Moments

Its the little moments that count, right?

I'm feeling stretched to my edges this week.  Keeping up with the kids and our home and our friends and our life and my own inner chaos is really challenging me.  

I'm clinging to the little moments of success...

Buzz, Adam, Mara, and Eva.  Pausing their pool play long enough for pizza and capri suns.  That's a well-balanced meal, right?  cheese = protein.  bread = grain.  tomato sauce = vegetable. juice = fruit.  Hope the pediatrician doesn't read this blog.

Sage and Jude.  1 week apart.  When these two get married in 25 years, I'll say I called it.  Libby and I went through pregnancy and birth and now mama-hood together.  She is a pillar of strength and wisdom and fun and spontaneity in my life.  I'm so lucky. 

There aren't words for the bliss in my soul in this moment.

Two cool dudes.  This is why we live so close to grandparents.  For moments like these.  Buzz looks just like Dad did when he was little.  And he wants to be Grandpa Howard when he grows up.

At the art museum...Eva is front and center and genuinely interested in this work of art.  Makes me proudmouth, I have to admit.

I challenged Dad to a race because I genuinely thought I could beat him.  He kicked my butt.  And Ryan laughed hysterically at my "unique stride".  Thanks guys.

Now when I'm on the couch, she's outside my belly instead of in it.  Thank you God!

m.o.n.e.y.

With our current budget, I've decided to let Eva cut and style my hair. 

Well, ok...maaaaaybe not.

UG.  Money.  I know it can't buy happiness, but having enough that every little decision doesn't have to be made around how much or little we have WOULD buy me a certain level of freedom that I currently am so missing.  I'm trying to figure out how to spin through this whole topic without sounding ungrateful or spoiled.  

I'm frustrated that at least 75% (a highly researched and accurate number of course!) of the people I know are working their a-double ss off and are still living paycheck to paycheck.  These are people in just about every job imaginable.  They have respectable jobs with decent benefits.  Ryan and I have expensive college degrees, great jobs, and good connections - as do most of the people I know in our situation.  We are making decisions that make us tight - the biggest one being that I stay home full-time with our kids and we live on one income.  But Ryan works 3 jobs - teaching, mental health work at Prairie View, and tutoring.  Plus sometimes works with Zach on Bridgewater jobs.  We are good people who make smart choices.  I make my grocery list based on a menu for the week.  We don't take vacations.  We rarely eat out.  We get sitters only once in awhile.  We wear hand-me-down clothes.  We drive second-hand cars.  We use coupons.  We don't shop for fun gadgets like new phones or clothes or dishes or furniture.  

We have all we need and so much more.  We are usually quite content.  We are healthy.  We love our home.  We have more than most of the people in the  world.  That's really something.  My parents help us out.  A lot.  We are able to give money to church and friends who need it.  We are lucky to have friends that don't make us feel bad when we have to say no to doing things that would cost money.

But I feel such frustration on behalf of myself and the many other people I know with the same money concerns.  It is so clear that its true that in America, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer.  And then there are those of us in the middle that are trying so hard to just plain stay in the middle.

Ug.  Not the most uplifting blog post ever.  But its what I'm thinking on a lot right now, and I'm guessing if you fall into that 75% group of people, you are too.

6 Week Muffins

This is Grandma Birky's recipe.  The best, easiest, handiest, tastiest, cheapest bran muffins of all time.  You can keep them in the fridge for up to 6 weeks and just make them as you need them.  Makes about 3 dozen.  Thanks, Grandma!

3 c. bran flakes

1 c. boiling water

1 stick butter or margarine, melted

1 tsp. salt

1 1/2 c. sugar

2 Tbsp. lemon juice

almost 2 c. milk

2 1/2 c. flour

2 1/2 tsp. baking soda

2 eggs

Pour boiling water over bran flakes and let stand while mixing other ingredients.  Mix together the lemon juice and milk (to make 2 c. sourmilk).  Mix together all ingredients, and then add bran flakes.  Bake as needed in greased muffin tins at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.

In other news, Boot Camp is going as well as can be expected.  Eva and River have been asking to be together, but when they get together they still fight after about 20 minutes.  Better than a few days ago, but still not great.  My figure is doing very well though - the brownie pan is 3/4 of the way empty.

And these pics from this morning just for the fun of it...

"Well behaved women rarely make history."  Been using this mug every morning for 5 years now.  A great way to begin my day for so many reasons.

Tasty toes.

Obviously, the Buzz prefers that things be in a neat and orderly line.