The Boys Are Back in Town!

...and I've never been so happy to see this much laundry in my entire life. Things I missed while they were gone:

My minivan. Seriously, I never thought I'd say that.

My idea-givers for Chase. He has an imagination, but not nearly one the size of his older brothers.

My laundry sorters, dishwasher unloaders, and trash boys. :)

Our nightly Bible readings minus two very eager learners (they have a few chapters in Daniel to catch up on now).

Trey's sweet eyes and giggles.

Jack's insightful conversations and creativity.

The man that I married thirteen years ago this summer. He brings energy and entertainment to this house like only he can!

Their bags are unpacked and the laundry is slowly getting caught up. And I'm happy to report that Jack and Trey are great at entertaining a certain two year old who decided she wants to use the potty this week! They read, play and talk with her while she sits, and waits (I was upstairs putting laundry away earlier, and knowing that there's no time to wait, Trey even helped her to the potty himself!).

Ah, they're home, and I like it that way...

Missin' the boys...

These three are beyond excited to be on their first guy trip ever... a fishing trip to Wisconsin with my dad. Luckily Trey got the deodorant talk from his dad last week, just in time for a week of fish guts and a race to see who can go the most days without a shower. I'm back with the little ones who aren't quite ready to make the trip, and we've realized today (um, that would be day one) that our entertainment has left us for the week. I made the mistake of telling Chase that we would be doing some fun things of our own while the boys were gone, and he has taken that statement very literally. When I told him that it was time for lunch today, he said, "But I thought we were only doing fun things while the boys are in Wisconsin."

Yikes.

In other exciting news... after a run-in with the bathroom stall door at Chuck E. Cheese (don't ask... I knew I didn't like that place), I am spending my spouse-free time Googling images of broken fingers. My fun activity for the day was consoling a toddler and a preschooler in the smallest exam room ever while the doc stuck a needle - twice - through my black fingernail to try to relieve some pressure in my huge finger. I'm off for x-rays in the morning, but according to Chase, that sounds like a blast, so mark one up for his fun list.

Glad I could accommodate him.

A little blog fieldtrip....

I have to send you over to the Humphrey's blog today to check out pictures of Trey and Ian from their last playdate. It will bring a Tuesday morning smile to your face! Clearly, Ian tolerates Trey's craziness quite well. Thank goodness!

Thanking God today for the gift of laughter!

Tis the season...

... for weddings. And oh yes, new babies. Seriously, I must have 58 friends (or maybe just eight) who have had, or who are due to have babies this summer. While I am no longer eligible for that category, the whole thought still excites me. But maybe that's why it excites me, because I'm no longer in that category.

Anywho...

Bringing home a new baby is just about as exciting as it gets, but it's also a bit nerve-wrecking. Let's face it... your house temporarily goes into some serious upheaval. Or not so temporarily. It changes things. In wonderful new ways, and in challenging ways too.

So for my 58 friends (or just the eight of you) having babies, I came across this great article here. Your older children will not be warped forever, I promise. And if you're not one of these moms but you've been there, pick up the phone and encourage an expecting mom today.

And what category do I fall into now? Hmm...

I think they call this the maintenance phase. Yes, that sounds right. It's a long one, but a good one.

Loving God, and loving people...

(Chase, Ian, Ian's mom Angela, Tess, and Trey at a playdate at our house)

I think back to my last round of school conferences with the boys' teachers, and remember a resounding theme. Academics are important, I know. Tyler and I have a history of being very academically motivated people. Sure, I want them to work hard and to their full potential. But on that conference day, I wanted to hear the other side of the story when it came to my boys. More than academics, I wanted to know... are they demonstrating a love for God, and a love for people?

Now this looks different for each of my children. Just as each of them learns to read at a different pace, they also have their own gifts. One of the greatests joys for me as a parent is seeing God develop those gifts, so that they might love God and people well. Would I consider any one of my children successful if they never went to college and worked as a trash collector the rest of their lives? Absolutely, if they collected that trash with a passion and sold-out abandon for God, and for people.

