Flashbacks

When I was little, I remember bedtime as sometimes being an exercise in stalling the inevitable.  My sisters and I loved to sing songs and say prayers with my mom, but I think the fact that she had to limit us to three songs each (many times they were long winded, made up songs that occasionally included jumping on the bed) is definitely telling.

So last night when I was putting Jack to bed, I had to laugh when he said, "Mommy, before you leave, I need to tell you 91 secrets."  I'm not sure which was more subtle: our made up songs or his 91 secrets,  (By the way, he only told one of his "secrets" because he could not stop giggling long enough to get the words out.  It was pretty funny!)

Great Faithfulness

Yesterday I was able to go to our church's new sanctuary for the first time.  What a wonderful experience!  I think I can count on one hand the number of times we've worshiped in the main sanctuary (instead of the overflow room) since Caroline was born.  At first it was out of convenience since we'd have to take her in and out of the service and thought it would be less distracting.  However, after awhile we noticed that even if we had wanted to sit in the main sanctuary, there was so little room.  The place was packed!  Another issue was trying to drop the kids off in their nursery/Sunday School rooms.  With so many people exiting the sanctuary, traffic flow was challenging to say the least!  Thank the Lord that we were able to build a new building!  It was a beautiful thing to sit with everyone (or at least 1/3 of the congregation), singing hymns and praise songs and hearing God's Word preached in person (as opposed to on a screen--though Ryan did point out that the large LCD screens on either side of the stage are perhaps sharper than the actual view).  A challenge Pastor Mark gave was to bring our children into the service to teach them how we "do church."  I know several people who bring their children into the service with them, but we have avoided this with the boys.  However, I think for the next month we may try it with Jack.  Hopefully next week I won't be posting something along the lines of "huge embarrassment!"

For those who are interested, here is a flickr slideshow of pictures from the first Sunday in the new sanctuary.  http://www.flickr.com//photos/50295156@N04/sets/72157627706336604/show/

Also, I think this is kind of funny.  When I picked Caroline up from nursery, the woman working there said, "Wow!  Caroline and babies!"  Caroline LOVES baby dolls almost (but not quite) as much as Grant loves trains.  When I picked her up from Child Watch on Friday there were two dolls and a Winnie the Pooh in the baby swings.  I asked the girl working if Caroline had done that, and she nodded.  I love it!

Pirates and frogs and trains, oh my!

Last week I was reading the paper and saw that a train expo was coming to the State Fairgrounds this weekend.  Knowing my three-year-old as well as I do, I figured that might be something fun to do.  However, once we got to the Fairgrounds we realized we did not have cash to pay for the parking.  (Just as an aside, why is it necessary to pay for parking when you have to pay to go to the event?  I guess I know why, but grrr...)  We then decided we would make a quick trip to the Children's Museum, see their new frog exhibit, and use the ATM to get cash.  When we arrived at the museum, though, I noticed that there was someone dressed up like a pirate. After seeing several people dressed like pirates I told Ryan, "I think it's Talk Like a Pirate Day!"  And sure enough, it was!  They were handing out head scarves with pirate treasure maps on them and eye patches.  There was steel drum band playing and different activities to emphasize pirate-y things.  What a pleasant surprise!  I love the Children's Museum!

One-Eyed Jack (his pirate name)

After enjoying a snack (Grant was in meltdown mode so we had to take a detour to the snack court), we headed on up to the frogs.  It was so cool because they had real frogs in cases.  The exhibit isn't quite as interactive as others they have had, but I enjoyed it, and I think the kids did as well.  It's pretty crazy to see all the different types of frogs and how unique each one is! 

Jack's teacher loves frogs so he wanted to take a picture with a frog to give to her.  I think this is pretty cute.

 

a poison dart frog

One of the crazy frogs--Ryan thinks it looks like Yoda.

 So, our "quick trip" into the Children's Museum wasn't so quick, but it was fun.  We eventually headed back to the train expo and had a good time.  Grant loved it, and Jack tolerated it. Caroline was content to just walk around, holding my hand. There were a lot of model trains, trains for sale, and a few things for kids.

This human powered train was a favorite of the boys.  They moved their little cars by pushing and pulling on the handle.  Jack, of course, had to be be in the lead. :)

Caroline looked on longingly at her brothers.  Someday she'll be out there with them.

Grant was in heaven! 

Sick Days

For the past 3 weeks I feel like I have been living under a cloud of sickness.  At first I thought it was allergies, and perhaps it was, but somehow it morphed into a NASTY cold.  At the YMCA we've been calling it a "Y cold" because so many people have had it.  Then last Saturday night I started feeling sick and ended up with an awful stomach flu.  Yuck!  I had to miss the first day in our church's new sanctuary (an event I'd been anticipating for years) and a dessert night with my new MOPS table.  Boo!

