All the Little Things

A few weeks ago, when the remnants of Hurricane Michael came through, we got 6+ inches of rain and a tree fell down. The tree is still laying in our yard. Someday we will have a sunny Saturday and it will get taken care of!

Isaiah had his 4 year well check. My least favorite of all the well checks because it has a lot of shots. So I had myself all worked up for a difficult visit...and Isaiah was awesome. He stood on the scales, talked to the doctor and didn't even flinch during the shots. This kid has a different personality than my others! I walked out of the store with pizza, doughnuts and a paw patrol kinderegg for him.

Jeremy and I went to a Mercy Me concert and the children spent the night with Janell. We had a lot of fun at the concert.

I finally worked up the nerve to bake the 20 pound turkey that was given to me almost a year ago. I'm not afraid anymore! It turned out very well with plenty of leftovers!

I came downstairs one morning this week and found Isaiah half on the couch with the blanket over his head sound asleep. I wished I could do the exact same thing.

This is going to be what my children talk about when they look back on their childhood. And, at this point, I think they will talk about it with the fondest of memories. They are often all playing the same game--there is always conversation during the day about who will play what game with who during computer times. There is almost constant conversation, exclamations, team work and the older ones are very patient in helping Isaiah when he gets stuck. But don't underestimate how much Isaiah can do on his own! This will probably always be the area of motherhood where I struggles with the most feelings of guilt and failure too.

Isaiah has been hanging out with Aliza while she does school. I can't quite figure out how she gets anything done, but she does. I find them on my bed with all of Isaiah's stuffed animals watching Aliza's lesson. She is busy doing her work while keeping up the game of "Moms and Dads" with Isaiah.

Jeremy was out of town for 3 days this week.This time I slept pretty well while he was away. And no bats came in the house--that's my worst case scenario when he's away overnight.

Every night, when I tuck Aliza in, she tells me how much she appreciates me and all I do. Sweet, sweet moments.

Fall Flowers

Dahlias have been the star of the flowerbed this fall. It's been really fun to have late blooming flowers. Dahlias were another experiment worked out well.

Josiah helped me put the brick border around the flowerbed. It looks permanent now!

The colors changed as the season and temperature changed. This dahlia was on the same bush as the pure white/yellow one in the first picture.

These large dahlias were so fun!

Apples and Pumpkins

The weather didn't feel like fall. It was hot! Josiah was so excited to pick apples. His idea of picking apples included climbing trees and he got to do that.

And then we decorated pumpkins which consisted of each child picking out a pumpkin and then having access to a table of art supplies to use to decorate the pumpkin. These three girls had the time of their lives.

Did I mention they had unrestricted, unlimited use of the art supplies??

Isaiah concentrated so hard on painting the stem of his pumpkin.

Anna had her pumpkin just about finished...

...when she decided she wasn't satisfied with it and proceeded to wash the paint off with a wet paintbrush.

And then she started again. This was the her finished mess on the table. Water, glitter, paint.

Everybody's pumpkins lined up while Janell and I helped the lady in charge clean up our table. Our table was considerable more messy than any other. In fact, our table had to have new paper put down--no one else's table needed that while we were there.

by Aliza

by Josiah

by Anna

by Isaiah

Kitchen Update

The hero of this story is my Mom. There is no way I would have started this project on my own. I wouldn't have even dreamed up this project on my own.

This is the before picture:

In June, while we were on vacation Mom painted the faux brick white. I LOVED it.

The next step was painting the upper cabinets white.

Mom and I did the upper cabinets in a day. Anna helped paint the doors. I really loved the white. Aliza hated it and she was sure to let me know!

Then it was my job to paint the rest of the walls. I broke it down into sections and over the next few weeks or month I got it down! I let Anna use the roller behind the refrigerator. She was so thrilled. Anna has been the most faithful helper in this project.

I was dreading doing this slated door. But it ended up that I started it on a day that my Grandad brought the mower up. So he sat in the kitchen and talked to me while Jeremy mowed the grass. That made the job much more enjoyable--having someone to talk to.

After I got the walls painted at the beginning of September, I told Mom that I had the goal of having all the painting done by Isaiah's birthday party the end of Sept. I didn't realize how big that goal was! Mom went all in and I helped her get it done!

First we removed the lower cabinet doors. I had awesome helpers! Mom took the doors to her house and stripped 3 layers of paint and varnish off.

Then Mom came up and I helped her strip the paint off the cabinets. (I'm ok if I never have to strip anything again!) This picture has stayed in my mind though--sometimes progress looks a lot like destruction.
My only claim to fame is that I stripped the drawers by myself on another day.

While Mom primed and painted the cabinet doors at her house, I primed the cabinets and drawers. By I, I mean, Josiah, Anna and Isaiah primed the cabinets.

All 3 of them stuck with it and knocked out the priming pretty fast!

