Ten Years

Friday marked mine and Chris' tenth wedding anniversary. Wow! Suddenly, we're not newlyweds anymore (and I don't feel so young anymore, either)!
I've heard people say that marriage keeps getting better and better, and I really believe that's true. All the experiences we've shared in the last ten years continue to solidify our relationship and make it stronger. God continues to bless us with laughter, friendship, and love. Here are some photos from our wedding and highlights from the past ten years:

We spent our first Christmas as a married couple at Disney World...

2004- Celebrating 5 Years in Aruba

The Day Nicholas Was Born

Our Eighth Anniversary, Dec. 2006
(I had just found out I was pregnant with Daniel!)

The Day Daniel Was Born, Aug. 2, 2007

Our Tenth Anniversary,
Taken just before dinner last night! (Chris surprised me with flowers.)

Picture with Santa

Unexpectedly, we ended up at the mall tonight (Our planned trip to "Bethlehem Walk" was a bust- it was so busy that there was no parking!), and decided to let the boys visit Santa. Daniel started out crying, as he usually does when I hand him off to someone else, but eventually smiled when the photographer played peek-a-boo with him. Nicholas was delighted and told Santa he wanted a Transformer for Christmas. On the way home he said, "Dad, Santa sure was a nice man."

Why you should never ask a three-year-old a hypothetical question...

A recent conversation with Nicholas:
(This was at the end of a very frustrating day, during which Nicholas antagonized Daniel repeatedly.)
Me: Nicholas, when will you learn to be kind to your brother?
N: (thinking hard) Probably in a couple more days.

Despite the frustrations, I believe these two are becoming the best of buddies. They definitely enjoy loving on each other for the camera! Here are some recent photos:


And, a few of Nicholas in his Buzz Lightyear costume that I bought at Target for $4 after Halloween!

THanksgiving

My dad came to visit from Mississippi for Thanksgiving this year. The boys had fun with Granddad Randy. Here are some photos from Thursday and our trip to Maymont on Friday.

(Playing football in the yard while waiting for Thanksgiving dinner to be ready)

















Everyone loved feeding the goats!

November "Funnies"

Wow! It has been far too long since my last post...
Nicholas has been quite the comedian the past few weeks. Here are some of his recent "funnies:'

• (During a conversation I was having with him about the First Thanksgiving...)

Bev: The pilgrims didn't have grocery stores. Where do you think they might have gotten their food?"
Nicholas: From the refrigerator!

• (Right before I was going to spank him for disobeying...)

Nicholas: Wait! I mean you no harm! (This was a line from a Buzz Lightyear book we have. Needless to say, I couldn't help but crack up.)

In case you didn't hear, he took his first trip to the ER on Wednesday after biting (almost) through his lower lip in the Chick-fil-a play area. There was quite a bit of blood involved, and we weren't sure if he'd need some stitches. Turns out, he's going to be fine and no stitches were needed. I think Nicholas enjoyed the trip to the hospital. The kind nurses gave Buzz Lightyear an i.d. bracelet and treated him for a broken leg. As my sister-in-law Erin said, we may have quite a few trips to the ER in our future with two boys!

Daniel is really starting to respond to books. While reading From Head to Toe, I said, "I am a penguin and I turn my head. Can you do it?" He replied, "Ike d'it!" (I can do it!) He is very interested in animals (especially giraffes) and seems to like his animal books the best.

Until next time, have a great Thanksgiving!

Those Heart-Melting Moments

Sometimes, you just have one of those moments that melts a mom's heart. This morning, Nicholas climbed into the rocking chair in Daniel's room and asked if Daniel could sit with him there. When I put Daniel beside him, Nicholas proceeded to pick up a book and started "reading" as D-Bear listened with rapt attention. Afterwards, they rubbed heads affectionately. It was such a sweet moment, and I'm so thankful that God uses those special times to remind us of what a blessing it is to be a parent. In the midst of all the chaos, it's easy to be focused on the disobedience, messy house, and all that needs to be done. What a loving Father we have to let us delight in our own children! And, how much more He must love us- more than we can even imagine.

It's gotten pretty chilly this week. A couple of days ago, we went out to play, and the boys looked so cute in their winter caps that I couldn't resist snapping a couple of pictures:

Momma is the sweetest name.

