Halloween

Sometimes you just gotta laugh...

Picture it.  It's Halloween night and the pumpkins are set out and candy ready.  Dad gets home from work/school with three eager children and Mom is still in the ER finishing her shift.  Dad notices there is a puddle in the driveway and water running down but no rain yet.  Maybe it's the crazy plumbing in our blessing of a house (remember this from the summer).  Yep.

Fortunately, the water is not pooling in the house - only in the yard -  but where?  A quick call to the plumber - Jimmy the plumber from this summer - and the investigation begins to figure out what is going on and children happily go with new neighbor for a night of unexpected candy collection.

My dear, sweet, very logical husband and our new friend, Jimmy the plumber set to work to find where in the yard the leak is.  Jimmy suggests using a metal coat hanger stretched out to detect the leak - you know wild-west style where they use a stick to detect running water underground.  SO, with trick-or-treaters swarming our home like locust, Jimmy and very logical husband get coat hanger, and wander through yard to no avail - no wiggling coat hanger.  BUT, ding-ding-ding - the large puddle of water on the other end of the house is a clue that you don't need a coat hanger for.  This puddle leads them to the basement where they cut the sheet rock out of the basement and find the "in" pipes for all that clean water that should be flowing into our house. 

Dear husband cuts all water off to the house and arranges everything to be handled the next day with diggers, plumbers, etc. and even a place to shower for mom when she gets home from work.  All is well.  Super dad to the rescue!

Children hand out candy to other children and enjoy the evening of fun and sugary delight - and then brush their teeth with left over water from a cup next to mom's bed.  All is well this night...and one metal hanger is safely placed in the recycle bin.

More time together

There was a half day at the kid's school this week and we took the opportunity to spend the rest of the day at the aquarium (using the passes Papa and Grandma gave us last year - thanks!).  We really liked the new 'Sea Creatures' exhibit and were amazed all over again at the intricate details of the fish/creature bodies, at the colors of fish in the tanks that we hadn't noticed before and the wonder of the beauty of the sea.

Tired punkin

Sleeping beauty fell asleep in the couch at 10:15 the other morning while I was folding clothes

Another day, after lunch, I saw this on the floor and knew that one cowgirl had given up and headed upstairs for a little nap without me.

Wonderful Fall Weekend

I soaked up the crisp air, the time with family and all things fall this weekend. Lucy and I made yummy pumpkin muffins and bread, the children helped pick up the pine straw and pine cones in the yard, a neighborhood walk with our dog, movie night with popcorn, Florida State football, laundry, Samuel's surprise breakfast on Sunday and then church together as a family.  A couple other things...

 Friday night high school football

Soccer

Dinner -  spaghetti squash with deer sausage and pomegranates

Pumpkin carving

Happy Fall Y'all

Happy Fall y'all (and don't forget to eat breakfast - even if it's a granola bar on the go!)

Better than the drive-in

So what do you do at the farm?

Well, we sit and watch the cows.  It's kind of like watching fish in an aquarium but they're a little noisier, and bigger, and smell a little more but it's alot like watching fish in an aquarium.  I think the cows like watching us too...especially when we have lollipops and stick them through the fence and share a lick with them.  Seriously, why would you not enjoy this?

A MAZE ing

All who wander are not lost...

We've been given some wild adventures in the past few weekends. On the way home from Florida (after a too quick trip) we stopped at Lane orchard in Middle Georgia and ventured through the corn maze - I've never meandered through a "corn labyrinth" as Lucy called it but liked seeing my children run with joy in the corn. We walked and wandered and worked together and enjoyed the corn and the funny signs along the way. I'm learning to enjoy the journey more and more - even when I feel I'm headed in circles. It's more about the people around me than how quickly we make it to the finish line.

Mummies

Samuel had to do a project and write a paper on mummification in ancient Egypt for his PC class.  He wrapped his bear in some old t-shirt and found the heiroglyphs to spell "Mighty Bear" on the sarcophagus and then made some canopic jars for the internal organs (no real organs or even pretend).  He wrote a 5 paragraph essay about "why, how and who were mummified in ancient Egypt" - I think it turned out well (I did make him use and old fashion paper dictionary to correct his spelling mistakes and supervised the painting of the box with what's left of our wall paint but for the most part all his work).  The girls liked the linen strips - Lucy and Lydia played with the left over linen strips an pretended to be brides with a flowing train.

Marbles

My children have enjoyed setting up and playing with the Marble Run course - it was an amazing gift from Aunt Ann and Uncle Pat several years ago but we haven't played it in the past year or so.  The excitement's still there as they race and watch and build new courses...over and over and over again - for days...

We made it to October

Where did September go?  October will be better.

This morning I even had time to get four little pigtails ready -

Update

A few updates

 

1. Lydia got her "pink arm" off last week.  The orthopedist gave her a brace to wear but want her to move her arm to increase mobility in her elbow and wrist.  She still has to be careful for the next 2-3 weeks and then we'll see what other adventures come our way.