This summer Trey is developing a deeper friendship with his buddy Ian. Ian came to our church from Jamaica through the miracle of adoption (if you want to be blessed, you can check out his family's story here). Ian has Cerebral Palsy, but I'm pretty sure most of the time Trey forgets that Ian can't walk or have conversation the way other kids do. They are a great match, and became fast friends when Ian first came to Trey's Sunday School Class.

There is a history with these two that's hard to describe; one that often brings me to tears. God is working in Trey's heart through Ian. Trey is overcome with love for this boy (and oh, is he SO easy to love!). I remember when Ian was first introduced to Trey's class at church. Trey came home and immediately wanted to buy a toy for him. He told me that it's fun for Ian to have a toy on his wheelchair tray during class, and he had all kinds of things in mind that he was sure Ian would like.

I have to admit that I got busy and forgot about Trey's request. Several requests and several weeks later, an emotional Trey came down from his bedroom one morning and dumped a pile of change and wadded up dollar bills onto my kitchen counter. With tears in his eyes he said, "Mom, I'll use all of my money, can we just please go buy Ian a toy today?" And we did just that. We had a date, just the two of us that evening, and Trey never thought twice about spending every cent that he had.

The best story about these two came about one middle-of-the-night when Trey woke up with a bad dream. He cried and cried and couldn't shake his fear. I reassured him that God was always with him, and that dreams sometimes confuse us with pictures of things that aren't real. We prayed. I asked him to replace his scary thoughts with something that was real and happy. So we talked about what he could think about that would make him feel better. I threw out things like ice cream, Legos, bike riding and baseball... all with no progress. We were getting nowhere.

And then it happened.

He said Ian's name.

Ian made him happy. His smile. His friendship. His contagious energy for life.

So we got on the computer and found their family blog, and scrolled through picture after picture of Ian. We talked about how God had taken care of Ian when he was in Jamaica, and about how God had a perfect plan for Ian's life - even before he was born. And at 3am, we talked about God's love for us, and how we can be adopted into His family.

Trey doesn't have it all figured out yet. Just the other day, he cried in my arms after a consequence and asked why, if Jesus is in his heart, he still does the things that he doesn't want to do.

Yeah, that's what I want to know too.

I told him that I have the same problem. But slowly, if we'll let Him, God is making us both to be more like Him.

Trey just spent the afternoon at Ian's house yesterday. He reported all kinds of fun, like playing cowboys, checking out the creek, and swinging with his friend. We're hoping Ian can come to our house next week. We'll get as many dates in as we can until school starts up. Trey and I have had great talks about ways he can serve Ian and be a good friend to him. But just like when you go on a mission trip with the best intentions of blessing others, you return only to realize...

you instead are the one being blessed.

After a playdate recently, we said our goodbyes to Ian and his mom down at their car, and headed up our driveway into the garage. Trey suddenly became unusually quiet, sat down on the garage floor and put his head down. When I asked him if something was wrong, he said, "Mom, I loved Ian before I ever even knew him." Somehow I don't think Trey messed up his words. I wonder if God, in all of His compassion and power, put that love in Trey's heart long before any of us ever even knew.

Loving God, and loving people. We hope to do lots more of that this summer.

Summer Fun!

Birthday Girl...

For lots of really great scheduling reasons, we partied simply with this girl this year. It was just our family, and it was a great choice. The boys helped pick a theme for Tess's party, and the conclusion was unanimous... Her most favorite thing in the entire world? A cat named "Bob".

Go ahead and laugh. I laugh every time I say his name too. He is our neighbor's cat, and to say that Tess is majorly obsessed with him is putting it mildly. She wakes up in the morning and asks for Bob. We take several walks across the street each day to go find him. And when we're not trying to find him, we're talking about him. We make up stories about him sleeping or going on adventures in the neighborhood. Tess's number one sentence spoken every day is (with her hands thrown up in the air in confusion), "Bob?? Where-eeee-goooooo?"

Look out when a boy says Bob's name when we're actually taking a break from talking about him. He immediately gets the look. Everyone knows that you don't ever bring up Bob when she's miraculously forgotten about him for five minutes. Geesh...

