Could it be?

During a stop at the grocery store this afternoon (how do the Duggars DO it?!), the kids said, "Mom, what ARE those?!" as they pointed to the little vending machines in the front of the store.

Seriously?! Could it be that I have NEVER given them 25 cents to purchase a gumball? Apparently so because once I explained what they held inside, M said, "What a gumdrop?"

This is important information. Everyone HAS to know what a gumball is. And a gumdrop for that matter.

After the checkout, we stopped to sample. They didn't even know how to turn the slots. As their little fingers touched the germ-infested slots I remembered why I have avoided them all these years. But you know what? My kids get sick every year even WITHOUT gumballs so....why not?!

We're living on the edge now. Watch out, Connecticut!

I know, I know. First candy slots in CT. Next it'll be slots in Vegas. :-)

It's Transfusion Day

And this, dear friends, is the face that comes home from transfusions. Thoroughly spent, M falls asleep in the car on the 1/2 hour drive home and is unable to cope with much of anything for an hour after her return. After some R & R and dinner, she perks back up and we head outside for REAL AIR.

And just to clarify, the transfusions aren't painful. Getting the iv inserted isn't fun, but it's exhausting to be in a hospital all day....tubes everywhere, being weighed and measured and having your temperature checked every 30 minutes, sick patients, different smells, fake lighting, and all the "extras" to keep kids entertained...art classes, dance time, clown visits. They are very helpful, but also overwhelming to someone as little as she is!

God continues to be merciful and we are so thankful for those who donate blood to keep our peanut healthy.

More in the life of boys

From G this morning:

"Mom, I think there's something wrong with my feet."

"Really? What might that be?"

"My feet are killing me in school."

"Really? How so?"

"When I wear M's socks, they leave marks all over my ankles and when I wear J's socks they leave funny bumps on my feet."

"I see. That would be because they are NOT YOUR SOCKS and NOT YOUR SIZE."

"Hmmm" As if pondering something that had never occurred to him.

"And WHY are you wearing your siblings' socks in the first place?!"

Mischevious grin. Then smart child thinks of his best "out" answer.

"Well, mom, they were CLEAN. You like when I wear CLEAN SOCKS."

These are the moments that make up our life. I'm glad I'm not in the staff room of his school. Can you imagine what they must think?

Real Life

I often wonder what people think about our family. Probably more than I should. Probably because I was raised in a fish bowl myself.

We're a pretty wild crew. Before I had kids, I envisioned boys with neatly ironed polo shirts that said "Yes, Ma'am" and rose when a woman entered the room. While their clothes are sometimes ironed, our family is far from perfect. Some days perfect isn't even on the horizon.

We're busy. Busy in the sense that someone is constantly MOVING. Literally. Someone is always talking. Someone is always jumping. Someone is always climbing. Someone is always building. We're in constant motion. Some might say we are kinetic learners. As my sister says, "Ya just got a passel of boys." True. And one very talkative daughter.

This weekend, had you stopped by our house, you would've been greeted by a most unusual sight.

A cat trap. Built with a big bucket and a sword as the "release mechanism." Complete with tuna as bait. There's a wild cat in the woods and my boys aim to catch him. And before you reach the front door, an odor would've greeted you. A nice dish of herring set on our welcome mat. Apparently, in case the cat was so enamored by the tuna that he decided to move in.

That's just how my boys are. I went to the dentist recently and the staff said, "We know where your house is. You always have the most interesting things in your yard."

That's code for "Your yard looks like a tag sale exploded and your children wear no shoes."

There are days I hang my head and apologize for the insanity that is our family. But other days I'm proud that we have kids that are OUTSIDE, creating, building, exploring, and being silly. Isn't that what childhood is supposed to be about?

And while I'm not entirely sure that the church likes our often cluttered yard, and while I KNOW that their creative clutter often looks a lot like a MESS to me, I pray God is raising creative, bright-minded children.

At least, I sure hope so. Until then, maybe I should find a new dentist. :-)