Days gone by

Giving up on blogging came easy. At first.
And then I started missing updating my blog because I know that I am going to miss looking back and wondering at our days gone by. I have quite a few blog posts that are in "draft" because I haven't had the time (read: taken the time) to finish them and upload pictures with them. But my goal is to be better so that I have memories to look back on with pictures and details when my memory grows fuzzy and dim.

One of the favorite activities that the kiddos love to do right now is ride the 4-wheeler all.by.themseves in the back yard. In first gear. But they still think it is awesome!! (I got out too late to get Buddy-Ro driving, but I caught Birdie on her ride.) Mr. P likes to be taken for rides, too, but he does not like to go fast.

The kiddos actually love to just be outside period. However, it has been absurdly hot this summer, and Mama and Daddy can't tolerate it like they do anymore. So the evenings are our best friends. :) That's one great thing about summer - later bedtimes because it's light enough to stay outside and play without being in the overwhelming heat! Scott set up a "course" for the kiddos to ride and race each other's time. They thought this was the bee's knees!! (That's my newest saying. Have you heard it before? Scott had not, and he thought I was crazy the first time I said it and told him that it was a "real thing.")

Of course, the littlest one can't be left out. He choose to run in a straight line for his race. :)

Our days gone by have been full of fun times and mostly just being together.

Family Portraits 2014

Taking our family portraits was {a little} less stressful this year. No one but me gets excited. Sometimes children don't want to cooperate. Sometimes Daddy gets tired. And then, ahem, Mama gets aggravated. But this year was quicker than any previous year, and our pictures turned out great. Ahhhhh...stress free until this time next year!! ;)

These kiddos are just too much.

This girl is growing up so much lately. Some days are hard as we all try to find a balance between wanting to grow up and wanting to still be little. But her heart is sweeter than ice cream, and I know that time will work all things out as we grow together. I love her too much sometimes.

You have not met closer siblings. These two have a bond that is so thick. Yes, they can aggravate one another, but tell them to separate and things are all good. To them, being separated from one another is the worst punishment. That makes a Mama's heart sing.

This boy with his missing teeth!! He melts me in a way I can't explain. He is challenging at times, yet his heart is gentle and extremely generous. He has the greatest smile.

This kid has more personality than I ever imagined a 2 year old could have. He is my baby, and I am not shy about letting him know it. I love him so stinkin' much!

These three faces are the most beautiful faces to my heart and eyes. They aren't perfect. They have their flaws (as do I), but I wouldn't trade them for anything.

It was so hard to choose between all of these pictures for our Christmas card. But I ended up choosing this one as the front of the card. Even though Buddy-Ro isn't smiling really big, I still really liked this picture as a whole.

But I chose this one as a large print to hang up on the wall in our home. (I did an 8x10 of the other one!)

This one was actually my favorite...but it was taken a little too close for me to get sizes other than a 4x6 without unwanted cropping. Such is life when you take your own family portraits. (A side note - I am SO stinkin' short. I have wedge boots on, yet Scott still towers over me. Sheesh!!) 

Multitudes

3453. exceptionally warm December days

3454. putting tiny hand moulding ornaments on the Christmas tree each year - right in the center :)

3455. talking about each ornament and when it was given as we decorate the tree

3456. putting lights outside the house for a festive Christmas

3457. Advent calendars

3458. starting our Advent celebration with the kiddos with Ann Voskamp's The Greatest Gift

3459. enjoying memories told of Scott's grandmother who passed away this morning

3460. knowing that even in the sadness of earth, there is a glorious celebration in Heaven whenever a child of God comes Home

3461. Zofran (again) for the little boy who woke up at 5 a.m. this morning throwing up (again)

3462. the fact that we still have wonderful friends in spite of the fact that my children are sick so often - it's a miracle that our friends haven't disowned us!

3463. clean PJs to put on the littlest one in the middle of the night

3464. watching the CMA Christmas special last night and enjoying every.single.second

3465. how amazed we were that the artists sang songs about JESUS and spoke about HIM being the reason for this wonderful season!

3466. Carrie Underwood's amazing voice. (I secretly want to be her when I grow up....)

3467. an heirloom piece of furniture: my great-grandparents' desk, that five generations have now sat at

3468. flower bulbs given to me by a friend, to plant in winter so that they will bloom in spring

Colossians 3:15, "Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful."

