Kids Say the Funniest Things

Breaking The Wall

2011-10-12T09:37:00.007-05:00

Oh how I wish homeschooling were a sprint. I could train, prepare, and generally psych myself up for the challenge. Then, in one fell swoop it would be over and I could rest. But homeschooling is most definitely NOT a sprint. It's more a marathon...NO...it's one of those super long endurance runs that cross continents. A run that at times feels great, like we've hit our stride perfectly, and at other times feels like we are crawling along searching for the next aid station. A run that seems to have no finish line and no medals handed out along the way.

Now, I've never run an actual marathon (though I would like to someday) but I've heard others speak of THE WALL. The 'I cannot take another step or I will die' stage of the run where you just. can't. go. on. Recently a friend told me that most homeschoolers hit a similar burnout era at around 7/8 years.

The proverbial wall.

Well...I'm there. Or, truth be told, I should say that I have been there for the last year. That's right. A YEAR. A year of muddling through our days. A year of tearful phone calls to my husband. A year of others (and my own thoughts) telling me that my life would be so much easier if I would just put the kids in school...any school. A year of crying out to God for an answer, begging for relief.

The shocker? There is no quick fix. No easy answer.

But, since this blog is for my personal reflection here are some things that are helping me currently:

Continued prayer even if I don't 'see' the answer.
A loooooong break. Months, not weeks.
A vacation. We camped in the mountains for two weeks. Very restorative.
A sweet husband who says enough is enough and takes action where needed.
Taking time to focus on my health. Eating right, exercising, and taking vitamins.
Authentic relationships. Friendships where it's safe to say I'm having a terrible day.
Taking it back to basics. Focusing on getting the basics accomplished. Only the basics and that is ok.
Adjusting expectations.
Park Days.
Having a friday Co-Op again.
Taking a break from 'homeschool' reading. (You know, the magazines with the perfect families on the cover)
Focusing on the strengths of my individual children instead of comparing them to...anything.
Letting go of the perceived expectations of well-meaning others.
Finding a good support group where I can go to laugh, be inspired, and know that I am not alone in what I am going through.

We truly feel like God has called us to homeschool our children for the long haul. Yes, it has been fun at times, but it is most definitely not easy. It takes perseverance, endurance, patience, and apparently I needed to grow ABUNDANTLY in these areas because here I am. At the wall. And while I can honestly say that I don't think this wall is broken, some bricks have fallen and I can now see through it.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God."

(Hebrews 12:1-2 ESV)

Today

2011-10-05T18:12:00.004-05:00

So, I figured out why I am blogging more this week than say...the last year. Ben bought me a nifty little netbook that is ALL MINE. That's right. Mine. Kids cannot even breathe on it. That said, here is today:

Sonora and Quinn pooled their creative juices and made a note delivery service. Your note will be printed and delivered via paper airplane for the low low price of 1 cent.

I requested a note to be sent to Ben letting him know that I love him. Here is the finished product.

Judah is not quite used to our new school schedule and he was worn out today. He was getting REALLY cranky so we put him on the closest thing we could find for blanket time. This is how we found him a few minutes later. School is tough.

Finally, I busted these out tonight for the first time in about 4 years.

Excited to start a new tap class tonight. Classes started in August so I'm hoping that I can catch up. Haven't tapped in years, so I'm looking forward to it. Fun + Exercise. What a deal :)

New Shoes?

2011-10-04T10:41:00.005-05:00

You would think I would know this lesson. I mean, goodness...I've been a mom for 12 years. Apparently not. Lesson: Never leave a toddler with scissors unattended.

Desks, Lockers, and Cabinets Oh My!

2011-10-03T17:30:00.005-05:00

About a week ago, Ben's job had an auction to get rid of all the stuff they didn't need after their move to a new building. We scored: 6 rolling chairs, 5 'desks' (probably more like printer tables), a locking storage cabinet, and a set of 18 lockers (the small 1 foot square ones) for $65. I was impressed with the price, but the kids have been SO excited because today was the first day of our entire homeschooling life that the kids have had their own desks. We have always schooled at long tables or the kitchen table and I gotta say...I LOVE THESE DESKS and the kids have spent quite a bit of time personalizing everything. Guess it's contagious, because I'm excited for them! We also moved the schoolroom downstairs (to be closer to laundry and cooking...sigh...) and our bedroom upstairs so I'm hoping that this will work great this year.

