Wednesday, December 15, 2010

sick and tired of being sick and tired


We have been sick around here for over a week. Between fevers, running noses,aches and pains we have spent a pretty penny at Rite Aid!

I love this photo! Medicine cups lined up like soldiers, various medicines mixed in with a couple snow globes and coffee... lots of coffee.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

the most wonderful time of the year

3 things I love about this time of year:

1. Christmas... music, trees, wreaths, presents, outfits, eves!

2. The way the wind blows so cold it makes you want to bundle up, cuddle up, or cozy up to a roaring fire.

3. Cooking and baking scrumptious creations that warm your heart and fill your tummy!

Friday, November 5, 2010

rock and roll


The boys will occasionally grab something on our way out the door to bring in the car, but this is a first for us...

I'm not sure how fun a broken brick will be....

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

heating things up



I love the feeling of warm clothes coming out of the dryer as much as the next person, but this might just be taking it too far...


Tuesday, May 4, 2010

what we found in the pool today

Can you see it? Look closely...


I've heard that after a big rain it could happen, but I've never seen it before today.
Enjoy this video of our new little friend!

Sunday, May 2, 2010

why our sink wouldn't drain properly


Gideon has a tendancy of putting small things into small places. We didn't realize that this affinity carried into the bathroom arena.

When the plumber came I told him the sink was incredible slow to drain. A few minutes later I heard him laughing. When I went to investigate he was holding the bullet casing and marble in one hand, and a piece of pipe with this bouncy ball wedged in it in the other.


Saturday, May 1, 2010

only with boys

would you ever here this phrase, spoken in extreme earnest:

"Aidan won't die. It's just not fair!"

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

a lot going on

What to post? There are so many, many things going on right now it's hard to pick just one. We are having a beautiful deck built on the back of house and it has turned the backyard into a circus practice facility. The boys are constantly trying to tight-rope-walk the uncovered beams. Hopefully that will be finished in the next couple of days!

Also, baseball season has begun and both Caleb and Jonah are playing on two different teams. We have had only one practice and I am already having regrets about signing them up. It might be too much for us to handle. We are a family that prioritizes having dinner together every night, and I fear that baseball season will have a very negative affect on our dinner plans.

And finally- I have entered the wonderful world of couponing! It is a rather significant investment of time and energy, but we are seeing HUGE savings on our grocery bill.

I feel so blessed with our life right now. God has given us so very much. Everywhere I turn and everything I think about feels like a gift. What a great place to be!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

a Godly perspective?


me to boy: You need to take a rest... you are sick.

boy to me: How long do I have to lay down for?

me to boy: 1 hour

boy to me: Thats as long as church!!!!

Monday, March 22, 2010

the battle

We have a pool. And its great. I really love it... in the summertime. But during the colder months when the pool is not in use and we cover it up- I hate the pool! The cover is good because it keeps unwanted leaves and debris out of the pool. However, when it rains the cover is the bane of my existence. I feel like the pool cover and I have been in an epic battle. Me, the diligent homeowner who is trying to maintain a clean & neat outdoor space. Against the pool cover that is constantly filling up with dirty, standing water.

So today- I ended the war. I pumped all of the water out of the cover and took off the pool cover! The feeling I have now that the cover is off and put away is amazing. I feel like a gigantic weight has been lifted off of my shoulders- and the pool looks awesome.

The boys were so excited when I brought them home from school and the pool was uncovered. They really wanted to jump in, but not quite yet!

Friday, March 19, 2010

wise guy

I recently took Jonah in for his 6 year old checkup. Before the nurse gave him his hearing test she was explaining to him that the device she put in his ear would beep. She told him to say beep or... something whenever he heard anything. She began the test. And Jonah, witty boy that he is, once he heard the first beep, with a sly smile on his face said, "something."

Not expecting this out of Jonah, we all laughed and he, glad to find us an easy audience, continued to say "something" for each beep thereafter.

Thursday, March 18, 2010

You know its a good St. Patty's Day when...

your 3 year old falls asleep sprawled out, face down on the carpet and you can hear him snoring a room away!

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

popcorn & paper airplanes





Last week, Caleb came home from school with the brilliant idea for us to make paper airplanes. So, the boys changed out of their uniforms and I made us some popcorn and got the paper ready. The first couple of airplanes we made didn't fly very far and the big boys were getting frustrated. They once saw me make an amazing airplane that flew really far, but I have NO idea how I did it! So we finally decided to resort to the wisdom of The Dangerous Book for Boys. Jonah went and got the book and was very leary about me reading out of it. He kept holding it very tightly, saying, "I don't know Mom. I'm pretty sure girls aren't allowed to look in here." Finally he gave in and and we followed their instructions on how to make an airplane that would fly more than a couple of inches.

