tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-123473252012-01-27T12:03:55.910-08:00Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.comBlogger14331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-24952799333896479092012-01-26T15:23:00.001-08:002012-01-26T19:14:55.039-08:00

Auntie Leila! And Bridget, and Rosie, and Pippo, too!Some years ago, I think in early 2010, I stumbled across Like Mother Like Daughter. I don't remember who directed me there, although she deserves my very great thanks. Perhaps it was Jessica? And I don't remember precisely which post I read first. What I do remember is that I spent the next couple of days reading my way through Leila's

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-63260691732471059342012-01-22T00:28:00.000-08:002012-01-22T00:32:41.508-08:00

Glennon's article nails Mommy Guilt. This is exactly what it sounds like.And so now I’m a stay-at-home mom. And the thing is that Mommy Guilt stays home with me. These days I experience her less as a drive-by-shooter and more as a constant commentator. Now she sounds like this: “Did you go to all three of those college classes just so you could clean the kitchen and play Candy Land all day?

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-46392743388356426682012-01-20T00:39:00.000-08:002012-01-20T00:55:26.981-08:00

On Tuesday, Jonathan stayed home from school. He wasn't sick any longer, but his school has a "24 hours without fever" policy (which I really appreciate!) Having spent the previous day lying on the couch, Jonathan was quite ready for an adventure. So we went on an expedition!They brought nets and shovels and collecting containers and archeological brushes (you know, to dust off the dinosaur

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-91847141413039162552011-12-31T18:24:00.000-08:002011-12-31T18:48:10.524-08:00

Jonathan asked for a bookshelf of his own in his (our) room. To put it mildly, there just isn't much space for one! But we found a small, 12x12x30 bookshelf offered on craigslist for $1, and since that fits the space and the budget (ha!) I went and picked it up today.I wish I'd thought to take a "before" picture, because it was pretty ugly. Black laminate and quite beat up. I keep reading on

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-2208968507600648442011-12-28T12:06:00.000-08:002011-12-28T12:26:03.062-08:00

Usually when Jonathan asks me to make something for him, his imagination wildly outpaces my skills. But this morning we were both inspired, and look at the results!Power Rangers!Of course, it took all morning. But that's what vacation time is for, right? :)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-7809394602657368142011-12-27T13:28:00.001-08:002011-12-27T13:46:54.520-08:00

Shopping has never been something I enjoy, and shopping for clothing is the worst. But Jonathan's shoes have been pinching him, and I've simply worn out most of my pants. Something had to be done.I noticed two fabulous coupons for JCPenney in the weekend paper. Hmm! So last night, after the kids were in bed, I spent about 30 minutes online looking through their site for options. The

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-9524682675825119362011-12-26T19:51:00.000-08:002011-12-26T20:04:21.508-08:00

Gabe and I spent some hours working on my website today. New photos, new comments from past clients, some new content and better page organization. It is a thing of beauty (and a joy forever?)! Would you take a minute and look around?I'm working hard to get my name and website more visibility, so that potential clients can find me. If you've known me in any birth-related capacity, could you

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-22778964763577074862011-12-25T18:54:00.000-08:002011-12-27T14:27:10.335-08:00

It was a very merry morning!Oh look, I was there, too. :)Hours spent playing together.And Christmas dinner: brisket, yorkshire pudding, mashed potatoes, and green beans (Great)Grandma-style. Oh, and pumpkin pie for dessert. After 8 years, we've finally hit on the perfect Christmas dinner tradition for our family; this is it. Yum, yum, yum!Jonathan approves. :)A beautiful end to a lovely day.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-1365237768444374032011-12-22T10:47:00.001-08:002011-12-22T10:48:17.061-08:00

Because of this post from my sister. :) Love you, Sarah!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-48582035792735019062011-12-10T15:29:00.000-08:002011-12-10T15:32:31.784-08:00

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-9733962360173502362011-12-09T14:33:00.000-08:002011-12-09T14:49:39.056-08:00

Alligators were the favored creature today during playdough playtime. We had tribes of them waddling across the table. Since there was obvious interest, when the boys tired of playdough I printed alligator coloring pages for them. We looked at color photos to see what they "look like, really, Mom".We talked about their skin and what it might feel like, and how they like to live in the water

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-13415416715775072492011-12-09T12:18:00.000-08:002011-12-09T12:51:47.847-08:00

I finally have a Kitchanaid stand mixer. Last week I stumbled across a phenomenal deal online. And since I expected a check for almost the same amount only two days later, I bought it. :) Isn't it beautiful?The boys were suitably enthralled.(well, we were making St. Nicholas cookies, so perhaps that accounts for the interest.)I'm in love. I'm so in love that I cleaned the kitchen so that it

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-83928024869551000772011-12-07T19:55:00.001-08:002011-12-07T19:59:27.374-08:00

