A Bright Future

When I asked E what she wants to be when she grows up, she responded, "I don't know.  Probably nothing." 

 

Good thing she's only a day shy from being four, so she has awhile to figure out a career path.

 

But in the meantime, she has some pretty amazing talents emerging.

 

I think she'd be a rock star of a picketer.  I just hope she finds a cause more noble than believing in fairies.

 

 

Speaking of rock stars, she might make a good Christian rock star too.

(She had no idea I was recording her...love these real moments.)

 

 

With talents like these, her future's looking pretty bright.

Kids These Days

A couple of years ago, J sweetly told me that he's going to live with us forever.  

 

Awww, isn't that cute? 

 

Well, being the realist that I am, I didn't really think so, and I let him know it.  I quickly responded with a shake of my head while I said, "No, that's not the goal, J.  That's not the goal."

 

My ultimate goal as a parent:  To raise God-adoring, Jesus-believing, people-loving, emotionally stable, self-supporting, independent children.

 

That's quite the lofty goal...downright overwhelming and seemingly impossible at times, in fact.  There's no way magic, overnight way to accomplish such a goal.  Instead this is a process, a day by day, moment by moment kind of thing.

 

Along with all of the basic things like love, stability, and structure, kids these days need to learn so much more from their parents than even my generation did.

 

You know, the really important things in today's world that I couldn't have even imagined needing to know as a child like operating a smartphone or keeping up with hundreds of "friends" on the latest social networking site. 

 

That's why I occasionally carve out some time to introduce J and E to some modern life skills  and concepts. 

 

Our recent lesson:  Practicing the apparently necessary duckface profile picture

 

Next lesson:  How to take a duckface profile picture all by yourself.

Are You Ready for Some Football?

 

BITPSICFLITN: Random iPhone Pictures July-August-September

Oh, pool, how we miss you!

 

J wanted to be the photographer at the zoo.

 

 

 

 

I wanted to get my hair done like this for the Olympic party, but then I thought better of it.  I really get into theme parties.



 

I went for a walk with my mom and left my dad in charge of the kids.  E had my phone and documented how that actually looked.

 

Baseball game with our lovely cousins!

Dry, dry, dry! 

Huge cracks in our backyard that required filling in so we wouldn't lose a kid.

We really could use a good soaking rain. 



A summer nature walk...

E could not stop laughing at these training bras she saw at the store.  While giggling, she exclaimed, "Look, J!  These are SO small!"  I guess these are a far cry from the bras she's used to seeing at our house.

On the same shopping trip, Steve pointed out these shoes to J.  He responded, "I don't want John Deere shoes!"

I sliced my knuckle to the bone while showing my family how I box. 

Note to self:  Wear boxing gloves.

 

It didn't look too bad...

 

until I bent it. 

 

This picture doesn't do it justice.  It really was a doozy of a cut. 

Ouch.

BITPSICFLITN: Husker Power!

We had the pleasure of experiencing a S family first a few weeks ago...a Husker game!

 

The kids were so excited, and we started our gameday prepping hours before kickoff.

 

I primed for the game with a fresh juice and vodka cocktail.  Bold, huh?  My inner college girl was a little embarrassed by my weak attempt at trying to be cool.  It was so tasty though.

 

We arrived a little too early on this sweltering 95 degree day, but we all made it to the end of the game with the help of a lot of water and Val's pizza.



E brought some a few things to entertain herself because 85,000+ fans cheering on their favorite college football team during the season opener just wasn't enough for her. 

At the end of the game, she asked, "So did the Huskers or that other team win?"

 

I smiled at Steve and said, "That was 56 bucks well spent, huh?"

 

Even though she isn't the world's biggest football fan, we had a great time being together as a family in the Sea of Red.

 

We thought that was it for attending games for at least this season, but the boys were surpised two weeks later with an incredibly generous offer from two of our favorite Husker fans.

 

It was father-son time at its best!

 

 

Go Big Red!

BITPSICFLITN: Girly

 

This week at MOPS, I was asked to described each of my children in one word.  The word I chose for E:  girly.

 

That's why she loved H's birthday party back in August.

 

The girls got to get all dolled up.  E was beaming the entire time.

That day we learned that purple might not be the best eye shadow color for E, but she can't go wrong with green polish.

 Thinking this party could not get any better, E was delighted to have a cupcake for snack.

 

This is how I found her napkin.  Seriously, there was no help from me at all.

This is how I left her napkin.  

We had a great time at your party, H!