Wow...

Just popping in for a minute to share this great site with you:

About One

Have you heard of About One?  If there's one thing I love, it's organization, and this offers a new amazing way to help organized your life.  I am IMPRESSED!

Check it out!

Birthday Fun

I had a great day yesterday...I couldn't ask for a better birthday.  We made progress on the patio:

I got three walls painted with a double coat in Charlie and Sammy's room, and (miracle of miracles!) my dryer is fixed and working.  I also got to spend time with my family, which is the best gift of all.  My Mom took Charlie and Sammy to a movie in the afternoon to keep them out of the paint in their bedroom, so I got to visit with her for awhile.  For dinner, I made all my favorites (totally unhealthy): fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and homemade rolls.

I love making a feast for my crew.  It was a fun dinner.  Jeff brought home an ice cream cake, so we had a great desert as well!

Not a bad start to 34.

Today is my Birthday!

One of my favorite parts about me is that my birthday is 7-7-77.  There just isn't a cooler birthday.  My Mom wanted me to be born on the 4th of July.  Not me!  I LOVE my birthday date.

I am celebrating today with home improvement projects.  A repair man is coming to repair the dryer (thank the Lord!!!), men are digging out my patio in the backyard as we speak, and I am painting the boys room. 

I am going to make some time in the afternoon to make myself a fried chicken dinner...mmmmm!  Hopefully tonight, there will also be time for a glass of wine, and maybe an episode of Big Love (I have become addicted to this silly show!)

Here's to a great year of being 34!

Good-Bye Nursery

In November 2006, just before I delivered Sam, my Dad painted and wall papered the baby's room with adorable little frog princes and a calming light green color.  You can see our newly finished nursery with double cribs here.   (Gosh this brings back memories...seeing those two cribs together.  It was so surreal to tuck in my two tiny babies, only 10 months and 10 days apart.  Having Irish twins is not for the faint of heart.)

A couple of months ago, I noticed a small hole had appeared in the wallpaper.  As the hole got bigger over the coming weeks, I knew it was a sign that it was time to update Charlie and Sammy's room.  It made my heart hurt.  I'm sad to say goodbye to the nursery, small toddler stage.  My boys are growing up, and ready for something a little more "boyish" instead of babyish in their bedroom.  I was also dreading having to redo something in the house that my Dad had done for me.  Having that wallpaper in the room was a visual reminder of his love for me and for his grandchildren.

Yesterday I bit the bullet.  I took pictures beforehand to remember the room by, and then I told myself that my Dad's love wasn't just put on the walls, it was poured into my heart.  And no matter how the walls look, my Dad still loves me.  I also reminded myself that a hole in the wallpaper would have driven him nuts, and he would have wanted me to get this makeover on the road.

Over the years the room has changed a bit...like Charlie's addition of his "art wall".  He loves to color, and insists on decorating our walls with his creations.

We added bunk beds in 2008.  You may notice that on these two walls the border is missing.  Putting Charlie in the top bunk allowed him access to the border as a toddler, and one day while having a temper tantrum, he ripped the whole thing off.  One of the times as a mother I have been most angry.

Yesterday I took down all the wallpaper, scrubbed the glue off the walls, and repaired wall dings.  We are off to get paint today, and soon we will start the transformation.  But there is one thing I won't change.  Whenever my dad would wallpaper or put up a border in a room, he would take a small square and put it on the light switch.  It added a creative touch to the room, and one that said "Dad" to me.  And so, even though it won't match, this will be staying just the way it is in their room.  A little piece of Poppo to hold on to.

 
I'll post some pictures when I'm done.  I hope the boys like it!

Pine Beach

We spent a beautiful week in the North Woods of Minnesota last week.  It's my favorite place on Earth, and a week of heaven for me.  The weather there is gorgeous, and it usually isn't here in Nebraska.  Omaha summers include many days over 90 with LOTS of high humidity.  Northern Minnesota offers days pleasantly warm enough for swimming, but cool evenings and nights, and rarely any humidity.

We stay at a resort right on the lake called Pine Beach.  This year, we took my Mom and brother, as well as my Aunt Connie and Uncle Dave.  We all stayed in one big cabin, which was really nice.  It was fun to be together in the evenings after dinner.  I love having no electronics.  It makes it easy to spend time as a family.  After dinner each night we played Canasta, and talked and talked.  There is something healing and wonderful about having long talks with the women in your family.  It grounds you, and gives you a perspective of where you came from.

