My Washateria

The first time I saw a Washateria was when I was a teenager traveling to south Arkansas to visit Brent's family. I thought it was a joke when I saw the sign, and couldn't believe it when B said it was actually quite common in the south.  Kelly's Korner hosted Show Us Life - Laundry Room (or Washateria) this weekend, and I was on there looking at some of the tours yesterday. There are some folks out there with some very fancy laundry rooms. I started thinking "what if there is some girl out there with a small 6x6 room that houses her twelve year old mis-matched dent and ding washer and dryer looking at these pics and feeling like she is only one out there with a shabby (and not the "chic" version) laundry room?" So, in an effort to help diversify the tours I am going to go ahead and link up and show you my laundry room. Actually, BOTH of my laundry rooms. :)

Here is my "main" laundry room. It is small enough that I had to stand outside the door to get a picture of it.

My washer and dryer were purchased at a dent and ding store twelve years ago when I got married. I would love to have new ones, but the policy in our house is something like, "if it still works you can't spend any $$ on a new one." At least that's the policy Brent is always trying to force on me. :)  A few months ago the dryer started making a really awful noise and I had to call a repairman to come look at it. While he was working I did a little online research and found a good deal on a beautiful new front load set.  I did this because I just knew he was going to tell me it was time to get rid of the dirty old thing.  Who even has a dryer that lasts twelve years?  I'll tell ya who...THIS GIRL.  Not only did he tell me that it was fixed, but he told me that it should easily last me another five years or more!  Obviously B and I made a very a well informed dent and ding purchase...grrr!

Anywho, back to the laundry room...It is very plain and a maybe a little sad, but clean right? So clean.  You might wonder where is all the laundry that might normally fill up the washateria of a family of five?  That laundry my friends is kept in my secondary laundry room otherwise known as the "laundry table."  Wah lah!



Yes, unfortunately my dining table has to serve as a laundry room at times.  Actually, I guess I should say fortunately I have a large dining room table that is able to serve as a laundry table when needed!  I am a glass half full type girl after all.   For those of you who are contemplating attempting this at home please note it is NOT as easy as it might look to stack a bunch of clothes on a parson chair as shown in the pic above.  At the old house I had a large bathroom, and often times I used the whirlpool tub as a clean laundry depot...I am full of great ideas ladies!  And obviously I have some kind of obsession with seeing how long I can go without putting away clean laundry. 

That concludes this tour of the Farrer Family Washateria.  My sincere hope is that it will make some girl out there feel a little better about her laundry situation!   BTW...if anyone has any experience with laundry fairies please let me know.  Do they work like the tooth fairy?  Stick it under your pillow and it will be gone in the morning??  :) :)

Talk to ya soon,
Angie

Thursday Randomonium

        Yep...It's time for Thursday Randomonium again.  Here are my random thoughts for the week.

        1.  I got new glasses.  I was too cheap to pay for the anti-glare coating.  Because I am so cheap they don’t photograph well.  I am also not good at taking pics of myself.  If you look at this for a bit I kind of look like a bobble head!

        2.  Michael is still pumped about school.  He wakes up every morning excited about something that is going on that day.  Obviously his teacher, Mrs. Chambliss, is a rock star.

I      3.  I noticed the other day that I ALWAYS put the computer, TV, or radio volume on an even number.  What does this mean?  Does anyone else do this?

        4.  There has been some serious football strength training going on at our house.  M should be able to rip those flags right off the other kids shorts!!  Haha

 5.  Rhett had corn on the cob for the first time a few nights ago, and ate it all!  I wasn’t going to give it to him, but he was reaching for mine so I let him have it.

        6.  Ellie will not eat Chocolate Lucky Charms.  She points at the box, and says it’s spooky. 

        7.  Today I found out one of Brent’s cousins is having twins.  It caused me to shed a tear or two this afternoon.  I guess my 30’s are making me soft! 
 

        8.  I couldn’t let the list end at #7 so I thought I would share this picture M made on the computer and printed for me a few days ago.  When he gave it to me he said “this is one way I can show you I care.”  Sweetest boy ever.  Now if I could just figure out what Ugga Mugga means!  

Talk to ya soon,

Angie

Back in the Saddle Again

Earlier this summer Ellie Rose chipped her two front teeth in an accident that involved her tricycle, our super steep driveway, and the pavement at the bottom of said driveway.  She is such a tough girl, but this was a big spill and she hadn't shown much interest in riding her tricycle since.  Until last night.  Michael wanted to go on a little bike ride, and she was finally ready to give it a go!

E we are so happy to see you riding again!

Talk to ya soon,
Angie

Raising a Modern Day Knight

Last year a good friend and mentor of Brent's recommended Raising a Modern Day Knight by Robert Lewis.  We both read it and loved the concept right off.  The book focuses on how to instill in your son a masculine vision, a code of conduct, and a cause (Christianity) in which to invest his life.  Using the medieval process of knighthood as a model Lewis shows fathers how to create ceremonies and events at different stages in a boys life that set the stage for a boy to enter into manhood successfully.  I would urge anyone who likes to read, and is raising boys to consider reading this book. Even if you don't decide to do the ceremonies you'll definitely get something out of it. 

The type of ceremonies you want to have and how often you want to have them are completely up to you. There are ideas in the book, and the author gives examples of what he did with his boys, but you come up with your own specific plan for your son. I even plan to do a modified version with Ellie Rose as she gets older.

Michael turned six, started kindergarten, and trusted Jesus as his savior recently so Brent decided to have his first ceremony a few weeks ago.  He invited a small group of men who are positive role models in Michael's life over for pizza one evening.  Later, Brent presented Michael with a plaque to commemorate the beginning of his journey to manhood. 

We are so glad each of these men are a part of Michael's life. 

