nerd house confessions

1.  "I knew I liked these lamps, I just didn't know why."  Nate said while leaning over to turn the lamp off late last night.

"These decorative markings... they look just like neurons!"

"Yes.  Yes they do."  I said while snuggling down under the covers.  In our house - our lamp shades look like neurons and our child's first words were about dopamine.  I LOVE MY NEUROSCIENCE LIFE and the MAN that makes me smile - day and night.



2.  During Colton's FIRST public prayer at church he insisted that he didn't need my help.  After he loudly proclaimed " thank you for my bottom," I had to intervene.  Sometimes independence isn't a good thing.



3.  The boys and I have been studying the solar system.  There is a cute little Oreo model of the moon floating around the Internet.

image source

We made one.  After the boys went to bed, the model looked like this:

I won't say who stole the frosting...
Shoot... is that frosting on my keyboard?



4. After reading about Pyramids in Story of the World, we decided to build our own pyramid out of Lego's.  But before it was finished, the boys had to hide their own treasure inside of it.  And mummify their Lego's guys.

"Let's pull out their guts and pour cinnamon on them."  

Yes.  We mummified Cows.  Egyptians worshiped cows so I guess it kind of works... right?

The boys then tried to build their own secret tunnels for raiders to enter and steal the treasure.  While they planned, Carlee crawled on over.  Our pyramid lasted a whole two-minutes before her slobbery fists entered the scene.  Which is my cue to insert four adorable pictures of Carlee.

5.  Instead of playing "Cops and Robbers" we now play "Jedi" and "Sith."  Colton runs around singing whatever theme song corresponds with his "side" while I lose limb after limb.  He conveniently switches sides when it is time to slash a body part with his pretend light saber.  What would Freud say about that??



6.  Carlee took a bottle.  Hallelujah!  I found this recipe and this recipe and altered them.  She loves it and I am super happy to have found a healthy yet convenient solution to my over-exhausted-I-can't-nurse-another-day dilemma.  And can I just say that weaning her was extremely emotional?  Why is it so easy to feel guilty about not being able to "do it all?"  On a happy note, the hormones are wearing off after three intense days of weepy-ness and I am grateful - so grateful that I don't have to do it all.

... and for the sake of too much information, sinus decongestant is amazing.  Typically I prefer the herbal route, but when it comes to "cold turkey-ing" my babies, give me the meds!!  Apparently sinus medication dries up breast milk and I am relieved to not have the radiating pain down my arms from... well... we can stop here.

blinders - a tuesday ramble

One of the hardest things for me is putting up my "blinders."  I like to watch people and I often find myself beating up on myself for all the things I am not able to accomplish.  I forget to stop looking at others long enough to realize that I am accomplishing my own "great things" in my world.

I am beginning to understand that everyone struggles to feel adequate and "good enough."  We all want to feel accomplished, successful, and loved.  Looking away from others long enough to embrace the "party" of our life is oh-so-important.  If we don't - we begin to resent, envy, and covet the accomplishments of others while ignoring the happiness in our lives.

I think the world's biggest lie is that we need to prove our worth through our appearance and accomplishments.  We don't.  Our worth rests in the hands of our Savior and He loves us at all times, in all things, and in all places.

We can stop hurting one another by extinguishing those stupid flames of competition.  Admiring one another makes us stronger while competing/coveting makes us weak.   We don't have to be perfect to be of worth.  Our worth is already there and life can be so amazing when we trust in God - not man - to define it for us.

Voldemort, Round like the Death Star, Ketchup, and Itchy Faces

The "Bird Who Would Not Be Named"

The last couple of weeks, all of our readings have revolved around pets.  From Dr. Doolittle to Henry Huggins to Little Pear.  Pets. Pets.  Pets.  The all-boy-house has been absolutely pet-less since the death of KaKaPooPoo.  The injustice! Time had come for our boys to have a pet of their own.

We learned what happened with Henry Huggins and his guppies.  Nope.  No guppies for us.

Dogs would be fun - but - we love Lacy and Metro and Paige too much.  Our hearts don't have enough room for another dog.

And mice in the piano?  Nate has enough mice at school to "play" with.

We found a pretty bird at the pet store and brought him home with us.  We tossed around names for an entire week.

I started calling the bird Voldemort, because our little feathery was turning into the "bird who must not be named."

After a week-and-a-half of deliberation, our bird has a name.