Uncle Dave was the boat captain this year.  He did a great job taking us around the lake, and Charlie and Sammy even got a turn to drive.

Jeff's favorite part is the swimming.  I love that the deck on each cabin leads to your own stretch of beach and the water.

 

On Tuesday, Mom and Connie and I headed out for a girls day.  We visited a winery, had lunch in Park Rapids, and had pedicures.  It was so relaxing.   Even though we have been there four times now, we always find something new to do in the area.

 

Mom brought along her "Sorry!" game (which Sammy and Charlie have just mastered) and they spent time playing with Grandma each afternoon.  It's so important to me that my kids have opportunities to spend extended time with their grandparents.  I am so glad that I made an effort for my kids to be with my Dad before he died.  

 

One thing we didn't do this year was play Shuffleboard.  My Dad and I loved playing this game together last year, and it just didn't feel right to play.  Maybe someday, but  not yet.  In fact, I didn't even walk over to that part of the resort.  I didn't even want to see it.  (Aunt Connie took this picture).

The trip was so relaxing, and healing in many ways.  We had a chance to talk and to remember my Dad.  I'm so glad we went, spent time together, and had fun with the kids. 

**All pictures used in this post were taken by my Aunt Connie Bridges (who is a much better photographer than I am :)

Brotherly Love

The best part of my 4th of July was this:

Could they be any cuter?!  I love that these two love each other.  They melt my heart!

The View from My Deck

...is not about fireworks this weekend :) Instead, it looks like this:

We returned on Saturday from a wonderful week long vacation at a lake in my favorite state, Minnesota.  We had a fabulous time, and enjoyed scenes like this:

right from our deck.  (More about our trip tomorrow!)  Unfortunately, I came home to a broken dryer, and piles and piles of wet, smelly lake laundry.  I knew I couldn't let it sit, so we've been drying on the deck.  Even more unfortunately, it's a holiday weekend so it will be late in the week before the dryer is fixed, and our neighborhood doesn't allow clothes lines.  So we improvised.  Luckily, our laundry is no match for the hot Nebraska sun and heat.  Clothes are dry in no time!

Also, don't forget, our next session of Bible in 90 Days starts on Monday, July 11th.  Follow this link to sign up!  I would love to have you join me!  I am reading through for the 3rd time, and am also serving as a mentor.

Happy 4th of July!  I hope yours is filled with fireworks and fun, instead of laundry like mine!

Summer session registration is now OPEN!

I would highly encourage you to do this program!  Registration is now open at Mom's Toolbox for the next session of the Bible in 90 Days program.  I am going to be serving as a mentor for my second time, and I will be reading through the Bible, cover to cover, for the third time.  I can't WAIT to get started!  I hope you will prayerfully choose to join me!

http://www.momstoolbox.com/blog/2011/06/21/bible-in-90-days-sign-up/

Happy Father's Day

I am so blessed to call this man my Father.  I miss him every single day.  I wish he was here so that I could tell him in person, but I am sending lots of love and appreciation to heaven today.  I love you to the moon and back Daddy, and I always will.  I am the luckiest girl to be able to say I am your daughter.

Daddy walking me down the aisle at my wedding

Dad with the grand kids on Christmas Eve

Elusive Weightloss

At the beginning of the summer, I set a goal for myself.  I was really going to amp up my exercise routine, and watch carefully what I ate.  My main goals were to raise my HDL cholesterol level through cardiac exercise, and to slowly start loosing weight.

My plan?  I have been running 3 miles a day, 5 days a week.  I have been doing some light weight lifting.  I have been really limiting my calories and fat intake.

The results?  I have GAINED 3.5 pounds.

That's right.   I GAINED WEIGHT.  It is really difficult to keep up such a strenuous routine when it has absolutely no results.  Do you suppose there is something wrong with me?

The only positive has been that I do feel stronger, and my endurance is getting much better.  However, I really don't want to gain more weight.  I am going to keep it up for a couple more weeks to see if I might be the only person on earth who actually gains weight from exercising.

Rhubarb!

