Fall is in the Air

and in our bellies too!

 

I found this cute little "fall treat" online and wanted to try it out.  Unfortunately I found it this week and not in time for our "Aa" week with babysitting, but everyone still enjoyed it!

We are ushering in Fall with Acorns!

 

Dd is for Dress Up

Today we celebrated Dd with "Dress Up Day"

We had cowboys, an army man, a pirate, Little Bo Beep, a fireman and a princess!

 

And as you can tell from the smiles, we had a great time!

"I can be a Mommy"

 

A couple of weeks ago, when Ron was in Wilmore, Maddie and I transported the boys back and forth to school.  She loved to arrive a little early in the afternoon and get unbuckled from her seat and "pretend to be Mommy" in the front seat.

 

Her request right before I snapped this picture.

"Mommy, can you buckle me so I can be a Mommy?"

Sometimes I wish it were that easy.  My little girl is so excited to grown up and be a Mommy.  I pray I am teaching and training her correctly to be a Godly Mommy and be the best Mommy she can be!

Patience

There are times when my children show character traits that surprise me!

Last week Eli's show-n-tell was suppose to be something God created (love Christian Education).  He and Daddy decided he should take in one of our huge Sunflowers!  Everyone was excited to see what his class would think. 

 

Well when Eli got home, we didn't get much of a description from the class.  He said he showed it and let them each try a seed, but there wasn't much else to say.  Then a little while later, here is where I found him. 

Sitting on the back patio, pulling out each seed.

He was on a mission.  He carefully, and one-by-one pulled out every seed and determined if it was good or bad and bagged it up!

Besides the patience that it took to sit there after a long day of school - this little guy has determination.  He gets something in his head and he goes for it!

My prayer is that He will allow Jesus to fill his head with the right things - then go for them with GUSTO!

Shoes and Socks

 

It's that time of year again.  We have to put away the sandals and bring out the shoes and socks.  Unfortunately, Maddie is just like her momma when it comes to shoes and socks - we don't like them.  Or maybe it's that she's just like her momma in that - she doesn't like change!  Either way it made for a difficult transition!

 

As we pulled out the shoes and socks I heard, "they're too little".  "My feet hurt."  I don't want to wear them."

 I seem to remember this same little girl not wanting sandals a few months back.  What is it about change that makes things so difficult.  I mean really would't it be great it we could wear sandals year round and not have cold toes?  Maddie and I think so.  Just look at that poor dejected face.

Thinking - "I really don't care if my toes are cold".

 

So that's been a couple of weeks ago now and she doesn't seem to notice much anymore.  She even ask for socks the other day.  Silly little girl, stop acting like your momma :)

 

Nathniel is 8!

It was 8 years ago this morning that our little big man arrived.  He ushered in autumn then and today we celebrated again as fall was in the air.  It was instantaneous love, 8 years ago.  We fell in love with those big brown eyes.

 

 

He's our crazy Nate!

He's our strong man!

 

He's full of love and concern for everyone!  He's full of energy and strength!  He's our sweet, caring, kind, loving little man.  He's our sports fanatic, he loves all things sports!

 

The morning began with flag football.  Ronnie and Nathaniel have been playing on Saturday mornings.  So Grandpa and Grandma Adkins came to see him play and so did Pap!  From there everyone came for lunch.  We made sandwiches and finger food for lunch so we could watch the OSU game.

 

This year he decided I could surprise him with his birthday cake.  He didn't put any stipulations on it.

Pap helped keep it a surprise while I got the candles on.

 

 

I got the idea from a friend and it was a pretty simple cake!

and the best thing is...he enjoyed it!

He was so excited today for his new Bible cover!  He had asked for one a while back and wanted it to have a pen and paper too - he seemed pleased!

 

Then, I'm not even sure why we wrapped this one - he knew right away!

I was pretty proud of Nathaniel's big brother.  He gave him this red envelope with a hand written note and $8 in change from his own bank!

Then Maddie gave him a beautifully colored picture and a big HUG!

 

So today we celebrate our Nathaniel! 

Happy Birthday Buddy, we love you so much and are so proud of all you are becoming!



