I'm Just That Kindof Girl!

Oh, yeah. I'm back. I am just stubborn enough to re-enter the blogging world after almost one year, just so the one person who may make her way over here can't write me and tell me that it has been a complete year without a post!

I can't believe it. Honestly, when did I get so old that I would sincerely be amazed at how quickly this last year has past?! Or that I would think about doing something for a solid year, like post some pictures, and just never get to it? I'll answer that: the same year I give my husband a foam pillow for his birthday so his neck won't ache and know he is going to be thrilled! We have crossed the line somewhere. Happy Birthday Sweet Thang!

I am going to come back to this blog. I miss recording the activities and stories of our day. Like today, the little one and I spent a good amount of time under the kitchen table this morning. The little bugger had taken 3 washers and 3 screws out of the table back to his bed to play. We had to put them back in before the thing came crashing to the ground!

Yes, I have missed it. I may change it up a bit. May even move it over to WordPress. Who knows? I'm crazy like that. 'Cause I'm just that kindof girl.

I'm BACK in BLACK!

Lordy, Lordy

Look who's forty!!! Happy, happy birthday Clay! I'd take two of you at forty over one of you at twenty anyday. ILY

Days Like This

It is because of days like today that I enjoy homeschooling, not because we got up and everything went perfectly. Believe me, it didn't. It never does. I enjoyed today because I sat with Matthew and finished a puzzle, while the others did their work; Andrew finished reading a book to me that he enjoyed and said, "We stopped yesterday when it was just getting good!"; and Margo will end this day having completed a nice amount of work herself and can be proud of what she has accomplished.

But, that is not what I enjoyed most about this day. Today, we went to the park and had a good time. Margo packed a nice lunch for us. We all loaded the bikes in the back of the truck, grabbed some balls, and headed out. It was a beautiful day to be outside for a little while. A change of scenery can do wonders! The kids raced around the park, going back on occasion to help Matthew, while I looked at a book. We stopped to eat. Then, we all shot some hoops before coming back home to hit the afternoon list of "to dos."

I was told there would be days like this. And I am thankful. I will press on.

My Wolf Man

Remember the soccer-lovin'-Rhinos? We are now the basketball-shootin'-Wolves! And today my little man scored 22 points in his game!! You couldn't wipe the grin off of his face with sandpaper! His games are a hoot. I must admit that I am a verbal fan. I talk about the plays throughout the game. I clap when they are doing the right thing, and I gasp when the ball bounces off the backboard. Maybe it is the roudy ole' cheerleader in me or the watchful Mother Hen, I don't know. Either way, it is lots of fun watching the games. In fact, I don't understand those people who can sit calmly in their seat and watch their kids play sports. I think it's unnatural really.

We picked up our team pictures today. I stood in line, walked up to the counter and burst out laughing when they pulled out the pictures, calendar cover, plaque, and then, this! I told the man I thought the little 6" statue of my grinning boy holding his basketball was a little creepy actually--and that I had to have it! I imagined all kinds of fun we could have with this thing; it could be a game piece; we could make a show with it; it could just appear on the dresser of any unsuspecting family member; the possibilities are endless! I, of course, paid a ridiculous amount for this chess piece. But, honestly, I think it was worth every penny! Jealous are you? I see a white elephant in the very near future--oh no, never!

Is there any wonder?

Typical conversation in our house:

Me: Do you want to sit down or stand up?
Kid: What?
Me: Do you want to sit down or stand up?
Kid: Yes!
Me: Do you want to sit down or stand up?
Kid: Uh . . . Ok! Sit up!

Is there any wonder why I am crazy??

P.S. I will be posting some updates soon; Thanksgiving to Christmas was very nice all the way around. We will be starting school again next week, and while I should be preparing for that, I am sure I will find myself updating my blog! (Now, that is what makes me crazy!)

A Thanksgiving Tree

Monday was a Monday in so many ways: first of all, it was Monday; more than that, after 4 weeks of illness in the house, it still lurks here; Matthew took off his diaper during nap and tinkled on his fairly new carpet; Andrew carved a small picture in the dining room table because he was frustrated and angry; Margo didn't want to do her work; and I didn't want to do my work. I would like to say Tuesday was so much better, but I can't really. Frankly, we have just been down right cranky 'round here. What are we supposed to do with days like that(like this) and so many others?

