Precious Moments

This Thanksgiving was a special one for our family. We love hosting at our house and this year there were fourteen of us. I used to stress out about entertaining that many people in our home, family or not, but not anymore. The past few years it's become such a joy. Each family contributes several dishes to the feast and it's so nice that way. We get to taste some great recipes and those who have a "specialty" can choose to bring that for everyone to share. The four kids were big enough to sit at the little table and the adults enjoyed the extended dining table and lots of laughs. The weather was quite mild so after lunch everyone relaxed on the back patio while the kids played in the yard.

For black Friday we opted to load up as a family once the kids were awake and start the morning off with donuts around 7:30am. Anna and I stopped into Old Navy (where we were one of about three families shopping) and found some cute items for our upcoming family pictures while the boys went over to Lowe's. Then we all met back up and went to Academy and Tractor Supply. I did a little online shopping on Land's End and Kohl's for Christmas later that day. That was the extent of our shopping. Thankfully we are really quite ready for Christmas in the way of gift-giving so there was no pressure to stand in line for certain items over the weekend. Friday afternoon we put up the exterior Christmas decorations and I got the mantle decorated. For the first time in the more than ten years Mark and I have been together, we set up the Christmas village and train set at the near-begging request of Ian.

On Saturday we put up the Christmas tree and the kids' little 3-foot tree and finished the interior decorations. And after church on Sunday Ian (sort of) helped me decorate both trees while Anna napped. When Anna woke up she immediately went to the tree and examined all of the ornaments. She was really drawn to those with baby photos and animals. And she likes seeing the ornaments with Mark and me and Coal pictured together - before kids.

Sunday night we went to Braum's for dinner and our milk/OJ items (Braum's milk is like gold in this house...if you've had it, you know how good it is) and the kids thoroughly enjoyed sharing one side of the booth while Mark and I shared the other side.

And that's when one of the sweetest things my son has ever said was shared. Ian hugged Anna, kissed the top of her head and announced to me that he was going to marry Anna. Now you and I know that isn't possible but that's how he could best express his love for his sister. It was precious. When I gently explained that they are brother and sister and couldn't marry each other, Ian asked why. After attempting to further explain that even though they couldn't marry, they will always be brother and sister and share so much love. Ian said he didn't care. He was going to marry Anna ten times so she could wear ten wedding rings. Ha! He's so cute and has such a big heart. And nothing means more to him than his family and his close friends.

After dinner we drove around to look at Christmas lights for the first time this season - as early as it may be. We weren't disappointed. One of the most infamous houses for extravagant lights in our area was as bright as ever and the kids went nuts! I can't even type out how Anna says Christmas lights but it's something like 'Kwitmo lights' and it's hysterical because she says it so amazingly fast. All we heard from the backseat of the truck was each child yelling to look at the lights out of their window and then a loud, "Ooohhh!" from each of them. It really does make my soul smile to see how such simple things in life can make a child so amazingly joyous!

Veterans Day

Just wanted to post a BIG THANK YOU to each and every service person out there - both active and retired. My heart goes out to those families who have a troop serving overseas and especially to those families who's loved one is missing in action. May God bless each service member and their family! Our freedom, in so many senses of the word, is solely because of your unfailing dedication to our country. Thank you!

The anti-holiday message

I was disturbed to see an article online today stating that several major retailers have decided to open on Thanksgiving Day this year. As if it wasn't bad enough to see stores open at 4am (instead of what was once "early" at 6am) this past year, now they are said to be opening as early as 10pm on Thanksgiving. I am no stranger to the Black Friday sales but I am usually on the hunt for a few specific things that are realistic to get - Target's flannel pjs for the kids, a specific toy, home appliance, or bedding like Target's flannel sheets. Mark and I ventured out to Kohl's Black Friday sale a few years ago and we will never do that again. At least Target is not a stampede and is rather well-organized. I get there minutes before the doors open (none of this waiting in line for hours or overnight for me) and have never missed out on an item I was in search for.

 

And because of the chaos, injuries and even deaths reported in past years at some big box chains around the nation, I refuse to shop at certain stores (Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Toys R Us, and Kohls) on Black Friday or that entire weekend. I will not risk my health or safety for a discounted crock pot or portable DVD player.

