My Boys

I fully realize that I am a blog-slacker! Our world is a bit crazy right now and I can't seem to find time to catch up. Here is just a story I do not want to forget.

Yesterday as we were leaving to meet Julee and Carolina for lunch I opened the garage door and let the boys walk down the driveway while I buckled Lucy. As I reminded them to stay out of the street, I saw Hampton run in front of Reid to make sure he was safe. When I got Lucy buckled, I shouted for the boys to come get in the car. They were down the sidewalk a bit and I saw Hampton take Reid by the hand (at first, then by the wrist b/c Reid wanted to walk the other way) and lead him back to the car. I heard Hampton saying, "Reid, Mommy said to get in the car. We need to obey." As we were driving, the following conversation took place:

"Hampton I am so proud of you for protecting Reid and helping him make a good choice to obey."

"I was kinda like a super hero?"

"Yes you were. You protected your little brother."

"Why did I protect Reid?"

"Because you love him."

"Yeah, I do."

I've posted several updates, many of which are back dated. You can view them here:

Really???

First Birthday

Valentine's Day

School V-Day Party

Spring Rain

Still Lovin' the Jeep

Still Lovin' the Jeep

Ben and Brandon were also rewarded w/ motorized vehicles when they learned to use the Big Boy Potty! They each got a 4-wheeler and the boys love to ride together. Almost every afternoon around 4:30 we make a loop around our street together. Our loop often turns into some backyard fun. We are so, so thankful for this family!

They really like to trade vehicles.

Reid really enjoys the jeep...riding in it w/ his big brother and even just climbing on it.

Hampton is a really good driver and is so patient to drive slowly when Reid rides w/him.

Happy First Birthday!!!

Yes, it's true. Lucy and Reid turned ONE over 3 months ago. Apparently I took an untentional blogging hiatus, but I'm hoping to get caught up and back on track now. These first few pictures were taken on their actual birthday, January 21.

After Olivia's basketball game.

Two peas in a pod...

They are still absolutely CRAZY about their big brother!

It's strange how things are so much different the 2nd (and 3rd) time around. Hampton had a huge 1st birthday blow out, while Lucy and Reid had a very simple and small party. We invited the few friends we had (we have more now that the weather is pretty) and family. We were so thankful that Sweetie and Pops made the trek to join in the fun. We had pizza and a coconut cake from Sam's. I was just going to do cupcakes, but Ben insisted that Lucy and Reid have their own cakes to dig into. By the time we got to cake, Reid was far more interested in getting out of his seat to play than actually eating the cake. Lucy, a girl who takes after her Momma, throughly enjoyed her first sweet treat.

Sweetie and Lucy

At the "party"

Carolina and Lucy

First Pizza...YUM!

Pops and Reid

Pizza Face

C-A-K-E

Not quite sure

Lovin' It

Happy Happy Birthday, Sweet Babies

Thank you sweetie for my super cute "Birthday Girl" shirt.

I LOVE THIS BOY!

Sweetie and Reid

Thanks so everyone who celebrated our sweet Lucy and Reid with us.

Spring Rain

We had our first spring thunder storm last night. Imagine Hampton's delight when he got out of the car at BSF to see lots of worms in the parking lot. Now imagine his teachers surprise when he arrived at the door (before me) and proudly displayed his parking lot catch. He didn't want the worm to die, so we stored it in a cup of water in the stroller and then washed his hands before he entered the classroom. After BSF, we found a "home" for his worm (an empty wipe box) and some friends to keep him company from our own backyard. It was a battle to get him to eat lunch b/c he wanted to play w/ his worms so much. I'm sure we will add to our collection and have a worm box for quite a while.

This is the face he made when I asked him how excited he was about his worms.

Intrigued!

This is a terrible picture, but you can still see the saddness in his face...after some of his worms accidently went down the drain when he was "giving them a bath" in the bathroom sink.

I am so thankful that he loves nature and finds so much joy in the tiny things. I am excited to teach him how about the vast creativity and imagination of our Creator. This is going to be a fun spring!

We Have Another Walker!

At lunch Saturday, I looked up and Lucy was walking across the kitchen (about 8 feet). Then she walked another few feet to Ben, but hadn't done it again...until tonight! She can stand on her own, until she realizes what she's doing and she quickly but carefully sits down. She is my scardy-cat, I mean cautious one. She can totally walk on her own, but won't. Here are some videos from tonight before bed.

This girl is C-R-A-Z-Y about her big brother. (And so is Reid)

Do you think she's proud of herself?

If you listen carefully, you can hear her gritting her front teeth...terrible habbit Lucy, terrible. Just ask Pops!

