Three For Three...

This little guy is about to turn another year older!  We've just perfected the whole "How old are you?" thing, and now he needs to learn to say THREE!  He's going to be so confused! 

Trying not to sound like a broken record, I'll refrain from saying "Where has the time gone?"  See that...I was still able to a say it without exactly saying it.  Sneaky, huh?  Okay, not really.

He's the child who first welcomed us into the world of raising boys.  Let me say he's been anything but quiet about it.  He's a little spitfire full of spunk and energy served with a side of love and compassion.  We never know what his next move is going to be.  NEVER!

He loves life, and we love watching him explore the world around him...even if we're completely exhausted by the end of the day.  The Energizer bunny has nothing on this kid.  That's okay, though.  I'll catch up on sleep in about...18 years.  Just don't expect me to remember to buy milk at the store.  I'd make a "to-do" list, but I can't seem to find the list that tells me to make a list.  Sleep deprivation is just a myth, right?

Anyway, we love this little boy!  He's such a blessing.  He sees life through a different colored lens than most others do, and we just love that about him!  This sweet, caring boy full of curiosity and wonder sure does make the world go 'round. 

Happy Birthday to our little man! 

I'll leave you with a brief insight into the daily life of this youngin'...a recent "Loganism" you might say (or you might not).

*Logan's 576th bath of the day was nearing completion, and this is so NOT an exaggeration!  If you've ever raised a boy, you know what I mean. 

As the water was draining out of the tub, he began to question "Water go down tat hole?"  Impressed by the observation made by this busy two-year old, I replied, "Yes. The water goes down the drain.  Down that hole."  He acknowledged by saying "OHHHH!", and I thought that was the end of the matter.

However...Logan, then, buried his head in his hands and started sobbing.  Hysterical, unbearable, uncontrollable SOBBING!  Ya know, like he just lost his best friend...or blankie...kind of weeping.  Worried that he somehow got hurt, I asked him what was wrong. 

As he cried out in pure desperation, he declared, "I'll miss tat water!  I'LL MISS TAT WATER!" 

Well, that's a new one.

*Disclaimer: This boy needs a serious haircut, I know.  Let me say that it might be easier to clip the claws on a wild mountain lion than to trim this boy's hair.  You're more than welcomed to try, though! 

Houston, We Have Problem {Part Deux}...

Someone has learned a new momma-is-crying-a-river-'cause-keeping-up-with-two-boys-may-prove-to-be-impossible trick!  I'm seeing flashbacks of Logan running out one door while the dogs ran out the other, and times when Logan...well...RAN  EVERYWHERE!  That boy had Nike knocking at the door to be their spokesperson.  Of course, I had to say no due to child labor laws. 

Both Merisa and Logan walked by the time they were one.  Heck, Logan was off and running at 10 1/2 months...and hasn't stopped since.  As Levi approaches the big ONE, I couldn't decide if I should be worried that he hasn't tried to walk or rejoicing for another day without chasing two children in opposite directions as the leave the house via two different doors all the while the dogs go out a third.

So I sucked it up and told Levi he could try walking if he really wanted.  Guess that's all he needed.  Well, a garden hose on a hot day may have helped a little, too. 

He took a few steps prior to these pictures so I knew I had to grab the camera the next time we headed outdoors.  Ya know, it's always good to learn to walk outside where the ground is hard and pavement is DANGEROUS! 

Okay, I had the camera with me just because I always do.  I was taking pictures of the kids like normal when I heard Merisa say "LOOK WHAT LEVI'S DOING!"  Worried that he tried to eat some lovely dirt or the forbidden rock, I stopped everything and turned around to see my baby STANDING with the garden hose in hand!  WHAT?!  How did my sweet, innocent baby go from the sitting position to full blown standing without the aid of a table, chair, or the occasional sibling to use as a lift?

I HAVE NO IDEA!

Thankfully, he performed his new trick again...and again...and again...just so I could capture it on film.  Okay, SD card.  I just dated myself, I know.

