Disney Trip Mania

We've been back from Spring Break an entire week but I'm finally getting around to the blog and a report on our crazy excursion to Walt Disney World.  What can I say?  Here's something.  It is truly a lot of money.  But you are paying for some of the best creative talent in the world and that is something I can get behind.  We enjoyed all the rides, shows, and parades.  We were going to hit all four parks but decided to save our last day for another trip. 

Here are the cousins!  We went with Jimmy's parents and brother Gary and family.  This is the kids on the first day, first thing, getting ready to get on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom.  I love all things Disney, but must admit I resent the fact that you are required to go to the Magic Kingdom by ferry or monorail.  It feels just a little bit like a prison to me.  A magical awesome prison, but still, I get a little itchy all over when I think about the fact that I could not just walk to my car.  I am a little crazy, I know.  But Disney can make you a little crazy.

Here we are getting ready to go on the Barnstormer, aka Goofy roller coaster.  Cash and I sat in the very front car and he raised his hands the entire way.  (Two days later he and I rode the Rockin' Roller Coaster together at Hollywood Studios.  I thought he might be scared.  Not. At. All.  My Cashy boy is a thrill seeker!  I was proud of him.)
 

My baby girl.

In preparation for the trip I bought a book on Amazon about the "Hidden Mickey's" that Disney Imagineers have hidden in designs all over the parks.  Jackson carried it everywhere and enjoyed finding these all over the place.  Here is a drain cover in the Africa section of Animal Kingdom.  The pebbles around it make a Mickey head and ears.

On safari at Animal Kingdom.  Libby is getting so big.  She looks like such a young lady in this photo to me.  To have your children grow up without your consent leaves you feeling so helpless.  But then they come and hug you or giggle and you can cope somehow.

This was our first time meeting Sela, our nephew who just turned one year old.  He was a trooper and took good naps in his stroller and generally looked super cute and went with the flow.

Here is another hidden Mickey on the ticket window to Hollywood Studios.  Jackson and I really had fun looking for these.

I think Cash might be choking Juliet with his Mickey hands.  Just kidding.  In front of a Muppets fountain at Hollywood Studios. 

 

And saving the best for last...not the best picture (although I love it of course) I'm talking about the best ride in every single Disney park...drumroll...it's Toy Story Mania at Hollywood Studios.  Absolutely everything about this ride is amazing.  It is SO MUCH FUN.  It is by far my favorite part.  The design of it is great, the concept awesome, the 3D is flawless (and I'm very picky about 3D) and you get completely lost in it and truly forget where you are and what you're doing, you just want to shoot those dang targets and get a higher score than your trash talking husband!  Okay, he didn't trash talk that much.  And he did beat me.  But I was hanging in there.  And I had a 2 year old in my lap!  This is us after we rode.  Look how happy we are!!

So that's the brief version.  I left out the packing, traveling, meltdowns (mostly by me) and anxiety because all of that is definitely not what I want to remember!  I want the good mania, not the logistical mania!  It was a lot of fun.  Thanks, Walt!

Walk for Life Photos!

Thank you to all our friends and family who supported A Woman's Pregnancy Center and the Walk for Life yesterday!  We were proud to bring our pledges to the table on Saturday and take the walk with all the other people in support.

There was a little bit of a bump in our plans as we were stopped by the park ranger on our way to the starting point...he told us that Libby, on roller blades, and Cash, on his bike, were not allowed to skate and ride without helmets.

After some disappointment (and Jimmy having to cart said bike and skates all the way back to the van) we recovered and the kids walked willingly and with great attitudes.

Jackson, however, on his pogo stick, was fine helmet-less.  (Although if I were to guess, was most at risk for an accident of ER proportions.)

 

We all remained safe though and made it back to enjoy the bouncy house and hot chocolate and bake sale.  You haven't seen someone down a hot chocolate until you've seen Penelope suck one dry.

Here we are walking next to Horton when we first started out.

(Horton from Dr. Suess's "Horton Hears a Who" is the mascot for the center and likes to boast his motto, "A person's a person no matter how small.")

