9/21/2013

Exciting and New

Embarking on a blog which requires me to remember many things that have been floating around in my head is very intimidating. In general, I just don't remember anymore. If I'm lucky, I can recall some events. I hope I am lucky tonight.

I have been thinking about the crazy things that happen to me day to day. 

For example, this week I went to bed and had to set my alarm for earlier than usual so that I could make a trip to the library and turn in books and movies in plenty of time before they opened so as not to acquire any further fines. (They would count it as if they came in the day before.) Just your normal home school mom working the system. 

Also this week as I laid down for the night before I plugged my phone in I asked Jimmy to help me figure out how to do something on my settings. As we were hunched over my lit up phone in an otherwise dark room, a bug, no doubt attracted to the light, flew into my face. I jumped up and turned on the light and there was a huge roach on my pillow. Deep breath. 

Last night I finally moved our hamster Peanut into the laundry room so I could close the door on him at night. Reason being, he makes such a racket at night he wakes me up. He was already at the front of the house a good distance from my bedroom. But I'd had enough of the Peanut alarm clock at five a.m. 

There's more.  A week ago I discovered that Jimmy and I had been using the same toothbrush for nearly two months. Another deep breath. I had purchased a new one when I got home from NYC and Jimmy's never got unpacked from his simultaneous visit to Brandon. And there was a spare one in the holder so he thought that was mine and I also thought he was using that one. I know we're married and all, but for some reason "and the two shall become one flesh" does not apply to toothbrushes in my mind. 

Yesterday the kids and I embarked on a geocaching adventure because Libby had been studying latitude and longitude etc. The first one we tried to find was in a fairly public place and it struck me how strange we must look to passers by, me and five kids examining bushes on our hands and knees at the edge of a parking lot. 

I have just been thinking about how every day there is something new. Something unexpected. How chaos and total mayhem alongside of constant stimuli is my normal. This is nothing new. But I have decided it would be a good idea to view it as just that. Exciting and new. Smile. Deep breath. 

This is Cash and I on a walk recently. I love having kids. Let me say it again--it's exciting and new. It is stopping to examine the effects of the sun. It is truly an adventure. I hope to enjoy its abundance and believe it is just a shadow of things to come. Exhale.

9/16/2013

Yearly update and photos... 2, 5, 7, 9, and 11...



It's that time again.  Time for the annual update and "school" photos.

The kids have been bugging me to take "lying down" photos ever since this Christmas card.  So we just went for it one night after dinner last week.

But I couldn't resist taking some more "normal" photos the next day...I don't take enough photographs of them anymore.  Somehow it has become a pain to walk over to the computer desk and pick up my camera.  Shame on me.  These make up for it a little.

The kids came up with their own ideas about what they did.

So here they are in the order in which I photographed them...



The seven year old...Cash went first.  We all wanted him to pose with a microphone but he just wanted to be him.  He just lost a tooth yesterday.  He likes to use the iPad and watch Jimmy play Starcraft.  (He plays too sometimes...when he's finished with all his schoolwork!)  He loves to be the first one into Juliet's room in the morning or after nap time.  We wanted him to use a microphone because he is always singing.  He seems to come alive a little more when he sings.  He is Jackson's yo-yo coach.  He knows all the tricks and keeps Jackson on his toes!  He is extremely observant and always knows what's going on.  He is in charge of snack time at our home school.  I picked the perfect man for the job!  He is our Cashy-boy.



The five year old...Penelope went next.  She ran into her room to get dressed in all black for the photos and be "a karate girl."  This is funny to me because we never do karate, talk about karate, know anyone who does karate, watch karate, or read about karate.  Yet that's what she came up with.  Living up to the term I use to describe her...my "wild card."  With Penelope you never know what you're gonna get.  She is into My Little Pony.  Watching it, coloring it, playing it, pretending it.  She is Pinky Pie.  She's our Pip.




The two year old...Juliet went next.  She wanted to have her bunny with her.  She is our baby girl and we all love to ask her questions just to prompt something cute she will say in response.  She loves puzzles lately and books as always.  She is in love with Daniel Tiger and we all sing the jingles from that show multiple times daily.  She is very bright and wows us regularly with her meal time prayers.  She's our Ju Ju.



The eleven year old...Jackson went next.  He of course picked his yo-yo as his prop because he is never without it.  Jackson misplaces a lot of things.  I've always tried to teach him that if something is important, you should think to yourself, "I better remember where I set this down.  I'm going to need it later."  The yo-yo has actually helped him with this.  Because he rarely has it off his finger but if he does he always puts it in a safe place.  Translate:  It is valuable to him!  And we are all amazed at his new tricks.  He and Jimmy and Cash go to the yo-yo club on Saturdays.  Jackson is doing great in school and has been a great help in chores.  However, I have found random items in random places.  He hides them if he doesn't know what to do with them.  This is the kind of thing that drives me batty but that I know will someday be funny.  He is our Jax.



The nine year old...Libby went last.  All the others had fun surrounding her with writing utensils and tools to illustrate (pun intended) her favorite hobby.  She is still drawing and writing and has begun my drawing class as well.  If she has paper and pencil she is good to go.  She has the trouble completing her school work because the smaller kids who don't have as much to do and can finish faster want her to play with them!  Penelope doesn't seem to understand why she can't have Libby all to herself whenever she wants.  Libby is everyone's second mother.  I don't mind sharing.  She does an excellent job.  She is our Libby-Lib.

Well I think that about does it.  There is no paragraph or photograph that can capture the essence of my children.  There is nothing that would ever come close to showing my deep love for them.  Another happy healthy year is a gift of God that I am truly thankful for.  I do not deserve such wonderful kids.  I love you guys!  Now stop reading the blog and get back to your school work!!