I've fallen and I can't get up.......

Yes, that's right. Are you noticing a pattern here? I'm beginning to think there is something wrong with me. Yes, I've fallen again but this time I have a very good reason.

Brooke just walked into the room and asked me to teach her how to do her own laundry.

Did you read that correctly??

Brooke just walked into the room and ASKED me to teach her how to do her own laundry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse me while I pull myself up off the floor and seize the moment, lest it pass quickly.

(I am normally VERY picky about laundry (I know you're surprised. Be quiet!) But, if she only wants to do her own, who am I to argue??)

Not me Monday.......

Once again, I did NOT DO quite a few things this past week. Not me. Not at all.

• I did not obsess off and on all week long about how "Not me." is completely and totally improper grammar and should properly read "Not I."
• I did not allow my children to retrieve from the hamper and then wear in public dirty clothes that were piling up. That would mean I don't have my laundry system for the new house totally down quite yet. Nope. Not me.
• I did not shamelessly hang certain "unmentionables" out on the drying rack on the deck, much to the horror of my children (and my own amusement!). That would mean I didn't care a lick what the new neighbors might see. Nope. Not me.
• I most definitely did not, on my way in from "displaying" the aforementioned unmentionables, totally trip, fall through the screen door, and land flat on my face on the kitchen floor. That would mean I am klutzy and ungraceful. Nope. Not me, errr.... I.
• I did not waste five long minutes in a torrential downpour trying to figure out why the gas pump would not accept my BJs card. Nor did I angrily run across the BJs parking lot in said torrential downpour to ask the attendant what the heck was going on, only to find out that I was trying to slide my membership card in the debit/credit card slot. That would mean I am just plain stupid--in a very wet shirt, nonetheless. Nope. NOT I.
• I certainly did not go see the cheesiest movie of all time Nights of Rodanthe. That would mean I have poor judgment. The company was totally worth it (Thanks, Kari!) but the movie......not so much.
• I most definitely did not utter the words "I love my microwave." That would just mean I need a life.

Nope. Not I.

Good grief.........

Payton just came in, fresh from his Saturday night bath and smelling of Lever 2000, and crawled up on the bed beside me.

"Mom" he asked "next time you go to Target, would you please get me some Axe body wash?"

"Why in the world do you need Axe body wash?" I responded.

"Because Mom [insert exaggerated eye rolling here] ALL of my friends use men's soap and I'm tired of smelling like a girl."

Well, who knew that your basic bar soap smelled "like a girl"? And how is it that 11-year old boys are talking about body wash and bar soap? And do I really want my sweet little boy using a body wash that comes in varieties with names like Touch, Essence, Phoenix, and Kilo?

Happy Birthday Sawyer!

Today marks the end of our perpetual (9-week long) family birthday celebration! And today is Sawyer's special day. I remember well the day he arrived--very quickly and BIG--weighing in at a whopping 9 pounds, 11 ounces!! We were beyond thrilled to have another baby boy, and Sawyer has been a joy ever since!

So, in honor of his ninth birthday, here are nine interesting facts/special things about Sawyer Christian.

