I was too tired to blog yesterday.  I had been awake in the night and spent the whole day feeling very S-L-O-W.  In fact, Rich even commented on it when he got home, “You seem. . . .kind of. .. slow, Shanda” and he laughed at me. 

We had special meetings at church and he went with the kids and I went to bed EARLY! 

I’m feeling SO much better this morning! 

Ethan is out walking the dog.

Jacob is practicing his violin.

Caleb is in here, playing with his choo-choo’s and humming the “Thomas song”.

David is watching a Thomas video.

Grace is in watching Jacob practice, with Patches on her lap.  (poor, poor Patches)

I wanted to share some pictures that make me LAUGH.  I took them when Mom and Dad were still here–and Dad was playing tic-tac-toe with Ethan.  Dad decided to give me a hard time and goof around during the picture-taking.  I think David’s and Ethan’s reaction to Grandpa is especially dear.

(“Is Grandpa okay?”)

(“He’s okay!  He’s laughing! Grandpa is so silly!”)

Let’s all gather around Grandpa!

Sweet.

Yesterday, I was in the kitchen with David and Caleb and I gave them each a cheese-stick.

David:  “Mom?  Are cheese-sticks made of WOOD?”

Me (in confused tone):  “No”

David:  “Then why are they called cheese-STICKS?”

The pictures of Dad were taken on Friday night.  Now, these photos were taken early Sunday morning.  Rich had already gotten up and was busy with the dog.   I was still asleep in bed when my door opened and I heard my mom saying, “Shanda?  Are you awake?”   It was so fun!  I felt like I was back home and she was getting me up for school.   I said, “Come on in” and she got in bed with me and we talked and giggled a little before we got up.  She was full of energy so as soon as I was ready, we went outside for a walk.  Jacob came with us.  It was so nice!  We ended up coming home with handfuls of leaves, berries, and other things. 

I’m hiding behind mom so my RAMS football sweatshirt doesn’t show.  We’re ashamed of them this year.

Lovely refection in the stream of the bright fall colors.

 Our shadows—this was so fun!  Parker, Me, Jacob, and Mom Shadows:

Our silly shadows:

I finally got a picture of a flock of geese:

Jacob thought it was so funny when I went right through some deep black mud.  Apparently the sound of the mud and my “oooph” as I went down was too much for him.  He laughed and laughed, “ho, ho, ho”  he says.

Some of our collection.  The acorns were a dark, shiny brown.  So lovely and nutty.

My mom sat at the table and put a wreath together “just like that”, with only some twine.  Everything was collected from the woods except some zinnias–they were from my garden.

It’s time to get dressed and ready for a morning of school with the children.  Davy-do is doing more and more with us, and I am proud of him.  His coloring is getting much better, I am encouraging him to be neat with his work (he’s a natural scribbler).  The others are also doing well–I’m especially pleased with their memorization of Bible and Poetry.  I’m amazed how quickly they can learn something by heart.

Here is a poem that Grace has memorized:

If I Knew

If I knew a box where the smiles are kcpt,
No matter how large the key
Or strong the bolt, I would try so hard
Twould open, I know, for me;
Then over the land and the sea broadcast,
I’d scatter the smiles to play,
That the children’s faces might hold them fast
For many and many a day.

If I knew a box that was large enough
To hold all the frowns I meet,
I would like to gather them every one,
From nursery, school, and street;
Then folding and holding, I’d pack them in,
And turning the monster key,
I’d hire a giant to drop the box
To the depths of the deep, deep sea.     -Maud Wyman

I took these photos this morning
before my parents left to go back home.

********

They have been married for 32 years and now have
an empty nest. . . .they both love
the Lord, their children, and each
other very much.

They both work full time, so when they
aren’t working, they spend all the time
they can, being together.

My mom makes my Dad homemade chocolate pudding.
When it’s ready, she pours it into 1-cup canning
jars and screws on the lid.  She makes about 6 at a time.
He loves it.  You should hear the racket
he makes, trying to get every last drop.

He calls her “Lovebird” or “Lovie”.  He adores her.

They like to be outside on the weekends.  They garden together,
work on house projects together, go for jogs together, and also target practice.

When Dad has his camera, Mom points out pictures for him to take.

They would rather be together than with anyone else in the world.
They don’t act the same if the other one isn’t near.
When I go home for a visit, I find their little love notes around the house.

They drink coffee together in the living room or on the porch. 
They like making nice pasta dishes for lunch or dinner.

They raised 5 children:  two girls and three boys.
They have 8 grandchildren, and my sister is expecting the ninth in February.

They delight in going on adventures together–traveling, walking, making memories.
My mom said, “Sometimes I miss those days with you kids at home.  But, I love
it now.  I love being home with your Dad, we enjoy
spending time with each other.”

Sometimes they get each other laughing so hard.  That’s the time I love the most.
There is a happy, blissful feeling inside me when I see my parents laugh together.
It makes the little girl in me feel warm and secure.

Quick and Easy Cornbread

1 small box cornbread mix
1 yellow cake mix

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix boxes together according to directions on back of each box.
Pour batter into a greased 9 by 13 inch pan.
Bake about 25-35 minutes, or until done.

I make muffins. Recipe yields 3 dozen.

Please visit my blog at http://www.xanga.com/purpleamethyst76

Because it’s a Saturday in October.

Because my parents went to visit my sister for the day.

