Quite often in the Booker household, we have a p.j. day where we just hunker down and the kids stay in their pajamas all day long. Kaden would live in his p.j.'s if I let him, so he always gets quite excited when I announce that no other clothes will need to be worn for the rest of the day!
Today was one of those days. Jesse has had a yucky cold for about a week, so we didn't go out and about or have any friends with wee ones over. I always feel bad if my kids are the cause of another's sickness, so we gave up all plans for the day. It actually turned out to be quite cozy. Grampy and Grammy came over for an impromptu lunch - unafraid of colds - and had a few hours of fun playtime with the boys checking out all of their new Christmas prizes. This broke up the day very nicely and helped me not to go too stir crazy, as well.
They are running rather wild now, chasing each other all over the place. Jesse is in his boots over his p.j.s - per his request, and we're just counting down the minutes until Daddy gets home. This is his long day, so it is tradition for the boys and I to just have cereal for supper on these nights. A meal we all think is quite fun (and oh so easy for Mommy!) And then when Daddy gets home, the lights are going to be OUT, and we are all going to be hiding in the bathtub....waiting for a kickin' game of Hide and Seek!
Let the games begin, Daddy! You're going down!
Until we get a phone call from the Lobby telling us to keep it down........
Merry Christmas!
We're heading up to my peeps this afternoon after the kidlets' nappy-doos....also known as the "Land of Dial-up," so I'll be signing off for a few days. May you have a wonderful CHRIST-mas celebrating Jesus with your loved ones!
This may be our first and last Christmas for awhile with my whole, entire family together, so we are going to savor it. My wee bro is moving to Texas for a year or so to do some Border Patrol training, so he may not be here next year. And my Sis-in-Law goes to her family in Virginia for Christmas every other year....but this Christmas we are together - all of us.
So, it shall be festive and joyous. Days filled with yummies, games, sliding, movies, visits, tea, and friends and family from near and far. Oh, and let's not forget the family Christmas photo that has become tradition....where everyone's sole purpose seems to be to try and be an irritant to poor Marmie! Good times, good times! Honest to goodness, I think our family could make the big bucks in having our own reality T.V. show. Gotta' see it to believe it! It's true, and I love it!
Merry Christmas!!!
This may be our first and last Christmas for awhile with my whole, entire family together, so we are going to savor it. My wee bro is moving to Texas for a year or so to do some Border Patrol training, so he may not be here next year. And my Sis-in-Law goes to her family in Virginia for Christmas every other year....but this Christmas we are together - all of us.
So, it shall be festive and joyous. Days filled with yummies, games, sliding, movies, visits, tea, and friends and family from near and far. Oh, and let's not forget the family Christmas photo that has become tradition....where everyone's sole purpose seems to be to try and be an irritant to poor Marmie! Good times, good times! Honest to goodness, I think our family could make the big bucks in having our own reality T.V. show. Gotta' see it to believe it! It's true, and I love it!
Merry Christmas!!!
Oh Christmas tree, Oh Christmas tree....
Why did you die on MEEEeeeee?!
Seriously. Not really sure what happened here, folks, but our tree has suddenly turned completely brown and when touched it immediately drops all of its needles! This has never happened to us before....Hmmmmm. Maybe it hates us.
I'm thinking it's because we didn't trim a little more off the base once we brought it inside after cutting it down. There have been previous years where we have forgotten to do this, and it has kind of stopped drinking its water, but it has never just up and kicked the bucket like it did this year! Because we live in a hotel, it's super hard to regulate our heat up here, too. So, that may also be an issue. Or maybe Jesse has been feeding it some sort of special snackies? Who knows?
Whatever the reason, she came down this morning during Jesse's nap. I prepped Kaden to see if he was going to be devastated, but he was totally fine. Besides, we're off to Grampy & Grammy's house tomorrow, anyway, so it's not a huge deal. I'm just glad we celebrated our family Christmas last week!
Seriously. Not really sure what happened here, folks, but our tree has suddenly turned completely brown and when touched it immediately drops all of its needles! This has never happened to us before....Hmmmmm. Maybe it hates us.
I'm thinking it's because we didn't trim a little more off the base once we brought it inside after cutting it down. There have been previous years where we have forgotten to do this, and it has kind of stopped drinking its water, but it has never just up and kicked the bucket like it did this year! Because we live in a hotel, it's super hard to regulate our heat up here, too. So, that may also be an issue. Or maybe Jesse has been feeding it some sort of special snackies? Who knows?
