Reduce, Re-use and Recycle: Going Green on Easter

Easter just ended, and I have some stellar tips on going green during Easter.

First, REDUCE.  Be late for the church-wide, huge egg hunt your kids have been looking forward to.  Sure, they were able to hunt a few at school and at home, but the huge church-sponsored hunt is where the kids find so many that they require a plastic (gasp!) grocery bag to carry the extras that don't fit in their baskets.  However, if you are under the impression that the entire, several hour celebration will culminate with this hunt, and you decide to go about 30 minutes past the start time, you will drive up as all the other children are emptying out their treasured candies.  Ignore the big tears and sobs of disappointment because, dear ones, we are reducing this year...for the earth.

Second, RE-USE.  I have found plastic Easter eggs to be very useful for other things. 
1.  Bath toys.  Wesley loves to take a bath with them, and they pop up rather entertainingly from the bottom of the water since they float.  And since they come apart, they can be filled, and water streams out the little holes that are poked in them.
2.  Tops, or the "poor man's Bey Blades."  If you don't know what a Bey Blade is, feel free to google it.  A big fad the boys are into right now, but can't afford to get them all one.  Easter egg tops it is.
3.  Dodge Egg.  Who needs a ball?  Eggs are less damaging when playing indoors, and April showers make outdoor playtime limited.  Boys need as much gross motor as possible.
4.  Learning games.  That's right, the possibilities here are endless.  Math example:  number on 1/2 the egg and a number on the other 1/2.  Multiply (or add) and answers are in the middle.  Language Arts:  setting in one egg, character in the other, and a conflict in another.  BAM!  Write a story with the ones chosen.
5.  Resurrection eggs.  Another item worth googling if you don't know what I mean.  Who wants to pay for these at a Christian bookstore, when you can make your own.  There's not much to it.

Third, RECYCLE.  I am proud to say the boys have used the same Easter egg basket for 3 years in a row!  (Wait, this is Re-use.  Oh, well. We pay for recycling service, so I am feeling fine with this in general. And I use the re-usable grocery bags for small trips...dang, that's re-use again...but I can't use them for all my trips, because I use the plastic bags for trash can liners so I don't have to pay for other plastic bags.) Oh, all the Easter worksheets they do at school are recycled.  There!

If you failed at going green this Easter, there's always next year.  Now, I am humming "Was It a Morning Like This" (a great Easter song).  Google it if you've never heard of it.

The Little Things #4

1.  Wesley yelling "BEYBLADE" and "SLUGBUG" (although it doesn't sound exactly right, you know what he is saying).
2.  Ethan-ism for the day: "It went down the wrong tomb" rather than "tube" when he got choked during supper.
3.  Aidan and his love for reading again.  He had lost it for a while, and now he reads a lot (so much that he is blocking out his surroundings while reading.)

The Little Things #3

1.  The boys' love for the song "Taking Care of Business" and how they dance to it.
2.  Running with Aidan.
3.  Our new game, and possible Lytle family tradition, "Dodge Egg."
4.  Our Charlie Brown tree; it now has some leaves.

Blast from the Past : Series Finale

This is the last post from the series. As is my custom, I did not continue. Maybe in 2015, I can look back on this blog, and not have the same sentiment. 

(Date uncertain, but after November 20, 2007 and before March 19, 2008.)


Aidan and Political Correctness


Well, the other day I, Aidan, went to a Mexican restaurant with the fam. This is the conversation that ensued:

Me: (Upon hearing the waiter walk by discussing something with the host) "What is that guy talking about."

Mommy: "Well, he is speaking in Spanish."

Me: "Why?"

Mommy: "He is from Mexico. People who are from Mexico speak Spanish."

Me: "This isn't Mexico."

I had no idea that this has been an issue for our government. My daddy grew up in Panama, and my parents try to teach me that all people everywhere are equally loved by God.  Still this doesn't satisfy my innate need for a logical explanation of things. In other words, my parents aren't politically driven, and I have never heard them speak of this issue in the past. It just seems logical to me that if this isn't Mexico, there is no need to speak Spanish. Can someone else explain why this view is not accurate? Keep in mind, I am only 4; I could be missing something.

Blast from the Past : #8

November 20, 2001--E is for Ethan

Hello world. I am now three years old, or so they tell me. I am not sure what "Happy Birthday" is all about. The way mommy said it to me, I assumed she meant to say "I love you." So I gave her a big hug and in my sweet, precious voice I returned with, "Happy Birthday, Mommy." She assures me that this Sunday I will be having the actual party. I still don't understand what's going on, but I am excited because, apparently, I get to blow out some candles. This activity I do not take lightly! I love to climb on top of counters, etc. to blow out candles all the time, but I usually get yelled at. So knowing I am allowed to blow out candles this Sunday...wow, no wonder we are having a party!

