Christmas fun!

Thanksgiving was a blast with all of the family together again. I can only imagine the chaos and immense fun we should have if our cousins' cousins(the Womacks), and all of their spouses and offspring would come back for a holiday. We made great memories all through our childhood, raising raucous and running wild. It was a blessing to grow up and share life with a brood of cousins. As it were, we had 26 of us, nicely settled into Papaw's heated shop for the meal and loud fellowship. It seems I am able to eat much less than I did in my youth. Kind of sad really with all of that stuffing and potatoes just begging to be mowed down. The weather was a balmy mid 40s as far out as the forecast would go, until it dropped to -16. That didn't slow Audrey down one bit. The girl LOVES to go. She toddled around the yard with Sam by her side, digging in dirt and mud, swiping at the massive piles of snow atop every object left out, climbing through barbed wire fences and sauntering half way across the horse pasture while on my "watch". She is a fearless adventurer, even when the boys poop out and bag the snow for TV time. A week at home isn't enough time to see all of the people I would like to see and get quality time with precious friends and family. I suppose it is a good thing; We love and are loved by many incredible people.



Shortly upon returning from MT, we ventured out in the bitter, bitter, cold to cut down a tree. That was less fun than we make it out to be. I mean, it is a better tradition than buying one off a lot or inserting the branches on the fakey we have in storage but man was it COLD. We quickly picked a tree that was "good enough", lopped it off and hauled out of there. Nearly all of the bagillion lights we purchased last year were half dead this year, making me even more sure that they sell us garbage on purpose so they can get us to buy them again each year. I strung about one sixth the amount of lights on it this year and I am sure I will be thanking myself when I tear it all down.
The kids are old enough and just interested enough to help out and they did a nice job hanging the ornaments as far as they could reach. I also sprung for technicolor baby trees for the rooms and there is glitter everywhere one can imagine.

A friend from our small group at church does photography on the side, and caught some super snap shots of our family. I will share some with you now :)

Audrey, the wild card

Audrey is a riot. She is obviously very smart, she is also strong willed(which I am certain came from Bing), she loves to read, dance and color. She also loves shoes, so that is cool.

She has begun crossing her arms with a stern look and turning away when asked to perform some task, very naughty, very naughty indeed. She will learn quickly that that don't fly. Like her brothers, she is very sensitive to reprimands and discipline. I find this to be a good deal. The more sensitive, the more they hate it and respond in the positive with changed behavior. I will not write a book on this because I am no authority on the matter, these are just observations of MY children. I will say, we offer our kids GOBS of positive feedback, kudos for behavior that is beautiful, wonderful, and uplifting. We reinforce the good behavior mightily and I think that helps them to choose good over the naughty.


Playing with Auntie Reese's pretty while observing the "getting ready ritual"


Attitude? What attitude?

Grammie and all her baby-babies during the family visit my sisters talked a bit about here, and here.


Coloring has yet to be limited to just.the.paper. despite reprimands and showing what is right and what isn't, she likes to color herself. As long as it ends in childhood and she doesn't become some mohawked, tatooted Miley Cirus we'll be good.


Looking kinda "Miley" here. Keep your shirt on girl!!

Sometimes she goes missing. When this happens I first check the boy's room as she is usually reading. Sometimes she is downstairs playing with toys but usually reading.
I am not amused mom.

Jetty-boo Birthday Boy

Jetty's birthday was lumped in with Mad's simply because we were in Montana with the cousins and so we celebrated them together, with all of their favorite people…save the grandparents.
So, we made a point to make his day special back here at the homestead

He will have to choose between Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle and Iron Man for Halloween, so far the nun chucks have been a real hit so I can guess which way he is leaning.


If you know Jetty, you know that cookies are his favorite thing of all time. I had arranged, in a pile, packaged cookies of all sorts and he was well pleased, as evidenced by the little grin on his face. *Disclaimer:we are still working through the cookies, there was not free rein just because of his birthday.


Here he was caught in the act of sharing…ONE mini cookie! Haha!

Preschool Rocks!!

Mad's school had a field trip out to Walter's Fruit Ranch in Green Bluff Acres, WA. Naturally, we brought the whole family for some apple pickin', pumpkin plucking, tractor riding fun. They educated the kids on pollination, bees, tree grafting, cider pressing and then some. I actually learned quite a bit myself, like: it takes 50 leaves to produce an apple. I had never even thought about the leaves affecting the fruit!




Maddox and Audrey both picked honey crisp apples while Jetty opted for a tart variety…seems fitting.

Mad and class learning about the composition of apples and seeds

Audrey and Jetty on two separate occasions went to Ms. Betsy and either sauntered along side to hold her hand or asked her to hold them. So funny, they take to friendly, happy people. I pray now, that Bing and I can teach discernment and whom to trust.

