Spider Man Birthday!

Rigby asked for a Spider Man birthday party...

so we made sure he had a fun cake and a lot of superhero gifts. 

 

We got him his first lego set with a few lego superheros...including spiderman.  He loved it so much he slept with the little spiderman for a few weeks :)

 

 

this was fun to make! 

someone was shy when it came time to sing happy birthday

he warmed up a little when it was time to eat

he obviously needed a hair cut. 
we decided to embrace the madness in the mean time.

opening his favorite toy!

Go Go White Sox!

We took the kiddos to their first Sox game this Spring.  It was a chilly day, but we were in a good spot and able to soak up some warm sunshine.  The kids were mesmerized for the first half hour...each just sitting in their chair gazing at the field. 

 

After the initial "wow" wore off, we found the secret to keeping them content was snacking (of course)!  We brought our own yummies, but also made sure they experienced some ball park food. They had everything from dogs to cotton candy :)

 

We made it all the way to the 8th inning and then decided we'd had enough.  They were getting a little ansy and were more interested in investigating the highest spot in the stadium than watching the game. 

 

 

 

awana girl

rowan started going to awana this year.  the pic below was right after her very first class...she was so proud of her craft.  

 

she said...he said

the kids have been saying a lot of funny things over the last few months...and I want to make sure we remember them!  so I'm dedicating a blog post to some of their more memorable ones.  rowan has quite a few more than rigby at the moment...but we'll add more as we think of them.  she has been talking for a lot longer than him so i guess it makes sense :)

she said:
* "mom...is that God?"
one day we were sitting in the living room listening to one of our pastor's sermons for a service we missed.  rowan was sitting on the couch next to us, just playing.  all of the sudden she said, "mom...is that God?"  (meaning our pastor's voice).  we started dying laughing.  she knew he was talking about the Bible...so in her mind the billowing voice must have been God's.  priceless.

* "mom...does she know EVERYTHING?"
last week we were driving out to Sand Creek Country Club to meet some friends for dinner.  somehow derek got turned around trying to get to the clubhouse (yep...sand creek) so i typed the address in to my phone and we started following the navigation voice.  suddenly from the backseat we hear..."mom...does she know EVERYTHING?" again, we were cracking up.  she really emphasized the word everything too...like in her mind she could ask the voice anything and it would answer. ha! 

 * "mom...why don't i have these?"
one morning i was sitting in the recliner doing my devotions and rowan was all over me (typical of any time i try to sit down and do something on my own).  out of nowhere she put her finger on my forehead and said, "mommy, why don't i have these?" i responded..."have what, row?"...her response..."these stripes." after i picked my jaw up off the floor (and my pride) i told her maybe one day when she was older she'd get them.  thank you rowan...for pointing out that mommy has wrinkles on her forehead. seriously???

* "daddy's is bigger than"
yes...she was referring to what you think.  rowan told her grandma gora (derek's mom, mind you) that her daddy has a big pee-pee.  she even went on to tell grandma that... "daddy's pee-pee is bigger than rigby's."  she said this when she was only 3.  3! and the fact that she was talking about size...obviously out of her innocence she was just.stating.the.facts.  but the irony of it all...! needless to say, from that point on, neither of the kids have been allowed anywhere near us when we're getting dressed (which is also not easy because they are super curious).

* "one day i'm going to have my own car and i'm going to drive it all by  myself"
ok...you're only four.  please stop talking about having your own car.  that freaked me out.  this was only a few weeks ago that she said this.  totally out of left field.

* "mommy LOOK AT HIS FACE"
this is one of my less proud moments as a mother.  not too long ago we were in the grocery store working our way thru the baking aisle...when rowan points and yells in a loud voice "mommy LOOK AT HIS FACE".  i had already seen the guy coming, so i knew who she was referring to.  this gentlemen works a walmart (usually as a greeter) but must have been restocking that afternoon.  his entire face is basically a huge red birth mark...something i'm sure he's been isolated for his whole life. all i could say was, "no rowan, mommy is not going to look.  you're being very rude.  now please sit down and be quiet". but she was trying to show me something...she had no idea what being rude was.  so she started crying and screaming even louder "mommy look at his face."  I was horrified inside, but maintained my shopping pace and my cool (by the grace of God).  once we got out of the aisle i explained to her that God made every person different and no two people look the same...and that we NEVER point at people for ANY reason, and that it might really hurt their feelings. ug...what a terrible moment. 

he said:
* "mommy...i like boobs"
rigby's statements are much simpler. he barged in on me getting dressed not too long ago. i guess he was just being honest. eek.

* "bad guy"
my mom and doug took the kids to old country buffet and this big burly guy with a beard walked by.  rigby took one look at him, turned to my mom and said, "bad guy" with a matter of fact head nod.  my mom said the guy and his wife even heard him say it.  she was so embarrassed :)  if only you could hear how he says bad guy.  it's actually pretty hilarious.

* "dear god and howy spirit"
rigby likes to start his bedtime prayer off every night by addressing either "dear god and howy spirit" or "dear jesus, god and howy spirit" ...either way, it's super cute.  to hear him say howy spirit (Holy Spirit obviously) makes me giggle inside every time.  at least he's including Him...most people leave the Holy Spirit out of their prayers altogether :)

goofballs

Our kids are in total LOVE with their babysitters Stepheny and Adrienne...and so am I to be honest :)  I think you'll get a glimpse of why below... The girls come and actually play with the kids, and they really get creative finding fun and entertaining things to keep them busy.  That's such a blessing.  We've had some sitters in the past that would just plop themselves down on the sofa and watch tv the entire day, ignoring the kids for the most part (which is a big no-no if you ask me). 

