Tying Shoes

Caleb knows how to tie shoes, kinda. He somehow manages to get them tied, but they don't stay tied for long. I bought a book that teaches how to tie. Caleb was practicing in the car the other day. I told him to tie his shoe, not the shoe on the book. I explained how I only had to tie my shoe once a day and they stay tied. He said that one of his shoes had stayed tie, all day! I asked what happened to the other one, that won't stay tied. "I just had one magic touch," was his reply. How do you argue with an answer like that?

On our way to pick up Caleb and Isaac, after having to leave the fire station, we stopped at the gas station to get some drinks. We went in and there were two policemen inside. Everyone inside was oooooing and ahhhing at Bryce's uniform, and the clerk asked the police officers "Is this what ya'll call downsizing the fire department?" The police officer responded "No this is what we call increasing the fire departments IQ." That was funny, but what was even funnier is that the firemen always say that he knows more about the fire trucks than they do and that they are going to let Bryce start teaching the training classes.

We went and picked up the boys and Bryce was in a bad mood - still mad about having to leave the firestation early. When Caleb got in, he asked Bryce why he was "such an Oscar?" I explained why he was mad, and Caleb says "It's okay about that. Don't worry about that, worry about the person that got hurt!" I thought that so sweet!

Fire Department - AGAIN

We went to the fire station on Thursday. They hooked up the hose and he got to practice spraying in the driveway. He loved it! When he was done they let him help fill up the fire truck, after a very busy night!

After they got the truck filling, they took him for a ride around the block. When they got back he checked out the special operation truck. He was having a lot of fun, and then the firemen got a call. They had to go out on an emergency. He was VERY upset that the trip was cut short! We followed them so Bryce could watch them at work, but it was more an ambulance call, not a fire.

Here are pictures from our trip to the fire station last week. They got the hose out and let him spray it, and then he helped fill the fire truck up.



"Where's the water?"














He is turning the water on by pulling back on the lever.












"WOW!!"












Learning the different sprays













Getting more comfortable with it, doesn't have to sit on the firemans lap anymore!

















Look at that fireman!

















He is spraying a police car as it drives by (with the windows down!!)

















checking out the firetruck



















Time to work!


















Helping fill up the fire truck after a busy night!

















STOP! DROP! and ROLL!!
(this was actually at Isaac's soccer practice the same day - he has learned how to roll down hills!)

Surprise!!

Well, we went to the park and met Annalise last week. We were not there long when a fire truck pulled in. It happened to be Bryce's buddies, and they saw Bryce and stopped and got him. I lifted him over the chain link fence around the playground and he ran and got in the truck, and was gone. They left for a ride before I was able to even get on the other side of the fence. When they came back, we spent as long as we could opening doors and valves, before we had to go get the boys. Bryce got really upset that we had to leave so soon, and of course, they asked him to come to the fire department the next day.

Bugs

We went and saw Paul's family a couple of weeks ago. While we were there, Bryce took his trucks out to Paul's great aunts backyard and found a dirt pile to play in. He soon found out that the "dirt pile" was actually an ant pile. His hand got covered in fire ants and he started screaming like crazy.

Well, now if he sees anything that could possibly be a bug (spec of dirt, something floating in the air, cat hair, etc) he begins screaming. It only took one time of getting bit by those fire ants to make him deathly afraid of ANY bug. Unfortunately, it is getting pretty old, because he freezes and screams until someone comes to him. I tried ignoring it earlier today, but he does not let you.

To My 3 Beautiful Sons

Find Your Wings

This song makes me want to cry everytime I hear it. I don't really need to say anything, it says it all, so this song is for my children:

Find Your Wings

Mark Harris

It's only for a moment you are mine to hold

The plans that heaven has for you

Will all too soon unfold

So many different prayers I'll pray

For all that you might do

But most of all I'll want to know

You're walking in the truth

And if I've never told you

I want you to know

As I watch you grow

I pray that God will fill your heart with dreams

And that faith gives you the courage

To dare to do great things

I'm here for you whatever this life brings

So let my love give you roots

And help you find your wings

May passion be the wind

That leads you through your days

And may conviction keep you strong

Guide you on your way

May there be many moments

That make your life so sweet

But more than memories

It's not living if you don't reach for the sky

I'll have tears as you take off

But I'll cheer as you fly

I love you Caleb, Isaac and Bryce!

