A pain in the...refrigerator

UPDATE: Success! We have a fridge! Sharks told the delivery men, "Thank you for making our fridge healthy!" as though they were fridge doctors. Close enough.

So remember this? Well, after almost a week, our landlord got us a new fridge. It is being delivered as we speak...or, as we write/read?

But since we live in an old house, the doorways and hallways are quite small. And there happens to be this little shelf that juts out into the hall that is blocking the way.

Which means that the fridge doesn't fit.

I would really, really like to have a fridge in my kitchen. I mean, the coolers have been fine and all, but to have to run out back every time I want some milk in my coffee has really made me question my second (and third) cups.

Anyway, now the kind delivery men have to take off the doors off of both the new and old fridges in order to attempt to get one in, and one out of the kitchen. And even so, it's a little iffy whether it'll fit...

Coal train...I mean Coltrane...

Every time we pass under the train bridge near our house and I say, "Look, guys! It's a coal train!" I chuckle to myself and think, "Coal train/Coltrane! Hardy-har-har."

So today I figured we'd go for it - we played "coal train" while listening to Coltrane.

Sharks thought it was funny too. I guess word nerds run in the family.

Then we had this enlightened conversation:

Sharks: This train has to go to the coal line.

Me: You mean the coal mine?

S: I thought it was coal line.

M: Well it's called a coal mine because you have to mine for the coal.

S: Oh, like you use your mind and say, "Where is the coal?"


Anyway, you should try the coal train/Coltrane combo sometime. It made for a very relaxing train time. In fact we were so relaxed we forgot how to properly communicate.

Happy Warrior

Finn's name means "little blond soldier" and since he's such a happy fellow, Chet's dad calls him the Happy Warrior. I find that quite fitting.

Ask Chet who our "soldier" is supposed to be fighting, and he says, "Satan." Which struck me as a bit dramatic at first, except that we really are in a battle with the Enemy.

Today Sharks asked me if God is holding Satan back so that he doesn't distract us to make us sin. We have been listening to these cds everyday, which I think provoked his question. I'll be honest, I had trouble answering him coherently. At least in a way a three-year old would understand.

We've been working on self-control a lot around here recently (tantrums seem to be cropping up in the wake of weeks of sickness), and one thing we've been coming back to is the verse that says "Be sober minded and alert, for your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." (in 1 Peter, I think.) It has helped Sharks to realize that in being self-controlled he is fighting God's enemy. Still a work in progress. Aren't we all!

That was kind of random. Funny how one thought leads to another and suddenly the blog post where you planned to post pictures of the baby ends up being about fighting sin.

Oh well, I don't know about you, but I need the reminder to fight.

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee

I made the boys these Davy Crockett/Daniel Boone outfits for Christmas, following this pattern, with just a few alterations to make it more Frontiersman, less Neverland. (For the record, it was very, very simple. Hardly any hemming and only a couple of straight seams.)

I wasn't planning on making Finn a costume at all, but I accidentally made Deedo's too small. So much for very, very simple. Good thing I bought extra fleece. So Finn doesn't have a coonskin cap and definitely looks more Monk than Frontiersman. Well maybe those frontiersmen need some religion.


Of course I had visions of them running around wearing their costumes, playing and exploring and killing bears.

Instead, they wear them for a maximum of 5 minutes. But perhaps in years to come they will enjoy them more?

One day during those 5 minutes of costume-wearing, Sharks told Deeds they were going bear hunting but that only he could kill the bear because he was three and Deeds was only two. (Nice literal interpretation of how Davy "killed him a bear when he was only three.")

For now, I am still convinced that a little boy in a coonskin cap is the cutest, ridiculous-est thing ever.

Out with the old, in with the new...

Old fridge:


New fridge:


Good thing this happened in winter, eh? Plus we feel a little like Little House on the Prarie. Because having your fridge in two coolers on your back porch is just like the pioneers.

Books

(shelf from smartfurniture)

Since I forgot to write a book list last month, I figured I'd just mention what's on my shelf at the moment.

Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky

and

a bunch of books about beekeeping. Which I have been loving, but I figured they would bee unbeelievably boring to most of you. Unfortunately, it looks like I will have to postpone getting my hive for another year.

So, no idea if anyone really cares what I've read, but I figure C & P will take awhile, so there may not be any list updates for a bit.

Let me count the ways...