Ty's Hair

I have been talking about my sweet little baby's hair for a while now.  Its just crazy.  And the rough haircut we got due to a Mama FAIL is not helping things.  Oh, Ty.

The other night at supper, Ty asked his customary question,

"So Mommy, hows your day?" 

And I told him a little about my day, all the while distracted by the spray of 3 yr old cowlick standing straight up from the back of his head.  Then, knowing he completely refused to put on a hat this morning, my last ditch effort to get the hair to behave before he left the house, I asked my precious child,

"So, baby, how was your hair today?" 

To which he promptly answer while hands flying up to the mess,

"Mommy, iss jus jacked up!"

My 3 yr old.  My baby.  My Ty.

Its beginning to look a lot like... Ty had my phone

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving weekend filled with sunny days and visits with family.  And lots of food.  Of course, my boys ate none of it.

The day after Thanksgiving it is tradition that we make our first batch of Christmas cookies.  I forgot the ready-made dough and was NOT going back to the grocery store for the 3rd time that week, so we made them from scratch.  Not very hard and they taste so much better!  Maybe next time I'll make the icing too.

Oh my, those little hands!

Nope, that's not bedhead.  His hair just looks like that right now.  We experienced a very rough haircut when I was too tired to drive across town and decided to chance a new place.  Mommy FAIL.  We have to wait for it to grow out.  That's all we can do.  Even hairspray won't lay that thing down.

Ty actually liked doing the cookies a little better than B this year.  J was showing B how to play the football game using the Wii controllers, so I lost him for a an hour or so.  Ty and I had fun though.

The following day we decorated them.  Ty uses entirely too many sprinkles, but I love having the time with the boys.  Yes, Ty has his jacket on.  I asked him twice if we wanted to take it off, but he was busy.

And apparently sometime during the weekend, Ty got a hold of my phone.  I'm so glad "fwog" and his random shedding of socks all over the house was were captured.  But that cute face steals my heart.

I have some good verses on rest in another post coming up!  God showed me some cool stuff this week.  I'm trying to practice claiming his promises even when my emotions don't feel it.  So thankful that God is who He is no matter where I am in my life.

Until then, stay warm!

Boys, Ninjas, & ground Doritoes in the carpet

What a great birthday weekend!  My big 7 year old had not one, but TWO parties!  Plus he got to be in a parade!  You don't get a fancier birthday than that.  The Ninja cake and cupcakes were not my favorite birthday pastries I've made, but they were fun and they looked mean and ready to fight.  See angry eyes.

Yes, that is very close to the edge of the counter.  Our dog, Blue reminded me of that right after this picture was taken.  Good thing I have quick hands!

There is so much Lego madness in my house right now. 

Even with the little one stealing "guys" and hiding under the table.

And yes, why that is a black eye on my "Wild Man."  I guess that nickname I gave him while he was still in my belly is just going to stick.  I have 3 more gray hairs just from last week.

Boys are fun.  And messy.  I had so many ground up Doritoes in my carpet, it was nuts.  And I actually had to explain to my 7 year old that no, you can't go ride your bike and leave your birthday guests at the house with me.  Boys are crazy like that.

But birthday is over and all other purchases are going back into my trunk for Christmas!  The only hiding place I can lock!

And after looking at birthday carnage pictures, jump over to this blog.  What a great post to remind us of our everyday blessings.  So fitting for today.

Two-day work week then off with my kids for a nice long weekend!

Ode to my W-Mart skinny jeans & last day as a 6 year old!

Dear W-Mart skinny jeans,

I don't know how people still don't know about you.  How you have just the right amount of stretch to be forgiving and feel like pajamas, yet I can wear you to work, hence I'm basically getting away with wearing pajamas to work.  How wonderful is your no button/zip waist, but not a full elastic waist, allowing me to still feel young and not like I am post partem or have just given up.  And how you tuck into boots without the dreaded boot muffin top that screams English riding pants?  And I don't care what your label says, there is nothing Faded about your Glory.  At $12 a pop, how can you be ignored?  Whether it be black, dark rinse, or medium wash, I have you all.  Thank you for being comfy and cheap.

Today is the last day my big guy is six!!!  I just can't believe it!  And I have so far raised a full-fledged Redskins fan.  Head to toe, baby.

