When It's Time to Stone Your Father ...

Oh I gotta tell you this story ... tonight the boys and Scott were outside playing football and Jack wasn't playing/trying very hard. You all know that Jack does not like to sweat. So Scott, in a nice way, got onto him and told him to try harder/do your best, etc. Jack got so mad, he stormed off. Or so Scott thought ....

Scott was in the yard and he heard this "thump" and he thought, "man that was a big acorn" because the acorns are falling LIKE CRAZY everywhere in the driveway, street, etc. Then again, "thump." Scott looks around and doesn't see anything. He thinks to himself, "those acorns are really big." Few minutes later, Scott moves on and comes inside. He asks where Jack is because he wanted to talk to him and I told him I didn't know where he was. Scott went back outside to find Jack. Jack is huddled over behind the suburban still ANGRY, pouting and wouldn't even talk or look at Scott. Scott walks over in the yard and realizes Jack had been throwing large rocks OVER the suburban trying to hit him and Spencer!!!! Can you believe that???!!!??? He is a sneaky little mean thing hidden behind a cute face I'm telling you .....

Guess it is a good thing Scott didn't get hit by one of those "acorns!" Thank God Jack doesn't have good aim yet, right???!!!!! I mean, I'm writing this and can't believe he was actually throwing rocks at his father!!!

Recommended Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7x3VnrqbA

This video was sent to me a month or so again and then resent again. I decided this time that I needed to post it for you to view. I thought it was such a creative way to express God's love and the song is beautiful. Every time I watch it, I get goose bumps. I hope you will enjoy it!

For All Star War's Fans!

Yes, we do realize when Erica hits about 14 years of age, she is going to KILL US for taking this and most certainly for posting it on our blog for everyone in the free world to see! After dinner this evening (conversation was clean tonight by the way), Jack came in the kitchen requesting trash bags. He wanted to make a Storm Trooper costume to go with Spencer's Darth Vader costume. Scott was helping him cut the bag and he began having flashbacks of his mom making a Fred Flintstone costume out of a paperbag when he was a kid. He said only kids in Polk County use bags for costumes ... I had to correct him on that. He has to remember I have roots in West Virginia. Jack got himself assembled in these bags and next thing I know I am drawing with a black Sharpie marker a belt and shoulder pads and circles ..... it became the family affair. Then Erica comes in the kitchen in her long angel costume, white high heels and has taken her hair, parted it down the middle and twisted it for buns on each side. She is Princess Lea. Off they go to the backyard with their guns and lightsabers. We, of course, are in the kitchen with the camera dying laughing watching them follow the Princess around. Chip is going nuts running the backyard as Jack is trying to shoot him. I have decided that all of this makes for great humor and helps me get through the rough times. The picture says it all!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, UNCLE MARK!!!!

It's your birthday ..... and you could be in "awe" of your age .......

OR maybe you are just "downright frightful" of your age ...... and life is flying by .....

Some of us get really, REALLY MAD when it's time for another birthday .....

And some of us are just plain CHEEZZZYYY with JOY to be celebrating another birthday!!

NO MATTER where you land on your special day, we hope you have a wonderful birthday!!! We love you and hope your day is great!!! :) Spencer, Jack, Erica and Chip (compliments of your niece, Marsha!!)

Spencer's Research ....

I want you to know that right now, Spencer is completely obsessing about toilets overflowing and the oven catching on fire. Every day when he gets in the car in the afternoon, he tells me which bathroom toilet overflowed, who was in there and when it happened. He also knows how far the water traveled and how deep it was before the janitor could get there to clean it up. He also asks several times when I am using the oven if it will catch on fire and how do I know this. Then when I am finished using the oven, he askes me at least ten times if I remembered to take the food out of the oven and have I turned it off. I even sat down with him and drew a picture of the oven and how it works and the design of it so he would not be afraid of this. I like fire safety being taught at school but one has to wonder if they are doing it too early for their little minds. I think all it does is create more fear. Anyway, yesterday we had the SAME conversation for the 20th time this week. And this was his response to me. "Mom, I'm going to have to do a little more research on all this before I believe you." This was of course after he told me, "All drains lead to the ocean." LOL! He needs to do some research .... ppppllllleeeassseeee do!!!

Smiles Worth Capturing

Some smiles are worth capturing ..... Friday, we spent the day "down on the farm" with Jack's class. The kids could not have been more excited about going. Scott went on Erica's field trip earlier in the week on an island with a rather unfriendly German tour guide that picked on him incessantly for his chattering. I picked the lesser of two evils; so I thought. Being on the farm with 100 first graders was needless to say, controlled chaos. I am not one to be a germ freak. "HOWEVER", when dealing with small hands and animal feet and animal bottoms and animal poop, I was a "little" over the edge with hand sanitizer and the thought of Ecoli trampling through my mind! The rode ponies, pet the pigs, cows, horses, and chased chickens and ducks until they captured them and picked them up. And then moms wiped their shirts down because the animals lost all control down the front of them. Neat picture, huh? Luckily, this did not happen to Jack. I was determined that he hold the animal the proper way to avoid things such as this! We had a great time -- the weather could not have been more humid and we got rain in the afternoon as we were leaving. The kids were all so tired, sweaty, sticky and flat out dirty! Jack had to take a bath the minute we got home! Me, too. But the smiles were worth the trip ,....

More Missing Teeth

Does he not look mischievous with his first top tooth missing? I had to take this picture. Every time he smiles or talks and I see it, I laugh inside because he is so darn cute! I know, I know. I'm partial. I could squeeze him. This morning, we were going out the door to school and Jack came out behind me and gave me a sealed envelope. He told me I could open it in the car. So I did. It said, "Dear Mommy, I love you. You are the best mommy in the world. Love, Jack." So .... what do you want Jack? Ice cream? Candy? New toys? Day at Disney? Anything??? Because at that moment, he could have asked for anything and I wouldn't have said no! Oh these moments are the ones that get me through the week :) However, this afternoon, he was soooooooooooo wound tight that I sent him to his room for 20 minutes to chill out!!! Both were so hyper, I had a headache!!!!

Like Father, Like Son

This past weekend, Spencer helped mow the lawn, AGAIN! Spencer is on a mission. He has found a Lego Starwars Collection that he wants and it is $79. We told him we would not go out and buy it for him. We are in the middle of teaching them they have allowance. They can save for things and they can work for things. So Spencer's new passion is to work. He helps vacuum the cars, wash the cars, clean the windows, mow the lawn, spray the weeds, blow off the driveway, water the plants...anything he can do extra that might earn him a few dollars. He even will do something and do a little extra and ask, "Hey Dad, this took longer than we thought. This probably means I'll get a little extra right?" Or, "Hey Dad, spraying the weeds is extra right?" "No Spencer, it is part of doing the lawn work." "Oh. Okay." It really is so cute. The problem is he wants to work and him working involves us working with him! Scott is worn out from the whole thing! But we will say how cool to see him willing to work and let me tell you, he walks that whole lawn right beside Scott and doesn't say a word. He is so cute .....Oh the day when he can make his purchase!!!!