Wednesday, December 31, 2008
A Monumental Moment & a Wonderful Day. . .
This little one was by far the cutest part of my day. . .
We are sick. We are all sick. Erik started himself on antibiotics today. Elijah is already on them. We are all coughing and sneezing, but we couldn't stay inside all day ~ no way!
I can't tell you how much I am enjoying having Joshua home from kindergarten and JCT home from preschool! We are having fun days, lots of fun, fun days. Today we did several fun things, but I must say that something monumental happened to me in the kitchen in the middle of the day today.
May I begin by saying that I did not put on make up today. I never do not put on make up. It like never happens. But, today it did. My counters are covered, completely covered, in post Christmas clutter. Where do I put all the new things?? For now their home is on my kitchen counters, and I don't like that plan, but I don't really have the time or energy to change that right now.
So, anyway, in the middle of the day today, I am leaning against my kitchen cabinets eating leftover cold salmon from dinner last night. I am surveying the mass chaos which surrounds me, and something, somewhere deep inside of me uttered this funny little phrase, "I'm letting it go." I was so surprised to hear something like that come from within me that I asked myself, "Did you just say that? Do you know that if you let go this chaos may just overtake you? You may find yourself in a clutter, dust, dirt filled hole that you will never, ever, be able to dig yourself out of? If you let go, what will become of your home? You can't! Don't do it!" But, the voice from deep within me persisted, "I'm letting it go." And, that was that. The decision was made. I was going to play and forget all about my counters, my crazy dining room, my out of sorts bedroom, the baskets of clean laundry piled up to my ears. . .
I decided to play.
So, that is exactly what I did.
Beginning with the fun little clown ice cream cones we made. . .
First we made homemade ice cream, then we whipped up some icing, and after that I let my little chefs decorate their very own clown. Well, I decorated Lijah's. . .
Decorating. . .
And, enjoying. . .
Then, we bundled up, and went outside to play which was very fun! When I saw how cute this little guy looked, I had to run up to the house to get the camera!
But, it wasn't just the ladder & slide that Elijah got to experience for the first time. He is finally old enough to sit still on the tire swing. . .
And, he even swung on a big boy swing today!! Mostly this was not by choice, but because a cute little blue bundle was in his baby swing!!! All in all, I think he enjoyed his little upgrade!
We are sick. We are all sick. Erik started himself on antibiotics today. Elijah is already on them. We are all coughing and sneezing, but we couldn't stay inside all day ~ no way!
I can't tell you how much I am enjoying having Joshua home from kindergarten and JCT home from preschool! We are having fun days, lots of fun, fun days. Today we did several fun things, but I must say that something monumental happened to me in the kitchen in the middle of the day today.
May I begin by saying that I did not put on make up today. I never do not put on make up. It like never happens. But, today it did. My counters are covered, completely covered, in post Christmas clutter. Where do I put all the new things?? For now their home is on my kitchen counters, and I don't like that plan, but I don't really have the time or energy to change that right now.
So, anyway, in the middle of the day today, I am leaning against my kitchen cabinets eating leftover cold salmon from dinner last night. I am surveying the mass chaos which surrounds me, and something, somewhere deep inside of me uttered this funny little phrase, "I'm letting it go." I was so surprised to hear something like that come from within me that I asked myself, "Did you just say that? Do you know that if you let go this chaos may just overtake you? You may find yourself in a clutter, dust, dirt filled hole that you will never, ever, be able to dig yourself out of? If you let go, what will become of your home? You can't! Don't do it!" But, the voice from deep within me persisted, "I'm letting it go." And, that was that. The decision was made. I was going to play and forget all about my counters, my crazy dining room, my out of sorts bedroom, the baskets of clean laundry piled up to my ears. . .
I decided to play.
So, that is exactly what I did.
Beginning with the fun little clown ice cream cones we made. . .
First we made homemade ice cream, then we whipped up some icing, and after that I let my little chefs decorate their very own clown. Well, I decorated Lijah's. . .
Decorating. . .
And, enjoying. . .
Then, we bundled up, and went outside to play which was very fun! When I saw how cute this little guy looked, I had to run up to the house to get the camera!
Elijah has learned to climb the ladder on the side of our swing set, so watch out world here he comes!! Joshua and JCT took turns catching him as he came down the slide!!
He loves to slide! His little sweet sick boy face lit up each time he went down!
Going down together. . .
He loves to slide! His little sweet sick boy face lit up each time he went down!
Going down together. . .
But, it wasn't just the ladder & slide that Elijah got to experience for the first time. He is finally old enough to sit still on the tire swing. . .
And, he even swung on a big boy swing today!! Mostly this was not by choice, but because a cute little blue bundle was in his baby swing!!! All in all, I think he enjoyed his little upgrade! Big brothers pushing little brothers! I love it ~ warms my heart!
And, as I type this, my counters are still covered. But, it was worth it. I do believe that it was worth it. In fact, I may just do it again tomorrow. . .
And, as I type this, my counters are still covered. But, it was worth it. I do believe that it was worth it. In fact, I may just do it again tomorrow. . .Labels: Chronicles of a boy mama
Our Family Christmas 2008
We returned home late Saturday evening, and everyone knew upon going to bed that "Christmas" would happen first thing Sunday morning. So, after the boys were tucked snugly in their beds, Santa and I began to set up the big toys and put presents under the tree!