Just for the record my bro was there too, but he took the pic.  :)

Brent and Michael with his plaque!



The scripture verse is Proverbs 4:3-4 For I was my

father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of

my mother.  He taught me also, and said unto me, let

thy heart retain my words: keep my commandments

and live.

The future holds great things for this boy!

Talk to ya soon,
Angie

Off to College with a Roast

My little sister is leaving for college on Friday.  To celebrate we hosted Taco Tuesday at our house last night, and had a little Roast in her honor.  Everyone had so many sweet and funny things to say about Ali.  Brent remembers her wearing a little Tiger suit at all the football games when we were in high school, my MIL mom remembers the first time she saw her eating a bag of popcorn in the bleachers, I remember the day she was born, my dad remembers the day I almost cut her ear off when I caught her hair in the hand mixer.  I had blocked that last one from my memory, but now it is oddly comforting to know that even 15 years ago I had a lack of SKILLS in the kitchen! 

My sister is truly one of the most pure and genuine people I have ever met. She has a heart for God and where he leads I know she will follow. Brent said last night that she was the "real deal," and I couldn't agree more. In a world where so many people are trying to be someone other than themselves it is refreshing to see someone like Ali who is perfectly content just being her unique self. Being different is a beautiful thing sister!

Here are a few pics from last night.

Ali, my bro Eric, Mandi, and Brey

Ashleigh, Leah, Heather, and Ali



My MIL Norma, and Ali

Ready to be roasted!

And here are a few past and present pics of Ali.

Sister, I am so proud of you!!!  And by the way...you're pretty much my favorite of all time in the history of ever!  ;)

Talk to ya soon,
Angie

Cold Front

It has finally cooled off and we are venturing into the great outdoors again!  This weekend we took the kids to Tanyard Creek nature trail for a little hike.  It is usually so nice and green there, but everything was dry and brown!  Most of the water was dried up too.  I kept Ellie going by making a Dora type game out of the hike (where are we going?...clap clap clap...to the waterfall) over and over again.  It was slightly desperate at times, but I DID NOT want to have to carry her!  The kids weren't able to swim because of the water being so low, but we had a good time and are grateful for the nice weather!

I really wish they made these backpack carriers in adult sizes

B is a strong guy and I think he could carry me.  Oh, all the

places we could go.  ;)

One of the kids took this pic of baby R.  I think it is a pretty

shot of his big blue eyes.

We signed M up for flag football last week, so the boys worked on some drills this weekend.  M has never played football, but we hear at this age it is just a chaotic mess of running screaming kids.  He mastered running, screaming, and chaos a long time ago so he should do great!  Haha.

The taters got a new sprinkler from Nanny Sheila this weekend.  They spent a little time tonight running through it.  It is always more fun to run through sprinkler a) without a shirt on  b) while wearing a chalk smock! 

M and E were freezing after the sprinkler and went straight in for a hot bubble bath. The way they were acting I'm surprised they didn't ask for cocoa!

Talk to ya soon,
Angie

The Other Littles

Whew...I have to say Kindergarten is completely wearing this mama out!  They keep talking/sending notes about how your kid may be really tired or cranky during the first few weeks, but the only tired body in this house right now is mine.  I never knew it was so much work...the lunches, the homework, the nightly clothing prep, and the countless hours in the car rider line (in 100 degree heat).  I normally wait up for B to get home in the evenings, but he said here lately I am konked out when he gets home.  I am hoping I adjust soon, or else I have a looonnnnggg twelve years ahead of me!!  :)

Since my last couple of posts have been about M, I thought I would focus on the other littles today.  They are still here, and doing their best to keep me busy while M is at school. 

E is really talking up a storm now.  She uses sentences and correct grammar most of the time.  She told me the other day that someone "was not being patient," and she was spot on with her assessment.  She is hooked on Dora, Calliou, and The Wonder Pets...she watches them on Netflix all the time.  She usually sings along with the songs and I love to listen to her.

She has been helping Pawpaw and Meemaw at the boot store on Thursdays this summer, and really has a fun time with it.  She likes to do a little shopping, dress up, and play cowgirl while she is there.

We were watching her sleep this morning (unfortunately in our bed), and B was describing the ways she resembles a cabbage patch doll.  Judging by this photo I say he is right. 

She is still spending time working on her makeup.  I think she may have a future as a makeup artist to the stars!! 

If the makeup artist thing doesn't work out I know she will be a good mother.  She practices that all the time too.  She is really strict.  When her babies are in bed they are ASLEEP and there is no getting back up.  I think I may need to start practicing some of her parenting techniques.

The littlest tater is starting to come into his own lately.  He is much more vocal now.  All of his words sound like "hee," but like all good parents we have learned to turn "hee" into a lot of things!  R and E have really started playing with each other instead of at each other.  It is really sweet.  A few times lately I have heard R and thought he was distressed, but then realized he was just chuckling at something him and E were doing.  :) 

He has FINALLY started eating well so we are feeding him every chance we get!!! 

This looks like a food induced coma...maybe we

should lay off the eating just a bit!  Heehee.

He got his first set of wheels for his birthday in June and he has just now started learning to ride.  He had his first wreck this morning, but didn't let it get him down. 

Here he is trying to play hide and seek with E.  I don't think she was as into it as he was.

R's favorite toy right now is any kind of ball.  He had one in his crib for bed the other night, and when I checked on him later he was still holding it in his hand.  So cute.

He is also learning to cope with constantly being tortured by his older brother.  If the person who purchased this pincher toy is reading (and I assume you are because I think it was a grandparent) please remind me to bring it to your house next time we head your way.  :) :)

I've got to run.  Laundry, lunch boxes, and Tuesday folders are calling my name!

Talk to ya soon,

Angie