So there ya have it.  The baby is up and...deep breath...WALKING!  This is a good thing even if my sanity doesn't agree.



Oh, Little Boys...

Whenever something "monumental" happens around here, people say "That should so go on the blog!"  I always agree, but then I forget to jot it down so it never makes it out in the open.  And you sweet people have been sending me emails, texts, and Facebook messages asking for some "local" news.  I'll try to better about blogging, but then again, I have severe commitment issues!

So here's a few occurrences.  I so need to get organized!

1) Logan was carrying around his blankie, which he's done since he was a baby.  He very much resembles Linus, and we've even thought about changing his name to Linus.  It falls nicely into our "M" and "L" theme.  Okay, we've never really change his name 'cause that's way too much paperwork! 

Anyway, he stopped to look at his blankie and picked something off of it.  Having no idea what it was, I told him "Yucky!  Throw that away!"  He looked at me with his little ornery eyes and said "No!" As he did this, he quickly put that unknown something into his mouth and smiled.  He thought for a moment and sweetly declared "That's good, mommy!  That's good!" 

Really? 

Oh, little boys!

2) We were walking side-by-side through the store.  Logan was being as good as could be and not running off in every direction, which is a feat in and of itself. We were having a nice little conversation when I saw one of those structural POLES in the middle of the isle. I swerved to go around the obstacle when all of a sudden I heard a loud THUD.

I looked back and saw a bewildered Logan sitting on the ground.  Shocked with disbelief that my little man could have actually ran in to a very LARGE, non-moving pole that was located directly in front of him, I asked him "Are you okay? Did you run into that POLE?"

As if someone had played some awful trick on him by covering his eyes with a blindfold and telling him to walk on, he placed his little hand on his forehead and replied...

"Me got a BIG ow-eeee!"

He paused for a moment assessing the situation and declared...

"I okay, mommy!"

Oh, little boys!

3)  Recently, Logan has discovered that when we're driving in the car VAN we pass various objects outside of the car.  For instance, he's noticed houses that we pass and the trees and the cars and the tractors and the...get my point? 

Not only does he notice them, he also points them out to me in case I didn't see it. 

"There's a tree.  A car.  A house.  A tree.  Grass.  Corn.  Grass."

Mind you, I have to repeat EVERYTHING he says or he just keeps declaring what he's spotted while steadily increasing his voice. 

So this is fine while driving through the country.  Granted, it's non-stop, but it's all doable.

Now picture entering the city.  Yep, there are A LOT of houses and trees and cars and grass...all within a few feet of each other.

It's everything I can do to keep up with his..."A car. Car. Car.  House. Grass. Grass. Tree. Tree. More trees. More cars!" 

It just plain wears me out!  Plus, I can't stop laughing at his sweet excitement of finding such wonderful things outside the van window.

Now picture this...

I took him to the LIBRARY for a book sale. 

He's NEVER been in a library...a place of quietness and no running.  Not a place for Logan!

Well, he was amazed to say the least.  With his eyes wide open and his voice as loud as the music at a Rascal Flatts concert, he SCREAMS while running wildly down the isles...

"WOW!  Books, Mommy!  More books, Mommy!  More books!  Books!  Books!  Books! Books!"

Yes, this boy LOVES his books!

Oh, little boys!

Disclaimer:  This post is mostly about Logan, but I had to include a sweet picture of Mr. Levi.  Isn't he adorable?! He's starting to duplicate Logan's actions back when he was one!  Oh, the fun that is in store for us!

He Stole My Heart...

There's this boy who stole my heart.  He calls me mom.

The day was like any other day...full of non-stop motion.  I scrambled to get everyone ready in the morning.  Made them breakfast.  Brushed their hair.  Found some clothes for them to wear.  Combed through the house picking up a tractor here and a doll there.  Washed and dried mounds of clothing.  Put the laundry away.   Swept the floors.  Washed the dishes.  Colored a picture with a child.  Watched another perform her newest dance moves.  Cuddled for a moment with a sleepy baby.

