Here are a few things going on in the world of our sweet C:
1. Stitches: On Thanksgiving day, he took a headfirst dive into a wrought iron wood holder for firewood. We ended up at Children's Hospital getting stitches in his lip. He was such a trooper. I am absolutely amazed that this was our first ER trip. With how rough-and-tumble my kids are and how much they love to climb, explore, run, jump off of high places and wrestle, I'm amazed we haven't had to get stitches before. Let's hope it's our last trip for awhile.
2. Football cards: Neither of my boys really had a lovely as babies, but C has one now. Football cards. He carries them with him everywhere! He tends to leave a trail behind him. I've found them under couches, in books, and even under his covers in his bed. The most amazing part is that he knows the teams. He LOVES for me to flip through the deck like flash cards and ask him who each team is. I felt a little like the psycho mom in the ER when the doctors would walk in and I was quizzing my two-year-old on all the NFL teams. Next time you see him, you should ask him about some of the teams. Name a city and he can tell you which team plays there. He even knows that there used to be a team in Houston called the Oilers but now there's team called the Texans.
3. Fuzzy: The other day, C kept complaining that he had a fuzzy and pulling on his pants like he was uncomfortable. I had no idea what he was talking about, and it took an entire day of complaining for me to realize he meant "wedgie"! I asked him if that's what he meant, and he replied, "Yes... but I call it a fuzzy." Wish I had known that at the beginning of the day. Could have saved us a lot of whining.
4. Mixing up Words: I know this is part of this age, but I think it's absolutely adorable to hear C mix up words while he's telling a story. Most common are things like, "I yike Bwooke because HER is nice." Oh, he thinks he's such a big kid and loves to hang with the big boys, but his sweet 2-year-old voice gives him away. He's still a little boy. At least for a few more days until he turns 3!
5. Beautiful: C is super compassionate and has such a loving heart. Yesterday, I left for a girls' night out at our church. Before I left, C climbed on my lap, looked at me with a cute, shy smile and said, "Mommy, you are beautiful." As if that doesn't melt my heart enough, he continued, "Your hair is beautiful and your sweater is beautiful and your new purse is beautiful and EVERYTHING of you is beautiful." Oh, my. What a sweetheart!
Saturday, December 10, 2011
The Art of Telling Mom
Some of you may be familiar with Brian Regan. He's a very funny situational-comedy kind of comedian, and he's very clean, which I love. He's got a great skit about having to tell his mom about a brother who broke his arm. Hysterical. And A has mastered the same art of breaking the bad news to mom. Two examples from our Small Group Christmas Party the other night:
#1
A- Hey mom, can you come up to the third floor? I want to show you something.
Me- Sure! I can't wait to see it. What do you want to show me (totally expecting a tower, lego building, etc.)?
A- Um... just something.
Me- Is it a good something or a bad something?
A- Um... maybe it's kind of good but I think maybe it's mostly bad.
Me- (now more serious) What is it?
A- Well, it's on the floor upstairs and maybe it might kind of look like poop.
I can't believe that's the tactic he chose to reveal to me that there was a pile of poop in the middle of the playroom floor! (It was tracked in from someone's shoe)
#2
A- Hey mom, you've gotta come see what AJ (our friend) is doing. (He says this in a joyful voice as though there was something really funny going on)
Me- Sure... what's he doing?
A-He's upstairs. You should come see.
Me-Sure buddy. But what's he doing?
A- Well, you know how sometimes snot comes out of your nose, like a lot at one time. Well, it's kind of like that only with blood.
Me- (now more serious) Where is he? Where's the blood?
A- Well maybe there is a little on your bed (which is white) and maybe a little more on your carpet (also white)... or maybe it's a lot.
Now compare that to AJ's brother's storytelling tactic.
"Mom, there's blood... Mom, there's blood... Mom, there's blood!"
Seems a little more direct than A's method! I think A will make a great PR person some day!
(Disclaimer: AJ was fine. He'd bonked heads with his brother and got a bloody nose. In case you haven't learned this trick, Hydrogen Peroxide got all of the blood out of both the white duvet cover and the white carpet.)
#1
A- Hey mom, can you come up to the third floor? I want to show you something.
Me- Sure! I can't wait to see it. What do you want to show me (totally expecting a tower, lego building, etc.)?
A- Um... just something.
Me- Is it a good something or a bad something?
A- Um... maybe it's kind of good but I think maybe it's mostly bad.
Me- (now more serious) What is it?
A- Well, it's on the floor upstairs and maybe it might kind of look like poop.
I can't believe that's the tactic he chose to reveal to me that there was a pile of poop in the middle of the playroom floor! (It was tracked in from someone's shoe)
#2
A- Hey mom, you've gotta come see what AJ (our friend) is doing. (He says this in a joyful voice as though there was something really funny going on)
Me- Sure... what's he doing?
A-He's upstairs. You should come see.
Me-Sure buddy. But what's he doing?
A- Well, you know how sometimes snot comes out of your nose, like a lot at one time. Well, it's kind of like that only with blood.
Me- (now more serious) Where is he? Where's the blood?
A- Well maybe there is a little on your bed (which is white) and maybe a little more on your carpet (also white)... or maybe it's a lot.
Now compare that to AJ's brother's storytelling tactic.
"Mom, there's blood... Mom, there's blood... Mom, there's blood!"
Seems a little more direct than A's method! I think A will make a great PR person some day!
(Disclaimer: AJ was fine. He'd bonked heads with his brother and got a bloody nose. In case you haven't learned this trick, Hydrogen Peroxide got all of the blood out of both the white duvet cover and the white carpet.)
Saturday, December 3, 2011
Thanksgiving
Sometimes it is easy to fall into line with the rest of our society and join in the complaining. So easy. I mean, sometimes complaining just feels good, and sometimes I start complaining and don't even realize it's complaining until the conversation is over. But when I really stop and evaluate my life, the things that drive me crazy are so small. "First world problems"... you know the kind of thing that no one in a third world country would ever complain about.
