Father's Day 2012

In the busyness of June, I completely forgot to post about Father's Day. The morning started out for our Daddy with breakfast in bed, a well-deserved treat for the man in my house who wakes up every morning seven days a week with our kiddos so I can have some "me" time. We began doing this several years ago when the twins came along and I bid a fond farewell to any time for myself throughout the day. It has blessed me so much to have the opportunity to wake up before the rest of our family does, and spend an uninterrupted hour or two however I choose... I work a bit, spend some time in Bible Study or prayer, sometimes get in a run early in the morning - whatever it is, it means the world to me to count on this time, and my day is always better for it. I am so grateful for his sacrifice.

All of Daddy's favorites... eggs & bacon on a bagel, greek yogurt with fresh berries, maple doughnut from the Giant Eagle bakery, orange juice, and three smiling kids (#4 was still snoozing in his crib).

We went to church and then spent the afternoon lounging around. Later, my parents, sis and bro-in-law, and the cousins came over for dinner. A few months ago I was jonesing for a Primanti's, the best sandwiches in the whole world that happen to be made right here in the Steel City. I didn't feel like going out for them, so I googled around a bit and came up with my own recipe for my Primanti's favorite, corned beef & swiss with slaw, fries, and hot sauce. Greg LOVED it, and when I asked before Father's day what he wanted for dinner, this was his request.

Yummers.

 

"Blessed indeed is the man who hears many gentle voices call him father!"

~ Lydia M. Child

Happy 4th 2012!

Baby, its hot outside. It was in the mid nineties here in the Burgh, and we spent a relaxing day lounging outside before heading to my sister's for a July 4th BBQ.

Cara and six-week-old Ethan... last year Charlie was this size!

The kids raced around the yard and played, and the grownups wiped their brows and talked about the heat.

Aunt Cici gave Max a boost to check out the bird's nest a mama robin has built in her wreath.

Three little eggs are in there, waiting to hatch!

We bribed our patriotic cuties with gum and got a few keepers out of it...

Happy Birthday America!

Thoughts on Discipline

This past Sunday Greg and I were talking about Ephesians chapter 6 with some friends, and the conversation quickly turned to how to discipline our children well. I've been trying to respond to the boys' tattling and general aggression toward one another with as much patience as possible, but I'll tell ya what, sometimes I wonder what planet these two are from.

Five minutes ago, I was out on the deck enjoying some Laura time and the three older kids were inside, supposedly playing quietly with one another while Charlie napped. Sam came flying out yelling because Max had socked him in the back with this silly blue rubber snake that I deeply regret buying and putting in his stocking a few years ago. I called Max over and patiently asked him if he would like to be hit with a snake. He looked off into the distance and I caught my breath, sensing that a breakthrough was upon me.

"Mom?" he asked.
"Yes?" I answered breathlessly, wide-eyed and waiting for his aha moment.
"What if a hippo stepped on a frog and smashed him? Would the frog be dead?"
"Well, yes, I suppose he would be dead. Now Max, how would you feel if..."
He cut me off. "What do hippos eat, Mom?"
"Plants. They eat plants. Max, I want you to give me the blue snake, because-"
"How about beetles, Mom? What do beetles eat?"
"Ummm, dirt, I think."
"What do ducks eat?"
I sighed. "Bread. I know they eat bread when we bring it to the pond."
"Hey, can I have some bread, Mom? I'm so hungry Mom."

This is about how the conversation wrapped up. I got in a few more sentences about the repercussions of hitting a sibling, and the snake got a new home in the kitchen cabinet above the mixer.

In other news, we went to the park this morning with my sis and her boys and had some fun. It was windy when we left, and Sam gave me a long once over, wrinkled his nose and said, "Your hair looks like curtains. Like a bunch of little brown messed up curtains all over your head."

Children sure know how to keep you on your toes, don't they? One day you're smiling at your darlings in the sun, and the next day you've got reptiles flying across your playroom and a head full of curtains.

"Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. "

Ephesians 6:1-4

My Life in Two Minutes and Six Seconds

All I wanted to do was get a quick video of Charlie eating his cookie.

He is so stinking cute when he eats sweets these days. He's at that perfect, post-first-birthday-cake-eating phase in which he has discovered that there is a definitive difference between cookies and carrots, and when he gets a taste of the former, his joy is downright contagious. He claps and giggles with each little bite you share with him, and screeches in outrage when it's gone. There I was, crouching on the kitchen floor with a cookie in one hand and my iPhone in the other, trying desperately to catch one simple moment, and the usual craziness broke loose.

So for those dear readers who labor under the assumption that my house is always clean, my children are always well behaved, and, in the words of one friend who knows who she is, "angels fly around my classroom singing every morning," I give to you: "My Life in Two Minutes and Six Seconds," otherwise known as an average morning at the Smith home.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PXcFzIGmVc&feature=channel&list=UL 

"With all of my running and all of my cunning
if I couldn't laugh I just would go insane."

Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes

Jimmy Buffett 

Monday Math

1 happy boy + 1 plastic paddling pool + 1 sweet sister + 2 crazy brothers = summer joy.

1 opened bible + 1 Beth Moore study of James + 1 cup of coffee at the table next to the pool = 1 peaceful mama.

Happy Monday, friends.

Morning Laundry

Every morning after Greg leaves I fly around the upstairs like a tornado for an hour, making beds, wiping toothpaste out of the sinks, and throwing in a load of laundry. Laundry, laundry, laundry. I have measured the degree of change the addition of each child has brought to our family by the size of the laundry pile. When Chloe arrived, it was really no big deal. I still had my whites, my darks, my delicates, and my towels - there were just a few extra pink sleepers and tiny dresses thrown in. She was one neat baby. She wasn't a spitter, never had those awful poop explosions that seemed to plague other mothers, and was a dainty little bib-wearing eater. When the twins arrived - forget about it. I am not exaggerating when I say that two extra children quadrupled my laundry pile, and then some. In November of 2006 I disappeared at the bottom of an endless pile of burp cloths and crusty sleepers, and emerged dazed and confused about eighteen months later with an excel spreadsheet and a fierce determination to control the laundry, lest it control me. Predictably, Charlie's additions to the laundry pile have been taken in stride.

Lately, I've realized that I've been muttering a bit as I throw in the jeans or fold the tiny underwear or hang up yesterday's dress that she was supposed to hang up herself. I can feel so unappreciated some times. They just expect that there will be clean socks when they open the drawer - they have no idea how much work goes into it! A few days ago as I was mid-mutter, God gave me a little nudge. When I do the work He's given me to do gladly, for Him rather than for the praise of others, He blesses that. I walked away from the laundry pile and spent some time in prayer and confession. A few hours later I walked past my room, saw it still heaped up on my bed, and remembered that it wasn't going to fold itself.

I noticed with fresh eyes how tiny Charlie's little duck socks are. My goodness, baby feet are cute. It won't be long before my boy will be refusing to wear socks with yellow mallards on them.

I picked up the battered 4T jeans and rubbed the weathered knees to gauge how many more wears we could get before the holes started to appear. I pictured all the hours of sliding and skidding and kneeling down in front of matchbox cars that created those worn knees. And I've been there for all of those hours, drinking in my children at these ages, reveling in their curiosity, listening to all of their little stories as they play.

I hung up the sweet yellow and white dress with the tie in the back that I bought this past spring at a consignment sale for $15, too much for a dress from consignment. I couldn't resist, though, as I pictured my sweet little girl running barefoot in it, her blond curls flying. I have loved every minute of watching her from our deck as she wanders around the back yard, singing, dancing, pretending she is Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Last year I taught my kids a scripture I seem to have forgotten myself. Whatever work I find to do each day should be done as for the Lord, and not for the praise of men. Try it. He'll bless you for it.

"Servants, do what you're told by your earthly masters. And don't just do the minimum that will get you by. Do your best. Work from the heart for your real Master, for God, confident that you'll get paid in full when you come into your inheritance. Keep in mind always that the ultimate Master you're serving is Christ. The sullen servant who does shoddy work will be held responsible. Being a follower of Jesus doesn't cover up bad work."

                                                                    Colossians 3:22-25 

Field Trip Friday! Soergal's Orchards

In the middle of May, the kids and I spent a Friday morning and early afternoon with some of our closest homeschool friends at Soergal's, learning all about animals, bugs, and flowers. It was a beautiful day to hang out on a farm. We started out learning all about the names of the male, female, and baby animals that live on their farm.

Did you know that a female goat is called a nanny? 

Did you know a male donkey is called a Jack? 

Did you know a baby bunny is called a kitten?

Me neither! Learning new things every day, people!


After learning about the animals, the kids got to go and visit them. Dudley the giant pig even stood up to greet the kids. I wish I could've gotten a picture of that - he is seriously the biggest pig you've ever seen, and I didn't think the poor thing could actually stand on his feeble limbs. It was equally impressive and gross.

After visiting the animals, the kids sat for a lesson on bees, butterflies, ladybugs, and how they interact with flowers. Did you know that only female bees have stingers?

Me neither! Love it.

After their lesson, we walked up to the potting shed and learned about planting things that will actually grow. I tried to pay extra attention to this part in light of my tendency to kill everything I plant. I picked up some tips and am keeping my fingers crossed for cascades of blooming petunias this summer.

After their planting lesson, they each got to plant their own green bean plant to take home. Chloe carried hers around like a baby and can't wait to see how it grows this summer. Max spilled his in the car. Anyhoo.

Once the learning was over, we all gathered under the pavillion for lunch, and then the kids ran delightedly over to the playhouses and raced around with one another. Some days, learning is a total blast. Today was one of those days.