Thursday, April 28, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
BIG FAMILIES
I found this delightful tidbit on a stranger's blog, who had found it on another stranger's blog. Whoever authored it has us pegged pretty well!
WHY BIG FAMILIES MIGHT BE EASIER
Why big families are easier:
Patience. I never have to teach patience. My children know that I can't drop everything for them if I have a baby in my arms.
Work Ethic. My children have learned to work because there are always chores to do in a small house packed with little messy lunatics. And they all learn quickly that sometimes they have to clean up a mess even though they didn't make it.
Humility. My children have learned it's not always their turn. They've accepted they can't always get their way because other people have to get their way sometimes. They've learned that some children are better at certain things than they are.
Foreign language skills. You can learn a lot of Spanish by watching ten years of Dora the Explorer that you just can't pick up in two. And now with the Diego spin off I'm practically fluent.
Laughter. The children have learned to laugh at the insane non sequiturs of younger siblings. They've learned that laughing just feels better when seven people are doing it along with you.
Competition. Do I really need to go into this? Everything is a competition in big families. The children compete over who reads faster, who drinks their milk faster, who gets to the bathroom first...etc. Everything is a competition and they're all keeping score.
Balance. The floor of the front room of my home is a minefield of toys and childhood paraphernalia. Just walking through the room requires great skill and balance. I'm absolutely convinced my two year old will be a favorite for Gold on the balance beam in the 2016 Olympics. (She might have to lay off the cookies a little but I'll deal with that later.)
Life isn't fair. Sometimes you just give it to the baby because you want a little quiet. Not all the time. But sometimes.
Just say "No." Being able to say "no" may be the most undervalued skill in this world. The need to be liked is pervasive. The need to be cool even more so. Having brothers and sisters teaches children to say "no" about 143 times a day. It's a good skill.
Namecalling. You can occasionally call your child by the wrong name and still not be considered a terrible parent. They know who you mean just from your tone. Sometimes if you need something done you can call the wrong name and someone will still show up. That helps.
Spying. My children have learned that they can't get away with anything. I have spies who look a lot like them who are willing to drop the dime on them for anything. Even at school I've got a child in just about every grade. If they do something I'll hear. That keeps them nervous. And I like keeping my kids a little nervous.
Praying. They learn that nothing beats praying together as a family.
Friendship. The children have many friends. They've got girly friends, crying friends, fun loving friends, consoling friends, and crazy friends. And they all have the same last name. And they'll be there forever for each other. No matter what.
Love. I think my children have learned to love because there are others around them to love and who love them. I honestly can think of no better way to teach children to love than siblings.
(Written by Matthew Archibold-Feb. 4, 2010)
WHY BIG FAMILIES MIGHT BE EASIER
Why big families are easier:
Patience. I never have to teach patience. My children know that I can't drop everything for them if I have a baby in my arms.
Work Ethic. My children have learned to work because there are always chores to do in a small house packed with little messy lunatics. And they all learn quickly that sometimes they have to clean up a mess even though they didn't make it.
Humility. My children have learned it's not always their turn. They've accepted they can't always get their way because other people have to get their way sometimes. They've learned that some children are better at certain things than they are.
Foreign language skills. You can learn a lot of Spanish by watching ten years of Dora the Explorer that you just can't pick up in two. And now with the Diego spin off I'm practically fluent.
Laughter. The children have learned to laugh at the insane non sequiturs of younger siblings. They've learned that laughing just feels better when seven people are doing it along with you.
Competition. Do I really need to go into this? Everything is a competition in big families. The children compete over who reads faster, who drinks their milk faster, who gets to the bathroom first...etc. Everything is a competition and they're all keeping score.
Balance. The floor of the front room of my home is a minefield of toys and childhood paraphernalia. Just walking through the room requires great skill and balance. I'm absolutely convinced my two year old will be a favorite for Gold on the balance beam in the 2016 Olympics. (She might have to lay off the cookies a little but I'll deal with that later.)
Life isn't fair. Sometimes you just give it to the baby because you want a little quiet. Not all the time. But sometimes.
Just say "No." Being able to say "no" may be the most undervalued skill in this world. The need to be liked is pervasive. The need to be cool even more so. Having brothers and sisters teaches children to say "no" about 143 times a day. It's a good skill.
