What are little boys made of?
Snakes and snails, and puppy dog tails.
That’s what little boys are made of.
–author unknown

We are absolutely thrilled to announce the arrival of

Benjamin Hudson

he was born less than an hour of twelve days late
 11:05pm, May 5, 2012
weighing in at 8 chubby pounds plus 10 more ounces
20 short inches

He is named after his wonderful father, and after the missionary Hudson Taylor.
We will be calling him Hudson.

More details later!

~clarita for the thrilled little family
{daddy, and three little mommies}

This blog has moved to skiesofparchment.com.

To follow this post, please go here.

~ clarita

So. Day Six.
Not before due date.
After due date.

I should be used to this by now.
Third pregnancy.
Third time being overdue.
And it’s only Day Six.
Not Day 11 or Day 8.

But goodness, what a mind game!

I think the strong contractions and having two days of being in bed three weeks pre-due date
made me hope that perhaps this would be different.
But it’s not so.

“You’re a crock pot,” says Ben.
One that only functions on warm, I add.
There’s no “high” or “low” setting, much less the oven’s “broil” setting.
Nope, it’s just warm.

At least I know the most I will go is a week more.
Two weeks over is the most that I’m allowed.
Whew.

Sooo, what does one do to pass the days,
to try not to just live in survival mode,
but to actually enjoy each day?

Ann Voskamp style, there’s a list.

For one,
take one day at a time.
Don’t look at the week I could still have the babe in incubation.

//due date day: coffee with whip. it’s worth the splurge//

// also due date day: pancakes with blueberry topping. also with whip.
like i said, worth the splurge. //

 Two.
Don’t get excited about contractions, unless they would continue over long periods of time.

// due date day: helping Zoe with K-4 books, while making My Faire Lady orders.
enjoying the chilly day, and the rare chance for a fire in the hearth in April //

Three.
Plan fun things. After  the due date. So that you’ll actually look forward to being overdue.

// A Day at the Ocean! I wish I could do this daily… //

i just love my little two-year old. how such a little person can have such a personality just trips me out.
goodness, is she ever fun.

and i love her little grammar misuses, and hope she doesn’t discover ‘he’ and ‘she’ for a long time.
“Him left him book at our house!!” said with great drama and wide eyes, is quite a typical reaction to something quite small.

and the way she runs with her elbows… it looks so funny, but oh so adorable.
please stay two forever.

and then i remember, this is also the child that picks scabs in bed and smears blood all over clean sheets…
… that grabs a bowl from up on the counter and splatters milk all over the floor…
… that doesn’t like to ask for help in the bathroom and then smears poo all over bed sheets…
… that sends us on a roller-coaster of emotions, ranging from exasperation to adoration.

umm. maybe you can grow up a liiiiiitle bit.

and sweet zoe… still set on having her “jack” or “rose.”

i asked a friend if she’d like to go with us, and was it ever a fun day!
my kids had friends to play with, and I had a dear friend to talk to. ♥

// to document that i indeed did go to the ocean.
the day of the due date was cold and windy, so we went the day after.
it was absolute perfection! //

today I spontaneously planned a Picnic at the Park day with a few other moms from church.
i’m ready for some lady friends, some out-of-the-house time,
and conversations that consist of more than, “You’re STILL pregnant?!!?”

Four.
Thank God for the kindness and encouragement of friends…
So many people have sent me messages and notes and phone calls,
some people have made me baked food,
a friend from out of state sent me money for take-out!!
and seriously, it all feels like a hug straight from God.
Thank you, thank you…

// delicious blueberry muffins, made and dropped off by my sweet piano student,
whose lesson I canceled because of being overdue and uncomfortable //

Five.
Continue with the Nesting.
Not only will you have the cleanest house on the block, but it will also
a] help pass the time
b] help you not think about how desperately uncomfortable you are.

// new slipcovers for the living room. bought with compliments of My Faire Lady.
uglysofa is where I found them, Pottery Barn brand, in fact, for a price I could afford. //

before & now
not so very different, but just a little touch of brightness

the neutral palate is a bit of a challenge. i think it takes more work to pull it together…
still working on that one!

 fun little bike pillow found on clearance at Tar-jay…

 Six. 
Remember the wise and beautiful words of a sweet friend:

Sugar Words.
How I need that reminder in these days when it’s so easy to be selfish,
when discomfort is a part of every moment.
This isn’t about me.
This is about letting Jesus live in and through me, even now.
Especially now.