Happy Valentine's Day

We had the strangest, most beautiful snow today. The flakes were HUGE and it stuck really well to all the tree limbs because it was so wet. Quite different weather than we have been used to in February in Texas. I love it...still, even after a record setting snow fall year in KC.

We are so thankful for new friends who live super close to us. To celebrate Valentine's Day, we invited some of our favorite people over to decorate.

Meredith~Ben~Brandon~Hampton~Allie

The 3 year olds hard at work!

Allie

Mere

Brandon

Hampton (check out his tongue :))

Ben

Ben and Brandon are twins who are 3 months younger than Hampton. They moved in across the street along with their mom, dad and little sister Katie, who is about 3 months younger than Lucy and Reid. We have really enjoyed getting to know them and look forward to lots of fun outside when the weather warms up.

Allie and Meredith and their little brother Peter live one street over. One of my precious friends in Dallas, Courtney, is good friends with their mom Mindi. Courtney told me she had a friend who lived in OP. Come to find out we are neighbors. Mindi and her family have been such a blessing to us.

Hope you have a happy Love Day and celebrate the One who loved us more than we can imagine.

School V-Day Party

I saw these super cute valentines in a magazine, so I decided to make them for Hampton's school party. Ben thought I was crazy to put that much effort into it, but he willingly helped me assemble them. It never crossed my mind that Hampton's valentines would be the only homemade ones handed out. A bit of a let down when I opened his mail truck and found only super heros and princesses w/ their coordinating pencils. Oh well.

I thought they turned out really cute and Hampton was excited about giving them to all his school buddies.

I love this boy!!!

As a parent, sometimes you feel like what you do isn't working...like you're beating your head against a wall when you're teaching, training and loving your kids. Once in a blue moon, you catch a glimpse of hope. Today was one of those days. When I dropped Hampton off a school today, his teacher said she wanted tell me something sweet that Hampton said. The other day they were learning the nursery rhyme, "Humpty Dumpty." They were putting sequencing cards in order to tell the story. When they came to the end Mrs. Nash asked the class what the last card represented. They all replied, "All the king's horses and all the king's men, couldn't put Humpty together again." Hampton looked up at his teacher and matter of factly said, "You know, God is really the best at fixing these kind of things." I was so proud and so thankful for the Lord's faithfulness! It's glimpses like these that keep a mommy going.

I have been meaning to blog this story for a long time, but keep forgetting. Hampton is really into pretending he is Bibleman, a superhero in the "Lord's army." He has learned all the peices of the Armor of God and often suits up in full armor to fight the "evil doers." Several weeks ago, Ben and Hampton were playing in the bounce house. Ben was tripping Hampton and Hampton was using his sword (of the Spirit of course) to try and chop Ben's legs. Mid-game Hampton ran to the corner, bowed his head and prayed, "Dear God, please help me beat him."

Hampton, you are such a blessing to our family. Our prayer is that you will always turn to the Lord no matter what the circumstance. You are precious. I love you SO MUCH and I am so proud of you just the way God made you!

Really???

Not even the gate will keep him off the stairs!

We are waiting on Lucy to work up enough nerve to learn to climb down the stairs and then we are going to put the gates away. Reid has mastered up and down, but Lucy gets to the top and yells, "Momma" until someone carries her down.

Can you believe that exactly one year ago I was checked into Baylor, contemplating when to get an epidural and anxiously awaiting the arrival of Lucy and Reid? I cannot believe that they will be ONE tomorrow. They are such a joy and blessing to our family. I love them so, so much! How could you not?

We're Not in Texas Anymore!

On Christmas Eve, it snowed 4-6 inches here. So when we got back from TN, there was still a lot of snow on the ground and Hampton was dying to sled and make a snowman. It was so cold that there was absolutely no moisture in the snow, so it wouldn't stick together enough to make a snowman. We did sled down our very slightly inclined driveway a few times...enough to satisfy Hampton's craving. He got cold and gave up pretty quickly.

A few days into January, we got another 5-6 inches. It was still super, super cold for a week or two, again leaving us with non-sticking snow. Finally on Monday the temp climbed all the way to 32 degrees, which felt like a heatwave. I was convinced that I didn't even need a coat b/c it was so warm. Monday afternoon was the first time since we returned from TN that I could see the pavement on our street. Wednesday the temperature climbed all the way into the 40's which provided some major meltage :). Ben called from work to tell me that Hampton and I could finally make a great snowman; however, that would require missing nap, so I didn't even mention it to Hampton. For fear of all the snow melting, we made a snowman in the dark after dinner Wednesday evening. It was great. It was warm enough that I wore a cotton jacket and a scarf, and Hampton didn't get too cold too fast. We had a great time and Hampton was so proud of the snowman that he and Daddy made.

Reid was asleep, but Lucy watched from the kitchen window.

A face only the creator could love.