She is Free

So we're driving today to yet another location to deposit yet another pet in preparation for our long trek, and we're listening to the radio. I'm daydreaming, scratch that, rehashing all the things that have yet to be done and absolutely need to be done before we can leave when Princess #3 pipes up from the back row "turn it up Mama it's my favorite!" So I do. It's this song by the Newsboys called "I Am Free". I don't think too much of it til I hear her version sung as loud as she can. . . "I am three to live. I am three to dance." and so on! It was so cute!!! When she's done, she sighs a happy sigh and says I love that song for three year olds.

Me too, baby girl, me too.

When Pigs Fly

While we waited and waited and waited for our pizza hut pizza and breadsticks at my local favorite shopping destination, we saw some interesting people. We saw the guy at the register with purple hair, who as Princess #2 informed me, can't go swimming or it will wash out into the water. Does he wash his hair I had to wonder. Princess #2 didn't think so or it wouldn't have been such a bright purple. And we waited with another employee who had half pink/half yellow hair and a gizillion piercings that fascinated the girls to no end. Thankfully their comments waited for the ride home! Whew!

Just when I think that the conversation topic has run dry, Princess #1 declares that she will just get a tiny diamond nose thing and not the rest of the stuff that girl had on.

Oh really . . .

Swinging Fun

I need to take some pictures! ARGH! Anyway, yesterday the weather finally cooperated and beautiful. Not that the cool weather has slowed the Princess' in their love of doing anything outdoors, but it has stopped their mama.

So back to yesterday. Princess #3 was on the swing and asking for a "spin doggie", which is when you twist up the swing and then give an under doggie--see, it's all making sense now! Immediately her older sisters said "No spin doggies, Daddy said no, they are too dangerous!" So she replies with, "How about a spin puppy then?"

She's a clever one, that one.

Remembering

It's June. One of my niece's is about to celebrate her 1st year of life. So sweet. It makes me nostaligic for when my girls were that age. And it makes me sad to remember that my second niece was to be born this month. Little Abigail Faith went to be with Jesus all too soon. She was so wanted and so prayed for and so loved.

Miscarriage isn't something that women like to talk about because it is so heartbreaking to remember and yet it's something that most women have experienced, some multiple times. If you think of it, say a prayer for someone you may know who has experienced a loss of a baby, the loss of who might have been. I know I'm praying for my sister and her husband, and am thinking of my sweet niece in the arms of Jesus.

At about the same time that my niece died, another friend's mom died, and she has told me repeatedly that she feels in her heart that her mom, who absolutely loved babies and the Lord, is there in heaven caring for my little niece. What a lovely thought.

Baby Fit Free!

I am so encouraged! Last night was our first baby fit free bedtime (say that 10 times fast) in over two weeks. It was so awesome. I didn't have to pin down a toddler. I didn't have to block the door. I didn't have to take any stuffed animals away. I didn't have to make any threats. I didn't have to pray feverishly that my child would chill out and just GO TO SLEEP. I didn't even have to call for back-up!!

And then, as if last night wasn't enough, this morning for the first time in over two weeks, Princess #3 put on only one outfit without a fit and proceeded to ask me to do her hair. People, this is HUGE. You really have no idea how amazing these past 18 hours have been--seriously!! I know that this is only one small step, but I'll take it. Thanks to all of you who have said prayers on our behalf. I think we are starting to see a faint glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel and I don't think it's a firefly.

She Loves Me??

Some of you know the battle of the wills we have been having at the castle as of late with Princess #3. And most of you with young children know that "terrible 2's" are nothing compared to the power of the "terrible, horrible 3's". That horrible power unleashed in a three year old whose will is being thwarted (in their world) is an awesome sight to behold I must say, being witness to it several times daily over the past weeks. But there is hope . . . here is a conversation I had with P#3 today.

Princess #3: I love you Mama.

Queen: Do you really? Because when you love someone you want to make them happy. And what makes Mama happy?

Princess #3: Lotsa kisses and hugs, and back scratches!

Queen: And Mama loves it when you don't have baby fits and when you obey the first time right? So you can show Mama love by not having baby fits and by obeying right?

Princess #3: Yah. I guess I only love you sometimes. But I want to love you always.