So we celebrated Bob-style, and she was more than thrilled...

So happy to see her cake!

Bouncing up and down and dancing while everyone sang to her.

Spitting - uh, I mean blowing- out two hard earned candles!

Wait, is someone cheering for me?!?!

Happy Birthday, Tess Elena!

P.S. Oh how your brothers adore you.

P.S.S. Bob? Not so much.

What femininity...

Look what her brothers taught her to do.

Not the naked thing. She taught herself how to do that. She either needs potty trained or duct tape, and I'm pretty sure she's too stubborn for the first option. Even with the pink princess throne potty chair, that plays royal music and all. Her babies sit on it all day long. But her?

No way, baby.

She does, however, like to stand in front of it, push her big belly out, and fake pee into it. I wonder where she learned that? Yes, this one's easily influenced, I'm afraid. That's why she got the potty throne. Normally I'm not so whimsically impractical.

For the record, I'm not hung up on potty training. She's number four, remember? But going naked really isn't all that popular in public, so we may have a problem on our hands. We did solve the naked-in-the-middle-of-the-night issue, though, so we're getting somewhere at least. Kudos to my old high school friend on facebook who gave me the solution: cutting off the feet of her sleepers, and zipping them on her backwards. No more surprises in the night in this house.

Well, naked surprises, that is.

Ah, facebook... what a handy little tool you are. Knew you were good for something.

She's daring, impatient, and wants her momma 24/7. And on occasion, she makes her brothers cry. My favorite line? "You're eight, and she's two. Really, you can't get away from her?"

Yep, she's two now, and we all feel like we deserve an award. These two years have definitely blessed us, and taken every last bit of our energy.

But she has a way of capturing your heart. Once you've earned a place in hers, that is.

One look at that cute bottom, and I forget how much work she's been. She can also be pure joy with that sweet, crooked smile. She makes my boys sweeter boys, and makes me rely on God a little bit more than I naturally would. And that's always a good thing.

Lord, give me patience with this energetic, terrorizing two year old. Help me to appreciate her for who she is, and for who You are making me in the process...

Oh Florida, how we miss you...

We packed light, earned enough flight miles for five free (ahem, I mean earned) airline tickets (squeezing in Tess for free right before her 2nd birthday!), and headed off on one exciting adventure...

Our complex schedule for the week? Wake up, get bagels, and head down to the pool (brushing your teeth, completely optional)...

We squeezed in a beautiful, successful day at the beach... (successful = no one freaked out this year because there was sand down their pants)

Lunch every day... by the pool, of course!

Then up to the room for naptime, where everyone (including adults!) napped, while Jack read hundreds of pages out of his books. :)

Repeat adventures for some, and first-time adventures for others.

Much needed family time, and never a rush to get anywhere...

A night at Rainforest Cafe for the kids, and date nights for us...

And get this: sunshine, pools, beaches, and lots of extra attention make for much more well-behaved children.

Amazing, huh?

And on lazy vacation days, we did things like paint the girl's toenails for the first time. Bet you can't guess whose idea that was?

Oh Florida, how we miss you...

** In case you missed it (my dates got jumbled up from my wacky out-of-order posting), read more about what made our trip a success here.

Happy Father's Day

It's Father's Day, and I get the gift of being married to this guy. If you could only live in this house for a day, you would know what I'm talking about. He never stops.

Happy Father's Day to one incredible Daddy. You are one of the most serving, sacrificial people I know. Thank you for loving us the way you do!

One day...

...everybody will want to take a family picture just as much as I do.

I just know it.