It’s really surprised me how this late-term pregnancy has brought out so much selfishness in me.
The energy the kids have, the lack of energy I have, is a combination that is not easy.
I find myself wanting them to behave just so I don’t have to deal with discipline,
rather than taking the time to care for their dear little hearts.
I see how much I care for self right now, rather than focusing outward…
God and I are having lots of talks these days.

I so look forward to feeling better though,
to where a walk with the kids or a trip to the park doesn’t feel overwhelming.
To where sitting on a sofa reading books to them doesn’t make me feel like I’ll suffocate from lack of oxygen.

There is a reason for the discomfort, I do believe.
The scariness of labor?
Still there, but I’m so ready for the baby that I don’t care as much about pain levels anymore.

// the wedding invitation of a dear sister. ♥
and another invitation of a brother-in-law, a week after. and a lovely sister-in-law’s picture.//

The last few days I’ve been thinking…
with the anticipation of the baby, the expectancy, the waiting, the fervent preparation…

What if the return of the Lord would be anticipated and prepared for this much?

With this little baby coming there is so much thought and preparation.
The whole house is being purged and cleaned from top to bottom.
Not a single drawer or corner will be left untouched, given enough of time.
There are eyes to see DIRT and DUST that never even bothered me before.
To be honest, that I never even noticed before.
Areas to clean that never crossed my mind before.
An old toothbrush is my new best cleaning friend, and boy, do we ever go places together.
That little crack that collects dirt and grime. It must go.

Before I go to bed each night, the house must be in perfect order.
All messes put away,
all dishes stacked in the dishwasher or neatly back on shelves
but certainly not on counters or in sink,
everything neat and tidy.
Just in case tonight would be the night.

What if it would be like this on a soul level for me, for all Christians anticipating the return of our Lord?
Such purging, such cleanliness of life and heart,
no nagging sin left,
a purity, a full concentration of things eternal, everything filtered by perpetual readiness -
the Lord’s return may be at any moment, and I want to be ready.
Just in case tonight would be the night.

There are so many allegories to be drawn from this.
It’s really been so challenging for my soul,
and to take my focus off of the waiting at present and onto the eternal perspective on waiting.
It’s just really hit me how the process of waiting on a child is really a bigger picture
of the longing for the return of our dear Jesus…

So today I pray for the Lord to prepare my heart for HIS return,
even more than for the arrival of this much-anticipated child.
Because if I am ready for Him, then everything else will be okay.
I need Him to purge my heart from it’s selfishness and stubbornness,
from the short temper with the girls, from the focus of self and discomfort these days…
and I want to be refreshed and restored by HIM, by Jesus Himself.

So, I’m not exactly feeling top-of-the-world today,
but I want to find Jesus in this day,
worship in the waiting.
[tried to play this song on my site, but playlist didn't have it]

It feels silly to even write about going overdue,
because, my word, it’s not that big of a deal!!
But the waiting is where I find myself, and I don’t want to just try to survive it.
I want to thrive in it.
Even as I write that I think, “Oh God, help me!”
because it seems that in the smallest areas it’s easiest to justify selfishness.

And I want to find room for gratefulness too.
One older lady told me that back in the day she went THREE WEEKS late.
Oh goodness, I’m so glad I’m not allowed to go that long!

And in whatever wait you find yourself, may you find Jesus too…

♥
~clarita

{edit: because of link issues on Monday,
I’m extending this sale through Wednesday, April 25}

In honor of Mother’s Day,
and my due date,
and springtime,
I’m running some Mary Kay specials!

[yes, I'm still doing this. ]

All Mary Kay items are 20% off
[not just the ones on this page]

Monday and Tuesday, April 23-24th, only!

There are a few new items that Mary Kay has come out with that are so lovely,
and just in time for Mother’s Day!

Mint Blossom Pedicure Set, $24 before discount

With this luxurious set, she can enjoy the relaxation and pampering she deserves
without an expensive trip to the salon! This invigorating set in a mint blossom
scent includes emery board, pumice stone, icy foot gel, foot fizzies and a
coordinating bag — perfect for giving! Mint blossom scent includes notes of
zesty lime, lemon sorbet and cool mint leaf.

