Empty

I took full advantage of the beautiful weather today and went running outdoors. I can't get enough of the fresh air filling my lungs. I also can't get over how much harder it is to run outside than it is to run on a treadmill. Thankfully, my gracious sister-in-law accompanied me to help encourage me (read pull me) along. I am so happy that she is able to bring herself down to my level (or lack there of) of running so that I can have a partner. It just makes running that much more fun.

Today, while we were running Jeremy Camp's song Empty came on my iPod (yes, we have our iPods on while we run together. That way when we are out of stuff to talk about or we (I) am too winded to speak, we have praise music to fall back on...and sometimes we sing to each other...it's fun).

I digress...

Anyways, as I was running along listening to the words, I couldn't help but think about how this run was also emptying me, and then the truth of the praise music I was listening to was re-filling me.

I love the thought of actually doing something that physically brings me to be running on empty, and then simultaneously being filled back up with truth and love. It just gives me an extra boost, and I can't think of anything better to be filled back up with.

I love how the Lord knows right where to meet us. It's hard to miss a day of running when I have that to look forward to.

Here are the lyrics: (and a link in case you want to hear it )

Empty Me
Jeremy Camp

Holy Fire burn away,
My desire for anything
That is not of you and is of me.
I want more of you and less of me.
Holy Fire burn away,my desire for anything
That is not of you and is of me,
I want more of you and less of me, yeah.

Empty me,
Empty me, yeah,
Fill, won't you fill me,
With you,
With you, yeah.

Holy Fire, burn away,
My desire for anything
That is not of you and is of me.
I want more of you and less of me, yeah.

Empty me,
Empty me, yeah.
Fill, won't you fill me,
With you,
With you,
Empty me now.

Well won't you empty me,
Well won't you empty me now. repeat x2
I want more, I want more, I want more of you, Jesus.
I want more, I want more, oh.

Thank you, Jesus.
Thank you, Jesus, oh yeah,
Thank you, Jesus, yeah.

Holy Fire,
Holy Fire,
Holy Fire,
Holy Fire

So Close!

I am typing this blog from my completely put-back-together desk! YIPPEEE! Our kitchen is nearly complete. The grout went into the back splash today. All that is left is putting everything back...and we are waiting for shelving for our base cabinets.

I have a hard time with disorganization. This has been difficult to have our entire kitchen disassembled and moved into another area. I felt like I did pretty good with the whole thing. I even embraced the huge mess for a while, and let the rest of the house go for a bit.

Yesterday, I hit my breaking point. I really can't take the mess anymore. I want this project done. I want to know where my stuff is and have access to it. It has been about 4 weeks, and I think it is time.

Today, at nap time, I pushed hard to get everything picked up and put away in a spot. It may not be the permanent spot for some stuff, but if it's away, then I'm happy. I am happy to be able to see what this project is finally going to look like all done. Tomorrow, I will finish up and possibly get pictures!

I know you can hardly wait.

Surprise, Surprise...

For some reason, I didn't plan very well for today. I knew Lanie and I had Dentist appointments today. I was the one who made the appointment 6 months ago. I also was the one who received the phone call reminder, and threw out the post card reminder. It was me who wrote the appointment on the calendar, and have been staring at that appointment on the calendar for the entire month of February. I didn't forget that we had an appointment today at 10:30. I did, however, forget that I didn't have a sitter planned for Paxton, and that he wasn't just going to come and sit in a stroller because, well, he's two and a half.

It was a slight over look on my part.

Oooops.

So, this morning when I realized what I had done, I decided it was too late to do anything about it, and Pax was just going to have to come with. I also decided that I was not packing the stroller. I was going to make an adventure out of it. I would try to interest him in all that was going on with his sister in the chair, and then when I was in the chair, and not able to watch either one of my children, I was going to pray, and also bring the DVD player.

What did we do before portable DVD players?

Seriously.

Can I just say, I am so so so proud of my little Angels. They did so well at the dentist, I was almost slack jawed in pure amazement and joy. The dentist went on and on about how well behaved they were. She said that they must be really smart to understand what all was going on and how to act accordingly. She also said that their good behavior was ,"100% the way they were parented"

She doesn't have kids.

