Praises... Easter Morning sunlight

Finding goodies in baskets.
"Dad I can open that faster!"

Family Pictures on Easter Morning.

(yes..it would have been cuter without the binky!)

Getting all dressed up and deciding we didn't really want to leave Mom & Dad to go to church. The miracle of the internet let us stream the live feed of Dosh's Church service from The Wave church in Virginia Beach to the big TV. We made breakfast and all worshiped together in the family room!

Friends who will track you down anywhere! I love you!

Time

Love

Laughter

Music

Praises...

Amazing joy a small boy can find in a mirror.

Amazing joy a room full of adults can find in a small boy wearing a hat that reads "Swinger".

Coloring Easter Eggs.

Having Jessy around to sit and color with my kids when I have so many other things going on in my mind.

Amazing friends & amazing support.

Quotes & Memorables...

Dax sneaking out of our room without any one noticing first thing in the morning. We noticed he was gone when he came back, throwing the door open and saying "I sorry I eat my chocolate bunny. I sorry I not ask." I asked if he'd bothered Papa, he replied "I tell Papa he sick, I got spicey."

My mom's version of the story was that she wnet downstairs and found Dax's binky & Gigi (his giraffe) laying on the floor in front of the open freezer and Dax naked from the waist down finishing up his chocolate bunny from grandma. So much for breakfast....

He did then go upstairs get on a new pull up and proceed to sit quietly on the bed with my dad while eating a "spicey" and according to my mom he calmly told my dad he was sick but he'd feel all better soon like Sasha.

It's amazing the things you miss sleeping till 7:30.

Praises...

Dosh & Jessy taking Mike and the kids on a well loved Journey to the Air Force Museum.

Everyone out having fun at just the right times.

Family all in one place.

Kind, caring nurses.

This is my great friend, Sarah's birthday. I don't have any pictures to post (lucky her!) but I sure hope it was a great day! (shhh...maybe she won't notice I back dated this!)

Praises...


Toys that become new again when you haven't seen them for a while.

The pleasure a simple set of blocks can bring all three of my kids.

A Nana that will make you Eggos at 9 pm and let you sit on her counter to eat them!

Safe travels!

Kids who travel well! Dax wins the traveller of the day award.

Dosh's chai tea.

A kitchen full of people I love.

A kitchen full of people I love, laughing.

Friends who will babysit your dog all weekend!

Big furry old dogs with arthritis who don't get too upset when little boys use her for support, as long as someone is telling her she's a good girl!

Dad sleeping, which means, Mom sleeping!

Being here in this house with my family all under one roof, at least for a few hours this evening!

Little boys who just have a connection beyond understanding.

Quotes & memorable moments...

"I've got to pee" "No, I mean I really have to pee! I can't hold it eeeekkkkeee please please please! I've got to pee!" Lily after stopping to pee 45 minutes earlier. lets just say we offered her a cup and told her if our friend Amy could pee in a cup with the car moving so could she! =) She didn't go for it and managed to hold it an hour...but we heard repeats of above conversation off and on for that whole hour! Lily won closest to making daddy threaten to pull over and beat her award! But she lived, as did her bladder!

Upon noticing a thin tall fan in mom's family room, Dax asks, "what is that?" I say, "A fan"Dax replies, "I love that fan!" and proceeds to hug it. That's one of the moments you wonder....

But there are other moments that make you wonder...in a whole different direction. Sometimes I really believe Dax has some connection to the universe beyond his years. After the following conversation with Dax, I questioned both Mike & Lily assuming one of them had a deep conversation with Dax about this weekend. Neither one had. Most of you know that we had a dog, Sasha, who passed away peacefully on our family room floor at the age of 14 this past August with Dax by her side. Dax came and stood beside me and I said, "you know where we are going today?" In a very excited voice with a little jump he said, "My Nana & Papa's house!!" He then looked down for a minute and in a quiet voice he said, "My Papa's sick". I nodded and said, "yes, he is." Dax then said, "My Papa is gonna feel all better, just like Sasha feels all better now." I nodded my head and gave him a hug, and we went on with our frantic morning, trying to get ready.

Praises...

After fussing for a moment and I sighing at the oh so imperfect napping time, this is what I found. Not sure what all the fussing was about but he looked like a little comfy man and slept for another hour, yeah! Lily not walking in and seeing the following...


Dax managing to get the Polly Pockets safely back to the counter without himself, his brother, or the dog harming a hair on their precious little plastic heads!

Not as much whining as yesterday!

Have actually started sorting and packing for Ohio trip.

American Idol night! Now I know you may think I say this every week and that I'm a little nuts, but I know that my kids are dancing and out there many hours from here my dad is enjoying a couple of hours where the music somehow reaches through. Since we've moved, there has always been a little pleasure knowing that the rest of my family was out there somewhere watching the same thing. Always made for good discussion. My favorite for this week...



