Time for an update

To the few faithful readers that continue to check this poorly neglected site, my apologies... and I thought you deserved an update.

We have been enjoying the summer and getting to spend time with family and friends, but being away from home and the regular routine of life has made the time seem to pass even more quickly than normal.

One of the perks of being in Missouri was getting to continue our Shakespeare tradition. The summer that Joshua and I were engaged we heard of the annual (free!) Shakespeare festival held in Kansas City. Two of our sisters were quite obliging "chaperons" and we headed up to the play.

Sadly, half way through Henry the V, the threatening clouds broke loose, the play was canceled and King Henry's soldiers were left to wander through the mud. We loved it anyway and have been up each year since...only Heidi and Becka have quit their job as chaperons.

Last year's tragic Othello was followed up this time by The Merry Wives of Windsor: a rollicking account of two faithful wives' revenge on a would-be seducer.

We've been staying at Joshua's family's house, with frequent trips made to my side of the family. My family caught the flu bug though, so we stayed away. Thinking that all was over, we headed their direction, only to get a call that the bug lived on.

When the air was finally clear, Rosalind and Kathryn were thrilled to get to see each other again.

A few days ago Joshua and were talking about this pregnancy and without thinking I said, "...last time I was pregnant with William." He's been a long time in coming. ;) Oh the power of an incorrect ultrasound!

Anyway, after going through the boy clothes I had set aside last pregnancy (which Rosalind did not wear), I found several gaps in his wardrobe and couldn't pass up the opportunity to go garage sales with my mom, the garage sale queen. :) We hit quite the jackpots!

My favorite finds were the layettes for a quarter each. I just love them the first few weeks!

Enough of this rambling for now. :)

Socks, socks and more socks

Growing up in a large family, there was always laundry-lots of it. Every few months (when the basket got too full) we'd pull out the sock stack and flood the living room floor with odd socks.

No longer. My mom came up with a brilliant idea: rather than just tossing your socks into the laundry basket, fold them first. That way they at least make it into the washing machine together. Of course there still are those ornery socks that escape in the dryer, but now most socks end up happily back in their drawers, without an extended stay in the sock basket. Works for me!

photo by Bethography

Salad and Lasagna

Shortly after we were married, Joshua came home from work and while I served dinner I explained, "I was going to make lasagna, but we didn't have stuff for salad, so I couldn't."

He looked at me quizzically and asked, "What does salad have to do with lasagna?"

"Don't you always eat salad with your lasagna?" I replied, equally surprised.

Apparently not. I later found that he even ate tacos without lemonade and meatloaf without a side of peas! Shocking, huh?

Since we're staying with Joshua's family for the summer, it's been a unique experience to get to watch my "other mom" run her home. After growing up in a large family myself, I've enjoyed observing how another (even larger) family operates and realize afresh how different two large families-who are committed to the same beliefs and goals- can be in the day to day running of the homes.... and just how many things I can learn from both!

From food to organization to child-training, I'm so blessed to have two wonderful examples of practical wisdom. And since I've been enjoying it, I thought it would be fun to share a few, rather random, gleanings from my mothers over the next few weeks. :)

------------------------------------------------------------

Photo by Sasa Loggin