Noses and the 10 Commandments

Yesterday when I picked Kate up from "Bubble (Bible) Class" she showed me a picture of Moses that she had colored. "Look Mommy it's Noses!" Ah, it was so close I let it pass. If she is still calling him Noses by the time she leaves for college I promise to correct her.

Kate loves to teach things to her brother. I love to hear it, even if it is wrongish. This is the conversation that we heard coming from the back seat on our way home.

Kate: (Showing the Noses..I mean Moses picture to Carson) Carso! Who this?.......

Carson: Silence

Kate: Say Noses!

Carson: (With lots of enthusiasm and obedience) Noses!

Kate: That's right it Noses! Dood job Carso!

And on and on it went ALL the way home. Kate teaches by repetition. Lots of it. I don't think that Carson will ever forget Noses!

The Joy of Doughnuts

Kate loves doughnuts, so I decided to make her some homemade ones this morning. Thanks Pioneer Woman!( I love reading her cooking site. Her narration of her recipes are downright hilarious. )I think that Kate  liked them just a little bit. I was caught up in the pride of making this somewhat difficult sweet and let her have 3!



Life is best contemplated over a doughnut Kate always says.

Mouth full.

Carson did NOT have 3 doughnuts and he was more hyper than Kate! Go figure!

What Love Really Means

I was going grocery shopping this morning and had pulled into the parking lot when this song came on. It just stopped me in my tracks. Another testament to God's unending love. Will I ever really be able to wrap my mind around God's love for me?

His Love

Jared and I have been reading this book called Jesus Calling. It is a daily devotional book that speaks like Jesus is directly talking to us. It's amazing and has been a bonding book for Jared and I. Every morning, Jared types up that days Jesus Calling and sends it to my work email. The central themes are finding peace only in Him and His Love for us. I had to write down Thursday's because it literally took my breath away.

From Jesus Calling February 24th (Sarah Young)

Be still in the light of my presence, while I communicate love to you. There is no force in the universe as powerful as My love. You are constantly aware of limitations: your own and others'. But there is no limit to My Love; it fills all of space, time and eternity.

Now you see through a glass darkly, but someday you will see Me face to face. Then you will be able to experience fully how wide and long and high and deep is My Love for you. If you were to experience that now, you would be overwhelmed to the point of feeling crushed. But you have an eternity ahead of you, absolutely guaranteed, during which you can enjoy my presence in unrestricted ecstasy. For now, the knowledge of my Loving Presence is sufficient to carry you through each day.

Love With Out Excuses

I find myself doing a lot of "Yes buts" lately where my kids are concerned. Someone will tell me, "Kate is such a sweet little girl" and I will reply, "Yes but she is really heading into the terrible 3s." Some one will tell me how good Carson is and I will say, "Yes, but he's such a mess!" Someone will remark on how well Kate and Carson get along and then I will relay a story about how they fought over the Buzz Lightyear this week end. Why do I do this? Do I think that that person will think I'm bragging too much on my kids if I agree with them? Do I think that they will think that I think my kids are perfect? Sometimes I say this to gain some common ground. Hmmmm...... I decided to try the flip side yesterday. I picked Carson up from his bible class and the teacher remarked what a good boy he is. Instead of rolling my eyes and saying something smart like, "he only acts this way at church" or "he's such a challenge" I simply said, "Thanks. I love him so much." What a different reply and it even threw me off guard. But you know what? It felt really good. Believe me, I know that any Mom that I talk to knows that a 2 and 3 year old can be challenging and their behavior can change from minute to minute. I am going to try to start speaking well of my kids when they are in ear shot and even when they are not. By the way, I do have to say that yesterday while I was professing my love for Carson he was taking off down the hall with out me. He IS a stinker, but do I have to reinforce that to someone everytime I talk to them?

Carson With Brown Eyes

This is a picture of Jared at 2 years old that hangs in Carson's room. Every night before he goes to bed he either says, "Good Night Daddy!" or "Good Night Carson!" to this picture. 

