The Lumberjack's Wife

This week over at Kelly’s Korner, she asks us to share our favorite childrens’ books.

We L-O-V-E all sorts of books over here, so I just thought I would show you some of the kids’ favorites.

Come on.

Don’t pretend you aren’t thrilled.

***

We live about 2 blocks away from our library.

Handsome Dude picked out a book called, I am a little whale by Francois Crozat last month.

Handsome Dude deeply loved this book.

He called it:

“Big-Whale-Book.”

Big-Whale-Book went everywhere with him.

In the truck.

In the bed.

In the bathroom.

I’m just kidding.  He didn’t take it into the bathroom.

Or did he?

I cannot be certain.

That kid took that book everywhere.

Helpful Tip:  Have your children wash their hands after reading library books.  You never know where they have been.

But, I digress.

It was due back on Monday, so the Lumberjack returned it.

Handsome Dude did not appreciate this.

Our well-adjusted, sensible, and non-dramatic 3-year-old sobbed and wailed and wailed and sobbed.

It’s so out of character for him.

Then he threw himself on the floor, proclaiming how “naughty” Daddy was for taking away his book.

So, yesterday . . .

We headed back to the library to reclaim what was rightfully his.

At least for 4 more weeks.

Good news!

While we were there, we found a whole family of books by Sir Crozat!

So, in about 4 weeks times, we can expect to see three times the fury and despair from our beloved son.

These books are really quite sweet.

We all love the pictures inside.

***

Freight Train by Donald Crews

The little boys thoroughly enjoy this one.

Teaches counting and colors . . .

plus, it’s about a train.

Win!

***

Here are a few more of our favorites:

1)  No, David by David Shannon.

The kids think this one is fantastic, simply because their Dad’s name is David.

And they really get into shouting,

“No, David!”

2)  Brown Bear, Brown Bear by Bill Martin Jr and Eric Carle

This one is really great for preschoolers because it is so repetitive and predictable, they can “read” it themselves.

And read to you they will.

Over and over and over and over . . .

3)  Animal Sounds by Aurelius Battaglia

My kids have always loved this book.

4)  Cows in the Kitchen by June Crebbin

This book is awesome!

You can sing it to the tune of “Skip to my Lou”

“Cows in the Kitchen.  Moo, Moo, Moo . . . “

My kids have always loved it.

***

Chicka Chicka Boom Boom by Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault

We have two copies of this one.  The one on the right we bought about 6 years ago.  I don’t mind if books get bent and ripped.  I am happy that my kids love them and read them often.  Of course, I don’t allow them to purposely destroy, but I encourage them to read them often.

This is a fun little rhyming book that the kids can chant along with you.

***

The girls are getting older now.

They are enjoying chapter books.  These are all newer to me, so I don’t have many to recommend or share, but I would love suggestions!

***

Of course, I must take a moment to brag.

My kids are always on their best behaviors for story time.

They always sit still.

They always pay attention.

And they never . . .

Ever . . .

Throw fits.

Ever.

***

Which childrens’ books are your favorites?

 This week on Show us Your Life, Kelly asks us to show our towns.  Here is a post about me and my boys on a walk through our town.

Thank you for stopping by! 

After dropping the girls off at school this morning, the dudes and I came home.

I surveyed the early morning damage.

 Toast crumbs on the counter.

Messy bathroom with the typical empty toilet paper roll still hanging.

Three loads of laundry waiting to be done.

And I decided today would be a grand day to pretend like none of that mess existed and go on a walk.

The first thing we spotted were ducks.

Poor little guys were attempting to cross the street.

Little Dude: Duck.  Duck.  Duck. Duck. Duck.

Handsome Dude:  Look, Mom!  Duck!

Little Dude:  Quack. Quack. Quack. Quack. Quack.

And because of that moment, dear readers, from that point on every wing-ed creature, water fowl, and bird of prey that we saw on our walk was renamed:

Duck. Quack.

If we do end up moving to Ruralville, I am definitely going to miss where our current house is located.

Can you believe this is about 10 minutes from my house?

I can’t.

