No More Baby Mullet

I took this on the way to A's gymnastics today. :) (Lane was driving.) They were singing together. Well, Alexee was singing all the words and Crosby was humming.

This is a blurry picture with my phone (through the glass window) of Alexee on the beam (far right, black suit). I really don't have a clue what all she can do because I'm always chasing C and don't get to see more than a few seconds of her here and there. She seems to enjoy it. I think she's going to be athletic. I never was, but I was also too shy to try anything which doesn't seem to be a problem for her. :)

Crosby still doesn't feel his best. He's been fussy all day and only took a 45 minute nap--both things unusual for him. So that's made it seem like a very long day. He had a haircut appointment scheduled for this afternoon, which I dreaded because of his mood, but I didn't want to cancel. He did okay except when she started the clippers. He didn't like that noise at ALL. And Alexee kept coming right up to him with a handful of Tootsie Pops. He had one of his own, but of course he wanted more. I couldn't seem to convince A to stay in the seat a few feet away or at least hide the suckers. She was worried about the hair that was falling on his shirt and she kept trying to dust it off of him. I just wanted to go home.

I've let C's hair get longer than I ever did with Rhett's. After his bath the back would curl up and look SO sweet and cute. But it was honestly reaching baby-mullet stage when it was dry (unfortunately the curls don't stay after it's dry). So I asked D to try to leave the top longer, but trim the back and the pieces over his ears. Again, these are blurry phone pictures, but you get the idea. It has a cute shape and does look better...but I missed those little curls at bath time tonight!

He stays busy looking in cabinets. He's also learned to move bar stools and breakfast chairs around the kitchen, so nothing is out of reach anymore! No wonder I don't have any trouble sleeping at night.
I reminded Alexee tonight that the day after tomorrow is her birthday. This made her VERY happy! She knew it was coming up, but I think she lost track of the days and didn't realize it was so soon. Her little party is on Saturday, so I'm working on a few things for that. I'm doing a foam board "Happy Birthday" princess sign for the front door. I SURE hope we don't get snow/ice! I'm just pretending it's already spring!

Zoo Fun

My sister and her kiddos invited us to meet them at the zoo this morning. It was a beautiful, unusually warm day for January so we were happy to see them and to get outside and enjoy the sunshine.

First stop: monkey island

Alexee was really excited to tell Aunt Kala something!?

Rhett's favorite part of the zoo is always the reptile house. I don't know if the snakes could sense that it was warmer outside or what, but they were slithering all over their cages and sticking their tongues out right at the glass. CREEPY. They usually don't seem to be doing much, but I might have nightmares after seeing them today. I don't know why I even took this picture.

Rhett has always been interested in the venomous vs. non-venomous labels. Micaela heard him tell Jaiden that "venomous" meant that if it bit you, you'd die. Micaela quickly explained that as long as you get immediate medical attention, almost any snake bite could be helped! She also added that the glass on these cages is really thick.

Posing in front of the Gaboon Viper

All of us by the bear exhibit

(The bears were really moving around today--also unusual.)

Poor Crosby has a bad cough and he was really getting tired by the time we rode the train. I think the train whistle was scaring him too. So sweet and snuggly!

Love their expressions! :)

Micaela took this picture with her phone. It's just our reflection in the glass, but it looks like we're walking right beside the lions--weird!

Looking at the tigers.

Lunch with Rhett & Chores

Lane was off today so we all went to R's school to have lunch with him. We got there a little early so we stopped by the classroom and listened in on some of their geography lesson on continents. Here are Alexee and Crosby at the back of the room. It's hard to believe Alexee will be starting Kindergarten in a year and a half. Rhett can walk her to class! Crosby got bored and decided to go to a different table and look at books.We sat at a separate table from the class in the dining room (they're supposed to call it that instead of the "cafeteria"). We brought Rhett a cherry limeade from Sonic to go with his packed lunch. He usually wants to be a "tray", but he checked the menu earlier this week and requested a lunchbox today. I packed A & C lunches, too, but Crosby was mostly just interested in the Cheetos and the cupcake R got from a classmate who was celebrating her birthday.

***

For a while now Rhett has had a few chores that he does every week day to earn an allowance. Last Monday he asked if he could do extra chores to earn extra money because he wanted to save up to buy a new game for his Nintendo DSi. So he got a piece of paper and came up with 10 chores to do:
The first two were already on his chore list. Number 6 is give Bogart a bath (once a week). He decided to make Monday bath day for B. He did a good job--he even used the hairdryer on him! :) Bogart rarely gets that kind of pampering!
He did all his chores every day this week. One step closer to that new game!

Rhett's Decision

"If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." --Romans 10:9

Since this wonderful, life-changing day in March 2004, my nightly prayer has been, "Lord, I pray that Rhett would know You at an early age and walk with You all the days of his life."

I hope we model the love of Christ in our home every day. I know Rhett is taught the Truth both at home and at our church. We've memorized verses, talked about ways to serve others, read Bible stories, sang Bible songs, attended VBS, etc. But with all my heart I've prayed that Rhett would know in his own heart that he needs to trust Jesus personally and seek Him in ALL that he does, no matter how young or how old.

