~Funnies, Stories, and Thinking~

Just a couple little stories I want to remember...your welcome to read and enjoy them too!

Eric was eating italian ice after his tonsil surgery and proclaimed we need to take some to eat at the parking lot?!?!??! I was truly confused. Eventually I realized he was talking about the playground or "park"!

There is just something funny about seeing my boys play "Duck Duck Goose." I love seeing the big ones chase the little ones and not catch them. I love how they pound on each others heads. I love how half way through the game the little ones walk away and the big boys turn it into an all out game of "Trip and Tackle the Duck and Goose!"

I haven't yet started Nathan potty training. I never had much luck until they were at least 2 1/2 so I continue to change those nasty diapers. He is teething so they are really a mess at times. That is the only time I recall saying the word "nasty" to Nathan...One night I served broccoli in with mixed veggies. Nathan took one bite and said "Nasty!" complete with facial expressions...the boys and I couldn't help but laugh out loud. I didn't even know he knew the word!

I love bed time. Unfortunatly it is not for snuggling or reading with the boys...I love getting them all to bed and enjoying a quiet house for a little while. We hand out the usual good-nights and sometimes a kiss on the forehead and an "I love you!" Jared has started adding to his nightly routine..."Mom, I really, really mean it when I say I love you" or "Goodnight Mom, I love you...and I really mean it too!" Tonight it made me think. Does he know I really, really mean it when I tell him I love him? I'll have to tell him as soon as I see him in the morning!

This one isn't really a story...but I want to remember it! Jordan has been such a joy with the puppies. He really, truly does everything for them. He cleans up their messes (yes, the yucky stuff), takes them out, plays with them, and loves them. It is neat to see him try to train them. He faithfully gets up to take them out before I'm even up. It is so fun watching him become a young man.

On another note...We watched Facing the Giants twice this week. There was one thing that stood out to me both times. At the very end Coach said...God I am so overhwhelmed. He was so thankful for all the Lord had done in and for and through him. I think I ought to be more overwhelmed. I have so much to be thankful for and take it all for granted. My thank you for this, and thank you for that prayers don't really cut it. If I really am thankful, I'd be overwhelmed...If I were overwhelmed, I'd serve with a little more passion. If I served with a little more passion...I'd know that there is nothing impossible for God! (If you haven't watched the move...this is the theme)

~Trying Something New~

I have never knit before and have only croched a long line once or twice. I decided this year I would like to learn how. I love those handmade dishcloths and thought they would be fun to make. I spend a lot of time listening to boys read and do math right now and handwork is something I can do to keep myself from getting ansy while they work.

Here is my first project...nothing much is it!?!??! I cast on, knit, pearl, stockinette, seed stitch, and cast off. I started twice before this piece...

Not too bad. It did take a little longer than I thought...How long will it take to do a whole dish cloth!?!?!? I am hoping to complete one by this time next week! Here is my yarn all ready to go!

~My Birthday~

After our Valentine Swap Saturday morning...we started with my birthday!

The boys showered me with cards and gifts. I was given some very special cards and homemade gifts from a few of the boys. Awe! They were so pleased to give me something. They also stuck some treats in the cards for me! They didn't even just give me candy...they gave me their best candy. Awe!!

It is not easy finding birthday fun in the winter but they decided to take me bowling! We had a really fun time. I love being able to use the bumpers!!!

Next came lunch. We went to a place with a GREAT salad bar...we ate as much as we could and took the meals home for supper!!!

We ended Valentines week on Sunday by watching Fireproof. That was a real treat! Thankfully, my boys have never been in a home where the marriage relationship was so violent. They were surprised that people would treat each other that way. I am so thankful for my husband!!!

It was truly a "happy" birthday!

~Wrapping up Valentine's Week~

What a busy ending to our week! Here are the details...

Friday Eric got his all clear from the doc! His throat healed nicely and he is free to eat as he pleases! Friday night our church watched the children while the adults went out. We went with a group to a Japanese place...yum! They cooked on the grill right in front of us!

Saturday started with Valentines all around! The boys were so anxious to give their gifts! I was really impressed that no one complained about what they received:-)

Jordan received a snowglobe from Aaron...

Jared received a lollypop bouquet from Nathan...Aaron received a pillow from Eric...

Eric received a boat from Jared...
Nathan received a book from Jordan...

I gave each of my boys (biggest one too!) a Dark Chocolate candy bar wrapped in a valentine love note:-) The idea came from here (including template!).

It was a really fun week but I must admit ~ I'm a little overdone on all the sweets!

~Happy Birthday Nathan~

Here is my sweet little two year old! He is really into trains right now so we just went with that theme! I made him a train cake and we got him a train set.

