Praises...

Wow, did you see the Olympics tonight? Isn't it amazing to live somewhere that we are free to choose to watch these amazing games? Isn't it a great thing to feel such pride in your athletes who are not doing it for the billions, but for the love of the sport. I love seeing people using the gifts God gave them and being able to say to my kids, "look at that! You can do anything you set your mind to as long as you have God with you!"

Healthy children with no broken bones. We had a bit of a scare this week with a possible broken arm and a trip to urgent care. Turned out Dax's arm was not broken. This was a good outcome for his sister, since she was just in a tad bit of trouble for grabbing his arm so hard during a wrestling match.

A little boy with the pain tolerance of a rock. My guy came to me and just said "I hurt, I hurt, I hurt". I picked him up, put an ice pack under his elbow and he sat on my lap and giggled until I tried to move his fingers which brought forth a bit of a shriek.

Doctors and nurses who are quick, efficient, and have a good bedside manor.

Xray techs who can pop a "nursemaid's elbow" also known as Radial head subluxation back into place without even trying, causing a 3 year old boy to feel oh so much better!

Seeing my guy bounce back and forgive the big sister who caused the injury. He knew I wasn't happy with Lily and after we returned home from the Doctors and a run through McDonald's (I know, healthy...) he followed me into his bedroom and said "mommy, when we were at McDonald's Lily said she was sorry and I told her it was ok."

A daughter who apologizes behind my back. I can think of worse things she could be doing behind my back.

Phone calls. the last few days I have enjoyed catching up with a few people I love I haven't talked to for a bit...there are still a few out there I need to track down!

The anticipation of new life. My friend Amy is having a baby tomorrow. She has posted a couple of posts that have made me a bit weepy remembering those feelings. I am blessed for knowing her family and even though they are far away my thoughts and prayers are with them even if I can't be!

Beautiful, not horribly hot and sticky August days. I love these sweet warm sunny days before school starts as the summer counts down.

Lots of journal writing, someday maybe I'll get as far as putting some of it into a blog, but for the moment I'm grateful for the time and hands to get it out!

My brother and sister in law for always being there to take care of things faraway.

Remembering my Dad. This week his golf league took time to remember him with a lilac bush and squirt bottles for everyone. They all took a turn spraying his tree and each other in remembrance of hot summer days when my dad would provide the bucket of squirt bottles and the beginnings of water fights and laughter. I only wish I could have witnessed one of these events!

Those boys, they are at it again...

They look innocent, don't they?

Last night Finn started shrieking while we were fixing dinner. I found him sitting in the bathroom sink holding all of our tooth brushes, "brushing his teeth".

I'm not sure what the shrieking was about. He didn't want out and he fought me tooth and nail for the toothbrushes. Man that boy is strong, just like another one I know...

He could be the reason the always closed bathroom door was open. He was put in time out in his room this morning, only for me to go three minutes later to release him to see him standing in his open doorway. We've been doing time out on his bed, but there have been a few moments like this morning where I was in the middle of something and he needed a time out so I set him on his bed and closed the door. His door is equiped with one of those handy dandy child proof door knob covers on the inside of it. This is supposed to keep him in, right? So if I can't stand beside him and restart the timer every time he climbs out of bed, he at least can't leave the room. Right... So he looks up at me with those big blue eyes and says "I not like that thing on my door, Mama. I take it off, it's under my bed, wanna see it?" He then climbs under and produces child proof handle which he has dismantled. I guess the praise would be that I'm blessed with a very intelligent problem solver who did not leave his room, but waited till his time was over to share his exciting stroke of genius with his mama.

We had some sweet moments as I was supposed to be cleaning up the living room. There were a set of white sheets I was taking downstairs when I noticed the amazing sunlight streaming in the living room window. So, instead of finishing with my chores (and I must tell you this is where the "cleaning the house" part of the week took a sharp turn down a deep slope) I spread out a sheet on the floor/rocker and offered to take the boys pictures while they played in the sheets.

They added the ducks...

They looked so cute and pleased with each other...

and then it took a turn for the worse. Notice the faces...

It's not often a mom can get this kind of escalation on film to share with the blog world!




Caught in the act! This may be my favorite picture of the day. I think Sophie would like to warn you that no matter how sweet and innocent these boys look it can change in an intant! Before you know it they will be poking your eye, pulling your ears, or shoving something in your nose, maybe even climbing on you or dressing you up in a silly costume, so run fast, or duck and cover!