A combine, my boy and a special moment.

Last Saturday night Adam and I were driving South on Patterson Road, headed towards Gun Lake Campground for the annual Trick-or-Treat event. Jeff stayed home with Miles, who was home sick with a fever.

We were chatting with the radio off, windows down, and sucking in the last of the unseasonably warm air, when we spotted a combine to the right in the distance. Knowing how much he loves combines, I pulled off on the shoulder and we sat there, watching this combine work over it's rows, from right to left. Turn. Left to right.

I dare say we were both mesmerized with the combine in that moment, but for different reasons. Adam was trying to figure out the inner-workings of the machine out, talking about parts and wondering if it had a headlight in case it got dark outside. I was savoring the magic of the glorious background the leaves on the trees created for the combine. Reds, yellows, browns. It was all made richer by the warm fall air that was wafting through the window. I wondered what the driver was thinking about, as he was working his way through the field. Was he listening to the radio, or simply the hum of the machine? Did he find the job as relaxing as he made it look, or was it just another "chore" to be checked off his presumably long list? Did he spot us looking at him up on the hill, and more importantly, did he have any idea that his work was making an impact on a little boy, watching eagerly from afar?

Funny how a simple thing like stopping on the side of the road to watch piece of farm equipment can turn into a memorable "moment" with your child.

Soon the hopper was full with whatever it was full of and the combine turned to go back to where it came from. We drive off towards the campground, Adam talking about headlights and me thinking about how God shows up in the funniest of places.

I wonder where I'll find him next?

Fabulous Five.

It's unbelievable to me to think that I have a 5 year old. Five! He had a great birthday, made possible by a much-anticipated Transformer-themed birthday cake and his loving family surrounding him. I'm certain that when he went to bed that evening he felt loved and full of excitement about his new toys. A great day for him indeed.

Here's 5 things I love about Adam, in honor of this joyous day:

1. His attitude - both good and bad. I often hear other mom's say "my kid is so crabby today!" Adam may get (easily) annoyed/frustrated by me, Miles, even walking to the school bus when it's cold out (just wait buddy, just wait!), but he's quick to snap out of it. He wakes up bounding with energy and ready to start the day...and that energy continues to nap time (yes, he still naps!) and then right on up until bed time. His generally good-natured take on life is fun to watch.

2. His nurturing spirit. He is a kind soul, and really takes a leadership role with Miles at times, lovingly showing him "how to" do something or helping him with this and that. And then they quickly go back to fighting, but I digress.

3. He loves to laugh. He and Jeff had a wonderful time at Michigan's Adventure this summer. Guaranteed he was the only 4 year old to ride "Shivering Timbers" that day, so in these situations it pays to be tall. Jeff said that after the initial shock of the first run (and some tears!), he eagerly rode it several more times that day, laughing all the way.

4. He loves to read. I cannot wait for him to begin to read. I have a feeling he will love to read on his own as much as he loves being read to. Current favorite books are those in the Curious George series as well as longer stories such as the classic "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel."

5. He loves his Daddy. When Jeff comes home, Adam lights up, and that makes my heart swell with pride. The two of them (well, the three of them, usually) quickly get to work of playing catch, chase, building legos as soon as dinner ends. I love the "before bed time scramble" that happens around here, as the freshness of Daddy being home from work often gives both the evening and the boys new energy and a happy vibe.

I'm looking forward to this next year, seeing how he grows and matures as a result of being in school every day. Happy Birthday, Buddy!

First Day of School

Adam, Young 5's at Pine Ridge Elementary


Dear Adam,

Welcome to the first day of school!

You woke up really crabby. A fan of routine, this morning was a bit out-of-the-ordinary for you. I was hurrying you around the house to get dressed, eat breakfast, brush teeth, and oh, stop for a picture or three. You were irritated because you wanted to stay in my bed longer, wanted to stay in your pajamas and watch TV. But I pushed you to get ready, hoping that what was to come would make you smile.

We walked to the bus stop, chatting about the rules of the bus, and remembering your teacher's name (Mrs. Halley), and then we waited. The bus pulled around the corner and your face lit up like a Christmas tree: you were ready. A quick kiss for you and you hopped up those bus stairs without hesitation.

