Call Him Lazarus

So, we had a friend visiting from out of town, and you know the drill. The kids climb, hop, skip and jump on the floor, walls, ceiling, etc. in order to impress "Uncle Bob."

Superhero decided to play dead.

Uncle Bob: "Uh-oh, I see we have a dead person in the road. I wonder if he's just playing possum."

Superhero doesn't move.

UB: "I guess I'll have to step on him."

SH: still doesn't move (which is very brave; Uncle Bob is a full grown man).

Uncle Bob pretends to step on Superhero who still does not move a muscle. Then after Uncle Bob sits back down, he begins to get up.

UB: "I see he's alive after all."

SH: "It's by God's power!"

Now, that's living faith!!!

Surprise Down Under?

Last night I went to a swanky art reception.

Everybody got dressed up. The kids were dressed well, (even Ladybug) and we all went to attend an important party to celebrate the artistic talents of my mother and sister.

Things were going well, for the most part. Mine were the only children there, and they managed to keep the chaos to a dull roar.

Princess told my mom that she had to go to the bathroom, and as she is a wonderful Grandma (Draa), off they went. This is what I was told transpired while in the bathroom:

Draa (pulling up the fancy dress): Princess, you don't have any panties on!

Princess: I don't got some.

Draa: Does Mommy know you don't have any on?

Princess: (with a cute smile) No, it's a surprise!

Well, my mom thought she would end up peeing right there she was laughing so hard. And then she proceeded to tell everybody at the reception that my daughter had no underwear!!!

Sheesh! You'd think she was a grandma or something!

By the way, they both won awards!! Click here to see their artwork. Nikki and Shannon

Ups and Downs

This is an incredible video a family member sent me. It's a European film that I hope I get to watch when it comes out. It's called "Most-the Bridge"

Hurry Up and Wait

To borrow a phrase from one of my favorite bloggers, " I'm a great Mom. Except when I'm not."

I blew it again.

Yesterday I was in a hurry. I don't even remember why at the moment, but I needed to go somewhere, and go now. I didn't have a large time window.

Princess was pushing my buttons that day, and I wanted to give her an opportunity to redeem herself. That in of itself would have been fine.

But I told her to go tot the bathroom.

Alone.

Without supervision.

Now, Princess is 3 1/2 years old and she is perfectly able to go potty. But, she has a tendency to forget details. Like wiping, flushing or washing her hands.

So, someone needs to remind her to do those things.

But I was busy and in the car, trying to get all of the huge balls of kinetic energy (read children) into their seats and strapped in. Princess was taking too long, so I went to the basement stairs and shouted up the stairs to her what was taking so long. Then I saw her.

Completely naked from the waist down. One shoe and sock on, one off. It seems that she forgot to put the toilet seat down when she went to wash her hands and stepped into the toilet (don't worry, it was clean).

In hind sight it was hilarious! But I didn't laugh. I got angry.

I was inconvenienced, by having to interrupt my almighty schedule for a short person. So I stomped upstairs, get her new clothes, and generally let her know that I was not happy with her.

She got the point. She cried and said, "Sorry, Mommy"

So, how many times do we hurry our children, demand that they conform to our schedules and then we get irritated when they can't keep up?

In my own selfishness, I forget that my children are little people that need to be loved and not herded like cattle from one event to the next.

A great quote from Lorrie Fleming of Teach Magazine states, "The Bible shows us over and over again that the greatest enemy of God's will and God's best is often impatience."

It's o.k. I made up with Princess. I have learned long ago to not let my mistakes slip past me when possible. I apologize to my children when I mess up, and they are gracious enough to forgive me.

Again.

The Amazing Aventures of.......

There is a reason I call him Superhero.

He just turned 5 and for his birthday he received dress up costumes galore. Buzz Lightyear (although he's never seen the movie), Spiderman (ditto), police man, astronaut, fire man and soldier. He loves to dress up, and we only allow him to be "the good guy". I will tell you, however, that he is tempted by the dark side. I don't know if it's a boy thing, or a danger thing, but he wants to grow up to be Darth Vader (again, never saw the movie).....sigh.....

But anyway, this boy loves to dress up, and is always thinking about new characters, so imagine my surprise when Superhero walks down stairs in his tighty whities and a cape.

He is Catpain Underpants!