The J's and our babies.  They are getting TOO big!  Thanks again!

The way it really is

This past Friday I made masks with my 3D art class.  I have been thinking a little about masks.  And if I wear any.  I probably do.  Honestly I'm too lazy to think about it much right now.

Here's a few more non-mask-ish type things I can tell you.

Jimmy has been out of town all weekend on a men's retreat with church.  So after two days and nights with all the kids by the time I got to church this morning I was sweating a little.  Literally.  During the music I realized I had forgotten to put on deodorant the previous afternoon after I took a shower.  It's been really cold, so I had no reason to realize it until that sweaty point.

After a few songs the worship leader asked us to take a few quiet moments and confess any sin in our hearts or lives to the Lord.

I prayed the first thing that came into my mind...

"Lord, I'm sorry I didn't wear deodorant today."

I'm not kidding.

And then I was pretty preoccupied with the fact that I had just prayed about my lack of deodorant and before I knew it the next song began and my confession time was over and I hadn't confessed anything except the aforementioned perspiratory and odorific offenses.

Raise your hand if you're sure.

This afternoon I was playing "Plants vs. Zombies" with Cash in an attempt to actually hang out with the kids instead of using all their down time on screens to clean, clean, or clean up. 

We defeated the zombies twice in a row and my eyes were closing so I put on a video and tried to rest.  But everyone kept saying "Don't fall asleep mom!  This is really funny!" but I knew the video was only 30 minutes so my drooping eyelids won out.

To make an embarrassing mom moment much shorter, one of the kids complained about something and in my interrupted nap stupor I got angry and yelled and Mean Mommy came out and banned Netflix and XBox for an entire month.

I really wish Mean Mommy would stay in her dark lair.  I wish a zombie would eat her brains.

I'm wearing deodorant now.  And I've really got something to confess.

Mean Mommy. 

She's mean.

Tonight Juliet asked to watch Dora and I had to tell her no (because I may cave on my month long Netflix restriction but I am certainly not going to cave on the first day) and she started screaming and crying and snotting all over me.

The masks are off, people.  They're kind of scary anyway, aren't they?

Hey kids.  You reap what you sow.

So take off your mask and work hard to plant grace, peace, love, and the truth of God's word.

And always be sure to wear deodorant.

Walk for Life

This is me when I was a baby.  I wasn't exactly planned.  My parents have always told me how extremely happy they were that I came along.

This is Libby.  This is from my first doctor's appointment.  Jimmy and I tried for nearly a year to get pregnant before Libby came along.  God taught me that his timing is perfect.

Here she is at almost six months.  Precious is the only word.

This is back when we had two kids.  Only not really.  Because whenever I see this picture I always think about Cash.  I was pregnant with him.  Cash wasn't planned.  But as soon as I took the pregnancy test I knew I would have another son.  He was already part of our family.

Here is Cash about six weeks before he was born.  I will never forget how excited Jackson was!  He loved him before he was born.

This Saturday our family is going to walk in A Women's Pregnancy Center's 18th Annual Walk for Life.  They are a local organization who counsels women and men in crisis pregnancy situations.  Their services are free so they need fund raisers to keep the center going.

Here at the J Train we are obviously pro-life.  God does not make mistakes and He values life at all stages.  We will be asking for friends and family to pledge any amount in support of A Women's Pregnancy Center.

To all my faithful blog readers, I promise photos and a blog about the walk.  We're bringing the whole family so it should be crazy and fun!

If you would like to sponsor our family as we walk, all you have to do is e mail me your mailing address and how much you can contribute (as little as $5...every bit helps) and I will do the rest.  The center will send you a bill later.

You can also visit their website and/or donate online at:  lifeline-awpc.org

Thank you for loving our family and treating the unborn as precious life created by God.

Use your brain. Make a mess.

It has rained all day today.  We have a bit of a lake in our yard.  I was using my nifty weather channel app to check tomorrow's forecast.  I discovered that there are some (well, many) people out there in Tallahassee who tweet about the weather via this app. 

