Have I Heard That Somewhere Before?

I recently redesigned my mom's blog for her. I had so much fun creating her header and picking out the color scheme. In the midst of the project Charity (age 9) came over to where I was fiddling away at the computer and said, "Mom, you should do something else besides the computer, like sewing, or your brain is going to get fried." I guess my allotted "screen time" was up.

EnRICHing My Kids

I have been a little AWOL from the blogging world of late, but things seem to have settled down now that school has been in session for a week. The first two weeks of school around here are kind of slow, easing the kids (and parents) back into the routine. I have one more back to school night to attend and then it will be official; homework will start coming home and I'll have to be more diligent in checking backpacks and asking questions.

I welcome a little more organization to the day for the kids, getting up at a certain time, having time to play, work, and do homework set aside, and a regular bedtime as well. We all seem to be a lot calmer.

One thing that I have been really wanting to do is get back into the habit of is reading to my kids each night. We started back up a few weeks ago with The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo and have moved on to others since then (look at the sidebar to see what we are currently reading!). I read from the hallway where all the bedroom doors converge while the kids are in their beds. I am surprised at how much the four year olds look forward to it as well, even though the chapter books are above their "level." (I read them their books during the day) Perhaps they will acquire large vocabularies. Seven year old Gracie interrupts a lot to ask what a certain word means, so I know she is improving her vocab and understanding as well.

Mostly I love it because I love books. I love sharing what I love with my kids. When we can talk about a book together or laugh as we make real life comparisons to something we have read, it creates a fun connection in our relationships. What's that old poem?


You may have tangible wealth untold;
Caskets of jewels and coffers of gold.
Richer than I you can never be --
I had a mother who read to me....

-Strickland Gillilan

A Beautiful Noise

Jacob is taking orchestra at school this year and is very excited to be playing the violin. He had some instruction in violin last year in elementary school; he was able to retain some of what he learned over the summer. He brought a violin home from school today and excitedly brushed up on his skills. Here is a little performance for your enjoyment.


Perhaps he and Charity can do a duet sometime.

Sending them Back

It's barely the middle of August, and although it will be another month at least before cool Autumn breezes grace my spot in the world, the kids are back at school. This morning two rode the bus off to intermediate school and two walked down the the elementary school. The other two start preschool tomorrow.

Tomorrow.

Tomorrow, for two and a half hours I will be alone. I will have the house to myself. I will have my thoughts to myself. I can open the pantry or fridge without someone declaring they are hungry and need a snack. I can sit on the couch without having someone ask me to read them a book. I can walk out of a room without someone instantly calling for me the minute I step out. I can even go to the bathroom in peace. For two and a half hours, I will be alone.

I used to feel guilty about the sigh of relief I let out when school starts up again, wishing I was a mom with the talent to always be "on" as a mother: homeschooling, letting the kids climb in bed with her every night, never too busy to read a book or listen to a complaint or work on a messy art project. But I know myself better now, and I know my kids. School is good for the kids. And me, I'm not anti-social or anything, but my personality has always leaned towards spending time alone with my thoughts, needing space to regroup and organize myself. Going for long periods of time when my thoughts are constantly interrupted is jarring to me. The school year brings balance, gives me enough space that I can feel collected enough to give my children more of myself when they are home than I am able to when I feel constantly bombarded by their needs.

I admire those women who homeschool and are with their children almost 24/7, and I admire the mom's who send their kids off to school every day with a hug and a kiss, and the knowledge that they are loved, priceless jewels that their mothers could not live without.

A New Talent

Four of my children take piano lessons. Two have sung in choirs. One has instruction on violin and xylophone. Four have had instruction on conga drums in school. But I never imagined one of my children would be musically talented this way. Welcome to Musical Gargling.

Update to "My Boy"

Today Tim added a more masculine touch to his dress-up ensamble.
After all, he is a BOY .

A Preschooler's Fashion Faux Pas

Inside Tabitha's mind:

Boring, boring boring -- the same old pink shirts and denim skorts. My wardrobe needs some pizazz! Maybe Charity can help me. Look how cool her outfit is. She has a real flair for fashion!

Oh, I like this skirt. Plaid, very slimming, very traditional. Wait, something feels weird. Hmm. I think Charity needs to learn to take better measurements.

No problem, easy to fix. I'll just find a piece of fabric and patch it up. There must be something in here!

Hmm, white felt with a price tag embellishment and a bit of dryer lint. No, it just doesn't "pop."

This green looks nice.

A little twist here, another twist there. Who needs a needle and thread when you have elastic pony tail holders?

