Full Hands

Driving a Duck Tour on the Charles:

Ladybug.

We've got our hands full with this one.

Babydaddy has this funny, little M&M dispenser. You put the candy in the top, push down Peanut M&M's leg, and M&M's come rolling out into a bucket. Strangely enough, it is one of his most priced possessions. I guess there's still a bachelor inside every happily married man.

Even though it was empty, Ladybug was playing with it the other day, and B.daddy reached down to show her how it worked. She snatched it back and said, "No, it's my toy."

Oh, honey. You just picked a fight you can't win. Or so we thought. It went a little bit like this:

"Ladybug, this is Daddy's toy. Say, 'Can I play with your toy, Daddy?'"

"It's my toy."

"No, it's mine. I'm not giving it to you until you say, 'Can I play with your toy.'"

"Can I play with my toy?"

"No, say, 'It's yours,' and I'll give it back."

"It's mine."

"No, say, 'It's yours.'"

"It's mine."

"Say, 'Can I play with your toy.'"

"Can I play with my toy?"

Okay, maybe--just maybe she has her pronouns mixed up. She is only two, after all. So Daddy tries to level with her.

"Ladybug, if you want to play with this toy, you have to say, 'It's Daddy's toy.'"

"I can't, Daddy."

....

Well, pronouns are obviously not the problem.

....

So, the above went on for literally five minutes. And Ladybug did. not. budge. She didn't crack a guilty smile, no frustrated anger. Just dead pan What-I-Say-Goes. That girl has an iron will. But you'd never know it, because she's so charming. I told you; we've got our hands full with her.

Finally, Daddy had a bright idea. Real candy! Candy is the answer to all behavioral issues.

Pee in the potty? Candy.

Do your lessons? Candy.

Get in the van? Candy.

Shut your trap? Candy.

So, Daddy filled the toy with candy, and pressed the leg down. Magic! Ladybug immediately reached out for it, but Daddy was ready.

"No, babe. If you want this you have to say it's my toy."

"It's my toy."

"Ladybug. I will give you this piece of candy if you say, 'It's Daddy's toy.'"

Pause.

"It's Daddy's toy."

Victory!!

Can we count that one as a victory?

It Can't Possibly Be That Easy

Relocating is not easy. I knew when we started this whole ordeal it would take a lot of presence of mind and perseverance.

Sure enough.

No need to bore you with the details, but we got new information today that forced us to change some of our logistical plans. The bare bones of what we're doing for the next 8 months are the same. But we've had to rearrange our moving and driving schedule a tad. Not a big deal, right? Well, then you've never planned anything with me. Actually, that's very probable, because I'm such an obsessive planner that I hate to share planning responsibilities. Except with other obsessive planners. Anyway, we got this info today and it's really not that big of a deal. But to me? It is. Thankfully, my husband is amazingly sensitive to my...sensitivity, and we formulated a new plan that I can be at peace with.

Already, we're learning. I thought that maybe after the second or third month, we'd encounter difficulties that would require us to employ all our very best attributes. Actually, six weeks prior you encounter circumstances that require the exact same things! Go figure. So, it's good. It may not be the easiest 8+ months of our lives. But it's good.

What is stupidly easy, though? This recipe! My Nana got me this particular cookbook when I got married, so I've had it for 7 1/2 years. I only recently found this recipe within. And it is to. die. for. You have to try it!

Toffee Bars

2 cups firmly packed brown sugar

2 cups butter, softened (yeah. that's 4 sticks.)

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

4 cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 oz. bag of chocolate chips

1) Cream butter and sugar together. Add egg yolks & vanilla. Add flour & salt. Press into greased 9x13 inch pan.

2) Bake @ 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned. The texture will be soft.

3) Remove from oven to cooling rack. Sprinkle chocolate chips evenly over the top until softened, then spread evenly. While still warm cut into desired size bars. These puppies are delectable, so you can make them small and make them go a loooong way!

Crazy People, We Are

Earlier this week we sent out an email to most of our friends and family. (I say most, because my husband sent it out, and I never can know if he got every single person I would choose.) :) Out of sheer laziness I'm copying the email here. (I did author it after all. ;) I'd love to go into all the details and plans, but that would be boring for all of you honkey tonks not involved or vested. And I'd also love to go deep into how I'm feeling about this decision right now, but that would be a little too personal via blogspot. Especially since I reserve that right for my husband, and my husband alone. So, let's just leave it at: I'm excited and I'm sad. But I'm not worried.

Dearest Friends~

We have some very exciting news to share with you.

B has been offered a great opportunity at work. For nine months he will be a part of a nationwide training program implementing major process changes for his department. Eight of these months will involve a good bit of travel, so we have come up with a hair~brained idea. During these eight months S and the kids will "visit" our family in Arkansas, and when B is not traveling he will be with the family in Arkansas. B's mom's house will be our temporary home until this project is over. He will then return to his current position, and we will return to New England together.

We will end our lease at the end of February, moving all our worldly goods into a storage unit nearby. We will pack our clothes, a few toys, and our school books and drive the van down to AR. And when all is said and done, we will return to New England moving all our possessions from storage into a more hospitable home for which we will be praying fervently!

We have considered all the risks and sacrifices of such a Life Shift. We have also sought wise counsel and prayed a lot. Though our hearts are heavy when we think of what--and who--we will be missing, we feel confident that this is the transition we have been prepared for.

Despite some of the bleaker realities, we also see this as a great opportunity in many ways:

~This will be good for B's career. What an amazing story of how God has used B's career at Liberty Mutual to provide for our family-both getting us to Boston and keeping us here. This seems to be the next chapter in that story.

~During B's travel S will have plenty of help and company. Plenty. ;)

~We will have eight months to save every penny that would normally go toward rent and utility bills. We still dream of owning a home in this crazy-expensive place!

~What a rare opportunity for our extended family to be near our kids! We may never live close to our extended family, so we see this as such a gift for all parties involved.

We would certainly appreciate your prayers. We realize this is a major undertaking and are praying that our family unit will come out at the end stronger, wiser, and more faithful to our Father and each other. We have been focusing our time and attention on becoming a family of worship, and we intend to maintain that focus.

Thank you for your support and affection~

B&S