Living Joyfully

Funny Valentines

2012-02-14T13:13:00.004-05:00

The kids have a fascination with water hoses. Sometimes it has gotten them into trouble. Yesterday, they found a way to entertain themselves that was both helpful and humorous. The flowers needed watering, so they took care of that.

After he watered this pot, Nathan figured out a way to "recycle" the extra water that dripped down through the deck. I'm telling you, he loves water. And digging, and building, and pretending to be a squirrel...

Mark ended up soaking wet, so he got to change into dry blue jeans, which he informed me he wears on Fridays, Saturdays, and Mondays (previously limited to weekend wear, per his own dress code standards.)

Then they played "tug of war" with the coil hose. It was very funny to watch their faces once one of them let go of the end.

We're having a sweet Valentine's Day...boys have enjoyed a trip to the library, lunch at Subway, playing with their magnifying glasses, and eating candy and cookies. It's a good day so far.

Here are my valentines being goofy yesterday afternoon.

Grown-ups Don't Need Mamas

2012-02-01T16:18:00.005-05:00

Mr. Independent here says he doesn't need any help while he makes his play-doh pizza.

And he says that when he's a grown-up, he won't need a mama anymore.

Oh my. I beg to differ!

Not to make this a sappy post, but the older I get, the more I need my mama, and even my dad's mama.

The boys have been on their "wheels" ever since Christmas. One of their favorite things to do is ride down to the cul-de-sac where they can loop around unhindered.

And this one is picking up speed every day.

We usually lure our friends out to play while we're down there. These two are quite a pair.

Mark was showing off his scooter horn. Boy, could his buddies honk it like nobody's business!

Delight, Not Duty

2012-01-30T10:41:00.003-05:00

"Delight, not duty." This phrase has been on my mind ever since our pastor used it in his New Year's Day sermon. It has me thinking about the way I approach life, and especially motherhood.

So many times, I fall into a cumbersome (and martyr-like) way of doing my daily tasks, turn the duties into drudgery, and miss the blessings. I am praying that God would fill me with joy and delight this year.

To that end, we started a new thing around here this weekend. I took Nathan to the park on Saturday. No pictures, just a new appreciation for his unique personality and style. Seems like Nathan was needing a break from his little brother toward the end of the week.

I am hearing more and more things like, "Mark, don't follow me around all the time!" Probably goes along with being 5. The park date was a great break from brotherly squabbles.

We also did some good cooking to spice things up at the table. I prepared a strawberries and cream trifle. I had been so excited to try one ever since Kate made a trifle dessert for me in Oklahoma.

Greg answered his Louisiana cravings and made crawfish etouffee on Sunday afternoon.

So delicious! Since I love Louisiana cooking so much, I am attempting red beans and rice today. The recipe calls for using a ham hock to season the beans. I was a little scared to purchase this meat product, but decided it's probably worth the gross-factor. Hope so! We'll let the natives vote after dinner.

Status Update: Much Improved

2012-01-26T16:17:00.003-05:00

Two Mucinex tablets, some sunshine and extra sleep later, I am feeling much better. At the moment, the laundry's spinning, Nathan's napping and Mark's making a play-doh pizza. I'm going to fry some hamburgers on the stove for supper tonight. I remember Mama doing that from time to time, and they always tasted so good!

I've been noticing some independence streaks in both boys over the past few days. Nathan decided to rearrange his room yesterday during quiet time. He rearranged it back to the usual configuration today. He has been laughing hysterically at an Amelia Bedelia book. He "gets" her mistakes and they are very funny to him!

Mark has been taking more physical risks...showing me how he can drop down from the monkey bars, pretending his swing is a hang glider, and sliding down a very tall fireman pole at the playground. He worked a puzzle all by himself.

The boys were doing some "schoolwork" yesterday morning. Mark likes to trace, and Nathan is having fun figuring out words, patterns, etc.

Here's an older photo of their mid-morning camp-out in the den a few weeks ago.

Gonna make some pizzas with Mark now while big brother sleeps...

A Day In the Life

2012-01-24T12:08:00.005-05:00

I wake up with a stuffy head. It's day three of a cold. I stumble downstairs for a cup of coffee before greeting the kids.

I am halfway through that cup of coffee (interrupted by sinus-clearing sessions) when I hear Mark sweetly calling, "Mama, I'm pooping!" I sweetly reply, "Mark, are you all done?" I am hoping it takes him a while, because I don't want to deal with it at the moment.

He is, and I put down the coffee to answer the call of duty, a.k.a., wiping up. Only this time, there's a wet mess on the floor to accompany the dirty bottom. Not that unusual at my house, but I digress.

Mark is dressed and ready for the day. He joins me for the end of that cup of coffee and I read him a brief Bible passage from Psalm 103.

⁸ The LORD is compassionate and gracious,
slow to anger, abounding in love.
⁹ He will not always accuse,
nor will he harbor his anger forever;
¹⁰ he does not treat us as our sins deserve
or repay us according to our iniquities.

He asks me what "iniquities" are, and I try to explain. I'm thinking about the way he swiped a cookie when I wasn't looking yesterday afternoon, and then grinned from ear to ear while he tried to hide the evidence, but I don't remind him of it this morning. We dealt with that one already.

We continue reading.

¹³ As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
¹⁴ for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

He says he isn't made of dust; doesn't want to be made of dust. He thinks that's a funny thought. I am glad of it, myself - glad that He remembers.

I pray aloud that the children will learn to be servants of God, that I will be an example of this for them. I think of Christ's perfect example, described in Philippians 2:

⁵ In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus:

⁶ Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;
⁷ rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
⁸ And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
by becoming obedient to death—
even death on a cross!

How quickly God answers with an opportunity to serve.

So, in the midst of this conversation, we hear Nathan crying upstairs. I wonder if he's just woken up with a stuffy nose and is disgruntled by the inability to breathe. Turns out his stomach is hurting and he just wants to lie in bed.

He does just that for a while, until I'm clearing the table of my breakfast dishes and then he starts really wailing. I get upstairs just in time to watch him vomit on the carpet. I comfort him, help clean him up and give him instructions to rest and be still.

Turns out he's a bit of a grumpy sick child today. I will leave it at that.

I am a grumpy sick adult, and I don't like dealing with a grumpy sick-o. I want to be appreciated, thanked.

We spend the bulk of the morning watching Veggie Tales and a Thomas movie, and I snooze a little bit. When it's over, Nathan's hungry for toast - like three pieces. And a bunch of applesauce. Mark wants some, too. I feel like a short-order cook. Thank goodness they place easy orders.

After they are both fed, they begin leaping around the den and sliding off the couch, pretending it's a boat or something. I'm not sure - I'm folding clothes by myself in the other room.

I make the observation that Nathan must be feeling much better, and suggest the children put on their shoes and go outside. They leap with glee and race to ready themselves.

Mark needs help with socks, so I help him wiggle his toes into a pair. I'm reaching out to give him a little hug afterward, and he reaches back....to wipe his snotty nose on my sweater sleeve!

I send him to get a tissue for me and give him a talking-to about how you should never wipe your nose on another person. He has a terrible habit of opting for his own sleeve over a kleenex every time. Gross, but at least it's his own personal property.

So now, I'm getting ready to start laundry load number 3. It's 12:31 p.m. and I am wondering what lies ahead for this afternoon. I am made of dust. I am not the suffering servant that Christ is. I get sick, tired, and moody. But I know whatever is coming my way, I know I have a Helper who knows my weakness and loves me just the same.

⁴ Surely he (Christ) took up our pain
and bore our suffering.
Isaiah 53:4a

Pretty pictures, and two interviews

2012-01-04T17:05:00.004-05:00

Right before Christmas, I was outside with the kids at sunset and took these photos from my seat on the deck. The weather was mild and I was catching my breath before the big trip to Louisiana.

And today I borrowed an idea from another blogging friend , B, and did a brief interview with each of the boys. Here are their responses.

Nathan's 20 Questions

1. What is your favorite color? red, because Bob is very red (as in Bob the Tomato from Veggie Tales)

2. What is your favorite toy? fire engine

3. What is your favorite thing about your brother? that we play pizza shop

4. What is your favorite t.v. show or movie? Madame Blueberry (Veggie Tales)

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? candy (yeah, right!)

6. What are your favorite clothes? my hooded sweatshirts

7. What is your favorite game? Colored Chickens

8. What is your favorite snack? ham, cheese and crackers like I had in Louisiana

9. What is your favorite animal? my firedog

10. What is your favorite song? a ridiculous song

Mark's 20 Questions

1. What is your favorite color? brown

2. What is your favorite toy? little firetruck with sirens

3. What is your favorite thing about your brother? playing pizza shop

4. What is your favorite movie? Larry Lies (Veggie Tales)

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? soup

6. What are your favorite clothes? the ones I'm wearing right now

7. What is your favorite game? Gray Duck (we read about it in Ramona the Pest today)

8. What is your favorite snack? goo ga goo ga goo ga

9. What is your favorite pet? honeydog

10. What is your favorite song? goo goa goo ga

My Favorite Things About Boys

2011-12-13T12:30:00.004-05:00

Ideally, this would be a beautifully crafted Christmas post, but I don't have my thoughts together (or the time) just yet...so here is a short list of some things I am loving about life with our boys right now.

1. They leave mud tracks through the house because they play outside constantly and dig big holes in the "digging area."

2. They fell asleep on my shoulder while listening to "Away In a Manger" at the church musical.

3. They eat A LOT of food and they tell me I am "the best cook ever."

4. They are good at doing projects with their Daddy.

5. They raced through the Christmas tree farm collecting trimmed branches, climbed on the "mulch mountain" and devoured gigantic toasted marshmallows.

6. They were old enough to "help" me decorate the Christmas tree this year.

7. They play happily outside in their raincoats.

8. They build things.

9. They make bear caves and letters from play-dough.

10. They put magnets on their noses (but not up them, at least not yet.)

Messy (Cyber) Monday

2011-11-28T16:11:00.003-05:00

It's the Monday after Thanksgiving and the house is partially decorated for Christmas. I am having to tell myself it's okay that I left some ornaments in the box this year, and I still need to display the nativity and Advent candles.

The compulsive part of me really wants to have everything in its place and have a perfect plan for all of the beautiful, wonderful, special and fun things we'll do in these days leading up to Christmas.

I like the way Thanksgiving was relatively idealistic this year. The weather was pretty, the kids were generally well-mannered, and I had lots of time to enjoy the company of my family.

I even had a good hair day.

Nanny made Nathan smile after some parking lot tears.

PopPop charmed Mark into behaving at the dinner table.

And then he pushed the boys as high as the sky.

Mom, Aunt Linda and I relaxed on the deck and chatted.

But today is Monday.

I don't like the mess of real life sometimes. I get weary of correcting children who don't listen, sass me, jump off of beds, and pee-pee in plastic lids while at other people's houses. (True story - Mark did it this morning.)

Just today, I screamed at the kids when they slammed their doors after being sent to their rooms as punishment for hitting each other. It didn't fit my idealistic image of how children should behave during the holidays. I want kids who act peaceful, kind, loving, agreeable.

