Feed Your Family: The Wysong Report

Corinne is 3!!!

2011-09-06T18:54:00.001-07:00

This post is long overdue. Corinne has been 3 for almost two months now. Unfortunately, our computer is so packed with photos and videos that we can't upload any new ones. I spend a good bit of time sifting through the photos on the computer and trying to weed them out without getting too sentimental. It is kind of ridiculous, really. I will have about 12 shots of the same activity, each shot only slightly different than the one before, but I still can't manage to whittle it down to just the best 2 or 3 of the bunch. Ok, on with the birthday story!

This year we decided that instead of spending $300 on a birthday party that only lasts 2 hours, we would spend $300 on a family event that lasted an entire day. We headed up to Great Wolf Lodge in Concord, NC. If you aren't familiar with GWL, it's and indoor water park attached to a Disney-like hotel. Since we are only 25 minutes away, it is advertised ALL of the time on TV here. So, the kids were completely familiar with it before we ever stepped foot on the property. When we told them we were going, they were all beyond thrilled and woke-up every morning with "Is today the day we are going to Great Wolf Lodge?" Most of the time the answer was no. On the day that we finally said "YES", the kids were on cloud 9. Unfortunately I won't have any pictures to show you from this fun outing b/c I didn't want to bring my big SLR camera inside of a water park to be left unattended for several hours. Instead, I decided to break out my old digital camera. After taking two pictures with it I quickly remembered why I don't use it anymore. Someday I will take the time to try to transfer those pictures to my computer... when I can part with the pictures that are taking up all the space. (We have two external hard drives, but for some reason it's just hard for me to part with the original ones.)

We had a fabulous time swimming and sliding and jumping and getting huge buckets of water poured on us. For a break we went to Concord Mills and let Corinne pick out some birthday presents from the Disney store, including a back pack and lunch bag for school (sniff, sniff). After that we got some yogurt from Yogurt Mountain. I have never seen so many toppings for yogurt. They even had Fruity Pebbles!!! We were all pretty tired by the time we got back to the lodge, but we told the kids we would go back to the park and we did! We closed it down at 9 and had a great time doing it. :) We got there when it opened the next morning and were worn out by lunch. The kids have asked to go back several times since we went. It was truly a great way to spend time with our family.

Since Corinne didn't have a party, my friend wanted to know if I wanted to invite a few people to her neighborhood pool in honor of Corinne's birthday. Of course, this turned out to be a real-deal birthday party. I just couldn't resist. Corinne ended up celebrating her birthday for at least a full week. She still says, "Are we going to my birthday party again today?" I wish we appreciated the gift of a birthday as we are getting older as we did when we were kids...

Corinne, I love you more every single day. Your personality has really bloomed in these past 6 months. I love your bear hugs and sweet kisses on the cheek. I love that you make me give you 3, then 5, then 7 hugs and kisses every night. I cringe at your independence because I know that in a blink of the eye you will be heading off to kindergarten... then high school... then college. You are the baby of our family and, as much as you insist that you are my "BIG girl", you will ALWAYS be my baby girl. I love, love, love you. -Mom

Kids Say...

2011-06-25T18:09:00.000-07:00

My kids go to a Christian school and they start each day with the Bible. Nolan is soaking up so much and often uses the lesson from that day to help him work out certain frustrating situations. As he's talking it out, he usually begins with "The Bible says..." Lately he seems to be rewriting the Bible and is making me wonder if we should get a tuition refund. Here are two of Nolan's "Bible verses".

"The Bible says, 'Only listen to God and your mom and dad. Never listen to childrens, girls, or people who bully you up and hit you.' Matthew 6:26"

"The Bible says, 'Santa is real, you just can't see him because he comes when you are sleeping.' Matthew 20:80:60"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We spent Easter with the in-laws this year. The kids love this because there are always several egg hunts that go on when we are there. This year we even went to Brian's parents' church and hunted eggs there. Each child came back with a basket over-flowing with plastic eggs. When we went to pack everything up to head home, the baskets (still filled with eggs) got put on top of all of our other luggage. We stopped at our favorite produce stand on the way home to pick-up some strawberries. Brian opened the back of the van and out came two of the baskets and all of the eggs they were holding. Pastel eggs were rolling all over the parking lot as Brian and two other men at the produce stand went chasing after them. Landry, sitting in the third row seat, looked out her window and let out a huge laugh. "Looks who's having an Easter hunt now, Dad!"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A couple of days ago Nolan actually ate all of his lunch without complaint. Then he drank his whole cup of juice. He was looking a little queasy and lethargic. He took his shirt off and came over to me rubbing his distended belly. "Look, Mom. My belly is getting big......... like Dad's." When Brian came home Nolan told him that soon they would be able to "bump bellies". :)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nolan is the Big 0-5!

2011-05-24T17:16:00.000-07:00

It's funny how an hour can creep by but 5 years seems to escape in a millisecond. Nolan turned 5 in April and it was a little strange for me. The only thing I can figure out is that I equate "little ones" with being under 5... pre-Kindergarten. The week leading up to Nolan's big day, it occurred to me that 2 out of 3 of my children weren't so "little" anymore. As much as I love and appreciate the gift of their growth, I also yearn to slow it down for a moment.

Turning 5 was nothing but sweetness for Nolan. He was so excited that he pretty much told every stranger we encountered that his birthday was around the corner and he was "going to be 5 already". In fact, we had his birthday party 5 days before his actual birthday, which obviously means he got 5 extra days of being 5. Our conversations went a little like this:

Me: "Nolan, you're not quite 5 yet bud. You won't be 5 until your actual birthday."

Nolan: "Why did I have a party if I'm not 5? I'm 5."

Point taken. He won that argument. Mom dried up her tears and relented to the fact that her "baby boy" was now 5.

Nolan's party of choice was a basketball party. When asked what all he wanted to do at his basketball party, he answered, "play basketball". I admit, that was a little bit of a dumb question. I just couldn't picture a lot of 4 and 5 year olds playing basketball for two hours. Thankfully I wrong. They loved it! Of course, there was a lot of freeze tag, freeze dance, pin the tail on the donkey, and some plain ol' running all over the place too, but mostly basketball. He scored some great gifts, including a Nintendo DSi XL. I'm embarrassed to say that I like it as much as he does. Glad they didn't have those when I was a kid or I would have been very unproductive.

On Nolan's actual birthday, he got to bring a snack and drink of his choice to share with his class. Of course, he picked donuts with white icing and sprinkles from Lowe's Foods. His beverage of choice was cherry Juicy Juice. He has wanted it for so long and I just wouldn't buy it because I've never liked cherry flavored things. He loved it. :)

Nolan, every day I watch you grow. You have made me one proud mama. You have the kindest heart, the best intentions, a great sense of humor, and you are ridiculously cute. I'm pretty sure no one has ever loved me as much as you do. I am so thankful that you are my son. You are a great big and little brother and have matured so much in this past year. You're manners are impeccable and your smile is infectious. Don't you ever forget how much I love you. - Mom

The Boy That Brings Me Dandellions

2011-03-28T18:24:00.000-07:00

I can't tell you how many things I love about spring. The promise of warmer temperatures, the time I get to spend with my kids during their week-long break, the bounty of blooms on the trees and sprouting from the ground, the bright little weed that litters yards. THAT'S RIGHT! I love the weed that lawn manicurists everywhere loathe. The dandellion. Those little cirlcles of sunshine are covering lawns across the country right now. Even better, the perfect spheres of snowy seeds are calling little ones to make a wish. Of course, I haven't always thought of these "weeds" as my favorite wild flower. My love of the dandellion is a newly created one.

I love pulling up to pick my son up from school. He's standing in line looking anxiously for HIS mom. The second he spots me, he gets this huge smile across his face. He starts waving the sweetest little wave. Then he calls to his teacher, "I see my mom!" I love the fact that he can be away from me for 3 hours and 45 minutes and he gives me a reaction that I would expect after a week-long separation. I push the button that opens the door for him on my Mom-Mobile, he hops in, slides in between the two front seats and slips a beautiful yellow flower in my drink holder. He goes back and gets buckled. For some reason I don't think he knows that he just made my day. Or maybe he does. And maybe that's why, when I arrive early to pick him up and get to watch him make the walk from the playground to the car line, I see him step out of line (breaking the rules) to grab the first dandellion he sees. Sometimes he throws it down and pursues one he sees a little further away. I can only imagine that he must think it is better than the first one he chose. Sometimes he even gives me two or three. Who would have thought that I wouldn't be awaiting roses or orchids from a man, but rather the gift of a weed from a boy? As if I needed one, it's just one more reason to love this time of year.

We were walking out of Rin's preschool the other day and Nolan stopped amongst a spot of grass overflowing with dandellions. He told his baby sister to come pick some for mom. She picks a few pansies (oops!) then heads to help her brother make a bouquet. We load up in the car and they both put their flowers in my drink holder. Nolan says, "Here Mom. Here are some flowers. I wanted to give them to you because that's what I always do. How about we put them in some water and make them grow?" I couldn't help but smile and tell him that I would do that as soon as we got home. I also took a moment to tell him how sweet he is and how much it means to me that he cares about me enough to bring me flowers. "Yep, I do" he says. "I love my sweet mom." And there you have it. For all the things the dandellions don't say, the boy does.

1/11/11... Can't believe my first born is 7!!!

2011-02-09T17:38:00.000-08:00

Landry's long-awaited 7th birthday rolled around this year. I have always viewed "7" as the time when a little girl transitions into a big girl. In other words, I was not the one who was "long-awaiting" this milestone.

