Taa Daa: Shelf for Noah

Saturday, I pounced on a solid wood shelf from Pier 1 that someone was selling for only $30.  Been painting and waxing it this week using some Annie Sloan supplies I've had on hand for awhile.  Turned out just right!

Before:

After:  

Headed for Noah's room for all his Lego creations. :)

Noah's B'day Survey: Age 7

Kicking off Noah's birthday week with his annual survey of faves:

Noah, what is your favorite ...

• Color? Brown (cuz my hair is brown)
• Breakfast? Whipped Cream Pancakes and Bacon
• Lunch? Nutella sandwiches
• Dinner? The one with the black stuff on it (aka - poppyseed chicken casserole)
• Fruit? Strawberries and Blueberries
• Candy?  Chocolate         
• Snack? Gummies
• Drink? Slushies
• Holiday? Christmas
• TV Show? The Electric Company and AFV
• Game? Bumpershot, Hide and Seek
• Toy? Oooh, that's a hard one.  Uhhhh,  Legos.
• Place to play? Outside, in The Bubble
• Friend? Owen
• Thing to do outside? Swordfight
• Bible Story? Noah and the Ark
• Song? How Did God Make Adam and Eve?
• Movie? Prince Caspian
• Video Game? Super Mario Baseball
• Part of the Day? After school
• Store? Lego Store
• Restaurant? Mexican
• Thing to sleep with? Bunny and Calvin
• Thing to wear? My Star Wars Shirt
  
• Book? Tag Readers - Dinosaur and Star Wars ones
• Future Occupation? Light Sabre Guy
• Thing You've Learned in 1st Grade? Spelling, Money, Skip Counting 
• Birthday Wish List? Hot Wheels set

Missing Mrs. Arnold Already

Today was the last day of the year for Noah's teacher, Mrs. Arnold.  She is set to have her baby any day now and she didn't want to wait and let any sudden absence disrupt next week's scheduled standardized testing for her students so she is handing the reins over to the long-term sub on Monday.

I went and read to Noah's class yesterday and snapped a quick end-of-year pic with her before she left.

We will surely miss her over the next month.  It was sad to say goodbye.  I actually blew her a kiss at pick-up today - that is how fond of her I am.  In my heart, I feel like the school year just ended with her departure and there's just seat time left to endure til the end of May.  What a great year of first grade Noah has had though!  So thankful for that, for his teacher, for his classmates!

Anyway, bring on SAT-10, another field trip, the math bee, field day, fundraiser reward party, the talent show, and many, many other end-of-schoolyear traditions.  We are ready for summer and only a little nervous about going solo on the school scene in the fall. :}

PS - Today was kindergarten registration - The very same kindergarten registration that I always planned on being Anna's...until the cutoff date was bumped up a month that knocked her out of the age group.  I have had time to make my peace with her now being 3 years behind Noah in school instead of the original 2, but it was still bittersweet to see it get marked down officially in the schoolbooks today ... and to watch a BIG chunk of her buddies and friends going on without her.  :( So weird!

Taa Daa: Josh's Stuff

Josh made this wonder last weekend while I took Noah to a birthday party.  Anna was his faithful helper and they had camped out inside with toys and flashlights.  They affectionately refer to is as The Bubble.  It's hooked up in the back to a box fan and I gotta admit... it's something to see.  :)

I could not imagine how he came up with the idea, seeing as how it looks like something I would see on Pinterest and Pinterest is not exactly Josh's thing. :} So when I asked how he came about this, he soberly pointed to his head and said, "I have a wealth of good ideas up here."

Speaking of Pinterest, this next idea WAS Pinterest-inspired and executed by my wealth-of-good ideas husband.  It's an cheap chest of drawers we bought second hand (actually, third hand is more like it) for like $25.  Josh took out the drawers and just lined those openings with plywood to function as open shelving.

Now it sits in one of the closets in our slowly-coming-along classroom upstairs. If there's anything you can never have too much of in a classroom, it's shelving!  Can't wait to reveal THAT room and it's many shelves soon.

