7 Hours...

I love these two pictures. Samuel likes hats. Also likes getting himself stuck behind the gate on the stairs! Kayla spent her rest time organizing her Strawberry Shortcake dolls and Little People on her window sill. Her orderly tendencies are an inspiration to me!

As I thought about putting these pictures up, though, I thought, "You know, today was actually a pretty rotten day." It all started around midnight when we caught a mouse that had ventured upstairs . Upstairs. Yuck. It took us a while to figure out what to do with it once we had it.

As the day progressed, it seemed as though at least one person was crying or in trouble for most of it. At 1:00, I said "Wow. 7 hours until bedtime. Wow." I truly wondered how we would make it. But we did.

All that to say, we clearly found some bright moments in the day. This last picture is a note Jack sent flying down the stairs in an effort to obey my threat that revolved around not coming down the stairs once I left his room after tucking him in. At first, I thought it might be another mouse when I heard the paper fall. Thankfully, no. Just a clever attempt at extending the day!

Another recent conversation, this one in the bathtub. (Background: Samuel has just a couple of words. He mostly grunts, points, and screams to let us know what he wants.)

"I hope Sam starts talking soon."

"He will."

"Well I sure hope he doesn't talk in Spanish. How will we understand him?" :)

The Tables Have T-u-r-n-e-d

The tables have turned in our house. As parents, we've all done it. Spell words as code around our children. You know, "Should we go to the p-a-r-k after dinner?" Something like that. Now, Jack has taken to spelling much of what he wants to say to me. It's his latest thing. A conversation might go something like this:
"M-o-m?"
"Yes Jack?"
"C-a-n I h-a-v-e a s-n-a-k?"
Kayla looks at me somewhat quizzically and asks "What did he just say Mommy?"
So I translate for her. I think it fuels her own fire to want to be able to read herself!
They keep me on my toes!

How Many T-Shirts???

Tonight was Max T-Shirt night at youth group. Jack had on 16 t-shirts. The winner, however was wearing 64!

The Great Outdoors

I have never really considered myself the outdoorsy type. Really, the woods. Don't like the bugs. Please, oh, please never ask me to go camping. When I was in high school, being outside just made my hair go flat. But my children love to be outside, as it should be. So, I am learning to also love the outdoors. One day a couple of weeks ago, the kids and I took an adventure to Pandapa's Pond in the Jefferson National Forest. When we got there, Jack and Kayla immediately found one of those large park signs that tells you all about the area, what you might see, has a map, etc... They saw all the animals that might live in the forest and were so excited to get going. Kayla said, "This is going to be the best day ever!" as she ran ahead.
They had a great time. At one point, we turned a corner to see two deer snacking. They weren't phased by us one bit. We also saw several turtles, a heron, some ducks, fish, butterflies, and according to the kids, black bear prints!
It was a wonderful day to enjoy God's creation together.

"The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein." Psalm 24:1

Blackberry Treats

We found these blackberries along the Huckleberry Trail. They provided a great snack!

You wouldn't know by looking at this picture that the Kayla and Jack actually love blackberries, would you?

"Do you really think I am going to eat this?"

Summer Day

My crew-I love 'em!

We went on a family bike ride and picnic today. It was just a beautiful day-not too hot, plenty of interesting things to see like cows, fish, turtles, horses, mountains. At one point Jack asked if we could ride beside each other so we could talk. "Sure. What do you want to talk about?" He didn't know so we talked about what we missed from Charlotte and the things we like about Blacksburg. It got me to wondering what my children will remember from their childhood.

Do you ever have a memory that you can't quite get a grasp on? It comes and goes so quickly and you can't really even describe it? But you know. You know what surrounded that memory. For me, it often happens when I get a whiff of something. Like petunias. They remind me of hot summer evenings in the white house I grew up in. I remember planting them with my mom but there's more. Just a quick blur of playing outside, coming in for dinner? And the smell of the house when we can leave all the windows open. That takes me to my grandma's. That same clean, fresh smell. Her house is always clean, but that's another post! And for some reason whenever I notice woodsmoke in the air I think of my Papa Crouse and Christmas. Not sure why. Fresh cut grass-something to do with field hockey practice or walking on my driveway after a school orientation one year. Middle school? High school? There are others.

What will I remember about the kids? Will I remember Jack's laugh as I looked back and tried to beat him in our bike race? Samuel's giggle when we tickle him? Kayla's big grin and the way she does this little hum and makes her voice go up and down when she's helping Samuel? So many things...

I hope whatever the trigger, my kids will have sweet memories, too.