Project 365

August 20, 2009

 

Today, I have: cleaned up puke off the floor (twice), Gorilla Glued my great Grandma's teacup back together, dealt with an unfocused and sleepy 5 year old, spanked 5 year old for choking her brother, picked up buttons from the rug in family room (twice), had countless teachable moments with my children, laughed, and cried.

These days just call for dinosaur and "5" sandwiches, even though said five year old tries to tell me they are S's, and that she is much, much closer to "6" than she is to "5".

These days I am so thankful for wonderful friends who can remind me of why I do what I do and to keep on keepin' on......

even when there's vomit in the carpet (for the third time.)

August 19, 2009

 

This just looks to me like a boy who's had his picture taken once or twice.

August 18, 2009

 

Ansley started back ballet today. This picture has nothing to do with that, though, other than Ansley is in fact in her ballet clothes. This was actually during our Music Time this morning. I got a new kids CD (it came with our curriculum) and they LOVED it. They danced for a good thirty minutes.

What the picture doesn't show is that Ansley was very excited to start ballet back again. We picked up Rylee to take her with us (since Rylee's Mama just had a baby), and then we headed to the Chick after class, since class ended at noon. Coincidentally, Rylee was wearing the same exact shirt that she was wearing at Dollywood, and the same exact crocs (that I swear made her trip) and as we got out of the car, the girls starting running down the sidewalk. I may have had a panic attack as I screamed "Don't run!!" and people looked at me oddly. But they don't know what it does to my heart to see Rylee run now.

And the conversation in the back of the van on the way home from two five-year old girls? Priceless.

August 17, 2009

 

This morning I got up at 5:15 am, unprovoked, and this photo is to prove it. Even if you said well that could be anyone's green eye, the hair is a dead giveaway. This is what time I was walking out the door to meet my friend Rachel for an accountability group that we have formed. It's an accountability group of two, that meets at 6 am, so probably there wouldn't be a lot of eager participants, even if we did open it up. I kind of fretted it the night before, and couldn't get to sleep because I was so worried about not being able to sleep. Isn't that strange?

But once I was up, and eating donuts and chatting with Rachel, it wasn't so bad. It was actually good. Great conversation. And when I got home at 7, I still had an hour before at least one child woke up. So I went out on the deck and spent some time in the Word. A long time. Ansley came out at 8, and asked me what I was doing, which led to more great conversation. Then we started school, so we finished early, too.

And when ten pm rolled around, I could still hold my eyes open. Quite open, really.

All in all, a great way to start the day. And now, if I wanted to motivate myself to get up early to get some things done, getting up at 6 or 6:30 doesn't seem so bad.

Now to implement that idea.......

August 16, 2009

 

This evening we went over to Mark and Leigh Ann's for an outreach event - volleyball. I actually participated and I actually enjoyed it. I think actually is necessary for emphasis in that sentence, even though a bit overused. Ansley and Christian enjoyed playing in the sand and making new friends, and John and I enjoyed 3 games of volleyball. On the way home, even though it was late, we made a pit stop to Sonic, where we enjoyed milkshakes. Just because we love our kids so much.

And maybe we love milkshakes.

August 15, 2009

 

Birthday madness begins again. One month from today, Ansley turns six. She wants an American Girl party, but we are going with a doll party, so as not to exclude those who don't have American Girls. It will be a mama/daughter/doll brunch. And the invitations don't really have a white squiggly line across the bottom, that was just the best I could do to scratch out the address (mostly for all the paranoid people in my life. You know who you are.).

Six!!

August 14, 2009

 

We finished up our week of school with CRAFT DAY! In this house, that ranks right up there with Candy Day or Donut Day or Do Anything You Please Day. They were thrilled to have a little art time. We colored boats, and then glued macaroni noodles on to the edges of the boat. Christian did a pretty good job, and Ansley was meticulous about gluing down her noodles. When I asked if she wanted to do more "macaroni art" she said "no, can I use something pretty now? Macaroni is really a non color."

Of course. Art is all about pretty.

August 13, 2009

 

They enjoy school, it's true. But they also really enjoy our little break in between writing and math, when they can play together once again. Christian is really doing FAR better than I expected with his own activities. This week, anyway. He wakes up every morning and says "Can I have my school puzzle now?" But here they are playing train during one of their breaks. I love that they get this time together.

August 12, 2009

 

Tonight we had Care Group, and towards the end of the evening I looked over and saw John reading to some of the children. I thought it was so cute! And I do mean "some" of the children because in our Care Group there are 20 children, and Ansley is the oldest. Here, Alaina, Anna, Christian and Ansley enjoy a Little House book. I think you had to have an A name to participate.

We are so blessed by our Care Group. I think they like to call them "Care Groups" at our church and not small groups, because it's not really a small group. But it definitely provides care. We love it!

August 11, 2009

 

For approximately twelve years now, there have been box after box in our attic, mostly unopened, of things from my childhood. I have not, for twelve years now, been able to let them go. Even though I never see them, reminisce about them or display them. But I've been hanging onto them for twelve years now. And finally, FINALLY! they are serving a purpose. Well, two items in one of the dozen boxes are serving a purpose anyway. Tucked away in those boxes from years earlier are two photo albums that contain hundreds of stickers. Stickers that I didn't want to stick, so I put them in photo albums so I wouldn't have to peel them off their sticker backs. (Smart kid, wasn't I?) Ansley finds this endlessly fascinating. She has spent every afternoon this week after school looking through these books and asking questions. Who is this guy? (ET) What about this one? (Ziggy) Why do you have a sticker that says Z 93? (Because it was a popular radio station in Atlanta when I was young) And on and on and on....uncovering small memories of my childhood, and providing Ansley with hours of enjoyment. I am so glad I held on to those boxes for so long! And thanks, Mom, for saving them for me!