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thessalonians 5:16) Seems to be easier said than done sometimes. But, I think God through Paul is giving us the formula right there: if we give thanks in every situation and pray continually, then joy always follows! Right? Well, I am thankful. I am thankful for so many things, beginning with the privilege of being at home with these three little tarts every day, sharing both the bad and good times with them, learning their individual personalities--strengths and weaknesses, while discovering much about my own! I am thankful for each new day, each new hour, and each new minute we have to turn things around, if needed; to stop, give thanks and pray.

During the month of November, to help us practice the art of thanksgiving as a family, we put up the Thanksgiving Tree. This was a fabulous craft the kids did during a field trip last year, and it has stuck--it's a November tradition for us!


Use whatever you have to fill a vase, a clay pot or bowl of some sort. Grab some sticks from the yard and secure them in the vase to create a twig arrangement (depending on what you are putting them into, floral foam might be helpful). Get creative and fancy, or don't!
Cut leaves from construction paper, hole-punch them, and tie them to the twigs once you have written your notes of thanksgiving on them. There you have it! A Thanksgiving Tree. We do this every night at dinner. It is great to look back over the weeks of praise that have been recorded as the tree comes to life with leaves.

Good Run Rhinos

Yep. That's my soccer boy. This was Andrew's first season to play soccer, and he has done well. The Rhinos were a force to be reckoned with on the field. Tomorrow is the last game. It has been a good run Rhinos! We could not have asked for better coaches, and the program has been so organized. So, we signed up for Upward basketball. (Getch ya head in the game! Gotta, gotta, . . . the popularity of the HSM Wildcats didn't hurt our enthusiasm any either! That's High School Musical for any of you that might have rightly missed that.)

September 22nd

This is a big day: two birthdays in one day! First comes Margo, who didn't really want a big party this year. She just wanted to take a couple of friends in the neighborhood ice skating. Because I am who I am, I still wanted to make some invitations and a little fuss. She had a great time (and so did I). We have to remember to do this more often--ice skating, that is!






And then there is Matthew's birthday. Again, because I am who I am (even my kids' birthdays are a little bit about me, right?), I have never purchased themed party materials for a birthday--until now! Matthew spends most of his time making a light saber or sword out of ordinary household items, and "storm troopering" around, as he calls it. Nevermind, he has never seen Star Wars. He wanted something Darth Vader (affectionately known as Dark Vader around here) and ice cream. So, Star Wars and sundaes it was.


I especially like this picture. Andrew felt like Margo couldn't make her own wish without a little help from him!

Dear God . . .

Thank you for today. Thank you that we got to eat at home tonight, that we didn't have to eat out like we have been doing. And please, Lord, please don't let us eat cereal in the morning AGAIN!!

Amen.

(Andrew's bedtime prayer.)

I Know What You Did Last Summer

I must be maturing. I actually posted about our first day of school, knowing I had not done a proper posting of our summer activities--and didn't even break a sweat! What is happening to me? What might this lead to? Sanity? I don't know.

It looks like I dropped of the blogging radar around June or so. I don't know why. It's not like the thoughts of posting ever left my head. It's just that the posts never left my head. Anyway, I do have a few things to share.

First, I accidentally read a delightful book this summer. (By accidentally, I mean I did not go into the store to buy this book, and it was not the book I thought it was when I bought it.) Eats, Shoots, and Leaves, The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss is fabulous. It is above my head in wit and creates a certain insecurity that is hard to escape as you look and laugh at the many misunderstood applications of our punctuation and resulting outcomes. She calls for all sticklers to unite and to speak out against such atrocities! (The title, by the way, refers to the activities of a panda. He eats shoots and leaves. Or does he eat, shoot and leave? See the difference that comma makes? Great, huh?!) She also has two children's books: Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Why, Commas Really Do Make a Difference and The Girl's Like Spaghetti: Why You Can't Manage Without Apostrophes. Just great.

OKLAHOMA
In July we decided to bond with our small group from church a little and spend a weekend together in the woods of Oklahoma. And a-bonding we did do. Matthew shouted and cried until the wee hours of the morning. Clay and I were on the bottom bunk of a full-sized double bed. Margo and Andrew were on top, while Matthew was put in the pack-n-play, where he did not want to be! We all finally got to sleep and enjoyed ourselves the rest of the trip.

We took a ride on horseback through the woods, rode a little train through the woods, and eventually walked through the woods too. We made smores over the open fire and generally had a good time. And to make the trip official, we brought home one tick!

