Hello, hello!
Well, the company we expected to arrive Saturday evening called from the corner market in the morning. That slowed us down, but we had a great time visiting, and had an extra set of hands to help get the place ready for our company arriving on Monday.
Until, that is, they pulled up Saturday evening!
So, we've done a lot of visiting and working, but not much downtime the past few days. The ductwork wasn't completed and ready for HVAC Guy to pick up until yesterday afternoon, so it will be tomorrow before we get the a/c hooked up. Talk about trial by fire: we've peaked 100' at least once since our company arrived! Boy, does that feel inhospitable. But thankfully, our company is gracious and has borne the discomfort without much fuss.
You've never seen three happier children, though, than when Granny climbed out of her car Saturday! We were out in the yard, enjoying the cool evening breeze. The boys had their bikes out. Smidge was doing his best to keep up on his little trike. Mr. Ward had the air compressor out and was running pit crew. Balto just ran from boy to adult, basking in the head rubs and energy. Then a strange car pulled up. And Granny got out - that's when chaos hit full steam!
John just about killed himself trying to get off his bike - first, he tipped it over, then he got his foot caught trying to get up. He finally extricated his foot, but left his boot behind. By the time he got himself put back together, she was halfway across the yard.
Smidge was so excited, he didn't know what to do. He'd run toward her, screaming, "Granny! My Granny at MY home!" Then it would hit him, and he'd run back to the porch to tell us that his Granny was at HIS home. He'd do a little dance, then realize he hadn't hugged her yet and off he'd go, making it part way across the yard and then back to the porch. The whole time, giggling and yelling and announcing that Granny was actually HERE!
James wanted to show whomever it was that had arrived his new bike tricks, so he was way at the top of the upper meadow before she got out of the car. Once he started down, he realized who it was and, well, that kind of excitement will sure mess up your ability to steer. Straight into the swing set, he went. He had an easier time of it removing himself from the wreckage, but was about as conflicted as Smidge as to whether to salvage the show and greet her with an impressive display, or toss it for now and go hang on Granny.
In the end, it was a wonderful evening, filled with lightning bugs and biking, iced tea and good company. It was the kind of thing we wanted this house to offer, and it does.
We'll be heading out to a party at church here in a bit. The boys are out with Granny, buying fireworks. (That's a lot like sending me to buy tomatoes and beer, but she's been a trooper about it.) Zorak and Mr. Ward are putting the finishing touches on the HVAC system so it will be ready to roll in the morning.
Sears called to confirm our "Special Delivery" tomorrow - they'll be here in the afternoon. I may wash things that don't even need washing, just for fun!
Have a splendid and wonderful Fourth of July! Give thanks for the blessings in your life, and as always, kiss those babies!
~Dy
Tuesday, July 4
Thursday, June 29
Ahoy!
Jill mused a while back about the naval theme that her family has taken on, and it made me chuckle. The boys, naturally, asked what was so funny. And there, true to form, we wandered off the deep end - thus accomplishing nothing on the house, but engaging in fun forms of ship-speak for the next hour or so. Last night at supper, I heard, "Mom, the dressing stands by you." I looked up to see an impish little grin, and what could I do but laugh? (Well, and then explain to Zorak what we were giggling over.) We love to hear things like this pop up in their dialogue, as it's more proof that they *do* listen. After all, what are our children picking up when we aren't taking the time to be the ones talking with them?
And this delightful life of ours is about to crank up the pace for a few days! TONS of stuff to do: wiring, texturing, cleaning, hanging, sorting, nailing, trimming, and general readiness prep. Miss Emily won't sleep (teething tablets to the rescue!). The boys are thoroughly enjoying their lessons... to the detriment of any actual scheduling attempts on my part. Zorak's feeling a bit under the weather, and scratched his eye doing who-knows-what. (Safety goggles, Love! Sexy as they are, they're not just a fashion statement!) I go in tomorrow for a follow-up visit with my doctor (to show her that, no, I'm not suffering from some parentally-induced malaise, and yes, I still love and care for *gasp*, all four of my children.) Balto dog is due for more Frontline (ew!) so he goes in at two tomorrow. Sheetrock goes up tomorrow morning, and then it's texture-texture-texture like the wind! (I don't believe I've mentioned how bizarre it feels to walk out of the bathroom now and see, not plastic sheeting and dark, lurking forms behind it, but an open doorway and subfloor - and the window! We haven't seen that window since Christmas! Zorak and I both cringe involuntarily, then relax visibly every time we pass that doorway.)
And, it's really kinda still warm out. (Euphemism alert!!)
After a two-day wait with no call back, I called Sears again. Nobody knows anything about the missing return call, but the lady I spoke with said the laundry center isn't even scheduled to arrive in Huntsville until the wee hours of the fifth. *sigh* At least I have an answer, now. But that's okay - it's less than a week away! Yippee!
Our lessons today went quickly - we did them in our room, where Miss Emily could roam the bed without getting rug burns on her forehead and the boys could curl up and enjoy some snuggles among the phonics drills, Latin chants, and encyclopedia entries. I think James did his math under the couch cushions, or at least that's what it looked like. All I could see were his legs. John did his under the dining table. So, math, Latin, and earthquake awareness; check! Sounds like a good day, to me.
And now, everyone has been fed. Again. We need to knock out Smidge, put up some laundry, and then James and I hope to play our long-awaited game of chess (he's going to cream me). Hopefully, we can get a dresser this weekend and deal with some of the clutter. Yes, the same dresser we've been hoping to purchase for a month, now. Don't hold your breath. We only prepared for two children, so we're winging it on pretty much all fronts at this point.
Tonight's blogging will probably be a little light on content (as opposed to the deeply thought-provoking, content-rich blogging I've been doing lately *snort*). I need a little fun brain-break for a bit.
So, kiss those babies (and talk to them)!
~Dy
And this delightful life of ours is about to crank up the pace for a few days! TONS of stuff to do: wiring, texturing, cleaning, hanging, sorting, nailing, trimming, and general readiness prep. Miss Emily won't sleep (teething tablets to the rescue!). The boys are thoroughly enjoying their lessons... to the detriment of any actual scheduling attempts on my part. Zorak's feeling a bit under the weather, and scratched his eye doing who-knows-what. (Safety goggles, Love! Sexy as they are, they're not just a fashion statement!) I go in tomorrow for a follow-up visit with my doctor (to show her that, no, I'm not suffering from some parentally-induced malaise, and yes, I still love and care for *gasp*, all four of my children.) Balto dog is due for more Frontline (ew!) so he goes in at two tomorrow. Sheetrock goes up tomorrow morning, and then it's texture-texture-texture like the wind! (I don't believe I've mentioned how bizarre it feels to walk out of the bathroom now and see, not plastic sheeting and dark, lurking forms behind it, but an open doorway and subfloor - and the window! We haven't seen that window since Christmas! Zorak and I both cringe involuntarily, then relax visibly every time we pass that doorway.)
And, it's really kinda still warm out. (Euphemism alert!!)
After a two-day wait with no call back, I called Sears again. Nobody knows anything about the missing return call, but the lady I spoke with said the laundry center isn't even scheduled to arrive in Huntsville until the wee hours of the fifth. *sigh* At least I have an answer, now. But that's okay - it's less than a week away! Yippee!
Our lessons today went quickly - we did them in our room, where Miss Emily could roam the bed without getting rug burns on her forehead and the boys could curl up and enjoy some snuggles among the phonics drills, Latin chants, and encyclopedia entries. I think James did his math under the couch cushions, or at least that's what it looked like. All I could see were his legs. John did his under the dining table. So, math, Latin, and earthquake awareness; check! Sounds like a good day, to me.
And now, everyone has been fed. Again. We need to knock out Smidge, put up some laundry, and then James and I hope to play our long-awaited game of chess (he's going to cream me). Hopefully, we can get a dresser this weekend and deal with some of the clutter. Yes, the same dresser we've been hoping to purchase for a month, now. Don't hold your breath. We only prepared for two children, so we're winging it on pretty much all fronts at this point.
Tonight's blogging will probably be a little light on content (as opposed to the deeply thought-provoking, content-rich blogging I've been doing lately *snort*). I need a little fun brain-break for a bit.
So, kiss those babies (and talk to them)!
~Dy
Tuesday, June 27
So Close We Can Taste It
HVAC Guy worked from nine until almost two. In that time, he accomplished quite a lot: the units are set, the lines are run, and measurements are taken. (OK, it doesn't look like much in writing. Maybe I've left something out - to be honest, we didn't bone up for the test on this part because, well, we didn't have to! Kind of nice for a change, to be honest.) He left a list of things we do need to get done before he comes back with the fabricated parts. But the good thing is that he said it may be the end of this week. Wouldn't that be heavenly? Of course, operative phrase is "may be", but I'll go with delirum for a thousand, please. I'm good with that.
It's so interesting to see the difference in working with him vs. the other people we spoke with - not only in that he is a small business owner rather than an employee for a larger corporation, but in that he saw the house last fall, before we bought it. He's almost as excited as we are about the changes. :-D I think I'd rather spend a week in a room of angry two-year olds than have to do an entire remodel using contractors for every step of it. But the few times we've had to work with someone, we've been fortunate to have great ones on our team. He has worked with us, and our schedule, and our poor communication skills *ahem, cough, cough* without ever getting snarky or raising the price on us mid-stream.
I called Sears today to find out if our laundry center will be in the vicinity before the fifth. If it is, then we'll go ahead and pick it up rather than wait for the fifth for delivery. We're using our own power cord, so they won't install it, anyway. Why wait? After thirty minutes on the phone with Sears, being transferred to random departments throughout the store (including women's apparel and tools), the verdict was that "Jennifer", presumably from appliances, will look into it and call me back to let me know. Never heard back, but I have hope. And that hope makes me giddy!
Zorak's Mom and Brother will head our way in a few days. Brother will drop her off with us, then head to PA to get his girls and bring them back. They plan to stay for a week or so. Looks like it's time to slip back into Host Mode, which is always a nice treat. They'd like to see the Caverns and the Gardens, and we'll probably do the boat excursion. Granny loves to hit the junk shops (and the boys, I am proud to say, have mastered the fine art of knowing when it's a "junk shop" and when you really ought to call it an "antique shop" - Granny will be so proud! *sniff*) The boys will be thrilled to have Granny at hand again. We cannot wait to see the girls. They're 14 and 16 now, and although in our minds they are still just 4 and 6, they've grown into fine young ladies who are a joy to be around.
I talked to the Aunts on Sunday and they said Gram is doing wonderfully. She's home, recovering, and growing stronger each day. Gram was resting when I called, and I'd planned to call back in the afternoon to talk to her, but I hate disturbing her rest. Even if she's just laying down, she's getting some rest, and she's probably going to need a lion's share of it over the next week or so. In the meantime, however, it's so encouraging to know she is recovering so well!
