not sure if it is love or insanity
October 19, 2006
Seven tie dye shirts.
We did this at our homeschool co-op today. I am definitely not crazy enough to allow my children to do tie dye in my own house. I am hyperventilating at the mere thought.
They are purple because the children were finishing up a unit study on the ancient land of Canaan (Phoenicia) where sea snails were used to dye the clothing of the wealthy and powerful. It took something like 20,000 snails to produce an ounce of purple dye. I wasn’t paying all that much attention during the lesson instead trying to keep small children away from the caustic purple dye.
Miles is the only one who expressed his displeasure at being forced to pose in his purple shirt. The other kids were thinking it.
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This is beautiful. You need to display this when Miles graduates from high school — or when he gets married. It’s priceless.
October 19th, 2006 at 9:56 pmadorable!
October 19th, 2006 at 10:00 pmCool! Your kids look great! And isn’t that the reason for homeschool co-ops–to give your children the opportunity to do all those things that you’d never allow them to do at home?!! I actually got our co-op to agree to do a class of biology dissections; I am *so happy* not to have deceased animals and that fermeldahyde smell in my kitchen!
October 19th, 2006 at 10:09 pmReally cute! and I’ve love to know what big sister is thinking as she looks over at her agonized little brother.
October 19th, 2006 at 10:12 pmAww, poor Miles. The inhumanity of being forced to wear a purple shirt that matches everyone else’s shirts is obviously too much for him.
October 19th, 2006 at 10:18 pmWhat a great photo! Did you notice the shadow of the wintery twiggy tree in the window of the door? Really lovely. And your kids are just among the cutest I’ve ever seen! (I was frequently forced to wear dresses covered in Ric Rac that matched my little sisters. Lots of tears. Lots.)
October 19th, 2006 at 10:20 pmFirst of all, your kids are beautiful as always and second of all, tie dye is actually beautiful stuff. Look at the neck area of your handsome oldest son and the other patterns… Miles is usually such a happy photo subject. I’m a little suspicious of what might be happening behind his back. What might the innocent looking young man in the center be doing?
October 19th, 2006 at 10:23 pmhee! That is too cute! Frankly, I like the lavender, er, purple. It reminded me of a 12-year-old-ish boy I once saw in a t-shirt that said “Real Men Wear Pink”.
October 19th, 2006 at 10:34 pmAll I could think was - That little girl is sooooo lucky - no boy better EVER mess with her in a few years - if she can’t handle them herself (after ruling over all those boys) then she has a multitude of “bouncers”!
October 19th, 2006 at 10:34 pmAwwww…I love how your one son is attempting to comfort Wailin’ Willie there Chris! (All the while posing for GQ.)
October 19th, 2006 at 11:10 pmYou know, I’ve made my kids wear matching tie-dye t-shirts before when we go to places like an amusement park, or the airport. It’s so much easier to spot when one of them wanders off! I probably *wouldn’t* suggest wearing these lovely lavendar shirts to a monster truck pull, or rodeo, or anything like that. While I personally think they are wonderful, I’m not so sure your boys would agree in any sort of testosterone-filled environment.
October 19th, 2006 at 11:22 pmcould you have CUTER kids?!?!?! honestly. how does one birth so many beauties>!??!
October 20th, 2006 at 12:15 amWhat a fine young bunch of hippies you have!
October 20th, 2006 at 12:26 amI love how his brother is comforting him.
Today, as soon as my daughter got home, my son started to torment her. I wish they were sweet to each other.
October 20th, 2006 at 12:30 amThat is nice that his big brother is comforting him…
October 20th, 2006 at 12:38 amToo cute!
October 20th, 2006 at 12:55 amPriceless picture, Chris!
October 20th, 2006 at 1:29 amYou’re absolutely awesome..
Your cute children are even more..
I think this is the first time I’ve ever seen them all together. They couldn’t be any more adorable! I love it!