(The next post will be the audio to this song)

Fast Shoes

Today we went to a picnic that Isaac's school put on at our local park. They had it catered and had chicken, catfish and all the trimmings. Before we ate, we had a speaker that spoke about the importance of reading to your children, even before they are born and even when they can read on their own. Well, Isaac's teachers watched all the kids down at the playground while the parents listened to the speaker.

The speaker read books to the parents trying to teach them how to read to the kids. Bryce decided he wanted to show everyone how it was done. He went up to where she was reading and stood right underneath her while she read. SHe used the oppurtunity to show us how to get the child to participate. You would think it was all planned, but Bryce just likes to be the center of attention.

After the speaker we ate. Paul went to get Isaac from the playground. On their way up, Isaac was running. Paul told him to walk because he was on rocks and did not want him to fall and get hurt. Isaac said he could not stop running. Paul asked why and Isaac, very seriously answers, "because I have on my fast shoes. THey won't let me walk!" and he continued running (and did not fall thank goodness!).

Protest the Protest

I saw something very disturbing and upsetting today while we were out running errands. We were driving down a very busy road on our way to Target. Across the street from Toys R Us there were about 10 people doing a protest against abortion. I am all for standing up for what you believe in and I am COMPLETELY against abortion. However, when there is a group of people out protesting holding posters of photos of aborted babies, and my TWO YEAR OLD sits in the backseat asking what is wrong with those babies, there is a problem (the posters had pictures of a whole aborted baby and pictures of just a babies head - both very graphic)

I am against murder, but I am not going to take pictures of a person that was murdered, place them on a poster and stand at a street corner protesting murder. I really think that if I did do that, the police would be out in no time telling me that was not allowed. The same should be true in this situation. I am very careful about letting my kids watch news, etc, because they are just not at ages where they need to worry about things like that, nor would they understand it.

I just wish people would be more careful about how they protest their believes. That might be good to show older teens and adults and I can understand the point it makes, but across the street from a toy store, or where small children can see these posters is just not right. How do I explain to a 2 year old what is wrong with these babies?

To Whoever I Insulted

You should not have taken MY blog as an insult to you. I WAS a single mom while my husband was gone and I did NOT get to spend much time talking to him. I never said it was easy to be a single mother or anything insulting about being a single mother, but whether my husband is gone for 2 days or a week, I AM a single mother when he is away!

Single Mom

I have been a single mom for the past week! Paul is in Toledo, and has been since last Monday. He is hoping to be home Wednesday, but we will see! It is kinda crazy around here, trying to get to all the kids practices and games and deal with the other two by myself, while trying to watch he child playing, but we manage. We sure miss Daddy when he is gone though. I heard Caleb talking to him on the phone this evening. It was so sweet. "Daddy...I love you and you are the best person ever!" Little moments like that make it all worth while, even if it wasn't directed at me!

Storms

We had a storm last night - at bed time of course! Bryce took after his Mommy and is deathly afraid of storms. His brothers did this, but have pretty much outgrown it. Caleb now thinks it is fun to point out everytime it lightenings, so his brother is even more scared. Isaac is only bothered if someone makes a big deal out of it. Bryce, though, has not outgrown it.

From the first moment he heard the first sound of thunder or first flash of lightening, he was frozen in fear. Frozen with his blanket over his eyes!! He was following me around the house, running into everything. I kept telling him to take the blanket off his eyes and he would just say "I too skeered!"

I never did get that blanket off his eyes. He ended up in bed with me until the storm past. Then he woke up this morning - to thunder again!!

It is frustrating, but I have to remind myself that I was scared to death of storms until I had kids. It is amazing how you change when you have kids you have to be strong for! I can only hope that he will outgrow this like his brothers did, especially since we get those awful southern storms frequently!