Multitudes on Monday

3436. honey to soothe sore throats and coughs

3437. friends of my mom who have always been like family, and having them over to our new home

3438. helping my mom pack up her things in preparation of her move

3439. friends who have helped my mom pack so that she doesn't feel completely overwhelmed

3440. reminiscing about our childhoods as we handle some of my grandmother's and great-grandmother's things

3441. having the desk that was in my grandmother's kitchen, where I remember talking on the phone and playing as a child, now at our new home. It is over 150 years old, as it was my great-grandfather's present to my great-grandmother when they were married. :)

3442. quiet moments capturing the glories of Fall in our backyard

3443. spending quality time with Birdie-girl while they boys are off doing manly-man-things

3444. quick runs to friends' houses and seeing a small glimpse into their Sunday afternoons

3445. warm eggs, grits, and coffee on a cold and rainy Monday morning

3446. extra layers of clothes and socks and undergarments as I am about to head out with Scott to spend two days in the woods with him, on his territory, and in his element -- there's nothing I won't do for quality, alone time with him {obviously}. Eeeeekk!

3447. the simple act of him inviting me to go with him :)

3448. Peanut's new thing: If you correct him on anything his response is, "Oh, that's right!" It is the cutest, sweetest, MOST ADORABLE thing ever!!!!!!!

3449. putting up our new Christmas tree in our new home

3450. the glow of Christmas lights

3451. scaling back our Christmas lists and feeling content about it

3452. doing for others

1 Chronicles 16:34, "Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever."

Multitudes on Monday

3424. hours spent on the back porch with the kiddos - me working, them playing or rainbow looming or singing and dancing

3425. letting the kiddos lead us through a corn maze over the weekend. It said we'd walk 2.8 miles through the entire maze, but I'm pretty sure we walked closer to 4 ;)

3426. taco night

3427. chips and salsa to go along with taco night

3428. really chips and salsa any time, day or night :)

3429. a church that gives generously to others in the community and around the world

3430. double and triple rainbow loom bracelets in a rainbow of colors

3431. relaxing, go at our own pace days when Mama has a stomach bug

3432. slathering myself in delicious smelling coconut oil before bed each night (and thankful not to dream of being deserted on an island every night!)

3433. all natural cough treatments so the kiddos (and Mama and Daddy) can sleep at night

3434. letting the kiddos enjoy popcorn and a coke along with a movie on a Monday after school, just because

3435. friends who are real and honest -- all of the time

Colossians 3:17, "And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him."

Multitudes

3411. hearing Peanut call the iPad the Pie-Pad

3412. if you ask Peanut a question, instead of saying "yes" he responds, "Sure!"

3413. squishy pillows for sleeping with

3414. a really, really good school year with Birdie-girl and Buddy-Ro -- they are loving My Father's World and doing work together for Bible, History, Latin, Science, and Spanish

3415. going at our own pace with learning. Some days we spend a lot of time on history (The Egyptians and pyramids have been a huge favorite around here!), while some days we are able to do 2-3 days worth of work in one day. {Usually} the kiddos' attitudes are flexible and adaptable, and I am so thankful that our year is going well. Dear Lord, thank You! And please let it continue!!

3416. watching Jill Duggar (now Dillard) as she gets ready for her wedding on 19 Kids and Counting and seeing Birdie light up with all of the details.

3417. having great role models that I can actually refer to with Birdie-girl when we need to "discuss" any attitude or behavior that comes up

3418. how my all-time-Daddy's-boy really and truly likes me lately. He's always had a sweet spirit, and I have known that he loves me...but these days, he LIKES me. And I like that a lot. :)

3419. beautiful Fall days

3420. steroids for the bigger boy who still suffers from croup with the change of seasons (darn asthma...)

3421. Mimi's BBQ that was a huge hit with the kiddos. I don't know how many people they have given the recipe to!! [In case you want it: 1 large Pork Roast and 1 can of Dr. Pepper -- put roast in crock pot, pour DP over roast, and cook on low all day. About 30 mins before serving, shred meat with forks and pour BBQ sauce of your choice (and amount) over meat. Mix well. Put back in crockpot to heat back up. Serve. Enjoy!!]

