Pre-K Theology

We were driving home from school today, and Eliza got out her Bible (it was in the car).

What follows is a word for word conversation between E and Caroline Box.  (I couldn't make this up.  Ok, maybe if I was high or something.....)

E - I am going to read to you from Exodus.

C - Oh, no!  Not Exodus!  I want to hear the story of Caroline.

E - you mean the sleepover with Jesus?

C - yes, where my dad said I couldn't have a sleepover with Jesus and so I sneaked out of my house and came to your house with my blanket.

E - was that when I turned green and had to borrow Jesus' phone?

C - I think. I remember you making lots of phone-calls.

E - Caroline, do you think God is hairy?  I think he's a hairy God.

It's the hormones in all those lunchables, I tell ya.

Hiatus over, maybe

At the risk of sounding old farty....... things are different at the old Blogspot.

Let's see ...... 3 years...... and here are the changes:

(in list form, because some things NEVER change)

• we now discuss inappropriate words, such as butt. (I whispered it, can you tell?  I'm so like my mother. :) )      Mom, is that a bad word?  No, dear, it's a boy word.  Oh no!  Even worse!  Yes, I know.....  judge away, judgers.  (sidenote, Blogger thinks "judgers" is not a word.  Feels good to be smarter than Blogger.)

Okay, that's really the only big change.  Kids are still dressing like rodeo clowns on their way to the ballet.  Hair still impossible to comb.  Life still feels impossibly blessed.  

Maybe I'll feel wordier tomorrow.  (sidenote: Blogger says "wordier" IS a word.  Huh.)

Maddie and the Summer of Bravery

It's really happening.

A little background....

My sweet Mads was fearless! ....... up until last summer. Then she did a 180 and became afraid of everything and all things. That is not an exaggeration. (although it may be redundant)

Exhibit A:
Swim lessons - this is non-negotiable in our household. The adults are outnumbered. It's a safety issue. Which means they have to go to class. Which means Maddie screamed for an hour straight for 4 days in a row.

Exhibit B:
Ballet camp - she didn't even last 5 min. in the ballet room (I know this for a fact, I timed it). This is not a safety issue, so we cut our losses and took our cute tutu home for the dress up box.

Exhibit C:
VBS - different song, same tune.

This doesn't include the numerous parties where she wouldn't get out of my lap, the play-dates where she wouldn't get out of my lap, and the countless phobias (bugs, animals, getting left behind ...) that seemed to plague her daily.

Now, here we are, summertime once again.

Jeff and I sat her down and told her that this summer is the Summer of Bravery.
Lo and behold, Mads took this seriously. It almost makes me feel guilty because we made it up and she took it to be gospel truth. Almost.

So, this summer she has learned to slip-n-slide the correct way (not the tip-toe , scoot on your knees way), and started sticking her face in the bathwater for a brief second.

It's a start. We've signed up for swimming again and she says she is pumped.

I have to say, so am I.

We might even get that tutu back out! (fingers crossed, oh please, oh please)

A whole pile of lake

Thanks to Beverly Tripp for the photo!

Reasons today was the best ever (according to the wee three):

• we got to fish in the pouring rain (true story)


• we peed in some rocks! (no bathrooms)


• we almost got hit by an airplane (cropduster)


• we got stopped by a train and got to see the WHOLE THING pass by (we're talking engine to caboose)


• We saw an entire rainbow (another true story and a pretty awesome one)

We went to a fishing derby tonight! Super fun.

Girls of course wore their tutus. Sophie wore her gladiator jellies.

Someday we will have a lesson on dressing for the occasion.

We caught two (actually 3, but the line broke as we were dragging it onto the land and well ....).

When Sophie caught the second one, all three girls screamed at the top of their lungs. I felt like apologizing to all the old folks who got the heart palpitations over that one.

We scream. That's just how we does it. At least it was the "happy scream".

