Summer-rific!

Summer is always a busy time for us, usually due to VBS, Youth Camp, vacation, and other activities that are mostly church-related. :)  We also LOVE that there is no school and we can spend more time together. While, we certainly are not the perfect family, we do have a lot of sweet moments... as well as some not-so-sweet. Our four boys have been a little testy since getting back from their visit to grandparents; but, through it all, our oldest has shown a new level of maturity. He breaks up fights between his younger brothers and offers to help his mommy more.  I decided to post a few pics from W. birthday trip to Lake Winnie in Chattanooga in honor of my sweet guy. We all had the best time! Most of my family was there, and it was such a blessing to hang out with them and have fun.  So, here we go!

These guys loved the boats...such a simple ride, but obviously
a blast for them! Even Tucker made it on!

Tuck had the best seat in the place...got to ride around in
his stroller with his battery-powered fan! :)

Judd didn't care for the rides at first, but once he
saw how much his brothers loved them, he started
 to enjoy them more.

Love my Abe! He had the best time...even rode the Ferris
Wheel with his mommy! 

Love the old-timey look of this pic. My favorite part though...
the expression on Abe's face! :)

The swings were a big favorite...I think they rode them
like 20 times!

Best part....Daddy all to ourselves.  We love him very much!

Enjoyed the new water park as well.

Tomato Woes

William and Abe are at the age of discovery! Everything is new and interesting to them, and they LOVE talking...both of them.  There is never a lull in conversation at our house (unless they're sleeping); and we like it this way.  Yes, there are days when we relish quiet, but most of the time we can't wait to hear what they're going to say next.

In a house full of boys, dialogue often strays along the topics of bodily functions, bugs, animals, pirates, super heroes, dirt, digging in dirt, sticks, rocks, and "The Things They Learn at School". The latter is very important, because they try to out-do each other in the "I know more than you" arena. Sometimes their discourse gets a little heated and I have to step in and be the peacemaker. Most of the time, it's chummy banter. For example, I had to make a quick trip to the store to grab a few necessities, and William and Abe tagged along.  The poked, picked, and chuckled all through the store. On the drive home, William decided to throw out something important he learned at school.

WILLIAM:  Abe...did you know that a tomato is a fruit?
ABE:  (no response)
WILLIAM:  Hey, Abe!  Did you know that a tomato is a fruit? My teacher said so!
ABE:  (no response)

At this point I spy Abe in my mirror just looking out the window.  I wonder if he's ignoring William on purpose. I choose not to say anything.

WILLIAM:  Did you hear me, Abe? A tomato is a fruit!
ABE:  (sighs) No, Will-i-a-a-m! A banana is a fruit!  A TOMATO is a BOB!!!

Since he was two, Abe has been enamored with Bob and the VeggieTale gang.  When he said this, I had to chuckle.  To this day, he will not eat a tomato because it's BOB!  He's a precious guy, but one of these days he's going to discover just how yummy a bob can be. :)

Tuck Dynasty

While he obviously doesn't have his own show on A&E, he has stolen our hearts nonetheless!  Tucker Benjamin is now 9 months old.  We can't believe how fast he's growing, because, honestly, we're still a little shocked that he's here at all. :) What a blessing he is and we're thankful for every second we spend with the little man!!

Tucker is sitting up, crawling, pulling up, and eating anything that he can get his pudgy hands on. Yes, he is adorable like most babies, but it's his smile that WOWS us! It's the smile that never quits! Sometimes, it's the one thing that keeps me from pulling my hair out (on the days when everything is going wrong....I have to have a good reason to pull my hair out).

Tucker's smile!  He's happiest when he's with his brothers.

Tuck loves animal crackers. He starts squealing when I get out the jar that contains them. He starts flapping his arms, too, like a chicken at feeding time. I love it!! :)  Recently he started taking baths by himself in the big tub. He splashes and laughs and makes bubbles other than those made by soap.

Bubble Boy!

While I could go on, and on, and on about Tucker's attributes, I have little ones making demands on my time at the moment. I will post more about this guy as he continues to develop as well as more about his three brothers, who at the moment, are just WAY toooo quiet.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Christmas Honesty

At Christmas, you try desperately to keep the present that you got your loved one a secret! In a house full of little boys, this is very difficult. William and Abe went shopping with one objective: to buy each other a gift. I took William and Tim took Abe. They, of course, were very excited. They had a budget of $5 that they could NOT go over. William kept picking out $20 toys for Abe and I quickly explained to him that was way too much. We settled on silly putty and a package of assorted toy jungle animals (because Abe loves these).

At dinner, we always go over our day.  William and Abe talk about their shopping trips. I remind them that they CANNOT tell the other what they got.

WILLIAM: Oh, we already told each other.
ME:  What???
ABE: Yes, I told William that I got him--"
ME: Whoa! Don't say it...it's supposed to be a secret. That makes it fun! So you can be surprised on Christmas morning.

William is very sensitive to my emotions. If he thinks I'm upset about something, he always, very quickly, tries to rectify the situation.

WILLIAM: Ohhhh!  Well, Abe...I didn't really get you putty and animals.  I got you, ummm.....yogurt!

I roll my eyes at this point...if you're going to fib about it, at lease make it believable. Then I realized something.  Did I really want them to FIB about it??

I do not.  There was more to this conversation, but I did discover one thing.  Even in the little things, I want my sons to be honest. Always! Now, I quickly change the subject when they start talking about their gifts for one another.  It's safer that way!  :-)

These two are inseparable!  And, boy, are they excited about Christmas!

Our first live tree...the boys decorated every inch. The only thing they didn't
put on were the lights!  William declared that he had "the best time!"

Abe-isms

Abe is my 4-year-old. He is a lover of bugs, of wild animals, and of all things gross.  :)  He loves for me to sit and draw pictures of bugs with him.  My sketching skills aren't that great, but he never seems to notice, and for that, I'm grateful. He is also a HAM.  Abe loves to make everyone chuckle with his own form of slapstick comedy.  Most of the time his flips and falls are staged, but sometimes, they are not.  Last night two of our boys were in the Christmas program at our church. Abe, of course, was one of the two.  He played the role of Joseph. It was his time to come out on the stage, and he did so with much aplomb.  Well...not really.  He came out flapping his arms around, which caused him to lose his balance, which caused him to collide with the side of the "stable" with his head.  I gasped like a good mother, but I was really trying to repress my laughter. He was fine!  He rubbed his head and the classic "Abe" smile appeared.  He and William (William did a great job too!) enjoyed the program and felt famous afterwards as the production got a standing ovation.

We decided McDonalds was in order, so Tim and I loaded up the kiddos. We had come in two separate vehicles, so William rode with Tim.  Before leaving, William and Abe had a slight altercation. Abe had gotten a goody bag from his teacher. William hadn't. Abe gave Judd a piece of his candy from said goody bag and didn't give William anything.  While driving to McDonalds, this is the conversation that took place between myself and my four-year-old:

ABE:  Mommy, I gave Judd a piece of candy.  Was that nice?
ME: Yes, Abe...very nice.
ABE: I didn't give William one because he hasn't been good today; but, Judd has been a good boy today.

Okay...Abe is now the judge of his brother.  I tried not to chuckle. Abe had been in quite a bit of trouble that day as well, so it was the proverbial pot calling the kettle black.

ME: Well, sometimes you can give someone a piece of candy just to show them that you love them.
ABE: Ohhh....

(pause)

ABE:  Well...I do love Judd!

Abe as "Joseph" in our church's Christmas program
December 2012