This evening Josiah asked for a "bear song" at bedtime, so I sang "The Bear Went Over The Mountain." When I finished, there was a long pause, and then Josiah said "but I wanted him to see something on the other side of the mountain!" Me: Well, what do you suppose might have been there?Josiah: A big giant thing!Me: Oh my. Do you think the bear was scared?Thomas: Oh, the bear said "please don't

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-77542178790478573592011-12-07T14:27:00.000-08:002011-12-07T14:31:17.973-08:00

We have a couple of "scripts" that we use around here, to simplify resolution of conflicts. There's the "sorry" script:Brother 1: I'm sorry for X, Y, Z.Brother 2: I forgive you.and the "bothering brothers" script:Brother 1: Please stop doing X, Y, Z.Brother 2: Ok, I'll stop.Josiah is quite happy to play along with this, although I'm not entirely sure he understands anything he's saying. This is

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-71336724254905451712011-12-06T10:58:00.000-08:002011-12-06T11:14:04.763-08:00

We're finding ourselves in a very busy life season right now. This tends to leave me feeling rather frazzled, and that has only been heightened by the nagging worry that I "ought" to be doing more with the kids for Advent.Today I read Auntie Leila's post on Advent, and I'm feeling a bit more peaceful now. Because you know what? As usual, she's right. ;)The simple act of lighting a candle in

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-12047370887259778252011-11-24T18:43:00.000-08:002011-11-24T18:52:58.262-08:00

During dinner today, I asked everyone what they were thankful for. The responses were so much fun!Jonathan: Jesus, because he's the most important. Our cat, chicken, and flowers.Thomas: . . . *crickets* . . .Josiah: I'm thank-you for Christmas!Gabe: Five Iron Frenzy!I'm thankful for my family of boys who make me laugh so often. :)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-83926605101151228672011-11-24T08:00:00.000-08:002011-11-24T08:00:04.474-08:00

"...It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently, and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American people. I do, therefore, invite my fellow-citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next as a

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-85415550036595058002011-11-23T09:29:00.001-08:002011-11-23T09:32:53.415-08:00

There's nothing like a few months of school to make you appreciate the vacation that used to be normal life.Drowsing in the morning while the children play together (honest, I think they play better when I'm not around!) Getting everyone dressed and doing chores without any rush. Morning playtime outside. Art and math at the kitchen table. Naptime without time constraints.It is all

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-29555228832730772612011-11-21T12:10:00.000-08:002011-11-21T12:12:12.498-08:00

Me: Laundry is the un-win-able battle. :(Gabe: Honey, every day we wake up with clean underwear, you've won.Isn't he sweet?

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-13220251193233875032011-11-01T11:24:00.001-07:002011-11-01T11:26:50.008-07:00

I swear I just sat down! And now the children are up and ready to be changed and read to and played with. And I haven't started the laundry, and I still have emails to answer, and I think I was supposed to pay a bill or something, but I can't remember, and did I mention that THE CHILDREN ARE UP! and I really did mean to spend part of quiet time reading a book.Thus is proven the wisdom of

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-6613830571958256952011-10-30T19:35:00.000-07:002011-10-30T19:39:44.188-07:00

Josiah was baptized on All Saints Day shortly after he was born, so we always make a point of celebrating both the day and his baptism. We chose to celebrate on Sunday this year instead of Tuesday because our Tuesday is incredibly busy this week, and that's no way to celebrate a baptismal day!This year I wanted a fun (simple!) visual project that the boys could do, and I found it over at

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-62751367028228491102011-10-30T15:28:00.001-07:002011-10-30T15:44:59.109-07:00

Jonathan chose to be a king this year. I sewed his robe, and edged the sleeves, hem, and neckline with gold thread. He loved that. :) We used an existing purple cape (I made it for him years ago), added a belt with a sword, and he did most of the painting/decorating of his crown. Do you see the cross on the front of the crown? That was Jonathan's idea, and very important to him. Overall, I

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-86234627266818236292011-10-28T23:25:00.001-07:002011-10-28T23:28:51.292-07:00

Choirs of (kitty) angels in (cat) heaven?ht: Sister Mary Martha

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-17059926998539995742011-10-20T12:40:00.000-07:002011-10-20T12:42:59.559-07:00

Josiah: "I am."Thomas: "I'm not."Josiah: "I am."Thomas: "I'm not."Josiah: "I am."Thomas: "I'm not."Josiah: "I am."Thomas: "I'm not having this conversation with you, Siah."