Erik and I got up before the boys ~ which means we got up when it was still dark. I lit up the tree. . .
and the stairs. . .
I wanted them to wake up to a warm home full of little happies and awake parents waiting on them. Because normally, they wake us up! But, not this day! Not long after we got the house ready, we heard the pitter patter of little footsteps on the stairs. . .
Joshua's main present was a knight castle, and JCT's main present was this robotic remote controlled dinosaur!
They loved both things so much!!
And, Lijah had fun opening his happies, too!
My present for Erik was a little surprise! When Erik Daniel was 2 weeks old, we took him to get his newborn pictures taken by a local photographer. When the photographer was trying to get this shot. . .
they captured a moment on camera that they didn't mean to catch. It was one of those moments that happens quickly, and it was simply by accident that they got a picture of it! But, after the moment happened, Erik asked them if they happened to capture it on film. They flipped back through their digital camera and proudly assured Erik that they had in fact captured the moment! Erik was thrilled and said he wanted that picture for his office.
Well, that was back in September, and he had completely forgotten about the picture. But, I had not! And, here it is. . .
Note the stream flowing from Erik Daniel's mid-section! Boys! They never do grow up!
Anyway, the boys played all day mostly with their new castle and knights!
Erik loves to give. It is his gift. He is the giver of the two of us. Some years he calls me Scrooge because I don't like to spend money. And, please don't misunderstand him. He is not the type to buy our kids tons of toys, etc, or to get into the whole marketing thing. No, he just loves people, and this is one way that he loves to love on the people he cares for most. I am talking about friends mostly. I'll do a whole post one day about Sean and Erik and their gifts for one another. They are thoughtful beyond words. Erik met his match in Sean. His gifts to Erik are always thoughtful and from his heart. I love to watch them exchange presents. It is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. More about that another day. . .
Anyway, after almost ten years of marriage, I am beginning to catch on to his passion for giving. A little bit, anyway. . . But, this year we were given two very thoughtful Christmas gifts. The kind that are not just generically purchased, but rather deeply thought about and chosen with love! Both of these presents we used on our "Christmas," and they made the day that much more special!
But, before we used them, we made homemade pizzas. This is our usual weekend dinner! Yum!
Then, we used the first of our thoughtful presents. . .
The Cuisinart Ice Cream maker that Jen bought me!!! She knows how much I love to make homemade ice cream, and this contraption is awesome. She watched me make it while she was visiting this summer and decided then that this would be the perfect Christmas gift for me! And, boy, was it!!! No ice or salt needed, and the ice cream is ready in less than 30 minutes!! Lots of ice cream will be made at my house!! Here is Joshua's bowl. . .
After we ate our yummy dessert, we took the boys up for bath time. But, they had to play for a few more minutes!!!
And, I think I caught a glimpse of what David looked like in King Saul's armor. . .
Cute little soldier. . .
After baths we put Lijah to bed, and the big boys, Daddy, and I headed downstairs to use our other fun gift! Alan and Karen our good friends from Ocala, FL, gave us a Cuisinart Popcorn Popper, individual popcorn bowls for each member of our family, and a gift certificate to buy a movie at Blockbuster! And, all of this they did because Karen reads my blog, and she read a post I wrote about our family movie nights!! So sweet and thoughtful!!!
The boys loved watching the popcorn pop!
And, our cute little bowls. . .
We ate our popcorn and watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The boys love that show especially when they destroy the old home at the beginning!! 
Erik and I got up before the boys ~ which means we got up when it was still dark. I lit up the tree. . .
and the stairs. . .
I wanted them to wake up to a warm home full of little happies and awake parents waiting on them. Because normally, they wake us up! But, not this day! Not long after we got the house ready, we heard the pitter patter of little footsteps on the stairs. . .
Joshua's main present was a knight castle, and JCT's main present was this robotic remote controlled dinosaur!
They loved both things so much!!
And, Lijah had fun opening his happies, too!
My present for Erik was a little surprise! When Erik Daniel was 2 weeks old, we took him to get his newborn pictures taken by a local photographer. When the photographer was trying to get this shot. . .
they captured a moment on camera that they didn't mean to catch. It was one of those moments that happens quickly, and it was simply by accident that they got a picture of it! But, after the moment happened, Erik asked them if they happened to capture it on film. They flipped back through their digital camera and proudly assured Erik that they had in fact captured the moment! Erik was thrilled and said he wanted that picture for his office.
Well, that was back in September, and he had completely forgotten about the picture. But, I had not! And, here it is. . .
Note the stream flowing from Erik Daniel's mid-section! Boys! They never do grow up!
Anyway, the boys played all day mostly with their new castle and knights!
Erik loves to give. It is his gift. He is the giver of the two of us. Some years he calls me Scrooge because I don't like to spend money. And, please don't misunderstand him. He is not the type to buy our kids tons of toys, etc, or to get into the whole marketing thing. No, he just loves people, and this is one way that he loves to love on the people he cares for most. I am talking about friends mostly. I'll do a whole post one day about Sean and Erik and their gifts for one another. They are thoughtful beyond words. Erik met his match in Sean. His gifts to Erik are always thoughtful and from his heart. I love to watch them exchange presents. It is one of my favorite parts of Christmas. More about that another day. . .