Whatever the reason, she came down this morning during Jesse's nap. I prepped Kaden to see if he was going to be devastated, but he was totally fine. Besides, we're off to Grampy & Grammy's house tomorrow, anyway, so it's not a huge deal. I'm just glad we celebrated our family Christmas last week!
Our Family Christmas Letter!
I had this letter already written before I decided to save us a bit of moolah on postage. So, here you have it bloggy style this year.
Sorry for the excessive verbage. It fit nicely on one sheet of cute Christmas paper, and it was originally intended for people who don't read this blog - and who therefore don't already know all of these details! Feel free to skim......
Dear Friends and Family ~
I am always amazed at how quickly the months fly by, and I can hardly believe that we have already entered another Christmas season! If there was one word that could describe the Booker’s lives these past twelve months it would be: WHIRLWIND. It has been a wild ride this year ~ one in which we feel we have hardly had time to catch our breath. Yet, it has also been an adventure and a year of trusting the Lord like never before; and for that we are grateful.
At the end of the summer, Kevin finished his final graduate class at Philadelphia Biblical University, and our chapter of being students in “the big city” came to a close. Kev graduated this month with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and two Bachelor’s degrees - one in Business and another in Bible. We will be forever thankful for those three years in Pennsylvania, and we have made some lifelong friends who must now come and visit us up in “God’s Country!” :0)
Upon completion of his studies, Kev candidated and accepted the positions of Pastor of Family Ministries and Worship Leader at Calvary Baptist Church in Brewer, Maine, and we moved our little family back home to our “roots.” We are enjoying getting to know our new church family, and it has been wonderful making new friends and also reacquainting with so many old and dear.
Even though we are “home,” it has taken us some time to fully adjust as we made two different moves within two months and also experienced several weeks of some sort of sickness that none of us seemed able to shake. To add to the excitement, I crashed our “new to us” car just a couple of weeks after purchasing it, and as soon as we got it fixed, our other car promptly bit the dust! Joy unspeakable! We feel as though we are finally settling in now, though, and we are starting to experience the new “norm” of life for our family. We have a roomy, two bedroom apartment located in a Christian owned and operated hotel with café that is just a mile down the road from the church. The kids love being able to share a room together, and we often hear them giggling long after we have tucked them into bed for the night!
Kaden is now 4 ½ years old and seems to be growing up so quickly that I am afraid to blink. He is still obsessed with bugs and creepy crawlies of all kinds, and all summer long we had a plethora of tadpoles, beetles, worms, frogs, and salamanders living with us! We had a great time hatching frogs from tadpoles, beetles from wax worms, and moths from caterpillars; and we daily go on all sorts of adventures to try and find new “pets”. Kaden collects the “treasures,” and Jesse “loves” them to death! It is most definitely a boys’ world here! Kaden also loves books and music, painting, playing with his new friends, and all things outdoors. His silly sense of humor continually keeps us in stitches with Jesse as his biggest fan! Kaden is a wonderful big brother, and his sweet, tender spirit is a constant delight to us.
Jesse is now 1 ½, and I honestly have no idea where our baby went. This past winter we had a horrible scare when he grabbed hold of my hot curling iron and was unable to let go. We went through weeks of tending deeply burned hands which ultimately ended in skin grafts and a cast for his first birthday. This was truly the most traumatic thing that we have ever been through as parents, yet I fear that it is only the beginning with this one! Jesse is curious and fearless, and that combination is terrifying! It is a rare week that goes by where he does not have some sort of bruise, bump, or black eye from one of his tumbles. We like to call him our “wild child,” yet he also has a tender little heart and a hysterical sense of humor that redeems his oh-so-strong will. He is definitely the life of our party!
I am still living my dream in being able to stay home with my boys. I feel blessed to be near both sets of parents and so many wonderful friends who are in the same stage of life as I. A parent of children who are now grown and gone reminded us just weeks ago that we are truly in the greatest season of our lives right now. The days may be crazy and full of chaos, and we may wonder if we’ll ever get a complete night’s rest again, but they are also very full of life and love; and we would have it no other way!
