Little Eyes, Soap Operas, and Me

"Oh Be Careful Little Eyes what You See,

Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See,

For The Father Up Above Is Looking Down With LOVE,

Oh Be Careful Little Eyes What You See."
Have you ever heard this old Sunday School children's song? It goes on to say, Oh Be Careful Little Ears What You Hear Oh Be Careful Little Mouth What You Say  and then back again to the Eyes. It's a classic Sunday School song that has always stuck with me. This past week I was reminded of this song two times. Once with a boy child, and once with a "woman child in a state of Grace." You see, I had one of those profound moments as a parent where you live out a lesson you yourself learned long ago, only now you are on the other end of the lesson.  When I was a young girl I used to watch Soap Opera's. SHOCK. AWE. GASP. Yes, Soap Opera's were my vice. My all time favorite was Days of Our Lives, and later it was All My Children. I would come home from school everyday and turn on the TV to my favorite Soap, eat my after school snack, and dream about the day that A Knight and Shining Armor would come whisk me off my feet and make passionate love to me. Yep. That was me. Until one day I realized that Soap Operas to a woman are kind of like what Porn is to a Man.  Don't act so surprised, you know it's true. We love the story, the romance, the ultimate drama, and not so much the reality. Ok, now hold on right there. IF you are a grown woman who watches Soaps I mean you no harm.  To each his or her own. But for me, there was a point in time that I distinctly remember realizing that Soaps would no longer be healthy for my life, and for the realities in life so I gave them up. So fast forward almost 20 years and I find myself having to teach my children this lesson of being careful about what they spend their free time watching, reading, and looking at.
You've heard that saying,  "You are what you eat." Well, to me watching and reading is kind of our soul's way of eating. What we watch we digest. What we read we digest. And so I realized that I didn't want to digest SOAP anymore. Are you tracking what I'm laying down? That kind of fantasy life only leads to discontentment with reality.  I wanted contentment. I wanted reality. So I gave up Soap. (I didn't give up soap, like real soap silly. I promise I'm still fresh smelling) I have to admit was a strange thing to return to this lesson as the one on the other side of the fence.  When my children had the reactions they did I was surprised at how attached they were to what they were watching/reading.  There were tears. There were hugs. And ultimately, I hope I portrayed the true heart of God which is that although we won't go to "HELL" for watching things like Soap Opera's it's just not the best use of our time. And, it's kind of like... "Garbage in, Garbage out." (I hate even using that cheesy phrase but it really is so very true) I'm glad that song says, "For the Father up above is looking down with LOVE" because that is also the truth. He doesn't condemn us for these kinds of things that eat up our free time, and are frankly a nice distraction sometimes. I think, He just really longs for that time to be spent with Him. It's a good lesson. It's a good reminder. It's all good.
Happy Monday Beloved Reader.

Tree Sweater Pictures

There is a local fiber artist, Suzanne Tidwell who has recently brightened up the downtown area of Redmond by putting sweaters on the trees. Don't you just absolutely love art?

This exhibit is amazing. To call this a labor of love, would be an understatement.

I begged my Fab 4 to cooperate for a photo shoot here and had to promise them the world so they would deliver. I guess my years of constant documenting with a camera is not something they appreciate. Hmm... I can't imagine why?

Well, they did cooperate, and I am happy to report that I now have some updated close up shots of them. It's been about 5 years, but ya know better late than never.

Solomon was the odd man out of that shot. Oops!

Life in general

* I woke up this morning to a very quiet house. It was after 9 am and no one was awake STILL. My kids sleep in now. It is an amazing thing but if I let them stay up later like I did last night because they didn't have school today, they actually sleep in. There was a time when no matter when they went to bed they were up no later than 7am. I remember those days and Moses and I used to get into fights about whose turn it was to get up with the babies. My kids are not babies anymore, and the proof is in the pudding, they sleep in. Sure sign of a big kid house is when everyone sleeps in. Anyways, it was nice and I enjoyed the fruits of my labor in letting them stay up close to midnight last night.

* There was a thick cloud of fog outside my window this morning. I really LOVE fog. I really LOVE waking up inside this cozy warm cabin, looking outside at what feels like one of the most beautiful campgrounds I have ever been to, and remembering... "Oh yeah, I live here now."



* We went to Oregon for our Mid-Winter break. It was so nice to see our friends that are like family, the Gores. To be around the people that you love and people that love you is a gift. One that I will never take for granted again.