This year we joined a CSA for the first time.  (CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture~for about $20 a week we get to go to a local delivery spot and pickup a huge sack full of eggs, bread, cheese, fruit, and vegetables straight from the farm, all grown organically.)  Yesterday, was our first delivery, and BOY! were we excited!  It was full of delicious things, and one perplexing thing...rhubarb.  I've never been a rhubarb fan.  I've only had it in pie though, and I think it was the texture that bothered me more than the taste.   I was determined to turn our pile of rhubarb into something my family would like.  I searched online and found a recipe for rhubarb muffins. 

These are absolutely delicious...even my boys love them and had 2 apiece for breakfast this morning (and they can be pretty picky!)

Cinnamon Topped Rhubarb Muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup butter
1 (8oz) cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tea baking soda
1/2 tea cinnamon
1 1/2 cups chopped rhubarb
1 tbs sugar
1/2 tea cinnamon

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F. in large bowl combine brown sugar and butter. beat at medium speed until well mixed (1-2 min). Add sour cream and eggs; continue beating ; scraping bowl often, until well mixed (1-2 min) in medium bowl. stir together flour baking soda and 1/2 tea cinnamon. By hand, stir flour mixture into sour cream mixture just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Spoon into greased muffin pans. in small bowl stir together 1 tbs sugar and 1/2 tea cinnamon, sprinkle onto each muffin. bake for 25 to 30 min or until lightly browned. cool 10 min; remove from pans.

Recipe from: http://www.rhubarbinfo.com/recipes

My Dad's Legacy, in the Form of a Sink

My Dad was always helping people.  He helped his brothers and sisters to paint their houses, move into new houses, and do home/car repair.  He helped his friends with the same.  He helped his department at work build frames for their entry into the Sand in the City competition.  Anything anybody needed, he would do.  He built me shelves in my storage room, painted my living room and kitchen, and he put in our wood floor.  When his parents were still alive, he did their bills and went to their house every Saturday to mow the grass and give my Grandpa a shower.

He taught us through his example.  He taught his children to always serve others, and put others first.

I see so much of my Dad in my brother Creighton.  I saw it this Friday when Creighton and my brother in law Luke came over and installed this beauty in my kitchen:

I am sure I have complained about my old kitchen sink here before...it was only 6 inches deep, and did not include a sprayer.  I lived for FIVE STINKIN' YEARS without a sprayer in my kitchen!!  Have you ever tried to clean up after Thanksgiving dinner with a 6 inch sink and no sprayer?  IT IS NOT FUN.  So now, I am loving doing dishes with my 9 1/2 inch deep sink, and it's beautiful, wonderful sprayer.  Best of all though, I got to see a piece of my Dad when Creighton volunteered to help me with this project after hearing me curse the old one.  I love that my parents worked hard to create a family that loves and helps each other.

And fittingly for Memorial Day weekend, yesterday at church we saw that this plaque had been installed at the foot of a tree planted in memorial to my dad:

 It's comforting to know there is this piece of comfort at a place that is so important to us.

Charlie: Class of 2011

Yesterday afternoon, my baby Charlie graduated from preschool.  My baby who has somehow morphed into a precocious five and a half year old.

He was adorable and proud as he received his diploma.  But I think occasions and rights of passage such as these are always bitter sweet for us mothers.  I love watching him grow and develop into the person God created him to be.  At the same time, I yearn for the small chubby baby I rocked to sleep in the wee hours of the morning.

There were only 4 graduates in his class.  I am anxious and excited to see how he will make the transition to 90 Kindergarten classmates.

I am beyond thankful for the women who nurtured my baby the past 5 years during the times when I had to be away.  They have been a gift!

And now?  We are off to enjoy the magical days of summer.

Oh blog...how I've missed you!

This spring has been crazy busy for us.  It's meant I have been kept busy keeping my family going, with precious little time to sit at the computer and record my thoughts.  I am excited to see summer at my doorstep (we have our last day of school this Wednesday!!  WOOOHOO!!) when I will have time to catch up here at the Sole Woman, on the house, and with my kids.

