Pink Robes & House Fires

Just kidding, this isn't our house it wasn't this bad. 

Our old farm house had the kind of heaters that were not forced air but ran along the floors attached to the walls the length of the room. In some rooms they were on all the walls in others only some. I think they had water running through them. Hopefully you get the idea anyway.

I kept my beautiful fluffy pink robe hanging in the bathroom about a foot or so above the vent, it never got hot from hanging there but one day while going to the bathroom I noticed that the bottom of my robe was turning grey. That puzzled me. I got the boys ready for school and off on the bus then went to confront my husband about the robe because I was sure he had something to do with it.

He looked at my robe, got down on his hands and knees and then looked at the vent, then he put his nose right up to the vent and sniffed. He got up and calmly said, "There is smoke coming up out of the vent."

I couldn't see or smell any smoke, I thought he was crazy. He went outside the bathroom and pulled up the carpet on the floor. Under the carpet was the removable door to the basement, just a Michigan basement but for some unknown reason the heater was down there. Then he lifted the door and flames shot up to the ceiling from down below. I shrieked and he threw the door back down, grabbed my hand and we ran outside. Stay here he said and ran off around the other side of the house. He is such a smart man, to smart sometimes. He ran to the back of the house and turned off the gas at the tank. Then he came back to me and told me what he did and that he was going to check to see if that did the trick or if we needed to call the fire department.

He went in and came back to get me. The fire died when he turned off the gas. He then called a friend's dad who worked on heaters and he said that it wasn't properly ventilated down there and we were lucky to be alive. The heater was trashed so we installed a new one up above the basement and made sure that it was properly ventilated.

I said he is to smart because I often think, that old house could have burned down if we would have just went outside and called the fire department and I would have been fine with it. Oh, but we would have missed so many adventures that I've yet to share.

I do think that we have had an angel looking out for our safety though and he was working overtime in that old house.

Please leave a comment and let me know what you think. Have you ever had a house fire? Even a small one?

Thank you for reading and have a blessed day.

Skinny dreams

I had a very strange and memorable dream last night. Maybe it could be blamed on my recent guilt over gaining back some of the weight that I worked so hard to lose. It was my own fault though because of some very poor and self indulgent choices. Maybe I should just blame the dream on watching to much sci-fi type shows lately with all the crazy things that happen on those shows.

Anyway, my dream was that my sister sent me an outfit. So, I was not happy that my pants were a little tight and opened the box that came in the mail from my sister. I knew she was sending me some clothes that she said would be just perfect but I had no idea what they were.

Inside the box was a tube top, a spaghetti strap tank that had lace sides and a small pair of shorts. The kind of shorts that were popular in the 80's. Now, if I were 16 again this may have been an outfit I would wear. Of course when I was 16 I wore a size 5 so an outfit like that would have looked good too. It should suffice to say that with 20 some years of marriage I'm not sixteen any more. After four kids and years of loving to cook and eat what I cook my size is definitely in the double digits.

Regardless of reality, in my dream I put on the outfit mostly out of curiosity and look in the mirror to see the younger version of my body that was skinny and I looked very good in that outfit. Thanks sis. LOL

 For some unknown reason, I was working in a restaurant. Although I didn't own the restaurant it felt as though someone close to me, like a family member, did own it and I was in a high position. I wore my new outfit to the restaurant and made lots of great tips that night. But, I woke up before the work evening was over. I was sad to be me again, but it was fun feeling proud of my body and flaunting it a bit like I did back in the day.

There is no moral to the story but I did have a smaller helping at dinner tonight and added a salad. So, although I'm not willing to starve myself, I am going to work on staying healthy. I'll never see a size 5 again but maybe someday I will feel like flaunting it a little again. It could happen. LOL

Girls Rule, Finally!

This house has been evenly divided between the males and females for a long while. Before that the males ruled but they weren't very old when things evened out. Now with both the boys moved out and settled in at college, I am pleased to say that GIRLS RULE, FINALLY! Ha ha.

Oh my, do they rule. With Jim working all the time and me home for this semester they talked us into homeschooling them. So it is girl time all the time. Sometimes I revel in it and we bake and sew together, play board games and really enjoy each other's company; after the school work is finished of course. Other times I want to hide from my teen and preteen daughters, go back to bed, pull the covers up over my head and make them and the world go away. I must admit the latter of the two doesn't happen nearly as often as the first scenario and my waist can prove it.

