It's been awhile since I've read it, but I don't remember flies being a part of Dante's Inferno.
We've been without the plague of flies all summer, which is quite the accomplishment since summer has been here since the beginning of May. Now, all the sudden, we have five million flies in our house.
You may remember in the past (like a year or two ago I posted about that and I'm way too lazy today to go find the post to give it to you as a link to revisit) that we counted how many flies just up and died in our bathroom. Well, they are no longer dying. They are invading and multiplying!!
For those of you that think that perhaps my cleaning skills are lacking. Not so. They've just moved in with no reason.
I take that back. Their reason and purpose is, apparently, to annoy and frustrate us to no end! It's one thing to wave flies away from food on a picnic or even at the table. It's another thing, completely, to be swatting them off our bodies. Oh, it is so gross! And that light touch is so infuriating. Okay, okay, maybe not infuriating, but overly annoying for sure.
So, were I to be condemned to the pages of Dante's inferno, he'd have to have flies pestering me. Of course, I'm not sure what sin it would be associated with, nonetheless, they would be my plague.
Shoo, Fly! Don't bother me!!
23 September 2010
22 September 2010
Day 7-ish
I think we are all technically over the virus that raged through our home, but we are still dealing with the aftermath. MAN! I haven't been sick like this in a LLLLLLLLLLLoooooooong time. Seriously. Gall stones were the last. I still have a delicate stomach and have to learn from my children that plain white bread, saltines and water are probably the best things to dine on during this recovery period, but my body also craves food (seriously, for a week before this happened, I felt ravenous, so being ill and now not being able to consume "enough" is really wearing me down).
And, I really think I came down with this just so I could be more empathetic and sympathetic to my children. I definitely have been a much softer mom when it comes to eating this past week.
And, my biggest bit of gratitude: Eric didn't have to succumb to the evil clutches of this stomach menace!!
And, I really think I came down with this just so I could be more empathetic and sympathetic to my children. I definitely have been a much softer mom when it comes to eating this past week.
And, my biggest bit of gratitude: Eric didn't have to succumb to the evil clutches of this stomach menace!!
19 September 2010
The Illness Continues
I'm sure no one really cares about this, but since this blog is also a "journal" for me, I'm recording it.
Gianna is such a great sister! She loves Emily so much that she shared her germs with her. That's so nice!
I don't know what's up with this illness, but it is sneaky!! We had so much fun with our girls' night the other night and Emily had a healthy appetite. We ate pizza, had icecream, watched a couple movies (short kids' movies), and still had scriptures and prayer at a decent time to send them off to bed.
Eric got home and we played some more of our current favorite board game (seriously, I should post about that. Maybe I will...later.) before, having caught up on each others' days, we also went to bed.
I was awakened s short time later to a very calm child explaining that she's sorry, but that she threw up in her bed. I grabbed my glasses (b/c otherwise I am blind as a bat) and then grabbed her arm to help steer her to the bathroom. EW!! I grabbed the arm she apparently vomited on! And, yes, her other arm was quite clean.
The rest of the night was spent staying up with her as she repeatedly had episodes needing to visit the toilet.
I pulled out the sofa bed so I could be right there for her. There aren't many people in this world who can smile through their sickness. Emily is one of them. Although she felt awful and could explain this to me, she still was smiling as I petted her hair and helped her be as comfortable as possible.
While Gianna only threw up once, her fever was a lot higher. I can't imagine how she was feeling through her illness, but could only guess while she gesticulated. I feel bad for both of the girls, but I am glad that, thus far, they didn't share with Eric or me.
Gianna is such a great sister! She loves Emily so much that she shared her germs with her. That's so nice!
I don't know what's up with this illness, but it is sneaky!! We had so much fun with our girls' night the other night and Emily had a healthy appetite. We ate pizza, had icecream, watched a couple movies (short kids' movies), and still had scriptures and prayer at a decent time to send them off to bed.
Eric got home and we played some more of our current favorite board game (seriously, I should post about that. Maybe I will...later.) before, having caught up on each others' days, we also went to bed.
I was awakened s short time later to a very calm child explaining that she's sorry, but that she threw up in her bed. I grabbed my glasses (b/c otherwise I am blind as a bat) and then grabbed her arm to help steer her to the bathroom. EW!! I grabbed the arm she apparently vomited on! And, yes, her other arm was quite clean.
The rest of the night was spent staying up with her as she repeatedly had episodes needing to visit the toilet.
I pulled out the sofa bed so I could be right there for her. There aren't many people in this world who can smile through their sickness. Emily is one of them. Although she felt awful and could explain this to me, she still was smiling as I petted her hair and helped her be as comfortable as possible.
While Gianna only threw up once, her fever was a lot higher. I can't imagine how she was feeling through her illness, but could only guess while she gesticulated. I feel bad for both of the girls, but I am glad that, thus far, they didn't share with Eric or me.