April was a month of drastic changes for my family.  On April 2nd, my wonderful Grandma Rose passed away.  She was just short of 90 years young.  She was miserable at the end, and was dealing with congestive heart failure, so in some ways her passing was a blessing.  I am filled with happiness to know she is once again with my Grandpa, her parents, and her brothers and sisters.  After loosing my Dad, I have a different perspective on death.  Death is so hard on those of us left behind, but I have a new respect for the joy they must be feeling in heaven with Jesus.  In many ways, I don't know if I've been truly able to process her death.  I am still feeling pretty numb from Dad's death.  Her funeral and the events around it were a little too much to deal with at the time.

Two weeks later, on April 16th, my little brother Creighton married the love of his life, Lindsey.

It was a perfect day and a perfect ceremony.  I love them both beyond measure, and I am so excited Lindsey is my official sister.  I've felt that she has been for awhile, so it was nice to make it official formally true.

The combined effect of the funeral and wedding plus Easter the next weekend all made us feel like we were a bit bipolar and having massive mood swings.  We are all looking forward to a little down time, and some recovery time.

Looking forward to seeing my blog on a regular basis!

Some news..

Hello everyone! It has been WAY too long since my last post, and I have so much news to tell you!  For now though, I have to tell you about a new project I am working on.

On May 21, I will be walking in the American Heart Associations Heart Walk to honor the life of my Dad, and also for one of my students Abby.  Abby is actually the Heart Child of the year, and will be starting both the children's walk and the adult walk.  Abby has overcome multiple heart defects to become on of the most amazing young ladies I have ever had the pleasure of meeting!

I would be so honored if you would visit here:
http://omahaheartwalk.kintera.org/christykleffman
to help me make my dream a reality, and to help make a difference in the lives of those dealing with heart problems.

It makes me feel happy to know that there is something I can do to honor my father, and to help make sure other families don't have to experience the pain of loosing a loved one to heart disease.

Spring

I am not usually one who is depressed by winter.  I mean, what teacher doesn't love a good snow day, right?  I don't mind snow much, mostly because I don't often have to drive to work in it.  Instead it usually means cozy days snuggled under blankets, a fire in the fireplace, and baking cookies with my boys.  Most years I don't mind waiting patiently for spring.  As a Nebraskan, this serves me well, as spring can often take it's own sweet time in arriving.

This year feels different.  I am very anxious for warm weather and sunny skies.  The stark snow and barren landscapes of winter have seemed too close to my own emotional outlook this year, and have felt  oppressive.  I think I am hoping that the cheery sound of chirping birds, sunny skies, and warm breezes can help transport me out of this season of grief.

I am learning that grief doesn't go away.  I thought at first it might.  The sharpness of it will dull with time, but it never leaves.  We are all adjusting to our new roles in life, the altered picture of our family.  I don't know if it will ever feel normal, or okay, but it is becoming less "new".  I am learning to deal with it, but it was somewhat of a surprise to me that everyday still brings tears.  Every single day.  I don't know if that will ever change.  And I guess if it doesn't, you just learn to keep going.

I am hoping the arrival of a new season, the season of new life, will help breathe new life into my heart.  I am feeling ready for some happy and some sunshine.  I know my Dad wants that for us to.

My Girls

We had a wedding shower on Saturday for my brother Creighton's fiance Lindsey.  It was so much fun to spoil her and see family and friends!  My Aunt Connie took this awesome picture of my sister Sarah, me, and Lindsey.  I love it!  I also love that Lindsey is now an official member of the family.  I tell Creighton all the time that if I could choose anyone to join our family, it would be Lindsey.  She is wonderful, and we are so lucky.

My niece Brooke is in the corner.  Besides my Mom, we are the ONLY girls in our family!  Can you believe it?  Sarah is currently pregnant with the 6th grandson for my parents. 

I hope Lindsey's future includes some girl babies for us to love!

My Cuite Bug

Isn't he just stinkin' adorable?!

When he put them on for the first time at the eye doctor, he looked around for a minute, gasped, and said, "Oh Mommy!  It's beautiful!  I can see so much STUFF!  And hey!  Did you know there's a Taco Bell across the street?  I've never seen that before!"  It was precious.  I am amazed at how well he functioned without them.  It makes me sad that we didn't notice he needed them sooner!

Later that night, Sammy had swimming lessons.  After I had given him a shower in the locker room, I put his glasses back on.  He looked down at the floor and exclaimed, "OH MY GOODNESS!  There is all kinds of yucky dirt on this floor!  Why didn't anybody tell me about this?"  Oh the details you can see with your glasses on!!  Everyday since has brought new discoveries for Sammy, now that he can finally see the world around him,

Sammy's Getting Glasses!

