Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Afraid of rain...
Here is one courtesy of Emma:
It rained through most of the night last night. Emma woke up this morning, and informed me that the picture of Jesus on her wall helped her not be afraid of the rain.
Simple faith, an inspiration to us all!
It rained through most of the night last night. Emma woke up this morning, and informed me that the picture of Jesus on her wall helped her not be afraid of the rain.
Simple faith, an inspiration to us all!
Monday, October 27, 2008
Lizards and grasshoppers...
A memorable Maddie moment:
This afternoon, I was downstairs on the computer, and the girls were upstairs playing. By "playing" I mean an even mix of laughter, screaming and tears. After one such bout, Madelynn appears at my side with her stuffed lizard wrapped in a couple of pieces of cloth. She informed me that Emma had stepped on her lizard, and that the said lizard was now injured. Being a great Mom, I immediately and GENTLY took the lizard from her arms, and proceeded to examine this poor creature. After a thorough exam, I informed Maddie that all was well, but that she should probably keep the lizard wrapped up for another day, and let him rest. She took the lizard from me, and agreed to take good care of it until their appointment with the doctor tomorrow morning at 8am. She disappeared upstairs, and I returned to the computer.
About 3 minutes later, Madelynn returned with lizard in hand, for their appointment (apparently I was the doctor). I gave the lizard another examination, and proclaimed him completely recovered. Maddie then let me know that the lizard's tongue was also broken, so that he couldn't catch bugs anymore. I told her that I would recommend she squish some bugs and feed her lizard until his tongue was better. Maddie replied, "OH! Great idea! He loves bug pie! I will make him some bug pie!" Off she went....
About 10 minutes later, she again appears at my side, with the lizard again wrapped from head to tail in cloth. She explained that while she was making the bug pie some grasshoppers jumped on her lizard, and they hurt him. Trying to contain the laughter, I remarked that perhaps she should not have used such mean grasshoppers. Maddie quickly replied, "Oh, they weren't mean grasshoppers, they are nice grasshoppers...but they had pointy toes." How I love the imagination on this kid! :-) I, of course, administered to the poor lizard, and sent her off once again.
The moral of the story, watch out for grasshoppers with pointy toes...because while they are nice, they apparently LOVE to jump on your back, and the results can be disastrous...just ask Maddie's lizard! :-)
This afternoon, I was downstairs on the computer, and the girls were upstairs playing. By "playing" I mean an even mix of laughter, screaming and tears. After one such bout, Madelynn appears at my side with her stuffed lizard wrapped in a couple of pieces of cloth. She informed me that Emma had stepped on her lizard, and that the said lizard was now injured. Being a great Mom, I immediately and GENTLY took the lizard from her arms, and proceeded to examine this poor creature. After a thorough exam, I informed Maddie that all was well, but that she should probably keep the lizard wrapped up for another day, and let him rest. She took the lizard from me, and agreed to take good care of it until their appointment with the doctor tomorrow morning at 8am. She disappeared upstairs, and I returned to the computer.
About 3 minutes later, Madelynn returned with lizard in hand, for their appointment (apparently I was the doctor). I gave the lizard another examination, and proclaimed him completely recovered. Maddie then let me know that the lizard's tongue was also broken, so that he couldn't catch bugs anymore. I told her that I would recommend she squish some bugs and feed her lizard until his tongue was better. Maddie replied, "OH! Great idea! He loves bug pie! I will make him some bug pie!" Off she went....
About 10 minutes later, she again appears at my side, with the lizard again wrapped from head to tail in cloth. She explained that while she was making the bug pie some grasshoppers jumped on her lizard, and they hurt him. Trying to contain the laughter, I remarked that perhaps she should not have used such mean grasshoppers. Maddie quickly replied, "Oh, they weren't mean grasshoppers, they are nice grasshoppers...but they had pointy toes." How I love the imagination on this kid! :-) I, of course, administered to the poor lizard, and sent her off once again.
The moral of the story, watch out for grasshoppers with pointy toes...because while they are nice, they apparently LOVE to jump on your back, and the results can be disastrous...just ask Maddie's lizard! :-)
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Times that fly...