Long Live the Nebulizer

I didn't expect to have to go down this road again, but I guess I should have seen it coming.  Josh does have a bit of a dramatic childhood history with asthma and allergies.  And now, after going back to the pediatrician for the umpteenth time with croup, the doctor suggested that 1) we should stop pumping her full of steroids and 2) that this issue might be better treated with a regular dosing of Pulmicort.  And I know what that means from Noah's earliest days/years of breathing problems .... asthma.  :S 

The good news is that it all makes me MUCH less antsy than it did the first time we began the breathing treatment regimen with Noah at 9 months old.  I chuckle to remember that it took TWO adults to hold him down and administer it then.  :}  Twas this very same dragon mask, too, actually.  Ah, memories.  Anyway, just stopping in to say - Long live the nebulizer!  May it cure my baby girl of her awful, awful barking, coughing, and gasping.

More Rainy Day Love

Just 

enjoying

Anna's

new

umbrella

and

Mommy's

new rainboots.

Spring's First T-Ball Game

While we aren't a fan of not getting the coach Noah wanted this year, we are a fan of how much stronger Noah is this t-ball season.  He has been standing out as a leader and a go-to player at practices and, as a result, is beyond tickled to be trusted to play the position of pitcher and first baseman a bunch!  I am so proud of his growth since last spring and so delighted to watch him be in the spotlight for once.  That doesn't come often when you are the littlest guy your age, bless his heart.  So I am thankful his coaches have taken notice of him.

So proud to be manning the pitching mound.  In t-ball, they don't actually pitch, but this position is the one that does about 3/4 of all the fielding.  Noah has really risen to the occasion of being quick on his feet and capable with his mitt and knowing which base to hustle over to tag a runner out.  

Booking it to first base after his first turn at bat. Those little legs may be short, but they sure are speedy!

The laundry lady in me was cringing at all the wet clay he ended up wearing home on his uniform. :}

Seriously, how does one stand all the cuteness?!!

I so wish this shot wasn't blurry.  He has his most concentrated face on - see that scrunched up mouth? Precious! Just. Can't. Stand. It.

Someone else who couldn't stand it either.  Not being the center of attention is the pits apparently.

Unlike last year, Noah is at the start of the batting line up so he got to hit three times!  He is such a strong and reliable hitter.

My friend Jen's advice with t-ball was spot on - Let your kids stay in the lower league as long as their age allows so they can be the star player for a year or two instead of rushing them into the upper leagues where they will just have to trail behind the bigger kids.  This has proven so true in Noah's case.  He is still the size of the rest of the 4-6 age range kiddos, but he's on the older end in terms of age and experience.  He is really coming into his own this year and his confidence is soaring as a result.  The team may not have won the game yesterday, but Noah feels like a million bucks with the roles he's getting to fill.  

Taa Daa: Silhouette Stuff

Just a couple things I made last night. 

A canvas with Psalm 63:3-4 for Noah's room that has taken me forever to set down and finally do.  I think it needs a little something more, though.

And a new and improved No Soliciting sign for the front door.  The one I applied directly to the house last week ended up peeling off in the afternoon sun.  So I applied the vinyl letters to a painted cardbaord and then ModPodged over it to seal it.  Fingers crossed this one can stand the sun!

 

Next up, a car decal. :)

Some Anna Shots

The girl always has SOMETHING she wants to do or make or play or go to.  Just some shots from lately.

Planting tomatoes!

Swimming in the little pool while she patiently waits for the weather to warm enough to set up the big pool.

Trimming her grass she grew herself from a little kit she got at Easter.

Painting with a set she got at a birthday party.

Biking at the park.

More drawing, as always.

She's also been killing it at swim practice - here she is jumping in the deep end, stroking and kicking and actually moving forward unassisted!

And lastly, she's been wearing me out with a good bit of pout and attitude lately.  Today's photo op came courtesy of an hour at Noah's t-ball game. It's hard being a little girl, she maintains.

Tomorrow, Josh and Noah are going to a Nashville Sounds baseball game. I am sparing my poor spoil-sport and staying home with her instead.  We'll have to make some muffins and do a craft to cheer her up. :}

Discipline

As if I haven't already been a David Nassar fan since college, I discovered these wise words he tweeted recently about parenting. Made my day to read that someone else out there gets it.  It really hit the nail on the head of what we believe and how we make so many of our choices that pertain to how we train and correct Noah and Anna.  Just had to save this quote here for future reference.

"Parents, remember that you can't spell discipline without disciple. Our main role is to disciple our children, not just discipline them."

We are wrapping up a 12 week parenting study in our Young Families Sunday School class this month called "Shepherding a Child's Heart" and this quote is the perfect underscore for the entire study.  The discipline, training, and correction of our kids has a goal - and that goal is not just well-behaved kids.  The goal is for our kids to seek after and know Christ; wise choices and good behavior are just by-products of that goal.

