follow up

So to go along with my earlier post today, Joe and I went on a date. Lizzie has also been bugging us to go on a date (go out to eat or the movies) really so that she can go visit anyone else. Every other Friday, opposite our Life Group meeting nights, each couple takes turns babysitting all the kids so the others can go out. We used it tonight and went to Hershey Park and enjoyed the big kid rides. We only made it onto 3 rides, but they were good!! We had fun just spending time together for a few hours minus 3 kids!! Lizzie was a little said we went to Hershey without her.

truth to what they say

I know I have heard that one of the most important things in a family is for kids to see their mom and dad love each other. Well this week Lizzie said, "Mommy, I love it when you and Daddy are close to each other." I asked what she meant and she just sheepishly smiled and said, "You know, when you and Daddy huuggg and kissss." It opened my eyes to really making an effort to show kids, not just tell them, about love and caring. What we do is definitely watched by our kids, good and bad.

daddy's day

Father's Day 2008 was laid back and relaxed. All Joe wanted was to relax and watch a little of the US Open. We played outside in the pool and had MeeMom and Poppy over for a little while during the afternoon.
There was a wonderful message at church this weekend. We had Family Dedication and the whole service was about family. We are doing a series called "Dash" and it is all about the dash that represents your life that is between the birth year and death year on a gravestone. It has been interesting the past few weeks, but this week, David discussed the importance of parenting and building the spiritual foundation for our kids. It was titled "Time Well Spent." (you can listen to it here next week) At the end, they had an interview with Steven Curtis Chapman and the events that lead up to him writing the song "Cinderella." This was written 4 months before one of the daughters he wrote it about was killed in a horrible accident. Needless to say, it was a tear filled auditorium and we all left realizing the importance of spending those extra few minutes with our kids and slowing down to do the little things with them.

mess

Can someone please tell me why they can't make childproof caps for bubbles? I was inside doing the dishes after dinner and the kids were happily playing in the garage. I suddenly realized it got kind of quiet out there and, as most of you know, quiet is not good. I also noticed Lizzie running in and out quite a lot. Sooo, I walked out to see what was going on and this is what I found...So, in case you didn't know already, the inside garage floor is some special kind of cement that gets really slippery when wet, I mean it is so bad it is like ice. You can imagine now how slippery it would be not only wet but with bubbles all over it. The kids thought it would be fun to make footprints all over the floor. I had to get the hose and wash out all the soap into the driveway, there were lots of suds but the kids did smell nice.

We also had some unexpected entertainment when our field got plowed last week. We were waking up from our naps and heard loud sounds out back and saw this huge machine cutting the wheat. Then they went back and made rows of hay that they later baled into huge blocks. It was a cool process to watch (until Saturday night when apparently the last step is to fertilize the soil--lovely, it still stinks today as I write this).

Today I came home after publishing this and I was wrong. It didn't smell bad at all this weekend, nothing compared to how aweful it smells today. Oh...and our fly problem has now exploded with the new addition to the field.

Hannah watching the action

We are doing a little "farming" ourselves, unfortunately we harvested a little too early.

the hay baler

Jackson watching

the huge bale of hay

just to give you perspective, that is our play set next to that huge machine

Quote of the day: Lizzie and I were having a "discussion" before her nap about whether or not 5 year olds take naps. She informed me that her friend told her they do not and of course I said, "My mom made me take naps/have quiet time when I was 5, now I am telling you to take a nap/have quiet time and I am sure you will do the same for your kids when they are 5." To which Lizzie replied, "I am going to let my children do whatever they want!!"

picnic day

We had the LCBC church picnic Sunday the 8th. It was in the midst of the heat wave that we had last week so it was in the upper 90s and humid. Fortunately, there was some shade under the trees, but all the fun stuff for the kids were in the sun. They had two firetruck tankers there and set up a huge sprinkler for the kids. Mattie offered to go get wet with Hannah. (Mattie is Hannah's buddy on Sundays, she watches her for me when Hannah is sick and I can't put her in the nursery, and she offers to take her to her room--she's a huge help!!) We had a good time and they had the ceremony for the ground breaking of the new addition. It was cool to see so many people there even though it was so warm. Here are some pictures a friend grabbed with her camera, thanks Sonja!!

the boys

birthday boy

Our buddy boy got a little older this week. Jackson turned three this past Thursday and we had a special day on Thursday and then a family party on Saturday. Some things I like to see in this now 3 year old boy...How he and Lizzie converse. I love to sit back and eavesdrop on the two of them talking to each other about everything. I also love that he is potty trained, except while sleeping. He decides to go outside when at all possible, but his pants are dry!! I like to watch him while he is concentrating on coloring or golfing or baseball. I love that he likes to sit and watch golf with Joe rather than cartoons with Lizzie on Sundays.

Here are some pictures from his 3 years...

May 29, 2005

August 2005

January 2006

December 2005

July 2006

November 2006

December 2006May 2007September 2007
February 2008

April 2008

May 2008

May 29, 2008

"Better Batter Baseball" is all we have heard about around our house for the past few months and now Jackson has the one thing he wanted for his birthday.

Party Time

Quote of the Day: "Wow, there are a lot of presents for my birthday!"--Jackson said as he opened his gifts.