Don't peek! I'm almost ready to unveil!

Ta da! Just wait 'till they see me at preschool!

Pine Wood Derby '08

One of the greatest highlights in the life of a Cub Scout is the Pinewood Derby. Once a year boys and dads put their heads together to craft the sleekest, fastest, best looking block of wood on wheels.

This year was Jacob's last chance to participate. It was Dad's last chance to help a son build a sweet "ride" for four years (when Tim is in Cub's). Needless to say, it had to be good.

Jacob patterned his car's shape after Speed Racer, painted it white, and added some glow in the dark paint for special effects. Too bad they didn't run the races in the dark! They had a little trouble getting the wheels right because of the shape of the car, but there was no need to worry, See the blue ribbons? Undisputed first place. Way to end your Cub Scout career man!

A tradition in our pack is to let anyone who wants to race a car have at it after the official races are done. Gracie was able to convince her dad to help to build a car to race (I don't know why I didn't get a photo of that, I'll have to add it in later!), Jeremy brought an old car and Jacob let Charity and Tabitha use his old cars. Tim raced this one that Dad made just for fun last year. Look familiar?Gee, it looks an awful lot like the monstrosity I drive.

Both Tim and Jacob provided great entertainment as they ran, hopped, and jumped alongside the track as the cars raced down.

Four more years 'till your turn little buddy!

I'm not behind on my ironing, just ahead on my laundry.

Ha, Ha. Neither of those statements are true, but it sounds good. It's my new favorite saying.


Following a long tradition of woman sweating over a hot iron, tonight I must tackle my ironing pile, smoothing out the wrinkles in the clothes my husband works in to support our family, and smoothing out some wrinkles in my mind. I do not have an affinity for ironing. It is usually last on my list of chores (too often I find my husband has had to quickly iron a shirt before heading off to work). As a child my mother paid me something like 5 cents a shirt to iron my father's collared shirts. Even then I would cheat by tucking one shirt inside of another and doing two at a time.

But I have found if I can iron when the kids are busy playing and I have few interruptions, it is a great thinking chore. Meaning it doesn't take a lot of brain power to iron so my mind is free to work over a problem or plan dinner or just daydream. In fact, I find a lot of chores are like that: folding laundry, mopping, gardening, as long as I are not pressed (no pun intended) for time or have a ton of interruptions. I guess you can stop and smell the roses even when you're hard at work.

So here is my job for the evening. It looked like a lot more when it was all bunched up in my laundry room (I know, bunched up is not very conducive to quick ironing). The kids will be in bed soon and I will tackle this pile with zeal, while planning in my head the sewing project I get to do when I am finished :).

My Boy

Tim just came in asking for help with his dress. Yes, I just said dress. When the girls get out the princess dress ups Tim likes to join in the fun. He is very selective, however, and will only don the yellow "Belle" dress.

I helped him guide his arms through the sleeves and do up the Velcro in the back. Then I said, teasingly, "There you go pretty princess!" He gave me a very stern look, said, "I AM A BOY," and glided away in his fluffy, sparkly gown.

Tim and Tab, ready for a night at the ball.

Harvest

Okay, I'm feeling a little guilty for blowing off steam a little earlier, so I thought I'd add something on a more positive note: Look what we grew! My husband has been carefully cultivating our grapevines for three years now. The grapes are fairly small, not like the ones you get at the grocery store, but they have so much more flavor. It's almost like eating candy. A treat my husband likes it to take some fresh off the vine, stick them in the freezer for about fifteen minutes, and have a fresh, cool snack.The kids are really enjoying them too, and it is so fun for them to see how grapes are grown. It's also fun to be able to share our harvest with friends and family, as our vines are producing plenty - even for a family of eight!

Warning: Severe Grumpiness Ahead

Perhaps it is just getting toward the end of summer. The hot weather that keeps us all indoors, the fact that my last kid did get sick and seems to be draining every last bit of my compassion from my soul. Maybe I am just tired. Maybe the kids are tired of listening to me and I am tired of listening to them.

Sometimes kids have bad days, and moms deal with it as best they can, trying to help them through a rough time. But sometimes moms have bad days, and few and far between are the pats on the back and reassuring words from their offspring.

Sometimes, even though I would literally give my life for my children, I feel like screaming, "GET YOUR OWN CUP OF MILK!" "NO, I DON'T WANT TO READ THAT BOOK TO YOU FOR THE FIFTH TIME!" "I DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT POKEMON TODAY!"

