Update

This is on it's way to our house. Yippee! Won't be here in time for this Christmas, but hopefully it will save me from spending all next season hunting down the baby Jesus. I swear, is there anything that there's not a Little People playset for?

Not a toy

Forget all the Christmas presents in the world. Just get Maggie a Navity scene and she'll be happy. She's obsessed with the baby Jesus...carries him around CONSTANTLY! I've dug him out of her Barbie car, unwrapped him from the Bonka Jane (poor kid) and last night I had to pry him from her fist after she was asleep. "He's cwyin' ", she says. I tried to explain that he was, supposedly, a very quiet baby so he's probably not crying....you know... the little Lord Jesus, no crying he makes. She's not buying it. Plus she wants to know why his diaper is not covering his butt. I'm not even going to try to get into the swaddling clothes conversation so I just let that one go. And Owen is quite confused because animals go in barns, not people. So everytime I turn around, the Holy Family, the wise men and the shepherd are out in the cold and the animals have free reign of the barn. But we only have a few animals, so they add in some hippos and tigers from their toys.

Check out this gummy grin. It's one of, if not the last one caught on film. Those are some seriously swollen gums, and I'm beginning to understand why the poor thing hasn't been sleeping worth crap. I'll miss the gummy grins :(

Cramming

Cramming. That's what happens when you haven't studied all quarter and suddenly find yourself faced with a final that's 60% of your grade. It's also what happens when you've been in denial for three weeks that Christmas is coming and suddenly realize that it will be here in a week.

Yesterday we crammed at least two weeks' worth of holiday spirit into one day. We started off with a train ride with the Big Guy himself. No, not God, silly....Santa. We had to drive an hour and a half to get there so on the way we popped Polar Express into the dvd player. I don't usually resort to that for driving entertainment, but anyone who's driven on Route 32 to Athens knows how boring it is even for adults, nevermind wired children on their way to see Santa. The train ride was a smashing success. We were early enough to get seats on the good car, no one melted down or got motion sickness, and none of my children screamed when faced with a rather rotund man in a bright red suit and a creepily fake beard. Yay!

P.S., the burrito buggy is not there during Christmas break. Bummer. Taco John's served as a satisfactory second choice, though.

Once home, we decided to break out the decorations, and Dave went to chop down the tree. Again, all went surprisingly well. After last year's episode of the tree tipping over just after the last ornament had been hung, we got smart and tied the thing off to the wall before we even started.

Still to do: wrapping, cookies, wrapping, shopping for Dave, wrapping...

Snowmen and Buckeyes

This blogging gig is hard to keep up with, eh? I caught this nice pic of my crew during the game with that school up north. My second O was less than thrilled, but his mouth *is* pretty round!

We had the first snow of the season this week. Molly was out of school and we decided to seize the moment and create the biggest snowman we've ever made. I think I may have herniated a disc trying to get the middle up onto the bottom. Molly and Owen were thrilled with the snow, begging to stay out longer. But Bodie was sleeping and Maggie had had enough, so we had to head back in. I let the two older kids go back out that afternoon and sled down the hill while we watched from the back door. They got some serious air hitting the little ditch at the bottom of the hill. It's definitely a change from last year when both Owen and Maggie just stood outside unable to really move, of course, due to the ridiculous bundling - and screamed.

Classy

Wow. This is an impressive picture. Definitely one for future prom dates. Too bad I didn't get a video. It's even better with sound: "But I dot a BOODDER!"
Who knew that markers could reproduce? Yeah, seriously. You throw them away...all of them... and then while you're doing dishes, or showering or otherwise engaged in some activity that causes you to not be standing right over your children, they give birth. Right in your childrens' hands. Spooky.

Do you believe???

Here's a picture from our pumpkin-carving adventure last night. Dave, Bodie, Bodie's pumpkin, and ???? Grandma Kathryn maybe? And just for comparison, check out the second picture, taken just seconds later.

I believe. I think it's nice to think that once we're gone from this earth, we're not just sleeping in our graves waiting. I'd like to think we can still watch over our loved ones and yes, even take part in a pumpkin carving now and then. She never got to meet Bodie, so I think it's neat to have a picture with both of them in it. Hi Kathryn, we miss you!!!

Lies

When do kids learn to lie? Is it just an ability that's hardwired in our brains? Does it just spurn from an active imagination?

