Tea Time

Today we had several little girls near Lucy's age over for a little tea time. I've been wanting to do something girlie with Lucy for a while and wanted to share these neat styrofoam beads I found. SO, I decided to have a low-key tea and see how it goes. I really enjoyed the morning and think the girls did too. Thanks to all of you for coming - we'll have to do it again soon.

I don't have pictures of everything but we read stories, made necklaces from the "princess jewels" we found in the treasure box and had tea - with real tea. I forgot to do some of the things we had planned (and I forgot to put sugar in the tea I think) but I think it went really well - I hope to help reinforce that these girls are beautiful and loved by their heavenly Father - making them princesses able to share and love others because they have been given so much. OK - here are a few of the pics I have -



On the surface the menu was PBJ, carrots and sweet tea with a little brocolli and blueberries added in BUT with the right setting it becomes food fit for a princess. We played with their plastic tea set Mimi and Papa gave Lucy for Christmas and then used our real stuff -
Here is the attempt to make necklaces - not bad...

These pictures capture the girls in various stages of wrestling with their carrots - so glad they all loved their fruits and veggies but the carrots seemed to need some extra attention to chew!

At the end of the day...

At the end of the day what is a princess to do but kick back and relax?

I walked into the living room after having helped the children clean up - to find this -

The needle vs. sword debate

I grew up with some artsy, recourceful women around. My Mama always had (and HAS) a project or two going - cross stitch, canning, painting, pine cone wreathing. AND My Mema makes McGuyver look like an amatuer - she could whip something out of nothing in about two seconds and make it look good. She was always doodling with something, learning something new and I got to be a part of her "adventures in creativity". I remember visits to Mema usually meant daily trips to Cloth World or a request to save something (I mean there really are 100 ways to use styrofoam meat trays, crystal light containers, yogurt tubs and the red rings off of bologna- vaseline also has that ability to multitask but we'll stick with the resourceful-crafty-second-usefulness of objects for now) I would like to say I have captured the resourceful gene from my Mema and Mama and tried to develop those traits but I will admit I'm not that artsy - just creative and resourceful. (EX. Mema tried to teach me to sew many times and I have only become proficient at curtains and hems - the jams/shorts I sewed in 5th grade are a good example of why I should not make my own clothes.)


OK - I have a bit of that resourceful-second-usefulness gene in me AND I'll admit I have about 20 toilet paper rolls stuck under my bed - come on, they have all sorts of uses (pirate spotting scopes, hoopty do's, ribbon holder,etc). AND I really like doing things with my children even when it takes 10 times longer, is messier and takes more of my energy and patience. I don't get very elaborate or detailed but we enjoy things together. That's what I remember about time with my Mema baking cakes or with my Mama cross-stitching.



In all of this I see the differences in my children - like today after the tea party Samuel wanted to make a necklace using the plastic needles the girls used (Great for fine motor development) and the colorful styrofoam beads. He worked diligently to make a necklace and then gave it to me as a present (sweet boy!). Lucy finally got the hang of stringing the beads and had fun naming all the colors. I was surprised at how well all the girls did - they seemed to love the "sewing" project.
OK - here is where the debate comes. Later we sat down to make some more necklaces but Samuel wanted a crown and soon the needle became a sword and a bow and arrow being skillfully shot through the beads. After we finished the needle was now pronounced a sword and it provided 1 more hour of entertainment in Samuel's imaginary Camelot as a living sword fighting the guards at the castle. On the other hand - Lucy loved stringing the necklaces and wearing her crown but was not the least but interested in the sword. I guess that is his imaginative mind and resourcefulness kicking in - well, and he is a boy. So, is it a needle or a sword?


Here is the queen and her faithful king with sword in hand.

