Wordy Wednesday : Intention

Good morning -

welcome to Wordy Wednesday!

{And just for the record,

today is certainly a blustery Windsday for us.

I couldn't resist; days like this just make me think of Pooh-bear.}

Nevertheless,

today's word is Intention.

Which, while not an exotic addition to your vocabulary,

has a couple definitions I did not know.

:  a determination to act in a certain way :

My intention today is to clean bathrooms.  And write.

: the object for which a prayer is offered :

I will make my family the intention of my prayers today.

: purpose with respect to marriage :

I'm so thankful God intended my husband for me, and I for him.

What are your intentions today?

Linking up with Works for Me Wednesday

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Edited to add something I ran across this afternoon:

"The Lord saw that the wickedness of man

was great in the earth,

and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart

 was only evil continually."

 Genesis 6:5

What have the intentions of your heart been lately?

 

Wordy Wednesday : Scrim

Good Wordy Wednesday morning!

Time to improve our vocabulary!  That's what gets us all out of bed in the morning, right?

{grin}

Also - please note that my overdose of Winnie-the-Pooh-esque whimsy

has worn off, and we'll settle

for conventional spelling from here on out.

Today's word is :

scrim

:  a fabric used in bunting, curtains, etc.  :

or

:  such fabric used to form the illusion of a wall, in theater productions  :

Interestingly, this word popped up in a poem which was read at my writing class this week.

We turned it over a few times in our mouths to get the heft of it.

scrim, scrim, scrim

And I said I thought it was, like, when the windows freeze

around just the edges in the winter,

that frozen crust is the scrim.

Guess I'm not as smart as I think I am!

{Or as eloquent.}

Anyway, I'm still going to use it the way I want.

It's called poetic license.

Scrim certainly sounds crusty and frosty, doesn't it?

What do you think?

And don't forget to comment and share a favorite word, old or new! 

And then zip over to We Are That Family to check out

Works for Me Wednesday

Wirdy Winsday

Welcome to the inaugural edition of Wirdy Winsday!

On the spur of the moment this afternoon, I decided to institute my own meme. 

A meme is "an idea, behaviour or style that spreads from person to person within a culture."

I have no fancy graphics or buttons, at the moment.  But you never know what might happen in the future.  I've heard it's full of possibility!

Anywhooo...

On Wirdy Winsday, we will adventure into the land of language, featuring our favorite words.  Why?  Simply because we love how they feel, rolling off our tongues.

One of my very favorite words is  pernicious.

:  harmful, especially in a sneaky way  :

As in,

Life without poetry is pernicious to your health.

What's your favorite wird today? 

(Since I don't have one of those neat-o mosquito linky dealies, you'll just have to leave a comment!)

And yes, I know I misspelled "wordy Wednesday".  It was intentional.  And is likely to change.

;D

Also - I'm linking up to Works for Me Wednesday, on the theory that expanding your vocabulary is always a good thing!

WFMW : Fishing Trip

We went fishing this weekend.

Worms are not my thing.

So I set up camp on a blanket in the grass and take pictures.

Really, really not-sharp picture of the crane all the way across the lake.

Or maybe it’s a heron.  I don’t know.

But it sat in that tree, fanning its wings into the wind, for a long time.

The sweat bee that wouldn’t go away.

The one butterfly that sat still long enough for me to get a picture of.

They were everywhere.

The cornfield nearby and the gorgeous blue sky.

Wasn’t it a beautiful day?

I never cease to be amazed at God’s glorious creation.

Have you let Him speak to You lately?

The heavens declare the glory of God;
   the skies proclaim the work of his hands.

… their voice goes out into all the earth,
   their words to the ends of the world.

Psalm 19: 1, 4

Enjoying nature’s beauty with my family works for me!

WFMW : Portable Pharmacy

 

I have a little bag of … stuff … that goes everywhere with the kids and I, beginning as soon as it’s warm enough for them to play outside in the spring.

I call it my portable pharmacy.  Perhaps I should rethink the name, however.  I can hear the whispers in the back: “I already have a first aid kit in the car!”

Do not be deceived, my dears.  This little bag contains sooo much more than just medicine.

