Tricks and Treats - A Happy Halloween

Halloween is FUN!  I love carving pumpkins, creating costumes, and of course trick or treating.  So needless to say, we had a great time last night. Andrew has been planning his costume for weeks.  He is just like me when it comes to Halloween.  He looks forward to all of the fun.  Mason does too, but at his age sometimes he is unsure if he should be too excited about Halloween.  Some kids act like they are too big for dressing up and trick or treating.  I tell him I never outgrew the fun.  This year I was thrilled when he decided (at 4:00pm on Halloween) he wanted to dress up.  We put together his costume quickly and I have to say it was HILARIOUS!

 My nerd, my little pumpkin, and my flying ace.  Be sure to notice their throwing up pumpkin on the steps.  Andrew picked that design :-)

 Our sweet little pumpkin!  I was going to dress her like a ghost with a cute little white tutu but Mason insisted she should be a pumpkin just like he and Andrew were.  He loves tradition.  He was right, she was an adorable pumpkin.

 I loved Masons brief case for carrying his candy.  He was the funniest Nerd.  He was acting it out all the way.  Andrew is so creative.  He came up with his costume himself.  I helped him with the scarf but he found the rest.

 Here they are waiting for tricks or treats!  Notice the "KICK ME" sign on Mason's back.  He was kicked a few times in good fun.

Here is Andrew with all of his loot!  He had a blast.  After we finished dinner, Andrew wanted to go to a few more houses.  Mason wasn't wanting to do anymore so I took Andrew for a bit longer.  He is just like I was as a kid...and still am, he doesn't want all the fun to end.  Once we finished up he was ready to dump out his candy.  He was thrilled when Mason gave him all of his too.  I love these kiddos!  They make simple things so much fun.  Just think, next year Melanie will be ready for some candy too.

What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up?

Well, a Scientist of course.  We call him Dr. Funkenstein.  Today was the day to dress up as "what you want to be when you grow up" day at school.  He wanted some crazy hair so he could be a bit of a mad scientist.  I love this little guy!  He loves to go all out and dress up on these fun days at school but he also stays practical.  When I asked him if he wanted some black round glasses to wear he said, "Mom, I don't wear glasses."  We have to keep it real.

The Payoff

Little babies are front end loaded.  Well, sometimes they are back end loaded as well, but that is another story.  The first few weeks are intense to say the least. 

Sleep deprivation, breast feeding, burping,

diapers, bathing, spit up and diaper blowouts. 

You stay busy.  Just when you think you may be to the point of exhaustion...

when

you

get

one

of

these

then you suddenly remember how great these little sweeties are and you get a new rejuvenated spirit.  God is good.  He knew just when to time those first sweet smiles to bless a tired mamma's heart.

THE BIG TWELVE

No, this post is not about college football but believe me, this house is keenly aware it is football season.  Today Mason is turning 12.  It has been a blessing to raise him and watch him grow into the wonderful young man he is becoming.  I love this kid so much, here are 12 reasons why:

1.  Mason has a great quirky sense of humor, just like his mom, so we laugh together often.
2.  I've watched him be a hard worker this summer.  He mowed our neighbor's yard to earn his own money and has done a great job.  He is even mowing our yard for dad!
3.  He is becoming more patient with his brother and is being a good example to him
4.  He is so loving to his baby sister.  She is only a few weeks old and I can tell she knows his voice and likes to hear it when he is home.
5.  He is trying new things like playing guitar and beginner band percussion.
6.  This boy is a great friend.  We have new neighbors and he couldn't wait to invite the kids over to swim and ask their son (who is 10) to go bike riding with him.  He loves to make people feel welcome.
7. Football is his favorite sport.  He doesn't let his smaller build stop him.  He plays hard and loves every minute of it!
8.  Mason continues to be a good student and work hard.  He puts his studies first.
9.  Maturity is blossoming in him.  I can see a bit of the man he is becoming and it is wonderful. 
10.  New foods are not always fun for him but he is boldly trying new things.  He even decided he likes fried okra!
11.  The little girls next door (ages 5 and 7) came over to see if Mason could play.  He didn't make a face and tell me he didn't play with little girls.  He went outside and played so sweetly with them for a few minutes before dinner.
12.  He loves the Lord and is learning to be His feet.  He invited several neighborhood kids he has been playing with to go to church on Wednesday night.  When I asked him if they had fun he said yes but he was most excited that they would be learning about Jesus.

Every year with Mason is a new adventure.  He takes us to the next phase of parenting and teaches us so much in the process while we try to teach him.  We are truly blessed to be his parents.  We love you, Mason.  Happy Birthday!