I actually went the opposite way with my holiday shopping this year. I finished shopping for the kids and my two nephews in October - all while getting great deals on unique gifts I think each child will be thrilled with and stuck to the budget agreed upon by our entire family. I keep a spreadsheet of what I've purchased so we don't over spend. And most of my shopping was done online because of the huge benefits - online coupons, sales on merchandise not easily found in the actual stores, convenience of shopping when I have the time, and delivery (often free) right to my door! And my side of the family has decided to not trade gifts among the adults from now on and Mark and I are happy with that. We feel blessed to not "need" anything and the kids' extended family would rather focus on picking out a few special gifts for the kids instead. And we're excited to be sponsoring an Angels foster child this year for Christmas. I think the kids will love shopping for their "buddy" and sharing the gifts at the Christmas party in December.

As so many people posted, in response to the article I mentioned above, retailers are taking the meaning out of the holidays by requiring their employees to come in ON holidays. I absolutely disagree with chain stores earning bigger profits at the sacrifice of family time and true celebration of the holidays.

And truth be told the so-called deals everyone are after will probably be posted again closer to the holidays so why should we dash from the dining room table and abandon our family time - which is already so scarce because of overwhelming schedules and to-do lists every other day of the year? I just don't buy it {pun intended}.

So I will refuse to shop at stores (in person or online) on Thanksgiving Day and I hope you'll join me in saying NO to the retailers this coming Thanksgiving holiday.

Oklahoma's 5.6

Last night just before 11pm we had a 5.6 earthquake with an epicenter in Sparks, just outside Prague, Oklahoma, only about sixty miles away. I had already been asleep and it woke me up. Mark was not fully asleep so he woke up, too. We sat in bed and could hear the rumble of the quake and saw everything sort of "roll" and shake in the house. It was really wild. It sounded like a long, solid rumble of thunder and lasted what seemed like a minute or so but reports state it was probably only 15-30 seconds at most. Nothing was knocked over or damaged at our house but reports on the news showed chimneys collapsing into homes, cracks throughout brick home walls, cabinets emptied, etc. in and around Prague.

On Saturday morning there was a 5.2 earthquake in Oklahoma but it happened around 2am so we slept through it. Reports of the 5.6 quake were felt down in Dallas and as far as Wisconsin.

Then, on Sunday evening just after the kids went to bed we had a 4.7 quake that seemed shorter than the previous night but seeing the computer monitor on our desk and lamps shake in a wave-like motion was pretty wild. Oddly enough, that night we had thunderstorms, too, and within 48 hours there were tornadoes to our west. We are no stranger to wild, ever-changing weather but to have so many natural phenomenon this year...even within a week...is pretty strange!

Wide open spaces

I can not express how excited I am to finally be making this post!! After several years of combing the MLS listings for homes or land, daily visits to Realtor.com, dragging the kids to countless open houses and showings with our realtor, and regular weekend adventures to "look at land", we finally found what we've been searching so long for.

We have had dreams of building a home but with each opportunity we had to make that happen, there was always something not quite right. So we entertained buying an existing home but we were met with even more barriers. In August we were prepared to make an offer on a lot but within a matter of days the stock market tanked and the lot went under contract while we were on vacation. At the end of September we were prepared to make an offer on a home we liked but it went under contract overnight before we could make our offer. And now we know why these situations and SO many more didn't work out for us over the years. God always has a plan. So when we located this piece of land, everything seemed to fall into place and we knew quickly that it was right for us.

This morning we signed a contract to reserve a 1.75 acre (mol), hill-top tract in a fairly new development just a few miles northeast of where we live now. The neighborhood has 54 acreage lots total and our parcel offers clear northeast views about a half a mile out over the rolling hills and trees from what will be the front porch of our home and a clear view of the sunset to the southwest from the backyard.

This weekend we will begin interviewing one of our top three choices in builders. We hope to break ground in the spring and move in before the winter holidays next year.

The kids are very excited at the idea of moving. They look forward to having a house with stairs (because every kid LOVES playing on stairs), a big flat driveway to ride bikes on, and a giant yard to race their PowerWheels in. As Ian says, "this yard is big enough I could drive my four wheeler forever and never hit a bird feeder." Well said, my son. So we're excited to embark on our adventure "in the country" with wide open spaces.

Halloween

Trick-or-treat! The kids enjoyed trick-or-treating this year even more than last year because both kids are starting to clue in that candy is yummy (yikes!). They both loved getting to eat a tiny fun pack of M&Ms and Anna really liked the mini Reese's cup. She had chocolate all over her face, hands, and costume by the end of that tiny little treat.

