The hazy days of summer...

So what's up in our world? Well, our daughter got a new summer 'do (she's thrilled because there are fewer tangles and now her head isn't so hot) - when I asked if I could take a picture, she wanted to know if she could climb the tree. How could I say no? She cracks me up - such a girly girl (lover of all things shiny, sparkley, and pink) but is awfully rough and tumble, too.

The weather has been strange - dark, rainy, and rather cool. I think we're all feeling a bit wonky after being cooped up this week. Thankfully hubby comes home this afternoon, and then we're heading off to Knoebels and a strawberry festival. The kids know nothing of our plans, so it's just going to be a surprise when we bundle them in the car and start driving...

Well, I need to run and finish packing, but I did have to share one crazy thing I saw today. We were headed home after a couple errands, and I saw a mother out walking in our neighborhood, pushing her little boy (I'm guessing he was around 2 1/2) in the stroller. I could see he had something on the tray in front of him... and as we got closer I realized that it was a portable DVD player. Is that insane or what?! "Hey, Billly, let's go for a walk! Oh, you don't want to be bothered with looking around? Well, why don't you bring that movie you like so much!" Sheesh.

Friday Funny

Now that we've sold our house - and I no longer have to worry about keeping things immaculate to impress prospective buyers - I think I'll utilize these tips!

30 MINUTES TO A CLEANER HOUSE

You have company coming in 30 minutes. Your house is a mess. WHAT WILL YOU DO? Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first session of Housekeeping Tips for Regular People. If you're a Martha Stewart type of housekeeper, this column is NOT for you. However, for the rest of you, this is your chance to learn 15 Secret Shortcuts to Good Housekeeping that your mother never told you.

SECRET TIP 1: DOOR LOCKS
If a room clearly can't be whipped into shape in 30 days--much less 30 minutes--employ the Locked Door Method of cleaning. Tell anyone who tries to go in the room that the door is intentionally locked. CAUTION: It is not advisable to use this tip for the bathroom.

Time: 2 seconds

SECRET TIP 2: DUCT TAPE
No home should be without an ample supply. Not only is it handy for plumbing repairs, but it's a great way to hem drapes, tablecloths, clothes, just about anything. No muss, no fuss.

Time: 2-3 minutes

SECRET TIP 3: OVENS
If you think ovens are just for baking, think again. Ovens represent at least 9 cubic feet of hidden storage space, which means they're a great place to shove dirty dishes, dirty clothes, or just about anything you want to get out of sight when company's coming.

Time: 2 minutes

SECRET TIP 4: CLOTHES DRYERS
Like Secret Tip 3, except bigger. CAUTION: Avoid hiding flammable objects here.

Time: 2.5 minutes

SECRET TIP 5: WASHING MACHINES & FREEZERS
Like Secret Tip 4, except even bigger.

Time: 3 minutes

SECRET TIP 6: DUST RUFFLES
No bed should be without one. Devotees of Martha Stewart believe dust ruffles exist to keep dust out from under a bed or to help coordinate the colorful look of a bedroom. The rest of us know a dust ruffle's highest and best use is to hide whatever you've managed to shove under the bed. (Refer to Secret Tips 3, 4, 5.)

Time: 4 minutes

SECRET TIP 7: DUSTING
The 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House method says: Never dust under what you can dust around.

Time: 3 minutes

SECRET TIP 8: DISHES
Don't use them. Use plastic or paper and you won't have to wash anything.

Time: 1 minute

SECRET TIP 9: CLOTHES WASHING (EEWWW)
This secret tip is brought to you by an inventive teenager. When this teen's mother went on a housekeeping strike for a month, the teen discovered you can extend the life of your underwear by two ...if you turn it wrong side out and, yes, rerun it. CAUTION: This tip is recommended only for teens and those who don't care if they get in a car wreck.

Time: 3 seconds

SECRET TIP 10: IRONING
If an article of clothing doesn't require a full press and your hair does, a curling iron is the answer. In between curling your hair, use the hot wand to iron minor wrinkles out of your clothes. Yes, it really does work, or so I'm told, by other disciples of the 30-Minutes-To-A-Clean-House philosophy.

Time: 5 minutes (including curling your hair)

SECRET TIP 11: VACUUMING
Stick to the middle of the room, which is the only place people look. Don't bother vacuuming under furniture. It takes way too long and no one looks there anyway.

Time: 5 minutes, entire house; 2 minutes, living room only

SECRET TIP 12: LIGHTING
The key here is low, low, and lower. It's not only romantic, but bad lighting can hide a multitude of dirt.

Time: 10 seconds

SECRET TIP 13: BED MAKING
Get an old-fashioned waterbed. No one can tell if those things are made up or not, saving you, oh, hundreds of seconds over the course of a lifetime.

Time: 0

SECRET TIP 14: SHOWERS, TOILETS, AND SINKS
Forget one and two. Concentrate on three.

Time: 1 minute

SECRET TIP 15:

If you already knew at least 10 of these tips, don't even think about inviting a Martha Stewart type to your home.

Where to start?!

Sooooo much has happened in the past couple weeks...

Although we'd agreed verbally on the TX house, the owners made some changes when it came to the written contract, so we've been going back and forth on that for 2 1/2 weeks. The realtor just called and we've finally managed to reach an agreement. We did move the closing date up by a week (any ideas about a leisurely family road trip have vaporized) but everything else remains as we had originally agreed upon. Hallelujah! I know that having our house under contract here definitely made a difference in the negotiations - God's timing is always perfect, isn't it? And hey, here are a few pictures as I'd promised!



Last week our son had tubes put in his ears, and we saw a difference immediately. He's still wild and crazy :) but at least we can hold an actual conversation with him as opposed to a yelling match. The procedure itself went off without a hitch, and he was asking when he could go home even before the anesthesia had completely worn off. So thankful!

Hubby flew out to TX on Sunday, and he's gone until next weekend. We're definitely missing him, but we're doing OK. I know I'm much less stressed out now that the house has sold - no more frantic cleaning to ready the house for a showing. Ahhhhh. Oh, and he'll be able to actually be there for our NEW home inspection!

Had a lovely picnic at church on Sunday evening for all of us involved in children's ministry. It was lovely - I didn't have to prepare anything, the kids are old enough that I don't have to keep constant watch over them, and we all just had a great time with our friends. Although I took my camera, I neglected to actually pull it out and take pictures... I did snap this one of the kids playing on the field, though.

I also attended my last MOPS meeting at our current church last week. That was probably the toughest thing I've done in quite awhile. As I was getting ready that morning, I was reminiscing over all that's happened since we started the group just 4 years ago, and was already getting teary-eyed. I gave myself a little lecture about enjoying the day rather than focusing on the melancholy aspects, and I managed to make it through the meeting without crying. I make no such guarantees for our last Sunday service, though; I can pretty much guarantee that I'll be a dehydrated, gloppy mess at the end of that!

On a final silly note, here's a shot of my peony. I love peonies, but hubby isn't all that fond of them due to the ant factor. I finally convinced him to let me plant one three years ago. Each year, I've watched eagerly for signs of buds, but all we've had are a few leaves. This year, though, it finally decided to bloom for me. Now I just hope the new owner appreciates it :)

"Those who seek the Lord lack no good thing" Psalm 34:10b