tech soccer

I am a big fan of being there live for major events. There is nothing like feeling the music as well as hearing it when you go to the orchestra. A musical performed on stage with you in the audience has an incredible magic. And the crack of a bat while you're working your mouth around bite of hotdog and sitting on a hard bleacher is pretty much an iconic experience.

And so, when my kids are involved in a sporting event, I like to see it. I like to be engulfed in the wet hugs after a great swim race and swat at mosquitos while giving a thumbs up for a great effort on the soccer field. (Notice that I say effort here. The boys -- all of them -- are still very much learning soccer. And, quite frankly, Tucker is having to learn to play with a cup. But that is probably fodder for another posting.)

However, one broken foot and a large measure of acceptance later, I was unable to be at tonight's soccer game. Keats and Aidan took the field in their blue uniforms which pay homage to Italy, without their mother in her signature pink chair to cheer them on. I hated it. So, in typical girl-fashion, I got on the phone to chat with a very dear friend. And as Scott and I are still very much opposed to even the idea of call waiting, I ignored the beeps as texts came in. Truly, immeshed in my annual typical birthday arrogance, I figured they were simply more well wishes.

Yet when I did get off the phone, what I discovered was a delightful accounting of all I had missed by being forced to sit still with my foot propped higher than my heart. And I am again having to acknowledge that as old-fashioned a girl I may still be about some things, I do appreciate texting. And so, before tonight's memories are lost to my delete all function, I felt I should record them for posterity's sake.


Text 1: These fields smell like the Dead Marshes. The game has not started and all of the kids legs and butts are caked with mud!


Text 2: Mosquitos!!


Text 3: And England scores on the goalie, Aidan. 1 to 0


Text 4: And they scored again. 2-0


Text 5: Now Keats is goalie. Aidan now on offense -- forward.


Text 6: And England scores on Keats. 3-0


Text 7: 4-0 .......sigh.


Text 8: And Keats saves a goal! Woot, woot! The crowd cheers! Keats smiles proudly.


Text 9: Half-time. England 6, Italia 0.


Text 10: Bugs 1, me about 15.


Text 11:Keats dribbles the ball on a breakaway. Runs the length of the field, he shoots -- GOAL!!!!! Score: 6-1


Text 12: Sanka -- are ya dead?*

*Scott, feeling ignored from my lack of response, closed his texting monologue using a homage to a favorite movie from our younger days, Cool Runnings. If you haven't seen it, you're missing out. 

little english

One of my favorite two-year-old developments is listening to their vocabulary grow as they speak words in the utterly charming, lilting voice only a two-year old has.

Elays speaks some words which are remarkably clear, such as: yes, sword, punch, signing time, watch, Shelby, daddy, mommy, please, no thank you, Abigail, apple, banana, have it, buckle me. And the one I wish he'd never learned: gimme.

Others require a very intimate knowledge of the inner workings of Elyas's vocabulary to figure out. And of course, these are my favorites. I have always loved hearing our littlest ones trying so very hard to tell us what it is they want, even before they can wrap their little mouths around the complicated sounds.

pin-pin-yus and feerrb = "Phineas and Ferb"
Bee-low = Isabelle
Elyassshhh = Elyas
yout-seed = outside
meeelk = milk
Chippie = Mr. Chip
orangsh = orange
lipping! = I'm slipping!
crebible = The Incredibles (a favorite)
housh = house
hole jew? = Will you hold me?
Dawsh = Dawson
pleene = trampoline
Keetsy n Ayedeen = Keats and Aidan
Binamin = Benjamin


I think one of the reasons I treasure the efforts which fall short is because I know only to well just how fast they will be a distant memory. In the blink of an eye he'll be asking to watch Phineas and Ferb with Isabelle when we get to the house. And I can't ever bring myself to regret the change, because watching each of these precious kids grow is such a joy.

But in the meantime, I will relish in the translation-required-speaking of our Elyas.

this is the house

originally complied in April, 2011

This is the house that Jack built.

This is the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

These are the children who use the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

These are the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the store that sells the faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the $19 (on sale!) faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the team who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

These are the supplies brought back by the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the water main which burst when installing the supplies brought back by the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the phone that called the water company for the $150 emergency shut off for the water main which burst when installing the supplies brought back by the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

These are the towels used to soak up the water after the call to the water company for the $150 emergency shut off for the water main which burst when installing the supplies brought back by the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the van that drove to the store for a new valve while the towels are used to soak up the water after the call to the water company for the $150 emergency shut off for the water main which burst when installing the supplies brought back by the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the newly repaired water main valve after the return of the van that drove to the store for a new valve while the towels are used to soak up the water after the call to the water company for the $150 emergency shut off for the water main which burst when installing the supplies brought back by the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

This is the finished project total of $270 to turn the water back on using the newly repaired water main valve after the return of the van that drove to the store for a new valve while the towels are used to soak up the water after the call to the water company for the $150 emergency shut off for the water main which burst when installing the supplies brought back by the van that went back to the store for lines, valves, and putty (oh my!) for the man who came to actually repair the plumbing after the broken water supply line caused by the team who attempted to install the faucet which came in the package with deceptively simple instructions that's in the store that sells the $19 (on sale!) faucet to the lady who drives the van which transports the children who broke the faucet that is in the house that Jack built.

The end.

time warp

Today I needed to take some pictures complete with a date/time stamp embedded onto the photograph. I quickly discovered that our very expensive, very high tech digital camera only allows you to do so with the software on the computer which is (of course) not Mac compatible. So I raided the pile of digital cameras the kids own, and discovered that Isabelle's would do just what I needed.

