Redneck

Yes. That flag says red neck. Yes, I could drive my car under his.

Spring Has Arrived!

Children playing in the grass...

Flowers blossoming...

Chickens taking a dirt bath in the garden. Look how fluffy!

Daddy's Lap

Zoe and Dad love reading books together.
Check out that beautiful girl.

Yeah sorry it's sidewards, I don't know how to fix it.

Cleaning the Church

I bought Jed a little "man-work-shirt" so he could match his Daddy. See how pleased he looks?
See how pleased Zoe doesn't look?

Night Barge

Parenting

Things that will NOT quiet the wee-she-beast
on a cranky Sunday morning:
Snuggles in bed
Warm blankets
Kisses
Cuddles on the couch
Books
Songs
Fingerplays
Hugs
Tickles
Dolls
Cars--
Toys
Videos
Mom
Dad
Brother
Any form of touching
Calming music
Dancing (by anyone other than herself)

Things that WILL quiet the wee-she-beast:
Food*

*If the proper kind, offered at the proper moment, in the proper receptacle, in the proper chair, for the proper length of time, at proper intervals. Otherwise, all guarantees null and void.

Sheesh!

Napping Beauty

Wake Up

Minutes after Zoe woke up this morning, this is how she greeted us: stroller and baby in hands, ready for a day of playing.

Coloring

Something clicked this past week, and suddenly Jed knew how to draw. And LOVED to draw. Here he is coloring at the table at 7:05 AM, just minutes after he woke up. And we had to tear him away before bed last night!

Check out that Dowdle Tongue Action!

He has been filling page after page after page with all sorts of scenes and creations. Then he figured out he could color "in the lines!" on a coloring page and now we have sheets and sheets of printed out coloring pages strewn about the house. He is very, very careful and precise when he colors -- exactly like his daddy.

PS - You can click on the button in the bottom right corner of the video to view it larger.

Hip

Zoe found the dress-up box.



(If you have noticed a considerable decline in photo quality, it's because M bought me a darling little pink point and shoot camera for Christmas. I'll never be able to live up to his cool camera and editing program, but my quantity can be much greater because I don't have to wait around for his computer to free up (which between school, work, and callings is never.)

A Few of my Favorite Things

--Turning four felt like a major life milestone for Jed, to the point that he declared to his Primary teacher that he has changed his name and everyone should now call him "Four." Truth is, he really has hit a significant developmental burst. He shows off all the things he can do "now that I am FOUR years old, like this, watch!" He can jump up and down on both feet, even hop on one foot, ride a bike, write letters, color recognizable shapes, color coloring sheets within the lines, recognize letters and their sounds, open the car door and house storm doors himself, cut adequately with a knife and fork, brush his own teeth, get dressed all by himself (numerous times a day), sit quietly in sacrament meeting, understand reasonable explanations and their consequences, and can even tell when it is time to wake up (not til 7!)

I am loving having a helpful four year old. This is a great age!

-- After nearly 10 days sick as a dog with the influenza, my husband is finally back. I can't tell you how nice it is to see his smile and have him hugging and cuddling the kids again. I knew he was really sick when he walked in the door from work, Zoe came running up with her cutest giggle and flirt on, arms raised up for a love, and he glanced at her, walked right past, and went and laid on the bed where he slept for 13 hours. To be able to resist Zoe's most sincere flirtations is abnormal in the extreme. Especially from her adoring daddy! Yesterday, after M got home, I was relieved to see the two of them tucked away in the office murmuring and giggling together. All is well in the world when Daddy is home and happy.

--Zoe Ann has learned that I am her mommy. Not that little babies don't recognize their mommas, but there is a point right about 18 months with both my kids where they look at me, right in the eyes, and for the first time I see that they really know me and love me. I call it the "eyes of love."

Day before yesterday Zoe squawked after her nap (she just sleeps on my bed, since Jed has quiet time in their bedroom) and when I walked in, she sat up all pink and ruffled with a huge grin. Mama! I jumped on the bed and lay down next to her. She looked straight into my eyes, with the most loving gaze imaginable, and then toppled over with a happy sigh, wrapped her arms around my neck, and held me tight.

The wonder and joy of that moment, I realized compares only to the first time my own dear husband, many years ago, looked into my eyes and I knew he loved me. Who knew that I would have that same amazing, marvelous, miraculous feeling, that I would fall in love again and again, with these sweet little tiny people sent to my home.

--Zoe has a fascination with my hair. All day long, whenever she is in my arms, she wraps her soft arms around my head and softly caresses, ruffles, weaves her fingers into my hair. To say I really really really love it is an understatement. Jed used to like my hair well enough, but he was always a little rough and it ended up more as a hair pull-caress than anything enjoyable. But Zoe seems to find it so comforting, and she is so soft and gentle, that it melts my heart every time. Michael loves to make fun of my goofy grin whenever I'm enjoying a hair massage from my girly.

--Spring is here at last! Yesterday Zoe and I went on a walk down on the hills overlooking the river. Little cheerful crocuses peered up at us in the blinding, warm sun. Birds screeched and peeped in the trees, old ladies were out working in their gardens, preparing for the blossom-fest of Newburgh Spring. Feeling the fresh air on my face and in my lungs lifted my heart after a long, sick-filled winter.