Pieces Of Life

Pictures!

2009-10-26T22:04:00.000-07:00

Just in case you are accidently reading this...

We had our very first family photo session (yes, I know, I waited way too long) this last weekend! Our friend, Tanya, of Cozy Impressions Photography, did an amazing job capturing our family on "film". The slideshow of pictures is here...Don't know how I'm going to decide what to order!

Cooper's Quest

2009-03-30T18:45:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a fabulous way to spend your Mother's Day...look no further. Check out this live music concert at a great local venue, and for a fabulous cause.

Cooper is the son of one of Heath's coworkers...many of you have sent up prayers on his behalf. Check out more of his story and find out more about this non-profit foundation at http://www.coopersquest.org/.

Nothing But Net

2008-11-19T18:46:00.000-08:00

There occurred an incident today in our 2 month old home that necessitated a search of google for "how to get chocolate out of carpet" and up popped this. Is there anything the internet does not hold a magical key to? My favorite part, though, is this special tidbit of information...listed cleverly under "tips."

Ask children and others to eat their chocolate over a plate; try to avoid the chocolate mess in the first place. Always keep serviettes handy when eating chocolate.

Now why didn't I think of that?

My Three Sons

2008-10-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

1. How many kids do you have? 3

2. What are their ages? Hudson is 8, Jake is 5, and Cole is 4.

3. What time do you start your day? Depends...If it's a day I'll be leaving the house to work, I wake at 4:45. If it's a day I spend at home, I wake at 6:30 so I can brush my teeth, put in my contacts and dress before waking the boys at 6:45.

4. What do you eat for breakfast? Coffee. Sometimes I get around to adding cinnamon/sugar toast or an occasional bowl of cereal. On the days I work I always - without fail - eat a bacon, egg and cheese croissant on the way to work...It may be the only thing I get to eat all day. The boys eat a variety of breakfast choices --- from frozen waffles to homemade pancakes to yogurt and fruit.

5. Do your kids watch TV? Yep.

6. What are their favorite activities? Hudson: rock climbing, bike riding, hunting, playing spy, hiking, rappelling, football... Jake: computer games, drawing, watching movies, playing with his brothers, asking questions... Cole: running, jumping, swinging from the cieling, sneaking candy, playing alone, pretend play, anything outside...

7. Do you get a break during the day for some down time? Rarely. See #5.

8. How do you end your day? Depends on the day...there are evening football or baseball practices, Dad at work, Mom at work and/or other variations. Always, though, there are three little boys in the shower, three sets of teeth to brush and pajamas to find. And then, there is nightime family bible reading followed by family prayers. Then I usually watch a few minutes of TV while cleaning the house, folding laundry, preparing backpacks for the next day, reading email, etc.

9. What is your best parenting advice? Roll with it and stick to it all at the same time.

I tag anyone who is actually reading this after my 6 month hiatus and has not already told us the scoop.

Just in Case...

2008-04-12T07:58:00.000-07:00

Just in case you haven't gotten enough of Hillary, Obama and McCain...

You, too, can print and fold your very own Presidential Candidate. Cracks me up what the web has to offer!

Get Along Little Doggies...

2008-04-10T07:07:00.000-07:00

It was Cowboy Day at school a couple of weeks ago, so the littles dressed up for the part. Cole really enjoyed getting into character for the days' role, but Jake wasn't too sure about it and was more subtle in his attire...

We're just a Swingin'...

2008-04-09T19:27:00.000-07:00

The Hunt...

2008-03-29T11:31:00.000-07:00

We had tons of Easter fun with friends and family!

The Saturday of Easter weekend the boys and I spent out at my parents' place along with my brother and sister and their families, and my aunt, cousin, and her son. It is always fun for the kids to roam the place...go-carts, tree house, shooting BB guns with grandpa, and fun with the cousins! The kids all hunted Easter eggs and had a great time seeking them out!

Heath came home from work on Sunday and we enjoyed worshipping together. Then on to the McDonald's house for lunch and more egg-hunting fun! It was a wonderfully delicious meal and so much fun fellowshipping with our friends!

Eggs!

2008-03-29T10:09:00.000-07:00

Who doesn't enjoy dyeing some eggs? We had a good time and it is fun to watch the boys, each with their own method, and with varying levels of attention to detail.

The blue dye was in front of Cole at the table, so he decided that the blue was simply his! As you can tell, he thoroughly enjoyed it!

Today is Our Day...

2008-03-29T06:56:00.000-07:00

Wanted to give a quick shout out to my cousin Todd, wife Holly and their son Hunter on this day!

For the past few years, shortly after the year turns new, we receive a letter or postcard in the mail from Holly and Hunter. It's usually a sweet little note, but one with a huge message. It tells us what day they have set aside to pray especially for our family and encourages us to send special requests to them so they can lift up our concerns! Today, March 29th, is our day.

Every day of the year they pray together throughout the day for a different person or family that is special to them in some way! What a terrific committment! I imagine how much fun this tradition must be for them...and a fabulous way to share the power of prayer, rememberance of others, and some cherished quality time together.

And while we only see Todd, Hollly and Hunter every few years, it makes them feel closer knowing that at the least this one time each year, we are in their thoughts! And who can't use a few prayers lifted up on their behalf!!!

Why?

2008-03-25T18:20:00.000-07:00

Clearly, if my children would behave, I could get my act together enough to share remnants of our now two-week-old Spring Break memories or even pieces of the more recent Easter festivities.

Instead, I spend my time...well...you don't really want to know.

Let me just start by saying I really love my kids. No really. I love them. Even Cole. Yep.

This morning I woke, against my will, NEEDing coffee. Not just a typically simple life-would-feel-better-after-caffeine feeling, but a true desperation for a bold, full-bodied, miracle blend of the stuff. I was willing to dip my head in it, if need be. Now you know my state of mind.

I got the boys fed. They, of course, wanted pancakes. So I made some. And although the griddle wasn't heating properly and the pancakes were lacking any circular characteristics, they, thankfully, ate them. Then I got Hudson to school mostly on time.

So the little boys and I returned home after repeated requests for donuts and loud, ridiculous protests to my chosen path home. There was more crying, fighting, and whining about who got to open the garage door. Then more whining, fighting, and crying about who got to close the garage door.

The boys decided then to "cook." They removed all cookware and related tools from the kitchen and relocated them to the living room, along with wooden blocks and so forth as "food." Finally, peace for me (you know, except for the banging of pots and pans and fighting over who gets to be the chef and who has to be the sous chef), so I took my coffee and sat.

Later (and I can't say how much later, but I know the coffee hadn't kicked in yet), as they are serving me french toast stew and I am saying "yummy," Cole starts the whining again. And about the third time he says it, I finally process the words.

"I swallowed a penny. Ouw, ouw (now holding his chest)! I swallowed a penny."

"Seriously?" I ask, as if this wouldn't be perfectly typical for Cole.

"It hurts. Why did I swallow a penny?"

"Really. Why DID you swallow a penny?"

He continues to whine while I continue to process. He's talking, so he has to be breathing. But his chest hurts. Seriously? Is this really happening today? Does it really hurt? Yea, it probably hurts, because he keeps saying it does. And he has that look on his face.

I resist rolling my eyes because, well, would a good mom really roll her eyes at her 3-year-old after he swallows a penny, and decide instead to give him a drink. If he can swallow, he'll be good, right?

And then I did the unthinkable. I googled "swallow a penny." And my day got better. That's sarcasm - just in case you didn't get it.

I learned that people of all ages, all over the world, swallow pennies needlessly. Some, according to the WWW, live 30 years with a penny inside them. Others simply die from it. It happens to matter what year the penny was generated. Now how am I supposed to figure that out? Some "pass" the penny to have their parents frame it for them and present it to them on their wedding day.

I call Heath. He, rationally, recommends the ER. I oppose. So instead, I make the thousandth call to our pediatrician's office. I leave a message regarding Cole, as I have done WAY too many times in his short life.

In the meantime, I watch Cole play with Jake. Most of the time he forgets he swallowed a penny. I took a tiny toy boat out of his mouth. I took a "guy" out of his mouth. I took a game piece out of his mouth. With each removal, I repeated my lecture.

The nurse called me back, finally, and confirmed my greatest fear. Cole would, most likely, be just fine. If he can eat and swallow, he should be okay...BUT, I must search for the penny. Yep. I must search for the penny. And it could take days. Maybe weeks.

And so I will. At least daily. That's how my "free time" will be spent.

This, at the very least, proves that I love him.

UPDATE:
My free time is mine again.

The penny has been recovered. Okay, well, not exactly recovered - that was more than I found necessary. But it was visualized and then, once fully confirmed to be the penny, I allowed Cole to flush it along with the remainder of his, umm, well, output.

And just this once, I decided that it would be okay to forgo the old adage "Find a penny, pick it up..."

Introducing, the All New...

2008-03-25T14:01:00.000-07:00

"GuyPod"

(So I know you can't really read it, but the proudly displayed sign reads "GuyPod"....)

Look out Apple, you've got some competition.

The new, limited release GuyPod, developed entirely by the Hudson Institute, sings AND dances on command and holds, well, who knows how many actual songs. It's not cheap, tends to veto your song choices, has limited reliability and consistency in completing all of the correct words to a song, and is difficult to travel with. While batteries are not a concern, refueling is required frequently and overuse creates a nerve-grating whine. Over time, though, you learn to tune it out.

This original blonde version is really cute, however. Due to demand, it's release was quickly followed by the release of a second, slightly more compact, brunette version (image not available).

Flying High, In the Sky...

2008-03-16T19:55:00.000-07:00

So I'm weeks behind, but we took off for the kite festival after church a few weeks ago with our friends, the McDonalds. We started the occasion with a Pok-E-Jo's picnic in the park while sprinkles fell...we decided if the little raindrops from the sky didn't deter the thousands of other people there, we wouldn't give them any thought either.

Our intent was to watch the literally thousands of flying kites, but I was so glad that I grabbed this kite that Hudson won at school at the last minute. The boys loved flying it! It was a crazy windy and moody weather day, but great for getting the kite up there!!

And despite the huge gathering in the park, Cole was still able to find room to run...

That Middle One is a Funny One...

2008-03-01T20:24:00.000-08:00

Today was a gorgeous, sunny & 85 degree day! The kind of day that you can feel in your bones. The kind of day that you can't wait to be outside. The kind of day that makes you feel like God is smiling on you.

The boys somehow knew early this morning that it was going to be so pleasant and couldn't wait to get out in the yard. They begged for hot chocolate and when I finally gave in they asked if they could take their coffee mugs and sit out on the back porch to, as Hudson said, "breathe in the air." I, of course, agreed.

Still pajama laden, they head out back while I remain inside gearing up for the day ahead. I am watching them from the breakfast room window and they, even this early, simply brighten my life. They are in last night's pajamas - Jake and Cole in their snug-fitting pants and matching shirts...Hudson, too cool for the snug-fit look, content just in shorts. They have transformed their laid-back, drink-in-the-morning hot chocolate consumption into a pretend-play coffee shop. So I get closer. Jake appears to be running the shop, Hudson acts as patron. Cole is, well, Cole. Hudson orders some hilariously fancy coffee (not because he's ever heard that done, for sure). And that's when Jake responds. "Sorry, man. No shoes. No shirt. No service."

Cracked us all up.

Then, this afternoon, while at Hudson's baseball practice, I am watching the scrimmage while Jake and Cole are playing on and under the bleachers and keeping themselves perfectly occupied. I see, out of the corner of my eye, Jake leave his seat atop the bleachers quite creatively and knock his head on the seat below in the meantime. As a mother of three boys, I don't even flinch.

But I do watch Jake as he squints and kind of shakes his head. He walks over to me and climbs up into my lap. He then says, "Kiss my head, mom. The cuckoo birds are flying around it."

So I smiled and kissed his head.

There's No Hero Quite Like...

2008-02-22T15:48:00.000-08:00

LarryBoy!

While lesser known in superhero circles than Superman or Spiderman, his super suction ears and bouncing action have helped conquer villians like the Bad Apple, the Fib from Outer Space, and the Rumorweed for, well, years...and such heroic feats have caught Jake's full attention as of late...

Jake's 5th year has been full of LarryBoy, so his celebratory choice for his whole-handedness was no surprise to us! We had fun celebrating this morning with his other soon-to-be-5-year-old friends...

The fun started for me last night when I decided to try this out...I had been wanting to decorate a cake with it for a while, and this was the perfect opportunity! It worked pretty well (things like sandboxes and playdoh are cheap therapy for me...so playing with this stuff was just as good!) and Jake was pleased with the result.

LarryBoy Cake

We had tons of fun with Jake leading the way! We made some "Bad Apples" with these genius caramel apple wraps. And then everbody made their own "LarryBoy" to accomodate their own heroic needs at home...We all got to take a turn, then, kicking the Fib back into outer space and climbing through the "web of temptation"...Can't go wrong with silly string!

Bad Apples

Lotsa LarryBoys

The Fib and Outer Space

Then on to lunch. And cake. And wishes. And singing. And blowing. And presents. And more fun!

Rock, Rock LarryBoy!

The Plasectomy

2008-02-15T19:35:00.000-08:00

As you may know, Heath and I have been attending Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University through our church...and we are loving it!! We have learned tons already - only 4 weeks in - and it feels great to take back our financial future.

But it hasn't been easy.

This week, we survived our plasectomy with just a touch of separation anxiety. We snipped each of our credit cards into tiny indeterminable pieces...And while a hugely momentous occasion, it was done with such little pomp and circumstance that I felt we must proclaim it to the world!

Now you know.

Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-15T13:30:00.000-08:00

So, I'm a day late, but I can only do what I can do... Nonetheless, our wishes for you are the same, and we hope it was a great day with the ones you love.

I'm as cheap as they get, always wait till the last minute, and somewhat despise the character marketing directing towards our youngsters on these mini-holidays turned money-making exploitation opportunities...Thus my resort to homemade Valentine's to give out to our school friends at the various versions of "party." Thought we'd share them with you, too.

My procrastination produced their repitition. Perhaps next year they will all be creatively unique and self-expressive because I'll prepare for February 14th more than mere minutes before it's arrival. Sure.

Where, O Where, has my little boy gone?

2008-02-15T12:00:00.000-08:00

On Wednesday, Jake turned 5! I don't have a clue where the time went, but this little blondie haired boy is growing towards the big times...

