Peaceful Slumber

Friends from Michigan

Some of our friends from Michigan stopped by this Saturday on their way to Florida. Tim worked for Curt at Ford, and their family went to the same church as us. Charlene and her girls were Graham's first babysitters. They first watched him when he was only a few months old. He had a great time playing with Danielle and Amanda while the adults got to talk in the living room.

As Iron Sharpens Iron...

I'm so thankful for the friendships Tim has formed with these two guys. Almost every Thursday night, they meet to discuss a book, Shepherding a Child's Heart. They pray together, listen to one another, and share joys and struggles.

They all enjoy hiking and camping, and they all have boys (and one has a little girl, too). The guys have taken the older boys on camping trips and hikes, and it has been a great experience for Tim and Graham. Graham loves to go camping with his daddy, and he also has formed a great friendship with these other boys.

As these boys grow, I pray they learn to encourage one another as their daddies have done.

Sometimes you just gotta laugh

My son comes up with the craziest things sometimes. Don't worry...it is just a toy.

He insisted that he video tape me, so now it's my turn. He helps to keep me goofy. I know it's crazy but it will make you smile.

Grandpa's here!

My dad is visiting this week, and the boys are having a great time having him around.

Happy Easter!

Graham and I dyed Easter eggs on Saturday afternoon. I found some that came with stickers, and he really liked putting the stickers on the eggs. Yes, he's in his pjs, but he didn't wear them all day. He likes to put them on himself during naptime.

Easter morning-looking at their baskets

I'm sorry I don't have a picture of the boys dressed for church. We're always rushing to get to church on time. This year, Graham really started understanding what Easter is all about. (well, as much as a two year old can understand about death and resurrection) I look forward to watching that understanding grow each year in my boys.

Weekend Happenings

Graham and Wesley enjoyed a little snuggle time in Graham's bed before bedtime. Graham suggested that Wesley sleep with him in his bed all night but we didn't think that was such a great idea. We reminded him that someday Wesley will share his room and sleep on his bottom bunk. Oh, what an adventure that will be!

While Tim worked on my brother's boat on Saturday, Graham had fun hanging out in the garage and watching him.

While Graham and Daddy were out in the garage, Wesley took his morning nap. He's such a good napper, and he almost always wakes up happy. So nice since I'm usually struggling with Graham during his naptime.

A Visit from Jenn

Jenn, a good friend from Michigan, came to Nashville with her husband this weekend for a wedding. We were thrilled to see her and introduce her to Wesley since it had been over a year since we had last seen her. It didn't take Graham long to warm up to her. I showed him pictures of her before she came over and told him about how she'd come to the hospital to see him when he was born. She and I taught together with Marie at a Christian school in Michigan. She is such a great friend, and it was a special treat to see her. Come visit us this summer, Auntie Jenn!!

We love Spring!

We enjoyed the spring-like weather yesterday and spent the late afternoon outside in short-sleeved shirts. I don't think I appreciated Spring fully until I became a mom of a toddler. It's heaven to get out of the house with two young children and enjoy the sunshine, dirt, and fresh air.

Getting crafty...My friend, Rainer, inspired me to make some shirts for the boys. Graham likes his dump truck shirt, and it was really easy to make. If you get inspired too just ask me about the details. I'm excited to make more.

To Crawl or Not to Crawl?

My Little Handsome Guy

More Pictures with Family

While my mom was in town, Kimberly, Drew, and Will met us at the zoo. When we were leaving the zoo, we saw some construction trucks working in the parking lot. Will and Graham were very interested in them, but Graham was a little hesitant to let Will get too close. He wanted to protect his "younger" cousin.

Nana, Aunt Kimberly, Will and Graham on the carousel at the zoo

Graham and Will

When Nana arrived on Saturday afternoon, a small amount of snow remained on the ground. Graham and Nana rushed outside to get in a few minutes of play before we went to dinner. I think they were both very excited to see each other.

Trying out the video thing

So, I think I just realized how it works. This video clip is actually about a month old. Graham loves GoFish, a group that is for kids and moms. He really likes to dance, too. I'll try more video soon.

We love Nana and Grandpa Sam!

