Jonathan has decided he's growing "prickles". To him that means little tiny beard whiskers that make the kids say, "Daddy, you need to shave! You have prickles!" They're growing in on the sides he says.



Kaitlin asked me what I would choose for her to be when she grows up. Of course I gave her the "you can be anything you want to be..." speech. She said, "I know, but what would you choose." I had to think about it. She is like her daddy - she really could be just about anything. I told her I would have to think abou that one. I finally told her that whatever she does, I think she should also write books. She has such a creative mind, and she has made up elaborate stories and songs since she could talk. The defining "she's gonna be an author" moment for me was when she was four and we were feeding the ducks at HSU. When we ran out of crackers the ducks got vicious and "attacked" us. The funny thing about these ducks is that they would only chase you until the grass ended. It was like a concrete duck force feild, so we headed for the road. Now these ducks didn't really hurt you, but the kids were about the same height as these ducks - especially not yet 2 Jonathan and they were FREAKING out! As we walked on past the duck pond Kaitlin grasped her chest and said, "Oh mommie. What would we have done if they had nibbled us until we were nothing but blood and bones in the grass?" It was at that moment that I said, "she'll write some day." I'd like to scan in her most recent book. It's about a dinosaur who is also a painter;).

Friday night was the GA sleepover. 24 girls, 3 women. We all survived! I am glad this is an annual thing. The best part about it for me was the other 2 women I am working with. They are turning out to be real treasures. I won't say their ages;), but one is my mother's age and the other is my grandmother's age. They both hung with the best of 'em until 4:00 a.m. They are really a blessing to these girls! I'm blessed to be getting to know them.

Leaders

Preface:
This is just a story I want to preserve for our children in my journal, because I believe it speaks volumes about the character of their father - who he is and where he is going. This happened about a year ago.

Charles the Leader:
Once in a spiritual development class, the teacher was discussing leadership. He gave the scenario of a group of pioneers traveling West. They have been traveling together for some time and as they travel they begin to become more organized. At some point they decide to choose a leader. The teacher posed this question, "Imagine that you as a class are those pioneers, how do you choose your leader." The class discussed many options, but the overall conclusion was that a leader would have been developing as they traveled. In other words, there would be one person in the group that would begin to stand out from the rest - the obvious leader of the group - the one people would have come to trust, to depend on, to turn to in any situation. As the discussion continued the teacher asked, "who then would be your leader?" When Charles looked around to think of who to choose he found the entire class pointing at him.

Could they look more alike?

I was trying to get a picture of Kaitlin in this dress for my mother before church today. It didn't really work out, but I love this one. Their eyes are like sapphires. I love these babies.

A Cleaner

My sweet little boy - I can't say enough how precious this kid is to me...and for a thousand reasons. One endearing thing about this kid is that he is neat. I don't mean "neat" as in "one cool cat" (although that he is), but as in tidy. He puts the lids back on the markers (usually) and he actually desires clean. Now yes, this is the same kid that uses half the hand soap in one sitting and had toothpaste on the back of his head. He is a 4 year old boy after all! But he actually wants to be tidy most of the time.
Last night he kept saying, ok Mommie how else can I clean? I let him clean the table off, sweep, wipe off the cabinets...."Ok mommie, what next?" I love that kid. Then he said, "Mommie, if I clean and clean, maybe one day I'll be a cleaner just like you!" Ha. If the kid only knew he's already a better housekeeper than I;)
Then I ran out of things for him to clean so I suggested calling Nana. This kid isn't much of a talker ...UNTIL he's ready. He talked for an hour. At one point he was walking around giving a phone tour of our house. "And this is our heating pad. We call it a heating pad, because it is like a pad and it gets hot. And in the kitchen we have pots hanging from the ceiling...." I'm so glad my parents have a hands free for their phone!

Today I am subbing in the library (one of my favorite things to do). I went and got Kaitlin for lunch. We went through the line and brought our trays to the library. She thinks this is uber cool, I tell you. We laughed and giggled until she fell out of her chair. She isn't tidy by any means, but man that kid is so much F-U-N! Tonight is the GA sleepover (aren't I brave for chaperoning!!!) She hasn't stopped talking about it all week. It is fun for her to be so excited!

It has been quite a day here in the library including a power outage and loads of new books to label and clean sticky spots off of, etc. I'm going to get back to work. Have a super weekend, and think about me sleeping on the floor tonight;)

Mandy played with this image a little more. I really like it.

Going to see CATS

Notice I'm all into the CATS pose, while Charles is hoping his hand is cropped out of the frame!


