3.29.2010

Dramatic Black and White at I ♥ Faces

This girl is a big ball of drama.  The contest at I ♥ Faces this week is Dramatic B&W.  This girl should have her photo next to the definition of dramatic.  There was a little girl, without a little curl, right in the middle of her forehead.  And when she was good she was very, very good and when she is bad, she was horrid.  
It's a poem my sister used to mess up when we were little but is pretty suiting.  I just love her.  She has a spunky spirit and is NOT afraid to tell you what she is feeling.  Her eyes are just so beautiful!  This shot was taken on our last Sunday at the old church.  We sure do miss this face! 

A Couple Birthday Shout Outs...

Happy Birthday my sweet Julia Faith.  I love you so much.  I hope your 6th birthday is your best one to date.  You mean the world to Uncle Brian, Michael, Carter and me.  We just can't get enough of you.  Happy Birthday you Big girl!!!!  Love you!  
Happy 30th to you Kimmy!  I am so glad I have you!  I don't know what I would do without you.  Thank you for being Aunt to my dudes.  They just love you!  We appreciate EVERY THING you do for us!  Love you Kimmy!!!!!



3.26.2010

What. The. Heck.

So Pat and Todd came this evening to celebrate Carter's birthday.  It was PORING down rain all day and most of the evening.  We had an interesting situation during supper.  At about 8:30 Brian says "Honey?"  "Yes?" I say.  "Hurry up and look outside."  I'm kind of freaking because of the aforementioned incident.  I slowly and cautiously approach the front door to find S-N-O-W!  On the ground.  Accumulating.  My poor little plants aren't going to make it.  I have no idea what's planted out there and now, I may not find out till next spring.  Really?  Two days before Carter's big party?  What.  The.  Heck?  :º)

3.22.2010

Two

It's official, this little jaundice baby just turned two.  He showed up 3 weeks early and made the perfect addition to our family.  

Carter Baby, you are so wonderful.  You are so feeling.  So caring.  So empathetic to everyone.  You never let anyone cry alone.  When someone cries, you cry with them.  If your brother hurts himself, you run to the wall, conk your head and come holding your head with your fake cry.  I just love that.  I look at you every day and can not believe how much you have grown.  I can't believe how tall you are or how much your legs look just like your Papa's.  I love how you stand when you eat too much sticking your belly out so you look like an old man.  I love your crazy, straight long hair.  I love how you go to bed with one hairdo and wake up with crazy bed head.  I love your laugh.  I love the things you find funny.  I love how you count before you say "GO!" when you want to race.  I love how you call me Mama and Mommy.  I love how you kiss the phone when you are ready to get off.  I love how you love everyone.  I love how you still want me when you are sad, tired, scared or hurt.  I love how ornery you are when you know someone is watching.  I love watching you act just like your brother.  I love how you call Michael "Buzzue" (Brother) when you see him.  I love the time I get to spend with you when Michael is in school.  I love watching you swing.  I love how hard you laugh when Daddy and I push you in the swing.  I love it when you run.  I love it how we only have to mention a bath before you start taking off your clothes.  I love it how you ask for a bath every time we change you.  I love it how you climb on the potty and say "pee pee" at every opportunity.  
I love watching you explore.  I LOVE how excited you get when you see the cows next door.  I love how you yell "BOO" at them till they moo back.  I love how you enjoy our new home.  I love watching you jump.  I love that you trust us to catch you every time.  I love watching you try new things.  I love how you sing while we eat lunch.  I love the way you use your imagination.  I love the way you need all three of your blankets to sleep.  I love the adventure in you.  I love how you put on a bike helmet to ride a concrete donkey.  I love who you are becoming.  I love who you are.  I love it when you take my hand and lead me to what every you can't communicate.  
I love how you licked your birthday cake.  I love your attitude.  I love everything about you Carter Baby!  I love how everyone we know calls you Carter Baby.  Happy Birthday my little man.  I LOVE YOU!!!!  I can't wait to see what this year brings us.  

3.12.2010

These Two

Make beautiful babies and are having another!  This girl has been my life long friend.  I don't know who I would be today without her in my life.  As babies, we played in paper bags together and fell in love.  We have been friends ever since.  Gwenn Bresslauer is the best cousin in the entire world.  I am so excited for them.  I can't wait to meet my new niece or nephew!  It's looking like another October birthday but we shall see.  Gwenn hasn't had a baby on time thus far, why should she start with number 4?  :ºD

Gwenn, I just love you!  I was TOTALLY not kidding when I said I'd come take care of you.  It may take me some time to get there but...if you need me, I'll be there!  CONGRATULATIONS to you and yours!!!!!!!

3.08.2010

Look Mommy!

