Tuesday, December 18, 2012

I'm thankful that the worst sickness my kids ever get is a little snot and cough. 

I am also very thankful that when it wakes them up in the middle of the night, they always want their Daddy.  They always want Daddy in the middle of the night no matter what it is.  From what I've heard from other...that's rare.

I'm also thankful that Daddy always willingly comes to the rescue. 

Monday, December 17, 2012

There is something about a child falling off a chair that always gets me....I find it.....Hilarious!  I know, I know...probably not something a mom should probably say.  But when you don't see it and just hear it:

Thump...Thump...Whack...Bang...Thump....a short pause while the situation registers....Waaaaaaahhhhhhhh! 

Come on....it is pretty comical...at least I know my sister agrees with me :)

Don't worry, I hide my chuckles before I go to console my child.

Monday, November 26, 2012

My kids are currently vacuuming each others faces....

J:  (laughing hysterically)  "When I vacuum my nose, it pulls my snot out!!!"

The words end there....I have no more.

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Just a day...

It's 9:15am.  Breakfast is finally done for my children.  They are in a bit of a habit of sleeping in until 8-830, which would be great normally.  But it sort of puts a slow start to the rest of the things I like accomplised by lunch time. I'd actually like to have them up by 7am.  I have also learned that waking them up early brings 4 little monsters from bed rather than my 4 little sweet peas.  This new sleeping schedule I can directly link to 3 things:  Daddy, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles tv show, Mom who likes to go to bed early leaving the first 2 together and unattended. 

I'm sitting at the computer checking emails, banking, reading blogs...all while eating my breakfast.  As a mother of 4, I've learned that it's nearly impossible to be doing just one thing at a time.  My life simply wouldn't work. 

I'm eating leftover whole wheat waffles.  The recipe called for plain yoghurt...I got half way through making them to discover that I didn't have any plain yoghurt.  I had sour cream.  I used that instead.  They worked for the most part except that they are a bit crumbly, and they taste a bit....sour.  So I guess they didn't really work at all.  My kids did eat them, but not without a couple of funny faces and "these taste funny" comments.  Those comments were directly followed by, "just put a little more syrup on them, they're fine." 

In my efforts to be frugal in the kitchen, nothing goes to waste.  Hence my breakfast this morning of sour waffles, because I can't stand to throw them away, and I'm feeling particularly kind to my children.  I'm chasing them with some sweet apples from the orchard...it's bearable.  I'm also explaining to my one child the difference between "your" and "you're" while gently reminding the other 3 upstairs that the noise I hear sounds a bit more like playing that actually doing what they're supposed to be doing.  I'm also solving arguments, and occasionally helping them modify their choice of words to each other.  Okay, so maybe it's not exactly gentle every time.  We go through this every morning....will they ever catch on??  Will my laundry ever catch on and hop itself into the washing machine when it's dirty?  Will my floors ever jump up and scrub themselves on a rag when needed? 

When you're feeling a little hopeless in one area...it's great to compare it to other absolutely impossible things.  It puts a little air under your wings :)

Well, welcome to my usual morning.  I do love them, and can't wait for another one...minus the waffles that is :)  

Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Keira:  "Mom are you thinking about God?"

Me:  (not being at all sure about what I was just thinking as it probably skipped to 10 different things in the last 10 seconds, being sure that God was one of them)  "Yep."

Keira:  "Me too.  I'm thinking about loving him, and hugging him, and kissing him.  I just love him so much."

Earlier in the day while Keira was having a meltdown about something...I picked her up and give her  a big hug and kiss to clear the tears...

Me:  "I love you so much, Keira."

Keira:  (while trying to get her sobs under control)  "You.....(sniff, sniff, sniff) You should love God more."

Me:  "Yes Keira, I do."

Keira:  (sob, sob, sob)  "Good."

Monday, August 20, 2012

Keira:  "Where's God Mama?"

Me:  "He's in you!!!"

Keira:  "I want to open my body, take him out, and eat him up!!"