So Tuesday night, January 25, 2011, was one of the happiest of my life. Monday night before bed he told me he wanted to talk to me about something. But then he decided he didn't want to say anything, and I didn't pressure him. Tuesday night before bed I casually said, "Rhett, was there something on your mind that you wanted to tell me?" I was sitting on his bed and he was standing right beside the bed and he said, "I need a relationship with Jesus, and I prayed to ask him into my heart." I hugged him and told him that was the most wonderful news I could imagine. I asked him what he understood about needing to know Jesus. I wish I could remember every word of what he said, but I can't. He said something like, "Jesus is our Shepherd, and we need to trust and follow Him." I asked if seeing Jaiden baptized last weekend had made him think a lot about this. He said he had prayed in his bed one morning after Christmas and had been wanting to tell us, but seeing Jaiden baptized made him really want to talk about it. I asked if he wanted to pray together and suggested we go downstairs with Daddy because he would love to hear this too. So we did. At first he was shy but I told Lane what he'd just told me and then he started talking. The three of us sat on the couch, Rhett on Lane's lap, while R prayed.

I asked him what he understood about baptism, and he said not a lot. Lane briefly explained but told him we could talk more about that over the next few weeks and when he feels like he's ready he can be baptized. Lane also talked to him about the Holy Spirit. He seemed to be following right along with what Lane was telling him. I asked him if he remembered that verse about the fruits of the Spirit...love, joy... He said, "Yes, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-discipline." (Galatians 5:22) We explained that as a believer in Christ, these "fruits"/things should be evident in your life. I thought about kindness this morning when I made chocolate chip muffins and he asked if there were a lot of muffins. I said that there were, and he said, "Well, if there's enough I was just wondering if I could take one to Mrs. H-- when I go to school?" :) Of course we sent one for her in his lunchbox. :) Now I pray that he will grow every day in the Lord and that others around him will see God's love shining in his life.

***

"...May the Holy Spirit work in my child's heart so that he will be kept pure. I pray that his hands--work, service and actions--will always be pure before You. I pray that his heart--relationships, motives, and desires--will always be pure before You. Help my child to never let anything become more important to him than You are..."

from Praying God's Promises for My Child by Linda K. Taylor

Thank you, God, for this precious life!

Please guide us every day as we seek to raise our children in a way that will bring honor to You.

Spring-like Day in January

Today felt so warm and wonderful! It was only 57 degrees, but it seemed like spring! The kids and I met friends at the church playground after school so we could enjoy some fresh air and sunshine together. We were thankful for such a beautiful day, and when I watch all three kids playing I'm always so grateful that they're healthy and able to run and jump and climb and slide, etc.!

See the slide at the left of the picture? After helping Crosby on it twice, he went down it all by himself. Then he'd run back around, climb up to the landing and slide again (with me following right behind him). He has no fear.
Alexee climbing across the big fish bridge. She said this big fish reminded her of the Bible story about the guy who went out in the ocean and got eaten by a big whale. "Jonah?" I asked. "Yes, him!"

Crosby played a lot of ball today. He had fun rolling this one down the slide.

The big boys--Rhett and his friend Garret--playing spies or something like that at the very top of the play set.I thought it was so cute when C "drove" his car up to the gas pump. Notice the ball he was hauling in the back of his little car.

Electricity in his hair!

Snow is More Fun in the Country...

We had a good snow here two weeks ago, and Rhett had fun playing in it, but he thought this was WAY better! We went to my parents' house Friday after school. There was still enough snow to sled in the next morning, but the temperature was warming up so we had to hurry! It was perfect weather--just cold enough to still have snow but warm enough that it wasn't miserable to be outside in it.

Cattle/pretty view from behind Mom & Dad's house

He LOVED this!

I didn't get any pictures of Alexee sledding because she didn't want a turn this time. She did later when my sister arrived, and I think she has Alexee's picture on her camera. I'll have to get some of those from her.

I thought Crosby might be scared, but Dad held him in his lap to let him try it and he thought it was GREAT! He wasn't the least bit scared. He smiled the whole time. :)

Dad, C & R

So then I rode with C

Warming by the fire

Uncle Mario & Crosby

Jaiden & Rhett

Jeryn & Alexee

They're getting to the age now where they fight a lot less and play together a lot more--so happy for that! :) They had fun playing ball together.

Saturday evening my grandparents came over for a yummy dinner. After dinner Crosby entertained us with the Swiffer.

He's a big fan of jack-in-the-boxes

It was fun chaos.

Rhett & Jaiden did a play for us...something about Kung Fu Panda 2 that involved drawings of panda bears, a drawing contest, and sound effects on the laptop.

And just about the time we were afraid we might get bored, Dad built a fire in the back yard and got out the marshmallow-roasting sticks from our Thanksgiving hayride. :)
The main reason we went to Flippin for the weekend was to celebrate my niece's baptism day with her on Sunday. She is such a sweet girl. We are so proud of her and thankful for the way God is already at work in her life.

Jaiden with Mo & Granddad before the service started

Three children were baptized yesterday--what a great day! One was the son of a friend of mine from high school and another was my cousin's little boy, Bryce, who is a year older than Rhett and Jaiden.

Bro. Steve baptizing Bryce

Bro. Steve & Jaiden

(Isn't that cross and stained glass so pretty!?)

Judy was taking pictures at church yesterday too, and she e-mailed me this neat collage:

(Thank you, J! And happy 40th Anniversary!)