Play learning

This year after I drop off Sam for morning preschool

Grandma and I are working with Joe.

I have been praying for the best way to teach Joe.

And then God lead me to Kristi A.

who know all about teaching children.

And she made it clear that at this age {3}, with 2 years of preschool before K,

we should make it more about play than work.

So taking her advice, I put away the paper and pencils for awhile

We are going to play blocks.

It is more about matching shapes, matching colors than it is about naming them.

And today, Sam's school was cancelled {praying for his teachers' family}

And so out came the playdough

and we practiced Sam's letter of the week - B.

And we matched colors of playdough to their lids.

And of course each boy loved his name spelled out.

And this lead promptly to a game of riddley-riddley-ree,

which we play often in doctors offices or other areas where we hurry up then wait.

Thank you Kristi for your words of advice.  It has put me much more at ease and my mornings with Joe are much more fun {for both of us}.

Next:  Shaving cream {when I am brave...}

Sunday Sabbath

No pictures.

Just words.

Sometimes all it takes is words to remember a great day.

Slept in {a little}

Baths = Clean sweet boys

Jackets due to cool weather.

Thankful for much needed rain.

Uplifiting church service with inspiring praise and worship.

Heard several of my favorites today.

Loved youth sunday school

They challenge us each week.

Text from niece

Picked her up for trip to Walmart

Won't waste a chance to spend time with her

This time next year she will be away at college

with little time for us!

Spent time encouraging her with a struggle - makes my heart ache.

Bought halloween costumes for boys, forgot to get more toilet cleaner {figures}

Naps for boys -even a cat nap for mama.

Dressed boys in costumes - pure joy.  Funny.

DH watched Colts {me too, kinda, im ok with highlights}

Uno Moo

Vege soup for supper {yum on a cold rainy day}

2 floor puzzles

Thomas the Train

Bathroom & Jammies

Prayers

Sweet Bedtime

Thankful for this sweet day of rest

Thankful to honor my God on the sabbath.

Ready to start the week.

How about you?  Does Sunday start your week, or is the end?

It is the start for me, what better way to put our best foot forward

then after a day spent worshiping the Lord.

"Six days shah thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God; in it thou shalt not do any work..." (Exodus 20:10).



Drafty

The weather is turning cooler.

It is gonna get drafty boys!

Not a sweet potato.

Do you happen to remember my post about the

Pickle Plant?

Actually known as a sweet potato vine...

It isn't just for looks folks...

I let it trail down to the mulch

and it grew this baby.

Weird?  Well, I wasn't expecting it so yes it is weird!

And it is not a sweet potato!



Missing Yellow

I love yellow.

I love summertime.

I am already missing summertime yellow.

Zoo+2 boys+Mama=FUN!

We love the zoo.

Sam started asking a month ago to visit one again.

He wanted to see a macaw and a zebra.

I told him when mama and daddy got back from the beach,

we would take a day and go.

Thursday night {15 minutes after we were home}

He asked when we were going to the zoo.

So, Friday beautiful day as it was

the laundry waited and we went to the zoo.

Our last couple of trips, we have waited until later in the fall to go

and this guy was never there.

Sam shrieked when we rounded the corner and found this Hippo.

And we loved the camel.

The lion and tigers were very active.

We loved the fish by the pond.

Laughed at the Kudu and Macaws

But we roared with laughter when the lady beside me told this giraffe

to smile...out came its tongue, right on cue!

We rounded out our day in Amazonia

We love how the birds fly close and we saw a baby jaguar and tapir,

both from Dora & Diego, of course.

Had a great day exploring the zoo with my boys!

Was so grateful for our fun day so we visited the gift shop,

usually steer clear of these places, just waiting to see what each boy choose.

A stuffed tiger, or lion coin purse, ball with zebra on it?

Sam disappointed said, Don't they have any trains?

So we stopped at Target for another addtion to our collection.

10 year honeymoon

                              

We went on a 10 Year Honeymoon
Time spent as couples - no kids
My brother Will and His Wife Jill...Married 10 years 11.25.10

My brother Scott and his Wife Christine...married 20 years 11.24.10

DH and I...married 10 years 9.9.10

Drive thru the night

Play the radio scan/identify the artist game

{Jill always wins}

Stop for gas/bathrooms 3 times.

Arrive 10.5 hours later

good ol' southern IN to Okaloosa Island, FL

Adult conversation
Long hallway to our condo room at 5am
Breakfast at Waffle House
Straight out to the Beach

Skip Lunch
Afternoon naps by the pool
Forecast rain -Thankful for the endless sunshine
Dinner at Freds' Floyd's
Free Movies included-It's Complicated
{which becomes our tag line for the trip}
Sooooo tired, Early to bed. Not so early to rise
Walk on the beach
Few shells {bummer}
GORGEOUS silky white sand
Devotional - Wed Nite Small Group..good time with DH
Beach umbrella and chairs
Giggles from kids, miss ours
Found the 'adult' pool
deemed so because it has few water features that draw kids

