HoDgE pOdGe

Police Officer Porter. . .directing traffic on our street. . .

PaInTiNg PoTtErY. . .SnUgGlInG bAbY dOlLs. . .JuSt BeIn 5 aNd 2. . .
Off to our first morning of MOPS (with his backpack like his big siblings). . .how'd he do? He missed mommy. . .it's just because moms so fun, right?! :) Impromtu Slumber Party. . .I love these girls. . .
Look at how the cousins are sleeping the same :)

Oh, and if I don't have any pics to post for a week, it's because I'm camera-less. . .some little hands got their hands on my camera one too many times. . .but hey, look at the great shot they captured of me :)

A whole lot of mexican goin on. . .

Ainsley was very excited about 4 "stay home days." We spent time at Lifelight. . .and enjoyed an afternoon with my family (playing at the park, pizza lunch from Grammy and Grampa, and apple picking). . .

Can you see Trey laying flat against the edge on this merry go round with a sick look on his face?! :)
In case you can't, I'll zoom in for you. . . my sweet Trey. . .

LIFELIGHT 2009!! Our kids are big fans of the big yellow bus we ride out to LifeLight Music Festival. . .Trey woke up Mon morning and the first thing he said was, "Go LifeLight. Big Yellow Bus." Ainsley's absolute favorite part was my friends band, "do-re-let's play," that performed on the childrens stage. Yes, we drove out through cornfields, just to hear them perform one more time!

I took pictures of our happy memories at lifelight. . .

Sorry, no pictures of Porter's huge fit when his siblings were being carried and he wanted to be carried (really, I can't blame him. . .I would have liked to have been carried too). Did I mention as Porter was throwing this fit, one of our US Senators was walking by us?! :)

Their other favorite part was the BIG TACO we drove by on our way out there. . .there was a whole lot of mexican goin on. . .and yes, they each attempted to eat the taco. . wouldn't you?

Delegate Assembly

Ainsley was so excited to come home and tell us that she was chosen, along with a little boy in her class, to represent her classroom in the school's "delegate assembly." Her classroom (along with every other classroom) came up with some rules that they thought would make good "all school rules." Then, 2 students (delegates) from each class met together with the principal and counselor, to read their classrooms suggestions and work together to make "all school rules." Ainsley told me, "I think she chose Noah and I because we can read." :) Ainsley was a little teary after hugging and kissing (many times) me this morning, but as she was walking down the hallway to the assembly, teary eyed, I looked and Noah was holding her hand. What a kind hearted boy he is. We went to college with his parents, and I pray that these two, along with many others in her class, will be shining examples of Christs love to their peers. I have had the privilege of praying together with other moms this year. I am leading the moms in touch group and how awesome it has been to bring our praises, confessions, thanks, and prayer requests to the Lord. A huge praise for me is that Ainsley's principal, along with her teacher, have sent on prayer requests for our moms in touch group. Her art teacher and music teacher are both Christians, and I thank God for their influence in her life. She loves to come home and tell me all about her music teacher's dresses/outfits, and she loves that if she has a dress on in music, she can sit like a lady instead of cross-legged :) You better believe she always wears a dress on music days!She told me that some boys in school like her. . .I said, "How do you know?" She told me that she can kind of read their minds :) She also told me that the boys are one of the nicest parts of school because they put her chair up on the table for her.

With all that being said, do I still think about homeschooling? Yes. Will I homeschool? Maybe some year. But that is a whole other post. For the time being, I will enjoy my days spent doing all things boyish (along with dishes, laundry, cooking, shopping, etc), and my evening "play dates" with my daughter. Way to go Ainsley on being chosen to represent your classroom! We love you, all the time, no. matter. what!

FUN with FROGGY

Froggy #1: Ainsley and I came home one evening and the boys had caught a little frog while mowing the yard, and put him in an ice cream bucket. We decided we'd keep it as a pet, so we bought a little cage, some froggy food, and let him stay in our house. GooF woke me up the next morning by saying, "I have some bad news. . froggy is not in his container." YUCK. I WAS GROSSED OUT. Where could froggy be?! He had to be somewhere in my house! I watched where I stepped. . .I checked to see if he was on my plant. . .I looked on top of my cupboards. I kept thinking we'd find him somewhere in the house that day, but we did not. Luckily the kids were not upset. . they were excited about solving the mystery. Well, we have not found him YET.

Froggy #2: We were looking at a new home and when we looked out the basement window, Ryan saw a BIG frog stuck in the window well. So, Porter got him out, put him in a cup that we had in the car, and we drove him home to our frog cage. We have been feeding him crickets, listening to him "ribbit," playing in the baby pool with him, and chasing him around the yard. The JOYS of BOYS. I did touch him once and he was slimy. . .yuck, but I have been doing my part by catching crickets for him with the butterfly net.Porter loves to hold him, swim with him, (yes, they are outside in the baby pool, in their undies/diaper, with a frog). . .chase him, love/torture him. It's about time to let him go, but whenever we bring it up the kids cry. What to do.

Fun with Froggy Oh, and yes, this Froggy does live in the garage. . not my house.

Thank you GooF. . .

. . .for the new song ("Alive Again" by Matt Maher) on my blog. . .what would I do without you, my tech savvy husband!

. . .for the pretty flowers you brought home

. . .for the texts that let me know you're thinking of me

. . .for finding and getting rid of the cricket under our bed so I can sleep

. . .and for ALL THIS!! 8 years and we've got "ALL THIS" :)

There's no one I'd rather share the "aahhh. . the kids won't stop talking so I can talk to you" moments with than you! I love you, your bride

20 minutes of ruckus

Just when I thought we had our mornings figured out. . .

7:40am Porter: "Mommy, may I pllllleeeeease have a cookie?" Me: "No, you need to eat breakfast."

7:42 am Both boys dressed and ready to go. . .boys sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast

7:43 am Go in to Ainsley's room. . .help her get dressed and fix her hair

7:45 am Hear the sound of glass breaking. . .run into the kitchen. . .assess the damage (3 broken drinking glasses that were on my kitchen counter). . .assess the scene (Porter at the table, Trey standing on a chair by the counter)

7:46 am Order all children to get into the van, while I quickly clean up some of the broken glass

7:48am Make sure all kids are buckled up, while listening to Porter say, "we're sorry mommy," and saying to them (partly to convince myself), "It's ok. I forgive you boys. I am kinda mad, but it's just glasses."

7:49 am Porter tells me Trey got him a cookie off the counter. . .decide not to fight it at this time

7:51 am Waiting in a looooong line to get into the school parking lot

7:53 am Still waiting. . .saying kids morning prayer

7:55 am Parked and giving kisses to Ainsley in all of her pockets and sleeves

7:56 am Walking through the rain into the school building. Ainsley not wanting to go, and me reassuring her. Checked the school clock and thinking, "whew, we're not tardy. we made it."

7:57 am Giving Ainsley some snuggles and feeling us both relax

7:58 am Getting Ainsley quickly settled in her room. . .kisses, hugs, only a few tears by her, and goodbye

7:59 am Heading down the hall to drop Porter off at speech and realizing there's dried blood on Trey's hands and wiped on his face.

8:00 am Drop Porter off at speech and hope his teacher doesn't notice the blood on his brother.

8:01 am Clean Trey up in the school bathroom and check out the little cut on his finger. Laugh at myself for not realizing it earlier.

8:02 am Wonder whose fault the broken glass was. . .the little bro, who had a cut on his finger and dried blood on his hands that had smeared on his face OR the big bro that talked his little bro into GETTING HIM A COOKIE OFF THE COUNTER BEFORE HE ATE HIS BREAKFAST(disobeying mommy) and little bro did it. . .in the process breaking the glasses!!!!!???!?!?!?

I used to think MY CHILDREN would never cause such a ruckus . I'd be one of those moms that had it all together. Now I know better. Children all cause ruckus and no mom has it all together. . .even if they appear like they do. On a slightly different topic, I posted on facebook that I knew I was a mom when I found shredded cheese in my bra. Well, last night I found woodchips stuck to the outside of my bra. Again, MY CHILD would never throw woodchips. . .or sand or a toy for that matter. God sure made them cute,

and loving, and entertaining,

and forgiving, and funny though, so it's ok to have a little ruckus. . .

Update: 3:00 pm. . .Ainsley had a great day at school. She is very excited about reading buddies (with my sisters 5th grade class). Her reading buddy told her she is a good writer :) Have I mentioned I thank God for Ainsley's teacher and all the little friends she's making and the mommy friends I'm making and having my sister at that school?!