My Sweet Mary Claire

This week we have had a lot going on! School pictures, soccer practice, soccer game, Heritage Day parade and events, birthday party for a friend...whew! And this has just been since Thursday! I was soo happy when my husband said,"I just want to stay at home tonight with the kids and do nothing!" Amen, brother!:-) I think we'll bathe early, do a movie with supper, and go to bed!

I have said already what a happy baby Mary Claire is, but I must brag on her just a bit more here. Through all the madness of going and doing, she seems to be as content as she can be. Just laid back and a "go with the flow" kind of girl. (My fear of bad karma has me "knockin' on some wood" right now!) Anyway, I wanted to share with you a few pictures I managed to take of her Thursday after we returned form the boys' school pictures.

Sweet baby, Mary Claire! We love you!

Someone's in the Kitchen with Dinah!

You know the song...it's ok to sing along! :-) Well, no one named "Dinah" actually lives here(although, I do have a wonderful Aunt Dinah)...it's just that that corny song sticks in my mind when I think about cooking in the kitchen! And since John Owen has decided he is a chef-in-training(inspired by his "Ratatouille" video game), we've been spending alot of time in our kitchen. I had to make myself relinquish control of the situation as my 5-year-old son poured and mixed on his own. I held my breath several times! I helped him very little, though, I am proud to say.

Even when a little flour and sugar hit the floor, I bit my tongue and said only,"OK, John Owen, a chef will try to be as careful as he can not to make too big of a mess!" He did great! He has now baked a chocolate pie and a peach cobbler! (I personally like the peach cobbler the best.) And he is sooo proud of himself.

I love what a big boy he is becoming. I even love that he is so much like his daddy that he turned to me after making the cobbler and said, "We could have a restaurant here and sell our chocolate pie and peach cobbler!" My little entrepreneur!

Just hold on, John Owen. Be my sweet little boy for now...there'll be time for making money later. Let's go bake some cookies, and I'll let you eat the batter. :-) love, mommy

We've Been "Hulked"!

Last night as we were just about to put the boys in the bed, when we discovered a large man lying out on our front lawn! (My mom actually spotted it as she was leaving our house.) Turns out, it was a purple and gold "Hulk," left by the CHS Class of 2012! (I am not surprised...they were smart and creative in my fifth grade classroom, too!) :-) Anyway, there was a note on the "Hulk's" chest that said, "You have been hulked!" And in order to get the "Hulk" off of your lawn, you have to make a monetary donation to the freshmen class! Neat idea, huh? I called the number written on the piece of paper as my boys and neighbors from across the street laughed and looked on with amazement! He was still there this morning when we got up, and John Owen said, "That big ole' Hulk is still out there, Mommy." I guess we'll be paying the money to have him removed sometime today. One more thing...the note also said that we could donate extra money to have the "Hulk" sent to someone else's yard!! Hee-Hee...be on the lookout all you friends out there! You just might get "Hulked" next! :-)

Funny Man Jonah

There are so many things that Jonah does and says on a daily basis that are hilarious. And I sometimes have to turn my head to laugh because he does not understand yet that I laugh because he's so cute and that I am not laughing AT him. Sensitive, too, huh? Anyway, today I was sitting on the floor of the kitchen working on the pumpkin we had just made for Halloween. Jonah had climbed onto his chair at the bar and was saying,"Mommy, I want some dinosaur snacks and somethin' to drink." Of course, dragging each word out as he said it. I responded, as I usually do, with "Try again, please." (My way of reminding him to use his good manners.) I looked up at him from the floor and this was the face he was making as he said, "Mommy, may I have some dinosaur snacks and somethin' to drink PLEEEEEASE?" And he held his face like this even after he said it! I laughed out loud, and my camera just happened to be sitting there on the counter, so I snapped his picture. And never would I say my child's pain is funny, but tonight he got his helicopter stuck in his hair. Good grief! (The fun never ends!) The face and mouth say it all, right? (I did feel a little bad taking his picture at this moment. Oh well...)

He keeps me laughing and makes everyday FUN! I love my funny man, Jonah!

Rollin' Along

Mary Claire rolled over by herself last Thursday! I actually have a "roll over action shot" above from today! She does not like being on her belly for very long, so now "tummy time" will really be short-lived since she's figured out how to get off of her belly. The picture on the bottom is of her sitting in her "Bumbo" watching Baby Mozart!

I don't know if you can tell from the pics, but she has lots of hair and it stands straight up in the back. One of my friends says she has volume, what we all want and wish for. I am sure this will be a short-lived static look. John Owen's did the same when he was a baby. I just couldn't put a bonnet on him. Hee-hee!

