Sunday Activity for Kids

It is not easy to keep young children quiet on Sunday afternoons but here is one activity that everyone enjoys.  They pick a gospel art kit picture and try to draw it themselves.

Above is Maryanna's (age 4) attempt at Jesus washing the apostles feet - kind of cute and definitely worth saving.

Clara meanwhile colored her face with marker and when I asked why she said "to make myself look pretty".  Henry just scribbled all over his body and the cupboards and the table so maybe this activity is not for everyone.

Wordful Wednesday: Unity in Marriage

Unity in marriage is worth fighting for.

Just kidding - I don't think fighting ever works, that is unless of course you own a couple pairs of old boxing gloves because laughter certainly helps.

But I suppose unity may be achieved through many angles including love, laughter, affection, communication, prayer, kindness, service, and work.

Just the other night Paul brought home a brand new sectional sofa (in boxes) from IKEA, the sofa was actually a replacement for the one that snapped in half (in two places) but why it snapped and how it was resolved is for another post. Needless to say I don't know anyone who enjoys IKEA assembly - I don't even like watching the process.

Once most the kids were settled in bed Paul announced it was time to get the job done and suggested I join in. I had enough (very valid) excuses to get out of it and quickly buried myself under the covers because "I needed a quiet moment to myself" and a little bit of rest might "help take the edge off".

In most cases rest is rejuvenating but on this occasion it was not. Every time I heard a box open the thought came to me... "I should go down and help him, or at least just watch". So I did.

Baby George was still asleep at this point so I actually had two arms to chip in and did so by sorting out the cushions and slipcovers. It is actually not easy to wrap a couch in a snug fitting slipcover so together we worked pulling, tugging, and even fisting the form into proper shape.

I was then assigned to be the hardware sorter but made enough errors to be redirected to searching out some online support and instructions. By this point baby George was up and in need of some care so the last request was for me to dig through a box of old CD's and pick out a surprise, I chose Mama Mia and spent the rest of the building time nursing on a chair nearby.

Actually, I didn't make it to the end of the project but was happy to see the completed couch at 3:00 am when I came down to walk the baby. So even though I really didn't help much, working together was rejuvenating, probably more so than a nap or even a night out together.

Not too long ago I was chatting with one of my sister in laws about her and my brother fixing their dryer together. I was quite impressed with their handiness but even more impressed when she said "you know Al, that was a great moment in our marriage". Among pictures of them together on the Great Wall of China, traveling through Europe, hiking, and welcoming new babies my brother included a picture of them fixing this dryer on their wedding anniversary slide show.

Writing this post also reminds me of the afternoon I took Paul to meet my grandparents. My grandma prepared a "special" salmon lunch and while she was busy with the final condiments and dressings she sent us outside, each with a butter knife and requested that we dig out the weeds growing between the cracks in her front walk. She soon made her way out to treat us with her own version of peach lemonade then encouraged us to keep at it. Years later at our wedding lunch my grandma joyfully recalled how well we worked together on those weeds and promised us much happiness if we continued our life together in such a manner.

Unfortunately much of the work in front of us often becomes "divided" then conquered because it seems to be most efficient. But perhaps in trying to save time or just get it over with we miss out on so much more, perhaps instead we should first be "unified" then face our tasks.

I may have just cursed myself to having to help clean out the garage this next weekend but if it means increased unity - I'm in! Because work may not be romantic but it works in marriage just the same.

Unity in marriage is worth fighting working for.

More Wordful Wednesday here

Old School Baby Announcement

I finally got them out but unfortunately I only had enough to send to our immediate family (which is actually quite large) so I thought I'd share with everyone here.

These cards were found in my mom's basement during our summer stay.  They could be dated back anywhere from the early 60's to early 80's, the years in which my mom gave birth to myself and 16 other siblings, and I certainly don't blame her for leaving them blank - she had her hands full!



 

Best of Valentine's 2010

I was not up for a big craft mess this year so most of the cards were done on the computer.  They were kind of funny.

This first one that Peter made for Henry kind of reminded us of the old "deep thoughts" cards

This next one he made for James was even more funny



Here's what James made for Daddy



Here's what Paul made for me



But this one from William made me laugh most of all

Just for Valentine's Day

 These pictures makes me smile.....and laugh.  They were taken just a few days before high school graduation and just a few days before I took off for BYU summer term.  That was a painful goodbye.

Had I known then what I know now I might have 1. plucked my eyebrows, 2. refashioned that baggy T-shirt, 3. not exposed myself to so much sun damage but most certainly not cried so much at our separation - I think instead we would have laughed ourselves into tears.

Happy Valentine's Day Paul - I'm still just as crazy about you!

These days will not last forever

Some days are smooth and some days are choppy.  But this is the beautiful scene I've been waking to over the past couple of weeks (actually it's probably my third waking since midnight).  

Everyone is anxious to say good morning to baby George, get some instruction from mommy and find out if anything exciting has been planned for the day.  We do make plans but don't always get to them.

The kids sometimes get dressed or at least half dressed but it's o.k. if they stay in their jammies all day because sometimes mommy does.

