They Will Sell Them on a Train, They Will Sell Them in the Rain

June 29, 2007May 22, 20164 Comments

As much as I tried to convince them that people don’t really stop at lemonade stands in the rain at 8am in the morning, they were bound and determined to try their hand at capitalism yet again.

Their sign tended to agree with me, though:

Still, they’ve made about $5 so far (never mind that $3 came from Daddy, Katie, and Millie). I took pity on them and quickly made them a new sign, though it’s not protected much better than the other one and should soon see the same fate.

And yes, I’m questioning the wisdom in letting them sit outside in the rain all morning and wondering if it will mean sniffles later on today. I’m hoping they can prove to be resilient kids who can just play in the rain without harm, even if that “play” is their second attempt at filling their piggy banks.

Sunday Night

June 25, 2007May 22, 20166 Comments

We met some new seminary folks last night and had a lot of fun. We’d been given the names of six “single” guys from the seminary to invite over for dinner. One of them couldn’t come and another one was actually married and had a son! It was a super mistake because I really enjoyed meeting Kristen and Max in addition to the guys on the list.

Last night kicked off our “Let’s Invite Friends Over for Dinner Every Single Night This Week!” week. Should be a fun, if not overly extroverted week around here…

Highlight of the Day

June 22, 2007May 22, 201614 Comments

Okay, the Brentwood Fire Department stopped by our lemonade stand and totally made everyone’s day! Two trucks’ worth of guys stopped and got out, and all the kiddos were given hats. The men were super good sports and bought more than their fair share of lemonade and cookies.

By the end of the morning, the girls brought in $57. I wasn’t going to take back my supply money, but decided to after we had a little trouble with the dividing up of the earnings (lesson in fair wages and sharing and all that). So, I took $10 back for the cookies, lemonade, plates, and napkins; they gave $1 to each of the younger girls, and split the remainder between the two of them. Not a bad haul for a morning’s worth of work.

They are determined to do it again tomorrow, though I’m trying to convince them that the nice people who stopped by today won’t stop by every day. I may let them have another go next Friday, but NOT every day. *Grin*

Lemonade for Sale!

June 22, 2007May 22, 20161 Comment

We were going to do a regular school day today, but the girls begged to set up a lemonade stand instead. I figured they actually needed the practice with figuring out money, so I decided to let them do it.

They were so excited to get everything together and set the whole thing up all by themselves (though I gave a little creative direction).

Then we had a little lesson about not actually going into the street.

And the fun began. Our neighbors were the first customers and then Katie and Millie made several paying visits. I thought that might be the extent of it, but boy, was I wrong!

They have made over $16 dollars so far and have no plans to quit. We’re on the last batch of cookies (I told them I’d only be making one double-batch for this). They are almost gone, but the lemonade is bottomless and they said they will stay out all day. I’m sure the mid-western sun will have something to say about that in another hour or so, but I’ll let them stay out as long as they want. I have a good view of them from the living room where the air conditioning is on. This just may be our new calling…

More Fun with Memorial Gals

June 21, 2007May 22, 20166 Comments

Today we went to the Missouri Botanical Garden with several gals from the church. I enjoyed visiting with a couple I didn’t know very well before and the weather was absolutely perfect for the visit!

Here’s what we do with the rowdy kids. You know, church discipline, or something.

This little one especially enjoyed the garden today:

Now then, some serious playing took place:

And more chatting:

I really enjoyed this outing very much and am looking forward to another one!

One Out of Two Isn’t So Bad, Right?

June 20, 2007May 22, 201614 Comments

Mrs. Rachel Lynde on a ministry family, as told by Anne (of Green Gables):

“I’m very glad they’ve called Mr. Allan. I liked him because his sermon was interesting and he prayed as if he meant it and not just as if he did it because he was in the habit of it. Mrs. Lynde says he isn’t perfect, but she says she supposes we couldn’t expect a perfect minister for seven hundred and fifty dollars a year, and anyhow his theology is sound because she questioned him thoroughly on all the points of doctrine. And she knows his wife’s people and they are most respectable and the women are all good housekeepers. Mrs. Lynde says that sound doctrine in the man and good housekeeping in the woman make an ideal combination for a minister’s family.”

Well, one out of two isn’t so bad I guess.

I Want to Fly Like an Eagle

June 19, 2007May 22, 20162 Comments

I’ve had Steve Miller’s “Time keeps on slipping, slipping, slipping…into the future,” running through my head for the last month. I’m growing more and more aware of how little time I have left with my girls (no, I’m not being fatalistic, yet maybe more realistic). I keep looking at my oldest and thinking that if I double her age, she’ll be 16. And that’s weird.

But it’s not weird in an “I’ll be a parent of a teenager” (well, by then almost four teenagers!) kind of way, but weird in a “what will I have to show for our 16 years” sort of way. I am the queen of good intentions. I have shelves and shelves filled with my good intentions. I have all these sections in my brain filled with things I’m intending to do with my girls. I’ve had some of those sections filled since my oldest was born. Eight years ago.

It doesn’t seem like it took us that long to get to this point and I’ve not done a lot of what I’ve intended to do by now. This is what scares me. If I haven’t done it now, what makes me think that I will in the next eight years?

I know I’m depending on myself a lot for the outcome of my girls and that isn’t proper thinking, but I am human after all. I do trust in God’s sovereignty, but I’m also a slave to my own responsibility. And I’m weighted tonight by how those bump into each other.

Time is slipping into the future. I feel like I’m running out of it.

Museuming It with Memorial Folks

June 18, 2007May 22, 20162 Comments

We had fun today at the St. Louis Art Museum. They have family events on Sundays where they provide an art activity for the kids and a 30-minute family tour. There were several of us from the church who went today for a picnic on the lawn, followed by the indoor events.

Here’s some of the kiddos (my kids, the Sargent boys, and John) in front of the metal tree (it was hot there and most of them did NOT want to have their picture taken at that moment in time…).

We went inside, where everyone was given his or her own sketch book and pencil and encouraged to sit around the exhibit of stuffed animals and sketch away. I took this photo before being instructed (kindly) that flash photography was not allowed inside the museum (shucks).

They had some live animals outside for the kiddos to observe and try to sketch:

Here’s a shot of Erica and Deryl (they showed up after the picnic, along with Mariah, Ricky, and Judy) with Eric (where’s John???). Michelle had to go home early because she wasn’t feeling well (sorry, Michelle!)

Speaking of John, here he is!

Here we have some serious sketching taking place:

And finally, the Dunham family’s artisitic interpretations of the indoor animals:

Our time at the museum and with the Memorial folks was a lot of fun. Next up is a trip to the Missouri Botanical Gardens this Wednesday.

Happy Father’s Day, Dad

June 17, 2007May 20, 2016Leave a comment

Papa
Petter of Goats,
Rider of Trains,
Hugger of Girls,
We Love You
Happy Father's Day, Dad!

Happy Father’s Day