peelosophy

My kitchen island has become a bit of a freak show.  This is the an Albino African Clawed Frog that somehow managed to become a part of our lives temporarily.

We named her Petunia…we were trying to think of the most beautiful name for the ironic appeal.  Basically the story goes, the owners were going to dump her because she killed her mate, and we were the suckers saved her from her deadly fate.

Have you seen the naked mole rats at the zoo?  If you are like me, I just can’t stop staring at them because they look so weird – she’s kind of like that.

She looks like a plucked chicken…that swims.  She has no eyelids so you don’t ever know if she is sleeping.  There are times I walk by her and get goosebumps because she just freaks me out.

Intrigued?  Come on by, bring the kids…hopefully she won’t be here that long.

My sister Lara in town a couple of weeks ago and we so miss her now that she is gone!  She LOVES her nieces and nephews (here and in Colorado) and they ADORE her! She is so thoughtful with the kids and is always sending them little packages and postcards from her travels.

She got to spend some time with us this trip on days that I was watching other kids.  And, of course, they were all put under her spell.  They all called her “Aunt Lara” and asked if she would send them postcards too.  And, I know she will because she is just thoughtful like that.

This picture is of her and Emma when she stopped by on her way out of town and it so happened they were both wearing their “kerchiefs” in their hair so I had to snap a picture.  I can only imagine, Emma asking in 15 years when she can go stay with Aunt Lara in LA…..

In junior high I transferred from a private all-girl school to a public co-ed school. That is a heck of a transition for a junior high girl!

By God’ grace, I became instant friends with a group of girls, of which most of them also had transferred from all girl schools. We were called The 6-Pack because their were 6 of us and we were inseparable. I don’t know if this name was given to us or if self-proclaimed, but it was junior high – if you had a place or a name where you fit in – it was half the battle.

I’ve been thinking of my junior high 6-pack lately, especially when I stop and realize that we are now a family of 6. Even writing that,  it is crazy to me. Don’t get me wrong, we wanted a big family and I’m from a family of 6 — this should not be that crazy to me!

Read more…

Yesterday John and the boys went to the Webster Pool ready for an afternoon swim.  Just as they got their suits on, the lifeguards were getting everyone out of the pool because lightening was spotted.

The boys were sad, but John promised that they would all go again this evening.  So this evening we were ready to go to the pool, but we waited to long and forgot the pool closes early on Sundays.  Whoops, this time we blew it.

John was sad because the kids were going to be disappointed which they were, tears were shed but slowly dried when we decided to set the little pool up in the backyard.

JJ insisted on wearing his water wings to make it feel more like the “big pool”.  Slowly, everyone got really into it and had a great time.  Stunts were being performed down the playground slide splashing into the little pool and the boys were successful in thoroughly soaking everyone involved.  John did make the comment that it wasn’t fun to shoot me because I didn’t give any sort of reaction when I got shot.  I’ll have to work on that.

Read more…

I have slowly started to get the itch to start blogging again.  SO why have I been gone so long?

There are a couple reasons.  The first is 4 kids is A LOT going on!  I just got to a point where I had to let go of some things until I felt like I could manage the basics (meaning laundry, dishes, showering).   I needed to feel like I was doing something well, so blogging was one of the things that had to go for a bit.  I’m definitely not there completely yet, but have been getting a glimpse of free time here and there.

The other reason I stopped was a bit more personal and I really can’t go into because it is not just my story to tell.  I would love to tell you about it in person, so ask me sometime.  It’s a story of when life gets hard, but now I can see how it has God’s fingerprints all over it — – which makes it all the better to share.

So I hope you and yours are well and keep checking back!

My sister Katie lives in Colorado with her husband Carl and two girls, Tootie and Brooke. Over the past few months, they’ve probably visited the ER every week with one of them being very sick and the fire department has had to come out a couple of times because of sickness or crazy kid mishaps.

This week it was the fire department, which they are now on a first name basis with them. Brooke (2-1/2) managed to get her finger caught in a Starbucks cup and they couldn’t get it out. I know right?!?! How does that happen and why couldn’t they get it out?!?!

I wasn’t a disposable cup, I tried to find a picture of it on the web but couldn’t. It was a reusable glass cup that had a glass domed lid and a hole for the straw. The hole is where Brooke’s finger got stuck. She put it over her knuckle, Katie and Carl tried several things but they couldn’t get it off.

Read more…

I am feeling like I am almost completely out of the postpartum fog I’ve been in for the last two months.  I feel great, things are getting done that weren’t getting done the last couple months (i.e. Mt.Washmore) and I am optimistic about our future as a family of six.  Now, I understand this feeling may only last until tomorrow morning – but I’ll take it.

I was reflecting back today about several key things that got me through the last few months and I thought I’d share them with you.

Read more…

Our baby swing broke this morning while Emma was mid-swing.  It snapped at the hinges and she abruptly dropped to the floor.  She made a face like she was about to holler, but then stopped and looked around as if to say, “whatever this works too”.  And she just sat in the swing on the floor until we were ready to leave.  That’s my girl, roll with it and we’ll get along alright.

The swing was a hand-me-down when we got it for JJ.  Then it was worked to the bones through all the boys, the other kids I watch and several 3 and 4 year olds that took it for a ride every now and again.  It had a good long life.

Read more…

We are getting off a week of being sick.  The only one coming away from it relatively unscathed was John.  Henry, JJ and I had strep, George has a viral infection and Emma had a little cough and rattle.

In my opinion, one of the most frustrasting things about the kids getting sick is that I never know for sure how sick they really are – how much of our lives do I need to cancel? I struggle with questions like if it is worthy of a doctor’s visit or should they go or not not go to school, should I cancel the kids that I watch over here?

Read more…

Friends are always amazed when George talks because he doesn’t talk a lot in public.  At home however, he talks a TON.  There are two things he says a lot now which I love.

The first is when I am feeding Emma, he will hand me my breast pad and say, “Here’s your cap mommy, put your cap back on.”  I never thought of them as caps…maybe someone should contact the marketing department of Johnson and Johnson.

The second is when he wants to be held, he says, “Mommy, I want to hold you, I want to hold you.” This is way more refreshing than the demanding “Mommy hold me, hold me”  And I like it when he “does the holding” cause what mom doesn’t want to be held?