Let me give you a glimpse into our nightly family prayers. They can be rather stressful for us parents, but the other night, although the situation was the same as it often is, I saw it from a different perspective, and it took everything I had to keep from breaking out into disruptive laughing.
We have a tradition in our family. Before the prayer, we go around to everyone and let each person give a prayer request. The person praying then includes all the prayer requests in the prayer.
So there we were, kneeling down in a circle going around collecting prayer requests. It was Owen's turn to pray, and he, as usual, was a little grumpy about it.
The prayer went something like this:
David: How do you start the prayer?
Owen: I don't know.
David: Heavenly Father...
Owen: Heavenly poopy.
David: Owen, do it right.
Owen: Heavenly Father.
David: Okay, now, what do want to pray for?
Owen: Help us to be stupid.
Morgan: You have to say what you're thankful for!
David: Morgan, I'll take care of it. Owen. What are some things you're thankful for?
Owen: Thankful that we didn't get stuck in the mud.
David: Are you thankful for your family?
Owen: *scowl*
David: Say that you're thankful for your family.
Owen: Thankful for family.
David: What are some things we need help with?
Morgan: You have to pray for what we wanted help with.
David: Morgan, that's not your job.
Owen: *whines*
David: Swats Lydia's foot that she inched to Owen until she's poking him with her toe.
David: Owen, pray that William will be obedient.
Owen: Help William to be obeemph.
David: Owen, lift your head up.
Owen: Uuhhh!
Morgan: We can't hear you!
David: Morgan!
The rest of the prayer requests are addressed.
David: Is there anything else you want to pray about?
Owen: Help Nana and Papa to not get stuck in the mud.
David: Okay, how do you end the prayer.
Owen: *silence*
David: In the name...
Owen: I can do this by myself!
pause
David: Okay...
Owen: Jesus Christ, Amen.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Thirty-sixth Passage
Since we started learning how to read and write in school, William has started writing notes to people. It really is great that he is using his new found skills and practicing writing, even when it's not school time, and I tell him so, but I still think he could use his talents to a better purpose.
Here are some of the notes that he's done recently.
When he gifts me with these little gems, I do my best to read them. He's finally starting to try and put spaces in between the words, so that helps, but sometimes they are just indecipherable. And when I read them outload, like he insists, it's pretty clear to him that I have no idea what some of the words say. Then he lets out a big sigh, maybe even a groan, and takes the paper. He usually won't tell me what it's supposed to say, I guess because he's much too proud for that. But the one above, says, "You are not the prettiest. But thanks for not dreaming about me."
I read the first line by myself, but on this rare occassion, William actually told me what the rest said. I have no idea what he meant by the dreaming thing. None at all.
Here's another of his writings. This one he wrote and presented to David and I during church.
After much studying, I think it's supposed to say, "You two are not the best. I don't like you the best." He mixed up the words some, left out some key letters, but I think that's it.
We've also seen notes about how he hates us, how we're the worst parents, etc. I receive a larger volume of hate letters that David though. I suppose it's better than the drawings he used to do of me on fire, or of me squished by a rock, or otherwise dead.
There have been occasion when he's written "I luv yoo" or something. Mostly to David. I try to encourage those. :)
Here are some of the notes that he's done recently.
I read the first line by myself, but on this rare occassion, William actually told me what the rest said. I have no idea what he meant by the dreaming thing. None at all.
Here's another of his writings. This one he wrote and presented to David and I during church.
After much studying, I think it's supposed to say, "You two are not the best. I don't like you the best." He mixed up the words some, left out some key letters, but I think that's it.
We've also seen notes about how he hates us, how we're the worst parents, etc. I receive a larger volume of hate letters that David though. I suppose it's better than the drawings he used to do of me on fire, or of me squished by a rock, or otherwise dead.
There have been occasion when he's written "I luv yoo" or something. Mostly to David. I try to encourage those. :)
Monday, October 29, 2012
Thirty-fifth Passage
We had another chance to dress the kids up in their awesome costumes. Aren't they adorable?
I love them!
But check out the mess of cleaning the black out of their hair.
The after bathtub.
Kinda like this!
Morgan/Mario
I love them!
But check out the mess of cleaning the black out of their hair.
Thirty-fourth Passage
Since Morgan and William are only five days apart, we did a combined birthday party for them. When they are older, perhaps they will want to have their own celebrations, but this year they wanted to celebrate together.
But to make their actual birthdays special, they get their door decorated with streamers and candy.
This was for Morgan. He also got to choose each meal for his birthday. William will have a day of the same treatment.
But the party was fun. They are so spoiled, and have many many sources of gift givers.
Yup. Those are bb guns. They're pretty decent shots! But don't worry, they don't get to shoot them unsupervised.
We had cake!
Morgan chose a Ninja Turtle cake, and William wanted a skeleton cake. I settled for a skull.
David decorated the turtle. Isn't he so talented and lovely?
They had a great birthday. Thanks, everyone who contributed!
Post-it #51
William lost his second front tooth. Now he can sing "All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth!"
Thursday, October 25, 2012
Thirty-third Passage
Today is Morgan's 6th birthday. Crazy!
He has been a joy his whole life. He loves everyone and is very affectionate and caring. He's always been my little buddy, and sometimes seemed like my only buddy.
Morgan loves learning new things. He likes doing school every day, especialy the reading and writing. When he chooses something to watch on Netflix, he'll often pick a nature documentary, or a "how it's made" type show. Though he also loves My Little Pony. Haha!
Morgan always wants to do the right thing, and it's fun to see him try to change his attitude when he knows it isn't the best.
I just love my curious, thoughtful, sweet, little, six-year-old boy!
Here is Morgan October 25th, 2006, somewhere around 1:30 in the morning.
