My baby boy

I fear when this poor little guy grows up he'll look back and wish I had taken more pictures of just him. It seems like his big brother is in everyone! So I decided to make a little montage (you have to click on the pix for it to open - my brain is sluggish today and I can't remember how to post it in here!) of just him (since Sammy already has several!) and it made me feel so much better that I DO have pictures of just my little guy!
We love you, Caleb!!!!


Caleb

A boy after my own heart!

So seriously, this kid's diet generally consists of 90% fruit and veggies, 8% meat and 2% junk food so I don't feel bad when every now and then he splurges!! (in case you can't see in the picture he's eating ice cream...and no, I won't let him eat the whole thing!!!)

Happy Valentines Day

I must admit. I've never been a huge Valentine's Day person. Of course I love getting flowers or just a sweet card from my husband just like the next girl, but we just don't go crazy. I do put up decorations and get something for my husband, but don't like the idea that everything is twice as expensive for this one day and everyone feels like they have to buy something. I guess I just wish it were more of a "show your love" day and not a "spend all your had earned money" day. All I'm saying is I'd rather a nice card and a load of laundary done for me than $40 roses! ;)

I'm a lonely valentine this year. My valentine is in Chile for the whole week. He comes home on Sunday. We're doing well, but we miss him terribly!

Anyway, HAPPY VALENTINES DAY! Now go do something nice for your valentine!!!

This is a picture of Sammy when he was 4 months old and Daddy was away in Peru...

Who knows?! Maybe he'll be a chef!!

A friend of mine's blog is called "Musings from the Minivan" I love that! We do seem to get some GREAT conversations in our minivan!! I was thinking during this one that I'd love to install a dashcam or at least a tape recorder!

[Let me give a little background for this one:

Sammy has claimed our front porch. He calls it his porch! (Daddy always asks him how much he's paid for it and he says he doesn't have any money so we insist it ISN'T his, but whatever!) It's an enclosed porch and has become his toy room. Some days it tends to be more like a mine field when people try and walk into the house and I occasionally have to clear a path just to get to the door, but we generally use the back door so "live it up, Sammy. We'll clean up after your (our) nap!"]

In the car today Sammy said to me, "Mommy, I don't have a kitchen. I just have a porch. Maybe another day I can have a brand new kitchen so I can make eggs for Daddy...and you...and Caleb...and me...and ALL the people and kids. I make eggs for EVERYONE!"

Have you ever been in a packed stadium or concert and just been amazed at the number of people there and been overwhelmed at how many of them probably don't know the Lord? That happens to me all the time.

Yesterday the boys and I were driving home from visiting Daddy at his new office and Sammy said to me "Mommy, David wasn't there today" (David is Sammy's friend from church). Then he asked me if David's Daddy was working too and painting like his Daddy does (part-time job). It occured to me that he thinks David's Daddy works the same place his Daddy does. I realized that to him the world is so simple and small. He seems to think that everyone does exactly what we do and goes to the same places we do, etc. I've prayed since the boys were born that one day they will come to know and accept Jesus Christ as their Savior and that they would love and serve Him. As we drove and I thought about his perspective on the world and saw all of the cars and people that we were passing us another prayer came to my heart. I began to pray that God would give them a PASSION for the lost and that our lives, as their parents, would show them the need to reach others for Christ's kingdom.

My son the responsible citizen

Ok....if you hear something about them having to do a recount in Jersey...you can blame me!! I just want to put that out there now! Actually I think the sweet volunteer Senior Citizens had something to do with it. God bless them, but they didn't know what they were doing! After I registered the lady told me to go over and vote so being the rule follower that I am (not really!) I walked over to the booth, went in and voted (or so I thought!) Then they told me that the lady hadn't turned that one on so my vote wasn't actually recorded so I had to do it again. So the guy that I voted for (yes, now you know if was a man!!) may have an extra vote! Not that it matters anyway because you KNOW I didn't vote for the person that won in Jersey anyway! Now I have to add here that I realize that just because I vote for someone doesn't mean that they'll win, but seriously, what is wrong with the voters in this state?! I'm conviced that they're either all a little screwy or the intelligent ones are too lazy to go vote!

**Where's my tea? I need to settle down!" ** =)

The only thing that was good about the whole experience was that I took Sammy with me. Being the good mother and citizen that I am, I want him to learn that we vote and take part in our country and it's decisions. Sounds really great right? Not really because it was completely lost on my almost 3 year old! In the car he said to me "Where are we going, Mommy?" to which I replied with much pride "We're going for Mommy to vote". and my son said "I want to ride in the boat too!" Trying not to giggle I said "Not a boat, honey. Vote" Then I had to think how to explain this one! "umm, it's to tell them who I want to be President" to which Sammy replied "I want to open a present too!"

Never mind! Just take a ride with me and we'll go to Wawa (one of his favorite places) when we're done!

My Pop-pop used to always say "old people are funny!" I completely agree, Pops, but I think toddlers are pretty funny too!

They say life is full of choices...the life of a mother is no exception!

Let me share some of the choices I make on a (nearly) daily basis.
The first one starts from the moment I wake up to "I want Mommy!" A choice lies before me. Do I roll out of bed and go get my boys up and thus begin a day of many other (harder) choices or do I roll over and pretend to not have heard and let them wait another 10...or 45 minutes (just kidding - I never wait that long... and truth be told it's not so bad since my 2 lazy bones wake at 8am!)
Another choice is wether to change my name when I hear "Mommy???" for the ten thousandth time in one day (mind you 90% of the time nothing follows, it's just a nasty habit that my dear son has picked up calling for mommy for no apparent reason!) or to politely and gently respond to him to show him the love that I want him to show to others.
When I hear insane things coming out of my own mouth I stand at a crossroad. A choice, once again, lies before me. It goes something like this: "Don't sit on your brother!" or "Bellybuttons
are NOT for storing Cheerios!" or "Take that french fry out! We don't put food in our noses!" or "Don't you ever put a puzzle piece in the subwoofer again!" **Yikes! Never thought things like that would ever have to be spoken!** This is perhaps the biggest choice that a Mom (probably just a mom of boys, but I can't confirm this because I only HAVE boys) has. To scream and run and hide because "I'm turning into a scary parent" or to realize that one day when my kids are grown I'll look back on these days (that is as long as they live to be grown and not institutionalized because of their crazy mother!) and wish to have them back in my arms for some cuddles and kisses and hear them say "I love you OH SO MUCH, Mommy!"