Go Big Orange!

(That's a Ms. Mary-ism, for those of you who don't have the privilege of knowing her.)

Riddle Me This

A few evenings ago, Mike and the girls were all taking turns making up riddles. They were mostly things like "What lives in the water and looks like a fish, but isn't a fish?" (Answer: a dolphin) Nice and simple. Everyday examples of 6 and 8 and 33 year old humor. Until...

Anya: What has seven heads, ten horns, and seven crowns?

Mike and I stared at each other incredulously as Jaela and Macey shouted the answer in unison...

Jaela and Macey: The Satan dragon in the Bible!

Ahem. Yeah. Anyone up for a nice friendly game of Bible Trivia against my girls?

Little History Buff

At Goodwill last week, as I was sorting through the bookshelves, Isaak sat contentedly in the cart, surrounded by a growing pile of books. He picked them up and leafed through them, one by one.

I: What's dis one about, Mom?

Me: It's a book for Mommy and Daddy about Wilbur and Orville Wright, the men who invented the first airplane.

I: Oh. (pause) Is Amela Ehhaht in it?

Yeah. He knows about Amelia Earhart. And he's still only two.

The Giant and David

Tonight at bedtime, Isaak was telling me all about the giant:

Isaak: ...and he had a shield, and a sword, and a hat, and a...what was dat ting called again?

Me: You mean his spear?

Isaak: Yeah, and den he put a rock in it...

Me: No, David had the sling and put a rock in it.

Isaak: Yeah, and den he killed the diant!

Me: Who was on David's side?

Isaak: (horrified) David's DOGGIE died?!?

Me: No! WHO was on David's side? Why could he kill the giant?

Isaak: Oh! God was on David's side. I tought you said David's DOGGIE died!

The Short Answer

I have been asked by quite a few people lately why I haven't blogged in a while. Therefore, I am going to assume that ALL of you would like to know the answer!

Normal life has been no busier than usual. I am averaging two loads of laundry per day (plus some extra spring cleaning loads), and two loads of dishes per day. The house still doesn't clean itself, and the bathrooms have needed extra attention lately. (Isaak is out of diapers!) The grocery stores refuse to come to me, and these growing kids still insist on eating regularly. Our school workload has increased because we've had some catching up to do, and we've added in weekly art study and some extra reading (at their request!).

But that's just my normal life.

Some of you may have heard that we have another move looming large in our future, and that is one of the biggest things that has contributed to fewer blog posts. (I have another blog post brewing in my head about another contributing factor, but you'll have to be patient on that one!)

Even though the move is not for many months (if at all, this being the Army!), it has consumed my time. I spend almost every spare minute of quiet that I can find planning for 3-year-old preschool, 2nd grade, and 3rd grade - lesson plans, schedule, booklists - with the intent of starting our next school year on the Monday after this school year ends. That way, when the move actually does appear on our calendar, I won't have to try to juggle school as well as packing, moving, and unpacking. We'll be able to take some time off without falling behind.

We're also starting to prepare the house to put on the market. For now, that means I pack up books and anything else that can be easily stored so we don't have to try to paint around it all. Once we've got a room or two cleared of extra stuff, I get to start painting. Thrillsville.

On top of all that, the neighborhood garage sale I've been planning to participate in has been scheduled. Oh, no, not for sometime sensible and convenient, like May or June, but for April! So, I have about 4 weeks in which to finish sorting through the house, move stuff to the garage, and price everything. In my spare time.

In spite of all that, I really do plan to post more frequently...soon! Don't give up on me! :)

Family Pictures

My Side:

Jaela, Mike, Joan, Bill, Anya, Randy, Macey

Jamie, Selissa

Isaak

His Side:

Josh, Mike

Macey, Isaak, Suzie, Jaela, Pat, Anya

Isaak, Jamie, Jaela, Heather, Anya, Josh

Mike, Macey, Ty

Hayden, Corbin

"Let Me 'Splain..."

"No, there is too much. Let me sum up."

(Sorry, that quote from The Princess Bride just "fit so nice, he said I could keep it." Acckk! Why is that movie so doggone quotable?!? Again, sorry!)

Anyway, to "sum up" our lives since my last post:

Christmas came and went. It was fun. And then we recycled the tree.

January came and went too. It was kind of a crazy month and included a trip to Oregon and a rare six inches of snow in Tennessee. I plan to post some pictures from both of those events soon.

So far, February hasn't been too bad. I'll try to do better about keeping you posted. :)