I’ve been struggling these last few weeks. One of my latest struggles has been MOPS. After the last meeting I went to I am 99.9% sure that I will not be going back. Since Pastor B has left it just isn’t the same. I  was also painfully aware of the many cliques that are there and the fact that I am not in one of them. I don’t think it’s good for me to continue going to a group where I feel isolated and left out (even if it’s just my perception of the situation) Sure more than half of the group knows my name and will say hi. But when left to a choice of who they would like to sit with and talk to I am not it. So I have decided to stop attending the meetings. It will make getting C to school much less of a chore as well since I had to leave MOPS early and rush him to school. I feel sad that my kids will be missing these meeting tho. I know they really enjoyed them. But this is something I have to do for me……..

SOME T$F FAVORITES

KRink, MTN Pocket Cans, Magnum 44, Mean Streak, Witches Brew, Oink Ink, Murder Ink, Gross Mops, Pental White 100w, etc..

Am redescoperit un super pictorial mai vechi, aparut in Vogue Italia. Linda Evangelista, o multime de mopsi si un fotograf iscusit, Steven Meisel…Ce poate fi mai artistic?

Duminica ne-am facut 2 noi prieteni : Daisy si Nikos, 2 mopsi adorabili Iar acum astept sa intalnesc cat mai multi mopsi…poate punem si de un grup in toata regula

P.S. Mami zice ca se gandeste sa-mi aduca un fratior…ce sa fie, ce sa fie?

Mai jos o puteti vedea pe Daisy…isn’t she cute? Poate data viitoare ma lasa sa ma joc cu codita ei )

The cold crept up though the granite boulder I sat on. It seeped through my well-padded backside and settled into my spine.  Cold, clumsy, fat and scared is how I felt. The sun had barely risen and held no warmth, except a promised one. I pulled my hoodie tighter around my growing stomach and turned the pages of my bible in search of comfort.

What I found was about as comfortable as the granite I sat on.

¹ Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”
“Here I am,” he replied.

² Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

Not, what I was looking for. I was pregnant, hormonal and afraid. I was looking for peace. DUH. Instead of peace- the doctors phone call haunted me:

“Your tests came back with soft indicators for Down Syndrome, you need to make an appointment with the genetic counselor.” In that instant,  I’d lost peace. Instead of wondering about my baby’s gender, I was now afraid my child would die. I was afraid my child would struggle. I was afraid he’d be rejected. I was afraid I wouldn’t be able to handle it. I wondered where God was.

I wanted my excitement back. I wanted my peace back.

Instead, I opened the page to see God tell a man to kill his son. I kept reading. I saw a man lay his beloved child on a cold rock and lift a knife to kill him.  Fear and anger welled up in me.

I hated Abraham.

“That altar is cold! Is he nuts? Where Is Sarah? I’d kill him if he was my husband. THAT’S HIS BABY! Would he really do it? What an idiot.” (Umm I maybe actually think like this, am I the only one?)

I slammed my bible and walked back to the camper. If this was the comfort God was offering- I didn’t want it.

I let the door slam as I entered. I wanted everyone to be awake with me in my misery.

It didn’t work. They snored on.

Trying to shove down the anxiety I felt, I started to clean. I grabbed a shopping bag to put it away and out fell a blue, silk edged Winnie the Pooh blanket, I’d bought for the baby. Tears filled my eyes.

I imagined myself holding my baby in the blanket, I imagined the blanket never holding a baby.  I imagined the blanket draped over a tiny coffin, and I imagined it wrapped around a tiny Down Syndrome baby.

I wondered if Sarah had a blanket for Isaac. I wondered how Abraham had overcome his fatherly instinct to comfort and care for his son, to lay him on a cold stone altar.

“Maybe he didn’t.” Was the response. (It was either God or my imagination, but I heard it.)

“The Bible LIED?” I asked. Kind of hoping it had.

“Maybe Abraham didn’t lay him on a stone altar, maybe he lay him on my lap. Maybe you should lay your child there too.”

I was pretty sure Abraham wasn’t the only crazy one. He had a new neighbor in crazy-ville: ME.

