It's Monday morning

 And my cup is full.

After our recent special privileges, one of the special people people in my life recently quoted this line--
"I'm drinking from my saucer because my cup has overflowed."  I loved the thought, and can certainly relate!

Sorry--I know I've posted on this before!  I love Mondays!
I'm sure that I love Mondays partly because Sunday is such a special day.  That seems to make starting a new week much easier.
I love Mondays because it's like a clean slate ahead of you, and yes, the days and hours may be full and the unexpected may happen.
I was sitting here this morning thinking about my week ahead, and I was feeling like it was a very full glass in front of me.

Incidentally the unexpected happened this morning (while I was still in my p.j.'s and drinking my coffee, and writing this.)  It led me to discovering a new blog when I googled a particular "How-to"  I won't post more on that subject this time--Lets just say that I'm sure that some people would put it in the catagory of it being "MONDAY".  Personally I don't think it really has anything to do with it.  Personally my feeling is that it's all in the attitude!


Last week was a really busy and kind of disjointed week.  When arriving home late on Sunday night from being gone for 4 1/2 days, I'm kind of bad about just getting stuff in the house and leaving it to deal with on Monday.
Last Monday was full of getting Meshayla un-packed, clothes washed, sorted, last minute errands & shopping in town, then home to get things in the suitcase and off to Lincoln to spend the night.  It was a full day with all that, and I didn't get anything else done.  In the mean-time you can imagine what happened.  At my house at least, mess breeds mess, and my house was the pitts.
We didn't get to our motel until fairly late Monday night, and Tuesday morning the alarm failed (or maybe it was us?) and we woke up an hour later than when we planned to LEAVE for the airport in Omaha.
Umm, yeah.  Probably not such a good way to start the day on top of possible traffic delays, road construction and needing to be at the airport early!

Thankfully we had no traffic or road delays, and when we walked into the airport exactly one hour before flight time, we had no lines & no waiting at the ticket counter! (yes, we'd checked in ahead of time, but they told us we had to get our tickets there)

The kids were probably happy that we didn't have time to give them a whole bunch of last minute "Mom" advice, warnings & instructions.  They got to their gate in time just fine, arrived in Newark just fine, called us to tell us they arrived, then later to tell us that they found their departure terminal & gate They had a layover in Newark, so had plenty of time and that's the last we heard of them until Laura called to tell us that they arrived in Stockholm some 12 hours later.  Some nice friends met them there, and helped them occupy their 5 hours before their flight to Vassa, Finland where Laura met them.

Luanne and I went back to Lincoln and enjoyed a day of shopping.  Scrapbook store, Bed bath and beyond & FINALLY got to make a visit to Trader Joe's.  By the time we arrived back home that evening, I was SO tired I didn't do a thing.
Wednesday we had Bible study at our house, so thankfully it HAD to be cleaned up.  We had company coming on Wed. night for a couple days, and we enjoyed having them here so much!
I had a cleaning job in town on Thursday and spent the rest of the day with Gina & her girls.
Friday morning they left and I have to admit that I really didn't get much done on Friday except recover from my "out of the ordinary" (not in a BAD way) week!

On Saturday my middle sister and I took off up to visit a special friend 3 hours away so I could do a Norwex presentation at her house.  We really did enjoy our day together.   Juli made us a lovely lunch and we enjoyed eating outside.  Thanks again Juli!

Sunday was another day of special Fellowship--both in the morning and afternoon.  At noon we had a lovely meal in honor of Father's day at my MIL & SIL's house along with our two oldest sons (and family)

 The little girls were having a hard day--Nan had a bug bite by her eye & it was all swollen up & she felt miserable.  Senny had 3-D glasses that she insisted on wearing!  Dawn & Zander are behind Derek, so they don't show in the picture.

 This cracks me up--Zander often has his tongue stuck out, or just the end of it between his teeth just like Derek did when he was his age!

 There is something about seeing your son with his son that really tugs on the heart-strings!

 Ryan's first "Fathers day-to be"--  Leon's 33rd Fathers day, and Derek's second.

Have a wonderful week!!  I plan to!

And the clock keeps ticking.

Where did the month (AND YEAR) go?  It's already June!