In that moment, I was irritated by their expression of anger. My expression was far worse, though, because I have had years to grow in self-control. I should know better.

I look at myself and see how ungracious, impatient and short-sighted I am. I need to rest in Christ's perfection and grace.

These verses often come to mind when I am confronted by my personal failings. I am glad to have them at my frequent disposal. It's good to know that as often as I mess up, He always understands and is quick to forgive.

The Lord is merciful and gracious; he is slow to get angry and full of unfailing love.
He will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever.
He has not punished us for all our sins, nor does he deal with us as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear him is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our rebellious acts away from us as the east is from the west.
The Lord is like a father to his children, tender and compassionate to those who fear him.
For he understands how weak we are; he knows we are only dust.
Psalm 103:8-14

Friend for Life

2011-11-21T20:13:00.003-05:00

She came for a quick visit, but she brought with her a childhood of memories. More than thirty years ago, God brought Monica into my life.

It was because of our mothers' friendship that we spent our earliest birthdays together. From those days on, our friendship blossomed into a life of its own.

And I am so thankful to be able to say that it is still growing.

I found myself transported through time as we spent a couple of days watching our children giggling and playing (and raking leaves) together.

The four of them had their moments of hurt feelings and sulky faces, but by and large, they loved each other.

It was like catching a little glimpse of Monica and myself so many years ago, laughing and playing and figuring out what made the other one tick.

It's hard to put into words just how well I know and love Monica. We find certain things hilarious just because of the history of funny moments we've shared. She taught my kids to tell knock-knock jokes this weekend - so like Monica to infuse any home with giggles and good humor!

A shared childhood is a beautiful treasure, and it has served us well in the challenges and joys of adulthood. I love the roots I share with Monica, and the way our lives are still entwined over the miles. I love how she loves my kids, and I love hers like they're my own. What a precious early Thanksgiving gift.

Outdoor Birthday Party

2011-11-16T16:56:00.004-05:00

Thank you, God, for fall babies and outdoor birthday parties!

Right now, I am thankful for chocolate chip pan cookies baking in the oven - hopefully just as delicious and chewy as a cookie, but more like an easy brownie to prepare.

I am thankful for the adventure of elevator rides in the mall, where both boys are in awe of the up and down motion, especially when they can look out the glass windows.

I am thankful for a "supermom" moment when I was able to back-track down the escalator to comfort Nathan, who got scared of the narrow steps and didn't get on behind me and Mark.

I am thankful for the wind chimes singing in the rainy breeze.

I am thankful for this scripture that I rediscovered this morning (Psalm 16:5-8):

Lord, you alone are my inheritance, my cup of blessing.
You guard all that is mine.
The land you have given me is a pleasant land.
What a wonderful inheritance!

I will bless the Lord who guides me;
even at night my heart instructs me.
I know the Lord is always with me.
I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.

I also love the New Living Translation of Isaiah 40:11:

He will feed his flock like a shepherd. He will carry the lambs in his arms, holding them close to his heart. He will gently lead the mother sheep with their young.

Oh, how He knows my every concern and my tendency toward bewilderment. He knows the path ahead of our family, and He will guide our every step. That is reason for thanksgiving.

A Warm Day in November

2011-11-15T14:17:00.002-05:00

Thank you, God, for the warmth of the sun and the leaves falling like rain. Thank you for the boy who ran bare-chested on the greenway, and the boy who ran to each bench to take a break. Thank you for little hands that are able to toss and catch balls. Thank you for the little voice that thanked me for washing and putting away his pajamas last night - that was enough to last me a lifetime of laundry! Thank you for the joy of words. For me, words tie together the experiences and emotions of the day. They help me connect to the past while I'm being moved forward through the changes of life.

Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Clarification

2011-11-12T07:33:00.003-05:00

On Wednesday, November 9, 2011, I attempted to post a link to an article I had read in The Charlotte Observer entitled "Seeing the world through grateful eyes," by Lynne Hinton.

I have to apologize for the confusion over the way I introduced the link (which apparently didn't work after a day or so) because it sounded like my blog post had been published in the newspaper, when in fact, it has not! I did not mean to mislead anyone as to the author of that wonderful column. I was in a hurry to publish the post and didn't think carefully about the way that wording would come across.

Anyway, please go search on The Charlotte Observer's website for this article if you haven't already read it, because it was particularly moving.

90 Years

2011-11-11T07:12:00.003-05:00

~Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives.~ Psalm 90:14

She has been alive for 90 years. She has seen the seasons come and go. Her memories, when she could retrieve them, reached to the days before WWII. She and her husband raised two children, and she survived lung cancer to meet both of her great-grandchildren.

When I was pregnant with Nathan and still working, I would drive over and meet her for dinner at her retirement home. She would tell me stories of her own pregnancies and the early days of life with her babies. She had loved being pregnant, and always complimented my growing belly.

I felt so steady and confident about becoming a mother as I shared this anticipation with her - she had walked this path decades before me, and could still speak of the indescribable joy and fullness of carrying a child. Her eyes glowed as she remembered.

Her memories are softer and further removed now, and she struggles for words. She is gently slipping into Alzheimer's Disease and old age, yet that light is still in her eyes when the boys come near. Our visits are more frequent and brief, but still a blessing to me. I am thankful for the season of adult friendship I shared with Grandma. I am thankful for her love for and satisfaction in the Lord. I am thankful for her generosity and strength. I am thankful for her selfless concern for others. I am thankful for her whispers of love to my sons.

I am thankful for memories shared.

Leaves and a link

2011-11-09T07:44:00.005-05:00

This seems trite, but I am thankful for the colorful leaves that come with the change in seasons. It's such a beautiful way to say goodbye to summer. Everywhere I turn, I see brilliant shades of red, gold, rust, and orange.

Father, thank you for our spontaneous visit to the park and greenway yesterday morning. The way the sun fell through the yellow leaves onto my boys spinning around on the merry-go-round was just golden. We discovered a new path through the woods, and the boys you have given me said they wanted to walk for miles and miles, hours and hours. We sat, watched, and listened to leaves falling to the ground. The boys played "stop and go" and ran along the path all the way back, just like my sisters and I used to do on the dirt roads around our neighborhood.

Thank you for the sun-filled den with windows all around. My babies used to lie in the cradle and look up through the skylights or out the windows and see the ever-changing wonder of the sky and trees. I have taken many a nap or cup of tea under the colorful canopy you created. You are good to me.

Switching gears...

I read a wonderful article that was published in The Charlotte Observer on Saturday, November 5, 2011. It was entitled "Seeing the world through grateful eyes" by Lynne Hinton. If you search The Charlotte Observer's website, you can probably find the link and read the piece - I have had problems linking it to this blog but it's definitely worth the search!

Days of Thanks

2011-11-07T16:39:00.003-05:00

I am going to attempt to blog about things I am thankful for in the days leading up to Thanksgiving. Here is my first post of thanks.

A pot of hamburger vegetable soup simmering on the stovetop, made from the bounty of our pantry and refrigerator

The golden leaves on the trees outside

The big brown leaf Mark brought me to look at

The boys playing in the playhouse

Bouncy, giggling brothers making mischief in the grocery store

(My friend lost her teenage son in a tragic accident this summer. I have found myself counting the blessings of my boys in daily life as I have watched her walk through this loss. One of her favorite scriptures is Lamentations 3:22-23, “The unfailing love of the Lord never ends! By his mercies we have been kept from complete destruction. Great is his faithfulness; his mercies begin afresh each day.”)

Lord, you saw my friend’s family rise in worship yesterday, full of the hope of heaven when they will see their son and brother alive and whole again. What unshakable faith. What a different reality from the one I live in from day to day. It made me weep and stand with them, hands lifted up.

You order all of our days. You are eternal. We are frail and fleeting as the flowers.

I just finished a week of celebrating the lives of my two little boys at ages three and five. I delighted in seeing them swing with their friends and smile in the light of their birthday candles. Thank you for their laughter, for their antics in the grocery store, for their tenderness, for their tears when they leap from the swing and land hard on the ground. Thank you for the toilet filled to overflowing with tissue. Thank you for the shrub pruned by little hands preparing to “cook” something together in the playhouse. Thank you for the clippings of paper on the floor and the colored pictures that cover my kitchen windows. Thank you for the little voice that asks, “How many more minutes of quiet time?”

Warmth of the fall sunshine

Birthday Number Five

2011-11-05T20:04:00.003-04:00

Tonight at bath time, Nathan counted to 110. He and his Daddy hung star stickers on his ceiling this afternoon, and he is so excited to see them glow. He likes to be in warm pajamas. He snuggled with me under cozy blankets in the living room chair after the birthday party today. He frequently asks me, "Tell me everything you know, Mama." He delights in swinging as high as he possibly can, all by himself. He shoots spinning helicopters down from the top of the stairs and squirts his brother in the tub. He can quote more scripture than I could at his age, and reminds us not to be afraid because God is here. He wants to pray for safety when we're traveling. He watches the stars and is happiest of all when he is outside.

His warm, brown eyes light up and twinkle. He asked for strawberry chocolate cake for his birthday. He still loves to be picked up. He gives great hugs and kisses. He doesn't want to grow up and have to go to school. I understand - I will miss him, too. He is inquisitive, sensitive, attentive, loving.

He is family-oriented. He has an incredible memory and loves to listen to stories and music. He loves to race with his brother. He "teaches" me the alphabet in the mornings. He loves to create. He made me a mother, and I can still remember the smell of his little head and how he fit in the crook of my arm and how he was so warm and snug all swaddled up in a blanket. And now he's five.

The Birthday Boy

2011-10-31T14:12:00.006-04:00

He came barreling downstairs this morning, full steam ahead. He was grinning from ear to ear when he raced over to the big brown chair where I was drinking my coffee. He jumped up beside me and started chattering. He's three! He is a big boy now, and he is so proud of it. His laughter is contagious. He talks about how the trees are praising God when they blow in the breeze. He picks up earthworms for fun. He tells me that his toy airplane could fly "extremely fast" if he took it out in the breeze.

He hides in his closet or under his bed when he knows he's in trouble. He tells us that he does things "for my own glory." He is a daredevil. He tells me that he really wants to climb to the top of the towering pine trees at the end of the road. He loves sticks. He still needs me to kiss him goodnight. He cries for just a minute when he gets a boo-boo, and then he's okay. He is "the chipmunk." He is a climber and a jumper and a runner. He likes to sing the blessing. His favorite praise songs are "Lord I Lift Your Name On High" and "Our God is So Big." He wants to go so high I can't even see him on the swing. He grabs stuff from the counter. He colors on his face sometimes. He is proud of the WWJD bracelet he won at the fall festival last weekend. He still sleeps with his blue blanket and honey dog. He's Mark.

Fall Gardening

2011-10-28T14:11:00.009-04:00

We're trying our hand at a little flower gardening around here. Over Labor Day, Greg planted three knockout rose bushes for me in the front yard.

