Jacob's "Box " Project

From day one I hated this project. Jacob had to do a report on the state of Arizona. On top of that, he had to take a box (refrigerator, stove, washer) and paint, decorate and cut it to look like a display in a wax museum. Then he had to design a button that the "customers" would push to get him to present his report. The only paint we had to paint the box with was Kilz, and if you have painted with Kilz, you know that a cardboard box can barely handle having the outside painted with Kilz, much less the inside too. We took the crumbling box and made a pretty cool project out of it. Jacob had some help from me and some help from Grandpa, but he had to do it himself. His button even had flashing lights on it and he put speakers on the front, so his customers could think they are really hearing him.

Jadyn's Trip to the Horse Farm

Jadyn went with her preschool class to the horse farm to ride horses. At the beginning, she was totally stoked. But as soon as she saw the horses, she was freaked out. They were so huge - I didn't really understand until I knelt down and looked at their size from her vantage point - they really were huge! Amidst her tears, I was telling her (forcefully) that she was going to ride at least one. After she started riding, she didn't want to stop. She rode Ginger (with the blue tape), Patches (the pony) and Lyric (looks like Ginger without the tape). She did great! After riding, we ate lunch in the hay barn - so appetizing. Super fun though, and she had fun hanging with her friends.

I Love It, I Hate It

I love that my kids are getting older, but I also hate it. I hate that they are growing up so fast, but I love that they are becoming more independent. Of course, they all still need their momma, but, as an example, Grace was able to give Grant a shower tonight while I folded laundry. Maybe I should have taught her to fold laundry instead of bathe her brother? Ahhh, that will be the next lesson. But what is so neat about it is, her loving attitude towards him. She is really like a second mom - which in Grant's case - is a good thing. He sometimes needs all the moms he can get.

Pitching Debut

Jacob had his pitching debut last night. It was a wicked cold night for May. He was the starting pitcher and had an great run. He had an awesome first inning and was the first batter when they batted. He hit a double! Woo hoo! It was a great night for him. It was a great night for us all. I am so proud of him, and not just because I think he is the greatest. I am proud that he is not afraid to try, even if he did not do a good job. Which, needless to say, he did. (Does that sound right? It is supposed to read that he did a good job.)

Thinking in the Morning

I am coming into the realization that this world is not my home. I already knew it with my head, now it is happening in my heart. I read something yesterday that was talking about blessings here on earth. When we have everything we want here on earth, we have no longing, we have nothing to look forward to. When we have, we constantly want more. I do not want to have so much here on earth that I stop longing for my true home - heaven, where Jesus is. Don't get me wrong. I really like many of the comforts of this world. I am really realizing that I do not have to have them to be happy, joyful or content. I did learn part of (or maybe it should have been all of) this lesson when Greg was unemployed. Yes, we hated it. But, by God's grace, we were happy. He provided for our needs and we got to spend time together like never before. That also goes back to the book I am reading.....we can't know God's will for our lives. He isn't a crystal ball - He does not tell us the future. He gives us just enough for today. "Give us this day our daily bread....." Just enough for today. When we are constantly worrying about the future, we stop living for the day. The day is all we have. We are not promised the future. We miss so much by wasting our time that way.

Critical Mass

I think yesterday was it for me. I mean, praise God, I was not crazy or out of control or anything. It was just the realization that I am at a crazy time. Let me flesh it out. I was making dinner. Jacob was working on his state of Arizona report, which includes a stove box that needs to be decorated inside and out and him as a wax museum figure - and I needed to help. Grace was working on her telling time homework - and I had to check each problem as she did it to make sure she was doing it right (by her suggestion, not mine). Jadyn kept coming in from jumping on the trampoline and asking me to come and jump with her, or at least watch her. And Grant was throwing 2 balls at my pictures on the mantle and screaming as he did so. He just wanted to make noise. I think he thinks if he does not make a LOT of noise I will forget he is there. Not possible. So, I was being pulled 5 different directions all at the same time. It just felt like overload. Welcome to motherhood! The good news? Everyone was tended to, or helped, or watched AND (in the words of Grace, dunt dun duh) dinner did not burn! Woo hoo! And praise the Lord!