Excited about...READING

In the past 3 years, the boys have had 3 different Language Arts and Reading teachers.  I am so excited that they finally got a good one.  Miss Volkman has been teaching in Christian Education for the past 14 years and she has already impressed me!  She is very organized - which I LOVE!  She is also very passionate.

 

She has gotten the boys excited again about reading.  And actually taught them how to pick out a book they will enjoy and one that is on their reading level.  She has made it fun for them! 

 

I love seeing this!  And hearing, "Mom, can I tell you about the chapter I just read?"  or "Mom, do you want to read with me?"

 

 

Another exciting thing is that these 2 want to copy everything, so hopefully that will mean 3 kids who love to read!

Fun with Kids

We've been having fun around here with all the X-tra kids.

 

We made butterfly masks for our "Bb week"

 

We brought in "multi-colored things" for show and tell this week for "Cc"

 

It's fun with just the younger ones too (when the big kids have school).  This morning everyone helped set the table and get it ready, then Maddie led them in a prayer (she thought of it).

 

Then they dug in!

 

They even cleaned up after it was over!

Fun times with lots of kids!

Never a Dull Moment

There never seems to be any lack of laughter around here! 

 

 

Especially when they are trying so hard to get Nathaniel to be observant and he is totally missing it!

Time with Daddy

Between Wedding Prep, a Wedding, a Barn Party (reception), Sermon Prep and a Sermon...we enjoyed having Daddy home!

 

It's been a busy weekend, but we are thankful that Daddy was here with us!

On His Way

Daddy is headed home!  YEAH!!!!!  It has been a long week on our end and we are so excited that Daddy is coming home early this week.  He has a wedding tomorrow, so he will be busy, but at least he will be with us!

Thank you so much for your prayers.  It was a rough week on our end, but Jesus got us through.  Ron had a crazy week too, but his meeting with his advisor went well.  Please continue to pray that he would have time for everything - PhD, Pastoring, Family (not necessarily in that order :) )

We are so thankful for FRIDAY and Daddy coming HOME!

Boys!

Only Boys could come up with so many uses for an old stained up rag!

 

At the beginning of the week Ronnie asked for chalk to outline their football field in the yard.  I didn't have anything that would work to his satisfaction, but instead offered an old t-shirt with stain on it from a recent project.  I told him he could cut it up and make strips and lay them down for the end zone. 

 

He seemed please and away he went!

 

A day later, I see this.  The same strips of stained t-shirt was now being tied to feet, knees and arms as knee pads and bandages!  The stain even looked like blood - "oh joy"!

 

I really wonder what the neighbors think as they drive by and see boys in rags, with blood on them as they talk on the phone to their daddy and momma is taking pictures :)

 

At least they are using their imaginations and having fun!

No More "Lellow"

Eli came home the other day, so excited to tell me what he had learned.  Since it is very rare for a sentence to begin around here..., " Guess what I learned today at school...", I was very attentive!

He paused for a minute to collect his thoughts and then said, "y.. y.. y.. Yellow"!  With a big grin!

I tried for a very small second to be excited, but I couldn't do it! 

"NO Eli, say it the way you always say it!"  I couldn't help myself.  I wanted the little boy before me to at least keep his adorable way of pronouncing the word yellow! 

I even encouraged him, "come on Eli, it's 'lellow'", I said as I grinned at him.  He just gave me that adorable dimpled grinned!  He had learned it and he knew I was teasing him. 

Now he sees it as a joke!  He thinks it's hilarious that I want him to say yellow the way he always has.  In his sweet innocent little boys voice! 

It is so hard sometimes to watch them grow up!  I just want to cling to the innocence as long as possible -and longer!

It has been nearly a week now since he reported his new discovering of the letter Y.  We still go back and forth when I hear him say it "correctly" as his teacher taught him!

I have a little bit of peace now though as I heard him get excited a couple of days ago about something he did in his "Biz Ed" class!  I love this little man, wish I could hold onto him forever!

