Life with Boys

Life with boys is a crack up. Today I found my first rock in the dryer. I have a feeling it will be the first of many.

Play with your Food

Two days into summer and I already had to use one of my "reserve" crafts in order to entertain my monkeys! Yep, I encouraged my children to play with their food! We used celery bunches and potatoes to do a little stamping. I loved watching the difference in design between my 4-year old and 3-year old. Eden was very meticulous about where each little stamp would go - while Levi just wanted to smear around the paint. Of course, I (in my always biased mommy opinion) thought the paintings turned out beautiful!





Today's Tiny Treasures: As I sat down to write this, I saw Levi sprint across the top of the stairs wearing nothing by his construction vehicle big boys and purple fairy wings. Precious!

The Smell of Summer

I love the smell of summer on my kids. It is the mixture of sunscreen and chlorine that just makes my heart leap. I imagine it is a scent that will be burned in my memory forever - and will always bring me back to these precious days with Eden and Levi - when they still ask me to carry them in from the car after an especially long afternoon at the pool.

Busy "Becca"

Today was a crazy busy day! After a brief stand-off on who would clean the playroom (mom vs. tots), we headed out to a pool party at a friend's house. After the party we came home to finish up our end of the year gifts for Eden's classmates and teachers. She made little wooden necklaces for her friends and we baked cookies and painted a picture frame for her teachers. Eden even provided the art work for the gift tags! I was so proud of her for being so thoughtful and sweet!

Our chores were quickly interrupted by a very necessary game of Cowgirl! Eden came down the stairs dressed the part, asked for black freckles on her cheeks and told me I should call her "Cowgirl Becca". And because no respectable cowgirl can be without a horse - we rummaged through the craft closet to see what we could come up with. About an hour later - Becca and LuLu were galloping through the house! Although we are a bit concerned that LuLu's head may fall off at any moment - she seems to be holding up fairly well and is resting for the night in the corner of Eden's bedroom.


Today's Tiny Treasure: Levi moved to a big boy bed two weeks ago, but all of the nursery furniture is still in his room. Tonight, Levi asked if I could rock with him and I couldn't help but wonder if that might be one of the last times I will rock my little boy to sleep in his bedroom. I imagine the rocking chair will find a new home in the house very soon and some how it moves me a little further away from holding my tiny babies and rocking them to sleep.

But, even as I tear up a bit just typing that thought - I know that as my kids grow we find new night-time loves. Tonight, it was as if Levi knew my thoughts. After we had rocked for a while, he asked me to come "sleep" with him for a minute in his big boy bed. I snuggled up with him and was scratching his back, when he reached over and gave my hand a squeeze as if to say, "We'll be ok, mommy...we'll be ok."

Squishy Shoes and Other Things

I'm not sure if I've mentioned this yet in the blog, but Eden is my little Craft Queen! Not a day goes by that she doesn't ask me if we can do some type of project. Today we used pipe cleaners to attach sponges to her feet. Add a little purple and green paint, and you have "squishy shoes". She loved it and we got some pretty cool wrapping paper out of it as well. My very favorite part of today's project was that her "shoes" didn't fit her feet, so her little toes hung over the edge. I don't think there is anything sweeter in all God's Earth than tiny toe prints...


Today's Tiny Treasures: We had a family day: Lunch at P. Terry's followed by a round of mini-golf at Peter Pan. Something tells me we don't have the next Tiger Woods in our family, but we all had fun regardless. Levi lasted about 9 holes before he gave up on the club and just started to throw the ball. The course has a bunch of "magic holes" where the ball goes in one place and then pops out some where else. My boy was completely fascinated! Scott coached Eden on the proper way to hold the club for about 12 holes before she finally grasped the concept. Her very favorite part of putt-putt, "Golfing it into the whale's mouth."

I Love You More Than...

It's somewhat of a silly competition in our house. It usually goes something like this:

Eden: "I love you all the way around my bed room, up to the moon, around the universe, over the light, around the universe (that one usually appears at least twice) and around the sun and back."

Mommy or Daddy: "Oh yeah, well, I love you around the universe, up to the moon, out to Pluto, around the sun, all through the house and back and more. Enormous Love."

Then we will stretch our arms out as far as possible to show how enormous the love is. It's a fun little game, but this morning Eden said the sweetest I Love You More Than to me. She said, "I love you more than any of my friends. I really do." My sweet, sweet Eden.

Cookie Shop and a Cardboard Box

We were home all morning on Monday as the A/C guys made some repairs. The kids and I were playing a game of Toss the Cookies when we decided to set up shop! Eden made our sign - complete with five little cut out cookies with sprinkles and a "shape chain". At first we just used our playing card cookies and pretend milk - but quickly learned that the real deal would be much more exciting. So we grabbed my stand-by tub of cookie dough and made a quick batch. The kids had so much fun taking turns being customer, then server, then working the cash register. When the A/C guys finished their work, they came down to make a "purchase" from the shop! It was precious!



I guess you could say we were paid very handsomely by the A/C guys for their two cookies! They left us two giant cardboard boxes. 2 kids under the age of 5 + 2 giant cardboard boxes = 2 hours of uninterrupted play! They were all squeals and giggles!



My kids were so happy this morning! A great reminder that it really is the simple things in life that count the most!