Which is an oddity.

Seeing as how I have lived here for 7 years.

I decided to be a kind mother and let the dudes loose.

Handsome Dude.

Ever so helpful, per usual.

Little Dude.

Pointing at dogs and barking.

Per usual.

Ducks!

Quack.

Brothers don’t shake hands.

Brothers gotta hug.

(Name that Movie.)

Look, Mama!

Ducks!

Quack.

“Such a beautiful land the good Lord has created for us, brother, as far as the eye can see.”

“Indeed, dear brother.  Indeed.”

I kid!  I jest!

They actually said:

“Ducks! Quack!”

Because irregardless of what creature they were admiring, so long as it had wings, it was from heretohenceforth known as:

Duck. Quack.

Good news!

If we move to Ruralville, which we most likely are, the Lumberjacklings will most likely be homeschooled by yours truly!

I see a bright future ahead of them.

I then decided to transform back into Mean Mommy and strap them back into the stroller.

Simply for the fact that I like to shop at this jewelery store:

A fantastic jewelery store that is a 10 minute walk from my house?

Another reason to be forlorn about moving.

Don’t lose heart!

I have a sizeable amount of U.S. dollars on a gift certificate for this random, unidentified jewelery store that I got for Christmas from Jason.

Remember Jason?

Anyways.

The dudes were good little dudes while I looked around a bit.

I may or may not have bought a birthday present for a certain friend I like to call, Bimlissa.

But we will keep that a secret from her.

Next we headed to the library.

I know what you are thinking.

How much longer will this Lumberjill continue to drone on and on?

Ha!

You will read this.

And you will like it.

Because guess what?

There’s more!

And we’re off to the park!

Imagine our luck . . . my friend MindyLou was at the park!

MindyLou!

Strike a pose!

Ha!

Guess what, MindyLou!

I am going to put that in my blog.

MindyLou: Smile, son.  We are about to be on The Internets.

MindyLou was curious as to if she was rockin’ the scarf or not.

I vote yes.

Thoughts?

So, the children were playing whilst MindyLou and I were chatting and snapping photographs.

When my STUPID camera, of which I am too ignorant to use, stopped working.

And MindyLou can now attest to this.

MY CAMERA HATES ME.

So, MindyLou took aforementioned camera and decided to see if she could diagnose the problem.

I told her it wasn’t going to work.

That camera is the devil.

(Name that Movie)

She’s such a show off.

But, MindyMindyMindy . . .

What, pray tell, is this nonsense I found on my memory card?

Explain that.

So MindyLou followed me back to my home so she could borrow my 30 day Shred DVD.

Clearly, MindyLou is insane.

Then, MindyLou had the audacity to tell me my house was not one bit messy at all.

Clearly, MindyLou is a liar.

I think everyone needs a good fibbing friend like MindyLou in their lives. 

Makes the world a brighter place.

That is all.

Happy Wednesday!

We are still remodeling our laundry room.

My poor Lumberjack has been trying hard to finish it quickly, but he has been really busy at work and we were all sick.

So, in the meantime, my kitchen still looks like this:

(The laundry room branches directly off of the kitchen, therefore the kitchen has become the dumping grounds)

Yes.

My kitchen is a disaster.

But don’t lose heart!

The Lumberjacklings have found a way to have fun amidst the chaos.

They lined up all The Lumberjack’s tubie-thingies of caulk . . .

and did some bowling.

Weird kids.

And it was at this point in the evening that I pondered whether or not this whole 7 year remodeling business had gone on too long.

I sure hope we are done with this foolishness soon.

If  you peer behind Sweet Pea, you can notice:

A)  We have trim!

B)  We have a floor!

C)  We have a coat closet door!

D)  We have bead board (HOLLA!)!

E)  We have a dog.

F)  Her name is Mabel.

G)  We have trucks.  Lots of trucks.  Everywhere.  Except in the toy box.

Someday the laundry room will be finished.

Interruption:  Please excuse the poor attempt on my part to “French Braid” Daisy Mae’s hair.

I do not know how to French Braid.

