It starts early...

While eating lunch, my eldest son and I had the following conversation.

Mommy: James can you tell me five things you did in Sunday school today?

James: I ate snack. I played with my friend. I played on the playground. I did a craft.

Mommy: What game did you play with your friends? (fishing for a fifth thing he did)

James: Destroying girls.

Mommy: How do you play destroying girls?

James: (mimics Spiderman shooting a web out of his hands)

Mommy: Did the girls play too?

James: No they were busy washing dishes.

Mommy: Did it make the girls sad that you were destroying them?

James: No, Mommy. We were just pretending to destroy them.

Good grief! Tonight is our church's "Hanging of the Greens" where all the children's choirs sing. Hopefully no girls will be destroyed during tonight's festivities.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

For the first time, we are decorating the basement. The whole house is full of Christmas cheer!

Stockings on the mantle: Check!

Garland and tree of our favorite cartoon characters: Check!

James and Clover are best buds. Love this time of year!

Seriously?

Some funny conversations with my guys:

James: today let's all be animals.
Luke: Yea! I will be a kitty cat meow.
James: I am FiFi the dog. So there are three dogs in the house and one cat.
Luke: mommy can be the cow! (Thanks for that Luke)

Luke: When I am a grown man, I will have hair on my chest and I will go to work.
Mommy: Can I pack your lunch when you go to work?
Luke: Of corse Mommy! When I go to work you can stay home and eat breakfast.

James: Mommy I was crying in my bed!
Mommy: Why were you crying?
James: Because I was missing you!

I love this season in having two preschoolers at home. My kisses can still make any boo boo feel better and they want me to join in their games. So sweet!

She's Back!

We picked Clover up at the airport this evening. The boys were so excited to see her!

James' observation: She flew on the airplane all by herself! She is so brave. She flew in her small little house.

Luke's observation: We have two puppies! They need puppy treats. One for Clover and one for Zion.

Time for some good snuggles with sweet Clover. Our current count is 2 adults, 2 dogs and 2 kids. Our first Christmas visitor has arrived. Welcome Clover!

A boy and his dog

What's new?

Long time no blog....sorry we have been busy and sick. Not my favorite combination. Although we are happily on the mend and back in action.

The boys and I headed out the other day camera in hand ready to capture the fall colors. James was full of smiles. He is growing up more and more each day. He is such a sweet mild mannered (most of the time) guy and always ready to help mommy. He also always has a stick in his hand, all boy this one. I can no longer read the "wrong" words in stories that I try to shorten or change. I hear "Mommy, it doesn't say that" all the time.

The brothers continue to be best buds. At our latest doctors visit James was anxiously telling the nurse and doctor that Luke's ears were broken and needed medicine (ear infection). He also quickly added that his ears were just fine. So was he trying to help his brother or protect himself from an exam? I'll pretend he was genuinely helping his brother, although it was most likely the later.

My sweet puppy that is not really a puppy anymore. The boys have given him a fair amount of grey hair. Although he knows exactly who to sit by during mealtime. Not only is Luke still a messy eater, but he makes sure Zion gets puppy treats during the day.

Sweet Luke has been exercising his independence lately. Good because he is now almost completely potty trained (took 2 days to stay dry, not joking). Bad because he can sass something fierce when he doesn't get his way.

What's new with you?

Family Picture

So I copied an idea I have seen in the blogging world lately - family pictures using magazine clippings. Really fun, if you haven't done this you should! As a quick disclaimer we only had 2 magazines in the whole house, and none of them had a picture of a dog which caused much distress for my children. I liked them improvisations though!

First up, James. His compilation was extremely accurate, much to my surprise.

• Zion - drawn in (points for accuracy, minus point for not following directions)
• Daddy - man with facial hair just like daddy
• Luke - blond kid in a car making noise, yup that's Luke lately
• Mommy - shadow of lady with short hair, that's me.
• James - kid with short hair that is smiling, (he has been such a happy guy lately!)

Now for Luke's picture, get ready for a good laugh.

• Zion - strange black monkey statue (remember he didn't have much to work with)
• Daddy - which one is daddy you ask...the snowman. Hahahahaha!
• Mommy - little girl with curly short hair. What? When asked why he picked this picture he replied "she is happy". I guess that is a good answer.
• James and Luke - 2 girls!!! So hard to control my giggles. Again, asked why he picked this picture. He replied "They are hugging and are so happy." When asked why he picked a picture of girls, he replied "I liked the hugging". Aw, such a sweetie.

Trick or Treat

Trick or Treat?

Five little kiddos running around collecting candy. They had a blast.

James braved the strange decorations in the neighborhood. Although he did have a minor scare when another little girl hissed at him. It took a good pep-talk to get him back in the action...

...but then he was running ahead as usual leading the way.

Pumpkins

Our local pumpkin patch is so much fun! We braved the chilly weather and went this weekend. The boys love running around the tunnels and mazes. We always seem to find other little boys our age and just run like crazy. Win-win.

Time to bake a pie I think!

Happy Birthday Zion

We brought him home in January of 2006. Three months old and so very cute!

Happy 6th birthday Zion!