I pray that you always have that kind of passion for the Lord, my sweet little baby!

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

I've been working on a quilt for Ava for 2 years.  Although it feels like it takes that long to make a quilt...it actually doesn't.  I work in spurts...working on it for a few weeks solid and then taking months off.  I have a great friend from college who also quilts.  When I need to get motivated, I invite her over to quilt.  I'd have her over even if she didn't quilt.  She's the sweetest thing and I love her dearly! 

She came over last week to get me motivated to finish it up.  It's time.  2 years later, it's time.  I was sitting on the couch watching the Olympics last night, stitching away...still on my motivated high from her visit last week. 

Ava is beyond excited to have her quilt nearing completion.  She stuck her head right up close:

A:  "Let me just watch a stitch.......(watching me take one single stitch)....ooohhh, yep that's how you do it.  Got it.  If I watch something just one time I pretty much have it.  That's all I need to know how to do something."

Me:  "Really?  You're now a sewing expert just because you watched one stitch?"

A:  "Yeah.  Like I watch you and Dad drive.  My seat is in the back diagonal from you so I can watch everything you do.  I pretty much know how to drive already.  Sometimes when you're driving I pretend I'm turning the steering wheel with you.  I already know how to drive."

If it were only that easy...

Thursday, July 12, 2012

An update...

Quaid got kicked in the face.  I was glad.  I got to hug him for a long time all in a row.  Something I don't get too often from my big man 8 year old.

Jentzen told Quaid that, "You have faith, you need to be kind to other and play nice with them...even if you don't want to, cause you have faith and God wants you to."

Ava got 4 shots at the doctor.  She didn't move, flinch,  or make a peep the whole time.  She just sat there and took them, one by one.  She made the nurses day...and got an extra sticker.

Keira....there are no words that properly due her justice.

Friday, June 29, 2012

Summer Things

Where to start catching up...well I'm not sure, so just some random thoughts....

It's June....summer :)  We haven't had breakfast before 9am.  We have lazy mornings but still manage to accomplish a few things.  Schooling is on the DL.  We read with the goal of going to Chuck E Cheese at the end of the summer.  The kids are totally motivated.  We've been working on counting money and making change.  I've wanted to scream a few times...seems I still haven't quite figured out how numbers work in each of my kids heads....it's all very different from kid to kid. 

We went to the beach this week for the first time.  I feel like it's been the first fun thing I've done all summer.  Seems that my co-workers like to take vacations in June and I have a problem saying, "No, I will not work for you."

Every weekend is booked until the end of September, save one Friday night.  Lots of fun cabin weekends with friends, friends from out of town, Boy Scouts, and Twins game.  It's for sure a good busy :)

Keira is always worried about figuring out who her "Best Buddy" is for the day.  When it happens to be Jentzen, they've got some ground rules covered.  "If we bite each other then we're not Best Buddies."  Good, glad to know they have it under control. 

Nathan grauduated from college.  Whoo Hooo!  I'm so proud of him.  Something 5 years ago, I thought would never happen...he has exceeded my expectations!!

We got stuck in the middle of the lake on a pontoon with a dead battery.  Nathan saved the day for us.  Of course he did.  He's our knight in shining armor....or I guess maybe our knight in green seaweed armor. 

We're planning the finer details of our trip to see Nathan's family.  I'm so excited I can hardly stand it.  It can't come soon enough.  Melanie and I are a kindred spirit...all the way across the ocean in two different worlds, we are so the same.  Well, except for that whole scrap booking thing....I think she's crazy :)  The kids will actually remember this trip and we have no kids taking a nap, no diapers, and no bottles.  It's going to be one big party!!  And we're bringing our 13 year old niece along for the ride.  I couldn't be more excited to show her the down under mother-land.  And she's never seen the ocean either.  There is something about the ocean and I couldn't be more happy to be the one who gets to show her the best beaches ever!!  She's scared of sharks and seems to think they'll be looming close to shore just waiting for her...it's going to be awesome.  Pretty sure a fake, strap on shark fin and a brother-in-law that can swim under water from far away hidden distances will be in order!!