I also am confused about the whole letters thing. I see some meaningless symbol written on a piece of paper; Mommy assures me it is called a letter. Since I tend to only hear what Charlie Brown hears from his mother, they all sound the same to me. So when asked, I just say "P" because, let's face it, most of them sound like that anyway. The only letter I know consistently is this symbol: E. This, my friends, is called an "Ethan." I sometimes refer to it as "me" because it IS annoying when one refers to oneself in third person.

Until next time,
Ethan, or me

Blast from the Past :#7

Sep 15, 2007--The Trinity?

From Aidan.

I have had some serious questions lately. I haven't been totally satisfied by my parents answers. I am curious about the Trinity. How can Jesus be God and Jesus?

Also, I asked Mommy how we are going to be able to actually see Jesus when we are in heaven, since we will be dead.

You must realize that I equate size with strength. My parents have taught me that God is the most powerful being. Jesus is also God. Therefore, logically, Jesus is the biggest. But that means Jesus can't 'fit' everywhere, such as in our van. This is even more confusing, because Mommy says Jesus is always with us, can hear us when we talk, etc. But He can't fit in our car because that means He is small, which means He is not as powerful.

I need answers, people!

The Little Things #2

1. Wesley putting anything rectangular (specifically a tape measure) up to his face and yelling, "Cheese!"
2. The downpour occurring now. Such loud rain, and those I love the most are home.
3. My newly installed ceiling fan.

Blast from the Past : #6

August 21, 2007--School is Here...We are Not!


Hello all. It has been a long time since our last post. Basically our day starts with Mom waking us up before we are ready. We rush to get dressed, brushing our teeth is optional, breakfast in a bag in the car, and we are out the door hopefully by 6:45. She drops us off. Ethan in his K3 class, charming the big breasted teachers who don't know how to dress. Aidan in his K4 class, who, by the way, has already violated the dress code at the private school we attend. (Remember Aidan is 4.) By the by, we go through the day and Mom rushes to pick us up as soon as she can. She struggles with those guilty I-drop-my-kids-off-for-someone-else-to-take-care-of feelings. So she comes in around 4:00, if she is lucky. It takes a good 20 minutes to get both of us loaded in the van. We get home, scream and whine because we are exhausted, and have a snack. Supper shortly follows. Then bath, if time allows. By 6:30 we are winding down for bed. Mom is hoping we are asleep by 7:30. Then it starts all over...
Sorry this is so long, but this is why we won't be doing much myspacing for a while.
Love you all,
Aidan and Ethan

Blast from the Past : #5

July 29, 2007--Meet me in St Louie


Hey. We are in St. Louis for a fam reunion of the Hovis side (Daddy's mommy's side of the fam) and we are all staying in a Holiday Inn--thanks Uncle Roger for the hook up. Mommy used to love staying in hotels. The pool, the freshly made bed and daily clean towels, etc. We brothers overheard her talking about how it is not as fun as it used to be. Maybe because we scream, the lack of napping, the lack of sleeping in, the lack of relaxation...we just don't get it. However, for those of you interested, no diapers were packed for the trip. We are officially a diaper free family! Congrats Ethan.

Research Papers, Again

It's that time of year. Seventh grade research papers were due in February. I can't get them graded until spring break, since I have to still teach and grade what we are currently working on in class after the papers are due.

There are not enough adjectives in English to describe how much I hate them. There are not enough verbs in English to accuratetly communicate how I hate them. Here is a list off the top of my head:

1. loathe
2. detest
3. despise
4. abhor
5.  revile
6.  insufferable
7.  intolerable

That's enough. Only 5 more papers to go. Sorry for complaining. I am working on that.

Blast from the Past : #4

July 11, 2007--PT 101

So good news for the class. Ethan passed a test! He is still far from passing the class, but passing the test is a start. He peed on his potty. Okay, Mommy has been making him walk around naked all day, and he was sitting on it while watching a movie, so it wasn't a conscious decision at first. Mommy is expecting Ethan to get better and better at this thing. We as brothers think she is being too optimistic.

Wii, Wii, Wii, All the Way Home

I gave in. My boys have been wanting a Nintendo Wii for a while. They are 8 and 6 (my nearly 23 month old doesn't care). Most all of their friends have some sort of video game system. Most actually have more than one, and a hand-held version. Yuk.

Technically, the boys paid for half of it (although Aidan's 1/4 actually covered more than Ethan's 1/4!)

The Wii has magical powers. It can take a great morning of the boys cooperating, playing well together, taking turns, laughing at each other's jokes (at the appropriate times), etc., and, in an instant of turning it on, the boys are argumentative, fighting over who goes first, laughing at each other's failures on the game, etc.

The Wii is about to "go to the market" if we can't get this under control.

Blast from the Past : #3

July 8, 2007--Peeing

Hey, world. The latest in the Lytle household involves crudeness, so those with sensitive natures need not read on.

