How many days to build a habit?

Working on establishing some new norms here before we break for Christmas. Maybe if I "say them out loud" I'll do better at being faithful? Because, you know, the systems rely upon the mama - if I'm not all-in, they crumble.

Mama wakes up at 6:30 (if it's Monday, I pray by phone with Jess!! Very nice way to start the week). Do anything I want to do until 7:30 - drink coffee, read Bible, pray, start laundry, read Holy Experience, fill cups with warm milk and Ovaltine (how did this habit start?!) as the kiddos trickle down. Do NOT check email or go anywhere near the laptop. Texting husband is permitted.

7:30 -wake kids and remind them they have until 8:30 to do Breakfast chores (teeth, clothes on, beds made) and Animal chores (chickens, cat, dog) and be fed. Commence cuddling them (fully knowing this is where we get off schedule entirely). Meanwhile, I wash dishes (um, bc evening routine is missing that key part) and get laundry lass (that's what I should call that hulk of a wonderful machine - hardest working servant I've ever had!) moving and grab a shower maybe. Yeah right, while I cuddle them? Well, sometimes you have to just make hard choices and be thankful you work from home and can look scruffy. Oh, and think about dinner - just think on it. Maybe that will help it become a reality.

8:30 - thank God that they are getting tall and can almost feed themselves. Finish feeding them and convene on the couch for official Cuddle Time: reading out loud (doing some Holling C Holling right now - back to missionary bios from YWAM after Christmas), sing a hymn together, review memory verses. Then get Peter started on his Advent study (so he can have the fresh bread-of-life for us at lunch) and write his list of work for the day (so he can check things off). Keep Ruby at the couch for reading lessons while Isaac starts Math or Explode the Code or cursive at the table. Keep working, being mindful of who needs my focus so they don't get entirely distracted while they wait.

11:30 - say "let's stop for lunch". Now, I still seem to not be actually feeding them until 1:30 (argh, bc daddy returns home hungry at 4), but this is going to get better. We have until 12:30 (in my plan) to Eat, talk about Advent study (we are loving this!!), finish chores and maybe even play. Finish chores: Kitchen, Floors and Bathrooms - 1 area for each big kid. This is brilliant - I haven't decided if they are static and the kids just march off to do - or if I give them daily delights in each area. We'll see. But my kitchen, floors and bathrooms feel happy about this.

Today, we switched areas from last week - so we did a little "mature conversation" practice that went like this (entirely scripted by me):

Isaac: Ruby, do you have any good ideas for me about cleaning the kitchen?

Ruby: Well, one thing I know, you just have to work in life. It's just life. You just have to do it.

Ruby: Peter, do you have any good ideas for me about cleaning the bathrooms?

Pete: Ruby, sometimes we don't want to do chores that are hard. But if we just do them, then they are done and, actually, they hardly take any time.

Yes!!!!!!!

Ok, back to the plan. Finish it all up after lunch, be done by 1:30 or 2. So, in reality, we are still racing to get done by dad's return - but goodness, did you see all that house-help getting done and the glorious responsibility sharing?? I failed to mention that they get a check for each chore done for the day (Breakfast, Animals, Kitchen, Laundry - oh I forgot to describe laundry). Laundry means you delivered to me your dirty and you put away your clean. Look out baby Anna, your day is coming! And each check is 10cents. And no pay if you have a bad attitude.

That's my plan. I have a one-room schoolhouse! With a very entertaining toddler. Better than I ever dreamed (or could have asked or imagined)!

Christmas is Coming

I am struggling with my choices this Christmas. My heart is agreeing with Ann but my actions are quite predictably different from hers. Santa and I are both done shopping this year - or nearly. We weren't extravagant (though tempted). The decorations are up this year in a satisfyingly-spare way - to suit Anna's small wandering hands.

I am not cluttered up with decorations and I've tossed and sorted and found-homes (can't put it away if it doesn't have a place!) for lots.

But that isn't so radical or remarkable. It's just safe and conservative. It's not radical or memorable or especially life-giving. My heart is feeling wrung (twisted like my kitchen washcloth - that kind of wrung) when I think of getting and getting this year. I WANT presents - I like them - I'm greedy for them. Of course I'm sweetly "Oh, there's nothing I need" and all that - but I really like presents (for me) and I'm finally getting the hang of the "plan ahead" concept that makes giving fun, too. But aaaaaargh. I'm over-full and overwhelmed!