So, needless to say, on Thursday I was definitely ready to go to MOPS--a yummy brunch, time away from my kids, and laughing and talking with other moms?  Yes, please!  When I heard the kids' door open at 4:30 I cringed but figured it was okay.  Then Jack said, "Mommy, my neck and waist hurt like they did when I was sick last Thanksgiving."  After laying on the bathroom floor for an hour without anything happening (except a lot of moaning and groaning), he went to the couch and fell asleep.  I still had hope.  At 8, when he woke up, he continued complaining about his neck (?) and vacillated between moaning about feeling sick and picking on Grant.  It's really hard to feel a whole lot of sympathy when your "sick" child is behaving in such a normal (sad but true) fashion.  I probably asked him about, oh, 500 times, "Are you sure you're really sick?  Are you sure you don't feel good?  If you're sick we can't go to MOPS.  Are you really sure?"  And inside I'm thinking, oh please, please, please say, "You're right, Mommy.  I'm not sick.  I am just being dramatic because I want to stay home and watch TV."  No such luck on my part, because right after that he confirmed that he was, indeed, not feeling good.  I then felt a teeny bit guilty about almost shoving him into his car seat just so I could go to church.  (Hmmm...something seems very wrong about that statement.)

Anyway, after his one sick episode, he was fine.  In fact, he and Grant played so well together that I was able to get a lot of cleaning done.  Maybe it was a blessing in disguise that we stayed home.  Nah, I would  have rather had a yummy brunch and girl time.  However, I suppose if I had to stay home with a "sick" kid, it was nice that it was on a day that I didn't have to miss work and find a sub and that the boys were able to have fun together.

Now that I think about it, I'm not really sure that this post has much of a point.  Who wants to hear about my and my child's stomach flu?  I guess if I had to sum it up, I would say that, as a parent, it is really hard to have sick kids--sometimes because you feel bad for them, and sometimes because you feel bad for you.  So, I'm sorry, Mom, for all the things you had to miss when I was little because I was sick!

Oh be careful little mouth...

So, during the month of August, our pastor preached a series on the tongue and taming it and all that goes along with that.  Apparently I should have been listening a bit more closely since I had a major foul-up in that department last week.  The person I offended spoke with me about it yesterday, and I think there is just about nothing more humbling than hearing that something you said out of stupidity hurt someone.  The thing is, as I was saying the ugly words, I even thought, Stop talking!  I was just frustrated and overreacting because of another situation, if that makes sense, and dragging this wonderful person into it.  Why is it that I just like to hear myself talk way too much and don't know when to stop?  God is pretty clear about talking too much.  "Even fools are thought wise if they keep silent, and discerning if they hold their tongues" (Prov. 17:28).  Oh, to just be a quiet fool!  Or how about this one: "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise" (Prov. 10:19).  So, all this is to say, I need to do a better job of listening to the Holy Spirit and taming my tongue.  I have been consumed since the conversation with feelings of remorse and frustration over my words.  If only I were a naturally quiet person!

In other humbling experiences of late, I have decided that parenting is the only job that I have had where more years of experience do not equal more knowledge.  I feel like after five years I should have this job down pretty well (or at least well enough that I don't have to be humbled so much), but after reflecting on it, I think the most knowledgeable I was as a parent was when I had 700 students and no children.  I could be as critical as I wanted and say what the parents were doing wrong and what I would do if I were the parent, but ultimately I had no idea how hard it is to be a parent.  I think with parenting there is a lot of pride, but the hard thing is, your product has a mind of its own and a will of its own.  When I defend my children, though they might be in the wrong, I know so much of that comes from my own pride and unwillingness to admit that I might be wrong.  I wonder if the Duggars--with their 19 kids--still have parenting insecurities after so many kids and so many years of parenting?  I would like to think that, at some point, I'll get the hang of this job.  However, maybe humility is one reason (of many!) that children are a blessing!

Apple Picking

On Saturday we decided to visit Tuttle Orchards.  It was such a beautiful, sunny day with a crisp feel in the air--perfect for a fun fall activity like apple picking!  Our first time picking apples was last year with my sister and her family, so the boys were excited to go again this year.  And the best part this year was that Little Miss was able to get in on the action!  I cannot say that she was the biggest contributor (in fact, I think I threw just about every apple she gave to me back onto the ground), but I think she definitely had fun, as did the rest of us!

Here are the boys, geared up for picking.  They must have been saving up their energy for picking, which explains why they needed to ride in the wagon.





(This is Jack's current favorite picture face.  I'm sure he'll be embarrassed someday.)