I just made that up.

Luckily, she doesn’t know the difference.

Please.

Don’t be jealous of my skills.

But until then . . .

We choose to bowl.

Look!  I captured Handsome Dude in the air!

Can we not agree I am a most fantastic photographer?

Such an action shot!

Regarding yesterday’s post . . .

I know you all think Little Dude was too young to be the hooligan who stuffed our remote into the VCR.

But, I disagree.

True.

He would not have even been a year old.

But he was a turd then, nonetheless.

And I distinctly remember him pulling himself up by the VCR/DVD combo machine and messing with the buttons and such.

Goodness.

That boy really wants to smooch me.

I can’t say that I blame him.

Yes.

He is a naughty pants.

And he is also a cute little tiger.

Alert:  I have just realized that I have no idea what the purpose of this post is.

But I am going to roll with it anyways.

Anyways, last night, The Lumberjack was off to his Bible Study.

Hence the cookie-baking-caulk tubes-soccer ball-bowling-smooching events.

Yes.

This is the excitement that is my life.

Jealous?

And then, dear readers, a most extraordinary event occurred.

Bedtime!

Yes.  Little Dude is still trying to mooch a smooch.

Mooch a smooch!

 I am so clever I amaze even myself.

Fact:  You do not see clean-but-yet-to-be-put-away laundry atop my bed.

Nope.

I am super organized and always have all my chores done.

And now, dear readers, I would like to present to you:

Reason #2 For As To Why I Strongly Believe This Remodeling Nonsense Has Gone On Long Enough

(Reason #1 was the caulk-tube bowling.  Keep up, people!)

My son sleeps with a level.

I have a dream, people.

I have a dream that one day, I shall live in a house where no power drill sits on my kitchen counter.

I have a dream that one day, I shall not have to trip over the air-tubie part of the air compressor when simply trying to walk through my house.

I have a dream that one day, I shall be dusting regular dust off of my piano.  Not sheet rock dust.

I have a dream that one day, this darn house that we have been working on for seven years will be complete.

Of course, once it is finished, we will most likely move.

But it will be a completed chapter in our lives.

Until then, we will persevere.

We will finish that laundry room.

Go Team Lumberjack!

Of course, when I say “team”, clearly I simply mean:

Go Lumberjack!

For I know not the difference between a sawzall and a rotozip.

Happy Tuesday!

PS-I am sorry about the lack of direction and purpose in this post.

PPS-I am happy to announce that I was not, in fact, lazy and uploaded approximately 14 pictures for this post.

PPPS- I must admit I did copy and paste a few pictures.

PPPPS- Dudes!  It had to be done!

Alright.

Farewell!

Put on your party pants, folks!

We’ve got some ground to cover.

Topic #1

My blog won the award over at I am Mommy!

Thank you very much for your votes!  I was included with a group of awesome blogs, one of which I was neck and neck with the whole time, Mommy on Fire.

Go say hi to Natalie at Mommy on Fire!

She has a wonderful blog!

Topic #2

Raise your hand if you have noticed that I tend to repost the same pictures.

A lot.

This is because I am lazy.

Fun fact:  I can copy and paste any picture from an old post sparing me from staring at the computer while tediously uploading photos!

Well, it occurred to me over the weekend that some of you might have no idea the history of how I acquired these photos in the first place.

And now, dear readers, I would like to present to you:

LJW:  Behind the Photos

Exhibit A:  The Lumberjack

Date Acquired:  Summer-ish, 2009

Reasons for use:  To show my readers just how handsome, dashing, and charming my Lumberjack is.

Alternative use:  *wink, wink* posts, aka high-fiving posts, aka posts I hope my parents accidentally forget to read.

Behind the photo:  The Lumberjack, in all his dapperness, was attempting to wakeboard. 

And he totally bit it. 

Totally.

The folks in the boat, including yours truly, were teasing and laughing at him, which is our usual custom when one of our kin bites it in the water.

He turned around and said

“Pretty sweet, huh?”

And I snapped a picture.

Dear readers!

Do you know how unique that photograph there is?

