Joseph's Lullaby by Ron Klug

Sleep now, little one.
I will watch while you and your mother sleep.
I wish I could do more.
This straw is not good enough for you.
Back in Nazareth I'll make a proper bed for you
of seasoned wood, smooth, strong, well‑pegged.
A bed fit for a carpenter's son.

Just wait till we get back to Nazareth.
I'll teach you everything I know.
You'll learn to choose the cedarwood, eucalyptus, and fir.
You'll learn to use the drawshave, ax, and saw.
Your arms will grow strong, your hands rough ‑‑ like these.
You will bear the pungent smell of new wood
and wear shavings and sawdust in your hair.

You'll be a man whose life centers
on hammer and nails and wood.
But for now,
sleep, little Jesus, sleep.

Thanksgiving

I can not think of a more needed holiday for the soul, except of course the birth of our Savior. What a splendid idea to take a day, a full 24 hours and devote it to the art of giving thanks. Yes, I said art. I am not sure many of us know what it truly means to give thanks, me in particular. It is something that I have been contemplating in this season of my life, which happens to correspond with a season of Thanksgiving.

I used to think that Thanksgiving was about saying thank you for all that I had and loved. I still do believe this but I am not all that certain if that is what is at the heart of Thanksgiving. You see when you have to take stock of what you have that makes you happy you inevitably encounter a dark corner in our hearts that always wants to take heed of all the "I do not haves" in ones life. You know, the things that keep us pushing on in the daily drudge of life. Hoping that the next job, the next paycheck, the next lottery ticket is going to put us in closer reach of whatever we are lacking so that we can fill that void in our shallow hearts, in hope that it will satisfy a desire to "have". Please tell me I am not alone on this one.

So I stopped and just looked at the work Thanks.....GIVING. There it is. The lynch pin. Not thanks saying, not thanks acknowledging, but thanksgiving. Maybe thanksgiving is something that you give away. But wait, if Thanksgiving is about saying thank you for what I have, why in the world would I give it away...its mine. That is when it hit me, Thanksgiving may not be about saying thank you for the haves in your life, perhaps its about giving to others the best part of you. The content, joyous, gracious part of you. If you notice, contentment, joy and graciousness require no possessions. If fact, one can be lacking a great deal and still be in possession of the aforementioned qualities. In fact, the miracle element of contentment, joy and graciousness is that the act of giving them, causes a  not a deficit in oneself but surplus. This could possibly mean that one can not truly be thankful unless one has already given thanks. It is like one of those superluminal particles that goes back in time to endow us with thankfulness based on what we do prior to having that attribute in our repertoire. (Sorry, I have to go there. Got to put some of my limited particle physics knowledge to use somewhere.)

So I would like to think that Thanksgiving is not just about saying thank you for what I have, but a state of mind that choose on a daily basis. I want to be thankful period. Not for anything that I own. Not for anyone in my life. I want to be thankful because. Because that is what we were made to be. I want to give others my thanks by sharing my joy, treating them with a gracious spirit and displaying a contentment that hinges only on the fact that I chose to be.

This is a work in progress, obviously. I still am tempted to just spew off a list of items and people that I am thankful for and call it a day. But I want to live a life that is always eager to give my thanks to anybody, for any reason and definitely for any season.

Have a blessed and joyous Thanksgiving to everybody.

I Love Fall and I Love Halloween!!

What is not to love about fall. The cooler weather, the changing colors, the smells of harvest and the ringing in of what are the last and best months of the year. I think that is why Halloween may be my favorite holiday. Christmas is actually first but I think, for me at least, Halloween plays an important role in the holidays that follow it.

You see I don't think of Halloween as a children's holiday. I see it as a time for everybody to channel their inner child and watch scary movies that somehow still frighten you after having watched the same one hundreds of times; dress up as your favorite character, because lets be honest, we all need to take a vacation from our everyday self; and sit on the floor after all the trick or treating and figure out which is to be the first of many candies to be devoured.

