HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MASON!

MY LITTLE MASON TURNED 9 YEARS OLD TODAY. I AM SO BLESSED TO HAVE HIM AS MY SON. I KNOW EVERY MOTHER SAYS IT BUT FOR REAL, WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE! IT SEEMS JUST LIKE YESTERDAY THAT MARK AND I WERE GAZING AT THAT CHUBBY LITTLE FACE IN THE DELIVERY ROOM. I REMEMBER THAT MOMENT SO CLEARLY, LIKE IT HAPPENED 5 MINUTES AGO. I KNEW IN THAT MOMENT OUR LIVES WOULD BE RICH. WE WERE IN AWE OF THE RESPONSIBILITY AND THE LAVISH GIFT THE LORD HAD GIVEN US.

HE IS JUST GROWING UP TO BE SUCH A GREAT YOUNG MAN. SO IN HONOR OF MASON'S SPECIAL DAY, I WILL TELL YOU ALL 9 THINGS ABOUT OUR LITTLE MAN (THANKS FOR THE GREAT IDEA AMY):

1. MASON HAS SUCH A GENTLE HEART. HE THINKS OF OTHERS FEELINGS IN NEARLY EVERYTHING HE DOES. I WISH I COULD SAY WE TAUGHT HIM THAT...WE DIDN'T. THE LORD BLESSED THOSE AROUND MASON BY GIVING HIM SUCH A GENTLE SPIRIT.

2. MASON LAUGHS LIKE ME WHEN HE REALLY GETS TICKLED. IT SOUNDS LIKE A CACKLE. WE GET IT FROM MY MOTHER.

3. MASON IS A WONDERFUL BIG BROTHER. EVEN WHEN A LITTLE BROTHER CAN GET TO BE A BIT MUCH, HE TRIES SO HARD TO BE KIND AND PATIENT. OF COURSE, THERE ARE DAYS THAT A GUY CAN ONLY TAKE SO MUCH, BUT OVERALL HE IS A GREAT EXAMPLE TO HIS LITTLE BROTHER. HE EVEN LET HIS BROTHER HELP BLOW OUT HIS CANDLES.

4. WHEN IT COMES TO PLAYSTATION RACING GAMES, MASON IS THE MAN! HE CLOBBERS ME EVERY TIME AND HAS GOTTEN TO WHERE HE CAN BEAT MARK MOST OF THE TIME NOW!

5. MASON IS PRETTY SAVVY WITH THE TOOLS THESE DAYS. HE HAS BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE A CORDLESS DRILL SINCE HE WAS 4 YEARS OLD. I ADMIT, WE HAVE EXPOSED HIM TO MANY CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. HE HAS EVEN HELPED OUT WITH REMODEL PROJECTS AT CHURCH WITH HIS DAD. HE LOVES IT AND I LOVE TO WATCH HIM ENJOY SUCH A SPECIAL BOND WITH HIS DADDY.

6. MASON IS A GOOD STUDENT AND A GREAT READER. HE LOVES TO READ NON-FICTION BOOKS ABOUT HOW THINGS WORK...SUCH A GUY! HE EVEN LOVES TO WATCH MODERN MARVELS WITH HIS DADDY.

7. MASON IS TOTALLY FINE SLEEPING IN HIS OWN ROOM...EXCEPT WHEN A LOUD THUNDERSTORM ROLLS TO TOWN. IF THE THUNDER WAKES HIM UP, HE WILL QUIETLY COME IN OUR ROOM AND ASK IF HE CAN GET IN BED WITH US. I'LL ENJOY THOSE SNUGGLES WHILE THEY LAST!