I started this Christmas season feeling so overwhelmed with having so much to do. We have a child's birthday and a milestone anniversary to celebrate both within four days of Christmas. We have a lot of family, which means a LOOOONG list of presents to buy. We have a new house, which means lots of space to decorate and lots of parties to host. I caught myself actually COMPLAINING that we have too many parties this year. Seriously?! It must be hard to be us!
So then I realized that we have two sweet kids on the other side of the world waiting patiently for our family to come for them. They won't get any presents this year because they have no family to buy presents for them. They certainly aren't complaining of having too many parties to go to with too many sweets to eat. I realized how snobby I sound complaining of such great things. I am so anxiously awaiting the arrival of our kids into our family, and yet I still get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season that I completely lose focus of what's important.
I am so blessed. I am loved by the Creator of the world. He created me exactly as I am and loves me unconditionally. And even better is that I am aware of that love and can experience His love every day. He is good. Period. He is not good because he chooses to bless me, yet he does choose to pour his blessings on my life. We have two healthy, sweet boys who love their mommy and daddy. We have a new house which is literally EVERYTHING I wanted in a house. Down to every detail. We are surrounded by a cloud of friends and family that love us and support us. The kind of friends and family that call at the exact right time to offer the exact words of encouragement I need.
And we have each other. We are very close to celebrating 10 years of marriage. It's a little overwhelming to think of how different life was 10 years ago. We've been through a lot together, and our relationship has changed and matured in that time. We are both so different, but good different.
Alright... I know this is a random post. I'm ending it now because I've maxed out my computer time. One of my children is pretending the other is meat and trying to eat him. Guess which one is which? I probably need to step in.
I started this Christmas season feeling so overwhelmed with having so much to do. We have a child's birthday and a milestone anniversary to celebrate both within four days of Christmas. We have a lot of family, which means a LOOOONG list of presents to buy. We have a new house, which means lots of space to decorate and lots of parties to host. I caught myself actually COMPLAINING that we have too many parties this year. Seriously?! It must be hard to be us!
So then I realized that we have two sweet kids on the other side of the world waiting patiently for our family to come for them. They won't get any presents this year because they have no family to buy presents for them. They certainly aren't complaining of having too many parties to go to with too many sweets to eat. I realized how snobby I sound complaining of such great things. I am so anxiously awaiting the arrival of our kids into our family, and yet I still get so caught up in the hustle and bustle of the season that I completely lose focus of what's important.
I am so blessed. I am loved by the Creator of the world. He created me exactly as I am and loves me unconditionally. And even better is that I am aware of that love and can experience His love every day. He is good. Period. He is not good because he chooses to bless me, yet he does choose to pour his blessings on my life. We have two healthy, sweet boys who love their mommy and daddy. We have a new house which is literally EVERYTHING I wanted in a house. Down to every detail. We are surrounded by a cloud of friends and family that love us and support us. The kind of friends and family that call at the exact right time to offer the exact words of encouragement I need.
And we have each other. We are very close to celebrating 10 years of marriage. It's a little overwhelming to think of how different life was 10 years ago. We've been through a lot together, and our relationship has changed and matured in that time. We are both so different, but good different.
Alright... I know this is a random post. I'm ending it now because I've maxed out my computer time. One of my children is pretending the other is meat and trying to eat him. Guess which one is which? I probably need to step in.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
How time flies!
So my last post was on October 19th. That was nearly a month ago! I was sitting down to throw together a quick blog update and realized I don't know where to begin! Here's my best shot in five minutes or less because we are about to do showers before running out the door...
1- We moved! We closed on our new house and moved everything in over Halloween weekend. And how is it going? FABULOUS! We love our new house. We love having room to run and play without feeling like we are on top of each other. The boxes are all unpacked....except for a large box of books that has no bookshelf to sit on yet.
2- We bought bedroom furniture! Our dresser went flying off the back of the truck during the move and shattered.... which was a great reason to buy bedroom furniture. :) We've never owned any real furniture... the last one was about $50 from Target and it was falling apart anyway. We found some we love at an antique store, and now our clothes all have a home instead of being piled on the floor.
3- A is registered for school for next year. We got him into a public montessori school that we've talked for years about wanting to send him to. It's an excellent school, a good substitute for our failing neighborhood school and now that A is in, the rest of our kids will get in.
4- We've been doing a lot of digging. Our house sits on three lots, so we have lots of room to run. The boys love to dig holes, so they've claimed some of the garden areas as their play spot. They call it "The Island of Jungle". They spend a lot of time "exploring" and climbing trees, but the favorite activity is to dig. Some days we are construction workers, some days we dig for worms, and other days we are paleontologists. I love watching the boys identify the things they find in the ground (leaves, sticks, etc) as "bones from a brachiosaurus" or the "sharp teeth of a meat-eating dinosaur so it must be a T-Rex" or "the fin of a cryoxirhina" (which I don't know how to spell, but it's a shark-like fish that lived during the dinosaur times). Man, these boys are sponges, and they love to share all that they have learned. Both of them, at the ages of 2 and 4, have a knowledge of dinosaurs that is far beyond most adults!
That's all I have time for today.... gotta get these boys in the shower and out the door! When does life slow down? Hopefully I post again before another month goes by!
1- We moved! We closed on our new house and moved everything in over Halloween weekend. And how is it going? FABULOUS! We love our new house. We love having room to run and play without feeling like we are on top of each other. The boxes are all unpacked....except for a large box of books that has no bookshelf to sit on yet.
2- We bought bedroom furniture! Our dresser went flying off the back of the truck during the move and shattered.... which was a great reason to buy bedroom furniture. :) We've never owned any real furniture... the last one was about $50 from Target and it was falling apart anyway. We found some we love at an antique store, and now our clothes all have a home instead of being piled on the floor.
3- A is registered for school for next year. We got him into a public montessori school that we've talked for years about wanting to send him to. It's an excellent school, a good substitute for our failing neighborhood school and now that A is in, the rest of our kids will get in.
