On Kindess

Yesterday I was talking to Clara about different parts of preschool. I was asking who she played, what she played, things she learns, etc. I was ending our talk with what I normally tell our kids when they are at school, to always be kind to everyone, all the time. I said that kindness is the most important thing that you need to do and remember when you are at school.

She replied, "Yes, that. And to always push your chair into the table so no one trips over the legs."

So in Clara's mind,  being to kind to all the dear children God created in your classroom is on the same playing field as making sure you take care of your chair once you are done sitting in it. Basically.

Ordinary Life

"So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life- your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking around life- and place it before God as an offering." Romans 12:1-2 (The Message)

I just randomly logged onto Biblegateway this afternoon and this was the verse of the day. I really like how The Message words its interpretation of Biblical verses, it sometimes hits more to home than a more traditional (NIV) interpretation would. Today I was going to post these pictures about exactly what this verse is talking about, my everyday life. It got me thinking, that hopefully, somehow, my small existence with my kids and backyard and firetrucks and haunted houses is a good sweet offering. I haven't been doing as much quiet time and Bible reading as I have wanted to lately, and well, I don't know. I honestly don't know where this train of thought is going...but I think that all my time connecting with my kids and family and nature sometimes connects me more to God than reading a verse in Exodus. Or something like that. Even though I totally know that reading the Bible is a necessity in a growing relationship with Him. I just hope that sometimes in life seasons when that might be lacking, that sweet offering can still be offered.  I know I am not making any sense, but it is cathartic to at least write this out here!

This past weekend was gloriously, perfectly fall. For Michigan, it was sunshiny and warm, a rarity in this state in October. I think the high was 73!?! Leaves were on the ground, beckoning any passersby to come in and play. So we did. A local firehouse was also having it's annual kid friendly haunted house, so we went to that too. Any place that gives out free candy is a place my family will visit. 

When's the use of having so many kids if we don't make 'em work?

Joy. Pure kid joy!

Ready....

Throw! 

James tied two leaf steams together and called them "leaf buddies." Dave and I each received one. 

Jumping Delby!

At the haunted house. It looks so faded because there was a lot of smoke in there from 

the smoke machines! 

This skeleton's favorite candy

Yes, I totally bribed them with candy for this shot. 

And here it is! A picture of Bethy throwing a fit. It might look peaceful, but she was actually crying out here in this spot for quiet a while when I was loading everyone else into the car. 

Twenty-four Hours

I am clearly going to win Mom of the Year this year. I am currently feeding my kids Nutella straight from the jar while also trying to shush them so I can just fart around on the iPad. #winning. I was trying to sneak my spoonfuls of Nutella without them noticing, since they were watching a movie, but apparently I am a loud Nutella eater, so they caught on. 

Moving on...here's some pictures from the past twenty four hours. We did some fun things. I was thinking again how these pictures show a pretty rocking time for my kids. However, they don't tell the whole story. I don't have pictures of Bethy throwing multiple fits, probably due to the fact that she has not been taking nap this week. I don't have pictures of me struggling to force her into the carseat while she screams so we.can.just.go.to.storytime. I don't have pictures of James eating lunch in his room by himself because he was feeling sad. (I still don't know why? Later he came up to tell me his bucket was "a quarter of a half full" and the only way to fill it up was if I played Planes Fire and Rescue with him later. Now, however, he is dancing to "Happy" since it's on the soundtrack of the movie we're watching. So I don't know what to think....) 

The past twenty four hours included storytime and then grocery shopping. We made little puppets for halloween. At night, my good friend Bri called us over to have pizza. Dave is at his last cross country meet for the season. Soon, when the littles wake up, we're going to a haunted house hosted by the fire station. 

But the past twenty fours hours were so good. And just because there were some bad moments, by the end of the day, more was put into the "good" bucket than the "bad." That's what counts, right? I just felt that I had to share that disclaimer before all these supposed "perfect day" pictures give the wrong impression. 

