Four Year Old Bliss

Four years ago, this precious creature entered my life... She was born into this world at 8 lbs. 7 oz. with eyes wide open. Named after her dad's and my middle names, Brooklyn Kay presented a new challenge in our adventure of parenthood. She inherited her dad's vocal cords and my inability to sit down, which brings smiles to her grandparents' faces. :)



She is fearless (which scares me), stubborn, independent, caring, and absolutely beautiful in my eyes. She truly has a tender heart and loves people...once she gets to know them a little. :) Her turning four has hit me harder than the previous years. Brooklyn, may the Lord guide you, guard you, and protect you each step you take.



And, may you always know how much you are loved!!! To this next phase of our adventure together...

Love,
Mom

Choosy Moms Choose Peanut Butter

You cannot go wrong with peanut butter in my house. We love it and eat it by the spoonfuls around here. I am sure it is what I survived on in my college days (seriously, it is) and wonder if it is what my kids survive on now! (somewhat serious on that one). It is the number one staple in my pantry. I don't buy the package with two jars when I go to the grocery store. What am I thinking? I am very thankful we do not have any allergies to peanuts. I cannot even imagine what we would do then! And, I am very thankful peanut butter comes out fairly easily in the wash! I seriously need to invest stock in this stuff! On a side note, Brett has moved to the table now! I am counting this as a major milestone. I have always pictured what it would be like when all four chairs at our table were occupied, and Brett wasn't stuck in the corner high chair any longer. I bought a Cooshie Booster seat for Brooklyn when Brett was born, and I love it. I guess now I will have to buy one for Brett because Brooklyn still uses hers, sometimes. I got it at a children's consignment store for $8. They usually run around $30. Lots of love and peanut butter kisses! : )'

Melting Away

Fall cannot come soon enough for me. It is my favorite time of year, and I am always ready for it when the August temperatures seem like they will never come down. With little rain and triple digit heat, not to mention the humidity, indoor activities have taken a precedence over outdoor ones. Making a tent and creating "telescopes" out of toilet paper rolls have been a few ideas that never get old and that also allow us to avoid the sun and its heat. Yesterday, we decided to melt all of our broken crayons to make new ones. It turned out better than I expected and was a wonderful science lesson! I know, I am such a nerd! :) Brooklyn thought we could eat them because anything that goes in the oven must be edible; it never ceases to amaze me how young childrens' minds work. I am thankful the Lord has given me time home with my children, though I cannot say I have used it to His advantage like I should. At times I think, I have to take Brooklyn and Brett somewhere to do something in order to provide fun and entertainment. A child's imagination is alive every second. Even on the toilet! Everything I need is right here, including air conditioning, which I am also very thankful for! I heard this quote today from the movie, Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, "Your life is an occasion...Rise to it!" Thank you to the 102 heat (which is highly manageable) and to God for providing it so that we can spend a day indoors playing peek-a-boo around a rocking chair, singing songs as loud as possible, and coloring to our hearts' content. Because time falls away too quickly, and I have been given a wonderful opportunity. To the many more adventures we have indoors or out...

Spring Fever

-So environmentally friendly-

Right after her new hair cut

The warmer spring weather has been wonderful! We love to be outside, and we have been able to enjoy the outdoors a lot lately.

Slow Cooker Day

I have heard of "slow cooker days." You know, one of those days when you just can't get anything going. I had a list of things I wanted to accomplish, and was ready to get to it when the kids settled down for a nap. But, all of that was interrupted by cries from Brooklyn, who has been having some trouble getting to sleep lately. I read her a story, I sang some of her favorite songs, but nothing was working. I decided she needed time to settle down on her own and left her in her room. I listened to her calling for me in between moments of crying. When I walked back into her room and looked at those big baby blue eyes and tears running down her cheeks, I realized I needed to slow down. I have a wonderful opportunity to use this time at home as a ministry to my children, yet I am not taking advantage of it. I was reminded by God to be a comforter, as He has done for me so many times (no matter how long that might take). The valentines for her party at school will get done, even if I have to stay up until 2 a.m. to do it, the dishes and the laundry have been piling up for a couple days now, what is another few hours? Too many times I lose sight of what is really important. I am thankful for how my children continue to teach me to be more like them; I am often humbled by not only their screams in the middle of the grocery store, but also those big alligator tears when they need a little extra loving.

Stock Shows and Pig Tails...

In some very cold weather, we ventured out to the Fort Worth Stock Show. Brooklyn could not wait to see all the animals at "Sharron's work." With pig tails in her hair and excitement on her face, we walked into the stalls to see the animals. "Look at that pig," and "look at that pig," and "look at that pig," she would say. At her preschool, they were learning about the letter p and talking about pigs, so this was a great learning experience for her. Shawn, Sharron, and Tobin went walking around with us as we saw rabbits, sheep, chickens, baby chicks, piglets, cows, horses, etc. Sharron let Tobin and Brooklyn get in a pin with a pig. They petted it for a little while, but mostly played with the shavings. We had a great time and can't wait for next year.