7 & 13

Those are the ages of my oldest boy and oldest girl (aka. the oldest child).






We always have such a great time on birthdays. We usually start the day by giving the birthday kid balloons and reading Psalm 139:13-18,23-24 to them. We let the birthday kid pick the place that they would like to spend their day, then we go there. They also get to pick the design of their cake and what they would like to eat for dinner. When dinner is finished and right before the cake, we sit around the table and each person has to tell something that they love about the birthday person. It is a lovely way to end the day:-).

Zoe' and Josiah have their birthdays only a day apart, the 10th and 11th, so theirs is always a bit tricky and I never, ever feel like I have it all together:-). I am usually last minute in making their cake(one year, I made two... notice I only said ONE year:-) and they generally tell me what they would like for dinner and where they would like to go, the day of. So, I always feel like it is not quite fancy enough. Yet, they still enjoy everything.

BTW, we do not request that they do their birthdays together... they want to, they say they like it better that way:-). I guess it makes it more special to them...

So, this birthday they chose to go to Huber Farm. Oh man, was it fun!!




Plenty of pumpkins, apples, tractor rides, apple cider smells, walking, and MUD... now if that doesn't make for a great day, I don't know what will!!!




Will post more photos of the trip to Huber's... later.

Skateboards

My boy is OBSESSED with skateboards... even more so now that he has his own collection of tiny skateboards:-).



He even has a homemade skateboard, courtesy of Dad.



He even has skateboard MOVIES.

X games, of course.














He is obsessed and we are pretty okay with that because right now he is oh so cute trying to skateboard on anything with wheels:-).

Butterflies

The kids caught a caterpillar a few weeks ago. They put it in a cage and called it Merry:-).



I thought it would die. but it persevered.


I am so glad they got to see the whole process.


Zoe' read that when it is changing from a caterpillar to a butterfly it is basically a gooey blob.


Isn't God's handiwork amazing. That He can make something this magnificent out of a blob that use to be a worm. Shape me and mold me Lord, make me to be a person that glorifies You!


But now, O Lord, you are our Father ;
we are the clay, and you are the potter;
we are all the work of your hand.
~Isaiah 64:8~

Sisters and Missing Teeth

You may look at that title and wonder what those two things have in common... well, allow me to enlighten you:-).

In our house, usually, there is only one person that will pull loose teeth... that person is not me. I am not sure why but loose teeth make me queasy:(. Crazy, huh? I can handle everything else BUT NOT the teeth. So, James does it. He actually really enjoys it, I think. This particular day, though, James was not home and would not be home until way, way later. Piper, who does not like to pull teeth either and is actually quite happy to let them hang there until they fall out on their own, even if that means we all have to look at this poor (disgusting ) grey tooth dangle WHILE SHE IS SPEAKING TO US, had a loose tooth! Seriously, I could not take it anymore and so I did the logical thing and asked the kids to take matters into their own hands. They were happy... no, overjoyed at the prospect of pulling their beloved sister's tooth for her and began scheming right away:-). So, having that little matter resolved I go about my business, confident that the others can handle this situation. There was much commotion and I think there may have even been screaming and evil laughter (which is not promoted in this house, uh-uh, no-sir, not us:). Anyway, a few minutes later everyone comes running into the room talking all at once... again, this is a lot of loud commotion:-).

So, this is the scoop. ZOE' SAT ON PIPER! Then she held Piper's nose! Then when Piper was FORCED to open her mouth in order to BREATHE, Zoe' reached in and yanked that tooth right out!!! I was so shocked that I was practically rolling on the floor laughing uncontrollably. Really, it was from shock... and not at all from the image that was going through my mind as they were explaining this to me:-). Once I regained my composure, I congratulated them both on a job well done and did what any other mom would do... I took Piper outside to get a few shots of her "toothless". Everyone was happy... I was happy that I did not have to look at that disgusting tooth wagging around when she talked... Zoe' was happy with her accomplishment for the day... Gabi was happy to assist(she held the towel for the blood)... the boys were happy because they got to watch the whole thing(they have a new respect for Zoe')... and Piper was happy it was all over:-). Life is good like that.