May 31, 2013

Will's Impromptu Performance...

Micaiah has been working on a new version of a Lego Baseball field for his school talent show for months...and I can't believe that these are the only pictures I have (taken with my iPhone in a half lit gym with horrible light) but it's the end of the school year and I'm trying to keep my head above water!

This field was different than others he has done in the past (this is one of his from another time)
 ...it was large... complete with bullpens, a scoreboard, fountains near the scoreboard, tunnels for the players to enter/exit the field, and lots and lots of stands for the fans.
One more picture because we destroyed it trying to get it back into the van and house!
He decided to add a tennis court and a basketball court right outside of the stadium this time...you can see this in the picture below...

Micaiah's 2013 Lego baseball field...complete with basketball and tennis courts next to the stadium...#legos
 It took all three of us to get this thing into the van and some crazy front seat concoction to keep it all together on the way there (because the rest of the seats were filled with boys)...I realized when I went to downshift that there were a few things that may not be possible on this trip to school...but that Lego Field would arrive in one piece and that's what was important!

At the school talent show there are kids that perform and a talent table where kids can display their creations.  Micaiah stood by the talent table in the gym most of the night.  It was a long night (approximately 2 hours of performances in a gym with no air conditioning on a 95 degree day)...so I watched Eli and Will right outside the gym doors.  They played on the playground and chased a baby bunny all over the playground and cemetery 

It had been a long day and I was really looking forward to getting home.  I kept checking in with Micaiah to see where we were in the program knowing that we still had to get this lovely Lego creation to the van and home again...we were finally nearing the end.  I asked Eli and Will to come in for the Grand Finale (where all of the performers participated in a dance on the stage).  We stood right inside the doors off of the playground...UNTIL...

Will started walking toward the stage...I followed him through the crowd of people but soon began to hear an internal dialogue that went something like this...

"Jenna, he's headed for the stage...he's headed for the stage fast...you're not going to catch him...and if you do he's probably going to scream...they've already started to perform... Yep, there he goes up the stage steps on the right...what are you going to do now?..."

I was jolted back to reality when I heard someone say..."Sit down and video him, this is great!"  

So below is a video of Will performing in the Grande Finale of the talent show that he didn't see 2 minutes of...he's on the right behind the keyboard at first...





video:  if you received this post via email subscription...please visit www.ouradventurewithboys.com to view the video

May 27, 2013

Multitude Monday #4009 - #4055...


"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord."
Psalm 150:6

Today along with the Gratitude Community I list His endless gifts...

...Instagram pictures/daily gifts over the past 2 weeks...
May 27th 1000 gifts...
left to right...
...Memorial Day Bike Ride...great quote from Love Does...field day fun...best buddies..."Look Mom I'm a reindeer!"~~
...yum...his reward...3 year old checkup...patience with early morning temper tantrums...he loves an audience~~
 ...daddy's boy...sunshine on a cloudy day...the boys with their MLB baseballs...an O's game with Mommy...Will in awe of the forest~~
...fun friday...my view from here...now...Will's favorite thing about our new house...YMCA at the O's game~~
batting practice...Eli's afternoon..."All Aboard!"...Seneca School House Field Trip...an after dinner hike...

...reading over a journal we kept for Micaiah that I found while unpacking...

...reading her words to him on the day of his birth...

...laughing with the boys over Nate the Great and the Owl Express ...

...sitting on a friends porch surrounded by birds singing, water trickling and a gentle breeze blowing...

...great conversation with ladies that speak truth...

...his 11-10 win over an undefeated team...

...our flowering dogwood...

...hearing stories about his 4th grade camping trip...

...boat sold...

...mentors encouragement...

...patience in the midst of a difficult circumstance...

...glimpses of his tender heart...

...everyone coming up with ideas for our summer bucket list...

...seeing their handwriting/ideas...

...boys pouring over a world map...

...the way he encourages his teamates....


...Micaiah's quest..a "hat day" at his school to raise money for NURU International ...

...watching Micaiah get knighted...       

...kitchen organization...

...seeing him have success at the plate...


...a family wiffle ball game in the front yard...

...celebrating memorial day with a yard full of housechurch friends...




 

May 26, 2013

The Best Part of My Day...

Why is this so difficult to define?  I think it's because I have all these ideas about what it could be on a certain day...

...a morning quiet time with the Lord 
OR
...when our little one comes sleepily down the hall with his "dranky drew" jingling and climbs into bed to snuggle 
OR
...when the boys are all listening intently to a story I'm reading
OR
...when my husband walks in the door and embraces me with a hug and a kiss
OR
...when I'm uploading pictures from the day to blog about the good gifts I saw from the Lord and it makes me stop and remember that the glass really is "always right full"
OR  
...when I'm traveling in the car with my eldest and we talk about things that really matter
OR 
...when I'm outside, the sun is shining, a gentle breeze is blowing, the boys are playing and they draw my attention to a small miracle of the Lord...a flower, some slimy creature, a blooming tree
OR
...when I walk down the steps after jammies, bedtime books, snuggles and back rubs...