They spent the rest of the afternoon perfecting the airplanes and shoving popcorn in their mouths. On a side note: the only way my boys know how to eat popcorn is by taking giant handfuls and shoving it into their mouths. Is this normal boy behavior?


Thursday, March 4, 2010

G.W.




Is it just me, or is this the cutest little boy?

He opted for the rain boots, because he can put them on all by himself. He, like his brothers before him, is what we call a "selfer." I love him!



Wednesday, March 3, 2010

a good day

Today was one of those rare and wonderful days where I was able to get so much accomplished. Not only did I straighten and clean the whole house, including bathrooms and dusting, but I also did 5 loads of laundry, gave a talk to a group of 5th grade girls, and went shopping for the boys swimming things.

It was one of those days where if somebody asked me what I did today, I would have something to say to them rather than the usual, "Oh nothing much." And now, looking back on my day and realizing how much I achieved I feel quite pleased with myself.

I think I will celebrate with pedicure tomorrow!

Tuesday, March 2, 2010

it went swimmingly

We are headed to an indoor water park this weekend to get together with some good friend of ours that we haven't seen in a while. And of course this means that everyone needs a bathing suit. While the boys would be fine wearing their speedos (why they love them so much, I'll never know!), I was in desperate need of a new suit.

I wasn't looking for too much: something modest, something that fit, something that made me look thin, something that wasn't too expensive, something that was athletic enough to handle playing with the boys but pretty enough to be stylish, something that Mike would like. That's not too much to ask- is it?

Mike got home early from work this evening so I was able to go and look. I wanted to start at TJMaxx, because I have had success there before. When I got to the store I looked for a couple of minutes before asking someone if they had any swimsuits yet. The sales girl told me she didn't think they had put anything out yet, but to check over in active wear. I headed over that way thinking I was going to have to probably hit the mall, ugh! But luckily they had about 20 or so suits. I decided what the heck, I'll try a couple on. I grabbed 3 suits and headed to the fitting room.

Believe it or not, the very first suit I tried on was PERFECT. It met every single one of my criteria! I was shocked...but I really shouldn't have been.

On the way to the store I had prayed. I always pray before I go looking for any kind of clothing. It was a lesson my mother taught all her daughters, and even though you might think it is a small thing or that God doesn't really care about it- you'd be wrong. Because he has ALWAYS answered my prayers to find the clothing I need.

God is so good. He took a situation that could have been long and excruciating and turned it into something quick and painless... and dare I say, even pleasant.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Joy


I have just finished re-reading The Chronicles of Narnia and once again I am in awe of the genius of C.S. Lewis. He writes with such insight into the human heart and our relationship with Christ. I was struck time and time again by the parallels of the series with our own salvation.

It sometimes makes my cry. It makes me cry out of pity for our nation and how cruel and misled we can be. It makes me cry because we have our very own Aslan who brings so much good out in us. It makes me cry because it is so beautifully and completely written.

I think my most favorite parts are at the end of The Magicians Nephew and the end of The Last Battle. Even though both books tell the story of a deep evil, there is that overwhelming message of hope. "What I give you now will bring joy."

Oh, if only we could be open always to the adventure that Christ has in store for us if we would follow his will. Think of all the joy!

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

my little engineer


Gideon has always had a love of figuring things out. When he was very young, I remember him finding a toy in the living room that was missing a very small part. The next thing I knew he was scooting down the stairs with the missing piece and then fixing the toy. It seems like he has a particular knack for engineering.

Recently though, he has taken this ability to a whole other level.

I went to warm something up and found pennies in the microwave. I went to use the bathroom and found Legos in the toilet. And yesterday morning while I was washing my hands, the water was draining so slowly that I took the plunger to the sink, only to discover that a strand of Mardi Gras beads had been funneled down the drain.

Of course I had to correct him for each of these incidents, but it makes me wonder: "Is this tendency something that he will have forever? What might he grow up to be?"

Monday, February 22, 2010

Birthday Fun


This past weekend we celebrated Jonah's 6th birthday. It was a weekend of parties. He had a HUGE group of boys (16!), and 1 girl (his cousin) over for a pirate party that turned out to be totally crazy and fun!