4- We've been doing a lot of digging. Our house sits on three lots, so we have lots of room to run. The boys love to dig holes, so they've claimed some of the garden areas as their play spot. They call it "The Island of Jungle". They spend a lot of time "exploring" and climbing trees, but the favorite activity is to dig. Some days we are construction workers, some days we dig for worms, and other days we are paleontologists. I love watching the boys identify the things they find in the ground (leaves, sticks, etc) as "bones from a brachiosaurus" or the "sharp teeth of a meat-eating dinosaur so it must be a T-Rex" or "the fin of a cryoxirhina" (which I don't know how to spell, but it's a shark-like fish that lived during the dinosaur times). Man, these boys are sponges, and they love to share all that they have learned. Both of them, at the ages of 2 and 4, have a knowledge of dinosaurs that is far beyond most adults!
That's all I have time for today.... gotta get these boys in the shower and out the door! When does life slow down? Hopefully I post again before another month goes by!
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Birmingham
In an unrelated conversation a week or two ago, a friend of mine through out the idea that she was heading to Alabama to see Katie Davis speak if I would want to join her. My gut reaction was to say no since P can't take any time off work and I was certainly not carting the kiddos with me on that 8 hour trek. But when I realized she was speaking at a church service over a weekend when we had nothing planned, I quickly agreed before I could talk myself out of it. I'm not usually spontaneous, but I couldn't pass this up.
Over the past two years, I feel like God has been taking my view of Him and of what it means to follow him and flipping it completely upside down. Two of the sources He's used to transform my worldview are: 1 - The book, Radical, by David Platt and 2 - learning about Katie Davis and her ministry in Uganda. So when I found out Katie was speaking at the Church at Brook Hills in AL (David Platt's church), I felt like two of my favorite things were colliding and I wanted to be there to experience it.
The weekend was great. I loved the chance to get away for a day and half, even if most of it was spent in the car. The ride felt short with the great conversation of my friend, Linda, and a fabulous book on tape (Little Princes...A story about reuniting trafficked kids in Nepal with their families...so, so, so good. I highly recommend it). We met up with Linda's daughter, Lauren (a friend of mine from my years of leading YL in Mariemont) and her college roomate. We did typical girly things... met up at a mall for some shopping, enjoyed dinner out and went to see a movie. It was nice to just relax and enjoy girl time.
The church service was great. I loved hearing Katie's story. She reminds me so much of Mother Teresa. She's only 22, and yet she is loving with such an unselfish love and impacting the lives of the poorest of the poor. I loved hearing about her 14 daughters (yes... 14... she's adopted 14 sweet girls, and is raising them with such loving hearts for the poor around them). It was good to hear the hard times she's endured and how it's not always easy. The thing she said that hit me the most was how when we look at need in the world around us, it is overwhelming and we can feel hopeless. But instead of being overwhelmed by the multitude, we need to just love the one that God has placed before us. Love each person that crosses our path, since that is the person God wanted for us to interact with.
And I loved hearing David Platt speak. His heart for sharing Jesus is so evident in the few words I heard him speak. He challenged his church family to give radically of their time, lives, money... everything. He challenged the church that Katie's life shouldn't look so radical. We are all called to care for the widow, poor, orphaned, sick. Maybe we are not all called to Uganda, but it shouldn't look so radical for someone to give up everything to follow Jesus. It's what we are called to do. To be willing to give up everything for His sake. To love even when it hurts, to love even the unloveable, to love when it isn't comfortable.
It was a tiring weekend, but I am so glad that I went. Thanks to my sweet hubby for not even batting an eye when I asked what he thought about me going. He had a blast with the kids and I had a blast without them :) It was a win-win situation!
Over the past two years, I feel like God has been taking my view of Him and of what it means to follow him and flipping it completely upside down. Two of the sources He's used to transform my worldview are: 1 - The book, Radical, by David Platt and 2 - learning about Katie Davis and her ministry in Uganda. So when I found out Katie was speaking at the Church at Brook Hills in AL (David Platt's church), I felt like two of my favorite things were colliding and I wanted to be there to experience it.
The weekend was great. I loved the chance to get away for a day and half, even if most of it was spent in the car. The ride felt short with the great conversation of my friend, Linda, and a fabulous book on tape (Little Princes...A story about reuniting trafficked kids in Nepal with their families...so, so, so good. I highly recommend it). We met up with Linda's daughter, Lauren (a friend of mine from my years of leading YL in Mariemont) and her college roomate. We did typical girly things... met up at a mall for some shopping, enjoyed dinner out and went to see a movie. It was nice to just relax and enjoy girl time.
The church service was great. I loved hearing Katie's story. She reminds me so much of Mother Teresa. She's only 22, and yet she is loving with such an unselfish love and impacting the lives of the poorest of the poor. I loved hearing about her 14 daughters (yes... 14... she's adopted 14 sweet girls, and is raising them with such loving hearts for the poor around them). It was good to hear the hard times she's endured and how it's not always easy. The thing she said that hit me the most was how when we look at need in the world around us, it is overwhelming and we can feel hopeless. But instead of being overwhelmed by the multitude, we need to just love the one that God has placed before us. Love each person that crosses our path, since that is the person God wanted for us to interact with.
And I loved hearing David Platt speak. His heart for sharing Jesus is so evident in the few words I heard him speak. He challenged his church family to give radically of their time, lives, money... everything. He challenged the church that Katie's life shouldn't look so radical. We are all called to care for the widow, poor, orphaned, sick. Maybe we are not all called to Uganda, but it shouldn't look so radical for someone to give up everything to follow Jesus. It's what we are called to do. To be willing to give up everything for His sake. To love even when it hurts, to love even the unloveable, to love when it isn't comfortable.
It was a tiring weekend, but I am so glad that I went. Thanks to my sweet hubby for not even batting an eye when I asked what he thought about me going. He had a blast with the kids and I had a blast without them :) It was a win-win situation!
And just like that...
When we were at the park the other day, an older friend of A's told us how he had learned to ride a bike with no training wheels. He wanted A to watch as he demonstrated his new skill. Since he is completely visual, A studied his friend with a very intense gaze, then stated, "I think I can do that." He sat down on his friend's bike pushed off and just like that... we have a biker in our family! I had prepped myself for weeks of chasing behind his bike with an aching back, bandaging up scrapes from his many falls. But seems like we have breezed right by this milestone.
