Marriage Material

Eric and I were chit chatting with Biz today and the subject of marriage came up.

Momma:  Biz, what characteristics would you want your future wife to have?

Biz:  Well, she needs to love Jesus.

Momma: Definitely.

Biz:  And she needs to drive a limousine.

Momma:  Hmmm???

I love that kid!!!

Soccer Wrap Up

It has been hard for us to get good action shots of Caleb playing soccer this season.  The WCSA made some new rules that prohibits, or at least, strongly discourages people from standing in certain areas around the field, especially near the goals.  So, that has made it hard to get some good close up shots with our little "point and shoot," very deficient in the zooming department, camera.  (Have I mentioned that we need a new camera?)  Not that we were the super paparazzi or anything, but they probably saw the tendencies and implemented the rule.

Eric did get a couple of good pictures of Caleb in action at his last game of the season. (Shhh...I think he may have broken a boundary rule once or twice.) 

Caleb stepped up his defensive game this season, and he became quite the shot blocker.  He also managed to score in every single game, at least once.  His footwork is improving and, although he is not always the fastest or biggest on the field anymore, he gives his opponents a run for their money.  His ball awareness has increased and he can usually anticipate where a shot is going before it is kicked, so he has been able to better position himself and play a step ahead. 

So, Way to go, Number 11!  Here's to another great soccer season!!! 

Thanking Jesus for the soccer talent He has given Caleb, because we know He is the source of it!

Finally!!!!

Mother's Day Hike

I apologize because May's posts have been all over the place.  I know it has driven those of you (like myself), who appreciate how nicely the whole chronological order thing works, crazy.  But alas, the month of May has been all out of order and  rhythm on here.  So much like real life. 

But we press on.  And back it up two weeks to Mother's Day. 

If you are going to keep in sync with one thing in the month, it should be Mother's Day, right?  Actually, the blog is not a true representation of that, because I was blessed to spend the weekend before Mother's Day with my wonderful mother-in-law, the weekend after Mother's Day with my amazing mother, and actual Mother's Day with some other pretty awesome moms.  So, everything was covered and good and one of the best parts was that I got to spend much of the day out in the woods, with MY BOYS.

When Mother's Day is just around the bend, I often forget that now, I am the mother, too.  I spend a lot of time leading up to the day thinking of ways to honor my mom and the other moms in my life and sometimes I forget that now, people actually make a fuss about me on that day, too.  Oh, I LOVE being a mom!  Love it!  It was not something I chose on my own, but an incredible gift that was given to me.  And those are the best gifts. I was probably too selfish to have chosen the role on my own, but God knows exactly what we need, when we need it, and so wonderfully lavishes it on us.  He knows our true hearts, even if we don't.  For that, I am the most grateful.  Most, most grateful!

I know Eric will probably laugh when he reads this, because I have been feeling a little overwhelmed in the mommy department lately.  And his has been the ear for which my venting has fallen upon.  I like to think that he knows my true heart, too, and that even on my hardest of mommy days, there is truly no other role I was made for.

Besides being Eric's wife, being Caleb and Sethie's momma is my greatest joy! 

Even though I knew I would see her the next weekend, I still missed not being with my mom on Mother's Day.  But it was still a really special day! I woke up to breakfast made just for me.  Caleb even cut my strawberries into hearts.  Then came the gifts and homemade cards. I can never get enough of the boys' cards and drawings. Really.  Keep them coming!  I also love how Eric knows me so well and really gets me.  And in the process, he still likes me.  I really am one of those people who actually means it when I say, please don't get me any thing fancy or froo froo.  At least during this season of life.  Please spend your money on something I will use.  Like on a daily basis.  I do like flowers, though, even if they do die.  But I am just as satisfied with the $5 bunch of roses from Wal-mart as I would be with the $50 bunch from wherever.  Actually more satisfied, because I know that our budget isn't taking a big hit.  I am frugile to a fault, which I think must make gift buying difficult or maybe it makes it really easy.  But Eric ALWAYS does good.  Real good.  This Mother's Day, I was gifted with new shower faucets in BOTH showers.  Woo Hoo!  And a really, really cool spice organizer.  Thanks Honey!  And Boys. 

After breakfast and a little serenade by Caleb (Seth was just not feeling it), we were off to church and then small group, where all of the hubbies brought their wives' favorite snacks.  Eric nailed it again.  He showed up with tiramisu, which brought laughter from some of my friends.  Tiramisu?  A snack?  Why, yes, it is.  And it was very tasty.  I don't kid around about snacking, as many of you know. 

Then it was on to Radnor Lake with the McLaughlins and Durhams.  It was an absolutely beautiful day and I couldn't think of anything else I would have rather done than hike the day away with some of my favorite people. 

One of which was a brand new mommy herself, Sami.  Oooh, that Liam is just about the cutest thing I have ever seen (aside from my own cuties).  He did very well on his first hike nestled up against his Grammy (and our Tante). 

And we had a great time walking the trails, climbing on old trees, and even seeing a few deer.  Luckily, the hike took place before the cicada invasion, so we didn't have any of the red eyed creatures flying into our heads during the trip. 

The boys even got an impromptu guitar lesson when we stumbled across some musicians along the trail. 