My

Husband

Prefers

Not

To

Smile.

Ever.

Yes!  That is, in fact, a random Cancun local giving my husband bunny ears!  I’m glad you asked!

And, folks, you can bet your bottom dollar that I copied and pasted all of them there above photos from old posts.

Cause I’m lazy like that.

Exhibit B:  My Dad

Date Acquired:  October 31, 2009

Reason for use:  I use this picture for any sort of Goober Parent Update, or any sort of flashback to my dad.

Simply for the fact that it is a fantastic picture.

Behind the photo:  We were all over at my parents’ house and my dad was trying to listen to a song off of his ITunes.

And I will forever use it to tease him.

Exhibit C:  Jason

Lest any of you are confused, Jason is The Lumberjack’s youngest brother.

Date Acquired:  August-ish 2007

Reason for use:  I flash this bad-boy whenever I mention the name Jason.

Just for kicks and grins.

Behind the Photo:  For The Lumberjack’s birthday, we went camping with his whole side of the family at the river.

If ever we are on that darned river, all three of those Lumberjackish boys, David, Alex, and Jason, will don snorkeling gear, hop on a tube, smack their faces head first into the water . . .

*like so*

and spearfish.

Yes, folks.

That is my husband.

So, as Jason was gearing up for a day of fun-filled spearing, I shouted,

“Smile, Jason!”

Natually, he obeyed, as I am most intimidating.

Topic #3

On March 28, 2009, The Lumberjack and I discovered our dvd remote was missing.

Yes, we are certain on that date.

We looked everywhere for it.

Finally we came to the conclusion that our remote was missing and presumed dead.

The VHS side of our DVD/VHS combo has been broken for about as long.  So, we just don’t watch VHS.

Well, during my sickness spell, I had a hankering to watch Oklahoma!

Because I love it.

But darn my luck, I only have it on VHS.

So my Lumberjack . . .

in all his handsomeness,

(Oh!  See!  Did it again!)

went to the store to buy a new, not-so-cheap, DVD/VHS combo machine.

Immediately upon his return, he got right to work on removing the inferior DVD/VHS combo machine.

As he took it out of our entertainment center, we heard a lot of rattling.

A lot.

So, he whipped out some tools, that shall remain nameless . . . because I don’t know what they are called, opened up the machine and found:

Bazinga!

One of those precious Lumberjacklings passed the remote through the VHS dispenser, rendering the VHS unusable and the remote invisible.

And that, dear readers, is precisely why people who have children should not buy expensive things.

Ever.

Which Lumberjackling do you think committed this crime?

I vote Little Dude.

He’s such a naughty-pants.

Happy Monday!

Happy Mother’s Day!

And, sadly, what I think I want for my life, is not really what I want.

These four are around me a lot.

When it all comes down to it, what is really, truly important? Is it important that I am caught up on the laundry? Does it matter if my house is picked up? Where am I spending my time? Who cares if I never own a huge house, drive a fancy car, or finally have a flat stomach?

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

I do not know what the future will bring. I cannot make them choose Christ.

But I can pray.

Whatever it takes. Whatever trials in life God needs to bring them through to bring them to Him, is fine by me. They are God’s children, not mine, after all (this is a difficult conclusion for a mother to come to). I do not know and I cannot fathom what God has planned for their lives. I do not know what temptations and troubles will come their way. I don’t know how bleak the future might seem at times.

But they are my treasures. And I will pray.

***

Happy Mother’s Day!

(Name that play)

On Show us Your Life,  this week’s  topic is:

“Tell us how you came up with the names for your children.”

If you are new to this blog, I need to fill you in on something.

I do not tell my blog readers what my childrens’ names actually are.

In fact, I bet each and every one of my readers are wondering why on earth I am participating in this blog post.

I like to keep things spicy.

***

Meet our first-born:

We could not decide between two names.

I told The Lumberjack that since I was the one having to give birth, he would have to be the one to make the final decision.

So, right after she was born, he told me what her name was.

One choice was  ____ and the other choice was Claire.

