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Friday, May 22, 2015

Catching Up, Part Two...

Easter was fun but very busy! We had an Easter basket hunt, then drove to church and taught the 2's and attended a great Easter sermon, then back home for yummy food, made empty tomb rolls, and had a little backyard Easter egg hunt. Whew!
 

 
Our replica of the crucifixion and empty tomb was fun!

 
I made a Lamb of God cake...









 
I had a great birthday! BSF in the morning and Jim stopped and plucked me some fragrant blossoms on the way home and gave them to me with a nice card. We had a delicious meal at Mimi's and came home for cake (Cocoa Butter Cake for me, yum!), and the boys gave me sweet cards. Blessed!
 





Garrett's sign on his door: "Warning! This room is enchanted. Enter at your own risk!"

 
Garrett has enjoyed listening to KLOVE on the radio sometimes and really had it on his heart to send some $$ to help support them. So he wrote a note and we mailed it off!

 
Wade is a great little helper with meals! Here he is digging out orange juice concentrate for our smoothies.

 
Garrett made grilled cheese sandwiches for the first time for a "drive through the kitchen lunch."

 
Wyatt pulling up to the drive-thru to get his food.

 
This face of Wyatt's gets me every time! I just had to record it for posterity's sake. ;)

 
We did a big switch on rooms, putting the guest bed in the basement and Garrett's bed into the old guest room. Now each boy  has their own room, and we got some IKEA furniture to round things out.

 
Wade in his first big boy bed! He loves it!

 
Wyatt is soooo thrilled to get all of Daddy's old furniture!


 
The last day of BSF. Wyatt was so sad to be done. :( But I'm glad he had a good year!

 
He brought home his handprint and placemat he used in class all year.

 
Garrett helping Jim put a bookcase together...



Wade's birthday! Big 3 year old!!! We had chocolate cake and he got nice cards from family and his very own yellow vacuum!




 
I love my new homeschool cabinet! We can tuck most everything in!

 
Wade accomplished a goal so we all went to McDonald's for ice cream and play!

 
I love my new IKEA desks. Garrett uses this one for school sometimes and it helps him concentrate.

 
We put another one in the living room and I love to use it for writing!

 
There's that cabinet...

 
Eating honey for school, remembering that God's words are as sweet as honey. (Proverbs)

 
Wyatt and friend Isaiah had fun dressing up.

 
I told Wyatt he could play in the backyard at nap, forgetting what a mud hole was out there! I found him sitting happily in the mud having the time of his life. A good hose off and a bath took care of things and he made great memories. :) (We've had really really rainy weather this month of May and our backyard is so muddy!)

 
The boys watching the trash truck. They love to watch Jim leave for work every morning too.

 
We had so much rain that when Jim left for work one day there were so many fat worms on the street and sidewalks he couldn't resist getting a bin full for fishing with later!


G made a model of a seed that would spin and fly.

 
Yay! Garrett finished his 1st grade workbook!


Catching Up, Part One...

Has it really been two months since my last post? I guess we've been busy! Here are some of our winter happenings...
 
Garrett and Wyatt burning some energy in tandem on the elliptical.
 
 
Wyatt made a bell replica all on his own!


 
And, after watching the landlord and Jim replace the sump pump, Garrett made a sump pump replica!


 
Painting was a fun way to spend a winter afternoon indoors...



 
Snow, and more snow. Thankful for Colorado sunshine to burn it off fast!

 
Wade loves riding his bike around the house.

 
The boys are always coming up with projects of one sort or another!

 
Jim's birthday was celebrated with yummy lemon cake! Poor guy was super sick with a terrible cough but stayed with us long enough to have some cake before heading to bed.

 
We took some nice bike rides and dinner or lunch picnics on the trails nearby. So nice to enjoy the great weather!
 








 
I took the boys on a surprise trip to the zoo one day when we finished school early, and they were beyond excited! They kept thanking me and saying it was the best day ever. :) We got a membership for the year so I'm looking forward to more fun trips!







 
Ready to go out on a nature walk!
 
 
A sweet note from Garrett. :)

 
Another lost tooth!

 
Wyatt met a goal and got to celebrate by going to Krispy Kreme with Daddy to pick up special donuts!

 
We took the training wheels off of Wyatt's bike and he did really well right away on his bike. He now loves to ride his bike (it's so much easier without the training wheels weighing him down...)

