From our family to yours!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Happy Birthday Papa
Just wanted to send a quick happy birthday to Papa!
Your grandsons love you bunches!
Posted by Kendra at 8:00 AM 0 comments
Monday, December 21, 2009
Max rolled over!
Max rolled over this morning. I have not actually seen him do it previously, but know he has done it in his bed a time or two. I put him on his tummy for tummy-time this morning, stepped into our bedroom and right back and he was off his blanket and on his back. Put him back on his tummy and over he went. Ran to get the camera and told the big boys about it accomplishment. They came to cheer him on and roll with him. Camera battery - dead!!
Will try again later today.....
Posted by Kendra at 3:02 PM 0 comments
Friday, December 18, 2009
Random pics
Posted by Kendra at 8:00 AM 0 comments
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Mason-isms
Since I need a little humor in my life today......
This morning when Mason was in the shower:
M: Daddy, I don't like soap.
E: You don't like the taste?
M: No, I just don't like soap.
Posted by Kendra at 11:31 AM 0 comments
Soccer
So, I realized that I have not posted any pics of Mason playing soccer this fall.
Thanks to Coach Travis for a great season!!!
Posted by Kendra at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Mema
Irene Johnson -- "Mema"
October 21, 1923 - December 15, 2009
This picture hung in my grandparents den until just a few months ago. Yes, that is me at just a few months old. :)
Originally posted on January 2, 2008
I have had two amazing women that have been a huge influence in my life. They are my two grandmothers. Nennie (my mom's mother) is 86 and Mema (my dad's mother) is 84. I have been thinking about both of them so much lately. Maybe that is a product of their age, and maybe it is a product of mine. Today, I have had my thoughts on Mema. She is an amazing woman. She was able to spend Christmas day with our family - her 2 children, 3 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren. Unfortunately, she had absolutely no idea who we all were. She has advanced alzheimers and is in her own world. But, that is not what I want to dwell on today. I refuse to remember her as the shell of a person that the terrible disease has made her. I remember her strong. She was a devoted wife, mother, sister, and grandmother. She taught me how to bake -- her homemade rolls and pecan pies (with the most perfect, flaky crusts that you can imagine) were out of this world. She was a lady through and through. Until very recently, she wore dresses every single day and only put on pants to work in the garden or in the yard.
I watched her live out Proverbs 31:25 She is clothed with strength and dignity; she can laugh at the days to come. 26 She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue. 27 She watches over the affairs of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 28 Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 29 "Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all." 30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. 31 Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
She is all these things and then some. She is to be praised for the life she lived and the witness she provided. My prayer is that she does receive the reward she has earned and that she meet my Grandaddy, Uncle Rickey, Mama (her mother) and Aunt Pat at the heavenly gates very quickly.
She is celebrating in Heaven tonight with all those family members and more. When I originally wrote that post, I had no idea that it would be almost 2 more years before she would leave us. It has been 2 very long years for her. I am so sad tonight that she is gone. But, I am so happy for her that she is well, whole, happy and in the presence of God.
Posted by Kendra at 8:21 PM 1 comments
Did you notice?
On this post, did you notice this picture?
Does anything seem different?
Look closely.....
Yep, that is a cloth diaper. :) Isn't it CUTE????
I have one friend that is cloth diapering. From talking to her, I decided that my biggest objection to it was the laundry. But let's face it. I do tons of laundry. Just ask my Nennie. She agrees. So, I decided to try this thing called cloth diapering.
I gave myself until Max was 6 weeks old to ease into having another child without having to worry about diapers. But, at 6 weeks I started. Very slowly. Now, Max is 12 weeks old and I am really starting to love it. The laundry is not a big deal. I love not having to run to the store for diapers all the time. (Plus, it is way cheaper in the long run!) And, isn't that little bum the cutest???? Baby girls can wear cute bloomers over their diapers. Boys - not so much. This gives me a little taste of that!
Yes, he will TOTALLY hate these pictures when he is older. But, I am the mommy. I get to take embarrassing pictures. That's my job, right? :) Oh, and isn't his cloth diaper SO cute???