Then, the bell rang...time for round two. 

Lunch.

The routine started again. I fed the hungry children.  We laughed.  We played.  Siblings ran off to play a game of hide-and-go-seek.  Toys were put away.  More dishes were washed.  More laundry was cleaned. 

Then, the door bell rang.

I opened the door to see a sweet little boy standing there.

A smile stretched across his face. 

I returned the smile, but questioned his intentions.

Without hesitation, he gracefully swung around his little hand so it was no longer behind his back.

There, in his palm, was a beautiful flower.

In the sweetest, most sincere voice ever heard, he muttered...

"Mommy, I picked tis fower for you."

My heart melted. 

The tears filled my eyes.

I wasn't upset that he picked one of our only two irises. 

Oh, no.  His gesture was so pure and loving. 

The hustle and bustle of everyday life was now a blur.  This moment was special.  The reason I love being a mom!

My children are a true gift from God!

There's this boy who stole my heart. He calls me mom.

*Linking up with The MOB Society.

The Littlest Things...

Do you ever wish you could return to your youth?  Okay, not the teenage years...no one wants to go there!  Oh, the drama!  I'm thinking a little younger like before your innocent views on life got smashed by name calling and popularity contests.

As I watch our little two-year old get excited over the littlest things, I wonder why don't I see the world the way he does.  When we were able to go outside yesterday without coats...in FEBRUARY..., he was beyond ecstatic! 

He looked at his swing as if to say "Oh, how I've missed you!" 

You could see the pure joy in his eyes.  Nothing else in the world mattered to him.  All worries were ended by one little swing.

Then, there's the beauty of dirt. 

Somehow I took these pictures without realizing what he was doing.  I walked by this spot and saw the sticks in dirt wondering how that happened.  It wasn't until I uploaded the images that my question was answered!  Seriously, I'm that oblivious!

To a sweet, feisty little man, dirt is the next best thing...second to bubbles, of course!  The idea of letting my kids play in the dirt used to be appalling. 

It's nasty, filthy, unappealing, and disgusting. 

But to a child, it's like a little piece of heaven waiting to be molded into mud pies, pizzas, tractor pull arenas, forts, and whatever else a young imagination can create. 

To me, dirt is just something that gets stuck in my shoes and dragged across the floor.  It's another mess that will have to be cleaned. 

Why can't I see the endless possibilities?

With age comes skepticism.  Worries of happiness, money, trust, and love.  Childlike innocence is lost.  I hope to remember the day when my biggest problem was deciding whether to have milk or juice for lunch. 

I LOVE watching the world through the eyes of my children.  My dream is to keep them from becoming cynical...to appreciate all that life has to offer. 

To a child the world is a playground full of mud pies and swings.  Life is about the littlest things.

When You're Tired...

You're tired!  Little Logan isn't the best of sleepers.  Heck, none of my children are, but he seems to require very little sleep. And this does not pair well with me...someone who LOVES catching some zzz's. 

Throughout my entire life, I've ALWAYS gotten 8+ hours of sleep.  If I didn't...well, it wasn't pretty!  Me + no sleep = one CRAZY, IRRITABLE lady!  Okay, so that was the way of the world before children.  Now, I'm running on auto-pilot.  No sleep for the weary.  I figure in about 18 years I'll be sleeping all day every day in order to make up for lost time!  Ha, that will never happen!  I've got way too many projects on my to-do list!  Thanks, Pinterest! =)

Anywho, our little Logan had a fun-filled day...and night!  Merisa had a sleepover, which translates to kids running wild until they fall over in pure exhaustion around midnight.  Granted, the girls fell asleep way before my little boys.  Yep, the 2-year old and 7 month old were up until 1:30 IN THE MORNING!  And then, wouldn't you know it?  SIX...count them...SIX hours later, everyone was up!  Really?!  Don't those little bodies need to reboot? 

Well, the kids made it through the following day just like normal.  The next morning came as usual.  No one required any extra sleep...except me, of course!  We ate lunch, and our kids played a little more.  Yes, you read correctly...my two older kids were playing together...nicely!  A MIRACLE! 