Some days I would like there to be a rule in my house that no sentence that starts with, "Mom, you need to . . ." "Mom, when are you going to . . ." or "Mom, get me . . ." is allowed.

Some days I wish that all the work I have put into trying to teach my children life skills, independent thinking and problem solving would come to full fruition just for a day or even and afternoon. Even the little ones can do so much for themselves if they will get over the fact that it might take a little effort and just do it!

Some days I wish my kids would think before they ask something from me, and notice things like: "Oh, mom is in the laundry room folding laundry and I am sitting here in the kitchen three feet from the fridge, maybe I should get the milk out for myself instead of asking her to stop what she is doing, walk all the way to the kitchen, get my milk, and a cup while she is at it and pour me a drink while I sit here like a bump on a log."

It's not that I don't want to or won't help my kids with things they need, but geeze!!!! All their demands really add up. It's hard to pick and choose what I am going to help them with and what I am going to insist they do on their own. And I wonder how I can teach them to serve and help each other when so often I am telling them "I think you can handle that one yourself," and denying them of my help. I cringe when the kids are eating breakfast and someone asks for the milk or cereal and another kid says, "Get it yourself." Ugh.

My best approach so far is to point out what is going on around them so they can see that it would be easier and quicker for all of them if they just took care of the "problem" themselves by saying things like, "Sure, I'll come do that for you if you will take over washing the dishes for me." I still feel like a mean mom when I say things like that, but they cannot spend their lives relying on others to do simple tasks that they can do themselves. And it wears their mom out. I would much rather save my energy to help them with a big art project or play a game or do something fun with them.

Big sigh. My kids are not bad kids. It's not like they never do anything kind for me. They are often even very sensitive and compassionate to each other. So I guess it is just dog days of summer getting to us. We are all moving slower and feeling lazier, demanding more of each other and wishing there was less demanded of each of us. Perhaps what we need is a day off from our days off so we can appreciate them again.

Friday Flashback

Because it is so HOT and ice cream sounds so good right now I decided to "flash back" to my husband's teenage years when he worked at Baskin and Robbins ice cream shop. Just looking at the picture, imagining the super cold air conditioning and a giant scoop of raspberry sherbet (my all time favorite), makes me feel cooler! He still scoops the ice cream at our house!

If You Love 'Em, Let Them Know

Yesterday, as I was leaving for the store:

Me: By kids, see ya in a little bit.

Charity: By Mom (hugs me) I love you SOOOOO much!

Me: I love you too.

Charity: Do you know why I always tell you I love you before you leave?

Me: Why?

Charity: Just in case you get in an accident and die you'll at least know I love you.

Awards

The kids are feeling better and we got out to the park and the pool today. Ahhh. That's better. Thanks for all the comments of well wishing!

Okay time to unveil the blog award - TA DA! Aint it pretty? Thank you Jeanette, I love your blog too. :) Now I get to share this treat with some of my favorite bloggers! Check these ladies out:

I have just recently discovered Misty . This woman is forging ahead consciously creating a better life for her children than what she experienced as a child. I admire this woman so much.

A few of my international friends:

Sonja in Canada, a mother of four who blogs about her life and the craziness of being a mom. I love to read her posts because she seems to be on the same wavelength as me. I think if we lived next door to each other we would have a lot to talk about!

Next, two lovely American gals living in Brazil and sharing the experience of raising a family surrounded by a forgein culture: Gabriela and Ballerina Girl.

And here is the link to my new friend Vicky who is English but makes her home in Japan with her husband and two children. She lives a very full life running an English school and taking care of her family.

And last but not least three totally awesome (stateside) moms: Awesome Mom, who claims to be only awesome sometimes, but I think she is pretty awesome all the time, Nettie who is stunningly creative and artistic (loved her skirt tutorial, I even made one myself!), and finally Jen who's life is crazier than mine. That's what I love about her :) She is the mother of preschool aged triplets and a darling one year old. And yet she has time to blog and always has great posts.

Okay ladies, if you would like to share the love and pass the Brillante Award on to your favorite bloggers, here are the rules.

1. Post the logo on your blog.
2. Add a link to the person who nominated you.
3. Nominate 7 other people for this award and add links to their blog.
4. Leave a message for the people that you nominated!

We Gotta Get Outta This Place

If there is one thing we are good at sharing in our home, it is germs. I have had sick children for over a week now. The virus we have seems to last two to three days, but as they are passing it around one or two at a time, it is lingering in our house long past it's time. We are sick of being sick, and we are sick of being STUCK AT HOME. No public pools, parks, movie theaters, libraries, etc. Even when they all seem to be feeling well enough to go out, if they've had a fever in the last eight hours I don't feel comfortable taking them out and risk sharing the joy of summer illnesses with another family.