I remember, quite vividly, being left alone in the delivery room with him only an hour or so after his not-so-easy-and-way-too-long birth. I cried, sobbed really, as I looked into his beautiful face and knew with great certainty that my heart had somehow grown bigger than the universe. And every day since, I think it has stretched a little more!

Here's my top five about Jake...

1) He has a true passion for film, and despite our TV/movie viewing time restrictions and limitations, the boy can relate EVERYTHING to something he saw on a "show." Almost all of his conversations are regarding his experiences with film or contain quotes from his favorite characters.

2) He's a smart one (and I'm not biased in any way) despite my lack of teaching. He writes his name and all his letters, reads several dozen words by sight, and can sound out even more even though noone has taught him such skills. His favorite book is his Young Reader's Bible.

3) He still has a lisp when saying words with "s" in them. It's especially prominent when he is laughing or excited while talking and it makes me smile!!

4) He loves his brothers immensly. His first questions of the day often relate to the status of his brothers and his first morning talk towards them is precious with delicate, happy tones!

5) He is quietly thoughtful and reflects on things in depth. He thinks about other people throughout his day and wonders what they may be doing. I can also always count on him to ask Heath, Hudson or I "How was your day?" when we arrive home from work/school!

A Great Day

2008-01-31T20:40:00.000-08:00

I woke this morning to this perfect vision!

Then after we managed to get Hudson off to school, the little boys and I went to their favorite park. The winds were close to gale force, but we held on tight so as not to fly away and it was well worth it for the fun! After all, I was itching to try out this new prize Heath had scored for me!

After a time of pure monkey play, the boys and I embarked on a trail. I had never been down this particular trail before, and well, about 20 minutes in I was wondering where this journey might lead...Jake and Cole decided it was time to map out a plan. Here they are making a "trail map" to guide us back.

Eventaully (about 45 minutes later) we were back at the park. It was fun, and I think the adventure of mom not knowing where the end might be just added to the adventure! Of course, after that much wind, our allergies are now totally out of control, but it was a great time! It could have only been better if Heath and Hudson could have been home with us...

And like the day's start, it ended in perfect fashion as well. And although he won't be home today, Heath did a great job making this day great!

For the Time Capsule

2008-01-31T06:28:00.000-08:00

Ever wonder how you can "save" your blog with all it's wisdom and photos for your grandkids to read? How about this for a GRAND IDEA...You can easily turn your blog into a book and for oh so cheap! Check out this site! Looks super simple and very reasonable...Surely easier than scrapbooking! Enjoy!

Christmas Day Adventures!

2007-12-26T21:57:00.000-08:00

We had a great Christmas Day! Heath and I were both off of work this year for Christmas Day and we had a fun time together as a family! Christmas Eve we carried out our traditions of reading from the Bible about Jesus' birth, making cookies for Santa, and roasting marshmallows! Christmas morning we had a great time exchanging gifts and had a great breakfast together before we headed out to Grandma and Grandpa's house for more family fun...

Our Pre-Christmas Family Traditions...

2007-12-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

This Christmas, brought to you by...

2007-12-26T13:11:00.000-08:00

In the weeks before Christmas, there is so much to do,

So down a little Starbucks to help you get through!

Sleep deprived, tempermental, restless and more...

A tasty jolt of caffeine will renew you for sure!

It makes brainpower faster and things to get done,

And all of it while having a little more fun!

This Mommy powered this season, almost exclusively, by Starbucks Peppermint Mocha.

Seriously, I'm a little addicted, but really just thought I'd share this picture I took to commemorate Starbucks' contribution to getting it all done... I'm told that someday I won't remember how tired I am and how much work it takes to accomplish it all and felt I should have something to remember it by!

I want a new brain for Christmas...

2007-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

If I didn't procrastinate so much, I could have done this (because it is genius) and used some of these... I'll save the ideas for next year, but won't remember that I saved them, and if by some miracle I do, I won't be able to find them.

I hid some gifts this year from the kids in what seemed, at the time, to be a very reasonable place. But as I started accumulating all of the gifts in one place to begin the frenzy of meticulously wrapping all the loot in pretty paper - carefully selected and adorned with coordinating ribbon and what-not - so that it's receiver can rip off the paper in mere seconds without appreciating the decorative outside even one bit, (take a breath) I came up short a few. I made a resonable search, at first, finding nothing. But after I checked out all places that NOW seemed reasonable places to stash a gift, and still coming up empty, panic began to set in. And the ransacking began...

Then Heath, realizing the impending destruction, got in on the effort, seeing the melt-down about to ensue! He moved slowly, and reasonbly. I would check the same places over and over, semi-frantically. He would remind me I had already looked there. I ended up on the edge of the bed with tears of exhaustion, frustration, and sheer ahhhhhh! welling up, when Heath strolled in with the elusive treasures.

When I asked where they were, he said this: "In that blue bag hanging on the hanger in the closet. I thought they might be in there earlier, but I thought you might have something in there for me that you didn't want me to see."

Wishful thinking on his part, don't you think!

Christmas Tree Frost

2007-12-23T19:50:00.000-08:00

Jake has been asking if we could make "Christmas Tree Frost" for our Santa cookies...At first, I just humored him, thinking he just wanted to frost some cookies with canned frosting like they did at "school." But after his millionth request, it dawned on me to ask him what he was talking about... Here is his recipe:

1) Take some pokey things from the Christmas tree.

2) Grind them up. You can use a rock or something.

3) Add some glitter or something shiny.

4) Put some salt, or maybe sugar, in it.

5) Sprinkle it on your cookies or cake or something.

6) And that is Christmas Tree Frost!

Thanks, Mr. Nate, for passing on your very special recipe to Jake during bible class!

Motivation

2007-12-20T09:18:00.001-08:00

So, apparently, my motivator is broken. There are no christmas gifts wrapped under our tree, I finally finished our Christmas cards today, I skipped my weekly trip to the grocery store two weeks in a row, there are clean clothes piled all over our dining room table - just waiting to be put away, I haven't been to the gym since Jessica tried to kill me there the week before Thanksgiving, and I haven't blogged in well over a month now. I think about doing these things. Often even. But I have a serious case of the I-don't-want-tos. And short of the grocery store, laundry and gym, these are things I actually love to do! But my motivator just won't kick in.

So there I was earlier this week, minding my own business, blog-stalking as I tend to do, when motivation struck me. There is little more motivating to me than a song, and cute little Jackson singing this song did it just right!

So the posting begins...

Oh, to be 19 again...

2007-11-14T19:28:00.000-08:00

I went this week to the "new gym" for a free BodyAge evaluation. Heath was supposed to accompany me and get poked and prodded, too, but he kindly stood me up to face the perky little trainer alone. I was dreading every minute of it. I can feel every square inch of the fat, flab, and otherwise unstrapped portions of my body bouncing violently when I use the treadmill (at least until it goes numb), so I was pretty clear on what he was going to tell me. I was fairly confident that any surprise wouldn't be pleasant. So I put on my big girl pants and my "I can face anything" attitude, loaded up the kids with the promise to take them swimming after my impending torture, and set off to face the buff little man who, at first glance, apparently lives at the gym.

The first unnecessary trauma ensued immediately, as I stood on the scale. I don't own a scale. The number he reported was appalling, at best. No. Seriously. I was shocked. And while I could see the number myself, I was sure that the calibration was off. I had seen those numbers in that order only three times in my life, and each of those moments, I had people living inside of me. Then I let the man fondle my fat from various appropriate places on my body with his giant metal tongs. I know I then pulled and pushed and who knows what else. The remainder of the evaluation was a blur...I know he talked to me about oxygen molecules, aerobic vs. anaerobic exercise, and zone training, etc., but I was being forced to perform on the treadmill during his conversation, so there wasn't a lot of oxygen getting to my brain.

The result? After reviewing, categorizing, and blatantly pointing out all of my shortcomings broken down by category, he revealed my calculated body age. My BodyAge is 31, he said, to which I apparently appeared surprised. But not to worry, he added. With a little work (his words - not mine), I could be 19 again.

You couldn't pay me to be 19 again, I told him. I'm not sure he thought I was funny. He asked, then, what I thought about his determination. I told him, honestly, that I feel older than 31 (only two months older than my actual age). "Really," I said, "I feel more like 48 or so." In all his wisdom, Mr. Fit looked straight into my eyes - with a look of true pity and sadness - and responded "Dude, that must really suck."

By the way, his "little work" that would take the 12 years off my BodyAge...Yeah, right. I prodded, wondering if realistically, I could take the years off like his little calculations showed. Sure, he said, if I work out an hour or more 4-5 times a week for a year or two, I could do it.

So I'll learn to live with 31. 19 will apparently never happen again. Thankfully. But maybe with a little work, I could be 30 for a few more years...

Ehhhhhh!

2007-11-06T11:26:00.000-08:00

Today is the 50th day of school...and how else would you celebrate such a randomly momentous occasion but by dressing up like 'The Fonz'? I tried to get him in a poodle skirt, but he protested vehemently!

Can I Have a Snack?

2007-11-05T14:01:00.000-08:00

Jake came to me asking for a snack, for the 83rd time or so. This time, at least, it happened to be just about snack time.

Jake: Mom, can I have a snack?

Me: Sure, what do you think you would like?

Jake: Ummm, maybe a little marshmallows...or (with a sly little grin and a twinkle in his eye)...maybe I can roast up a smore or something?

The kid cracks me up. At least he knows what he likes.

The Space Ranger, The Captain, and The Sheriff

2007-11-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

Our last few weeks have been too busy with baseball tournaments, wedding fun, Hudson's school carnival, work, and so much more. And with all my hats piled on furiously at once - mommy, personal shopper, NICU nurse, room-mom, housekeeper, home health nurse, wife, preceptor, personal chef, bag creator, special dietitian, chauffeur, PTA member, baseball cheerleader times two, and on and on - something had to give. As a result, this over-extended mom of three crazy boys let Halloween sneak up on us this year...It came fast and furious and left me scrambling!

The boys had changed their minds 7 or 8 times each regarding their chosen identity for the big day. Every time one of them would settle on something long enough for me to start preparing to make such a costume, they would report that they no longer wanted to transform themselves into that particular chosen subject...So eventually, I caved into the pressure of sanity, and with only days left until the big day 'o candy, I BOUGHT them costumes (gasp)!

I know, I know, it was hard for me to swallow, too, but the shock and surprise soon passes. It was, no doubt, harder on me than it was on them. The three boys certainly didn't care, and in fact, probably preferred the instant gratification of forking over the cash - there were no creative adventures to the boring fabric store, no fittings, no panicked fear of the dreaded straight pin during such fittings, and no waiting at the foot of my sewing table for the finished product to appear as they have experienced over the past halloweens! Nevertheless, they were cute - err, brave and daring in appearance - all dressed up.

Our after school schedule just hadn't offered time for all of the usual leading-up-to-halloween fun activities. We had picked out a pumpkin, but no actual carving, painting, or otherwise decorating of the fall gourd had taken place. We had not put out our halloween decor. We hadn't even made and decorated our halloween cookies or cupcakes.

So after school on Halloween, we tried to tackle what we could. I put out minimal decoration as to not appear non-celebratory. The attempt to make our annual cookies went sadly ary -producing only 4 cookies that were viable - one for each of us to decorate. The pumpkin remains uncarved with the promise that we will carve it this weekend when we are all together - a mere 3 days after Halloween! I love that our kids are so flexible and, well, just don't notice the things that I might consider shortcomings in myself...They just have a blast and don't care what Martha Stewart might say about my inability to make the perfect holiday memory. In the end, the family time is what is important to me and I'm so glad that it is enough for them, too.

Cole had been sick the entire week prior to halloween and remained sick through the time of candy gathering - and beyond. Still, he dressed the part and the three of them and I set out to embark on path paved by candy. They had so much fun knocking on doors and collecting their stash...especially Hudson and Jake. Cole made it through about 10 houses before he found a place in my arms with his head on my shoulder. He wanted so badly to go trick-or-treating, but the week long tummy trouble had taken his stamina. I loved though, how Hudson still gathered candy for him - without prompting from me. I also so much loved watching Hudson and Jake together at each door. They would get their treat, say their thank-yous, and then Hudson would place his arm around Jake or put his hand on the small of his back and lead them back down the sidewalk - a precious sight of brotherly love! Who knew Captain Jack had it in him...

Captain Jack Sparrow

Buzz Lightyear, Space Ranger, Universe Protection Unit

Sherriff Woody

They came home with more candy than we could ever eat. I'm sure the sugar high will be present for some time to come...as will the pleadings for more candy consumption and the agony of choosing which piece to indulge in when mom caves to the pressure of the repeated and spirited requests throughout the days!

Pick-A, Pick-A Pumpkin from the Pile...

2007-10-30T18:29:00.000-07:00

With baseball, school, and work schedules in full swing, a trip to the "real" pumpkin patch just wasn't feasible for us this year...so instead we made a trip to the local landscaping shop - turned seasonal hot spot! We had fun climbing through the pumpkins and coming to some sort of concensus on which size, shape, stem, and weight our family pumpkin should be. Ultimately, Hudson convinced his brothers to settle on the pumpkin he wanted!

They also had a hay stack maze that the boys really had fun tackling...They ran through it, over it, in it and around it over and over again, chasing each other through the maze! So much fun!!

The Dish on Heath

2007-10-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

So Andrea tagged me about Heath…Here's what I know!

1. Who is your husband? He is an amazing father, wonderful husband, caring community servant, my one true friend, a child of God, and many other wonderful things that make him special.

2. How long have you known each other? More than half of my life...We met on my 15th birthday almost 16 years ago.

3. How long dated? We dated a little over a year, then broke it off for a couple of years. Then we dated again for another two years or so before we married.

4. How old is your husband? 32

5. Who eats more? He eats more real food and I eat more sweets.

6. Who said "I love you" first? Way back when, I think he did. The second time around I think that I spilled out “but I loved you” during a cruel practical joke he was playing on me.

7. Who is taller? Heath, by a mere ½ inch or so.

8.Who sings better? Me.

