White Tees

I like to read. I especially like to read books that tell stories that take place in the 1600s. It is fun for me to imagine what life might have been like back then. Most of the stories told of this time are about the rich people. Have you noticed that? It is interesting to me to learn that moms had a staff, or crew if you will, working for them. There was a cook, and a person to do the laundry. There was also a nanny-type person, or even someone to nurse your baby. The list of duties was endless, and there was a person for every job. The mom was busy running the household and visiting important people. I wonder if there is a book out there that tells a story about a mom like me? Probably not. It's not very interesting. But I would have liked to read a story like that 10 years ago. Maybe I wouldn't have been so surprised when I realized being a mom is hard work.

I like the idea of having a book. One that will tell me exactly how to talk to my 8 year old, and how to react when my baby throws a fit. I guess there are books out there. But I feel like I could study hard and still not know what I am doing. Like trying to read a book about riding a bike. All the studying in the world can't help you when you are sitting on the seat trying to pedal. I want to book to be titled: Amanda's Parenting Book, and it be just for me. It would know each of my kids individually, and tell me the perfect way to parent in each situation. If you think about it, most other jobs have guidelines and books to help. No one ever goes to work their first day with no clue what to do. And even if that did happen, the job would most likely stay the same. Not so with motherhood. My job is different everyday. There are always new milestones, new personality traits, new phases, new attitudes.

Don't even get me started on managing everything else.

As a mom, I feel like right next to keeping your kids alive, the most important thing is to raise your kids to be good people. I think the hard part is finding out what that means. I think my natural instinct is not always the right choice. For example, I have been trying desperately to help the girls get along. No fighting, is what I'm going for. If they don't fight, that must mean they are nice people and I am doing something right. Right? I realized tonight that that is impossible. Even as adults we don't always get along and we have had tons of practice. We still say things we shouldn't and misinterpret things that have been said to us. The arguments need to have limits, for sure, but I am not going to expect them to not have them anymore.

As Nate and I were talking about our kids tonight, and how we need to improve as parents, we realized the parallels between our relationship with our kids and our Heavenly Father's relationship with us. How many times does He repeat himself before we 'get' it? Lots. Man, there are so many things to figure out.

B.A. asked me the other day if having 5 kids was harder than having 1 or 2. I told her I didn't really know. I don't think when I say being a mom is hard, I am relating it to the number of kids I have. It really has nothing to do with that. The work load may be a bit more, but it is the same job with 1 kid or 5. But what I do know, is that even though sometimes it feels like I am drowning, I always recover. And the benefits are 5 times as great.

*****

Privileges: to earn, not take-away

B.A. - books

Rhon - tv

Dare - bike

Mads - DS

G - oh I don't know... being naked???

me: "G. If you hit again, you have to keep your clothes on all day." lol!

It's All In Love

No picture because I still haven't found my camera cord.

{me making a growling noise}

I have had daughters for 20 years combined. Plus several months that I don't want to count right now. I have had Mads for 3. In all those 20 years, I have never even gotten close to hearing these 2 sentences that came out of Mads' mouth in the last week. Here they are...

"Smell my finger!" -said after he scratched his bum. And...

"Mom, I'm going to flick my booger at you!"

Now, I don't want to get into gender stereotypes because there are people out there who would just call me a hypocrite, but seriously, what the freak?!!

I was shocked both times. Where does he pick this stuff up? He sounds scarily like my brother. Also, on the way home from the park today, he found a pile of dirt to kick. That isn't so strange, but without thinking, he kicked the dirt and rocks right at his sisters who were sitting on the ground. And he had a very devilish look on his face. Oh man, they are in for it.

G

Just for fun...

Word!

Since it is Sunday and all, Mads wanted to teach everyone how to say a prayer.

1. You always start the prayer with "Dare Enlee Faar".

2. Then a long series of "Nankufurrs".

3. These are followed by "Peasbessits".

4. Finally, always end with "Naamuh Jeez Krise, AMEN!"

Translation: "Dear Heavenly Father. Thank you for going to church. Thank you for eating food. Thank you for eating pasta for lunch. Thank you..."

{breathing from G, and an EEEEEEE}

"... pasta for lunch. Cheese and pasta for lunch. And peanut butter. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

I love his prayers. He usually goes into a big long thanks for all the places we go. Thank you for going to Target (Costco, Walmart, Smiths, etc.). We didn't get that this time. I was trying to be sneaky with the camera, but I think he knew it was there. Yeah. Because we didn't get any please bless its this time either.

*********

This reminds me of something. When Rhon was little, she used to say "Crisis" instead of Jesus Christ. I loved it. It was adorable.

In the last week of June...

... we went to the zoo.

Our membership expired the last day of June and the kids were begging to go once more before that happened. It was a really hot day. When the inevitable complaining started, I told them to remember this the next time they want to go, and I say no.

I'm writing this down to remind myself.

We enjoyed the Madagascar exhibit. They had cockroaches the size of watermelons! Sick. I will probably have nightmares for weeks.

Oh. Another thing. Mads doesn't like cotton candy. What the freak!?! He wouldn't even try it. I don't know what his problem was. And I, being the you-have-to-try-everything kind of mom that I am, forced him. I waited until he held his mouth open just right, and then I crammed it in. He spit it out! I was shocked and appalled. He kept saying on the way home, "I don't like cotton candy." It hurts my heart. I will try again and again.

I love they way Rhon is holding G's hand in this picture.

... we had some warm days.

The kids in our pathetic little pool.

... our astilbe plant bloomed.

This is my favorite plant in all of our yard.

... it was time to harvest the peas!

Letting the kids pick and eat veggies, is the best part of having a garden. It almost makes it worth all the work. Almost.

G is a pro pea eater. He picks them off, cracks them open, and eats all the peas inside.