Dinner at McGuires Irish Pub
Celebrate Scott's birthday
See 900K in one dollar bills stapled to ceiling
Big Green Drink
Souviner Christmas Ornaments
Thought about Piano Bar - $10 each -nah
Ended up back at condo
Wake again
Try out workout room, very nice
Uneventful morning at the beach
Some went shopping
Leftovers for lunch
Kicked out of pool in afternoon
Giggles and Stories bout this
Calls to our kids while driving
Stroll through HarborBay Village
Eat BBQ at The Shed
Game night -Ashley, big winner
Watch The 19th Wife
Vow to read the book
Watch the sunrise

and the Sunset

Time to reconnect with your mate

Talk endlessly about our 7 children who didn't make the trip
Time to read--Grisham, Kingsbury, Auto Trader {seriously}
Shoes optional

Buy souviners for the kiddos, book-19th wife

Drive beach side

Supper at Pompano Joe's

Messy hands from crab legs, Shocker

Anticipate Last Day

Soak up the ocean breeze

Steal some sun rays

and some sand {smile,wink}

Come inside the lastest we can

Dinner at AJs harbor side

Decide we will rent a boat next trip

Pack up

Leave at 4am so that we can make it home

for child #3's tennis match.

Call from home with 30 minutes to go...match cancelled.

Sweet reunion with kiddos.

You didn't think I left them this whole time empty-handed did you?

Nah, I decorated up an ice cream container filled with small treats

that they could pick from while we were gone

(chewies, hot wheels, Toy Story Cups, Cards}

So glad to be home.  Would do it again!

So sweet to have these sweet boys in my arms again.

DH and his buds did good picking out our condo

Was glad to see it

and stay in it...makes all the work he does for it worth it!

Cannot wait for the boys to see it, again and again.

Married 10 years.

Exactly 10 years ago today we were married. 
10 years ago.
We had already been together for 6 years at this point.
We were so excited, had many plans for how future would look.
Apprehensive?  No,we were certain that together we could conquer anything.
Had someone pulled me away that day and given me a glimpse of the family we have today,
I would have wished to push fast-forward.
Past the years of our marriage when we wished without end for children.
But God has a way of bringing things into our life in His own Season.
I cannot imagine what our snapshot will look 10 years from now
but I am certain that I want to weather it with DH.
I am grateful that we have a God that will see us through 'the for better or worse' that each year may bring.
And that He walks with us on our marriage journey.

Happy 10 Year Anniversary, Dear Hubby.

Preschool Year 2

PreSchool in back in session.

And this year, we were pros.

Sam had no time for pictures as we left the house this morning.

He was out the door in a FLASH.

He was glad to show cousin Ella the ropes.

And was super glad to see Drew's familiar face

and play with all the toys

He was proud to report that his letter was L

L for ladybug.

Surprise Pharmacy Visitors

I had some surprise visitors on Friday at work.

This was my view out the drive thru window.

My brother Will picked up my boys along with Drew (aka Batman)

at Mindy's on Friday and what a treat.

They stopped to visit on their way home - thanks Will!

Made.my.day.

Labor Day Farming

We have been waiting all summer for this view.

Riding in the buddy seat in the combine

while DH operates this huge machine.

That takes up the whole road

And while Sam loved the ride, took in every minute.

Joe was not as fortunate.

He did get a good hour nap as we harvested the field corn.

And was a smiles when we got back to the house and found Grandma.

Oh, yeah, that's my big man.

It has been a long time since Harvest came this early.

I remember when we were married Sept 9 the corn was still mostly green.

But whenever it comes, the farmers are ready.

And the 'shop talk' remains the same...

combine, tractor, wagon, auger, grain bin, husks, silks, unload on the go, 6 rows at a time,

dirt, sun, dust, smiles, frustrations, parts, hopper, auger wagon, 'how wet did it test?' 12-15, good harvest, family, teamwork, 2 tractors, 2 wagons, bumpy fields, water jugs, corn head, bean head, field corn, soybeans, Graber farms, family lunch, 4 generations, working the land, a hard days work, buddy seat, combine buttons, time for good conversation, naps in the combine, 20 questions from Sam

Passing on the Tradition.

Sunday School

Sunday Morning Joe went to Sunday School

for the first time.

We started going to singing class a couple of weeks ago

to get him used to the routine and then we would talk

about staying in class.

 Sunday was the new quarter, so he sat right down in a chair

and gave me the look

so on I moved...To see this big man in his new class.

He has graduated from the Nursery class

and moved onto

Kindergarten 1 - this is the year before they go to kindergarten

Joe seemed so big all day today.

I put on his 18mo pants from last winter

(since he still fits in some 12 mo shorts)

and they were inches short,

He looked down and said, "I got big".

My thoughts exactly Joe, you did get big, and sweeter by the day!

So we are onto size 24mo/2T.

Joe's first Sunday school picture.

Mrs. Diane said - he really likes BLUE.

And then we came home and the boys helped daddy grill chicken

Lunch and afternoon by the pool.

Then fish fry at Grandma and Grandpa's.

That's a wonderful Sunday.

Lunch Date

I had lunch across from these two today.

Usually it is one beside me and one across from me.

It was fun watching them.

And correcting them {gently of course}.

I said these things a lot...

sit up straight

sit still

hands to yourself

make room for Joe

sit up

give that crayon back to Sam

get back in your seat

and of course the ever dreaded

do you want to sit by mama?

Oh,

we spilled a water

DH would be stinkin' mad

but the waitress was very kind

She said no prob that is what we are here for.

Extra tip.

And then we went to Walmart to get preschool supplies.

Sam's starts next week.

Mama will soak up some Joe lovin!