 

Wednesday, March 18, 2015

Kids' Sayings

Here are the latest and greatest cute, funny, random sayings from the boys. :)
7/17/14 Wade will say importantly “I saw it on Mario Cart” about almost anything.
Wyatt was drinking something, and Wade said, “Wyatt’s having alcohol.”
When Wade gets frustrated he will say, “This isn’t workENing!!”
7/25/14 G & Wyatt playing a game – G: “You disappear!” Wy: “NO! I’m important to God!!!”
7/31/14 At swimming lessons, Garrett and his class jumped off the diving board. Garrett did great. Afterwards he told me he was encouraging the other kids who were scared by saying, “Have courage and faith!” He said, “I wanted to let them know they don’t have to be afraid because God is with them. He’s with everyone even though it doesn’t seem like it sometimes.”
As we were walking into the library, Wade said, “Jesus is risen. He is risen.”
The boys and I went to a Friday children’s musical show at the library auditorium. The musician kept asking for volunteers, and Wyatt kept raising his hand to be called and was SO SO disappointed every time he wasn’t called up. I felt bad, and prayed that he would be chosen. At the very last song, the musician suddenly looked up at the back of the room where we were and chose Wyatt to come up!! I was so thrilled for Wyatt and Wyatt was so happy! Faith building for sure.
8/13/14 Visiting his classes for Home School Connection’s Open House, in cooking class another parent was asking about Cooking Around the World and Garrett piped up, “I hope you won’t be cooking monkey brains!”
8/14/14
After an extremely trying morning with the boys, we had lunch out on the deck. Garrett said, “No one could give too much attention to Erin Barnes. I mean…no one could show too much love to Erin Barnes.” And the boys gave me hugs and kisses. Blessed! Renewed!
And tonight Garrett and Wyatt came down to get a last drink of water, and Garrett stopped to look at a picture of us with my family 10 years ago right after we were married. He said, “Mom, you look the same. You always have such love coming out of your eyes” in this soupy voice. I told him I sure hoped I would always have love coming from my eyes, and if I ever don’t to tell me! J
Wyatt keeps saying things he is going to do when he is an adult, and they all have a little devious practical joke flair, like: “When I’m an adult, and before I have a wife, I’m going to take a whole box of butter and put it in the microwave and turn it on!” Or, “When I’m an adult, I’m going to make a bottle of stuff and sell it at the store and I’ll make it so the lid can’t open!”
8/15/14
Today Wyatt told me he was going to make seeds that would explode when they were planted in the ground. ;-)
Wyatt also said he is going to make a plastic apple and try to sell it at the store as a real apple... ;)
8/16/14 Wade, looking at the curtained window said, “It’s a good idea that the neighbors can’t come in.”
8/20/14

Today was Garrett’s first day of Wednesday school at the Home School Connection. He had a great day, and especially liked his piano class! He said he made a friend who is really nice who goes to his first 2 classes. He said he couldn’t wait to get home to work on making a propane pipe in the backyard.
Wyatt, Wade and I went to Walmart today, and as we were in the self-checkout line, the machine said we had something extra in the bagging area, which we didn’t. I looked around for the person in charge of the area, and they were nowhere to be found. After a minute or so, Wyatt said, “let’s pray about it.” He clasped his little hands and screwed his eyes shut and said, “Dear Lord, please help someone to come and help us IMMEDIATELY.” So sweet! And you know what? We looked around expectantly, waiting for God to bring someone and within 5 seconds the worker came rushing over and went right to US and swiped his badge without a word, getting us back on track! It’s faith building for us both to see God act that quick. J
8/22/14
Tonight at dinner at Smashburger, Garrett noticed my earrings and said he like them a lot. I said they probably helped pick them out with Daddy and that I’m blessed to be showered with so much jewelry from my guys. Wyatt said, “When I’m an adult I will come and visit you guys at Christmas every year, and I will always bring you some jewelry as a present.”
8/29/14 Wade’s own personal knock knock joke: "Knock knock! (Who’s there?) Baby! (Baby who?) Baby in the mouth!!!"
Wyatt’s personal joke after getting out of the pool at swimming lessons: “I’m as cold as burr-burr carpet!”
9/2/14 Wyatt, having his nose blown: “Boogie bomb shooter – ON!” (Blow.)

10/8/14 Wyatt was telling the children’s workers at BSF today that the place where Winnie the Pooh lives is The Enchanted Hundred Acre Woods, and if you look closely at the mountains near Boulder when you’re in the car with binoculars you can almost see it.