One last quote:

"mom, come over here where nobody else is. We can catch ALL the fish in this whole pile of lake."

Jesus is coming soon

Gonna try this blog thing for the summer.

So.... what's new?

Started potty training Miss Eliza Belle today.

She went 5 for 11. Not too bad for her first day.

If this were the major leagues, they'd be offering her a multimillion dollar contract for those stats.

And she went 2 for 2 when it came to number 2.

a hem.

Did I just discuss bowel movements on this blog?

Is this the dark side?

Moving on .......

Sophie turned 6 (with Eva Grace) and graduated kindergarten. Yep, she's been busy. Soooooo ready for the big school. Or, in her very own words, "ready to make all the friends at the big school". She's come a long way this year.

Maddie is playing t-ball for the first time. Doing really well for a 4 yr old, I think. (But, really, I'm her mom. Can't exactly be objective on this subject. And, no photos. Will work on it.)

And, one last story before I close:

Tonight, we were on our way home and turned the corner. In front of us were some beautiful sunbeams shining through the clouds .......

Sophie shrieks, "IT'S JESUS!!!! HE'S COMING DOWN!!!"

Overheard ...

Maddie, yelling from the bathroom - "MOM-MY, I WENT POT-TY! I'm wenting potty cause I needed to go potty."

I really have no idea what she is trying to tell me.

time capsule - Mads turns 4

Madeline Claire Ramsey, Age 4

loves to watch: Dora, Super Why, and Barbie movies

could eat every day: hot dogs, cheeto puffs, apple cinnamon cheerios, and salad with ranch dressing

besties: Lauren Box, her sisters, and John Mark's mommy (random, but that's what she says)

interested in: Littlest Pet Shop, boots, doing flips, and all kinds of rain-gear

can usually be found: wearing dress up clothes

Maddie at 4 ... is a little fragile. She is sooooooo emotional! Is that normal for a 3-4 yr old? I was spoiled by my eldest because she is the most matter-of-fact child .... not too much drama when you are like that.

Mads' reasoning is that things scare her and that she'd just rather be with me.

*Big smile*

Not trying to raise a timid, co-dependent child but ....... when they say sweet things like that, I guess I'll let it slide for another year.

5 going on 15

So, Sophie has spent the entire day referring to Eliza as "the two year old".

As in, the two year old smells poopy or the two year old needs to go take a nap or the two year old just wrote all over her face with a pen ...

Well, 5 year olds are mighty superior. We all know that.

It is getting a little, um, obnoxious. Maybe.

It reminds me of that movie Zathura, where the little boy can't really read but insists that he can. That's what our life is like.

She can read all. She can do all. She knows all. Awesome.

In all fairness to my little girl, she did actually cook supper for us Thursday night.

After gymnastics we were debating what to eat.

Sophie said, "Sweetie, (she was referring to me) why don't I make you some bear paws."

I said, "why don't you?"

and so she did.

They were yummy.

recipe:

take two refrigerated biscuits. divide one biscuit into five pieces and roll into balls. attach to other biscuit in a paw formation. bake and serve with honey.

For Sharon

Been a while. Not such the consistent blogger these days. Intentions are there, so are the distractions .... 3 distractions in fact.

Sooooooo, hmm, what's new ......

Maddie is trying to potty train Eliza by herself. Every time Mads needs to go, she says, "C'mon, Eliza! Time to potty!" and she takes her into the bathroom. Maddie pulls down E's pants and Eliza sits on her little pink potty.

Still wearing her diaper.

Last night WAY after they were in bed, Maddie needed to go and woke Eliza up to go with her. And so she did with no fuss whatsoever.

Of course, this is an unconventional way of potty training since Eliza has yet to actually potty on the potty. But, Mads is convinced it's working, so whatevs.

Along those same lines ...

Sophie uses the phrase "awesome, dude" a lot. She got it from Mr. Kevin. Eliza has now taken to using the phrase, too.