You see it's all of these things but the moment of my day that continues to resonate with me as I've tossed this question over and over in my mind...

...is the moment my hands plunge into a warm, soapy sink of water...

...the boys have gone off outside with their dad...the witching hour is passed, the dinner time battle is over and the house falls quiet.  I watch from the inside as the boys play with their Daddy...baseballs flying, a swing soaring "super higher" into the sky and go carts and flash riders racing...

...all while I wash the remnants of dinner from the dishes and bring order into the beautiful chaos of the past 12+ hours.  My mind that has been racing from task to task all day long can wander or rest...the warm water prompts me to pause and slow...and bringing order to the chaos makes me feel safe again.  Daddy's here to help...bedtime is near and all the stress of the day slowly drains away.        

May 12, 2013

Multitude Monday #3984 - #4008...

"He stilled the storm to a whisper
 the waves of the sea were hushed. 
They were glad when it grew calm
 and he guided them to their desired haven. 
 Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love
    and his wonderful deeds for mankind."
Psalm 107:29-31

Today along with the Gratitude Community I list His endless gifts...

...my husbands tireless work getting the storage unit cleared out...

...a day trip to OC to visit some family...


My creation
...how the trip restores and refreshes my soul...

...Will's stunned amazement as he stares at the vastness of the ocean... 

...boys digging through the sand for a treasure of sand crabs...

...Joshua's heart for others that teaches me and challenges me at the same time...

...funnelcakes on the boardwalk...    

...Micaiah's mother's day present...

Micaiah's Mothers Day gift...a handmade pillow. #1000gifts

...an early morning walk with a friend...

...writing group and how it challenges me to write things that are bubbling beneath the surface...

...celebrating a friends 40th birthday...realizing that it was truly something to celebrate...he has faced death many times but God had other plans...

...God's constant pursuit of me even in my weariness... 

...dinner with friends...

...steak with blue cheese butter, roasted potatoes and grilled asparagus...

...boys running through the house dressed as different superheros...




...breakfast on Mother's Day...

...an evening baseball game...

...watching him light up when he hit a line drive to center field... 

...his joy in learning how to blow bubbles with his gum...






...a conversation with my brother...  

...a climbing tree with boys decorating the branches...

...me and 2 of 4...
2 of the 4...  


...a family hike...



...Will with his rocks...



...a picture with my boys...minus the important one taking the picture...


  




May 6, 2013

Instagram Pictures...


from the last few weeks...



thankfully I ducked...
Thankfully I ducked!!



Will keeping up with the big boys playing chase...
Keeping up with his "friends."


He loved the moving supplies...

He loves the moving supplies...#keephimawayfromthebubblewrap!



Swinging in the spring...


backyard baseball...

Backyard baseball...

Backyard baseball...Eli stopping a grounder...


a hike on a beautiful day...
#brothers


Josh and Cozy enjoying the view...
A boy and his bear...

watching the squirrels...

Watching the squirrels...


my moving helpers...

My moving helpers...

buddies...

Blurry #brothers...

my dinner dates one night...

My dinner dates...#lovethem

...Daddy's helper...

Daddy's helper...#macehouse


...walls down...
Walls are down...view from kitchen into the Living room #macehouse


Will keeping himself busy at baseball practice...

upload


...sunset over the baseball field...

#sunset over the baseball field...


Opening Day...
Opening day for the Mets and the Cubs...


Tractor ride with Daddy...
Tractor ride with daddy...


making the best of moving...
 bye bye cherry paneling you just met Mr. Mace...


Bye bye cherry wood paneling...you just met @wjmace  #macehouse



Eli conquering the monkey bars...or the "wonkey bars" as Will likes to call them...

upload


Swinging "super higher"...


"Super higher!"


the nursery where all 4 boys spent their early days...


The nursery where all 4 boys spent their early days... #1000gifts, #movingday



Eli helping Daddy and the movers...
Eli helping daddy... #movingday
Will's swim lesson...
Will "swimming"...


...backyard of our house for the weekend while our floors at the new house were refinished...
The boys are loving the backyard of our temporary housing #1000gifts

looking out for the "bad guys"...


Looking out or the "bad guys"... #latergram


attack!...

"Attack" #theyneverwanttoleave


Micaiah and his new roomate...

Micaiah with his new roommate...#masn, #orioles, #mannymachado


boys at work...
 new tree swing...

upload


Joyful Joshua...

Joyful Josh...


partners in crime...



blowing dandelion seeds...




swinging "super higher"...




recess...all three boys in the tree...

"Recess"...all three climbing the tree