Bike Ride...It really sounded good at the time

Davian had been at soccer camp all week last week, and loved it! I really wanted to do something fun for his last day. So I thought it would be great if I packed up the bike and borrowed bike trailer to ride over to his soccer camp and pick him up.

So Tegan and I loaded up the "new" bike and trailer. (I bought the bike at GoodWill a couple of weeks ago, so it's new to me.) I also packed a picnic because I just knew that the kids would be hungry. Tegan and I drove over to a trail head not far from the house. I unloaded my bike, trailer and sweet Tegan. As I started down the trail to get Davian, I noticed a sign that said "Lewis Rec center 5.4 miles". Okay...5 1/2 miles I can do that. Then I started doing the math...I would have to come back to the car. I was starting to question the wisdom of such a ride. But, on we went.

The ride there was beautiful and Tegan was quietly playing with his cars in the trailer. I had to get off the bike and push up the hills in certain points. But we made it to the soccer field in time to pass out popsicles to the kids.

As we sat down to eat our picnic, I started running through the list of who I could call to come and rescue us from this crazy idea I had! Which of my friends was home and could come throw my stinkin' bike in the back of the SUV and drive us the 5 1/2 miles back to the car? But we have been trying to teach Davian not to give up when things are hard, so I knew that I had to ride back.

So on the bike I climbed. Man, I didn't account for Davian weighing almost 40 pounds, plus his soccer gear! But he's such an encourager, "You're doing good mommy!" "Keep going mommy!", "Why are you pushing again mommy?" "I am going to ask God for strength for you mommy!" After that one, I actually heard him praying and asking God to give me strength. I worked!

The ride back was tough but, I made it. About 1/2 mile from the end of the trail, Davian asked, "Mommy, when am I going to go with God?" Oh boy! My mommy instinct wanted to tell him something like "Not for a long time" or "When you're older", but that is not promised to us. So I told him, "When he is ready for you to go to heaven" knowing in my heart that I never want to see that day. We have had these questions before about where is heaven and how do I get there. We are as honest as possible. On this day I told him that he has to love God with all of his heart and ask Jesus to come into his heart, when he's ready, to go to heaven. We talked about Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and asking Him for forgiveness for our sins. He said, "But Mommy, I already love God." "Well, Davian, when you are ready to pray, I will pray with you."

"I'm not ready today, maybe tomorrow." For a 4 1/2 year old, I will leave it at that, but how many times have I said that to God? Not today, maybe tomorrow? And yet, He waits patiently for me to let go of my pride and come to Him.

So, in the stillness of God's creation, away from the hum and busyness of the everyday things, Davian asked questions he wouldn't have had we been home. The 11 miles biking uphill both ways was worth every push of the pedal if the seed was planted in Davian.

Some of our favorite places

Good morning, Carol! I hope you enjoy your morning reading! Love you!

We have spent the past week very busy with trips to some our favorite places.

Last Thursday, Alison, Gavin, Julie, Will, Henry, Davian, Tegan and I piled in Ali's van and rode to the zoo! Gotta love mini-vans! This was the first trip to the zoo for Gavin and Henry, I think they liked it!

Gavin gives me his ever present smile!




Henry smiles for his mama behind the camera.

Will brought his binoculars and monocular along to get an up-close and personal look at the wild life. I wonder what strange and scary animal he's spotted???

Davian checking out the lions...

The weather couldn't have been more perfect. We enjoyed a rare day of mild temperatures and low humidity, yet after pushing a sit and stand stroller up the hills a girl just needs to cool off!

Children's Museum

The boys have been to this museum a bizillion times, yet they always find some thing new. This was the first time that they played in the amazing sandbox: complete with a catamaran and lighthouse. We were here for over an hour.

The boys love the kid sized train. It has a smoke stack that even smokes. Davian loves acting like the conductor.

Tegan loves the trains, too. But his station is the train table. He loves to string all of the cars together and zoom them around the track.

We have been having a wonderful time enjoying all the pleasures and activity of summers.

