My Little Cupcake

I can't believe Elizabeth is two and will be three years old in January. She is a very busy little girl and always getting into something. We have to move things, hide things, and keep her away from lots of food and household items. Since she has three older siblings, she thinks she can do everything they do and have everything that have. In my opinion, you do have to parent a little differently with your third and fourth child. They are just exposed to more things more quickly. I do try to shelter her as much as I can like with the tv/videos she watches and the toys/games she plays. Lately, I've been working with the boys on etiquette and it is going VERY slowly. I've been trying to teach them that you hold a door open for girls/women and allow a girl to walk through the door first. Lizzie has heard me encouraging them and she runs to every door and says, "Girls first!" She cries when the boys push past her. Although, she is very stubborn and knows how to get her way in many situations, she is also sensitive when her brothers or sister pick on her. I'm really enjoying watching my youngest and last child grow up. As I cuddle her, I whisper in her ear, "You can't grow up, you have to stay little forever." She usually says, "No mommy, I getting bigger" and sometimes she replies with, "Okay." 

We heard her giggling from our bedroom and
this is what we found. The next day she used
a black marker. There was punishment after
that incident and it hasn't happened since.



She's not afraid to get messy and gooey!

She might suck your blood if you get too close!
Mahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

She's good at organizing and she even shares!

She has a weapon and she WILL use it on you if needed.

Ahhh! My little cupcake! Doesn't she look
sweet & innocent!

Things That Make My Heart Smile

There are so many things that can make us sad, disappointed or angry in our world and in our own family. It is easy to get caught up dwelling on things that go wrong in our life or that cause us the most stress. Lately I've been negative and looking at what's wrong with myself, my kids, my husband, my life in general instead of focusing on the positive things that I have. Today I remembered a post that I started about a month ago and never finished. It was a good reminder of things that make my heart smile and here they are in no pacticular order....

Nicholas playing piano pieces and skipping ahead in his music book simply because he loves to play.

Victoria & Elizabeth swinging on the swings together and singing goofy songs.

Nicholas teaching Benjamin how to swing on the swings. (this is unbelievable if you know my boys)

watching all four of my kids compare two dead bees (not the death part, but the investigating part)

having fun singing, chanting, reviewing our Classical Conversation memory work with my older two(Ex: What are four types of tissue? Four types of tissue are connective, epiltheal, muscle and nerve. It is fun to see them learning.

watching Benjamin sing Thanksgiving songs with a bunch of other 4-5 year olds, he stood focused even with all the other distractions around him

Allan fixing another household problem - the bathtub plumbing. "Another satisfied customer," he says.

Snuggling with my two littles in their jammies as we snack on Kix cereal.

Playing Uno with Benjamin twice and the Ladybug game and he beat me everytime. I loved seeing his winning smile and dance.

watching humming birds visiting our backyard for nectar everyday, such amazing creatures

friends who pray for me and ask how I'm doing and then listen

washing dishes as Allan dries them and puts them away and we talk about our day together

There is so much for me to be thankful for! My family and I are all healthy! I need to keep these memories when I have hard days so I can remember all the things that make me laugh & smile. I thank God for creating me, my family, friends, and all the beauty that surrounds us. How fortunate I am to be living for Him!

One of those Mornings

Do you ever have one of those days? Or mornings? Or _______ you fill in the blank? You know when everyone is getting upset, things aren't going your way, someone gets hurt, no one will listen or obey..... That's the kind of morning I experienced. Everyone was mad at me and I was mad at them. Victoria was upset because she had piano lessons and knew that she had only practiced once this week. She was upset at herself, but that anger turned to me. She also couldn't find her recital sheet music which she realized that she had crumbled up out of anger a few days prior. It was now in the recycling bin.Nicholas was scrambling to find all of his piano music for his morning lesson. I think he is the only that didn't yell at me this morning. Benjamin became angry after getting a privilege taken away because of his disobedience. On the way to school, he told me he hated me at least twenty times. I think he sang it to me. Lizzie was crying because she couldn't have candy at 7:00 in the morning. Her fingers got pinched in the door right before we took Ben to school. So, I had Ben sobbing as he put on his shoes and Lizzie whimpering over her hurt fingers. I was angry the whole time trying to keep everyone on schedule to leave to take Ben to school. It was a very stressful morning!

If I would have written this in the morning I would have had even more details, but some of the incidents of the morning have been erased from my memory for sanity purposes. Unfortunately, I allowed the anger in me to take over. I allowed it to take over how I acted, how I responded, and how I cared for my children. I wasn't loving, gentle, caring, patient, kind, or peaceful. I certainly didn't demonstrate self control, so how can I expect my children to demonstrate those characteristics when I wasn't even modeling those for them. I know I need to be more prepared and organized for the morning and teach them those things as well. But there will be days that no matter how prepared, organized, or ready I am things will go wrong, someone will get hurt, or a child will disobey. It is up to me to respond with love and gentleness. It is up to me to pray for my attitude and behavior. I hope as someone is reading this that they can relate and say, "Yes, I've had one of those days before."


My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
                                                               James 1:19-20