Mother's Day 2009

Shout out

Happy Monday to everyone who reads my blog!

I wanted to tell you about a new blog and etsy site that a couple of friends have started! They make super-cute headbands and are planning on adding other things in the future...It's their grand opening and I want to help them spread the word.

If you go there before Wednesday you can leave a comment to enter a giveaway for a $20 gift card! Then tell your friends about it too!

paigeandbrooke

Ouch!!

Would you feel sorry for me if you saw that I did this to my forehead yesterday?

Yep. While holding groceries in both hands I tried to slam down the back door of the van. Somehow slammed down my forehead so hard my teeth chomped together. Pretty much wanted to sit down and cry right then.

At least I have a hard head! :)

Ahhhh....Kids....

This afternoon I ran to Wal-Mart to get groceries for Jon and the kids to go camping tonight. (Probably a post about that next week if Jon takes pictures like he's been instructed.) Anyways...I quickly make my way through the aisles and find myself in a monstrous line waiting to check out. The kids were being pretty good and I found myself browsing a magazine so no worries. We kept inching up, and soon we were the next in line. I start loading up the counter and then it happened.

Lawson stood up in the cart, pointed directly at the cashier and (not so quietly) asked me, "Mommy, Is that a boy or a girl?"

The worst part? I wasn't even sure! I walked over to him and whispered, "I'm not sure. Now sit down and be quiet."

Ahhh...leave it to my four-year-old!

Fresh Faith

I have been reading a book called Fresh Faith by Jim Cymbala. I have enjoyed the book--it's easy to read, it has refreshing insights and fascinating personal stories about people in his church.

I wanted to post something I read this morning...I thought it was interesting:

Faith can be likened to a transistor radio. When you turn the radio on, music pours out. Are there any trumpets or guitars inside that little box? Of course not. Yet the room has sound waves all through it. The human senses can't detect them at all. But the radio can pick them up. The music is coming through the radio from a greater unseen source.

So it is with faith. Faith does not originate within us. It comes from God as we receive his living Word into our hearts. Then a supernatural kind of "music" comes alive in us as the product of this faith. A person filled with faith has an entirely different view of thing from ther person living merely by the physical senses.

Workin' it out

Jon and I have had a gym membership for about a year and a half. Off and on I have gone consistently to work out. Lately, it's been pretty consistent at 3-5 times a week. The kids go in the Kid Kare and they love it. They know the names of all the ladies who work in there, and they know a few of the kids who are regularly there at the same time we are.

They know I exercise while they are in Kid Kare and they always ask me what kind of exercise I did when we are leaving. They ask me if I rode the bike, or what machine did I use, or "did someone help you exercise" (did I take a class)? I tell them all about what I did. I want them to grow up enjoying healthy activities so that they can be fit and healthy. They always want to go exercise with me, and I hate telling them that they are still too little to ride those bikes!

The other day I was flipping through our On Demand section of cable and found a workout show available to watch. I started playing it so I could preview it and see what it was like before I decided if I wanted to do it. Well, within just a few minutes of me turning it on the kids started watching it. It didn't take long after that before they were trying to do the moves!! I love it! :) Of course I had to grab the camera!

Here they are doing their ab work. They are supposed to have one foot on the opposite knee. Then they are suppsed to do a cross-crunch, bringing their elbow to the knee that's in the air. Lawson looks like he's really doing it! Jordan must be taking a relaxing break! :) (Sorry about the nasty carpet. If I had known there would be a floor photo-op, I may have called out Stanley Steemer!)

Here they are doing side lunges and punches. I just loved watching them try to do these exercises! I am thinking about doing a morning video each day just so they can do it with me! :)

Lawson's new ride...

Lawson at 9 months

Lawson at 3 (couldn't find one at 2)

Lawson at almost 4 1/2

This weekend we bought Lawson his first big boy bike!! I cannot believe that my little boy is getting so big! He has been riding his tricycle for about two and a half years, but now his knees almost hit the handlebars, so we decided it was time to take the leap!

This afternoon the rain took a 3 hour break, so we went on a family ride. I rode my new bike (yippee!!!), Jon rode his bike w/Jordan in the attachable seat, and Lawson rode his bike. We rode to our neighborhood park, around the walking track about 5 times, through some massive puddles, then back home! Lawson rode the whole way by himself without complaining or stopping. I was so impressed!

His first wipe-out was at the bottom of a small hill. He didn't know how to slow down and lean into the turn so he ran into the grass then flipped over the handle bars. He held on throughout the crash, flipping over the handle bars, doing a somersault and ended up sitting and looking up at us saying, "DID YOU SEE THAT?!?" He didn't even cry!

He is so proud of his new bike! I can't believe he did so great on his first ride. And as if we had cued it just right, the rain started up again right as we turned back onto our street! For a treat after our ride Daddy took the kids to Sonic for a yummy slush!

Hopefully this is something that we will be able to do a lot of as a family!

That's my girl!!