I have gotten all our diapers at www.kellyscloset.com. I love this site and right now:
- www.KellysCloset.com has just lowered their free shipping to orders of $49 and up for the holidays.
- For a limited time, www.KellysCloset.com is offering a FREE Econobum diaper with a $50 or more purchase.
- www.OneSizeDiaperStore.com and www.FuzziBunzOnline.com have free shipping on ALL orders
Posted by Kendra at 7:00 AM 0 comments
Monday, December 14, 2009
You Know You're a Mother When ...
You Know You're a Mother When ...
(No, I didn't write this. But I did find most of these true! Found it here.)
-You count the sprinkles on each kid's cupcake to make sure they're equal.
-You have time to shave only one leg at a time.
-You hide in the bathroom to be alone.
-Your kid throws-up and you catch it.
-Someone else's kid throws up at a party. You keep eating.
-As you cling to the high moral ground on toy weapons; your child chews his toast into the shape of a gun.
-You hope ketchup is a vegetable, since it's the only one your child eats.
-You find yourself cutting your husband's sandwiches into cute shapes.
-You hear your mother's voice coming out of your mouth when you say, "NOT in your good clothes!"
-You stop criticizing the way your mother raised you.
-You donate to charities in the hope that your child won't get that disease.
-You hire a sitter because you haven't been out with your husband in ages, then spend half the night checking on the kids.
-You use your own saliva to clean your child's face.
-You say at least once a day, "I'm not cut out for this job", but you know you wouldn't trade it for anything.
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It has been a week since I posted. Things have been busy. I know, everyone is busy.
Here's a quick recap......
Mason had several events at school last week and one was his second field trip. They visited the Dallas Children's Theater to see a Christmas puppet show.
This is the boys last week of school for the year. So sad because I have so much to do still! So, Thursday is Miles' last day and party. Friday is Mason's last day and party. Trying to enjoy the quiet in the house today. It will not be this quiet again until Wednesday, January 6th. Not that I am counting. Really.
We saw Santa this weekend. The big boys smiled and no tears. Max was not a fan of the big guy. Really, it was just cold. And he was tired. And hungry. I planned well, huh? Mason asked for a boat and helicopter. Miles asked for a motorcycle. Seriously. Don't we ALL think that would be a great idea???
Max will be 3 months old on Wednesday. I can't believe how quickly time is going by. In just one more month he can start eating cereal and other fun foods. It felt like getting to that point with Mason took forever. (And truth be told, we didn't even wait until 4 months with him!) Max seems too small to start eating solids. Odd.
Wednesday is also our 9th wedding anniversary. So, for all of you that were there 9 years ago, go ahead and think it .... "9 years??? already???? wow!!" I know. It does not feel like it has been 9 years. It snowed/iced that week - remember? Our wedding day was gorgeous but windy and so cold.
OK, that's all for now. Have to find a few more gifts for the boys. Not a motorcycle though. He is only 2 for pete's sake! I know, call me mean mommy...!
Posted by Kendra at 12:47 PM 0 comments
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
The good and the bad
The good: The rain stopped and the sun is shining!
The bad: The boys are outside playing in inches of mud!
The good: At least they are occupied and out of my hair!
The bad: Did I mention the mud? It attracts my boys!
The good: The tree is up and the lights all work!
The bad: The ornaments and other decorations? Still in the boxes.
The good: Max is eating and sleeping well.
The good: We have about 5 different kinds of bottles in the pantry.
The bad: Max STILL will not take a bottle.
The good: Christmas shopping is over halfway done.
The bad: 17 days left. Christmas cards are not out yet. Or Max's birth announcements for that matter. Look for them in the same envelope friends!
The good: The laundry is all washed, dried and folded.
The bad: Notice that I said nothing about being put away.
On a side note, my 88-year old grandmother, who had three children herself and no high-capacity front-load washer, swears (she doesn't talk that way) says that she has never seen a family with more laundry than us. I blame this on the three boys in our house that go through multiple changes of clothes most days. Why? you may ask..... refer to the first two good/bad scenarios up there. Yeah, those two about the rain and mud. Good times. My mom keeps telling me that I will miss these days. I seriously doubt that I will ever miss the constant mounds of laundry!
