Energy Like a Cow

So, I know that kids are tweaked…all of them. It’s just their nature.  I have one especially super tweaker kid, but they are all their share of tweaked.

My super tweaker (not mentioning any names and I bet none of you can guess, right?  Right!!)  is a really loud, crazy, odd, darling, funny, talented, child who makes weird noises constantly (I think I need to write Julian Smith’s mom and ask if she was worried when he was young…..the answer probably won’t make me feel any better, but might help me prepare emotionally for the future).  He was being unusually loud(er) and I was holding my head saying stop, stop, stop you’re driving me crazy.  And he said “I can’t mom, I have the energy of a cow”.  Hm.  Oh…..yeah……I get it….no, I don’t.…  Here ‘s his explanation:  “Cows are moving, moving, moving their mouths all day long…chew, chew, chew.  They never stop moving their mouths…..they have lots of energy…..just like me”.  Okay.  Yep, I get the mouth thing. – boy do I.  And be assured that this wisdom was offered about 40 decibels above normal in a squeaky, cartoon character voice.  Tweaker.   Did I mention that he plays the drums?  Figures, huh?

Last night, we were talking about everyone getting older and Josiah being out of the house in the next few years most likely (and I am getting sad), and the tweaker blurts out, without even a second to contemplate – natural as anything….”Yeah, and I’ll move out with him.  I still won’t have to pay rent and he will have good recording equipment then and a way better drum kit than I have now”……huh.  And so we were thrown off in a mere instant for better gear.  I see how this works.  The rest of us laughed really hard, but he was serious.  

Dress Up Wars

category: wizards

It started out with just three of them; they amused themselves Saturday with a great idea of Elisha's.....Dress Up Wars. Eventually, Elisha herself jumped in. The idea was to put dress up categories in a hat, draw one out, dress up the best they could and then have Mom judge the best costume. You gotta love it when they get creative and have fun for hours without the use of any technological devices. Here are the categories and winners.

winner: Elias

winner: rockers

winner: Isaiah

category: Medieval

winner: Princess Elisha

winner: Isaiah

taker of blurry photographs: Mom

and an honorable mention: Elisha from the Revolutionary War

category: Star Wars

winner: Micah as Princess Leia as she looked in "The Empire Strikes Back"

category: western (3 cowboys and 1 indian)

winner: tie between Elias and Isaiah

category: rangers (inspired, I believe, by the Ranger's Apprentice books)

winner: Elisha

The category: business people

the winner: Elias. The tie and briefcase sealed the deal

Category: NERDS

Clearly, we have been watching a bit too much of Blimey Cow.

Oh So Cute

A few weeks ago, around Josiah's b-day when I scanned the photos from his album to post, I also found some really cute ones of the kids when they were younger........oh, my, they were darling. They still are, of course, but there's nothing like having 4 little people under 5 to present you with total craziness and cuteness all balled up into one package. Micah hates the ones in which she is NOT - because she just WASN'T yet - she says it isn't fair and that we ought to get rid of all those. So, anyway, I had to post some of these....ah the memories. My parents will appreciate it and Kelly will breathe a sweet sigh of remembrance (remember how long we called Elias, Baby?). What I wouldn't give to do it all over again.

Look at the stinky crossing her eyes and sabatoging family photos....she was 4.

The first day of school - Josiah - 1st grade, Elisha - Kindergarten, Isaiah and Elias - along for the ride. Look how chubby Elias' little cheeks are!! That was before he decided that he only liked peanut butter, spaghetti, and meatballs.

playing car

The Long-haired Kings of France in the Middle Ages. I think they were more fierce-looking that this, and probably didn't have multi-colored hair.

One of my all-time, very favorites - and Micah IS in this one - she's just a few weeks undercooked. I am sure that she will not be consoled by that fact.

Hey, look, it's the Village People

Teenagers are Detrimental to Your Sleep

OOHHHHH. If I had known that teenagers cause you such lack of sleep, I would have slept WAY more in college to make up for it. Why don't they just go to sleep? And why do they want to talk about everything under the sun at 11:30 pm?? Can't they do that at 7:30pm? Don't get me wrong - I WANT to talk about everything under the sun with my kids, but I mean, heck, we homeschool - we are here all day together....why is said kid not worried about how he wants to record the vocals on that song or what guitar he wants to use at 8:30? Just wondering why those things are not important until the "it's time for mom (and YOU!) to go to bed" time. Can't they remember that at 7 am, when I come down to drag them out of bed, they will be in a totally comatose condition because of this?? Doesn't he know that I am OLD now????

