An Afternoon at the Park

Spring is almost here!

His shirt says "Monkey Business". Quite fitting, I thought.

Tool Time for Tim

My handy husband is at it again. The project started out with the shower and now it's the bathroom floor as well. Tim is learning how to tile, and he's doing a great job! We will be so excited when this project is complete.

Stirrings in the Heart

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSdP6PqsbJY

Silly Faces

enjoying a little snuggletime with Daddy

Potato Prints and Pride Stompers

Let me start out this post by saying it was one of those days. You know the kind. One minute you feel like you are doing a pretty good job at this mom thing. You did a great art project with the kids, you let them play with playdough, or you cooked them a really fantastic meal that they eagerly devoured (How often does that happen?). Then, you find yourself with paint splattered everywhere, playdough ground into the carpet, or mud tracks on the floor you just cleaned. You hear the little one screaming because the bigger one pushed him down, or you've had to repeat yourself three times because they are chosing not to follow directions immediately. Ugh...it was one of those days for me. I tried to ignore the mud so the boys could have fun outside. I got out the paint so my oldest could do a fun craft. I even took a meal to a friend. But, I yelled...at my boys...both boys...and boy, did I yell. I didn't feel like such a great mom after that. In fact, I wanted to cry. I felt like a horrible mom.

After we all calmed down and were in the car, I apologized for yelling and told Graham that it wasn't right what I did. I told him that God still loves me, and I can pray to Him, tell Him I am sorry, and He will forgive me. Graham responded, "Do it right now, Mommy." So, I did. Aloud. Graham heard. And that is the beauty of the Gospel. God loves and forgives, and my son saw an example of that in his three-year-old world.

A wise woman spoke today at my church's Bible study about Gospel Parenting. She said living out the Gospel in front of our children is the most important thing we can do for them. It's the main thing...the one thing. Teaching our children the Gospel-our unworthiness meets His grace and we are forgiven and accepted is the One Thing that I am to be doing for the next 18 plus years. Better than creative crafts, clean houses, well-behaved children is the truth of the Gospel being played out in front of my kids. I want to live out the Gospel in front of my boys. I want to give myself grace when I mess up because God gives me His grace. I want to tell them I'm sorry, and I want them to see how we can approach the throne of Grace with confidence that He will forgive.

Graham knows he doesn't have a perfect mom. I want him to know he has an amazing Father.

after an art project-potato prints

Mud

Graham has a t-shirt that says, "Mud Likes Me". I think it's very true. One of his favorite things is to play outside in the mud and puddles. I'm very thankful for the washing machine.

Wesley seems to love the mud, too.

Valentine Program

Graham's school had a Valentine program in which the children sang songs about God's love. We were the proud parents up front sitting on the edge of our sits with our cameras in the air waving like maniacs at our boy. Well, now that I think about, every other parent around us was doing the same thing. It may just be preschool, but we were so proud. Oh, the fun has just begun!

Graham did great. He kept his eyes on the music teacher the entire time (except for a few moments in between songs when he looked out at the audience, found us, and waved). He stood tall and straight and still. He did a few of the motions at the end when he started relaxing a little. Did I mention we were proud? Daddy and Graham after the performance-uh, I mean program as Graham corrected us

Do you see him? In the middle with the plaid shirt on

Enjoying a Little Sunshine

Since the weather has been sunny and warmer, we've taken every opportunity to be outside. The first picture was taken at a beautiful state park in the middle of Nashville. Graham and his buddies from church, Hank and Sloan, had fun walking around the lake and finding sticks and piles of rock to climb on.

This one does not involve sunshine, but it is cute and I wanted to include it. Wesley, Graham, and I like to turn up the music and dance. Here's Wesley helping me put on a CD.

Graham has been asking to go to the zoo for quite some time. Today was a perfect day for a trip to the zoo. Both boys enjoyed seeing the animals and playing on the playground.

Prayers of a 3 year old

For the last few weeks, Graham wants to pray for Pastor Scott and emergency trucks during his bedtime prayers. He prays that the ambulances and fire trucks will get to the sick and hurting people and that the doctors and nurses in the hospitals can help the sick and hurting.

Tonight, he said he wanted to pray for his family. He prayed, "Lord, thank you for my family. For Mommy, Daddy, Wesley, me and Shelby. I love them all so much."

I love those precious moments with him. Thank you, God, for hearing his prayers. I know they are sweet to your ears.