8. MASON LIKES FOR THINGS TO BE NEAT AND ORDERLY. HIS ROOM MAY GET MESSY BUT HE CAN GET IT UNDER CONTROL PRETTY QUICKLY AND DOES NOT NEED MY HELP ANYMORE. HIS KINDERGARTEN TEACHER SAID THAT WHEN THE STUDENTS WOULD COME AND TURN THERE PAPERS IN ON HER DESK, MASON WOULD COME UP AND STRAITEN THE STACK FOR HER. SHE SAID HIS FUTURE WIFE WILL LOVE HIM FOR THAT. I AGREE! OR HE WILL DRIVE HER CRAZY ;-)

9. MASON LOVES THE LORD AND IS LEARNING HIS WORD. I KNOW THAT HIS DEDICATION TO LEARNING SCRIPTURE WILL ETCH THE PROMISES OF THE LORD ON HIS HEART. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HOW THE LORD WILL MOLD HIM AND USE HIM...WELL, YES I CAN, NO NEED TO HURRY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MASON! MOM AND DAD LOVE YOU SO MUCH.

FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

TODAY WAS THE FIRST DAY OF THE 2008 SCHOOL YEAR. MASON IS NOW A THIRD GRADER AND MY LITTLE ANDREW IS A BIG PRESCHOOLER! ARE THEY REALLY THAT BIG ALREADY? I CAN HARDLY STAND IT! I TOLD THE BOYS TO WAIT BEFORE THEY GOT INTO THE CAR BECAUSE I WANTED TO TAKE THEIR PICTURE ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. MASON SAID, "ANDREW, GO STAND BY THE LIGHT POST." DOES HE KNOW THE DRILL OR WHAT?
EVERY YEAR I TAKE MASON'S PICTURE BY THE LIGHT POST ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR.

NOW ANDREW GETS TO JOIN IN THE TRADITION. OUR BIG PRESCHOOLER WANTED A BIG KID LUNCH BOX TO GO WITH HIS THOMAS THE TRAIN BACKPACK.

I COULN'T WAIT TO PICK UP THE BOYS AND SEE HOW THEIR DAY WENT. I WAS ESPECIALLY ANXIOUS ABOUT ANDREW SINCE WE WAS A LITTLE UPSET WHEN I LEFT. HE HAS HAD THE SAME BABYSITTER, MS. RONDA, SINCE HE WAS 9 MONTHS OLD AND CHANGE IS A LITTLE UPSETTING FOR HIM. I PICKED UP ANDREW FIRST AND HE WAS SO HAPPY. HE HAD A FUN DAY AT HIS NEW SCHOOL AND TOLD ME ALL ABOUT IT. I WAS RELIEVED!

WHEN WE WENT TO PICK UP MASON I SAW SEVERAL OTHER MOMMY FRIENDS THAT WERE JUST AS EXCITED AS I WAS TO HEAR ABOUT THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL. YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT WE WERE KIDS! WHEN MASON CAME OUT OF HIS CLASSROOM, HE WAS READY TO TELL ME ABOUT THE FRIENDS IN HIS CLASS AND FUNNY THINGS ON HIS FIRST DAY. HIS TEACHER SEEMS REALLY FUN AND LIVELY SO I KNOW HE WILL ENJOY HER CLASS. WE HAVE BEEN BLESSED EVERY YEAR WITH GREAT TEACHERS AND IT LOOKS LIKE THIS YEAR WILL BE NO EXCEPTION.

SO THE BOYS ARE OFF TO AN EXCITING YEAR OF LEARNING AND FUN...OK, I ADMIT, I AM A NERD AND ALWAYS LOVED SCHOOL. I FEEL EDUCATION IS A PRIVILAGE THAT TOO MANY TAKE FOR GRANTED AND SQUANDER THE OPPORTUNITY. I HOPE TO HELP INSTILL A LOVE OF LEARNING IN OUR BOYS BY ENCOURAGING THE EXCITEMENT THAT LEARNING CAN EVOKE.

THE WORK CONTINUES

I THOUGHT I WOULD GIVE YOU AN UPDATE ON THE "YUCKY HOUSE" PROJECT. THE WAY THINGS ARE LOOKING, WE ARE GETTING TO THE POINT THAT WE MAY JUST NEED TO FIND ANOTHER NAME FOR THE HOUSE.

