Our House in the Middle of Our Street

A friend who read my last blog post (see below) wrote to me that she had seen a documentary (produced I believe by Rikki Lake, who is a huge midwife/home birth advocater) and recommended it to me. It's called, The Business of Being Born. I can't wait to see it, as documentaries are quickly becoming my favorite genre of film. Watch the trailor HERE . I had recently read in TIME magazine about giving birth at home is becoming a new grassroots trend, as women are electing to stay out of hospitals. PS (totally off topic, SUPER excited about the new woman in the ring !)

I am a lover of magazines. I subscribe to about 6 (one was free) but the other five I read religiously-front to back, usually in under 24 hours. One of my favorites, Readers Digest, had an article I might have shared awhile ago about how the government blew 1 trillion dollars of our tax money each year . Amazing. In other news, in case you've been under a rock, our presidential debate is getting rather heated. For once I'd like to have a candidate that didn't bash the other, but hey, I guess that's just asking a little too much for some plain old' human integrity. What I DO care about, hoowever, is the National Health Care Debate. Nothing makes me madder than a hornet to hear about children who are refused needed care because they don't have insurance. We have a moral obligation to help others in need. Being a Christian, I know that I will be held to a higher standard than someone who is not, and I can educate myself, pay my taxes, tithe and use my own resourc...

That table full of procrastinated projects is including, but not limited to: - one birthday/celebration banner that should have been done for Lukka's birthday (June 21st)...I get to blame the sewing machine broken for that one -3 unknitted projects I was really getting into (i.e. thinking about starting) before I was nauseus for 2 months -1 paintbrush used for "painting with water" outside. DONE. -1 package of unmailed magazines to poor friend in Africa with no magazines. Oops. It's gonna happen in September, most likely. -1 bag of clothespines. Who knows. - 4 amazing craft books I ordered, wanted to do at least one project per book before the end of the year. Yeah, that's a joke. -8 unfinished, only 1 started, embroidered dish towels/burp clothes. Um, a wedding on Sept 6. I still have time........ -One neglected sewing machine. Betsy, I still love you, it's just that...I've had bigger fish to fry lately (i.e. sitting on the couch with hubs and promptly ...

Sorry I've been a little lax on my posting recently. I have been organizing a Big Birthday Surprise for Stefan! Want to know what it is? You have to wait til' November, just like him ! Know me in person? Ask me what it is and I'd be glad to dish a few secrets out ( I am Terrible at keeping them ) --I just hope I last long enough for Stefan to be surprised!

So, I'm just gonna' put this out there: I lovvvvvve Disney. Anyway, getting to the point, I sometimes click on Etsy to view a little eye candy, and I came upon this cute little page ! I hear it's coming out in calendar form soon, but this would definitely be a cool way to decorate a nursery for the Disney-minded! So many cool ideas on Etsy, sometimes it makes me feel like such a bum for not doing anything lately! However, my book list sure is getting shorter.......

So when I said "Happy Monday" (see below), what I really meant was "Lukka, be prepared for a 90mph week full speed ahead, just look cute in your jammies for now"! For the last three days we've done nothing but errands from 8:30AM-noon, had fitful naps, and long, cranky evenings. I promised today would be the last of it, and well, I got the result. Lukka was rubbing his eyes all morning, feeling warm and had a whopping 103.6 temp after his 3 hour nap. That kid gets burned out quicker than I thought! It's nice to have a small (baby) reminder that this is NOT how being a stay-at-home mom is supposed to be--I'm supposed to "do" less and "play" more! This week, well, we just had certain deadlines to meet. They're met, and we'll be back next week after taking a breather.

Hope you were excited about Monday morning as Lukka was! Here's to another week with dwindling temperatures, kids back to school, and walks to the park.

