Tents, Marshmallows and Four Wheelers

We've had lots of "firsts" this weekend. Today is Fletcher's first day of kindergarten. I'll post pictures of that tomorrow.

Friday night, Fletcher and Kevin went camping along with two of his other kindergarten buddies and their dads. Kevin's company has several hundred acres of property nearby with some ponds and trails so they headed out there to spend the night. Here's the campsite.


This is the lake next to the campsite and the canoe.

The man with the plan. (Kevin said it was alot of work. But Fletcher probably said a hundred times that it was so fun and he can't wait to go again.)

Fletcher in front of their tent.

Kevin said more than once that he was very thankful the Bass Pro Shop guy recommended that he buy a five man tent (for future possible trips for the entire family). Set up was super easy. That's a queen size air mattress in there with room for all their stuff.

Fletcher was the only one who caught a fish. One of the other dads took a picture of the actual fish. It was a catch and release although Fletcher wanted to cook it up and eat it.

Fletcher and his two buddies Noah and Tucker playing in the back of Kevin's truck while the dads fixed breakfast.

One of the highlights of the trip for Fletcher was getting to ride the four wheelers. Just in case you are curious, this is not an action shot. They were just playing on it.

Three buddies. Excited about camping for the first time.

They ate like kings. Hotdogs on Friday night with roasted marshmallows and Jiffy Pop Popcorn. Saturday morning, Kevin cooked bacon and eggs.

I wish I would have taken a picture of Kevin's truck before they left. It was filled to the brim with stuff just for one night - fishing equipment, cooking supplies, sleeping bags, clothes, first aid kit (at my request), chairs, food, toys (at Fletcher's request). Kevin said next camping trip will most likely be in our backyard! He is such a great dad!

This Could Be A Long Year

Well, we met Fletcher's new kindergarten teacher yesterday. She is very nice and I can just tell that she is one of those teachers who really loves children and loves teaching. Her room is filled with cool stuff - maps, a real snake skin, an African drum, tons of books, etc. Their theme this year is "Around the World" where they will learn about God's creation while they learn all the basic stuff too.

His teacher had a little form that she was filling out for each student to get to know them a little more. I was trying to keep Luke occupied and keep him from messing up her room. I didn't hear their entire conversation. However, here is a brief excerpt of what I did hear.

Mrs. D: How old are you Fletcher?
Fletcher: Five
Mrs. D: That is very exciting to be five.
F: My mom started kindergarten when she was really young.
Mrs. D: Really?
F: She's older than my dad.
Mrs. D: (not sure what to say)
F: You know they didn't even HAVE preschools that long ago when she started school!!!

Well, Mrs. D, if you stick around long enough, I am sure Fletcher will tell you our entire life story!

On another note, Fletcher has invented a new game. There's a book called Cloudy With A Chance of Meatballs. In the story there are no grocery stores. Food falls from the sky. Different things for each meal - pancakes at breakfast with orange juice rain, mashed potatoes, etc. You see where this is headed. Fletcher and Luke take the food from their play kitchen and throw it up in the air and try to catch it on their little plates (also from their play kitchen). I really should stop them, but I suppose it is helping with their hand-eye coordination. This book is also coming out as a movie. Fletcher can't wait.

And So It Begins

Today is the day we go to Fletcher's school and meet his teacher.

Orientation and Open House.

Kindergarten.

I can't believe it.

He will start school on Monday.

This weekend he and Kevin are going camping for the first time to celebrate this milestone of starting "real school" (he's been in preschool now for three years).

I think he is more excited about camping.

But I am sure I will blog about both.

New

I watched children waiting for the bus early yesterday morning as I was out walking in our neighborhood. It's been 12 years since I stepped into a high school mathematics classroom as a teacher to begin a new year. But I still love the beginning of the school year. There's just something about it. I loved the new clothes, finding out what classes I would be teaching and who would be in my class.

I still love new school supplies even though I don't really have a need for them - the post its and cute pens in a wide array of colors call to me from the aisles of Target. Notebooks with fresh clean pages. Backpacks. Lunch boxes. Highlighters. And yes, even protractors (I did teach Geometry).

I loved alot of things about the beginning of the school year. But the thing I loved most was the fresh start. New beginning. Clean slate. New students. Different personalities. The opportunity for a do-over either in a lesson plan or a discipline approach or a better attitude toward a challenging student or less-than-pleasant co-worker. Another new year to learn from last year's mistakes and do things a little better.