Tomorrow starts our church's summer Wednesday program. Looks like fun, and it's scheduled for the hot, hot afternoon hours. Ohhhh, twist my arm, folks! I get to hang out, in an air conditioned building, for two and a half hours while my children enjoy fellowship and all that crafty, energetic stuff I can't quite pull off? And there'll be snacks? What a delightful idea!
Kiss those sweet babies!
~Dy
It's so interesting to see the difference in working with him vs. the other people we spoke with - not only in that he is a small business owner rather than an employee for a larger corporation, but in that he saw the house last fall, before we bought it. He's almost as excited as we are about the changes. :-D I think I'd rather spend a week in a room of angry two-year olds than have to do an entire remodel using contractors for every step of it. But the few times we've had to work with someone, we've been fortunate to have great ones on our team. He has worked with us, and our schedule, and our poor communication skills *ahem, cough, cough* without ever getting snarky or raising the price on us mid-stream.
I called Sears today to find out if our laundry center will be in the vicinity before the fifth. If it is, then we'll go ahead and pick it up rather than wait for the fifth for delivery. We're using our own power cord, so they won't install it, anyway. Why wait? After thirty minutes on the phone with Sears, being transferred to random departments throughout the store (including women's apparel and tools), the verdict was that "Jennifer", presumably from appliances, will look into it and call me back to let me know. Never heard back, but I have hope. And that hope makes me giddy!
Zorak's Mom and Brother will head our way in a few days. Brother will drop her off with us, then head to PA to get his girls and bring them back. They plan to stay for a week or so. Looks like it's time to slip back into Host Mode, which is always a nice treat. They'd like to see the Caverns and the Gardens, and we'll probably do the boat excursion. Granny loves to hit the junk shops (and the boys, I am proud to say, have mastered the fine art of knowing when it's a "junk shop" and when you really ought to call it an "antique shop" - Granny will be so proud! *sniff*) The boys will be thrilled to have Granny at hand again. We cannot wait to see the girls. They're 14 and 16 now, and although in our minds they are still just 4 and 6, they've grown into fine young ladies who are a joy to be around.
I talked to the Aunts on Sunday and they said Gram is doing wonderfully. She's home, recovering, and growing stronger each day. Gram was resting when I called, and I'd planned to call back in the afternoon to talk to her, but I hate disturbing her rest. Even if she's just laying down, she's getting some rest, and she's probably going to need a lion's share of it over the next week or so. In the meantime, however, it's so encouraging to know she is recovering so well!
Tomorrow starts our church's summer Wednesday program. Looks like fun, and it's scheduled for the hot, hot afternoon hours. Ohhhh, twist my arm, folks! I get to hang out, in an air conditioned building, for two and a half hours while my children enjoy fellowship and all that crafty, energetic stuff I can't quite pull off? And there'll be snacks? What a delightful idea!
Kiss those sweet babies!
~Dy
He's HERE!
HVAC man is here! There are two beautiful, shiny new units being set as I type! Oh, JOY!
Dy
Dy
Monday, June 26
Day... whatever, I've lost count
The children and I stayed home (again) today. We waited. And waited. And waited. No HVAC guy. hmmm. Well, alrighty, then. Zorak did get through to him in the late afternoon, to find that he plans to be out tomorrow morning. (As opposed to this morning, or Saturday morning, or even last Friday morning... well, I'm not saving him any coffee. He can durned well bring his own.) To be fair to HVAC guy, Zorak's not the most detailed conversationalist when it comes to hammering out plans. Great engineer, wonderful husband... not so much on the communication end. About the only thing I can say with absolute certainty is that I will never know what happened.
Lessons are moving right along with all the fluid motion you can expect with four children. Yes, some days it's choppy like a lake in a storm. Today was relatively smooth. We did Bouncing Narrations, which are always fun. I read. They narrate. For each accurate point they make in their narrations, I let them bounce off my bed. This is why we never rented a second-floor apartment!
Smidge has become quite a list-maker, and self-proclaimed organizer. So, while I'm bringing water to the table, he's shouting, "Pray! A'er cord! Juice! Raymoose! ROOOARRR! Straw! ROOOARRR! A'er cord! Ooo, ooo, ooo JUICE!" (To translate the less-than-clear bits: "a'er cord" is "AllerChord", the drops the boys all take; ROOOARRR is "vitamins" - they're shaped like dinosaurs, of course.) It's like being dictated to by a drunk. A really, really cute drunk.
Oh, and things I overheard today from the other two:
John: "Watch out, Smidge! I'm about to impress Emily!"
James: (after a particularly loud crash) "No, we're good. Nothing's broken. Well, we need a new plate for the scale. And this time, use the two-ton epoxy."
They make me smile.
The house is nearly ready for company, which is good, because a friend of Zorak's leaves Arizona tomorrow to come look for a home. Yeah, tomorrow. Coming our way. Nothing like a good head's up that company's coming, right? (Again, I'm looking closely at Zorak for this - how do you fail to mention when out-of-state company will be arriving this week? Oh, well, at least I've got tomorrow to get the guest room ready. You know, while we wait for the HVAC guy...)
Tonight calls for a little music, a little coffee, and more cleaning! So, while I'd rather stay on and play, I suppose I'll go do something productive. The boys requested oats for breakfast, and chai tea. So at least there's nominal prep work for the morning. I love that they can formulate menus they enjoy, and that the foods are mostly identifiable and provably edible. This is one of those things I've come to appreciate on a deep level.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
(Yes, I know "chai" means "tea". When they change the sign in Arizona that points to "Table Mesa Road", then I'll care. Until then, the box says "chai tea" and that what we're calling it.)
Lessons are moving right along with all the fluid motion you can expect with four children. Yes, some days it's choppy like a lake in a storm. Today was relatively smooth. We did Bouncing Narrations, which are always fun. I read. They narrate. For each accurate point they make in their narrations, I let them bounce off my bed. This is why we never rented a second-floor apartment!
Smidge has become quite a list-maker, and self-proclaimed organizer. So, while I'm bringing water to the table, he's shouting, "Pray! A'er cord! Juice! Raymoose! ROOOARRR! Straw! ROOOARRR! A'er cord! Ooo, ooo, ooo JUICE!" (To translate the less-than-clear bits: "a'er cord" is "AllerChord", the drops the boys all take; ROOOARRR is "vitamins" - they're shaped like dinosaurs, of course.) It's like being dictated to by a drunk. A really, really cute drunk.
Oh, and things I overheard today from the other two:
John: "Watch out, Smidge! I'm about to impress Emily!"
James: (after a particularly loud crash) "No, we're good. Nothing's broken. Well, we need a new plate for the scale. And this time, use the two-ton epoxy."
They make me smile.
The house is nearly ready for company, which is good, because a friend of Zorak's leaves Arizona tomorrow to come look for a home. Yeah, tomorrow. Coming our way. Nothing like a good head's up that company's coming, right? (Again, I'm looking closely at Zorak for this - how do you fail to mention when out-of-state company will be arriving this week? Oh, well, at least I've got tomorrow to get the guest room ready. You know, while we wait for the HVAC guy...)
Tonight calls for a little music, a little coffee, and more cleaning! So, while I'd rather stay on and play, I suppose I'll go do something productive. The boys requested oats for breakfast, and chai tea. So at least there's nominal prep work for the morning. I love that they can formulate menus they enjoy, and that the foods are mostly identifiable and provably edible. This is one of those things I've come to appreciate on a deep level.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
(Yes, I know "chai" means "tea". When they change the sign in Arizona that points to "Table Mesa Road", then I'll care. Until then, the box says "chai tea" and that what we're calling it.)
We Made It
Or, to be a bit more specific, We Very Nearly Made It. We got up, dressed, fed (albeit lightly - smoothies, fruit and toast make for a lousy breakfast - we would die off, and be quite grouchy about it in the process, if we were forced to become vegetarians!) and out the door in time to make it to Sunday School. The Very Nearly part comes in because, technically, the boys' classes were doing their Opening Ceremonies thing when we arrived. BUT, they had not gone to their 'age appropriate' holding pens yet, and so, that totally counts! SCORE!
About three minutes into class, Smidge announced (to everyone in the room) that he had to pee. Now. Let's go! We shuffled off to the nursery (aka - nearest facility - I know better than to try to make it down thegauntlet, uh, hallway festooned with classroom art.) I handed Miss Emily off to Sweet Tiffany, who works in the nursery on Sundays, and bolted to the facility just in time to prevent Smidge from starting a streaking career. Dancing, high-fives and general happiness ensued.
As we washed our hands, Smidge spied a toy he wanted to play with. Um... well, yes, you can play with that, but you'll need to play with it in here. We can't take it out of the room. "OK, Mama. You go. I'll play." As this strange alien changeling took the toy and plopped down on the floor to play, Tiffany, Nice Mrs. B, and I stared after him as if none of us knew who this kid was or how he got in. Wow, that's new! I did a quick head count: three adults, and only three children. "Um, would it be okay if Miss Emily stayed for Sunday School, too?" :-) I slipped out, kept my ears perked (our class meets in the room adjoining the nursery), and enjoyed the study tremendously. The pace of the class seems much slower when one isn't also tending to two children.
When the boys and I retrieved Smidge, Miss Emily was sound asleep. I think Tiffany is the one person in the nursery I'm comfortable leaving the children with, which had a lot to do with the next step I took. However, there was also the decadent thought of sitting through the service with only three children... it was like the siren's song and there was nobody to lash me to the mast! We ran for it, enjoyed snack and fellowship and then the four of us slipped quietly into the sanctuary. The service was wonderful. It was good to be able to spend time instructing the boys on the liturgy, the order of worship, and the whole point of the service. Miss Emily was up and happy when the service ended, so there wasn't any residual guilt stuck to me as we left the building.
The rest of the day was laundry, cleaning, laundry, and a nap that I tried very hard not to take.
Smidge ate the cheese off his chili at supper, then turned his nose up at the rest of it, so we got ready for bed before the boys and were able to spend extra time reading Smidge-Speed books. We took our time finding all the buildings in Geoppolis. We talked about moles and tugboats with Scuffy. We looked at spiders. But mostly, we cuddled. We smiled. We shared eskimo kisses and head 'nuggles. By the time the boys were ready for a story, Smidge was out cold, his little heart all tanked up and happy.
We are revisiting The Borrowers. I was pregnant last time we tried, and although I loved the book when I was a child, it pretty much knocked me out last fall when I tried reading it to the boys. Two chapters in, though, and I think we're going to make it!
James just finished Owls in the Family and asked for more books by Mowat. He's collected quite a list of authors he'd like to read more of this summer. I suppose it's time to go pay the late fees we owe the Madison County library.
John got a little extra attention and grace this weekend, which seems to be exactly what he was needing. Rather than being a BIG BROTHER, at the moment he's feeling quite mired in MIDDLE CHILD SYNDROME. It's rough to be standing in this chaos we've built, let alone standing in it with one foot in the "young man" realm and the other foot still dragging heavily in the "little guy" realm. We spent some time reassurring him - through actions moreso than words - that it's okay to be in the places inbetween. You don't have to heave yourself up onto the next step of the ladder in one bound. We love you, and we've got your back. I think we all need that reassurrance once in a while, but we don't always know how to go about asking for it.