Well, I finally got another book that was actually on my list done for 2008. Thunderstruck, by Erik Larson, was 392 pages of world changing events and a true murder mystery to boot. The reason I like Larson, who wrote one of my top 10 books of all time, Devil in the White City , is because he creatively intertwines world history, geography, romance, and mystery into a compact, amazing story. His disclaimer at the beginning state that he takes everything from hard documents, which is why it takes him years to write one book. His research is endless, and everything in-between and outsides of quotations (" ") is fact ! On my rating scale of 1-5, five being the best book ever , and one being, don't even skim the jacket , I give this a solid 4 ! However, if I had to pick between the two, I would read Devil in the White City (it's just THAT good!) What's up next? Another book off the list, Teenage Wasteland by sociologist Donna Gaines . Music fans, you may have re...

The bug LOVES to swing. Swing. More. Swing Faster. Tickle me when I reach you! Swings! (I can practically see him drooling.) Next, we played in the toddler area, which houses a large sand 'box'. So nice of someone to let the baby use their toys! We never founds the owners, but mom won't forget my shovel and pail next time!

I hadn't heard much about the new trend of SAHW--Stay At Home Wives. These women are childless (whether or not they plan to have kids, they are not currently mothers) and yet stay at home to tend to the household. This is an interesting idea to me, and well, I rather like what they have to say ! Here is a blog post about Wisebread's response to the article (if you read one or the other--read this one!) I've had my own small stint at this. A few years ago, I quit a job I was actually getting sick over (a long story) and was worried about the 10 weeks of summer that I wouldn't be "doing anything" (working or going to school, as I had my senior year of college to finish up that fall). Stefan's response was that I just take a small break from my massive work/school load and enjoy the 10 weeks as well as taking care of the house and the small sacrafice of making his lunch for work. I have never had a cleaner house; I painted, I scrubbed, I chipped away, I caul...

We went to the Lancaster County Fair this weekend to hang out with my friend Emily and her husband Dan (and their boys, Milo and Otis, a great dane, and a jack russel terrier!) to watch the junior 4-H horse competitions. Emily's little sister won Reserve Champion in Jumping and just about anything with ponies and I'm glued to the stands. There is an abundance of animals at the County Fair because it is when all the kids who participate in 4-H show off their prize winning animals. The most common are rabbits, ducks/chickens, goats, and cows (and of course, horses in the arena). There was also a petting zoo and Lukka loved here (here is the "Doh!" of forgetting the camera). They had numerous babies in the petting zoo, among them were a camel, a zebra, a kangaroo, a donkey, and the usual fare of goats and pigs. Lukka loved it and there was so much to see, he hardly made a peep the whole 3 hours! And who can forget that county fair food? MMM the saltiest nachoes you can e...

I should've taken a picture of Lukka's room after we sabatoged it with 'old' clothes piles and 'new' clothes piles. That's right, we're getting ready for the next season! Look at those stinkin' adorable Thomas the Train jammers from Aunty Krissy. Can't wait for fall!

With Sweeney Todd just a short distance behind, Atonement is so far the favorite movie of 2008. It has an extremely interesting plot line with great actors, incredible music, and wonderful cinematography. I am not going to give away any spoilers because you should see it! Based on the novel by Ian McEwan. Trailor HERE . (Both movies not suitable for children due to adult content and frightening images (S.T.))

This morning I was feeling pretty good and spunky (and procrastinating the nastiest dish pile you've ever seen), so we headed over to the Lincoln Zoo, which is just about 8 blocks from our house. We've taken to the Omaha Zoo before, but I hadn't even been the Lincoln Zoo in over a decade at least. They have made some great improvements--I think one could actually spend an entire day there without getting bored or seeing the same things! They have a lot of interactive areas where kids can play in a giant sand pit, feed animals, and even "milk a cow". Here's Lukka lookin' like he owns this poor old turtle. Dominating the giant spider web! And let's not forget the best part for mama--the foodstand! Ice water and cheerios for Lukka, a Root Beer float and salty pretzel and cheese for mama! (I actually forgot about the gluten diet I'm on until after I paid--I didn't have to follow it for almost a year--and I am NOT throwing away $1.75when it looks...