I Think I Found Myself A CheerLeader

On the way home from school the other day.....

Mama to Fire Cracker and Sparkler: Do you guys think I could write a book?
FireCracker: About what?
Mama: Parenting
Pause
FireCracker: Sure!
Sparkler: I can get you some awesome writing paper from my teacher. The kind with lines and a place to draw your picture.

I knew I was opening a can of worms and had no clue how they would answer my question. It was one of those moments when our kids taught me. They had no doubt I could do it and even offered to help me out :) I think I found myself a  two cheerleaders folks! They reminded me to stop stalling, throw out the doubt and get busy chasing my dreams!

Just One Look

That's all it took! Okay, by now you may be singing the famous song in your head. But seriously on my end, just one look is all it took for me today. Just one look to realize how much I had missed blogging about our kids, our life and our experiences. Here's how it goes......

My sister and brother-in-law gave us a digital photo frame today. Alright, stop laughing at how far behind we are in technology. I have never been one to hide from the fact. But it wasn't just any digital photo frame. It was LOADED, AND I MEAN LOADED, with EVERY picture from my blog posts.........ever!!!!

I don't even exagerate when I say that each of us (all 6!) spent AT LEAST almost an hour gazing at the pictures today. I say at least because Sparkler decided she needed a stool to sit and watch and then she needed a snack to eat while watching and then she needed to eat her dinner 'by the pictures'.

It is such a cool gift. You cannot watch the photos that fly through the screen and not smile....even laugh. And then to hear each persons account of the picture.... "I remember when..... Do you remember when we.... Oh yeah....that is when we....!!!!

SO COOL!!

So I am back....hands down....not wanting to miss one more moment....to enjoy, to share, to celebrate all those special times and memories that we are SO FORTUNATE to enjoy! Life is precious, soak in every blessing....rain or shine...day or night....mountain or valley........all or none.....count it all as joy!

WHO SAYS? By Sparkler

WHO SAYS GIRL "GOGGIES" CAN'T WEAR BOWS?

FIRE CRACKER TURNS 4!!!

Happy Birthday to our sweet third son! Fire Cracker came into the world as an affectionate, eager to please, peaceful, easy-going baby and he continues to have a very similar personality today. He loves to cuddle, enjoys sitting in your lap and goes with the flow on most anything. He was also the only of the 4 kiddos born without some kind of unexpected circumstances surrounding his delivery day. It has been amazing to see this bundle of joy grow through the years......he is smart, funny, kind and compassionate. He takes his role of big brother very seriously and looks out for his baby sister doting on her daily. Fire Cracker works hard to keep up with his older brothers while maintaining his own personality at the same time. He loves to color and already draws people and cars. He even learned to write his name this past year! We are so proud of Fire Cracker and thankful for his place in our family. What a special gift God has given us! He teaches us things each day and makes us strive to be better parents and people. You just can't help but smile and laugh when in his presence. We love you Fire Cracker and can't wait to see what's in store for you in year number 4!

PLAY OR NAP?

Nap time.....known to Sparkler as Play Time today
I thought she was sleeping.......she had other things to say!
But I knew.....I just knew when I heard such a loud sound
That she was up to something.....do you belive what I found?
Things like this seem to be happening more .....
As I neared the bedroom door......
I was overwhelmed with a familiar scent...
Surely diaper related, but was it powder or ointment?
So I took a deep breath and counted to 10.....
Knowing there would definitely be something to mend!
I threw open the door not really quite sure
of the state I would find our sweet child #4!

PICK UP A BOOK!!

Today is the birthday of Theodor Geisel, known to most of us as Dr. Suess!! I love to read and credit that to a childhood full of books and reading. My parents read to us every night and I vividly remember my brother and sister reading to me on a regular basis. I even remember my brother rearranging the words to make me giggle! We also had the record books....you know the ones that beeped when you were supposed to turn the page!

I will always be grateful to my parents who instilled in us the importance of reading. It is one of my life goals to pass this message down to my children as well. So far, so good as Bottle Rocket is already reading around a 5th grade level and can be found with his nose in a book at any given point! We have books all over the house....in every room. And we have read to each child since they were in the womb. It is never a strange sight to see all four kiddos nuzzled up on one of our laps eager to read a great book. I believe 100% that you can learn anything if you can read!

