Clever

My kids are so much more clever than I ever was as a kid.

Check this out:



Yesterday.   Liam:  Hey, mom, listen to this idea for a book.  "What is it with warts?" by Alaska Toad.


Today Liam made an empty Scotch Tape dispenser into the Scotch-ness Monster.


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Yesterday at the park Kate made up this riddle:

I have a bed, but I do not sleep.  
I run but I don't have feet.
I rage but I don't have feelings.
What am I?

Answer:  a river


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A few weeks ago Liam and Kate watched Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs 2 at their friends' house.  They L-O-V-E loved it!   The talked & played continually about it until it sounded like even Owen and Zane had seen it they knew so much about the movie.

Their favorite part were the "Food-imals."  Which are apparently a creature made by combining food and animals.  Foodimals.   On the movie they tell me there was a Hippotato.  A mix of a hippo and a potato.

The kids quickly became obsessed with figuring out new ways to combine food and animals.  A trip to the zoo only fueled their efforts.  

I was quite impressed with what they came up with.  They even drew pictures.  [I should post those!]

Watermellaphant

Brocolemur

Moosemellon

Lice Cream

Mosquitoast

French Flies

Tacodile

Beefalo

Juice Fox

Can you guess them all?!

Fly on the Wall

Mr. Observant—Where Mulch Comes From

Zane, Liam and Eric are sitting on the swing in the back yard.  

[Zane loves to take random observations and form them into absolute truths, whether or not they have any basis in fact.]

Zane: Liam, did you know if you mix dirt and water it makes mulch?

Liam makes the "where the heck does this kid get this stuff from" face.

Eric:  Don't you mean dirt?

Zane: No.  Mulch.

Eric:  I think you mean MUD, buddy.  Water and dirt make mud.

Zane:  Wwweeellllll, technically... it makes mulch.  [Zane likes to use the word technically to make his ideas sound "true-er."]

Liam rolls his head back:  Here we go again.

Eric:  Zane, trust me.  If you mix dirt with water you get MUD not mulch.

Zane:  No, Dad! It makes mulch.  See... [he runs over to the new tree we planted last week and which Eric put mulch around a few days ago apparently unbeknownst to Zane.]

Zane:  ....We've been watering this dirt for days now and see.... it's turned into MULCH!

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Mr. Literal

We're getting our family picture taken for the church directory.  The photographer somehow squeezed and contorted all seven of us close enough together to fit in the frame.  The kids are all doing a great job of staying still and smiling...  except Owen.

The photographer works with us for several minutes trying to get him to stay in position, keep looking at the camera and smiling all at the same time.

Me: That's it, Owen!  Now stay just like that.... just freeze.... like a statue.

Owen, proudly raising his arm high in the air and completely moving every part of his body to turn and look at us: Like the Statue of Liberty?!

[exasperated sigh from the other kids]

Eric—in his calm, "no longer surprised that this is my life" voice— patiently states the obvious to our darling son instead of wringing his neck: No, Owen.  Not like the Stature of Liberty.

...and the process started over again.


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Miss Copy Cat—Who Needs Kneeling?

Eric is doing "Best and Worst" and prayers with the girls before bed like we do every night.  Kate and Evie share their favorite moment of the day and their worst.  Eric is laying on the floor and the girls are laying in their bunk beds.

Folding his hands across his chest, Eric closes his eyes to pray:  Dear Heavenly Father...  [He hears a commotion and opens his eyes to see Evie laying down on the floor next to him with her hands folded across her chest, eyes closed.]

Evie:  What, Daddy?  I pway wike you.

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Sweet Girl

Our nephew Paul stayed with us this week while his mommy went with his daddy on a business trip.  We absolutely adored having him with us for so long.  He and Evie were buddies.  And I think she really took to the "big sister" role.

Evie, no sooner than one hour after Tim and Mindy picked him up:  I miss Paulie.  I weawy miss him.

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Mr. Ornery

We spent Memorial Day weekend camping with my parents at Amishville (Yes, Amber.  That is a real place.)  

Grandpa Rohrer wanted to put some more ice in the cooler and needed to move some cases of pop from on top of it first.  

