Oofta, My Grandma's Awesome

Do you know someone who suffers from cancer??

So do I.

My grandma.

She's beautiful!! 

My considerate, loving, generous (oh, so generous!), thoughtful, hard working, brilliant, brave (even if she won’t admit it, she is…so very brave), patient, selfless, confident, family-oriented, gracious, all-around awesome, grandma.

She has this uncanny ability to make you feel like you and all the small details of your life are equally as important to her as they are to you…every single time you talk to her.  It’s unreal and makes this granddaughter feel very loved.  I don’t know how she does it…

She’s one-of-a-kind.

If my grandma had lived in France during the medieval times she would have made her living as a jongleur, I’m sure of it.  I never tire of sitting and listening to her eloquently retell stories from the past or simply read from a storybook.  My fondest memories are lying in her bed before bedtime and listening to her read from classics like The Mitten by Jan Brett or Love You Forever by Robert Munsch…two of my favorites.

Another one of her specialties is gift-giving.  She makes the best handmade cards for all kinds of special occasions!  

I can just feel the love oozing out of these cards!!

She will also go out of her way to make a special "just because" gift.  Like the time she printed off several pictures of our vacation and put them in an album, or all the times she sends toys and coloring books for the kids.

I didn’t get to see my grandma very often; in fact, throughout my childhood we were separated by a vast countryside and a 2-day road trip.  But, by golly, my courageous mother braved the trip to make sure my brother and I got to see this lovely lady (and her wonderful husband, my grandpa) every single summer, at least.  Since our times together were few and far between, my grandma made every moment extra special.  The times she took me shopping to spoil me rotten and then convince me to put on a fashion show to showoff all the loot; the times she put out art supplies like rubber cement, stickers, and rubber stamps with ink (I loved that stuff!!!) and let me create to my heart’s content for hours; the times she would patiently teach me how to type on a computer and play Kid Pix or Reader Rabbit; the times she would pour me a bowl of cereal (ya know, that sugar-saturated cereal not allowed at home…thanks mom for keeping me healthy! thanks grandma for the occasional treat!) for a late night snack and just chat the night away; the times she would make a fancy meal and invite guests to fill her home with love and laughter; the times she would take me onto her porch laden with sweet-scented flowers for a bagel breakfast; the times we would form a “game plan” for the following day together (I always looked forward to our game plans!!); and the times we would venture to their trailer on the lake to swim, play volleyball, go on picnics, ride the pontoon, make S’mores next to a crackling fire, and lounge in the sun with a good book in hand; all these times will forever be etched in my heart, never to be forgotten.

Now, the cancer… that yucky, yucky cancer, back for a third time.  Phooey!

This past week I was able to go on a mini vacation and stay with my grandparents for a few days.  Her strength blew me away.  She fights through all the yuckiness and never complains.  Like, ever. 

I have this problem, whenever problems arise.  I tend to just avoid them.  I push them from my thoughts, and I try to pretend the difficulties of life just don’t exist or I minimize just how hard it really is, especially when the difficulties affect the ones I love.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t actually avoid my grandma, I just don’t like to dwell on the ideas of cancer and what it is doing to her body.  Believe me, a day doesn’t go by without a prayer for healing, and Selah never forgets to lift up a sweet prayer for great-grandma Phyllis.  But, for whatever reason, I just can’t get my mind to really understand what she is going through.

It was a little difficult to avoid when it was staring me in the face though.  And it was a good thing for me to see.  It was important for me to get an idea of what my grandma means when she says her counts are low, and now I can visualize and sympathize a bit better when she says she’s been at the clinic for a transfusion all day.

Not pleasant…

But you know what my grandma does when she’s feeling low?  She hums; she hums a happy little tune while she keeps herself busy with this and that.  She puts on music and belts it out loud.  She cares for others.  She never misses a birthday or special occasion like Easter, an anniversary, or retirement celebration.  Remember how I said she was generous?? While at the hospital from sun up to sun down one day, you know how my grandma kept herself busy?? She rummaged through the hospital gift shops to find three perfect gifts for three special people… so thoughtful!! 

She has every right to grumble and sulk, but she doesn’t!  If anybody knows how to live a life sunny side up, it’s her!  I love her so much; I don’t think I could ever express how much she really means to me!  She encourages me and inspires me…she’s awesome.  Please keep her in your prayers!  She’s gonna beat this thing once and for all, I just know it!!   

