House full of Helpers!

This morning I asked the boys to help me fold sheets and towels. Often they are great helpers (for a 2 and 4 year old) and they like to do it. Today their imaginations got the best of them and they had "bean-bag races" and then just got all crazy with a couple pillow cases. They were laughing and having a wonderful time!! It was such a fun and happy sound and I still got the towels and sheets folded. We buy all these toys and today, like many days, they dont' get played with...instead it is something simple like a pillow case that provides the most fun and laughs!!!

Front Porch

So the porch is mostly finished. We need to cut one side of the flooring off flush with the posts, clean up, do some flower beds, and stuff like that....but it is done.

This was Shane's first "big" building project and he did a fabulous job. We have been working on it for several days and the first half it was raining or drizzling which was nice (note: sarcasm). The porch is great though and I am gonna LOVE decorating it. I already have a head full of ideas.

I've been tagged!

So I typically don't like to play tag as there is running involved but since this game doesn't require any exercise...I'm game. Aubrey from Just Me & My Boys tagged me.

Here are the rules.
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules to your blog.
3. Write 6 random things about yourself.
4. Tag 6 people at the end of your post and link to them
5. Let each person you have tagged know by leaving a comment on there blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is posted.

OK...so rule one and two are already done.

Here are my "6 Random things."

1. If I am not listening to Contemporary Christian Music, my favorite singer is Frank Sinatra by a landslide. I can't even think of a second place.

2. As a teen I never wanted to have children. My life plans were to be a single (maybe married SOMEDAY) business woman living in a city. Or trying to become a country music star and living in a trailer on the road most of the year. Oh how things change.

3. My husband's oldest half-brother is a Staley. I still feel a little weird going to his house and seeing "Welcome to the Staley's" on the door. Just for the record he and Shane have different dads...I did NOT marry my cousin.

4. I would love to live in Europe for a while someday...specifically France.

5. I love to cook but hate to follow recipes. Sometimes things are good and at other times...not so much.

6. I don't want a "real job" if I can avoid it. I love staying home and being with the boys (most days). I love it so much that we intend to homeschool them. I do hope to start selling Usborne Books as soon as the baby stops nursing. Should be in the next couple months...if you want to book a party...let me know!!! I'm sure I'll post about starting when I get to it.

and 7. I don't follow rules very well....

I did an extra thing about myself and will not be tagging 6 people...are they kidding? I will be tagging two. (still did better than you, Aubrey lol). See I don't follow rules well!!

Jace @ Son of Jace and Cherish @ The Edwards Exploits....TAG YOU ARE IT!!

"One upon a Time"

Shane is off work until after Labor Day (except for next Thursday he has to put in his last day at NAL) and we are having a great time. Right now we are building a front porch (post with slide show to come when it is finished). It is going to be a wonderful few weeks.

This morning we were enjoying breakfast all together as a family and Maverick says, "One upon a time there was a bagel monster" I prompted him to finish his story. But he didn't want to so we went around the table and finished it together. It went something like this...

Maverick- "One upon a time there was a bagel monster"
Shane- " and he loved to eat his bagel with"
Aiden- "jelly"
Me- "but one day he decided to try something new so he put"
Maverick- "meatballs on it."
Shane- The bagel monster really"
Aiden and Maverick -"liked it!"

I think we'll be telling stories in this way many times. It was fun!

Impromptu Bath time!!

To start this story I want to send a shout out to the Harris Family for the great green beans. I got 12 quarts out of that batch (although 3 didn't seal....*sigh*). Thank you!!

So while we were visiting with the Harris' when they gave us some green beans, the boys (all 6 of them) were playing in Tristan and Colby's room. Amy and I were sitting in the nearby family room keeping an eye on them. All was going well and then I looked again and Griffin was gone. We knew he hadn't gone far so we started looking for him...Colby (who is 2) found him and I was quickly on Colby's heals. Where was Griffin?

Playing in the toilet that Aiden had just used and not flushed. Thankfully he had only peed. But Griffin was wet to his armpits and his whole front was soaked. Amy and I were totally grossed out and I was kinda screaming "He's playing in the toilet!" Amy asked if I wanted to give him a quick bath and I said "Yes, I do." With 3 boys ages 5 and under I am sure the rim was not quite clean enough to suck on so I tried not to think about that while I was scrubbing his arms and chest. I didn't think he would like having his mouth washed out with soap.

Note to self...Keep all bathroom doors closed and latched!

He's scared of What?!?!?!?!

Maverick is scared of ants, earth worms, hair on his hands, and many other harmless things. He screams like someone is torturing him if any of these things are near him. We have found something he loves.........................................................SNAKES!!

We moved our front steps with the help of pappy's tractor and found a little snake (a garter snake, I believe) under them. Pappy caught him and the boys got used to him and the snake calmed down a little...then maverick wouldn't leave it alone. He would play with it and then put it down to catch it again.


