A Friday ritual. A single photo – capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember. (inspired by soulemama)
This week, it isn’t so much the picture but what she said before she got on my back.
Sweetly, so sweetly, she asked “Can I get on your horsie head?”
Little boy, do you know how blessed you are? Of course, you did ask about 1,000 times for a fishing pole. And mommy *of course* has been reading you a book all about How to Fish–how to find those big nightcrawlers, why you shouldn’t touch the body of any fish you plan on throwing back, how to put a worm on a hook, what the different sized hooks are called, and so on.
You have had fishin’ fever.
So your Dad “finally” took you to a sporting goods store last Saturday and bought you your very own fishing pole. He bought one for himself and another one for big brothers to share.
Once you got home, you had to stand around and watch Daddy put together the tackle box that he bought. He said he saved 20 dollars by getting the kind you have to put together yourself. Saving that 20 dollars also paid for another lesson on “waiting patiently” for you, Davy.
It was hard to find worms in the middle of the bright sunny day. You and I read in the book that nightcrawlers are easier to find. . ..at night. But you and your brothers managed to find some small, skinny, reddish colored worms. You put them in a dirt-filled Campbell’s soup can.
Mama pretty much kept to herself and let you boys have fun together. That’s because when I did go down to watch, you almost cast your hook into my wrist. That’s okay. You didn’t mean it. But, I figured I was safer if I kept my distance.
Davy, you fished and you fished. But big brother was the only one to catch anything~4 little ones~.
So, you haven’t caught anything yet. But that’s okay. Mommy had to chuckle, shaking her head a little, when she heard you explain to your speech teacher about the “BIG ONE” that you “almost” caught. You showed her just how BIG it was, with your little arms.
Apparently, the need to exaggerate “the one that got away” is something that comes naturally to fishermen. Even you young ones.
You were very patient
Mama thinks your toes are cute. All that sitting still makes your toes curl.
the first catch~an itty bitty sunfish~
Another of Big Brother’s catches.
Daddy and Davy-do, like two peas in a pod~
Daddy understands your little boyishness when mama does not.
He says you are just like him, when he was little.
I hope you enjoyed reading about David’s first time fishing. I’m so glad we have 2 ponds so that he can fish without leaving home, although I’m sure they will be checking out other fishing holes in time.
As I was typing this, I could hear Grace and Davy in the kitchen.
She just came to me and said, “Mom? How do you make those waffles?” (frozen ones)
“You just put them in the toaster, that’s all.”
“I did that, and they turned out mushy.”
“What? What do you mean, mushy?”
I got up to go check.
“They taste AWFUL”, said David, when I appeared.
No wonder! THEY WERE TOASTING FROZEN HAMBURGER PATTIES!!!!!!
(As it turns out, we don’t even have frozen waffles. I have a small waffle maker. . . . . .guess I’ll be making fresh waffles this morning, even if it takes an hour to make enough for five hungry children. It’s the least I could do after laughing at Grace long and loud *which she did not like*.)
PS, The toaster is a great defroster of hamburgers.
Little boy, do you know how blessed you are? Of course, you did ask about 1,000 times for a fishing pole. And mommy *of course* has been reading you a book all about How to Fish–how to find those big nightcrawlers, why you shouldn’t touch the body of any fish you plan on throwing back, how to put a worm on a hook, what the different sized hooks are called, and so on.
You have had fishin’ fever.
So your Dad “finally” took you to a sporting goods store last Saturday and bought you your very own fishing pole. He bought one for himself and another one for big brothers to share.
Once you got home, you had to stand around and watch Daddy put together the tackle box that he bought. He said he saved 20 dollars by getting the kind you have to put together yourself. Saving that 20 dollars also paid for another lesson on “waiting patiently” for you, Davy.
It was hard to find worms in the middle of the bright sunny day. You and I read in the book that nightcrawlers are easier to find. . ..at night. But you and your brothers managed to find some small, skinny, reddish colored worms. You put them in a dirt-filled Campbell’s soup can.
Mama pretty much kept to herself and let you boys have fun together. That’s because when I did go down to watch, you almost cast your hook into my wrist. That’s okay. You didn’t mean it. But, I figured I was safer if I kept my distance.
Davy, you fished and you fished. But big brother was the only one to catch anything~4 little ones~.
So, you haven’t caught anything yet. But that’s okay. Mommy had to chuckle, shaking her head a little, when she heard you explain to your speech teacher about the “BIG ONE” that you “almost” caught. You showed her just how BIG it was, with your little arms.
