Throwback Thursday: Spring 2013

Forward: I'm going to be "throwing back" and "flashing back" for a while, I guess. Bear with me. This post is Part Deux to this other Throwback Thursday post. 

The Davidson Spring back in 2013 was a little crazy-ish because we were not living in our home, though we still owned it. We were in the middle of prepping it to put back on the market. We had new countertops installed, had our floors professionally cleaned, put a special finish on our retaining wall (finally!!), had a drainage system installed in the backyard and then had it re-sodded, had most rooms repainted, and totally rearranged several rooms. I don't know if it was the fact that there were changes, or if those changes were particularly perfect, but I liked the new arrangement a lot.

We were blessed to be able to stay at a guest house where our good friends, the Rackleys, had stayed while on furlough from Africa. Some household repairs we did ourselves, so it was nice to be able to go back "home" somewhere else when we were done working for the day. No, not nice. Awesome! This may be the only picture of "us" living in the guest house. But I love it.

We certainly did our fair share of relaxing out at the "Rackley House." You know you are relaxing when you make time for jigsaw puzzles!

Sadly, my camera didn't come out very often. But, I swear, it did come out. I distinctly remember taking GOBS of pictures of Gabriel becoming a soccer star before our very eyes and also GOBS of Easter pictures among the blooming daffodils on Wye Mountain, but I have no idea what happened to those pictures. No. idea. I'm convinced we somehow lost a memory card in our multiple moves. And it breaks. my. heart. It's awful. SO VERY awful!! Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaccccckkkkk!!!!

SOME of our spring activities were preserved, however.

For instance, we were passionately involved with seeing some new raw milk legislation passed by both the House and the Senate. We actually visited the Capitol a couple of times. So exciting!!

We even got invited to sit in the VIP section of the Senate. No lie! A huge thank you to our friend, Senator David Sanders!!!! We owe you for the seats AND the support!

And the Arkansas State Senate begins its sessions with prayer. Love that!

Gabriel started playing soccer for the first time ever. And he was utterly amazing!! (But this is the only picture I could find. Boo!) Doesn't he just LOOK the part?? Noah played some, too, though I don't know where ANY pictures are!! (Double boo!!)

We had a sweet, impromptu visit with cousins at the park near our guest house. It afforded us an opportunity to exchange Christmas gifts because we didn't get to see each other for the holidays.

Noah finished his first year of Scouting during which he had to complete almost two years' worth of activities and requirements in order to finish the Webelos Cub Scout book and become a Boy Scout with the rest of the boys his age.

Here he is receiving his Arrow of Light.

This is the Crossover Ceremony, in which he went from being a Cub Scout to a Boy Scout.

We caught a Travs baseball game or two.

We had a fun play date at the park with another special homeschool family.

And occasionally we'd stop by our own home to check on things, dust, etc. And when we would, it was such a sweet treat to catch our neighbors at home. How we love soccer with these two boys!

Noah turned eleven during all of this, too. (Whoa.)

We enjoyed the peace and quiet and just being outdoors at the guest house. Noah can always be counted on to find some fascinating critter.

But by May, we had moved back "home home" because our house had sold. (Yay!) The kids were so glad to be back. For one thing, they had missed their toys!

You might've thought we'd be busy packing, but we were gun-shy and decided to wait until we closed and had the check in our hand before packing even the first box. So we simply enjoyed our spring. Noah, the creature-whisperer, rescued this bird after it stunned itself with a kamikaze dive into our kitchen window. It sat there on his gloved hand for the longest time before it came to its senses and flew off.

Atticus went back to school (Mother's Day Out) for the last couple of weeks of school after being home full time since December. He just wanted to be able to see his friends one last time.

I can't help it. Thumb-sucking is the cutest.

Last day of school. We love you, Mrs. T!

Then Gabriel had himself a birthday as well! He turned 6 during our last several days at home, so we squeezed in a special dinner at his favorite pizza place, Larry's.

Then we got to work. We had only five days to pack, by the way!! (No lie.)

These silly kids of mine had a blast rediscovering old baby toys they vaguely remembered playing with a long time ago.