9. Who is smarter? Depends on what we are talking about. I probably have more book smarts, but he has a much larger practical/applied knowledge base. Most of the questions the boys ask can be better answered by him…like “is fire a solid, liquid or gas”, “what are paratroopers parachutes made out of”, “how deep are the gutters”, or “how does electricity work”, etc. His brain holds all of that (and much more) effortlessly whereas I don’t have a clue about such things. Although he probably wouldn't ace a standardized test like I might, he can figure trajectory in his head , safely wire a room, draw building plans without any formal training, name the cloud types and their "meanings", describe the inner working of a combustion engine, etc. If those things were required of me, I would accidently kill us all...I can tackle things like calculus, spelling, grammar, etc. but can put very little of it to actual practical use.

10. Who's temper is worse? Probably his.

11. Who does the laundry? Mostly me, but he will if it needs to be done and I haven’t done it.

12. Who takes out the garbage? Whomever is home when it needs taking out.

13. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? He does from the perspective of laying down, I do if you are standing at the foot of it.

14. Who pays the bills? I do. Always have and hate it…Although I don’t think I could give it over at this point.

15. Who is better with the computer? Toss up. I definitely used to be, but have little opportunity to do anything other than web surfing and blogging these days. He understands and keeps up more with new technology…

16. Who mows the lawn? Almost always Heath, but I have been known to do it if it needs to be done and he is not available. We are waiting for our natural born lawn crew to come of age...

17. Who cooks dinner? If I’m home, I do. If I’m at work, Heath does.

18. Who drives when you are together? Heath.

19. Who pays when you go out? Usually Heath.

20. Who is most stubborn? We’re both stubborn, but in totally different ways. He is more out-rightly stubborn, I’m more of a passive-aggressive kind of stubborn.

21. Who is the first to admit when they are wrong? Probably me. But I’m also usually the first to point out when he is wrong.

22. Whose parents do you see the most? I think we see them both pretty equally.

23. Who kissed who first? Heath, of course, kissed me first.

24. Who asked who out? The first time around we were kind of set up. The second time around I asked him out – I needed a prom date my senior year as mine had bailed on me less than a week before prom.

25. Who proposed? Heath did.

26. Who is more sensitive? Me. Without a doubt.

27. Who has more friends? Heath does.

28. Who has more siblings? Me. I have one brother and one sister. He has one brother.

29. Who wears the pants in the family? Looking at the overall picture, Heath does. There are some things that are dictated more by me and others that are dictated more by him, but our decisions are usually discussed until there is unanimous resolution.

30. What is something that most people don't know about your husband? He is ambidextrous in almost all things (eating, writing, shooting, etc.).

31. What do you love most about your husband? He is really good at seeing and reaching out to people (usually strangers) that need help – and he doesn’t hesitate to offer his help…both in little and big ways. He has a true servant heart!

I'll tag....Jessica D.

A Dream

2007-10-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Everybody has a dream, right. At least we all had them at one time, whether we can remember now what they might have been...And the thing about dreams is that we are all entitled to our own - without judgement! I have recently learned that one of Heath's dreams since his childhood was to be able to go on an elk hunt. I don't at all pretend to understand it, just simply accept it, because I could see the excitement, fear, wonder, anticipation etc. as he prepared to embark on fufilling his "dream."

Heath came home from Colorado last Friday where he had been hunting elk. He returned without hide nor hair of the elusive beast. In fact, they barely even caught glimpse of any elk on their 10 day journey through the mountains. As I hear this news from him, I translate "wasted trip, dissapointment, my dream trip stunk." But those were not his emotions, despite his inability to truly call himself an "elk hunter" given the circumstances...He still saw the experience as a fabulous time, despite the lack of "the kill."

I'll admit that I had a hard time understanding his viewpoint. If my "dream" had not worked as I planned, I would probably pout, complain, and swear off it's importance to me altogether. And then I discovered something that helped me to understand my husband and his passion a little better.

Okay, so don't tell anybody, but earlier this week I happened to accidently be reading this month's issue of "Colorado Outdoors" magazine when I came upon a full spread about elk hunting in Colorado. These words regarding elk hunting stuck out to me..."It's certainly restorative - recreational in the 'makes you a better person' sort of contemplative way - and it's certainly a thinking-person's endeavor that at some time or another makes you wonder why humans rule the planet when an elk can make any of us look like a fool."

Ohhhhh - so it's not just about the killing. There's something more to it than that. It's hard work. It's experiencing God's beauty. It's taking time to reflect on life, converse with God, and enjoy the solitude. And while I still won't ever truly understand his passion for hunting, I do feel like I have a little better perspective and new respect for the whole process...A good lesson for all of us "hunting widows."

Here are some of his pictures...

These last two pictures fascinate me (I live a sheltered life)...The first one shows a bunch of little waterways with logs layed throughout them by beaver. The second is a beaver dam. It totally amazes me that beavers can cut down that many trees and place them all where they want them...God's design is amazing!

Monkey Suits

2007-10-24T09:54:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we all got dressed up for Uncle Seth's wedding day...It was a long and busy day, but we had a fun time! The weather turned out beautiful for an outdoor Texas wedding in October - not too hot, not too cool, and with beautiful sunshine! Heath's mom, Debi (also known as Nana), did a fabulous job getting everything ready for the big day. It was all gorgeous...

Heath was the best man, Hudson was an usher, and Jake took on the job of ring bearer. We weren't so sure Jake was going to perform, as he refused to "practice" at the rehearsal, so we had Cole waiting in the wings (there's nothing he won't do). But Jake pulled through and handled it when the time came!

I was able to find some tuxedos for the boys on ebay ($15!!) and they were adorable...All three of them really enjoyed getting all dressed up - at least for a little while. Cole started asking about 30 minutes before the ceremony if he could "take his wedding off now." But by the end of the night, he didn't want to take it off...

Cole with the flower girl, Lina

This picture of Cole makes me smile...

GQ Moments...

Here's Jake with the pillow...

Cole with Nana & Cole about to rearrange the flowers & pumpkins!

Jake & Heath and I (taken by Hudson)

Congratulations, Seth & Michelle!!

Seriously Boring...

2007-10-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

In the spirit of full disclosure, you have to know that this will be my most boring post yet (especially since Blogger won't let me add pictures today).

So you have to know that I am procrastinating about something (or tons of things) to post about my vacuum...But I'm somehow compelled to tell you about the only house-cleaning tool I am loving at the moment.

A few months ago we purchased a new vacuum cleaner, almost on a whim. It wasn't entirely an impulse purchase - just mostly. We have needed a new vacuum for quite some time, but neither Heath or I wanted to do the necessary research to find the "best" vacuum AND neither of us wanted to actually spend the money/time/energy on such a boring luxury.

At any rate, while out looking for "school shoes" we came across a sale on vacuums. I will spare you all the intriguing details, but we came home with a Bissell Healthy Home vacuum for less than half the price of the trendy-looking comparable Dyson next to it.

I have to say that we love this vacuum - so much so that I am using my "wasted time" to tell you about it. In fact, the first time I used it I wanted to blog about it. I decided to wait until the new wore off - and now that it has, I'm still so loving it! It works amazingly well and has tons of cool features, but my favorite is that you can go from carpet to hard floors with the touch of a button - and it does a fantastic job on both surfaces! I can vacuum my whole house. I can't tell you how cool that is for me.

I'm sure you are thrilled. Anyway that's all I got. Check it out if you are in the market for a boring chore tool...

Life As I Know It

2007-10-17T15:06:00.000-07:00

Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.

I could say more, but why?

The BIG Elk Hunter

2007-10-15T19:51:00.000-07:00

Cole woke up in an especially argumentative mood today. He fought me (and his brothers) on EVERYTHING that he could possible argue about.

He repeatedly and insistently persisted that it was NOT Monday.

He argued with me about whether or not there was milk in his cereal (after I clearly poured it in).

He argued about if he was holding my neck too tightly while he rode me piggyback.

When I told him he was a sleepy boy after a big yawn, he told me very loudly that he was NOT sleepy, he was tired...

So I wasn't at all surprised when he and Jake started arguing when I picked them up from "school" today.

Cole: Can we go see Daddy?

Jake: No, Daddy's not here.

Cole: Daddy is at REI.

Jake: No he's not. He's at Colorado.

Cole: NO HE'S NOT, JAKEY. He's a BIG Elk Hunter.

Jake: Yeah. He used to be a firefighter, but now he's an elk hunter, right Mom?

You think that this is his way of breaking me in nicely? Now wouldn't that just make Heath the happiest guy ever...But something tells me BIG Elk Hunting wouldn't quite get the bills paid!

Just in case you are wondering...I finally heard from Heath late last night!!! While I am accustomed to him being gone for long periods of time, I think these last 5 days are the longest period of time that we have gone without some sort of brief correspondence...Just the sound of his voice brought on uncontrollable sobs of joy! And the word is no elk yet. Maybe next week....?

Girls Will Be Girls!

2007-10-15T10:34:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a weekend...

My niece, Kayli, turned 5 this weekend and we celebrated all Diva-style with a birthday bash to make you blush! I spent all day Friday and Saturday helping my sister with thrifty-style purchasing, gathering, collecting, baking, icing, and general pink-and-purpling everything for the shin-dig Saturday afternoon. It was super fun, but exhausting!!

Here are a few pictures of the festivities...

All the girls had a total blast dressing up, having their make-up, hair and nails done, making some groovy jewelry to adorn with, and posing on stage for the flood of photos flashes! It would make any girl swoon in girly, girl fashion! A a mother of three BOYS, it was fun to get my girl-fix filled with such magnitude and in such an extreme fashion that it should last quite a while...

The boys had fun, too. They stayed out of the party lime-light and dressed up as firemen, police, etc. in Preston's room - venturing into the pink and purple starlit chaos for cake only! We did get Grandpa to succumb, though - if only for a moment!

100 Random Meanderings

2007-10-11T23:05:00.000-07:00

Kim was brave to dish it out, so here’s my effort at 100 things. Don’t worry if you fall asleep a few facts in…I did.

My initial world entry occurred in Aggieland more than 30 years ago.
But I am a UT Alumna.
After a few too many years, with over 220 credit hours, and 7 ½ months pregnant with child #2 -they finally graduated me with Honors.
We’ll be paying for it for another 20 years or so.
Both the education and the kid.
I love to read.
It is my favorite thing about road trips.
I haven’t traveled by airplane since my honeymoon almost 11 years ago.
And my mother-in-law is a flight attendant.
I met Heath on my 15th birthday.
David Walker was there.
He was there on our first date, too.
And the second.
We married a little over 5 years (and lots of drama) later.
David was there then, too.
For more than a third of our marriage, Heath has slept in someone else’s bed.
It’s a behavior he doesn’t plan to stop.
I love chocolate.
And cake.
Cookies, too.
My sister wants me to make brownies with beets in them.
I firmly believe vegetables should remain separate from dessert.
She has chocolate chip cookies with hulled chick peas in them.
She is saving one for me. Can’t wait.
I didn’t drink coffee (or even caffeine, really) until I was 29+.
Now I don’t even try to get through the day without at least one cup.
I eat my skittles in colorogical order. Yellow. Orange. Green. Purple. Then red.
There is usually at least one skittle in every bag that has the wrong color shell.
I have a fabric fetish.
One for wrapping paper, too.
When I finally crack one day, you’ll surely find me buried in them both…
I was baptized into Christ when I was 12.
On a Sunday night in August.
By my father.
It was the 80s, so I had on two pairs of colored socks, layered opposite each other. And my pant legs were strategically rolled.
It bothers me that I remember that.
My grandmother introduced me and my cousins to sewing as children.
I love to sew.
I call it my sanity. It makes my brain work.
I sing – loudly – while doing my chores, driving alone, sewing or crafting.
Usually traditional church hymns.
Like ‘How Great Thou Art’ and ‘It Is Well With My Soul’.
I still call them chores because I do not enjoy them.
Especially on Wednesdays.
Wednesday is bathroom day.
I gained 46 pounds with my first pregnancy.
But lost 51.
Gained 36 with Jake.
Another 35 with Cole.
Still holding on to some of that.
My children are a joy.
Really. They are. All three of them.
I wear contacts. Have for 17 years.
Wore glasses for the 5 years before that.
I want Lasik.
I hate going to the dentist.
I would rather be giving drug-free birth than sitting in the dentist chair (Sorry Jessica).
I think too much.
I have always wanted my hair to be long enough to cover my boobs.
But as my hair gets longer, so do my boobs.
The boys were worth it. All three of them.
I love their hugs and kisses.
I hate that I bite my fingernails with tenacity.
I stopped once for 9 months and 3 days.
When I eat a snickers bar, I nibble the chocolate off of the top and sides first, then bite into the creamy nougat, caramel, and peanutty layer.
It isn’t pretty.
I hated strawberries as a child.
Now I enjoy them - almost daily.
My current favorite song is Casting Crowns’ East to West.
Because God DID cast my sin as far as the east is from the west.
I like the idea of exercising, but don’t actually do any.
I wish I was an accountant.
Or a SnoCone salesperson.
I am still in love with my husband.
He loves me, too.
I miss him when he’s gone.
But I don’t miss his laundry. (Is that wrong?)
My favorite color is green. Not grass green or mint green. A deep 70s style avocado green.
I like pretty things.
Even when I’m lonely, I know God is holding onto me.
I am a sucker for a real bargain and have a stash of junk to prove it.
I rarely spend more than $14.99 on any one item – including clothing and shoes.
I can’t wait for Super Target to open next week.
I love to plan things and have great ideas, but rarely have time/energy/effort to make them happen.
But my intentions are good.
I wish that I did more for people.
I can’t draw to save my life, but love the idea of graphic design.
In my dream world, I would be a fabric designer.
And a clean freak.
And a mother of three. My three even.
I procrastinate royally.
The joy of the Lord is my strength.
I have a list of projects that I have purchased supplies for or started that may never actually get finished. See #84 and #91.
My brains fell out somewhere around the birth of my second child.
Occasionally I will find a piece of them lying around.
The other bed belongs to the fire department (for those of you still unsure).
In third grade, me and Leslie Linares would leave our elementary school campus and go to special classes at the University of Houston.
There were alligators there for some reason.
God has blessed us with three unbelievably amazing and energetic boys that I couldn’t be prouder to raise!
I can’t remember any of their names when it is important. The inevitable Hud-Ja-Cole studder of molded names breaks free, at least.

Thanks for pressing on through the random, useless, facts...And I look forward to reading your lists.

What Color Orange Are You?

2007-10-11T17:45:00.000-07:00

A question you've been wrestling with, no doubt. I know it's kept me up at night.

