Another Healthing Please

I have a family journal that I keep all of the kid's slang words in. A place I can look back and remember all their cute little sayings. Jack has quite a few in there...I can them "Jackanese." He's old enough now that his entries in this journal are not as often and now I'm making lots of entires under Sophie's section of the journal. Today however....I heard him say a sweet little word that I can enter in the journal as perhaps one of his last "little boy" sayings.
As he poured himself a bowl of cereal and sat at the table, he looked up at me and said, "Hey mom, this is my third HEALTHING!" I L-O-V-E-D it!! I actually wanted to jump up and down but couldn't of course in front of him. Secretly, I didn't even want to correct him. I want him to stay my little man forever and say all those cute little words. I just gave him a sweet smile and replied, "your third helping honey...helping."

So, here's to my little man growing up AND to another healthing!!

A New Project

I've always wanted a birthday banner for our family. Something cute to hang for each special birthday at our house. After much searching, I've found the perfect pattern...let the sewing begin!

He Cracks Me Up

I love it when my kiddos come up with a great one right out of the blue and it makes me laugh hard! Here is Jack's latest...

We recently stopped by a friend's house to drop off something. They weren't home, but when we rang the doorbell their dog scared us a little.

Me: Wow! That sounds like a big dog!

Jack: It could just be a BIG cat that speaks bark!

Seriously...where did that come from? My belly hurt from laughing so hard!

Happy Birthday to My Main Squeeze!

The table was all set...

Your favorite cake was baked...

And the kids picked out the best gift...

(although you can't see it b/c of the glare - The NEW Super Mario Brothers for the Wii)

Happy birthday to my main squeeze! Hooray for the day God created you...just for me! :) Here's a list of 36 things I love, love, love about Y-O-U!!

1. Your love and thirst for Jesus...

2. How great of a dad you are...

3. Your commitment to your job...

4. You'll put nothing but your God before your family...

5. Your dedication to working out (okay, sometimes it kind of annoys me b/c I can't seem to find that same dedication. But, nonetheless, it's honorable) :)

6. You're a mean chef...

7. That you are a reader which is a great model to our kids...

8. Your close-knit family...

9. The way you take care of me...

10. Two words: Scruffy Face...

11. Your Jedi-knight skills...

12. That you'll watch chick-flicks willingly...(except the Titanic. The boat sinks...duh)

13. You love to entertain...

14. Your favorite vacations are with your family on a hiking trail...

15. You're just like your dad...

16. You HATE laundry pile-up...

17. You're fiscally responsible (another annoying but honorable trait) :)

18. Corduroy Blazer!!

19. You love my family like your own, and overlook our faults...

20. You pray for your family regularly...

21. Your coffee obsession...

22. How you hold my hand firmly...

23. The way you do a DIY project and it never gets just quite finished...

24. That you still own your childhood teddy bear...

25. That your daughter thinks you are the KING...

26. That she will someday love her KING b/c of the love you've shown her...

27. That after 10 years of marriage, you're a lot nicer...

28. That you wake early to pack lunches for our whole brood...

29. That you're willing to do many things you really don't want to do just because you love us...

30. You NEVER complain...

31. Your favorite summer activity is to take a bike ride as a family...

32. Your convictions...

33. That you sing at church when most men don't...

34. That you love orange juice with popcorn and cottage cheese with baked beans...

35. You're not too proud to apologize...

36. You love me just the way I am!

Happy birthday Justin! I love you to pieces!! I hope today was a blessing for you!

Love, Aim

My Snuggle Buggle

Oh, to fit in a laundry basket and curl up with your favorite snuggle animal....don't you miss those days? :)

Mama's Sick....Real Sick!

This is a picture of the sweet card Jack made for me while I was sick this last week. I think I scared the whole gang a little bit. Friday night I came down with a sore throat and by Saturday morning in the wee hours of the night it was full fledged STREP!! Ugh! I've never had strep before and I don't wish to have it again. My man and our little ones were quite the team though....they pulled through taking care of each other and playing nurse made to me. By Monday though everyone was quite done with the illness! That is when Jack made me this card. He first wrote the cute message...."I wish you were NOT! sik." Then he came back with it and said he drew a picture of how I looked...how nice! :) Today is Wednesday and I'm officially good to go. I'm heading back to school tomorrow. It will be a nice ease back into the routine with a fieldtrip to the Honeywell Center to see Seussical the Musical. No fever, no chills and I no longer feel like I'm swallowing razor blades. Ahhh....life is bliss!

