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sunny sunday.

October 15, 2012 Filed in my goofball kids,the farm,things i love

craft weekend went well..fun group of ladies!
we added in a dairy farm visit on saturday.
my friend kerry had a sale out out her farm and we took the craft girls out there for lunch & shopping.
and a bonus was getting to see the cows up close too.

i came home sunday afternoon from Craft Weekend and it was absolutely PERFECT outside.
i watched my girls jumping on the trampoline and could not resist pulling out my camera with that gorgeous light pouring in through the yellow trees.

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i was happy to be back home with them.
we made a campfire and had s'mores and all night i was just overflowing with gratitude for…. all of it.
the sunlight….the turning leaves…the quiet….the beautiful setting….my kids….my husband….the stars…

and the left over cheesecake.
 
how was your weekend?
what did you do?

i pet a cow.

(and later….i found cow poop in my hair.   for reals.  but i lived.)

 

 

add a comment

Jenny Lynn - these are AMAZING! such sweet memories and BEAUTIFUL pictures 🙂
i can’t wait to go to a blue lily weekend! i’m dying to go!

danielle burkleo - i cannot handle these photos. LOVE.

Lisa M. - Yes, I know you told us this just recently, but I cannot find the post. Sorry…

Lisa M. - Hi Meg, I know you just told us this in a recent post, but what is the camera lens you use most of the time? I am looking into buying a new lens and I’m having a hard time deciding.
Thanks for your help!

Ann Williams - I wish my girls got along as well as your do! 10 and 7…like yours? So sweet!

Penny Smith - Great weekend!! Fun seeing the girls in “3D”! 🙂
Thanks for everything!!

Kerry Wiebe - Megs, so sorry about the cow poop it’s a regular hair accessory around here. HA HA Thanks so much for coming out and bringing your troops. Loved seeing you and Kimberlee

susan - OMG number 7 – enough said.

amber - these photos of your girls are priceless! beautiful use of light and love!

tara - had a marriage retreat this weekend….wonderful getaway with just my man.
your girls are looking so much older, especially Talby.
the one of them laying together and smiling real big is a keeper….those moments where they are happy to be next to each other and smiling don’t always happen at our house these days..(12 and 10 year old boys) …maybe that’s why I’d treasure that picture.

Kate - Oh Meg – they are so beautiful! Great pictures. Um, and sorry about the poo. That is all.

Flower Patch Farmgirl - Now I miss our hopper. That’s what the Amish folk around here call them, Hoppers. (An Amish guy once patched our hopper top.) ha

talya - they are so adorable !!! but please put a safety net, pleasssee.

April R - makes me wish i had a sister 🙂
makes me wish my daughter had one…hmmm 😉

shauna - what a beautiful set of photos meg!
the light and the setting are dreamy!
and your girls are heart wrenchingly precious.
what beauty surrounds you, my friend!
thankyou for sharing.

Tiffany - Those photos are amazing! You are so talented! Thanks for sharing it with us! 🙂

Tanya - Your pics of the girls remind me of me and my younger sister growing up. Besties.:)
I missed my kids all weekend and worked on a quilt that is SO over-the-top outside of my skill set…yikes. I’ll be shocked if I can pull it off!
Thanks for sharing…it was a smiley moment for moi!

dee - Your girls look so blissfully happy.love the pictures-love dee x

Tracy Fisher - The photos of your girls are precious. -tracy

Sandy - Stop! I can’t take it anymore! Annie is growing up FAR TOO FAST! And when did Talby’s hair get so long?! I must not have noticed because she probably had it pulled up all summer. What beautiful and loving children you have! …says a lot for their parents! Blessings to you & Craig!

jackie grandy - I love the shots of the girls Meg! They look like they’re kindred spirits, so happy and free. We biked tons this weekend as a family, and I just have to say that it made me so happy. The weather was gorgeous here as well and we made sure we got outside and enjoyed it. We purchased headlights for our bikes and biked to dinner and then biked around the neighborhood in the dark enjoying all the Halloween decorations. It was brisk, but so fun!
Happy Monday!
BTW, I am saying “for reals” all the time now and the kids and they keep rolling their eyes at me!
Jackie

Christy K - Love, love, LOVE these photos Meg! Seeing all that beautiful sunshine made my heart so happy… and your girls! My goodness! They are getting so big and look so mature now… wow! These pics are framers for sure! Thank you for this little ray of sunshine on a cloudy day here in good ol’ Winnipeg. A very Happy Monday to you! : )

Lisa - These pictures are stunning!!! The lighting and their smiles are awesome!

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - Love the pictures of your girlies and the cow poop thing is why I don’t enjoy nature that much 😉

Erin - I see a little bit of you in each of your girls. Do either one of them look more like you when you were growing up?

domesticali - Your sweet girls are really growing up all of a sudden. Beautiful pictures.

seriously sassy mama - The pics remind me of my daughters. They are such good friends.

angela - I cannot get over how much Talby…or is the older one Annie? Anyway, the older of the two looks so grown-up now! Precious girls! I need to go get myself on that craft weekend list!

lindsay - this is why i read your blog – cows, beautiful pictures, cheesecake, family, gratitude. and the picture of them looking at each other, i die, it’s so sweet.

Angela - Beautiful pics, Talby looks a bit retro with her jeans and sneaks, so fun! Had to post re: the cow poop- I just started doing night milking at a dairy barn (way up in Canada, woo!) and let me tell you I have had my fair share of poop in the hair, on my face, down my shirt, you get the picture… My kids say I stink and I actually smell up the whole room when I get home from work, LOL! I have to admit, this may be gross, but I actually kinda like the smell! Yikes!!

Lisa M. - Your girls are beautiful. They seem to really have fun together and enjoy one another. Beautiful pics too!

Jodi - i am pretty much in LOVE with these photos. seriously what a perfect combo of sisters and lighting! awesome!

Shannon - The girls are looking so much older!
Hubby and I had a great weekend without kids but I’m happy to be back home just wishing I could stay in bed all day today and sleep!

Dani - I had the most amazing weekend! My husband watched the kids so I could attend the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk! I’m a beginner at photography, but I had the most fun!
Your precious girls are just so beautiful!!

Shannon B. - I love how much they love each other and how much it shows! Precious! Glad you were able to have a nice relaxing evening with the family, not so much about the cow poop! Haha!
And I’m totally making the cheesecake this week…in my apron!

beki - How funny, I had to pull out my camers for some golden light trampoline photos of my kids this weekend, too! Annie is looking so grown up these days. Where does the time go?

Kathryn Goertzen - so . . . my friend and I (both from Nebraska) were in town this weekend for the festivities at the college. At 11:30 p.m. Saturday night as we were driving from our hotel to Druber’s for donuts we saw the Craft House all lit up. Seriously considered dropping in. Would that have been o.k.? Would that have freaked you out? Have you ever considered taking your craft girls to Druber’s in the middle of the night. Fresh deep fried and frosted at midnight . . . yummy!

sara @ it's good to be queen - gorgeous girls. gorgeous photos. gorgeous light. happy monday, meg.

Jen - Beautiful girls, awesome pictures – happy all around! Talby and Annie are getting so big! I’m glad you had such a wonderful craft and family weekend, Meg.

Kristin S - I love that they are not too big in their britches (we stay weird things like that in the South) to be silly on the trampoline. Proof of good parents!
My mom’s visiting from Colorado and is in major home project mode. She won’t sit still!

Megan - Gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous. Your photos fuel my DEEP DEEP desire for a 24-70. 🙂

Trish - some of these need to be on a canvas! BIG… like the one of annie and talby together… sisterly love, just the sweetest!
i want to put my name on craftweekend list, but need to wait until the little baby doesn’t need me, if ya know what i mean 🙂
left over cheesecake would make be very grateful too 🙂
i probably would have dunk my head in hand sanitizer if i found cow poop in my hair 🙂 glad you survived!

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my brain….

October 8, 2012 Filed in me me me,my goofball kids,the farm

i feel a little out of it.
i think it's all that is going on in my head preparing for Craft Weekend again.
lots of things to get ready.
all good…but just lots of things to remember.

i had six cups of coffee today. 
for real.
that can't be good for me i am guessing. 

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waffle.
he is such a goober.

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annie made a birthday card for me…she worked so hard.
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 :)

i got The Help and a blender as my gifts. 
perfect gifts i think.
not kidding.

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 some of you were asking to see the farm house and how i "decorated"  

ha.

this is my kitchen.
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this is my kitchen when i make cheesecake.
i don't know why there is a lighter in the middle of that mess….

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this is the front room…the room you walk into when you come in the house.
it has a big set of windows that faces the yard on the right side of this picture.
(one of my kids "hung" that paper star on the curtain hardware months ago… it's not a decoration) 

this is where i spend 95% of my time when i am home.
it gets the light. 
but there are no screens on the windows or door so it has no air flow whatesoever….it's a bummer. 

that door way in the back…goes to the garage.

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the family computer is off to the right.

the coat hooks are to the left…. i showed this picture way back in the summer.
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and this is our bathroom.
that we ALL share.
there is another bathroom upstairs but none of the kids like it so they all use this one.
there is a tub behind the door…and the toilet.
it's no wider than the the doorway.  :)

do you see why i miss my bathtub?  my big private bath tub in my private grown ups only bathroom???

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this weekend i decided to reorganize my closet.
i took out everything and put it on my bed.
that is my bedroom….i am in my closet taking that photo.
there is nothing decorated in it either…just our furniture we got a long time ago….and some of my grandma's.
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and there is my reorganized cleaned out closet….
craig has one 2 feet to the right of mine…but his isn't paneled…i am the lucky one.

this house is a rental.
i like living here but do not feel a desire to decorate.
i may someday….but i feel uninspired at this point.
we are still adjusting to the smaller sized space that is not really "ours".
all of us.

this was on my bed last week after a monsterous tantrum by annie.
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she is pretty cute!

we have a no screen rule for the first hour home from school.
if you don't have homework you can read, draw or play.
she made this story….it's awesome.