The good: Thankfully, they were not real scissors!
The bad: I walked in to find Miles with a pair of scissors to his hair.
Posted by Kendra at 5:37 PM 0 comments
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Mason
I haven't written about just Mason in a while...
He is 4 years, 10 months old.
He is still a picky eater and is happy eating the same few things daily. He loves apple jacks, pop tarts, PBJs, nuggets, hot dogs (bun the bun and dog are only eaten separately), steak, fries and chetchup (ketchup), grapes, apples, cheese crackers and cheese chips (cheez its and doritos, not cheetos), turkey-crackers (lunchables), corn and peas. He hates pizza, not big on cheese, most veggies, corn dogs and mac and cheese. (Still not sure how he came out of me and doesn't like cheese!!!) Occasionally he will eat spaghetti & meatballs, but no other type of pasta. Odd, I know.
He loves trains (still), cars, tractors of all kinds, tools, wearing my work gloves, riding bikes with daddy (he rides on a trail-a-bike), watching cartoons (especially tom and jerry, handy manny and dinosaur train). He is an awesome big brother and I often have to remind him to be gentle with Max and only kiss his head!
this morning, while we were riding in the car:
M: My head hurts.
Me: I'm sorry. Why does your head hurt?
M: It's full of air.
Huh????
------------------------
Tomorrow, we are going here. We're riding the Polar*Express train. We'll be wearing our pjs, drinking hot chocolate and meeting Santa. I CAN'T WAIT!!! :) We have not told the boys yet so I have been sneaking around all afternoon packing our things for an overnight away. Should be great fun and an awesome chance to get the perfect Christmas card pic. So glad we paid the extra $4 per person for the "climate controlled" car. Tomorrow's low temp? 27. BRRRRR!!!!
Have a wonderful Friday!
Posted by Kendra at 6:38 PM 1 comments
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Why Jesus is better than Santa
Have you seen this?
"Why JESUS is Better Than Santa Claus!"
Santa lives at the North Pole... JESUS is everywhere.
Santa rides in a sleigh... JESUS rides on the wind and walks on the water.
Santa comes but once a year... JESUS is an ever-present help.
Santa fills your stockings with goodies... JESUS supplies all your needs.
Santa comes down your chimney uninvited... JESUS stands at your door and knocks, and then enters your heart.
You have to wait in line to see Santa... JESUS is as close as the mention of His name.
Santa lets you sit on his lap... JESUS lets you rest in His arms.
Santa doesn't know your name, all he can say is "Hi little boy or girl, what's your name?"... JESUS knew our name before we did. Not only does He know our name, He knows our address too. He knows our history and future and He even knows how many hairs are on our heads.
Santa has a belly like a bowl full of jelly... JESUS has a heart full of love.
All Santa can offer is HO HO HO... JESUS offers health, help and hope.
While Santa says "You better not cry"... JESUS says "Cast all your cares on me for I care for you."
Santa's little helpers make toys... JESUS makes new life, mends wounded hearts, repairs broken homes and builds mansions.
Santa may make you chuckle but...JESUS gives you joy that is your strength.
While Santa puts gifts under your tree... JESUS became our gift and died on the tree.
Its obvious there is really no comparison. We need to remember WHO Christmas is all about. We need to put Christ back in Christmas, Jesus is still the reason for the season. Yes, Jesus is better, he is even better than Santa Claus!
Merry CHRISTmas!!!
Posted by Kendra at 9:18 AM 2 comments
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Laundry baskets and ministry
True confessions..... I sometimes think that I miss the old days. I sometimes miss the days when Eric and I were free to pick up and go somewhere on a weekend. I sometimes miss the days when the house was quiet. At times it was too quiet, but I didn't think that often - I love a quiet house. And a neat house. I oftentimes miss how tidy our house was. You know, before kids.