Part of me wanted to take the glory and run. Not just for myself, but for her sake too. I mean, she might feel better to think that children, when parented just right, act like Angels 100% of the time. I felt like it might be my responsibility to leave there with her feeling that security.

Eventually, you know once she took the tools out of my mouth, I fessed up. I told her the truth. They weren't like this all the time, I myself was kind of surprised, and really it isn't all about the parenting skills or lack there of.

My success today was from God and our portable DVD player.

If that isn't a winning combination, I don't know what is.

...And My Heart is Happy

Today was another wonderful day outside. Two days this week, and I am feeling good! Instead of just playing in the front yard, we decided to go on a walk/ride. We have a special path that I mapped out in our neighborhood a few years ago. It's "our walk" and it's perfect. The only difference in the past year is that Delanie no longer likes to ride in the jog stroller. At five years old, she is a bike rider. So while she rides ahead, Pax and I walk. Well, I walk and Pax rides solo.

It's perfect.

In the summer time, you can see us on "our path" just about every single day. That is how much we love it. Just a little 2 mile loop around the neighborhood, and I am one happy Momma.

Even though it was a little brisk today, I just enjoyed walking in the FRESH air. My lungs were gulping it up like a tall glass of water. Since the kids were unusually quiet, I think their lungs were doing the same thing. Fresh air does a body good. If they are like me, they were also reacquainting themselves with the neighborhood again. Taking in all the sites, new things, and the beauty of being outside. It seems like forever since our last jaunt.

I had to chuckle a little watching Delanie riding in front of us. She was, at times, trying to go as fast as she could, then slowing down to feel the breeze. When she was peddling fast, I couldn't help but play the song in my head from Wizard of Oz. You know the one, when the evil Miss Gulch has taken sweet little Toto away from Dorothy.

I am not sure what it was about her; her posture, the stiff looking bike helmet that looks eerily familiar to Miss Gulch's stiff hat, or the determination in the peddling. Whatever is was, I couldn't stop humming that song, and now it is in my brain for the rest of the day. Since you just listened to it, I am sure you will be humming it all day too. It is just one of those songs.

After our bike ride, we went to my favorite place to eat with the kids. I am a bit embarrassed to admit it, but hey, in the spirit of being authentic with you all, it's Sweet Tomatoes. I am sorry, but with the kids in tow, there is nothing better than having a large variety, no wait, and free ice cream at the end. Plus, my kids will go hog wild there. We get more than what we pay for, and they eat tons of stuff they wouldn't touch at home like beets, kidney beans, squash, and celery. It's weird, and I just go with it. Added bonus: I always have a coupon.

Perfection.

Kid Stuff

Yesterday our Auntie came over for dinner with us. So for about 5 more nights (give or take) at dinner time, I will be asked, "Is Auntie coming over for dinner tonight?" After both kids (at separate times) asked this question tonight, this is what Delanie had to say:

Delanie: Momma, is Auntie coming over tonight for dinner?
me: No, not tonight. It was fun to have her here last night though, huh?
Delanie: Yea, maybe she'll come tomorrow for dinner.
me: No, probably not.
Delanie: OK, maybe the next night then?
me: No, Delanie, Auntie works. She works all night, and then she has to sleep all day.
Delanie pauses for a second...
Delanie: She works all night!
me: Yup
Delanie: Then she just sleeps all day until it's night again?
me : Yup
Another brief pause.
Delanie: Wow! It's like she's a coyote! They are up all night too, and then have to rest at day time.
me: Yup, it's like she is a coyote...just like a coyote.

And in Paxton land today, little dude is battling a cold. Poor guy. We are also battling each other for a certain amount of independence in taking care of said cold. I would like to help him take care of the snotty nose, and he would rather do this:

This is what happens when he can get a tissue "BYMYSELF!"

My poor bathrooms. They are just getting abused. They'll never be the same again I'm afraid.

Child's Play

Today was B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L! The sun was shining, and there was no wind. It wasn't 75 degrees, but it felt pretty nice out. Especially in a long sleeved shirt, jeans, and standing in a Southern exposure. I know that sounds like a lot, but hey, I think I made it clear yesterday that I am more of a warm weather lover. Since our house faces South, it was a perfect day for the kids to get out and play, while I sat very close to the bricks on the house that were radiating the heat from the glorious sunshine.

