Birthday Monkey

It's amazing what 4 years can do to a boy!

Happy Birthday Micah!

Pica-Nica Day

Since today was absolutely amazing and I was a little down hearted, I decided to take the kids to the park for a pic-nic. I packed drinks, chips, cookies and made pb&j's. We grabbed a blanket threw on our shorts and headed out the door.

We arrived at the park at 1:30 and laid our pic-nic out. The kids ran off to the water immediately but left Tucker to nap on the blanket. I let the kids play for about 10-15 minutes and then called them over to eat. They all sat and enjoyed their sandwich; anymore a sandwich in our house is a BIG deal. So I enjoyed it too.

Tucker on the other hand slept through the whole thing.

After scarfing down their lunch, the kids ran back to the water to play some more and collect the little shells that are at the edge of the creek. We still haven't figured them out. They look like tiny little clams but nothing is in them if you crack them open. Weird.

Anyway, Tucker finally woke up and decided to eat a little bit of his sandwich. At which time a very cute little brown puppy decided that he wanted to have some of our pic-nic too. I do not like to touch dogs (they stink...even when they are clean) but decided to be nice and pet this cute little dog. Apparently he decided at the same time that he wanted to know what the inside of my mouth tasted like. Um, french kissed by a dog. Not my ideal date.

After convulsing on the ground from disgust and wiping my mouth about a gazillion times, Tuck and I decided to join the kids at the water. The puppy followed, I must have made a lasting impression. We collected shells for a bit and then went to the "walk across bridge" Not really sure who named it but that is what it is called.

The kids waded in the water a bit before deciding to play on the actual playground. After running around like chickens with their heads cut off at the playground, the kids wanted to go back to the water.

Back to the water we go and sploosh in the water we play. Cold and wet. Did I say cold? I would know because I put my feet in it for about 2 seconds. Um, yeah. COLD. By the time we left at 4:30, the girls were soaked from the waist down and the boys were soaked from head to toe. Fun times. Yeah, Tucker rode home completely naked...and liked it.

All in all, the park was the best thing we could have done today.

Read on little ones...read on

One of my most favorite things to see is my boys looking at books. I want them to love reading so much more than I do. It's always been a chore for me, no matter what the book. My girls, unfortunately were not "trained" to love books so they don't. Basically they just read what they have to read for school and that is it. My boys however are really into books right now and I really hope to develop that love even deeper.

I try and read books to them for bed and if I can't make it then one of the girls is usually glad to step in and read to them. Reading is the boys favorite part of the bedtime routine. They get so into the books we are reading, it makes me feel very bad for not pushing it for the girls too...one of those life long mother guilt issues.

Sigh.

Call me Uncle Brett...

I stand amazed at the things my children think and do. The magnificence of their minds amaze me. The way they put things together and the way they think it amazes me and yet amuses me even more.

As I am standing washing dishes all of the kids are playing out back. I love my house because I can see the back yard from any room at the back of the house. So I am washing away and the kids are playing away. Running in and out. Grabbing GF muffins. Chasing the cat back into the house. You know, doing all of the things that kids do.

So Micah walks in the back door into the kitchen and says "hi mom." Apparently I am "mom" now and now momma or mommy. Saddens me but not the point. I reply "hi babe." Micah grabs a muffin and heads back out the door. Stops at the door and turns around and says "mom, you can call me Uncle Brett if you want."

Now we all know that "babe" is Aunt Timmie's term of endearment for Uncle Brett and this became quite the argument after our month long stay at their house this past summer. I would call Micah babe and he would say "I'm not babe. I'm Micah."

So, now as he is walking back out of door, I call out to him in confusion. "You want me to call you Uncle Brett?" He then stops ever so nonchalantly turns around and says. "You can call me Uncle Brett if you want to." I reword my question. "You want me to call you babe?" His reply "No, you can call me Uncle Brett if you want to"

To which I smiled and amuzingly said "Hey! Uncle Brett." Micah says "what?" I say "Guess what?" To which he replys "I can't tell you." and runs out the door. (because he knows "I love you" is coming next. So I just called after him "I love you Uncle Brett".

Tell me there's not a little boy in this world who adores his Uncle Brett.

Easter Egg Hunt

Today was the annual Easter egg hunt at Peggy's house. Way out in the country. It was terribly fun and relaxing. I get no cell service out there so there were NO interuptions from anyone but especially from people that I do not feel like speaking with. The kids had a great time. All four of my kids were there but all total there were 17 kids.

They ran around the house gathering eggs as quick as they could. Of course the bigger kids were collecting as many as they could but my children were especially fun and made me proud. Tucker (2) collected 5 eggs and that was with mommy's help. Micah (3) ran around collecting as fast as he could but stopped when his bucket was filled. Both boys sat down on the porch step to find out what was in their eggs. They were proud and very happy. Grace (11) was late so she was the last one to hunt but still managed to get a bucket full. Ryane (12) who I am the MOST proud of, gave up her right to hunt for eggs and helped another little girl (2) hunt for eggs. Ryane just really made her mom proud today. Each one of the kids found at least one surprise egg and the surprise turned out to be a $3.00 gift certificate to DQ. On the way home I told Ryane that I was so proud of her and that I was going to take her to DQ for what she did helping the little girl. She was pretty pleased about that.

We were the last family to leave and I almost had to force myself to leave. It was so calm and peaceful out there. Just a quiet, relaxing day in the country. When we were finally trying to get to the car I had my arms full of different things that Peggy had sent home with me. Her grandson, Zach, laughed at me and said "You came with one arm load and you are leaving with a bunch more." I turned around and smiled at him and quoted "Give and it shall be given unto you..." That in itself was great to be able to do but as I got in the car I really thought about it. I went to Peggy's with a tray of 1 dozen deviled eggs. I came home with 3 1/2 dozen fresh farm eggs. I went with 1 bag of candy filled eggs. I came home with 1 bag of candy, 1 bucket full of candy filled eggs, cookies and cupcakes, that Ryane took to her friends house, a bowl of fresh cooked collard greens, a big bag of plastic eggs for next year and a heart filled with the love of good friends.

God truly is good to me.

Grace's 11th Birthday Party

Grace's birthday was Wednesday so on Thursday she had a sleepover. To my surprise all of the girls were asleep by 1am. Most of them dropped off by 11:30. Surprised yes but glad because I was able to get a little sleep.


She got money, makeup, minutes for her phone and a toy that Tucker used to wound his nose with. :) Oh and everything was neon green, her fav. color.


Things of course were a little rushed because this was the same day that my mom totalled her van. Where I was supposed to come home from my lunch date and get the party together I went from my lunch date to the e.r. where I stayed until I knew mom was ok and the girls got home from school. Unfortunately mom had to stay till 5 but I left at 3.

Grace had invited about 9 girls over for her sleepover, and had 6 show up. Yeesh! Six was plenty!!! The little blonde that Grace is hugging...loud enough to be 3 girls. Looks like a mouse but roars like a lion. All in all they had a great time. Blessed on all counts this day!

JePardy

My son watches entirely too much wrestling. Only those who actually watch it will understand this picture. Oh, and JePardy really means Jeff Hardy.

This pic is on here just because it made me laugh out loud.

Happy 11th Birthday Baby!!!