...from Raphael and Michelangelo!
Friday, October 31, 2014
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Grammy's Birthday
Uncle John and kiddos
It's really hard to get a good picture of three kids under 7 :)
Happy Birthday, Grammy! We're so glad we got to spend a special evening with you to celebrate your special day. We love you!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
The Sweetest Kids
So while my life has been a little hectic lately, I can still recognize when the littles are being sweet as pie.
Today, Grandma and Grandpa picked the kiddos up from school and spent some time with them so I could have a few hours to myself. They surprised the kids with some gummy eyeballs, and Hannah was extremely pleased. As we were packing up and heading home, I had my arms filled with bags from our day.
Hannah Bear came over and said, "It's okay, Mommy. I can help you. I'll carry the gummies."
Now, the fact that she wanted to eat the gummy eyeballs on her way home is not lost on me, but I also know that she was trying to help...selectively. And I appreciate the thought.
*****
Later, as I ate my dinner, Hannah watched TV, and Jack drew Pokemon friends next to me, he announced, "I'm so lucky to have you for a mama."
"What makes you say that?" I asked.
He explained that I was a nice mama who gives him nice things (like the Draw Your Favorite Pokemon book he was using), and that he knows that some kids don't have books or nice things. I found it touching that he was being so grateful - in this quiet moment where he was enjoying himself doing one of his favorite things...drawing.
I just love these kids so much.
Today, Grandma and Grandpa picked the kiddos up from school and spent some time with them so I could have a few hours to myself. They surprised the kids with some gummy eyeballs, and Hannah was extremely pleased. As we were packing up and heading home, I had my arms filled with bags from our day.
Hannah Bear came over and said, "It's okay, Mommy. I can help you. I'll carry the gummies."
Now, the fact that she wanted to eat the gummy eyeballs on her way home is not lost on me, but I also know that she was trying to help...selectively. And I appreciate the thought.
*****
Later, as I ate my dinner, Hannah watched TV, and Jack drew Pokemon friends next to me, he announced, "I'm so lucky to have you for a mama."
"What makes you say that?" I asked.
He explained that I was a nice mama who gives him nice things (like the Draw Your Favorite Pokemon book he was using), and that he knows that some kids don't have books or nice things. I found it touching that he was being so grateful - in this quiet moment where he was enjoying himself doing one of his favorite things...drawing.
I just love these kids so much.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
3 years, 2 months, and 25 days...
...that's exactly how long it took for Hannah to announce, "You're the worstest mama eber."
I told her and Jack that they had five minutes to clean up the family room, or we wouldn't have time to read stories before bed, to which she replied, "You're the worstest mama eber."
I stood in the kitchen, speechless, wondering how, on earth, we will survive the next 14 years, nine months, and seven days.
God, help me.
I told her and Jack that they had five minutes to clean up the family room, or we wouldn't have time to read stories before bed, to which she replied, "You're the worstest mama eber."
I stood in the kitchen, speechless, wondering how, on earth, we will survive the next 14 years, nine months, and seven days.
God, help me.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
A Breath of Fresh Air...
This morning was a little tricky. I was overheating in the shower, and we were running just a few minutes late this morning. Again.
It seems that no matter what time I get ready, there is some unexpected time-sucker that occurs as I'm trying to scurry my two, small children and all of our things out the door. We arrive at daycare just in time for me to literally pry Jack from the car and send him straight for the bus that will then take him to school. This is stressful to me...our last moments together each morning are tense and hurried. And I hate it.
The alternative would be that I have to wake them up about 15 minutes earlier than I already am. They would not be happy with this choice, and to be honest, neither would I. I don't get enough sleep as it is, and I have a hard enough time waking them up at 6:30 each morning. And that wake-up time actually begins at 6:00 when I turn their lights on low, open their blinds, and turn on the bright lights on each of their turtle tanks.
I could drop Hannah off at school and then drive Jack to school myself, but then I'm back-tracking and could possibly run into car-line traffic, causing me to be late.
I feel as though there is not a reasonable alternative. And it's frustrating.
