4th day of July

jack had a perfect july 4th "celebration"." yes, he kept calling it "the celebration." he was refering to the picnic our church put on. why did he love it so? do blue cupcakes, bounce houses, flags, and sand toys mean anything to you?

day 4 decor for tom and liz who came in town from colorado! (love you guys!)

Techie

i can't believe that my 3 year old can navigate a computer. he can use the touch pad mouse to get i tunes and internet. i'll help get him on you tube, and he can find thomas videos he likes and click away to watch them! crazy! (check out the bed head!)

Lucky Finn

don't know why, but finn loves to cross his fingers. i try to uncross them, but he just twists them back up! he must like the way that it feels. as for me, i'll just keep carrying my little good luck charm with me everywhere i go.

Busted Lip

a boy just isn't a boy without a big, fat, bloody lip is he? jack took a HUGE face plant into the floor last night while he was "skating" on "sally the porsche." being a mouth injury, there was lots of blood involved. all is well today though, and we've been making tents all morning!

Breakin' Out the Good Stuff

"life's too short" is one of my favorite phrases. isn't it? too short, that is. life is too short to do dishes when there are cars to be played with. life is too short not to not to read ALL the words in ALL the books. and life is definitely too short not to use the "good china" for cheerios and milk in the morning.

Invest in One of These!

i highly recommend investing in a rechargeable electric sweeper. add one more thing to the "chore chart." the handle on this one adjusts to jack's height. look how much he loves cleaning the floors! how could i deprive him of that?



make sure you teach them how to empty into the trash can!

I Swore I'd Never...

...let my kids drink soda.
...let my kids eat mac n' cheese and hot dogs.
...let my kids play in those gross play places.
...let my kids leave the house in clothes that don't match.
...let my kids veg out to TV.
...let my kids go to bed without a bath.
...let my kids drink chocolate milk.
...let my kids stay in PJ's all day.
...let my kids have cereal for dinner.
...let my kids wear their shoes on the wrong feet.
i swore i'd never, but i have, and they're fine.

While the Kids are Asleep

what do parents do after the kids are asleep? they dunk on their kids basketball hoop. oh yes we do. mommy throws the alley-oop, and daddy dunks. booyah! we laugh until we cry. (partly out of embarrassment.)

Chef Boy R Jack

we make jack cook his own food. you're never too young to start right? i'm just kidding, but i have a lot of fun teaching him. here our culinary master is making scrambled eggs with cheese. he has his own apron, and loves to bake. his wife will love me.

The Door to Jack's Room

"did my timer go bring?" that is the question that jack feels compelled to come out and ask during room time. as if he didn't know that it did, in fact, not go off or he would have heard it, no? jack gets "room time" everyday. it's a highlight, nay, a thrill that for 50 minutes jack plays by himself in his room until his timer "brings." we started out with this when jack was just about two. at first it was just 10 minutes, then 15, and so on until he now hangs, by himself (did i mention that?), for 50 blissful minutes. during this time i do whatever i want. shower, watch tv, read a magazine, blog, chew gum...and if he comes out i send him back in. until the timer goes bring.

What was I Thinking When I.....

...let my three year old eat chocolate ice cream in his brand new white shirt?
...took down the indoor "sand" box (rice box) with one hand? (i spilled the whole thing, yes i did)
...let the same three year old eat those orange peanut butter crackers in our bed?
...put my hand wash only silk shirt in the dryer to "fluff"?
...let the brand new fish stay on the kids table? (jack definitely pulled all his fins off) (on accident)

Jackisms

we started a list when jack was about two and a half where we write down all of the funny things he says. believe me, the list is long! there are currently two pages front and back! he's hilarious, and here is a sampling of the hilarity (unless otherwise noted, these are direct quotes):
-i have to go blow my noogers!
-i can die. i can die on my cross mama.
-i think jack don't like ale. (he refers to himself only in the third person)
-jesus changed my life
-will you pray that jack will not be scared from lions and tigers?
-before a spanking, "be gentle daddy, be gentle!"
-at the pumpkin patch, "maybe they have lots of eieio songs here"
-jack was tooting all night long! (yes, he means farting)
-jesus healed the little girl because he miracled her.
-mommy asked, "jack, what language do you speak?"
-jack said, "i speak english and abcdefg."

Built for Speed

this is the bike that races through the house!

the Trike

i let my son ride his bike in the house. is this normal? i envision other moms ranting at their children to take them outside, but i just don't mind it. i've weighed it on the childish/foolish scale, and it just seems like a childish, wonderful memory maker. the tricycle is able to maneuver quite well, even though, as i've mentioned before, we have a smaller house. the bike is another issue, but jack manages to ride it just fine from kitchen to front door after i say the obligatory... "gentlemen, start your engines!" most mornings, jack rides out into the living room with "blee blee" the blue blanket in the "trunk" and a big goofy grin. i have to say i love it! i think it's the cutest darn thing in the world!

Police Man Outfit

Jack is so cool

Basketball Hoop

so the basketball hoop that jack got for his third birthday is still in the middle of the living room. it was a temporary location for the birthday morning surprise, however, since texas weather is fickle, the hoop has seen a lot more action in the middle of the living room than it would see on the back patio. jon is amazed at his improved free throw shot, and jack now makes statements like, "from way downtown!" and "spin move!" "watch me!" can now be commonly heard throughout the 1200 square feet by both jack and daddy.
we've, among other things, come to realize how little is truly breakable in our living room. while i once thought that our nicely decorated home was full of valuables, i now see that there are few irreplaceables, and that actually makes me glad as i try to not place value in material possesions. jack's handprint plate is about the only thing i think that i would cry over. it's still intact though, and, for now, there will remain a basketball hoop center stage in my living room!