Just go read the Ann link. Perhaps you are braver than I.

Thanksgiving Photos

Favorite food. Games and cuddling with grandparents. Silliness. Thankful!!!

I could

I could post lovely photos of proud, smiling first-deer boy-hunters. Or adorable 13 mos and wearing anything she can find as a "hat". Or the naked tree waiting in our mudroom for tomorrow. Or the funny spackled, sanded, scrubbed-too-hard with Ruby's washcloth (should I start over?) spots all over my walls.

I could speak profound about daily disciplines (or lack) and plans for early mornings with Jesus and sweet whispered prayers with Anna and the hopes I have. And the angst I have for a won't-be-found lamb.

Nope. Going to go sit on the couch with my husband. Well, I'll try. The stupid couch is not accommodating for both of us. Ooops, complaining about that again. What I meant to say is, I will go spend a purposefully undistracted Saturday night with my perfectly-crafted husband and say Praise the Lord it is Sabbath - I will gleefully take it! Rest for the weary.

Happy Birthday sweet baby

We celebrated Anna's first birthday this week. She is our little delight. "I just love this little one", said her big sister Ruby. Yes, we all agree. Children are a blessing from the Lord. This little surprise of our lives is ALL blessing!Anna got socks and sleepers and a cozy coat - things we needed. And a silly little pink musical princess "car" and a funny little bang-it popper toy and the most delightful, loving homemade treasures from the big kids.

Isaac made her a banner (out of my old business cards) and a card with a bare tree and leaves on the ground that said "as the last leav falls, there's nothin better than cudling (sic) a little girl!"

Ruby made a coloring book for her with pictures of a butterfly, ladybug, bird with worm, log with fungus and flower on it, tree, mushroom. Brilliant (can you tell we studied botany last year and flying creatures this year?). And a rainbow-striped marker-ed picture that Anna loved. And her card said "If you have a little girl, there is nothing better than her having a birthday!"

I made a cake out of the Covered Bridge Cookbook (Roann, IN - my Mom's hometown). And we all loved it and Anna demolished her whole piece and then played peek with her plate!

Chopped Apple Cake

325 degrees, 45 minutes (or a little more)

2 C Sugar

2 C Flour (I used 1/2 WW)

1/2 C oil (I skipped this -by accident)

1 t soda

1 t cinnamon

1/2 t bak powder

1/2 t salt

2 eggs

4 C chopped apples (I used the fugi's that we picked a few weeks ago)

If you skip the oil like I accidentally did, you mix all the ingred except eggs and apples. Beat eggs and stir in apples to coat, then add to dry mix. Pour into prepared 9x13 and bake 45 minutes (or until done in middle - mine wasn't quite). Delicious (with or without Cool Whip) - would be yummy with vanilla ice cream. We ate the rest for breakfast!

True Religion

Watched this and other Orphan Sunday videos and info with the kids this morning. "Mom, are you crying?" Well, yes.

Creation Groans from Christian Alliance for Orphans on Vimeo.

Only God could

So, I strategized with Peter. Wasn't expecting a business meeting at that late hour (8:30 pm!), but he wanted to get up close before bedtime - and I was too cuddled with the laptop for that. SO. He climbed in my lap and we drew a picture of my Arbonne business - that means I write Mom in the middle of the page and we write everyone else's names in my organization around the page like spokes on a wheel. And there are other wheels attached to the Mom wheel for their organizations of business partners - it gets tangly and lovely - what a wonder. And he knew all their names (that blessed me - they are so engaged - they pray for their mom and dad - they know). And we asked God to show us what to do with this month.

My team is teetering close to qualifying for the next promotion. It means we will get a free car (I have come to terms with this). It means Arbonne has blown WAY past the expectations for "extra bit of income", "pay for homeschooling", "pay for piano and swim lessons", "have another baby". We are entering "rock-our-world" territory.

So, what will you do, God? Because you know I will bust my can (and drive us all wild!!) if you move me. On my own, the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Strengthen me if you would, God.

Why, oh why? Wouldn't I be content with my dearest kiddos on the couch, doing school, thoughtfully planning my dinner menu, gracefully cleaning the house. Why yes, I would. I like to do those things. But I don't get to. And I refuse the other income options. No thank you. I do not wish to hustle them to the bus and the babysitter so that I can hustle to the office (where I would do marvelous things and spend my dollars on a house-cleaning sprite).

