Praises...

Today Dax spent all day in the same pair of underwear! He wore them to church & nap. He says he wants to be like Max. I'm excited!

Girls Scout Cookies. See Captain Underpants above eating a thin mint? He was even willing to do chores for one of those!

Crazy ladies who come to take care of our kids even with braces on their feet.

Being in a place to serve along side women I really like.

Grandparents and the time we were blessed to have with them.

Great friends.

Glimpses of the future of who Lily will be.

Husbands who don't mind picking up dinner.

Escaping reality even for a few hours here and there.

Kids willing to share their long stories with you...

Remembering to stop & listen to the stories.

Quotables... Memorables...(or what Dax had to say today)

Forgotten from yesterday, but worth logging ~

Finn hit Dax for the first time, intentionally. Sure there has been some hair pulling and a bit of growling, but today Dax hit Finn and Finn picked up a block and hit him right back. I'm glad to see him sticking up for himself. Although, I'm scared to see what coming! Wrestlemania? WWF? Nothing like boys!

I hear Dax's voice from the living room yell "No, no, Finny, you can't eat dead bugs!"
He came running full spead to the back, "Mama, I need a wipe!" He grabbed a wipe and took off again towards the front. "Finn, dead bugs are yucky!" I see him come back around the corner with the wipe held out in front of him tenderly. "I got it Mom, no let my Finny put it in his mouth, I throw it in trash!" Thats my boy, brotherly love at it's finest!

Back to today ~

This morning on the way to church Dax asks "Mama, please turn off the sun" I replied, "I can't turn off the sun, buddy" "Yes you can! PLEEEESE!" I said, "I don't have the power to turn off the sun!" He was sure I was wrong, "Yes you do!". "Only God has the power to turn off the sun" I told him, At that point we were sitting at a stop sign. I turned the corner and the sun was no longer in his face. "You do have the power, mommy, you do!".

My house was brimming over with noise this afternoon. I kept walking away and it kept following me! I was hiding out in the boy's room, on the phone when Dax came running in with a picture he'd drawn. He announced proudly that he'd drawn "an airplane and a cow with a penis!" I guess the potty training is on his brain! I laughed, wondering if this was the right time to explain that cows don't have penises, decided not while I was on the phone! My friend Sarah (who I was talking to at the time) told me I should take a picture of his artwork and blog it....so here it is. The left side is the airplane, the right is the cow...not sure how to label the parts though!

My Favorite American Idols for this week...

This week's theme was the 80's and I must say I was not impressed by the selection of songs that were offered up, but these were my favorite performances.

Praises...

People who can read your mind! I woke up this morning and thought of three people I wanted to call today, 2 out of the three called me....weird!

Catching up with old friends.

2 year olds that sometimes do chores.

A big chunk of today included big boy pants!

A daughter who came home in a helpful mood.

No fighting with above mentioned daughter....that is always a good addition to any day!

Friends who drive said daughter home from school on cold days!

Dax's love for church. (those of you witnessing the meltdown upon leaving, are testimony to this love!)

Hanging out with the youth tonight.

Getting something out of youth group...hey I'm not just there for the fun!

Phone calls from a mom on the road who took some time out for herself today.

The sister in law who drove her.

Snuggling while watching American Idol.

Quotables...

I'm drawing a blank, I'm sleepy, maybe I'll come up with something tomorrow!

Praises...

Buddies. No matter how old you are it's great to have them!

Brotherly love It's funny to watch it blossom! Makes me laugh every day.

Little boys & long naps.

Daughters who think their fashion trends are new & cool. Gives me a little chuckle!

Little baby booties...I'm sorry but is there anything cuter?

Hugging naked babies..can't be a little teeny one, has to be a big rolly polly giggler like Finn.

Remembering last year at this time. Finn wasn't on the outsde yet..we were just waiting, wondering. What a blessing he is.

American Idol...really.

Lily being recognized in the "Caught ya" program at school. Good to know she's being caught doing good things!

Unlimited long distance!!

Quotes & Such...

Dax saw the blog today and yelled "that's my Nana's house!!" I asked if he liked his nana's house he said "I like my Papa".

