My Two Year Old

Oh Beezer.  How can I not have a baby anymore?  Though you probably have technically been considered a toddler for at least a few months, I have held onto the fact that you are "still just 1."  Today, you roll over to official toddlerhood. 

And this is Bennett.

You are awesome!  Your brothers worship the ground you walk on.

 

You love Hunter and he is so patient with you and basically gives you whatever you want.  Ashton, as he does with all of us, can annoy you the most however you always run to him when you want a snack.  We think it is because he secretly sneaks you snacks during the day.  Shepherd is your playmate.  He is so good about playing with you.  They all cater to your ipad watching demands.

The boys with their cupcakes.

Speaking of ipad.  You love watching "things" now.  You are a Chuggington addict.  This is my first experience with Chuggington so I had to buy you a Chuggington train or two for your bday.   You are finally sitting for a reasonable amount of time to have a book read to you.  You love the Brown Bear What Do you See and Polar Bear What Do You Hear books. 


Shocked over the noise of the Happy Birthday song.

You love wrestling with your daddy but you are still a total mommy's boy.  You give the best kisses and give full out bear cub hugs.  You have the widest smile and your eyes squish up when you give your biggest smiles.   You are a bit behind, in my opinion, of your speaking.  You understand everything I ask you but verbalizing it is not your strong suit.  You have probably close to 30 or so words and occasionally string a couple word together like, "dada go" or "dog no."  Some of your other words are:  mama, dog, ball, juice, uh oh, blue, yellow, green (you can identify probably 6 colors already), snack, uh huh, no, Bru (Brewster from Chuggington), Elmo, yes, stop, and of course tractor, truck, car.  Those are the ones I hear the most. 

Getting a massive amount of help opening his presents

I think I am/ was in denial about you turning two.  I mean, it was really just yesterday that you were born.  Just yesterday that we added the last member of our family.  Just yesterday that I fell in love with yet another little man. 

My last picture of Bennett as a 1 year old.

Bennett, you are claimed by our Maker.  You are set apart.  Please seek first His kingdom. Follow the narrow life.  Stay true to the way you were raised.  And smile.  Life is good.

We are having his party next week so today was pretty low key.  A couple presents, some cupcakes (donated by the Touchdown Club.... they had some leftover after the football team banquet yesterday... does that make me lazy or resourceful?!?!)

 

He loves his dogs and disciplines them appropriately.  Moses wanted in on the birthday action.

 

Happy Birthday darling boy!  I love you so ridiculously much!

The Kings of New York... or Charlotte

First, you must understand my family's obsession with the 1992 movie, Newsies.  And by family, I  mean, my brothers, my mom, and myself.  We have watched the movie a ridiculously number of times.  Zach and Nolan can do many of the dances.  We are obsessed.

So, when we heard that the Broadway Performance of Newsies was going to be in Charlotte, it was a no-brainer that we would be there. 

The performance was this past Sunday.  My kids and Zach's kids were given the choice to go.  Queenie would pay $50 of the ticket and they would have to pay the remaining $30.  Hunter and Owen were the only ones who decided it was worth $30.  Chad also decided that he did not want to pay $80 to go so, he had the great privilege (haha) to watch Ashton, Shepherd, Caelum, and Bennett.  He did a great job and got them all in bed.  GrandmaDean also opted out so she had Esme.

The group that went was Mantis, Queenie, Zach, Anna, Owen, Nolan, Aunt Christy (mom's sister), Hunter, and me.  We had the best time.  We ate at a great Italian place in the heart of Charlotte and then had a short little walk to the play.

Hunter Owen, Mantis, Aunt Christy, and Mom (chessing it while holding up the program less anyone forget where we are)

Nolan, Zach, and Anna

Hunter and his cousin, Owen.

Selfie.

The singing and dancing was great.  The storyline had a couple changes to it that we didnt really appreciate, but overall had a great evening.

I also had my new dryer delivered, dad and I installed my new light/ ceiling fan for our den, dad got a big ol cabinet put into our garage as well as hung Ashton's corn hole boards in the garage.  So, thanks dad for always jumping in and doing my little projects.

And, if you have never seen Newsies... you must.  It is the movie that made my little 10 year old heart fall in love with Christian Bale.  All I can think of when I see one of the new Batman movies and hear him his gruff Batman voice is, "ah Jack Kelly" (the lead character in Newsies.)  Go watch it!!!