However, she says, "awesome, Pude".

And, yes, we think it's hysterical.

We Ramseys are nothing if not mature.

it's the little things

Someone asked Eliza her name today and she answered, "popcorn".
and she was not eating at the time.

Sunday, Sophie was looking for E and trying to describe her to an adult ... it went something like this:
Adult - who are you looking for?
Sophie - My baby Eliza. Um, she's kind of like a heavy brick.

and one more thing I want to remember about this week ...

Maddie had her first big girl play-date (that means no big sisters around) with Lauren today. I lost count of how many times they would stop what they were doing, giggle, and say, "we're best friends". Pretty cute stuff.

I want to m-m-m-m-marry you

B-Ba b-ba Bobbie Sue (written by Heather Eaton.)

Some thoughts on my beloved Oak Ridge Boys (or ORB, as they like to be called).

This was NOT a get out of your seat and boogie concert. Totally okay with that, I am an accomplished chair-boogier. And, I chair-boogied quite a bit. Love that my husband accepts this about me. It's possible that I look ridiculous.

The ORB is getting old. They are aging well, except for the bass singer who doesn't want to admit it. Hair doesn't get darker after 40, dude. Also, lose the perm. No offense. Great voice.

Experiencing "Elvira" in concert is very very close to congregational singing.

There was one woman who stood up after every song. We called her "ovation lady". She was impressive.

I was the youngest person at the ORB concert, tonight. The very cool thing was, I bet the crowd was at least 25% veterans. It was kinda like Branson.

Loved it so much.

p.s. I have a cheek-ache from all the smiling.

p.p.s. I have a crush on Joe Bonsall. Jeff knows and is surprisingly cool about it.

the Oak Ridge Boys (and 9 other things to be thankful for)

Things I am thankful for this week:

1. Craighead Forest Rotary Park. And the fact that for the first time ever, I did not have to hold a baby or keep a toddler from running toward the lake. My youngest played just as hard as the big kids! Go Miss Eliza Pants!


2. I get to see the Oak Ridge Boys in two days. Sing it with me now, "El-vi-ra! a oom boppa mow mow..."


3. I am slowly making my way through the Christmas shopping list. This is good because I usually do not begin until after Thanksgiving. That's much harder on the old budget, you know.


4. Talked to an old classmate today!!!!!!! I love her.


5. The kids were really good during puppets tonight at church. Love little kid enthusiasm.


6. FRIED CHICKEN for supper tonight, folks.


7. Friends who are full of encouragement.


8. A wonderful quick weight-loss plan for my upcoming reunion : starving myself! just kidding


9. be-yoo-ti-ful weather!!!!!!


10. Halloween is over, dudes!

The Punkies

aka: The Punkin Funkies

Evidently, that's what you call it when you clean out a pumpkin.

Highlight for the girls - sticking their fingers through the nose hole picking Pumpkin Boogies...

Which led me to ...

start singing "Pumpkin Boogies!" (to the tune of Jungle Boogie, obvs.) ...

Which quickly deteriorated into ...

Pumpkin Bootie as my girls marched off to their bath.

Pumpkin nose picking, songs about booties ....

having all girls sure is precious, I tell ya. :)

a 5 yr old's take on marriage

Going through my "nice" (read: almost never worn) jewelry today, Sophie holds up my anniversary ring and asks -

"How many times did you get married?"

me, distracted-like, "uh, one"

"But you have 3 kids."

"yes"

"Daddy only loved you ONCE?"

finally paying attention, "no, Daddy loves me every day."

S. walking away, "yeah, but he only gave you one married ..."

to Jeff later, "how many times have you been married?

Jeff (Mr. Hilarious) says "5"

"WHOA! YOU HAVE 5 MOMS?!?!?!?!"

remember: can't joke with Sophie, can't joke with Sophie, can't joke with Sophie, ........

