Mother's Day, in Pictures

Word Pictures

Sarah is all-upons when it comes to describing things. Sometimes I call her the Adjective Queen. I was really getting eager for the end of the school year, knowing that I would be introducing her to descriptive and creative writing. Not only will she get an opportunity to explain what the world looks like to her, but I don't have to sit next to her and explain rules! This is all on her! A break! Yes!

First Assignment: Paint a word picture of your father.

"Oh! How sweet! I love being able to read how you see your Daddy! What a perfect word picture!You must love your Daddy very much!"

She was spot-on with her assessment and description of Matt.

Second Assignment: Paint a word picture of your mother. 

WHAT THE WHAT?!?

~Honestly, I was flattered by the whole cook thing. All who know and love me do not do so because of my cooking skills.

~I do like playing games.

~Church really is one of my fave places. Her explanation was that it MUST be one of my favorite places, because I am always making them go there.

~Pickles? Really? I guess, in Sarah's defense, I have been pregnant for like all her life... and pickles are the base on the pyramid when I am expecting.

~Her explanation for my favorite book being school books was very similar to the Church answer: because I am always making them do school work, so they MUST be my favorite.

~Let me take a minute to reflect on what "Mommy music" is. We are in the car and have listened to Wide Mouth Frog by Tales N' Tunes a grand total of 6 times, which has also spanned the duration of our trip. Mommy switches to the radio..."80s music...90s music...Frankie...Dean-o...anyone! Save me!"  Crying from the back seat. "We want Wide Mouth Frog!" Sarah settles the boys by saying,"Once Mommy's music is done, then she will turn the good stuff back on."

I always wondered how my children saw me. Now I know.

And I wish I didn't.

Week in Review

I know it's only Thursday, so I technically shouldn't be doing a week in review. Buuuuuuut: I am tired. SO I plan on doing absolutely nothing for the rest of the week and will, therefore, have nothing extra to post. ;)

I read another parenting book! This particular one was given to me by our parish priest, so I HAD to! When Father Jim gave me this book on Holy Thursday, he told me he picked it up especially for me while he was on a retreat. I was so touched. Then I got home and saw the front of the book. There is a picture of a pot, boiling over on the stove, with the title SMART MARTHA: A Catholic Guide For Busy Moms. Should I have been offended? Did Father Jim think I couln't get my act together? Then I started reading. And I realized that I really couldn't get my act together. I began implementing the techniques from the book the very day I finished it...decluttering, simplifying and altogether driving my husband insane. "You are giving WHAT away?!?!?! But that's mine!" Receiving a Smart Martha Book, spring cleaning and nesting should never coincide. Matt got lucky.

Anyway. Guide for Busy Moms. Right. Take them camping, Smart Martha says. Take those beautiful children camping! Out to appreciate nature! So I punch Matt, as he's sleeping in the bed next to me. "Matt! Did I wake you? We need to go buy a tent!" Matt, always the party pooper realist, says, "Anne, I have said that for years. And now you read it in a parenting book and you have to do it?!?!"

"Yes", I say. And I mean it.

So he does. That husband of mine. He buys us a tent.

Appreciating nature in the playroom.

Note to self: bring books on first camping trip.

This week we also had a very special visitor! Erika came over to hang out for the afternoon! She brought giant coloring/sticker books for the children. They were a huge hit! The kids (and adults) sat and colored for a while. Then Erika played five million games of My Little Pony Memory Cards (without cheating). She did a dinosaur puzzle with Buzz and concurrently played ponies with Sarah. She broke up 2 fights, fixed 47 train wrecks, wiped tears off faces, problem solved, made three different train layouts to prevent more fights, dealt with 4 meltdowns and kept ME company! And she brought me a bag of ground coffee...which I am carrying around on my person, hoping the caffeine travels through me by diffusion. Rainforest Crunch is also a welcome substitution for my regular perfume: eau de toothpaste/baby powder/laundry detergent/vanilla yogurt.

Sarah, so pleased that she has an Erika to play with!

Tiny Tom, able to fit in the tent box.

Joseph, trying to do the monkey face that Erika taught the kids.

Thomas, trying to do the monkey face. He looks more like Kriss Kross.

Thanks, Erika, for such a great afternoon!

"Hi Honey!"

Poor, poor Matt. I seriously don't know why, but I think he gets nervous when he receives text messages from me while he is at work. I think he feels the vibrations of his phone and pre-dials 9-1-...before even checking what I wrote!

I just had to document the text conversation from today...

Me: Hi Honey! Just wanted to let you know that Thomas, your third born, was sitting innocently in his closet when the fish tank jumped off his dresser and attacked him, punching him in the head causing a lump the size of a golf ball. And then the tank climbed back up onto the dresser, without spilling a drop of water.

Me: Joseph says that Tommy piled up the sleeping bags and pillows and catapulted himself at the fish tank from the closet, but Boo maintains his story.

Me: Hope your day is as exciting as ours!

Matt: Is he ok?

Me:

Ummmm...maybe. Here is a picture of him from this exact moment. I can't remember, but I think this is how he normally looks.

Matt: I'm sorry. Is the fish tank ok?

Me: The fish are displaying behaviors similar to nervous ticks, but I get that way too when Tommy hurls his body at me.

Me: soooooo, I think we're gonna be ok here.

Matt: When you sent only your first note I was picturing Thomas standing on the dresser with 30 gallons of water on the floor. That didn't happen, right?

Me: No, the tank is ship shape. But it would serve the fish right, clogging up the filters so frequently.

Matt: I'm really sorry about Tom Boo's head. Apparently he is not safe with sleeping bags.

Me: Babe, he's not safe with a toothbrush either. Don't feel bad.

Paradise 2012- Day Three

A ride on the carousel after eating breakfast in the dining car

The Crazies in front of the GG1

You too can operate a Steam Engine!

Nathan, chilling out in the tender amongst the coal

Yup, that is coal flying through the air

Relaxing back at the caboose

Paradise 2012- Day Two

We started off Sunday by going to Mass at Historic Saint Mary's of the Assumption in downtown Lancaster. Perfectly beautiful church. Perfectly sweet children's choir, dressed in robes even. Perfectly apparent that my children were perfect heathens that had never attended Mass in their lives. So glad there are no photos.

Church wasn't painful enough. We decided that we would reward the children by taking them on a train ride on the 475!

The reality of a family vacation

We bounce back quickly though

Thomas, always with that painful smile

Discovered how all pictures of Joseph need to be taken: In a moving train. No flash.

Proof that I did go on vacation with my husband and children

There is a picnic grove that passengers can enjoy, about halfway through the train ride. We got off with a cooler and had a great time while we waited for the next train to come through and take us back.

View from the picnic grove

 After our train ride, we checked into our caboose for the night. Thrilling!

Playing on the playground at the Red Caboose Motel.