catching up: part three (joseph's birthday and the rest of april)

So, in finishing out April, there's been a 5th birthday celebration wrap-up (five is a big deal!) and a few miscellaneous happenings...

The kids had their annual teeth-cleaning. Yes, annual. If it was free, we'd go more often. I took them, and while I expected it to be an exciting visit, they both did great. What I really mean is Joseph did great. I knew Hannah would. But little brother is all into everything and wants to know what each and every tool, button and lever does. His curiosity is cute but also drives me batty.

Saturday morning cool down routine with Daddy...

... Joe sends me a text right before he leaves the house (I'm typically still sleeping) letting me know when he's going to be back. The kids get ready and wait for him to round the corner at the end of the street and come into view from the front yard. Then I sit on the front steps with my coffee as they run with him up the street and back, his "cool down".

Sometimes Joseph runs and sometimes he rides the police motorcycle. Hannah is always running alongside her Daddy, arms swinging and long legs in a future-runners stride. Sometimes I'll walk to the street and capture it on camera. We have a collection of these photos. It is a highlight of their weekend and, I hope, a memory they will never forget.

We took Hannah and Joseph to see their favorite big girls (and babysitters) all dressed up for prom. They do it big here; it's like a wedding day, starting in the morning. The girls get ready in groups, the seniors meet at of their houses to take pictures, then they go to another house and have pictures taken with the juniors. Then they head to the dinner and dance. We met up with them at their first picture spot. I'm telling you, after the amount of photos that were taken (way more than at my wedding), I don't know how they held up for round two, and then again at "Grand March" at the school where the parents and friends are invited to come see the prom setting.

JOSEPH is FIVE, did you hear?! He has told everyone that will listen.

The celebration continued all that weekend prior to his birthday. He got to open a couple presents from Meme early, including a super cool Giraffe clock for his room and this Nerf gun below. We went to a local middle school baseball game and then had lunch at Diary Lane.

{I interrupt this subject to show you these pictures of this toothless beauty (in my glasses) following church.}

Back to Joseph. His actual birthday was Monday, April 18th. I sat with him at breakfast and then brought cupcakes to school in the afternoon, taking Hannah out of class to join us. Joe came home in the afternoon and we played with his new toys.

He got the remote control race car of his dreams. Seriously. He picked this toy out at Walmart back at the beginning of March and reeeeeeally wanted it. Please Mommy, pleeeeeeease. There were tears.

{Yes, he's barefoot, and when I sent this picture to Daddy you can imagine his reaction, "Where are his shoes?! It's WALMART! Hello, bacteria!" I will say he'd been in the cart until he saw this display and climbed out. I wasn't too worried...}

Joe went back and got it the next day and Joseph found it in the back of the car when Joe got out and ran into his office for a second. Then he had to go about six weeks knowing we had it but that he couldn't have it until his birthday. Torture. It's all he would talk about when asked what he wanted for his birthday. He only wanted that "race car".

The boys made the birthday cake and we played outside. Going out for pizza was a no-brainer. This child would eat pizza every single day. Then we came home to sing and have cake.

Joseph had a couple of local field trips - one to Washington EMC (the electric utility co-op) and the other to a grocery store. Very exciting. :) He loves to ride the bus:

The following Saturday, April 23rd, Hannah and I attended the Girl Scouts Taster's Tea. Her troop represented China. Other countries represented were Mexico, Ireland, and Puerto Rico. We learned a little about each country and tasted all kinds of different foods.

Hannah wore a little Chinese dress my mom had brought back from Chinatown somewhere (San Francisco? NYC? can't remember) years ago. It is way too small but we made it work as a top with leggings.

They made the lanterns and other Chinese things over the last month. It was neat to see it all pulled together.

Later that day, we drove over to Dublin (45 min) and met Uncle Will Will, Aunt Crystal, and Stella for bowling and dinner. One final 5th birthday celebration. It was our first "real" bowling experience as a family (there was a miniature version at Great Wolf). While we waited on the Brooks trio to arrive, Joe and I showed Hannah and Joseph how to shoot pool. Back in my college days, I was pretty good. I must say, it's not like riding a bike. I haven't played in forever and I was terrible. But we had fun!

