How a Preschooler Repairs the Moon

Hello, F.O.T.E.'s,
I'm feeling fine. Our apartment is wall-to-wall tidiness. Ah, like "Brigadoon." Once every 100 years, LOL...I once saw a plaque that read, "My house was clean yesterday. Sorry you missed it." Now, I've caught flak for thinking that was funny. After all, our house should stay tidy all the time, no? I promise you, Friends, I do my best. Anyway, the (apartment) complex management came today to each apartment to treat for pests and check the smoke detectors. I've been sweating bullets for the last few days--cleaning closets, pulling out the couches, tables...vacuuming under there. (I found some treasures from the last occupants, LOL. Made me feel better.) So, while the Lambs and I were eating lunch...knock, knock, knock...
There were 3 men (from the management). They were in and out in under 30 seconds. I felt like yelling, "Hey, come back!!!! Don't you wanna look behind the sofa???" ROTFLOL
Well, we'll be leaving here next week to go back home to Big City. Gotta admit, there is much to love about the South...Still, it'll be good to get back to our new normal, up in MO.
We visited The Ram's Grandparents Waaaay Down South last weekend. It was such a nice time. Ram's Grandma can grow *anything.* It ain't just her thumb, what's green. ;-)
I guess you're wondering about the title. Let me tell you about something Tater said really early one morning last weekend...He woke up first and had something to say:


"Mommy, did you know the moon melts?"
Mommy, sleepily: "No. Really?"
"Yup."
Mommy, still sleepy: "That's neat."
"Yeah, and do you know how you fix the moon?"
Mommy opens one eye, slightly interested: "No, how?"
"You gather up lots of clouds to make the moon back."
Mommy sits up, "Wow, that's something."
"Yeah, you go up in a flying car [airplane] and gather up all the clouds to make the moon back."
Smile.
"When I grow up, I'll fly the car and you can sit beside me. "
Isn't that sweet? His mom is his co-pilot. :-) (Never did like that saying, "God is my co-pilot." If that's true, you better switch seats ;-) Anyhoo...

Well, gotta go...I feel the Tidiness slipping away..."Must clean....must clean....must cle..."
Y'all keep your wool dry,
The Ewe

Hello, I'm The Ewe and I'm a...

Hello, F.O.T.E's,
I have an alarming confession to make. A few seconds ago, I was viewing a (brace yourselves) webpage devoted entirely to (are you ready?) doing laundry.
Now, as disturbing as *that* is, that's not even my confession. While I was viewing that page outlining One Gal's Way (to do her family's wash), I noticed my pulse racing. My palms were getting damp. Then, in a moment of self-awareness, I knew it was true...I suffer from Colorcodiphobia.
Those of you who know me well will not be surprised by this admission. The Ram and I have been married 16 years, so far. For the past 16 years I have struggled mightily to learn to keep house--let alone Make a Home. I have a picture/idea in my mind how I want the house to look. That would be, basically, tidy. I'm not shooting for a magazine cover (stop laughing), just tidiness.
In this quest, I have read many books, articles, etc on how to improve myself in this area. None of them has fit exactly right for me, but I have definitely improved. The biggest, most helpful thing that I/we did was to get rid of tons of unneeded treasures. (I was tempted to say "junk," but some of it was actually useful!) Just paring down like that has eased our cleaning load considerably, especially in the laundry department...which brings me back to today....
Yup. Looking at the One Gal's Way of doing laundry, with all her neat white boxes with labels--correction--Color Coded labels, made me realize how panicked I feel when faced with color- coded anything. I break out in a sweat. I feel like I'm about to take an exam.
Now, don't get me wrong...I think being organized is really important. I *believe* in it. And, like I said, as poor as I am at it, I *have* improved in this area. I've gotten a tiny bit better with each child. (survival!) Still, I admit, it's my handicap. We all have our challenges, no? :-)
I realized a few minutes ago, my Colorcodiphobia is not limited to laundry. Any time, under any circumstance I can think of, trying to keep things color-coded stresses me out. When organizing gurus start out by introducing you to their great system--complete with "color codes"--I immediately feel alienated by them. I think, "Oh. You're one of *them." You could never understand me." I like the organizing folks who start out by saying, "Before I developed this routine, my house was a wreck." *That* I can identify with! Sigh...LOL
Well, I hope you won't hold this painful admission against me. I *am* tilting at this windmill! LOL I guess for me it's a "line upon line, precept upon precept" growth process. Ah, well. Progress, not perfection, right? :-)
So, I'll keep plugging away. I want my children to have more of a clue than me...we're kinda learning together. :-) But please, if you send me organization advice, don't start out by saying, "OK, this color means..."
tee hee
Hey here's *my* advice--Y'all keep your wool dry!!! :-)
The Ewe

Catchin' Up and New Ewe-manitarian Award

Hello, F.O.T.E.'s!
The Ram and I were sooo blessed last week to run into Alipurr and family. It's been years! They are such a dear, dear family. :-)
Let's seee...since we last talked the Ram Fam has had another "event." I really don't *try* to have a life full of drama, but it seems like Drama often finds us. LOL
I was sitting here, Way Down South, minding my own business, when I got a call from the water dept. up in Big City. They were letting me know that part of our house was flooded!!!! EEK! Seems the furnace on our rental house gave out during all the sub-zero weather up there, and...well, you can guess...
I cried buckets the first day, but then woke up the next day and the clouds were gone and I felt much better about life. The thing is, welll...
Remember last year when we were planning a move to Europe? So, I called Goodwill and they brought their big moving truck out *3* (count 'em) times to pick up most of our worldly possessions? So, basically all we had left was stuff we "couldn't live without" (HAH!) and stuff that was powerful sentimental. Remember? So, last summer, when we moved to Big City, most of what was left was stuff we really wanted to keep. We had everything put away and boxes unpacked except for one corner of our basement. Wanna make a guess at where the pipe burst and water came spurting out? Yup. THAT corner of the basement. *Now* I can LOL!
Wanna know the funniest part? I had stored that stuff in the basement so it wouldn't get carried off by a twister. ROTFLOL!!!! ARGH!!!!
Anyway, The Ram and GrandRam spent a couple days in Big City, airing stuff out. Most things were salvaged, though some were ruined. We're getting new carpet out of it--which is good. (We had had an unfortunate purple grape juice incident right in that spot. :-)
Now, the Ewe-manitarian Award...
It goes to The R Family for their tremendous amount of labor in moving our wet boxes, furniture, etc and also providing yummy meals and hospitality for The Ram and GrandRam while those two were working. I'll tell you, The R's have been very kind to us. Quite a blessing. THANK YOU, R Fam!!
Well, gotta go put on the soup pot. We're having Potato Soup tonight--gotta use up some spuds before they look back at me.
Y'all keep your wool dry!
The Ewe

P.S. I've got no Quote today, but a funny thing did happen. This morning, Tater *bit* Musical! GASP! His transgression was dealt with and apologies said. The episode was forgotten for a while, until Mr. Rogers came on t.v. He was about to go to the dentist and made a comment about it being wrongity-wrong for someone to bite someone else. From the beginning of the program, T.T. had been very interested in what Mr. R was saying, but when he mentioned biting, T.T. sat up and took notice. Tater looked stricken. I imagined him thinking, "Wow. That Mr. Rogers knows *EVERYTHING!*) LOL