Christmas Eve with the B family

Snowman courtesy of Jon and Emma...they worked long and hard to make this cute little guy!Snuggles on the couch to watch a movie,
listen to Christmas music, and read Christmas stories and books...

Fun with cousins



Kid friendly nativity sets for little hands and active minds...and little elves to "help" with baking and decorating!

Over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house we went...


to connect with family and enjoy a short winter's nap!

And then off to church for candlelight communion and carols. As the candles were brought out and lit, Daniel smiled and clapped his hands in joy and said to me, " this is my favorite part!" I have to say, it is my favorite part, too.

Merry Christmas.

And God bless us....everyone.

It's been a while....

but here goes. I feel a bit rusty...I've not done much writing lately. But that's not to say I've not done much thinking. On the contrary, it seems the deeper the thoughts, the harder they are to express. For the last several weeks, life has been a happy, albeit dizzying, blur of vacationing, wedding, beloved house guests, (family and power outage refugees!), and play rehearsals, with a turn at teaching Daniel's preschool thrown in just for fun. While doing the dishes today, my mind was full of thoughts of appreciation for the other mom's who teach at preschool and the different personalities they bring to the classroom. Each of those moms holds a piece to the jigsaw puzzle that is Daniel's life, because I believe that God uses the people around us to teach us something we need to know about ourselves, something useful for life. In my life it looks like fresh inspiration and rest found in the home of a dear friend and sis-in-law in Florida, or the sense of belonging and servant heart in the home of my beloved Grandma, where helping with practical needs was the language of love. It's a shoulder to cry on, a word of encouragement, constructive criticism and silent understanding from the dearest of friends. We are always giving, always receiving. I give of my home and energy, I receive love and encouragement...And a hand at making eggs ( thanks Jenn!), not my strongest culinary skill. There are things I'm not so good at, that others find simple. And things I love to do that others dread. We need each other.

"For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, 'Because I am not a hand, I am not part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, 'Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,' it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body. And the eye cannot say to the hand, 'I have no need of you'; or again the head to the feet, 'I have no need of you."

1 Corinthians 12:14-21

I say again, we need each other. No one is dispensable, no, not one. We are all part of the Body of Christ--even the ones who don't know it yet!

Over these weeks I've given time, energy, money, ideas, resources, and friendship. I've received inspiration, rest, encouragement, a new sis-in-law, a new perspective, a deeper understanding of God's love for people, provision for needs and renewing of resources, a rich sense of community and a sense of joy as my family works together toward the common goal of blessing people.

Are you having trouble seeing the light at the end of the tunnel?

Maybe I have the eyes you need.

Am I having trouble hearing the Good News?

Maybe you are the ears I need.

Does someone have a bad taste in their mouth?

Maybe she can help them taste and see that the Lord is Good.

Is someone weary and stumbling?

Maybe he has the hands to steady them and keep them from falling.

Maybe we have the feet to keep them on solid ground.

We need each other.

Love you all...

we're off to visit loved ones and perhaps visit the horse capital of the world!

Sometimes...

a mom's just got to yell. As in, raise the voice to levels that are sufficient to get the attention of boys who don't seem to hear me otherwise, in certain situations. I know pleasant words are like a honeycomb and you catch more flies with honey than vinegar..useful for winning hearts and building souls...but there are times when I'm trying to repel a behaviour, sin, if you will...and I feel like Gandalf when he sticks his staff in the ground and yells, "You shall not pass!" There are times when politeness is just not gonna work. So, I did a little yelling today. And although I did apologize afterward, I think my message got through loud and clear (literally).

:>)

Home again, home again, jiggety-jig

Andrew is home from Mexico. He finally walked through our front door at 3:30 am. He was tired, and full of stories, and glad to be home. The kids want to go down and jump on him this morning. I think I'll give him another hour or two....I'm thankful he had the chance to go see another culture and exercise some spiritual muscles...and I'm thankful he's home again.

The birth of an animal lover

You know, I 've never been much of an animal lover. Even as a young girl, I never fawned over kittens and puppies, and horses never held any magical appeal. In fact, they have always been kind of scary to me. I loved one dog growing up. Her name was Buttons, an ugly poodle mix we rescued from the pound. She slept on my bed and I felt real affection for her. When she died, I never connected with another dog, or cat for that matter, and other people's pets just annoyed me. Emma is just the opposite. For all of her young life she has been crazy about animals. Dogs and horses especially. She'll look at books, she'll daydream, play pretend and beg for her own. We decided that maybe it was time for us to get her a dog last summer. We agreed, anything but a beagle. And then Ken surprised us with Sassy, a cute little black ball of fun. And yes, you guessed it, a beagle (black lab mix). I decided then and there that this dog was going to be a blessing to me and my family if it was the last thing I ever did. And after spending time training her and even praying for her, I can say I feel affection toward her like I did toward Buttons. She's a part of the family now.
Enter the horses. Today was our second lesson, and I was not nearly as nervous this time. I was even excited and happy to see Dayo. As I brushed her at the end of the lesson, I discovered some of that magical appeal that horses have for Emma. The personality and the sense of friendship I had with this horse surprised me. I'm so thankful for the opportunity to learn about these beautful animals with my daughter.
She'll make an animal lover out of me yet.

Random thoughts

**The sunset last night was gorgeous. Andrew would have loved it. He frequently will run outside to get a picture of the beauty outside our window, but he's in Mexico City right now, praying for people and sharing the Gospel. We miss him very much and pray that God uses him in powerful ways to touch the people in Mexico. The kids tell me every day how much they miss Andrew. Not having a teenager at home decreases the intensity of the home environment by at least 50%, which is restful and boring at the same time. I can't wait for Andrew to come back.

**I know God is not surprised by the election results. I know the hearts of our leaders are in His hands. I know that God can surround our President Elect with Godly men and women who will give him Godly advice. I know that now, more than ever, we need to pray for our leaders and our country. I do wonder, though, if things would have been different if the major network media were not so biased. How many times did you hear how bad the economy was and how low the President's approval rating was? How long can you hear those things before you start thinking "we need a change?" And I wonder, too, if it's just a matter of the person with the most money being able to buy their way to the White House with air time and mailings and paid door to door people.

**Colossians 3:14 says,

"And beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity."