I just love being outside watching the kids play. It's something I miss terribly in the winter months. I love watching them take nothing and make it into something just for the sake of playing. Their imaginations are amazing.

Now that Pax is getting older, and Lanie more independent, I can really sit back and watch what interests them. Sometimes it seems like they are so alike, and then today, all I could see was how different they were. Here's what I saw:

1. While Delanie rode her bike, she corralled wild horses. Princess was fast as lightening and obeyed her every command. Paxton on the other hand revved his motorcycle. He was in the biggest race of the day, and he was the fastest rider out there. He zipped and zoomed all over the neighborhood.

2. Delanie collected beautiful rocks. They all sparkled like gems. They were treasures to be kept. Paxton threw rocks. When he got in trouble for trying to bounce one off of his sister's head, he tried throwing them straight to the ground so he could break the sidewalk. When that didn't work, he wanted to see if he was strong enough to pick up some of our larger decorative rocks like Superman.
3. Delanie found some pieces of ornamental grasses we have growing. She liked the longest pieces she could find. If it still had the fluffy end on it then it was perfect for shining up the bike helmets, combing her hair, and sweeping up the side walk. Paxton found a few twigs too. He was more interested in snapping them in two, using them as walking sticks, and trying to use them as a sword.

4. Delanie, surprisingly, kept pretty clean. Paxton, did whatever he could to dig in the mud, throw dirt clods, and stomp the clods of dirt until they were flattened. He needed a bit of a wipe down when it was time to come in.

I just love how different they are. They are so uniquely themselves. They like a lot of the same things, but are able to see the same things so differently.

While they were busy doing such different things with virtually the same materials, I had to sit back and chuckle a little. Even though they were, at the time, being so different, they both were insistent on one thing: They had to keep their bike helmets on. It's their requirement for being outside. I guess it allows them to feel like they can do anything, like putting on a costume. It's the first thing they do when they go outside to play. Granted, they usually get on their bikes first thing too, so it makes sense. When they are done though, they refuse to take them off...

I wonder if the neighbors think I am a crazy over protective parent that won't let her kids play outside without their helmets on....either that or they are wondering, "What is that lady doing hugging a brick wall?"

I think either way, we must look pretty weird.

Out of My Element

I am not a friend of snow. Cold weather and I do not get along. I dread Winter. So to say this next statement is CRAZY for me. I went away for a ski get away this weekend.

I'm sure, because of the previous statements, you could guess I don't ski. Yes, I am a Colorado native, and I don't ski...you all can pick your jaws up off the floor. I am not about to start either. I am comfortable with the fact that I am not a skiier. At my age, I have learned some things about myself, and one of those things is I don't ski. I am fine with it.

Scott does ski, however, and he wants our children to ski. You may think this may sway me in some way, but nope. In fact, what I am thinking is, "I am going to have some free weekends coming to me soon."

All of this to say, I did have a GREAT time this weekend. I couldn't believe it. I was kind of dreading this little get away from the day Scott and my brother-in-law came up with this idea. The plan was that, since it was a 3 day weekend, we would do a little skiing, a bit of sledding, and some tubing. I am OK with the tubing and could get slightly excited about a VERY brief sledding trip, for the sake of the children. There also was the added bonus, that we would be staying with the other Wrights in a condo with a hot-tub (right up my ally) and a pool (right up the kids and Scott's alley). That sounded pretty fun. So fun, that I decided to overlook the whole skiing thing and go for it.

I have to say, we had a REALLY good time. It was so fun to get to spend time with the family, cooking, eating, watching the kids play, and eating (we were building layers to keep us warm) . It was also really cold. And windy. And snowy.

On Sunday, we went tubing. I had never been tubing, so this was all very new to me. We had to bundle up really well that morning because, well, it was cold. And snowing. And blowing. I really thought Pax was bundled up so much that he would not be able to walk, but he surprised me and waddled along pretty well. He also surprised me by tolerating tubing for a whole hour in the cold and blowing snow. Of course, I knew Delanie would be a champ, as she went for 2 hours. Here's the shocker...I was out there with Delanie. Scott took Pax up to the lodge to warm up, and I, yes, I stayed out with Lanie and had a BLAST screaming down those tubing hills.