Miss Eliza Belle turns 2

Okay, so last year when my baby turned one, I wrote about her - calling it a love song for Eliza.

This year if I were to write her a little song, it would definitely be something you could dance to.

Two weeks ago, someone remarked that it was cool that God gave us two little girls ... and a Tasmanian Devil.

She thinks she is a kitty. Did you know that? And she's much more obedient when she's being "Kitty Kitty". Kitty Kitty will go get her diaper when you ask her to. Eliza will probably not.

Although she can say the "m" sound, she thinks it's funny to call Maddie - Daddy. She calls Sophie - Sophie Jane or sometimes just Jane. When she's upset with me, she calls me Mommy BELLE.

She likes baby dolls. I never did, and my older two didn't either. This is something of her very own and boy, do we indulge it.

Her favorite song is "I love you a bushel and a peck".

She is my little breath of fresh air. :)

Here I go again

Confessing.

I "over-cheese" when I'm cooking.

I have become re-obsessed with Hayseed Dixie. Especially the bluegrass version of Walk This Way.

Secretly, I'm glad our GNO discussion last night did not revolve around our kids' bowel movements. Like last time.

I suffer from Judgy Mom Syndrome when I am out late getting groceries and see tons of little kids running around. One of these days I am going to blurt out, "PUT THOSE KIDS TO BED!" or something equally harsh and judgmental.

I .... do not enjoy fall festivals, anymore. What do you call a halloween-scrooge, I wonder?

you have to do it

Ah... October ...

We woke up with no plans on Saturday! So we donned our best pumpkin-picking duds (which, to my older girls means a splash of orange to go along with their usual princess/clown mash-up) , loaded up the family roadster and headed out to that Great Pumpkin Patch, that Mecca for all serious pumpkin pickers ....

the Wal-mart on Highland.

Seriously, dudes, the pumpkins elsewhere were expensive this year.

Anyhoo, we brought them back and then used them as leverage to get the girls to take a nap.

After this, we painted. Guess what colors they chose? Sparkly pink (obvs.), turquoise, purple, and ... orange. Great choices, really. Only, uh, they turned out looking a little ... what's the word ... .........

moldy.

At least Sophie's was in a moldy "pattern" this year. It was a moldy rainbow. We are very, very, very into rainbows.

Maddie's was moldy blobs. I think she might be into blobs.

Eliza preferred painting with a popsicle stick. And she ate some.

It was non-toxic. This is not a scary story.

brave

Today was the Race for the Cure.

I've lost count how many people have asked me why I did not go.

Seriously? Like I would boycott something as wonderful as that?

I always forget when it is. And it's more fun to go with a group. But the main reason was that I've never done it before, and the first time I go I want to go with my Mom.

People find it shocking that we don't "think pink" every waking minute. For a long time, I pretended like I never thought about the fact my mom has cancer. When we got so much bad news all the time, it was so much less complicated to say, "she's okay!" and change the subject.

This would actually be the first year that the race would seem like the celebration it's supposed to be, and not a huge reminder of what we're facing.

Yeah, so we weren't in Little Rock this weekend.

But, every day she gets up and goes to work, stays out late at my sisters' ballgames, teaches Sunday school ... all after a round of chemo, I promise you she's racing.

More dinner chats, this time about babies

Tonight we were eating tacos for supper.

Sophie picked hers up and a little piece fell out in her hand.

She says (sincerely), "Ooooooooh, a little hamburger baby! Look, Mommy, my taco had a little baby."

Maddie, with a mouth full of taco, says, "So .... what? It just popped out?"

Sophie turns and says, "Mads, you need to learn that babies don't pop out. This sweet baby was born."

And then she ate it.

Costume idea

There must be a special chemical in Eliza's skin.

Food sticks to it like glue.

Tonight we were eating chili, looked up ...

and she had a frito stuck to her lip.

Right above her lip, actually. Like a little frito mustache.

She... was oblivious.

Stinking broken camera. :(