An Easter Portrait in the making...

We attempted a quick family shot before our Easter early service at church.  In true H. family form...we couldn't find the tripod so mark was trying to place our camera on top of the historical sign in our front yard to set up an acceptable angle so we could use the timer on the camera.  I laughed and loved the test shots Mark took more than the final product.  It shows who we really are...

 Let Mom fix your hair real quick...I know you are almost 12.

I've almost got it.

 Nice invisible plants in the planters on the steps...I'll get to it before summer is over, I HOPE!

 Nice Shoes.

 You can see baby girl under that big belly!

 We really are happy people!

This is my favorite.  I don't even know what we were giggling about but this is what we spend most of our time together doing.  I hope this is how our boys remember their childhood.

 There's handsome daddy!  We were still giggling about him running and tripping up the stairs trying to make it into the shot before the timer clicked.  He didn't fall, we aren't that heartless.

OK, this will do.  Aren't these guys so handsome!  I love them in their little suits.  I know it is old fashioned but Andrew's little seersucker suit is just so "southern gentleman".  It must be my Tennessee upbringing shining through.

ANDREW'S BAPTISM

Oh Happy Day!  Andrew was baptised on April 3rd.  He had spoken with our Pastor a few weeks earlier and talked about the prayer he prayed asking Jesus into his heart.  At seven years old we wanted to be sure he understood what he was asking and the truths of the gospel.

The event was made even more special since his grandfather performed the baptism.

I cried tears of joy knowing Andrew has established the basis of his relationship with Christ.  There is truly no greater joy!  It is humbling to know Jesus came and accepted the task of becoming the sacrifice to save my little boy.  He loves Andrew more than I can even imagine...so many times more than I do.  It is hard for us to grasp that level of love.  Now I get to see my little boy make his first public testimony saying he is accepting that love and choosing to love Jesus and live for Him.

AMEN!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROO!!

 years ago my little guy came into this world FAST AND FURIOUS!    I woke up that Saturday morning at around 7:30 with consistent contractions.  I woke Mark up, who had been up until 5:00am working on the office we added on to our previous home, and told him we needed to head to the hospital.  I called my buddy Kim so she could come get Mason and hopped in the shower.  Who wants to go have a baby without shaving their legs first?  I put on makeup and got dressed.  Kim & Paul made it to our house around 8:30.  We visited for a bit and the contractions became more intense.  I couldn't really talk through them.  I had to stop and wait for it to end.  It wasn't unbearable, just more than the crampy feeling it had been.  At about 9:00am Mark and I headed to the neighboring town about 25 miles away to the Hospital.  When we arrived, the nurse told me they did not have an open L&D room, they were cleaning one that someone was just discharged from and it would take about 15 minutes.  She said if I was real uncomfortable she could put me in a triage room and move me once it was ready.  I assured her I could wait 15 minutes and Mark and I sat and waited.  As we waited I told Mark that the contractions were really starting to hurt.  My back was really hurting.  At about 9:45am, the nurse came in and said the room was ready.  She asked me to put on a gown and she would be back to check my dilation to decide if they would admit me.  I put on the gown and she came in to check me.  I thought her eyes were gonna pop out of her head.  She said, "YOUR 10 CENTIMETERS...I'VE GOTTA CALL THE DOCTOR IN NOW"  After that my water broke and the contractions went into OVERDRIVE.  I was ready to push but they would not let me push until the doctor got there.  I had to go through 2 contractions without pushing and that was the most painful thing I have ever experienced.  Once the doctor got there (he was at his kid's soccer game), I pushed twice and there he was.  It was 10:18am. 

We should have known he was gonna be full of energy from the way he entered this world.  Just like his birth, he can't wait to do exciting things and enters a room like a ball of fire!  I love that kid so much.  He keeps things exciting around here.  So as tradition holds, I'm gonna list 7 special things about Andrew

1.  He has a great witty way about him.  His timing is great, he keeps us in stitches!
2.  Andrew is so smart.  He was reading at a 1st grade level in preschool.  I hope he keeps up his love of reading.
3.  Legos are his favorite things in the world.  Star Wars Legos are his preference.  He can build so many things using his imagination.  It amazes me.
4.  He has a caring heart.  He shows his tough guy exterior but he has a sensitive little heart.  He picks up on little things that are said and comments to me if he thinks it could hurt some one's feelings.  I love that soft side of him.

5.  Cuddling is what he does best.  He creeps into my room or Mason's room at night to snuggle someone.  He reminds me of myself when I was a little girl.  Being the youngest, I always found someone to snuggle when I got spooked at night. 

