April's Fool

My kids love to pull the wool over our eyes, so SUPER LOVE any excuse to play a joke...

So better on Dad than than Mom, in my opinion!

So, we are putting prune juice in the coffee maker, shorting the bed sheets, and replacing Tuesdays newspaper with LAST weeks news. (Ha! Ha! this is my personal favorite!)

Have fun!

The Power of a Red Marble

My friend Polly of Barn Dandys e mailed me this story...pretty powerful. Enjoy!


I was at the corner grocery store buying some early potatoes. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily looking a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes and I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller (the store owner) and the boy next to me.

"Hello Barry, how are you today?"

"'Lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thanks. Just admirin' the peas. They sure look good."

"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"

"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."

"Good. Anything I can help you with?"

"No, Sir. Just admirin' them peas."

"Would you like to take some home?" asked Mr. Miller.


"No, Sir. Got nothin' to pay for 'em with."

"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"

"All I got is my prize marble here."

"Is that right? Let me see it" said Miller.

"Here. She's a dandy."

"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?" the store owner asked.

"Not exactly but almost.."

"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble". Mr. Miller told the boy.

"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, when they come on their next trip to the store."

I left the store smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado, but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering for marbles.

Several years went by, each more rapid than the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died.

They were having his visitation that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them. Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer
whatever words of comfort we could.

Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts...all very professional looking. They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket.

Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and reminded her of the story from those many years ago and what she had told me about her husband's bartering for marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket.

"Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim "traded" them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size....they came to pay their debt."

"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho "

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband. Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

The Moral : We will not be remembered by our words, but by our kind deeds. Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath..

Today I wish you a day of ordinary miracles ~ A fresh pot of coffee you didn't make yourself...An unexpected phone call from an old friend...Green stoplights on your way to work...The fastest line at the grocery store...A good sing-along song on the radio...Your keys found right where you left them.

Winter's Last Breath

Meet Maggie! My best friend sent me this snapshot of her little girl. I love that it's Spring Break and it is SNOWING...ohhhhhh, the glorious North. I swear growing up in Texas, I was in a swimming pool in March! I am ready for fresh flowers, sunny warm days and the dog days of summer!

Sweet Maggie. My little bit of Sunshine.

Going to Grandma's

I love the idea of Spring Break (and secretly wish I could have one!).

WHAT DO WE DO WITH THE KIDS? (Meanwhile, didn't they just have a Winter Break? And prior to that Christmas Break?) Ok, Ok...I do realize being a teacher is exhausting (I could NEVER hold up!), yet we simply do not have that much vacation time.

Neither Brad nor my family rarely volunteer to take the 3 boys! So we coyly broach the subject and then POUNCE on any offer! This year, the boys are off Grandma's house.

Suitcases in tow, new pajamas and favorite blankets packed...and the boys will have the time of their life (and hopefully, grandma will, too!)

Happy Spring! Happy Easter

Oooh I am so happy it's Spring. We had such a beautiful blue sky day...albeit FREEZING. So Easter this year was more an indoor adventure, dying eggs, making treats! Henry and I made our pretzel birdnests...deliciously easy.

Seems like the weather should be warmer. And then I realized Easter was a month early this year. Ha...warm weather, baseball season and spring dresses and fresh flowers are just around the corner! Yippee!

In love with the Hand Made

One of our favorite artisans, Shannon Sunderland send me this photo this morning. It captures everything I love about her jewelry and the pieces she creates. Each necklace, bracelet and charm is individually made and touched by her hands.

I was just in Chicago this weekend for this powerful Country Living "Entrepreneurs Conference", surrounded by inspired and inspiring women...most of them moms. The most common question moms asked, "What prompted you to start your business?" This is what Shannon had to say:

"When I first started my business, I gave jewelry to girlfriends and grandmothers in my family as gifts. Nearly every woman who received my jewelry with their baby's' name on it would cry. I realized I that making this work is a really amazing gift, for me as well as the recipient. This feeling of connectedness, of celebrating mothers and families, is what I love most about my work."

Mississippi Magnolia Tree

My boys were in Mississippi last week for their annual St Patrick's Day trek. They arrived home with scratched arms, scraped knees and sunburned necks... bursting with stories.

They ran around the neighborhood with a posse of boys, climbing to the furthest branch possible in hopes of catching an adult off guard with their whoops and hollers. Their favorite adventure included a century old Magnolia tree. They scaled the branches that could easily hold a dozen boys in its arms.

As they recounted their tale, I remembered how much I love to climb trees. I was often lost in trees around our neighborhood in search of a moment of quiet and cool. Children love to discover secret places, hidden away from the adult world.

Hmm. I, too, could use a good hiding place right about now!

In love with old

I admit I love almost everything old or vintage. So as I am in the mist of a major Spring cleaning at home, I find myself rarely parting with any of my flea market finds, vintage outfits or classic toys!

In fact, nothing makes me happier than to see my youngest son wearing a shirt that my oldest son once wore...or even better, playing with a wood toy all three played with.

We live in a day and age, where children's clothes are so inexpensive we'd rather toss them out than "darn" them. In fact, do any of us have a "darning" basket like our grandmothers? Do mom's today sew on patches on jeans, sew back buttons or even hem? It makes me sad to think that as prices for everything come down, so does the value we place on them.

Toys today are so inexpensive, that people often look past longevity and quality for price. The Warm Biscuit Bedding Co. tries to offer value and quality. One of our favorite new pieces, is our custom cradle. It is both hand painted and hand sewn in our Oklahoma workshop. At $48, this heirloom piece (designed to be passed down for generations) seems like a bargain to me.

The bigger question I suppose is how much value do moms truly place on quality. You tell me.

The Ultimate Blog Party 2008

Come join the party over at the Ultimate Blog Party! You'll get a chance to meet some great people in the bloggisphere and possibly win some prizes. I haven't met that many people yet, but I'll bet you can guess what I'll be doing this weekend!