* I still love Oregon. I love the people, the vibe, the fact that you don't have to pump your own gas. I am happy that I am only 2 hours away from one of my most favorite cities in the world Portland. Seattle is growing on me though and although it is distinctly different than Portland, there are some similarities. Mainly, the water :)

* Valentines Day my honey gave me the gift that keeps giving. He bought us a membership to the Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyard. I think inspired by our friends the Gores who have a membership to Sweet Cheeks which provides that at least once a month they have an automatic date to go pick up their wine. The Chateau got voted the best Wine of the year by a Wine magazine(can't remember the name of the magazine) this year and it is not only one of the prettiest spots on the planet, but also some very good vino. Bonus is that it's only 20 minutes from our house. I can't wait to share this place and some of their product with all my loved ones.



This bar of LOVE soap was Mo's gift along with a case of his favorite brew, chocolates, and card of course. This bar of soap smells so good and it just made me chuckle so it was necessary that I bought it. Plus the owner of the shop where I got it in Seattle was just too cool and waited to blow dry her hair until she got to work. This made me smile. We had a whole conversation about how now that I live here in the PNW I have to blow dry my hair or it never air drys. I prefer to air dry my hair but it doesn't really work up here. Bummer! Still getting used to my new environment in more ways than one!!



* Presidents Day today and the kids are now playing guitar hero. All 4 play even though we only have 3 instruments. Em on the microphone, Sol guitar, Chloe Bass, and Isaiah finds some sticks around the house to bang in place of the drum set which one day we might get but right now have no room for, nor the talent for it to really be utilized.

* I am outside on the porch sipping my coffee, bloggin, and thinking WHAT A BEAUTIFUL LIFE!!

Some more Random Thoughts

I think I am finally getting the hang of this family, working, school thing and getting into some what of a groove. I keep reminding myself that it is only for a few more weeks that I will constantly have the feeling of an ulcer forming in my stomach, feel guilty for blogging or any other Internet thing I do other than school and homework, and  in the back of my head always have  my grades that are looming.

It will get better and I will pass all of these classes and be one step closer to getting the hell out of the school system, at least in this way.

Tonight my baseball team gave it up to Tampa Bay. I have to say that I was so proud of them the other night when they came back from the dead and tonight...well.....I will admit I knew from the start that Tampa Bay wanted it real bad this season. SO now on to the playoffs which aren't nearly as fun without my team but I will be rooting for the Phillie's. Not sure exactly why that is except for that I can't exactly root for the team that beat my boys. It was a great season for the Bo Sox's anyways and as long as we have the Yankees beat we are good as far as I am concerned.

I experienced the most embarrassing moment of my parenting career this week. It was so embarrassing that I am not sure I want to share it here with you all except to say that can you guess who was the culprit??

We took the family into Scheels today and if you haven't gone into this Mega mini mall of a store yet I suggest you make the trip. It is well worth it. I thought for sure it would be boring , what could I possibly find entertaining in a sporting goods store but it is so much more. If just for the scenery make the trip over there. It is pretty cool, Farris wheel and all.

Well, I hope you all had a great weekend. I will be thinking of a topic soon to actually blog about other than my thoughts that are oh so random.

The life of a child

So, my lil man knows that when he has to put his coat on it is time to go somewhere. This morning he brought his coat over to me as if to say, "Can we go have some fun"
When I put on his coat this is the grin that exploded on his face.
The simple things in this life are what make these lil' people so truly happy and that is what I want to be like.
Happy just to be alive, healthy, warm, well-fed, and loved.

The Twilight Zone

I feel I have entered the twilight zone and I am repeating the last 5years of my life only this time its being at home with 2 boys instead of 2 girls.
Very wierd. Very different. Very Interesting.
Boys are a different breed and I don't quite get em yet but I am working on it.
IF I could just get past having panic attacks every 5 seconds that they are jumping off something, or climbing something else, or breaking things.......Lord have mercy there is a special place in heaven for the parents of all boys, I'm convinced tis true.

Some Scofield funnies

Today while waiting to pick up Chloe from school , Sol says to me "Look mom they have trapped a robot inside that fence!" I say, "Hugh" not even looking. Then he says it again, "Look mommy, it has two eyes, a nose and really long arms, can I go climb the fence and let it out?" I say , "What are you talking about??" He says, "LOOK" This time because he is so enmphatic I look directly where he is pointing and see that he is talking about the power meter(i think that's what you might call it) that is inside a chain link fence, probably for safety reasons, directly in front of the school. " "Oh, no you can't go climb the fence and let the robot out , the principal might need that robot for something later" The mind of a soon to be 4 year old boy. So Great!!
Later, after school talking with Emma my 7 year old, I say," What is your favorite season Em?" She thinks long and hard and then says very certainly, " I think Summer when it's warm because that's when ice cream is in high demand" hee hee hee , Keeping a straight face I say, "Oh really why is that?" She says rather condescending "Well, certainly because it is so hot outside" Who has this kid been hanging around , that's what I want to know. Mann, if only I could sound as smart at 30 as she does at 7 sheesh!!!