7 Quick Takes Friday

7 Quick Takes - Trip to Georgia Edition

1.

It began with an upset stomach that morning, which caused us to be running late. Once I got some coma-inducing medication in my system, I felt a little better, and the trip continued with a dead battery in my van, discovered only when we finally got everything packed and got in said van to leave while running quite late.

Once David finally made it home from work to jump me off (seriously, it must have taken him two whole minutes), we departed and arrived in Buffalo after only one potty stop (wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles . . . 5 pts if you know the musical that came from), getting to our gate just as they were announcing our name over the loudspeaker. "Crazy Half-Asleep Drugged Mother Flying Alone with Three Children, party of 4, if you're in the boarding area please report to the gate immediately."

Of course, we rushed to the gate, boarded the plane in the most disorderly fashion possible, and got in our seats only to be told a few moments later that we would have to deplane while they change a tire. (As we were getting off, Lauren said, "Mommy, did we fly? Are we in Georgia?")

Just so you know, it apparently takes two hours to change an airplane tire. I didn't complain, though, because the last thing I want is for them to do a rush-job on the plane I'm about to fly in. Though on the other hand, how important are the wheels, really? If the wheels are being used, we must be pretty close to the ground, in which case a flat tire probably wouldn't be that big of a deal. I bet we could have gotten by with a little fix-a-flat.

Eventually, we landed safely in Atlanta and had a great two week visit with the family.

The rest of the trip I'll recap in pictures

2.

We swam.

3.

Uncle Ben threw some kids really high.

4.

We were entertained by Justin.

5.

We rehearsed for a wedding.

6.

The kids were in a wedding:

7.

They took their jobs very seriously.





There was a lot of dancing.






I wanted to dance, but I got seriously rejected. By a six year-old.

Me: Justin, want to dance with me?
Justin: Um, can I dance with Grant instead?
Me: Sure. (Justin asks almost-13-year-old Grant to dance, and he ever so surprisingly declines)
Me: Justin, I'll dance with you, buddy.
Justin: Well, I want to dance with Lauren.
Me: Why don't you want to dance with me?
Justin: Um . . . maybe Maddie will dance with you.

I know I'm not a great dancer, but really. Wow.

What a difference

Nine years makes.






I love you, David. Thanks for sharing this journey with me. I love knowing that no matter what else the future holds, it holds you.

Happy anniversary.

7 quick Takes Friday

This week's Quick Takes:

1.

Still in Georgia.  We've been here nine days, and in one way it feels like we've been here forever because I miss David, and in another way I can't believe we have only a few days left.  

I think it is actually going to be a little bit sadder to leave this time because last time I at least knew I would be back in two months for this wedding.  This time I know not when I shall return.

2.

Sometimes I find saying things in old English makes them less sad.

3.

The kids are still having a blast swimming and playing with their cousins. I think they had forgotten what it was like to swim without fear of hypothermia.  In nine days, they have gotten more than the have the rest of the summer heretofore.

4. 

I have shopped, shopped, and shopped some more.  But, don't worry, David, I have also returned, returned, and returned some more.

My usual shopping MO is to buy pretty much everything I like, and then over the course of the next few days, I  return things as I begin to miss the money and think I would appreciate it more than the item.  I still keep the things I love, but I feel like I'm earning money as I return the things I can live without.  I realize this shopping method may not work for everyone, but I know that I really do return lots of things, so it works for me.  Apparently, I appreciate our money much more after it's gone.

There's probably a lesson there.

5.

Sorry, that's all I have time for  this week.  I'll be better after the trip, I promise!

Weddings explained

Wow, it's been 10 days.  Sorry about that.  Our travels to Georgia and all the splendor that ensues has rather occupied me lately.  Don't worry, it'll make for some good stories when I have a chance to write more.

So, the reason we're in Georgia is that my cousin is getting married Saturday, and all of my kids are in the wedding.  The boys are the ring bearers, and Lauren and Lesey (my niece) are the flower girls.  Though Lauren keeps forgetting what they're called and referring to them as the flower princesses.  She's also pretty sure it involves getting IN a basket of flowers.

