Lunch Break...as in the rules.

Growing up we always had a lot of rules for when we were eating meals. I want to raise my kids to have good manners, also. Whether or not a 2yo and an 11mo can have any semblance of manners is up for debate, however. A debate which I seem to be losing. In this post I'd like to show you some good examples of said table manners.

On second thought maybe I should go with what not to do at the table. We seem to have that down. See above, for example. You probably shouldn't put your feet on the table while eating. While a relaxing position, no telling where those things have been. Actually, I know where they've been. So get them off my table, por favor.

In some situations, it's probably best to use utensils. Tirzah's idea of utensils is kind of limited, since we are still working on not throwing food onto the floor, the walls, and the mother, (another rule breaker) but Merrick has also been known to use a fork as a drumstick or a dart. Also, please do not throw your silverware away. I finally figured out recently why I had no more kiddo spoons. Merrick had been diligently tossing them out after each use. Dearest, those are expensive, please try throwing them in the sink of you must throw your utensils. Gracias.

Another good mealtime rule: don't put too much in your mouth. You will choke and your mother will have to fish it out of your esophagus. This picture is deceiving. While it appears Miss Tirzah Shae has stuffed one too many cheez-its into her mouth and broken yet another rule, she really just sports the guilty chipmunk look regularly. *These babies are all real, people. I do not stuff my cheeks.*

And last, but not least, don't talk with food in your mouth. Or as we see in this case, scream. While jokes abound about see-food, they are no longer funny, and looking at mushy banana-covered cheez-its is really unappetizing for other diners. Especially when you are the mother, and you know that what she is planning next is yet another lunch-time no-no: please do not projectile spit your food onto your siblings or your mother.

Hope you enjoyed this post on what not to do at the table. Another rule I have learned in my many 2.5 years of parenting? Don't photograph your children while breaking meal-time rules...cuz you are just asking for it then. De nada.

P.S. Also, hope you enjoyed this bi-lingual blog post. Those are the only 3 Spanish words I remember from high school. Sorry, Mom.

Better than...

God loves a lullaby
In a mothers tears in the dead of night
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

God loves the drunkards cry,
The soldiers plea not to let him die
Better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

The woman holding on for life,
The dying man giving up the fight
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes

The tears of shame for what's been done,
The silence when the words won't come
Are better than a Hallelujah sometimes.

We pour out our miseries
God just hears a melody
Beautiful the mess we are
The honest cries of breaking hearts
Are better than a Hallelujah
Better than a church bell ringing,
Better than a choir singing out,singing out.

// Better than a Hallelujah, Amy Grant

Just saw the lyrics to this song on facebook, and it really made me stop and think, and feel overwhelmingly grateful for the God I serve, who truly listens to me, even and especially when I'm crying on His shoulder. I felt like these words were a gift He knew I needed just between us, and a reminder of how much I mean to Him. What's an unexpected gift God has given you recently?

The Love Fern

I love funny movies. I mostly love quoting funny movies. It's an odd (read annoying) habit that all 6 kids in my family have. We quote movies at each other and then laugh at ourselves. It's really probably not that funny to people around us who are wondering why we are saying things that make no sense.

So this past week, when Billy gave me my anniversary present, the opportunity to quote presented itself. He brought me out on the porch to show me the hydrangea *featured in these pictures* he had bought me...to which I squealed "our love fern!" *100 points if you know (no googling, cheaters) what movie that is from. Don't know what you will use the points for...but that's your problem. ;)*

My hubby is a patient guy. Always asking "what's that quote from" when I say something that makes no sense, and makes me laugh at myself. Sometimes it's not even a quote, I just don't make any sense...but it's diplomatic of him to blame it on quotes. He is actually getting pretty good at knowing what movie I'm quoting at the moment. He's even managed the pick up the habit and start throwing out the quotes himself.

One of the family favorites to quote is Robin Hood, the Disney cartoon of course. "Oo-da-lally" pretty much applies to everything. And a few other favorites are Nacho Libre and Just Married. And don't forget classics like Oklahoma the musical or new favorites like Pirates of the Caribbean, yes all three of them.

It probably really does drive people crazy, and maybe we should consider growing up a little. But I lost all hope for growing up when I got so excited that Merrick quoted Nacho Libre that I tweeted about it. It was one of my proudest moments. *Kidding...sort of.* Speaking of quotes, he looked at me today and said "Mommy, I'm funny." If that doesn't mean he gets his sense of humor from his mother then I don't know what does. Cracking ourselves up seems to run in the family. But I guess it's better than not cracking up at all. ;)

This week's theme at YouCapture was "Get down Low". Check out the link for more great shots and blogs!

Extreme Strolling

Just a snapshot of Wild on the walk we took last night. We took advantage of the summer solstice and went on a long walk after dinner. But around here even a walk needs to be done with flair.

SistaTwin

I know a lot of people think it would be a lot of fun to have a twin. I thought that growing up. One of my younger sisters actually was a twin. The second baby didn't make it full-term, though. So we were never able to meet him or her. My sibling and I are all really close, in different ways. I think we each are able to be close in different ways to each other, but yet are all really close as a group. We get each other, and get on each others' nerves, all at the same time. ;)

I am glad, at this point in my life, to be able to get closer to my next to youngest sister, Abby. We are about 10 years apart in age. But that isn't so much of a big deal the older you get. The older we get, the closer we get. And apparently, the more like twins we look. My own husband, and our mother, has mistaken her for me from a short distance. We both share a love (ok, ok...obsession) for photography, can't have enough pairs of big sunglasses, and have been accused of being the family loud mouths. We may not be twins...but we sure coulda fooled my mom. ;)

So grateful for each one of my sisters, and the unique way they are each a special part of my life.

*If you don't understand how a woman could both love her sister dearly
and want to wring her neck at the same time,
then you were probably an only child.*
~Linda Sunshine