Love is like superglue. And it works because love keeps no record of wrongs. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love is patient, kind and humble. Love forgives and hopes. Love puts other's interests ahead of our own. It is the perfect thing to keep us together. Cue music, "Love will keep us together..." Who sang that song? Cher? Captain and Tenille? It's been running through my head for two days now. Anyway....When there is love even on one end of a relationship, it will always bring you back together in spite of hurt or anger. And there can always be love. Because it has nothing to do with feelings...we choose to love. Isn't it interesting that we can put on love? Like it's a garment we can wear? What does a garment do? It covers vulnerable areas of the body, protects us from the elements and bugs and injuries, decorates and beautifies our body, identifies, (like a uniform on a policeman, or matching t-shirts on a family or group). "They will know we are Christians by our love." Our garment of love gives us identity and strengthens us with unity (a cord of many strands is not easily broken, 1 can route a thousand, 2 can route 10,000, etc.)

And that's all.

Your vote counts...

Don't forget to vote on Tuesday.
If you need a ride...give me a call.
If you need a sitter...give me a call.
If you don't know who to vote for...give me a call. :>)
Your vote counts.

Where's Emma?

When I travel alone with the children, I often experience a brief moment of panic when the thought occurs to me that I don't remember putting Matthew in his car seat, which causes me to swivel my head to look behind me to make sure he is actually in the car. My children think this is wildly funny and will frequently tease me by frantically crying out, "Where's Matthew?" as we drive down the road. You may think that could not possibly happen, but I know what this sleep deprived brain is incapable of...namely, remembering things very well. Tonight, one of my worst fears came true...I actually left a child behind. Poor Emma! As she says, "How could you forget your only girl?" Thank God it was at the church, where she was supervised by her beloved and gracious :) Aunt Jenn. I actually made it all the way home, shared some coffee with a fellow sleep deprived dear friend, (name withheld to protect the innocent), and had talked with Ken for about 5 minutes before it actually dawned on me that I had gone to church with 2 children and come back with only one!
Yes, I am extremely embarassed.
Yes, you may laugh at me.
Yes, I'm going to bed now.
Good night.

A beautiful day in the neighborhood

Every once in a while I'll have a day, or an afternoon, or an hour, or 5 minutes :>) when things line up and pieces fall into place and all seems right in the world. Yesterday afternoon was just such a time. It started when the little girl next door came to play with Emma. I used to worry about the influence she might have on my little ones, but yesterday I realized our influence on her was what was important, and I have a unique opportunity to help shape her worldview in a way that she may or may not get at home. There was a time, when she first started visiting us, when she would run away from the baby--Daniel at the time--and make comments about how yucky babies were. But yesterday, there she was, asking me for a paper towel and tenderly wiping the yogurt off of Matthew's face. I know that her ability to appreciate the value of a little one was formed in part because of the value she has seen my children place on the little ones in their lives. As I started making stew for dinner, the girls and Daniel asked to help. Potatoes were peeled, and brownies were made, all by little hands eager to be busy and do their part. Was dinner put on the table by the usual time? No. When allowing little hands to help chores seem to get done a bit more slowly, but with beautiful music playing in the background, yummy smells of beef stew and chocolate in the air, and cooperative children, who minds an extra half hour added to the preparation time? I wish I could say these kinds of afternoons were the rule and not the exception. I know so much of it is determined by my own state of mind, my own level of peace. Did the cooperation of the children affect my peace, or did my peace affect the cooperation of the children? I believe it is the latter, in large degree. Choosing to welcome a little girl into my home, choosing to allow my little ones to work with me in the kitchen, choosing to create a warm, yummy smelling, beautiful sounding environment in my home. When my choices get lined up with God's heart...it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood.

A bowlegged cowgirl

I had no idea how real my fear of horses was until yesterday afternoon when I was driving down the road toward mine and Emma's first horseback riding lesson. My heart was pounding, my face was flushed and hot, and my head felt like it was going to explode. Of course, Emma showed absolutely no fear or nervousness whatsoever, it's like a dream come true for her. Wondering why I would subject myself to such anxiety? Believe me, I was asking the same question yesterday. But really, there are a few reasons. It's a good possibility Emma will have a horse when she gets to be 12 or 13, and I want to get over my nervousness and feel good about being around the animals before then. I also thought it would be good to conquer that fear, because fear is never a good thing. And, I think it's good to learn and experience things with our children. I learned a little Spanish with Andrew, I've become more familiar with the game of football with Jon, and now I am going to learn how to handle a horse with Emma. So we got there, and they showed us how to saddle the horses. Emma's horse was named Joy, mine was Dayo...mother and daughter horses, 32 and 28 years old! Very gentle and calm, in fact they were falling asleep during the lesson! You'd think that would relax me but I had to keep purposely relaxing my muscles because they were involuntarily clenching. They handed us the reins and let us lead the horses out to the arena. I was terrified that Dayo was going to step on me. And then it was time to get on...and all I could think was "I'm sorry, horse!" I'm not what you would call a lightweight, if you know what I mean...So there I was on a horse, and I must say that by the end I was actually enjoying myself. We put the horses away, and I brushed Dayo while Emma brushed Joy, and thus ended our first lesson. Emma was teary as we left, wishing we could come back more often. And, while I admit I was relieved when it was time to get off of the horse, I did have a good time and look forward to our next lesson.
FYI: you know that feeling you get after rollerskating for a while and then putting your regular shoes back on...like you are still skating? You have that feeling after an hour on a horse, too. My legs felt so funny..like a bow-legged cowgirl....

Steak for breakfast...

I came across a huge little verse this morning while I read my Bible.

"Let all that you do be done in love." 1 Corinthians 16:14

I know that my life would change dramatically if I could actually live that out. If every interaction, every chore, every action I take and word I speak was done in love there would be no room for selfishness, insecurity, anger or discouragement. You know, if you think about it, if God is love and He is holy and without sin, then if we do everything in love we are doing everything in God and it is impossible for God and sin to dwell in the same place....so could it be that the more I do in love the less sin will be working in my life? And, if God is love and I am to do everything I do in love, couldn't that be a key to knowing who I am in Christ? Since God is love and we are made in His image?

"God is love, and the one who abides in this love abides in God, and God abides in Him."

1 John 4:16

If I do all that I do in love, I am abiding in God, and He is abiding in me. And if God is abiding in me then sin cannot abide in me. And nothing is impossible because God can do all things....

Just chewing on some meat this morning. Anybody got a toothpick?

Book Meme

Jenn tagged me for a Book Meme, which I had never heard of before. I'm finally getting to it.....

From Pride and Prejudice, p 56

"..Mrs. Phillips protested that they would have a nice comfortable noisy game of lottery tickets, and a little bit of hot supper afterwards. The prospect of such delights was very cheering, and they parted in mutual good spirits. Mr. Collins repeated his apologies in quitting the room, and was assured with unwearying civility that they were perfectly needless. "

If you'd like to do a book meme, here are the instructions:

Grab the nearest book.

Open to page 56.