For trick-or-treating we go to a local mall where the merchants close early to pass out candy to the kids at each store front. Us parents love that it's indoors so there is no need for toting coats and flashlights, and it's not crowded at all. The kids loved checking each others' costumes out!

Anna the 50s girl and Ian the policeman.

Cowboy, Batman, Policeman, and a 50s girl....what a crew!

Changes

The events in the past two months at our house have followed a common theme...change. I am not new to change; in fact I love change. I have embraced lots of change throughout my life - big and small. Just ask my Mom. When I was a pre-teen, she was never surprised when my bedroom door hit a piece of furniture as she attempted to come in on a Saturday morning. I was known for rearranging my bedroom on a (sometimes) weekly basis.

But the past two months have been full of a lot of change; definitely much more than we are used to. The kids started school - Anna is in preschool and Ian is in pre-K. And once a few weeks of school were under their belts, the kids seemed to have grown up a bit more overnight. Ian has tried a few new foods and that is saying a TON for a child who will only eat about five things. He is choosing his own clothes and dressing himself for the most part. He can fix his own breakfast and, minus getting the gallon of milk out of the fridge, can almost fix his own warm milk without supervision. Anna is attempting to dress herself and can often entirely undress without help. She will also choose and get her own shoes on but she does need help with her socks sometimes. She can brush her own teeth and get breakfast out of the cabinet but needs help opening it. It seems as if we are seeing new milestones in the kids almost daily.

And about two and a half weeks ago we decided it was time for her to let go of the Pappy (pacifier). She had become very attached to it after her doctor's appointments/procedures this past summer so we knew it would be difficult. One Sunday she had a royal tantrum after we refused to let her have her Pappy on the way home from church. Her intense reaction was so unlike her and it made me realize just how attached to it she had become. So I finally got the guts to get rid of it. While she was eating lunch I snuck into her room and snipped the end off her last pappy and left it in the bed for her to find. When she discovered it she was surprised, confused and then sad. I just sympathized with her and explained that when pappies get old, they break. And once they "break" they aren't safe to have and we have to "get rid of them". I've been very careful to not say throw it away, trash, or anything similar. She has asked for it several times, especially when she's tired, but has not had a tantrum or been terribly upset over it. She has been more sad that she hasn't had it instead of mad. I simply reply that we don't have Pappy anymore and that it broke. And she accepts that and moves on. She's had a much more grown-up reaction that I'd anticipated. This is exactly how we ended the Pappy with Ian but in his case his really did break off because he would chew it all the time.

Over the summer the Lord called me to get out of my comfort zone and give back to the church we've called home for more than six years. Our kids love the children's programs at church and I felt it was time I got involved in some way. Without knowing much about the program, I signed up to be a storyteller for the first through fourth grades in the fall Sunday school rotation schedule. In the weeks leading up to my rotation I had great doubts - was I cut out for this, ready for this, or even willing to do this?? I felt like giving up but then the Lord placed the story of Jeremiah so conveniently in my lap as the story I'd be telling for four straight weeks at church. I always find humor in how the Lord works in our lives sometimes and He did it again. Jeremiah was just a child when God called him to be a prophet or disciple for Him. Jeremiah doubted his ability to do the job God called him to do because he felt ill-equipped, too young, etc. but the Lord gave him strength and guidance. Jeremiah never gave up as he attempted to share God's message. I can relate to Jeremiah in the sense that I often feel too immature as a Christian to be a proper disciple for Christ. But I now know that whatever God calls us to do, be it big or small, He will be by our side the entire time to guide and teach along the way. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Sunday school rotation, and am so thankful for the work God has done in my heart and the strength He has given me to get out and be a disciple for Him in whatever way I can. I pray the story of Jeremiah reached at least one child over those four weeks so that child can have the confidence to boldly be a disciple for Christ.

In September, my passion for serving within the foster care community took an unexpectedly positive turn when a volunteer position I have enjoyed changed into part-time employment. I am able to work on Thursdays while both kids are in school or at home if need be. I'm thrilled to be a part of such an amazing organization that has quickly made great strides in changing the face of foster care in Oklahoma.