Just because the date sounded so cool, we had planned Landry's party to be held on her actual birthday this year. We were going to have it at Logan's for a little girls night out. She and her friends were going to sit at their own table and order their own food. I had a friend make up some really cute invitations (check her out at www.paperlicious.com) and it was the talk of all of her friends. They were sooooo excited to get to pretend to be older than they were. The day just couldn't get here fast enough... Then the dreaded and unpredictable January weather had a big birthday surprise in store for Landry. Not only did she have a white Christmas, but she also had a white birthday! Most little kids I know are thrilled to wake-up and see the ground covered with 6 inches of snow. On January 10th, Landry walked down the steps with a crushed look on her face. She could see out of our side-light windows that the weather man finally got it right. The snow was here and there was no sign of stopping. She was fighting back tears and she said, "I prayed this wouldn't happen." As the day wore on and the 6 inches of snow was now covered with and inch of ice, it was clear that we would not be crunching on peanuts the next day. Long story short, we postponed the party until a week later on the 18th. We made the best of a day trapped in the house and celebrated the heck out of Landry's big day. We were VERY low on just about every pantry staple you can think of, but I scrounged up just enough flour to make chocolate chip birthday cookies. Landry got a super-sized one which she was thrilled about just because Nolan and Corinne didn't get one that big. :) Now, time to put the candles in. Oh, no. Candles were another thing we were running low on. Brian was digging around and came up with a 3 and a 4 candle. He also found two regular candles. Two minutes later, the math cake was born. Best cake ever!

Even though Landry woke-up the morning before her party throwing-up, she managed to make a rapid recovery and be the star of the show by party time. It was the funniest thing to see these little girls all dolled up and ordering their own food. They had a great time and it was pretty fun for us parents to watch from a distance (and enjoy a kid-free meal). I was so proud when the girls all bowed their heads and Landry said the blessing. We didn't even have to tell them to. Even better, one little girl went and grabbed their waitress from where she was taking another table's order and asked her to come pray with them. :) The pictures follow.

And since I write this blog to be a sort of scrapbook for my kids, I have one more thing to say. Landry, I love you so much. I know you are in a hurry to grow-up, but your mom is desperately seeking a way to push the slow-motion button. I know it will only be a moment before you are old enough to be on your own, but you will always be my precious first-born and you will always be my LITTLE girl. I adore you and I look forward to wishing you many more happy birthdays.

Kids Say...

2011-01-27T19:25:00.000-08:00

So many funny things, so little time to write them down...

Nolan around mid-December as we pull into Target for at least the 3rd time that week: "Awww, man! Target again?!? Why do moms always take their kids to stores all of the time?"

Me: "Well, buddy, there's a lot of shopping and running around to do this time of year."

Nolan: "When I grow up to be a dad, I'm never going to bring my kids to a whole bunch of stores."

I quietly think to myself, "And that's the reason moms have to go to all of the stores."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Nolan is sitting up in his chair while I am kneeling down tying his shoes. He puts his hand on the back of my head and rubs my hair. I look up and he has the saddest face and says, "I'm going to miss you when you die."

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Nolan has been blessed/cursed with curly hair. I love it, but in my effort to grow it out, he is becoming a little irritated. He asked me the other day if I would cut his curls off and make his hair look like Daddy's. I said we would soon, but asked if I could flat-iron it first just to see what it looked like. When we came downstairs Landry said, "Nolan! You look just like Justin Bieber!" Nolan starts singing "Baby, baby, baby, ohhhhhhh..." Landry raises her eyebrows and says, "But you sure don't sing like him." :)

We've expanded our home by 4 feet!

2010-11-23T13:15:00.000-08:00

You may have heard the big news - We have a puppy! We got her on November 3rd. She is a boxer and her name is Georgia Belle. She is the sweetest little thing and is beyond cute. Our kids absolutely adore her. A day hasn't gone by that Nolan hasn't said, "Thank you sooooo much for letting us have that puppy. I love her." He tells her all of the time that we aren't taking her back to the pet store (even though we didn't get her from a pet store). Landry has been smitten with her from day one. I have really been shocked at how dedicated she has been to caring for Georgia. We've had her for 3 weeks and Landry is still just crazy about her. My favorite thing is watching them swing together. Georgia is just about too big to fit on Landry's lap, but Landry still tries!

Mallory is not Georgia's biggest fan... yet. I came home yesterday and they were cuddled up on Mallory's bed together. That is a major improvement. I think Mal might like her a little, she just doesn't want us to know. :) Corinne likes Georgia, but Georgia has realized that Corinne is the smallest and is the easiest to chew on. So, being the typical third child, Corinne has learned the best way to defend herself. When Georgia runs us to her and clamps down on her clothing, Rin puts one hand on each side of Georgia's face and picks her up by the head. Funny enough, Georgia instantly lets go and stays clear of Corinne the rest of the time we are outside.

Here are the pictures. We got her at 7 weeks and 2 days. She was 7 lbs. She has doubled in size, but still has to wear a big padded collar to keep her from getting through our fence. She doesn't love the collar, but she's getting used to it. Brian's nurse made it for us (she rocks!), and we didn't pick the fabric. You will soon see why we call her our little flamer.

The Flip-Side of Frustration

2010-11-13T19:07:00.000-08:00

I really dread telling you that I've been wrapped up in monotony. I have stood at the washer several times in the past month thinking, "There has to be more purpose in my life than to wash clothes... fold clothes... dust... mop... mess up the kitchen cooking a meal then clean it up again." This kept going through my mind. Over an over again. I truly started to fall into a little bit of a funk. I was drowning in laundry. And, when you are drowning in anything, everything else that falls on top of you can easily weigh you down.

Several of my Facebook friends had the November status updates of "What I'm thankful for today..." I did not. Mine may have read a little like this: November 8th - Today I'm thankful that my 2-year-old only threw-up twice today and we made it to the sink both times. November 9th - Our new puppy only peed on the hardwoods today and spared the carpet. November 10th - My 6-year-old only had three breakdowns about things that shouldn't concern her... In other words, I wouldn't have shared a whole lot that I was "truly" thankful for. This nagging feeling of negativity was eating away at me. I did a lot of eye-rolling and groaning about a lot of things. Did you know that we aren't created to behave like this? 1 Corinthians 10:31 says "So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." Hmmm... I was definitely NOT doing this... but I could. I could prepare a meal like I was preparing it for our Saviour. I could pre-treat stains like I was preparing a garment worthy to be worn by Jesus. I could change the way I approached my daily activities and see what there is to be thankful for in them.

November 8th - I'm thankful that I have not only a 2-year-old, but a 4 and a 6-year-old, too.

November 9th - I'm thankful that we took on the responsibility of a puppy so our children could experience the unconditional love of man's best friend.

November 10th - I'm thankful that I have a passionate 6-year-old that reminds me that someone is always watching me. Therefore, I need to be accountable and lead by example.

Just wanted to share that with you. I have to run for now. I have some laundry to tend to.

Disney, Take Two

2010-10-26T19:05:00.002-07:00

We survived our second trip to Disney. I was ridiculously excited for this trip. We actually stayed off-property in a 1700 square-foot condo. Each child got to fall asleep in a separate room. Brian and I got to stay up later than the kids. We even watched a movie on the couch one night! This is COMPLETELY different from our last trip. We stayed in a room smaller than your average Motel 6. We all had to go to bed at the same time. After the kids finally fell asleep, we would sneak to the (tiny) bathroom to plan our next day. Now, I must mention that we were at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. We got to sit on our balcony every morning and evening and hang with the giraffes and lots of other animals that look like they were created in a mad scientist's lab. We were actually torn between staying at our hotel and venturing out to one of the Disney parks. So, I won't complain about the size of the room too much. BUT, for a mom and dad who have found very little time to spend together, it was really nice to relax on a couch in a big living room rather than a plastic toilet lid in a little bathroom.

We made it to the parks before opening 6 out of the 7 days we were there. The one day we got there late was due to the fact that we didn't get in bed until 1am because we attending Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party. We were certainly worn out from day one, but some things just energize you in a way that you can't get anywhere else. Here are of few of the "magical" moments we found at Walt Disney World.

The first day we went to the parks, we were handed a special parking pass for that day. We got to park right at the entrance to the Animal Kingdom. It was unbelievable! The only problem? Well, we kept thinking it was going to happen again. It didn't. But, it sure was funny to hear ourselves turn on the charm when we rode through the gates. We would even discuss before and after our exchange with the attendant what we would say/should have said to secure that elusive "Dream Parking". It provided a lot of laughs for the adults in our van. :)
The kids laughing, playing, tickling... It's amazing how much they appreciate each other when they don't have their friends around.
Watching Corinne see the characters from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She was waving frantically then looked at me with these big, beautiful eyes that spoke three words - That. Was. Awesome!
The kids reaching their limit, breaking down, and me still being able to look at my husband and smile because we both know how blessed we are.
Gigantic Plaza ice cream sundaes. One was big enough to feed five, but we had to get two for good measure.
Landry being picked as THE girl to go accept the rose from the Beast at the end of the show. That girl has nerves of steel!
Nolan being picked-out at the Monster's Inc. Laugh Floor. After he saw that he was projected up on the big screen, he straightened his police officer hat (he was dressed up for Halloween) and stood up straight. When his exchange with the monster was done, he quietly leans into me and says, "That was fun being me." I think every mom can appreciate how good that feels to hear your kid say that.

The magical moments were plentiful. The not-so-magical ones were, too. There are lots of pictures I took and even more that I missed. Guess that means we'll just have to go back. :)

1st grade

2010-08-22T18:07:00.000-07:00

Landry has officially started the 1st grade. Thankfully she has declared "I love school!" That's a first for her, and has since been retracted, but at least I did hear those words come out of her mouth at some point. She has decided that school wouldn't be so bad if she could only sleep until 7am, instead of 6:30. I haven't mentioned to her that she often gets up before 7am when she doesn't have school. Why bother? She wouldn't believe me. She has officially entered the "I already know everything I need to know" zone. After all, she is 6 1/2. She has some serious life experience under her belt.

Landry's teacher is Ms. Gordon. We have heard wonderful things about her. She even had an article written about her praising her skills as an educator. Of course, this makes me smile and breathe a sigh of relief. Landry loved her Kindergarten teacher so much that I wasn't sure if she would be able to move on.