Our hearts are full this Christmas as our home is filled with laughter and silliness, the pitter patter of
little feet, and the craziness of life. Merry Christmas to all of you! May you have a blessed
Holiday season celebrating with your loved ones.
Much love!
Amy and the Boys ~ Kevin, Kaden, and Jesse
December 2008
“For unto you is born this day, in the City of David,
a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” ~ Luke 2:11
Sorry for the excessive verbage. It fit nicely on one sheet of cute Christmas paper, and it was originally intended for people who don't read this blog - and who therefore don't already know all of these details! Feel free to skim......
Dear Friends and Family ~
I am always amazed at how quickly the months fly by, and I can hardly believe that we have already entered another Christmas season! If there was one word that could describe the Booker’s lives these past twelve months it would be: WHIRLWIND. It has been a wild ride this year ~ one in which we feel we have hardly had time to catch our breath. Yet, it has also been an adventure and a year of trusting the Lord like never before; and for that we are grateful.
At the end of the summer, Kevin finished his final graduate class at Philadelphia Biblical University, and our chapter of being students in “the big city” came to a close. Kev graduated this month with a Master’s Degree in Organizational Leadership and two Bachelor’s degrees - one in Business and another in Bible. We will be forever thankful for those three years in Pennsylvania, and we have made some lifelong friends who must now come and visit us up in “God’s Country!” :0)
Upon completion of his studies, Kev candidated and accepted the positions of Pastor of Family Ministries and Worship Leader at Calvary Baptist Church in Brewer, Maine, and we moved our little family back home to our “roots.” We are enjoying getting to know our new church family, and it has been wonderful making new friends and also reacquainting with so many old and dear.
Even though we are “home,” it has taken us some time to fully adjust as we made two different moves within two months and also experienced several weeks of some sort of sickness that none of us seemed able to shake. To add to the excitement, I crashed our “new to us” car just a couple of weeks after purchasing it, and as soon as we got it fixed, our other car promptly bit the dust! Joy unspeakable! We feel as though we are finally settling in now, though, and we are starting to experience the new “norm” of life for our family. We have a roomy, two bedroom apartment located in a Christian owned and operated hotel with café that is just a mile down the road from the church. The kids love being able to share a room together, and we often hear them giggling long after we have tucked them into bed for the night!
Kaden is now 4 ½ years old and seems to be growing up so quickly that I am afraid to blink. He is still obsessed with bugs and creepy crawlies of all kinds, and all summer long we had a plethora of tadpoles, beetles, worms, frogs, and salamanders living with us! We had a great time hatching frogs from tadpoles, beetles from wax worms, and moths from caterpillars; and we daily go on all sorts of adventures to try and find new “pets”. Kaden collects the “treasures,” and Jesse “loves” them to death! It is most definitely a boys’ world here! Kaden also loves books and music, painting, playing with his new friends, and all things outdoors. His silly sense of humor continually keeps us in stitches with Jesse as his biggest fan! Kaden is a wonderful big brother, and his sweet, tender spirit is a constant delight to us.
Jesse is now 1 ½, and I honestly have no idea where our baby went. This past winter we had a horrible scare when he grabbed hold of my hot curling iron and was unable to let go. We went through weeks of tending deeply burned hands which ultimately ended in skin grafts and a cast for his first birthday. This was truly the most traumatic thing that we have ever been through as parents, yet I fear that it is only the beginning with this one! Jesse is curious and fearless, and that combination is terrifying! It is a rare week that goes by where he does not have some sort of bruise, bump, or black eye from one of his tumbles. We like to call him our “wild child,” yet he also has a tender little heart and a hysterical sense of humor that redeems his oh-so-strong will. He is definitely the life of our party!
I am still living my dream in being able to stay home with my boys. I feel blessed to be near both sets of parents and so many wonderful friends who are in the same stage of life as I. A parent of children who are now grown and gone reminded us just weeks ago that we are truly in the greatest season of our lives right now. The days may be crazy and full of chaos, and we may wonder if we’ll ever get a complete night’s rest again, but they are also very full of life and love; and we would have it no other way!
Our hearts are full this Christmas as our home is filled with laughter and silliness, the pitter patter of
little feet, and the craziness of life. Merry Christmas to all of you! May you have a blessed
Holiday season celebrating with your loved ones.
Much love!
Amy and the Boys ~ Kevin, Kaden, and Jesse
December 2008
“For unto you is born this day, in the City of David,
a Savior who is Christ the Lord.” ~ Luke 2:11
Since it's Christmas for Us.....