I still really like the name Claire, but it was forever tainted when my good friend Kim laughed loudly when I told her Claire was an option and exclaimed:

“What?  Like Claire Huxtable?!”

(Name that tv show)

Attention Readers:  If you are in a conversation with a pregnant woman and she tells you the name she is considering naming her child, do not, I repeat, do not mock it.

It ain’t cool.

For this blog, our oldest is called Sweet Pea because that is the nickname The Lumberjack’s mother gave her when she was born.

Each child has a verse that was picked out for them when they were born.

Sweet Pea’s name means “Pure.”

Her verse:

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”

Matthew 5:8

***

Our second child is Daisy Mae.

Would you check out those smoochy lips?

Daisy Mae’s actual name was a little harder for us to come up with. 

I had tons of choices of names I liked . . . and to each one The Lumberjack would say,

“Nah.”

AAAAAAA-nnoying.

So, one day he came up to me and said,

“Well, how about ____?”

And I declared that from heretohenceforth, that baby would be called _______, simply for the fact that it was the one and only name the Lumberjack didn’t say:

“Nah” to.

Silly Lumberjack.

Daisy Mae also gets her nickname from The Lumberjack’s mom.

100 (meaningless) points to anyone who can guess what my ma-in-law’s criteria is for nicknaming the grandgirls.

Daisy Mae’s real name means:  Heath by the Wasteland.

Now, isn’t that beautiful?

Clearly the meaning of a name weighed heavily in our decision-making.

Clearly.

Daisy Mae’s life verse:

“But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.  He will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream.  It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green.  It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

Jeremiah 17: 7-8

***

So, there we were with our two girls.

Our two clean, easily potty-trained girls who would never throw dog poo at a sibling.

Then God said . . .

Let

Them

Have

A

Boy

Oh, look at that precious little pumpkin!

Yes, that is our 3rd child Handsome Dude.

A boy name was by far the hardest name The Lumberjack and I could decide on.

Every single one I liked, he would say no to.

But you would not believe the suggestions he had.

And now, dear readers, I would like to present to you:

The Lumberjack’s List of Boy Names

Interruption:  If you like these names, or have chosen them for your own kin, then I mean you no ill-will.

Gunther

Meryl

Chick

Tuck

Yes, folks.

That is what I had to work with.

Rest assured, Handsome Dude’s factual name is none of the above.

There was one, yes one, redeeming name on that list and I claimed it immediately for my first-born son.

And Handsome Dude is not the nickname that my mother-in-law gave him.

Her nickname for him is Cubby Bear.

But this boy of mine has always had this serious, handsome, old-man face

and I have always called him Handsome Dude.

I do not, in fact, remember what Handsome Dude’s factual name truly means.

Terrible, I know.

Hey!  He is number 3 . . .

Handsome Dude’s Life Verse:

” . . . So be strong, show yourself a man, and observe what the Lord your God requires:  Walk in his ways and keep his decrees and commands.”

1 Kings 2: 2b-3a

***

Then God saw our little family and He proclaimed:

Let

Them

Have

Another

Boy

Can we not all agree that boys are way more trickier than girls?

Little Dude.

For Little Dude’s name, The Lumberjack once again whipped out his high-class list of male-gendered names.

No matter how many boys the Good Lord blesses me with, I guarantee you none will be named Gunther.

Ever.

Interruption:  If you like the name Gunther, I apologize.

I don’t remember how we came up with Little Dude’s factual name, but it is a good one nonetheless.

And, in true Taylor fashion, I have not one clue what his factual name means.

But this I know to be truth:

He is stinkin’ cute.

I named him Little Dude for this blog simply for the fact that I could not think of one more option.

My mother-in-law’s nickname for him is Lion King.

100 (meaningless) points to anyone who can guess what my mother-in-law’s criteria is for nicknaming her grandboys.

Little Dude’s Life Verse:

“But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”

Isaiah 40:31

***

We are all done having kids.

So any of you can feel free to steal any of the following names:

Claire (still cute)

Gunther

Meryl

Chick

Tuck

Rest assured.

We will not need them.

Happy Friday!