I thought I was putting the kids to bed early but I just discovered that one of them (I’m sure it was David) set the livingroom clock back one hour at some point today. I put them to bed, all happy-like because it was early in the evening, came in my room, shut the door, and realized that it’s 8pm right now and not 7pm. (!!!!!)
I. Am. Tired. very. tired.
Caleb is upstairs crying. . . . . .hold on a sec. . . . .
Okay, I’m back. Rich isn’t home. He had to go straight to church after work for a deacon’s meeting. So, here I am holding down the fort. It’s been a very nice day, actually. We did our homeschooling and other than that my major personal accomplishment was mopping (down on my hands and knees) the kitchen floor. I did it this morning while the children were doing a word search about China. I overheard this conversation:
Grace, thoughtfully: “I wouldn’t want to live in China. . . . .unless I was the first one born and I was a boy.”
Jacob, excitedly: “Then you would be ME!”
Ethan, to Grace, questioningly: “Would you really want to be a boy?”
Grace, matter of factly: “If I was in China. If I was here, I would want to be a girl. It depends on where I am.”
Me (couldn’t resist) –from under the table, scrubbing: “What if you were under your bed?”
ALL: Loud and long laughter. “Ha Ha Ha!!”
Jacob, knowingly: “She would want to be a kitten!”
We all agreed with that.
The weather was crazy today. We had sun. We had rain. We had clouds. We had snow. At one point Jacob said, “It’s coming down in TORRENTS out there!!” And I had that feeling of warmth that I get now and then as a Mother. A surprised sort of pride, this time it came from hearing that word come from my 11 year old. He’s a smart one, that boy of mine.
Grace’s claim to fame today was that she accidently used my expensive bath oil as shampoo (she was using my big tub). I was too tired to make her go try again, so she’s looking rather greasy. I guess her hair will be nice and soft when she washes it tomorrow. Poor girl, I love her to bits, but when I tucked her in tonight, I was so appalled by her room that I told her not to come down for breakfast until it was clean. “If you don’t work, you don’t eat”.
Something relatively exciting happened today. The long pond is half thawed and Jacob, Ethan, and David went outside and caught tadpoles for the first time since fall. Of course they just had to bring them to Mommy so I could take a picture.
Come on now, aren’t you excited for me? For the children? For boys everywhere?
By the way, did you know, I can’t even sit on the couch and eat a bowl of soup without my little ones climbing all over me??? It’s so lovely to be loved. We watched the end of Anne of Green Gables this evening and David climbed on my lap after Matthew died. Wanting to know “why?” and “Did he go to heaven?” I took the opportunity to tell him that everyone who loves Jesus and has asked Him to forgive their sins and be their Savior will go to Heaven. I said, “Mommy is going to heaven someday!” “Why?” “Because I love Jesus so much, and I asked Him to forgive my bad sins, and He did, He saved me.” David is not saved yet, and that is okay, but I still pray and talk to him about it, in a natural (not pushy) way, whenever the Holy Spirit moves in him or me. I love to hear the questions about heaven from him, it assures me that he is thinking about it all. So, he sat quietly processing the thought in my lap until I said, “Um. David? How can I eat my soup with one arm?” And off he went, after Mommy kissed him a few times on the face.
Jacob was a goof ball while watching Anne. I think the sentiment was a bit much for him.
I love that movie. Guess what? This was the first time I watched it and thought that Anne and Diana looked so young, like kids, does that mean I’m getting older?? Hmmmmm. . . . . .
I ate 2 pieces of that cake today and I’m about to have another.
Lunch time has been good the past few days. Today I didn’t call anyone to the table until it was set, with paper plates and plastic cups. . .tuna sandwiches, pickles, and olives. Then I sat with Caleb in my lap and called down the others. With me sitting right there with them, they knew they could not go crazy. LOL They all got a nice piece of cake for dessert.
Caleb got cleaned up nice for Mommy today. I think he has such a sweet smile. The lip to teeth ratio is perfect!
