Step into fall

An accumulation of leaves under this tree beckons the children to step this way and get a little kick out of the rustling!

It was a nice stop-and-gaze moment for me as well, after picking up the boys, before picking up our pace again.

Pace yourself, was the thoughtful advice from a blogger-friend during this season of Vern's frequent work trips. In the last two weeks alone, he was away four times. That was hectic for him, buried in work still after this week's trip, while I felt the strain of being a parent 24/7 more than if he were working late.

When the weekend came, the children also felt his absence: Why is daddy away every day? I drove us to this park, before they drove me up the wall! At that leaf festival, below:

An even bigger pile of leaves screams to Ben to jump right in! Cannonball!!!

"Pace yourself" was also what Ben said to me, and by the second cross-country meet, had added, "And don't give up!". Referring to what it takes to complete any stretch of long-distance running. It speaks to me also about the daily grind, and hanging in there with the nonsense that's not as easy to pare down as it is to play up the little joys.

But better I not harp on how much the children have been fighting, and focus rather on what consequences to give them that they will take seriously. Here are some of their antics instead, I'll try not to miss when they grow up too fast, too soon. Hopefully, prayerfully, they will be more sensible and responsible.

Homework is anything but dull...

The eldest thinks himself clever when he suceeds in flying off the stairs, and also for thinking it's easier to get his schoolwork done by asking for my help every other sentence and problem. That's why he's left his seat again.

He lands right in front of the youngest! She is thankfully also too distracted to give me a "monkey-see monkey-do" replay of his daredevil act. But she is turning the wooden pieces from the puzzles she knows how to fix into a discus-throwing game!

By which time, the middle child has not sat down to read together. He is not quite done throwing a big fit over his little Lego Star Wars guys decapitated by the little sister earlier in the day. That, while this mom was getting a headstart with dinner prep before heading out with the li'l girl to fetch the boys.

But see, I can really use their cooperation not to make homework out to be a drag drag homework past dinner. Especially during those busier "seize the day" days with extracurricular activities and more zipping around to do, and we really have to STEP ON IT!

(Written earlier, rolled out with pictures finally).

All things bright and beautiful

... the Lord God made them all.

As the fall leaves unfold a palette of bright and beautiful colours, my 2-year-old creates a simple work of art -- of nature as she sees it, that's all part of God's glorious handiwork.

"Rain... flower... grass," she pointed them out as she painted them pretty much in that order.

Meanwhile, feeling a friend's burden and I can imagine how much heavier it is for her, there is at least one thing I can do -- look up with her to God our Maker, who makes things beautiful in His time.

As she draws it...
A face Kait completed with eyes and hair, earlier on at 21 mos, when she had also run and put that first "portrait" up on the fridge!

She started "doodling" at 1yo, and I only got round to letting her play with paints near when she turned 2 in Aug as a little diversion and less hurried moment during our busy days. Of course the "Read (to) me, read me!" is still my alltime fave low-impact activity to do with the children... yay, I get to sit down!

Days of our lives

"Look, mom...

"Kait has a moustache!" Ha, ha!

Almost the next instant...

a spill happens right under my nose. This one's not bad, I don't remember who knocked over the glass, and it helps that it's a contained spill. Uncanny how the more troublesome ones like to happen same day I'd just finished cleaning the floor. So back out comes the mop, oh never mind.

I love a productive day...

when my little big helper gives me a hand with housework and grocery shopping!

Of course she's really playful, and energetic tots don't stay still or seated in the shopping cart much.


So we keep each other busy on our feet. I've also been trying to run away from Kait's "Drink milk! Drink milk!" pleas day in day out! Night in, night out, she's even fiercer in fighting me when I try in vain to encourage her to soothe herself back to sleep.

But that's something I'm trying not to be hung up about, 'coz...

such long nights translate into...

Falling asleep on the job!


Some interrupted sleep is better than none. Still, I'm going:

*Yawn, yawn, yawn* I CAN USE SOME COFFEE!!!

I'm tired, I want to sleep...

That happens to be Jon's fave reason for why he can't get cracking on homework or help me with something simple, like, go set the table please. There's also the classic "I don't know how!" that Ben picked up from him. See why I miss their "Kait-like" enthusiasm when they were littler?

So life's like this, the saner moments and works in progress. I am more stressed than I realised it. Especially during those still-gets-crazy not just busy afterschool hours when I can really use an energy + patience refill more than some good kitchen napkins -- for those meltdowns besides the spills! The spills by comparison are easier to grin and bear it.

Quit fighting! Stop shouting!
I said, STOP! STOP!
CALM DOWN NOW!
You can guess yours truly is the one who needs the biggest time-out when I join the children in the screaming and fighting over who did or did not do what to who. WAAAHHH!!!


Thank God for the precious gift of children in our lives. They help us laugh and cry, and not just run and fall down, but also to pick ourselves up and start over. Every day's a new day by His grace.

(The vacuum cleaner is too heavy for Kait. We do have a toy handheld one that barks out cute commands like, "Show me the mud!" and "Dirt, I'm gonna get you!", I've kept since when Ben was little, she'll use alternately with a small duster or the dry Swiffer mop)!