Maggie: *cry, scream* Owie smacked me!!!
Mom: Owen, did you smack Maggie?
Owen: Nope.
Maggie: Yes! Owie smacked me on my back
Mom (after examining Maggie's back): Owen, did you smack your sister?
Owen: Nope-y.
Mom: Then how did she get this mark on her back?
Owen: Mae mae hit a deer with her truck.

I'd have to give him bonus points for creativity, but he's still got a way to go on believability.

Lincoln Logs

Remember these? These were some of the only toys that could actually keep me and my brothers occupied for more than 5 minutes. Especially my brothers. Mom and Dad brought over a bunch a few weeks ago and they have proven that no matter how many annoying flashing, singing, buzzing or beeping toys they make, nothing compares with the oldies that allow kids to use their imaginations and create something. Owen, Maggie and I made this cabin this morning. Well, Owen and I made it and Maggie tried to destroy it every chance she got. Obviously, the owner is a tow-truck driver. I won't go as far as to say these are quiet toys, though. Anyone who's ever heard a tonka dump truck load of them hitting a tile floor can attest to that.

Pillowcase Dress

I've decided that sewing is a good way for me to maintain my sanity so I'm damn well going to find some time to do it. I'm horrible at finishing projects, but was able to do this in just a couple of hours so I started it last night and finished it up this morning while the kids were in occular lock watching Diego. Blush.

I found this cute little vintage pillowcase at an estate sale and as soon as I saw it, I knew it was destined to become a dress for my little cowgirl. It was backed in this ugly feedsack fabric and wasn't quite long enough, so I improvised by changing the backing and adding a little ruffle on the bottom. I'm quite proud of it, actually; especially since I tend to shy away from any sewing project that doesn't use a pattern. Of course it's going to be too cold soon for a sundress, but I think it would still be hella cute with a turtleneck and some tights.

Soccer

Ahhh, soccer. What would September be without it.

Owen's playing soccer for the first time this year. It's been 5 years since Dave and I were insane enough to try to coach the youngest players, and I'd almost forgotten that there is nothing more hilarious than a 3-4 year old soccer game. Nothing. We've got a pretty good team. I had my doubts, as half of our players just turned three this summer, but after watching the opposing team's players pick up the ball and carry it down the field, bring extra balls onto the field and then cry when they had to be removed, and turn summersaults midfield, I think we're doing o.k. Well, except for the pink shirts. How many colors are there in the rainbow and we had to end up with pink shirts. It took a lot of wheeling and dealing to get the "girl shirt" on his body. "No mom, not THAT shirt, I not a GIRL!"

Molly's got the same coach and most of the same players she did last year, and they totally dominated their game. I think the final score may have been 549 to nothing. She's really playing her position well and got two assists yesterday. Assists make me happier than goals as that means she's not a ball hog and is actually aware of how the game and her position are played rather than just scrambling to kick the ball in the goal.

I always think that as I get more and more seasons under my belt as a 'soccer mom' that I'll learn to just sit and enjoy the game and not scream at the referees, but it doesn't happen. I'm the 'hollerin' mom'. That's my destiny and there's just no escaping it.

Alone with Owen

Dave hit a deer this morning on his way to work. He's o.k.; the deer's not. But he did have to come home and get things arranged to get his car back on the road. So while he was home, he decided to take Maggie with him to go get some sand for the mudroom foundation. So that left me at home with just Owen and Bodie.

It was eerily quiet without the extra little voice. And I guess since Owen didn't have his usual sparring partner around, he was quiet too. So we decided to do a craft. I checked out Wondertime and printed out the farm cutting page. He had so much fun, he actually sat in the chair and colored and cut and glued for over an hour. Of course he took a break now and then to discuss his soccer team and the dead copperhead snake PeePaw brought by (so Mommy would stop calling him every other day to question the markings of one snake or another I find around). It made me realize that he's ready to be doing a little more to prepare for school. He hasn't really napped since I can't remember when, so I think I'm going to start spending some one on one time with him while Maggie naps.


Here he is in action:

And with the finished project. Check out his face, he was so proud of himself!

Farewell Summer

Wow, where to begin. This was such a fun busy summer, but since Molly unhappily noted that she could see her breath when she stepped outside this morning, I guess it's coming to an end. I figured if I didn't try to recap the highs and lows, I never would. And it's definitely been one that we will all remember.