1.  two fruit bars in a plastic baggie

First and foremost, when traveling with boys, you must pack FOOD.  We will inevitably get stranded somewhere far from other sustenance with at least one ravenous wolf boy, and having something to feed it him will be invaluable.  Keeping them in the baggie helps prevent crushing to some degree, and also gives me another baggie which can be pressed into service in many ways (see #2).  Actually, I may stick some more snacks in, if I can find the room.  You can never have too many snacks.

2.  at least one large (gallon-sized or bigger) plastic bag with zip-top

I love zip-top bags.  Great for preventing spilled liquids from ruining your bag – storing wet clothes after accidents involving water bottles or just … accidents (you know what I mean!) -- especially nice as an impromptu barf bag.

3.  a couple small notepads and pens

Fantastic for entertaining kids.  But remember – no crayons!  Colored pencils are okay, if you have room for them.

4.  disposable baby-changing pad

Okay—this is a newer addition.  I don’t actually have any kiddos in diapers anymore, but this one was leftover.  Why not throw it in?  It could be a clean table covering for an impromptu picnic.  You could … use it for shade if you got stranded in the desert.  I know—I’m reaching.  But it just seems like one of the those times that I’d end up smacking myself in the head and saying, “If only I had put that disposable baby-changing pad in the portable pharmacy!” if I left it out.  Better safe than sorry, right?

5.  some drinking straws

Also a newer addition.  I often carry a couple water bottles with us when we’re out, and if we needed to share for some reason, we’d be set.  Plus, I’m guessing that we could come up with some entertaining games using the straws if we were hard pressed. 

6.  an extra pair of briefs

For the one who most-recently left diaper days behind.  Just in case.  BSTS.  Also—if you store them rolled up tight in a sandwich bag, you’ve just worked in another baggie!  (see #2)

7.  a hefty pinch of baby wipes in a big baggie

Always handy for cleaning up – the kids’ hands and faces, their cups/water bottles, the car (don’t ask!).  I have stashes of wipes in different rooms in the house, in the car, in my purse, and in the PP.

8.  itch-eraser stick and disinfecting spray (in a baggie!)

Used innumerable times in the summer.  Watch your expiration dates and replace as needed.  Can’t say enough good things about the spray form of the antibiotic ointment.  Fantastic for treating scrapes on those places that refuse to hold a bandage.

9.  allergy pills

Handy to have for those who suffer allergies when … oh, say, going to Grandma’s house.  >grin<

10.  travel-size bottle of peroxide

I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have put the “stingy stuff” on various scrapes and cuts after an afternoon on the playground.  Sometimes all you need is a dab on a cotton ball.  With the boys, I’m more likely to be irrigating a knee or elbow with a river of peroxide.

11.  assorted sized band-aids, alcohol wipes, q-tips, sample-size ointment packs

Do I have to explain?

12.  small tube of sunblock

Because I always seem to forget to goop up the kids before we leave the house.

13.  penlight

I’ve always thought it might come in handy if we were stranded on the side of the road at night, or something like that.  Usually though, I end up letting the 4-year-old play with to keep him busy.  Whatever works.

14.  children’s pain reliever

I like the big bottle of liquid, because I can pour out the right amount for any of the kids, rather than carrying chewable in several different strengths.  Again – watch your expiration dates!

Not included yet, but on the list to get for this year:  a small bottle of bug repellent, and a cold pack (the kind you crush to activate).

All of these items get tucked into my nifty little clear-sided bag.  Anytime we leave the house – be it a 3-hour road trip, or a run to the grocery store – the Portable Pharmacy goes in my purse.  I’ve often joked that it might just be possible to survive in the wilderness solely on the basis of the contents of the PP!

(not that I’m planning to test that theory … ever)

linking up to We Are THAT Family for Works for Me Wednesday

WFMW: Homemade Granola Bars

 

Good Wednesday to all in Blogdom!  Is anybody out there tired like me?

Sheesh – it’s the middle of the week and I’m still trying to climb into the saddle.  You know, in western movies, when the greenhorn is hopping around with one foot in the stirrup, trying to get the horse to stop dancing and let him make it all the way up?  That’s me this week.  HOP, HOP, HOP …

I’ve been trying to keep home-baked goodies on hand for snacks for my gang of impossible-to-satisfy guys.  You know what I mean; boys are always hungry.  And if I bake it, I can sneak healthier stuff in.  Well, maybe not healthy, exactly, but a lot better than anything that comes wrapped in cellophane after sitting on a conveyor belt in a factory.  (I hope.)

