Fluke?

Last night I put all the kids to bed in the usual fashion. Zeke has been having some sleeping issues here of late and my patience with him in this area is waning. Thus when I put him in his crib last night and moments later he started in on the fussing (something he didn’t do prior to last week) I didn’t think much of it.

In the midst of hearing the fuss and picking up the living room (I know, delegate it to those who made the mess.) my mom called. We were chatting for a few minutes and Zeke wasn’t quieting down so I decided to go up. As I hit the landing there was my littlest son wailing in the dark.

I didn’t hear a thump. I promise you I didn’t.

How in the world did my child, whom I am 100% confident I placed within the confines of his crib, manage to get out?

I pray this is a fluke and not to become the norm around here. If this becomes the norm let’s just say bunk beds are most definitely in Zeke’s very near future. I try to keep them in their cribs until they are at least two…but there is always the exception to the rule.

I really am hoping (desperately praying) he’ll be content in his crib.

For now I’ll just be thankful that after checking him out last night I didn’t see any red marks or bumps and today no bruises appeared. Perhaps his nickname should be Little Houdini?

Tell me it won’t be so!

Teen-agery Confession from a Senior

Oh I could have bust a gut when I got off the phone with my mother-in-law. She’d called to confess. I have to say it had all the makings of what a teenager does when they know they’ll be found out.

Make no mistake, she would have been found out. And she knew it- thus the call.

Here’s the deal – this year we hired a company (4 of the siblings) to come help with the removal of snow from their driveway and patio area. My mother-in-law is 74 and my father-in-law is 81. Father-in-law has declined a bit in the last few years and just isn’t able to do much in the way of any physical labor.

And I don’t know about you but when you hear that your mother-in-law has been scaling ladders and cleaning out gutters (She repented of that pretty quick!) (And what is it with the old ladies doing this? My grandmother still had her ladder tied to her house until just this last fall when my Uncle Jack removed it. Grandma was 83. Lord help us.) meanwhile your father-n-law sits inside quite emotional because he knows he should be the one out there doing that but he physically can’t- things have to stop.

Thus the family solution to hire this company to help with the snow removal this winter.

Anyhow, my in-laws aren’t the patient sort when it comes to snow removal. When they could, if they knew it was going to snow, they would be up at 5ish or earlier to get started because it was welling on their minds. Even if it was still snowing they would get out there. (Keep in mind it mattered not if they had somewhere to be.)

So this particular day it was getting to be afternoonish and mother-in-law was sure the company had forgotten about them. Out she went to take care of it herself. (She is lucky she is too far for me to drive over just for the sake of taking her over my knee!) Low and behold the company drove past their house about 30 minutes or so after she finished, and seeing the snow was already removed, moved on to their next location.

Why then did she call?

We receive the bills. Each bill clearly states the date and time they came to remove snow. She knew we would wonder why we didn’t get a bill for that day and called to head us off at the pass.

It truly was funny. I never thought I’d live to see the day my mother-in-law would call to confess so she wouldn’t get in trouble! It didn’t work so well, but hey, she gets points for trying. : )

photo credit

21st Century

Oh yeah, we are slowly but surely making our way into the 21st century. I know all you techie people out there have been here for some 12 years now. We are just a little late to the game. What in the world am I going on and on about?

SKYPE.

Uh-huh. New to me, old to you. I know this is the way it is forever to be. We’ll always be a bit behind the times. Hey, my thought is I let you all get first dibs, work out the kinks, and then I’ll jump in with both feet.

My family is all out of state. (K, not entirely true. My family is all out of the state 50% of the year. Like the birds, my grandparents migrate South for the winter. : ) ) I had heard for some time about Skype and even talked more seriously about utilizing it when my mom was overseas working. Alas Skype was a bit of a no-no for her to use so the subject dropped.

Until this past weekend.

My dad and his beloved mentioned Skype and how they have been using it to talk to her family out East. They raved over how wonderful it is and how nice it is to actually see family members not just talk to them.

Leaning on their expertise we had our first Skype video call with them. We actually had two. How fun and what a blessing. We are working on how to play a game with Miss Rita who is some 1,000 miles away. Sleeping Queens, anyone? Although, I have been thinking the Hedbandz Game might be an easier option. I’ll get back to you on that one.

We had such a fine time talking/seeing my dad and his girls’ that we called my mom and told her she really needed to do this Skype thing with us. After a few technical set backs Grandma called us this morning and we saw her sweet face. (Grandpa’s too!) I was laughing at Grandpa saying Grandma would want to”call” daily. : ) After this mornings call I’ll just say I think Mom’s hooked. (I know we are!) After all who can resist those four kids making silly faces (because they can see who we are talking to as well as themselves) talking loud and over one another?

