It’s been one of those days… please tell me you know the ones…took the circus crew to the pediatrician’s for my 3 yr old’s check up.  One would have thought by the amount of shrieking that took place in the hall that we were attempting to tie her down and give her 30 shots, when really we just wanted her to take her sandals off and stand on the scale.  From that humbling spectacle we were off to the grocery store.  I am sure your wondering why today of all days I decided to take the whole crew with me for a major stock up.  And the truth is, b/c I was desperate.    We’ve depleted the supplies… even those ones in the back of the cupboard that stay there month after month… and we have no free evenings in sight for me to divide and conquer, so forward we marched, baby strapped to me in the moby wrap, 3 yr old crying in the top seat of the cart and the other two jumping beans bouncing around the aisles talking a mile a minute at the top of their lungs.   Oh what fun!

Finally we emerged with a full cart to unload, load, unload, and put away… and as I did this, taking a break to nurse the baby, and then make lunch for the other 3, I was feeling my patience wearing thin.   I was tired.  My back hurt.  My ears were ringing.  I still have food to put away, laundry to put away, toys to pick up, phone calls to make, dinner to prep… you know the list… I sent an SOS (really just a whiny e-mail) to my husband while sticking a can of coke in the freezer to cool off for later. 

The baby started to cry in his swing and my son suggested that maybe he needed his diaper changed.  Good thought since it had been quite awhile since I’d done that.  I went to pick him up and as I bent down he stopped crying.

My son said, “Why are you always the magic trick?”

I told him I used to be his magic trick too.  As I walked down the hall to the nursery pondering the impact a mother can have on her kids and on how small a window of  time we have to make that impact. 

It was then that my son called out from the table, “Ya know mom, when your holding a small person, really your holding a big person, because you have no idea the plans God has for that life.”

Wowzers!  Talk about a zinger!  And yet so very true.  I have no idea the plans God has for their lives.  But they are big.  And what a humbling privilege it is to be their momma.

As they each rest in separate rooms for their quiet time and I soak in the quiet while sipping on my coke and nibbling on lunch, I am so thankful for the perspective God gave me today out of the mouth of my 6 yr old.

Sometimes you never know the impact a simple baby shower gift can have.  Before my oldest was born, my third grade students threw me a “surprise” baby shower.  And one of my students gave me a little lamb banky baby that has a head on one end and the tail on the other. 

My son ended up latching on to it and sometime before his sister came along he called the lil lamb, his baby.  Baby went with him everywhere… I can even recall driving back to church to get it so he could take his nap one fateful afternoon when we left it behind.

We proceeded to get “babies” for each of our children.  Some kids are more attached to their baby than others, but all of them sleep with them pretty much every night.  Scott made up stories for the kids starring their babies… Our first born has Sir Lamb a lot.  Then we’ve got Snoop Doggy Doggy.

And beary bear.

The three had many adventures on their intergalactic star ship cruiser before retiring and moving into the circus house to serve as protectors of the circus children.

We recently presented our newest circus member with a baby of his own.   His identity has yet to be revealed as Daddy still needs to debrief with the other three babies and learn his secret identity.  Perhaps it’ll be revealed on our next long car trip.  

But, he’s gotten quite attached to it already.  I find him stroking the edges and curling up with it in his crib as he falls asleep. 

If only I could give such a baby gift that would have such lasting and sentimental value to a family.  I am certain that girl has no idea how much her little lamb blanket grew to mean to my family.

Visit here or here for more Friday Flashbacks.

I clearly remember the first baseball game I attended with Scott.  A coworker had given him the tickets and since we had no plans, we thought, “Sure, why not?” 

As we drove into Baltimore and hit traffic, Scott was in disbelief, “Could this be game traffic?”  He asked.  “I had no idea this many people liked baseball.”

Yea… clearly, we aren’t big baseball enthusiasts.

But, thanks to my oldest son, my children are.  So, we try to get to at least one game a season.