We then had a talk about love...I told him I loved him. He said "I wuv you too mommy" I asked who else he loved. He said "Dad, Lil, & my Finn"

"Anyone else" I asked

"I wuv my dog, Fofee"

"and Nana & Papa"

"what about Ryan and Carly" I said

"I wuv them" he replied

"And Uncle Dosh?" (M)

"yep, him too"(D)

"Grandma & Grandpa?"(M)

"Yep, wuv them"(D)

"Uncle Jeff & Aunt Stacey"(M)

"Uncle Jeff scares me"D

"wuv Aunt Stacey and Kaylah and Awwwie"(D)

"What about friends? Can we love our friends?"(M)

"Yeah!" (D)

"Max?" (M)

"yep, Max! and Traci" (D)

"Chloe & Noah?" (M)

"Yep! and Sarah!"(D)

"And Charlotte" (D)

Then the love fest ended as fast as it began, sorry Uncle Jeff!

Finn learned to ride the little push car today. Dax thought he should "help him". Poor Finn!

Finn also learned that if he laid on the top step to the family room and watched Jack's Big Music Show from there that Dax wouldn't notice him and he could watch and dance in peace!

10 Days of Praises...

I think Mike was afraid I was going to catch up by doing an entry for each of the days I've missed! Even I am not that crazy! So here is it ten days, the short version, rolled into one long post...

Long phone calls catching up with long lost cousins.

A husband who can step up to bat when I'm in bed shaking with chills and the munchkins are rolling cookie dough under the dining room table.

A husband who remembers to take pictures of the incident in case I want to blog about it!

Husbands who know when to stay home from work so their children and wife make it through the day!

Antibiotics...think I mentioned this one, but it is worth another shout out!

Other people's kids who make you feel loved.

Getting in and out of walk in care with two boys in less than an hour..that was a true miracle!

Lily & Mike staying healthy! (Lily's "illness" never really went beyond complaining)

Old friends who call out of the blue because they feel like you need something.

Great friends who watch over my children while I journey. It means so much to me to know that my munchkins are safe and loved.

Safe Travel!

A two year old who rides in silence!

Car silence, time to think, reflect, listen to all sorts of odd music.

People who will go out of their way to take care of the situation when you lose your cell phone.

Great people who build rockin block towers & do weird things to make two year olds laugh!

Old friends, not just mine but my parents. It's amazing to see how deep friendship can go, and to really see it in action in laughter and in sadness.

Visits with Aunts & Uncles, Almost Aunts & Uncles, Sister n laws & nieces.

Time with my mom. Being able to actually hug her rather than just chat.

Seeing my brother & sister in law in action. What a blessing they are to my parents.

Dax's love for Nana & Papa's.

Children & a husband who miss you when you're gone, but can make it for a few days pretty well!

Friends who check in.

Friends who have been praying the whole time!

Life always going on around you.

10 Days of Memorable Moments..

This could be subtitled "What hit my floor in the last 10 days" and "the Ever quotable Dax"

While I was in bed with a fever Sunday, Dax was searching for something sweet to eat. He settled upon some cookie dough. You know, the type the comes in tubs that you buy for fundrasiers. There was a bit left in the freezer, he managed to open it up and head under the dining room table, his usual hiding spot. There he figured the best way to eat this would be to just bite right in, a boy after my own heart! After Mike found him and snapped a few pictures Lily decided she should wrestle the cookie dough out of his hands and save it. From my bed I could hear the squable but was not quite sure what was going on. I figured Mike could handle it and drifted back off. Lily later told me she managed to save the cookie dough. "Mom, um...I put the cookie dough back in the tub and in the freezer for you, but I'm not sure what you want to do with it because Dax licked the whole thing and then rolled it on the carpet, but it's back in the freezer now..." Anyone need me to bake some cookies?

Dax spilled a bag of tortilla chips...Finn discovered he likes tortilla chips.

Dax wanted yogurt. He carried the yogurt down to the family room to ask if he could have some. He didn't realize we had used large yogurt tubs for the salsa we'd made the night before. He tripped coming down the back step....Finn discovered he likes Salsa.

We had Jimmy John's for dinner one night while I was not well. Dax decided to save his bbq chips. I didn't realize this, I would have suggested a better place for storing them than under his bed, but he thought this was a great spot. The next morning, I heard a rustling of a bag and a lot of crunching...Finn discovered he likes bbq potato chips.