Love you Grandma!!

Messy Face? Clean It Up!

Who can relate to the following scenario??

Spaghetti is prepared for dinner; spaghetti is served to members of the household (including small children); spaghetti mostly makes it into the mouths of most members of the household, however, for the few whose faces  and hands are smeared with orangey-red residue, a seemingly insurmountable feat is about to take place, one only to be attempted by an experienced veteran...

OK, ok! That was a bit dramatic, but you get the idea.  At the end of every meal there are faces that need cleaning, and over my years of experience (ha!)  I have come to learn a few things:

1) solely using a wipe as your method of cleansing leaves those sweet cheeks red and dry...ouch! 
2) using a wet paper towel minimizes irritation, but can be wasteful and expensive
3) finding a clean washcloth can be challenging and...

AH HA! That's it! How can I make it easy to find a clean washcloth every time my kids' faces need cleaning while also avoiding getting a new one every single time?? Well folks, I have come up with a solution to this problem...

  
hooks that suction to the tile next to our kitchen sink...simple, yet brilliant!  A washcloth for Selah, and a washcloth for Owen, perfect.  I can't tell you how much this has alleviated those post-mealtime demands...why didn't I come up with this sooner?!    

Homemade Play-Doh

I got this recipe, entitled "Best Ever Playdough", from my ma-in-law.  And it's true, it is the best playdough I have ever made...although, my aunt used to make this edible peanut butter playdough when we were kids, and I've yet to make that, soooo that might be comparable...I'll let ya know!   

For now though, the recipe for this soft, squishy, googy goodness is:

Mix together 2 cups flour, 2 Tbsp cooking oil, and 4 tsp cream of tartar.

Bring 2 cups water, 1 cup salt, and a few drops of food coloring to a boil.

Pour water combo into flour combo and knead together until smooth. Store in a plastic bag. 

This stuff can last forever and it makes a ton! 

Here's some fun being had with this tried and true, kid-approved substance:

 

Selah's creative creature,
I love kids' imaginations,
you never know what they'll come up with!

Not only kid-approved,
this stuff is also adult-approved!!
 

By far, my favorite!!!
See the little tongue sticking out?? So cute!!!

Now, go make yourself some "Best Ever Playdough" and channel your inner kid...you know you want to! ;)  

Smoked Sausage Stew

I found this recipe from:

It was a great find 1) because it has sausage in it and Selah looooves her some sausage (sausage breakfast tacos, sausage pizza, just plain sausage...she loves it!) and 2) because it is a form of a stew, which Daniel loves!! Double win! Here's the recipe:

Put these three cans
(2 bean and bacon soup, 1 diced tomatoes;undrained)
in a saucepan with 2 cups water.

Then add,

2 medium potatoes, 1 cup carrots and 1 cup celery
(well, I may have done a bit more than 1 cup...
but you can never have too many veggies!!)

You can also add 1 teaspoon chili powder, but I left that out since I was planning on giving this to Owen and I didn't want it that spicy, especially since he has acid reflux.

Then you bring all those ingredients to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

Next comes the meat!! 

Add 12 ounces fully cooked smoked sausage (thinly sliced) and cover and simmer for 40 minutes.  

Wa-la! Smoked sausage stew is served!! 

**Daniel's tip: Add Tabasco!!! 

First Steps

I'm writing two posts tonight because...

 Owen took his first steps!!!

That deserves its own separate post!  Don't ya think?!

Unfortunately, I don't have any documentation to prove this...but he did! And I'm proud.  Go Owen!  

And, so Selah isn't feeling left out, I'll tell you a little something interesting about her day today...

she slept for THREE HOURS today.  

I don't remember the last time she took a 3 hour nap...whoa! I can't think of what we did during the weekend to make her so tired, nothing out of the ordinary I don't think?? Maybe a growth spurt?? I don't know, but I refuse to let go of that nap, especially after today!! Let the naps continue!!!  

Back to Owen though...who has never napped 3 hours in his life (and I feel lucky if we make it past an hour!!) because he is too busy learning to WALK!

This is going in the Blessings Jar! (see previous post) My boy has legs that allow him to move from place to place, something I could easily overlook and take for granted, but not today, today I'm grateful, and feeling very blessed! 