Quotes & Memorable moments...

Finn is starting to forget that he can't stand and do it more and more without holding on. Of course as soon as he notices he quickly sinks to the floor.

Dax and Finn spent lots of time "wrestling" today. Rolling over each other, giving each other "zerbets", giggling together. I love seeing them turning into real brothers & buddies!

Dax dancing to American Idol...there are some serious questions about the boys rhythm, too bad he can't get a good Papa lesson to "you dropped a Bomb on me" I think that would fix him up!

Praises...

Finally getting the pictures of Lily's "photo shoot" up. If you scroll down the side you'll find them under slideshows.

Friends who understand and let you ramble.

Insurance!!!

More Antibiotics! We have 4 ear infections, one with a ruptured membrane.

Children's Motrin!

The knowledge that they will feel better soon, and there is good prognosis that the whining will cease.

Chatting with my brother.

Humor, even in the midst of sadness.

Quotes & Memorable moments...

hmmmm....well let's see today's most memorable moments involve Dax pulling out the stirrups, turning the lights on and off, climbing on the table, climbing out of the straps on the stroller, climbing under the stroller, and being belted back in the stroller so tight that he couldn't get out which led to extreme screaming as if he was being beaten, which lasted for a good ten minutes. All of these lovely things occurred in the pediatrician's office during Finn's appointment. I should have known right then that Dax was sick too, because although not an angel, that is off the wall behavior even for him! But, he told me he was fine.

This was followed by a trip to Walmart to pick up meds. I've never gone on a rant here before but, I could easily do so on the amount of time it takes the Walmart pharmacy to fill a prescription while you have two small children, one of them hurling items from the back of the cart. There were lectures, threats, hands on the jawline and very quite face to face discussions. And although these happened with Dax, I would have gladly shared the same experiences with the pharmacy employees. Almost an hour from call in to pick up...ridiculous!

The boys fell sweetly to sleep on the way home, I breathed a sigh of relief and carried their soft sleepy little bodies in the house and laid them in their beds. As Dax's head hit the pillow he rolled over and said "My ear hurts". The words I mumbled would not win me a parent of the year award. I responded to him with "well, guess you and Dad will be heading to after hours when he gets home!" And, they did.

Feeling like a horrible mother beacue we'd been dosing Finn up on Orajel & Mylicon thinking his teeth and tummy were the problem, never mind the ruptured ear drum!

So I guess today's memorables, could simply be chalked up under there will be better days and forgotten!

Praises...

Beautiful singing at church this morning with lots of kids and lots of palm branches. It's the beginning of quite a week.

A Sunday School lesson for 7th graders that touched those of us long past 7th grade. (hope the kids got something out of it!)

Focus for what this week is about.

Sunday afternoon naps.

Saturday night trips to dinner and shopping...although next time we might spring for a babysitter!

God given strength.

Siblings. My own, whom I am so grateful for and my children's, because it makes me laugh watching the relationships develop!

My children, everyday they make me laugh and cry and sometimes yell (although I have mostly given that up for Lent) but at the end of each day I can't imagine the sadness of life without them.

Quotes & Memorable adventures...

Dax's Sunday School teacher asked him to park his bike and take a seat at the table this morning, he did as he was asked and said "I'm sorry, I missed you!".

This part is all about Lily...almost! Lily has grown out of loving to play in front of the camera. She runs when I get it out. She hides behind her hand and other things and just is overly non cooperative, which is why you rarely see pictures of her on here. She does have a lot to say, however most of these things really don't make a good blog quote. There are a few exceptions, but for the most part Dax is the highly quotable member of our family right now. Lily once was. It's too bad I didn't do this when she was 2, I could have filled pages each day! Those of you who knew her well at 2 know what I mean! Today she decided to jump in front of the camera, but it had to be on her terms. She set up a "back drop" in honor of Palm Sunday and had some sort of image of what type of pictures she wanted. What she wanted most was for her brothers to go the heck away! The pictures I liked the very best were the ones she didn't realize I was taking and the ones of what was going on outside the back drop area. She didn't quite realize that the back drop wouldn't fill the whole photo if I took a body shot, but that's ok, I wasn't big on body shots anyway.

Ok, I've got it, finally! You will find it listed on the side under slideshows, because I can't figure out how to put it in here! These are in order of how they were taken. I love how long it took Lily to start posing! There is only one giant peach in this shoot, it was funny to watch the progression of the peach. I also greatly enjoyed watching Dax try to mimic his sister's "head tilt" and Finn trying to take the book and bite her. It got to the point where all her attempts at a "serious" photo shoot went right out the window and those are some of the best pictures!

Praises...

I made a dent in the clothing pile in my basement. That place where I take things that are outgrown and store the things that are still too big.

