Tabernacle

I am in Beth Moore's new and revised study on the Tabernacle. Last week's homework was the overview of the children of Israel's history from the fall to the giving of the plans for the Tabernacle to Moses. I'm looking forward to diving into this study because, although I went to Bible school, I haven't had a lot of exposure to this topic.

I'm excited that Amy is in my small group and we've gotten to hang out at the park after Bible study the last two weeks. Our daughters have a lot of fun running around, swinging and sliding.

Working (from Home)

At work we have an inspection coming up on Friday. Nothing like a deadline to light a fire under your butt and get you moving. I'm going to be putting in some extra hours this week in preparation for it.

As a stay-at-home mom, deadlines and other work issues aren't quite the same...

• Rushing to finish a project happens when you hear the baby waking up from the nap and you aren't quite finished with whatever you planned to do during nap time.
• You hear your "boss" having problems with a "project" and you race into the bathroom to clean up the mess before it gets worse.
• Getting to an important appointment on time is a great day. Getting there a few minutes late is par for the course and getting there early is virtually unheard of.
• When your "boss" makes you redo something it usually was done correctly the first time such as the laundry, the carpets...you get the idea.
• Dressing for success equals clean clothes that are preferably stain-free.
• Your boss calling you at home in the middle of the night is typical.
  
• It is pretty easy to leave your work worries at work since you rarely leave work anyway.
  

Fall Haiku

The wind is blowing.
Trees shed their colorful leaves.
Welcome back, Autumn.

Sleepover

String Bean had her first sleepover last night. Mr. Bean and I had to go to a wedding so we dropped her off with Uncle John, Aunt Connie and their adult children Uncle Rob and Aunt Leigh. She had a blast! Here are some photos to prove it!

John and Connie got new cabinets. One had a little shelf just right for String Bean's toys!

Photo by Connie.

Apparently this is where String Bean is stored when not in use. Please make note of the fashionable high-water pants! (Most of her pants are like that--thanks to a kid with no butt.)

Photo by Connie.

This lion costume was a big hit. Much growling ensued.

Photo by Connie.

Mr. Bean is in BIG Trouble

As you know, I am pregnant. I'm about 8 1/2 weeks along which is the peak of the morning sickness time according to Dr. Google. Yesterday for the first time I stood over the toilet hoping to puke. I didn't and the feeling passed.

I woke up this morning to an air assault on my nose and a virtual punch to my stomach in the form of Mr. Bean's cooking. He made some shrimp dish whose smell permeated every corner of our home.

Mr. Bean also did not feed String Bean this morning, which he normally does, so when I got up, I had the stench of the shrimp and then opened String Bean's yogurt. Yogurt makes me gag whether I am pregnant or not. Combine the two and you have the perfect storm!

I went into the bathroom and dry heaved a few times. String Bean ran into the bathroom (since she loves to follow me in there) and started mimicking my dry heaves. Then, I started puking. The look on String Bean's face said, "Mom, I know I'm not an expert here, but this can't be good and I don't like it." When I finished, I sat back to see if the nausea was truly passed or if I'd have a round two. String Bean looked at me with much compassion in her eyes and closed the toilet seat and signed "all done."

I was all done. But Mr. Bean is now on my list and is banned from the kitchen before noon.

*shakes fist*

String Bean's Big News

Big Sister status should be bestowed officially around May 3, 2010!

A Matter of Perspective

A couple of weeks ago, I looked out my back window and saw the most enormous bug in the whole world. I stared in horror as it flittered from weed to weed and then realized it was a hummingbird. Then, I stared in wonder and glee.







P.S. Apparently "flittered" is not a word. Go figure.

R.I.P. Sparky

My cat died Saturday night. Well, actually, we had him put to sleep. He was 13 years old and recently diagnosed with diabetes. He was suffering and didn't have much time left. The kids were all in bed, but we thought Walnut would like to have a chance to say good-bye. I woke him up and he groggily petted Sparky and sadly bid him "Farewell." I took him back to bed and held him while he cried and I cried a little bit, too.

Peanut was sick and staying home from church with Filbert. Walnut said he wanted to stay home with daddy to "see what the house will be like without Sparky." So while Cashew and I went off to church, Filbert took the boys to Lowe's and they picked out a birch tree under which to bury Sparky. Walnut helped Filbert dig the hole. Peanut watched. Finally, Walnut asked if the hole was big enough. Filbert told him that it was deep enough, but it needed to be wider, to which Walnut replied "Can't we just crunch him up into a ball?"