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ok…i am dead tired.
i am going to bed.

goodnight bloggy people.

🙂

 

add a comment

Allison - Does Meg ever reply to the comments? I remember asking a few questions in the past with no reply. I find it curious too as to why she moved. I’ve been reading her blog for years and then one day (after the fact) she said, oh yea, we moved lol Hopefully one day she’ll fill us in 🙂 I’m guessing they are using craft house as a form of income, kinda like a small business going on… crafting/bed and breakfast. Do what works for you Meg and what makes your family happy!

bathroom lighting fixtures - Nice post! I think your bathroom is a little overworked. I mean I’d change the counter tops into something smaller to conserve space, which I think is really important especially for a bathroom where we don’t have that much to start with.

Kelly - I really enjoy seeing these photos! Your white couches in the family room make it seem so “you”. But it’s not about the stuff it’s about where you live and there have been some really good and nice comments about all that. Kelly

Antonette - I looove your coffee table set up with the kids chairs. I remember you once said the coffee table is actually a dining table, but where did you get the little chairs?! I’m having a hard time finding any that small. Thanks!

Tracy Fisher - We ALL share a bathroom too. In our rambler. I thought it best only one bathroom looks disasterous (15 yr old girl with hair products everywhere and 11 yr old boy who has discovered AXE). The other bathroom is for guests. It stays pretty clean. There’s no great solution when you only have 2 bathrooms! haha. Love the letters you share. I keep mine. Especially the ones where they are apologizing. They are so cute. Have a piece of cheesecake for me! -tracy

elisa - Awww I love that you showed pics of the farmhouse. I know people don’t get it. And I love that you don’t care. 🙂
It’s all good.
Love you girly.

Alisa - This was nicely said Jenn! I think the people who don’t understand Meg’s decision are less questioning the fact that she downsized or went to the country or even got into a rental. Many people choose to or have to do this. I think the hard thing to understand is that the other house is still there and is a craft house. Most people who downsize don’t (or can’t) keep the large house. Anyway beautifully written Jenn.

Heidi Jo the Artist - I really love Annie’s card and how she added on to the grass to make it perfect for mom. 🙂 Cute farmhouse too! I love the turquoise box with the flip flops!

Susan - I don’t understand why your family lives in a rental with one bathroom while your beautiful home is reserved for crafting time and craft weekends? I may have missed the explanation, but it is confusing.

Jenn - If living in a real, undecorated, zero storage, one bathroom farmhouse means your incredible kids, and you, and your husband – have the best chance to become the best versions of yourselves…then throw the throw pillows out the window and put your feet up on the furniture and listen to the cows bellow across the field while you wait in line to use the bathroom and know that we LOVE you for that because that is life and living. Your house is awesome and it’s a privilege to have you share it with us. Family is the CAKE of the home, decorating is the sugary icing. There is no such thing as too much cake, but too much icing can ruin a perfectly good slice. Like you, our family decided to have our cake and eat it, too. We left the 4-bed 3-bath beautiful home with its walk in closets (man, I LOVED those closets), and we moved into a 2 bed, 1 bath, 112-year old farmhouse in the country. Sometimes I worry that a friend will come to visit and see this home and not understand and ask why we left our beautiful house. I hope that she finds her answer in the country lane that sees more foot traffic than cars, in the old barn with its soaring beams that arch over us like a cathedral, in the meadow where the butterflies and birds make the wildflowers dance, in the warmth of my neighbor’s eyes when she comes to leave tomatoes and hen’s eggs on my front porch, in the smell of the sweet country air. She won’t find it in my shoebox-sized closet, in my quirky farmhouse kitchen with its sloping floors and cracked countertops, in the walls which remain unpainted and bare. But come on in anyway, throw your feet on the furniture and your troubles on the floor. No pretense here, just some real living going on. And here – in this raw, undefined, unrefined space – we are becoming our most authentic selves and are finding joy in doing it. Dirty dishes and all. Thank you for sharing with us and trusting us to understand and to not judge. Love you, love your blog, love your house!

Shelly - We live in a rental too. We moved from CA to PA. I think it’s a permanent move but we just can’t quite bring ourselves to sell a CA property that is 2 miles from the beach and we have really nice tenants in it. Our first rental out here was smaller living space rooms and we all shared a bathroom upstairs – that drove me nuts. Then, 8 months later, we had to move again for weird reasons and this place is bigger with more bathrooms and living space but now my girls share a room and all our lights are very “dated.” But more outdoor space – it’ll look beautiful in the snow this winter. 🙂 Our basement floor actually has a shuffleboard game built into the laminate tiles. ha! When something breaks, we make a phone call – which is the best of all. 🙂

betsy - Don’t you just love when dogs curl up and do funny things with their legs for a nappy? It kills me!
🙂

denise@victory rd. - Annie is right, it would be funny if a dog could bowl.
Thanks for sharing a peak into your reality.

Kristen - I know you had a good reason for leaving your other house, but oh my goodness, I loved it!! It’s taken me a while to get used to the farmhouse. Actually, I’m still not! At the same time, I love the barn on your property and I imagine what you would do with the house if it were yours, considering what you did with the craft house. I love your blog and you seem like someone I could have coffee with 🙂
And you look amazingly similar to one of my cousins. Weird.

pattykaplan1@me.com - I am guessing you can’t paint anything in this rental? Small is doable, no problem, but it’s not being able to really do what you want with it because it’s a rent. I am guessing you moved there because of the school system? I am new to your blog and love your honesty. I hate it when people act like everything is peachy all the time, like WE can’t say we are having a shitty day or my kids are driving me crazy today…it doesn’t mean we don’t love and appreciate each other…it just means we are human! Thanks for sharing! By the way, I love the area where you hang your bags and take your shoes off!!

Kristin S - Emachin
I used to teach second grade and that just made me really miss phonetic spellers?!?!? I loved trying to decipher their daily homework.
Emachin
Makes perfect sense to me!

sara @ it's good to be queen - i love everything about this post. thanks for taking real pictures of real life…trash in the trash can and all. 🙂 LOVE it. we are going on two years in a rental and it is hard. i *choose* contentment a lot even though my heart longs for a forever home. thanks so much for this post.

Flower Patch Farmgirl - I’m having flashbacks from that pink bathroom tile! Man, we really missed out on the pink bathroom era. I’m glad you and I have been able to experience it.
We have the same after school rule. It grates me when Calvin comes home and starts asking to use the computer. ??? So the new rule is, if you even ask in the first hour, it’s a no-go all day. Mean.

traci - I understand wanting to live in the country and the only reason your comments about you can do without bug me is the fact that you are not really doing without. You are keeping TWO houses going which is expensive. One day, maybe you will decide to chat about why you have decided to keep two houses but for now I am perplexed.

Brianna - How long is your family planning to rent the farmhouse? Thanks for sharing your home with us!

beth - rather than trying to put how i feel into words, when the last commenter (jacci) has spelled it out so eloquently, i’ll just say, i echo her sentiments exactly. thanks for this very real post! : )

Jacci in Ohio - I just want you to know that when I saw that first full picture of the family room, I teared all up and said, under my breath, “Thank you, Megan” 🙂 Because this shows it. *This post* shows that you are you, no matter where you are. And it encourages us to remember that contentment is not found… as you reminded me months ago… in granite countertops. Joy and creativity and family can happen in wood paneling! And dated kitchens can still make yummo cheesecake 😀 Thank you so much for sharing these! You blessed me today.

mama lola - annie’s cursive is lovely! what a little lady!
your rental looks cozy for all of you! and, you’re quite the brave mama for having white furniture– wowza!

julia - I think people who don’t like to bowl are weird too! So funny!!1

Sarah - why did you move to the farm house?

Heather F. - I love the “sorry” note. My kids used to write those with pictures of themselves with big bubble tears coming out of their eyes. Precious.

colleen from alabama - Smiling. I live in a house from the early 1900’s. I love the closet pictures. My husband & I share a closet the size of yours. double hung on both sides, no shelf on top (he is 6’2″ & needs longer hanging space:) 1400 square feet gets tight at times but we always know where our kids are! We only have one shower. My oldest is a girl. 12. drama. one shower is getting stressful. one bathroom with good light is too. Thanks for keeping it real. That is sweet mercy & grace to the rest of the world who doesn’t have it all perfect either. like me. You are my kind of people.

Jennifer Davis Wood - as a Ps. When you guys lived in the big craft house I know it wasn’t perfect but it was lovely. It was also inspiring to me, I was never able to get my home as cute as yours, that’s okay! Seeing the farm house makes me feel like the energy is in the right place. Relaxed family. that’s what I’m all about right now in my life. I’m letting go of the perfectionism and concentrating on my family and traveling lightly through this world. I have a big’ol house and I miss my smaller home and it’s layout. The house I live in now is never fully cleaned and organized. We do our best and that will just have to do.

Emily M. - I love how real you are and I really like the charm of living in a home that’s not picture perfect. I like it because you can let your kids hang paper stars on the wall and it doesn’t mess up your design among other reasons. 🙂 I love your no screen rule… I’m going to have to use that someday when I have babies of my own. Hope your sleep cured your weird mood… i love the way Annie spelled weird. 🙂

Jennifer Davis Wood - OMGoodness! She is Totally Adorbs! Really funny, I can tell:) I have a couple of my own that are that way. It’s the best.

Krista - Don’t you love “kid writing”? Every time my girls ask me how to spell something, I tell them to write it the way they think it sounds. Love her cursive!

Tiffany - I agree with Stephanie, the book is awesome. Most books do…

Tiffany - oh goodness that annie is sweet. can you keep her this age?

Stephanie Talty - You are going to love the book, The Help it is amazing!
Have you seen the movie?
The movie does not compare to the book-enjoy!

amy cornwell - Ellie just started making her “y” just like Annie’s with the loop on the bottom…it’s so cute! Thanks for sharing the farm house with us 🙂 I think I missed something – didn’t realize it was a rental, are you still looking for something else to buy? I’m still envious all the same…someday I’ll live on a farm!