17 September 2010
Perfectionism
Christ commanded us to be perfect even as he is perfect. That means that we have the potential for perfection within us. Granted, this attribute can only be fulfilled with Christ in our lives. I think I sometimes forget, though, that this is a progression and instead get frustrated when I can't perform something perfectly.
Perfectionism continues to be perpetuated in my family as Emily has picked up on it as well. The other day she and Gianna were building block towers, something at which Emily truly excels. For some reason, her tower kept falling over and she became frustrated with it. She immediately got up and went to draw a picture. This is what she drew and wrote:
When I asked her about it, she explained that she isn't good at building towers and that she is bad because of it. WOW! Whoops! Better be more careful at how I vocalize my own frustrations so I don't perpetuate her view that failure at a task means a lacking of goodness.
Perfectionism continues to be perpetuated in my family as Emily has picked up on it as well. The other day she and Gianna were building block towers, something at which Emily truly excels. For some reason, her tower kept falling over and she became frustrated with it. She immediately got up and went to draw a picture. This is what she drew and wrote:
When I asked her about it, she explained that she isn't good at building towers and that she is bad because of it. WOW! Whoops! Better be more careful at how I vocalize my own frustrations so I don't perpetuate her view that failure at a task means a lacking of goodness.
16 September 2010
Personality Differences
Any parent of more than one child can tell you how amazingly different children can be. To me, this is evidence that we existed before our physical/mortal existence began because they come here with different preferences and personalities.
These differences can be displayed every day but they are really shown in the crucible of illness. While one child becomes less playful and no longer as talkative and appears to be more reserved, she maintains her easy going attitude and basically just slows down. The other...well, she is a hand and foot kind of girl. Such would be her thoughts following: "I'm sick, so please take care of every detail of my movement. Yes, I mean, even though I am completely capable, please hold my cup for me to drink from. Oh? A grape, yes! I'd love one. Please place it in my mouth for me. And, if you aren't too busy, could you help me chew? Oh! Don't you DARE think of NOT holding me all through this sickness! I'm sick! Do you remember?"
I love that she is so cuddly and attached to me normally, but it is quite annoying when it truly becomes a FT job to carry her and cater to her every need (those she is capable of doing herself). So, if you happen to read this before seeing me tonight at the RS activity, please note that the dark circles under my eyes are my beauty gift from Gianna.
These differences can be displayed every day but they are really shown in the crucible of illness. While one child becomes less playful and no longer as talkative and appears to be more reserved, she maintains her easy going attitude and basically just slows down. The other...well, she is a hand and foot kind of girl. Such would be her thoughts following: "I'm sick, so please take care of every detail of my movement. Yes, I mean, even though I am completely capable, please hold my cup for me to drink from. Oh? A grape, yes! I'd love one. Please place it in my mouth for me. And, if you aren't too busy, could you help me chew? Oh! Don't you DARE think of NOT holding me all through this sickness! I'm sick! Do you remember?"
I love that she is so cuddly and attached to me normally, but it is quite annoying when it truly becomes a FT job to carry her and cater to her every need (those she is capable of doing herself). So, if you happen to read this before seeing me tonight at the RS activity, please note that the dark circles under my eyes are my beauty gift from Gianna.
14 September 2010
A Few Funnies
I have to get Eric to upload the video, but can I just say that the songs Emily has been learning are hilariously adorable!!(yes, I sang them when a child as well, but I just never realized how cute it is.) She sang "Goin' On a Bear Hunt" last night during what is turning into our weekly video taping portion of FHE. Hilarious!
FHE (Family Home Evening) is a night, typically Monday, where you block off all other distractions and have some quality and quantity family time. This isn't to say that you can only have FHE one night a week. It's just a habit to establish so that as our family grows, we all know that is the one night where we can come together, learn a little more in-depth about God's plan for us, play some silly games, have a treat and enjoy each other's company.
I explain all of this because Emily has become very excited about having FHE. We never abbreviate that with the letters as I have done in this post. Instead, we say "Okay, tonight is Family Home Evening!...." Well, Emily has begun telling us that she has "a great idea! Let's have Family Home E-T-M!" and proceeds to include the activities she would like to do after school or church or whatever. It's just cute.
Another funny is Emily met a friend of a friend last weekend. When the lady was trying to talk to her, Emily, in loud and enunciating tones, proclaims, "I have a chicken in my mouth!" She was eating a chicken nugget, but the image of this small child with a chicken in her mouth was pretty funny...or it was just funny to us at that hour of the evening.
Intending to start up a conversation with Emily, Eric was asking her a comparison and contrast question. Emily responds, "I like Hanna best because she is beautiful. I love beautiful things!" I'm glad she adores our friend so much, but I guess I need to teach her that beauty is not the only qualifier for choosing her likes. hahahah
Our cat caught a squirrel and brought it to the back porch for herself and her kittens to dine on. When Emily saw it, she exclaimed, "Ew! Mommy! They're eatin' the squirrel! That's 'isgusting!" Sure is...and I'll spare you any further image by not posting the picture. Gross. Seriously, gross.