Now I know I'm his mom, so I'm a little biased, but I am pretty impressed that he picked it up so quickly... seriously, he just jumped on and took off! And he's only 4 1/2... I wasn't expecting this for a few more years. Way to go, A. We are so proud of you!!
Now I know I'm his mom, so I'm a little biased, but I am pretty impressed that he picked it up so quickly... seriously, he just jumped on and took off! And he's only 4 1/2... I wasn't expecting this for a few more years. Way to go, A. We are so proud of you!!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Fall Firsts
With fall brings the start of school. A is loving his class this year... as he did last year. He comes home with all kinds of stories. Mostly about the girls. BUT he has made a new friend that is a boy! This year, he is the "puzzle expert" in his room. As we enter each day, there are usually a few boys working on puzzles. Without fail, they say from across the room, "Oh good, A's here. He can help us with this puzzle. Come on, A!" Makes my momma-bear heart burst with pride :)
This fall also brought the start of A's first soccer season. Oh, my, how that boy loves sports! He asks daily if it's time for soccer, even though he knows it's only on Fridays. Friday can not come fast enough for him! He's on the indigo team, and will tell you with out being asked that "I am awesome on defense." It's a super NOT competitive league, and it's so cute to see him out there playing. The first game, everytime he got the ball, he would look to me on the sideline and wave with a HUGE grin on his face! I LOVE the pure joy on his face when he plays. You can't tell from the pics below, but the smile doesn't leave his face the whole time!
He also had a chance to be leader already, so the class mascot, "Rascal," graced our house for a few days. A had to draw a picture about what Rascal did while he was at our house. I have a feeling "going to the dentist" isn't going to be the most exciting thing Rascal does this year, but it was super helpful having him there while A got his teeth pulled (a cavity gone BAD led to the front two teeth being removed... he was super brave, though, and loves to show off his big hole. You can see his new smile in the picture below).
Kelley's Island
The boys had a blast over Labor Day seeing family up at Kelley's Island. Their entire list of wishes came true in the short 2 1/2 day stay. Here's the only picture I got... as we were leaving! Wish I had more because they are truly so happy when we are there. They LOVE everything about that island.
Nature Center
This summer, a new area opened up at the Nature Center. My mom and I took the boys to go check it out. What a cool concept! The idea behind it is that kids these days don't get outside enough. I think we all would agree with that. BUT the other things kids lack is the chance to explore, unguided by adults and unsupervised. (This is going to make me sound old...) Back when I was a kid, which wasn't THAT long ago, we would spend hours playing in the woods, building forts, climbing trees, creating and pretending without adults anywhere in site. We'd stay out past dark and play "Night Games" until we had worn ourselves out completely. With safety issues, kids don't get to just "explore". This area at the Nature Center is designed to allow kids to do just that. It's fenced in with just one exit, so there's no fear of kids getting lost. And there are stations set up along the path that are designed to promote creative play. A big pile or sticks just begging to be turned into a fort. A tunnel beckoning kids to venture through. A stream calling for bare feet to splash around in it.
It was so fun! And they also have backpacks the kids can check out. Ours had binoculars, a compass, a journal/pen, a map of the park, and a magnifying glass. The kids loved seeing nature through these tools and felt like true explorers with their real gear. If you are in town, I highly recommend checking it out.
God is good... all the time
We bought a house! That's the big news in our house these days. It went on the market on a Thursday, we saw it Saturday morning, wrote up a contract Saturday night and had come to an agreement by Sunday afternoon. After two and a half years in our "holding pattern," this year has brought a new job and a new house! I am so, so, so excited. It is exactly what I wanted... literally the perfect house for us. Plus... plenty of room to add more kids to our family! Hallelujah! I made sure to warn P before we signed that if we get the house, he needs to be prepared that it will soon be full of kids :)
But here's what I have found so interesting about this process. The number one response I get when I tell people about our perfect house and how everything worked out... "Wow. God is good." I have to say, I totally agree. God is good. BUT is He good only because things worked out? Through out the past 2 1/2 years as we waited and wondered what was going to happen with us... as we longed to adopt but had no space to put more kids... as we struggled financially and had to make a lot of cuts to make ends meet... through all of THAT, no one ever responded with a "Wow. God is good."
God is good. He is good despite the circumstances in my life. His goodness is not dependent on the number of blessings He chooses to bestow upon me. A Matt Redman song that has continually been a lifesong for me states:
But here's what I have found so interesting about this process. The number one response I get when I tell people about our perfect house and how everything worked out... "Wow. God is good." I have to say, I totally agree. God is good. BUT is He good only because things worked out? Through out the past 2 1/2 years as we waited and wondered what was going to happen with us... as we longed to adopt but had no space to put more kids... as we struggled financially and had to make a lot of cuts to make ends meet... through all of THAT, no one ever responded with a "Wow. God is good."
God is good. He is good despite the circumstances in my life. His goodness is not dependent on the number of blessings He chooses to bestow upon me. A Matt Redman song that has continually been a lifesong for me states:
"Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's 'all as it should be'
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name"
How I pray that that is my attitude. It's a choice to praise God when things are hard, when the puzzle pieces don't all fall into place on their own. It's a choice to call Him "Blessed" when life hurts, when my heart is breaking. That is something I have been learning during our "holding pattern". I pray that that is a choice I would continue to make.
Monday, September 12, 2011
A Great Hypothesis
I have a sweet friend who is my age but since she got pregnant earlier than planned, she is about 5 years ahead of me in life. I remember about 5 years she would update her blog a couple times a week with all of the funny things her kids would say and do. Oh, how I anticipated her newest post because they almost always had me laughing out loud in front of my computer. The thought crossed my mind often, "I hope my kids are half that entertaining when they are that age."
We have hit "that" age. The boys have me laughing daily at the things that come out of their mouths. Though the main purpose of this blog is to document the stories of my kids' childhoods, I hope you smile or chuckle or even laugh at the random things that come out of my kids' mouths.
Example:
On our way to Kelley's Island for a quick family vacation over Labor Day weekend, we were driving through farm land (it is the midwest... that's about all we have here!). In between the inevitable "Are we there yet?" questions, C throws out this random comment.
