or, "Friday Night Fun in the 'Hood." So every other Friday night is Family Night for us. Usually it involves some sort of fun food (a k a, no vegetables) and a movie. But the urban (nee suburban) family is on a bit of a media fast until the new year, so Rob and I wanted to do something other than the norm. Enter our great idea to have a scavenger hunt.

We were blindsided by inspiration around 8:00 pm.....waaaaaay before the night life cranks up on our end of town...and decided to split up three ways: Team 1- Rob and Kirk; Team 2- Harrison and me; Team 3- Eli and Sophia. The list went as follows:

1. tire
2. beer bottle
3. beer can
4. potato chip bag
5. piece of old wood
6. oyster shell
7. kudzu leaf
8. colored leaf
9. old shoe

Rob briefly thought of two additional items, namely a crack pipe and roach clip, but wisely decided against it. For obvious reasons, duh!

So off we went in search of treasure, sort of. Loving my family as I do, it is very difficult to say what I am about to say: SOME people are cheater-cheater-pumpkin-eaters!!! Rob, dearest, you cannot "borrow" a shoe from a friend's front porch to qualify as your old shoe item. Eli and Sophia, a moldy odor-eater (ironic, huh?) does not qualify either. But I'm not bitter. Anymore.

We had a blast. I think the best thing about being a parent is convincing your child/teammate that it is more fun to be the one to run and roll the old tire.

Labels: family, fun

Labels: family, funnies

Labels: birthdays, family

First things first: that is not me. I know, shocking. But it so obviously isn't me, because my hair is much darker. Aside from that...let's move on, shall we?

The 07-08 school year is over! A few days of post-planning is all that is left. The end of the schoolyear is always bitter-sweet for me. I am glad to be done with planning and grading for a while; however, I really do enjoy my students and miss seeing them on a day-to-day basis.

BUT. Better things await for the Suburban household, and although I can't quite give away everything, I can say that it looks a lot like "not going back to teach next fall." There. Was I too obvious?

Labels: family, school, summer

to my baby sister. Now that her age has two digits (and starts with a "3"), the bib motif might be a smidge unneccessary! Love you.

Labels: birthdays, family

If you don't have an appreciation for 80's music, then the title will mean nothing...oh, well! Anywho, it's been a while, I know. And though I'm tempted to feel shamed for such a long absence, well, it isn't as though I haven't been doing anything, for Pete's sake!

Anniversary trip (no, NOT Asheville, but Charleston- pictures soon), holidays (and all the many gatherings that implies), readying for semester 2 of the school year, starting semester 2, etc., etc., etc.

So things got a little hairy there before Thanksgiving- as in, I didn't do a whole lot of cooking supper. I would just throw together whatever and hope it satisfied. We all felt the effects of that after a while. Now I just feel more resolved to do the normal thing and plan/prepare to cook.

And what is the Suburban household eating for supper tonight? Well, I will be serving Roma salad, roasted chicken breasts, garlic and sundried tomato couscous, and steamed green beans. Shall I set an extra place?

Labels: family, food

Imagine this (times five). Add a white ceramic tile floor, a mounted clothes rod, a washer and dryer, and some storage cabinets, and you have a mental picture of my laundry room. We went out of town this weekend, so I didn't have the weekend to catch up on all the bits and pieces of laundry flotsam and jetsam. But now I am, and the sweet hum of the washer fills the kitchen. Ahhhh!

Labels: family

Ya know, diehard "foodies" can be pretty fierce when it comes to the subject of spatulas. Which is best for sauteeing? Which is best for scrambling eggs? How about for stirfry cooking? Speaking for myself only, I have several types of spatulas that I use on a regular basis- for cooking.

Disclaimer- My husband is a wonderful man of whom I am unworthy. But in this one particular area I'm about to share, well, let's just say we don't see eye to eye.

