March: Balance

Since today is the last day of March, I thought I should post something about my monthly word :)
Well...I thought a few times about how my word was balance...but I didn't do a whole lot of study or thinking about it.  I was mildly consumed thinking about our move.  Consumed...isn't this the opposite of balance?
You would think so I guess, but all sorts of things were going on in March.

I was still simplifying (or: taking 12 boxes to goodwill) and I finally got some help with my kids so I could clean up the house in a big way.  This was great for me and for the last 3 weeks I've had a really clean kitchen and kept up with the dishes in the sink.  Unfortunately, today they are piled back up.  I don't think we are going to list our house for sale until after we actually leave it, so this has become less critical.  But I really enjoyed the spring cleaning being finished, because I spent less time overall cleaning every evening and therefore felt more, that's right, balanced

I cut back on work, actually fed the missionaries one night, and went to an SCA meeting.  I had a sewing afternoon.

When I was working on Simplify (and reading Organized Simplicity) she talks about making a list.  One is all of the things you'd like to be doing.  Read a book, play with your kids, write a letter, whatever they are.  Then she said to make a list of all of the things you actually do every day.  Work on it until you are sick of it.  EVERYTHING.  Get up, eat breakfast, change a diaper, feed others, take a shower, dress everyone and on and on.  Then she talks about cutting back on things that are unnecessary.  Obviously you are not going to NOT change diapers, but maybe, in making your list, you realized that you watch 2 hours of television a day.  And television is not on your 'I wish I was doing this list'  So you can decide to cut it out, or a least, cut it back.  Maybe watch a favorite show.

This is probably my long term goal for being Balanced and being Simplified. To fit in a few more things that I enjoy.   But, tomorrow is April which starts the month of:  Gratitude. 

Sneak Peak

The reason this blog is called 'Mollys' Misadventures is because long ago my husband and I decided I have a 'twin'.  She is the one who says what she is actually thinking.

So here you go

On Peach State Moms Blog, I've made Felt Puppets (all patterned and stitched by hand by the way) and Photo Blocks and have never gotten so much as a 'hey howdy hey'

My partner sews some ribbon to a clip and gets a 'Nice you crafty girl'  Yeah, Molly doesn't handle stuff like that very well. (PS I love you my partner.  Our readers...ok I guess I like them too. After all one of them could be READING THIS right now.  Gotta reign Molly in somewhere.)

So because I was undecided where my most recent awesome-ness would get the most attention ( apparently Molly needs words of affirmation), I'm back giving you some crafty love.  

Here is your sneak peak.  Amazing what you can do with some basic sewing know how (HA! Did I just say sewing and know-how in the same sentence?) and tinkering around

This is less of a sneak peak then a HEY! Look at this!

There is my little dude!

I'll be back with the finished project...hopefully soon.

In the meantime, if you'd like to hear more from Molly, I'm pretty sure she is stewing about some house/housing market related stuff right now.  Let me know, I'll turn her loose!

A Joyful Remembrance

In the last couple of months I've had the opportunity to share with you some little details about my great-grandfather and my grandfather on their birthdays. 

This time I am writing to share with you a little bit about the life of my great grandmother, who passed away at 96 this last weekend.  She is my last great grandparent to leave the earth, I was very blessed to have her in my life for so long.  She was one of the great grandmothers that I was closer to.

I've mentioned her before in this post.  And I think it really sums things up (from a great-grandchild perspective).  She was very pleasant and kind, but also very realistic and straightforward.  She and my great grandfather were married fairly young, they had five children, one of which they lost when he was very young (5, I believe).  They spent their young adulthood taking care of their family.  I think my great grandpa worked a job during the day and the theater at night. 

I know my great grandma loved great grandpa very much.  We were talking once about a man that had died young (50's) and she said to me, "I know I felt robbed when your grandpa died (of prostate cancer, about a month after I was born) in his 70's!"  My grandmother says her mom always felt like great grandpa was a gift from God to her.  It makes me think she must be very happy to be with him now!

I went to her home in North Dakota as a girl, but I don't remember much about it except that it took so long to drive across Montana.  I do remember her coming to visit my grandparents once a year until about 9 years ago.  In fact, her last visit to the pacific northwest was the year Bill and I got married.  She was visiting when we announced our engagement I believe.  I think she was very happy about that.  I remember having good chats with her during these visits.  She and my grandmother taught me to knit when I was a young girl.  I could get out some needles and do a knit stitch quite easily at 21, even though I hadn't done it since....well, since they had taught me probably. (Interestingly, I started knitting again in 2010 and am finally starting to get somewhere with it. All those things I could have learned so much earlier!)  I believe she also taught me to embroider, and gave me a pillow case set to do.  I finished them but honestly don't know where they went!

 For our wedding she sent a set of dishtowels she had embroidered herself.  I love them!  I've had a hard time over the last 8 years using them - although I'm sure she would want me to! But I want them to last FOREVER.

About 18 months ago, I took my daughter (then almost 3) on a train ride to North Dakota and met up with my grandparents and a couple of Uncles for great grandmothers 95th birthday.  My great aunt Edie fed us (and fed and fed us. Yum.) and sheltered us for the week.  We all got together on her birthday for cake.  Luckily she shared a balloon with Miriam.

I'll admit I was really rooting for one more train trip and one more birthday party, but it's okay.  I'm glad I took the time when I did, and I'm glad for the many ways she blessed our lives.

Liam: 5 months

A couple of weeks late!

Around 5 months our baby boy:

• Started grasping things with his hands
• Started switching from hand to hand
• Started trying to "feed" himself a.k.a. grab his spoon.  (Miriam did this from the first time I fed her cereal.  I thought Liam was so cute because for almost the last month he would just sit and let me spoon cereal into his mouth.  It was like, "Yum mommy, keep it coming."  But now he tries to hold his spoon)
• Can roll from tummy to back and occasionally side to tummy but doesn't care to do it much
• Holds a rattle in his right hand and waves his arm up and down.  It's funny.  Only with his right hand. Gotta watch out the rattle isn't too big and bulky, he wacks himself in the head.

Those are the big ones.  He's really getting better control over his arms.  He still falls right over if you try to get him to sit on his own.  Doesn't scoot much at all.  I think Miriam scooted all over, but Liam seems pretty content just to hang out.  That is to say, he wants you to hang out with him, not that he's content by himself.  The car is getting better, and he loves to talk to the baby in the mirror in the car.

Likes to pet kitty/attempt to grab fistfuls of fur.  Our cat likes this, purrs and comes back for more.  I don't get it.  He's just not that smart.  But very patient.