Limited Edition Thinking of You Mother’s Day set - $30 before discount

Let Mom know she’s one of a kind with this doubly fragrant gift set featuring
the Thinking of You® fragrance. The Moisture Rich Shower Crème, enriched with
shea butter and vitamin E, cleanses and moisturizes skin in one easy step. The
perfume pendant offers a rub-on fragrance that feels like a creme but applies
like a powder.

Peach Satin Hands® Pampering Set, $34 before discount

Exfoliates dull, dry skin. Wraps hands in instant hydration. Leaves hands
feeling smooth, silky and supple. Available in a delightful peach scent and a
fragrance-free scent that’s ideal for everyone.

Satin Lips Mask and Balm Set -  $18 before discount

 Mineral Eye Color Bundles – $19.50 before discount
A trio of eye colors specifically for  blue, brown, hazel, or green eyes.

TimeWise Miracle Set

The TimeWise® Miracle Set® provides incredible age-fighting results to help you
maintain younger-looking skin. The set offers 11 age-defying benefits in one
skin care regimen: cleanse, exfoliate, freshen, energize, hydrate, smooth, firm,
soften, protect, rebuild and reduce fine lines and wrinkles. And it even works
with sensitive skin. We tested our TimeWise® Miracle Set® on individuals with
extremely sensitive skin, people with rosacea.** The results showed that people
with skin sensitivities can experience the same great age-fighting benefits. The
Miracle Set® includes:

~TimeWise® 3-In-1 Cleanser
~TimeWise® Age-Fighting Moisturizer
~TimeWise® Day Solution Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 35*
~TimeWise® Night Solution
 

 To order, go to my Mary Kay site - www.marykay.com/claritayoder .
[I will give you the discount even though it's not mentioned on that page.]

All items listed above, plus all Mary Kay items are on sale at 20% off retail price, plus free shipping!
Today and tomorrow only, April 23-24th!

Enjoy this lovely springtime!

~clarita

A strange phenomenon has hit me the past few weeks.

Nesting.

This isn’t the chicken-on-the-egg kind of nesting. Oh no.
This is the song-bird-flitting-around-nest-building-a-home.
Think robin, bluebird, chickadee.

One would think that perhaps nesting would be limited to the birds.
But perhaps the instinct is given to far more mothers preparing to give birth?

It’s the preparation of a Nest for a wee little one who doesn’t care for the world how clean the house is,
or if he has a drawer or a box or a cradle to sleep in.
The little one has no idea if the house was newly-housecleaned, or if it has been years since a good cleaning.

However, the mama knows, and she wants her Nest ready and perfect for the precious little arrival.
You’d think a good weekly cleaning would suffice.

But oh no.
This Nesting  is of a different sort.
Very strange things happen within the mother.
There are outrageous bursts of energy, even as she carries a basketball-size tummy everywhere she goes.
Her eyes take on new lenses, and see things that need to be cleaned that she never even noticed before,
and that MUST BE SCRUBBED & CLEANED & SANITIZED. NOW.

She climbs atop of piano and balances on tall headbands, trying to reach that last little inch of window trim.
She tries to step down safely, and most times does, but sometimes the bench falls out from under her.
But she’s okay.
She’s nesting.

She uses toothbrushes and bleach and cleans dirty corners that were never there before.
She could write a tutorial on how to make rabbits from dust bunnies found underneath the master bed on the hardwood floor.

She hands rags and cleaning supplies to the other a-bit-bigger-birdies in the home and they crawl under beds and in places where basketball-belly-mother cannot go, and they think nesting is fun too.

It’s a very curious phenomenon.

She could write articles about deep cleaning and how to sanitize every inch of your home and not miss a single dirty corner as she’s Nesting. But she knows that within a month of the arrival of Wee Birdie she would look back at the article and laugh, because this is most definitely not normal, and quite clearly a perk of pregnancy. And she enjoys the season of nesting and house-sanitizing because it is a season, and feels quite sorry for those folks who live with these cleaning-lenses all the time.

And the clock ticks, and this nesting is a race against time.

But she takes time for naps if she’s tired,
and trips to the park with the other little birdies.
And crosses things on her list of to-do’s for the Nest.
And prays to live these last days with Grace.
Not tenseness,
not being grouchy about being uncomfortable,
not being irritable if she goes overdue, as she has with the other two birdies.
But with Sweet Grace.