I stood here and folded laundry for a while. . .look at the nice clean floor! I was all over every inch, just a scrubbin’ away! And, yes the clothes are STILL on the table. I have run out of energy.
Here is picture of Caleb and Mommy (to update the one from yesterday)
Either he’s bigger or I’m smaller.
Here is a picture of my goofy yet ever-loveable bunch of children. I had just said, “Okay!!! Everyone give me their most HANDSOME SMILE!!”
And this is what I get:
Care to guess who’s the ham in this group?
Okay. That’s enough for today.
Time for cake and bed and watching tv. I’ll try not to get too many crumbs in the bedding. And hopefully my handsome man will be home soon!
Good to be Home 
The “ham” even has his shirt on backward…how perfect!! Enjoy the cake and the tv and the bed and the husband, maybe not in that order but you get the point.
I love the conversation dialog…and to think you can only get that from homeschooling. My girls love watching the Anne movies – and now we have both Anne of Green Gables and Anne of Avonlea…plus we have gotten a tape from the library of the tales from Avonlea…they are really good too and the kids can relate to the earlier ones because they are about kids their ages.
I hope you enjoy your 3rd piece of cake!
Love You – and can’t wait till May!
Fun times — and exhausting, I’m sure! I love the tadpoles — I loved “raising” tadpoles when I was a kid! Blessings and rest, Laurie
I love the conversation, David’s smile–just thinking about it makes me giggle again. I love that you call Rich your handsome man. It sounds like something I’d call Jeremy. I love calling him loving adoring names. I’m so glad that Jesus saved me from by bad sin and that I’ve accepted the gift of His grace! I’ve got the love of JESUS love of JESUS down in my heart! WHERE? down in my heart! WHERE? down in my heart TO STAY! Love you ,Lish
You must be tired! That sounds like a very full day. I’m just catching up on a few things now that we’re home, then I’m going to bed. We had a good trip, but I’m tired and can’t wait to sleep in my own bed.
Aww your kids are so sweet! I did the floors on my hands and knees yesterday and even though the “clean” look only lasts about hmmm 2 hours (?! lol) it feels so good to get it done! Have a piece of cake for me 😉
I remember watching tadpoles as a child. We would put them in our fish aquarium. How well I remember watching them sprout legs. I love getting glimpes of your family life. God is using you in a very special way. Thanks for letting God use you as a great mommy for your children. You are a great example to us.
I like the conversation about China and the fact that Grace used your bath oil as shampoo. So cute. I’m right there with you on the tired. I hope you have a good night, I saw your hubby come in this evening as we were going out, hopefully he’ll be home soon, if he isn’t already. 🙂 Love, Trish
I love these posts where I feel like I’m watching you live out a day. Sorry I haven’t been around, but I’ve been having FUN!!! I need to write you soon, and I will EVENTUALLY. 🙂
You know that your blog gives me a joy each day. Thank you! I would say mopping that beautiful floor is a major accomplishment…what? you don’t call doing laundry for that crew an accomplishment? I do! I love the conversation….and that you made them laugh. We found some great library tapes on countries when we studied them….sorry I forget the name and we moved away from that library…but it had kids and showed a day in their life. I also love it when my David uses words and catches me by suprise….his writing has been the great suprise all year….thank you Lord! I love the way you say , “aren’t you excited…for boys everywhere?” Definitely!!
So glad you took that moment with your David….those momments add up and are the seeds in fertile soil…I believe! We had a roomate with a 5 year old son. He had lots of pain from past stuff. When they began living with us I thought….did I hear wrong Lord? I didn’t know it could hurt so much to have a little guy hate me (cuz I was the one taking care of him while mom went to work all day ) Mom and I had several talks about children coming to the Lord…..and after church one day when talking about the message he said, ‘ I don’t want to go to hell, I want Jesus.’ His mom said because we had talked that she pulled right off the road and they talked and he prayed. I had no idea about this and got home late that night so we never talked before she went to work next day. Guess what happened? I had a different boy that day….it sure raised my faith when I found out that having Jesus in your heart can heal and change a little guy too. We still had our struggles ( the old man is in a little guy too ) but this is the boy that later kissed me up my arm when I taught him how to read He now has a new daddy…but my husband still has some man to man talks with him at church sometimes.
