Little did I know….

We walked outside and I heard them talk about having customers…..again, I am thinking RESTAURANT. Jason and I wander back inside and Parker comes in and shows us her sign that they had been showing passing cars.

It read….

Will Dance or Sing for Money

I wish I could adequately describe Jason’s face…he was truly at a loss for words! He informed Parker that “we didn’t, we don’t, umm….that’s not really appropriate.” I later found their list of songs they had written. They had a secular and a Christian set list.

Secular included: You are my Sunshine

Christian: Every move I make

So you be the judge: Innovative, Entrepreneurial or 8 year olds gone wild?

]]> http://kellystewart.org/innovative-entrepreneurial-or-8-y-o-gone-wild/feed/ 4 http://kellystewart.org/out-of-the-mouths-of-babes/ http://kellystewart.org/out-of-the-mouths-of-babes/#comments Wed, 24 Mar 2010 22:57:10 +0000 Kelly http://kellystewart.org/?p=1585 My kids, like yours, can say the funniest things.

Emery, the middle child, has recently gotten to be quite the little negotiator.  She has a way of noticing the irony in a situation and pointing it out to us.  I thought I would share some of her latest…

The last day of school before Spring Break, we got a call from Emery. She said she didn’t feel good and wanted to come home. She had called earlier in the week not feeling well, but had stayed so we decided to go ahead and get her.  Of course, when Jason arrived to get her, she was outside the office with her class, smiling and laughing.  We were totally snookered.  Jason went ahead and took her home and began the parental discussion about when to call and being honest.

E: Daddy, I was honest.

Daddy: Emery, you said you were sick.

E: No I didn’t. I told you I didn’t feel good and had a headache.

Technically, she was right! I love how she understands the nuances of our language.

Another day, I had told her to clean up her room and make sure she puts up the things on her dresser that do not belong.

E: Why do I have to clean off my dresser when you have stuff on yours?

I have never wanted to say because I am the mommy and I said so….but I resisted and informed her that I had a lot of other things to keep clean and she is responsible for her room.

Great, she has finally noticed that our words should be followed up by our actions.  Words don’t always matter to her!

I can’t wait til she is a teenager….

Parker may have given me the most embarrassing moment of my parental life today.  She has used the word “fat” a couple of times recently and even asked if she is “fat.”  If you know her, that is not a word that would describe her.  She weighs about 50 pounds soaking wet.  I asked her where she had heard that word.  She didn’t know, but I know she had not heard it from us.  I am very aware to not talk about weight, or feeling fat, or anything close to that around my kids.  We will talk about eating healthy, being strong and how we are all unique and made in the image of God.  Anyways, she used the word again yesterday and after our discussion, I informed her that if she used it again, she would have a consequence.

Fast Forward to today. We are at the zoo and were looking at the meerkats.  There are a lot of people at the zoo today because it was GORGEOUS.

Parker comes up to me and says LOUDLY:

P: Mom, did you see that meerkat?  It is…can I say the F-Word?

Me: (Blood draining from my face as heads whip around to look): No, we don’t use the word FAT (loudly) to describe things.

I then proceeded to avoid eye contact and walk off quickly.

And seriously, how do you have a conversation with your 8 year old about not using the F-word?  I just told her that to some people it means something beside FAT and we don’t need to say it.

Ahhh, the stories we have as parents!

P.S. if you Googled F-word and made it to my blog, welcome- glad you are here.

P: “Mom, a boy in Mrs. M’s class, a first grader has a crush on me.”

Me: “He does, well how do you know he has a crush on you?”

P: “Because we were standing outside of the bathrooms at break and his class came out and he kept looking at me.  Then, he wiggled his eyebrows up and down, winked at me and did this….” She proceeded to show me the move, which proved this boy, had a crush on her.  She did the double, fingers pointed like a gun move and winked… I about busted out laughing on the spot, but realized that this was not a good move, so I smiled and said…

Me: “Well, what do you think about that?”

P: “It is embarrassing, He is in first grade and he won’t stop looking at me….”  She proceeds to tell me he is a new kid in the 1st grade and we talk about being kind, being a friend….yada, yada.

Of course, I set her up to tell the story to her daddy and had to fight even harder not to laugh when I watched him trying not to laugh.

Then, the next day…. same scenario of her getting in the car.

P: “Mom, you know the boy who is in love with me?”

Me: Taking a moment to collect myself before I open my mouth, “Parker, love is for grown ups, but yes, I know the boy you are talking about.”

P: “He followed me around the whole time on the playground today, so Z and JW told me that they would take care of it for me. (these are 2 precious boys in her class, so I am awwing on the inside thinking how they are looking out for their friend…..) They were going to tell him to not bother me anymore and you know what they did? They brought him right up to me!  I should have known I can’t trust them!” (Laughing on the inside.)

Me: Thinking I wish I had a video camera at this moment… “Well what did you do?”

P: “I ran away and Y and I started playing on the monkey bars.”

Me: “Parker, remember he is new and to be kind to him.  You can talk to him, NICELY, and tell him you are playing with your friends.”

P: “I know mom, it is just so embarrassing.”

Of course, I set her up to share this bit of story with Jason.  SOOOO funny.

He goes straight to the he is not in love with you talk with her…..Such a dad.