The Christmas and the Crud- A Poem

There once was a family of 6 who were anxious for the break of Christmas.
The break began with such promise - shopping and wrapping in honest.
The 21st of December, a Sunday, saw the largest member go under.
Chills and a fever he ran, first time ever he cut off the ceiling fan.

That Monday we opened our family gifts, everyone spirits had a lift.
The biggest still felt like crud, but still was touchy with his hugs.
Our plans did not deviate, by Tuesday we hit the road to celebrate.
Sunset was the first stop on our 4 day quest, we had to take two cars to get things to fit the best.

Tuesday and Wednesday brought lots of familiar faces, good food, and the predictable places.
Rounds 2, 3, and 4 of gift opening also did occur.
We left Sunset feeling quite blessed, then headed west.
Clemsaca saw us arrive Christmas morning, according to my husband to the place that is never boring.

Christmas Day is where the smallest of our crew decided that he wanted to run a fever too.
A quick run to Walgreens we did, to dope him up on ibuprofin.
The largest was feeling better by far, looking back that is now quite bizarre.
By the 26th, God stopped the rain, but Biggie went crashing down hard again.

Joining the fever crew of the biggest and littlest was one in the middle- the skinniest. 
Saturday- time to go home.  Biggie had to wait at Minute Clinic for four hours. Oh no!
Diagnosis of flu plus sinus and ear infections validated his whimpy holiday actions.
Got home and came barging through my door and dismantled Christmas so fast you could have swore.

On Tuesday, the brother in Asheville with his family in tow visits our house on a day of cold.
The zip line present goes up courtesy of brother named above, the Queen gets stuck and I laughed - kind of.
The Biggest slowly gets better, the littlest does not. 
By Thursday, Minute Clinic gets to see us again, another diagnosis of ear infection infiltrates our land.

A New Years meet up with a friend and her kids turns out to be a much needed reprieve.
Friday, by myself I got in my car to paint and decorate with baby brother.  It was one of the best days by far.
We think this sickness started with the boy with some curl in his hair as his fever started the week before Christmas break was even here.
I just want to add that if that is true, I have no idea how I did not come down with some form of it too.

We think we are finally out of the woods, until oldest son of 9 wakes up Sunday with this crud.
His ear hurts him now so off we go again to support our local Minute Clinic Men.
Ear infections the reason even the Queen and a nephew hear similar news this Christmas season.
The oldest boy hears a pop in his ear and the oozing begans he says he cant hear.

Monday we head to Greenville to visit with a friend- despite all the infections. ears are best served to lend.
Yesterday, a Tuesday, the oldest boy still bleeds from his ear.  To Greenville this time his pain is severe.
Perforated ear drum the doctor did say, anitbiotics drops are his future the next 7 days.
Finally, finally, the routine is back. I finally got back to the "Y", how about that?
Despite the crud, the sickness and such, this Christmas was great... Happy Birthday Jesus!

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Kids did a Christmas program

Baby love!

Charlee and her big gift from PapaHub and Grandma

Hunter and one of his gifts

Sami and hers

Shepherd and his present

Ashton got a keyboard from PapaHub and Grandma and we didn't get it out of the box but he is holding some of Alabama wear.

Shepherd on his "tacta"



PapaHub and Grandma with their number of perfection... 7 grandkids.

Mom got all creative with this cute monogrammed tins filled with lots of fun stuff

Chad, on a day he was filling ok



Queenie with  3 of the 4

Uncle Zach preparing for battling the zip line

This is wear Queenie got stuck.  She didn't realize the seat was tied to a limb.  hahaha.. so funny mom



Zach, Hunter, and me posing by the platform and zip line

Hunter taking a ride

Dinner at my house with my family, mom and dad, Nolan, Zach and his family, GrandmaDean, both of Dad's brothers and Aunt Kay.

Another shot... sorry Nolan and Dad- no pics of you this year.

All Things Christmas

Christmas is basically here.  As most, we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off in "celebration."  Oh how we get our priorities all mixed up this time of year. 