Drum roll please...

Introducing LightSaber.

Round Like the Death Star

While tossing a ball around with Colton, he looked up at me and said:

"Mom!  THIS BALL IS ROUND LIKE THE DEATH STAR."

To which I replied, "Yes.  It is."

A big debate started as to the origin of the sphere.  We know from our reading in Mathematicians are People Too, that Pythagoras and Archimedes played a huge part in the geometrical properties of the sphere... but WHERE DID THE IDEA COME FROM?  What came first?  The ball or the Death Star?

In the end, Colton concluded that the Death Star came first.  The Dark Side, in all of it's shocking glory, created the sphere when plans for the Death Star were made.  Perhaps Darth Vader and the Emperor aren't such bad guys after all...

Ketchup

Conner has an obsession with apples and ketchup.  Together.  Who would've thought?

Itchy Faces

During prayers this week, Colton said the following:

"Thank you that I could itch my face today.  Please bless that I can itch it again tomorrow."

Sometimes I worry that I am not teaching my children to utilize the power of prayer.  Let's be honest, at night I am tired.  Meal time, I am hungry.  And in between?  Well, life with four kids is like a fire hose to the face.

But then my kids say things like "thank you that I could itch my face today," and I realize that I am the one in need of a lesson on prayer.  Isn't it amazing that God cares enough about us to listen to our daily triumphs and struggles?

And finally, I am extra grateful for my husband. He graciously jumps in to make breakfast for the boys,  makes dinner on a regular basis, and does the dishes with a smile on his face.  I married a warrior of strength and intelligence and compassion.  I am so grateful to have him by my side.

Nate often reminds me the importance of embracing my fears.  All too often, I find myself surrounded with self-doubt.  I worry that people don't like me, that my writing isn't good, and that my efforts are not enough.  My macho warrior always reminds me that it doesn't matter what the world thinks.  I can try my best, have faith in who I am, and trust that results will come.  It doesn't matter how many times I think I have failed - it only matters that I keep trying with a smile on our face.

True Love and "Barf-cicles"

 

Each and every morning Colton rushes into my room with one very important question:

"Can we make Popsicles today?"

And let's be honest, popsicles in the middle of the winter are not my priority.  It is FREEZING outside.  I am freezing.  I want to take a shower and shave my legs and drink warm cinnamon milk.  Let's not make Popsicles today.

I take a deep breath and try to plaster a happy-mommy-smile on my face.

 "Sure kiddo.  Go for it.  I'll be in the shower."

While I lather, he dreams of frozen cream.  Sometimes he mixes water and chocolate chips in a cup with a spoon and shoves them into the back of the freezer.  Oranges and water were a big hit for a couple days.  Frozen apples didn't go so well.  I like to think that I am fostering independence and creativity by refusing to assist in his Popsicle parade.  DID I MENTION THAT IT IS SNOWING OUTSIDE?

But hold the phone because Colton has invented what I like to call the "Barf-cicle."

Looks yummy... right?

Crushed animal crackers soaked in water, frozen in a cup with a spoon.

When his newest creation had served it's time in the freezer, Colton instantly fell head over heels.  I'm not kidding.  He marched that Popsicle all around the house with pride echoing in each and every footstep. 

I laughed.
And then I cried.  Because being a mom makes me cry about every little thing.


In the book The Alchemist, written by Paulo Coehlo, a man wakes in the middle of the night with his heart pounding.  While sleeping on a rock, his destiny had called to him in his dreams and told him of a treasure waiting for him. The man quickly packed up his belongings and left to begin his search.  

The adventure of the quest takes the man across the world, teaches him new skills, and introduces him to amazing people that change his life.  In the end, the man discovers his treasure to be buried under the rock he had dreamt upon many years before.  His treasure had always been waiting for him - right at his beginning.

The adventures of the search taught the man wisdom.  Having combed the earth for his treasure, the man appreciates the wealth and security it provides - so much more.  


When my legs are hairy and my kitchen messy, I dream of a treasure.  Sometimes my treasure involves glittery nail polish, silence, and a really good book.  Other times it is fresh air, time to write, and/or a girls night.  Date nights are always a treasure - no doubt about that.

But each and every time I leave to return home, the echoing of eight little legs running toward me with their arms outstretched fills my heart with joy.  Sometimes I need time away to remember that my treasure is right here.   Filling my freezer with barf-cicles and loving me more than I deserve.