Nathan had to lead the 4 year old Sunday school class all by himself, I was working.  Oh how I would have liked to be a fly on that wall!!

Ava turned 7....Nathan put "Ava's 8th birthday" on Facebook.  Classic.

My goal was to have a joyful, relaxed summer....we're doing just that!

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

True Love...

Ava:  "Mom, would you rather not eat or spend time with Daddy?"

Me:  "I'd rather spend time with Daddy."

Ava:  "Me too, I don't care if I starve, I'd rather be with Daddy.  I just love him so much."

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Keira and I were hanging in the bathroom while she was "doing her thing."  While she was taking her sweet time, she noticed her underwear....

K:  "Mom, is that Dora on my undies?"

Me:  (not really looking that close) "Yes, it is."

K:  "Why does she have long hair?"

Me:  (now noticing that it isn't Dora, but a random princess/girl figure, and not really wanting to back track) "Maybe she just has long hair sometimes."

K:  "Yeah!!  Like maybe when she goes to princess parties!!"

Me:  (just going along with it)  "Sure, I bet that's right."

K:  (thinking......)  "That's silly!!!  There's no princess party in my underwear!!!"

And just for the record...if you're ever calling in your child from outside and you hear, "Just a minute Mom, I'm just holding some dog poop!!"  It's okay, you can just pretend that it's really just pine cones, it worked for me.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Jentzen loves movies...there's just no other way to say it.  Out of all our kids...he asks the most for movie night, movie morning, movie afternoon, movies, movies, movies.


Friday and Saturday are movie nights...and he knows it.

Last night, Monday night, he asked for some special reading time with me before going to bed.  All the other kids were put to bed and he grabbed a book and crawled into bed with me.  We cuddled as he read his book.  He kissed me and hugged me and told me how much he loves me.  Then in the sweetest little voice...."Mom, could we have special movie time when we wake up?"

Me:  "No Jentzen, it's not movie time tomorrow."

J:  "Well we could just do it special tomorrow."

Me:  "How come you love movies so much?"

J:  "Well because we can learn about God and learn the true things we're supposed to be learning!"

 

He just about caught me with that one....I almost said, "You're right Jentzen!  We'll find a good movie to watch tomorrow!"  Almost, he almost got me!  Was his whole evening of reading, hugging, and loving all in the plan??  Either way, how I held strong to his precious little smile and charm, I'm not sure.  Maybe next time I won't....

Saturday, May 12, 2012

I read a lot of articles about homeschooling.  Usually weekly there are blogs, facebook posts, or forwards from other homeschooling moms that cross my desk.  I read most of them.  They help keep me focused on what I'm doing it and why I plan to keep on doing it.  This is one I received last week (thanks Janet).  It does say a lot about why I homeschool. 

“Aren’t you worried you are going to screw up?
That question, or one like it, is often asked of homeschoolers. Some parents find the responsibility of educating their own children so great and so intimidating that they can’t even contemplate it.

My answer to the question is “Yep! You bet I’m worried that I am going to blow it!”
But it’s not concerns over my children’s academics that keep me up at night. It’s that other awesome responsibility that I have. The one that God gave me the moment I became a mother. I’m a parent and that means that God has charged me to disciple my children and cultivate their souls. That’s the part that I’m worried I am going to blow.  And that’s why I homeschool.

My children were 6 and 4 when we began homeschooling almost 10 years ago. They attended preschool and kindergarten at a classical school where I taught. I felt good about the education they were receiving. But I didn’t feel so good about our frenzied lifestyle, so we returned home.
I confess it was a shock. I went from seeing my children very little—a rushed breakfast and an equally frantic dinner time, homework, bath and bed routine—and learning about them by reading notes from teachers to being with them all day long every day. And I discovered something: they were little sinners. They had character flaws and bad patterns of behavior that I had never seen. It was overwhelming, not to mention exhausting. I had to correct, and disciple, and instruct.

