Pooping barbie dogs

I saw this ridiculousness on TV today and I could NOT.stop.laughing.  I mean, seriously, if a pooping doll wasn't enough, will people actually buy this crap?  And if I've offended you because you've already bought this crap (literally), well then I just can't apologize.  I just can't.

 
Which got me thinking about some other pretty amazingly bad toys I've come across in my day.  Like the Lightening Reaction Extreme Game. 

What is the goal of this game?  To not get electrocuted.  What do you win?  The right to not get electrocuted.  Believe it or not, I actually know people Rustin who shall remain nameless who have played this game.  There is not enough chardonnay in the world to get me grabbing one of those electrical surge conduits.

And what about the Skip It?  Remember this toy?

Hey kid, no friends to jump rope with?  I'll play with you.  We will have lots of fun.  Oh, and if you fail to jump over me, I'll slap you in the leg.  And hard.

Jacks.

Here's how you play Jacks. Go to the park. Set your jacks on the ground and make like you are having fun (you won't really be having fun, but play along). When another boy comes along with a much cooler toy, throw the little ninja-star jacks in his face and take his toy.

In unrelated news, we have a name for baby girl; Rowan Lane.  Here we are starting the 3rd trimester at 28 weeks.

Baby girl is healthy despite my "advance maternal age" status!

Celebrating Reed!

Reed is 7 years old today!  There are so many things I love about this precious boy. But most of all, I love his enthusiasm for LIFE. You will rarely see my Reed in a bad mood. In fact, he might possibly never be in a bad mood. He approaches everything with such zeal, and his consistent positive and happy attitude is contagious. And also sometimes infuriating when he is in trouble but STILL can't wipe that smile off his face. Reed has never met a stranger either.  As I sit here at Adalae's gymnastics practice writing this blog post, Reed has imposed befriended an eighth grader and is currently giving him a Pokemon lesson.  You're welcome kid. I know whatever you were engrossed in on your iPhone before my brilliant kid interrupted graced you with his friendship is not nearly as entertaining as learning about how Tentracruel's hyperbeam was no match for Skunktank's fury swipes.

And this kid's energy level.  Seriously y'all. He doesn't sit on the couch, he leaps on the couch with a full sprint start. He doesn't eat a meal, he shovels his meal into his mouth while simultaneously narrating his latest Minecraft creation with astonishing DETAIL.  Oh the details.  Doesn't he see my eyes glaze over when he starts in about these things I don't understand?

No side hugs from my Reed either.  He doesn't hug me, he throws himself into my arms with everything he has and including the trust that I'll catch him. Even though I typically full on turn/flinch to the side to avoid a swift knee to the shin. Sorry dude, you're not 20 lbs and 2 anymore. You're SEVEN!

What a precious gift from God Reed is to our family. I thank the Lord daily for the day you were born Reed.  We love you buddy!!

Gender Reveal

So, apparently I am "advanced maternal age" which is kinda cool because I get all this extra prenatal care.  One of these extras was a special old lady sonogram at 13 weeks in which we found out our Downs chances are 1 in 623,000 (or something that sounded really unlikely, thank you Lord) PLUS the gender of our little pea! 

There has been lots of talk around here about boys vs. girls.

Boys are the best because:

• They can wear the same pair of jeans for 13 days in a row and nobody would notice or care, including the boy himself.  In fact, boys don't much care about what they wear, or don't wear.  Reed comes in the door each day and immediately strips off his shirt and his underwear (yes, his underwear; don't even ask about this child of mine).
• The more boys we have, the less weddings we pay for.
•  Less drama.  I don't know about your daughters, but my mine came out with an attitude and a tiara. 

Girls are the best because:

• Less pee on the bathroom floor.  Seriously, someone (not me but maybe you) should invent a training course on how to aim the pee IN THE BOWL. You know, like puppy training.  Now I'd pay for that.
• ACCESSORIES.  I just love playing dress up with my precious little doll daughter.  The boys will have no part in styling their hair, sporting a cool trendy bracelet or skinny jeans.  On second thought, I think I'm OK with this.
• They can just be still.  This seems to be an impossible feat for my boys, but Adalae is the best snuggler in the whole wide world. 

Turn up your sound and enjoy the littles reaction to the big news.  God has been so good to us. We feel so incredibly blessed and are beyond excited (well most of us anyway).