Alisa - I teach third grade! Wish I could have Annie in class. Such a neat kid. Love the writing!

Tracey - Annie’s notes inspire me to encourage the kids to write more to me and me back to them. Just so I can read them and save the awesomeness for later.
Love shaved Waffle. He makes me smile. 🙂
Do you have slipcovers on the front room furniture? If so, from where? I love the smoothness of yours. Mine always look like they are falling off.

Kate - Goodnight bloggy friend.

Jack - I keep all the little notes that my kids leave around for me. The ‘sorry’ ones are the best!

Rebekah Brummel - I lived in a house like that for years. . . . rental living wears on you 🙂

lisa currie-gurney - good night friend.
hugs from my heart

Tania K - The only reason I follow your blog is to see pictures of Waffle. For reals. LOL
How about a Craft weekend just for teachers? Count me in! I teach second grade.
I love how Annie writes.

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mondays.

August 20, 2012 Filed in my goofball kids,school

 

 

 

 

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annie – 2nd grade                                                            talby – 5th grade
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sean – 6th grade                                                             scott – freshman
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dorks.
i didn’t see that the boys were not smiling….
oh well.
memories.

school is in full day swing already and i am enjoying the quiet days.
i can say that because then i love when they come home so much more than when there is no break for months.

lauren’s first day was on a day with two-a-day volleyball practices so she left on her first day before 6 AM.
that is why she is not pictured.  🙂

 

ok…
now i want you to click over to read about the CRAFT WEEKEND that we had two weeks ago.
it was another amazing time.
God is so good.

 

add a comment

Amber - You know what’s so crazy about blog land? I was looking at these pics and thought to myself ” huh, i remember when Annie was starting preschool” its just so neat to have memories about someone elses children. Even though the majority of us will never meet, its like we Know each other:-) thanks for sharing your fantastic kids!

Sandy - *Sean not Shawn. Ooops! Sorry

Sandy - Beautiful cildren. I CAN’T believe Annie is in 2nd grade already! Seriously?! Also, shocked at how much taller Shawn is than Talby and only being one year apart. Scott and Shawn don’t look too happy about school starting. Here’s to your whole family having a great year!

elisa - The last picture cracked me up. So familiar!!

kerry - we’ve got 2 weeks left – lord give me strength! 🙂
Have a great year Duerksen kids – my kids are so jealous you don’t have to wear uniform! xx

Mary - what a beeeeauuutiful family you have!
blessed, indeed!
xoxo

happygirl - You have the best looking family, EVER!!!

Angie - Shew, how lucky you are to have them all in school. I’ve got another 4 years or so before that happens!
You have beautiful kids 🙂

jackie grandy - I am so laughing at the photo of all the kids especially the boys. They look so thrilled to be having their photo taken, not!
My kids start Wednesday. Where did the summer go?

tinycandi - My daughters start second and fifth grade tomorrow! 🙂

the whyte house - my friend’s second grader asked my kindergarten son, “how was your last day of freedom?” LOL. i am woo & hoo’ing everyday at drop off. haha. love school.

Alicia @ La Famille - they’re all getting so BIG!! happy first day to YOU!

Leah - Great pictures. Is Lauren a senior or in college?

Lori Austin - We have a few more days of summer before our first day. Sigh….
We also have a dress code at our school so no super cute bicycle dresses.
Bummer!!

Chrissie Grace - I’m laughing at the boys. They look thrilled! haha As thrilled as my 7th grader did on his first day 😉

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last day of summer F U N!!!

August 17, 2012 Filed in crazy stuff,family fun,my goofball kids

i was really ready for school to start but feeling like this summer was missing some FUN.
you know…REAL fun.
i felt tired and busy all summer.
and a bit checked out.
at the store i got the last minute school supplies i had forgotten before and as i grabbed the shaving cream that was on my grocery list…i had the idea.

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shaving cream fight.
it's been two years.
we needed to bring it back.

after dinner that night i called them out for a surprise.
i was nervous they were going to think they were too old for it.

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clearly they were not too old for this awesomeness.
well, scott was…but you could tell he really wanted to come out.  
isn't it a bummer to get older and put all these "rules" on yourself?
because are you really ever too old to be in a shaving cream fight?
the answer is no.

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i keep a few wet rags nearby for when someone gets it on their eye or mouth.
there were no tears this year or fighting.
YAY!!!

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the yard smelled amazing.

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waffle really wanted to come out and play.

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she did throw it at me.
it wiped off my camera.
and i had it all over my shirt….but that is no biggie.

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best picture ever!!!

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i sent them to the trampoline which was like i told them to get a third scoop of ice cream!
they were so happy.
         

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THEN i turned on the sprinkler under the trampoline and they cleaned most of the shaving cream off of them.
they eventually went in one at a time and showered while i sprayed down the deck.

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it was the pefect last night of summer activity.
they said so many times how fun it was and how awesome all that shaving cream felt.

smile.

at least we ended on a good note.

goodbye summer.
you were too hot and kind of sucky…..autumn i expect more from you!

my advice today:

GO BUY TEN CANS OF BARBASOL AND TELL YOU KIDS TO GO NUTS!

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 

craft weekend post is coming on monday!
did you think i forgot?
no way…. those posts just always have so much goodness they take a long time to write.  :)

 

add a comment

Lisa - Oh cool! We JUST did the SAME thing. I want to show you our shaving cream fun I just posted. 🙂 It’s here: http://www.mooreminutes.com/2012/08/juicy-sno-cones-and-shaving-cream-fights.html Ummm…yes, I’m being “that girl” who puts links to my site in your comments lol… 😉
I’ve been loving your “in the moment” photos and am happy I found your blog! Have a super weekend.

Kristen - LOVE this idea. We did it our last day of senior year in high school and I forgot how fun it was. My kids would love this!

playmobil - I can see that you kids really enjoy that activity and the bonding. I think they will love to do it always.

Jennifer - I always love your shaving cream posts with the kids. Really cute!

kristen - you are such a cool mom!

joyce - That looks like sooooo much fun!! WIll have to try it with the kids

Rebecca W - so fun!

Donna R - My daughter LOVED these pics! What a great way to end the summer.
Anxiously awaiting the craft weekend post! 🙂

Pink and Green Mama MaryLea - Looks like a perfect end! Our summer has been hot and sucky too….just waiting for it to end so we can all start over. Still two weeks here till the kids go back to school. May have to give the shaving cream a whirl too : )

happygirl - LOVE THIS. Why did I never think of this when my son was small. This looks like a blast. Thanks for sharing. My grandchildren (God willing) will have a shaving cream party.

Carolyn - How awesome! I was looking for some fun last-day-of-summer activity, and I think this is it! My kids will NOT expect it at all. 🙂 Thanks for the inspiration! Oh- and I loved seeing and hearing all about your trip to Colorado. My husband and I lived in Colorado Springs from 2001-2005 and although I’m glad to be back in Pennsylvania, seeing those pics made me miss Colorado! It is a beautiful state!

Su@TheIntentionalHome - I remember organizing a shaving cream fight for our church retreat one year. We were a small church. . it was received well by some but others had thosse “rules” for themselves.
Here’s our tip. . before the fight. . stick a straight pin in the nozzle of the shaving cream can and then put a lighter to the nozzle so that the nozzle melts and the opening is only a little pin hole now. . that way the shaving cream will shoot really really far.
You are a fun mom. I want to add more fun to my motherness. I am going to steal your idea. . and surprise the kids with this next week. We do not start school til the 27th. . I am so ready.

Joy Foster - Hey Meg! ( said with cool calmness..even though you are like a celebrity/BFF to me all wrapped up into one beautiful gal) WE love shaving cream in our house! My children have autism and this is a favorite sensory activity!! Loved seeing that a favorite activity of ours is one that you chose as the coolest last day of summer activity for your sweet kids!! Thanks for loving on the rest of us by being the Mom God created you to be!
fyi..my husband will often say..Who are you reading/talking about..and i will say.. “Oh, my friend MEG in Kansas” ( said without the stalky~mc~stalkster effect ) :/
ps..i loved seeing your pups in the background of the pictures..Waffle was so funny..and the neighbor’s doggie looked suspicious…wink wink.
With a Joyful heart!
Joy

Jenn B - That’s awesome! How fun!

Michelle Whitlow - I am TOTALLY going to do this!!! How fun!!!

Shannon - You’re such a fun mom!

peta - love this! might add to our summer (Christmas) holidays activity list.
Love Talby’s suit. Can I ask where it is from?

Jennifer W - I could smell the shaving cream while I read this! Where is the outdoor movie blog? I thought for sure that would be your end of summer activity!

Debby - You should make it a Dream Whip or Cool Whip fight. Now, THAT would be awesome – and tasty too!!

elizabeth - Yes I am doing this too. I feel like I didn’t do enough fun things with my kids,but this is going on the to do list for sure!

Ani G W - Ever since I saw this on your blog, we do it every summer. I think this was our third year. My 9 year old and my 4 year old beg me to do it now… My 2 year old LOVED it this year too and cried when all of the shaving cream was gone. Thank you for this idea. It is a tradition now, thanks to you, and one we LOVE!

Angie - My kids would love this although I might use Cool Whip as an alternative to shaving cream. I have a 2 year old and I can see that being an “in your eyes” kind of disaster. Love the pictures. Your right, your never too old for a shaving cream fight 🙂

seriously sassy mama - I think I know what I am doing with the girls the day before shcool. it is perfect that I took the day off!

W - Can remember your post about the shaving cream party two years ago. What a great thing to do before summer ends!

Heather - I have to do this with my kids! Thanks!

Tracey - We do the shaving cream fight too! We haven’t had it yet this year. Last year I got the idea to have them wear their pool goggles during the event so that there was no tears over cream in the eyes. I think their fave part might be the hose down at the end! 🙂

DLG in Mich - That’s an awesome idea! Totally stealing this. Thanks!

