Not All Together

This year, my dad went with us to help with the kids. It is a super busy work week for Ande, so I definitely needed the help!

It was good to spend the time with Dad. He was a busy dude in the water with the kids! Other moms commented how great he was, endlessly searching with his grandkids and their kids for beach “treasures”.

“Treasures” like sand fleas, crabs, mollusks, and pretty shells…a kid’s dream!

This was the busiest Ande has been at Summer Conference, and I didn’t get to see him much…I missed him!

Dad found this little turtle in the water, unfortunately dead. Didn’t stop the kids from being mesmerized, though.

He was so beautiful.

They also caught about 5 jellyfish!

Harps at the beach, double-hatted to keep the sun out of her eyes and the sand out of her hair.

Owen and his buddy, always picking up where they left off.

Impromptu family photo session after dinner…I loved how these turned out! I didn’t even plan the outfits. Thanks, Jaimie, for taking the pictures last minute!

Knox with his favorite babysitter

My attempt to get a good one of all three kids. This is a lofty goal. :)

Dad surprised the boys with matching shirts from the airbrushing store inside the PCB Walmart. :)

It turned out to be a good shirt for the kids to be wearing that night because we lost Knox briefly, and I had to describe his outfit to all the folks in the cafeteria. He was supposed to be with me, but he ran after Ande and Owen without telling me. He was fine, but I was so shaken up….pretty sure that little scare shaved a few years off my life. Thankful for all the people who helped me look for him!

A good week, definitely a perk of Ande’s job.

Optional blog title:
That Time in the Minivan When I Laughed Until My Cheeks Hurt

Knox recently received the above pictured book in his Chic-fil-a kid’s meal.
As I drove down the road, this conversation occurred…

Knox (in a concerned voice): “Mom, it illegal to shoot dogs?”
Me (confused): “Umm, yeah, bud. You’re not allowed to shoot dogs.”

Knox (still concerned): “It illegal to shoot dogs?”
Me (no idea where this is coming from): “Yes, bud. You are not allowed to shoot dogs. That’s not okay”

Knox (voice rising): “Yeah….you are NOT allowed to shoot dogs. That’s NOT okay. It’s illegal. It IS ILLEGAL!!”
Me: “Knox, what are you talking about?”
Knox: “That man shooting that dog in the book”

—Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Exhibit A—-

Laughed.until.my.cheeks.hurt.

Then tried to explain through my laughter that the man was just pointing, not shooting the dog.

Knox accepted my explanation, but a couple minutes later told me, “I not read this book, mom….it’s too scary”.

Laughed.until.my.cheeks.hurt.again

The kicker for me was telling the story to Ande that night, retrieving the book from the minivan to show him the offending picture and realizing the title was “Happy Fields”.

Seriously, I cried.

This was a big week for our family: we finalized Harper’s adoption(!!!), and my favorite four year-old turned into my favorite five year-old overnight.

Going to bed four…

And waking up to a celebration of five!

It was a school day, so I made these portable s’mores as a treat for his class.

After school we went fishing (his favorite) as a family.

Sister cheered from the sidelines.

The weather was beautiful and the fish were biting!

Total they caught about 15 bluegill and 2 bass. It was a good afternoon.

Dinner was at our favorite Mexican place (where Ande and I had our first date many years ago), and these fish-themed cupcakes.

At five, this boy is a little Ande. Fitting for his daddy to give him his own tackle box and a matching hat as birthday gifts.

We sure love you, Owen! You are a treasure!

My recent purchases include this duvet set

and this dress

and this bathing suit

and this shower curtain for the master bath (from Target, not available online)

I am sucker for blue/white or yellow/white or gray/white stripes.
And birthday money is always fun!

On Saturday we lucked out and scored this big boy bike for $8 (including training wheels!) at a garage sale.

One helmet later, and we were back in the driveway teaching Knox how to be a big boy biker.

(Tricky because the tricycle he’s used to allowed him to pedal backwards in order to move backwards…on bikes, that’s just hitting the brakes!)

There was a good bit of “only forward” training involved…

Once he got it, it was on! I just ran beside him and cheered.

(Just in case you are wondering, that’s his “I’m getting my picture taken” face!)

Such a privilege to be a mommy.

I love this girl. She is a smiley, super easy-going baby. There’s not much she doesn’t enjoy. But leave her on a blanket on her tummy for more than a couple of minutes?

“Hi, Mom! Sure, you can take my picture. Yes, I am super cute. I love you, too.”

“Well, now what? Oh…I see. This is supposed to be tummy time…”

“…mmm, you know I am not a fan of tummy time.”

“Seriously, someone get me out of here!!”

Thankful for:
a long, paved driveway
trees and shade
these awesome kids

He is risen!!! He is risen indeed!!

I’m so thankful I can depend on Christ’s righteousness instead of my own.

I’m thankful for His POWER. For His LOVE.

I’m thankful He is returning one day.

I’m thankful That His story is the biggest ever told, but that my little story can be a part of His huge one.

I’m thankful He’s the KING!!

Our family celebrated lots of ways.
Owen’s preschool has a holy week parade of Biblical characters. This year Owen was Joseph. We sat with lots of friends from church to watch our kiddos walk by.

I looooove to see the kids waving their fern fronds and hear them saying over and over “Hosanna, hosanna! Jesus is King!” Maybe I cried a little. :)

It was cold!

I left Owen’s costume out and asked Ande to dress him, leaving a choice of two belts. When Owen came to show me he was ready, I saw Ande had belted him with one and used the other as a headpiece. Loved it!

Yesterday we dyed Easter eggs.

This year, I baked them instead of boiling them. The result was marbled-looking eggs when we dyed them…pretty!

When I watched them doing this…

…all I could think about was this two years ago.

I’m officially that mom. But time really does fly, right??

We did Easter baskets this morning. No Bunny comes here, but to us Easter baskets are another way we tell our kids “This day is special!”

(Thankful to have a little girl basket this year!!)

Then we did our annual pre-church self timer family shot (above), and Ande took some great shots of the kids.
Be still my heart. These kids are mine!

Thankful He is risen. For my marriage. For my kids. For the hard days. For the delightful ones. For when I wonder if it will all turn out alright. For the days I know it will. For the days we find ourselves attending a funeral of a loved one or celebrating the pregnancy of a friend. For all of life.

He is risen! He is King!!

*For an excellent sermon on Jesus’ Resurrection, click here.

A sure way to get real smiles: tell them not to smile. :)

This weather is weird. Cold enough for puffy vests/hats last week…this week, 87 degrees and time to break out the sprinkler!

Lots of cooking “help”.
PS: I love when I text Ande “What do you want for dinner?” and he texts back “I’m making it.” #keeper

Harper learned front-to-back rolling on camera! She was so surprised, then so proud of herself.

Knox found a snake in the pool…YUCK!!!

He also has a killer ear infection. This is his reward for day two of three antibiotic shots to clear it up. We are all looking forward to it being over with tomorrow!

That’s life lately…the weeks go by faster and faster! I’m just trying to keep up and remember to grab my camera every so often.

Sweet days.