my baby is 4

Here's the birthday queen! Robin turned 4 yesterday. Yes, my 'baby' is now 4. Talk about a new page in life. I've never had a 'baby' who was 4. My other 2 each stopped being the 'baby' at
2 1/2 yrs. Wow.








We went with an 'under the sea' theme after seeing some cupcakes at Sam's Club with crabs, seahorses, etc on them. I found this idea online. I also made Mock Sushi. (I guess this link is for the 'how to' video. somehow they deleted the actual recipe. And of course, I forgot to take pics.) Very cute. And yummy too!





For some reason, Little Bird asked for an alarm clock for her birthday. Maybe because she is starting pre-school in a couple weeks? Not sure. But I figured I'd make her day by spending the $5. :o)



A little story about the child who was born on July 29th... When I was pregnant with my first child, I was 'confident' I would go late. My mom was always late, my grandma delivered twins 2 weeks late, blah, blah, blah. So, no surprise when Daughter #1 showed up 12 days late. Crazy enough, Daughter #2 was also 12 days late. Now with Robi-bird, being my 3rd child, I was just SURE that I would go on time, maybe even early I thought. (I also thought she was a boy) But even if she wasn't 'on time', I could not possibly go over 12 days late, right? Ha. This child was 1 day shy of being 3 weeks late! In case you're wondering what insane doctor let a woman go that long in this age - I had a great doc that I saw through the pregnancies and then delivered at home... all three girls. That to say, we tend to do things the old-fashioned, natural way in my circles.

So she arrived, finally, at 9 lbs. 2 oz. A beautiful, full head of dark hair, big baby. Some said she looked like an 'Indian' baby (like really from India). And with that weight, kept up the pattern of each of my children being one pound heavier than the last. THAT, my friends, is why we have 3 - not 4!

It was soon obvious that this child was blessed with passion. In her infancy, it was mamma's milk she was passionate about. I've never had such an aggressive nurser. 4 years later, her passion comes out in different ways (though she still likes to eat!). I don't want to damper that passion, just direct it towards Jesus and His ways. She is my free-spirited little bird - flitting where she may!

ah, yes GRACE

Funny that my last post was titled 'Grace and more Grace'. I have child who was in need of it for the past two days.

Thursday we had a picnic in the town the kids go to school in. Chandler (6) ended up taking a library book up to the picnic tables. I told her it probably wasn't the best idea but to be sure to get it when we left. Well, wouldn't you know, heading down the interstate to the big town for the afternoon, she discovered she had left it there. Ugh. We don't live in that town, so I had no one I could call and ask to pick it up. Double ugh.

We decided to phone the library and ask them to pretty please go and get it and hold it for us. They accommodated. Thank You Jesus.

Then Friday morning.....the girls were up and ready for summer school early so they had time to play for a while. When it was time, I hollered down for them to get their shoes on and get in the car. They obeyed...so I thought when I saw them both in the car. We head down the gravel road a little ways when Jaci pipes up, "Chandler doesn't have any shoes on." I'm thinking, like she took them off in the car? Ah, no, she didn't put her shoes on before she got in the car! Now, we are typically a barefoot family. It's pretty normal for the kids not to put shoes on if we're just running to the church or something so it's understandable, sorta. But incredibly frustrating when we're headed to school and have to turn around. Sheesh.

I can't say I handled either situation perfectly but probably better than I would have 2 months ago. Sigh.

grace and more grace

I just finished reading Grace Based Parenting...again. My inner-parenting-self so resonates with the heart of this book but so many times my parenting does not reflect grace. Here's a few notes, which I may have blogged in the past but obviously I needed another reminder.


Humanity's (thus, children's) 3 driving inner needs:
1. A need for security
2. A need for significance
3. A need for strength


Grace doesn't fit well with stricter models of parenting. Grace often contradicts parenting plans that want to distill roles down into checklists. Grace-based parenting is a heart-activated plan that takes its cues from a daily walk with Jesus Christ. Because of this, grace and strict parenting textbooks will never find themselves in agreement.


Grace based families are homes where children are given:
1. The freedom to be different
2. The freedom to be vulnerable
3. The freedom to be candid
4. The freedom to make mistakes


Grace helps you find the balance point in a world of extremes and keeps you from investing your energies in a long list of things that don't matter.


Legalistic parents maintain a relationship with God through obedience to a standard. The goal of all this when it comes to their children is to keep sin from getting into their home....When these children do sin, they are punished more for allowing the sin to happen than they are for the fact that it happened.


Grace-based homes are not homes without sin or regrets. They are just homes where, no matter what, you can't be written off.

water fun

While visiting my family this past weekend, we spent an evening at my aunt's house, swimming. I had a ball playing with my 1 1/2 yr. nephew who is fearless in water! The girls had a blast, jumping off the board, trying to dive and just rough-housing with their uncles and aunts (most, there own ages).