Find the fifth sentence.

Post the text of the next two to five sentences on your blog, along with these instructions.

Don't dig for the coolest book, or most intellectual book, or your favorite book--pick the closest book.

Tag five more people.

I'm not sure if I can come up with five more people other than who Jenn tagged. But Corrie, if you read this-tag, you're it! And Keila, too. And I retag Dee..and Beth.

Experimenting...

I have always been of the opinion that it's better in the long run when a child can own a good decision rather than be forced into it. For instance, there have been times when a young one of mine did not want to give someone else a turn with a toy. In those instances, I usually give my child a chance to do the right thing on their own, rather than force them to give away the toy. I do this because I think it will mean more and do more good for my child if they get to own that good feeling they get when they share with a willing and (mostly) cheerful heart. Being forced to share and take turns won't produce those happy feelings, and may even cultivate even more stinginess, in my opinion. So I will talk with the child, encourage the child to share or take turns, and most of the time they will make the right decision on their own, and feel good about it.

So, that being said, today I decided that there are times when it is ok to take the decision making out of their hands. You see, I want my children to learn to wake up with an attitude of, "How can I make this day great for others?" Rather than, "How can I make my day great for me?" Or even worse, "How can Mom make this day great for me?" I have been at a loss for how to try to make this happen until this morning's walk and prayer time. Here's my plan: I am going to establish 2 hours of every day as "not about me time" for each of the children. During this time they may not tell me how bored they are, or that there's nothing to do. They may not ask me to watch tv or play video games or to even play a game with them. They are responsible to do something for someone else--play with a younger sibling (and games that the younger sibling would like!), do an extra job for mom or dad, walk the dog (caring for our animals is Godly, says so in the Bible!), write a letter or make a picture for a far away loved one, etc. My hope is that as they get into the habit of intentionally putting others first, it will become part of the fabric of their being. It's an experiment, I admit. But it beats the alternative--encourage, lecture, nag--which isn't working, anyway.
Another experiment, with credit going to the Duggers (the family with 17! children): Today I paired up the kids as cleaning buddies, and gave each team 4 spaces to clean. In an hour the house and yard were looking picked up enough for me to relax in, and the kids did a great job working together. Since Daniel was busy cleaning, he wasn't fighting with Matthew, and since Jon was his cleaning buddy he wasn't fighting with Emma, either. If I did that once or twice a week, I could, perhaps, keep my sanity for a little while longer... And there was still plenty of time to get a full day of school in, a play date and a hike with loved ones to enjoy the beautiful October air and colors.

Oh, Happy Day

When she was 2 and 3, a happy birthday was a birthday cake. As in, we are eating some happy birthday. Now that she's 7, it's still all about the birthday cake. (That's my girl!) So, by request, I made a white cake with pink frosting, and some cupcakes just for fun! I'm so thankful for the splash of pink God sent to us on this day seven years ago. She brings out the girly side of this mom of 4 boys, and she's such a sweet helper with the littlest guy. Ken says she's the sweetest young lady he has ever knowed (yes, he knows that's bad grammar), but he enjoys the rolled eyes and smile it elicits from his girl. She's the sweetest of the sweet, and the coolest of the cool. Happy Birthday, Emma!
If you look very closely you can see that Emma now has her ears pierced!

Confessions of a PBS addict

I have a confession to make. I am addicted to PBS. And I know that because every time there is chaos and fighting I find myself saying, "Let's watch PBS!" And even when it's peaceful, there are certain times of day when I just feel like turning it on. 7am-not even sure what's on...10 am-Sesame Street...3pm-Cyber Chase. Ken has punished one of our children with no TV or computer for a few days....and I'm the one suffering the most!

I definitely have a problem.

God loves them the most...

These thoughts have been brewing in my mind for a few days. Having just celebrated Andrew's 14th birthday, I naturally was reminiscing about the beginning of our journey with children. Ken and I had been married for four years before we were blessed with our Andrew. Two of those years were spent praying, hoping, despairing, hoping, praying, despairing....you get the picture. We wanted a child so badly, but after 2 years of trying to conceive the doctor said I was not going to be able to get pregnant without the help of modern medicine. I specifically remember sitting on the couch in our apartment one night, preparing a lesson for our Sunday School. It was a particularly hard day, and I was in the despair part of the cycle. So I told God I was not even going to pray about having a baby anymore. I was giving up and couldn't handle the up and down emotional roller coaster anymore. I was angry, I admit. Perhaps throwing a grown up version of a temper tantrum. I opened the lesson book that laid in my lap and my tear filled eyes landed on these words:

This time next year you will have a son.

I kid you not. And I felt even angrier than before. "Didn't I just tell You I was not going to hope anymore?" I yelled. I think I even threw the book. That was around Thanksgiving, 1993. It was just a few months later that I found out I was with child. He was born the following fall, just as God had promised. God was very good to us. I know there are many who still go through the pray, hope, despair cycle and may never be blessed with a pregnancy like we were. I don't understand it, but I'm so grateful he saw fit to bless us with not just one miracle, but five.

Now Andrew is 14, and planning on going to Mexico for his first missions trip. As I was praying for him and the trip the other morning, I thanked God for "my" Andrew. I felt a gentle rebuke, even before I finished that sentence. "Your Andrew?" So I tried again, "Our Andrew?" Still not quite right. The truth is, Andrew and the rest of these miracles are not mine and Ken's, they are God's. We are stewards of these little people. I felt convicted of flared tempers and careless words and of discipline that was more angry than loving; convicted of being too busy to listen and too lost in my thoughts to respond with sincerity.

I love Andrew.

I love these kids.

And God loves them even more.

Talk to the animals, part II

So, Ken came home last night with his own bizarre animal story. He was on the scaffold at the job, thinking and working, and a bird landed about 3 feet away and started chirping at him. Not in the angry way of a mama bird protecting her nest, but in the conversational way that a bird might talk to another bird. Then she flew away. Now that would be unremarkable, I suppose, except it happened again a little later in the day in a totally different spot. Ken was leaning up against the truck, talking to the homeowners, and a bird (he thinks it was a different one) landed within arms reach on the rack behind his tool box, and started chirping at him in that same conversational tone! In light of my own bizarre animal experience, we thought that was pretty hysterical....and it has confirmed what I've suspected all along...

You see, if I'm Snow White (see comments on the last blog...) then

Ken really is Prince Charming! And I bet you didn't know he was related to the Cat in the Hat, did you? It's a fairytale life we lead...

If I could talk to the animals....