Landry had a half day on Thursday, getting out at 11am. I sent her a snack with a note saying how much we loved her and hoped her first day went great. When I picked her up, she had a huge smile on her face and said, "I got that note! And, I saw those M&M's you put in my Goldfish!" I loved it. Those are the little things I've looked forward to doing since before she was even born.

This is Landry's first time being in school for a "full" day. She gets out at 2:30, which means we eat lunch without her. Friday was her first full day, and we all felt her absence at lunch. Brian was off and we went to eat at our favorite BBQ place after we picked Nolan up at 11:45. We pulled out of the school and Nolan and Rin both became very vocal about us forgetting their sister. Nolan said, "We still need to get Landry!" Corinne was quietly reassuring herself with "Sissy's coming." When we got a table at the restaurant, I started setting it up for a party of five. It was a really strange and unenjoyable experience. When we got back in the car, Nolan said, "Can we go pick Landry up now?" I told him I would come back and get her in a little bit. He wasn't thrilled, but I think he was pretty certain that I was telling him the truth.

2:30 finally came. Landry got in the car and said "I love school!" She buckled herself in and I asked her how her first full day went. She said it was good, but "I missed my brother." Well, if you have children then you know that my heart warmed up a little with that statement. I told her how much Nolan and Corinne missed her. She walked in the door and gave Nolan a hug. They got along so well all afternoon. What's that old saying about absence?...

Overall, I think we are off to a great year. I'm baffled at what to pack for lunch everyday, but I'm sure I'll figure it out by the time Rin gets to this point. Schedules have become more packed an hectic, but for some reason I just love it. I feel the sadness of how fast time passes and how quickly children grow, but I have also seen enough loss to know that I should be immensely grateful for the fact that my children have the joy of experiencing these moments. So incredibly thankful for each breath I get to share with them. So thankful that I have a first grader. So thankful that I live in an age where technology allows me to document my feelings for my family in blogs, pictures and videos.

And while I've spent many hours pondering the fact that someone else spends more awake time with my child than I do, I have been given the gift of being aware that I need to make my precious few hours count even more. Not in teaching fundamentals of academics, but in cuddling, laughing, talking, and thanking our Creator.

Corinne is 2!!!

2010-07-25T15:52:00.000-07:00

I'm way behind on this post, but we are officially done with the "1's" in this house. Corinne turned 2 on July 14th. She's a super-spunky, fun-loving chickadee with a major attitude. She plays rough and won't put up with anything. She can also flip a switch and be the sweetest little cuddle bug ever. Nolan likes to call her "Sweetle Bug". I agree. She has the best cheeks (and I'm talking about both sets). She likes to run around in the buff, which is the only way she will use the potty. If you put a pair of panties on her, she's going to stand there and pee in them the second the elastic hits her waist. So, I guess you would say she's partially potty-trained. Works for me because I'm happy not to have one more little one needing to use every public restroom quite yet. I don't think I would EVER get any shopping done!

We had Rin's party at the pool again this year. I couldn't think of what to put on her cake so I asked Landry what she thought. And, with a look of complete common sense on her face, she said "How about a pool?" Hmmmm.... why didn't I think of that? So I goggled some cakes and you are seeing the result. Nolan gave me direction on where to put each bear. He requested that I put him on the diving board. I did. Then he scrunched his nose up and said, "Where's my Daddy to catch me?" As you may have noticed, the little bear out at the end of the diving board is Brian. :) (Although I told him he was the bear in the black Speedo.)

Corinne is our first child to actually enjoy opening presents at the ripe old age of two. Her favorites were, well.... EVERYTHING! She got two baby dolls, two animals who move and make sounds, a backpack, and some clothes. From us she got a sleeping bag, water toys, and Nemo fruit chewies (she adores them). Landry and Nolan have enjoyed her loot as much as she has. In fact, they are pretty sure that everything she received is to be shared among them equally. Ah, the joy of siblings.

In short, I would just have to say again how very thankful I am that God gave us Corinne. She was one of the biggest surprises of my life and I can't imagine what life would be like without her. She's precious in every way and I praise God for her daily. We love you little girl!

Mackey and Me

2010-07-11T12:28:00.000-07:00

You may not know this, but I grew up with the world's greatest dog. His name was Rexanne McKenzie. The "anne" part of Rexanne was supposed to be dropped once he started lifting his leg to pee. But, you know how names go. It was just too catchy so it never really did completely go away. Rex lived to be almost 16. He was more human than K-9. He would get a disgusted looked on his face when you shooed him off of the couch. He monopolized the space in front of the fireplace on cold winter nights. If you were going to sit on the floor, then he was going to sit on your lap. Rex was free, which means he cost a LOT of money in the long run. He even had a metal plate on his hip that made us pamper him even more in the winter when he would get the shivers from being outside for only a few minutes. He was tough and very territorial. A pit-pull mix, he had every reason to not turn out to be a great dog for kids. On the contrary, he was my best friend from day one. I can't tell you how much I loved/love this dog. I still dream about him, and he died many years ago. When I went off to college, he stayed with my parents. Throughout college, I became dead-set on getting a dog. But, since apartments require lots of extra money when you have pets, and I had very little money, it was obvious that a dog would have to wait. Brian would give me stuffed animal dogs for each holiday. When I graduated from college, his gift to me was Puppy Chow. It wouldn't be long before I brought home my own puppy...

A friend of mine from college had great news! His family had an extra lab pup. He was a chocolate-yellow lab mix. We loaded up in my friend's truck with nothing other than a cardboard box and headed to Statesboro to pick up my new guy. I knew his name would be Max, but couldn't foresee that he would more frequently be called MacMac or Mackey. For some reason, I was quite convinced he would be brown. I think I had read that chocolate was dominant over yellow, or maybe I just made that up. Either way, I had pictured a fat little chocolate fur ball riding home in my lap that night. Guess what? He wasn't chocolate. He was almost WHITE! Even better, he was white with gorgeous, chocolate-lab, greenish eyes. He was the prettiest dog I have ever seen. And he was mine!

Max grew up fast and got into EVERYTHING. He was your typical puppy, but with some serious belly issues. Thank goodness he was so irresistibly cute, or he wouldn't have lived very long. He was all dog. He enjoyed being outside, he ate dog food, he rolled in cow manure, he could sniff-out a lake from miles away, you name it. He was more K-9 than human. He hated being in trouble. He loved belly-rubs and peanut butter.

Age was hard on Max. When he was about 7, he developed severe skin and food allergies. Unfortunately, we didn't know that was what it was until he was almost 11. It was heart-breaking to see him go from wanting to be pet, to being able to only pet his face without him going crazy. Brian and I watched Marley and Me and barely kept it together. The movie paralleled our lives in an incredible way, especially the fact that the couple in the movie was dealing with an aging yellow lab who was dearly loved by the family. On May 7th, I came home and had a message on my machine. Apparently, someone let our dogs out. Max was suffering from laryngeal paralysis, which made it hard for him to breathe, especially in the heat. While he was out running around, he laid down in our neighbor's yard and died. Our neighbor called and left a message with the news. Obviously, it was a terrible way for me and the kids to hear about it. Thankfully, we had some caring neighbors that brought Max back to us, wrapped up in a blanket. We got to love on him and say our goodbyes. At that moment, I was so thankful that my kids will one day say, "You may not know this, but I grew up with the world's greatest dog."

Kids Say...

2010-06-06T11:07:00.000-07:00

I just realized I had this post sitting around waiting to be edited. So, that's why this dates back to May. There's just not enough time in the day!

When Max died, Nolan was obviously very confused. He kept coming up with things to try to make me feel better. Here are a couple of the quotes that made me smile.

"Max is just going to take a break from breathing for a while, then he's going to be alive again."

"I know! Why don't we put him by our garden so he can grow again."

Landry was quite distraught over Max's death, mainly due to my reaction of uncontrollable crying. (I think I freaked them out a little.) Landry said, "I've never seen you cry that hard before." Nolan said, "Yeah, I didn't even know adults cried. I thought it was only for kids."

Some other funny ones:

Barack Obama came on TV and Nolan said "There's our principal!"

We're sitting at Zaxby's when principal at Landry's school walks in. Landry waves and smiles. Nolan very loudly says, "That's our president!"

We were at Brian's office and I was sitting on one of the patient tables. Nolan picked up Brian's stethoscope, put it on and said "I'm going to go bless Mom's heart." Now that's a kid from the south!

September - Brian, Landry, Nolan and I were sitting on the couch having family movie time. Nolan cuddled up to me, put arm around him, picked my hand up and said, "You smell wonderful." Brian is constantly accusing Nolan of sabotaging him as far as compliments go. So, to this comment Brian looked at me, rolled his eyes, and shook his head. I think he had just been out-done by a 4-year-old. :)

I came downstairs after getting ready to go hang out with some girlfriends. Nolan said, "Do you need some lipstick... for the prettiest lady in my life?"

October 26, 2010 - Nolan decided he was going to clean the house up for me today because he "doesn't want Mom to be the only one that cleans". More importantly, "The Bible is true, and it says to help clean. It says to be helplish." Over and over again he talked about how "helplish" he was being. Landry and I looked at each other and snickered. Landry told him that the correct word was "helpful". A few minutes go by as he continues to clean. Then he walks by me and says, "Mom, aren't I being so helpfulish?" It cracked me up to see Landry shake her head and say, "Nolan, helpfulish means you are being kind of helpful, but not all the way. Uhhh." Nolan's reply? "Yep! I'm being helpfulish!"

I just read through these and I think it's pretty obvious that Nolan is the funny one in our family. Landry is going through a stage where she thinks that if people laugh at her then she did something wrong. Corinne is funny, but with her facial expressions. Nothing I can capture in writing!

Nolan is 4!

2010-04-26T19:09:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it but Nolan is 4! He is really excited about being four, mainly because I told him he could stop taking naps. Well... that didn't quite work out as planned. He has been "difficult" the past few days. So, the nap has been reinstated. Something else that has come along with being four has been an appetite. This kid ate like a bird up until a week ago. Suddenly he's cleaning his plate for at least one meal a day, sometimes two. He's actually put on a little weight and his 5 slim jeans are getting a little snug. I predict a growth spurt will come and take care of that, but it's kind of nice for now.