Jared at 2 Years Old







Park It!

Tonight we hit the park for the first time since the fall. Beautiful weather. I am starting to love Texas.

When she saw the park, she just took off running!



Of course the little red gremlin had to join us.



Kate hit the slides. Hello old friend!

Carson opted to sit out at the beginning to take it all in.

But then he was ready to get in there.

We get the pointed finger a lot. He uses it for emphasis. Usually the pointed finger is followed by, "I be back!"

Why wait for a see saw partner? Kate made it work!

Flirting at the park.

Kate would only go down the right chute and Carson was a left chute kid, so it worked out.



This is the scene of a take down. Carson is trying to swipe Elmo on the way back to the house.




His attempted heist resulted in a nasty spill and his first skinned knee.



And his first band aid!

For Me

I love this blog. Now that I have been keeping this blog for 3 1/2 years I love it even more. I started this blog when I was 10 weeks pregnant with Kate. That's a lot of memories. I have documented a lot. Sometimes I will spend a good amount of time going back through the posts. I love how  idealistic I was before I had kids. I love how it seems to get more and more real as it moves along. I love how I can see prayers being answered and evidence of God's faithfulness. One of the best decisions I've ever made was to start this blog. I can just see Kate and Carson looking at this blog years down the road to get a look into their lives when they were little. I hope they will see how much we loved them and how much we all loved each other.

I took today and Monday off. I totally rock being a stay at home mom. :) Today, Carson wanted to eat chicken and strawberries and color all at the same time. Done!

These are the flowers Jared gave us for Valentine's Day still growing strong!

They have really started to bloom in the last couple of days. These flowers inspired me to change my season plate to spring!!! Even though spring is officially a month away!



When I saw this picture it hit me hard. I know everyone says he looks like Jared, but when I saw this one...Oh Mama or should I say Oh Daddy!!! I have see this identical expression on Jared when he is pondering something. They do that thing where their eyebrows make that downward slant. Amazing!



Ok I know that nearly everyone has had their kid draw on their walls. Have you ever had your kid draw on the house? Thank goodness for washable markers. I was laughing to hard to discipline but I promise if she does it again, I'm gonna lower the boom! :)

This a pic from our snow day together. He would  wrap himself  up in the curtains and then pop out with the greatest grin ever.



NOTHING makes Carson happier than being with his Daddy. NOTHING.



Such sweetness. This picture really captures what Kate is like right now.

It's no coincidence that 2 of my dearest friends are named Grace and Hope. Here they are celebrating Kate on her Birthday. Two of my sweetest blessings.

This is Jared and Gracie's little boy Dre. We love our Dre Dre. It's just so special when your close friends have kids about the same age as yours (Dre is about 4 months younger than Carson). I get all sentimental when I think about them growing up together.

Do you want to know a secret? I ate all your fruit snacks!

Talk about 2 Birthday presents that hit the spot! My Mom and Jared's Mom bought the kids chairs for their Birthdays. We're so grateful to them for these wondeful presents. The kids are already loving them. As an added bonus Kate is learning how to spell her name due to the fact that her name is spelled out in huge green letters.




To the future 16 year old Carson: Son, I am totally reserving the right to pull this picture out in the future to influence you to do exactly what I want. You can call it blackmail, I'm calling it strategic planning. "Strategery" if you will. P.S. Red looks good on you. :)

 

Eight Years

It is  by God's infinite grace and mercy that Jared and I celebrate 8 years together today. We fought very hard for this year together.  Someday I will write about the journey that we went on in our 8th year. But today I celebrate God's goodness and faithfulness and his wonderful love for us.  In You alone, God we put our trust.

