Oh Dreaded Day! :)

Today is the day that Sebastian has been dreading since the day Isaac was born. Today, Isaac is better - not just a little better, but a lot better - at something that Sebastian is. And to make matters worse, it's a Pokemon thing that Isaac is better at. Ouch. That hurts a boy!

After lunch, as I was just finishing up with kitchen clean-up, Isaac came inside looking all sad and down and said Sebastian was mad at him. So I called Sebastian in to see what was going on. Sebastian did his very very best 8-year-old impression of nonchalant, and he said, "Well, I just don't know how Isaac is already on place 3 in Pokemon and I'm still only on place 1. I just think it's kind of funny. I don't know how he is doing it." So I asked him if he thought Isaac was cheating and that's what he was upset about. "No, he's not cheating." I asked him if he was actually even mad at Isaac. "No, not mad really. I just don't know how he is doing that much better than me."

Yep. That's a tough one to take. Being outdone by little brother. I have a feeling, as they each discover what they're good at, what their gifts are, and as Isaac comes more and more into his own things instead of holding himself in Sebastian's shadow, there will be many more instances when Isaac excels at something Sebastian does not, and v/v. Only, when Sebastian does better, Isaac accepts it, because Sebastian, until today, has always done better, run faster, scored higher, known more - simply because he is older. Looks like Sebastian will have to learn to let his pride down a bit and learn to be happy for his brother. If he doesn't figure out how to do that, it could be a long 10 years ahead of them!

When I grow up...

Yesterday in the van on the way home from preschool, the kids started talking about what they would like to be when they grow up. Isaac chose animal doctor, and hunter (slightly contradictory, I know), and army man. Sebastian thought a zoo keeper would be good, or maybe a designer or a writer. Meagan's choices, also an animal doctor (which made Isaac mad, because he, of course, believed she was copying him), an art teacher who teaches little kids how to do art projects, and.... the one she was most adamant about... a TEENAGER, like Sebastian is (her words, not mine) so she won't have to sit in a booster seat in the van anymore.

Yup, the girl dreams big!

I did a layout last night to document this conversation. She is such a goof!

The Latest and Greatest in Bedtime Stall Tactics

After 8 years and one month of parenting, I am amazed that we still have moments where we think, 'That was new.' Tonight we had one of those moments.

Lucas and I were sitting down in the living room watching a special episode of Deadliest Catch when we heard little footsteps on the stairs. It was Meagan, out of bed and on her way down the stairs for the third time tonight. Before she hit the midway point, I called out to her to go back to bed. 'But Momma, I have a rhyme for you,' was her reply, and she came the rest of the way down to the living room. She came over to the couch and said, "Mommy, do deactivate and accelerate rhyme?'

'Deactivate and accelerate?' I repeat, I confess, a little dumbfounded. 'Yes, they rhyme.'

She made a victory fist and said, 'Yes! I knew it!' And then, with a little prompting, went back to bed.

That was random. Definitely the latest and greatest in bedtime stall tactics - at least it was one we have never seen before!

Fly With Me

A few pictures from Cedar Point last year. Lucas and Sebastian, Isaac and I rode on the Troika... I confess, it's still one of my favorite rides there... it's so relaxing, and perfect after a long day of walking around! Sebastian was willing to hop on right away. Isaac was a bit unsure, but he agreed. I think they both really enjoyed it in the end!


I love the picture of Lucas and Sebastian (although you can only see Bas's arm sticking up) with the ferris wheel in the background. So cool looking!


I used lots of goodies from Sahlin Studios - some new alphas she has out, and her Enjoy the Moment kit, plus a few other odds and ends.

Science Central

Yesterday we took a family day trip to Science Central in Ft. Wayne. As soon as we got there, we heard an announcement that they were getting ready to start a demonstration on electricity, so we headed there to see what they would do. Meagan and Sebastian volunteered and ended up helping with illustration.

When that was over, we went out into the main area, and the kids started playing with all the exhibits. That soon lead to scaling the wall and crawling through the sewer (which they did several times over, to the point where we finally had to tell them it was time to do something else).

We learned about everything from magnets to light to color spectrum to the physics of skateboarding. We had a water fight (with water guns that were contained in a box, so we hit each other in the face but no one ever got wet...my kind of water fight!). We laughed histerically in the fun house mirrors!

We stayed for about 3 hours, maybe a little longer. That was about all their attention spans could take. Sebastian and Lucas could have stayed forever I think, but Isaac & Meagan were fading...probably could have kept them going if we would have gone back to the center for kids 7 & under, but it was almost closing time by then, and I was feeling ready to go too. So we headed back to Grandma & Grandpa's to get ready for dinner. It was a good day, and something new and different.