The Need for Speed

Like father, like son...

On our way home from church on Sunday, we were getting on the interstate ramp and Graham starts saying, "Geese, Daddy, geese!" Tim and I looked at each other like, "What is he talking about?" Finally, I realized what he meant. He wanted Tim to goose it.

Too funny!

Another January Craft

A good idea I got from Mops last year that we are doing again this January is to make placemats out of all the Christmas card pictures we received this year. I saved them after Christmas, cut out the pictures of our friends and family, and Graham helped me glue them on big cardstock paper. We will take them to be laminated and use them all year. So, if you sent me a Christmas card with a picture of your family on it, it will probably be on our kitchen table throughout the year. We will look at the pictures, talk about our friends and family, and pray for them. So, don't throw away those cards.

Beating the Winter Blues

January is not my favorite month...cloudy skies, cold weather, sick children and mommies, and a lot of time indoors. So, at our house, we've been coming up with some fun winter activities. Here are a few of them: Popcorn balls and hot chocolate by the fire

This was Tim's idea and it turned out to be a lot of fun.

Crayon melts in fun shapes

Patsy got me some silicon snowmen muffin cups for Christmas. I saw on a friend's blog that she had used her silicon muffin cups to make crayon melts. We just took broken crayons, removed the paper, and placed them in the muffins cups. Then, we put the muffin cups in a 200 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Snowballs

This recipe was in a newsletter from Graham's preschool. Basically, you make rice crispy treats, roll them into balls, and coat them with powdered sugar. Graham had a lot of fun helping me make these treats. Then, he wanted to take them to friends in the neighborhood.

Snowmen on sticks

We used bananas, mini chocolate chips, apple triangles, and pretzels to make these fun snacks.
I put them on skewers.

Highlights from our trip to Tyler

Despite the fact that Graham and Wesley had colds, my brother had strep throat, and Tim had a bad ear infection, we had a great time visiting our family in Tyler. The boys had lots of fun with their cousins and grandparents. We went to the zoo, a wildlife museum and park, and, of course, one of my favorite mexican restaurants. Graham, Drew and Will in the back of Grandpa Sam's truck

my mom and brother

yummy Mexican food

yummy ice cream

Highlights from Our trip to Memphis

After spending Christmas morning at our home, we traveled to Memphis to see Tim's mom, sister and her family. Wesley and Graham had a great time with their cousins, Davis and Hayley. One night we went to see Zoo Lights, and despite the frigid temperatures, everyone enjoyed it. Zoo Lights

Fake snow from a snow machine welcomed us at the zoo's entrance.

Davis and Graham ready for church

singing Happy Birthday to Jesus

Christmas Eve

The Night Before ChristmasWe love Christmas pjs. The boys have been wearing them all of December.

You may be wondering what's up with the spoons. Tim and the boys wanted me to open a gift early. My sweet husband got me some spoons to use in the kitchen.

Earlier today, my brother came over with his son, Drew, to eat lunch and exchange gifts. His whole family was going to come, but Will is sick. Kimberly stayed home with him so he could rest. It just wasn't the same without Will.

Wesley and Drew

This will be our first Christmas with the boys to wake up in our home on Christmas morning. Graham is to the age now where he's really excited and can understand what Christmas is all about. It's been fun this year starting our own traditions and celebrating Jesus' birth with our children. We are also looking forward to traveling to visit Tim's mom and sister and family in Texas.

We wish all of you a merry Christmas!

A family picture

At the Christmas tree farm a few weeks ago

Our Saturday Morning

After our favorite Saturday morning tradition of breakfast at Meridee's, we stopped at the Factory to walk around and look at the decorations. The boys had lots of fun running around the empty halls and exploring the decor.

The Seasons First Snow

Last week brought a visit from Grandpa and some snow.Wesley and Grandpa

Graham

Graham with his great grandpa and a Curious George book. Thus, the smile on his face.

Gingerbread House

Tim and Graham constructed a simple gingerbread house tonight after dinner. Wesley and I watched and ate graham crackers. We all enjoyed eating the finished prodct after they were done.

TN Christmas Trees

We spent Sunday afternoon at a Christmas tree farm with our friends in search of the perfect tree. Well, actually we just wanted to go on the hayride and drink hot chocolate. The trees that grow in our area aren't the best for hanging ornaments on so we decided to buy a precut tree that the farm provided. I think the kids thought it was a fun experience even though the daddies didn't get to use the saw.