Category Archives: Photography

P365 – Day 53 (Fort in a …)

February 22, 2007 KME 9 Comments

I have a true love/hate relationship with forts. I know, this is a strange thing to admit, but they say it helps to share these kind of deep seated struggles.

Exactly who “they” are I’ve never been too sure. One day I might run into one of “them” and when I do I want to be ready.

Back to forts.

I love forts. I love the homemade forts that involve pillows and blankets and chairs arranged strategically around the room. I remember spending hours making forts with my three brothers (of course, those often involved weapons of some sort, depending on if we were fighting Indians or robbers). As a long-time babysitter, I have built many a fort in my time.

I hate forts. This is where the hate part of love/hate comes in. Forts make a mess in so many different ways. First, they are usually placed in the very center of a room so the entire area is unusable – you can barely walk through the room. Also they require blankets dragged from every corner of the house (“How did you get that collection of Mexican blankets down? They were packed away in the garage!) and, of course, books (the biggest and heaviest ones possible) pulled off bookshelves to “stabilize and secure” the fort.

The older kids spend so much time building “cool forts” for the little ones that we often have to put school on hold, just waiting for the building process to complete. They take such a long time and involve such creative planning that I sometimes wonder if we need a permit of occupancy in order to start playing.

Sigh. These are the crazy, twisted, mixed feelings that I live with in this house of kiddos. Thankfully I have a blog, so I don’t have to suppress these conflicted emotions any longer.

Today Daniel left our school reading time to “make a quick fort for David and Sarah.” Cue a rather long break. Joshua has taught Daniel well in the fort making business (if only there was some money to be made in this line of work). Daniel often creates elaborate reading nooks and fun spots for the younger two children.

Today was no different.

Yes, that is a bath tub. Yes, if you look closely you can see the face of my six year old son. Yes, that is a crib mattress on top of bathtub and six year old.

Rub a dub, dub, two kiddos in the tub.

Having the time of their lives. “Can we sleep in here?”

Daniel pulls back the mattress to reveal the children. Unlike my own childhood, where forts were modeled after military structures (the Alamo comes to mind), these kids usually bring in a pile of books and a few toys. You never know when a good football might come in handy.

Ah, it’s most likely because we are doing such a wonderful job as homeschoolers of instilling a love of reading and quiet play. Or … maybe this is just the one spot in all of the house were they can have some peace and quiet and actually finish a book without being interrupted. Hey, is there room in there for me?

The fun lasted until the blankets started getting wet. Not sure how that happened. Hmmm? Can’t imagine. The subliminal messages were too hard to resist; both of the younger children begged to take a bath later on in the day. I guess you can take the kid out of the bathtub but you can’t take the bathtub out of the kid. No wait, that makes no sense at all. You can take the fort out of the bathtub but you can’t take the bathtub out of the fort.

Do you ever get the feeling that some people shouldn’t blog late at night?

2 Obscure Movie Quotes for the Day:
1. “Lex, why do so many people have to die for the crime of the century?”
“Why? You ask why? Why does the phone always ring when you’re in the bathtub?”

Which leads to the next one (different movie).

2. I never put a phone in a shower before. Do you get many calls in here?
A steady stream.

Kathy

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P365 – Day 52 (Sleepy children?)

February 21, 2007 KME 15 Comments

In keeping with Tim’s comments from yesterday’s blog about bedtimes, I thought I would post some pictures of the children tucked sweetly into their beds.

I’m not sure Daniel really looks very sleepy. Got a little carried away with the chapstick there, kiddo.

Daniel and David had their lights out (flashlights don’t count, right?) so they were close to sleep. Maybe. We won’t go into what time it was. Definitely past “bed time.”

David looks WAY too awake and cheerful for someone who is supposed to be ASLEEP!

Of course, look what happened when Adam drifted off to sleep in that pretty little garden.

So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man’s ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Genesis 2:21

Yikes! Didn’t he have a few surprises coming. Now I doubt the boys need to worry about this sort of thing happening again but there are other scriptures that talk about sleeping.

Proverbs 6:9-11

How long will you lie there, you sluggard?
When will you get up from your sleep?

A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest
and poverty will come on you like a bandit and scarcity like an armed man.

This girl is NOT a sluggard – we have pictures of her cleaning!

Turn the light off and go to bed, girlie!

Of course, as an ever hungry 13 year old, Joshua hopes this Proverb will prove true in our house.

Proverbs 29:13
Do not love sleep or you will grow poor;
stay awake and you will have food to spare.

Would someone please feed this growing, hulking teenager! Oh, wait, I think he’s chewing on a piece of leftover piece of pizza in this picture. Never mind, that should hold him for 15 minutes or so.

Tim, who has been up since ‘oh dark thirty,’ was still working when I took these “sleeping” shots. He looked a bit bleary eyed and focused and asked to be excused from the photo shoot. He was the only one of the bunch who really WANTED to be asleep.

“Ah, youth is wasted on the wrong people.”
[Obscure Movie Quote - can you name this movie?]

Or perhaps Tim was just afraid his ‘shaggy’ look would be too much for the cameras. Sorry, Hon, maybe tomorrow you’ll get that haircut.

Again – we did lots of other things today (including school, a luncheon with some Bible study ladies, an eye appointment for Rachel, chores, church activities for some of the family, and a power walk this evening for me) but none of them were captured on film so they end up in this P.S. section. Such is life on the blog.

Kathy

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P365 – Day 51 (Sarah Cleans)

February 20, 2007 KME 9 Comments

Sometimes you have long hours in which to think up creative and witty blogs. Other times life intrudes (the nerve) and you actually have to make meals, do dishes, and teach school. Sigh. This was one of those days. The entire day went by with nary a picture taken. Gasp. It looked like Tuesday would come to a close with no picture in sight.