No Good

No good can come from a day that started at 10:30pm the night before can it? I guess I'll find out today. Princess #3 was up then for quite a while, and then was woken up just a "skosh" before 6 this morning by her dear bunkmate. We made it to 7:30 with no problems, but then those darn panties felt "funny" again and there's no end in sight to the cranky-pants.

Thankfully, school's out, so I can deal with just her and not have to work with the older two on school stuff. Well, the crying has slowed, so I'll see if we can find some breakfast that suits her royal self!

School's Out!

School's out for the summer at the castle, I am happy to report! Last year all of the "extra" stuff made for a longer school year, but thanks to the hard work of the princess' and the determination of the queen we are done!! I promised a trip to Sonic as a fun done with school treat, so we'll go do that maybe Friday, since the king will be home. Princess #1 is most excited about that, the servers are on skates mama, and I saw him skate backwards, with food and he didn't fall. I love how easily pleased and amused they are (just like mama).

Today we had another experience with a home-schooling doubter. Someone just curious as to why my school-aged-looking daughter could be done with school by noon. . . you know those helpful little comments. I think I need to order a t-shirt I saw a while back. It said something to the effect of: I am in school now and you're talking during class! Too funny.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to getting my spring cleaning done in the next few weeks and maybe some weeding done too (notice I didn't say gardening-just the weeding). Kind of a boring post, but baby fits are no fun for anyone and that's been most of the mothering "fun" I've had as of late.

Morning Conversations

I'm drying my hair, Princess #2 is perched on the plant ledge in our bathroom, thoughtfully looking out the window. And the conversation goes something like this...

Queen: Whatcha thinking about little love?

Princess #2: I love mornings.

Queen: What do you love about them?

Princess #2: It's just that when I wake up sometimes I have sleep in my eyes and I love to get the sleep out of my eyes. It just feels so good to get the little crisp things out of my eyes. And you only get to do it in the morning, unless you take a nap, but then after nap you may not have any sleep in your eyes. It really just depends. . .

Queen (speechless, thinking . . .): I had to ask, I couldn't just let the comment go at mornings, I had to ask.

Overheard in the bathroom . . .

Princess #1 to Princess#2: Have you seen my nail polish?

Princess #2: Nope. Which one was it?

Princess #3: I've seen your nail pole-ash.

Princess #1: Where?

Princess #3: It's on your fingers. (giggles giggles giggles)

Princess #1 (with frustration!): Not that one, the one that looks like SPIT!


I guess put that way, clear nail polish does kinda look like spit . . .

Princess #1 is 8!

Old news I know, but thought I'd finally get some pictures posted. No she didn't get the present of her dreams (see a couple posts down, I'm too lazy to link), but she did have lots of fun opening her gifts. Birthday lunch was drumsticks, rainbow jello (of course) and root beer, followed by a teddy bear shaped cake.

It's hard to believe that she is the same baby that I used to read the weekly menu/grocery list to in order for her to fall asleep. Or that she is the same toddler telling us all about her "betty bullon" (belly button). Or the same little girl who wanted to be called "beach girl" the entire time on a trip to the OR coast. Now she is so self-suffcient. She likes having the freedom to get herself to bed on time and she likes to ride her bike solo up to her "sniffing spot". She had a speaking part in her latest KIX program for pete's sake! Who is this GIRL?!?

Some things haven't changed, she loves to talk. She loves to cuddle at bedtime. She loves to plan her future-currently it involves living in her own house with her own pets so she won't be lonely (a future cat lady?) and being a missionary. I love that she dreams big. I love that she writes me secret notes and then tells me where to find them so I won't miss them. I love that she loves the Lord with all her heart and wants to find ways she can serve Him (Mama, holding Mrs. U's baby at MOPS was showing Jesus right? Oh yes honey!!).

Anyway, Happy 8th Birthday Princess!!

She Makes Me Laugh

So Princess #3 has faithfully been doing her chores "for real money", as she likes to say, for quite a few months. And as of her last "pay day" had enough money for a purple ballerina Barbie. So she purchased her last week. (She was almost as excited about the receipt, let me tell ya!)