 

But thankfully, the Lord provided by introducing us to the Weaver girls.  They are girls that love the Lord and are just an overall good influence on our kids. That's such a relief for me when I have to leave for work on Mondays (because you all know I would rather be home!)...just knowing that they are in good hands.

 

Here's a window in to what goes on around here while we're gone...I'm so thankful for all the good old fashioned FUN they all have :)  

 

 

jumping beans

it wasn't too long ago that rigby was afraid to jump off the couch.  but things are a little different now it seems!  a few days ago i was sitting in the recliner reading my bible and i happened to glance up and see rig standing on his dresser.  i knew something fishy was going on and a second later i looked back and he was gone. 

i made my way into his room and found his mattress on the floor...they were climbing up the dresser drawers and jumping onto the mattress!  it might not sound like a big deal, but considering rigby is still only 2, the dresser is taller than he is, and that up until this point he's been scared to jump off the sofa....it came as a little bit of a shock. 

i guess he's turned a corner and is now a kam-i-kazi like his sister.  awesome.

valentine's day

since i'm a blogging master tonight, i've decided to get my valentine's post done while we're still in the month of february. it's amazing what i can get done when i get home and everyone is sleeping.  this is awesome :)

 

the kiddos had a really good valentine's day.  actually, valentine's week.  they've eaten more candy than this momma would like to admit.  their ever so sweet and thoughtful aunt jenny (and uncle nick) sent them valentine's all the way from houston.  the kid's LOVE getting mail from aunt jenny. 

it's one of those special things in life if you ask me...

getting a big box in the mail is special even for us big kids, don't you think?

 

we also made some super cute gifts for some of the widows in our church and delivered them on valentine's day (with the help of my friend liz)!  we made our own heart bookmarks out of cut up paint chips from lowe's, a 3d heart piece of art, homemade cards, and decorated gift bags for each of the widows.  it was a lot of fun and a lot of work! 

but it was so worth it. 

we wanted the little old ladies in church to get some special love on valentine's day. 

one of the ladies even invited us in for a bit to chat when we dropped her gift off.  i sat and visited and the kids entertained us by doing circles in her spinning chair.  i was a little nervous they'd break something, but she was so relaxed and just genuinely enjoying our company...she didn't seem to mind the chaos at all.  it was a blessing to me to even just be in her presence...she was such a gentle soul.  and i know rigby really enjoyed himself because he got so comfortable on our visit that he took off his coat, his shoes and his socks! i think she thought he was a hoot :)   

 

i took the kids to a senior breakfast a few days before and this same widow was actually sitting next to us at the table.  she was so sweet and so comfortable talking with the kids and they really took to her.  it was funny to watch rigby and rowan sit at a table with 5 old ladies and answer all their questions and tell them things at the breakfast that day. like rowan wanted to be sure to tell them she had a cat and his name was cole.

 

i'm so glad that i stepped out of my comfort zone and did that too.  i think sometimes i get too comfortable in my own little world and forget that there are people out there who could use a little company and extra attention.  just like the bible says in the book of James..."true religion is this...to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from becoming polluted by the world."

 

true religion is LIVING what we believe.

 

my prayer for my family this year is that we would do just that.  i read a quote in a book recently that really stuck with me...

"who we are, is how we live our lives" (similar to annie dillard's quote i guess). 

it seems simple enough though, right? 

but think about it. 

who we REALLY are, is how we actually live each day...not who we might say or think we are. 

that's sort of sobering, at least for me.

opening their presents from aunt jennie

rig dug in to his chocolate immediately!
he can't eat his candy fast enough.

but rowan takes her time. she likes to lay out all of her
candy in rows and gaze at it.

here are our bookmarks!

our heart art :)

en route.
these are the bags the kids helped decorate

 

a little needy

we caught him on the table...actually lying down so we had to snap a photo. 
cole NEVER gets on the table...he knows it's a no no.
i think he must have been dying for some attention or something.

well he finally got some.  here the kids are putting him down for a nap.
and as usual, he's just "taking" it.

he managed to get his lip stuck on his tooth at one point.
he looks mad, but don't be fooled.  he's eating this up.

and again, someone needs attention. of course the only place
he can find to sit is halfway inside the kids toy bin while
they're playing with the toys.

no worries though.  he became the center of attention
soon enough.  the kids made him a fort.

anyone else beginning to see a trend? 

we have a NEEDY cat. 

primping

we took the kids to get haircuts recently.  it was rowan's first time ever getting a big girl haircut...which was waaaaay overdue.  and it was technically rigby's second haircut, but his first time sitting alone in the chair (daddy had taken him one time before but he would only sit on daddy's lap). 

 

we went downtown valpo to this little place just for kids...they have a little play area with a slide, the kids get to pick out and watch their own movie while sitting in a car with a gas pedal that works, wheels that move and all sort of buttons and gadgets while eating suckers, they get a juice box and popcorn...all for $16 bucks.  it was TOTALLY worth it.  the kids loved it and willingly sat there for the hair cut.  the lady even let rig switch cars in the middle of his haircut so he could sit in the fire truck AND the police car.  what a great place. and so fun!

 

rig being a big boy

it took a LOT of suckers to keep him happy.

rowan was such a little lady for her appt.  i was so surprised how grown up she
acted.  it's crazy to see how much they change behavior wise
when they turn 4!

this picture will only mean something to you if
you were familiar with rowan's stringy mess of hair prior to the haircut.

row got a small pink stripe in her hair that lasted
a few days.  soooooo stylish :)

tea anyone?

grandma gora drinks a lot of tea...she's english so it's only natural :) my kids LOVE drinking tea too.  maybe it's in their blood or maybe they're just goofballs. 

either way, i think it's adorable.