And by the end of May we had to be completely moved out of the house. We put most of our stuff in Pods and rented a storage unit. My parents had been up to help us get the house emptied, so they took Saylor back with them for a visit, but the rest of us camped out on our bedroom floor during our last night at home. We didn't get much sleep. At what age does it become impossible to sleep on a floor with anything close to what could be called "comfort?" I don't know, but we obviously passed that age long ago.

Gabe poses in his first-ever bedroom.

It was Atticus's first-ever bedroom, too. These boys shared their babyhood here. Heart-wrenching!

When it was time to pull out, however, we had no place to go. Quite literally.

We ended up in a hotel for the first couple of nights, just so we could regroup. Then we went to stay with Poppy in Conway. For three whole months!! We just didn't know where we were headed next. Every few days we would make the trek back to Little Rock to run errands, see friends, do what we like to do, view properties, etc.

We visited the library.

Spent time by (and IN) Poppy's pool.

Enjoyed the outdoors and each other.

We even occasionally dressed like a redneck. (Ahem...)

We can go the other way, too, and be all highbrow and what not. Photographic proof: Noah with his beloved ceviche. Fancy schmancy! Okay. Ignore the fact that he was (quite happily) overdue for a haircut. Focus on the sophisticated food. ;)

So our summer was not too much different than it would have been otherwise, except that we were looking for a house. (fun, fun)

Staycation: Day 1

If you know me personally or have been reading this blog any length of time, you'll know that I've been in need of a vacation for quite a while now! Serious need. Desperate need. In fact, we thought we were going to take a trek (true blue road trip) up north to visit family and friends, but Paul was crazy busy at work and could never seem to find a long enough break (with enough notice) to get away. Besides, we are were exhausted and could never seem to muster the strength and energy required to plan and prepare for such a journey. Not to mention where we'd get the money to do such a thing! Anyway, we finally decided it would be best for Paul to go ahead and take a week off and us just stay put. So that's what we're doing.

right.

now.

We are officially on STAYCATION!!! Yes!

Day 1 Activities:

1. Mommy slept in ('til about 8:30) while Daddy made pancakes.

2. General vegetation while waiting on Atticus to finish napping.

3. Lunched.

4. Packed up and headed to Collins Orchard to get a watermelon. (It was only our THIRD ALL SEASON!! Something's bad wrong with that!!)

5. Scooted just down the road a bit to pick up our milk for the week.

(By the way, I was mad through all this, because we went to all the trouble of going out and getting a card reader so I could get our memory cards cleared for this week, and then I went off and left the camera at home. I WOULD have taken a picture of the MONSTER watermelon we got for just $7 and the sweetest little calves with their mommas you ever did see. Doggone it.)

6. Headed home, swinging by the post office for stamps. (like you care)

7. During nap time, I gathered just under 20 toys and baby items to sell at Rhea Lana. It took the whole time, since I had to clean, bag little parts, decide on prices, list them online, etc. Paul ran errands with the big kids during this time. When they returned, Saylor and I ran (literally) to the library to print off my inventory (have I mentioned our Dell printer isn't compatible with our back-up HP computer???) and then RUSHED over to Rhea Lana to drop off our stuff. Whew! Got it in just in the nick of time...and racked up ONE bright red pass to the early 1/2 price sale for consignors. Can't. wait.

8. Then we went to the mall. That may sound like a weird choice, but the mall is not a place I particularly enjoy taking the kids on my own. Something about it. AND I had a Gymboree gift card that Saylor received upon her BIRTH, which I had never used. (ridiculous, I know) Besides, my kids LOVE the mall simply because of the escalators. It's so true. They are giddy with excitement at the mere thought of "the moving stairs," as Noah explained to Saylor and Gabriel last night. Ha! So. The mall it was.

9. First, we had to eat some supper. So, in honor of this... (must click link to understand)

we decided to give it a try. Overall, our assessment was "not bad." In OUR opinion, the food did NOT look appetizing, nor were the portions in the least bit generous. But it tasted decent. (Obviously, we were overlooking the fact that it was FAST FOOD and FRIED and in cardboard boxes and all that.) The kids seemed to enjoy it, regardless.