There is a chipmunk that lives in the rock wall that lines our driveway. Or maybe there's more than one, they all look the same. I'm not sure if it's the same one, but Andrew tried to befriend it many years ago, with no success. Jon did the same, spending hours sitting quietly, leaving little treats in hopes of earning his trust. To no avail. Today, I was walking up my driveway, toward the barn, and there, in the middle of the driveway sat the chipmunk, looking at me out of the corner of his eye. Little sides heaving like he was scared out of his mind. Not moving, not trying to run away. I was a little worried about Sassy trying to catch him, because she was sniffing around up ahead, so I moved my leg ever so slightly to scare the chipmunk into action. He run about a foot away, stopped, then turned and ran straight toward me and

started
to
climb
up
my
leg.....

He only made it up the back of my shoe before I screamed and shook him off. Then he scurried off into the bushes. I have no idea if he was being friendly or just aggressive...weird, eh?

Soup for lunch

I made beef vegatable soup for lunch today, and it was really quick and easy after spending a little extra time yesterday during my dinner prep. Last night's dinner was short rib meat in the crock pot with onions, garlic and spices. I used the bones which I cut off the meat to make a beef broth. So, while I was preparing dinner last night, I put a pot of water on to boil with the bones that I otherwise would have thrown out. Today, after I skimmed the hardened fat off the broth, I added the leftover meat from last night, some soup green (see below), and leftover egg noodles from last night. I brought it to a boil and let it simmer for a while and voila! Delicious, nutritious beef vegetable soup for lunch!

Soup green is something Oma has used forever in her cooking. She has always generously shared her supply with me, but this summer I finally made some of my own. Using the food processor that Oma let me borrow, I shred carrots, onion, red, yellow and green peppers, and celery, one at a time. The mix is up to your taste, but Oma's suggestion was not too much celery, because it "takes over!" Mix in some salt and that's it. It's an easy way to add nutrition and flavor to spaghetti sauce, soups, taco meat, rice...almost anything. It freezes well, so you can make a big batch at once...which is good because it's messy shredding up all those veggies so I wouldn't want to do it every week. I froze it in quart containers and I keep one in the fridge. No worries about spoilage because of the salt, and I use it within a week or two.

Yum! Besides, I have to try to find a way to feed 5 children without burning through the bread a loaf a day! Now that I bake, I'm infinitely more aware of how much bread we eat! :>)

I remember when....

she was a rockin' shortstop and could run faster than any boy I knew....(that includes you, Jer!)

she shared Jesus and her friendship with me.....

she almost started a panic at Virginia Beach when she yelled "shark" after seeing a dolphin....

she was a fast strumming guitar player who could out-sing anyone on American Idol....

she was Queen of her Senior Prom....

she didn't realize I was changing and let the boys into our dorm room....(I'm sorry, are you decent?)

she was the most caring and thorough nurse in the Nursing Home...

she married her high school sweetheart and started her beautiful family...


Happy Birthday, Dee!



I thank God for the many years I've been blessed to enjoy your friendship!

First Day of School....

for Daniel! I don't want to shock anybody, but this homeschooler does believe a little time away from mom is a good thing---for both mom and child! Provided the program is quality and the time is in short bursts, especially when they are young....I'm so pleased to have found out about this new preschool, it was a real answer to prayer. It's run by moms who love their kids, it's 5 minutes from my house, it's only two days a week, and it's free! It's a cooperative preschool, so each mom takes a turn teaching. So, every 5 weeks, I will team up with another mom and we will have some fun with the kids. I am a teacher at heart, and this will be a fun, different outlet for me.

And for those of you who are wondering if Daniel had trouble separating himself from me....the answer is not one little bit. I was pleasantly surprised when he walked over to the children and began playing with the toys, and he never once looked back at me. I think this is going to work out just great!

Goodbye, Oma and Grandpa

You'd think after 13 years of summers here and winters there, I'd get used to the inevitable goodbye. But, not so. It's still as hard today, and maybe harder. Back on a plane they go, to drier air and wider skies. Emma and I are still drying our eyes....

Oma did alot of cleaning up while she was here this summer, and I have some plunder to show for it! An old cabinet, in the basement of the brick house when they bought it, has now become part of my new pantry! After our trip to Deerfield, my eye has been drawn to all things primitive--which is a decorating style I have recently learned from those more learned in these matters than I-- so I snagged some shelves Oma was done with and Voila! A pantry that makes me smile each time I enter....and it's efficient to-boot! My counters are less cluttered, my cabinets, too--and I can store extra canned goods, etc. without losing track of them in my basement, as I have done from time to time.

Some old looking utensils and a wooden bowl complete the pantry which is both pleasing to the eye and functional.

What's working, what's not...

Bread making:

What's working: We are mostly eating the bread I bake myself. I've made whole wheat, rye and honey oatmeal, the family favorite, pictured below. I would like to grind my own wheat as well, and will be saving my pennies to buy a grain mill. I would also like to get Dee's recipe for bagels, because I've stopped buying them and the kids are missing them.

What's not: I have yet to get far enough ahead in my baking to freeze any and so have run out and had to buy bread twice. Making 2 loaves at a time is not quite enough, but it's what I can do with the kitchen aid right now.

Garden:

What's working: Squash, zuchini and cherry tomatoes.

What's not: Big tomatoes---they are rotting on the vine before they turn red!

School:

What's working: Scheduled playtimes with Matt by older siblings. That has really made a difference in my day! The day is flowing nicely with less outbursts and fighting than I had imagined. Separate history for Emma and Jon--I was combining them but that was not working well. This way History will alway be at Emma's level, and then Dan will hopefully tag along.

What's not: My schedule nicely laid out on paper in half hour increments...the spirit of the schedule is there, but if Matt's nap goes beyond 3pm I'm not necessarily going to wake him, etc.

Cameras:

What's working: Andrew's camera has been working overtime to take the landscape shots he is so good at.

What's not: My own camera...I think it might be dying.

Walking:

What's working: Still love walking early in the a.m. I usually am able to do it 6 days a week, and I recently discovered that what I thought was 1 mile of walking was actually close to 2! I couldn't understand why it was taking me so long to walk a mile! I know I'm not physically fit, but.....

What's not: Staying up late and trying to get up early in the morning. I'm trying to fit in some chores and relaxation time after the kids go to bed, but it's taking a bite out of the sleep I think my body needs, and I'm sleepy around 1pm. I know I need to go to bed earlier, but I so enjoy that time in the evening when the house is quiet...

18 years and counting

To celebrate our 18th wedding anniversary, Ken took me to Historic Deerfield in Massachusettes. We celebrated a little early so that we could leave the kids with Oma and Grandpa, since they will be returning to NM before our actual anniversary in September. It was the perfect place to go for many reasons. It was quiet and peaceful, close to home, and Ken could do some research for the restoration project he's working on as the town is full of 18th and 19th century homes that have been restored.