I don't know much about roses at all, but these have been very easy so far. They even smell pretty! I like having them around.

Late last week, the boys and I discovered a local nursery, King's Greenhouse, and picked out a bunch of pansies. This week's project has been finding inexpensive planters and getting the flowers established in their new homes on the deck. We cleaned out Wal-Mart's summer inventory on Monday. Little by little, we've gotten it done during these sunny afternoons.

Nathan with one of the finished containers

The kids have helped some and played some. Mark is figuring out how to pump his legs on the swing.

I like the way Nathan blends in with the yard here.

Mark showing off a "boo-boo"

The pumpkins have found a home on the front porch steps.

The kids have made friends with our neighbors, whose children are grown and live away from home now. These ladies regularly stop by to deliver lollipops in the afternoon on their way out to run errands. Yesterday's treat was tootsie-roll pops.

Today, Nathan asked if he could plant a few flowers in a hole that he, Mark and some friends dug in their "digging area." He took great pride in preparing the spot.

I imagine he'll also find great joy in tending to them.

Fall Happenings

2011-10-23T15:24:00.006-04:00

I always get sentimental this time of year because it's the season in which I became a mother to both of these boys.

I love spending as much time as possible outdoors with them in the fall. This weekend has been like that.

We took a trip to a pumpkin patch yesterday afternoon. Nanny, PopPop, Aunt Melanie and Uncle Rick met us there. The boys dove right in and were in almost perpetual motion from the time we arrived until the time we left the farm.

The first thing they found was the row of hay bales for climbing and running atop, in our case. I don't have any good photos of that experience because they were moving so quickly and I was just enjoying watching their faces as they flew across the stacks.

We moved to the pond next. Greg and the boys led the way. Look at their arms swinging by their sides! They were in a hurry to see it all.

Then, we entered the corn maze. Nathan and Aunt Melanie analyzed our exit strategy and helped us find the way out. It was neat to be among the cornstalks and hear the wind blowing them around. We have a cornfield close to our neighborhood, and the boys were always curious about it when we'd take walks in the stroller, so I figured they would enjoy this.

The farm animal area was next. Nathan was in a hugging and smiling mood.

Mark liked looking at the sleepy goats that were way up high on top of their tower.

The hayride was much different from the dramatic event we had last year when Nathan was a bit terrified by the ride. This time, both kids were smiling and happy. Mark even had his arm around my back. The kids are growing up.

After the hayride, we explored an old train car and then ate some popcorn and an ice cream sandwich.

Then we found the "kiddie corral," where both boys figured out how much fun it was to jump from haystack to haystack.

Nice action shot, Greg!

They also had a special fondness for the trench between the stacks. On the way out, we walked through the pumpkin patch and chose two for the front porch.

Nathan really liked the pumpkins that were still on or near to the vine. He enjoys a good garden.

As I watched the boys take it all in with such big smiles on their faces, I felt so happy and proud to be the mother of these two. And I was aware, once again, that they are BOYS through and through.

Upcoming fun fall things: carving the pumpkins and celebrating the boys' birthdays!

OKLAHOMA, OK!

2011-10-11T19:37:00.004-04:00

I loved visiting my sister Kate and brother-in-law J.W. in Tulsa, OK this weekend. They know how to chill out! Kate and I spent Friday afternoon catching up and snacking on chips and salsa. We all went out for a late dinner at The Local Table - I completely enjoyed the food and the experience!

J.W. is a chef in his own right. Seriously, he can cook! He pretty much did just that the whole weekend. Below, he's posing with the "armadillo eggs" he was cooking for a church event. He also made crepes, shrimp and grits, and biscuits and gravy - all from scratch. He gave me a biscuit cooking lesson Sunday morning, and I've already tried my hand at them for our family. They are DELICIOUS!

The happy couple in their cozy kitchen - Kate made a very tasty gingerbread & apple trifle that I could have eaten for a meal! It was moist, just the right blend of sweet spices, with a cookie topping that gave it a delicious crunch.

Kate is a natural cat person. She was always the one who could charm our little kittens so quickly. Her kitty Linus is a real lovey. Lucy, his sister, is too - just a little more reserved with new people. Both cats let me hold and pet them all weekend!

Kate and I got to have a "girl's night" at the Philbrook Museum of Art Saturday evening. After a pleasant jog around the neighborhood, we dressed up for the opening night of Magnificent Vision exhibit. It was so relaxing to wander through the gallery, enjoying the art together. One painting in particular captured my attention - it was a portrait of a mother and daughter - and we had to go back and look at it again after we'd finished our walk through the exhibit.

The weather was sunny, breezy, and dry - they need rain, but it sure was gorgeous for a weekend visit! Kate and J.W., I felt so relaxed and happy at your house - it was refreshing to have those days with you guys. December, come quickly!

Before...

2011-10-10T12:03:00.003-04:00

We had beautiful weather last week before my trip to Oklahoma to visit Kate and J.W. We spent a lot of time outside, and here's a photo dump of the boys enjoying the sunshine and cooler temps.

Mark checking out the slugs under a brick in the front yard

Looking at an airplane and "parking the trucks"

Mark in motion

Mark took this picture of Nathan

In the playhouse

Little Messes

2011-09-26T11:06:00.004-04:00

It's Monday. We've had rain for several days in a row. The kids are stir-crazy. So far today, we've had several messes to keep me busy. The first was Mark dumping all the crayons out and coloring on the floor.

I think I was trying to make a grocery list when this happened. The consequence was he had to pick up every single crayon, and then help me scrub the floor clean.

The second was Mark's bad aim in the bathroom, which resulted in another scrubbing (this time I didn't make him help.) Murphy's Law was in effect, of course, because I had finally cleaned the floors on Saturday.

The third was Nathan filling up the bathroom sink with bubbles. It was actually kind of fun to see that one. I let them both play around in them for a while - harmless fun!

In between these little episodes, I offered a mommy-controlled art activity. We made potato prints and stamped some pictures.

My grocery list remains unfinished, the dryer hums along, the kids are playing "poo poo pit" (which they are not supposed to do - they are fascinated with bathroom talk right now) and we'll probably have hobo stew tonight. That sounds about right. Nice and easy.

It's a gift

2011-09-15T09:00:00.011-04:00

I was looking back at my posts from a year ago, and it seems I had a lot more time to compose my thoughts this time last September! The kids have become very jealous of the telephone and computer, although I try to limit the time I spend on each while they are up. Right before I sat down to type this post, they were cutting and writing at the table together.

Nathan is showing me a map he has sketched that will take me to Louisiana or Africa, or anywhere I need to go. We'll keep it in the car from now on.

I didn't think I had a lot of photos to share, and then I uploaded these funny ones this morning. I am not the best photojournalist by any means, but I am enjoying life with these kids.

Today I am reminded that life is a gift. Children are gifts, and I need to believe it when brothers fight and cry because one accidentally turns over the other one's small pot planted with parsley seeds (while I was on the phone with a dear friend who is grieving after a miscarriage). The pot should have been up high, but it was sitting on a low window sill so Nathan could water it daily. Anyway, it's over, and I did my best to teach that when we forgive, we also forget - but I know for myself, that's easier said than done. In fact right now, they're probably practicing how to sneak from one bedroom to the other so they can be together during quiet time. Those little rascals.

Then and Now

2011-09-07T17:35:00.003-04:00

Mark and I were goofing around yesterday afternoon. I was telling him about his baby days, when I would twirl him around the room and then end up putting him down on a blanket when I couldn't figure out what else to do with him! He has a special affection for one of those blankets, now known as "blue blankie." Here's a look at when he was tiny enough to fit on it.

And here's now, silly faces and all.

Art in the "park"

2011-08-29T20:24:00.004-04:00

We found this picnic table on the side of the road when we were walking last night. This morning, we put it to use as an art spot.

The paintings were hung out to dry on the clothesline until dinner time, when the kids reminded me they needed to be brought in lest they fly away in the breeze.

This one kept asking for more red paint!

Durham Trip

2011-08-27T19:45:00.004-04:00

We took a road trip to Durham to visit some of my college friends this week. We started out playing at a local park.

Then, we hit Franklin Street for some frozen yogurt. Next, we took a short tour of the Carolina campus.

The next day, we visited the North Carolina Museum of Life and Science.

On the way home, we stopped to see another friend and her sweet children. The whole experience brought back so many good memories, and made me thankful for lasting friendships.

Sandy Days

2011-08-20T20:40:00.003-04:00

The nights come more quickly. The days are quieter and just a little bit cooler. We're launching into our fall routine with Greg teaching a couple of nights a week. We spent this morning moving mulch around the backyard. Vacation at the beach was about a month ago.

The sand is definitely out of our clothes by now, but I still carry a smooth seashell in my pocket as a reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment. I'm starting to sort through the photos, and here are a few from early in the week that I especially like.

Last summer, Nathan was still pretty scared to get in the water. This year, he went in right away.

I'm starting to get, "Are they twins?" a lot from folks we meet in stores, etc. Mark is really catching up in height, and the older they get, the more the boys are acting like buddies.

Of course, Mark definitely has his own way of experiencing the world that is distinctly different from the way big brother does things!

It was kind of chilly one day when we had a little morning rain. They both ended up bundled in their towels.

We took a couple of walks on the boardwalk in the late afternoon. The kids got a kick out of being up so high over the water. They also loved trying to play Skee-Ball in the little arcade afterward.

Growing Up

2011-08-08T20:31:00.002-04:00

We were eating hamburgers last night, and somehow we got on the subject of getting older. Nathan asked, "When I'm an adult, will I still get to see Mark?" His gears started turning as he tried to process the idea that he wouldn't live under the same roof as his brother forever. We explained that he would still get to see Mark, just not live with him, and that he could always come home to visit us. He said, "But I'm going to to come back to this house EVERY day!"

I have been memorizing Zephaniah 3:17 with the children for the past week. We read the scripture at meal times. This morning after breakfast, I was getting ready for the day and the kids were playing in their rooms for a few minutes. When I went to check on them, I saw some bookmarks from my Bible littering the hallway. Turns out they had brought it upstairs to "read." Nathan said, "Mama, want me to read this to you?" He then spoke this blessing:

The Lord your God is with you,
He is mighty to save.
He will take great delight in you,
He will quiet you with his love,
He will rejoice over you with singing.

A Request

2011-07-20T22:16:00.003-04:00

The boys very sweetly invited me to climb up in the tower of the playset this morning. Nathan said, "Mama, please come up here. We really don't mind; there's plenty of room. Won't you come up? Me and Mark need a wife, and we don't have one." How could I refuse? When I got up there, I asked what a wife would do for them. Nathan said, "We need you to make us some cookies." And so, we pretended to do just that.

11 years, 2 kids and 1 playset later...

2011-07-19T14:04:00.003-04:00

We celebrated our anniversary this weekend while Nanny and PopPop kept the children overnight. That was a huge blessing, and we enjoyed the time together. In between our nice dinner and breakfast dates, Greg put together a playset for the boys.

This is what married life is like 11 years in with two kids ~ good stuff!