Oh, and to throw in a random bit from today...our yard is swarming with these little guys. The boys are loving it. Me, not so much. Although, he looks like he's smiling at me :)

H~s 9th

2011-09-17T13:36:00.006-05:00

Happy Birthday to my beautiful 9 year old Harper! And, since I am in a picture kind of mood, here is a collage of H's Yellowstone trip. You know what I noticed most about H in all the vacation pictures? She is always smiling. I know that there were times in our trip where she was frustrated or cranky, but she always tried to smile for the pictures. I love that about her :)

(I had to add the following because it really shows her heart)

He has a six shooter, shooting EVERYTHING.

Her name is Harper.

AND, this...this, is the cutest video EVER.

(Just to make sure it's heard...his first words are "I shoot a mountain lion, Harper.")

She's such a good big sister. LOVE you H!

(Wow...2 blog posts in 2 days. A record. :)

2011 Vacation Slideshow

2011-09-17T00:08:00.005-05:00

I had SUCH a great time making this. We had a wonderful trip and made many memories. I've done my best here to put them in the order they occurred. It is my hope that this video captures a small fraction of what I have stored in my heart.

(Don't expand because I saved this video in an easy to upload format because it was so long :)

Lego Love

2010-11-15T16:37:00.006-06:00

The kids heard that my little jewelery box was breaking so Quinn and Harper took action. Quinn designed the fancy little box and Harper fashioned a ring tree. Love, Love, LOVE them!

Precious Minutes

2010-10-15T08:44:00.004-05:00

Our home is not known for being quiet. Pretty much ever. So yesterday, when it became eerily calm I had to stop, look around and figure out why. Then, just to document the occasion, I took a picture of where everyone was at that moment. So at 10:16 on 10-14-10 there was absolute silence for a few precious minutes. It was nice :)

This Post Has No Title

2010-07-02T21:45:00.004-05:00

A couple things from today...

I was sitting on the couch looking up at the ceiling when I saw what looked like a spider. I asked Quinn if HE thought that it looked like a spider. He said, "Yes, and you can scream now."

Also, this morning Sonora asked me what I was like when I was a baby. All I could think of in response was, "I was little."

That's all I could think of...really? I think I'm slipping...

Mother of All

2010-06-06T13:27:00.006-05:00

Ben and I had the privilege of teaching Sunday School together this morning. While I stepped out to make some copies, he decided to try and have the kids impress me upon my return. He taught them the Hebrew meaning of the the names Adam and Eve. Adam being 'man', and Eve being 'mother of all'. I came back in and Ben looked at one little boy and said, "What does Adam mean?" The young man replied "man!" Then, Ben turned to Quinn and asked, "What does Eve mean?" Quinn replied, "Mother in Law!"

His Go

2010-06-02T23:29:00.004-05:00

So, I've been really bad about blogging this year. REALLY bad. Well, I'm hoping to take a few minutes each day to write just one thing about our day. I'll start there and see where that takes me. Hopefully.

So tonight at dinner we were talking with the kids about what it means to be a 'Christian'. We asked the older kids and received their answers. We then asked Sonora. She thought about it for a minute and then mumbled a bit (I think she was embarrassed that she didn't 'know' the answer). She talked about praising God and then I heard her say, "and you follow His go." I love that. LOVE it.

24 Hours

2010-05-01T15:12:00.003-05:00

Random things heard in my house in the last 24 hours...

"I'm not wearing a shirt because I like to feel the wind rushing through my armpits." ~Q

"Aren't I precious?" ~S

"Can I have a bowl of sugar?" ~H

Life is Dangerous

2010-03-23T09:20:00.000-05:00

So last night at dinner the kids were having hot dogs and Harper said, "I can't eat this, it will kill me." Quinn looked at her and said, "If it does, don't worry Harper, everytime we see a hot dog, we'll think of you." Then later, when I asked her to go to bed, she replied "Awww mama, if I do that, it will kill me like a dog being whipped by a one eyed crocodile." Happy to report, she made it.

Bits and Pieces

2010-03-04T19:10:00.001-06:00

Writing to remember a few snippets from today...