Thankfully Sarah stepped forward and did something note (or photo) worthy. Finally some inspiration for today’s blog.

Yes, it was bedtime and she was supposed to be tucked away under covers but we can overlook a great deal when there are disinfective wipes in hand.

Sarah has taken great ownership of the kids’ upstairs bathroom. This is the second or third time I’ve found her cleaning it – WITHOUT BEING ASKED. Really, this is unheard of among my children. They are wonderful helpers but there is usually prodding, money or candy involved in some way shape or form.

Here Sarah works away straightening up the counter. Must have those cups in a proper line.

Her entire day was made when I came by and offered to let her wash the mirror. Ah, it’s a privilege to bring such joy to my children. “Gasp! I can clean the mirror LIKE THAT?” she said as I boosted her up onto the countertop with paper towel and Windex in hand. It did make me pause, just a bit, to wonder what OTHER ways she was cleaning the mirror. But there was no time for reflection it was time to scrub.

There’s something so sweet about a little one helping with chores around the house (especially in her purple pajamas). Look how she lives out the verses in Proverbs 31:

She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

You are an inspiration to us all, Sarah.

Later on Tim took the boys off for some sit ups and push ups instructions (those Army days are never too far away). It also would have made for a great blog but I was settled under the covers with my BSF lesson in hand and couldn’t be budged. Next time.

Kathy

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P365 – Day 50 (Daniel’s Haircut)

February 19, 2007 KME 5 Comments

I’m going to try something truly novel this evening – a short Project 365 post. There are lots of other ladies on the Project 365 webring who manage to post a SINGLE picture and include just a line or two (at most a paragraph) for their daily blog.

Of course, I’m not being completely sincere (or honest) since I have a stack of pictures loaded for a different blog. [rubbing hands with glee and chortling] This one, however, is going to be short and sweet. The next one is going to be sweet as well but not so short.

All of the boys in the household (yes, those sweet innocent dears from the previous post who burn Peeps, send Noah flying to the sky, and brandish weapons whenever possible) need hair cuts. Normally I would line them up and do the whole crew in one evening. Stack ‘em, pack ‘em, and chop ‘em??? [That's a botched version of another Obscure Movie Quote "Stack em, pack 'em, and rack 'em". Anyone know that one??]

On to the (short) blog. Somehow all the relaxing and playing we did today took a lot of time and energy so I only managed to cut Daniel’s hair.

He’s smiling (barely) but I don’t think I’m going to get a nice tip after this cut.

Hopefully the rest of the boys will have their turn tomorrow night. We can’t have these handsome fellas looking shaggy. We had a nice President’s Day. Tim declared “Holiday Hours” and we watched movies, played computer games, blogged, paid bills (okay some things are more fun than others), went grocery shopping, decorated a birthday cake, and so on.

Kathy

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P365 – Day 49 Noah’s Terrible Journey

February 19, 2007 KME 7 Comments

There is a blessing that comes from growing up with three brothers – you have years of understanding that can only come through experience. Boys = wrestling, fighting, admiration of strange bodily noises and odors, explosions of all kinds, insects, speed based food eating contests, expectoration, wild driving (from tricycles, scooters, and bikes to mopeds, motorcycles and cars) and so on.

I distinctly remember my mother saying (more than once), “If you boys are going to kill each other go downstairs so I can make dinner.”

I have been amazed to hear the strangest things come out of my own mouth.

“In this family we do NOT sit on the top of the bed and spit down into the bottom bunk.”
“No, you may not use a screw driver to cut down a tree.”
“Next time take off your rollerblades before you ride your bike down the driveway.”
No, you may not take apart that chair, I’m sitting on it.”
“How much blood are we talking about?”
“Put your brother’s gun down.”
“Put your brother down.”
“Put me down.”

I could go on but my eye begins to twitch just remembering some of these ‘hearty’ boy encounters. People often talk about their children needing therapy when they grow up – I think it’s mothers of boys who will be lounging on the dr’s leather couch one day. Of course, who needs the doctor, I’d be content just to have some time (uninterrupted, PLEASE!) on a comfy couch. But I digress.

Time ater time I have thanked the Lord for giving me brothers. Without them I would surely think my sons are crazy, sick, abnormal creatures who should be rushed to the doctor. Why would you pop the head off of innocent looking dolls? Why would you sharpen a branch into a pointed weapon and immediately charge upon your beloved brother? Why would you turn a simple chore of putting away silverware into an imaginary duel between knives and forks? Why would you want to send Noah flying to the sky?

Oh, that brings me to Sunday’s post.

For his birthday Joshua bought David an Air Hogs Scream’n Stream’n Rocket from Target. The kids had all sorts of fun going outside and shooting off the rockets. It works great – the rockets fly high into the air.

Boys also = running, screaming, shouting, and shooting. Explosions, again, are always key.

We had a very full Sunday, ending in Bible study at our house. The kids behaved beautifully – they played nicely (and quietly) in the garage while we watched our Love and Respect dvd. Afterwards one family stayed late and joined us for dinner and games. The grownups played cards.

Tim humbly points out his winning score.

The girls played upstairs. Joshua set up a huge battlefield for David.

At some point in the evening, as the hour grew late and the children squirelly, Joshua and David, in a bond of bizarre brotherhood, decided to study scripture (this being the sabbath and all). The passage they chose was from Genesis 6.

God saw how corrupt the earth had become, for all the people on earth had corrupted their ways. So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

Teaching through illustration and acting is often a very powerful tool and one we encourage in our family. Joshua, being the wise and mature older brother, came up with an idea of how to help David more fully understand these verses in Genesis.