So we are basically self quarantined. Ever heard of cabin fever? Late summer boredom? The two of them combined? That's what my life is looking like right now. Five of the six kids have been sick and I'm crossing my fingers the last one won't get it and we can get out of here and do something fun.

Sigh. Thanks for letting me whine.

The good news is Jeanette from Strong and Immovable has given me a blog award! Hooray! Thanks for brightening my day Jeanette, I love your blog too. :). Tomorrow I'll reveal the sparkling thing and pass it on to some of my favorite bloggers as well!

I Dressed Myself

I have always felt that little kids need to be able to make choices. It is important for them to gain confidence in their ability to pick one thing over another and have the results be positive. Sometimes the choices have to be narrowed down for them, like "Do you want peanut butter or grilled cheese sandwich for lunch today?" or "Do you want to play with your dolls or your tea set?" or "Do you want to play nicely with your brother or do you want to play alone?"

There is one area, however, that I have pretty much given my kids free reign, though not necessarily on purpose. My kids are allowed to choose their own outfits. There are many days I wish my children would wear clothing combinations that didn't make people wonder if my whole family is color blind. There are days I wish they would wear their socks folded or scrunched nicely as they were meant to be instead of rolled down like doughnuts around their ankles. There are days I wish their shoes would go sensibly with the outfit they have chosen, and that their shirts weren't on backward.

I don't think I started just letting them wear whatever they want on purpose. When they are little and they come out dressed by themselves, proud at their accomplishments it is hard to say, "Well that's great honey, but your outfit is all wrong." I just can't do it. So we started going to the grocery store and library with mismatched clothing, with shorts and rain boots on, or some item of clothing inside out. Then there came the days when I had more kids and I just didn't have time to give subtle commentary as they chose their outfits each the morning. If they were dressed before noon, and I didn't have to struggle with them to get them clothed, I considered it good.

So now I am stuck in the habit. The truth is, except for the initial, "Oh, that's an interesting outfit she/he chose today," I don't really notice what they are wearing anymore. Until we go out in public. Like here: I totally forgot that Tab was wearing this darling getup (the purple shirt even had little flowers on it to contrast with the hearts on her pants) until we were down at the park at a church party. That's when I start to wonder what people are thinking. Do they understand? They must realize that I didn't dress them. Do they think: How could she let her kids out of the house like that?

I mentioned this worry to a good friend of mine and she said, "Don't worry about it. If their hair is combed and they are clean people know they are well cared for. No one will mistake them for orphan children." And I think she is right. It's just another one of those times when I have to have confidence that what I am doing is right for my children, even if some people wouldn't let their kids be caught dead in some of the getups my kids choose.

The good news is that as my older kids have grown they have began to make better "matching" choices with their outfits, and occasionally even ask for my opinion. My hope, and a small one it may be, is that if they fell free to wear whatever they want from the beginning my boys won't feel a need to wear styles that reflect a lack of, um, self respect(?) and my daughters won't be sneaking out the door in crazy, make-your-mom-faint-and-your-dad-blush outfits when they are teenagers. Then again, it may just backfire.

The Replacement

Tim has never been a little "Linus," dragging his blanket everywhere with him. He isn't one of those kids who can't get to sleep with out his blanket or who sits sadly by the washer when the beloved item has become too dirty to be considered sanitary. But after we left his "bwanket" behind at a hotel earlier this summer, he began to miss it.

His darling siblings began to create a new one for him, and although their intentions were good, it never came to full fruition.

It has been over a month since the blanket abandonment, and the boy sleeps, eats, plays, and even settles down when he is sad without it. If I was worried about security item attachment issues I'd be feeling pretty good that he doesn't need it anymore. But he has never needed it like that. It is a small comforting item to him, and heck, I have a favorite afghan I like to cuddle up in when I am reading a book or taking a nap.

Every once in a while he asks if we are going back to the hotel so he, "can wook in the woom where we weft my bwanket," so I decided, even though he is four and is at about the age where most parents are trying to wean their kids from blankets, to go ahead and make him a new one.

I found some fun flannel with cars, trucks, etc. on it and stitched one up for him the other night.

He still asks about the other blanket, but was very excited to get this new one. After all, a blanket isn't just a blanket, it's a cape, a roof of a fort, wrapping paper, somewhere to wipe your face, a hiding place, and oh so much more.

Christmas is Coming?

