Summer Days

She's Wet

And these are the culprits.

The rule: Get permission before squirting someone.

Unfortunately for Brooke she can't talk and thus her wants and dislikes are up for interpretation. I think for the most part, this time Elias had the right interpretation.

I think she's thirsty

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BIG GUY

Look who's 6 !?!

My little guy isn't so little anymore.

I got the great idea of making a pizza cake. It was easy, quick and quite yummy. I used a deep dish 14 in pizza pan, red frosing, shaved white chocolate, and fruit leather for the pepperoni. I had to go to two different pizza places to get a box to put the cake in. We tried convincing Elias to have pizza for lunch for his birthday, but he had his heart set on Haystacks .












After we were done eating lunch we pulled out the cake. Elias on the other hand wasn't quite that impressed. It took a little coaxing to get him excited about the cake.

I think part of his lack of excitement over the cake was the delay in opening presents. Who wants cake when there is a world of unknown surprises under all that wrapping paper?

This is my Mom's way of making sure the grandkids know who the gift is from.

What kind of gift could bring this excitement? A squirtgun.

And look who's playing with the toys after the kids all went to bed.

More Sayings

A Rainbow of Conversations.

Some revealing some interesting heart attitudes

1. This conversation began at the grocery store

Elias: Why are you buying those?

Mom: We are going to have carrots with our lunch.

Elias: So I'll be strong enough to wrestle Dad?

Mom: Um, yeah

(After coming home and eating lunch Dad and Elias were wrestling with Dad obviously winning)

Dad: What happened I thought you ate your carrots?

Elias: Yeah, but they came out of my tummy when I went poop

2. I've often heard this since Emma's birthday

Emma: That was a long time ago, back when I was 3

(most recently)

Emma: I won't cry when I get shots anymore because I'm four now. I only cried back when I was young.

3. This happened the other night when I left the kids at a friends house. Her husband and teenage daughter watched all the kids while we had a Mom's meeting for Elias's school.

husband: sat down on the couch to read a book

Emma: climbed up on the couch onto his lap straddling him. She put both hands on his face making him look directly at her and told him "I was talking to you."

(I was so glad this story was relayed to my husband the next day at work and not to me.)

4. As we passes a man on the street I had this conversation with my eldest child. Unfortunaly the man only heard the first sentence and kept on walking.

Elias: That person is strange.

Mom: Elias, that is not kind. Why would you say that?

Elias: Do we know him? Isn't he a stranger?

(Now I ask you, how do explain the fact that someone can be a stranger and not be strange?)

This is the time...

that Alex gets home from work. It's been a month now and we are getting use to a different schedule now that Alex is working the swing shift (3pm-11:30) at UCLA. And so far so good. It's been hard going to sleep without him, but having him home during the day is a definite bonus. We are very thankful for the job God has provided. Alex is working with the plumbing department despite the fact that he has absolutely no experience with plumbing (he's mapping out the manholes on the campus right now and will be doing those type of projects throughout the year). I was not looking forward to the odd hours but so far it has not been bad and we are actually enjoying our mornings. The benefit to this job is that it will enable him to be in class this fall in the mornings. We are very thankful to God for providing for us during our unplanned "3 month vacation". It was very fun having him home and the Lord was so very gracious in providing for us that is almost did feel a little bit like a vacation. We very much appreciate the friends and family that were praying for us.

heart surgery

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am.

At 11:30 pm last night the temperature outside was 90 degrees and this morning it had only ropped to 83!! It is my heart's prayer that Philippians 4:11 would be true of me regardless of my circumstances, but my flesh so loves it's comfort. It may be that the entire city of Los Angeles is having to deal with an early summer heat wave because God is being faithful to his promise in Phil 1:6 and perfecting his work in me. But thankfully, there is also the promise of Romans 8:28, and I know that although others may be suffering because of my need for high temperatures, that God will work it out for their good. Because He is a good and sovereign God who works all things together for everyone who loves him.