Here are just a few pictures from our visit with Nana and Grandpa Sam. I'll add more later. We had a great time having them with us for the past several days. They traveled through snow and ice on Friday and Saturday to be with us. We did lots of fun things with them. We went to the zoo, went to the park, had picnic lunches, played outside, read books, celebrated Will and Drew's baptism, had a root canal...uh, well, that wasn't very fun. Nana and G.Sam watched the boys while I had a root canal. My first time to have that done and hopefully my last. No, it really wasn't that bad and I feel pretty good now, but I don't want to repeat it any time soon. Anyway, as they were driving away today, Graham cried and said, "I want Nana!" Come back soon, dude and bubba! :)

Wesley is eight months old!

I can't believe how quickly time is going by during Wesley's first year. Well, the first few months did not fly by but these last few have. He has two teeth now and loves to chew on everything. He had a teething cracker tonight and loved it. He sit likes to sit and play with toys. He's off his reflux medicine and hardly ever spits up now. Praise the Lord! He likes being on his tummy but shows little sign toward crawling. He smiles easily, is very ticklish, and giggles often. Heidi made up a cheer for him that always puts a big grin on his face so we sing it often: Wes-a-ley Wes-a-ley Wes-a-ley ley ley! Cheesy, I know, but she used it to get him back to sleep in the middle of the night and it worked. All she had to do was sing it once and he quieted down and went back to sleep. We love our Wes-e-ley!

Snow Much Fun!

Last weekend we were going on a convertible ride and this weekend we're playing in the snow. Crazy weather, but we're not complaining. The snow was a beautiful surprise. Graham and I were happy it happened on a weekend so Tim could enjoy it with us. Tim tried to make a snowman with Graham, but Graham thought it was more fun to crush the balls of snow as Tim made them. This picture was taken later in the morning. Before the sun came out, it was very cold so we could only stay out for a little while. After the sun appeared, the temperature rose and the snow melted. Not much of it is left this afternoon.

Brrrr...it was chilly!

Everyone was happy outside.

I love my Handy Man!

The things men will do for their wives... Well, not every man will but my man will! He put up a new fan in our living room, and yes, this ladder was just leaning on the ceiling. He assured me that it was safe. I'm glad it's over now, and the fan looks great.
the finished product

Thunder Thighs

My seven month old baby has bigger thighs than big brother!

First Ride of the Season

We enjoyed some beautiful weather this weekend, and we took advantage of the chance to go for a ride in the convertible. Graham now calls it the Cutlass or the "bula bula". I think he and his buddy, Kyle, came up with that. He was so excited when his daddy cranked it up and pulled out of the driveway. Going for a ride in the convertible is one of Graham's favorite summertime activities. No, it's not summer yet, but there are only 17 more days until Spring.

Our Night Out

Last night Graham and Wesley spent the night at the Fulks. If you recall back in January, we had their children over for a sleep-over so they could enjoy an evening and morning to themselves. Well, it was our turn this weekend. It was great...we went out to dinner (and didn't have to rush home and pay the babysitter), shopped a little, watched a movie at home and turned the volume up really loud (Tim's idea), slept in this morning (well, we both woke up at 7:30),went out for breakfast, and leisurely shopped around in the downtown area.

It was a nice time alone with my hubby, and I think it's very important to take those opportunities to keep your marriage strong. Tim is my best friend, and I still enjoy being with him. But, you know what I realized? I really like having my boys around. I like coming home from a dinner out and checking on them while they are sleeping. I like hearing the little sounds they make in the morning when they wake up even if it stirs me from my peaceful slumber. I like sharing my eggs with Graham when we go out for Saturday morning breakfast, and truthfully, the window shopping got a little boring. We ended up picking them up just a little early.

I think Tim and I both agree we missed our boys, and we like having them around. Tim's dad used to say something that we'd always laugh about. He'd say, "I don't just love my kids, I like them." I think we get it now.

We'll continue to get a babysitter and go out on dates. We will have more sleep-overs with our friends and enjoy nights alone together. We'll schedule trips for just the two of us, and we'll eagerly look forward to those times together. But we'll enjoy coming home to our children, and we will love them more because of the time apart. We'll be better parents because we gave our relationship some attention, and we'll be reminded of how blessed we are to have Graham and Wesley in our lives.