A Wintery Masterpiece

On Saturday morning I awoke early to take in breakfast with a friend. I got ready and jumped in the car when my friend said to me, "Wait until you see what He did for us this morning!"

Driving down the roads we took in quite possibly the most beautiful sight I have ever seen around me! The trees and bushes were COVERED in a beautiful white dust of snow and ice. Now, I've seen this before. It's not a new concept this white covering on the elements outdoors. But, NEVER have I seen it so thick! The trees all looked like pieces of cauliflower. You could scarcely see any brown on them at all. As the sun was rising and streaming through these wintery covered trees, it was amazing! It looked like a scene from The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe right in my own town.

I'm no photography whiz! I love to take pictures but have no technique, so my photo above doesn't even do the experience justice. It. Was. Breathtaking.

God writes the gospel not in the Bible alone, but on trees and flowers and clouds and stars. ~Martin Luther

Happy Valentine's Day!

I LOVE Valentine's Day! I always have.

I know some who think it's a made up holiday by Hallmark just to make an extra buck....who needs one special day to say I love you when you're supposed to say it everyday.

Not me...I'm a sucker for pink heart stickers, especially glittery ones. I love fun dip and pink M&Ms and my most favorite thing about Valentine's is making homemade valentine cards with my kiddos.

This year to celebrate, Justin bought tickets to the WFRN Valentine's Banquet. We went with our neighbors and good buddies, the McCarters. Nana and Pop came and babysat while we enjoyed good friends, a great meal and a concert by Jamie Slocum.

Here are just a few pictures from our Valentine celebrating this year.

My Toothless Man

This week Jacker discovered he had a loose tooth. Not just any loose tooth but one up top, front and center! He wiggled and jiggled and let me twist and turn. Tonight he yanked that puppy out like a real MAN! We could even "hear" it coming out as he yanked it from the gum. We clapped and cheered for how tough he was a he pulled his tooth free.

Bum deal was as he rinsed his mouth and cleaned the tooth off, he lost it down the drain. We were sure he would be crushed as he had worked so hard to pull that thing. He simply said "Oh Well." Then the conversation took a hilarious turn....

Jack: "Dad, can you give me money since I don't have a tooth to give to the tooth fairy?"

Justin: "Absolutely, I can!"

Jack: "Like $100"

Justin: "Uh...I don't think so."

Jack: "Why not?"

Justin: "Because you lost a tooth, not a kidney!"

Jack simply shrugged and walked away as if to say, "It was worth a try!" :) Gotta love it!

Dress Up

I can remember playing with my brother when I was little. I remember since it was just the two of us, that our worlds would sometimes cross over. He'd humor me while playing with cabbage patch dolls and care bears and I could wrestle WWF style with the best of them.

Tonight I watched as my two little kiddos did the same. Jacker was happy to play dress up with his little sister. He danced around in a little dress that he would be humiliated to be seen in around his friends. She donned a Jedi hat and played Star Wars fighting droids with her galactic powers. I love how much my little ones love each other and I love how much watching them play together takes me back to my childhood....playing with the best friend you'll ever have.....your sibling!

Roller-Skating Girl

Sophie went to her first roller-skating party last night. While Jacker sat on the sidelines refusing to skate, Sophie skated round and round and didn't want me to even hold on to her! She is definitely our brave child. I was happy to put on roller skates and be Sophie's sidekick but let's just say that I wasn't quite as smooth on wheels as I once was as a child. :) I think we'll have to plan a roller skating evening for a family fun night so Sophie can practice staying on her feet, Jacker can gain some confidence and I can practice my balance while in motion!

Infomercial Junkie

My Jack-man is the KING of infomercials! He is always bringing me a slip of paper with some 800 number on it so I can call and order the latest craft item, organizer purse or cleaning supply. One day when an infomercial came on he said, "Listen to this. They will say you can only call if you are 18. That is so not fair. You always have to be 18!"

