Celebrating recovery!

If you're a long-time reader of this blog, you may recall this post from May 2008. Not long after Lindy turned three, we tried to get her to give up her "rag." We thought we'd cured her in a matter of days but come to find out she had found replacements, instead. The rag gave way to a nice pillow which gave way to a blanket and so on and so on. We'd take something away and she'd find something else. Eventually, we gave her the original rags back because the blankets were even grosser than the rags. I'm sure this wasn't our finest parenting moment and that we made some mistakes in the process. We just didn't know how to break the cycle. We talked about addiction and habits and there were times I was afraid it was going to continue until she got married as her need for it seemed to grow stronger.

Late last fall she and I made a goal for her to give it up come the new year. I think she truly wanted to give it up but didn't know how and I told her to pray to God about it, which she did. She knew it wasn't healthy and that it wasn't good for her teeth. Right before we traveled at Christmas, she gave it up for her nap. Then one day after the new year, Don put her down at night and took it away from her. I would check in the morning and there weren't any obvious replacements. I was afraid her replacement would be her fingers but there wasn't evidence of that happening. One day led to another and then another and I'm so proud to say she's FINALLY cured of her habit.

Last Saturday night we went to celebrate the fact that she gave up her rag. She chose to go have ice cream and was quite excited. The second picture makes me wonder if her new habit is bad manners...Actually, it was just goofiness and giddiness.



I don't know why but the rags had remained in the house and were on my dresser. (BAD MOMMY!) Today she asked to throw them away. I thought she'd be remorseful or regret seeing them go but she was excited to do the honors.



Lindy, Daddy and I are so proud of you for setting a goal, following through with it, and asking for God's strength to help you. In fact, I think we could learn a lesson or two from you...

Flashback Friday

I love this girl like white on rice.

January 22, 2007
20 1/2 months

Happy Flashback Friday!

Christmas 2009

I had a super fun Christmas and hope you did, too. If you want to read about it and see more pictures, please visit the family blog. Mommy is seriously rethinking maintaining three blogs. It is a lot to keep up with.

Also, Mommy and Daddy have been kind of sad lately about my baby sister. You can read why on her blog. I know they sure could use some prayers. I really, really want to be a big sister. I know I have Max but I know my sister will be so much more fun than my invisible brother.

Have a fun new year!!!

School Christmas party

Last Thursday Lindy had her school Christmas party. She had fun decorating a wreath, playing relay games, and eating the special Happy Meals they brought in for lunch. She did not "CHOOSE" to visit Santa Claus, despite the lure of chocolate. She was very emphatic that it was her choice and she was choosing NOT to see him.

Her teacher, Miss Roberta, is the best! She is a dear friend of mine and amazing with the kids. Clearly, Lindy loves her.


She was very excited to have her daddy come for this party AND for Denisa to join, too.



A special, "thank you" to my dear mom who made this outfit for Lindy. She still works full-time and her nights and weekends go by incredibly fast trying to do all the things she doesn't have the luxury of doing during the week. So her sewing is a true labor of love!

Gingerbread house 2009

Lindy has a tradition of going to our friend Denisa's house to put together and decorate a gingerbread house. She did this last Tuesday and it was a great time for me to get LOTS done without my little helper and for her to get a full-on sugar rush!

Thanks, Denisa, for being so thoughtful to take time to do this.

Here is my little pastry chef at work.

As you can see, she tested the icing as she went along...

No big shock that she doesn't clean up like this at home...

The finished product! Way to go Lindy Li!!!

My little drummer girl!

The eyes of Elfie are upon you

Here's the story and we're sticking with it...

The day after Thanksgiving--while Lindy was taking a nap--a package mysteriously arrived at the door. It was The Elf on a Shelf. We read the book together and removed our elf from the shelf. In a matter of moments Lindy named him, "Elfie."

For the past three weeks, Elfie has been moving around our house and keeping a watchful eye on Lindy. Every night he goes back to the North Pole to report on Lindy's behavior. He sneaks back sometime during the wee hours of the morning and hangs out in a new spot.

Comfort must not be that important to Elfie...

Elfie doesn't talk to us, nor are we allowed to touch him as this would interfere with his magic. He is a great listener, though. Lindy is smitten with Elfie.

Every morning she LOVES hunting for him and her behavior around him has been quite remarkable. I wonder if we can keep him all year???

Notice the flashlight? It was kind of early and dark that morning! YAWN!

Lindy is very polite to him and she really does her best to make him feel part of our family. This morning she was quite bummed that she hadn't personally said, "goodbye" to him before she went off to school.

It has been loads of fun to see her excitement about her new elf friend and informant!

I do believe we have ourselves a new Christmas tradition folks and just remember the eyes of Elfie are upon you and he's friends with the big man in red.

Thirty Days of Thankfulness--Days 28, 29, & 30

Late, late, late...That's what this post is! Lindy had a great time being thankful in November! Her last three thankful entries are as follows:

Lindy is thankful for bows
Lindy is thankful for fall and the leaves
Lindy is thankful for pink and purple things (and diamonds)

Hopefully I can keep up her thankfulness all year long...

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Days 26 & 27

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday! Although Thanksgiving is over, there are still a few more days of Lindy's Thirty Days of Thankfulness.

Yesterday she was thankful for family. That might be a repeat but I'm not going to knock it...I'm thrilled she considers family a blessing!

Today she said she's thankful for Declan's daddy. Declan is her sweet little friend whose father recently left for his another deployment--this time to Afghanistan--after only being home six months. It is hard for her to comprehend all the "whys" behind his absence and his job but I am so proud of her little mind for recognizing the importance of our military.

