My hamper floweth over

The Keith Family News

Monday, June 12, 2006

Hope for the Future

I have been having a hard time adjusting to summer. If you would have asked me last week to write an essay on "What Summer Vacation Means To Me" I would have simply put "5 kids at home + nothing much to do = fighting, bickering, whining + 1 mom in a straight jacket."
I decide to make things go more smoothly by having more of a schedule. Our school year lives are so schedule oriented that I was sure that more "planned activities" would help with the bickering and whining and help restore peace in our household. Monday: Morning walk to park, lunch, rest time, bracelet making, painting, reading time with mom for Pierce, Jordan, and Ashton, dad comes home, and all is well. Monday: clouds, thunder rain, SIGH!
I come cuddle on the couch with Max and Lillian, and hear it starting upstairs, "PPIIEERRRCCEEAAA! (for some reason, they always add an "aa" on the end of their siblings' names for enthusiasm when they are annoyed) "WE'RE SLEEPING!! GO AWAY!!" "NO YOU'RE NOT! I HEAR YOU TALKING!" All together now: "MOOOMMM!" SIGH.
They come downstairs, we eat breakfast, and I give my usual "please try to be tolerant of each other, you'll all have a much more pleasant day" speech to what I tend to assume falls on deaf ears. They all head upstairs, I load the dishwasher, hey wait! It's peaceful! I start a load of laundry, peace! I get dressed, and wince as I hear what sounds like a herd of cattle stampeding down the stairs, but wait! No tattling, no whining. I have to investigate.
Jordan and Ashton have decided to host daycamp for their younger siblings. They set up arts + crafts, blocks, a game on the computer, and even make up a cute little chant for transitioning. Jordan makes a certificate of approval for Pierce, they give Lillian and Pierce a makeover, and the sun comes out.
We walk to the park, play until it starts to rain again, we are now home for lunch. Naptime promises to be cloudy, and I have a newfound hope for the summer.
Having a large family is often trying and I sometimes doubt the job I am doing, but then the sun comes out and I see my children separately for the wonderful people that they are, and I wouldn't change my life for a thing.
I am going to start a "keith of the week" feature to highlight each one of my amazing children, you know you can't wait :)
Keithclan, 11:19 AM

6 Comments:

wow, jamie, that was really inspiring on this very blah Monday. Thank you!- Camille
Anonymous Anonymous, at 11:58 AM  
girl...did u read the larger families blog i linked to? you totally should. great post by the way!
Blogger brooke, at 3:58 PM  
That was so nice. I look forward to the day when my kids play together without screaming and gnashing their teeth.
Blogger Unknown, at 4:10 PM  
Gotta love those Keith kids!!
Blogger Summer, at 7:48 PM  
cute stuff! Love that you have built in teachers!
Blogger ashli, at 9:40 PM  
Love it! Great kids, even better mom!
-ejk
Anonymous Anonymous, at 2:49 PM  

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