Jet went in for the hand-hold

Audrey schmoozing Ms. Betsy

The class. "Lo" is in Ms. Betsy's lap and is "one of Mad's girlfriends"



What I deal with these days. Silly faces have overtaken my house along with constant talk of farts and boogers and naughty things they have picked up from "The Sandlot". I should have known better.

Jetty dialogues with us daily on his bathroom habits, claiming that he peed in the toilet yesterday so it is time for him to go to school. He is not familiar with 100% compliance. He also makes daily requests for baseball, golf, swimming rolling ball and play games. He is very matter of fact about these requests and is much like Maddox who will ask for the world with every belief that you will give it to him. Maddox is shaping up to be a great negotiator, as he doesn't settle for a "no" rather pressing for a commitment of a later date.
I grow more and more gaga for my kids with each passing day. The more we pray for them and work at shaping them into young people of character and integrity, with a strong moral foundation, who encourage and lift up those around them, the more my heart gives way to their sweet spirits. We are abundantly blessed and my heart is bursting with gratitude.

Maddox: His final year of preschool

Maddox started a new preschool this year. It is closer to home, more days and hours than the previous, much smaller class and more structured teaching. His first school was decent, but it was a new program for them and I think more chaotic than his current class. There were 16-18 kids in his last class with a teacher and an aid, both older gals. His new class has 9 kids with Miss Betsy who is mid twenties, totally laid back, and gracious. Her room is adorable and she posts her lesson plan for each week outside her room, communicates regularly what is coming up and texts me with reminders and pictures! She also came for a home visit before school ever started, to meet the kids on their turf, prep the parents with loads of information and make herself familiar before having the kids thrown into her class… still, one girl cried the whole first day :)

Bing took cupcakes, an ENORMOUS mylar balloon, a candle and juice pouches for Maddox's birthday. Miss Betsy gave Mad a crown, lit the candle, and did the whole bit with treats, and balloon, and birthday song which I would never have asked her to do. But she did it all AND took a bunch of pics and sent them to me after class. I just thought it was above and beyond. Maddox thoroughly enjoyed back to school shopping and all that it entailed. We made it a date of mom, dad, and Maddox picking out various Angry Birds, Avengers and Spiderman gear, silly smelling highlighters and pencil grips. The kid was so stoked about his new clothes that he insisted on wearing a sweatshirt and jeans one 85 degree day…insisted. Jetty is bummed that he doesn't get to go to school. It is a daily conversation about potty training and making the decision to stop pooping himself so that we can put him into preschool. So, we started gymnastics instead. It is perfect for the Jetster, who climbs and jumps off of everything imaginable, somersaults and flippy-do's and general flibberty-gibbertness. He just wiggles. It is only one hour each week but they have an open gym we will have to attend to allow him an outlet. Maddox goes also, as it is on his off day of school and he is the only one in his age group so he gets a private lesson until someone else joins! My son "Flash" (look closely at the green mat in the foam pit)

From 2013-09-09

Wacky Wall walkers
Jetty-pan
Hopefully I can get more pictures of Jetty doing his thing. The littler guys go into a separate room that I can view on video feed, not ideal for photographing.
Audrey would like to get in on the action too, but the schedules conflict and I am not that ambitious yet.

The joy of my morning

Audrey is so spunky and fun. We get to be girly-girls together. Her favorite thing right now is to find someone else's underwear and put them on, either around her knees, or her neck. Other people's shoes also hold enormous appeal. She is very proud when she is sporting her accessories:)

This morning we painted her fingers to match mine and she is walking around flashing her fingers at all the men in the house. I also got her a tiny, little, sparkly bracelet so she is feeling fiiiine. 

 

Kid stuff

Well…I have obviously been busy. Doing just about anything but blogging.
The munchkins are all at active stages and leave little downtime so, my projects, my 13 books, the internet, quality time with Bing, grocery shopping and errands all get interspersed into that time.

We have been back and forth to Montana, Washington, Oregon and then done it all again in the last few months taking in conferences, dinner groups, business meetings and a wedding. Boy do we have fun!

Maddox is just finishing up his first season of t-ball and considering what a natural he is, he has very little interest in the game. Tonight he informed us that he did not want to go to the game because he wanted to go fishing…which he has never done. Despite that, he hit all three of his turns from a pitch and the first one at that. His last at bat, he hit the coach dead on.


Until today, Maddox has spent the whole game kicking dirt, filling his glove with dirt, laying down, spinning, talking to anyone nearby, and high-fiving the other team as they come into first base. Pretty cute stuff.

story time

catch the what????

When is it my turn again?

Batter up

Like a boss

Not one to be left out
I want to play too :(

"Give me a high five"! "Maddox, field the ball"!

Suckers to keep her occupied
Sometimes it is hard to remember, they are all on the same team. A victory dance ensued, from the one who ended up with the ball. HA!

Jetty is wanting to do everything that Maddox is doing, but the two year lag and his lack of potty training is putting a damper on things. Fortunately, there is a playground and some buddies for him to play with. I will have to get him in some activities all his own…my sweet little buddy.