I love Anne! I love the updated photo….you are getting so small! I love the smiles! God bless you, rest tired mommy, and praise God for the strength he gives us from our men! Jenny
Isn’t motherly reflections of a “Normal” day so wonderful?? Why can’t the tabloids be full of events of homelife and “long pond” reports?? 🙂 (LOL)
People just dont know what their missing.
While reading your post the scripture about “Women are to live a quiet peaceable life at home” came to my mind….I think your a great example of that…the joy of being a mother and wife is evident in your posts. 🙂
Hugs and Enjoy the tadpoles. 🙂
Casandra
Love the “torrents” comment ~ and yeah, that would make me a bit proud too ~
I have been so encouraged by your posts. I found your xanga posts through Mrs. Catherine’s posting about yours being a really great site. I love your posts, they have brightened my day. I recently started homeschooling (ages 6, 4 and 2) and noticed that your kids really love to read. How did you teach them to be such great readers? I just bought the book “Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons” and I plan on starting it with my 4 year old, she is almost 5. Thank you for all the mothering encouragement.
Sincerely,
Sherry
Loved hearing about your day!
I love to read about the things that go on in your house! your kids are so cute!
I’m hoping we can find some tadpoles this year…we missed them last year!
have a great day!!!!
I’m excited about the tadpoles and know my girls can’t wait to get out and find some! (Still too cold here).
Aw, reading your posts about everyday life with the kids makes me look forward to being a mom! That is hilarious about clock! When we were younger, some of my siblings and I played the exact same prank on my parents right before a trip to the beach, trying to manipulate them to leave sooner! I hope you were able to have a GOOD NIGHT’S REST and feel better today. And have energy to tackle that pile of laundry! P.S. PTL, I am feeling SO much better now; it is really amazing to feel decent again!
Loved the dialoque between the kids….and mom was listening the whole time. It lets us know they really are learning. The shampoo incident reminded me of at time when my sister accidentally used liquid deodorant on her hair instead of shampoo at my aunt’s house years ago. It would not wash out…it was like glue in her hair.Which parent did your kids inherit the “ham” from? If it is from YOU, then Rich still has his…or vice versa. Blessed Thursday!
Your kitchen table WITH THE CLOTHES looks so warm and inviting! Maybe that’s “cuz” I know you better and know the family who lives there!
Those pictures are so cute. I like how Caleb got dressed up for Mommy:) I do that to Matthew some days. I’m glad you were able to have a good lunch today:) I don’t get to eat without someone asking for something either, but then we they are not here I miss that:) I always think about the movie A Christmas Story when Ralphie says his mother hadn’t eaten a hot meal in 15 years:) I have to smile at that one because I feel the same way sometimes.
Your laundry looks good for that many people! Sometimes I get lazy with my laundry to, but the fairy never seems to fold it for me, it’s always still there when I get back to it. I hope you have a great day!
I can’t wait to make that cake! It sounds so good!!
You can’t eat without children on your lap. In my day, it was a different problem. My sister once told me that she came into my house and I was in the bathroom. Outside the bathroom door, in a semi-circle, sat my five waiting for me to come out.
I love your post! It’s so much like life in my house and I can appreciate it that so much. I love the dialouge between you and the children…..it’s priceless! These are the moments to remember, to capture in writing, pictures and videos. They are gone so quickly and then we miss having them climb all over us while we’re trying to eat our soup. I love it, love it, love it!
Thanks for sharing such sweet pictures and such a sweet post.