Fortunately, mom took great care of our books and I have been able to pass some of them along to my children. They crack up to see my name in the front of the book. Recently Smoke Bomb has begun reading and some of his favorites include Hop on Pop, Green Eggs and Ham, Mr Brown Can Moo! Can You? and Cat in the Hat. I thought these books were exciting when I was a child reading them! It is way too cool to hear your child read them aloud!

To celebrate Read Across America Day, the boys' school has a Dr. Suess day where students are allowed to dress up as a famous Dr. Suess character. Here's a picture of Bottle Rocket and Smoke Bomb....the outfits are self-explanatory!

So join in and celebrate with America..... Pick up a book and READ!

TENDER MOMENTS

MacGyver recently accepted a new position.......it has been a great move for him and he feels that he can really make an impact on our community through this new job. He also feels strongly that this is where God has led Him and that makes all the difference.....in all things. Needless to say we are all adjusting to the new changes and challenges put before us, but it's not anything that changes the dynamics of our family. One morning I walked downstairs and saw this on the family calendar......courtesy of Bottle Rocket!

Talk about a good cheerleader!!!

NEW KID ON THE BLOCK!!

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Meet……….Lucy! She is a hound mix (we think a blue tick coonhound mix) that we adopted from the shelter recently who has adapted into our family quite nice. After we lost Sandy, there was a huge hole left in our hearts that left us yearning for another pet companion. Poor Miles was showing the signs of depression, after all he had grown up with Sandy for 10+ years. He was sleeping until 10am in the morning , sitting at the bottom of the stairs at night waiting for his friend and asking to go out numerous time each day only to peruse the premises for something he would not find. There is no way any animal could ever replace Sandy. But God knew just how to handle the situation. We walked into the shelter that bitter cold evening and walked through the kennel of dogs. We were unsure that we saw any pet that would suit our needs (with 4 little variables, safety and smart decisions were a must!). We were stopped by a volunteer who asked about our situation and as we told our story, she and another volunteer immediately mentioned “Dixie”, a four month old pup. They brought her out to meet our family and as they say, “she choose us right away!” She lay down and instantly turned to mush as all four kids rubbed, squealed and loved on her as if she were their own. To top it off, Miles was in tow and met this pup as well. He sniffed and circled, checking everything out, but kept his tail wagging which spoke for itself.

The volunteers told us about a litter of puppies who were due to arrive momentarily and we did in fact investigate. But Lucy had notched a place in each of our hearts that could not be replaced! So Dixie was renamed Lucy (by the kids vote) and became a member of the family. She is playful, yet calm. She is friendly and laid back. But most of all she seems grateful. I cannot explain it, but I truly believe “pound pups” are honestly thankful for what they have. Sandy showed us this the first night she was with us. Lucy has been no different, as she is affectionate, obedient, and extremely gentle with the kids. She does great with crate training and is mostly housebroken- ringing a bell when she has to go out. Miles now gets up in the morning with all the other family members and plays fetch with Lucy daily. What a blessing she has been to all of us, two legs and four!

THE LATEST IN WALL ART

Can you guess who did it? She (oops!) also decided to redecorate her brothers newly painted room. And I swear she (I am not pointing any fingers!!) was only out of sight for 2 minutes tops. But she did a bang up job- efficient we will call her. I only wonder if she was humming and singing her pretty made-up sounds while she worked!!

I would not be telling the truth if I said I did not gasp out loud when I first saw this sight. And then gasped some more when I found she had also redecorated her brothers’ wall(s) as well. I mean this is not coming off easy and most likely it will need a coat of paint to really hide it. I was mad at myself and frustrated with her. BUT, this is minor compared to A LOT of things. Really most things! I heard someone in a seminar, (literally 1 day before this happened) say that we should not “major in the minors”…... kind of like “don’t sweat the small stuff”. So I decided to look at the situation in a positive light. The walls (or most of the walls) she colored on have never been painted and are due an update. Also, my mom gave me the magic eraser and it works like a charm for this project! I do admit that I have left the art work undisturbed for now……because years from now I will be longing for more!