After taking this quiz, I've learned that I am apparently Pumpkin: "Realistic and practical, you see the world for how it is.You know what it takes to succeed in life...And you're happy to help others reach their goals."

Hmm. I might be this. Sounds nice, anyhow. And it is fitting for the season. Does that count for fall decorating - I don't feel like digging through the garage.

Go now and find out what color orange you are. It's important. Right.

What Has the World Come To?

2007-10-09T20:59:00.000-07:00

Heath emailed me his "itinerary" for his elk hunting trip today. It included GPS coordinates of his expected location(s). Seriously. GPS coordinates. Like latitude and longitude and multiple other initialed abbreviations of whose meaning is totally lost on me.

And while email has no tone, I could hear the mockery in his fingers hitting the keyboard as he adds, and I quote, "this will help the right person."

I'm starting to feel like maybe I am as old and "out of it" as Hudson thinks I am. I overheard him telling Jake last week that I probably read lots of books when I was a kid because they didn't really have TVs back then. His shock was palpable when I told him that we did, indeed, have the technology of television when I was a child - we even had them in color. And then it occured to me that perhaps I had only further proved his point for him as he looked at me with true bewilderment and said, "I don't know what you mean when you say 'in color,' Mom."

It's All In How You Look At It!

2007-09-24T21:14:00.000-07:00

When I picked Jake and Cole up from school today, we went through the usual "how was your day-what did you do-what did you learn about-did you eat all your lunch" line of questioning. Each of them went on and on about who played with who and which friend brought what for lunch or who wasn't there today, etc.

Then Cole told me he learned about bottoms. I figured his usual juvenile male fascination with the derriere and its uses had sagged over into the current conversation with silliness.

me - What?

Cole - I learned about bottoms. I made a bottom in my class.

me - What are you talking about?

Cole - I made a bean bottom.

me - Cole, quit being silly. We don't talk about bottoms, remember. It's potty talk.

Cole - But I made a bean bottom. I'll show you.

me, confused - Okay you can show me when we get home.

By the time we had picked up Hudson from school and made it home, we had both forgotten the conversation. Then I started looking through the formiddable stack of papers that I collected from school for the day. That's when I found this.

And if you tilt your head to the left, you see this:
A bean bottom, indeed. And bottom does begin with "B"...

Monkeyin' Around

2007-09-24T20:37:00.000-07:00

As Cole's birthday approached he started talking to me, and anyone who might listen, about his monkey party. While I hadn't envisioned a monkey party for him, he eventually won me over with the constant repetition of the phrase "at my monkey party" over several months.

So we had a monkey party for his birthday. It was a sweet, fun time for him. He loved having his friends and family over to celebrate with him and to play up the day! Here are a few shots of the festivities:

Monkey cupcakes...

Here are 4 little monkeys jumping on the bed (Heath and I purchased a new mattress a few months ago, so we pulled the old one out of the garage to monkey with!)

Monkey Cole, swinging from a tree!

Here are Blake and Jackson enjoying their monkey cupcakes and banana smoothies!

Cole and Jake in the monkey masks they made (I think the towels around their necks make them flying superhero monkeys or something.)

Cole taking a break from the monkey play to chill with Daddy!

And here is "Joe" the turtle given to Cole by Nana and Grandpa Ollie!

My Monkey is Three!

2007-09-24T20:09:00.000-07:00

Cole turned three last Friday! Part of me thinks, "Wow! Where has the time gone...my baby is growing up!" and the other part of me wonders "can you believe he is only three...WHAT are we in for?"

Those of you who know him know exactly what I mean. He is the sweetest, kindest, gentlest, most fun little angel of a child. Really, he is. When he wants to be. Otherwise, he is a ball of energy, opinion, and daring independence. Always has been.

Here are ten of my favorite thoughts about Cole:

1) He loves his brothers immensely and doesn't hesitate to tell them so.

2) He knows his ABCs, can count to 14 correctly (but continues on with random numbers indefinately), and sings random songs all day long.

3) He loves to dance (but, alas, rhythm has failed him, too).

4) He pays more attention to the things going on around him than you would ever know by watching him.

5) He is passionate about baseball, firefighting, and "fixing" things.

6) He calls Jake "Jakey" without fail.

7) He will adamantly tell you that he is 5, not 3. Hudson is 3.

8) His favorite game is playing "Dad and Son" with Jakey.

9) All of his prayers include the words "everything and everything" followed by a little giggle. I like to think it's an intimately private joke he carries on with God.

10) There is nothing he won't try.

11)He has freckles on his nose that make me smile inside. And a single dimple on his right cheek when he smiles. He also kind of crosses his eyes at you when he is playfully disagreeing with you or is casually angry.

(I couldn't stop at just 10...)

Yep, School's In Session...

2007-09-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

The first few weeks of school often reek havoc on the immune system...dirty hands, tiny bugs and cruel viruses all balled into one cute little germ-infested, yet innocent-looking, friend.

Here was a glimpse of the scene at our place the last couple of weeks. (It's so sad to see him so pitiful...and you have to be REALLY sick to lay on our bathroom floor willingly!)

Luckily, the stomach bug was the short-lived kind, lasting only about 12 unbearable hours per child/adult. Unfortunately, we couldn't all get it at once and get it over with. Instead we apparently felt it necessary to separate puking and such with 2-3 days of normalcy, then start over with the release of body fluids from some other family member, dragging out the gross over a couple of weeks...

Off My Rocker...

2007-09-18T09:51:00.000-07:00

Random philosophical question for today:

Would true bravery, or perhaps fuller faith, allow me to say how I REALLY feel? Or is it wiser still to press on with my mouth closed tightly while my heart keeps up my conversation with God...?

The Proof Is In The Pudding, So To Speak...

2007-09-10T15:44:00.000-07:00

People, both known and unknown, are always commenting about Jake's blonde hair, since the rest of us are not blessed with the "blondie hair" as he calls it. Here are excerpts from the most heard comments.

"Now just where did he get that blonde hair?"

"Is there anyone in your family with blonde hair like that?"

"Does your mailman (exchange for milkman, cable guy, pizza man, etc.) have blonde hair?"

You get the idea. Today I felt fully confirmed that he shares my DNA...Here's why.

I had a meeting at work this morning and when I picked him up from preschool Jake took my hand and asked "Did you have a good meeting, Mom?" Later, on the way to pick up Hudson from school he asks, "So what kind of meeting did you have today?" As I explained some boring junk about the committee for evidenced-based practice and Policies and Procedures for the NICU, he interrupted to ask "but, did you have cake?"

After we retrieved Hudson from his teacher, we were headed back to the car. The others were up ahead and Jake and I lagged behind. We we strolling quietly and leisurely, hand in hand. Jake speaks, "It's a great day today isn't it." I nodded in agreement. He added, "A great day for pie!"

That is, no doubt, MY boy!

Batter Up!

2007-09-09T14:18:00.000-07:00

Fall baseball has begun...and what a great time we are having. Jake and Hudson are both playing this season, so our calendar is, well, startling. I keep telling myself, "It's 8 weeks, Jonna, it's only 8 weeks." I try not to imagine yet what life will be like when they are all 3 playing or when different sports are added to the mix. At least now we are all at the same sports complex... Really, we are having a blast. And when you get past sitting in the sun for 2+ hours while the heat of the day reaches triple digit numbers with multiple children climbing upon you, you just can't help but enjoy yourself!

They both had one practice last week (more were scheduled, but rained out) and they had their first games this weekend...Jake was more than excited to go to his first practice last week. He has been eagerly anticipating the day that he could be a baseball player!! He was fun to watch, too. And we had plenty of opportunities to interact with him throughout the one hour practice, as he VERY often left whatever drill he was to be doing to come and check on us, ask a question, take a drink, or see if Hudson was paying attention. I'm sure that it was very telling of his endurance for the sport - it may be an extra long 8 weeks... (Cole cried most of the first practice because he couldn't play baseball too. He kept begging me to let him go on the field and play with Jakey!!)

Jake's first game looked like a blast (Mommy was working - but Daddy took 122 pictures of the hour long game, so I feel like I was there) and made me laugh! Jake found plenty to do to keep himself occupied during the game. Here are a few of my favorite shots:

Yep, Jake is the one playing in the dirt...

Now he's on his feet...Here's the 'I'm ready' stance he learned!

He hits, he runs, and yes, he eventually scores!!

And this is his glove on his head! I'm sure he's paying attention, though...

You probably can't tell from these particular pictures, but he has a smile on his face in a lot of them! And Heath said several innings went by before Jake said that he wanted to come off the field and play with Hudson and Cole. After a little pep talk about commitment and being a team player, he was back in the game...One down, 7 more to go!

Hudson had his first game this afternoon, and it was a good one. This is not his first rodeo, so he is an old pro (as he is in all things). He has been looking forward to getting back to it - the fun, the practice, the ball, and the winning. In our league, fall ball is a development league and spring ball brings a more competitive season. So because the goal is working on skill and sport, they don't keep score, player stats, etc. I did, however, find it humorous that while the scoreboard wasn't on or in use, they of course kept score. And after the game, the coach made a point to tell the boys that they don't keep score during the fall, but IF they did our team would have had more points than their team at the end of the game. Hudson, therefore, inferred the intended meaning, despite the subtlety (ha!), and told everyone at CARE group tonight that they won today's game.

Here are some shots of the big guy:

Neither of us know the actual purpose of the war paint, but isn't eye black cool?

Batter up!

Playing catcher...and in the outfield.

The boy in action!

Should be a fun filled couple of months!

Here They Come to Save the Day...

2007-09-07T08:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever, mid-bath, needed the professional services of a hero? A few years ago a friend of ours delivered her second child in the bathtub, not by choice, with the help of a nice fireman. And I recently read a blog comment (#26) by June who found her pregnant belly wedged in a narrow bathtub, screaming for help...The military police had to come and unwedge her from the tub, naked and all. This proves that there is true trouble involved in bathing.

And that is why our bathtub is fully manned at all times. Should you ever find yourself in peril while soaking, dreaming, relaxing or splashing in the tub -- THEY will be there!

So really, Heath had cleaned the bathtub while I was at work the other day...And when I stumbled in at midnight after a 16 hour shift, this sight in our bathroom made me smile! Heroes abound...

The First Day

2007-09-06T06:29:00.000-07:00

The little men had their first day of Mother's (and, for us, Father's) Day Out yesterday! They were very excited to get off to make new friends and visit with friends that they had not seen all summer.

I worked yesterday, so Heath had "Daddy Duty" and he said that it was a great first day by all reports. (Everybody had their undies on and everything, Beth - so much for making a unique first impression.) Jake and Cole both eagerly went to their new classrooms without hesitation! Well, he actually said that Cole thought about hesitating, but saw play-dough on the table and made the only reasonable decision one could make and waved good-bye to Dad! Their teachers said that it was a great day for both boys...and that Jake can't keep his shoes on (surprise, surprise)!

Jake woke up this morning talking about his new friends and telling me who missed their mommies, who fell down on the playground, who had what to eat, and "there was no nap time." Cole simply stated that "it was fun." They are already asking "Is it Monday today? Is it Wednesday today?" hoping it's a school day!

And a big thanks to Daddy for remembering and taking the time to take the first day pictures! It makes me smile to see the joy and excitement of the boys...

Help Wanted: Lunch Monitor

2007-08-31T12:56:00.000-07:00

Now that Hudson is back to school, we are lacking our self-titled supervisor of all things. This is how lunch looked the first day in months that Hudson left Heath in charge by himself.

School Starts

2007-08-31T12:25:00.000-07:00

Second grade has now begun! It is hard to believe that I am the mother of a second grader. Yes, I know that the gray hair speaks for itself, but where has the time gone?

I, sadly, had to work on the first day of school, but Heath took the requisite first day picture as requested. Here is the handsome young man.

(Seeing him makes me think about this: At our church Care Group the night before school started, our friend Beth Hames appropriately asked Hudson the most important night-before-school-starts question..."What are you going to wear?" It brought back so many memories of those its-the-first-day-of-school-what-do-I-wear planning sessions and their importance. Painfully comical memories, at present. And I wonder now, did any of those outfits make me who I am today? Hudson looked at Beth with a blank stare in response and said, "I don't know"...Thank you, God, for boys.)

Hudson has been having a great time and each day comes home with new tales of fun and adventure from the eyes of a 7 year old! He loves his new teacher and is making new friends daily! I came home early from work on his first day to spend some time with Hudson. When I got home, he was beaming! I asked him about his first day and he overflowed with "It was awesome!!" When I questioned him about the days experiences and what he learned, he said, again with bounding eagerness and excitement, "Rules!!"

From inside this jaded and sarcastic mind, it is hard to remember that much joy about school, but I am so thankful that his gladness has carried throughout the whole first week! And I pray that he continues to become excited when he talks to me about "4-square-math," "mathematics equations," "reading time" and the like.

"We Have a Puppy"

2007-08-31T11:14:00.000-07:00

On the first morning of what was to become our "family vacation from regular life," I awoke to these words from Cole's mouth, just after Heath arrived home from work.

Cole: Mommy, we have a puppy!

Me: What?

Cole: We have a new baby puppy!

Me: Where?

Cole: In the kitchen, Daddy brought him!

I am now out of bed and in the kitchen to find a 3 month old yellow lab and a husband with a sheepish grin. I once came home from work to find a Landcruiser of our very own in our driveway (affectionately named "The Wedge" because it was the only thing that had come between us in our marriage), and it didn't go well. So, Heath, seeing the look on my face quickly explained that the puppy, "Coach," was simply a day pet. One of the firemen coming on duty had brought the puppy to the station with him to find that tile was being laid throughout the station that day...So Heath offered to take it home with him for the day!

I will admit that he was really cute and the boys really had fun with Coach, and for the brief time that he was mistakenly allowed indoors, he did a terrific job cleaning the floor under the kitchen table! He did, though, totally destroy a flower bed in our backyard during his brief stay with us - not a plus for Heath's side... Here they are with him!

It was fun while it lasted (and Heath got to survive)! Maybe one day we will add one to the family for real...

The End Has Come

2007-08-31T09:41:00.000-07:00

Summer is over! Last week the sleeping in, staying up late, and partying like rock stars (they eat dinner at 6:00 and are in by 8:00, right?) came to a close.