Nicole - Sean is seriously the cutest kid ever!! He looks like such a kind person.

Jill - One word! LOVE!

ira lee - we did a shaving cream fight at my daughters 14th birthday party. it was amazing!!!!! so much fun!

Alicia @ La Famille - you are the funnest mom. ever. the end.

Jessica - I need to do this. Looks like a good time!
btw… I found a KU tshirt at a thrift store (in New Jersey) and bought it for my son. He loves it!

Lee Ann - I think we just may have to do this! And after all of these years reading your blog, (our girls are nearly the same age) I still laugh that the girls have so many of the same clothes. Anna has the same swim suit. Always brings a smile to my face.

Kristin - Hmmmmmmm to somehow talk my husband into allowing this to happen. It would be so good for HIM!
What a blast 🙂

angela - Love this. They will remember this for a long time! (We made the mistake and got menthol one time…burned their eyes like crazy!!) Love all the pics! What a fun night!!!!!

Carey - Love it! We had a shaving cream day in toddler time at the library this summer during the reading program. Not quite like this though! At first, my 2 year old wouldn’t even touch it but once my 4 yr old son taught her to put it on herself, well, they were both covered!! So much fun. Thanks for reminding me of this fun idea!!

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hello weekend….

May 14, 2012 Filed in family fun,my goofball kids

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hello…. new table with rainbow legs that now lives at the farm.
we will eat all of our meals on you and you make me very happy.

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hello beautiful package that was so pretty i did not want to open from 
sparrow mercentile.

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hello…. world's cutest lunch bag at Joann's that inspired a craft project at our house.

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hello…. scott and sean's choir and band concert.

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hello…. little girlie who fell asleep during a movie on my bed.

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hello…. very funny eighth grade boys devouring their food at HuHot for scott's birthday.

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hello…. dairy cows that live across our road.

annie shouted on saturday morning "MOM COME QUICK I HAVE A BIG SURPRISE!!!"
i came into the dining room and said "what is it?"
"LOOK!! the cows are eating up close right HERE! Go get your camera!"  
:) 

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hello….new favorite photo.

 

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hello…. craft time.

my little girls were busy playing when i had it ready to go so i just started drawing on my own.
soon i was joined by two crafty girls.
when one of us is drawing usually several others follow.

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hello toothy smile that tells funny jokes and makes me laugh.

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hello…. beautiful water colors.
and smiley snails. 

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inspired by the lunch bag and this print at twoems shop

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hello ….most beautiful spring evening to have a campfire in the yard.

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hello…smores with two marshmallows please.

IMAG0749-7 hello…. cowgirl boots and rainbow gloves.

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hello….mother's day flowers and breakfast in bed made by talby and annie!

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hello…. my favorite thing to wear is "saets"  (sweats 🙂


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hello….getting her started early on making coffee!

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hello…. daisies at the craft house…with a teeny baby bunny hiding underneath.

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hello…super long bike ride over to Sonic for a mother's day treat.

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hello….riding bikes on country roads making my heart overflow with happiness.

hello…. very sore rear end from long bike ride.

 
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hello….chocolate milk drinking goofball.

 

i am saying hello with lisa leonard today.

how was your weekend?
do tell.

 

add a comment

Erin - I miss your blog Laura!! Ever going to come back? 🙁

Doris - Those notes from your kids are precious!
I’m a mom, and it made me melt. Hope my daughter one day will make me something like that 🙂
as always, you take wonderful pictures.

jen - yours looks about as awesome as ours! love the campfire time. not enough hours in our day for the fire but the kids are still hounding us – i think this weekend might be the time.
http://gronicktales.blogspot.ca/2012/05/my-awesome.html

Katy @ Live Laugh Love Craft - I’m completely in LOVE with that table!! Can we please see the whole thing? 🙂 Also, how cute are the snail paintings. Which reminds me, we need to stock up on paint for some summer art projects.. 🙂

Rachel J - I love that they know your favorite book is the Bible. You’re obviously doing something right with those fab kids of yours 🙂

April R - Yes indeed Hello! 🙂
Speckled cow nose! 🙂
Try Nutella spread with those s’mores instead of hershey’s 🙂
Rainbow chippy table legs?! XD
Thanks for the post!

kerry - Hello Meg!!!
🙂
Looks like you’ve had an awesome Mothers Day Weekend – love what the girls wrote about you – so so sweet xx

Missi Smith - Your new favorite picture is now my new favorite picture. I am loving that cow nose!! What an amazing weekend! Your photography is wonderful!

Su@TheIntentionalHome - who cares that your daughter thinks your favorite thing to wear is sweats. . she knows your favorite book is the Bible. . .that says volumes. . .you are giving her a picture of a mom who loves Jesus. . go MOM!

Kate S. - Please tell me you’ll put your “new favorite photo” in your shop?! That is perfect for my office.

Linda - Oh I want to see more of that table!!

happygirl - Fun sounding weekend. I hope your mom’s day was GREAT!!!

Flower Patch Farmgirl - “Her favorite television show is: Everything”
Ha ha ha ha ha! One more reason to love you/her.

Kimberly Dial - Hello … you are so my fave … I love that the rainbow table is at your house (that was fast! 😉

se7en - Hello All of You…. Love your weekend and your friendly snails!!! And your life in the country!!!

wedding photography - Very beautiful crafts and I love the notes about moms.

Heather F. - Great weekend! I love the spotty cow noses. Thanks for sharing.

Amy - LOVE that you took 14 year old boys to all-you-can-eat Mongolian Grill. Genius! I will have to remember that in 9 years ~ ha! So fun. That little cow snout/muzzle/nose sure is cute….a Happy Belated Mother’s Day to you!

Georgia - ahhhh your kids are so sweet! totally made me emotional.
My weekend was filled with glossing doors, taking photos of a soon to drop pregnant cousin whose having TWINS!! Shes in labour right now too, im so excited! 🙂
xxx

Sarah{Handbags*N*Pigtails} - Your weekend sounds perfect. Mine was the same. It included an amazing barn sale, lots of family time, sewing and crafting the heck out of my fingers for our school’s production of the Little Red Hen(I’m directing AND in charge of costumes and set). I made the little red hen’s apron using your craft weekend ruffled aprons as the inspiration. I’ll send you a link once we’re past all the stress of production and practices.

Laura Phelps - HELLO to my lovely bloggy friend!!!
my weekend was a let down!!! BOO
but…things are looking brighter today…even though the rain just started pouring down!
and…
GOOD BYE…piece of cake is done! I know. Crazy. But it was time…woke up and felt it needed to end.
I will still be visiting here though….love you
and the cows
xo

Stephanie - I am in LOVE with all of the cow photos! I don’t suppose you’ve thought about selling them…because I would definitely buy! 🙂

Lori H - The baby bunny picture is precious! My Mother’s Day was leisurely…I scored Season One of Downton Abbey and a Barnes and Noble gift card!

CathyC - You bought the table!! Love it.

Kimberlee Jost - Is it weird that I took pictures of cows in Germany 15 minutes ago and now here I am seeing that we are both into cows. Ha. I miss you.

tiffany gardner - hello to still being my very favorite blog girl! just wanted to say thanks for inspiring me everyday.

Lisa M. - When I saw the “Few things I know about her” questionare above it made me smile because my son (who is 6) did one similar to that in Sunday school yesterday. When it came to “My mom’s favorite thing to do is” he wrote “clean the house”!! Thought that was so funny! Ah, from a kid’s perspective…

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - Looks like you had the most perfect weekend ever! P.S. your Annie Bananie should meet my Shannie Bananie 🙂

Karen - Even better than your favorite thing to wear being sweats, is your favorite food being “salid” (I’m skeptical!) and your favorite TV show being “everything!”
Karen in NYC

Mandy - Your pictures make me want to live on a farm…and I’m not exactly the farm type of gal! Lovin those cows!
Glad you had a wonderful mother’s day!!
http://dailydoseoframblings.blogspot.com

Jessie @ Dream and Differ - I love your cow-neighbors! Reminds me of my grandparent’s dairy farm 🙂 Looks like you had a great weekend and a fun Mother’s Day!

Krissy - I love the cows!!!!!!!!! I also really enjoyed Annie and Talby’s stuff about you! They’re so sweet!! Mine was great, I got engaged on Saturday!! EEEEEEE!!! Lol!! Now I just gotta figure out a good middle spot between KS and Indiana. Boo. lol

Tanya H - Annie sounds exactly like my little girly! 🙂 I just love this post.

Kati - Love all the pics! My favorite is cow #132’s nose. Its cute! 🙂

Terrie G - Those Cows!! I need to sign them up for a photo shoot!
Love those girls’ lists!
Great weekend for you!
Mine was awesome!!
Great day yesterday spent with family & my sweet Grandson!
Happy Belated Mother’s Day to You!!

Meredith - We had a yardsale and made $180 for vacation spending money, then to the Art Star Craft Bazaar with my oldest son (8) and my sister at Penns Landing in Philly on a beautiful day. Sunday we had breakfast at our favorite diner, kids gave me a photograph I love of the skyline in Philadelphia and then off to watch my (8yr old) son, finish his spring soccer undefeated 9-0-1 with cupcakes, juice and trophies. Wonderful Weekend, happy mother’s day to all.

Holly - Sounds like you had a great weekend! My sister had a baby this weekend so mine was awesome!

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clean.

April 9, 2012 Filed in my goofball kids,the farm,WAFFLE the wonder dog

oh these goofball dogs.
they loooove to wrestle.

L O V E. 

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they wrestled for at least 30 minutes straight without stopping.
rolling and running and tackling each other…..like maniacs.
in the dirt and my weeds.
all for fun…not hurting each other….just full on PLAY time.

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waffle is the happiest he's ever been.

and then this happened….

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they sat.
together.
just totally chill.

first time ever.

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they were TIRED.

it's about time!!!

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i think waffle was having the best day ever.

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until i declared "BATHTIME!"

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ha ha ha.
wet dogs are so funny.
they always look so crazy and scrawny.

