what's up weekly.

What a week, what a week, what a week, what a mighty good(/okay) week.

This week's weather was downright crazytown.  65 degrees each day over the weekend, single digits and school shut-downs by Thursday.  We did head up to the Amish on Wednesday, which was all fine and dandy until we hit the gravel roads.  It was like driving on a skating rink: just a solid, glassy, Zamboni'd sheet of ice.  Plus it was raining, plus the temperature was dropping quickly, so everything was perilous and becoming perilouser by the minute.  But the gravel roads comprise the last five minutes of our forty-minute drive, and they're relatively straight and level; it seemed like such a waste to turn around at that point, so onward we ventured.

I skipped stopping for butter and cream at Irene's house, and I skipped stopping at the bulk store for oats and salt and local honey and discount tortilla chips, and went straight to the bakery.  I grabbed up our milk, eggs and bread for the week, and hightailed it out of there.  And by "high-tailed it," I mean, "drove six miles an hour up the Devil's banana peel that was the gravel road until we hit pavement."  Non-eventful, but not non-stressful; though we were listening to the last chapters of the Chamber of Secrets the entire time, so the kids were dead silent (as though petrified by a basilisk?!) while I commandeered our vessel to safer waters.  Quiet kids always make stressful driving a little easier.

It continued to rain and snow throughout the rest of the afternoon and through the night on Wednesday.  We had been planning on attending a little homeschool gathering at the public school planetarium on Thursday, which the kids were excited about, but it was cancelled since the schools were closed.  The kids were bummed, but I was secretly cheering.  Introverts, I know you hear me when I say cancelling plans and staying home instead is the most soul-satisfying thing that exists in all of God's creation.  I can physically taste the glory of a well-cancelled plan.  I wish I could write "cancel plans" on my to-do lists as an activity in itself.  Ahhhhh.  Anyway.  Our planetarium visit wasn't totally cancelled, but merely postponed, so I guess that's a good thing, since we really did want to check it out.

I've tried to spend a bit of one-on-one time with the kids this week.  (There are a lot of kids milling around over here, so I didn't get to them all yet, but I've at least started the ball rolling.)  Penelope and I played a rousing game of Scrabble, which was actually, genuinely fun.  I love this process of watching my daughters become my peers before my very eyes, and sharing interests with them.  I beat her, but not by much, and I wasn't holding back.  Should we spend much more time playing together, I'm confident she'll be better than me before long.

Piggy back rides!  Sisters aboard!

Finneas and I spent our one-on-one time playing Go Fish, and I was really impressed by how well he re-directed his disappointment at losing.  He is really growing in maturity lately: taking initiative to help others with their chores, speaking unprompted encouraging words, and making the effort to be in charge of his emotions.  He really is growing into a leader, and I couldn't be more proud.

Piggy-Bat rides.

Laurelai and I spent our one-on-one time doing her very favorite thing of all: running math drills.  She loves mathematical word problems.  She's also a genius at puzzles.  (Sidenote: I'm thinking of starting a sizable jigsaw puzzle with the big kids.  Has anyone done this before with kids?  Any tips?  Any experience with using a roll-up puzzle mat?)  I'm excited to see how this analytical part of her mind continues to develop!

Hmmmm… what else...

The girls and I attended a baby shower for a sweet friend, at which Penelope jumped wholeheartedly into playing the games.  (Laurelai refrained, due to the fact that she is a chipmunk-human: tiny and adorable and SKIT.TISH.)  She had fun playing Pictionary; she almost barfed playing "Guess the Baby Food Flavor."  She's now been officially hazed into baby shower culture.

Todd preached a double-hitter: Salt on Thursday last week, and then Sunday morning at Anthem.  The biggest two kids went with him on Thursday, and had a blast.  I love that they're getting to grow up with the example of their dad being a leader and a teacher, and getting the privilege of hearing him teach from the Bible on a regular basis.  What a strange, cool opportunity for them.  (To hear his Sunday sermon on the cost of building our lives on the foundation of Christ, go here.)

At Salt Company, our college ministry.

At 'big church' on Sunday.  Todd thinks he needs someone to photoshop a Jimmy Johns #9 into his hands so you can really get a feel for his passion.

Atticus is, as ever, completely obsessed with the World Wars, and military machinery.  He is also continuing to pursue his passion for drawing.  I found a couple of really great war-meets-art books at the library (Dazzle Ships: WWI and the Art of Confusion, and A Soldier's Sketchbook: The Illustrated First World War Diary of R.H. Rabjohn; both affiliate links) and he has been absolutely inspired.  The main thing happening as a result is his dedication to now keeping a diary - full not only of descriptions of his day, but of illustrations of his daily life.  It is INCREDIBLE.

Drawing our piano.

And, as always, the kids are just an absolute joy.  Words really cannot describe how much delight they bring me - and each other - every single day.  This time with them is such a gift.

This brother had a hard week that included a major head cold, a fever, and explosive guts.  It meant more snuggles for me, which I refuse to complain about.  He even slept on a toddler mattress next to my side of the bed one night, and I got to reach out and rub his back or hold his hand whenever he needed it.  Swoon.

Blurry, but awesome.  She plays classical music on the Baby Einstein phone pressed against one ear, while she waggles her finger around and dances like a maniac.  Dancing is her absolute joy.

World's Tiniest BatLady.

They built a man out of antique Tinker Toys (AnTinquer Toys?) and then posed... as him.

Bathtime Buddies.

In pregnancy news, I am still as large and lethargic as ever.  More so, even, if that's possible.  The couch is my constant companion, ever a true and faithful friend in times of exhaustion.  Food is a total bane, sleep is ample and yet still inadequate.  BUT.  I think the baby has dropped, which means I can breathe easier, which is an incredible blessing.  And, as I've gotten bigger, something as mundane as Todd removing the pantry door so I can actually fit through the pantry doorway has been a life-changer.  So things seem to be headed in a good direction.