6.  He rides his scooter and bike like a champ!  He just came home from his friend's house one day this summer and said, "I don't need my training wheels anymore."  He had gotten on his friend's bike and learned to ride solo.

7.  He loves God and loves to learn more about him at Sparks.  He asks some really deep questions for a little guy.  I know God is going to use him to do amazing things.  I love getting to see God unfold who Andrew is in front of me every day!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LITTLE MISTER ROO!  WE LOVE YOU SOOOOOO MUCH!!!



On your Mark...

Mason convinced Mark to run in our town festival 5K race. Mason has talked me into doing a couple of these with him so it was nice to just take pics this time. I would love to say that Mason gets his love for long distance running from me but that would be a lie. I have tolerated running but never loved it. Here are my two runners taking off on the far left.They both did great! Since Mark did this race with NO TRAINING! I think it was great that he finished in 32 minutes. He did tell Mason he would never do this kind of thing at the last minute with him again. I think you can pull that off when you are eleven...not so much when you are over forty! Here they are getting ready to cross the finish line.It was a beautiful morning and I am so glad they had this time together, even if Mark is paying for it today. ;-) They will both remember that time together for years to come.

GRATITUDE

Our pastor shared this story yesterday before the honoring of our soldiers, past and present, during worship yesterday.

An 84 year old man was traveling to France recently and was asked to show is passport. Unprepared for the request he had to stop and look through his things to find it among his travel papers. The french immigration official was impatient and irritated and rudely quipped, "Have you ever traveled to France before?" The elderly gentleman simply answered yes. The french official then said, "Well you should remember that you are required to have your passport ready for inspection when entering our country." To this the man quietly explained that he was not asked to present his passport on his last visit. "That is impossible" the Frenchman huffed. "All Americans are required to present a passport when entering France, NO EXCEPTIONS!" As the gentleman handed his passport over he calmly said, "When I last arrived in France on Omaha Beach to help liberate this country on D-day; June 6, 1944; I couldn't find a single Frenchman to give my passport. You could have heard a pin drop in that immigration office.

Thank you to all of the courageous men and women who protect our freedoms every day and help ensure freedom to others around the world. May we never forget the sacrifice others have made for us and our children.

The Mommy Society

Happy Mother's Day to all the mom's and mommies to be. It is by far the greatest club I have ever joined. I always knew I would be a mom. I am the youngest in a very large family so I wasn't very familiar with taking care of younger ones...I was the one with big brothers and sisters taking care of me. So needless to say, when our first little man was born I was smitten with him but also taken aback by the unrelenting demands of motherhood. People had told me it was hard, but I was so blissful about having a baby that I just looked at it all through rose colored glasses. The first few weeks filled with
breast feeding - the first days were BRUTAL. Nursing bras, breast pumps, worrying if he was getting enough.
diapers - counting diapers each day to see if he was eating enough, washing at least one load of baby stuff each day to wash the spit up covered bibs or clothes covered in baby poo or pee...these were my clothes many days ;-)
colic - I am so thankful this only lasted a few weeks. No words can describe how awful this was for him and for me!
Sleep Deprivation - no more words needed.

If I was lucky I got a shower and was able to do it all again the next day...RINSE AND REPEAT! HAHA.

Eventually I found my groove in this mommy gig and I have to say it was with the help of so many other moms I know. Moms in the trenches with me with babies of their own helped me to know I was not alone having all of these mixed emotions. Moms with kiddos just a bit older than mine had great how to advice since they had just made it across this part of their journeys. Older moms with grown children gave the the vision that many of these challenges will pass and I will strangely miss them when they are gone...they were right! I don't know how I would make it through this journey without the other mommies encouraging me along the way. Now that I am a mom, i find myself trying to pass on the encouragement to others because boy do we need it! When I see a mom shopping with little ones and she is obviously been battling with the demands of the job, I always try to extend a smile her way and compliment or encourage her. I know some days the kindness and encouragement of a stranger meant the world to me.

So ladies, here's to motherhood...raising the next generation to know the Lord and live according to his purposes is a huge task we take on every day. These little people begin to see the heart of the Lord through us. We are their first loves and we hope through that love they learn to find an even deeper love with the Lord. This job requires a minimum of 16 hours each day and you are on call 24/7. It can be back breaking and will be heartbreaking. Good thing it pays better than any other job on the planet. The paycheck isn't dollars, mine have consisted of:
backyard flowers
pretty rocks
bugs in jars
a piece of gum...saved just for me
drawings
Lego creations
my favorite are the things that last forever...in my heart
hugs & kisses
happy smiles
snuggles & giggles
memories branded in my soul forever.