Namecalling. You can occasionally call your child by the wrong name and still not be considered a terrible parent. They know who you mean just from your tone. Sometimes if you need something done you can call the wrong name and someone will still show up. That helps.
Spying. My children have learned that they can't get away with anything. I have spies who look a lot like them who are willing to drop the dime on them for anything. Even at school I've got a child in just about every grade. If they do something I'll hear. That keeps them nervous. And I like keeping my kids a little nervous.
Praying. They learn that nothing beats praying together as a family.
Friendship. The children have many friends. They've got girly friends, crying friends, fun loving friends, consoling friends, and crazy friends. And they all have the same last name. And they'll be there forever for each other. No matter what.
Love. I think my children have learned to love because there are others around them to love and who love them. I honestly can think of no better way to teach children to love than siblings.
(Written by Matthew Archibold-Feb. 4, 2010)
Eye, Eye!
Poor Nate has contracted some sort of eye infection. (it's not pinkeye, and so far it's not contagious.) These pictures aren't very good but they show a little of his misery. His left eye is worse right now, but sadly, righty is catching up. When he wakes up in the morning or after his nap, he stumbles around with his eyes glued shut until I rescue him. Since we want to rule out allergies, we'll try some Benedryl this evening. If it doesn't help then a doctor visit may be in order.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Yoo-Hoo, I'm Up Here, Honey!
I found this great post today on the True Woman website. All of you wives out there, take note! It's time to be our husband's biggest cheerleader!
True Woman Yoo-Hoo, I'm Up Here, Honey!
True Woman Yoo-Hoo, I'm Up Here, Honey!
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
'Tis a Leak in the Pipe! Pt. 2
The plumber showed up today nice and early as promised and diagnosed our problem rather quickly. An hour later, we were leak-free and $340 lighter in the wallet, but happy to have it resolved. Turns out that when our house was plumbed in 2007, the contractor left out a small, vital piece when he installed the kitchen faucet. It rendered the faucet unable to tighten properly and it's probably been dripping behind the cabinetry ever since. (that's 3-1/2 years, folks!) The drip itself, and the fact that we've never been able to get the faucet to turn properly, has been driving us crazy. After all this time there was nowhere else for the water to go, so it began to leak through down through the concrete into the livingroom.
The plumber replaced the faucet with a new standard one and a separate sprayer. They don't quite match the other fixtures, but we really don't care at this point. It works -- hassle-free! This weekend we need to pry up the tiles under the sink and bleach out all the mold that has accrued. I can only imagine what the subfloor looks like underneath -- yuk! -- but at least we are able to use our faucet (pictured below) happily now!
The plumber replaced the faucet with a new standard one and a separate sprayer. They don't quite match the other fixtures, but we really don't care at this point. It works -- hassle-free! This weekend we need to pry up the tiles under the sink and bleach out all the mold that has accrued. I can only imagine what the subfloor looks like underneath -- yuk! -- but at least we are able to use our faucet (pictured below) happily now!
Monday, April 11, 2011
'Tis a Leak in the Pipe!
Last week a portion of our living room carpet was wet without an apparent explanation. It was soaked through the padding right down to the concrete. After some investigation we discovered it was located directly over a pipe leading from our kitchen, and every time we ran water in the kitchen sink a pool of water formed in the living room. We pulled up the carpet and padding in that area and sucked up all the water with the wet-dry vac, then dried each portion with fans. We had to rearrange the living room furniture to accomodate the mess and also realized that we wouldn't be able to use the sink or dishwasher. On Friday we called a plumber. He thinks he can solve the problem but can't be here until Tuesday at 3 p.m.
So - we've spent the past 4 days without a kitchen sink. I hand wash all of the dishes in our laundry room --and since I forgot to put paper plates on the shopping list, I'm washing a lot of dishes. Really, though -- isn't this how it always used to be done before the invention of modern conveniences? My great-grandmother raised 15 children in the early 20th century. Now THAT is a lot of dishes!
So - we've spent the past 4 days without a kitchen sink. I hand wash all of the dishes in our laundry room --and since I forgot to put paper plates on the shopping list, I'm washing a lot of dishes. Really, though -- isn't this how it always used to be done before the invention of modern conveniences? My great-grandmother raised 15 children in the early 20th century. Now THAT is a lot of dishes!