We had planned to spend this precious last week visiting with Heath's parents, Grandma the Great (my grandmother), and my sister and her family at the coast and beach...but there was this little category 5 hurricane in the gulf. And while, at the time of our planned departure, predictors had decided Dean should make landfall in Mexico, the forecasted rain, strong tides, and generally indecisiveness of all weathermen meant that we would delay our (i.e. mommy's) much needed vacation until another time.

Very sad, I know. I moped around the first day, hoping to think of some fun stay-at-home vacation things to do, when Heath came up with a brilliant plan. Since we were both off of work for the week and we never get to do things as a family, he suggested we...yes, I know the suspense is killing you...PAINT a few rooms in our home that we have been putting off for the last 4 years. These were his words: "We could make it fun and paint together as a family. It will be fun, the kids will love it."

I have no idea what was wrong with me at that precise moment, because I jumped on board his crazy train (obviously not the first time), even believing that we were going to have a blast. Moments later we were at Lowe's (Heath is anti-Home Depot at the moment, but that is a whole other story) picking out paint colors and gathering supplies.

Here is the thing - Heath absolutely hates to paint. He has often been overheard saying that he "would much rather work on the downhill side of plumbing than paint." Knowing this, when my head cleared from whatever seizure I was having when I agreed to his little idea, I wondered just how fun this "vacation" activity might be.

The boys, joyously anticipating the days events, had a blast getting ready in their "painting clothes" & collecting their equipment, eagerly listened to Daddy's instructions, and set off to paint the world one playroom at a time...

The Crew (motley, at best)

The Lesson

The Painting Fun

And by the time we were finished, I felt like this brush!

(My bet is Jake, the creator of the brush above, will choose a career path other than painting!)

It was actually fun, by the way, at least for a little while. Then, Jake and Cole set out to find something more exciting. Hudson stuck it out, working diligently with Heath and I. However, day/room #2 left Heath and Hudson to tackle the paint job alone.

It was, if nothing else, a vacation from regular life!

The Mystical Pebble

2007-08-16T10:19:00.001-07:00

Our summer day vacation to Enchanted Rock was a huge success. Check out these rave reviews...

"Kind of the best day of my life!" - Hudson, age 7

"This is awesome! God made this awesome!" - Jake, age 4

"The rocks are really, really big!" - Cole, age almost 3

We had a terrific time traversing the huge granite dome batholith and exploring on and under the accompanying monoliths (and learned some new words, too, as you can see)! I went to Enchanted Rock probably a dozen times with my grandparents and cousins growing up, but haven't been in at least 15 years. For Heath and the boys, this was their first experience to the State Natural Area, and it was a great one. We are all eager to make this an annual trip!

Being who we are, we (by that I mean Heath) grossly overpacked for the trek. As a result, Heath carried his 40 pound hiking backpack - filled with food (MREs), water, emergency shelter, first aid kit, Hudson's 100' technical climbing rope, harness, helmet, etc. - while I carried Cole in a backpack...It was an entirely effective situation for eliciting pity from all of those who crossed our paths (..."look, honey, you've been complaining all this time and that lady over there is carrying a kid on her back...").

As it was a 100 degree Texas summer day, we were concerned about staying hydrated during our 4+ hour hike/climb, so we had three hydration bladders (camelbacks) and took excess water. However, if Cole's urine output was any indication of our total hydration status, we may have overdone it. Without exageration, the poor boy had to relieve himself no less that 27 times!

Jake maintained his status as our "trailblazer." It was an effort sometimes to keep up with him, but Hudson tried his best, keeping a close distance in case there was trouble! They really enjoyed the journey together...

We all had fun in God's majestic and mysterious creation. Again, I am amazed by what God can do with rocks, water, and wind! We marveled at the large stand-alone boulders and had a blast crawling (literally) through the caves and crevices that they made...

We, of course, did not exactly stay on the trail, so we meandered around exploring different things but we did, eventually, reach the summit (1800 ft). We were up there alone at first, so here is our attempt at taking a family photo ourselves - I did get all 5 of us in there...

Then another couple arrived at the top and offered to take our picture. Here is the result.

They forgot their camera at home, so we took their picture and promised to email it to them. We then left them alone at the summit to find a place we could sit and say a family prayer and when Heath glanced back up at the summit, he noticed that the guy was on his knees -- proposing!!! (I have to say that there are not a whole lot of times that I get chills after hiking the long way to the top of a rock mountain on a 102 degree day with 40 extra pounds on my back, but they managed to make it happen!) So I took a few more snapshots to send to them. They came to us after "the moment" and asked us to take another photo...here is the after shot - notice the beaming smile and the engagement glow! Congratulations to them! It was so fun to be able to witness something so special...

We didn't exactly take a designated trail down either, so the way was super rocky and extra steep in some places. Luckily for me, by this time Cole had decided he would no longer ride in the backpack! And by God's grace we came across a fun little creek that Jake and Cole dove right into...They had a terrific time cooling off in the water and chasing the little minnows and giant fish. They were highly disappointed that they could not find any frogs to take home with us, though.

Hudson still had his heart set on doing some "technical climbing" with his gear, so he and Heath set out to do so while the little boys and I stayed to play in the water, get cleaned up, and relax in the shade. (I, sadly, have no pictures of their experience...)

To end a great day, we stopped off for some world famous barbecue...The pictures, and the words blackberry cobbler, I think say it all!

Lessons Learned

2007-08-13T18:11:00.000-07:00

My boys have learned a few difficult life lessons over the last week, albeit the hard way. Here they are for those of you who have forgetten such treasures or are still naively looking forward to experiencing natural "teaching opportunities" with your children...

If I have tried on five different outfits, have clothes strewn about the room, and am struggling to get my pants on...DO NOT, under any circumstances, remark about how large my hips are. The results are not favorable.
While I am desperately scrubbing the toilet (and adjacent areas) that you have peed on, under, in, and about, DO NOT - I repeat - DO NOT come to me whining, complaining, suggesting, requesting, or remarking about anything. The results are not favorable.
If I tell you not to leave the table until you have finished your food, DO NOT put your remaining food in the trash and tell me you are done. The results are not favorable (and your food may then taste like trash).
If I finally spend half the day folding all of the clean clothes I have allowed to pile up for way too long and tell you not to touch them until I get them put away, DO NOT intentionally jump into them when playing army. The results are not favorable.
If you feel inclined to ask me, "Mommy, are you mad?" then you better prepare yourself for the answer...
Chocolate helps. As do kisses and I'm sorrys.

I don't think any of them are appreciative of their new-found knowledge or its importance at this time. At least maybe their wives will thank me some day?!?

Question

2007-08-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

Here is our current favorite and frequently asked question for all of you pondering life.

"Mommy, um, is it tomorrow?"

Anybody got an answer?

The Underground

2007-08-10T11:17:00.000-07:00

Only two more weeks until school starts!!! It has only recently reached 90+ degree mark to signify Texas summer, but it is almost over...the early and perpetual rains virtually washed the summer away this year.

As a result, all the things we told the boys (i.e. Hudson) that we would do this summer have remained undone. So, in an effort to fulfill our promises and pretend to be "good parents" we are scrambling to get in some summertime fun before turning ourselves over to the grindstone!

This week we ventured out to Natural Bridge Caverns for some excitement! We had a terrific time exploring the caves...and due to the record 42" of rain we have received this year, we were able to see the underground aquifer risen high in the caves (a rare treat, we're told). Confident with his everpresent headlamp, Hudson explained all of the different speleothems (cave formations, you dummies) as we came to them (at age 7 he is, of course, an expert in all things).

Jake is our resident "trailblazer" and this experience was no exception. He loved to explore all of the new sights and soak it all in "as quick as a cricket"...I think his favorite was some formation that looked like ice cream melting (don't ask me, I'm not the expert, maybe moon milk?). Cole thoroughly enjoyed the "cave kisses" (water drips from the "ceiling") and he and Heath sought them out until Cole was soaked!

The pictures by no means even come close to capturing the beauty of God's creation. I am amazed by what flowing water can accomplish if given the time and opportunity! And as long as I don't actually think about being 100+ feet underground and that at some point, these areas sunk or cracked or some other fun and exciting grand movement, then I can appreciate it's unique beauty and greatness! God's power continually amazes me...

(Some of my not-so-favorite words our tour guide insisted on repeating: sinkhole, bat guana, raccoon room, ceiling crack)

One of the reasons Hudson was drawn to this place was the availability of the adjacent rockwall, so of course, it was on the agenda. The "Watchtower Challenge," as it is called, is at least twice as tall as any other manmade rock wall Hudson had climbed. So he and Heath set out to climb to the top together...in the end they were both successful!

Then we panned for treasure in the mining sluice and came away with a handful of arrowheads and gemstones. And we couldn't pass up the opportunity to climb the onsite, and as far as I could see, unrelated, dinosaurs.

Next week we are off to Enchanted Rock and then the beach!

Smart Car

2007-08-07T07:54:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday morning Hudson approached me with a rather pressing proposal. He felt "very strongly," he said, that we should sell our three vehicles and purchase a "smart car." While I appreciate the environmental concerns he persistently expressed, I began discussing with him the practicality of a "smart car" for a family of five...His solutioned response - "Well, that's the thing," he said, "we would have to get three of them for our family to fit..." (He also angers easily at the site of new retail or residential construction requiring the destruction of trees and such. His fear: "Are they trying to make us like New York or something?")

Little did he know our giant gas-guzzling, Texas-sized SUV actually IS smart. In fact, last night I was wondering when it was that my car became smarter than me? (Hold your tongues, my friends. I know your mom taught you "if you can't say something nice, then don't say anything at all.")

As I got in my car last night to leave work, exhausted from a too long day, I noticed a new warning indicator light had illuminated on my dash. I wanted to simply ignore it like the girl that I am, but the nagging of the bright (!) drove me to dig out my manual and investigate the meaning of this ominous, mysterious symbol. I quickly learned that it's illumination warned me of "low tire pressure." So I pulled over and made a quick circle about my car, kicking each of the tires as I went (a purely scientific endeavor). The back passenger tire was ever-so-slightly less firm than the other three, so it deserved a second and third kick before I decided it was obviously holding air, but quite possible the source of the cautionary (!). Satisfied with my investigative skills, and confident in my analysis, I continued my journey home.

The car drove great, but the (!) remained. And after traveling down the highway a few miles, a nice gentleman waved me down, pointing to my rear tire. I pulled over and realized that my car apparently knew what it was talking about. My tire was flatter-than-a-fritter...

I made a call to Heath, who was home alone with 5 kids (my niece and nephew were over for a sleepover). He only had 3 of 5 needed carseats and his truck only seats a total of 5 passengers, so my cry for help was futile. Now my father, whom I thank, had made sure I was not helpless when it came to automobile maintenance and simple skills of survival. In high school, I had effectively changed my own spark plugs and radiator hoses, changed my oil, and rotated my own tires in our garage at home. While it has been 14 or so years since such activities, I, having education in such things, ask Heath if he thought I could simply just change the tire myself. He did not laugh at me outright, but he did say that, while he felt I could eventually accomplish the task, my vehicle is very heavy (not like the little Mazda 626 on which I had learned) and I would probably hurt myself.

So I called the free emergency roadside assistance number on our extended warranty program. And within 30 minutes, Bruce from Pop-A-Lock was there in his bright orange shirt (with his 2 year old daughter happily kicking her legs in the backseat of his truck) to change my tire for free. Minutes later, our friend Fireman Wayne (who can be seen in previous post "The Return" in handsome waders near a waterfall), pulled up behind him upon seeing me roadside. He stayed with me and the Pop-A-Lock stranger until the ordeal was over to ensure my safety (Thanks, Wayno!).

All that to say that my smart SUV knew, with certainty, that my tire, while appearing normal, was damaged (beyond repair, I might add, with a huge gash on the inside of the tire) and defunct. And while the environment won't appreciate it's "smartitude," next time, I will!

Lake Fun!!!

2007-08-01T13:21:00.000-07:00

Heath returned home from his vacation with a case of vertigo (an inner ear disorder that causes you to become dizzy -and stay dizzy - with ANY movement). As a result, he wasn't allowed to work for another week for fear that he would fall off a ladder, drop a patient, or wreck a fire truck. (Of course it was also a good excuse for him not to load the dishwasher...haha!)

So, work foregone, we took off to the lake for a few days where my parents had rented a little lakeside cottage for the week. Nothing plush or luxurious, just a simple cinder block two-room cottage with running water, electricity and a stove! It was heavenly!

Right off the back porch lay a "beach" and, of course, the full lake... There was a treasured shallow area followed by a rock ledge that poured over into 4 foot depths that kept the kids (and us adults) at play in the water for hours! The water was warm and full from the 100+ days of rain this year. It was a perfect setup for outdoor days!

Heath and I also learned that, although we choose to believe that we are still young, our bodies are old. We went out on the boat - skiing and being pulled in the tube - and we felt it with every movement for days afterward. But we had a blast.

It, of course, continued to rain everyday, but luckily the storms were mild and brief and when we couldn't go out in the boat or play in the water, we fished or played games. Grandpa taught Hudson how to play chess, while Grandma tried to play dominoes or card games with Jake with him making up rules as they went.

It was all so relaxing for me and I loved just floating in the middle of the lake, head back and eyes closed, waiting for the boat to come get me after I had been tossed off the the tube or my skis...Or, like a dork, scream singing "How Great Thou Art" at the top of my lungs as I was being pulled behind the boat going 30+ mph. It was wonderful...
It was also so fun for all of us to be with my parents (and my sister and her family one day, too). We all had so much fun!!! Thanks, Mom and Dad, for the experience!

The Return

2007-08-01T11:55:00.000-07:00

Heath is home!

And for 8 days he had the pleasure of taking in this daily vision:

This was my view:

I won't even debate with you whose view was better.

By all reports, he had a great time fly fishing in the mountains and valleys of Colorado. The fish were biting, the weather mostly cooperated, and the camp food was spectacular (all hearsay, mind you)! I thought I'd share a few of his vacation shots for your viewing pleasure.

And for those of you feeling sorry for me because I spent my vacation time at home with the kids, doing laundry, cleaning house, and watching rain fall from the sky,

please accept my heartfelt "Thanks."

In truth, I really enjoyed my time off of work just hanging out with the boys without our usual interruptions. While we had hoped to do some traveling and visit some friends & family while Heath was away, our plans didn't pan out, so we improvised with family fun at home...It was fun doing whatever we felt like doing...we ate french toast for dinner and went to the movies. We took walks in the rain and holed up at the library. We went to bed late and woke up late...