Two in one day, I know.....but I just came across this and needed to share it. A reminder of how blessed we are in this moment and of the gifts we have in our children who are on loan to us. Snuggle your babies. Hug them tight. Savor. Drink them in........
An excerpt from Mary Beth Chapman's Christmas letter:
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"The last several days, my mind has not been able to stop thinking about Mary, the mother of Jesus. Pregnant and scared, knowing that the baby she was carrying eventually would pay the ultimate price of His life. How would I have lived differently if I knew that my time with Maria was going to be this short? Regretfully, I would have lived much differently. I would have purposely hugged and kissed more. I would have tried to memorize and lock away in my heart certain smells and smiles. I would have colored more and worked less. I would have laughed more and fussed less. Bedtime wouldn’t have become a chore to check off the list of things to get done. Instead it would have been more of an opportunity to listen about the day and offer whatever words were needed. The swimming pool wouldn’t have been too cold to swim in. The flowers in the garden would have all been picked, and definitely more ice cream would have been consumed!
I wonder what it was like for Mary after her son’s death. I know she saw him resurrected and was certain of the fact that she would she him again, but she was still his mom. Mary found favor with God; therefore she was chosen to be Jesus’ mom. But because God favored Mary, she was also chosen to suffer. Not just at the crucifixion, but her whole life. She was chosen to carry a baby in her womb, be persecuted and give birth in a dirty stable. Most of the time at Christmas we end the story there…. in the stable, with Mary, Joseph and Jesus receiving their company. Wise men, shepherds, and angels - you get the picture in your head right? The star, the animals, the Nativity! What about the rest of it? Mary, mothering the Son of God! She was human, she had a baby, and she raised that baby with the heaviness that she was to see him suffer and thus she too would suffer. I think when Mary was hiding things in her heart; it was a lot more than the reality of whom she carried in her womb. I am certain that she was hiding away the memories of first smiles and steps, as well as the first tears and tumbles. Knowing what was to come, did Mary have the opportunity to live differently as a mom to her little boy? I believe she did. I am sure that she watched him differently, taught him differently, and prayed differently. I can only imagine the discussions that she and Joseph would have when their son wasn’t listening, how they probably begged God to let the cup pass from them, but in the end yielding up the prayer we all hesitate to pray when it comes to our children…. Your will be done. UGGHH!!!! I don’t want to. I didn’t want to on May 21st, and I still don’t want to now. Yet somehow we did, and somehow we will continue to. I am reminded more than ever this Christmas, that it doesn’t end at the Nativity in Bethlehem in a cozy manger… it is a journey all the way to the cross on the hill in Golgotha on Good Friday."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
An excerpt from Mary Beth Chapman's Christmas letter:
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
"The last several days, my mind has not been able to stop thinking about Mary, the mother of Jesus. Pregnant and scared, knowing that the baby she was carrying eventually would pay the ultimate price of His life. How would I have lived differently if I knew that my time with Maria was going to be this short? Regretfully, I would have lived much differently. I would have purposely hugged and kissed more. I would have tried to memorize and lock away in my heart certain smells and smiles. I would have colored more and worked less. I would have laughed more and fussed less. Bedtime wouldn’t have become a chore to check off the list of things to get done. Instead it would have been more of an opportunity to listen about the day and offer whatever words were needed. The swimming pool wouldn’t have been too cold to swim in. The flowers in the garden would have all been picked, and definitely more ice cream would have been consumed!