 


This is where Caroline found most of her apples, so don't judge me for throwing them back onto the ground!



Full hands!



How cute are they!



So many apples!

 

Here was our attempt at a fall picture with the kids.  Maybe we will have better luck when we go to the pumpkin patch!

Growing up

My sweet baby girl is 19 months.  How is that possible?  I think I've said those exact words in a previous post, but I know I feel that way each month.  Last week I went to pick her up after work, and they'd moved her over to the big kids room.  "What??" I said.  "Big kids??  Don't you see she is just a baby?"  They didn't seem to care too much that I was so distressed.  In fact, I think they may have rolled their eyes at me.  Someone said I was just reacting that way because she is a girl.  I don't know about that.

So here is the latest with my baby!  She is still so lovely and sweet.  She's not talking, but I'm not concerned.  She understands so much, and I figure she will talk when she is ready.  She is starting to become a bit more clingy, and I see a bit more drama in her sadness now.  However, I am still in love with her and cannot imagine our family without her.  She loves following her brothers around the house, loves stealing their toys and running away to tease them, and loves playing with her baby dolls.  It's so fun to see her little personality emerging!  I cannot wait to see what the next few months bring--but they don't have to pass too quickly!

You've got mail!

Which place looks good to you?

My kids LOVE to get mail.  I mean, who doesn't?  Well, I suppose I don't really like getting bills, junk mail, mail that just piles up on my table...

But I digress...back to my kids...

So my kids love to get mail.  Anytime Ryan comes home with his hands full of mail and tells one of the boys that he has mail, it is like Christmas.  A couple of weeks ago Jack received a big envelope from Oregon.  We thought it was kind of strange, and the next day Grant got something from Central Iowa.  After that we began getting mail from a different state or city, always addressed to one of the kids, including Caroline.  We started wracking our brains to try to figure out if we'd filled out some form while on vacation or at some festival or something but couldn't think of anything.  Ryan ended up looking on the Board of Tourism websites for the states that had sent packets and ended up e-mailing them.  He finally got a reply saying that someone had requested information for us.  Hmmm...now, I know that Jack is a bit more computer saavy than I would expect, but I think this would require skills he doesn't yet have.  Our best guess is that one of Ryan's students was bored and ordered all of these.  I am not sure what the purpose was, but our kids are absolutely THRILLED each day now when the mail comes!  Maybe the kids should plan our next trip now that they have all of these tour guides!

Twins?

This past weekend we visited my sister, her husband, and son.  Her son is exactly eight weeks older than Caroline, and seeing them in this picture, they look like they could be twins.  Aren't they sweet?  I know that my mother-in-law did it, but boy, twins would be a lot of work unless they're reading quietly like this all of the time!  

Grant's favorite part of the weekend was going to Choo-Choo Johnny's.  It's this great train-themed restaurant that was perfect for my little train lover!  He was absolutely fascinated by the train that brought our food, the train circling the restaurant, and all of the train pictures on the walls.  Great idea, Megan!

We also visited a truck expo-type thing where the kids were able to get into a fire truck, touch the bristles of a street sweeper (they're REALLY stiff!), see a bomb squad suit (like in the movie "The Hurt Locker"), and see a bookmobile.  They also received these little coloring books, and Caroline loved carrying her book around the whole time.  She is so funny because she just LOVES carrying purses, books, her babies, and anything else around everywhere.  It's so cute!

Megan has a playground in her neighborhood, and of course, Grant found the train!

 Look at all of the blondies!  Poor Payton (the dog)!  My nephew is becoming more physical with him, so you can just imagine how the poor puppy feels when he sees three other little people in his house! Thanks to Payton and his family for letting us come visit!



Finally!!??

After about 6 months, Grant FINALLY completed his potty training chart and received a Freddy engine and the quarry mine tunnel for his Thomas trains.  It has been a long time coming (obviously), and I am not completely sure he is really trained.  However, I guess he must have had enough days without accidents that he was able to fill his chart.  And who can argue with an adorable, cheesy-grin face like that? 

Grant's first day

So, what a bad mom am I?  I just realized, as I was about to write another post, that I'd forgotten to post about Grant's first day of school!  Oh dear.  May he not need therapy because he's a middle child!

His teacher this year is Miss Rachel, and she is absolutely wonderful.  Jack had her as an assistant in his class when he was in the 3/4 class, and she really loves the children.  When I heard that he was in her class, I was thrilled (though I would have been if he'd had the other 3/4 teacher).  On the first day he was not excited to go into the before care program because he wanted to go straight to his class, but once I left, I'm sure he was fine.  So far he seems to really like school, and we have heard great things about what he is doing in there.  Yay for being off to an awesome start!