Here goes nothing

Well, it is a new year. It is time to convince myself to start some new habits that might just make my life happier, healthier, and more fulfilling. What's on my list for this year? I thought you'd never ask. Oh, there is the excercise, the eating healthier, and the getting regular sleep stuff. There is the get organized, stay organized, and follow some sort of house cleaning routine stuff. Then, there is the fun stuff like decorate the house (I can't say redecorate because we are completely lacking in the decor department here), sew clothes and items for my kids and others too, and blog about my everyday life more often (maybe every day???).

What are your resolutions? Anything out of the ordinary?

Beyond the Gate at Grandma's House

Tonight, as I was sitting in the driveway at my grandma's house, the headlights of our car illuminated the gate on the chain link fence that is behind her house. As I sat there waiting for my husband to get in the car, I thought of the countless times I opened that gate and entered another world. It was a world where I could roam free in fields and in barns or on the back of a horse or in the row of a garden. And I realized once again how thankful I am for those experiences. I thought about my own children and how I want them to experience such things. I thought of how much I want to protect them, but also how much I want them to experience the freedom to explore.

Like father, like son

Today (well, it is after midnight now so I guess I mean yesterday) Luke decided that he is interested in writing the letters of the alphabet. I have watched him draw pictures with such control of the pen, pencil, marker, crayon, etc that I know he has the ability to write the letters. I have been asking him almost daily when Rose is practicing her printing if he is interested in learning to write some letters and, until today, he has not wanted to. So, today, he sat down and printed several letters with such ease like he had been printing for months.

You know, he did something sort of similar to this when he started counting. It was right around his second birthday and he would always count, "one, two, one, two, one, two..." and I think sometimes he would throw in a "nine, ten." He had counted that way for a while and he showed no interest in counting any other way. Then, one day, out of the blue he counted to fifteen perfectly like it was no big deal. It was like he had known all along how to count correctly, but chose not to.

Rob's grandmother talks about how when Rob was little that she didn't remember him saying much at all until one day he walked up to her and spoke to her using complete sentences.

I can definitely see some similarities here.

Elmo's Green Thumb

Rose and Luke entered a coloring contest last week with the prize being dinner for 4 at Pagliai's (a local pizza and Italian restaurant with a play area for kids) and tickets for 4 to go see Elmo's Green Thumb at the RSEC. Well, Rose won for her age group and so yesterday we enjoyed her winnings.

A glimpse into the mind of a 3 year old

Luke is beginning to question how the world around him works. He is no longer taking it for granted that the things around him function every day. He now wants to know how and why they function. For example, the other day he asked where the hole in the toilet goes.

This morning at breakfast Luke looked over at me and said, "Mom, how do you eat babies?" At first, I was a little shocked by the question. You know, because it sounded a little cannibalistic. And Rose was giggling because of the absurdity of his question. Then, it hit me. We always say that when a woman is pregnant that she has a baby in her belly. So, I asked him if he was wanting to know how women get babies in their bellies. And that is exactly what he wanted to know. Well, I made sure that he understood that we, in fact, do not eat them. Then, I told him that God puts the babies in our bellies to grow until they are ready to be born.

Then, a few minutes after we cleared that up, Luke said, "Mom, when you die can I have your iron?" At the time, I was ironing some bead crafts that the kids had finished this morning. Then, before I could respond, he added, "and can I have your car too?" Now, is it just me, or is he a little young to be having these thoughts?

Just like that old time rock n roll

The beach soothes my soul. I'm glad the kids enjoy it too. Rob is not a big fan of too much sun exposure, but he digs playing in the waves. We went to Orange Beach, Alabama this summer and had a blast.

They might be good presents

We recently purchased 2 CD/DVD combos by They Might Be Giants for the kids. Here Come the ABCs & Here Come the 123s They are educational and fun which makes parents and kids happy.