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shake it.  shake it.
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shake it like a polaroid picture.
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he actually doesn't mind any part of a bath but his favorite part is when when we towel dry him.
he enjoys the massage.
he's a smart dog!
he hangs out for towel drying….he doesn't want us to stop!

since the girls had their suits on and were already wet they said "let's have a carwash!"
even though i thought it was totally cold outside, they were fine in their suits and cold hose water.  brrrrr.
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brilliant plan.
my truck was filthy.
and so was craig's car.
country living in white cars….dirty dirty dirty.

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annie's suit is new this year from the walmarts.

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clean dog.
clean cars.
clean kids….they took a bubble bath inside after this.

we have had such a good weekend!
my kids are still off school today….who knows what we will do.
maybe some art.
it's been awhile that we have gotten crafty.

 

add a comment

Katie - I love that your girls are NOT wearing skimpy ‘lil suits they make for young girls! They look very sweet!
Also, what kind of car do you have??? with baby 5 on the way, we are trying to figure out what is best!

jean anne chez - I just experienced carma from your post. relived my life for a few moments through your beautiful pics. ;0)
I too wanted to marry a farmer, live on a ranch..on a lake instead and loving every moment. We have a standard poodle who romped around with his dog cousin (just like Waffle) until they were completely content…ahh such bliss. thank you.

Jamie - Great photos.. We have a black lab that needs a buddy like Waffle to play with. He would FREAK OUT to be able to play with a four-legged friend to the point of exhaustion. And we love Wal*mart bathing suits around here too.

Christy Brenneman - Oh my goodness…..Waffle is smiling so huge. And they actually reached a “chill” moment together. It took a lot of wrestling to get to that point I’m sure. I’m so happy for them and for you. Ky began to really grow on me and I was quite attached to that girl when we left. Perhaps I will bring Josie out to help her get some energy out when it warms a bit. Thanks for sharing your special memories! They make me smile as big as Waffle was in that photo! Christy B.

Sara - I love your blog, your dog, your spontaneity. Waffle posts and photos are the best! You’re a fun and easygoing mama. I hope I can remember to laugh about messes and embrace the moment! Thanks for the bursts of happy your blog provides. 🙂

Lynne - The dogs are just priceless. That really made my day! Waffle looks like one happy pup!

Becky Smith - Ahhh. A dog and picture post. Nothin’ better!

jackie - Cars got a bath last week, then it rained. Dogs will get a bath before traveling this weekend. How long do you think Waffle will stay clean?

The Lovely One - Happy dogs! They look so stinkin’ cute!

Donna R - Love your doggie pics and that super happy pic of Waffle. Super cute swimsuit find at Wally World…of all places!

Aby - TLOL (Totally lauging out loud) (I just made that up) lol. “the Walmarts” I thought my 80 year old mother in law was the only one that said that! Too funny! Except she’s not making a joke.

Sarah Wolfe - I love Annie’s suit. Do they have one in my size? Also love the car wash pics, and how the sun is setting in them. Looks like the country suits you 🙂

susan - LOVE the backlight in your photos, especially the one of Talby and the hose! Gorgeous!
It’s nice to see that everybody is enjoying the country life.

Mary - so cute!
but oh my, it makes me shiver! 🙂
have a wonderful week!

Lisa - Ohhh! I’m so happy for Waffle! Dogs need friends, too 😉

Shannon - love it! waffle cracks me up! loved this whole post. especially the great photos of the sun behind the water droplets!!!

Stephanie - Enjoy your blog,but i just don’t get why you call Walmart “Walmarts”? 🙂

shauna - that looks so fun.
what perfect light!
who knew dog and car washing could be so fun…

elisa - Waffle looked so sad during his bath- haha!

Adrienne s - I was going to ask about the black dog also. New?

Kelly - Never pass up the car wash request! I am cold from the picture of the hose on the head!! Swimsuits and flip flops… wow!! I was in a sweater today. Glad you had a wonderful weekend!

Vonda - Awwww, I think Waffle is a country dog at heart. He looks SO happy. And the picture of him right before your daughter with the hose, I SWEAR that dog is smiling in that picture, eyes closed tight smiling. Cracked me up.

Lori H - The difference between the laughing Waffle and the next picture (bath time- bummer) was hilarious. I love to see dogs play!

LadiesHoliday - There are few things better that puppy-dog and little kid smiles!

Marianne - Aw. so happy that Waffle has found a best friend! They look so cute together.

Leah - Waffle and the other dog look so cute! You can really tell how much dogs are pack animals when they find a doggy-friend playmate! I love the pic of them sitting together, just chillin’.

Jennifer - Ahhh…a prelude to Summer!! It all looks like it was such fun. Sometimes I think our black lab mix goes out into the rain just so he can get his towel drying. He loves it! Especially around the face. So glad you all are enjoying the country!

jessicakiehn - Show us pictures of the inside of your house, please?! Can’t wait to see what you do with your space. So fun and exciting to get to make such a big change as a family.

Sara Torbett - Loved the simplicity and fun in this post! The shot of Talby with the hose is awesome! 🙂

Melanie - Waffle DOES look happy – he actually smiles! I got a good laugh out of how dirty he was; even his tongue had dirt all over it! Looks like you’re having so much fun living out in the country. I love how you chronicle every day life with gorgeous photos and great writing. Ya know, it’s kinda fun to live vicariously through you with young kids still at home and a dirty dog. 😉

Shar - I would so love to have a goldendoodle! My daughter has a golden (regular) and I have 2 std poodles (regular. Great combo!!

Seriously Sassy Mama - I need your kiddos to come on over and wash my van.

happygirl - Doggie BFFs, so cute. We dog wash and car wash together, too. You know what they say about the Great Minds. 🙂

Lia - I think I forgot to comment this. At the end of February we brought home a 8 week old goldendoodle puppy!! Waffle was the first goldendoodle I had seen so I wanted to thank you for posting about him. We couldn’t imagine a better breed of dog for us and love our Pippa girl! Have a great monday!!

Pink and Green Mama MaryLea - I was wondering the same thing — new dog or neighbor’s dog?
Looks like everyone had a blast, water play in all forms is always a big hit around here.
Girls are playing playdough and eating jelly beans from their easter baskets this morning, I’m cleaning out the pantry. Might make a batch of homemade watercolor paints later too! : )
A crafty day sounds like the perfect way to wrap up the last day of spring break. That’s what we’re planning to do!

Lyn-de-lou - Is the black dog an addition to the Duerksen household or new neighbour??

Dee - How fun! My kids love washing the dog, cars, or anything else that involves getting to use the hose.

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a favorite of mine…

February 28, 2012 Filed in my goofball kids,parenting

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i love hearing my children practice piano.
they whine and complain.
they say "WHY DO I HAVE TO TAKE PIANO?!"
and at times….throw themselves on the floor dramatically and kick their legs up and down. 

but when they can play and when they do play….

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i love to listen.

it's like background music for the family.

the soundtrack of life in our home.

and they do love to play once they have figured out the notes.

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she sticks out her tongue quite often when she concentrates.

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she gets silly too….

we got this piano for FREE from the classifieds when we lived in illinois.
in the newspaper…before craigslist existed!
the woman giving it away was going to miss it and she said "it has a sweet sound" several times.
it's been well loved for a long time.

(and i think it needs some white paint on it sooner or later.
i can't believe it's still wood color after all these years!)

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all the kids have taken lessons at some point in their little lives.
right now it's only talby and annie playing.
i wish they all played.
but i am just not that mom.
it takes so much dedication from THE MOM to have all your kids play and keep at it.
so we are down to two kiddos in lessons immediately after school on mondays.

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one awesome thing about their lessons is they are at a college in the music department.
so when we walk in every week there is music everywhere.
trumpets practicing scales….cellos, violins and yesterday a full choir was singing!
i love that extra something the music dept. brings to our mondays. 

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photo bomber.
and there is that tongue again!

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waffle always has to be right at our feet.
literally.

well since i showed a home video yesterday….
why not one more today?!
it makes the pictures come to life right? 

pretty quickly waffle begins barking and continues throughout the entire song.
i am sure it was at something very important like a leaf falling or a person walking by two blocks away…. 

i hope that one day at least ONE of our kids wants to play an instrument for fun.
but it has to be their choice and it's either in you or it's not.
and it's not in me.
at all.
but i sure do love to listen to them play.

what about you?
do you play?
do your kids? 

 

 

add a comment

Aimee - I hated piano lessons…and practicing. But I loved being in band, as bad as I was at it.
My older son wanted no part of any of it. I “strongly encouraged” him to try band, telling him he could quit after one semester if he hated it. (Then I promptly signed him up for private lessons, so he’d be ahead of the class.) He loves it. He kicks butt. He is a trumpet player in the honor band. He is a musician…something I could never really claim.
Son #2 asked for piano lessons and is plugging away at it…but he’ll do band, too. Our kids just aren’t into sports. I’ll never be a soccer mom; I’ll be a band booster. 🙂

Ashley - Hysterical! I played for a while. I can still sight read and peck, but I moved onto singing. There is always some kind of music or made up songs in my house. Frank Sinatra got my eldest calm, and Michael Franti’s “Say Hey” and Sugarland help the youngest. It’s cute.

Cassandra - As soon as the video started I had to smile, because I took lessons for a year & Ode to Joy is “the” song I can still play, haha! Keep it up Annie!!

deb - I JUST started taking lessons at 58!!!! I wish my parents would have made me when I was younger…its HARD to learn now but I will perservere!! I love your blog….I visit all the time and I saw you at Sugar Rush!!! LOVE that doggie!!!! good luck in the new home!!!