1. Sawyer is our most laid back child. Not sure if that's because he was the last to join our crazy family or what, but we are very thankful that at least one of our kids got Jeff's personality!
2. Sawyer is our only blonde-haired child, and we are hoping he stays that way! He has his Grandpa VeStrand and his Swedish heritage to thank for his beautiful blonde hair!
3. Sawyer has a great sense of humor! He is very witty and loves to make people laugh. Sometimes, this is not such a great thing--just ask his teachers!
4. Sawyer is my "snuggliest" child. He has always loved to be held or sit on my lap. Even now, he will gladly grab my hand or give me a kiss on the cheek as he walks by. I am enjoying that while it lasts because I know it will end all too soon. Jeff says he is a "mama's boy" and that's fine with me!
5. Sawyer shares his birthday with his Grandpop Lenhart! (Happy Birthday Daddy!) We were very excited when he decided to arrive on September 24. Not surprisingly, Grandpop had to hear the good news in a Kentucky hotel where he was staying for a college football game.
6. Sawyer is a sports fanatic! He dutifully follows his fantasy sports teams, professional baseball, professional and college football, and even NASCAR! He gets his love of all sports (except NASCAR) from Grandpop Lenhart and has even convinced Jeff that baseball isn't all that boring! Sawyer was my loyal Olympic-viewing buddy this summer. We had great fun watching them together.
7. Sawyer is a great athlete and an excellent student! His first love is football but basketball is a close second, and he is looking forward to playing on the local youth basketball team this winter. So far, he is surviving third grade and having a great year!
8. Sawyer loves to read! Like Payton, Sawyer is never without a book. He recently started the Harry Potter series and is enjoying them very much!
9. We love you Sawyer! You make us smile, and we are very proud to be your mom and dad! We can't wait to see how God will use you and your gifts as you grow! Happy Birthday!

Not me Monday.......

We are here and 90 percent of the way settled. Actually, I can honestly think of only three boxes (other than the wardrobe boxes that are doing double duty as our closet during the construction) that are not unpacked. I am tired but satisfied. The kids have adjusted well, and we are enjoying our lovely new home.

It's been an adventure and, since it was her great idea, I thought I would participate too and share some things that I most definitely did NOT do during this past crazy week of moving, packing, signing, closing, unpacking, etc. I. Absolutely. Positively. Did. Not. Do. any of the following. Not me. I promise.

• I definitely did not eat fast food three days in a row last week.
• I definitely did not trip and fall flat on my face going into Office Depot for some work supplies.
• I definitely did not get very exasperated with our six moving men, only one of whom spoke any English at all. I did not express any frustration when they finally taught Jeff the Spanish words for "yellow" and "green" so he could direct them to the proper bedrooms while unloading the moving truck.
• I definitely did not have any impolite thoughts about our sellers who couldn't even be bothered to show up at closing but chose to wait at a nearby coffee shop and sent their realtor to represent them.
• I definitely did not find out after three days of unpacking that I had been holding the X-acto knife the wrong way and wondering why it seemed so dull.
• I definitely did not play hooky from church to unpack boxes.
• I most definitely did NOT greet our new cookie-bearing neighbors wearing just a tank top and looking like a Ubange woman.
• And, most especially, I did not polish off half of the delicious aforementioned peanut butter cookies with a lovely mini Reese's cup in the center.

No sirree....I definitely did NOT do any of the above. Not me.

Quote of the Day...

Yesterday, Payton and I were having a deep discussion about the finer points of middle school. Of course, from Payton's perspective, middle school has NO fine points but that's a whole 'nother story.

Payton is particularly perplexed by the need to study a foreign language. After all, he says, I live in the United States and we speak English. And he's right..........I think. But, again, that's a whole 'nother post. I calmly explained to Payton that studying a foreign language was an important part of a good middle school/high school education and that it helped to make him a well-rounded person.

Without hesitation, he replied "Well, then I think I would rather be square."

Square indeed............

Your treat for the day.........

Brooke claims that she is NEVER on the blog. So today is her day. But if you ask me, this is more than just a little bit worth waiting for. Of course, I'm just a little biased, but their duet in church this morning was amazing. Enjoy!!

For my PA readers....

I am a native Pennsylvanian, and I know I have many readers who hail from the great Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as well. If you aren't from PA, this won't be very interesting (or funny!) to you but oh, it is so true! Enjoy!

In Pennsylvania..............

We don't go to the beach, we go 'down the shore.'

You refer to Pennsylvania as 'PA' (pronouncedPee-Ay).

'You guys' (or even 'youze guys', in some places) is a perfectly acceptable reference to a group of men and women.

You know how to respond to the question 'Djeetyet?' (Did you eat yet?)

You learned to pronounce Bryn Mawr, Wilkes-Barre, Schuylkill, the Pocono's, Tamaqua, Tunkahannock, Bala Cynwyd, Duquesne, and Monongahela, and Juniata.

