It's been a fun week!
Here are a few highlights:
-Q-dawg and I went on a "double date" with Liliputian and the Goob for the former's birthday next week. It was a Sabres game, the professional hockey team of Buffalo, and it was fun! Liliputian made it even more memorable by bringing her pocket knife in all the way up to the metal detector check-in point before realizing she couldn't have it with her. Chugger-dude lost his at a museum in Washington D.C. for the same reason. My cute kids and their pocket knives. Just yesterday, Pipalicious exclaimed as we left the YMCA: "I forgot my knife!" Yah...good thing she brought it because playing basketball and rollerblading can get pretty feisty! Crazy kids and their knives. I think Liliputian has four or five that she proudly owns. I feel safe, anyway.
-The other night I was grumpy and wasn't as grateful as I should have been about something Liliputian offered me. (Yep...lame mom moment.) Q-dawg brought up some kid's Christmas story about a character called Wigglebottom who wasn't grateful for his gifts. "Oh, you mean 'Crispin'?" I asked, thinking of another book. "No, Wigglebottom."
Being ornery, I kept the dialogue going back and forth about how he must mean Crispin. "Who in the world is Wigglebottom?!" I insisted.
Liliputian and Q-dawg thought it was hilarious, this misunderstanding and so they have taken it further so that every time something seemingly unconnected comes up in our conversations, they will start asking about "Crispin" and "Wigglebottom." We have been driving the Goob a little crazy with the references since he doesn't know the story yet...until he reads it here.
I am still a little grumpy inside (that happens with a cantankerous gal like myself) but can see the humor as it has been persistently shoved in my face :). My family is very good at helping me laugh at myself more, even when I don't always appreciate it.
-When we went to the hockey game, we left Chugger-dude and Pipalicious babysitting. I was a little nervous, concerned about how my two little fire-balls, Papaya and Spooner, would behave for them. We came up with a cute chart with check-marks so they could keep track of things they could do and should do, with the promise that Papaya could earn extra marbles for her jar. (She gets prizes when she fills it up to certain levels. Better than punishments, for the most part.) Spooner feeds off of Papaya most of the time, so he was pretty mellow as well. He also does well if he has a bit of attention, too, which he had and that helped.
So they were bathed, fed and in bed by the time we got home at 11:30 pm. True, they hadn't been asleep for long, but I'll take it! Not only that, Chugger-dude surprised me by cleaning up the house for me while he waited for us. Kitchen, dining room, front room, entry way. Dazzling. Unexpected. Such a blessing.
Liliputian did the same thing the next day (yesterday) when she stayed home with Binks from the Blue and Gold Banquet since she had a cough. Downstairs looked amazing. It is crazy how good it feels when the house is clean. Something about order and cleanliness...all the better because it was done without coercion or instruction, too! I wonder if God feels the same way when we just do good things cheerfully and on our own without any thought of reward?
-Pipalicious is on fire with Khan Academy and is a busy little beaver doing her schoolwork every day. She is pretty self-driven. That quality comes in handy when you have a stressed-out, crazy mom most of the time who is overwhelmed with all she feels she must do to meet needs :). I am not always that bad but sometimes....
Needless to say, independence comes in handy around here. I believe it is either a quality they come with or one they develop out of necessity.
Pipalicious also took on a bead project on her own and has figured out numerous ways to flip it around and make new designs. Love it!
-Hava has been our little chef lately, cooking everything from "Pooh Cookies" to pancakes and eggs. She also loves chasing around the gym with Pipalicious and Papaya on their rollerblades while the younger ones tag along and the older ones play basketball. They are getting pretty fast and competent on them...and the gym isn't muddy so I like it too :)!
She is a quick little learner, too, and takes for granted how fast she learns. Being with so many older siblings, I think it is easy to not recognize how well you are doing when they always seem to know more. But she is quick with fractions, loves science, reading and history and is good at trying new things.
-Papaya can do a one-armed pull-up. I guess I didn't think much of it since she is always incredibly agile with her body but the Physical Fitness merit badge counselor in our ward was testing Chugger-dude on his pull-ups when Papaya asked for a turn. Bada-boom-bada-bing! No problem for that little body of muscle and coordination!
She has also begun piano lessons, earning a marble per lesson. She particularly loves it because I had the idea to write in washable marker on the back of her hands which fingers corresponded with which number on the sheet of music. Very visual and physical for her and she loves it. "Write on my hands, mommy, and let's do a piano lesson!" Adorable
Papaya is also famous around here for plopping herself next to someone and saying, "Could you please tickle my feet?" She will stay still for I don't know how long with someone just tracing her feet.
-The two little boys are becoming friends and it is fun to see their two little personalities learning how to share, get along, and say sorry. So adorable. They are very different: Binks likes to tease Spooner by taking cars and destroying things (he likes the reaction). Spooner likes order. Binks likes outside. Spooner likes inside. Binks will eat pretty much anything. Spooner hates something until proven good (he is a hard judge). They both love eating tortillas and apples and I will frequently see the two of them sitting somewhere (or hiding somewhere) munching happily away at the food Spooner has obtained for them both. Love it.