Thankfully, you are not too old to think that blowing kisses back to your mommy out the bus window is ridiculous. Mommy is proud. Love you.

Hopefully the time you spent in school went quickly for you. When Miles and I picked you up, the first thing you said was "Is it lunch time?" You were hungry. I managed to get out of you a few details of your morning, and discovered that it included Goldfish crackers for a snack, recess, a story, and a matching game. So glad you enjoyed yourself, Adam James.

So, here's to your Young 5's school year. I can't wait to see you grow and mature as the year progresses. My prayer for you is that you be kind to others, even if they may not be kind to you. I pray that you gain confidence in yourself, because that will do you well not only this year, but in your years to come. And finally, I pray that you have fun. Laugh, giggle, play hard - it's what boys are supposed to do at your sweet age.

Summer musings.

As we were driving home from my Mom's house this evening, I noticed that it was getting dark quickly...summer is coming to an end. In two short weeks I will be sending my baby to school every day, and in two short weeks I will be one sad Mama. Enough of that business. Tonight, I'm thinking about our summer, and I want to remember these few snapshots:

Adam telling me that he didn't want to go to the zoo today, because it was "too much walking around." Instead, his idea of a perfect day would be to go to Grammies and play in the sand and take a boat ride and go swimming. So we did just that, and all was right in his little world.

Jeff and Adam went to Michigan's Adventure two weekends ago, and he rode all of the roller coasters he was allowed to per the height regulations. He loved "Shivering Timbers" after he figured out that the tears were unwarranted: the roller coaster was fun after all...and they went 2 more times after that.

Miles continues to call Adam "Yo Yo" and really loves his big brother. The two of them are best buds most of the time, but when they're not - look out. Miles can defend his own quite nicely, thankyouverymuch.

Boys love to play in sand. Doesn't matter how wet they are at the time, either.

Both of them love to swim in Grammie's lake. Miles will "jump" off the boat's ladder, while Adam prefers to climb down and sink quietly into the water. Adam happily swims around in his life jacket, while Miles can be seen floating alongside an adult, often on his back, just chillin' - as if he hasn't a care in the world. We adults have been thankful for warm weather and refreshing water to swim in (not too warm, not too cold!).

Miles is really good with a ball. Soccer: He can "drop kick" a rubber ball, which I think shows uncanny coordination for his age. Basketball: He's been videotaped making an obscene amount of baskets in a row into the Little Tykes kiddie basketball hoop. He also tries to dribble the ball, with a limited degree of success. Baseball: while he wears his glove on the right hand (they don't make gloves for left-handed toddlers, apparently), he really loves to toss and catch a baseball. Never mind that he doesn't really catch it all that well, he sure has fun trying. He's also really good at throwing the big rubber ball into the air and catching it. It's not very nice to compare, but I daresay his big brother isn't as good at some of these things...I see sports in his future.

A few more weeks of summer remain, and we'll try to suck the life out of it before we have to get back in the school routine. Big changes are on the horizon for everyone, that I know for sure.

Praying for peace and safety in the coming weeks as summer ends and fall begins...

Versatile Blogger Award

My friend Karen nominated me for the Versatile Blogger Award. Why thank you, Karen!

Here's how it works:
1. Thank whoever gave you the award.
2. Tell 7 things about yourself that readers may not know
3. Pay it forward by nominating bloggers you’ve recently discovered.

So...drum roll, please:

1. In the 4th grade my teacher saved me from death by giving me the heimlich maneuver. Or at least I like to think she was saving me from death. I was choking on an Oreo cookie and could not breathe. At all. If it hadn't been for her, I may have been a goner. To this day, I think that's the reason I cut up my kids' food in bitty pieces and have a slight fear of choking myself. And yes, I do know how to do the maneuver myself. Do you?

2. I wish I had been gotten my degree in nursing instead of business. I would be a hell of a nurse.

3. I sleep with a stuffed elephant that I've had since I was, oh, 8 or 9. In college, I took it to a seamstress and had her re-sew the seams for me. It seems that I may need to have that done again, only this time, I can use the excuse that it is my "son's favorite animal" instead of admitting that it is mine.

