Lovin' Lollipops

When Stephen and I went to Mayberry we picked up some lollipops from the old candy store for the boys. Since I didn't want sticky stuff all over the house, we waited until we had a nice day to go outside and enjoy them with mother nature. The boys were so cute, and the lollipops proved to be fun photo props!

I Miss Mayberry!

Stephen and I took a trip to Mount Airy(aka Mayberry), home of Andy Griffith and the town that formed the basis for the Andy Griffith Show. Everybody was so nice, everything was so simple, and I LOVED IT! We went to the local museums and even played an old fashioned game of checkers while we were there. We also found a local flea market where the mountain folks were selling homemade blackberry preserves and apple butter. A man was sitting in the corner picking on a banjo and singing while another fellow with a long white beard and overalls danced.

Beach Trip

We took a family trip to the beach with Linda, Ross, Bonnie, Clark, Liza, Jacob, and Jamie. Spencer wasn't feeling too well, so he didn't head down to the beach with us. There was a tropical storm brewing up off the coast, and the waves were bringing in HUGE conch shells! Bonnie was able to grab a bunch, but they just kept tearing my ankles up and I could only get my hands on a tiny one :(

Wyatt's first day of school was bitter-sweet. I can't believe my baby boy is growing up. He loves school, and I am thankful that Mrs. Proctor is there to provide the structure and nurturing that he needs.

View From My Porch

The view from my front porch. Some people may see this as a run-down building, but I have always found it beautiful!

T-Ball

This is Wyatt's first year playing T-Ball. His team is called the Jays and his daddy comes and helps with the team whenever he is off work. He is growing up so fast!

Spencer's Birthday

We love that both sides of our family are able to get together for birthdays! Spencer's big gift from us was a swingset, but he loved ever present he got. The guitar that his Nana got him has been a big hit with the boys (not so much for us after hearing the same songs over and over and over....)

A New Swingset

How do you like to go up in a swing,
Up in the air so blue?
Oh, I do think it the pleasantest thing
Ever a child can do!

Spencer got a new swingset for his second birthday and the boys love playing on it! Spencer wants to copy everything Wyatt does...which is something that I guess little brothers do.

Connections

North Carolina has been hit hard with tornadoes this year. While watching the news coverage, Wyatt asked me if all the houses on tv were blown down by the "twisters". I told him that they were. He thought about that for a minute, looked at me, and then asked me if the houses were made out of straw or sticks...

So Much for Resolutions...

Well I guess even a New Year's resolution wasn't enough to keep me on the ball with this blog....I guess I will pick up where I left off...

The boys are getting so big. Wyatt has recently picked up on the new habit to use his index finger and middle finger to push down on his eyebrows to make them "furrow" when he is angry...it is hilarious when he does it, and I have no idea where he picked up this new skill.

Spencer is talking more and more each day. He will be having plastic surgery on July 5th to remove the birthmark on his forehead as a preventitive measure against the possibility of future melanoma. He has also been battling reacurring respritory infections and will be visiting the ear/nose/throat doc on May 4th.

The kids and I planned a little surprise party for Stephen since he wasn't going to get home from work until 8pm. Stephen was really pleased with his dinner and cake (Spencer was excited too....you can see him peeking over the table at the cake). When Wyatt said the blessing on the dinner he got out of seat and got on his knees "because that's how we do it at bedtime" To top it off, Wyatt wrote his name for the first time in a manner that could actually be read in Stephen's card! He also drew a picture of the family, although Spencer looked like a cyclopse with one eye:)

The Things Kids Say

Lately when Spencer is ready to eat he pounds his chest or points to himself and says "Eat"...he reminds me of a caveman!

Last night I took the boys to dinner before my photography class started. Wyatt leaned over to me and said, "Mom, this is so much fun! Thank you for having a family!" I am so glad he recognizes that I chose and wanted to have him. So many kids that I teach think that they aren't loved or wanted at home....I am very blessed.

Cookies

My family has become spoiled because I have been making chocolate chip cookies from scratch (this scratch baking thing started one day because I had promised to make cookies with Wyatt and I didn't realize that the cookie dough was gone)...

Today Stephen put in a special order for some home-made cookies so when I got home I began to make them. Of course Wyatt and Spencer were more than happy to help. After I took the first batch of cookies out of the oven Wyatt asked if he could blow on them because he didn't want to wait to eat one. I told him that it is yucky if we blow on everybody's food. He said, "I promise I won't use my spit." When I told him no, he got off of the stool and went to watch cartoons. As soon as he got off of the stool, Spencer climbed up and went to reach for a cookie. I said, "no no....it's hot." He replied "hot" and took his hand away. As soon as I started to turn my head I saw him out of the corner of my eye grab one and shove it in his mouth....and then start to cry.

Guess what? The cookies were hot. I bet he won't do that again.

Vocabulary Lessons

Yesterday was a tough day for Wyatt. He was taking toys away from Spencer and was being ugly to Stephen and I. We sent him to his room to chill out and when I went to check on him I told him, "You have two choices. You can either come downstairs and be nice or you can stay in your room." He looked at me and said,"I choose neither." I said, "You don't even know what that word means." Wyatt looked at me like I was the foolish one and said, "Yes I do, it means I choose none."

I guess kids really do pick up on everthing they hear!

Spencer has also been very talkative lately. His favorite phrases are: "all done" "uh-uh" "no" "MOMMY" "shoes" and "bye bye"

They are both growing up so fast!

Deadwood

We went to a place called Deadwood for my father-in-laws birthday. It is a "wild west" place where you can get the best steak in the world! It was so cold outside that we bundled Spencer up and stood around a fire while we waited for a table...He kind of looks like the kid from A Christmas Story who can't put his arms down:)

Risky Business

Wyatt got a toy guitar from his grandma and he put on my sunglasses before putting on a show for me in the kitchen:) He reminds me of Tom Cruise in Risky Business!

Wyatt's Prayers

Wyatt, being 4 years old, has a tendency to be brutally honest during his prayers. Lately he has been cracking me up with some of the things he has been saying.

It all started about a week before Christmas when we began to use Santa as a bribe for good behavior. That night he prayed that Santa would only watch him when he was being good. Well then what do you do after Christmas is over? We explained to Wyatt that Jesus also watches him all the time so he should continue his good behavior.

Tonight's prayer..."Please bless Santa and Jesus to only watch me when I am being good so that I won't go on the naughty list"....

Winter Wonderland

Snow in Carolina!!! Global warming my foot!!!

It snowed ALL DAY LONG the day AFTER Christmas...Wyatt kept on insisting that we got our days mixed up because it must be Christmas on the day it snows...I had to explain to him that we don't get to choose what day Christmas happens on--I think he just wanted to open presents again:)

A New Resolution...Again

Every year I resolve to keep a journal...I never do it...Just look at this blog...two posts from last year and that was it! I am resolving to do my best to update this blog so that it can double up as my journal. Lazy? Maybe...but I say it is efficient.

Today is the last day of hunting season for Stephen (yaaayyy)...I know that everybody needs to have their hobbies, and I am NOT against hunting, but I am what they call a "hunting widow." When hunting season arrives, my husband disappears. Stephen has started taking Wyatt along with him once in a while and assures me that I will LOVE hunting season once both boys get old enough to go with him because then I will have time for myself.

I'll let you know how that goes in about 5 years....until then I am just thankful that one more hunting season is behind me.