We're Back!

After an 11 month hiatus, we sisters are dusting off our keyboards and are ready to start posting to The Sisters O'Brien once again!  This time, however, we are setting no rules for ourselves.  As busy wives and mothers we are unable to commit to a Monday - Friday posting schedule as we did previously.  We will post when we post.  We hope that you enjoy our blog as we continue to share our lives with you. 

Thank you for taking the time to read our thoughts and please check back often (or follow us) as we continue The Sisters O'Brien.

p.s. We would love to hear from you so feel free to comment anytime!

A Sad Goodbye

Today I am tasked with writing a sad post. A goodbye post. It has been nearly a year since we began this blog and we have enjoyed it and been challenged by it. We have loved having the chance to write, and we have sure appreciated each person who chose to read what we wrote. Unfortunately, the time has come for us to end this endeavor. We each have our own reasons for stopping, but we are all in agreement that it is the best action to take. There has been no dispute between us! We largely took our other responsibilities and family time into consideration when making the decision.

Thank you for "following" our blog. Thank you for caring about what was happening in our lives and for appreciating our take on life. We have loved this experience as sisters, and we have treasured the time shared. If you are interested in keeping up with us in other ways, you can follow Esther's personal blog at: http://estherbeard.tumblr.com/ and find out more about Maude's production company here: http://ehrenkrookentertainment.com/. As for me (Lizzi), I guess I'll just have to be in touch.

Sisters Chat about 4-H

Maude: This week I thought we would talk about 4-H. I am not sure if you all heard about the announcement from the Dept. of Labor who is revamping child labor laws but they made it illegal for kids to work on anything but family farms (most family farms are legal entities and therefore would not be considered "family"). In addition there was language that would make 4-H and FFA illegal.This has been rescinded because there was such a big stink.
But it got me thinking about 4-H.
Esther: That's crazy and dumb!
Maude: I know, it is ridiculous!!!
Esther: like we need kids to be learning less. 4-H and helping on farms is such a great way to learn.
Maude: And it teaches them hard work. Plus there is something of a catastrophe looming for farms because around 80% of small farmers are set to retire in the next 10 years and there is no one to replace them.
Lizzi: Wow. That is certainly a catastrophe!
Maude: All the big farms will continue but small farms are the backbone of this country. Imagine the countryside without small farms!!
Yuck!
To those reading this who aren't familiar - What is 4-H?
Lizzi: I don't remember what the 4 h's stand for! Isn't that terrible?
Maude: head, heart, hands and health
Not sure why I remember that...
Lizzi: I was close! I was going to say head, heart, health and home. Close, but no cigar!
Maude: haha, Liz!
Esther: 4-H is an opportunity for young people to learn how to work, farm, build, sew, cook, and lead.

Sisters chat about SUMMER

 Esther:  Since today is June 1st I thought we'd talk about SUMMER. I don't know about you all but after memorial day and once school is out I don't need to wait till June 20th to feel like I am in summer
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of summer?

 Maude:  HEAT.

 Esther:  I think of ice cream & drive-inns

Letter Love

Recently, I've been thinking about Christmas card season. I love writing Christmas cards. I love addressing all the envelopes, affixing the stamps and sealing stickers, and writing the personal note most of all. The last few years we have been sending picture cards so that family and friends can see how much our boys have grown. The only problem with this type of card is that it's not very personal (besides the family picture, of course). So I try to send a personal note along with most of the cards. It's so much fun!

I love to receive hand-written notes from people at all times, and I love to send them just as much. I don't know why. I guess it's just a quirky passion God has given me. It's too bad that "snail mail" is a dying practice. It does take more time, especially if I'm trying to write a card with little ones around. For some reason, when Mama is writing someone, they suddenly have an urge to magnetize to me- pulling my arm, reaching for my paper. These two blessings have certainly instigated a decrease in letter-writing output from me. But, that's to be expected. Anyway, I digress. My heart really smiles when I have a completed note (thinking of you, birthday, anniversary, etc) dropped into the mailbox. It's such a small thing, but it is an offering of love to write them, and I imagine it brings the receiver a small amount of joy as well. What could be a sweeter, simpler surprise than a note from a dear one amongst the junk mail and bills? I love to picture the smile they may wear as they open and read the note. I know, I'm a little odd with this passion of mine.