Time with the Leerssen's

Yesterday we had the chance to spend time with Christina and her children (I can't believe how much they have all grown). I had such a great time watching our children play and getting to spend a little bit of time with Christina (I wish we had more time) - what a treat before school really gets started today for me. THANK's Leerssen's for letting us come and spend the day! Here are a few pics from our time at the park -

Happy Memorial Day

Hope you are enjoying your Memorial Day. We are glad our garden is getting watered and our rain buckets are filled to overflowing. We even picnicked under a pavillion in the rain on Saturday so that we could get some "outside" time in. Well - hope your weekend is restful and enjoyable!

Garden delight

It's so fun to watch things grow - especially these two cuties!






watering the plants (and weeds and dirt) from our rain bucket!

Another milestone reached...

I thought it would happen sooner - maybe when Samuel started crawling or walking. I've pondered how I would handle it - armed with an iron and a 4x4 patch of denim like my mom OR with a pair of scissors marked 'fabric only'. We have finally reached that point in every boy's life when the knees of long pants are a daily disappearing act. Samuel has no knees left in any of the pants we started with in the winter but he is fully outfitted with cut off shorts for the summer. Yes, I decided to forgo the denim patches and just cut them off. Fortunately, we have 3 pairs of long pants left from a new batch of hand-me-downs so that Samuel has some pants to wear to church this summer. It is amazing how quickly those knees decide to disappear once the magical time happens. I guess it could be different for each boy but for mine - it was the winter he was three!

I'm grateful...

...Really I am. After my wishful thinking yesterday about laundry and how much it feels like Camus's Myth of Sysiphus - I really am grateful for the ability to do laundry - I mean one of those 'grateful from the heart not just from the head' type of feelings. I'm thankful that we have more than one set of sheets for each bed, we have more than one pair of pajamas for each child, we have more than one pillow per person, I am able to do laundry, able to afford detergent, have a washer and a dryer right in my own hallway. I really am grateful....because if all of these things were not true I would be hauling three sets of sheets, blankets, 6 changes of clothes, a bathroom rug, 5 washrags, 3 towels, 2 pillows, and a stuffed puppy - all vomit laden - to the laundry mat this morning with two very pitiful looking children. Thank you Lord for washers... because vomit is hard to get out of fabric without a little elbow grease.

Oh, and Happy Anniversary, Jeremy - WOW, 8 years!

In heaven ...

Today I'm remembering the good things in life as I spend a day with my kids and no nagging guilt lurking behind every free minute shouting "study, you must study!" Praise the good Lord I was able to finish this semester and I'm marching on (ok maybe limping, with a dehydration headache and stopping way too much for that cramp in my side but it is forward progress and I am grateful). I had a deep thought today - not so theological but I really, really hoped that there would be NO LAUNDRY in heaven. I mean - I think I could handle some tears but laundry - please no. It feels like the myth of Sysiphus - never ending torture. I guess I will choose to be thankful to have my own washer and dryer so I don't have to haul it to the laundry mat, or that I don't live on a fourth floor walk up with no washer - or be grateful that we have wonderful clothes and great handme downs for our kids - but today, as with the grind of life I am living in the hope that one day when Jesus makes all things new - clothes will be self cleaning (and folded and put away) It's great that our discomfort here can make us hope and perservere for the good promises yet to come - and I can do that today without having to study a bit and with plenty more laudry left to remind me to be thankful for the little things.

Lucy's Na'ned

We've gotten a kick out of Lucy's recent proclamation "I na'ned" She loves to be naked and likes to say "Lucy's Na'ned!" - I finally caught it on tape

Fencing (sword fighting) a Pirate!

p>Saturday, I took Lucy and Samuel to the Renaissance Festival. We had a great time and enjoyed the overcast, cool breezy day while partaking in a fairytale come true. Samuel LOVES knights, kings, princesses, pirates, swordfighting and we often make up stories about them before bed and pretend during the day that we are jousting (lucy lines up on one end of the hallway and Samuel on the other and then it's "On your mark, get set, Joust!") All day Samuel said "mama, look - its a pirate...look mama a knight!" We had a great time and he even got to fence a "real pirate" The pirates called Samuel 'the hobbit' and Samuel LOVED it - well worth the $5. Samuel is the little kid in white all suited up for sword fighting with a "real sword".