Because Rich fell asleep on the couch.

Because I was looking for something to do.

Because the brothers were watching a movie.

Because I needed some fresh air.

Because it rained last night.

Because she’ll only be 7 for 15 more days.

Because I like spending time with her.

Because life is good.

Because she makes me smile.

As much as I converse with sages and heroes,

they have very little of my love and admiration. 

I long for rural and domestic scene,

for the warbling of birds

and the prattling of my children. 

~John Adams

(I love this quote!  I found it this morning.)

I’m impatient and a lil’ ornery at the moment.  I confess, I have this problem of going crazy cleaning my house whenever Important Company is coming over.  At this moment, my Parents are on their way to our humble abode and I know for a fact that they could care less if it is clean.  So, in an attempt to slooooooow myself down, I am going to sit at my desk for a few moments, write, and try to catch my breath.

I believe that our fall colors are at peak season.  It’s raining this morning, so the reds, oranges, and yellows are popping in an amazing way.  It’s so easy to find lists of reasons to thank God when you stop and really look and delight in His handiwork.  As I sit here and look out my windows, I can feel my spirit calming down.

Jacob is doing his writing assignment.

Ethan and Grace are doing math.

Caleb has been waking up around 6 (shortly before or shortly after) every morning and so it didn’t surprise me to find him sound asleep in his high chair at 10:30.  He’s in his crib now, under his favorite “Thomas the Tank Engine” blanket.

David is in the basement, sitting on the floor with a box of screws and hammering on them to “make them hot”.

The top picture is one that I found the other day.  It was taken during baby Jacob’s first autumn.  I put it in a frame yesterday to add to our fall decorations around the house.  I first fell in love with photography when I became a Mother.  I should get out his baby album and look through it again. . .seems like such a different life compared to now.  It was 10 years ago!

I am making stuffed shells for dinner tonight, and a nice salad.

I can’t wait to see my Parents, it’s been almost 2 months now, and they haven’t been here since Christmas time.  They are staying the weekend.

The house is quiet right now, all I can hear is Jacob softly humming a song.

He has a wonderful new teacher, Mr. Clayton B, who always keeps him over his 1/2 hour lesson because they are having so much fun.  (They have become friends.)

After mastering the latest song, “Pop goes the Weasel”, his teacher asked Jacob which song he wanted to learn.

He chose “Ashokan Farewell”.  The song that plays on my blog.

He is so excited about learning it that he has been playing his violin 3 or 4 times a day. 

At this moment, Rich is doing something very romantic for me.  We’re out of coffee for the 3rd day in a row, so he is on his way to Dunkin’ Donuts to get me a nice fresh cup.  It will be nice not to drink instant again.  The sun is just beginning to come up, and because little Davy-do was on the couch when he left, he took him along for an early dark morning ride with Daddy (and, maybe he will get a donut!)  Buying me a cup of coffee will add an extra 20 minutes to his already 45 minute commute, so I take this as the precious gift that it is.

But this post isn’t just about this morning.  It’s about yesterday;  it was late afternoon, the kids were outside and it was time for me to start making dinner.  I had chicken in the fridge so I pulled out my current favorite cookbook, “Flavors of Fall” and opened it up to look for chicken recipes.  Low and behold, on the same page as “Chicken Vermicelli” I read this quote:

The beauty that shimmers in the yellow afternoons of October. . . .who could ever clutch it?  Ralph Waldo Emerson

After sitting and gazing out the window for a moment, I put my cookbook down, found my camera, and ran outside.  It was the exact shimmery sort of afternoon that Emerson was describing.  I would try to clutch some.  Dinner could wait.

Click here to order Grace’s Dress (from Gymboree, they have sizes 3-12 and it’s on sale for 12.99!)

Dinner was half an hour late.  We had tuna noodle casserole. 

My coffee is here so I must go.  Enjoy your day, lovely ones!  Blessings to you and yours.

So, the other day I was busy with something (as usual) and the littles were watching a video when I heard David say, “Mom, take a picture of us!”

Okay then!  You don’t have to ask me twice!! 

This poem is so cute!  It makes me think of David and Caleb together.

“Us Two”

Wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and me.
Whatever I do, he wants to do,
“Where are you going today?” says Pooh:
“Well, that’s very odd ‘cos I was too.
“Let’s go together,” says Pooh, says he.
“Let’s go together,” says Pooh.

“Let’s look for dragons,” I said to Pooh.
“Yes, let’s,” said Pooh to Me.
We crossed the river and found a few–
“Yes, those are dragons all right,” said Pooh.
As soon as I saw their beaks I knew.
That’s what they are,” said Pooh, said he.
“That’s what they are,” said Pooh.

“Let’s frighten the dragons,” I said to Pooh,
“That’s right,” said Pooh to Me.
“I’m not afraid,” I said to Pooh,
And I held his paw and I shouted “Shoo!
Silly old dragons!”–and off they flew.
“I wasn’t afraid,” said Pooh, said he,
“I’m never afraid with you.”

So wherever I am, there’s always Pooh,
There’s always Pooh and Me.
“What would I do?” I said to Pooh,
“If it wasn’t for you,” and Pooh said: “True,
It isn’t much fun for One, but Two
Can stick together,” says Pooh, says he.
“That’s how it is,” says Pooh.

A. A. Milne

These two have physicals this morning at 9:15.  They’re always together.  That’s how it is.

And Mama gets to watch!