We posted fairly regularly on FaceBook, but neglected the blog during the craziness that was 2012. And so, we'll be transferring some of our greatest hits over in order to preserve a semblance of our year.
Jan. 3 ~ Normal life resumes. Sigh
~ Uncle Scott: BOOOOOOOO!!!!
~ Laurie Shirey: Since when are our lives normal? 2.3 kids, 3 cars, 4 tvs? I think not!
Jan. 4 ~ Completely enjoying my time with my other mother.
Jan. 4 ~ True Story.
Self: "You may have 5 marshmallows in your cocoa."
Keats's grumble: "Marshmallow czar."
~ Matt Smith: Miniature of full-sized?
~ self: Mini. 3rd mug full!
~ Uncle Scott: Worst mom ever!
~ Matt Smith: Then I'm with Keats on this one. Nothing less than 15 mini marshmallows is acceptable. 20 is better.
~ self: Men. It's all just one, big boy's club.
~ Michael Frank: I mean come on. It's a no brainer. The kid's right, mom.
Jan. 4 ~ Today's goals for a jammie day were thwarted. I shall arise again only to try again tomorrow. I will triumph!!!
Jan. 5 ~ Jammie day here I come! After I drag myself out of bed, that is . . .
Jan. 5 ~ Another jammie day thwarted. Geesh. I am promptly changing back into my flannel pants and slippers when I get home!!!
Jan. 5 ~ Query.
I state: "Please pick up each & every toy, book, blanket. trash, food item, diaper, and weapon before you begin a movie."
They hear: "Please shift some items around and then ignore it completely while simultaneously letting me know you have accomplished the task required."
Where do I locate the translation button in order to change it back to "Mother is wise. Listen carefully to all she says and carefully complete tasks in order to ensure preservation of life within Rutherford-dom."
~ Kathy Pezok: That translation button usually doesn't reveal itself until the kids are old enough to have kids of their own. Then it is suddenly flipped and works retro-actively. Whether or not they admit the switch was flipped in a whole other topic.
~ Tara Maniaci Lueck: When you find it.....please let me know!
Jan. 5 ~ Dad being sworn in as Exeter Township Auditor.
Jan. 5 ~ Keats sans one front tooth.
Jan. 5 ~ I think that when we move this spring, we're going to be shocked at the sheer volume of Legos discovered everywhere. Then again, after what we pulled out from under the boy's bunk tonight, maybe 3-4 gallons worth is just to be expected.
Jan. 6 ~ Dinner at the Rutherford house. My baby boy!
Jan. 7 ~ When did sleep become an optional activity?
~ Peter Shore: When you had children?
~ Uncle Eric: I'd say somewhere between child 4 and 5 .....
Jan. 7 ~ Hmmm. Methinks that if you completed the task correctly the first time rather than trying to save time, you would have succeeded in actually saving time because now you must go repeat said task. The power of motherhood.
~ Cathy Kaiser: LOL ..... Seems like I remember your mother saying something just like this!!!
Jan. 7 ~ Clean house, clean house, la-la-la, la-la-la!
Jan. 8 ~ Home with my Tucker enjoying "Braveheart" (filtered.) Many a great conversation about what it is to be a man.
Jan. 8 ~ Self: "In England, a jumper is a sweater."
Tuck: "Harry Potter's British!?"
Self: "Um, yeah. Didn't you notice their accents?"
Tuck: "I thought the just talked like that because that's how you read the books. Mom, you are American, right?"
Jan. 8 ~ Exhausted from a week of caring for sick children finds me sitting by the fire, enjoying my iPhone, and in general pretending I have no responsibilities. Thank you, Scott Rutherford!
Jan. 8 ~ True story:
Abigail: "Now hold still so I can kick you."
Dawson: Do I look crazy??"
Abigail: "No. You look like a boy. So you have to stand still so I can kick you because I'm a girl and you're a gentleman. Gentlemen never hurt girls. Daddy says so."
~ Aunt Miranda: Sounds so much like Caelan... Only she doesn't ask the other person to hold still.
Jan. 8 ~ Watching a close football game on the new Christmas tv and realizing that not once did a Little Rutherford head get in your way? Priceless.
Jan. 8 ~ Laundry Time.
Jan. 9 ~ Tucker: "I prayed to the Lord that I would win the mario race and I did. I must be His favorite."
~ Aime Langdon: I need this kid praying for me!
Jan. 9 ~ Dumbest game ever.
One Little Rutherford lays prone upon the floor.
