Kids Say the Darndest Things...

That was the name of a TV show a long time ago, but if I had written down all the things I've heard kids say over the years in my classroom and daycare...well, I'd have a novel.

Snug just said "I swimming....like a duck" as I was turning on the laptop to post yesterday's pictures. I'm sitting outside with the computer so that he doesn't drown in his 6 inches of pool :o)

We are learning not to laugh out loud at what he says though, because it only encourages him. He has a vivid imagination these days. It is always interesting to see what he says about what he learned at church. We have a great Bible believing church that starts telling Bible stories and sharing the love of Christ starting in the toddler nursery. Snug knows/has heard many many Bible stories, but manages to retell them in a special way each and every week. For example, this week when asked what he learned, he told #1 (who just got off work as I am typing this...this story is literally minutes old) that God made us, but He gets sad. #1 asked why God gets sad and Snug replied "because the angels fight Spiderman". Really? I was standing outside the door (long story) during his story time and I know for a fact the story was about Rahab and the walls of Jericho.

FYI Snug has never seen the Spiderman movies or cartoons...he loves Spiderman because the boys I babysit for love Spiderman. If he saw the "real thing" it would scare his pants off.

Anyway, Saturday was one of the most relaxing days I've had in a long time. Unfortunately #1 wasn't home because it was his Saturday to work, but the boys and I had a good time nonetheless. I had seen a sign that said there was a parade in Cedarville in honor of Memorial Day. We decided to attend and arrived about 30 minutes early to ensure that we got a spot on the parade route...there were about 4 other people ready to watch so I figured I might have misjudged the um...magnitude? of the parade. We set our chairs down and went in search of my favorite coffee shop in the whole wide world.
I used to live with the owners of this particular coffee shop (Beans N Cream for those of you who live round here) my first three years of teaching. I stop in once in awhile to smell the coffee (which I don't drink), poke around, and catch up with the owners. While poking around I found they are now stocking soaps and such from a local artisan that are 100% natural and paraben free. Score! I will advertise for them after I try the soap...don't know if I like it yet. But if I do, I'll share it with you.

I also got a great compliment from the local barber when he saw Snug's hair. He had no idea I cut it myself but he told me whoever cuts his hair does a great job and that a fauxhawk on a toddler isn't easy and rarely done right. i was thinking his hair looked not so great and was thinking of shaving the rest off...maybe I'll rethink it. The pictures below show it after it had been in the hot sun for awhile and it looks even worse. At least he like it!
So back the the parade. It started 15 minutes late and lasted about 8 minutes total. Wow. Snug enjoyed it though because the boys baseball team threw him candy and there were lots of "woos".
These big signs were posted everywhere...you would think with the cost of advertising that the parade would have been a bigger event! If you notice Snug having his hand up "snapping" as it is in this picture once in awhile, it is because when I want to get Baby J's attention I snap and holler and dance around like an idiot trying to get his attention. Snug follows suit, so even if I get Baby J looking, then I get Snug snapping and yelling, and acting like and idiot like his mommy.

The afternoon was spend swimming like ducks in the pool with old containers.

And a great time was had by all! Baby J can crawl creep in the water super fast...and he falls in face first, pushes himself up, and keeps going. That's my boy!

Oh! One more thing, I wanted to show you what my $15 bought at garage sales yesterday. I got one Graco baby doll highchair (for Little Miss E and Mother Hen), a thing to keep Baby J in place in the tub (he has started to pull to a stand in the tub...oh so safe), a new set of measuring cups/measuring spoons (now that Baby J is eating again and I am making his food I run out of them quickly), a Bob the Builder dress up vest, large wooden (will be repainted I assure you) shelf, three bags of Legos*, one Thomas the Tank Engine railroad car, and another car that will fit on Snug's "new" train table when he gets it for his birthday!

*If you ever see Legos at a garage sale I advise you to snatch them up. Depending on what set you buy, (Mom I checked again...) Legos cost between 9 and 14 cents EACH. That means I got $72 "worth" of Legos for $3. They are only worth that if people are willing to pay that though. They are a great investment even if your kids are little because they don't wear out, are hard to break, and were invented in 1949...I'll say that is a true test of time. If you want to read the entire history of Legos, click here.

Blogging

Today's post is a reflection, a sorting out, and a healing for me. I thought about not even publishing it, there are times I blog, delete, and move on with life. Today though, I believe I will hit publish, as many of your heartfelt posts have been ointment to wounds I have had...and maybe this one will be for one of you.

A very dear friend, who does not read my blog (as you will pick up on soon), was poking a bit of fun at me being a stay-at-home mom, especially since I stay home and blog. She kept saying they had a name for me at her work...you know, those stay-at-home moms who blog. She didn't share what the term was, as her children and mine were playing together, but I didn't need to hear the derogatory term to be hurt. She only knows I even have the blog as I asked her permission in the past to post pictures of her children. She also thinks many of the cleaning/cloth diapering/environmentally friendly living things I get off of YOUR blogs are pretty dumb. She is a good enough friend that the comment will not destroy our friendship, and if it comes up again I will address the issue. Our friendship is not the point of the post.