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-27761171494527144292011-10-19T13:26:00.001-07:002011-10-19T13:44:40.329-07:00

I had big plans for today. A list of errands that criss-crossed six cities, a list of chores at home, a list of phone calls and emails that needed to be attended to. In other words, I had insane expectations. I have those quite frequently, unfortunately. And when I try to live up to them, I stress myself out, and then stress my children out as I bark at them to "hurry up" and move at a stressed

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-6315189334551524372011-10-17T10:53:00.000-07:002011-10-17T10:53:31.989-07:00

Josiah seems to be settling into the concept of being three years old. For the first few weeks he kept asking "Mommy, is I'm three?" I suppose I ought to fix his grammar, but it is such a cute part of his three-year-old-ness that I can't quite bring myself to do it!He was so excited about his birthday. Everything about it: the parties, the presents, the cake with blue icing, the fact of being

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-58245934743023037722011-10-16T22:14:00.000-07:002011-10-16T22:25:05.119-07:00

My mom sends the boys letters on a regular basis. The last one had some fun stickers on the back, along with the question "can you make these faces?"Jonathan was pretty good at it!Grandmommy, Jonathan wanted to be sure that you saw these. Perhaps you could mention it in your next letter?

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-44043387071732298692011-10-15T15:31:00.000-07:002011-10-15T15:36:22.928-07:00

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-57368736528832259662011-10-07T11:40:00.001-07:002011-10-07T11:55:22.219-07:00

Kirsten from team-ewan is creating a beautiful video to honor those babies, born and unborn, who are waiting for us in heaven. It is called "Say Their Names", and will simply be a video of a candle, with Kirsten off-screen reading the names of these beloved children. I'm including the names of my four miscarried babies.Sara ElizabethBenjamin JosephAbigail ReneeRobert EmmanuelIt is bittersweet,

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-253376839923623562011-10-06T15:08:00.000-07:002011-10-06T15:16:36.172-07:00

Those of you who aren't interested in birth right now can probably skip this one...but for those of you who are pregnant, might become pregnant, or just like hanging around pregnant women...here you go. :)This video is of Penny Simkin, a well-known author, doula, and childbirth educator, sharing the reasons for delaying cord clamping after birth. I found the information at the end, regarding

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-67400731306280912342011-10-03T12:39:00.000-07:002011-10-03T12:55:16.870-07:00

Thomas wants to be "Master Yoda" for Halloween this year. I took one look at the prices (and the boringness) of the costumes for sale, and decided I wasn't interested. But then I found this tutorial, and it kind of sounded ... fun? Maybe?Today we dove in. We're modifying things a bit, using what we have around the house, and hoping for the best. By the way, does anyone (in the area) have any

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-73288395122304154172011-09-27T12:27:00.001-07:002011-09-27T13:30:19.939-07:00

Thomas' timer rings and I meet him as he gets up off the "time out stool". Is he ready to apologize? Yes. He's sorry for disobeying. Then, unexpectedly, he throws his arms around me and hugs me tight. And I hear, whispered in my ear, "Mommy, I still love you from here to North Africa, even when you give me time outs."I want to remember this forever.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-15436340919629021452011-09-24T11:16:00.000-07:002011-09-24T12:27:59.984-07:00

I have to admit that I'm really enjoying the change of pace now that Jonathan is in school in the morning/early afternoon. It gave me some space to really see where Thomas and Siah are right now, and you know what? They're really fun!Here are a few photos from our past week.We've been building some great train track set-ups. See the lake and the river?I've been getting creative with lunches

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-4058498085604298872011-09-20T11:27:00.000-07:002011-09-20T11:42:38.874-07:00

A couple of weeks ago Jonathan asked me to spend part of a Saturday morning studying (and copying) one of our "art study" paintings. We chose Claude Monet's depiction of Jerusalem Artichoke Flowers. Here's the picture hanging on our wall, ready to be copied.Jonathan was a lot more willing to dive in with the paints this time (previously he's been more hesitant, worried that he won't be able to

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-49936365476098160592011-09-20T08:35:00.001-07:002011-09-20T08:42:47.464-07:00

"Mommy, is I'm old enough, now I'm three?"Isn't that interesting? He's the only one of the three boys who has made up his own grammar in this way.{He thinks that he's already three, because we had a big family joint-birthday party last weekend.}

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-9299538237289092762011-09-18T19:13:00.000-07:002011-09-18T19:23:32.916-07:00

Jonathan was working on his homework with me this evening, writing sentences that use his spelling words. For "be" he volunteered: "Be holy, as I the Lord your God am holy." This was clearly a Bible verse, but neither Gabe nor I knew where it was found (or why it was at the forefront of Jonathan's mind). So Gabe asked if Jonathan knew where it was in the Bible...and Jonathan said "um,

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-15034507452659059092011-09-16T13:48:00.000-07:002011-09-17T08:02:08.850-07:00

*I'm choosing to disallow comments on this post, as I don't want to host an argument on the merits of the case.*Katie McCall was my childbirth teacher, and she assisted at Thomas' birth. Last year she was (unjustly, I think) prosecuted for practicing without a license. She was sentenced today and thankfully will NOT be serving time in jail. (So glad for her kids' sake!!!) However, she does have

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-40674054763424993422011-09-13T14:10:00.001-07:002011-09-13T14:16:06.475-07:00

Today Thomas and Josiah were extra tired, and I let them spend some time watching Bambi. From the kitchen, I heard Thomas saying "I'm not scared, are you scared?" And I'm so happy that I had my camera next to me to capture this sweetness:

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-45136179808446699412011-09-13T13:54:00.001-07:002011-09-13T14:09:01.962-07:00

One of Thomas and Josiah's favorite things to do with me in the mornings is baking. Muffins, or waffles, or bread, or cookies...they love to help measure and crack eggs and mix things together. Yesterday we made pumpkin pie!We even made the crust (usually I skip that part and just make pumpkin pudding.) :)Sue Baumann's Pie Crust (I adapted and used whole wheat flour and sucanat)1 and 1/2 cup

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-23663908877674412582011-09-12T16:11:00.001-07:002011-09-13T13:22:15.750-07:00

{I know that it isn't Monday anymore - I started writing this yesterday but finished today.}I just looked at all Jonathan's graded papers from last week. There are 35 pages. 13 of them are homework pages, and that was from a 4 day week.As today is Monday, there is another 2 pages of math in his homework folder (due tomorrow), and a packet of spelling (to be written, and written, and written, ad

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-56252337142927577052011-09-09T16:01:00.000-07:002011-09-09T16:20:26.153-07:00

Today we were listening to a classical music station while driving to pick up Jonathan from school. Thomas commented "Mom, it sounds like a very scary polar bear. In the snow, running!"This is what he was was hearing - his comment came toward the end, around minute 9.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-47233220925201263952011-09-08T15:52:00.000-07:002011-09-08T16:27:34.603-07:00

As I look back over last year, and the long process of finding what worked for Jonathan's education, one thing stands out as a shining, glorious success. We discovered that Jonathan is an auditory learner, and that he loves audio books. We are lucky to have access to the huge Los Angeles County library system, which includes free requests from any library in the system. That has been a

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-57539935599501377262011-08-30T13:54:00.000-07:002011-08-30T14:00:09.220-07:00

This is a movement that I've been keeping an eye on, and I'm very excited to see their "launch video". The editing is clean and watchable, and the content (people interviewed, really) is comprehensive. Take a look today, and then go back tomorrow to see what their finished site looks like!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-44556617232644435542011-08-29T16:59:00.000-07:002011-08-29T17:23:52.926-07:00

Or "real school" as Jonathan insists upon calling it. :) He's attending a private Lutheran school this year, and I think it is going to be a really good fit for him. {please excuse the messy floor - we were trying to get out the door on time!} The other boys didn't want to be left out of the picture taking: Jonathan had a hard time with me leaving, so the little boys and I came to opening

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-36011747985430771722011-08-27T10:55:00.000-07:002011-08-27T10:55:00.276-07:00

Remember all the work I've been doing in my closet? One of the pieces that landed in my "hmm..." pile was a simple purple cotton dress from the clearance rack at Target. It has a faux-wrap bodice that is really cute, but as designed it gave an (ahem!) quite amazing view. When I first bought it, I tacked the wrap together in an attempt to fix that little problem, but it just wasn't possible to

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-43554270797093729732011-08-26T18:43:00.000-07:002011-08-26T18:47:36.677-07:00

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seventy, eighteen, nineteen, one hundred! Yippee!" On a completely unrelated note, here is the budding artist: Love the tongue. And all the colors! His painting is getting a lot more complex and purposeful.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-35146373540041282682011-08-26T15:16:00.000-07:002011-08-26T15:20:32.949-07:00

This morning I woke up to a small face, inches away from my nose, and the request: "Mommy, can I snuggle with you?" I doubt there is a nicer way to wake up. I was reminded of my gentle wake up when I read Bethany's post this afternoon, entitled Waking Up Natural. Click over there and enjoy her sweet perspective on mothering, sleep, and the choices we make.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-13976210838062771112011-08-26T10:45:00.000-07:002011-08-26T10:55:20.784-07:00

He only gives us the evil eye when we give him a bath. :) Most of the time, he's the sweetest kitty you've ever met. He hasn't torn up our furniture, he hasn't bitten or scratched anyone, and he puts up with the boys (oh-so-loving!) manhandling! All the boys enjoy Raskol, but Thomas seems to have a special love for him. If he could, I think he'd carry Raskol around with him all day. I

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-48771232638892548972011-08-23T13:30:00.000-07:002011-08-23T14:06:32.787-07:00

We gave Raskol a bath on Sunday afternoon. I think Gabe kind of enjoyed it. Raskol, not so much. You've just never seen "pathetic" until you've seen a cat in a bath tub. Ooh, if looks could kill!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-17028059409683596202011-08-08T13:58:00.001-07:002011-08-08T19:01:54.875-07:00

Rosie (daughter of the wonderful Auntie Leila) is hosting a link-up for the Reasonably Clean welcome areas of our homes. If you've read much of Auntie Leila, I'm sure you know that "Reasonably Clean" is one of her themes. (after all, if you aim for perfectly clean, you don't have time to read that novel...) Last time the challenge was to make our kitchen sink pretty. This time, to make our

