Going Stir Crazy, Stir Stir Stir Crazy

With all four of us under the weather (understatement of the year alert) for the past couple of weeks, I have only left the house for mandatory reasons, so as not to expose others to my contagious children. Tonight it's taken it's toll on me. So what's a girl to do when she's feeling totally stir crazy, but can't leave because Strep Throat Princess and Pink Eye Sinus Face are all sleeping? Well stir of course... Stir up some delish little pumpkin chocolate chip muffins! mmmmm....



And these little gems are pretty healthy, with no oil (except to grease the pan, or you can use paper liners), and only egg whites. Not only is pumpkin loaded with vitamin A and antioxidant carotenoids, particularly alpha and beta-carotenes, it’s a good source of vitamins C, K, and E, and lots of minerals, including magnesium, potassium, and iron.



Riley asked if I would make these for his birthday! YES! But just don't tell you're friends that they're good for you!

It's All About You, Riley

I'm sorry son, for the things I've made it.
But it's all about you, Riley.

Yes, those are adapted song lyrics. Sometimes random thoughts come to me when I'm singing along to a song, and it turns into a whole blog worth of emotion. Today I was cleaning Riley's room- covered in Legos, listening to some music that keeps me motivated, mostly Christian, with some Sugarland, Texas Country and older country mixed in. And while I was picking up these legos, I was so very careful to keep intact the little built airplanes, submarines, and space cruisers that he had so tediously built. My son is a complex child. He will spend hours getting his little ships just right, then complain about the wasted time. It always puzzles me that he complains over spending time doing something he loves: building. Then I realized that I do the same thing. I complain about all the time it takes to clean up after the three little ones who run around here, when I love being with my kids. And while I would much rather spend time playing or talking with my kids, it's important that they see I will serve them too. I have a heart of service... After all, I'm going to be a social worker. I need to take the time to appreciate the opportunity to serve my children.

After I finished with the legos (and wiped away my tears of realization), I looked across his graveyard of toys in his toy box. Thousands of dollars worth of toys, literally. I could probably pick ten that he actually likes. Among the dust collectors, his football, soccer shin guards, race cars, car tracks, and everything that boys like. Yes, Riley is a boy, but he's not THAT kind of boy. He's a video game, legos, telescope, multiplication table, globe, pokemon card loving kind of boy. Why do always ask him to participate in activities that I think he will enjoy, rather than allow him to spend his time enjoying the things he so obviously loves? It's so obvious that my son is not the next linebacker for the NFL. He's the next computer software engineer for Apple, or the next AIDS researcher to build on a cure for Africa. I promise Riley, I'm going to see you for who you are from this moment forward. And we will create a childhood experience for you that is reflective of all of the beautiful gifts and powers that you, individually possess, because you are not every other boy. You are my son, and it's all about you.

Happy Happy Fives, Happy Fives

1. I just jumped on the trampoline with Asher, like I did when I was a kid. My neighbors probably think I'm nuts, but it was SO much fun! Sometimes you just have to step out of the box, you know?
2. I bought a new washer this week (by default, I had to), and was able to give my old (18 month old) one to a family with 4 kids that should be able to fix it.
3. Asher is finally feeling better, and slept all night last night. YAY!
4. Riley and Grace started school, and they both LOVE it... so far.
5. I thought my power was going to be off at noon tomorrow for six to eight hours, but it turns out I was wrong, and only a small section of housing will be affected, which is NOT my section! Thankful for little blessings.

You know you live in a weird place when...

- Every time you drive home (on base) you pass a huge white sign, hand painted in red, large, mixed capital and lower case letters, "ThE WhiTe hOrsE iS oLd NOt dEaD lEt heR NaP."

-Twice in one day, you see two different people in public with a urinary catheter, and their collection bag (full) visible.

-It's not uncommon to see an old man with a metal detector in the middle of a torn up road/construction area looking for buried treasures.

I mean really, who wouldn't want to be stationed here??

What's Wrong With Me??

I listened to this song today (not for the first time) and cried like a baby.

HAPPY FRIDAY FIVES!

So I missed last week, but I wasn't any less thankful, just busy :o).

This week I am thankful for:

1. My season of daycare has ended! If blogs had sound, you would have just heard me say, "HALLELUJAH!"
2. I had creative time in the kitchen this week for a baby shower, and I get more for a church social on Sunday.
3. My mom's flight has been booked for her visit, beginning the 15th. We're all super excited!
4. Tomorrow is Give Parents A Break again! WOOOHOOO!
5. After six months of waiting (and waiting and waiting), our fence application was approved, and we were able to have a fence erected for the back yard- next come the trampoline and swing set!


The picture is the top tier of the cake I made for the baby shower. The bottom was basically the same but with bigger dots, and I wrote on the cake.