My kids make me laugh...

Here's a few funny things I heard in my home today. There's always a few quotes that make me smile everyday.

Rylin: "I put a headband on because I needed my face to be out of my hair."

Kacia: "Mom, I've got great news! I'm a real reader! It's true, I can read all the words now."

Lincoln: "Backback, backback."(With accompanied dance moves and rocking hips when Dora sings backpack, backpack)

And this conversation in the car after school:

Kacia: "Oh, I think I lost Wolly." (a small stuffed animal from Uncle James and Samantha that hangs on her backpack)

Rylin (so concerned): "Oh, Kacia, I'm so sorry. Don't be sad, I will help you find it."

Kacia (very matter of factly): "It's okay Rylin. Because, you see, I don't really need toys and stuffed animals so much anymore. When I was little like you, I did really like stuffed animals, but now that I am big I just like things like chapter books instead."

Mom: "Does that mean you don't want any toys for Christmas? Just books?"

Kacia (realizing the implications of what she had just said): "Well, that's okay, you can still get me toys- if you want. I don't care, I don't think I need books for Christmas...."

STOP YELLING!!!

BE PATIENT! CALM DOWN! STOP YELLING! Sadly these are phrases that I find coming out of my mouth more times than I'd like to admit. And the majority of the times that I am "loudly proclaiming" these statements to my girls, I simultaneously recognize this ironic truth in my behavior- that I am acting just as much out of control as they are.

This last Monday, as I sat under biblical teaching, I was convicted, greatly, greatly convicted. My oldest daughter is what some would call passionate and dramatic, and what we often call, overly emotional, quick to anger, and a huge drama queen. We have days, weeks and even months where I see progress, control, and change. And then we have days, weeks and months that are filled with meltdown after meltdown. Our beautiful little girl is an angel at school. She is every teacher's dream: obedient, task-oriented, a leader, and respectful. But at home, she somehow, often "loses it". And I will find myself challenging her- "Would you talk to your teacher that way?" "Would you throw a fit at school like that?" "Would you treat a friend in your class like that?" "Why can't you show me the same respect you show Mrs. Silva?" And then this week I was reminded of these sad truths: 1> My daughter feeds off of me and my attitude. 2> My daughter does the same thing that adults do- she shows her worst side at home.

As I sat there and listened to what purity should look like, how when we are pure at heart, the outside matches the inside, there is a true transparency in our behavior, I realized that if I expect my daughter to act at home like she acts in public, I need to set the example! I know that there are many times that I would not use the same tone or phrasing in my discipline if a neighbor was over (or even if a window was open!). I desire so much to be less of the person my kids see so often, and more of the woman that God created me to be- a self-controlled mother and wife with a kind and quiet spirit and a desire to live with a pure heart, always seeking righteousness. So as I have sought help from the Lord this week to respond and discipline in love and not out of anger or frustration, I must admit that our week has gone so much better! The amount of meltdowns has decreased, the sass of the tongue has been a little less, and the overall stress of our home has been completely different. Now I know that training her little heart is going to be a continual work, and there are going to be days that go smoother, and days that, let's face it, are somewhat miserable. But if I desire to change and shape her heart, I have to start first with my own. So pray for me. Pray that I will continually seek strength from our perfect Father, encouragement and wisdom from His Word, and pray for change! To Him be the glory!

Fall Fun

On Friday we had the Goldens over for a late b-day celebration for Breanna. My girls strongly feel that every birthday must be celebrated with a proper party and since Bre and I were in Ashland for a Women's Retreat on her big day- we were a little late in celebrating. But we had great fun enjoying dinner together and doing a fall favorite- caramel apples. It was great to have a few extra hands to help with this very messy task! My kids have the best cousins- they are such great sports and my kids absolutely love doing things with them!

Pumpkin Patch

My kids LOVE the pumpkin patch! It's not a rare thing to be asked in the middle of February when we get to go to the pumpkin patch, and then later to be asked again in May, July, etc. (I think you get the picture!) So when October hit, they were super excited that it was finally pumpkin patch time. Kacia got to go earlier in the month with her girl scout troop and Rylin had such a great attitude about Kacia going and her not, that the next day, I surprised Rylin and took her and Lincoln to our "smaller" patch. It was the middle of the day in the middle of the week, so pretty empty. The kids walked through the patch, talked to the animals and played on the playground. We picked out little pumpkins, spent a total of $2.50, and that 1/2 hour just made my little girl's day!

Then this week, Kacia's class went on a field trip to the "bigger" patch and I and the kiddos came along too. It was fun, but got a little hectic trying to push the stroller in thick gravel and then carrying Lincoln and pumpkins (my own kids' and Kacia's classmates') through the patch back to the train was a bit much for one mamma. So last night, we went to Family Night so that Kevin could come too. It's way more fun with my family complete, and being there with friends was a great bonus too. It got dark a little too quickly to be able to do everything that is offered, but hopefully my kids finally got their fill of the pumpkin patch.