Remembering Mother's Day

Lizzi: We just celebrated Mother's Day this past Sunday.
How many years have you celebrated it, as a mother?

Maude: 4 years

Esther:  2 or 3.  Three years if you count being pregnant.

Lizzi: And mine is 3!

Maude: I didn't do anything when I was pregnant - I figured I would celebrate as my last Mother's Day not being a mother instead! Because I will never not be a mother again!

Lizzi: That's a good idea!

Esther:  Haha! So true!

Maude: I like to celebrate all sorts of things! Anything I can, really!

Lizzi: I have recently heard friends say that what they'd like for Mother's Day is to have hubby take the kids and get to spend the day alone. (Relaxing with a book, maybe a day at the spa, etc)
Do you agree? What is your idea of a great Mother's Day gift?

Sisters Chat about the Institution of Marriage

Maude: In light of the marriage amendment that just passed in NC, I wanted to talk about the institution of marriage.
Esther: good idea
Maude: Clearly, marriages are falling apart all over the place. Why do you think that is? What is causing that to happen do you think?
Lizzi: I think people don't know what it's supposed to be about. They have faulty perceptions of fairytale love and don't see the necessity of commitment and self-sacrifice.
Esther: I think a lot of it boils down to selfishness. Marriage is work, is sacrifice, but putting the other's needs before your own - that is not easy.
Maude: I think it is selfishness. I think people are increasingly self-centered and don't know how to put others first.
Haha!
We are reading each other's minds, Es!
Esther:  Great minds think alike.
Maude: I read an article recently that said a scientific study had proven that selfish behaviours and attitudes increase before divorces occur. I thought, "You need a scientfic study to show that?!"
Esther: It is really easy to love someone who is loving you. But, when they're mean and not being lovely we want to kick them to the curb. No one is perfect but is much easier to shrug off my own selfishness then to forgive my husband's selfishness.
Lizzi: So true. We only feel content when we are getting what we want and when times get tough and people act human, we want to stand up for our "rights" and give up.

Sisters chat about: Habits

 Esther:  Today I thought we'd talk about habits.
 Maude:  Uh oh.
 Esther:  bad habits, good habits, all kinds of habits!
What would you consider your own worst or most annoying habit?
 Maude:  Golly.  This is hard!  I think you shouldhave given us a heads-up about thequestions this week!!
 Lizzi:  I think for me it would be procrastination toward about everything
 Maude:  I think my biggest problem is lack of GOOD habits!
 Lizzi:  Would that be considered a habit?
Procrastination, I mean?
 Esther:  Well, one of mine is never measuring things. When you make bread it is a good idea to know how much flour is going in, ya know?
 Maude:  Like I need to exercise more, take vitamins better, floss more, etc.
I think procrastination could be considered a habit, Lizzi.
 Esther:  I also habitually eat bad when my husband is not around.  Krispy kreme anyone?
 Lizzi:  Yeah, sweets intake is definitely a  bad habit of mine
Especially with my afternoon coffee...

Sisters Chat: Dealing with the Elements

I have entitled this chat 'Dealing with the Elements' because we will talk about our responses to factors (exhaustion, anger, stress, excitement) that are simply part of living this life.

Lizzi: We all have full, busy lives. This can mean that at times we suffer from sheer exhaustion.

What do you do when you need to relax?

Maude: I have 2 main things that relax me - reading a good novel and laying down (that's important!). And listening to music.

Esther: A bath with a book.

Maude: Yuck. I hate baths. I tried that once - a bath with a book - I found it stressful, or at least irritating.