WE HAVE HAD THE WINDOWS INSTALLED AND IT IS ANOTHER STEP THAT MAKES A BIG DIFFERENCE TO HOW EVERYTHING LOOKS. I HAD TO POST SOME PICTURES OF THESE PRETTY CRAFTSMAN STYLE WINDOWS THAT KEEP THE LOOK WE WANT.

THE BRICK RED EXTERIOR COLOR IS KEEPING WITH THE 1900'S CRAFTSMAN STYLE.
AREN'T THOSE TWO LITTLE GABLE WINDOWS CUTE. THEY CRANK OUT TO LET IN A BREESE. THEY WILL COME IN HANDY WHEN WE HAVE TO AIR OUT THE GAME ROOM AFTER A STINKY LITTLE BOY SLEEP OVER!
THIS IS THE KITCHEN WINDOW FROM OUTSIDE. ISN'T THAT JUST GORGEOUS! IT WILL LET IN SO MUCH LIGHT OVER MY KITCHEN SINK! AND YES, LOWE'S SHOULD PAY US AN ADVERTISING FEE UNTIL THE SIDING GOES UP.

AS YOU CAN SEE, MARK CONTINUES TO WORK HARD TO MAKE THE "YUCKY HOUSE" A HOME. SLOW AND STEADY WINS THE RACE...WE HOPE. THINGS ARE MOVING ALONG, JUST A LITTLE SLOWER THAN WE INITIALLY THOUGHT. MARK IS SO THOUROUGH AND REFUSES TO CUT CORNERS. THAT KIND OF QUALITY TAKES TIME AND MONEY AND WOULDN'T YOU KNOW, WE HAVE MORE OF THE FORMER THAN THE LATER SO WE WILL JUST CONTINUE ON. KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS AS WE ENJOY AND ENDURE THIS PROCESS. IT IS A LOT OF FUN BUT ALSO A LOT OF STRESS. I KEEP TELLING MYSELF THAT ALL OF THE WORK, WORRY, AND STRESS WILL SEEM MINISCULE WHEN WE ARE MOVED IN AND THE BOYS ENJOY THE SPACE THEY WILL HAVE WITH THEIR FRIENDS. I WANT THIS HOUSE TO BE A PLACE WHERE THE BOYS FRIENDS COME AND KNOW THEY WILL ALWAYS BE WELCOME, LOVED AND ENCOURAGED TO HAVE FUN. I CAN HEAR THE AIR HOCKEY GAMES BEING PLAYED UPSTAIRS RIGHT NOW!

TINY TALK TUESDAY---MORE BATHROOM HUMOR

I TOOK ANDREW TO THE DENTIST LAST FRIDAY. WE WEREN'T ABLE TO GET A VERY THOROUGH EXAM LAST TIME SINCE HE WAS VERY NERVOUS...AND ABSOLUTELY NO X-RAYS. HE WAITED IN A LITTLE CHAIR WHILE THE DENTAL HYGIENIST CLEANED MY TEETH THIS TIME. WE THOUGH THAT HE MAY BE LESS APPREHENSIVE IF HE SAW ME HAVING MY TEETH CLEANED FIRST. IT WORKED BECAUSE HE WAS SUPER RELAXED. HE JUST KEPT TALKING TO THE HYGIENIST AND TELLING HER ALL ABOUT HIS HOT WHEELS, POWER WHEELS CAR, HIS NEW DOG, SADIE. YOU NAME IT, HE TOLD HER ABOUT IT. WHEN SHE WAS FINISHED CLEANING HIS TEETH, THE NEW DENTIST IN THE OFFICE CAME IN TO LOOK AT A LITTLE SPOT ON HIS TOOTH...A TINY LITTLE CAVITY :-(. SHE WAS TALKING TO HIM AND REINFORCING TO LET ME HELP HIM BRUSH AFTER HE BRUSHED. SHE SAID, "WHEN MOMMY COMES IN THE BATHROOM, LET HER HELP YOU BRUSH OUT THE SUGAR BUGS" ANDREW SAID, "WHEN DADDY IS IN THE BATHROOM, HE PLAYS CELL PHONE GAMES" THE TWO LADIES JUST LOOKED AT HIM AND POLITELY MOVED THE CONVERSATION FORWARD...I LAUGHED. HEY, SOME GUYS READ THE PAPER, OTHERS PLAY SOLITAIRE ON THEIR CELL PHONE. I'M SURE MARK APPRECIATES THE HYGIENIST AND NEW DENTIST KNOWING HIS PREFERENCE.