10/15/14
Wade told me today, “Someday I am going to make a car with headlights that turn on when you push a button.”
11/12/14 Wade at the dentist, saw a fire extinguisher and said, “This helps put fires out.” The dentist was impressed. J
Wade said, “Water is shakeable.”
Tonight Wade lied about something and Jim had to discipline him. At dinner he piped up that it was bad that God died on the cross. We talked about sin and what it is, and he really “got” that Jesus died for our sins and the sins are not on us anymore if we ask Jesus to forgive our sins. He prayed and thanked God for taking his sins away! We lit candles for him to blow out and celebrated! Thanks, Lord!!
11/15/14 Today Jim was holding Wade as they left a store and went out in the snowing weather…Wade put his hands on Jim’s face and said, “I will protect your face from the snow.”
This week Garrett told the dentist about Jesus!
12/15/14
Tonight Wade said goodnight to me, and after giving me a kiss on the cheek he rubbed my face and said, “You’re cute,” and walked to the stairs. I said, “Aw, thank you Wade, I think you’re really cute yourself.” He stopped, turned around, and said, “NO. YOU’RE cute,” and climbed the stairs without further ado.
12/17/14
Tonight Wade said Kitty loves soup when I put soup on the table. Then he said, “But he doesn’t have teeth – to gnaw on meat. But the library Kitty does.” (The library “kitty” is a big stuffed tiger!)
Wade said, “The hot dogs keep their jackets on hooks so they can go pick up their Garrett. Two little hot dogs sitting in a pot, chewing on dirt and they have chips at their house to eat.” (??)
1/7/15 We were getting in the car after Wednesday school and I quickly pulled the handle to start the door shutting. Garrett said, “Someone shut the door! It was magic!” I said, “I shut it.” “No, it must have been magic – I didn’t see you do it!” Wyatt said, “I didn’t either!” Wade says calmly, “I saw.” He is a great little observer. J
1/16/15
I was putting Wade to nap today, and after getting him settled in his crib with this blankets and kitty on him, he said, “Mom, Dad’s in Charge, and You’re in charge, and God’s in charge, and Jesus is in charge.” I said, “That’s right, Jesus is God and God’s in charge of everything – even Mommy and Daddy.” He said, “And he’s in charge of the stars.”
1/19/15 Wyatt has started constantly spelling words out and doing a pretty good job of it! If he wants to say something he will spell it first and I can usually guess it.
Garrett has a whole big plan for growing pumpkins and selling them to our neighbors around Halloween. He really wants a way to make money.
1/20/15 We were writing the verse Proverbs 13:13 (Whoever scorns instruction will pay for it, but whoever respects a command is rewarded.), and G said he was writing it quickly so he would have the reward of playing outside longer. (After talking about natural consequences for not following instruction and rewards for obeying.)
1/28/15 Wade: “You have dirty eyes, Mama.”
1/29/15 Wade keeps wondering what letters begin certain words. He’ll say, “What does the letter say for (Crib)? I answered that today at nap, and gave more examples like c-c-cat and c-c-cap, and he said with in impish grin, “Or c-c-ceiling!”
Wade is very into the realization that God made birds! I heard him going on about it at nap today. So sweet. He also sings the Alphabet song at nap, and was saying one day, over and over, "You interrupted me. That's WRONG."
Wade loves his Kitty, and covers him up with little blankies every night and at nap and hugs him. Tonight he said, “The little blankies are Kitty’s. They keep him warm and soft. I love him sooooo much!” and gave him a long squeeze.
1/31/15 This morning Garrett ran around vacuuming the house on his own initiative! Afterward, he told me he did it so I wouldn’t have to do it while they were hone on “Dadurday errands.” Sweet.
2/1/15 We were talking about what jobs the boys might have one day, and Wyatt said he just wanted to work at Sashco with Daddy. I explained that Daddy might be retired by then and we talked about other jobs. Wyatt said he really likes to see what foods taste like when they’re mixed together. Maybe we have a future chef!
2/2/15
Today Wyatt prayed what he often prays. He has such a heart for people! “Dear Lord, please help everybody who doesn’t know you to know you right now, Immediately.” Garrett echoed the prayer at bed tonight – love these boys!
As we drove to swimming lessons, Garrett was telling Wyatt all of the hard or scary things that have happened to him in his (LOOONG) life. It was kind of comical. But then when we got there, Garrett said, “Did you hear me telling all of the hard things that happened in my life? I also said that God was with me through it all.” Sweet words for a mother to hear!
2/8/15 Wade said, “I saw McDonald’s! I spied on it with this eye.” (He often notices McDonald’s wherever we go! I think he loves the play places.)
2/9/15 Wade loves to ride around the house on his little bike. He pretends to buy hamburgers or donuts. Today he handed me a donut and said, “Here is the kind you can have.” He likes the idea of a road rally and pretends he’s on a road rally when all 3 of them zoom around the house on scooters or bikes (after the Mickey Mouse Road Rally cartoon).
2/12/15 Wyatt likes to use words like “horrid” “awkward” and “odd.” J
2/17/15 Wade to Jim after having “Daddy time” at McDonald’s: “I love you SUPER much!”
2/26/15 Wade was painting today and said, “I’m going to write your name – ARN.” I guess he’s learning phonics by osmosis!
2/27/15 Watching “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” I was explaining how the children’s mother had died so they wanted a new mom and Garrett got all soupy and came over to give me a hug and said, “We have the best mom in the whole world!”
3/18/15
Wade, Wyatt, and I were talking about how God makes the sunset so pretty as we were driving home from BSF today. I said “It’s almost like God’s special painting for us at the end of the day.” And Wade piped up, “And God doesn’t have to wear a smock!”
The boys, especially Wade, love to get books out of the bookcase in his closet and push it through the crack in the door, through the “book machine” for us to read to them.
We made a chart this week for rewards for Wyatt staying dry all night. Wyatt wants to go to Krispy Kreme with Daddy and he was adamant that he wanted to get donuts for everyone in the family too as his reward. Sweet!