I realize that it has been another terribly long time since our last post. Of all, I think I am the saddest about this fact, because when I am writing often, the little things are remembered and recorded to be treasured for ever after. Every day that flies by is filled with soo many moments that I try to catalog with a "I've got to write that down", and then the moment flies by, and it is gone. SIGH! This week I have spent some time reading some past journals of mine...from like age 16...when I actually wrote EVERY day. I am soooo grateful that I recorded what I did...while alot of it is "I LOVE so and so" or " Such and such is the end of existence as I know it"...all the drama of a 16 year old girl. As an adult, as a parent, I read through each entry with an entirely different set of eyes, and I am learning so much from my 16 year old self! Who knew? :-)
Anyway, the moral of the story? I must be better, because time is flying by in my little ones lives, and they are moments I won't ever get back...and who knows what they or their children, or their children's children will learn from all that is a day in the life of the Maschger family.
So, here is today:
Actually, a fairly typical morning...girls up and dressed, etc. Then we settled in to our "home school". We had a great morning in school, and towards the end I suddenly remembered that it was Tuesday...Romp n' Stomp! Our favorite Tuesday morning activity. Using this as a motivator, I quickly had the girls through the rest of their assignments, and we were on our way. As always, they had a blast, and Mom enjoyed the adult conversation! :-)
Back at home in time to feed Maddie lunch, and then get her on to the bus. Today however, Emma and I had to race back home and load up to go visiting teaching. We had a great time, and I had a great experience...I have the PERFECT VT companion! We have an ideal set up, she sets the appointments, and I do the lesson. This month, I completely flaked the whole thing, and when I realized...while fixing the girls' lunches...that I was VTing this afternoon, I also realized that I had not yet read the lesson. So, being the multi-tasking genius that I am, I quickly read through the lesson while fixing lunches and packing Maddie's backpack for school. However, as I buckled Emma in her carseat, I sent up a silent plea to my Father in Heaven...first to forgive me for being such a flake, and then for LOTS of help! The thought came to me that I should just ask the sisters we teach if they'd read the lesson. Well, duh? I do that anyways...all the time...and usually the answer is no. But, I thought it best to run with whatever I had...so crazy thought or not, I asked at each of our visits, "Did you get a chance to read the lesson, yet?" BOTH answered, "YES! And I loved..." and then they proceeded to share with us two completely different thoughts, that were both so inspiring! Lesson: ALWAYS follow the promptings of the Spirit!
Back at home, Miles and I switched into high gear to get our house clean because our good friends the Neweys were BRINGING us dinner! :-) Both girls pitched in and helped. Emma helped her Dad with the bathroom, and Maddie eagerly helped Mom vacuum. How I love our little ones when they are actively engaged in a good work...do you think Heavenly Father feels the same for each of us when we are so engaged?! :-) We finished early, and spent some time just hanging out. Maddie spent her time writing a book about Hansel and Gretel, which she gave to the Neweys...LUCKY! Emma and Mom played some Chutes and Ladders, and Memory, and Crazy Eights! (Dad was working on homework :-() The girls were in rare form for the dinner party...I am not sure Maddie stopped talking the ENTIRE time! For a child that took so long to talk to us, she seems to be intent on making up on lost time...she NEVER seems to stop! The girls were an eager audience for Bro. Newey's magic show, and we are not sure who was having more fun...the girls, or the rest of us watching the girls! :-) The magic show left quite the impression on Maddie, who in her personal prayers tonight asked Heavenly Father to bless Bro. Newey's magic, and to bless ALL boys to be magic! :-) How we love our children!
That's about it from here...Miles is working on oodles of homework, and I am trying to stay up until 10pm so I can take my meds. It is a tough job, but someone has to do it!
So here are a couple of gems from the last few weeks:
Emma is sitting at the table (in a dress...the only thing she'll wear) "writing" on a piece of paper. With tremendous pride, she cries out,
EMMA: Look Mom, I wrote an "H" all by my self!
MOM: WOW! Emma you are such a smarty-pants.
EMMA (with slight scowl): Actually, I am not a smarty-pants, I am a smarty-dress.
Madelynn, in tears, because Emma isn't sharing something that is Emma's...I think it was one of Emma's babies...Mind you, Maddie has several babies of her own, but had decided that she needed Emma's baby, and had come downstairs to complain that Emma wasn't "sharing"...
MADDIE: Emma won't share with me.
MOM: Well, you can't make Emma share with you.
MADDIE: Yes, I can. I have magic now!