Bowling was a blast. The kids played on one lane with the bumper rails up, while the grownups played on the next one over. Hannah tried several techniques, including granny-style. She was intense and focused...similar to her skee ball approach.

Joseph loved sending the ball down the lane, oftentimes with a loud bang on the floor first (we grimaced every time, wondering if the wood would crack). He might have been most interested in the ball return, though.

We gave Uncle Will Will a hard time for having his own bowling shoes (he did buy them back in college) and playing the worst. I will say, about half the time, he did bowl with a one-year-old on his hip...

Finishing out April, a couple pictures from this past weekend and one other story of note...

I helped drive Hannah's Girl Scout troop to visit a local beekeeper. We learned all about honey bees and the job of a beekeeper. He was very clear as the bees were flying around us, to not panic and swat, but to remain calm. At one point we are invited over to an observation box on his front porch to look at the bees (and the queen) through the glass. Well, you had to walk right through the flight path into the hive to see into the other side. Bees were flying, the girls were walking back and forth, most remaining calm, and all was well.

Then comes my little boy. He was apprehensive at first but wanted to go see so I walked with him across the porch. We looked and started to walk back, when he got stung. Yep. He was calm, walking slowly and doing what he was supposed to...and got stung. I'm not sure how it happened but the troop leader saw the bee flying towards the box and encountered Joseph's little legs as he was walking, perhaps threatened by the movement. I don't know, but it was so not fair. He was tough but couldn't hold back the tears.

Of course, he's had allergy testing done recently and we found he is allergic to several things. We did not know about bees, but I didn't want to gamble on that. I drove the mile over to our house and grabbed his epi pen. The sting hurt and he cried, and he complained off and on of leg pain, but he was fine. So...not allergic to bees!

Those two love that swing set and have made so many memories playing out there together.

The End (of April).

catching up: part one {easter and spring break}

It's the end of April and I know I haven't blogged in quite a while (again). It's been on the to-do list, but I just haven't had the spare time...or made the time, rather. And we've had a lot going on (more to come on that later...).

Easter was nice. Joe's family was all here, and the rain that threatened held off until the afternoon. Hannah and Joseph got up early enough to check out their baskets before Daddy had to leave. I took the kids with me to the sunrise service, dressed in their new Easter clothes. Hannah went last year but it was special having them both there this year.

We came back home to make Empty Tomb rolls, a tradition we started last year. I love the focus this activity puts on the real meaning of Easter. I really try to make Easter about Jesus, but it is not easy to do with all the parties, egg hunts and baskets of candy and toys. Of course I love putting together baskets for the kids filled with stuff they'll love, and have no plan in stopping that, but I try to keep it under control.

Once Gran Gran and Poppy, Aunt Sarah, Aunt Betsy, Liam and Marshall were all here, we went to the church for the egg hunt and worship service. I got tears in my eyes as we sang "Christ the Lord is Risen Today" as is so easy for me to do.

We came home and had lunch - or feast, actually - prepared by Gran Gran. The kids played outside, getting their nice clothes all dirty but having a great time while we watched.

Meme came in town for the night and brought Easter goodies for all four of us. It was back to school on Monday morning and one more week of school before spring break. Hannah and Joseph had their last soccer game and Joseph missed a couple days of school with strep. I don't like when my babies are sick, but I love the special time I get to spend with them alone.

That Friday we hit the road.

We enjoyed a full, but fun, spring break. Joe performed a wedding for a church member on Amelia Island and we enjoyed the little getaway. The kids had plenty of fun playing with Meme in Savannah, including celebrating Joseph's birthday early at their favorite "cook-on-the-table" Japanese place.

In other news, Hannah lost her two front teeth!!! Not kidding, one that Tuesday night and the other one the next. In between, on the one day they had at home during the break, they played Jesus in the backyard. Completely thought up on their own. I looked up from reading and Hannah was "washing the disciples feet".

There was also plenty of silliness, as there usually is with these two.