You know that "Lancaster" is pronounced Lank-ister, not Lan-caster.

You know what a 'Mummer' is and are disappointed if you can't catch at least highlights of the parade.

You know who 'Punxsutawney Phil' is and what it means if he sees his shadow.

The first days of buck and doe seasons are school holidays.

At least five people on your block have electric 'candles' in all or most of their windows all year long.

You know what a 'State Store' is and your out-of-state friends find it incredulous that you can't purchase liquor at the mini-mart.

Words like 'hoagie,' 'crick,' 'chipped ham,' 'dippy eggs', 'sticky buns,' 'shoo-fly pie,' 'lemon sponge pie', 'pierogie' and 'pocketbook' actually mean something to you. (By the way, that last one's PA slang for "purse".)

You can eat cold pizza (even for breakfast!) and know others who do the same. Those from NY find this 'barbaric'.

You not only have heard of Birch Beer, but you know it comes in several colors.

You know the difference between a cheese steak and a pizza steak sandwich, and you also know that you also can't get a really good one anywhere outside of the Philly area. (Except maybe in Atlantic City on the boardwalk.)

You live for summer, when street and county fairs signal the beginning of funnel cake season.

You know that Blue Ball, Intercourse, Paradise, Climax, Bird-in-Hand, Beaver, Moon, Virginville, Mars, Bethlehem, Hershey, Indiana, Sinking Spring, Jersey Shore, State College, Washington Crossing, Jim Thorpe, King of Prussia, Wind Gap, and Slippery Rock are all PA towns ... and the first three were consecutive stops on the old Reading Railroad. (That's pronounced Redd-ing.)

You know what a township, borough, and commonwealth are.

You can identify drivers from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, or other neighboring states by their unique and irritating driving habits.

A traffic jam is ten cars waiting to pass a horse-drawn carriage on the highway in Lancaster County. (And remember .. that's Lank-ister!)

You know several people who have hit deer more than once.

You carry jumper cables in your car and your female passengers know how to use them.

Driving is always better in winter because the potholes are filled with snow.

As a kid you built snow forts and leaf piles that were taller than you were.

You know beer doesn't grow in a garden, but you know where to find a beer garden.

You know someone who lives 'down the lane'.

I am in sooooo much trouble.......

Look what was hand-delivered to my home this morning before 8 a.m.! Two pounds of chocolate from here. Now, if you combine all that yummy, irresistible chocolate with the fact that.......

• The buyers are being royal pains in the neck
• The sellers are being even bigger pains in the neck
• I have spent most of the morning so far on the phone with the phone company, cable company, internet company, and cell phone company.......
• I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon.

You see what I mean........(yes, there are a few pieces missing. Thanks for noticing now leave me alone!)

To explain WHY the candy was delivered: when we first moved into our home (next to the cemetery, remember??? like anyone could ever forget!) six years ago, the kids were outside playing one afternoon and a woman came up with a watering can and asked if she could fill it from our outside spigot. Of course, I said sure and told her to feel free to get water whenever she needed it. Apparently, the spigot at the cemetery is not always reliable.

So, over the past six years, we have gotten to know Josette. She lost her daughter, Erica, to meningitis when she was a student at Towson University. Josette tends Erica's grave very carefully each year, and we have been happy to let her use our outside spigot. She has been gracious enough to bring us yummy desserts from time to time as a way of saying thanks.

Last week, I saw her at Erica's grave and went out to let her know that we were moving. She cried and hugged me and told me how much our kindness had meant to her. I was very touched. Then, this morning, she showed up at my back door with more goodies and more tears and hugs.

I am so thankful that we've had a small part in showing Christ's love to Josette--even if it has only been through our outside water spigot! I remember well my own parents giving to others many times when I was young, and those memories have made a big impression on me. Hopefully, our own kids have seen that it's better to give than to receive and our short relationship with Josette has shown them that often our christ-like actions speak much louder than any words ever could.

