Life as a Lewis

I'm in need of some happy this Saturday morning, and these pictures really don't get too much happier (or cuter!). Yes, she's wearing two different gloves, a Chick-fil-a watch and a bandana. That's a whole bunch of happy, right?

Okay, so I pretty much have only one genius parenting move besides establishing an early bedtime when Camden was a baby, but let's pretend I have more than this. Side note: ever since Camden took health last year, he is constantly spouting off random facts. One of them is that kids need 10-12 hours of sleep a night. And not that he had trouble going to bed before, but he reminds me often that he's ready for bed so that he can get 10-12 hours of sleep and have the most energy possible. Yes, my kids school go to bed 7:30ish on school nights when there is no baseball or church. And, yes, it's kind of fabulous. I'm a big believer in teaching your kids how to do housework. Not because I necessarily need the help or don't have time, but because it's a life skill (their spouses will thank me one day) and because it helps promote the whole family/team concept we've got going on around here. So every Monday is laundry day. The kids know it. Before they l...

I snapped this shot this morning because as we lived out the moment, I suddenly realized how often this exact set-up is happening: nearly every morning. I somehow won the carpool lottery and don't have to take the kids to school in the morning most days (I'm in charge of pick-up). We can't quite seem to get the timing down on when to wake-up. If the kids get up at 6:15ish, then we're finished with our morning routine (including showers, breakfast, devotions, packing lunches, etc.) by 7:00; carpool doesn't arrive until 7:20ish. This gives them 20 minutes to fuss and argue. But if we don't get up until 6:30, then I can guarantee that I will spend the entire morning rushing them and driving us all nuts. So I opt for the earlier wake-up call even though it means extra time for them to find things to disagree about. After nearly 4 weeks of school, we have settled into a routine. Camden pulls out his ipod and plays music while reading out loud to me the weath...

This cute orange owl arrived in the mail last week from a friend. Thank you, Lori! (and ignore the dust on my piano) And still trying to get caught up on PL from this summer. Slowly working my way through. I think I just have about 2 weeks left to finish. Week 25 Week 26 Week 27 Week 28 Hmmm. Just noticed I do not even have a Week 28 started. Here's hoping I have some idea of what we did that week. :) Week 29 Week 30 Week 31

While Brian, Camden, and a group of church kids went camping Friday/Saturday, this is what Rory and I did. And then this: Chick-fil-A ice cream and TV. Not a bad way to spend a Friday night. And then while Brian came home early from the camping trip to mow the yard, Rory and I met with some sweet friends I met during my original chemo months. We were all on about the same schedule and had the same diagnosis. You may remember my posting that those early chemo days were not as depressing as it would seem, and that was mostly because of the company of these ladies. I don't have a picture of Camden from the camping trip and day at the lake, but I hear there was a big tubing incident in which he got the breath knocked out of him.Uncle Michael was near enough to help him out, not to mention that thanks to Uncle Michael, Camden was able to attend the camping trip/day at the lake. I guess there are perks to having your uncle as the youth pastor: a 10 year old nephew just...

In the interest of full disclosure, I should tell you I got pulled over by a policeboy policeman (who was all of 18 years old) because I forgot to turn my van lights on as I pulled out of church Wednesday night. He wanted to make sure I was not intoxicated, but as soon as he shined his flashlight in his eyes, he started backing up and said, "Please don't worry, ma'am. You're not in trouble." I don't know if it was the sobbing 6-year old in the backseat (she was convinced we were going to jail) or the fact that I'd just pulled out of the church parking lot. Our car pool friend texted me the next day that Rory told them "my mama got arrested last night for not having her lights on." The policeman also thanked me for stopping since "some people don't bother." I didn't realize not pulling over was an option.  We're all still trying to get back into a school routine. Apparently 1st grade is very taxing because Rory keeps a...

I mentioned my friend Amy the other day and their surprise referral of a sweet Korean boy. Because this blessing happened many months earlier than anticipated, they find themselves in the position of needing to raise the remainder of their adoption fees much more quickly than anticipated. As in, by Monday!! Two ways you can help: 1. Go to their blog and donate directly via a paypal link or a send a tax-free donation to their church in their name. 2. Visit Just Love Coffee via this link and shop. We've bought coffee from Just Love Coffee many times (originally because of the Crain's first adoption and since then just because it's delicious!). 3. Okay, three ways because you could do both #1 and #2 if you'd like. In other news, Rory had her very first tee-ball practice last night. It was blazing hot; there is no shade for parent spectators anywhere, but oh the cuteness of 4-6 year olds clumsily chasing balls. Rory actually did really well in the field in addition t...

Camden's first week of homework required filling out this poster-sized newsletter all about himself. This is exactly the kind of project that he sometimes gets overwhelmed with, but we found the perfect solution - letting him listen to his iPod (via headphones) while he worked. The best part was watching him sing and bop along to music that we couldn't hear. LOL The finished product Maybe the second best part was reading his Hero section. I'll let you read for yourself. It's not bad left-handed cursive writing if I do say so myself. Hardest part was the important event section. Although let's be honest here, that's some great sentence structure as well as maturity on his part. (Also, I did not spend 4 weeks in the hospital.) And Rory's paper from yesterday just cracked me up. She included Elizabeth and Addison in this picture. Notice Elizabeth and I are the only "white" people, and Brian has curly black hair. Too funny. ...

Brian took the kids to the baseball field for a little practice last night. We signed both of them up for fall ball (a VERY relaxed short season of baseball). This is Rory's first time to play, and Brian says we should hope she's a good hitter because she just might be useless as an outfielder considering the fact that she cringes and runs away from the ball when it's thrown to her. :) Rory is having a very hard time on school mornings. I'm not sure if she's not falling asleep at night or if she's really just that worn out from first grade. Whatever it is, she's Miss Sour Puss in the morning. And Rory is not really my Sour Puss child so this is new territory.  Should I admit I gave her a Benadryl last night in an effort to help her fall asleep quickly? I promise I won't do it on any kind of regular basis, and she was showing some allergy symptoms so I really kind of *had* to give it a shot, right? In some ways it feels as if the bad news ke...

Friday I went to Nashville to Vanderbilt Hospital for a regular port flush. All normal there, except that I hate walking into the registration room at the cancer clinic and seeing a room full of very, very sick people. Fully knowing that I was once one of them and could be again. Puts a damper on my day every time. After all my talk of rain last week, we did finally see some blue skies. Beautiful! Friday afternoon I got word that my dad was being admitted to the hospital for observation because he'd had a small stroke. A stroke! Now maybe Becky had cancer at 29; maybe my brother had major colon surgery in his mid-twenties; maybe I had/have cancer at 35; maybe Elizabeth had a preemie baby and knee surgery that required breaking her shin and a 9-12 month recovery. Clearly, the Hale children have issues. But my parents? They're not allowed to be sick. So a 5-bypass heart surgery this spring plus this small stroke makes it feels like my world is crumbling a little. ...