The point of this post is to say, whether stay at home or working, blogging or anti-blog, we are all hard working moms. I feel personally that my job is at home with my children first and foremost. For those of you who have read my posts before you know I also work full-time out of my home (with less than part time pay) watching other people's children. If these moms didn't work, I'd be out of a job and back in the workforce.

Hats off to you working moms (not that being a stay-at-home mom isn't a working mom, but you know...working OUT of the home moms) who can do both well. I sit for a mom who does a phenomenal job of both. She is both one of the best teachers I ever worked with and has wonderful children and a great family life. I for one, was terrible at both. My classroom either was suffering because I was enjoying Snug and my husband, or I was absent from my family and consumed with work. Working both outside of the home and taking care of a home is an extremely daunting, challenging thing. Encourage those in your life who manage both...they are undoubtedly very tired and stretched.

Hats off to you stay-at-home moms. It isn't easy to live often paycheck to paycheck, find odd jobs to do (or have a hubby who is willing to take lots of overtime) so you can go on vacation, be home with no one to talk to hours at a time, and lose many of your former friends. I think being a stay-at-home mom is one of the loneliest things I've ever done. Thank goodness for Thursday library group, Friday playgroup, and my good friend Mindy (also runs a home daycare). My husband is also a huge support for me...he has to hear EVERYTHING after I've been home for 9+ hours by myself with several children. Encourage stay-at-home moms you know...their lives are not easy.

As for the blogging...I know it takes up time, and many working moms, or anti-blog people probably think it is time wasted. For me it is therapy...realaxing...and reflective. When I have had the chance to sit down and blog, or read other peoples' blogs, I am a better mom and wife. I often come away from the computer with more love for my children, appreciation for my husband, and new ideas to make cleaning and housework more enjoyable. It has certainly deepened my prayer life as I pray for others I don't even know, or rarely see. It has challenged my thinking in so many areas of life, and it has brought friends into my house where friends rarely enter.

Thank you to everyone who reads and comments on my blog. It makes me know that people out there enjoy my family and sometimes your comments put me in my place and make me remember what is truly important. Thank you!

Thank you to everyone whose blogs I read. From my friend Megan's (who you need to update more sister!) funny stories about her oldest, Carrie's blog that teaches me many new life skills, Erin's videos that let me see how her son is growing, to my cousin Melissa's blog that keeps me in touch with family I desperately miss. Thank you.

*There are many many more blogs I enjoy that I didn't mention...not because I don't love them...just didn't name them all. On the right hand side of my blog they are all listed in the order they have been updated. If I didn't list yours, it isn't because I don't like it...I only have ones listed that I love!

Alphabitty Moments

Once again Alphabitty moments is here...I didn't do it on Thursday as usual because I was really busy AND I couldn't get onto Mama Bear's Blog. Please go to her site (click the button for the exact link) and read everyone elses as they have really cute stuff going on!

M is for Miracles...

When Snug was born 6 weeks early, it was really hard to see him be sick and small. However, the nurses and staff were surprised at how quickly he bounced back and got to go home. It is very hard to leave the hospital without your baby.

Bringing him home was such a blessing...
And look at my preemie now!

When Baby J quit growing and was almost diagnosed with a lifetime disease, we were devastated. However, we believe his healing was also a miracle...

Within 24 hours of receiving the word that the doctors were 100% sure he had Celiac...this test (pictured above) showed another set of doctors that they were 99% sure he didn't.

And here is my chubby miracle this past weekend, he is now 18 lbs!

Every baby is a miracle from God. This week for us, M is for Miracles.

Wordless Wednesday...Same Space...Different Face

Sorry Snug's picture is so small anf grainy...I had to get it off of our Flickr account and that is the best I can do...any tips would be LOVELY. See you KNEW I couldn't do a wordless anything!

Virginia Beach, Days 3&4

Welcome back to more family photos than you ever wanted to see our vacation! I will wrap up our trip to Virginia Beach with this post.

If you missed Day 1, click here.

If you missed Day 2, click here.

I know, I took WAY too many pictures. Trust me, I deleted many, and you are not seeing all!

Day 3

Sunday morning when we got up it wasn't raining yet and the temperature was about 75 deg. After a quick breakfast we headed to the beach for a little more time in the surf...except the water may have been 65 degrees so we didn't go in.

#1 does Navy Seal workouts almost everyday as part of his being a personal trainer person now. I guess on their website they have people doing handstands all over the world on different beaches, and he wants to submit this one. Cool, huh?

Like father, like son!

Because we had only been on the beach many 20 minutes on Saturday, we didn't have any sand toys with us. We brought them down this time and sandcastles were constructed.

Snug just loved the beach. He was sad when it was time to go.

Day two of the beach wasn't as traumatic for Baby J. Although he doesn't take a paci anymore, except occasionally at church, we tried to have him use one at the beach to keep the sand out of his mouth!

That didn't last long at all.

Instead the paci was thrown to the wind towel and fistfuls of sand were inserted where it had been.

My job, besides being the photographer, was to keep it OUT of his mouth. I buried him in the sand which kept him busy for a bit.