And Miss Emily has a new nickname: Girlzilla. The boys made it up. She's discovered the joy of knocking down towers. Or, rather, I suspect she's discovered the joy of making her brothers laugh. That they build things for her to knock down is simply a handy avenue through which she can achieve that goal. They'll build something just within her reach, then stand back and watch with anticipation. She'll knock it down, then immediately look at them and raise her eyebrows expectantly. They'll roll with laughter, and she'll squeal and start chewing on some part of the structure until they gather the parts to do it again. What fun!
I'm going to put Girlzilla back to bed and get some rest, myself. Tomorrow will, hopefully, be a Very Busy Day!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
About three minutes into class, Smidge announced (to everyone in the room) that he had to pee. Now. Let's go! We shuffled off to the nursery (aka - nearest facility - I know better than to try to make it down the
As we washed our hands, Smidge spied a toy he wanted to play with. Um... well, yes, you can play with that, but you'll need to play with it in here. We can't take it out of the room. "OK, Mama. You go. I'll play." As this strange alien changeling took the toy and plopped down on the floor to play, Tiffany, Nice Mrs. B, and I stared after him as if none of us knew who this kid was or how he got in. Wow, that's new! I did a quick head count: three adults, and only three children. "Um, would it be okay if Miss Emily stayed for Sunday School, too?" :-) I slipped out, kept my ears perked (our class meets in the room adjoining the nursery), and enjoyed the study tremendously. The pace of the class seems much slower when one isn't also tending to two children.
When the boys and I retrieved Smidge, Miss Emily was sound asleep. I think Tiffany is the one person in the nursery I'm comfortable leaving the children with, which had a lot to do with the next step I took. However, there was also the decadent thought of sitting through the service with only three children... it was like the siren's song and there was nobody to lash me to the mast! We ran for it, enjoyed snack and fellowship and then the four of us slipped quietly into the sanctuary. The service was wonderful. It was good to be able to spend time instructing the boys on the liturgy, the order of worship, and the whole point of the service. Miss Emily was up and happy when the service ended, so there wasn't any residual guilt stuck to me as we left the building.
The rest of the day was laundry, cleaning, laundry, and a nap that I tried very hard not to take.
Smidge ate the cheese off his chili at supper, then turned his nose up at the rest of it, so we got ready for bed before the boys and were able to spend extra time reading Smidge-Speed books. We took our time finding all the buildings in Geoppolis. We talked about moles and tugboats with Scuffy. We looked at spiders. But mostly, we cuddled. We smiled. We shared eskimo kisses and head 'nuggles. By the time the boys were ready for a story, Smidge was out cold, his little heart all tanked up and happy.
We are revisiting The Borrowers. I was pregnant last time we tried, and although I loved the book when I was a child, it pretty much knocked me out last fall when I tried reading it to the boys. Two chapters in, though, and I think we're going to make it!
James just finished Owls in the Family and asked for more books by Mowat. He's collected quite a list of authors he'd like to read more of this summer. I suppose it's time to go pay the late fees we owe the Madison County library.
John got a little extra attention and grace this weekend, which seems to be exactly what he was needing. Rather than being a BIG BROTHER, at the moment he's feeling quite mired in MIDDLE CHILD SYNDROME. It's rough to be standing in this chaos we've built, let alone standing in it with one foot in the "young man" realm and the other foot still dragging heavily in the "little guy" realm. We spent some time reassurring him - through actions moreso than words - that it's okay to be in the places inbetween. You don't have to heave yourself up onto the next step of the ladder in one bound. We love you, and we've got your back. I think we all need that reassurrance once in a while, but we don't always know how to go about asking for it.
And Miss Emily has a new nickname: Girlzilla. The boys made it up. She's discovered the joy of knocking down towers. Or, rather, I suspect she's discovered the joy of making her brothers laugh. That they build things for her to knock down is simply a handy avenue through which she can achieve that goal. They'll build something just within her reach, then stand back and watch with anticipation. She'll knock it down, then immediately look at them and raise her eyebrows expectantly. They'll roll with laughter, and she'll squeal and start chewing on some part of the structure until they gather the parts to do it again. What fun!
I'm going to put Girlzilla back to bed and get some rest, myself. Tomorrow will, hopefully, be a Very Busy Day!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, June 24
In The Summertime
Yes, I've had the Mungo Jerry song in my head all day long. Granted, that's kept a little lift in my footsteps (not to mention the workout my neck muscles have had from bobbing about all day), so I suppose it's not all bad, right? As an aside, I had no idea he's been so busy all these years!
Weather.com is wonderful. I can gauge just when to hang out the wash in order to have it dry before the rains come! Technology, both primitive and state-of-the-art, working together to bring us fresh garments. What a delight - and three loads down today!
The boys' windows are nearly finished. The purple one is done (just had to do the apron today). The yellow one is nearly done now - the trim, stoop and apron are now done with two coats. It needs just one more coat of Irish Mist on the bars and muntins. The yellow looks particularly bright and airy, but I've got to say the purple isn't bad, either. Certainly not what I'd have picked, but then, neither is the grey in our room. Go figure. It is a good thing we didn't find the circa early-1900's (or older) home we were hoping to find, as there is no way I'd feel good about slapping these garish colors on "good wood". These windows, however? A-okay, in my book. And it made the boys smile. How could I not love that?
We had rain today - glorious, cooling, cleansing rain. The boys wanted to run out and play in it, and my knee-jerk reaction was, "no." But why? Are we going somewhere? Is there a tornado heading for the yard? Am I concerned the creek will rise up and release crocodiles? No, on all counts. You know, I don't mind growing up, but I do have to guard against growing weary in my soul - so go, run, play, dance. As a matter of fact, I'll grab Miss Emily and we'll sit on the porch and watch. It was delightful. Miss Emily, Balto-dog and I sat on the porch and laughed along with the boys. The boys were muddied, exhausted, and drenched, but happy.
Four made-up games, three hours, two showers, and a bath later...
Zorak had prepared a delicious mystery concoction of potatoes, pork chops, onions and miscellaneous other things. The boys set the table. We ate and talked, played and tidied. Then we popped popcorn and enjoyed a family movie before story time. We were productive today on many fronts, but the most important front was time spent with the children. By the time everybody had been tucked in and kissed, Zorak and I looked at one another, smiled the smiles of the truly blessed, and said, "This is good. This is really good."
HVAC guy didn't come today. He said he'd tried to confirm yesterday and couldn't get through (we were home all day, though, and I had even paged him in the evening), so he'll be out Monday, at any rate. Lag time between setting equipment and fabricating the remaining parts looks to be about a week. Thankfully, next week promises to be about ten degrees cooler than the past week. Yay. However, then it looks like it's going back up. So my poor Mother-in-Law may have to tough it out for a day or two in the sweltering, marrow-melting heat. But, if she survives, just think how comfortable she'll be when we kick on that new unit! (She's so brave - she must really love us!)
The delay until Monday does buy us more time for duct repair (there was a lot of it!) and perhaps we can get more trim up and finish the closets in the War Room (aka - erstwhile master bedroom, temporary guest room, future Smidge/Miss Emily room. It's been a busy room.)
And tomorrow is another opportunity to make it to church on time! (We were late for our own wedding - and then late to the reception, as well. I don't know why it surprises me that this is a struggle now.) So, in honor of that, I have two minutes to get to bed before midnight and I'm going to jump on it!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Weather.com is wonderful. I can gauge just when to hang out the wash in order to have it dry before the rains come! Technology, both primitive and state-of-the-art, working together to bring us fresh garments. What a delight - and three loads down today!
The boys' windows are nearly finished. The purple one is done (just had to do the apron today). The yellow one is nearly done now - the trim, stoop and apron are now done with two coats. It needs just one more coat of Irish Mist on the bars and muntins. The yellow looks particularly bright and airy, but I've got to say the purple isn't bad, either. Certainly not what I'd have picked, but then, neither is the grey in our room. Go figure. It is a good thing we didn't find the circa early-1900's (or older) home we were hoping to find, as there is no way I'd feel good about slapping these garish colors on "good wood". These windows, however? A-okay, in my book. And it made the boys smile. How could I not love that?
We had rain today - glorious, cooling, cleansing rain. The boys wanted to run out and play in it, and my knee-jerk reaction was, "no." But why? Are we going somewhere? Is there a tornado heading for the yard? Am I concerned the creek will rise up and release crocodiles? No, on all counts. You know, I don't mind growing up, but I do have to guard against growing weary in my soul - so go, run, play, dance. As a matter of fact, I'll grab Miss Emily and we'll sit on the porch and watch. It was delightful. Miss Emily, Balto-dog and I sat on the porch and laughed along with the boys. The boys were muddied, exhausted, and drenched, but happy.
Four made-up games, three hours, two showers, and a bath later...
Zorak had prepared a delicious mystery concoction of potatoes, pork chops, onions and miscellaneous other things. The boys set the table. We ate and talked, played and tidied. Then we popped popcorn and enjoyed a family movie before story time. We were productive today on many fronts, but the most important front was time spent with the children. By the time everybody had been tucked in and kissed, Zorak and I looked at one another, smiled the smiles of the truly blessed, and said, "This is good. This is really good."
HVAC guy didn't come today. He said he'd tried to confirm yesterday and couldn't get through (we were home all day, though, and I had even paged him in the evening), so he'll be out Monday, at any rate. Lag time between setting equipment and fabricating the remaining parts looks to be about a week. Thankfully, next week promises to be about ten degrees cooler than the past week. Yay. However, then it looks like it's going back up. So my poor Mother-in-Law may have to tough it out for a day or two in the sweltering, marrow-melting heat. But, if she survives, just think how comfortable she'll be when we kick on that new unit! (She's so brave - she must really love us!)
The delay until Monday does buy us more time for duct repair (there was a lot of it!) and perhaps we can get more trim up and finish the closets in the War Room (aka - erstwhile master bedroom, temporary guest room, future Smidge/Miss Emily room. It's been a busy room.)
And tomorrow is another opportunity to make it to church on time! (We were late for our own wedding - and then late to the reception, as well. I don't know why it surprises me that this is a struggle now.) So, in honor of that, I have two minutes to get to bed before midnight and I'm going to jump on it!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Friday, June 23
Ahh, sweet end of day
There is, perhaps, no softer, sweeter feeling than that of getting a few minutes one-on-one snuggle time with each child as you tuck them into bed. Somehow, that quiet time of touching base makes the whole unruly mess of the day recede into the background, making way for the hope of tomorrow, and the unending comfort of unconditional love. It goes both ways, and it is oh-so-good.