10. Shopped at Gymboree for Saylor. And found a little something for my newest niece (to be born Thursday of this week). The kids were perfectly content to wait and wait and wait ('cause it takes that long in there, y'all) since there were shows on. Love that store.

11. Oh, and Saylor got stuck in this mall stroller. She really did, though she doesn't look too upset about it in this picture. (That's because she very much enjoys smiling for photographs.) I don't know why, but she and Noah both can't seem to let go of certain childhood delights reserved for toddlers and below. And, yes, she was warned that she was too big and might get stuck. Hmm...

12. Finally, we bought Dippin' Dots (another first for the kids) for dessert. BIG HIT! And...big mess. Oh, well--what are staycations for??

13 Reasons I Need to Keep Up With My Blog OR Take a Deep Breath...The Length of This May Overwhelm You

Well, we had our computer fixed for all of two weeks. Maybe. I was spending all my time reloading things, getting updates, etc. and trying in vain to find my camera software. (I swear I JUST saw it the other day!!!) And then suddenly it started freezing up again. Oh, yes. Round 2. What in the world??!! So, it's back in the "shop," and I'm back on this slow-as-molasses thing we once called our laptop. (To this Paul would say, "At least you've got a computer." And I would say, "I know...I know.") Now, though, we have an external hard drive with all our previously-uploaded photos, which is the only reason I'm able to offer any pictures today. Anyway, word to the computer-wise: try really hard not to get a virus or have "memory problems" (whatever that means) or maybe think twice before buying a Dell laptop. I don't know. It's all so frustrating. How 'bout we just move on, shall we??

So...hmmm...where was I? Oh, yeah. Somewhere in the middle of May...!...approximately. I think I'll make a list.

1) I suppose I could/should start with the spring birthdays, but I think I'd really rather get into those in individual posts--to really do them justice. So check back soon for that. For now, suffice it to say that we had a morning party and then an afternoon party AT our house on Saturday, May 23. And unbelievably, we survived it. Ha!

2) Noah finished up his soccer season. All-in-all we enjoyed the experience, I think. Noah had fun and we all got a little taste of what it's like to have to be at a weekly team practice and then a weekly game. And he really enjoyed the actual sport. I'm not sure if we'll do it again next year, though. Well, at least not the Upward Soccer program. I mean, it seems like a good ministry and all, but it's probably just a hair too seeker-oriented for us. And maybe it was just this particular Upward league, but it just seemed that they spent a lot of time giving testimonies (which is great and all...) that the kids didn't really listen to, but not much time on the Scripture memory portion, and definitely not much time on actual soccer skills and drills. It was pretty expensive, too. I say, let's spend less money on snazzy uniforms and junk with the Upward logo on it, and more money on coach training and/or indoor facilities for rainy game days (or at least have make-up games...because it's naturally going to rain lots in the spring). So...we're thinking we'll look elsewhere if Noah wants to keep playing that sport. That said, though, it suited our needs fine for a just-turning-7-year-old in his first year of soccer.

3) The kids had their Awana Awards Ceremony. Awana is a very good program. I do recommend it. However, for our little homeschooling family, we may bow out this fall. I just don't know if we can keep up the pace. With babies and nap schedules and trying to work in chores, one extra-curricular activity per child, learning to read, etc. etc., I'd almost rather emphasize Scripture memory a little more than we have in the past and just do it here at home to coincide with whatever we're learning from the Bible. It's something we're going to have to pray about and decide what's best for our family. You know...there are lots (and lots and lots) of great activities out there to choose from; but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to do them all.

Gabriel loved all the clapping

(Sorry about the poor photography. Bad lighting + no time to make adjustments = red eyes and graininess.)