I contend spatulas should only be used for cooking. My husband- not so much. I have seen him use my cooking utensils for outdoor projects, indoor projects, and for scooping up newborn baby bunnies that didn't live for more than an hour (don't ask). "Don't you understand those are for cooking?" I have urged. I have even tried to set up an analogy: would I use one of your theology books as a coaster or a stepladder? Would I rip the pages out of a rare commentary to use for cleaning mirrors and windows? Wanna lay bets at his response? "Apples and oranges, babe, apples and oranges." Yeah, it sounds funny now.

But I think that almost 14 years of marriage have affected my brain in this area. Because at the tender hour of 3:00 am there I was, in the kitchen, using a spatula to scrape off vomit from a pillow case. You know I couldn't put that thing in the washing machine chunks and all. I had two very sick boys in the wee hours of the morning, and we all know what throw-up sheets smell like after a few hours. But here's a warning: a nylon spatula (which is great for non-stick cookware) has a little too much...spring, shall we say, for this job. Because theoretically, one could use just a bit too much forward motion (in one's haste to rid the pillowcase of offending substance so as not to gag), resulting in small splatters landing on both lenses of one's glasses. Next time, I'll go for the metal one.

Labels: family, throw-up

Well, remember all those gowns Rob brought home to me? I told y'all I chose the red gown because of the way it was made, and that is true. But I also chose it for ease of alteration as well. The spaghetti straps should (operative word) be pretty easy to tack up in order to cover everything that should stay covered.

However, during the "fashion show" for the kids, I tried on the gowns in their un-altered state (obviously). When I came out in the red gown, I also had a sheer black shawl/wrap that I accidentally dropped and bent over to pick up. Then I noticed Sophia's eyes. They were as round as saucers. "Momma," she whispered, "I can see your privates." I assured her it wouldn't be like this when I wear it "for real." Then I came out in a navy blue gown that was a bit plunging, to say the least. Eli looked very disturbed. "I don't think that is a proper dress for you to wear, Mom."

Now before y'all get all up in my business about how children shouldn't be telling parents what to wear, understand this: They GET IT. Know what I mean? At their young age, they understand that private parts are exactly that- private. Rob explained to Eli that just because I was trying on the gowns didn't mean I would wear them to the banquet. And since I am his wife, he will protect me by not having me wear something that doesn't honor the Lord. I told the children if a gown couldn't be altered to cover everything then it wouldn't get chosen. They all looked relieved.

I am thankful my children have an awareness of modesty in this show-it-all-to-any-and-everyone culture that is ours. God has sovereignly placed us in a fellowship of believers where young ladies do strive to be both modest and attractive. I love that my children are protective of me in that way and can express concern in a respectful way.

Labels: family, fun, modesty

Labels: anniversary, family, marriage

God is still faithful. This is not a new truth, but sometimes God is kind and gracious to apply the truth of His faithfulness to my heart in a new way.

Our extended family has been in the Refiner's fire for quite some time, but most intensively for the last four years. In all honesty, there were times when I despaired of realizing the sweetness of restored relationships this side of heaven. Rob continued to exercise faith in the midst of this very long and draining trial, and he is such a fantastic encouragement to me. It is interesting to note that in our marriage there have been very few times when we have been utterly discouraged at the same time. Generally speaking, one of us would have the gift of encouragement to offer the other one. Rob has definitely been the one heavy on the encouragement end!!

As I reflect over these past years, I wonder at the amount of dross that God has scraped off the surface of my heart- and how much more festers within. I sense a tenderness, a willingness to cry out, "Purge me; cleanse me; search me; know me," that perhaps wasn't there before. I have witnessed the devastation and ravaging effects of sinful deceit. I have seen family members turned against one another out of frustration and pride. But now, on the other side of this heartwrenching divide, I have experienced tenderness and loving restoration. I have seen the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living, so to speak, and I have seen God intervene in the lives of His children for the glory of His name.

Labels: family, restoration