-We miss our missionaries and love updates from them! They, too, are both so different in their missions and approaches and it is fun to see how their missions are each perfect for them and seeing them both thrive and succeed. We are trying to see if we can go and pick up Avot this year from Argentina when she comes home in October (crazy!) and are already planning a trip back to Utah in December-ish to take her back to college. (Happy for her. Sad for us :(.) Of course we want to do the same with Lek and visit Hungary again next year when he finishes. So many good things.
-The Goob is deciding whether or not to go to public school or a community college next year. Either way--whether he goes to one of those places or stays at home--he is really taking off in his maturity to plan out his days and take on hard things. I learned so much from Avot and Lek (poor guinea pigs) who fortunately seemed to be able to use what good I provided and prosper despite the methods I can see now were counter-effective. Love learning! And I love that I can "use" what I have learned to make the experience easier on the younger ones. (This is particularly good for my little Spooner who is so sensitive and gentle...I am a much more in control mom now than I was, even if I still have a ways to go!)
Anyway, so the Goob has had some packed study days and it has been fun! Liliputian will join us for some subjects and I have also felt prompted to pack the days a little fuller the last few days. We have spent some time exploring personal interests with less structured class time and now the kids are ready to take on some more structure. It is awesome when they crave it and ask for it. Not only do they come prepared and eager to learn, but they "pester" me about offering more classes for them to learn in! (Totally good thing!) Learning happens so much more quickly that way.
I am still loving being an early-morning seminary teacher, although the winter break next week will also be nice :). Q-dawg got kicked out of his "man cave" in the basement where he works by the sewage stench from our flooded basement of last week, but we hope to finish bleaching it today so he can move back down to peace and less-distractions. We love being distractions and having him with us, but he is probably more effective without 9 other bodies hovering around.
Good week.
I thought it was time to "capture" a look at our life right now. It is interesting how what seems so everyday to me know will seem unusual and interesting in just a few months. I don't think we realize how much of our lives are of interest until we see it through the lens of the past. I think my kids will enjoy looking back at these little entries and that the entries will spark memories of a childhood with parents and siblings who loved them....however imperfect and crazy we all are :).
The house is mostly finished on the inside except for some trim work and the windows. The outside will get work in the spring. Q-dawg's work is going well. We love our little village of Medina and our fun ward...quirks and all :). It is a good time of our lives.
Here are a few highlights:
-Q-dawg and I went on a "double date" with Liliputian and the Goob for the former's birthday next week. It was a Sabres game, the professional hockey team of Buffalo, and it was fun! Liliputian made it even more memorable by bringing her pocket knife in all the way up to the metal detector check-in point before realizing she couldn't have it with her. Chugger-dude lost his at a museum in Washington D.C. for the same reason. My cute kids and their pocket knives. Just yesterday, Pipalicious exclaimed as we left the YMCA: "I forgot my knife!" Yah...good thing she brought it because playing basketball and rollerblading can get pretty feisty! Crazy kids and their knives. I think Liliputian has four or five that she proudly owns. I feel safe, anyway.
-The other night I was grumpy and wasn't as grateful as I should have been about something Liliputian offered me. (Yep...lame mom moment.) Q-dawg brought up some kid's Christmas story about a character called Wigglebottom who wasn't grateful for his gifts. "Oh, you mean 'Crispin'?" I asked, thinking of another book. "No, Wigglebottom."
Being ornery, I kept the dialogue going back and forth about how he must mean Crispin. "Who in the world is Wigglebottom?!" I insisted.
Liliputian and Q-dawg thought it was hilarious, this misunderstanding and so they have taken it further so that every time something seemingly unconnected comes up in our conversations, they will start asking about "Crispin" and "Wigglebottom." We have been driving the Goob a little crazy with the references since he doesn't know the story yet...until he reads it here.
I am still a little grumpy inside (that happens with a cantankerous gal like myself) but can see the humor as it has been persistently shoved in my face :). My family is very good at helping me laugh at myself more, even when I don't always appreciate it.
-When we went to the hockey game, we left Chugger-dude and Pipalicious babysitting. I was a little nervous, concerned about how my two little fire-balls, Papaya and Spooner, would behave for them. We came up with a cute chart with check-marks so they could keep track of things they could do and should do, with the promise that Papaya could earn extra marbles for her jar. (She gets prizes when she fills it up to certain levels. Better than punishments, for the most part.) Spooner feeds off of Papaya most of the time, so he was pretty mellow as well. He also does well if he has a bit of attention, too, which he had and that helped.
So they were bathed, fed and in bed by the time we got home at 11:30 pm. True, they hadn't been asleep for long, but I'll take it! Not only that, Chugger-dude surprised me by cleaning up the house for me while he waited for us. Kitchen, dining room, front room, entry way. Dazzling. Unexpected. Such a blessing.