I just thought this was sweet. Kaitlin had J in her lap helping him read:)

I just snapped this of C while he was on the phone, but he was so good lookin' I decided to post it.

This is one that Mandy played with in photoshop. What do you think?


This is one that I played with in photoshop.


My fantastic husband bought tickets to CATS a month ago! Wow did he do well this time! We were fourth row center! Here are a few pictures that Sue snapped before we left for the show:)

Happy Easter

Jonathan was not in the posing mood today, but here are a few from right before church this morning. Jonathan was actually crying before and after these pictures, which you can tell if you really look. (Morning does not agree with that child - especially after sleeping in all week.) That second picture is not a smile-its a grimace. Lol. I took what I could get. Kaitlin could care less, so I'll point it out to you....they are both wearing navy and red and her outfit is all about spring tulips (the dress, the bow, the tights, the necklace, the shoes, the sweater). They looked very sweet.

Kid's Speak

My friend Mandy just posted a great blog about precious things her kid's have said recently. I'm going to try to think of a few. I know there have been a few cute ones lately, but I'm mostly drawing a blank. Here's one:

Jon: Hey sis...Let's pretend you have a little brother and that your little brother wants to play ninja turtles!

Happy Easter

Charles making his parachute

Kaitlin making a cushion plan






Egg in Spoon race. (Notice J is holding his egg!)





Goofy!









A favorite moment from the day for sure!



Some of Kaitlin's art work. The kids used sidewalk paint to decorate for Easter.

Easter baskets~







We dyed our hands as much as the eggs!



Kaitlin's painted toast and green eggs.

A lack of blogging on my part almost never implies a lack of eventful things to write about. On the contrary, it usually means that I have a lot going on and I am thinking, "I need to blog this." Then you end up with a blog like this one will be - just hitting the high points.

Thursday

About 11:00 Charles proclaimed that we were to have a family fun day in Abilene by golly. But we've been sick, I protested. It is Spring Break he protested - and within 30 minutes we were all dressed and heading to town.

We finally took Kaitlin to that make your own animal store in the mall and let her make a frog. She named her Frogalina. Then we went to Chuckie Jesus (as Jonathan calls it) and played out our tokens. Charles hit a jackpot and the kids ended up with 260 tickets. Woo hoo. Then we went to see Horton Hears a Who - I recommend it. It is actually a kid's movie (as opposed to an animated movie obviously for grown ups). That was much enjoyed by all (especially Charles who got a short nap.) Then we ate at El Chico (.99 kids night) and then cruised books a mil for a little while before picking up a javachip frap on the way home! Delightful (no pictures).

Friday

Friday was fairly uneventful, but there is one part of the day that I just had to blog to remember it. Friday night Kaitlin's GG told her to tell us to take her to DQ. OK. While we were there Charles got to telling stories of things he had done when he was a kid. No one tells a story like Charles (with the exception of his grandmother who he gets that from) and no one remembers a story in the special way that he does. He makes the ordinary extraordinary! That is one of the biggest blessings of having that guy around during all the ordinary days of life! Kaitlin begged for story after story until we finally left DQ and he kept telling stories all the way home. I have asked Charles to start blogging some of these stories so that I can print them out and keep them. I'm sure they won't translate quite the same in print, but I want them all the same. It turned out to be a very special supper.

Saturday

We G's have a tradition of family egg fun the Saturday before Easter. Sadly, my folks weren't able to be here this Easter, and I have really struggled with that this weekend. Nonetheless, we pressed on. We:

painted toast and ate green eggs for breakfast

dyed eggs (in all sorts of fashion)

had egg in spoon races

played egg toss (which turned into chunk eggs at each other)

cleaned up the yard for Easter Sunday (wait - this was not a game, but we had to do it, and C and I are both sore today.)

Then....we played a game where we had to try to figure out different ways to drop an egg from over our heads without it cracking. We used coffee filters for parachutes and cushion as well as straws and baggies, etc. Kaitlin finally decided to make a cushion for the egg to land on rather than wrapping the egg - it worked (she is the only one that did it!). We went through a full dozen of the dyed eggs that way. Charles spent the entire time making a giant parachute from a trash bag. Then he hopped up on the church roof (much to my disapproval) to try it out. I'm including pictures here. He is insane. It did fly, but the egg cracked - so it did not count! I said, "I am blogging this."

The pictures are in the reverse order by the way. Enjoy.

Girl's Lunch

We are feeling a little better today. Charles' meds are kicking in for him. I've been promising Kait a girl's lunch. I think I'll keep that deal with her today and maybe even do the dishes and clean up what boiled over on the stove - big plans.