Dax decided Finn should try red fruit snacks, pretzels, & cherry juice. Finn decided baby food is really not all it's cracked up to be. So Thursday he asked for a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch. I gave in, he ate the whole thing. I think he's a big boy now. This afternoon I found him surrounded by a bag of pretzels sticks, three of them hanging out of his mouth. I almost asked if he wanted a beer with that....

Dax Quotes...

"I'm going to my nana's house" repeat....a million times!

"We go my Nana's house? My Papa be there?" Dax

"Yes, your Papa wants to see you! Mom

"My Nana want to see me! She not scare me, she love me." Dax

"Hello Papa, I need a Spicey!" (new word created by Dax meaning cinnamon discs on Papa's dresser. This sentance came into play whenever he could sneak in for a visit. My poor dad probably didn't know what hit him!

"I not go home!" "I stay at my Nana's!" "I not need my Daddy!""I not need my Lil or my budder!" I need spiceys!" "Stop this car right now! Turn this car back! Stop this car!" Phrases uttered by Dax in the first ten minutes of the return trip from Ohio, before he fell asleep.

My favorite....

"Mommy, can you please turn down the sun?" It was in his eyes on the way home.

Sick Leave...

Quick Praises...

Antibiotics!!!

Motrin, Tylenol, & Asprin

Blog readers who stop by daily checking for something new....I know who you are...thank you for not giving up yet!

Announcements...

Here we have been blessed with two cases of strep, two ear infections, many headaches, muscle aches, one really nasty nose thing, about 8 hours of sleep between two grown ups in two nights and not too many more in the night before. I say blessed because these are not the flu and can be treated so traveling this weekend is still open.

I will be doing my best to update tomorrow (although I may cheat and backdate, I love how that confuses people!) So for now, I'm going to bed maybe I can pull of 6 hours in a row tonight!

Praises...

Even grumpy guys like to snuggle with their moms.

Lily might just have some tough in her yet..she got up and went to school even with the option of staying home...she passed out when she got home this afternoon, but she didn't whine nearly as much tonight!

Children's Tylenol!

Long phone calls with old friends that help you trust yourself.

Long Geotrax building sessions to make up for time neglecting children while on long phone calls!

Snuggling with a certain baby boy in the quiet time after his nap to make up for neglecting him while involved in the long Geotrax building session!

Geotrax is a brain builder and a muscle builder for kids and parents. (is it really for the kids

when you keep building afer they've gone to nap??"

Sh0rter phone calls with newer friends that confirm that trust, and simply understand.

Knowing that there are so many others who are where you are or have been where you are and you're never really alone in anything.

Walmart rendevous & unexepected gifts.

Friends.

Long talks after the kids go to bed.

I'm going back to Quotes & Memorable moments...Todays highlights just seemed to make me want to duplicate half of what I wrote about in the praises...I'll find the right title yet...

Dax sneaking out of his bed several times at nap time to peak in on mom still building with Geotrax.

Finn, tired and not feeling well waving one little hand with just the littlest grin with the softest "Hi Dada" when Mike came home from work.

Dax pouring "Hot chocolate"(it was water with hot chocolate mix that had been heated for 20 seconds in the microwave 30 minutes earlier) on his bedroom floor and his brother's head. (how did he get the cup into his bedroom???)

Finn smelling sweetly of hot chocolate...really did want to eat him up right then!

Dax "I want Jelly"

Mom "we don't have Jelly"

Dax "I need Jelly"

Mom"No one in our house eats Jelly"

Dax "I eat Jelly"

Mom "we don't have Jelly!"

Dax "Sarah has Jelly!"

Mom, laughing "Too bad Sarah is in Ohio tonight"

Dax "Oh Man!"

So...Sarah, when you come home, I'm sending Dax over for Jelly, cause we neglect him!

Mike walks in from walmart Dax exclaims "You got food for my baby bubbur! Wow!"

Building with Dax. His excitment at testing the trains and clicking the tracks together. Trying to appease Finn with Cheerios so he'll sit and watch us build instead of tearing things apart...he tossed them to the floor and just gave up...this really is only the second time this has happened!