Then, the house grew silent.  This always makes me concerned.  I asked Merisa where her brother was.  She wasn't sure.  I went looking, and guess what I found...

Yep, a exhausted little Logan fast asleep on the STAIRS!  See what I mean when I say that he goes and goes and GOES until his body can take no more! Love that boy...even his must-eat-crackers-at-2-in-the-morning non-sleeping self!

In case you were wondering, I did move him to a "safer" sleeping spot.  And yes, he's still in his PJs at 2pm!  That's how we roll when we have no where to go.  Funny thing is that used to completely annoy me.  Running around in PJs all day was absurd...then again, living on a farm was unimaginable!  Funny how life works! 

Thoughts For Thursday...

Random comments made by the kiddos...

1.      Merisa and I were talking about when she was born. She said "Wouldn't it be awesome if I was born in 1996? Then, on my real birthday I'd be older than I am now." (I so hope you followed the Merisa logic.) She was upset about being born in the new century. She suddenly became perplexed...then, excited! She shouted…

"I'm so GLAD I wasn't born in the 1900's!"

 Let that one sink in for a moment!

Guess I never thought about the change of the century intensifying the whole age thing! Kids really know how to make someone feel really OLD!

2.      I feel like we're getting a severe case of cabin fever around here! It usually hits me about this time every year. However, it's a bit worse than normal since this is my second winter of being a SAHM. I mean, I'm glad I get to spend so much time with my kids...I wouldn't trade it for anything...but we're running out of things to do. And that's not good when you have a very busy toddler and a squirmy little baby.

Then, I thought that it's probably just me. These kids are fine with being stuck indoors...right? Maybe not.  As we turned into our driveway on our way home from town, Logan busted out of silence and screamed...

"NO HOUSE, MOMMY!!! NO HOUSE! GO, MOMMY! NO HOUSE!"

Guess he's sick of being here, too!

3.      For Valentine's day, Merisa made me a card. It was very sweet and even included a drawing from every kid. How she got the boys to cooperate is beyond me. I'm sure Levi was all "You're putting a small object in my hand. I MUST eat it! I MUST!"

And Logan doesn't think he should EVER do anything on cue. This boy does NOT like being put in the spotlight...can't imagine who he got that from?! Needless to say, I was quite impressed with Merisa's abilities to accomplish this thoughtful gift. Here's the envelope...

Then...I opened the envelope to find this....

Follow by this....

Have I ever mentioned how that girl kills me?! She's just so clever...and honest!

I Think I Can...

Like many kids, Logan LOVES elevators and escalators!  Going to the mall is like going to an amusement park.  (I would say it's cheaper, too...but that's not always the case!)  However, there is one draw back to the elevator...the gaping HOLE between the elevator and the floor.  To Logan, this must seem a MILE wide, but he is a very determined young boy.  He is always up for the challenge and wouldn't miss the opportunity to overcome his fears...EVER!  

We ventured out this past weekend and decided to hit the mall.  I always forget what a fun place it is for the kids.  I, on the other hand, am always completely worn out by the time we leave, but that's probably due to the fact that I need to exercise instead of blogging while the kids are napping!  What fun is that?

Anyway, here's a look inside of the mall adventure...

As the elevator doors close, Logan realizes we just boarded one crazy ride!  The contraption moves, and Logan gasps and sways while saying "Whoa!"  A "ding" is heard signally the next part of the exciting ride.  When the elevator doors open, Logan cautiously walks up to the edge of the elevator.  Looks down at what must seem like the impossible.  Sizes up the situation.  Musters up a whole lot of courage.  Bends his little legs in anticipation of the inevitable.

Ponders to himself I think I can...I think I can! 

And then, like someone jumping out of a plane for the first time, he takes a wild leap of faith...literally!  Once his feet land safely on the other side, he looks up oh so proudly and screams..."YEAH!"  He overcame his fear and is ecstatic about his accomplishment.  He wants to turn around and ride the elevator all over again! 