Granddaddy and Mrs. Renee went to Hawaii and sent surprises which these cuties were happy to model:

And it's time for school pick-up. Second (and way fun) part of spring break ahead. To be continued...

lent

Today is Good Friday and I am thinking back on the last almost-40 days. It has been a very different Lent for me. I challenged myself to spend one hour in God's Word every day. This hour was to be separate from my morning daily-devotion time. It proved to be quite a challenge. Harder than anything I have ever given up for Lent.

Joe put together a read-through-the-book-of-Luke calendar for our church and that is where my focus has been. He gave me a great leather-bound study Bible on our 3rd anniversary (the year of the leather-themed gift) and so not only have I been reading the selected passage, but also all the accompanying notes. It ends up taking quite a bit of time.

I have learned so much more reading the Bible this way - in small doses but with heavy concentration on the words, characters, and context. After studying scripture, I reflect and pray. This has been fun actually. Oftentimes I found myself walking around the backyard (and getting sun in the process!) talking to God. I tried to do this routine before picking up the kids from school, but many days I sat in the backyard or on the playroom sofa while Hannah and Joseph played outside. Occasionally, I did have to try to ignore the little guy driving circles around me on his motorcycle or tractor. Such is life with little ones!

But this was a hard commitment and I was not 100%. There were many days when I found it time to get the kids and, telling myself I would do it later, never found the time (or made the time) until bedtime. And, yep, there were a few days when it didn't happen at all. Sometimes I thought it would have been much easier to give up something I ate or drank, but I'm glad I made that decision on Ash Wednesday. I certainly learned a lot - about my Lord and about myself.

I am thankful for this time of learning and growing in my faith. Challenging myself now to continue this practice year-round.

So, since I'm here and I haven't blogged in a while, I'll post some photos from the last couple months.

Date with Dad, February 5th:

Delivering Girl Scout cookies and selling at Walmart:

Valentine's school parties, making hearts for Daddy, and after-church special Valentine lunch:

Hannah's World of Coca Cola field trip with the Oratorical Club. I got to go, too!

Celebrating Cousin Stella's 1st birthday party in Savannah, February 20th!

Back home...being cuties:

(In Uncle Ben's sweater, he thinks he's pretty cool.)

Welcome March! Joe and Hannah, looking very liturgical in their purple:

My scripture-reading distraction, Officer Buck patrolling the backyard:

Pocahontas encouraging "Sharkie" with his shark-hotel building skills and then saying she's got to go kill a deer to eat for dinner. (Not making this up!)

Hannah's very favorite Sunday tradition, "helping Daddy" close up the church and walking from worship back to the office (currently relocated during construction). 

Soccer. Lots of soccer! Hannah has loved it and looks forward to every practice and game. She has come a long way and is playing great. Joseph is Ferdinand the Bull (if you've read the children's book, you know exactly what this means). While he loves to kick the ball and play at home, he has no interest in playing with the team and prefers to piddle on the sidelines, playing in the dirt or with the water cooler. He does get excited when he can play goalie.

St. Patrick's Day...in Sandersville for the third year in a row. Hannah had pink eye and couldn't go to school so we watched the parade in Savannah online. That night I co-hosted girls supper club, so I wasn't home, but Joe made the kids a fun green feast!

Palm Sunday, March 20th. Hannah walking with Joe again. Joseph is excited about Reese's cups given to them during the children's message. It was about it being Palm Sunday but also Passion Sunday and therefore a day of mixed emotion. Rev. Sidney gave them the illustration of funny things that go together (like sweet and salt) and gave them chocolate and peanut butter. They loved it, of course and Joe did too (Reese's is his favorite candy).

Joe has had a few appointments in Athens for physical therapy. What started as a running evaluation given to him by my mom became treatment for injuries and pain relief for his back. The therapist is great and we are hopeful that he will eventually find total pain relief from all accident-related injuries. On two occasions, we made it a day-date and I went with him.

And today. I have a hard time with Easter parties and egg hunts on Good Friday, but I understand how it has to work with school. My cute Monkey before heading into school. She has a super fun field trip lasting most of the day:

Well, that update didn't take too long. Maybe I'll be back with more after Easter. :)