Reader's Theater

Jacob and Grace performed in a Reader's Theater this afternoon. We had an amazingly sunny day to be sitting on the south lawn of the library. While we were waiting for them, we sat and listened to a Mexican band (reminded me of Acapulco) and ate lunch and snacks. The kids performed "Cactus Soup". In addition to our family, Grandma, Krystel, Spencer, Seth and Tom came. It was a great afternoon.

My Birthday 2011

My birthday this year was a pretty good one, except for when Grant decided to stir the glitter with a pair of scissors and make a big mess. I had pink cake with my kids for breakfast. Grandma made the cake with the kids the night before when Greg and I went out to dinner with Steve and Julie Schultz. We went for our birthdays (mine and Julie's), but also ended up celebrating Julie being pregnant with their 6th baby! Can you believe it? I am so happy for them. I'm also glad it's not me. But, back to my birthday....after the cake, we took pieces to school to share with the principal, secretaries and teachers. I love cake, but I don't think it would be wise for me to eat the whole thing. Which I would do, trust me. Then I really did nothing the rest of the day, until after school, when we went to mom and dad's for dinner. Grandma H and Debbie were there too. Mom made a great dinner (poppy seed chicken, antipasto salad, asparagus, corn, jello, bread and of course, hot fudge cream puffs). After dinner, Greg took the kids home to bed and I stayed and played hand and foot with mom, Grandma and Debbie. What a great day!

The pictures are of the kids and I....Greg was waiting for them in the car. Ever the patient one. Too bad, he missed out on a pretty good picture. The other one is Grant caught in the action of making a mess with the glitter.

I Guess I Should Update.....

I just learned (over hand and foot with Grandma, Deb and mom) that I forgot to update you on the "weight" issue. I guess the reason I forgot was the actual answer. After all my drama that day and an emergency trip to the doctor.......I needed a new scale! Yes, you heard me right. What a relief, but oh, how embarrassing. And after all that, when I got back on that same dreaded scale the next day, I was right back to where I started. Thank goodness. Sorry about the delay.

Grant's Sayings

Previously, Grant was telling us he would "be our best buddy" if we gave him whatever we had just said no to. He has moved on to bigger and better things (according to his brother) and now tells us he will "give us 90 bucks" if we let him do what he wants. Sure. You will give me 90 bucks. From where, 2 1/2 year old, from where?

Potty Mouth

Jadyn, Grant and I are having a picnic lunch. I was walking back into the family room to the blanket with the end of a bag of Fritos in my hand. Despite the fact that they had already eaten plenty of Fritos, Jadyn and Grant both wanted some. I told them there was no more left. They both looked in and saw one itty-bitty chip at the bottom. They both tried to reach in for it, but I grabbed it first and put it in my mouth. As soon as I put it in my mouth, Grant looked at me and said "Dammit!" I said, "What did you just say?" Jadyn responded, "He said dammit, Mom." Heaven help my household. Darn Greg.....:)

I have been struggling with my attitude lately. I have been constantly praying it away. Praying that God would change me. Yesterday was a very difficult day for me. I was sitting the parking lot of Costco, talking to Krystel on the phone, and she asked me if I was praying about it. Of course, I am. Then she asked if I was praying for God's will or if I was praying that God would change me. I told her I was praying that God would change me, because I am sure that how I am is not part of His will for me. It couldn't possibly be. But, it made me think - I am not praying God's will over this situation. I hate how I act so much, I just want it to change! So, into Costco we went. A few minutes later, Krystel called me back and asked me to pray for her - she was waiting for an answer to an exciting question. So, Jadyn, Grant and I stopped right in the cereal aisle and prayed. Know what we prayed for? God's will. Whatever it would be. Two minutes later Krystel called me back and said she got her answer and it was exactly what she had wanted. If that isn't a call to praying God's will, I am not sure what is. Talk about an immediate answer to my questions posed in the car, even before going into the store and getting the call. So, my attitude needs to be surrendered to God's will. Plain and simple.