Anyway, after almost ten years of marriage, I am beginning to catch on to his passion for giving. A little bit, anyway. . . But, this year we were given two very thoughtful Christmas gifts. The kind that are not just generically purchased, but rather deeply thought about and chosen with love! Both of these presents we used on our "Christmas," and they made the day that much more special!
But, before we used them, we made homemade pizzas. This is our usual weekend dinner! Yum!
Then, we used the first of our thoughtful presents. . .
The Cuisinart Ice Cream maker that Jen bought me!!! She knows how much I love to make homemade ice cream, and this contraption is awesome. She watched me make it while she was visiting this summer and decided then that this would be the perfect Christmas gift for me! And, boy, was it!!! No ice or salt needed, and the ice cream is ready in less than 30 minutes!! Lots of ice cream will be made at my house!! Here is Joshua's bowl. . .
After we ate our yummy dessert, we took the boys up for bath time. But, they had to play for a few more minutes!!!
And, I think I caught a glimpse of what David looked like in King Saul's armor. . .
Cute little soldier. . .
After baths we put Lijah to bed, and the big boys, Daddy, and I headed downstairs to use our other fun gift! Alan and Karen our good friends from Ocala, FL, gave us a Cuisinart Popcorn Popper, individual popcorn bowls for each member of our family, and a gift certificate to buy a movie at Blockbuster! And, all of this they did because Karen reads my blog, and she read a post I wrote about our family movie nights!! So sweet and thoughtful!!!
The boys loved watching the popcorn pop!
And, our cute little bowls. . .
We ate our popcorn and watched Extreme Makeover Home Edition. The boys love that show especially when they destroy the old home at the beginning!!
It was a great day! All around!
And, now what am I doing today?
You guessed it ~ mountains of laundry!!!!
Back to life, back to reality. . . :-)
Labels: Christmas
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Joy in the Journey
And, so we left last Tuesday evening after Erik got off work and began our 12 hour drive to Orlando for Christmas with Erik's family. Yes, we drove 12 hours with four children five years old and under, yes, yes, we did.
The trip started out well. Erik called it "an adventure." And, that is exactly what it was. We stopped by Chick fil a for dinner, and we were on our way! But something happened somewhere in the middle of Alabama. . . something unexpected. . .
Vomit.
Don't you hate that? Out of nowhere Elijah throws up all over his pjs & his car seat. And, Erik and I just look at each other like, "You're kidding, right? That didn't just happen?" But, oh, oh, yes it did! And, there was like no place to stop for at least 20 minutes. So, the poor child just sat there with big blue eyes filled with tears, while we searched the exits for a gas station. Finally we found one, and we did our best to clean him up. Or, to be quite honest, Erik did his best to clean him up, because he is the best husband/father on the planet. Hands down.
As the boys were getting out of the van at the gas station to go with me to the restroom, Joshua yells from the third row, "OOOhhhh Gross! JCT poo pooed in his car seat!" And, once again Erik and I looked at each other like, "You're kidding right? He didn't just say that?" But, thankfully after further investigation, the supposed poo poo was only a chicken nugget from dinner that had fallen behind, literally!
We drove about halfway, and then stopped at a hotel. This was really quite fun! The boys were so excited! And, they all slept great! No more vomit!! Hurray!
Here they are in the morning before we started on our way once again. . .
We visited some friends in Ocala (Hi, Karen!), and then headed on to Orlando. We had a very restful, wonderful visit with family.
Erik Daniel enjoyed meaningful conversation with his Pop. . .
These pictures were just too cute! I had to include them both!!
Thankfully, the vomiting episode was a fluke! And, the trip was a lot of fun! The way home we drove the 12 hours all in one day. It was a long day! When we were a mere 30 minutes from home 3 out of our 4 children began to melt down. Erik and I just looked at each other and smiled. Because, honestly, what else can you do when you are trapped in a small place with 3 screaming children, but laugh. . .
The trip started out well. Erik called it "an adventure." And, that is exactly what it was. We stopped by Chick fil a for dinner, and we were on our way! But something happened somewhere in the middle of Alabama. . . something unexpected. . .
Vomit.
Don't you hate that? Out of nowhere Elijah throws up all over his pjs & his car seat. And, Erik and I just look at each other like, "You're kidding, right? That didn't just happen?" But, oh, oh, yes it did! And, there was like no place to stop for at least 20 minutes. So, the poor child just sat there with big blue eyes filled with tears, while we searched the exits for a gas station. Finally we found one, and we did our best to clean him up. Or, to be quite honest, Erik did his best to clean him up, because he is the best husband/father on the planet. Hands down.
As the boys were getting out of the van at the gas station to go with me to the restroom, Joshua yells from the third row, "OOOhhhh Gross! JCT poo pooed in his car seat!" And, once again Erik and I looked at each other like, "You're kidding right? He didn't just say that?" But, thankfully after further investigation, the supposed poo poo was only a chicken nugget from dinner that had fallen behind, literally!