Then it was time to paint the cabinets. And, actually, Mom painted them while we were at choir. I spray painted the hinges and Jeremy hung the cabinet doors---all in time for Isaiah's birthday party.

The color is dark gray--not black. I couldn't get the light just right. I love love love it! Now there are some dreams circulating for the floor, ceiling, counter and pantry area.

And, yes, Mom is my hero!

Celebrating Isaiah

Isaiah has been talking about a birthday party for months and one thing always stayed the same--he wanted a Paw Patrol cake. I haven't decorated a cake for a few years so I was a little skeptical if I could pull it off. Jeremy agreed to help with the artistic details and so, with teamwork, we ended up with a cake Isaiah was pretty excited about.

Isaiah was also very excited about the Paw Patrol masks.

He loved opening presents. The hardest part was putting down the opened first gift to open the next one.

Blowing out candles was a bit of a challenge! The cake may have received a shower, but he got them all blown out!

I sortof wanted to pretend like his birthday was Saturday so that when his *real* birthday rolled around on Thursday I wouldn't have to make a big deal about it. But that isn't how it worked. 

Isaiah did have a wonderful actual birthday. All week he asked for a kinder egg. That's a hollow chocolate egg with hard candy on the inside and a toy inside the box. He opened the kinder egg first and kept it in his hand while he opened his "big" gift. And, yes, that was his breakfast.

He had a tea party at Grandma's house. This is how it worked--he got to pick his teacup, tea spoon and tea bag. Then he added sugar cubes and ice cubes and he stirred and stirred. As soon as he was ready to taste the tea, his cup spilled. He cried alligator tears. And so he got another cup of tea and added sugar cubes and ice cubes and stirred and stirred. That one didn't spill, but I honestly can't remember if he actually drank any tea.

Blowing candles went more smoothly the second time around!

That night when Isaiah fell asleep while I was rocking him, I lingered a little longer than usual.

Joy Dare::September

5735. Chai and catching up
5736. Getting to hear the sermon
5737. Finished project

5738. Feeling rejuvenated
5739. Aliza did really well on her first science test
5740. S'mores and book club questions
5741. Lingering and animated dinner conversation
5742. So many people helping Aliza collect insects
5743. A book gifted to me
5744. Extra exercise
5745. Catching up a little with Laura
5746. Josiah has had the best attitude
5747. A week of school finished
5748. Ice cream to remember Gramma
5749. Visiting with Grandad
5750. Kitchen walls painted
5751. Pantry cleaned and organized
5752. Laughing until I was crying
5753. "I"m so happy I could burst into glitter." Aliza
5754. Very restful Sunday
5755. More pretty dahalias
5756. Josiah leading the family conga line
5757. Happy, team working helpers (unscrewing cabinet hinges)

5758. Homemade milkshakes

5759. A storm coming gets the yard/deck cleaned up
5760. Renee and Lydia here
5761. Anna loved dance
5762. Josiah running off to club happy and excited
5763. Aliza helping Anna with school work
5764. My Mom loving me with acts of service
5765. Beautiful holy moments
5766. Extending forgiveness and being forgiven
5767. Janell's eloquence
5768. The girls were really positive about choir
5769. Delivering a gift
5770. The cashier who insisted on putting the bags in my cart
5771. A day with my sisters and Mom
5772. Seeing my aunt
5773. Janell talking to me the whole way home
5774. She was ok and calm all day
5775. Long Sunday nap
5776. Listening to the sermon for a few weeks
5777. Somehow I got it all done
5778. A well beyond adequate rental car
5779. It's so fun to surprise the children with going out for ice cream
5780. Looking at our new family pictures
5781. Helpers to do the primer coat
5782. Seeking advice
5783. Letting go
5784. Drove the Suburban without incident
5785. New Bible study to start
5786. Lighter school day
5787. Planning a birthday party for Isaiah
5788. Helping Phil and Linda move
5789. The children had the best attitudes
5790. Cook Out milkshakes
5791. Carry out for supper!
5792. Playing and reading with Isaiah
5793. Kitchen painting finished
5794. Day of rest--quite literally!
5795. Notes in the mirror condensation
5796. Nothing extra today
5797. Choosing peace
5798. Ordered bulbs for spring flowers
5799. Little boy hugs
5800. Jeremy home safely
5801. Brownies cut from the middle of the pan

5802. Aliza expresses how grateful she is that I'm her Mom
5803. Challenged to study
5804. Kitchen cabinet doors hung
5805. Saw Dad's truck and stopped to say hi
5806. Watching a show with my girls
5807. Learning to watch God work
5808. Company coming=whole house clean at the same time
5809. Found a park to play at during choir
5810. Grandma and Grandpa are here!
5811. Isaiah loved his birthday party
5812. The cake turned out pretty well
5813. Visiting around the table
5814. Jeremy got to golf
5815. I got to read
5816. Cake and ice cream snack