Of Pumpkins Past

I'll get around to being a spiffy blogger with pics to illustrate each paragraph, but since I'm not there yet, you just get random pics sprinkled throughout. :)

I have been working extensively on Sophia and Matthew's old school's newsletter, which has been taking most of my evening time on the computer. It's almost done... awaiting edits and so I won't feel guilty hopping on to do some frivolous blogging :)
We are getting used to all being home together again. It's like when the kids come home for the summer after being in school during the day. Shock to the system.

 "helping" Daddy set up the table

An informal homeschool program thus far has included reading learning sight words for Sophia, math worksheets for both, handwriting with lined paper, and fun busy-work art projects. I'm getting ready to order the Seton Home Study program for K and Pre-K though. The hope is that next year both kids will be able to attend St. Austin School, where Mom teaches K and 1st.

Work continues on our house. We got a new roof a few weeks ago, landscaping last week, and a working toilet. Now we just are waiting on new doors for the bedrooms and bath, hopefully on Friday. 

It's been great having my parents around! They come over for dinner and help put the kids to bed on nights Matthew works late and take a kid or two for a bit on the weekend. It's nice to be able to do things all together too.

Baby Girl is super active - imagine that. She'll fit right in with her sibs. :) We picked a Dr. based on a friend's recommendation, and so hopefully we will be delivering at Mercy Hospital in St. Louis about 20 min away from here. The whole pregnancy is still going well though I am really slowing down. I think part of it is from gaining more weight than usual - a byproduct of stress and the move I think.

And now... some Halloween pics! Sophia was a Blue Fairy, Matthew was Spiderman and Xavier a Bumblebee.

We made it!

After a 14 month hiatus, we are back. Now that we've moved, we want all our friends back in the great state of TX to be able to keep up with our new St. Louis adventures. That is... as long as I can keep up myself and don't just collapse in a heap. That wouldn't make for very exciting blogging. Or good pics. So here goes!

We didn't waste any time in diving into the great family activities offered here. On Sunday afternoon my Mom used her awesome Arboretum membership to get us into the "Best of Missouri" festival. It was cold by Texas standards... lower 60's with a chilly breeze. Very fall. Very "I want to carve a pumpkin and turn on the crockpot."


Both the kids cranked an apple grinder to help make cider, which they then got to enjoy.

Sophia and Grandma decorated a pumpkin while Matthew Jr and Daddy constructed a bird house. (Xavier and Grandpa were home sick.)

The kids milked a very patient cow and petted an amazingly tame and friendly llama. Coffee for mom and dad helped us keep up.

Our rental house isn't quite ready so we're staying with Grandma and Grandpa. I can't wait to get in and unpack! Now that the adrenaline from readying for the move has worn off, I'm getting slower every day. I know how many boxes I packed and "oy" it is going to take forever to get it all in place. Moving truck should arrive Wednesday and hopefully by this weekend the landlord will have all the little indoor details done. The house is a complete rehab with all-new everything - which is going to be worth the wait, I think!

Do I KNOW you?

Prayertime is almost always interesting at our house. We give the kids the opportunity to pray/ thank Jesus for whoever they wish. Lately, Matthew Jr has been rattling off a list of objects: "My letters... um... my closet...um... my boots... kitten." To which I say, "Matt-Matt, let's pray for people." In the same singsong tone he corrects himself: "For peeeople..."

So last night, Sophia was prompting him who to pray for.
S: "For Daddy."
M: "For Daaaaddy."
S: "For Mommy."
M: "For Mommmma."
S: "For me."
M: "But I don't KNOW you!"
S: (stunned and shocked) YES you DO! I'm Sophia!
M: "No I don't."

I just know God is laughing too!

Feeding the Hungry Children

The Starving Child Himself

My children don't look malnourished. They get meals AND snacks AND dessert sometimes too. And yet, there is a near-constant whiney "I hungry Momma. I hungry" sound ringing in my ears. It starts (I'm not kidding) as soon as 5 minutes after a meal or snack and comes and goes in waves until we eat again.
Dear little Matthew MUST be growing. This is ridiculous!
Usually I wake up around 6:15 to the first sounds of stirring coming from the kids' room. But this morning, I must have been really tired because at 6:45 two sets of little hands were pounding the mattress in front of my face to wake me up. And guess what they wanted. "We're hungry Momma," whispered Sophia. "Matt-Matt and Me are hungry."

MIA

Yes. It had gone missing. My humor entirely deserted me for a stretch there, which makes for some long days and even longer weeks. That is why there have been no blog entries.

So, as I realized last night how long it had been since I blogged, I vowed to wake up in the morning with a more affable, laid-back disposition. It didn't take long to be tested.

This morning as I groggily checked the clock at 6:30am the usual giggles and squeaks were emanating from the kids' room. But by the time I was brushing my teeth, the noises had relocated to the kids' bathroom. And the water was running. Uh-oh.

I opened my bedroom door just in time to see two little urchins making a dash across the hall for the safety of their beds. I stonily inquired, "WHAT were you doing in the bathroom?" Sophia held up her baby doll and Matt-Matt followed suit (with her spare baby doll). "Momma, we were bapti-tising our babies."

I couldn't be mad. Sophia had apparently re-baptized herself in the process because her bangs were wet. Later in the day, while tidying up, I happened to notice a small play-kitchen pot in the sink from their psuedo-sacramental undertaking. And I smiled again.

Not to Brag or Anything...

Last night we had soup and green beans. Ice cream for dessert. We had to prompt Sophia every few minutes to keep eating so she could have her dessert. At one point she said, "Okay Momma, but can I have my green beans BEFORE I have dessert?"
I don't know how she got like this... but I'm okay with it!

He Said She Said

Matthew can't seem to get thru his head that Sophia is not his boss. Ditto for Sophia. They make each other cry several times a day telling the other that they can't do something.
Sophia: Matt-Matt. You CAN'T have dinner.
Matthew: WAAAAAA

We're getting ready to go somewhere:
Matt-Matt: NO. 'Fia. You stay HOME!
Sophia: Waaaa. Mooooommm. MattMatt says I have to stay here! Waaaahhh!

The kids had been down for the night for about an hour and suddenly Matthew starts wailing. I sprinted upstairs... because last time that happened, Sophia had been trying to climb into his crib and fell on top of him. Poor guy!
Well, I blasted into the room, "WHAT happened?!" Sophia said Um. Um. enough times for me to realize I wasn't going to get a straight answer out of her. So, I turned to Matthew who was still wimpering. "What happened Matt-Matt?"
"Fia said no birfday for ME."
Seriously? Yes. He was just upset because Sophia apparently said he couldn't have a birthday any more because he just had one.
God grant me patience.