4) We started buying raw milk. Yep. Raw. This means non-homogenized, non-pasteurized, straight-from-the-free-grazing, grass-fed-Jersey-cow MILK. None of the good stuff stripped out, none of the bad stuff added in. Feels so good to be giving this to my children. Seriously good. And I even drink it myself! There are just SO many health benefits. And...now I can make my own butter. And it's delicious! Read all about why RAW milk is a must at the Weston A. Price Foundation website. (I'm sure I'll have to blog about this further at a later date, but for now here's a quick summary of WHY from the e-book Healthy Homemaking: One Step at a Time by Stephanie Langford.

Raw is preferred over pasteurized and unhomogenized over homogenized. I will give resources below where you can really read and dig into these issues, but here is the gist of it. Pasteurized milk has lost its beneficial bacteria and enzymes, which aid in digestion and absorption of nutrients, and most people (whether knowingly or unknowingly) do not respond well to it. Homogenized dairy has had the structure of its fat molecules altered, and our bodies are not able to assimilate them properly and instead treat them as foreign invaders. This contributes to atherosclerosis (thickening of the artery walls, which contributes to heart disease), as well as food allergies.

Most “milk” alternatives do not have much to offer nutritionally speaking, and some are downright harmful. Soy milk is the worst of the offenders, and can lead to a host of problems including thyroid issues and hormone imbalance. Almond milk can be all right if it is homemade, using almonds that have first been soaked. Rice milk is not necessarily harmful, but is really just another grain product, does not offer any real protein and must have calcium added in to it, and is really only suitable for those with severe allergies who are really craving a substitute.

Ya-da, ya-da. End of sermon. (For now...)

5) Oh! And I had a birthday in May. A birthday. That's all you get. No need for specifics. Got some new silverware because we were running out of forks (thanks, Mom and Dad!) and Wii Fit (thanks, Honey!) and a few other things. Man! Wii Fit ain't easy, people. Apparently, I am an "unbalanced" person. Who knew?! At least, I can't seem to head-butt very many soccer balls and often get creamed by the panda bear heads and sneakers that come flying toward me. (seriously)

6) Goodness! I totally forgot that I never got our Easter pics on here either! What am I THINKing?! Life is just blowing past me. Make it STOP!!!

All Eggcited about Baskets

Eggstremely Tiny "Crocs"

24-Carrot Kid

Chick Out What Gabe Got

Looking a Little Eggshausted

Eggspert Egg Dyer

Eggsclusively Saylor's

Somebunny Likes Chocolate

Eggstraordinary Fit




Eggsceptional Basket o' Goodies

Eggsactly What Noah Needed

But not ONE shot of all four together in their make-shift matching outfits. Maybe I'll dress 'em up one random day soon and shoot a few pics JUST so you can see. By the way, because of the events of that week, I didn't get out to gather goodies for their baskets until the following week. The result was all Easter candy 50-75% off, AND it just so happened that virtually everyone in town was out of Crocs except one place where I'd never been. I got there, and they were having a 25% off storewide sale. I got all but Gabe's shoes there (got his used on Ebay for $10 shipped), plus one new Jibbitz each: soccer ball for Noah, ballet slippers for Saylor, and a fish for Gabriel. I love that my kids don't require much. They were so thankful for a few pieces of cheap candy, a few eggs, and a pair of shoes. I'm thankful they were thankful.

7) Speaking of saving money on stuff, I think I totally forgot to mention my little trip to Rhea Lana back in early spring. For those of you who don't know what Rhea Lana is...it's a children's consignment sale (a lot like Duck, Duck, Goose...only much better in my opinion). I was finally able to get over there on the last regular-price day of the sale, and after piling around twenty items on my stroller, I started wondering how much it was going to cost me. Panicking a bit, you might say. A nice lady selling candles at a little booth had been bouncing Atticus around some, as he was getting somewhat fussy, so I asked her when the half-price sale would be. She said it was the next day, unless I was a consignor. The consignors would be able to come Friday night for first dibs on the half-price merchandise. Hmm. I was not a consignor. (I hoard my children's clothing, because as it turns out, it has been an investment that has paid off to keep around.) Then the lady offered to give me HER pass because she wasn't going to be coming that night. Seriously? Well, I most certainly (and very graciously) took her up on her offer!! I promptly put everything back (in places I could remember) and went home. The pass even allowed me to bring a friend, so Krista tagged along with. The bonus was that it was at NIGHT, so the daddies babysat so we could shop in relative peace. We had a great time! I got basically EVERYthing I would need for 3 out of 4 children (Gabe was pretty much covered, being a spring baby like Noah was). Atticus just needed some basic stuff; Noah needed only a few things since Krista was giving us some basics and his birthday was coming up and he could still wear all those jeans I got him for Christmas; but Saylor needed an entire wardrobe. I did so well, y'all. I got all that you see pictured below for an average of $3.34 an item; some of it was even brand new with tags! Not bad. After that, I picked up 2 or 3 items at Kohl's and maybe 3 or 4 items at Target, and we were totally done.

