Best Little Buds...

 

Our two little boys are the best of pals! 

Dearest friends through thick and thin.

There are a thousand pairs of grand duos who have made everlasting impression on our minds

...and the rascally boys that call me mom have already left their mark! 

The older one adores his tiny shadow. 

The younger one stands in awe of his all-knowing brother.

Two peas in a pod.

Without hesitation, the eldest shares his beloved keepsake with his younger sibling. 

Every little cry sheds concern on the older one's heart.

Where there is one you'll surely find the other. 

Outdoor play with trucks and tractors extends down the drive.

Knees on pavement. Palms cradling their prized toys.

Feet bare as the summer heat abounds.

As I watch these two darken their knees and feet from the crumbling pavement,

they softly mumble "voom, voom".

 

I can't help but to embrace this moment.

These two melt my heart.

They are the best of friends.

 

 

One In Every Crowd...

Need I say more.

The other day, I caught Levi exploring his sweet little baby nostril with his chubby little finger.  Being the highly responsible parent that I am, I quickly shared my motherly words of wisdom...

 

Levi, Get your finger out of your nose!  That's yucky, Levi!  We don't do that!

 

Logan, being the best big brother ever made, quickly jumped in and declared...

 

Dat's okay, mommy.  I do dat all the time! 

 

And then, walks away ever-so nonchalantly.

 

Well, who's to argue.  

13 Years Ago...

This crazy journey all began 13 years ago with a simple I do. 

Two little words that changed my life forever.
 

  It was one of those anything but ordinary days. 

 

Keys locked in cars. 

 

Traffic tickets.

 

Band-aids.

 

Odd songs being played by DJs.

 

Flights nearly missed.

 

The list goes on.

 

But we made it, and...

 

If anyone would've told me that this is where we'd be in 13 years, I never would've believed them...

 

Living on a farm as a family of five.

 

There's been ups, and there's been downs.

 

We've seen each other through thick and thin.

 

The blessings are too numerous to count.

 

By the grace of God, three little special beings joined us on this amazing journey!

  

I could not imagine my life any other way!  

 

Here's to the next 13 20 50 100 years! 

 

And...

 

I'll leave you with the one single image...

 

The one single image that always flashes through my mind whenever I think about our wedding day.

 

I can't recall the occasion, but shortly after our wedding I received a gift from one of my "new" relatives.  Excited to open the shiny present, I eagerly tossed aside the wrapping paper and revealed a lovely picture frame.  At that point, I became a bit nervous by the chuckling and snickering made by the bearer of this wonderful gift.  As I turned over the frame, I saw the world's most unflattering wedding photo...EVER!  It was snapped by a relative who shall remain nameless for the time being.

Lovely, huh?!

 

This photo has been in hiding...until now. 

 

There. Are. No. Words.

 

Not sure what that cake did to me, but if looks could kill, that would be one flattened cake!

 

So my advice to all future brides, ALWAYS smile on your wedding day....throughout the entire day...for you never know when images like this might emerge.

 

Or just elope to a far off cave with no lighting whatsoever to avoid scenarios like the one above.

 

And this, y'all, is why I avoid being in front of a camera! 

 

Happy Anniversary, Honey!

 

 

How 'Bout A Little Crow...

One of the amazing and wonderful aspects of children is their honesty.  They're so innocent and true.  They speak from the heart.  Feelings pour out like water.  They never hold back nor do they ever take one moment for granted.

Let me backtrack for just second (or two).  Our wee little man is quickly approaching his 2nd birthday...oh my!  As this day draws closer, I am reminded of when he was born.

 

Photo courtesy of my father-in-law. Cameras and I were not acquainted at this point!

 

The above photo might be the sweetest image EVER!  At least for this mama!  It's one of my absolute favorites!!  It also might be the only time when all three of the kiddos actually sat together without much movement and chaos!  A treasured moment for sure! 

 

Well, let me point out to you that little Logan was merely 23 months when Levi was born.  Close to the age that Levi is now!  This is crazy to me, y'all!  Logan seemed so big when Levi made his presence, yet Levi (almost the same age as Logan in the above photo) still seems like a little baby..to me, anyway!  And look at Merisa!  She'll be entering the double-digits soon!  Oh. My! 

 

Okay, my intent was not for a flashback or reflecting on sweet little babies that are growing up too quickly.  That's for another post! 

 

So point in hand...back to the present.

 

Whenever, Logan gets upset at the bebe for knocking over his extravagant tower that he spent forever building, I tell Logan "Don't get mad.  Levi didn't know any better. He's just a baby!" 

 

When Levi rips a page out of one of Logan's favorite books, I explain to Logan "Don't get mad.  He didn't know any better.  He's just a BABY!"

 

The countless times when Levi steals Logan's tractors or destroys his newly built train track, I remind Logan "Don't get mad.  He didn't know any better. He's just a BABY!"

 

So yesterday as I was putting Merisa's hair up in curlers as we often do, Levi came over to observe.  He began helping me by dipping the comb I was using into a cup of water.  Well, if it kept him entertained, then so be it.  Levi was having a blast to say the least!  Who knew cup of water and a comb could be so entertaining?! 