I choose this way instead. I am that sprite - and I skip (ha - like I'm cheerful about it all the time, no, perhaps I should embrace that Spirit-filled-sprite concept!) merrily through my days doing all that plus earning a fabulous(-er and fabulous-er) Arbonne income in the nooks and crannies of my life.

And like Peter said, at the end of our strategizing, only God could do this. I will work hard and see if God will.

Arbonne for Adoption day 1

Today I posted this on my facebook:

I have been asking God how I can use this amazing business blessing for HIS glory. And here is what's brewing: are you working to fund your adoption? I want to pass my profits into your adoption fund. And I am so excited! Please share this with friends who are preparing for their adoption!!

I am an Area Manager with Arbonne - I make a 14% commission on all the products sold anywhere in my organization. If someone buys Arbonne from me, they can shop full price as a Client or use the shopping discount as a Preferred Client (and I make either 35% or 15% profit on that). So, I have some exciting profits to gift to your adoption.

How?? Let's talk - I'll connect you with the most comfortable way to sample products, share samples, pass referrals - and we'll bless your friends and family with pure, safe products that really work - and they'll shop knowing that they are gifting you with 14% plus 15% or 35% of their purchase. Contact me with a facebook message and we will get on it! I'm praying that God will use me to help you bring your children home soon! My kids are so excited to help me - I credit Peter (my 9 yr old) with the idea. Wooo!! A gift, from my kids to yours.

And I already got one message! I am feeling quite thrilled. Maybe tomorrow I'll post more about my fabulous business meeting with Peter, wise boy.

no pictures

I have no pictures to post. They live on in my camera. I should be sleeping - I'd be more cheery in the morning, for the long, long day I have planned. Too long. Full of good things, but too much rushing.

Our small group friends lost everything in a fire today. That terrifies my children. It rather shames me, to consider all that I have and what it would be to lose all this stuff. Loose me of my stuff, Lord!! It constrains me, strangles me, irritates and grumps me - even as I crave more!!

I gave the walls chickenpox, per Peter. I spackled (is it spackeled) every dent and scrape and now the walls are comical. You might say they need to be re-painted, not just touched up. When spilling chocolate milk under the microwave, I found more scraped paint behind. It never ends. And when, oh when, did I think I'd be painting? Spackle, done. Sanding, wiping, painting? ha! Last time's spackle remains - that was at least 2 years ago. Comical.

I feel cynical when I blog. (That is the trend when no kid pics are involved. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.) Not cynical, but bothered by the disconnect between my earnestness, my cravings for more holiness and my busy-body reality. I know I make a difference, I influence my family and many others - but, ahem, do I tread on holy ground and do they safely tread along behind and beside me.

I was baffled and honored when my business partner today said "I tell people, I met this girl and she has everything I want, so I thought I should copy her". She's talking about me. Good grief, Lord!! Be glorified, puhleeeeeze! Help - someone is blatantly following me - help them, protect them - how I pray that she will copy me straight to You, Jesus!!

Tomorrow between school and lunch appointment and groceries and birthday-party-readiness for Rube and Arbonne party, we hope to uncover all the things in our house that would be better at our fire-friends new place to live. Pray for us. Pray for my children. I need to go to bed so that we are sweet, generous and spirit-filled and not grumpy. Lord, why can't you set the emotional tone for our day instead of me? That is a mystery to me. I don't like having that job.

New daily hymn for morning cuddle time: I need thee every hour. Oh yes.

Secret Church

I've been reading Radical by David Platt and joined this read-along. So I'm reviewing Ch 1 and couldn't keep it to myself, so we read aloud this morning. We read about house churches and

how people must sneak and risk danger to gather together with their bibles to learn and praise together. They come in the dark, at secret locations, sneaking their whole families in, risking their lives, their property, their jobs and their loved ones.

They got dressed in suitable, secret-y dark clothes and created a shady tent for their church-spot. This is what my worshippers thought:

Ruby (5): I loved it. About you guys coming, because I usually only have 1 person at my church, but this time I had 4 people. I will want you to come back at the same time tomorrow, I will be there. Maybe. The baby should not come next time, maybe she could be sleeping since we will have our secret church so late in the night.