Watching Air Bud Dax took Sophie by the collar, said "You're my Dog, watch Air buddies wif me" and she did.

2-22-22

It's a date that no one in my family will ever forget! It was my Grandma Hanville's birthday. She passed away almost 5 years ago, but 2 22 22 was her day and she knew somehow it was magical! Or maybe just memorable! I think back and smile...Grandma was a true original.

Here are a few things you might not be able to say about your Grandma...

She looked like a 50's movie star
She could shoot a bear.
She majored in Archery.
She left college for the CIA during WWII
She could tell you stories about being in the bomb shelters in England as the sirens blarred above her.
She was the wife of a CEO
She could could host a dinner party for the hoi poloi or curse with the sailors
She loved my grandfather with her whole heart and soul
She could do cartwheels in the front yard well into her 50's and was not afraid to do so.
She could drive a boat
She had a cottage in Canada and a house in Florida all on her own
She could drive herself cross country with her cat in her 70's
She could drive you nuts!
She always had cocktails & appetizers before meals
She was the most fun person to play games with
She always accused you of cheating.
She raised 3 great human beings.
She loved big band & old hymns
She loved soap operas & Jeopardy

She needed water to be happy.
She wasn't always easy to love.
She always loved.

I was blessed to have time with my Grandma for many years. She was something!
Of course, I'm going to share some songs that for one reason or another remind me of her...

She used to sing this to me...or to herself...I don't know, I just hear her voice when I hear the song!

This is the song that stuck with me for days as I wrote her eulogy...

My Grandma was an avid Days of Our Lives fan and the story of Tom & Alice and this song always reminds me of she and my grandfather.

Happy birthday Grandma...I hope you're dancing!

Praises...

Finding the big roll of clear tape!

Getting the boys dressed, bag packed, me showered & dressed and ready to leave my house by 9 so that I still had time to call my Dad before Bible Study and still be there on time! ...you don't know how big of a praise that is!

Talking to dad and understanding.

Bible Study....not sure how much studying gets done, but I'm glad they invited me in!

Long peaceful naps!

Emails with great news about one sweet little niece!

Afterwork bedroom parties...the whole clan (minus the sicky) hanging out on our bed when Mike gets home recapping the day.

The way God nudges people, without human input.

Husbands who fill up the gas tank, shovel a path, and clear the snow off your van.

Same husband who only grumbles a little when you leave him with the kids at bedtime.

Friends in seedy places =)

Girls to laugh and cry with.

Unexpected gifts given with love.

Thursdays.

Ok...So I'm changing this section to Today's Highlights which will include Quotes and Memorable moments but will give me a place to share things that are neither quotes or memorable moments as well!

Finding a baby spoon in my wallet...you know, there will come a day when it would be impossible to find such goodies!

Listening to Lily tell me her throat hurts at least 35 times.

Dax saying "Ok" to 95% of my requests in his cute little voice.

Finn giggling everytime you call his name...I just wonder what that little guy is thinking! Theory "Man, I hope she doesn't notice what tasty floor morsel I just put in my mouth!"

Dax and Finn sharing a bag of Apple chips watching the Garfield movie...totally Dax's idea, apple chips ended up in a toy basket void of all toys and then shared with the dog. Nothing like some good brother bonding.

Dax reading three easy reader books to me...ok, I know it was from memory, but I'm his mom, I can think he's brilliant.

Dax sneaking unnoticed off during above mentioned bedroom party with Mommy's deodorant and the can of hairspray. A distinct spraying sound followed by a cloud of fruity smelling mist coming from the kitchen tipped us off to the mayhem that was happening. Yeah, so my project for tomorrow is getting my deodorant off the cabinets...

Dax now has hairspray in his hair, deodorant on various parts of his body, several shades of markers high jacked from Lil's marker case all over his extremeties, and is still stained slightly blue from the painting with food coloring he and Lily did a couple days ago. After the deodorant comes off the cabinets, I should probably bathe him...

Doesn't he almost look like an angel in his American Girl halo? Just so you know...the T shirt he is wearing clearly states "EVERY GREAT IDEA I HAVE GETS ME IN TROUBLE!"

And then, that laundry is still in my living room.

Looks like a busy day tomorrow!