Hey, Mommy

Lately I've started to think that my name is "Hey, Mommy." This is a constant around our house lately. The times when I hear, "Mommy, I love you! We should hug every day!" are so refreshing versus the constant hey, mommy...hey, mommy...hey, mommy!

Daddy and I have taken deep breathes together in silence, knowing we are so blessed. DG and VW have been on a whole new level of adventure. Thank goodness we have peace with God and the plans he has for our household, because it is the only peace we may have around this house for awhile.

Some of our more recent adventures include:

·         "Papa Ks school! YAY!" (on our way there for Christmas) "What does papa teach?"  "KIDS" sigh...yes, buddy he teaches kids, but he teaches them music ;-)

·         "It's quiet time."   "That means you too, Mommy!"

·         DGs shoulder swag and hip wiggle to dance.

·         "The lights are different." (as we drive down the street and see a stoplight) "Usually they go this way (vertical) but these are this way (horizontal)."

·         "You can use a rocket ship or your imagination to get to the moon."

·        "NO!” - DG

·         "Bye. Bye. Bye." DG yelling to me when I tuck him in at night and leave his room.

·         "Mommy, I went poppy!"  "Yay, do you feel better?"  "Yeah, it was giant!"

·         "Uh-Oh" DG after every rumble strip we drove over in NW Iowa.

·         "I pulled my pants down and my bottom was cold!" {shiver}

·         "Mommy! It's purple outside! Why is it purple? It is beautiful! I love that color! God made it! He is amazing! He can see thru house! Santa's watching too-he knows if you are naughty or nice."

·         "I don't know when I will see Baby JE again. I can see her on TV - I just want to hear her voice, but she is so far away!"

·         "I need a haircut! I haven't had one in years...it was past Christmas!"

·         “NO!” - DG

·         "No one knows the Hark the Angel song at buddies, but me!"

·         "Nigh-Nigh. Nigh-Nigh." with head tilt. DG asking for his blankie.

·         “Papa K doesn’t fix things like you [daddy] and Uncle B.”

·         Upon waking up to snow… “This is Crazy! It snows. It melts. It snows. It melts. Just crazy! And I haven’t even built a snowman!”

·         "The Bears are good 'cuz they have fast shoes!"

·         “NO!” - DG

·         “Mommy, I like it when you twist your hair and pull it up!”

·         “Mommy, when a car jumps on a trampoline, how does it get on top!?” “Not sure, buddy, it just does because it bounces.” “NO…you don’t know!  I am going to ask DAD!”

·         “Ack!” “Ack!” = fruit snacks!

·         Upon seeing the morning fog… “I should pray.” “Jesus, make the fog go away so we can go to the zoo!” Then he looks at me… “God likes it when we pray, but how will I know he heard me!?”

·         “Mom, built your goggles on.” Hands to circle on eyes. “Can you see Grandma and Papa’s house?” “Thru the school!?” “Yep, buddy, I see it!” … “Mom, you can put your goggles away now!”

·         “Yay!” “Knooww” “Yay” “Na.Na” DG singing Jesus Loves Me, Go Fish style

·         "DG is my best buddy but sometimes he bites!"

30 Minutes Behind

I have literally been 30 minutes behind all day. 

30 minutes late for work and late to a meeting.

30 minutes late to lunch.

30 minutes late from work.

30 minutes late for boys bedtime (never mind a trip to urgent care for DG ears and did I say I was late getting home from work?).

But...thanks to a new induction stove (thanks to our cat who short-circuited our previous stove), I am 30 seconds away from some hot tea, as the flurries begin to fall, and silence fills our home. 

Maybe I will get to bed 30 minutes early and start the day on time tomorrow?

Brownies and Hot Chocolate

It is absolutely precious to see the boys with their cousins. VW headed over to play with Cousin NR on Saturday. They had a great time and the first thing he said when he got in the car..."when do I get to see NR again?"

Every day we hear DG say "EK". He walks around the house repeating her name constantly. Goes to the front window, points and inquires about her. Even when we head to buddies in the morning, he points towards their house!

So what a fun weekend to play at their house Saturday and have NR and EK over on Sunday. True Bliss! Especially when Mommy whips up some brownies and hot chocolate!

Weather

There hasn't been much snow here this winter, but the boys enjoyed some running around and "sledding."

DG just thinks it is pretty cool, but not too interested in getting in the sled himself. 
VW loves every minute of it and asks for more.

The weather, in general, has been rather strange. We've had below zero wind chills and 50+ degree days. We've been on a cycle of pretty nice Saturday's and then cold (shiver) Sunday's. Even to the point, that last Saturday VW played outside with a sweatshirt, while Daddy washed the van. Then on Sunday, I bundled him up in snow pants, boots, coat, scarf, and hat to mindlessly walk around in the yard with NO snow.

Today it was a misty, foggy rain. We are thankful it is not freezing mist! However, did enjoy a comfy day inside.