Have you noticed that the back to school sales are starting, the store shelves are crowded with binders, notebooks and backpacks? Have you noticed that Halloween items are sneaking into the craft and decor stores and Christmas fabrics are popping up in more abundance?

For crying out loud, it's JULY. You know what all this means, don't you? It means it is time to start Christmas shopping!!!!

Seriously, although Christmas is a beautiful season and I love all that it represents and all the little miracles and acts of love and family togetherness it brings, it is THE most stressful time of the year for me.

My cue to get started on material aspects of Christmas is when I see the back to school stuff on sale. If I don't have at least some stocking stuffers by the end of August I feel like I am behind already. If I am planing on making anything, I'd better get it in the works soon.

I made my first purchase three days ago and pulled out my Holiday Binder to start keeping track of what I have already bought, what I need to buy, etc. I think I also I need to put in a key to where I hide everything. It would be such a disaster if the kids ever got a hold of this book!

I use a few pages from the Fly Lady's Holiday Control Journal. I have found that I don't use the whole thing but I have found a few pages indispensable:

-Dates to put on your calendar (shipping deadlines!!!)
-Holiday gift list: a list of who you need to buy for and what, with places to check if it has been bought wrapped, shipped,etc.
-Holiday gift list of things to make: pretty much same as other list, both have places to write down how much you spend so you don't "accidentally" go over budget.
-Catalog orders checklist: keep track of all those online purchases and check off when they arrive!
-A page in the back of the binder where I tape envelopes to keep receipts in.

Things few things I added:

-A list of people to send Christmas cards to (that I pretty much never get to)
-Holiday crafts ideas an recipes I come across over the holidays and might
want to use for the next year.
-And most importantly: Our Christmas Budget Outline where I have determined how much we can spend on different items: tree, decor, presents for the kids, extended family gifts, office gifts, etc.

I have used this strategy for several years and it helps me stay organised and mostly sane until January.

In July and August I start thinking about stocking stuffers (I always grab a bunch of the school supplies while they're cheap: crayons, colored pencils, etc.) and small gifts to stock up on, like teacher gifts, stuff for the kids to exchange at school etc. I don't usually buy my kids the larger gifts until November at the earliest because their tastes and interests change quickly.

If I could get something together for my husband's coworkers before the end of September I would be in heaven! I hate trying to come up with something cute and affordable to give out that expresses our appreciation for them. If anyone has any ideas I would be grateful!!! Last year we gave out clear glass ornaments (the kind you get at craft stores) with sand and seashells in the bottom and a tag that said, "When you see this ornament on the tree, remember the man who walked in Galilee". I had that one planned a year ahead. This year, nothin'.

It is a little overwhelming to me just thinking about everything that goes into Christmas. But, if I can get all the shopping done in a calm, organized, timely manner, I will be able to enjoy the season with my family. Seriously, though, who Else's birthday deserves so much planning? :)

Happy Birthday Beautiful Girl

I have enjoyed seven years of looking at this sweet face. Seven years of watching this little baby grow into this darling little girl. She is fourth in our family of six children, second daughter, and resident spitfire. As an infant we could never keep her swaddled. Unless she was asleep, her bassinet was always wiggling. Her little fists and feet would poke up over the rim as she tested out her new body.

There is something unconquerable about her. Things roll easily off her back. Almost too easily sometimes, like doing the thing she just got in trouble for ten minutes ago, or (a little confession here), when I apologized for loosing my temper, telling me she doesn't mind if I yell at her.
She gets sad, but can't keep a smile from creeping back onto her lips. She gets frustrated, but hardly ever mopes. Pout for a minute maybe, but not mope.

She gets mad and then, well, she gets in trouble, if you know what I mean. She doesn't have a problem telling us how she feels or what she wants. She has her own ideas and pretty much does her own thing. A typical example from when she was about 18 months. Gracie decides when bathtime is over. It wasn't over.

She is silly, and smart, and has a great sense of humor. She loves to tease. If you happen to be standing by a pool fully clothed, she will be the first one to get out and give you a big wet hug. Someday she will be big enough to push us in.

She's one of those kids who goes all day long and then hits the bed hard at night. At least she doesn't fall asleep in her food anymore.

She is very social and loves to be with friends. She can be very sweet and tender with her siblings, helping to cheer them up when they are sad or sick. Just today Tim was running a fever and she tenderly mopped his forehead with a cool rag.I could go on and on about this energetic, silly, sweet, headstrong child!But this short post will have to suffice. Happy Birthday Gracie. You are so loved!