Summer is over

I've been thinking lately about how MUCH I miss summer.  It was a complete free for all around here for 3 months.  Reed and Adalae could no longer read or compute simple math problems after our 3 months of NO.LEARNING.AT.ALL but this is besides the point.  This was my first summer since I was 15 years old that I didn't have a full-time job.  So I took a 3 month vacation from work (and obviously from responsibly preparing my kids for the next grade level), just whatever.  We are playing catch up now, which means the kids read to us every day, which means I'm facebooking reading in that bedroom FOR.EVER.  I might actually die in that bedroom.   Seriously, it's great and all the first couple of pages but when will you remember that we learned the word "said" 2 sentences ago and 67 times total this week?

Speaking of school, Adalae loves kindergarten.  She brings her weekly homework home on Mondays and promptly completes Mon-Thurs homework..... on MONDAY.  She actually cried last Friday when she didn't have any homework in her folder. 

And speaking of Friday, Reed had an eventful day.  He colored on his teacher's computer monitor with an orange sharpie, peeled the googly eyes off the Kindergarteners work in the hallway, and damaged another kids binder.   I really just have to laugh, because the alternative is not very attractive.  Ain't nobody got time for ugly crying.  Plus, Reed's energy level, inquisitiveness and his, *ahem, creativity generally produces some pretty cute stuff too.  Like when he tells me he was "accidentally" wild.  Or when he phonetically tried to sound out "FWC" at the dinner table (you go ahead put those sounds together and you'll see what I'm talking about). Or when we read a Magic School Bus book about the human heart and he asked where Jesus was. Or when he asked if we are going to live in our house until it burns. Or when he kisses both of my cheeks-even at school in front of his friends. Or when he tells me he loves me to Pluto and back times infinity.

And then there is Thade.  What can I say about Thade except that my heart might explode with just how proud I am of the young man he is.  About the man he is becoming.  That boy has a heart of gold and loves Jesus.  What more could a mom ask for? 

I thank God everyday for these 3 blessings.  He has been good to me.

Celebrate Adalae

We sure had a great time celebrating Adalae over the last couple of weeks.

5 years old!

 

Having cake on her birthday, April 22nd

 

Her PINK birthday party last weekend, colored with beets and raspberries!

 

 

We decorated pringle cans to make music shakers and played a game with them.

 

 

 

Sweet Aunt Barbara helping her make a necklace.

 

 

I love her attack look.  Teeth gritted and all.

 

 

Then chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese raspberry frosting!

 

 

 And the added bonus of PJ and Grandpa in from Arizona.

 

 

Plus some of my family made it in from Abilene which they are so sweet to do almost every year for my kids birthdays.  Although sweet Adalae has brought a lot of typical little girl drama to us, she has brought us MUCH MORE joy.  Love you precious!

 

 

 

 



Sweet 16

To my firstborn,

How is it possible you are 16 years old today?  It seems like yesterday that I, as a baby myself, brought your tiny little body home.  It's hard to believe my 6'4" boy was this small one day not long ago. 

 

 

 

I had no idea how we would make it at times, but my love for you pushed me to do my best; to BE my best.  All I've always known is I wanted you to know how much you are loved. Today we celebrate your 16th birthday.  I couldn't be more proud of the man you are becoming.  You love Jesus and I see that overflow in the way you love people.  You are loyal to long time friends.  You love on your little brother and sister; even when they annoy you.  You give up hours of your time to coach Reed's basketball team, with nothing in return.  You give me great hugs, and even sometimes in front of your friends. You tell me thank you after EVERY meal.  You are mature beyond your years, and your good decisions show that.  So we celebrate you today, Thade.  And this mama knows the way to your heart.... food that is.  And lots of it.

 

 Bacon, eggs, banana bread, cheesecake and strawberries for breakfast.

 



 

Panda and cheesecake for lunch

 

 

Chili's Chicken Crispers for Dinner

 

 

From scratch chocolate cake and chocolate icing for dessert

 

 

And the after presents love

 

 

 

I can't help but think how different my life might be if God didn't let me borrow you those 16 years ago.  I thank Him everyday I get to be your Mom.

 

I love you,

 

Mom

WINNING!

Winning....  Adalae that is.  Today she made her soccer debut.  Adalae scored THREE of her team's four goals.  I have to admit, I was in shock.  Don't get me wrong, Adalae has her talents.  She can twirl her hair better than me and she could negotiate peace in the Middle East with one doe eyed look.  But, compared to her brothers, she is so docile.  I mean this girl is frail!  She eats like a bird (literally bread only) and can't even close the car door by herself.  Adalae is good to walk about 16 feet before she needs someone to carry her.  She is the first kid at the party to rest because she is "so tired".  She sleeps past 6am!

 

You rock baby girl!