This week, Nicholas started calling me Momma. (It used to be "Mom.") For some reason, there is something about that that just melts my heart. I'm finding I have more patience when he prefaces a question with "Momma..." (even if it's the same question he's been asking over and over for fifteen minutes).

Daniel is walking all over. I have a feeling I will soon be chasing after him in the stores, park, and house. Nicholas only just stopped running away from us about 3-4 months ago, so it's been a short break. At least I've taken up running this year, so I can keep up with him! Here are some recent pics from our (second) trip to the pumpkin patch:

Something about the half-birthday

Okay, so I need to know: Has anyone else experienced a change in their child(ren) around the half-brithday? I was so relieved that Nicholas was obeying more frequently and seemed to be maturing since he turned three. Well, all of a sudden, we're back to the tantrums and disobedience! I was baffled until I read an article in Parents magazine that said that kids usually alternate between contentment and struggles every six months. Then it occurred to me that Nicholas just had his half-bd last weekend! Is this for real?

A Busy Weekend

Whew! This past weekend was so busy. This time of year is just bursting with activities. I took the boys to the pumpkin patch on Thursday. (But we'll go back with Chris again soon.) On Friday, we all went to the zoo, and Saturday was a Junior League event called "Touch-a-Truck." This was awesome! About 30 giant trucks were parked in a lot, and the kids were able to climb in, on, and all around them. Of course, Nicholas had a blast, and I think Daniel enjoyed all the goings-on as well. Here are some pics:

The Worst Dinner (and other stories from the week)

Ever fixed a simply disastrous dinner? Well, I have several times, but before the other night, it had been a while. On Wednesday, I decided to make something "fun"- fried chicken fingers. My mom has a recipe using panko bread crumbs, and it's pretty tasty, and since I'd been fixing boring things like asparagus and salmon prior to this, I thought it might be a crowd-pleaser... Well, I'll give you a tip: Make sure the chicken is completely defrosted before breading and frying. In my case, the outside was practically burnt, but my dear (and incredibly patient) husband bit into a raw chicken finger. Not only that, but the shells I'd made as a side tasted funny for some reason. So, that left us with salad. In the old days, we probably would have just laughed and ordered a pizza, not minding the 45 minute wait, but with two hungry little fellows at the table, I was forced to pull out some leftover lasagna. (Yes, Erin, I was talking on the phone to you while this dinner diaster occurred, and I learned my lesson about multi-tasking!)

Updates on the boys from the week:

• Daniel's favorite book is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. (This is pretty funny considering it's about a caterpillar who eats and eats, but is always hungry- like Daniel!) When I was reading it to him, I paused on, "On Monday, the caterpillar ate through one..." and he said, "Apple!"
• Apparently, my child is in no hurry to walk. He has taken steps, and can walk, but drops down to crawl when he wants to get around.
  
• Nicholas was giving Chris a very sweet hug following his nap today. He said, "I really like hugging you. I could hug you ALL day, Dad!" Then, a moment later, "I could hug you twice a day!"
• We made a scarecrow and hung it up in our kitchen this week. I didn't know how much Nicholas enjoyed this project until he said, "I just love my scarecrow, Dad. Don't you?"(By the way, this was a shape review. I cut out squares, rectangles, a triangle and circle for N. to glue together.)

My sister-in-law, Erin, told me about a very cute blog of a mom who uses Bible verses to teach her child the letters of the alphabet. This week, we did the letter I (I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalms 139:14) Here's the blog for other ideas: http://impressyourkids.wordpress.com.
If you've found/thought of any other great ways to teach your kids scriptures, please send them my way!

Finally better!

A week ago, Daniel spiked a high fever (104.8), and I had to take him to the ER! He continued to run a fever for four days. Turns out, it was a virus, which, thankfully, cleared up on Wednesday.

Daniel's added a couple of words to his vocabulary recently: apple, nana (banana), mah (more), and tck (truck). Very fun to hear that sweet little voice actually speaking words!

Nicholas surprised me last week by showing me his drawing of a caterpillar. It really looked like one (and I didn't think the child had any artistic inclinations)!

Here are some recent pics of the boys in their new matching outfits. So, maybe it's a little cheesy, but I'm going to dress them alike as long as I can get away with it!