Me with my crazy & silly kiddos

These were the most social and engaging cows I have ever been around. They just kept mooing and my kids just kept laughing! Lincoln loved them- that is until they made eye contact and mooed simultaneously, or when more than one mooed at a time. But he did kinda learn a new word. Now when you say "what does a cow say?" he goes "mmmm." Does that count as a word?

Playing in the corn box

Sawyer and Kacia on the cow train

Kevin and Lincoln

Megan and Fisher

Rylin riding Betsy

Now hopefully, that was enough trips to the farm to hold them over, at least for a few months!

Sisters Make Great Jungle Gyms

Kacia reading to Lincoln (I'm pretty sure he started jumping on the couch as soon as I snapped this picture. He's not really into sitting still for books yet- but it's great that we're starting to have another reader in the house.)

Anytime the girls are in a somewhat climbable position- Lincoln jumps at the opportunity.

He actually does full, complete somersaults. It's quite entertaining!

Honestly, sometimes they're just crouching down to look for a toy under the coffee table or something, and Lincoln just takes it as an open invitation to jump on his personal jungle gym.

Sometimes they think it's fun, and continue to let him climb all over, other times, especially if he gets stuck on their hair, it's not so fun.

So our house has been inflicted with "the bug" for the last week and a half. So we haven't gone anywhere exciting or done anything worthy of picture taking. It's just been a lot of time spent at home. And this is what happens in our home...

Kinda funny... but don't tell Kevin

So, for those of you who know my wonderful husband Kevin, you know that the poor guy is grossed out by the spit-up and snot of our own dear children. Sometimes, it's actually humorous to witness his reactions to these very normal encounters since we have 3 small children. So this morning when he came home and told me that "the grossest thing just happened to me" I was preparing myself for something quite minor. He proceeded to tell me that as he stepped out of his car into the Safeway parking lot- he stepped in, slipped on and fell in a pile of vomit! Now that is actually something that everyone would find disgusting! Then tonight when he came home for dinner, he told me that he never expected to fall in throw-up and get pooped on in the same day! I honestly couldn't help but laugh! Apparently, a bird pooped on his shoulder and managed to get some on his ear as well. And the kicker is- he didn't notice until he was in a store and rubbed the top of his ear and felt something slimy! Then he discovered the poop that was all over his shoulder. Honestly what are the chances of these two events happening to someone on the same day, and of all people Kevin!!!

Rylin's New 'Do

The long back that was untouched by her little scissors

Just a few layers she decided to add around her face :)

I was trying to capture the underneath here because it was by far the shortest of the cuts, but it kind of gets lost in all the surrounding blondness.

Her little bob is quite fitting for her, and very easy to fix! Hopefully, this will be my only "kid haircutting" story.

Rylin knew that cutting hair was naughty, we've had many conversations about how kids should never cut their own or other's hair. And I honestly thought we might escape this rite that almost all little girls go through. That was until I found a chunk of hair on the ground that was clearly not ripped out by little brother because of it's very blunt edge. But I think we got pretty lucky, it could have been a lot worse! She looks quite cute, she calls it her "mommy haircut" and looks shocked every morning when she realizes it's still short. I've tried to explain it took her nearly four years to grow her hair that long, but she clearly doesn't get the permanence of it all. Gotta love the thinking of "3 and a half and a quarter" year olds!

In Lincoln's World

Lincoln enjoying his first sandwich with Nutella.

I think it must be so weird to take a bite and not know what to anticipate- sweet, salty, hot, cold. And every time Lincoln tries something new, he is stepping out and trusting me. This time he was delightfully surprised to find out that rather than a typical peanut butter sandwich, he got something a little sweeter.

And the sweet tooth is here to stay, after all he is a mix of Hetland/Burns. This was his first beater, and he loved it! For the rest of the day, along with the next, every time I opened the fridge and he saw the bowl of cookie dough, he smacked his lips together accompanied with his outstretched arm and grunts that symbolize- "I want that!"

I have a couple "beater pictures" of myself as a kid too. A bad habit to start so young :).

And this is what happens when you have 2 sisters and a house full of girl toys...

Sometimes he puts his ball in the stroller to push around which is a little more manly, but I'm sure this is just the beginning of many pictures that I will be able to use later for bribery.

As you can see, Lincoln just keeps growing and growing. He is a busy little monkey and keeps us quite entertained. His vocabulary is not growing as quickly as the girls' but I know in time the grunts will be traded in for words. Sometimes he comes storming into a room, rambles off a bunch of chatter, then just runs out. And despite the vocab, he comprehends a ton! I can hand him something and tell him to put it in his room and he does. When anyone mentions the words "going bye-bye" he runs and grabs his shoes from the basket and so on. He has also been busy getting more teeth lately. He had 8, than 4 more broke through the gums and 2 more will be popping through any day. There you have it, that's what has been happening lately in Lincoln's world.