Birthday all week.

 

One thing I like about Dru is that he is so extremely excellent about gifts to me. I feel so spoiled. So every day he’s come home from work with a present for me. But this gift below was something we picked up on my birthday night. We hit a lovely big sale at that store I can’t remember the name of but shares a parking lot with the Central Mall.

 

This beautiful coffee drink was made with the white chocolate coffee syrup that Dru bought me—as a birthday present. I used it for a cold coffee drink this morning and it was also lovely. Isn’t he nice? The coffee mug was a Christmas present over a year ago and is also special to me.

This is a rabbit. Maybe she was a bit unnecessary. But she’s good for the children. Read about her below. Straight from my journal. If you can decipher it, that is.

  

Now, will someone at the Lattin household please be sure that Mama sees this post? Like, soon?

Pictures Again.

So…I missed a day, again. But one day last week, Tuesday or Wednesday, we went to visit Dru where he is working at his internship. It’s an office job above a coffee shop that has a large play area. The children thought it was grand. Wish it was closer to home, we’d be there more often.

This was Wednesday or Thursday evening. We rediscovered this table outside. We’d used it quite a bit when we first moved. Last week we put a table cloth on it and the children started using it for their drawing projects. And this week it  has become kind of a “scrappy” area from time to time. Lots of little bits of paper all over the tile and such like from scissor and glue projects.

Friday morning we had Christmas again. From Marmee, a bit from Amber, and also from Marv and Bev Stutzman. We LOVED it. My favorite part was birds and snowflakes from my mom, I wanted to cry, it was so special. I’d wanted birds when I was in the States but never got around to getting any. Couldn’t justify it in my mind. But now I have them and do so like them. The children are enjoying the sticker faces from Stutzman’s.  And the snowballs. They were perfect! So much fun. Thank you!

 

Do I pin starched doilies all over my couch to dry because I’m my mother’s daughter or because I’m Grandma Ruth’s granddaughter, I wonder. I remember mom doing it when I was a girl. It was inconvenient to accidentally sit on.

 

Sunday afternoon. That Rennie boy isn’t even three months old yet. He’s wearing cloths meant for six month old babies and  he’s got a serious crush on his mom. Sometimes he’ll roar until I pick him up. Hannah does so not cut it. Stinker.

Monday snapshots. Dru took me on a date for my birthday but I didn’t take pictures. How dumb was that. We didn’t really do a lot, but we still enjoyed being together. There is a promise of an area rug for my living room coming to me on Saturday. Can’t wait.

Meet Bilbo and Brie. They are a birthday gift to me from Hannah. She brought them home yesterday. Bilbo does not like adventures, apparently. In true hobbit style, He is rather scared and shaken up from the adventure from pet shop to home. So on this picture he is clinging to the back of the cage. Brie, the poor darling, gets her name from a very nasty cheese.

Cheese? Yes. Many years ago when Dru and his siblings were young, the family got a cat. Since Daddy (Herb) didn’t like animals, they thought they would name it by something that he liked. The reasoning was that then he would have to like it. So they named the cat “Popcorn.” Because Daddy loves popcorn.

So Brie is named after cheese. Because Dru is NOT an animal person. It’s not like he hates them. It’s actually worse than that. They don’t even exist on his radar. But he does like cheese—and right now our fridge reeks of brie.

So Bilbo and Brie have joined us. They are much happier now than they were last night. They’re getting noisy and exploring their cage.

I once read that every house needs something living in every room—be it pet or plant. I like this. I still have a few more rooms to go.  :)

More Pictures

 

Thursday: A photo shoot with the children. Havilah is a mess to try to get a good picture of. Rennie was better than she. I got almost nothing done this day because I was feeling yucky. If the moms would like, I have more pictures from the shoot.

Friday: Again, not feeling so well this day. Didn’t sleep well the night before. I just didn’t sleep well between waking up expecting Rennie to want to eat when, in fact, he only needed to once, and someone coming at some odd hour of the night to inspect the row house across the way from us. Everything in the neighborhood was still and quiet except for them. They seemed totally oblivious to the fact that people might be trying to sleep. I’m still puzzled about this. But anyway, we made cookies Friday and they were very nice.

Saturday:  We went to the Art Museum…that’s not actually it’s name but that’s what we call it and I can’t think of what its really called. I kissed to polar bear and Dru’s response was different from the other, on looking polar bear. Jube barely touched that wimpy lion and he let out a yowl….and etc. Rennie behaved pretty nicely, allowing us to roam without insisting on too much attention.

Sunday: Jube and Havilah’s Lego mess right before bed. Jube loves his legos and Havilah likes them too. Notice the finger up her nose.

This reminds me, a while ago she stuck a button up her nose and couldn’t get it out. I fished it out with the tweezers and expected she was traumatized enough that she wouldn’t put something up her nose again. Not so. Several weeks later she stuck a lego up there. This time her nose got bloody. I was  thinking, “Oh, no. Not sure I’m going to be able to get this one.” I had visions of having to take her in. But Hannah held her down and once again, I fished it out with out much trouble. This time I threatened her with punishment if it happened again. So far, it hasn’t.

  

Today: This is my ornery little fatso. He’s almost ready to play with toys but his coordination isn’t there yet. These days, he wants to be held ALL DAY LONG. It was a long day for me. Not only does he want to be held, he wants to be walked and bounced. And he is heavy. I think part of the problem is that he is bored. Once he figures out how to use his hands he’ll be a happier boy. So thankful that he sleeps well at night and feeding is dropping to once.

