Drivers: Beware!

Bailey is officially licensed and on the road!

Below: Boston & I are taking a big risk here - if you don't hear from us in an hour -

send help!

Chance: Artist Extraordinaire

Chance wants to be an Artist when he grows up (and own a lego company, and help lizards live, and read really big words, and play guitar in a band, etc.). This is his first free-form art sculpture.

It is entitled "JEDI STADIUM"

Enjoy :-)

Snow Days

We've been snowed (more like "iced") in for three days now!

The kids are having a blast!

The neighborhood kids have been "hanging" with us, we've been eating good food, drinking lots of hot chocolate, attempting to sled, watching movies, playing video games, having pillow fights, etc.!

(Of course, Chance would come up with some sort of "ballgame" to play.)
I now have 36 loads of laundry because the kids come in and change clothes every ten minutes when what they're wearing gets wet. It's been fun, but if the school even thinks about closing tomorrow - I'm fully prepared to get my shovel and clear a path
to the school's front steps myself! :-)

Chase Rocks the House!

We all headed to Chase's piano teacher's living room last week for her first piano "recital"!

She rocked! Chase's piano teacher, Ms. Doreen, tells me Chase has really got a gift & has just flown through the books. She really brags on her - the fact that I'm handing her a check when she does this doesn't have anything to do with it. :-)
Notice Kaden's sparkly, sequined patriotic flag purse. She is obsessed with it! I don't think there's actually a single thing inside of it, but she insists on carrying it with her everywhere because, as you can see, her ensemble is just not complete without it.

Below, are some of the other pianist's parents - far more technologically advanced than we are!
Ms. Doreen is such a sweetheart! She made the girls a cake, had a big spread of punch & treats for them, and they got a beautiful certificate commemorating the day!

Chase - "You Rock!"

Laughter to a Mom's Ear

Last night, all the kids were home. Mackenzie’s boyfriend Matthew and Chase’s friend Tybee were over, as well. After dinner, The whole gang was upstairs, just “hanging out” together.

I had just snuggled in to read one of my new mystery books, when I heard a loud burst of laughter coming from upstairs. It made me smile. A few minutes later, another burst of laughter. Another smile. This continued for a while. Jack walked in and saw me with a huge smile on my face - he was smiling, too.

He said “It makes you happy when they’re happy, doesn’t it”. “Yes….very,” I replied.

I wonder…. do they have any idea - as they hang out upstairs, laughing together – how wonderful they are? Do they know how much joy they bring me just by being.

Do they know that the sound of their laughter is my favorite sound in the whole world.

Do they know that when they’re happy – I am happy. And when they’re sad – I am sad.

Do they know how I am tempted to run upstairs and lock the door – keeping them there, together. Warm, and safe and happy. Laughing. Surrounded by love. Where nothing bad can ever touch them.

Do they know that every time I hear them laugh, I smile.

Do they know that small, simple moments like they’re living right now, are really the most precious ones in life.

I wonder -
Do they know how much I truly love them. Do they really know….

Growing Pains

Let me start by saying that one of my favorite - ABSOLUTE FAVORITE - things in the whole world is the sound of my little boy Chance saying all right. He says it kind of like Elmer Fudd - "Aw-wite", but instead of dragged out and whiny sounding, he says it quick and cheerful and sweet. So sweet. He says it all of the time. Whenever I tell him - Chance, you need to pick up your room before you go outside. "Aw-wite." Can you put those towels away for me, honey? "Aw-wite." Go brush your teeth. "Aw-wite". He doesn't argue, or question, or even hesitate - just "aw-wite". Every time I hear it - EVERY SINGLE TIME - it makes my heart smile.


Well, last night we were all gathered around the island in the kitchen (funny how that always happens, isn't it?) - the kids were doing their homework, I was fixing dinner, etc. I was walking toward the refrigerator and was telling Chance to put his homework in his backpack when he was finished and he said "all right". Bailey & I both stopped dead in our tracks and stared at each other.



I could feel my heart break just a little.



"What did you say, Chance?" I said. "All right," Chance said. Jack, Bailey & I exchanged anguished looks of understanding. Right there, in that very moment, sitting at the island with his still-small hand wrapped around a Sponge Bob pencil, Chance had grown up a little. And "aw-wite" was gone.





Forever.







And that's how it happens. They grow up right in front of us in the blink of an eye. IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE, PEOPLE!





Later, I explained to Chance that he used to say all right differently and if he wanted to throw me one last "aw-wite" for Old Time's (an hour ago) Sake - he could. And he just looked at me like he had no idea what I was talking about, but then he smiled and sweetly said "aw-wite".






But y'all.




It was different. He was different.






Because, as you know, we can't ever go back. Not years. Not an hour. Not even a blink. Not even if we really, really. REALLY. Want to.




So, Good-bye oh-so sweet, innocent, staggeringly precious "aw-wite".
I will miss you so.

Squirrel Funeral

The kids were playing with some neigborhood friends down the street when a "tragedy" occurred. A squirrel ran out in the road & was run over by a passing car.

The kids were so upset about the injustice of it all. They gathered together and said a little improptu prayer for the squirrel. Then they started to sing.

I'm not kidding.

A neighbor thought it was so sweet she took this picture through her window and sent it to us. I'm thinking - there's 7 people there!

That's quite a good turnout for a Squirrel Funeral.

Then the neighbor went outside to talk with the kids & noticed someone else had joined their little service:

Touching, isn't it. Just touching.