A different kind of visit

 

This morning we went to visit my Grandma in the nursing home.  When we walked in, she was in the big room with some other ladies getting ready for Bible Study.  I didn't want to interrupt, but they all insisted we come in and join them.  Maddie was not thrilled with all these people she didn't know - I had prepared her for what I thought we would do and she was ready to have some 1on 1 Grandma time in her room.  She even brought puzzles to do with Grandma!

 

So we listened to about a 40 minute Bible Study from Matthew and then they finished up early but Grandma didn't get up so we got out Maddie's puzzles and she got lost of extra help from all the ladies :)

 

It wasn't quite the visit we had thought it would be, but Grandma seemed happy about our coming!

 

Hopefully Maddie will still be as excited to go next time!

Sometimes

Sometimes...

 

a girl just needs to hold her Daddy's hand.

and Boy-o-Boy does that make Daddy feel good!

Picture for Daddy

This morning we took a picture, "Just for Daddy", cause we're missing him!

Eleven Years

It was eleven years ago!  Eleven years ago this morning that our nation was under attack!  As I flipped through my devotional book this morning it came back to my memory as if it were yesterday.  September 11th...it was a bright blue Tuesday morning, much like today!

I talked with the boys this morning as we drove to school.  Maddie had called out the paths of several jets and my thoughts turned again to those heroic men and women who brought down the plane in Pennsylvania to save so many others.  Talk about completely selfless!  They didn't know who was in danger, they didn't even know names or faces, and yet they sacrificed!  They gave everything to save another!

As I had tears rolling down my cheeks this morning at the thought of such Great Americans, I wondered could we find such hero's today?  Am I raising Hero's like that? 

We live in such a selfish society.  We are a culture are more worried about ourselves.  Are there truly American Hero's out there anymore?  Someone who would sacrifice everything for another!

Eleven years have passed, do we still remember?  I pray we never forget!  Not only the tragedy, but the triumph of our nation!

Rough Start

Ron has had a rough start to his 1st week back in Wilmore.  Your prayers are much appreciated!  He is finally in his room, getting settled and trying to get to studying.

This week will be short on both ends.  He had to wait until today to go in order to get his key and then he will come home on Friday to prepare for a wedding on Saturday.

As you think of our family, we would covet your prayers
Thank you in advance.

Wilmore Week...#10

Here it is!  Time for Ron to begin those monthly trips to Wilmore.  He is on the road.  He will typically leave on Sunday afternoons again, but had to wait today so that he could pick up his room key.

We would so much appreciate your prayers as we are without Daddy this week.  We'll have a busy week with school for the boys, but Maddie and I are off this week from babysitting (so that we can transport the boys and keep things as normal as possible)!

Pray for Ron too.  There are some changes to his meals that will need to be worked out.  He does have a private room, so we are thankful for that.  He has a BIG meeting on Thursday with his advisor, so if you could please pray for this time to be completely Spirit led!

We are just praying for an uneventful week that goes quickly on our end and is productive on Ron's end!

Thank you to all of you who remember us in your prayers during these Wilmore Weeks!

Pastoral Helper

A couple of weeks ago Ron preached on the passage in Ephesians where it talks about the armor of God.  It really was a good sermon where he focused on the kids going back to school and talked about each piece of armor and what it means! 

 

Then in addition to the great sermon he had a "cute" helper!  Eli was there (at both services) putting on the armor so that the kids could see! 

 

They had some dialogue and some interaction and it was cute.  Eli did a great job memorizing some Bible verses and preparing and said after the service at Ney, "Now I know why Dad is so tired in the afternoon -and we have to do it one more time".

They both did a great job and make a good team.  Eli still says he wants to be a Pastor when he grows up, so we'll see it this is just the beginning!

Missing each other

I wasn't sure how these two would handle being separated all day long!

 

I think they have done pretty good.  They still enjoy being around each other when their days are done.  Eli wants to go outside and Maddie is right behind him, chattering away.  Eli picks at her more, but I think he is just ready to bust loose after being "controlled" at school all day long!

My prayer is that they will always be close, enjoy one another and love to be together! 

Fun at Grandpa's

 

It's always fun to go to Grandpa's, but especially when he gets his tractor out!

 

Sometimes there is work involved too, but even the work is more fun and Grandpa and Grandma's!

 

Sadly though, there is also good-bye!