We have had several more incidents with this younger boy.  She seems to be handling it well, but she is SO EMBARRASSED.  That is her new word.  I am quickly seeing how fast it really all does go. Never in my wildest dreams did I think my 7 year old would be dealing with “crush.”  Jason and I talk a lot about what characteristics and values we want to develop in our kids.  We dream big for them and pray that we are bringing forth the personalities and talents God has given them, helping them learn more about Him.  I was struck again, how if I dream big for my kids, desire for them to live out a passionate, bold, faithful walk with Christ, then that is exactly what they need to see their parents doing.  I fear I talk the talk A LOT, and sometimes, walk the walk a little more slowly.  My biggest fear as a mom is that they will look back and think, My mom loved God, but she didn’t put her feet behind all those lessons she was teaching us.

I am reminded that they are growing up… growing wiser…. growing stronger….. growing little minds….that think for themselves…..that make choices….

I pray I don’t fail them……..

Here is Emery reciting that Jesus is our Redeemer.

We adore Mrs. B, who has been Parker and Emery’s teacher.  She has been such a blessing and is the picture of what a Kindergarten teacher should be!

We are praying Bradley is in her class as well, in a couple of years.  We hope….

Here she is proclaiming that He is our Eternal Father.

Sweet graduates!!

Emery’s Kindergarten class…. they made it!

Nana and Poppy came for Graduation and gave Emery her own purple Bible.

Emery Kate, we are so proud to be your parents.  We think you are an amazing little girl and are excited to see what first grade brings for you.  You have worked hard, been a helper to your teachers and have made some great new friends.  You have a joy of learning and we love how well you have done!

We are reminded, yet again, that our kids are where God wants them to be for school.  We are thankful for the example the teachers have set for them, the love and grace that has been extended to them and for a  faculty that truly cares for our girls.   We beleive that God leads each family to the school situation their kids are supposed to be in whether public, private or at home.  This was a leap of faith for us, and God has proven faithful over and over and we are forever grateful for His leading.

Last week, we finally had a clear, sunny day, to plant the garden, so Dad and the kiddos went to work.

Poppy telling them about planting.  Check out Emery’s winter gloves to work in.

Showing them how to cover it up…

Making rows.  Those are our tomato plants.

We ended up planting squash, zucchini, cucumbers, watermelon, canteloupe, radishes, ocra and the tomatoes.

Bro and Sister

I will be curious to see how this all comes out due to the experience of our farm workers….

Grow little plant, Grow…

Our neighbors, who also go to church with us, gave us their trampoline!  Their kids are much older and don’t use it anymore!  See, Recylcling at its best!

My 100 pound lab, Knox, even got in on the fun!

There you have it, the Stew family’s version of going green!

Here at the Stewart ranch, we are down a bathroom and we thought it was brilliant to let our son, who is just learning to use the bathroom, have his own. Jason and I thought, we can use that one for now, until our master is built. Good idea, until we lived it out and realized that Bradley is usually asleep when we shower in the a.m.

For the most part, our family of 5 shares our hall bathroom and in the big scheme of things, this is not a big deal. Except for the toothpaste sink that my kids never rinse out, but that is beside the point.

Why do you care about our bathroom situation?

You really don’t but since this is my place to highlight the joys of motherhood and family, I am preserving this happening for my future grandchildren.

The other morning, I was in the hall bathroom, finishing getting ready and gussied up for a full day. Parker comes in and here is how our conversation proceeds.

P: “Mom, we need some more toilet paper.”

Me: “I just refilled it, Parker.”

P: “Last night when I used the bathroom there was no toilet paper, so I just used the towel over there.” (She points to the hooks where we hang towels, which is now minus 2 from my recent shower.)

Me: Throwing up in my mouth a little, as I realize I have just used a pee-pee saturated towel to dry off, ” That’s great honey. Next time, use the wet wipes on the back of the toilet.”

So, if I smelled a little funny, now you know why!

“God, help me to have a wise and discerning heart (1 Kings 3:12) and help me to obey my parents because it pleases you. Help me to have a good day at school. Thank you God for my family. Amen” by Parker

“Dear God, Thank you for this day and thank you for my mommy, daddy, Parker and Bradley. Thank you for this earth and all the trees. Thank you for my home and ummm, my room and ummm, thank you for helping me have a good day, and ummm help me to have a good day at school tomorrow and ummm thank you for my sister and my brother and ummm thank you God for loving me and thank you God, Amen. Mommy, what was your favorite part?” by Emery

“Dear Gawd. Tank you for dis day. Tank you for de erpwanes (airplanes). Tank you for de edicoders (helicopters). Tank you for tigers. Amen.” by Bradley

She then tells me that ” Peter is not being very nice, Mommy. Daddy would never do that to you.”

That’s right, sister, he would never not keep me!

Me: You want to go to Sonic?

B: Yez, I go Sogic.

Me: What do you want from Sonic?

B: Ownt (I want) slush. Apple Juice Slush.

Me: Works for me!

Last Week;
I was reading my friend Jenn’s blog and a David Crowder came on her playlist.

B: Mommy, Ownt Cwap.

Me: What?

B: Mommy, Ownt Cwap.

Me: You want to clap?

B: Yez

The clapping is a tradition of ours when we hear Undignified by DC!

I am glad to be on this side of getting the house ready. I still have a few more projects to finish up, but it is officially open for buyers!

On a side note, I was putting Emery to bed tonight and I prayed for her teachers. I prayed for the possible teachers and said something along the lines of, ” God, we know that Emery will be with the teacher you have planned for her and that will encourage and teach her…..”

After we finish she says, but how does God know and how will we know who God has planned to be my teacher. I begin to go into how God has a plan for her life and how He has a purpose for her and she cuts me off and says, “But we don’t have that Bible that says who Emery’s teacher will be.”

Uuhh, yep that’s true!