We have great plans for this time while the girls are in power. I realize they will be grown and gone in the blink of an eye and this time is precious.

Poor Jim doesn't stand a chance with the three of us when we have a like mind about going out for dinner or him bringing something home for us. He has always spoiled us and now I have to mediate for him sometimes to keep those little darlings from driving him to distraction with their requests. LOL

I do have to admit we spoil him back as much as he spoils us. I think the man would starve if we didn't pack his lunch for him and we make his favorites as much as possible. He hardly lifts a finger around the house anymore because he is working and we are here to do it. I spoke about the possibility of getting a job today and Jim was asking me questions. Alicia chimed in quickly "It's okay dad I can pack your lunch as good as mom." He wasn't worried about his lunch but it was cute that she was.

Well, I'm off to bed to get up tomorrow and be teacher, housekeeper, beautician, nurse, dog walker, cook, writer, sales person, wife and mom. Wow those are a lot of hats no wonder I have a sore neck LOL

Please leave a response and let me know you enjoyed this little snippet from our family.

My Soft Hearted Son

My now eighteen year old son never ceases to be a source of both laughter and tears. Sometimes he is so funny I'll laugh till I cry and other times he is so sweet he brings tears to my eyes. He is definitely the most honest child I have ever met and loves, LOVES to talk. Okay now that you have a little background this story came about during the upper elementary years while we were still homeschooling and before the girls were born. So, he was 8 or 9 years old.

I love holidays all holidays big or small when I was first married I came up with some really creative ways to celebrate. Some were really sappy, especially on Valentines day. This particular year I had decided to do something special for the entire family but hoping that it would be meaningful and not just a candy holiday. So, while at the grocery store I purchased a small heart container of candy just a dollar each for the boys and a five dollar heart full of chocolates for my husband. Then I took my time, I really took my time, reading through Valentine's day cards in the store for them. Finally I picked one that seemed perfect for each and went on to purchase my supper items.

The rest of the day was spent in preparation for our special dinner when Jim came home. While the boys were doing their schoolwork I was busy with cleaning and cooking. Then when their dad got home I sent them all outside to the barn to do chores together while I put the finishing touches on supper and setting the table. They came in from chores to find a box of chocolates and a Valentine's Day card on each of their plates. They opened their cards and took turns reading them aloud and we had a fabulous beef roast for supper. Ah, but of course this story doesn't end there.

Years later I was helping him to clean his room and kind of pushing him to get rid of things since he is quite the little pack rat. I lifted his pillow and found a stash of twist ties, some papers and an envelope. We put the twist ties in a container on his night stand, and started deciding which of the papers could be thrown away and which ones needed to be saved. I opened the card and remembered but it had been several years, so I suggested we pitch the card. He immediately grabbed the card from my hand and the envelope too telling me as he gently put it away under his pillow. "Mom, we can't throw away my card. I read this card every night before I go to bed and it makes me feel good and have good dreams." In tears at how much my little Valentine's day card had meant to my wonderful soft-hearted son I agreed that the card should be kept.

Last week he graduated high school and soon him and Jake (his big brother) will be moving out together to a place of their own. I have the keys and will be helping them move so I'm thinking after we get his bed all made mom will have to slip a new card under each of their pillows telling them how proud I am of them both and how much I love them. It is a time of new adventures for all of us but we will always be a close family.

Funny Conversation

Jim was getting ready to take the girls ice skating and Alicia was getting impatient.

Alicia: Give me the keys.
Me: No way girlie.
Justin: You have been forbade! (in a deep melodramatic voice)

Alicia walks away and Dad follows behind her to leave for ice skating and we continue the conversation.

Me: Is forbade really a word? (as I grab my computer and start to look it up)
Jake: Yes, forbade is a word it is related to forbid.
Me: Wow! It really is a word and it means the past tense of forbid. I can't believe that you knew
a word that I didn't
Justin: There are all kinds of words that I say that I didn't know that I knew. I surprise my
teachers all the time with the words that come out of my mouth.
Me: You surprised me too!

As we all start laughing, including Justin.