The other Little Rutherfords take turns leaping off the bench and belly-flop-crushing the Little Rutherford on the ground.
Tears and sobs of "That hurt!" follow with regularity. Yet, the game continues with assurances of "Just try again!" and "My turn to be crunched."
Dumbest game ever.
Jan. 9 ~ Curled up on the rocking chair with the iPad watching a 37, 15, 13, 11, & 8 year-olds have a massive pillow fight. I've never been so grateful to have a cold.
Jan. 9 ~ Scott: "Tucker, do you need a break?"
Tucker: (breathing heavy) "No. I like to beat people up and not get in trouble."
Duh, dad. Pillow Fight Battle 101.
~ Matt Smith: That's one witty kid you've got there.
Jan. 10 ~ Day three of this miserableness. So thankful we homeschool. So thankful our kids have learned to cheerfully live, serve, learn, & play together. So thankful that we have established a home routine which can be kept up with easily.
~ Pamela Penglase Carnevale: Btw, you wouldn't notice if I sent my 2 kids to learn to "cheerfully live, serve, learn, & play together." Right?
~ self: I'm not sure I would notice, but I'll bet they would! We're pretty weird.
~ Pam: We are pretty strange here too! I might try to threaten them with the Rutherford boarding school. My teenage daughter wouldn't like it but my 10 year old boy would love it (built in playmates.)
Jan. 10 ~ Abigail's First Haircut
~ self: Not first, second. Duh.
Jan. 10 ~ Light snore = out. Finally.
Jan. 11 ~ Isn't it lovely to have friends and family arrive to serve when you feel lousy? Thanks mom, Dawson, & Tucker for making our weekly milk run!!
~ Jenna Weis: I know some friends like that ...
Jan. 11 ~ Three crockpots going in the kitchen: one with breakfast, one with lunch, and one with two organic roasters which will be shredded and the bones steeped into broth. Even I have to admit it looks ridiculous.
Jan. 12 ~ Day 3 of continuous Lord of the Rings. Elyas appeared at my bedside this morning asking, "Can you put on Lord if the Rings, please." The youngers are finally indoctrinated. I'm sighing a job-well-done sigh.
Jan. 12 ~ Keats, Aidan, & Abigail are playing Salvation Army Santa. They each have baskets, bells, & Santa hats. They chime their bells while reciting "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and when the poem is done they cry, "Alms for the poor!"
Jan. 12 ~ My "sparkly" niece, Sadie
Jan. 3 ~ Normal life resumes. Sigh
~ Uncle Scott: BOOOOOOOO!!!!
~ Laurie Shirey: Since when are our lives normal? 2.3 kids, 3 cars, 4 tvs? I think not!
Jan. 4 ~ Completely enjoying my time with my other mother.
Jan. 4 ~ True Story.
Self: "You may have 5 marshmallows in your cocoa."
Keats's grumble: "Marshmallow czar."
~ Matt Smith: Miniature of full-sized?
~ self: Mini. 3rd mug full!
~ Uncle Scott: Worst mom ever!
~ Matt Smith: Then I'm with Keats on this one. Nothing less than 15 mini marshmallows is acceptable. 20 is better.
~ self: Men. It's all just one, big boy's club.
~ Michael Frank: I mean come on. It's a no brainer. The kid's right, mom.
Jan. 4 ~ Today's goals for a jammie day were thwarted. I shall arise again only to try again tomorrow. I will triumph!!!
Jan. 5 ~ Jammie day here I come! After I drag myself out of bed, that is . . .
Jan. 5 ~ Another jammie day thwarted. Geesh. I am promptly changing back into my flannel pants and slippers when I get home!!!
Jan. 5 ~ Query.
I state: "Please pick up each & every toy, book, blanket. trash, food item, diaper, and weapon before you begin a movie."
They hear: "Please shift some items around and then ignore it completely while simultaneously letting me know you have accomplished the task required."
Where do I locate the translation button in order to change it back to "Mother is wise. Listen carefully to all she says and carefully complete tasks in order to ensure preservation of life within Rutherford-dom."
~ Kathy Pezok: That translation button usually doesn't reveal itself until the kids are old enough to have kids of their own. Then it is suddenly flipped and works retro-actively. Whether or not they admit the switch was flipped in a whole other topic.
~ Tara Maniaci Lueck: When you find it.....please let me know!
Jan. 5 ~ Dad being sworn in as Exeter Township Auditor.
Jan. 5 ~ Keats sans one front tooth.