Don't you just love the determination of toddlers and their desire to never give up...even if it means jumping over the Nile in a single bound?!

The Innocence Of Being TWO...

I wanted to share my Top 5 reasons why two year olds are so stinkin' cute!  (Yes, there will be future posts as to why kids that are 8 years and 5 months are also adorable...Guess my little ones are always at the "perfect age"!)

• Two year olds get upset when their train track is "boke".  When asked who broke it, they reply oh so proudly...MEEEEE ! 
• When you accidentally fall asleep while your two year old is still roaming freely, you can expect a tiny little finger to go THUMP, THUMP, THUMP on your forehead.  This is followed by a sweet "mom-eeee" and a look upon the child's face of pure concern.  After which, you somehow manage to close your eyes again only to have the THUMP, THUMP return, and this time it's followed by  "MOM-EEEE. UP!"  Guess the question is who's watching who!  
• They get SO excited when they learn a new trick... like jumping!  They squat (as if there is much distance between them and the floor), force all of their energy into the bottom of their tiny legs, focus with all of their might, and then bounce as high as they can all the while shouting "UMP!"  Granted, they never get more than an inch off of the ground, but boy, they are SO EXCITED about their accomplishment!
• Their two favorite words are "MINE" and "NO!"  When told to give the toy back to their sister, they sternly say "MINE".  And when asked do you want to play with said item, they firmly say "NO"!  It's all about who's in control, and they NEED to make their own decisions even if it's not what they really want!
• When they steal a toy truck from their grandpa because it's the BEST. toy. ever., they will fall fast asleep with a firm grip on the said toy.  While they sleep you remove the toy in efforts to return it to its proper owner, only to have the two year old wake in the morning and ask "Where tuck?"  They NEVER forget anything!

Aren't two year olds the cutest things ever?! (Okay, so maybe they're not "things"...more like little human beings, but still adorable nonetheless!)  I could add so much more, but as I promised, this is my Top 5...for the moment anyway!

Now You're In The Know...

1)  I turned on my camera in order to find a pretty picture for the blog, and this is what I found instead...

Oh, that girl!  There's always a surprise around every corner!

2)  I went to the store to pick up my pictures that I had printed.  The lady behind the counter asked me if I had copyright permission to print the pictures.  She wanted some sort of proof that I had the rights to the pictures.

I was a bit confused and said I took them myself.

She was like...uhhh, ohhh! We thought you stole them!

I laughed and told her thanks for the compliment! =)

3)  When we decided to take the plunge and move to Crazyville Farms, we inherited this beautiful koi pond complete with a cascading waterfall and live fish!   I know...just another thing destined to parish! It's been a challenge trying to keep Logan from swimming with the "doggies!" (Despite the constant "No, they're FISH," he still refers to them as "doggies.") 

So I was feeling bad for the fish since I knew there were leaves floating in the bottom of the pond.  It was extremely cold out, but I wanted to give them the best chance of survival seeing how decomposing leaves and ice aren't a good recipe for fish during the winter.  So here I was doing my good deed for the day week year...cleaning out the pond while the temperature was barely above freezing.  And guess what happens...

I fell completely into the pond! 

I was soaked!  My shoes were holding at least a gallon of water.  And not to mention, I was frozen... solid!  Really! All this time we were worried that Logan would fall into the watery abyss, but no...it was ME! 

4)  Levi's in the rolling over phase. Ya know...

OH, LOOK MOMMY!  LOOK WHAT I CAN DO ALL BY MYSELF! I CAN DO A REALLY COOL TRICK! ISN'T IT AMAZING?!

Followed by...

WHAT EVIL PERSON PUT ME ON MY BELLY?! I CAN'T MOVE! I CAN'T BREATHE! I'M STUCK!  I'M GOING INTO FULL PANIC MODE!  DON'T LEAVE ME HERE!  WOMAN...HELP ME NOW!

All of five seconds pass, and I return him to his back...only to repeat the said process over and over again for the next 24 hours! Silly boy!