Our next change will be Ian turning five years old. Aside from birthday parties and fun gifts, his birthday will be a milestone, a sort of rite of passage, in his young little life. Mark and I have agreed that at age five Ian will take on more regular responsibilities, greater tasks of self-sufficiency, while letting go of some of his lingering "toddler ways" and Ian is preparing for that. He is such an amazing little boy - bright, loving, humorous, compassionate, inquisitive, and filled with the Spirit - and we are so proud of who he is and who he will be.

20 Year Anniversary

January of this year marked twenty years for Mark at his company. Last night we attended the company Service Awards banquet downtown and had a wonderful evening. The banquet and dinner were held on the 34th floor of a downtown building and the view throughout the evening was breathtaking as the sun set, and thereafter. The three course meal was fantastic and we greatly enjoyed visiting with Mark's coworkers at our table.

The view from our hotel suite.

Mark was presented with an award by Jody, another manager from his office, who did a great job of highlighting Mark's career and who Mark is as a person at and away from the office. Mark also presented an award to one of his guys, Monte, for thirty years of service after a wonderfully thoughtful speech about Monte's achievements and their friendship over the years.

Mark and I were blessed with a night away in a downtown hotel where we enjoyed drinks with friends after the banquet while the kids had a sleepover at Nana and Papa's house. It was a great evening in celebration of Mark's career so far. And after ten years of knowing Mark, I am as impressed by him as I was the day we married. And saying I was proud to be on my husband's arm that night would be an understatment. I am so blessed to be Mark's wife and I am humbled by his dedication to his job and the company for so many years.

Anna's first day

Our fashionista in head-to-toe PINK. :)

Today was Anna's first day of preschool and she had a blast. She was very excited to go since she saw her brother go yesterday. She was apprehensive about going into the classroom because she was confused as to why she wasn't going into last year's classroom. Once she got in the door she did great. We put her bag in her cubbie and she was off to play with the wood puzzles. She gave me a hug good-bye and that was it. I was so proud of her for not asking for or needing her Pappy (pacifier) or Monkey lovie at all that morning. Usually she'd ask for her Pappy/Monkey (she almost says it as one word) in an uncertain situation for soothing but she didn't need either and I was so happy to see that. I knew she'd have a great day if she started out on a good note. That was as good as we could have asked for! She's becoming a big girl before our eyes.

Anna loves wearing her favorite hat
in the car and her sunglasses are
usually upside-down. :)

My 'big kids' outside school.

The most wonderful time of the year!

I will preface this post by saying our family enjoyed a really fun, adventurous summer this year. The kids and I did so much with friends, family and even on our own. But then mid-August arrived and we were all going bananas! The kids desperately needed the routine and structure that school offers...and Mama needed a sanity break.

Then September 7th arrived and our house was, seemingly overnight, a different place. It was Ian's first day of Pre-K and he was so excited he couldn't contain himself. He'd picked out his new Spiderman shirt, jeans and brown boots for the first day of school and he looked quite handsome of course. And we surprised him this morning with an early birthday present - a new Lego City Firefighter backpack.

The four cousins together outside the school.

I made the kids their favorite blueberry muffins and our house was so calm all morning it was eerie. The kids cooperated so well, ate their breakfast while I showered, played nicely together, got dressed and ready well before it was time to go, etc. It was awesome! Ian was completely dressed and ready to walk out the door by 8am...wearing his backpack, of course.

It was nice to have our 'before school prayer time' at our favorite stop light this morning. They had remembered from last May and little Anna's hands were folded before we even got to the light. A few of the things we prayed for was that Ian would have a fun first day, learn something new, be a blessing to his friends because some of them may be apprehensive about a new class/school, obey his teachers, and make at least one new friend.

Ian was excited for school but became apprehensive when he got near his classroom and saw lots of other kids. Once his teachers invited him into the classroom and began showing him where to put his backpack, how to put his name up on the chart, etc. he was his usual happy self again. He recognized a few old friends and I was pleased to see several new faces, too. And as we left the school Anna kept saying, "My class. My class." She was sad she wasn't going to school today but she'll get her chance tomorrow.

Anna bounces at the park.

So while Ian was at school, Anna and I met cousin Braden and Aunt Laura at the park for some outdoor time. They had a blast together. Then she and I ran a few errands and picked up Chick-Fil-A before getting Ian from school. When he got in the car he was so happy and excited about his day. And 'special lunch' made him smile even more. He thanked Anna for getting him lunch - too cute!

