Ellie's little trick

You know, I had no idea she could do this until I told her it was time for a diaper change. After the inital shock, I knew I'd have to get it on video...

The Circle of Life

Every year, we have robins nest under our deck. It's been really cool being able to watch the process of nesting, seeing each little clutch of eggs, the hatching, and finally the fledging. This year, we also had a wren's nest - a messy-looking thing that was pretty impressive, with it's tunnels and such.

Now, a couple of weeks ago, we had a garden mishap - a wren somehow managed to get it's head stuck in one of our bird feeders and broke it's neck. So glad I didn't see that.

There was some concern that the wren that died was the wren that built the nest under the deck. And so one afternoon, Abigail took it upon herself to clean up, ripping the nest down. Her reasoning was as follows: the nest was the dead wren's (an assumption Mommy & Daddy to be mistaken) and she figured since it was abandoned it didn't matter anymore and she didn't want it to be sitting there all summer. Did I mention that she didn't think there were any eggs in it? Unfortunately, she was wrong - two beautiful, pale pink mottled eggs were smashed on the ground.When she realized that there were eggs in there and that they were little tiny bird lives in there, she was destroyed. I was upset, Anna was sobbing, Noah was accusing, but Abi was distraught. She felt so terrible, what could I say? Well, like any good homeschooling mother, I suggested redeeming the situation by doing a little nature study.

And once again, the robins are back - this time, with a little bit of Thor adorning their nest. Somehow, I don't think he appreciates the honor.

This year, we have 4 robins to look forward to welcoming to our yard. And they are protected by the sternest warnings that only Mommy & Daddy do any nest cleaning and removal. Just in case.

Just say no

If I ever invite you out for lunch, just say no. Otherwise, some or all of the following may occur:

• I'll arrange to meet you at a great ice cream place that happens to be closed on the day we go.
• You're a good sport and up for an adventure, so we go (with all 7 children between us, by the way), to a local Mexican joint.
• As soon as we get our food (10 mins apart because of the huge line that's suddenly turned up), I realize that Daniel's had "an accident". A big one.
• Kindly, you don't comment on how gross it is that I'm now eating with one hand while the other hand covers the yucky patch on Dan's leg - you have excellent manners.
• You have to listen to all the "having your hands full" comments, with great grace and a light heart, not to mention the well-meaning fellow who's trying to wrangle you some ill-gotten free food.
• After I take Noah to the bathroom, you make a mental note to wait until you get home to use the facilities, since Noah experienced some "aiming malfunctions".
• Finally, when you're almost ready and in the car, you will (briefly) misplace your keys.

So, unless you are my sweet friend Kate or another similarly adventurous spirit, don't come out to lunch with me. I'll totally understand.

Again

It happened. Again. Went to Kohl's to return a pair of sandals (the stupid rivet came off the strap hours after I bought it - because you really wanted to know). Taking the long way through because the kids were being really good.

And there she was. A sweet-looking elderly woman, looking for a new pair of Keds (presumably). She watched me walk by with the 2 little ones in the double stroller, a wee smile on her face. Then, as the other three walked past her, trailing in my wake, her eyes got bigger and her mouth opened wider. She looked at me, slightly aghast: "Are they all yours??" "Yes, ma'am".

And this is the part that gets me. In a world of smaller families, I can understand the raised eyebrows of seeing a big(ger) family, especially ones where all the kids are so close in age, really. I don't mind questions - that indicates to me someone who wants to understand, who knows they don't have all the answers. But when someone (like this lady) says, "Well, God bless you!" in that tone of voice, it kind of bugs me. Somehow it doesn't seem like the Almighty has been petitioned on my behalf in the middle of the shoe department. No, it sounded more like she meant to say, "God help you, you over-productive glutton!" Granted, that's not actually what she said, so maybe I shouldn't assume, but I've heard the comments enough to sense the tone.

Fortunately, God's grace abounds. When my children hear these comments and look at me, as if to say, "What's wrong with us, Mom?", it gives me the opportunity to put my arm around them, look my accuser in the eye, and with a smile assure them, "Yes, He really has!"

