The Saturday 7

1. I haven't been doing great with my resolution to read less this year. I'm trying to read only when I'm caught up on housework and my kids are either sleeping or otherwise occupied. "Trying" being the operative word. Lol. My first book of the year was a random one I found on Kindle Unlimited: The Overdue Life of Amy Byler. I was drawn to it because the main character starts a career as a school librarian after her kids are in school. It's a secular novel and has some sketchy moral leanings, but I did enjoy it. And it really made me want to finish my degree so I can work in a library someday. I actually started looking at a bunch of programs that offer online associate's degrees. I wish it was like online shopping and each one had a price right on it. I also wish I could just plug in my transcript and it would tell me how many classes I'd actually have to take. I had Cornerstone send me my official transcript. I have 66 credits, so theoretically I'd only have to take the library-specific classes, right? I'm going to have to actually call these schools aren't I? Boo. Do you think their advisors text? 🤣 (#millenial) Also, does anyone have any leads on grants/scholarships/free money for low-income stay at home moms who are swiftly approaching 40?

2. I decided that I could justify my reading obsession if I started reading something more substantial than my usual fluffy romances. So I reached out to my facebook friends for suggestions of biographies/memoirs/narrative non-fiction (I'd never heard of that genre, but it's definitely what I'm looking for - thanks, Cara!). My friends came through with tons of recommendations. I started that night with one that I've meant to read for years but never got around to: Corrie ten Boom's The Hiding Place. Wow. I read it all in one night (staying up 'til 1 a.m. to do so). I appreciated that she shared the horror, but left out most of the graphic details. I'm coming to realize that I can't handle too much darkness or trauma in books - especially if it's something that's actually happened! I can't even articulate how amazing Corrie's story is. My mom always says that if she was in a concentration camp, she'd run for the fence and let the guards shoot her. I'm in agreement. To read of these women's resilience is astounding. Weirdly, the part that got to me was when they had to appear for "roll call" every morning - sometimes at 4:30 in the morning, in the dead of winter. They marched in place so their feet wouldn't freeze. I can't even handle the walk from my car to my house if it's less than 30 degrees. Here these women stood for hours wearing threadbare clothing and falling-apart shoes. And the way God has used their stories is incredible. Gah. I'll stop gushing.

3. In dramatically less important news, potty training went really well this week. I don't know what came over me. We're going to Florida for a week in 9 days. The timing is awful, but I was home most of this week, and he's been asking me recently, "am I wearing a diaper?" aka checking to make sure he's got a diaper on before he pees. He doesn't want to wear undies, but I forced it every day this week and he did awesome. I think it's finally clicking!! He never actually tells me when he has to go. 95% of the time, he pees a tiny bit in his undies, tells me, "I did go potty in my undies!" but he catches himself, waddles to the bathroom and does the rest in the toilet. He's keeping them dry for hours at a time, and can go pretty much on command if I make him. Maybe he'll be all potty trained by the time we go to Florida. (Haha! One can dream!)

4. The picky eating update, however, is not as promising. I don't cook every night, and we have pizza every Wednesday, so I think I ended up doing the "one bite rule" three times this week. I'm not going to re-hash it all. Suffice it to say Lucy spent a lot of time in her room, and Levi made himself gag/puke. I've been very thankful for Lena's willingness this week. She never actually likes anything, but she'll eat the requisite 5 bites to make herself something else. I truly think that Levi's resistance is the typical "picky eater," but Lucy's is much more concerning. Part of the reason I've implemented this rule is to see what she'll do when forced to eat something she doesn't like. I haven't forced it in the past because so much of what I've read says not to. But the other options aren't working, and I'm starting to wonder if we'll need to try therapy. First, however, I need to see if her refusal to eat is just willpower or if she truly can't make herself eat. Thanks so much for the encouragement and ideas as I share these updates on facebook. Honestly, I've read lots of books and articles and have tried most things, but I'm always up for those bits of wisdom I might have missed!!

5. Well this is already long, and I'm out of ideas, so on to pictures  . . .

You're supposed to potty train in the summer so your kid can run around pants-less. Lucky for me, Levi doesn't care that it's only 66* in our house. He's good with no pants anytime. 

Our activity this week: threading beads onto pipe cleaners.

Lucy taught Lena how to play the recorder. She can officially play "Hot Cross Buns" so she's all set for 4th grade Think she'll still remember in 3 years? 

Look at this beautiful girl!! 

I'm still trying to get rid of my stupid old van. I had a bunch of people interested this week. This guy said he'd come get it at 4:30. at 4:34, he sent me the above message. Lol. "She don't want a war drunk in your yard!"

Lena's morning work. I wish I had five ________. Dimes. Fiddy cents. That's all I need.

The girls wanted to do my hair last night, and Levi got involved. I was shocked by how long it held his attention. I think he could've "brushed" my hair all day. My poor scalp . . .

Then he insisted on blow-drying it. I was worried he'd burn me, but it actually felt really good!

Last night, our local meteorologists were freaking out about this massive winter storm that was bearing down on us. We were supposed to get .75" of ice followed by inches of snow. They were predicting extended power outages and impassable roads. I decided that kind of forecast called for some homemade cinnamon rolls. So last night, I broke out the bread maker I got for Christmas to make the dough for me. And I proceeded to make cinnamon rolls from scratch for the first time.

Last night before they rose overnight in the fridge.

This morning after baking and frosting. Yummmmmmm. I'm supposed to be on a diet, but I definitely ate three of these today.

 Oh, and for the record, we got two tenths of an inch of ice, and it just started snowing. Now they're only predicting 1-3", which is old hat for us Michiganders. At least we never lost power!

Ice-day fun.