Had a busy day, but everything seemed to go wrong. Just plain wrong, from beginning to end. We went to the wrong park for playdate, and that's just the culminating fiasco in the whole getting-out-of-the-house saga that hallmarked this morning. This afternoon, we bought veggies and that was about it. Had more to purchase, but it wasn't going to happen today. Nope. I may have to start shopping online, although that will require a bit more proactivity on my part (ie. planning ahead).
While I'm thinking of it, I found two sites this week that I thought were worth noting. I've just left them up all week, because my bookmarks are a hideous mess and although I don't ever buy much online, I wanted to remember them. So, here ya go (then y'all can remind me that I blogged about them when I'm pondering their actual existence in a year, okay?)
Do It Yourself Pest Control. Saw this site recommended on the WTM boards, and blew two full nights checking it out. (Gee, I wonder why it caught my attention? *grin*) Not only is it informative, but the lady who recommended it said she's been quite happy with her business dealings thus far. Worth looking at!
Make Your Own Stamps. Zazzle is a site that I could easily get so lost in that it would take a full-blown rescue operation to help me find my way back again. Stuff you didn't know you needed, stuff you didn't realize was possible. This particular link looks particularly neat, and someday, when I actually mail out Christmas cards, I think it'd be nice to have specialized stamps made. These stamps are authorized postage for the USPS, so have fun!
Oh, oh, oh! Smidge is on DAY TWO of staying totally dry. Totally clean. Totally not eating good foods because of all the potty treats he has consumed. WAH-HOO!!!
Let's see, what else is there? Didn't do much on the house today. Well, *I* didn't. I just cleaned up my mess from yesterday's work. Zorak, however, got the main vent cleaned and about half the runs to the registers cleaned. That, after working a full day. He is my hero.
We had a nice, cool supper: grilled chicken, rice, applesauce, and cucumbers (sliced, then soaked in salt and vinegar/water, chilled - WONDERFUL on a hot summer evening!) I was going to serve iced water and iced tea, but somebody - probably a boy whose name begins with "J" - used all but five ice cubes from the freezer while giving the dog water tonight. So the dog has a mountain of deliciously cooled ice to nibble on this evening and we drank lukewarm tap water. That part wasn't so refreshing. But did I mention the cucumbers were nice?
Tomorrow, more windows, more trim. I'm sure reading about painting is about as much fun as watching it dry, so I'll try to think of something slightly more scintillating to write about. The HVAC Guy is coming, too, I think. I should see if he'll pose for a picture.
Whew, and I'm going to hit the hay before it's suddenly tomorrow already!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Had a busy day, but everything seemed to go wrong. Just plain wrong, from beginning to end. We went to the wrong park for playdate, and that's just the culminating fiasco in the whole getting-out-of-the-house saga that hallmarked this morning. This afternoon, we bought veggies and that was about it. Had more to purchase, but it wasn't going to happen today. Nope. I may have to start shopping online, although that will require a bit more proactivity on my part (ie. planning ahead).
While I'm thinking of it, I found two sites this week that I thought were worth noting. I've just left them up all week, because my bookmarks are a hideous mess and although I don't ever buy much online, I wanted to remember them. So, here ya go (then y'all can remind me that I blogged about them when I'm pondering their actual existence in a year, okay?)
Do It Yourself Pest Control. Saw this site recommended on the WTM boards, and blew two full nights checking it out. (Gee, I wonder why it caught my attention? *grin*) Not only is it informative, but the lady who recommended it said she's been quite happy with her business dealings thus far. Worth looking at!
Make Your Own Stamps. Zazzle is a site that I could easily get so lost in that it would take a full-blown rescue operation to help me find my way back again. Stuff you didn't know you needed, stuff you didn't realize was possible. This particular link looks particularly neat, and someday, when I actually mail out Christmas cards, I think it'd be nice to have specialized stamps made. These stamps are authorized postage for the USPS, so have fun!
Oh, oh, oh! Smidge is on DAY TWO of staying totally dry. Totally clean. Totally not eating good foods because of all the potty treats he has consumed. WAH-HOO!!!
Let's see, what else is there? Didn't do much on the house today. Well, *I* didn't. I just cleaned up my mess from yesterday's work. Zorak, however, got the main vent cleaned and about half the runs to the registers cleaned. That, after working a full day. He is my hero.
We had a nice, cool supper: grilled chicken, rice, applesauce, and cucumbers (sliced, then soaked in salt and vinegar/water, chilled - WONDERFUL on a hot summer evening!) I was going to serve iced water and iced tea, but somebody - probably a boy whose name begins with "J" - used all but five ice cubes from the freezer while giving the dog water tonight. So the dog has a mountain of deliciously cooled ice to nibble on this evening and we drank lukewarm tap water. That part wasn't so refreshing. But did I mention the cucumbers were nice?
Tomorrow, more windows, more trim. I'm sure reading about painting is about as much fun as watching it dry, so I'll try to think of something slightly more scintillating to write about. The HVAC Guy is coming, too, I think. I should see if he'll pose for a picture.
Whew, and I'm going to hit the hay before it's suddenly tomorrow already!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
More remodeling work
While we wait for the HVAC guy and the bush hog guy (the bush hog guy was supposed to come today, but the barn still looks more like Bag End than a full-size barn, so my money says he didn't show), we turn our attention the detail work that we have been avoiding... um, well, yeah, avoiding.
We've decided on the closet layout for what will be Smidge and Miss Emily's room. It has two tiny closets, one of which we made even smaller by building a chase in it to run the vent for the water heater up and out. Ah, okay... it doesn't look like a good idea, but it was. At least, it was the best we could do with what we have (what with those pesky codes and all). And we will continue telling ourselves that in ten years, when our youngest children lament their lack of closet space.
So, the littlest closet will get wire shelving, top to bottom. Won't that make it look mighty and useful? We hope so. The other small closet will get two rods with wire racks, but we'll splurge and get the rods with the swoopty things so the coat hangers can slide all the way across. I'm sure that will make a world of difference to the Small Ones.
I got the second coats of paint put on the *one* window in the boys' room. (The other one looks significantly worse now, although I didn't touch it, I swear!) And the tape is OFF. BEEYOUTEEFUL! Next, curtains, perhaps? Mmmm, normalcy... Also got the first and second (I think second, but I don't remember. We'll see in the morning, I guess) coats on the one (and only) window in the master bedroom.
The boys felt a bit neglected after their lessons were done, so they set to making themselves feel better. By yelling at one another. I guess this was an attempt to help me out, so I wouldn't have to do it, myself? I don't know, but by the time Zorak called to see if I needed him to pick up anything on his way home, I was trying to paint with one hand, the hot, sweaty, screaming baby cradled in the other hand, and all three boys were relegated to their beds (but not allowed to fall asleep - nooooo, not at five-thirty, you don't!) It was a lovely phone call, but he refused to bring me horse tranquilizers and rum. Pfft. What'd ya ask for, then?
He did set up the crib for Miss Emily, though, and she is now safely ensconsed in her own wooden cell. Safe from marauding two year olds. Shielded from the pull of gravity. And not sweating profusely against my torso. Life. Is. Good. (I'm all for co-sleeping, under the right conditions: neither parent is a drunk {well, since somebody didn't bring me rum tonight, check}; it doesn't interfere with the parents' private activities {by the time you have four, you've learned to get creative, so 'check'}; the home is somewhat climate controlled to prevent said co-sleeping arrangement from causing undue sweating - and sticking - and a fear that someone will mildew before morning {ehhh, no go on this one, hence the crib}.)
Tomorrow we have a playdate with one of the homeschooling support groups we'd signed up with ages ago. This is our second try with this group. They have a rule that says you must attend X number of functions within 60 days of joining or you get the boot. It's an attempt to keep the predators away, and I certainly appreciate that. It's just that... well, I'm bad about getting out of the house. And even less excited about getting out of the house to go sit at the park and glisten for two hours. Still, we've wanted for a while to go to something and meet some locals, and it won't always be this hot. Right? Right?!? (Quick, someone remind me that it's going to cool off eventually!!!) Thankfully, tomorrow's activity is swimming! I think we can hang with that.
Oh, and Zorak bought an air-mover. We set it up in the hallway and took turns standing directly in front of it. That was better than a weekend pass to Sea World!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
We've decided on the closet layout for what will be Smidge and Miss Emily's room. It has two tiny closets, one of which we made even smaller by building a chase in it to run the vent for the water heater up and out. Ah, okay... it doesn't look like a good idea, but it was. At least, it was the best we could do with what we have (what with those pesky codes and all). And we will continue telling ourselves that in ten years, when our youngest children lament their lack of closet space.
So, the littlest closet will get wire shelving, top to bottom. Won't that make it look mighty and useful? We hope so. The other small closet will get two rods with wire racks, but we'll splurge and get the rods with the swoopty things so the coat hangers can slide all the way across. I'm sure that will make a world of difference to the Small Ones.
I got the second coats of paint put on the *one* window in the boys' room. (The other one looks significantly worse now, although I didn't touch it, I swear!) And the tape is OFF. BEEYOUTEEFUL! Next, curtains, perhaps? Mmmm, normalcy... Also got the first and second (I think second, but I don't remember. We'll see in the morning, I guess) coats on the one (and only) window in the master bedroom.
The boys felt a bit neglected after their lessons were done, so they set to making themselves feel better. By yelling at one another. I guess this was an attempt to help me out, so I wouldn't have to do it, myself? I don't know, but by the time Zorak called to see if I needed him to pick up anything on his way home, I was trying to paint with one hand, the hot, sweaty, screaming baby cradled in the other hand, and all three boys were relegated to their beds (but not allowed to fall asleep - nooooo, not at five-thirty, you don't!) It was a lovely phone call, but he refused to bring me horse tranquilizers and rum. Pfft. What'd ya ask for, then?
He did set up the crib for Miss Emily, though, and she is now safely ensconsed in her own wooden cell. Safe from marauding two year olds. Shielded from the pull of gravity. And not sweating profusely against my torso. Life. Is. Good. (I'm all for co-sleeping, under the right conditions: neither parent is a drunk {well, since somebody didn't bring me rum tonight, check}; it doesn't interfere with the parents' private activities {by the time you have four, you've learned to get creative, so 'check'}; the home is somewhat climate controlled to prevent said co-sleeping arrangement from causing undue sweating - and sticking - and a fear that someone will mildew before morning {ehhh, no go on this one, hence the crib}.)
Tomorrow we have a playdate with one of the homeschooling support groups we'd signed up with ages ago. This is our second try with this group. They have a rule that says you must attend X number of functions within 60 days of joining or you get the boot. It's an attempt to keep the predators away, and I certainly appreciate that. It's just that... well, I'm bad about getting out of the house. And even less excited about getting out of the house to go sit at the park and glisten for two hours. Still, we've wanted for a while to go to something and meet some locals, and it won't always be this hot. Right? Right?!? (Quick, someone remind me that it's going to cool off eventually!!!) Thankfully, tomorrow's activity is swimming! I think we can hang with that.