Apparently, the need to exaggerate “the one that got away” is something that comes naturally to fishermen. Even you young ones.
You were very patient
Mama thinks your toes are cute. All that sitting still makes your toes curl.
the first catch~an itty bitty sunfish~
Another of Big Brother’s catches.
Daddy and Davy-do, like two peas in a pod~
Daddy understands your little boyishness when mama does not.
He says you are just like him, when he was little.
I hope you enjoyed reading about David’s first time fishing. I’m so glad we have 2 ponds so that he can fish without leaving home, although I’m sure they will be checking out other fishing holes in time.
As I was typing this, I could hear Grace and Davy in the kitchen.
She just came to me and said, “Mom? How do you make those waffles?” (frozen ones)
“You just put them in the toaster, that’s all.”
“I did that, and they turned out mushy.”
“What? What do you mean, mushy?”
I got up to go check.
“They taste AWFUL”, said David, when I appeared.
No wonder! THEY WERE TOASTING FROZEN HAMBURGER PATTIES!!!!!!
(As it turns out, we don’t even have frozen waffles. I have a small waffle maker. . . . . .guess I’ll be making fresh waffles this morning, even if it takes an hour to make enough for five hungry children. It’s the least I could do after laughing at Grace long and loud *which she did not like*.)
PS, The toaster is a great defroster of hamburgers.
Grace helped fold all these clothes.
At the dinner table, she was complaining that “I used to like folding clothes but now I don’t. I’m going to try to avoid it every chance I can.”
To which wise Mommy replied, “You’re going to have to learn to enjoy work. Work makes life worth living.”
Ethan immediately said, unemotionally, as he continued to chew his dinner, “What about food?”
Every time I say something that I think will boggle their minds, they come up with something that boggles mine.
Truly, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
And that includes the small men in the family.
Needless to say, I didn’t win any hearts with last night’s meal of boiled dinner.
Now, where’s my book?
We are done with school for today. The kids sang their hymn and copied down their memory verse for the week. They all did language and math. They read their reading assignments. David did some coloring and tracing.
I made some homemade pizza for lunch. It is easy and the kids ate it all up. I put fresh sliced mushrooms on mine. Yum.
Now they are watching “I Love Lucy” and eating popcycles. It’s sunny out today but chilly.
We did go to Crackerbarrel on Saturday, as planned. Rich and I talked on the way, and I took the picture of him. He dressed nice for me. I did not wear those boots. LOL I love Saturdays, because of him.
At the Crackerbarrel, I had what I always have–an egg sandwich on white sourdough toast. It has fresh tomato on it, and I ordered mine with a slice of swiss cheese. I had a side of hashbrown casserole, too. The kids all ordered pancakes/french toast/eggs. . .except David. He always gets cold cereal because he loves the little boxes that it comes in, the cereal and the milk. . .all for him.
After breakfast, I asked Rich if he would take me to my favorite antique store and he agreed. He dropped me off and took the children to get new shoes (white dress shoes for Grace for Easter, new sneakers for David and Caleb, and new black church shoes for Jacob).
I had a great time prowling around, looking at things. . .doilies, old clothes, dishes, jewelry, books, baskets, vases, etc. I found a stack of Country Living magazines from 1989 and I bought those. I’ve had fun looking at them. I also bought a pretty set of Homer Laughlin China.
It’s the “Virginia Rose Colonial Kitchen” pattern. The pictures make the dishes look too yellow, they are really a light, creamy yellow. They have gold edges. There are 8 dinner plates, 8 soup bowls, 8 bread plates/saucers (not sure which, they don’t have the circle indentation in the middle) and 8 dessert plates. Also a covered sugar and creamer (which I will no doubt serve maple syrup in!), a serving bowl, a serving platter, and one lone teacup.
This pattern is SO homey. I really like it a lot.
Not that I needed more dishes. But it’s fun to set a table. And, I have dreams of a spring picnic in the woods, by the stream. I want to pack a basket for 2, and use real china. Maybe Rich and I will go with the kids, but feed the kids first and then watch them play while we eat our lunch by the stream. Then I’ll rinse the dishes off in the running water and imagine I am a pioneer woman. 
I took this picture of Ethan, our 9 year old, oops, I mean 10 year old, this morning. He’s the family guitarist. He came downstairs with his instrument to play for me, “Lightly Row” is the song he is practicing this week. He’s still in his pj’s.
Handsome. Let me just sit here and gaze for a minute or two. . . .