Our Mantel

In all honesty, our mantel needs quite a bit of help.

See...

it's a bit bare.  

I envision a large, beautiful piece of art on the brick area, and some sort of long candle holder type piece to take up that middle part... one day, one day.  

For now though, there are two pieces on the ends that are pretty special to me, both made by yours truly.  

The frame on the left looks like this: 

 

This is a frame that originally held newborn pictures of Selah, but once Owen joined our family I wanted to use this frame for a new purpose.  (P.S. We still don't have ANY pictures of Owen up in this house...so very sad...I'm working on it.)  It is a little hard to see, but the words are from the verse: 

"As for me and my house, 

we, [the Treibers], 

will serve the Lord." --Joshua 24:15  

This verse sums up our vision and purpose for our family.  We want to serve God in whatever way that may look like for us, depending on His plan.  Plus, whenever I see this, I get to bust out the "God Is In The House" song by Hillsong.  Oh yeah.  

If you're curious, I just used scrapbook paper and letter stickers to make this.  I found both items at JoAnns.  I bought several different packs of stickers, but each pack was only a $1!! I was pretty excited! 

On the right side of our mantel is this: 

   

I got this idea from my stepdad when him and my mom were down for Christmas.  It is a "Blessings Jar" that starts out empty and gradually gets filled with slips of paper throughout the year. 

Here are my slips of paper:

Just scrapbook paper, construction paper, and foam sticker.

On these pieces of paper we write the big and little blessings that occur throughout the year (prayers that have been answered, people who God has brought into our lives, activities we have been able to participate in, issues that have been resolved, etc.), we date it and stick it into the jar. Then, on New Year's Eve, we plan to dump out all the slips of paper and read through all the ways God has blessed us this year.  It will help us start the year off right and put life into perspective!  

Here is our jar getting fuller and fuller:

 

 So thankful tonight to have so many reasons to pick up a pen and fill out a slip of paper, God is so good!! 

One Less Bin

This is an odd leap from my last post, but let me reassure you, I'm still praying for God's direction in helping me shine that little light of mine (did I mention I am around babies and toddlers and young children most hours of everyday, so be prepared for all sorts of kid-related references!).  He has answered in a few different ways, mainly giving me lots of inspiration and renewed excitement about plans for the future, which is great, but I'm hoping and praying for more opportunities for the present, the today...I'll keep you updated.  

Aaaaanyway, today's post is about how I managed to free an unsuspecting bin being held hostage by a random assortment of art supplies.  This bin's home (along with numerous other bins) was underneath this long table in our kitchen, pushed against a window, with a large tablecloth on top of it.  For whatever reason, this table tends to collect...stuff! All kinds of STUFF, both on top of it and under it.  Oy vey!  One of the tasks on my ever increasing to-do list is to figure out how to organize this whole area.  I am one bin closer to this goal!! That's something to be proud of! 

So, as I mentioned, this bin was filled with art supplies.  It worked well for awhile, but then I got tired of pulling up the tablecloth, pulling out the bin (which, of course, was always underneath other bins I had previous rummaged through!) and then putting it...uhhhh, on some type of flat surface, that wasn't already cluttered with something else... and then open it up to dig through and find the ONE specific thing I needed for that particular art project.  

What a pain!!

I sound like such a complainer... 

But it was, it was a pain!

So this is what I did about it!!   

This is one of those holders meant for shoes,
that I actually got from our closet...
Goodbye shoes!! Hello paint, glue, and googly eyes!!
(Well, actually, the shoes didn't really go anywhere, just into a new shoe holder!) 

This is the top half, where we keep all our paint (and, holy smokers, as my Grandpa Pete says, and Selah repeats :), we have a lot of paint!!)

We also have the glue, bubbles, stamps and ink pads, and pencils in this section. 

This is the bottom half, where we keep markers, crayons, glitter, paintbrushes, magnets, more stamps, pipe cleaners, craft sticks, and other odds and ends.














I did this sometime in February, and I'm SOOO stinkin' glad I finally got around to doing it!  It makes me more willing to do a spontaneous craft with my girl! Everything is so easy to see and retrieve...and clean up!  Good stuff!    




**The place where I found the inspiration for this solution is no longer available, or I would gladly share it with you all!