Bad Habits

Bryce has started this horrible thing. When I am busy doing something he will open the front door and pee on the porch. He does not even walk out of the house, he stands in the doorway and pees. This morning we had some errands to run. I asked Bryce if he was ready to go. He said yes, but he needed to potty first. "Well, go potty." I told him. "In the potty?" he asked confused. "Yes in the potty!"

Where else would I want him to go potty? He is so silly!

Smart Kid

Caleb was asked this weekend what he would do if he found a magic genie bottle. After he and his Aunt discuss where they would have to go to find a magic genie bottle, Caleb thought for about 2 seconds and had his first wish.
"I would wish for a money machine."
"What would you do with it?"
"Make money and buy all the RC cars that I want."
Daddy gets in on the conversation here.
"If you give me the money machine I could get you all the RC cars you want!"
"Even a four-wheeler one?"
"You give me a money machine and I will buy you your own four - wheeler!"
Caleb got really excited. I guess he forgot about the coversation about where they would have to go to find a magic genie bottle! I don't think we got to wish 2 and 3, wish 1 was just too exciting!

Isaac got a shirt from his cousin that looks like a mechanics shirt. It is navy blue, button up. The left side says Mechanic and the right side has some badges on it. He loves this shirt. He wore it to school today and was very proud of it. When I picked him up this afternoon he said "Mommy I have badges!" I don't know where he heard badges, but it was cute. It has been really funny, because he has been wearing his new sunglasses! I will have to get some pictures of him in it and post them. It was quite a site!!

HARD HEADED BRYCE!

Bryce has been beating himself up lately. I guess he is growing or something because he has gotten really clumsy. His forehead finally healed, except for a small scar. Then last weekend he fell and hit his cheek on his toy box. He has a bruise under his eye and down. Right after he did that he fell and hit something at the corner of the same eye.

Around when he turned 2, he went through a phase where when he got mad, he would beat his head on the hardest thing he could find. He always had bruises on his forehead and it got to the point where I took him to the dr. I told the doctor that I knew there was nothing he could do, other than put him in a helmet, but that I wanted it put in his chart that he is doing this so that if anyone tried to call Child Protective Services, it was reported. The dr said he would put it in there, but that he would never let anyone take the kids because he knows I wouldn't hurt them. That is about the only good thing about seeing the dr as often as we do!! He knows us well!

The point of that story is...I think maybe I need to talk to the dr again!! I don't know what I am going to do with that boy. This all just proofs how hard headed he is!! Just like his DADDY!

Report Card Time

Caleb came home with his report card yesterday. He is so hard on himself! His lowest grade was a 95. He apologized to me for not making a 100. I told him it was okay and that as long as he did his best that was all I wanted. He said he was sorry anyway and that next time he would try to make a 200. I explained that 100 was the highest grade. I then pointed out that he did make a 100 in Spelling. I don't know why he thinks he has to be perfect at everything, but that is the way he is, I guess.

It's 9 e'clock Somewhere

When you ask Bryce what time it is, he gives the same answer everytime. "Bryce what time is it?" "9 e'clock." It has been 9 e'clock, all day for the last several days!

"There Is Blood On My Leg"

Bryce has entered the "band-aid"phase. He is constantly walking around saying he needs a bandaid because his leg is bleeding. IT IS A VEIN! Everyday we have to explain and he just does not get it!

I am in the kitchen listening to the three boys play hide and seek.
"1,3,4 ready or not here I come" with his hands covering his face - but not his eyes, Bryce counts while his brothers hide. He finds them and we start over "1,2,3,4,5 ready or not here I come." Of course he watched where they hid, so he knows right where to go.

1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 here I come." It is Isaac's turn to count. He giggles wildly as he searches for his brothers, who scare him when he accidently finds them.

"1 blah blah blah, 20. Ready or not here I come." Caleb's turn, but he flys through the numbers so fast that you can't understand what he says.

Isaac has taken to a new method. He counts while walking around the house watching his brothers hide.

It is funny becasue they never count to the same number. Sometimes it is 5, sometimes it is 8, sometimes 14, etc. I love the rules children make for their games!!