Look what I got........

I did it!! No one wanted to share with me, but that's okay. These are MORE than worth the price. I will be displaying this proudly.

If you want one (it's a bumper sticker!), go to www.nobama.com.

Saturday Linkage....

Okay, now that I've totally creeped you all out with that strange partial upper body/co-sleeper/fake mate thingamajig, I figured I should be a little more serious today.

These are some very fun sites I've found as I've zipped around the worldwide web in ALL of my spare time these days! Enjoy!!

The pictures on this blog are worth a million words--even though most of the words are in Norwegian--I think. (Seriously, are there ANY vowels in that language??) Be sure to scroll down.

If you've been reading my blog for any length of time, you know that fall is my very favorite season. This lady does an amazing job decorating her home for fall. Look at these!! Aren't they adorable?? Even I, who cannot abide clutter in any way, shape, or form, decorate for fall. Can't wait to drag everything out at the new house!

I think I will be purchasing my very own housewarming gift (or that's what I'm telling Jeff anyway!) from here! Love it!

We've been getting in touch with our creative sides at this site as the kids are deciding what colors they want to paint their new bedrooms. It's very cool!

And, finally, so much for being serious, but this site is lots of fun when you are sitting around in your down time playing with a digital photo of yourself! Come on, we all KNOW, you so do that!

Eeewwwwww...............

Does this creep you out as much as it does me???

Could someone possibly be THAT lonely??

Home Sweet Home

Several of you have kindly inquired about whether or not, now that we've actually sold our current home, we have a place to live?? We thought about a tent or even a camper in a parking lot somewhere, but if you know me well, you know that I get hives just thinking about either one. Not to mention, where in the world would I put all my Rubbermaid containers?

So..........after a frantic few days of house hunting, we put an offer in on a lovely home in Finksburg and after some negotiating back and forth, our offer was accepted!! A few details: as you can see below, it's an older but newly renovated Cape Cod style home. It has four bedrooms, one of which we are expanding immediately to make a bigger master bedroom and add a bath. Once that's done, we'll have three full baths (can I get an "Amen!"). It also has a gorgeous family room, formal living and dining rooms, hardwood floors throughout, and as you can see, a BEAUTIFUL yard and deck. When we were there for the inspection the other day, three deer ran through the back yard! And, it's at the end of a cul-de-sac so I anticipate some serious skateboarding, bike riding, and basketball playing going on in the "road".

We are thrilled to be just three miles from church (as opposed to our current 29 miles now--and that's one way!), 10 miles from school, and 7 miles from my office. We won't know what to do with all that extra gas money! Woo hoo!!!

Brooke is already planning many youth group gatherings in the back yard. Jeff is lined up to fashion some sort of fire pit, and I will be buying marshmallows in bulk! We are all very excited. It's been a long haul, but God is good and knew exactly what house we needed when we needed it. Thanks for all your prayers and support. And, now without further ado, our new home.

Front view
(We have some landscaping projects in our future.)

Kitchen/Eating Area

Family Room/Kitchen
(notice the glorious closets on the entire far wall!)

Kitchen (it's even more beautiful in person!)

Deck/Canopy (that we negotiated to keep!)

Amazing back yard

Formal living room

Current master bedroom
(this will be the boys' room upstairs)

Our Reality....

Since I have never been secretive about where we live, most of you probably realize that we are blessed/cursed to live within 30 minutes of both Washington DC and Baltimore. When we moved here, the traffic and roads in this area terrified me. Now that we've lived here six years, I can drive 70 mph on the Beltway, talking on the cell phone, and jotting down my grocery list at the same time. Of course, I'm kidding! Relax mom!!

A friend sent me this recently and suggested it would make a good blog post. I agree! Enjoy!

Washington, DC--Welcome to our National Capital Region!

If you plan to visit our area in the near future, here are a few rules you should follow.

First, you must learn to call it by its rightful name. It is DC or 'the District' - only tourists call it Washington.