Michael and I had a day together on Saturday.  We went up to Mansfield, had lunch at Taco Bell and went shopping at Bed, Bath and Beyond.  At Taco Bell, we got to sit at the tall table and Michael was so excited that it was only for one, two people.  At B, B and B, we bought some bowls for our picnic basket that came in a mesh bag.  When we got home and took the bowls out to wash them Michael put this on his head and said "Look Mommy!  I'm one of those ladies that make food!!!"  My son is proud to be a lunch lady. 
Thank you Michael for the special afternoon!!!!

3.05.2010

The New View

This is from the front door.  There are REAL kids that live across the street!!!!


And this is the view from our dining room.  They have cows and Clydesdales.  It's an Amish farm right next to the church.  Carter LOVES them.  "Boo!  Boo Mommy!  BOOO!"  That means he saw a cow.  He makes the noise a horse makes when they push air out like a raspberry when he sees the horses.  And if I don't acknowledge him fast enough he grabs my hand and says "Lets go!" and pulls me to see what ever he was telling me about.  We have horses and cows on either side.  I'm sure the summer is going to smell AWESOME!  :º)  Either way the wind blows...we get it.  Anyway, he loves them and booos all the day long.
For the record, Clydesdales make cows look puny.  They can move too!  I saw a couple working the field today and others just running.  Beautiful.

Also, this house is wearing my kids faster than anywhere they've ever been.  They are READY when nap time comes and if it's close to 8:00 pm they are begging to get in bed.  I can't wait till they can run outside too!  That slide has been taunting poor Michael since we got here.  He is STOKED!  

3.01.2010

Today is the Day

  Well, Time's up here in Woodsfield.  Later today, a moving truck will show up in our driveway, pack up everything we own and show up in Fredericktown tomorrow.
  It was an emotional day yesterday.  Brian did the first church by himself, I joined him for the second and the boys, Kimmy and Regan joined us for the third.  Kimmy came to the middle service toward the end so we could all say goodbye to the folks at Moffett-Fletcher.  All was well till Pappy picked up Carter to snuff the candles at the end of the service.  Carter happily went with him and helped him like the big boy he is.  When they turned around, John's face was so hard to look at.  His chin was quivering and showed so much pain.  We have been so loved here.  John and Carolin have been watching the boys every Monday for over a year and have become so close to them, and in turn, to us.  They have acted parents to Brian and I and have taken our children for weekends at a time and never let us pay them a single penny.  Michael has been calling John Pappy for longer than he ever called him John.
  Their granddaughter, Regan, has been Michael's best friend here.  We have had Reg here for the last two days and when it came time for her to leave she kept stalling.  Since we were still packing, I told her she could take Michael with her and she quickly went with her Mother and Michael.  As I was putting Michael to bed he was extremely whiney and when he finally let it out he started crying.  I asked him why and he kept shrugging.  Finally he said, "I'm just so sad cause Regan left."  He broke my heart.  I reassured him that it is okay to cry and that is exactly why Mommy and Daddy were crying this morning.  He said "Yeah." then sobbed some more.  People say that kids don't understand.  People who say things like that don't have a Michael.  My big boy is so amazing.  I love his loving heart.  I told him sometimes we have to leave people we love to start a new adventure and that Regan isn't gone forever.  We will still visit with her and she and her family will visit with us.
  When Michael started whaling, Carter woke from a deep sleep to cry with his brother.  He is so empathetic.  Whenever Michael cries, Carter cries too.  He's so feeling.  I hope my boys stay so loving and feeling for their whole lives.  I want them to know that it is ALWAYS okay to love like this.
  I have to thank my friends who stepped up on Saturday.  Brian had a district retreat scheduled for this Friday and Saturday long before we found out we were moving.  I am SO grateful for Kimmy, Christine and Molly.  The 4 of us accomplished so much in the time they were here.  Kimmy has been planning on coming for about 3 weeks but Molly and I decided the other day that Saturday would be a great time for D and M to come play with Michael and Carter one last time.  D was the biggest kid in preschool last year and Michael was the smallest.  They were instant buds.  M is about 6 months older than Carter.  It has worked very well for us.  Kim and I were working in the kitchen when they got here so Molly jumped right in!  We were working our way through the left over packing when I got a call from Regan asking if we were home.  I invited them RIGHT over!  Christine and Regan came straight from a funeral and also jumped right in.  Regan went right to playing and Christine started cleaning my stovetop in heels.  I have amazing friends here and couldn't have done all this without them.  Thank you Kimmy!  Thank you Molly!  Thank you Christine!  I love you all so much.
  Thank you Woodsfield for your hospitality and constant reminder that fast isn't always best.  We have learned to slow down and enjoy life again.  We needed that.  We have learned that roots are so important.  People here have a work ethic like none I have ever seen.  They are amazing and take pride in EVERYTHING they do!  Thank you Greenbrier!  Thank you Moffet-Fletcher!  Thank you Chapel Hill!  You have been so wonderful to us and we will ALWAYS remember you.  Thank you.
  Now that my cheeks are dry again, I better get back to work.