talkin' about that" feeling"

So sometimes I fight this feeling. This feeling that most moms probably get sometimes.

Kind of feeling like a little rat that runs around and around doing the daily routine.
Kind of predictable.
Kind of feeling a little tired of it all.

You cook the food.
It gets eaten.
You wash the clothes (and hang them out and fold and put away) and then they get dirty and you do it all again.
You clean and it all gets dusty once more.
And so on and so forth.

So how to keep it all fresh?

I don't know all the answers-maybe not even enough to skim the surface.

But here's some thoughts:
 Gratitude to our Abba for all the things He graciously allows us. Even if you're on the lower end of the income scale in this country you may have more than many in certain parts of our Earth.
Gratitude helps me with perspective!

Try to fit in just a little something beyond the daily must-do's.
Today I worked on cleaning the baseboard area under my bed, sweeping and wiping.
It felt good to have an extra "corner" nice and clean.
It helps when the cereal is spilled and other messes are around to know that "it's clean under the bed" and feel like one is not a complete failure.
Cause you know, sometimes the daily grind feels messy and unending and what's the finished product of all this?

Tackle something new.
I've been getting to know a nearby track.
It feels so great to get exercise and fresh air!

I'm also working on incorporating a lot more greens into our diet. This challenge is a good stretching of my sometimes tired brain cells!

Working on handmade items.
Making stuff. I like to make stuff. There's a purty new wall hanging I'm getting close to completion on! Excited!

What do you do to keep your brain alive?
Do tell!

~pilgrimama

talking about breakfast..

Isn't it the best feeling to get up in the morning and feed your children a yummy, nutritious breakfast?
This morning it was : hardboiled eggs, toast from homemade bread, oatmeal with chocolate chips,dates, sesame seeds or dried currants as the toppings of choice.

I know my children will not be begging for junky treats so easily when they are well-fed.
That is a great feeling in my book!
              ~pilgrimama

bicycle powered ice cream among other stuff..

What do you do all week when half your children are at camp? The noisier half to boot!

Here is what I have done:

• Gone to one classical music concert.
• Gone to one summer reading program kick-off party-the kids musicians there were great!
• Gone to the doctor.
• Read.
• Made yummy food.
• Folded laundry.
• Watched a movie with Lee and the girls.
• De-cluttered and de-cluttered, and de-cluttered!
• Went with the girls to a daycamp we were informally a part of this morning. Sustainable living was a theme. I think Chelsea's favorite part was the bicycle-powered ice-cream machine and the resulting ice-cream!
• Tonight is small group with our church family.
• Hopefully, tomorrow will be a productive day as well! I look forward to seeing my sons again!

Hope your day and week was productive as well!
~pilgrimama

o the things that we saw on mulberry block!

Tonight, I took my girls for an evening stroll.
We pretty much went around the block.
On the way we ate big,fat mulberries and sugar snap peas.
We met an elder from our church.
We spoke to a neighbor about her tiny dog.
We saw the neighborhood children playing basketball.

Then we came back to our house and I let Squirrelgirl out of her stroller.
She climbed into the mulberry tree.
I nagged at the cat,who had fallen into my bad graces by catching a duckling.
He didn't seem to understand my grumpiness....

Lee came home.
Chelsea ran to see him!

Soon we all went back inside.
I ate pasta with homemade pesto.

So,so much to see and do without going far from home!
...................................................

The boys left for camp this morning.
It's their second year.
It sure is quiet without them!

Squirrelgirl provided plenty to keep me busy though. She ate a potentially toxic substance which set me on a frenzy of phone calls and the like.
All seems to be well but that was not fun!

Hopefully,tomorrow will be generally calm....


All in a mother's day!
May your evening be filled with encouragment!

~pilgrimama

i saw a rainbow last night..

I saw a rainbow last night.
And I stood and looked in awe and thought of the unchangingness and faithfulness of God.
Many years after Noah, and the rainbow still comes.
And I know that some,looking up see science where I saw God.
And I think of this song I saw on Pandora the other day-about being a fool for You.
And I think I am ok with being called a fool too.

(Do you think heaven has a room painted like a rainbow? )
.....................................*********************.................................................


the children are all signed up for the summer reading games at the library.
who would have guessed that it would get children reading this way?
this is the first year i am not doing lots of reading to little people,at least not all of them.
and that makes me happy!
and i adore seeing the reading happen.
i grew up a bookworm afterall.....
*******************************************************************
We have a deck again!
Our fridge quit working a few weeks ago. Just before I left on a trip.
Our church friends gave us another.
Lee switched them around while I was gone. But the old fridge stayed on the deck. Yuck!
Last night it finally was removed.
Yay!
********
******************************************************************
Coming up this week-my sister is visiting from the boonies of Latin America,where she works in a health clinic right now.
Yay!
May your Sunday be sweet.
                                                      ~pilgrimama

children,children everywhere-writing about a journey

Today was a FULL day. No doubt about it!
But it's tonight I want to talk about.
Tonight it was kid central around here.
With a healthy sprinkling of adults in and out.

I have to say that eleven years ago I never would have seen this coming.
I was never one of those girls who loved babies when I was growing up.
I read.
And read and read.
Books to me were more interesting than babies.

Then I got married and had my own baby.
And I fell in love.
Now there are four little people of all sizes.
And they attract more little people....
And the other little people that come around need to be loved on, and fed and entertained (and sometimes bandaged).
Lots of food with some variety is good.
A first aid kit is good as well.
Some toys and costumes  and good humor are helpful.
Add in some popsicles or cocoa perhaps and lots of love!
Pray. Know how to be firm when needed.
Enjoy and laugh!

~pilgrimama

a quote on crying

http://pinterest.com/pin/35419253/ 
 I'm not sure what rabbit trails this quote will lead my thoughts down but I bet they will go somewheres!

I am a girl who really,really,really likes quotes and I should have more of them on my blog.
Maybe.
Usually the Bible wins for truthfilled statements hands down.
Anyway, click on the link!
                    ~pilgrimama

the children clean out

ugly journal covered with buttony circles cut off an old tote-end result =not bad

The children cleaned out today. And we have quite the closetful of things to donate to a benefit yardsale now! And some filled bags of trash-hip,hip,hooray!

My children amaze me. They don't seem to worry about the things I might worry about as they clean out. They don't seem to worry a lot about the future, about whether there will be enough, about how sparce their bedrooms might seem of toys when their friends come over.
They just happily clean along, getting rid of anything that they no longer have an interest in.
They don't seem to worry about tomorrow, don't seem to have a big temptation to hoard.
The end result is quite lovely and fresh looking.

I am amazed, convicted, inspired to trust our Heavenly Father more,just like them!
But I guess that's nothing too surprising.
Afterall we are told in the Word to become like little children .
I have four teachers right in my house!
*
**************************************************

A note for you!
Want a fun candle scent for summer get-togethers?
I found Strawberry Shortcake scent on my store shelves recently! (It looks like Betty Crocker brand).
Yum!

           xoxo,
      ~pilgrimama