One More Night

On Friday Jack misplaced his monkey Vines. We all searched but couldn't find him anywhere. He cried himself to sleep, but since he is worn out at night it didn't take long. The next morning he started looking for him as soon as he got up. We all looked again. We never did find him. That night and the next night he went to bed okay and without crying.

Monday, I bought a yellow Gerbera daisy in a yellow pot to take to the cemetery. I walked in the house with the flower and you would have thought the kids had never seen a flower before. They were so excited I had bought a flowering plant and pestered me with questions. They wanted to know were we going to plant it outside, where I was going to put it, and could they keep it in their rooms. I kind of hated to tell them it was going to the cemetery because then not only would they know we weren't keeping the flower at home but I'd make them sad too. I told them it was to take to the cemetery anyway, and we started thinking about when we could go. Jack wanted to know if everyone could take something like last time. They all took individual flowers then and laid them on Knox's grave. I told him that they probably could. Then he wanted to know if he could take Knox some of his cars because Knox liked to play cars you know. Yes, I know and yes, I told him that he could take some. He picked out a couple to take and then it was like he just couldn't get it out of his brain that we were going to the cemetery to take things to Knox's grave and well, it is always hard for me to think of taking them to the cemetery where it seems like death is harsh and real.

So back to Vines, the monkey. When it came time to go to bed, Jack breaks down in tears. He lays himself across my lap and sobs. "I just can't go another night without Vines; I just love him so." My mind immediately went to Knox. Then I wondered. Is this just about Vines? Or is it really about Knox? He's five; it is probably just about Vines. I understand his sadness though because for me it is about Knox. I know all about not wanting to go another day or another night because I love him so.

And the yellow Gerbera...because I think of him in yellow.

A funny for all my Grace Bible friends

We are starting Tapestry of Grace today because everyone starts new curriculum in March, right? Anyway, Emma got out of bed and Jack said, "Hey, Emma! We get to start our Grace Bible thing today!"

By my hands

I haven't done one of these in a while but that isn't because I haven't been sewing. I won't torture you with pictures of all the stuff I never got around to posting but here are two of the most recent things I made/finished this week.

First is a dress. The pattern is really for a very long top and only went up to a 6/7 so I lengthened it and made it a dress for Elizabeth. I don't love it but she does so I guess that is all that matters. I didn't take into account that the ruffle piece should be made fuller since the dress is longer! I decided I really like it best as a shorter shirt to wear with jeans or shorts. This was my first time doing shirring and I really liked it. It is kind of cool because it loosely gathers as you sew it adn then you steam it with your iron shrinking the elastic thread.

And second, remember Anne Michal's tie-dye quilt that I started last January or February. I finally finished it. I love the red polka dot back! I am rather sad she carried it off to bed tonight or I'd be cuddled up under it right now! Hopefully, I'll get started on another one soon.

Another Jack Funny

Tonight he got out of bed for his bedtime drink; that drink that he never seems to manage to get before going to bed. He offers an explanation of his drinking habits.

"You know, the reason I have to keep getting drinks of water is that you never know when you are going to get dehydrated."

Once again, he uses his vocabulary as a diversion. It is a wonder he doesn't keep a cup with his miscellaneous items.

A Jack Funny

Jon was digging between the mattress and the headboard of his bunkbed looking for his monkey Vines. He was pulling all sorts of stuff out of there. I said, "Boy! What all do you have in there?" He said, "Well, that is where I keep all my miscellaneous things."

A good vocabulary is an excellent diversion.

An Elizabeth Funny

Mom, was the TV colored when you were a kid?

How Well Do my Kids Know me?

Jon laughed so much over everyone else doing this that he actually requested I do this. It has been a week and I just have been lazy about posting it. SO here it is along with my commentary in parentheses.
The answers are listed in this order....
Anne Michal -11 (A)
Elizabeth -9 (L)
Emma 6 (E)
Jack 5 (J)

1. What is something mom always says to you?
A-Don’t leave trash on the floor; it makes our house look junky
L-stay concentrated… when we are doing school
E-No
J-go clean up your room
(can you tell that this was done right before school at chore time. Nor did it exactly stroke my mommy ego!)