Madelynn at the dinner table with a large plate of cookies in front of her. As a family, we are enjoying dessert...each has been given one cookie. Maddie has quickly INHALED hers:
MADDIE (reaching for a cookie on the plate): Can I have this cookie, say "Of course" (...that was all said in one breath)
Emma on being told it was time for bed...
EMMA: Bedtime? No way, I am still freakin' out! (...not sure over what, just seemed to be her phrase for the moment)
I have often been caught in these awesome parenting moments...those moments when you are sooo grateful that these wonderful little spirits are going to be yours forever. At these times, I often say to my girls, "I love you! Can I be your Mom forever and ever?" Generally, the answer is, "Yes". Last week, Maddie had this reply:
MADDIE: Yes! You can be my Mom even when I throw temper tantrums!
OK...here is one of my favorites of all time. In our house Maddie, Emma and Mom love to eat hot dogs...Dad does NOT! In fact, the smell makes him nauseous. Often, on a Saturday, the girls will ask for hot dogs for lunch, and I'll explain that we can only eat those on days when Daddy is at work, because he doesn't even like the smell. Well, a while back Miles was home in the middle of the week, and completely without thinking, I made Maddie a hot dog for lunch. Miles had been upstairs working on something, when he came downstairs Maddie took one look at him and started to cry! Through her tears she apologized for eating a hot dog, and frantically tried to cover Miles nose. It took quite a bit of consoling for Daddy to assure Maddie that he was OK, and that it was just fine for her to eat her hot dog even when Daddy was home. Such a compassionate little soul..
ANOTHER great Maddie moment - During the Saturday morning session of Conference, sometime after the children have lost all interest in paying attention, and Miles and I had stopped fighting it...I hear from down the hall the familiar voice of my Maddie saying a prayer. I immediately tune in to hear, "Heavenly Father, please bless me with strength, wisdom and power so I can understand them" She concluded her prayer, then came back into the room, climbed up next to me, and explained that she said a prayer to help her understand what they were saying...and then she focused in on conference (for about 10 more minutes)...but what a great moment! The other cute conference story...in the Saturday afternoon session there was a Primary choir that sang. For EACH song, our girls had to stand on either side of the TV and sing along with the children...they considered themselves a part of the choir! :-)
OK...I should probably give you your lives back. See? If I wrote more, then there wouldn't be sooo much to write!:-) Until next time...
We love and miss you all!
Anyway, the moral of the story? I must be better, because time is flying by in my little ones lives, and they are moments I won't ever get back...and who knows what they or their children, or their children's children will learn from all that is a day in the life of the Maschger family.
So, here is today:
Actually, a fairly typical morning...girls up and dressed, etc. Then we settled in to our "home school". We had a great morning in school, and towards the end I suddenly remembered that it was Tuesday...Romp n' Stomp! Our favorite Tuesday morning activity. Using this as a motivator, I quickly had the girls through the rest of their assignments, and we were on our way. As always, they had a blast, and Mom enjoyed the adult conversation! :-)
Back at home in time to feed Maddie lunch, and then get her on to the bus. Today however, Emma and I had to race back home and load up to go visiting teaching. We had a great time, and I had a great experience...I have the PERFECT VT companion! We have an ideal set up, she sets the appointments, and I do the lesson. This month, I completely flaked the whole thing, and when I realized...while fixing the girls' lunches...that I was VTing this afternoon, I also realized that I had not yet read the lesson. So, being the multi-tasking genius that I am, I quickly read through the lesson while fixing lunches and packing Maddie's backpack for school. However, as I buckled Emma in her carseat, I sent up a silent plea to my Father in Heaven...first to forgive me for being such a flake, and then for LOTS of help! The thought came to me that I should just ask the sisters we teach if they'd read the lesson. Well, duh? I do that anyways...all the time...and usually the answer is no. But, I thought it best to run with whatever I had...so crazy thought or not, I asked at each of our visits, "Did you get a chance to read the lesson, yet?" BOTH answered, "YES! And I loved..." and then they proceeded to share with us two completely different thoughts, that were both so inspiring! Lesson: ALWAYS follow the promptings of the Spirit!