(((((hugs)))))
Jana
Loved this post! Caleb is so cute- I really like how you described his smile. Grace using your bath oil as shampoo is funny! It is apparent in the photo that her hair has an extra “shine”. Jacob using the word “torrents” is just another example of what a great mom and teacher you are! I was recently thinking about your ponds and the frogs- good to see the tadpoles. So, when can I come to visit?? I’m really needing a “spring fix”- all this snow is getting depressing. On the bright side, we do have more daylight now. It isn’t getting dark until 8pm or so. Speaking of daylight, maybe that is why David changed the clock. He probably saw one of you changing it last weekend, and he thought it was the thing to do! I mailed you a letter yesterday. Good job on mopping the floor! I did that Monday, but you can’t tell now…
Oh, I just love Anne… I could watch those movies a hundred times and never tire of them
The floor is SO beautiful! I love clean shiny wood floors and how they glow.
I know I’ve already told you that the Anne series of books is my absolute favorite (in fact, I just read them again at the end of this pregnancy — distracted me through some rather uncomfortable nights!), but I really love the first two movies, too — it’s like the producers crawled into my head and saw how I imagined the characters, then cast those people to play them! (The third one was a bit disappointing, not following the books at all — I was so looking forward to the continuing story.)
I am charmed by your boys’ exploits now that I finally have a little man in my life — I bury my nose in his sweet-smelling fuzzy little head when we snuggle and wonder when will be the first time that he brings in some wildlife, or realizes his daddy collected rocks & hot wheels as a kid (and yes, still has a big bucket of the former and THOUSANDS of the latter) and wants to join in…
So glad you ate that last slab o’ cake for me!:^P
Wooohoo! Tadpoles. Living Science is great. 🙂 Your floor looks wonderful. Great job. I will come fold your laundry if you will come make my floors look like that! Your kids are all so cute. I think I know which one is the “ham”. 🙂
“Come on now, aren’t you excited for me? For the children? For boys everywhere?”
Thanks for making me smile tonight!
You have such a positive attitiude, it is so true about being loved, I could just picture you there with your kids crawling all over you, and your soup half eaten!
I am so glad for you that Gee is a girl, Steve and I often comment on how nice it is for you to have a girl right there in the middle of all those wonderful boys!
Hope you get all the rest you need and wake up refreshed!
Your kids are just adorable but dare I mention that pic of your laundry? Girl, your house is gorgeous! Do you have any house pics on your blog for me to gawk at?
Oh man I can’t decide… – the kitten under the bed, the tadpoles, the exceedingly cute pictures I haven’t ever seen the movie, but I do enjoy Anne of Green Gables and we have the Focus on the Family radio theater version on my Ipod. My favorite quote from it (by Anne): “There is just so much to laugh and cry about”.
keep an eye on the tadpoles (she said in a kittenish sort of way)
I do so love Anne of Green Gables. I think I have every book L.M. Montgomery wrote, and I’ve bought them for my stepdaughter, to hopefully counteract some of the other reading material she gets her hands on. I love that you were able to have a moment like that with David. I think it’s those things that add up to a real understanding of what Jesus does in our lives, and when he is ready, it will be much more meaningful to him instead of all caught up in just emotion. (Not that an emotional response is bad mind you, but the foundation for that emotion will be more solid because of that teaching.)
Once, when I was a bit younger than Grace, I took a bath and used my Mom’s perfume instead of soap. Let’s just say I smelled REAL good for a few days. And didn’t make that mistake again either.
I hope you’re feeling better today. Your photos are wonderful, and your family is beautiful – sweet blessings from the Lord!
OH this post! So sweet! I love the claim to fame for the day with Grace! Haha! I have to say we have experienced that one! I enjoyed just walking through the day with you…that is what I feel like I am doing when I read your posts! :o)
finally made it your way here — and always so glad when I can! – I love the childrens picture. Just beautiful and fun. Wonderful shot. I enjoy your posts ~ and your nature pictures always are a delight to me since TX. isn’t exactly known for it’s pretty green, tall trees, and such~ Thank you for your sweet comments and xanga friendship ;)Thanks for being you and posting about your life and Jesus Christ~ refreshing.