Happy Easter!

He is Risen.

 

He is Risen Indeed!!!

 

(Thank you to Grandma & Papa (EJ's folks) for the happy yellow Easter outfits)

It's only March

and these fellas have kicked some serious math tail! 

 

We have had lots of fun doing Math U See Primer this year.  This is a photo of their clocks.  They are catching on quickly to all things math.  They must take after their Daddy!

 

Little Brother would like some props for staying busy with toys and allowing them to complete their school time each day.  Baby sister is napping at school time so that is a blessing.

 

We love teaching our children at home!

 

Way to go fellas!

Hee Hee

One of my sons, who shall remain nameless, shared this thought with me today.

He was reading a book during school time but was unhappy with the way they portrayed the Mommy.

Son: "This does not look like a Mom."

Me: "Why not?"

Son: "Well, they didn't make any of those things on her."

Me: "What are you talking about?"

Son: (lifts up his shirt to display his chest) "You know how Moms have these big things that they feed babies with."

Me: (fighting back the laughter) "Good point.  Can you please read me the rest of the book?"

Oh Lord Jesus it's a fire!

I used to always see the phrase, "Ain't nobody got time for that".  I had no idea where it came from until my sisters showed me the interview with Sweet Brown after her apartment complex caught on fire.  I think she is so stinkin' adorable.

The only thing that would have made this story better would be if EJ had gotten up to "get him a cold pop" when he discovered the fire.

Here is the story...

One of the ways my Man blesses me is with a little extra help around the house.  It was his idea and he organized it all.  Two times a month, this house gets a deep cleaning by two sweet and very professional women.  They have been fantastic and their company has too.

On the days they clean I take my four little people and get out of the house.  It is such an incredible gift to come home on those days.  The house looks amazing and I know that the toilets are clean. 

Come on, we all like clean toilets.

When it was house cleaning day, I loaded up my crew and we headed out.

Mid-morning I received a call from the cleaning company.  They informed me that the power was out and the ladies couldn't open and close the garage door to leave.  I instructed them to exit out a back door and I would have EJ stop by home and secure the house.

I called EJ and he agreed to swing by the house.

On that day, the gals did their usual bang up job of cleaning but with one exception.  Without realizing it someone accidentally turned on the grill feature of my stove top.

But the power was out.

So it went unnoticed.

Then, shortly after they left, the power came back on.

That was when the fire started.

I give you an eye witness accounted.  EJ, take it away...

"I walked in the house to lock the door and I heard the whirrr of the downdraft on the cook top, I pulled off the cover we have on the cook top and flames flew up from the butcher block that covers the grill.  I threw the block on the floor and the grill was flaming also.  That's when I realized that the butcher block was on fire and on my hardwood floor.  I quickly turned the grill off, which turned the downdraft off, and then grabbed the block and put it in the fireplace and opened the flew to let the smoke out.  Then I went back to the kitchen and turned back on the downdraft to suck the smoke out because the grill was still on fire.  As you can see the actual metal grate above the heating element was melted away!!!"

 

 

 

The bad news: the stove top was ruined.

 

The good news: it wasn't any worse!  No one was hurt and our house was still standing.  Praise God!

 

Also, the cleaning company's insurance company took care of the damage and my 1980s stove got a serious upgrade.

 

Two weeks without a stove top was no fun but this beauty made up for it.

 

 

I asked EJ where the butcher block was to go over the grill on this new stove.  His answer, "they banned them." 

 

I guess that makes sense.

 

It could be a fire hazard.

 

Ain't nobody got time for that!

"Momma, this flower for you!"

I

LOVE

HIM.

There are a million reasons...

a person should not copy their face.

 

But there is one really good reason a person should.

 

It is stinkin' fun!

B had been asking me for a long time if he could copy his face.  I kept putting him off until a time when his Daddy was home.  These experiences are best shared with Daddy.  He loves this kind of stuff.

 

Q wanted to particpate but then freaked out a little when the copy machine started.  "HOLD STILL," we all yelled. (I swear we are really good parents).

 

EJ's turn.  Notice sweet lil' Ruthie in the background.  She was happy to keep her distance.

 

The line up.

 

 

EJ, I have never loved you more.

The wise older brother

W (age 5): "Hey Mom, are beavers wild?"