Ahhh!  June.  I'm telling myself just take a deep breath & relax.  Enjoy the days!

 

I love school being out the middle of May. (Our last day was the 18th) I was so happy to see the end of the daily rush & two trips to town every day!  I also like to have a bit of free time between when school is out, and our annual 4 day trip out west the first part of June.

Kaela's last day of school with her teacher.  I missed getting a picture of Kara :(

Meshayla had a recital (guitar) and the little girls had a piano recital the end of May and then everyone has a break from lessons this summer because of being gone.  Meshayla left to go spend several weeks at her sister's in Sidney, doing some babysitting and odd jobs to earn some money for her trip to Finland.

 The girls with their piano teacher.  Thanks Jane!!

It finally stopped raining enough to get our garden in, and my flower gardens worked in and more flowers planted.   Our chickens are all in their outside movable pens now--a bit crudely put together, but at least it works!

We got to have little Z boy here for a long weekend while the rest of his family went off without him.  It was quite fun, and he got along just great.  Fun to work on that bonding with Grammie thing! :)

We've returned from 4 wonderful days of Spiritual feasting and along with that I was happy to meet a few individuals that I've heard some of my blogging friends mention!  Special to see lots of my facebook friends & others that I have known for years.
And I flunk. Majorly.  I did not take a single picture.  I'm really annoyed with myself because I let it slide.

It's pretty quiet here for the time being--Kara and Morgen both went with one of their older sisters for a visit, & Kara is visiting some new friends.  We're looking forward to a trip up to see Jana sometime later and bring her back home.  Meshayla and her cousin Nathan left today for their trip to visit Laura in Finland.  They'll be gone until the 9th of Aug.  I'm looking forward to hearing of their adventures!  It wasn't as nerve-wracking to send the girl off this time as it was two years ago--and obviously not for her either.  The kids totally forgot to call us when they boarded their flight in Newark NJ.  And they'd already turned their phone off!  I'm pretty sure that Laura will remember to call me when they arrive there tho.    It sure brings back memories of my trip last fall! This time I'm able to relate to just where she's at.

 Yes, the girl looks a bit blurry eyed.  She stayed up on the phone too late the night before, and we had to get up early to catch their 7:45 a.m. flight along with being at the airport ahead of time for.  The mom's flunked--the alarm clock failed & we left an hour later than we planned on.  Thankfully there was no problem with traffic/roads or waiting at the airport!  Yay for "small" airports!

 They wouldn't let us mom's go down to the gate with the kids.  I suppose they figured if they were old enough to be flying overseas by themselves that they didn't need to be accompanied to the gate/plane either.

Now Kaela is going to be an "only child" for a few weeks.  I'm not sure how that's going to go with her or me either one!  I'm thinking I may have to call in the grandkids!!  On the other hand, just think how much I should be able to accomplish!

A couple more pictures before I quit.  A couple times a year the old steam engine goes thru NE.  I saw it one morning this spring when I was running some errands.  There were people stopped at the crossings waiting for it, so as soon as I got home we jumped in the van to go see it. (we live about 1/2 mi. from the tracks)  Wouldn't you know after sitting on the tracks for some time, it was ready to move, and we missed it at our crossing.  We took off zig-zagging cross country, trying to make it to another crossing to be able to sit & watch it.  We made it about 25 mi. away and the kids enjoyed standing out on the country road watching and waving to the conductor and passengers as it went by.
Silly--yes, but one of those fun spontaneous things we should all do sometimes!
I love to hear the trains.  Many of the houses we've lived in have been close to the tracks & my ear is always listening for the whistle.

I'm looking forward to a summer of many different things. Gardening, preserving.  I hope some scrapbooking & sewing.  Additionally I became a Norwex consultant and am looking forward to some fun presentations.
If you haven't heard of Norwex, you can check it out on my website:  www.maxinejelinek.norwex.biz
I'm loving their products for my own use, both at my house and cleaning for other people.  I'm also loving being able to share it with others!

I hope you all are having a great summer!  I plan on enjoying every minute of mine, busy or relaxing-whatever the day brings.

