Beautiful Life





Hey child up and go; A big world is out there waiting for us to live in every day. Outside you will find, there is love all around you; Takes you, makes you wanna' say; That it's a beautiful life and it's a beautiful world and it's a beautiful time to be here, to be here, to be here. -Fisher

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Thankful

Today, I'd like to take a moment...or ten, to say thank you to all the men and women that stand on the wall for this country. The men and women that make it possible for us to choose.




We, as in our family, choose to be Christian, choose to pray in public, choose to read our Bibles, choose to teach our own children at home.

These freedoms are not enjoyed in other countries, under other leadership. And sometimes we take from granted that we will always have them.

But freedom isn't free. It's paid for by the men and women that serve this country every day. It's paid for by the families that wait at home for them to return.



My favorite veteran served in both the Vietnam War and Desert Storm.
It's my Dad.
Thank You!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

My boys!

Hello, I'm glad you decided to join me again. Today I continue to delight in flipping through hundreds of pictures, pulling out some favorites to post here, and the kids and I are enjoying hours of home video verses watching TV this week.

Okay, who am I kidding! I still had to watch 18 Kids and Counting! It's an addiction and pretty sure there is a 10 step program I'll have to check into at some point. I'm okay with that.

But, this post isn't about the Duggars. It's about my sweet, soon to be, teenage boys. There. I said it. Happy?


My boys were born on a Wednesday and came home on the following Monday. Nothing was ever the same after that. It's been one wild ride!


Noah taking the wheel. As usual.

The story we tell about Noah is how he got so angry at being born second that he showed his butt. Literally. That is the first part we all got to see, because he came out bottom first. He screamed, turned red and them held his breath while he turned purple! He has raced through life ever since, trying to be first and loving speed!

This particular Christmas was the one when I found pieces of gold bead strands that had been cut off the tree and left on the floor. I followed the trail up to the boys room to find them giving each other new hair cuts! Thankfully, I caught this before it got too far. Parker lost a chunk from the front, but it covered well. Let's just say that Noah isn't "cut out" for a job as a hair dresser! Unless mullets are coming back.

My favorite times were the years between 1 and 5! Before one was so much work and after 5 it seemed like they were grown up too much. But, that time in between was so much fun!

bath time was always a blast. One of my favorite times of the day. They were such messy eaters that they had to get a bath right after dinner, every night! I always threw them in the tub downstairs, bathed them and then they ran through the house naked to their bedroom upstairs....stopping to warm their heinies at the fireplace in the winter! But, they refused to let me share those pictures. If I'd taken pictures of that. Which I totally would not have done. Because that would be INAPPROPRIATE! You know.

Yes, they were a handful.

But, a handful of fun! And, I was always glad to have my hands full!


Of, course the reality is that they had their moments too!
But, they were darn cute even in the throws of a tantrum.



They loved their big Sissy.

And each other. These two were always inseparable. Best friends. By this time, we were dressing Noah in red and Parker in blue so preschool teachers and neighbors and friends could tell who was who. Believe it or not, they are Fraternal. No one believes me.







Okay, I'll be honest here. Noah is the one I found wrapped in toilet paper and covered in baby powder. Make that, found him and his entire room covered in baby powder! Including his brother who is sitting there laughing at his antics! He's the one that climbed out of the crib and electrocuted himself with a nightlight. He's the one that screamed so badly after a little fall that he passed out. The one that refused to walk for an entire day when he was 18 months old, and AFTER I'd spent the next entire day at the doctor's office, having blood drawn and getting x-rays, I bring him home, set him down on the floor and HE GETS UP AND WALKS TO HIS TOYS! The little booger. He's the one that snuck his uncle's wallet and hid it in the closet, and only after said uncle is about to panic, does he share this information.
He's also the one that makes me laugh every blessed day of my life!


And, Parker. How was he special? What do I remember most about him as a little guy? I remember the flowers he brought me from the yard to put in my hair. The notes he flew to me as paper airplanes. My sweet, sweet boy!

He makes my heart so full!


It seems like only yesterday that they came to snuggle in bed with us and fell asleep. Today they still come to snuggle, thank you God. They're just a little bit bigger!

Goodnight

Sunday, November 8, 2009

This week

This week I will be a virtual single parent. Paul will only be home a total of one day and two nights from now until next Sunday. Not two consecutive nights either.

