Easter 2011

Easter is not about the eggs, or chocolate, or bunnies, or any such things, but they are fun traditions.

Starting off with matching plaid shorts and an impossible to get group shot.


Well anyway, one day we will still know that we had them in adorable Easter outfits, even if the picture doesn't quite capture it.


Walker only picked blue eggs, and Eli only picked green. We may have a slight compulsive disorder going on around here.


Colin was indiscriminate. He was pretty sure they all had candy, and that was the goal.



And he knew exactly what the candy was all about and how to get to it.





He will never tell how much he ate. But I counted the wrappers, and well, oy. {I really didn't think he could unwrap the candy himself!}



And I'm so glad that I can virtually wipe my kids faces, even if I didn't before the picture was taken.

Self-initiated hand holding. "Awww"


It was a happy Easter weekend.  The joy is from Christ and through Christ and I will praise Him for these little moments of glory He shared with us.

To the Science Center We Shall Go

The crowds were crazy. I've never seen so many people there.  The boys got the, "there are lots of people here today. STAY CLOSE," speech and they agreed.

They spent the first 45 minutes playing with trains on the train tables.  You know, much like the one we have at home. But, they were happy.


Walker was just about the oldest in the kindergarten and younger area.  He was such a good leader.

You see those trains in the middle of the table? He had set those up separate for when the toddlers came to play (and they did, and then he would set them up again).  He even calmly brokered a couple of train disputes between children he did not know. {Maybe the 4 years of, "share kindly" are finally getting us somewhere}

Eli was filled with inventiveness.  He used all the machines in his own unique ways and crafted new uses for the tools and toys.






Colin "helped," and Eli was gracious anyway.


Colin wanted to play the toddler golf, only the golf balls (as they usually are) were all missing. So, being the resourceful and strong young lad he is, use the giant golf ball holder (which does look like a ball) as his ball.



It didn't go very far, but he was satisfied.


We spent more time than ever at the life-sized light bright wall.  Eli lined up all the green ones.


Then he counted them (bonus math lesson!).


And, they are only sort of "stay dry aprons," but hey, it's just water.


Every day is an adventure, and this was a good one.

Just Shy of 300 {Our Bowling Adventure}

Bowling Night with the cousins.

A first for the boys and the first in a long time for me. {I almost beat Jason, almost}



Walker lasted about 5 frames before he lost interest.


But, initially, there was lots of interest. {and yay, Aunt Ally}


But it was convenient that Walker lost interest, because Colin had waited patiently and was VERY interested. {Eli and Daddy on the assist}


And he had figured it out.


And Eli was quite the encourager.  Eli was also the best bowler of the bunch, even if his bowling looked a bit more like the shot-put. {and he was far to fast to capture on film}


The pile of family shoes. Our family pile of shoes. {That is all}


And rented shoes, which is a difficult idea to explain to the kiddos.  They were ready to bring them home. {How fashion forward of them}


Walker's favorite part - icees and conversation.  He made 3 new friends (all grown ups) hanging around the snack bar.  I love my little politician.  Never met a stranger and educating the world on all manor of things.


A fabulously fun time with family and if you add all our scores up, you would end up just shy of a perfect 300.

This Moment of Focusing On...

On being present. On being thankful for this moment so much so that I do not squander it.

"I will not desecrate this moment with ignorant hurry or sordid ingratitude" (Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, p.70)  

On listening and sharing and guiding and answering.



On climbing and chasing and encouraging and catching and carrying.



On being home, and really being here.



On fighting the urge to worry and fret over the plans for the future. God is sovereign and his plans will be accomplished.  On being prayerful and obedient and not worrying about the rest.

"The slower the living, the greater the sense of fullness and satisfaction." (Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, p.76)

Her words leave you seeing God's beauty in the daily living He has given us.   

I will be slow in these moments in the backyard.  I will savor them.

James 4: 13-15 13 "Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit" - 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that."

Rest.

Everyday I look forward to my 20 minutes of peace.

Eli naps in our bed and I snuggle with him until he drifts off.  It is 20 minutes of sweet whispers with my newly 4 year old.  And, equally important, 20 minutes of stillness for me.  No cleaning, cooking, reading, wiping, washing.  Just quietness.