[spring mantel inspired by The Lettered Cottage]

For real, this Nesting thing is amazing even to me.
How I can be at the very end and have the bodily shape I do and feel the uncontrollable urge to purge and clean and organize and sanitize…

I must look quite large at this point,
and feel very conspicuous going out in public, even to Walmart.
This was confirmed the other day when I was in [ha, the cleaning aisle of] Walmart,
and a complete stranger [older male] passed me and said,
“Hey! Didn’t anyone tell you not to swallow that watermelon seed? Ha ha ha!”
Wow, Sir. Someone sure missed the tact end of things in your child-training.
I smiled and nodded politely.
He thought it was a great joke.
It only confirmed my feeling that I should not be out in public.

Zoe is wild with excitement about a new little baby.
Giving her the gift of siblings is ever so special to me.
I’m so grateful to God for giving us that gift!
She’s constantly saying, “I’m so excited about our baby coming I just can’t wait!!!”

[my new screen door off the kitchen, bought with money saved from My Faire Lady. love love ♥]

[Ballard Design Company, I love your style. And your coupon/discount email.]

Ben and I were talking baby names the other night.
I had ideas picked out last September already, but apparently we haven’t discussed as much as I thought.
Two weeks before baby is due Ben says,
“I remember the boy name we’re talking about, but, what’s the girl name?”
Um, Husband! Am I really lacking in communication that badly?

Zoe has her own ideas of baby names.
Very excitedly one day,
“I know what we can name our baby!!
If it’s a boy we can call him ‘Jack’ like ‘Jack and Jill went up the hill’!
And if it’s a girl we can call her ‘Rose’ because no one else would think of that name!”

So it’s been baby Jack and baby Rose ever since then. I think Jack is really cute actually.

[front porch in lovely spring time]

[confederate jasmine in all the sweet blooming glory]

And it’s really amazing to me, but somehow my physical appearance and baby-belly is so lovely to Zoe.
“We should always tell pregnant mommies that they’re sooo beautiful!” she said once,
and she compliments often on how pretty she thinks I am.
I asked Ben if he put her up to that and he said no.
I was surprised, and her compliments mean all the more.

Olivia, on the other hand, says things as they really are:
“You have a weally big belly, Mommy!!”

The excitement of meeting our new little one is sky-high.
The other two children it was just Ben and I that were excited.
This time it’s Ben and me plus two very excited sisters!
The suspense of not knowing the gender only adds to the excitement.

Zoe is declaring she wants eight children of her own,
and that she wants five brothers and five sisters.

I actually get butterflies thinking about meeting this precious little baby,
and finding out what it is!

Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice?
A trio of little girlie sweetness? Yes, please!

Or Snakes & Snails & Puppy-Dog Tails?
A little man in the house? Yes, please!

Either one would not be a disappointment.
God knows the perfect family arrangement for us.
It’s not like any other family in the world ~ it’s unique to us.
And we can’t wait to find out!

It’s FOUR DAYS until my due date.
Tuesday, April 24th.
Which, so beautifully, is the very day that Ben and I started dating, in 2004!
No, we didn’t plan this.

But my record is to go late, soooo I’m planning a beach day in celebration of my due date.
Just to make things enjoyable and not focus on the date itself.
My theory is, with a record of 11 days late and 8 days late respectively,
that if I do enjoyable things before and after my due date,
I don’t notice the discomfort of late-term pregnancy as keenly.
And it makes me look forward to the days ahead, rather than dread them.
However, I do hope very much I don’t go the full two weeks overdue that my midwives allow…

But Sweet Baby Love, if you do decide to come early, or on time, or late,
know that we are so ready for you, and so excited to meet you.

And there is a sweet little antique cradle waiting for you right beside our bed…

…with dear little organic bedding from Pottery Barn, found on clearance for a song…

…where you can be rocked by eager little sisters…

…and where you’ll sleep, when you’re not being held and cuddled and kissed upon…

 Dear Lovie, you are already so loved.

~ clarita

The Wedding!

and this blog have moved to skiesofparchment.com

Follow this post here.

I’m thrilled to introduce you yet again to…
…my second guest post by my sister!
Enjoy! 