I let the words sink in.  Not an altar, a lap. A fathers lap. I wasn’t convinced.

“In your lap? I can’t. I have to take care of him.” I replied. (Once you’ve gone to crazy-ville you may as well stay a while. )

“I will. I already AM.” Was the reply.

“I can’t let go.” I answered.

“Neither can I.” Was the reply that brought me back form Crazy-ville.

The truth is I could let go, if I really tried, and if I really trusted.

That day didn’t end my fear. But, it did become a place to return to, like the rock on the beach I’d sat on,while searching for comfort. Only instead of coldness creeping up my spine, it brought warmth. It brought peace, and yes, comfort.

On a lap, not an altar.

God hadn’t promised everything would be alright.   Instead, he met me where I was, and gave ME a warm lap to crawl into, a place where I could lay down my little one. Not a cold stone altar, but the lap of a loving father.

He didn’t change my circumstances, but he did change my perspective.

I don’t know what you’re feeling today, maybe you’re afraid, maybe you are angry, maybe you have read that same story and wanted to put the beat down on Abraham, like I did.  I’m praying that God will meet you where you’re at, and show you what you need to see, whether (like me) you like it or not.

Dear Lord- I pray that you’d constantly remind me to trust you.. that you’d constantly remind me you are not a cold hard, judging God but a loving father, into who’s lap I can climb and find peace.  I love you Lord and pray that you will meet each one that comes here, right where they are. Amen

The Christmas season is officially here. We spent the weekend after Thanksgiving decorating our home and our Christmas trees.  Yes, I said trees!  We have four this year.  Since our house is a little larger, we have more room for a fourth tree.  We already had plenty of ornaments.  Our Christmas trees have many special meanings behind them.  I will start with my son’s Christmas tree.

He has a small artificial tree in his room and it has all of his ornaments that we have bought for him over the years.  Some have his name on them and if not, then we just write in on there along with the year.  He decorated his tree himself.

I love his angel topper.  It was made at a MOPS meeting when he was younger.  I added the face to it and it is adorable!  He says he hates it, but he secretly likes it because he still puts it on top of his tree!

Our family Christmas tree is in the den.  This tree is artificial and it has all of our special ornaments from vacations, places we have visited, and our many handmade ornaments made by us and other family members.  And how can we forget baby Jesus in the manger?

The tree topper is a Moravian star.  The Moravians are a Protestant group who settled here back in the 1750’s.

My son and I are not in the den during the day, but in the dining room.  Having a tree in the front room is nice because we can look at it while we do school. This tree is real and has metal ornaments and a few other ornaments that are too large for the family tree. 

There are a few other decorations we put out each year.  One is our mountain Santa.  He  has been around for about 15 years. 

And the other is our Nativity.  It is about 15 years old as well.   Do you think there was a beagle at the birth of Jesus? 

And last but not least, the most special Christmas tree of all.  

Ok, so we only have three decorated trees, but how could I not include this one?

As I was eating bon bons on the couch watching my soaps this afternoon I got THE phone call. (OK, if you only knew how that is SO NOT me! It simply sounds inviting to me on days like today.) More like: I was STILL homechooling my boys at 4:15 p.m. today at the kitchen table, when I got THE phone call. The news was kind of expected, but the timing was POOR, to say the least.  Our homestudy needs to be updated and the only date our case worker had comfortably available was in two weeks.  Well, in two weeks, Rick and I will be on a cruise ship eating at the midnight chocolate buffet.  The dear is from out-of-town so she looked at her already full calendar and suggested Thursday at 1:00.  THIS Thursday.  I had no choice… I said “ok”.. and then I looked around and wanted to cry.  I have about 39 hours.

Before I show you the highly top-secret photos of the messy state of the Crosby union, I have to let you know what was ALREADY on my schedule between now and Thursday at 1:00.  1. drop off son for car pool 2. visit my mother 3. Bible Study Wed. 1:30 – 4:30 4. speaking preparations 5. pack my book sale stuff  6. fill up the gas in the van 7. speak at MOPS Thursday morning an hour away 8. homeschool   9. pedicure 10. date night with Rick.  As you can see, I had to cross a few things off.  And added to the list: 11. throw all Christmas boxes in the garage  12. scrape piles of stuff under the couch, in the oven and into the laundry room.  We also need to do something about the broken trampoline poles… they don’t look adoption safe at the moment.  Too much WWF from my boys.  They use the poles to swing up on the roof over our patio…. the perfect jumping off place.  (We call it the “fire escape” for the upstairs bedrooms…. out Keeve’s window on the patio roof and safely onto the trampoline.)

