Dance

This week all the parents were invited to sit in on the dance class, where normally there is a shut door, no window policy.  Oh, I was so happy to be in there watching my girl do her thing!  Don't get me wrong, I love sitting in the waiting room with two dozen other people, including an unruly 1 year-old who insists on touching Aiden's face and then suddenly smacking him, over and over if I put him down for two minutes.  Oh the mother?  Yes, she comes over, takes her daughter's hand and helps her stroke his cheek while saying, see?  you do nice, nice.  Argh!

Anyway, where was I?  Oh yes!  My beautiful ballerina.  She is so graceful and attentive.  I was able to get a few pics even while holding her squirmy, stinky brother (sorry, people sitting next to me...I didn't want to miss any of the dancing!)

Avery's teacher told me that she has done very well, and is ready to move up to the next level.  She has "natural athletic ability, quite remarkable actually".  Apparently her jumping especially is above average.  Its funny, I would have had Avery pegged to take after me in that department, so I'm thrilled that the teacher sees some potential there.

If you love learning, you love the discipline that

goes with it— how shortsighted to refuse correction!

Proverbs 12:1

Wednesday's Walk ~ Playtime

I enjoyed last week's walk down memory lane, I thought I'd do it again.  More of the girls when they were little(r).  I remember this warm summer day in August 2007.  Amanda and I had gone in to get Avery who was up from her nap and it turned into playtime.   Even from this time they've played so well together and are with each other constantly.  (Of course they fight and argue, too)  Sisters are a blessing!

Look Alikes?

Last week when I posted Wednesday's walk down memory lane, there were several comments of how much Aiden looks like Amanda did.  Of course everyone has their own opinion and we get comments often that go in both directions...oh, he looks so much like Avery.  Oh, he looks so much like Amanda.  Wow, he is a mini Shaun.  Lisa, he really favors you.  I thought I'd dig up a couple old photos and see what they look like side by side.  So, what's your vote?

The babies, within the first three weeks...

The babies, at about 8 months...

Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out;

you formed me in my mother's womb.

I thank you, High God—you're breathtaking!

Body and soul, I am marvelously made!

I worship in adoration—what a creation!

You know me inside and out,

you know every bone in my body;

You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit,

how I was sculpted from nothing into something.

Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth;

all the stages of my life were spread out before you,

The days of my life all prepared

before I'd even lived one day.

Psalm 139:13-16

Project 365, Week 12

We are living the good life here with this spring-like weather.  I know I keep talking about the weather, but the warm temps are delightfully early and are no doubt short-lived so we are just enjoying every moment we can.

Avery is trying to confuse everyone with the outfits she wore for most of the days this week, but the pictures were taken on different days.  Amanda, on the other hand, is into changing outfits several times throughout the day.  Aiden, of course, doesn't care what he's wearing and I'm told he may never.

Thanks for checking in...have a blessed week!

March 14

Family outing to pick up paint and supplies Shaun needs for his current project.  He's painting his grandfather's house, but not all of it, so I had to match the mustard yellow and green on cabinets and trim that is staying.  Avery and Amanda were quick to offer their helpful suggestions....certainly would have made a bold statement!

March 15

Ah...signs of life!!

March 16

I took the girls to get their nails painted.

March 17

This was the cell phone pic I snapped to send to Shaun who was working.  Now, do you think those flower pots are leftover from last year or do you think I'm getting a jump on this season?  :)

March 18

Pure joy.

March 19

The girls were telling Great-Grandpa about the hibernating bat they had seen with their dad, so he took them to the root cellar so they could show him.  Perhaps to their relief, he was nowhere to be found.  They sure spent a lot of the week talking about that silly bat.

March 20

Its Spring, officially...the grill got used!

As always, Sara is hosting the other Project 365s.

Three Piece Suit

In another life I was a successful bank officer, managing several different offices.  Each morning I got dressed in a business suit that I had leisurely purchased at some point because I had both the time and the money.  I headed out the door and got into my day.

Fast-forward to 2005 when Miss Avery entered the world.  I traded in my suit for jeans and found work to do without ever leaving my home.  I still have time and I still have money but I've chosen to not use either for buying new suits.

For the most part my job is perfect and our days usually go fairly smoothly, however, once in a while the whole situation is comical to me.  This morning, for instance.  I was up with the baby for some of the night while he was sick, so I did not get up at my usual 5:30.  When I did get up at 7 the house was still quiet, so I did my bible study.  When I came up from my workout I was greeted by two little girls who were ready for their breakfast.  Once I got them set, I headed to the shower.

