Tales of Home

We've done a lot of work on the outside of our house.  We figured if we were going to complete these projects we might as well have them finished before we hosted close to 30 people for Brooke's First Communion Brunch this past Sunday. I know it doesn't look like much, but it makes me smile when I'm pulling in the driveway.  The landscaping is a work in progress and basically we're waiting for the plants to grow to bring the whole thing together.

While we were doing projects on the outside of the house, on the inside we were still doing school and getting into trouble. It would be fun if I could say that we taught Nash how to read already, but really he's only skilled at making messes and being cute.

The mulch delivery was very exciting for the kids last week.  Everything came to a screeching halt when this dump truck showed up.

Luke was so cute helping Mark with the mulch.  I told him he was a good helper and he said, "That's because this is my second time."  What he means is that he helped Mark when the rocks got delivered for our swing set so he is practically an expert.  :)  Later Luke confessed that his muscles were sore.  Evidently it didn't tire his voice out.  That boy talks to hear himself talk.  Mark, I wonder where he gets that from?

Three cheers for my hubby!  With very little prior experience and lots of obsessing, this wall came together in just a few days.  It's such an improvement over our previously crumbling rock wall.  Looove it!

I hope not to do anything to the outside of our house for a good long while. Well, except change the light over the front door, but that's not so much of a project as it is a task.  :) Mark probably wants that in writing.  Now that does not include the interior of our house which I'm always itching to change up.  But for now, stick a fork in this project because it's D.O.N.E.

Uh, Oh!

 Nash only really says one thing consistently, it's "Uh, Oh!"  He says that when he's throwing his blanket and pacifiers out of his crib.  He says that when he's launching his milk cup off the high chair.  I say that every time he crawls over to the planning desk in the kitchen and starts digging through the junk drawer.

 Yes, I let him throw the scissors out for fun.

 What cracked me up the most was the toes.  I love how he stretched as much as his little toes would allow to get into all that forbidden stuff.  I did buy more baby locks, but we've been to busy to install them.  More on that later. :)

For now we're playing the distraction card to get him away from the junk drawer and if that doesn't work I put  the kitchen stools in front of the desk.  And lastly, if all else fails Nash gets locked up in "baby jail" when I put him in the dreaded Exersaucer.  Uh, oh!

S.S. Stella

Brooke's been making more of an effort to play with Stella lately. Let's just say Brooke isn't the president of Stella's fan club. I understand where she's coming from because Stella does delight in causing trouble and has been know on an occasion or 10 to steal things from Brooke and Luke's room. None the less, Brooke and I have had some discussions about making Stella feel wanted and loved in hopes that she'll be kinder and more enjoyable.

I was standing at the kitchen sink (when am I not?) when Brooke towed the S.S. Stella into the room. Stella is showing off the lolly pop Brooke bestowed upon her in the name of making Stella happy. I think it worked. Ahoy mates!

It's it Ironic?

It's may not be as ironic as when you meet the man of your dreams and then meet his beautiful wife (thanks Alanis Morissette), but I bet you wouldn't guess that my pilot husband is afraid of heights. Yes, a pilot that's afraid of heights.

I've known that since 2003ish when Mark climbed up on the roof of our first house in Houston to clean the pine needles off and we almost had to call the fire department to get him down. No, he didn't pee his pants, but I bet it still makes him nervous to recall that day.

Wouldn't that be a funny SNL skit to have a pilot greeting the passengers and telling them not to worry that even though he's afraid of heights, he'll still get you there safe and sound? Don't worry honey, I don't think you're any less manly. After all, you can still impress me with your big muscles. :)

In light of that information I shared the above picture should be even more impressive. My dad painted all the shutters except the two over the garage. Mark came home from work (I know! Another trip! Working if for the birds...or the good or our bank account) and got the job done. I didn't have to call the fire department either. Just one more reason he's a keeper. :)

This is the Face

The other day when I told you Nash makes a funny face when he plays ball, this is it. I love the mouth. If the mouth doesn't get me, then his eyes do. I can't even remember what he was excited about this time. He was just sitting in the chair in our living room and something was tickling his fancy. I.love.this.baby.

Some day he's going to grow up and then I'm going to be devastated. Everyone will be. Out of the blue Luke said today, "I love Nash". Everyone loves Nash. With that face, what's not to love?

