Monthly Archives: August 2009

Flying….

Posted on August 26, 2009 by LaShawn

When we first made the decision to homeschool my biggest fear was that my kids wouldn’t learn from me. I feared that I wouldn’t be able to teach them in a way that made sense to them. I feared that I would lose patience with them. I feared they flat out wouldn’t listen to me.

God kept pushing me towards homeschooling despite my fears. I finally yielded to God (I am a stubborn child). I have still had these thoughts in the back of my mind. I prayed, “Please, God, show me a sign that I am not talking to myself with these boys.” Nothing.

Then a few nights ago the boys were making paper airplanes. A side note here about the paper airplanes. They were from a kids meal at Whataburger and quite possibly the coolest “kid’s meal” toy we have ever gotten. When we found out what we got Austin proclaimed, “Mom we can use these for Science.” We are studying flying creatures in Science and have just begun discussing all kinds of flight terms.

We went outside to fly our planes and I can’t tell you how overjoyed and beyond tears I was to hear the following statements.

“This plane has too much drag on it, I need to fix the wings”

“Mom look how much lift my plane gets when I push it faster.”

“Mom do you think that if I cut some elevators on the back of it I could decrease the air pressure on the top?”

“Mom look, if you put the elevators down it causes more drag.”

THEY ARE LISTENING TO ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Nostalgia….

Posted on August 25, 2009 by LaShawn

The photo challenge this week over at I ♥ Faces is “Nostalgia”. I wasn’t going to participate as I have been a bit scatterbrained this week. But then I was looking through pictures today and I saw this:

Of all the snack foods on the market, the hands down favorite of all my kids (and my husband) is ice pops. You know the kind you buy and take home to freeze. You can buy like 100 for $2. They are awesome.

When I saw this picture show up I had to laugh. When I was a kid I loved ice pops….and I always got brain freeze too

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Please…

Posted on August 24, 2009 by LaShawn

Sometimes it is hard to say no…

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One of those days…

Posted on August 19, 2009 by LaShawn

It has been one of those days around here today. The kind of day where nothing seems to be getting accomplished. There has been screaming, tears, tantrums, timeouts and fighting. And that is just from me.

Everyone has been at each others’ throats. No one likes anyone else. Everything is wrong. The sun is the wrong color yellow, the chocolate milk wasn’t chocolaty enough, and the tag in my shirt is itching.

I decided that I needed a break and sent everyone to their respective corners. Then I took out my camera and thought that I would find each child and take one picture of them to make me feel better. Something about looking through the maternal lens has a soothing effect on me.

I went first to Austin who begged that I let him and Brodie take a picture together. Why would I do that? They have fought all morning.

“Because we are best friends”.

I feel better now.

Seven…

Posted on August 18, 2009 by LaShawn

A few days ago a remarkable thing happened. My baby turned seven.

I say baby, but really he isn’t the youngest of my children. In fact he is the second oldest. But, I still see him as a three year old in my head.

I am not sure if I will ever be able to explain the reasons I still think of him this way. I am not sure I even want to attempt to try.

It has become apparent in the last year that Brodie is the most like me. I always thought Austin was, but Brodie may have taken that title. I am not always sure this is a good thing, but it is what it is.

Here is what Brodie is like at seven. He is still sweet most of the time. He is a cuddler. He is also sneaky. He has an amazing ability (that I also possessed at his age) to sit in his room for HOURS and do nothing. But, only when he is supposed to be cleaning. Amazing!

He is a great big brother and a smart little guy. Though I guess calling him little doesn’t fit much anymore.

For his birthday we went roller skating. I haven’t been skating in YEARS…we are talking 15 or so. But, I tied up my laces and got out there with him. I have to admit, it was FUN!

Happy Birthday Brodie! Now, stop growing!

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Try Again Later…

Posted on August 13, 2009 by LaShawn

Did you ever play with a Magic Eight Ball as a kid? How many hours did I kill sitting there shaking it and asking it every insane question under the sun? Remember asking it a really serious, life altering question like, “Will I marry Joey McIntyre?” (Forgive me it was the early 90′s) I would shake that thing so hard I was sure I would get the answer I wanted. Then it would come up, “Try Again Later.” WHAT? So I would shake it again…”No”. Well, that can’t be right. Shake it again…keep shaking it. Finally it would say, “It is Certain”. And that was when I would stop asking. When I got the answer I wanted. When I had shaken the Magic Eight Ball so hard that I could barely make out the words because so many bubbles had appeared inside.

