Boys in baby towels

Yes, we still use baby towels.  Even for Reid.  Don't judge.  ;)  There ain't nothin' cuter than a baby (or an almost 5 yo in this case) in a baby towel!  Love it & love babies after their bath. 

Tryin' to multi-task... and oops!

Mama loves some baby feet in the sand.

Riley got to sit in a real booster seat tonight... whatever works to get him to eat, right?

And while mama was outside trying to take pictures of baby feet & dump trucks in the sand, this is what happened.  Oops!  Luckily a doctor lives in the house & he used his scalpel to cut off the burnt part. 

Last day of swim lessons 2012

CAN. NOT. BELIEVE this is my kid!

Swimming all by himself! 

Waiting for the dreaded turn to jump of the diving board.  None of these little ones look all too thrilled. 

And he jumps... right on his belly!  We'll have to work on this one... :)

Mrs. Ginger.... this woman rocks!  She got my kid to swim this summer!

This summer was Reid's 2nd summer to take swim lessons.  Last year he learned the basics.  How to put his face in the water, breathe under the water, blow bubbles, etc.  This year was a whole new ball game.  He had a new teacher & it was more than just the basics this year.  Reid bonded with Mrs. Ginger right away and was doing exactly what she told him to do.  I couldn't believe it.  Last year he would hardly stay in the water with the teacher & there were lots of tears.  This year it wasn't an option & he did great!  He jumped off the diving board on the 2nd day and swam like a fish every lesson!  AMAZING!  I am so proud of him.  These lessons were huge for Reid & he made a TON of progress!  We will definitely be coming back to see Mrs. Ginger next summer!  Yay Reid!

A little of this... a little bit of that.

We have had a really low key week.  I have LOVED it! 

We only had something scheduled to do 2 days this week.  Sooo nice not to have to go anywhere unless we wanted to. 

The boys have really been playing well together and I have enjoyed just being at home with them all week. 

Reid has been being such a good big brother & teaching his brother how to do lots of things he did at this age.  SO sweet!

We made s'mores in the oven one day.  A HUGE hit.  Especially with Riley-Roo here! 

Love these two.  Waiting for their s'mores to get done... How sweet is that? 

Another interesting thing this week... Reid has been asking lots of questions about Jesus dying on the cross & heaven this week.  Wow.  He's only 4 years old.  It just makes me wonder how much he is really processing at his age.  I know they talk a lot in Sunday School about Jesus dying for our sins.  

This was our convo in the car today-- 

 Reid: "Mommy, when will I go to heaven? 

Me: Not for a long time Reid.  Jesus will come & take us all when He's ready.  

Reid: Mommy, I want to go to heaven & see Jesus.

Me: We will all see Jesus in heaven one day & it'll be so wonderful.    

 Reid: If we go to heaven, who will come & pick us up & take us back home?

Me: Well, we won't come back home.  We'll be in heaven and we won't need to come back to our house, because it'll be so wonderful up there.

Reid:  Starts crying.  

Me: Reid, what's wrong??  

Reid: Mommy, I want to come back to my home after I go to heaven!

Me: It's okay Reid.  You don't have to worry about that! We're not going to heaven today (I don't think)   Let's go home & eat our Schlotzkey's and have a juice.  :) 

Me:  (In my head)  Oh. my. goodness.  I wasn't quite prepared for all that!  Lord, help me prepare for these questions... Always hits you when you least expect it!

  

Okay... wow! That's a lot for a 4 yo.  God love those children.  Praise God he wants to go see Jesus one day.  Warms my heart to no end. 

It's Tuesday... Mack Day!

Reid has been saving his allowance for quite some time now.  He saw this Mack Semi tractor trailer at a friends house a few weeks ago.  He has NOT stopped talking about his toy since!  I tried to find it in stores, but no one was carrying it anymore.  We told him maybe we could get it for his birthday, but this boy came up with the bright idea to save his money and buy it!  Smart boy!  

