I'm Off

The kids and I are off to enjoy some time with my parents for a few days! Yippee!!!!!! Have a great weekend!

The Atmosphere of Our Homes

I continue to enjoy Nancy Campbell's study called The Power of Motherhood so very much. This morning, I read this quote that she found in an old book called "Quiet Talks on Home Ideals" by S.D. Gordon:

"The atmosphere of the home is breathed in by the child, and exerts an influence in his training more, by far, than all other things put together. The child receives more by unconscious absortption than in any other way. He is all ears and eyes and open pores. He is open at every angle and point and direction, and all between. He is an absorbing surface; he takes in constantly; he takes in what is there; and what he takes in makes him..."

As mothers (or fathers, if there are any such readers!), what a responsibility we carry for we are the sole creators of the atmospheres of our homes. Praise be to God that "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me". May He aid me, and you, today in creating an atmosphere in our homes worth absorbing!

Our Weekend in Pictures

Saturday announced our last day of 'formal' school for the year! To celebrate, we went out for ice cream. I don't know what was more exciting for the boys: the ice cream or taking turns riding with Daddy!!

All three kids chose bub

blegum ice cream in waffle dishes that they made right in front of us! Yummy!!!! I am a faithful and loyal Tillamook Choco

late Peanut butter fan but I may have to change teams!!! The Alpenrose Chocolate Peanut butter that I had was out of this world!!!!!!!

Sunday offered Craig a chance to go sturgeon fishing with our friend/neighbor. His wife and I took our kiddos to the Olympia Farmers' Market to pass the time while the daddies were away!

Us ladies found the perfect compliment to the sturgeon the guys contributed to dinner that evening: fresh steamer clams!!! I brought them home but Craig took over from there with this yummy recipe for steamer clams that actually involves putting them, ALIVE, in my microwave! Steamer clams happens to be one of Noah's all-time favorite foods!!! His mountain of empty shells was astonishing!!!!!

We made the most of the stormy weather today! First off, a haircut for Kaleb. For anyone who knows Kaleb, it will not come as a surprise to hear that Kaleb has been wanting a mohawk. And for anyone who knows me, it will not come as a surprise that I refused. However, we found a reasonable compromise in what they are calling the "faux hawk". The cut is normal, its the touch of gel and the styling that gives it the mohawk look. Personally, I think it's the absolute cutest faux hawk I've ever seen.

We then loaded up in Penny (our faithful, old, beloved Volkswagen van) and took a drive. It was a perfect activity for a rainy Pacific Northwest day!!! We stopped for lunch and Sarah took a turn "driving":

On our way home from adventuring, we got to see these coming down the river, headed out to sea. I'm quite certain God was anticipating with joy all day long this little surprise He had arranged for us. The boys were thrilled to pieces to get to see these ships so close!

We ended our day with fried sturgeon and homemade french fries. We then tucked the little girls in bed and joined the boys in our pop-up camper for a rousting game of Life. Crazy place to play a board game but there's something so very exciting to them about that camper!!!! They were just tickled pink to be out there! It was quite cozy, actually! The rain was pattering down on the roof, the wind hammering against the canvas, their giggles and silliness filling the inside with joy and happiness. Noah's car was filled with children, Kaleb was sad that he remained childless, and I won by only about $80.00.

Oh, and yes, I did get to go out for dinner with my wonderful husband. We enjoyed fondue, a yummy salad and crab and grilled artichoke ravioli! It was delicious and refreshing and I came home, eager to attend to my teething sweetheart (who was a perfect angel, I might add, while I was gone)! It really was JUST what I needed! Thanks for asking, friends! And Mom, I'm most certain I made you wish for earplugs a time or two!!!!

Ear plugs, anyone?

I do believe Sarah Grace is teething today and having a rough go of it.
I reported in with Craig this morning with the following message:
"I need earplugs and a date with you very soon!"
He reported back telling me that the earplugs were in the garage and directed me to arrange for someone to hang out with the kids so we could go to dinner tonight. I love that man and the sweet little teething screamer we are blessed to call our daughter! (Don't worry, Mom, I resisted the urge to actually USE the earplugs:)!!!)

Jokes by Hannah, age 2

Hannah: Knock knock

Mom: Who's there?

Hannah: Daddy!

Mom: Daddy who?

Hannah: THAT Daddy!!!!!

...to which she responds with peals of laughter because SHE thinks she is so very funny!