Plus, can you picture me in these waders? So, really, no pity required!

Take Me Out to the Ballgame

2007-08-01T11:20:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago, our church CARE group ventured out to support Family Faith Night at a Round Rock Express baseball game. We had a terrific time...bouncy houses, concert, player testimonials, and a good old fashioned baseball game with peanuts and popcorn and crackerjacks (all priced for the experience)!

Heath was still on vacation, but the boys and I had a great time. God blessed us with a reprieve from the rain for the afternoon and the heat was oppressive, which made a couple of little men cranky after a few hours, but we all still enjoyed ourselves...

Hudson was really eager to tackle the rock climbing wall at the ballpark (his not-so-secret passion in life), and because it was a paying attraction, I agreed to pay for one trip up as long as he rang the bell at the top...he did of course, and then scrambled up a second time thanks to Uncle Dave's deep pockets! He also liked to check out the action of a professional ballgame!

Cole enjoyed playing with his friends and watching the "baseball guys" play his favorite sport. And of course to climb back and forth over the stadium seats and to perpetually dig through our bag to find the ever coveted and alluring bubble gum...

Jake was simply content to kick back and relax with a giant bag of cotton candy! He was, however, quite sad that we didn't stay until the very end so that he and his brothers could run the bases as the announcer guy kept encouraging.

Good Morning!

2007-07-21T10:25:00.000-07:00

Thought I'd tell you about my first few minutes awake this morning...

I awoke, pleasantly, to the sound of cartoons. Scooby Doo, to be exact. I glanced at the clock and smiled to see the numbers started in 9...the boys had satisfied themselves with Saturday morning cartoons and let me sleep in a bit. I was pleased, thrilled, and even overjoyed to have slept so late - the purest of treats!

As I was making the bed, Cole came in and gave me a big "Good Morning" grin...another treat. And then, keeping with my morning routine, I headed to the bathroom. Cole, holding himself, came along with me. Seeing that he, too, needed to relieve himself, I encouraged him to use the potty first. He refused, so I went ahead.

As I am doing my business, he is taking his pull-up off and "getting ready" for his turn. I notice that he is now on his tippy toes, almost dancing, and continuing to hold himself. I tell him I wish he had gone first, and seeing his determination to hold it in, I am trying desperately to hurry.

He is standing about a foot in front of me, hopping on the very tips of his toes from one foot to the other, naked from the waist down, and looking straight at me. I am still trying to hurry, but as a nurse my bladder is, well, of superhuman proportions.

And then it happens. He has given up all previous strategies and begins peeing uncontrollably...straight at me, on me, over me, under me...everywhere. He is shocked and pleased all at the same time. I am still sitting there, covered in it, also shocked (but not so pleased) when Jake pops his head in and says "Good Morning, Mommy!"

Extreme Sports

2007-07-20T12:05:00.000-07:00

I don't know when the rain will stop. I don't know if the rain will stop. I think we may have to move to some place like Seattle where the sun shines more...

Obviously, it is raining again...all day today so far. So in an effort to appease the crowd that lives here, I caved (excuse the pun) and brought the extreme sports indoors.

There were spelunking adventures in the living room. (I'm a pretty good cave maker, if I do say so myself.)
Ultimately, that transformed into cave diving in the living room. (Literally, jumping into the pile of pillows used to create the cave walls.)
There were spy games and adventures...We WERE Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker...and all that entails.
And then on to my favorite, snow boarding in the bedroom.

They wanted to go water skiing in the bathtub, but I do have my limits...

I've Seen the Future...And It Ain't Pretty!

2007-07-18T19:25:00.000-07:00

Cole displayed a new and fascinating trick after dinner tonight. He opened his mouth to speak and accidentally burped a word. A fluke, I was sure.

He then, realizing his potential, purposely spoke his next four words as burps. Not fake burp sounds - but real, genuine, full-on burped words.

He's two and a half. And he burps words. Can you imagine my future as the only female inhabitant of our home?

(Don't tell, but I truly was impressed with his new skill - I never mastered even the tiniest intentional burp).

Perspective

2007-07-18T15:23:00.000-07:00

Today has been one of those days...It is raining. We are feeling cooped up. Jake spilled a very large cup of water into my bed and over the top of my nightstand, soaking my phone, alarm clock and lamp. Cole took a red marker to the entire bathtub surface and then discarded his chewing gum on my bed sheets. Hudson is angry with me because it is pouring rain outside (as if I had some control over the situation). We all miss Heath (who called today, by the way, and is having a great time..he caught a 17 inch trout if anyone cares). And nobody has folded laundry in 5 days - you can imagine what that may look like.

Then I got a little perspective...two of my patients died this week. A beautiful baby girl, only 4 days old, passed on Monday and a sweet little boy, now two months old, but born too early was sent to heaven this morning. While death is too often a part of my job, it is a part of it that I never grow used to. It affects me. It pushes me into states of reflection. It surpasses my understanding. And while their families won't have the opportunity to complain about the "terrible twos" or the agony of perpetual messes made by their child, why should I, who am blessed with so much, feel entitled to?

So we took a walk, the boys and I, as the rain sprinkled down upon us. We talked and laughed and I saw them as God intended them to be. I saw them as God's blessings, His children, entrusted to our care. I saw their beauty. I saw their joy. I saw their innocence. And as the tears fell silently from my eyes, I prayed that I would never lose this perspective...

Now I Know

2007-07-17T18:41:00.000-07:00

So I believe Cole may have revealed to me today why I so uncharacteristically tossed my favorite cake yesterday.

Tonight at bedtime, I was mid-sentence reading to the boys about how God made geese to help and encourage one another by utilizing the V formation. Out of the blue, Cole interrupts me, pats my belly and asks, "Do you have a baby in your tummy, mommy?" "No," I respond and try to move on to how we can learn from the geese, when he chimes in again. "Then what is that, mommy?" patting my stomach again.

Now, I'm just irritated. I try to move on, hoping to make the honking of the geese more interesting than the roll of whatever hanging over my waistline. But Cole presses on. "But Blake's mommy has a baby in her tummy," he continues. Okay, so now maybe I'm a little more than irritated since Blake's mommy (who, I will say, at least looks terrific) is a full 8 1/2 months pregnant and my whatever roll is now reminding him of her... He then smiled and said "I wuv you, mommy" with his eyes squinted and his one dimple showing - so I couldn't hold it against him.

So apparently, I don't need anymore cake. I am instead blessed with three bold blessings of truth...

Almost Proud

2007-07-17T18:28:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I took the kids to Chick-fil-A after catching Pixar's new Ratatouille (What? Heath's on vacation, so shouldn't I get one too?). After properly ensuring that the boys ate all of their deep fried chicken pieces and drank their chocolate milk, I let them loose to the play area.

I cleaned the mess at the table, and went in after them. They were already at play, deep inside the flying car above my head and making new "friends" with other kids whose parents were also too lazy to prepare a home cooked meal.

I briefly turned from my semi-coma and tuned in to their coversation when I heard this.

Hudson: "Hey. Don't call my brothers names or make fun of them. It's just not cool."

I started to smile, almost proud, thinking that maybe we had instilled some true notion of brotherhood within him when he added..."Anyway, that's my job. Come on, you butterballs!"

Dots of Chocolate Cake

2007-07-16T18:50:00.000-07:00

I just threw away cake. Perfectly. Delicious. Cake.

On purpose. I threw it away. Just because.

Someone may need to check on me tomorrow...there is something clearly wrong!

The Junk Drawer

2007-07-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

I recently had to venture into the "junk drawers" of two of my friends while visiting their homes. While one was slightly less so than the other, I was astonished to find them both to be clean and orderly. So it got me thinking about my own junk drawer...maybe the pervasive disorder of my junk drawer provided insight into my life as well. This thought just about pushed me over the edge! If my junk drawer had some semblance of order, would I be happier? Would I sleep better at night? Would my children act prim, proper, and respectfully at all times? (Before you call the warden at the loony-bin, know that I'm really not crazy - I just sound that way in blogland.)

At any rate, I am ever-so-slightly convinced that the status of my junk drawer is somehow reflective of my life & sanity...So I set out to clean up my act, starting with the junk drawer itself!

I'm embarrassed to show you the before picture, but here goes:

Here is the after picture:

The first challenge complete, we are now on to reinvent the rest of the house. My goal is to get rid of half of all of our junk throughout. The kids are not necessarily up for the change, but my pursuit is solid and we will press on (assuming my steam does not run out).

I'll keep you posted!

Surf With Me!

2007-07-11T12:05:00.000-07:00

Just in case any of you have too much free time, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite newly discovered places to mindlessly waste it...

Etsy - Thanks to Dana for introducing this one to me! It is like an ebay of sorts, but everything on the site is handmade. I love just sitting and looking at all of the amazing things people have to offer! Maybe someday when I have more time, space, money, energy, etc., I'll take the time to put some of my bags on the site and see what happens...

SilverJewelryClub - I have actually been stalking this site since last Christmas. Don't ask me why or how, but this site offeres free jewelry - real sterling silver and various gemstones - for just the cost of shipping ($5.99). They offer four pieces at a time, for 15 minutes each, and allow you to see the next 12 or so pieces that they intend to offer. After reading several reviews and watching the site for over six months, I finally ordered a cool necklace for Hudson. I was charged $5.99 and my purchase arrived 5 days later, just as promised. Hudson loves it... This would be a great place to get holiday gifts - for teachers, nieces, nephews, grandmas, sisters or anyone who likes jewelry. Think of the possibilities!

J Caroline Creative - Okay, this one isn't new to me, as many of you know, but it is one of my all-time favorite sites to browse. Of course, I love fabric, and they have lots of it. But they also have great ideas for home decorating, sewing, and paper crafts. I love her blog, as well...

I want to hear about your favorite sites, too...

Which One is Daddy?

2007-07-11T10:43:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, we went out to my parents place for another "family reunion" of sorts. This time, my Dad's side of the family were there, many of whom I had not seen in several years. We had a good time, and of course, the many kids had a terrific time playing in the water, treehouse, golf cart, go-cart and more!

My Dad was everywhere I looked. Take a look at this picture...tracking Daddy in the midst of his brothers was like playing a real-life Where's Waldo game! Three of them look amazingly similar - the fourth was somehow blessed with hair!

My parents have a wet-weather creek that runs through their backyard, and while it has receded considerably from the recent floods, the "bridge" to the treehouse had to be recreated temporarily with a board. It was amazing to see the floodline of debris almost up to the house and to think that the treehouse was submurged a good 6 inches into the first floor (about 5 feet off the ground)!

The kids really enjoyed having the water up a little higher than usual...we watched fish, tadpoles, and frogs do their thing - and even captured a poor few. Then the boys decided to make boats and have boat races! It was a great time...Even Heath made his own!

Hudson went along with the older boys (7-12) exploring a nearby creekbed in the golf cart...bringing home all sorts of debris that had washed in with the flooding...street signs, table stands, and more!

Sunshine, Blessed Sunshine...

2007-07-11T07:14:00.000-07:00

When my words last spilled out on to the screen, it was raining. And when my admiringly sympathetic friend Jennifer told me to - and I quote - "build an ark and shut-up...", I thought I might just have to! It rained here for 45 days. Not all day, every day, but enough to make me crazy, lose my mind, and sink me into a dark despair. 17% of Texas was now under water and the rain continued to fall. This was not the summer I had planned, and my kids were feeling it. (On the bright side, it is now July in Texas and we have not yet reached 100 degrees!)

The sun came out last Friday and we couldn't resist running to the pool first thing in the morning - fearing that the clouds may return and release upon us once more if we waited too long. We had fun lounging in the sun and playing in the water with our friends from school...

It rained later that night, but we have been rain-free for 3 whole days now...Cannonball!!!

Confessions from my Moment in the Sun

2007-06-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

I am sitting, momentarily, in the sun. In my pajamas. After lunch. Drowning in the light. My eyes, overly sensitive to the glow of the sunlight, are squinted and watery, masking my joy of basking.

I just forked over some cash for a ticket to a live concert in my own backyard. A home production by three peanut-butter faced boys, two still in pajamas, with their initial microphones (disguised as Scooby Doo Mystery Popsicles) quickly dripping and streaking orange down their arms.While the heat and humidity simply make the exchange of breath difficult, smothering almost, the pleasure of the treasured sunlight supercedes this current southern discomfort. Mud abounds. Wherever the beauty of lush greenery subsides, mud ensues, making play disastrous and endlessly messy. But the sun is shining. It's glow warms my soul as my body begins to accommodate with perspiration.

And then it is over. It begins slowly and effortlessly with a mere drip here and a drop there. And before I am ready to give up my place in the sun, it is raining. It... Is... Raining... Again. I know that we need rain to water the earth, renew our water supply, sustain life on this planet, etc. - I have fed all these answers and more excuses to the kids over the last few weeks with feigned upbeat optimism and thankfulness. Truth is - I'm now wondering why, again, is it raining? I am, I believe, suffering from Seasonal Affective Disorder. I am losing my mind.

The accumulation of total home untidiness, boyhood boredom, days and days of rain, and an absent husband have done me in - taken me over. So instead of accomplishing indoor tasks of a simple nature or those of more monumental proportion, I spend my days building indoor caves and watching the laundry pile to the sky...Venturing outdoors at any semblance of the sun, hoping somehow that it will last, will spill over into my insides and end the blah....

(In all seriousness, the rain has been more than irritating to some folks just to our northwest - including my parents - with torrential rainfalls of 17 inches last night alone and resulting in the loss of property for many (no loss of life yet reported). I in no way want to minimize their disaster with my own grumblings...)

2007-06-26T14:28:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday I made two fun and enjoyable discoveries...

First of all, I had my very first pedicure! Some of my friends from college were here for a little "reunion" day and they had planned pedicures for us all. It was actually quite fun and I realized what a great treat it was for my feet (although because of a recent comical fall I couldn't actually put one of my feet completely in the foot spa). Heath doesn't fully appreciate my low maintenance status, so I might as well add this as a regular event! Too bad they don't have child care at those places...

Later that night, as part of the "reunion," we went to a great little place and heard some live music. Strangely, it was a couple who have their home on a few acres and they invite artists out to play music on their back deck, welcoming the public to come out and listen (for a $10 donation). I'll admit I was a little leery, but we had a great time. We heard 'Matt the Electrician' - a local artist who plays guitar, tells stories, and sings his original music. Heath and I had a really fun time...and Heath even bought one of his CDs which we have listened to over and over. We will for sure visit the Wyldwood again and see what they have in store (http://www.wyldwoodshows.com/).