This is the way a lot of people (ME) treat God. We go to God for guidance and direction, which we should and is most definitely biblical. We ask him our questions and then we shake. We shake and we shake. God gives us the answer. If it isn’t the answer we want or were hoping for we attempt to shake again. Because God loves us we reason He must want us to be “happy” with the outcome of every situation. But dear friend, it doesn’t work that way. While the Magic Eight Ball will eventually give you the answer you want, God will only give you the answer that is right. Right, not in the eyes of the twisted world in which we live. Right, not in that it will always make sense to our finite brains. Right, as in just, righteous and holy. Right as in what is best for us. Perhaps if we would stop acting like 12 year old girls locked in our rooms, begging for the answer we want and shaking God with all of our might, we would see that even when God gives his answer it is always what is best for us. Sometimes that means doing something scary. Sometimes that means staying where we are. Sometimes that means waiting a little longer. Sometimes that means being told, “No.” But it ALWAYS means true and lasting joy if we obey God. And how wonderful it is when we wait on God to answer us and when we obey that answer. Being in God’s will is not always easy or fun, but it is always where true and lasting joy lies.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” – Psalm 32:8

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Deep In Goofy Thought…

Posted on August 11, 2009 by LaShawn

Weekly Challenge Week 29 : “Crazy, Funny, Silly Faces”

I wasn’t going to enter the challenge this week, but I was going through some pictures I took last night in the backyard and saw this one. Evan had just drank a massive amount of Kool-aid (sugar free) and was making funny faces with his Daddy. Oh he is a silly boy.

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Fix-It Friday…

Posted on August 7, 2009 by LaShawn

It is Fix-It Friday over at I ♥ Faces.

Don’t know what that is? Basically they post a picture that is SOOC (straight out of camera) and allow their readers to fiddle with it on their computers to edit. FUN! So, here are my versions.

Can I say first that the picture was just about spot on to begin with. I mean really.

This is the original:

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Edit #1-

I didn’t write down my workflow, but as best I can remember: Boutwell’s Magic glasses (I run this on almost EVERY photo), MCP action for eyes, plus a little dodge, some curve adjustment and Pioneer Woman’s Seventies action, lowered opacity. Slight vignette.

Edit #2 -

Workflow: Boutwell’s Magic Glasses, MCP work on eyes, Nichole Van’s indoor color pop, slight vignette.

Edit #3 -

I honestly don’t remember what I did here…bad I know.

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You Capture…You.

Posted on August 6, 2009 by LaShawn

This week’s You Capture was all about taking pictures of ourselves. I think photographers are most definitely our own worst critics, but then if it is a picture of ourselves we are even worse. It’s also a female thing. However, I decided to embrace the challenge. (but I did convert to black and white because I think it is more forgiving…sue me)

I let me kids take control of my camera (with me two feet away and the neck strap firmly around their necks…and yes I still almost hyperventilated).

Austin took this one of me and Bugsie:

Brodie then took one of me alone….I am incredibly aware of the bags under my eyes:

Chase wanted to take one too:

Then Evan figured out everyone had a turn but him..so with some help he took this one:

Then I felt the need to have one with my camera….cause my camera is pretty:

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Letting the Baby Curls Go…

Posted on August 4, 2009 by LaShawn

It is amazing the ways in which our parenting evolves with each child. When my older two were small they had stick straight baby hair and it drove me NUTS. They both are blessed with cowlicks, Austin being blessed with two. By the time they were both one I was cutting their hair SHORT. I liked it and looking back now it suited them well. They liked it and it was easy for me.

Then came Chase. Chase’s hair enters a room before he does. It is the first thing people talk about him. He had wonderfully curly hair, but not too curly. And his hair has a wildness about it. It matches his personality. I started trimming his hair when he was 22 months old. Then when he was a little over two I cut his hair short. I liked it, but he never looked like himself.

And so we keep it longer…though this last time it got a little too long.

But we got it snipped.

Much better.

Then there is Evan. He has the most beautiful ringlet curls…when the humidity is right. But his hair is fine and thinner than Chase’s. But he is also my last baby. I have had a hard time letting go of his baby hair. It to me is admitting that he is a toddler and not a baby. I am just not ready. But, lately he has been complaining when his hair gets in his eyes. Then I found myself with the overwhelming urge to put his hair in a ponytail…and I did. That is when I knew it was time for a haircut.

He can’t see.

He sat so still.

And to avoid crying as the ringlets fell the the floor I concentrated on his feet. So small, hiding under the cape. The very same cape Chase wore on his first haircut day (also done by the same woman).