Halloween reminds me that even though my childhood may have past the essence of everything that is great about being a child does not have to be a thing of the past. That's what Halloween does for me. It releases me from the burden of stuffy everydayness (almost certain that is not a word). Without Halloween, my eyes wouldn't be open enough to appreciate all the things that I am thankful for when Thanksgiving rolls around and I wouldn't have the true Joy in my heart that is necessary to take in the true meaning of Christmas.

I hope everyone had a fun and safe Halloween and I wish you all a bountiful harvest season.

Nerdy and Funny

In celebration of finishing my first test of this semester I thought it would be a good time to relax with a little science humor. Here are some funny one liners for you to enjoy....I am off to study for the next test.

4/3 people don't understand fractions.

There are 10 kinds of people in this world. Those who know binary and those who don't.

Flying is simple. Throw yourself at the ground and miss.

Energizer bunny arrested. Charged with battery.

Worst excuse for not turning in homework: I couldn't find anyone to copy it from

When you are courting a nice girl an hour seems like a second. When you sit on a red-hot cinder a second seems like an hour. Thats relativity.

Square root of negative one. I have an imaginary friend.

Alcohol and calculus don't mix. Never drink and derive.

The probability you just read this sentence: 1

The probability of someone watching you is directly proportional to the stupidity of your action.

Studies show...that starting any sentence with "studies show" makes people more likely to believe whatever nonsense you say.

Meiosis...results may vary

friction is a drag

I'm not lazy, I'm overflowing with potential energy

Biology, the only science where multiplication and division mean the same thing

As a scientist, I am constantly working with materials that threaten life on a global scale. And sometimes they spill...

support bacteria, it's the only culture some people have

Health is merely the slowest rate at which one can die.

Some people are like slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you can help but smile when one tumbles down the stairs.

Health nuts are going to feel stupid one day, lying in hospitals, dying of nothing

Black holes result from God dividing the universe by zero

2 is not equal to 3. even for very large values of 2

Friendship is like peeing on yourself. Everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling it brings. 

Computers make very fast, very accurate mistakes.

Artificial intelligence usually beats real stupidity.

To err is human – and to blame it on a computer is even more so

CAPS LOCK – Preventing Login Since 1980.

Can you hear that? That's the sound of a hundred nerds somewhere complaining about completely insignificant details. 

Take to Time to do Nothing but Appreciate

I can't tell you how many times I have laid my kids down for a nap and thought, "Thank goodness, now I can get something done." Not today. Today I found myself just watching them sleep. Watching their precious little faces as they dream their dreams. Listening to the soft, rhythmic sound of their breathing. You see, this morning a little boy left this Earth for a better place. However, a mother and father are left to deal with the void that is left. I feel ashamed for all the times I have looked forward to having extra time to get stuff done while the kids did something else...nap, color, watch a show. Honestly, I don't think I ever REALLY watched as they did any the aforementioned activities. I used them as an opportunity to wash the dishes, vacuum, fold the clothes, do whatever else needed done. Not today. Today there is a mother out there that will never see her little boy do what children do and I am sure she doesn't give a damn that the dishes are piled up or that the floors are dirty.

I don't want to live in a world where the trivial dictates my attention. I think it is easier to keep ourselves busy as it gives us a feeling of accomplishment, dare I say importance. But the truth of the matter is that it is far harder work to slow your pace down enough so that you can hear, see and feel what is really important; to appreciate what can only be perceived in the stillness of the mind.

So I stood there watching. Why? Because it was NOT a trivial task. There was nothing more important on my to do list than watch and know that I am blessed.

September is childhood awareness month. Lets not forget that there are people that have to wake up every morning to a void that is left by a child leaving too soon. Lets think about all the children that are fighting battles that they should never have to fight.