 

Then, the light bulb went on inside Levi's head.  What do the big people do with cups?  They drink out of them, of course!  So the little man tipped the cup to his face.  Not realizing the sudden gush of water that was about to enter his mouth, he became startled and dropped the cup of water!  The water poured in every direction landing all over the table, the chair in which he was sitting, and finally, coming to a stop on the floor.

 

I, fumbling as I debated about letting go of a curl that I had been wrapping or saving the day by quickly jumping to my feet and soaking up the water with a nearby blanket , declared "Oh, LEVI!  What did you do?!"

 

As I stumbled to clean up the mess, I heard the familiar words echo from the other children.

 

Merisa declared, "But mama, he's just a BABY!"

 

And Logan explained, "Mommy, don't get mad at Levi!  He's just a BABY!  He didn't know!"

 

 How's that for a little crow?! 

 

*Kids!  They sure know how to keep me in check!  Love their honesty!  As stated by the empowering Wiki-pedia, "Eating crow is an American colloquial idiom, meaning humiliation by admitting wrongness or having been proved wrong after taking a strong position."

Those Two Little Words...

Seriously, I must have fallen off the blogging bandwagon.  Not intentionally, but more so due to the fact that I have no idea where time has gone...or where it is going!  Someone please grab hold of father time's horses and slow them down 'cause this girl can't keep up! 

And since my Project Life album has become a mere figment of my imagination, I want to pick up on blogging our everyday life.  Ya know, that way the kids will have some solid concrete evidence to use against me one day....and I know they will 'cause that's what I would do! 

In current news, Levi has learned a new word and is even using it correctly.  Pure genius, I say!  What is this magical word you ask?  Well, "uh-oh", of course.  Granted, this may be more of a phrase than a word, but who's calling the grammar police? 

So give me a moment, and I'll share with you a few instances where he's shared this new means of communicating with the rest of the world.

1.  Levi is currently learning to point to various facial features when prompted by a word like this...

Levi, where's your eye?

He quickly points to his eye (which almost results in a trip to the ER seeing how he practically wedges his chubby little finger all the way through to his optic nerve). 

Levi, where's your ear?

He furrows his brow thinking "Man, that one's tricky."  Then, he giggles and grabs his entire ear...and hair.

Levi, where's your nose?

To which he gladly responds by touching the tip of his nose. His finger slowly gravitates towards the middle of his nose where it lands oh so nicely inside a nostril.  Once there for a moment, he gently removes his finger from said nostril and eagerly declares while staring at the tip of his finger...

"UH-OH"

Yep, there's a bit of problem, son.


2. While on the phone (and I'm sure the phone call was quite important as it always sometimes is), I notice our youngest has managed to remove both his pants and diaper.  Of course, he thinks this is the way life should be lived and decides he must prance around the house all the while squealing at the top of his lungs.  Me, being the best mommy to ever live, laughs with amusement 'cause nothing cuter than a squealing neckid baby.

Remember, I am on the phone so I'm trying to stay poised and calm so the person on the other end doesn't think I'm a complete lunatic.  (And hopefully, they don't read this blog for my cover may be blown.)

As he runs from room to room with pure joy, I decide that it's best to end my phone conversation and capture the little one before anything happens.  All of the sudden, I hear a sweet little voice utter the infamous words...
"UH-OH"!  Knowing that he's standing in the bathroom, my mind begins to frantically wonder about the countless possibilities as to why he'd say "uh-oh."  As I approached the said toddler, I see him staring down at the floor. 

Once again, he squeals as the words "uh-oh" roll off his lips.  He looks up at me with a slight smirk as if to say "I'm the cutest baby to ever live!  I'd never do anything wrong!". 

I look down at the floor where he'd been standing, and sure enough, he relieved himself...without wearing a diaper...AGAIN!   Yep, I'd say "UH-OH", too!

3.  And lastly...at least, I can say he truly understands the meaning of the word (or phrase)...UH-OH!  Now the question remains as to what his next word should be.  Suggestions are welcomed...and encouraged!

Not What We Were Expecting...

As the holidays quickly approached, we were all quite excited...especially those who attend school.  Two weeks at home with no where to be (minus the Christmas gatherings, of course) seemed like a lifetime.  I'm not sure who was more excited...the student, the teacher, or the stay-at-home mama! 

So the first day of break began with the mister having a bit of a "cold"...or so we thought.  We made it to two of our mere SEVEN gatherings before we knew that this little "cold" was anything but. As the kids grew ever-excited about the approaching visit from that fluffy little man with a white beard and red coat, something was growing in our house...and it wasn't going to be pretty!

Christmas morning came and was welcomed by fevers and chills.  The bouncy little children full of happiness and delight were merely a figment of our imagination.  Visions of Tylenol and Motrin were now dancing in our heads. 

The flu is a beautiful entity (insert sarcasm here).  One that we were able to share as a family.  Those who get sick together, stay together...which mostly happens 'cause no one wants within ten feet of those ailing bodies! 

We were a truly wonderful sight, y'all!

As a youngin' and I were cared for by the mister, the other two kiddos were whisked away in order to be quarantined from this wretched virus.  The youngest did manage catch the flu in his own unique way, which was truly a blessing.  No fever for him...just A LOT of sleeping and feeling yucky.

