Harvest and Other pics!

We started cutting wheat a week ago.  The kids have been out a couple of times.  They both enjoy it.  Marleigh sits quietly and takes it all in.  Kade's eyes dart around he grabs for everything asking, "What's that?!?"  

Driving combine with Daddy!

I have so many memories of riding combine like this with my Dad!  

Bubba driving grain cart.  

Waving to Papa as we pull up to the semi.  

Talking farm with Dad while moving trucks. 

Watching the header "chomp chomp chomp" the wheat.

Marleigh is starting to show interest in playing softball!  :)  

Bubba helping himself to his sister's Cherry Limeade.
I was helping her in the bathroom, and came back
to find him chugging her Cherry Limeade.

Ready for bedtime stories in Sissy's bed!  

These two are so much fun this summer!  I am one blessed Mama!  :) 

Pool with Emma!

This summer, we have a high school girl watching the kids while I am working.  Emma is the daughter of some friends of ours, and it has really worked out nicely.  The kids really love Emma and she is doing a great job with them.

 Yesterday, a few minutes after she left, Emma texted me to see if she could take Marleigh to the pool.  To say that Marleigh was thrilled would be a massive understatement.  We even had to quickly paint her toenails, so that they were pretty for everyone else at the pool!  

Ready to hit the pool!  

About half an hour after they had left for the pool, I realized that this was the first time that someone besides Gigi has ever taken Marleigh anywhere.  Sure, plenty of people have kept the kids at our house, but this was the first time someone else had taken her somewhere.  She had looked so grown up walking out the door, and given me a very nonchalant, "See ya later, Mom!"  I couldn't help but think that this was just the start of my little girl quickly becoming a big girl.  And it made me smile. 

A little over an hour later, Kade and I went to pick her up.  She was beaming.  She talked nonstop the entire drive to the farm about swimming and playing with Emma and Kennedy (Emma's sister).  She kept calling it her "special day".  Thank you so much, Emma.  You have no idea how happy you made Marleigh and her Mama!  

Kade-isms and Baseball

Kade talks up a storm these days.  For the most part, he speaks fairly clearly, but there are certain sounds he has not quite mastered.  Here are some of the current Kade-isms.

"I want goggog!"  We hear this at basically every meal.  And now, Marleigh has even began calling hot dogs, "goggogs".

"Gen!!!  Gen, please!"  This Bubba talk is normally heard while playing with Daddy.  After Daddy throws him up in the air or tickles him, Kade asks for it, "again".  This one is also mostly heard in between his infectious giggles!

"Mom.  Mom!  Mom.....Hey Mom!" (It so reminds me of that commercial for that animated show on TBS.) When Kade decides it is time to get up in the morning, he starts very quietly in his bed calling for me.  He increases the speed and loudness until I come into his room.  When I open the door, he greats me every morning with a big smile and another "Mom!"  Only this time when he says it, he says it with more relief and happiness.

Mickey is "Ick-ey" with a pause in the middle.  Marleigh tries to help.  She says, "No, Kade.  Say 'Mickey'." (She totally emphasizes the m.)  Then Kade gives her a funny look and repeats, "Ick-ey".   Marleigh then throws her hands in the air, clearly frustrated.

Just in the last week or two, he has started hollering for his sister, and boy is he persistant!  "Sissy.  Sissy!  Sissy!!  SISSY!!!"  He continues nonstop until Marleigh gets to him.  Marleigh being the sweet, people pleaser she is always goes running to him, no matter where he is.  I'm pretty sure Kade has figured that out and yells for her just to mess with her.

Some Bubba speak is already on the way out.  "Ooce"  was juice for a long time, but just a few days ago, he clearly said, "I want juice, please."  And just like that, no more "ooce".  He now clearly says he is ready for his "bath"  instead of his "baff".  He also now wants to "color" not "olor".

I know I've probably missed some, but I wanted to get these down before I forgot anymore!

~~

Last night I took the kids up to watch Garrett's baseball game.  We took a blanket and a few toys.  The game was at 6:30, so I bathed them before we went, because I knew it would be around 8 (which is bedtime), by the time the game was over.  What was I thinking?!?  I have had Kade as a son now for almost 2 years, and I really thought it would be wise to give him a bath before taking him to a ballgame?  For the most part, Marleigh sat with me and played a little and talked to my cousin, Jenni. Kade was constantly on the go.  He found some mud and dug in it.  Smeared it all over his hands and legs.  Then he proceeded to eat it. I asked him if it tasted good, and he grinned ear to ear, a big muddy smile and said, "Yeah!"  He then found a light pole and began licking it.  A little concerned he might get a splinter in his tongue, mean ol' Mom shut that one down.  I asked Marleigh, "What are we going to do with that brother of yours?"  She shrugged her shoulders and said, "Well, Mom.  I guess all we can do is love him."  And we do!  :)  He definitely keeps life interesting!

What a weekend!

We had a great, busy weekend!  So much fun was had with friends!  I'll warn you in advance, this post is fairly pic heavy.  Sorry!  

Friday afternoon, around 2:30, Marleigh asked to make Chocolate Chip Cookies.  Turn the oven on when it  is 100 degrees outside just because she wanted cookies?  Okay, why not!  :)  

This is, I believe, the real reason she wanted to make cookies.  Yes, I know
I should not let her eat the raw dough, but it just tastes so good!