Sweet memories

The photo on this page has remained one of my very favorites of Laura.  She was about 4 years old here.   I can still remember her running in the house, all smiles with a bouquet of dandelions she'd picked for me.  Remember your favorite pink corduroy overalls Laura?  You crawled into them every chance you got, and wore them totally out!

A random snapshot-

A forever memory

Any moms out there with small children?

Trust me.

I know how busy you are,

How frustrated you get

How there's not enough time

or money

I know how much laundry you have to do,

How dirty or cluttered your house gets.

I know how you just get one mess cleaned up and there

behind you is three more.

I know how miserable it is when you have sick kids

I know how difficult it is when YOU are sick and have kids.

I know how many meals you have to make, and how you just get one meal 

cleaned up from and it's time to make the next.

I know how you can't be on the phone, the computer or in the bathroom for a minute

before someone starts hollering for you, fighting, or disaster strikes.

I know how tired you can be and how much sleep you miss.

I know alot more than just this too.

I know how fast 30 years goes.

I know how many things really don't matter.

It's like being in labor.

You think you can't do it,

It's going to never be over--

Until that baby is placed in your arms

And you know how much it was worth it,

and time dims the memory of the pain.

And one day somehow you find yourself

in a far away place.

Somewhere you never expected to be

Because you never imagined your child there

Saying goodbye.

And realizing....

In spite of everything

They grow up 

in the blink of an eye.

Realizing that you don't remember

the work you left undone;

but  you remember moments

that you took the time to love.  

To play, to hug,

To read, to be silly.

To let them be little,

To let them sleep in the middle.

And to exclaim over a small dandelion boquet

cluched in grubby sweet little hands

by a barefooted, tousel headed little child

who just tracked mud all thru the house.

Again.

Who left the door open for the flies to come in,

and the toddler to escape out.

Again.

Who woke up the baby you just got to sleep

Again.

with a joyful cry of
"Look what I brought you mommy!"

Happy 30th Birthday Laura--With Love from your Mama

27 years ago

 Mothers day, May 13, 1984 after a lovely day spent with Leon and our 4 girls, my grandparents & mother at my in-laws house, Baby #5 decided it was time to come on the scene.
At 2:15 in the morning, Monday May 14  we welcomed our first son into our family.
Derek was our 2nd homebirth but he was in a hurry, and didn't wait for our midwife to arrive.
She had a 3 hr. drive from her house from ours, and although we called her at the first sign, She arrived an hour after he was born.
Leon was initiated into the role of "midwife" without a whole lot of prep time!

Now this year he helped his own little guy celebrate his 1st birthday already!

 (April, 2011)

Happy Happy Birthday son-- We're wishing you the best year ever ahead!

Scenes that make me smile today

Mothers day

 My lovely mother in law with 2 of her 7 kids--Leon, and Elaine.

 A lovely dinner--prime rib, mashed potatoes, cream cheese corn, fruit and salad.
My family knows that Mothers day is the one day a year that I really prefer NOT to go out.  Too long of waits, too many people.  We've done alot of things over the years--when my older kids girls were home, they made several memorable mothers day meals.
This year my husband said he and the kids were going to cook.  well.........o.k. it's not they don't know how do do any cooking or kitchen work,  lets just say that even tho they know the basics, pulling the whole thing off and getting it all done and on the table at the same time is a bit more complicated than they are used to.
 The boys did bring the drinks, Ryan the pies, & Derek flowers for me.  Leon cooked the steaks & Morgen peeled the potatoes, so that was pretty good for starters! Elaine brought the fruit salad, and mashed the potatoes, Meshayla got the salad on the table and made an awesome cheesecake.  I tried a new recipe for Rosemary bread.  It was good, but needed to bake a bit longer.  I'll try it again when I'm not in such a hurry.  The younger kids did the clean up and dishes--thankfully the parts for my dishwasher came the other day.  Days like this are 3 or 4 full load runs!

 Derek, Dawn & kids

 

 Desserts--Strawberry, chocolate, banana cream pie and berry cheesecake!

 Me with my boys--  They make me feel small!

 Our group today--Mothers day, May 2011  I'm so thankful that I have a few of my kids close enough to us to spend special days together--(or any days!)

 Flowers from my son--Thank you Derek!

 And Longaburger from my husband!
It's been a beautiful day, and I am very blessed!