So most of the much-awaited gifts from Santa remained unopened and under the tree on Christmas day.  Our daughter was able to unwrap her gifts before she and her brother were moved into quarantine.  It was a nice (and brief) moment that we shared with her...one-on-one.


 

A few days after Christmas, Logan was finally feeling a bit better. Poor kid...look at his bloodshot eyes thanks to the wonderful fever!


 

And as I took down the Christmas decorations this past week (hey, at least they came down before APRIL!), Logan became quite upset.  He was/is convinced that Christmas hasn't come yet...that jolly ol' Saint Nick has yet to make an appearance...that baby Jesus hasn't had his birthday.  Yep, the little guy missed it all.

 

Thankfully, we were able to share some of "Logan's Christmas" with our daughter while she was kept away from the sickies...thanks to a handy little device.  One reason to love technology!

 

FINALLY...after being separated for what seems like a lifetime, Levi returned home!  We were able to celebrate with the little man and enjoy our time together about a week after the nasty bug hit our home!

 

It may be difficult to imagine, but catching this illness was a blessing in disguise.  We were able to share Christmas with each of our children during their own special time.  It wasn't a one-day Christmas event as a family, but rather an extended week of holiday cheer and togetherness.  Each child got to have a little individual time with us as we cherished the moment.  No, it wasn't perfect, but it was special.

Needless to say, we did not make it to our SEVEN Christmas gatherings.  Instead, we were able to spend some quality (and some not so pretty) time together as a family.  The vacation from school and work may not have gone as planned, but no one can say that it wasn't memorable!  It will truly be the Christmas to remember. 

I am quite thankful to say that we all made it through the illness with flying colors.  We have our health, our love, and our togetherness.  What more could we ask for?  Granted, there were moments when I was extremely nervous as I watched a little boy's temperature soar to 103+.  As the flu took hold of his body, he laid motionless on the couch for 24 hours, which was SO not him!  It can be quite scary when little ones get sick.

As I reflect on the past two weeks (much of which is a dense, hazy fog), I am reminded about the true meaning of Christmas.

It's not about the gifts or having everything go as planned.  Nor is about capturing the perfect family image under the tree.  Christmas is remembering the gift of Jesus.  We are truly blessed!


The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. - Luke 1:35

Not In Kansas Anymore...

Look!  The corn doesn't stand a chance!

This past weekend the weather decided to take a drastic turn, which is completely normal around here.  For some reason, the temperatures warmed up quite a bit, but it wasn't as simple as that.  Oh, no!  With temperature changes we can expect crazy, wild, tornado-like winds...and I'm NOT exaggerating...too much, anyway. 

If you live in an area that is fortunate enough to have a tree or two or even a building of any size, be extremely thankful!  See, a "windy day" in the city is NOTHING compared to the tornadic activity caused by the wind gusts out here in the flat land!  Seriously, think F5 TORNADO that never ends!

From time to time, I'm pretty certain I've seen the Wicked Witch of West hover around our house followed by little voices singing "We welcome you to Munchkin Land."  I just need to find those ruby slippers!   (And right now as my husband reads this...if he does...he is falling off of his chair laughing hysterically as he reflects on the one time I rode my bike in his presence.  Enough said!)

*Note:  Please ignore the crude quality of the following pictures.  They were taken with my phone. Plus, I wasn't really thinking about composition...I was just going with the moment and enjoying the craziness!  And yes, I've been bitten by the photography bug so I cringe at the thought of posting these images.  Oh, well! 

Anyway, the weekend started off with a small tornado that hit inside of the house.  This is why I refrain from buying cereal.  Then, there's the issue of wanting a box of Lucky Charms with only marshmallow pieces.

When the wind came with a vengeance, we decided to go outside.  Okay, not really, but who could stay inside with warm spring-like temperatures?  So I tied cinder blocks to the kids' shoes, and we braved the elements.  No, I didn't really use cinder blocks.  I couldn't find any.

While outside trying to dodge wind speeds of 356 mph, the boys played like little boys...in the dirt.

Then, they ventured to bike riding.  I, on the other hand, didn't want the Wicked Witch theme music to fill the air so I decided not to join in the bike riding fun.

 Even little Levi got in on the action...although he's not big enough to reach the pedals.  And yes, the bike is pink.  Why buy a new bike when you already have one?  Paint can fix anything!

Trying to overcome the headwind while riding bikes became a daunting task.  So they decided toy cars and shopping carts would be a much better choice.

And if big brother thinks its entertaining, so should little brother.

Now the question remains...Did he fall over from the wind or did he just give up on fighting its mighty force?

And wouldn't ya know it?  The wind blew out our power for a bit...right at supper time!  Really?  What do you feed three hungry children that does not require heating?  PB & J...you might say.  Well, only 1/3 of our kiddos will even think about eating gooey sandwich!  The other 2/3 opted for Gold Fish crackers, of course! 

Thankfully, the power was restored before extreme hunger hit.  Although, it was a bit entertaining watching everyone fumble around in the dark.  Thank goodness for flashlights and candles! 

A New Form Of Body Art...

The adventures in 4-H continue...although this has nothing to do with 4-H and more to do with wonderful family time.  Beautiful, loving, memorable family time.

