Category Archives: Project 365

Daily Life, Project 365

P365 – Day 52 (Sleepy children?)

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In keeping with Tim’s comments from yesterday’s blog about bedtimes, I thought I would post some pictures of the children tucked sweetly into their beds.

Daniel

I’m not sure Daniel really looks very sleepy. Got a little carried away with the chapstick there, kiddo.

Daniel and David had their lights out (flashlights don’t count, right?) so they were close to sleep. Maybe. We won’t go into what time it was. Definitely past “bed time.”

david in bed

David looks WAY too awake and cheerful for someone who is supposed to be ASLEEP!

Of course, look what happened when Adam drifted off to sleep in that pretty little garden.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Genesis 2:21

Yikes! Didn’t he have a few surprises coming. Now I doubt the boys need to worry about this sort of thing happening again but there are other scriptures that talk about sleeping.

Proverbs 6:9-11

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest
and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

sarah in bed

This girl is NOT a sluggard – we have pictures of her cleaning!

rachel's reading in bed

Turn the light off and go to bed, girlie!

Of course, as an ever hungry 13 year old, Joshua hopes this Proverb will prove true in our house.

Proverbs 29:13
Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
stay awake and you will have food to spare.

joshua

Would someone please feed this growing, hulking teenager! Oh, wait, I think he’s chewing on a piece of leftover piece of pizza in this picture. Never mind, that should hold him for 15 minutes or so.

Tim, who has been up since ‘oh dark thirty,’ was still working when I took these “sleeping” shots. He looked a bit bleary eyed and focused and asked to be excused from the photo shoot. He was the only one of the bunch who really WANTED to be asleep.

“Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people.”
[Obscure Movie Quote - can you name this movie?]

Or perhaps Tim was just afraid his ‘shaggy’ look would be too much for the cameras. Sorry, Hon, maybe tomorrow you’ll get that haircut.

Again – we did lots of other things today (including school, a luncheon with some Bible study ladies, an eye appointment for Rachel, chores, church activities for some of the family, and a power walk this evening for me) but none of them were captured on film so they end up in this P.S. section. Such is life on the blog.

Kathy

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Daily Life, Project 365, Sarah

P365 – Day 51 (Sarah Cleans)

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Sometimes you have long hours in which to think up creative and witty blogs. Other times life intrudes (the nerve) and you actually have to make meals, do dishes, and teach school. Sigh. This was one of those days. The entire day went by with nary a picture taken. Gasp. It looked like Tuesday would come to a close with no picture in sight.

Thankfully Sarah stepped forward and did something note (or photo) worthy. Finally some inspiration for today’s blog.

sarah and the wipes

Yes, it was bedtime and she was supposed to be tucked away under covers but we can overlook a great deal when there are disinfective wipes in hand.

Sarah has taken great ownership of the kids’ upstairs bathroom. This is the second or third time I’ve found her cleaning it – WITHOUT BEING ASKED. Really, this is unheard of among my children. They are wonderful helpers but there is usually prodding, money or candy involved in some way shape or form.

Here Sarah works away straightening up the counter. Must have those cups in a proper line.

cups in line

Her entire day was made when I came by and offered to let her wash the mirror. Ah, it’s a privilege to bring such joy to my children. “Gasp! I can clean the mirror LIKE THAT?” she said as I boosted her up onto the countertop with paper towel and Windex in hand. It did make me pause, just a bit, to wonder what OTHER ways she was cleaning the mirror. But there was no time for reflection it was time to scrub.

sarah's mirror

There’s something so sweet about a little one helping with chores around the house (especially in her purple pajamas). Look how she lives out the verses in Proverbs 31:

She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

You are an inspiration to us all, Sarah.

Later on Tim took the boys off for some sit ups and push ups instructions (those Army days are never too far away). It also would have made for a great blog but I was settled under the covers with my BSF lesson in hand and couldn’t be budged. Next time.

Kathy

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Daniel, Project 365

P365 – Day 50 (Daniel’s Haircut)

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I’m going to try something truly novel this evening – a short Project 365 post. There are lots of other ladies on the Project 365 webring who manage to post a SINGLE picture and include just a line or two (at most a paragraph) for their daily blog.

Of course, I’m not being completely sincere (or honest) since I have a stack of pictures loaded for a different blog. [rubbing hands with glee and chortling] This one, however, is going to be short and sweet. The next one is going to be sweet as well but not so short.