4. I dislike shopping, and most of the time, my wardrobe proves this to be true.

5. I've had a girl's name picked out since 1996. It's unfortunate, however, since Jeff appears unable to produce girls.

6. I stop for Hugh Grant movies on TV.

7. While I doubt I would actually go through with it, I often think about where I would put a tattoo and what I would have it say or look like. Maybe one day...Badass, huh?

And now, tag you're it, down below!

Rachel
maria
cheryl
stacy
melissa
kristin

Happy 4th of July!

We had a wonderful 4th of July weekend this year. Per usual, it began with the Cascade parade. Adam loved catching all of the candy (of course!), but also was thrilled to spot a "Doc Hudson" car amongst the sea of old Classic cars. We did, however, miss the fly over of the fighter jets this year. Bummer.

Waiting for the parade to start:


After the parade, we headed home for lunch and naps. We were hoping to get the kids down for quick naps so that we could head over to Grammie's house for some lake action on what was an absolutely gorgeous day!

Uncle Ben brought his jet ski this year, so the boys each enjoyed a ride on it. It was a hot day, so most were happy to jump in the lake for a swim. Adam and Carter are really confident swimmers with their life jackets this year, which is really fun to see. Miles proved to be fearless again that day, jumping off the boat ladder, and even wanting to jump off the dock of the boat once (I didn't want him to hurt himself "jumping" so I just tossed him in - no complaints from him, which was pretty unbelievable!).






We ended the perfect day with fireworks on the boat and then some fireworks on the beach. The kids were exhausted by the time they were loaded in the car, and so were we.

We are truly blessed have such a wonderful family to enjoy the holiday with! God is Good!

A bicycle built for three?

Earlier this summer Jeff purchased the Tagalong bike for Adam, and it's been a huge hit. Little Brother, however, often feels left behind when he sees Daddy and Yo Yo pedal off down the street without him. On this particularly cool evening, Jeff rigged up the Burley behind the Tagalong and Miles was thrilled.

Confident that the two contraptions were hooked on securely, Miles was buckled in and off they went. What a load!

Chillaxin'

Miles is no stranger to taking it easy. Here, he demonstrates how to relax after bathtime:


The boys share a rare moment of brother love, while watching "Nemo" on a recent rainy day:

And he shall call him:

Yo-Yo.

That's what Miles calls Adam, and it's adorable. He can say a lot of words, but for some reason, "Adam" does not flow off of his tongue very easily...so "Yo-Yo" it is.

I kind of hope it sticks...I love nicknames, don't you?

Summer, Summer, Summertime...

It's hot outside,and our air conditioning is not working (when it comes to things regarding this house, this news flash should surprise neither you nor me). If only I had thought turn it on earlier in the year to test it out instead of waiting until testing it out on the hottest day of the year. Now we sit and sweat it out until tomorrow, when the (hopefully trusty and knowledgeable) repairman can take a look at it.

No matter how sweaty they get, the boys seem to be unaffected by the heat. Miles suggests cooling down with a big bowl of chocolate ice cream:



And then napping with an ice cold drink nearby, just in case you get thirsty:

A night at the races...

Always looking for something to jazz up an otherwise ho-hum Saturday night, Jeff wanted to take the boys to the car races at Berlin Raceway. Actually, he wanted to take Adam to the races, but since I didn't want to be left behind with Miles, I decided we should all go and make a family memory or two. So after a quick dinner at home we packed up the boys, the protective ear wear, and headed to Grattan.

The boys lasted about as long as we expected, which was perfect because we made it home for a timely bedtime. Miles was really interested in the cars about the first two turns, and then was all about the snacks that I had (thankfully!) packed in the diaper bag. Adam loved watching the cars, and was really excited that there were several crashes that evening.

So, that's what we do for fun around here...what about you?

Writer's Block

I haven't blogged in almost a month and I blame it on writers block, busy boys, and a tired Mama. So, let's catch up a bit.