DS Love

A layout of Meagan that I finished last night. Meagan playing DS. Journaling reads: 'one day while the boys were in school, you took advantage of the opportunity to have the DS all to yourself. you made a hide-out behind the recliner, equipped with your Dora couch, pillows, and a blanket ceiling, and you snuggled up for some quality time playing Tinkerbell. It's so funny to me to see you play these games at the age of three.'

Mohawk Remorse

Yesterday when we left for our date (dinner and a movie), the boys were excited about their new hair cuts. This morning at breakfast, I got a glimpse of a different story when Isaac said, "Mom, I don't want to go to church like this." It progressed into something worse when, just when we needed to leave, Sebastian was slow to come down stairs because he was in tears. When I asked him what was wrong, he said, "I want different hair."

Hmmm...

We went to church...with mohawks...because there was not time to do anything else. Plus, Lucas and I - although it was much harder on me than on him - both thought there were a few things they could learn from this experience. Like 1) when you make impulsive decisions one day, you have to live with them the next.... or 2) Life is full of trying things - some work out, some don't - and we have to learn to respond to both... or 3) Your appearance doesn't determine who you are... and on and on. (We did actually talk about a few of these things through the course of the day, so I'm not just delusional that my 6 & 8 year old's would pull these lessons out of the sky.)

So anyway, after dinner, Lucas buzzed Sebastian's hair. Now he has some super-short hair, but he is mohawkless. (The funny thing is that Isaac had thought about buzzing his off too, but after he saw how short Sebastian's hair turned out, he opted to keep the 'hawk. LOL). The good news is, their hair grows faster than the weeds in my flower bed, so it shouldn't take long before we can work them back toward hair cuts their more comfortable with.

I think this may be our last mohawk experience. That would be okay with me.

Water Fight

These pictures are from the weekend of Sebastian's birthday party. The boys (although mostly Isaac) and Lucas and Shane got in a big shoot-out in the pool. It was totally unfair, though, because the big boys were using giant pool noodles and the water jet in the pool... the little boys got squirt guns. Needless to say, the big boys won, but they all had fun!

Mohawk Madness

Yep... no kidding. This is what they wanted... It was initially Isaac's idea, but after Sebastian saw Isaac's he wanted one too. I figure if they want mohawks, summer is the time to do it!

Dare to Fly

I did this layout last night while I watched a dinosaur show with the kids. The layout itself only took about 20 minutes, but extracting Meagan and the swing from the rest of the photograph took a bit of time. I used a new kit by Sahlin Studios and Britt-ish Designs called Land of Fantasy. Such a cute kit! This picture of Meagan was taken September 2008.

She was looking at the layout with me earlier today. I asked her if she liked it, and her response was, "A little bit. I don't like it a lot, but I like it a little bit." When I asked her why she didn't like it, she said, "Because I'm not wearing shoes, and my purple pants don't even match my shirt. I don't like that. But the rest is good." I got a laugh out of that!

I want to scream ... or cry!!!

Aaaahh! I am not liking this day so far... not because it's been a bad day... the kids are listening fairly well, no major arguments, nothing like that... I just keep doing dumb stuff that makes me feel like screaming!!! For example, I tried to delete a group of shows that I had recorded on our DVR - 20 episodes of the same program recorded. Well, I selected what I thought was the whole group and hit delete...'do you want to delete the group?.... yes... please wait while your programs are deleted... It was during the 'waiting' that I realized it was deleting a little more than just the 20 episodes - it deleted every recording we had! Literally, my eyes welled up with tears. Not that we had anything spectacular recorded... just that I feel like I keep doing irreversible stupid stuff lately. And all I could think was, I don't even have anyone here to cry to... I need a visitor (like anyone really wants to come visit so they can listen to me cry about my DVR, right?).

I guess the truth of the matter is, it's done. It can't be undone (I actually called Dish network and asked...nope). Move on. Blah. Honestly, part of me still feels like crying about it, but the other part of me says, what good would it do. Hopefully I have more luck with the bathrooms and laundry. Wish me luck.

...

This was my conversation with Meagan the other day...

Meagan: "Mommy, I really want a baby sister. I think you have a baby in your tummy."
Me: "No, honey, Mommy does not have a baby in her tummy."
her: "But I want you to have a baby in your tummy."
me: "But I don't."
her: "Well then Daddy has a baby in his tummy."
me: "No. Only mommy's can have babies. Daddy's can't have babies."
her: "Oh....well....I guess you'll just have to do it."
me: "No, I don't think I am going to have any more babies in my tummy."
her: "But I REALLY want a sister!!"
me: "Why do you REALLY want a sister?"
her: "Because I want a bunk bed so I can sleep on the top and the baby sister can sleep on the bottom."

So that's what this is about? All that for a bunk bed? Really? I'm thinking it would be way easier - and cheaper - to just buy the kid a loft and be done with it!! :) She is too funny!