FHE (Family Home Evening) is a night, typically Monday, where you block off all other distractions and have some quality and quantity family time. This isn't to say that you can only have FHE one night a week. It's just a habit to establish so that as our family grows, we all know that is the one night where we can come together, learn a little more in-depth about God's plan for us, play some silly games, have a treat and enjoy each other's company.
I explain all of this because Emily has become very excited about having FHE. We never abbreviate that with the letters as I have done in this post. Instead, we say "Okay, tonight is Family Home Evening!...." Well, Emily has begun telling us that she has "a great idea! Let's have Family Home E-T-M!" and proceeds to include the activities she would like to do after school or church or whatever. It's just cute.
Another funny is Emily met a friend of a friend last weekend. When the lady was trying to talk to her, Emily, in loud and enunciating tones, proclaims, "I have a chicken in my mouth!" She was eating a chicken nugget, but the image of this small child with a chicken in her mouth was pretty funny...or it was just funny to us at that hour of the evening.
Intending to start up a conversation with Emily, Eric was asking her a comparison and contrast question. Emily responds, "I like Hanna best because she is beautiful. I love beautiful things!" I'm glad she adores our friend so much, but I guess I need to teach her that beauty is not the only qualifier for choosing her likes. hahahah
Our cat caught a squirrel and brought it to the back porch for herself and her kittens to dine on. When Emily saw it, she exclaimed, "Ew! Mommy! They're eatin' the squirrel! That's 'isgusting!" Sure is...and I'll spare you any further image by not posting the picture. Gross. Seriously, gross.
06 September 2010
Some Favorite Quotes
I'm not finished with the book, but I already have some favorite quotes from Boris Pasternak's Doctor Zhivago.
"Everyman is born a Faust with a longing to embrace an experience and express everything in the world...Forward steps in art are made by attraction, through the artist's admiration and desire to follow the example of the predecessors he admires most." AMEN! I so agree with this statement, at least, as pertaining to myself. I know that this is behind my burning desire do devour great works of literature: because some day I wish to write a great novel that will qualify as a "classic work".
I also think this statement is somewhat hilarious. "At the beginning, all women are mothers of great men -- it isn't their fault if life disappoints them later." HAHA! Yes, those mothers that really give motherhood their all can feel that they have prepared their offspring to be great. If the offspring chooses differently, well, c'est la vie!
"...Talking about the ordinary run of politicians -- people who aren't interested in life as a whole, in the world as a whole, the sort of people with restricted minds who like restriction for its own sake. --They're as pleased as Punch to get everybody thinking and talking about a nicely restricted group --the more restricted the better --a people, especially if there can be plenty of judging and weighing and settling and deciding, and getting pity to pay dividends." Sadly, I think this statement also remains to be true. There seems to be a sincere lack of concern about what is best for everyone in the view that we have to make it the best for this group or that for this reason and that. Responsibility for the people and by the people isn't exactly what this nation has cracked up to be in recent years (and, I'm not just talking about the current presidency...it goes a LOOOONG way back).
There's more, but you'll just have to find your own copy of this great novel. It's got my vote for writing style and interest. Sure, I'm a little lost when it comes to political and historical issues as I am not a Russian history buff, but it makes me want to go and actually learn more about it!!
"Everyman is born a Faust with a longing to embrace an experience and express everything in the world...Forward steps in art are made by attraction, through the artist's admiration and desire to follow the example of the predecessors he admires most." AMEN! I so agree with this statement, at least, as pertaining to myself. I know that this is behind my burning desire do devour great works of literature: because some day I wish to write a great novel that will qualify as a "classic work".
I also think this statement is somewhat hilarious. "At the beginning, all women are mothers of great men -- it isn't their fault if life disappoints them later." HAHA! Yes, those mothers that really give motherhood their all can feel that they have prepared their offspring to be great. If the offspring chooses differently, well, c'est la vie!
"...Talking about the ordinary run of politicians -- people who aren't interested in life as a whole, in the world as a whole, the sort of people with restricted minds who like restriction for its own sake. --They're as pleased as Punch to get everybody thinking and talking about a nicely restricted group --the more restricted the better --a people, especially if there can be plenty of judging and weighing and settling and deciding, and getting pity to pay dividends." Sadly, I think this statement also remains to be true. There seems to be a sincere lack of concern about what is best for everyone in the view that we have to make it the best for this group or that for this reason and that. Responsibility for the people and by the people isn't exactly what this nation has cracked up to be in recent years (and, I'm not just talking about the current presidency...it goes a LOOOONG way back).
There's more, but you'll just have to find your own copy of this great novel. It's got my vote for writing style and interest. Sure, I'm a little lost when it comes to political and historical issues as I am not a Russian history buff, but it makes me want to go and actually learn more about it!!
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