He talked a mile a minute the entire way home and showed us his 'book' he had made in class. He told us he had a great day and loved school. And I was so touched to hear him talk about playing with old and new friends; especially a little girl named Evan who Ian said was shy. He said he played with her and tried to help her not be shy. I complimented him on being a blessing to his friends and how awesome it was that he helped Evan enjoy her first day of school. He is a typical little boy sometimes but he sure makes us proud, too!

Good bye August

August was a month that seemed to fly by for us. At the beginning of the month we were relaxing in Colorado on the annual family vacation and at the end of the month we were celebrating the wonderful news that Anna did not have to undergo surgery to repair her VUR (kidney reflux) issues. And in between those two events were lots of fun outings and several pool play dates at the cousins' house to try and beat the heat and keep the kids engaged...and Mama from going crazy. :)

Our washing machine went out on us (after 20 years of faithful service) and we replaced it with a new front load set that make our little laundry room look pretty fancy. At the same time we replaced the old cook top in our kitchen with a sleek new black one. Coincidentally, the appliances arrived on my birthday and they are awesome. The day they were installed the kids and I were mesmerized by the spinning clothes through the glass windows of the washer and dryer. Anna has always been my laundry helper so now she's even more excited to help because she can reach both the washer and the dryer without her step stool. I hope that enthusiasm continues into her teen years when she'll be doing her own laundry.

The afternoon of my birthday we met with the pediatric urologist at Children's Hospital and were quite relieved and thankful to learn that Anna's stage III VUR does not require surgery at this time. In fact, nearly 50% of all children with this stage outgrow it within five years. So we were given the option of putting her on a daily antibiotic for one full year as a preventive measure against future kidney infections or take a 'wait and see' approach. Either way, she will be evaluated after one year to check the progress of the VUR with hopes that it has decreased or diminished entirely. After praying, researching and speaking with Anna's pediatrician Mark and I chose not to give her the antibiotic and instead we opted for a more natural route of a daily chewable 'gummy' supplement of natural cranberry or whole cranberry juice pops. We are so thankful to God that Anna doesn't have to endure a surgery at this age and pray her kidney/bladder issues are healed by His hand in time.

We had a record-breaking summer with 61 days where the temperature was above 100 degrees and massive wild fires were part of the daily news. Brutal hot! But today was a very welcome change with highs only reaching 78 degrees and a, dare I say, crisp breeze all day long. This morning we all wore long sleeves and pants to church and I was so excited to open all the windows and air out the house this afternoon.

Fall is upon us and college football has begun (my husband is overjoyed) and the kids start back to school this coming week! Hard to believe summer is over.

Ian, Anna and Gram make paper airplanes to
launch on the air machine at the museum.

Potty training...round one

We started our first attempt at potty training Anna over the weekend of August 14th because she was showing signs of being ready.

Tuesday morning (the 16th) Anna woke up and I immediately asked if she wanted to potty. She replied that she did and I was surprised to find her overnight diaper was virtually dry. Within about a minute of sitting on the potty she began to tinkle. About thirty minutes later I was in doing my makeup and Anna came in and said, "Mommy, potty". I asked if she needed to go potty again and she replied that she did. So we ventured down to her bathroom and she quickly tooted on the potty - quite proud of herself, too. Then she pooped. I was so excited for her and her eyes got really big with surprise that she had done it.

So that afternoon we stopped by Target to pick out a cushy potty seat. She's been using a fold-up portable potty seat so I wanted to get her a nice soft one for at home. She immediately went to the bathroom and wanted to 'try it out' when we got home. Later that week she got to pick out two packs of 'big girl' underwear. She also loves to read 'Brown Bear, Brown Bear What Do You See?' by Eric Carle while on the potty. Not sure why but it's a favorite. Now she knows it by heart and 'reads' it to me as we camp out in the bathroom.

Since then she's been wearing pull-ups about 95% of the time and likes them. She has days where she's very into using the potty and others when she could care less. She did make me realize just how much control of her body she has when she got into a warm bath one night and began tinkling before she sat down. She realized she was going so she looked down and immediately stopped. Then she looked at me and giggled and said, "I tinkle", and continued going. So we know she can hold it for long periods of time and control her body to 'wait' until she's at a potty. Those are good signs. So we'll take it slow and see what happens over the next few months after she starts school.