The best line was from a little girl on the trip. We took a small train ride through the woods and saw a deer along the way, which was pointed out and discussed. One adult asked the little girl, "Oh, you saw a deer on the train?" To which she replied, "Uh, . . . no. There was no deer on the train. He was in the woods." Got to love those kids.

THE BRYANSES' COMMISSIONING SERVICE

Casey and Renea Bryans are dear friends who are going to Quito, Ecuador to serve as missionaries with Youth World ministry, as soon as their house sells. They are a precious family following God's call on their lives. It has not been, nor will it be, an easy journey for them. It is a privilege to be on this journey with them, and we were thrilled to be a part of their church's commissioning service.

SWIM LESSONS and FEED THE HORSE

No fear, that little one!

ROSEMARY BEACH, FLORIDA

Just a beautiful place! Who wouldn't love jumping waves at the beach, swimming at the pools, riding bikes through the development, hanging out with family, and visiting the Sugar Shak on a regular basis? We certainly did. Even the rain couldn't keep us from having a good time.

The home school mom in me couldn't help catching a crab in the water to study for just a minute. And just so you know, crabs really do not like to be fondled, and they really do pinch the snot out of you with those claws. (I speak from experience.) But, we caught it and looked at it! We also caught a Sea Hare. The sea was rough that day, my friends! And I just had to take a picture of the HUGE spider that guarded the sidewalk close to our house. It was at least 3 to 4 inches big. Look at the dinner sitting next to him. Yuk!The 13-1/2 drive in the car was worth every minute!

Happy Anniversary!

I am posting out of order, but today I will just have to get over it. Today is my 15th wedding anniversary to my wonderful husband! I can honestly say I am happier to be married to this man today, than I was on the day of our wedding. And I enjoyed that day a lot!! We didn't begin to know what a marriage really required back then. Now, I am so thankful for my husband's love for the Lord, his leadership in our family, patience with me, involvement with the kids and commitment to integrity. Besides that, we have fun too! Here's to many more years ahead, each better than the next!! I would be lost without him!

Note: I know you are thinking it . . . Yes, we both had hair back then!

End of the Year, Two: Expo Night

Margo made it across the mat without a hitch, while doing a fabulous backward roll, then back across with a beautiful cartwheel, just as planned.




Andrew came through on his much anticipated solo recorder performance. Andrew was given a solo because his Mom unknowingly put him in the exact same class as last semester—same teacher, same songs, same performance. His teacher was nice enough to provide a little challenge for him by writing an intro to each of their group songs.



Andrew could not quit smiling!

End of the Year, One

This is the end-of-the-year class recitation and presentation day from our Thursday group of co-op classes. Margo was a part of a Science class studying Swimming Creatures of the Fifth Day (see mural picture), a wonderful Art class, and my class of games making math more fun. All of this while Andrew and Matthew held down the fort with the younger kids during the last hour of classes.

(I only messed up once during our class presentation by playing the background music that included words instead of the instrumental version! Oops.)

What?!

Please notice the giant red spot on Andrew’s forehead. This might be funny if he didn’t know what was going to happen when he put the suction cup on his head and pulled it off, and it wasn’t two days before his Expo Night performance!!

Only Andrew's

It is Saturday afternoon and I desperately need to be cleaning . . . and so I blog! (We will talk about procrastination issues another time.) We made artichokes the other night because they were on sale, I like them and I like to broaden our family food palette as much as possible.

After dinner, I was waiting for Margo to return to her room with water in her hand when she walked in with these instead: perfect impressions of teeth marks left in the artichoke leaves. Without saying a word, we both burst out laughing! These could only belong to one person in our family and we knew it. His mark had been made. Andrew's undeniable dental signature, spaces and all, had been left for us all to see!! Only Andrew's.

Signed In and Lots to Say

Because the perfectionist in me would not allow me to post out of chronological order, I have not been officially "signed in" for a couple of weeks (It ain't easy being me sometimes!). I have, however, continued to script posts in my head as we experienced the events of the last few weeks: a couple of beautiful photo shoots with a talented neighbor, Easter, a trip to the emergency room with Andrew for stitches, a stroll through the Arboretum, a tornado in town, an "Excellent" art show for Margo, and much more. Often I want to record details of the small things that happen around here too, like when Matthew and I washed the dishes together, or when Margo and I walked to the store, and how I smiled the other day while I followed a small string tied carefully around a table leg in the playroom, up and over the a door knob to its' end, where I found one of Andrew's army men steadily hanging from the string--resting from an adventurous climb with Andrew, no doubt. There are many things I would also like to ponder here and think through as well (Didn't SNL already do that: Deep Thoughts . . .?),but, not now--there is basic updating to do!! (Note: 1 of 6 new posts)