2. What makes mom happy?
A- when you don’t leave trash on the floor
L-when I organize the pantry without her asking me
E- hugs and kisses..no.. dark chocolate
J when you clean up your room

3. What makes mom sad?
A- thinking about Knox
L- thinking about Knox
E- when you disobey
J-not cleaning up your room

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
A- she says something funny
L-: telling a funny story
E-That’s awesome dude (she says I say that)
J- by doing funny things

5. What was your mom like as a child?
A-the arrow dress was your favorite dress (right.....)
L- how am I supposed to know
E-I don't know
J- a son; a boy (?????????!!!!!!)))

6. How old is your mom?
A- 38 no right…37 no 38
L-: 37
E-40 no that’s not right…she’s 37 I think
J- 37.

How tall is your mom?
A- 5’6” that is my guess
L- I don’t know…5 something
E-: is 20’ a little bit tall?
J-: I don’t’ know

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
A: eat dark chocolate
L-: sew and eat chocolate
E- sew
J- to do stuff like sewing

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
A- I am not around so I don’t’ know…eat dark chocolate and talk with Daddy
L- sleep or clean
E-sew or knit
J: knit

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
A- hopefully for having the most grandkids (cute!)
L-sewing
E- sewing or knitting
J:knitting (interesting)

11. What is your mom really good at?
A- math
L-: sewing and eating dark chocolate
E-: sewing or knitting
J:sewing

12. What is your mom not very good at?
A- organizing
L: she’s good at everything (I love her!!)
E-cleaning up…no offense (no comment)
J- playing basketball

13. What does your mom do for a job?
A- make listtakers, and headbands and skirts and lots of stuff and she stays home with us
L= laundry and cleans the house and does everything
E-: watches over us
J cleans up some of the house

14.What is your mom's favorite food?
A- dark chocolate
L- chocolate
E- dark chocolate
J-bananas ( he is apparently unaware of the mass quatitities of dark chocolate that I obviously consume)

15.What makes you proud of your mom?
A- that she can be raising 6 kids and not be pulling her hair out all day (crack me up!)
L-her sewing
E- that she does very well sewing or knitting
J-to pick up the house

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
A- I have no idea
L- Bugs Bunny because he is smart
E- a famous sewing or knitting person
J- a rabbit like Bug’s Bunny

17. What do you and your mom do together?
A- we go out to eat
L- sew and clean together and watch movies like Sense and Sensibilty and Cranford(her middle name isn't Austen for nothing)
E- cook and sew
J-like paint (I don't think we have ever painted together)

18. How are you and your mom the same?
A- we both like to read
L- we both love babies
E- we both like sewing
J- We are not really the same because I am a boy and she is a girl; because we are both a human

19. How are you and your mom different?
A- she has more patience than I do (haha)
L-I like pickles and she doesn’t
E- that she likes kisses and I don’t; I think they are gross(that cracked me up too)
J- Because we have different colors of hair

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
A-because she finds time to spend with us and she takes care of us and makes us clothes and goes grocery shopping and gets us clothes
L-: because she takes care of us
E-because she has fun with us
J- By doing good stuff for me

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
A- he always wants her to go out and do things with him
L- because he loves his family and tries to do what is best for them
E- that she is older than him (haha)
J- because he helps her sometimes

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
A- Blue Baker or Joann’s
L-well, I like to go to the park or the grocery with her
E- Sam’s
J-Cheddar’s or Fish Daddy’s ( I am laughing so hard…I hate fish but every time we go by Fish Daddy's Anne Michal or Elizabeth will say,"Look Mom! Your favorite restaurant." All this time he hasn't had a clue they were just kidding.)

Well, obviously they have down that I love dark chocolate and love to sew! ;-) At least I have taught them that not all chocolate is created equal.