——————————————————

Modest is Hottest Part 11 [or.... New Ideas for the Practical Woman]

I, Claudia, have combined my love for photography with a fascination for unique clothing combinations, and am excited to be introducing a new and improved and most delightful post. 

I am now in the official tenth month of my One Year Clothing/Shopping Fast. YAY! If you need a brief history of this decision, you may read our previous post: Modest is Hottest Part 1.

Since last June when I made the decision to discontinue shopping trips, revamping my style and coming up with creative ways to wear what I already have in my closet has become my new personal favorite. So, without further ado, here’s my latest addiction.

Skirts as Dresses

OUTFIT ONE

SO FUN!!! I can barely get over it. I usually try not to over-style a new style, but I can barely pull myself away from this one. It’s, like, two for the price of one… or something.

OUTFIT TWO

(Since I wore this outfit on our last outing before the second-to-eldest sister got married, I just had to include them. I do adore sister pictures.)

OUTFIT THREE

(Remind me why no one ever told me about this before? Like I said… SO FUN!)

OUTFIT FOUR

Where my clothes came from:

1. If your family is nice like mine, you can mix and match from different closets. Last week I raided mother’s closet and found that cool skirt labeled #1… It makes a good dress on me and a lovely skirt on mother. 
2. Skirt #2 was an old project of mine last year. I sewed it all up, in and around, and actually liked it.
3. From a pile of clothes a friend was getting rid of. So kind of her.
4. The black dress is actually my official Honey Brook Girls Choir Skirt. I don’t own it, but at least I can break the unspoken rule that choir uniforms have to be ugly.
Accessories: One of my belts comes from a sister closet raid. One comes from the kind heart of a cousin. The purple cardigan will go back to its hanger in mother’s closet and my favorite cream colored cardigan was a Christmas gift from Ervina. Double YAY!

How to Rock the Skirt-turned-Dress Look:

Find the right skirt: It really helps if it’s a wide-mouthed skirt, has elastic around the waist line, or has a fold-over flap. Just saying, I don’t usually have a problem with it, but it’s a big bonus if I wear it as a dress and it actually stays up.
Wear a belt: Otherwise you are quite prone to become acquainted with the unflattering wispy-willow tree look (see below)…

So.Not.Cool. 

Wear fun shoes:

Shoes have the power to complete an outfit.
Skirt #1 gets worn best with [puss-in-]boots from my mother
Skirt #2: Plain ol’ flips given to me in Cambodia by a dear friend
With Skirt #3 I get to wear awesomely fun black heels from sister’s wedding
Skirt #4 was worn with my flats from the Official Jana Barkman-Swartz Wedding Reception
 
Leggings:
Basically. I just always wear leggings. Yup. Even in the sweltering heat of a Cambodian summer. Even in sub degree weather. I’ve worn them ever since my grammy handed me my first totally-uncool pair (she called them “snugglies”… or something strange like that). I think I’ll keep wearing them even when the world kicks them out of style (God Forbid).

Do something fun with your hair:

This is just the funnest thing ever.
Braids as headbands, feathers in hair or flowers that add great character. Just do it. Please, it makes life (and pictures) so much better.

And that’s that. Experiment with it. Forthcoming: we will demonstrate how we love to layer dresses on dresses and leggings on leggings and…. ok. ok.

Just kidding.
Maybe.

It was a most lovely day.
Jana would win awards for The Most Lovely Bride Ever.

My first sister to be married. ♥

[there are actually five people in this picture.
yoder baby #3 was tucked behind my bouquet. ]

~clarita

I’m writing from a strange computer in a familiar place.
Back “home”, which is Pennsylvania.  
There are a myriad of mac computers, which are quite complicated to me.
Control + C doesn’t copy. I don’t know how to paste.
And I love my little shortcuts on a normal computer.
I’m behind the mac-times like that.

But I am finding myself in the midst of a quiet afternoon, all alone in the house actually.
Sister-to-be-married is getting some beauty things done
Other sisters took one of my girls,
mother took the other on another errand,
brothers and father are gone,
husband is still in the south and will be arriving over the weekend.

It’s so fun to be here, to have time to spend with the family before the busyness of the wedding next weekend.
It’s harder to be gone from husband with two little children for a longer amount of time,
but he was gracious and my family is so helpful.
The Little Love is due is less than five weeks, so we are not giving him/her any options but to hold tight until after the wedding.