OK, just to vindicate myself, these cluttered pictures do not mean our house is DIRTY… just messy… from Christmas decorating that didn’t actually happen yet.  I sadly share tonight’s photo essay:

The kitchen table:

The computer desk:

The living room:

The dining room: (the lamp does not belong there!)

The family room:

The pantry:

Yes, the kitchen is not included in this messy montage… it is unordinarily clean at the moment with freshly baked peanut butter cookies cooling on the racks.  Seriously!

OK, I do realize that instead of taking pictures and writing a blog I could’ve been working on the mess… but that’s no fun ALONE!  Tomorrow I have three willing and able elves to help with Christmas decorating for baby Jesus’ birthday and homestudy cleaning.  )  Say a little prayer for the Crosbys, please.

#iknewiwasamomwhen durning pillow tak this morning Jake reached down into the covers and pulled out a rubber….high heeled polly pocket boot. We were both in hysterics. (K R)

…a breast pad worked it’s way out of my blouse and fell on the floor at Target. I (of course) pretended it wasn’t mine. (TS)

I knew I was a mom when….an attractive man did a double-take as I walked past him at Martin’s Grocery. “That’s right,” I smugly preened, “I still got it.” An hour or so later, upon returning home I caught a glimpse of my backside. It was splattered with varying colored remnants shmushed when sitting and playing with my toddlers early that morning.

That’s right, baby got Play-Doh back! (Julie Barnhill)

I had a total stranger stop me (as I was walking into WalMart, toddler on my hip) to tell me I had a matchbox car stuck in my hair. (TB)

My Darling Shoe Princesses

Every now and then SP Emma Bowd needs to remind me (with a subtle jab of her stiletto!) that her gorgeous little novel The Shoe Princess’s Guide to the Galaxy is not just about shoes!

Indeed, shoes provide quite a lovely window-dressing for her tale of transition from career-girl to first-time-mum… and all the fun and games that follow.

Heartfelt thanks to the utterly divine Brighton MOPS for having SP Emma Bowd talk about her novel.  She was truly overwhelmed by the warm welcome and absolutely enjoyed the questions and discussions that evolved. 

Hats off to MOPS…a glittering gem of a lifeline for mums and their children and families.  Bravo! xx

Practical Parenting, May 2009

‘…a good read. Be entertained and enlightened’

Practical Parenting Magazine

(Aust, May 2009)

Are you looking for a eco-friendly mop? Then how about this one? It’s a microfiber mop and you can use it for dry mopping and wet mopping. Plus, you can use essential oils with it. I’d love to try it. AnnMarie from Cheeseslave hosting a Thanksgiving giveaway for this mop. Why not stop by and enter the giveaway. It only takes a couple minutes.

]]> http://retromops.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/advent-advent/ Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:47:42 +0000 RetroMoni http://retromops.wordpress.com/2009/11/30/advent-advent/

… ein Lichtlein brennt …

Wir möchten allen Besuchern unseres Retro-Mops-Blogs eine schöne, geruhsame und stimmungsvolle Vorweihnachtszeit wünschen.

Retro-Mops Lilly hilft beim Dekorieren.

Retro-Mops.net

P.S. Can I have some cake please?:D

Siretel, mami si eu … ne faceam siesta de dupa masa.

Din cand in cand Grigore mai da o fuga si pe la birou. Ce face un mops la lucru?

The WAC ladies with their finished creations!

This is a craft that I led recently for a Women’s Ministry event at my church, Woodinville Alliance Church (http://wachurch.us).  It was a big hit — everyone’s turned out fabulous, and it was neat to see how everyone interpreted the craft in their own way.  They’re sooo cute — our MOPS group decided to use these trees as centerpieces for our Christmas Party MOPS meeting. 

