Together, part 2

Today was a nearly no make-up day for me. This is unusual enough that I feel I can blog about it! It's not that I wear a whole lot of make-up, in fact I hardly know anything about it and how best to apply it, but I do prefer to spend the day with a little something on. I've always been a firm believer that just because I'm a homemaker, I shouldn't become lazy about my appearance. It's simply not fair to my husband, particularly in the culture we live in. And here, in this crazy town where appearances are everything, the importance of looking decent is probably more important. Everywhere men go, there are stunning women. I don't want my husband to come home to a disheveled, frumpy, worn out disaster of a lady. 

Not only that, but I have read that homemakers who wear shoes tend to be more productive! Well, I'm personally more of a barefoot-in-the-house kind of girl, but I think dressing reasonably well and giving some thought to hair and make-up each day does contribute to the feeling of productivity. Laziness in one area contributes to laziness in other areas. When I feel ready to go, I'm more likely to plow forward with the day. 

Today, however, I woke up feeling yucky and tired. I pulled back my clean hair in a low bun and left my face naked except for a little coverage and a healthy looking cheek color. By the time I was setting the table for dinner, I past by a mirror and realized I need a little help! Some dangly earrings and some mascara did the trick.

This may be a strong and offensive statement, but I think many women put their marriage in a risky place when they fail to take care of the way they look. 

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Here are the pictures of our dinner by the fire pit and front yard wrestling match from Tuesday night.

I brought out the bag of peanuts which was a huge hit for some strange reason...

Jacob has been wearing a pedometer someone gave him and he was curious to know how many steps he had taken. Not that numbers greater than 20 mean anything to him...

Michael loves to poke around the fire and light the end of his little stick. More often than not, I find the front of his hair singed after he's been around a fire.

After dinner, Michael and I stayed by the fire while Jon and the others ventured off to the front yard. We watched the pine cones burn until we noticed Jacob flying through the air. The games had begun...

Then the wrestling matches began...

Jack looks so small to me in this picture. His size never keeps him from playing with the big boys!

No matter how many times he gets hurt, he still walks away thinking he is invincible.

He needed to check his pedometer a few times, and each time one of his brothers took advantage of Jon being distracted. They forget that Jon practically has eyes behind his head. Just look at Andrew's expression!

Pure boyhood happiness...

By the time the boys had exhausted themselves, Olivia thought it safe to somehow join in.

Jon recently read this passage to our children, and I pray that this little family would be ever mindful of it:

"Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the other will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart." 

Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12

~Katherine