I wonder what it was like for Mary after her son’s death. I know she saw him resurrected and was certain of the fact that she would she him again, but she was still his mom. Mary found favor with God; therefore she was chosen to be Jesus’ mom. But because God favored Mary, she was also chosen to suffer. Not just at the crucifixion, but her whole life. She was chosen to carry a baby in her womb, be persecuted and give birth in a dirty stable. Most of the time at Christmas we end the story there…. in the stable, with Mary, Joseph and Jesus receiving their company. Wise men, shepherds, and angels - you get the picture in your head right? The star, the animals, the Nativity! What about the rest of it? Mary, mothering the Son of God! She was human, she had a baby, and she raised that baby with the heaviness that she was to see him suffer and thus she too would suffer. I think when Mary was hiding things in her heart; it was a lot more than the reality of whom she carried in her womb. I am certain that she was hiding away the memories of first smiles and steps, as well as the first tears and tumbles. Knowing what was to come, did Mary have the opportunity to live differently as a mom to her little boy? I believe she did. I am sure that she watched him differently, taught him differently, and prayed differently. I can only imagine the discussions that she and Joseph would have when their son wasn’t listening, how they probably begged God to let the cup pass from them, but in the end yielding up the prayer we all hesitate to pray when it comes to our children…. Your will be done. UGGHH!!!! I don’t want to. I didn’t want to on May 21st, and I still don’t want to now. Yet somehow we did, and somehow we will continue to. I am reminded more than ever this Christmas, that it doesn’t end at the Nativity in Bethlehem in a cozy manger… it is a journey all the way to the cross on the hill in Golgotha on Good Friday."
* * * * * * * * * * * * *
Christmas With My Boys....
It's been Kev's and my tradition ever since we got married nine years ago to have our own little family traditions outside of the regular celebrating with both of our families. We LOVE the festivities that go along with Christmas with my side of the family and New Years with his, but we have always wanted to have our own "just us" time together, as well. So, since our very first Christmas together, we have usually taken the weekend before Christmas for our own little Booker Festivus!
Henceforth......yesterday was our Christmas Eve day and night, and all day today it has been Christmas with our little family!!! And have we EVER celebrated! And I tell ya, it just gets more and more fun as our family grows, and as the kids get a little older with each passing year.
Yesterday we went sliding in the afternoon before naptime. We thought it was awesome how we had the whole hill to ourselves....and then once we stepped out of the car, we realized why. It was BLASTED cold! But, we stayed warm by huffing and puffing up the hill - often lugging a child in our arms. As predicted, Jesse is an adrenaline junkie and absolutely loved being indoctrinated into the art of sledding! We had pizza for supper - a family favorite, opened a couple of stocking stuffers each, and topped the evening off with watching A Charlie Brown Christmas!
This morning, after making coffee together and twiddling our thumbs for awhile, Jesse and I woke the other two sleeping beauties so that we could carry on our festivities. We read the Christmas story out of Kaden's kids' Bible - (many more pictures than Mommy & Daddy's)! Then we all sat on the floor together and held hands and prayed together and talked about why we give each other gifts. Very neat. After this, we opened just a couple of gifts and then made breakfast while the boys played, and then we opened a few more after breakfast. I'm very much into letting the kids "savor" the gifts as they come and not have them just tear through them like a couple of crazies. We took our time all throughout the morning and right up until lunch just playing together and enjoying each other. It was so nice!
They are napping away now - with visions of Sugar Plums dancing in their heads, I am sure. And when they awaken, we are going to a Live Nativity with free hot chocolate afterwards! Delish. Grampy and Grammy are going to stop by for a visit this evening, we are going to make a gingerbread house together, and we may even watch another Christmas movie!
A wonderful day, indeed!
Henceforth......yesterday was our Christmas Eve day and night, and all day today it has been Christmas with our little family!!! And have we EVER celebrated! And I tell ya, it just gets more and more fun as our family grows, and as the kids get a little older with each passing year.
Yesterday we went sliding in the afternoon before naptime. We thought it was awesome how we had the whole hill to ourselves....and then once we stepped out of the car, we realized why. It was BLASTED cold! But, we stayed warm by huffing and puffing up the hill - often lugging a child in our arms. As predicted, Jesse is an adrenaline junkie and absolutely loved being indoctrinated into the art of sledding! We had pizza for supper - a family favorite, opened a couple of stocking stuffers each, and topped the evening off with watching A Charlie Brown Christmas!
This morning, after making coffee together and twiddling our thumbs for awhile, Jesse and I woke the other two sleeping beauties so that we could carry on our festivities. We read the Christmas story out of Kaden's kids' Bible - (many more pictures than Mommy & Daddy's)! Then we all sat on the floor together and held hands and prayed together and talked about why we give each other gifts. Very neat. After this, we opened just a couple of gifts and then made breakfast while the boys played, and then we opened a few more after breakfast. I'm very much into letting the kids "savor" the gifts as they come and not have them just tear through them like a couple of crazies. We took our time all throughout the morning and right up until lunch just playing together and enjoying each other. It was so nice!