There were some funny ones...
"this weather fool"
"Its raining so bad.."
"I Wanna Leave This House But The Rain Won't Let Me"
"Y'all this rain is real live in the way"
"Why is it raining so much?"
"the rain got me in the house! LOL"
"I'm so mad at this rain.  The devil tryna hold me back!"

Anyway, the whole thing is weird.  Who are these people?  I understand that some use it as advertisement.  But not all.  Why do some feel the need to inform the internet how you feel about the weather?  It is just a little disturbing.  Write something worthwhile.  With correct grammar.  Use your brain a little!

Because of this rain I didn't exercise today.  I have started running again.  I was like Forrest Gump.  One day I just felt like running and so I did.  Only he ran for a super long time and I only make it about a mile.  And I'm not sure if what I do is running, or if it's just the absolute lowest form of jogging possible that you can do and still call it jogging.

I used to hate it.  I don't hate it anymore. 

Except after about a mile.  Then I start to hate it a little.

 I have found that music helps.   I have a pretty regular rotation between Relient K, U2, and Coldplay.  And Coldplay.  How can you not run to this stuff?  It gives my hot lungs and crampy muscles a soundtrack.  And Coldplay.

Speaking of music, there has been some shifting of furniture around here, most importantly our desk with a keyboard on top has been replaced by a piano!  A real one!  With 88 keys!  It is a huge blessing to have this form of music in the house.

We also moved out Libby's huge desk (from which we unearthed like a thousand drawings/writings) and placed our not quite complete drum set in that corner.  So I went from quiet writing space and a keyboard (with volume control) to drums and a piano.  I feel if I were to tweet about the house climate it might be something like "this piano and drums up in my face!"  But I played a little Heart and Soul with Jackson today and it made us both feel good inside.

Yesterday Jimmy enlisted some guys to help get the piano here and I had quite a bit of work to do to finish up Libby's desk mess and clear the space.  But instead of using the hour after dinner to do so, we ended up making a You Tube video.  And even though it already went out on Jimmy's Facebook page I feel I would be remiss if I didn't link to it here. 

The J Train Harlem Shake

Sometimes you just have to make a mess!  Sometimes it's the right thing to do.

Sunday Afternoon in the Kitchen

Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande Jatte  Georges Seurat  1884

Just as Seurat painted a pointillist image of a Sunday afternoon in France, here I go with our Sunday activities.

This afternoon after church and lunch everyone headed outside and I kept a close eye on Juliet through the window while I was cleaning up.  She likes to push her shopping cart.

Jimmy and I were talking while Jimmy fooled around on the guitar.  Jackson came inside and asked Jimmy if he would toss the football outside.   Jimmy said no, he didn't feel like it and then we all began to belt out the chorus of "Cats in the Cradle" as we usually do whenever Jimmy puts off Jackson when he wants to hang out.   "And the cats in the cradle and the silver spoons..." Jackson just rolls his eyes.

Then somehow everyone was back inside and I went out to retrieve Juliet.  I came in to a dance party.  Cash amazed us all with the move where you put your hand behind your head and grab your knee with the other, jumping around in a circle.

Jackson had been asking me to teach him how to do the Roger Rabbit.  (I taught him the running man some years back.)  So I agreed and worked up a bit of a sweat demonstrating one of the many useful things I learned in the 90's.

And with that the children know all the dance moves I know.  Now what will I teach them??

Then we listened to Rob Base and DJ E Z Rock...as in "It takes two to make a thing go right...it takes two to make it outta sight" and I realized there are many gems from the 90's we have not yet unearthed.

Then I declared quiet time, put Juliet down for nap, and everyone found a book to read while I dozed on the couch.   I kept shushing people periodically but all in all it was restful.  Juliet never slept though and I tried to push from my mind the day when I have no baby napping to use as an excuse to achieve a small window of silence.

Just as Seurat painted a masterpiece in tiny dots, we are putting together these days to make a bigger picture, and today was a good one.   I feel thankful.  And in researching for this blog I have come up with a new mantra...

My name is MOM, I gotta real funky concept
Listen up, 'cause I'm gonna keep you in step
I got an idea
That I wanna share
You don't like it? 

