Moving Day!

No, our family isn't moving, but this blog is. I spent a year trying to split my life into two parts--the family happenings, and my random thoughts. I guess it made me feel a little schizophrenic! So you can find me on The Journey at http://tracypnothomeyet.blogspot.com. I think you'll find it easy enough to scroll past my ramblings if you really just want to see the latest pictures of the kids! I'll take no offense. ;-)

Wilderness Weekend

We didn't have to go far to enjoy a few hiking adventures this weekend.  We are SO blessed with amazing places to visit nearby.  While on our first outing, Ben decided it would be good to have a "field journal" with him, which he remembered the next time.  Both kids stopped frequently to record their discoveries.  I recorded my own observations with my camera.  Funny, I seem to have gotten preoccupied with my two favorite "wild things".  They were so much fun to watch!  Lots more photo treasures here.  Click on slideshow to see them close up.

This Week In Our Yard

Fun Weekend

I love to bake.  The only problem is I love to eat what I bake.  So unfortunately I have kids who, when they smell something yummy coming from the kitchen, say, "Where are we going?" or "Who's that for?"  It's a little pathetic.  Yesterday I had Ben help me make some Rice Krispy bars.  For us!  And I have, already, eaten too many.  He was quite a happy camper, though.
Today we rewarded the kids for some better sibling behavior recently by taking them to the newly revamped theme park at the mall.  We all went on the big roller coaster together for the first time!  Now what age could possibly be more fun than this???

If you want to see the photos close up, click on them.  Bethany is sporting a new look...

Softball

Bethany's team is the Purple Volcanoes. She is quite the little competitor.

She has always wanted to be... 

..."the vampire."

(She now knows it's not the vampire--

and more recently learned it's not the umpire either.)

I think she's having fun.

Mother's Day at the Park

Baseball is Back!

Ben is on the Red Wings this year, and now HE is like a fish back in water. Honestly, this kid has breathed baseball since he could walk. We are glad the season is here. Now if we could just get some baseball weather...

It doesn't get any better than this!

Finally, a beautiful Sunday afternoon to spend at the zoo! And on the way home, one of my favorite songs was on the radio. I thought it was perfect for this little movie about our day.

Children's Choir Video

Here's a little snippet of the kids in action.

Too Fun!

Ben and Bethany were in their kids choir program at church tonight. I must say, this is a day I've been looking forward to for a long time. I smiled so much my face hurt. They absolutely sang their hearts out.

Back in her element

Bethany is like a fish back in water. She can finally go down to the park and swing and slide to her heart's delight. It's been the same every year of her life. If you listen very closely, you just might hear a contented sigh.


Click on the mosaic below for an up-close look at our kids' adventures at the park over the years.

Family Friday

We like to go out as a family on Fridays and have supper and some fun. Tonight the theme was "I"--IHOP, IKEA, and Ice cream. Lucky us, the featured menu at IHOP right now is Horton Hears a Who. The kids had the tough choice between Who Cakes and Green Eggs and Ham. Can you guess how many food groups we counted in their Who Cakes? We had to add the milk group by having an ice cream cone after the kids enjoyed the play land at IKEA.  We sure had a great time! (And tomorrow we'll eat some veggies.)

An unforgettable moment

They say experience is the best teacher, and this was one experience that didn't disappoint us. Bethany embraced spring the year she was about to turn two with a special affinity for dirt. Potting soil, garden soil, and the sand at the playground. For a few weeks we tried desperately to keep up with her and stop her from putting it in her mouth. She finally wore us out. So one day I grabbed the camera on the way down to the park, and had it ready when she did what came naturally. And it was...the LAST time!

A walk down memory lane

I've been scanning some of my pre-digital photos and negatives over the past couple of weeks, and it has been so fun to look back at where our little family has come from.  So while I'm waiting for some OUTDOOR photo opportunities, keep checking back here for some fun memories.

This one was one fall when I decided on a whim to shoot a roll of black and white (in the fall colors??), and got some priceless results.  

What will they think of next?

We had a shower for a very special couple at our house on Sunday. We have never had so many people in our house before. So there were TONS of presents! This couple is registered at a place that has silver giftwrap boxes, and they left us a giant stack of them. But when Bethany looked at them, she saw a ROBOT! So here is her effort to limit waste by reusing. Of course, someone else wanted to get in on the action.





















Here are the soon-to-be bride and groom. Are they cute or what?