And then the following day we had all of my family over for another birthday party. I love this picture. You can see Mike's hand on Jonah's head, blessing him on his birthday. Very special.

As I usually do when one of the boys birthdays roll around, I began reflecting on Jonah's life. How excited I was when I found out I was pregnant. How I was even more excited when I found out he was a boy! What a wonderful baby he was. How diligent, compassionate, and hilarious he is. And how incredible thankful I am that he is my son.

It was a wonderful birthday-packed weekend!

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Lent

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season. What's great and different about this Lent is the awareness that the boys are developing. They are old enough to understand what this season means.

We talked at the dinner table about how Lent precedes Easter and how Jesus died and rose again. During the discussion they were contributing just as much as Mike and I. Although Jonah was a little sketchy about the resurrection. He said Jesus died and then came to life 5 hours later.

But I feel like this year- they get it. And with that realization came the reality that my children are growing up. (sniff, sniff)


I'm really looking forward to this Lenten season. I feel like God is going to be present to our family in a new and deeper way. We are ready!


Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Wii did it

After much anticipation....we finally got a Wii! We have played on one before at friends houses, and the boys loved it. It seems like a great way to play video games while NOT being anti-social, since we can play it as a family- even Giddy. Also it sustains a competitive nature that Mike and I both have. (I beat him at golf last night!!!!)

We've been thinking about getting one for awhile, but once we finally decided it was time, there was not a Wii to be found. I tried locating one for almost a month. I kept looking online and calling around, but it was proving to be an elusive item.

Then yesterday, whilst checking online, instead of saying Out of Stock, it was AVAILABLE. I called over to the store and was informed that they had a few. I called Mike and he said, "GO!" I had to drive 35mins., but we have it- Victory!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Snowy Night




It snowed!!!

Living in the south, the chances of us seeing snow are equal to the chances of us catching a glimpse of Bigfoot. Needless to say the excitement around the 5-6 inches of snow we got was excessive. As it should be.


This was Gideon's first experience with snow! When we lived in Virginia and Alabama we had snow, but he was too young to go out and play in it. He was so incredibly cute. Catching snowflakes on his tongue and making snow angel after snow angel.


Caleb was the healthiest of all the boys and commented many times that this was "the best day ever!"


Here is Ronald. For whatever reason, that is the name the boys gave their snowman. He is quite sophisticated. Complete with driving cap & cigar.

(Notice the glazed look in Jonah's eyes. He had a fever, but insisted he was well enough to play in the snow. When it only comes along once every never-you get out there no matter what!)

And of course, the snow angels.


Considering the level of sick that everyone has been around here- I'm so glad that we were all able to get out and enjoy the snow for a little while. Hopefully it won't melt too quickly and we can enjoy it some more today!

On a side note: every time I see snow that song from White Christmas always pops into my head. Listen and enjoy!






Friday, February 12, 2010

commercial fun

The boys have been watching a lot of TV & movies lately since that is really all they can do. During this time we have discovered the most hilarious commercial. The first time Gideon saw this he just stared opened mouth. But since then he laughs, and laughs whenever it comes on. Enjoy!


Thursday, February 11, 2010

The Den of Sick


The boys are sick.

They have been for what seems like forever. Caleb started it all on Sunday and each morning since then a new boy, including Mike, wakes up with the same fever and aches. This is all coming on top of them having a different fever virus two weeks ago. Needless to say I am growing exhausted of my children being unhealthy.

When a family is sick, one often has sympathy for the suffering, but over the past 3 weeks I have come to realize that sympathy need also be extended to the caregiver. God has spared me of having the virus, thankfully, but I find myself becoming incredibly overwhelmed with trying to take care of everyone.

I'm run down from lack of sleep.

I'm tired of hearing, "Mom... I need a tissue....I need a drink....I need, I need, I need!"

I'm weak with seeing my children and husband so limp and lifeless.

Yesterday I was in "the depths of despair, " (Anne of Green Gables) and I stood crying and thinking- "I can't do this anymore!"

But today is a new day. Today I know that God will give me the grace. He has to. I've been praying, praying, praying. Not for anything specific, but just praying. And I am comforted in the knowledge that in time this too will pass. I am comforted because through my praying God has given me peace. My goal, my hope is to get through this being the best mother/wife/nurse that I can.

Instead of a burden, I'm looking at this as an opportunity. I can be Jesus to my family right now in a very real way. I can lay down my life for them by getting them a tissue, a drink, a blanket, or whatever they need. So I will continue to pray- "Lord, keep the grace coming."