One way that I have attempted to realign our family's focus is through reading Ann Voskamps, "The Greatest Gift" (kid edition.)  I have been reading the adult version of The Greatest Gift with a friend.  Let me just say, these books are AMAZING!  It truly pushes you back to the Gift of Christmas linking Christ to the pillars of the Old and New Testament.  The studying of Advent is truly one of the best ways to refocus.  The book suggests doing a Jesse tree and supplies material for the kids to color/ decorate ornaments to hang on the Jesse tree. 

A snapshot of our Jesse tree from a few days ago. 

We just printed the ornaments out through her website and then pasted it on cardstock.

I love looking at this tree as a constant reminder of the sacrifice for me.  We serve such an amazing God.  I think this will become a tradition with our family. 

Onto some of the other Christmas things.  Our church had their children's program last weekend.  It was a Christmas play with speaking part (5 scenes) and really great music.  Hunter had one of the leads and did such a great job.  I was so proud of him with the way he worked to memorize his lines.  Shepherd and Ashton also did a great job singing.  Our church has a ton of kids and it was great to watch them.  They practiced really hard.

The whole group of kids.  Hunter is sitting with the group by the flags.  Shepherd and Ashton are standing behind Joseph (you can barely see Shep)

Close up of Ash and Shep

Close up of Hunter and the other "actors".

Hunter is in 3rd grade choir this year and they had a cute Christmas program as well.


Hunter- the tallest- back left.

Here is a clip.

On the commercial side of Christmas, shopping is done.  Each kid is getting 4 gifts and then they drew names with eachother to buy a gift (with their own money).... trying something new this year. 

I didn't show my Christmas décor because I didn't do a whole lot this year.  I did have a theme though (it actually is courtesy of a friend who made a comment on her blog about why would anyone not get a real tree. haha).  I had been debating as to whether or not I would go fake or real this year anyway.  When I read that I though, well, what is the perk of fake over real?  The my first answer was 1) we already have a fake one so it is free.  The led to my next thought of... I am not going to spend a dime on Christmas decorations this year.  And I am proud to say, for the first year ever- I did not spend anything to decorate my house.  Nada... so thanks for the inspiration Liv. 
Here is the - artificial- tree. Shelves, mantles, and small trees are throughout the house as well... just didn't take pics.

.
Perhaps my favorite things this year...  all of our family Christmas cards since we started doing photo cards in 2006.  Back then, there was 1 kid, 1 dog. My what 9 years looks like.

9 years of cards.

 

Have a Merry Christmas.

Oh Baby, We are Half Way There...

Though I know you will always need me.  Though I know you will always come home.  I also know that your years under my roof are essentially half way through.  You are now 9.  I still have plenty of wisdom to throw your way and thankfully you still listen. 


 

I look back over lessons that I have tried to drive home. Most of these from toddlerhood.  Remember the stakes get higher though as you get older. 
Remember Mom's Rules to Live By...
- Follow His Word.  Show people you are different.  The Bible is your road map.  Use it!!!
- Show compassion. Through forgiveness. Through standing up for others.  Though sharing what you have with those who don't.
- Don't hit first.  By all means, Defend yourself.  But rarely is there a time to throw the first punch.
- Never hit a girl.  Period. 
- A no is no.  Period.
- Choice joy.  A joyful heart changes you- changes your perspective- changes your heart.  The joy of the Lord is your strength.
-Behavior is a Choice-  This is straight from the Queenie playbook that I have heard sooo many times.  But, man, remember it.  No one can make you make bad decisions.  Choose wisely! 


I think back on the last 9 years with you- and you have been so easy (besides those first few weeks as we figured one another out).  By 2 months old, you decided that the sun rose and set with me.  I was always your pick.  Screaming fits would occur to anyone else who held you.   I was your constant... your happy spot.

The next 9 years are crazy exciting and for me, crazy scary.  You will experience school drama, bullying, cheating, etc.  You will start dating.  You will start driving.  You will face ALL kinds of temptations.  Your grades begin to really matter.  You will learn about this thing called stress. You will find your niche.  Your choices really begin to matter. And through it all, know that I am your constant... and will always be your happy spot. 


I love you so very much! 

Happy Birthday Hunter.

Mom

Pictures with your brothers over the year.

Ok, now that I am practically crying.... We had a low key day celebrating Hunt's birthday.   He got a lot of fun stuff.

