Little Blessings

My children are such little blessings...I just love each of them for such different reasons. Tonight, Mike finally took my advice and started playing outside with the kids. We went into the backyard as a family (he even initiated it!) and played "soccer", put the babies on the swings, teeter-tottered (can you imagine Mike teeter-tottering?!?!) It was just so much fun. It's amazing how stress relieving just a little time outside as a family can be. It's my absolute favorite time.

Nigeria

Isn't technology great?!? My brothers are still in Nigeria and I already have pictures of them! It sounds like they are all doing great now that the team is over the initial flu that some of them caught somewhere between America and Africa. They are assembling and distributing wheelchairs and are helping out with The Hope Academy, and doing the finishing touches on a clinic that was being built during a previous mission...and they are reaching out to the Fulani people (including a new group!!!). What an awesome experience! I can't wait till it's my turn to go!...
My brother Nathan with a Fulani boy...I L-O-V-E this picture!

Malachi with Salihu...the boy that inspired Operation Wheelchair (or whatever the church ended up calling it...) getting new tires on his wheelchair from the last visit.

Post-Haircut Feelings

This is the perfect picture of how I feel- post haircut.

Haircuts

Between yesterday and today, four out of the six of us have gotten haircuts. I guess I'm on a haircut-kick. Yesterday, I buzzed Ethan which is pretty typical for spring. I decided to go to Supercuts today for my own haircut (where it's only $13 bucks to get a haircut!) and ended up with probably the WORST haircut I have ever had and I can't even put it up (maybe that's why it's $13 bucks? You get more "taken off"! I told Mike that he can just call me Butch from now on...)! Then I gave Danissa a trim to finally fix what I didn't like about her last cut...
And Cohen has had ONE trim (done by my mom) since last August, so I decided to try my hand at it *whew!* I'm actually somewhat proud...there's things I would change, but for the most part, I think it turned out fairly well for a first try! Around the ears is hard...I can definitely improve that part, and then after I was all done, I cut parallel with the hair to just get rid of the straight edges and "feather" it a little bit. For a before picture, feel free to scroll down a few posts....

Birthday BBQ and Apple Blossom

So Mike is officially 30 on wednesday, but we had a small BBQ for him yesterday, and we were able to sneak away from preparations for that long enough to hit the Kiddie Parade. Lots of Saturday fun!

Kiddie Parade

Danissa and Chezney on the canoe ride.
I think I have a picture like this of Ethan at every fair and carnival we go to every year!

All six of us squished into the spinning Bear...

Chezney wasn't too sure about that one...

My Husband

If you ever thought my husband was weird...this will prove it. This is not an altered photo...just a goofy guy...

What I Woke Up To

This morning, I woke up laying horizontal at the foot of my bed with a sweatshirt for a pillow and the short side of my comforter as my blanket. This picture is showing you what was taking my spot at the top of my bed...and Cohen is actually missing (he had been snuggled between Ethan and Danissa but got up when I went to get the camera). All of them had slept like that from about 2:30AM on! Chezney had been laying vertically till Mike got up for basketball (around 5:00am) and then she decided to claim even more space.

My Little Peanut

She's growing up...I've always told her that she's the baby that made me a mommy. It's hard to remember that she's supposed to be gaining her own opinions and personality...I have a hard time not telling her what to think. Gosh...this is getting harder!
(pictures from 2006)

Look What I Found At The Archives At Work...!

It's my sister, my mom and my dad!

Shun Shines and Twinkles

The twins have gotten into the habit of being rocked and sung to at night before bed. Only...they haven't been wanting to take turns so now all three of us squeeze into the rocking chair every night. It reminds me of when they were newborns. So sweet...but I miss the way we used to all...fit.
And by the way, the two songs that we sing are "You Are My Sunshine", requested by Cohen, and "Twinkle, Twinkle", requested by Chezney. Cohen is my backup singer during "You Are My Sunshine".
It goes something like this:
Me: "You are my sunshine..."
Cohen: "Shun shine"
Me:"my only sunshine."
Cohen: "Shun shine"
Me:"You make me happy..."
Cohen: "Appy"
Me: "when skies are gray."
Cohen: "Kies"
Me: "You'll never know, dear,"
Cohen: "Ear"
Me: "how much I love you."
Cohen: "Of you"
Me: "Please don't take...my sunshine...away."
Cohen: "Ray"
(almost EXACTLY two years later...)