We did the smaller hills, the bigger hills, the fast hills, and the hills with jumps. It was a really good time. Delanie had no fear (neither did Pax). She rode whatever everyone else wanted to ride. She didn't care if we got spun around in circles as we went down the hill, nor did she care that the speeds, at which we were going down some of those hills, could have really hurt someone. She just giggled and kept going back for more.

Speaking of someone getting hurt....on what would become our last run of the day, we decided to ride the hill with 3 jumps. We rode with our Uncle and Cousin as well. As the four of us started down the hill, I had this weird thought in my head, "I wonder if I am sitting too far down in the tube?" That question was immediately answered before I could make any adjustments. As we came down from our first jump, my backside smacked the ground with such a force that I actually heard my tailbone pop. I am not sure which was louder, my tailbone or me yelling an obscenity that could only make a mother proud (I was surprised and ashamed all at once). My brother-in-law assures me he didn't hear anything, but I think he was just being nice. From there, I had some wonderful pains that jetted up and down my spinal column which led to the rest of the muscles in my back to tense up in a way I haven't felt before. Of course, this all led to a wonderful headache.

It was then I reminded myself, I don’t belong out here....I was too far out of my element.

Thankfully, we had the hot tub and a sauna at our condo, which brought me back to something I am a bit more comfortable with. Heat.

Here are a few pictures...apparently my camera doesn't like the cold either....or I forgot to charge it, whatever...I was out of my element, people.


Here are the bundles of joy on their tubes...looks toasty doesn't it?


Here they are afterwards waiting for our bus. Look how happy Pax is after having some hot cocoa in the lodge. I don't know where he gets it from...

Our Love is Like a Rock

Yesterday was the most expensive Valentine's Day I have experienced to-date. Not that I usually get lavished upon with gifts on this holiday, but yesterday took the cake.

We spent V-day getting the granite countertops installed in our kitchen! Sorry, I can't post pictures because it wouldn't be right. I can't allow pictures to circulate on the World Wide Web of the kitchen before it is TOTALLY complete...it would be irresponsible and wrong. Just imagine, for right now, a very neutral sandy looking granite. It has a lot of movement (a new term I learned while shopping for granite), and black flecks in it. It also just happens to look 100% better than the original white Formica which had knife cuts, permanent glue forever stuck on it from when the original owner of the house applied wallpaper to the walls, and a very old and tired looking oak beveled edge.

I am sure my kitchen just shudders when it thinks back to the way it used to look.

So we are officially 90% complete in our latest home remodeling project. My goal from here on out is to keep Scott motivated to complete this project 100%. With a tile back splash left, it will be difficult. The bathroom remodel of '06 still gives him nightmares. So I will spend my week coaxing, soothing, and encouraging.

Not too much longer though, although it won't be completely finished until the floors are re-done this summer, and I will feel like I can post a great reveal for all the World Wide Webbies to look at.

I know you all are waiting with bated breath.

Would You Be my Fuzzy Valentine?

Since it is getting close to Valentine’s Day, and because I got tagged by my sis, I thought I would share with you all the nitty gritty details of my Valentine, my hubby.

First, I do want to say, for the sake of being sappy on this holiday, that I have been blessed with the most wonderful husband. He is so patient, generous, hard-working, smart, and sexy to boot.

Too bad ladies…he’s mine!

Thank you so much for all you do for our family, and for me. You sure have to put up with a lot, but never complain. I learn from you daily.

1. His name? Scott

2. How long did you date? We dated for 1.5 years. After a year of dating we were engaged and then 6 months later we wed. We meant business!

3. How old is he? He is 32.

4. Who eats more sweets? No contest. Scott can put away more sugar than anyone I know.

5. Who is taller? He is. Scott is 6’1” Sometimes he tries to push it and says he is 6’2”…I guess if you are measuring with his shoes on.