We stayed overnight at the Deerfield Inn.. (apologies for the picture quality, they were taken with my cell phone...)

in a beautifully furnished room that made us feel like we had stepped back into the mid 1800's.

The people there were extremely nice, and the sitting areas were truly lovely...

We spent a day and a half enjoying each other's company and the gorgeous weather, having uninterrupted conversations (!), and touring the restored homes along the mile long block. The stories of the homes we visited were fascinating. Ken even talked with a fellow contractor who was working on the tavern home and got to peek at the construction going on there.

It was a breath of fresh air, literally and figuratively.

This trip marks the end of summer vacation for me. On Monday I plan on jumping into the school year. Just writing those words gives me butterflies...I am grateful for these last few months of visiting family, special occasions, trips away from home...and now it is time to get back to some routine...which is different, but also good.

Turning over a new leaf...

This summer I've been doing alot of thinking and praying about the coming school year. Homeschooling a 9th grader, 4th grader, and 2cd grader while caring for a preschooler and toddler seems a daunting task which will only be possible if I try to keep to a fairly strict schedule. I've been reading Teri Maxwell's book Managers of Their Homes and it's been very helpful to me as I think about structuring my days. One of the things she stresses in there is the need to have a consistent quiet time to pray and read your Bible. It's one of those things I've heard and read so many times--to the point of feeling annoyed when I read it again. I have struggled to have a consistent quiet time for many years but it has seemed impossible to do with young children and babies who are up many times a night and awake early in the morning. I am not a morning person, and getting up early is very hard for me...but as I put together my schedule I could see that early in the morning was the only time I would be able to consistently set aside time to read and pray. So, for the last few weeks I have been turning off my alarm at 5:50 am (yes, I can hear you early risers chuckling at me...you've probably aready had your coffee and done some laundry by then....), and I get dressed and go for a walk with our dog, Sassy. And while I walk I pray, and think, and listen. It's lovely. The air is cool, the sun is rising, the birds are singing...though there have been mornings I have walked in the rain, and that was ok, too. To think I've been sleeping this time away for so many years, what a shame! I feel physically stronger, closer to the Lord, and I've come to look forward to my walks. Some days it's hard for me to pull myself out of bed, but I'm always glad I did.

Many hands make light work..

So, in my quest to make use of the endless zuchini and squash that is multiplying in my garden, I was (again) baking zuchini muffins this morning. I put Matthew on the counter next to the mixing bowl, which seemed a better option than trying to move through the kitchen with a crying toddler stuck to my legs. He helped stir the batter, and was so happy to be helping. I turned my back to instruct the other children who were chopping nuts for me with my P***pered Ch*f chopper, and when I looked back, Matthew had dumped a half of a box of baking soda into the batter! And had started to stir! Thankfully, Andrew and I were able to scoop most of it out...but Emma's muffin had a bad after taste so I don't think we got it all. Oh well. He also managed to throw in the little container of cloves and a wooden spoon while my back was turned...and who knows what else, that's all I actually found.

Anybody want a muffin?

Happy Birthday, Jonnybe!

Nine years ago today God blessed us with another little boy to love. I'll never forget the overwhelming awe I felt as I held him an rocked him, just knowing that he was truly sent from heaven. I don't have the technology to show you a picture of him as a baby, but here he is today...

He's a Jesus loving, football playing, trampoline jumping, brother wrestling young man, and he still likes to kiss his mom! Happy Birthday, Jonnybe!

~Thank God for football~

Jon is finally getting his wish...to play real football on a real team with real tackling and helmets and pads and.....For the next 2 1/2 months he will be suiting up 4 times a week for 2 1/2 hour practices and one game. That means much driving to and from the field, rearranging dinner time, missed opportunities for visiting or hospitality and mid-week meetings at church. But I'm not complaining, not by a long shot. I had a feeling that playing football for him is more than just a fun time to spend an evening, but it was confirmed the other night when his coach stopped me to tell me how impressed he was with Jon. Don't worry, I will not make you suffer through a proud mom soliloquoy. I do, however, want to brag on God a little. When Jon was a toddler, he would get so focused on what he was doing or on what he wanted that there was no distracting him. We dealt with daily temper tantrums, sometimes more than one, that would go on for hours (I am not exaggerating) and would leave him and us exhausted and teary. There were times I would despair, wondering what I was doing wrong. And then there were times when by faith I just knew that this personality trait was there because God put it there, and someday it was going to bring God glory. Our job was not to beat it out of him, so to speak, but to mold it and shape it and pray over it and even nurture it to some extent. To know him now, you would never guess the turmoil we went through back then, but he is still a very focused young man. Which brings me back to what the coach said the other night. "He's so focused." Those were the words he used. And this time it is a good thing. Jon stands out in the coaches mind because of the very trait that was so hard to weather 5-6 years ago! "He's a real asset to the team." Isn't God good?
Jon told me after practice last night this is the hardest thing he's ever done. So I asked him, "Do you still like it?" He said, "I love it!" He went on to say that football is not just about fun, but hard work. The biggest thing he's learning from football? In Jon's own words, "self-discipline."

Thank God for football.

The wisdom of Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle

Mrs. Piggle- Wiggle is a book I'm reading to Emma. It's quite humorous and I highly recommend it to anyone with a child between the ages of 5-10. Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle is a woman in a neighborhood who loves to have children over and helps the parents cure things such as answer-backism and fighter-quarellers syndrome. In this excerpt, Mrs. Thompson has called Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle for some help in curing selfishness in her little boy, whose name is Dick. The conversation goes like this:

"Hello Mrs. Thompson, I have rather expected you to call."

Mrs. Thompson said, "You have? Why?"

"Because I know Dick very well," said Mrs. Piggle- Wiggle, " and although he is a dear little boy and the most well-mannered child who comes to visit me, never once forgetting to say Thank You and Please, he is very selfish."

"Oh, I know he is. I know he is," said Mrs. Thompson, almost crying because she was so ashamed that Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle should know how selfish Dick was.

Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle said, "Now Mrs. Thompson, do not feel sad. Selfishness and greediness are just diseases like measles and chickenpox and can be cured very easily but we must start now, before another day passes, because Dick is such a nice little boy and we want everyone to like him as we do."

"Oh, do you like him, in spite of his selfishness?" asked Dick's mother.

"Of course I do," said Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle. "I love all children...."

I love how the good in the boy is not overshadowed by the flaw.

I love how the flaw does not define the child.

I love how she wants to protect the child from the criticism of others.

I love how she loves the child in spite of the flaw.