We drove about halfway, and then stopped at a hotel. This was really quite fun! The boys were so excited! And, they all slept great! No more vomit!! Hurray!
Here they are in the morning before we started on our way once again. . .
We visited some friends in Ocala (Hi, Karen!), and then headed on to Orlando. We had a very restful, wonderful visit with family.
Erik Daniel enjoyed meaningful conversation with his Pop. . .
These pictures were just too cute! I had to include them both!!We began Christmas by Pop reading the Christmas story from the Children's Message Bible. . .
He is holding the newest member of our family sweet Ella Faith!
Then, lots of presents were given and received ~ imagine 8 kids and 6 adults!
Thankfully, the vomiting episode was a fluke! And, the trip was a lot of fun! The way home we drove the 12 hours all in one day. It was a long day! When we were a mere 30 minutes from home 3 out of our 4 children began to melt down. Erik and I just looked at each other and smiled. Because, honestly, what else can you do when you are trapped in a small place with 3 screaming children, but laugh. . . Especially when you have been driving all day, and you are almost home. . .
Labels: Christmas
One Sunday Afternoon. . .
A few Sundays ago, Erik and Sean went to the Steelers/Titans game in Nashville. This meant that I was home alone with the boys from sun up to sun down on a Sunday.
My to do list that day looked like this. . .
* Send boys upstairs to play & wrap presents!
* Do Laundry
* Bake something for the neighbors
* Begin packing or at least make a list of outfits to bring
But, I did none of those things. . .
Instead this is what I did. . .
* Assisted the boys in painting the birdhouses that Sean and Deana got them for Christmas
* Helped the boys make a train track that goes around the Christmas tree!
So, fun, but just like a little boy ~ the joy they found in all of this was making the trains run into one another and wreck! Or, they would put a faster train behind a slower train and watch the faster train push the slower train off the track!
* Helped Joshua dress up as Santa, JCT as an elf, and organize their sleigh and reindeer!
In his best Santa voice, Joshua called the reindeer. Only I don't think Santa does it quite like my little Southern man. . .
A close up of Rudolph!
Oh, what fun it is to ride!!!!
Erik got home just before bedtime and entertained the boys by making them count how many shirts he had on as he dropped them in a pile on the kitchen floor. . .
7 shirts ~ and he still froze!!!
My to do list that day looked like this. . .
* Send boys upstairs to play & wrap presents!
* Do Laundry
* Bake something for the neighbors
* Begin packing or at least make a list of outfits to bring
But, I did none of those things. . .
Instead this is what I did. . .
* Assisted the boys in painting the birdhouses that Sean and Deana got them for Christmas
* Helped the boys make a train track that goes around the Christmas tree!
So, fun, but just like a little boy ~ the joy they found in all of this was making the trains run into one another and wreck! Or, they would put a faster train behind a slower train and watch the faster train push the slower train off the track!* Helped Joshua dress up as Santa, JCT as an elf, and organize their sleigh and reindeer!
In his best Santa voice, Joshua called the reindeer. Only I don't think Santa does it quite like my little Southern man. . .
"Comet & Cupid, Donner & Blitzen, COME ON YA'LL! COME ON!"
A close up of Rudolph!
Oh, what fun it is to ride!!!!Erik got home just before bedtime and entertained the boys by making them count how many shirts he had on as he dropped them in a pile on the kitchen floor. . .
7 shirts ~ and he still froze!!!
I didn't get much accomplished, but we did have some fun!!!!
Labels: Chronicles of a boy mama
Monday, December 29, 2008
Happy 4 Months, little Darling!!
What a cute little sweetheart you are! Love those chubby cheeks!!
I took you to the doctor a few weeks ago, and he said that you were quite healthy, my little man!! He said you were the size of a good six month old!! You were in the 90th percentile in height! And, you weighed in at 16 pounds 4 ounces!! Sweet man, you cried for a milli-second when they gave you your shots, and then you were over it! Tough guy!
Your biggest accomplishment this past month was finding your feet! I love to watch you play with them. You are a joy to me, and I thank my God for you!
Labels: Erik Daniel's First Year
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Afternoon Crafting. . .
About a month ago, I was really struggling with the hours between the time I pick Joshua up from school and when Erik gets home from work (3-6). The boys would get so wound up, so loud, so borderline out of control that I decided I either needed to make a plan to keep them busy during these hours or make a plan to escape my own home.
Working hard. . .
Decorating their trees. . .
All done!
JCT's has a smiley face on it! Can you tell?
I decided to make a plan to keep them busy.
Good thing, huh?
I decided to have them come in from the van and sit at the table while I prepare them a snack. Then, they eat, and I read a chapter or two to them from a book. After this, I help them do a project. I try to prepare a little something before we pick up Joshua. We have done peanut butter playdoh. And, sometimes we do regular playdoh. I have done something as simple as printing out snowman coloring pages off the Internet for them to color. My mom has been helping me by emailing me ideas that she finds through blogs! A couple of our more fun activities have been. . .
Ice cream cone Christmas Trees. . .
Lijah spent more time eating his icing than he did icing his tree. . .