This week should be interesting.

This week is a regular week of school for my kids. Plus we have SMART Class and an orthodontist evaluation and more extra classes and piano.

This week I had to cancel Claire's urology appointment.....'cause ummmm, single parent here, and I can't do it all.

This week will be interesting.

This week I will wallow in memories of the days when I had two sweet little guys. I will commemorate the first 12 years of their lives on this very blog....you get to indulge me.

I know you are thrilled.

And, on Friday of this week....yes, on Friday the 13th, my twins will be 13!

This week my boys will become teenagers. I don't even like to say that word. The "T" word. But, it will happen whether I like it or not.

That bridge will be crossed and there will be no going back. Will they be amazing young men? Yes, I think so. And, they are ready.....I'm not.

This week I will get over that.

This week, after watching the home movies and skipping down memory lane for a few days, I will put on my big girl panties and deal with it.

This week, my amazing boys will turn 13 and I get to be the proud mother of two teenage boys.

But first, this week, I will share some of my favorite memories with you. 'Cause I'm sweet that way!


This picture was taken in the hospital, when Noah finally got to come out of the nursery after days of being on monitor. My parent's are holding them....together again. Parker is on the left and Noah on right. Yes, I'm sure!

The day they go home from the hospital!


Parker and Noah, just a few weeks old, with their triplet, Megan! I love this picture!

My tiny little boys

My mother with.....ummmm, a boy. I will admit, that I don't know which child is which in every single picture. Most, but not every.single.one. Too late to worry about

LOVE THIS PICTURE!
Paul with Parker, Mark with Megan, and my Dad with Noah.

Paul's brother, David and his wife, Jeanie with the boys for the first time.
I just think this is a sweet picture. The boys were so teeny tiny and cuddly.

Daddy with his boys!

Both set of grandparents at the Baptism. I love this because everyone is smiling.

My grandmother and Paul's grandmother.
Grandma Gour is no longer with us and my grandmother is....but she isn't. So this picture is dear to me.

The boys have two sets of amazing God Parents! This is Becky with Parker and Kip holding Noah.

And, in this one Carmel has Parker and Tom has Noah. We chose the people we did because they are wonderful examples of faithful people.

Lizze and her boys at Easter. She had her hands full!

No idea why I like this, I just do. It reminds me of how I had to carry them places. Imagine toting both these car seats around! When I would take them to the doctor I had to get both seats out, but they were too heavy for me to carry them both for long. The office was not close to the parking lot. So, I would walk one car seat a few steps, put it down, go back for the other one and walk it a few steps past the first one, go back for the first one and so on. Sounds funny now! Even I laugh now. Not funny then.

Handsome boys!
Noah and Parker

Loud boys!
Noah and Parker
This was before we started dressing Noah in all the red clothes and Parker in all the blue clothes. We started that so others had a better chance of telling them apart!
Happy boys!
Parker is on the left this time and Noah on the right.

What a cutie!

Wild man! Noah would get in this Johnny jump-up and jump himself silly!

This picture makes me laugh! The things we did for our kids. The boys hated textures and would shiver when they touched sand, so we brought the little pool for them to play in at the beach. Now, if one of my kids had this issue, I'd probably plop them down in the sand and tell them to get over it....but those guys were my first, so I drug the pool out to the beach!

Sweetness! That is Parker sleeping and Noah not....of course.

Loved their new swing.
Noah

What a chunky monkey!
Parker

The double trouble stroller. I still have it. Why? Who knows. But, that thing was a pain.

First birthday!
Having twins was a dream come true for me. Most people think I'm nuts, but I prayed for them! And I was thrilled that they were boys. Having them was a lot of work, but it was a lot of fun too!
Tomorrow I'll try to share some stories. Because, I got stories!

Wednesday, November 4, 2009

Show-off!

Here's a little preschool show-off.

She really is so smart, and has come so far in the time that we have had her!

This one is for my mom, who needs her Claire fix and for Christin, who is so sweet to follow my blog and tell me how she loves it! I can't wait to see you and Matt as parents!

Monday, November 2, 2009

One Step Closer



Un-Extreme Home Makeover
Phase II Part 5






A quick project....that turned into an all-day one, of course!
*sigh*