it's genetic

I apparently have inherited my father's gene for house projects. There are a million that we think up, and we have the motivation to get through 3/4 of one before another one seems more urgent/interesting/necessary.

My husband likes the status quo in terms of surroundings. He wants to come home and know what to expect. An interesting desire for one with preschoolers in the house! Not to mention having married the likes of me.

In the past couple of months I have torn down all the wallpaper in the basement (yay!!!!!) enacted a major book removal session, bought a new couch, and chosen paint colors and new lighting for the basement. I have not finished cleaning the wallpaper goo off the walls, bought the paint, or fully completed clutter removal/organization. Then today when Matt came home from work I started talking to him about cutting into the wall behind the refrigerator to make more room for a new one. Yeeps. But hey, at least one of us is the catalyst behind home repairs!! :-) And thankfully I have a very understanding and self-sacrificing husband.

Seriously, did you know that some houses require "cabinet depth" refrigerators? These are shorter depth than the standard refrigerator, yet they cost way more. What is up with that? It is a smaller fridge, yet it costs more! So frustrating.

Now my motivation to finish the basement can be that I will get to move on to the next project once it's done. (Will show before and after pictures before I do that though!) As a full time mom it is a big deal to me, to have something tangible that shows progress, that doesn't get messed right back up again!

Today my fixation and frustration about such house related issues has brought me back to these verses from Matthew 6 that our Pastor went through on Sunday (just substitute "refrigerators" where you see "clothes" and you'll follow my thinking):

19"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

still kickin

I'm actually going to blog. Can you believe it? Here's how far back my blog-thoughts go:

Ian and I were writing thank you notes at the table just before Christmas. He and Caleb got to talking about Santa, and about all the things they wanted for Christmas and how they would leave him cookies, etc. etc. Wanting to redirect a little, I asked them if they could think of something we could do for Jesus for his birthday. Ian said, "oooh we should make him a card!"

The outside of the card said Happy Birthday Jesus, and was covered with Christmas stickers. For the inside, I asked Ian what he wanted me to write and this was his response: "Dear Jesus, I love how you take care of me day and night and I love how you stay with me every day close to my side. Happy Birthday!" Love, Ian (signed it on his own). This melted my heart thoroughly, but then he said he wanted to make a card for Mary and Joseph as well. I said we could just add it to Jesus' card and He would share it with Mary and Joseph. So, he asked me to write: "Dear Mary and Joseph, I love how your baby takes care of me night and day, and I love you."

Our latest favorite mispronunciation of Caleb's: "Jophess". The discussion is as follows:
"Caleb, who is in the manger?"
"Jesus!"
"and who else?"
"Mary!"
"and who else?"
(big smile) "Jophess!"

I could eat him for breakfast. :-)
Speaking of breakfast, we had one of my favorite "dinners" tonight: blueberry buttermilk pancakes, omelettes, sausage, and o.j.. I am a major pancake fan. These had part cornmeal, sour cream substituted (with milk) for the buttermilk, lemon juice, and fresh blueberries. Yum. The omelettes had sauteed shrooms and onions and sharp cheddar. Maybe this seems weird that I'm blogging about what we ate for dinner? I am currently watching my favorite channel, the Food Network. Maybe that has something to do with it. I think posts about food might need to happen more often.