Working hard. . .
Decorating their trees. . .
All done!
JCT's has a smiley face on it! Can you tell?Another day we made salt dough ornaments, and then the next day we painted them. These were super fun for me because I made them as a child! Happy memories! Here are a couple of our masterpieces. . .
After we finish our little craft, it is usually time for me to begin making dinner. So, I usually send the boys upstairs to play while I go to work. . .
I love this little afternoon schedule because it allows me to be part of their play and it keeps them from getting soooo wound up! Although they are boys, and you cannot suppress a little boy!! They are full to the brim with energy and joy, and that is as it should be!!
Labels: Fun Projects
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
My Darling Dasher. . .
Jct had his preschool Christmas party this past Thursday. It was the first of 6 Christmas parties our family had in 3 days!! Tis the season to be busy. . . I mean, jolly! :-) It was a fun little party, and another opportunity to celebrate one of my middle men! JCT is a character, oh, my, yes, he is, and I love his little socks off! Here he is in the reindeer line up. . . He was Dasher, which I thought was quite appropriate, since he dashes about my house like a wonderfully keyed up deer should! Making sure his antlers were on straight. . .
The preschoolers singing Christmas carols to their adoring fans who snapped photos and shot video footage like crazed paparozzi. . .
After they finished their little program, Santa made a surprise appearance. This was meant to be a good thing, but it sent a few children into a fearful, tearful state. I would have been one of those scared little ones thirty years ago. . . My JCT however was not one of those afraid. He is too curious! Here is my inquisitive little guy checking out the man in red. . .
With his teacher, Ms. Kim. . .
I have been so impressed with her! She has taught JCT a lot over the past semester. She is studying to be an elementary ed teacher, and she will make a great one!!
Here he is with classroom buddy, Samuel, playing dinosaurs. . .
And, here he is with sweet Afton. . .
And, here we are. . .
Erik Daniel is just like an extra appendage! We go everywhere together! Thank You, Jesus, for my sweet little baby! We are like Mama Kangaroo and Baby Joey!
The preschoolers singing Christmas carols to their adoring fans who snapped photos and shot video footage like crazed paparozzi. . .
After they finished their little program, Santa made a surprise appearance. This was meant to be a good thing, but it sent a few children into a fearful, tearful state. I would have been one of those scared little ones thirty years ago. . . My JCT however was not one of those afraid. He is too curious! Here is my inquisitive little guy checking out the man in red. . .
With his teacher, Ms. Kim. . .
I have been so impressed with her! She has taught JCT a lot over the past semester. She is studying to be an elementary ed teacher, and she will make a great one!!
Here he is with classroom buddy, Samuel, playing dinosaurs. . .
And, here he is with sweet Afton. . .
And, here we are. . .Erik Daniel is just like an extra appendage! We go everywhere together! Thank You, Jesus, for my sweet little baby! We are like Mama Kangaroo and Baby Joey! It was a fun morning and fun beginning to all our holiday festivities!
Labels: My JCT
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Sometimes I wonder. . .
Every now and then I wonder what our daughter would have looked like had God chosen to give us one. . .
Goodness, I love you, silly little man!!
Well, today I got a little glimpse of just what she may have looked like. . .
Goodness, I love you, silly little man!!Labels: My JCT
Thursday, December 18, 2008
My Heroes!
Each day they save me from boredom, from loneliness, from lack of love & affection, and from having too much time on my hands!!
They are my heroes!!!
They are my heroes!!!
And, they are SUPER! No doubt, they are SUPER indeed!
Labels: Chronicles of a boy mama
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Mama's Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
First Bowl: Cream * 3/4 cup margerine
* 3/4 cup shortening
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
(* I actually just use 1 1/2 cups butter instead of the 3/4 cup and 3/4 cup! Oh, and I use my kitchen aid mixer bowl for this part and set it on the stir setting to mix it up!)
Next Bowl: * Add 1/2 tsp baking soda to 3 egg yolks.
* Add 1 cup sour cream to egg yolks.
* Add 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
* Add shortening/sugar mixture to sour cream & egg yolks.
(I just use a regular medium sized bowl for this mixture)
Last Bowl: (I actually go back to my kitchen aid mixer bowl that I just emptied for this!)
Sift: * 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp salt
* all purpose flour (I start with 3 cups)
* Add cream mixture to flour mixture
* Continue adding flour until you get a dough that you can work with and roll out.
Flour your surface and roll to about 1/4 inch thickness and have fun cutting out cookies. This works best if you have little hands that love to use cookie cutters!!!!
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
The icing we use is a simple mixture of powdered sugar and water. Just get it to a spreadable consistency. Then use sprinkles and have fun!! This again works best when you have little hands that love to generously sprinkle sprinkles!!!! Have fun!! And, enjoy!
* 3/4 cup shortening
* 1 1/2 cups sugar
(* I actually just use 1 1/2 cups butter instead of the 3/4 cup and 3/4 cup! Oh, and I use my kitchen aid mixer bowl for this part and set it on the stir setting to mix it up!)
Next Bowl: * Add 1/2 tsp baking soda to 3 egg yolks.
* Add 1 cup sour cream to egg yolks.