Nothing better than warm Chocolate Chip Cookies!

~~

Saturday we had a wedding to attend. 

All dressed up and ready to go!  

The kids danced up a storm and loved every minute!

Kade and Taeten

Marleigh and Talon

Gotta love "Pour Some Sugar on Me"!!!

My friend, Stephanie, has a little girl that is 4 and a little boy that is 7.  Kade and Taeten danced while Marleigh and Talon danced.  It was adorable!  Kade cheesed the entire time he was dancing with her!

Saturday night as I was putting the kids to bed, Kade just kept muttering, "I dance.... I dance..."  

And Marleigh was questioning me about Talon.  "I wonder if he knows my name.  Cause he can't be my boyfriend without knowing my name."  Later on, back at the dance (we had a sitter come stay with the kids), I asked Talon.  He said of course he knew her name, but then asked, "But wait a minute.  How many is she?"  After I said four and a half, he said, "My minimum is 5.  But I guess she is pretty cute."  Steph and I about died laughing.  

~~

Sunday, my cousin's daughter turned 2.  It was a gorgeous day, and the kids had a great time playing out in the backyard.  Happy Birthday, Breckyn!  

Gunnar and Marleigh.  

From back to front:  DJ, Garrett, Gunnar, Mason, Marleigh,
Kade, and Breckyn.
Missing cousins Luke, Zoey, Jack, and Kolt.  

Kade thought Breckyn needing help opening her gifts.
Let's see if he's as willing to share when it is his birthday!  ;)

What an awesome weekend!  

"DEAR GOD!!!"

Marleigh has been really interested in the Bible and asking many questions about God lately.

A couple of  nights ago, we were getting ready for bed and Marleigh began her prayer yelling, "DEAR GOD!!!", at the top of her lungs.  I immediately stopped her and told her to use her indoor voice.  She gave me a funny look and informed me that God lived way up in Heaven, and she wanted to make sure that He heard her.  I couldn't help but smile.  We discussed that God is everywhere and even in our hearts.  She stopped talking for a  little bit and I could tell she was thinking.  "Maybe I should still yell, just to make sure I have His attention?"  So then I explained that He is always listening, no matter what, and that she would always have His attention.  Being the little thinker that she is, she quickly piped up, "But how does He listen to everyone all at once?"  

Last night, Marleigh asked me what God looked like.  I turned it back around to her and asked what she thought He looked like.  She thought for a moment, then replied, "Well, I bet He is pretty tall.  I think He has brown hair and brown eyes.  His teeth are really white.  God probably wears a shiny gold jacket.  His skin is probably a dark brownish orange, not red like Daddy's."  (It was a little hard to keep my composure.  Sorry, Daddy, you are a bit of a red. ;) )  "And since He has to listen to EVERYBODY, I bet his ears are REALLY big!"  She was so serious and sincere.  It was priceless.  

~~

While I'm not sure He has really big ears, I know He hears each and everyone of us. He is never too busy, and I always have His undivided attention.  But do I always hear Him?  At times, I know I am not paying attention.  Distracted by the business of work, housework, children, social media, television.  I wonder how often He has to yell at me before I really pay attention to what He is trying to say to me?  Or what about Marleigh and Kade?  Am I an attentive mother to them?  There are times, the kids yell "Mom!"  at least two or three times before I hear them.  And when I hear them, am I really listening to them?  I need to be more intentional and attentive with them, as well.  Sometimes, little reminders are good.  Reminders like the one Marleigh has given me.  I need to make sure I focus on the important things.  I need to be more conscientious as both a Christian and a parent.  After all, it is hard to teach my children to quiet themselves and really listen to what God says to them, if I don't do it myself.  

Summertime!

We are so very glad that it has finally warmed up!  The kids love to be out in their pool, and I love to watch them!  They are both little fishies!   Can't wait for the lake!  :)

Bubba got buzzed!

Kade has had two haircuts in the past, although I'm not even sure you could call them that.  We barely had trimmed his hair.  While I love his curls, they were getting out of control.  With summer here, we decided it was time for a shorter, big boy haircut.  

Stopping mid-cut to capture the faux hawk!

No more hair!  

Look at that sweet, innocent little boy.  One would never guess he was so ornery!   

I seriously can not get over how just cutting his hair makes him look so grown up!  

Big boy haircut:  Check!

Now on to potty training!  (Wish us luck!)

Marleigh goes to Preschool!

Wait... that can't be right.  Little Miss Marleigh that was sooooo little for sooooo long is old enough for preschool?  Yep, she sure is!  And she sure is happy about it!  

Marleigh has been giddy with excitement the last few days. She has been talking about Preschool nonstop. As I walked her in this morning, she kind of stopped and said, "I'll be fine, Mom.  You can just go."  Well, sweetheart, I know that you will be fine, but maybe Mommy needed to walk you in, for my own sake.

I didn't cry as I left her, I waited until I was back at the car.  They weren't sad tears because she is growing up so fast, they were tears of joy.  Born so tiny and fragile, there were times we didn't know if she would be around to go to preschool.  Once that scare was over, we waited to see what the long term effects would be from being born fourteen weeks early.  Purely by the grace of God, she has zero disabilities.

As the big fat tears rolled down my face, an overwhelming feeling of happiness and gratitude filled my heart.    God has richly blessed us with this special little girl.  I am incredibly thankful that she has the chance to grow up and go to preschool.