Owen and Maggie, at two and three, were just so much fun this summer. Owen learned to swim all by himself with no floaties, and Mags finally let go of me and paddled around the pool in her life jacket. It was such a lifesaver to have the pool to throw them in on those sweltering August days. This was also a summer of much discovery for them both - marble bugs, the monkey bars, the fact that dirt and water make mud, and lots of it. Not too long ago, they both spent the better part of 30 minutes watching a wooly worm inch slowly across the yard and up a tree. Since we were pretty much free of any obligations, I was able to just watch them interact and it was so sweet to see them on their adventures together. Owen helping Maggie up the hill to the treehouse, Maggie running across the yard to tell me that Owen had skinned his knee. They're more than just brother and sister, they've become best friends and I hope that's a relationship that never fades.

Molly also grew a lot this summer, it seemed. Every day I was more and more aware that she's just not a baby or even a little girl anymore. I was blown away on the way to Isaac's graduation when it hit me that he was her age when she was born. Those eight years have flown by and I know the next ten will go just as quickly. I know they have to grow up, but part of me just wants to hit the pause button for a little while.

Of the three of them, I think Maggie has grown the most. I think a lot of that has to do with the addition of Bodie, but I think most of it is just her finally letting loose of me a little and venturing out on her own. Her vocabulary is amazing--painfully so at times. She knows every cuss word she's ever heard, and can insert them in the correct place in her sentences. Lately she's turned from a sweet shy little girl into a rambunctious, sometimes defiant, bossy little maniac. She's got a horrible drawl when she talks, and I have no idea where it came from. She'll drive me absolutely bonkers all day, but when I check on her before I go to bed, I still melt at those chubbly little cheeks laying so sweetly on her pillow. Her latest obsession is washing her hands. 821 times a day. She'll be playing or talking and then just out of the blue "OH! I needa washa my haaaannnnds" Of course, due to the drawl, "hands" has three syllables. Today she thought she'd plug the sink first, and flood the entire bathroom with water before I realized what was happening.

At times, it's been a rough summer for Owen. He's at that awkward age where he's not quite ready to behave, but he's old enough that he's expected to. We've been implementing some brain gym into our daily schedules and I think that's helped a lot. He's spent a lot of time in the time out area - we have one in the house, one on the front porch, and one in the yard. At the same time, he's really turned into a little man. He dresses himself, is completely potty trained, and has taken on the role of big brother with much bravado. I've been putting him in charge of watching Bodie while I change Maggie's diaper or whatnot and he's very serious about that responsibility. He's learned to ride a two-wheeler with training wheels, loves...LOVES to dig in whatever - dirt, sand, leaves, and has gotten over his bug phobia. He's obsessed with firetrucks and firemen; every time we drew on the sidewalk, he wanted a firetruck. I'm really surprised that we didn't experience a broken bone or stitches this summer, as he's been up trees, over fences and on the retaining wall. We've had lots of fun feeding PeePaw's chickens and petting every single goat at the county fair at least twice.

I've always loved summer - the heat, the water, the flowers and fresh veggies. And seeing the summer through the eyes of the little ones has made me love it even more. I'm sad to see it go, as always, but I know there are many more adventures to come with the next season.

Bye bye, summer. It's been fun!

The Armstrongs

Welcome to The Celery Stalk

I just really stink at naming things. Except for my children - that came relatively easily. But a blog? What to name a blog? I see all these catchy little titles and I think "Wow, that's cute and easy to remember! Why can't I think of something like that" That's actually the real reason I never had a blog - I wanted a catchy title and couldn't think of anything. Then last night I was talking to a friend of mine about my affinity for natural parenting and she said "You're so green and crunchy" And you know what? I am! I'm totally green and crunchy...like....celery!

Then this morning I was putting my youngest down for a nap and it hit me - The Amish always plant a lot of celery when one of the women in their families is planning a wedding and serve it at the wedding dinner because it's supposed to mean lots of children. Lots of children...hmmm.. is four a lot? I think so. So there's the second reason. So as soon as everyone was sleeping I quickly hopped on here to create MY BLOG! I had to hurry because it seems to be a theme in my life that as soon as I think of something grand, someone else has already thought of it. But this time, I got here first.

And if you've read that entire long-winded reason behind the name of my blog, then I applaud you.