Atticus' Duds

A few basics for Noah

Yep. That oughta do it.

8) Okay. Guess what? We got blinds!! Wanted shutters, but the bank account conspired against me on that endeavor! Maybe ONE DAY. Still, I'm very happy to have blinds up instead of what was once "adorning" our windows. I love that we can open them in the morning and SEE OUT and close them in the afternoons to keep some of the heat at bay. (Ha! Come to think of it, I guess that's pretty much the essence of blinds, isn't it?) MUCH BETTER!! Pics will be forthcoming--when I start the home tour back up again. No need to bother taking pictures NOW, when I can't upload them anyway. *sigh*

9) My thoughtful husband and dear children got me a Bible for Mother's Day. I've been needing a nice one. I had actually been using my childhood Bible, with my old name engraved on the front and everything. Now I've got a brand new PINK (dark pink) one with a scroll pattern all over it. It's different...which I like.

10) The week Nana passed away, she had been out shopping for birthday and Easter gifts for the kids. In fact, when we got out to their house that day, we found all the little baskets and gift stuff laid out on the kitchen counter where she had been working on them. We sacked it all up, and after several weeks, I finally put it together and gave the baskets to the kids. It was a sweet time seeing the kids look through their baskets at the little treasures she had picked out for them.

11) The kids and I got Wii Active for Paul for Father's Day. I think I enjoy it a lot more than he, though. I've been doing the 30-day challenge. I've skipped a lot more days than I should, but at least I'm doing SOMEthing, which is, of course, more than nothing.

12) The kids' second cousin "J" came to play with us one day while his mommy went to the doctor. My crew had such a good time trying to entertain him. It was fun for all of us having somebody else's baby here to look after.

"No One Told Me I'd Have to Pose for Photos"

Saylor's never too far from the baby.

Amusing My Subject

13) Saylor had a tiny girly party (since she didn't have a "friends" birthday party back in October on account of getting a new baby brother within days of her birthday). We invited her ballet class, but only a few showed up. (I'm still slightly annoyed by the fact that so many of them didn't bother to RSVP OR show up. I know things come up, but these people didn't even MENTION their faux pas when I saw them next. I just find that rude.) BUT. It actually turned out wonderful to have just a few girls there--so they could really enjoy one another. We did it at Cupcakes on Kavanaugh, a truely precious, little cupcake shop in the Heights. It couldn't have been any more lovely or more girly if we tried. We got plain vanilla cupcakes and had them put pink, sparkly sprinkles on top (and one blue for the boy in the class). I made some cupcake picks with ballet slippers on them ('cause I'm cheap frugal) and we stuck them in at the last minute. I was so pleased with the way they turned out. Saylor truly had the best time. (She wasn't one bit bitter about the no-shows. In fact, she didn't even notice that most of her class wasn't there. Ha!)

Alright. Whew! That's it for now. I'll be working on "Snips" posts next and...who knows? Maybe I'll even pick up where I left off on the "Where I Live" pieces as well, seeing as how I've totally changed up both the living room and the kitchen since the original posts were published. A lady back home once told me, "Some people rearrange their furniture; the rest of us dye our hair." So, since I stopped dyeing my hair sometime after Noah was born (I was a red-head for a brief moment in history), I guess I'm officially a rearranger. Okay. Let's face it. I pretty much always have been.