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-51845113521440785122011-07-20T10:27:00.000-07:002011-07-20T10:39:26.824-07:00

Today is National Lollypop Day! (Doesn't that just make you wonder...why is it National Lollypop Day, and whose idea was it, anyway?)That aside, See's Candy is celebrating by giving a free lollypop (chocolate, butterscotch, or rootbeer) to every person who comes to their stores. I know for a fact that the store in the Whittwood Mall is participating - Josiah and Thomas and I were just there. :)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-18485329640212425772011-07-19T13:32:00.000-07:002011-07-19T14:00:55.817-07:00

He's home and recovering nicely after his surgery. He's doing his darndest to scratch his bandage off, though. I think the healing must be itchy.It looks like the vet cut his head off and then sewed it back on, doesn't it?I still kind of wish that Raskol was Hermione, but boy or girl, this is one sweet kitten. I'm still in love. I'm so in love that I'm not even complaining about the fact

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-49927102520101658552011-07-19T12:41:00.000-07:002011-07-19T12:48:20.250-07:00

Betsy Barber has written a beautifully edifying post over at The Good Book Blog. It is the sort that you should save until nap time, and then read slowly and prayerfully; savor it.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-91885677513370357142011-07-18T10:00:00.000-07:002011-07-18T10:00:00.868-07:00

We have a dress up bin that the boys play with regularly. Usually they are knights, or star wars characters, or policemen, or firefighters. But this time? This time they recreated church! Jonathan dressed himself up as a priest, complete with vestments.He arranged our table bench and piano bench into pews and an altar rail, invited the younger boys to come to church, and served them "

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-45975318065184948332011-07-17T17:29:00.000-07:002011-07-17T19:25:28.709-07:00

I've been working on a project for the past few weeks. I'm decluttering my clothing. This has been the result of a variety of things: reading The 100 Thing Challenge, turning 30, feeling frumpy (jeans and t-shirts every day will do that to you), getting tired of feeling frumpy, and then stumbling across a couple of blog posts on "Mommy Fashion" and Cate MacDonald's interesting Twenty Pieces

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-15705604056740049832011-07-17T07:00:00.000-07:002011-07-17T07:00:07.017-07:00

We took the boys to a concert last night: the five Brown siblings, all pianists, playing an outdoor concert that included Saint-Saens "Carnival of the Animals". This is one of the boys' favorite pieces of music. We have a cd and book that walks you through each part, and it has been an oft-requested piece during quiet time. Tickets on the lawn at the top of the amphitheater were quite

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-28845343520254367212011-07-16T14:26:00.000-07:002011-07-16T14:33:26.820-07:00

Hermione is a BOY. So says the veterinarian, anyway, but I don't believe her. I'm attached to my little girly kitten!The vet also let us know that we got more than we bargained for in adopting her. I mean him. It turns out that the "scar" on her neck is actually a rubber band with skin growing over it. It is restricting her breathing, and the vet said that it is surprising how well she's

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-23608443740977836022011-07-15T15:22:00.001-07:002011-07-15T15:22:46.577-07:00

Thomas: "I love you, Mom, all the way to North Africa."

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-78162169871428934452011-07-10T17:08:00.000-07:002011-07-10T18:28:49.248-07:00

Isn't she sweet?She showed up at our front door a few nights ago, and when we opened it to investigate, she walked right in. I'm allergic to cats, so (like an idiot) I spent the next 45 minutes cuddling her while talking to neighbors and trying to discover who she belonged to.No one knew, of course, although most of us thought she was probably abandoned, because she has some icky scarring on her

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-78458389776006516182011-07-01T15:16:00.000-07:002011-07-01T15:17:33.325-07:00

I found this at Hip2Save - she always posts a "Happy Friday" picture and this one was too good not to share!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-5555521781691090822011-06-27T13:11:00.000-07:002011-06-27T13:27:34.883-07:00

Six months ago I started the process of making my own vanilla. Crystal (from A Thrifty Mama) posted a tutorial that looked quite simple, and I was tired of paying outlandish prices for real vanilla! (Especially when I discovered that it actually had corn syrup in it...grr!)Well, it certainly was simple! I followed the tutorial exactly, and today I bottled my very own, truly pure vanilla! It

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-16564073078030167362011-06-24T12:56:00.001-07:002011-06-24T13:00:13.365-07:00

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-24549838748756297242011-06-24T08:46:00.001-07:002011-06-24T08:50:18.313-07:00

Insomnia is never fun, but last night's experience really added insult to injury. At 2am I was lying in bed, listening to my brain treat me to endless repetitions of the Bob the Builder theme song.I think that video series is going to be permanently banned from our house.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-36930122912050949902011-06-21T13:08:00.000-07:002011-06-21T13:19:31.608-07:00

You know how you read those little board books to your kiddos over, and over, and over, and over, and over again? I just discovered a happy result to all those repetitions. Jonathan has gone back to the board books that I was almost ready to put away (I'm glad I hadn't gotten around to it yet!) He's reading them to himself. They have quite a few words in them that aren't technically "easy

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-15228328593255458722011-06-21T12:44:00.001-07:002011-06-21T12:45:50.104-07:00

Josiah has brought a whole new level of amusement to toddler whining. His version? "Mommyyyy, why why why why why why why???"

