More SB 2012

Another fun field trip today!  Dottie, the boys, and I headed out early this morning bound for Dauphin Island.  We started at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab.

The sea lab is the perfect destination for the boys.  It isn't too big...just right for their attention spans.  There was lots to see...even some things to touch!

  

Outside, they have a great boardwalk that wraps around and eventually heads out to Mobile Bay and a small playground area.

hard to get a shot of all four with John who has to be moving!

After a picnic lunch,

we decided that we'd walk to Fort Gaines.  It wasn't a part of the original plan but the boys were up for it.  I think they may have enjoyed this as much if not more than the sea lab. 

There was a ton of walking but no one complained...not once.  That's miraculous...or at least the sign of a good time!  The weather was incredible.  We could not have asked for a better day!

A Springbreak Field Trip

Yesterday GranGran, the boys, and I ventured to Gulfport, MS for our first visit to the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center.  We met up with some friends for a day of play and fun!  The center was awesome...so many different things for the boys to do.  We could have easily spent a whole day there!

Our friend,Claire, who loves "baby" as she calls John!

They had an incredible outdoor area with a wooden tree house.  Somehow I failed to take any pictures of it!  Oh well, got this cute one of GranGran and John after our picnic lunch!



And since we were so close to the Gulf, we couldn't help but stop and put our feet in the water!

This was such a great Springbreak adventure!  We can't wait to go back this summer!!  Stay tuned for more SB 2012!

Happy Easter to All!

Worn out from a busy weekend but will share our Easter pictures.  A great day, a wonderous occasion!

William sat through the whole service with his Daddy as an usher!

A Regretted Invitation

I missed Ash Wednesday service, but on the first Sunday of Lent our priest of the week shared this from the Ash Wednesday liturgy from Book of Common Prayer during his sermon....

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us know kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer.

His sermon focused on the invitation and how more wonderful Easter feels after a Holy Lent.

I'm afraid I regretted the invitation.  I didn't do a good job reading my Lenten devotional.  I did nothing special with the boys to observe Lent.  (although we did talk about it a lot...just nothing formal...I was impressed on Maundy Thursday as we talked about the Last Supper and I asked what happened next, Philip knew that Jesus went to the Mount of Olives to pray and from there was arrested and crucified.  I was proud of his memory and attention to detail until Daniel piped up with he forgot about Caiphus' house and King Herod's Palace.  They know the story well!)  I didn't make it to one Holy Week service.  Ugh....and I feel it. 

And then there's Walmart.  Do you shop there??  I used to not, but as this family has grown the savings have become more important.  I stopped dead in my tracks when I saw this on display.

More Easter for my money...what??  Easter has nothing to do with money, silly Walmart.  You certainly can't buy it at Walmart.  I'm afraid I'm not the only one who regretted the invitation.

Oh well, Easter will still arrive tomorrow.  The gift of Jesus is still mine to have and for that I am and always will be eternally grateful.

Now onto egg hunts galore.  Maundy Thursday brought Philip's last chance to sing on the red steps as a Kindergartener...

and Daniel's Easter party.

Good Friday brought Philip's Easter egg hunt with his big brother...

  

As always, these two are joyfully along for the ride!

 Our Holy Saturday will be busy....a birthday party, dinner with friends, and last minute preparations for a big celebration tomorrow.  I hope you and your family have a blessed Easter!

Mornings...

I have a vivid memory.  It's early morning in my childhood home.  I hear my Dad downstairs...he's getting dressed or maybe reading his Bible.  I have no reason to get up, and yet I think to myself, "I better get up and go talk to Dad.  He may be lonely."  Oh Pop, as a mom now with a brood quite like yours, I'm so sorry.  So sorry for breaking your silence.  You never showed that my presence was an annoyance...something I hope I am mimicing now.

I love the morning.  Definitely a morning person.  Chris is too.  Our neighbors tease about our lights being out before 9:00 pm, but ours are back on before anyone elses.  I am fresh.  I am optimistic.  All seems right with the world.

No two mornings are the same, but here's how things go in our house.

Chris gets up everyday at 5:00 am.  Rain or shine.  Busy work load or light.  Sick or well.  Late night or early to bed.  The man is a machine and very much a slave to his routine.  Once up, he has two options.  Run or go straight to work.  I generally wake at 5:00 with him, but I do enjoy some time in bed with my thoughts.  My feet typically hit the ground between 5:20 and 5:30.

It's off to the kitchen I go.  The house is quiet....I need that.  The coffee gets brewing.  I start on breakfast.  Once a week, it's homemade biscuits, scrambled eggs, bacon, and cheese grits.  I love this morning.  I get my hands dirty in the biscuit dough.  I work out frustrations kneading it.  And then the smells...oh, the smells.  Biscuits in the oven, coffee brewing, bacon frying....

At some point, my silence is broken.  There are footsteps around the way.  Never know who it may be. 

If it's Philip, he comes in with a smile and a hug.  He's got Bama and Tracker...one in each arm.  "What's for breakfast?"  he might ask. 

If it's William, he stumbles in...hair is a mess...his pajama pants in hand...and breaks the silence with a "meow" or "wanna talk about the beach house?" or "watcha doin'" or "do you like my hat?"...his catch phrases right now. 

If it's Daniel (which it usually isn't because he generally sleeps late), there isn't much silence broken.  Thumb is in his mouth, Sheep in his hands...comes straight to me...needs my touch...my snuggles to help him ease into the morning.  (He did not inheirit his parents morning genes!)  I scoop him up and hold his sweet, growing boyself and love every minute that he still needs of that.

Whoever it is, they ask to "sit up high" meaning on the countertop.  They want to help...want to dump ingredients...lick batters...press buttons on the blender on smoothie day, etc.

My goal for this school year was to actually prepare breakfast everyday.  We used to be cereal every morning type of people.  Happy to say, we are no more....although, we do love a bowl of cereal still and usually have one day a week where we do that!  But no more come and go eat when it's convenient attitude.  We eat together every morning....usually all six of us if Chris hasn't already left for the office. 

The sun is coming up through the windows of our dining room and for just a little while all seems right with the world.  In a little while, they will be off...at the office, at their schools...at the influence of the rest of the world...but for just a little while we are together and it is my prayer that our time together each morning sets their feet (and mine) in the right direction.