Last week we took the circus crew to Camden Yards.  And, truly, it was one of my favorite nights of the summer. 

Sometimes, you try and do nice things for your kids and it ends in whining and fighting, tears, and Mom and Dad wondering “Why in the world did we bother?”  

Thankfully, this wasn’t one of those nights.

The kids were singing a rousing rendition of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” the entire way from the parking lot to the ticket office.  I couldn’t help but smile at their enthusiasm.  They were even greeted with a round of applause from the ticket booth. 

We got great seats, but I was mesmerized by my children.  I cracked  open a gazillion peanut shells and taught my kids when to scream, “Charge!”  I loved the way my son, would randomly scream out “Let’s Go O’s!”  And the way my 3 yr old would jump up and down and dance to the music.   We watched the game and giggled at the vendors and the way they yelled, “Hot Dooog” with their “Balmore” accents.  And even though the O’s didn’t pull through with a win, I left feeling like a winner.

Our littlest slugger enjoying his first time at the ball park.

This weekend we were able to coordinate our schedules and have the opportunity to get together with my brother and his family for some play time.  

What gathering would be complete without a light saber battle?

I loved getting to watch my nephew and nieces play and to observe my brother playing with my children.  There is something quite special, and indescribable about watching your children play with your sibling.  It truly warmed my heart. It was a blessed evening indeed and one I am truly grateful for.  

Thanks guys!  I look forward to doing it again!

When things didn’t work out for us to go camping this weekend as planned, we promised the kids a night of “camping-like” fun at home.   Scott came home from work a little early and we cooked up hot dogs and baked beans (a fav here at the circus).

Then we spent the evening fishing on the river.

(more details on the fishing to come later this week)

Camping wouldn’t be complete without Smore’s so we roasted some mallows over the gas stove. 

Then we came home and let the kids camp out downstairs in a tent in the toy room.

Sometimes things don’t go as first planned, but many memories can still be made, if you think outside the box a little.

Alternate Title:  How Your Army Looks When You Have 2 Younger Sisters

I couldn’t help but smile when I looked out the window and saw this scene…makes me laugh when looking at it on the computer as well.  Quite a motley crew we have defending the fortress… the leader in his camo’s with his walking stick (or staff as he refers to it), his trusty sidekicks following in their fairy wings, and Uncle Jim covering from behind with the ever elusive fluorescent double barrel shot gun. 

Bad Guys Beware!!

The kids had scattered to the backyard to play while I cleared off the dinner dishes.  As I wiped down the dining room table, I couldn’t help but  smirk as I looked out over a see of crumbs and wood that is faded in parts due to many a knocked over glass of milk or water.  There is an ever present layer of grime that those of you with kids know exactly what I am talking about… something like syrup meets peanut butter meets oatmeal and it just cakes into those nooks and crannies around the edge of the table, giving it that “lived in” feel.   There are marks on the table where my kids didn’t stay in the lines (or on the paper for that matter) when coloring with their supposedly washable markers and a few splatterings of paint here and there from art projects.

I remember when Scott first brought it through the doors of our apartment.  After months of eating on a tiny card table, we were beyond excited about having a real dining room table.  He carried it in piece by piece and assembled it that night.

We had gotten into the habit of not putting the drinking pitcher onto the table, because our card table hadn’t been big enough for it.    We were careful, meticulous about keeping it clean, not wanting it to get water marks or anything on it. I vividly remember thinking, “One day my kids will do their homework on this table.”

I had no idea that memories we’d make around that table.   My kids have practiced writing their letters on this table and drawn many a picture sitting here.  Scott and I have sat side by side working out the budget here.  We’ve entertained family and friends for numerous meals and parties… Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, birthdays…we’ve rolled out Christmas cookies, built gingerbread houses, dyed Easter eggs and carved pumpkins on this table.   Scott’s had the guys from work over to play poker at this table.  We’ve built forts underneath it.  And if you look close you can see naw marks from when our puppies teethed on its legs.

