A Snugglie!

Jack used part of his allowance to purchase this snugglie.  It is just so funny.  He really wanted one of these and this one was for kids AND it came with no slide socks!  The deal of the century to him and Target had them on sale this week!  Go figure.  He still has to be the easiest going kid ever and so easy to please.  He took a shower today at 1:00pm just so he could put on his blue pajamas and his blue snugglie and be in it for the day.  Of course, by afternoon, he had changed his mind but he went to bed tonight tucked in his snugglie and still in his blue no slide socks!  

HAPPY 10TH BIRTHDAY SPENCER!!

I awoke this morning and I would like to know who took my last 10 years away!  Where did they go?  I feel like sometimes I blink and oh, that was last year.  It just seems to fly by faster and faster.  So this morning, I didn't feel any different when Spencer climbed in our bed and I heard Scott say, "Hey there, birthday boy!"  And Spencer climbed over him and settled in the middle between us.  I remember him doing this when he was 3 years old!  And now, he takes up the whole middle and you sure don't want him laying on top of you to snuggle unless you don't want to breath!  

I asked Spencer earlier in the week what was his picture for the day and how would he like to celebrate.  So this was his response after he thought about it for a few minutes.  "I want us to go to IHOP for breakfast because they make the best pancakes.  Then I want us to have hamburgers and hot dogs for lunch, your homemade chicken pot pie for dinner and that chocolate cake with the white fluffy icing and crushed chocolate bars in the icing.  AND NO SCHOOL."  Now, step back from this for a second and does anyone else hear what I hear?  THE WHOLE DAY is centered around the meals for the day.  I mean, if God did not clone my husband in my son, I am not sure what He did!  LOL!  Spencer's love language is food obviously and when I kissed him good night, his last question was, "What are we having for breakfast tomorrow?"  For the love of God .... I am a short-order cook.  

So after Scott and Spencer had IHOP for breakfast (birthday date with Dad), he opened his presents and there is just something funny and odd about money.  Particularly when he is kissing the money.  I feel a need to work on this obviously.  But he received of money and a gift card for his birthday and Scott took him to downtown Raleigh and he bought a new skateboard instead of the Tony Hawk Ride Wii game.  It is the brand, "Girl" and he was so excited.  This is the new board everyone wants.  So as he is making his decision, Scott pulls the kid behind the counter and wants to know what is the message in this and is there some message we need to know.  He also googled it but nothing came up.  So he came home with a lime green board, black bottom and this girl restroom sign on the bottom.  I know .... I have no idea either.  But he has had the best time riding it and I am taking him to the park tomorrow.  He is very excited about it.  We had our burgers, pot pie and cake this evening.  It was a very fun, relaxing day and no school!!   And you have to make this chocolate cake .... the icing is this homemade icing and that makes you want to eat it with just about anything .... it is just so good.  :)

A Special Chef

Erica really does make me laugh.  And the animals will put up with just about anything from her.  At least once or twice a week she will dress up the dog or cat in her doll clothes and parade them down for a fashion show.  As you can see, Moses is a chef today!  I just thought this was too funny not to post!!!

SECOND snow!!!

We had our second snow of the season.  This is so unusual according to the natives of the area!  And it snowed on my birthday!!  I had decided that it was 25 years ago that I had snow on my birthday!  I thought that was very cool.  However, this snow was very sticky as you can see.  Chip was a MESS!  I tried pulling off the snowballs and that wasn't working.  So I brought him inside on a towel and still could not pull them off.  But he let me know how to get them off.  I backed off and he shook.  Let's just say the snowballs were flying!!!   And flying even more when we went out with the boys and had a major snowball fight!  Erica was gone to a youth conference for the night and Saturday so she missed out on our fun!  

We had lunch out for my birthday and the snow was perfect.  By 2pm, it had kind of just melted away and was gone!  Beautiful in the morning, gone by afternoon.  PERFECT!!  