He thought it was pretty funny!

We were disappointed not to have any sunshine, but we still had a great time out in the sand with the boys.

We decided to try and find the museum that we had originally planned on going to, and it was about an hour trip from the beach, but right off the highway we had to take home. It was pouring and freezing the entire trip. I made up wraps for lunch in the car and we ate in the parking lot. Our admission, because of our membership to Boonshoft, was free! The Virginia Living Museum was really nice, but I still like the Boonshoft the most of any museum we've taken the kids to.

Snug like to be a turtle. I think after seeing so many between the two museums we visited, he may have a new interest. Although it was freezing out and raining, I at least had the sense to pack jackets for both boys. Even though they are sporting tank tops in these pictures, they were dressed properly outside.

Baby J loved the honey bee exhibit. It kept his interest for a long time.

The touch and feel area was nice. They had an assortment of fish and crabs to interact with.

I think the aquarium viewing areas were really neat for Baby J. If you saw Day 1, you'll remember his interest in the sea turtle. Here he is staring at a large ugly fish!

I have a lot of red eye to fix before I get these pictures printed, but look how happy he is. This was in a woodland exhibit it is a "log".

In case you didn't know, it is the year of the frog...whatever that means!

After a quick family photo and a stop at McDonald's to get coffee, it was back on the road for us!

After driving a few more hours, we decided to find a place to stay for the night. Many things had been less expensive than we had anticipated, including hotel rooms. We decided to look for a hotel with a pool so the boys could actually swim. We ended up at this one and after #1 bartered for a while, and got a great price.

This hotel was nice. We didn't even fit in with the rest of the patrons. At all. I think we were the only people there in blue jeans. This room was so relaxing and beautiful. In the end #1 switched some things around so he didn't have to work at all on Monday (instead today he has to work a 14 hour shift :o( very nice of him) and we could enjoy this room a little more.

A full kitchen? Really? I mean, we packed most of our food to cut down on cost, but I'm pretty sure that the people who stay here don't do that...after reading the bookn hotel amenities, I found out that if you stay here they will do your grocery shopping for free and the maid does the dishes. I might move in there.

We picked up a pizza for dinner. I served it on the dishes that were provided, and even use stemware for root beer. You only live once. Besides, the maid does the dishes :o)

We used the pool for awhile, and it was a hit. Actually it was quite chilly, but Baby J didn't mind at all. It was like he didn't even notice it was turning his feet purple!

More red eye, sorry. Snug didn't like the cold pool. Well, he did, but he was shivering so hard he could hardly move. He kept jumping in and swimming to the side of the pool and then he'd like cramp up. Because the hot tub wasn't that hot #1 decided it would be safe to let him "swim" in there for a bit. That was more his speed. Baby J and I sat in the regular pool as I really didn't think it was safe for a baby, even though Snug was ok.

After swimming, Snug finished off his juice box. That was a big treat this trip, as he doesn't get juice very often. I guess taking the straw out and drinking it was easier.

Day 4

The morning started off slow and Snug enjoyed an episode of Dora on TV. I had to laugh because he doesn't understand TV as he doesn't watch syndicated TV hardly ever. Whatever he watches is a video or DVD. When I turned on the TV at Virginia Beach to find out the weather, he wanted to watch Dora or Bob and Larry. Of course, neither was on, but I couldn't figure out how to explain it to him. He just thinks whatever you want to watch is always on!

Baby J doesn't have an interest obsession with Dora, so he just cheesed for the camera.

When we went to breakfast (think Bob Evans, in the lobby) we were the ONLY ones whose children were still pajama clad, I was the ONLY woman who had wet hair, and #1 was the ONLY man in shorts. We got some seriously dirty looks. Some "you are so red neck we can only stare" looks. I thought maybe I was just being sensitive until #1 mentioned that the stares we were getting were less than polite.

Maybe it was that #1 and I were both sporting Harley Davidson T-shirts...or that Baby J's shirt said "Big Rig" (we had decided to stay at this nice place last minute...that was all we had to wear!). Everyone else was in slacks or skirts with designer tops and loafers. They were wearing what I wore to dinner on Saturday night for a hotel breakfast! They were not even business people, this was 9:30 am, and most were families. I would like to say that my two "red neck" children were the best behaved children in the place by far, even though after many days of less than normal sleep and no schedule, they their behavior was less than what was normally expected.

Ah, it was so fun!!!!!

The rest of the day was spent driving...and driving...and driving. We made two stops. One was in Radiator Springs (ok, not the name, but it should have been) West Virginia for gas. The gas pumps were from what we judged to be the early 70's. There was a little country store where we poked around for a bit. I should have taken a picture, but I just didn't. I could have lived there.

The next stop was at a gas station to use the restroom and get lunch prepared. Snug ended up throwing up his sandwich into a trash can because he was a bit car sick and maybe, just maybe, his mommy had been spinning him to make him happy because he was a bit grumpy. That was not a picturesque moment, so I didn't capture it.

I just leave you with a picture of the hotel grocery list, standard with every room. Hilarious.

Thanks for taking the time to enjoy our vacation with us!