Pictures

Okay, I know I've been torturing the Grandparents by not posting pictures for so long. I'm about to remedy that. These pictures are from our trip to the Garden Friday (the 3rd).

I also took a few pictures at the zoo today, but hardly any actually. I just wasn't in the mood to mess with it (no I'm not sick, lol)... plus, the battery was getting low, so I had to be choosy about what pictures I took.

The zoo was fun for the kids, but I thought it was a little disappointing. The exhibits were either under repair, or needed to be under repair. The bird and reptile house smelled AWFUL, and I could hardly stand it long enough to look at everything. But the kids didn't seem to mind, which is all that matters. Plus, we had ice cream cones for a snack while we were there. And they each got to pick something from the gift store. How can you complain about that, ya know? It was a good day all in all. They had fun, and I enjoyed being with them, regardless of the mess and the smell. LOL.

We all rested for a bit after we got home. Now it's time for me to start something for dinner (since I never got around to the whole crock pot thing earlier... the kids were too impatient to take off, so I figured I wouldn't mess with it).

It'll have to wait

I have lots of pictures to post from Friday's trip to the gardens...but they will have to wait! We are planning a trip to the zoo for today. More pictures to come, I would say... lol!

The kids are already dressed & ready... just waiting on me to get myself ready (and get dinner thrown in the crock pot). I guess we'll probably head out right after lunch and spend the afternoon there. Now the only thing to figure out is which zoo to go to.

4th

Well, again this year, we did next-to-nothing for the 4th. Maybe some year soon, there will be nothing eventful going on at the factory on the 4th of July weekend, and we will be able to get away for a bit... or at least make plans to go see local fireworks. Oh well. We still enjoyed ourselves just kicking back and relaxing.

Journaling: 'Since we've been together,the 4th of July has always meant trips to Urbana or the lake, fireworks, family & fun. Sadly, the last 2 years, we have gone nowhere, and done very little to celebrate because work has gotten in the way of traditions. We've had to just kick back & take it easy here at home. Traditions may be put on hold, but we still cherish our country & the 4th!'

Credits: American Spirit by Valorie Brown at Funky Playground Design

Feline Frenzy

Want an interesting afternoon experience? Take a cat to the vet - WITHOUT a carrier! Eeeek! Lilly had her annual check-up and vaccine appointment today. However, when I went to get her carrier, I could not find it anywhere. I am pretty sure I lent it to someone and just never got it back (I even went so far as to go up in the attic to find it...nada). So, with only 15 minutes to get to our appointment on time, my only option was to carry her. I actually considered a duffel bag, but couldn't decide if that was cruel or not. I decided not to chance it.

So, we loaded the kids in the van, tossed the cat in for good measure, and headed off. Let's just say that by the time we got to the vet's office, I was covered in cat hair (and she is usually not much of a shedder). She was FREAKED out! Poor thing. She went to every window she could find (and a mini-van has a lot of them) and cried. Seems no one would help her and rescue her from the crazy van.

You should have seen the funny look the receptionist gave me when I walked into the office. She even sort of scolded me for not having her in a carrier, saying that they've 'lost' cats before because they got away from the owners' hands. I didn't say anything, but I was thinking, 'Lady, it's not like this was my first choice...' Anyway.

As for Lilly, she checked out okay, other than she has some kind of periodontal disease or something. Apparently, she has lost a few teeth from it, which is the reason her tongue now hangs out of her mouth (there are no teeth there to stop it from flopping, I guess?). She has to be on an antibiotic for the next week, with a possibility of having to have her teeth professionally cleaned... um, we'll see about that. Do they make kitty dentures? Just checking.

Possibilities

I love seeing my daughter look through books and imagine the stories the pictures are telling (since she's only 4 and can't yet read, she often makes up her own stories). I have always been a big reader, and I love the possibilities that a book can bring.


This picture was taken the day of Sebastian's birthday party. I took about 10 of these pictures of Meagan just sitting and reading her book. I love them. I love the expressions on her face, and the lighting, and her cute little dress - everything. I got this idea for a layout, and, although I tried to be good and do responsible things, I just kept coming back to it and doing a little bit here & there. I finally finished it this afternoon during 'nap time.'





(There are lots of credits. If you are interested in what products I used, this link will take you to credits posted on the internet. )

4 New Pages

I've been a little bit of a slacker posting layouts as I finish them. I thought I would get caught up. I think I have 4 new pages since I last posted a layout.

This one is another layout I did for a friend of their pictures of their Spring Break trip to Florida this year. Again, I think I may end up swapping out photos and changing up the title a bit so that I can use this layout in my own album as well. Love that! I used a bunch of stuff by Sahlin Studios for this one.