HOLD ON SPARKLER

So here is the deal. It originally snowed here last Sunday evening. We got about 5 inches of snow which is a lot for this part of the country. The snow developed into freezing rain on Monday evening and we woke up to about one-quarter inch of slippery coating on everything around. We all enjoyed the time off and time together sledding, sipping hot chocolate, playing the Wii and wearing pajamas. Then six days later, here we are out of school again (yep, they cancelled the Saturday make-up day), cooped up, cabin fevered and just downright ready for things to get back to normal! Are we alone? I am in my 30's and only remember one time in my life that snow caused such a set back to school. That was the year 1988 and our entire Spring Break vacation was wiped out due to snow make-up days. So what do you do? Really there is nothing you can do. The school admin are making safe decisions and for that I am thankful. But really! My kids are now asking to be homeschooled! You get so far removed from something and your whole perspective changes I guess. But one thing that has remained constant for our family is the love we have for each other. Here is a prime example:

The kids wanted to go spend some birthday cash and so we made a trip out today to do just that. We were all getting ready to go and I was changing Sparkler's diaper. Fire Cracker came up to us and softly said to Sparkler, "You sit real still for Mama while she changes you and I will be right back. I am going to get you some money so you can buy some hair bows at the store". So sweet- he was going to use his own money to buy his little sister a gift. Man I love these kids! Here's to 3 more days of school off and loads of memories that can't be replaced.

THIS ONE DOESN'T EVEN NEED A TITLE......

It is always entertaining to have a 2 year old in the house~

HAPPY 8TH BIRTHDAY BOTTLE ROCKET!!!

Where do I begin? Bottle Rocket, you are so special to us and we are so proud of what an awesome big brother, son, nephew and grandson you are! You have such a gentle nature and are so kind and compassionate toward others. You heart is huge and that is such a wonderful personality trait to have. When you were born 8 years ago today at 2:22, we offically became a mom and dad! What a blessing! It has been amazing to watch you grow from a 6 pound preemie into a 4 foot gentleman who steals our heart each and every day. Your smile brightens our days and your love means the world to all of those around you. You are truly one of a kind and we love you today more than ever....if that is possible! Happy Birthday and here's to a great new year ahead!

With love, Mama and Dada

FUN IN THE SNOW!!

ALWAYS WAG YOUR TAIL

ALWAYS. ALWAYS. ALWAYS WAG YOUR TAIL. This is what our dog Sandy has taught me over the last 11 years. If you remember she was the lovely pup we adopted from the shelter. And literally from that day forward, I have been a different person. Different in how I look at unconditional love, different in how I see that even the smallest things can make a huge impact, different in that she taught me to be joyful.

It was often noted at the veterinarian’s office during an office visit just how happy Sandy was…..even while having her temperature taken or receiving a vaccination. She would constantly wag her tail. And I mean constantly. We all know that a dog wagging their tail means they are happy. Well Sandy must have been elated for the most part of her life. I can only remember one time in her life when she was not wagging her tail.

We lost Sandy unexpectedly this morning and she is deeply missed. But we must focus on the positive aspects of this situation. She is in heaven now and resting comfortable….no pain, no suffering. She had a fantastic life….rescued from the pound, rising above some uncertain circumstances, learning how to live life to the fullest and giving all of us unconditional love beyond what was expected. Sandy was one of those dogs that left such a lasting impression on those around her….this makes it harder to say good-bye.

There are many things that Sandy has taught us over the years (mainly the entire part of our married life!) and we will be forever thankful for these things. She seemed like one of those dogs that had an old soul….wise beyond her years and very intuitive. She knew when Miles was sick and kept watch of all our babies….literally. Her first favorite spot was behind the rocking chair in the nursery after each child was born (she even wore a spot in the carpet!). She would be found here constantly for months following the birth of each child. As the kids grew, her favorite spot migrated to our closet where she slept on a fluffy blanket. She would often greet us nightly and each morning in her favorite new spot.

Sandy was unique, this is for sure. She LOVED to climb on the back-yard swing-set equipment and you could often find her hanging out on the 8 ft high tree house with the kids. She even liked to slide down the kids slide. Her favorite outside spot was the picnic table on the patio- she sat there watching and waiting for whatever the world brought to her next! She loved the very hot weather and brutally cold winter mornings. We often could not convince her to come in during either weather condition. She loved to give kisses and was there to welcome love whenever anyone wanted. It is very hard to describe, but she was like no other dog I have ever known. And her most notable trait was her tail wag. She wagged her tail when she was hungry. She wagged her tail when she was sick. She wagged her tail when she needed to go out. She wagged her tail when we came home. She wagged her tail when it was time to eat. She wagged her tail when she needed to go ‘home’.

