Snowy days

This was about a week ago...and we haven't been out in the snow since.

The other day on the news the weather lady said they had received "numerous" calls from people who fell on the ice on the way to their mailboxes or when they were out to walk the dog.

Because that makes total sense. The first thing I thought of when I wiped out on our front porch was, "Quick! Where's my phone? I've got breaking news!"

And then Chet wiped out and I missed it. If only a news camera had been there.



I think they are playing Snow Football. Also known as A Way To Get Even Colder While Playing Outside.



Sharkies looks thrilled at his catch...don't think he's realized that the ball is no longer in his hands.

Life is one big awkward stage

This kid is getting some teeth, two on the bottom, two on the top. And every time he smiles, I think of Mater.



And then I say "Ka-Chow!" to myself under my breath. Which would be embarrassing, except that this is what I was wearing all morning. Scratch that. Still wearing.



So I have more pressing things to be embarrassed about. I know what you are thinking. Where did I find such fantastic green leggings?

I got cold in the night and grabbed whatever I could find. Chet had a good laugh at my expense when he saw me this morning. I think the words "Giant Green Bean" may have been mentioned.

Duly noted.

(Sharks just saw this pic and said, "Oh, is that you when you had Finlay in your belly?" Groan. It just keeps getting better.)

In my defense, I have been caring for sad, sick kiddos like this guy all week. Poor Deeds.


On second thought, I don't think there is an adequate defense for green leggings. Ever.

(Not) Alone

Here's my talented sis-in-law, Ashley's new music video for her song, Alone. The chorus especially has been encouraging to me, in the moments when I feel, um, alone.

Also, for some free music and to help give clean water to those who need it, check out this post.

Wintry Drinks

Two drinks we've been enjoying this winter:

Hot Milk and Milk Punch.


So, for the Hot Milk...well it is what is says and it's so easy it's hardly a recipe. But we love it.

Partly cause I kept forgetting to buy cocoa. (How unlike me, I know.) My mom made a variation of this when I was little if I couldn't sleep, so we'll call it a tradition. Even though now we drink it at all times of the day.

Oh right. The non-recipe, coming right up.

You need:
Milk, a cup or two
REAL maple syrup, to taste (you could use sugar - we just try to stick with more natural sweeteners.)
Cinnamon, sprinkle on the top (I let the boys do this, so we get a different amount every time.)
Vanilla, a capful or so

Mix in a pan and heat on the stove. Then drink and relax. It is perfect for when you are cold but have already had one too many coffees. (Actually that is pretty much my state of being.)

Though I have been known to put it IN my coffee, kinda like a Cinnamon Dolce Latte, but not. (I really want to write, "but Not-te" but it looks more like Naughty instead of rhyming with Latte. Sigh.)

And now for the Milk Punch, which is a little more grown-up. I have also been known to put that in my coffee. It is absolutely delicious, a perfect accompaniment to dessert, or for after dessert. Or for breakfast. Or for in your coffee. I may have mentioned that...

To us a child is born

Deedo says Isaiah 9:6-7, very cute-ly, I might add.

I tried to get him to be all gangsta

As I was taking this pic of the Deeds today, I remembered a similar shot of Sharks, taken at almost the same age.

To me they look different. But to everyone else, they look like twins. Then again, people always used to tell Chet and me (I'm pretty sure that's grammatically correct, even though it seems wrong) that we looked like brother and sister. Because that's just what every dating couple wants to hear. So we laughed and said, Well, we are from Arkansas.

Running, or something like it.

This afternoon, I decided to run again.

Chet and Deeds were sleeping, so I ended up pushing Finn in the stroller since Sharks wanted to trot along with me.

That should tell you something about our speed.

So I got all geared up: running tights, running shorts, running shoes - all Chet's except the shoes because I'm not allowed to get my own until I have proven that I am serious about "trotting."

Of course, Sharky-sharks wanted some running tights too. (Ok, fine, I asked if he wanted to dress like a runner. Whatever.)

Thankfully, a few weeks ago I bought what I thought were leg warmers from the dollar bins at Target...turned out that they were mini-sized footless tights. Now I know why they were a dollar.

But, they made perfect running tights for a three year old.

We are champions!


He is thrilled about it.


