inappropriate behavior

yesterday, while the girls and i were driving in the car- i decided to go for a giggle. we were listening to the high school musical soundtrack and the song "get your head in the game" came on. i started singing "gotta get your nose in the game" or "get your foot in the game". at first lauren was beside herself trying to correct me....but then she started to giggle. running out of body parts to "get in the game" i sang "gotta get your biscuits in the game". claire coldly stares at me and says "mom!..that is inappropriate" and then averts her eyes out the window, as though she was so disappointed in me that she could not maintain eye contact. the emotional lashing(3 year old style) was so intense that i turned a bit red in the cheeks. the van fell silent and all that loomed in the air were my dirty lyrics. lesson learned. my apologies, girls, for filling your delicate ears with such filth. biscuits are now banned from my vocabulary.

because you are dying to know more about me.....

Thank you Marissa for your "4 things" tag! I swear that I have done 40 of these..but at least it is an update!!

1. Four jobs that I have had in my life:
-celery planter
-strikers (mini-golf/laser tag girl!)
-hostess at gutheries
-hair stylist

2. Four Movies I would/have watch(ed) over and over:
-beaches
-Fried Green Tomatoes
-50 first dates
-Walk the Line

3. Four places I have lived:
-Hudsonville, MI
-grandville, mi
-mt pleasant, mi
-byron center, mi

4. Four TV shows that I watch:
-CSI
-Criminal Minds (b/c i have the secret soul of a forensics expert.)
-Biggest Loser
-amazing race

5. Four places I have visited:
-belize
-mexico
-puerto rico
-curacao

6. Four people who email me regularly:
-marissa
-ronda
-sherri
-male part enhancement people

7. Four of my favorite foods:
-Pizza
-fish
-any kind of yummy appetizer
-chewy fruity candy

8. Four places I would like to be right now:
-vacation (anywhere with a group of my buddies)
-since my kids are screaming...my front porch would work
-on a cruise ship to an exciting location
-bed is always a happy place for me

9. Four things I'm looking forward to this year:
-hanging out on my porch, watching my kids play
-summer (and holding 2 new tiny babies)
-i can only imagine what God has in store for us.....
-

10. Four people who should post 4 things:
-emily l.
-jen m.
-stacy m.
-i dont know who else reads this...any of you blog readers who never comment (my sister, for instance) and whoever reads this in norway!!

smart as a whip.

so today, as we are pulling out of our parking spot at the grocery store, lauren is looking out her window. she hollers out "mom!! that car is moving and there is no one in it!!" i shook my head thinking that she will catch on that it is US who is moving, not the empty vehicle. instead she follows up with "whoa-- that was so weird." a bright, bright future to come for that one.

woe is claire.

poor, poor claire stubbed her toe. she has always had a dramatic flair, and this instance was no different. i carried her balled up body to the couch, kissed her tiny toe and went to get her some ice. when i returned her eyes seemed to be shutting involuntarily (probably from the pain and that darn genetic drama gene!) i smoothed back her hair and asked if she would be all right. she answers, she thought that she would, but she may be unable to attend school next week monday. (followed by a weak whimper) then she says that when she thinks of treats it makes her toe feel happier and that if she could EAT a treat...it would be better for sure. i hand her the treat of her choice (for medicinal purposes, of course.) and she walks away saying...."it will probably hurt again at bedtime, so tell dad that when i cry- he can't put my monkey on timeout." at least she thinks ahead. way to cover all of your bases, claire!

New House

beyond the tip of your nose.

a random thought just struck me. we know nothing about our lives; yet we spend a good chunk of them trying to plan life out. i was looking back at some things that were such a huge part of my life, and now- just memories. how can something we used to know so well become something we don't know at all. how many years do we waste formulating how it will be when we are five, 13, sixteen...graduating....dating...getting married..and for us the biggest one- having kids. i was thinking back on some of my plans. wow- if some of the things i planned had come true...my story would have a different name. i would have no idea about the joy that comes from emma needing to always hold my hand. even if it is for a 2 step walk down the hallway. when i was 16, i had no idea that lauren's laugh would make me smile to think about. i didn't know to think about 4 girls calling "mommy" a million times a day. funny, because i could swear i knew it all! none of the things that i thought would happen, happened. the stick band that my childhood best friend and i dreamed up never came to fruition either. luckily, we only focused on that plan for 1 lazy, summer day. i certainly know that God has THE plan for my life, for everyone's life........yet think about all the plans that we try to manipulate for years. more than once i have looked back at my life, the way i intended it to go and thought; "i bet i gave God a good chuckle over that one. or maybe He is thinking, "so help me child...you just do not get it." so when our sight is so short and our grip on the future is so weak...why do we keep trying? why does it feel like we have such a big life picture to paint and we are the only painters to do it? i have no idea what is around the bend for my girls. i make myself crazy thinking about all of the things i need to protect them from..will they listen when i tell them that guy is a bad choice...you dont want to move that far from your loving mother, etc. will they even hear it? lauren cannot even hear me call her for dinner, which may tell me it doesn't look good. i know that their choices willplay a part in their shaping--but oh, if i could protect them from the parts that will make them look back and wince. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord...." Maybe it would be helpful if they put the "I" in bold. to remind us there is a difference b/t our plans and His. and praise God that there is!! i had no idea what was up ahead for me. i have no idea what is around the corner. but i am glad that someone does and that He throws all that grace and joy down into my life...even on the days i forget and think that i am still in the lead.

just like her mother.

i just discovered something about anna. she has inherited my inability to contain a laugh; even when it is inapproriate or rude. she is still cackling as i type. i was helping her with a computer game and she was standing on the chair behind, playing with my hair. she lost her balance and held onto my hair while she fell. i said "ouch! you pulled my hair" she made no response, but i noticed she had walked to the corner of the office and was making some odd noises. i thought that maybe she was upset, so i turned around to find her hunched over covering her mouth. i said "anna rae, are you LAUGHING at me?" she pointed to my hair and says "YOU LOOK JUST LIKE A UNICORN!!" followed by an absolute fallover laughter. it is the darndest problem to have...whenever people trip and fall or walk into things--it totally cracks me up. the more i try to hold it in, the worse it gets. i believe this landed me in the principals office once. that teacher just felt stupid that she walked into the doorframe and she took it out on me. apparently, mr. soodsma has the same problem...he had a smirk on his face too!