Heidi Jo the Artist - I never learned how to play the piano, always wanted to, we had an organ and I self-taught myself some. Also, learned how to play the flute when I was in band in middle school, I’m rusty though. Rarely play.
We don’t have our kids play piano. I would love to get a piano someday, for me to play around on. We have a lot of music instruments they like to fiddle with though. I’m not that mom either. I’m really not that mom, you are more that mom than me with all the sports your kids are in+piano too. My kids enjoy other things. I enjoy not running around in circles. And I’m fine with whatever they want to do as long as they are happy.
I really love how this whole post was in b&w. 🙂

Lisa - I took piano and violin lessons from age 10 all through high school – disliked practicing, but continued playing violin through college. After college, I even bought my own violin (always played school instruments). Sadly, it sits unplayed beneath my bed now. And I don’t have a piano, though I’m saving money to buy one. My 11 year old has taken up the trombone this year – he’s pretty good and I hope he continues to play. I think he might be interested in playing around on the piano, too, once we get one. I love music and miss playing, and am trying to pass on that love of music to my son.

Lori Austin - Always wanted to learn – never did.
Hubby took lessons for 6 years growing up. From what I hear he was good.
My almost 7 year old just started lessons last month. She is liking it but doesn’t want to practice much either. Love the sound filling our house too. 🙂

Ani G W - I play the piano and have since I was five. I took lessons until I was seventeen. I have been without a piano in my house over a decade until this past month…and it has been heaven to have one in the house again. I hated playing for about a year (when I was around 7 or 8 years old), but I had made a contract with my parents to play for five years and if I wanted to at 10 years old, I could give it up. Needless to say, I didn’t. They did the contract because they actually bought my piano and didn’t want to spend all of that money if I was just going to give it up after a few months. I plan on giving my kids lessons at some point and all of my kids will be in band (at least through middle school). My hubby plays trombone and was really good (he played in the U. S. Navy band for several years)…so at least one of our kids should have some kind of musical talent…I’m hoping so anyway!

Jen Sully - I wish I played so I am making my kids play! 😉 Right now my daughter is taking lessons and it is a struggle to get her to practice but I know it will be worth it in the end! She really wants to play the guitar…I told her she can learn that once she can play the piano. LOL! I want my son to play, as well. He will begin lessons in a year or so.

nicoleigh - I took piano lessons for 8 years, and stopped when I went to high school. I never enjoyed the lessons. But now, I sure wish I would have done more! I absolutely love playing the piano, but wish I was much better at it.
I think that by exposing your kids to all types of music/instruments allows them to see what they could potentially be like. And what a great influence it can have on them. 🙂

Lindsey@ Piecefully Home - my in-laws gave us a piano. it’s older and and ugly brown color, but it plays beautifully…and it was free 🙂 it was the best gift ever. while i took lessons as a child and love to sit down to play for fun, my oldest son who is 11 and is a natural at the piano. i love that he can hear music and just sit down and pick out the melody and then before i know it he’s added in all these beautiful chords. i love that he sits down and composes his own music that sounds great. thanks to that gift, my son is creating the soundtrack of our daily life.

Valerie @ Chateau A La Mode - I want to learn to play piano. It’s on my “To Do” list. I’m either going to learn or just buy myself one of those gorgeous player pianos they sell at Costco sometimes. Have you ever seen those? They are super cool. P.S. I think you should paint your piano turquoise or even red. Now that would be fun! Loved your photos of your little sweetheart and her photo bomber.

Michelle - I have a big old beautiful piano in my living room that I would LOVE to play again! I took lessons when I was little, have since gotten the piano (that desperately needs to be tuned) and would like to take lessons agin now that I’m an adult. Maybe someday, when I have more time. It will wait. My daughter has also shown some interest so maybe together her and I will learn.
I love your blog! Thanks for all of the wonderful things you share!

Tanya - I sure as heck don’t play.
I took lessons as a kid from a lady who’s house always smelled like fish-sticks and she’d whip out a nail clipper and cut your nails if she heard your nails click on the keys. KILL~JOY :S
My kiddos don’t play yet…they’re 3 and 4…but they’re trying really hard to figure out how to whistle 😉

Kate @ Songs Kate Sang - I played when I was younger and Julia plays now. I know exactly what you mean about having the music in the background. I LOVE hearing Julia play!

lelu - We have a piano that was given to us as well. I play and I have seven piano students. My three oldest children also play. So the evening hours in our house are FULL of music. And I love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Danielle - Oh I loved watching that video. I remember throwing fits when my mom made me practice, but as with most things, I am grateful today that she made me stick with it. Watching your daughters fingers lifting so high in concentration on the notes brought back so many memories of struggling to remember where my own fingers should go.

Katie Mathieson - Your first paragraph…
I thought you were describing me…
about 15 years ago…
Wow, the memories.
And now I WISH I could still play.

Jenny B. - So funny that she wanted you to take a picture of her with her DS! 😉 We have a piano. It is in desperate need of a tuning. My husband plays. I used to play when I was young. I want my boys to take lessons, but we haven’t thought about starting yet (oldest is 7). So, we’ll see… maybe next year. 🙂

Jeanetta D. - RIght at this moment of reading this blog post I sit listening to my youngest play on the piano that was mine and an aunt’s before me. He too would rather play around on the piano than practice the songs he is supposed to be practicing (right now I am to the threatening point). We too take lessons right after school at the college and I know what you mean by being surrounded by the music when you walk in the building. Last week we strolled by the orchestra and while setting out side of the practice room I hear a bass violin lesson. I feel very cultured.

tara - my oldest took guitar lessons but has put it down for now.
i agree with you….it has to be their choice. 🙁 I’m gonna strongly suggest that he pick up the $400 guitar soon and begin practicing again, though. $400…seriously, he needs to be PLAYING it. :)))
my favorite part of this post was that she wanted you to video her playing her DS after she finished playing the piano. way to be balanced and make me feel normal. :))

Kim - Ha! I just played the Ode to Joy duet with my 7 year old this morning out of that very same book! All my kids take lessons. My oldest son is 12, and has been taking for 7 years. He is a natural and enjoys it most of the time. Our rule for him is, “no piano, no basketball”. Currently he is working on a duet he is playing with the center on his basketball team! They are quiet a site pounding out their parts on the piano together! My daughter is 10 and has been taking for 5 years, she loves to play. fast. If it were a race, she would win. Our youngest son must be on the same pace as Talby, he loves Ode to Joy!

katey - In our school system in 6th grade they have to take choral or band. My boys chose band and now in high school are still at it and love it. One plays tuba and the other tenor saxophone. I love hearing them practice (now, not so much at first). LOVE them being part of it. Thanks for sharing Annie and Waffle.

Alicia - I took piano lessons for a year when I first started high school, then quit because my teacher was pretty hard core- if I wanted her to teach me, then I had to do competitions and recitals and all that. I just wanted to learn for FUN!
So I quit, and I remember my mum coming back from parent teacher interviews and commenting that my music teacher said he stopped taking lessons at this age too, but then started back up again a bit later, and he wouldn’t be surprised if I picked it back up again in adulthood.
Back then I was like “yeah right”, I mean every day we had music class at school and I just whinged and complained that playing simple chords on the guitar made my fingers hurt!
(How I wish I took more advantage of the music curriculum at my high school!!!)
Anyway… fast forward to the year I turned 20. I was volunteering at my old school whilst working on my teaching degree, and I saw in the newsletter that they were advertising for people wanting to take cello or double bass lessons. I wasn’t interested in either of those, but I had started to really like the idea of playing the violin, so I went to my old music teacher’s office, asked him about it, got a violin from the school, found a tutor, and the rest is history!
I now play in the school’s string ensemble (even though school was a loooong time ago for me haha!) and we’re even performing at a wedding in June! I LOVE the violin! And I wish I had kept up with my piano lessons because piano is to music as ballet is to dancing – it gives you the foundation!

amber - I’m bugging you 2 days in a row:}…
She reminds me so much of my little (26 year old) sister. She had the same “style” & did everything a little extra…loud, hard, fast…so funny. She’s adorable. And I can’t believe how big she seems. Sorry…it’s just so crazy. Thanks for sharing!
Oh, & yes, I play the piano. I can still play in my books from when I was a kid! lol Does that even count??? Probably not really. But, my kids love it, so that makes it count!

Heather S. - I adore music and have NO talent for it. My 9.5 year old daughter has been playing since her 8th birthday. I love listening to her. We all enjoy music and going to the symphony is one of our greatest pleasures! LOVE!

Krissy - I took piano up until high school, and then quit to concentrate on my saxophone lessons. I hated practicing and hating playing the piano but I miss playing both now that I’m in the Navy, and wish i still played!! I loved her “now take a picture of me playing my ds” it totally cracked me up. I also very much enjoyed waffle’s accompaniment to her piano playing. :o)

Sarah @ Handbags*N*Pigtails - ALthough Ive always wanted to play(& took a class in college, getting an A) Ive never been able to pick it up easily. Flute, on the other hand, was a breeze for me, and Ive played since 4th grade. Still do weekly in church in our orchestra.
My oldest(8) has been taking violin for 3 years now and its the best. Shes had some amazing teachers along the way but you’re right…its just as hard on the momma. Its dedication to make them practice and get them to the lessons. Im hoping my youngest(6) will want to play piano someday(Ive always wanted one in the house but Eric tells me we dont need one…no one plays!). Whatever!

Kristi Rediske - I took piano many many years ago-but of course quite and I wish now I wouldn’t have. I can play a little but not very good. My daughter took and quit later, her teachers kept leaving so we gave up-now she wishes she could play-my son always asks-why didn’t I make him take piano or guitar! Do not let your kids quit-they will regret it – they will thank you later! It will be hard on you for years though-but I think you can make it. I love the pictures and video-thanks for posting this.

Renee - i teach piano out of my home & i love that you wrote this! when i was little, we were forced to play through 8th grade. i couldn’t bring myself to tell my sweet teacher that i wanted to quit so i stuck with it through high school, barely ever practicing. my mom said that if i kept going, she’d keep playing. i ended up majoring in music ed, teaching public school music and now i teach piano lessons for fun on the side 🙂 ya never know which kid might end up loving it in the future!