You Are I Am

LOVE this song.  When you get to part of the music where I have the lyrics in bold, just picture me all misty-eyed with my hand in the air.  Truth, y'all.  Great song and I keep listening to it on repeat.



You Are I Am by MercyMe

I've been the one to shake with fear
And wonder if You're even here
I've been the one to doubt Your love
I've told myself You're not enough

I've been the one to try and say
I'll overcome by my own strength
I've been the one to fall apart
And start to question who You are

You're the one who conquers giants
You're the one who calls out kings
You shut the mouths of lions
You tell the dead to breathe
You're the one who walks through fire
You take the orphan's hand
You are the one Messiah
You are I Am
You are I Am

I've been the one held down in chains
Beneath the weight of all my shame
I've been the one to believe
That where I am You cannot reach

You're the one who conquers giants
You're the one who calls out kings
You shut the mouths of lions
You tell the dead to breathe
You're the one who walks through fire
You take the orphan's hand
You are the one Messiah
You are I Am
You are I Am

The veil is torn
And now I live with the Spirit inside
The same one, the very same one
who brought the Son back to life

Hallelujah, He lives in me
Hallelujah, He lives in me
Hallelujah, He lives in me
Hallelujah, He lives in me

You're the one who conquers giants
You're the one who calls out kings
You shut the mouths of lions
You tell the dead to breathe
You're the one who walks through fire
You take the orphan's hand
You are the one Messiah
You are I Am
You are I Am

The Resolution for Women

I just finished reading The Resolution for Women by Priscilla Shirer for the second time and I recommend it as highly as I did after the first read through last year.  It is well done, not watered down, relatable, and highly instructive, challenging and encouraging in the same breath.  It is a spin-off of the movie Courageous and, like what is covered in the movie, it's a list of resolutions - but tailored to women instead.  I have many, many talking points from its pages and have been thankful to have been able to share these and talk about these at our MOPS meetings this year.  But for the purpose of this post, I just wanted to save the actual Resolutions: At-a-Glance that were covered in each section.  Loved this book and so thankful to have been introduced to it!

• I DO solemnly resolve before God to embrace my current season of life and live with a spirit of contentment.
• I WILL champion God's model for womanhood and teach it to my children.
• I WILL celebrate my God-given uniqueness and the distinctions He has placed in others.
• I WILL live as a woman answerable to God and faithfully committed to his Word.
• I WILL seek to devote the best of myself to the primary roles God has entrusted to me.
• I WILL be quick to listen, slow to speak, and esteem others more highly than myself.
• I WILL forgive those who have wronged me and reconcile with those I have wronged.
• I WILL not tolerate evil influences in myself or my home but will embrace a life of purity.
• I WILL pursue justice, love mercy, and extend compassion toward others.
• I WILL be faithful to my husband and honor him in my conduct and in my conversations, and will aspire to be a suitable partner for him to help him reach his God-given potential.
• I WILL teach my children to love God, respect authority, and live responsibly.
• I WILL cultivate a peaceful home where God's presence is sensed.
• I WILL make today's decisions with tomorrow's impact in mind and will consider my current choices in light of future generations.
• I WILL courageously work with the strength God provides to fulfill this resolution for the rest of my life and for His glory.

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. (Joshua 24:15)

Posted/Post-It

So, in addition to the notice I posted at my front door, Anna did a bit of her own posting this week.  She posted this Post-It note to Noah's door and when I happened upon it before going to bed, I just about melted on the spot. Too cute!

Grumpy Kimmie

Public enemy number 1 right now:  Door-to-door solicitors.   They are bad enough intermittently all year long, but we have been getting them daily this week in particular.   They seem to come out of the woodwork in the spring?

Anyway, I have HAD IT with all the people bugging me in my own home to spend money on stuff I don't want.  I have HAD IT with the interruptions and the guilt trip. I have HAD IT with hiding in my kitchen hoping the solicitors will just go away. I have HAD IT with my dog barking like a rabid animal while the strangers are up in our yard, porch, face.

So I finally just plastered this notice RIGHT ONTO MY HOUSE this afternoon. 

I dare one of them to bug me again.  It ain't gonna be pretty. Grrrrrr...

Spring has Sprung

Spring sprang convincingly this past weekend, so we got the garden going with trenches for ...  

cucumber and broccoli seeds.  We are gonna hold off on tomatoes for a few weeks just to be sure the cold nights have run their course for good.