Happy Mother's Day to fellow society members :-)

Easter Weekend

We had a great Easter weekend. It went by so fast, but good times always do :-) We went to a WONDERFUL Good Friday service at our Methodist church in town. The youth did the service and it was phenomenal! It provoked very good questions from both of our boys and opened the opportunity for conversation about the sacrifice Christ made for us all.

We went "Easter Eggin" (as my friend April's little boy calls it...I love that too much not to say it here!) at our town Easter in the Park festivities. My kiddos love the sack races and Mason took second place this year. My camera died so I only have the one shot of Mason in action.

You gotta hold your tongue just right to win a sack race.

On Sunday morning we went to church for another wonderful service.

Don't these little guys look so handsome!

Our music minister always sings He's Alive on Easter Sunday. It makes me cry EVERY TIME! I guess I can just relate to Peter in the gospels, always wanting to put his whole heart into everything for the Lord but failing miserably sometimes. We had a nice lunch at home and hunted eggs again in the backyard, this time with money inside. It was fierce competition but once it was all done I was happy to see that both shared with each other nicely. We didn't ask them to so that made it even sweeter!

I love this picture of Andrew pulling his pants up as he runs to get some eggs! Excuse they yard...it looks like a plowed field since Mark is workingto level it out before we landscape.

Andrew was posing with his BIG Easter bunny.

The boys were so sweet they gave me an Easter bunny too. They know momma loves her chocolate...but what is wrong with this picture? (Beside the fact that I look like a line backer...what is with my GIGANTIC neck) My bunny must have shrunk! ;-)

We had a great weekend together. We hope you did too.

Look Who Has A Hole in His Smile!

I love how he had to roll down that bottom lip so we could get

a good look at that hole where his tooth used to be!

Andrew has had his first wobbly tooth for a few weeks and it finally gave way. He was so excited to finally lose a tooth. He couldn't wait to leave it for the tooth fairy. Losing teeth is when I feel like they officially become big kids...bittersweet.

One Word Wednesday

WONDER

Christmas 2009

We had a busy Christmas this year with lots of company. We love it that way. It started with Kayla and Chad and little Logan (our niece and her family) spending Christmas with us. It was great to get that time with them. Kayla is such a wonderful girl. It is so fun to see her all grown up and starting a family of her own. Her husband is a keeper! The Lord truly blessed Kayla with a loving husband. Little Logan is a doll! Mark and I reminisced while we cuddled him and soaked up that new baby smell.

Then we had a visit with my big sis, Laura and her family. We had a blast while they spent the week with us. We live so far apart it is difficult to always get together but we are committed to finding a way to do this at least once a year. We always have so much fun together and the kids do to ;-)

I put together a little slide show of all our Christmas fun. It is long since I want to remember all the fun. I hope you enjoy.

WISHING YOU A WHITE CHRISTMAS

Years ago Mark and I moved to Kansas with his new job ready to start our adventure together. After growing up in Southwest Tennessee, I was excited at the real possibility of having the white Christmas I had heard Bing sing about my entire life. By Thanksgiving, when it was 8 degrees BELOW ZERO, I knew I was meant to be a Southern girl FOREVER. The snow is pretty but after you have shoveled out your driveway once…it’s enough. As tiring as the snow became, I always had the moment of awe looking out the window to see everything covered in white first thing in the morning. There is just something fresh about seeing the world covered in white and undisturbed. Every home, every neighborhood looked beautiful. The snow covered up any eyesores and all you could see was a blanket of white.
Now that we have migrated back to the South (you can take the girl out of the south but you can’t take the South out of the girl!) we don’t see the snow very often at all anymore but every year we experience a White Christmas. Through the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ and the grace offered by his death on the cross we can hold onto his promise of forgiveness. Psalm 51:7 says, “Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow”. The forgiveness of our sin and the relationship with our Lord that follows gives you a fresh and undisturbed feeling in your soul to which no other Christmas gift can compare. The eyesores of our lives are covered by the blood of Christ and we come before God as white as snow. Our prayer is that you and your loved ones experience a White Christmas this year and every year through your relationship with Christ.