Being ornery Grandpa stacked it on Liam's lap since he was sitting nearby.

Grandpa, as he piles up Liam's lap with the heavy load:  Thanks for helping me, Liam.

Liam, grinning, cases piled up to his chin: Do I have a choice?

Grandpa, teasing: I could really use some help over here, Liam.  Could you get up and help me?  Come on, Liam, what's the problem.

Me, goading:  Yeah, Liam, why don't you get up and help him out?  What's the problem?

Liam, with a big smile, points at Grandpa:  He's the problem.

Grandma, laughing:  Isn't that the truth!


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Miss Social

Me, after first day camping:  Kate, what was your best today?

Kate:  Making a new friend at the playground.

Me, after the second day camping:  Kate what was your best today?

Kate: Making two new friends at the lake and one at the playground.  And... my second best was getting ice cream.

It never fails that her favorite part of any activity always involves seeing friends or meeting new people.  I was so not like this as a kid!

Hair

Too bad mommy doesn't know how to french braid.  Thanks, Aunt Mindy!

Things I Love Thursday

seeing the kids help out around the house.

ipad time

Kate, Zane, Liam, Evie & Kate's doll Kit.

Lemonade 25 cents

Kate desperately wanted to have a lemonade stand at our garage sale.

Unfortunately the only day she could do it it was freezing outside.

Good thing she's cute.

She had to record her expenses and her profits.  

Had to sneak a little school in there.

She came away with $8.35 (not sure how that happened).

She was frozen, but she loved it!

Good experience of hard work and reward.

So proud of her.

Mankie Substitutes

Kate's resent favorite pass time... reading American Girl books from the library.

Since "Mankie"—version 2.0's most favorite crochet blankie—was cut down to it's final bit,  Kate has managed to switch her object of self-soothing comfort.   In an effort to curb her insatiable urge to "smell" her Mankie and spend waaaaay too much time with Mankie during the day, we began cutting off a few inches each morning until it was just a tiny rag—which I saved in a frame.  It was her favorite after all.

I'd like to say the demise of Mankie solved the problem, but it seems she has just switched to rubbing just about anything soft under her nose and "smelling" it.   Her coat, other blankets, pillows, and here, her panda bear.  

Dressing Up

Fly on the Wall - from the mouths of babes

If you were a fly on the wall in my house just now you would have heard the following:



Eric is making plans with Kate for a Daddy-Daughter Date for dinner and a movie.  Kate is very excited.

Me:  Kate, it's pretty special that you have a daddy who wants to take you on special dates.

Kate, hugging her dad:  Yeah, I know.

Me: Did you know one reason he does this is to show you how a man who loves you should treat you when you get older.

Kate: Yep, except we won't be going to the theater when I find the man I love, we'll be going to Kay Jewelers for a ring!

Eric and I laugh out loud.

Me: Where on earth did you hear about Kay Jewelers?

Kate:  It's in the mall.  I like it cuz it starts with K like in Kate!

Rescue Mission

Last night we toured the FW Rescue Mission

with some folks from our church.

we took Liam and Kate with us

great opportunity for a "field trip."

we almost didn't make it

car issues.

yes

again.


we were 45 minutes late

but we got there.

you see

we really had to make it

Kate had something she wanted to do.

all through the tour she clutched her little cloth bag with pandas on it.

Let me back up...



that morning during our Bible time

we we were reading in 2 Corinthians 8

about the Macedonian churches

who (v2) "out of the most sever trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity."

had a great chance to talk about generosity,

joy,

what it means to be poor,

and sacrificial giving.

that the point of giving is not so much about the

amount we give,

as it is about why and how we give.


Then (totally unplanned) one of our school lessons later that morning

was about giving.

how giving to the poor is like

giving to Jesus himself.

sacrificial.

like Mary and the perfume she poured on Christ's feet



I commented to the kids how incredibly timely our conversations today had been

since we were going to the Rescue Mission that evening.

how God is amazing like that.