But, the thing that makes my heart hurt at times is when I miss doing ministry. One of the most memorable and difficult trips we went on was to Tur*key. We went with a team and ministered to special needs kids in an orphanage. It was hard. It was sickening at times. I don't think that I will ever forget the smell when I walked in the first day. I don't think I will ever forget holding the most precious, tiny, fragile little boy in my arms. I held him for several hours and prayed for him, sang to him and just tried to give him the love of a momma that he would never get to experience. Even now, my heart breaks for that little boy. I was not a mother then. It was 2002 and Eric and I had been married for less than 2 years.
I remember how exhausting that trip was. Emotionally, physically and spiritually exhausting. I remember feeling used by God on that trip. I remember feeling that I wanted to do more. More ministry. More trips. More love.
I have struggled to feel used by God in the last 5 years. It is so hard to minister to others when you have 3 little ones at home that need you. I have been told many times that my ministry is in my home right now. For this season of life, my kids and my home and my husband are my ministry. I always agreed when I heard it said, but rolled my eyes on the inside.
On a blog I read regularly, the girl that writes it said it so elegantly today. I finally got it today. I needed this reminder, but I also think that it sunk in for the first time.
.............In fact, if you want to know the truth, I actually haven’t left ministry at all.
And neither have you.
That baby that will be waking up in a few short hours, hungry while there’s still hours left until daylight? Your ministry. That husband who will put on a perfectly ironed shirt tomorrow morning because you did hours of laundry this afternoon? Your ministry. That coworker who has it out for you and doesn’t mind if you know it? Your ministry. That teenage daughter who slammed her bedroom door shut earlier tonight when you told her she’s grounded for two weeks? Your ministry.
Don’t you ever let someone tell you that ministry only happens on stages or in altars or in front of crowds. Should it happen there, will it happen there? Well, of course it should and will. That’s a part of ministry, large audiences and big crowds.
But I’ve found that the funny thing about ministry is that it seems to happen just about anywhere and everywhere it can find a place to land, even if the only current availability happens to be in your laundry basket.
It was a wake-up call to me - a mommy of 3 boys age almost 5 years, 2.5 years and 2 months; a wife; a friend; a sister; a daughter. I needed to be reminded that I am in ministry every day. My attitude towards my boys and about my boys lately has been that each day is just a day to get through. I am so sorry that has been true and am convicted to be better for them. I need to minister to them. I need to see them as the blessings that God has given me and the area of ministry he has me in for this season of my life.
I think that I get it. For now at least. I will have days that I forget that this is my ministry. I will probably have to revist my own post again and again. But for today, it is like water to my dry soul and provides that patience I need to deal with whiny, crying children with dirty hands and snotty noses and piles of laundry and a dirty, noisy house. I wouldn't have it any other way.......
Posted by Kendra at 1:51 PM 6 comments
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The Manhattan Declaration
Have you heard of this?
http://manhattandeclaration.org
All Christians should not only read this, but sign it and tell all your friends about it.
Here is part of the Preamble:
We are Orthodox, Catholic, and evangelical Christians who have united at this hour to reaffirm fundamental truths about justice and the common good, and to call upon our fellow citizens, believers and non-believers alike, to join us in defending them. These truths are:
- the sanctity of human life
- the dignity of marriage as the conjugal union of husband and wife
- the rights of conscience and religious liberty.
Posted by Kendra at 8:00 AM 0 comments
Monday, November 23, 2009
So quiet
The two big boys are at Nana and Papa's house this evening. The house is quiet. So quiet!
This is the first night they have both been gone since the night Max came home from the hospital... I believe. I wouldn't trust my brain to remember much of anything at this point in my life. I have forgotten so many things lately. Big things. Small things. So many things. All forgotten. What is wrong with my brain?
I was talking about something... oh yeah. The quiet.
Ahhhhhhh. The quiet. It is nice. Just me and Max right now. He's asleep. Eric is out on a run. When he gets home, we are going out to dinner. A nice quiet dinner. Just the two of us and a child that cannot talk (back) or walk or fuss about his food. A nice quiet dinner. And, I can probably even sleep in tomorrow morning. Just feed Max when he gets up (did I mention he slept 8.5 hours straight last night???) and then we can go back to sleep together. So beautiful! :)
We might do a bit of shopping in the morning. Groceries and Christmas.