We traveled to the State Fair and decided to make a mini-family vacation out of the deal.  For some reason, our kids LOVE staying at hotels...aka: the "Big House."  Not sure why, but both the older children refer to hotels in the same manner.  I, for one, am not a fan of  "Big Houses".  Have you seen the documentaries?  Enough said.

At some point during our trip, a certain someone, who shall remain nameless, noticed my recent attempts to cover myself in a new form of body art.  I would venture into the tattooing world, but my ability to faint at a drop of a needle keeps me from doing so.  Instead, I decided that multiple bruises across every inch of my arms and legs was a much better option.  Sure, bruising probably hurts more than tattooing, but...okay, I've got nothing.

So the question arose..."How did you get so many bruises?"

Well, me being me...which is a saying that has always baffled me.  I mean, who else would I be other than myself.  Okay, I've always dreamt of becoming the next Mary Lou Retton, but alas, three children later, I'm thinking this might not be a possibility.  Alright, I knew my dream wasn't a reality a long time ago.  Ya know, it's the only time in my life when I've actually been too tall for something.  It's okay that I can't reach the top shelf in the cereal isle, but gymnastics...I'd be booed off the beam!

Back to my point...the origination of the bruising.  I responded to the question by stating the facts.

"Haven't you heard me walk through the house surrounded by a constant 'Ouch! UGH!  Crud.  My toe!  OUCH!  My toe!  Where did that come from?  OUCHHHHH!  I need a band-aid.  AHHHHHH!  Don't worry.  I'll be okay.'"

Yep, things have a tendency to jump out in front of me.  Seriously!  I live in a neverending maze of booby-traps.  So maybe I'm a bit lacking in the grace department...maybe.

Hoping for some sympathy, I listen for the response from the unnamed person.  Do you want to know what that was?  Of course you do.  Why else would you still be reading this.  Ready to be enlightened...

With a lot of care and loving support, I hear the following words echo through the room...

"So you walk like you DRIVE!"

Really? 

Guess I probably sat myself up for that one.


*Note:  The above photo showcases a sketch done by dear Merisa.  If I ever become brave, that butterfly is a tattoo I'd love to have!  Especially since it was drawn by our daughter.  Couldn't get any more special than that!

Finding The Silver Lining...

From the other room, I hear the infamous words "Bebe, did you poo-poo?"  That's my cue...a diaper needs changed.

As I home in on the bebe, I see the issue has been addressed by someone else, and I'm no longer needed.  I skip away pleased that I'm able to return to the never-ending chore of laundry.  Not that I'm ecstatic about the mountainous heap of clothing that accumulates on a daily basis, but when given the choice between tackling a squirmy, smelling, poopie baby or folding our laundry...I'll pick the latter.  Well, most of the time! 

Suddenly, familiar sounds stream in from the other room.

Ugh!  OHHHHH!  Yuck-ee, bebe bubba!  YUCK-EEE! 

This is followed by some shrilling and gasping.

The words repeat:  Ugh! OHHHHH! Yuck-ee, bebe bubba! YUCK-EEE! 

In response, the baby begins to laugh.  The laughter intensifies.  A nearby roaming child stops with concern, but is quickly amused by his father.  The giggling is contagious and fills the air.  Within moments, everyone is declaring the bebe is UCKK-EE, including the baby himself!  The screams are somewhere between those found while riding Expedition Everest at Disney World and watching America's Funniest Home Videos! 

As I listened, I almost became saddened that I missed out on this amusing event...almost!  Who knew changing a dirty diaper could be so fun!

I did, however, beam from ear to ear.  Their love for one another was quite evident...even through the smell of fresh poo.  He is a great father, and the kids adore him.  Sometimes parenting isn't always exciting and glorious, but my children's father seems to find the silver lining inside every box.  Or should I say diaper!   They are blessed.  I am blessed.

This is the family I never knew I wanted.  These are the children I never thought I'd have. 

These are the times to remember, and I hope I never forget.

God knew what He was doing when He joined these two hearts.

Sure do love these guys (and girl!)

Disclaimer:  The opening photo showcases the fog as it was rolling in the other night.  This fog was the result of high temperatures and humidity.  Ya know, like the Earth's own personal sauna kind of steam!

Family of Five Vacation #1...CONQUERED!

I'm a huge advocate of the MUST-TAKE-A-VACATION-EVERY-YEAR club!  Even if it's just a small hop to a nearby county, family vacations are a MUST around here.  Well, except for the years that involve something important...like, say...having a baby. 

See, I avoided all types of travel when I was carrying a little one.  Past pregnancy experiences = stay close to doctor at all times!

So when this year rolled around, I could barely wait for the last day of school.  I think I was more anxious for the end of the school year than the student and teacher living in this house were.  I've been counting down the days minutes seconds...to put it lightly! 

We wanted to test the waters before taking on LONG road trips.   So we planned a trip to the zoo and a little place known as Kalahari.  What?!  You haven't heard of KALAHARI!  How is that possible?  Google it.  You can thank me later.

The kids travelled amazingly well.  As for the parents...let me just say that my cruise control isn't working!  Driving down the highway for an extended period of time isn't extremely pleasant when the modern convenience of a vehicle maintaining a constant speed isn't available.  Enough said!