Oh, yeah. Then on the news tonight, I found out that a house we walked right past just got busted for being a meth lab. Yikes! We should have run faster!

Two Stories About Deedo

First. The funny:

So we're at my parents house, when Deeds decides to sing "Come Thou Fount," and he sings, "Streams of mercy, never ceasing, COBBLESTONES of loudest praise."

They are at least louder than a regular road.

Second. The painful:

Well. You should feel sorry for Deedo. Especially all you men out there.

Today, I accidentally zipped his boy part. Yikes! Ouch! Zoinks! Holy footie pajamas, Batman!

Screaming ensued. Oh, the screams. As I'm sure you can imagine.

Of course now he's going to be scared to death of pajamas, or at least zippers. So, sweatpants it is. For life.

It's going to be awesome in that job interview someday, when he's wearing a tie and button-down with sweatpants.

On Running

So yesterday, I asked Chet if I could go for a run. He laughed like he thought I was joking. No idea why. I am extremely serious about my exercise.

I work my arm muscles very hard to whip up a batch of brownies. I exercise patience as I wait for them to bake. And the endurance it takes to eat my way through them pushes the limits of the human body.

Like I said. No idea why he laughed.

I actually had to ask him twice. Though I'm thinking I should have said, Can I go for a trot? Because that would have been more accurate.

This run/trot was all provoked by Born to Run. My plan was to go slowly, and really try to enjoy the act of running, rather than see it as a means to an end.

Plus, in the book there are all these stories of people who were like, What the heck I'll go for a run, and they end up running 20 miles or something.

This one guy (who wasn't a runner at the time) was out celebrating his 30th birthday and thought it would be fun to run 30 miles on his 30th and he just went out, straight from the bar, totally wasted, and he did it.

So I thought, YOU NEVER KNOW. I might be one of those people.

Except now I know.

(I'm not. One of those people.)

I made it exactly three miles. Whenever I got tired, which was basically the whole run after the first two steps, I kept telling myself to trot, slow down, look around, and enjoy.

It worked, mostly. About halfway through I started to psyche myself out cause my legs were tired, so I was like, Be thankful you have legs that move, WOMAN. And I kept going.

(Do you like how it sounds like I was accomplishing a magnificent feat of endurance? Instead of a measly three mile run?)

And now, THE. PAIN. My abs are so freakin sore, they hurt to touch. It hurts to breathe. And yes, it's kind of embarrassing that I am in more pain now than Chet was after his half-marathon.

I'm thinking I need a do-over, though. I still might be one of those people - maybe if I start off my run with a gin and tonic? Or two?

Sharks sings scat

We've been listening to Miss Ella's Playhouse a lot. The boys love it and so do I. So it made sense to learn about Ella Fitzgerald this week, seeing as we were on the letter E.

We watched this amazing video of her singing scat. Totally worth checking out. Then I got Sharks to try. Here's his tribute to Ella Fitzgerald. (Hopefully she's not turning over in her grave.)

The Letter E

The Letter E



Activity: painting with eggs (made this one up, and thankfully it went ok)



Snack: hard-boiled eggs
Field Trip: zoo, to see the Emperor Penguins (except they didn't have that kind.) This also tied in with Mr. Popper's Penguins, so that was cool. Like 45 degrees cool.

The zoo had a baby penguin named Woody, and since I forgot my camera, Sharks posed with a beanie baby penguin (also named Woody - what a coincidence) once we got home.

The Letter D

The Letter D





Now, this week was fun. Some highlights were learning what "dozen" means, and listening to Clair de Lune by Debussy. I also got a kick out of Sharks identifying the parts of a dragonfly - head, thorax, and abdomen. (No, I didn't already know that - books rock.)

Snack: dill pickles
Field Trip: don't think we went anywhere...unless the doctor counts

The Letter C

The Letter C



(Sorry about all the school posts...just trying to catch up.)


This week was pretty lame. We all had colds. And coughs. Which both start with C. So at least we were in good company. If you C what I mean.

Field trip: ummm...church?
Snack: cookies!

The Letter B

The Letter B




Pardon my bluebird. I tried.


