Funny Things

There's nothing like a little humor to keep a mom on her toes. Here's a sampling from my home this week (and it's only Tuesday!):

*This morning, upon opening the refrigerator door I was greeted by a plastic cup full of what looked like fruit punch. Taped to the front of the cup there was a sign which read: "DON'T DRINK! Red paint and water." Um, thanks for the heads-up. I'm not sure why the shorter Hoyers feel compelled to refrigerate their paint in drinking cups, of all things. Ah, best not to ask.

*My dear friend Karen and I managed to bang out about 67 details via email in a ten minute span of time this morning. Who needs phones? All this while she was preparing for a dinner party for 30 and I was washing sheets, dusting, and answering a scary-long queue of email. And they say multi-tasking is a myth. Ha!

*Again this morning (it's been a funny day, I guess) while I was out talking to the landscapers who are still trying to get the irrigation right in our yard, my darling two-year old comes gallumphing out wearing nothing but Thomas the Tank Engine underwear and orange Crocs. On the wrong feet. Nice.

*Gabriel has been trying to train Oliver (the dog) to follow some basic commands. Sit. Stay. You get the idea. While working so hard on this endeavor I hear Gabriel say, in all sincerity, "Now Oliver, close your eyes..." Apparently, he's trying to help Oliver find his inner puppy.

*Nicholas returns home from Camp Pa today. He will be bringing with him 20 new pairs of socks which Pa bought him. 20! My father-in-law hasn't had kids in a very. long. time. Can you imagine if all seven of us had 20 pairs of new socks? We'd have to add on to the house.

*Oliver lost a tooth this week. We had to put it in a plastic baggie, which has been on my kitchen counter for 48 hours. I like to think of it as a diet aid. I go in the kitchen to get a snack, see the bloody puppy tooth, exit the kitchen with no snack. It's brilliant!

*This past Sunday night I was forced to break out the vacuum to vacuum up copious quantities of skin on my carpet. Why, you ask? Seven people of northern European descent + 7 hours at the beach on the 4th of July = lots of nasty, peeling skin a few days later. My children were obsessed with pulling the peeling skin off of their arms and shoulders and tossing it on the floor. Gross. Ew. Yuck.

Laughingly,

Snatching at Praise

Things have been tough here for the past few days. Our dear, dear beagle Thurston is in the doggie hospital with kidney failure and we are not sure that he will come home. Despite the fact that I am really not a "pet-person," I am finding myself very, very sad. We, the kids and I, went to visit today and he just looked so sad and pathetic lying there all hooked up. Poor little guy.

I have been reminded frequently, however, of my gratitude journal. Praise the Lord that He is good all the time, and never ceases to bless us innumerably every day, from the simple to the magnificent. Here are a few praises I snatched out of our simple days:

(6) Simple hats that bring big (sticky) smiles.

(7) Visits from old home-town friends.

(8) And the gifts they bear. (If only one could smell through the screen!)

(9) Victory! Kurt wins his 1st ever battle against Nutella!

(10) The joy of a five year old "reading" his very own Bible.


Our three big children have a time of personal Bible reading every morning after breakfast. Well, this morning my little boy-man Gabriel, nicknamed Sparkles because of his sunny disposition, asked if he could do his Bible reading next to me while I was answering email. He then proceeded to "read" from his Bible:

"God created everything in the universe. He made the first two people and they were very good until sin poured into the world. Then they had to go away from God."

I loved it. And he was so proud.

He's gotten to be so funny with his speech. The other day during a phonics lesson he said, "I know, that's a 'b', and that must be a caffeinated 'B'!"

Of course, he meant 'capitalized.'

Not Quite a Wordless Wednesday

Sorry for the eerie silence around here. I am methodically trying to get a family of seven ready to drive 978.31 miles for a week long vacation in the chilly mountains, during which we will hike, ride horses, and have a massive birthday party for all the cousins, and then drive 978.31 miles home! I am tired! In the spirit of my brain's inability to think creatively during this time, I will bless all of you with some of the hysterical quotes we've had around here lately.


Enjoy!

4-08...Gabriel... "This spaghetti looks weird....and arrogant!"



4-08...Nicholas..."Now I know what your hair color reminds me of! The color left on my hands after I eat Doritos!" (This was said right after I colored my hair, when the color was really intense. I promise, it's not really the color of Dorito residue. Honest.)



4-08...Gretchen..."Aren't all Russians bald?" (This was said in all sincerity.)



4-08...Tigran (Nicholas' fencing instructor)..."Less gab, more stab."



and my personal favorite from my dear, sweet, loving husband,
"I shall smite thy gluteal region, evil child!"
heh-heh


Happy Wednesday!!

Some funnies...

Well, we have had a good few days here. I have been working very hard to relax. A bit paradoxical, but there it is. It's so much easier to be a hormonal, quick-tempered, under-rested, stressed out Bad Mommy!! As I said, we have had a few great days here...because I have let go of my unrealistic expectations of myself, and just loved my family! And you know what? It worked!

Thursday we had a “Reading Day.” I realized that I hadn't read out loud to my children, something we all love very much, in a long, long time. So, I brewed some tea to soothe my scratchy throat, and I read and read and read. While I read the kids built with Legos, drew, or just lounged on the sofa with pillows and blankets. It was one of the best homeschooling days we've had in a long time! The Hoyers highly recommend it!

In the spirit of enjoying my children, I will share with all of you some of their “funnies”- those hysterical things that kids say:

Here's a great one from this summer:

Gabriel to Nicholas: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Nicholas: “I don't know.”

Gabriel: “Do you want to be me?”

During dress-up time:

Gretchen: “I'm going to be the queen of all cowboys!”

After 2 rounds of Boggle 2 years ago – Lillian (age 4) was on Daddy's “team”:

Lillian: “I see a big problem with this!”

Daddy: “Really? What's that?”

Lillian: “I can't read OR spell!!

Again, this summer in CO:

Nicholas: “I'm never gonna kiss a girl.”

Gretchen: “What about when you're a man? Daddy kisses Mommy.”

Nicholas: “I'm never gonna be a man.”

Gretchen: “What about when you grow up?”

Nicholas: “I'm just gonna be an elderly boy.”

My most recent favorite – a little background: We just recently got cable for the first time in our married lives. The kids watch a show every now and then and have been exposed to commercials for the first time.

Nicholas: (out of the blue, while I was making dinner) “Mom, we need to see if Geico and Progressive are really as good as they say they are.”

Later, Gustav asks him if he even knows what Geico sells. Nicholas replies:

“Sure. They can save us up to 50 percent on car insurance!”

Ahhh, kids are funny. I am thankful that God has given me the opportunity (5 times over) to enjoy it! Stay tuned to the blog... (I know you are all on the edge of your seats!) I will be spotlighting each of my children in the coming week. Don't miss it!!!