I explained more about what the Rescue Mission was and what we would learn there.

it humbles me to see their little eyes  grow wide

as I tell them about the poor and homeless in our own city.

these opportunities I love about homeschooling.



Late in the afternoon

Kate came to me.

"Mom, I'd like to give some of my money and maybe some toys to the Rescue Mission.  Is that okay?"

melt my heart.

"I think that's a wonderful idea.  You gather them up so we don't forget."



So last night

after we FINALLY arrived

Kate listened quietly as Pastor Donovan

and his staff shared their hearts for the mission

and lead us through the halls

of the shelter for women and children.


after we wrapped up our tour in prayer

Kate so bravely approached Pastor Donovan,

a tall, black man with much presence,

"I have something for the Rescue Mission."

she held up her little bag.


"My my! That is very generous!  You know, I think that makes you a donor!   I guess I need to get you a receipt!"  he said with a smile.

everyone laughed

Kate beamed.

we all followed to the front desk as he chatted with Kate, still carrying her little cloth panda bag.

"Do you have a job?" he joked.

"No.  Well, I do have chores."  feeling more at ease now.

"Would you like to receive our quarterly newsletter by email or mail?"

Kate shot me a confused glance.


We counted the contents of her little bag on the front desk.

one dollar bill

a 5 dollar bill (given to her by Miss Pat for her birthday.... in July.)

2 dimes

3 nickels

a penny

and a small plastic panda bear.


$6.36 and a panda toy.

I'm pretty sure that's most of her money.

and one of her favorite toys.


Pastor Donovan thought out loud, "Now I think one meal costs about $1.50. So this should cover 4 meals."

Kate's eyes were huge.

Pastor Donovan filled out her receipt

and handed it to her.

so kind.


Our friend Melissa

who works at the Mission

leaned down and told Kate

her gift was beautiful.

all $6.36 and a plastic toy worth.

A staff member introduced her to 

a little boy with his mom

in the next room.

so Kate was able to hand him the toy panda herself.

beautiful.

yes.



"She will always remember this."

Melissa said to me.


I hope so.


I will.


What a lesson.


As we walked down the front steps

I asked Kate, "Can you believe so little can do so much?!  4 meals!"

"I know!" she said breathless, "I was so shocked.  I wanted to shout real loud, 'WOW!' when he told me that, but I didn't."


I love this girl.

Kate's book about Dot

Kate worked for two days on a book about her toy leopard, Dot.  This was not for school, just something she did on her own.

I was so impressed by her illustrations, and her story.  I had her read it on video.  (since I used PhotoBooth the image is backward.)  The drawings don't show up as well as they do in person, but you'll get the idea.  

cute story!  Kind of Mo Willems-ish.  

Titled Tuesday

Pretty Pink Playdates

A New Sport?

Roller-Football

played in the garage

with a wheelchair

Kids' Portraits - November 2012

I took the kids to Portrait Innovations Monday.

Despite the less than stellar studio behavior of my kids, we came out with some great photos!

 

Titled Tuesday

Silly Sisters with Stickers

Sleeping Beauty and the Prince

Look what I caught Owen and Kate playing together! 

I love how they like to play pretend together.

Owen is obsessed with "Price Mickey" from a library book we got this week.

Then they danced.

Please excuse my singing.

Looks so sweet... until the end.

It's all fun and games until somebody gets poked in they eye!

Fly on the Wall

Kate and I had an impromptu girls' night out tonight.  Went to a move (Pixar's Brave), got popcorn and M&Ms.  


On the way there I said: "Isn't it fun being spontaneous?!"

Kate:  What does spontaneous mean?

Me:  It means we're having some unplanned fun!

Kate:  Oh.  And if we were snakes we would say we were being "spontan-e-hiss"!

Oh, that girl!

Choir

Liam and Kate really enjoy the children's choir at church

They performed a short musical on Mother's Day.

Kate is very "animated", let's say, with her motions

Liam.  well, he's doing the motions and singing at the same time!  That's a big step!

Their directors, Ellen, Heather and Nancy are awesome!  

The kids did a great job!

Uh Oh!

My kids have Sticker Pox! 

Best Friends