6. Who has more speeding tickets? No contest again…My rebel hubby does.

7. Who can sing better? Umm….neither of us can really sing, but I guess I can sing better only because I sing more?

8. Who does the laundry? It depends on what season it is…Is that weird? In the winter time, when there are no lawns that need to be mowed, he does the majority of the laundry. We both fold and put away, but he separates loads and keeps things moving. In the summer time, he is too busy with outside work on the house, so I do it.

9. Who pays the bills? We both do. He gets the big ones like mortgage, car payments, and insurance. I take on the other stuff.

11. Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? I do. I need to be closer to the door in order to be up with the kids at night.

12. Who Drives? Scott always drives. The 4 times (more or less) I have driven he had a white knuckle grip on the handle…It’s kind of annoying and stressful to see that, so I don’t even try. It’s better for our marriage.

13. Who is more stubborn? I am, by far. How he even puts up with me, I will never know. I think it’s a first born vs. last born birth order thing…at least that’s what I blame it on.

14. Who asked who out first? Scott asked me out. I was stubborn (see previous question). I had been hoping he would ask me out for a few weeks. Thankfully, he had access to a bottle of wine that day, or who knows where we would be today.

15. Who kissed who first? Scott kissed me first…again that stubbornness in me. I refused to make the first move. He was feeling a bit stubborn himself, though, considering we spent nearly 3 hours talking in my driveway that night. I refused to leave his car without a kiss, and he was trying to be a gentleman. He’s so cute!

16. Who said I love you first? Scott did. We both said it though, but he definitely initiated it.

17. Who Proposed? Scott did. Wow, what a pattern we’ve got here.

18. Who has more siblings? We both have the same amount of siblings, 3 each. I am the oldest of 4 girls, he is the youngest of 1 girl, and 3 boys.

19. Who wears the pants. I am not even sure how to answer this. If you ask him, he would say I do, but when it comes down to big decisions and money, he rules the roost.

There you have it…the 4-1-1 on my Valentine!

If you are so inclined, and are feeling the need to share with us all about your Valentine, then TAG…your it!

At Least SOMEONE is paying attention

This morning's routine was like every Tuesday morning routine: Scott gets up with Lanie, pops on the news, they eat breakfast, I join in later, Scott heads up to the office, Lanie follows so she can get dressed for school. All the while, the Today show plays in the back ground.

After going up stairs to get Paxton ready to leave, so he could join us on our school drop-off trip, Delanie and I had the following conversation:

Delanie: Mom, do you know that the Atlanta Aquarium has Blue Sharks?
me: Really?
Delanie: Ya, they are the largest fish in the whole world.
me: Wow! That's pretty big.
Delanie: Ya, although 2 of them died last year, 4 of them are still living.
me: (starting to wonder where she is hearing this)Hmmmm...that's interesting?
Delanie: Maybe we should go and see them! There are still 4 of them alive, and they are doing quite well!
me: ummmm....maybe. They live by our Auntie LoLo.
Delanie: REALLY! WOW! I would love to see them. They have thousands of teeth, and can eat millions of phytoplankton every day. Phytoplankton are about the size of your fingernail, you know.
me: Did they talk about this on the news?
Delanie: Ya, Mom, did you see it?

Apparently, not with the same accuracy as my daughter. This would be why she could sell you a Rotisserie Chicken Cooker. It's like owning a walking tape recorder! I should've brought her along to my class this past weekend...I wouldn't have spent so much energy trying to remember every last detail...

Would You Like a Straw to Drink From That Fire Hydrant?

This weekend, I was so fortunate to be able to ship the kids off to grandmas' house (yes, both grandmas took turn watching the kids), so that I could take a photography class that my wonderful husband got for me for Christmas. Since we are so well planned and organized, we had to send the kids to the grandparents because it was also the same weekend that Scott had a gas and oil show.


We are so thankful to have grandparents for our children that not only live close, but also have a VERY active role in our children's lives...THANK YOU!


Ok, so instead of boring you all to tears with all the new info I learned at my Studio Lighting for Portraiture workshop, I will just say that the amount of information combined with the hands-on application of said info was AWESOME! I seriously soaked it up like a sponge, and am still thirsty for more. I cannot wait to get my hands on some lighting equipment and start down this studio pathway.