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| We've kept fans blowing around the clock to dry the padding. |
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| Every home with children needs a gigantic shop vac. If you don't have one, get one. |
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| My temporary "kitchen". Laundry and dishes washed here -- two for the price of one! |
8 !
Madalyn turned 8 on Saturday. It's hard to believe how time has flown by! She was my only symptom-free pregnancy and pain-free labor. No kidding -- the nurses didn't believe I was actually in labor because I was not acting like a typical woman about to give birth. I was smiling and kidding around while my contractions were 2 minutes apart. That explains why Matt nearly delivered her himself, because no medical personel were in my hospital room when Madalyn Grace crowned and started to make her appearance into the world. She's always been a strong-willed and determined girl who likes to do things on HER schedule!
This year we celebrated her birthday in the evening with her favorite pizza and by watching "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader". It was fun and relaxing for us as we all squished together on our bed to watch the movie and eat popcorn (though I really should have changed the sheets afterward because I kept feeling popcorn kernals beneath me as I slept that night). Zac wasn't part of it because he was at a concert in which he crowd-surfed for the first time and fainted from dehydration after "moshing" through the sets of 3 bands. (He's fine -- and now has a story to tell all of his friends.)
Sunday evening I made the dinner Madalyn requested: meatloaf. Seriously, the girl loves my meatloaf. Matt made her birthday cupcakes (rather than cake) and the pictures below depict him explaining the meaning of the decorations to her. He made hearts on some to show that she is much-loved; smiley faces because she makes us laugh; stars because he thinks she's a "rockstar"; and flowers because she's so pretty. (I can hear you thinking, "awww...". I know -- he's such a sweet daddy!)
This year we celebrated her birthday in the evening with her favorite pizza and by watching "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader". It was fun and relaxing for us as we all squished together on our bed to watch the movie and eat popcorn (though I really should have changed the sheets afterward because I kept feeling popcorn kernals beneath me as I slept that night). Zac wasn't part of it because he was at a concert in which he crowd-surfed for the first time and fainted from dehydration after "moshing" through the sets of 3 bands. (He's fine -- and now has a story to tell all of his friends.)
Sunday evening I made the dinner Madalyn requested: meatloaf. Seriously, the girl loves my meatloaf. Matt made her birthday cupcakes (rather than cake) and the pictures below depict him explaining the meaning of the decorations to her. He made hearts on some to show that she is much-loved; smiley faces because she makes us laugh; stars because he thinks she's a "rockstar"; and flowers because she's so pretty. (I can hear you thinking, "awww...". I know -- he's such a sweet daddy!)
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Wordless Wednesday
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| "But when you said, ' Help yourself to some chili ', I thought you were talking to me!" |
Monday, April 4, 2011
The Grass Isn't Always Greener....
I made a confession to Matt this morning: I'm guilty of coveting our neighbors' lawn. It's just so lovely with its lush green grass; fully, leafy trees and season-appropriate decorations. The homeowners, a young couple named Matt and April, live directly across the street from us. I admire their landscaping everytime I look out our front window. Yesterday April was out working in her yard for about 8 hours, laying rich black mulch that accents their home perfectly.
Later this morning a pool and spa company truck was parked in front of their home, so I can only imagine there will be lots of activity going on there in the next few weeks.
In comparison, our lawn looks rather forlorn and brown. With my man's schedule preventing him from spending much time out there this Spring, I have made some attempts to get it nice and green. However, despite my best efforts it seems all I've been able to accomplish is lessons in futility:
1. Never run the sprinklers when there are wind gusts of 46 m.p.h. (I'm learning this lesson right now as I type this.)
2. No matter how many times I remind the kids not to run across the grass, it is just too big of a temptation for them. How easily they forget my request!
3. Begging, pleading, encouraging, watering, praying....none of these will make my annuals emerge from the soil and bloom any quicker. They are some really stubborn flowers! Matt and April must have planted the non-procrastinating ones.
4. Hanging baskets only look nice when there is actually something growing in them. I have 3 dirt-filled baskets waiting to take their place on the hooks outside, but I have nothing to plant in them. Not in the budget this year. Daaaaang.