The Secret to Success

Before we talk Florida, I must let you in on a little secret. We conned these guys into going with us! Hali and Cameron have been a part of our family for over three years now. They began babysitting for us when Chase was a baby and they had just begun their time at Purdue. Since then, we've watched them go from dating, to engaged, to married last summer. And our relationship with them has sweetened from just babysitters... to friends. When they got married, I thought for sure they'd be ready to get on with their hard earned "adult" life. For some crazy reason, though, they keep sticking around. And it's definitely a package deal (it's neat to see certain kids bond in a special way with one or the other). They love our kids, each other, and God. And proof of how much our kids love them? We've offered to take a boy or two with us to small group (as a special treat) before when they've babysat, and we get turned down every time. No one wants to miss out on the fun at home! So they ventured to Florida with us, and probably learned more than they ever wanted to know about our family. :) We lived in swimsuits and bathed much too irregularly. We hardly picked up after ourselves. We slept in pretty close quarters. We shared lotions and a bathroom.

But it worked beautifully. We had four extra hands at the pool to help monitor the older swimmers, and help hang with the little ones. Tyler and I had date nights a few evenings while Hali and Cameron stayed back at the condo with the kids. These guys changed diapers, rubbed on sunscreen, and cleaned up dishes more times than I can count (come to think of it, I never loaded the dishwasher once the whole week!), all without us ever mentioning a word. And they were a joy to be with - such fun, and such servants.

We would put the kids to bed at night, and if Tyler and I weren't on a date, we would gather in Hali and Cameron's side of the suite for snacks and cards. We've already played one round of Hand and Foot since we've been home, until wee hours of the morning. I definitely see this trend continuing. Lots of laughs, sarcasm, healthy competition, and great conversation going on.

Yep, definitely friends.

Thanks, Stouts, for the many ways you have - and continue - to bless our family!

Just peeking in...

...to say that I have NO time to blog today. It's a crazy VBS / baseball week around here. But I promise to get Florida pictures up soon. Until then, here's me and Tess on the beach. Bummer that she wasn't looking. But I'm posting the picture in honor of my mom (who, incidently, doesn't read my blog - remember?), who had the exact same pair of sunglasses in the 70's, only in brown. Sweet.

She's still crazy hip, by the way.

Be back soon. That is, unless I don't survive five nights straight of energetic VBS preschoolers. :)

We're back!

We're home from an incredible week in Florida. And I'm not just saying that. It was one of our best vacations ever.

And we needed it.

Vacations are good investments for a lot of reasons. I should write about that sometime. You don't have to go to Florida. You could go to, say, Spring Mill State Park (good memories). Or fishing. Or camp in your back yard. Or picnic in the park.

But you ought to invest in something.

Because you might just need to get away. Have fewer distractions. Simplify.

And fall in love - in fresh, new ways - with your family all over again.

More pictures, and memories, to come!

Ready... set....

Our bags are packed, and our family of six (plus the coolest babysitter couple in the world!!) is ready to hop on an airplane tomorrow to Florida. We're on our last two days of antibiotics, and even though we had our doubts, everyone seems to be entering some sort of a relatively healthy state (thanks for praying!).

The boys are super psyched, and Trey is even coming out of his depression from the thought of missing his baseball tournament this weekend. They each packed a backpack of treasures to take, and I had to veto weapons more than once. I have packed, and repacked, and even had dreams about what to pack. All I know is this: if I have the meds, ear plugs, and Chase's rubber snakey, then we're good to go. We can get everything else at Wal-Mart.

Now, here's to hoping that this rotten girl will find something to keep her occupied on the flight.

Yeah right.

Florida on my mind...

This is how we looked...

the last time we were in Florida...

our family not quite yet complete.

One week and counting...

Ah, life...

So I installed this counter on my blog two days ago to see if, in fact, anyone actually reads this thing. A busy mom has to have some sort of motivation, you know. Wait, the adult conversation with myself on the blog is motivation enough. Heh. My sweet mom's words on the phone to me this week were, "Oh dear, I should read your blog. I really do mean to." So if my mom doesn't read, then who on earth would? :)

Two days later, my hits are in the 70's, so now I officially have lots of adults in my life and I'm going to abuse my relationship with you. :)

I'm usually too private to ask, but tonight I'm asking you to pray.

We're exhausted. Sick kids all week, and four sleepless nights adding up to less than 10 hours of sleep total for me. Or something like that. I sorta lost track. Ten divided by four. Not good for morale.

