Quotables

*Obviously not at these exact moments.  :)

 

John: I not tired.  I still talking.

 

Grace: Oh my yummers!

 

Libby:  What do numbers like to eat?  Mathed Potatoes.

Love Languages

Ok, I might be a day late with this topic, but the way I see it is love is an all year round thing, not just one day a year.  ;)

This morning, as I was preparing for a friend to come visit, I got to thinking about the different ways people love and how we prioritize our actions accordingly.  I wanted to have cookies and coffee ready for my friend, but there were a few areas of the house that needed picked up, as well.  I bit my lip as I thought about my dilemma and grabbed the ingredients to whip up a batch of cookies.  I did ask my kiddos to help clean up a bit, but I knew without me there to supervise it could be hit or miss.  I also knew that if my husband were home, he would have immediately started cleaning up those areas.  Was either of those choices the right choice?  No, Chris just shows his love to our guests by having a spotless house and I show mine by having some sweets available.  Honestly, it is a good combination when we have company!  We balance each other out...but, that's not the topic of this post.

The whole scenario made me wonder what makes my kids feel the most loved.  So, I decided to ask them.  John told me that he feels most loved when he is being read to.  That one actually kind of surprised me!  I think I can carve out some time to do that with him each and every day though.  Grace told me when people are nice to her is when she felt most loved.  I try to be nice to my kids, but I can probably work on that one...especially toward bed time.  Libby is an artist to the core.  She told me that doing art projects with her, or even just letting her do art projects is what makes her feel most loved.  Isn't it amazing how many different ways to love and feel loved there are?

It makes me smile when my husband helps me clean around the house (even though he told me I he wouldn't buy me a frosty) because I know that is his love language.  When he helps me clean he is telling me how much he loves me and that is how I have to TRY to tell him I love him.  I can make him a sweet dessert every day and it won't say I love you the way that a clean kitchen does.  I can make my kids sweet desserts, and they will ENJOY them, but it won't say as much as reading, being kind, and an art project does.

I love that God has made each of us unique and special!  I hope you will take the time to ask the special people in your life what most shows them that you love them, and that you will try to step out of your box and love them in their language.  :)

Momma's Little Helper

I had asked Grace to put the shoes in order earlier today.  She did as she was asked and they looked great!  Then the girls decided to go outside and when I went to the back porch again...the shoes were already a wreck again!  What!? 

I debated whether I should call the girls back in or ask Johnny to help out.  I opted for asking John because I know he is capable.  This is what I got.  :) 

Crazy kid!  Daddy asked him to fix them because we obviously can't get out of the door with this creative display.  "No, I weave them like dat," was his answer.  He is still upstairs fixing them because he is devastated to have to destroy "mine circle".  I think all of my kiddos have a flair for the artistic!  :)

One Proud Momma!

I know that Montessori methods are not for everyone...and that's ok.  As for me, though, I LOVE Montessori and I love Grandview!  I guess I just tend to be more of a big picture kind of gal.  I can teach my daughter her ABC's at home, I don't need to pay someone else to do that.  As for these awesome maps, though?  Sure, I probably COULD do it, but it would just be totally different.

I love that my daughter might not have it drilled in her head what the seven continents are, but she will be able to get excited about the continents when the time comes for her to actually tuck them in her brain because she can think back to the map that she pinpricked, glued and labeled in preschool.  That just gets my blood going!!!  I am so proud of this little girl and her map of the world and her map of North America!!!

 

Treasures!

My kids were thrilled to wake up to find a package from Aunt Stephanie had arrived!  They jumped up and down and asked us to please open their new gloves and hats immediately.  Of course we had to get pictures of our two cute cats and our precious little bear! 

 

 

 

 

Thank you so much Aunt Stephanie!!!

More Museum Fun

 

 

 

 

FOUND!

We went on a cool trip to the Iowa Children's Museum on Martin Luther King day.  We had a blast and I took a lot of good pictures of the kiddos.  We came home and Chris suggested repeatedly that I sit down and blog about the trip.  Good idea!  Except...I couldn't find the camera anywhere.  I have been looking all over the house ever since.  It finally dawned on me this morning that I had stuck the camera in the top of the diaper bag so that I didn't have to carry it!!!  Shew!  I didn't want to have to buy a new camera...or lose the pictures!

 

They had a really cool flight room at the museum and that is where we spent probably about half of our time.  The airplane was an absolute favorite!  I keep trying to convince Chris to get his pilot's license so that he can take the kids up (ok...and me too!) in a real airplane.  No such luck yet though.  ;)

 

They had a good size hot air balloon there, as well.  I didn't post the picture of the whole balloon because this picture of Grace peeking out was cuter.  :)

 

 

Here is a picture of my three pilots!  Aren't they just adorable?