In an unrelated note, my mom's long-time friend just found out that she has a brain tumor. Please keep her in your prayers as she goes into surgery very soon!

Water guns

We have been having a lot of squirt gun fights lately. They are a covert operation with hiding places and top-secret tactics.
Here the boys are taking on enemy vehicles. :)


Tegan searching for his target, Davian.

Davian practicing his sharp shooting!

Very fun and refreshing on the hot days here!

Stay-cation Days 2-5

The remainder of our Stay-cation flew by, leaving little time for blog updates ;)

DAYS 2 and 3

Tuesday and Wednesday were rainy, rainy, rainy. So we took advantage of the many kid-friendly things to do in town. My kids favorite place to go on a rainy day is the Children's Museum. Andy, Jennie and I were treated to a full service doctor's visit complete with check-in and dental care.

Tegan spent a lot of time painting, which is one of his new favorite activities. He painted the most colorful school bus you will ever see. Davian and Mattie spent most of their time on the new kid-sized train. It was really cool! Davian could pretend to drive the train while Mattie had a tea party in the passenger car. They even had fancy hats and shawls for her to use to dress up! What a great new exhibit!

Finally, we spent some time in the farm house, cooking lunch and gathering eggs from the pretend hens.

The next day, Mom and I took the kids to the Natural Science Center. The three little kids and I explored the reptiles (Mom and Gracie sat out). We talked about camouflage and warning colors on the snakes and tree frogs. We worked on logic puzzles with Gracie and navigated a maze. Then we went out to the animal exhibit. Unfortunately for Tegan, the meerkats were inside. But we did discover a tortoise named Gracie :) The lion was out and active, too! He paced right in front of the glass viewing area. We really had a wonderful time in spite of the rain.

Day 4

Finally, the sun came back out! Uncle Andy was able to make good on his promise for a fishing trip with the kids. We loaded up the 4 kids, fishing poles, worms, and snacks and headed to the local lake for a fishing trip. I have to admit that I was quite ignorant about the fishing resources here, but my fisherman of a brother researched them and discovered one about 7 minutes from our house!

My boys were so excited to get on a boat and go fishing. Davian hasn't been fishing since our last vacation with my brother and his family. Tegan has never been fishing. Tegan even put the life jacket on without so much as a whine!

Rule #1 when fishing with 4 kids and only 2 adults...the adults do the casting! I believe that we were able avoid catching any humans because we made the kids follow this rule.

Andy searched out several potential hot spots for fish: near a point, under a bridge, but it was on the opposite side of the lake that finally produced the first bites and actual catches.

Tegan was more interested in the snacks, as usual, but happy to be on the boat nonetheless.

That afternoon, after naps, we took the boat to another treasure that is unexpectedly close to the house. Andy and Jennie brought their Banana Rocket for the kids to use. Surprisingly, both Davian and Tegan wanted to get on it and go for a ride.

We even spent some time swimming in the water.

The day ended with a spaghetti dinner at the Mom and Pop restaurant at the lake access.

Day 5

On their last day here, the AC in house went out, of course. So I had to wait for the AC guy to come and fix it. Tegan was sleeping, so the rest of the family headed for the lake for the evening.

After the AC fix, Tegan and I headed to the lake to meet up with the rest of the family.

Again, the boys surprised me with their bravery. Davian rode the Rocket with his cousins like a pro, even asking for Uncle Andy to speed up! He loved it!

We are so glad that we Stay-cationed this year! We have lived here for almost 7 years now and discovered new treasures.

In fact, we went fishing yesterday in the ponds in our neighborhood.

Thanks, Uncle Andy, Aunt Jennie, Gracie and Mattie for making the long trek to our house. We love you and had a great time!

Stay-cation Day 1

This year we decide to have a family "Stay"cation. My brother, sister-in-law and their girls drove across the country from Oklahoma with the boat in tow to stay at our house for the week. The boys were very excited about seeing their cousins. Davian especially was excited to learn how to fish from his Uncle Andy.
The lessons began this afternoon in the backyard. Uncle Andy hooked up the new fishing poles with nuts at the ends of the lines so the kids could practice their casting technique. The kids are quite the experts at catching the playhouse, grass, and sometimes each other!