5) I've been meaning to mention that you may want to bookmark this page or you can even "join" the blog by clicking "Join This Site", which is found on the right side of this blog.  That is, if you're an avid reader and can't live a moment without knowing what's going on around here!  For you might be sadden if you can't find our blog anymore! 

Yep, I had that problem.  See, I read certain blogs every morning.  And before I joined sites and/or bookmarked pages, I made the mistake of cleaning my computer.  Got up the next morning, and was all like...WHERE ARE MY BLOGS?!  I DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY WENT!  WHAT WILL I DO WITHOUT MY DAILY GOSSIP!  I CAN'T FUNCTION!  It was a sad day, but then I learned to bookmark! 

But really, I know some of you link to the blog from Facebook, and, though, I don't foresee any future problems, you just never know when the links will stop showing up in your FB feeds.  So if you really want to, you can add crazyvillefarms.blogspot.com to your favorites (or join the site) and check back every once and awhile. I'm trying to keep it updated on a regular basis.  And I'd hate for you to miss out on anything! =)

Take That Mr. Entertainment Center...

Our TV and accompanying electronics are housed in a so-called "entertainment center".  No, it's not one of those huge contraptions for ours is rather small, but nonetheless an entertainment center.

Despite being covered in millions of stickers, being colored oh so nicely with a green crayon, and being the place of many of "it's my turn to watch my show" arguments (which is probably coming from someone different than what you're thinking!), this said piece of furniture has lasted through the wrath of children...

Until now!

See, nothing can withstand the busy little bee whose mind moves much faster than mine...and I've stopped many disasters before they happened.  I've been complemented for my "cat-like" reflexes...no joke!  Like catching a glass in midair right before it shatters on the ground.  Or grabbing a falling child moments before he/she stumbles onto the floor or into the occasional door in order to avoid yet another bruise to be adorned upon my child's precious face.  Oh, yes, I've even impressed myself with my superb "mommy talent"...

However, Logan lives to test my abilities.  You would've thought that I would have known better than to let this little guy watch Bob The Builder whilst holding a toy saw while in the presence of the "entertainment center".  Nope, didn't even cross my mind.

We now know that everytime a loud thud or a crash is heard coming from the living room, Logan is dismantling the his new favorite toy...

The glass doors have been removed
and the pieces that hold everything together have been lost.

The shelf holding our video player has been knocked down and dragged out
like the losing battle between a chicken and its master.
(I'll let you decide who the winner is!)

Various beams have been sawed off the unit
and little wooden dowels are nowhere to be found.

I thought this piece could survive the test of time since it made it through the sticker and crayon phase.  Well, Merisa had nothing on Logan.  I'm going to blame it on the cute little carpenter show giving my sweet boy the great thought of "can we fix it?  Yes, we can."  I must teach him that "if it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

I did, though, find the missing dowel in the dryer.  Guess Logan thought that he must keep this said wooden piece in his pocket for a job on his to-do list! I can only imagine what his future project could have been.

So the "entertainment center" has given a whole new meaning to the word entertainment! It has provided hours days weeks of fun for our busy little boy! Who would have known?!

And I'll leave you with a pic of Levi in his "entertainment center".  I know what you're thinking...just wait until he's two!  Oh, the mischievous adventures of those little ones will be endless!  Can you even imagine?  Shhhhh...don't tell me!  I'm trying not to think about it! =) (And  look!  I only used one smiley in this entire post!  Truly amazing!)

What's For Lunch?

It's pretty bad when your two year old picks up on your cooking "talent"...

The other day around lunch time Logan and I were playing tractors.  That's all this boy wants to do, and I've learned SO much from him...guess it didn't take much, though!  All of the sudden he scampers away towards the kitchen.  Nothing new there since he's like his dad...he LOVES his food!  Anyway, I should know better than to assume all is well!  Soon I hear paper crumbling, a loud thud, the silverware drawer opens, Logan says "poon" (meaning spoon), and then, the dogs go running.  When the dogs head toward Logan, it's bad news.  See, those dogs despise Logan...you know, like I despise the chickens!  =)  If they are near him, I know I have a problem.  So I go and check on my sweet, innocent little Logan, and what do I find....