Let me tell you, Scott is just as thrilled.


If you couldn't hear the sarcasm in that comment, then maybe you aren't familiar with how expensive lighting equipment is.


I digress.


I had such a cool time, and am on cloud nine.


Day one of the workshop consisted of so much info, that I didn't even try to take notes. I just opened my brain as wide as it would go, and hoped it all would fit. Day two was application day. They had 2 models who came in and we got to practice for 6 SOLID HOURS! Like I said, I won't bore you with the info, because frankly, if you aren't a photo nerd like myself, you could go into a coma. I will, however, share some fun photos!


First up, a lovely model who we got to practice soft light on. She really could do no wrong, and made most of us look like photo geniuses, regardless of any talent on our parts...











Lastly, we have Bob. He was AWESOME. I don't photograph men much, so I was intimidated. He had so much character and was so fun, I just kind of forgot about all that. He kind of reminds me of an older Kramer....




What a great time.

It's Not Always a Thankless Job

My kids have been taught manners. They know how and when to use please, thank you, you're welcome, bless you, and excuse me. They don't always have the "when" part down, and do need reminders here and there, but for the most part they are pretty good about being polite. I don't think that I have done anything special here, just what most mothers do for their children so when they are out and about with others (and with us), they don't seem like they were raised by wolves. I do have to crack up though when my kids gush with thanks over, what I think, is silly stuff.

For example, there are a few things Paxton will continue to thank me for well after the fact, like his Elmo toothbrush. I bought him a new toothbrush in November this year. It was an Elmo toothbrush. It’s nothing fabulous, just a toothbrush with Elmo on it. I brought it home from Target and opened it. That's it. I have been receiving praise since.

Every night when we brush our teeth it is the same conversation:
"Mommy, you buyed this Elmo brush for me?" Pax asks very excitedly.

"Yes, Son, this is your toothbrush," I reply.

"You opened it for me?" Pax asks even more excitedly.

"Yes, Pax, I opened it for you."

"Oh, Mommy, THANK YOU! Thank you, Thank you. I LOVE my Elmo brush. Oh, thank you, Mommy!" Pax gushes.

What can I do? I say "You're welcome, Son" as sincerely as possible, and happily accept all thanks.

Every night.

There is a Happy Ending to This Story

Today after I picked Delanie up from school we had this completely unrelated discussion.

Delanie: MOM! Guess what?
me: What?
Delanie: Guess what I decided today?
me: What?
Delanie: I decided today that I am not going to eat my boogers anymore.
me:......uhhhh....OK. What made you decide that?
Delanie: They are disgusting, and they have lots of germs

I am sure she's NEVER been taught that before until sometime today.

It was a momentous occassion none-the-less. One that will be remembered as a milestone. We celebrated with extra dessert.

For The Sake of the Beauty of our Home

We are in the tight grips of home improvements as we speak. My blogs could be sparse in the next few weeks as our kitchen (which includes my “office” area) receives a face lift and joins a more current time.

This led me to think back through our almost 8 year marriage and think of all the home improvement projects we have done together. Since Scott is a WONDERFUL handy-man and can do just about any kind of improvement to the home himself, there has been MANY a home improvements. In fact, the home we currently reside in was a fixer-upper from day one. However, the first home we owned is where it all began.

The home was brand-spanking new and had no yard. We spent the first spring and summer living in that home building fences, shoveling rock, installing sprinkler systems, building retaining walls, and planting so many shrubs, trees, and flowers it felt like the back breaking labor would never end, and our yard was not that big.

Later that year, we decided to finish our 1600 square foot basement in anticipation of the arrival of our daughter. Since I was pregnant, I admit, my help was sparse. Scott rocked it though, and completed it just in time. However, because I was unable to help him out, a new trend in home improvement began in our family, Home Improvement Injuries. During the basement finishing project, Scott managed to give himself a black eye, and a new tooth due to shattering the one God gave him.

Then there was the garage door incident of ’05. This is when, in attempts to fix a garage that had a broken spring, Scott almost broke his back. Oddly enough, I was again pregnant during this time and was of no help to him, thus he was trying to accomplish the task on his own. This landed him in bed for an entire week, and enough prescription pain pills to dope up the entire block for a solid week with him.