Josh and the kids spent the whole day outside - cutting wood, shooting water guns, riding power wheels, flying Noah's remote-control helicopter, playing tball, and playing street hockey.

 

One neighbor was so inspired by all the activity, he pulled out his son's hockey net so we could have two to use from now on ... not that it's even in this shot. :}

While the kids kept active and happy all Saturday, I mostly enjoyed the sounds of all their busyness and fun while relaxing inside with the porch door wide open.  I also made a note to snap a picture of our bradford pear tree before all the white blooms fly away in the breeze.

Anna's been inspired by spring being sprung.  She can't stop drawing flowers and stars and all manner of girly things.  

This work of art was dedicated to her new garden and has been hung in the window facing out over her growing dahlia, as requested. :}

We are at that wonderful season where you still need the heat at night while also needing a/c by late afternoon, that wonderful season when everyone is inviting everyone to the park after school because we all just wanna get out in the air and sun, and also that wonderful season where I get to dress my kiddos in all their new (well, new-to-us) clothes - which I love! :)  Remember when I used to post pics of Annababy in my favorite outfits of hers.  Well, I may just get back in that habit.  I snagged a bunch of cute stuff at consignment this year.  Spring has certainly sprung - Let the fashion show begin!   

Easter Trip in Pictures

We had a fantastic getaway in GA with my sister and her crew last weekend.  We left Thursday and didn't come home til Monday, so it was truly an extended weekend. :)  I read a quote recently that said something to the effect of, "The grandparents' house is where cousins become BEST FRIENDS."  And it's true, except in our case we've had to amend that statement to indicate "sister's house" instead.  We love, love, love how these four (and Jack, when he is well and/or awake) always pick up right where they left off and just play hard, fast, and fun together. 

 

We hit a park right away in the wonderful weather we enjoyed the whole time we were there.
This realistic-looking rock wall was way cool.

As always, Noah and Natalie just get each other and pair off that way naturally.

Likewise, Brooklyn and Anna always seem to gravitate to each other.

The park we played at had a hill with three crosses, so naturally we were ALL drawn to that.

 

Noah couldn't help but try to be Jesus in that moment. 

That night we busted out the eggs for dying and decorating.

Next day, against my gut instinct, we headed to a big church-wide egg hunt at my sister's church.

While the egg-hunt anxiety built, I went ahead and took advantage of the fact that we had someone to snap some family pics for us.

Mercifully, the egg hunt went well and all kiddos were smiling at the end.

Then we dug into those hard-won eggs and, as always, sorted out the offending peanut-buttered sweets.

Was such a gloriously pretty day!  Thank you, Lord!

That night we took Emily's church up on its offer for a Saturday night kid-friendly contemporary service.  ANYTHING if we don't have to get up and church-ready first thing in the morning.

Then we felt bad that Jack was in almost no group cousin pics and tried to recreate the moment.  You see how well that went. :}

Before going to bed, Lee led the kids through another round of Resurrection Eggs.

 

Once the kiddos were in bed AND finally asleep, we got baskets stuffed and situated. I wondered if Noah and Anna were going to object to their joint basket they get every year once they saw that their cousins each had their own, but I don't guess it mattered much to them.  I didn't hear anything about it at least. I thought it was funny how Emily's tradition is to hide their kids' baskets and we do the opposite by leading our kids to their basket via a trail of plastic eggs. :)

Easter morning, the kids were up and into their goodies before I ever got out of bed.  Josh tried to help out with the picture taking in my absence.  You see how that went. :S

After the baskets were emptied and enjoyed, the guys got down and dirty and worked a little on leveling the ground for Lee's soon-to-be pool. 

I was amused again to see how everyone paired off  to enjoy the rest of the morning. 

When I could extract the iPads from the clutching hands of Noah and Brooklyn, we held our own private Easter egg hunt.  The kids all agreed this one was way better.  I think that is because they were actually hidden and not just scattered openly on the ground as most public Easter egg hunts are apt to be done.

And that was about it.  We chilled the rest of Easter Sunday and left the next morning.  We'd have been more bummed about the visit coming to an end if we didn't already know we will get to see them again in June!  My only objection to this trip was that, yet again, I didn't get a picture of Emily and me!  Will have to correct that when I meet her at the start of June at our Beth Moore conference.  Can't wait!