Blowing out his candles... with help

- Under Armour hoodie
- Headphones
-Clemson jacket
-Electronic chess board
- Iron Man figure
-Money Money Money
-Clemson camo hat
- AND a PHONE.
I know mouths probably dropped over that one and though I don't owe anyone an explanation, I feel like I need to somehow justify why we gave a 9 year old a phone... which he LOVES by the way. 
We have started leaving him at home by himself for small stretches of time.  We don't have a landline and he needs a way to call out in case of emergency.  We got his phone through Republic Wireless (which is who we have our phones through) so it is only $10 a month for him to have a phone.  It runs off wireless and then Sprint when not connected to wireless. 

Cracks me up... just registered that he was holding his new phone

We had a great weekend celebrating Hunter!  Thanks for all the family that was able to come up.

You Know You are a Mom of Boys When... Vol. 2

Feels just like yesterday that I wrote the first post of "You Know You are a Mom of Boys When" post, however it was over a year ago... Though I could go on and on, here are just a couple more.

1-  When you are handed jewelry created out of legos.


While doing some errands, Shepherd made me a bracelet out of the lego web of Spiderman and a train that he made of legos.. 

2-  When you desperately want to see the new Cinderella movie and consider inviting yourself along with your nieces or with any friends you know who have little girls.  But, instead you decide to teach your son's the value of sitting through a chick flick to make your date (AKA- me) happy.  In other words, come March, they are going to Cinderella with me. :)  Maybe their father should go too. 

3- When one of the daily chores that they must do involves wiping down the toilet seats... DAILY!

4-  When at least once a week, I have to confirm, yet again, that I do NOT in fact pee out of my butt.  It continues to rock their world.  They just refuse to believe it.

5-  When this is my self- portrait that Shepherd creates of me... made out of train tracks.




"Mommy, look, I made you.  Look at your hair."
I was more focused on my ears. 

A and S... the stats and some funnys

How can two brothers be built so differently?

The middles had their yearly check ups today and both are totally healthy and growing.  Their percentages are almost identical to last year.

Ashton
Weight 47.4 lb (29%)
Height 48.25" (52%)

Shepherd
Weight 49.7 lb (92%)
Height 46.75" (98%)

We made a day out of the appts and hit the Barnes and Noble, the mall, and then as a reward- Chuck E Cheese.

Here are some recent funnys/ brags from the middles.

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SHEPHERD

 

Posted this picture before but this... right here... is Shepherd.

 

Home Depot Man- So, is football your favorite sport? (Shepherd is wearing a football shirt).

Shep- No, its my fifth

Home Depot Man- Well then, whats your first?  Soccer?

Shep-  No.... (long pause)... My favorite is pool.

Home Depot Man- (chuckle).  Like pool in the water or pool with a stick.

Shep- With a stick and a lot of balls. 

Home Depot Man - (laugh).

*** I just turn around and walk away.

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Queenie and Shepherd were having a conversation.  Shepherd is acting well like Shepherd- quirky.

Queenie- Shepherd you are on the spectrum?

Shepherd-  No, I'm on the Bobcats (his basketball team).
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Happy kid

Shepherd- Did you see my art papers from school?

Me- Yes, they were very good.

Shepherd- Yeah, I am the best artist ever... (whispers) except for God.  But then I am the best.

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At school, his class was talking about words that begin with "h". 

Teacher: What are some others words that start with "h"?

Shepherd: "hut hut"

So, yeah, his dad is a football coach.

 

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My mini GrandpaGordie.

Ashton doesn't have as many as Shepherd because he actually thinks before he speaks unless he is going off at the wii, or the ipad, or the computer.

Ashton
While eating with some friends, Ashton asked where Jay was.  He then preceeded to spell Jay for us.
"G-A-Y"  haha.
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A quick brag on Ashton.  One of his teachers told Chad that she is so impressed with Ashton at school.  He is always the first to volunteer to help some of the slower kids with their work even if they are the kids that other kids are not always nice to.

I had a hard time finding another picture of Ashton by himself and then I realized it was because he is always moving or photobombing other people.  ha.

Another Ashton brag, he was invited to play on an indoor soccer team this winter.  I am so excited for him as I really think he will love indoor!

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These two keep me on my toes but I love them both so much.  The house is too quiet when Ashton is not around and not quirky enough when Shepherd is not around.

Keep your eyes are Him boys.