"Mommy. (pointing to a field that had been plowed over) That field used to have corn but now it does not have corn but it will grow again soon." Before I could respond, A pipes up from the next seat over, "C... That is a great hypothesis!"
We have hit "that" age. The boys have me laughing daily at the things that come out of their mouths. Though the main purpose of this blog is to document the stories of my kids' childhoods, I hope you smile or chuckle or even laugh at the random things that come out of my kids' mouths.
Example:
On our way to Kelley's Island for a quick family vacation over Labor Day weekend, we were driving through farm land (it is the midwest... that's about all we have here!). In between the inevitable "Are we there yet?" questions, C throws out this random comment.
"Mommy. (pointing to a field that had been plowed over) That field used to have corn but now it does not have corn but it will grow again soon." Before I could respond, A pipes up from the next seat over, "C... That is a great hypothesis!"
Friday, September 9, 2011
My Prayer
I know we have some major events I haven't blogged about yet (a trip to Kelley's Island, first day of school, etc.), but I wanted to share this story while I have the chance.
Saying my boys love to sing is an understatement. They will often break out into song for no reason, and belt out the music with every ounce of their beings. While most kids their age stick to the classics (Itsy Bitsy Spider or other nursery rhymes), my boys are more into contemporary Christian music. We were driving in the car yesterday, and one of my favorite Chris Tomlin songs came on. Because it is so often played in our house, the kids know the lyrics and belted it out along with the radio.
"Where you go, I'll go.
Where you stay, I'll stay.
When you move, I'll move.
I will follow you."
It was one of those moments where time freezes. Their sweet 2 and 4-year old voices singing so sweetly from the backseat. I found myself praying, "Lord, let that be true. May those words someday switch from just words to a lifelong commitment to their Savior. May they truly be willing to go where He calls, when He calls." It is the prayer I pray more than any other, that the boys will know Jesus intimately, not because I have ingrained the words into their heads, but because He is real to them.
Saying my boys love to sing is an understatement. They will often break out into song for no reason, and belt out the music with every ounce of their beings. While most kids their age stick to the classics (Itsy Bitsy Spider or other nursery rhymes), my boys are more into contemporary Christian music. We were driving in the car yesterday, and one of my favorite Chris Tomlin songs came on. Because it is so often played in our house, the kids know the lyrics and belted it out along with the radio.
"Where you go, I'll go.
Where you stay, I'll stay.
When you move, I'll move.
I will follow you."
It was one of those moments where time freezes. Their sweet 2 and 4-year old voices singing so sweetly from the backseat. I found myself praying, "Lord, let that be true. May those words someday switch from just words to a lifelong commitment to their Savior. May they truly be willing to go where He calls, when He calls." It is the prayer I pray more than any other, that the boys will know Jesus intimately, not because I have ingrained the words into their heads, but because He is real to them.
Monday, August 29, 2011
It is a pretty well-known fact that I'm not a huge fan of tv. We try to limit our kids' screen time. We don't even have tv in our house. BUT, I do have to admit that some shows can really be educational.
This morning, A had a song stuck in his head. He was walking around the house singing,
"If you want to build a pyramid,
do as the Egyptians did.
Use an incline plane."
There are four words in those lyrics that I had no idea he had ever heard! And it was too cute to hear his 4-year-old voice belting out the words "incline plane." Makes the teacher side of me swell with excitement.
And incase you were wanting to download a copy of that song, it's from "Sid the Science Kid," which he got to watch at his sleepover at Gramma's this weekend. I'm sure you can find it on iTunes. :)
This morning, A had a song stuck in his head. He was walking around the house singing,
"If you want to build a pyramid,
do as the Egyptians did.
Use an incline plane."
There are four words in those lyrics that I had no idea he had ever heard! And it was too cute to hear his 4-year-old voice belting out the words "incline plane." Makes the teacher side of me swell with excitement.
And incase you were wanting to download a copy of that song, it's from "Sid the Science Kid," which he got to watch at his sleepover at Gramma's this weekend. I'm sure you can find it on iTunes. :)
Friday, August 26, 2011
Wish I had gotten a video of this, but I didn't think about it until it was too late.
Today, we were trying on winter hats/gloves to see what we can pass along to my sweet nephew and what still fits. I know... exactly what everyone else was doing on this hot 90 degree day in August. The boys both had on the kind of hat that has flaps to cover their ears and velcro under their necks. They were pretending they were their "pilot hats". A was the pilot and C was the "go pilot" (no... not Co-pilot... the GO-pilot). C had a hockey stick in his hands and A had a styrofoam "sword". Their mission: To find and get the "boogies." I have NO idea where they came up with this idea or who taught them about air combat. I did try to correct them and let them know that they were probably looking for a bogy... you know those evil enemy planes. But A insisted that the correct word was "boogie."Not sure why those boogers were such a menace, but they did a fantastic job of catching lots and lots of boogies!
Today, we were trying on winter hats/gloves to see what we can pass along to my sweet nephew and what still fits. I know... exactly what everyone else was doing on this hot 90 degree day in August. The boys both had on the kind of hat that has flaps to cover their ears and velcro under their necks. They were pretending they were their "pilot hats". A was the pilot and C was the "go pilot" (no... not Co-pilot... the GO-pilot). C had a hockey stick in his hands and A had a styrofoam "sword". Their mission: To find and get the "boogies." I have NO idea where they came up with this idea or who taught them about air combat. I did try to correct them and let them know that they were probably looking for a bogy... you know those evil enemy planes. But A insisted that the correct word was "boogie."Not sure why those boogers were such a menace, but they did a fantastic job of catching lots and lots of boogies!
Monday, August 15, 2011
Before I tell this story, remind yourself of just how picky of an eater A is. He spent his entire short life eating mostly carbs and dairy. Nothing with texture. Not even yogurt with chunks. We've come a long way in the last few months.
The boys and I went grocery shopping today. Before we left, I asked A if there was anything he wanted me to get at the store. He made sure that granola bars were on the list (he got addicted to these at our family reunion last week). He then added, "And mom, don't forget the green beans. The ones with the mushrooms mixed in. Could you make those?" Hmmm... let me think.... YES I'LL MAKE THOSE!!!! I was in mom heaven!