Oh, and Zorak bought an air-mover. We set it up in the hallway and took turns standing directly in front of it. That was better than a weekend pass to Sea World!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, June 22
Home Remodeling Tip #237
Paint the darned trim before the weather turns hot. Even if you're tired of painting trim. Even if you are burned out on paint, period. Even if you must do it hunched over like Quasimodo, with three children and a baby hanging off your dangly bits. Yes, do it. It's not going to get any easier before Halloween, so just get it over with.
*whew*
Got the topcoat put on the bars and muntins of *one* of the boys' windows. Got most of the window trim painted purple (yeah, that was intentional). Have to wait to paint the stoop and the apron because they'll be yellow. No blue on the windows now, as we're moving all-things-blue to Smidge and Emily's room next month. (A pink and blue room - how cute, yet painfully cliche!)
Textured the linen closet. Will prime that tonight and paint it in the morning. Yay!
Went to Sears today and purchased THIS. It will be here July 5th. Can you feel the joy emanating from your monitor? I'll yell you, if my mother-in-law wasn't coming a few days before then, I'd probably put a moratorium on all things clothing related until then. *grin* I'll spare her the grim task of witnessing that, though, and at least try to keep up in the meantime.
Zorak has all the ventilation runs removed and ready to clean. That has been, to put it mildly, a disgusting venture. I'd rather do laundry!
And... I think I'm supposed to be cooking supper right now, but this is the first time that particular item has managed to wriggle its way to the forefront of my mind. Guess I'd better go figure that out!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
*whew*
Got the topcoat put on the bars and muntins of *one* of the boys' windows. Got most of the window trim painted purple (yeah, that was intentional). Have to wait to paint the stoop and the apron because they'll be yellow. No blue on the windows now, as we're moving all-things-blue to Smidge and Emily's room next month. (A pink and blue room - how cute, yet painfully cliche!)
Textured the linen closet. Will prime that tonight and paint it in the morning. Yay!
Went to Sears today and purchased THIS. It will be here July 5th. Can you feel the joy emanating from your monitor? I'll yell you, if my mother-in-law wasn't coming a few days before then, I'd probably put a moratorium on all things clothing related until then. *grin* I'll spare her the grim task of witnessing that, though, and at least try to keep up in the meantime.
Zorak has all the ventilation runs removed and ready to clean. That has been, to put it mildly, a disgusting venture. I'd rather do laundry!
And... I think I'm supposed to be cooking supper right now, but this is the first time that particular item has managed to wriggle its way to the forefront of my mind. Guess I'd better go figure that out!
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, June 21
A Countdown
If you go back
1 college degree...
2 vehicles...
3 children...
4 states...
5 houses...
6 years...
You come to the day we got this little addition to our family:
Thankfully, he didn't spring from anyone's loins that size. We just didn't get a digital camera until he was about two. But he was just as cute when he started out, trust me!
Much like Titch's little seed, he grew and grew and grew. Our Wednesday hiking days became immensely more enjoyable once he acquiesced to carrying his own water...
He's been our anchor, reminding us that they're just little guys, that everybody needs extra hugs, that it's okay to be small. That everybody needs their comforting things kept near.
John is the one who can find beauty anywhere. He shares it readily, and heads out to find more.
He tends to play the straight man to his big brother's antics...
... but not always.
He "gets" the good stuff, like family -
both young,
and old (er - older!)
And while it doesn't come as a shock that our "JohnBaby" has grown into such a great young man,
and a wonderful big brother,
It's very touching to see just what a wonderful young man he has become.
Happy Birthday, My Sweet and Wonderful Boy! I love you, and am thankful Dad and I get to have you in our lives. You are truly a joy and a delight to our hearts!
Love,
Mom
1 college degree...
2 vehicles...
3 children...
4 states...
5 houses...
6 years...
You come to the day we got this little addition to our family:
Thankfully, he didn't spring from anyone's loins that size. We just didn't get a digital camera until he was about two. But he was just as cute when he started out, trust me!
Much like Titch's little seed, he grew and grew and grew. Our Wednesday hiking days became immensely more enjoyable once he acquiesced to carrying his own water...
He's been our anchor, reminding us that they're just little guys, that everybody needs extra hugs, that it's okay to be small. That everybody needs their comforting things kept near.
John is the one who can find beauty anywhere. He shares it readily, and heads out to find more.
He tends to play the straight man to his big brother's antics...
... but not always.
He "gets" the good stuff, like family -
both young,
and old (er - older!)
And while it doesn't come as a shock that our "JohnBaby" has grown into such a great young man,
and a wonderful big brother,
It's very touching to see just what a wonderful young man he has become.
Happy Birthday, My Sweet and Wonderful Boy! I love you, and am thankful Dad and I get to have you in our lives. You are truly a joy and a delight to our hearts!
Love,
Mom
Monday, June 19
On Having a Poop Blog
WHEN did my blog go from a homeschooling blog to a daily poop report? I am so, so sorry for that. In an effort to redeem myself from the incessant potty training updates, I'd like to share a little educational blogging for a bit. (Ok, one more update before I stop: WHY can a child stay 100% dry, 24/7, even waking dry from naps and bedtimes and STILL refuse to use the darned thing for solids?!? WHYYYYYYY?)
Alright, now for a little redemption. The other children are doing productive, educational things. Mainly without me, as I'm sequestered in the hallway, running herd on Smidge.
James is working his way through Gamma, namely because I make him. For fun, though, he is playing with fractions. Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. In his head. For fun. And he's not only accurate, but he's fast. I should be happy that my only role in his mathematical education at this point is to make certain he has the facts themselves down pat so that this will continue to be easy and fun for him. It does give me a little leeway with the hallway time. But we may have to hire a tutor named Heinrich to come and live with us in a few years. He's also *drum roll, please* SWIMMING! The last time we went, he put on a life jacket and took off swimming. He swam way the heck out there, where I'd have to find someone to catch the baby before I could divest myself of binding clothes in order to go rescue him if something should happen. Nothing happened, of course, but a mother's mind works overtime in the Alfred Hitchcock corridor while her mouth is shouting, "Way to GO! Look at you GO!! YAY!! YOU! ARE! AWESOME!"
John's writing is wonderful, and he is reading all the word problems in his math sets. He's also significantly more interested in Latin since we've picked it up again. It's clicking. This is the year of the click for him. Thank God, because he's turning six and six is not my best year for remaining calm and encouraging. Anyhow, we've been reviewing all the Prima Latina prayers this month. And he's good. He's having a lot of fun learning his things, his way. I didn't think he'd do so well with the "which subject would you like to do first" approach, but he does. And he picks math first, then Latin, and then - who'd have guessed, Bible. He's also showing a concerted interest in drawing. Perhaps it's time to invest in some quality materials and start working toward offering him something a little more meaty in that area? Nothing replaces the fun, self-directed delight of free time, but sometimes it's nice to have a few more tools in the mental toolbox.
The board games are getting a workout. As is my inner dialogue, which goes something like this:
We are about 2/3 done with Huckleberry Finn - we're enjoying it, but the slow pace of the dialogue pretty much puts us all to sleep mid-afternoon. One chapter at a time is a painful way to read through Mark Twain, and I don't think we'll revisit any of his work until the boys are a bit older. Perhaps as a read-aside, where we each read the book at a set pace and discuss it, rather than as a read-aloud? Is that cowardly of me? I hope not, but if so, I'm good with that. Suggestions for what to read next? Some good, meaty, delightful summer read-alouds would be most appreciated!
I'm reading The Cat of Bubastes, by Henty; Godless by Coulter; Moby Dick by somebody who abridged it (it was in the basement and I was desperate); Pilgrim's Progress (this caused the desperation that sent me into the basement for Melville's abridged story); The Power of a Praying Parent by O'Martian (re-read, never hurts to get a refresher); and working on my own independent math studies (why, oh why, doesn't Steve write a Calculus book?). In all, not a bad line-up. I do wish I had a little more brain candy on the nightstand at the moment, but it just doesn't seem to be the season for that.
And Miss Emily is doing a one-armed Army crawl now! She'd probably make better headway if the comforter cover offered more traction instead of bunching up beneath her, but that doesn't seem to be a deterrent. She decides to go somewhere (generally to get something) and she is off - like a very determined, single-minded herd of turtles. Just imagine what she will do when we have flooring we can actually set her down on! Wow, the world is hers to conquer!
But now, it's time to tend to the home and the hubby and the things that need tending before turning in. Kiss those babies!
Dy
Alright, now for a little redemption. The other children are doing productive, educational things. Mainly without me, as I'm sequestered in the hallway, running herd on Smidge.
James is working his way through Gamma, namely because I make him. For fun, though, he is playing with fractions. Adding, subtracting, multiplying and dividing. In his head. For fun. And he's not only accurate, but he's fast. I should be happy that my only role in his mathematical education at this point is to make certain he has the facts themselves down pat so that this will continue to be easy and fun for him. It does give me a little leeway with the hallway time. But we may have to hire a tutor named Heinrich to come and live with us in a few years. He's also *drum roll, please* SWIMMING! The last time we went, he put on a life jacket and took off swimming. He swam way the heck out there, where I'd have to find someone to catch the baby before I could divest myself of binding clothes in order to go rescue him if something should happen. Nothing happened, of course, but a mother's mind works overtime in the Alfred Hitchcock corridor while her mouth is shouting, "Way to GO! Look at you GO!! YAY!! YOU! ARE! AWESOME!"
John's writing is wonderful, and he is reading all the word problems in his math sets. He's also significantly more interested in Latin since we've picked it up again. It's clicking. This is the year of the click for him. Thank God, because he's turning six and six is not my best year for remaining calm and encouraging. Anyhow, we've been reviewing all the Prima Latina prayers this month. And he's good. He's having a lot of fun learning his things, his way. I didn't think he'd do so well with the "which subject would you like to do first" approach, but he does. And he picks math first, then Latin, and then - who'd have guessed, Bible. He's also showing a concerted interest in drawing. Perhaps it's time to invest in some quality materials and start working toward offering him something a little more meaty in that area? Nothing replaces the fun, self-directed delight of free time, but sometimes it's nice to have a few more tools in the mental toolbox.
The board games are getting a workout. As is my inner dialogue, which goes something like this:
"This time is short-lived. This time will pass SO quickly. Oh, kill me now, it's Connect Four! This time is short-lived and precious."Chess is turning out to be quite fun, though, and it's something the older two boys and I enjoy tremendously. Sadly, chess is Smidge's new "Seek and Destroy" mission - it seems to have replaced read-alouds in his "this causes me pain and so I must prevent its mere presence in our home" approach to life. So we only play while he's napping. There are many sheets of paper lying about the house with mid-game schematics drawn hurriedly on them. (The boys start sketching while I lure Smidge back down the hall to the bathroom. It's not a potty thing, it's just a stalling tactic so they can get the notes down.)