Brickhouse Boys

We had a quick visit in Lakeland in February with friends.  It was a fast trip but it was good to see everyone we did.  We finally got to meet Asher Brickhouse who immediately stole our hearts.  Erica just loved holding him and said we really need a baby in the house.  She obviously does not remember me pregnant.  Can you imagine me pregnant again?  Oh Lord ... anyway, Josh posed for me (first picture) and he is so photogenic!  I just love that picture of him.  And I got my boys and Seth and Ben to sit long enough to get a group shot.  And Scott snuggled Asher for a short minute before Erica wanted him back!!!  We are hoping the Brickhouse's, minus Gary, make it up in March.  Gary will be traveling to HONG KONG for two weeks so Krista needs to come here so we can eat our way through his trip!!!  LOL!!  Lots of field trips will be planned!!!  :)  

Snow Woman and Friends

The friendly deer finally made their way out in the snow once the sun came out.  That is still so magical to me.  There is something about nature and animals that seems so right.  

Erica decided as the snow began to melt it would make the best snow woman.  She started rolling and before long, well, her snow woman's bottom became to heavy to move any further SO, I had to throw on my gear and help.  We worked on her middle and it took all four of us to pick it up.  We positioned it just right and then worked on her head.  Everyone participated and Erica decided that she needed pigtails and the boys picked out her eyes and arms!!  She was so big!!  She was taller than me and it took almost two weeks for her to melt.  She finally did and well, it just isn't the same without her. :)

Sled Riding

Had some fun shots of the kids sled riding at our neighbors.  They have an ideal front yard that was perfect for some riding.  It was fast enough to have fun and short enough to climb back up and do it all over again.  

We went hiking in the morning while it snowed/sleeted.  We walked to the grocery store for a few items, hot chocolate and some candy.  The kids loved it.  We pulled them on the sled when they got tired and yes, we froze them half to death.  Maybe not such a great idea but we made great memories!!!  

Alexis got a few lessons in texting from Erica!!!  They were very sweet.  And each night, Alexis and Olivia slept on the air mattress next to Spencer and Jack's bunk beds.  How very cool that they are still young and innocent enough to enjoy friendship in such a sweet way.  I am so thankful for the innocence that God has provided for such an extended period of time for my sons.  I know it will change soon and I look forward to what God is doing with them and in them.  And I pray for the men and husbands they will be in the future.  

SPONTANEOUS! LOVE IT!

  We found it from the weather man that our chances of snow, a very good amount of snow was coming for the weekend.  I jokingly, and seriously, called one of my favorite people and told her here is your chance to see snow and play in it for the weekend.  Well, would you believe they came???!!  OMG!  We had soooo much fun!  It was such a great weekend.  Rob and Sharon and their three children arrived Friday night and as soon as we finished dinner, IT SNOWED!  And it snowed .... and snowed!!!  It was beautiful!  We received about 6-8 inches and it was perfect.  I could have imagined a better weekend around the fire with warm soups, snacks and dinners and a nice snow than with the Gelsinger family .... a blessing to know and love!!!

PS  Sharon, don't kill me for posting this picture.  It is a beautiful picture of your family.  I love you :)

Boys ... boys ... boys

One afternoon, I was upstairs in the bathroom getting ready and Spencer pops in.  He tells me I MUST look out the window at Jack.  He has climbed up the dogwood tree and he is really, really high.  So as I stand on the second floor of our house, I stare out to find Jack near eye level to me.  And it wasn't even like he picked a "sturdy" tree.  I mean, seriously?  Could you have found one a little more sturdy?  

I go downstairs to tell him to get down out of the tree before he breaks his neck or even worse, starts snapping limbs on my favorite tree in the yard.  Hello?  Gentle with the dogwood.  It is going to bloom before long and I love those trees.  So as I am having this conversation with him, I realize under the tree is our fall pumpkin on the side of the yard .... smashed .... with the baseball bat.  It was then that I sighed, walked back upstairs, and went on with my day.  

Boys ..... boys ..... boys ....... sigh.

New Years Visit

Our friends came in New Years Eve/Day to stay with us.  It was a good time had by all.  The kids had their dance off and I can't remember having so much fun watching kids being kids.  It was hysterical.  Jack and Carly had it going on for sure.  Jack had some moves we had never seen before.  Spencer has new breakdancing techniques and Erica had a little Hannah Montana moves.  It was really funny.  We just laughed and laughed.  Carly and I also made the best EVER M&M cookies.  I love seeing her independence and her little mind working.  She is quite a little baker and not afraid to eat fresh cookie dough to be sure it is coming together.  And well, Scott is THE MAN ... he had the kitchen going early and had the boys lined up for waffles for breakfast.  It was a relaxing New Years Eve ... we let the kids stay up till midnight.  I am way too old for that anymore!!  