Next, if your road map of Montgomery County is more than a few weeks old, throw it out and buy a new one. It's obsolete. If you are in Loudon or Fairfax County and your map is one-day old, it's already obsolete.

There is no such thing as a dangerous high-speed chase in D.C. It's just another chase, usually on the B/W Parkway .

All directions start with 'The Beltway', which has no beginning and no end. It's just one continuous loop that locals believe is somehow clarified by the terms 'inner' and 'outer'. This makes no sense to ANYONE outside the area.

The morning rush hour is from 5 to 11 AM. The evening rush hour is from 1 to 8 PM. Friday's rush hour starts Thursday morning, especially during the summer on Route 50 eastbound. Avoid the Annapolis Bay Bridge unless you pack a lunch and possibly a dinner too.

If there is a ball game at Fed-Ex Field (Redskins' stadium), there is no point in driving anywhere near PG County. (Tip: Never say PG County to anyone from Mitchellville, Upper Marlboro, or Fort Washington (It's Prince Georges County to them). They'll blow a vessel in their neck and have a seizure.

If you actually stop at a yellow light, you will be rear-ended and shot at. If you run the red light, be sure to smile for the $100 'picture' you will receive courtesy of the DMV. (However, if you don't go as soon as the light turns green, you will get cussed out in 382 languages.)

Rain causes an immediate 50-point drop in the IQ of all drivers. Snow causes an immediate 100-point drop and a rush to the nearest Giant or Safeway for toilet paper, bread, and milk.

Construction on I-270 is a way of life and a permanent source of scorn and cynical entertainment. It's ironic that it's called an 'Interstate', but runs only from Bethesda to Frederick . (Unless you consider Montgomery County another state, which some do). Opened in the 1960's, it has been torn up and under reconstruction ever since. Also, it has a 'Spur' section, which is even more confusing.

All unexplainable sights can be explained away with the phrase, 'Oh, we must be in Takoma Park or Silver Spring'.

If someone actually has his turn signal on, he is by definition, a tourist. Car horns are actually 'Road Rage' indicators. Please heed this warning.

All old ladies in Buicks have the right of way in the areas of Leisure World & Ryderwood.

Many roads mysteriously change their names as you cross intersections. Don't ask why, no one knows. And despite what MapQuest or Expedia or Google Maps tell you, there are no roads actually named ' Local Road '.

If asking directions in Arlington, Langley Park, Wheaton, or Adams Morgan, Spanish helps. If askin in Annandale, Cambodian or Vietnamese will come in handy. If in DuPont Circle, Capital Hill, or the U Street Corridor areas, tolerance for same sex couples helps. If you stop to ask directions in South East... well, just don't.

A taxi ride across town will cost you $12.50. A taxi ride two blocks away will cost you $16.75. (It's a zone thing, you wouldn't understand.) Laws requiring meters have passed but the cabbies are fighting them.

Traveling south out of DC on Interstate 395/95 is the most dangerous, scariest thing you will ever do. This traverses a stretch of roadway locally referred to as "The Mixing Bowl".

There is nothing more comforting than seven lanes of traffic cruising along at 85 mph, BUMPER TO BUMPER!!! (Truer words have never been written!)

The minimum acceptable speed on the Beltway is 85 mph. Anything less is considered downright sissy. If police are present, then 55 mph is acceptable, but as soon as the police are out of view, the speed goes back to 85 mph.

The open lane for passing on all Maryland interstates is the far right lane because no self-respecting Marylander would ever be caught driving in the 'slow' lane. Unofficially, both shoulders are also fair game.

The far left lanes on all Maryland and Virginia interstates are official 'chat' lanes reserved for drivers who wish to talk on their cell phones. Note: All SUVs have priority clearance to use the far left lanes at whatever speed the driver feels most comfortable multi-tasking in.

The Beltway is our daily version of a NASCAR reality show. Strap up and collect points as you go. The Baltimore Beltway is a kiddie ride compared to ours.

Drive safely and enjoy your visit!