Emerald Ash Borer and Pottery Barn

I have been educated in the last several days.  I had heard of the Emerald Ash Borer before, but did not realize we had Ash trees (I know.  Who doesn’t know what kind of trees are in their back yard?) and I certainly didn’t know the Ash trees in our area are being and need to be inoculated.  Yes, shots are being given to trees.  I am all for taking care of nature, but I had no idea trees could and should be inoculated against particular larvae.  Gross.  Do you have any idea how much it is to inoculate against the emerald ash borer?  Let me just say it’s not cheap.  Any arborists out there who want to weigh in on this?

See emerald ash borer and emerald ash borer Kentucky

Pottery Barn kids is on my sh*t list right now.  My daughter is starting Kindergarten on August 15th.  I have ordered a backpack and a lunch bag for my daughter that is special and monogrammed with her name on them.  The original order was made one month before school was to start on July 14, 2012.  On July 20, 2012 I received a backpack and lunch bag with the name Lucy Grac on them.  Yes, really, Lucy Grac.  I was livid because I went through half an hour of a “paper order” since the name was so long.  When I chatted with Ron on a live chat on the Pottery Barn Kids web site I was assured a new backpack and lunch bag were ordered.  I followed directions and sent back the Lucy Grac merchandise.  Two days after Ron told me our correct backpack and lunch bag were to arrive, I did live chat again with Charlotte this time.  When I gave my order number she told me the order I placed with Ron was cancelled by the supplier due to the name being too long.  She also told me the first “paper” order I made was done incorrectly.  Charlotte began chatting about the unknown “A-batch” special order.  I was about to ask for my money back, but my stubbornness took over and I gave Charlotte another try.  If I don’t have my backpack and lunch bag by next Thursday I am getting my credit and moving on.  Am I crazy?

lucy grace’s perspective

“Mom, what is that on my blanket?” “Honey it looks like a piece of dust. Just throw it in the trash.” “That’s okay Mom, I’ll put it behind my door, there are a bunch more back there and I think they’re related.” “I’m going to clean that soon.” I added as she threw the dust behind the door with what she called “the rest of them.” Ugh

I went with Lucy’s Pre-K summer school class to the local Farmer’s Market yesterday. I was in charge of Lucy and two others who are also age 5. Apparently boyfriend/girlfriend scenarios are already being floated around in the classroom. When I asked a boy why he was sad he said it was because he didn’t have a girlfriend. It seems one of the other girls had been girlfriend to the boy and his twin brother then moved on. He had not. Lucy piped up and volunteered to be both of the twins’ girlfriend like she was on a Goodwill mission or something. She acted like she would be going out of her way, but she would do it out of the goodness of her heart. The way she said it and the way the boy reacted was priceless. Just little smiles. It was so funny.

Today we were in the county clerk’s office to renew my license plates and Lucy was very nice and polite, very well-mannered the entire time, but on the way out she stopped me and looked around inside the older, tiled building and said it looked a lot like a big bathroom. She, of course, said it very loudly and some other people turned around and laughed. Very amusing. It kind of does resemble a big bathroom. Kids that age are so honest and observant. That God for the insightful conversations between a mom and 5 year olds.

The Work of the Shepherd

Our Priest gave a very interesting sermon back in April and began by talking about how his father used to put their names on all their belongings so they wouldn’t get lost.

The message is we can never get lost from our Shepherd because we are sealed or “marked” with the holy spirit.

“Be the Church!” is what he said.

When you see someone on the street who doesn’t look like you remember they’re “Not the Other, but the Brother”.  We are all intertwined.

Sealed with the Spirit

Indeed we are

healed from within

was why he bore the scars.

Why did he do it

for people like us?

For people who

are not happy

but go around and fuss?

He did it for us.

It’s hard to believe

why a God so great

would choose that

as a time to celebrate.

You see, he knew, and

he tried to tell others,

why he was here

and what he’d discovered

but we didn’t understand

like sheep on the land

and went on living

in sin as we do.

In my bed awake

at night all alone

I think how

the savior bought me

and what I did for it

was nothing -

seems too much to bear.