There hasn’t been a wedding in the family for almost 7 years, when Ben and I got married,
so this is high excitement.
I get to be in on last dress fittings, wedding details, reception decor,
and I love it.

But I can’t show too many pictures yet and give away the bride’s wedding detail secrets!
Later.

But I wanted to do the third [and last] edition of the Tricks of the Trade!
There have been some wonderful contributions, and I love it!
Thank you so much to all of you who sent in pictures and ideas!
I was a little nervous at first that I’d have some blank posts, and no responses, but it’s been wonderful.
I am very much indebted to you!

So enjoy these last ideas and tips!  

And it’s with a resounding cheer that I bring you these lovely ladies!

Cindy

i LOVE organizational bins!boxes!jars!labels!

(if i had a label maker and laminator? i would need an intervention for sure.
nothing would be safe. i’m a dork that way.)

and yet. while i can point at what i’m working on. there’s so much more…haha. that i’m not.
and should be.

but this is all about sharing. learning. and fun. right?

my top three fav things are:  
(my favs are directly related to staying sane efforts.)

1. my bin labeled “too small”

 
my kids grow out of stuff left and right.
it gives me a place to stash those items out of the way,
till i can sort what i want to share with friends or give to the goodwill.

2. my box labeled
“things i am not wearing but cannot part with yet.”

sounds dumb.
but. it gets my odds and ends out of the way.
while i pray for a re-purposing brain cell to suddenly activate in my head.

3.color coded cups and folders for my kids.

seriously. before color assignments for precious children?
we would have used 20 or more drinking glasses a day. made me nuts.
the folders are mine to keep important school info, report cards etc. throughout the school year.
handy because i can read colors faster than words.

i want a bulletin board for my kids…but till then…
old frame (needs to be painted. what do you think?) for free.
thick dollar store foam board. (can you guess how much?)
hemp string and clothespins.
cheap with acmoore coupon
free map and i now have a…
a place in addition to my fridge, doors and walls to hang my kid’s masterpieces!

i am loving making tags and labels using old book pages.
i use alot of cardboard boxes for bins that i got for free.
(the bigger bins here are for shelves above our desk.)
bought brads with coupon at hobbylobby. cheap.
covered boxes with fabric scraps. free.
using spray adhesive. cheap.
i like writing free.
sorry ’bout that.
or paper and glue sticks. which are cheap.
i like writing cheap too.
sorry ’bout that.

if you haven’t thought *dork* already, this one will do it.
but trust me. i have very good reasons.
our house is old, we heat with coal, our closets were built on stone walls.
let’s just say dusty, dirty and damp.
so to save my shoes, i keep the boxes (yes. space hogs i know)
and when i was weary of digging through boxes…
i *blush* had a photoshoot with my shoes and pasted the pictures on the boxes.
like colors, i read pictures faster than words.

the remainder of the pics are just misc for toys, shoes, ribbon etc.

and this one is seven recipes taped to the inside of my kitchen cupboard.
it’s my “save my procrastinating butt” approach to dinner.
all of them are ways to use one pound of hamburger
and have a meal ready in about 30 minutes or less. 

Gabrielle

I love our spices like this.  Years ago we’d done the lazy-susan idea but we never could find what we needed fast and we’d tried the stair-stacking idea but then when you get one in the back all the rest would fall down.  Here we used the spice racks from the container store.   I love ours like this because they’re right by the stove and I can quickly get to them and they’re put in there alphabetically so their easy to find too.  Actually the ones we use the most don’t even have labels on them because they’ve worn off.
 
If you had more room on your door and did it just right you could probably figure out a size of spice you buy at the store and just use those jars instead emptying them into glass ones.  We just didn’t have enough room here and it works fine.

Next up is our teeny tiny corner closet.  Literally it’s not more than like 1 foot by 3 feet at the most but it’s 9 feet tall. 
What do you do with such a closet?  You make it into a wrapping “center” 

The wrapping paper is held up along the outside of the shelf at the top of the roll
by jumbo rubberbands fastened onto long nails sticking out in the corners. 
So all we have to do to get it is slide it out and it’s easy to put back too.  Hope that makes sense.  
(though right now we’ve got a couple wrapping papers that are either to long or too big that don’t fit too well.)