Upate: Anna's kidneys

On Wednesday of this week Anna underwent a renal ultrasound to evaluate the size, condition and functionality of her kidneys. Immediately following the ultrasound she had a Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) performed to observe the operation of her bladder and check for Vesicoureteral reflux (VUR).

Kidney to bladder path

Typically urine travels from the kidneys through ureters (normally a one-way valve) and remains in the bladder until the body voids it. With kidney reflux, urine travels back up one or both of the ureters to the kidneys (called back washing) upon voiding the bladder. The danger in this is the risk of recurrent urinary tract infections and damage/scarring of the kidneys.

For a child who is normally very unhappy about going to the doctor's office for any reason, she was really brave and did exceptionally well through both tests for her age. Mark and I were both able to remain in the room for both tests and assist in comforting her. The staff at Children's Hospital were all wonderful and did their best to make Anna's experience less traumatic.

Grade III reflux - urine (blue)
travels back up into kidney.

The ultrasound part of our visit was quite easy. She resisted getting on the exam table but once Melanie, the friendly ultrasound tech, started talking to her she calmed down and was very cooperative. Anna even got to push the button repeatedly to 'help' Melanie print each image she took of Anna's kidneys. She loved getting to mess with the computer and push buttons!


We then traveled downstairs for the VCUG. Again, the staff did a wonderful job of helping Anna feel comfortable and minimize her fear. Her two female nurses brought out various toys and books and even a music player for her to play with during the procedure. Mark and I were able to remain in the room and stay right at the head of the exam table, holding Anna's hand and talking to her the whole time. Anna cried during most of that procedure but it wasn't out of discomfort but fear. Because of her age and the fact that they needed very clear images of her body's internal operation, she wore a toddler sized hospital gown and was put on a stabilizing board complete with straps around her legs to keep her as still as possible. At one point they had to tilt the board to a 45 degree angle in order to get complete images of her left and right kidney/bladder function. She didn't like being tilted on that board but after a few times she realized she was safe and didn't fuss much. Our strong-willed little girl did not want to void her bladder with a catheter in place and every trick the nurses had failed. After we told them that although Anna is not potty trained she will hold her bladder for long periods if she is uncomfortable, the radiologist decided to remove the catheter to see if Anna would urinate on her own and it worked. Within moments of the catheter being removed, she emptied her overly-full bladder and the techs got the images they needed to clearly diagnose her issues. We were immediately able to see up on the screen that she did indeed have reflux and the radiologist told us it was on both sides (bilateral). They would evaluate all the images from both tests and contact us in a day or two with the specific results.

After it was all over she got to pick a few stickers and a prize - she chose a bright colored bounce ball. She was so proud of getting rewards and showed everyone on the way out of the hospital. Poor little thing fell asleep as soon as we got in the car and continued to sleep in her bed for several hours after the procedures. She was wiped out....physically and mentally.

On Friday afternoon we received a call from the pediatrician that Anna had Grade III bilateral Vesicoureteral reflux. The grading system goes from I - V with five being the most severe. So Anna is being referred to a pediatric urologist at Children's who will thoroughly evaluate the findings and recommend treatment. The known treatments range from a once-daily antibiotic that she would take for one year, to a surgical procedure to correct the 'two-way' issue within her ureters.

More info to come after we meet with the urologist.

This and that

I love perusing other blogs and I've come across some fabulous artwork, sayings, etc. from Pinterest that I thought I'd share. Some are inspiring, some are creative, and some are just good for a hearty giggle. Grab a chair and take a moment to lighten up a bit. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I did not create, write, or design these...I just wish I was that good!

I am going to save this one for
my hubby's Valentine's Day card.
(shh!)

Who says farmers don't have a sense of humor?

This was an actual float in our local July 4th parade.
Sign reads...
Wanted: Good Woman - Must be able to clean, cook, sew, plant and harvest crops.
Must have John Deere and barn. Please send picture of tractor and barn.

We all know or have known one of
these people and they are awesome!

How I feel about my tater tots!

Is that my brother's hand writing from years back?

I would love to do this to our big tree
out front to make the speeding carpool moms
slow down a bit.

The guitar onesie...classic!

I'd be that millionaire chic who no one
knows she has money because I'd still be
clipping coupons and shopping the clearance
aisles...pretty much the same ole' girl....
except for the pristine white Porsche 911 Turbo
with terracotta leather interior in the garage.

My mother loves to iron...
so I know she's going to
giggle at this one like I did.