In random order:

Harper: At dinner, she said, "Mama, do you know you have the best mama smile ever?" I don't know what she's up to, and frankly, I don't care. I'll take it :)

Quinn: This afternoon the kids went door to door looking for work. (Yes we feed them) Surprisingly, a neighbor told them to pick up sticks from the yard and she would pay them $2 each. She went to give them the money beforehand, and Quinn gave it back to her saying that he couldn't take it until she saw the job he had done. I WAS SO PROUD OF HIM!!! I saw a glimmer of the man that I pray for him to be.

Nate: After the kids brought their money home to show us, Ben told them that they now had to pay taxes. Running away upstairs, Nate yelled as he went, "I don't believe in taxes."

Judah: It is so fun to walk hand in hand with Judah. He is so short and his little legs are so chubby, that he has to take five steps for every one of mine. I love it. I looked down at him today as we were walking and felt happiness and sadness at the same time. It is such a precious time, that will be gone all too quickly...

Sonora: Alright, I admit, I saved this one for last. The first words I heard this morning have stuck with me all day...She walked down the stairs, and the first thing out of her mouth was, "What is that ugly smell? Smells like chicken."

A Perfect Day

2010-02-27T21:20:00.007-06:00

Today was a perfect day.

Beautiful weather, awesome agenda of activities, interesting conversations, loving family, and a day where smiles lit up every moment. My heart is full.

Here is what I managed to capture from what the girls called "the best, most best day EVER!"...

The tea room provided beautiful hats for the girls to use during tea.

The atmosphere, service, and TEA were fantastic! What a treat!!

FINALLY at the barn!

The riding lesson started with a grooming lesson.

More grooming...although, this was considerably more scary!

Harper riding after all her hard work.

Sonora learning the reins.

Getting ready to brush AGAIN :)

I LOVE this picture...it sums up the day for me...ALL SMILES!

Thank you April and Will for the gift of a perfect day...it will be remembered...

Tea Party

2010-02-14T18:39:00.009-06:00

Yesterday, the girls and I had the opportunity to go to a Tea Party at a friends house, thanks to our Keeper's group. We learned about tea, how it is made, various uses, and a bit about etiquette. We had a great time, and learned a lot!

The girls before we left home.

The girls and I before we left home.

Getting settled.

Chatting with friends.

Listening and learning about tea.

Finally, TEA!

Beautiful smile :)

Treats

And more treats...

Sonora was the last one at the table. She loves tea.

It was a wonderful afternoon with tea and friends!

Number Nine

2010-02-13T21:16:00.003-06:00

Frankly, I feel like this picture says it all...

ET Walker

2010-02-01T20:47:00.005-06:00

Tonight Judah was walking on the treadmill (it wasn't on :) and Harper said "he walks like...like...ET!"

I guess maybe he does!

A Birthday Wish

2010-02-01T09:40:00.002-06:00

Number Five

2010-01-31T20:28:00.003-06:00

Sonora's leisurely breakfast in bed for her fifth birthday :)

The Game of Life

2010-01-29T15:12:00.010-06:00

Well, since I haven't posted since JULY!!!, and I have finally finished updating everything, I think I should finally take back up posting on here. I know that in the 6 months that I have taken off from blogging I have missed the opportunity to chronicle so much.

Last night, we had a sort of family game night. We chose the game of Life and with all six of us playing, it was a looooooooooong game! It was interesting, as things usually are when we are all gathered around the table, and as you can see from the look on Quinn's face, this was a no nonsense game. He was in it to win. At all costs. The little bugger took all my life tiles, but I'm not holding a grudge...

Sonora had a bit of a learning curve.

Nate was all business, and the fact that he was the banker (and a good one at that :) came as no surprise to anyone!

Did I mention that this was a really long game?

The game fare of the evening was butterscotch candies. Thanks to Harper. The entire game Sonora kept asking for one more candy, just one more candy, and at the end of the game as no one was listening to her, she finally gave up...walked over to Harper and said..."HAAARRRRPEEEERRRR, can I PLEASSSSE have a hopscotch?"

And finally, I really have no comment on this image, it speaks for itself. I would however, like to wipe some of those memories from my consciousness.

Quinn walked by just now, and looking at this picture, he said, "Ahhh...those were the times!"