Now, he can barely read and has never even seen Captain Underpants. Where does he get these ideas?

I'm just thanking the good Lord that he didn't dress up as "Adam" again.

How hot is your chili?

Princess didn’t start out as “Princess”. As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I knew what gender and what her name was. I can’t tell you that God spoke in an audible voice, but it was definite. Before she was born, she would move around like crazy, and we started to call her “Chili Pepper”. It might have had something to do with all the heartburn she gave me as well.

Well, her birthday came and she was born a chili pepper. She came out kicking and screaming and wanted to go back in. She has had an opinion ever since. Princess has evolved into her name because of her desire to be extremely “girly”, but do not be mistaken. She is still a chili pepper.

Today has been a hard day for her. She woke up happy but must have fallen out of bed or something, because the chili in the pepper has become an habanero today. It’s wearing a little thin. You see, I homeschool my children and I’m around them 24/7. Now, I know you are thinking, “wait! She homeschools. Her kids are supposed to be perfect!” Let me explain:

There seems to be an incorrect assumption that if you homeschool your children, then they will be well behaved in any public situation. People see the family with stair stepped children, in coordinating jumper dresses and leggings, long hair that has never been cut, and all the children are meek and mild. Never do they touch anything they shouldn’t, and their parents never have to chastise them in public.

My children have never fit this mold, and frankly, I’m glad. Because the stereotype of homeschoolers is false. Our children can be just as obnoxious as anyone else’s kids. They can (and do) have their own distinct opinions, and they can (and do) let everyone around them know it.

That stereotype is false, because it’s not real. I know families who have children that look like that, and while they are real, the myth that they’re perfect is not. Here is a video that makes a me laugh because the comedian (Tim Hawkins) is poking fun of all of the stereotypes of homeschooling.

So, Princess may be a princess, but she is a chili pepper too. The level of spice depends on the day and the mood, but she livens up the house!!!

Of Little Boys and Lumpy Pillows

I know it seems I talk about my children all the time, and you're probably thinking, "this woman has no life," but there is so much material here, I just have to share it.

I have said before that Superhero is a ball of super kinetic energy. He seems to sizzle and spark if left standing in one place too long. One thing he cannot tolerate is "quiet time."

Yes, quiet time. That blessed event that happens here rain or shine, day in, day out, 365 days a year.

Well, mostly.

Every day at my house from 2-4 p.m., I have the children go to quiet time. I don't care whether they nap or not (at least the oldest ones) but they must be quiet, or incur my wrath. And I'm serious. This is the only time of peace I get all day, and I'm gonna enjoy it, even if it kills me!!

So, since Superhero has a hard time with the "quiet" part of quiet time, I try to give him specific directions of what he can do. He can read (yes, my five-year-old is reading... a little), color in his coloring books, lay down, or play with his cars, etc. until 4 o'clock.

Sometimes it works well, other times... well... let's just say sometimes it's not so easy.

One day, when he had gotten quiet, I assumed he had fallen asleep, since he still had been taking a nap from time to time. I had a friend over for tea and was listening to the baby monitors in his and his sister's rooms to make sure everything was OK. Then suddenly I heard loud banging on my front door and jumped about 6 feet in the air. I peeked around the corner and saw a strange man at the door. Now, I don't know about you, but when I see a strange man banging on the door and no husband around, I get a little nervous. But then he started to scream that a boy was coming out of his window on the second floor.

Have you ever had one of those nightmares where you can't run down the hallway fast enough and the hallway keeps getting longer and longer? Well, that happened at that moment in my home. I could not run up the stairs fast enough. I ran up to his room, threw open the door, and witnessed my then three-year-old son half out of his second-story window onto the porch roof. Somehow I manged to grab his legs and yank him in the room without banging him into anything, and all was well. I thanked God for the angel He sent to protect my little boy, and that was the last time I ever assumed he was sleeping when I couldn't hear him on the monitor.

Now, fast forward a little while and it happens again. No, not climbing out the window. We got that window taken care of. Not that.

He got quiet.

Now I notice it. As soon as he doesn't say anything for a few minutes, I get suspicious. One day not long ago, he got quiet.

Too quiet.

I went quietly up to his room in case he had fallen asleep, but too nervous about what he could be getting into not to check and I found this.


Cute huh? How on earth he ever fit into his pillowcase I'll never know, but I prefer that to the window...