I just can't say enough about my only son. He's sweet, funny, smart, and inquisitive. Yesterday he said "I like your flip flops. And your face and neck are pretty." Then he just walked away like it was nothing. He had no clue that it kept me going that day. Not because my son said I was pretty, but because my son is 4 and said I was pretty. Four-year-olds don't just pass out gratuitous compliments. I knew he really meant it. In fact, he says sweet little things like that to me all of the time.

And there you have only a few of the reasons I treasure this fellow so much. I didn't even get around to mentioning his infectious smile, spastic jumping jacks, love of sprinkles, meticulous dessert eating skills, or his consistent attention and care towards our pets. Hmm, guess I'll have to get to those next time.

Happy Birthday Nolan! We love you like crazy!!!

I thought you would be special. . .

2010-03-16T18:00:00.001-07:00

Dear Landry,

The moment I discovered you were "on-board", I knew you would be special. I thought it would be because you were my first experience with being pregnant. You would be our first born. When I found out we were having a girl, I thought you would be special because you were my daughter. I always dreamed I would have a daughter, but felt certain I was destined to have three boys. I thought you would be special because you would be the one who taught me how to be a mom. You would be the one who loved to go shopping with me and the one whose delicate nature would throw your father for a loop. How was I to know that those weren't the things that would make you special? How did I know that you would groan when I pulled into the mall, or Target, or the grocery store? In fact, you don't really like shopping anywhere unless you get a package of gum at the end. I would have never guessed that you would be the first one to declare a "smack-down" on your dad when he walked in from work every night. I could have never known all of the reasons I would find you so incredibly special.

Do you know how much I love your eagerness to learn? How about the way I adore your sassy side and your confidence? I never dreamed that one of the things I would love about you was the joy you found in losing a tooth and the declaration you made about how it improved your looks. I could not have known that you would love to play tackle football, but with beautifully painted fingernails.

Most importantly, I never even thought about how special I would view your compassion for people. I was berated for weeks about not thinking to bring food for the needy lady who approached us outside of McAlister's. You even packed a box of raisins for her in case we saw her the next week. Today, when I picked you up from school, I saw you holding the arm of a little boy that you claim to dislike. You got in the car and told me he ran into someone and hurt his head. You wanted to help him. Thank you for making my heart smile. I could have never known why you would be so very special.

Dear Nolan,

I knew before you were born that you would be special. You were going to be our first son. You would be the one to teach Landry how to be a great big sister. You were going to be the one to go hunting with your dad. You would be the one to play sports. I thought you would be special because you were the missing piece to what supposedly makes a "perfect" family. In fact, when I was out and about with Landry and I was pregnant with you, many strangers would ask what I was having. When I answered "boy", at least half of these people said "That's perfect!" Can you fathom that I almost believed them? I thought you would be special because you would be all of the stereotypical things that a boy is to his father. I KNEW that you would be special, but couldn't have dreamed of all of the reasons why.

Do you have any idea how much I cherish your tender spirit? The way you notice every single thing, like my haircut or that my toenails are painted? I truly admire the way that you have no hesitance in climbing in Dad's lap, and sitting there for as long as you are able. I could have never known that when I said "OUCH!" you would be the only one to say "Are you okay?" I could not have known that I would be granted the joy hearing my 3-year-old say "Wow! You look pretty. . . and tall!" when I walked down the stairs after getting ready for Daddy's Christmas party (I was wearing some REALLY high heels). And, the warmth I would feel when you told me you liked my "pretty new dress" when I put on my nightgown. Your smile kills me. It's simply infectious. Of course, some of the reasons I knew you would be special held true. You love to play sports and you love to throw-down with your dad. But I could have never known all of the reasons I would find you so special.

Dear Corinne,

Oh, how I knew you would be special. I laid awake many nights praying that God would bring us a third child. I felt in my heart that I wanted a third child, but Daddy wasn't so sure. I prayed the way that I knew I should. I prayed for God's will and that Daddy and I would be on the same page as far as this matter goes. In November 2007, we were SHOCKED to find out that you were on your way to our family. I instantly knew that you would be special because you were the baby. You were our final experience as far as newborns go. I knew you would be special because you would be tender and meek. You would need to be protected by your older sister and brother. I was going to spend every waking moment documenting your progress. You were going to be special because you were coming to a mom and dad who had lots of experience. HAHAHAHA!!!

I truly could have never known that you would be special because of the way that you can put Landry and Nolan in their place. How could I have known that you would take on this little adorable attitude? Could I have predicted that you would grab me by both cheeks when you wanted my attention? I surely didn't know that I would be so busy chasing you around and keeping you from falling out of chairs that I barely had time to record you milestones in my journal.

What makes you special to me is that you give incredible hugs, and sometimes, if you feel like it, sweet little kisses. You are so special because you can love a stuffed bear with all of your might, which makes me excited to see how your love will develop for people. The way you squint your eyes (and smile) at the supper table when you get a bite of something. I never knew that your independent will would make you special to me. In fact, I thought the opposite. I thought I would peel you off of me when I dropped you off at church. Nope. You wave good-bye. I envisioned just how special you would be, but I could have never imagined all of the things I didn't think of.

To my children,

As your mother, the only great advice I have for you so far is this: Never decide why someone is special. Instead, let them show you.

I love you all so very much.

Mom

Landry's 6th Birthday Party

2010-02-25T12:13:00.000-08:00

Ok, this event happened over a month ago, but better late than never! Landry had her party at Snip-Its. It's a small kids salon that does birthday parties on the side. The kids get their hair and make-up done, fingernails painted, and get to dress-up. The room for the party was WAY too small, but the kids didn't seem to mind. And, while we were there, we decided to get Corinne's hair cut for the first time. She had a bit of a mullet going on. That's not cute. . . even on a sweet little angel like my Rinney Pie. Since that haircut, her hair hasn't grown a single millimeter. She got that trait from me. It keeps the bills low for going to the hairdresser, but makes it very hard to change hairstyles. For now, I'll just be thankful we have hair, especially Brian. :) Back to the party. . . Here are a few pictures. Landry picked the oldest, most run-down dress-up costume they had. Sometimes I just don't get that girl. She had a great time. Nolan was drawn to a hippie costume. This drew TONS of jokes, most of which came from his dad, and most of which weren't appropriate for young-ones. But, they were pretty funny.

Most importantly, we got to celebrate another year with our big girl. She is changing so much and growing into a young lady. She is definitely out of the "little" girl stage. She talks a lot about wanting to grow up, what she's going to do when she gets older, and most of all, wanting to be famous. I think my next step is to show her some before and after pics of some child stars. Of course, then I would have to explain what a mug shot is. Not quite ready for that!

Thank you, God, for Landry.

Corinne is 18 months!

2010-01-27T11:34:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I'm a little behind with the post. I have all kinds of posts in my head, just no time to put fingers to keyboard. To photo on the right is a picture of Rin on her 18-month birthday. She is a feisty little bundle of sweetness. She gives big hugs and has a ridiculously infectious giggle. She is adored. She amazes me with her speech. She even calmed my fear that she wouldn't be able to pronounce her own name. She pointed to her picture and said "Corinne." The other day we were in the car and she said "Corinne. . . pie." It was my smile for the day, because I always call her that. In all of the chaos, at least there's still one person in this house that listens to me.

The photo on the left is a typical picture of Corinne in the morning. She goes around collecting the pjs Landry and Nolan shed. She then puts them on herself, making sure that at least one of the articles of clothing doubles as a hat. Then, of course, she has to put on Brian's shoes, trying over and over again to walk in them. So far, she' been unsuccessful. I guess size 5T feet just don't fit very well in size 13 shoes. Her determination is quite admirable, though.

Thank you, God, for this sweet little girl. Her sweet chubby cheeks, scrinched-nose grin, and warm cozy cuddles make me one happy mom.

Landry is 6!!!

2010-01-11T18:56:00.000-08:00

Middle picture: last day as a five-year-old. Right picture: Holding her favorite gift - mascara. :)

I just can't believe I have a six-year-old! Things have really changed this past year. I have been a little shocked about the transition from being five to being six. I think a lot of it may have to do with starting "big school". Landry is much more likely to dress -up in a real dress than she is a costume. She's a little tired of the Disney princesses, and she has started to really enjoy TV. Her sole focus right now is on losing her first tooth. Six days ago, she finally convinced me to try to wiggle it and. . . it was LOOSE! It totally took me by surprise. She's been saying she has a loose tooth for about 6 months. Of course, she'll be wiggling a molar or an eye-tooth, so I pretty much figured that she was imagining things. But, when she started wiggling the two bottom teeth, her eyes got HUGE! She turned around from the mirror and said "It really moved!" I started to think she might actually have a winner this time. So, needless to say, I wake-up to the same question every morning - "How long will it be until my tooth falls out?"

In the way of birthday gifts, Landry received something I have found quite addictive. I don't know why I never played with these when I was younger. What could it be? Are you curious? Is it something really complicated and expensive? NO! It's Shrinky Dinks! I just can't get enough of those things going from a big, dull, thin piece of plastic, to a small, bright, shiny, thick piece of "glass". I've enjoyed my oven more for making Shrinky Dinks than I have for making casseroles. Hmmmm. . . if only they were edible.

She also got a globe. It kind of shocked me when she opened it and said "Oh, yes! I'm going to find the boot, Italy!" She hasn't said one word about Italy until that moment. I was quite relieved that her first desire wasn't to find China. She told me last month that she wants to move there when she's an adult. She said she wants to have different people and a different government. I really don't know where she gets all of these thoughts. I spent a lot of time telling her that we already live in the best country on earth. I can't tell her a lot of the reasons why, because I want her to maintain the innocence of a child for as long as possible. But, I also want to make sure that she is constantly aware of the blessing of living in America.