We are about 2/3 done with Huckleberry Finn - we're enjoying it, but the slow pace of the dialogue pretty much puts us all to sleep mid-afternoon. One chapter at a time is a painful way to read through Mark Twain, and I don't think we'll revisit any of his work until the boys are a bit older. Perhaps as a read-aside, where we each read the book at a set pace and discuss it, rather than as a read-aloud? Is that cowardly of me? I hope not, but if so, I'm good with that. Suggestions for what to read next? Some good, meaty, delightful summer read-alouds would be most appreciated!
I'm reading The Cat of Bubastes, by Henty; Godless by Coulter; Moby Dick by somebody who abridged it (it was in the basement and I was desperate); Pilgrim's Progress (this caused the desperation that sent me into the basement for Melville's abridged story); The Power of a Praying Parent by O'Martian (re-read, never hurts to get a refresher); and working on my own independent math studies (why, oh why, doesn't Steve write a Calculus book?). In all, not a bad line-up. I do wish I had a little more brain candy on the nightstand at the moment, but it just doesn't seem to be the season for that.
And Miss Emily is doing a one-armed Army crawl now! She'd probably make better headway if the comforter cover offered more traction instead of bunching up beneath her, but that doesn't seem to be a deterrent. She decides to go somewhere (generally to get something) and she is off - like a very determined, single-minded herd of turtles. Just imagine what she will do when we have flooring we can actually set her down on! Wow, the world is hers to conquer!
But now, it's time to tend to the home and the hubby and the things that need tending before turning in. Kiss those babies!
Dy
Gram's Through The Operation!!
YAY!
Aunt B called not too long ago to let us know that Gram is out of surgery. It took a little longer than expected, but they expect her to be just fine. She'll be in recovery for a bit and then on up to a room - a regular room, rather than ICU, which is encouraging.
Thank you.
Dy
Aunt B called not too long ago to let us know that Gram is out of surgery. It took a little longer than expected, but they expect her to be just fine. She'll be in recovery for a bit and then on up to a room - a regular room, rather than ICU, which is encouraging.
Thank you.
Dy
Sunday, June 18
Almost made it!
Cold cereal for breakfast, baths on Saturday night, clothes hung bedside and ready to go - the little things that can help get you to church on time, without taking the Lord's name in vain on the way. The morning went smoothly, and we nearly made it out of the house on time. However, Smidge decided to keep his streak going just as we buckled him into the carseat, so back into the house for yet another round of: Where do we poop? In the potty! Yes, that's right! So... what's up, then? And then, since we didn't go anywhere Saturday, I forgot to put gas in the Suburban on Saturday. Ah, yes, that would help, wouldn't it? So we had to stop on the way in. We missed Sunday School, but made it for church, and I'm so glad we did!
We had a guest speaker for the sermon - a guy who is 1 1/2 years into seminary. His name is Jonathan Kuiper, and he's the son of Bernhard Kuiper, author of When Bad Things Happen To Good Prophecies. He goes a bit against the PCA grain, in that he's an eloquent, humorous and witty public speaker. Nothing against the pastors of our church, and we've actually got two phenomenal pastors here at this one. We've just found that a style of engaging public speaking doesn't seem to be the "norm" in this denomination, and it's stunningly refreshing when we stumble upon a pastor who has that skill! (Yep, parishioners dig pastors with SKILLS!) Anyhow, back to the subject at hand - we enjoyed the sermon tremendously. There was also a baptism - one of our pastors had the honor of baptizing his eighth grandchild today. That was so nice, and heightened our anticipation of getting the paperwork finished and the Inquisition held so that we can have Miss Emily baptized.
Zorak wanted sushi, so it was off for lunch after church. Swung by the Crunchy Market for more bread (and wf ginger snaps!) Then, to a movie. We saw Cars, and it was much better than we anticipated. Yes, it did have a clear Doc Hollywood echo to it, but without all the angry anti-hunter nonsense, which made it doubly enjoyable for us. In spite of its G rating, there was still a little unnecessary innuendo, but I guess the folks in Hollywood (even at Pixar) don't know how to move a plot without a love interest, and cannot for the life of them figure out how to have a love interest without a little blue humor. That's sad for them, really, as the biggest grown-up laughs in the audience came, not from the bawdy humor, but from the references that were simply geared to our era. In all, though, it was worth coughing up a kidney to take the entire family to a movie. And not a bad way to get out of the heat.
Some friends are in town this week, and we hope to see them while they're here. We worked on the house a bit more this evening, watched Robots again (what was I saying about unnecessary innuendo? Yes, I know.) and read. We enjoyed a late-night snack with Smidge and James. (James and Zorak ate sardines. Smidge and I sat far, far away and ate crackers and cheese.)
I'm feeling more energized about the house, now that it's more organized. We'll see how the new plan holds up to daily lessons, experiments, and general living! ;-)
Gram heads in tomorrow for her surgery. Please keep her in your prayers. I talked to her today, and aside from not being terribly thrilled with the pre-surgery diet, she's in good spirits and looks forward to getting better soon.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
We had a guest speaker for the sermon - a guy who is 1 1/2 years into seminary. His name is Jonathan Kuiper, and he's the son of Bernhard Kuiper, author of When Bad Things Happen To Good Prophecies. He goes a bit against the PCA grain, in that he's an eloquent, humorous and witty public speaker. Nothing against the pastors of our church, and we've actually got two phenomenal pastors here at this one. We've just found that a style of engaging public speaking doesn't seem to be the "norm" in this denomination, and it's stunningly refreshing when we stumble upon a pastor who has that skill! (Yep, parishioners dig pastors with SKILLS!) Anyhow, back to the subject at hand - we enjoyed the sermon tremendously. There was also a baptism - one of our pastors had the honor of baptizing his eighth grandchild today. That was so nice, and heightened our anticipation of getting the paperwork finished and the Inquisition held so that we can have Miss Emily baptized.
Zorak wanted sushi, so it was off for lunch after church. Swung by the Crunchy Market for more bread (and wf ginger snaps!) Then, to a movie. We saw Cars, and it was much better than we anticipated. Yes, it did have a clear Doc Hollywood echo to it, but without all the angry anti-hunter nonsense, which made it doubly enjoyable for us. In spite of its G rating, there was still a little unnecessary innuendo, but I guess the folks in Hollywood (even at Pixar) don't know how to move a plot without a love interest, and cannot for the life of them figure out how to have a love interest without a little blue humor. That's sad for them, really, as the biggest grown-up laughs in the audience came, not from the bawdy humor, but from the references that were simply geared to our era. In all, though, it was worth coughing up a kidney to take the entire family to a movie. And not a bad way to get out of the heat.
Some friends are in town this week, and we hope to see them while they're here. We worked on the house a bit more this evening, watched Robots again (what was I saying about unnecessary innuendo? Yes, I know.) and read. We enjoyed a late-night snack with Smidge and James. (James and Zorak ate sardines. Smidge and I sat far, far away and ate crackers and cheese.)
I'm feeling more energized about the house, now that it's more organized. We'll see how the new plan holds up to daily lessons, experiments, and general living! ;-)
Gram heads in tomorrow for her surgery. Please keep her in your prayers. I talked to her today, and aside from not being terribly thrilled with the pre-surgery diet, she's in good spirits and looks forward to getting better soon.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Saturday, June 17
We Have No Tails!
We worked 'em off today!
Zorak got the new vent for the HVAC cut into the bathroom floor. We wrestled for quite a while with the exact placement of it. Not too close to the toilet, as it'll get peed in. Not too close to the sink, as that'll guarantee the register fins get stomped on, after water is poured down the hole. And NOT, as the Genius who built the place decided, between the tub and the toilet. (WHAT was he thinking?!?) We measured, estimated, gauged, wrangled, and finally decided on "the sweet spot": far enough from the sink not to be in the way, far enough from the toilet to avoid incoming trajectory. Zorak was just finishing the detail work around the new hole when John came in and... still managed to hit the darned thing. GAH!! What IS it with these boys? It's not a "guy thing" - they just aren't even trying! Do I need to get some kind of singing, blinking apparatus that will go off and shower the child in sparkly confetti and chocolate if the stream doesn't veer onto (or past) the rim? Would that work? Anyway, the register is now in.
Zorak took the ductwork apart to clean, but has decided to ask Aweseom HVAC Guy about getting a professional to do it. They've been sitting, unused, for an awfully long time, and while the ductwork itself is in good condition, it was exposed to The Cricket Queen and her Court for a very long time. And the mice. And the mold/mildew/other growing stuff. And what have you. Yuck. This is yet another learning curve for us - ventilation maintenance, cleaning, and repair - and we'd just rather not blow all that stuff up into each room if we can help it. So, if it turns out a professional guy has some cleaning stuff we aren't privvy to, then it'll be worth it to pay him to do it.
While Zorak battled the few things left to do before Awesome HVAC Guy comes to set the equipment and take fabrication measurements, I tried very hard to tame the savage beast that is the aftermath of the closet room foray. Winter clothes, art supplies, two years' worth of toilet paper (we forgot we already had some in there, so we bought more and... threw it in there). It's a veritable rainbow of crap, and it's been squatting in the hallway, the bathroom, and our room all week. That's the kind of stuff that'll make a gal twitchy in a hurry!
The two boxes of Very Cool Clothing that I inherited while on vacation have now been absorbed into the nooks and crannies of our bedroom. Zorak's missing summer clothes re-emerged today, as well. (They were in the box of extra coat hangers, and dresses-I-can't-wear-while-nursing - why didn't I think to look in there earlier? *D'oh!*)
The bathroom, which suffered a direct hit when I engaged the closet room last week, has been excavated and is now back to its previous pristine and comfortable status. James walked in as I was putting on the finishing touches (ie. wiping down the toilet again) and said, "Oh, wow! I'd forgotten how pretty our bathroom is!" Yeah, me, too. It also feels considerably larger, now, what with the boxes and the packs of supplies and the random miscellaneous stuff culled, sorted, and dealt with. (Three children worth of superfluous homebirth supplies makes for a rather doom 'n gloom box of emergency supplies when all piled together. But I'm keeping them until hell freezes over, just in case.)
Oh! The dining room has curtains! We've had the curtains for a while, but didn't have a rod. Zorak picked up a rod the other day, and we hung it tonight. Oh, it looks so pretty. The change does make the dining table a bit moreglaringly ugly, mmm, rustic, but that's okay. Once we refinish that, it'll be perfect. And in the meantime, the difference is stunning!