I believe this is an example of hating the sin, but loving the sinner. Which we usually equate to loving an unbeliever. But all of us fall short. There is none perfect. I need this kind of love, and so do you. Our kids need this kind of love. Our spouses need this kind of love. Our leaders and our parents and our neighbors and our grandkids need this kind of love.

You're a wise woman, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle.

Big toe in the water...

Getting back into the school routine is a little like getting into the water of a cool Adirondack lake. Refreshing, in a shocking sort of way. This year I'm going slow, and starting way in advance of when I actually need to start swimming, so to speak. I got my big toe wet today...shelves have been cleared of last year's debris to make room for this years goodies. Filling the shelves with delicious books is a joy that even Emma was able to appreciate as she proudly stacked her own school books on her shelf. Implementing a schedule is a focus of mine these days. Disciplining myself to rise before the children in order to get some much needed exercise and prayer time before the start of the day, designated play times between older siblings and younger siblings, and delegation of chores are the big issues I'm trying to address, on top of the academics. Andrew is beginning his Freshman year of High School...... What!!??? Did I just write those words? Jon is beginning 4th grade-both of these years are serious schooling years, in my opinion. 4th grade seems to be a transition year to more challenging work. 9th grade the preparation for adult life becomes more concentrated. The expectation gets raised, the work gets harder--more independence is required. I admit to a little fear and trembling as I look ahead. Grace and strength for the day; it's His promise.
I'm counting on it.

Zuchini bread, anyone?

So, after lots of rain, and a weekend of no one picking, I have been bombarded with about 25 yellow squash and zuchini of various sizes, with a couple being of the baseball bat variety....

Forced to dive into the scary world of preserving...For two days I have shredded, sliced, parboiled and bagged up squash and zuchini. I am currently looking for some different ways to use it...some thoughts are zuchini relish, stuffed zuchini, and chocoloate zuchini bread, which is currently baking in the oven! I have a renewed sense of awe for the women of yesteryear who had to preserve enough food to get through the long winters. It was necessity... no supermarkets to run to when they ran out of things. They did without, ate what was in season, and suffered some rumbly tummies through the winters, I imagine. Canning, freezing and preserving never made sense to me, til now. If I want the nutrition that squash can give, during a time when there is no local squash to be found, I must put some away for later. It makes perfect sense now.... I know, it takes me a little while, but I do finally get it eventually.

Hit me with your best shot, tomatoes! I'm ready for ya!

Still enjoying that little manners book...

Of Behaviour at the Table.

#6 Find not fault with any thing that is given thee.
(I guess mine are not the first to complain about what's on the dinner table, eh?)

#14. Make not a noise with thy tongue, mouth, lips, or breath, either in eating or drinking.
(One of Ken's biggest pet peeves!)

#22 Stuff not thy mouth so as to foll thy Cheeks; be content with smaller Mouthfuls.
(Need I comment?)

#25 Smell not to thy Meat, nor move it to thy Nose; turn it not the other side upward to view it upon the Plate.
(Funny story--I used to babysit from time to time for a little boy who could tell food was different from his mom's brand just by smelling it. I am not exaggerating--I served Tuna one day-he immediately knew it was different. Spaghetti sauce, same thing. He would bring the food to his nose and sniff. If that didn't send up any red flags, and it almost always did, he would put a little on his tongue. That was usually the end of the meal for him!)--

#26 Throw not any thing under the Table.

(what I would give to the person who could teach my 1 1/2 year old this one!)

I can't explain how comforting it is to know that these behaviors were problematic enough back then that someone addressed them in a manners book. It's the same feeling I get when I watch Super Nanny, which is either:

a. Thank God my kids are not that bad!

b. So I'm not the only parent dealing with that behavior issue.

or

c. I am not the meannest parent in the world for making my child _____________.

The more things change, the more they stay the same...

Here's an excerpt from a book called The School of Manners printed in 1701. The section is called
Of Behaviour among Boys,

1. As near as may be, converse not with any but those that are good, sober and virtuous; Evil communication corrupts good Manners.

2. Be not quarrelsome, but rather take patiently, than mischievously occasion any manner of wrong.

3. Reprove thy Companions as often as there shall be occasion for any evil, wicked unlawful, or indecent Action or Expression.

4. Give always place to him that excelleth thee in Quality, Age or Learning.

5. Be willing to take those words or actions as jestings, which thou hast reason to believe were designed to such: and fret not at thy companions innocent mirth.

6. If thy Companion be a little too gross of sarcastical in Speaking, yet strive not to take notice of it, or be moved at all therewith.

7. Abuse not thy Companion either by word or deed.

8. Deal justly among boys, thy equals; as solicitously as if thou wert a man with men, and about businesses of higher importance.

9. Be not selfish altogether, but kindly, free and generous to others.

10. Jog not the Table or Desk on which another writes.

11. At play, make not thy hands, face, or cloaths dusty or dirty: nor sit upon the ground.

12. Avoid sinful and unlawful recreations: all such as prejudice the welfare either of body or mind.

13. Scorn not, Laugh not at any for the natural infirmities of Body or mind, not because of them affix to any vexing title of contempt and reproach.

14. Adventure not to talk with thy Companions about thy Superiors, to raise discourse reflection upon, or touching another's Parents, or Master: to publish any thing of thine own family or Household affairs. Children must meddle only with the affairs of Children.

My favorite rule is # 10. Boys need to be told these things! They needed to be told 300 years ago, and they need to be told today. Hilarious, isn't it? You're laughing because either you've seen a boy do that, or you are a boy and it still makes you laugh!

Boys will be boys. They will fight, get dirty, laugh at bodily gas, tease and wrestle. The rules have not changed for the last 300 years! We can't blame bad behavior on tv, or video games or lack of proper social programs. The answer is the same now as it was then-- we parents need to teach our children to:

1.Fear God.

2. Honour the King.

3. Reverence thy Parents.

4. Submit to thy Superiors.

5.Despise not thy inferiors.

6. Be courtious with thy Equals.

7. Pray daily and devoutly.

8. Converse with the Good.

9. Imitate not the wicked.

10. Hearken to instruction.

11. Be desirous of Learning.

12. Love the School.

13. Be always cleanly.

14. Study Verture.

15. Provoke no Body.

16. Love thy Schoolfellows.

17. Please thy Master.

18. Let not play entice thee.

19. Restrain thy Tongue.

20. Covet future Honour, which only Vertue and Wisdom can procure.

Please welcome her to the blogging community. She's a super intelligent, super loving, super wheat grinding to make her own bread, homeschooling kind of gal. My friend, and my sis-in-law...