Yes, indeed, these are the times...

Vacation Bible School 2009

2009-07-28T08:09:00.008-05:00

There have been so many funny things said around here lately, and I have been forgetting to jot them down when I hear them :( We have been busy with VBS and now the planning crunch for school, so I'm hoping to blog more in the near future. Until then, here are some cute VBS pictures. The theme was The Boomerang Express (The Australian Outback). The kids had fun!

This year, I helped in Q~ and H~'s class, so most of my pictures are from there, but I did happen to snap this one of N~ up on stage practicing for the family night program.

J~ in the nursery...

Q~ and H~'s Class.

The busiest place in VBS: Crafts

Yes, a kangaroo in diapers. There is something just wrong about that.

Obviously, it rebelled.

At the end of family night, the kids got to throw water balloons at the pastor.
S~ didn't get one.

Not including the lack of water balloons for S~, it was a very fun week!

Naptime

2009-07-16T21:20:00.004-05:00

We have been staying up late and sleeping in lately...so goes summer. Today I had this conversation with N~.

N~: Hey mama { I think it's so cute that he still calls me this...I know it will end soon :( }, do you know what?
Me: What?
N~: I think I'm nocturnal. I wanted to take a nap today.

I tried to keep a straight face.

However, I think I might be nocturnal too! :))

Caught

2009-07-12T12:31:00.007-05:00

I pulled pictures off the camera this morning, and I found about 20 little 5 second long videos of everything, and nothing.

At first, I wondered who the culprit was until I saw this one.

The proof is in the little pink Sketchers.

Skunked Up

2009-07-09T15:52:00.000-05:00

Our beautiful inside golden retriever Lucy, has become an outside dog.

Here's Why

I question the existence of these creatures. I mean, really....

Anyway, she was 'skunked', bitten, scratched, and all around whipped by a creature 1/10th her size.

Soooo....we have had her ~~groomed~~ shaved, bathed, and taken to the vet. She is on antibiotics, some kind of lotion stuff that I don't touch, and she is a TERRIBLE patient. She will not take her medicine, so we have to stick it in a spoonful of peanut butter to get her to lap it down. Add to it that she looks like a lion (they shaved everything but her face and tail...it is hilarious) and she is just PATHETIC.

Alright, I'm getting to my funny kid story point. The other morning, Ben was giving Lucy her daily dose of anti-skunk pill and H~ comes outside to watch. She looks at Ben and asks:

Watcha doing Daddy? The dishes?

Uh, yeah, gross.

Take heart, if you come over for dinner, I will use the dishwasher.

The inside one.

J~'s News

2009-07-01T14:19:00.006-05:00

Affected to Tea

2009-06-29T20:57:00.006-05:00

Tonight I had the pleasure of being invited to the most beautiful tea party in town.

It had the best china...

The hottest tea...

The nicest companionship...

The cutest conversations...

One of which went like this:

H~: Would you like some cotton candy to go with your tea?
Me: Sure! I would love some!!
H~: Well, don't give any to S~, because she's affected to cotton candy!
Me: Huh?
S~: Yummmm....Cotttttooonnn Caaannndddyyy...I'm affected to cotton candy...
Me: Affected? Really! I see...

And, although this party was a female only affair, every party has it's crasher...

I'm addicted to my kids...I think they're really cute!

Too Hot

2009-06-26T18:54:00.003-05:00

It is so hot here today! We took the kids to the splash pad and even then they were ready to come home to the AC. I had a little fun with Photobucket after we got home...

The Before: With red cheeks from the heat...

The After: It's a miracle...no heat!

Here is my other blue-eyed beauty....

That was fun! Not the scorching heat part, but the editing!
Staying Cool,

A Pudgy Mirage

2009-06-24T22:03:00.003-05:00

Maybe it's his age. Or maybe it's just Q~, but he has been a riot this week. Tonight I was walking through Wal-Mart with him and he asked me if he was fat. Don't ask me, I don't know...

After that, he said "What's that called when you see something but it's not really there? A ma.....mmmmm.....mmmmaaa......massage?"

Obviously, in Q~'s mirage, he's pudgy...