Jan. 5 ~ I think that when we move this spring, we're going to be shocked at the sheer volume of Legos discovered everywhere. Then again, after what we pulled out from under the boy's bunk tonight, maybe 3-4 gallons worth is just to be expected.
Jan. 6 ~ Dinner at the Rutherford house. My baby boy!
Jan. 7 ~ When did sleep become an optional activity?
~ Peter Shore: When you had children?
~ Uncle Eric: I'd say somewhere between child 4 and 5 .....
Jan. 7 ~ Hmmm. Methinks that if you completed the task correctly the first time rather than trying to save time, you would have succeeded in actually saving time because now you must go repeat said task. The power of motherhood.
~ Cathy Kaiser: LOL ..... Seems like I remember your mother saying something just like this!!!
Jan. 7 ~ Clean house, clean house, la-la-la, la-la-la!
Jan. 8 ~ Home with my Tucker enjoying "Braveheart" (filtered.) Many a great conversation about what it is to be a man.
Jan. 8 ~ Self: "In England, a jumper is a sweater."
Tuck: "Harry Potter's British!?"
Self: "Um, yeah. Didn't you notice their accents?"
Tuck: "I thought the just talked like that because that's how you read the books. Mom, you are American, right?"
Jan. 8 ~ Exhausted from a week of caring for sick children finds me sitting by the fire, enjoying my iPhone, and in general pretending I have no responsibilities. Thank you, Scott Rutherford!
Jan. 8 ~ True story:
Abigail: "Now hold still so I can kick you."
Dawson: Do I look crazy??"
Abigail: "No. You look like a boy. So you have to stand still so I can kick you because I'm a girl and you're a gentleman. Gentlemen never hurt girls. Daddy says so."
~ Aunt Miranda: Sounds so much like Caelan... Only she doesn't ask the other person to hold still.
Jan. 8 ~ Watching a close football game on the new Christmas tv and realizing that not once did a Little Rutherford head get in your way? Priceless.
Jan. 8 ~ Laundry Time.
Jan. 9 ~ Tucker: "I prayed to the Lord that I would win the mario race and I did. I must be His favorite."
~ Aime Langdon: I need this kid praying for me!
Jan. 9 ~ Dumbest game ever.
One Little Rutherford lays prone upon the floor.
The other Little Rutherfords take turns leaping off the bench and belly-flop-crushing the Little Rutherford on the ground.
Tears and sobs of "That hurt!" follow with regularity. Yet, the game continues with assurances of "Just try again!" and "My turn to be crunched."
Dumbest game ever.
Jan. 9 ~ Curled up on the rocking chair with the iPad watching a 37, 15, 13, 11, & 8 year-olds have a massive pillow fight. I've never been so grateful to have a cold.
Jan. 9 ~ Scott: "Tucker, do you need a break?"
Tucker: (breathing heavy) "No. I like to beat people up and not get in trouble."
Duh, dad. Pillow Fight Battle 101.
~ Matt Smith: That's one witty kid you've got there.
Jan. 10 ~ Day three of this miserableness. So thankful we homeschool. So thankful our kids have learned to cheerfully live, serve, learn, & play together. So thankful that we have established a home routine which can be kept up with easily.
~ Pamela Penglase Carnevale: Btw, you wouldn't notice if I sent my 2 kids to learn to "cheerfully live, serve, learn, & play together." Right?
~ self: I'm not sure I would notice, but I'll bet they would! We're pretty weird.
~ Pam: We are pretty strange here too! I might try to threaten them with the Rutherford boarding school. My teenage daughter wouldn't like it but my 10 year old boy would love it (built in playmates.)
Jan. 10 ~ Abigail's First Haircut
Jan. 10 ~ Light snore = out. Finally.
~ Jenna Weis: I know some friends like that ...
Jan. 11 ~ Three crockpots going in the kitchen: one with breakfast, one with lunch, and one with two organic roasters which will be shredded and the bones steeped into broth. Even I have to admit it looks ridiculous.
Jan. 12 ~ Day 3 of continuous Lord of the Rings. Elyas appeared at my bedside this morning asking, "Can you put on Lord if the Rings, please." The youngers are finally indoctrinated. I'm sighing a job-well-done sigh.
Jan. 12 ~ Keats, Aidan, & Abigail are playing Salvation Army Santa. They each have baskets, bells, & Santa hats. They chime their bells while reciting "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and when the poem is done they cry, "Alms for the poor!"
Jan. 12 ~ My "sparkly" niece, Sadie