Morgan's first birthday.
Morgan's second birthday. We went to a trunk-or-treat that night.
Morgan on his third birthday. Haha.
Turning four. Grape juice mustache.
And then his fifth birthday.
Happy Birthday, Morgan!!
He has been a joy his whole life. He loves everyone and is very affectionate and caring. He's always been my little buddy, and sometimes seemed like my only buddy.
Morgan loves learning new things. He likes doing school every day, especialy the reading and writing. When he chooses something to watch on Netflix, he'll often pick a nature documentary, or a "how it's made" type show. Though he also loves My Little Pony. Haha!
Morgan always wants to do the right thing, and it's fun to see him try to change his attitude when he knows it isn't the best.
I just love my curious, thoughtful, sweet, little, six-year-old boy!
Here is Morgan October 25th, 2006, somewhere around 1:30 in the morning.
Morgan on his third birthday. Haha.
Post-it #50
Post-it #49
Yesterday there was a homeschool trunk-or-treat that we went to. So the chillin's got all dressed up in their cute costumes! Thanks so much, Nana Sugar, for making the hats and overall parts!
Aren't they the cutest Mario, Luigi, Wario, and Princess Peach you've ever seen?
We have a party we're heading to on Saturday. I'll have more time to get them ready then, so they will have mustaches and eyebrows and hair to match their parts. :)
Look how Lydia's crown looked at one time.
Post-it #47
We have little incentive charts for the boys in school. If they do well with their schoolwork for the day, (basically if they don't throw tantrums) they get to put a sticker on their charts. Yesterday we had our first chart completed by Owen. Would you believe that the youngest did the best with behaviors?
Here he is putting the last sticker on his chart.
His reward was going to the dollar store to pick out anything he wanted. He got a little fishing pole toy.
Here he is putting the last sticker on his chart.
His reward was going to the dollar store to pick out anything he wanted. He got a little fishing pole toy.
Post-it #45
William lost one of his front teeth, and the other is soon to go! That makes three teeth lost for him.
The tooth came out while he was at his mom's house, so the tooth fairy visited there. He got a whopping $4! Much richer than our tooth fairy would be. :)
Monday, October 22, 2012
Thirty-Second Passage
Friday was homsechool day at Linder Farms. I decided to venture out with my brood for a little field trip. Morgan was the most excited. He's been excited since we went to Farmstead last year.
After paying our way in, we headed to the slide.
Then the kids played on the tires.
We found some good photo opp place.
Then we headed to the haybale maze, which was actually a little tricky. I went in with Lydia, while the boys zoomed through it twice.
They also had a little petting zoo. That's where half the kids collected animal poop on their shoes.
Morgan and William got to hold a little bunny.
The corn box, which Morgan had been look forward to, was a hit.
They are making corn angels. :)
After the box, the kids were hungry, so, as part of the discount price, each child could get a little bag of popcorn and a capri sun for a buck. I got them for all the kids, and Morgan had a bit of a melt-down, because he "didn't like popcorn!" We sat down to eat and Morgan was still being grumpy, so I had a piece of his popcorn that he didn't like and refused to eat, which led to a complete melt-down from Morgan. I'm talking screaming at the top of his lungs, and flailing his limbs about and lashing out at people around him. There were many people around to witness this. I tried my best to calm him, but nothing doing. It soon became apparent that our only course of action was to leave. I apologized to the other children, since we had been saving the hayride and pumpkin patch for last, and now we wouldn't be able to do that. So I grabbed my purse, Lydia's popcorn, Morgan's popcorn, Lydia's drink, Morgan's drink, and let the way to the car, all the while Morgan screamed and tried to rip the popcorn from my hand. (Oh, in the mess of getting up from the table, I moved Morgan's chair during a huge fit, and then he tried to sit back down, but there was no chair, so down to the ground he fell, fueling his furious fire. It might have looked like I did it on purpose, only adding to the onlooker's suspicion that I was a terrible mother.)
But now we have a new problem. Lydia is angry about leaving and refuses to come with me. Instead she chooses to throw a tantrum on the ground, rolling around in the wet hay and dirt, also screaming. I managed to pick her up by a handful of her jacket, and lug her away from the crowded eating area. But she is heavy! So I gave her another chance at walking next to me. Mistake. She went the other direction. We must have been quite the spectacle, a frazzled mother chasing down a screaming toddler, being chased in turn by a rabid five year old, making inhuman sounds, while the other two kids chomped popcorn, and waited patiently. I eventually got a hold of Lydia, and stomped back to the van, with Morgan trailing and threatening the whole time that he wouldn't ever stop whining until I gave him the popcorn that started it all. I'm happy to report that I ate that popcorn in the car on the way home, while he whimpered in the backseat. No way was he going to get a single kernal of popcorn after that.
After paying our way in, we headed to the slide.
We found some good photo opp place.
Morgan and William got to hold a little bunny.
They are making corn angels. :)
But now we have a new problem. Lydia is angry about leaving and refuses to come with me. Instead she chooses to throw a tantrum on the ground, rolling around in the wet hay and dirt, also screaming. I managed to pick her up by a handful of her jacket, and lug her away from the crowded eating area. But she is heavy! So I gave her another chance at walking next to me. Mistake. She went the other direction. We must have been quite the spectacle, a frazzled mother chasing down a screaming toddler, being chased in turn by a rabid five year old, making inhuman sounds, while the other two kids chomped popcorn, and waited patiently. I eventually got a hold of Lydia, and stomped back to the van, with Morgan trailing and threatening the whole time that he wouldn't ever stop whining until I gave him the popcorn that started it all. I'm happy to report that I ate that popcorn in the car on the way home, while he whimpered in the backseat. No way was he going to get a single kernal of popcorn after that.
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