Living Life One Cheerio at a Time

Can you believe the baby is ONE! We celebrated with donuts for breakfast! The kids sang happy birthday. That morning the little man said "TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY!"  The next day, "TODAY IS NOT YOUR BIRTHDAY!" Child #2 was saddened that the baby was just another number. She didn't grown by leaps and bounds over night or learn to walk or fly or whatever #2 thought the baby was going to do from 11 months to one year. But here's the baby...all cute and 1

Okay! I know I am a bit on the goofy side! Some may call me a dork. As everyone knows we have a talking Jesus doll. I got him a few years back at a Children's Pastor's Conference. The kids love him and love to dress him or send him on dates with barbie all the time. I thought it would be fun if I would take pictures of Jesus on our travels this spring/summer.  We'll see if its as funny as it is in my head. So for the first installment of traveling with Jesus..... A few miles from my parents home is the town of Payne. My husband always likes to say "I have to go through PAYNE to see my in laws." hahahaha  So he thought it would be funny to have Jesus go through Payne, too.

James 1:19 "My dear brothers,take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry." Ever have those moments when you know what you just read or head was JUST for you. Where it was like an arrow to your ears and your heart. And nothing else said or done that day mattered because all you could focus on was what made your heart pound. I had that moment on Saturday night. Our church has been studying the book of James. Pastor Andy was speaking and he read James 1:19. It was like the world stopped. It was just for me. He was speaking just to me. And frankly I don't know what else he said because this portion of scripture just kept swirling in my head.  As you can imagine having 4 kids and a BUSY husband it can get a bit crazy around here. But  that is no excuse for the tone of voice I use when speaking to the hubs or the cheerio gang. I am notorious for saying to the cheerio gang (when the noise level is on...

Child #1  came down wearing an outfit that I did not approve. Usually I am pretty laid back about what they wear, but this was was not appropriate to head outside in let alone to church. So she promptly went to her sister and then told me, "I like her sense of fashion better so I knew she'd like my outfit." I still made her change. And this is the 3rd and final choice. Not sure what little Mr. Thomas the train is doing but he sure wanted to get in on the picture. #2 wanted nothing to do with pictures today. Her outfit is something else. Gotta love their choices!

There was a basket of laundry unfolded sitting on the family room floor for a few days. The littlest started helping in the best way an almost 1 year old can. AND then she wanted to play her favorite game...PEEK A BOO! Where's the baby?  There she is Where's the baby? There she is! Psalm 66:1  "Shout  with joy  to God, all the earth!"

One day last week the middles had just about severed my last nerve. I sent them outside for some fresh air. I looked out the window, while I was doing the dishes and this is what I saw. She's holding his hand and they are swinging together. She was helping him swing since he doesn't know how to "pump" yet. OH, those two! I just pray that their special relationship continues forever!

The middles are quite  a pair. #2 is such a mother hen. She loves to mother all the kids. She's kind and compassionate. Since she was little she's always laughed in the face of danger. Little man is coming into his personality  I love to see little glimpses of who he will be. He's funny and enjoys his laid back let others take care of me lifestyle. We will see how that plays out when #2 goes to Kindergarten next year.

Dear Monday, If you were trying to friend me on Facebook I would not accept. If you were for some strange reason already my friend, I would block you. You and I are really not friends more like acquaintances because we each know the weekends. BUT today oh Monday, today you've really done me wrong. Mondays have always been touch and go. You've always been rough on my kids. Having daddy home for 2 days then forcing them back to work/school/and seeing mommy all day. Today has been a particularly rough day. At one point the 3 youngest were all crying for different reasons. And to be honest I wanted to cry too! And in between the tears my house began to look like a tornado...these are the days I despise my lack of house keeping skills. This is a photo documentation of what my house really looks like on Monday between tears, diaper changes regression from bottle boot camp, and small naps. Laundry...so much laundry This is clean laundry. That may or may not get folded...

Its hard to believe that  she's going to be a year old in 2 weeks. She's been doing well with the bottle boot camp the last few weeks. She's enjoying lots of big people food. Starting to push the stroller a  little on her own. It won't be long and she'll be walking!