It’s easy to look at the table and see nothing but the grime and stains and wear and tear.  But for some reason, that night when I looked at it, all I could do was smile at the love and memories we’ve shared round this table.  And I pray to God for many, many more blessed memories as a family sitting round this table.

I have many fond childhood memories of working on crafts with my Mema.  She’d come to visit and bring her puffy paints and we’d make tee shirts and sweat shirts.  Once she even attempted to teach me to crochet… but after a few hours and only a few loops, I opted to let her continue making me anything I wanted crocheted. 

Now I am grown, with kids of my own, and I must confess, my craft skills don’t look a whole lot different than when I was a kid.  But, I can usually follow simple directions.  

Unfortunately, we live 5 hrs from Mema and we don’t get to see her as often as we would like.   But, my Mema is clever and she came up with a way to engage her great grandchildren from a distance. 

I called my mom one afternoon and was surprised to find my Mema and my Aunt were over for a “crafternoon”.  They were out on the back deck, each working on cutting out supplies to prep for kits which Mema then mailed to her great grandchildren (of which she has 22).

About a week later I received a package in the mail.  In it was this detailed instruction sheet (complete with arrows and pictures to explain the steps)  for each of my children to make their own fish mobile. 

The package also came with 4 ziploc bags each filled with all of the necessary components for each child to complete his/her mobile.  The foam pieces were already cut… literally all I had to do was help the kids glue them together. It’s a good thing too, b/c it turns out that helping each child glue their fish, and hold my (then one month old) baby and take pictures and answer the phone… proved to be almost more than this circus momma could juggle. (Yes, it has taken me an entire month to get this post up)  

The kids had a fabulous time doing their “Gma craft” and I can’t tell you how much it blessed my heart to see them so eagerly working on these projects from Gma, much like I did many years ago with her.  While she wasn’t able to be here to witness it in person, I did my best to capture the moments on film San Disk card so she could witness it from a far.

My Mema is one clever lady.  Not only can she whip up cute and creative crafts, but she even found a way to pass on her craftiness to her great grandchildren and allow them to share an activity with her from a distance.

Thanks Mema… for giving me all the supplies necessary for a fun afternoon with my kiddos, and for sharing your love of crafts with me and my children!

A year ago today my SIL was due to have her first born, my sweet nephew Eli, who the circus children affectionately call “baby Ewi”.   I can’t believe he turns one next week!!    He’s in town this week eagerly awaiting the arrival of his daddy from Iraq for his R&R.

I am so thankful that I have a SIL who is willing to travel, b/c even though they live in El Paso, we’ve gotten to see them 4 times this past year!  (more than that really as one of those times was an extended 2 month visit to the area). 

It is my heart’s desire that my kids will have close friendships with their cousins and many fond memories of playing together growing up.  (with a few humorous photo sessions thrown in there as well)

 After capturing such a delightful group shot of the 5 of them, we decided to throw Pop in there too since it was his birthday celebration that we were gathered for… clearly the later photo session didn’t go as well as the former… but it def made for more laughs when looking through the pictures!!

Last week my mom came and spent the week with us.  My parents live 5 hrs away from us and even though they do an awesome job of coming to visit for weekends, it always seems like the visit is over before it starts and I am often left wishing I had some more time to spend with them.  Having mom here for a week was such a blessing.  Not only did she do my laundry for me all week as well as cook our dinners and even do the dishes, but she also shared my days with me.  A treat I don’t often get to enjoy with her.      

We had a blast…  she took the kids for bike rides, raced my 2 yr old on the basketball court, went swimming in the bay with the kids, let them help with dinner preparations, watched Scott’s sailing race, worked on projects—(such as building an ant farm, and sewing cow costumes for Cow Appreciation Day), ate picnic lunches on the deck, enjoyed tea and scones for lunch, and snuggled the baby…

Thanks Mom… for a fabulous week!!