Those Unsocialized Home Schoolers

It cracks me up when I tell someone new we home school and invariably several of them ask if we worry about socialization. As if just because we home school our kids are stuck inside the walls of our home without any contact with the outside world. Even if our kids did nothing "organized" there's always the kids down the street to play with. Isn't that socializing? Perhaps it doesn't count because it's not for 6 hours a day. :)

Instead of worrying about socialization I'd like those people to consider what's much more difficult like how I educate my kids, get the laundry done, make 3 meals a day and keep the house in relative order when my people are home ALL DAY LONG. Socializing, you're not even on my radar!

As I mentioned before our school year is winding down. Our home school group Classical Conversations just wrapped up for this school year. It's been a wonderfully challenging experience and I'm so thankful that we got to be a part of this type of learning community.

Consequently, Brooke and Luke memorized the U.S. states and capitals, mountain ranges, the presidents in order they were in office, 24 history sentences ranging from Columbus in 1492 to September 11, 2001. Add in the preamble to the Constitution and a whole host of other math and science facts and I'd say they've learned more than the average 5 and 7 year olds in this country. I love that I've learned it all right alongside them too!

What's great about C.C. is that all the different ages of kids learn exactly the same amount of material, it's just the expectations are different depending on their age. Above, Luke's class consisted of 4 and 5 year olds. God bless his tutor for surviving 24 Tuesdays trying to impart knowledge into these wiggly little people.

This past Tuesday we participated in Family Night where each class performed something they learned this year. Luke's class sang the President song. They were so stinkin' cute with their squeaky voices and speech impediments.

Luke was so excited he bounced from place to place all night long. He beamed with pride when his class was finished. He looked handsome too.

Brooke's class sang the preamble to the Constitution. Think School House Rocks only a little less peppy. The boys held the visual aids while the girls had "the moves". They did a really good job.

My goal is to keep reviewing the memory work from this year over the summer so they don't forget it. That's my goal. I'm not sure if that will come to fruition, but it's good to have that intention. If we don't end up reviewing, I suppose we could just focus on socializing this summer to make up for all the lost opportunities during the school year. :)

Brooke Update

I've gotten some inquires about Brooke lately. I haven't said much because there's not been a whole lot of significant changes to report. We continue to give her supplements and allergy treatments and have tried to structure our days so that Brooke knows what to expect and when.

The O.C.D. like behaviors are mostly just annoying, but it's her anger that upsets the peace in our home the most. Our doctor tried to encourage me with a success story of another patient who was about to be kicked out of preschool for aggressive behavior and now is doing great after the same treatments Brooke is getting.

I have my doubts sometimes because I also think there's a very strong genetic factor at play here too. It's a case of nature vs. nurture. Brooke says repeatedly that she gets so angry because she just wants to get her way. Duh. That's all pretty normal kid stuff except that some days Brooke can't move past an incident and then she just goes into a rage which could last for an hour or more.

While Brooke's stubborn/persistent aspect of her personality is very frustrating to parent, I have to say that she's probably going to be a very successful adult. I sometimes lose perspective that really we are raising our kids to be capable adults. I have to laugh because it seems that if Brooke were 20 years her senior, she'd be taking the world by storm. I get the gist that sometimes she feels exasperated that she has to follow childish rules when she already knows what she needs to know and just wants to "get on with it". We are very much alike which is why I think we clash so badly. I think she'll blossom when she's able to follow her own rules. God help us, that we all live long enough to see the day. :)

We're in a holding pattern right now and I have contacted the family minister at our church to see if maybe we might benefit from some counseling. I'd like someone to teach Brooke some age appropriate anger management skills, some help with the O.C.D and also maybe a fresh perspective on how we could achieve more peace at home. Mark and I are busy praying and trying to figure out what is best for Brooke and for our family. We'll let you know the road God takes us when we know.

I have to say that while there hasn't been major changes with Brooke, we've been able to function on a day to day basis a little better. Most significant is that Brooke has been able to complete her school work. It seems the days of Brooke crumpling up her math worksheets are getting fewer and farther in between. I feel because of this Brooke has made progress in math finally. Finally!

We're winding down the school year and I'll be glad for a break soon. It looks like we'll be finished with our school work either the end of May or early June. Come on summer, this teacher-mom needs a break!

13 Months of Nash Lovin'

My mind is still stuck back in March, so I can hardly believe that our Nashy Boy got another month older. I wanted to share a few glimpse of Nash at 13 months before I forget these sweet little memories all together.

Well, I start with the least sweet of them all which is Nash's new trick of biting. It's not like toddler biting where it's malicious intent, he just gets excited and chomps down on usually our shoulders. It's made me a little teeth shy and I find myself getting nervous sometimes when I'm holding him. Those little snaggleteeth are sharp! All I can say is that once again I am soooooo glad that I'm not nursing this little boy.