Gerri - My daughter plays the violin. She’s 27 now, but she still loves to play. Listening to Annie play Ode to Joy made me smile inside because when Sarah was learning to play the violin I used to make her play Ode to Joy over, and over, and over..she would get so mad at me. But I loved it so much and I LOVED hearing her play…still do 🙂

tina - I wish I could play an instrument. I tried the violin in second grade and the teacher thought it was best if I stopped. I don’t know what she was talking about I played the best version of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star on that thing. So now my 11 year old daughter plays the french horn. Of course she would pick the hardest brass instument to play,lol!! The middle school band teacher told her she’s the best french horn player he’s ever had…. just imagine how good she would be if she would practice like I asked here to!! LOL 🙂

Jody - Keep playin’ Annie!! great job & great concentration!! 🙂 Love it. A dream of mine is to snag a freebie piano off of Craigslist one of these days for our boys – we love to “Rock out” in our house w guitars & drums but Id love a piano!!
Thanks for sharing your love of music!!

Lisa - My daughter is on exactly the same song in the same book! How funny. I agree…it’s sometimes such a fight to get her going but I love it when she’s playing and so does she!

Sarah - I used to play the piano. I was good, too, but when we moved to the U.S. from Canada I didn’t like my new teacher very much (she was a clean freak and made me wash my hands before and after playing her piano…kind of made me feel like she thought I was really dirty or something?) and so I gave it up – oh the regret! Dear Duerksen children, do not give up! It takes practice, but it is SO much easier when you’re little, and you learn so much more when you’re young! I wish I hadn’t stopped, and one day when our house isn’t so titchy, I’ll be getting myself a piano so I can hopefully play again! I hope my little baby girl grows up learning an instrument, but it’ll have to be her choice (although I might make my opinion known…). x

Dana@Strawberrytart! - I have always wanted to play. I took lessons briefly when I was 9, but my mom let me drop out right before the recital – I was very shy and couldn’t handle it.

Jill - My Favorite part of that video was more listening to it while I scrolled up at looked at the pics again. Having the video in the background truly did bring the pics to life! LOVED IT!
I have my mothers old piano, got it when she received my Grandmothers piano after she passed. Mine just sits in my house annoying my husband because literally – it just sits there. 5yrs ago my now 10yr old son took piano lessons for a year. He now plays the French Horn. Since those piano lessons ended tho, no on has played it. I’ve got 3 younger girls and at least one of them would like to try it but other then that it just sits there. It is my dream that some day someone will play it and bring calm to this crazy home. LOL
Shoot, maybe I should be the one to take the lessons – hey – there’s a thought!
I guess for now it will continue to sit there and be the occasional entertainment for my 3yr old as she walks by and tests the keys from time to time.
LOVED hearing Annie on yours! Thank you for sharing!

Southern Gal - My daughter plays piano, my older son plays drums, guitar and piano, and the youngest is studying violin right now. There might be piano in his near future. I would love to play piano, but alas I don’t play anything except a little guitar, very little.

Alice H - My daughter Emilee (almost 13) has played the flute for the last 2 years. I love hearing her play (and practice too!). She can read music and she has played songs by Adele, Taylor Swift, etc on her flute! She is a smartie! She also can play an acoustic guitar.
I would love for my older son Zack (11) to play something…besides football! Haha!
And my 2 year old boy LOVES music. LOVES it. He has all sorts of musical instruments (guitars, drums, that Melissa & Doug box set, a recorder, etc) that he plays with ALL the time.

Lori H - Both my kids took lessons for a while. My reasoning was “what if one of the kids is a musical prodigy? We’ll never know unless they try.” Well, no prodigies in this family! 🙂 I had them take lessons for as long as they showed interest, about 2 years. Growing up, my parents made me take lessons for 7 years! No interest after maybe the first year, and at the end, I still had to count from middle C to read music (haha). Recitals were pure torture. I hear that learning music is good for the math part of your brain. So it’s good for anyone!

Jennifer - I wish my kids played an instrument. I have wanted to get my oldest into piano lessons but there really isn’t much of an opportunity for her to do so. My only option is something like $25 a week and that just seems high. Maybe someday….
I sure would love them to be musicians though.
Have a great day!

Alicia @ La Famille - my oldest boy plays, but when we recently moved our piano wouldn’t fit on the truck 🙁 he’s going to be totally out of practice, but it’s in storage in south dakota and we’ll get all the rest of our stuff one of these days! i want my other two to start soon!

Whitney - ahhh, I love the ending! Too funny! I want to learn so bad! It’s on my bucket list!!!

Kristin - love this post! my granny taught piano so i began taking when i was 3. i know my mom battled me on many occasions about practicing, and eventually i started taking from a teacher in our small town. i kept taking all through high school and i am so glad! when my gran downsized about 4 years ago, i was blessed to get one of her pianos. it’s now in our small home, and takes up good “space” – but i love having it! i am now 34 and i waited a long time to live in a home with a piano again. my favorite thing – playing Christmas carols and kid songs. my 3 year old son just started fiddle class last october and i it’s something he sticks with – but like you mentioned, it’s no good if it’s forced. oh, and there’s my husband… he bought himself a pawn shop guitar in college and taught himself to play. he says it was because it helped attract girls. 🙂 i guess it worked on me!

lisa - Such special pictures. I grew up playing (14 years of lessons) and my parents gave me the piano I used growing up when our first daughter was born. They said, “Every child should have a piano in their home.” She is now four so we haven’t started lessons, but I do hope all three of our girls play. We are building a house right now and were just talking about where to put the piano in our new home and my husband suggested the basement, to free up space in the living room. But I told him it had to be in the main room so I could listen to the girls practice. This post proves my point. 🙂

Leah - I really want to get my daughter started on piano lessons. We have a keyboard and she has really taken to it. I think she’s actually trying to make music too. One day, I will get a nice piano for the house. I love musical instruments. Only wish I could play one myself.

Kimberly Dial - I love that your two little girls are taking piano. Annie’s playing was magnificient! Good job! I take lessons too … I quit when I was in the 7th grade & have always regretted it so here I am at 50 doing it again. I’m with you, I can only imagine a walk thru the Music Dept. is a wonderful thing to hear.

Erin @ The Speckled Palate - I was a violin player as a kid, and today, I am really happy that my parents got me into it. (At first, my sister and I wanted to play because our cousins did, but soon, whining won out. However, I stuck with it and my sister dropped, and then, I loved it again.)
And our dog used to HOWL when we were playing. 😉 Makes Waffle’s barks seem cute, no?

Terrie - Loved both your videos the past two days!!
My kids both took piano lessons…then one moved onto flute, the other trumpet.
He actually played with the KSU Marching Band…I was so proud!!
I’ve always wanted to take piano lessons…my mom wouldn’t let me.
Maybe someday….

Janine - Don’t force them to play if they really hate it. They will run in the opposite direction. I wouldn’t even look at the piano after being forced to play it. It was only after it sat there for years that I went back to it on my own. My husband was also forced to take lessons for a year as a kid and I think he still glares at it as he walks by! Also, I am going to say this in the kindest way possible. DON’T YOU DARE PAINT THAT PIANO!! My heart hurts to think of a lovely aged wooden piano with ugly white paint all over it. An old wooden piano with scratches and dings has character, but the white paint will ruin the charm and just make it look cheap and junky and like it was a free piano.

Kiki Dee - I have been playing the piano since I was 7, and after a 12 year hiatus recently began taking lessons again at 29! I figured I am thisclose to getting my Royal Conservatory of Music degree (only 1 more year to go!), I might as well go for it! I quit lessons when I was in high school (because there were just SO many cooler things I could have been doing with my time, right?) and have regretted it ever since. My daughter is now taking lessons too, and I told her that is the ONE thing that I will not let her quit (if she ever asks to quit, which thankfully, she has not… yet). Yes, I am THAT Mom. Ha. Luckily for me, she really enjoys it. I love to listen to her practice… it’s so wonderful to hear a beautiful song being played and it’s sweet notes resonating through the house! I love it!

Laura D - I took piano lessons for 10 years and I’m so thankful my parents stayed on me about practicing. I also cheered in middle and high school and so many times I asked my parents if I could quit piano lessons to spend more time cheering/taking gymnastics. My mom always told me, “You won’t be able to cheer when you’re 80, but you’ll sure be able to play the piano.” That phrase has always stuck with me and I’m so thankful for sticking with playing the piano.

Mindy W - Dear Annie,
Wow! What enthusiasm you play Ode to Joy with! How exciting that you’ve practiced and gotten yourself this far! Can you think back to when you couldn’t play that piece? When you couldn’t even read the notes on the page?!!! You’re really learning how to play the piano! Be sure to do everything your teacher tells you to do- things like always starting with the right fingers and sitting up nice and tall and lots of other things. Why? Because even though they don’t seem like they are a lot of fun right now, they will help you look and sound even more beautiful than you already do!!! Keep up the hard work!!
P.S. I also like Waffle barking and howling to your music. Did you know Beethoven would go on long walks almost everyday? I’m sure he had lots of dogs barking while he listened to the music forming inside his head.
Sincerely,
A mom, piano teacher, and a kid who also used to hate practicing but I kept practicing and practicing and now I’m so glad I never quit!

Kathryn Goertzen - My “kid” was one those choir members you heard singing on Monday!
Friday and Saturday night @ 7:30 p.m. “The Tender Land”

Marianne - I wasn’t always a terribly willing participant in my own piano career… the rule in our house was that we had to take lessons until grade 8 and then could stop if we wanted to. I didn’t stop. 🙂 Now I teach piano though I wish I played more for my own enjoyment.

Heidi Durant - growing up, I always wanted to play the piano. All of my cousins played, but being a military family, we moved a lot, and one of the heaviest things to move is a piano, so we never had one. Last year, a friend of mine inherited a baby grand (life must be rough) I had mentioned to her, that I have always wanted to learn to play. My husband and I celebrated our ten year anniversary in Vegas and when we came home, a piano was in our living room. She gave us her old one! It is beautiful, and I cherish it. My 7-year old daughter, Emmah, and I started taking lessons. I love to plunk out the music just as much as she does. Piano lessons was on my bucket list, and at age 30, I am happy to say, I can cross that off. I love it. It is good to know, that even in my older years, I can still learn a new skill and develop a talent that was hiding!!! Happy Tuesday!

