August Quotables

Set-up #1: All five children are in the kitchen near the sink. Daddy's setting them up to wash the van outside, and the sponges are under the kitchen sink. He has just teased them all by telling them to get the sponges and be sure to catch the mouse when it runs out, too (we've been trying to catch a mouse this week), while he went to change his clothes. No one wants to be the first to open the door. I overhear this from the next room:

Delaney: Mom says boys have to protect girls.
Levi: You need to do it for practice in case the boys are not there.
Delaney: You are there.
(Long Pause)
Jesse: Yeah, but Mom says boys should let girls go first.

Set-up #2: I am driving Levi to his football practice just down the road. Jesse is with us. For some reason (past experience with Dad?), he feels the need for speed when we pull out onto the road.

Jesse: Mom! Go fast!
Levi: No, she won't. Mom doesn't take risks.


My transparency is a bit alarming.

We're all HGTV-ish around here

So, Friday evening, as I'm bemoaning my ever-shrinking bookshelf space and other logistical frustrations in my living room/school room, Eric and I get into one of those conversations where the ideas really start flowing (from him, obviously -- I'm just good at complaining). He starts sketching. By Saturday noon, he has the materials. By Sunday evening, he's done (whatta man!), I've researched my web instructions on how to make something new look antique, and have started staining. By this morning, it was dry and moved in:

I am thrilled. He built me in a power strip on the top so I can add much-needed lighting, it divides the school area from the rest of the room and has shelves all around it. A homeschooling mom's -- and book addict's -- dream.

When we were out there working in the barn all weekend on it, it hit me -- the perfect idea for one of those reality TV shows. Whenever we're somewhere with cable, I love to watch those "transform your room in a day" shows. And lately, everyone keeps asking me if I watch some other cable show with this couple that has eight kids (sextuplets, I think?). So here we are in the barn, making a very large piece of furniture from scratch in the only free time we have managed to grab while five children are running their bikes over power tool cords, helping measure, asking continually to paint, just full of life and questions. THAT'S a reality show I would take the time to watch -- those HGTV decorators making those rooms "just so", on budget, on time, while taking care of that couple's eight children. : )