3422. a lovely tea party to celebrate Birdie's sweet friend turning 8

3423. a mama and mother-in-law who both enjoy surprises for Christmas...b/c I've already ordered their gifts :)

Psalm 100:4, "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name.

Teachable Moments

I love teachable moments. Perhaps it is because I have always been a teacher at heart. Perhaps it is because I really enjoyed teaching middle schoolers for five years before coming home to be a Mama and homeschool teacher. Whatever it is, I love those moments when a real learning connection happens that makes a positive change. While teachable moments are not always the most fun to endure at the time (think: first speeding ticket at the age of 18 and watching insurance rate increase - ouch!), those moments cause change that is ultimately for the best.

Jesus was a wonderful teacher to his disciples. He used teachable moments over and over again throughout His ministry and time on earth. I think so many parents are caught up on the word "discipline" these days. Discipline = Punishment, right? Well, no, not really. The definition of discipline is: systematic instruction intended to train a person, sometimes literally called a disciple, in a craft, trade or other activity, or to follow a particular code of conduct. The true definition of discipline is not about punishment. It is about training. And when training is done in love and respect, positive changes can occur.

The other day Buddy-Ro had a friend over to play, and play they did! They had a lot of fun being boys. And making a very big mess. Before time to say goodbye, both of us moms asked the boys to clean up and asked at one point, "Are y'all cleaning up there?" The answer was a resounding YES! So when both boys come bounding down the stairs two minutes later, we walked out the door and said our goodbyes. Fast forward to bed time when I finally went upstairs and actually saw the playroom. There were at least 400 Legos strewn across the floor, cars everywhere, Don't Spill the Beans everywhere, guns and bullets everywhere. Oh boy. My first reaction was to blow a gasket, I'll be honest. But I chose a teachable moment instead.

I called Buddy-Ro into the playroom with me and asked him to look at the mess. He definitely had his tail between his legs, so to speak, because he could see what a disaster the room was. In talking to him I learned that the boys had been having racing car contests trying to knock over towers that they built from Legos. Oh, they certainly knocked them over. Ahem. They played "bad guys/good guys" and when they ran out of ammo they used beans. All in the name of fun, and I have no problem with fun! But the mess was still there, and it wasn't fair to make Mama clean it up. And the more I thought about it the more I felt that it wasn't fair to make Buddy-Ro clean it up by himself either. I let Buddy-Ro go off to bed and told him we'd deal with it the next day. As I thought of what the best solution would be, I kept thinking that if Buddy-Ro helped to make a big mess like that at his friend's house I would want him to help clean it up.

The next morning I called my friend and asked if her son could come over and help clean up the mess. Now, before anyone starts thinking I am Cruela de'Ville, I had every intention to make this a fun teachable moment for both boys. We were actually playing outside when the mom dropped off her son, so we had a very leisurely discussion about the day and tennis shoes -- you know, the important things. ;) Then we go inside and walk up to the playroom together. I said, "So I hear that you and Buddy-Ro had a really fun time making this mess, huh?!" And he agreed and added some extra fun details about a ramp they had built for the race cars. :) Then we talked about cleaning and how we want him to be able to come over often since we are neighbors and the boys had such a great time together...so how about cleaning up next time so that all the fun won't be ruined by a colossal mess.

The boys chose a time that they thought they could beat, so I set the timer for 10 minutes. Well, they had so much fun cleaning and laughing and acting like super heroes that Birdie ran in and started helping!! They had those Legos and Beans and cars and guns picked up in 8 mins and 42 seconds, and they all thought they were big stuff. What's even better is that I had made cookies ahead of time as their reward.

A teachable moment. Discipline. Those two things do not have to equate with negative reinforcement. As Scott and I grow as parents, we have learned again and again that moments matter.  It's not what we say, what we demand that sticks -- it's what we teach. It's why I didn't ground Buddy-Ro and forbid his friend from coming over ever again. That would be punishment. Discipline meant talking to, and helping to train the boys to clean up, and then to reinforce the positive behavior that I really hope to see in the future with something good. In this case, homemade peanut butter cookies. :)

This is one of the things I love about our Heavenly Father so much. He does not strike down my mistakes with punishment. Yes, there are consequences that may befall a bad decision, but His wrath is not something that I fear. He is a gentle, meek, humble, patient God who disciplines me through love and by helping me learn to make a better choice the next time. And that is the kind of Mama I strive to be.