We made Halloween puppets. James had a pretty rockin' Ninja Turtle one. 

Just take note of the color of the marker Bethy is holding. 

Clara made a pumpkin puppet.

Clearly, this is the face you make when impersonating your paper bag pumpkin puppet. 

It took us forty eleven attempts to get a good picture of James and his puppet. Isn't the oldest one supposed to obey picture taking orders best? 

Blurry. Dangit. 

Puppet? No where to be seen. 

Okay, this is sorta fun, but I can't see Leonardo's face!

There we are...!

Bethy thought she was the puppet, and colored her face instead of the paper bag. I told you to pay attention to the color, and here is purple allll over.

James made a haunted house this morning. 

"James' Haunted House

Beware where you step

Beware of the spooks

Beware of the tricks

Hope you come out alive!"

The haunted house. He is a zombie about to attack!

A girl just needs her morning coffee. 

Ben, stuck under the couch. 

What happened in your twenty four hours?

Gaggle of Geese

"The collective noun for a group of geese on the ground is a gaggle; when in flight, they are called a skein, a team or a wedge; when flying close together, they are called a plump."

Fascinating facts, right? Somehow in the back of my mind, I knew that a group of geese was called a gaggle. However, when I went to look it up on Google to make sure that I was using the right terminology, I had no idea that geese got all these specific words to describe their groupings! I'm just blown away. I hope to see a skein soon. 

 All this to say, is that tonight after our evening walk, we came across not only a gaggle, not only a skein, but also a plump of geese too! I know! Across our street there is this massive field. I'm not sure what grows there, but it's there. The field. Anyways. The kids and I heard some honking and wanted to investigate. The field had a least 60 geese gaggling about, with more and more groups of geese flying in. It was crazy! Apparently, there was this huge goose party in the field, and every single goose knew what time to arrive and where to land. I mean, like I said, different groups kept flying in overhead every minute or so. And the noise! (The noise! The noise, noise, noise,  noise!) Let's just say there was a lot of honking. I just had to share this weird but wonderfully cool experience we had. I have definitely not seen that many geese in one place at one time in all my life. I took some pictures, but like most pictures taken of cool things, they don't do any justice to the actual experience. I didn't get any shots of the geese flying in, which is a bummer as well. 

It was such a picturesque fall night too! Definitely crisp and cool, with burnt golden colours all around. I made the pictures slightly bigger, with the hopes that you might be able to see the birds in the distance. This, however, might all be in vain, because it is very hard to see. 

The field. No geese in this picture, but you can see the path that runs along the perimeter of the field on the right. 

 Do you see the tiny dots of geese there? Right along the line of the grass at the horizon line? 

Or am I going crazy here....

 The sunset, minus any skein of geese. 

One more attempt. If I had a better zoom, or was a better photographer, or probably a better person I would have gotten a better picture. 

So thanks for listening to my ramblings about my gaggle encounter. When the kids were in the bath later talking about how cold the walk was, 

James said: "It felt like I was going to get frostbite!"

Bethy (not really listening, she's two for goodness sake): "Me tooooooo!"

Clara: "Me too! Even though I don't really know what they are...."

I love how Clara used "they" to describe frostbite. 

Daybook: October 21st

Outside my window: Fall colours and cool weather. I think we have reached the peak of the vibrance of colours? They are still there, just slowly on their way out.

I am listening to: Silence. Well, that, and the wonderful "on hold" music that my insurance company is playing for me. It's naptime, so that means there are no children awake, but that I do have some miscellaneous work to complete, including calls to insurance people. 

I am thinking: "I am tired...Why is Clara so loud in the bathroom? How much longer will I be on hold?" Riveting thoughts, I know. 

I am thankful: For the month of October. My sweet Benjamin boo, who has been sleeping a lot better these past two nights. For naptime. 

From the kitchen: Cookies! Boo yah. 

I am wearing: My uniform: Black yoga pants and a bright green Underarmor Sweatshirt. And pearls. 

