Happy Birthday Little Mama!

Little Mama is: sweet, thoughtful, bursting with love, a servant's heart, a mature sense of justice, a lover of babies and all things domestic, a nurturer, a comforter, a homemaker in the making. Sensitive, kind and selfless. She would much rather be with her family then any where else in the world.

Around 8 o'clock, eight years ago, God delivered us this most precious child. A blessing to us, and I believe a blessing to our whole little world . . .

Grandma's Here

She came late Tuesday night and is here all week to help celebrate LM's 8th birthday!

Yesterday we took her to do Meals on Wheels and introduced her to some of our favorite clients. Then she went and had lunch with friends. Then she came with us to to watch EG tumble. Well, at least watch EG in the class. EG is still trying to get the hang of her purpose for being there! Then it was dinner at church and Wednesday night service. I think we sufficiently wore her out!

Today was book club and then she and I went to the mall to do a little shopping for LM's birthday tomorrow. She was going to watch the kids with hubby tonight. But, the kids found out their friends were going to be at the church where my meeting is, so now they are coming with me.

Tomorrow she will help us clean and help me watch kids so I can run some last minute errands for LM's family dinner/birthday party tomorrow night. Little Mama requested nachos.

Then Saturday is the BIG DAY. First thing, at 10AM, Little Mama is getting her ears pierced. A right of passage at our house for 8 year old girls. (Both my sister and I had to wait until we were eight.) Then Grandma and Sissy will take her to a birthday lunch (and Nature Girl because LM invited her along.) Pictures to follow.

Then maybe by Saturday night, Grandma will have some time just to relax. But, I think she realizes around here, there isn't much relaxing. Well, at least not until about 9PM . . .

Happy Valentine's Day

It is a low key event around here. But, there are a few things worth mentioning, I think. Little Mama has spent the whole week thinking of gifts and making cards. Nature Girl did hers last night about 9PM.

We don't do much as far as candy and stuff but we do use it as an opportunity to get a little something worth while for the kids. This year it is a t-ball stand for Boop, considering he will be starting t-ball in the spring. EG got Play-Do, which was banned in the house for the middle two children. NG and LM got a really nice bird feeder to put outside their window so they could continue with their bird watching.

As for hubby and I, we went out to a steak dinner on Friday. But, other than that, we agree not to exchange gifts or anything. I don't think either of us need a specific holiday to share how we feel about each other. It is crazy, we have known each other for almost 20 years.

The kids thought it was like a real holiday where other kids don't go to school and we don't get mail. I thought that was funny. It took us almost the whole day to convince them that people had to work. Mail would come. And, more importantly, that other kids were in school. I think they were so hoping we would take the day off!!

Anyway, happy belated Valentine's Day . . .

Silent Sunday

Pictures by Nature Girl

The other day, Nature Girl, teased and teased to use the camera to take pictures of some of the birds in our yard. I was reluctant. I just didn't want to buy a new camera. But, hubby said it was OK. So off she went to take pictures.

She took a bunch and I just picked out the best. I think she did a great job. Some photos of frequent visitors to our yard. The top to are cardinals. And the last one is the Red-shouldered Hawk.

He is probably the most fun to watch. He comes in our yard a least once a day. He stalks and swoops. Last night, the kids said he came so close to them, they thought he was going to take one of them away . . .

Unforeseen Benefits of Homeschooling

Well. Sort of. In the beginning, one of the reasons we felt homeschooling might work for us, was because hubby works shift work. He has really long days sometimes and he works every other weekend. So, that means some of his days off are in the middle of the week.

And homeschooling gave us some flexibility with daddy time and family time. And today it was just so apparent that we have made the right choice for us. As I was in the kitchen, making breakfast, all of the kids were in the bed with daddy watching the History Channel. A very relaxed morning.

Of course, we still start school at the same time, most mornings when he is home. But, I just couldn't help but think how nice it was to have them all snuggled up together. With no where to go. No pressing agenda.

Now, all of the big kids just left with him to go have the oil changed in the van. I am pretty sure that falls under the school subject of some type of science or life management skills. All that to say, if the kids were in school during the week, it would be a whole lot harder for them to have much needed time with their daddy . . .

Sleep

I have never been a big sleeper. I like sleep and 7 or 8 hours a night is good for me. But, I have never been one to lie around in bed in the morning. I have never taken naps in the afternoon (not that I haven't wanted to, even when pregnant or with a newborn in the house). And, usually, when I wake up in the morning, I do not roll over and go back to sleep.

But, lately, I can go to bed at 10PM and on one occasion slept until 8. (Because the kids let me.) The alarm goes off and I do not care. I tell myself "if by 6:15 I am not back to sleep, I will get up." And every time I go back to sleep.

Now, I don't even bother to set the alarm. I have been waking up about 6:40. I tell myself "you have 5 more minutes" because I want to get my quiet time in. This morning I fell back to sleep!! It is incredible to me. If anything , I use to just lay there for 5 minutes. NEVER going back to sleep!

I have always been jealous of people who could sleep so readily. Jealous of those who can lay down and actually take a nap. Or wake up in the mornings and roll over and go back to sleep. (I never did either thing in college.)

I don't know if it is age. Or my body just trying to "catch-up" on years of lost sleep. But, if this keeps up, I just might try a nap and see what happens. . .