So what, I don't care

Just kidding.

 

Sort of. 

Maybe I should stick to the art history references.

The phone camera

Since I got the iPhone, I have enjoyed using the camera. Mostly because the only camera I've had for years is heavy bulky and expensive. So I am afraid of dropping it in water or can't really lug it to a place where I can watch it all the time.

Enter the phone camera. I can snap a quick pic of my kids without running inside and unzipping my puffy bag and making sure the right lens is attached. I appreciate being able to get the quick snapshot.

Mostly, I like the angles I can get holding out a phone at arms length or up from the ground or around my body- stuff I can't pull off very easily with my big camera.

And don't fall off your chair, but I am even writing this blog and uploading these photos from my phone... Jimmy is using the computer and usually I just wouldn't blog but there is no excuse now.

If you know me you know that this blatant use of technology will assuredly bring on the end of the world quite soon. Either that or you will see a few pigs flying out your window. But it is what it is. I'm all for writing and I'm all for photography in any form. I also love a baby in a tub. Who wouldn't?

What Home School is Like

With the start of a new semester and resuming school after a three week break, I am always a little overwhelmed and need to take a lot of deep breaths.  I get the feeling that the reality of my life is a little bit crazy.  As in, I must be a few notches off to attempt this thing called home school.

So I will tell you what it is like.  It is not denim jumpers and big bows in everyone's hair and matching clothes and singing hymns while we walk around the house cooking stew in the crock pot and winning every spelling bee we can enter.

It is me, living with some measure of anxiety/guilt every day of my life worrying that I am either not doing enough or I'm permanently screwing them up.  It is me, realizing that this is not true or healthy since my children are doing fine, then beginning to fear that my unhealthy anxiety/guilt is the very fuel that drives my teaching to an acceptable level and is therefore necessary to maintain my children's level of academic excellence.

(Deep breath.)

It is hard, mostly.

So I've been asking myself why I do it and what makes it worth it.

What I've realized is this:  The best part of being with them all day and teaching them is that I get to observe my children.  It is fun to see little Juliet putting her baby in a stroller when she doesn't know I'm watching.  To catch the kids pretending together.  To see an older child read to a younger one.  To figure out what method will make the math concept stick.

As their mother, I will be quite the influence on them for much of their life.  They will cry to me, ask me for advice, and rejoice with me during the triumphs in life.

To be there for them and be able to contribute something worthwhile, I need to really know them.

So this thing called home school is an education for me.  Hopefully in being their teacher I can learn about them.

Now I must get to things in the kitchen.  The girls are sewing new bonnets and snapping the beans.  Tonight we are churning our own butter and baking bread in the wood stove.  My boys are out back chopping wood.   Just a normal home school day at the Alley's!

Juliet is 2 and UFO sightings

Our sweet baby Juliet had her second birthday December 31st.  We had a wonderful lunch party with both sets of grandparents and Aunt Becky, three cousins, and a new friend.  I had asked Juliet what she wanted to eat at her party and she said "Apples."  So since that was all I had to go on, we just had an apple party.

Cupcakes, presents, fish tacos, mac and cheese, apples of course, and big brothers who want to be in all the pictures.  It was a good time had by all.  I can't believe my baby is two and it seriously hurts just a little but I am so thankful for her overall softness, cuteness, and even keeled personality.  We love you Juliet Hope!

To ring in the New Year later that night my other sister and family had arrived and all the cousins made hot air balloons made out of plastic trash bags, birthday candles, straws, and Scotch tape.  We have done this in the past and all get a kick out of watching them ascend into the air and stay lit for hundreds of yards as they drift through the sky.  We are hoping that somewhere out there is a crazy person who believes in extraterrestrial life and sees one of our balloons so we can add fuel to their fire and belief in UFOs.

 

Libby and Elise teamed up to create the S.S. Elizabeth.  This was actually their second balloon.  Both went super far!