Stories come alive

I was surprised that Samuel was shy when a pirate or maiden or jester would walk up to us or talk to him. There were official festival characters and many of the festival goers were dressed in period wear. I think he was a little surprised to see the characters he reads in books and makes up stories about come to life. I heard "Mama, LOOK!" all day and enjoyed watching Lucy and Samuel explore and wonder at the sights around. I didn't think to bring Samuel's sword and shield with us but he quickly found a stick that was a good substitute all day.
Lucy enjoying our picnic of fish and chips

Samuel and a brave knight

The jousting tournament

We rode a swinging ship (the Nina of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria)- I had to pull the ropes for us to move and we enojoyed being on a ship housting the sails, sailing the seas and enjoying the breeze.

Our brave hobbit fighting the fierce pirate.

Mother's Day with the Knight and Princess

I had a wonderful Mother's day with my princess and my knight.
-

Relay for Life pics

Two enthusiastic supporters -
Come on Mama why do we have to wait - can't we walk now?

I was so glad to get to participate in the Realy for Life in Henry County with my church - Samuel and Lucy had a great time - I wish I had a pic of them dancing for the hour or two after we walked the survivor's lap.

Sweet brother

Jeremy walked into the living room one night this week and saw Lucy laying in Samuel's lap while he read her a story - what a sweet brother!

The never-ending sickness

I know everyone gets sick but I feel like we have not been able to shake it this winter/spring. Here are a few shots of our sick little Lucy and sweet Samuel as he was a great big brother ...
Lucy's fever was over 104 for several days and I tried everything to keep it down - and keep her cool...

Papa came last week and helped take care of Lucy - here is the Memory game fun one night after dinner. Samuel and Jeremy play for real and Lucy just makes matches with the picture side up - Papa was a big help with this so I could clean up after dinner!

Lucy did not want to drink (or eat) for a few days but I thought toward the end if I made it a real tea party maybe she would drink some water. And it worked - she drank some water out of the tea cup and asked for more. Of course, then for several days that was the only way she wanted anything to drink - but it was better than dehydration!

Here is my rebel of a boy and Lucy the valiant knight - feeling much better

Thanks PAPA!!

Papa came to help with our sick little one this week - we love when he comes. THANKS PAPA for coming! We love you!

Overheard...

Overheard while I was writing a paper and Jeremy was loading the washer-

Samuel – [from the bathroom] “Daddy, I have an enormous problem.”
Jeremy - “What is it Samuel?”
Samuel - “Everytime I wipe my bottom I keep getting poopoo on my finger.”
Jeremy - “Uhh, that sounds like a problem for Mama”
Samuel - “Mama!”

PS – I was laughing so hard from the declaration of “I have an enormous problem” I didn’t even hear the “problem” until it was described in detail at my ‘on site assessment’ in the bathroom. Samuel’s vocabulary surprises me everyday!

Relay for Life...

I'm headed out to Woodland High School for the Henry County Relay for Life this evening. My church's team is honoring of me this year and I'm grateful for God's hand in the whole process (I go in two weeks for a check-up with the endocrinologist - someone I will get to know well in the next few years) - I can't believe I had my thyroid out a little over two months ago!

I'll be walking in honor of my Mama, my Mema Ellis, my Aunt Vicki, my Grandma Kinsey and Jeremy's Daddy - I'm grateful for you and so glad you are a part of my life!

How does your garden grow...

Putting in a garden has been a family project since Christmas - we have tilled, fertilized, planted, watered and made lots of messes in the mud and dirt. Here are a few pictures of the process in our backyard. The update as of today - a few corn plants are peeping out and we are excited!

Behind Samuel is the watermelon hill. Jeremy has a dream of having hundreds of watermelons on our hill to give away to everyone we know - I'm hoping we have a couple of yummy ones to eat!
Lucy wanted to come in but was in need of little washing first

Lucy enjoying the garden while we plant some sunflowers

transporting dirt to the "raised bed"

Scarlett in her garden...