Her big gift from us was a birthday party. She had it at a kids hair salon. It was way too small of a room, but she had a great time. And, Corinne got her first haircut! (That's the next post to come.)

So, another year has passed. Another year of parenting experience under my belt. Another year of on-the-job training coming my way. Thank you, God, for my first-born.

A Word About my Background. . .

2010-01-11T18:52:00.001-08:00

If it looks like spring threw-up on my blog, that's because I'm dreaming of warmer temps, flowers, warmer temps, leaves on the trees, warmer temps. . .

Words vs. Actions

2009-11-16T12:02:00.000-08:00

When I try to think of the way I feel about my husband, three children, and two dogs, I can't seem to find the words. "Blessed, grateful, loved, thankful, . . ." Nope. Those aren't good enough. Words can only do so much to paint a picture of your feelings. I would assume that's intentional. After all, shouldn't it be harder to tell someone you love them than it is to show someone you love them? I wouldn't have always thought this. But, I know that when my child is sick or my husband is frustrated, I find it much easier to hug them than I do to tell them that it will be okay. I will get up at any hour of the night to put a hand on my child's back, or to crawl in their bed when they are scared. I know that even when I'm too tired to hold a good conversation with my sweet husband, I'm never too tired to cuddle with him on the couch.

During this Thanksgiving season, I'm thankful that God didn't just say he loves us. I'm grateful that God showed us he loves. I am loved by Jesus, and by His death, I am blessed.

A Tribute to the Kirbys

2009-10-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

A couple of days ago I looked in on my son taking a nap. I had to chuckle because he was laid out on top of his covers, nothing on but boxer briefs. First of all, boxer briefs on little boys are so funny. Second of all, my dad and my older brother ALWAYS had to be walking around without a shirt on. Usually, they only had underwear on. I thought that was common practice in all households. Then, Brian told me otherwise.

Looking at Nolan sprawled across his covers, mouth open and in deep sleep, I could almost see him morph into a teenager. I thought about how hard it would be to wake him up for school in the mornings. I thought about the gigantic appetite he will probably acquire in 10 years. I thought about how long it would be before he was taller than me. I looked at him and thought about the fact that probably every parent sees their child as both fragile and invincible. I'm pretty sure that any parent that holds their child in their arms for the first time is thinking both about the enormous task of keeping them safe, and the bright future that awaits them during a long, happy, healthy life. I know I dance between those two thoughts several times a day. I can't help but think that most parents probably look at their child and see them living forever. No, I'm not talking about eternity in Heaven. I'm talking about sustaining life in a physical body. Thinking about the death of a child is too much. The mere thought is hard to grapple with. So, that day I peeked in on Nolan, I didn't think only about his future. . . I thought about my friends.

Bryan and Samantha Kirby are friends of ours from med school. Bryan and Brian share a lot of common interests, including the most important one. Yes, they are both Georgia Bulldog fans. They both love sports and both have a relationship with Jesus. Samantha and I had a lot in common. She's more shy and soft-spoken than I am, but we enjoy a lot of the same things. We both got a kick out of the fact that we were pretty short and happened to marry guys who weren't. We liked to talk about different recipes and were in Bible study together.

By the time med school rolled around, Bryan and Samantha had been married for longer than most of us had dated. I NEVER saw them fight or angry at each other. In fact, I have only seen them be kind, loving, and supportive to each other. Marriage seemed to come very easy for them. Unfortunately, having children did not.

I'm not sure how long the Kirbys "tried" for a child, but I know a lot of us were already on baby #2 when we received an e-mail titled "Pretty incredible news". That e-mail told us that they were pregnant with twins. We were nothing less than ecstatic for them. I cried. I was so happy that this couple who loved each other so much would be able to share their love with not one, but two children. Sadly, a few weeks later we received an e-mail saying that Samantha had miscarried at about 20 weeks along. I was so heart-broken for them both. We prayed diligently that God would bless them with another baby. Soon, He blessed them with two! Asa and Elijah Kirby were due September 3rd, but were born June 8th. Most of you moms out there just felt your stomach drop. If you've been pregnant, you know that you want your baby to stay put until at least 37 weeks. When talking about weeks, you definitely don't want them to make an appearance in the 20's. But, Asa and Elijah came very early. In their first days, the Kirbys started a blog. Each day I couldn't wait to get home to check the progress of their babies. Every tiny bit of progress was documented. Every scary moment was highlighted with an undertone of hope. I was often amazed at how upbeat and positive the posts were. In fact, one post read "Our boys are fat! Asa went to 1516 g today, but Eli went even higher to 1536 g!" (That's a little over 3 lbs each.) As the weeks went on, the news just kept getting better. There were definitely some hiccups along the way, but before I knew it, I received a message asking for Brian's rib recipe. The boys were celebrating their 2nd birthday! Sure, several of us reading the updates wondered if that day would ever come. Landry prayed every night for the Kirby boys. So did I. I would be willing to bet that there are hundreds of people who can say the same thing.

I wish I could change the earthly ending to this story. On September 21st, I received a call from a friend telling me "The Kirby boys passed away last night." I was very confused. . . then shocked. . . then ultimately crushed. She told me that it looked like their heating system was faulty and turned on over night, heating their upstairs (where the boys' room was) so much that they died of heatstroke. No need to tell you how sick I felt or how much pain I felt as a parent and a friend. No need to tell you the amount of time my mind was consumed by the tragedy that happened. No need to tell you that I still cry for two boys who will never graduate college or get married. And surely no need to tell you that I see my children differently now. I don't love them more (how could I?), but I treasure them more. I feel the reality of the fact that when a child dies, the possibility of what may have come dies with them.

I am writing this post as a tribute to the Kirbys. The day of their boys' death, their facebook status read "Bryan Samantha Kirby are thankful for the time God gave them with Asa Walker and Elijah John". That sentence changed me. I have never seen a thankful heart like that before. Never. What an awesome testament to our God. The Kirbys are an awesome testament to our God.

"For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

Rin is 15 months!!!

2009-10-18T17:51:00.000-07:00

Need I tell you how fast 15 months has passed? I look at newborn pictures of Corinne and can vaguely remember those fleeting moments. I remember making a conscious effort to hold her for her middle-of-the-night feedings and to cherish every moment. I learned to do that after looking at Landry at a year old and thinking "Wow! Those "impossible" first few weeks really fly by!" I cherished all of Nolan's wee hour feedings, and vowed to do the same for any future children. I knew I wouldn't remember how tired I was the next day, but I would remember the moments sitting by a dim night-light, feeling my baby breathe, smelling that sweet baby smell, hearing those tiny little noises that only a baby can make. I do remember them, but it almost feels surreal. I look at little Rin and see that she is exploding into a toddler and I can't slow her down. She is an amazing little talker. She has been saying very complicated words since she was 9 months. In fact, that is the age she was sitting in her walker and said "Hey Mallory!" No kidding. This girl has an incredible vocabulary. She has called Brian "Daddy" for as long as I can remember. She calls Landry "Sissy", and Nolan " Bro-bro". Today she started saying "outside". She is great at "no", but hasn't grasped the concept of "yes". She is currently addicted (yes, addicted) to Gerber Graduates 'lil crunchies, mild cheddar flavor. She goes through a can every two or three days. They have afforded many enjoyable shopping ventures, and for that I have to say "Thank you, Gerber."

Rin has officially cut all four 1-year-molars. She had a hard time with them, but she's on the upswing.

In short, she's been such a blessing. I don't think it's any secret that she was a "surprise", but I just can't thank God enough for giving her to us. She's got a great big personality and our family would be lost without her. When Landry or Nolan are crying, she drops what she is doing to go hug them. She wakes-up every morning with a smile on her face. When I pick her up out of her crib, she leans back to take her hugs and kisses from her brother. She's a jewel and we couldn't love her more.

August Kids Say. . .

2009-09-27T17:11:00.000-07:00

The only thing I can recall from this month is something that Nolan said. This is what I have figured out from having young children. First, there are things you think in your head and dismiss quickly because you are too busy to think them through. Secondly, there are things you think in your head that you are forced to think out because they are pointed out by your 3-year-old and you realize that it is a matter that needs immediate attention. This was one of those moments. I know I need new under-garments. I have had three children in less than five years. In other words, I have been wearing maternity underwear for too long. The only thing good about that is my maternity underwear is actually in much better shape than my non-maternity underwear. Yes, I have failed to buy new underwear for many years now. I have that little thing in my head saying "Just wait. You'll look like you did when you were 20. That's when you will reward yourself with lots of new under-garments." Well, I still look a 32 who has had three children and two c-sections, so I have yet to purchase those black frilly thongs that look good under nothing. But, Nolan had catapulted me into action. My next day to myself, I will be going on a panty hunt. I got out of the shower and grabbed the closest pair of underwear I could find. I didn't think twice about color or shape. I just threw them on and started digging through my shorts to see which ones weren't too wrinkled to wear. Then Nolan came in with the following comment"

Nolan: "Mom, I like your underwear. They're soft with fuzzies on them."