The boys and I went grocery shopping today. Before we left, I asked A if there was anything he wanted me to get at the store. He made sure that granola bars were on the list (he got addicted to these at our family reunion last week). He then added, "And mom, don't forget the green beans. The ones with the mushrooms mixed in. Could you make those?" Hmmm... let me think.... YES I'LL MAKE THOSE!!!! I was in mom heaven!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Family Reunion #2
All summer, I've been looking forward to our trip to NC, and I have to say, it truly lived up to my expectations. The boys and I left on Tuesday and met my mom in Wilmington. We were the only ones there for a few days, and it was great to get some time with my mom and to have some much needed time to RELAX!
Then on Thursday, the rest of the family started arriving. We slowly added people to the mix, including daddy who surprised us by catching an earlier flight! I have to admit I was extremely surprised and very confused when he walked into our room at the beach house in the early afternoon! What a fun surprise.
By Saturday, almost the entire crew had arrived... all 31 of us! My dad's brothers and their families joined us for a fabulous reunion. I haven't seen many of my cousins in 8+ years. It was so fun to catch up and enjoy time together. I loved that they finally got to meet my kids, and it was so fun to watch them play with A and C.
The trip consisted of Low Country Boil (a HUGE pot of food dumped on a table and eaten with your hands!), a Lobster and Steak Fest!, several trips to the grocery store (who knew 31 people could eat so much food?!?), and a LOT of time on the beach. Here are a few of the 100+ pics I took :)
Then on Thursday, the rest of the family started arriving. We slowly added people to the mix, including daddy who surprised us by catching an earlier flight! I have to admit I was extremely surprised and very confused when he walked into our room at the beach house in the early afternoon! What a fun surprise.
By Saturday, almost the entire crew had arrived... all 31 of us! My dad's brothers and their families joined us for a fabulous reunion. I haven't seen many of my cousins in 8+ years. It was so fun to catch up and enjoy time together. I loved that they finally got to meet my kids, and it was so fun to watch them play with A and C.
The trip consisted of Low Country Boil (a HUGE pot of food dumped on a table and eaten with your hands!), a Lobster and Steak Fest!, several trips to the grocery store (who knew 31 people could eat so much food?!?), and a LOT of time on the beach. Here are a few of the 100+ pics I took :)
Swim Lessons
This summer, we decided to join our neighborhood pool, and it was one of the best decisions we have made. The boys and I have practically lived there this summer with the 90 + degree weather we've been having.
Another perk is the free swim lessons they offered for A. We would bike over, he'd do lessons from 11 - 11:30, we'd eat lunch and be ready to swim at noon when the pool opened up.
At the beginning of the summer, both boys were really timid. Especially A who didn't want to put his face in the water. But the more we went, the more confidence he gained. Soon he was doing flips underwater, jumping in off the side and teaching himself how to dive. Last week, he decided to conquer the diving board. After two or three days of jumping in to mommy, he decided to try it by himself. He can now DIVE OFF THE BOARD by himself with NO ONE in the water! What an amazing change from the beginning of the summer! I want to get a picture of it before the pool closes.
Another perk is the free swim lessons they offered for A. We would bike over, he'd do lessons from 11 - 11:30, we'd eat lunch and be ready to swim at noon when the pool opened up.
At the beginning of the summer, both boys were really timid. Especially A who didn't want to put his face in the water. But the more we went, the more confidence he gained. Soon he was doing flips underwater, jumping in off the side and teaching himself how to dive. Last week, he decided to conquer the diving board. After two or three days of jumping in to mommy, he decided to try it by himself. He can now DIVE OFF THE BOARD by himself with NO ONE in the water! What an amazing change from the beginning of the summer! I want to get a picture of it before the pool closes.
Family Reunion #1
This summer, my cousin's baby turned 1. Turned out most of my mom's side of the family was able to make it in to celebrate, even my cousin and her family from Colorado! It ended up being a pretty big family reunion. The kids had a blast with their cousins, and I had a blast with my cousins. It was fun to see everyone. P.S. The pic of all the adults was taken by A. Not bad photography skills for a 4 year old!
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
The Dino Expert
I need a good laugh today, so I'm going to share this story. It happened a week or so ago, but it still makes me laugh.
A's been totally into dinosaurs lately. A friend introduced him to the show Dinosaur Train and it's his new favorite thing. The other day, I was goofing around with the boys and pretending to eat C's belly while I tickled him. In my best dino voice, I said, "I'm an Argentinasaurus and I'm going to eat you." A stopped the game, shook his head in annoyance, gave me the teenage-girl my-parents-are-so-lame look and informed me, "Mom... Argentinasaurses only eat plants." I stand corrected.
A's been totally into dinosaurs lately. A friend introduced him to the show Dinosaur Train and it's his new favorite thing. The other day, I was goofing around with the boys and pretending to eat C's belly while I tickled him. In my best dino voice, I said, "I'm an Argentinasaurus and I'm going to eat you." A stopped the game, shook his head in annoyance, gave me the teenage-girl my-parents-are-so-lame look and informed me, "Mom... Argentinasaurses only eat plants." I stand corrected.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Coney Island
Several weeks ago, I decided I wanted to take the boys on amusement park rides. They have never been, and I thought they would enjoy them. My sweet mom volunteered to go with us, so we marked our calendars for July 20th. Little did we know it was going to be 98 degrees out!
Despite the heat, we made our way to the park this morning. What else were we going to do?! Sit inside all day?! I'm so glad that we ended up going. It was a lot of fun! We started off at the GIANT acre-sized swimming pool. The kids loved it because it started at 1 ft. deep at the sides and got gradually deeper as you moved to the middle. They were able to touch and run around in the water.
A is part fish. He loves to go underwater. He spent more time underwater than he did above water. Pretty impressive for a kid that wouldn't but his chin in the water at the beginning of the summer and would be absolutely petrified last year, shaking and crying, at the sight of someone else going underwater.
C loves to throw a little plastic duck and then go get it. He plays fetch with himself for HOURS in the pool and never gets bored of it. He's such a second-born child. Can play by himself without any problem. Almost prefers it.