That’s when I realized that coming home was God’s gift to me. Being with my children in such an intimate and prolonged way allowed me to see into their hearts in a way that I never did when they were in school. Educating my children at home provided me with many—many—opportunities for discipleship and cultivation.  Opportunities that I would have missed if my children had been with some other teacher all day long.
Now, I am not saying that it is impossible to disciple your children if you don’t homeschool. Not at all. But I do think that the task is more difficult. A parent will have to work harder to find those teachable moments. And no doubt some parents do.

But if I am honest, I don’t think I would have been one of those parents. I was clueless when my kids were in school. They brought home good report cards. Their teachers liked them and praised them. And, frankly, that was good enough for me. I am grateful that it wasn’t good enough for God. He yanked me out of my complacency and put my children’s spiritual needs right in front of my face. Even I couldn’t miss it.

So, for me—and people like me—homeschooling makes us better parents by providing daily opportunities for discipleship. Does that scare me? Absolutely! Do I feel the weight of this awesome responsibility? All the time! Can I alleviate this responsibility by sending my kids to school? No!
A formal education is only one part of a child’s discipleship. Whether or not I put my son on a school bus in the morning does not change my duty as a mother. One day I will have to stand before God and give account. I doubt that He will much interested in SAT scores. And, yeah, that scares me."

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Just thought I'd fill in with a few things we've been up to...

Quaid took a spill off his dirt bike 2 days ago.  I was sitting inside playing cards with my awesome sister Nancy.  We heard this high pitched screaming...we couldn't make out if it was fun screaming or angry screaming, or hurt screaming.  Usually a mother knows the cry of her children.  Usually I do.  But I had never heard that sound in the near 8 years Quaid has been my son.  Now I know.  It's a hurt cry.  I looked out the window to see his dirt bike laying on it's side and him limping through the grass.  My first thought, as sad as it is...Oh great....here comes a $10,000 surgery bill!!  Followed by....GOOD!!  He's walking!!!  He's got a few patches of nice greenish purple coloring and some cuts but that's about it.  Oh, and a bent handle bar.  Handle bar vs femur...thankfully the femur won!!






Yesterday morning I had to scrub maple syrup off my kitchen ceiling...Don't ask...I just thought it was worth mentioning.

The kids and I made a paper chain for the days left until we leave for Australia to visit Nathan's family...we're not leaving until Feb 3rd...it's a LONG chain :)  But oh so fun. 


I have a serious farmers tan from mowing lawn yesterday.  It crossed my mind that I might want to roll my T-shirt sleeves up...but then I thought...It's only May 2nd...am I really going to get a sunburn May 2nd??  Yes...yes I did.

I learned that 3 year olds don't have the slightest bit of concern about sitting and playing in a sandbox with no undies on.  Me on the other hand...I think I had enough concern for the both of us.

I feel for my little Jentzen.  Ava had a sleepover at her cousins house, Quaid had a sleepover at his cousins house.  Poor Jentzen...his closest boy cousin is 5 years on either side.  Total bummer.  Anyone have a 5 year old boy cousin I can borrow?? 

I'm going out of town for the weekend.  I wonder who will miss me the most...I'm going to go with Ava.  I don't think Daddy understands her female need to be constantly talking to someone all day...especially when it's asking question after question that she already knows the answer to just for the sake of talking.

I'm sure there's more, but I'm going to end right there...just for the sake of not writing, just to write :)




Dont forget.. I cut my hair when you were away....









Friday, April 20, 2012

...I don't want to forget:

Keira: "Mom?  Can I play my puter game?"

Me:  "No, you don't have a computer game."

Keira:  "Mom?  Can I do my spelling test?"

She's a wise one.  She knows the kids do their spelling online.  She's seen them use "school" as a way to get on the net.  (Remember the movie, "The Net" with Sandra Bullock?  I do.  Just sayin'.)