This week I thought I’d share one of my favorite recipes – chocolate chip granola bars.  I originally saw this on the Living on a Dime site.  I have made a few tweaks with a nod to healthier snacking. 

Homemade Granola Bars

1 cup  sugar
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 egg white
1 cup white whole wheat flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups oatmeal
1 1/4 cups crushed Chex-type cereal
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream sugar and butter until fluffy. Add vanilla and egg. Mix well. Blend in flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. If batter is too thick, add a little water.  (The whole wheat flour seems to need a bit more moisture.)  Stir in remaining ingredients. Press firmly into the bottom of a greased 9×13 pan. (I use the plastic bags cereal comes in once the box is empty; just open all the seams and split down the middle for 2 non-stick “liners” which you can use to smoosh out the thick mixture into the corners of the pan.  Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes. Bars will firm as they stand. Cool and cut into bars. Save the crumbs for yogurt or ice cream topping. Makes 24 bars.

You can substitute regular chocolate chips for the minis.  Or try adding cocunut, raisins, peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, etc. in stead of chocolate chips.  Also, instead of the cereal, try corn flakes, bran flakes, crushed rice krispies, crushed graham crackers, etc.  Experiment to see what goes over the best at your table!

Linking up to Works For Me Wednesday!

WFMW : Planning and Responsibility

 

Well, my week got away from me!  I promised a book review, and a review you shall have.  In the interests of making WFMW this week, I’m doubling up!   Cheating?  Not even!  There is so much helpful info in this book, just recommending that you read it should count as my helpful tip for the week!

Written by a mom of 15 to moms everywhere, this book is not an exercise regimen or list of specific foods that will make your weight magically drop.  There are no calorie targets or plugs for gimmicky equipment that promise miracles.

What is contained in these pages is some very down-to-earth, realistic advice.  (And a great deal of humor…which I would bet comes in handy with a family that size!)  It’s a very enjoyable read.

I came away with two major themes to Wendy’s approach for weight loss and better health: planning and responsibility.

PLANNING

Everyone knows that to lose weight, you have to eat less and move more.  Wendy advises readers to track how many calories you’re eating versus how many your body needs.  Then adjust your intake.  Simple, right?

Many people (like certain book reviewers I know well… ahem) run into trouble when out of the house - running errands and chauffeuring kids to activities.  (My personal weakness is Taco Bell.  Running for the border does not qualify as exercise, unfortunately.)  Wendy advice is to plan ahead.  You know you’ll be out of the house, so bring some water and healthy snacks.  Think hard-boiled eggs, nuts, fruit – all easy to grab on the go.  She says planning to succeed in this manner is like “bringing your own umbrella.”

RESPONSIBILITY

The planning theory isn’t hard to grasp, is it?  This next concept is bit harder to swallow – for me at least.  Wendy writes:

“…I had to first come to terms with the fat that I was in charge of what went into my [body].   Yikes!  Me?  You mean, I can’t blame my mom, a bad day or some other outside force?”

Ouch.  And double ouch.

How often do we know what we should do, and yet don’t do it?  Like Paul writes in Romans 7:15, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

Who is ultimately in charge of what you eat?  YOU!

So, eat better quality food, eat less of it, and move more.  (Even fidgeting counts!)

 

Linking up to Works for Me Wednesday over at We are THAT Family!

WFMW–Running My Week…

Rather than my week running me.

I’ve decided that I am hopelessly incapable of prioritizing off the top of my head.  I walk into the kitchen in the morning and note three or four areas that need attention.  Like, immediate attention.

Mount Wash-more.  The layer of dust on the computer desks.  The papers that need filed.  The files that need to be organized.  There are no clean glasses for breakfast.  A voice calls out from the little boys’ bedroom that there are no clean underwear, either.

I run down the list in my head and try to decide what needs to be done most urgently.  On the way to handle Problem #1, I notice something else that really needs handling, and then…

It never ends.  And not a whole lot actually gets done.  I get in the habit of handling everything in a temporary, “it’ll have to do” kind of way, instead of handling it the right way so it doesn’t end up needing attention again tomorrow morning.

