Should've practiced those stick people more in Kindergarten

For the month of October, K has had photoshoots every weekend. I began to think that if we didn't schedule our own kids in, we would get to Christmas and have stick drawings of the kids on our Christmas card.  So Sunday afternoon we headed out to a local park to get it done. The picture. Not the drawings.

Turns out stick people weren't such a bad idea.

After 1 1/2 hours of trying to get "the" shot, we gave up. None of the kids were listening to what they were told. I think I may have used a voice that was a bit loud and harsh a couple of times. As other people were walking by. Maybe. I'm just sayin' -

Ellie is either totally all about getting her picture made or totally doesn't want to cooperate. Seems she picked Sunday as her day to hate cameras.

The boys were incredibly silly. "Take one step left" became a 1/2 mile run to the left. "Put your arm around him" became a choke hold or hands over the face.

We were done. Convinced our children would never become competent, civil members of society, K just began clicking the camera as they randomly did their thing. And the most amazing thing happened.

He actually got some great shots. They're not pictures of perfect children, all seated and glowing for the camera. But, who am I kidding - that would be a HUGE misreprsentation of my kids. The images K captured are real. Which just reinforces his belief that pictures should capture personality - not a posed, forced smile that years from now will have no memory attached to them.

Stick people? Never. Not when one of these could grace our Christmas card this year.

chinese grapes anyone?

I was driving the Monkeys to church tonight and Noah decided to tell me a joke he made up.

Noah: What is the longest wall in the world that has grapes on it?

Me: I don't know. What is it?

Noah: The GRAPE wall of China!

I laughed the obligatory laugh, even though the whole Great Wall covered in grapes really did make me laugh.  A couple of minutes passed and I heard this exclamation from the backseat:

Jacob: I ACTUALLY GET IT! 

Hi-ya

Just overheard the boys playing.

Noah: I'm secretly a black belt in the around the house kick.

Lucas: It's not around the house, Noah. It's a roundhouse.

Noah: Well, I'm secretly a black belt. 'Cept it's not secret anymore since I just told you.

oh my aching legs

Now that the weather is cold, I've gotten out all my favorite fall/winter clothes. Last year I bought several pair of really cute jeans to replace the very old ones in my closet. They fit wonderfully so I was excited to get them back out this season. Just one problem. They didn't fit so wonderfully anymore. One pair. One pair out of 4 that I can button comfortably. There must be something in the storage box that caused a chemical reaction and made all my fabulous pants shrink, right? 

Wrong. It probably has something to do with my new found favorite bread dough recipe that I can make into the most amazing yeast rolls. Or cinnamon rolls dripping with THE best icing in the universe ------ yeah. That's gotta be the reason.

What to do? I'm not going to buy new pants. So I wash and wear the one pair that buttons and I get my rumpus onto the Wii fit. Yesterday was Day 1. I think I got a bit over zealous. I was determined to lose weight. inches. 30 minutes should do it, don't ya think? I worked hard.

What do I have to show for it today? My legs barely work. It's taking every ounce of my being to walk up and down the stairs without writhing in pain. And those jeans? yeah. They still don't button. 

Dear God, my Saviour

That's how Ellie starts all her prayers now. In her 3 year old - hard to understand - almost southern accent - way.  That is always followed by "mommy go night-night".  I assure you that it's waaaaay past her bedtime when Mommy goes night-night, but that doesn't seem to matter. Maybe she's experienced Mommy with little sleep and is praying that Mommy will go night-night very soon?????

Here are a couple of recent prayers that made me laugh 'til I almost cried.

(as she prayed with Kyle, her hand rubbing the hair on the top of his head)

"Dear God, my Saviour,

     Mommy go night-night . And Daddy got headache. Daddy head hurt bad. And ...... 

     his hair soooooo pretty. Amen."

(after coming in to wake me up from a Sunday afternoon nap)

leaning over me she said:

"Dear God my Saviour, Let me tell you something"

This one didn't make me laugh, but was very sweet. This

 was after an ambulance passed by us while driving home one afternoon.

"Dear God my Saviour, he hurt. he go to Daddy's hospital and he get better. And ..... he hurt. And ..... he go to doctor. Amen."

And, because no post would be complete without a picture - here's the most-of-the-time-sweet-but-don't-let-that-cute-face-fool-you Ellie.

 

Weekend update

Around here, weekends are usually quite full. So having a weekend with nothing planned is a rarity. This was one of those rare weekends and I have to tell you - it was fabulous.

Friday night we took the Monkeys to Olive Garden for dinner. It's obviously been a long time since we've been to the OG since we experienced sticker shock after looking at the menu. Whew - who knew pasta could be worth an ounce of gold! Praise God for a gift card from some of the kids on the soccer team that K coached - all 6 of us ate (well) for $7.00 (tip included.) 

Since Mimi and Nana  have been on my case to get them a Christmas list, we headed on over to Toys R Us to give the Monkeys a case of the "iwants" and "gimmes."  It's so very true that kids are a marketer's dream. Our children entered the store with a 5 dollar list and left with several hundred dollars worth of merchandise on their Christmas lists. These lists have now been Mommy censored and sent to the suppliers of all things fun in our house -the grandparents.  

Saturday morning we semi-slept in.  I'll never understand how the monkeys seem to be so very tired on Monday - Friday mornings - especially the oldest of the brood - but Saturdays?  They wake with a fervor I can't explain. K was gone to a photo shoot for a couple of hours so I stayed home and cleaned. J - our preschool entrepreneur - wanted to know what he could do to earn some money.  My 5 year old cleaned the inside of the van, washed cabinets, chairs & the table, picked up the shoes in the garage, and vacuumed the rugs in the garage. He earned himself $2.25. Yes, I do hire him out - please call to schedule! The rest of the day was spent cleaning, hanging out, and napping. K's parents took us out to dinner at IHOP. It was a fruitful trip since we found out that they have reinstated their kids eat free policy! HOORAY! 

We spent most of the day today at church. After church we ran home for a bit then back to church to prayer walk through a neighborhood. We stopped by the library on the way home to return books and pick up the ones on hold (my homeschooling curriculum requires so many books from the library each week, I'm surprised they don't charge me!).

The Monkeys are now happily discovering old episodes of the Muppet Show while K & I take a trip down memory lane. Who didn't love the Muppets??? I thought I was Miss Piggy when I was 4. Really. And who remembers the Muppet glasses that the fast food restaurants sold during the late 70s early 80s? We had them all. Plus Smurfs and Looney tunes. In fact, if you stop in for a visit at Nana's house down in south Mississippi, I'm sure she'll serve you up a glass of sweet tea in one of these vintage glasses. 

If you've made it to the end of this post, I applaud you. I'm barely hanging on, myself. My life - it's action packed it is. Packed with lots of noisy, swinging, climbing Monkeys. But I wouldn't have it any other way.