Now that's the weather report. Back to you...

Birthday Celebration

Ten days ago was Mommy's birthday! We had a fun family weekend! Daddy and Mommy went out to eat while the boys played with their cousins. Of course, we were seated immediately, our meal came quickly, and then we were done. Hmm...what to do on a very cold night! But it was perfect to get away, even if briefly.

Mommy laughed with Papa K when we lamented on where the time has gone. We were talking about Aunt Ks birthday in December and how it seems like yesterday I was 25...I had to remind Papa K that I was 25 ten years ago and a lot has happened in 10 years!!

Daddy and the boys let Mommy sleep in until 7:30. Such a nice treat!

VW picked out a yummy ice cream cake
by selecting the one with orange frosting;
Mommy's favorite color!

Had to have cousins over to help eat,
because you don't want to have too many leftovers!

Everybody enjoyed their share!

VW signed the perfect card for Mommy!

What a great break in Mommy's routine!

Thanks for a great birthday weekend!
Look forward to another fun year ahead!

Two~While Almost...

C is for Cookie

When it is cold outside and you've played and played, rested and watched TV, and you are ready for the next indoor adventure, it is time to bake some cookies!! However, when you have two very helpful munchkins, it is wise to make one giant cookie.

We got all of our measuring utensils and ingredients!

 We took turns carefully measuring, dumping, and then, of course, tasting!

 

DG wasn't done tasting even after the dough was spread into the stone.

This sure made for one yummy afternoon!!

Slippers

What a wonderful morning! VW came into our room while Daddy was already in the shower, but Mommy was lazily getting her last few moments of peace. He snuggled in (already dressed for the day, of course) and we cuddled in silence and comfort!

Peanut butter on waffles with plenty of syrup for the boys and oat bran for the parents, but a great breakfast together of giggles and "Hey, Mommy".

DG and I got our cuddle time together too while reading some books! He loves to point at all the different things he sees..."hot" fire in 'Good Night, Moon' and yummy bananas in 'Good Night, Gorilla".

Ahh...

We are packed in the car, headed down our neighborhood street, cheering that it is Friday when...I realized I still had on my slippers! :)

So, we turned around and Mommy put on her dress shoes! We all laughed! However, DG, our little comedian in the making, laughed nearly the whole way to buddies!!

"HeeHee!" silence. "HeeHee!" silence. "HeeHee!" silence.

VW and I couldn't help but laugh with him!!

Let's Roll

And this is exactly what we did together, just me and the boys, on Monday afternoon. We rolled on over to the zoo to check out the four new lion cubs!

The lion cubs were tuckered out, but we got to see them stretch and yawn, but my little cubs wanted to continue their adventure at the zoo on this absolutely wonderful winter day.

VW has been such a big helper lately and today was no different, pushing his little brother as we go explore.

This tiger was pretty entertaining, he walked along the window sill on two paws and then stopped for a stare.

Some of other favorite stops!

Always good to stop and greet the gorillas!

And flap your wings at the peacock!

Final stop for for a snack at the aquarium.

The rays were beautiful and kept hovering over VW.

DG was also amazed by the view!

Nana, the pegiums held quite a performance

while we snacked!

Maybe someday we will have our own little diver.

But for now our afternoon at the zoo was exhausting!

1001

I say it often, I 'pinch' myself, say a pray of praise and thanksgiving, and I will say it over and over again...I am truly, abudantly blessed and have no words to describe how FULL I feel.

This past summer was Grandma and Papa's 35th wedding anniversary! They have been a wonderful example of God's grace, love, and mercy!  Thanks for the example of faithfulness, perservance, strength, and humbleness! And, just look, what our family been blessed with, because this time a picture is worth a thousand and one words!

*Thanks Kelsey Shroder for the amazing photoshoot!
 http://kelceyschroder.com/home.html

Another Celebration

Boy, did we have fun celebrating this year. Our last, but not least, Christmas celebration was with our family at Uncle S and Aunt M house, full of fun and chasing with his cousins! 

The tree was trimmed with lots of gifts for everyone!

The kids were so excited and diligently handed out each and every gift! Everyone had large piles and we had to rearrange a few times. 1) Because it doesn't work to all sit by each other when you are overflowing with gifts and 2) DG couldn't get enough of them and was 'helping' everyone even when they didn't need help! Of course, patient Cousin EK shares all her love (and gift opening) with DG! It's no wonder he walks around the house constantly saying her name!

DG struggled with all these presents and not be able to open them. Once he figured out it was free game, life was a little easier for him! 

Cousin EK and IM show off their gifts!

VW was pretty excited about all the fun as well, and was overjoyed to get his pirate ship!

Nana and Papa enjoyed all the celebrating and excitement of the evening!

They enjoyed their "made with love" gift from their 5 grandchildren!

What a great way to end the 2012 Christmas season with our family! 

We are so abundantly blessed!! God is good!