Since we have made several trips to Dallas this Christmas season, the boys and I have done our share of shopping. We have really enjoyed our time together picking out gifts for each other and our extended family. One night at Kohl's, I let the boys get their own buggy and shop for gifts for Dad and I. I told them to stay close but I wouldn't peek. I looked up and couldn't find them so I started to get a little nervous. I walked around calling Mason's name and saw them both come around the corner pushing their cart, smiling and laughing with each other as they shopped. I hope I never forget that sight. They were so happy to be picking out presents for us. When they saw me, Mason pushed the buggy (southern for shopping cart) behind a clothing rack and Andrew ran to me jumping up and down telling me they found my present and I can't peek. I haven't seen them this excited about anything in a long time. I was so glad to see the joy of giving so strong in their hearts. I have to add that they have saved their own money to buy gifts so the fact that they are cheerfully giving from what they have just makes my heart want to burst! I can't wait to see what they are so excited to give me...from boys, this could be interesting!

Powerful Christmas Song

I love Christmas music. There are several that are favorites of mine and this one is now near the top of the list. The lyrics just unfold the picture of the gift the Lord gave us when he sent his son as a tiny baby to bring us home to Him. It is BEAUTIFUL and it humbles me... MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Unconventional Thanksgiving

We are having an unconventional Thanksgiving to remember. It is just the four of us and we are keeping it simple. I ordered a Greenberg Turkey and bought some pies at fundraisers. The only cooking I will do is my mother's GREAT cornbread stuffing recipe. We will be painting at the new house all weekend long so we will stop long enough to eat our feast. We might even eat our dessert picnic style in the new dining room floor. I hope the boys remember this Thanksgiving we spent painting their new bedrooms fondly. This has been a challenging year for all of us. All of the challenges are bringing us to even more we have to be thankful for every day...not just today. God bless you all and may your belly be full of turkey & pie!

THE BIG REVEAL

I AM SO LATE ON THIS UPDATE BECAUSE OUR LIFE HAS BEEN PRETTY BUSY AS A RESULT OF THIS BIG REVEAL...

MASON'S CAST IS OFF!

HE IS SO HAPPY TO BE ABLE TO GET THAT THING OFF. IT WAS REALLY BEGINNING TO CRAMP HIS STYLE. HE DID HAVE TO WEAR A BRACE FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS JUST AFTER IT WAS REMOVED BUT COULD TAKE IT OFF FOR THERAPY. NOW WE ARE JUST TAPING HIS FINGER TO HIS MIDDLE FINGER FOR SUPPORT. HE HAS BEEN SEEING A HAND THERAPIST IN DALLAS TWICE A WEEK AND IS MAKING GREAT PROGRESS. I AM SO PROUD OF HOW HARD HE IS WORKING. IT ISN'T EASY WHEN IT HURTS BUT HE PRESSES ON. HIS THERAPIST, ANN AT CHILDREN'S IS WONDERFUL! SHE MAKES IT FUN EVEN WHEN IT IS HARD. MASON HAS REALLY CONNECTED WITH HER AND DOESN'T WANT TO LET HER DOWN SO THAT IS GREAT. YESTERDAY HE FINALLY WAS ABLE TO BEND THAT FINGER FAR ENOUGH TO TOUCH THE BOTTOM OF HIS PALM. THAT IS A HUGE MILESTONE FOR HIM AND REALLY ENCOURAGED HIM TO WORK EVEN HARDER TO MAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL. I CAN SEE GREAT CHARACTER THE LORD IS MOLDING IN MASON THROUGH THIS EXPERIENCE. I CAN PRAISE HIM IN THIS STORM!

THE "BUZZ SAW" COMES OUT AND OFF IT GOES!
MASON THOUGHT IT WAS SO WEIRD THAT HIS HAND WAS WRINKLY. HE SAID, "IT LOOKS LIKE AN OLD LADY'S HAND". SO FUNNY. WE COVERED THE FINGER SINCE WE THOUGHT NO ONE WOULD WANT TO SEE THE PINS STICKING OUT. MASON WASN'T TOO CRAZY ABOUT THAT SIGHT.

WE SHOULD HAVE ANOTHER BIG REVEAL NEXT WEEK. WE ARE GETTING SO MUCH CLOSER ON THE HOUSE. CABINETS THAT ARE STAINED WILL BE FINISHED, COUNTER TOPS, TILE AND FLOORS...THAT WILL MAKE THINGS LOOK MORE LIKE A HOME.

I CAN'T WAIT!

Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet...

They did get plenty of good things to eat.

Mason was a cute little 50's James Dean-ish little guy...cute I must say.

Andrew wanted to be a big football player so he wore his brother's football uniform to look the part. He even carried the helmet to collect his candy and had to hold the football AT. ALL. TIMES to complete his look.

I love these little guys!