Thanks Dad & Jennifer, we are so glad you pushed us to get with the times. : )

(p.s. Skype is free. It doesn’t really get much better than that.)

Not Exactly What I Had in Mind

The other day I gave Kiersten a writing assignment: Write about an invention you would like to make, provided you had all the space and materials you needed. Tell me how this would help people.

We’ve been working through the Industrial Age in school, particularly with regard to the United States. We had just finished a book on Thomas Alva Edison. She was quite taken with some of the inventions he came up with like the phonograph, both to play and record sound. He also invented the light bulb and what we would call movie projectors. When the end of the story mentioned a museum on the East Coast we both thought it would pretty cool if we were to travel someday to see it.

Some other inventors we’ve learned about this year and last are Eli Whitney (cotton gin and making guns with interchangeable parts), Benjamin Franklin (electricity, stoves),  Robert Fullton (steamboat), Henry Ford (the assembly line)….

My thoughts were on a little deeper humanitarian level when I asked her to do this writing assignment. I have to say we were definitely not on the same page. Or were we? You be the judge.

Kiersten’s invention:

If I had certain parts, I would make an invention called the…”Let-You-Do It Inator.” (LYDI) What it is: a head piece and a remote control that looks like this:

This is how it works. The head piece goes on an adult and the kids gets the remote. When a kid wants to do something, like get two cookies or not do the dishes, the kid flips on the remote that acavates the head piece. Then the kid ask a question, “Can I have two cookies?” And the the adult says, “Yes.” So this invention makes life easer for the kids. THE END

Hmmm…I saw where she was going with this about two sentences in. Slick, real slick. I can see she has a real heart to make life better for other kids. : ) What say you?

I’m a Big Fan of Bon-Bon’s

When they are this cute, how can you not be? : )

This Bon-Bon had such a fun time and reveled in the experience of being a part of the Nutcracker. She has watched from the side lines year after year. But not this year. This year she joined the ranks of many a dancer.

(Kiersten is the first Bon-Bon on the left.) We may live in a smaller town but this production has been going on for close to 30 years. The last several of which Kiersten and her daddy have gotten all fancied up for and went to watch.

This year? This year it was Mom, Dad and Grandma who got all fancied up to watch. Our eyes earnestly seeking out one little performer in particular.

That’s right, Grandma flew in just to see Kiersten in her first appearance in the Nutcracker. It was already special but Grandma’s coming made it even more so. Such a treat and a blessing that she could be here. I know Kiersten won’t easily forget this year or how special it was.

She did have one complaint about the whole thing. It was putting on make-up, in particular the mascara and eye liner bother her. I think she is fine once it is all on but the getting it on is another story. I didn’t keep count of the times she said, “Make-up is my nemesis.” (And yes, that is her exact wording. I blame it on her Dad. : ) )

I won’t hold my breath that she will still feel that way about make-up a few years down the road. Who knows though, this could be one battle I won’t have to fight! (Hope is a beautiful thing.)

In any case this Bon-Bon did a wonderful job and has made a fan out of me. Honestly they don’t get much cuter than this. Congratulations, Sweets, on an outstanding job as a Bon-Bon.

Four Generations

I wanted to show you my grandma. I have to say I don’t have many pictures of her…but I remembered this one. When Kiersten was born (she is the doll face baby you see) my mom visited us and brought my grandma along. My mom really wanted to take a four generations picture and so we did.

I am thankful.

I hadn’t seen my grandma in many years but Memorial Day weekend when Ezekiel and I flew out to see my older brother graduate I got to see and hug her.

I am thankful.

This year I made it a point to call my grandma on her birthday. We didn’t talk long or say much of consequence but I heard her voice and she heard mine and I let her know I loved her.

I am thankful.

My dear grandma went to be with Jesus on Tuesday. She quietly and peacefully went into his arms and is rejoicing with all the angels and saints.

I am thankful.

My mom got to be with her during her final moments here. She really wanted to be there and she was blessed.

I am thankful.

Grandma feels no more pain.

I am thankful.

One day, when Jesus calls me home, I’ll see that sweet face once again. It makes me weep with joy. Such a gift to know. I treasure that I KNOW.

I AM SO THANKFUL.

Would You Believe…

it is 11 years & 4 kids later and I am still the better looking one? : )

Happy 11th Anniversary, Beloved.

(This was taken just after the Nutcracker performance Kiersten was blessed to be a part of this year- thus all the make-up on her sweet face.)

(I couldn’t resist. Beloved and I have been joking about things this week and this is just goes right along with all that. Believe you me the man deserves every bit I dish out. I only give as good as I get! : ))