My natural bent

2011-07-12T17:43:00.003-04:00

I am most relaxed when the kids are doing art and music, or when I'm reading to them. It makes me happy when they are creating. Even if it's messy, it is always worth it to see their faces and hear them talk about what they are doing.

This afternoon, we had rotating play-doh, painting and music centers. When we started out, Mark wanted to play with play-doh and Nathan painted. Mark squished away happily while Nathan painted a picture about a zebra lost in the woods. After a bit, Nathan wanted to play the piano.

He told me it was the "music center," and he provided background music for Mark's turn to paint.

Mark painted a giraffe lost in the woods, inspired by Nathan's work.

I tackled my laundry pile while the artists were busy. A little later, the boys got out pots and pans, and some wild drumming began.

That's what Greg walked into when he came home early from work. Now, all is calm again, and that is good with me! A frozen lasagna is baking in the oven and I am glad I was able to avoid grocery shopping for yet another day.

Mark-o

2011-06-30T17:34:00.002-04:00

Lately I have had some time alone with Mark. I have enjoyed that. Last weekend when Greg took Nathan camping, Mark and I played with the train tracks.

This was his idea of how to make a tunnel.

I've spent the day with him today, too, while Nathan is in Cheraw. He asked me to read to him a lot. After quiet time, he wanted to play outside, so we set up the sprinkler and he got nice and wet. I took him out for a quick errand, and he promptly fell asleep in the car after going in one store.

He's still napping on the couch.

I should wake him, but I'm enjoying hanging out, listening to music, and waiting for the pizza dough to rise...

Father's Day Weekend

2011-06-21T16:07:00.004-04:00

Greg and the boys built a sprinkler out of pvc pipe Saturday morning. The boys love "doing projects" around the house, in the garage or in the yard ~ anything with their Daddy!

This was an especially rewarding project for them!

We spent Sunday afternoon in Cheraw, eating a delicious lunch and then watching the boys run through the sprinkler. They kept running back and forth to the picnic table to drink "blueberry tea."

I also have to share a sweet moment I had with the kids last night while Greg was playing a church softball game. I asked them what they'd like to do after dinner, and they suggested we build a train track. They were little engineers hard at work. After the track was built, Mark asked if he could take off my rings. I told him that those had to stay on because they were special rings Daddy had given me when he married me. Mark said, "No, Mommy, I married you!" Then Nathan quickly jumped in with, "No, Mama, I'm gonna marry you when I grow up!"

Creative juices

2011-06-14T20:05:00.004-04:00

I am working on having a more structured approach to our week, and the days within.

(Yeah, right, Mama!)

We are getting to the place where I believe we all crave routine, and the opportunity it provides to know what we're getting into each day. I still don't have it completely ironed out, but it seems to be helping already. Mondays are for grocery store trips and music time in the afternoon, Tuesdays for swim lessons (Nathan), Wednesdays for volunteering at Bright Blessings, Thursdays for outings, and Fridays for housework and library trips.

We are filling in the gaps with swimming, playing outside, art activities, lots of reading, having friends over, and serving others as the opportunities arise.

Mark has been keeping me on my toes with the potty training. He's starting to "get" the full range of options in the bathroom, and we are having fewer nasty messes in bedrooms. I won't go into details. I'm just glad it's starting to click with him!

Nathan started swimming lessons this morning. He had a lot of mixed feelings about it, which he expressed to me over breakfast. I am learning what it means to be brave and strong for someone else. This aspect of parenting is very challenging for me. He was pretty hesitant about this, and I did my best to encourage him, be firm about the plans, and keep things positive. Once we got him in the door to the pool area, he was just fine with his teacher and the lesson went well. I am very proud of him for trying something new!

Normal life

2011-06-08T10:26:00.002-04:00

Greg made the boys some astronaut helmets this weekend. They buzzed around the house as if they were flying into outer space.

Yesterday we set up the sprinkler in the front yard. Just the smell of wet grass took me back to my childhood yard when we used to do the same thing.

Mark has started asking to wear pull-ups and pee pee in the potty. He's been at it all of 3 hours now, and has stayed dry all morning. Maybe he'll be quick and easy with this training process. He's definitely motivated and wants to be a big boy!

The piano

2011-06-05T19:54:00.002-04:00

The piano deserves its own post, but I don't have time to write about it this evening - am about to do some stretching of my sore body! Greg played with the boys this afternoon after lunch, and it was a sweet moment. This is the kind of thing I dreamed about when I fell in love with him 15 years ago.

Down from the mountain

2011-06-04T19:56:00.005-04:00

Dad and I ran the "Downhill at Dawn" half marathon today. It started at Ridgecrest Conference Center and ended at First Baptist Church in Old Fort, NC. I had looked forward to this race for the past two months - I would visualize running in the mountains when I'd do my training runs.

It was such a special retreat and bonding experience with my Dad. He is a wonderful encourager. He has quite a gift for conversation, and we bonded in a new way during this trip. We snacked on combos and milky ways on the trip up. We shared a delicious pizza last night, and topped it off with huge ice cream cones. We rocked on "rocking chair ridge" back at the conference center, and walked on the nature trail a little bit, and visited the day camp area where Greg and I worked the summer we got engaged.

The race itself was primarily downhill. It started at 6:00 a.m. and the temp was about 60 degrees. Here we are before the race, after a nice cup of coffee:

As we turned the first corner, we saw a beautiful sunrise over the mountain ridges. My favorite stretch of the race was a gravel trail that looped down the mountain. It was so peaceful back there, and the only sound was the leaves blowing in the breeze. We ran under a train trestle and alongside a mountain stream. I felt good for about the first 8 miles, and then a side stitch kicked in and I started feeling the downhill motion in my knees. Having Dad as my running buddy kept me going! Here we are at the finish:

Being at Ridgecrest is always a trip down memory lane. It rejuvenates me. Spending time with Dad was especially refreshing. I am so thankful for the unique opportunity I have to share a hobby with my father. He is an inspiration to me, and always reminds me (even without saying it) to take one day at a time.

The Little Things

2011-06-02T14:43:00.002-04:00

A tick bit Nathan on Saturday night of our camping trip a few weeks ago. We had been outside most of the day, hiking and playing in the woods. The kids had taken their shirts off to rock on the porch. We noticed it on his right shoulder after dinner, before bed. We were slightly panicked.

Nathan was upset about having his daddy use tweezers to pinch this thing off his back. I was anxious over all of the drama and crying that went on as a result. Greg was calm, cool and collected. He did his very best to remove it, and when he couldn't get it with tweezers, he set out for Wal-Mart or a drugstore to procure a "tick removal kit." He took Mark with him on the first-aid hunt (at my request). Mark slept through the entire experience of being taken in and out of his car seat three times. He slept through his own tick search, diaper change and pajamas being put on. Nathan was completely calm reading Winnie the Pooh with me and thinking about the promised yoo-hoo that would be his reward for bravery.

Wouldn't you know, Greg never found a tick removal kit? And by the time he got home, right before the park gate was locked, that tick walked right off of Nathan's shoulder? Praise God. I prayed that tick right off of my child. He answered. He is concerned about the little things.

Psalm 91 has carried me through the past week and a half, just thinking about how God protects us from the deadly pestilence (in this instance, ticks) and orders his angels to protect us wherever we go. The tick bite saga continues today. We noticed that the bite site had become raised and slightly scabbed. I called the doctor this morning and we went in to have it checked out. Turns out, he probably just picked at the bite and it got a little bit infected - no signs of Lyme Disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The doctor even said that he didn't want to raise anxiety (whose, mine?!) by running additional tests without more evidence of a real problem. So, we're going to use a prescription antibiotic and I continue praising the Lord, who daily bears my burdens.

Being Boys

2011-05-31T17:39:00.004-04:00

The kids ran around bare-chested for most of the day yesterday.

Cabin weekend

2011-05-26T19:36:00.004-04:00

We spent last weekend cabin-camping. Favorite memories are the way the kids explored the cabin when we first arrived - played on the bunk beds, loved the porch, thought it was so neat to eat the big wooden table...eating spaghetti and hamburgers and big breakfasts...hiking around the cabin area and teaching the kids to recognize trail blazes...

the boys "fishing" at the lake...

watching the deer...rocking on the back porch with the kids...

and watching the sun go down with Greg. It seems to have taken the boys' brotherhood and enjoyment of each other to a new level.

They are growing up. While we were at the cabin, Nathan said, "Mama, please don't treat me like a baby" as I was asking him to get dressed for bed. Then, he wanted to go across the monkey bars at our neighbor's house for the first time today. And this morning Mark told me, "Mama, I really want to be a soldier - a pretend soldier, and I'm not going to kill anybody, but I really want to be a soldier!" That wish makes me tear up - maybe he'll grow out of that one?!

Pics

2011-05-18T20:03:00.004-04:00

The boys did some gluing one morning this week - maybe it was Monday? I can't quite remember. They had a lot of fun with it, though! There is something about the power of holding a bottle of glue in your two little hands and squeezing it for all it's worth.

Nathan went for a spiral design, while Mark was more free-spirited and made the biggest puddle of glue I've seen yet on a piece of construction paper.

Mark enjoyed washing up.

Nathan entertained himself with peeling the dried glue from his fingers.

They went camping...

2011-05-10T19:55:00.003-04:00

Nathan, Greg and PopPop went camping last weekend.

They paddled into a campsite at Cheraw State Park and spent a night under the stars. I loved seeing Nathan anticipate this event.

I loved hearing the stories he told when he came home. He is growing up.

How is he able to handle his own paddle like that? His second love is gardening with his Nanny.

Mother's Day weekend was special because I spent it with my Mama. She treated me to Chinese food Friday night, a massage on Saturday afternoon, and a delicious pasta dish of my choice Saturday night. She made my favorite dessert, strawberry shortcake, too. Best of all, she cared for me in so many ways that only my mother could know I needed.

The camera didn't do it justice

2011-04-26T20:17:00.005-04:00

Here are some of my favorites from the weekend with Gram, Gramp and Aunt Amy. I just wish we had taken more!

Boys greeting Gram

Gram playing the row boat game

In Nathan's "forest home"

Mark having Gram swing him "as a high as a mountain"

The Easter Egg Hunt

We're settling back into "real life" now that the week of special times is over. That's good, too. Here's how things were about 5 pm yesterday. Mark is pretty pooped.

He's also spreading his two-year-old wings pretty broadly right about now, challenging me at every turn. At the same time, he's figuring out how to compliment me on my clothing choices and give me lots of hugs and kisses at bedtime.

Thankfully, a sweeter spirit seems to have settled between the boys this week. Nathan has been offering me lots of pats on the back, literally. It feels good to have that little hand pat me so gently. How did God know I'd need that right about now?

A Different Light

2011-04-20T19:35:00.003-04:00

Nathan went to Cheraw for a few days this week, and I had Mark all to myself during the daytime hours. It was a treat. He asked about his Nay-Nay and Nanny a good bit, but he settled in just fine once he realized he had all of the toys to himself.

