When I was growing up my parents worked hard and wasted nothing. When my dad would fill up the gas tank and go inside to pay (way before pay at the pump was invented), he’d come out with one candy bar that my whole family had to share. That was a splurge we all loved. Frequently he would come out with a Sugar Daddy (a treat he enjoyed as a child). When I saw this giant Sugar Daddy I couldn’t resist giving it to my dad for Father’s Day, and yes, we all shared it!
We are so blessed to live near my parents who have a swimming pool. We spend most of our summer days there. I sat on the lawn chair today watching my kids. Ella and Preston were swimming and Brennen was playing by the side of the pool with Griffin. Griffin was sitting in a baby seat and Brennen was dropping water in his face over and over. Griffin loved it. I sat there with joy in my heart watching my two little red heads playing together.
It was a warm, wet, spring day. The kids were excited to go out and play. The older three went out while I stayed inside with the baby. I went out to check on them and this is what I found! In our backyard by their clubhouse, they found a perfect place to play. At first I was worried because I knew their dad was going to be mad about the mud hole they created. He’s pretty meticulous about the yard. I quickly set that aside and grabbed my camera. One of my favorite memories from childhood is playing in the mud with my brother and best friends. It was so fun and the look on my mom’s face as we came to the door covered from head to foot was priceless. Yes, their dad was a little mad but this was a fun memory for them too (it was fun until Preston got mud in his mouth!).
This is who I spend most of my days with. If Spiderman isn’t keeping me company then some other hero is here to visit.
While most people were shopping during “black Friday” my family decided to do some service. My family, my brother and his kids, my sister and her husband, and my dad went to our church to spread mulch. Everyone had a job and everyone helped.
Brennen’s job was to babysit Griffin. He pushed him around the parking lot the entire time and did a great job!
My dad has always loved nature hikes. Some of my favorite childhood memories involve hiking. Dad almost always takes a hiking stick that he uses to point out different trees, plants, and animals. I’m glad he’s passing that love on to his grandchildren. (Brennen)
My mom has always loved music. She got that love from her mother. I have many fond memories of both my grandma and my mom singing and playing the piano. I’m glad she’s sharing that love with her grandchildren. (Ella)
Sometimes my days are really long and really hard! But, I have been thinking a lot lately about how grateful I am that I don’t have to work and I am able to stay home with my children. This week Ella signed me up to bring over four dozen rolls in to her class for their Thanksgiving feast. The night before I had to make them, I was so tempted to run to the store and purchase them. It would be so much faster and easier! I thought about how that would disappoint Ella. She loves my homemade rolls and that is what she was hoping from me. I thought about how there is nothing more important that I could do with my time than making my daughter happy. I made the rolls because I am blessed to be able to stay home and make rolls. That is something I could do for her so why would I not do it? I knew it would make her happy and that is what makes me happy.
There are things in my kids lives that I don’t have to miss. There are times that they need me and I get to be there for them. I get to take my kids to school every day so they don’t have to ride the bus two hours a day. On picture day last month as it was pouring rain, I got to walk them to the door one by one under my umbrella. I got to take Ella to school one morning only to come home and find that she had left her homework folder along with two days worth of homework on the counter. I got to go back to the school and take it to her so she didn’t have to go to study room during recess. I get to see the pure joy in Brennen’s eyes as he says goodbye to his preschool class everyday when I pick him up. I get to snuggle with my baby Griffin every day. I got to help with Preston’s fall party and see how my shy son raised his hand to answer a question which I know takes much courage for him. I got to make over four dozen homemade rolls for Ella’s class.
For those reasons and many many more, I am grateful!
Brennen has an incredible imagination! Everyday he is a different character. One day he is Bob the superhero, the next he is Santa Clause. I have to call him by his character’s name all day long and it can be very hard to have a serious conversation with Bob the superhero!!!
Today I cut a pumpkin and several face pieces out of felt so Brennen could assemble a jack o lantern. I showed him each of the pieces and he definitely has much more imagination than I do. He told me my mouth was really a crown, my mustache was really sleepy eyes, my glasses were really a superhero mask, and my bat wings were really a cape. The photo above is his “Happy Superhero.”
“Hands” are the theme for the photo challenge this week at “iheartfaces.” As I looked back through some of my photos I realized that I love taking pictures of hands. They can tell a story all by themselves. I had to pick the photo of Preston’s dirty hands handing me flowers from last summer as my entry. I loved the flowers but I loved his dirty little hands even better! Here are a few of my other favorites.
And I simply couldn’t resist this photo-it’s Mr. Potato Head’s hand holding Ella’s tooth so the tooth fairy can find it!
Ella: “Skinny jeans don’t really make you skinny, they’re actually just tight.”
Me: “Darn, I just bought some today. I was hoping for a miracle!”
Ella’s Nana Ceci took her school clothes shopping. She had so much fun picking out clothes, two pairs of boots, and skinny jeans!
