This summer has been a different one than we’ve ever had. Usually I have almost all the children home with me, except for some odd jobs they work for someone else.
But this summer, Lowell is taking some time off from the mail route a few days each week to help do some framing here locally.
He has always wanted to be able to work with his boys once they were old enough to help. Having grown up working on a construction crew with his own father, brothers, uncle, and cousins, he realizes how much it taught him in many things beyond how to hammer a nail! And he wanted the same for his boys.
So this summer is chock-full already, and only beginning. Every Monday through Thursday, the three oldest boys head off to work with Lowell and come home grinning.
They each got their own set of tools and a nail bag. Makes them look so official! And it makes this mama so thankful they have a father who wants to do this with them.
Some of you might know John Schlabach . . . he is also working on the crew and hopefully keeps them all in line!
Those of us who keep up the home duties promised to bring ice cream to work a few times this summer. So Monday saw us bringing ice cream sandwiches and sundae bars for the crew to share!
These boys have had to learn “housewifely” duties and yard work over the years, like cleaning bathrooms, mopping floors, trimming, mowing, and dusting.
When they come home all excited even after a long day in the sun, I can tell they are eating this up! They feel like they’ve finally moved onto bigger and better things that men were made to do. Their grins say it all.
I think they like trying to explain to their blonde mama what all the different construction terms mean and why certain boards are going in certain places.
I’m better off just making their lunches.
I sure do love this guy. He is taking time to train these boys the right way! And to keep them from driving a nail through any fingers and thumbs.
This is my part of the deal, along with helping once in a while on the mail route. I figure if I keep shoveling in the food, they will keep shoveling out the work. Is that the way it goes?!
Usually my summers are more laid back, and so it is taking a whole re-orientation of my poor mind to grasp that I need to make this many lunches four days of the week.
I’d love any ideas you all have for lunchboxes! By the time I pack four hearty lunches, and put a hot breakfast on the table for us eight, it feels like a good chunk of my work is done already for the day. I rather like that feeling!
Megan put together about 30 yogurt cups last week and we made 20 egg burritos to put in the freezer for lunches. I find if I plan food ahead, it is more likely to be healthier.
And to see the pride they are taking in their hard work and the grins on tanned faces that come in my door that afternoon . . . it makes the extra work worth it!
I think they are a good looking crew . . . and I wouldn’t hesitate a second to hire them to build my house!! ‘Course, they might only get paid in food.
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Marylou Hershberger says
When we were in England, we were introduced to a pasty/hand pie filled with meat and veggies of choice. The dough is similar to pie dough but not exactly. This is what the miners carried with them for lunch down into the mines for long work shifts. We sometimes make & bake them and freeze them later use. They are actually better eaten at least an hour after made. They are not as good hot out of the oven. They are good even at room temperature. Do a Pinterest search for meat hand pie. 🙂
Kendra says
Awesome!! Thank you so much! I will definitely look these up . . . and hopefully they won’t be too hard. 😉
Naomi says
That is great! We have 4 boys (+ 1 girl) and though they are still young, oldest being 9, working with Daddy is always a special thing for them!
As for lunches, I don’t have a ton of experience, but my husband is a landscaper. His lunches are generally leftover dinner–casseroles especially. Even a thick soup on occasion. I have also made homemade hot pockets before with bread dough and whatever meat/veggies/cheese for the filling. He eats it cold but with temps at 110 right now, it’s not *too* cold when he eats lunch 😉
Kendra says
Thank you for these ideas!! I sure appreciate them!
Betsy says
I think this is wonderful. It’s so important for boys to learn to do men’s work and who better to learn it with than Dad? I don’t have much experience with lunches so I’m afraid I’m no help there.
Blessings,
Betsy
Kendra says
Yes, I totally agree that Dad is the best person to teach them these things!!
Mom Graber says
Oh, this is deja vu! Grandpa & I enjoyed checking out your post!
Kendra says
It probably brought back memories for you all!!
Diana says
Wonderful!! Good job to you both for providing such a wonderful experience for your boys!!
Donna Wray says
I think it is priceless what Lowell is doing with the boys. It will pay off yrs down the road. And I imagine he is enjoying it as much as the boys are !! Mom W.
Kendra says
Yes, they are all enjoying it! When Derek called home from boys camp, one of the things he really wanted to know was how work was going. 🙂 It’s become pretty important to them!