We did have to save some of the balloons for the next night due to wind direction.  My mom is always worried about starting a fire and got in her car to try and track the balloons, but we all just stood there and watched them.  But they drifted out of sight before we saw the light go out when they burnt up.  It is always amazing to me that eight half size birthday candles can carry the bag and stay lit for so long.

 Cash teamed up with Aunt Becky.  Theirs burned up because they experimented and used a different size bag but he didn't seem to mind.  There were plenty that took off.

Birthday candles for Juliet, birthday candles for a hot air balloon, celebration of the New Year and 2nd birthday had by all.  Happy Birthday Juliet and Happy New Year crazy people who believe in UFO's!  We're glad we can do our part to help you celebrate.

Happy New Year from the J Train!

 Twenty twelve is quickly coming to a close and leaves me feeling like I'm approaching a stop sign but my brakes are out.  I'm trying to take a breath and imagine the fresh start of a new year but it is easier said than done.  I feel a to do list pressing in.

I had every intention of sending out Christmas cards but when I could see that wasn't happening I decided New Year's cards would be fun.  I love the tradition of getting cards in the mail.  It is really the only time of year we get much personal correspondence in our mailbox.  I want to do my part to keep the tradition alive.  But I don't think it's going to happen.

I actually plugged some photos into a New Year's card on line last night.  I got everything uploaded and ready to go and then I tried to write our names at the bottom.  Before I got to Juliet, it told me I had hit the text limit.  It was rather frustrating.  But then I realized we are so blessed we have too many people to fit our family at the bottom of a card.  

This morning I literally just sat here scratching my head wondering how I could photograph nearly 40 families to help them with their Christmas cards yet I couldn't manage to get any done myself.  My kids wanted me to, they kept asking.  But there's always next year.  I pray we will have a happy and healthy year ahead to report on.  As you can see, I did manage to take a few photos of them and my family helped us get a shot when we were all decked out before Christmas Eve church.

I need a fresh start.  I have three days to wrap this year up and I feel unorganized and messy closets and miscellaneous paperwork and school stuff has taken priority.  So I'm going to say Happy New Year on the blog and move on. 

May 2013 make us all aware of God's grace and sovereign hand over everything.  I am vowing to simplify a little and do my best to never leave the house unless absolutely necessary.  Oh wait, I already do that.  And I'm barely here.  So I'm not sure how that's going to happen.  But that's where God's grace and hand come in I guess.

Here we are all are, and here's all our names.  Just to stick it to the Christmas card people.  Happy New Year from Jimmy, Julie, Jackson, Libby, Cash, Penelope, and Juliet!  We love you all!

I felt a funeral in my brain

Monday was my mom's birthday and happens to also be Libby's half birthday.  So it is always a fun day.  Libby and I ran into a poem by Emily Dickinson during her language lesson and looked her up only to discover it was her birthday as well on December 10th.  I have a book of a collection of poems by her and Libby and I enjoyed reading a little bit of it and talking about her unconventional use of capital letters and punctuation.  (We also expanded her vocabulary with words like recluse and introverted!)

I remembered that I did a drawing based on a poem by her I enjoyed reading over 10 years ago.  I found the drawing and read the poem with Libby.  She and I talked a bit about what it might mean.  I was reminded that I used have the time and brain energy to analyze things and sit in silence thinking about stuff.  And make drawings about vague poems.

I asked Libby to write a poem of her own.  It was beautiful.  So here they both are.  Emily Elizabeth Dickinson's first and Elizabeth June Alley's second.  Enjoy.

I felt a funeral in my brain,
  And mourners, to and fro,
Kept treading, treading, till it seemed
  That sense was breaking through.

And when they all were seated,
  A service like a drum
Kept beating, beating, till I thought
  My mind was going numb

And then I heard them lift a box,
  And creak across my soul
With those same boots of lead, again.
  Then space began to toll

As all the heavens were a bell,
  And Being but an ear,
And I and silence some strange race,
  Wrecked, solitary, here.

Love

I Love some cake, I Love some cheese,

I Love a baby boy with ease.

I Love the sun, I Love the air,

I Love an apple and a pear.

I Love Na-Na and Pop-Pop;

My Love will never, ever stop!