He's been doing a "job" chart for a few months now & earns 5 cents per job.  Usually it only adds up to about 2 bucks a week, so imagine 4 yo boy saving $2.00 a week for about 12 weeks!  That's a looooonnnngggg time in the mind of a 4 yo brain!  

 

Anyway, he did it and last Friday, I ordered it off Amazon for him.  I told him it was coming Tuesday and everyday, we heard, "Mommy, Daddy!  Tuesday is Mack day!"  On Tuesday of this week, he woke up and said, "Daddy, today is Mack DAY!" So stinkin' cute! 

He has absolutely LOVED this thing and was thrilled when I told him that the mailman had delivered it to our door!  He brings it with him everywhere he goes.  It gives me such joy to see how proud he is of it, because he bought it with his OWN money!  Yay Reid!  SOOO proud of you, buddy!

More Father's Day...

Daddy waking up to his sweet boys on Father's Day.  Somehow we missed taking a picture of Rodney with both boys... not sure how that happened??

Rod's sweet Dad.  Love this man.  What a person of character & integrity he is.  Amazing. 

My awesome Dad.  Love this man to pieces!  Thank you for always being there for me, Dad.  I love you!  Don't know what I'd do without you!

My precious husband and THE most incredible father to our 2 boys.  How I love him so!

Riley just started giving REAL kisses this weekend.  Just happened to be on Father's Day.  How sweet is that?

We had a fun Father's Day with Rodney & our Dads.  We started out the day with church & lunch at Corner Bakery (Rod's choice, I promise!)  Then that night we took our parents out to Spring Creek for a little barbeque.  What dad doesn't like him some bbq & bread?!  We all came back to our house for some dessert & hanging out with the boys.  It was a great day & I am so thankful for each one of these men in my life.  My father helped mold me & shape me into the woman I am today.  He has always been there for me & loved me unconditionally, even when I probably needed a little discipline! ;)  My father-in-law is such a man of character & I am so thankful to have him in my life.  What an awesome godly example he is to those around him.  Rodney, you are such an incredible father to our boys & the most precious gift to me is watching you with them & how much they love being with you.  Thank you Lord for these amazing Dads.  They are a precious, priceless treasure. 

Happy Father's Day 2012

Happy Father's Day to my amazing husband who loves me & our boys unconditionally.  To my father, who has been there for me all my life, and for my FIL, who is like a Dad to me.  I love all of you with all my heart & am thankful for each of these men in my life.   Happy Father's Day to each of you!

when you are feeling overwhelmed…

When a sparrow gets caught behind the couch, it’s the light at the other end, behind the poor thing, that we keep trying to turn that one pounding heart towards.
Because the thing is and don’t I know it: If you’re turned the wrong way, you can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.
So I’m kneeled on the floor in front of a pounding-heart bird and the moment, it’s a prayer for the sparrow and for me and for all the overwhelmed ones lost and turned around and  looking for a way out:
Lord God — of all the world, You see the sparrows —
us with the messy nests who are welcome at Your altar,
us with the loneliness who are encircled in Your care,
us with the smallness who are remembered and held and never forgotten
before the God who has an eye for all the Sparrows. 
So sparrows don’t stress. Because they trust. Your Will is better than our ways.
So sparrows don’t hurry. Because they don’t fear. Your altar is better than our agendas.
So sparrows don’t worry — Because they are Yours. 
Your sovereignty is better than the skies.
Simplicity doesn’t mean we will live uncomplicated lives. Simplicity is a matter of Focus — the grace to focus our lives simply on Christ.  
Be our sole Focus, our only Hope, our deepest Joy —
That we may abandon all the worries… and abide in all Your Word —
Those pages that open up like wings.

And the sparrow, it turns right there on the floor behind the couch, turns towards the window — focuses and sees —  and  we witness it.
How a sparrow can fall to the ground –
and still fly again.