Jentzen: "Keira!  We're going to be best buddies for 39 days, Okay?" (I wonder what will happen on day 40.)

Ava:  "Keira, don't hit your head on the floor too hard...you'll get a headache."  (She's such a mother.)

Quaid has experienced a pulled muscle for the first time this morning...

Q: "Mom, is there something on my back?"

Me:  "No, it's a sore muscle...you can't see it."

Q:  "Uggghhh, it really hurts when I do this..." (bending and twisting in a way I'm not sure that my 30 year old body even bends anymore)

Me:  "Well then don't do that."  (It's the same logic when we say, "This really stinks...smell it!)

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

So....

I've been told lately by my beautiful children...

 "I wish I was the mom and you were the kid."

"You're not very good at taking care of your kids."

"You're the best mom ever!"

"Eeeewww, that dinner smells like butt."

"I love you so much, mom."

"It's you.  You're the problem."

"I love doing school with you."

"School is the worst ever!  You shouldn't make us do it!"

"I wish you were going to work today."

"Thanks, Mom."

I wonder what today will bring!!  I hope more of a few of those and a little less of the others :)

Friday, April 6, 2012

A little love

I love....

...that I'd rather be home than at work, even though going to work is way easier.

...the fact that we have tickets booked to see my Aussie family...even though it's 10 months away it just feels closer with a ticket with my name on it.

...my homemade Apple Crisp, I think it's better than any other kinds I've tried.

...being a hero to my kids because I can kick start their dirt bikes.

...that my kids like to dirt bike for hours on end, so I get to watch them through the window from a dead silent house.

...living in the field next to my parents.

...watching Hallmark Movies.

...that Quaid is becoming a little man and how his relationship with his Daddy is growing.

...Ava's thoughtfulness to others.

...Jentzen's passion for life.

...Keira's need to still cuddle with me.

...Nathan...plain and simple, I love him.


Monday, April 2, 2012

Today's post is following the lead of my beautiful cousin Brittany.  She is Nathan's cousin who painfully lives all the way in Australia.  Oh how I wish she was closer!!! 

In the Pahl family there's always some debate on extended relationships.  Would that be just Nathan's cousin or would that be my cousin too?  Should I refer to her as Nathan's cousin or my cousin?  If I say my cousin will others think she is on my side of the family?  I came to the conclusion, I don't really care.  I love her dearly and she's MY cousin :)

On her blog, she posts a "10 Things I Learnt This Week" every so often.  It's a great way to get an idea of what's been going on in her life in a brief, but informative way.  Yes, they say "learnt" down under, along with tyre, rubbish, mate, and other words you probably would frown upon.  Don't hate them for it, they actually think their English is superior to ours so it's not even worth a debate.  I've tried.

So here goes my list...10 Things I Learnt This Week:

1.  Going to work is truly a day off for me.
2.  While an almost 8 year old can do a great job washing dishes...greasy, buttery popcorn bowls should probably be given a second look before being placed back in the drawer
3.  I do love the coming of warm weather...it's refreshing...except it grows weeds.
4.  The Samoa cookie.....say no more.
5.  One on One is truly the best way to form new relationships.
6.  Nieces, nephews, and cousins are relationships worth giving a lot to.
7.  A nice looking workout clothes outfit looks better than a frilly designer one.
8.  God's financial plan for us is bigger than my neat little calculated spreadsheets.
9.  The old classic movies are worth a watch, that's why they're "classic."
10.  I should have been born in the horse and wagon days.

What have you learnt this week???

Friday, March 30, 2012

We were blessed this evening by receiving  take out Chinese form dinner from my mom.  It's a family favorite.  Not only because we love the food, but because I didn't have to cook.  If I was given one "out" as a home maker...it would be cooking.  I wouldn't miss it one bit.  I could never cook another meal in my life and be just fine.

The kids were also mentioning how thankful they are that Grandma also get them McDonalds occasionally when they spend the day with her....

