Random iPhone Pics

 I can't tell you how many times I've come into the living room to find Davey naked in a towel playing with random toys.

 The shower must inspire him, so he falls immediately into a creative task, underwear not necessary.

 Post wedding pic with the bride, loved this day.

 Loving her daddy.

 True story.  Payton was not waking up to her alarm, and I found her like this one morning.  She thought strapping it to her head would make the difference.  I think she only did it the once.

 Thanking Jonah for the newly released 39 Clues book he got her for her birthday.  So sweet.

 Trav and I hear Jonah reading Davey all the time at night after their lights are supposed to be out.  Jonah will read by nightlight.  I don't even know if Davey is awake half the time or not:)

 On a bike ride during our staycation over Christmas break.

 Typical visit to the library for Payton.  Her backpack is full of books and she's also checking out that stack as well.  She averages 25 books a visit, and always disappears into her room the rest of the day after we get home.  I envy her reading leisure time.

Beach day last month.

I find that I take less and less photos and videos with the passing years.  Not sure why, if it's life moving too fast or what.  I need to step it up with the documenting.  The kids will wonder what happened to them in their elementary years and no one will know. 

Respect and Respect the Fashion

 Payton received the character award for respect this month at her school from her music teacher.  That bit of info is for all our family out there far away who are proud of our girl.  She is a joy and I'm amazed at her heart every day.

The second bit of info is, yes, this is what we're wearing to school.  The sweats are the only exception.  They're being allowed this week b/c it's fitness testing week, and she doesn't want any restrictive clothing that might prohibit her from beating all the boys in her class.
But everything else is her daily standard, the beanie, the zip up sweatshirt, and the running shoes.  Travis has asked me to "lose" the beanie a few times.  I won't ever go that far, but do insist it goes in the hamper at times and then take my sweet lovin' time washing it.
It would be fun to see her in something more tailored, dare I say girly, just once, but she's SO happy just as she is.  So we take it and are grateful.  I would much rather have a happy, active daughter that looks like she just got home from camping every day than a fashion conscience one that is incredibly insecure.  Payton has more confidence in her pinky than I ever had at her age.  I'm hoping it carries her through the teen years, and she comes out the other side just as spunky and sure of herself.

Magic in a Jar

I don't know about you, but school mornings are UNBEARABLE around here.  We had sticker charts going for awhile that they would earn a sticker a day for being ready on time, and when they got to 50 they'd get a day out with mom or dad and $15 to spend.  It worked for awhile, but they haven't been inspired by it for awhile and neither have I.
On a whim, I picked up a $1.99 bag of salt water taffy from Trader Joe's this week and put it in a mason jar on the counter.  The kids love taffy, I mean, they really love taffy, so I woke them up Wednesday morning and said, "No more sticker charts.  If you're ready on time, you can pick a salt water taffy out of the jar."  The boys shot out of their beds like rockets and were ready 30 minutes before we had to leave!  This was unprecedented in our family.  Payton is always ready on time, it's the boys that have struggled.
Davey was ready 20 minutes ahead of schedule both yesterday and today as well.  Jonah barely missed the timer yesterday which was unfortunate, but I didn't give in and let him have a taffy.  Today he was ready with ten minutes to spare.
Those taffies have totally transformed our school mornings.  We're all happy.  The kids are ready early and play drums or read books till it's time to go.  I'm not hollering from my bathroom telling them to hurry while I'm trying to get myself ready.  It's calm, pleasant, and our rides to school are now too.
Now the question is, how long will it last?  The way Davey's eyes light up at the taffies, I'm guessing awhile.  I'll take it, whatever school morning craziness relief it brings, for however long or short, I'll take it and be grateful.
Salt water taffies people, get some.

Love our boy

This is one of our fave pics.  It's so true to his life in many ways.  He often chooses the path less traveled, gets tangled in a web of his own doing, but forges on.  He's grown so much this year.  He cuddled with me twice this weekend unsolicited, just curled up next to me on the couch under a blanket.  Love my boy.  

Nothing Sweeter

Than two brothers sharing fro yo.  Peacefully.  Even sharing a few laughs.  I find scenes like this so encouraging as a mother.  I wish we could boast more of them.

Can't Recommend this book enough

This is one of my three favorite parenting books, and it was recommended by my favorite author that wrote my other two faves, Katrina Kenison (Mitten Strings for God and The Gift of an Ordinary Day).  She's golden; any book she's recommended I've loved.