For Jeff's birthday I lugged both boys into the Hallmark store to pick out birthday cards for him. Feeling a bit frustrated with Miles, aka Mr. Grabbyhands, I quickly gave Adam carte blanche. His card of choice? Darth Vader on the front with "NEPHEW" emblazoned across the top. We scooped that up and hightailed it out of there before Miles could pull the little fishbowls with live frogs in them off of the shelves (the hell?). Because you know, "Daddy loves Star Wars."

Later that night when Adam was signing his name to the card he asked what the "NEPHEW" word said. I lied and said "Well, that says 'Daddy!'" To my surprise, he said: "Does the letter 'N' make the 'd-d-d' sound?" Ooops. No worries, I came clean. And Adam was right: Jeff loved his card.

Adam suggested that I wear a skirt sometime, because skirts make girls look like girls. Interesting.

Yesterday we were in the grocery store and Adam surprised the employee stocking the cereal with a loud, confident "Hellooo, young man!" That cracked us both of us up - both for the fact that the man was far from young, and that Adam was so boisterous with his greeting. Speaking of greetings, sooner or later I suppose I should tell him that "Helloooo, girlie" might not be the best way to greet a young lass. But for now, it's innocent. And hilarious.

For the most part, the boys get along. On an average day they can be found playing with cars/trucks/trains. The average day also includes fights over aforementioned wheeled vehicles. Today, for example Miles hit Adam in the head so hard with a CARS car that I thought serious damage was done. Thankfully, just a heckofa bruise on his forehead.

The other night in the bath tub Miles was annoying Adam (can't remember why). Adam, out of frustration got very close to Miles face, said "I'LL SUCK UP YOUR AIR!" and breathed in deeply. That'll teach him, Adam. I'll bet Miles won't try that again! ;)

So there, that wasn't so bad. I will try to update more regularly, because even in the mundane everyday, there are crazy, hilarious things happening around here that ought to be archived for the ages.

Besides, I know you love a little crazy, too.

Terrific at Two

Tick, tock. Tick, tock.

Today, my baby turns 2. Two! Unbelievable. It seems that in a blink of an eye my lovie has gone from this:



To this:


Miles continues to be a blessing and a joy to our family. His language is growing by the week as he adds new words to his vocabulary (latest: apple, or "wah wah"). He has a friendly personality - quick to greet others (even strangers!) with a "hiiiii" or even better, a wave of whatever wheeled vehicle is in his hand at the time, as if to say "See this? This is what makes me tick these days. Isn't it great?"

His personality is a sweet combination of "Mild Miles" plus incredible energy and spunk. He's not one to be pushed into doing anything he doesn't want to. Just try to get him dressed in the morning. Jeff and I joke that he is going to be our Linebacker. He's built like a tank and is fearless, unlike his much more timid big brother.

Somehow he's growing like a weed, despite his refusal to eat virtually all vegetables and most meats. Amazingly his diet of various fruits, cheeses and breads sustains him in a way that everyone seems surprised at how solid he is when they pick him up. He's definitely built like his Daddy, that I know for sure.

He's a Mama's boy. If he's feeling scared, insecure, or just plain left out, he's quick to put his arms up in the air with a "hug! huuuuug!" By asking for a "hug" he really means to say "pick me up - I need you, Mama!" And when I pick him up, he'll immediately lay his head on my shoulder, just like he did as a wee baby, as that was his favorite way to be held.

So maybe he's not so big after all.

Happy Birthday to my Dear Miles...Here's to a fantastic third year of life, in which you continue to explore and learn about God's wonderful world. It's going to be great!

Overheard...

This morning at Kristin's and Adam and Carter were eating lunch and saying "silly" words and otherwise trying to make each other giggle.

Adam said: "shits!"
Carter said: "shits!"
Kristin and I looked at each other and tried not to laugh.

Further questioning resulted in the following:

Kristin: What does "shits" mean?
Adam: Well, it means when you forget something and have to go back in and get it.

Ooops.

DIY Project: Burp Cloths

I love a project.

This idea came from another blog that I read (http://homemadebyjill.blogspot.com/). I was thrilled that I was able to follow her tutorial and have an impressive end result (unlike last week's "let's spray paint the bathroom light fixtures" tutorial that ended in disaster).