A few weeks ago I took the boys to get measured for their tuxes, and Lauren asked if she needed to get measured, too.

Me: Remember you have a pretty flower girl dress?

Lauren: But, I want to wear a bear costume, too!

Me after brief, confused pause:  No, no, sweetie.  The boys are going to be the ring bearERs, not bears.  They will be in fancy clothes, not bear costumes.

Joshua:  Mom, why's it called a ring bearer?

Me: Bear means to carry or bring something, and the ring bearer carries the wedding rings down the aisle . . . but you won't actually carry the rings.

Josh: What do we carry?

Me: A little pillow

Josh (I saw it coming): Why aren't we called pillow bearers?  Why do we carry pillows?

Me: Look, you're just there to look cute in your tuxedos, okay?

A few days later.

Me: Lauren, on Friday we're going to practice for the wedding.  You'll get to practice carrying your flower basket to the front of the church.

Lauren: And then I'll get in the flowers?

Me: No, for the thousandth time, the flower girl does not get in flowers; she just drops them on the ground.

Lauren: Then where do I go?

Me:  You'll stand in the front where Josh and Ethan will be because the ring bearers stand in the front, too.

Lauren: And then, do the ring bearers capture the flower princesses?

I don't know quite what she's picturing, but it sounds more exciting than any wedding I've ever been to.

7 Quick Takes . . . Saturday

1.

I can't believe I haven't blogged in almost a week. In my defense, I've been painting, I've been sick, my house is a wreck, and I have a lot of kids, so give me a break.

2.

Do you ever wonder why your kids even bother? If I had a penny for every time I said "I'm sorry" in a day, I'd have like, um, 30 cents or so. It goes like this all day long (italics = crying):

Mommy, I bit my tongue!
I'm sorry.
Mommy, I don't like how this shirt feels.
I'm sorry.
Mommy, I can't get this dress off my baby.
I'm sorry.
Mommy, I broke my favorite ninja guy.
I'm sorry.

What is the point? I rarely do anything except say I'm sorry, yet they keep coming back time after time. after time. after time.

Not sure what my point is except that I'm apparently a pretty crappy mom, but I'm sure there was something else.

(Extra points if you can guess who said each one)

2.

I went to the grocery store for bread a few nights ago, and they were out of every single type of bread except for the of-absolutely-no-nutritional-value-but-every-kid-loves-me white kind. I made the kids peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for lunch the next day.

Joshua: I don't think I've ever had this kind of bread before.
Me: I know, but it's all they had at the store.
Joshua upon taking a bite: Mom, you have to buy this EVERY time!!

3.

Painting: I don't mind it. Perhaps even enjoy it.
Cleaning the brush, roller, and tray after painting: despise it.

4.

I painted the boys' room Monday and Tuesday, and I'm still working on Lauren's room. I finished the first coat this evening, but it needs a second.

The boys' room is blue; Lauren's is green. Though she told everyone at the pool that it was green and white because she apparently thought the half-painted/half-primed look is what I was aiming for.

5.

Reasons #423 it's great to have kids:

When I can't find something, I waste only a minute or so looking for it. After that I simply offer a quarter to the first person who finds it. Seriously, kids will do anything for a quarter. This week they found the remote, a missing flip-flop, and my makeup bag.

6.

Joshua started taking art classes last month, and he completed his first picture last week. He drew it in pencil and then went over it with oil pastels. I thought it was quite good:



(It's a mandrill, by the way, which is a funky looking ape.) It was too big for the scanner, so it cut off a lot of the foliage that is on three sides of the original.

7.

The kids and I are heading to Georgia soon, and I am getting very excited. I plan to see several movies (The Proposal and My Sister's Keeper, for starters), swim every day, shop at every store that isn't Walmart, and eat at Chef Lee's, Panera, Red Robin, and Baskin Robbins. And not in that order. Let me know if you want to join me for any of this. I could probably be talked into Baskin Robbins more than once.