Can this also go for an entire pan of brownies???

This should be on the actual
clothing label or packaging of tights.
For those of you who've witnessed this,
you know what I'm talking about.

AK is surely laughing at this one!
- Amy #1 :)

Ian loved this one!

For those that know me well, this is spot on!

Precious.

Our soft-hearted, analytical and creative little boy



- While at the zoo last week I overheard my son attempt to get an older set of girls' attention by using this line, "Hey, girls! I know math. Four and four plus equals eight." (Yes, I cracked up inside thinking that I just overheard my son's first pick-up line at the ripe age of four and a half.)

Ian - June 2011

- Ian has recently learned about compliments and how much it makes people smile to receive a compliment and how good it feels to give genuine compliments to others. He will often pause and tell his Daddy how handsome he looks on his way to work or tell his Mama that she looks beautiful dressed for church. And the sweetest is when he tells Anna she looks pretty when she's dressed up in her play dress-up clothes. And he's being quite genuine. Just as it feels good to hear these compliments I have to also remember that it makes a little guy beam to get a compliment, too. So I will compliment his Lego-building skills, how smart he is when he does his "math", and how handsome he looks.

Enjoying his first snowcone
at the zoo this summer.
Of course it had to be a blue one!

- Ian now enjoys saying the meal-time prayers, especially dinner, for everyone - even out in public at a restaurant. He will often speak up and ask, "Can I say the prayer for everyone?"

- Recently Ian has started singing really long, elaborate songs that he comes up with all on his own. Because the content is usually something about how God loves us, I tend to see them as prayers he is coming up with and simply putting to music. He will whistle often and sometimes whistle entire songs he creates. He recently challenged his Papa Bob to a whistling contest via Skype and I'm not sure who won that one!

- Mark is usually the one to tuck Ian into bed at night after we all read books and say prayers together, and their ritual is to tell each other one "spooky" story. Ian lives for the stories Mark tells and will often attempt to retell them to me the next day but will say, "I can't tell it as good as Daddy does." Ian will ask Mark for a scary story but just as the seemingly-scary part starts, Mark turns it into something funny and I can hear a burst of giggles from down the hall.

- Ian is our little "engineer". He is definitely a thinker and very analytical at times. He will tinker with his Legos for long periods of time, he'll take things apart to see how they work and then put them back together, he'll use his toys in creative ways the makers never intended, and just has a healthy dose of creativity. He's very much like his Daddy! It's fun to just watch Ian sometimes. On a recent zoo trip I captured a shot of him being fascinated by how the hooks on the ropes in one of the exhibits worked.

The little engineer.

- Our little man has also taken to choosing his own clothes, right down to the socks and shoes, within the past six months or so. And boy do his outfits get interesting. Just today I had to convince him that wearing his fireman rain boots to a birthday party wasn't a good idea. He loves to wear his Spiderman baseball cap and his soccer cleats...out - to the store, the natural history museum, you name it. It gets pretty interesting to see what he chooses but sometimes he surprises us with something that truly matches. Other times, not so much. Here are some of his wardrobe creations. I always let him wear what he wants to wear whether it matches or not because it was his choice. I do sometimes over-ride his shoe choice in the interest of his own safety. But he knows our shoe rule is that if he (or his sister) chooses a pair of shoes, they must wear them the entire time we're away from home and I will not bring another pair. Thankfully, we haven't had any situations where he complained about his feet hurting. I am a firm believer in logical consequences...within reason, of course.

He often chooses plaid shorts and a Star Wars
or super hero shirt, but today he threw in
his soccer cleats and tall socks....to keep it stylish!

My creatively dressed young man at the zoo
with his zoo pass around his neck and
map-in-hand, ready to go!

I love watching Ian grow and learn. He's a fascinating little boy (as biased as I am). As the child's book titled Guess How Much I Love You reads, 'I love all that you are and all that you will be.'

Where do we go from here?

An updated post....

As many of you are probably well-aware, the verdict and sentencing of Casey Anthony in the murder of her two-year-old daughter Caylee has come to a close. And it's not without a truly heavy heart that most of us from the outside, especially those of us with children, think of the precious life that was taken by a murderer who did not receive the punishment she deserves.

At least we can take comfort in knowing precious Caylee has gone home to be with Him where she will be genuinely loved for eternity.