Liliputian did the same thing the next day (yesterday) when she stayed home with Binks from the Blue and Gold Banquet since she had a cough. Downstairs looked amazing. It is crazy how good it feels when the house is clean. Something about order and cleanliness...all the better because it was done without coercion or instruction, too! I wonder if God feels the same way when we just do good things cheerfully and on our own without any thought of reward?
-Pipalicious is on fire with Khan Academy and is a busy little beaver doing her schoolwork every day. She is pretty self-driven. That quality comes in handy when you have a stressed-out, crazy mom most of the time who is overwhelmed with all she feels she must do to meet needs :). I am not always that bad but sometimes....
Needless to say, independence comes in handy around here. I believe it is either a quality they come with or one they develop out of necessity.
Pipalicious also took on a bead project on her own and has figured out numerous ways to flip it around and make new designs. Love it!
-Hava has been our little chef lately, cooking everything from "Pooh Cookies" to pancakes and eggs. She also loves chasing around the gym with Pipalicious and Papaya on their rollerblades while the younger ones tag along and the older ones play basketball. They are getting pretty fast and competent on them...and the gym isn't muddy so I like it too :)!
She is a quick little learner, too, and takes for granted how fast she learns. Being with so many older siblings, I think it is easy to not recognize how well you are doing when they always seem to know more. But she is quick with fractions, loves science, reading and history and is good at trying new things.
-Papaya can do a one-armed pull-up. I guess I didn't think much of it since she is always incredibly agile with her body but the Physical Fitness merit badge counselor in our ward was testing Chugger-dude on his pull-ups when Papaya asked for a turn. Bada-boom-bada-bing! No problem for that little body of muscle and coordination!
She has also begun piano lessons, earning a marble per lesson. She particularly loves it because I had the idea to write in washable marker on the back of her hands which fingers corresponded with which number on the sheet of music. Very visual and physical for her and she loves it. "Write on my hands, mommy, and let's do a piano lesson!" Adorable
Papaya is also famous around here for plopping herself next to someone and saying, "Could you please tickle my feet?" She will stay still for I don't know how long with someone just tracing her feet.
-The two little boys are becoming friends and it is fun to see their two little personalities learning how to share, get along, and say sorry. So adorable. They are very different: Binks likes to tease Spooner by taking cars and destroying things (he likes the reaction). Spooner likes order. Binks likes outside. Spooner likes inside. Binks will eat pretty much anything. Spooner hates something until proven good (he is a hard judge). They both love eating tortillas and apples and I will frequently see the two of them sitting somewhere (or hiding somewhere) munching happily away at the food Spooner has obtained for them both. Love it.
-We miss our missionaries and love updates from them! They, too, are both so different in their missions and approaches and it is fun to see how their missions are each perfect for them and seeing them both thrive and succeed. We are trying to see if we can go and pick up Avot this year from Argentina when she comes home in October (crazy!) and are already planning a trip back to Utah in December-ish to take her back to college. (Happy for her. Sad for us :(.) Of course we want to do the same with Lek and visit Hungary again next year when he finishes. So many good things.
-The Goob is deciding whether or not to go to public school or a community college next year. Either way--whether he goes to one of those places or stays at home--he is really taking off in his maturity to plan out his days and take on hard things. I learned so much from Avot and Lek (poor guinea pigs) who fortunately seemed to be able to use what good I provided and prosper despite the methods I can see now were counter-effective. Love learning! And I love that I can "use" what I have learned to make the experience easier on the younger ones. (This is particularly good for my little Spooner who is so sensitive and gentle...I am a much more in control mom now than I was, even if I still have a ways to go!)
Anyway, so the Goob has had some packed study days and it has been fun! Liliputian will join us for some subjects and I have also felt prompted to pack the days a little fuller the last few days. We have spent some time exploring personal interests with less structured class time and now the kids are ready to take on some more structure. It is awesome when they crave it and ask for it. Not only do they come prepared and eager to learn, but they "pester" me about offering more classes for them to learn in! (Totally good thing!) Learning happens so much more quickly that way.
I am still loving being an early-morning seminary teacher, although the winter break next week will also be nice :). Q-dawg got kicked out of his "man cave" in the basement where he works by the sewage stench from our flooded basement of last week, but we hope to finish bleaching it today so he can move back down to peace and less-distractions. We love being distractions and having him with us, but he is probably more effective without 9 other bodies hovering around.
Good week.
I thought it was time to "capture" a look at our life right now. It is interesting how what seems so everyday to me know will seem unusual and interesting in just a few months. I don't think we realize how much of our lives are of interest until we see it through the lens of the past. I think my kids will enjoy looking back at these little entries and that the entries will spark memories of a childhood with parents and siblings who loved them....however imperfect and crazy we all are :).
The house is mostly finished on the inside except for some trim work and the windows. The outside will get work in the spring. Q-dawg's work is going well. We love our little village of Medina and our fun ward...quirks and all :). It is a good time of our lives.