Things Found in My Washer/Dryer

2009-06-23T12:02:00.008-05:00

Because good ideas are always ~~stolen~~, I mean gleaned from others, I thought that I would start a list of items that I've found in my washer/dryer. My cousin's list is HERE, and it is hilarious. I decided to start mine because of today's take. Here's what I found in my washer.

That's right, a bathroom key, piece of erector set, shell, tootsie roll wrapper, lego man, glass stone, and some flying bullet thingy. Luckily I found the tootsie roll wrapper BEFORE the wash...

I've always said that my laundry was alive......see, it's leaving me presents...

Frankie

2009-06-16T19:48:00.004-05:00

We are doing Bible Drill at church this summer on Wednesday nights. I LOVE Bible Drill! I loved it as a kid. N~ loves it too. He is very good at it, and I'm really proud to have a chip off the ~~old~~, I mean really, really young block. He is so competitive, that it is a great fit for his personality.

Q~ and H~ are not quite as thrilled with the program. They don't quite have the order of the books down, so tonight Ben decided to quiz them. He threw out this question to them:

"What book comes between Joel and Obadiah?"

Q~ answers with a question of his own.

"Frankie?"

Yep, Frankie.

Double Digits

2009-06-15T18:29:00.010-05:00

This little tiny 9lb 4oz baby...

Is 10!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We love you N~!

P.S. This isn't on my profile, but if you would like to see his blog, you can visit him here.

1200 Thread Count Question

2009-06-14T00:08:00.007-05:00

"Do Egyptians sleep or do they stay awake all night like God?"

This is what H~ asked me, just now as I was going to bed. After I giggled, she said, "No really, do they have beds or do they sleep on the sand?"

More giggles. She finished off with, "Do they have sheets?"

Finally I said, "As a matter of fact, they do."

Golly Gee

2009-06-11T18:45:00.000-05:00

There has been quite a bit of talk around here lately about what is or what is not a curse word. We didn't initiate this in any way, it must just be something that kids are naturally inquisitive about. I remember doing the same thing as a kid.

One of the borderline words in our house is the word gosh. I just don't like how close it sounds to taking God's name in vain, and there are plenty of good alternatives, so we discourage the kids from saying it. Well, last night, someone said it, (the guilty party shall remain nameless) and S~ heard it.

She started getting all worked up about it, and trying to find the right thing to say, she started wagging her finger at me...when she finally got it out, this is what she said...

"MAMA!!! That's a sight word!!!"

The Broom Horse

2009-06-09T20:50:00.005-05:00

S~ has taken to eating crackers in a VERY messy way. So today, I had her clean up after herself. I don't know if it is entirely appropriate for a mother to find humor in a daughter's struggles, but I did. It was incredibly funny to watch this short little thing trying to handle a broom. To move it so as to sweep up all the crumbs...under the table...

However, after I gave her the green light to put the broom away, she turned, straddled it, slapped it's rump, and yelled "CHARGE!!!" and rode that broom all the way to the laundry room!

Kind of reminded me of an old blog post from 2007...

Arsenic and Old Lace is one of my favorite movies. Hilarious movie. In the movie, the sisters have a slightly insane relative (brother I think) that lives with them. He thinks he's Teddy Roosevelt. Every time he climbs the stairs he brandishes his saber and yells 'charge' all the way up to his room. Kind of repetitive in the movie, but humorous.
Funny thing is, I don't think my son has seen this movie. Nevertheless on his way up the stairs to get his sister out of her crib this morning, he grabs a swimming noodle, you know the really long kind, holds it up and yells at the top of his lungs..."Sonora, have no fear, Sir Nate the Great is here".

Charging ahead,

Moose Prey

2009-06-08T17:22:00.006-05:00

Today out of the blue, Q~ asked me if calling someone a 'big fat overgrown hairy moose' was a cuss word.

What could I say?

To add to the moose theme, tonight H~ said,

"Mama, what's a moose's prey?"

To which Q~ replied,

"They don't eat prey, they ARE the prey baby".

11 Years

2009-06-06T17:56:00.006-05:00

We are celebrating our 11 year anniversary today!

Honestly, I don't know who these kids are...

Now these two I recognize...

While we were getting ready to take our 'real' picture, H~ snapped this one...I loved it and thought it summed up the last 11 years...

Very thankful today,

Oh No!