Sarah Wolfe - Love seeing your piano and being able to picture where it is in your house 🙂 We make our boys take piano. Not sure what we’ll do in the future. They don’t always like the practicing, but I think they assume everyone has to do it. I tell them girls love boys who play. Sometimes that helps 🙂

Ellen - “Now take a picture of my playing the DS.” LOVE it!!
Each of my 3 kids have taken various lessons but 2 didn’t stick with it too long. I’m not great at making them practice. My oldest took cornet when she was little… kind of loved it, kind of torture for us all. Then she got trumpetlessons from a laid back, patient jazz musician and still wasn’t much of a practicer, but really started to love it. Now she’s in college to be a music teacher/euphonium player, gets to hang out in the music department every day, practices all the time, and LOVES LOVES LOVES it. The background music when she’s home is sooo awesome.
I think the neighbors might even miss it now that she’s away at school 🙂

Jennifer - I played the piano as did my husband. Neither of my kids want to. My 6th grader just started violin this year and I had ZERO faith in her ability to remain interested. She’s going out for CHAMBER next year (a huge honor if she gets in) and is very good. My little one (soon to be 10) has become obsessed with the recorder. And I laughed at you talking about filling the house with music, because sometimes I have to squelch the need to snap her instrument in half when she gets frustrated and blows it as loud as she can. I’ve told her that if she doesn’t choose an instrument in middle school, she will have to take piano lessons for at least two years. I think that is fair and I won’t feel bad!

Laura Phelps - remember when we tried to get Sean to teach Luke how to play your piano so we could sit outside and drink our margaritas???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wish I played the piano.
maybe Sean can teach me?

Dana @ Bungalow'56 - Such a change to see all your pictures in black and white. It was beautiful. We only have youngest in piano. And It is tough I tell you. Real tough. Lots of tears, but yet she wants to continue. I have to blame the great teacher we have. She doesn’t want to quite because she can’t imagine not going to her every week, yet she hates practicing. I’m not that mom either.
Dana

Krista - OMG hysterical– I am guessing you don’t have to fight w/ her to get her to play with the DS! Love the piano playing, love that she clapped for herself, her face showing such relief to be done! We have a piano, no one takes lessons YET…. hoping they will want to learn to play some day…. I cannot read music but can play by ear. I can still hear my clarinet instructor calling me stupid because I couldn’t read the music– but that was in the 70’s, when teachers were allowed to talk that way to their students!!

Jen Brandt - What sweet pictures! Thank you, Meg. No, I don’t play and neither do my children. My grandma wanted me to play SO badly (I know she still wants me to learn), but I just never wanted to. I would encourage my children to play, but neither has shown an interest. I hope that they each take up playing a musical instrument. Note to self: be more encouraging of this. Talk about music more. I hope you’re having a great Tuesday!

bread and jam - My son played the trumpet for 5 years – his choice. I’m still sad he decided to quit – I loved hearing him practice too. One really neat thing that happened was that the elderly lady that lives next door told him he loved it when he had his window open because she could hear him play. From then on, he would open his window when he practiced.

Kelly Ann - I’ve played since a very young age… not by reading music, but by ear. My brother took lessons and would spend hours learning a new piece. I’d watch and listen to him daily and then I’d sit down and figure out how to play it, myself. Drove him NUTS! My youngest, who is 7 years, enjoys playing. He doesn’t take lessons… he just has a book and a really long strip of tape I’ve put on his keyboard so he know’s what key goes with which note. His favoirte is Jingle Bells. We hear it year round!

Lindsey - Love it! My mom made my sisters and I take lessons for years. There was a lot of crying, whining and gnashing of the teeth at practice time. Now we enjoy playing!

asnipofgoodness - Oh my goodness, she is terrific!! I can’t believe you feel bad because only 2 of your children can play!!!!! We have a big ol piano that we have moved 4, count them 4, times and guess how many of us play?????? big ol fat zero, that’s how many! One son can pick out a few, but he has never had lessons. Of course, all that moving kinda sorta explains the lack of lessons. Well, at least that’s my story 🙂 and I’m sticking to it!!

Kirsten J - I wish!!! My mom has our piano – my sister was the one who took lessons – and she offered it to us, but my husband (who is not musically inclined at all…) said we don’t have room, which is true, I guess. But. My daughter decided to take up flute this year, in 6th grade. I figured, “fine, okay, we’ll give it a go”. And I took her for at 30 minute “getting to know your flute” lesson. ummm….the guy came out with her and pulled me aside and told me he’d never, in 15 years of doing this, had a kid pick up the flute and get it like that. I’m kinda scared!

tiffany gardner - love it. my 8 year old son is taking piano right now. he struggles with the practicing part too. i took as a little girl and remember the timer on the oven for my practice time. life in full circle. life is beautiful.

Sarah P - I’ve played since the 2nd grade. I am now 33 and still play for fun and in my church. I absolutely love it. All three of us girls took lessons growing up. I remember all of us going through a phase where we HATED practicing. I think that’s completely normal. My mom always loved hearing us play when she was working around the house or cooking dinner. I plan on teaching my little ones how to play. Then we’ll see if they want to continue. I figure it doesn’t hurt to expose them to it!
By the way, love her little tongue sticking out in concentration! She’s adorable.

Kimberly - BUT, can she play ‘Ode to Joy’ on the DS?

Jacci - “you’re so versatile” 🙂 love it.
I think it’s WONDERFUL they’re taking lessons. I’ve always planned on mine taking… well, maybe planned is the wrong word. Because, we still haven’t bought a piano, ha ha. My oldest is 11. It’s kind of now or never time. I’m hoping maybe Christmas this year.
I saw the piano in some craft weekend pics and thought, “Hey, I didn’t know they have a piano” and wondered if anyone ever played it. Cute, cute, cute. And very fun.

Kelly - My kids don’t play yet. My middle boy has been wanting to take guitar lessons for a long time now. We were just talking about it again last night. We were also just talking about photo bombing last night. Weird.

Kim Elks - Oh thank Goodness! I thought I was the only one dealing with a child who dreads practicing piano!! Its a struggle every week. We love listening to her play and when you said it fills the house…that is sooo true!

Meg's Mom - I want you to know that when we went to Brandon Woods Macy, Talby and Annie played a song or two on the piano in the foyer. They all had a song memorized and played well. It was nice. A couple of people came out of their apartments to listen.

sara @ it's good to be queen - now take a picture of me playing my ds! ha ha ha!!! that’s exactly something one of mine would say. 🙂 i have two in piano right now. one likes it and practices on his own. the other throws himself on the floor and throws an ever lovin fit about it. but i still make him do it…at least for now……we’ll see. it is so much work for the mom!!

Jill - I am with you! I want my children to play and play well but…maybe just learning to read a little music is aspiration enough? Mine all play an instrument…a couple of them rather well..and a couple of them…well…you KNOW.
I took piano as a child… HATED IT THEN…but have said to my mother many times since…THANK YOU!
Love that tongue!! ADORABLE!

sarah - We have been blessed with a free piano too. It was my uncles and he didn’t want to move it. We have yet to be blessed with the money for piano lessons, but that will come soon.
I’ve taught the kids what little I remember. They can play Heart and Soul together wich does melt me just a bit.

Shairee - I love your pictures! Sometimes I just forget to take pictures of the everyday things!! My 13 year old plays the flute & piano. My 11 yr old plays the guitar (classical) & piano, my 9 & 6 year old play the violin and I am learning how to play the cello!!! The coolest thing about being able to do this (bc I totally hear you – it’s THE mom…) is that I found an aaaaamazing lady that plays 22 instruments!!!!! She teaches 7. So it’s a “one stop shop” for us. I love the music in our life and all that we are learning from it!! What an amazing blessing!!

Seriously Sassy Mama - My daughter got a guitar for Christmas from her papa, and I cannot wait to get her lessons. I have fond memories of my dad playing and my sister and I dancing in the kitchen. He still plays, but it is my girls that are dancing in the kitchen now!

Jenny Joy - Annie: “Now, take a picture of me playing my DS.”
You: “You are so versatile.”
Me: “BWWWWAAAAAHAAAA…”
You are such a good momma.

Han - I stick my tongue out when I concentrate – I get it from my Grandma who used to do it as well 🙂

Linda - Love your family video’s they are so fun to watch. Yesterday my 2 year old daughter watched your girls sing “baby” like 10 times. Its her favorite song. it so true that the piano is like the family soundtrack. Music is so important in our live. My husband and I both play. And felt that are kids needed to at least try. I think its important that they learn to appreciate it even if its not their thing. So 2 of my 4 kids play with one still to get her opportunity! Thanks again for sharing your life with us readers.

Rebecca - I love how you described the kids playing piano in the background of the other daily activities as a soundtrack of your life. How true that is! Our oldest plays piano and I LOVE to listen to him practice and play. And I love to listen to our 2 youngest bang out a song here and there too.

colleen from Alabama - I do play the piano. My mom was a piano teacher for over 40 years but of course i didn’t take from her:) I took for 10 years and i am so glad i did. I play for the 4 & 5 yr old choir at church and it is my JOY! My kids (9 & 11) are taking and it is painful most days to get them to practice. My girl(11) just started playing the saxophone this year in band and she says the piano has really helped her with a new instrument! She just made cheerleading and is trying out for volleyball so piano may be on the out for her next year:( My boy(9)just wants to play the drums and guitar so we are probably going to quit piano altogether next year. I am thankful that they have that foundation though!

Niki - I wish someone played piano in our house. The soundtrack to our life most of the time is the theme music from Mario Brothers wafting from a Nintendo DS someone was playing and left running after they went on to the next thing!
My daughter is picking up the guitar, so maybe that sound will someday take over as the music of our lives! 😉

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