I love this little facination he has right now with these as-seen-on TV ads. One day he'll get a kick out of knowing that he was ALL about shopping this way.

His latest item of choice is the amazing brownie pan. You know, the one that bakes your brownies like there are 20 mini-brownies all in one pan....perfectly baked edges in every bite! Well...he recently noticed that the BOOKS ARE FUN salesman at school had one for sale. We had to buy one and try it out.

We give The Amazing Brownie Pan....two thumbs up!

Sophanese

One of the things I love about the stage that Sophie is in right now is her speech. I wish that I could bottle up her little toddler talk to play back for myself when she is a teenager. Sometimes the most normal phrase can make me simply crack up because of her lingo right now. Here are some that I want to always remember...

Pupu Blankee....................................Purple Blankee

Titty Tat..................................Kitty Cat

Surwee Teml......................................Shirley Temple
(She is WAY into Shriley Temple movies right now)

Bubby......................................Brother

Wip Loss....................................Lip Gloss

Juicee............................................Apple Juice

Oda......................................Yoda
(Jacker is so into Star Wars and Yoda is Sophie's Fave)

Bassetball......................................Basketball

One of my favorite Sophanese phrases is when I tell Sophie that I love her and she replies back, "I love my mommy, I love my daddy, I love my Jacker."

I don't ever want to forget this language and how the simplest little lines melt my mama heart.

I Have A Dream

We've been talking a lot about Haiti at our house. My brother and sister-in-law traveled there last year on a mission trip and fell in love with the people. God instantly gave them a passion for this land and a desire to serve there regularly if not in a full time missionary status. Given that connection, when the tragedy of the earthquake came -Jack had a lot of questions about this event. We've spent time praying for the children there, looked at pictures that are appropriate for him to see on blogs that we follow from church and discussed ways that we can help in the releif efforts as a family and an AWANA club.
Recently, in Jacks's class, Mrs. Terrone had the students do an assignment linked to the celebration of Martin Luther King, Jr's birthday. Jack's version of "I have a dream" hangs in the hallway expressing his heart for the healing of a land that is hurt.
" I have a dream that the people in Haiti are okay.
Because they had a earthquake."
It makes my heart smile that my son has a heart for helping God's people and a burden for when mankind is suffering.

The Big 3-3!

I LOVE BIRTHDAYS!! People say that when you reach a certain age, they aren't such a big deal anymore. Honestly, I can't really imagine. I love the anticipation of them, I love the well-wishes and birthday cards that come in the mail- especially from someone you're not expecting to hear from. I love the cake and singing and that my mom STILL makes my favorite meal for me after all these years. The presents are always fun too, but the real fun for me is just celebrating who I am, who I've become and all that God has blessed me with.

This year the highlights included Jack's present to me, he told everyone that he was taking me to his basketball game for my birthday. Wasn't that sweet of him? :) I slept in until 8:45!! Justin kept the room all dark and the kids nice and quiet...he knows how much I love some extra Zzz's. Mom fixed ham loaf, cheesy potatoes, asparagus and rolls for dinner...many of my mama fave's. She also made this AMAZING german chocolate cake from scratch. YUM, YUM! It was especially fun this year to get so many well wishes from facebook buddies that I don't get to see in person. Another birthday....lots of blessings! Praise God for another happy, healthy year!

*Oh yeah, the patent leather zebra stripe Dansko's were a big hit too!! :)

Sophie and Ella

Sophie loves her buddy Ella! When she pretends, Ella is always a part of it. They travel to Wal-mart, the pool, school, all over town in her imagination. When she gets something new, she can't wait to show Ella or she'll mention that she wants to let Ella play with her new item. Seems so sweet!

Funny part to the story is that Ella and Sophie are not only friends, they are personaility clones! Their temperments are EXACTLY the same. Often when we're together if we hear a shrill scream, we're not sure which of the girls it actually is. While they love to play together, they also love to make sure the other knows who is in charge. It is so funny to listen to them setting the other straight in their little toddler talk.

My prayer is that they will forever cherish their friendship and that through the years and maturity, they lose the temperment. :) But for now, it makes for some pretty tummy tickling entertainment!

