Part 2 of Birthday Week: Ashlynn

We will never have another 2 year old. Can't decide whether I'm sad about that or not. Either way, Ashlynn is definitely 3 today! I've always said 3 is harder than 2 for us, so we'll see how this year turns out. She is as strong willed, stubborn as ever. She thinks she's way older than she is. In fact last night when I asked her if she was going to be three tomorrow, she told me, "No, eight!" (I informed her that couldn't be possible, since eight year olds are completely potty trained, or words to that effect.)

Happy birthday, Ashlynn Faith!

Happy Birthday, Brynna!

It's another birthday week at our house. Today, Brynna turns double digits: she's 10! Happy Birthday, Brynna!

In Threes

You know the old saying how things always break in threes? Well, we beat that! In the last two months we've had to replace:

4 tires on the Suburban
one broken window in the house
the lawnmower
the grill
a keyboard
a speaker set (these last two are thanks to our puppy chewing the wires)

And of course that's not even counting the "body work" Kelly had to have in February (he had his gall bladder removed).

But since a friend of mine has had to replace her whole life (or at least her laptop, which I'm sure felt like it) I won't complain. Too loudly.

Whose Round Table?

This one is especially for my father-in-law.

This week, we've been studying about Alexander the Great. After reading a book about him and his army, Hailey, my 8 yo, came to me with this question.

Hailey: Was Alexander the Great a real person?

Me: Yes, he was.

Hailey: Hm. I didn't think he was because that would mean Merlin and the Sword in the Stone were real too, and I didn't think that was possible.

Me (stifling a laugh): Honey, I think you're getting him mixed up with King Arthur.

Hailey, smiling sheepishly: Oh, yeah.

Church Signs

Can I just ask that churches with church signs be careful about what they put up? Frankly I'm of the opinion that church signs should be restricted to church info like times of service or to Scripture. Anything else seems to get the church into trouble.

Or make them look foolish.

There is a certain church not too far from where I live that makes me cringe EVERY time I drive past it. It's a Baptist church, and for some reason Southern Baptist churches seem to be the worst about this. We're not Baptists anymore, but even back when we were, we would never visit this particular church in large part because of the stupid signs on the front of the building - which faces a major highway here in town. I have always wondered where they get their kitschy little quotes, figuring it had to be some cute little blond secretary who had a book from the local Christian bookstore. If so, please put the book in the trash!

The sayings are either just cheesy and rather stupid like this one from a couple of years ago:

"SALVATION... It does a body good!"

To just really bad theology, like the one currently on the front of the church:

"Seek first God's kingdom and the things you want will seek you."

I have no idea the motive behind the church leadership allowing such things on the front of the church, but I have a hard time believing this will draw in new visitors. It for sure kept us away years ago when we were searching for a Baptist church to attend.

Stepping off the soap box now.

Defeat is its own reward

Lauryn, 6yo, is not a very gracious loser. The girl hates to lose a game, and we are still learning to do so without pouting. We play a lot of math games as part of her "Kinder" math, many of which rely on rolls of dice, so are purely "luck" games. Yesterday we played such a game and I beat her by one roll of the die.

And she got that familiar pouty face. I decided to try to reason with her (yes, I now realize the futility of that, but it was worth a shot, right?).

Me: Lauryn, does anything really bad happen to you when you lose?

Lauryn: Nothing except LOSING.

This is why kids should be taught Logic

Did you know we got a new puppy recently? No, that wasn't at all logical, what's your point?

Buddy is afraid of balls. Even small ones. He barks at them and crouches down like he's going to flee for his life. It's quite funny.

Buddy also has discovered my raised vegetable garden, which currently has nothing in it but dirt and the soaker hose. The girls had a very hard time keeping him out of it yesterday while they were out playing. And no, it's not that funny.

Where does the logic come in? Well, it allows my 12 year old, Aubrey, to come up with this syllogism.

1. Buddy is afraid of balls and won't go near them.

2. Buddy likes to get into the garden bed.

Thus this should work:
And you know what? It did!