A Case for Homeschooling

I officially started homeschooling Nicholas last week. We're keeping it pretty simple this year, since much of a formal preschool would involve socialization and sensory activities. It's been a blast so far! We're doing learning games, crafts, and cooking, and I get to put my teacher hat back on when I plan. I'm enjoying this time of fun activities. My goal is to always keep it fun, but this is a special age, when everything is new and exciting.

Many of you already know that we are planning to homeschool. The reactions we've gotten have ranged from, "That's wonderful!" to "Why on earth would you do that?" Homeschooling is pretty popular around here, but I still get asked when Nicholas is going to preschool regularly. I don't think there's anything wrong with preschool (or public/private schooling); we've just decided that this is what's best for us and our boys.

Chris and I are both products of the public school system. One of us loved school so much, she made teaching her profession. The other, well, hated it, but still excelled upon entering college. Despite our differing experiences, we agree that school can take the most enthusiastic of learners and squelch the excitement. It was something I saw over and over again in the classroom- kids entering kindergarten were beyond excited, and couldn't wait to start school. But, by the age of seven or eight, many had lost all interest. I think this is especially common with boys. Boys are innately active, and expecting them to sit in a desk and do worksheets much of the day is just unreasonable. Even in my room, where I tried to incorporate as much active learning as possible, there was still boredom. The brighter kids already knew much of what I was teaching, and the struggling students were often left behind. I mean, how could any teacher meet the individual needs of every single student? Is there any way that teaching one-on-one could compare with a ratio of 20:1? 25:1?

The biggest concern on everyone's mind seems to be the social aspect, and I agree that being in a classroom/large group settting is important. Nicholas is attending church about twice a week, soccer class once a week, and has several playdates mixed in as well. For those of you who still think of homeschooled kids as "freaks," I have two words for you: Tim Tebow.

Hopefully this post has answered some of the questions you didn't want to voice about why we're doing it. We have no doubts that it will be challenging at times, and I'm sure there will be ups and downs, but I guess the bottom line is that God's given me an opportunity to teach my children at home, and has certainly given me the desire to do it. What better reason could there be?

End of Summer

It was a 90 degree day today (pretty hot for September), so we took the boys to play in the fountains. I guess it was our goodbye to summer. I really noticed a difference in Daniel since the last time we were there a couple of months ago. He dove right in! Here are some pictures from the afternoon:

First Soccer Class

Nicholas had his first soccer class today! (It's not a league, but a class to teach him skills, and get the kids used to dribbling, etc.) The class is located in an indoor-sports complex, so Nicholas spent much of the time looking around and taking it all in. His teacher, Coach Terri, was wonderful with the group (about ten three-year-olds), especially considering that she looked to be about 7-8 months pregnant! It was fun to watch him run around, and he was clearly exhausted afterward. He ran up to us and exclaimed, "That was fun!" When I asked him what his favorite part was, Nicholas said, "Playing soccer!" (Well, I can't say he's the most detail-oriented child.)
I forgot my camera, but will include pictures soon.

Look Who's Walking!

Daniel took his first steps (more than just one) yesterday! As Chris came in the door from work, Daniel walked across the kitchen to greet his dad. I have a feeling he's still going to be doing a fair bit of crawling until he gets more comfortable on his feet, though!

There's no place like home! (back from the beach)

Well, our first family vacation has come to an end... We headed down to Virginia Beach on Wednesday, and spent two nights there. The weather couldn't have been more perfect, but the best part was watching the boys' first reactions to the ocean. Daniel was a bit apprehensive at first, making whimpering sounds, but enjoyed it quite a bit the second day, eventually laughing each time the surf came up and tickled his baby toes. Nicholas immediately started doing "karate"to the waves and saying things like, "I'm going to get you, sea!" In reality, it was more like the sea was chasing him- he kept running away each time the waves crashed.

The only downside was getting the boys to sleep each night. It was after nine by the time they were both out, and I'm sure the huge chocolate ice cream cone Nicholas ate after dinner didn't help.

We spent Friday morning at the Virginia Aquarium, petting rays, and watching sea turtles and sharks. Both boys had a blast there. Check out our family photos (link at left) to see them in action.

Despite the fun, we were all ready to be back at home, eating home-cooked meals, and sleeping in our own beds. There truly is no place like it!

"Nigh -Nigh"

Well, it's official: DANIEL SPOKE HIS FIRST WORDS! Last Tuesday evening, I was taking him up to bed, and Chris said, "Night night, Daniel." Daniel looked at him and replied, "Nigh nigh." He then told Nicholas (who was absolutely thrilled by this) the same thing.