All of the boys in the household (yes, those sweet innocent dears from the previous post who burn Peeps, send Noah flying to the sky, and brandish weapons whenever possible) need hair cuts. Normally I would line them up and do the whole crew in one evening. Stack ‘em, pack ‘em, and chop ‘em??? [That's a botched version of another Obscure Movie Quote "Stack em, pack 'em, and rack 'em". Anyone know that one??]

On to the (short) blog. Somehow all the relaxing and playing we did today took a lot of time and energy so I only managed to cut Daniel’s hair.

kathy and danielhe's smiling

He’s smiling (barely) but I don’t think I’m going to get a nice tip after this cut.

Hopefully the rest of the boys will have their turn tomorrow night. We can’t have these handsome fellas looking shaggy. We had a nice President’s Day. Tim declared “Holiday Hours” and we watched movies, played computer games, blogged, paid bills (okay some things are more fun than others), went grocery shopping, decorated a birthday cake, and so on.

Kathy

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David, Joshua, Project 365, Silliness

P365 – Day 49 Noah’s Terrible Journey

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There is a blessing that comes from growing up with three brothers – you have years of understanding that can only come through experience. Boys = wrestling, fighting, admiration of strange bodily noises and odors, explosions of all kinds, insects, speed based food eating contests, expectoration, wild driving (from tricycles, scooters, and bikes to mopeds, motorcycles and cars) and so on.

I distinctly remember my mother saying (more than once), “If you boys are going to kill each other go downstairs so I can make dinner.”

I have been amazed to hear the strangest things come out of my own mouth.

“In this family we do NOT sit on the top of the bed and spit down into the bottom bunk.”
“No, you may not use a screw driver to cut down a tree.”
“Next time take off your rollerblades before you ride your bike down the driveway.”
No, you may not take apart that chair, I’m sitting on it.”
“How much blood are we talking about?”
“Put your brother’s gun down.”
“Put your brother down.”
“Put me down.”

I could go on but my eye begins to twitch just remembering some of these ‘hearty’ boy encounters. People often talk about their children needing therapy when they grow up – I think it’s mothers of boys who will be lounging on the dr’s leather couch one day. Of course, who needs the doctor, I’d be content just to have some time (uninterrupted, PLEASE!) on a comfy couch. But I digress.

Time ater time I have thanked the Lord for giving me brothers. Without them I would surely think my sons are crazy, sick, abnormal creatures who should be rushed to the doctor. Why would you pop the head off of innocent looking dolls? Why would you sharpen a branch into a pointed weapon and immediately charge upon your beloved brother? Why would you turn a simple chore of putting away silverware into an imaginary duel between knives and forks? Why would you want to send Noah flying to the sky?

Oh, that brings me to Sunday’s post.

For his birthday Joshua bought David an Air Hogs Scream’n Stream’n Rocket from Target. The kids had all sorts of fun going outside and shooting off the rockets. It works great – the rockets fly high into the air.

rocket
Boys also = running, screaming, shouting, and shooting. Explosions, again, are always key.

We had a very full Sunday, ending in Bible study at our house. The kids behaved beautifully – they played nicely (and quietly) in the garage while we watched our Love and Respect dvd. Afterwards one family stayed late and joined us for dinner and games. The grownups played cards.

tim wins

Tim humbly points out his winning score.

The girls played upstairs. Joshua set up a huge battlefield for David.

soldiersjoshua's soldiers

At some point in the evening, as the hour grew late and the children squirelly, Joshua and David, in a bond of bizarre brotherhood, decided to study scripture (this being the sabbath and all). The passage they chose was from Genesis 6.

God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

Teaching through illustration and acting is often a very powerful tool and one we encourage in our family. Joshua, being the wise and mature older brother, came up with an idea of how to help David more fully understand these verses in Genesis.

noah's doom

Apparently the practices of these people were even more debased and bloodthirsty then we suspected.

David (no doubt unwillingly) agreed to play the part of some of Noah’s tormentors.

david posed to shoot

Noah, I’m afraid these are terrible times.

noah flies

After such troubles some quiet, peaceful time on an ark full of animals doesn’t sound so bad.