Casting Crowns- Praise You In This Storm by natehadakate



 I was sure by now
God You would have reached down
And wiped our tears away
Stepped in and saved the day
But once again, I say "Amen", and it's still raining

As the thunder rolls
I barely hear Your whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away

And I'll praise You in this storm
And I will lift my hands
For You are who You are
No matter where I am
And every tear I've cried
You hold in Your hand
You never left my side
And though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when
I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to you
And you raised me up again
My strength is almost gone
How can I carry on
If I can't find You

But as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
And as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise the God who gives
And takes away


I lift my eyes unto the hills
Where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord
The Maker of Heaven and Earth

Because I Don't Want To Forget

1. I don't ever want to forget that my kids mispronounce certain words because pretty soon that will pronounce them correctly and it won't be nearly as cute.

DownsLairs= Downstairs (Kate)

Snow WiPE= Snow White (Carson)

Bish= fish

Bible Cass= Bible Class

Mr. Marmin= Mr Marvin = Kate's Sunday School Teacher

2. Kate turned her first real somersault today all by her self and the surprised look on her face was hilarious.

3. Jared cut her bangs last night. He went a little too short and they remind me of the little girls back in the 50s when their bangs were too short. It's  precious.

4. Jared gave Kate and I tulips for Valentine's Day. I just happened to capture Kate's reaction when he woke her up with her flowers.

5. We have a play area at church called the Play Scape. Kate thinks it is called the Kate Scape. As in "Mommy can we go play on the KateScape?"

6. I love that there could be a million seats in a room but if my lap is open my kids will be crowding in to sit and cuddle with me.

7. I love that for now my kids think every book is the Bible and every youngish boy they see with dark hair is Baby Jesus.

8. I love that when we disciplined Kate the other day for pushing her brother she went to Carson for forgiveness and he started rubbing her head and stroking her hair saying, "that ok Kate."

9. Yesterday on the way home from church Jared and I were playing an adolescent game where he holds my hand and acts like he is going to slap it but instead turns it over real quick and slaps his own hand. I told you it was adolescent. Anyway after he did this I heard a little voice coming from the back seat. It was Carson.
C: "Mommy? You ok?"
Me: "Oh yes baby I'm ok. Daddy and I are just playing a game."
C: (With a very pointed finger and stern expression directed towards Jared) "No Tir (Sir) Daddy! No hit Mommy! No Tir!"
I then explained to him that his Daddy didn't hit me or hurt me. What a sensitive boy we have. He has such a tender heart. I love the heart of this 2 year old boy of mine. His compassion and care for those he loves his so deep already.

10. I love that everyday we can see the brother sister bond deepen. Everyday I can see that they gain a better understanding of what it means. I feel so privilged to have a front row seat to this happening.

11. One last one. This is what Carson's bed looks like every nap time and bed time. He likes to be surrounded by friends.

Holding Hands

We were walking out of church a few weeks ago and Kate asked (ordered) Carson to hold her hand. This is a flip because he is always wanting to hold her hand but she usually is not interested. I cherish these pictures. Thursday night we were in a group that was praying in a circle and holding hands. Kate and Carson were in the middle of the circle. When we looked up at the end of the prayer they were holding hands. Just little memories to document.

Kate's Party AKA The Day Elmo Multiplied

Hanging out in her chair with who else??????

Have you ever had a cupcake stare back at you?

Our big 3 year old

Carson decided to mix it up and instead of doing his usual pantless appearance, he switched to shirtless. You know, just to keep it interesting. A party ice breaker. As in , "why doesn't Betsy ever fully dress her kid?"

Carson volunteered to be chief tester of the cup cakes. He pronounced them fit to eat.

Look away parents. It's your worst nightmare. Multiplying Elmos!

Just in case you're wondering. Marshmellows for the eyes, orange slices for the nose, and half an oreo for the mouth. Very easy!

I love her. I just love her so much.

This is for Mimi. We were at a restaurant once and Kate lunged across the table to devour chips and salsa and my Mom has laughed about it ever since. Today she wanted to be perched and parked right next to the chips and salsa. She got her fill believe me. :)

This picture just pierces my heart. I am catching sweet little moments like this one more and more these days. I cherish watching their brother sister bond develop. And even though they fought like cats and dogs over this little mini van about an hour later it STILL didn't ruin the sweetness for me.