Ahhhhhhh. The quiet. :)
Posted by Kendra at 6:31 PM 1 comments
Friday, November 20, 2009
Max's 2 month stats
We had Max's 2-month check-up on Monday. Here are his stats:
Ht: 22 1/2" (25%)
Wt: 11 lb 2.5oz (40%)
HC: 50%
So, he is the littlest peanut in our house.
Mason was 11 lb 9oz and Miles was 11 lb 13oz.
Posted by Kendra at 1:07 PM 0 comments
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Friends
Conversation this morning:
Mason: "Mommy, Me and Miles are like Tom and Jerry. We're best friends."
Me: (laughing) "Yes, Mason, you are JUST like Tom and Jerry."
I guess the fact that Tom and Jerry are friends deep down and love each other deep down really stuck with Mason. The fighting, chasing and all the rest, that is just what friends do. Apparently. Right! :)
Posted by Kendra at 8:54 AM 0 comments
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Little Eyes
Such a great reminder that children are watching you and doing as you do, not as you say........
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you hang my first painting on the refrigerator, and I immediately wanted to paint another one.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you feed a stray cat, and I learned that it was good to be kind to animals.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make my favorite cake for me, and I learned that the little things can be the special things in life.
When you thought I wasn't looking I heard you say a prayer, and I knew that there is a God I could always talk to, and I learned to trust in Him.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you make a meal and take it to a friend who was sick, and I learned that we all have to help take care of each other.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw you take care of our house and everyone in it, and I learned we have to take care of what we are given.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw how you handled your responsibilities, even when you didn't feel good, and I learned that I would have to be responsible when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw tears come from your eyes, and I learned that sometimes things hurt, but it's all right to cry.
When you thought I wasn't looking I saw that you cared, and I wanted to be everything that I could be.
When you thought I wasn't looking I learned most of life's lessons that I need to know to be a good and productive person when I grow up.
When you thought I wasn't looking I looked at you and wanted to say,'Thanks for all the things I saw when you thought I wasn't looking.'
Posted by Kendra at 12:39 PM 2 comments
Friday, November 13, 2009
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
The one in which I disclose which boy is my total, absolute favorite........
..........Max slept 8 hours last night.
10pm - 6am.
Thank you.
The End. :)
Posted by Kendra at 8:21 AM 2 comments
Friday, November 6, 2009
Dermabond
So, we had to take Miles to the ER Tuesday morning.
Miles picked up and then dropped a glass on the wood floor in the den and it shattered everywhere.
I had just finished a shower and Mason ran into our bathroom saying "Miles dropped a glass" over and over. I didn't think a whole lot about it for a second, but then I saw the look on Mason's face and the panic in his voice hit me. I ran into the den and Miles was sitting on the floor screaming. His (white, of course) shirt was covered in blood on the tummy. My heart stopped. I grabbed both of his wrists to try and determine where the blood was coming from. Thankfully it was just from his hand, not his tummy or chest like I originally thought. Apparently, after the glass shattered, he picked up a piece and cut 2 fingers, one much more badly than the other.
I ran him to the kitchen to clean his hands and saw a wide cut on the ring finger of his right hand. It was gushing blood (sorry to be gross!) and I knew I had to put pressure on it.
Mason was not doing well at this point, so I kept sending him out of the room to get me things - my glasses, a towel, etc. Miles was still screaming and Max was screaming from his bed.
I called Eric and had him call the pediatricians office. I knew I could not hear them over the screaming from Miles. They asked us to come in so they could look at it to see if he needed stitches or if they could use the skin glue in their office. We went to our ped's office and the nurse felt that he needed stitches and sent us to the ER. After an hour and a half waiting,they decided to just use the skin glue (dermabond) and avoid the trauma of stitches (and needles!). The thing was that it was not terribly deep, it was just wide and had a hard time staying closed to heal.