God says sleep my

child because there’s

work to be done.  Fields

are ripe for harvest and

many are to be won.

Witness to others.  It’s one of our greatest gifts!

Book Beginnings

I’ve been thinking a lot about reading lately since my daughter is devouring books.  What book made you a life long reader?  Mine is either the Little House series or Are You There God?  It’s Me, Margaret.

Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret

Little House In the Big Woods

Look forward to hearing from you!

lucygracesmom

Lucy’s Reminder Binder

Lucy’s Reminder Binder

My daughter, Lucy, is almost 5 years old.  She has been reading very well for what seems like forever.  We have recently had some discipline issues that are just “smart mouth” answers or comments she makes she hears elsewhere.  They are age-related, but we don’t like having to yell or say no and explain all the time.  The answer is nearly always the same and we want to keep the answers simple.

One of the ideas we are incorporating into our daily life is called “Lucy’s Reminder Binder”.  This binder consists of small hole drilled index cards.  I use the same type of card folio or binder for my genealogy research.  Lucy and I are working on writing this binder together and each card says something she is supposed to do or a rule if you want to call them rules.  For example, the first one is one of the first things we thought of – “Always say please and thank you.”  We all forget this all the time so Lucy will go to her binder and read this card and see a few examples and any definitions she may not understand involving the rule.

Listen to your mommy and daddy

Obviously things will be added as we remember them or incidents arise and that is the beauty of the binder – we can add cards if we run out.  Another plus of the binder is we can carry it with us in a purse or backpack for easy reference.  The goal is to have the child look up the rules and learn how to find the answers to the questions they have about their behavior and to discover definitions to words that may be foreign, like RESPECT!

What do you think?

Ponder this . . .

Some of life’s unanswered questions:

What type of bird is Woodstock?

Would it have been possible for Humpty Dumpty to be put back together again? Conspiracy?

Who shot JFK?

Was Little Red Riding Hood in cahoots with the Big Bad wolf?

How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?

What type of bird is a Peep?

Why do dogs roll in nasty smelling stuff?

Any fun answers?

seems so long ago

They grow up so fast
And before you know it
This time has passed.
We can’t make these
Moments last.
Growing up so fast
It’s scary.
That’s why I’m so wary
Of each little milestone,
Each little look, each little
Girl in the pictures I took.

Where is that child I brought
Home and was scared; to
Breathe too loud – gee I am
So proud.

Soon she’ll be grown
And calling me for advice
And telling me she’s getting on
With her life. I’ll always be
Her mother; no matter how old
because there’s nothing
So precious I will ever hold.

Christina Montague

financial facts for us all

I wish I could find a way to get this out to ALL people. It is so important. Please distribute this.

seed saving

Seed saving kit

I would love to do this with Lucy.  She loves saving seeds from fruit and is always asking how things grow.  The kit is on backorder right now – everything I want is on backorder or not being made anymore.  They also have kits for growing a Butterfly Habitat, Vegetables, a Bird Habitat and Organic herbs.  Really neat product idea I originally saw in Whole Living magazine.  These little kits are great learning tools for all ages and could be made with a little of your own creativity and traveling to both a craft and garden store.  What’s more fun that taking your toddler to hardware?

Butterfly garden kit

I’m expanding our garden this year.  Let me know which of you have gardens and what you grow.  How does your garden grow?  I’m a little bit better with vegetables and herbs than I am with flowers.  Post me your pictures.  Happy gardening!

i NEED a sitter

not yet five but all

the answers she has

“Mom.  I’m not sure that’s

right, let’s look it up on

on your computer.”

Questions like why do clouds move

and why did I fall and what

will happen in Kindergarten this

Fall?  Will this band-aid hurt

if I pull it at all?

Lying on quilt, looking

at clouds.  Watching

a vapor trail?  Where is

it going?

She’s outspoken it’s

true.

The mouth is so

sweet but can turn

so bitter.

Who is this child?

I NEED a sitter!

Counting the hours

’til my husband

comes home ’cause

lucygracesmom is

feeling overwhelmed

right now.