I was chatting with one of my sisters on Ground Hog's day and it slipped out that sometimes the early weeks of caring for a new baby feel a lot like the movie Ground Hog's Day - the same thing over and over on a three hour cycle of feeding, burping, diapering, and trying so hard to get the baby to fall asleep.  I don't think I was having one of those "smooth" days when I said it.  But the thought immediately came to me ..... these days will not last forever and I felt better.

The few days following Ground Hog's Day got even choppier.  Breakfast was left in the kid's hands which meant cereal and milk spilled all over the place and children fighting over who got more or who took the last drop of milk.  James has taken it upon himself to be the breakfast Latin tutor and on one of these mornings things got so chaotic that he crumpled the little study card up in his hand and threw a broom across the room. The root word of the day was "figo" or "fixum" and I think it means fix or attach, either way James was sent out to run laps around the house to fix his temper while the other children helped me fix the messes around the table.

That same day lunch was not ready until 3:00 pm.  I did meal plan and even purchased the food necessary for the plan.  What I did not do was plan how and when the food would be prepared.  At 7:00 pm I had a screaming baby in my arms with the next two little ones clinging to my legs also crying.  I begged the older boys to take over dinner, they made scrambled eggs and sliced bananas.  It was finally quite while they ate so I nursed little George alone on the couch and let myself have a little breakdown, again the words came to me ..... these days will not last forever and again I felt better.

The next day was my birthday and all I requested for my birthday was sleep.  Pictured above was my little birthday party in bed.  Besides allowing an additional hour and a half to sleep in Paul had presented me with a lovely package which just to be funny he wrapped in day old newspaper tied with dental floss.  It was a Flip video camera and Paul immediately started recording. The kids were singing and the video also captured me being smothered in hugs and kisses from all the little arms and wet lips that surrounded me.  Again the thought came to me ..... these days will not last forever  but this time it made me feel kind of sad.

James then commented how hard it was to think of a gift for me as he pulled $18.50 out of his pocket.  He explained how this was all the money I had ever paid him for babysitting, he was giving it back because his gift was one of service to a mom who needed his help.  I could not accept the money but he insisted.  I could barely hold back the tears because more than any amount of money I needed reassurance that I was not failing as a mother and that is exactly what he gave me at that moment.

The day only got better. Paul's parents arrived before noon and surprised me with a perfectly roasted turkey, mash potatoes, baked potatoes, Swedish meatballs, cabbage salad, gluten free muffins and cookies.  They fed the kids lunch and sent me up to bed for even more sleep.  When I finally emerged from my bed I was greeted with piles of clean laundry neatly folded across the kitchen table.  When I said "thank you, thank you" over and over Paul's mom simply replied "I love doing laundry" and that made the gift so much sweeter.

The kids got to enjoy their Nanny and Poppy well into the evening and Paul and I were able to slip out for dinner. Paul had discovered an organic pizza shop in town that specializes in gluten free pizzas and pastas. He took me there and to my delight it actually tasted good! We also found a boba tea shop where I got mochi ice cream in addition to a strawberry yogurt smoothie with the big tapioca balls, both of which should be added to my list of weird cravings.

This was a great day and I suppose the only thing that dampened my spirit was reviewing the Flip videos in HD and realizing that I am starting to look a little middle aged (trying to find an outfit for our date didn't help either - it was back to the maternity pile).  I childishly whined to Paul about it but he was sincere in his reassurance and even pulled out of the trash the Lucky magazine that had randomly been sent to me and asked if I would honestly wish to trade places with any of those women.  I answered with a definite No.

I know my life is far from glamorous, I never wanted a glamorous life.  Instead I have all I could have wished for and more, a life rich in experiences to learn and opportunities to love.  I'll take my "choppy" days and even the worse than choppy days because they make my "smooth" days or even just moments that much sweeter.  In both cases I realize these days will not last forever so that is how I cope and more importantly savor it all. 

Robot Helper

We are enjoying our new baby George so much that piles of dishes and laundry have been neglected.  Good thing James designed this robot to help out!

Still Craving

Paul brought me home one of my favorite treats the other day, a bacon mozzarella kimchi wrapped hot dog over rice or a "Seoul Dog".  

During each of my pregnancies I have indulged in very specific cravings and this last one was most definitely Korean food.  In the early weeks of my pregnancy I went through jars of kimchi even making a trip to the grocery store at 7 am because I had to have it for breakfast.

So far each of the cravings have been past down as that child's favorite food. We even joke that that specific food of choice may be indicative of where that child will someday serve a mission. Here's what I craved with each one:

Child #1 - red peppers, spinach salad and I hate to admit it - Wendy's chicken nuggets

Child #2 - I spent a few weeks in Buenos Aires with Paul during this pregnancy and indulged in pastries, pizzas, and thick juicy steaks

Child #3 - Indian food! He still requests it for every birthday

Child #4 - Vietnamese hoagies and Pho noodles. We were living in Charlotte at the time and I use to venture across to the rougher side because I had to have a hoagie. I remember eating three in one day

Child #5 - Any authentic Chinese food Xiao Xia would make including black chicken soup, shrimp with eggs, and rice porridge

Child #6 - Mediterranean food including grape leaves, lebnah, lentils and falfels

Child # 7 - As a stated above, Korean food, kimchi and Bi Bim Bap. Maybe that is why he has a full head of hair!