Early on in the hike, Seth found an interesting mushroom that he becme very fond of.  The fact that we wanted him to get rid of it only made him want it more.  However, when he discovered that if he was going to take the fungus home (which he was very determined to do..at first), he would have to be the one keeping up with all day, he soon lost interest in it and pitched it.

The day ended with my boys taking me out to Chuy's for dinner.  YUM!  The only actual demand request I had for Mother's Day was to not have to cook and my boys made good on that.  I even devoured three bowls or their salsa, which I love, in honor of the day.  And since I am the only one in this family who eats salsa, I can't deny that I did all of the devouring.

It was a good day!  Praise Jesus for moms!  And for the little ones who call us mom!

Buckaroo!!

The rodeo was a big hit with the boys! 

However, I am not sure what was more exciting for the boys....the show or the rodeo food!

Seth's favorite part of the show was when the cowboys came out on their horses and shot at and popped the balloons that were set up around the arena.  I think he was a bit disappointed that the entire show did not consist of this.  He kept asking when they were going to come out and pop the balloons again.  Caleb's favorite was definitely the bull riding.  No surprise there.  I am not sure what my favorite part was, but I know it was definitely NOT the steer wrestling.  Poor steers.  Cheryl and I cringed every time one of the steers went down and their little necks got twisted around.  We cried foul!  But I guess that is just the mother in us.  I found the bareback riding a bit crazy, too.  The chiropractor in me kept thinking, "Whiplash! Whiplash."  Those guys just bounced all over the place.  I am not sure how they are able to walk after one of those rides.  I did really like the barrel racing...no neck wrenching or body flopping involved.  The bull riding was also pretty exciting.  None of the cowboys last night were able to hold out for 8 seconds, though.

And the lighting in the arena did not cooperate with my camera, so I was not able to get any good pictures of the action.  I need a new camera.  But I was able to capture some action shots outside of the arena.  Once Caleb laid eyes on the mechanical bull, he was ready to go and ride that thing!  He did quite an impressive job, although he confessed that it was A LOT harder than it looked.

Aidan had a great ride, too.  And even showed off with a little cowboy hat trickery!

Sethie was ready to go on the bull, too, until it was actually his turn.  Then he told me that he changed his mind and wanted watch instead.

Caleb even participated in the Calf Scrabble, which was a big free-for-all where a big bunch of kids chase after three little calves, trying to snatch the ribbon off of their tails.  Poor calves.  Not that they were hurt in any way, but they were just standing around having a good ole time minding their own business, when all of a sudden a big stampede of kiddos comes running their way.  I didn't get a picture of this, because it was actually hard to keep up with Caleb amid the mass of kids running all over the place.  And there was that whole camera thing, too. He didn't grab a ribbon, but I was really proud of him for running his little heart out there.  He is definitely not squimish in a crowd.  He just jumped right in.

It was a fun night!  And we did brush our teeth as soon as we got home!

Saddle Up!

The boys' favorite song right now is "Rodeo," by Garth Brooks. That probably doesn't make us parents of the year, but we probably weren't nominated for that award, anyway.  Oh well.  That is always their first request when they hop into Daddy's car. They sure do enjoy rolling down the windows and belting out that tune.

Caleb has just been all about all things rodeo over the past few weeks.  Which means Seth has been all about all things rodeo over the past few weeks. We were even flipping through the channels the other night before bedtime and stopped at one of the bull riding scenes in the movie 8 seconds.  (Remember that movie from the early nineties?)  Caleb was just mesmerized. 

Well, tonight is the Franklin Rodeo.  What appropriate timing!  I knew the boys would be very excited to go, but unfortuately Eric will be in workshops all weekend, so I knew if we were going, it would be me taking my squirmy cowboys solo.  I was not so eager to take on that challenge, but definitely willing to do it for my boys.  Thankfully, though, when I was discussing the rodeo with my friend Cheryl, she suggested our families go together.  Yay!  Extra hands, just in case.  So, this means that not only will the boys get to experience their first rodeo, but they will get to experience it with one of their best buddies, Aidan, and his family.  (Yes, Seth thinks that Aidan is one of his best buddies, too.)

And to add to the Rodeo mania, last Friday Poplar Grove School had a "rodeo" for all of the kindergarten kids. There were no bucking broncos or barrel racing, but there was a lot of cool games, "rodeo food", fun prizes, and a whole bunch of five and six year-olds dressed up as cowboys and cowgirls.  And some pretty cute siblings who also dressed the part. They were adorable!

And I loved the fact that each kiddo was given a bag of pennies and had to judiciously spend their alotted amount to purchase their own meal, play games, buy ice cream or popcorn. It was a really neat lesson for them. And was the fun over when the pennies ran out? Nope, the teachers had them come to them with their empty bags and then they had to earn more pennies by helping out or doing a task for the teacher. Loved it!

Granny got to come along for the fun, since she was here last weekend.  I volunteered to help out with some of the games, but for the majority of the time, I got to take in the rodeo with the boys.  It was a lot of fun! Seth just had a ball!  He felt so grown up standing in line with the big kids and handing his penny to the taker, so that he could play, too.  And of course, Caleb was like a flash running from one game to the next.  He actually held on to his pennies much longer than I anticipated, but did have to do some work to earn some more.  Granny and I got such a kick out of it all.

So...YEEHAW...Rodeo, here we come!! I really am a little more excited than I expected about this outing. Just sad that Daddy will miss out on all of the fun.