After well over an hour of swimming, we took a break for lunch and then headed to the amusement park rides. I didn't know how these would go over. We went to a festival last weekend, and A was really hesitant about any rides. But something clicked for him today, and he loved it. So did C. They rode almost every little kid ride and had huge smiles on their faces the whole time.
Then we ventured over to the bigger kid area. A wanted to try the Tilt-a-Whirl, so C and I joined him. I had forgotten how fast that ride moves. I thought C was going to lose his lunch on that one. I wasn't entirely convinced that I wasn't going to lose mine, too. But A had a blast. I was proud of them for trying it. Then we headed to the Ferris Wheel... a safe bet. C sat with Grandma and A sat with me. Again, perspective changes when you are 32 and not 14. I do not remember the Ferris Wheel moving that fast, and I do not remember the drop being scary at all. Oops. C didn't last too long before he wanted off, which Grandma quickly agreed to. A, on the other hand, couldn't get enough, so we went on again. He says that was his favorite ride at the park.
So, shortly before 2, we trudged to the car, EXHAUSTED from the rides and the heat. But it was so much fun. Thanks, Grandma, for joining us for such a great day!
Despite the heat, we made our way to the park this morning. What else were we going to do?! Sit inside all day?! I'm so glad that we ended up going. It was a lot of fun! We started off at the GIANT acre-sized swimming pool. The kids loved it because it started at 1 ft. deep at the sides and got gradually deeper as you moved to the middle. They were able to touch and run around in the water.
A is part fish. He loves to go underwater. He spent more time underwater than he did above water. Pretty impressive for a kid that wouldn't but his chin in the water at the beginning of the summer and would be absolutely petrified last year, shaking and crying, at the sight of someone else going underwater.
C loves to throw a little plastic duck and then go get it. He plays fetch with himself for HOURS in the pool and never gets bored of it. He's such a second-born child. Can play by himself without any problem. Almost prefers it.
After well over an hour of swimming, we took a break for lunch and then headed to the amusement park rides. I didn't know how these would go over. We went to a festival last weekend, and A was really hesitant about any rides. But something clicked for him today, and he loved it. So did C. They rode almost every little kid ride and had huge smiles on their faces the whole time.
Then we ventured over to the bigger kid area. A wanted to try the Tilt-a-Whirl, so C and I joined him. I had forgotten how fast that ride moves. I thought C was going to lose his lunch on that one. I wasn't entirely convinced that I wasn't going to lose mine, too. But A had a blast. I was proud of them for trying it. Then we headed to the Ferris Wheel... a safe bet. C sat with Grandma and A sat with me. Again, perspective changes when you are 32 and not 14. I do not remember the Ferris Wheel moving that fast, and I do not remember the drop being scary at all. Oops. C didn't last too long before he wanted off, which Grandma quickly agreed to. A, on the other hand, couldn't get enough, so we went on again. He says that was his favorite ride at the park.
So, shortly before 2, we trudged to the car, EXHAUSTED from the rides and the heat. But it was so much fun. Thanks, Grandma, for joining us for such a great day!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Funny Kid-isms
- We were playing zingo today. A and I needed the same card, but he beat me to it. He looked at me and said, "It's okay, mommy. I was just really fast because I took all of the energy from eating my vegetables and turned it into super power." Made me laugh out loud :)
- Both of my kids have pretty advanced language for their ages. I love having adult-like conversations with them, but I also LOVE the few little things they do that remind me they are only 2 and 4. For example, C puts an "s" on the end of a lot of words that aren't plural. I love it. It's adorable to hear him talk about his friend "Annabelles" or how he loves the color "oranges".
Friday, June 24, 2011
I have seemingly neglected my camera this summer. Can't seem to remember to bring it anywhere. But despite the lack of pictures, we are really enjoying summer.
Kelley's Island: We ventured up to KI with P's family for Memorial Day weekend. It was so fun. The kids are at such a fun age. They are both so independent and played with their older cousins for most of the weekend. They required very little supervision from me, which left me with time to sit in the sun and read a book! Who knew that day would ever come again! We had the chance to get in the water (which was cold but the boys didn't seem to notice), play some baseball, go putt-putt golfing, and hang out with family. The funniest moment (only because no one got hurt) came towards the end of the trip. The boys had been playing on Grandma's golf cart all weekend, which is totally fine. I think it was Sunday, P's uncle was helping fix something at another house close by. He came back just to grab some tool they needed. Since he was going to be so quick, he left the key in the golf cart. C, having no idea that the golf cart was on, climbed in to play, stepped on the gas and drove the golf cart across the yard towards the garage. As a cousin screamed, I looked up to see C's face as he drove by, which was a mixture of joy, confusion and fear! Seconds later, he crashed into a wheelbarrow. Nothing broke. C was fine, but a little shaken up from his joy ride!
Butterflies: We ventured to the Conservatory with my mom and one of my nephews to view the butterfly exhibit. It was beautiful as always, and the kids did great. It's been so fun to watch the boys grow up with their cousin.
Swimming: We joined our neighborhood pool this summer, and I am so glad we did. The boys have had a blast, and are getting more brave every time we go. A is finally putting his whole head under and will jump off the side of the pool by himself. C started off the summer jumping in and going under all the way, but with the cooler weather recently, he's just as content sitting on the side and splashing. I'm sure as the weather warms back up, he'll go back to his old ways.
Science Camp: I taught a one-week science camp in June. It was really fun to teach again, especially to small classes of kids that really WANT to learn and are completely self-motivated. It was everything I love about teaching with none of the horrible parts! By the end of the week, I was EXHAUSTED! I was waking the kids up at 6:30/6:45, piling them into the car, dropping them off at my mom's and picking them up at 4:30. My biggest realization from the week is that I enjoy teaching, but I LOVE my current job. I missed my boys all day and felt rushed with my time with them at night. By the time we made and ate dinner, it was nearly bedtime. I ended that week with a renewed appreciation for my job as a stay-at-home mom.
