Random Real Life: Part I

There are so many things swirling around in my brain. I am a perfectionist (a lazy one, which is the worst kind), and I put off posting pictures unless I can ‘create them right.’ I put off sharing unless I can ‘say things right.’ And yet I want you to see the real me here on this blog. I want to document my life. All the little details. The good stuff. The not so good stuff. That takes time. Especially when I have to do it ‘just so.’ Time isn’t something I have a lot of these days.

Then, there is the fact that I use this blog as a focus. A sort of thanksgiving for all the lovely blessings God has given me. (He has given me so many!) I don’t want to whine. But I don’t want you all to think that my life is perfect. My sister just laughs when people comment to her about my blog. She knows the real me. I am sorry if I paint my life inaccurately, or if anyone thinks I am something special… I’m just me! With lots and lots and lots of faults and weaknesses.

So for a few days, it is just going to be snapshots of real stuff. Unorganized thoughts. Unedited pictures. (A few edited for fun.) The not-so-perfect. (A few good highlights.)

I’ve been sick for a week and a half now. Sinus/throat/headache… and I’m weary. The house is so messy and dirty. There is so much stuff. Papers. Pieces of things. Toppling towers of books. Unfinished projects. Endless (and I do mean endless) laundry. I can’t seem to ever have it all put away. In a house this small with 6 people, that leaves no breathing room.

My to-do list is getting longer and nothing seems to get crossed off. I’m doing the bare minimum, here. Sometimes not even that.

Lessons are few and far between. I just haven’t had the energy. I also lack the skills to inspire my boys to greatness. Doesn’t that sound ridiculous? I so want to be that mom/teacher who inspires curiosity, cheerfulness, and honor in her boys. Instead, I find myself falling short. Dreadfully short. Again, and again, and again. I lack consistency and self-discipline. How many times have I told my boys something and realized that I should be preaching to myself!!

And my boys humble me again, and again, and again. They are such intense, active, loud boys with no sense of personal boundaries. I’m trying to find a balance between not being a control-freak mom, letting them be who they are, and making sure they are well-behaved, respectful young men. But I over-parent when I should under-parent, and under-parent when I should over-parent. Sigh.

Just yesterday morning, as I was close to tears trying to get us out of the house for a ‘thing’ (and not winning any mothering awards in the process), I’ll be honest and admit I questioned God’s wisdom in giving me these four children. I don’t have what it takes, people!!

I have a pile of stuff in my front room waiting for a photo shoot I’ve had planned for some time now. Finding a time when everyone is happy and fed and dressed right and the weather cooperates and the lighting is perfect... well, not happening. But it was GOING to happen this week. And then Luke got poison oak all over his neck and face. (He was just being silly in the first picture, but can you see the line across the center of his tongue? That’s where he bit a HUMONGOUS gash in it a while back. That was after the staples in his head, but before the stitches in his finger…)

We had a fairly quiet Father’s Day. We spent some time with my in-laws on Saturday evening and then had dinner and dessert with my parents on Sunday. My mom left on the train later that afternoon to spend some time with her parents in California. My grandfather has been battling a rare form of lymphoma recently, and then they discovered heart problems which led to open-heart surgery this past week. I’m glad my mom is able to be down there with them, but I’m going to miss her terribly! (And, Grandma and Grandpa, you are loved!!)

Sunday evening, Russ worked on our itty-bitty little garden. The boys ‘helped.’

The weather has been so cool and wet this spring, we have spent very little time outside. Lola is just now getting introduced to grass. She’s not so sure about it.

To sneak in a couple high notes, Leif started reading Magic Tree House books this past week. I wish I could claim credit for that. And here are a couple fun, edited Lola pictures that I took today. (These are for you, Mom!)

She’s had some really good nights of sleeping and some not-so-great nights. Last night was a not-so-great one. Tonight already doesn’t look so great, either. I made it 55 days without a Dr. Pepper, but this past week I was seriously hitting bottom being sick and Lola sick and not sleeping. I need another Whole30, because I’m having a heck of a time keeping myself on track. Add that to the list. Right now, I just need to go clean house and then see if Lola will let me get a few hours of sleep. I’ll try to refrain from editing my post 50 times. More tomorrow.

The View From Saturday

Well, last Saturday, anyway.
I sat in my Adirondack chair,
completely ignoring the messy yard, the weeds, the to-do list.
I just read, gazed at the sky,
and occasionally closed my eyes and breathed slowly.

Take time to simply BE.

(Unfortunately, this Saturday has been variations of
rain, drizzle, pour, sprinkle, and rain again...
A perfect day for snuggling up on the couch
with good books, again ignoring the to-do list...)

A Birthday Party Tradition

This is our third year of summer birthday parties at our place in the country. At Luke's third birthday, a tradition was born. Every available wheeled large toy (and we have hundreds... or maybe just 15, or so) was carted to the top hill behind our house. Wild rides then ensued. We began handing out waivers to all the parents... Later in the summer, Leif's birthday continued the mayhem. I think this year, the kids went straight for the hill....

When the kids have had their fill of coasting down the hill, all wheeled vehicles are discarded by the wayside, and the kids head to the hose. Water fights begin in earnest. Water guns to begin with. Then they move on to cups, buckets, whatever is handy. Even the little kiddos get in on the action. We sent a child or two home wrapped in towels... Good, clean fun, folks. Good, clean fun.