I remember as a child heading out to the car on Sunday morning, and upon exiting the house making a beeline for my bike. It didn't matter to me nearly as much as it did to Mom that I was about to hop on my dirty bike in my Sunday best. I was a tomboy through and through--to this day I still don't care to be dressed up--I'm perfectly comfortable in jeans and a t-shirt!

The other day I got Jordan up from her nap and got her dressed so we could go to Huddles. Jon was working on a project out in the shed so we went out to tell him it was time to go. As soon as we got to the shed, Jordan made a beeline for the hammer and started messing around. She was oblivious to the fact that what she had on today was not her typical 'play clothes' and she's definitely one who plays hard!!

She does love to wear a dress, though, which is so different from her Mommy! She likes to wear bracelets and necklaces and have her hair put up. And darn it if she doesn't know she's cute....

Fun in the Sun

Did you know...

that if your son was eating a hot dog and got mustard on his khaki shorts and you washed them once hoping it would come out but it didn't so you poured a little bit of blue Purex detergent on the mustard spot to let it soak in for a while and hopefully take effect that the spot would immediately turn bright purple?

Now you do! :)

On the Mountain

So all last week we were watching the weather to see if it would be nice, warm and clear Friday night. We were planning on taking the kids camping for the first time!!! We were both so excited--we used to camp all the time, but we've had little kids for a while now! The last time we camped in our tent I was 8 months pregnant with Lawson!!!

It was supposed to be nice, so we packed up all our gear and hit the road--to go 15 minutes to Monte Sano!! We rented a primitive campsite--that means there is a firepit and NOTHING else!

As soon as we got there and started unloading the van the kids headed to explore in the woods! I am so glad they were as excited as we were!!

Jon and I set up camp, including the tent and all our food, drinks and supplies. The kids loved the tent! (Until bedtime, that is....)

After camp was set up, we went out on a short hike to explore and see what we could find. In the midst of the electric/water sites we found a little pavilion and playground.

This kid is strong, I tell you....strong!!
Lawson and Daddy...

Always climbing...
This is fun!!!

Jon teaching Lawson how to climb a tree...

Taking a break and getting a drink out of the new cups Babo gave us....

The sun's going down and it will be dark soon....gotta get dinner started! We're all starving!!!

Lawson helping Daddy check to make sure the burgers are done...
Eating dinner by the warm fire!! We used our supply box for the kids to put their plates on!
Night was rough!! It took the kids a while to fall asleep. When they had finally been sound asleep for a while, Jon and I closed up camp for the night and went to bed. I was freezing and could not fall asleep. Somewhere in the middle of the night both kids woke up crying that they were thirsty--must have been b/c we were by the campfire all night. I was pretty thirsty too! Lawson then woke up at 6:30 because it was light outside, but we told him it was too early and he went back to sleep for another hour, til he heard a woodpecker outside and got all excited!

So, he and Jon got up to get the campfire going again. Did you know this place has a continental breakfast??? :)
Jordan playing in the dirt and rocks...
After breakfast we started packing up camp. The kids explored some more while we put everything up, then we hiked over to the big playground. Here's Lawson jumping across the large boulders...
And sliding...

And the kids teeter-tottering....

We finished up with a picnic lunch before we headed to the overlook to see the valley then back to the car. It was time to clean up these dirty dirty kids and get them in bed for a good nap!!!

We had the most fun camping out Friday night!! While I was putting Lawson down for the night in the tent, we were talking about what he was most thankful for that day. He said "I'm so thankful we had pretty weather so we could go camping. I'm really, really excited about that! I love camping!!"

Me too, son. Me too!

How many times...

does it take to make something a habit? Cuz I thing we're starting something!!!

Yesterday we had the most glorious weather, and in the afternoon Jon called to say he was coming home a little early and did we want to go fishing? YES!!!

We're trying to figure this out, because I think that's a great way for Lawson and Jon to have good 'guy' time, and I am hoping that if Jon starts these activities while L's very young that it will be a good avenue for them to stay close and have good opportunities to talk as he grows older. On the other hand, I also really like to fish and Jordan really wanted to go fishing! So...I think we're gonna do a little of both. Sometimes it will by guys only....other times we'll go as a family! Last night (Thu) was family time!

We went to Madison County Lake--It was just beautiful! Nice and clean and very family friendly!
Lawson got right to it...Jon was trying to get Jordan's pole ready, but she was distracted...
by these...

and this...

But then she got her mind in the game and brought Jon the cricket tube... Lawson and Jon getting down to business...

Showing Jordan how to cast her line...she's never done it for real--just off the front porch!

Lawson got another one!!!

Jordan fishing...

And do my kids have beginner's luck or what? Jordan caught her first fish last night!!! Here's Jon showing her how to stick her thumb in the fish's mouth to hold it up...

She was SO excited!!! She wanted to touch it so bad, as soon as it came out of the water!!

I love it!!!! What a fun evening!!! And guess what? Tonight we are planning on going camping...so check in a few days for more pics!! :)