Thankfully, God offers that fresh start too. Not on a yearly basis every August. But daily.

"Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness."

Lamentations 3:22-23

Happy Birthday today to Papa Charlie! We hope you have a great day. We love you!

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

I try to be very truthful with my children at all times.

But in a feeble parenting moment, I might have told Fletcher that Queen's "We Will Rock You" song was a Disney Princess song so he would stop singing it.

He sings it ALOT and Luke sings right along with him. With kindergarten starting in a week, I didn't want to get a note from his teacher sent home the first day when he chooses to sing "We Will Rock You" instead of "Jesus Loves Me" in circle time.

Celebrate - Part 2

Pizza and cupcakes at the pool on Friday night with our good friends and neighbors. Ella is Luke's best buddy.

I think he likes the idea of birthdays. He was singing Happy Birthday to himself in his crib long after we put him to bed.

Celebrate - Part One

My new truck.



Look what I can do. a.k.a. Let me try out all of the things I am not supposed to do first - like standing in the truckbed while Fletcher is driving. He also climbed on the top and tried to slide down the front. I don't have a pictures because I was trying to grab his ankle to keep him from falling on his head. His motto: A toy isn't really a good toy unless you can use it for something other than its intended purpose.

Driver, take me for a ride, please.

Love it. I don't know if you can see his shirt, but it has a baseball through the 2 (like a broken window) with a little boy running away and the words "oops" underneath. Not that we want to encourage dishonesty or running away when he breaks a window.

Headed to work. See ya' mom. Call me later!

Cake!

Delicious!

This birthday stuff is fun!

Happy Birthday, Luke!

August 20, 2007


Three months

Six months

Nine months

One year

Fifteen months (with stitches)

18 months

Twenty one months

Almost two

Your smile lights up a room and your laugh is contagious.

Your hugs knock us over - literally.

You repeat everything we say. You repeat everything we say.

We cannot imagine our family without you in it!

Happy 2nd Birthday sweet boy. Mommy and Daddy and Fletcher love you so much.

Have fun being "five" - since that's how old you tell everyone you are.

Headbands and Leg Warmers

I hesitate to mention this on the blog but maybe if I put it in writing then I'll be more accountable for it.

First, a little background info. Exercising has always been very sporadic for me. I've always had a somewhat high metabolism I guess. While I can't eat "whatever I want whenever I want", I've always been about the same size give or take a few pounds. So exercising hasn't ever been a big priority. I did a little Jane Fonda aerobics back in the 80's. I was a member of the Texas Lady Health Club and later our church's gym in the 90's when I lived in Houston (I was queen of step aerobics). In Jacksonville, I went to the Y occasionally. But once we made it to Tallahassee all that came to a screeching halt. I even gave my Gold's Gym membership to our pastor.

I've been thinking that relying on good genes and a high metabolism isn't exactly the right way to take care of my body for the long haul. I've used the kids as an excuse for not working out. Driving to a gym to take yoga or zumba or cardio funk sounds fun but overwhelming when you add making dinner, afternoon naps, and laundry and the fact that the closest gym is at least 10-15 minutes away and pricey.

So what's a girl to do? I've started to notice a whole lot more jiggle and a lot less firmess in many areas and that's as detailed as I'll get. Except for one example. I have teacher flaps - you know the skin that hangs down from a teacher's arm and flaps in the breeze when she writes on the chalkboard (take a moment to visualize) - yes, I have those. And I am too young to have those.

So I'm trying to do two things (baby steps). First, I'm trying to kick the Diet Coke habit. I've had one Diet Coke every day for lunch for as long as I can remember. There are some questionable things about aspertame that I won't get into, but google it if you are curious. Second, I've been getting up at 6 am for several mornings each week to get out for a 35-40 minute walk in our neighborhood. Shocker - I know. I am not a morning person either. But the kids are still sleeping, Kevin is at home. It is cool outside and quiet. I've actually been enjoying it.

I can't go on the mornings Kevin has to go to Chapel Hill since he has to leave by 6 am so I plan to order a couple of exercise DVDs that focus on muscle toning and stretching (to help me get rid of my teacher flaps). These will also be helpful on the days it is raining.

I know you are hoping for Before and After photos. But it ain't happenin'.