Lizzi: I like baths and books to relax, but not together!

Esther:  Really? I think it is wonderful.

Maude: Ugh. To each her own.

Lizzi: I'd just end up dropping my book in the water or catching it on fire with the candles and I'd be stressed out again. BUT I do love them both at separate times.

Maude: How do you turn the pages with wet hands?

Lizzi: Exactly!

Sister's Chat About Music Part 2

Maude: This is about music again but a little different than the chat Esther recently lead. But to start off I did want to remember wht genre of music you typically listen to...
Esther: okay!
Maude: I listen to country and classic rock (and a LOT of kids music!)
Esther: singer songwriter/folk/indie rock
with some bluegrass & classic rock thrown in
Yes kid's music too!
Lizzi: I listen to Christian (rock, pop, contemporary, worship, hymns), some classic rock (mostly of "Delilah" style), jazz, old styles (20s-40s)
and LOTS of kids music too
Maude: I want to listen to oldies but there are NO oldies station here!
Okay, what song do you really like right now?
Only ONE ladies!!
Lizzi: Oh dear.
Maude: I REALLY like "A Little More Country Than That" by Easton Corbin. It is sweet because it says "If you think I'm gonna give you this ring and then take it back - I'm a little more country than that." Good song.
Lizzi: This has been a favorite for a little while now, but I still really like 'Blessings' by Laura Story
Esther: I have been listening to a lot of "May your power rest on me" by Sojourn
Maude: Cool.
Is there any band/album that you particularly like that you would recommend one or both of us to listen to?

No More Mondays

If you're reading this, then you are aware that we have posted five days a week since we began this blog together last summer. After Katharine stopped regularly blogging with us, we have rotated the Monday duties, and asked guests to share certain blog posts. Well, after several months of sharing this responsibility we have voted to cut down to four days a week and forgo the Monday post. This will begin immediately.

We will still post Tuesday- Friday. Lizzi will post on Tuesday, Esther on Wednesday, Maude on Thursday, and Sisters Chat on Friday. One Friday a month we will plan to have a guest blogger instead of posting a chat.

We believe this change will allow us the time needed to prepare our entries, participate in and tweak the chats, and give priority to our homes and families. Thanks for continuing to read, comment, and connect with us! We appreciate you!

Sisters chat: Music

 Esther:  Question one: On a sunshiny day (like today! at least for me...) what is the cd you would pop in your player?

 Maude:  Beach Boys

 Esther:  I would opt for either Noah and the whale (what I have been listening to on a lot of sunshiny days recently) OR Beach boys! Maude, it is fun we listed the same group.

 Lizzi:  Hmm... Isn't that silly? I'm having trouble thinking! I guess for sunshine-y we are thinking like, happy, fun music, right? Well, I love Matt Papa, Audio Adrenaline, or Casey McGill

 Esther:  Whatever you think when you think "sunshine"

Sisters Chat: A Day at the Spa

Lizzi: So the services we can keep in mind while talking are: haircut/style, coloring, other hair services, pedicures, manicures, massages, makeovers, facials, etc.

If money weren't an option, what service would you want to use regularly?

Esther: Massage or facials. Pedicures are nice too!

Maude: Facials

Esther: Am I allowed to say all of them? Haha!

Lizzi: That's what I'm thinking!

Esther:  Not hair color though... I don't color my hair.

Lizzi: I LOVE getting my hair done, and might get it highlighted sometimes if it weren't so expensive. I also love massages, and manicure/pedicures.

Maude: Nope, Esther is not allowed to color her hair! It is just too pretty naturally to do anything to.