* Add 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
* Add shortening/sugar mixture to sour cream & egg yolks.
(I just use a regular medium sized bowl for this mixture)
Last Bowl: (I actually go back to my kitchen aid mixer bowl that I just emptied for this!)
Sift: * 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/4 tsp salt
* all purpose flour (I start with 3 cups)
* Add cream mixture to flour mixture
* Continue adding flour until you get a dough that you can work with and roll out.
Flour your surface and roll to about 1/4 inch thickness and have fun cutting out cookies. This works best if you have little hands that love to use cookie cutters!!!!
Bake at 350 for 10 minutes.
The icing we use is a simple mixture of powdered sugar and water. Just get it to a spreadable consistency. Then use sprinkles and have fun!! This again works best when you have little hands that love to generously sprinkle sprinkles!!!! Have fun!! And, enjoy!
Labels: Recipes
Monday, December 15, 2008
Our Home at Christmastime 2008
Welcome to our home!
This is the sound and smell of choice in our home this season. . .
And, I love to make a little stove-top potpourri. . .
If you came to visit, I'd offer you you a cookie! The boys and I had fun making and decorating them this past weekend. Sour Cream Sugar Cookies just like my Mama makes ~ yum!!!
Our tree and a precious little boy. . .
This is the sound and smell of choice in our home this season. . .And, I love to make a little stove-top potpourri. . .
If you came to visit, I'd offer you you a cookie! The boys and I had fun making and decorating them this past weekend. Sour Cream Sugar Cookies just like my Mama makes ~ yum!!!
Our tree and a precious little boy. . .
The foyer. . .
And, I love this little tree in the boy's room! I had the grand idea that the boys should start collecting ornaments for their own special tree ~ ornaments from their favorite teams. Actually it is my ultimate goal for them to have all the SEC, ACC, and Big 10 teams represented. This will take a few years, but by the time they are in high school, I am hoping that they will be able to fill a 6 foot tree!!!
Have a great day, and a Merry, merry Christmas from our home to yours!
Labels: Christmas, Home Sweet Home
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Sweet Days. . .
Being a mama is hard.So, hard.
And, I am discovering that it only gets more difficult with each new stage. First, there is the lack of sleep stage/fussy baby stage. I remember with Joshua trying so hard to figure out why he was crying. Was he hungry, did he need to eat? Or, was his tummy hurting, and in that case feeding him might just cause him more pain? Or, was he simply overtired? Do I let him cry himself to sleep or is that cruel? It all seemed so difficult, so confusing, and though there were a thousand books out there to read, none of them were written about Joshua by someone who really could give me the answers that I wanted/needed. Unfortunately, he didn't come with a detailed owner's manual.
Next, there is the temper tantrum stage. Oh, Lord, have mercy on my soul! JCT has this stage mastered. This stage lasted about 2 months with my Joshua, but my JCT, my darling JCT, has been in this stage for nearly 2 years now! And, though, I can honestly say tantrums don't happen often, when they do, they aren't fun, and I do not like them, not one little bit. Elijah began this stage a few months ago, and so the two have overlapped on me, and, really, there should be rules against such.
And, I guess that I would have to say the next stage involves letting them leave the nest for a bit of time each day to go to school. Oh, my heart! My heart has left my body, and he is walking around at school all day. And, this stage can be so hard when feelings get hurt, when things are seemingly so unfair.
I called my sister a few months ago to complain. Her first four were born all in four years. So, she completely gets my life. And, I bow before her majesty, the Queen mom, because she now has double the number of children that I have. And, every time that I call her to complain, I preface my complaint with, "I know your life is a lot more difficult than mine, but remember back to when you only had four kids. . ."
So when I called this particular day, I was looking for empathy. Four needy children clammoring around me was driving me insane! I mean really does Elijah have to be held 24/7? My arms can only bear so much, and Erik Daniel needs to be held, too. And, JCT wants help with everything! Can't he play something that he can do by himself, something that doesn't require my constant attention. I mean really there is only one of me. I can only be stretched so far, and I am warning you guys I may break. Seriously, break, break into a billion pieces on the floor.
But, you'll never believe it, instead of empathy from my sis, I heard her sighing sweet sighs, as I described the details of my seemingly difficult life. The gist of what she said in response to my complaints was. . .
"Those are such sweet days, Erin. Enjoy them! There are wonderful things about having teenagers. They are independent. They are fun. They become like friends to you, but, Erin, they are gone so often. Between school and sports and work and church and friends, I don't see them that often. Family dinner has become a joke. I make dinner, and we all eat it on the go. When we do things "as a family," it is usually just Kurt and me and the little girls. The big kids are just gone so much now. The days that you are in right now are hard physically. The days that I am in right now are hard emotionally. I know it can be difficult, but those days are so sweet. Really, Erin, they are. Enjoy them. They'll be gone before you know it."
And, something in her voice sounded a bit like a longing, like she missed these days that she called "sweet." This truly impacted me. I think about her words nearly every single day. She has altered my perspective. The reason that I know that her words have impacted me is that I had this conversation with her before Thanksgiving, and I still can't get it out of my mind.