For more information on childhood cancer please visit:
http://www.curesearch.org/
http://www.acco.org/AwarenessandAdvocacy/Awareness/ChildhoodCancerAwarenessMonth.aspx

For Linukas Story:
http://www.bmycharity.com/LinasZibasAppeal
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pray-for-Linukas/237486976352513

What I Would Rather Be Driving

OK so we have finally reached a point where we need a bigger car. Do you know what that means? It means there is a possibility that a minivan is in my future. I shudder at the thought. I suppose I knew this day would come but now that it looms ever so near I can't help but fantasize about what I would really rather be driving.

So instead of doing my research on what kind of third row seat vehicle would be the best investment for the family, I have decided to put together a list of cars that I would make look good......
o.k. cars that would make me look good....
fine, cars that look great and I would just be the average girl behind the wheel.

Here are my top 10 vehicles that I would like to call my own.  Spoiler alert....you will find no minivan on this list. No third row seat. Heck most of these don't even have a second row.


#1     1950s BMW 507

#2     1957 Corvette

#3     1967 Austin Healey

#4    1964 Triumph Spitfire

#5     1960 MGA Roadster

#6      1950s Mercedes 300 SL















#7     1951 Chevy Pickup

#8     1950s Studebaker Convertible

#9     1957 Ford Thunderbird

#10     2008 Alfa Romeo 8C

Honorable Mentions Go To......


1948 Ford F1 Pickup

1952 Jaguar XK 120

2009 Infiniti Essence

1947 Diamond T Truck

2005 BMW Z4

Well a girl can dream can't she.

Row Row Row your Boat

This was the first time taking the kids out on a boat....It was a success.  

Cant wait to do it again. I think I may see a boat purchase in our future ;)

Oshkosh 2012

The hardest thing I have ever had to do to date...say goodbye to my two boys as they made the long flight to Oshkosh for three days. I know, it is no big deal but to me it is something I refuse to do again until Caleb is at least 18 ;-). The saddest thing....I don't think that little guy missed me one bit...what do you think?

 Now while the above pictures might be to coolest to look at; the cutest, in my totally biased opinion, are the following.

Nothing like a big airshow to wear a little guy out. I am just glad both my boys are back home.

All Purpose Cleaner - Recipe

So I was tired of using cleaning agents that had harmful chemicals and cringed at the prices of commercial "green" cleaners. So I set out to make my own- after all, you can't complain if you are not willing to do anything about it.

The recipe is quite simple...You start with a base of equal parts water, vinegar, isopropyl  alcohol and a few drops of liquid soap (depending on how sudsy you would like it). Next are the essential oils. Now this is where you can get creative. Honestly, you don't even need the oils as the vinegar and alcohol provide the bulk of the cleaning and disinfecting. However, essential oils add their own beneficial properties, some of which I will discuss in a bit. Currently I am using a few drops each of tea tree oil (melaluca altenifolia), mandarin oil (citrus reticulata) and lemongrass oil (cymbopogon flexuosous).

I have also used eucalyptus oil as well, but I wanted a bright and fresh sent so I opted for the above mentioned oils and I look forward to trying different ones as well.

The vinegar can prove to be a harsh smell but in my opinion it is not worse than those of standard cleaning products, but minus the harmful effects. If you would like to diminish the smell you can use a little less of the vinegar. I found that the above combination of oils not only masks the vinegar smell but also gives it the bright, flesh smell I was looking for.

Here is some information regarding the ingredients used in my all purpose cleaner...

Vinegar: Well, what doesn't it do. It kills bacteria, mold and germs. It is also non-toxic so ingestion of and smell of the fumes have no adverse effect on people. If you are interested here is a link for some of the medicinal benefits of vinegar.http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1785201/

Isopropyl Alcohol: Ok I will admit, some of you may not agree with me using this ingredient in a so called "green and safe" cleaner. There are harmful effects that can arise if ingested and if fumes are inhaled for a long period of time. However, the disinfectant, sterilizing and solvent properties, in my opinion out way the bad. Isopropyl alcohol is know to kill bacteria, fungus and viruses which is why it is used in hospitals to stop the spread of infectious diseases. Since I am usually cleaning up after two little ones that are prone to make sticky messes, the solvent properties render it almost invaluable. Not to worry the fumes and the alcohol dissipate very quickly.