We played with our neighbors, read books and blew bubbles on Monday.

That night, Mark taught us the burrito game, where he lies down on his blue blanket and asks to be wrapped and rolled up, and then pops out of it. His laughter and smile are so infectious!

We took care of some things around the house on Tuesday morning, and then enjoyed an outdoor lunch with Greg and Melanie. Mark slept most of the afternoon, and I had to wake him at about 5:00. I took him outside to play for a while and helped him figure out how to pedal on the tricycle. When we came inside, I told him we were having sandwiches for supper. He asked for grilled cheese, and I thought that sounded good...so we both indulged.

I loved being free to focus my attention on him and really listen to what he's saying. He loves to pluck fresh flowers for me. He gives hugs and kisses. He wishes me sweet dreams. He thanks me when I let him drink orange juice AND milk with his breakfast. He loves Curious George books. He invites me on imaginary trips to Food Lion, the deli and Mrs. Staci's house. He helps me toss pillows on the bed. He holds the dustpan while I sweep. He says with glee, "I helped you, Mama!" He tastes cherry tomatoes for me and then puts them on my salad. He drinks ranch dressing through a straw. He loves to be barefoot. He rides through stores with his arms stretched wide, so he can touch everything. He offers to bring me my water bottle if I am thirsty. He is my sunshine, my pumpkin, and my sparkle. I love my Mark.

Making me smile

2011-04-11T17:48:00.004-04:00

Last Friday we practiced writing letters while Mark was napping. He did that more than usual last week since he had a cold. Nathan liked using the pencil and pencil sharpener a lot.

This afternoon's quiet time involved a good bit of bumping around in Mark's room. He finally settled down, and this is how I found him.

There has been a lot of squabbling at our house today. I'm trying to figure out how to give thanks so I don't get bogged down in it. This morning, I read Psalm 133:1 with the boys:

¹How wonderful and pleasant it is
when brothers live together in harmony!

It went right over their heads, but the story of Cain and Abel that we read shortly after that rang (frighteningly) true!

Pictures

2011-04-07T13:49:00.004-04:00

Some pictures since the last post was all words...

The boys love to hop in the car with Greg when he gets home from work.

And they love to ride on his back sometimes after dinner.

This particular afternoon they were satisfied to play with carabiners on their feet. Who knows.

We went to the park this morning.

That's about it!

Grace and grits

2011-04-06T08:09:00.003-04:00

Okay, I am feeling an emotional tide inside this morning. Mark has been running a low-grade fever all week. I wasn't feeling so hot myself on Monday, so we took it easy around the house after canceling our morning plans. We were just doing run-of-the-mill household chores, like washing clothes and running the dishwasher. I let the children watch about an hour's worth of Curious George in the morning, which is not our normal mode of operation, and they were especially pleased.

About 11 am, I was feeling the need for fresh air, so we headed outside for a walk. I have been trying to cultivate an appreciation for the little things in each day. That day, we noticed the dandelions and the blossoms on the trees and a bright green caterpillar that we found climbing on Mark's hand.

Right after lunch, Mark went down for a long, long nap. After Nathan's quiet time, I was helping him get shoes on so he could play outside. He looked up at me and said, "Mama, thank you for being so kind to me today." What grace that he'd say those words to me, when I usually feel like I am trying to hide my irritability or impatience from moment to moment.

Yesterday was more of the same, with a walk in the morning and a little bit of outdoor playtime. We found a bird's nest in a neighbor's yard. Mark touched the cedar trees that branch out along the sidewalk. Nathan ran from mailbox to mailbox with great delight.

I am currently looking for mealtime inspiration, and had spent a good bit of time trying to figure out what to cook for dinner using what we had on hand (since a trip to the grocery store had been halted by Mark's being under the weather). Sometime mid-afternoon, I finally settled on making eggs, bacon and grits. Breakfast food is comfort food for me. It has everything to do with how my Dad made breakfast for us every Saturday morning, and a lot of egg sandwiches for supper on Sunday nights. I love it and always feel good when I eat it. So, we enjoyed our meal while Greg was teaching class, and the boys went to bed nicely and easily.

Mark's sweet slumber was interrupted a few hours later, when he woke up feverish and breathing heavily. He was clingy and crying and wanting to be held. After some medicine, we ended up in the rocking chair for a little while, where he snuggled on my chest with his blue blanket and "honey dog." He sucks his thumb and touches the blue blanket with the other fingers...very sweet, and very much still like a baby. As I was holding my independent, strong-willed and strong-bodied, giggly, fearless little one, I saw a different side of him. Psalm 6:2a says, "Have compassion on me, Lord, for I am weak." Lord, help me to see my children as you see them, and refresh my love for them daily.

And the rain came down...

2011-03-31T19:54:00.004-04:00

It's been wet most of the week. Monday was "tent day" in the den, and I served lunch at the little table.

We ran errands and visited the library yesterday. Today we cleaned house and then visited Great Grandma and had lunch with Aunt Jane, Aunt Melanie and Uncle Rick. The children were literally climbing the walls and furniture by about 4 pm! I haven't seen anything quite like it.

Poor Mark is so desperate to get on a playground again he's taken to dangling from tables, counters and doorknobs. So out of a tangible need for fresh air, we put on raincoats and boots and went exploring in the yard. I felt myself relax as I sat on the porch and watched them. Very few fights occur when they are free to roam and pretend and carry sticks and play with the hose.

They enjoyed squelching in the mud and splashing in the puddles.

The children pretty much put themselves to bed tonight. I was amazed. After they hugged and said "I love you," each boy climbed into bed, pulled up the sheets and blankets, and was quite ready to be tucked in for the night. I love that Nathan now says, "Love you, too" when he goes to bed.

Spring Snow

2011-03-25T15:34:00.003-04:00

The kids thought it looked like snow when the cherry tree petals were blowing down this week. They had this whole thing going where they'd say, "It's snowing, it's snowing!" and then toss up a bunch of petals to watch them fall.

When Mark said it, it sounded more like, "It's no-ing, it's no-ing." Kind of sweet.

I especially enjoyed seeing my two boys play in pink petals!

I'm also enjoying my front-porch flowers.

Well, I am off to read the next chapter of Winnie the Pooh with Nathan while Mark finishes his nap.

Brotherly Love

2011-03-23T13:29:00.005-04:00

Louisiana

2011-03-18T12:13:00.004-04:00

When we play outside, the boys like to pretend we're at Gram and Gramp's house. While we are there, they usually help Gramp in the garden. They have to drive their trucks out that way.

Then they find Gram, who is almost always making gumbo. Mark was pretending to add these ingredients to the pot.

They also like to check in on Aunt Amy and Uncle Cole and ask about any fires that he's put out lately.

We miss our Louisiana family!

Reset

2011-03-16T19:33:00.003-04:00

Mark hasn't been feeling real well this week. His mantra has been, "Mama, I have a runny nose." He doesn't like to admit it, though, so he keeps going full steam ahead...until he just can't go any longer. I sent the boys up to play in their rooms while I finished getting dinner ready, and then it got very, very quiet. After savoring those moments, I found Nathan playing quietly and Mark snoozing.

While Mark was asleep, Nathan and I played the tire-fishing game. It was so relaxing to sit down and do that with him.

Mark woke up kind of groggy and a little cranky, but hungry. Right now, Greg is reading them one of their favorite Curious George books. This pretty spring day is winding down nicely.

Spring flowers

2011-03-13T19:49:00.003-04:00

The boys picked flowers for me this afternoon - such sweet gifts!

Barbara Ann

2011-03-10T19:57:00.003-05:00

Mark comes up to me and says, "Take my hand, Mama!"

Outside today

2011-03-08T17:16:00.003-05:00

Their personalities on display...the moon and the sun...

The cherry tree beginning to blossom in the backyard...

We saw a little lizard in the front yard. We sat and watched him for a little while. He was in his habitat, just soaking up the sunshine. Every now and then he'd hide behind the leaves, but mostly he wanted to be seen. Am I enjoying the sunshine in my life like that? Am I trusting that I am where I need to be, and that I'll have what I need every day because the Maker of Heaven and Earth sustains my life just like He sustains that lizard? Everything is from His hand, and it is all good.

An easy morning

2011-03-02T09:41:00.005-05:00

For about a week now, Nathan's been waking up a lot with bad dreams. Last night was quiet, though, and I'm especially thankful for good, refreshing sleep. We are taking it easy this morning, listening to music and reading old editions of Highlights magazine.

After breakfast, Nathan and Mark brought down all of the blankets from their beds and covered the furniture to make cozy spots for snuggling. Mark loves his "honey dog" best of all.

This was his "silly face."

First sign of spring

2011-02-25T13:39:00.004-05:00

We woke to the sound of wild wind blowing. Mark was talking about the wind chimes when he woke up. Nathan slept late! After breakfast, Mark asked to get out the playdoh.

I think both boys were both making cookies.

Once the sun came out and the clouds blew away, we went outside for a walk and some playtime. We discovered the first flower in our yard! I had never seen this one come up before (at least I don't remember it.)

The kids still love digging and swinging...

Silly firemen

2011-02-23T14:16:00.003-05:00

Today we have been pretending to go to Gram's house. I have been assigned the role of "Gram." Pretending to be a loving grandmother has been a real attitude-improver for me! We've done a little of this and a little of that today...tidying the kitchen, washing clothes, going to the grocery store, playing outside...and the boys just so happen to be dressed identically in their favorite firemen sweatshirts.

All Tuckered Out, Green String & The Makings of A Fight

2011-02-17T20:20:00.008-05:00

I suppose Mark finally reached his physical limits yesterday afternoon. We had been to and from Great Grandma's house in the morning, the library before lunch, and outside for most of the afternoon. We were reading library books and waiting for Daddy to come home when Mark leaned over toward the pillow and started snoring.

Truly, I do not know that Mark has EVER fallen asleep like that in the middle of something, even when he's sick! He was a bit of a grumpy bear to wake up for dinner, but perked right up once he had some food in his tummy again.

This morning we were playing before Nathan's first dentist appointment. He asked if we could get down the yarn, so we opened up the little plastic container that holds the remains of a $1 pack of yarn I bought four years ago. He and Mark had it all over the floor and were pretending to be squirrels in no time.

The dentist appointment went wonderfully, peacefully well. We went to our family dentist and my hygienist cleaned his teeth. Nathan's attitude was so positive and brave - and I am praising God for answering prayer about that. He was completely cooperative and in good spirits the whole time. I enjoyed having a "date" with him, too. I want to do that more often with both of the boys. I need alone time with them, and it was amazing to see how the whole tone changed when Nathan wasn't competing for my attention.

The pictures you see here are what I describe as "the storm brewing." There was a mess on the floor, the kids hadn't taken naps, and they had just finished helping me put together a quiche for tonight's dinner. Mark had accidentally dumped all of the pretend food on the kitchen floor. That's an army truck plowing through it.

I was trying to wash dishes so the mess didn't continue to pile up.

The boys took the pretend food into the den to play on the couch, and that lasted for about 1.5 minutes before there was screaming and wrestling and general discontent. I can see it in their faces in this picture.