Ice boats. Blue + Red = Purple


Field trip: bakery
Snack: bagels

The Letter A

We are doing this letter of the week thing this year. Honestly it's more of a test run to see if I can actually make it as a homeschool mom.

After a rocky start (we were on the letter A for 2 months because I kept putting off the letter B), we have finally figured out what works for us. And we are both (mostly) enjoying it.

Though the first couple of times, Sharks said, "But Mom, this is not a real school, and you are not a real teacher." It's called homeschool, buddy. "But a home is not a school." Sigh.

Thankfully we have moved past that. So now, during the little boys naps, Sharks and I do "school." For about 1/2 hour.

Basically we just read books, do activities, and eat things that start with the letter of the week, and we make a folder of it all. I also try to do a "field trip" each week that relates.

We also collect things from around the house that start with the letter, and we put them on a Letter of the Day Tray.

So, here's the Letter A!

[I used a bunch of stuff from Homeschool Share, but most of what I do is from here. The more familiar I become with the program, the more I add my own ideas in, but I use pretty much all the scheduling stuff from them. I don't always get all the books she suggests, just whatever our library has.)

Brotherly Love

I've been skeptical when I hear other people talk about "the bond" their kids have.

When I read things like, "They are just so close and they love to be together..." what I really see is: "Blah blah blah-dy wishful thinking blah."

How cynical. I know.

But I've since changed my mind.

(Mushy mom-speak alert.)

These two have a bond. For realz.



Sharks can make Finn laugh like no-one else can. Sharks is the first one in the room to comfort his brother when he cries, and he always wants to rub "his sweetie's" head and give him kisses. In the picture, he just wanted the baby near him while he played.

And Finn responds to Sharks. He laughs at him and follows him around.

To be sure, Sharks has also pushed him over, taken toys away from him, and almost dropped him on his head. They are brothers, after all.

But thus far, I am thankful that there is evidence of love. I hope and pray that it continues as they grow.

Somebody got a haircut

Before:


He said he wanted to be bald like Deedo.

I said ok.

After:


Kinda made me sad to cut his long hair, which is why I realized that I should.

And now I keep calling him Deeds, or sometimes Chet.

"It's ok to call me Chet, that's really my name," he said.

So the littlest knows I haven't forgotten

Buddy-o Numero 3:

You started crawling at 6 months. Crawling. At 6 months. In the amount of time it took to wrap our minds around that, you had already figured out how to pull up to stand.

(And we were hoping you'd take your time.)

After pulling a French press of freshly brewed coffee off the counter at a friend's house at 3 months of age, you have wrenched the title of Reach Master from your brother. Just the other day, you knocked a six-pack of beer to the floor in Whole Foods. All by yourself. Shattered glass, shmattered glass.

(Not embarrassing at all.)

However. Your favorite way to explore is with your mouth. To date you have eaten/attempted to eat: grass, leaves, a piece of bacon (oops), gum wrapper (don't ask where I found it), paper, a lego, and fringes from an area rug (now that was a sight).




And you continue to be the sweetest baby ever. Your brothers were wonderful too, but Finn, you are always laughing, even when we are only saying your name. You already have a sense of humor.



As Sharks says, "You are our little precious." (Lord of the Rings, anyone? That's not at all creepy.)

October Reading List

Previous book lists -
Summer
September


Books from the past month:

Lost City Radio, Daniel Alarcon - Felt like I was waiting for a punchline/climax that never happened.

The Sunday Philosophy Club, Alexander McCall Smith - I read all of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency books and figured I'd give this one a try. A nice mystery, without being too dark.

Little Bee, Chris Cleave - a beautiful and tragic tale of a Nigerian refugee in the UK. A really well-constructed novel. The insights of Little Bee (main character) are brilliant and adorable - "no one likes each other, but everyone likes U2." Made me cry.

The Clear Skin Diet, Alan C. Logan and Valori Treloar - And now I'm taking Fish Oil every day. And trying to stay away from refined sugar. I will let you guess how that's going.

Mr. Popper's Penguins, Richard and Florence Atwater - Read to the boys. Totally worth it - if you didn't read this in your childhood, read it now. Will post more about this later.

Baby, We Were Meant For Each Other, Scott Simon - heard about it on NPR one day. I've read more compelling memoirs and books about adoption that were more inspiring to me, but all in all, a fine book.

