12.31.10 - New Years Eve w/ Close Friends

12.30.10 - Family Yahtzee Fun

Tyler made himself part
of the game
by climbing
on Derk while
we played. 
Tyler was
determined to
first get on
Derk's shoulders
and then decided
to "surf" Derk's
back.  Derk has
become these
boy's jungle
gym.

12.29.10 - Post Holiday Decore Find

Excited
about
this
post
holiday
find
at
UBU -
all
for
under
$5
bones!

12.28.10 - Still Entertained

12.27.10 - Bitter Sweet

It's a little early for us to have taken down the Christmas tree but man does it feel good to organize and de-clutter the house.

12.26.10 - And the Beat Goes On

12.25.10 - Christmas at a Glance

12.24.10 - Santa's Presents are Wrapped

12.23.10 - Our Visit to the Critter Barn

12.22.10 - "Pipes"

Ty's showing us his pipes...the funny part
was the sound he made when he flexed
It was hilarious and he thought he was
hot stuff!

12.21.10 - Daddy's Feeling the Love

Yes, Daddy is feeling the love but it's only day two of Christmas break and he says he is feeling a little too much love.  I don't blame him, I'm a little over stimulated just by the look of this picture.  Is he daddy or a jungle gym?

12.20.10 - We Start 'Em Young

12.19.10 - Gingerbread Trains

These boys are so lucky, their aunts have started a holiday

tradition of getting the cousins together to make

gingerbread creations...this year it they decorated trains.

12.18.10 - Moment of Peaceful Play or NOT

It's only 1:27 and these boys have driven us up a wall...this
captures a rare peaceful moment from the day so far.  It was
short lived because the next pictures captures what their
interaction has been for pretty much the rest of the day...Jalen
pestering Tyler (in his passive aggressive way...I know this
bugs you so I'm going to keep doing it) and Tyler yelling...
get away in that beautiful screeching sound that all parents
love.

12.17.10 - White Elephant Tradition

All year we hunt and ponder on what to bring to the white elephant party.  Our small group has been doing this for 8 years and the stories are endless from years past.  And so, the tradition continues with one more year in the story books.    

12.16.10 - Temptation

He looked at me and then the wise men wondering whether I
  really meant "no - no''...temptation with such innocence.

12.15.10 - My NEW Workout Partner

Jalen sat with me while I looked for a workout video online then decide he wanted to workout with me.  He also said he couldn't wear a shirt because he wanted his belly to show like the girls in the videos.  Derk and I had to giggle as he worked through moves and he wasn't all that bad.  I thought it would last only a few mins. but he made it the entire 20 mins.

12.14.10 - Movie Time = Cuddle Time

Picture taken with the computer while we watched "The Gruffalo"

12.13.10 - Our Shepard Boy

Jalen's 1st Christmas program...definitely something we'll remember and cherish.  He was a Shepard boy along with about 5 of his classmates.  Their line was "Let's go the Bethlehem."  He was a little disappointed that he didn't get to "talk into the 'speaker'"...we figured they knew he would loud enough without it.

12.12.10 - Walking Cookie Monster & BOY NRG

 

12.11.10 - Daycare Christmas Party

                     Daycare Christmas Party

12.10.10 - Our Afternoon

About 15 mins into nap time I heard laughter coming from Ty's
room.  I grabbed the camera because I knew they would be up
to something worth a snapshot.  My intuition proved to be true
and I knew nap time was over.  The focus for the day
shifted to keeping the boys busy so their lack of sleep didn't
turn viral. 

12.9.10 - Lap Dog

              Someone loves my lap when I'm drying my hair.

12.8.10 - Blueberry Bonanza

There is something about this kid and blueberries.  I can't seem to get enough of him with blueberries smashed all over his face, fingers and hair.  Each time I see it I just have to smile.  So here goes post #3 of Tyler and his blueberry bonanza.  Click on the #'s for prior blueberry posts: 1 & 2

12.7.10 - Facebook Review

12.6.10 - What's Your Motivation?

  

  4 Friends - 4 Mom bods - 4 Woman looking for motivation

     20 dollars each - 5 days a week - 15 minute minimum
            Miss a work out - 5 dollars buys you back in

                      Last one standing takes the jar.

12.5.10 - Perfect Peace

Each year I pick up a new PEACE ornament...let me tell you why.  No matter what life threw at Derk's mom, she always lived with a sense of peace.  The world around her could be so chaotic and yet she was at peace.  To me, she was a heroic woman.  I remember her full of peace even when she was so very ill.  She expressed thanksgiving that she could witness to all the medical professionals.  At her funeral the message that the pastor gave centered on the peace which was so appropriate.  Christmas was her favorite time of year and so we pick up a peace ornament each year.  One day my tree will be full of peace and I pray that each day God's peace flows from my heart into the life of those around me.