Yes he even held it up against his nose. The head is hanging near his armpit in the above picture.
Griffin thought the snake was cool but we were afraid he would squeeze too hard or worse, try to eat it!
Aiden was a little less sure about playing with the snake. But after a while did hold it all by himself. It was never close to his face though.

I am just thinking "This is great! I am likely gonna have a snake in my house someday as a pet. Why didn't I get a girl?" lol!!!

The Three Little Pigs!

Aiden and Maverick's new favorite story in "The Three Little Pigs." They want to read it ALL the time. They act it out each taking turns being the wolf and getting to chase the "little pig" from "house to house." Recently I found some pieces to use on the flannel board to tell the story and they LOVED it. They retold the story over and over illustrating with the flannel board. It was so sweet.

I have so many flannel figures and shapes and letters and numbers all jumbled together in a box. This weekend at Walmart I am going to get an accordian file thing-y to organize them all in. It is hard to play with them when you can't find things.

Our flannel board will be a part of our schooling this year too...so it needs to be organized so I know what I have (cause I am really not sure about all of it) and can find it when we are learning about the subject or doing the story. Right now it isn't gonna be very useful.

A Little Morning Miracle!!

Actually, 2 of them.

Miracle #1:

We have been playing this new "game" in our house. I made it up after both big boys disappeared 2 days in a row. Aiden hid from his Sunday School teacher and we thought he had snuck out a door by the boys bathroom and was in the parking lot or something. And Maverick came back in the house the next day without telling me while we were all inside. Both times neither boy responded to people yelling their names. So now we play the "Here I am" game. First we talked about how important it is for mommy (or daddy or nanny or pappy or their teacher) to be able to find them. So we have been practicing...I say "Aiden", he says "Here I am." Maverick is learning the same thing. We practice all the time. Sometimes I can't see them...sometimes they are right in front of me. So this morning Aiden wasn't in the same place he was when I went to the bathroom. I said his name and I heard "Here I am" with NO pause. I only said his name once. Yeah!!! He is getting it!!

This leads to Miracle #2:

He was in the bathroom brushing his teeth. It is often a fight to get them to brush their teeth. Never has he done it all on his own....until today. He was in there on his stool, with his toothbrush, with just a little toothpaste, brushing away. I usually have to remind him to brush and not just chew on the toothbrush. But he did it and he did a great job!

New Job!

Well, Shane will be leaving North American Lighting. He has been working there for 5 years and it has been a great job and a blessing to our family. He started working there when we were desperate and it has been great!! That is actually a good story...and one I should share...it is an amazing testimony of how a family can be blessed if you put your faith in God...I'll try to do that this week. But he has been presented with an opportunity that he just had to take.

He will be starting his new job Sept 2 (the day after labor Day) but he just accepted it yesterday. The company is in Effingham so it will cut his commute in HALF!! Yeah! Time is so valuable and I am so glad that he will be able to spend less of it driving! Not to mention the cost of gas!!

And we go there a lot. Everything is in Effingham...Walmart, doctors (ours and the boys), dentist, Walmart, eye doctor, decent restaurants, Walmart, etc. The boys and and I are in Effingham regularly so we'll be able to meet him for lunch. It is just sooooo exciting!

There are not many job's in his field in this area that come available. There aren't many, period, but to catch one is kinda hard. We are so glad that he was able to find this one. Of course, any new thing is nerve-wracking, but it is still exciting! He will still be programming but a different kind than he has been doing. I don't really understand it much but he will be learning new things...that is never a bad thing either.

I just hope the transition goes smoothly.

Griffin's prayer!

Yes, Griffin is only 9 months old (only?....the time has flown so fast). Anyway, today at lunch he fell asleep in his high chair. I was in the kitchen getting more food for my apparently starving children and didn't see him nod off. Then Maverick pipes up..."Mooommmmyy! Griffin is praying!"

That holler of course woke Griffin up and he was very confused about what all the excitement was for...but he dozed off again in no time!

FINALLY FINISHED!!!

I bought this fabric 2 years ago, I think. I found the map of the USA and then I found the World map. I decided to put them together and make a 2 sided map blanket. All was going great until I got to the binding of the outside edges...which I hate doing! It has been in my closet for more than a year I am sure laughing at me cause I can't get it done. Well, last night the big boys went camping with daddy and pappy and I went to a friends house to get this blanket finished....and I did! It is really a neat thing and a simple map...perfect for "where is..." questions with little guys. The boys are thrilled and have found where we live (on both the USA and world maps), we've found Great Uncle George and Grandma and Grandpa Young, and Zeke Huber in Germany. We found Australia (Hello Raphaela) and Brazil and France, of course. I am glad to have it finished FINALLY!!!