Mr. Hospitality

I like to entertain. I like feeding people (despite hating to cook). I like bringing out my grandmother's china and pretty serving bowls and making things nice for guests. I like having time to hang out with friends. I like a house full of people -- not all the time, but enough. So usually when I take one of those "What's Your Spiritual Gift?" surveys -- for whatever they're worth -- hospitality shows up strongly.

But over the past eight years or so, I've greatly cut back on the simple art of inviting friends over for dinner. Honestly, since we've had kids, dinner time around here is just one big crazy hyena circus. Ever been to a hyena circus? Me, neither. But I bet it's a lot like chowtime here. Lots of howling. And cackling. Oh, the cackling (usually it's me because, stick a fork in me, I am DONE). 5:00 "milk meltdowns." Hungry children whining for snacks. Spilled chocolate milk/canned peaches/yogurt/name the stickiest thing on the kids' plates. Trips to the bathroom. Arguments about how many bites are necessary for excusal from the table. Inviting friends into that mess wouldn't be hospitality. It would be just mean.

So, while my kids are totally used to taking dinner to families with new babies or illnesses or "needs," they really haven't had too much experience with having people over "just because." (Shame on me.)

Today I was telling the kids that our friend Mr. Matt is coming over for dinner tonight while his wife and kids are out of town. Adam looked totally confused. "Well, why is Mr. Matt comin' over, Mom?"

"Because Daddy and I think this is a good way to get him to stop associating with us completely."

"Because Daddy and I thought he might like company."

"But, Mom...he's a grownup. He can handle hisself!"

Clearly we need to brush up on our hospitality skills...both for the joy of it and for the example we obviously need to set for Mr. Graciousness & Co. Looking forward to it!

Best Buddies

"Best Buddies": That's how Andrew has described his relationship with Steve since he could talk. Over the years, a couple more buddies have joined the club.

A few days ago, the boys put together a little pirate ship craft.

They decided it should go to their Best Buddy: "To Dad, From your Buddies Andrew, Adam, and Libby. Have a good time sailing. CBACG" (Coconut Brothers and Coconut Girl - we actually answer to a lot of names around here)

Here is the group of Best Buddies on Father's Day.

Happy Father's Day, Steve!

The Strange Secret Thoughts of Children

Libby: I scared of the dark.

Me: You don't have to be scared. Who's always with you, even in the dark?

Libby: Santa!

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At the sink brushing teeth...

Steve: Adam, you have to make sure you brush all of your teeth. You don't want to get cavities. They will have to drill your teeth to get the bad stuff out and put ugly silver in to fill the holes.

Adam: Yeah, but how do people get GOLD teeth? (Where this kid has seen gold teeth I have no idea.)

Later, during bedtime prayers...

Steve: Adam, is there anything you want to pray for?

Adam: A gold tooth!

Splashy Birthday

Today was Libby's "friend" party. I love that one of my kids has a summer birthday! I've been waiting to give one of my kids a backyard sprinkler party, and my November and December birthday boys (and their friends) would probably not appreciate it so much.

The night before...pleasedon'train pleasedon'train pleasedon'train pleasedon'train...

God was gracious and gave us a day of sunshine for the girls to enjoy! (Which was a super good thing because a certain mommy didn't have a backup plan and had no idea what she would do with seven disappointed preschoolers in swimsuits and a messy house.)

Here is the annual shot of the birthday girl waiting eagerly for her guests.

First friend to arrive...Ella! (Isn't this picture the epitome of adorable?)

Filling up squirt guns. I am sad that I didn't find time to bedazzle all the girls' squirt guns. They seemed to work fine anyway. They were just less stylish than they could've been. Oh, well.

Stick 'em up!

Enjoying fishie cupcakes!

Libby after the party with her new pride and joy...three princess puzzles in one! Sweet big brother Andrew helped Libby put together her puzzles but decided he was way too masculine to be included in a picture with princesses.

Thanks to all Libby's friends for helping to celebrate her birthday!

Academy Man

Welcome to Andrew's Academy of the Armpit Arts. Here at AAAA, we strive to instill kulture and klass in our students. Oh, and skillz. We want our students to have mad skillz.

Feel free to stop by the Academy anytime to sit in on a master class in the Armpit Arts. Bask in the glorious music of the Alphabet Song played on the armpit. (Believe us, you've never heard the ABC song like this before!) Sit under the tutelage of Master Andrew himself as he teaches his signature class, "Communicating With Parental Figures Via Armpit Sounds: Voices Are For Chumps."

We encourage our students to use the skillz they learn here at AAAA beyond the classroom walls. Visitors are invited to ride along for our special Kultured Karpool Friday Recital Series. It's the most unusual chamber music -- taken on the road!

We here at Andrew's Academy for the Armpit Arts believe in carrying our art forward. Therefore, we are extremely proud to announce the introduction of a groundbreaking new method. Register now and be one of the first to experience an exciting new course pioneered by our own Maestro -- "Armpit Noises Made Behind the Knee." Stop in any time of day to listen in on a practice lab.

Tuition rates are extremely reasonable as Master Andrew loves his art and has a passion for sharing it with others. Also, he is saving up for a Nintendo DS and will do pretty much anything for a quarter. Payment in fruit roll ups is quite acceptable as well.

Thank you for your interest in Andrew's Academy for the Armpit Arts, where we have been making joyful noises since 2011.

Cinderelly, Cinderelly

Cinderelly, Cinderelly

Night and day it's Cinderelly

Make the fire, fix the breakfast

Wash the dishes, do the mopping

And the sweeping and the dusting

They always keep her hopping

She goes around in circles

Till she's very, very dizzy

Still they holler

Keep a-busy

Cinderelly!

Three

Look at me! I'm three!

For my birthday, we had cake!

Then it was time to bring on the presents!


My family gave me so many nice gifts. The best one? My very own makeup bag full of lotions and potions! I keep it with me at all times.


I am one glamorous lady.


It's good to be three!