Deep Cleansing Breath

This past Sunday was a third Sunday of the month which means it was my turn to serve in the preschool area of our church (Kevin and I both work first and third Sundays).

Can I let you in on a little secret?

I am ashamed to admit that I didn't serve with a happy heart. Without going into tons of boring details, I was frustrated that so many parents in our church don't or won't volunteer to help in the nursery or preschool or children's areas.

A few weeks ago, a church in our area (not our church) had something called No Show Sunday.

This is a very large church with lots of people, several campuses and several services. With the exception of childcare workers, they didn't have a single volunteer helping the entire day - no greeters, no parking attendants, no one to run sound or words on the screen, no band, no slick worship guide. Can you imagine? It was a gutsy move on the pastor's part. It started as a response to a comment someone made to the pastor that his church was a "one man show". It was a vivid reminder to the church that I don't think they will soon forget. (I think the parking nightmare alone will be etched in their brains forever.)

His wife blogged about the service(s) here. The pastor used John 2 as his text where Jesus turned the water into wine. One of the points he made was that only those serving got to see the miracle. The wedding guests just tasted the end results (like many church members who just show up on Sundays). Think about it. Only those serving knew that Jesus told them to fill the pots with water. Only those serving knew that they put water in but were dipping out wine. Only those serving knew who told them to do that. They didn't understand why Jesus told them to fill the pots; they just did it and were able to see something amazing happen.

I hope the next time I volunteer I have a better attitude and I remember that only those serving really get to see God at work. I hope I extend grace to those other parents instead of judging them. I'm not their Holy Spirit. I can leave the convicting up to God. I need to rock those babies and think of Colossians 3:17 "Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus."

You can see his sermon here.

I Believe I Can Fly

Mom spends all week telling the boys not to stand or jump on the furniture.

Conversely, Dad responds by getting out the video camera.

These three boys are going to be the death of me!

Rain Delay

I love it when college age guys aren't too cool or proud to act just plain silly.

Have a great weekend!

Throwback Thursday

The date: December 9, 1970 (in honor of Luke turning two next week)

The place: Sulphur, La

The mood: What girl wouldn't like a chocolate cake all to herself for her second birthday? Looks like we were going with a "Mary Had A Little Lamb" theme.

Oh Pool Boy...

In case you are wondering, Luke's little life vest is called a Puddle Jumper and it is made by Stearns. Oddly enough, it is a Coast Guard approved life vest. It is nice (and better than regular arm floaties) because it helps keep his chest and body in a better position for swimming. Plus, it is just plain cute! It is designed for kids 30-50 lbs so we should be able to use it for the next two summers until he is swimming well on his own.

Just Some Pictures

Sunday we were all ready to go to church with some time to spare. I know. It was almost like a miracle. We pulled out the camera and received full cooperation from the boys during the brief photo session. No, really. See for yourselves.

Fletcher took this one and did a great job.

Mmmmm! Tasty!

(Some of you probably saw this on my Facebook status this weekend. I had to repeat the story on the blog for posterity's sake.)

Friday night. I pick up take out. BBQ. The family pack which includes 1 lb. of pulled pork, three sides, and a slab of ribs.

Kevin and I are eating the ribs (the sauce is a tad too spicy for the kids). Fletcher notices the obvious bones.

Fletcher: Where do those ribs come from?

I knew he wasn't asking which store because he knew which BBQ place I was going to.
I didn't want to say anything because I was afraid I would freak him out and turn him into a vegetarian for life. Finally, I decided to answer him (briefly) in a very nonchalant way.

Mom: Pigs

Fletcher: (with relief) Oh, good. I was hoping you weren't going to say people.

I'm Almost Five

In just 2 weeks, Luke will turn two years old. We are starting to see evidence of the wonderful world of two already.

(My original intent was to get Luke to sing the Bob The Builder theme song on video. He knows all the words and typically walks around the house singing it at the top of his lungs. He's also been known to sing it in Target or the grocery store if the acoustics are just right. However, tonight he would not sing it so we captured this video instead.)

We've been trying to teach him that he is almost 2. But he hears Fletcher say that Fletcher is 5 so he has gotten his wires crossed, so to speak. He cracks himself up.