My Baby

The Amazing Danielle did an fantastic job for this photo shoot. Patient, so patient, she was. It's such a pleasure to watch someone work when they so clearly love what they do - she would quietly giggle when Dan did soemthing cute and murmur to herself over getting just the right angle.

She's so good, in fact, that she even got a shot of me that I like!

If anyone wants a print, let us know.

Why I Love *My* Local Church

I finished reading Why We Love The Local Church a little while ago, and found it to be such an encouragement. It really got me to thinking, especially following this past weekend's Ladies Retreat, about some of the things I love about my own church...things like:

• A church full of husbands and fathers that take time off work so their wives can go away for a couple days
• Folks who give extra money (anonymously) so that women who are strapped for cash can go
• the fact that scores of women (and a few men) arrive early and stay late to set up, clean up and serve all day long, and tell you they were blessed to do so
• the parents who cheerfully give a Sunday every month to serve other people's kids in children's church
• the single people who cheerfully give a Sunday every month to serve other people's kids in children's church
• the fact that I never once had to carry my very heavy bag from the moment it was packed - there was always someone else offering to hike it around for me
• the knowledge that not only will someone happily grab Eleanor for me when she runs off (again) while my hands are full of coats and craft projects, but no one judges or criticizes me for not having a better handle on her
• the fact that it's not perfect - if it was, it would have no room there for someone as imperfect as I

I have a great church, no doubt about it. I know, however, that I'm not the only one. What do you love about your local church? Share, and thank God for it!

Tip of the Day

For homeschooling with preschoolers , try some hands-on things that still meet the "fun but educational" requirement.

For Christmas, we received this toy.

It doesn't get used as often as it should, but I think I'll be working it into our days a little more.

It's fun, creative, colorful, and doesn't roll off the table like those wretched lacing beads do. Plus, smaller siblings can't swallow them. Good to know, right?

Pouches

I am so loving this zippered pouch thing. I could make loads, if only I had an unlimited supply of zippers...

Thankfully, I learned my lesson after the last whoops - fabric is all the right way around!

I don't have a particular purpose for all these little sweeties, but it's a great way to use some scrap material. If anyone wants one, let me know!

The Helper

Eleanor has been proving herself to be quite the little helper lately. Whenever Daniel has a diaper change, she gets rid of the (well-sealed) dirty one for me. (There was the one time she put the disposable diaper in the toilet rather than the trash can, but never mind that one.)

Today, she even climbed up onto her own changing table for a change of her own. A new trick, this, and a slightly terrifying one at that. Still, it was kind of cool.

But some of her help....well, it's not very helpful. Like counting the tissues in the tissue box...

Yeah, not so much with the help, there.

She's still cute, though.

Brief

Everything about this season of life is just that - brief. Sleep is brief. Daniel's babyhood will be brief. Spare time is brief. And so, time for making things is also brief. So, we make as much of the time as we can, with short little projects that are either quickly finished or easy to leave and pick up again later.

Like these little hats. Made from SouleMama's pattern, these will probably go to some little heads over at the local crisis pregnancy center. Each one takes about 5 minutes to make.

And this shirt. It was a dress I'd bought from the thrift shop a while back and wore maybe twice before realizing it's a little too short. I was going to get rid of it, but Toby claimed to like the style, so I thought cutting the skirt off and giving the bottom a nice rolled hem might be the way to make this thing work.

I felt rather triumphant about this one, since it's the first time I've been able to make the rolled-edge hem on the serger come out the way I wanted. I love it when a plan comes together.

And where is Daniel while all this is going on? Oh, he's either in bed (sleeping during the daylight hours, little goof ball that he is), or he's here:

I put this together with some linen fabric before he was born. We'd borrowed a great ring sling from a friend for Eleanor, but Toby couldn't bear to see his little son carted around in something so pink. And I understood. So, based on the rough design of the borrowed sling, Dan gets one of his very own, in decidedly bright, yet gender-neutral, colors.

And sometimes, he even enjoys being in it.