They are napping away now - with visions of Sugar Plums dancing in their heads, I am sure. And when they awaken, we are going to a Live Nativity with free hot chocolate afterwards! Delish. Grampy and Grammy are going to stop by for a visit this evening, we are going to make a gingerbread house together, and we may even watch another Christmas movie!
A wonderful day, indeed!
All Hail the Chief!
As of this weekend, Kev has been affectionately dubbed "Master Pastor!" I must admit - it is not his most favorite of pet names that I have given him, but it does roll off the tongue quite smoothly!
We had a glorious weekend reconnecting with Philly friends and attending all sorts of banquets and awards ceremonies. Graduation was on Saturday, and then we visited our church family for the day on Sunday. Kevy was asked to speak at a banquet, he won an award, and he graduated with Honors and three degrees - so we are all very proud of him! It was really a pretty special closure to the end of our three years in Pennsylvania. Amidst two part-time jobs and almost every semester him taking extra classes on top of the normal load, our family never once suffered or got put on the back burner. Somehow, (by God's grace, I know) he always managed to keep us priority while also getting our bills paid and papers turned in on time! Pretty awesome.
And now, what should be the final day of our adventure - an eleven hour road trip home to my JESSE (who I am CRAVING!!!!!).....we are finding ourselves camped out at a Holiday Inn in Connecticut after five hours of driving and Kev coming down with a sudden onslaught of the flu. Luckily we had a trash bag close by, and I was taking a turn at the wheel when El Nino rushed forth from the depths! I'd like to hope that he just ate something bad, but I'm pretty certain that he has the good old fashioned flu with body aches and all. Poor so so sick Hubby.
Soooo, while he sleeps and takes hot baths and gets drugged out with flu meds, Kaden and I are doing our best to suffer for the cause. We had a little date in the restaurant downstairs, we hit a couple of shops, we're playing games and reading stories, and after our naps we're going for a dip in the pool! Rough, it's oh so rough......but what is one to do?!
We had a glorious weekend reconnecting with Philly friends and attending all sorts of banquets and awards ceremonies. Graduation was on Saturday, and then we visited our church family for the day on Sunday. Kevy was asked to speak at a banquet, he won an award, and he graduated with Honors and three degrees - so we are all very proud of him! It was really a pretty special closure to the end of our three years in Pennsylvania. Amidst two part-time jobs and almost every semester him taking extra classes on top of the normal load, our family never once suffered or got put on the back burner. Somehow, (by God's grace, I know) he always managed to keep us priority while also getting our bills paid and papers turned in on time! Pretty awesome.
And now, what should be the final day of our adventure - an eleven hour road trip home to my JESSE (who I am CRAVING!!!!!).....we are finding ourselves camped out at a Holiday Inn in Connecticut after five hours of driving and Kev coming down with a sudden onslaught of the flu. Luckily we had a trash bag close by, and I was taking a turn at the wheel when El Nino rushed forth from the depths! I'd like to hope that he just ate something bad, but I'm pretty certain that he has the good old fashioned flu with body aches and all. Poor so so sick Hubby.
Soooo, while he sleeps and takes hot baths and gets drugged out with flu meds, Kaden and I are doing our best to suffer for the cause. We had a little date in the restaurant downstairs, we hit a couple of shops, we're playing games and reading stories, and after our naps we're going for a dip in the pool! Rough, it's oh so rough......but what is one to do?!
Updates....
Our computer has been on the fritz for days, so I have been unable to update. We are in Pennsylvania as I type - we travelled for 11 hours in the yucky, pouring rain - but we are here! Kev officially graduates from his Master's program this Saturday, so we are here to celebrate and see our Philly friends and church family.
I have left my Jesse with Mom and Dad for this trip, and it has been a little weird! We have never been away from each other for more than a few hours, but Mom is keeping me posted and says that he's having a blast! It's been kind of fun having a special time with just Kaden, but I am definitely feeling that our family is incomplete! Although the trip was VERY peaceful and I know that I'll be able to sleep in these next few days without my "Jesse alarm" going off before 6:00 a.m., I feel slightly unsettled, and I am missing those little chubby cheeks like CRAZY!!!
We are potentially sleeping at three different people's places, naps will be all over the place, and there are meetings and banquets galore, so I know that he will be having a much better time with Grammy. It's just a wee bit weird. And during times like this, I realize that we really need to get on the ball and get our WILL figured out. Morbid thoughts, but should something happen.....no plan is in the works. Scary..... Okay, not thinking about that anymore....until we get home, and then a plan WILL be made. Pronto.