Isaac (7): I was the driver. My job was to drive the people who didn't know the way and one person who did know the way.

Peter(8): Mom was the guest and Isaac had to drive her to my secret hiding place. I hopped in the car and after we got a little ways from our meeting place, me and mom hopped out and crawled to our secret place in the tent. When we got there, Ruby and Isaac had to have a secret code to get in.

Ruby pretended she was basket-weaving before she came in, and when she came in she pretended she was going to bed like usual every day. The code word was Mark and both Isaac and Ruby had to say it before they came in. Isaac tried to scare us, but it didn't work. I was the security person. Hope you enjoy what I said.

Mom: It was hot in our church. And dark.

We read the beginning of the book of Mark with a flashlight. Ruby worked hard to "write" every word that I read - in case we didn't have my bible next time (I was the visiting bible-teacher). Anna climbed all over us and didn't do well with being quiet. We fear that someone outside may have heard us! Ruby led the singing: "hosanna, hosanna, hosanna in the highest" is what she chose. Because if we don't praise Him, the rocks will cry out. So we praised Him.

This cute picture of Anna is her wondering why we are driving a pretend car down the hall and why she isn't.

babies

This post is about babies. I love to look at my baby. I love to look, and then lean in and rub my nose and cheek into her soft, smooth cheek. She is delicious and dear and I am in awe of the pretty way God creates these little ones. Does He make them so enticing, so sweet-to-the-touch because He thinks that then we'll be unable to resist - unable to resist their charms. Oh how I adore her sparkling eyes and the way she looks for my smile and then smiles back. How she waves her arms when the chickens are out her window or she spots the dog. How she says ma-ma-ma-ma-ma with tear-tracks down her cheeks when I rescue her from her naptime. How she pats my back in our hug and then says "pat-pat" and grins her did-you-like-that-mama-? grin to me. Oh yes, sweet Anna, I like that!!

Tonight I found a new blog and new friend to pray for. Funny how blogs make friends - feel like you know that lady from her typings. http://servinghischildreninuganda.blogspot.com/ (labeled be the hands and feet in my blogroll). She takes in sick babies in Uganda and revives them with her cuddles and food and Jesus-love. Unable to resist their charms.

Search for Selah (top left corner) and read that sweet treasure's story - woooooo!!!!!

impossible

It is impossible to type and pump (milk) at the same time. So, you know that I am not legitimately just staying up late "to pump". Nope. But sometimes after busting your can all day, you feel like blogging. This is for me to write, not so much for you to read.

My children were perfect all day. How I love them. Isaac kicked a football inside, Ruby dumped legos, Peter has a sore throat, Anna nearly ingested so very many small objects (with cat hair on them). I cooked 2 dinners (1 for cousins) and packed a bit for the beach and did an Arbonne party and a little school. We did it. Day done, all sleep but me. Thank you, Jesus, you are so good.

This is our First Day of School picture (Anna did school, too, of course she had no choice.)

We have here a K, baby, 1 and 3. So nice. This is what we really looked like. Mohawk and all. I learned how to do the self-timer on my cool new camera.

And now Anna has graduated to pencil-stealer. This is my 2 healthy school-children doing Math together on the couch. They loved diaper-Anna - all softness. She loved them too.Anna says Ma-mom and I just love that so much.

starting again

Tomorrow is Kevin's first day reporting to school for teachers. So we are starting too. Ruby is doing a strange groaning and even "I hate school" - what?!?!? Who taught her that - I thought I was carefully limiting their socialization - ack! But I tickle her and remind her that she's insisted on doing math pages the past 2 days.

So we are starting tomorrow. Starting slow and easy - working our way in. I need a little ta-da for the morning - thought that could be eggs (since they are cute and brown from our own little chickens) for breakfast and good cuddle time with a new read-aloud (a George MacDonald classic I just finised reading to preview). And then some good times with the new school books!! And I'm determined to get a class photo - including our helpful little squirt, Anna. Might need the UPS man to take it for me so I can get in, too.

Now to finish snapping the beans so the canner can sing to us in the morning.