Soon each of the kids had scored his or her own chair and were catching "big ones" in the yard. They had a blast pretending to fish, but they can't wait for the real thing!!!

And what would a day of fishing be without ice cream to finish it off?

We can't wait to see what Day 2 will bring!

Spring of Soccer

This spring we spent most Sunday afternoons at the soccer fields. Davian LOVES soccer, just like his daddy! Getting to play with his best bud, Will made soccer games even sweeter! It amazed me how much progress he was able to make in just a few short weeks.

Here are a few of the action shots from this past season!

Strawberry Pickin'

Strawberry picking is a rite of passage here in our great state! From early May until the last of the strawberries are devoured by toddlers, preschoolers (and adults)! We have not been strawberry pickin' since my sister-in-law and niece were here when I was pregnant with Davian. That all changed a couple of Saturdays ago!

Daddy had to work and the boys and I were looking for something to do. Fortunately, we live 7 minutes from a wonderful strawberry farm! Tegan was very excited to go strawberry pickin'. I think that he would live off strawberries if given the choice. When we arrived, the lady gave each of the boys a basket to fill and we headed to the appointed row. The boys were chomping at the bit to get at the strawberries, but we had to walk ALL the way down to the end to find the very best.

After showing Davian how to pick the strawberries from the plants, he assured me that he had it! No worries, he was going to be fine. Except that a few minutes later he brought me a poor strawberry plant that had met its demise by the hands of my son. After directions to be a bit more gentle, I checked on Tegan. He had lots of berries in his basket, but they were mostly white. Needless to say, he hasn't mastered his colors yet!

What is strawberry pickin' if you don't eat half of your harvest? Tegan started first, then Davian. I couldn't miss out on the fun! These strawberries were delicious!!! Soon, the boys were covered in strawberry juice!

The boys were ready to go after about 45 minutes and it was starting to get hot. Besides, the baskets were too heavy for them to carry anymore. Tegan thought he was ready until we got to the car and I tried to put the baskets in the back. He threw an all out fit because he couldn't see the strawberries! So funny! After promises that he could have more at lunch, he seemed satisfied.

We can't wait to back next year! Until then, we will enjoy the frozen berries to tide us over!

Happy Birthday, sweet Tegan!

This is coming way too late, but better late than never!

It's so hard for me to believe that my baby is now 2! I still remember begging our favorite pediatrician for a pill or a shot make my collicky 3 month old baby stop crying. Nothing like 3 hours of non-stop crying to push you to your limit. It was just last summer that we had him evaluated because he wasn't walking or even really talking. By the grace of God, he is perfectly normal and is definately making up for lost time. He is not happy unless he is chasing his brother or being chased!

He is now a content soul who adores his big brother and daddy. Coloring (usually in a book, but sometimes on his arm or the couch) and playing in the sandbox are some his favorite passtimes. But, Tegan is a child who becomes quickly overwhelmed by a large crowd so we decided to have a small gathering of our closest friends. Grandma and Aunt Jerri were in town to help us celebrate, too.

We cooked burgers and hot dogs on the grill while the kids played in the backyard. Tegan's squeals of delight affirmed our decision to have the small affair. After we ate dinner, we lit the candles on Tegan's Bob the Builder cake. He tried to blow out the candle with such determination, but Mommy still had to help! Soon came the favorite part, opening presents! The favorites were the monster truck and the noisy bobcat construction vehicle. All too soon, our friends had to leave and the boys had to scrub off in the bathtub.

All in all, it was a wonderful celebration of the joy this little boy has brought to us! We love you Teegs and are enjoying watching you grow up!

Pleading his case

Here is a tidbit from a conversation with Davian last night. We were on our way home from soccer practice when he threw a car from the rear seat in our TrailBlazer. It landed next to my seat in the front.