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-28177657210424690672011-06-07T10:40:00.000-07:002011-06-07T10:50:45.213-07:00

Isn't this the most beautiful house EVER?Craftsman, 5 bedrooms, two stories,on more than 2 acressurrounded by forest...I think I want to move TODAY. :)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-67224813855961394502011-05-31T17:24:00.000-07:002011-05-31T17:28:07.628-07:00

Jonathan: "Mom, when you were little, did you play Starfall on the computer?"Emily: "No, they hadn't invented Starfall yet."Jonathan: "Well, did you play other games on the internet?"Emily: "They hadn't invented the internet yet, either."Totally boggled his little mind. :)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-77192060879527145572011-05-31T15:57:00.000-07:002011-05-31T16:05:57.395-07:00

I really love Improv Everywhere. They're so consistently entertaining and they dream up some of the most creative missions! Their latest: The Mute Button!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-59341609479566894632011-05-25T14:20:00.000-07:002011-05-25T14:30:30.569-07:00

I think one of the best summer treats is a freshly made smoothie. Today when we came home from the park we made this one:Strawberry Orange Banana SmoothieMilk (probably about 3/4 cup or so)2 spoonfuls orange juice concentrate2 oranges1 cup spinach (loosely measured)1/2 frozen banana10 or so frozen strawberriesBlend milk, concentrate, oranges, and spinach until smooth. With blender running, add

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-50403375091153008202011-05-24T19:46:00.000-07:002011-05-24T19:50:21.254-07:00

I spent some time working in my front garden today. It has truly horrible soil, riddled with roots from the neighboring tree, and it is difficult to get much of anything to grow in it. But it is in front of my house, in the area that *technically* is the HOA gardeners' domain, so I feel a need to try to keep it looking nice.{I commandeered the space years ago, when we had a gardening service

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-6309428108612432732011-05-24T17:25:00.001-07:002011-05-24T20:26:18.574-07:00

How is it that Star Wars has taken over my life, even though none of my boys has ever seen the movies? The boys dress up as Luke and Darth Vader. They pretend to be Anakin (is it going to be traumatic when they discover who that poor kid becomes?) and talk about Mandalorians. Jonathan sets up elaborate battlegrounds between the "good guys" and the "bad guys" with his star wars lego. (I think

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-8322457414979601252011-05-24T13:52:00.001-07:002011-09-08T18:16:27.483-07:00

Touchstone recently started publishing a column by Kathie Johnson entitled "First Books". Kathie has a deep love for children's literature, and she has a truly amazing library in her house, available to children in Berkeley. In this month's article, she reviewed some of the "just-beginning-to-read" books that she has found the most children to respond to, and discussed why different children

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-91219485918566164372011-05-23T11:26:00.000-07:002011-05-23T11:32:50.785-07:00

Poor Josiah fell off his chair yesterday evening and bit his tongue. I was actually a little scared when I picked him up, because he had blood everywhere - covering his teeth, smeared across his face, all over his hand. It was a nasty double sided bite. Poor baby!He recovered enough to show it off for the camera, though. :)How about a close-up?Yeah, ouch.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-16344959911692772462011-05-19T14:45:00.000-07:002011-05-19T14:51:33.734-07:00

Earlier this month, Paul Simon called a fan up on stage and invited her to play a song on his guitar. Can you imagine how incredible that would be? Seriously, just imagine it.(Having looked up the lyrics of the song, I can't say I recommend them...but the music is great.) :)Credit to Katie for the link!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-73569272365506643862011-05-17T10:02:00.001-07:002011-05-17T10:03:23.237-07:00

And after that lovely day yesterday? Today, I have lost all my focus and motivation. Gah! Someone save me from myself! :)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-36868660131180459612011-05-16T23:00:00.001-07:002011-05-16T23:16:12.555-07:00

Mamapedia has another awesome kids' magazine deal available, starting TOMORROW (May 16th)! This time it is a one year (10 issue) subscription to your choice of Animal Baby, Your Big Backyard, or Ranger Rick for only $10!(There is a coupon code floating around the internet - MAY10 - which may take 10% off your order. But since I haven't tried it yet, I can't promise that it will work.)We gave

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-56312544768164306002011-05-16T20:31:00.000-07:002011-05-16T20:46:07.821-07:00

Sometimes it is nice to look back over the day and bask in the accomplishments.Cooking: black beans, dinner quesadillasBaking: 2 batches of granola bars, blackberry cobbler (sadly, the banana muffins didn't quite happen)Laundry: the hamper is merely full now, instead of overflowing. :)Homeschooling: math, art, handwriting, maps, narration, reading (Frog and Toad: Spring)Little kids: water play,

