Family Time

For Memorial Day weekend, my family and I decided to go back to our hometown and spend the weekend on the river and relax. Oh did we ever!



My in-laws recently bought a cabin right on the river so we had all the amenities of home with an added plus and peacefulness that the river brings. We had originally planned on pitching our tent and sleeping outside along with the children, but I chickened out when the weather kept calling for rain.



Although we did encounter a few good showers and sprinkles, we still enjoyed the time away, each others company, as well as some good ol' family time. You can never have enough of that, right?



We attended a Graduation Party and played at the park:










Swam in the ice cold river, played sand volleyball, lounged around, talked past bedtime, and enjoyed the beauty that is God's Promise.





A peaceful, relaxing, weekend enjoying God's Creation is a Finer Thing.


This post is linked to:

• FinerThings Friday
• Family Friday

Seriously--Time Flies

I cannot even believe it. This afternoon I can longer deny the fact that my youngest will be going to school. That's right, I'm going to preschool screening and registration. It seems as if he were just born a few months ago!

The last few days I have really been reflecting back on the time that we've shared. Noah is the only one out of my 3 children that has stayed home with me from day one. He has never, ever, ever been to a baby sitter. I don't know about you, but in my book, that is a Finer Thing!

I have seen every moment (okay not every moment, afterall I am more than just a mom!), every milestone, and have enjoyed every last moment (most of them, anyway).

There have been plenty of laughs,

Scary moments,

about a ton of dirt and mud,

A load of hard work,

And more than enough cuteness to go around.

I will definitely miss you being by my side day in and day out.

Or this case, Daddy's.

My time with you has been a Finer Thing and one of the many highlights of my life as your mom. I know you will have a good time at school!

Love you more my Little Monkey!!

This post is linked to:

• Finer Things Friday
• Family Friday

I Redeemed Myself

So--I said the tooth fairy came, sort of. What did I mean?



Since she didn't come the first night, Nicholas left his tooth (which was in a treasure chest, by the way) on top of the windowsill for the next night. When he came home from school, he immediately went in there to check on it and make sure it was still where it was when he left. He's pretty possessive of his things.



Little did I know that during the day, Noah went in and messed with the tooth treasure chest and lost it! I can assure you that Nicholas was not happy in the least! I looked high and low for it, and never found it.



"Now the tooth fairy really won't come, Mom."



Oh snap! Rub the "Loser Mom" in a bit more, would ya?



"Sure she will--she's had ample time to find out you lost it. I'm sure she'll understand that Noah lost it. Surely she won't punish you for that..."



Right? Right. Although, she really did almost forget.

Holiday Highlights Pt.2

I never did get around to sending out my Christmas cards this year. It pains me, but I just couldn't get it together. I've just decided that I will mail a "New Year" letter instead. I managed to get a picture of the kids, after the millionth time. I think it turned out decent. There have been better pictures, for sure. But it'll do it's job.

You can hardly tell, but Kait actually has a tear falling from her eye. She just finished a bawl fest.

These are the cookies that we made for Santa this year. Oh my word. They were great! And easy.

We make a gingerbread every year. For the last couple of years, I've made it from scratch. Now, that doesn't always mean that it stands and looks like a gingerbread house. But, it is more fun..and cheaper. A win, win. We're generally not huge fans of gingerbread though, so we would never even touch the house after it was made. My cheapness didn't really like this. This year, I went with a chocolate version of a gingerbread house. I think it was actually called Chocolate Dream or something like that. We're never goin' back!

We had some issues with the house, so I'll spare you all the lovely-ness. But, I did have to show you what would happen if you left the finished gingerbread house unattended in house full of kids with nerf guns. This:

Completly obliterated. Honestly, though, I have no idea if the nerf gun was to blame, but the bullet sure does look guilty.

And, I will leave you with the runner-up picture for the "New Year" letter.

I told them to loosen up, and this is what I get! Although, it may just make it in the "New Year" afterall!

It's how they are! :)

Holiday Highlights

I've kind of neglected this blog! Oops. Although things were rather quiet around here for Christmas and New Years Eve..it is almost all a blur.

