Expectantly Unexpected

It is weird to have Payden and Lincoln away from me for so much of most days now. In my worst moments I question whether or not I taught them enough, wanting to grasp for control and bring them close at all times, in my strong moments I'm proud, and I enjoy the stories they are sharing and the way they love life, but honestly the internal swings I go through can happen instantly and it's not comfortable or easy to explain. I guess that's part of being mom though, right? Looking back it's really awesome to see how they've already both grown. For example, Lincoln has always been so tenderhearted, so much so that his generous love for everyone would, at times, embarrass Payden. The emotional way he talks about God and how much he loves Him made her really uncomfortable for a while.
So in gearing up for the school year I wanted to drill into their heads and hearts how much they are loved, by  God, Jer and myself. After the fourth conversation they would just get exasperated. We went through how our mission to love God by loving other people stays the same no matter where you are and they went into school aware that there are kids out there who don't know that Jesus loves them and can sometimes act in a variety of ways, and Payden and Lincoln have the joy to love them, and that's it. When school started they equated loving  people like Jesus meant telling other kids that Jesus loves them and asking all of their friends if they go to church, one of the things that used to embarrass my oldest daughter.
Payden came home reciting all of her friends and their reactions to her asking if they go to church, and said she tried to tell them about Jesus but needs her Bible with her so that she can be reminded about all the parts of the stories so that her friends hear all of it because it's not just about one part. She asked us so many times to put her Bible in her backpack so it wasn't forgotten and after school the next day we got a quick recount of how she was able to look through it a little bit with her friend before she wanted to go play.
Tonight was Open House at their school and when we met their teacher she told us that Lincoln is a natural leader and helper in class and Payden is a little missionary! She shared about how Payden and Lincoln pray together before they eat lunch and how when Payden brought her Bible to school she started with the part where Jesus died on the cross but then needed to go to the beginning because that is actually where the story starts.
From this vantage point I am watching with bated breath but also a deep peace wondering what God's plan is for their lives, reminded of how emotional I was when they sang a song about just that in their preschool graduation. I find myself praying for them so much during the day and I wouldn't want it any other way!

7 Years old, and a trip to Narnia!

Obsessions, I shouldn't be surprised that my children are prone to them, they are my children after all. So when I asked them on Sunday to think of what they wanted their birthday cake to look like and they told me the things I have done in the past I encouraged them to think of something that they are enjoying now, in this moment, not from the past. After much discussion between the two The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe was the idea I ran with, and ran with it I did!

There isn't a ton of stuff online which is always my first quick aid in a brainstorming session. But I did use this photo as my inspiration. The trees are just sugar cones covered in frosting.

Turkish Delight that I actually found here while searching for cake ideas. I had quotes from the book at all of the Narnia related ideas that I used.

-"It is dull, Son of Adam, to drink without eating," said the Queen presently. "What would you like best to eat?"

"Turkish Delight, please, your Majesty," said Edmund.

The Queen let another drop fall from her bottle on to the snow, and instantly there appeared a round box, tied with green silk ribbon, which, when opened, turned out to contain several pounds of the best Turkish Delight. Each piece was sweet and light to the very center and Edmund had never tasted anything more delicious.-

Jer went and had lunch with the birthday kids at school and brought along a piece of Turkish Delight as a clue for what to expect when they got home.

We had hot cocoa, Turkish Delight and little tea time sandwiches. It was pretty basic and our family was there to join in the journey.

Crowns naming all the Kings and Queens. 'Once a King or Queen of Narnia, always a King or Queen'

Introuducing:

Queen Payden the Articulate 

King Lincoln the Protector

Queen Hailey the Generous

Queen Taylor the Observant and 

King Jackson the Strong

"She did not shut the door properly because she knew that it is very silly to shut oneself into a wardrobe, even if it is not a magic one"

Through the wardrobe, furs and all. When the kids got home from school I had it all set up and when Lincoln walked through he forgot about the step and stumbled through the wardrobe and it tickled Payden because that is what happened in the story when Edmund came through.

In their brainstorming the previous Sunday Payden said if we did Narnia that we needed to have a stone table.

"He'll be coming and going" he had said. "One day you'll see him and another you won't. He doesn't like being tied down--and of course he has other countries to attend to. It's quite all right. He'll often drop in. Only you mustn't press him. He's wild, you know. Not like a tame lion."

Free the Narnian's!

-"It's all right!" shouted Aslan joyously "Once the feet are put right, all the rest of him will follow"-

I couldn't find woodland animals at the dollar tree so we freed some Narnian dinosaurs.

Happy Birthday! 

Payden was set on making her shield look as much like Peter's in the movie as she could.

Payden blowing and Lincoln fanning the candles out with his shield.

Getting tooth fairy pillows from Jackson, Uncle Kyle and Aunt Gina! Timely because Payden has four loose teeth right now.

Happy Auntie with Ellaney who was born July 18th. She's such cute little peanut!

Pin the tail on Mr. Tumnus

Hailey won! While I was drawing him earlier in the day Hailey walked in and asked me 'mommy are you in love with Mr. Tumnus?' Me "no, are you " Hailey 'no, but I think Lucy is, cause when she see's him she looks like she's in love with him' 

I think somebody has a crush on Mr. Tumnus. 

Target practice.

King and Queen peeking through the wardrobe.

Doesn't she just look the part?

One happy kid, the wardrobe has been up since and I don't have any major plans on taking it down, They are just having so much fun.

I can't believe they are 7 already, it kind of blows my mind!