Tagged by Kim!

2007-06-26T12:53:00.000-07:00

Tagged. My friend Kim tagged me...It's really putting my memory to the test. I would like to mention first of all that my brains fell out somewhere around the birth of my second child and I have not yet returned them all to their rightful place (along with various other parts of my body)...so take my answers accordingly!

First memory - Sitting in my Grandmother's lap in the rocking chair in our "new" house in League City, TX while my parents helped move our furniture inside.

First real kiss - Brannon Hyde on the baseball field of Lake Travis High School at a track meet in 7th or 8th grade. Can't say it was an amazing or proud moment.

First love - Probably also Brannon...I'm sure I thought I was in love!

First Concert- It was most likely a George Straight concert at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo...

First thing you think in the morning - Why are you {insert any of my children} up?

First pet - A rabbit named spot

First book you remember loving -Can't remember the name of it, but it had two keys and a lion on the front cover - Maybe "The Lion's Gate". My grandmother gave it to me out of her classroom collection - she taught 2nd grade for MANY years.

First question you'll ask in heaven - So hard to pick just one...Maybe something about dinosaurs or how many of the hairs on my head are actually gray?

First thing you think of when you hear the word vacation - How much will that cost us?

First best friend - I can't think of her name right now (remember the brains), but her phone number was 334-4664. She used to threaten that she would drink a whole bottle of Pepto Bismol if I didn't do what she wanted...(thankfully, we moved away)

Last time you dressed up - Heath took me to opening night of Phantom of the Opera about 5 years ago for my birthday...

Last thing you ate -Sadly, a PB&J

Last CD you bought - "Made for Working" by Matt the Electrician

Last good book you read - The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards

Last time you cried -Sunday, I teared up at a baptism at church and during a clip/trailer from the movie "Invisble Children" shown in bible class (http://www.invisiblechildren.com)

Last time you told someone you loved them - About 20 minutes ago talking to Heath on the phone.

Last really funny thing you did - I'm not generally funny. But I had a painfully comical fall a couple of weeks ago trying to get out of my car in the pouring rain holding Cole, three shopping bags, my purse and a newly purchased hamper.

Last thing you watched on TV - I saw about 7 1/2 minutes of Ellen this morning before the kids came in the room.

I tag Laura, Beth H., and Jennifer... Can't wait to hear your answers!

Well, I Think It's Official...

2007-06-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

Warning: This entry will be of no interest to anyone without children (and little interest to those with them). I apologize, in advance, for the nature of the subject - but this is, after all, my life...

We are diaper free! It is a momentous event, athough strangely bittersweet. Our last 7 1/2 years have been largely filled with the changing of diapers...from the tinest cute little things to those of montrous proportions. We have breached a new world.

Hudson was a cinch to potty train. We told him to use the potty and he did. Jake took a few extra days - I had to convince him that it was a good idea and he eagerly caught on. Cole has had no interest in it at all, despite my efforts. Although he is months older than both of his brothers when they made the change and he joyfully mimics all other things that his brothers do, he has repeatedly refused to wear underwear or use the toilet - even accidently. A few weeks ago he even changed his own diaper (a clear sign that he need not be wearing diapers, don't you think).

So imagine my surprise when he woke up a little over a week ago and told me he didn't have a diaper on (he apparently had taken it off at bedtime and I had not noticed when I went in to cover him up after he fell asleep) and he needed to go potty. Even more astonishing was the fact that he walked into the bathroom and went! Now it has been 10 days and he has only had 3 accidents - all within the first 3 days! And while I still am putting him in a pull-up at night for my sake, diapers are now a thing of our past.

Further proof that my baby is growing up. So, alas, we offer a somber farewell to this chapter of our life...and a giddy good-riddens!!!

The Daddy Factor

2007-06-20T11:23:00.000-07:00

I always dreamed of being like my Daddy. He has been a hero to me, plain and simple, and I looked up to him despite the teasing of him I often instigated over the years (i.e. "Talkative Tom", "The Servant Leader", the dreaded "Daddy Jokes", etc.)...

There were so many things about him that I found fascinating. I knew he wasn't perfect, but he didn't need to be. He was, in those days, quiet and serious, stern, but loving. I really had no idea what he did for a living growing up (I still don't), but in my version of reality he played some obscure computer-related mathematically magical part in space shuttle launches, rocket science and national security...surely glorified by the eyes of childhood wonderment. I just knew that I, too, would someday be just like him.

Needless to say, my goals and direction changed shape over the years and I am satisfied simply with the propulsion of fantasy rockets fueled by the endless enthusiasm and imagination of three young boys. But I have since realized that the aspirations to be like my Daddy weren't unique to me. As I see now, it is a dream that lives true in my little boys who want nothing more than to be just like their Daddy.

Daily, Jake points out that he, Hudson, and Cole will someday be "Daddies". And while Cole and Jake play "Daddy" constantly (it took me a while to get used to them calling each other "Daddy" and "Son"), Hudson takes a particular interest in anything that Heath is interested in. Each of them looks up to their Daddy like he is the coolest thing ever. There are times watching them that I see each of them talk like Heath, walk like Heath and act like Heath. Their desires are often based on how Daddy does it or what Daddy says or what Daddy wants. This "Daddy Factor" is an ever present part of our world and, while it does sometimes drive me a tad crazy, I can't help but love it! After all, he is a great, loving, Christian example for them ...

So for all you Dads out there...You may feel like just a regular boring dude going about your own business, but to your kids, your ho-hum, mundane, day-to-day drudge of reality is the ultimate fantasy!

Excessive Tolls

2007-06-14T17:22:00.000-07:00

Within the last year our city has instituted the use of toll roads. For whatever reason, this has had a dramatic effect on our boys. We have only actually driven on the toll road and paid the toll twice, but they are keenly aware of the concept and its potential for exploitation.

All that being said, I have lately paid steep tolls to accomplish most tasks in my home. Here is a breakdown from this morning:

$100.04 to brush my teeth this morning
$1,573 to get dressed today
$1,000 to pass through my bedroom door (each way, mind you)
$148.73 to drink my morning coffee

My budget does not accomodate these expenses, nor do I forsee our future financial status allowing for these types of expenditures. So forgive me if I live confined to my room in my pajamas with a foul mouth and a bad attitude...

The Golf Cart, The Go-Cart & Frogs, Oh My!

2007-06-14T11:46:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we ventured out to my parents place for our annual family reunion on my Mother's side. As always, it was great to catch up with my Aunts, Uncles and cousins (thanks, y'all, for making the trek)... There is tons of food and lots of kids with too much energy to burn.

There is no lack of entertainment for the kids. My parents have a great kid-friendly atmosphere (in other words they spoil the kids year-round). My Mother is endlessly buying new toys/equippment for the kids to play with/use when visiting. My Father is vicarously re-living his youth and incessantly is coming up with brave new ways to encourage boyhood disaster. We all love it (although my "nervous mommy" responsibility somehow creeps in from time to time) and our boys talk about their adventures for days following our visits.

Hudson has the most fun driving the Golf Cart and Go-Cart. You must be at least 7 to drive either, so he and his cousin Preston spend a great deal of their time chauffering the other kids around. This year they thought it was a brilliant idea to race the two against each other...I had to dampen the fun and stop them because neither Hudson or Preston had their eyes on "the road," but rather on each other.

Jake, Kayli, and Nolan enjoyed looking for baby frogs in the creek out back. We waited for someone to fall/jump in, but noone did. They also had fun chasing the kittens...

And Cole was all over the place...riding the carts, climbing to the top of the two-story treehouse, throwing rocks in the creek, chasing the animals, etc.

What fun we all had!

The Third Child

2007-06-14T10:20:00.000-07:00

Here are a very small portion of the words that come to mind when I try, unsuccessfully, to describe our third child, Cole:

Crazy, Cute, Fearless, Sweet, Loving, Playful, Determined, Incorrigible, Goofy, Mischievous, Fun, Gorgeous, Cuddly, Adventurous, Exhausting, Energetic, Trouble, Mastermind, Clever, Dramatic, Purposeful, Entertaining

Honestly, I could go on and on all day! He (like his brothers) is forever amazing us with his personality and charisma...

His new favorite self-entertaining past times are cracking us up...He likes to go off alone into the backyard and fearlessly launch himself off of the picnic table on the rope swing, enjoying himself as he swings high into the air, back and forth, until dragging his feet and starting the process over again. Then he will venture over to the swings, laying his belly over the swing. He discovered that he can then use his hands to walk up the ladder and then let go so that the swing rotates, sways and rocks him, almost violently and with great momentum. Then he will either start over, or flip himself off the the swing head first onto the ground and then start over.

It is brilliant, although sometimes slightly nerve-racking, to watch him happily fulfilled with entertaining himself! It makes my heart smile with delight to see the pleasure that he makes for himself and to witness his determination at work...

We are, however, patiently awaiting our first broken bone(s)!

The WeedWhacker & His Friends

2007-06-14T09:41:00.000-07:00

The boys played alongside me as I made a desperate attempt to remove weeds from the unbelievably weed-filled flower beds and play area in our backyard. My middle Jake, forever by my side, offered his services - I had no choice but to accept them.

So as I worked to rip the weeds from the ground by their roots, Jake took a baseball bat to the taller ones...whacking them feverishly until they broke off (giving me a mere half inch to wrap my tired and disgusting hands around). As he whacked, he talked, questioning, marveling and pondering life incessantly, and then would briefly stop to breathe when a bug, worm, or spider would emerge from the uprooted holes in the ground. He would then call Hudson and Cole over to show them his new "pets" and ramble on about their characteristics. The brothers would glance over in feigned interest, then go about their own business with Jake chatting on...

The worms he named Slimey. The june bug he named Limey. And all of the rollie-pollies were called Timey. The spiders received no names, but were chased away or killed. And with each emerging creature/pet new questions arose. Here is a sample of some that I ashamedly left unanswered.

"Where do you think their [rollie-pollies] kitchen is?"

Regarding the worms: "Is this his head or his bottom?"

"Maybe we can take them [Slimey, Timey, and Limey] to the grocery store because it is a long way away."

"What did I say his name was again?"

"Do you think Limey likes spiders?"

"Is Limey going to his grandma's house?"

There were about 487 more...Even now he continues to talk about his new backyard "pets".

Courtesy of 'Reading Rainbow'

2007-06-14T09:09:00.000-07:00

Granted, Lavar Burton may be cheesy (and may bring some of you fellow nerds flashbacks of the funky sunglassed dude on 'Star Trek: The New Generation'), but PBS' Reading Rainbow is still a treasured classic around here. I can remember watching it as a child and learning so many things...I don't remember so much about the books they featured as about how toothpaste is made and readied for distribution, or how Coca-Cola was bottled, etc. Even today, I enjoy watching and learning about such things, as do the kids...

A few weeks ago we were all home and a Reading Rainbow featuring the manufacturing of the bowling ball inspired us to make a family outing to our local bowling alley for a fun filled adventure. We had a terrific time.

Hudson loved to knock down the pins, Jake mostly enjoyed playing on the ball-return-machine-thingey, and Cole got a thrill out of throwing the ball himself ("I can do it by myself..."). Cole threw his hands up after every bowl, screamed "oh yeah" and wanted to give everyone high-fives...Heath and I had fun watching their enthusiasm and testing out our skills (which were very rusty from decades of unuse).

School's Out for Summer...

2007-05-27T12:54:00.000-07:00

Yep, another school year has come and gone...(and I can't get the Alice Cooper song out of my head, so go ahead and sing with me "...School's Out Forever...").

It is hard to believe, but I now have a second grader (as Hudson proclaimed proudly as he walked out of class last Thursday). I know it is cliche, but it all happened so fast! I fear that next week he will be driving, dating, and daring to be different...Yikes!

The days have been rainy and blah here, but we welcomed summer our own way with "goggle-time" in the bath/shower. Here are some priceless shots...

Ahhh!

2007-05-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

Be careful how you motivate! It may just leave you dangling from a rope...

Heath has been teaching a rope rescue course for firefighters all this week. And any of you who have talked to Hudson about anything know that he is a rappelling, rock climbing, anything rope-related freak. It is almost all he thinks about... So he has really looked forward to this week, knowing that we would be able to visit the class, observe some "real rope rescue" and he would be able to rappel from the parking garage that they use for their hands-on training. (In fact, he first rappelled when he was only 2 1/2, from the very same parking garage during one of Heath's training classes...)

So we visited the class and watched...Hudson waiting patiently for the class to end so he could have his turn in the harness. He was so excited, but "a little bit nervous." The first time down, he went tandem with Heath from the 5th floor of the garage. He was on top of the world! Then he rappelled down alone from the 3rd floor...to prepare for the decent from the 5th alone. But when we got up to the 5th floor he got up on the ledge, looked down and said "no way."

I knew he really wanted to do it and would be excited to have completed such a daunting task so I started in with negotiations.

"If you do it, we can print out some pictures of you rappelling to show to your class tomorrow."

"Imagine how cool it will feel to get down to the bottom and know that you finished something even though it scared you."

"Nothing is impossible with God."

"If you do it, I will do it too."

"This is all you talked about for two weeks. Refuse to give up on something you really want...refuse to lose."

None of my words were effective encouragement. While I am still talking, reasoning, rationalizing, Heath is telling his buddy who is up on the 5th floor with Hudson and I, "Just put him over. Go ahead, do it." So Wayne put a protesting Hudson over the edge (no need to call CPS...it was all safe, he was in the harness, and Heath was at the bottom with a safety rope, etc.). Hudson was a little angry at first (and his heart was beating out of his chest), but then he started rappelling...still nervously, at first, but as he lowered himself, he started having fun. And as he reached the ground, the biggest smile overcame his face . He immediately yelled up to me, "I did it! I was scared, but I did it!"

He and Heath appeared on the 5th floor minutes later and Hudson was saying, "It's your turn Mom. You said you would do it if I did and I did it, so now it is your turn." Lucky me, I thought. (Why does he always listen and remember only what I want him to forget?) So I started in with excuses. "It is really late, and we need to get home for dinner. Maybe I'll do it next year," I said. Heath is putting a harness on me as I talk.