Me: "Yes, they are."

W: "Do they eat people?"

B (age 7): "(in an annoyed voice) W, lick your hand."

W licks his hand.

B: "Is it tasty?"

W: "No"

B: "Then they don't have a taste for you."

Well there you go. 

The older brother has spoken.

Triple chocolate covered almonds with gray sea salt

Why are you so delicious?

 

My man hates coffee. 

 

That means he really has no use for Starbucks.

 

He also thinks my delicious snack of chocolate covered almonds is ridiculously overpriced.

 

But...

 

he loves me.

 

So...

 

when I look into my coffee drawer and find these little beauties my heart soars.

 

And my sweet tooth is satisfied.

 

Thanks, babe.

 

These are a perfect pick me up for a Momma who has spent the last 7 days cleaning up explosive diarrhea pull ups and diapers. 

 

I hate you Rotavirus.  You are not a nice house guest.

 

P.S. I am sorry I just wrote a blog post that included both tasty food and the mention of nasty bodily functions.

Sorting Day

I really don't mean to hoard stuff.  I just get busy and sorting through things is low on my priority list.

 

Enter my youngest sister, Pretty Princess.

 

She is a sorting machine. 

 

Also, she is super honest.  That means when I try to convince her that I need something useless she tells me the truth.

 

Sorting day was pure joy for the babies.  They got to help pull things out of cabinets.  It was a baby's dream!  Usually Mommy says, "No, stay out of that cabinet." 

 

Listen, I have something shameful to tell you.  While I was pregnant with Lil' Ruthie I was totally off my game.  I was sick and tired all the time.  Also, I went through a month where I craved McDonald's.  That month happened to coincide with "free glass" time.  If you ordered a super sized meal you got a free glass.  Heck of a deal.

 

When my sisters found my stash of McDonald's Coca-Cola glasses I had to come clean.

 

I think there are 13 glasses there.  That represents 13 super sized meals.  At least EJ ate half of those.  Still that is gross.  I need to apologize to lil' Ruthie for growing her on that stuff.

 

As you can imagine, Pretty Princess removed the glasses and found them a new home.  I don't need them in the cabinet reminding me of my nutrition fail.

 

In this family, we figure the more the merrier.  So, if you are going to sort through all your stuff you might as well make it a party, right?

 

When Grammy showed up, she was immediately swarmed by happy grandchildren.  Everyone needs to tell her a story at the same time.

 

The babies want to get in on Grammy time too!

 

Later that afternoon, Aunt Rock Star supervised the baby picnic.  I don't remember what they were snacking on but you can be sure they were "stealing" bites from their neighbor.  These three are all paci babies and they regularly steal pacis from one another.  I think Lil' Ruthie (who is the youngest) may be the biggest paci stealer around.

 

Q and Super Girl are such a pair.  I cannot begin to tell you how cute they are together.  They are just under 6 weeks apart in age.  Rock Star and I think they act like an old married couple.  They fuss at each other when they are together but miss each other terribly when they are apart.

 

 

 

I have a love/hate relationship with our play room/school room/sun room.  It is in a fantastic location, right off the dinning room.  It is bright and sunny.  It is a handy place to play and learn.  However, playing and learning are a messy process.  It is especially messy since my 3 year old is a tornado when it comes to toys.

 

I would like to present to you the play room in all its glory...

 

 

 

 

 

I have a very simple and elegant solution.

 

When my bible study gals are over here I make sure that bad boy is closed up.  That way we can enjoy our time without staring at the messy play room.  The rest of the house is essentially clean when they come over.  One night, one of the girls said something about how hard it is to keep house.  She didn't understand why my house was so clean when they came over.  So...I pulled back the curtain on the play room.  TA DA!  My messy little secret.

 

Back to sorting day.

 

Whenever Rock Star is over here that play room makes her nuts.  She is a neat freak and cannot stand such crazy disorder.  I jokingly tell her that I invite her over when it is especially messy so she will clean it.

 

During sorting day she and Grammy took turns whipping that room in to shape while Pretty Princess and I sorted.  Check out the results.

 

 

 

 

It stayed like that for 5 seconds but it was gorgeous while it lasted.

 

Thanks ladies for a fun day and an organized home!