There's a Kindergartener Among Us

2009-08-21T06:59:00.000-07:00

I don't know how this happened. I went to bed one night after tucking my newborn in the pack-n-play 2 feet from my bed, and I woke-up the next morning having to walk down the hall to get a 3-foot 9 1/2-inch 5 -year-old out of her full-size bed. She's groggy. I'm awake but still a little confused. What happened to that little bundle of sweetness who had just a little sprinkling of peach fuzz on her head? She now has long, beautiful blonde hair. Her eyes are the same, but everything else has changed. I look at her in awe as she stretches and rolls over to put her feet on the floor. She smiles and starts her dialog about what the day is going to bring. I snap out of my fog as I chase her down the steps giving her directions in step-by-step format for getting ready for her first "full" day of kindergarten. Of course, she only hears about 1/3 of what I say, so I start repeating at a rapid rate. "Hurry. We need to be on-time." I run up the stairs to pluck her siblings from their warm beds. One of them is happy to be starting his first day at his new school, while the other glares at me through watery eyes that are saying "You will pay for this later". And, I did, as she cried for 30 minutes when I put her down for her morning nap. I come back down the stairs and continue to look a my first-born. She's happy. She's excited. She can hardly eat because there is a class and teacher waiting for her arrival, and she doesn't want to disappoint. A warm tingly feeling comes over me. Tears come to my eyes. My throat has a relentless lump in it. My stomach starts to knot-up. I go back and forth in my mind all of the reasons I shouldn't be crying. . . then all of the reasons I should be. Suddenly I look at the clock and realize I should have been out the door two minutes earlier. I shake off my rush of emotions and yell for the kids to "get in and buckle". We race down the driveway and are off to school. Nolan talks about how well he's going to do when I drop him off. He was right. Landry sits in her seat with her headphones on, bopping along to Alvin and the Chipmunks. She has a perma-grin. There's no wiping that smile off . She's on cloud 9. Loving life. Things just couldn't be better. I drop them off into the hands of a stranger. I beat him up with a couple of questions. I give him the look that says "My children are in you hands. Don't mess this up." I "ask" if someone will be walking them to their classrooms. He says they will if I would like. Well, of course I "would like". He takes each child by the hand and escorts them into the front door. I sit there staring. They are happy. They are elated. They are beaming. They are big. I am crushed. Not in the way that breaks your heart, but in the way that holds you under a sentimental grasp for quite some time. That little baby is now a little lady. And I couldn't be more proud.

July Kids Say. . .

2009-08-06T18:29:00.001-07:00

I am such a slacker! I have skipped the past couple of months on my "kids say" posts. So, here are the three I remember from July.

We have a black aluminum fence in our back yard. Every morning we sit at the breakfast table and look out into our back yard and see what's going on back there. Most of the time we see our two dogs, some toys left out from the night before, and several birds depleting the bird feeder at a rapid rate. One morning Nolan looked out the window to find the gate of our fence COVERED in bird poop. Our black fence was now a white fence. It was completely covered!

Nolan: "There is bird poop everywhere!!!"

Landry: "Yeah, isn't that amazing? It's like they decorated our fence for us."

Nolan: "Yeah, it's nice of them to do that. I love birds."

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When I was pregnant with Corinne, Landry frequently asked how we got that baby. Since I am saving the birds and bees talk for. . . well. . . never, I told her that we prayed for God to give us a baby. Of course, we prayed for the baby from the day I found out I was pregnant (surprise!) and every day after that. Every time we prayed with the kids, we would pray for our new brother or sister. Still, Landry was pretty relentless in her questions. She wanted to know how the baby got in there, and most of all, how bad was it going to hurt to get that baby out of there? She vividly remembered my c-section incision from having Nolan. She was quite obsessed with it for a while. After Corinne was born, she was just mortified at the whole process. The IV's, the blood pressure checks, the shots, and, of course, the freshly glued incision.

So, one night in July after Brian read Landry her Bible story, Landry looked at me and said "Why did you marry Daddy?" I told her that we were friends and that we loved each other and that we wanted to be married. It was a very quick answer due to the fact that it was way past bed time. The following conversation is what came next.

Landry: "Okay. I'm friends with Four. I like him. He loves me. So, I'm going to marry him."

Me: "Well, you never know. You have a long time before you will be getting married. You might meet someone else that you want to marry."

Landry: "Oh, no. I AM marrying Four."

Me: "Okay. Time to go to sleep. I love you." I start to walk out of the door and Landry sits up.

Landry: "Mom?" Long pause. "Now that I know who I'm going to marry, when do I start praying for God to NOT bring me a baby?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In keeping with the above story, Landry has told me several times that she doesn't want to have children. I told her she may change her mind. I've also told her that I would really like to be a grandma someday. So, now she has decided that she will adopt a baby. The other night I was braiding Landry's hair while it was still wet so she could have wavy hair the next day.

Landry: "When you adopt a baby, do you get it for free or do you pay money for it?"

Me: "You pay. A lot."

Landry: "Well, I'm going to pay for a girl baby so I can braid her hair. I'm going to have a daughter. She's going to say 'Mama, you're the best hair briader'. That's the kind of little girl I'm going to adopt. Then I'm going to tell her that I'm so good at it because my mom braided my hair when I was little."

I think that was her way of telling me that she appreciates that I braid her hair. It's a round-about way, but I got the picture. :)

The End of an Era

2009-07-12T15:18:00.000-07:00

My baby girl is on the brink of turning one. It is completely unimaginable to me that it has been a year since I was preparing to go in for a scheduled c-section. I knew very early on in my pregnancy with Corinne that she would be our last baby. She was number three and final. My whole pregnancy was bittersweet. Well, the whole pregnancy was sweet, but it did often creep into my mind that I would never again feel that high of holding my newborn for the first time. I would never prepare another nursery or toss a million names around in my mind. I don't think it really hit me until recently that I would no longer be searching for that first tooth, or waiting for that first roll from back to front. No more first words. No more mid-night feedings. No more coos from a bobble-headed baby. Wow. . . we are entering a new phase in our lives. I should be excited, right?

Okay, there is a little excitement. Especially when I think about going on vacations without a pack-n-play or without an assortment of other things. In fact, I'm pretty sure it will cut our luggage weight in half when Corinne officially departs from baby to toddler. Of course, there will be just as much that I miss as there is that I am looking forward to.

Good-bye baby days. May our future days be just as wonderful as those we leave in the past.

Corinne is 10 months!

2009-05-23T19:39:00.001-07:00

Making Moments

2009-05-12T12:02:00.000-07:00

It has been said that life is not measured by the number of breaths you take, but the moments that take your breath away. Can't really say I agree. In fact, I would say that my life has been made up of a lot of little moments that weren't so breath-taking. A lot of little moments that I wouldn't trade for the world, even though they may be viewed as ordinary, possibly boring or mundane. Of course, I have had some moments that were "mile-markers" in my life, and even a few moments that have taken my breath away. But, it's the little moments that I think back on and chuckle or frown, sigh in relief or in awe. It's the little moments that have come together to shape the woman I am today. Big or small, I wouldn't the be same if I had not experienced each and every one of them. And for that, I am thankful.

Here are a few of the moments that are threads in the fabric of my life.

My parents divorcing and all of the things that come along with it
Heading off to college and knowing it all
Cheering on the Georgia Bulldogs
Dating - thank you Lord that this stage of my life is over. :)
Traveling without kids
Hearing that my roommate from college died in a car wreck and finally grasping the frailty of life
Bringing home Max, followed the next day by bringing home Mallory, who was at the pet store where I had gone to get food for Max. She was the last dog left.
Being loved by grandparents that weren't "blood"
Getting engaged
Seeing my groom anxiously awaiting my entrance
Buying our first house
A positive pregnancy test x 3
Not sleeping for four days so I could stay up to watch my newborn baby breathe
Dropping my child off at preschool for the first time
Planting flowers with little ones who make you remember how amazing flowers really are
Having Landry say "Is that a snake" as she pointed right behind me. The answer was yes.
Letting my child eat popcorn for the first time
Getting up in the middle of the night to lay a hand on my baby's back
Sleeping in bed with my sick child and seeing their relief when they wake-up and see that I didn't sneak out when they fell asleep
Trying to make a decision involving my newborn and having my mom say "I know you'll make the right choice"
The joy on Landry's face when we declare it's "movie night"
Reminiscing with my husband and realizing how far we've come
My husband telling me I'm a great mom and a great wife
Having strangers tell me on a daily basis how beautiful my family is
Most recently, my friend sending me an e-mail that had a news clip for "mother of the year", which she had inserted my name. Thanks Samantha!
Seeing birds enjoying the food we've put out for them
Seeing squirrels enjoy the food we put out for the birds

The list goes on and on. Every day there are more moments that are sweet and irreplaceable, even if they didn't take my breath away.

2009-05-03T20:01:00.000-07:00

The picture on the left is of Landry playing teeball. She loves it! Nolan hasn't quite come to terms with the fact that he's not on the team. He runs out on the field like he owns the place and waits for the ball to come his way. I've tried to explain to him that he's not old enough to play yet, but he looks at me and says "Look at me. I'm big! I'm three! That's big!" If you're wondering why he's holding rocks in front of his face in this picture, it's because he refuses to take a serious picture. I have to trick him into it. . . or offer a handsome bribe. He thinks he is so funny. . . Okay, he's funny.

Landry really works hard on the teeball field. She runs after EVERY ball. It doesn't need to be in her general vicinity for her to go after it. When she does get it, she takes her glove off and looks around for a few seconds. Then she throws it as hard as she can to first base. She picks her glove back up, puts it on, and looks my way and waves. She is just as proud as we are. :)

These are the munchkins at Walt Disney World. We had such a great time! I can't believe it, but I can't wait to go back. It was a great week away from all of the things that peck away at our time every day (work, computer, cleaning, laundry, cooking, etc.). I am so thankful that we took this trip. There are a lot more pictures. So far, I have only put them on facebook. That took so long that I don't know if I will get around to putting them on here. If you're not on facebook, you should be! I'm pretty skeptical about that kind of thing, but it has been a great and efficient way for me to keep up with people and to share pictures.

She's getting there. . .

2009-05-03T19:54:00.000-07:00

Corinne is finally sitting up pretty well. I can't believe it has taken this long, but I'm not complaining! If she was crawling, I don't know if I handle it. She is a professional roller, though. So, she can get into stuff she's not supposed to at a rapid rate.

She is heading towards 10 months, which just completely shocks me. Time has been a blur with all of our kids, but especially with Corinne. I have mad it a point to really sit down and enjoy the few minutes I have with her when Landry and Nolan are at school. She is really a joy. She melts my heart several times a day and I am so very thankful that God gave her to us.

Corinne is 8 months!

2009-03-18T12:05:00.001-07:00

And she has the BEST natural mohawk.

2009-03-01T13:58:00.000-08:00

Landry and Nolan on Valentine's Day
Corinne on Valentine's Day; 7 months old!!!