October 20th, 2006 at 1:41 amLOL - more twilight-zone… http://www.notsheep.net/2006/07/09/neat-and-tie-dy/
The shirts look great, and so do the kids. BTW tie-dye isn’t at all messy if you do the washing-machine kind
October 20th, 2006 at 2:54 amI thought Miles’ brother was just holding him in place so Miles couldn’t run off before the picture was snapped, evil cynical me. I was thinking the blond sure got tall, then noticed he’s cheating - standing on the step! I like how your daughter looks (and has looked in past pictures) like she already knows she’s vastly superior to all these boy-creatures she is surrounded by.
October 20th, 2006 at 7:33 amSo you wanted a family photo…LOL.
October 20th, 2006 at 7:47 amYou are collecting good “payback” for Miles’ prom date, wedding reception…the skies the limit.
Great picture! Sounds like such a fun activity, maybe when my 3 are older we’ll do that with some friends.
October 20th, 2006 at 9:03 amPoor Miles, the torture you put that boy through.
October 20th, 2006 at 9:15 amYou could start your own commune!
What a great looking bunch. Ha! My 10 year old daughter just walked by and stopped in her tracks. She saw the pic and said “WHO is that?” while pointing to your oldest. Then she blushed, said no more and ran away.
October 20th, 2006 at 9:34 amApparently she seconds my opinion.
What no smooshing snails to create the purple dye? What kind of homes skoooul mom are you??
October 20th, 2006 at 10:05 amDarling picture and darling children!!
Excellent project. I bet those shirts will be treasured. And I hope the color doesn’t run.
Cute picture. The little one crying finishes off the pose just right.
October 20th, 2006 at 10:49 amAdorable photo! How on earth did you get them to wear those shirts AND pose for a picture??
October 20th, 2006 at 12:54 pmJust a goofy observation: I noticed that you never mention any of your older children’s names (only Miles) is that on purpose? Just being nosey
Doesn’t love and insanity go hand and hand sometimes?
October 20th, 2006 at 1:11 pmI am thinking Miles was probably thinking “For the love of God, WHY?!?” LOL…
October 20th, 2006 at 3:58 pmThere is a REAL EASY way to do tie-dye shirts in the washing machine. That’s how we do it here. SOOO easy, rit dye and a washer.
Cute picture though!
October 20th, 2006 at 7:12 pmYour kids are BEAUTIFUL!! I so admire women such as you who have more than two. Not sure how you do it but, my hat is off to you
October 20th, 2006 at 8:23 pmI have to say that though I noticed your children are darling and thought the purple shirts were pretty cool, my first real thought was “that one little girl among all those brothers…she’s NEVER going to get to date!”.
October 20th, 2006 at 8:41 pmThank you for sharing
There’s your Halloween costume dilemma, solved! They could wear those shirts and go as grapes. Or not…
October 20th, 2006 at 9:06 pmI like them. And my purple girl is swooning.
Did you guys squish snails for them, or cheat and buy the dye?
October 20th, 2006 at 9:55 pmDefinitely love. That photo is so gorgeous it made me go aaaaah! even if the kids are hating posing they don’t show it. It looks like a happy loving family.
October 21st, 2006 at 3:39 amAhh! The shirts are great!
Love your sons arm around your daughter, and your other son comforting Miles. Too sweet.
October 21st, 2006 at 9:55 amHilarious picture!
October 21st, 2006 at 7:57 pmYou know, you’d think that in a group of 7, there would be at least ONE slightly-less-than-gorgeous child, but there ISN’T!!! They are all just bee-t-yoo-ti-ful!! *sigh*
October 21st, 2006 at 8:46 pmOh, and the dimples…you could just fall into all the DIMPLES!!! *clonk…passes out from the sheer cuteness of it all*
October 21st, 2006 at 8:47 pmWhat??? Does’t the youngest like his shirt? Too cute!
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:12 pmHa! Oh, my God! That’s a picture for the mantle!
October 23rd, 2006 at 9:23 amThey are too freaking cute. Seriously.
October 23rd, 2006 at 3:09 pmAww man, so close to a holiday photo! You could have made a new statement, purple is the new “Merry Christmas”.
October 23rd, 2006 at 3:52 pmOMG! That is the cutest photo! I used to belong to a preschool co-op when my daughter was much younger and one day we tie-dyed shirts at the park.
October 25th, 2006 at 1:19 am