She is such a happy baby! I don't know how we got so lucky! Her little personality is developing more and more every day, but right now she seems to be very laid back and easy going. She just smiles all the time and LOVES the attention she gets from all of us. And she is a smart girl...already using those eyes to smile at her daddy. Got him... hook, line, and sinker! :-)

Mr. Coy and the Train Depot

Today was haircut day! I packed a lunch with fruit and pimento cheese sandwiches(a Diet Coke for Mr. Coy), picked the boys up from preschool a few minutes early, and we drove to the Depot. We have been going to Mr. Coy's train depot to get our haircuts since John Owen's first haircut at the age of 1. (And I have to make mention that Mr. Coy gave Mommy her first haircut, too. He just didn't have a COOL train depot back then!) My boys love it! What little boy wouldn't want to get his hair cut at a place where real trains come by and the whole place shakes as they pass? And where you can step onto a real caboose! It makes me happy to see them so happy with excitement. So, as you can imagine, it's not just a haircut you are getting, it's an experience! Here's a picture of the Depot and my boys on the caboose! (By the way, John Owen is wearing his new Batman costume he will be wearing for Halloween. There are just some battles we choose not to fight! :-) I did ask him to take the mask off for one picture, though!)

I Will Remember

I know just about everyone has heard someone recount their memories of when they experienced a life changing moment or when something devestating happened. Many times people can remember the precise time and where they were when those moments occurred. I will always remember being on the brink of my career as a teacher, standing before a classroom full of eager, ready-to-learn 5th graders, especially Mariah sitting directly in front of me with her book open to the right page! What a good girl! :-)

Little did I know that Sept. 11, 2001 would require me to teach much more than what was contained in that Science book. My Science lesson was interrupted by a fellow teacher who "felt I should see this." I had no idea what I was about to see. And as I watched the sight of the Twin Towers burning on a small TV with poor reception, my "innocence to the evils of this world" would not allow me to process this as being something real. It was like I was watching a movie with thousands of dollars being spent on the special effects being played out before my eyes. But the reality was that thousands of lives were being lost as a result of what was happening that day. I tried my best to walk back into that classroom and resume teaching my lesson, but inquiring minds wanted to know why I had tears in my eyes, so I let them see the emotion that was overwhelming me as I thought about someone's mom, dad, brother, or sister was dying because some people decided to do something very bad. I wasn't sure what to tell them. So, I seized the opportunity to share with my public school children that we needed to pray for our country and for the people who did this and for the people who were caught in the middle of this. And we prayed.

I don't know where each of those students I taught that year is today. Hopefully, they are sitting in their classes listening to their teachers as they were 7 years ago in my class. (Probably thinking about how much fun their Senior year of high school will be instead of the lesson being taught!) I will pray that I will always remember, and that they will know, that God is in control even when bad things happen to us. I hope we will remember to pray for the leaders of this country, whomever they may be, and for the future of this country, and for the people who choose evil. My hope is that on this day we won't only remember our whereabouts, what we were wearing, or what time it was, but that we will remember to look to God everyday and in everything-good or bad.

nicole

Happy Birthday to Me!

OKAY...so I am officially "diving" into my 30's with turning 31 yesterday! I don't feel any older than I did at 21, or maybe I have just forgotten how I felt 10 years ago. :-) It is funny to me how as life goes on, birthdays take on a different meaning. For instance, if I reverse the age I am now and think back to a young 13-year-old Nicole, I would find myself anxiously awaiting my 13th birthday and the presents I would receive. Maybe there was a desire for new clothes and shoes...style is so important to a new teenager, right? Or better yet, just some money so that I could spend it on myself however I choose to. It's funny how when I look back on it, I am amazed at how selfish my immaturity allowed me to be. Why must we be older before we realize what's really important? Sure, getting gifts is wonderful and special, but now I find myself happy with just having a good meal with my family, maybe a cake or some kind of sweet, and of course, my dad's version of the "Happy Birthday" song is always a treat. Honestly, I feel like it's my birthday practically everyday when I open the doors to my children's bedrooms and see the gifts they are. Gifts that God has given to me. Another Sept. 4th has come and gone just as it has for 31 years now. And that 13-year-old girl and her view of the world has since gone, too. Lord, thank you for the gifts you give to me everyday. May I always be reminded that the greatest gift I could ever receive is your love. nicole

Open Wide and Say AHHH!

I did not get to go with John Owen to his first dentist visit. :-( Although, I am happy to say that his Daddy took him and they enjoyed some quality time with each other. I might add that he was SOOO good for Dr. Conley. I am happy that this time I was present for my Jonah's first time in the dentist chair. And like his big brother, he was PERFECT for the dental hygentist, Ms. Diane, and for Dr. Conley! I was sooo proud of him, too!! Dr. Conley said his teeth looked good, so we won't go back until March. Here are some shots from the dental visit!