A ROOM of her OWN

As mom's we know that the day will come when our family shrinks in size. Some of us look forward to our little birdies leaving the nest and others dread it.

Yesterday we took my oldest to his dorm at SVSU, not really a big deal to any of us in the family except my youngest who ran in the door the minute we got home and said "Mom will you go upstairs and help me bring my clothes and stuff down?"

I hadn't even gotten my coat off yet but her's was on the floor and she was racing toward the steps.

She was finally going to have a ROOM of her OWN and she wasn't going to waste a minute getting into it. So, as I made way to the stairs, I made a quick mental list of all the things I had planned to do but would need to do later in order to help her achieve her new found freedom. We spent the next two hours cleaning moving and rearranging the two rooms until she was satisfied that her keepsakes and toys were in the best places and her brothers' remnants were cleaned up and tucked away. Then my little girl who won't spend any time in any room of the house alone borrowed my computer and watched her anime shows for the next few hours while I caught up on my list of chores that was pushed aside earlier.

Hopefully our oldest will like his freedom in the dorm at college as much as his 10 years younger sibling loves finally having a ROOM of her OWN and a little privacy even though she likes to keep the door open for now.

As mom I am just glad that she actually spent time in her room (even though it was with the door open) and slept the night alone in the room (even though she had two nightlights, a small lamp and a dog) without waking up once she finally fell asleep. All of this makes me a bit nostalgic but in an appreciative, loving way. I am not the least bit sad that they are growing up, that is what they should do and I'm very happy to see both of them exploring new ground and seeking out new adventures, after all that is how we learn and grow.

Do you have a child who recently moved away to college? How about one that finally got their own room? Please leave a comment and let me know how it all went for you? Thanks.

Once bitten

This simple family story is probably more common than I realize but so sweet I had to share.

My boys were quite the pair when they were little. Jake was such a good big brother always kind and protective, and making sure that everything was right for his little brother.

Justin was very strong willed and a little bully to his big brother who cared so much. They would be playing with their giant building blocks and Jake would come in to me crying with bite marks from Justin upset because his little brother hurt him again. I didn't just let it go either, I would punish Justin, I would discuss it with him and tell him what he did wrong and put him in time out. Sometimes if I caught him in the act I would give him a swat on the bottom and tell him again that biting was bad. Sometimes when he was having a temper tantrum he would bite me or his dad.

It continued with poor Jake getting bitten, me feeling horrible and Justin getting punished until one day while making supper I finally took some advice that I had heard from many different people.

Jake came to me crying with a bite mark on his arm and without stopping from washing the dishes I said why don't you just go bite him back. Jake said "No! Mom biting is bad I'll get in trouble and it hurts."

"I know," I said, "that's the point." Then I tried to make the little protector understand just why I was telling him to injure his little brother. "You can bite him back just this once, not enough to take a chunk out of him, just enough to let him know that it hurts, maybe then he will stop."

Off Jake went on his mission while I continued to wash the dishes.

A few seconds later Justin was screaming, an alarming scream, so I ran into the living room to see what was going on. He was crying, screaming and holding his forehead with both hands. Jake looked so sad he came running to me right away. "Mom I bit him, I just closed my eyes and leaned forward and bit him."

It was all I could do not to laugh. "You closed your eyes?"

"Yeah, and I bit him on the nose." he said with tears starting to form in his eyes.

"But why did you close your eyes?" I said while seating myself onto the couch, reaching out for Justin's crying little form and scooping him up into my lap.

"I didn't want to do it, so I just closed my eyes like taking medicine and did it." Jake said.

"It's okay Jake, your not in trouble I told you to do it."

"Justin, this is why we don't bite, it hurts and it is not nice." I said for what seemed to be the thousandth time. But, this time was different, this time he was on the receiving end and not the giving. I cuddled him for a second, wiped his tears and moved his hands to see a perfect little set of front teeth bite marks, top and bottom, right above his nose between his eyebrows.

Needless to say, Justin never bit anyone again. He is 17 now and he still has a small scar right between his eyebrows from a lesson well learned.

I'm in no way advocating harming a child ever, in any way but this story had to be told. I still giggle thinking about it. It was just to cute not to share.

Do you have or have had a biter? What did you do? I'd love to hear.