Poppy and Grammy's Christmas in July

Stephanie, Chris, Jon and Anthony at Plimoth Plantation
The cousins
Emma and Mom on Plymouth Beach
Ken and Dan playing in the water
Matthew and Dougie working--they dug and played in that hole for at least an hour!

Walking through Plimoth Plantation--the woman to the right is my brother Mike's daughter, Jessica
Dan's turn in the carrier!
Andrew and Anthony were "buddies"--older kids were assigned to younger kids at the Plantation


For Christmas, instead of buying toys the kids will play with for a day and then lose or break or get bored, my Dad and step-mom plan a trip for my siblings and me and our families to some campground or tourist attraction to have a reunion each July. We just came back from our4th trip...Plymouth, MA. We visited Plimoth Plantation, and the Mayflower II, and spent some time on the beach. It was a great time connecting with family and seeing the sights.

Thanks, Dad and Judi!

Magical Days

This past weekend all of Ken's family gathered to give honor to his parents for 50 years of love and commitment in marriage. In testimony to the countless lives that Oma and Grandpa have enriched and touched, over 70 people came from all over the world to celebrate the occasion. People who have known them for over 60 years, people who have known them for much less, people from California and North Carolina and NJ...and all the way from Germany! It was a beautiful thing to see old friends connect again. Grateful tears were shed as people thanked us for bringing them together one more time. Oma's nephew from Germany came, with his family. All a surprise to Oma and Grandpa, and our children played with their children...swimming, jumping on the trampoline, and the soccer game to beat all soccer games lasting long past 10 pm! Oma and her niece visited long into the evening, speaking German and laughing and catching up on lives in Germany. I wish I had pictures to share, but was so caught in the joy of the moment I forgot all about capturing it! I'm not sure words can do justice to the feeling of love and richness we feel after having connected with so many people who love our Oma and Grandpa. There are moments in life when you know your life will never be the same. You know that your heart has grown, your mind has grown, your soul has grown. I think these magical days have been just such moments.

Surrounded!

By loved ones, that is...Ken's siblings and parents are making the annual trek to NY in waves this year. Every couple of weeks a new family member has arrived and they will all finally here by next Wednesday. It's a fun time of year for us...a month long family reunion filled with cousins playing, fun outings, barbecues and such. These days will long be a wonderful memory for the kids--barefoot, swimming every day, no baths, watermelon juice running down their chins. The lines blur between the households here on the hill, and kids run back and forth, eating lunch here, dinner there, and vice versa. We love it ever so much. We will enjoy this next few weeks of fellowship with loved ones. I'll post a pic or two to share the fun, as soon as I can get my photographer to load them on the computer!

Homeschool convention highlights...

I had a really nice time at the convention this year. It was peaceful. We had a nice room, and could walk to the convention center. And we got to listen to Andrew Pudewa, the founder of the Institute for Excellence in Writing. He and his wife homeschool their 7 children. He never finished college, and yet he is sought after all over the country to help teach teachers and parents how to teach their children to write. He teaches violin using the Suzuki method, which involves memorizing portions of music and playing them repeatedly until you know them by heart, then adding more music to that and so on. The premise is, if you want music to come out of the brain, it must be in there to start with. So he decided that if that is true for music, it must also be true in writing. If we want reliably correct and sophisticated language to come out of our children's brains, we must systematically and consistently get it in there. The two ways he proposes we do this is by reading aloud to our children from classic literature... a minimum of two hours a day (!), and by memorizing poetry and other beautiful writing. It's not enough for our kids to be good readers..they need to hear the language orally. And as they memorize things, there are actually physical connections made in the brain. It's exercise for the brain, so to speak. Now I have been of the opinion, since my college years of Early Childhood Ed., that rote memorization kills creativity. Having children copy other people's work is a hindrance to their originality. So I shyed away from memorizing much. But I have since become convinced that the only way to learn to do something well is to copy the people who do it well. Then, once you are able to copy the masters, you can use the tools and skills you've learned to be creative and original. But it can't come out of the brain if it's not in there.
I know this is getting long, but this stuff is fascinating to me. It makes so much sense! I agree with his opinion that we need to focus on Character, Knowledge, and Skills...in that order. That we need to make the things we want our children to learn relevant to them, if it is not naturally relevant, thru inspiration and games and fun. That children are profoundly industrious and will do anything if we will use 2 secret weapons:
1-before we criticize or correct we say at least 10 positive things to offset the effects of the negative, and
2-Smile.
He recommended many books, but two of them I have not read are Why Gender Matters by Dr. Leonard Sax, and The Restoration of Christian Culture by John Senior. I think I may add them to my "to read" list.
And now I've bored you to tears and I will end this too-long-to- read post! If you made it to the end you must really love me! :>)

Kids say the cutest things...

I just have to share some cute interactions with my little guys. The other day I changed Matthew's diaper, which apparently made him very happy, because after I was done and had pulled up his pants he proceeded to say, "Dee-doo," which in toddler speak means, "thank you." Isn't that cute? And then today, I was cleaning out a boo boo on Dan's finger, after having finally convinced him it wouldn't hurt if he would stop pulling his hand away. When it was all done, he chuckled with relief and said, "Thanks, Mom. You're my saviour!" I laughed and told him, "Jesus is your saviour, I'm just your mom!"

Sympathy nesting....

Dee and Keila and Becky are pregnant--and I seem to be nesting right along with them. We 've started work on making a bedroom for Andrew in the basement. Here's Andrew helping to cut through the concrete foundation....

And...


My playroom finally has a fresh coat of paint and pretty border applied. A room that has long been nothing more than storage for toys is finally becoming part of the house. Living space, not just storage space. Applying the border was a bit of a fiasco....when I bought it I was guessing at how much I'd need. You'd think the wife of a builder would be more attentive to the need to measure-but I wasn't. I had already put border on one whole wall when I discovered I was not going to have enough to do the whole room! And now there was wallpaper paste all over my freshly painted wall, and when I wiped it off I was getting paint on the paper towel--apparently I had not let the paint "cure" long enough...so there were streaks all over the walls and border that had been glued and unstuck and we're trying to glue it again...I almost gave it up-and then Ken saved the day. We moved the border down a bit-so the windows would take up space to allow the few feet more we needed to go around the room. He graciously helped me finish the job. And the walls dried and look ok. A little touch up of paint will be necessary-but what could have been a disater turned out to look pretty nice. Here's the before and after picture:

Before.....

and after....

Ahhh...that's better. Now I need to get some curtains on the windows and voila! A family room.

They're home!