This.  Logan has gone to the freezer, retrieved a nice steak along with a "poon", unwrapped the frozen steak, and laid his "meal" on the table (which was the loud thud noise that I heard).  He decided to make himself lunch!  As I snapped the picture (while laughing, of course), he said "eat, mommy, eat!"  It must be apparent to all that this mama isn't the best of cooks!  Guess he knows how to fend for himself!  =)

Sic 'Em on a Chicken...

So if you have a farm background, please ignore my stupidity and irrational urge to be over-dramatic!  Okay, my husband may say that it's not really an "urge"...more like a reality...seeing how I act upon it every chance I get.  I can't help it, seriously!

Anyway, I wanted to tell you a tale about a rooster.  This beautiful, black and white striped rooster who "cock-a-doodle-dos" every morning, every night...heck, any second he can!  He's stunning and gorgeous (especially to his hens).  He parades around the farm keeping an eye on his flock...making sure they are well-fed and not harmed.  He is a spectacular creature to watch...

Really?!  Not any more!  Mind you, he stands about 2 1/2 feet high (I'm just guessing, people), but it does seem like he looks Logan in the eye.  They (we somehow have 2 roosters!) have attacked the children, but never in my presence.  Well, I made the mistake of encountering one of these roosters. 

Logan and I were walking side-by-side on our way to see his dad on the mower. 

The rooster was in our path. 

We made eye contact. 

He straightened his neck, cock-a-doodle-do-ed and gave me an evil eye.  It was like a stand-off in one of those old western movies only I didn't have a gun.  

I could sense his aggression. 

He only waited momentarily and charged. 

He was going to peck holes in me like Swiss cheese. 

He could sense that I despised chickens. 

He came running at me. 

I ran towards Matt screaming at the top of my lungs. 

 Logan ran with his little legs as fast as he could. 

I grabbed Logan and ran onto the lawn mower in order to escape the wrath of the rooster. 

 I had no idea if he would stop so I kept yelling "Get the rooster.  Get the rooster!!"

Mind you, Matt just laughed at the sight of his wife running and screaming in hysteria.  Did he not see the anger in the rooster's eyes? How he was going to peck me to death?  Who cares if he only stands a couple feet tall, weighs only a pound or two, and doesn't possess any arms?  Not me.  I knew this thing was/is a savage beast.   I continued to panic as I could sense the rooster getting closer.  Matt stood up to protect his family. (More like he fell off of the tractor...oh, wait! lawn mower...laughing hysterically, which startled the bird!)  The rooster crowed in obedience to his "master" and returned to his flock. 


Seriously, why does this beast obey him and not me?  I just don't get it! :)  Maybe...just maybe...he's heard me singing Zac Brown Band's song...Sic 'Em on a Chicken.

And they call him the streak...

Logan, that is!  I don't know about all two year olds, but mine seem to prefer being in the buff!  Every time I turn around Logan is saying "uck-ee" meaning he thinks his clothes are dirty.  Yes, he's right most of the time, but he's just using it as an excuse to strip.  And let me tell you that a little boy running around the house neckid is not a good idea!  Let's just say that it's not uncommon to hear Merisa yell "MOM-MEEE!  Logan's peeing on me!" Followed by "Stop laughing.  It's not funny!"  (My bad!)

Oh, I'll have to explain later about his nose and the run-in he had with a glass bottle!


And Mr. Levi...he's TWO months as of yesterday!  Now I just had a talk with him about taking his time to grow up, but he's not listening.  This little guy is already cooing and smiling when you talk to him.  Sooooooo cute, I must say!  I just can't believe he's getting so big.  Merisa is still convinced that he's going to be the better brother.  In her mind, there's no way he can act like Logan.  Just wait...in a year, I'm sure some of you will be getting a phone call from Merisa...she'll want to move in with you! 