Sister Chat About Spring

Maude: I thought we would talk about Spring since it is springing up all over - at least in Virginia! Crazy to think we had snow last week
Lizzi: That's a good idea
Maude: What is your favourite thing about Spring?
Lizzi:  I LOVE Spring! I love the smell, the wind, the rain, the sun,
the flowers, and trees blooming!
Esther: I love the rain
Lizzi: It's about the same weather as fall (which I also love) but it feels so warm since you are just coming out of winter...
Esther: we have lots of it right now
all the colors
being OUTSIDE
Maude: I think there is a special exciment to the air in the Spring
I love the rain too!
And this starts the miracle of trees
Esther: I love seeing all the trees in bloom! I have a big tree out back full of blooming flowers
it is beautiful
I also love OPEN WINDOWS
All my windows are open right now
Maude: Open windows are lovely
Is Spring either of your favourite season?
Fall is my favourite season, then winter, but Sping is a close third!!
Esther: I can never decide if I like Autumn or Spring
more
Lizzi: I like to say it's my favorite, but I say that for every season... I love them all best when I am in the midst of them
Maude: What Spring activity do you like to do best?
Lizzi: Get outside and walk!
Esther: Anything outside!
Maude: Picnics!
Esther: We walk to the park a lot
or go to the Zoo
Maude: I love taking walks too.
Esther: Playing with chalk or the ball out of doors
I like picnics too!
we were just talking about wanting to do that
Lizzi: We don't do a lot of picnics until Summer because it's always raining or wet on the ground
Maude: Also, we have just started planting some things in our garden so that is exciting
And the plants we started inside a few weeks ago (like tomatoes) are growing so much each day which is fun.
Lizzi: that is really fun!
Maude: Are either of you doing a garden this year?

sisters chat: About date nights

 Esther:  What is your favorite kind of date with your man?

                Eating out? a movie? show? walking? hiking? ect...

 Lizzi:  Well, I love just doing simple things like walks, coffee dates, or sitting at a pretty park with books and talking or all of the above!

 Maude:  I think my favorite date would have to be going to a festival (I LOVE those) or a local football game or something like that.  Something that is different than the regular routine but easy.

 Maude:  Or perhaps checking out a small little town in the area that we've never been to before.  Just parking the car and walking around, checking out the different shops, parks and restaurants.

 Lizzi:  Yeah!

 Esther:  I think my favorite is going to dinner and a show downtown.  Usually we pick a restaurant downtown and then just walk to the show.  But I love parks and coffee shop dates too!

 Lizzi:  ooh... I love shows! that IS fun! Can I just have everything be my favorite?

 Maude:  I think dates with my husband are just pretty nice all around!!

Sisters Chat about Valentine's Day!

Lizzi: Today I wanted to talk about Valentine's Day. I know by the time we post this it will be over, but I still wanted to use it for a topic!

Valentine's Day was always special in our house growing up. What type of things do you remember doing?

Maude: Esther posted about this, but the Secret Someone thing was a favourite

Esther: I LOVED that

Lizzi: That was fun! I also think it was really special that mom always made a heart-shaped chocolate chip cookie for each of us

Esther: It was so fun. Mom did a good job making it special.
Maude: It was fun because you had to do something every day. Whether a gift or doing one of their chores for them. Very fun, and it taught good lessons.

Lizzi: They were huge! Had to be a big expense and a lot of work for her

Maude: I loved the chocolate chip cookies. When we first got married and mine NEVER looked like hearts!

Lizzi: She also would post Valentine's poems

Esther: I can never get my chocolate chip cookies to taste like hers either. Hers are the best!

Lizzi: And decorate in such a fun way

Esther: And put hearts on the cupboards

Lizzi: Yep! Mom made it better than any preschool teacher could ever imagine... We had it so good.

Sister Chat About Being Mothers of Toddlers/Babies

Maude: This week I wanted to talk about being mothers of toddlers/babies since we are all there right now.

Lizzi: We sure are!

(We were just in the potty as you typed that, actually...)

Haha!

Maude: First, let's start with where you are at in your parenting.

Esther: I am trying to catch my diaperless little boy and stick a diaper on him

Maude: haha! For me, my little girl is entering her "terrible twos."