Hello yellow!

Lee was quick to point out that our new yellow paint was, um, BRIGHT!   I assured him that a few accessories would do the trick.  I'm pretty happy with the results. I could probably take off the masking tape now.

Happy Birthday, Lee!

Happy Birthday to the daddy we adore!  You're God's amazing gift to us.  XOXOXO

Happy Easter!

Our kids pretty much don't need us to help them dye eggs anymore.  They had a great time writing Easter messages with the "magic crayon", and reveled in the discovery that if you dipped the egg once and then wrote the message, your words could be different colors.  They wrote Jesus is alive, I love Jesus, He livs, He is risen indeed, Happy Birthday Dad--you're the best (Lee has an Easter b-day this year), and Go Memphis Tigers!

And yes, I did nab the last egg, but Ben was the one who gave me the words, "Jesus rises and SHINES".  

It has to be spring...

...I just saw the first robin!

We shoulda thought of this a long time ago!

I mean, seriously, is child labor such a bad thing? They don't look too abused do they?

This project has been in the works for two years, give or take. Wallpaper. Need we say more? We have removed other wallpaper in this house, but THIS wallpaper was hung with superglue. So it's gone now. Hallelujah! The walls aren't perfect, but they will have to do.

P.S.  If you think we really let our kids paint their whole bathroom, vaulted ceilings and all, we've got a good deal on some real estate for you along the Gulf shore...but the part about the imperfect walls is the absolute truth.

Here it is...

In honor of a day that feels like spring, here's the unveiling of our gingerbread Easter church. If you want to see the whole process, visit Bethany's blog for the video.  

P.S.  Some of the relatives got the inside scoop on the guessing game from Bethany--but congratulations to Aunt Dayna for figuring it out herself!

Here's the next clue...

Guess what we did today...

It's Official

Ben is very pleased to announce the formation of his new club. It's the Nerd Club. (Remember Ben? He's the one who loves his sister even more than challenging math problems at school.)

So what must one do to join the Nerd Club?

1. Eat Nerds.

2. Know that 88+88=88 (that's what a Nerd would say because they don't ever have the right answer) (and because it's a palindrome and those are good numbers to start on)

3. Have a favorite NFL player, whose name and NUMBER will be on one's membership card (which also, of course, says "Nerd Club").

4. Sing the Nerds theme song (composed by Dad to the tune of "Verbs, that's what's happening" from Schoolhouse Rock):

Nerds, that's what's happening!

To taste to crunch to see to eat

To smell to touch to take a seat

Nerds, that's what's happening!

That's all. And if you can't meet one of these requirements, Ben will help you. He's an inclusive kind of a guy. You too can be a Nerd! Isn't it great?

Cowabunga!

You may have noticed that lately there are a lot of pictures of the inside of our house. Cabin fever! Every year around this time, the swimsuits and beach towels mysteriously show up in our living room. This year it took the form of a surfing contest. Click on the play arrow, and join us at the beach!

Hangin' out at home

True Love

I love Valentine's Day.  It was my favorite day at school when I was a teacher.  Every child had a chance to feel truly loved by his or her class. Such excitement.

Today I went and had a Valentine's lunch date with each of the kids at school.  It was so much fun. Then they headed back to class for their parties, and came bursting in from the bus with all their cards. But there's more than cards now, if you haven't done kids' Valentines lately. There's candy. And tattoos. They love every bit of it.

Ben wins the "True Love" award with the Valentine letter he wrote to Bethany at school. In case you can't read it, here is what it says:

Dear Beth

I love you more than

playing on our dance mat

hooked up to the T.V.

I love you more than

eating a peanut butter

and jelly sandwich

on june 21st at noon.

I love you more than 

challenging math problems

at school

Now that's love!

To My Valentine

Happy 

Valentine's Day...

you're still my 

favorite! 

XOXOX

Little House on the Tundra

This was one of those days when they tell you on the weather not to go out unless you absolutely have to because your skin would freeze from two seconds of exposure (or something like that).  So we hunkered down in our warmest clothes and did the things that we never get around to.  Lee and Ben built a 500 piece puzzle (we girls helped a little), while Bethany and I worked on a little quilt for her stuffed animals.  And of course we had to do a little baking and read some books and play a few games.  As I taught Bethany how to use a needle and thread, I felt like we were a page out of Little House on the Prairie. Thank goodness we have indoor plumbing!