Second Shelf is bows and ribbon

Third is gifts and packaging stuff

Fourth is bags

Tissue paper is on the door in ziplocks nailed on the door with pins

Here’s my mom’s card/craft room.  She just recently organized this and I thought I’d show it off.
  Again this is a really tiny room. It was hard to get pictures.   It’s actually one of the 3 dormers and right off a bedroom and closet.

Here’s where we keep the stamps, idea books, paper and some supplies. 
The ribbon and glue and ink pads are in old sewing machine drawers.

And lastly laundry, that thing that all mothers seem to talk about and that’s never caught up.  Growing up we had baskets labeled for whites, permanent press, towels, jeans, and maybe a few others.  Even little kiddos can do this. Every morning people would bring their clothes to the laundry room and sort them out.  Then, when the washing was done, each person had also a box-you can kinda see the big brown boxes at the bottom of the picture and that’s where all the clean clothes would go.  They could then empty them out whenever they got around to it.  That means all the laundry would stay in the laundry room unless it was put away.  Nowadays since there is only 3 of us we each have our own baskets and then a whites and towels one and a few extras.

Lucy

Theory #2: If it doesn’t have a “place”, it might need to be gotten rid of. That theory either motivates me to find a space quickly or take a trip to the thrift store.

Theory #3: Be a minimalist. I hate clutter and since I live in a two story row-house with two closets and no attic, storage place is precious. It has turned me into a bit of a minimalist. I seriously look at my overflowing closet full of clothes, sometimes and just want to rip out half of it and give it away. And honestly, I can live with way less. 

P.S. Just a side note about the minimalist theory. After a trip to Ikea’s showroom one day, I lay in bed that night freaking out about how much stuff and space we really have. I figured out that we could totally live on our first floor (if we had designed things different during the remodel), and we could divide our upstairs into two rental units . It would be so practical. Crazy, yes, but practical.

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Thank you so much! All you who contributed, and those of you who encouraged those who contributed!
This was such a fun thing for me to do, and I was often in open-mouthed amazement
at the wonderful ideas that came in! Some of these I will definitely be trying in my own home!
Many many thanks! 

~clarita

So these are some of the busiest weeks and months that I think we have ever had as a family…

Weeks of locking keys in the car at Walmart and sitting on the bumper [7 months pregnant] with two little girls running around, waiting on a rescuer.

Weeks of preparation for my sister Jana’s wedding the end of this month, where Zoe and Olivia are flower girls and I’m the matron of honor [at 8 months pregnant ].

Weeks of meetings at church where the Spirit of God met us and convicted us, and where we were exhausted and rejuvenated at the end of a late-night week.

Weeks of family visiting and sisters-with-fiances coming and lovely family times.

And there are My Faire Lady orders to make and final wedding shopping and bill paying and card writing and bed sheets to order because they developed huge holes and menus to plan…

But on this Tuesday, life doesn’t feel overwhelming, thanks to my sweet mother-in-law, who so graciously offered to watch the girls for the night Sunday night and part of Monday so I could catch up on rest. I feel like a new person, after sleeping until, well, I won’t say how long I slept. But with a little second-born that wakes up around 7am every morning, let’s just say that sleeping in isn’t a regular part of my life. Which makes it all the more special when given the opportunity!

So after a restful morning, and some very quiet time alone, my soul AND body are refreshed. The combination of the two hasn’t happened in a long time. And I missed my girls… Times of rest like that are so refreshing, and it also makes me realize how much I love being a mommy. Even though the house stayed clean and no toys were strewn around and the Ever Appearing Little Blue Chair did not follow me around the kitchen, I miss them.

I was editing a few pictures yesterday from the past month…
And I do know that it’s March, and long past Valentine’s Day, but we had so much fun making little cupcakes again this year.
Last year it was just Zoe and me, and we made special little wrappers and spent more time on the pretty end of things.
This year Olivia was delighted as could be to join in the helping, and we kept the baking quite simple.
But fun, oh so fun!

[matching aprons from Auntie Ervina ♥]

Seriously, having two little girls is the most fun ever.
Sometimes I feel like the big sister of two cute girls.
And then I look at my 34-week pregnant stomach and no, I’m no big sister. I’m a mother all right!

Little [goodwill] cowgirl boots make the baking go better.