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-49389036558973373632011-05-16T18:50:00.000-07:002011-05-16T19:01:29.912-07:00

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-85478540367525575942011-05-12T11:55:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:39:13.155-07:00

Need a few cards? Shutterfly is offering a promotion right now: 5 free cards (pay only shipping and handling). Plus, if you go through ShopAtHome, you'll get 20% of your cost back.[I'm not sure if the refund applies to total price paid or only to the subtotal.]The code for free cards is CARD4GRAD. Also, the photo books are on sale for 20% off right now, and if your purchase is over $30 you can

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-35285221765083837082011-05-11T23:49:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:39:12.325-07:00

I've really been enjoying the {pretty, happy, funny, real} Thursday posts up at Like Mother, Like Daughter. This time I decided to join them!{pretty}Once a month the Huntington Library and Gardens offers a Free Day. We take them up on it about 4 times a year; the boys particularly love the Children's Garden. This time the roses were in full bloom! Jonathan took this picture - didn't he do a

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-52446718805437288812011-05-11T16:03:00.000-07:002011-05-13T13:39:13.326-07:00

This has to be the best giveaway I've ever seen. Head over to Crystal's site, The Thrifty Mama, and enter to win!While you're at it, you should subscribe to her blog. She writes a niche deal site covering healthy and organic deals, and I've found it very helpful as I try to buy organic without breaking the bank. :)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-68699904745840921292011-05-10T16:41:00.000-07:002011-05-10T16:49:43.520-07:00

I'm working hard on not spending money on things that I don't have to spend money on, in the interest of paying down our mortgage (and moving! to Oregon! yay!) But my kitchen curtains were at least five years old, and they'd been washed to the point of falling apart. Buy new ones? No way. :) I found some pretty white fabric in my stash - actually I think it originally came from my mom's stash -

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-81856572260206089442011-05-09T13:55:00.001-07:002011-05-09T14:11:30.189-07:00

I'm pleased to announce that my doula service website is up and running! Gabe was, of course, invaluable in building it, and I have a whole new appreciation for both his job and for designers...building a website from mostly scratch is hard!! :)I'm excited to have my little space on the web. If anyone has suggestions/feedback, please let me know! And of course, if you know someone who might

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-39468600153358693582011-05-09T13:38:00.000-07:002011-05-09T13:48:48.343-07:00

Some time ago, a friend (I think it was Jessica?) gave me some old skirts. They weren't really wearable - they kind of screamed "I was fashionable in the 90's!" - but they were made of nice fabric and I thought I'd sew something with them.Well. This weekend I was going through my fabric stash and got inspired. Check out the result!For the blue one, I cut off the bottom of the skirt, and sewed

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-82793054375339932772011-05-07T19:40:00.001-07:002011-05-07T19:48:28.399-07:00

Usually I post pictures and photos of my own kids on my blog. But today, I just have to send you over to The Joy and the Care.Bethany was my first roommate during college, and she was (and is!) a lovely person. I enjoy keeping up with her precocious girls via her blog, as well as reading Bethany's reflections on motherhood. She's an insightful woman. In this video her youngest, Jane, is

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-34263019549928724702011-05-03T15:02:00.000-07:002011-05-03T15:07:37.109-07:00

Jonathan finished today's schoolwork during his morning quiet time. This afternoon he asked, "Mom, if I do tomorrow's schoolwork right now, then would I have the whole day to play?"It has been a bit of a rough year, homeschooling, but I think that Jonathan is starting to see some benefits of staying home!

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-26288050786914024332011-05-02T21:38:00.000-07:002011-05-02T21:46:44.941-07:00

One of my favorite new recipes from our Lenten meal plan: perfect beef stew. I adapted a whole slew of recipes and we absolutely loved the result!Ingredients * 1 lb beef chuck, cubed * 6 tablespoons whole wheat flour * 2 teaspoons salt * 1/4 teaspoon pepper * 3 tablespoon butter * 1 onion, diced * 3 cloves garlic, crushed * 4 cups water * 1 teaspoon Worcestershire

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-3206049327248791242011-04-27T08:51:00.000-07:002011-04-27T08:52:39.596-07:00

"Mom! When are you going to feed me breakfast???""I did feed you breakfast. You ate three waffles.""That wasn't breakfast, that was a snack! Can I have oatmeal now?"

