Bike Riding on "The Hill"

If you have ever been to our house, you know that we live on a hill.

Our front yard is at the top of the hill and the road runs down the hill right by our house and driveway. The kids love to ride their bikes from the highest point, into our driveway and then into the grass to slow them down.

CappsTavis

(as you can see the road continues down hill, sometimes I let them ride all the way down, but only when I'm feeling extra 'fun')

Mollee rode her bike and then got the scooter outDaegan joined in when I got the camera outYes, we have a lot of different bikes! Can you say Yard Sales?

And Mac isn't allowed in the road so he used the sidewalk slope until he got to the stepsthen he moved to the driveway

These pictures didn't to the justice of our hill, but you get the idea...

Free Time

Usually in the afternoon I try to give the kids "free time" for an hour or so. This is a break from math worksheets, geography homework, reading time, recorder practice, etc.

We (meaning = 'mean old mom' and Dad goes along with it) have started to limit their TV time. They would only watch about 45 minutes of TV after school, but I'm done with even that. Now, they only get two days throughout the week of this TV time. Actually, we call it "media time" and sometimes they choose Xbox games for their time and/or computer games. I get to choose the days, it ends up being whatever works depending on our schedule and homework load on any particular week.

The kids are fairly predictable how they will spend their free time and I love it because it is such an expression of their personalities.

Mollee goes to her doll house, which absolutely thrills me. That means she is still a little girl and isn't too big to play for her Polly Pockets and Barbies. She is growing up fast, but I love to walk by her room and see her in 'make believe' world and know, she still enjoys being a kid.

Daegan almost always goes to Legos. That boy can sit and build forever. His determination and creativity never cease to amaze me. If we are having a "no media" day and he has no homework he will go to his room and build Legos from the time he gets home from school (3:30) until I call them for dinner (6:30). Although, sometimes he'll draw with his brothers.

Tavis and Capps never stop drawing. I mentioned here that Tavis wanted to be an illustrator when he grew up. I have stacks and stacks of computer paper *hmpf* all over the house because they have gotten into different drawing frenzies. Yesterday we went to Target to run in for some new pencils (another story, apparently we always buy invisible ones??). Tavis and Capps both wanted to spend their allowance on new little notebooks. They were only 50 cents, but do you know how many notebooks these boys already have??

The reason I started this post was to share this picture with you. Tavis was drawing a Robot Alien and I was so impressed with all the details and strokes of the pencil that he did on this drawing. Capps usually goes for shapes and colors (or he annoys Tavis and copies his exact drawing on a less detailed scale). This was one of I found of his from the other day. Since Mac has free time all day he is never sure what the big deal is about it. He'll draw some or build Legos or play with Mollee or just go to his room and play with trains. That is also a blessing because I feel like the last kid in a big family usually requires entertainment while the others aren't home but Mac is happy to go to his room and play by himself.

Now that the weather is finally cooling off there will be a lot more climbing trees and bike riding!!

Feeling Overwhelmed...

...two ladies that we have been praying for have lost their battle with cancer.


...a friend is dealing with a rocky marriage.


...another friend is trying to get through some issues with her husband.


...a distant cousin/new friend is going through a miscarriage as I type and her husband lost his job yesterday.


...another friend is back at work since her husband (Mr. Mom now) lost his job and there are no other options.


...a family of friends have moved away assuming they sold their house, but paperwork issues keeps stalling the sale and now they are looking at having a mortgage and paying rent.

...financial burdens are all around.

Do you ever wonder how people get through troubled times without the Lord?

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me." Ps. 23:4

"Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve my life; you stretch out your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and your right hand delivers me." Ps. 138: 7

Sometimes...

...muscles need to breathe! (according to Mac)

Blue and Gold Day!

Lunch Date

Today I had a date with Moriah's bunch. I took the older three to lunch with Mac and me

(of course, Keegan joined us)Then we stayed for recess.

Here is my cute friend, Adelaide with my sweaty Mac

A New Look for the Boys!

My boys have never used a flat sheet on their bed. They have always just had a fitted sheet and their fleece blanket (whether it was Harley Davidson, Nemo, Transformers, Thomas, etc.). It has been easy. Easy to just wash a flat sheet and a fleece and easy for them to not really have to make their bed. The only problem (for mommy), aesthetics.

For the longest time the boys just had white fitted sheets, but about a year ago I found these great blue/grey/black shark sheets at Target on a clearance table. We had decided to paint the boys room grey so these were going to be perfect (...and we still haven't painted).

I've also wanted to get them matching comforters, but haven't wanted to pay for them and haven't wanted to mess with them making their beds. Again, thanks to clearance at Target, I found some comforters that matched perfectly.

This is how the bunks usually lookAnd this is how they look now.And Capps' bed to the sideMaking the beds reminded me why we haven't done this yet, but I really like how neat they look (yes, I know they will not be made often).

Now, if we could only get the walls painted grey?