Lindy wants to know what you're thankful for today...

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Day 25

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer." Psalm 19:14

Today Chatty Cathy said she's thankful for her mouth. I could say so much about her choice but I will hold my tongue and just be thankful right along with her for this child who talks non-stop and (usually) has the sweetest little voice.

What are you thankful for today?

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Days 20-24

Hello readers~Did you think Lindy had given up on the thankful thing? She didn't. We've had a very sick computer and a very smart Daddy doing his best to make it last a bit longer...She's still sharing what she's thankful for on a daily basis. I present the last five days.

Day 20-Necklaces
Day 21-Santa Claus (although, she still doesn't want to meet him)
Day 22-Treasure chests with gold in them
Day 23-C-C-C Crowns you wear on your head
Day 24-Headbands

Hope you have a wonderful day filled with whatever makes you thankful!

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Day 19

This morning Lindy told me she is thankful for pilgrims. I guess she had her school Thanksgiving feast on her mind at an early hour. I know she doesn't completely comprehend what the pilgrims did and their importance to our country but she does know enough to include them in her thankful list, so that's a start.


I'm thankful for my little pilgrim and would've traveled on the Mayflower over and over to bring her home to me.

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Days 17 & 18

I really am loving all the answers I'm getting from Lindy when I ask her what she's thankful for each morning. I don't say that to brag on Lindy. I say it because it is a part of her history and I don't want to forget the little conversations and things she says. I'll admit, after the first three days, she got a little "bored" of my project and didn't really want to share. However, after some discussion, it clicked and she's really seemed to adopt an attitude of gratitude.

Yesterday, Lindy told me she is thankful for big balloons. I think Lindy thinks about balloons a lot because her friend Mr. Daryl typically has one to give her each Sunday morning after church.


This morning, Lindy told me in one run-on sentence she is thankful for dandelions (the kind you can blow), caterpillars, butterflies, and ladybugs. Lindy really loves nature and likes to explore when it is not 100 degrees outside. She has always displayed an appreciation for the smallest details of creation like a tiny bug, a spiderweb, a small flower, or little acorn. I love her reminder to stop and look at the little things.

What are you thankful for today?

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Days 14, 15, & 16

Running kind of behind here, so we'll do another combined post. Lindy says she's thankful for her:

1. Room
2. Toys

and, most importantly, today she's thankful for:

3. Daddy and his birthday

Last night after Don tucked in Lindy and she had said her prayers, she stopped Don at the door and said, "Daddy, I hope your day goes really well tomorrow."

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

Love your~
Lindy Li

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Days 12 & 13

Yesterday on the way to school Lindy flooded me with about three dozen things she was thankful for and I'm including three I remember--unicorns, horses, and ponies.

Today she is thankful for rainbows but she is a bit upset that she hasn't seen one in a while. (They've been studying Noah quite a bit lately.) Also, if you're following these posts, you might recall she was thankful for Max--her invisible three year old brother. She is NOT thankful for him today and wanted that post removed.

What are you thankful for today?

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Day 11

Lindy had many things she's thankful for today but when I explained it was a special day to remember the people in the military she told me she is thankful her daddy was a "soldier."

What are you thankful for today?

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Day 10

This morning during our snuggle time I asked what Lindy is thankful for today. She said her pink kitchen from Grandma and Grandpa. I just love my little domestic engineer in training!

What are you thankful for today?

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Days 8 & 9

Oops...Mommy forgot to post Lindy's thankful thought yesterday...

Yesterday Lindy was thankful for turning 4.5 (which her Mommy is NOT so thankful about...) and today it is for flowers--specifically, "pink roses, and red roses, and the purple ones..."

What are you thankful for today?

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Day 7

When I asked Lindy what she was thankful for today, she said her kitty. Lately, her toy of choice has been a black stuffed cat. You just never know what's going to float this girl's boat and make her feel thankful...

Thirty Days of Thankfulness-Day 6

Today Lindy told me she is thankful for her teachers. She specifically referenced Miss 'Berta because, "she is the best teacher in the whole wide world." I've seen her in action and she is wonderful and I echo Lindy's thankfulness...

October 2008

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 5

Today Lindy said she's thankful for her friends. I'm not sure Lindy has met anyone whom she doesn't like. She is very outgoing and loves young, old, and everyone in between. I'm glad she recognizes and values the blessings of friendship.

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 4

While we were snuggling this morning, I asked Lindy what she was thankful for and she said her cousins. I love that even though we don't live near family she still kind of understands who her extended family is.

Have a blessed day!

30 Days of Thankfulness-Day 3

Today Lindy is thankful for Max. Max is her invisible three year old brother who really creates quite a mess, gets in trouble a lot, and often makes us late. Despite that, sometimes I am thankful for Max because she seems to display a lot of responsibility when he's around and he saves us a bundle on toys!

What are you thankful for today?

30 Days of Thankfulness-Days 1 & 2

A couple of years ago, I did 30 Days of Thankfulness during the month of November on our family blog. This year, Lindy is going to do one on her blog to help remind her to be thankful and to get her in the spirit of Thanksgiving which can so easily be overlooked between Halloween and Christmas.

First, just wanted to close out October with a couple of pictures from Halloween night. She reluctantly dressed back into her bee costume and canvassed about five houses in the neighborhood before hunkering in to pass out candy and call it a night.



Here are Lindy's first two thankfulness entries:

1. Mommy & Daddy
2. Grandma & Grandpa

Reminding you to always BEE thankful!