 High doses of sprinkles, by mouth or on cupcakes…

Tomorrow marks 34 weeks of pregnancy.
If any of my pregnancies has ever flown by, it’s this one. There have been times I’ve lost track of where I’m at in weeks, it’s been so fast! This week was one of them. I knew I was between 32-34 weeks, but the definite number eluded me, and I had to count back in my planner several weeks. It is definitely different than the first pregnancy, when every week seemed to take a month to by go. This time, it seems that every few days a month passes me by!

I leave next week for my sister’s wedding, and will be gone two weeks.
By the time I return, the due date will be 3 weeks away.
I’ve gone very late the past two babies, so I sort of expect that again.
But if I would happen to go early, I would probably have to stop at the store on the way to the hospital because I have no baby things ready!!

But for now, I’m a Treasure Chest.
Not in labor. And hopefully not going to be until after the long trek up north and back!

During my first pregnancy, when I was right at the end and feeling as big as a whale, a dear older woman just bubbled over about how she always felt like such a treasure chest when she was pregnant. I mean, yes, you’re big, you’re uncomfortable, you’re giving your life for this, and you’re carrying a treasure. a LIFE within you.

[photo shoot by my sister Ervina]

I suppose I’m realizing in a new way that mothering is a pouring out of myself for my children.
It’s not about feeling like a cute mom, a cool mom, a put-together mom.
It is about giving myself for them, giving my life for them, really.

This has not been the most easy pregnancy.
I can think of scores of women who have had it harder,
and scores who have had it easier.
It’s been morning sickness, back pain, round ligament pain.
Exercise is usually a big deal to me when I’m pregnant [and otherwise]
but this time it’s too painful most days to even do a short walk.

I’ve not felt the “cute & pregnant.”
It’s felt all pregnant and no cute.
I’m not saying that to generate sympathy, please.
In some ways I don’t even like to say this because I don’t want a pat on the back.
But I write this because I think there may be other women that have felt this way too…

This pregnancy has really pushed me toward God in new ways…
It’s not about my physical image, about having the ideal pregnancy body.
It’s about drawing my worth and security from God Himself,
even when I feel far from attractive.
Even when I feel like I have the “pregnancy waddle.”
My worth comes not from appearances.

It’s not about me.
It’s about giving my life in full surrender to God.
And it’s about welcoming a new life into the world.
Giving myself for another.
I feel that I’m just starting to learn about this…

And my prayer has been,
“God, as my stomach grows because of this life within me,
let me not focus on how big I’m getting,
but rather let my love for You and this child grow…”

Pregnancy shows the giving of life for another so drastically.
The food I eat, the vitamins I take, the rest I need… it all goes for the baby.
And with young children, my days are spent caring for them…
… endless supplies of food for their bodies, endless cries to God for wisdom for their souls.

It really is a sacred responsibility.
Far greater than who I am.
My source of wisdom and strength can come only from the Lord,
and that comes not from a theory of child-rearing, but from a daily abiding in His presence.
It is only then that my children can be taught in the ways of God.

And with labor…
It is still 6 weeks to my due date, but my record has not been fast or easy labors.
Approximately 20 hours and 50 hours, respectively.
I hear some women speak of the worship experience labor and delivery was for them, and I’m in awe.
I love to hear that, I wish for that.
But for me, labor felt like mere survival. All I could think was, “God, help me!!”

I’ve tried not to think of labor too much yet,
but when I do, my prayer is this,
“God, in the area of what feels like one of my greatest fears, BE STRONGER.
Meet me in my greatest physical weakness…”

And all that said, I may add that we are greatly looking forward to the arrival of this little baby!

I think this may be the most anticipated baby so far, because not only is it Ben and me looking forward to meeting him/her,
but Zoe and Olivia are both soo excited!
And seeing the excitement of little girls wanting to meet their brother or sister is priceless!
[can you tell I'm a fan of big families? ]

LIFE is such a gift, and I know of so many who pray fervently for the chance of carrying life within them.
Along with the physical challenges of pregnancy, I also view this as an amazing gift, one I’m unworthy of.
Why me, to carry this child?
Why us, to experience life, when so many have known miscarriage or losing a child?

To turn all of life back into worship of God, that is what I desire…
As Ann Voskamp has written,
“Worship is a way of seeing life in light of God.”
I have that written on my chalkboard, to be reminded of daily.

Be blessed in HIS life today!

~clarita