Summer-ly Intentions

Oh, doesn't this porch beckon you? In the midst of dreary June days here in the Pacific Northwest, I've been carefully considering our summer ahead, pondering the activities that I would like to fill our days. We will be taking a break from formal school work. However, children don't ever stop learning nor do mothers ever stop teaching. I'm excited to do some of the things my children REALLY enjoy but perhaps we aren't able to squeeze into the school schedule as much as we would all like. Here are a few things on the agenda:

1. My mom found for me a book that I fondly remember from my own growing up years. Its called How to Make a Rainbow and is full of lots of fun arts and crafts. My kids, like almost every child I've ever met, love to create things! They really do! I am very excited to pull out the craft supplies and work through as many of the pages as we can. My children will be thrilled!!!!

2. We have Lake Sacajawea in the middle of our town. Its a beautiful lake, as you can see from this picture, with three playgrounds, a wonderful walking/biking path, and lots of banks to explore. It is home to a variety of critters as well as a summer concert series. I have every intention of spending as much time here as possible, exploring, listening, and watching with hopes of Nature Notebooks being created from our time spent there.

3. Science experiments!!!! What 8 and 6 year old boys don't love science experiments? And we just don't take the time during the school year to do as many as we would like. Well, I'm on the look out for all sorts so if you have some good ones to pass along, please don't hesitate!

4. Library, oh Library... How lovely are your shelves!!! I will be instituting a mandatory reading time each morning when baby sister takes her nap. We are going to soak in as many good books as we want to. We do quite a bit of reading during the school year, too, and this is something we simply cannot take a break from!!! I foresee lots of snuggling up on the couch or perhaps outside underneath the big maple tree with stacks of good books. Oh, I can't wait!!!!

And then there's VBS and swim lessons, camping trips and afternoons down at the river's edge... and the list goes on and on! I have a feeling our summer simply won't be long enough!!!

What are your plans for the summer? What things are you most looking forward to doing? What were some of your favorite summertime memories from your childhood? Please do share!

Joy

I am very much enjoying the bible study, "The Power of Motherhood" by Nancy Campbell. However, I did NOT enjoy yesterday morning's reading! It was about mothers as servants and it brought about great conviction. You know, the kind that down-right hurts, that puts a knot in the pit of your stomach and leaves you feeling so very dependent on the only One who could possible transform you into the person you long to be? Surely, you know what I'm talking about.

We all know that serving our families is the high calling of the Christian mother. And so we put on our apron, if not literally than at least figuratively, and we 'got to work', so to speak. Sounds lovely, doesn't it? Ah, but this is where I stumble: "Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with JOYFULNESS, and with GLADNESS OF HEART, for the abundance of all things...(Deut. 28:47)". Ouch!

If you read the entire chapter of Deut. 28, God is firmly announcing the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience. That's fine but why, oh why, did He have to throw in verse 47? I know I am to serve the Lord, but with JOYFULNESS? With GLADNESS OF HEART? Does He give no exception for grumpy, frumpy days, for grouchy children, for harried schedules? Not even for PMS, for cryin' out loud??????

No. No, He doesn't. Jesus served with JOYFULNESS, with GLADNESS OF HEART even when drops of sweat were dripping from His brow, even when those He served HATED Him, even to the point of taking His last painful, agonizing breath. He never once allowed resentment or fatigue or impatience or anger or hormones or anything else to distract Him from the road of JOYFUL SERVANTHOOD. Not once...

Hmmm. I sit on it, I chew on it, I let the words, the thoughts wrap around my mind. Fast-forward a few hours. It's time to leave, to gather the children together, put shoes on, brush teeth, pack lunches, correct a bad attitude, comb heads of hair, wipe breakfast remnants off of little faces, break up a tiff, put shoes on again, search for keys, change a diaper, nurse a baby, kiss an owie, put shoes on again and head out the door for a visit with friends. With each step of preparation, each delay, each interaction, my countenance changes, my impatience grows larger, my fuse grows shorter!

"Because thou servedst not the Lord thy God with JOYFULNESS...". I can tell my children all day long that "Children are a gift from the Lord", that being a mother/father is truly one of the very highest callings....I can tell my children all day long to do their chores/schoolwork with a good attitude, to think of others before themselves, to serve Jesus in all they do......But truly, being a JOYFUL wife and mother will speak volumes above the blabbing that comes out of my mouth. I can preach a glorious, magnificent sermon to them until I'm blue in the face, but the look they see on my face when I'm putting on their shoes and the edge they hear in my voice when I'm ushering them into the car tells the real story, to them and to the One I say I serve.

And so, once again, I sit at the Potter's wheel, being the unsightly lump of clay that I am. We both see it, the imperfection, the flaw, the unsightly blemish. Neither of us likes it. I yield to His strong, powerful hands. He is my only hope. His ability and willingness to transform and renew is my only chance. "Create in me a clean heart, O God..." Help Me, Servant of all, to serve You with JOYFULNESS.