garden shots

lessons we learn

 Its not a problem to have patience with my own little family and kids. Grace and mercy come fairly easily when the whole picture is seen. This doesn't mean I never loose my cool with the kids or grouch at my family..because I do. Its just easy to extend patience to a loved one. At times I feel myself getting frustrated and upset about a situations that happen around me.
"I wouldn't let my kids....."
Whoops.
I get impatient with God too. Not so much with life situations, more with people fixing.
 "If God knew any better he would take care of that situation now and then I wouldn't worry so much about it."
 Not exactly the best approach, right? The last few months God has been teaching me to use grace and mercy through patience. Why? Because I need tremendous amounts of the stuff! You want a story?

When I first married my husband we lived in the woods at a Bible camp. His grandparents, who are the MOST wonderful people I know, started it back in the day. We were visiting them when I needed to use an iron. I snagged it, put a towel down on the closest table, plugged the iron in and went to work. My dad had always used a towel. I assumed that this was an acceptable alternative to ironing boards.
grandma quietly suggested an ironing board twice. Then she dropped it. A few days later the left on vacation and we were in charge of the house. The quilt was coming along but I needed to iron again. I pulled out a towel and went to work. Everything went well until I discovered the towel had been seared to the antique table! Ahhhh! This never happened at home? I used everything possible to take up the fiber. Not even orange oil would remove the giant scab. Whats a girl to do? Fess up. Not to scary, but still uncomfortable. When they came home a week later I gave grandma the apology and explanation. She answered in her sweet little grandma voice. " I thought that would happen, but its okay." My mouth dropped and I contemplated the facts. She knew it would fuse to the table but she let me do it anyway! How could she let me do something like that without shouting across the room,
" That's a dumb idea!"
 I learned a bigger lesson that day, a whole lot more than 'dont iron on a towel'. It was a great lesson in grace, mercy, and patience.

daddy wins

My husband was late arriving home yesterday because I asked him to pick up some things from our old house. One of them was Thomas' birth cert. for enrolment in ORVA. The reason for my decision is simply put. We travel a lot and I know my children need someone who is motivated to teach them. Sadly, I am not terribly motivated when my kids don't want to study. This is when its nice to have a teacher to remind me that no matter how tired I feel,  my kids still need me to be supportive and positive. Having precise goals helps too. In a nutshell, I am not my mother. Doing this has taken a bit of weight off my brain. Next year will be VERY challenging...but hopefully fun too.
  When Greg was about to make it home I heard this chain saw noise zipping back and forth on the road. "Now who would be running with a chainsaw at this time of day?" I thought. (jk)
  After the 4th pass I stepped outside to find my husband on a go-kart he picked up for 'the kids' from a pawn shop. The sight of him on that little thing zooming by made me laugh out loud. This is what makes me love my man SO much. He is smart, funny, loving and just as crazy as me! videos and pics to follow.

good read

I have been reading the Wall Street Journal for the last week and a half. Greg was able to receive magazines in exchange for his frequent flier miles which subsequently expire in a few weeks. The two of us picked out at least 8 different subscriptions. Wall Street Journal comes weekdays and I have found it a pleasant change from Newsweek. I read an article yesterday about the worlds popular view of Jerusalem in which it discussed how very popular it is to point the finger at the Jewish nation. Interesting reading, plus I get to say, "Yeah...I read it in the Wall Street Journal." Next week People Magazine is coming...to bring my reading comprehension down a notch!

park day

Although I absolutely loath pictures of myself, here they are. *meh* I figured my readers would benefit from an updated shot of me. My father kept sneaking pictures while we were playing at the park today. Gee thanks dad. Just pay back for taking him swimming!

After the park our friend Megan came to play. I have been reminding Mr. Steel NOT to talk so much about marrying her. What does he say as she climbs into the car? " Megan, today we are not going to talk about getting married!" Haha. Funny boy.

Thats the way it is.