Estimated time to complete: 

About 1 hour if you have the strips cut in advance; 1 1/2 hours if you don’t.

Supply List:

One-time Use Supplies:

• green or neutral cardstock, one 12″x12″ sheet per mom
• double-sided scrapbook paper, two or three 12″x12″ sheets per mom
• 3M double-stick tape – each roll will make nearly two trees; I recommend two rolls for every 3 moms
• Optional (see below): foam brushes for applying glue, along with glitter and/or fake snow; 1″-2″ snowflake/star/pointsettia ornaments for tree toppers (1 per mom minimum) and glue-gun glue sticks; eyelash/fuzzy/glitter yarn for garland

Multiple-use supplies:

• clear packing tape, one roll per table
• Optional (see below): glue (if you are doing the glitter/fake snow embellishment)

Tools:

• paper cutters – if you will be cutting paper into strips themselves, have several paper cutters available – one per table if possible
• scissors – 1 or 2 per table
• Optional (see below):  hot glue gun (if you are gluing something on top)

Instructions

First, make a cone, which will be the base of your tree.

• Mark a 90-degree arc on each 12″x12″ cardstock square: use a ruler and pivot it from one corner, marking the 12″ mark as you go across in an arc.  It will end up looking like one quadrant of a 24-inch-diameter pie.
• Cut out the green cardstock along the pre-marked arc line to make a ¼ pie shape.
• Ease the green cardstock into a cone shape and tape together on the inside using thick packing tape.  TIP: butt the straight edges together against a tabletop, holding them together on the inside of the cone with one hand; tape the edges together with the other.
• Ease the cone into more of a cone shape (it naturally wants to be a teardrop shape).

Then, make your paper curls.

• Choose the double-sided paper you want for your paper curls, about two or three 12”x12” sheets.
• Cut each sheet into three 4”x12” panels using a paper cutter.
• Cut 3” off one panel and reserve it – it will become the very top layer of paper curls on your tree.
• Cut the remaining paper into ½” strips, the short way (that is, 1/2” x 4”)
• Curl the paper strips – use a round marker or pencil, or use the edge of a table.

Taping the first layer of paper curls to the cone base

This one is very curly - each paper strip is nearly a full loop

The paper strips on this tree are just gradually curled

Tape the paper curls onto the cone using double-stick tape. 

• Start from the bottom and tape curls on all the way around. For the first layer, the curls should just brush the table if you set the cone down.
• As you complete each layer, put one hand inside the cone, and with the other, press all the paper firmly onto the tape.
• Add another layer about 2” higher, placing the curls so none of the green cone is showing in between. 
• Keep going until you are 3” from the top or so.  TIP: about halfway up your tree, place the curl layers a little bit closer together.
• TIP: trim a bit off the ends of each curl in the few layers near the top of the tree, to make it more proportional – ½ inch for the row or two nearest the top (not the mini-cone, though), ¼” for the next couple rows

The finished product, with a star on top!

Now, make the top layer of your tree.

• Take the 3”x4” paper piece you reserved earlier, and cut it into a 3”x3” square.  You are going to make a little cone with it.  
• Draw an arc on the square, just like the green cardstock you used for the big cone (measure 3” from one corner, then pivot from that corner and mark in small increments to make an arc).
• Tape the straight edges together the same way as you did above for the big cone.
• Use scissors to cut a ½” wide fringe around the bottom of the cone, cutting about 1/2-way up.  Curl up the fringe.
• Put double-stick tape around the very top of your tree, then set the curled mini-cone on top firmly.