Potty training 101: Aidan passed and was trained in three days, including nights. Now Ethan is in class and is failing. He doesn't see the need to use the toilet. Mom has even tried to use her stubborn nature to battle it, but she is failing as well. She tried letting Ethan go without a diaper, but after he pooped in the floor, walked in it and spread the love, she gave up the fight. Mom wants Ethan to get a job to pay the extra 400 bucks a month it will cost to send him to a day care other than DCA, (she gets 1/2 price as an employee,) but passing the PT 101 class is a prerequisite for entry. There is some law against child labor, so Mom is working on getting around that. So, although it won't be important when we are teenagers, (at least it won't unless Ethan is still in a diaper) it is important now so our parents will save $ on tuition for the next 10 months. We'll keep you posted for those who want to know our adventures in the bathroom.

The Little Things #1

Three things I am loving this morning:

1. Wesley's confident walk across the room. Seriously, it's like he owns the world and everyone answers to him.
2. Ethan's conversation with me regarding my job. He thought I teach 8th and 9th grade, not 7th. He used the word "toot" instead of "taught", but at least he did not use "teached".
3. Aidan's crazy hair after sleeping in. He just woke up, and I am having some flash-forwards to his teen years. His first words to me: "How many donuts can I have."

I am trying to do this once a week. I will focus on the little things, not the obvious ones (God, family, etc.)

Blast From the Past : #2

June 19, 2007--We’re Back!


After a rousing trip to Missouri, things are somewhat back to normal. Ethan wants to perfect his dance moves that he tried out at the wedding, but mom is not willing to fork over the dough for his lessons. We are trying to get used to the water. Mom has taken us swimming, but Aidan 'swims' without getting his hair wet, and Ethan just sits on Mom's lap. So we as brothers asked for some goggles at Wal-Mart so we could start practicing in the tub. It didn't work. Mom was very tempted to push our heads in the water, but thank goodness, she opted not to.

Judges

I am reading through the OT. I am not doing the Bible-in-a-year thing, but am going through it in order, for as long as it takes. I tend to "take breaks" from certain OT passages to read some NT, as well as Psalms and Proverbs on occasion. So, I am trying to keep my pace more...leisurely so I can think about what I am reading and not just check it off the list.

Anyway, that brings me to Judges. I just noticed something that I never noticed before. The failure of the next generation of the children of the Israelites after Joshua's death is very clear. The entire book pretty much follows a cycle of apostasy, captivity, repentance, deliverance, and so the cycle continues. How could they keep forgetting how God had delivered them in the past? How could they forget their leader's parting words?

IT WAS A PARENTING PROBLEM! The next generation did NOT know the LORD, did not recognize Him as such, did not serve Him, but worshipped Baal along with the Canaanites. Whose job is it to teach the next generation?

God, do not let me fail at this. I want to teach Aidan, Ethan, and Wesley how You have delivered me. They need to know Your Word and specifically how It has guided my life. I fail enough as it is, with the day-to-day grind of parenting while just living. I am asking You to keep me sensitive to Your Spirit's leading in teaching them. May I not be blinded by my love for them to see any faults that I need to help correct. May I not be burdensome on their hearts with legalistic ideas of truth. I give all my autonomy in this to you, if it is even mine to give. Forgive my mistakes, and don't hold it against my children.
In Jesus' Name, and without using It in vain, but with great sincerity,
Amen.

Blast from the Past : #1

June 11, 2007--To Missouri

We are getting road trip ready. This will be the first time we have been on a trip without two adults in the car. Mommy will be driving us up to MO so we can see Paw-paw and Grandma and go to Uncle Joe's wedding. We are planning on leaving really early; Mommy's hoping that we stay in good moods since she will be alone with us in the car. We are excited, though. Aidan asks Mommy about it often. We will see you all there!

Blast from the Past : Series Introduction

I will be posting some old blog posts written in 2007. These posts were written on myspace, and I chose to write them from my very young children's perspective. There are only a few, but reading what was happening in our lives then was very nostalgic and fun.

Thankful for the To Do

Is there any way I can be a good teacher, a teacher who makes a difference, one who influences my students for God's glory...without grading papers? Seriously, I am horrible at keeping on top of grading certain things, i.e. research papers, projects, etc. Quick little paragraphs, a vocabulary activity, some grammar exercises, etc. aren't so bad.

I just finished 5 research papers in a little over an hour. I have 35 to go (not too bad). BUT, I also have about 197 projects to grade, as well as some curriculum to write. Coupling these duties with laundry, supper, cleaning house, babysitting, over-night house guests, spending time with family, and getting the winter clothes in storage to get out the summer clothes, is not making for a very relaxing spring break.

I have no right to complain, though. Here is a list of reminders of things I can be thankful for, specifically in regards to the items mentioned above:
1. I have a job, many don't.
2. I enjoy my job, many don't.
3. I love managing my household, some don't have a home.
4. I enjoy a bit of pressure and tend to work well when it's applied, some don't.
5. I have the best hubby who does almost anything I ask, including housework and other such things, most women don't.
6. I have a great family that I enjoy spending time with, some don't.
7. My kids have clothes for each season, some don't.
8. I have food to fix for supper, some don't.

This is not a complete list, but I am reminded of a quote that someone famous I should remember said after being robbed (and this is just part of it):

"I am thankful it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed."