Life Verse Design

Life Verse Design
Life Verse Design

Saturday, May 29, 2010

MoMmYhOoD

"This was the best evening ever!" says Porter. He had requested a campfire and roasting hot dogs/smores for his birthday at my parents. For the record, he ate a brat, 2 hot dogs w/o buns and plenty of marshmallows throughout the evening :) Now that the kids are all snug in bed, with the smell of campfire still faintly on them, I can recap our last few days. . .

We went to the zoo with a couple of my college friends and our kids. . .It has been fun for me to get to know them better as moms! Ainsley absolutely adores Ella, a little girl Trey's age. . .This only shows half the picnic table. . .6 out of the 9 kids and 2 in the bellies :)
We have been a busy bunch since college! :) Mom friends are so very important. . .people who, after you discipline, can laugh with you that one brother retaliated by throwing sand at the other brother. Not that mine did that. . .I'm just sayin :) Oh, and how is that belly? 19 wks photos and growing. . .am loving when I feel the baby move, which is mainly when I stop and sit. . .am loving that my pregnancy can create conversations between fellow moms in the hyvee line. . .
We also spent a morning downtown with my sister, my friend Michelle and our kids. I look forward to summer when they are off from teaching. . most summer days we call each other and say, "what should we do today?" Trolley ride. . .

Malts at the diner, and a visit from daddy. . .
I am thankful for mom friends. . .new ones and old ones. . young ones and mature ones that understand without judgement, the joys and struggles of MoMmYhOoD.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Omaha Zoo

We have many mini family vacations planned for the summer and our first one was the Omaha ZooIt was a hot day! Cooling off with some ice cream while daddy pulls the wagon. . .We spent the night in a hotel and GooF went to get us Cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory while I put the kids to bed! The kids loved swimming at the hotel and seeing all the animals at the zoo. . .but it got to be a long, hot day. . .Thank you God for a nap and a safe trip home. . .Oh, and as we rode the Zoo Tram, we passed the benches that will forever remind me of nursing our babies together Bethany :)

Trails

We discovered that the trails behind one of the parks in town are a great place to spend the evening as a family! We packed a picnic supper. . .and discovered all sorts of wildlife. . .watched a raccoon, Porter got peed on by a toad. . .
saw a "family of 6" that will soon resemble our familytalked about what it would be like to not have very many toys and just play in God's creation every dayIt was one of those enjoyable evenings when the kids all got along well and the weather was perfect! Just so you know, the kids wanted to go back a few nights later and it didn't go quite the same. . .kids slipped in mud. . .only extra pants we had along were Trey's. . .squeezed Porter into them. . .looked more like tight capris on him :)
When we were playing at the park the other day with my friend Kristi and her kids, she took a few pictures. . .
Gotta love the missing teeth :)

Monday, May 24, 2010

5 Kisses on the top of your head

I couldn't go to sleep tonight without wishing you a Happy 5th Birthday Porter William! 5 yrs ago today, I heard the doctor say, "It's a boy!" and you made me a mommy of a son! Your sister wanted to pose on this rock, and so then you wanted to pose :). . .
Porter, you make us LAUGH. You love intensely and you get upset intensely. This morning Ainsley told you the first thing she thought of was "Porter's 5!" You hugged her and said, "Ainsley, you're the best sister I could ever have." Numerous times a day you tell me, "Mommy, did you know I love you? Mommy, you're the best mommy I could ever have! Mommy, I just love you." Numerous times a day I have to try and teach you to do what is right. You sing this song you made up every night, "Jesus loves you even more, even more, even more, Jesus loves you even more, and make sure to love mommy too." You always want 4 1/2 kisses on your head. . .or make that 5. . and then nobody can touch your head. You know that Jesus is with you and watches over you, and you are learning to say you're sorry and mean it. You love your friends and are my up and at 'em boy. . .soon after you're up, you're dressed and ready to play outside. You love all things remote control and do many things loudly and fast. I love the boy noises you and your brother make when you play. I love that you carry a doll on your back when playing with your sister. Porter William, YOU ARE THE BEST PORTER I COULD EVER HAVE! Happy 5th Birthday! Love, Mommy

Monday, May 17, 2010

Pop goes the. . .

"All around the downtown""This mama chased her kidlets"(we need daddy to move this. . he says he's the strongest man alive)

"Her kidlets thought twas all in fun""Pop goes the belly" Seriously, it has begun to pop out by the minute! As you can see, Trey gave the baby his pavillion sticker :)

My song could have gone something like this. . . "All around the science center, this mama chased her kidlets, Trey had an accident. . .check out the leggings."What a sweet "big sissy" to offer her leggings!

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Food Talk

"Mouthwatering". . .

"Tasty". . ."Delightful". . . "Savory""Soothing""Yummy". . .

Am 17 wks along with baby #4 and the online pregnancy updates compare your size to food. . you went from the size of a sesame seed, blueberry, kidney bean, kumquat, fig, lime, lemon, apple, avocado. . . to now being about the length of a bell pepper (no wonder we have cravings!) :) At my last appt, Ainsley and I heard your heart beating at 148bpm, you were kicking at the machine they use to listen with, and I have started to feel you move :) Tummy growth over 4 wks. . .pic on the right is 16 wks
Pretty soon my belly will look like I'm carrying a watermelon rather than a bell pepper :) Little one, you are "sweet" already.

Shepherding

I took the kids to a garden center the other day to get myself a hanging pot, and Ainsley adored this little lamb planter that she found. I told her she could think about it, and if she wanted to spend her money on it, we would come back for it. With tears in her eyes, we left the lamb. (Porter informed the check out lady not to sell it to anyone else. . his sister wants it!) The next day, she came back with her saved up money to purchase it :) She filled it with dirt, flowers, and then watered/washed it off. . .
I had thought she may want to set it in the rocks or grass, but she chose the center of our patio table as the perfect place for her little lamb and what a fine centerpiece it is. . .

To be completely honest, I thought the plastic lamb planter was quite hidiuous in the store, but Ainsley loved it, and I love her. Plus, the lamb reminds me of something. . .leading my children as a shepherd. . .

GooF and I recently had the privilege of attending some sessions at a homeschool conference, and God used one in particular, Mark Hambys' seminar titled "Raise them Up Don't Crush Them Down," to speak to me. He spoke about reaching the heart of our children, rather than simply changing behaviors. He said, "Rules can change behavior but they can't change the heart." He said, "Children need to hear the beating of our hearts rather than the beating of our voices." I truly believe God calls me to mother my children with "arms extended in grace" and to be a shepherd as he said. I appreciated his honesty about his relationship with one of his sons, and it challenged me.
Since I have a lamb centerpiece on my patio table, I shall use it as a daily reminder to be a shepherd, and to seek out what that means for our family.

Monday, May 10, 2010

Practicing with no training wheels!


Porter says, "No Problem"

1959

"Clipper" was created by 10 yr old William and his dad, and ridden in a parade :) With its lawnmower engine, it is not a quiet machine, but it is now being enjoyed by the grandchildren and maybe still William himself :)

Sunday, May 2, 2010

25 cents

lemonade? trail mix? monster cookies? 25 cents!

See the little baby teeth

(Update: Ainsley's 1st tooth fell out on May 4, while outside jumping rope and wiggling it :) ) And now, 5 yrs later, one on the bottom is hanging on by a thread!We are so excited to see that sweet blue eyed, freckle faced grin with a missing tooth :) Soon, Ainsley girl, soon!

Trey Today

at almost 2 yrs, 9 months

Hiding from the cameraUntil I caught that smile
Giggling so hard
As he hid from the camera, little hands beginning to get a summer tan

Trey Today