 Optional: embellish your tree.  Ideas:

• Brush glue onto the outside of the curls and sprinkle on glitter
• Brush glue onto the inside of the curls and sprinkle on fake snow
• Stick on rhinestones, against the flat inner parts of the paper curls, or on the outer edge of the curls
• Glue a small star or snowflake ornament onto the top of the tree using a hot glue gun
• Drape a mini faux-light string or fuzzy or sparkly yarn around your tree like a garland
• Hang mini-ornaments on the tree

 IDEAS for how to design your tree:

• Use different papers, randomly placed all over the tree
• Use the same paper all over, all curled with the same pattern facing “out”
• Use the same paper  all over, but alternate which pattern is “out”, A or B: alternating within one layer (A, B, A, B as you go around the cone) or alternating layer-by-layer (first layer, all A; second layer, all B; third layer, all A…)
• Use two papers, but alternate which paper or pattern you use within one layer or layer-by-layer
• Same as above, but instead of focusing on specific papers or patterns, focus on color (red/green/red/green within one layer, or alternate colors layer-by-layer) 

eine neue pandemie droht. bundesgesundheitsminister rösler warnt vor einer rasanten ausbreitung der mopsgrippewelle. sie äußert sich in deformierung zu einer kurzbeinigen sofarolle und nahezu ausschließlich bei männern in anbetung des doppel-d-plurals. um die hunderasse bei der bevölkerung nicht in mißkredit zu bringen, haben experten bereits alternativnamen vorgeschlagen, über die ein internationales gremium berät. im rennen stehen u.a. knut von der knautschkuller, adrian von der speckschwarte, felix von fratzenschneider.

Well, I just finished doing all of my baking and cooking for tomorrow and I’m wondering why it took me so many years to figure out that I don’t have to do all the cooking and prep on the day of Thanksgiving.  Perhaps I won’t spend the whole day in the kitchen this year?

There are so many things to be thankful for this year – my faith in my gentle and strong Father, my funny and loving family, my sweet and gentle Ma, my friends who take care of my heart, my health, a warm house, a steady family income, a comfy bed… the list could go on and on and on and on.  This year I am especially thankful for our MOPS group – an amazing group of diverse and fun-loving women that create a safe place to share our joys and struggles of mothering without judgment – what more could you ask for!?!  I’ll be praying that you all have a peaceful Thanksgiving filled with long naps and belly laughs.  Have a delightful holiday and if you’re looking for a new holiday tradition, maybe you could try doing The Turkey (Gobble, Gobble, Gobble)…

Nu ne-am mai auzit de ceva vreme si asta pentru ca parintii lui Grigore au fost prinsi cu treburi “lumesti” si au neglijat in ultimul timp lumea celor care “nu cuvanta”.

Ei bine, ei au avut totusi timp sa dea o fuga pana in Praga (Grigore din pacate nu a putut calatori) unde, au poposit pret de cateva ore bune, in cel mai frumos loc destinat animalutelor “de toate felurile”: Gradina ZOO din Praga

As putea vorbi o zi intreaga despre minunatia aceasta de loc si asta, fara sa pot nici macar pe jumatate, sa transmit senzatiile si emotiile pe care le simti odata ce-i treci pragul.

Ne gandim sa mergem din nou in Praga, de aceasta data si cu Grigore, intrucat la Prague ZOO este permis accesul cu animale de companie si mai mult decat atat, exista spatii special amenajate pentru acestea, unde poti gasi boluri pentru apa sau mancare

Daca aveti ocazia sa vizitati Praga, nu ratati Gradina Zoologica … si nu o sa va para rau

P.S. Nu ratati Pavilionul Lemurilor … poti avea sansa de a sta la o “poveste” cu ei, pe o banca

Spread the word!

Tell anyone you know with an infant, or anyone who knows someone who knows someone, to see if it’s a dropside crib from Stork Craft to click

HERE

and HERE

Big safety concern here

so spread the word!

DRIP DROP MOP TOP!

]]> http://retromops.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/bilder-von-retro-mops-henriette/ Tue, 24 Nov 2009 04:10:42 +0000 RetroMoni http://retromops.wordpress.com/2009/11/24/bilder-von-retro-mops-henriette/

Es gibt neue Bilder auf unserer Homepage: 
Retro-Mops-Girlie Henriette (Bina)
Klick bitte hier.

Und von Lexy (Mara) habe ich gestern dieses Bild bekommen.
Herrchen und Frauchen schrieben mir, dass Lexy teilweise so schnell im Laub zwischen den Bäumen rumgerannt sei, dass man hätte denken können, sie stamme von einem Leoparden ab.

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