Since he couldn't tell me what he wanted for supper, the boys chose cheesesteaks. I added some applesauce. As you can see I had a very happy little man:-)

~More Valentines~

We had a few bumps in the road today, but continued our scheduled activities. You know, bumps like cranky toddlers that see you playing with candy that they can't eat, or dogs that come flying through the house caked in mud, or boys that just want to be outside:-)

I stole about fifteen minutes from our after lunch routine to make this cute garland for over my kitchen sink. I cut hearts out of food boxes and tied them togther...waffles, cerael, cerael bars, noodles, rice...anything with red. I think they look cute. The boys think I hung up the trash:-)

Thanks to Diane for telling me about one pretty thing! Love all those ideas!!! This was found somewhere on their site...can't remember where it originated.

The other activity I had planned for the day was some type of game with the "Conversation Hearts." I came up with this...

Each boy got to choose a heart and read it. We had to come up with what God would say if he was giving us a heart instead of what man says. Since God is love, and we wouldn't know love without him, and the greatest gift was from Him, I thought this a good thing to think about! They were allowed to eat their heart and tape up the paper one as we thought of sayings.

They were a little slow in getting started but here are our hearts taped to the back door...

I wrote the saying small on the top and our change big across the middle...like this...

Here are some of the things we came up with...

melt my heart....be a man after my heart

let's kiss...stay pure

got love...I am love

miss you...I stand a the door and knock

yum, yum...taste and see that the Lord is good

my baby...you are fearfully and wonderfully made

sweet talk...keep your tongue from evil

call me...pray without ceasing

let's talk...read and pray

Here are two we got stuck on...any ideas?!?!!?

be mine...

heart of gold...

To be totally honest this little game was very encouraging and convicting for me. I was encouraged with how much God loves me and how many ways he shows that love. I was convicted that I don't take time to read all those wonderful reminders in His Word. They are right there, on the shelf beside me all day long...not helping me at all. I don't bother to think on them either...I've got so many other things to think about.

I think these hearts taped to my back door are a good reminder...more for me than my boys! Isn't that always the way it goes!

~Valentine Week Update~

We are moving right along with our celebrations this week!

Monday we read this book about Saint Valentine...

Then I told the boys our Valentine plan...the five boys would swap names and make one card with candy (something from their stash!) and make a gift for their brother. We could not buy anything but they could use whatever we had. They really took off with their ideas! Two are done and the others are working diligently. This is the first time I've done this and I think we will make it a tradition! Here is a photo of Jordan and Jared working on their gifts....

Tuesday I made Jordan really happy by telling him he could skip math if he made cupcakes! I rarely let anyone skip math...it seems to be our downfall for getting done on time! He chose Blackbottom cupcakes...yum! We added some little heart sprinkles to the top...

When I was thinking about supper, I realized this would be the best night for my heart theme! I made heart-shaped pepperoni heart-shaped pizza...

And cut the cranberry sauce into hearts...



I am really enjoying spreading the love throughout the week!

~Getting Ready for Valentines~

I really like to celebrate Valentine's Day with my boys. I haven't always done it, but I love their sheepish looks when I give them fun treats for lots of love:-) They know if I ask them "Will you be my Valentine?" they answer "yes" and get a treat...I get a good number of hugs and kisses this way! I am hoping their wives thank me someday!



Here is my list for this week...I have a class Tuesday night, we have two birthdays, a date night and a dr appointment to fit in this week so we needed to make it a little on the simple side:-)



Monday - read a book about Saint Valentine and write some of our own valentines
Tuesday - make red cupcakes with white icing and heart sprinkles
Wednesday - play some type of game with the conversation hearts
Thursday - Make Nathan's birthday cake...a train cake with lots of hearts
Friday - Nathan's birthday (2 yrs old) & Date night!!!! ~ Martha had this idea...Use her template to print a wrapper for a candy bar. Write a little love note on the inside and rewrap the bar.
Saturday - My birthday(hint, hint:-) I'll let the guys take over!

Although I'll run out of time just trying to accomplish these things, I'd like to make some kind of garland. I'll be searching blogland for some ideas!

~Look at me, No more tonsils!~

Another January update...almost caught up!

Eric has been struggling with extra large tonsils for the past year. We prayed and tried several things to help them but they were just super big. Every cold turned into a big event.

Before his ride in his "train bed"

This was our first experience with one of our children having surgery. My mommy heart just about broke when I saw him curled up and wimpering in the recovery area. It was so nice to be able to hold him as he slept an additional hour or more. We ended up staying a bit longer than we thought but thankfully we were able to go home the same day.

Eric did very well and is recovering nicely. I am hoping his picky eating and poor sleeping habits get back to normal after he is off all the medication.

~Enjoying the Winter Weather~

We have had a crazy January and it will take more than one post to catch you up on all the happenings. We did manage to take the boys sledding at a nearby park. The hill was much more fun than our driveway!

I had wanted to study snowflakes during January but it was really hit or miss. We finally got around to reading Snowflake Bently and all kinds of other snow themed books. Today we took some time to make paper snowflakes. The boys were reluctant at first, but when they figured out what to do they had fun and did a great job. They even made some extra ones after supper! I threw in a few snowflake hearts since it is almost Valentine's Day! These are sewn together so they spin with the air movement. It brings a smile on a day of sadness...did you hear we are in for six more weeks of winter:-(