5. Even though we don't have much, I guess there is always something somebody else wants. Case in point: Our weed-eater was stolen. There has been a rash of garage break-ins in our addition and it appears we fell victim. I shouldn't complain, though, because a few days ago our friends up the street awoke in the morning to discover their Cadillac Escalade propped up on cement blocks, missing all four tires. I'm not kidding.
Alas...though I whine and pout that our lot resembles a pasture, I'm reminded of this fact: it provides a place for the kids to gather with their friends and jump on the trampoline or play Capture the Flag; the driveway is covered in colorful chalk drawings that little hands spent hours making, and the wobbly bench on the front porch is the perfect place to sit and look at the stars on a summer night.
All things considered, our lawn might not be the prettiest on the block, but I suspect it's the happiest.
Later this morning a pool and spa company truck was parked in front of their home, so I can only imagine there will be lots of activity going on there in the next few weeks.
In comparison, our lawn looks rather forlorn and brown. With my man's schedule preventing him from spending much time out there this Spring, I have made some attempts to get it nice and green. However, despite my best efforts it seems all I've been able to accomplish is lessons in futility:
1. Never run the sprinklers when there are wind gusts of 46 m.p.h. (I'm learning this lesson right now as I type this.)
2. No matter how many times I remind the kids not to run across the grass, it is just too big of a temptation for them. How easily they forget my request!
3. Begging, pleading, encouraging, watering, praying....none of these will make my annuals emerge from the soil and bloom any quicker. They are some really stubborn flowers! Matt and April must have planted the non-procrastinating ones.
4. Hanging baskets only look nice when there is actually something growing in them. I have 3 dirt-filled baskets waiting to take their place on the hooks outside, but I have nothing to plant in them. Not in the budget this year. Daaaaang.
5. Even though we don't have much, I guess there is always something somebody else wants. Case in point: Our weed-eater was stolen. There has been a rash of garage break-ins in our addition and it appears we fell victim. I shouldn't complain, though, because a few days ago our friends up the street awoke in the morning to discover their Cadillac Escalade propped up on cement blocks, missing all four tires. I'm not kidding.
Alas...though I whine and pout that our lot resembles a pasture, I'm reminded of this fact: it provides a place for the kids to gather with their friends and jump on the trampoline or play Capture the Flag; the driveway is covered in colorful chalk drawings that little hands spent hours making, and the wobbly bench on the front porch is the perfect place to sit and look at the stars on a summer night.
All things considered, our lawn might not be the prettiest on the block, but I suspect it's the happiest.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
To Have and Have Not
I remember an incident when I was a teenager that is forever ingrained in my memory. I was at the mall with my mom and I saw a clothing item that I really, really liked. It was on sale and I asked my mother if she would buy it for me. She said no, and I'm sure she gave me a reason but I don't recall what it was. However, I clearly remember her saying, "Well, look at it this way: not getting what you want builds character!".
Many times over the past 2 years or so I've asked the Lord for things I think my children or I deserve, but His answer has been "no". Everytime I realize that my desires are not going to be fulfilled at that time, I recall those words from my mom. God is building character in me and in my children. Those tangible things, or experiences, or the words I want to hear, or whatever it is that I've asked for are being withheld so that He can work in me. He uses the "no" and "not yet" to draw me closer to the character of Christ. He knows better than me what is beneficial and what is detrimental, and I need to trust Him. It's that simple.
Yes, things really suck for us right now. My heart aches for things that you would not even think of, and they may not ever come to pass. If God chooses, He might fulfill those desires, or He may take the desire from me completely. But until then, I will wait, and trust, and thank the Lord that He is our loving Abba Father who does supply our needs, and sometimes our wants.
Many times over the past 2 years or so I've asked the Lord for things I think my children or I deserve, but His answer has been "no". Everytime I realize that my desires are not going to be fulfilled at that time, I recall those words from my mom. God is building character in me and in my children. Those tangible things, or experiences, or the words I want to hear, or whatever it is that I've asked for are being withheld so that He can work in me. He uses the "no" and "not yet" to draw me closer to the character of Christ. He knows better than me what is beneficial and what is detrimental, and I need to trust Him. It's that simple.
Yes, things really suck for us right now. My heart aches for things that you would not even think of, and they may not ever come to pass. If God chooses, He might fulfill those desires, or He may take the desire from me completely. But until then, I will wait, and trust, and thank the Lord that He is our loving Abba Father who does supply our needs, and sometimes our wants.
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