I have recently been wrestling with the idea of contentment. I know that God is completely in control, and that every circumstance is not only allowed but ordained by him. But that fact does not put contentment to rest in me. I know and believe the truths of Romans 8:28 that God is working all things together for good. My lack of contentment lies in the definition of "good". I want the good to be my pleasure, my comfort, my ease. I often don't care if that good is "me being conformed into his image". When it comes down to it I value my pleasure over my being conformed into His image.

So now what? How do I learn to value being conformed into His image? How do I not only believe God is sovereign, but be thankful that he is sovereign and working against my flesh to conform me into the precious image of His son. Maybe I've just answered my question. Maybe I need to study and meditate on the image of His Son, consuming my thoughts with that image that is so very precious and to be treasured. Any thoughts?

Eat your Veggies!!!

So clean you could eat off the floor

Ok, I had just mopped the floor the night before, but if I hadn't it really wouldn't have changed my actions. This morning while making a salad I dropped a bunch of frozen corn on the floor. Multiple responses ran through my head: a) sweep it up and throw it away b) gently pick up the pieces and toss them in the salad (hey, I had just mopped the night before) c) call the kids to come and have a snack. My kids love frozen vegetables (if I don't cook them). I need to remember this healthy snack. Often, however, it's just a snack they get when I make a mess and call them to come clean up. Frozen corn is thier favorite, but they'll clean up frozen mixed veggies pretty quickly.

Fireman Elias

When I grow up...

I want to be a firetruck. I can't tell you how many times I've corrected Elias and told him no a fireman. His response, "yeah I want to be a fireman." Somehow though, firetruck is stuck in there and tomorrow if I asked him he would revert back to firetruck.

One of the elders at our church is a captain at the local fire department and on occasion gives tours to the youngsters. These pictures are from two different occasions, a Calvary Kids field trip, and a father and son outing.

Vacation Part 4

Fun in the Sun
I'm finally getting the last of our vacation pictures up. We took a break from swimming at the pool and found a fun beach that had lots of tidepools to explore.

Going to the beach is not quite as relaxing as it was a couple of years ago. I remember 2 years ago trying to coax the older two into the water, just to splash thier feet. Since then they've overcome their fear and have gained a sibling who has never had fear of the water. No more laying in the sun at the beach while the kids play in the sand. It is still fun, but now we just make sure we have time to take a nap when we get home.

All tuckered out

Knights Beware

It all started with this...

This was one of the books from our most recent trip to the library. The book is about how Henry's boring day is turned into a medieval adventure when his Mom suggests they build a castle out of a refrigerator box. The book is filled with pictures of dad cutting, mom drawing and Henry stapling. And although I haven't yet read the book to Elias, he has memorized the pictures and has been talking about them all day explaining to me how we could make a castle and who would have what job (according to who did what in the book). And sorry for Emma, "there's no sister in the book so she can't help build the castle", according to her most loving brother.

Well, we had no refrigerator box and really no room big enough to build such a monstrosity (or enough patience on my part). What we did have was a small box, some construction paper and a black marker. And although I know my craft project pales in comparison to my incredibly talented sis-n-law , my son's opinion of me grew leaps and bounds this evening as he marveled at his developing castle.

Emma and Elias had quite the discussion as they were deciding what toys to use with their new castle. After learning that cars and castles don't usually go together, Elias surrendered to Emma's suggestion of using her toys too. So as you can see there are Rescue Heroes and Power Rangers mounted on My Little Ponies storming the castle. And the best part is that it took so long to construct that the kids had about 2 minutes to play with it before bedtime. This means that tomorrow I should get at least 30 minutes of play with no no arguing and maybe another half hour with some mild disagreements, but hopefully 60 minutes of "new toy - mom has a few minutes to breath" time. We'll see how it goes. At the end of the book Henry is wearing a crown, so I may have yet another craft project waiting for me. Thankfully I have a very easy to please son.

FREE

Did you know???

Some Regal Theatres are showing FREE kids movies this summer. I hope there is one in your neck of the woods. If nothing else it's free airconditioning. Click here to find a theatre near you. By the way, are you allowed to bring snacks into the theatre? My philosphy has always been don't ask don't tell. What do you think?