The Girl Who Played With Fire, Stieg Larsson - Love the mystery of it, not so into the subject matter at times. Verdict's still out on whether I will read the third in the series.

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen, Christopher McDougall - Loved this book. Well-written, interesting, and informative. If you are wondering about the bare-foot running craze, or just like a good piece of journalistic literature, it's definitely worth a read.

Sense and Sensibility, Jane Austen - Just read it. Yes, you.

Bad Dreams

This is my worst nightmare. Soooooo not a cat person.

Just reading it made me itchy.

But, it's an awfully cute blog, though.

What I learned from the fruit flies

Due to an unforeseen rotten onion, we got a plague of fruit flies. (Unforseen: in a pot, bottom of the shelf. No clue the onion turned on me.)

All last week, I declared war on those dang flies. Everything food related went into the fridge. All dishes were immediately washed. As soon as the food was gone, the table was instantly wiped down. Are you sensing the urgency?

And I was seriously annoyed the whole time, because sometimes I don't like to do the dishes right away, you know? I even remember asking myself, WHY in the world did God make fruit flies? They are just a HUGE pain in the you-know-what. What purpose do these silly little things serve?

Well, I still have no clue what their biological/eternal purpose is, but because of those flies, I learned that our home runs much more smoothly when I finish one thing before I start the next.

My mother has been trying to teach that for years. As has my husband.

But give the fruit flies one week...and presto! New woman. Ha.

This is a big deal because I tend to live by feeling...if I don't feel like doing the dishes, I don't, until I absolutely have to. And then of course, the stress amps up because I have created a disaster through my inaction. You know who pays for that? The kids and Chet.

So at the end of the day, I am thankful for those fruit flies and more importantly, for the God who created them and gave them to me for the week. Now that I can see the blessings that come with being responsible, my prayer is that I can keep it up.

Early Birthday

My birthday always falls smack-dab in the middle of finals, and last year when I turned 25 we did diddly-squat to celebrate. So my hubs preempted the iminent birthday disaster and planned an early celebration date for us.

Dinner was amazing. It was like my dream meal...Espresso Rubbed Beef Filet Medallions with blue cheese cream, buttermilk mashed potatoes, fresh asparagus, and crisped onion straws. Thank you, Groupon.

Somehow we forgot to get a picture together, but at least we took pictures of each other.



We got to the symphony and Chet started heading for the front row. Chet is kinda sneaky and would totally do something like sneaking up to the front row even if our tickets were for somewhere else, so I was nervous. Turns out, that's actually where our tickets were - right at the edge of the first row.

We were so excited at our seats and couldn't understand how they were still available when Chet bought the tickets. We could literally touch the stage. (They were student tickets, he just got to pick where we sat.)

(Clearly the symphony is not our usual scene, however much we love it.)

The first piece was great - we were so close! Not too many musicians and we could see everything really well. But then, as more of the orchestra came out, we understood why no one wanted those seats.

Butts! Backsides! Rear ends! All we could see were the tushies of the string section. (Insert inappropriate g-string joke here.)

We were cracking up. Pun totally intended.

So we high-tailed it Chet-style to some open seats in the upper level, just in time for Tchaichovsky's 5th Symphony.

Crafty Schmafty

We made Paper Bag People.


(Note: Star Wars t-shirt, aka Star "Words." The favorite of the moment. Not that he has a clue what it is. Deeds always asks, "Who dat guy?" And when I tell him, he says, "Yes, Dawth Baduh.")

I thought it was going to be so fun, making these Paper Bag People, and they'd run around and chase each other and LOVE it.

Not so much. Really, they wore them for the picture and then cried until I helped them tear them off.

(Can't understand why. They look super comfortable. Or as Deeds says, "Super compy.")



Next time I'm calling them Paper Bag Robots and I'll tell the boys that their arms are supposed to jut out at impossible angles because that's just how robots are. Take that, Paper Bag Peeps.

Sticks and stones

Since Chet has class two nights each week, I've been trying to use the time to get the boys in the woods, or at the very least outside somewhere where it doesn't feel like the city.

Don't get me wrong, I love the convenience of the city and the way it feels so full of life (especially when you live so close to your neighbors that you can see into their dining room from yours.)