Once the pictures were taken, I was importing them into the computer and uncovered a treasure of photos taken by Isabelle over the last two and a half years. Here are some of my favorites; I hope you enjoy them as much as I did!

Christmas 2008
Auntie Laura, Nana, Papaw, & a 15-month old Abigail

Christmas 2008
Laura and Ryan

Christmas 2008
Jenna, Aaron, and a just-turned-1 Sadie

Christmas Eve, 2008
Isabelle enjoying the traditional punch at the annual Christmas Eve Party

Summer, 2009
Abigail in the bath just after her hair had been taken down.
(I really miss those fly-away, all-over-the-place curls!)

Summer, 2009
Abigail looking at the photos on Scott's new travel mug

Tucker's 6th birthday
May 28, 2009

Fall, 2009
Abigail and Baby Elyas

Early Spring, 2010
Ornery Elyas

Fall, 2010
Elyas (back in the "no nap in a crib for me" days) crashed on the living room floor

Thanksgiving, 2010
Aunt Laura and the Marshall girls
Sammie, Trinity, & Sadie

Spring, 2011
A freshly shorn Elyas reading with big brother Dawson

huh

I was recently referred to a link for a blog of another large, homeschooling family in a similarly smaller home. As I was skimming some of the posts, I found myself nodding along and thinking: of course - why wouldn't you do it that way? Most of her comments on the hows of a bigger family simply struck me as common sense no-brainers.

But upon reading through her myriad of comments, I realized that what I saw as common sense, several others were noticing for the first time. Which now has me wondering: how many people look at our family and wonder how?

Just this last week as we were cheering on some of the children in the pool during their meet, one of the moms turned to me and said: "I just have to ask. Where on earth do you all sleep?" I chuckled and replied that we have triple bunk beds. Immediately, eight other moms turned toward me and said something akin to: "Oooohhhh. I see."

I find myself trying to watch our normal through new eyes in order to see what everyone else sees. Our life is so routine to us that we really don't find much to be amazed at. Yet, perhaps it is time to spend a little time sharing the how.

Thoughts?

wow. we're identical

Scott was on a mission to capture the sameness.
Mission accomplished.

Who's who?
Seriously.

ah, harry, how we'll miss you

Isabelle, Jazzmyn, Brynn, Emily,
Shelby, Dawson, & Valerie

This Thursday our home was invaded by Professor McGonagall, Luna Lovegood, Hermione as she is being sorted, a Gryffindor student, a deatheater, a muggle, Aunt Petunia, and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named himself.

Our long-standing tradition of dressing up and attending the midnight showing continued for this, the final movie in the Harry Potter series. Kids (whose parents are more normal and went to bed instead of acting like they were still in their teens) came to our home to watch the first half of The Deathly Hallows and continued on in the gigantic family van to the theater. We were the group taking pictures by the movie poster, watching The Half-Blood Prince on the iPod/Bose SoundDock while waiting in line, and chatting excitedly over which scenes we were the most excited to see brought to life. Hermione as Belatrix, the final duel between Harry & Voldemort, the kiss between Ron & Hermione, the dragon busting them out of Gringots . . .

Brynn & Isabelle

Actually - you wouldn't have been able to pick us out of the line very easily. There were literally hundreds of people just like us standing in line, waiting to get into the theater and grab the best seats possible. And since all three theaters showing the film were sold out, I was extremely grateful that Scott insisted we needed to leave at 10:15 for a 12:05 showing. Even with what I was sure was an insanely early time to arrive at the theater, there were about 50 people ahead of us in line.

The perfect Lupin Moon
as we arrived.

As were sat in our seats watching people stream through the doors, I enjoyed seeing the costumes come in, listening to the excited chatter, and watching our group of very giggly girls in the back of the theater. (Dawson couldn't take it: he moved up and sat with Scott and I with our more sedate group.) There were grandparents with their grandchildren, families like ours, groups of 20, and people who came alone. There was no end to the differences but the same comment issued from all corners.

I can't believe it's over.

Yes, we have discovered Rick Riordan and his Olympians, his Kane Chronicles, and his 39 Clues. Yes we were introduced to Flannagan's The Ranger's Apprentice and Birdsall's Penderwicks. Yes, there are literally 20+ books on our shelves upstairs that we are still waiting to read for the first time.

Swooning over Harry
Simultaneous gagging over the swooning

I know The Hobbit is coming with all its Peter Jackson perfection. I know that, as Scott says, we are living smack in the middle of the golden age of great film series: Star Wars, Lord of the Rings, Indiana Jones (ignore the second film, please).

But Harry Potter has truly been magical. Our kids have no memories which aren't drenched in the world  of Harry Potter. They have enjoyed the books and the films as much as Scott & I have. They have journeyed with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Draco, Snape, Dumbledore, and McGonagall with an utter joy in the storytelling. Our kids are more familiar with Jim Dale's voice from his reading of the audio books than any singer to hit the top ten.

Professor McGonagall looking
over Luna's shoulder

We are all going to miss the anticipation, the discovery, the excitement. I will miss hearing the plots of the newest books discussed in earnest for weeks after the first reading. I will even miss the arguments which inevitably erupted during heated debates over whether a character's choice was wise or not.

And so, as I sat in the theater watching the final film, cheering during iconic moments and crying when my heart was aching, it was bittersweet. Rowling wrote the series to a perfect close. I couldn't have asked for more. And yet, I will miss it.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named
confronting Harry

So now, we have all turned our attentions to Keats, Aidan, Abigail, & Elyas. They are our next best hope. As they grow and discover the world of Harry Potter, we'll be along for the ride. And we'll remember again the joys of our own discovery when Harry was new.

It promises to be magically fun.