Many things have been going on. New stuff? Not really. A few of my daily routines have changed up a little. I have started walking in the afternoon with Leah while pulling a wagon load of kids, as well as taking my mom on long bike rides in the late evening.
The kids are more relaxed since school is out and I am most grateful to leave the large portion of our scholastic goals resting until September. phiew!
 We are heading up to camp in a week or so for our vitamin D. (living here leaves a person lacking) Hopefully I will catch up with family along the way. My poor grandparents have not seen us since last year at least. I wish we lived closer so I could drop by and say hi more often. The three kids are taking swimming lessons with the cousins. Lets hope the teachers survive without begging for mercy!
  Greg and my anniversary is next month. 9 years already?! For once we are doing something he likes. Weird right? Most of the time he takes me out to fancy shmancy restaurants as well as the opera. This year we are going to the rouge river brewery and Ripley's believe it or not followed by the wax museum. Very Greg. He is So good to me.
  Last week we spent the day in town with my dad. It was his day off...of which he usually works! He was pulling his usual..." I have so much to do" so I convinced him. I also packed a pair of swimming shorts for him. When we dropped my mom off at work and suggested that we swim for a bit he had to say yes. After that we went to the park and Ft. Clatsop. I love my dad and couldn't imagine life without him.(this is why I took you swimming dad!) Its fun to get to share him with my own kids. My childhood was a happy one. Dad would take us to history, science, and art museums for fun. And you wondered why I like taxidermy so much? Coming up on fathers day makes me remember all the time he spent getting to know us and making cheep thrills like enchanted forest feel like Disneyland!

carry the torch

I wanted to share a tidbit about my Greg you most likely dint know. He tells a great story. This evening I peeked into the kids room to see him perched on the middle child's bed continuing the story where he left it the last time he was off shift. My husbands father use to tell fantastic stories also and so in a way I see it as carrying on the torch. Have I mentioned that I love this guy?!

dont forget!

Hey, even though summer vacation is here it doesn't mean you should stop visiting the library! Don't forget their awesome summer reading programs that give prizes for reading not to mention the sticker chart you get. Have fun visiting new places though a book!

ah sweet summer vacay!

Its here! Its here! ITS HERE!! Summer has finally arrived at mamagriffiths house. Yesterday was our last log in day on our OLS! Can you tell I'm excited?? Today I did things like make bread and go for a walk without school work looming over my head.
  My girl wasn't nearly as excited as I was considering I still have her do minimal stuff like math, reading, and writing. Oh well she will just have to bear with it.
   I enjoy and appreciate ORVA, all their support is such an encouragement in schooling. This has helped me be a better teacher for sure. I'm in the process of shipping off all the stuff they sent at the beginning of the year.
  Summer break is like a breath of fresh (freedom) air. I breathe deeply enjoying the moments lolloping and doing nothing in particular. Next year will be challenging to say the least. Thomas is in kindergarten and I haven't decided what to do for his curriculum. For now I am NOT thinking about how much more chaotic life will be then and enjoying my days off now.
  Now if only I could get the weather to corporate!

any ideas?

What happens when you plant your flowers from seeds? You forget what they are! Originally I thought these to be violets..now I'm not so sure. (the tall ones behind the pansies) Any guesses? They are days away from blooming.

The little blue flower are Nemophila! I am so excited to see them. I planted seeds at least a month and a half ago and I have been anxious to see their bloom. They are so tiny, but man just look at the color!

honesty is the best policy although it has sketchy returns

Teaching kids to tell the truth is an important part of parenting. In our house consequences aren't as harsh if the culprit comes clean with little or no prodding. Mr. Steel requires a few reminders on occasion, less and less now that he has the hang of it.
  My family stressed honesty as the 'best' policy when I was growing up but recently a thought has occurred to me. I DO believe in the truth as well as right and wrong. I also understand the importance of keeping my mouth shut.
   Tact is not as easily taught as truth. I remember a few times my opinion was asked and I failed to employ gentile honesty. My friend just got new lip gloss. It was the color of sparkly dirt. She said to me, "what do you think?!" I said, "That's the ugliest color I have ever seen!"
   Life has no rewind buttons and as silly as it sounds this was the day I realised people are not always asking for the truth, they are asking for encouragement, acceptance, approval. Think about it, how often do you actually want an honest answer to passing questions or comments? (I'm not talking about those  well thought out things you  DO want strait talk about)
 I enjoy that my kids don't have lots of tact. It makes me smile when they tell me, "mommy that's an ugly shirt." or "you have the biggest bottom I have ever seen." or even, "you are in a grumpy mood today, you didn't get enough sleep last night!"Eventually time and experience will teach them tactfulness as well as when to be loving and gentile. For now I know that unless I want the honest to goodness truth, the way they see it, I better not ask!

Mr. steel contemplates the cosmos

cosmos

I have been messing around with my dad's new camera. The clarity is not what I would like it to be, although it performs well when capturing portraits.

for leah

things we dream about

Yesterday I worked out super hard along with doing a front yard renovation...soo today (since I am no longer 18) I felt exhausted. Most of my day went well but by the time Mr. Steel had his television privileges suspended again, my body cried SLEEP/ The other two kids wanted books read to them. Thank goodness it was one I could read with my eyes closed. Yawn. I stretched myself out on the couch and settled into a nice siesta. I awoke worried I had missed unlocking the door for Em to come and do pilaties with me.....oh my, today's not over?