Practical Jokes

I was reminded today of the day my sister tried to prank me for getting her into trouble. In all fairness, she deserved it. My dad told her to do a chore and she turned around and told me that dad told her to tell me to do it, and I did it. Then dad thanked her at dinner for doing said chore. Imagine my surprise!

Well, I said tried to prank me and here's what she did:

• Saran wrapped the toilet. Unfortunately, she didn't do it tight enough and it just fell in when I...uh...went.
  
• Rubber band around the kitchen sink sprayer. Well, let's just say my dad discovered it before I did.
  
• Short-sheeting my bed. I got in and recognized the problem, yanked on my sheets and went to sleep, She didn't do it right.
  

Not understanding why I was getting pranked when she's the one who pranked me in the first place, I got her back.

• First, I snunk into her room after she was asleep and set her clock forward by several hours; when she thought she was getting up at 7 am, it was really 3 am.
• Second, I set my alarm to be up 5 minutes before hers went off.
• When I got up, I went into the bathroom and steamed it up with hot water. I listened for her alarm to go off and put a towel on my head and crept down the hall.
  
• I told my sister a whopper about our older sister being sick and not going to school that day.
  
• I went back to bed and locked my door--just in case.

I found out the next morning that my sister had gotten up, showered, dressed, eaten breakfast and watched TV. Mind you, she passed multiple clocks that were set correctly by this point. It wasn't until she was getting ready to go out to catch the school bus that she realized it was 3 something in the morning. Mwaha ha ha ha!

Don't mess with me, Holly.

More Free Advice

When you've been on the job for less than a month, do not make your coworker mad by saying or doing any of the following.

1. Coworker: Where is _____? Me: They just stepped out and will be right back. Coworker: Oh, good because if they weren't here today, you'd hear about it. I think to myself: I fail to see how this is my problem.
   
2. Coworker: *Whispering* Get off the phone! I need to talk to you! *repeat ad nasuem*
3. Coworker to me: Wow. That's a big rock on your hand. Someone must really like you.
4. After helping your coworker through a crisis moment, your coworker puts his arm around your other coworker and says, "Thanks for being helpful. Mandie is not helpful at all."
5. After you tell him to get out. He sticks around and continues to berate you.
   

Learn from this guy's mistakes and don't repeat them.

Words

String Bean's top ten words at the ripe old age of 22 months:

1. More
2. Buh (book)
3. Two!
4. shoe
5. Ma
6. Da
7. yeah
8. woah
9. bye
10. peas (please)

Addicted to...

I'm addicted to potatoes right now. I would eat them at every meal if I could (and if I weren't so blurry eyed when I first get up in the mornings).

I went to a church brunch for our ladies Bible study fall kick-off today and there were no potato dishes. I was thrilled when someone walked in a few minutes late and brought a cheesy potato casserole with them. Clearly, I jumped the line for seconds to get some.

Tonight's dinner? Baked potatoes.

3 x 5

Mr. Bean and I just came from a church meeting where the pastor proposed the following items.

1. Spend 5 minutes before and after service greeting people you do not know.
2. Pray for 5 friends who do not know the Lord.
3. Make intentional connections with 5 people you have not before.

He handed out 3 x 5 cards for us all to jot down the 3 x 5 thoughts.

This is one of the intentional goals to help us as a church be more friendly to newcomers.

Almost there

Posting has been sporadic because I usually post in the evening and lately I've been drugged in the evenings. Happy to report that I'm feeling better. I am hoping to be drugged shortly cause I'm not sure I'll sleep without it and the pain is right there between needing and not needing drugs. I've waited until much later to dose up because Mr. Bean is at a U2 concert tonight and I couldn't rely on anyone but me to watch String Bean.

Here is hoping that next week's posts are a little more regular and a little less dull.

Enjoy what is left of your weekend!

Give me the Drugs!

I went and visited my chiropractor, Filbert-Amy's husband, this morning because I am in extreme pain from an unknown cause. I didn't fall. I did not hear a snap or feel any pain from any one thing I did. I just cannot determine the cause of my moderate to severe pain.