Anyway, after rest time, which she shared with her new acquisition. She came downstairs and told me that her Barbie has "buzzums". And then she pulled down poor Barbie's ballet costume and showed me the proof. I had to concur (after much laughter), Barbie does indeed have "buzzums". But we decided that she would be much more modest if we kept her "buzzies" covered up and out of sight!

It Was a Simple Question

Princess #1's 8th b-day is around the corner. Literally. We're stumped and this is all the help we're getting.

Queen: "So what do you want the most for your birthday?"

Princess #1: "A new baby brother or sister."

Queen: (thinking: Awww, that's so sweet.) Says "Go tell Daddy and see what he says."

A few minutes later . . .

Princess #1: "Mama, Daddy says we don't have enough time for me to get a new sibling before my birthday."

Queen: "Valid point. What else do you want?" (Silently thinking, we dodged that bullet. That time.)

So There!

While playing "tease Daddy with my lipgloss"* (the fabulous game that's sweeping the nation) tonight, Princess #3 declared she'd had enough:

"Daddy, leave the Princess alone!"

It's the first time she's ever referred to herself as such, and it was said with such certainty, he couldn't help but obey her royal highness while I laughed myself into another coughing fit.

*A super fun game in which one little girl waves lipgloss in her Daddy's face while telling him he can't have any "because boys don't wear lipgloss". Then he tries to take said lipgloss and she runs and he chases, well you get the picture. Did I mention it was super fun? Ahem.

Another Spelling Lesson

While reading the "Girls Book on How To Best at Everything"(a must read for any young royal) Princess #1 yells, "What does U-R-I-N-E spell and what does it mean?"
Once explained, says, "Eww that's gross."

We're still laughing.

I am the Lone Beacon

Did I mention that according to the highly accurate Austen quiz that I am Elizabeth B.? Did I mention that it was men's retreat weekend at our church this past weekend? Part of the description from Elizabeth Bennet's personality is that she is the "lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness". Emphasis this weekend on the words LONE and SEA.

My sea has three versions of ridiculousness and I got to enjoy all them (on my own) this weekend, thankfully though, not all at once.

Wasting Time, Austen Style

Take the Quiz here!

You are Elizabeth Bennet of Pride & Prejudice! You are intelligent, witty, and tremendously attractive. You have a good head on your shoulders, and oftentimes find yourself the lone beacon of reason in a sea of ridiculousness. You take great pleasure in many things. You are proficient in nearly all of them, though you will never own it. Lest you seem too perfect, you have a tendency toward prejudgement that serves you very ill indeed.

Colin Firth here I come! :) :)

Spelling Bee

Spell along with the littlest princess:

Princess #3 (pointing to the queen's carbonated drug of choice): "Can I have a S-O-T of your pop?"

She thinks that Princess #1 is so cool when she spells out "secret" messages to mama that she had to try it herself!

Bliss

This morning was pure bliss. I got up at my normal time (just slightly after the crack of dawn) and it was quiet--really quiet. No singing from the other room while waiting for it to be dawn (when they are allowed up), no lights clicking on from the early sneaky reader (princess #1), even the dog was quiet (he's usually snoring). It was heaven. It felt like I was the only person in the house which was lovely and extremely rare. (Being a stay-home mama and a homeschooling mama to boot doesn't lead to much time alone in one's house . . . go figure!)
I don't know what each of you need to recharge, but for me it's solitude and even more so quiet solitude or solitude with noise of my choice. That's why this morning was such a treat. Even though my solitude only lasted for about 30 minutes (I know-like eternity, huh??), it made facing the day so much more bearable.
And now it's almost rest time. Notice I didn't call it "quiet" time because it's not. Oh the kids are quiet (as in no screaming/talking/singing, etc.), but I can still hear the occasional thump or the patter of footsteps or the incessant foot tapping that my oldest does while reading, that remind me that I'm not alone! But I'll take it.
Wishes for a restful day to each of you readers. . .

Birds and the Cows?

On our way to Papa's farm Easter morning, Princess #2 spotted an unusual sight! A cow was standing up on his hind-legs like Otis in Barnyard, but why oh why was it milking another cow?? Then she says : "Or maybe Mama he was tired of standing up and was just resting on the other cow."

We decided it was probably the latter. . . hmmmm.