Just Like My Momma...

I love to read books. ALL kinds of books.
Or magazines.
Or newsletters.

And while I do plenty of online browsing my VERY favorite 'reading method' is to kick my feet up in our Lazyboy with a soft blanket tucked around me. Spring, Summer, Winter, Fall. Always the blanket. I love blankets, almost as much as I like books.

Which is why it totally thrilled me the other day when I peered out of the kitchen doorway to see this...

...and why I rushed downstairs so I could capture this, too!

What is your favorite place? Maybe not a reading haven but a this-is-MY-spot? A place to think. To dream. To pray. To rest. I would love to know what it is.

"Should I?"

Here is an excerpt from this morning's breakfast conversation:

X: I need ride combine. Should I ride grandpa's combine?

ME: I don't know. Maybe. You'll have to ask gpa.

X: Should I call grandpa?

ME: Sure.

10-seconds pass after an imaginary call is placed.

X: Gpa say, I ride combine. PAUSE. Should I ride beans or corn?

ME: You'll have to ask gpa that, too.

10-seconds pass after another imaginary call is placed.

X: Gpa say, we do corn.

ME: Sounds fun! Now, maybe you should eat your breakfast all gone so you can be a good farmer-helper for gpa.

X: I don't want-to.

ME: Maybe you should call gpa and ask if it's important to eat your breakfast all gone.

10-second pause and then...

X: Gpa not answer.

Oh Yes, Mommy. That Be Great!

The title of this post is often Alexander's response when I present an idea that is to his liking.

A walk to the library.

A trip to the park.

A drive to visit Daddy at 'the office' for lunch.

And especially, an afternoon snack.

We've been soaking in the rapidly diminishing days of summer this past week. Especially now that we can actually be outside without melting spontaneously in the 100+ degree heat. One of Xander's favorite afternoon/outside snacks has become frozen Go-Gurt tubes. "Oh, yes, mommy. Okay. I like these. Oh, yes! That be great!"

Earlier this week I captured this snack-time expression -- which in turn captured my heart. Love this little guy!

The State Fair...

Last week we had a little mom-and-boys-day-out to the State Fair. Brenda & Isaak, Jolynn & Drew and Alexander & I packed up the strollers, kid-friendly food/snacks/drinks and all the other required mom-paraphenelia and drove to the State Fair for the day. Or, at least a PORTION of the day considering that three little ones cannot routinely make it thru an entire day without various levels of meltdowns :) SORRY: No pics of Xander since he was exploring the Little Farmers Helper Exhibit with Gma & cousin Ty.

Actually, the boys did great -- thanks, in part, to grandpa & grandma being at the Fair, too -- and we were able to watch a couple hours of the Sheep Open Competition where Eric & Ethan showed their Dorset(breed) entries.

Old Friends. Lots of Kids!

You know those weekends that you TOTALLY look forward to & then actually turn out to be as great as you anticipated? Yep! I had one of those this past weekend.

The weekend began with an adults-ONLY dinner with my college roommate (Wendy) and her husband (Todd) -- a couple with whom we totally 'click' and can share our hearts without reservation. Ahh...good times!

The following day, a group of friends -- all who lived in the area when single & have moved elsewhere to raise their families -- spent Saturday together with our spouses & kids. There was lots of this happening throughout the day...

Laughter. And talking.

Snacking. And talking.

Swimming. And talking.
Eating. And talking.

Chasing kids. And talking.

The kids had lots of fun playing together with ALL the toys -- and Xander was loving the fact that they were all boy-toys (considering the host/hostess have 3 little guys!) Oh, by the way Jeremy, what was the last count on the number of toy boxes? :)

Here are some snapshots of the day. I know. I know. You're probably thinking -- how can so many cute kids show up at the same place? Yep! We have been blessed with incredible families. PTL.

Blake was planning to 'ride along' in the rowboat (to act as Xander's protecter!) and somehow found the rest of the dads bailing into the water and left with 4 little ones!

Thanks for organizing, Blake & Rachel. And when are we going to do this again!? :)

A Mid-Week Visit...

We had some extra fun last week when Uncle Shannon, Aunt Jill and cousins, Karissa and Lavelle spent a night & day with us. Lavelle is an infant foster child & he completely stole our hearts with his 'screeches' and his 'smiles'. Sorry...cannot post a picture.

But I can post a picture of Karissa (so cute!) who had lots of fun with Alexander as they played outside in the muggy heat, splashing each other from the kiddie pool & playing tag. Not sure Xander really grasped the concept of tag -- he kept running INTO Karissa :)

For lunch, we walked to a small resturant called '2 Toots' which is a kid-friendly venue where one's meal is delivered by...(drumroll please)...A TRAIN! The kids, of course, loved every minute of it -- but I forgot my camera so you'll have to imagine their expressions of awe & delight :)

So glad you could come visit! Come back ANY time!

Bikes & Playing with Alea...

Last week one of Xander's favorite friends (and cohorts in chaos) came over to play for the afternoon.

That would be this little sweetie, Alea.

The kids had a blast riding their bikes around the driveway, digging in the yard, mowing the grass, building with MegaBlocks, etc.

Several times throughout the aftenroon, Alea 'crossed the line' into the neighbors yard. Being 'the helper' that he is, Xander would rush after her, take her hand in his & lead her (i.e. sometimes it might have been bordering on dragging!) back into OUR yard.

Helping Daddy: Watering Plants

This past weekend while Blake was watering plants, he felt a persistent tug on the water hose he held in his hands. Looking down, he saw a thirsty little boy delighting in a FRESH drink of water dripping from where the sprayer connects to the hose. Needless to say, one little boy needed some dry clothes by the time the plants were watered :)

Casa Vida y Esperanza (CVE)...

I am still a mite exhausted from our trip to CVE earlier this month. My SAHM schedule does not routinely require day-long painting marathons, sleeping in 100+ temperatures or showering with frogs (thank goodness!)

Minus the heart-longings for our little guy back home -- who, by the way, was having the TIME OF HIS LIFE with his grandparents -- the trip was awesome. Filled with answered prayers & countless blessings. A few snapshots of our time in Mexico & the orphanage where God is doing amazing things!

a Wednesday night downpour had us removing our shoes & rolling up pantlegs as we walked thru mud and puddles on our way to church...

Juli(a) and Juli(e) wiping dishes with help from the kids...

there were FIVE high-school girls on the trip & THREE with the name of Julie/a.

kaitlyn having fun with some of the boys...

sharing in a birthday celebration...

olivia is PUMPED about her dishwashing duties...

a friendly game of Blokus after a hard day's work...

oh yeah...and there were lots of these this year with a 'warning' about scorpions & black widow spiders, too (eek!)

A Thought to Ponder...

A character in Tamera Alexander's novel, Beyond the Moment, speaking of past sin and the forgiveness found in the shed blood of Jesus, "Because once you've seen yourself without Him, you realize you don't ever want to see yourself like that again."