Most days the my quiet time draws to a close when I hear Walker stirring.  He has to stay in his room for an hour (trust me, he needs the quietness as well), but he shakes and rattles and turns pages while in his quiet time.  This usually sounds as my alarm and I get up and use my 40 minutes to get some things done kid-free.

This week as been crazy busy, with little sleep and lots of late nights working things out.  Walker gave us both a little break this afternoon.  Without his stirring my 20 minutes turned into a nice little nap.



I woke up in one of those what time is it? What day day is it? Kind of stupors, but it was so worth it.  I know my days of having times like this are few, so I enjoyed every minute.  The kids are getting older and we usually cover some of our school during the littlest one's nap time, but for today we all took a break of restoration.

So thankful the Lord gave us this little rest, we all so clearly needed.

To the Races

On Saturday (courtesy of a well connected friend) we were off to the races at Barber Motorsports. This was a first for Jason and I, as well as the boys.

There was, well, racing. {this little cute one was my favorite}


It is the perfect set up for kids.  We sat in a great spot to watch the cars zoom by. We were in the shade and had lots of run around room for the boys.  There was a even a mud puddle to throw sticks into, win.

There were friends.


Even a dash of pink.


And hydration, what with all the running around.

{I do not believe I was given enough credit for dressing all the boys in racing themed Lightening McQueen gear. Thank you.}



The boys had a blast.  We would love to take them back.  You can pack a lunch and spend a day outside with the kids, while watching a major event go on before your eyes.

And about .06 seconds out of the parking lot.  I'd say they had fun.


I wish we had a picture of the street sweeper cleaning the track in between the races.  That was generally received as the most exciting part by the littlest observers.

Oh well, zoom.

Perfect Park Day

The days of not too hot, not too cold, peaceful play with friends are for cherishing.

Slide Races


In the tunnel, which they turned into their personal club house.


They ran, climbed and played hard for almost 2 hours.  And oh, how these boys needed it.


Mr. Independent.  I can see his baby-ness fading before my very eyes.


He desperately needs a haircut, and then I see I picture like this and I think I'll let it go a few more weeks.


A morning of energy expending for the boys and a morning of energy restoring for the mommies.  I love how it works that way.

I Just Can't Stop Loving You

Let's face it, Eli is cute.  This is clear.  And he is not afraid to weld this to his advantage every. single. night.

He does not care for the going to bed and uses every excuse he can come up with to delay the pain of going to sleep (oh please someone subject me to the pain of going to bed, really please).

He fake cries and when he starts laughing, he keeps trying to cry-laugh. It is endearing and maddening all at the same time.

It is hard to remain the stern faced parent once he starts all this, and boy does he know when we have turned the corner and started giggling.

For your pleasure, 2 minutes after being tucked in:


Also, his new thing is to say, "I just can't stop loving you." Which is so sweet and so perfectly him.

But - it is so hard not to laugh, because all I can think about is Michael Jackson when he says his little catch phrase.


So Eli's advice for delaying the inevitable: Cry until you gain sympathy; laugh like everyone is having a good time; and most of all use an 80's love song tag line to OWN YOUR PARENTS.
{Well not really own, but every minute out of the bed is a victory!}

What, I don't see that crying kid.

Colin is going through this phase. This phase is that he has an opinion and when he doesn't get his way he pitches quite the fit.

Related: He spends a lot of time sitting in time out composing himself.

And now, well, he has brought this behavior out for public testing. Oy.

Once he has committed to a crying-screaming fit, he is well, committed.

He pretty much requires being removed from the situation to regain control.

So, if you happen to see a not quite two year old sitting alone in a field, a corner, at a table...or so forth; be confident that we are keep in a close eye.

When he has decided to stop screaming like a banshee he can rejoin our group.  Pay no attention to the agitated toddler, he will calm himself (at some point) and happily rejoin the festivities.

Praying this is the shortest phase ever. Please.

Family Counts 2011

The crowd of happy people.


The toddler who will not be left out of any of the big kid fun.


Driving the Boat


Eli is even wearing his fishing hat, how appropriate.


Time to ride the motorcycles.




Did someone say cotton candy? {The kids hit there sugar quota for the month}


Baseball lessons with dad. {everybody together, awww} Eli was the only one interested in the sports games, and he wanted to play them all.


Dancing.


Riding the the race cars.


Ending the day all together.


{What an amazing day with our family.  So thankful for the heaping blessings of love he surrounds us with, that it would all be for His glory.}