The UK bird

For his co-op science class Sam had to create a bird that is unique from any bird he's ever seen or heard of. Then he was instructed to tell his class everything about that bird, from his field marks to his habitat, diet and migration patterns. Being the Kentucky Wildcats fan that he is, he began his project knowing that he would design a blue and white bird in honor of his favorite team. What progressed from there had me cracking up as I typed his dictation to me. He was on a roll when coming up with all of the specifics of his UK bird! I just couldn't help but wonder what his teacher was going to think about this project. She did say that it had to be creative and unique! Sam summed it up well when he said, "I don't think my teacher will be expecting this." Yeah, me either!

So if you're hanging around the southeast between the months of November and March, keep your eye out for the UK bird!



Party time

We're not huge birthday party people around here, but when I realized that somehow Sam had actually never had an invite the friends over party we decided that it was his year. In trying to determine how far out to extend the invitations (his entire co-op class was mentioned at one point and that might have sent me into convulsions), we decided that the basketball team was a party waiting to happen. So today, after their very close game, the team followed us on over to our house and donned their best camo gear for a war party. There were yummy treats, camo cookies, camo face paint, Marine-style, and an intense game of capture the flag. There was also an impromptu eating contest, where the only girl in attendance (besides Caroline) stomped all over this group of boys who couldn't stop laughing at each other long enough to realize that Emma wasn't messing around.

It was a great party and made me thankful for the friends that our kids get to enjoy.




























When going on a date with your brother is cool

A few days ago Ron told me that he was planning a fun surprise for his ladies - a movie date to see Beauty and the Beast in 3D - and he invited Caroline and I to come along. Knowing how much she would love a movie date and also knowing how much Ben loves that movie (and his cousins), I decided to surprise them this afternoon with the news of our fun night. Sadly, baby #4 had other plans for Jenny-Lynn and left her in no position to be out and about, so it turned into a coffee and movie date with my favorite brother and a few of our favorite kids.
When Afton saw Belle she said, "Look! There I am! That's me!" When Ben saw the Beast he said, "I'm the Beast!" And there was much singing along to all of the songs (and maybe a little dancing in the aisles).

Three cheers for awesome Disney movies, fun-to-surprise kids and a brother who brings me coffee.


the perfect spot for a crummy feeling baby

Eli has joined the ranks of the rest of our kids who are suffering from a yucky cough. And if that weren't enough, he also got hit with a little tummy bug. And while I do hate for my little people to be feeling under the weather, I'd be lying if I said that the extra holding and snuggles weren't a silver lining to an otherwise crummy day. Thankfully, Jimmy would also rather I snuggle sick people than cook or clean, but cereal and oatmeal for dinner can only cut it for so long. And if I've said it once, I've set it a hundred times, three cheers for awesome baby carriers! I have a carrier stashed in all corners of the house with two in the car. I really can't imagine life without them. And I know his sweet smile will make you have a hard time believing that he was feeling so yucky, but that's just Eli for you. You'll have to take my word for it.

One note, save the on-the-back carry for after you're completely certain that they're done throwing up. Just trust me.



The big NINE!

Today we celebrated our sweet Sam! I can hardly believe that our chubby-cheeked, raspy voiced baby Sam who knew every single dinosaur by name at age two has now begun his tenth year. Since he's having his first-ever birthday party with friends later this weekend we decided that today would be a family day, in part so that I could just spend the day enjoying him with no other plans to tend to. We do make our children suffer the whole day with their big pile of presents just sitting on the kitchen counter taunting them until Daddy gets home and the official party begins, but I think they would say that it's usually worth the wait. This year when I took Travis to pick out Sam's present I was granted another opportunity to be reminded that my boys are not the babies that I can sometimes trick myself into seeing when I think of them when Travis said he wanted to get Sam an axe. Yes, an axe. My first response was an immediate no, but then I conceded to at least call Jimmy and check with him, hoping that he would be as reasonable about the idea as I was. He thought it was a great idea and the surprised look on my face gave his approval away to Travis before I could formulate my plan to spin his words a little. To say that the axe was a hit would be an understatement. And as soon as it was opened there was talk of stumps and logs that had needed to be chopped up for a while now. And yes Grandmothers, a lesson in chopping safety was had right then and there, I made certain of it. : )

Other gifts that were greatly loved were the promise of a Trailside Creamery ice cream date from Caroline, a little bathtub fishing set from Ben (which Ben promptly used in his own bath shortly after it was opened), some awesome, three-person walkie-talkies from Maw Maw and Paw Paw, a "credit card" to Barnes and Noble from Gaga and Grandpa and the grand finale..... tickets to the Kentucky/South Carolina basketball game!

I love this birthday boy more than words can express and I can't wait to see how God works in him and grows him up even more this year.

Happy birthday, nine-year-old Sam!
















Birthday date with my boy

One of my very favorite birthday traditions that we have has to be our birthday dates. And it's a good thing I love it because we decided long ago that Jimmy would take all of our daughters for their birthday dates and I would take all of our sons. That makes me a very busy lady from January through April.

So Sam kicked birthday dating season off for me tonight and he was quite the gentleman. I really love that special time with him. We're very much alike in that quality, one on one time speaks volumes to us. Sam is always pretty chatty but when he's got your ears all to himself he's going to let you in on every thought running through that cute head of his. And I hope that's always true.

We made lots of stops on our birthday date including Barnes and Noble, Dick's Sporting Goods and Whole Foods for a yummy treat and some birthday meal goodies. There are few things sweeter than sitting across the table from my boy who's growing up so fast, sharing sweet treats and sodas and talking about the important relationships in his life. One of the only things that might be sweeter is when he says that this date is so much fun we're going to do it again really soon, only he'll be paying. He might want to wait until after April to ask me out though. : )


aMAZE-ing

Ben has loved doing mazes for a good little while now so he was pretty pumped to find a new maze book in his Christmas book pile. Thankfully I remembered his tendency to fly through those things at lightning speed when allowed free range and I called it a "school book", which meant that it comes out only at school time. These babies aren't cheap so we've gotta make them last! And it looks like he's passed his love right on down to Jack now too, who loves to get out his "homework" and trace those lines that take the baby rabbit to his mama rabbit.