Thursday, January 29, 2009

Five Things




5 reasons to love the internet
1. We are reading Swiss Family Robinson and have looked up most animals (just to see their picture or video, plus words we didn’t know.)
2. There are VIDEOS about how to unclog your toilet! (This seems to happen when Ryan isn’t home.)
3. I can find out what my friends and family are up to without even talking to them (except for grandma of course. My kids love getting picture slide shows in email.)
4. You can copy pictures for use in your own albums or blogs. (I saw a shoe-tree while on a northern Michigan trip with Ryan and it was so strange, I wanted to take a picture but we were on the highway. Online, I found a photo of the same tree and added it to my album.
5. You can order Christmas and birthday presents, or hard to find books without leaving your home.

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Story-time

Story-time at the Library for 3-5 year olds. Tuesday mornings 10 am.
Sounds great, what a good idea. Hear stories, sing songs, do a project. This is perfect for Marc, Luc, and Sarah. Maybe I could read a book while I watch….Well, that was my first thought….

Tim was thrilled. He could play on the library computers (all the big kids are in school) so he wouldn’t be on a time limit. Off he went.

Marc and Luc wanted to play trains. I carefully explained the benefits of story time and dragged them both to the proper area. It was a new situation for Sarah so she clung to my leg. I couldn’t let go of Luc for fear he would run to the trains. I actually got four coats, and four sets of mittens and gloves extricated without letting go of anyone. (or anyone letting go of me).
I instructed the kids to get carpet squares and sit by the other kids. To my complete astonishment, Marcus complied, grabbed his square and sat right down. Sarah would not move from my leg, and where was Lucas? He was sitting by the moms, in a grown up chair, between two women he had never met. One of them was reading a book. Lucas’s arms were crossed, but he was quiet. I left him there, and walked to Marcus, dragging a girl on my leg. I put her carpet square down and she let go of my leg, but not my hand. She knew the librarian who said “Hi sarah,” and once the story started, she was fine. Marcus lasted through the first story before he began to lie down, touch his neighbors, kick his boots, sing (when no one else was) and shout. Meanwhile, I had gone to talk to Lucas. I talked him into sitting on my lap, but he was not going by those other kids and had started to loudly protest.

At the same time, I heard Sarah’s voice, “Sit up, Marcus!” Okay, put Luc down, sneak over to Marc and tell him to listen. He is now stomping like a dinosaur, and not sitting. (No one else is stomping like a dinosaur. The stories are about bugs. A little girl is staring at him like he’s a maniac.)

I bring Marcus over to Lucas. Lucas is now crying, and I have come to the conclusion—THIS IS NOT WORTH IT, plus I am disturbing others. The woman with the book has raised an eyebrow in my direction. But Sarah is now having much fun, singing the itsy bitsy spider and listening to the story. I tell Sarah I am taking the boys to the train area.

The boys are happy. The mom feels defeated. All the other children are in storytime except for a one and a half year old and his mama. We discover her son and my son are both named Lucas. She is pregnant and shares it’s a boy. They had the name Marcus picked out, but thought Lucas and Marcus sounded strange together. “Oh, those are my boys’ names,” I blurt out. She does the polite, “oh really,” thing and the conversation fizzles. I pick out books for the boys.

More kids show up at the trains. The other mom encourages her son to share, “Lucas, you need to share.” My son looks right at her, then hands a train to a new kid. I guess there are advantages to name-sharing, and this makes me smile.

Sarah exits story time smiling and skipping. “She even stamped my hand!” She proudly displays her hand. Even the boys oohh and ahhh at the ink-bug on the back of her hand. I guess we are coming back next week for story-time. Maybe I’ll bring a book to read.

Thursday, January 22, 2009

Field trip for the eyes



The Prodigal Son Field Trip

Today we journeyed to Calvin College’s Spoelhof Center and made our way down the stairs to the basement where this beautiful little art gallery is tucked away. There we viewed, read, and DID NOT TOUCH an amazing collection of art work depicting the Prodigal Son story. We re-read the story when we arrived home and drew pictures. A good time was had by all, especially Mom (I’m a little artsy).
Check out some of the beautiful art work
http://www.calvin.edu/centerartgallery/

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

And now, just a little poetry to reflect our wintry internment..
From The Snowstorm by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,
Arrives the snow, and, driving o'er the fields,
Seems nowhere to alight: the whited air
Hides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven,
And veils the farm-house at the garden's end.
The sled and traveller stopped, the courier's feet
Delayed, all friends shut out, the housemates sit
Around the radiant fireplace, enclosed
In a tumultuous privacy of storm....