I am crazy afraid of heights. Just looking over the edge of the 5th floor garage almost makes me puke. My stomach turns inside out instantly. I hate tall overpasses. I hyperventilated once trying to put up our Christmas lights because I had to get up on our single story roof. But suddenly I find myself geared up, a two minute rappelling lesson taken in, and I am sitting precariously on the ledge of the garage (barefoot, I might add so that my flips aren't lost). Then I'm over the ledge and rappelling down and I am actually having fun!

As I touched the ground, I'm sure the same smile overtook my face as Hudson said, "Wow, Mom, I didn't know you could do that. Wasn't it cool?!"

Mothers

2007-05-14T10:00:00.000-07:00

As we recover from the formal celebration that is Mother's Day, I feel compelled to reflect on the "mothering" I have been witness to in my own mother, my mother-in-law, my grandmothers, my sister, my sister-in-law, my family, my friends, those I don't know so well but admire in observation from afar, and my own experiences as a mother...

Wow! What a profound task God has put before each of us...and what a profound privilege He has afforded us! While the trials of raising children in the midst of the chaos that is life are overwhelming, the blessings, too, are overwhelmingly abundant! No, I haven't been taking any pills...I know motherhood is not always fun - it can even be agonizing and painful and so many other things I can't even speak to yet. Our many "hats" for our many roles would overflow even the largest of closets, there is no such thing as personal space when you are a mother, and we are overworked and underpaid. But as I see it, the rewards are equally as endless.

My kids don't yet appreciate me most days. In fact, yesterday, the day mother's are to be celebrated around the world, was just a mediocre ordinary day for me. Hudson and I argued all morning because I wouldn't let him wear his holiest jeans (think swiss cheese, not angelic) to church. Jake released his treasured collection of live roley-poleys into our bed (most of them never to be seen again), and Cole was Cole (enough said). Then after church, I went to work and returned home about midnight. They went about their business...taking for granted the little things mommy has done, will do, and is doing. It doesn't make me sad, or mad, or resentful - instead, it gives me pleasure in knowing that they love me regardless of what I am doing, have done, or will do. They love me simply because I am their mother. And they love me every day...

And regardless of the happenings of the day, at the day's end, I can't help thinking about my boys. I often lay in bed, reflecting on the day, and chuckle to myself. Heath and I will lay there and share events from the day - in awe and wonderment that our boys are who they are and reveling in the blessing that they have brought us. We thank God for each of them and for making them who they are!

Being a mommy is an awesome gift from God!

Words of thanks:

I thank you, mom, for being my mother. I have learned so much from you and have many wonderful memories as your daughter. Your love and example have blessed me in so many ways... Know always that I admire you.

Debi, thank you for raising Heath into the husband and father that he is. I know that it wasn't easy, but you can be proud... He is a great man -- my lifeline, my best friend, and the best daddy I could want for our boys!

Brooke, your strength and determination is amazing. You are one of the best mom's I know.

Ellen, I know that your plate is full, but you make it all look effortless...

All of you whom I cherish as friends, I thank you for the inspiration that you have been to me as mothers (even when you think no one is paying attention). It is so much fun to be able to be mommies together...to share in the joys and pains and know that I can also count on you to laugh, cry and pray with me in the highs and lows of motherhood. It excites me to know our children will grow and play together in the Lord!

Tell Everybody

2007-05-14T06:35:00.000-07:00

Your attention, please!

Cole's spaceship has a flat tire.

He wanted me to "tell everybody"... (Judging from his hair, they must not have gravity on his planet!).

Makeover of a Lifetime

2007-05-12T19:42:00.000-07:00

Friday, I went for a "spa day" like no other. There was no high end salon, licensed technicians or the promised safety of a posted health department inspection, but simply a boy and his mother in a first grade classroom full of kids and their moms. Yes, I went to Hudson's class and let him pamper me as a Mother's Day treat!

Each of us moms brought our cosmetics, favorite nailpolish, brush and lotion with us and let our child massage us, apply our makeup, paint our nails, and offer us donuts and strawberries. And honestly, as I entered the classroom, I'm not sure if it was Hudson or I that was more nervous... He greeted me with a firm hug and an "I love you" (which I know he means, but he also says when he is nervous, can't think of anything else to say, or wasn't paying attention to the current conversation - male behavior at its finest!). He went on to apply my makeup, massage my hands and feet and paint my toenails. He even attempted to put my hair up in a ponytail, but felt I looked "funny" and took it back down!

Truth is, I had a blast (so did he) and felt a connection with Hudson that I don't get to experience every day. He hugged and loved on me a lot - moments I cherish (I know he will soon decide he can't hug/kiss/talk to me in public - its just not cool).

So next time you are in need of a pedicure, put your kids to work! Take the time to let loose and have fun. It will create memories that will last a lifetime...And who knows, maybe his wife will benefit later!

"Storm"

2007-05-12T19:16:00.000-07:00

Last week Hudson had some art supplies out to make a card for his teacher for Teacher Appreciation Week...the usual - crayons, markers, paper, etc. So Jake asked Heath if he could do some art, too. Heath said sure and went about his business in the bedroom, leaving Hudson and Jake with their art. When he returned, a surprise awaited him...

Jake had forgone the traditional scribbling on paper for a more pure artist challenge . He had rummaged through the "junk drawer" (don't act like you don't have one too) and gathered a few choice items and a roll of tape. He was well into strategically taping together his selected treasures when Heath returned and asked Jake was he was doing. Jake responded, "I like to call it 'Storm'."

Who knows what his future may hold...

Summer Fun

2007-05-12T18:33:00.000-07:00

We discovered one of the most terrific sports last week...Water balloon baseball! Hudson had a baseball practice using water balloons for baseballs (Coach Keith is cool!). Too much fun! In the end the 11 players and 4 coaches (who might as well have been 8 year olds when a water balloon was within reach) used over 400 water ballons. Cole and Jake even joined in the fun at the end...

Add this one to your summer-time backyard fun!

Who Rocks You?

2007-05-09T18:19:00.000-07:00

This is what I heard from the backseat on the way to Cabelas the other day.

Jake: "Tim McGraw is a rockstar. He really makes me rock!"

Cole: "Yeah, me too. 1-2-3 like a bird I..."

Hudson (with eyes rolling): "Oh, brother!"

Cole and Jake have a favorite song. Don't ask me why, but it is Tim McGraw's "Last Dollar (Fly Away)" (alternatively known as "1-2-3 like a bird I sing" at our house) which, undoubtedly, we can thank Heath for... Anyway, they absolutely love it and request I play it all day every day. They crack me up because both of them can sing every word of the song (although their version doesn't necessarily consist of the same words that Tim McGraw sings). They sing it loud and proud and I can't make them stop. To make matters worse, Hudson hates the song! He groans at each request and says that the song "haunts" him because people are always singing it at school and at home. It certainly doesn't keep Jake and Cole from "rocking"...

2007-05-03T22:01:00.000-07:00

All Is Not Lost

2007-05-03T06:35:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago, I lost it. All my "good parenting" skills escaped me. All my points earned, now lost. Heath was working a 48 hour shift and I was tired...too tired. It was late in the day, the kids were arguing, the weather was bad, and I was impatiently tired - not a great combination. All my learned powers of reasonable negotiation went out the window and I screamed (notice I didn't say yelled), startling my kids. Immediately, I was filled with regret.

So that night before our family prayer time, I sat down with the boys to apologize for my anger...As I told them that I was sorry for losing my temper, Cole chimed in.

"No, mommy, you didn't lose your temper, because I could hear it," he said. He went on to add to his prayer, "thank you for mommy's temper she lost..."

God always has a way of reminding me to smile...

The Question

2007-05-01T06:04:00.000-07:00

There is one question asked in my home more than any other question, by far (and with these three, there are A LOT of questions). Here is what it sounds like depending on who's asking.

Hudson: "Mom, have you ever held a snail?"

Jake: "Mom, umm, one time, umm, did you hold a snail?"

Cole: "Did you held a snail, Mom?"

Yes, this apparently is the most important question of their time. It must be something often pondered because I have been asked it repeatedly, at all hours, and for no obvious reason whatsoever. Cole even woke me up at 4:15 am the other morning, just to ask...again.

For any of you also intrigued to know, beware, the answer may render you defenseless to the reeling of your mind - frightened, bewildered, awed, disgusted, disappointed or amused (who knew the power of the snail)...

The Double Blogger

2007-04-30T19:04:00.000-07:00

As we all know, I have issues... So go ahead, add this one to your list - as of today, I am a double blogger. I make no excuses, have no profound wisdom to impart, or can even give you a good reason for why I'm doing it. But I can't give it up. Bottom line is I have an addiction to the blog. I'm sure there are support groups, and when I hit rock bottom, someone please find me one. For now, I will be on the lookout for any and all opportunities that may be viewed as an intervention (sure, add paranoia to the list as well).

So now, in addition to my blog on Myspace, I will sport this one as well for those of you who have serious fear and trepidation over the myspace hype. For the most part they will consist of the same fodder and equal entries - of course myspace sings to you and will offer more pictures of my undeniably gorgeous children, has email and "friends"... (www.myspace.com/the5nobles)

The blog is my escape. It is my reality. And blog reading/stalking is my escape from reality...

2007-04-30T17:33:00.000-07:00

Good Brother Qualities

2007-04-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

I was listening to Jake last night in the bathtub - He was talking, rambling really, to noone in particular. His words, echoing over Hudson's humming and Cole's bubbling made me smile.

"I am a good big brother. I'm smart, I'm fun, and I'm good at tic-tac-toe."

I'm not sure who he was trying to convince, but it worked for me!

The World Series

2007-04-30T14:49:00.000-07:00

I always swore I would never be one of those parents that yells at their kids out on the ball field or swears at the umpire or picks a fight with some other kids' parents in the bleachers. And, luckily, I am not that parent. But I never realized how intense a baseball game for 7 years old could be...

I greatly appreciate our coaches. They are excellent with kids and excellent at coaching. They make sure that each of the kids is respected and is having fun, while pushing the teammates to work together and do their best. There are no angry words, but no babying either. I have been greatly impressed at how they handle team and personal dissapointments as well as wins, how they promote character and teach the kids how to be both respectful and respected. I have been fully impressed with the way they treat the team, the umpires (who are kids themselves and don't always make the best calls), the parents, the opposing teams, etc.

It's not one of those leagues that doesn't keep score and promotes the notion that "everyone is a winner" by not allowing one team to "win" over another team. And while I do support the idea that we should maintain the self-esteem of our children and help them to acheive confidence in themselves, I don't think that is the way to do it! We keep score, teams are sometimes "scouted" prior to game day, and stats are kept. I had no idea little league was such serious business!

This is Hudson's second year playing ball, his first year in coach-pitch baseball, and he is really enjoying the game. With each game, his skills are improving and he beams with pride as he hits the ball and runs with all his might. He loves it, so we love it! His personal game started a little slow, as his previous experience in the sport was quite limited compared to others on the team. But he is really starting to get it...the coach has nicknamed him "Mr. Triple," as he has now repeatedly hit a triple in each of the last several games. He was even honored with the "game ball" from their game last week where he hit a triple followed by a single... I can't tell you how excited Hudson was about that.

But I have also never been so "on the edge of my seat." Hudson really likes to win, but mostly just likes to play the game (granted his team has only lost one in 10 games, so he hasn't had a lot of opportunity to experience the down side). He does his best, practices what he needs help/work with, and feels good about that. As a mother, I am proud of that attitude, but when there is two outs and my kid is up to bat...mom starts a little nervous rocking! You can feel the suspense in the air...the coaches are a little on edge (although they do a great job at giving the kids nothing but words of encouragement, constructive criticism, and positive reinforcement) and the other parents are hopeful, shouting words of encouragement from the stands, so the mommy adrenaline begins to pump a little. And when he hits the ball and runs the bases (sliding, always, into home base), the joy is overwhelming! For him and for me! Some days it feels just like the world series!

The PB&J

2007-04-30T14:48:00.000-07:00

My life in a nutshell...Today, Cole cried for over an hour when I could not figure out how to accomodate his lunch request for a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with NO BREAD!?! Nothing I offered would console him, so after many attempts, I had to let him cry it out in his bed. When silence finally overtook the house, I thought maybe he had fallen asleep. I found him under the table...he had thieved a piece of bread from the pantry and was eating it as quickly as he could!

Why only three?

2007-04-30T14:41:00.000-07:00

You should see Heath and the boys light up when a baby enters the room. Or my face when I get to hold onto one of the tiny miracles of God. So why don't we have another baby?

Here's the thing. They grow up... I absolutely love babies. I even love being pregnant. And there is nothing better than snuggling, smiles, and the miracle of little lips...even as a sleep deprived mommy, smelling of sweet baby vomit, and unshowered for 30+ hours! But the demands of parenthood change with the growing child... There is homework, peer pressure, "opportunities" for volunteering, desperate pleas for involvement from teachers, field trips, and the children begging to join extracurricular activites, have "wheelies" and the "PS2"...All the while you, as a parent, are juggling, struggling, and anticipating the needs (physical, emotional, spiritual, educational, etc.), ideas, meltdowns, challenges for each of the kids...trying desperately to be fair, discipline, love, establish lifelong true relationships based in trust, teach God-centered perspective, give each child personal time (the list never ends)!

The thing is, for me, I never got tired of the baby thing...but the changing demands helped me to decide to look forward at what I have, not dwell on what might have been, and enjoy each phase of growth as a gift from God...The decision itself brought with it contentment. And when our friends and acquaintances have babies, Heath and I still can't wait to get our hands on them and snuggle with them, take in their awesome baby smell, and at times briefly long for those days again. There is comfort in the known - we know and love babies - but we don't know anything about what lies in store for us as the kids grow up...we are learning as we go and looking forward to the fun and challenges that come with each step of the process! Ultimately we know that God has blessed us three-fold, and at the moment, that feels like all we can responsibly take on as they grow up...Not to mention life is different when you surgically close the factory and open up the entertainment center.

Don't get me wrong. I don't even pretend to know what is right for anyone's family but mine. I would never say what decision will ultimately be the best for YOUR family, regardless of what it right for us or anyone else that may offer their two cents. I advocate families of all sizes and shapes! For those of you in love with the baby time I say cherish each moment...but don't dwell on the thought that it could be your last baby...as I tell my boys daily, "no matter how big you get, you will always be my baby!"

And in 20 years or so, I look forward to a grandbaby to snuggle...