The Joy of Children

Yesterday was a this kind of day.

Anyone want to come babysit? I could use a pumpkin spice latte right about now.

Here's to hoping today is more peaceful...

BE RICH Project

Maybe you haven't heard - we Leipprandts are RICH.

Top 1% in the world kind of rich.

The thing is, you probably are too.

We are by no means rich the way that most Americans would define rich, but the problem is that there's no easy definition. Aside from the fact that it is totally un-PC to come out and label yourself "rich" - we know other people who are rich, but not us...right? Your neighbors with the new car and the recently renovated kitchen - maybe they're rich. Your boss who just got back from her second vacation this year, maybe she's rich. But you - just because you have a car (two cars? three cars??) and a house and a fully stocked pantry...that doesn't make you rich. Or does it?

If you wander a bit further afield, you quickly come to realize just how relative the word rich is.

Rich in China = USD $36,000/year

Rich in Indonesia = USD $11,000/year

Rich in Ethiopia = USD $1,600/year

(All of these numbers are approximately 10x the average annual income)

Rich in America? Maybe you are, maybe you're not.

Rich in the eyes of the rest of the world? You bet.

So our church started an initiative last year called BE RICH. Based on 1 Timothy 6:18, the basic idea is, if you live in this country, odds are - you ARE rich. So start acting like it.

Last year we did some local giving as part of the initiative but this year I want to make being rich a bigger part of the Leipprandt family lifestyle. B Daddy and I are looking into several opportunities to give to different organizations this holiday season and I'll be making the BE RICH project a regular feature here on La Vida - to keep me honest if nothing else.

I want to BE RICH not only during the holiday season but year-round.

I want to BE RICH when I'm not sure we'll have enough $$ to pay the Tivo bill, instead of moaning about how stretched we are. (Please catch the ridiculous nature of that declaration.)

I want to BE RICH when my check engine light goes on for the second time in one month and when I realize we've got a week left in the month and no more grocery money.

I want to BE RICH because we are rich. And regardless of your spiritual, moral or political beliefs there's no denying that if you're reading this blog, you're rich.

Are you acting like it?

Apple Pickin'

Fall is here to stay in Georgia.

I love love LOVE this weather.

This year we celebrated the cooler temps with a trip to the apple orchard.

B Daddy and E got to break out their cool hats.

Anna and I got to subject the kiddos to this.

Moments like these and tiny shoes - the real reasons I had a kid.

And of course we came home with a ton of apples.

More on what I'm doing with them to come...

I Got Some Junk in this here Trunk

Don't judge. You know you have one.

It's that drawer conveniently located near the back door, or in the kitchen...where stuff somehow just seems to land. At first it was somewhat organized - maybe it held your stamps and letter opener. Then one day you threw a few bills in there, followed by a half-eaten pack of gum.

The next week you put away scissors and some matches there in a rush to straighten the place up. Then you dumped the entire contents of your purse into it one day in a frantic search for Chapstick. Oh, wait - that was me.

Well today I decided to tackle my junk drawer.

Why today you ask?

Because today - in the face of a mounting pile of laundry and a sink full of dirty dishes - cleaning the junk drawer will allow me the thrill of victory.

Because today - despite an uncertain economy and a soaring national deficit - cleaning the junk drawer will give me a sense of control over my little world.

Because today - well frankly if I'm being honest here - it finally got so full I can't shove it closed anymore.

Here is the entire hideous list of its contents:

- 14 coupons - only 3 expired!

- Coupon organizer (empty)

- Checkbook (2 - we haven't had 2 checking accounts in 4 years)

- 10 Thank you notes

- 5 Postcard stamps

- Elmer's glue

- Ball of twine

- 2 tins of breath mints

- 2 pads of Post-Its

- 6 empty gum wrappers (it's apparently entirely too much of an effort to simply throw these away)

- Pack of gum

- Mini candle

- 3 pairs of scissors

- Sunglasses

- 9 random pieces of gum (wrapped)

- Carabiner

- Lonely rubber band

- Can opener

- Dime

- UGA playing cards

- Ibuprofen, aspirin and Tylenol

- wooden clothespin

- Scotch tape

- Buckhead Life gift card - WOO HOO!

- Letter opener

- Allergy meds

- A button

- Thumbtack

- Flea/tick meds for D

- $6.50 in pennies - in 50 cent paper rolls. (Who the heck has paper rolled coins? Me. That's who.)

- Set of boot camp drill instructions

- Home Depot store credit - WOO HOO!

- Pack of Christmas light replacement bulbs

- 7 Sharpie markers. 5 of which are black.

- 4 identical red pens

- 2 Bic lighters

- Book of matches

- A house key (I have been looking for this for at least 4 months)

- 3 safety pins

- 4 paper clips

- 22 miscellaneous pens (all tested - 5 thrown away)

Phew! Who knew one drawer could hold so much?

And now, after 15 minutes of sorting, throwing away and paring down, all is right with the world.

Now onto that laundry...

@twitter

Hi twitter - it's me, Katie.

**tweet** I'm sitting in my kitchen blogging about nothing. **end tweet**

I haven't figured you out yet twitter, but one thing you've done for me already - convinced me I need more pictures of me in my life.

In my quest for a twitter profile picture I did some calculating:

Pictures taken since E was born - 2,849

Pictures E's mother is in (not including pictures taken seconds after delivering said child) - 11

Pictures E's mother has make up on in - 2

It's apparent this phenomenon only occurs to those who have successfully passed through the portal of childbirth - the camera no longer wants or needs you. Especially not if you are wearing make-up or looking particularly un-motherly.

So today I start fighting back.

Take that Rebel.

Oh, and follow me on twitter! @leipprandt.

I don't know what the conversation will be about yet, but I do know you don't want to miss it.

Working Girl

This is my absolute favorite time of day.

The world is at peace - and right now so is my baby. My husband is off at the office and I am here with my coffee and my computer.

Now I understand those Folgers commercials that were always on when I was a kid. The best part of waking up truly is Folgers in your cup. Or Starbucks. Or Eight O'Clock. We're Eight O'Clock coffee people 'round here.

I am truly sad for you non-coffee drinkers. You don't know what you're missing. I actually look forward to dragging myself out of bed when I think about my cup of coffee and this little round table in our kitchen. Life seems less complicated from this vantage point.

But I digress...

I've missed this little blog over the past few weeks. I've been frazzled and harried and working on a project that had me putting in 70+ hours a week at my "part time" job. 70+ hours and 4 month olds don't mix. Trust me.

But I'm hoping that's the last time I see that kind of craziness for a while (uh, or ever) and so this morning, I'm sitting down with my coffee re-evaluating why I work.

I am lucky enough to have an employer that lets me work from home and come in to the office on an as need basis. My first month back went smoothly enough and then well... September was incredibly difficult. I cried more in September than I did right after E was born.

It's a challenge to juggle breastfeeding and client phone calls. And somehow E always manages to wake up from his nap just as I'm coming to the important part of most conversations. But even so, I wouldn't trade the chaos for a full-time office position.

I'm still debating whether I'd leave the chaos (and the commissions) to be simply a mom.

What about you?

Moms with kiddos at home - what do you do? Stay at home? Work part-time? Do you have a full-time gig?

Do you wonder if the grass is greener on the other side like I do?