I am hoping: That someone picks up the phone soon! And that my two youngest take a good long nap because besides doing my calls this afternoon, I have, no exaggeration, about seven loads of laundry to fold. It's just so much easier doing it when they are asleep!

I am creating: A long list of minutes I have currently used while on the phone during this past half hour. 

I am praying: For God's peace

Around the house: My fall decorations, hurrah! Two of my three kiddos sleeping. One kiddo playing nicely downstairs....

I am reading: "Carry on, Warrior" by Glennon Doyle Menton. Such a beautiful collection of essays on living and being human in this messy, messy world. 

I am watching: "Marry Me"! Has anyone seen it? It's a new show on NBC with Casey Wilson, who played Penny on one of my favorite, yet now cancelled shows "Happy Endings." It is created by the same guy who did "Happy Endings", so there was a pretty good chance I was going to like it. And so far, so good. Also, "About a Boy," "The Middle," and "Call the Midwife." Does anyone know when "Parks and Rec" comes back on?

One of my favorite things: fall.

A few plans for the rest of the week: The usual business, school, preschool, grocery shopping, etc.  I do think we have are going over to a friend's house one day and James has Friday off due to conferences. 

A picture that I am sharing: The girls eating their snack from the other day. Yes, they are clearly eating their snack as dogs, can't you see?

Octobers Bike Ride

"I'm so glad I live in a world where there are Octobers."

-Anne of Green Gables

You've got it, Anne. There is not much I can say to improve on these pictures of the afternoon we had yesterday. It is October. We went on a bike ride. And it is beautiful. 

Six Months

Introducing my half a year old boy!

Ha! He's so round and chubby. And those dimples. My oh My. Like any parent always says, I can't believe how fast time has gone! Six months! He is my dear momma's boy. Make no mistake of that phrase- he is seriously attached to me. Whenever I hold him, he is as smiley and as dimply as can be. When I set him down, it is a different story. I have never had a baby so crabby being set down! He could be perfectly nursed, having just woken up from a nap with a dry diaper, and he is still fussy if he is not in my arms. What the dill. Even still, I love him so. I am so thankful that he is here and I get to cuddle his sweet, smoochy face. 

His little milestones included: Rolling from back to front, front to back, all across the living room floor, trying bananas for the first time two days ago (with mild success), taking two good naps a day with one teeny cat nap at dinnertime, sleeping (mostly) through the night, only to wake up once or twice, and loving his sister Clara. She is the best babysitter for him, and can get him cheered up and happy almost as well as I can. He's huge- in 6-12 month clothing. He is sporting some outfits that James didn't wear until he was ten months old! 

I do love him so, my Benny Bear. 

We had a little photo shoot. 

Love you Benjamin!

You know it's been a while since you last wrote a blog post when...

...your oldest child is in first grade. Last blog post, he was just starting kindergarten. And, he completed his first season of flag football!

...your oldest daughter is now in preschool. Two in school! What the dill. Where are my babies going, and why do they insist on growing up? Also, last blog post, she was in a cast for a month. Now, she is happily cast free and back to her usual jumpy, dancing self.

...your youngest daughter is two. These last couple of blog pictures show her as a baby, just barely one. Now she can talk you ear off like nobody's business.

...you have a fourth child! What the wha!?!? Not only that, but he is six months old today! And though I love him with ever fiber of my being, this clingy, not-gonna-be set-down-or-I'll-throw-a-fit phase has gotta stop. I mean for the love, he's the fourth! He's gotta just roll with it, right?

Let's try to update this thing, shall we?

We played with our princess cuddlers today.

Poor Tiana. She thought playing with Clara was gonna be fun. 

This little firecracker lined them up...all.by.herself.

You do not know the amount of begging and pleading I did to get Clara to sit on that dang couch and take a picture with her sister. Just one! 

It's rainy and fall-y today and I love it. 

Seriously, this beauty of a tree. The colors look so artificial,

 yet I promise it is right outside my front door!