The boys have been on High Critter Alert this week, and boy have they earned their stripes! Yesterday, while I was putting Miss Emily down for a nap, Smidge stood at the foot of my bed and said, "Oh. Bug, ma. Bug." He was so calm and matter-of-fact about it that I figured it was a moth or a beetle. So I asked James to please kill it for me, since I couldn't get up just yet. He ran out of the room, returned with his bug catcher, and shortly presented me with - a wasp! DANG! Then today there was what I took for an earthworm in the hallway. I asked the boys if they wanted to look at it, and they arrived, bug catcher in hand, to apprehend what turned out to be a worm... with a whole lotta legs! Yes, it was a millipede. Lovely. They found an inch worm in the back yard and had a delightful time watching it, too. I'm glad they are so enthralled by nature, but did have to give a quick briefing on what to touch and what not to touch - and that if Mom has asked you to get something, but it looks like it might bite/sting/follow you home and eat you, double check before doing anything. Mom may not have been paying attention enough. *cringe* (And I quietly made a note to myself to pay more attention. *sigh*)
Everyone's been scrubbed and shined, clothes laid out for tomorrow. We were going to let Zorak sleep in for Father's Day - but there's that whole church thing. It's not like we can go to Sunday School, then come back to get him for church. The boys love having him there, so he said he'd go (yet another reason we celebrate him year-round!) and then in the afternoon, we're off to see Cars! (That was what the boys wanted to do for him - sounds like a win-win, doesn't it?) The only part of the puzzle that's missing is me getting some sleep! So, I'm off to kiss my babies and drift off to dreamland. Have a delightful day, whatever you do!
Dy
Zorak got the new vent for the HVAC cut into the bathroom floor. We wrestled for quite a while with the exact placement of it. Not too close to the toilet, as it'll get peed in. Not too close to the sink, as that'll guarantee the register fins get stomped on, after water is poured down the hole. And NOT, as the Genius who built the place decided, between the tub and the toilet. (WHAT was he thinking?!?) We measured, estimated, gauged, wrangled, and finally decided on "the sweet spot": far enough from the sink not to be in the way, far enough from the toilet to avoid incoming trajectory. Zorak was just finishing the detail work around the new hole when John came in and... still managed to hit the darned thing. GAH!! What IS it with these boys? It's not a "guy thing" - they just aren't even trying! Do I need to get some kind of singing, blinking apparatus that will go off and shower the child in sparkly confetti and chocolate if the stream doesn't veer onto (or past) the rim? Would that work? Anyway, the register is now in.
Zorak took the ductwork apart to clean, but has decided to ask Aweseom HVAC Guy about getting a professional to do it. They've been sitting, unused, for an awfully long time, and while the ductwork itself is in good condition, it was exposed to The Cricket Queen and her Court for a very long time. And the mice. And the mold/mildew/other growing stuff. And what have you. Yuck. This is yet another learning curve for us - ventilation maintenance, cleaning, and repair - and we'd just rather not blow all that stuff up into each room if we can help it. So, if it turns out a professional guy has some cleaning stuff we aren't privvy to, then it'll be worth it to pay him to do it.
While Zorak battled the few things left to do before Awesome HVAC Guy comes to set the equipment and take fabrication measurements, I tried very hard to tame the savage beast that is the aftermath of the closet room foray. Winter clothes, art supplies, two years' worth of toilet paper (we forgot we already had some in there, so we bought more and... threw it in there). It's a veritable rainbow of crap, and it's been squatting in the hallway, the bathroom, and our room all week. That's the kind of stuff that'll make a gal twitchy in a hurry!
The two boxes of Very Cool Clothing that I inherited while on vacation have now been absorbed into the nooks and crannies of our bedroom. Zorak's missing summer clothes re-emerged today, as well. (They were in the box of extra coat hangers, and dresses-I-can't-wear-while-nursing - why didn't I think to look in there earlier? *D'oh!*)
The bathroom, which suffered a direct hit when I engaged the closet room last week, has been excavated and is now back to its previous pristine and comfortable status. James walked in as I was putting on the finishing touches (ie. wiping down the toilet again) and said, "Oh, wow! I'd forgotten how pretty our bathroom is!" Yeah, me, too. It also feels considerably larger, now, what with the boxes and the packs of supplies and the random miscellaneous stuff culled, sorted, and dealt with. (Three children worth of superfluous homebirth supplies makes for a rather doom 'n gloom box of emergency supplies when all piled together. But I'm keeping them until hell freezes over, just in case.)
Oh! The dining room has curtains! We've had the curtains for a while, but didn't have a rod. Zorak picked up a rod the other day, and we hung it tonight. Oh, it looks so pretty. The change does make the dining table a bit more
The boys have been on High Critter Alert this week, and boy have they earned their stripes! Yesterday, while I was putting Miss Emily down for a nap, Smidge stood at the foot of my bed and said, "Oh. Bug, ma. Bug." He was so calm and matter-of-fact about it that I figured it was a moth or a beetle. So I asked James to please kill it for me, since I couldn't get up just yet. He ran out of the room, returned with his bug catcher, and shortly presented me with - a wasp! DANG! Then today there was what I took for an earthworm in the hallway. I asked the boys if they wanted to look at it, and they arrived, bug catcher in hand, to apprehend what turned out to be a worm... with a whole lotta legs! Yes, it was a millipede. Lovely. They found an inch worm in the back yard and had a delightful time watching it, too. I'm glad they are so enthralled by nature, but did have to give a quick briefing on what to touch and what not to touch - and that if Mom has asked you to get something, but it looks like it might bite/sting/follow you home and eat you, double check before doing anything. Mom may not have been paying attention enough. *cringe* (And I quietly made a note to myself to pay more attention. *sigh*)
Everyone's been scrubbed and shined, clothes laid out for tomorrow. We were going to let Zorak sleep in for Father's Day - but there's that whole church thing. It's not like we can go to Sunday School, then come back to get him for church. The boys love having him there, so he said he'd go (yet another reason we celebrate him year-round!) and then in the afternoon, we're off to see Cars! (That was what the boys wanted to do for him - sounds like a win-win, doesn't it?) The only part of the puzzle that's missing is me getting some sleep! So, I'm off to kiss my babies and drift off to dreamland. Have a delightful day, whatever you do!
Dy
Friday, June 16
I like disgusting things!
That was the comment from my 7 year-old today as we left the ENT's office. As soon as it came out of his mouth, we both cracked up. He meant to say, "I like discussing things!" It just didn't quite come out that way. We giggled all the way to the car, and I have no idea what the folks in the office thought. It doesn't matter. We were enjoying one another.
The ENT visit went well. Miss Emily's ear canals are a bit twisty and curvy, but her hearing is A-OK. James was fascinated by all the audiology equipment. The audiologist was splendidly patient with his questions. Before we left, one of the assistants even showed him a CT scan of a sinus cavity. Talk about cool, eh? The ENT was also very cool, and handled James' scientific enthusiasm quite well. Even made a point to ask James to tell him when the time machine is ready for use. (James is convinced he can build one that will actually work.) Too sweet.
We picked up a few gifts for John's birthday. James and I had a blast at the toy store. We were like, well, like a couple of kids. There is some incredibly neat stuff available! The lady at the counter gave James a set of sample POGs before we left. *sigh* I do wish I knew more about them beforehand. The game itself is actually kinda fun, and we played a bit together this afternoon. It's the characters' names, and the images on the POGs themselves that make me a bit skeptical. I'll go searching for information tonight and come up with a final verdict.
Miss Emily waited patiently through the doctor's visit, the toy store. She Wal-Mart fairly well, and was a trooper at the Steak 'n Shake drive-thru (How could we pass up a milkshake on a day like today?) But when we stopped to pick up a movie for a family movie night, she decided she'd had enough of this junk. Can't blame her. I forgot that her little dress had a bow in the back and that couldn't have been comfortable on her, while she was in the carseat most of the day. Oops. Back to slip on britches and a t-shirt for that little girl! (I like her sense of style vs. comfort already - that's my girl!)
Zorak had taken the middle two down to the park this morning, then to the post office. They came home and hung out under the ceiling fans. When James, Miss Emily and I arrived home, he had lunch waiting for us (oh, so pampered! What joy!) - then he and Smidge napped for a bit, while the rest of us played games and chatted. As a side note, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the day with James - it was such fun to have both ears to lend him and have the energy to keep up with and absorb him. He's a funny, sweet, quirky, neat kid. But, I also missed having John and Smidge around during the day. It's interesting to see how each child contributes so much to the tapestry of daily living. This is what folks mean by "rich" - my life is incredibly rich.
ANYway, once everyone was up, we gave John an early birthday present. He's been begging to watch Pirates of the Carribean for, oh, at least two years now. This month, he asked if six would be "old enough to watch it". You could feel the yearning as it radiated from his big brown eyes. So today was the day. Big fanfare - popcorn, lollipops, and the clickers at hand (just in case - it's been a while since Zorak and I saw it, and our retention isn't 100%, as evidenced by the whole Temple of Doom fiasco). We paused the movie a few times to discuss it and answer questions. Our concerns over the whole "undead" thing seem to have been fairly unfounded - Smidge played in the kitchen most of the time, and the older two just thought the movie was a wild ride, from beginning to end.
Now everyone has been loved on and snuggled, tucked safely into bed. I'm going to go try to muscle in on some of the floor fan action in the living room and see if anything's on the TV (all two channels that we get, ha!) This is Father's Day weekend - do y'all have any plans? I should see if I can get Zorak to guest blog for it, since I don't have any real words of wisdom to share on this Hallmark Holiday.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The ENT visit went well. Miss Emily's ear canals are a bit twisty and curvy, but her hearing is A-OK. James was fascinated by all the audiology equipment. The audiologist was splendidly patient with his questions. Before we left, one of the assistants even showed him a CT scan of a sinus cavity. Talk about cool, eh? The ENT was also very cool, and handled James' scientific enthusiasm quite well. Even made a point to ask James to tell him when the time machine is ready for use. (James is convinced he can build one that will actually work.) Too sweet.
We picked up a few gifts for John's birthday. James and I had a blast at the toy store. We were like, well, like a couple of kids. There is some incredibly neat stuff available! The lady at the counter gave James a set of sample POGs before we left. *sigh* I do wish I knew more about them beforehand. The game itself is actually kinda fun, and we played a bit together this afternoon. It's the characters' names, and the images on the POGs themselves that make me a bit skeptical. I'll go searching for information tonight and come up with a final verdict.
Miss Emily waited patiently through the doctor's visit, the toy store. She Wal-Mart fairly well, and was a trooper at the Steak 'n Shake drive-thru (How could we pass up a milkshake on a day like today?) But when we stopped to pick up a movie for a family movie night, she decided she'd had enough of this junk. Can't blame her. I forgot that her little dress had a bow in the back and that couldn't have been comfortable on her, while she was in the carseat most of the day. Oops. Back to slip on britches and a t-shirt for that little girl! (I like her sense of style vs. comfort already - that's my girl!)
Zorak had taken the middle two down to the park this morning, then to the post office. They came home and hung out under the ceiling fans. When James, Miss Emily and I arrived home, he had lunch waiting for us (oh, so pampered! What joy!) - then he and Smidge napped for a bit, while the rest of us played games and chatted. As a side note, I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed the day with James - it was such fun to have both ears to lend him and have the energy to keep up with and absorb him. He's a funny, sweet, quirky, neat kid. But, I also missed having John and Smidge around during the day. It's interesting to see how each child contributes so much to the tapestry of daily living. This is what folks mean by "rich" - my life is incredibly rich.