Tammy Labuda: Photographer, Neighbor and Friend

Tammy is a good neighbor and friend who is kicking off her photography business. She kindly asked to take some pictures of the kids for her portfolio and we eagerly agreed! She first took some pictures of Margo, trying to capture some spring shots--a little before spring had sprung! Even so, the pictures turned out beautifully and the shoot was a delight. Margo said she had a good time, and she certainly wasn't expecting to do that while taking pictures (It was I who eagerly agreed!). Tammy included a few of these photos on her website: TammyLabudaPhotography.com.





At another time, we met Tammy with the whole crew for a fun shoot in a little creek not too far away. Yes, we ended up in the creek most of the time, as you will see in the pictures. If I were to guess the temperature of the water at the time, I would say it was about 45 degrees. I think our feet just went numb after a little bit, so that it really didn't matter anymore--stay in as long as you like! Tammy was right there in the water with us. Now, that is a real photographer. Daddy stayed out of the water . . . to catch us when we came out. Someone had to stay dry, right? It was a great find and we will definitely go back.





Thank you Tammy. We had a wonderful time and got some great pictures in the process!!

Easter: Let's Celebrate!

As Easter Sunday approached and I began to realize that I had still not located our plastic eggs (on Saturday)or adorned our house with cute Easter decorations, I began to dismiss the importance of it all and I think come very close to missing the point of making a fuss entirely. I rationalized my unpreparedness by claiming Easter is not about hiding eggs, eating candy out of an Easter basket, wearing white sandals and a nice dress to church, or any of the other ritual we have attached to it. And truly it is not. However, it did dawn on me: Easter is about celebrating, and celebration is different than simple recognition or acknowledgement of something, even a very significant something.

As followers of Christ, we celebrate daily what Christ in his death and resurrection accomplished that we could not. But, Easter is to be a special celebration, a specific time to corporately remember and celebrate the good news of that first Easter morning: He has risen, indeed! During times of celebration, we should do things differently and in such a way to help us remember specific events and rejoice over them.

So, Saturday night after the kids went to bed, Daddy ran to the store for plastic eggs and candy for the kids. (Beyond just fun, the eggs can symbolize the new life we are given with Jesus, right?) I am certainly not pushing plastic eggs, candy or baskets and bonnets for Easter, nor am I suggesting that any of it equals proper celebration. We will use these things, the good, great and beautiful things here, to remind us of the goodness and greatness of our God and his creativity. And I will purpose to be better prepared next year to celebrate, better prepared in the heart and the home to thank God for the reconciliation He made possible that first Easter weekend.



Hey . . . we all celebrate in different ways. This boy's work was not done--even on Easter. He is looking sweet in his searsucker suit though!

Emergency 911

I used to watch and love that show. Does anyone remember it? Anyway, that was hardly necessary for Andrew. I had just made a good cup of coffee at my “girls” bible study when I got the call. “Could you come home? I think I need to take Andrew to get some stitches.” This was April Fool’s Day, by the way, and my first thought was, “Good one!” No such luck.

Margo and Andrew had been playing in the bed when Andrew rolled out and hit his eyebrow area on the nightstand. It split open and made a nice little cut and blood pool around him. I came home, let the hubby stay with the “boys” bible study (which was at our house), and took Andrew to the ER. He was great and at times was more concerned about Margo than himself. (She blamed herself and was very upset, even after being told this was not about her!)

They were able to use the glue instead of having to do stitches and I am happy to report it is healing quite well. It is in fact, still on!

Family, Friends, Flowers and Fun!

This trip to the Arboretum was proof that our family can be spontaneous and enjoy a lovely afternoon outside, in a beautiful place, even when asked to park in a remote parking lot and take a bus back because regular parking was full. Apparently, we weren’t the only family in town who thought the Arboretum would be a good idea! In fact, if you asked the kids about the day, the bus ride was one of the highlights!! Go figure!

This is the line to get on the bus!


Give us a hill, some green grass and we are good to go!


What? Pretty flowers? Just let us run!


And finally, a pose at the end of our trip . . . with the couple standing by us in line to get back on the bus.