12 hours later, I am still in extreme pain. (And I may be visiting Filbert again tomorrow.) Apparently I have a lot of knots on the left side of my back. It hurts to breathe. It hurts to lay down.

Since my chiropractor, despite his other wonderful qualities, cannot prescribe drugs, I called my doc and got a prescription for codeine. Wow. I feel loopy, but I'm still in pain. At least I'll sleep tonight.

I hope.

Two!

String Bean has been acquiring words and concepts left and right. Her most favorite thing right now is to point out whenever there is more than one of something.

Does String Bean see a pair of shoes? "Two!" she responds.

How many feet do you have String Bean? "Two!"

How many people do you see, String Bean? "Two!"

How many fingers do you have? "Two!" Uh....

*In a crowded parking lot* How many cars do you see? "Two!" Hm...

I guess we need to work on counting higher than two, but it is so darn cute.

Wasps

Last month, the bee/wasp/hornet lady came to our homeowners association and sprayed for bees/wasps/hornets.

This morning I went out to my car, which is covered in sap from the tree I park under, and there were at least 40 wasps all over it. Then, Mr. Bean and I were walking in the side door of our building and found a new wasp nest just inside the door.

Our bee/wasp/hornet lady is coming tomorrow to spray the rest of those critters.

One great advantage to the first freeze of the year is the wasps disappear!

Rate My Day

Mr. Bean's Facebook status yesterday:

Rate my day--Pros: Friend bought us lunch, got a nap, went to birthday party of another dear friend, curry rice for dinner. Con: Stepped barefoot in String Bean's poop.

False Alarm

1:30 am. I woke up from a deep sleep because I heard a noise that penetrated our front door, our bedroom door, and could be heard over the hum of our fan. The fire alarm was going off. We looked in the hallway and neither saw smoke or smelled it. Since we are on the first floor of our building, we figured we'd be OK if we waited until the Fire Department showed up or we smelled smoke (besides we have a back door, ground floor exit).

We looked out the window and sitting in our backyard at one of the picnic tables was a man with a mustache. His mustache was glowing in the dark.

I would have thought I was dreaming all of this except a neighbor asked me what the deal was with the fire alarm in the middle of the night. Found out it was a malfunction in a sensor on one of the other floors.

My family should rest well knowing I hear the fire alarm in the middle of the night.

Lifetime

We recently aquired a new HD TV (a hand-me-down from the in-laws). Upon setting it up, we discovered several new channels we did not have before! One of the honorable mentions is the Lifetime Movie Network (aka LMN).

Who can resist a lifetime movie? The titles alone will pull you in!

Hush
A Sister's Secret
Mother May I Sleep with Danger?
No Ordinary Baby
Cabin by the Lake
The Price of a Broken Heart
Pavement

Wow...wow. (Is it just me or do most of these titles sound like really bad novels?)

The great thing about a Lifetime movie is that you can fall asleep in the middle and when you wake up for the ending, you are right back there in the plot like you missed nothing.

Sleeping Fails

String Bean never ceases to amaze us with her talents.

Fail #1: At 4 am, she woke up screaming at the top of her lungs because she'd taken off her clothes and diaper (despite the tape I'd put on it) and peed on herself and her crib. I suppose with a fan blowing on you when you're wet, it feels pretty awful. Since there was a pooping incident earlier in the week, we are on our last set of un-soiled sheets. Here's hoping we make it to laundry day.

Fail #2: I failed to mention to the babysitter that String Bean was due for a nap. After playing hide-and-seek for a little while, the babysitter started leafing through the GRE Study book she had while String Bean was playing. Noticing how quiet it got, she checked and String Bean had zonked out on the floor. That's a first.

Moo, Baa, Meow

Picture this:

A man calls his daughter who is babysitting the cutest toddler known to man. He tries to rush to get off the phone because he's overdue for a board meeting. "Before you go, Dad," says the babysitter, "You've gotta hear this!"

String Bean proceeds to bark, meow and make other over-the-top adorable noises. Said man walks into meeting puts her on speaker-phone and a room full of business-persons erupt with laughter.

True story.

Achoo!

Fall allergies came to the Bean household early this year. We are sneezing, coughing, battling the post-nasal drip sore throat, and wiping snotty noses all day long.

Summer was short. I am hoping the fall allergy season follows summer's lead!