daddy says (he has always said to her that if she puts anything in her nose then she will grow a tree), he is a silly guy.
Nana: and a wierd guy
Mommie: yes, he is weird also.
Mommie: Hey, do you want to go make blueberry muffins with me?
Nana:Yeah
We race to the kitchen..
Nana: but how am I gonna get the raisin out of my nose?
Mommie: what raisin? Nana, do you have a raisin in your nose?
Nana: (as she continues to stuff her finger up her nostril) yeah mommie, it hurts.

Thankfully all it took was a good blow....so um to my wonderful husband who is not home yet, we may not want to entice the children into growing trees in their noses. Afterall this is your daughter who has told us over and over again how she wants her own little tree...

Pass the OJ

So, I was a little grumpy this morning.  The kids woke up at 6am, meaning that we got up at 6am as well.  So much for it being the Day of Rest.  I whipped up a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast and poured a glass of orange juice for Heather, Liliana, and I, which I had bought at the store the day before (we like the fresh squeeze stuff, not the reconstituted, frozen concentrate stuff).  We start eating.  Liliana takes a few bites, then takes a drink of orange juice.

Liliana: This orange juice is spicy.

Me:  (annoyed) No, it's not.  Just drink it.

Liliana:  The orange juice is fuzzy.

Me:  (even more annoyed and grumpy, and not really understanding what could be going on with the orange juice)  Just drink it!

Heather:  (who obviously understands the possibilities)  Have you tried it to tell whether it is "fuzzy" or "spicy"?

Me:  (just starting to understand, but now annoyed that I was slow on the uptake)  Uh, no.

At this point, I take a small sip, but am unable to tell because I put salsa on my eggs.  Nor am I able to smell it because my nose is a little stuffed up.  I slide the glass over to Heather and she confirms that, yes, I was trying to push our daughter into finishing her hard orange juice.  On the upside, the store where we bought it has a double-your-money-back guarantee!  I just hope I don't get into trouble for supplying a minor with alcohol!

Organized

So, I have been in homes that are organized. I have seen it done. It is possible, right? (if you have enough money!!!-opps, did I say that outloud) No seriously, all of the homes I have been in that are organized have cost money. You need appropriate furniture, bins, organizing cubes, laminated labels, etc...seriously that is alot of money...so you poor folk out there, how do you do it??????
I guess there is always the option to pitch everything and save the money I would have spent on organizing items...that would also help with the having to clean up every day as there would be nothing left to clean...

Bubbles

At breakfast a few days ago, I heard a "Hey daddy, watch this".  A few days later, I was able to capture it on camera.  The picture says it all.

Sweet Dreams

Liliana and I had a conversation in the car as we were driving back from a friend's house.

Liliana: Hey dad, do you want to know my dreams?

Me: Sure.

(Small pause)

Liliana: Can you see my dreams?

Me: No, they are in your head.

Liliana: What if I take them out of my head?

Me: I still can't see your dreams.

Liliana: Well, I'm going to take them out and put them in this water bottle.  (Pause) Can you see them now?

Me: (Laughing) Nope, I still can't see them.

Liliana: They are right here in the water.

Me: They are?  I still can't see them.  What do they look like?

Liliana:  What DO they look like?

Me: I don't know.  I can't see them.

Liliana: Here, I'll open the top.

Me: I'm sorry honey, I still can't see them.

Maybe some day I'll be able to see her dreams.

Camping

So, we took our two kiddos camping up to Flagstaff Lake in Maine for a couple of days (two days, one night to be exact - Tuesday and Wednesday).  We arrived after driving in the sprinkling rain and with threatening clouds above us.  We pitched the tent and a tarp just before the rain came down a little harder - hard enough to put out the little fire that I had started.  But, after a while, the rain subsided and the rest of our stay was very nice.  

The nice thing about staying at Flagstaff is that there is a lake to canoe in and it has a mountain right next to it for hiking.  We did a little of both hiking and canoeing, which Liliana loved.  (Just a

side note - we started up the mountain, not with the intent to climb all the way up, but only made it about a half mile after turning back).  

Liliana loved helping Heather make pasta alfredo on the camp-stove and loved making smores on the campfire.  This was Liliana's first time around a campfire and she found it fascinating.  She was very helpful in finding lots of twigs and branches to throw in it.  

Mattie also enjoyed the trip - mostly because of all the new things that she found on the ground to stuff into her mouth: twigs, pine

 needles, leaves, pine cones, and so forth.  She also loved being in the canoe, though she kept on trying to climb over the side to get to the water.  Thankfully, Heather stayed in the middle of the canoe to keep a hold of her. 

We all had a great time, but we are all grateful to be back home.

Life and Death

We just got the news. We knew it was coming. Jacob's cousin has a little daughter who just passed away from the awful disease of our time:Cancer...
We were privileged to spend a few minutes with her this past weekend up in her hospital room.
We went up as a family Sat. morning, she was awake then, but in alot of pain.
I couldnt get her off my mind and went up by myself for a few hours Sunday night and had the chance to lay next to her.
There is something sacred about birth and death. We were not that close to her but this did not stop us from caring for her and her health/well being.
I hugged my own children alot tighter that night and continue to. I have no idea what it is like as a parent to lose a child. We pray for their little family.
A song is running through my mind:
Una familia dios me dio, le amo de verdad, y yo con El yo quiero estar por la eternidad. Eternas pueden ser las familias por el divino plan, yo quiero heredar el celestial hogar por la mia por la eternidad, por todo, la eternidad. (excuse the spelling ,it has been awhile since writing in this beautiful language)