Tuesday, Kate was her normal, happy self
Everyone is getting so good!
Tell me she is not adorable.
After her nap I tried to study, she stole my notes...
We thought "Why not try it?"
Chloe, Ava, Kate, and I made a trip to the Ponder library early afternoon.
While we were gone, Mom decided they should spontaneously meet the Peisers at Six Flags again. She, Chloe, and the littles headed out as soon as we got back and pretty quickly Christian left with Grandfather to try one last time to shoot a deer before the hunting season ended.
If they didn't get one, Grandfather was going to take Christian out for dinner. They ate yummy burgers that night.
Dad continued working, thankful for the quiet house, and Kate and I hung out until her dad came.
-It's a good idea to start your young child or baby's meal with the least sweet food item you have for them to eat and work up to the sweetest. Apply this also with foods you know they like the best, save those for last and give them the thing they don't enjoy as much first or mix it with the item they do like. Don't nurture a picky-eater, motivate them to eat at least some of everything that you have prepared for them.
As soon as she left, I ran out the door to care for baby Sofia at the church again.
She was hungry when I received her so I got to give her a bottle! Then she was awake and
During the 5 minutes she slept.
The others had a blast at Six Flags.
Aren't they gorgeous?
The dreary weather, combined with not drinking coffee that morning (if you ask some people, who are under the misconception that I am addicted to caffeine..) gave me a headache for a majority of the afternoon and evening. I always forget that there is such a thing as "pain-killers" that are tremendously helpful for such situations.
Dad inspires me. He gets headaches frequently enough, but he always pushes through his workday, even as one who is self-employed and manages his own schedule.
In the evening, our "new" friend from church, who has a real name, Aron (pronounced "Aaron"), came over to do Cize with us.
We were all glad he was okay to be in the front as he and Gabe were equally entertaining to observe.
I finished pulling dinner together once we finished and Aron concocted his special brownies so they could be baking while we ate
This is a picture of his brownies, just from a different night.
(The photographer failed her duties that night.)
If you ask Gabe, the brownies were, "Out of this world." If you ask Mia, they were, "Awesomely, deliciously, scrumptious." And Mom says they are another one of those foods that "save puppies from burning buildings."
A few of us were awake trapped in a chocolate coma until 2:30 am, but the brownies were so worth it. I just got up and did school and other things that needed to be done until I began to emerge from my stupor, so it worked out!
Thursday was a normal school morning for everyone.
In the afternoon I dropped my car off for an oil change and Mom, Chloe, and Christian picked me up on their way to Speech and Debate.
Chloe and I were able to look at our feedback forms from our first tournament and see some things to fix in our duo. One of the moms helped us with that and now we just need to practice.
Mom took me back to get my car after the speech time and I headed home. Chloe and Christian stayed for debate.
Friday morning I left the house before hardly anyone else was moving.
A family in our church needed someone to go sit with their three daughters in their Classical Conversations class while they went to their last doctor's appointment before their new baby is born.
The littles were in CC last year and the year before, but I never got to sit in on their classes (I was in my own high school level class which was totally different), so I was excited to go watch.
Straight from there I left to have coffee with a friend and then rushed
I actually arrived home late (due to traffic) and so got in such a hurry to change into a dress and throw my hair up that I knocked a picture off the wall. *Mental note, five minutes is not very long*
Chloe, Christian, and I caught a ride with Aunt Cendei to the party for a girl in our church who was turning 19. Her sister had asked us to arrive early to help her finish setting up for the Jane Austin Era party.
The whole venture was highly successful. Emily was completely surprised and we all had a great time eating, watching her open gifts, playing games, and learning some couple and line dances.
Chloe and Christian were convinced they would NOT be dancing. Guess who loved it the most once she got into it? Chloe. And Christian also had a blast! Dancing was always something I thought would be fun, but never had the opportunity to learn. I was glad that my partner the second half of the night already knew how to dance, once he and I started dancing I finally got the hang of it.
The father of the birthday girl offered to take us home whenever we were ready to go. We ended up being the last to leave around 11:00 pm.
Saturday we slept in. A lot.
We all did the second Cize workout. Wow. That was just slightly more challenging than the first one. And by "slightly," I mean extremely. It was still super fun, though!
I took Ava to the library in the afternoon and once we were all ready for church, us older ones taught the littles the "Virginia Reel."
Dad stayed home not feeling great.