As I was driving home from picking the kids up from school, I received a phone call from the music teacher at the kids school. First, he was telling me what a joy and pleasure my kids are, so well-behaved.....then it came. He said he wanted to talk to my about an incident that happened with......Grace? Really, I was totally expecting Jacob. Not that Jacob would be a troublemaker, but I guess I never expected to have trouble with Grace. Note to self: Kids = Trouble (in some sort - always) Anyway, apparently Grace cheated on her Star Spangled Banner test. Now, before we move on, let me say, Grace has been driving me crazy with the SSB. For the last 2 weeks, she has been singing it EVERYWHERE, and really loud and high. She even looked it up on YouTube and was doing karaoke. For the test, the teacher asked the kids to "take A sheet of paper" - there were 2 options - a totally blank paper where they write the whole thing out and win a prize, and a page with some of the words on it as hints and no prize. Well, what Grace did was take both pieces of paper and fill out the one with hints first, then copied it onto the totally blank paper. When the teacher questioned her, she told him she did not know she was cheating. When I questioned her, she told me that she just did what she saw her friend do. But we also discussed that she did not do what the teacher told her to do. He said take A sheet of paper, not one of each. So, she knew that was wrong and yet she followed what she saw her friend do. That is what disappointed me the most - the following of a person that did wrong. I told her I expected her to stand up for what was right. The bottom line though was that she really didn't think what she was doing was wrong. The punishment from the teacher was that she had to say the whole SSB and when she did it perfectly (of course, remember the past 2 weeks?), she did not get the prize. Fair, I think. At home, she decided herself to write Mr. Rockafellow an apology note. When I talked to him, he said he was totally surprised that Grace would do that. He would never expect that from her. Which is why, he thought it was important to tell me. And I am glad he did. It allowed us the opportunity to talk in more depth about what cheating is and how it reflects on our character.

Last night, after I put the kids to bed, Grant came pounding down the stairs. When I got up to see who was up, he said "It's me!" I asked why he was up and he said "My tummy hurts. See? Right here (pointing to his belly). I need to stay down here." Ahhhh, the manipulation is starting. He went over to Greg and said the same thing. Greg picked him up and rocked him, asking it that made him feel better. He said "I need to watch my show." More manipulation. I took him into bed with me, thinking he would fall asleep. After 20 minutes of him jumping around, kicking me, I took him back to his bed. That kid is so cute, but way too young to be manipulating so well.

After I got Grant back to bed, I got a call from Abby. And did I ever need it. She read Scripture over me, prayed for me and talked to me. Her words were such an encouragement to my weary soul. I have been so struggling with covetousness and jealousy and she encouraged me to remember God's faithfulness and provision for me in the past. She reminded me to rest in the shelter of the Most High, allowing Him to cover, protect and provide for me. "Because [she] loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue [her]; I will protect [her], for [she] acknowledges my name. [She] will call upon me, and I will answer [her]; I will be with [her] in trouble, I will deliver [her] and honor [her]. With long life, will I satisfy [her] and show [her] my salvation." Psalm 91:14-16
I love how God's Word speaks to us. No matter where we are, no matter what the situation. I love how God places people in our lives to love us and encourage us when we need it most. Thank you, Abby.

Submission

Yesterday, as I was on my high and mighty horse, I sent a message to my newly married cousin. I reminded her (and myself) of what the Bible (God) says about marriage and a wife's role. We are to submit (I know, such a yucky word in today's day and age) to our husband's leadership. Part of my reason for sending the message was because I felt God prompting me, but the other reason was that I was struggling with this. It is sometimes a very hard thing to do, especially when we (the girls) are so strong willed (and always right - not) and our wonderful guys are more easy-going and laid-back. My prayer is that she will not be offended by my unsolicited advice, but rather take it to heart. My prayer is also that I, too, will take it to heart and start submitting to my own husband. This does not mean that we become a doormat. It means that we have a servant's HEART towards our husband, be his helpmate and partner, and follow his leadership - even when we think it is wrong. Sure, we can talk things over, as part of the partnership of marriage, but ultimately, the husband is "in charge". I know, I know.....even as I type this I am sure you are thinking....."sure, Michelle. You really believe that. Sure." (sarcasm intended) But, honestly, in my heart, I do believe this. My job now is to make sure everyone who knows me sees in me exactly what I believe. Not what I "think" is right.

Baseball 2011

Jacob is playing baseball again. This year his team is the Rays. Therefore, he is my "Ray" of Sunshine. These pictures were from his first game. They won 14-13.....in overtime (3 innings). The game lasted over 2 1/2 hours! He struck out, popped out and then had a single. After the first 2 at-bats, he had to have a swing overhaul. Then he did great!

Becky and Ben Got Married!

Becky and Ben got married on April 30, 2011. Jadyn was their flower girl. What an awesome day! The pictures in the pjs are at the end of the night. I love that even in her sleep she would not let go of her basket full of treasures!