The boys greatly enjoyed throwing piles of clean folded laundry in the air and rolling on them. This was not a praise at the time...but this evening, after I had a long hot shower, I realized that one day, I will not have little boys who take pleasure in such silly things and I will look back on today and somehow miss it.

Boys who enjoy being right with their Mama all the time. Again, this one too became a joy after the hot shower.

A husband who comes home after work, takes the kids out to play, and tells me as I can use all the hot water in the house if I want. I like this guy! I didn't use all the hot water, but I tell you, I am grateful for every drop I did use!

The ability to put this day in perspective now rather than looking back years from now.

Playing outside.

Neighbors that we haven't seen for a while.

Friday night movies on the Disney channel.

Quotables...

The hot water quote mentioned above does deserve rementioning. "I've got the kids, we're gong outside, you use all the hot water in the house." (hhmmm, maybe I just smelled really bad?)

Dax, 15 minutes after tossing all the clothes in the air and rolling on them, he scooped them up, brought them back to me and said, without provocation, "Mommy, I'm sorry I took your clothes and threw them in the air, here they are for you." Finn responded by pushing the pile back on the floor...but hey, gotta look for the little joy of that great apology!

After a very difficult getting to nap day, Dax stumbled out of bed and came out to the family room, looked at me with his sleepy eyes and his bed head and said, "I love you, mommy, will you hold me?"

Is Spring Coming???

There is no baby in this stroller, I promise!

She looks tough, but she's actually just pointing out her bruised elbows...
Coming & going, he's become a master on the scooter!

My happy observer... Finn & Sophie having a moment...Praises...

Playing Outside!!!!

The excitement that a peek of spring can bring.

Chatting with friends.

Catching up with family.

Watching the kids improve their skills on various types of wheeled objects.

Finn still happy to sit in a stroller (I know it won't last long!)

Mike staying awake long enough to discuss Lost.

Quotes & such...

Mike, "Wow, I'm so not confused anymore" sarcastically commenting on the revelations in tonight's episode of Lost

Dax, "Can he ride on the back of my fire truck, mom? Can he play with me??" Hopefully asking for Finn to play outside. Dax has been planning all the things he will do with "Finny" when he is big enough for as long as "my baby, Finny" has been in this world. "He will ride my bike. he will ride my scooter, he will ride with me on the fire truck, he will chase me". And soon...soon it will be so, you can see it in Finn's anxious little grin!

Finn...I'm not sure he gets enough air time in this section. Seems Dax fills most of the space, 2 year olds are quite quotable. Finn's days are coming, I see them right around the corner. My little baby has gotten quite big!

and although he still looks so sweet and innocent much of the time...There is this side of him...this is the side of him I found standing beside the toilet today patting the lid with this same half goofy grin on his cute little face.
I think if he could say more than a handful of words he might have said "Inspector John, from the land of Geotrax needed a closer look at the toilet bowl, mom, so I assisted he and his clipboard on the descent. He reports that we have hard water and you should maybe clean the toilet more than once a week to help prevent the orange buildup..."

Of course, for the moment I'm just making him quotable...soon he there all on his own! For now, I think I'll just shut the bathroom door and send the inspector back to the train station after a nice hot shower.

Praises...

Today is my good friend Amy's birthday! She thinks she's old, I think she's not so much! I even found a postable picture of her, the kind most women like where you can't really see her face, as to protect her privacy...hehe. I was blessed to spend a couple hours with Amy on Sunday, it made me remember how much I miss her! So Happy Birthday Amy! We love you!

March is full of birthdays! Good friends, great grandparents, cousins, uncles, good friend's kids, etc... so, know I love you all and Happy March birthday! This was a month God sent some amazing people into this world! (I'm partial to April & May too, but I'll share those later!)

Dax left church and only cried on his way to the car!

Chicken nuggets, the promise of which stop Dax from crying!

Spending the morning sorting baby clothes for other people!

Extra hands while waiting for Daddy to come to church & during dinner! I't sfunny how little things make life easier!

Jr. High drama! Because, although not fun for them, or for me when I have one of my own, I do so enjoy watching it all unfold! It makes me smile!

American Idol not voting off people I like

Husbands who do dishes without being asked!

Husbands who change the sheets so that their wife doesn't have to come home to a bed filled with oatmeal and yogurt. (Wish I'd been here to blog about how the bed got filled with oatmeal & yogurt!)

Being able to walk through my almost normal days.

Phone calls from mom when she's getting to to baby step through a few minutes of normal in the middle of her crazy days.

Going to bed in a warm bed with four other people sound to sleep in my house peaceful & happy.

Quotables...

Dax, the on going sun saga... Today he found his sun glasses, or at least a pair that Lily has that she may or may not have given him. He promptly put them on and said "Mommy, can you turn on the Sun?"