But the older the boys get, the more I want them outside, digging in the mud and building forts and picking up bugs.

I learned some things on our first "hike."

1)Deeds walks slowly.
2) Deeds walks slowly because he is examining every single rock and stick he sees.
3)Deeds will try to pick up and carry every rock and stick he sees which makes him walk even more slowly.

Note to self: next time, take a stroller.

The thing is, Deedo's slowpoke rambling made me realize how often I hurry the boys along. I had to consciously tell myself that we weren't going anywhere in particular, that the whole point was to simply be outside, exploring and enjoying all that God has created. So it ended up being good for me too.

Overwhelmed

Sorry I've been absent from this little blog here. My computer is really old and I have to jump through an awful lot of hoops just to blog (old browser and suchlikes. I tried to upgrade but it made my computer soooo sloooooow that it just wasn't worth it.)

Plus we've had sickness and strep make the rounds: Sharks got croup, Chet got strep, then I got it, Deeds got an ear infection, Finn got some weird rash that after visiting the doc three times finally was diagnosed as strep, then Deeds got the same rash, and now, a month after it all started, we are on the mend.

I feel like I have months to update. I guess I will just get started.

For now, here's a pic of Hutchinlove, J.D. (taken for his job applications.) I am quite partial to the lovely chalk drawings on our front door. Hopefully those who interviewed Chet will take that into consideration when reviewing his application.



Every time I see this picture, I really want him to say, "I'll see you in court." And throw in some legal gobbledygook like lex rex or a certiorari, or prima facie. Cause that's how you tell a real lawyer from a fake one.

September Reading List

Ok, folks, I have found that some of the best books I have read have come from recommendations from people I know. So I'd love to hear what YOU are reading! I know more of you read than the two people that commented last time, so if you'd be so kind, leave a comment with a book you have read and enjoyed. Please, pretty please? Help a reader out!

One book I would recommend is The Brothers K by David James Duncan . I read this last winter and I saw it at the library again today and got teary just seeing the cover, that's how much I liked it. From Publishers Weekly: "It is a stunning work: a complex tapestry of family tensions, baseball, politics and religion, by turns hilariously funny and agonizingly sad...The book portrays the extraordinary differences that can exist among siblings...and how family members can redeem one another in the face of adversity." (For the record, this is not the same as The Brothers Karamazov by Dostoyevsky, though the allusion is there for a reason.)

(Here's last month's list, if you missed it.)

September:

Unwind by Neal Shusterman: A young adult novel, recommended by a friend. There was a second civil war, Pro-life vs. Pro-choice. To end the war, they came up with a compromise: no life can be taken until the age of 13, when parents can choose to "unwind" their children as long as no part of the child technically "dies," thanks to organ donation. The story is about a kid who tries to escape being unwound. It was a quick read, overly dramatic, and utterly unrealistic - but like I said, it's TEEN fiction.

War Child by Emmanuel Jal : Another memoir of a Lost Boy of Sudan. Of the ones I read, this one was the most graphic and challenging, and left images in my head that I will never forget. This is partly because Jal was a child soldier, and his experiences tended to be quite violent. But to see God's hand on him through it all is a powerful thing. Here is a link to a TED talk he gave. It is worth watching.

Giada's Kitchen, and Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis: I love Giada. Everything I have made from her cookbooks has been wonderful. Chet mocks the Giada obsession, but seriously. I love carbs and chocolate, and Giada is very good at making both. What's not to love! Plus I have learned her secrets for making anything "Italian" - take a basic cupcake recipe, throw in some mascarpone or ree-COTT-a, and you've got yourself some Italian cupcakes.

Kitchen Express by Mark Bittman: And my obsession with cookbooks from the library continues. I also really like Mark Bittman. No nonsense, simple recipes that are still delicious. I used this cookbook all summer long. Each recipe took only 20 minutes to prepare and cook, and I could always find something to make with the ingredients in my kitchen.

The Dayuma Story by Ethel Emily Wallis: This book is about the first Auca Christian, Dayuma, and Rachel Saint's relationship with her in leading her to Christ. (I have been trying to read missionary biographies on Sundays. Because it is a day set apart, I am trying to orient my thoughts towards the Lord, so I am excited about the big pile of missionary bio's I borrowed from my in-laws.)