Quarantine

Cough Cough Hack Hack - Ouch my chest hurts. Play a game of cooties. Watch Lost. Take turns with the heating pad. Take medicine. Watch it rain. Shake our heads at our list of to dos this week. Arm wrestle. Brush teeth. Kids to bed. Watch more Lost until the cough medicine knocks us out. Cough Cough.

Easter

We use Resurrection eggs every year. If you've never used them with your children - go out and buy a set. They are wonderful. I also really enjoy Liz Curtis Higgs' Parable of the Lily. This year we bought Benjamin's Box which accompanies the Resurrection eggs. I don't recommend it. It really mixes fiction with the biblical story, and it makes them difficult to separate.
We also bought the Easter Beagle Charlie Brown this year. Man, I do love Charlie Brown. Saturday we will have our annual Easter Fun Day. We do Easter baskets and hunting the day before in order to hopefully have more focus on Christ Sunday. We end Saturday by making Resurrection cookies. You can Google the recipe - its a great way to discuss Easter with your kids!

Sick

Charles couldn't even preach yesterday for coughing. If you know Charles, you know how much it took to keep him home. He is at the doctor as I type. Again, if you know Charles, you know it took a lot to send him to the doctor. I'm hoping for a shot! He has been miserable for so long. I want some relief for him. He has also been getting a wisdom tooth. I say he's teething, and I'd like to give him a little whiskey on his gums!
I am having some pain today as well. I am starting to have what feels like problems with my uterus again. It is quite painful, and I am hoping that I am not about to go down that road again. If I do go down that road again - I hope my new obgyn will yank that sucker out. I know there are risks, etc, but there are a lot of reasons for us not to have anymore children biologically, and this really stinks!
I had big spring cleaning plans for this spring break - even shampooing the carpets, but so far Charles and I are just speaking in moans and coughs today. I'm sitting here with my heating pad working on school. (Please hear that with the weakest whiniest most pitiful voice I can muster.)

It's a Major Award

Dear Charles,
Congratulations! The faculty of the Logsdon School of Theology has selected you to receive one of the awards given annually by the Logsdon School of Theology. This year we will be announcing the specific award and the recipient at the Logsdon School of Theology Awards Ceremony.....................................................................Again, please let me extend to you my personal congratulations upon this honor bestowed by the faculty of the Logsdon School of Theology. These awards recognize outstanding achievement in areas of scholarship and ministry.

Sincerely,
Thomas V. Brisco
Dean, Logsdon School of Theology

We recieved this letter yesterday, and I could not be more proud. If anyone deserves an award - it is Mr. G. As you can see, we don't know exactly what the award is, but it is "a major award." It could be a bowling alley or a leg lamp, but I'm thinking possibly best student ever or cutest theologian or something along those lines.

Karate

As of Saturday, March 15, 2008 Charles and I are officially yellow belts:) Our belts and certificates should be in about a week from now, and I'll try to remember to post pictures.

How is karate going?

Charles - This is something he has wanted to do since childhood - there's a lot to be said for fulfilling a childhood dream. He's a natural, and he's doing really well. He goes at least twice a week, because he is also doing grappling (read - rolls around in the floor with other guys). He's really getting a good work out with this.
Me - I am enjoying this much more than I expected to. I can't believe I just had my first belt test (early at that) and actually passed. The kids and I only go once a week, and I am sore after every lesson! Honestly it is a little like dance - memorizing movements, etc - and I like that about it.
Jonathan - He really enjoys karate. He actually talks to his teacher (those who know him know what a big deal that is) and he looks so cute in his little white uniform.
Kaitlin - Well, I'll tell you this - the child is not used to having to really try. Things just come easily to her. This concept of having to practice during the week to know it by next time is a brand new deal to her - and so far she isn't totally keen on that. Both the kids really enjoy working with nun chucks.

Kait

A lovely black and white

I think this is my favorite. I love the color. She's gorgeous.

Here's a little 70s flare! Love it!

More 70s color - very pretty.

My friend Mandy pointed out that to be fair to everyone I had to take some new pictures of Kait as well. So as soon as she came home from school I took these. She is getting so big and she is so beautiful!

You can see more here.

Gangsta Poses

I had to come back and post these seemingly gangster poses. In reality it is much more monkey than gangster.

And the cutest kid award goes to....

Jonathan got a new hat today. He's a lover of accessories! He asked me to take some pictures of him with his new hat, and I'm so glad he did. These turned out great. Go see more here.