My day didn't really get better until my math-time adjustments went surprisingly well this afternoon. It's the little things... I wrapped up my day, and then headed out to pick the kids up on this beautiful, fall afternoon.
Jack was happily playing outside with his friends, and Hannah was skipping down the hallway, exclaiming that she'd had a great day! I breathed a sigh of relief that both kids were happy and smiling at pick-up.
It lasted until we got in the car, and Hannah couldn't find her colored pencil. It all went downhill from there, and before I knew it, she was in the throws of a full-on breakdown.
Somehow, we pulled ourselves together and decided to ride bikes before I had to make dinner. We headed out as the sun started to go down, and the kids rode their bikes around the block while I walked along beside them. It was just what we needed - a breath of fresh, fall air.
It seems that no matter what time I get ready, there is some unexpected time-sucker that occurs as I'm trying to scurry my two, small children and all of our things out the door. We arrive at daycare just in time for me to literally pry Jack from the car and send him straight for the bus that will then take him to school. This is stressful to me...our last moments together each morning are tense and hurried. And I hate it.
The alternative would be that I have to wake them up about 15 minutes earlier than I already am. They would not be happy with this choice, and to be honest, neither would I. I don't get enough sleep as it is, and I have a hard enough time waking them up at 6:30 each morning. And that wake-up time actually begins at 6:00 when I turn their lights on low, open their blinds, and turn on the bright lights on each of their turtle tanks.
I could drop Hannah off at school and then drive Jack to school myself, but then I'm back-tracking and could possibly run into car-line traffic, causing me to be late.
I feel as though there is not a reasonable alternative. And it's frustrating.
My day didn't really get better until my math-time adjustments went surprisingly well this afternoon. It's the little things... I wrapped up my day, and then headed out to pick the kids up on this beautiful, fall afternoon.
Jack was happily playing outside with his friends, and Hannah was skipping down the hallway, exclaiming that she'd had a great day! I breathed a sigh of relief that both kids were happy and smiling at pick-up.
It lasted until we got in the car, and Hannah couldn't find her colored pencil. It all went downhill from there, and before I knew it, she was in the throws of a full-on breakdown.
Somehow, we pulled ourselves together and decided to ride bikes before I had to make dinner. We headed out as the sun started to go down, and the kids rode their bikes around the block while I walked along beside them. It was just what we needed - a breath of fresh, fall air.
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
And my heart breaks.
Jack brought home his first finished piece from Writing Workshop this afternoon. I was so proud of all of his hard work...the writing and illustrations were so well done. But I'm especially proud of his heart...
About My Dogs by Jack Johnston
Jack, Gracie, and Belle
I had dogs but I was allergic. (See Jack sneezing?)
So I got rid of them. (See Jack watching in the window as Daddy drives the puppies to their new home?)
Then they had a good life. The End. (See Mr. Joe in this picture? This is where the tears started. We've told Jack so many times that the puppies are happier with Mr. Joe...that they never have to go in a crate and that they always have company. And he heard us.)
And...here's a little take on looking at Mo Willems as a mentor author. The pigeon flies by and says he wants egg. And Gracie asks Belle, "I love egg, don't you?"
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
Art
Today, Jack came home and immediately ran for a piece of paper. He asked me if I wanted to watch him draw a shark.
"Of course," I said, and he immediately went to work.
I was in awe as he turned the paper and sketched with his pencil. He added a border and explained that his art teacher, Mr. Sprinkle, taught him how to do that.
Then he added coral and seaweed, some of which was behind the shark.
He added treasure.
He colored the shark, and the border, the coral and the seaweed. The treasure.
And I just smiled. And took a picture. And put it on the fridge.
And he just beamed.
He really loves to draw, and I'm so happy he's found something he loves to do.
"Of course," I said, and he immediately went to work.
I was in awe as he turned the paper and sketched with his pencil. He added a border and explained that his art teacher, Mr. Sprinkle, taught him how to do that.
Then he added coral and seaweed, some of which was behind the shark.
He added treasure.
He colored the shark, and the border, the coral and the seaweed. The treasure.
And I just smiled. And took a picture. And put it on the fridge.
And he just beamed.
He really loves to draw, and I'm so happy he's found something he loves to do.
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