Category: Family

A Very Lincoln Weekend

Mrs. Lincoln speaks about the Battle of Gettysburg

This weekend, we went to Civil War Days.

Actually, I need to back up a little on this story …

This winter, Darcy’s school presentation assignment over 7 weeks was to work on memorizing a famous historical speech (her history major mother did a little happy dance, I assure you).  We settled on The Gettysburg Address and got about 2/3 of the way through.  This piqued a Lincoln interest in her and so we decided after a very Lincoln-focused Winter/Spring that we needed to try out Civil War Days.

I can honestly say that I’ve never seen anything like it.  In case you didn’t know this about me already, be warned: I didn’t just major in history – I’m a complete history geek.  As we strolled through the town along the green, I shared the street with the likes of Generals Custer, Sherman, Jackson, and Lee.  I also saw Mr. Jefferson Davis, and of course, our beloved Mr. Lincoln.

It's Mr. Lincoln!

Our time culminated with a view of an afternoon battle between really amazing re-enactors (or re-en-actors? or reen-actors?) posing as Union and Confederate soldiers.  Very real.  In fact, so real that my kids at 6 and 3 only made it past the first few minutes of the full artillery before they were asking if we could please take it all in from a sizeable distance.  Judging by my son’s grimace, I equate “sizeable distance” to some 50 miles give or take.  Luckily, they were both comforted with some kettle corn – leading to a discussion of whether the kettle corn they were eating was actually around during the Civil War (uh, sorry, FDA…) .

Enjoying the porch on the Mitchell Manor

Such a fun afternoon … even the discussion on 150 year old kettle corn.  If you ever get the chance to re-live history this way, jump at it!

A Boy and His Panda Bear

Chase is always in rare form, but recently it’s been so rare that if he were a steak, you’d probably get food poisoning.

He’s not, and you won’t, so don’t worry, you can keep reading in relative peace.

Rarity in point: Chase has a panda bear.  Actually, it’s a stuffed panda bear who is (in Chase’s mind) actually a dog named “Panda Bear” – which explains why Panda Bear always barked at us.  (We really did wonder for the longest time if Chase was “animal sound challenged”.)

Panda Bear is a flailing, crazed creature  who has a penchant for getting in people’s faces when he “talks”.  FYI, Chase “talks” for him in a high, squeaky, abnormally loud (which is going something for Chase) voice.  I don’t think I’d mind him so very much if he didn’t try and smother Chase’s younger brother in his enthusiasm or talk to us over the baby monitor at 5:30 in the morning.

Much as I’d occasionally love to send Panda Bear back to China from whence he came, a boy and his panda bear are not soon parted.   So, I guess I’ll keep him … Chase, that is … uh, I mean, I guess I’ll keep them.

 

Finding My Voice … Again

5 months. 

The longer I wait to write again, the harder it becomes to (re)find my voice.  I have posts and stories rolling around in my head endlessly – many of which end up like a punchline on Twitter* – but today is THE DAY.  No more procrastinating – back to writing I go!

In these months that you’ve been languishing without a good E-FAMILY read (see? I’m rolling in the jokes already!), we’ve coalesced as a family of six, we’ve completed a first year of classical school, many various and sundry activities, and lots of time with family and friends.

I can’t wait to share much of our time with you!

Reader warning: this will probably mean that you’ll be reading about our January in July.

Yes, we’re so out we’re in.

Have you missed us?  Here we are!

Please disregard whatever Easter candy it is that’s sticking out of Chase’s mouth. (I clearly did)

 

*shameless self promotion: if you’re not following me on Twitter, you should be [@eurofiedchic]

It Goes Without Saying, Right?

My “corn popper” experience with Chase made me think about how often I assume that I have adequately passed on a social convention (such as “We don’t make incessant and loud noises in a room where an infant is sleeping“) when in reality, my children feel no such compulsion in regards to their behavior.  In other words, they do things they really, really shouldn’t.

In honor of this, I have compiled a small list of my most recent “It Goes Without Saying” moments …

  • It goes without saying that we don’t pop the corn popper into the room where the 6 week old is sleeping, right?
  • It goes without saying that we don’t pick up the stick of butter thawing on the counter top and take a big bite out of it, right?
  • …that we don’t take a bite out of somebody else’s deodorant, right?  Come to think of it, don’t take a bite out of ANYBODY’S deodorant EVER, okay??
  • …that we don’t try and take out the Christmas tree with a large library book.  Oh, and this would be one of those “let’s skip it altogether” moments; much like the deodorant.
  • …that we don’t climb the four-drawer file cabinet like a ladder.
  • …that we don’t use your brother’s Excalibur sword to swipe the picture frames off the shelves over your head.
  • …that you don’t eat crayons.
  • …that you don’t eat crayons AGAIN.
  • …that you don’t take your pants or your diaper off.  Especially not at church.
  • …that the large floor signs in department stores are not for line backer-style rushing.  (Neither is the Christmas tree)

Wow.  I said “small list”, so with this, I’ll stop.  

In other news, I’m also calling a cease and desist because I just realized that every single item on this list has been performed by only ONE child.

It goes without saying that I’m signing off to get another cup of coffee …

Right?

 

Why Popcorn and Naps Don’t Mix

Last week, I had to sneak into the room where Karsten was taking a nap.  Even though the noise maker was running in the room, I told the other three children that I would be right back and that they were not to follow me into the room for obvious reasons.

While I was in the closet and in the process of hanging up some shirts [see also: hands occupied, unable to avert impending disaster], I heard the loud and cheerful sound of the “corn popper” being popped down the hallway towards the bedroom.

“He wouldn’t!”; thought the mother of four who was clearly in the throws of a major rookie mistake.  Oh, Yes.  He would.  He could.  And, he did.

Chase “corn popped” his way into the room and stood  -with his thumb in his mouth and a blank look on his face- staring down at the sleeping Karsten in his bassinet.  The hand that wasn’t in his mouth was idly pushing the popper back and forth on the floor with random “POP!” noises.  …in case Karsten had missed it the first time.

Why didn’t I “shush” him and get him out before he got that far?  Easy-peasy: Chase is a screamer (what should and probably will be the subject of another post).  Knowing that the corn popper only may wake up Karsten and Chase’s screams of protest at being ushered from the room certainly would wake up Karsten, I was forced into one of my many daily “Which hill do I die on?” moments.  Subsequently, Chase was forced into one of his many daily “Which side of the time-out chair do I want to sit on?” moments.

And this is the story of how Chase “corn popped” the baby awake.

The End.

Stay tuned for the second chapter  in the tome known as “Chase Blows Up Social Conventions” called It Goes Without Saying … Right?

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