Everyone needs a hobby

While driving in the van the other day I noticed Joshua reading his Picture Bible again. I mentioned that he was becoming a really good reader.

Me: Josh, you're gonna be a reader like me, aren't you? I love to sit and read a good book.

Lauren: Mommy, I love to sit and eat chocolate.

Happy 4th of July

We had a great picnic at the park across the street yesterday. We had intended to go to a lake about an hour away, but once someone mentioned the idea of just going across the street, we were all enamored with thoughts of not spending 2 hours in the car. Since there is a creek that runs right next to the park, the kids did not have to give up their plans of playing in the water (despite yesterday's high of 70 degrees).

Lauren and Grandma at the park:



"Helping" Granddad with the grill:



Hmm, how does this thing work?



I got you some more sticks, Granddad!



Waiting for the food:



Josh and Grandma played cards while they waited



Can you tell I got into the cherries?



Mmm, good hot dog . . . no hands required!



There are a couple of families of ducks living in our creek:



Ethan and Grandma tried to count them:



Feeding them was more fun



Ethan playing in the creek:



Can you think of a better way to spend an afternoon when you're six years old:

7 Quick Takes Friday

1.

The boys have been going to a story/craft time at the library the past couple of weeks. This week I saw their personalities in full force as they were given markers to decorate paper plates that they would make into tambourines.

I looked over at them after a couple of minutes. Josh was decorating fiercely. Ethan was sniffing the markers.

2.

I've mentioned that I love how it takes about 2 minutes to get everywhere in this town, sometimes less. It's 90 seconds to David's office, the gym, and the grocery store. It's 2.5 minutes to Rite Aid and Dollar General, almost 4 minutes to church.

I love this. It's time-saving, and I rarely need gas.

However, there is a down-side. I have been listening to the same song in my car for a month because I am never in the car long enough for it to end.

3.

File under rules I didn't think to establish ahead of time:

Don't run laps around the dinner table.
Don't create a dinoland on the toilet lid in my bathroom.
Don't build a beaver dam on the front porch.

4.

Joshua has been dressing up as Indiana Jones all week. He uses his belt as a whip (and can't seem to understand that it's not "accidental" when you swing a belt around near people and they get hurt!) and runs around looking for bad guys to save us from. He was disappointed to learn that there are no ninjas in the movies (he's only seen Indy on the Leggos games website), so he made Ethan one anyway.

5.

Grandmom and Granddad are back for 4th of July weekend. That means I smell french toast and bacon being cooked in the kitchen. The kids begin asking for it the moment Granddad arrives.

6.

The kids and I are going to Georgia in less than two weeks for my cousin's wedding. I am looking forward to many things: seeing my family, swimming in HOT weather, going to a restaurant or two (I've been to, count 'em - ONE - since we moved here in May.), shopping somewhere other than Dollar General, etc.

Other than seeing my family, though, I think the thing I am looking forward to the most is attending my home church. (I can't bring myself to say "former!")

We attend a wonderful church here. David's uncle is the pastor, and he's related to half the people there. The love is palpable, and there is no question that the spirit of God is present among the people.

But the music.

Think TBN: very gospel-y sound, lots of organ, songs written in the 1960's. (There were plenty of good songs written in the 1960's, I'm sure, but these are not they.)

I am realizing how important music is to worship. It has always been my favorite part, nourishing my spirit, comforting, exciting, encouraging. Music is emotional and connects us to worship in a way that teaching (while of paramount importance) does not.

Obviously, I don't mean that the music here is wrong. It's just not my taste. And, sometimes something can be so contrary to one's taste that it's difficult to feel moved. As a result, I am simply hungry. And, I look forward to being at St. Andrew's for a couple of weeks soon.

Perhaps I could put in a few special requests?

7.

Speaking of music, my kids fancy themselves rock stars lately. Whenever a fast-paced song comes on my ipod, they grab their instruments, put on their fierce faces, and begin to rock.