Sammy and Evan have had a busy 2011.  They've been busy making lots of medical bills! :)

In January, you might remember that Sam had his run in with the toybox and got 7 stitches.  In February, we took him to the eye doctor after he failed his eye check at his 4 year check up.  We found out he is slightly near sighted, but more importantly has a rather severe astigmatism, which makes everything extremely blurry for him.  Ever since, we've been trying to get glasses ordered for him.  My adorable Sammy has the BIGGEST blue eyes you've ever seen.  But apparently they are so big it means that we need to have glasses custom made in order to fit his face.  I think we may finally have a pair we can order this week.

Evan, meanwhile, has been making many trips to the orthodontist so that we could have an evaluation done.  We discovered that his bottom jaw is bigger than the top jaw, making it impossible for him to chew on his molars.  As he begins to grow, the problem is going to get worse, and eventually he won't even be able to chew with his front teeth.  The problem is genetic, and we were lucky enough to have the orthodontist tell us it's the worst case he's ever seen.  Awesome!  So for now, Evan is going to have braces put on for the next year to make a temporary fix that will allow him to chew for the next few years.  When he stops growing at 16 or 17, he will need more orthodontics, and jaw surgery where they will remove a significant portion of the jaw bone and reshape his bite.

I don't know how I managed it, but I think I have passed on the absolute worst of my genetics to my poor kiddos.  Thank goodness we live in a time where there are ways to fix and deal with these things!  Now I just have to pray my poor husband doesn't collapse at the thought of all our medical bills :).

My Kids Ate My Blog

I can't believe I haven't been here since January. 

I love my blog, but my life?  It likes me to stay SUPER busy.  You know the story...work, drive kids around to activities, doctor appointments, homework, drive kids around to more activities, try to keep the house clean.  So I won't bore you with the details.

Today I am home with a sick Sammy Bear.  He has a fever, aches, headache, and a deep wet cough.  My guess is the flu, so we are off to the doctor this morning.  With the boys' asthma, we don't mess around with lung issues/infections.

All of which has left me some time to write while my baby is snuggled up next to me, sweating his way through his fever.  We have some exciting things happening around here I would love to tell you about!

My brother is getting married in 6 short weeks, which has provided us with a flurry of wedding activity!  We've been busy making 600 mints, addressing invitations, picking out dresses, and getting fitted for tuxes.  Speaking of dresses, my bridesmaid dress came in yesterday.  When I tried it on, we discovered it was fine in the waist but would barely zip around my rib cage.  So, I will be getting a few ribs removed so that I can zip my dress and not pass out from lack of oxygen at the ceremony.

Just kidding.  But I do hope the seamstress can work miracles, or I will have to give up breathing for the day.

Charlie is getting geared up for Kindergarten round up on April 1st.  He is SO excited and SO nervous.  Every day he is full of questions like, "What if my teacher is mean?"  "What if I don't like it?"  "What if I don't know everything they teach me?"  I remember feeling the same way.  Poor baby.

I am counting down the days to summer.  I have vowed to NOT sign the kids up for anything other than once a week swim lessons.  We need some healing of hearts and minds around here, and I think some time to slow down and relax is just the thing.

We are in the depths of tax season, which means that my poor Jeff is working so hard.  I am so grateful he is such a good provider for our family.  I love that he has such a wonderful work ethic.  But I do worry about him this time of year.  I am praying he stays healthy, and that the stress doesn't adversely affect him.  And I miss him terribly.  I just can't get my fill of that guy.  Have I mentioned lately that I love my husband?

Me?  I've been getting by.  Every day includes a moment where I am hit by a wave of loneliness and sadness for my Dad.  I've learned to let it wash over me, and to pray pray pray.  I am trying to focus on strengthening my relationship with the Lord to get me through.  My church choir is one of the high points of my week.  The singing helps brighten my week and my soul.  I'm so glad I have music to turn to.  I've also put pictures and sayings about my Dad all over my house.  It helps me to see his face everyday, and to send him a message to heaven that I love him.

Thank goodness spring is on the way!  I am dreaming of birds tweeting, warm sunshine, and planting some flowers in my yard.  Only a few more weeks....