A good list!

I really need to write more.  Goodness, Sonya.  It's been too long!!  I love doing this every do often:  Listing the cool things my kids say (yes, these were from Facebook, but I laugh each time I re-read them! LOL!).  Hope you giggle as much as I did (some of them are just cool, not necessarily funny)

August 14, 2011:

4167.3 miles

24 days

Traveled through 10 states

Home at last

October 15, 2011: Me: "We are having waffles for lunch. Rianna, do you want syrup?" R: "Yes please. No waffles though. Just syrup."

January 7, 2012: About a week ago... J: Mom, I'm going to build a rocket. Do you have a 3 gallon bucket, a BUNCH of gun powder, and liquid oxygen? Me: No stinkin' way. J: Darn

January 8, 2012: Mental note: do not place the cinnamon next to the cumin in the cabinet; they look very similar. Cumin and sugar toast is downright nasty. For reals.

February 3, 2012: Rianna (pointing to a giant smiley face sticker): Mommy, I think he is dead. Me: I dont think so! He looks so happy! R: Mommy, its a sticker. Its not alive.

February 12, 2012: Rianna: "Mommy, a non sequitur is very, very tractor." (giggle....giggle)

February 16, 2012: Jacob: "Mom, you know.... pretty soon ... I'm going to be a lurking teenager."

April 6, 2012: Rianna: ...holding a ladybug... 'Mommy, this is my ladybug. His name is Mr. Cutie Patootie.'

April 9, 2012: Listening to Jacob play his guitar and sing. His voice is changing already and his song keeps changing keys. It make me weepy and giggly at the same time. : }

April 27, 2012: Ha! Found a giant squirt gun. Our kids are on the trampoline, fully clothed and dripping wet! I love hearing them laugh that hard! :)

May 21, 2012: Toby and the kiddos had a massive nerf gun war during thr garage sale this past weekend. I keep finding nerf bullets in really random places. : )

May 21, 2012: Geez. For Jacob's school, he had to write a rhyming poem. Here is what he wrote. ....such a boy. (Jacket is our dog)

Jacket’s tired, whiskers drooped

Then he got up, and then he pooped.

Then he walked, and bonked his knee,

Right before he went outside to pee.

June 3, 2012: Jacob: Mom, when I grow up, I don't want to be a vegetarian; I want to be a dessertitarian.

June 7, 2012:  (At the library) I found Jacob in front of the library computer. "Mom? I need to find books on home-made bombs. Will you help me?" Me: "..." (just looked at him and gave the "Mom" look) Jacob: "Dangit."

Another One from Anna....

"Oh Mommy, my allergies are angry at me today."

Jake's Piano Recital

We are so proud of our boy! Here is Jacob playing Etude

Random kiddo quotes

I haven't done this in a while!!

2-19-11
Me: "Rianna, you are such a smart cookie." R: "Mommy, I'm not a cookie!" Me: "Not even a snickerdoodle?" R: "Nope!" Me: "Then what are you?" R: "I'm a 'punkin' (pumpkin)!"

3-17-11
I gave my kiddos Triscuits for snack earlier today.
Rianna: "Mommy! I LIKE these crackers...they were salty! Are they made of wood?"

3-17-11
HA!!!!! Toby just texted me this from Jacob's piano lesson:
J: Do you like monkeys?
Piano teacher: I do! I think they're adorable!
J: That's good because today is St. Patrick's Day!

3-22-11
Rianna politely asked for more sour cream at lunch. We said it was fine and about 5 minutes later, I noticed the tub of sour cream in front of her. She was eating right out of it with a spoon.

3-27-11
Mommies!!
If you can't find your shoes, don't look all over the house for an hour trying to find them. Go directly to your four year old's room and you'll find them under a pile of dress up clothes.
Sigh.

4-20-11
R: Mommy? Why do I have to go potty again & again? Me: Its how God made our bodies to get rid of things we dont need. R: Like broccoli? We dont need broccoli.

4-22-11
Jacob made breakfast: waffles, syrup, and pineapple. It was ready when I got out of the shower. :) About 20 minutes later, from the kitchen, Rianna said, "Mommy, why are my feet sticky?" Me: "Gee. I can't imagine."

Overwhelmed, grateful and blessed

Gosh. Haven't posted in a while. Sorry. Life has been a bit too full for my taste. Instead of listing all the things that make my life so busy right now, I am writing about what is consuming my thought life.

I am blessed.

I had an idea of how blessed I am but I think I am more aware of it now. We often take things for granted even when we don't mean to. ...at least I do. Life is a giant, messy blur right now; too fast and crazy. More sleep is needed, the house is eternally cluttered and there are too many things on the back-burner. These things have bothered me for months and now they don't seem to matter as much.

Papa (Toby's dad) was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma last week (ish). I immediately felt overwhelmed with the familiar "freak-out" feeling. Both my parents have cancer, and I didn't want to revisit the initial feelings I had when I heard their news. There are no words that express the grief I went through before Papa's prognosis. There were several weeks of "unknown," worry, sleepless nights, humongous "lump in my throat" - "please don't touch me or I will burst into tears" moments. I felt like I needed to be strong. I felt like I couldn't let my kids see me cry because I couldn't tell them what was wrong because I didn't know. No one knew! I hated seeing my husband walk around in a daze. When Mom (Granny) told me the news of his prognosis, I locked my bedroom door and sat on my bed and cried for over 30 minutes. I was so relieved.

As much as I do not like that Papa has cancer, I am thankful it is a curable kind. Through this mess, I have learned how much I really care about him. I feel like I was reminded of the reasons I adore him because we feared we were losing him. I love how he loves my babies, his tickly mustache kisses, his heart-felt belly laugh. I love that he comes to my house, puts an empty mason jar in my hand and doesn't need to say anything...he just smiles because he knows I know he needs more salsa. We always have hazelnut coffee in the fridge because we know it's his favorite; we want to be prepared in case he wants to tell us one of his stories over a cup of coffee. We stop everything to hear them! He paints my daughter's toe nails and fingernails and has a drawer full of nail polish so she has a choice of color. He never misses special events for the kids. Granny and Papa are unique, beautiful and cherished people in my life.

Words cannot express my gratitude, God. I am overwhelmed at the blessing you gave me in them. I am so thankful that three people that I cherish and love have cancer and are still here. They are still laughing with me, loving on my children, reaching out to others and greatly effecting me and my family's life.

I cherish my momma, my daddy and Papa. I now know how much.

These are not the droids you are looking for....

I took my kiddos to the library tonight. Jacob stopped about 3 feet from the automatic door, resumed a lunge stance, threw his right arm out in front of him and froze with a fierce look in his eyes. The door quietly opened and he smugly walked through it. Sonya: (giggling) Jacob: "So, what's wrong with using the force, Mom?" Sonya: "Nothing, Jacob. I just think you're awesome."

Baldness is cool

Rianna: (showing Toby her baby bear stuffed toy) "Daddy, will you please watch my baby? She likes bald daddies."