It seems by Divine Intervention that Nash has been sleeping in a little later in the morning. He hasn't been getting out of bed before 7 AM which has been very nice. The other night he slept from 5:30 PM until 7 AM the next day! (We had been at a friends house playing and he missed his afternoon nap so I laid him down before dinner thinking he'd just get a short nap. It was anything but short!)

It is actually this new development that has lead to us shelving the bottles. I noticed this last week that there were no bottles lying in the sink to wash and it made me a little giddy.

Nash is just a happy little guy all the time except now he is uneasy around people he's unfamiliar with. This even includes family he doesn't see on a frequent basis. It's a bit of a bummer especially when he clings to Mark and I for dear life and won't be put down without some serious howling. It's a phase that's relatively short, but annoying none the less.

Probably one of the funniest things Nash does now is when he plays ball. He'll sit on the floor and throw the ball, laugh hysterically and crawl after it to throw it again and again. If I sit on the floor with him, he'll throw it in my direction and I'll roll it back to him. Rinse and repeat. I get the biggest kick out of watching his face as he's getting ready to throw it. If I think of it, I'm going to get Mark to play with him so I can capture the sweet face of my baby boy.

One of the sweetest things about Nash is his new found love of kissing. I have kissed the lips off this boy since he was born, but now he's returning the affection. It's so darn cute!

Add in Nash's throwing his pacifiers and blankets out of his crib for sport and that pretty much sums up Nash at this time. I love him so much I could squeeze him until he pops except I won't because unlike balloons, there will never be another baby as fun as our Nashy Boy. That's not my opinion, that's fact ladies and gentleman. Well, at least according to his mother. :)

A Happy Nap

Sister Sue is either growing or has some serious undiagnosed illness that has allowed her to nap 5 times in the last two weeks. She hasn't napped that much in the last 4 months so I know something is definitely up with this girl.

One day when Stella was extremely crabby I told her as I was tucking her in bed at rest time that she should take a "happy nap". As I type I'm now laughing because it sounds like something mommy's and daddy's might enjoy mid-day. :) Get your mind out of the gutter because what I'm talking about is the miracle of Stella falling asleep and waking up a little happier.

On those days it was so nice not to be in a frantic rush to get her to bed as quickly as possible because when she's exhausted, she tends to cause a lot of trouble. Her mean streak is usually neon at this point and she goes around trying to do things that will annoy our family. I'm sure you can't imagine that sweet, angelic face snoozing away peacefully causing trouble, but then I'm sure you've never seen Sister Sue in action.

D.I.Y.

It all started last week on the Saturday before Easter when we took the ax to our landscaping. I lured my mom, sister and my nieces over for an Easter lunch and then Mark and my sister got to work ripping up the front yard. My sister likes that kind of thing and we were so grateful for her help.

In all honesty we hated the landscaping since we moved in but didn't have the time, energy, or money to change it. Instead, we pretended not to notice how ugly it was and ignored it for an entire year. Mark and I both have a fire lit under us to get this project finished before the end of the month and so our yard currently looks like a disaster. It's all in the name of progress so the neighbors are just going to have to deal with it.

Crumbling rock wall...gone!

Hideous Weeping Cherry tree...outta here!

Monkeys back in the zoo...oh, we have to keep them!

While my sister, Michelle and Mark were working up a sweat, my pretty nieces were sunning themselves on the driveway. To be young again! :)

We did manage to break for lunch and grain free scones for dessert.

We're good at multitasking so while the the landscaping was getting a makeover, the kids hunted Easter eggs that my nieces hid. See young people are good for something.

The project forewoman didn't know that landscaping would be involved so she couldn't be put to work (other than supervising from the lawn chair) because her new, pretty shirt might have gotten dirty.

After that silly Cherry tree was gone we could have stopped right there, but of course, we didn't. Mark and my sister saved us a bundle of money by moving around a few of the existing bushes that we actually liked and giving them a trim.

Counting up the egg hunt earning. We just put "circle money" in the eggs this year instead of candy.

After the ugly stuff was kicked to the curb Saturday, we took Sunday off to celebrate Easter with Mark's family and then got right back to the makeover on Monday. Mark fearlessly disassembled the crumbling wall and after 6 trips to Lowes, for new pavers or rocks or whatever they're called, he obsessively built a new one.