Church was a blessing. There are no words. No words.
She wanted a picture with the worship leader.
Sunday morning Aron came over for brunch.
Then he beat me at "Rummikub" That's okay, though, I beat him at "Speed" the last time he came for brunch.
Once our food had settled Aron took us five kids and one adult outside to teach us soccer. We warmed up and did a bunch of stretches and drills and then divided up to play a game.
Chloe, Christian, and I were a team, and Aron, Ava, and Gabe were a team. Mia hopped back and forth between both teams.
Aron is only slightly competitive. (Refer to above definition of the word "slightly" for actual meaning.) The game ended at 3 to 1, in favor of Aron and the littles. Ava scored two of their goals!
Christian is great at getting the ball, Chloe at passing it off, and I at defending. When I played basketball as a 10, 11, and 12 year old, I was always set to guard the biggest guy on the opposite team because my coach knew I was tiny and would annoy them. The same principle worked well in our game, although I hope I was not actually annoying.
Aron and Christian left after our game to go play Disc Golf in Denton.
From what I understand, Disc Golf is basically the same as regular golf, except that instead of a ball and clubs, you play with a smaller, heavier frisbee type disc, and the "holes" are special baskets. If any of that makes any sense...
The rest of us had rest time.
Dad was still not feeling great.
This is what he needs.
Who's ready to leave for Maui?
On his first ever game of Disc Golf, Christian ended with a better score than some of Aron's friends who have been trying to learn for a while! He didn't win the round or beat anyone he was playing with that day, but the report was that he did exceptionally well. And he had fun.
Aron and Christian returned after dark slightly frozen and a tad bit muddy, just in time for dinner and Star Wars, A New Hope, Episode IV.
By the end of the very very very long movie, half of us couldn't wait to watch all of them and the other half (which included me and Mom) were left wondering what in the world it was that we were supposed to have been so missing out on. Ava didn't even stay to watch the whole thing, she much preferred her book.
I've Been Pondering...
When God calls you to something it takes courage to step out in obedience. And although obedience is simple, it's not always easy.
If you continue to wait until you "have it all together," or "know all the answers," or are "pretty confident in your own abilities" you will never step out. And if you do feel that way, then you have lost sight of the fact that you need God.
You are not to move when you know what you are doing, but when God directs you. And you are not to move when you think you've got it, because you need God. Nothing He has called you to has He called you to do on your own, in your own strength, using your own wisdom.
First you must meet Jesus. He will fill you up. Then you are equipped to go out. You return then, over and over and over, day by day, moment by moment, to be refilled and resent.
Nothing I do is because of me. It all has everything to do with Christ. And I have to constantly surrender to Him and listen for His leading and receive grace and courage from Him to step out in obedience, entering into the things He is calling me to.
It's not easy, but it is simple.
That Moment When...
All the kids cry when the mommies leave.
You don’t get any texts until you start babysitting. Then your phone explodes.
Mother rearranges and can't remember where she put things.
The turkey breast doesn't fit in the crockpot.
The turkey breast doesn't fit in the crockpot.
"Cashews and pop tarts?" -Me repeating what I thought I heard.
"Hemp Hearts. When have we ever purchased pop tarts?" -Mom
“So the girls are still kids?” -Chloe
“Yes.” -Me
“Gah! You have so far to go in that book.” -Chloe
“#slowreader” -Christian
“No, #busygirl.” -Mom
"Hey my pony tail!" -Me finding the one I'd lost.
"It was under the couch." -Ava
"Something just flew out the window. It strongly resembled my school work." -Chloe
"This is going to blow your mind." -Mom to me as I come downstairs.
"What? Is that like, the most advanced Cize dance?" -Me referring to the workout they were watching before we tried it.
"Nope. This is number two." -Mom
"We are almost halfway through winter! Wait, nooooo we aren't even a month in!" -Me
"Well, the last time I saw him working at the library I'm pretty sure he hit on me so..." -Me to Mom
"Great. Are you posting that on the blog?" -Mia after saying something random.
“No.” -Me
“Are you going to post that I just asked if you were going to post that?” -Mia
“Yup!” -Me
“Oh great. Great. Great!” -Mia
“But I don’t think I’m hilarious.” -Me
“But I think you are." -Mom
"It takes an hour to enjoy a cup of coffee properly." -Me
"Well apparently I only need ten minutes." -Chloe
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