First Grade

Oh man, I just love these two first graders! The first day of school has come and gone and they are loving life. The waking up early part is a bit of an adjustment and Payden already started asking if she can skip school because she never gets a sleep in day anymore. I can relate to her, it's going to get weirder as it's darker every morning too!

Lincoln: September, 5th 2012

Payden: September 5th, 2012

His shoes, shirt and her skirt are from a consignment sale!

All the kinks are finally worked out, the kids know how to get to their class from the bus, I only had to go 5 days in a row, and pull Lincoln out of the breakfast line (that we don't pay for) once, and find out Lincoln was wandering the halls on an adventure with his friends trying to find their class once...like I said, kinks are worked out.

Justin Who?

I have to get this one down before I forget it. Life is crazy and school has started which means this is one busy, tired, full house!

Last night the kids were coloring before getting ready for bed and Payden looks up at me and Jer and starts in 

P:Mom, you know Lincoln's new friend who sits at his table?

Me:Yep

P:(with growing intensity) Well she told me that Justin Beaver used to live with her and now he moved out, and he gave her a shirt that has his face on it when he left, and I believe her I really do. (she added in that last  part because my face showed clearly I was doubtful)

Me: Who lived with her? (fully knowing who she meant)

P: Justin Beaver (with authority)

Me: Who's Justin Beaver?

P: (look of exasperation) Everybody knows who that is mom

Me: (trying to contain my laughter threatening to burst out of my belly) Oh yeah, well who is he?

P: (stares at me for a bit) well, I don't actually know but everybody talks about him all the time.

Me: Yeah, it's funny how that happens huh? 

P: Well my friend said she's in love with him, and a bunch of my friends have those shirts with his face on them.And I don't even know why!

Me: Yep that sounds about right, and I'm okay with that!

So it begins...

Naughty Grandma!

While the boys are gone at Tadmor for Son's of Thunder the girls and I stayed at my parents house for a few reasons, the main one is, it's creepy being the only grown up in my house and a secondary one while it's warm the air conditioning is super nice! Oh and I get some blogging done ;)

While Amy and I were up chatting in the living room I could hear the two big girls playing for longer than I should have let go on and then the door shut. Then my phone started getting messages.

This one confused Amy, me too for that matter. I thought I left Payden's glasses upstairs, and Amy thought someone was playing with Photoshop and that there were two Payden's in the picture.  

We realized it was grandma's glasses... 

And the crazy level was rising...

And then more props were brought in... 

That's when I got scared. I don't know if you can see it but my mom eyes recognize the schemery in Hailey's eyes and I told Amy 'does mom realize they're about to get in trouble?' "Nope she sure doesn't"

As I got to the living room doorway my mom met me giggling. "Do NOT get them in trouble, I told them I was going to get in trouble, send me upstairs you can't get after them it was my fault" she said giggling she could barely talk.

So I went in to find them fake sleeping and said very seriously "you guys that was not funny, I sent grandma upstairs to her room right after I spanked her" their eyes shot open and before Payden believed me for a second 'No you didn't, you're just teasing'. 

Needless to say they didn't really get in trouble, but they were asleep within 10 minutes.

 It was all just so familiar, every night was like a slumber party growing up. Amy and I shared a room from when I was almost 2(she was 2.5 months)-19

Mr & Mrs Smith

Markie is married! Sure it happened on the hottest day of the year, at least it wasn't raining, right? Yeah I still think it was perfect. Everything was absolutely beautiful!

All  four kids were in the wedding, Jer officiated, and their outfits were picked out long ago, I just decided to wait to iron them until the most scorching part of the day when I could have been swimming with the rest of my family. One of these day's I'll learn that procrastination doesn't pay off...or not.

We waited for pictures in our air conditioned car as long as possible...and you can see why!

The Bride and Groom with their nieces and nephew.

 Yay for our new sister!

Jer's reminder to look down during the kiss so he's not looking silly in the background of their pictures. 

Original Smith girls!

The fam, full of professional picture takers, little ham's and distracted ones. 

Amy Chris and baby!!!!

I got the next four picture's from here

The ceremony was at The Rose Garden at North Clackamas Park at 7:30pm

The kids did perfect. They got right up to where the chairs start and Taylor started giggling and they all got caught up in it and joined right on it. It was so sweet. 

Some of their friends sang and did a beautiful job.

The kids were mesmerized, especially Taylor.

Payden and Lincoln kind of started it but they are all in this stage where 'you may kiss the bride' sends them into nervous hysterics, eyes covered, burring their faces in their chairs, squealing, exclaiming 'I can't watch this', yeah that's not embarrassing at all...subtle kids, subtle. (Good job following your notes honey)

The reception was at Kirsten's church she grew up at, and again she did a great job, brown paper covered the tables and later there were crayons placed on the tables for doodling.

Kirsten's dad built the flower boxes and Kirsten planted them in the spring. They were growing in her backyard 'til last Saturday.

Mark and Kirsten aren't big fan's of cake so they did an ice cream bar instead and it had everything, the little Schumacher's thoroughly enjoyed their treat, let's face it, so did the big Schumacher's!

The kids got to take picture's during the reception and actually got some pretty good shots. The rest of these are straight from the eyes of my kido's! Lincoln was one of the guys all night long.

Markie was sweet and didn't shove cake all over her face, I was very proud! Also, if you can't tell he's holding the piece they cut with no plate and  they put the slice back in the cake after they were done, it was pretty funny.

I can't get over how grown up both Payden and Lincoln look in these pictures. 

So excited she's their Aunt now! 

Payden's doodle illustrating her and Aunt Kirsten

Hailey loved the bridesmaids, especially Kirsten't best friend Machaela!