Little Wife On the Prairie





When you are everything to everyone, well, you had better act like you have it all together.



Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Thanksgiving with family

We were fortunate to get to spend the holiday with my family in New Mexico.  It was a fun weekend with lots of action.  We had good food with good company.  It was just as Thanksgiving should be.  Here are the pics. 

Kid's table!  Always the most fun.
The adult-children's table


The actual adult's table

My beautiful sister.  I'm sorry that I used to sit on you and blow in your face.  You did not deserve that.  Well, you sometimes did.  But I am still sorry.   

She is such a little mama.  I love that about her. 

Liv baby with her daddy. 

Ava, you have a little something in your teeth. 

I was trying to get a good pic of all of the cousins but 2 of my boys would not cooperate.  One is not pictured.  One is on the left. 

I just loved this one.

Sweet girls.

This sums up his attitude the whole weekend.  Homeboy did not sleep, at all.  He was CRANKY!

It's The Face!

I love cousins.  There is something so special about that relationship.  I miss having Thanksgiving with mine.  The cheeseballs, playing backgammon, watching movies, starting a band, staying up all night talking and laughing, and just enjoying each other.  Man, where does time go?

We give thanks for the blessings you have allowed us.  You are a good Daddy and you love to give good gifts to your children.  Thank you that you have given me these precious people to share life with. 

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Just some random loveliness

Daddy and the boys going camping.

Oh my baby girl.

So beautiful!

Levi and Jolie hanging out in Levi's room

We are seeing this a lot these days!

I love blue

The old green goat.

The new green goat!

Sweet pea

We are thankful Father!

Friday, November 19, 2010

Building Cathedrals

I got this in an e-mail years ago and came across it again today.  I have no idea of the origins or when it was written but it is timeless.  I want to post it because I know of so many mothers who have felt this way/are feeling this way.  It is a beautiful reminder of what we are doing.  Much love to all of my mommies, have been mommies or are about to be mommies! 


Invisible Mother…

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I’m on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I’m thinking, ‘Can’t you see I’m on the phone?’ Obviously not; no one can see if I’m on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I’m invisible. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this ? Can you tie this? Can you open this?



Some days I’m not a pair of hands; I’m not even a human being. I’m a clock to ask, ‘What time is it?’ I’m a satellite guide to answer, What number is the Disney Channel?’ I’m a car to order, ‘Right around 5:30, please.’



I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude – but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She’s going, she’s going, she’s gone!?



One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, ‘I brought you this.’ It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn’t exactly sure why she’d given it to me until I read her inscription:

‘To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.’

In the days ahead I would read – no, devour – the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals – we have no record of their names. These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, ‘Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, ‘Because God sees.’

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, ‘I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you’ve done, no sequin you’ve sewn on, no cupcake you’ve baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can’t see right now what it will become.

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.  I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to
sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don’t want my son to tell the friend he’s bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, ‘My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table.’ That would mean I’d built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his
friend, to add, ‘You’re gonna love it there.’

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we’re doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Pre-K Turkey Day!

Zaddok's class had a Thanksgiving feast at lunch today.  Preschool is the bomb.  You get all you can eat PB&J with a side of grapes and pretzels.  Top it off with a cupcake and call it a day.

Always with a face. 



The class.  So cute.

Zad and Cooper.  Best buds. 

Awww, my guy and his cupcake.

Joseph and  my son The Face.

Can anyone honestly say you wouldn't want to do this all day?

Me and my boy.  I am never in pictures because I am always taking them.  A sweet grandma to one of the kids offered to take this one.  She did good and I finally made the blog!

This has nothing to do with the party.  But I do give thanks for this little nugget of joy.  Here, he is delighted by the fact that his daddy keeps jumping over him. 

I pray everyone has a blessed Thanksgiving week!

Monday, November 15, 2010

Baby boy

You know when your child calls you and you walk towards them not knowing what you are about to find? That happened to me yesterday. Instead of finding my sweet baby innocently hiding from me, I found this...




Notice the mess.

Mama!  I can't help it!

I was hungry!

How else am I supposed to get a snack?

These are our little boys with their Papa Joe.

They love Papa Joe!  (Yep, that's Zaddok's picture face.)

Saturday, November 13, 2010

In my 20's...

In my 20's, my baby weight came off quickly after I finished breast-feeding. 

In my 30's, not so much. 

In my 20's, I still felt cute in my jeans.

In my 30's, I am just trying to avoid mom-jeans. 

In my 20's, it did not hurt to get out of bed in the morning.

In my 30's, what in the heck is up with that?  I just slept.  Shouldn't I feel vibrant and ready to face the day.  Instead I feel like I slept in a suitcase.

In my 20's, I still held out hope that one day I would play volleyball again. 

In my 30's and after 4 children, I will spare you the details of my jumping/bladder issues. 

In my 20's, I never questioned wearing a pony-tail, shorts or giant hoop earrings. 

In my 30's, I am wishing to hurry and get to the mu mu stage so I don't have to wonder what is appropriate anymore. 

In my 20's, I would stay up way too late and sleep in as long as I could.

In my 30's, well, not much has changed there. 

In my 20's, I dealt with self-confidence issues and insecurities because I didn't really "know myself."

In my 30's, I figured out that "knowing yourself" is overrated and that if I were to quit changing and growing, I would be soooo boring!

In my 20's I had great big dreams for my life.

In my 30's, I realize that I am not living life for myself and pray that whatever I  do will be to His glory.  After all, my Abba knows the desires of my heart. 

In my 20's, I just knew I could take on the world all by myself.

In my 30's, I know how much I need the support of my friends and loved ones.  (Oh, and the only reason I would take on the world now would be to protect my babies.  I'm vicious!)

In my 20's, I never imagined being in my 30's would be so great!

In my 30's, I cannot imagine being 40!!!!!  

Just a little shout-out to my sisters in the 30-something club! 

Monday, November 8, 2010

*sigh*

Did I already post this?  If so, sorry, but I have to post it again.  This makes my heart happy!

He is into hats.  Everything is a hat.  A bowl works perfectly.  As I took this picture he was saying, "Haa."  Translation-hat.

This age is so busy and so fun!

Even the back of his head kills me!

That's it.  I'm dead!  Oooooh, love that little boy!

Thanks for listening to my doting. 

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Asher is 7!!!

It's my sweet Ashie-boy's birthday.  He wanted to make his cake so, I let him.  Of course it had cars and sprinkles.  Lots of both!
This was one present that he hadn't asked for but we wanted him to have.  New boots!  The reaction was mixed.  But I am happy to report that he did wear them to school.   
This however, was a very planned gift.  I think he started telling me about it in November.  LAST NOVEMBER!  He knew the colors he wanted.  He was very specific. 


This is the dance of delight that ended in a fainting spell on the couch.  He got the Laser Tag Monster Trucks that he had been eyeing for a year! 

The dudes, checking it out. 
And he's pleased.  He is just like his Aunter.  He's totally happy as long as he can pick exactally what he wants.  He doesn't even care about the surprise of it all.  But that grin is what I was looking for!


Ahhhh, Legos.  Nothing goes together better than boys and Legos.  (another b-day gift from his cousins)

Yep, there's nothing better.

Except maybe a crazy brother to round out the deal!


 Happy birthday my love!  You are a delight and a treasure.  We pray blessing over you on this 7th year.