SEE WHAT THE OTHER TINY ONES HAVE SURPRISED US WITH ON MARY'S BLOG.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NANNY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MARK'S MOM, FRAN. SHE IS SUCH A SWEETHEART. I COULDN'T ASK FOR A NICER, MORE LOVING MOTHER-IN-LAW. THE BOYS JUST ADORE HER AND IT IS SO SWEET TO WATCH THEM TOGETHER. WHEN WE CALLED TODAY TO WISH HER A HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANDREW, THE SINGER OF THE FAMILY, HAD TO SING HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO HER OVER THE PHONE. IT WAS SO CUTE. NANNY ENJOYED IT SO MUCH SHE ASKED US TO CALL HER CELL PHONE AND HAVE ANDREW DO AN ENCORE PERFORMANCE ON HER VOICEMAIL. I HAD TO LAUGH WHEN IN THE MIDDLE OF HIS SONG HE SAID, "SHE MUST HAVE GONE UPSTAIRS" SINCE HE DID NOT HEAR HER VOICE. TOO CUTE.

YOU CAN JUST SEE HOW MUCH THEY LOVE THEIR NANNY BY THOSE GIANT SMILES ON THEIR FACES. THEY LOVE EVERY CHANCE THEY GET TO BE WITH NANNY & POPPY. WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED YOUR SPECIAL DAY, NANNY! WE LOVE YOU.

TAGGED

OK, my friend Amy has tagged me and is forcing me to reveal 5 songs that I am embarrassed to admit I like. I know admitting I love some of these CRAZY songs will really burst the bubble for some of you guys that think I am just so sweet and proper...OK, all of you know better, no real risk there ;-). Now the problem is limiting the list to the five since I like a lot of different music.

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 songs you are embarrassed to admit to others that you like and tell why.
3. Tag 5 people at the end of post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Now enjoy my embarrassing playlist...

1. DA BUTT - for those of you that do not remember this 80's song, boy did you miss out! I have no idea who sang the song, I just remember laughing and dancing to it at my high school dances with my girlfiends and sister, Teresa. We really gave her a hard time because one of the lines in the song said, "Teresa's got a big ole butt". We were brutal!

2. A MAN OF CONSTANT SORROW - from the movie, Oh Brother Where Art Thou. When I am alone in the car I will sing this baby loud and proud. The cars passing me have to laugh!

3. KISS by Prince. I have to admit to being a big Prince fan back in the day. His music always had a great sound to it. I even saw the movies Purple Rain and Under the Cherry Moon . I know I will live to regret admitting this to some of you!

4. FANCY - by Reba McEntire. No memory tied to this song. It is just sappy, controversial, and great sound that just sucks me in. Another one that I will just belt out...by myself of course.

5. YOU DROPPED A BOMB ON ME - by The Gap Band. Another 80's wonder! I remember my older sister, Liz playing this too loud upstairs in her room and my dad would say, "If I have to hear that bomb drop one more time I'm going to drop a bomb on someone!" My other sisters and I would giggle in silence.

So, there it is, my crazy list of songs that I know I will regret revealing. Now I tag:

Kimi
Tammy
Patti
Lisa
Jennifer

OK, now I know I have some coworkers that lurk on this blog at times so if I call any of your cell phones and hear "Da Butt" as the ringtone you have assigned to me, diciplinary action will be in order (I'm talking to you Kim!) ;-)