Now when I look at the little one standing at my feet, pulling on my pant leg, saying, "Com-on! Pay wit' me! Com-on,"I envision him as a teenager walking out the door, kissing me goodbye, and going off to do whatever it is that God called him to do that day, leaving me to do my housework alone, with no one to follow behind and mess up everything that I straighten, with no one to beg me to let him help fold laundry or put away clean dishes, with no one standing at my feet begging me to hold him or "pay wit" him. And, my heart pauses as I look at the sweet face of the one looking up at me, and suddenly I am not as frustrated, not as overwhelmed, not as aggravated, and not as impatient. And, I feel drawn to join in their play, drawn to kiss their chubby soft cheeks, drawn to hold them close, to sit and watch Diego with a child in my lap, drawn to soak up each moment of their childhood before it is gone. . .
All the stages are sweet. I love them all, and, at times, I dislike them all. But, all in all, the stages are wonderful, each is precious to my heart. I have watched my Joshua grow into a little man at school this year. And, this, more than anything, has made me realize that Kristin is right ~ time does go by so quickly. They will not be babies forever, even if it seems like it some days. I will not always have a baby in tow. One day shopping trips will be easier, dinners out at restraunts will be easier, traveling will be easier, but I won't have babies. I won't have little ones flocking to my side. I will never be here again.
And, there are wonderful things about being here.
Yes, here is a wonderful place to be.
I wouldn't want to be anywhere else,
anywhere on earth,
other than right here, right now.
Life is good.
Often it is hard.
But, it is always good.
How could it not be good when I get to spend my days with these smiling faces?
Sweet days.
Labels: Chronicles of a boy mama, My Heart
Tuesday, December 09, 2008
Seasoned Father. . .
When I fell in love with him, a few of the things that made me weak were. . .
* the sound of his deep southern voice
* the freckles on his nose
* his calm, steady, and unshakable demeanor
* his broad strong shoulders and tall slender build
But, now all that has changed (although I do still find him very attractive :-)). Now the things that make me weak are. . .
* his big strong hands holding our baby's sweet head ~ protected & secure
* watching him lean over Joshua, teaching him how to hold a baseball bat or shoot a basketball.
* the fact that he is unafraid, untainted by the smell of a nasty diaper. He never runs and hides or even waits on me ~ he takes it upon himself to clean up the little stinky man.
* watching him make silly faces and talk baby talk to our infant
* watching him race Joshua across the yard
* or cuddle up with JCT for a long winter's nap
He is a seasoned father. He has (we both have) been broken in by these little ones. We have been stretched and have grown more selfless with each new child that God has given us. He is a seasoned father, and I love him all the more for it. . .
These little guys have taken our love to a new level. . .
It isn't flowery and silly. It isn't gooey and showy.
It is strong, steadfast, and secure. We don't have to talk about everything anymore. Some things we just know now ~ from the look in our eyes or the touch of our hands.
We don't think much about trying to impress each other anymore, trying to look our best or say the right things. Our love is confident and comfortable.
And, yet I still get butterflies from one glance into the eyes of this sweet seasoned Daddy. . .
* the sound of his deep southern voice
* the freckles on his nose
* his calm, steady, and unshakable demeanor
* his broad strong shoulders and tall slender build
But, now all that has changed (although I do still find him very attractive :-)). Now the things that make me weak are. . .
* his big strong hands holding our baby's sweet head ~ protected & secure
* watching him lean over Joshua, teaching him how to hold a baseball bat or shoot a basketball.
* the fact that he is unafraid, untainted by the smell of a nasty diaper. He never runs and hides or even waits on me ~ he takes it upon himself to clean up the little stinky man.
* watching him make silly faces and talk baby talk to our infant
* watching him race Joshua across the yard
* or cuddle up with JCT for a long winter's nap
He is a seasoned father. He has (we both have) been broken in by these little ones. We have been stretched and have grown more selfless with each new child that God has given us. He is a seasoned father, and I love him all the more for it. . .
These little guys have taken our love to a new level. . .
It isn't flowery and silly. It isn't gooey and showy.
It is strong, steadfast, and secure. We don't have to talk about everything anymore. Some things we just know now ~ from the look in our eyes or the touch of our hands.
We don't think much about trying to impress each other anymore, trying to look our best or say the right things. Our love is confident and comfortable.
And, yet I still get butterflies from one glance into the eyes of this sweet seasoned Daddy. . .
Labels: Daddy
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Birdseed, "Cuck-cakes," and Movies. . .
Yesterday afternoon the boys and I made little pine cone bird feeders. This isn't the first time we have done this, but I think they were to young to remember the first time. . .
Enjoy our treats, little birds!!
Anyway, after the one thousandth time they asked me for something "fun" to do, I decided that we would make the little bird feeders.
They loved rolling the pine cones in peanut butter and birdseed. The only problem was trying to keep JCT from eating the the peanut butter after the pine cones had been rolled in it! Yuck!!
Then, we took the pine cones outside and hung them on a few small trees near the window in our kitchen. This way they will be able to watch the birds enjoy their little kind gestures!
