Bits: Just Bits

Let's see, this past week in true and random bits fashion....

I got diagnosed with stage one Lymes disease, ironically enough after pulling a couple of ticks off the kids and worrying myself--what I thought was-- kinda silly over them.  It has not been fun, but I am so grateful to be on the mend.  And for prayer.  Really, really grateful for prayer. {Check you and your loved ones often!  This is supposed to be a *terrible* year for them as the winter was so mild.}

Said illness has made me ridiculously a touch cranky and emotional, so one night when the kids constructed giant forts instead of quickly picking out their bedtime books, I was actually not in the mood.  Until I got back in the mood and then was so glad for it all, especially when Joe broke out the guitar for praise and worship.   Really, really grateful for praise and worship.

I realized Hope particularly needed some predictability going on, after what... the traveling and house guests and sickness and bats.  We sat down for a good half hour, first making a countdown calendar to help the, "How many more daaaayyyyyssss until we see our cousins and go to the beach?!"  Then we made us a "Summer Schedule," providing just enough structure and attention to things we want to accomplish most days.  Working out mighty well so far.  A good routine mixed with flexible kids works for us.

Next up will be the "Summer Bucket List," another small but mighty charty chart.

We reclaimed an hour each day for rest time, usually up in my room doing quiet like things.  Fun and loud are good, especially when balanced by some quiet and rest.
   
"Mama, up with your pitchers!  Wet's wead!" says Alysse. 

Can it be?  This week Hope lost her first tooth!  Daddy was out of town and so we resorted to everyone's easy favorite-- breakfast for dinner.  Turned out to be a good choice because that cantaloupe was just the ticket.  Hilariously enough, the teeny tiny tooth went missing after dinner-- still a mystery to me because everyone was so jazzed up about the whole thing!   When she wondered to me out loud about whether or not the Tooth Fairy is real, I simply smiled really big and said, "Hey... let's just have some fun with pretending!"  It was good enough for her, so she gave up her waffling about the absurdity of a fairy who collects teeth and helped me pen a note explaining the toothless circumstances. 

It's going to take a while to get used to that bottom gap.  How can she be old enough for this?

Let's see, in other important little bits...

Polly Pockets are almost the new Little People around here.  I know; hold the press!  Little People have had the market on almost every other toy for years now but once introduced to these miniature {have you ever tried to find one of those lost shoes?} wonders, the girls think they're pretty awesome. Last week we were supposed to be in Nashville, but I was too sick to go.  We found some clearanced Pollies and the girls were up until almost midnight, together in the top bunk playing church and wedding and family and who knows what else.  It helped ease the pain of missed park dates and potlucks and slumber parties.  That really made me smile.

Since much of our adventuring was put on hold, how about some more of Alysse from Memorial Day?  Cutie patootie.  My other water babies were too busy splashing for many photo ops. 

We've been missing out on recording  HAM for some time now, I believe. {Click here for the original HAM post.} The girls were overheard having a discussion about getting married and Hope was telling Maddie how important it is to find a good man, one who will love you and take care of you.  Later in the van we asked about this conversation and the formerly right-on sister girl Hope pauses momentarily perplexed and says, "But what if I meet a guy and like his face? And his hair?"

Maddie and her headband we made, big by her request.  Some of her latest hamminess TBA.

Love them all.  To bits.
~Katrina