Catch up on my picture a day.

 

So I got a little behind and struggled to know which day some of these pictures were taken on…but I think this is right.

 

We wanted to know how much Rennie weighed by now. All we had was a luggage hook scale thingy. The poor child. But now we know he weighs about 14 pounds.

This froggy was drawn on a Friday…but I didn’t photograph him until today. I am a bit selfish about my drawing book but Havilah wanted to color him. So I copied him for her. He was supposed to be fat and cute, not cute and creepy.

We went out for lunch on Saturday and ended up at Mc Donald’s. We had forgotten that it was children’s day. We weren’t planning to eat here but on children’s day everything is packed. Here, however was quieter for some reason. We don’t like children’s day. I tell myself that everyday is children’s day at my house, and salve my conscience. But seriously, everything is busy busy and everyone is out this day.

ALAS!!! No picture for Sunday and it was a lovely day. Church Sunday morning and in the evening it was friends over to eat clam chowder (by Dru), chocolate-orange moose (by Hannah), and watch Fiddler on the Roof.

On Monday Hannah worked on her flower pot. Havilah worked on memorizing her nursery rhymes. And Dru read Farmer Boy to Jube in the evening. This was Dru’s first day of the internship. It was a good and happy day for all of us—but it was sure long for the woman who is used to seeing more of her man through out the day.

 

This is Rennie all ready for bed last night. Fat, cuddly, squishy, and adorable. Right now we’re working on taking his life in hand. Sort of putting him on a schedule, and figuring out what works for him and us. The last few days have been a little easier, just because I’m writing down feedings and learning. Today I didn’t do quite so well…but he didn’t have a fit to go to sleep, so we’re getting there.

After all my selfishness, this pushover mom’s heart melted at long last when Havilah asked to help color this.  She’s my baby girl and I really struggle to not spoil her. Actually, I don’t struggle with it much, I just give in. But, I am getting a little hard on her. She spent time in the corner today for making horrible whiney screamy noises at her brother. The truth is she is very easy to correct and I must remember to do so now, while this is still true. Spoiled three year old grow into spoiled thirteen year olds and then I’m guessing it won’t be as cute.

Jube and I are starting a unit study on the giant otter. From here we we’ll be studying South America, some different animals associated with these otters, and mahogany forests, and…well, you get the idea.

 

Also today, the children had a picnic. Two uninvited dogs attended and were served nothing but carrots, which they refused. I’m adopting a corner of the park as my children’s back yard. I’m nervous about letting them out of my sight like this, but they’re within calling distance and have well defined borders. If I am raising city kids, than I need to teach them the rules, let go a little, and trust the Lord. This little park is just on the other side of our building, no reason they can’t play here if I stick my head around the corner now and then to check on them.

   

I had supper at So-jo’s with the IGo ladies to celebrate Naomi Burkholder’s birthday tonight. Several weeks ago she was in a bike accident and came out with a replaced shoulder and two mended wrists. We’re thankful that God spared her. We need her common sense, no nonsense ways.

So far now in this pic-a-day thing, I realize I want to journal and post sooner. Because I forget the details of the lovely passing days unless I post right away. This about remembering, savoring, and documenting these beautiful, quickly passing days. I’m learning that it’s important to know where my camera is—all the time. But I did decided that even though I totally missed a day, well actually two, I am not going to throw it to the wind. I want to remember. Cherish. Enjoy. Because even though there are times that I wish for the next stage in life, I believe that these are days of golden memories and happiness.

Picture for today.

        Jube studied five subjects today. This is Home Ec. Earlier today he did Math and Learning to Read. A tiny bit of geography happened when we found Italy on the map. We learned some science by reading his animal encyclopedia from Marmee and learning about the worlds largest salamander on the computer. Not bad for a five year old.

Three pictures today.

The above character was found while I was going through the children's papers. I had Jube draw minions one day when I was tired of dragons. I'm going to keep this guy...er, the minion and my son. I'm going to keep them both.

Dru took this picture. Its purpose is nanny-nanny-boo-boo to Adam. It's nice to have Mike around again for a while.

Me and my lap full. They just barely both fit.

Picture a day...

One of the things I want to do this year is be intentional about getting the most out of the moments. Part of that is going to include a picture every day of something that happened that day, as a journal of the moments.  I may not post it all but even so, I want to file it on the computer somewhere.

Here is January first...

Mae Wahn came over New Years Day. We had a lovely visit, then she took Hannah, Jube, and Havilah out to her home in the country. When they got back we went out to eat at a lovely restaurant that was way more than we bargained for. But she said to thankful because we could enjoy the beauty of the place rather than complain about the price. 

Dru took me out for coffee at you can see where. It was very special and Rennie even behaved himself well enough.

The beginnings of soup. Tom yam gai for church on Sunday. This is always fun to make. And Dru always finishes it for me because he does it best.

We stayed late visiting with the last stragglers after church on Sunday. This is how the children occupied themselves.

I am now officially a homeschool mom I think. Right? And I tried it without the table cloth and I am too much a table cloth lover to do it without. 

As you can see, its not about quality pictures, its about memories and the happiness--or whatever else, documented.