2009-06-05T09:51:00.004-05:00

Watch out world...looks who's mobile...

He's pretty proud of himself...he flips right over the minute you put him down...

Oh man, I'm not ready for this! :)

Last Rites

2009-06-03T23:53:00.008-05:00

So we were eating dinner the other day...chicken. Again. Q~ was in fine form that evening as he speared a piece of meat with his fork and said,

"Say your prayers chicken...bawk bawk"

I don't know what to be more worried about...that Q~ talks to his food, or that he's waiting for it to answer...

Six Months

2009-06-02T09:04:00.004-05:00

J~ is six months old today!

It is hard to believe that he is already at this milestone! It seems like we waited forever for him to get here and now his babyhood is flying.

I wish that I could slow down time....

2009-05-30T22:59:00.003-05:00

S~

She is so cool! She is unique, beautiful, and very entertaining. Tonight at dinner we had a rotisserie chicken, and as soon as it was set on the table, the verbal battle for the legs began. "I get a leg, me too, no me, no me" etc, etc, etc...As soon as they were claimed and S~ did not get one, she piped right up and said...

"Well, I'll take an arm then."

What's it Going to Take??

2009-05-27T17:11:00.004-05:00

The kids spent an hour cleaning their rooms this afternoon. I should have taken before/after pictures, because the difference was HUGE! I was thrilled! When Ben came home from work he went to check out their work as well. He looked it over, was pretty impressed, and said

"Now boys, what's it going to take for you all to keep it this way?"

(Using his best car salesman voice by the way)

Q~ answered,

"YEARS and years of practice."

At least he has a firm grip on reality...

Swagbucks

2009-05-25T12:21:00.003-05:00

Alright, I admit it, shameless post to help me earn swagbucks. Click the banner above, sign up, and the first 100 bucks you earn, I earn too! You earn 'swagbucks' for just doing a normal internet search using their search engine (which is google and ask.com by the way). I figured I would give it a shot and try it out, seeing as I search the internet already. I've been using swagbucks for a about 2 weeks now and I have 28. The prizes work out to roughly $1 worth of merchandise or giftcards per 10 swagbucks. Check it out!

Vacation Stop One: Michigan

2009-05-15T21:48:00.018-05:00

Well, we are back. We made our trip, came back in one piece, and slept for a week. I'd like to blog about everything we did in one post, but since that is impossible, I will break it down. Nothing like looking at other people's vacation pictures, right? Right.

First Stop:

MICHIGAN

We drove for two straight days to get there. The kids did really good on this leg of the trip. Things were new, including our vehicle, which we bought the week before, so the kids were happy, thus making the parents happy!

We stopped to see Lake Michigan before driving up to see our family. There was a man here playing relaxing music on his guitar, making it a very enjoyable experience. VERY BEAUTIFUL, as was the entire state! Here is H~ seeing for the first time what looks like endless water.

Now, does this look like a man that just drove 18 hours? I don't think so...looks pretty darn good to me!

The next day, we got up and went to the Coast Guard station to see the helicopters...Ben's brother is a pilot, so we had up front accessibility.

Ahh...the sling...

Afterward, we went to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore...the kids had a great time! It reminded us of our Colorado dune experience from last vacation...

S~ was old enough to really enjoy it this time though...

I thought this was a neat photo.

The kids found the best way down, it just wasn't quite as fun coming back up this one.

Great picture of Ben and his brother Jeremy and their little ones.

The next day we went to the beach. It was freezing cold, but if you'll look in the distance, all the kids are in the water. I was cold on the shore with a sweater. Kids.

After we got back, we had a bonfire in the backyard. This is a priceless picture of one of my nephews. I love it! What you don't see on the end of that stick, is the marshmallow that was supposed to go in the graham crackers I was holding for him:)

The kids also played baseball that night. Here is Q~ on second base. Prettiest second base I've ever seen. Kid's not bad either!

J~ had his first solid food while we were there: Bananas...he didn't much care for them...

Two of a kind:

Talk about a gaggle of kids!

We had such a great time hanging out with our family! It was so peaceful and beautiful!

Next Stop: Chicago...

That's Not Funny

2009-04-30T22:36:00.005-05:00

If you've never seen a family of seven get ready for vacation, let me assure you that it isn't funny in any way whatsoever...at all...