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-89790686169212472782011-04-19T19:02:00.000-07:002011-04-19T19:02:28.079-07:00

I've been feeling very cramped in our two-bedroom condo, lately. It seemed that there just wasn't ever enough space to give to the children that needed it (much less myself!) The boys were fighting a lot because they just seemed to bump into each other too much...and often literally! I was tired of breaking up fights, and tired of quiet time not really being quiet - with three boys in one

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-21264909390978314692011-04-19T18:51:00.000-07:002011-04-20T16:17:31.083-07:00

My mother and sister have been talking about me behind my back. They agree that I don't blog about our doings often enough. :)So...here's what we've been up to in the past few weeks:Jonathan turned 6!We had a fun, laid back party at a local park.Fed the ducks.Played Duck, Duck, Goose. (Yes, me too!)I love doing park parties. They're not wildly expensive, I can throw one together in about a week

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-8389262642376896262011-04-14T17:39:00.000-07:002011-04-14T17:44:28.196-07:00

We've been watching Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as a family for the last few days. This afternoon we got to the first really frightening part, and Thomas was distressed. "I'm scared that the soldiers are going to kill the good guys," he told me during dinner. "I'm going to let you in on a secret, Thomas," I said. "Is it a good story if the good guys get killed?""No.""Do you think that the people

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-79084268192505139022011-04-14T14:46:00.001-07:002011-04-14T15:03:09.412-07:00

Last night and this afternoon I listened to a lecture by Susan Wise Bauer (of The History of the World fame). She was speaking on "Homeschooling the Real (Distractable, Impatient, Argumentative, Unenthusiastic, Non-Book-Loving, Inattentive, Poky, Vague) Child".Don't you just want to hear that? :)I have a tendency to imagine that homeschooling is just going perfectly in every home but my own.

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-36230280581615382042011-04-13T14:06:00.001-07:002011-04-13T14:27:37.235-07:00

My boys think that getting magazines in the mail is THE coolest thing EVER. We get the free Lego magazine (sign up here if you haven't already) and we've purchased subscriptions (Ranger Rick, etc.) for them as gifts in the past. They just love it.So I was really pleased to see this deal that Mamapedia is offering TOMORROW (April 14th): a one year (6 issue) subscription to National Geographic

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-1955123101463407502011-04-05T12:09:00.000-07:002011-04-05T12:28:51.922-07:00

A couple of weeks ago, I got a call from a sweet college student from Biola. We were in the midst of bedtime, so I told Christine that I'd be happy to talk with her, but could she please call back in 20 minutes? She did so, and we ended up donating a modest amount to the Biola Scholarship Fund.I expected a receipt for tax purposes, of course, but look what we received!A formal letter from the

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-30593365396474125142011-04-03T13:20:00.000-07:002011-04-03T13:20:00.201-07:00

Currently on ebay:$5 amazon gift cardCurrent bid: $10.50$10 amazon gift cardCurrent bid: $31.00$25 amazon gift cardCurrent bid: $53.00$50 amazon gift cardCurrent bid: $102.50I keep hearing how Americans aren't very good at math, but this seems on the outside of crazy!(Perhaps I should start selling gift cards on ebay...!)

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-14565061904778710082011-04-02T20:26:00.000-07:002011-04-02T20:32:54.775-07:00

Something I'm loving right now? Josiah learning to sing. He sings with me at bedtime: "Baby Mine, don't you cry..." ("cryyyyyy"). He sings to himself while playing during quiet time. Right now a favorite seems to be "Happy Birthday", although all that is actually sung is "happy birthday, yoooouuu..." This morning we went house-hunting, and on the way he sang "house, house, house, house,

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-26631463464528088502011-03-31T23:12:00.000-07:002011-03-31T23:21:48.668-07:00

Josiah's graduation party also marked a momentous occasion: he gave his pacifiers to Mrs. Heather. We talked with him about the idea for about three weeks leading up to the big day. Then we brought out a colorful gift bag and encouraged him to drop his pacifiers in while Heather held it. He didn't mind putting in the first two, but the last one took some extra encouragement! I wasn't sure

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-46962712579564750132011-03-31T22:53:00.000-07:002011-03-31T23:12:15.744-07:00

We have been so blessed in our speech therapist, Heather Lovejoy. We started working with her nearly 2.5 years ago, back when Thomas needed help. Just a few months after he finished, Josiah started therapy. Week after week after week, Heather showed up at our house, always patient with the boys and often including brothers in the therapy play. Josiah loved her, and would grin and run to the

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-63187798996846539752011-03-25T09:08:00.000-07:002011-03-25T10:09:35.070-07:00

All three boys are at Grandma's house today. All day. I am sitting in a blissfully silent house, dreaming up all the amazing things that I have time to do today. Read! Crochet! Watch a video! Garden!I mean: Vacuum! Do the laundry! Wash the dishes! Clean the refrigerator!Actually I'm thrilled to have time and space to do things on both those lists. :) My first project of the morning:

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-12347325.post-53696265878474827712011-03-23T10:34:00.001-07:002011-03-23T10:42:17.908-07:00

Mid-morning, I was trying to decide what we'd do next. Go out to the park and/or the library? Stay home and have quiet time first? Josiah made that decision really easy when he picked up his blanket, held up his arms for a hug, and said "Mama, need nap."Yes, he's sleeping now. This little two year old really does have the most amazing grasp of his own sleep needs. Instead of getting cranky

Emily (Laundry and Lullabies)http://www.blogger.com/profile/16367630628716619991noreply@blogger.com5