Goodnight Mom (with apologies to Margaret Wise Brown)

To tired moms everywhere who can relate - maybe just a little! ha

Goodnight Mom
by Sarah Jio

In the messy green family room
There was a telemarketer ringing the telephone
And a crying toddler because his brother just popped his red balloon
And a picture of -

The cow jumping over the moon
(which someone colored on with permanent marker)
And there was a missing teddy bear, and a girl with gum in her hair

And one to be scolded
And laundry to be folded
And a very hungry spouse
And something stinky in the house
(that no one else seemed to smell)

And a comb and a brush and a colicky
baby who just won't shush
And a frazzled mommy screaming #*%#@

Goodnight messy room
Goodnight scribbled-on moon
Goodnight cow getting out while she can
Goodnight telemarketers and the popped balloon
Goodnight long-gone teddy bear
Goodnight cereal bar smeared all over the dining room chair

Goodnight spitup
And goodnight leaky sippy cup
Goodnight much-too-little house and goodnight grumpy spouse
Goodnight comb and goodnight brush
And goodnight to a certain 4-year-old who just needs to hush right now I mean it

Goodnight Elmo
Goodnight toys we'll pick up tomorrow,
Or the next day
Hello chardonay and TiVo -
"me" time, finally


Now the last two lines, really aren't my fancy, but you gotta love that poem!

Raining on the Inside

This afternoon, while we were in the garage up to our ankles in bison (we were filling individual cuts orders for our trip to San Diego next week), Josiah came running out to tell us that water was coming in downstairs in the "shop". I ran in to see what was going on and was shocked to see water pouring in from the ceiling and down the walls. Did I mention that it was pouring?? A water pipe let loose.

That all came on the heels of a very non-productive morning. I had to get all of our butchering specifications to the butcher this morning, but when I called him, he was way too busy to take them over the phone. He asked me to fax them. It took me about 1 1/2 hours to get everything lined out with each animal: how each half/quarter/whole was being processed and who went with what animal. I got up from the computer and when I went back, it was all G-O-N-E. So...... I had to do it all over again. At the same time, Brad had started filling cuts orders. The first one was large and Brad didn't see the second page (probably because I hadn't stapled them together) which had things separated out (friends had gotten together on the order but wanted to know what each person owed separately). He put the entire order together (weighed it and all) and then saw the second sheet and had to start all over again.....then came the flood.

The Millers came over to help rescue us. After seeing all of this and hearing about our morning, Peggy Sue invited us for over dinner - I gladly accepted. What a friend!!

Of course, kids don't see things the way we do - we see the mess, the ruined things, the added work, and the frustration of it all. But, apparently, rain on the inside is quite convenient to people under 12. When the rain came pouring down, Micah scooped up her Polly Pockets and was overheard whispering to them, "Let's go swimming!". A few minutes later, she asked Brad, "Can I get my swim suit on?" (the answer was no!). She and Elisha then got out their Polly Pocket Water World and headed off for the middle of the mess. What a great day!! It is all about perspective, isn't it?

What Not to do with a Bear

This summer, there have been a few signs that there is a small black bear in the area. Then last week early Friday morning, Steve Mader saw him heading toward what we call the Curry side of the ranch (also our summer campsite on the ranch). Later that morning, three of the kids saw him in the archery field while horseback riding. So, that afternoon, what did they do? Yep, 4 of them took off with their BEE BEE guns to find the BEAR. Now, I don't know about you, but when I know/think that a bear in anywhere near, I go the other way. I guess that's where me and 4 little, 9-12 year old boys differ (I hope that there are other ways as well!). Nash saw it first, but everyone else just thought it was a rock (they say that they were not looking at the actual bear at first, but something else that they thought Nash was pointing to). Eventually, after shooting that direction with their sling shots and bee bee guns, the rest of them realized that this was, in fact, a bear - a sleeping bear who would not be sleeping for long. Josiah started backing up and decided that they all ought to leave Mr. Bear alone (well, DUH!). Nash had been pumping up Josiah's pellet gun all the way over there and didn't want to waste the shot. You know, who wants to waste a perfectly good pellet gun shot?? Apparently, Nash is a good shot, and according to them, this is how it all went:
bee bee gun firing ........ ping ........... "RROOOOAAAAARRR" - bear is awake now!......4 wailing boys with swiftly running feet ....... galloping bear heading their way. Isaiah said that he kept looking back and saw the bear coming after them. They got to the gate and shut it (iron gate, about 3 feet high - not really a bear deterrent!) and ran as fast as their feet could go to the house - screaming the whole way. We were in the kitchen when they came busting through the door all talking at once about "it" chasing them. They were all freaking out (as they very well should have been). We figured that if that bear wanted to get them, it easily could have done so and, therefore, it was either scared of those 4 bellowing, hysterical, man-children or it wanted to give them a good scare. It did that for sure. We all had a good laugh about it later because as Ma Wilder always said "All's Well that Ends Well", but thankfully, they never want to see a bear again. So the moral of the story is......NEVER shoot a bear with a bee bee gun!! Is that new news to any of you? Maybe you ought to pass it along to your boys!