Trey had a fever last weekend. Chase and Tess came down with fevers and coughs on Monday, and Jack missed school on Wednesday. I woke up with a sore throat and groggy voice today, and everyone knows that the momma just doesn't have time to be sick.

Just as I'm rearranging in my head who was going to take Trey to his ballgame tonight and who was going to stay home with the sick ones, Tyler comes up with a fever and is out on the couch for the night. We're dropping like flies, and it's almost getting comical, folks (almost, I said). So I head to the game with Trey and two sick ones in tow, and besides the rock in the eyeball incident (how does every other player escape this but my kid?) , everyone pulls through.

Cancel an after-bedtime Starbucks date with a girlfriend.

I get all four in bed by 8:30, and by 10pm, three were awake and out of bed, crying and coughing. No one else seems to have other preparations for tomorrow on their mind. Like:

Teacher gifts - oh, and don't forget the bus driver too.

One awesome "Create Your Own Beach Scene" snack for Jack's Beach Day / last day of school celebration. Think Jello aquarium in Berry Blue with a suspended Swedish Fish, sand (AKA crushed graham crackers), Nemo fruit snacks, chocolate shells, and a mini umbrella to top it all off. At one desperate point Tyler said to scrap it all and get donuts, but everyone knows that donuts don't pass as beachy. Sorry dads, you'll never understand this obsessive mom trait. We'll try not to drive you batty over it.

Oh, and then there's the dueling ear tube surgery at 6am in the morning. It was one surgery (Tess, who has had four ear infections in seven weeks) until 11 o'clock this morning, when Chase super failed his hearing test at his ENT appointment. No wonder I thought he was having a hard time listening. Our kind ENT (who knows us quite well 8 surgeries later) put a call in to our anesthesiologist and asked him to come in 15 minutes early so we can squeeze in yet another Daugherty. 15 minutes for a few thousand dollars? No problem.

Arrange babysitter. Lay out clothes and backpacks. Write teacher thank yous and notes to my boys. Pack teacher gifts and treats. Choose special toys and a change of clothes for the hospital. Double check paperwork.

All in a day's work.

The laundry will get done, I know. And though sometimes it feels like the luck's all against me, the kids won't always be sick. God continues to give us little graces along the way, for which I'm thankful. And ear problems? Geesh. That is simple compared to a host of medical issues some have to deal with.

Come to think of it, I need times like these to keep me grounded in my need for a Savior. My do-it-myself attitude only gets me so far in my relationship with God. It robs me of the help (and joy!) only He can give. It takes away His glory for some futile attempt on my behalf. Why do I wait to turn to Him?

I'm off to cross of some items off my list, and to pray while I work. It's been silent for the last 15 minutes, so I'd better not push it.

I'm needy, I'll admit it. But I'm thankful for a Heavenly Father who meets me in my neediness, and gives me my Daily Bread. Not too soon, and not too late. I'm thinking that if I make it through tomorrow, I'm good.

Ah, a little blog self-talk is just what I needed. I knew this adult conversation was good for something. :)

Thanks for listening.

Thanks for praying.

These two...

I just left these two, after way too much giggling and way past their bedtime. It's Friday night, and they were deep in a new handshake bonding moment, and I just couldn't cut it short.

God had a way different plan than I did when it came to these two. I was an emotional wreck when I found out I was pregnant with Trey. Jack had been a big adjustment for me, and I still didn't have him figured out six months into motherhood. He was fussy, didn't sleep, and had way too many doctor appointments in his little life already. Our little family was living in a tiny apartment in Lafayette, waiting for our out-of-town house to sell. Six months had gone by with no luck. And I was feeling cramped, in more ways than one.

And then I took a pregnancy test (holding a fussy baby in one arm and the stick in the other!) that changed my life forever. And I cried hard. For about four months. Looking back, I don't think I doubted God as much as I doubted my own ability. Hmm... but that's still doubting God, isn't it?

Because He's the only One who has the power to work out the details anyway.

Oh, there were details alright.