Esther: My son is a day away from being 16 months

lots of climbing, falling, and starting talking

Lizzi: I have an almost 3 year old, and a just-turned one year old

Maude: We will soon be starting the battle to end thumb-sucking with my little boy...

Lizzi: I've heard from adults who used to be thumb suckers that they all had to stop on their own...

They said they just had to get embarrassed enough

Some even when they were 6 or 7!

Maude: Yeah, some have told me it wasn't until college!!!

Lizzi: Wow! They said their parents tried everything..

Maude: I don't expect that much trouble - he doesn't do it all the time like some kids do but I do want to make an effort so he knows he is supposed to stop. If he doesn't right away it isn't the end of the world but I don't want my lack of action to be the cause of teeth problems later.

Lizzi: I guess its such a comfort thing

Yeah, that's tough

Maude: What are you guys dealing with right now?

Or about to start?

Lizzi: Our one-year old is (and has been for a long time) a screamer

So we are dealing with that and how to handle it

Maude: Oh dear! That would be hard

Lizzi: It is shrieking, and now he thinks it is sooo funny

And sometimes big brother joins in then too

A heart of generosity

Esther:  I think we will talk about a "heart of generosity". We have been going through a sermon series on generosity.  Generosity of time, talents, resources, and money
Lizzi:  Ok!
Maude:  Sounds good.
Esther:  We have been talking about that a lot in our home and how to live that out.
Esther:  I thought my first question would be when have you really seen that displayed?
Has someone every really blessed you?
with money, time, gifts?
Lizzi:  I have a very great, recent example
A couple weeks ago we had a big storm here and our power went out
The house got pretty cold and we told some friends that we were going to find a hotel to stay in
And they insisted that we stay with them. Not only was that very sweet and generous, but it was even more so because she was a week overdue from delivering their first baby!!
She could've gone into labor anytime, and her parents were already at their house too
Esther:  I have been blessed to see this displayed numerous times. But, one thing that really comes to mind is when we first got married. Numerous family members and friends just gave us furniture, couches, bed, and Andrew's great Aunt gave us a washer and dryer! It was such a blessing we were left with hardly any wants.
That is awesome Liz!
Lizzi:  They were really the hands and feet of Jesus to us.

A Disclaimer

I thought it might be informative to use this Monday's post to share a few truths about us and therefore, about the blog. You might find it helpful as you continue on this journey with us:

1. We are sisters
2. We are Christians
3. We grew up in the same house, with the same set of parents
4. Neither item (1), (2), or (3) automatically mean that we agree about everything, in fact

Sisters Chat About Household Duties

Lizzi: As I was vacuuming today, the idea came to me... We should chat about CHORES!! :)
Esther: That is a great idea!
Lizzi: We all have to do 'em, right? Do you all have any chores that you do on a daily basis?

Maude: Besides diapering, cooking...
Esther: Dishes, dishes, dishes!! SO many dishes
Lizzi: Oh yeah, didn't think of diapering and cooking! Yeah, dishes are so endless
Esther: And making the bed...
Lizzi: Sweeping the floor...
Maude: I only do the dishes half the time. My husband and I split evening chores pretty evenly. I cook most of the time, though.
Esther: I am slightly psychotic about making my bed. I cannot start my day (hardly!) without that being done
Lizzi: That's a good habit! I wish I was more that way
Maude: Every single day my kids pull my bed apart for a cave
Lizzi: Haha!
Esther: Kinda. I get a little too hooked up on it
Maude: So it is NEVER made anymore!
Esther: It can make me late etc.
Lizzi: That's funny, Maude!
Maude: Wow, Es. That is crazy
Esther: That's fun Maude! yeah... I have problems
Maude: Yep. It is fun
Lizzi: What are some chores that you hate do? Or are totally defunct at your house?
Esther: LAUNDRY! I would rather burn my clothes then fold them. True story.