Anyway, the zoo was BEAUTIFUL!  Since we were able to vacation before most were out of school, we completely avoided the crowd.  In fact, I was a bit concerned that the zoo was closed since there was all of TEN cars in the parking lot!  An exaggeration...maybe...but you get the point!

As we've found out, Logan LOVES the zoo!  He's all nonstop "WOW! WOW! WOOOOOOOOW!"  Love two-year olds and their excitement with the world!

Yep...he was THRILLED by the coin donation spinning thingy! (Ok, I have NO idea what it's actually called!)

And there were these random animals hanging near the kiddie portion of the zoo.  Merisa and Logan enjoyed displaying their new "looks!"

Oh, these kids weren't prompted to do this!  I guess when you see a giant fish with it's mouth open...what else are you supposed to do?

As for the bebe, he just soaked it all up while enjoying some yummy snacks.  Oh, he also liked his stroller partner!

After the zoo, we left for Kalahari.  As we approached the outskirts of this MAMMOTH resort, Merisa was beyond ecstatic!  Just to fill you in on the magnitude of this place...I'm pretty sure it has it's own zip code. 

Anyway, it's quite enormous!  It's an all inclusive indoor/outdoor waterpark.  Next best thing to Disney!  Just ask Merisa!  Oh, Logan's now a big fan, too!

The kids (and us parents) ventured down countless waterslides, swam in the waves, and relaxed in the lazy river.  Yep, even Logan braved the waterslides!  Both the two older kids are daredevils.  Me, I like to make sure my feet are touching the earth at all times!  Sad, I know.

Here's the only Kalahari pic I found suitable for the internet.  You won't be seein' this mommy sportin' her water-wearin'-post-three-babies-body attire all over the world wide web.  No, sir!

I could go on and on, but I'm guessing I should stop for now.  Needless to say, we had an AMAZING vacation!  I LOVE venturing out as a family!  I feel so blessed!  Life is good!

How Did That Happen?

1.  Over the weekend, Matt and I went out on a little date!  I know...so not like us!  I felt incredibly neckid without the kiddos. Like being lost in a foreign land.  Anyway...as we were walking into the restaurant, we noticed how crowded it appeared to be.  Matt suggested that we might have to sit in the bar where it tends to have more readily available seating.  Immediately, I started fumbling through my purse and informed him that "I'll probably have to show my ID in order to get into the bar."  Without hesitation, Matt quickly responds "Don't flatter yourself."  What?  I don't look like I'm SIXTEEN anymore!  How did that happen?

2. This leads me to my next point.  As I was preparing for our date night, I spent an hour on my hair and another hour on my wardrobe.  I painted my nails and sprayed some perfume.  I looked ravishing!  Okay...that so DIDN'T happen!  I was happy to make it out of the house in clothes that weren't covered in baby puke.  I have no idea if my attire even matched!  Before we left, I did manage to pull back my hair, and to my dismay, I found strands that were GREY!  Much more than one or two!  How did that happen?

3.  As the end of the school year approaches, I'm filled with excitement and sadness.  It's bittersweet.  See, our little girl who was so eager to start "REAL" school (aka: elementary school) is now moving on to FOURTH GRADE!  Did you hear that...fourth grade, y'all!  How did that happen?

4.  End of the school year means a busy summer for this family.  Not only will we be running to and from every activity known to man, but all of our kiddos will be celebrating a birthday!  Yep, three summer birthdays.  I just can't believe they're all going to be another year older.  Weren't they just born?  To top it off, our littlest bebe will be turning ONE! O. N. E! How did that happen?

5. Once upon a time, I was a HUGE neat freak! I mean...it was BAD!  Seriously! The joke in college was that my future kids would be dressed in all WHITE and drink lemonade poured from a GLASS pitcher all the while sitting around a large, perfectly set table.  Back then, I'm pretty sure I drove people mad with my everything-has-to-be-clean-and-in-its-place-at-ALL-times problem.  Now, I laugh at the thought of buying white clothing and lean towards outfits that are dark in color.  We drink juice from a plastic container and our glassware is behind lock-and-key.  As for a perfectly set table, I hope mismatched plastic plates and silverware jammed into the center of the table count...otherwise, I've got nothin'!  How did that happen?

*Disclaimer:  I hope you can sense the sarcasm where it's intended.  I need to start tagging my sarcasm with a sarcastic smiley, but alas, I don't know how to do that! 

Flower Girl, Ring Bearer, and CANDY...

Whew...I haven't posted in 2 weeks!  How is that possible?  Where did the time go?  I have NO IDEA...so if you know, please share 'cause I'll never figure it out on my own! 

I will say that we've been B. U. S. Y.  I know...who hasn't?  It's fun to be crazy busy sometimes, and other times it's nice to take a break and chill...which is what I'm doing right now. 

Anywho, I'd like to say that I've been away from the computer and working like a mad man on my garden.  But alas, I have not.  My garden is just a patch of dying grass and dirt, but I'm hoping to get it started this weekend.  As for the computer, well...I've been editing away. 