A Little Dirt

Yesterday, we went to the Rickel's/Mallery's to help them with some gardening (and to spend some sweet time with them). We got a lot done and had a great time doing it. I am certain that Honour had the best time, though - he was wearing fun all over him. He was very interested in analyzing the cucumber mounds we were digging with his feet. We decided that what the little man needed was his own piece of dirt over which to take dominion. And boy did he.

This is how he looked at the beginning...just a tad of cookie on the face

Here he is at the end - One with the dirt.

To see the progression of dirtiness (and all the work that we did) you will have to look at the rest of the photos. It wasn't just him that ended up muddy - the girlies all had a great time helping him in his conquest. We hosed everyone's feet and hands off pretty well, but when the girls and I stopped at the Farmer's Market, the library and the grocery store in Columbia Falls on the way home we were quite a sight. The girls were filthy (Micah looked like she and her dress had been dragged through a bog). Our feet were so dirty (even hosed off) and when I got home, I found that I had a big, muddy blob on the back of my shirt! I thought people were probably wondering what kind of mother I was to let my kids run around like that. The girls said that I should be EXTRA nice to them while we were out so that no one thought I was a rotten mom. I think they were vying for ice cream.

Micah the Biker

The other day, Josiah called me outside because Micah had picked up a bike, asked for helped getting on and peddled away. Last October, Josiah was trying to teach her to ride - she got it for a minute and then just could not stick with it and gave up out of frustration and that was the end of that until now. Today, however, was different; no lessons, nothing. She just decided to do it and then did (here's the video). How fun is that? No frustration, no crying, and no scraped up knees. You gotta love it. Now, how many other things would work that way - wait until they are ready and "poof" you just saved yourself all sorts of time and trouble. Maybe grammar is that way - all of a sudden they get it and don't ask for the 400th time in the same year (at lesson 75) - "what's a subject again?".

Friends

Our stay with the Curles was unbelievable. I still cannot believe how much fun it was and how well everyone got along. There were 2 moms, two dads and 11 kids - the moms and kids all day every day - living together in blissful harmony. What fun it was. The creativity that flowed was inspiring. The house looked like a bomb went off during each day until we did a tidy each late afternoon. Josiah had read The Lord of the Rings books this winter, so he was allowed to watch the movies with Katelynn, Campbell, and McKenzie (who are bona fide fanatics - as you will see from our SD photos - swords, dresses....). Isaiah and Campbell decided to read The Hobbit together out loud and then to listen to it on tape as they read along. Katelynn made the world's best cheesecake for my birthday. The kids baked cookies. Kimberlynn and I sewed darling purses for ourselves and her neighbor who gave us the fabric. The girls sewed, the little people (Elias, Micah, Kathryn, Wayne) made finger puppets and put on a little show (The Puppets Who Don't do Anything), Elisha and Campbell made jewelry, Isaiah and McKenzie worked on refinishing and painting a wood project, Josiah sat in on Mac and Kate's online essay writing class.........creativity ran rampant. They all interacted so beautifully. Who buddied up with whom varied by day and activity. One part of a day Isaiah and Campbell would do everything together and then another time Elisha and Campbell were inseperable. Katelynn and Josiah would be doing something together and then Katelynn and Isaiah would decide to bake while McKenzie and Josiah were discussing books. Caroline and Elias were always together - they are best buddies. It was all lovely. Our kids all love each other so much - it is like being with family (minus all the bickering). It was a wonderful experience. Kimberlynn and I laughed, did laundry, talked, did laundry, played, did laundry, and enjoyed each other's company just doing nothing. And we so enjoyed each other's children. I am thankful for the Curles and our friendship with them......it isn't just Kimberlynn that I miss - it is the whole package. I love those Curles girls (and the boy!). Oh how we miss them.

The Three Questions

Every night for the past two years (appx - maybe more!), Isaiah has asked "the three questions" at bedtime. Now, I guess I cannot say EVERY night, because I am sure that he has missed some here and there, but almost EVERY night.
Question #1 - "Can I sleep with you?".
Question #2 - "Can I sleep in the girls' room?" (when Q.1 fails).
Question #3 - "Can I have some ice cream?".
He is like that woman whom Jesus told about who continually badgered the judge until she got the answer that she wanted (did I use my pronouns correctly there? - I have just learned the proper use of who/whom this year thanks to 4th grade Rod and Staff English). It has gotten to the point where Brad, when he sees Isaiah approaching at bedtime, will say "No....No....and No. Now go to bed". Every once in a great while, Isaiah's persistence pays off with a yes to Question #1 and all the rest of the kids get all bent out of shape complaining that Isaiah got to sleep with us LAST time. Our response is always, "well, YOU didn't ask". They hate that, but no one else has figured out that if you ask enough times, you might eventually get a yes. :)