12.4.10 - Finding the Perfect Tree

Bundled up to stay warm as we hunted for the perfect Christmas
tree...ironically we ended up going back to the first tree we found.

12.3.10 - Hey, Mine!

Sometimes they play nice and other times not so much!

12.2.10 - He's such a ham!

Tyler is such a little ham!

12.1.10 - White Dust

There is nothing like waking up to the season's 1st dusting of snow.

In an effort to capture life's little moments,
I share two stories from today:

1) Jalen, what did you do today.  Jalen's response: made a baby.  Derk's response: I like making babies.  Jalen's response: we made baby Jesus.  My comment to Derk:  Don't get any ideas.

2) Just about every day we realize that Jalen is smarter than we think he is.  This morning we realized he has a new tactic of getting us out of bed.  He knows if only he is up we tell him to go back to bed, watch TV or find something else to do but we are sleeping.  He knows if Ty is crying that we have to get up and help him.  So, we realized after two days of Ty waking up at the crack of dawn (5:30am) and Ty's bedroom door being open when we went to get him out of bed that something was going on.  I assumed that Ty's door being open was from Jalen, but that he was trying to helpful and "checking" his little brother.  After interrogating Jalen we learned he was waking Ty up so we would all get out of bed.  I couldn't believe the truth when Jalen described his madness.  I'm still in disbelief that my 4 year old would be so wise. 

11.30.10 - Advent is Here

 

"The coming or arrival, especially of something extremely important"

"A period of preparation for the birth of Jesus"

"A time of preparation for the Second Coming of Christ"

"The moment before the moment"

Download Sunday's message on the 1st Sunday of Advent - click here.

 

Today we pulled out our nativity scenes and read our first Christmas story of season.

11.29.10 - Half Full or Empty

Typically being half full is second nature for me but
the last month has challenged my norm.  Hopefully we're
through the worst of it and our immune system is ready for
anything.

11.28.10 - Quarantined

The boys were playing Sunday morning and Derk said quick lock the crate, let's quarantine them.  For a moment I thought, that's not such a bad idea after experience a month of sharing germs and nursing a sick family along. After all, we've had more than our fair share of bugs this winter.  UNCLE!

11.27.10 - Jalen's 1st Letter

Jalen was excited to open his first piece of mail personally

addressed to him.

11.26.10 - Sums up the Month

I'm surprised we have any left.  I've been disinfecting everything!

11.25.10 - Addressing Christmas Cards

Thanksgiving Day didn't go exactly as planned.  We had hoped to head over to my parents in the morning and then head over to Aunt Wendy and Uncle Jim's mid afternoon.  Instead with one sick little guy, we let him get a good morning nap before heading to my parents.  Only Derk and Jalen got to go to Aunt Wendy & Uncle Jim's but I did get a piece of her homemade Raspberry pie...a Thanksgiving tradition.

While we waited for Ty to wake up from his morning nap the rest of us started to address the Christmas cards.  Jalen has been into drawing pictures and sat next to me drawing on all the cards for family that we won't be mailing.  He was so cute, he would ask me who the card was for and then with such focus he'd draw a picture of them.  Addressing Christmas cards turned out to be special family time.  I loved it!

11.24.10 - Again, Come ON!

When am I going to feel good Mom?

11.23.10 - Toenails

These things grow like weeds...I wonder how long they could get.

11.22.10 - Proud Mom, Proud Son

 I know I've said it before but we love the preschool Jalen is at.  The best part is when he is proud to show me what he did and tell me about what he is learning.  They've been learning about what makes up a community.   Parents with jobs kids can relate to have been visiting the class to teach the kids about their profession.  He's had a nurse and dentist so far, at least that is what we can tell from the souvenirs he has brought home.  Today when I was leaving for work he asked when I was going to come to his school to tell his friends about my work.  Then he was careful to tell me that I needed to bring "stuff" to help the kids learn about it.  I always remind him of how proud I am of him, funny to see the reserve - my son expressing he is proud of me.

11.21.10 - Priceless Play

I love it that the boys play together so well.

 

The boys love it when Grandpa plays with them!

 I love to watch my dad play with the boys...special & priceless!

11.20.10 - Craft Show Find

Found this fun stocking stuffer at a craft show today!

11.19.10 - Operation Christmas Child

The kids were coloring and answering questions about themselves to include in the Operation Christmas Child boxes.

11.18.10 - Special Reward

Jalen and Derk have it worked out that if Jalen takes a nap at daycare and behaves well that Jalen gets to stay up a little later than Ty and play a game with Derk.  Our little guy happens to be rather competitive and the teacher in Derk comes out.  He is turning everything into learning, from numbers, colors, following game rules and learning about "sportsman - like" conduct.  They shake hands after each game and say "good game".  It's sort of funny to hear them do this because it sounds like what you hear after a sporting event among the teams.  Besides this, they are getting some special 1:1 time and we aren't hearing about him fighting with poor Adam from daycare when we pick him up.