Photo of the day...

Why you shouldn't attempt to:
1) let Sesame Street babysit your 5 year old
2) have pirate tattoos in your home
3) take a nap while the 2 previous items criteria are in effect

**doesn't it look like her belly button is the mouth of a screaming pirate? She really did do a great job don't you think?

Forrest Gump on worms....

"Well, you've got your tapeworms, your inchworms, your earthworms, your pinworms, your roundworms, your hookworms, your heartworms... "

I think Mae Mae has a ringworm on her arm. We have had more than our share of fungal infections, lice, scabies... I'm beginning to feel like a public health expert.

Anyone got a jock itch they need identified?


This little sore started out looking like a big bug bite, but when she woke up this morning, it had a perfect circle around it. It looks like your typical ringworm. (Of course, that's just my amateur opinion...)
I spent much of the day trying to figure out how to tell the little girl who fainted when she saw that dirt came out of her ear, that she has ringworm.

When we were trying to explain that it wasn't actually a worm, our kids sounded like a bunch of little Forrest Gumps talking about "all kinds of different worms." And all this over dinner! EW!

Follow-up

Justine woke up today and said, "what should I wear to drama camp today?"
It was like yesterday never happened! She ran right in and started playing this morning. I'm sure my kids just do this kind of stuff to keep me guessing!

Swimming Photos

Retardadon and Lameasaurus

We have been looking forward to it for weeks... Fine Arts Day Camp at a local church. The girls blessed the actual day with the dramatic flair that made me enroll them in the first place.

As we were going in the door, Jameson heard a father ask his also quite unsure daughter to "give it a shot." Jameson freaked out and started running for the door. She kept saying, "I don't want a shot. I don't want a shot." Of course, I was sporting my usual befuddled look, requiring a rewind/playback of the last 5 minutes to try and figure out what on earth she was talking about. When I try to explain what the slang phrase, "give it a shot" means, she continues to clammer for the door. After a mini English lesson, we get that straightened up and head into the registration area.

Justine suddenly becomes attached to my leg... I keep trying to kick free. I have no idea what's wrong with her. She's been to preschool at this church. She's been to vacation bible school here before. I knew when I looked into her eyes that this wasn't going to work. I coaxed her into the gym by dangling the possibility of a new Barbie in front of her like a carrot. New barbie... new barbie... new barbie... I try to mesmerize her with the possibilities.

I leaned down with my arms wrapped around her, at first trying to be ultra sweet to her. Then I begin threatening. "If I take you home, you're going to have to do chores. This is a lot more fun." She replies, "I don't like fun."

Suddenly they turn on the PA system/microphone, and it makes the most horrible noise I've ever heard before. My head was swimming, the room was spinning. Justine freaked out and pulled down on my neck, pulling me over on top of her. So now I'm LAYING on the floor of the gym... on top of Justine...holding my head...struggling to get up. I'm sure no one saw it though. Yeah right!

The children began to gather in a circle in the middle of the gym. Suddenly Jameson and Jaiden act like they have no idea what a circle is. All of the other children were pretending to be animals; while my children are standing there looking quite lost. Jordan and I attempt to get them to participate. When asked what kind of animals they were, Jordan mutters under her breath, "Retardadon and Lameasaurus." I stifle a giggle while I try to get a good picture of Justine crying and pouting... just for posterity's sake. Always the supportive older sister, Jordan says, "This is so embarrassing." I'm not sure why it as SO embarrassing for her. I was the one sprawled out on the floor 5 minutes before.

So we end up taking Justine home with us. As soon as we get in the car, she asks, "Are we going to get my Barbie now?"

"Oh no little girl. No Barbie for you."

Her kids were always reading...

That is what I want my tombstone to say...

Reading is a love of mine. I would be happiest reading, reading, reading all day long. I am even happy just looking at books; imaging that I am reading them. I am even happy making lists of the books I'm going to read... when I find the time. I know it sounds... like it's been said before... but reading is fundamental! (What a great reading campaign.) We read books aloud. We listen to books on CD. I am reading fairy tales to them and a storybook with Ethiopian fairy tales I picked up at the library. I am attempting to instill this love of books in my children... and so far, most of them LOVE to read. A few of them obscess over books like I do. The rest I'm working on.

We are in the midst of a reading competition in our family. We are going to read 200 books over the summer... and the prize... well I haven't exactly figured that one out yet. I hate to reward them with movies or video games since that's what I'm trying to get away from. Perhaps a special night out?

So we have been living at the library. I just about need a suitcase to go in and out of that place. On our last trip to the library, I showed Josh again where the books are. I explained fiction, non-fiction, biography, reference etc. I made a big deal out of the library tour. I sent the kids off to look for a few books of their own. Josh came back 15 minutes later, "I didn't find one."
"What do you mean you didn't find one?"
"I don't like these books."
"Well, what do you want to read about?"
"Nothing."
"Well, what are you interested in?"
"Nothing." (Sadder statements have never been said.)
"Well, what do you want to learn more about?"
"Nothing."

So we went up and down the aisle looking for a book that interested him. I started calling out topics. We looked on the computer for books that interested him. In the end, I told him that he would either find a topic that interested him, or I would find one for him. He wasn't happy about it, but he finally found a book about Ethiopia and a book about soccer.

I explained to him that without practice, reading will never get easier. He reads on about a 2nd grade reading level right now. I gave him the "if you can't read, you can't get anywhere in life" speech. It must have helped in some way, because I found him reading his book about Ethiopia twice now.

Is he just homesick? What is his deal? Yesterday the kids were all swimming and he sat in a lawn chair looking solemn. Then retreated to the house to look solemn. He has gotten in a bad habit of eating as fast as he can, putting his plate in the sink and disappearing before anyone else is done with dinner. I should call him Houdini because he disappears more than anyone I know. UGH! On a brighter note, I think he is beginning to maybe realize how much this hurts us, as he has gone out of his way the last few days to come give me a hug... I don't know. I don't feel like I can do anything other than support him through this slump... and attempt to not get sucked down into it with him.

Quote for the day...

While discussing who wasn't doing their assigned task of keeping the bathrooms stocked with toilet paper. (Yes, we have to assign that as a daily chore - sad I know!)

Justine, "Well, I don't even use toilet paper...."

Everyone, " EEWW. Gross."

What story does your quilt tell?

We had the wonderful opportunity to meet and paint with an artist from Nigeria. His name is Ibiyinka Alau (or some phoenetic resemblance of that).
He has donated several paintings for a fundraiser my friend Becky is doing for deaf children in Ethiopia.
He invited all of our kids to paint with him. It was an awesome experience to get to see what they could create. The kids were absolutely silent and so thoughtful as he gave directions. They listened to every word as he created a painting, telling them step by step how to do it, giving them insight into not only artistic techniques, but also insight into their developing legacies.

This is one of his wondrous works of art. He talked to the kids about the story our artwork can tell. The quilt in the background of this painting is beautiful. He taught the kids that each person could recreate this piece of art, and it would look different because we are all individuals. We all have something different to create, something different to bring to the table. He explained that it doesn't matter what color your quilt is. It doesn't matter where your quilt has been. What matters is the story your quilt can tell. How profound!

Look at her concentration and determination.

Justine's getting some one on one assistance. She was the youngest one of the group, and I think her painting was just as good as some of the big kids... if not better.

Jack did a great job on his painting. His perspective was perfect.

My Painting!

Jack's Painting!

Jordan's Painting!

Justine's Painting!

Jameson's Painting!

Josh's Painting!

I somehow didn't get a picture of Mae Mae's painting, but here she is painting her masterpiece.