Little Robi-bird started jumping off the side with no flotation devices (usually she wears 'water wings') and kicking her legs like a pro to get the 4 foot over to the steps, head under water! Go Rob-head!

insult or compliment

Yesterday, Robin told me my hair looked like Jimmy Neutron's. When I answered, "What?!?!" She said, "The MOM on Jimmy Neutron. It curls up like hers." I asked if that was a good thing and she said Yes. Well, that's good. I really don't like being insulted by a {almost} 4 year old, but if that's a compliment, I'll take it!

don't get me wrong

I'm going to tell you that my girls have really played together well this summer but don't get me wrong - they still fight sometimes, it seems like non-stop. But really, they are incredibly creative when it comes to playing dolls, house, church, school, library, store, etc. They will go into the basement or sunroom or their bedrooms and I can be left in my own world for literally hours.

Dense mother that I am, I asked my husband if this was really a GOOD thing. I think he was, like, 'duh, enjoy it girl.'

The only problem with their creativity is the MESS that it brings. And I have a hard time with messes. I'm really trying to loosen up but sheesh, (I'll let you in on a secret) I really like a picture-perfect house. (How's that for transparency?)

So the girls and I, we have an unspoken compromise - they can trash the house while they play but they have to pick it when it's time. So far this week, they've done really well with our deal - and I think I have too.

So we're enjoying the last drops of summer vacation around here. School starts in, what, 4 weeks I think. I haven't accomplished near as much 'training' as I had planned with the girls but I think I've decided oh well. What's a summer break for anyways? Playing house and trashing the real house, of course.

birthday parties

The big girls are each invited to a birthday party this week. Actually Jaci has already left, hers is an overnighter. Chandler goes on Tuesday for the afternoon. Fun times.

The girls and I will visit Memo & Papa (my parents) this weekend - three hours away. While there, we'll get to attend an anniversary party for our friends/pastors from our home church. Ah, summertime.

personality test

In the same frame of mind as I posted in my other blog, I found this FREE kids personality test. They are recommended for ages 7-12 but I did one for my 6 y.o. too. Though I don't think it's as accurate as the results for my 8 1/2 y.o.

I'm a freak about personality quizzes, love languages, gifting profiles, etc. It actually helps me be a little more understanding with people's 'quirks' (and by that I mean, what I perceive as quirks because they are different than me!)

Anyways, it was fun to do THESE for my kids.

cocoa bean

This is our little CocoaBean! She will turn 4 in just 2 short weeks. She was dubbed CocoaBean by a black woman in our church who noticed how tan she is getting. You can't tell by the picture but she is DARK! We love looking at her tan lines - and her 'white butt'. So funny. She wanted this bandana tied on after I (being silly) put it on earlier tonight. But Jaci's (8 y.o.) comment was, "Well, atleast she's the right color for it!" Yeah, I guess so. Daddy called her Jemima. :o)

july news

Chandler-bean lost her second tooth yesterday! "I was just twisting it and it fell out."
Now she's searching her mouth for any other hint of looseness.






In other news... This is the pile of candy the kids 'bagged' from the big 4th of July parade in our 4th of July City! Thankfully, they are pretty picky candy eaters so we eliminated a portion of it...after I picked out what I like!





And oh, since I'm working backwards anyways....Here's the chicks in their cheerleaders get up. They won the "Husker Fan" Division (my eyes are rolling because of the SIXTEEN categories). They did get $10 cash instead of a gift card though. :o)

they are thrilled

Tomorrow's the BIG day. The kids parade here in our tiny little town. This is our 3rd year of participation. To some families here in town - this is a BIG deal. Like a Little Miss pageant, they spend way too much money and time on a float and dressing their kids up for the 3 blocks (or is it 2?) they coast through downtown.

Anyways, our idea's are usually pretty thrown together. Number 1, I'm not terribly creative. Number 2, it's a KID's parade, down 2-3 blocks with MAYBE 100 people watching, probably more like 50. And number 3, I want this to be FUN for my kids. I don't want them to have to endure phsyco-neurotic mom for a month because I'm 'getting the float ready'. (plus with SIXTEEN judging categories, everyone wins (a $10 giftcard to WalMart).

Wow. I guess I have some pretty serious issues about this deal. I feel better. :o)

All that said, my kids are being cheerleaders . I bought cheap little white skirts, cheap little red tank-tops, and cheap little white shoes for girls that needed them. My splurge? Little mascot tattoos for their cheeks. And they are thrilled.

Oh, in other news....Channer-bean has just about mastered riding her bike, sans-training wheels! The only practice still needed is the starting part. Yay for my 6 year old!