Kathy

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P365 – Day 48 (Going to the Zoo)

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This is NOT David’s birthday blog. Sounding a bit like a broken record here. Sorry. I haven’t forgotten David. I have LOTS of great pictures from his birthday (which, in our family, never lasts only ONE day). I just haven’t written his blog yet. Truth be told I was hoping Tim would jump in and post about David. I would provide the pictures (more than anyone could possibly want to see) and he would provide the pithy, insightful, deep, loving blog. Doesn’t that sound great. Ha! Surely we can come up with 6 things about David that are worth blogging. [Grin]

david and sarah

David and Sarah on the zoo playground.

The sun was shining when we woke up this morning. For the children it was probably before 8 am but for the grownups in the house it was deliciously close to, or maybe even after, 9 am. We truly have the best children in the world – they know how to be QUIET on Saturday mornings and let their dear old parents sleep in.

Tim and I wanted to do a fun outing for David’s birthday (since we weren’t throwing him a party this year). Somehow, however, over the last two weeks we’ve done all the things we had in mind for celebrating his b-day. First David suggested McDonald’s Playland. Yes! That would be great. Cheap, easy, relatively painless. Then my folks came to town and we went to McD’s for lunch. Hmmm. Check that box. Next we thought of a trip to the theater. Perfect, we haven’t been to the movies in months. We got on the computer and watched previews from Charlotte’s Web and Night at the Museum, debating about which to see. Then Tim’s parents called, out of the blue, and invited us to a viewing of Charlotte’s Web. How could we resist? Hmmm. Another box checked.

What to do? What to do?

climbing kids

Look at that sunshine! Yes, this picture was taken in February! In Washington! Truly amazing. No wonder there were hundreds of people at the zoo today.

The big kids had their eyes set on a fun center of some sort (like Chuck E. Cheese). When Tim and I saw the sun trying to get through our blinds, waking us up at the wonderfully late hour of 9 am (I’m obviously still savoring the memory of sleeping in this morning) we thought maybe a trip to the zoo would be fun.

kiddos

Joshua is WAY too tall for these group shots. Again, note the WA sunshine. Sarah can’t even keep her eyes open.

The big kids fixed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while Tim threw in extras for lunch (crackers, fruit, treats, etc). I made myself a salad and off we went. We had a great time at the zoo. The weather was perfect! Sunny and warm. There was a huge crowd of people at the zoo today. It was a popular outing. We renewed our family membership (with three free visitor passes – come and join us) and spent the morning/early afternoon at the zoo.

tim and daniel

With a family of our size a membership pays for itself in one and a half visits. The only downside is our zoo doesn’t have a reciprocal relationship with the Detroit Zoo which would have been nice since we hope to visit MI this summer. Oh well. Perhaps we can go to the Lansing zoo instead and see my brothers. Thom and Phil – consider yourself sufficiently warned!

We saw all sorts of animals. Rachel took several of these pictures. The kids are all becoming photographers in their own right.

elephantpeacockpolar bear

Rachel took this amazing shot! The polar bear was one of the favorite animals of the day.

muskoxenottersealtiger

Are you looking at me?

Of course, there were some close moments when we were almost eaten by the fierce tiger. Somehow we managed to survive.

don't eat us

Being the smart parents that we are (and ready to go home) we left some parts of the zoo unseen. Keep the kids hungry, I always say. If you cover the entire zoo on the first day, how will you convince the children to go back? Especially if their last memory was of being tired and having sore feet. Instead we ended the zoo visit with a great show in the outdoor auditorium.

eagle

On the way home we stopped by Trader Joes. In keeping with my ‘keep them hungry‘ motto I sent Tim and the kids to McDonald’s for ice cream sundaes while I shopped. This is part of my ‘keep them full and distracted while mom shops‘ plan.

kids and tim

Don’t they look hungry. Definitely a group that wants to end the zoo outing at Trader Joe’s/McDonald’s.

Everyone happy and contented we set off for home. The rest of the day was a blur of cleaning, computer games, movie watching, a super speedy library visit, delicious cheeseburger soup, laundry, baths, and so on. None of which were documented on film therefore do not get more than a brief mention here on the blog.

I take pictures – therefore I blog. Another significant life motto.

“It’s not tipping I believe in, it’s OVER tipping.” Name that Obscure Movie Quote.

Happy Birthday David!! This is not your birthday blog but I can still wish you a happy day. [grin]

Kathy

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