Back at home, Miles and I switched into high gear to get our house clean because our good friends the Neweys were BRINGING us dinner! :-) Both girls pitched in and helped. Emma helped her Dad with the bathroom, and Maddie eagerly helped Mom vacuum. How I love our little ones when they are actively engaged in a good work...do you think Heavenly Father feels the same for each of us when we are so engaged?! :-) We finished early, and spent some time just hanging out. Maddie spent her time writing a book about Hansel and Gretel, which she gave to the Neweys...LUCKY! Emma and Mom played some Chutes and Ladders, and Memory, and Crazy Eights! (Dad was working on homework :-() The girls were in rare form for the dinner party...I am not sure Maddie stopped talking the ENTIRE time! For a child that took so long to talk to us, she seems to be intent on making up on lost time...she NEVER seems to stop! The girls were an eager audience for Bro. Newey's magic show, and we are not sure who was having more fun...the girls, or the rest of us watching the girls! :-) The magic show left quite the impression on Maddie, who in her personal prayers tonight asked Heavenly Father to bless Bro. Newey's magic, and to bless ALL boys to be magic! :-) How we love our children!
That's about it from here...Miles is working on oodles of homework, and I am trying to stay up until 10pm so I can take my meds. It is a tough job, but someone has to do it!
So here are a couple of gems from the last few weeks:
Emma is sitting at the table (in a dress...the only thing she'll wear) "writing" on a piece of paper. With tremendous pride, she cries out,
EMMA: Look Mom, I wrote an "H" all by my self!
MOM: WOW! Emma you are such a smarty-pants.
EMMA (with slight scowl): Actually, I am not a smarty-pants, I am a smarty-dress.
Madelynn, in tears, because Emma isn't sharing something that is Emma's...I think it was one of Emma's babies...Mind you, Maddie has several babies of her own, but had decided that she needed Emma's baby, and had come downstairs to complain that Emma wasn't "sharing"...
MADDIE: Emma won't share with me.
MOM: Well, you can't make Emma share with you.
MADDIE: Yes, I can. I have magic now!
Madelynn at the dinner table with a large plate of cookies in front of her. As a family, we are enjoying dessert...each has been given one cookie. Maddie has quickly INHALED hers:
MADDIE (reaching for a cookie on the plate): Can I have this cookie, say "Of course" (...that was all said in one breath)
Emma on being told it was time for bed...
EMMA: Bedtime? No way, I am still freakin' out! (...not sure over what, just seemed to be her phrase for the moment)
I have often been caught in these awesome parenting moments...those moments when you are sooo grateful that these wonderful little spirits are going to be yours forever. At these times, I often say to my girls, "I love you! Can I be your Mom forever and ever?" Generally, the answer is, "Yes". Last week, Maddie had this reply:
MADDIE: Yes! You can be my Mom even when I throw temper tantrums!
OK...here is one of my favorites of all time. In our house Maddie, Emma and Mom love to eat hot dogs...Dad does NOT! In fact, the smell makes him nauseous. Often, on a Saturday, the girls will ask for hot dogs for lunch, and I'll explain that we can only eat those on days when Daddy is at work, because he doesn't even like the smell. Well, a while back Miles was home in the middle of the week, and completely without thinking, I made Maddie a hot dog for lunch. Miles had been upstairs working on something, when he came downstairs Maddie took one look at him and started to cry! Through her tears she apologized for eating a hot dog, and frantically tried to cover Miles nose. It took quite a bit of consoling for Daddy to assure Maddie that he was OK, and that it was just fine for her to eat her hot dog even when Daddy was home. Such a compassionate little soul..
ANOTHER great Maddie moment - During the Saturday morning session of Conference, sometime after the children have lost all interest in paying attention, and Miles and I had stopped fighting it...I hear from down the hall the familiar voice of my Maddie saying a prayer. I immediately tune in to hear, "Heavenly Father, please bless me with strength, wisdom and power so I can understand them" She concluded her prayer, then came back into the room, climbed up next to me, and explained that she said a prayer to help her understand what they were saying...and then she focused in on conference (for about 10 more minutes)...but what a great moment! The other cute conference story...in the Saturday afternoon session there was a Primary choir that sang. For EACH song, our girls had to stand on either side of the TV and sing along with the children...they considered themselves a part of the choir! :-)
OK...I should probably give you your lives back. See? If I wrote more, then there wouldn't be sooo much to write!:-) Until next time...
We love and miss you all!
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