A:  "Wow Grandma is so nice she gave us money to buy this food and she gets McDonalds sometimes when we're there.....but not every time.  We'd get sick if we ate too much McDonalds."

Dad:  "Yeah, and too big of a belly."

J:  "....And OLD!!!  from such a long trip." 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Ava:  "Mom, I'm going to give you personal space....really I will."

You can tell what we're working on lately.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Jentzen always writes his "z" backwards in his name.  I think it's the cutest.  It somehow just fits him.  It makes me smile.  I should probably correct him, and I will.  Just not today :)

Friday, February 24, 2012

This is a conversation between Jentzen and myself during Math.  Or is it me?  Or is it I?  Or is it Me and Jentzen?  I'm not sure because we were doing Math, not Grammar, and it's been way to many years since I have learned the proper usage....I'll be relearning that right along with my kids whenever we get to that lesson.  Okay, back to Math class....

The problem:  x + 4 = 9 

Jentzen wrote 13.  We haven't gotten to adding anything over 10 yet...I gave him some props for getting it kind of right.  I'm choosing to believe that he just knew it and didn't use his fingers.  If I didn't see it with my own two eyes, my reality is what ever I want it to be...and it's Friday...everyone needs a little pick me up on Friday.

Me:  "Jentzen, if the problem was 4+9 you would have it right...but that's not what it's asking is it?

J:  "No, I guess not."

Me:  "They want to know what number plus 4 = 9.  You can go get your math blocks if you....."

J:  (while being silent and rolling his eyes all around then interrupting)  "5!!"

Me:  "Great job!!  How did you figure that out?"  (Everyone has their own ways of figuring math problems out and it's always interesting to me how it's done so many different ways, all to get the same answer.)

J:  "Mom do you hear this?"

(staring at me in complete silence.)

Me:  "No, was I supposed to hear something?"

J:  "I was counting in my mouth!!!"

Phew!  I thought I had a finger counter to deal with!

Tuesday, January 31, 2012



I asked Nathan if we could start making this blog a team effort.  I assigned him the duty of putting the pictures on my blog and then I would write about them.  He stepped right up and nearly instantly had a plethora of pictures all ready to go.  Me on the other hand, I'm still slacking even though the hard part is done. 

So today is the day.  The sun isn't up yet, my kids are still sleeping, I've showered for the day, my laundry is done, my house is fairly clean.  Well except for my floors, they could use a washing.  But I'm pretty sure that there is never a day when they don't need a washing so I'm going to ignore that.  And then of course there's the bathrooms...2 little boys...I need not say more, but I'm going to ignore that too.  So here we go with the pictures Nathan has chosen. 

He's sort of a creative fellow, so the fact that the following pictures have absolutely nothing to do with each other is not real surprising, so I'm going to make the best of it!

Nathan likes to document the moments when he is being superdad...well he's actually superdad a lot, but this day he was a superdad that cooks!  Even better!!!


 This was a testing day at MMA.  They offer these days every now and then, I can't really figure out a schedule to them.  But it's a chance for them to earn stripes on their belts.  See the one way on the far end in the front row?  That's our Jentzen.  He's the littlest one in the class, and everyone always roots for him.  See the one 4th from the end?  That's Ava, looking at someone else...she's very observant and never misses a thing.  See that one in the black uniform with the white belt....yeah that's Quaid??
This was up north at our annual Pahl Family Christmas Ski Trip.  Keira made sure that grandpa was nice and cozy.  Isn't that precious??


This is Quaid, cleaning daddy's car.  Nathan figured that since they are the ones that actually create the disaster in the back that they should be the ones to clean it up.  And what would cleaning be without a Superman suit?  And what would cleaning be without a Dyson?  I love my Dyson!
Well I guess that about sums it up for today.  The sun is now trying to make an appearance, the kids are stirring and my floors are still a mess, and I just had to spell check the word "appearance"...it's going to be a great day!



Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Backfired


I got this idea from Deb, who got it from someones blog.  I'd give them credit but I can't find it anymore.  
It deals with the issue of my kids stuff laying around the house and me telling them numerous times to put it away.  
In comes "the box" and it works like this...
1.  The kids leave their things laying around.
2.  I tell them to pick it up.
3.  They don't pick it up.
4.  I still see it laying around.
5.  It gets put in the box.
6.  They have to pick a slip from the envelope in the box and do whatever it says if they want it back. 
The slips in the box day all sorts of things.  Some of them are fun (run around the house yelling, "I love mommy!!!"), some are not so fun (clean up your siblings room).  Some of them are easy (draw a picture for daddy), some of them not so easy (vacuum under the couch cushions).  

So far it's worked like a dream....kind of.  Since the kids helped me make the slips to go into the envelope, they know what they say.  Like I said, there are fun ones....one being the jackpot of all slips, "Stay up late and have a treat with daddy."  (It would be mom and dad, but I go to bed at 8pm and in my kid's world, that's not late and daddy's more fun anyways.)  So in the hopes of drawing that one, the kids have asked that their things could be put in the box.  "Mom, I left this laying out, can I put it in the box and pick a slip...PPUUUULLLLEEEASE!!!!!"
So maybe showing the kids what was on the slips wasn't such a good idea.  Anyway,  shortly after this started, Nathan thought he was just hilarious, saw my boots laying in the kitchen, brought them into the office, and said, "Well honey, don't you think you should be the example?  These boots were just laying the kitchen, I don't think that's where they belong."  And then proceeded to open the lid and drop them in.  The kids were dying in laughter.  They thought it was the best EVER!
"Ummmm, Nathan dear, do you really want to go there?  Would you like me to put everything of yours I find laying around in the box also...after all, we both are examples for the kids."
He sat for a minute, got up, opened the lid, took them out and stated, "I think your mom does enough around the house kids to make up for her boots in the kitchen."
A wise man I tell ya, a VERY wise man.


Thursday, January 19, 2012



Quaid got a remote control helicopter for Christmas from his Uncle Bob.  And let me tell, you I'm totally impressed.  The thing is still going strong despite Quaid's crashing it countless times into walls, floors, and sisters :)  He's getting pretty good at maneuvering it, now that his dad isn't stealing it all the time.  And that's because this arrived in the mail a few days after Christmas.  Seems a certain dad had a little too much fun with his son's present he just had to go and buy his own!



Quaid's is the same model as his dad's except for the 4 channel part I think?  I'm no helicopter expert but I'm told that dad's is a bit more challenging to control.  Or maybe that's just the explanation I got after the head to head helicopter race in which Quaid came out victorious :)

Did you know they make these things huge, for the outdoors, and gas powered??  I just hope this helicopter craze stays with the small indoor battery powered type.  We don't have room in the garage for that...and no honey, that DOES NOT mean we need a bigger garage!!


Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Love....

It makes a momma's heart melt....






Tuesday, January 10, 2012

It's January 10th. It's the middle of winter. It's 50 degrees and sunny outside. What is this teacher going to do?

I ditched our afternoon History lesson. Sent the kids to their grandma's paved driveway with a bucket of sidewalk chalk. I'm going to stay inside and clean up their disaster of a toy room for them as a surprise so they can get out and enjoy the freakish weather. They're going to totally dig their mom.

It's a good day serving my children.

PS...I think this is one day I can say I'd rather have January in MN than January in Australia. The weather forecast for the Brewin clan down under is 102 degrees...yep...I'll take it here!!!

Thursday, January 5, 2012

While letting out a big sigh regarding the antics of my boys.....

Ava: (following with a big sigh) "Life is full of disappointments, isn't it mom...."

If you're one teaching my child these choice phrases, thanks, thanks so much.

Life is not full of disappointments. It's full of Joys, Fun, Challenges, and Triumphs. Today will not be a disappointing day.

;;