Sweet Henley prayers

Praying constantly since the weekend when we first heard that little Henley was feeling miserable. Miserable turned into horror when they did a scan on Saturday and discovered spots. Biopsy Monday, chemo started tonight. Please pray for little Henley - she is 19 mos old - my cousin's baby girl. Pray for Daddy Grant, Mama Lynsey, brother Cooper.

Her grandpa wrote:

We found out today that the tests show stage IV neuroblastoma which is present in her liver, bones, and lungs. It is very serious. It will be treated with chemotherapy over several weeks with the hope of shrinking the tumor on her liver to the point that they can remove the tumor safely. The chemotherapy will also attack the cancer in the other parts of her body. She had her first chemo treatment this evening. Henley had a somewhat rough night but is more comfortable today. The therapy is supposed to make a noticeable improvement shortly. Her treatment is anticipated to last for the next year and a half and there are many potentential side effects. The oncologist is excellent and builds our confidence in her chances for a positive outcome. Grant and Lynsey were much more encouraged today I think. A lot to adjust to in a short time. I know my head is spinning.

We really appreciate your prayers and thoughts.

Missing Isaac

This is night 2 with no Isaac in our house. We are tired of it. We know he is having crazy wonderful fun with his friends camping. But we want him back. Enough already. Can't wait until tomorrow afternoon to capture him and hug him close.

hustling in the humidity

We are hurrying to finish our summer. Hurrying to squeeze in a day with Daddy at the pool (tomorrow?) and to do the jobs on the summer list (paint all the outside doors, that I wish I could do). I'm thinking we'd rather hide inside while it's cookin-hot and then take time for outside jobs later when the weather is less dramatic. I'm so excited for school to start - the kids aren't so. Why aren't they - they aren't losing their love already?!

Anna is on the move. She is creeping around tables and tonight at small group she crawled to my sprawled legs on the floor, squatted and pushed up - ta-da, she stood up. Even lifted her arms up high as if to declare "ta-da! I stand!"

Kevin is late-night fishing tonight, because he can - exactly 2 weeks before he goes to school. I am staying up a little bit later to check out sponsor-a-child options. We need to sponsor at least 2 more. I'm very certain of that. To match Ruby and Pete. We still have sweet Habib to match Isaac. Maybe 3 - can you sponsor babies? Don't know.

Started reading Radical by David Platt again today - then read Galatians 4 and I am reminded of the word zealous. I'm generally a zealous sort of girl - I rather like the radical label. Because my God is worthy of zeal and drama. It is good to be reminded. He is the MOST worthy of my zeal and drama and zest and hope. Only He can deliver.

Action shots

If it doesn't work in the first post, try again! Took me enough tries to get these marvelous pictures, can't stand not to share them!!

Pictures

It's not like we haven't been doing lots and lots. We just have been doing it instead of blogging it. On our last day of school, we created nature journals. They seized the idea and we had to wake early for a nature hike the next morning. Good thing that we did. These photos document Kevin's amazing bridge. The very same bridge that was lifted by a 4-ft-deep flooded creek just a few days later and carried several feet "downstream". Crazy. The water wasn't even over their boots this day. You can't see Anna because she is in the back pack - wildly kicking her legs and somehow not getting mosquito-bitten on that glorious soft skin.

We had blazing hot days before school was done - poor daddy trapped inside his classroom. We weren't trapped, nope. We played and learned outside. We did pool-introduction for Anna-the-plump. She was quite happy splashing in her own little puddle - looks kind of surprised about it all, doesn't she!

While the bigs did leaping launches into the bigger puddle (pictures will not cooperatively load for me!) - how did it not pop?Anna is clapping. That is old news, though, because now she is crawling. But i don't have any of those photos off my camera and onto the computer yet. I need an assistant for all this memory-keeping. She is also growing more hair that is still blond in the sunlight. That is very sweet and different from the older 3 - just like I asked, "Lord, what if you made this one a different color." I love how God does that.

need to

i need to blog!!!!!!! I have blog thoughts running through my head as the days go by. And baby teeth pressing through and funny baby bum up in the air as she sorts out where the legs must go for forward crawling - such a mystery!

I have so many funny pictures I could be taking and posting. Like our poor dog Moose, whom we think of as an enormous dog - actually not. He got a summer "tight buzz" haircut (like the other boys of the family) and surprise! he's not big, he's skinny!

Ruby is stunningly beautiful this week - not sure why so beautiful.