"Did you throw that?" I asked
Davian shakes his head no.
"DID you throw that?"
Davian shakes his head no, again.
"Davian, DID you THROW that?"
"Yes, Mommy." (We have had a problem with him lying to us lately)
"Well, when you get home you will have to get a spanking from the spanky spoon."
"No, Mommy, I don't like the spanky spoon."
Fast forward 10 minutes when we pull into our neighborhood.
"Mommy, am I going to get a spanking?" Why would you remind your parents about discipline??
"Yes, Davian, because you lied to Mommy."
"Do you still love me?"
"Davian, of course I still love you. That's why I punish you for lying, because lying is a sin."
"Well, Mommy, Jesus already died for my sins on a cross." So he HAS been listening.
"I know, Davian, that's why I can forgive you for lying to me."
"That's okay, Mommy, I forgive you, too."

Meerkats and Monkeys

It was a beautiful day here in NC today!

After getting up at 8:30 (considered "sleeping in" here), we were able to make it out the door by 10:00. I was excited to take the boys to the Natural Science Center. We hadn't been there in quite some time and I just knew they would love it. The NSC has rocks, a dinosaur exhibit, a play area, and best of all, live animals outside.

Davian, however, was not as excited as me. "Why aren't we going to the real museum, Mommie?" Apparently, the Children's Musuem is the only real museum in town. After convincing him that this, too, is a museum and that he would enjoy it, we entered the NCS. Apparently, this is a hot place during spring break as well as for school field trips from other counties. After coaxing the boys through the crowd of big kids, we were headed for the outside exhibit of animals.

We barely made it through the doors leading outside before they were off and running to the meerkats! "Doggies!" squeals Tegan. I loved seeing their little noses pressed against the glass enclosures. Luckily for us, the animals were very active today.

Davian led us to the petting zoo. They have several sheep and a few goats that the kids are able to pet. The boys loved petting both animals and were offered to brush them, but being city boys they declined. They got in a couple more pets before running off to the next stop.

We were then off to see the tigers. One tiger, especially, was putting on a show. He paced back and forth along the edge of the viewing area to the great delight of the boys. They ran back and forth along side the tiger hoping to keep pace with him. Shortly, they realized that the tiger was much more interested in the salmander crawling along then rock, so we moved on.

Next, Tegan lead us to his favorite spot...the monkeys. Tegan LOVES monkeys. He ooh-ooh aah-aahs and walks like a monkey. One of his teachers at school gave him a gorilla that sings "Wild Thing" and plays the guitar because Tegan threw a FIT when she tried to take it from his room at school. He was mesmorized by the very active monkeys at the NSC. He stood enthralled with the monkey who was just as enthralled with Tegan for about 10 minutes. Davian, meanwhile, was begging to go inside and play. But, stubborn Tegan refused to move until the monkey walked away. This was surely the highlight of the day for my sweet Tegan!

After dragging Tegan away from the monkeys, we went inside to play at the water table and grocery store. Soon, the boys were begging to leave for lunch and naps! Gotta love the NSC for suffiently exhausting the boys!

The first post!

Well, I have taken the plunge, so to speak. After much deliberation (and hesitation), I decided that I will blog. We'll see how long this lasts. I have deeply enjoyed reading friends' blogs and figured this might be a way to record the going-ons of our family. Besides, I am on spring break so I have loads of time on my hands, right? That may all change next week.

This first post will be short. I will give you some insight into the hearts of my children:

• "Mommie, we have to make a welcome to our family picture for Henry. I will draw him a picture of me, Tegan, Will, and Henry playing together. Then I will pick him out some books. I sang to him, Mommie. I love him!" -Davian, age 4 (Henry is the 1 week old son of a dear, dear friend and Davian's best friend's new brother)
• "Tank kou, Mommie." -Tegan, age almost 2

God has blessed me with two tender hearted little boys. I am not always so tender-hearted with them, but they continually forgive me for my short comings. I am learning about God's unending forgiveness as I navigate through parenting these two precious gifts. My deepest prayer is that they can see a sliver of God's love for them through me.