I had the pleasure of playing photographer at a wedding this past weekend.  I was EXTREMELY worried about the whole thing...ya know, scared to death that I might miss THAT shot or have an image so blurry not even Photoshop could save it.  The pressure was on, indeed!

And my mom made this AMAZING cake!  It was just beautiful!  How is it that I am a TOTAL DISASTER in the kitchen when I was raised around such talent my entire life?  I just don't get it!

Oh, did I mention that my kiddos were a part of the wedding, too?  Of course, I didn't.  I haven't blogged in 2 WEEKS! 

Yep, Miss Merisa was a beautiful flower girl.  She's a pro after all...this is her second wedding.  She tag-teamed the flower girl spot last year at my brother-in-law's wedding.  I'm just hoping she won't be the actual bride for another 30+ years!  Wishful thinking?

As for Mr. Logan, he was supposed to be a ring bearer.  Did you catch that?  See...he told me while I was trying to dress him that he had other plans.  He reached into my holds-everything-that-a-kid-would-ever-need bag for his UTENSILS.  And, yes, I do carry child size utensils with me everywhere I go.  Like I said, the bag never ends!  Seriously.

Mr. Logan decided he was hungry. Being the amazing mother that I am, I looked into said bag for some snacks...'cause I ALWAYS have some extra food with me. 

Guess what this mother did?  Yep, I forgot to pack any snacks!  Really?!  Remember...I ALWAYS have snacks...but not this time.  Not the one time that it was hard to slip away and grab something for the kids to eat. 

Well, this little boy refused to do anything until I got him some food.  Luckily, after a half hour of searching, I did find some food.  He ate away, but I could tell he wasn't in the mood to cooperate.  My cousin bought him "special" shoes for the wedding, and my mom made him an adorable vest...all of which he REFUSED to wear!  Sorry, guys...

Instead of acting as ring bearer, Matt held him during the wedding....I was playing photographer and wasn't able to help.  Next, thing I knew....that little boy full of energy was doing this...

Yep, he SLEPT through the entire wedding.  He even slept through most of the reception.  Should've known!  He did wake at one point, which was probably due to something calling him.

See, there was a CANDY BAR at the reception! 

And this boy HEARTS sugar!  I mean, it might even be above tractors in his book, which is almost unimaginable!  We had a blast trying to keep him from devouring the ENTIRE bar of candy...no joke!

He's hiding under the table eating... MORE CANDY!

Merisa, on the other hand, has great control around sugar.  She always has, but not Mr. Logan!

As for the bebe, he was a ham.  He took full advantage of the never-ending attention.  He knows how the lure in the crowd.  Who could resist his chubby cheeks and ornery grin?  NO ONE!

So I'll try to be a better blogger, but then again, summer break is almost here.  When it's warm, we're outside enjoying life.  Okay, more like I run around yelling "Stay out of the chicken barn!  Don't break daddy's eggs!  Get away from the pond!  Don't eat the dirt! That's yucky, bebe!  Don't run over your sister with the gator!" (Power Wheels gator, y'all.  Not John Deere's. What kind of mom do you think I am?  Don't answer that!)  


Seriously, though, I HEART summer!  Enjoy the weather, y'all!  I know we are.

Lost And Found...

*I'll let you decide which child is "swimming'!
I couldn't find a picture of the "new swim trunks" since they were... NEW!

LOST - A NEW pair of Logan's swim trucks.  They managed to hitch a ride to town on the back of Matt's truck only to be hurled into the wind never to be seen again. 

FOUND -  Five new baby chicks ... Easter Eggers, at that!  Yep,  I pulled on my big-girl country-girl pants and bought five new chicks all by myself!  Pretty certain the earth rumbled during that moment.  Sorry for the tremors!

LOST - Some important hardware to our 'lawn mower'.  Just doing routine maintenance in order to keep everything working, but somehow lost a much-needed bolt while gallivanting around the countryside. 

FOUND - A Bolt to replace the missing one on the lawn mower.  Yes, it was found at a local hardware store and not in our yard.

LOST - An important piece to our pond pump.  While trying to repair the much needed pump, the connector piece came up missing.  Certain I had lost my mind, I gave up searching.  Logan kept saying it was in daddy's truck...so we disassembled and resembled the truck looking for the missing piece.  No luck! 

FOUND - The missing piece to said pond pump.  After much deliberation and rummaging through every trash can, I decided the connector piece was forever gone....although it crossed my mind that maybe it never really existed!  As I opened my car door so I could head off to town in order to replace the pond pump, I found the said missing piece.  Yep, it was sitting on the driver's seat.  Guess Logan meant it was in MY car not daddy's!

LOST - MY SANITY!  At this point, it may never return!

FOUND - Three really cute Easter eggs made out of embroidery floss and glue.  Such a great project even though there was a bit of a panic when the glue mixture somehow managed to cover the clothing of a certain 8-yr. old!

LOST - One really adorable yellow Easter egg.  An egg made of embroidery floss was no match for a busy, spunky toddler!

FOUND - A minute to write this post in order to share our latest adventures with you!  Three Kids + Warm Weather = One Crazy, Running-In-Every-Direction Mama!

*Disclaimer:  If you find a pair of swim trunks along the side of the road, don't be alarmed.  Drying clothes on a truck's tailgate is the new way of going "green!"