Happy Belated Anniversary!

My parents had their 35th anniversary the other day. I have been searching my home, to no avail, for a picture of them when they were dating to put on this blog post, but alas, I cannot find one and I'm already now three days late! So, here's the best I can come up with. My parents, their children, and their children.

I am so thankful that my family is still intact. I am blessed to have the parents that I do, and just couldn't let this anniversary go by without a comment. I love you guys! All the way to 3-5! And since I am always telling my mom that I couldn't live without my parents, I will just say that I will enjoy watching the next 60 anniversaries that they have! =)

The Great Outdoors...well...kinda!

Yesterday, Mike and I completed probably our biggest project of the year. Last week, I weeded the growing jungle along the unused side of our house and then I laid down weed cloth. Then, yesterday, Mike borrowed a truck and we shoveled two yards of gravel. Whew! I also had pruned the backside of a tree that was up against a fence, and then put a semi-circle of cinder bocks around it, so we graveled that as well. It makes a great play area for the kids.
While we were working, the twins found a great little dirt spot that they broke out into a full blown mud hole. Woo...hoo...! I love yard work, though...so much fun!
Cohens dirty tooties...

Chezney hiding in the new "secret" spot...LOL...not quite so secret but the kids love it!

Vaseline Rice Krispy Treats

While I was at work yesterday, the twins got into a tub of Vaseline, covered themselves with it....and then proceeded to dump a brand new box of Rice Krispies out and roll in it. The Rice Krispies stuck to the Vaseline and they became living Rice Krispy Treats.
My question to you...
How do you remove Vaseline from hair?!?!
They have had two baths now and still look like greasy babies that haven't had a bath in a year. Very embarrassing!!!

On The Menu

Tonight was Salad Bar Night. The kids built their own salads and they LOVED it! They asked for this to become a weekly menu item, which I believe it will!

Shrub-Steppe 1st Grade Field Trip

Danissa's class went on a field trip to learn about native plants and animals yesterday. I wanted some pictures but couldn't devote the whole day to being up there, so Ethan and I took a quick hike up to the top to meet up with the class for just a little while. They caught bugs, learning about "scat", painted a Arrowleaf Balsomroot among other things.

Here's Ethan on the hike up....

How's this for a classroom?!?!

The painting station....

Ethan getting to paint, too....

Where, Oh Where?

Where, oh where are my babies?
OH! There's one!
Where, oh where is my other baby?
OH! There's that one, too!

A Daddy-Photography Moment

I was gone at my Beth Moore bible study on Daniel the other night and Mike was keeping an eye on the kiddos. He hadn't heard anything from Chezney in awhile, so he went in and found this...and took a picture...she fell asleep like that!

Then he took off the blanket she had wrapped around herself to get a better picture...

Dada-Coco Fun

Daddy and Cohen love their tickle time together in the evenings. Mike loves getting the kids wound up and rough-housing with them...and I love to watch! Very cute!

Cohens Names

Cohen finally has a name for each of his immediate family members. Here is about how it sounds:

Mike: "Cohen, say Daddy."

Cohen: "Dada."

Mike: "Say, Mommy."

Cohen: "Mama."

Mike: "Cohen, say Ethan."

Cohen: "Eat-en"
Mike: "Say Danissa."
Cohen: "Cha-cha"
Mike: "Say Chezney."
Cohen: "Cha-cho"
Mike: "Say Cohen."
Cohen: "Coe-coe"
So we have a Coe-coe, a Cha-cha, and a Cha-choe!