A Boy's Paradise

Never to be outdone:

A Country Life

You might be a country bumpkin if you:

1. Are occasionally seen wearing overalls. (Gasp!)
2. Take photos of the weeds in your yard.

All in a Day

Monday

The morning creeps into my consciousness, unwelcome. I hear Russ getting ready for work, but I have no desire to get up. My bed is warm and soft. I hate getting out of bed in the mornings.

Eventually, Leif calls from his crib. I go to greet him, and he tells me that he wants French fries from Burgerville. Tough luck, kid. I convince him to snuggle with me in bed a few minutes before he demands Cheerios, juice, and a show. It's all part of the routine, and this kid likes routines.

I turn up the heat, check my email, make my bed, read two entries from A Year With C.S. Lewis, and get my clothes ready. Luke and Levi are up. I hop in the shower.

Cinnamon-raisin bagels, green smoothie, and vitamins for breakfast. Levi empties the dishwasher while we listen to our hymns CD.

The boys get dressed. I finish my make-up and wipe down the bathroom.

I make a pot of tea. Levi does copy work while I work on handwriting with Luke. Leif gets into mischief. Levi draws a pumpkin and grape cluster from the Draw, Write, Now book. Luke and I draw a snake. I decide to get out my camera to document our day.

We head to the living room, and Levi listens to geography songs while looking at the workbook map. Levi then writes flashcards for his Latin vocabulary while Luke and Leif collaborate on a project.
Aha! That's what Leif was doing earlier: dumping the bag of rubber bands on the floor. Nice.
Now he decides to play with the pencil sharpener on the very messy table in the school room.
I become the human jungle gym. Luke on my lap, Leif's arms around my neck. Gack!

Luke is still intent upon his project....

...a check-the-box grocery list. It has kept him occupied for some time now. He keeps asking what I want. I tell him 'creme brulee'. He attempts to add that to the list, right under 'Luke'. He tells me to make sure I remember 'Luke' at the store. (Did I mention this boy likes lists--especially grocery lists?)

The boys all decide they are starving to death. I tell Levi to work on his Bible reading while I head to the kitchen. (Swim goggles are an important accessory, apparently.)

My mom (Bambi, to the boys) stops by while I'm making lunch. She offers to take Leif home for the afternoon. I don't argue. Not for one second.

The boys play outside while I clean up from lunch. Luke brings me flowers.

Levi finds nature treasures (pictured also in Luke's hands).

I finish folding a batch of laundry...

...then head outside to walk up and down the driveway a few times, relishing the sunshine. The clouds are fluffy white on a vivid blue backdrop.

I take three million pictures.

I convince the boys to bring up the garbage cans.

Detours must be made. It's been raining here a lot.

Speaking of rain, those clouds are starting to look awfully dark.

I feel a drop. And another. And a few more. Time to head back in.

The boys think they are hungry again, so we have dried apricots and cranberries with our math.

We're back to the couch to read our history chapter. Luke finds a picture book.

Levi goes back to the kitchen to color his map for history.

Luke apparently decides playing is more interesting than sitting on mom's lap.

Luke heads outside while Levi practices his piano. Luke excitedly finds the moon in the sky and reminds me that we need to fill in our Lunar Observation Chart. We grab our clipboards and pencils and head outside.

The blue sky has returned.

We drive down the road to Bambi and Poppy's house to pick up Leif.

The boys all play outside for a little while, until Leif smacks into a barbed wire fence. Sigh. We get him cleaned up and head home.

Leif is still a little out of sorts, so he watches Little Einsteins while his brothers are out at their 'dam' getting all muddy. They come in and take a bath, flooding the bathroom floor with water. I have them get their jammies on.

I plant some wheat grass in pots on the front porch. Can't wait to have some fresh green for the house!

I make gnocchi with sausage and spinach. (Yum! One of my favorites!) Russ is home on time. We sit down for dinner. Luke doesn't want to eat his dinner, so I pile fresh spinach leaves on his plate. He devours them and I make him eat a little sausage, too. Levi begs for ice cream. It is his lucky day. (And he ate dinner without complaining.)

Russ puts on a science movie and watches it with the boys while I clean up the kitchen and put away laundry. Leif must have had a rough day. He starts falling asleep, so Russ gets him ready for bed. He falls sound asleep in Russ's arms just a minute later.

Luke begs for popcorn. I make kettle corn for the first time in my new stove-top popper. Luke is with me every step of the way.

The boys continue their movie (sans Leif, who gets put in his crib) with their snack. I sit down to the computer to edit today's photos.

Luke gets bored with the movie, so we snuggle on my bed and he reads to me. The movie finishes. Teeth are brushed. Levi grabs a book and settles down next to Russ in the front room. Russ starts working on his computer(s), and I lie down with Luke in his bed. Bad idea. I don't want to get up again.

I get myself up and head back to the computer to finish today's blog entry. Levi finally heads to bed to listen to a story CD while he falls asleep. Russ wants to sort out a complicated paperwork issue. We get as far as we can, both cranky. I finish up my blog post and head to bed to read for a couple minutes. Ahhhhhh!

And, tomorrow, we start all over again. Life is grand.

Fresh Air...

...And New Growth.
The willow is bursting with new life.