Don't Make Me Count to Three by Ginger Plowman: A very practical book about getting to the heart of your children through training and discipline. One of the things that has stuck with me the most is to view every act of disobedience as an opportunity to point your kids towards their need for Jesus. This book has been very helpful, particularly because our kids are so close together. (I also really like her Wise Words for Moms.)

Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins: The third and final book in The Hunger Games series. Can you say, "Mocking-lame"? Ok, not that bad. It was an expectation thing. I loved the other two books, but this one fell a bit flat for me.

Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami: Because I have no idea how to describe this book, here is a summary from Amazon - "15-year-old Kafka Tamura runs away from home, both to escape his father's oedipal prophecy and to find his long-lost mother and sister. As Kafka flees, so too does Nakata, an elderly simpleton whose quiet life has been upset by a gruesome murder...What follows is a kind of double odyssey, as Kafka and Nakata are drawn inexorably along their separate but somehow linked paths, groping to understand the roles fate has in store for them." There were some very beautiful moments right alongside some very disturbing moments.

Sharky-Art

Sharks has been, um, opposed to coloring ever since I first put a crayon in his hand. Nothing I have done has ever persuaded him to draw. Not even cool coloring books. Or peer pressure (Sunday school.) I even talked to my art therapist friend to get some fun ideas. But still, nada.

However, in the last few days, the clouds have parted and the golden sun of COLORING FUN has shone.

I know it's silly, but I have been waiting for this day. Coloring is so soothing to me, and I had hoped it would be one of those fun things we did together - now whaddya know, we've got a budding artist on our hands! Ha.

(For the record, I drew the circle for the head, but he did the rest.)

For All the...

The other day, we were playing ping-pong in the basement, when Sharks hit his ball into this giant old hose sitting on a shelf in the corner.

"Mom, come quick! My ball is lost in the countless hose!"

Took me a second, but then I realized what he was saying.

"From earth's wide bounds, from ocean's farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host,
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
Alleluia, Alleluia!"

[from For All the Saints, by William Walsham How]

I cannot even express how much I love these adorable language mishaps the little guys make. It is so precious when they try to apply the things they hear into everyday conversations. (Unless they are talking about nosepicking.)

What are some good ones your kids have said?

Nap Time-ish

Since Sharks no longer takes an afternoon nap, we had to come up with a new plan. So now he rests with his head on his pillow for 30-45 minutes (obviously to encourage sleep if he needs it), then when the timer beeps, he can get up and play quietly in his room for 45-60 minutes. (The times vary slightly based on the needs of the day.)

Today, however, he read Coastal Living.

Digging for gold (again)

(The older the boys get, the more I realize that these blog posts are slipping further and further into the abyss of boogers, farts, and legos.)

The other day at my mom's house, Sharks' finger was getting a little too clse to his nose, so my mom asked, "Why are you picking your nose, buddy?"

"I am picking my nose because mom picks her nose."

Oh. the. shame.

Soooo, I tried to salvage what remnants of dignity I could, and came up with a brilliant plan - Sharks and Mommy will both stop picking their noses.

(For the record, I am not a big nose picker. The way my child talks, you are probably thinking it's my new favorite hobby or something.)

Well. That plan didn't fly. Sharks said, "How about you keep picking your nose so I can keep picking mine?"

Sigh.

Bikes!

In honor of the annual bike race in our neighborhood, the boys decided that they wanted to race each other. (Which means Sharks speeds away while I do my best to push Deeds as fast as I can without 1) him falling off, 2) crashing into a tree, 3) tripping and looking like a doofus.)

Guess which one I didn't manage?

I was really excited about Deedo's bike - I found it at a yard sale. It had some rust on it (ok, actually everywhere there could be rust, there was rust) but after a quick trip to Home Depot for supplies and a little scrubbing, the bike was as good as it could be (for an old - let's say vintage - bike.)

Here's a sequence of photos for you - can you guess what's about to happen?





They made up this game where they yell, "deek!" and stab each other with their fingers. Doesn't sound like fun to me, but they think it's hilarious. Only this time Deeds stabbed Sharks in the nose.

(And yes, I should have seen that coming.)