HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

This morning as we were ready to head out the door for school, I thought my kids all looked pretty cute in their Halloween shirts and thought it to be a good idea to grab the camera and snap a quick shot.

Have you ever tried to take the picture of 3 children, together, and get everyone to look at the camera, smile (not the cheesy smile), keep their eyes open and at a minimum ACT like they care for one another?

Oops, let's try again.

Um, Adam, don't squeeze so tightly and Andrew, please stop talking.

Andrew, look over here and keep your hands to yourself!

Adam, Abby wants to be in the center.

YES, EVEN HER HEAD!!

Seriously? This should not be so difficult.

This is what I settled with.

Actually, it was the first photo I took.

Can't wait for tonight and all the photo opportunities it's sure to bring.

My Baby is Going to be Five

I'm having trouble believing that my youngest child is turning 5 next week. I've been looking at old pictures a lot this week and walking down memory lane. So much has happened in the last 5 years. We've come so far as a family of 4. It seems as though I personally have come from the depths of despair, to happiness, contentment and a place where I am able to enjoy life. Not that life is without struggle and frustration, but I have a peace in knowing that God is there to walk through it with me and that my family is there to support me.

Andrew has always been a source of joy. He is bigger than life. He is so dramatic and energetic. He brings smiles to all who encounter him. I can't imagine life without him. He's spent a few days with his father this week, and I've had a glimpse of life without him. It's not the same. It's quieter. It's calmer. I think Adam, Abby and I have all realized that it's just not as much fun. Praise God he's coming home tonight. I can't wait to see him.

Here's a few pictures of him from birthdays past.

1st Birthday
I'm sad to say he still eats like this.
He may not be quite as messy, but he still shovels it in with his hands.

2nd Birthday

3rd Birthday

4th Birthday

Can you say "Cheese!"

I love this picture. It's happiness and joy.

I can remember the saddness of realizing I no longer had a baby to rock at night. I remember the sadness in taking down his crib and of giving away the baby clothes.

And now, he's turning 5. Where does all the time go?

A Boy, His Teacher and a Chocolate Bar

There is a boy who so adores his teacher and knows how she adores chocolate. He picked out a special chocolate bar just for her. However, the chocolate bar somehow became melted, almost liquid...neither the boy nor his mother know how this came to be. The mother suggested to the boy that he give his teacher another chocolate bar. The mother could see by the look on the boy's face that this would not do. And then, with a twinkle in his eye, the boy put the melted chocolate bar in the freezer. In the morning, the boy discovered the chocolate bar to be good as new. With a huge smile on his face, the boy put the chocolate bar in his book bag and took it to school to be delivered to the teacher.

There is also a girl. The girl, she picked out peanut M&Ms for her teacher. Apparently the teacher mentioned that if a student were to bring the teacher said M&Ms, said student would receive marbles for the marble jar. The girl, she is two marbles closer to going to the treasure box.

Boys and Girls

This morning I had to be at home for a while to meet with the washing machine repairman. This gave Andrew and I the opportunity to spend some time alone. This is the conversation we had:

Andrew: Mommy, I love Abigail (girl in his class). I want her to be my girlfriend. I need to breakup with Maggie so Abigail can be my girlfriend. We need to to work something out (he and Maggie).

Me: What if Maggie doesn't want to break up with you?

Andrew: Well, Abigail won't be able to be my girlfriend. Mommy, can I have two girlfriends?

Me: Sure, you can have two girlfriends. As long as both girls know about the other girl. (We have to teach them young, right?) It's fine to date two girls at once.

Andrew: Date?? We're not dating.

Me: Do you know what dating means?

Andrew: Well, it's when you get together and do something and then go to a hotel and spend the night.

Me: NO!!!! That is NOT what dating is. You can't spend the night with a girl until you are married.

Andrew: I thought you could take us there, and if the hotel had a pool, we could swim.

a few minutes pass...

Andrew: Mommy, you know Colin in my class?

Me: Yes.

Andrew: He's on the devil's team. He's not very nice.

Me: Maybe you should try to win him over so he can be on Jesus' team.

Andrew: I've been trying!

*******

Abby (I mean Abigail) always pulls her hair back in a ponytail for school. One morning this week she forgot and even though we were already halfway down the street wanted to know if I could go back home so she could get a ponytail holder. I did not go home. That night she informs me that Jacob made a comment about her hair. She and Jacob are friends and she's had a "play date" at his house. The comment Jacob made..."I like your hair down." I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it, but I'm now keeping ponytail holders in the car.

Please...they're only 4 and 6.

It's Getting Chilly

Fall is in the air and we went to pick out pumpkins this weekend. I'm always amazed at the process. Why does it take so long to pick out a pumpkin? What really makes one pumpkin so much better than the others? There's a flat side, there's a scratch, too much dirt, um, that one is rotten...and the search continues. Thankfully, it wasn't too chilly and we enjoyed being outside. Before the pumpkin picking began, I needed cash and we were out of Coke at home so I needed a Coke. We ended up at Steak and Shake for my coke and I hear all these little voices from the back yelling, "Can we have a shake Mommy? Please, can we?" OK, sure that sounds fine to me. Let me say, that I can't recall Andrew ever finishing an entire milkshake on his own. That's why I don't generally buy one for myself, I drink the leftovers. This day was, however, different. He drank the ENTIRE chocolate milkshake. After the pumpkin picking, we headed to Lowe's to buy fire ant killer. Andrew, literally, flew through the store. Danced, jumped, skipped and slid down aisles. It was funny, and I'm sure if he weren't my child it would have been hysterical~other people in the store certainly seemed to enjoy his antics.

Here are some other shots of recent days.

Andrew is spiderman again this year, different but still the same.