We celebrated Christmas with Willie's family the weekend before Christmas. This was a nice change from years past. We did it at Willie's parent's cabin, and we went and cut down the Christmas tree on their land and made all the decorations for it. The children also made sugar cookies and we drank more than enough hot chocolate.

Noah and Kaitlyn cutting out sugar cookies.

It has been years since I have cut down a Christmas tree. This was so much fun, and a great reminder as to why I loved it so much as a kid! The kids (my 3 and my 3 nephews and a neice) were responsible for cutting the tree down, with a hatchet. For the most part, they did it all. Willie and Papa did a little (okay, a lot), but it still took forever.

In the meantime, my crazy child entertained himself "riding" the Christmas trees. Um yeah. Climbed to the top of another cedar, while someone else rocked him back and forth so he could ride it. My oldest nephew proceeded to say "We don't need Silver Dollar City, we've got Redneck City!" Welcome to the sticks, ya'll. This is how we roll.

And yes, that is Nicholas, and another unknown child.

They were quite proud of their efforts!

I didn't notice it until just now, but the mysterious hatchet is rather eerie. And as far as the getup on Nicholas's head. Not quite sure what that is..but that is what happens when you lose your hat, you get a funky spumonkey one!

And, if that isn't enough excitement for you...my husband rode the tree back to the cabin. Okay, not all the way, but far enough for me to snap this halfway blurry pic!








When we returned back, we huddled up and consumed some hot cocoa. To our surprise, Santa was canoeing down the river in our direction!! I, unfortunately do not have pictures, just a video. He came bearing gifts, and the kids thought that was the coolest thing in the world! It was!



Although we were busy for the most part, it was a very relaxing and enjoyable time.



Fun was had by all, as I'm sure you could tell!

Oh no you didn't!

Earlier this week we had chilli for lunch, and after I prepared the big kids's bowls complete with sour cream and cheese, I went in the laundry room to flip the laundry before I sat down for lunch. Noah was occupied in his bedroom, so I just dished his out to cool off.



Right in the middle of me flipping the laundry, I heard both of the big kids frantically yelling "Noah, no. Noah! Noah!"



I knew exactly what it was...Noah had the jalapenos!



When I came into the kitchen Noah turned around and smiled. "I got free (three) wapapeno's mommy!"



Oh no you didn't!



Sure enough in his bowl were 3 jalapenos right on top. These are not your normal jalapenos! They are hotter than fire, let me tell you. They lit my mouth up like nothing I've ever seen. Thankfully they were right on top, so I just picked them off. I stirred in extra cheese and sour cream for good measure.



Noah was not happy about all this so I explained to him that those little bad boys "would burn his lips off!" Gotta scare him, right?



So, we proceed to eat lunch and he begins to fake frantic cry. When I asked him what was wrong he informed me that the wapapenos burnt his lips off.



That was until I reminded him that I already removed those pesky wapapenos.



"Oh."

He's Sick

A few nights ago, I told Noah to go clean up his room. It is such a disaster mess that you cannot even walk in there...it's bad beyond belief. He just wouldn't do it. Period. My guess is partly because he was tired, and in all honestly...it was probably a bit overwhelming.



Anyway..he wouldn't. So, Willie told Noah to go in the corner. He goes...but begins to cry, a lot. Willie asked him what was wrong. I guess he thought this was his cue to come out of the corner, because he came and sat on the coffee table in front of Willie, and said....I'm sick.

What do you mean, "You're sick."

Standing in the corner, makes me sick. Cleaning my room makes me sick. Getting in trouble makes me sick.

He said this with such seriousness, and huge crocodile tears....it took everything we had to keep a straight face.

Okay..so we didn't keep a straight face at all. We busted up.



Willie said, Noah, I think you're full of it.

Oh man did he cry. Daddy, that's not nice..I not full of it..I sick!

Willie finally got Noah to clean his room, by promising to read him some books. Noah loves his books. Noah went in his room, and shoved everything in the floor into his toy closet and came prancing out of his room gleaming!

As soon as Willie was done with the book...Noah snuggled up with the ever so famous "ello blankie" and he was out!

Books make for good medicine!