Ken's parents, that is. After many months in their home in NM, they have returned to not-so-sunny NY. We did our best to make it a pleasant transition...Ken made fires in the woodstoves, hot chicken soup to fill the tummy. The children have been excited for days, but none were as excited as Emma, who was anxious to go to bed last night so it could be tomorrow-the day she could see Oma. She's been awake since 6:30 am, and would have run right down had I not explained to her that in NM time it's only 4:30 am and Oma and Grandpa would still be sleeping! So for 3 hours now I've been pulled into the clock watching--

"What time is it, Mom?"

"7:30," I reply.

"Can I go see Oma now?"

"Not yet."

"What time is it, now, Mom?"

"7:45."

"Can I go see Oma now?"

"Not yet."

Repeat every 15 minutes for the last two hours. I did tell her that 10:00 is the magic time-but that means very little to a 6 year old. We are blessed to liveright down the road-a safe walk all contained on our own property to see our precious Oma and Grandpa. We will enjoy the closeness for the next 4 months or so, until it's time for them to head back to The Land of Enchantment.

Let's go fly a kite...

Remember the song? The one from Mary Poppins?
Daniel received a kite for his birthday. We saved it for a sunny day, or at least one that was not rainy. Yesterday I couldn't hold him off any more. He was determined to see it fly. We took it out of the package, assembled the pieces, tied the string on, and with barely contained excitement we headed outside. It was pretty gusty, and I started to think it might be too windy for the fragile kite, but there was no going back at that point. With 2 little ones watching intently, I held the kite high and let the wind take it. With a huge woosh the wind ripped it from my hands so violently that it tore the string right through the plastic! Broken before it ever had a chance to fly. Many tears and 6 strips of duct tape later, we were back out to try it again. Apparently the duct tape was causing a problem with the aero dynamics, because all it would do then was loop de loops! Which, while being a bit embarassing to me (I have never been a good kite flier!) was quite entertaining for the little ones.

The appraisal

Ken and I have wanted to refinance our house to get out of an adjustable rate and change over to a 15 yr from a 30 yr mortgage. But there were things we needed to do before the inevitable appraisal...like put in a heat system!! Ken finished that this winter so we started looking at rates and who offered what and so on. We settled on a local bank, filled out the loan application, and the appraiser called to set up an appointment. And the last minute flurry of touch-ups began. I now have trim around my doors and bathroom windows (thanks, Tom!) and some doorways have been painted, the posts on the porch as well. The house got a thorough cleaning and looks great. We were feeling really good about how things looked for the appraisal scheduled for yesterday afternoon. She arrived on time-the appraiser, that is- and as she got out of the car and looked at the gang of children over by the swing-set (who were banished from my clean house until after the appraisal) she said, "I see you run a day care!" Yes, she was serious! I laughed and said, "No, I have 5 children and 3 extra nieces and nephew visiting today!" A few pictures and short tour through the house later she was back in her car and driving down the driveway. It took all of 5 minutes! Surely all of our labor deserved more attention than this! Regardless, we are enjoying the fruit of our labor (and Tom's, too!). We are encouraged to continue finishing those last details that seem to have been forgotten over the years, a bit chagrined that it has taken so long, and relieved that the appraisal is now behind us. I'm praying for big numbers...why not?
And now I will get back to my real job as day care provider.... :>)

The love of a friend

While doing some clutter-busting the other day, I happened upon a couple of boxes of old photos. It was fun going through and reminiscing a bit while I categorized the pics as "to keep" and "not to keep". I found a picture that someone took of me while I was receiving an award in high school. I vaguely remember that day and was almost about to put the pic in the "not to keep" pile, when I noticed the real focus of the picture, my dearest friend who stood behind me and just to the left. She was watching me receive my award and she was beaming. The love that radiated through her smile was so strong I could feel it though I was only looking at a picture. It brought tears to my eyes. I'm so thankful that God blessed me with her friendship and such a beautiful example of 1 Corinthians 13, 4-8.
Needless to say, the picture is a keeper, and so is Dee.....thank you for many years of love and friendship, my dear friend!

A little fresh air...

I was a bit of a slug this morning. I was doing things...but nothing was really getting done. Was supposed to go to my Spanish class...but couldn't get it together. Overwhelmed by piles of laundry, testing, a cranky toddler and a preschooler who needed a playmate, I was muddling through til dinnertime. After cranky toddler ate his dinner, he wanted to go outside, so I forced myself out of the house and away from the work. And I became energized. A little weeding, some yard clean-up, older son weed whacking, children industriously working alongside and my head became clearer. Were the piles of laundry, testing, cranky toddler and preschooler still there when I came inside? Yes. But I was in a better place mentally, and spiritually. Getting outside the circumstances, rather than under them helped out alot. A little fresh air....I needed it more than I knew.

"Boy"

That's Daniel's nickname. He's almost 4. I can't believe it. This year has been full of huge leaps in communication, toileting, and physical abilities.

He can talk!
He writes his name!
He's mostly independent in the bathroom!
He does flips on the trampoline!

And.....

Last night, as he came to a skidding stop in front of me, breathless and with face flushed with the thrill of the ride, he told me he had flames shooting from the back of his bike because he was going so fast! He said he's a "speed rider" like the big boys! He's right- Andrew learned at 3, Jon learned at 3, and now my Daniel. He's walking a bit taller these last few days. He's got good reason to feel proud!

You know you're a mom of young children when...

...there's a toddler sitting on your lap every time you sit down--even in the bathroom!
...you make a phone call during a quiet moment and chaos breaks out just as the other party answers the phone.
...you can quiet said chaos using only facial expressions!
...you spend more time reading Dr. Seuss than the newspaper.
...you spend more time watching Disney than the news.
... every shirt you own has a stain from cereal or chocolate ice cream or cheese doodles-none of which you've actually eaten!
...you're in the car, halfway to where you are going, and realize you have no idea what your hair looks like.
...the contents of a diaper are an interesting topic of conversation, not to mention a source of obsession at times!
... you have jars full of dandelions on your counter.
...you hear "I'm hungry" about 50 times a day and spend 1/2 your day in the kitchen.

:>)

Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I believe children are a blessing, and I'm grateful to God for sending us 5 beautiful, healthy miracles. These days don't last forever, so I'm told. So I'll take the advice of those who've made it through and enjoy it while I can. They grow so fast.

As long as we're sharing pictures...

Some crazy pics of a crazy son on a crazy trampoline...

And just because they're beautiful...

Andrew is our resident photographer. Whether it's capturing the beauty of people or nature-he loves finding just the right way to portray God's creation.

Ken's eyes were closed for this one....

...but I like it anyway. I'm putting together some scrap book pages and we needed a recent pic of us-isn't it funny how hard it is to find a pic of the mom and dad together?

The crew....including Emma this time...