A QUIET MOMENT

I AM POSTING A LATE "TINY TALK TUESDAY" POST THAT REALLY IS SPECIAL ONLY BECAUSE OF THE LACK OF TALKING.
BEFORE THE WEATHER TURNED TO BLISTERING HOT IN OUR PART OF THE COUNTRY, THE BOYS AND I WERE TAKING EVENING WALKS TOGETHER AFTER DINNER. MASON REALLY ENJOYED THIS TIME AND WE HAD SOME GREAT CONVERSATIONS ON OUR WALKS WHILE ANDREW WAS PUSHED IN HIS STROLLER. I TOLD MASON MY EXERCISE WALKS IN THE MORNING WERE NICE BECAUSE I COULD WATCH THE SUN COME UP. MASON STARTED TO PRESS ME TO JOIN IN ON MY EARLY MORNING WALKS. I DID NOT THINK A 5:45am WAKE UP CALL FOR EXERCISE WAS GOOD FOR HIM SO WE AGREED TO GET UP EARLY ONE SATURDAY MORNING AND WATCH THE SUNRISE TOGETHER.


THE NEXT SATURDAY MORNING I WOKE HIM UP AND WE DROVE OUT TO A BEAUTIFUL MEADOW AND QUIETLY WATCHED THE SUN COME UP. WE DID NOT REALLY TALK AT ALL, I JUST WATCHED IN AWE OF GOD'S BEAUTIFUL CREATION. WE SAT THERE FOR QUITE SOME TIME WATCHING THE SUNLIGHT SLOWLY SPILL ACROSS THE MEADOW. WE HEADED BACK HOME AND MASON WAS STILL QUIET ON THE WAY. I THOUGHT HE MUST STILL BE TIRED AND AT 8 YEARS OLD, THE SUNRISE MAY HAVE BEEN A LITTLE BORING. WE PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND STARTED BACK INSIDE THE HOUSE. AS WE STEPPED ONTO THE PORCH I SAID, "YOU PROBABLY WANT TO GET BACK IN BED FOR A BIT. WE MAY HAVE GOTTEN UP TOO EARLY FOR YOU." HE LEANED OVER AND GAVE ME A HUG AND SAID, "THAT WAS GREAT MOM, THANKS FOR WAKING ME UP TO SEE THAT."


THAT IS A QUIET MOMENT THAT I DON'T WANT TO EVER FORGET.

CHECK OUT OTHER TINY TALK AT MARY'S BLOG.

MEET THE NEWEST MEMBER OF OUR FAMILY...

THIS IS SADIE. SHE IS AN ADORABLE ONE YEAR OLD BOXER. WE SURPRISED THE BOYS FRIDAY WHEN WE TOLD THEM WE WOULD BE "ADOPTING" HER FROM OUR BABYSITTER RONDA'S FAMILY. RONDA & RICKY'S SON SHANE MOVED BACK HOME WITH SADIE. THE BOYS HAVE PLAYED WITH HER ALL SUMMER AND HAVE GROWN TO LOVE HER. WHEN I TOLD RONDA THE BOYS WANTED A BOXER BECAUSE THEY LOVE SADIE SO MUCH SHE TOLD ME THEY FELT LIKE SADIE WOULD ENJOY LIVING WITH A FAMILY WITH SMALL KIDS. THIS WAS SUCH A BLESSING TO US. IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT FOR US TO HOUSE BREAK AND TRAIN A PUPPY WITH OUR SCHEDULE. WE HAVE HAD HER FOR JUST ONE NIGHT AND WE ARE ALL SMITTEN WITH HER. SHE LOVES TO PLAY AND ENJOYS THE HIGH ENERGY OF OUR HOME. SHE IS SO PATIENT AND SWEET WITH THE BOYS. SHE WAS CHEWING ON HER NEW BIG BONE WHILE ANDREW SAT ACROSS HER BACK AND HELD ON TO HER COLLER AND TOLD HER TO "GIDDY UP" SHE JUST LOOKED OVER HER SHOULDER AND LICKED HIM IN THE FACE. WE TOLD MASON SHE WOULD BE HIS PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY. HE HAS TAKEN THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. HE WAS UP AT 6:00AM TAKING HER OUTSIDE TO POTTY! I'M SURE THERE WILL BE MANY MORE PICTURES TO POST OF ALL THE FUN WE WILL BE HAVING WITH LITTLE MISS SADIE!