Mama Maidenhood

2009-04-28T08:15:00.001-05:00

We are soooo busy this week, planning our trip to Michigan! Wahooooo!!! We can't wait! I did however have this little bit in my draft file...I enjoyed it, I hope you will too...

The other day, I was having a conversation with Q. This in and of itself is a good thing,,,seeing as he is hardly still long enough to...to...you know, breathe. Anyway, he is always asking me great questions, and this time it was about my last name. He is obsessed right now with how to address people and why. Mrs. vs Miss...Mr. and why there isn't a married Mr...etc. Well, he was asking me about my maiden name and what that was and why I'm not called that anymore, and such. So to clarify is his mind, he asks "So, before you married daddy you were called Mama R~(insert remainder of maiden name here)?"

I educated him. His mama does indeed have a name besides mama. Although, even on rough days, that's a pretty awesome name!

Look Who...

2009-04-23T21:14:00.007-05:00

CAN RIDE HER BIKE!!!

The boys taught her! She was so excited!

Here's someone who wasn't so excited...she is sick today...She's a trooper though, drinking lots of liquid.

Wide Eyed

2009-04-21T13:03:00.011-05:00

WARNING: Scary post ahead...

Staring contests. Remember those? Well, it seems my kids are now into them. They wish they could beat me. Up til now they couldn't.

That all changed today. At lunch the kids figured out that if they open their eyes REALLLLLY wide, they have a better chance at winning. Not full proof, but better. I would start into the contest, then they would pull their big eye trick and I would start giggling. Nearly got me every time.

N~ did find a way to win everytime...

Like I said, scary...

"Problematic" Math

2009-04-20T22:54:00.007-05:00

This morning I was wanting Q~ to hurry up with his math so that he could help me with J~. J~ had a BAAAADDDD day...I think he's teething...Anyway, I told Q~ to hurry himself on up and he said, "Mama, you know, there's a reason they call these things 'problems'." Yes, and he did air quotation marks for "problems".

By the way, once Q~ uses "the air quotation marks" to say something and I laugh about it, they get used ALLLLLL the time.

Mama, I'm finished with my vegetables, I'm "serious". Mama, I didn't actually "hit" him. Mama, I "swept" the floor, can I go outside now?

AND, the list goes on...

So, here's looking to tomorrow. A day full of "questions", "explanations", and hopefully some type of "learning". Til then, I think I'll go to "bed".

In the Blink of an Eye

2009-04-19T18:30:00.005-05:00

I have been struck lately at how much the kids all seem to be growing. Their childhoods seem to be flying...I put this collage together today with tears in my eyes.

Incredibly thankful this Lord's day...

Or Something

2009-04-17T19:29:00.005-05:00

Man, oh man this week has flown! It seems that I have been so busy. I will try to post some pictures of our semi-finished schoolroom on the homeschool blog tonight. I will try. But, until then, I have to get this down...

We had the cable guy come in yesterday to put in a line upstairs so that I could have 'The Beast' (my lovely nickname for our new printer) close by when I need it. Now, we had company yesterday, my SIL with her two kids. Add that to our five and there were seven kids under the age of 10 in our house when he walks in the door. BUT, not just seven REGULAR kids...we had just hyped the kids up on sugar bread,,,yes the kids call it sugar bread (Amish Friendship Bread,,,very yummy, but verrrry bad for you),,,so there were seven SUGARED UP kids and they were careening through the house. Upstairs, downstairs, outside, back inside, and I'm pretty sure there was at least one crying the entire time the poor man was here. Darn sugar. N~, and Q~ followed him around the entire time asking questions such as...

what are you doing? how does that work? are you using the right drill bit? how do you know that will work? have you done this before? where does that wire go? you better do that right, my daddy's coming home soon...

I'm pretty sure I saw the guy roll his eyes...I told myself he must not have any children.

Sooo.....all that to say this. While he was here he asked me a question of his own...and I quote: "Do you 'like' have a daycare or something?"

Yep, or something:)

Womanly Negotiation

2009-04-13T20:33:00.000-05:00

This week is crazy with appointments, a field day, and co-op, so we decided to tackle a home project instead of 'regular' schoolwork. We are moving our schoolroom back upstairs...aaahhhh....I have a love/hate relationship with a 'schoolroom'. Anyway, I will post some pictures of our finished room later in the week hopefully. Sooo...I will finish this post that I started much earlier...

