Back It Up.

 I have a lot to catch up on. 

But first, I had to document this pivotal moment in Harris's life this past week when he scaled a mountain by himself and needed help getting back down. Here is that dangerous mountain:

After he climbed up and realized how high up he was, he screamed and cried and begged for help. Of course I, being full of compassion and motherly love, couldn't get my laughing body off my bed to help him. I kept calling out, "Just step down!" and he would yell, "I can't!!!" This went on for awhile, I'm ashamed to admit. It was just the laugh I needed at that moment.

In other news, the weather is getting so much better. SPRING! And with Spring, we have been doing many outdoorsy things.

First off, hundreds of thousands of snow geese stop at a wilderness preserve about 20 minutes from our house every spring on their way back home from their winterly migration. And with the hundreds of thousands of snow geese come hundreds of thousands (not really, but lots) of Pennsylvanians to watch them fly around.

Yes, I was partially covering my head because I was afraid they would poop on me. That has happened to me before, both literally and metaphorically. 

Entire green hilltops looked like they were snow-capped from all of the white geese sitting on them. It was fun, it was beautiful AND this homeschooling mom got to check the box for science that day with ease. 

Because we all know that I'm amazing at science.

We have also done many, many trips to the park and creek by our house. The first time we went after it turned warm, June was doing what she does--observing nature. And so the second time we went back, she came prepared with rain boots and jars and a backpack full of "equipment". She waded out into the creek and collected shells and water samples and cattails and a bunch of other things. That girl IS a scientist through and through.

We also were able to dog-sit for 45 minutes one day. VERY exciting.

I'm beginning to feel myself cave on the dog front. I have so many people telling me NOT to do it because they are so much work, and I have a plethora of small children that already need help. But I could see a dog being extremely beneficial to June. Thoughts?

Also, we bought a butterfly kit on Amazon, and after two weeks all of the caterpillars formed their chrysalis:

Here you can see all of them in the chrysalis except for the one on the very left, who hadn't formed it yet but was in the preceding J-shape. Wouldn't it be amazing if they emerged on EASTER DAY!!?!?

Science lessons? Check check check. I've found that I am not the best science teacher but I'm a decent science facilitator. I will provide the experiments and the materials and the books. Luckily, my girls are both very self-motivated in this area.

Last week, we studied about the armor of God, and of course Dan went all out.

June turned 9! Gwen made her a birthday crown.

And Gwen and Harris and I made her a candy bar poster.

I feel like birthdays should be fun and spontaneous and full of adventure, but I came up with an idea that kinda kills all of those ideals but also guarantees a good experience. I made up a worksheet for each birthday kiddo to fill out at the beginning of the month where they can pick their family activity, type of cake, type of presents, and what they would like for birthday dinner.

June picked to go to the movies. Of course, we are lucky to have a best friend living next door and he's always up for our shenanigans.

And she had her favorite dinner of shrimp, cheesy grits (which were burned and yes she did notice), corn on the cob and a super duper chocolatey cake.

Which means I have been a mom for 9 years. What in the world. 

The End.

The Truth Is I Like Little Kids.

Whenever I babysat in my teen years, I would literally count down the minutes until the parents of my charges would come home. Starting the minute they left. And if they came home later than they had told me, I would get upset. Not outwardly, because I needed to keep making money. But inwardly, I was seething.

I didn't like little kids! I didn't know what to do with them. They were whiny. They had lots of questions. I couldn't be bothered.

When I was on the hospital bed and ready to push June out, I said to Dan, "I don't think I really want to be a mom." That is a true story.

My kids have been a great pleasant surprise. Not immediately, and not all at once. I mean yes, of course I loved my babies as they came to me. But I was still convinced I was not a little kid person. In my mind, I was waiting until they were older when we could have better conversations and fun experiences together. Because little kids are still whiny and they still have lots of questions and I still don't like being bothered.

(June and Gwen enjoy hot chocolate after a cold day outside. With marshmallows AND whipped cream. Of course.)

But something has happened this past year. Maybe it's that I have a baby that I can actually enjoy because I'm not pregnant with another one. Maybe it's because my kids are great ages for making friends and for playing and they are each other's best friends.

(Beck, self portrait.)

Maybe it's the homeschooling. It has made me get to know them in a different way. I used to send them to school and be relieved at the quieter time when they were gone. Now there is no relief and no real quiet time. I had to settle into that feeling and grow into it.

(Harris, self-portrait. Apparently, my kids steal my phone a lot.)

Now, I will always be the kind of person who needs alone time and time to recharge and all that. We hire babysitters and go on dates and take our kids to activities and to play with friends. We all have boundaries.

But I really love being around my little kids.

Here are some pictures of me growing up. I don't know why I wasn't in more Gap commercials. Or any Gap commercials.

That humongous duffel bag looks convenient!

Why was I in such a bad mood when I was having such a good hair day?

Here's a pic of RIGHT NOW. June reading over my shoulder while I blog. She just said to me, "Maybe you were upset in that last photo because the school bully had picked on you that day."

Probably, June. Probably.

Happy Sabbath!

THE END.