Anna has a new sleeping place. Oops, blogging over - she's shouting from it.

snuffly baby

She did this sitting show for Grandma. Very impressive.
My baby has the sniffles. She has a chapped chin from her drool. And an icky, crusty nose that wasn't working at all this afternoon. Her voice is hoarse - either from her cold or from telling me about it all. But right now she sleeps sweetly slumped across me. Her reddish fuzzy hair tickly on my chin.

Tomorrow, I think we should go nowhere. Except I have to feed them and we have-not the ingredients for small-group's food assignment, so I guess nowhere but a school-stalling grocery trip. I like days when I stay home, hang laundry until the line is full and think of a dinner plan before lunch and read and read on the couch with them. Isaac is a terrific big brother. He doesn't just read to her, he reads like a story-teller. I'm very proud. And Peter learned the word "declension" in latin today. And Ruby keeps pretending we're peers and asking me about my husband and kids (so clever, she knows that next I'll ask her to tell me about hers).

Geesh

So I need to see a link from my handy blog and I'm entirely distracted by those beautiful faces. Good grief. I need to go visit that baby. She may be sleeping, but I just need to go see her.

Melodramatic low standards

Ruby: The Olympics isn't fun.
Me: What?! Why not?
Ruby: You wouldn't understand. (sigh) It's not the kind of TV for a girl like me.
(weighted pause) I wish Daddy wouldn't watch it.
(sigh) To me, it's like the worst movie ever.
Ski racing, which is the most boring. I like Cartoon Network more. I'm feeling bored. (while she drags her fingers up and down the piano)

Hmmm. And her favorite foods are hot dogs and mac/cheese. Not so wonderful. But I'm not giving up, because now she's playing with an abicus.

Ruby: there's nothing fun for me to do. I'm bored.
Me: are you ready for bed?

He said it, not me.

OK, so I was thinking it. But I hate coming off as the anti-vaccines, anti-school, anti-system, anti-normal girl. So I didn't say it. But Anna HAS been grumpy ever since she got her shots last week. And she only got those 2 "it's deadly, she must get them" shots. And her legs didn't get swollen and she seemed fine, but she's been grumpy ever since. And agitated. And trying to eat her hands or my face or anything that gets close to her - that part is cute. I hate these scary parts of parenting when you are just trying to do the best, right thing but you cannot know.
And Kevin said it "she's been grumpy ever since she got those shots". Yep.

Sweet Slippers

Look, Aunt Sharon!! Anna likes her felted wool slippers from Maine!!

I love slings

You can see in the previous post, I had a sling that I loved. Pretty blue paisley. My long-lost first-babies sling. I loaned it out and haven't remembered to whom. It's gone.

I made one during Ike's baby days. I first learned that slings were necessary when Peter was sick while I was big-prego with Isaac. I couldn't hold him for hours - so I tried the sling a la leche league friend has passed to me. I remember walking on our old-house deck, back and forth w/ Peter on my hip in the sling, wonderfully not breaking my back, with his leg wrapped around my big belly.
Not pictured: the first sling I made (blue with teeny green leaves) and the water sling (horrid itchy fabric that I picked b/c it was mesh-ish for wearing in Myrtle Beach with Baby Ruby - didn't work b/c if felt icky).

Then Jessica and I had a wonderful sling-making day with our cute kids. Sorry, Silas, about that funny hat. At least you weren't wearing the white boa scarf.

Wish I had a photo of us working - we were awesome and Jessica's sling is a looker. Mine is a happy ring sling of black and white - perfect accessory for my business partner (anna) when we are doing our Arbonne work!

Unfortunately, before I got it totally done, I was struck with a fit of impulse. While poking about online, I found a beautiful pink paisley pouch sling at Rockin Baby and lay on my pillow that night thinking "why did I just buy a sling? I am making a sling. Ugh, why oh why?" Well, because it was too beautiful. I didn't (can't say couldn't, but didn't) resist.

who is who??

Hmmm, which baby girl is this??

Maybe you can tell by my 5 years younger skin?? And Anna's left ear is a little more elfin than Ruby's.

Smile, smile!

It's a contest to get her to smile. We love it - it's like she says "you are wonderful and I love you!" every time she gives us her smiles. And oh, when she talks?! That's better than ... the Grand Canyon? better than fresh snowfall? It's life-pausing. We really like her.