By this time it was 9 and as I'm dripping wet, my Blackberry starts buzzing.  Lisa, we need you to do such and such...is this a good time?  It buzzed again a little later as I was changing a horrendous diaper that required a quick bath.  That's when it struck me, not for the first time, that I do business in a different world than most.  All the customers I dealt with today had put on their suit and headed out the door to do their work, at their desk, without sick babies and unmade beds.  If only they could see me, still in my bathrobe nursing a baby, sure...no problem...I can do that now!

Actually, the day went well and I got all the necessary things done and then some.  When Shaun got home at 7:30 I was making dinner.  He grabbed all the kids and took them upstairs to read to them.  Without me even saying it he knew I need a couple minutes to myself...love that man! 

Through the monitor I could hear him reading them the new book I got about Easter.  I thought it would help answer some of their questions, but its actually sparked more and we've been talking about all things Easter a LOT.  Tonight they were playing "pretend" with their barbies and I overheard them talking about how someone was going to die on a cross in Iraq (my brother has been there serving).  Oh my.

Though being a work-at-home mom has its challenges, I have never once wished I could put on my business suit and head out the door.  I love being home and I love all my little office assistants and co-workers.

I don't think the way you think. The way you work isn't the way I work." God's Decree. "For as the sky soars high above earth, so the way I work surpasses the way you work, and the way I think is beyond the way you think. Just as rain and snow descend from the skies and don't go back until they've watered the earth, Doing their work of making things grow and blossom, producing seed for farmers and food for the hungry, So will the words that come out of my mouth not come back empty-handed. They'll do the work I sent them to do, they'll complete the assignment I gave them.

Isaiah 55:8

Speaking of my co-workers, this is a series from the last photoshoot I did with Aiden.  Avery really wanted to help set it up, so I let her.  She wanted the blue blanket as a background, but since it was small we put a book on it to hold it in place.  Here they are, in order....as always, pay close attention to Amanda's expressions...

Lost

Yesterday was a beautiful day, so much so that we had to read our pre-nap books outside on the front step.  Almost immediately our dog, Riley started barking.  Since we were outside, he wanted to be untied so I told Avery she could.  At some point, I had to abruptly take Amanda to bed because...well, let's just say she was ready.  Then it was Aiden, then Avery. 

Hours later, I remembered the dog.  The dog that we'd forgotten to tie back up.  The dog, who in his younger days was so trustworthy, but now in his old age he sneaks off any chance he gets.  So, once the kids woke up, we headed out on foot to find Riley.

We passed by neighbors and a particularly happy group of college kids who wished us a merry St. Patrick's Day.  I laughed and said, Umm...thanks.  Its a big holiday, huh?  To which the drunkest one of the bunch replied, It is to us college students.  Its the biggest @*%# holiday there is.  Ok, well, let me just move along with my three children.

We'd been out about 30 minutes when what began as a mildly desperate search to find the runaway dog turned into a frantic mission to find some of Avery's treasured possessions.  We were walking along fine when all of a sudden Avery says Where is my girl's head and body??  And my bunny??  Oh man, forget about the dog...I know we are not going home til those items are recovered.  She is immediately frazzled and positive its her sister's fault that they fell out because she gave Amanda a turn to push the stroller.

I talk her down and we do a quick 180 and heading back the way we came.  Mercifully, less than half a block away we recovered the missing body parts.

And the bunny!

At that point I called it quits and we headed back home.  Waiting for us at home was a notice on the front door that the animal control people had tried to return Riley but no one was home.  This morning I begrudgingly went to retrieve my retriever. 

What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

Matthew 18:12-14

Wednesday's Walk ~ Baby Girls

I recently found this fun posting idea at The Goodwin Family, hosted by Jenilee.  Its for just what it says, a walk down memory lane.  Since I only started blogging in 2008, there are plenty of memories that are not well-documented.  I went back to this time three years ago, March 2007 when the girls were 3 and 20 months.  Oh, such incredibly fun days!  As I recall, the only reason for this photo shoot was because they had matching outfits....to this day, still seems like a very valid reason to me.

An excerpt from my journal for Amanda:

March 14, 2007

We snuggled this morning—I sat in a chair holding you against my chest feeling your warmth and your hand, one fist firmly wrapped around my shirt. At one point you pulled away and looked up at me with your gorgeous green eyes and I sighed a very contented, happy sigh, so thankful for the moment and for you in my life.

Excerpt from my journal for Avery:

March 12, 2007

Blank!  Maybe I started and got called away or maybe I wrote and didn't save it properly or the computer had a fit.  Whatever the reason, I wish there was something there.  What was I feeling, thinking, loving, struggling with?  Yet another incentive for me to blog!