At that point, they both went to their rooms to cool down. I made the executive decision to clean up the mess myself so we could go outside while dinner was in the oven. It was worth it not to have another obstacle between us and the great outdoors! Turns out it was a good choice...we all relaxed in the afternoon sun and even took a walk after dinner. Nathan has been riding his bicycle when we go on walks...yet another way he's growing up right in front of me.

A day to love

2011-02-14T19:22:00.003-05:00

Happy Valentine's Day! We had sunshine and warm weather, and spent most of the day outside enjoying the beauty of it all.

We opened valentines right after breakfast. Mark had fun with the "maze puzzle."

I believe Nathan's favorite part was getting to use his scissors to open this puzzle.

The boys had a lot of fun assembling and hanging heart-shaped bird feeders. (Thank you for sending our supplies, Gram!)

We got into sidewalk chalk and good old dirt, too.

Happy Valentine's Day!

2011-02-14T19:18:00.002-05:00

Stuff of Life

2011-02-10T17:09:00.004-05:00

I have set the little artists in my home free to enjoy their crayons, glue sticks and safety scissors at their own pleasure. Yes, we finally have an "art table" in the den. They like it a lot, especially the cutting part. Mark is so pleased with himself every time he makes a cut in a piece of paper.

So far, so good, except for the fact that Mark has been doing some taste-testing. I found him nibbling on an almond nut (we had been playing with nuts earlier) and his teeth were caked in green. I thought for a minute he had eaten a rotten almond! Then I put two and two together and figured he'd eaten a green crayon and was starting in on the nut.

At that point, I sent the boys up to their rooms for quiet time. Mark has given up his nap except for about once or twice a week. He's been pretty good about playing with his toys quietly if he's not going to nap, but today he was back to his old tricks. When I opened Mark's door, I saw that every drawer was open, and all of his bed toys and blankets were on top of the changing table. The evidence suggests that he had been climbing again.

As we were putting away his clothes and toys, he looks up at me and smiles and says, "Mama, I get my bathing suits out. Maybe go swimming?" Oh, Mark. So, we all got downstairs, and after cleaning up the mess we'd left from this morning, I started shooting a video of the boys at the art table. While I was filming, I saw that Mark was (once again) eating a crayon. I stopped the video, started to question my judgment, and packed up the crayons, at least for right now. We put on socks, shoes, jackets and hats, and headed outside.

They are much happier out in the great outdoors.

Always.

Pictures from the park

2011-02-09T18:11:00.002-05:00

Here are some shots from our visit to Reedy Creek Nature Preserve on Sunday afternoon.

Breakfast by Candlelight

2011-02-05T12:35:00.003-05:00

My new winter tradition is to burn candles on Saturday morning while Greg makes breakfast. We usually listen to some music, too.

This seems to have distracted the children from running around and screaming and getting into fights before 8:00 a.m. For the longest time, I couldn't figure out a good way to enjoy candles with children in the room. This is the way! Here they are helping to set the table.

Yesterday was cold and rainy. We spent the day cleaning house and horsing around. Nathan wanted to build this cushion tower. He climbed up and rocked around on it for a while.

Mark tried it but got frustrated when he toppled off. Later in the day, we had "tickle time." It had been a long time coming. There was lots of laughing and rolling and begging for more.

After we put the kids to bed, I took note of the contents of my pockets. I was carrying half a plastic fish head that always finds its way into Mark's mouth, a pair of fingernail clippers, and some pieces of scotch tape. The night before, the inventory included some tiny rubber wheels (also one of Mark's favorites for nibbling), a plastic banana, and some band-aids, which leads me to explaining the scrapes and bandages on the boys' heads.

On Monday, I let Nathan wear his boots (it was kind of drizzling that day.) We were playing outside and I was chasing him, when his feet came out from under him and he landed head-first on the driveway. Big scrape, big tears. Big fear of the whole process of cleaning and bandaging the scrape. Even bigger fear of having the bandages changed the next morning, when I realized I had used some that were too small to adequately cover the wound. Oh my. Thank goodness for Daddy and his calm, reasonable nature. And thank goodness the scrapes have now healed enough for band-aids to be taken off. We were down to one little tiny square one as of last night. Nathan came to our room early this morning, shining his "buzz light." He climbed up on the bed and said, "Mama, I just wanted to show you something. I figured out a way to get that little band-aid off all by myself." Praise the Lord.

Now, Mark's turn. We were doing some singing and dancing in the living room yesterday afternoon. Mark was spinning around and landed his head on the corner of the coffee table. Not a lot of drama, but a little bit of blood. All is well. He recovers quickly. Quickly enough to want to dance all around the den with me last night, while Nathan and Greg played Barbara Ann by the Beach Boys on their guitars. He said, "Take my hand, Mommy!" and proceeded to spin me around and around, jumping as he went. Full of joy.

Since last time

2011-02-03T20:06:00.002-05:00

We had beautiful weather last weekend. We spent a good bit of time soaking up the sunshine.

I've tried hard to get the boys outside a little bit each day this week because they love being out there so much. I always liked playing outside as a child, and I still love being outdoors even in the winter.

I don't have the pictures to prove it, but this has been the week of playing with the "stomp rocket" and riding the tricycle. I have to get in the habit of grabbing the camera when we head outside!

We also had a day when we played with some leftover dry oatmeal.

I let them scoop and pour, and hide little dinosaurs in it.

They are cozy in their beds right now and I'm listening to some freezing rain come down while I wait for Greg to get home from teaching his class. It's been a good week and I'm surprised tomorrow is Friday!

Winter days & experiments

2011-01-26T12:43:00.004-05:00

Today is another cold, wet one. I turned on Vivaldi early this morning and decided it could be an "art day." We put on our paint shirts and got busy. We started with paint brushes and ended up using fingers. I needed to clean out my craft supplies, which led to playing with yarn and various odds and ends for a nice, long time.

Here are some photos from the past few weeks...

Making noodle art - I was pleasantly surprised Mark didn't eat the noodles!

Running the Thomas Trains

On a side note, Nathan had an interesting observation about God yesterday. We were sitting at the kitchen table, about to eat lunch, and he says, "Mama, I think God has a big book of experiments up in heaven!" I bet Nathan has a whole list of questions to ask Him! He's constantly inquiring about batteries, electricity, why orange peels taste bitter, etc., etc.

Let's Tell Stories

2011-01-07T13:50:00.006-05:00

Packing up the Christmas decorations usually leaves me feeling a little empty. As Nathan says, "It looks so bare!" when the Christmas tree no longer stands in its corner of the living room, and our home returns to the normal routines of daily life. It's like you don't know what you've got till it's gone, in a way. After a few weeks, I won't really think about Christmas that much because I'll be on to the next thing, be it sick children or running or meal planning or the next holiday. But this year, I want to hold on to the peace and light a little longer. All but our advent candles have been put away. These slender flame-bearers have moved into individual candle holders on the mantle. There they stand, telling me the story of the eternal Light of the World that burns with a hard, gem-like flame.

We tell the stories of our family's Christmas celebration time, too, so the memories become etched in our minds. I'm all for looking back at the pictures and reflecting, but I think there is something about curling up on the couch and telling the story out loud, highlighting the best parts and leaving out the whining or road-weariness or upset tummies that might have been part of it, too. It helps me practice gratitude and makes me smile to focus my thoughts like that. I think the little boys love it, too. As often as I invite them to read a book with me, they ask me to tell stories...about "when we slept in the hotel," "the trip to Easy Banana (Louisiana)," and "when it snowed at Nanny and PopPop's house."

Here are some of my favorite visual reminders of the Christmas trip to Louisiana (more to come from the Cheraw visit when I have a little more quiet time to upload photos). They help a lot during the week of "returning to normal," when the boys are testing the limits and we clean the house and we come down with January viruses. It's good to tell stories.

Taking in the Mighty Mississippi River.

Post-gumbo at Aunt Amy and Uncle Cole's house.

Making ourselves at home at Gram and Gramp's house.

Uncle Cole's fire truck...Nathan has decided he wants to drive one when he grows up.

The beautiful 75 degree Tuesday when we sat by the garden all morning...I drank hot apple cider and watched the pine trees sway in the breeze and looked at ladybugs with Mark.

Nathan got a little tongue-tied and said "Let me think a minute" when Santa asked what he'd like to have for Christmas.

It has been a very long time since we've taken our own picture like this...date night in downtown Natchitoches.

Christmas is coming...

2010-12-10T15:20:00.004-05:00

And the children are still delighted to play in cardboard boxes! This was the one that held the Christmas wreath. There was a top and bottom, so both boys played with them all day long.

We baked cookies with Aunt Melanie last Saturday and had a delightful time.

Nathan napped with his snowman yesterday while I listened to The Messiah and addressed Christmas cards. I LOVE The Messiah. The music has been a soul solace for me in the past few years. I still see my babies whenever I see the boys asleep. This was such a peaceful moment for me.

Today we visited my Grandma, and we shared candy canes with the other residents on her floor. That was a sweet time for all of us.

And Nathan and I had a flashlight conversation this morning. I was drinking coffee and reading my Bible by Christmas-tree-light, and he was with me. We have an early morning routine these days (and it sure beats the crazy midnight screaming we had before).

Anyway, he was holding his flashlight so I could read. It started to flicker.

He said to me, very calmly, "Mama, I'll just have to take my flashlight to Daddy, because he's the one who knows best about how to stop this flickering and make it shine strong again." What faith in his Daddy.

And isn't the same true for us, when our light begins to flicker? HE can restore it.

Good morning, Lord

2010-12-03T08:08:00.003-05:00

I found Mark standing at his window with the blinds pushed to the side this morning.

He said, "I see pink, Mommy!"

He was watching the sunrise.

The next words out of his mouth were, "I have stinky diaper, Mommy," but the reminder of God's new mercy captured my attention far more than the stench in the room.

The next blessing was a Christmas wreath waiting on our doorstep .

Greg discovered it on his way out.

The boys squealed with delight as I hung it by the door.

Now they are playing with the packaging.

Thank you, Abba.

Christmas Flashlights

2010-12-01T14:37:00.004-05:00

This is a post about choosing our Christmas tree and the boys playing in the leaves while I decorated in the house last weekend...but before I get into all of that, I have to share a story about two flashlights.

It was a dreary Monday-after-Thanksgiving. I had PMS, a cold, a sore throat and almost no voice left. Mark hadn't had a nap since before Thanksgiving. Nathan made an incessant "buzzing" sound all morning, and Mark came up with a dozen reasons why he couldn't do each and everything I asked him to do ("My nose is runny again!" "My tummy hurts again!" "I need my blue blanket!").

There was whining and much grumpiness. There was time spent in our own rooms. There was a grocery store trip squeezed into all of this. There was television time, to try and ensure some quiet moments when I wouldn't have to strain my voice to correct someone.

And then, at the end of that very long day, there was personal pizza night at Mrs. Staci's house. Let me just say that those were THE BEST little Pillsbury Grand biscuit pizzas I have ever eaten. Nathan even told everyone they were better than any pizza I make at home!