Last year, when we remodeled our master bathroom, (which, on a side-note, you should NEVER talk to Scott about) Scott grew increasingly frustrated at how long the project was taking. In hast, he decided against wearing rubber gloves during the grouting process. Again, he was out of work for a few days. The tips of his fingers needed to re-grow the skin that used to cover the tips of his fingers.

Ahhhh, the memories.

Here we are now, remodeling the kitchen. We are only a mere 24 hours into this 2 week project. Scott has decided to get things started off on the right foot this time…or I should say the wrong foot. As we were just barely getting started, Scott broke his big toe. He’s a trooper though. I didn’t even know he had hurt himself, until he stepped down wrong, and grimaced. That’s when he revealed that as the cabinets were arriving he slipped down the stairs and broke his big toe. At least he got the injury done with early. There’s no sitting around wondering what it will be.

Scott’s poor toes, they are such abused appendages. That’s a whole other post though.

Keep Scott’s safety in your prayers these next few weeks, he’s going to need it. Thankfully, I am not pregnant this time around, so we should keep the injuries to a minimum.

Proud Moments

This week has been chalk full of proud moments. Thankfully, I've had my trusty camera nearby for most of them. You just never know when one of the kids is going to surprise you with something wonderful, so I think it's a good thing to have a camera on hand to capture it. That way when you look back on the day/week/month/whatever, it isn't as easy to remember all the other stuff you put up with.

That's what I tell myself anyways.

So far it's working...

First up, my growing boy! He's so mature that he is now shaving! OK, not really, but this was the first time that he agreed to let Daddy pretend shave him when we asked if he wanted to shave too. Since as far back as Pax noticing that Daddy shaves, he will sit and stare with awe when Scott shaves. We always ask him if he wants to shave too. He always replies "NO!" And that's that! This weekend he said, "Maybe, I try to shave Daddy?" So Scott lathered him up and found a cheapo razor in his travel bag that still had the lid on it and away they went!

All lathered up:


Working on that pesky stubble:



Nice and clean!


Next up: My little man again. This time we are having fun with our Aunty and Uncle. This particular Aunty and Uncle (who don't have children yet) think it's fun to get the niece and nephew all crazy and teach them wild stuff...We let them...because sometimes it is fun.

This week they thought it would be funny to play gang members with the kids...Yup...that's right. Here's my boy dressed up with no idea why Aunty and Uncle are laughing at him, but since he's getting a laugh, he's having fun.

Do-rag:


Throwing out some signs (an extremely proud moment for me):


Here's my little cowgirl. We had Western day at school this week. We borrowed Pax's do-rag to complete the ensemble:

Pretty cute! She was thrilled to have her picture taken.

Here are my two little sweeties playing my favorite game of all time "Sleep" I know I have talked about it before, but seriously, I couldn't think of a better game in all of history. It is so wonderful, that I took a picture of it.

So quiet and peaceful...

If we could only play "Sleep" when it's actually time to "Sleep" it would be that much more beautiful.

I didn't have my camera with me tonight as we headed out for dinner. If I did though, you would have seen a picture of a clean plate. Pretty interesting, huh? This plate would've belonged to my daughter who ordered (from the kid's menu and Mimi's Cafe) a Soup and Salad combo! WHAT?! I was shocked. She ate almost all of the salad, and half of the (adult sized) soup. Which was corn chowder. Apparently, she likes chowder. She's never eaten either before...salad or corn chowder. It was amazing.

Even if I had the camera with me though, I don't know what I would've taken a picture of...the clean plate, my daughter eating said food, or my face of shock and awe. Really, all three would've made terrible photography, so thankfully, I didn't have my camera.

I'll show you what doesn't make horrible photography though...My son again. This time there is no sarcasm when I say, I was so happy to see this I couldn't even help it. I ran right for the camera and started snapping away.

That's my boy. Cleaning himself up, all by himself. I can't say the floor is that clean, but hey, we've got to start somewhere.

Way to go buddy!

Next week we'll work on putting the pants back on...that won't make for as cute of a picture though, would it?