So, I’m designating each day a focus.

Monday – Maintenance

Catching up on dishes, laundry, straightening up the living room and bedrooms, trash gathered up and taken to the curb, and living room vacuumed.

Tuesday – Kitchen

Cleaning the fridge, stove, sink, microwave; sweep and mop if needed; go over walls (the Magic Eraser is my friend); wipe down table / chairs, send kids out to retrieve the emptied trash bins from the curb.

Wednesday – Organizing / Dusting

Paperwork that needs filed; bookshelves straightened; kids - clean out school folders and their “keep drawer” where all art, etc. gets kept until it gets sorted and permanently stored.  Everything gets dusted.

Thursday – Bathrooms

Counters, toilets, floor, tub, the whole room gets a once over.  (Times 1.5 – don’t forget the half-bath!)

Friday – Light Maintenance

Preparation for the weekend, like Monday’s list, but only what needs done to get ready for the weekend.  Also, if not much needs done, this time can be used for other projects (cleaning out garage, etc.) or chores that got skipped for some reason earlier in the week.

Hopefully, after sticking with my plan for a couple of weeks, I’ll be caught up with cleaning, and won’t feel so overwhelmed with tasks.  Keeping the Home Front looking spiffy works for me!

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Addendum:  I actually wrote this post the week the WFMW theme was “What Doesn’t Work for Me,” and I was this close to linking up when I realized how unfitting the post was.  Reading the theme list before spending an hour on my post – works for me.  LOL

Works for Me Wednesday–Frugal Autumn Craft

I love autumn!  Unfortunately, this year we didn’t get a good fall-leaf-viewing season in my stretch of Illinois.  It was too hot; then it was too cold; then (for one day, at least) the kids were wearing shorts again – in November.  For crying out loud…

So, I decided that today the kids will be making some leaves for our “Blessing Tree” out of candy wrappers I saved from our annual Candy Treasure Hunt last month.  I love the season-themed miniature candy bars!  Sometimes, I’m a sucker for cute little things.  *SIGH*  (The groaning you hear in the background is my boys bemoaning my blatant digression into girliness.)

It’s pretty simple.  Just trace a leaf shape on the plain white side of the wrapper, cut it out, and list what you’re thankful for on the plain side.  Then glue one end to the tree, so you can flip it to view the blessings on the back.

Voila!  A simple craft that doesn’t make a dent in my stockpile of construction paper.  This can be a really quick craft, if you want to just do leaf shapes to put up on the wall/bulletin board.  Or, you can encourage the kids to take their time and brainstorm some out-of-the-ordinary blessings.  Sometimes, they seem to get stuck in the standard food-shelter-clothes mindset.  While all those are blessings I’m very grateful for, I like to encourage them to think a little deeper sometimes.

It might even keep them busy long enough for me to shower…that definitely works for me!

Works for Me Wednesday

What would I do without my seemingly inexhaustible roll of duct tape?  I’ve run into several circumstances where my little gray life saver has helped me out.

• I wrapped it around my hand, sticky side out, to pick up glass shards from a broken light fixture off the carpet.  (We won’t discuss exactly who knocked the light fixture off, will we?  Ahem…)
• I wound it around the cardboard-and-plastic-bag wrapping in which I had shrouded a broken storm window.  (This time the broken glass was my fault.)
• I’ve covered chigger bites on my ankles with tiny squares of tape for a few days to suffocate the little buggers.  (gross, but effective)
• I have sealed box bottoms with it.
• I’ve “extended” a box by taping the flaps straight up and then winding the tape around the outer perimeter of the box (for storing the extra winter blankets).
• I have tightened up loose football pants by improvising a duct-tape-belt.
• I have covered the sharp metal edges of a broom handle with layers of tape (after I broke the end of the broom off).
• I once reattached the heels of my son’s outdoor “play” shoes by duct taping them to the rest of the shoe.  It lasted until he outgrew the shoes, which is pretty amazing, considering how hard boys are on footwear!

I’ve heard of people who made dresses out of duct tape and a man who attached a loose muffler with duct tape.  My uses may not be as exotic as that, but it’s still a handy thing to have in the toolbox!

For sticky wickets, duct tape works for me!