Tea Tree Oil: Contains terpenoids which are known to have antifungal and antiseptic properties. It is commonly used for the treatment of acne, fungal infections of the nail and foot (athletes foot) and dandruff. It can also be used in bath water to help with a cough, congestion and pulmonary inflammation.

Mandarin Oil: Is also antiseptic and has additional qualities such as antispasmodic and is cytophylatic. The last two are fancy words that mean that it is good for muscle spasms and it encourages the new growth of cells. It is commonly used to treat acne, wrinkles, scars and stress. Here is a link to find out some other great properties of mandarin oil. http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/essential-oils/health-benefits-of-mandarin-essential-oil.html

 Lemongrass Oil: Has antiseptic, antibacterial  and astringent properties, to name a few. Lemongrass oil is often used to relieve symptoms of depression and anxiety. It is also used as a pain reliever in joints and muscles and is said to aid in the reduction of fever caused by viral infections.


Hope all this encourages you to go out and make your own personalized cleaner as a means to use less harsh chemicals in your household environment and save some money in the process.

Enjoy,
Diana

Happy Father's Day

Happy father's day to all. I hope this day will bring with it many joys that will be treasured for years to come. We happen to have a wonderful father in our family. I could gush about all his qualities but that would just make him blush uncontrollably. But I will tell you that I am a very lucky woman to have him as both a husband and the father of my children.

I love you Jeff and I love our children. One day they will realize what a blessing it is to have you in their lives.

Hard to believe this little guy is almost 4 years old.

Now that's an armful of love!

Happy Fathers Day!

"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it."  ~Clarence Budington Kelland

I should have gotten the hint

Little girl just loves to wear big brothers helmet.

If she sees it, she wants it on her head.

I always knew she was a bit of a dare devil, so perhaps she was trying to tell me something. I should have listened. If so maybe this wouldn't have happened.....

Yep, little girl broke her collar bone. She is just too daring for her own good and for mama's poor heart.

So has the wrap and sling slowed her down any.....ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Still climbing and jumping and getting into mischief.

Only this time I am prepared...

And here he is.....

My very own Green Lantern.

My little man has been on a Justice League kick and since he has lots of Superman stuff, I thought he would like a custom made Green Lantern shirt. I wanted to try my hand an making my own stencils and fabric painting and this project did both.

First you need to iron the shirt and lay it flat.

I had printed out the image that I wanted and traced it onto freezer paper. Then with an sharp knife I cut out the image.

Lay the pieces of the image "waxy" side down where you would like it and then iron. The heat of the iron lets the freezer paper adhere temporarily to the fabric. Once it is securely in place just paint on your color. I used a small foam brush and dabbed the color into the fabric. While the paint is still wet pull off the stencil and let dry for at least 4 hours. Overnight is preferred.

Here it is. Hindsight I would have made the image more substantial but it actually came out better than I thought and little man loves it.

If you would like to try this please be sure that you wash the garment or fabric before starting the process and after you have let the paint dry wash it again inside out in cold water and either tumble dry on your lowest setting or hang dry.

St. Patrick's Day

I hope everyone had a wonderful and joyful St. Paddy's Day, I know we sure did. We celebrated a day early because my Mr. had to work on the actual day. Nevertheless, we had a great time. The day before we made some festive white and green cupcakes.

These where very yummy with a luscious cream cheese frosting and some green sprinkles courtesy of my son. We also enjoyed some corned beef and cabbage and Irish soda bread. Both recipes came from www.allrecipes.com and I highly recommend them.

Next year we will have to double the recipes as I was looking forward to leftovers and there were none :(.