 

2.  Oreo got a hair cut - whew! 

 

3.  The kids are still loving the dog and we are trying to get used to caring for her.  Lydia plays with Oreo all the time and I'm so glad she is a patient dog - sweetly lets Lydia lay down next to her and put the blanket on her.  And Samuel and Lucy love her too.  I guess we're getting used to her.

 



Always changing, always hoping

As the children grow I often find myself at my wits end, I mean, I trying to think differently about how to instruct, guide and gently (without tearing their heads off or loosing mine) discipline them with love.  The hardest thing about these wonderful children of mine is the CONSTANT bickering, fighting, aggravating and whining usually about the other one - ok, maybe not constant but certainly a daily occurrence.  Usually when I can't handle it anymore (around dinner time) I've sent them to separate parts of the house - whew! - peace again until I attempt reconciliation and forgiveness and then 1 1/2 minutes later they're back at it and they're back in their separate rooms.  Parenting is the most humbling endeavor I could ever imagine - things never work out as you'd like and often I feel as if I'm flailing about - what works for a time or for your friend rarely works for you.  It's all to get me to a point of trusting God - the only certainty in this whole thing.  Dear Lord, forgive me for ever judging another mom for her efforts to love and care for her children - this is hard work.

So each season brings new attempts to train, etc.  For the past several months I've been trying a new way to end the bickering and foster brotherly/sisterly kindness (all of this under the only true and lasting way to change their behavior is for them to have new hearts - a work of the LORD - I pray often for them and know that He is the one to change them and I pray for wisdom to know what to do to help) . 

Recently, I began to think about what always separating them says to them (they are more important, you don't have to get along just run away when things are hard?  I don't know maybe I think too much) SO I thought about a change - Instead of sending them to their own spaces of the house - I make them hold hands.  Ya'll -  I'm beginning to see fruit.  Now the funny thing is Lucy after a while likes the idea but Samuel would rank this right up there with water boarding t-o-r-t-u-r-e.  Usually the incident starts with a fight over who gets to read the National Geographic first or who has to wipe the table down and who gets to vacuum under the table, who has to share with Lydia first, who gets the cup with the most sweet tea.  Today it was the after dinner chores and I said - OK - hold hands.  They immediately wanted to just do whatever it would take to not have to hold hands but then they obeyed and got to work.  By the end - instead of a bickering bunch of kids I had a third tag-along and three helpers working together - hand in hand to load the dishwasher, wipe the table and vacuum.  I'm grateful for the fruit of friendship that is sparked and the torture turned to laughter.

Thank You, Lord, that though separation may be good for a time and relationships may be hard that when we work through the mess of life there is beauty and peace at the end (and in my case a fairly clean kitchen tonight).  Help me to know how to love those around me well and enter the mess and discomfort of relationships - to forgive, to receive, to love.  Thank you for these precious children who are teaching me that I must trust you daily.  Please help them to grow to be good friends...one day.

After dinner entertainment

Some thing about Mickey Mouse hot dog song, Bob the Builder, Go Diego Go!, Clap your hands, stomp your feet and giggle a little!

My view this morning

Grandma Camp 2013

The highlight of my children's year and the one week they look forward to with anticipation for about 300 days beforehand is Grandma Camp.  Seriously people, they love Papa and Grandma, they love their cousins to pieces, they love the redheaded dog, the cows, the mud, the tv watching, the yummy treats and the wide open farm.  They could do nothing but eat popsicles, climb trees, play in the mud, eat mac-n-cheese and watch tv and they would think they were in the best place on earth.

I am so grateful they get to play in the same dirt my Granny, my daddy and I played in as kids.  I'm glad they get to be kids, they get to be around their Papa who loves mud and cowboy shows as much as my little guy.  I'm glad they get to be around their Grandma who gives them kisses and cooks and plans and plays and creates.  What a blessing and sweet reminder to me of the joy of life and childhood!  I'm so grateful Grandma Camp fell during my time in Peru and even though Lydia came out of the week with a broken arm (good kid fun - right?) we'll be signing up again next year and every year after that.  Thanks Mama and Daddy - the best gift ever for these little ones.

Here are some pictures from the week

Lots of fun

 Lots of character

 Lots of time outside

 Lots of popsicles

 Lots more mud

 Lots of dirt, mud and cute boys

 Lots of smiles

 Lots of fire ant bites

 Lots of silliness

 Lots of red

 Lots of messes and crafts

Lots of fun memories with Grandma and Papa

Overheard

Lucy telling Samuel she wants to go see Papa and Grandma soon.

Lydia perks up and says "I go Grandma's and see Papa, Grandma, Wyatt, Batman and the flashlights"

I'm pretty sure this is the Batman she wants to see - sweet Mason (and Lydia likes to be Robin with her own Grandma made dish towel and chip clip super cape and some random goggles)  And I'm pretty sure the flashlights aren't code for anything - just flashlights.

We miss you all!