Just a little Emerson...

When you do get out, and drink in the barren lanscape, skeletal trees, and sky the color of nothing, look at the snow. Can you comprehend it's bright white? White on the fields, white on the landscape, obscuring common shapes into strange fluffy knobs and lines, white so bright it stings the eyes, white so bright it brings tears. Remember the white that replaces the black ugliness of your sins. Remember the compassion. Remember the sacrifice, and drink in the white of forgiveness.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Things Kids Say

After sledding down a hill, Marc is on his way back up with Aunt Brennie.
“Aunt Brennie, my boots are tired.”
“Aren’t your FEET tired?” Aunt Brennie asks.
“Nope. Just my boots.”

Mama to Luc, “Where’s my hug?”
Luc, with a big grin and arms outstretched, “It’s right here.in my arms.” (sniff..)

Timothy says, “Mom, after you die, you can go to heaven and see your grandma and papa who died a long time ago from smoking. I bet there’s a no smoking sign right on the door to heaven. “No smoking or you’ll go to Hell.” Do you think that sign is there?”

Timothy asked Ryan what a politician is, and after a brief explanation from Dad, I asked Tim if he would like to be a senator someday or work in the government. HE grinned as only a seven year old boy can, "Nope, I want to be a MYTHBUSTER."

Friday, January 16, 2009

January 13, 2009. Twenty years ago today, my husband's sixteen year old brother, Brad Westphal, went to be with the Lord, after it was discovered he had leukemia while on Christmas Break. He was a smart, funny, good-looking kid, who is still missed by his big brother, even after all this time.

I am reminded of Ecclesiastes and the times. There is a time to weep, and a time to mourn. ...a time to die....a time to be born....and God's time is always perfect. That can be really hard to accept sometimes.

My cousin, Jenny, gave birth to a beautiful baby girl on January 13. Kinsley Lynn. It is her time to be born. The beginning of the life God has given her. Life is such a gift.

Same date, different times. So for me, the 13th was a nostalgic sadness for Ryan's brother, and a teary happiness for this new baby. All day and every day belongs to God. And I am so grateful.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Organizing hints

Give your kids each a “bin”. Make it their own and put their name on it. We use plastic open topped bins. I tell my kids, “This is your bin, and only yours. No one can take anything out of here to play with or look at unless they ask.” Their bins also have permanent homes in the laundry room. That way, the bin does not disappear. In a crowded house, it gives them each a little area that is all their own. “Mom, I made this and I don’t want the boys to get it,” Sarah says of her pipe cleaner creation. “Put it in your bin.” It also gives me a place to put the Sunday school papers they want to keep. It’s a great place to keep little toys. I know what you are thinking, what happens when the bin is full?

Another rule we have at our house is: “If you don’t know what to do, ask.” Then I can make suggestions for their free time. “Mom, I need three options.” 1. Look at library books. 2. Get out the puzzles. 3. Clean your bin. Many time they discover a forgotten treasure, “Hey, mom, I found that bouncy ball I got at church.”, or they make trades. “I don’t want these dinosaur cards anymore, Sarah, would you like them?”

I like the bins. It gives them a responsibility to keep it neat. It gives them a way to sort out their things. It provides them an opportunity to be generous. Tim and Sarah often end up with a large “give-away” pile after sorting through their bins.

Here’s what is currently in Marc (three year old)’s bin:
Small journal time blank book with some coloring in it.
A plastic baggie full of small plastic snakes.
A plastic baggie with 12 animal dominoes in it.
A play penguin with surfboard and wind-up wave from a happy meal.
19 playing cards.
One very loved plastic purse with a ring in it.
A Sunday school paper about Noah’s ark.
A small soldier sticker book.

Sometimes when the boys are at a loss about what to do, I ask them, “Do you want to play with your bins?” and they are very happy. It also gives them a way to practice clean up. It also keeps all those teeny tiny toys from disappearing in their room. So if you’re tripping over toys, why not try the bin?

Hey look! Something messed up the van and it wasn’t me. This damage was caused by a tree branch. A very angry tree branch. Apparently we hadn’t been paying enough attention to it and it decided to descend upon and make its presence known. Okay, so it had a little help from the wind. However, it did upset the van so much that she wouldn’t even start. She did not like having her back window shattered. She got a ride from a tow truck but still looked depressed as she was hauled away. Hopefully some time at the body shop will cheer her up.