Okay. Now. I know there are some of you who cannot stand looking at a Super Mess. Well, believe me this was NOT fun to clean up. But, what can I do? I at least have to grab the camera and get some small particle of enjoyment from this kind of thing! When I took my shower this morning, I left Caleb with his brothers. They were all building with legos. It would have been fine, if Caleb hadn’t gotten away. . . .
After I was dressed, I sat in the livingroom to read my devotions. Not for long, because up came Caleb, from the basement, looking like this:
More Red Paint.
And here was his partner in crime:
Oh dear dog, how embarrassed you are with your coat of red.
I spent a considerable amount of time, scrubbing red paint off various surfaces. In the basement, I found more evidence of the crime.
this footprint, along with about 4 more just like it.
I am NOT washing the dog. But Caleb did get a bath.
With bubbles. And toys.
Once upon a time, last Friday afternoon, Mama bear’s tummy started to growl. She was hungry for a snack. In fact, to be perfectly honest, she was having a craving for chocolate.
She wanted chocolate cake with creamy frosting. But when she checked the cupboards, she found none.
(none)
She thought about making her own cake but she had no energy.
(none at all)
Then she decided to have some Ben and Jerry’s New York Super Fudge Chunk ice cream. But when she checked the freezer, she found none.
(none)
Then she dreamed of Godiva chocolates. But that was only a dream.
(a day dream)
She looked and she looked and finally she found something that might possibly satisfy her craving. It was Nutella. Every good Mama bear buys her cubs animal crackers, so she got those out, too. Then she got a knife.
Her five bear cubs of various sizes were busy in the other room, playing games, so Mama bear sat cross legged on the couch, turned on the news, and ate animal cracker after animal cracker, all spread thick with creamy, chocolaty Nutella.
Soon Mama bear was beginning to feel full. But she recklessly kept on eating anyway. Then, along came her baby bear cub. He wanted his Mama to share and so she did, happily. She started making baby bear his own crackers w/Nutella. Baby bear had some organizational skills and so he lined them all up like this:
Mama bear decided to eat one of Baby bear’s crackers. But this made Baby bear very mad.
Not only did he take it back, he also made himself a new one.
Mama bear was starting to feel very silly from all that sugar. So she decided to do some decorating.
She decided to start with Baby bear’s itty bitty nose.
And then, she decorated Baby bear’s favorite choo-choo, the dirty ink-faced James.
Mama bear’s tummy was round and full when she finally got up and brushed the crumbs off her shirt. She twirled the tops back on the cookie jar and the Nutella and looked at the clock.
Hopefully her chocolate fix and silly mood would last through the next few hours, until Big Papa bear came home. Although she was a bear, she tried hard not to act like one. It was very difficult to keep herself from growling at times.
Chocolate seemed to help with attitude and endurance problems and so Mama bear got back to work, feeling much better after her snack. She was a Very Busy Mama, but no mama should ever too busy for chocolate.
The End
I’ve been chuckling over this since dinner time. I made steak and the kids do NOT like any redness in their steak. I cooked it “well-done” just for them. After I served them all, I sat down in the livingroom w/Rich and a little while later we overheard these dramatic words from Ethan:
“Oh this steak!!! I’ve been chewing it for hours! Just one piece! It’s gum!! Everlasting gum!”
If that’s not insulting I don’t know what is! LOL
(this is to make you laugh)
I just called the doctor and found out that my kids have a very rare case of something called “Electric Ear”. It started this morning after breakfast, David got it first. The Doctor said, although it is rare, it should go away on it’s own. If it’s not gone by tomorrow I have to go to Target and get some special cream to put in it. Its called “Electric Cream, for the illness no one wants to hear about”. It’s put out by, can you believe it, GE!
Thankfully it is not painful. As you can see by the pictures, the kids are in happy spirits this morning (although Jacob complained of the heat). It was scary for me, though, I was not ready for the . . . “shock”. . .
I’m glad I called the doctor and found out what it was. I was so afraid that they would start glowing in other parts of the body. Like the nose for instance.
Please pray for me today. I’m still shaking. I hope they clear up soon, I really wanted to go someplace. I just can’t take them out in public like this.
Thanks for understanding. I hope that in sharing this, I might find at least one other family that has gone through it. I could really use some encouragement. I feel like a terrible mother.
I thought Grace said it well,
“It’s embarrassing.”
Why you shouldn’t play in a box
of packing peanuts on a dry day:
Yeah, he had a dirty face. . .from eating lots of frozen blueberries. . .one of my little ones’ favorite treats.
Good to be Home 