I love this picture of Sebastian taken on his birthday. It just makes me smile. I can't help but look at him and see hope for a bright future. He has so much potential, and I know God has big dreams for him. The journaling reads: 'happy birthday sweet boy. eight years old today! what is it your heart wishes for? i wish for you a life of joy & passion, a life of love & selflessness. i wish to see you truly happy in whatever you do & to see you doing the very thing you were created for. you have such amazing potential. Never settle for less than your best & you will wake up one day to find you are right in the middle of all you have wished for.'

This layout was a quick one I threw together using a Sahlin Studios template. Just a few pictures of Meagan from a few weeks ago. As you can tell, she is climbing the tree in our back yard. The journaling reads: 'What a difference a year can make. Last year you could barely get yourself up on the low fork of the tree trunk. This year you're climbing and hanging from the branches.'

Finally, this layout I did for the latest digi dare. The dare is to scrap something chaotic about my life. The most chaotic part of my life, believe it or not, tends to take place in my own head. I just get so overwhelmed by all the details of daily life that sometimes I get paralyzed by it... you know, too much to do, so I do nothing. It has really been an ongoing struggle for me. The one thing that brings me back to center, clears my mind, and calms me is time with God. The journaling reads: 'My mind fills up with so many things - small things, big things, daily tasks & schedules - details of life. I struggle to keep my head clear, to keep it all straight. It's not long before the sense of being overwhelmed sets in, and I am once again in an inner storm. I am unable to calm this storm on my own. It is too big for me to manage. But You speak softly, and the storm subsides. The waves diminish and peace returns. I am left with nothing to do but thank You for Your faithfulness & grace. You are my peace and my joy.'

Up

Yesterday, my mom took the kids and I to see the movie Up. I went into the movie expecting nothing more than a fun afternoon with the kids. I must admit, I was unexpectedly impacted by this movie. I keep thinking about it - for many different reasons.

The first thing I noticed about it was that it was very beautifully done. The quality of the animation was wonderful. At times when the main character, Carl, was in his home, there was a sense of watching an old movie reel, with the flicker and glow that only an aged film can give. It evoked an unexpected emotion of familiarity and attachment, even longing.

And one of the coolest animation scenes I've ever seen was seeing the big bunch of colorful balloons against the bright blue sky. They did a great job with things such as the opacity of the balloons, the distortion of the color of overlapping balloons, etc. It was just cool, and more than once I felt the urge to gather up a big - make that enormous - bunch of balloons and float up to the clouds.

There were some very funny parts. In fact, it has been a while since I've laughed out loud at a movie as much as I did at this one. Maybe it's just because of where I am in life, and that I can appreciate the humor that the little boy's character brings to the movie. Maybe. Whatever the reason, I completely enjoyed a good belly laugh - more than once. Love that!

I think, though, the most unexpected element of the movie for me, though, was the emotions it pulled out. I felt the longing and the pain of the main character. I felt how weighed down he felt and how bitter he had become holding onto the past and to old dreams that had never been fulfilled. I felt the effort and the struggle he went through so as not to leave behind any of his past - he went through such pains to haul it all along with him. And I felt the heartbreak as he discovered a closing chapter of an old adventure book, and the possibility of all that could be written in a new book.

There were so many wonderful life lessons I hope my children were able to even remotely glimpse from watching this movie. Some of them, I've already touched on - not being paralyzed by your past, unable to move forward because you are unwilling to let go. Not being so rigid and set on one given idea that you fail to see the possibilities in altering the plan or taking a different route. The amazing potential in unexpected, unplanned, and even unwanted relationships. That life is an adventure, in both the major things and the little things, and that both the big and the small shape our experiences. That sometimes chapters come to a close, but life continues, and new chapters are written. And the fact that some of the greatest blessings and accomplishments come when we stop focusing on ourselves and look toward helping others.

It was a fun day with the kids, yes. But that movie really impacted me like few movies have. It made me think, and keep thinking, about life and the things that are really important, what is really worth dragging around and what is just extra baggage. If you haven't seen it, do. If nothing else, it's a light-hearted, feel-good hour and a half of your time. But I have a feeling, if you look, you may find more in it than you were expecting.

Measure of a Great Dress

In life we measure a lot of things, starting with measuring weight at birth, percentage of growth, height at yearly check-ups, and so on. We measure success. We measure happiness. But did you know you can measure a dress? Not measure it, as in dimensions, but rather in the sense of value-adding quality of the dress. Yes, it's true. Although we may forget it as we grow older, every little girl knows that the measure of a truly great dress all comes down to one factor - how far out it flies when the wearer spins in circles like a princess.

Today, Meagan has on one of the best dresses ever. It flies all the way straight out to the sides when she spins. It even has matching bloomers to go under it, so that the exceptional spinning doesn't reveal anything inappropriate. On the scale of dress measurement, this one is a 10, and she is one happy little girl.