He's been saying Mama and Dada for two or three months, and we thought we heard him say a couple of other words, but other than that, this is the first thing he's repeated (and said again the next night!). So, I guess it's official~ our baby's talking.

Things just ain't the same as they used to be!

Although we've been parents for over three years now, every once in a while Chris and I have one of those moments when we realize that things just ain't what they used to be. For instance, before we had kids, a typical Saturday for us would go something like this: lie in bed as long as we wanted, get up and have a leisurely breakfast while devouring every word of the paper, go the gym for about two hours, come home (or to the pool in the summer) and read for a while outside, then eventually get showered and go out to dinner and maybe a movie. Now, it's more like: waking up to crying/playing sounds at six, trying to catch a front page story and down a cup of coffee while cutting up strawberries/feed baby/refill cereal and juice... You get the picture.

This past Saturday, we were getting our carpets cleaned and needed to be out of the house for an hour or two, so we decided to venture out and do something we haven't done in months- take the boys out to breakfast at Cracker Barrel. I don't know what we expected, but it was basically the same scenario described above, just at a restaurant instead of our own table. Daniel was fine as long as we kept plenty of food coming his way, but Nicholas spent much of the meal pouting because his fork was too big. (It actually was fine- I completely blame myself for this because I said, "Oh, I should have brought a smaller fork for you!" BIG mistake!) About halfway through, Chris and I looked at each other, laughing, and thinking the same thing: Things sure have changed!

After the meal, I took Nicholas to the bathroom. Ever tried to pee while using your leg to prevent a three-year-old from opening the stall door?

No, things aren't the same, and I'd by lying if I said I didn't miss the old life from time to time, but I adore my boys, and life sure isn't boring nowadays!

Speaking his own language

I think all kids have a language of their own. Here are some of Nicholas' cute phrases (translation following each):

• I'm drinky! (I'm thirsty.)
• I got-for my car. (I forgot my car.)
• This is my brother, Sanyel. (This is my brother, Daniel.)

I'll admit that we could correct these if we tried hard enough, but wouldn't perfect language mean that he's all grown up? (Actually, we have started getting him to say his brother's name correctly, but he's already formed the habit of calling him Sanyel.)

Speaking of Daniel, I swear he said "yogurt" the other day when I asked who wanted some at lunchtime. Chris and Nicholas heard it, too! This morning, he said "banana" clear as day. It's no great surprise, if you know my baby, that his first words involve food. :-)

Sick again!

I have very little patience with colds! I know that they are a fact of life, but I think that having children with colds is 100 times worse than just having one myself. Wiping runny noses and being semi-confined to the house is no fun. I will say that it's much better being sick in summer than in winter. At least we can play outside!

When is the pizza guy coming?

I have to admit that when I heard about people I know starting blogs, my first thought was, "Wow, they must have a lot of time on their hands!" Well, here I am, starting one myself, and maybe I have too much time on my hands, but I'd like to think it's actually because I want to share cute things the boys are saying and doing with you all (especially with all of you grandparents, aunts, and uncles who are far away).
If you're so inclined, bookmark this page, and check it out periodically. I'll try to update it once or twice a week.

Late last Saturday afternoon, we were bathing the boys, and Nicholas asked, "So, when is the pizza guy coming?" Chris and I looked at each other and grinned. We hadn't ordered a pizza, but apparently, were in the habit of doing so- the pizza guy had come right after bathtime for the past few Saturday nights. "Sounds good to us!" we both said, and placed the order.
Our funny three-year-old showed his sense of humor a couple of mornings later at breakfast. "So, Dad, when's the pizza guy coming?" he asked with a smile. He wasn't so lucky that time.

Recently, I was washing dishes in the kitchen while Nicholas and Daniel were "playing together" in the family room. (Fortunately, our house is set up so I can watch them from the kitchen.) I saw Nicholas run past his brother and knock Daniel down, and asked him to come to me. After telling him to be gentle with Daniel, I said, "Now go give him a kiss and ask him to forgive you for being rough." I watched him go over and do as he was told. A few seconds later, he turned around to me with his arms crossed, and a disappointed look on his face. "Mom! I asked him to forgive me, and he didn't say a word!"