Enjoy our treats, little birds!!After dinner, I made cupcakes for the boys. Partly, I made them because Erik asked me to make them, and partly I made them because I wanted to hear Elijah say "Cuck-cake!" and get all excited over them! "Cuck-cakes" are his favorite food!!!
Here is a little video I made of him when I showed him what was cooking in the oven. . .
After we enjoyed the "cuck-cakes," Erik took the boys up and gave them a bath. Then, he put Elijah to bed, and I started a movie for the big boys ~ The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything.
If you can imagine me sitting beside JCT, then, this is what we looked like as we watched the movie! I love watching movies with the big boys after Elijah has gone on to bed. They are old enough to sit still and enjoy a good movie. It is something special just for them. They get to stay up late and eat popcorn. And, to little boys this is very exciting and wonderful ~ and for mama's who enjoy spending time with little boys it is exciting and wonderful, too!
After we put the boys to bed, Erik and I watched Juno. It made me cry, and it made me think. In fact, I lay awake quite a bit last night thinking about it.
What a day! This is why I think everyday should be a Saturday!!!
Labels: A Day in the Life. . .
Saturday, December 06, 2008
The Plan for the Day. . .
Yesterday Erik said that he wanted to do something "fun" with the boys today (Saturday). Well, he woke up this morning with a little less enthusiasm. This is due partly to the fact that he has a virus, but mostly it is due to the fact that it is December and the thought of going anywhere to do anything with four children in the midst of all the craziness of Christmas shopping, etc. is enough to make even the strongest of us feel weak and powerless.
So, this is the way the day is playing out. . .
Erik is outside with the big boys. The big boys dressed themselves in adventure garb ~ complete with backpacks and boots. They are pretending to be in search of adventure in "Texas" because Texas is equivalent to the ends of the earth in their sweet minds! They do this from time to time. Erik walks with them, guiding them in their pursuit. They look for animals of all kinds from spiders and worms to turkey and deer. . . It is great fun as they search our property for all the wonders that little boys can find.
This, to them, is much more "fun" than Chucky Cheese or the park or anything else that Erik could have come up with to do today.
And, as for me, I have been left in a quiet house with two sleeping babies. I am in the process of putting together lasagna for dinner, listening to Christmas music, straightening up the downstairs, and playing on the computer all the while sipping cream colored coffee! I couldn't ask for a better Saturday!!
And, the plan for the afternoon/evening is as follows. . .
I will go to the movie rental store and rent two movies while Erik and the boys watch the Florida/Alabama game. I will get one movie for the boys and one movie for Erik and I. After dinner and bath, we will let the boys cuddle up in their sleeping bags and watch their movie. Then, we will put them to bed, and Erik and I will cuddle up and watch our movie!
Yay for Saturdays!!!
So, this is the way the day is playing out. . .
Erik is outside with the big boys. The big boys dressed themselves in adventure garb ~ complete with backpacks and boots. They are pretending to be in search of adventure in "Texas" because Texas is equivalent to the ends of the earth in their sweet minds! They do this from time to time. Erik walks with them, guiding them in their pursuit. They look for animals of all kinds from spiders and worms to turkey and deer. . . It is great fun as they search our property for all the wonders that little boys can find.
This, to them, is much more "fun" than Chucky Cheese or the park or anything else that Erik could have come up with to do today.
And, as for me, I have been left in a quiet house with two sleeping babies. I am in the process of putting together lasagna for dinner, listening to Christmas music, straightening up the downstairs, and playing on the computer all the while sipping cream colored coffee! I couldn't ask for a better Saturday!!
And, the plan for the afternoon/evening is as follows. . .
I will go to the movie rental store and rent two movies while Erik and the boys watch the Florida/Alabama game. I will get one movie for the boys and one movie for Erik and I. After dinner and bath, we will let the boys cuddle up in their sleeping bags and watch their movie. Then, we will put them to bed, and Erik and I will cuddle up and watch our movie!
Yay for Saturdays!!!
Labels: A Day in the Life. . .
Thursday, December 04, 2008
Christmas Card 2008 Attempts. . .
Last week we spent a few minutes attempting to get that perfect shot for our Christmas cards. We bundled the boys up and headed outside. And, these are the results. . .
This one is okay, but Lijah looks so sad. . .
This one is okay, but Lijah looks so sad. . .
We started out fresh and ready. . . But, after a while we started to get frustrated because it never failed ~ someone would look away or get upset or not want to sit still. Can you feel the frustration brewing. . .
But, after a few more takes the frustration turned to giggles. . .
and, then to downright silliness. . .
All in all it was fun, and Rain did awesome!! Good boy!
I think this picture best represents our family right now in our present state of transition from the chaos of three children to the insane wildness of four! Notice Erik Daniel. . .
And, this is, in my humble opinion, our best effort. . .
Merry Christmas, Friends, from our cozy home to yours!!
But, after a few more takes the frustration turned to giggles. . .
and, then to downright silliness. . .
All in all it was fun, and Rain did awesome!! Good boy!
I think this picture best represents our family right now in our present state of transition from the chaos of three children to the insane wildness of four! Notice Erik Daniel. . .
And, this is, in my humble opinion, our best effort. . .Merry Christmas, Friends, from our cozy home to yours!!
Labels: Happy Holidays