Corinne is changing so fast. She is finally rolling over both ways and she is very proud of herself (and so are we). She has two teeth, rarely gives into eating anything other than breast milk, and somehow still weighs a whopping 19lbs. Let me remind you, this is more than Landry weighed on her first birthday. :) She is saying "da-da-da-da" and thinks Landry and Nolan hung the sun and moon. Nolan is still ga-ga over her, while Landry has her moments. Corinne isn't even close to sitting up on her own. She looks at me like I am crazy every time I try to sit her up. Smart girl! Why sit-up when you have four family members to do everything for you?

Landry is really getting into have her "private" time. She likes to find little nooks to hang out in and draw and write. Sometimes it feels like we have a teenager. She is really into learning and is dying to start learning Spanish. Only one problem - No abla Espanol. She is reading very well and I couldn't be more proud of her.

Nolan is suddenly very hard of hearing and acts like he was unaware of the fact that you had told him not to do something. He is also very tender-hearted. He comes up to me and says "I love you Mama. I really love you Buddy." He can be the sweetest little guy sometimes. He wrote his name on his own on Feb. 12th, which completely shocked me. He hasn't stopped writing since. He wants to be just like his big sister.

Brian is still liking the job. The flu is finally making it's appearance, so he's been very busy at work. They have a new physician who started last month and he seems to be pretty good. Thanks to Brian's persistence, they will no longer be taking hospital call, so things are about to get much sweeter for call days. I have bowed down to the chaos and given up cooking most nights. We eat out more than any humans should. But, sanity is a must right now, so it is necessary.

Now you are up to date on the Wysong Report.

February. . . Kids say. . .

2009-02-28T14:11:00.000-08:00

We are driving by a cemetery and Landry says "Mom, when you die I'm going to plant you in that garden."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Landry: I like brown people.

Me: You should. They are no different than you are, they just have a different color skin.

Landry: I really like brown people. Especially when they can speak Spanish.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Landry and Nolan love to dip their chicken (and everything else) in mayonnaise. When we get Chick-fil-A, I let them each have one packet of mayo. When they run out, they just have to eat the rest of their food without it. Landry asked why they can't have all of the mayo they want and I told her b/c it wasn't good for your body. Of course, she wanted to know exactly why it's not good for your body. I tried to sum it up by saying that eating too much of anything makes you heavy and that being heavy makes your heart work harder than it should. She summed it up by saying "Oh, you mean it gives you a big bottom?" A lot of you probably know my mortifying story of being in the grocery store when Landry was three and having her watch a very large woman walking in front of us. She said with complete shock and loud enough for everyone in NC to hear her "Whoa, Mom! That girl has a big bottom!!!" I'm sure you can imagine how wonderful I felt at that moment. Following that day, we have had many conversations about etiquette and keeping certain thoughts contained inside of your head. We have also had many conversations about how bottoms get big. Oh, how I wish I could defer those questions to her Daddy. . .

The other day, this is the conversation we had at lunch.

Landry: Nolan, don't eat too much mayonnaise because your bottom will get big. Boys look silly with big bottoms. Only girls should have big bottoms.

Me: Not all girls have big bottoms.

Landry: You do.

I love those warm-fuzzy moments around the dinner table. . .

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Nolan to Corinne: Rinney Pie, you don't have some bunch of hair like I do, but I love your mohawk.

The Match

2009-02-24T19:44:00.000-08:00

About a year ago in my MOPS (mothers of preschoolers) group, the woman that heads it up, Jane, had an eye-opening task for us. I challenge each of you to do it as you go along, actually writing down your answers. Don't read ahead before you write your own answers.

Jane: "On your sheet of paper, write down the three things you spend most of your time doing."

(Pause)

Jane: "Now, write down the three things that are most important in your life."

(Pause) Go ahead, write your answers. I'll wait for you to finish. . .

Here is what I wrote:

The three things I spend most of my time doing:

1) Laundry

2) Taking care of the kids

3) Cleaning/cooking

The three things that are most important to me:

1) God

2) My husband

3) My children

Jane: "Now, see how the match up."

I'm sure you are realizing that my answers did not match up with each other. Did yours? I'm telling you, I think about this little "task" more often than you can imagine. It was shocking to me. It was confusing to me. Most of all, it was gut-wrenchingly sad to me. As I sat on my computer today checking my e-mail, updating Facebook, looking at clothing sales, etc., I was tapped on the shoulder by my conscience and asked if I had forgotten the sinking feeling I had that day so long ago in MOPS. Did I not remember how I had pledged to make these two lists identical? Had I already forgotten that my time should be spent with that which is most important to me? I had. I do. Everyday, I have to remind myself. I don't know why it doesn't just happen that the people and things that are most important to you take up the largest portion of your day. Or. . . maybe it does. Maybe it does and that is why I had that sinking feeling when I compared my lists. Maybe my lack of "me" time has manifested itself in other ways. After all, if I need some time alone, I'm sure to find it when I'm cleaning the bathrooms, sorting Landry, picking up groceries, vacuuming, cooking supper, and the many other monotonous chores that cloud my days. Rarely does anyone jump up to join me for those things. But, I become more and more aware that my priorities are out of whack. My first-born is already five. My son wonders why he can't start kindergarten with his big sis. My "newborn" is half way through her seventh month and rolling all over the place.

As I am repeatedly reminded throughout the day that time is not standing still waiting for me to get it together, I find myself negotiating the lists. More importantly, I find myself praying for help to make them match.

January - Kids Say. . .

2009-02-04T13:51:00.000-08:00

This is a new addition to my blog. I am going to put the funny things my kids say from each month. Here are a few from this past month.

We are planning a trip to Disney World. Of course, this has been the topic of many conversations at our house.

Landry: "Mom, what do they have at Disney World?"

Me: "Everything."

Landry: "Do they have snow?"

Me: "No, I don't think they have snow."

Landry: "Then why did you say they have everything?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

During the presidential inauguration:

Me: "That's George W. Bush. That's Barack Obama. That's Joe Biden."

Landry: "Where are Stafford and Moreno?"

(For those of you who don't know, Stafford was the quarterback for Georgia and Moreno was their super-star running back. Yes, our kids are brain-washed.)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

McDonald's recently opened within a mile of our house. Unfortunately, we have to pass by there every time going to or from school. Nolan is very interested in new things and as we were passing by one day he said "Mama, that house is pretty! I said "that's not a house, it's McDonald's." He said "Donald's house is pretty!" Since it has opened, the kids beg to go there. (They have only eaten McDonald's once or twice. I REALLY don't like McDonald's.) One day after school, they talked me into getting them lunch from there.

Nolan: "Can we go to Donald's?"

Me: "How about Chick-Fil-A?"

Nolan and Landry: "Noooooo. Please go to McDonald's."

Me: "Fine, we'll go through the drive-thru."

We come up to the speaker and the guy tells us that the credit card machine is broken and they can only take cash. I NEVER have cash, so we had to leave.

Nolan: "Don't drive. You didn't get our food!"

Me: "We can't get anything from there because their credit card machine is broken."

Nolan: "Can we please go get them some batteries so they can fix it?"

That's about all that I can remember from January. The funniest thing we have going on right now is Nolan reading Goodnight Moon. It has become an R-rated version due to the fact that Nolan cannot clearly say "sitting". So it's "and there were three little bears s_itting on chairs. . . " Of course, we can't help but ask him "What were they doing on the chairs?"

A Cabinet?!?

2009-01-21T08:11:00.000-08:00

Landry was very interested in parts of the inauguration yesterday. When Rick Warren started to pray, she sat down and carefully listened to every word. I was watching her with pride and admiration, knowing that she wants to pray more like an adult. She was excited when he used the word liberty, because she was familiar with that word from the the Pledge of Allegiance. She was still listening with great focus when all of the sudden she got a confused look on her face. Then she just started cracking up laughing. I said "What's so funny?" She said "That man just prayed for the cabinet! That is so funny to pray for a cabinet!" At that point I think she saw that this man could teach her nothing and she got up and went to play with Play-doh.

2009-01-14T11:26:00.000-08:00

Landry had her party at My Gym in Charlotte. She and the other kids had tons of fun. It was a little dangerous for the younger siblings, but everyone came out in one piece.

Happy Birthday Landry!!!!

2009-01-11T19:06:00.001-08:00

Today is Landry's 5th birthday! Oh, how I thank my Lord for the gift of this child.

She did it!!!

2009-01-08T16:57:00.000-08:00

Landry's desires overcame her fears and she got her ears pierced for her 5th birthday. She didn't skip a beat. I was more nervous than she was! The girl has nerves of steel when she wants something! She keeps telling me that she doesn't believe that she has her ears pierced and that she thinks it's not real. Then she says "Is it March 7th yet?" You guessed it. That's the day she gets to change her earrings.

The Great Toy Review

2008-12-27T17:18:00.000-08:00

Top toy for Landry:

It was a tie - The guitar was a big hit, we just have to figure out how to play it. And believe me, we will be getting some lessons b/c Mommy, Daddy and Corinne can't take much more of the Landry and Nolan Acoustic Cover Show.

Right up there with the guitar was the Gizelle wedding dress (from the movie Enchanted) - she also got the Cinderella and Snow White dresses, but they remain in their box waiting to be re-gifted due to the fact that they don't hold a candle to the flame of the beaded, floor-length wedding dress.

Top toy for Nolan:

Step 2 Up & Down Roller Coaster - This thing takes up a lot of room, but it is tons of fun. We have used it in combination with pretty much every other toy they got for Christmas. Landry usually rides it naked b/c she can wear her wedding dress on it. So she takes her dress off for a ride or two and then puts her dress back on.

Thomas the Train set was a close second, as well as the conductor's uniform.

Top toy for Corinne:

I have to get back to you on this one. Corinne did not get up until 10am Christmas morning, and when she did, Landry and Nolan took care of opening her gifts for her. Her best gift was probably getting some time to herself due to the fact that her siblings were focused on their new loot.

Ahhhhh... Christmas.