Everything this guy wrote just made sense and resonated with me as I read.  Less toys, less schedule, less structured activity make room for more rest, creativity, calm, and energy in our kids.  I think it's a once a year read for me, along with "Mitten Strings for God".

Pick it up, read a section at a time, let it sink in.  It's a keeper.

A Plethora of Christmas Pics

 My sister Mary and her husband Scott got the kids their very own fishing poles for Christmas.  The kids were ecstatic!

 They had been fishing once with Scott this summer and are now making plans to meet again to try out their new poles.  Trav and I have never fished so we are no help at all in this area.  Watching Scott bait a worm was enough for me; I'm out.

 Vicki and Andy played with all the kids toys.

  We miss you Tari and Christian!!!

Sugar Cookie Making 

 Christmas Eve

 I love that Davey's hugging Payton in all of these pictures.

 Jonah is chomping at the bit to open his Christmas Eve gift.

 The reading of the Night Before Christmas

 Mastering his new stilts, I'm quite good at them too.

 Reading the Christmas Story Christmas morning and lighting our last advent candle for Jesus.

 Payton gave Davey this fat Christmas sucker that he worked on for days after Christmas.

 Brother love

 For Vicki and Sara, my new puffy paint T.  Don't be jealous

Lazy Christmas morning.  It was perfect in every way.  

A New Year's Resolution I can embrace

I stole this from another blogger, and I have it hanging on my visor in my car.

"Imagine who you want your kids to become.  Be that."

I love it, it's simple, it makes me pause every time I start to react to things like marshmallow creme smeared on my upholstery and clean laundry, a big bowl of science slime dropped on my kitchen floor, and general screaming and yelling as soon as I pick up a phone call.  You know, things like that.  I'm starting to breathe first, react second, because I want my kids to be chill parents when it's their turn.

It starts with me and what they see in me.  I hope I'm up to the task.

Crazy Ball

 As most parents will agree, it's imperative you get your children out of the house for a bit of fresh air and to release some energy, especially when entertaining guests.  Our children see guests as an open invitation to climb the walls, leap off of furniture, perform hand stands and cartwheels etc etc even though it's never allowed when we have no guests.

So, in our brightest, cheeriest delivery we tell our kids, "Hey!  Let's go for a walk to the park with everybody!  It'll be great!"  To which they always reply, "I don't want to go.  Can't I just stay here?  I hate the park, I hate walking, I will make your life miserable if you make me go..."

But then they always end up having a good time when we do go.  For some reason, they must always punish us first.  We expect it, and we all play the roles we're expected to in the continued drama.

 But we make them go anyway.  Travis and Andy had great attitudes.

 Papa challenged Payton to a push up contest.  He's still got it folks.

 Payton gave a good showing.

 And then something magical happened.  Crazy Ball.  It's loosely based on Poison, but we made up a bunch of rules as we went.

 You go in order, youngest to oldest.  The first person takes a shot at the basket from the free throw line, all other players have to be in the box by the hoop.  If the player makes it, he runs, grabs the ball, and hits the pole holding the basket, yelling "poison!"  Meanwhile, once all the other players sees the basket is good, they start running until the player shouts "poison!" when they all freeze.  The player then rolls the ball and tries to hit one of the frozen runners.  You get a letter in poison every time you're hit until you spell the word and you're out.

If the player misses, the next player up catches the rebound and shoots from where he catches it.  Round and round it goes till there's one player left.

 My dad, Vicki, and I watched from the sidelines for awhile and then couldn't resist joining in.

 We changed it to "pig" b/c there was so many of us.  It turns out Vicki is a screamer, much like myself.  And there was lots of screaming.  Trav was a big fat cheater and would hold me in place while I tried to run away.  Dad blocked me, so I couldn't run away.  I think I was the first one out.  The kids LOVED having all the adults playing this ridiculous game with them.

 New rules had to be added as the game went on.  You couldn't run past the blacktop, you had to freeze when the ball was being rolled to try and tag you.  If you moved, you got a letter.  It got heated a few times.  It turns out Davey has a sportsmanship problem.

Luckily, Davey won, so he was happy, which means we could all be happy.  Payton and Vicki are giving a salute to Travis's personal "freeze" position he would take each time people were trying to tag him with a letter. 

It was a perfect day out.  The kids had a great time, which we knew they would, and they came back with less cartwheels and handstands to perform inside the house.  Plans are already in the works for crazy ball 2012.