Sleepless nights for months on end. Nursing a baby in one arm while reading to a toddler in the other. Protecting an infant from a very energetic one year old. Feeling sweaty all of the time with two babies constantly on me. Making it to church on time - or anywhere for that matter - with the boys when Tyler worked. And when he didn't. And making it through a sermon without getting paged to the nursery? Well, that didn't happen for a long time.

But I left their bedroom tonight almost in tears from laughing so hard. They were made for each other. Polar opposites, but the best buddies ever. Tighter than tight. Inseparable. Friends.

And I thanked God for giving me these two so close together. It took some hard work initially, and ultimately a lot of trusting in the One who always knows what's best for us.

But man, is it paying off.

God knew what He was doing.

But then, HE always does, doesn't He?

Simple Joys...

Laundry that just looks like Spring.

I know, I'm easily amused.

You know you're a mom when...

(My niece Emma, my mom, Tess and Aunt Patty... some of my very favorite girls ever)

...it's Mother's Day, and it's midnight, and you just re-tucked your four year old back in bed, hopefully for the last time tonight. Seems his thumb is still hurting from the (what started out) friendly wrestling match between he and Trey this afternoon. He whimpered for a long time, so I finally gave in and brought him downstairs into our bed, where he finished watching Titanic with us, complete with Motrin, an ice pack and a good back scratch.

All of that was after I had just tucked Trey back in, who had to get up for one more potty break.

I'm just waiting for Tess to cry out next. She's in a strip-yourself-completely-naked-in-the-middle-of-the-night stage, and I've had to redress her several nights in the past week. Bring it on, I say. I'm so close to pulling out the duct tape that it's not even funny.

Funny how Mother's Day makes me thankful for the daddy in this house. He had to work today, which made me thankful for how hard he works so I can do what I do at home. He is one amazing partner in parenting, and in life.

Blessings from today:

Church this morning, where I got to witness Trey serve his sweet friend Ian. This just may have been the best Mother's Day present ever.

A visit from Mom and Dave (complete with lots of awesome garage sale finds for Tess!).

Brunch at The Trails with Mom, Dave and the Walshes, where three boys were especially cute and full of manners.

Hanging out with the boys on the driveway, lighting leaves and ants on fire with a magnifying glass and the sun. :)

Opening a sweet card addressed to "Ommee" - Tess's version of Mommy.

Answering the door bell to find that some sneaky boys had placed a beautiful planter on my doorstep.

Tyler getting home from work and freeing me up for the evening (I left by myself for a little shopping at Meijer and Gordman's - woah. Best purchase of the night: a new baseball bat for Trey.).

A movie / Spageddies take-out date with Tyler when I got home.

Honoring my mom today, who first loved God with her whole heart, then loved me enough to point me to Him.

Speaking of views...

.... this is mine from the hammock.

So much for cuddling up just the two of us. :)

The View

Do you ever catch yourself in the kitchen, hustling like a crazy person to finish supper before the evening activities begin, then turn around and see a counter-full of kids and think to yourself,

"Woah, I have four kids."

Ok, so maybe not four, but the number doesn't really matter, does it?

I know, I know. I see this view every single day. Multiple times a day. Actually, the whole herd follows me wherever I go... in one room and out the other. To the toilet, and beyond. And in case you were slightly concerned, yes, I know, I've had four kids for quite a while now. I haven't completely lost it. Yet.

But this time, no one was fighting, whining or throwing food.

Not that my kids do that or anything.

In fact, they were being so cordial that I almost forgot they were sitting there. Miracles do happen. About 10 seconds went by before someone actually spotted me staring at them. It was a rare moment and definitely worth taking in.

I giggled inside, wondering if Tyler really knew what he was in for all those years ago.

I watched them interact, and couldn't imagine my life with one less.

I witnessed love shown with each Veggie Straw Tess shared Lady and the Tramp style.

And I decided that I need to stop more often, and take in...

the view.

Homework

I love this kid...

Today is someone's birthday...

...and he's FOUR!

Happy Birthday, darlin'!

The 5 minute blog post about nothing...