2008-12-27T13:10:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful Christmas. We have been trying to emphasize to our children that Christmas is about the birth of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Let's face it, at their age it's all about the excitement of the gifts. I have been very hesitant in the past few years to start the whole Santa thing. Whenever Landry would ask me about Santa, I would just tell her that he represents the spirit and joy of Christmas. I have presented him as more of a symbol than I have as the man who brings the goods to kids who are good. Then Landry proceeded to tell a group of her friends that Santa wasn't "really for real". Not wanting to have the kid who killed the fairy tale, I tried to backtrack and tell Landry that Santa would bring her one special gift if she was good. In reality, I'm not sure any four-year-old has ever been good enough to earn a gift from Santa, but it was worth a try. (No person has ever earned the blood Jesus shed for them, either, but he gave us that gift none the less.) In short, the kids got a gift from Santa. Landry got a guitar, which she LOVES, and Nolan got a Cars camping set, which he could not have cared less about. I have attached some pics of our living room on Christmas Eve, before the two hurricanes opened their gifts, and there is a picture of the destruction that followed at approximately 7:50a.m. Christmas morning.

My Family Tree

2008-12-10T14:26:00.000-08:00

Growing up, my family always had an extremely "colorful" tree. By colorful, I mean lots of colored lights, construction paper chains, hand-made ornaments, ornaments that were on sale so my parents bought them no matter how ugly they were, popcorn strings, big shiny red, blue, silver and/or green tinsel, etc. Even better, my dad insisted on topping the tree off with a nice heavy coat of angel hair. For those of you who aren't familiar with angel hair, it's long silky strands of white "hair". In other words, it's a cocoon for your Christmas tree. While it's pretty neat to see a caterpillar in a cocoon, it's not so neat to see a Christmas tree in one. By putting angel hair on your tree, you guarantee that your tree can be pretty only when it's dark and the tree lights are on. During the day, your tree obviously shows that it was mistaken for the bad guy by Spiderman. My parents divorced when I was 7, but I can still remember the angel hair/no angel hair argument. I would have to say that I was kind of on my mom's side with this one. Dad was right, the tree looked good with it's lights on. Mom was right, the tree look AWFUL with it's lights off. The tie breaker was that Mom was the one that ended up vacuuming 10-foot long strands of hair for several weeks, even after Christmas was over. Really, it never went away. As I got older, I started having strong opinions on our family Christmas tree. The colored lights had to go. The ornaments should have a color theme and all be hung with the same kind of hook. That hideous childhood tree was no longer an option. What were my parents thinking?!?

My first year of college, I spent what little money I had at the holiday season on matching holiday ornaments, ribbon, and white lights to decorate my first "solo" Christmas tree. I even bought baby's breath from Michael's and tucked it into the branches of the tree to add that special touch. The ribbon I tied on my presents matched the ribbon I had tied evenly spaced on my tree. I had a department store Christmas tree. Okay, it wasn't that nice, but for a poor person, it was pretty. I could only imagine that my tree would get prettier and more elegant as the years went on. That was the case. . . then Landry arrived. Next came Nolan. Then the lovely Corinne was born. Suddenly I had an epiphany. Maybe the reason we had such a "colorful" tree when I was little wasn't because my parents liked it that way. Maybe it was because my brother and I liked it that way. I wouldn't know this until I had my own children and I let Landry help me pick out our Christmas lights last year. She picked out the cheapest strand. The cheapest because they had every color of the rainbow on them with crystallized plastic mini-globes around each bulb. They had to be cheap. It's the only way someone in their rational mind would buy them. With a cringe, I picked the lights up and put them in my cart. I also picked up a strand of white lights to tone the colored ones down. Both sets of lights made it on the tree again this year, along with every single ornament my children could find. They even made some additional ornaments to adorn the tree. When that wasn't enough, Nolan tried to hang Corinne's linking rings on there. (That's where I had to draw the line.)

Amazingly, I am truly enjoying my kids' tree. In fact, I find it to be more beautiful than any I've had in the past. Macy's can only dream that they could conjure up one with so much pizazz.

Three Kids, Three Heads

2008-11-26T19:51:00.000-08:00

I went shopping today. Actually, Corinne and I went shopping today. This action always elicits a the same old repertoire.

stranger: "Your baby is beautiful!"

me: "Thanks! She's a sweetie."

stranger: "Is she your first?"

me: "No. She's our third."

Stranger's eyes get wide and a grimace comes across their face. I suddenly feel like they are seeing something uncommon, even scary. You know, that feeling like you have three heads and no one wants to tell you, but you can see it all over their face. Stranger quickly tries to rope their shock back in. The next response is something like "You've got your hands full" or "You don't look old enough to have three kids" or, one that I've heard a number of times and it still disgusts me, "I'm sorry." I'm not sure what it is about having more than two children, but it is shocking to people. Okay, I was a little shocked too when I found out I was going to be one of those people. I was already feeling out-numbered with the two I had. How was my armor going to hold up to three of these balls of energy? But, you know how this story ends. Number three arrived and I am still alive. Tired, but alive.

I can't tell you how many times I've had this same exact conversation with complete strangers. Sometimes I catch a break and talk to a stranger who doesn't skip a beat when I tell them I have three children. In fact, they light up and smile and say "Me too!"

Pecan Pie Bars

2008-11-26T15:24:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving is just a few hours away, and I personally think you have to have pecan pie to make the meal complete. My Grandma Nuckolls makes the best pecan pie, but these bars are pretty tasty, too.

2 C all-purpose flour

1/2 C sugar

1/8 tsp salt

3/4 C butter, cut up

1 C firmly packed brown sugar

1 C light corn syrup

1/2 C butter

4 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 1/2 C coarsely chopped pecans

1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl; cut in 3/4 C butter thoroughly with a pastry blender until mixture resembles very fine crumbs. Press mixture evenly into a greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 350F for 15-18 minutes or until lightly browned.

Combine brown sugar, corn syrup, and 1/2 C butter in a saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring gently. Remove from heat. Stir one-fourth of hot mixture into beaten eggs; add to remaining hot mixture. Stir in pecans and vanilla. Pour filling over crust. Bake at 350F for 25-35 minutes or until set. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.

Enjoy!

If there is a recipe that you would like to see posted on this blog, please let me know. Or, if you need a good recipe for a certain dish, let me know and I will be happy to try some out for you and see what I come up with.

Big Girl!

2008-11-22T17:08:00.000-08:00

Corinne went for her 4 month check-up on 11/19 and was 24" long and 16 lbs 7oz. That puts her in the 50th percentile for height and the 95th for weight. In other words, she's chunky! She has the biggest thighs I've ever seen on a baby, but I think they are just absolutely adorable. Besides, there is only ONE time in your life when having big thighs is seen as cute, so I say embrace it while you can! Corinne continues to be the stereotypical laid-back third child. So laid back that she has not even attempted to roll over yet. At this pace, she on target to walk by July of 2010.

Speaking of big, Nolan has settled in nicely to his queen size bed. He's already fallen out of it once, but we have packed more pillows around him and he seems to have learned to stay away from the edge. He's also doing a great job potty-training, checking out the restroom at every public place we step foot in. That part is a little annoying but I'll enjoy that $40 we won't be spending on diapers every couple of weeks.

Pacis are for Babies

2008-11-19T12:42:00.000-08:00

Despite our constant efforts, Corinne continues to reject the paci. Who needs a paci when you have ten fingers?

HALLOWEEN 2008

2008-11-18T16:37:00.000-08:00

The kids were anxiously looking out the window waiting for trick-or-treaters. In the meantime, they taste tested the suckers they would be handing out.

Landry dressed as Princess Jasmine, Corinne was a kitten, Nolan was a doctor, and Brian went as Nolan's patient. Nolan's diagnosis for Brian's head - "Dada, your head is BROKEN!"

2008-11-18T16:06:00.000-08:00

Corinne at 4 months. Love that booty!

2008-11-18T13:05:00.001-08:00

Welcome to our blog! Since having three children has limited my "free" time, I've decided to start posting pictures here so you can check them out whenever you would like. I probably won't be sending out many e-mails with pictures attached to them, so be sure to check back often. I will also be posting recipes as I find them. These recipes will be less than gourmet being that I am feeding them to a 4 and 2-year-old. On that same note, my kids eat just about anything, so some of them may have some "yucky" stuff in them like onions and mushrooms.

Here is a little bit to fill you in on the recent happenings of our family. On July 14th, we were blessed with another precious baby girl, Corinne Davis. She is the final addition to our brood, which includes Landry Morgan, almost 5, and Nolan Matthew, 2 1/2. Things are pretty chaotic around here most of the time, but we're loving every minute of it. Landry and Nolan go to preschool three days a week. Landry loves it so much that she has literally begged me to put her in for the other two days. Nolan claims he likes school, but is a little skittish every morning when I drop him off. The teachers recently informed me that he wears his backpack until snack time and that he is "very quiet". This was shocking to me (well, not the backpack part - he loves to accessorize) because I can't get a word in at home. He and Landry NEVER stop talking. In fact, if there is a silent moment and I try to say something, I get a polite "Excuse me Mom, I was about to say something" from Landry. Nolan is practicing this phrase and I know it's going to roll off his tongue any day now. I'll keep you posted.

In other exciting news, Nolan slept in a big boy bed for the first time today! He did so well and was taking such a long nap that I had to physically check his breathing. I'm happy to report that he was still breathing. :) Corinne will be moving to the crib soon, so this was a necessary step that I have been dreading. We tried to get him to sleep in there last night. All went well for about five minutes. Then he called Brian up there and said "I need to go to my crib, Dad." Monday nights are our nights to cut off all TVs and computer screens and spend time just talking to each other. So, to make sure that precious time didn't go down the drain, Nolan went to the crib. We will try again tonight. I'll keep you posted.

Nothing else really to report from here. There are lots of sick people this time of year so Brian has been extremely busy at work. That's good, right?

Check back soon for more of the Wysong Report.