Other than that, we've been keeping really busy hanging out with friends, exploring new parks around the city, and other fun, summer activities. Still on the list: Reds game, Coney Island, and golfing (A continues to beg almost daily to go golfing again). Oh, and a trip to the beach in August! Can't wait for that one!
Kelley's Island: We ventured up to KI with P's family for Memorial Day weekend. It was so fun. The kids are at such a fun age. They are both so independent and played with their older cousins for most of the weekend. They required very little supervision from me, which left me with time to sit in the sun and read a book! Who knew that day would ever come again! We had the chance to get in the water (which was cold but the boys didn't seem to notice), play some baseball, go putt-putt golfing, and hang out with family. The funniest moment (only because no one got hurt) came towards the end of the trip. The boys had been playing on Grandma's golf cart all weekend, which is totally fine. I think it was Sunday, P's uncle was helping fix something at another house close by. He came back just to grab some tool they needed. Since he was going to be so quick, he left the key in the golf cart. C, having no idea that the golf cart was on, climbed in to play, stepped on the gas and drove the golf cart across the yard towards the garage. As a cousin screamed, I looked up to see C's face as he drove by, which was a mixture of joy, confusion and fear! Seconds later, he crashed into a wheelbarrow. Nothing broke. C was fine, but a little shaken up from his joy ride!
Butterflies: We ventured to the Conservatory with my mom and one of my nephews to view the butterfly exhibit. It was beautiful as always, and the kids did great. It's been so fun to watch the boys grow up with their cousin.
Swimming: We joined our neighborhood pool this summer, and I am so glad we did. The boys have had a blast, and are getting more brave every time we go. A is finally putting his whole head under and will jump off the side of the pool by himself. C started off the summer jumping in and going under all the way, but with the cooler weather recently, he's just as content sitting on the side and splashing. I'm sure as the weather warms back up, he'll go back to his old ways.
Science Camp: I taught a one-week science camp in June. It was really fun to teach again, especially to small classes of kids that really WANT to learn and are completely self-motivated. It was everything I love about teaching with none of the horrible parts! By the end of the week, I was EXHAUSTED! I was waking the kids up at 6:30/6:45, piling them into the car, dropping them off at my mom's and picking them up at 4:30. My biggest realization from the week is that I enjoy teaching, but I LOVE my current job. I missed my boys all day and felt rushed with my time with them at night. By the time we made and ate dinner, it was nearly bedtime. I ended that week with a renewed appreciation for my job as a stay-at-home mom.
Other than that, we've been keeping really busy hanging out with friends, exploring new parks around the city, and other fun, summer activities. Still on the list: Reds game, Coney Island, and golfing (A continues to beg almost daily to go golfing again). Oh, and a trip to the beach in August! Can't wait for that one!
Friday, June 17, 2011
Friday, June 10, 2011
Potty Training
We are on day three of no diapers! C is doing great! We have even ventured out to friends' houses, the Butterfly show, the grocery store and several parks. He has even been diaper-free for naps. The only diapers he's worn are at night and in the pool. Pretty impressive for a boy who hasn't even reached 2 1/2 yet! Keep it up, Big Boy!!
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Baby S
My sis-in-law had a birthday yesterday, so we watched her 2 month old while she and her hubby got to enjoy dinner out! It went pretty well. Of course, A lost her paci, so there was a good deal of screaming until I found an extra. Other than that, we did great.
I love this first pic. I know it looks like a silly toddler smile, but it is PURE JOY that you see. He was shaking from excitement at getting to hold his baby cousin. It was ADORABLE! He loves babies, and it is so sweet to see him be gently and loving towards baby S.
Big cousin got a turn. About one second later, S started crying. Good thing we got the shot when we did.
The boys wanted to show their aunt and uncle how cute they look in their pjs, but the date wasn't over before bedtime arrived. So we took this picture to show them. I think it is pretty adorable. It was cute to see A put his arm around C without prompting... and it didn't end in tackling him to the ground! If that's not considered success, I don't know what is!
The birthday girl and her hubby. Beautiful!
Preschool
This is from A's preschool Easter party. The kids are lined up waiting to be released for the Easter egg hunt! I love how they are all trying to scope out the eggs... so serious!
Class pic... minus 2.
At the end of the year, they had a Spring Program. It was cute to hear the kids sing and then they gave out "graduation" certificates. I love this shot. This says "preschool picture" so well. Notice: the boy picking his nose, A showing off his belly, all kids randomly staring in different directions. Gotta love it!
Trying to get a final class pic. This is the best I got. The rest of my attempts had kids with certificates in front of their faces.
A few Spring activities...
The boys learned how to set the timer on the camera and then run into the picture. That kept us entertained for WAY too long. This was the cutest pic they got.... not bad!
Our neighbors were probably wondering what kind of crazy people live next door. It was a beautiful morning, so I shooed the boys outside before the rain could start. They were in their pjs. They decided to be firefighters. So, check out the awesome outfits... pjs, boots, winter jacket/vest, gardening gloves, hats (one firefighter hat and one cowboy hat) and the garden hose stretched across the lawn through the gate to put out the "fire" next door.
A local bookstore had Froggy come to visit for storytime. He's one of the boys' favorite storybook characters. They were totally freaked out, though, and wouldn't get any closer than this. I tried to get them closer to give high-fives or hugs, and they froze. C even fell off the little stage backward to avoid getting too close. But they talked about it for days afterwards, so apparently it wasn't too traumatizing.
Dying Easter eggs!
My friends with girls get to watch their daughters dress up in beautiful princess gowns. But being them mother of boys, we see construction men around our house more days than not. Here's "Mr. Jim" our maintenance man. That tool bet weighs more than he does! Notice the irish flute in the tool belt. Not sure what that will help fix!!
Here are a few pics from my cousin's wedding in Milwaukee. I didn't get any of the actual ceremony since I was playing piano. Here's one of my three favorite boys, watching Sports Center together!
The hotel had a water park inside! So fun! The boys had a blast, and it was a great way to burn some energy before the ceremony.
I can't remember where we were driving, but this is how A fell asleep in the car. The crossed leg had me laughing so hard.
And... Monkey see, monkey do! Trying to cross his leg like his brother!
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