Christmas Morning

A very sweet Christmas morning.  We didn't get up until after 7am which was very nice.  I can't believe the mornings we would wake our parents up at 4am.  I can't believe they just didn't make us go back to bed!  We had a simple Christmas this year which was probably one of our best ever.  The toothbrushes and hair shampoos and Axe was the hit.  They said, "This is a clean Christmas!"  I like clean......and children that don't smell!  Moses was pretty much in the tree the whole season.  He thought it was the best to climb up into the tree and shake all the ornaments.  Then he would try to grasp them with his paws and tumble out of the tree.  His other favorite spot is the ficus tree in the dining room.  He fell out of it the other day from the top.  He hasn't been back in it since.  Serves him right!!!   

Christmas Eve with Mom and Dad

My parents came to celebrate Christmas with us.  We had a fun week together planning and wrapping and finishing the last minute things.  We did take a morning and hit the local Krispy Kreme and experience the HOT LIGHT.  It really is a must when you come visit.  I won't mention what my doctor told me about those little visits.  Let's just say she wasn't very kind to me.  However, that is for another story.  The kids were all being silly as you can see, Spencer passed out with all the presents - thank God Erica was there to catch him.  And then you have them giving the "Christmas Peace OUT" sign .... we did finally capture one nice picture of them with Mom and Dad.  And we had a sweet Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with them.  No snow but plenty of cold weather!!!  

The Christmas Card Picture

  Every year, we have always included a picture of the kids and our pet(s).  As you can see, the puppy from last year's card is gone.  Long, sad little story but you will notice Bear has been replaced with the cat, Moses.  Chip has continued to be the stable one that doesn't seem to go anywhere!   But as with everything else in life, this year we decided not to send out cards.  It was a hard decision but I still took the picture so I would have it for us and so you could see it on here.  We also noticed how few cards we received as well.  Things change ... learning to roll with them each day is the challenge.  Hope everyone did have a blessed Christmas!!

The Christmas Tree Tradition

We had this great idea to go cut down a fresh Christmas tree.  Well, everyone was total game for it ... right up to the point where we said, "get the dvd player and your DS games."  Then it was, "hey, how far is this place?"  Um .... almost four hours.  Well, let's just say that we ended up about 15 minutes from the house - at the Farmer's Market I might add - to pick out our Christmas tree.  The tradition has been Erica, since she is the only girl and first born, always gets to put the angel on the tree.  After I saw this picture, I couldn't help but laugh to look back on when she was 2 years old putting the top on and now, she is almost as long as Scott in this picture!!!  I can't believe how fast the 13 years have gone by.  

The other funny thing in decorating the tree this year was the little yellow porcelain house Jack is attached to.  When we finished, he desperately wanted to know where this ornament was.  He described EXACTLY what it looked like and EXACTLY what is says inside.  You lift the roof and inside, it says, "Home Sweet Home."  Needless to say, we checked two other boxes and finally found it because he wasn't stopping until it was on the tree.  He even kept moving things on the tree to keep the spot open for his special little ornament that he has adopted.  It was given to Scott and I as a housewarming gift when we built our house.  I guess we will hold onto it and give it to Jack when he and his wife buy their first home.  First home .... 9 kids later according to him ...... LOL!  

Thanksgiving with Friends

Meet our friends, Michael and Tricia Devries.  We attend and serve at church together.  We have missed having a family with kids that are similar in age to ours.  God provided this as an answer to prayer for both of us.  They came and had Thanksgiving with us.  Sue, Tricia's mom, also came and they are from Ohio.  They moved over a 1 1/2 years ago so we have a lot in common!  It has been so much fun getting to know them.  Their kids are a lot of fun and the boys have a blast at the skateboard park.  Ashley and Erica attend youth group together and I can always tell by the giggling when she returns that they have had a great time.  This was such a blessing to us .......  

Be aware ... angels among us!!th

   Erica and Jack performed this fall in a musical titled, "Angels Aware."  It was really cute.  This was Jack's first time performing and he did such a great job.  In one part, he was a little baseball player and another part, he played a water boy for a basketball team.  He sang his little heart out!  And Erica was a "mall shopper" who "should have been" in church on Sunday.  She was interviewed and suddenly faked a cough as to why she wasn't in church.  It was hysterical.  Everyone did a great job and they both continue to make new friends wherever they go.  Spencer enjoyed it the most.  He watched two of the shows and was the little cheering section for them!!!