As of about 8 hours later, he had already started picking pieces of the glue off and it was totally gone a little over 24 hours later. I am just hoping it had time to close up enough so that it will not get an infection in it. I am bribing him with jelly beans to keep a band-aid on it. More often than not, he gets a new band-aid and not a jelly bean.
I know accidents happen, but I am feeling like a terrible mom as it was my water glass from the night before. I have said for months that Miles is the one that will always keep me on my toes and that will end up in the ER the most times. So far, Mason - 0, Max - 0, Miles - 2.
I think he is going to be the cause of my grey hair.....!!!!
Posted by Kendra at 12:57 PM 0 comments
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
6 weeks old
He did finally throw Mommy a bone and give me one sweet smile....That's better! :)
Sweet Maddox, at 6 weeks old:
- You LOVE to eat. But, you hate bottles. At least from Mommy you do.
- You have slept 6 hours straight, but only once. Usually, you do 2-4 hour stretches at night.
- You are a great napper, but like to be up from 8pm-11 or 12 pm.
- You smile at mommy and your brothers.
- You love to watch your brothers play around you.
- You enjoy sitting in the bouncy seat but not the swing.
- You are trying to suck your thumb, but cannot quite get it in your mouth.
- You can still fit into all of your newborn-sized clothes but are starting to wear some 0-3 months just because you have so many cute clothes.
Posted by Kendra at 2:36 PM 1 comments
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Thankful Thursday - on a Tuesday
A blog I read does a "Thankful Thursday" post every, well, Thursday. I know it is only Tuesday, but I really need to remember all the things that I am thankful for today before I let myself get too overwhelmed with the negatives.
1. I am thankful that Miles does not have the flu or strep and it is just a cold.
2. I am thankful for Mimi (E's mom) that was able to come stay with Mason and Max so I could take Miles to the dr and focus on him.
3. I am thankful that we were able to get our broken garage door spring fixed within just a few hours of it breaking.
4. I am thankful to our neighbor for figuring out the problem with the door in the first place and getting the door open so that I was not trapped at home in case of an emergency. (Thanks, Joe!!)
5. I am thankful that Mason has been very understanding today that his brothers needed mommy a lot and he didn't get a lot of attention.
6. I am SO thankful that the rain stopped and it was a beautiful day.
7. I am thankful that Mason loves to be outside. Alone.
8. I am thankful that our very sweet neighbor thought of us and brought extra dinner for us tonight. She had no idea the day (week) we have had, she just "thought of us" for the extras. I know that God was taking care of our every need. Thank you, Kathryn and thank you, God!
9. I am thankful for this very sweet smile (and that I caught it on camera)!
How can that not make you smile???
10. I am thankful for friends that check-up on me and are willing to listen to me talk, vent, laugh, cry.... whatever I happen to be doing that moment.11. I am thankful that all 3 boys are sleeping and I have quiet time to finish this post. It does my tired heart good!
Let's see that cute baby again, shall we?!?!?! :)
Posted by Kendra at 6:39 PM 1 comments
Sunday, October 25, 2009
Overheard
My parents, both my olde brothers and I were in the car together last week.
side note: I don't know how long it has been since it was just the 5 of us together. Technically, Max was there, but he did not have much to say that night. :)
Anyway, we were in the car. Mom and dad in front, Kevin and I in the middle seat and Kelley in the 3rd row.
All of a sudden, Kelley apparently felt like being an older brother and pulled my hair. Yes, he did. And my response?
Apparently the look on my face was equally hilarious.
I guess God did prepare me for 3 boys. Or at least, he tried.
---------------------------------------
On the way home, all 3 kids were texting. Not exactly how we spent our time in the car together as kids.
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In other news, Miles is SO sick. He has been running a fever since Friday evening. He has a clear, but sightly runny nose. And, he has a horrible sounding, hacking cough. He cries every time he coughs and he is not eating. He was tested for the flu on Saturday (negative), but not strep. So, we may be going back to the doctor tomorrow.
So, the entire weekend was spent keeping him away from everyone else and especially Maddox. And, carrying around a can of Lysol and sanitizing wipes.
Oh the joys.
Posted by Kendra at 7:27 PM 0 comments