 

My B, 2 weeks before you were due, you ran into some trouble.  Mama's body was all done with carrying your Big Gut, No Butt self around (nickname from Dr., not even kidding!).  We checked into the hospital on November 15th, 2005, thinking you were coming that day.  Ha ha.  Fooled us.  Roughly 27 hours later, after worrying us all into emergency surgery, you entered the world very quietly.  Mama was just about conked out and did not get to hold you for another few hours.  You were 7 lbs 6 ounces and they weighed you twice since we all believed you were over 8 lbs and you looked BIG!  You were perfect in every way.

You were a pretty easy baby who didn't cry unless you needed something, but unfortunately, sleeping was not something you felt you needed.  2 1/2 hours was a great stretch for you.  But you were a happy baby who grew into a thoughtful and pondering little soul.  You did puzzles and read books pretty early and quietly considered things.  You have been our little man.  And now you are looking to surpass your Mama in height very quickly!

You love all things basketball and football.  You love to build things with Legos.  Even a football field complete with stands for the fans.  You love to read and write.  You tell me you want to be a College Science Professor when you grow up.

 You have a great sense of humor (that we are working on unleashing at appropriate times only!) and are a joy to converse with.  You are beginning to show signs of kindness with others (ok, maybe not so much with your little brother when he takes apart your Lego guys) and I'm just so proud of the boy you are becoming.

Now, a little sneak peak for the parties this weekend (yes, I said parties, plural).  I can't wait!

Yes, people, it is the year of the Ninja!

My first born.  My baby.

6 Months Old

1 Year Old

2 Years Old

3 Years Old

4 Years Old

5 Years Old

6 Years Old

Happy last day being 6, Braden!







A little painting and girl, interrupted

Ever have one of those weekends where you do a couple of projects around the house and they are just fail fail fail?  Yeah, that's most of the time for me if I try to get into something and its over my head.  But not this weekend!  J and I tackled two things that have been on the list for a while.  It started off just painting the mantel.  The mantel was a very 1980's oak.  All of the trim in our home is white.  It just didn't fit and needed an update.  After looking at a lot of blogs where ordinary people who were not super crafty or pro DIY-ers successfully updated their mantle, I finally got the nerve.

We spent the most money on the primer and brushes.  Very worth it.  The hardest part of the whole thing is mashing together Mr. Meticulous and Ms. Just-jump-in-and-slap-some-paint-on-it.  Seriously, I felt like a jungle cat pacing the front of the cage while J very carefully taped up the mantel for painting.

But I have to remember, past projects do not lie.  And most of mine have to be touched up, or all together redone, while his look amazing.  So jungle cat folded laundry and practiced deep breathing.

And since the mantel was easier than we thought it would be, and all the paint supplies were already spread out on the dining room table, we decided to go ahead and do the bathroom too!  J replaced the light fixture and cabinet hardware and refinished the vanity.  That chocolate brown was just beautiful in there!  I painted the ugly army green accent wall, and everything else a pretty soft green.  And tried my hand at cutting in without tape.  It turned out great!  Love that feeling of a project done right.  Doesn't happen for me often.  And I had to let go of the mommy guilt from not playing with my boys 100% of the weekend.  But they did great and there was even a little less fussing.  Score!

See those handsome hands in the corner still taping?  That's why I'm not touching up the green wall as we speak.

You ever meet someone new and get nervous so your talk incessantly button is pushed and you leave the encounter realizing you didn't let her complete one sentence or really get to know much about her at all?  Really, that doesn't happen to anyone else?

It was one of those things where it didn't really hit me until I was lying awake at 2am that night after changing Ty's sheets from an oopsie, thought-I-had-a-pull-up-on moment.  I started feeling very embarrassed while kicking around the covers trying to find somewhere for my legs to rest amongst the two dogs who took over my side of the bed while I was getting Ty back to bed.  That poor woman.  I wonder if she thinks I'm a nutcase.  I mean, even if she would be right, that's not really the impression I wish to make.  I have got to get control of the nervous talking tick.  Yeesh.

And then a little look into my Sunday night.  The cowboy hat didn't fit since its been smashed in one to many times, so we needed the Fedora to ride Secretariat.

 And yes, why that is fire starter sticks in the corner of my family room.  Anyone else not have room in your outdoor shed for your impromptu fire pit supplies?

Have a great week!

God's got such a fun personality and lunch with my mama!

I get lunch with my Mama today!  Yay!

Don't you love it when God shows us just a little tiny piece of his fun personality? 