The after-dinner entertainment was what really lifted my spirits. Mr. Jason has a particular love for flashlights of all shapes and sizes. The children had already spent most of the evening running around the house shining them in all the dark corners and laughing hysterically as they went. Well, Mr. Jason took the kids outside after supper (with their flashlights) to look at Christmas lights.

The giggles and running around and overall happiness was contagious. Even in my sore-throat-worn-out state, I found myself laughing and loving every minute. Something about it took me back to my own childhood, when we'd play with the Mullis children. It was special like that.

Turns out, our friends gave us the flashlights to take home - and keep, much to the boys' delight! They have been playing with them non-stop - together - and the best part about it is, they don't fight while they're checking out the dark places in our house.

When I opened my Advent devotion book this morning to read about John the Baptist, who bore witness to the light of Jesus Christ, I knew those little flashlights have a deeper meaning for me this Christmas. They are a constant reminder of Christ shining in all my dark places. I pray the boys one day bow down and worship the Light of the World.

And now for the pictures from the tree farm and leaf pile...

Daddy's Day Off

2010-11-12T16:03:00.004-05:00

Greg was home from work yesterday, and it was a glorious day! We spent the morning at Reedy Creek Nature Preserve. We visited the Nature Center first, and then took a walk on the Dragonfly Pond Trail.

The boys were so enthusiastic, and very good little hikers. Mark and I hung back and checked out the leaves...

while Greg and Nathan scouted out the path ahead.

The pond was a wonderful, quiet spot with beautiful hardwoods surrounding it.

The boys kept running back and forth from a gravel area to the pond, tossing their pebbles in.

After the hike, the boys played on large xylophones set up among the trees.

I think we have found our new favorite outdoor adventure, and it's only 30 minutes from home!

Birthday Boys

2010-11-11T19:33:00.004-05:00

Happy birthday, Nathan and Mark! Gram and Gramp were our special guests for the birthday weekend. There was a lot of excitement and happy laughter and a living room full of family and gifts.

Nathan and Charlie got to sit at the big boys' table in the den.

Everybody loved the party horns!

Mark and his cake...

And Nathan with his, strawberry chocolate (by request)!

They had been practicing blowing out their candles for weeks...even that morning, they were running around holding gourds on their heads pretending the gourds were candles. Silly boys. I don't have any pictures of that, but you can use your imagination.

They liked eating the cake.

Opening gifts was big fun...and getting to spend the rest of the weekend with Gram and Gramp was truly the icing on the cake.

Squirrels

2010-11-02T15:48:00.004-04:00

Nathan's inner squirrel has come out to play. Beatrix Potter's Timmy Tiptoes has spawned much of this activity. Last week, we took some leftover walnuts outside and both boys hid them for the squirrels.

Yesterday I was pulling out some of my fall decorations and we found a bag of nuts. I happily folded clothes while Nathan sorted them. Mark played along for a little bit, but he really liked snuggling under Daddy's cuddly blanket and lying on Daddy's pillow on the couch.

I love it when we discover the fun in something so simple.

Helpers

2010-10-27T13:09:00.008-04:00

This is what happens when two boys help with the laundry. Nathan came up with this idea all on his own.

Next thing I know: like big brother, like little brother.

Now who says staying at home with children is boring?

Rainy Monday

2010-10-26T14:01:00.004-04:00

It looked like rain yesterday. With this in mind, we did our grocery shopping early. After we unloaded the cold things, I released the boys to play in the rain. They had worn their rain jackets and boots to the store, so they were ready. You have never seen two little people so delighted to explore wet weather!

We had a mid-morning snack on the front porch.

Nathan wanted to push The Yellow Truck all over the yard. When the rain came down hard, he pushed even faster. He got a kick out of watching the water from the rain spout pour into an old flower pot.

Mark took hold of the spade and did some digging in the mud. I think he gave Nathan some to eat (which seemed to go over well at first, but in the end was not well-received.)

On a side note, Mark sang "Jesus Loves Me" at the breakfast table this morning. What a sweet blessing to hear these words come out of his mouth.

Early morning

2010-10-22T08:57:00.004-04:00

It's Friday and we're taking it easy this morning. Mark woke up asking to wear his Thomas Train shirt. We have been building train tracks this morning.

It has been a week of sleep recovery for all of us. Afternoon naps and Zyrtec before bed seem to be helping Nathan make it through the night. Praise God for the gift of restful sleep.

I was hoping to propel myself out of bed to run this morning, but I gave in to sleep instead. I am hoping that running with Dad tomorrow morning will help me get back into my running rhythm.

We've been memorizing Philippians 4:6 this week: Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything. Don't worry about sleep issues. Don't worry about difficult phases with the children. Don't worry about whether or not I do everything perfectly as a mother. Don't worry about anything. Instead, pray about everything.

Mark was watching the steam from the dryer this morning. Nathan said he wanted to go outside and run through it, so maybe we'll do that in a few minutes.

Growing up is hard to do (a.k.a. the cow train adventure)

2010-10-18T14:15:00.007-04:00

We are having some growing pains in our family these days. Nathan has entered the realm of bad dreams, and I have entered "round two" of sleepless nights.

His recurrent nightmares are about bumblebees and alligators, although last night his mind took a different turn, and he dreamed about a sticker that wouldn't stick - I guess that was some frustration working its way out in his sleep!

I think it just comes with the territory of growing up a little bit.

Nathan has been trying new things lately - putting the finishing touches on potty training, learning to laugh off the countless little falls that happen during the day, and figuring out how to relate to a now-very-talkative-and-opinionated little brother Mark...not to mention taking a big risk and hopping on board a cow train at the corn maze we visited this weekend with Aunt Melanie and Uncle Rick.

Let me just say that this whole adventure began with me calling the Country Days Corn Maze and asking a very convoluted question about whether or not we could purchase a pumpkin at this "facility." I was trying to figure out what we could do for free there. We were trying to be frugal and didn't feel like getting lost in a cornfield that night. I will admit that I wasn't exactly at my best before going out on this little adventure.

Mark had been scoping out the cow train since we arrived. Nathan had shown very little interest, as he was still recovering from the excitement/terror of the hayride in from the parking lot. Aunt Melanie kept him company and provided snacks for a hungry and tired and rather ornery little boy (who hadn't slept well the night before.)

We visited the farm animals, checked out the bonfire, played a little bit on the playground, and looked at the pumpkins (all for free!) And then, all of a sudden, as we were gathering out things and waiting for the hayride out, both boys climbed right into the cow cars. Nathan chose the last car, and Mark sat in my lap in the car right in front of him. We buckled up and held on tight.

Things were fine for the first 30 seconds. Then came the tears and fearful cries from the car behind me as the cow train picked up speed and raced between a corn field and a dusty cotton patch. The driver kindly turned around, assessed the situation and smiled very gently. She slowed that cow train down to a more pleasant pace for an almost-four-year-old's first ride of this sort. And I said a thankful prayer.

As we turned the corner and finished the ride, I had this moment where I thought, "What am I doing with these two boys? How did I get here, with two little people riding around in a dusty corn field with me? And how is it that they are growing up in the blink of an eye, surprising me with the risks they are willing to take when the day before, they wouldn't have thought of doing such a thing?"

A photo recap of the rest of the experience...

We checked out the cotton patch and remains of a cornfield while we waited for the hayride in.

Nathan found a corn cob.

Mark found his new favorite sport, thanks to Uncle Rick.

Mark with the pumpkins - he tried to pick up a few. He also took off running into a corn maze, but I caught his quick little bottom before he could get too far.

Nathan checking out the pumpkins (this is all right before the cow ride.) These two pumpkin photos are especially for you, Aunt Kate! We do wish you and Aunt Amy (and the uncles) could have been here to experience the moment with us.

Boy in a Basket

2010-10-04T15:28:00.006-04:00

After quiet time today, Nathan climbed right into a basket of clean clothes. He said he was in there with "cuddle socks and a piece of yarn." I thought the comparison photos were amusing.

I think he was about 3 months old here - I remember putting him in the basket one cold, rainy winter night and laughing at how relaxed he looked. I love that it's a basket of his baby clothes. My, oh my, how my laundry load has grown!

He was about 1 year old in this photo, and climbed in all by himself - not sure why he wasn't happy.

And now, here we are at almost 4 years old, when he makes this strange face when asked to smile. Oh, my Nathan.

Silly faces

2010-09-23T13:14:00.005-04:00

We've had a pleasant week here...

discovered Reedy Creek Nature Preserve, which has the most amazing, creative play area and Nature Center for children...
started back to Bible study and both children enjoyed their classes...
played at a friend's house on a lazy afternoon...
had a Lowe's light bulb and garden center adventure...
changed bedsheets about 4 times...
finished reading A Voice in the Wind by Francine Rivers and started The Help...
witnessed God's angels protecting Mark on a couple of occasions...
baked some crusty bread and shared dinner with a friend and her children...
read a letter from a missionary friend in the Philippines...
opened a package from a college friend...

it has been good.

The sun is still sunny, the air is still warm, and the boys and I are still wearing shorts and sandals every day. I love an extended summer, because it means even more carefree days when the kids are healthy and it doesn't matter what time we play outside.

Labor Day

2010-09-09T19:53:00.006-04:00

The last days of summer...we spent them swimming at the pool, eating pizza, visiting with Nanny and Pop Pop and Aunt Melanie and Uncle Rick, playing at the park, eating ice cream, eating burgers. It was all good fun.

Nathan climbing at the park

Mark playing in the tree roots

Picnic at the park

Sunglasses

The weather has been lovely this week, so we've been outside a lot. The backyard mosquitoes have finally taken leave of our property, so I was actually able to sit on the deck and watch the boys play today. It was great!

Odds and ends

2010-09-01T08:09:00.003-04:00

Greg started teaching a night class at CPCC a few weeks ago, so we are all adjusting to the new schedule. He seems to be a natural in the classroom (I knew it was in his blood!) If that wasn't enough of a change, Mark climbed out of his crib last week! He is now sleeping in a twin bed and is doing really well with it. Who knew I'd be rocking him one night and tucking him in a big-boy bed the next?

We're still having a lot of hot days, so we play outside when we can, but when we can't, we are finding fun things to do indoors. One morning we painted. Mark actually got quite a bit of paint on the paper, believe it or not.

By the time we were finished, he had paint in his hair, of course.

Nathan woke up one morning and wanted to make a track with scissors and tape.

He stuck with it until the job was finished.

The Mark Show

2010-08-23T08:38:00.002-04:00

The Nathan Show

2010-08-23T08:35:00.002-04:00

Night on the Beach

2010-08-23T08:25:00.004-04:00

Thursday night was beautiful on the beach. There was a cool breeze blowing. The tide was low and there was a lot of room for running around. The waves were gentle so we weren't worried about anyone getting swept away.

We just stood back and watched the boys play.

Sandy boy

2010-08-19T20:17:00.004-04:00

Somebody loved being buried in the sand...almost to the point of asking for it!

