Pied Piper Luke

Do you remember the story of the Pied Piper?

Luke ALWAYS has a following of neighbor kids/siblings. He always has at least 3 boys following his every move. Really. Is cutting up a Capri Sun box to make a truck out of your remote control car really that exciting?

Though Luke, unlike the Pied Piper, isn't playing the pipe, and won't lead the children into a cave never to be seen again. I make no guarantees what he may or may not teach your children. It will be a long the lines of fishing, using pocket knives, making anything one can imagine, how to aim a BB gun (currently confiscated), constructing furniture with power tools or a myriad of other things.

I can guarantee though, he will not, teach your children anything that involves being inside.

Excuse Me?

Where did Ellie learn this?

Oh yeah.

From, her Mother . . .

Big Brother's Influence Continues

My baby is 3 months old!!

Yes, that is a pocket knife in one pocket.
And yes, that is a cap gun in the other pocket.
Oh yeah, and that is a camouflage hat on his head.

This was Luke's idea of "help Drew be happy for a minute" while Daddy napped on the couch and Mom was gone!

Different

A few conversations and a recent Relief Society lesson has had me doing some serious thinking...and has in turn prompted this post.

Imagine for just a minute what you look like and what you are wearing on a "major clean the house day." You are probably un-showered, dressed in maybe an old t-shirt, maybe some sweatpants, no make-up, hair is probably pulled back in an unkempt ponytail.... you get the picture.

Imagine now what you look like dressed and ready to go on a date, or to church, or to a wedding. Probably showered and clean wearing nice, clean and pressed clothes, maybe some jewelry, perhaps some make-up and brushed/styled hair. Maybe you even splurged and spritzed on some perfume!

Now answer me this question. When comparing ourselves to other mothers/women, why do we always see ourselves in our "clean the house day" and compare ourselves to their "go to a wedding or church day?"

I mean this figuratively, not literally. We look at what others do well that we don't and beat ourselves up over it.

I will probably never run a half marathon like one of my dear friends. I will never sew beautifully like another. I will never have a beautiful singing voice like another friend. I will never train for a triathalon. I will probably never be as well read and educated as another. I will never write as beautifully as another friend. I WILL NEVER be able to say like another, that I have never raised my voice to my children. I will probably never refinish furniture. You will not see me on most field trips my children go on. You will NEVER see me playing with playdough...

And guess what?

Perhaps your vegetable garden will never grow as profusely as mine. Maybe you'll never be caught up with your laundry. Maybe some of you will never do a craft class with your children. Maybe you will never be the PTA President. Perhaps you'll never enjoy hosting parties. Maybe you'll never make a homemade birthday cake....

If we all mothered, wifed and womaned (do you like those words?) the same way, this world would be a boring, uniformed society. It probably would be no fun.

So for today, don't think of all the women you know who deserve to be "Mother/Woman of the Year."

Instead.

Look in the mirror.

Freedom Day

I. LOVE. JULY 4th.

My children awoke to the sounds of me singing patriotic music . After insisting taking a picture of them in their patriotic shirts-which made mom say "the mom word", Joshua cry, Megan whine, and Luke and Ellie fight...

(I decided family photos are over-rated. They rarely turn out well!)

We moved onto bigger and better things. . .

The Annual Water Baseball BBQ

Top Ten of 2009 4th Annual Water Baseball BBQ

10. Perfect temperature
9. Quizzes on America
8. Homemade decorations
7. Delicious food
6. Nana & Grandpa's slide
5. 50 foot slip-n-slide
4. Fabulous Family/Friends
3. RJ landing in the weeds

2. Grandpa Peter taking down the slide...

1. A Good Nap

I. LOVE. JULY 4th.

First Annual Cousin Camp

My kids had so much fun the last two days at the First Annual Cousin Camp. Courtesy of Nana and Grandpa. Among other things, rootbeer floats, sidewalk chalk, sidewalk games, making t-shirts, roasting hot dogs, movie night, pancake breakfast, water slide-and I'm sure all of their favorites... Dinner with parents when parents HAD to pick them up.

When asked about their favorites on the way home:
Megan: "Swimming"
Luke: "Waterslide and Raingutter ice cream"
Ellie: "Getting new towels"
Joshua: (prompted to say) "shirts"
Cousin Party included, Nana, Grandpa, Megan, Luke, Ellie, Joshua, Caleb, Ben, Joey and Chloe.

I can't get this picture any bigger, but here is everyone in their Cousin Camp Shirts at the end of the party. Don't let my mom fool you by the photo...Drew was NOT invited to Cousin Camp.

I'm glad my kids had a great time-but more importantly I had a fabulous time.

26 hours with only one kid (Joshua came home to sleep, but went back for breakfast).
Mike already asked if she'd do cousin camp again next week. . .

Summer Talent

A couple of times a week, my kids have "Craft Class." Their instructor, Yours Truly, is the best. She is (sometimes) patient, kind, mild-tempered and only once has said the "mom word" during class.

Tuesday's project was decorating containers to hold our plastic forks/knives for our July 4th Water Baseball BBQ.

(Ellie's was given to Nana as a gift, before a photo could be taken.)

When the containers were finished, Megan and Luke moved onto bigger and better things. Hours-yes hours spent-making their own projects.

Megan-hair clips for her girl cousins to wear on the 4th July. With a borrowed hot glue gun, scraps of patriotic ribbon, creative imagination, and lots of patience produced some darling hairclips.


Luke-after SIX hours spent in the garage, produces a "cupboard" for Mom. Luke quickly put the cupboard to use and has two pairs of my pants hanging from the top. It now sits proudly in my bedroom.

Yours Truly, is thinking about resigning from her position as Craft Class Instructor.

Who needs me, when obviously their interests and talents surpass covering tin cans?