Ice, Ice, Baby...

Joshua had the right idea...to stay safe on the ice you need to lower your center of gravity...

but I knew the concern about safety wouldn't last long...

the house next to ours is for sale so the driveway was nothing but ice...

it didn't take long for the neighborhood kids and parents to join in on the fun...

Joshua enjoyed strategically positioning himself in the line of fire so that he would enjoy a ride too...because it was really difficult to make it up the hill on his hands and knees


I know, I know someone could have been hurt...I should know better than to allow them to do this...no lectures please, just enjoy the pictures...

Glass Blowing...

our Tapesty of Grace co-op in the artist's studio...

Micaiah's turn to "put on the glasses" with Mr. Tim (the owner of the studio), in this picture, he is rolling hot glass into the flecks of colored glass...

now he is heating the colored glass...

and using the tool to make a marble ...

Joshua...

knows how to live life to the fullest!

Mondays with "GG"...

I know you think I'm cute and cuddly...

but underneath it all...

I'm still ALL boy!

Our afternoon walk...

most of the time the older boys walk or ride something with wheels and I push Eli in his car...but today he decided (well he threw a full blown temper tantrum) that he wanted to be like the big boys and walk around the block...

his decision brought so much joy to Joshua...

it has been such a joy to watch their relationship blossom in the last few weeks...

and tonight we had a celebration after dinner...because Eli walked all the way around the block by himself...

and in this family, that is something to celebrate!

Snow + Friends make...

Monday's fun! Micaiah and Kieran making snowballs to throw at Ms. Andrea...

Joshua "taking in" the snow...

and a little snow baseball...

now that is the way to spend a Monday!!

Mondays with "GG"...

GG, the dog you bought for us is very happy here...

he gets lots of kisses...

and hugs!

Hugs and kisses to you too! We miss you!

Sweet morning time...

Wes and I both love getting Eli in the morning...there is something so sweet about the way he gathers up all of his "things" and waits for you to pick him up...

here he is waiting at the shower door for Daddy...

with both blankies, his monkey and paci...

just a few of his favorite things!

7:45 AM...

it only takes a dusting of snow...

I need to remember...

moments like this...

Mondays with "GG"...

"GG, what would you like for breakfast in the morning? I'll cook you whatever you want!"

"My Daddy says that you like dessert for breakfast or I could make you some pancakes (and I promise I'll remember to add the eggs)!"

"GG": is my beloved grandmother...mother to 7...grandmother to 18 (13 boys, 5 girls)... great grandmother to 4 boys...she loves looking through the blog when my mom visits with her on Monday evenings...this is my gift to you Mom Mom...I Love you!

I had to laugh...

Joshua loves his MP3 player. He carries it everywhere. Today, we were finishing up lunch and listening to him flip through the songs Wes downloaded. He seemed to be looking for a certain one (their are 53 songs on there and he now knows the order). He turned on "I Saw the Light" and then got up from the table and went downstairs. I looked at Wes and said..."Where is he going? Did he ask to be excused from lunch?"

And Wes replied, "He went downstairs to play this song...you see when this song comes on, in his mind he's late!" I laughed so hard as I began to recall this past week...he's right...in his mind the band started without him...

It's really hard...

for a sick boy to rest! The "plague" visited our house this week...Eli on Wed, Micaiah on Saturday (we're praying I don't have to add any names to this sentence)! I came home from running errands to find Micaiah playing catch with Wes...he was a little weak from the day before but...

he caught a few here and there.

A look down...

at my lovely new boot. Since October I've been nursing a foot injury, no running, PT 2x/week for almost 2 months, but one trip to the Foot and Ankle Doctor and...

it's an issue with the "spring" ligament..."stay in this boot for 2-3 weeks for all activities and it should settle down." Almost one week down, 1-2 more to go!

Perfect time for...

a trip to the National Museum of Dentistry.

Micaiah and Josh enjoying the MouthPower exhibit...

Josh learning some brushing techniques...

Dr. Mace attending to a very familiar looking patient...and presenting him with some very startling news...

"this is what your teeth looked like when you were taking good care of them, and this is what they look like now."

The highlight of the trip for Micaiah...The George Washington Gallery. But the highlight of the trip for Joshua...The Narwhal: A Whale of a Tooth Exhibit

Before we left Joshua ran over to the Narwhal and said..."Bye Narwhal, you're my best friend!"

Daddy and...

his boys enjoying the David Crowder Remedy Tour DVD. And yes, they have a favorite song...

...neverending...

"Neverending always, You will never end

Because You're always never ending

You were there before There was beginning

Always You were, You are neverending

Here You are now with us

Here we are, found In You

And this makes all the difference

This changes everything

Making our whole existence

Worth something, so we sing

La, la, la, la... "

All three boys have been caught "la, la, la-ing" through the house. Not to mention singing the course very loudly at the dinner table (as they argue over who is David Crowder and who is the audience...I have to admit I kind of lost it that time).

But, as I reflect on these words, I realize my desire to understand in a deeper way what it means to be "found in Him." And it brings to mind my reading from this morning from Sacred Rhythms...

"Another reason we are so tired is that we are always working hard to figure things out rather than learning how to cease striving, how to be with what is true in God's presence and let God be God in the most intimate places of our life-which is, in the end, the only thing that will change anything."

Enjoy the video...

Finally...

the tooth came out! Micaiah's first loose tooth has been hanging by a "thread" for the last few days. It has actually been a little painful to watch him try to "keep it in." Well, today the boys were playing outside near dark and all of a sudden it fell out right onto the ground!

His new "toothless grin!"

The celebration didn't last too long...

this superhero had to get back to work!

Celebrating New Years...

with the PA Maces!

Micaiah and Gus stayed awake by pretending to be superheros saving the world most of the night. We also witnessed a softer side of the boys when they took off the "dress-up clothes" and played house by taking care of some of Sophia's babies. They made it until 10:30...

Sophia loved helping us take care of Eli...and Eli loved the special attention!

Josh wasn't feeling too well...but he made the most of it!