It's 9:49pm and Tyler should be rolling in from work in the next few minutes. Darn those 1:30-10pm weekend shifts. Oh wait, I gave a kid-lecture on that once. Thank you God for one great job. Really.

Parenting is hard, but more on that later. I asked my mom the other day how she did it, and she said that we were the most compliant four children on the face of the planet. Or something like that. Anyway, that didn't get me very far. :)

Had the privilege of taking Trey by myself to his 2nd baseball practice today. I loved every minute of it, even though the wind was a bit chilly. I took a book to pass the 90 minutes, but never got it out. Couldn't take one eye off of my boy. He played catcher, wasn't bad, and definitely never complained. Couldn't hit the ball until the coach told him to stop closing his eyes, then he slammed every one. I wanted to cheer like a crazy woman, but just smiled inside and answered his thumbs-up.

My OCD is really kicking in. I make mental lists in my head all day long of things I want to organize. Especially this time of year. Then I remember that I have a one year old. My lists will have to wait, and at kid number 4, I'm getting closer to being okay with that. Could someone please come and wash my windows though (I have someone who likes to lick windows!)? :)

Planning Chase's birthday party for next week, and it better be good, because if you heard him talk, you wouldn't want to disappoint him either. The good news is that a good party equals a Darth Vader pinata. He's a sweetie, and sure has waited a long time to turn four. Now that I can't believe (the four part).

Summer scheduling is in full swing! Scheduled so far: swimming lessons, VBS (x2), Lego Engineering, Purdue's Super Summer, Baseball, Mini 4-H, and a Florida trip! Lovin' the thought of having the older boys home all day in a few short weeks!

Jack cut his own fingernails for the first time today. I know that doesn't seem exactly blog-worthy, but that means that my weekly count just went down by 20 finger and toenails!

And.... my favorite person just walked though the door. And guess what?

He ranks over you... :)

More nonsense at a later date!

Who has time for egg hunts...

when you can just stop and eat the candy?!

Still reflecting on Christ and His amazing gift to us!

Letter of the day...

Changing Chase. I can almost see the wheels spinning in this kid's mind some days. Sometimes he loves being silly with Tess, doing everything to make her laugh, content to play simple baby games with her. Other times he really wants to learn things. Hard things, like Jack and Trey. He spends most days talking non-stop, asking what something is, or how it works, or why it does that.

His questions the last couple of weeks have centered around letters. He really wants to read. He sees the older boys spending lots of time in books, and will curl up with his own, making up the story as he goes. He has memorized some of our favorite reads, and will now point to words and "read" along as he turns the pages. "What's this word, Mommy?," I hear him ask, about 20 times a day.

He knows his letters quite well, and can write most of them without thinking. But I realized that we still have a few letters that we've not practiced the sounds of yet. So I'm a mommy on a mission, trying to take advantage of the momentary motivation of my almost four year old sponge. :) So we're tackling a "letter of the day," each morning after the big boys get to school. We're keeping it super simple... mostly so he doesn't get frustrated! I spent a few dollars at Wal-Mart and got him his very own supplies (way cooler to know that they're all his instead of someone else's leftovers, trust me):

Crayons, glue (the colored, sparkly kind, for sure), scissors, a bound notebook of 3x5 cards, and a Crayola Beginning Alphabet and Numbers pack... We start off by practicing writing the letter of the day. While he's writing, we say the sound or sounds the letter makes, and take turns shouting out words that begin with that letter. I've found that a little excitement can go a long way... he doesn't even realize he's learning half the time. It's more like a silly word game with his nutty mom (silly voice inflections and all!).

We found some larger letters in fish shapes online, and printed them off to color and cut out (what a great way to sneak in a couple of other skills to practice!). After he colors and cuts out the capital and lower-case versions of the letter of the day, he glues them into his 3x5 flip book, that we fondly titled, "Chase's Letter Book." What's great about this is that he can flip through and review each letter that we've covered. He loves looking through it and seeing how much he's accomplished! Best of all, I get some planned special time with my sweet boy, who might otherwise feel a little lost in the crowd...