The Basketball Boy

Jack started up a new season of basketball this weekend. I LOVE watching him play. He takes it so seriously! The Pregame Huddle

His favorite thing right now is the "fake out." He'll try out his moves on us here at home and he loves to explain the technique to anyone who will listen. He actually got to put it into action today. Way to go, buddy! Your fake out's are awesome!

Jack's also a big one on dribbling...not so much on shooting. He does like to pass. Only problem there is, he only likes to pass to Grant. :) He did have one pretty mean assist into the Grant-man today. It was just like watching the big boys play!

Good news is, we've got plenty of skills to work on this season. Bad news, I kind of like his little basketball quirks. :)

Ringing In The New Year

Goodbye 2009: The loss of sweet Aunt Dianne, Sophie ditches diapers, Jackson takes off as a reader, Matt and Ginger graduate and get jobs...Hooray!, We decide to remodel the kitchen-then decide not to-then decide, sure-let's do it- and finally decide no, not yet, Mom and Dad make it through a rough spell, Sophie gets a big-girl bed, I decide to teach Jack's Sunday School, Awana goes for another year, Changes at the church, Tuesday nights with the Spencers, Justin learns not to work so much in the summer, Trip to Atlanta, Girls vacation in Florida, We ponder baby #3....

Hello 2010: It's hard to say what God has in store but here are some things I'm looking forward to and anxious to look back on at the end of the year to see how they come to pass- Sophie starting preschool, What will we do with the kitchen, Kline/Brown wedding, Jackson transitioning to his last grade at Columbia, Masters Degree?, Third baby?....

This year I'm hoping to blog more. My goal is to post each week whether it be thoughts, happenings or actual pictures of events in our lives. I want to then print our year 2010 off into a book for us to look through, read and remember as we relive the joys, trials and triumphs of a year in the life of this family seeking to serve Him!

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Kicking off the season with pictures...

Fun, Fun, Fun from my friend in tiny town (Who by the way, I've NEVER actually met!)

1. On an average, how often do you splurge and buy something for yourself?

Way. Too. Much.

2. What is the last creative project you began/finished? Feel free to post a pic of it.

Hmmm...I'm real good at thinking up creative projects and picturing them perfectly completed in my mind. Not so good at actually seeing them through. My latest, valances for my bedroom that match the quilt my mother-in-law made for us last Christmas. Took me the better part of one afternoon.

3. OK, Goldie Locks, do you consider your house too big, too little or juuuust right?

Just perfectly right! I used to really struggle with incontentment. God has really done a work in me in this area. I'm so thankful for our home, its character and the space we have. I love, love, love to entertain in it! It may be far from perfect to others but it is PERFECT to us! :)

4. What is your favorite outdoor chore?

Working in my flower beds OR raking leaves with the kids.

5. If you knew that cigarette smoking was not bad for your health but would be a weight loss tool, would you use it? Why or why not?

No way! Can't stand the smell of it....gives me a headache in minutes!

6. On a road trip, would you rather drive or ride?

Um, ride. Everyone else would rather I ride also!

7. What do you consider a trivial pursuit?

Money

8. This weekend, we downloaded the movie "Duplicity" with Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. Within 5 minutes, I was bored and annoyed, but I kept watching 5-10 minutes at a time hoping it would get better between small chores. I finally gave up and Jorge watched it alone, and then regretted wasting that time because he disliked it intensely, too. So ... how long do you watch a movie or read a book before giving up on it?

Does falling asleep count as giving up on it? If so, minutes!

9. Is there a song that you really love but are embarrassed to admit because it's not cool or it's racy or because it's by Hall and Oates?

I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Michael Jackson. Actually, I'm not embarassed by it - but I am made fun of constantly because of it.

10. On a scale of 1-10 (10 = extremely) how spontaneous are you?

Hmmm...I think a six.

11. Are you a food and/or beverage snob?

If ever I was, motherhood stripped that away. I now chomp ABC gum, drink any beverage with floaties and have grown to love any brand of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese.

12. Who/What are you trying to control in your life? (I hear people gulping and see them sweating in anticipation of how to answer this one.)

I'm pretty sure I'm trying to control way too much in my life. I could start to list, but it would take a long, long time. God's working on me here too!