Adam's BSF teacher is awesome and Adam loves her. She has a real heart for serving children, volunteering to teach Adam's class every week. She's expecting her third child in a few weeks, and I thought this would be a great "little something" to make for her. So, I went to Joann's Fabric I went to pick up a few coordinating, gender-neutral cotton flannel prints (on sale for $2.49 a yard, and I got 2 yards total). Additionally, I needed quilt batting and matching thread, so when all was said and done, I was able to make 7 burp cloths from materials costing less than $14. Impressive, no?

I thought they turned out adorable. This is something that I will definitely be making again, as who doesn't love a good homemade gift?

Word of the day? "Nooooo!"

Just a few thoughts before I close the day:

Miles has learned how to speak and exercise the use of the word "No." What's hilarious about it, is that he makes this really dramatic face and and tosses in a bit of a whine for extra flair.

Examples:
"Miles, let's get your PJ's on."
"Noooooooo!"

"Miles, do you want to eat breakfast?"
"Nooooooo!"

"Miles do do you want a cookie?"
"Num nums! Num nums!"

Ok, so it's not all "no" around here...

He's also learned how to say "Mumma." Boy has he ever. Perhaps it's because he feels lost in the shuffle at times, but when he wants my attention, it's: "Mumma. Mumma. Mummamummamumma!" So cute....sort of.

And finally...thanks to his big brother, he hears the word "toot" a lot. "I tooted, Mom!" "Adam, did you toot again?" are just a few phrases that get tossed around her on a near-daily basis. What can I say? My kid is gassy. That being said, it's not surprising that Miles is familiar with this word. Last night at dinner, my darling baby actually leaned over in his booster seat, farted, smiled, and said "toooot." Of course, Adam thought this was hilarious, so it only spurred him on. To do it again. Lordamercy. What am I in for with these two? Do girls do this, too?

Your funny for the day, courtesy of Miles.

Miles knows he's not supposed to touch the tv. Despite numerous measures taken to prevent this action, he still does it (usually turning it off). We've tried yelling "NO Miles, NO!" spanking his hand, his bottom..everything. The kid is determined to touch the tv, no matter the consequence.

Jeff told me that tonight he went up to the TV, turned it off, then proceeded to "spank" himself on his bottom.

Nice.

You gotta hand it to him for his insight into the future: "If I touch the tv, I will get in trouble. Might as well spank myself then!"

Wooboy, he's going to give me gray hairs, I just know it.

Early-morning snuggles.

Unless I have to be up and dressed before the boys wake, my day usually starts with the morning-breath whispers of my 4 year old, saying: "Can I come snuggle with you?" And, if it's not too early (i.e. before 6:30am), I scootch over and welcome him into the warm bed. Or, if he's feeling particularly limber, he'll make a big production out of getting into the bed, crawling over me so he can secure his spot in the middle of the bed. For these few minutes, he's my sweet Adam, happy to be snug in bed with his Mama (and sometimes Daddy, too). Sometimes we chat about the day ahead, but usually it's just a silent, "starting to wake up" vibe. Just a few minutes of quality time together; time where he doesn't have to share the limelight (or his toys!) with his little brother.

What a great way to wake up, because to be honest, Adam has been a challenge this past couple of weeks. Not a day goes by where he doesn't try to throw his weight around here with his grunts, groans, flailing arms, eye-rolling, and/or other over-the-top reactions to things - either verbal or otherwise. It doesn't take much to set him off, either, so while I try to ignore it (for the most part, anyways), more often than not it's hard not to be embarrassed and at times, angered by his behavior. But the morning is where I can be with him and remember that he's just a little boy who still likes to snuggle with his Mama. The morning is when we both receive a fresh start. The morning is when we're realizing we've been energized and given a new day - one which we should be thankful for, and tackle with grace and love.

So tonight, I go to bed prayerful that tomorrow, Adam will come into our bedroom and announce that morning is here with the energy of a 4 year old. Tomorrow will be a day that the Lord has made, so let us all rejoice and be glad in it.

How will you start your morning?