If you know Mark at all you know that once he sets his mind to something, he won't quit until it's finished or too dark to continue. The new wall was completed in record time even with a two day trip thrown in there just to make things interesting. Thankfully, one of our neighbors wanted the rocks to build something in her backyard so we only had to help her move them to her driveway instead of finding a place in our itty bitty patch of woods to dump them.

The kids have been outside even more than usual and they have been loving it. Luke was so thrilled to find this green caterpillar in the yard while he was keeping Mark "company". By company I mean chattering incessantly while Mark worked.

On Thursday the fun continued with my dad coming over to help us paint our back deck. It went from a mossy green color to a nice light tanish brown. I think it goes with our "lovely" peach brick so much better.

This deck painting was a family affair. The kids wanted to help so badly and I told Mark we may as well let them since it was outside and therefore lower risk of them spilling or messing something up. Brooke and Luke both painted and were so proud to be so helpful. I withheld sarcasm there because they actually did a pretty good job. It was a miracle that we finished it in one day and with barely a drop of paint leftover. Praise God!

Sister Sue was very good even though she did not get to paint. While it was Brooke's turn to paint, Stella played with Luke. I have to say that she and Nash (he napped for 4 hours1) were on their best behavior which was a large part of the miracle. :)

Fast forward to Friday...My dad came back over to begin transforming our shutters from hunter green to a lovely shade of navyish blue. He was so brave up there on that ladder. I only heard him crying once or twice. :)

It's not as electric blue in person, it's more subtle electric blue. :)

Despite Mark's busy work schedule (I didn't know pilots really had to fly places!) we're hoping to have this project wrapped up in the next week. We're have a tiny bit more landscaping to demo, mulching, seeding, planting some annuals, and finishing the shutters. I'll post some "after" photos when we're finished.

The Bedtime Shuffle

When people find out that I have 4 kids and that Mark is a pilot they always ask if that's hard. I don't think the hardest part is having a pilot husband, I think the hard part is having 4 kids. Whether Mark is home or away, caring for four children who are two years apart (good planning on that one!) is a lot of work.

Sometimes it actually seems harder when Mark is home. We tend to schedule appointments, plan projects, and take special outings when he's home. On the flip side, when he's gone my expectations change and I'm more realistic about what can be accomplished in one day. If the school work is finished, meals are made, the kitchen is cleaned up, and the kids are in bed alive, that's a successful day.About a month or so ago I employed the help of this trusty play yard to keep Nash safe and the chaos under control especially when I'm trying to get all four kids to bed myself. Nash isn't always happy to be locked up in this baby jail, but even if he cries, it still gets the job done. I got this one from Mark's mom and I'm not even sure if you can buy them anymore. It's quite the handy hand-me-down.

I can't remember why Nash didn't have clothes on this particular evening allowing him access to his diaper, but he didn't miss the chance to play in his birthday suit. At this time of day pretty much anything goes as long as the kids end up in bed and I still have my sanity.

Dressing Up For Jesus

As an extra special treat today we got to take all 4 kinds into church with us. If Jesus could die on a cross, surely Mark and I could make it 1 hour keeping the kids under control. I said the same thing when I took all 4 kids to Trader Joe's on Friday by myself. Maybe that will be my new mantra because it sure does keep things in perspective.

I felt prepared to do battle and I'd say minus two sippy cup malfunctions, it can be considered a success. When we sat down this very nice older lady leaned over to Luke and told him he looked handsome. Then she said "It feels good to dress up for Jesus, doesn't it?" I thought that was the sweetest thing to say and to acknowledge that we are dressed nicer today that any other Sunday to celebrate his resurrection. That's kind of a big deal. :)

On a typical Sunday we drop Luke off at Sunday School and Stella and Nash in the nursery. That leaves Mark, Brooke and I free to actually concentrate on what is being said at Mass. It makes us really appreciate all the lovely people that volunteer their time to keep as many squirmy kids out of church as possible. :) We took these pictures after we got back to prove everyone lived.

On the way home from church Stella was saying to Nash, "Happy Easter, Nashy Boy". Except take the "r" out of Easter and the "h" out of Nash to make it more accurate. I was praising God double time when I found a box of raisins in the diaper bag after Stella said loudly 5 times that she was "ungy" which is code for hungry.



Brooke took this picture of Mark and I. It was funny because as we were getting set up she told us she wanted to take a picture of us kissing. Mission accomplished. Maybe I'll post that another time. We're heading over to Mark's parents today to spend some time with the cousins. Hope you had a Happy Easter too!