Easter Pictures

The pictures I tried to take of all four kids didn't turn out because at one point or another, they all were misbehaving, so here is the the individual pictures...
Danissa hated the bright glare of the...gray sky...so this one was taken with me counting to three, and her quickly opening her eyes.

This was the best picture of Ethan by far...he was being a TOTAL poop!

This was just too "Chezney"...I had to include it. I did get some better ones of her but this was just too much like her. I had to pick it!

Cohen wouldn't sit there without holding his car, and having Chezney beside him....

A Contemplative Good Friday

What was I thinking...having my sons first service he's ever really attended be a Good Friday service? I think I need parental counseling! This is a service of complete silence, little fidgeting, hardly any clearings of throats, ...and I brought my son!?
Lets start with the fact that during the reflective thought felt prayer from Pastor Scott, my son decided it would be a great time to *literally* lift his butt cheek in the pew and fart. Mike and I both gave the kids glances and shaking our heads trying to keep them from laughing or making any comment on the subject.
THEN, Pastor John explained the unusual (for our church) communion process we would be doing, and for the children who have NOT professed faith in Christ and asked for forgiveness, instead of partaking in communion, they can take a grape from the plate as a futuristic symbol of faith. In our pew, Ethan lets out this big huff, folds his arms, and says "I'm allergic to grapes!" just because he wants to take communion....and off to the nursery we went.
What was I thinking....? I think we started out with the thought of a learning experience for the kids and ended with a learning experience for the parents.

What is it about mammas-boys?

When Ethan was little...probably about the age Cohen is now, he would panic any time his mommy startled him. If I sneezed, he would make sure I was okay: "otay, mommy? otay?" If I jumped into a pool, he would start crying until I came up again and assured him I was okay.
Now Cohen is asking "otay, mama? otay?" at every sneeze, sniffle, of cough I make. It cracks me up and it's the sweetest thing...but I find it strange that neither of my girls have ever done that.

2 Year Olds

My babies turn two today. They have accomplished so much in just two years...we have been so blessed. But it's sad. Sometimes the last time you do something, or the last time you have something, it goes by without you even realizing it. And sometimes, it goes by- staring you right in the face. Today, at 4:31pm and 4:35pm, I will have my last moments of being a mommy of one year olds. I will never have a one year old for the rest of my life. It's so strange to watch these moments go by so quickly...
Happy birthday babies!

Technological Babies

I don't believe in kids mixing with media and electronics too much...especially at this age...but Cohen tends to disagree and find them anyway!

Evenings At Our House...

The kids favorite bedtime treat is to lay in our bed and watch a movie. We stick to classics (mostly)...almost all the movies the kids watch are made before 1985. Even a DVD of 150 black and white cartoon classics (which they call the silly movies). That's their favorite, which is fine by me. This week we have introduced The Never Ending Story. Normally that would be questionable but we're starting to venture into movies that do contain SOME bravery and swordmanship- but still keep it contained. Last week I let them watch Princess Bride which I later decided may have been a little too real of sword fighting (when the guy actually gets stabbed in the chest...) but they still did okay with it. Anyway...just a peek at my kiddos enjoying eachothers company....

Simple Pleasures

Cohen never ceases to be amazed by the vents blowing in our home. It cracks me up...winter or summer, you can find him sitting on top of it, letting the "wind" blow his hair or with his feet over it getting warmed up.

Chocolate Goodness

We decided to get the kids sundays from DQ the other day....great idea! And yes...that IS her icecream plopped onto the table top!

One Little Bunny

Danissa has never really questioned "Santa Claus". I've been waiting but it hasn't happened. Today, she was thinking in the back seat of the car and said "Mom...is there really an Easter Bunny? I mean...how does one little bunny get all the way around the world in one night?" I thought this was funny....I expected those exact words out of her for quite some time but never regarding the Easter Bunny. Just cracks me up...