Phonics worked for me....

Today we were having lunch with a dear friend and her daughter. After lunch Shiloh elected to color. She was sitting at the small kids table, and I still at the dinner table. She looks at me and says "Mommy will you show me how to draw a B, I want to spell peach." I informed her peach did not have a b in it, but beach did, and we could try and spell that. She thinks she's so big!

3 AM Visitor

I'm sure you could probably make an educated guess as to who this might be, but incase your not privy to Hosea's escape tactics, it's our sweet 2 year old little boy. I'll give some background.....he has had the physical ability to escape from the pack-n-play since Sept. 2009 (his first offense). He waited about 2 months in November to start doing it consistently, as it has become his bed for our temporary stay here in NB. I'll attach a old video so you can view the mastered skill. Since then we've allowed him the choice to sleep in his crib or in his tent, he bounces back and forth between the two for a preferred resting place. Regardless where we put him to bed, he has the ability to let himself out, he is often the alarm clock at 6am pitter patter across the kitchen floor and a stop in our room to report, "mommy out" "play cars", and he's off. More often than not, this is how the day begins. Well 2 nights ago I think he was testing his nocturnal habits, as he stopped by our room for a visit at 3:00am, 3:15am, and 3:30 am, all of which we promptly put him back to bed. I'm not sure what he is up to on his late night wonderings, but I'm guessing it involves cars. It's not his first middle of the morning adventures, and probably won't be his last, but hey at least he reports in.

That's my girl!

This picture just oozes Shiloh, and I love it!!

ROARRRRRRRRRR!

The other day Hosea was acting like he was 2, go figure. Mike would say anything to him and he would reply with "no". It wasn't an obedince issue, so Mike started playing around asking things like...."do you like candy?"....."no"......"do you like cake?"........ no.......... after a series of several "no's" mike asked.................. "Hosea are you a dinosaur?" We rein-acted his response on this video. We got a kick out of it.

It's a........

little girl, no a princess, no a ballerina, it's a ............................ fish!

Shiloh has come so far in overcoming her fear of going under water that I have to take a moment to bask in the joy it makes me feel. For some background she has always been a little uneasy in the pool, the bath was another story, I think from the feeling of no control the pool renders. Last summer she finally worked up the courage to put her head under on her own, and on her own terms. I was proud of her for the step in the right direction. This past fall and winter Mike and I made a tough decision to enroll her in swim lessons. It was tough b/c we knew it would stretch Shiloh out of her comfort zone, and in all likely hood would not be enjoyable for her a least at first. The instructor we knew was a "tough love" kind of woman, and has low tolerance for crying, but has successfully taught many how to swim, she was highly recommended. So we did it knowing that sometimes things that are good for us to do are not always easy. Shiloh ended up doing 2 sessions, the 2nd one by choice, and the result has been amazing, she now enjoys trying to swim, and is close to getting the hang of it. We've been to the pool as a family twice this week and she asks to "swim to the rope" and "swim to the wall" she goes back and forth as long as we will allow her, usually until we see blue lips. Here is an example of her "swimming to the wall". Again a great stride for Shiloh.

My Anniversary Gift

This is what was waiting for me in our living room the morning of our anniversary, so sweet. Mike got me a new hammock! I've been wanting one for a couple of years now, after ours broke, but we decided to wait, as we knew we would be moving soon. We were originally suppose to move the Summer of 2009. He did a lot of research on hammocks and says this type is suppose to be the most comfortable one, plus it can hold up to 750lbs. In case we all want to relax together I guess. Now the interesting part is this.........my darling groom wants to hang it in the sun-room of our new home in FL. I was thinking the back yard would be nice. It should be interesting to see how this turns out.

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

I don't know if you had ever heard of this book when you were a kid, but I did, and well.....it has stuck with me since 2nd grade. I think of it when things just aren't going well for whomever, usually one of the children, Mike or myself. Really I'm mocking them or myself, and say it out loud, if one is musing in their dumps or throwing a fit, so loving, I know. Well today it was my turn. I won't recount the day, as I don't believe it would be fruitful, but things did not seem to be going as I wanted them to from the git go. Even things I wasn't wanting to do, but rather doing b/c they needed done (ie. house work) weren't going well for one reason or another. Great heart attitude, I know. It started early, as soon as i woke up actually, and just spiraled all day. Why did it spiral? Well........ b/c I have a sinful heart full of selfishness and pride, and so does everyone around me. But we'll focus on mine. My struggle all day was to not respond in frustration or anger at all the random circumstances, and respond rightly in accepting God's sovereignty for that moment and trusting that my creator knows what is best for me. What I re-learned is today is what was best for me b/c my terrible, horrible, no good very bad day reveled sin in my heart that would otherwise continue to take up residence there had I not been put to the test, which I failed by the way. In God's kindness to sinful me, he showed me he loved me by not letting me get my way, and allowing me to see the way I was behaving. Once I realized this I took the opportunity to repent of my sin and run to my savior Christ who bore the punishment for all my sins so that I could be forgiven and made right with God. What a beautiful gift Christ is everyday, but one God allowed me to see more clearly today all because I had a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.