The Special Thing Called Life...

Recently, I've found myself surrounded by horrific and gruesome stories of innocent young lives that have been abused, neglected, and even murdered.  Stories that could bring a grown man to his knees.  For me, these events are unimaginable.  How could precious life be taken for granted?  How could someone bring life into this world and then, completely destroy it?  I could rant about all of the instances asking myself "how could this happen" and "who would let this occur", but I won't.  I will try not to get on my soapbox and preach to you about the misdoings of others.  Instead, I'm writing this as a tribute to my babies.  A tribute to life.

I will admit that there are times when the stress load can be unbearable, and I think I can take no more.  When the fighting never ends, I wonder why is this happening.  The crying and whining can test my every last nerve. It's hard being a parent.  You never know if you're making the right decisions or if you're showing them enough of your love.  I get worried every time they have a new bump or bruise or even a slight sniffle.  I want to protect them from all the harm that exists in the world.

And yet, there are days when the thought of going to the store by myself is better than winning the lottery.  Times when all that I want is to eat a hot meal or get a full night of undisturbed sleep. 

My walls are covered with pen markings from a creative child.  My windows are dirty and full of tiny fingerprints made by little hands.  My rooms are filled with toys instead of decorative furnishings.  My counters are covered with half eaten cookies and empty cups.  But every single item has a special story...a story of time gone by...times that may be forgotten.  The mess can be cleaned.  The broken furniture will one day be replaced.  But I choose to live life.  To make memories for my children.  I fill my photo albums with countless memories....memories of first smiles, first steps, trips to the zoo, family time...unending love...moments that went by too quickly.  These are times that bring a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.

Life is so much more than a blessing.

I know life will always be a difficult road...full of ups and downs and crazy turns.  But it is LIFE!  A true miracle and gift from God.  Never should it be taken for granted, yet there are so many precious moments that I fail to remember or even recognize as they happen.  I am not a perfect mother.  Heck, I'm still trying to be a good mom.  I have countless flaws...just ask my kids!  I'm sure they are more than willing to share a few or even more!  Yep, I embarrassed my daughter just this morning as I dropped her off at school.  This seems to be a reoccurring theme anymore, but I know it's just a phase.

This may not be the life that I planned, but it's my life!  It's what God intended.  Even when times get hard, I appreciate all that I've been given.  Parenting, and life, in general, is an uphill battle.  I question whether or not I will ever know if I've succeeded in life...as a parent.  There isn't a parenting report card showing my success and achievements.  No parenting promotions or a slap on the back for a job well done.  Yet every day I will try to do my best...to love them unconditionally.  I will try to teach them right from wrong and to love one another.  I hope they will respect life and honor God.  I hope they will find happiness in life.

My heart aches for the innocent lives that have been taken away.  Those who have been forced to grow up way before they should.  I wish I could protect every child out there.  Keep them out of harm's way.  I hope and pray that I do my part for this world is not perfect.  God gave us life, and through Him we are able to help create life.  I hope I will never forget or take for granted the special moments of life.

May God bless and protect His innocent children each and every day.

Tidbits From The Farm...

Don't be too sad. Nothing I'm about to say has anything to do with the farm...or at least not the farm animals! I know you're really disappointed 'cause I'm sure reading about our crazy chickens is the highlight of your day.  They're locked away for winter so I'm not in "contact" with them...well, it's more like you won't see me running and screaming from yet another scary, wild chicken!  For all those people who are raising chickens in the big cities like New York, I question WHY?  Yes, it's nice to gather your own eggs, but people, there's nowhere to run!  How will you ever be safe?

Anywho, here's some tidbits...

• Matt and I were talking about Merisa going to a parochial school.  We had just discovered that someone we knew went to a parochial school as a child. I asked if this said person was still Catholic, and Matt said no. He's switched to another Christian denomination. Merisa looked up in complete surprise and questioned... "You can UNCATHOLIC yourself?"  We were so busy laughing that I don't think we ever answered her question! No wonder kids are so confused these days...especially when they have nonsupporting parents like us! =)

• The other day Logan ran into the toy room and closed the door. I asked him what he was doing, and he answered "NO!" Yep, knew that wouldn't end well, but yet, I still didn't question him again. A minute or two later, and he came running out....stark NECKID! He yelled "POOP!" I didn't see anything, but he wanted me to follow him into the toy room. It started to hit me then. As I raced to beat the dogs to the treasure I was sure to find, I discovered that yes, Logan relieved himself on the floor! Later, I shared the story with Matt, and he said "Well, I better rephrase my point for I've been telling him to STOP pottying in his PANTS." Guess Logan thought going anywhere but in his diaper was what daddy wanted! Silly boy!

• I'm in the process of painting and decorating the toy room! I thought I'd have LOTS of fun doing this...nope. Normally, I don't have any troubles picking out paint colors...until this room! Seriously, it's been every shade of yellow beginning with mustard and ending with...ummm...URINE! And this is not good seeing it started out as a lovely shade of baby POO! I think this room is way too close to the bathroom! It's pretty bad when the kids come in the room and say "That looks HORRIBLE" and "What color are you REALLY going to paint it?" Uh, I have NO idea! I need some sort of consultant. That lovely website Pinterest is giving me way too many options, which are all getting bamboozled in my head and coming out in pure chaos...or should we say as colors of digestion! Oh, well. Hopefully, one day it will look complete, and then, I can post some pictures for you. Don't keep your fingers crossed, though! 

