Mr. Mom

One day I found Nate doing this...

What a smart boy! Have you ever seen such cuteness?!

Can you read anywhere?

Emma is our avid reader! This girl reads any and every where.

A Heart of Thanks!

I can't even begin to count all the blessings in my life, but it sure is fun to try.

This Thanksgiving I am grateful for the way God meets me just where I am. I'm thankful for the way He has instructed my heart, led me down unknown paths, and provided wisdom just when I needed it.

I'm thankful for:
* My husband and his faithful love.
* My children and the joy and laughter they bring to our home.
* Opportunities to serve others.
* Extended family that is close by.
* Restored relationships.
* New friends and old alike.
* A place to call home.
* Living in a country where I am free to worship God.
* Unanswered prayers.
* Answered prayers.
* God's glorious riches.

The Lord has been gracious to me. How has He shown you grace this past year? I hope you'll take time to count your blessings and reflect on God's kindness. Happy Thanksgiving!

He really did do this!

Nate comes up with the craziest ideas!

Despite the crash landing he wanted to go again. That's when I called for bedtime...before we had to make a late night trip to the ER.

Potty Training Day 2

Although we technically started potty training last night, this is our first full day of it. We've had some accidents, but we have progressed from going when the timer goes off to Nate deciding to go when he wants. I follow him into the bathroom and he says, as he is pointing at the door, "Go out there, please Mommy." I am no longer allowed in the bathroom, nor can I watch from the doorway.

Hmmmmm......what else is there to say?!

A start to potty training

Nate came in the bathroom this morning and said, "Potty." He took off his diaper, climbed on the potty, did his business, got down, pulled up his pants, and said, "No diaper!" He wanted to underwear, so I promised we would go buy some after lunch.

Flash forward to dinnertime. We opened Nate's package of Cars underwear - 7 pair in all. He got on the potty. Did his thing. Put on a pair of underwear. Took them off. Got on the potty. Did his thing. Put on a pair of underwear. We did this routine until all 7 pairs of underwear had been worn.

So far potty training has been a breeze. I haven't done a thing. Nate is taking care of all the details. Let's hope day 2 goes just as well.

Confessions of an unfit Mom

I have a 2-year-old little boy who wants to be potty trained. He has a Mom who is too busy to make it happen.

Sad, huh?!

Nate is so ready to be out of diapers. He says things like, "No diaper! Big boy potty. Go potty." The problem is I don't have enough down time to commit a day to potty training.

This makes me feel like a failure. An unfit Mom. Like I'm too caught up in other things. Like my priorities are all wrong.

At the beginning of this school year I decided to be intentional about not being too busy. I wanted to have lots of time for Nate and be available to my friends and family. Somehow things slowly warped into super, crazy, busy, full days. How does that happen?!

I lead women's Bible study. Volunteer once a month at Emma's school. Chair the 5K fundraiser for Emma's school (our first one will be next spring). Take card orders. Attend stamp camp once a month. And all the daily things of being a wife and mom like cleaning, cooking, laundry, pick up Emma from school, do the shopping, take Emma to her activities, keep Nate from breaking his neck, keep Nate on a schedule, keep Nate engaged and entertained, help Tim with various office needs (research, newsletters, mailings), etc. The list goes on and on. It gets to the point where exercise and daily time in the Word are rushed. Things I enjoy become burdensome. Oh dear, things HAVE to change.

The one thing I know for certain...daily time in the WORD should and will be my number one. It's the one thing I HAVE to have. I crave it! I long for it! I can't live without it.

Exercise is a close second for my own stability. And being a wife and mom come before all other activities. So judge me if you must, but I will be adding potty training to my calendar so I can make sure it happens. And I'll be looking for ways to cut back on outside activities. And I will guard my family time fiercely. And I will not leave the house or jump into a project before I have spent time with the One who gives me strength for the day.

I will lean into my Lord who makes me fit for the job.

Salute our Veterans

In honor of my late Grandpa ~ Buster Hall ~ and all the other veterans who sacrifice so much for our freedom and liberties, I salute you. Thank you for all you have done and all you do to keep this great country the greatest country in the world.

(Buster Hall, Phillipines 1942)

Snowy Days

The snow started to fall last night while we were having dinner with my family. The kids were so excited to go out and see it.

This morning Nate woke up and said, "Look out there! Clouds on the ground!" It was so cute to see his excitement over the snow. Nate and Emma were both thrilled at the chance to wear their new coats.

Rare Moments

I don't usually go so long without posting, but life has been busy with rare moments. Case in point, today I had the opportunity to explain bathroom plumbing to a 2-year-old. Nate put an ice cube in the sink then turned on the water. He wanted to know where it went and kept expecting to see it under the sink. The best part was every time I would explain part of the process Nate would say, "Huh." (As if to say, "I didn't know that. That's really interesting.)

Of course the special rare moments are interspersed with fun daily occurrences such as wrestling, sing-a-longs, sharing snacks, reading (always reading If You Give a Pig a Pancake), park visits, running, naps, etc.

I'll post again when I get a quiet moment to myself.

To Uncle Tomy & Aunt Mendy

Nate would like to thank you from the bottom of his heart for the bubble wrap.

It is...

so much...

fun!!!

There's more!?!

What's this?!

Trucks!

Cool! Tank you!!!

Vroom! Vroom!

Emma also was very appreciative!

What a great birthday present! Thank you!!!

Photo Shoot for Nate's 2nd Birthday

So last week I took the kids to a new portrait studio for Nate's 2 year portraits and to have sibling pictures made. It wasn't the best experience considering it took 2 1/2 hours!!! But we came home with some great pictures, so I'm trying to forget the process and enjoy the spoils! These are the unedited versions of some of my favorites.

I'm thinking next year I should do what my friend Jewel did and use my own camera to take portraits. Sure would save some time and money!

Happy birthday to my little fireman!

Happy birthday Nate! You are such a fun, vivacious, smart and inquisitive little boy. We are so grateful God brought you to us. You bring such joy and laughter to our family. We love you!

**********

We celebrated Nate's birthday yesterday with a firetruck party. It all started with a tour of our neighborhood fire station. You've never seen a more excited little boy! All day before the party Nate kept saying, "Firetruck!"

Since it was Halloween as well the kids came to the party in their costumes. Of course, Nate was a fireman! He had a blast climbing all over the firetruck.

The family in front of the coolest firetruck.

After the tour everyone came to our house for cake. Nate was just as excited about his firetruck cake.

I had fun making it, but it was a challenge.

Of course we had fireman hats.

Nanny and Papa got this scooter for Nate. He jumped right on and took off like he had been riding one all his life. Such a smart boy!

Another fun gift from his cousins.

This was such a fun party! Nate now equates birthday with firetruck...and quite possibly candy since he got to trick-or-treat for the first time later that day. Check back tomorrow for those fun pics.