This week has gone better than some lately, because I've depended less on myself and my own strength to be a good mom, and more on the Lord. I heard something the other day that made such a difference in my attitude during the day: Strive to get a smile out of your kids every five minutes. Not that this is saying I am entertaining them all the time, or not applying the board of education, but that I am smiling at them a lot more and showing an interest in what they're doing. It's so easy to get in "get-it-done" mode and get aggravated when kids slow me down. But then I remember in the season Matt and I are in with toddlers, they are my main event in each day. Should I be surprised that things went more smoothly on these days when I was smiling with them, instead of barking orders and breaking up squabbles? I love when Matt smiles at me just because we glance up at the same time. So why wouldn't the kids feel the same about me; smiling just because I see them. I can tell though, when I start trying to be nice on my own. It doesn't last long. When I remember to pray constantly for help, asking for wisdom and endurance, I don't get angry with the kids, and they're more teachable.


I've started walking up and down the driveway for exercise several evenings per week at about 7 pm. My noise quota is usually full by then anyway, so it's a great time to enjoy some quiet. Matt lets me slip out the back door so I won't be followed by a string of preschoolers. :) Most days I use this time to talk to the Lord. I am getting to where I look forward to exercising in the evenings so I can do this. Occasionally when it hasn't been such a noisy day, Camie and Lissy trot with me while I walk. Micah prefers to stay in the yard on the trampoline and Cassie is usually asleep.


Most days involve either the wading pool and/or the trampoline with water spraying on it. Sometimes I fix them a light lunch to eat outside. They love having a picnic.



Summertime lunches. Here's what they were eating: blueberries, pineapple, apricots, bread with butter, tuna, and cheese cubes. I like doing these because there's so much variety and I can use such simple fare. They probably think they're getting snacks for lunch which makes it even more fun for them.

Camie rocked Cassie to sleep for me one day while I got some kitchen work done. I finally am using the cloth diapers for Cassie that Lauren and I worked on last fall. They work well, but aren't as good as the ones I bought for Micah. Considering we were able to make these mostly using cloth we had on hand, I'm still pleased with the results. For anyone else feeling adventurous, the pattern came from a website called Mamma Bird.

My friend Hannah and I take turns watching the other's kids on Fridays so we can alternate having two hours in town alone. That means the sitter has 7 kids ages 5 and under! (The babies stay with Mommy.) Last Friday was my kid-sitting day. Here is Coleman, her oldest (he'll turn 6 in Oct.), Lissy and Camie, Since they are the "big kids" they get to sit at the bar for lunch. The girls are finally outnumberd when the Hostetlers come over. Micah loves having boys to play with. (Hannah and Steve have a girl, Amberly, who is 7 1/2 months, but she stays with Hannah on these days.)

Little Levi. He's 21 months, but a tiny fellow. Looks like that grilled cheese doesn't stand a chance though. :)

Sorry --I tried to get it to turn the picture around but it refused. This is how they loudly entertained themselves while I got lunch ready. Camie brought out the foam mattresses we use for extra bedding (when the baby bed is taken.:) ) so they could slide down the stairs. It looked so fun. I wish I'd tried it as a kid. I did try it with ours last year, but I was a little too heavy to slide very well. Jack, 3, is a the top, then Lissy, Coleman, and Camie.

Micah and Lissy being cute.

Again, the program acted like it was rotating the picture, but when it finished loading it relapsed into sideways. This is a suit Matt's mom sewed for him when he was about 4. She did amazing, beautiful work. Micah loved wearing it the other day, because 1)it used to be Daddy's and 2) Daddy has suits, so now Micah could dress up like him. The outfit has a vest with it, though you really can't see that part in this picture. He's wearing some dress shoes like Daddy's that were handed down from cousin Brian or Brandon. The cowboy hat came from Dollar Tree. :)




Happy 4th. We're supposed to go next door tonight to Matt's and Jessica's to watch Lucedale's firework show. You can see it from their hill, but without all the boom and crowds in town. Works out nicely. Several cousins should be there, homemade icecream, snacks, and sparklers for the kids. FUN!