• Seriously, I didn't plan on having this many stories about bowel movements.  Last one, I promise!  Guess that's all that happens around here!  Anyway, as a parent, you might know that it's a NEVER-ENDING battle between you and the diaper!  And when you have two in diapers, it's nothing less than WW III.  Our boys like to tag-team the event, as well.  When one goes, he quietly signals to the other that it's time for him to do his deed now.  Honestly, as soon as I get one changed, I notice a funny "new" smell.  Yep, the other one needs my attention, too.  So the other day as I finished changing Logan, I got him dressed and sent him on his merry way.  Didn't think much about it until I heard him in a worried tone say "Mommeee?"  I was like why aren't you going anywhere?  Unfortunately, it took me a minute to figure out the problem.  Somehow I managed to put BOTH of his legs in the SAME pant leg!  He looked like a little mer-man (or if you're not PC, then mermaid)!  How did I do that and not notice?  Not sure, but I'm guessing he's lost all faith in me at the age of two.  For Merisa, it took a little longer, I think! 

• Logan and Levi were playing together on the floor. It was so sweet. Logan was playing with some Legos, and Levi was just cooing and staring at his amazing brother. He just LOVES his brother. Then, wouldn't you know it, Levi rolls over onto Logan's extraordinary tower causing it to fall in complete horror to the ground! Logan gasped and cried "NO, BEBE BUBBA!" This is, then, followed with a small little hand smacking Levi's bottom. Guess he needed a spankin' for his unkind actions! Yep, we'll be working with him on this one!

Did You Know...

• Did you know that when you hop out of the shower, you might find a bolt in your phone jack thanks to your Mr. Fix-It two-year old?  Don't laugh...you know you want a phone jack in YOUR bathroom!  Isn't it so nice to talk to someone while they're emptying their bowels?!

• Did you know that when your two-year old redesigns your "entertainment center", you might find the missing hardware INSIDE of the VCR...along with the occasional Go-Gurt wrapper?  Can't imagine why it doesn't work anymore?

• Did you know that when Santa brings a new dog bed for your puppies, you might find your 8-year old sleeping on it as well?

• Did you know that if you rely on your "internal alarm clock" to wake you up so that your daughter won't be late to school, you might wake up 10 minutes before school starts in pure panic? When you rush to her side and inform her that YOU woke up late AGAIN, you might hear her say with disgust "Mom, why do you keep doing this to me?!"

• Did you know that when you open your freezer and find EVERYTHING thawed, you might not need to replace your refrigerator?  That, in fact, it might be due to your two-year old performing routine maintenance on your appliances.  Of course, the temperature control knobs that are placed in perfect reach for children are meant for children to move...right?!

Our Year In Review...

(This post is a few days old, but I decided to share it anyway.  Better late than never, right?!)

As a new year approaches, I always like to look back and reflect on all of the events that took place.  It's been an eventful year to say the least, and I wanted to share the highlights of our last year with you.  It was very hard to choose which moments to include, especially since I was pregnant for the first half of the year.  In case you didn't know, I'm one of those crazy, dramatic, forget everything kind of pregnant people. If only I was blogging back then...could you even imagine?! =)

Without further ado, here's the BEST of 2011...

January

I realized I didn't take many pictures. Ummm...morning sickness!  Anyway, Matt & Merisa were in full farmer mode.  Bring on the rabbits and chickens and...

February

We got snowed in and realized that this is a little more problematic when living in the country.  Can you say SNOW DRIFTS?!

March

It came to our attention that Logan might be the busiest little boy ever.  Good thing he's just so darn CUTE!

April

Somehow we acquired more and more animals!  How is this possible?!

May

"Chantilly lace and a pretty face"...Merisa's 4th dance recital!  She LOVES the stage!

June

Miss Merisa turned EIGHT!  Where did the time go? 

(Posing for the camera that day wasn't something she really wanted to do...can you tell?!)

July

We welcomed the birth of our third child two weeks early.  Mr. Levi was our second largest baby weighing in at 8lbs. 3oz.

August

Mr. Logan crept up on us all and turned TWO!  Being pregnant with a toddler is quite the adventure!  I give y'all kudos if you've done this...it's crazy HARD!

September

Logan gave us yet another scare resulting in a HUGE gash in his nose!  After much panic (mostly by me!), he has healed although the scar is still there.

October

A pretty witch, scarecrow, and giraffe gallivanted around town in order to share their tricks for a little treat.

(Yes, that's Matt's hand holding on Logan's hat!)

November

This month started our first holiday adventures as a family of five! On Thanksgiving Day, Merisa ran in her 3rd race...the Turkey Trot!  She ran ONE MILE and has done this almost every year since she was 4!

(Nope, that isn't her time.  The clock was set for the 5k runners who started earlier.  She was so fast that I almost missed her crossing the line!)

December

Many blessings too numerous to count!  Thank you all for everything you've done to help us out along the way! 

Happy New Year!  May God bless you in 2012!