Mark was genuinely happy about the whole process. I love how he stretched out in the sand, and how he sometimes bites that lower lip when he's smiling.

Nathan kept cool with Nanny.

He was probably asking, "Mama, why does Mark want to be buried in the sand like that?"

Hard at Work

2010-08-19T09:39:00.003-04:00

Here are some action shots of the sand castle construction crew.

I served as the hydration and behavior modification captain, providing beverages and removal of disgruntled employees for periodic attitude adjustments (none of these incidences were captured on film, thankfully!)

Greg was construction supervisor.

A Day of Rest

2010-08-16T13:13:00.005-04:00

We played hard in the mornings. Actually, this picture of Mark was taken at high tide one evening. He loved playing in this tidal pool - had his face in the water and everything! He's a fish. Every now and then, he would sit still for about 10 seconds. Maybe.

Nathan and I were a bit worn out from all of the running around. I think he had a touch of a stomach bug early in the week because he was really tired and didn't have much of an appetite.

Mom, Dad, Aunt Melanie and Uncle Rick brought the boys these squeaky sharks.

Good news was there was one shark for each boy, but the challenge was keeping the sharks from swimming away in the ocean tide.

First morning at the beach

2010-08-15T17:11:00.004-04:00

I'm still finding sand in Mark's ears and shaking it out of our shoes, but here are a few pictures from our first morning on the beach. Thought I would share a few memories and photos each day as I unpack and we get used to our normal life again.

Last summer, Nathan's theme song was "I Hope I Don't Have to Go In the Ocean," but times have changed.

He and Mark were both fearless and ready to splash around in the surf right away.

There was a new sandcastle or shark tank under construction every morning.

They both took a liking to running laps between the beach chairs and the ocean, so we usually stationed one adult each location. I didn't even bother bringing down a book or getting comfortable on a blanket...I read and rested during nap time instead.

Summer Corn and Watermelon

2010-08-05T16:00:00.003-04:00

We've had a whole lot of fresh corn and watermelon this summer. Nathan especially liked shucking corn on the front porch and playing with the husks afterward. He went wild for the watermelon, too!

Mark was mostly a spectator, and wasn't a big fan of either corn or watermelon. Maybe it's just that he's almost two and is opinionated about most everything these days. I feel sure he'll come around in a summer or two.

Mark designed his own outfit here, complete with rain boots and mason jar rings as bangle bracelets. He's been on a reading kick and enjoys Going on a Bear Hunt a lot.

A few of my favorite things

2010-07-30T08:27:00.002-04:00

Mark says "Hey, Mommy!" and "Hey, Daddy!" at every mealtime and asks me to come, sit, get up, dance, etc. with him.

Nathan is learning to be my gentleman helper by holding the door and assisting with unloading the groceries.

Mark has found a favorite book, Freight Train, by Donald Crews. He brings it to me throughout the day and asks me to read "train tunnel." His favorite part is hearing the whistle blow.

Nathan has been experimenting with how long it takes an ice cube to melt in the hot afternoon sun. The ice cube is what's left after a glass of pink lemonade.

Mark is finally saying "yes." It comes out sounding like "mmmyesh," but at least he's finally beginning to get it.

Nathan has a special "buzz light" that he uses to help him after he has a bad dream. It has made a huge difference in our ability to get a good night's sleep.

Tickle time is at 5:30 p.m., when there is nothing better to do and we all need a laughing break.

The boys and I have begun acting out Psalm 150 each morning after breakfast. We clap every time we hear the word "praise" and we have sounds and motions for the various instruments mentioned in the psalm.

After a very long couple of weeks with a variety of new discipline issues, we are starting to see some progress with both boys. Praise God for His word, and the wisdom and insight He has given me daily.

The Fort

2010-07-23T16:26:00.003-04:00

The boys have their first official fort! About a week ago, construction began as I cut out peep holes and windows, and Nathan colored all over it.

As soon as Mark woke up he got to join in the fun, too.

Within a few minutes of play, the fort became a dog house. The boys must have pretended to be puppies for a half hour or more.

I loved seeing them so excited about a cardboard box, and the fort has turned out to be an ongoing art project (it gets colored on almost every afternoon) and source of brotherly fun (and occasional conflict, of course.) I think this is about as good as it gets with little boys.

That, and seeing them toss a ball back and forth. And how much fun it is to set them free to push their trucks around the yard and know that they're going to be sweaty and smelly within moments, but so happy. Oh, the little joys...and I choose to focus on these things instead of the rebellious poop on the carpet (but that's another story for another day...)

Ridgecrest Revisited

2010-07-15T15:26:00.004-04:00

During Aunt Kate's visit home, our family took a vacation to the mountains of North Carolina. We spent two nights at Ridgecrest Conference Center, where I worked and met Greg 14 years ago this summer. The summers I spent at Ridgecrest had a huge impact on my life, and I always feel like I am coming home again when I spend time there. I felt like I was 19 again, only I couldn't get away from the fact that God has trusted us with two children to love, train and raise to know Him.

Highlights from the trip....

rocking in the rocking chairs,
climbing the stairs,
eating at My Father's Pizza and Pasta,
ice cream at the Nibble Nook,
swinging,
the kids playing at the preschool playground,
breakfast in the cafeteria,
lunch at the Ridgecrest Centennial Cafe,
walking on the nature trail,
hiking at Craggy Gardens,

Nathan pushing the elevator buttons,
Mark saying "mountain," and
that cool early morning breeze and beautiful sky the day we had to go home.

This gives you a good idea of what it was like to take care of Mark on this little trip.

They Came!

2010-06-30T15:27:00.002-04:00

Gram, Gramp and Aunt Amy came for a visit last weekend. They arrived on Friday afternoon, much to the boys' delight. We spent most of Saturday preparing and eating food - sometimes it seems that's what we do best when we are with family. I did manage to completely smoke up the house Sunday night when we ran the self-cleaning feature on the oven in an attempt to clean up the blueberry cobbler that had overflowed the night before. Lesson learned - always have a baking sheet under that one!

Favorite activities as I remember them were rolling the ball with Aunt Amy, putting out fires over and over again with whichever relative was available to run around the house at the moment, playing under the dining room table after dinner, swinging in the backyard, bedtime stories with Gram and Gramp, lots of swinging at the park,

and mastering the remote-controlled Thomas the Train toy.

I was too busy enjoying the moment to take a whole lot of pictures this time, but the memories will be with us always. Thank you for the gift of your time, Gram, Gramp and Aunt Amy - we love you very much.

Fresh-cut Hair

2010-06-21T06:57:00.002-04:00

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T19:51:00.003-04:00

We celebrated Daddy today.

A few of my favorite things about Greg in this season of our life together are:
his patience with me and the children,
his musical gifts and how he uses them with our family,
his willingness and ability to provide detailed explanations for Nathan's questions about thermostats and other mechanical/theoretical things,
how he takes me on dates and treats me like a lady and his best friend,
how he sends me out on my own when I need a break,
his abilities as a teacher, and
his calming leadership and good sense when all is kind of wild and crazy around here.

As an added bonus, today he discovered his inner barber and gave the boys a haircut!

He did a wonderful job and saved me the trouble of carting them to the hairdresser this week. I think they look quite handsome.

Needless to say, he has taken on a new "daddy job responsibility."

Growing Up

2010-06-17T13:49:00.002-04:00

Nathan has been conquering a lot of fears lately. Last week, we rode the train downtown to visit the library. He screamed his head off for about 10 minutes until he figured out I was going to be with him the whole time and he was really okay. He did need to sit in my lap the whole way there, but on the way home he told me he liked riding on the train.

Then this week, we went to the swimming pool. We haven't been around pools very much. Last summer, he screamed and cried and told us he didn't want to go in the ocean or any pool whatsoever. So the pool visit was rather dramatic for the first hour. He had a full-on tantrum and was very upset about even getting his toes in the water. Then, after a bit of juice and some crackers, his bravery came out and he was indeed able to get in and enjoy being wet.

Well, today, we rode the train again. We went to a water park/splash pad on The Green where fountains turn on and off intermittently and squirt the children. Guess who quietly sat beside me all the way downtown? And guess who walked right into the water fountain area and loved every minute of the wet fun?

He was so sweet on the ride home, telling me that he liked riding the train with me. Then, right before quiet time, he announced very nicely, "I can go upstairs all by myself for quiet time, Mama. I don't need you to read me a book. I don't need you for anything. I can do it myself. If you need anything, just let me know and I'll come and help you."

Have the tables turned so suddenly? Is the line between childishness and maturity so thin?

I, on the other hand, seem to have lost ground in my mommy planning and maneuvering skills. I forgot to pack a towel to dry the children off after this outing, so I borrowed one from my friend. Then, I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get Nathan, Mark and myself all on the train, plus fold down the stroller and carry it along with my backpack and lunch bag. Oh well.

I felt like I was moving in slow motion, but I sure did enjoy the ride back to our train stop with both boys on my lap. Mark snuggled on my shoulder until the seat next to us opened up and he could sit by himself. Then it was Nathan's turn to put his arms around my neck and cuddle.

Dear, sweet boys. You teach me something new every day. I just hope you don't suffer too much for my shortcomings, big and little.

Lately

2010-06-16T12:27:00.003-04:00

We have been getting used to our summer routine. Nathan went to Nanny and PopPop's house for a few days last week, so we had Mark all by himself.

He and I had a good time together taking walks, running errands, playing at the park, being silly, going out to eat with Daddy...lots of fun.

The adjustment period of having them both under the same roof again went pretty well this time. They missed each other, but they also love being the "only child" and lately they have employed some new attention-seeking tactics. Interesting, to say the least. Not too bad, though.

Today is my birthday! I am spending it with the two little boys I love most in the world. First, we celebrated with some delicious "donut muffins" that Melanie brought over last night.

Then we went to the park to swing and dig in the big sandbox. We are all covered in sand and clay, a sure sign that we had fun. We just had a short visit with Aunt Jane and then ate lunch, and now the kids are playing a bit before quiet time and nap.

A sweet day...but wait, I do smell a stinky diaper...so let me go address that before the odor begins to take over the house.

Happy Squeals

2010-06-02T08:57:00.003-04:00

Before and especially after their bath time, the boys have taken to running around and squealing with delight. They are becoming friends and true brothers right before my very eyes. I love how they are so happy together. I love how they are learning to communicate with each other and how Mark can have all of us in stitches with his silly antics. I love how Nathan tells me that he's going to keep an eye on Mark so he doesn't get into any trouble. I love life with these two (plus Greg) right now!

Fun with a friend

2010-05-29T09:02:00.003-04:00

Our friend Charlie came to play yesterday afternoon. While Mark was napping, the big boys played with playdoh.

Then, they worked a puzzle together.

Finally, they polished off some purple popsicles on the deck.

Pudding Paint

2010-05-17T16:36:00.003-04:00

It was rainy, my toe is jammed and I didn't feel like moving around a lot, and it's Monday...so we made pudding paint with squishy bags. The boys had a big time.