And it would come as no surprise to those who follow the news or read stories online that Caylee's disappearance and harm at the hand of someone/people she loved is not an isolated event. In the past week or so I've come across numerous cases of child abuse, neglect and murder from across the country that absolutely sicken me. My heart aches for these poor children who don't have a voice, an escape, a person to simply listen and rescue them.

Some may argue that our country doesn't need yet another law on the books or that our government has more important things to worry about but I strongly disagree. The disintegration of our basic moral fiber is something each and every one of us should be very much concerned with. Because as children are failed by their parents, family, and whoever else, the ones who survive are lost, broken, and hurting with little self-worth.

So, yes, I do believe that the creation of Caylee's Law will help save children in the future as well as hold accountable the people who abuse, neglect or harm them. Look at what the Amber Alert system has done.

But a few very good points were brought up in some posts and user responses I was reading just yesterday. One person noted that in the current case of 13 year old Christian Choate of Indiana there were numerous journal entries by the boy explaining his on-going abuse and there were red flags raised at his pediatrician's office - verbal and non-verbal. It is sad to think abuse and neglect and even murder can go undetected or unreported when it seems that people outside of the family had a hunch (or knew) something wasn't right. So that lead one person to respond by saying the best thing we can do as a society is to be an advocate for at-risk kids in our community. This statement immediately lifted my feeling of hopelessness as it regards these children.

Despite all of the negativity and sadness of such cases, it is very true that we CAN indeed do something to help end child abuse and neglect - one child at a time. Each of us can get involved in any way we can - whether it is a financial commitment or a commitment of our time - as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) volunteer, a Big Brother/Sister volunteer, a YMCA volunteer, a teacher at Sunday School, volunteer with local foster care organizations or a local shelter. There are so many avenues for helping in each and every community nationwide.

The other thing each of us can do is to support and uplift local social workers because their job is extremely demanding with little compensation and positives. As we lift up those who are trying to do good, we can also pray for them and the children they are trying to help. We can also pray for the missing and endangered children themselves.
A small step towards helping is to please take a moment to sign a petition to create a federal law — called “Caylee’s Law” — that would make the failure of a parent to notify law enforcement of a child’s disappearance a felony.
http://www.change.org/petitions/create-caylees-law
The Change.org site has registered over 1.1 million signatures as of July 11th! Fantastic!

God bless all the innocent children and adults who are victims of senseless violence at the hands of evil.

A slightly crafty obession

This summer I have been regularly stalking crafty blogs and I'm gathering loads of random projects to attempt...when I get time. When will that be? Hmmm...maybe in September when the kids go back to school, maybe when the kids prefer to play without a parental playmate at all times, or maybe the day after the kids' high school graduation day. Either way, I am determined to put my minimal creative skills to good use and discover a new hobby - crafting. I like to think I got at least a small portion of the uber-creative gene passed down on my Mother's side. :)

Colorful rosette wreath courtesy of KikiCreates. I love this
idea because you could create a seasonal or themed wreath
depending on what fabrics/colors you choose.

Dinner napkins - used to make an apron.

The completed napkin apron courtesy of TaylorMade.

My Mom is amazing with a sewing machine. She seems to be constantly creating something throughout the year and each project turns out beautifully. Mom made both of my kids a custom quilt to match their nursery and I will treasure those forever. As a girl, I remember her making me clothes - some pieces like a tapestry menswear vest and a striped menswear blazer (remember when both of those were the IT pieces?) as well as an enormous, fully-lined tapestry duffel bag for summer camp. She made my dolls countless outfits over the years and has now outfitted Anna's baby doll with various items, right down to a cloth diaper with teeny-tiny Velcro closures. She has made a tool belt for Ian and super hero capes for both kids. So I'm hoping this coming winter she will give me a crash-course in basic sewing because there are so many seemingly simple (wink) cute projects I have come across that I'm anxious to try.

I've had some cute fabric for a pillowcase-style dress
project since Anna was born. Maybe she'll get her
pillowcase dress by her third birthday. :)

I admire how super-crafty chics can take ordinary things and turn them into something wonderfully beautiful. So I'm going to start slow and see what I can create. So be warned...you might receive a made-with-love gift when your next birthday or holiday rolls around.

I am not giving any hints as to my projects, just in case my creativity fails me and a certain project goes really wrong - much like some of my experimental dinner dishes do (I hear my husband laughing). I'll keep you posted as my creativity unfolds.