I'm a slacker...

Wow...over a week since my last post. I must have been busy, but I don't really know what I was doing. Apparently I spend most of my time keeping very busy doing nothing. Amazing how that works...

I did finally get to make homemade soft pretzels with my kids last Tuesday. After all the build up to do it, it didn't quite turn out as I was envisioning it. After the first one, my daughter decided that it was too much work to roll out the elastic dough and she wasn't going to do any more. And my son had no interest. Therefore I rolled them all out, boiled and baked them by myself. Hmmmm...sometimes things just don't go as planned - not a memory making baking activity with the kids after all.

We did, however make dipped pretzel butterflies this week that turned out darling. Super easy too and both kids wanted to participate. You get some vanilla melting dip and then dip a straight pretzel and two small twist pretzels and arrange them on parchment paper to form a butterfly. While the vanilla coating is still wet you can decorate with sprinkles and colored sugars. They turned out really cute and the kids were able to dip and decorate. Perfect project for spring! And yummy, too!

My new laundry system is working out splendidly! The kids are putting their clothes in the basket and when it is full I dump the whole thing in the wash. (See post from Saturday, April 5) Boy, I wish I could get back all the hours I've spent sorting and re-sorting laundry!

I'm still working on the spring cleaning around my house. I am excited for small accomplishments like organizing my shoes in my closet, yet I feel that by the time I finish organizing and cleaning everything, the first things I did will be messed up again. I feel like I can never have everything all organized and clean at the same time. And yet I've had fun times with my kids drawing, playing games, baking and giggling. I've relaxed and watched movies with my hubby when I could/should have been doing the dishes. And as I think of these times, I am reminded of some words of wisdom from Erma Bombeck - she wrote:

IF I HAD MY LIFE TO LIVE OVER
by Erma Bombeck

I would have talked less and listened more.

I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained and the sofa faded.

I would have eaten the popcorn in the 'good' living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace.

I would have taken the time to listen to my grandfather ramble about his youth.

I would never have insisted the car windows be rolled up on a summer day because my hair had just been teased and sprayed.

I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage.

I would have sat on the lawn with my children and not worried about grass stains.

I would have cried and laughed less while watching television -and more while watching life.

I would have shared more of the responsibility carried by my husband.

I would have gone to bed when I was sick instead of pretending the earth would go into a holding pattern if I weren't there for the day.

I would never have bought anything just because it was practical, wouldn't show soil or was guaranteed to last a lifetime.

Instead of wishing away nine months of pregnancy, I'd have cherished every moment and realized that the wonderment growing inside me was the only chance in life to assist God in a miracle.

When my kids kissed me impetuously, I would never have said, "Later. Now go get washed up for dinner."

There would have been more "I love you's".. More "I'm sorrys" ...
but mostly, given another shot at life, I would seize every minute...look at it and really see it ... live it...and never give it back.


Sometimes I need to slow down and remember the things that are most important and let the other things slide by. When my life comes near an end, I'd like to have as few regrets as possible. How about you?