I was reading a devotion this morning about "owning your life." About consciously building a life that enriches your soul.  About building a fulfilled, beautiful life with where you are right now, and what you have right now for yourself and everyone in your care. It was based on this verse:

"A wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands, a foolish one tears hers down." Prov 14:1

I'm not talking about wood and nails here.  The foolish woman is so focused on images of a another life, maybe one she imagined with she was a child, or earlier in her marriage, and she unintentionally neglects what is beautiful, what she enjoys and what brings life to her very soul, as she becomes over-run by the mundane.  So she tears down her little home and family, one small thought at a time, as she longs for an ideal and nurtures thoughts of something other than what God has for her.

I can SO see myself in this at times.

So my homework for myself today was to start creating anchors of joy into my life.  I love that image.  An anchor holds a ship in place so it doesn't just flail about aimlessly depending on the wind.  To own this life God has made especially for me, I need to figure out those things that make me feel anchored to this life with purpose.  I started making a list of things that refresh me, that tends to my soul.  I love the thought of tending to my soul.  What is encouraging to me?  Some of the things included:

Running in my little town

Writing

Planting flowers and veggies in our yard

Date nights and kiss'in with my man

Lunch errands or wanderings in favorite stores (Hobby Lobby, anyone?)

Lunch and shopping with my Mama

Lunch with friends

Shopping at Goodwill

Finding neat pieces of jewelry for cheap

So this morning, a person from work (who is pretty brand name everything obsessed) comes in and tells me they really like my bracelet.  Hello, Walmart find!  Then, my Mama calls me about 30 minutes later and asks to do lunch today!  Don't you just love it when God just reaches down and hugs you?!  I mean, seriously people, that's a heavenly hug if I've ever felt one! 

I desire so much to be that wise woman and not the foolish one.  I want to consciously build my home.  To tend to my soul.  So that at the end of the day my family sees a smiling loving Mama, and not one who is tired and weary and waving around her "To-Do List."

I choose joy today.  Not to say I will accomplish this perfectly every day.  But as one of my favorite writers, Lysa TerKeurst says, I strive for "Imperfect Progress."

Inspired by How a Wise Woman Builds Her Home by Kristen Kill

Racing Day!

B participated in a 1 mile run down at Byrd Park a couple weekends ago.  Let me just say this kid was awesome!  I had to run 12 miles that morning for training and was so afraid I would miss him.  But I did get there and the boys were having fun looking at all of the vendors and sponsor tents.  Ty wants zero to do with Nutsy the Squirrel or anything else dressed up in big costumes.  He was very concerned about where they were at all times.  No photo ops for this guy.

At the very last minute, B-Man decided he wanted to run this race by himself.  This is huge!  I was very nervous about that.  We were in the city for goodness sakes!  But as good husbands do, J told me to leave it be.  I talked to B very quickly about running a little slower and very steady at the beginning and then when he sees the finish line, just let er rip. 

He looks so little by himself at the start!

There they go around the fountain!

Watching for him.  Mama's getting nervous.

He did amazing!  When he came down that last stretch he was flying!  Notice the feet aren't even on the ground!

He finished his mile in 9:14, which is a great time!  Better than Mama's usual mile!  My tired runner with his medal and a big smile.

Great job B!

Halloween, Kiss'in, and a Samurai Sword

We had a very Ninja Halloween!  After some initial hesitation, Ty put on the entire costume except the mask and we went to our church Fall Festival.  The kids always love the Fair-type games and the bouncy houses.  I would have never let B go in the huge blow up obstacle course when he was 3.  But before I could turn around Ty was in and running.  I couldn't see him but I could hear him cackling the whole way through.  Some teenagers were in there near the end of the night and I was concerned.  The I saw one of them throw Ty up and over the wall with Ty giggling and cackling the whole way.  Insane.  That child will give me every gray hair coming to me, let me tell you.

After B put his costume on, and while Ty was swinging his sword and practicing his moves, B goes right back to his business.  Even Halloween can't stop a quick Lego session.

We were at my Moms last night for dinner and B was listing all of his talents that he believes God have him.  They included, loving us, building Legos, running, singing, and dancing.  Then Ty said,

"You know what my talent is?"

Grandma, "I think its smiling."

Ty, "Nope, kiss'in (Muwa)!"

I wonder what people think when they pull up next to me in a parking space at the grocery store. 

I often have swords, daggers, running shoes, dry cereal in a ziplock and the occasional mark of puppy slobber on the window. 

I heard some giggling when I got out of the shower a couple of mornings ago.  So I went into B's room and flicked on the lights and found this.

Busted in the best way.

Maybe this is confirmation for the idea we have been batting around about getting the boys to bunk together for a while and use Ty's room as a playroom.  Hmmm, we shall see.