So I ask each of you. Do you wag your tail? Are you taking in all life has to offer? Are you making the most of every day? Are you living life the way God has intended? Ask yourself these questions and if you answer no to any of them, remind yourself that you should ALWAYS WAG YOUR TAIL!

THESE DAYS......

THE KIDS AREN'T THE ONLY ONES DEMANDING
ATTENTION
AROUND HERE!!!!

HAPPY 6TH BIRTHDAY SMOKE BOMB!!

WOW! That is how I feel when I think about you and this past year......starting kindergarten, learning to read, becoming a math wiz, loving school and maturing right before our eyes! You are such a fine young man and we are so proud of who you are.....to us, to your siblings, to your friends and family, to everyone around you. You are a genuine person with such a huge heart. I love how passionate you are about many things. This is evident by how much you love your brothers and sister and what a great big & little brother you are. You are always helping someone or speaking kind words to others. I can't even count how many times I have heard you whisper sweet words and compliments to your sister, or reached out to help someone in need. You have grown so much this year.....physically, academically, spiritually and emotionally. It has been amazing to soak it all in and watch you develop. My favorite part of you turning 6 is the super-awesome bear hugs that you give us! I love you Smoke Bomb- you are very special to me and Dada! We are so proud to me your parents!

FINALLY FRIDAY!!

Check these out:

The kids were given a "jumpy thing", as they call it, a few years ago. It is an indoor, blow up bouncy center they love to use. The older boys are technically too big for it, but that does not stop them. Somehow they all 4 manage to hop in and have a ball!! It is a super fun toy to have! We took it out for Sparkler's birthday to help celebrate and she loves it! She especially likes when her brothers "launch" her. The funniest part is their hair. As you can see it is cold and dry around here lately. Perhaps even with a few snow sprinkles this weekend! Hope you have a great weekend and make some fun memories!

A TRIP IN THE WAYBACK MACHINE!

There are trips my family took as we were children on a regular basis- to the beach, the mountains, state parks, to visit family, etc. I loved going on these trips......packed in with my sister and brother in the station wagon, sitting in the back seat (the ones that faced completely backwards and you were staring at the driver behind you!), playing cards, reading, saying cheese for pictures and being carefree. We made some great memories of those times. I love to go back and look at old pictures. It is always fun to reminisce. MacGyver and I both love to share childhood memories such as these with our children. In fact, quite often at night you can hear MacGyver giving a detailed account of stories from his childhood. He has such a vivid memory! We love to take them back to see the neighborhood/homes we lived in as children and the schools we attended. It is a fantastic way to shed light to our children about our youth and experiences we had. Not to mention how much fun it is to recollect ourselves!

Now, having children of our own, it is fun to see the kids creating memories of their own childhood. It makes me wonder what they will retell to their children as parents! Since we still live in the same area where we both grew up for the most part, we visit some of the same places. It is a unique experience to see your own children taking trips you enjoyed at the same age some 30+ years ago. It seems as though things are so much the same, yet so different at the same time. These are pictures from a recent trip we took to a local military state park. The kids had a blast! Bottle Rocket loved reading each of the informational signs and learning about the battles that took place along the path. It was neat to see the various levels of development on the trail. Sparkler was way too young to understand and to her we were taking another nature walk on a beautiful Fall day. Fire Cracker milked his Uncle for all it was worth- claiming to need a "ride" when in fact he simply loved some one-to-one-time with him! Or perhaps he was taking after his own mom who once exclaimed on the same trail that her legs "were only this long!" Smoke Bomb asked lots of questions and took many clues from Bottle Rocket since he was able to read. There were informational posts all along the trail which told the story of the Revolutionary War. Bottle Rocket thoroughly enjoyed reading each one. It took some convincing for both of them that this happened 200 years ago. They kept expecting to see actual war trenches and red coats up on the hill! I think they finally began to understand by the end of the walk. I have to admit it was neat to see things through their eyes- imaginative, creative and literal. It was also neat to be the 4th generation of family that had walked the trail!