And here's a recent pic of Levi.  I just laugh every time I look at it...his tongue is always sticking out.  Some might say that all of my children had this "problem"...

Green Acres is the place for me...

Ha, Ha!  If you know me at all, you're probably laughing so hard that you fell out of your chair!  I'm not exactly the farm type, and yet, here I sit...living on the farm! 

So every day is a new experience for me.  Things I never experienced before in my life nor did I ever think I ever would.  I'm sure my husband never thought people like me really existed, but here I am! We are the real-life version of "Green Acres". (And if you don't know that show, then I'm even older than I thought I was!)

So this morning, I find my daughter on the porch like this...

Yep, she's holding her new favorite chicken...Sweetie.  She named it today (I guess "it" is really a "her").  It's hard to notice in the picture, but she is also wearing overalls!  She LOVES overalls...and chickens!  I never thought I'd have a farm-loving, overall-wearing daughter.  Where's that girly-girly I always thought I'd have?  ;)

And Logan isn't helping the cause either.  Not only does he love the chickens, he LOVES tractors!  The word "loves" is an understatement, too.  He is so obsessed with tractors.  His tractors are always lined-up across our living room floor.  And DO NOT touch them!  He'll have a total breakdown if you do! 

So the other day, Matt took him for a ride on a REAL tractor...not a lawnmower...which in my book is a "real tractor!"  Let's just say the boy was in awe.  I'm surprised he got off the tractor so easily and without any meltdowns.  I think Matt's opened a can of worms, though...that's all Logan wants to do anymore...ride on daddy's tractor!

Nonetheless...my kids love the farm life.  Who would've thought my kids would be farm kids?! ;)  Oh, did I mention that the chickens scare me to death....that's another story (cause I'm pretty sure they HATE me!).

The Little Man...

This little man may be the end of me!  His little brain never stops...nor do his legs!  People who see him often ask if he ever walks.  Nope, he has one speed, and it's high gear, nonstop running!  I just wanted to show you one day in the life of Logan (or rather the life of his parents as we try to keep up with him!). 

The morning starts out with Logan letting the dogs out of their fence.  I was just a few feet behind, but nevertheless, I couldn't stop him nor the dogs.  The dogs took off for the field as Logan gasps and says "Ugh!".  With the baby in hand, I contemplated running after the dogs.  I thought "good...no more dogs!"  But for some reason I decided to chase after them.  Mind you, I'm carrying the baby, Logan is loose, and Matt and Merisa are painting the barn and can't hear me yelling.  The dogs enter the bean field, and since the crops are taller than them, they can't be seen.  Eventually, after a lot of running and yelling, the dogs are snatched up by Matt and Merisa. 

So we lock up the dogs thinking all is well...but we forgot about Logan and his cleverness!  He, then, proceeds to let the dogs out yet again!  We chase them again and catch all three.  This time I lock everyone up in the house.  Oh, but I forgot that we have more than one door...for Logan decides to let the dogs out the front door!  Again, Matt and Merisa catch the dogs and bring everyone inside...for now!  I head to the kitchen only to hear Merisa yell "Logan let the cats and dogs out this time!"  Really?!  First thoughts were that he was doing me a favor...getting rid of the animals!  But Merisa didn't like that idea so she chased everyone down and brought them back in...all by herself! 

Only moments later, I hear Matt say "Logan, what did you do?!"  Yep, the boy was at it again.  I was afraid to look, but somehow found the courage to walk upstairs only to find that Logan decided the carpet should be painted black!  Now we just put this carpet in last year when we moved and obviously, I didn't pick the right color!  I went with a speckled beige, and Logan thought it should be black!  After an hour of cleaning, I gave up and decided Logan was right...the carpet should be black.  So the stain remains! 

Well, I'll end with that.  Oh, I should mention that all of this happened in the first two hours of the morning!  There were more exciting events later that day, but I'll save that for another time. 

All I have to say is that we love that boy...craziness and all! :)