Here's what life is like with him. Do not adjust your monitor. That orange hue you see on his cheeks, forehead and chest is indeed spaghetti sauce (and yes, he insists on having a napkin at every meal). I love the way he can switch gears from comedian to Mr. Cranky Pants. His face and those furrowed eyebrows make me smile. Let's just say that at this rate I don't think we will have to worry about someone/anyone trying to get him to do something he doesn't want to do. He can be a teeny bit stubborn.

Throwback Thursday

The date: Labor Day weekend, 1994 (or maybe 1993)

The place: Cancun, Mexico

The mood: Nine girls having the time of our lives. Three of them were engaged so I suppose this was sort of like a Bachelorette Party of sorts. These are the same girls that are part of our annual Girls Weekends. A few are missing because they were already married or about to get married. It was such a fun trip. One of our friends (Linda) was a travel agent at the time so she made sure we had great accomodations. We laughed and laid out by the pool or on the beach and laughed some more.

While we were laying out poolside (with no sunscreen I am sure) the Mexican band there tried to teach us a little song with hand motions called the "Macarena". It had not "caught on" in the states yet. We thought it was a little goofy. Little did we know, we were on the cutting edge of dance history!!

I'm Gonna Miss This

I know I'm supposed to say that.

Here a typical conversation we've been having lately with our 23 month old.

Luke: Mommy, dess wha? (Translation: Guess What?)
Mom: What, Luke?
Luke: (silence)

Five seconds later...

Luke: Mommy, dess wha?

Mom: What, Luke?

Luke: (silence)

Mom: Do you want to tell Mommy "I love you Mommy"?

Luke: (silence)

Five seconds later...

Luke: Mommy, dess wha?

Mom: What, Luke?

Luke: (silence)

Daddy calls from out of town.

I put Kevin on speaker phone so the boys can talk.

Dad: Hey, how's everybody doing?

Fletcher: Good, Dad. How's your day going?

Luke: (interrupting) Daddy, dess wha?

Dad: What, Luke?

Luke: (silence)

Fletcher: Luke, you have to TELL Daddy something after you say "Guess what?"

Luke: Daddy, dess wha?

Dad: What, Luke?

Luke: (silence)

And on and on and on it goes.

Singing In The Rain

Just the other day I was thinking about all the camps and retreats I went to as a kid and as an adult leader. Several of them stood out for various reasons (like the time I accidentally left one of my youth in a mall in Albuquerque, NM). I remembered one because the camp speaker had us "make rain" with our hands and feet. We were in a very echo-y (probably not a word) building so the acoustics were perfect. I just couldn't remember what all we did to make the different sounds.

Then I ran across this little gem. They start singing at the 1:52ish mark but the first part is awesome. Make sure your volume isn't muted. Watch it once to see what they actually do with their hands and feet, then play it again and close your eyes and just listen to the sound.

Thanks for the memory Perpetuum Jazzile.

Big Meanies!

Lately, Fletcher has been fascinated with military stuff. Kevin let him watch something on PBS about War Planes. He told me the other day that he thinks he might grow up to be in the military to go get the bad guys. (He also added that six years later he would go find a wife. While that has nothing to do with this story, I am impressed that he is planning ahead.)

He remembers from previous conversations that his PawPaw served in the Air Force and his Papa Charlie was in the Army. We also talked about Mr. Steve who was in the Marines and the other division of military service called the Navy. Kevin started telling him about the Navy Seals - how they were an elite group of the best, strongest, fastest, toughest men and how they had to go through intense training to do what they do.

Fast forward about two weeks. We are sitting at the breakfast table and Fletcher says out of the blue, "Mom, I think dolphins are probably pretty mean."

I seize this as a teachable moment and launch into this mini lecture to correct his thinking. I immediately say, "Oh no, honey, dolphins aren't mean. They are very gentle creatures." I tell him how smart dolphins are and how they can do tricks and how there's a place where you can swim with dolphins. I remind him of the dolphins we saw at Sea World a few years ago.

He appears to be listening intently and taking it all in.

After I finish, he says, "No, Mom. I'm talking about those Navy Dolphins."

Oops. Right concept. Wrong aquatic mammal.

Mom: Ooooohhhhh. I think you mean Navy Seals. Not Navy Dolphins.

Fletcher: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Navy Seals. Those really tough guys Dad was talking about.

Mom: Well, I don't think they are mean. But I wouldn't necessarily walk up to one and call him a dolphin...