A few weeks back I heard the boys upstairs pestering H~. She was trying to work it out with them, handling the big brothers quite nicely actually, but they continued doing something that was not making her happy. After a few more minutes of negotiation, I hear her scream at the top of her little lungs: "IS THAT ANY WAY TO TREAT A WOMAN???" I just giggled. I'm pretty sure she learned that one from me. Here's the expression that I imagined she was giving the boys.

Easter Sunday

2009-04-13T11:29:00.002-05:00

Thought I would share. They had fun!

Happy Easter

2009-04-10T21:25:00.008-05:00

This post is for my mom, who won't get to be here to celebrate Easter with us this year. They decided to move away...:( So, Mom, HAPPY EASTER!!!

First we copied all the kids handprints and cut them out. The kids stapled them onto pipe cleaners to make lilies. Here is N~ showing you his lily up next to J~'s lily. Quite the difference!

H~ is showing you the bouquet of handprint lilies that will go into your vase...

The kids made you a picture frame magnet with a picture of the collage header to this blog. S~ is showing you...

Q~ just wanted to say...

Here is today's picture of J~.

And finally, the finished product. This will be waiting for you next time you are in town...and, until then,,,,,,,,,We Love You & Wish You a HAPPY EASTER!!

Restaurant Manners

2009-04-06T21:10:00.001-05:00

This past weekend we went to Wendy's. We were prepping the kids for the trip in: How do we act in a restaurant?, Is this a running place?, Can we yell?, etc. etc... I ask for responses from the kids, and I get this...

N~ & Q~ from the back seat: "No running, no yelling, be nice, think of others first, no running..."

H~ adds: "AND, no bad breath."

That's my girl...

Deals

2009-04-04T22:25:00.005-05:00

Ok, here is my loot...

I got 8 reams of paper for a little over $2. My cousin's blog ~HERE~ showed me how. Keep the deals coming is what I say! That was fun!!!

Hereditary Nerdhood

2009-04-03T21:42:00.007-05:00

Well, H~ has done it again! Another tooth gone...

She is pretty excited!

In other news...

Today on the way home from co-op, Q~ and I had this conversation in the car:

Q~: Mama, did you know that my teacher actually KNOWS deaf people?
Me: No, I didn't know that,,,but did you know that your mama does too??
Q~: No sweet mama (alright I added that part), I had no idea.
Me: Well, in college I had lots of friends who were deaf. Even boys.
Q~: What? Was that before you met daddy?
Me: Yes.
Q~: Oh, and you chose daddy because he was a sweet nerd?
Me: Yep.

So this evening, we relay the conversation to the sweet nerd and he looks at Q~ and says that nerdhood is hereditary. When Q~ asked what hereditary meant, Ben, like the good homeschooling father that he is, said "You'll have to wait and find out."

I don't think Q~ will have to wait long...

April Fool's Day Kids

2009-04-02T21:03:00.005-05:00

Tonight Ben told S~ to get everyone else for dinner...she said, "you mean, you want me to get the kids?" I found that humorous...she didn't seem to put herself into that group.

Here are some April Fool's Day photos. The kids tricked Ben into thinking that they got into his razor blades. It would have been funny, except they all tried to play the same trick.

I started a homeschool blog as well today. There is a link in the sidebar. I'm hoping to get another post on there tonight about N~'s day today.

Tiny Toes

2009-03-31T21:17:00.006-05:00

I happened to get this picture yesterday and thought I would share. J~ is almost 4 months old! His little babyhood is flying by so fast. Seems like he was just born. He is such a sweetie and a huge blessing to my day!

First Tooth

2009-03-30T21:40:00.007-05:00

H~ lost her first tooth today. She let me pull it! I love pulling that first tooth. It is so special! Here she is...she was jumping up and down for joy!

The Switch

2009-03-28T15:30:00.003-05:00

Well, I finally made the switch over from homeschoolblogger. Blogger is easier and most of the blogs I follow are on here. AND, I'll admit it,,,so many cute blogs,,,I couldn't resist. My old blog is HERE.