Sometimes...

...I feel like every post could be labeled "catching up" or "back log of pictures". Not very creative. But all of the sudden I see all the pics on my cam and realize that it's been too long since I've posted. Soooo without further ado....

This little guy and I spend quite a bit of time together. This represents an outing to the bank and an especially rare occasion where I said "yes" to the lollipop. (do you notice how long is hair is already?)

Den's grandpa's church has an annual Father Son banquet and all the boys went this year. D said that they both did great and enjoyed the magic show after the meal. E was at a sleepover so I was completely on my own..... I didn't know what to do with myself.

We had a beautiful Saturday a couple of weeks ago and J cleaned the car with some help. The reason V is so soaked is because according to E, "he got under my washcloth when I was squeezing it out." This happened several times.

J had his first baseball practice last Saturday and it was soooo cold. Supposed to be 80degrees this weekend at his next practice...woo hoo!

J wanted to take a pic of us. Did you know that true love is displayed by smashing your nose into someones cheek?

When daddy's not home we play hair dresser with V.

I just realized this was an almost all boy post!

Interview With a.......

son.

Yes. J is 5 in this pic. He is presently 8 and soon to be 9. But this boy is on the move and remembering to grab the camera and get a shot of just him wasn't happening. Besides...like the rocket on his head, time is flying and I just can't believe how quickly my first born is growing up. Gosh, he is stinkin' cute.

Favorite color: blue & brown

Favorite animal: white tail deer

If you could have any pet in the world?: fawn

Favorite book: Tuesday

Favorite movie: Phantom Menace

If you could go on a trip?: Washington DC

What is your favorite thing to do, that we do together as a family?: Play the game of LIFE together.

Favorite food: cheeseburger

Favorite drink: hot chocolate

Favorite thing to about school (in class): math

Favorite thing to play at school: basketball game

Favorite thing about... E: when she hugs me

...V: when he's always playing with me

...Daddy: when he's always wrestling with us

...Mommy:she gives me kisses and all that...when she gives me love

...Jesus: when He died for us on the cross.

What do you want to be when you grow up?: archaeologist or history professor

Who is the most beautiful person you know?: you

Who is the nicest person you know?: Ethan (cousin)

Favorite song(from church): I'll Fly Away

Favorite season: summer, because I don't have school then.

What is the saddest thing you know?: When E is mean to me.

What is the happiest thing you know of? When I went hunting with dad.

I think the 2 biggest things I've learned about my children from doing this is how small their world is, and how quickly it is changing before them. I plan on doing this once a year or so, but even if I asked these same questions next month I know that most of their answers would be different. Where is that time in a bottle?

Come sun....please....

When the weather is dreary, dull and cold, this is the kind of stuff that makes you laugh harder than necessary.


But then your brother in law throws a surprise party for his lovely wife and you have another reason to go out and laugh.

Then another brother in law makes you smile because he still refuses to eat his peas.

THEN, the sun comes out and everything looks a little better and brighter.

Your daughter puts it well when she see the flowers bloom for the first time and exclaims "this is the best day of my life!"

Then there are days of real warm weather and everyone is enjoying it.

Bike rides,

walks and wagon rides,

birds fly north to proclaim the coming of spring,

love is all around.

Baseball too.

But all that play in the sun can make you tired. So you catch a few winks BEFORE your son's cello concert.

Or you take silly pictures of you and your goofy daughter.

Then you catch your son on stage, setting up and try not to squeal with delight that he is sitting right in front of you on stage.

You also try not to laugh as he feigns seriousness while he waits for the program to start.

But you do beam with pride when he starts to play.
(this is the last piece they played, a combination of all the twinkles they learned)

Interview With a....

.....daughter.

Last week over some tea I told E I was going to interview her. I have a journal that I keep for each of the kids. I have written their birth stories, how den and I met, and different things about their lives, etc. BUT I'm so sporadic. I was looking through them and realized that it had been nearly a year since I had touched them. So my new goal is to at least write in them on their birthdays, and every couple of years do an interview. The questions were off the top of my head but it was fun to see how she interpreted them. I also look forward to seeing how their answers change over the years. I plan on pinning J down soon to ask him the same questions.

Favorite color: blue, purple, pink
Favorite Animal: cats & dogs
If you could have any animal in the world for a pet? baby mountain lion
Favorite Book: Pop up Tinkerbell book
Favorite Movie: Fox & the Hound, Narnia, The Secret Garden
Favorite Food: heart cookies w/ icing
Favorite Drink: lemonade
Favorite song about Jesus: Holy Holy Holy
Favorite Season: Summer, you get to swim.
If you could go on a trip, where would you go?: California or Washington DC
What is your favorite thing that we do together as a family? wrestle
What is your favorite thing about Jesus?: that we'll go up to heaven to see Him
What is your favorite thing ab out J?: Playing w/ him, playing Indiana Jones
...V?: Pushing him on his firetruck.
...Daddy?: wrestling
...Mommy?: playing dollhouse
Favorite thing about school(in the classroom): listening to Junie B Jones
Favorite thing to play at school: tire swing
What do you want to be when you grow up?: kindergarten teacher
Who is the most beautiful person you know?: (i was thinking about attributes, my 6yr old was thinking prettiest) Danielle (a girl in her class)
Who is the nicest person you know?: "you" (pause, wipe tear:)

Then she decided that I should ask her what she wanted for Christmas...

E: "Now there's a lot of things that I want to get for Christmas"
Me: "Just pick a couple of things"
E: "A camera, a snuggie, and my own TV."

Some of her answers surprised me, and some I knew were the answers for this week or month, such as the book or movie answers. Still it was fun to hear her thoughts on these light topics and maybe next time I'll get a bit deeper.

Stay tuned for J's interview.