And on that cheery note, I am off to hit the hay. It's amazing that after sitting on my rear for eleven hours and doing absolutely nothing but dozing and eating, I am completely pooped!
I have left my Jesse with Mom and Dad for this trip, and it has been a little weird! We have never been away from each other for more than a few hours, but Mom is keeping me posted and says that he's having a blast! It's been kind of fun having a special time with just Kaden, but I am definitely feeling that our family is incomplete! Although the trip was VERY peaceful and I know that I'll be able to sleep in these next few days without my "Jesse alarm" going off before 6:00 a.m., I feel slightly unsettled, and I am missing those little chubby cheeks like CRAZY!!!
We are potentially sleeping at three different people's places, naps will be all over the place, and there are meetings and banquets galore, so I know that he will be having a much better time with Grammy. It's just a wee bit weird. And during times like this, I realize that we really need to get on the ball and get our WILL figured out. Morbid thoughts, but should something happen.....no plan is in the works. Scary..... Okay, not thinking about that anymore....until we get home, and then a plan WILL be made. Pronto.
And on that cheery note, I am off to hit the hay. It's amazing that after sitting on my rear for eleven hours and doing absolutely nothing but dozing and eating, I am completely pooped!
Baking! Baking! Baking!
Yesterday, the boys and I spent ALL day in the kitchen baking and cooking and decorating.....and it was SO MUCH FUN! Surprisingly!
I was gearing myself up for some large amounts of stress and mess and gritting my teeth while flour and sugar flew everywhere. But, it was actually pretty awesome, and the three of us had a ball!
The kids each pulled a chair up to the bar, I gave them both a wooden spoon for stirring, they each got their own cookie and little dish of frosting with a knife, and we baked and frosted for hours!
We had such a special time and so many cool conversations. I told Kaden that we would be able to eat a few of these treats but most of them would be going as gifts to others. He said: "I love sharing things, Mommy! I love giving presents to people!" We talked about the reason behind giving gifts to people at this time of year - because God gave us the greatest gift of us in sending us His Son, Jesus. And Kaden said: "Yeah. And he gave us an even bigger gift when he died on the cross for us, too. Right?"
It was just such a cool time. And I almost didn't do it. I had planned to do all of the "messy" stuff during their naps to avoid getting my kitchen all sticky and yuck. Had I stuck with my original plan in being more worried about my floors and the potential mess, I would have missed out on some awesome moments with my boys and some really cool Christmas memories.
I'm learning.
I was gearing myself up for some large amounts of stress and mess and gritting my teeth while flour and sugar flew everywhere. But, it was actually pretty awesome, and the three of us had a ball!
The kids each pulled a chair up to the bar, I gave them both a wooden spoon for stirring, they each got their own cookie and little dish of frosting with a knife, and we baked and frosted for hours!
We had such a special time and so many cool conversations. I told Kaden that we would be able to eat a few of these treats but most of them would be going as gifts to others. He said: "I love sharing things, Mommy! I love giving presents to people!" We talked about the reason behind giving gifts to people at this time of year - because God gave us the greatest gift of us in sending us His Son, Jesus. And Kaden said: "Yeah. And he gave us an even bigger gift when he died on the cross for us, too. Right?"
It was just such a cool time. And I almost didn't do it. I had planned to do all of the "messy" stuff during their naps to avoid getting my kitchen all sticky and yuck. Had I stuck with my original plan in being more worried about my floors and the potential mess, I would have missed out on some awesome moments with my boys and some really cool Christmas memories.
I'm learning.
Dates With Daddy
At Bagel Central yesterday....
DADDY: Are we always going to do this - even when you're older?
KADEN: Yup. We'll do this even when I'm a big man!
DADDY: YEAH! High five! Buddy's forever.
KADEN: We'll be buddies until I die!
Priceless.....
That's the idea, Sweetheart. That's the idea.
DADDY: Are we always going to do this - even when you're older?
KADEN: Yup. We'll do this even when I'm a big man!
DADDY: YEAH! High five! Buddy's forever.
KADEN: We'll be buddies until I die!
Priceless.....
That's the idea, Sweetheart. That's the idea.
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