I found this post on this blog today.... the lady who wrote the book 1,000 Gifts.  I rarely read her blog, because I don't have time.  Today I took the time.  Funny how those things work out.  So like the Lord, huh? It describes exactly how I have felt the last couple of weeks.  Overwhelmed.  For many reasons.  Tiredness, stress, lots of activity.  But most of all, just realizing that I'm not pressing into the Lord as I should when I'm feeling this way.  "Where are you?" I felt Him say to me today.  "Why are you not asking me for help?"  Ugh.  That's it.  I need HIS help.  I can't do all this in my own humanness.  Thank you, Lord for Ann Voskamp and her post today.  Thank you for your still, small voice to remind me that you see me.  Your little sparrow. 

Paint Party

My first painting... since finger paints in kindergarten!

GNO at Painting with a Twist -- our finished products!

So my friend Mandy organized this awesome girls night out last night at this place called Painting with a Twist.  I thought, "There is no way I'll be any good at this! I'll probably just throw the picture away when I'm done!"  I'm crafty, but I'm no painter!  It was a total blast!  The instructor gave us specific instructions on what colors to use & how to paint.  It was really not that hard once I got started.  It was probably one of THE most fun & different GNO I've ever had!  Girl talk, painting, and more painting.   What could be better?!  I think I may have found a new hobby!  SO fun!

Vacation Bible School

1st day of VBS this week.  June 2012.

Reid & his sweet friends he's known since he was a baby.  They are all in class together. Yay! (L to R) Abby, Elle, Reid. Can NOT believe these kids will be FIVE in just a few short months!

Reid started vacation Bible school this week for the first time.  He has done great & is having so much fun!  Everyday, he gets in the car & tells me all about it (with a little prodding) and says he's having a great time!  I'm SO glad and even more so, that these special teachers are investing in these children's lives by teaching them about God's word.  It's precious.  Love it.  Here's to another week of summer fun!

T-ball Season Finale

This is Reid in the outfield... usually goofing off!

Getting ready to bat one of his last hits for the season!

And he hits it!

Running in after his awesome hit!

Reid & one of his best buds, Matthew.

Go Red Sox, Go!

The boys had an end of year t-ball party at the pool yesterday and they all got awards.  SO cute!  Reid was super proud!  His first question after he got his trophy was, "Mommy, what does this trophy do?"  Priceless.

 Reid had a great season playing t-ball this spring.   He played with buddies from the neighborhood and it was a great season.  He had a blast!  He really likes t-ball and seems to enjoy playing. So glad!    T-ball is definitely more of his thing and we are glad he's found something he enjoys doing!   Rodney & I were SUPER proud of him and I just loved watching him play every. single. game.  I couldn't wait for each weekend so I could go watch him play!  I've never been a big baseball fan, but when it's your kid, it's totally different.  He LOVED it and so did we!!  Mommy & Daddy are SO proud of you, Reid!  You did an amazing job out there this season! Can't wait for the next season to start again!  

Swim lessons -- Summer #2

Reid started swim lessons yesterday for the 2nd summer in a row.  We went with a new teacher this summer & I was a little nervous, but it has been nothing but great so far.  He was swimming a little at the end of last summer with the help of my good friend's husband and a few swim lessons we had from another teacher.  I wasn't quite sure how it would go because he was not excited about putting his face in the water one LITTLE bit!  At the end of the lesson, she asks the kiddos to jump off the diving board.  Reid kindly declined yesterday, which I totally expected.  Today he told me he was going to do it.  I had serious doubts.  Watch the video & see!

I could not have been MORE proud and I literally had tears in my eyes watching my boy jump off the diving board for the very FIRST time in his life!! WAY TO GO Reid!  Mommy & Daddy are SOOO proud of you & your amazing courage!  Only 6 more lessons to go, buddy! You can do it!  

 

Here he is swimming across the side of the pool today BY himself!  HUGE!! 

Waiting for his other little swim buddies to swim. 

 SO proud of his little 4 year old self!  Glad we found this swim teacher!  She is awesome!  Can't wait to see his progress at the end of 2 weeks!  Go Reid, go!