ANYway, once everyone was up, we gave John an early birthday present. He's been begging to watch Pirates of the Carribean for, oh, at least two years now. This month, he asked if six would be "old enough to watch it". You could feel the yearning as it radiated from his big brown eyes. So today was the day. Big fanfare - popcorn, lollipops, and the clickers at hand (just in case - it's been a while since Zorak and I saw it, and our retention isn't 100%, as evidenced by the whole Temple of Doom fiasco). We paused the movie a few times to discuss it and answer questions. Our concerns over the whole "undead" thing seem to have been fairly unfounded - Smidge played in the kitchen most of the time, and the older two just thought the movie was a wild ride, from beginning to end.
Now everyone has been loved on and snuggled, tucked safely into bed. I'm going to go try to muscle in on some of the floor fan action in the living room and see if anything's on the TV (all two channels that we get, ha!) This is Father's Day weekend - do y'all have any plans? I should see if I can get Zorak to guest blog for it, since I don't have any real words of wisdom to share on this Hallmark Holiday.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Thursday, June 15
Blew My One Cool Outift
Miss Emily had a newborn (infant, whatever) hearing exam today at ten. I woke the boys early, and we ran to the store to get whipping cream (forgot to ask Zorak to bring some when he came home yesterday - not an auspicious beginning to the day). We came back, threw bread pudding in the oven, got everybody showered, dressed, fed, and out the door in semi-record time. We arrived five minutes early to our appointment - high fives all around! WE ROCK!
The boys filed into the chairs while I signed us in, gave insurance information, and signed theDeclaration of, er, some large stack of paperwork.
Then we sat. And sat. And sat.
FORTY-FIVE MINUTES later, the receptionist called Miss Emily to the front to tell us they have our appointment down for *tomorrow*, not today. At ten. I have the paperwork from the referring office that says it was, in fact, for today, but since the main ENT is the one we're supposed to see, and he is in surgery today, it was a moot point. Somebody goofed, no biggie, really.
"But," said the chipper receptionist, "we have all the paperwork done and can just come right on in tomorrow!"
Um... Yay?
And how does the outfit come into this? Well, I have only one outfit that says,
I wear it because it's the one I want to be seen in if I must appear on the evening news in less-than-flattering coverage. (Much better than being photographed in Zorak's clothes and my militant boots... or worse yet, sweats and no bra with large leaky splotches on the paint-slathered t-shirt.) And now, they've seen it already! And it's not like the appointment was rescheduled for next week, when it could just be coincidence that I arrive in the same outfit. ARGH.
To make matters worse, this doctor is married to one of the wonderful ladies I've met here recently. They also homeschool, which is a huge plus. But she's really together. She's not "from here", but she can totally pull of that Metropolitan Southern Belle thing with wonderful flair. AND she has four children. It's not like she set the bar low, so us mere mortals can hurdle it. Gah!
I even bathed the baby today! She didn't smell of soured milk (which, in this heat and humidity, it sours pretty quickly, so hush). She was all pink and had a clean neck! And now I'm going to have to do this all over again? Pffttt.
At least if I bathe her again, maybe she'll be so stunningly cute that nobody will notice the stained t-shirt or the men's size designation on my jeans tomorrow?
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The boys filed into the chairs while I signed us in, gave insurance information, and signed the
Then we sat. And sat. And sat.
FORTY-FIVE MINUTES later, the receptionist called Miss Emily to the front to tell us they have our appointment down for *tomorrow*, not today. At ten. I have the paperwork from the referring office that says it was, in fact, for today, but since the main ENT is the one we're supposed to see, and he is in surgery today, it was a moot point. Somebody goofed, no biggie, really.
"But," said the chipper receptionist, "we have all the paperwork done and can just come right on in tomorrow!"
Um... Yay?
And how does the outfit come into this? Well, I have only one outfit that says,
"I am a totally together woman who showers daily, accessorizes, and manages all of this - renovating, homeschooling, parenting, and wifely duties - quite well, thank you."ONE. I wear it to official appearances, such as doctor's visits and things at Zorak's workplace, in order to counterbalance the things the boys may add to discussions. (see yesterday's post)
I wear it because it's the one I want to be seen in if I must appear on the evening news in less-than-flattering coverage. (Much better than being photographed in Zorak's clothes and my militant boots... or worse yet, sweats and no bra with large leaky splotches on the paint-slathered t-shirt.) And now, they've seen it already! And it's not like the appointment was rescheduled for next week, when it could just be coincidence that I arrive in the same outfit. ARGH.
To make matters worse, this doctor is married to one of the wonderful ladies I've met here recently. They also homeschool, which is a huge plus. But she's really together. She's not "from here", but she can totally pull of that Metropolitan Southern Belle thing with wonderful flair. AND she has four children. It's not like she set the bar low, so us mere mortals can hurdle it. Gah!
I even bathed the baby today! She didn't smell of soured milk (which, in this heat and humidity, it sours pretty quickly, so hush). She was all pink and had a clean neck! And now I'm going to have to do this all over again? Pffttt.
At least if I bathe her again, maybe she'll be so stunningly cute that nobody will notice the stained t-shirt or the men's size designation on my jeans tomorrow?
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
Wednesday, June 14
Kinda Quiet
Well, after the hullabaloo last night, today was rather uneventful. Nice, really. Since I got more sleep in one night than I normally do in a week, I was up 'n at 'em early this morning, and that momentum just carried through the day. The kitchen received a stuff-overhaul (we SO need to get that pantry ordered!) The dining room got cleared out. The living room got a good scouring. We had a nice, hot breakfast, enjoyed our lessons, played a little chess, played outside, and just enjoyed one another's company.
The big event today: we all followed Smidge to the bathroom every few minutes to cheer him on. I'm pretty sure that James would be perfectly happy to go the whole day tomorrow without having to come look at urine. Yes, pretty sure. Yet he'll come, and he'll high-five, and he'll give big hugs. Why? Because he's a cool kid. Even when we interrupt his precious reading time, he manages to muster a smile before he hits the bathroom door. I owe that kid, big time! Smidge was dry all day, save for one accident early on - for some reason, he refuses to believe you can put solids in the little potty - go figure. But otherwise, dry all day, even after naptime! YAY SMIDGE! Naturally, there is a high-fructose corn syrup-based incentive going on. He may end up diabetic, but by golly, he'll be wearing big-boy pants when he gives himself those injections!
Tonight, Zorak laid the cement blocks down where the HVAC was, and will be once again. This time, however, the hole will resemble - or at least hit an order of magnitude of - the unit that goes through the hole. What a concept! Lookin' good down there, too. He's made a lot of strides in the basement. He used all the extraneous lumber to build shelving - it's not "pretty", but it's wonderfully stable and fully functional. It is amazing how much stuff one rack can absorb!
John is reading everything he can get his hands on. Yet, if you ask him if he can read, he says, "No." WHAT?!? Ok, whatever works for ya, kiddo. However, when you put each child's idiosyncracies together, it gets awkward in public. James tells people "We don't go to school." (Yes, period - not "we homeschool", not "we're educated at home", heck, not even a nod toward education with "we study a lot on our own". Nope, he's gone back to saying simply, "we don't go to school".) John follows up with, "and I can't read" and that's about when Smidge starts laughing and yells, "I FARTED!" No wonder the best days are the days we stay home, no?
But it was good. Miss Emily rolled all over the boys' room today while I read aloud, Smidge ran trains over my head, and the older two played chess. We had a great discussion about moving at your own pace, being able to master any task they take on, and having the ability to enjoy branching out as we encounter things they will enjoy. When we finished the read-aloud, they both took their math books back out and did a second page for the day.
I'd requested a catalog from Greek 'n Stuff so that I could talk with Zorak about ordering "Hey Andrew..." for this summer. I shouldn't have looked. Can anybody compare Latin for Children with Latin's Not So Tough? Pretty please? I'd sold myself on LfC, particularly for James. But this looks like fun. (Truth be told, I want to take it and avoid Henle, but I won't. Whatever I order will be for the boys, and I will be a grown up about it and get my own program.) In the meantime, we're plugging along with PL review and enjoying the process itself.
And I hear the baby girl, so it's time to call it a night.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
The big event today: we all followed Smidge to the bathroom every few minutes to cheer him on. I'm pretty sure that James would be perfectly happy to go the whole day tomorrow without having to come look at urine. Yes, pretty sure. Yet he'll come, and he'll high-five, and he'll give big hugs. Why? Because he's a cool kid. Even when we interrupt his precious reading time, he manages to muster a smile before he hits the bathroom door. I owe that kid, big time! Smidge was dry all day, save for one accident early on - for some reason, he refuses to believe you can put solids in the little potty - go figure. But otherwise, dry all day, even after naptime! YAY SMIDGE! Naturally, there is a high-fructose corn syrup-based incentive going on. He may end up diabetic, but by golly, he'll be wearing big-boy pants when he gives himself those injections!
Tonight, Zorak laid the cement blocks down where the HVAC was, and will be once again. This time, however, the hole will resemble - or at least hit an order of magnitude of - the unit that goes through the hole. What a concept! Lookin' good down there, too. He's made a lot of strides in the basement. He used all the extraneous lumber to build shelving - it's not "pretty", but it's wonderfully stable and fully functional. It is amazing how much stuff one rack can absorb!
John is reading everything he can get his hands on. Yet, if you ask him if he can read, he says, "No." WHAT?!? Ok, whatever works for ya, kiddo. However, when you put each child's idiosyncracies together, it gets awkward in public. James tells people "We don't go to school." (Yes, period - not "we homeschool", not "we're educated at home", heck, not even a nod toward education with "we study a lot on our own". Nope, he's gone back to saying simply, "we don't go to school".) John follows up with, "and I can't read" and that's about when Smidge starts laughing and yells, "I FARTED!" No wonder the best days are the days we stay home, no?
But it was good. Miss Emily rolled all over the boys' room today while I read aloud, Smidge ran trains over my head, and the older two played chess. We had a great discussion about moving at your own pace, being able to master any task they take on, and having the ability to enjoy branching out as we encounter things they will enjoy. When we finished the read-aloud, they both took their math books back out and did a second page for the day.
I'd requested a catalog from Greek 'n Stuff so that I could talk with Zorak about ordering "Hey Andrew..." for this summer. I shouldn't have looked. Can anybody compare Latin for Children with Latin's Not So Tough? Pretty please? I'd sold myself on LfC, particularly for James. But this looks like fun. (Truth be told, I want to take it and avoid Henle, but I won't. Whatever I order will be for the boys, and I will be a grown up about it and get my own program.) In the meantime, we're plugging along with PL review and enjoying the process itself.
And I hear the baby girl, so it's time to call it a night.
Kiss those babies!
~Dy
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