Personality Plus!

It's amazing to me, the difference between girls and boys. What's even more amazing, is how God gives everyone a unique and different personality. Sometimes I forget this simple reality in my every day life, b/c my reality is so busy with three kids under 4. However, yesterday I was reminded that my kids are different, VERY different. I sat Olivia and Garrett down with paint, which doesn't happen very often b/c it normally takes me longer to set up the area than the time they spend painting. Anyway, I gave them exactly the same set-up, a paper bag under their "canvas" to protect my table, each color of paint on a cut-out piece of bag for their pallet, and the paint brushes. Well, the out come was soo different is scary. If you've spent any time with my kids you know that Garrett is all boy and Olivia is your typical first born girl. For those of you who haven't spent that much time with them, see if you can learn a little bit about them by their finished products and their work space. I am so thankful for my children for teaching me lessons every day about how to be a better mom and person. I wouldn't trade my life, even as chaotic and crazy it is. I never want to resent my spot in life and know that raising/teaching these blessings is the best job anyone could hope to succeed in.





I wanted to add this picture of Josh with O and G, b/c it's so funny, shows a little personality doesn't it?

Animal lovers unite!

Well, I did get in some serious trouble for my dog Vs. no dog debate - especially b/c the nos out numbered the yeses. Not that it would have had any bearing on our decision. The official compromise right now is that we are NOT getting a mastiff - that was 75% why I was fighting getting a dog. He IS looking at smaller breeds right now and I am not fighting that as hard. Thanks for all your input - it made me laugh! P.S. - J and Josh Maxwell, you can stop having a blog war on our site now!

On a happier note, Esther is our animal lover. I never realized how much our other kids where indifferent to animals until Es started to show serious interest. She loves chasing the cats around and petting them. She hasn't seen a dog she didn't like, she'll go right up to them and let them lick her, sniff her, etc, with no flinching or fear. We were in Mejier the other day and went past the pet section to look at the rodents (not really pets in my book), birds, and fish. When I turned to leave she got so upset and started throwing herself back into the cart and crying hysterically! And, while Josh was watching the dog show, she looked up and saw the dogs on the screen and ran up to the TV and started clapping and laughing. She is such a joy to have around, as much as I think she's a mommy's girl, when daddy's around she'll run up to him over me. It's really, really cute, and melts my heart. So here's a picture dedication to our animal lover (the one I would probably cave to when it comes to getting a dog) and all around beautiful Esther "Bean"!!!!!

picture

for those of you wondering what a neapolitan mastiff looks like, here is a picture of it. it is just like hagrid's dog from the harry potter books.

just a note

i killed jess when we got home, so now she will no longer be posting any blogs. (just kidding) but here is one note, she said that WE are not dog people, but the truth is that she is not and i am, it is just because of her negative attitude that i become unkind to the dogs. i just wanted to let you know that, before you read the next post. have a good day!!!

Dog Vs. NO Dog

I'd like to start by thanking the Westminster Dog show and Grand Rapids press for officially starting my husband on the obsessive path down wanting a dog AGAIN!! For those of you who don't know, we are not dog people. We like the idea of a dog, but do not, at this time, have the resources or time to properly raise another living thing in our house. This revelation has escaped my husband after getting rid of our last dog, Jada only 8 months ago. Jada was a good dog - she liked to be outside, and was known to frighten away solicitors and skateboarding kids who liked to trespass on private property. We got Jada only 9 months removed from getting rid of our first dog Sadie. Sadie lasted only two months in our home, partly to her crazy temperament and me being at home with a newborn and a 15 month old. And after each parting with the dogs, we had no regrets. We talked at length about how we aren't dog people!! So, back to my thanks at the start, b/c of the dog show, he's back to wanting a dog. And b/c of GR Press he had an opportunity to price full bread dogs - thank you very much. Oh, I forgot to thank the internet, where now we are able to contact breeders without having to pick up the phone (which Josh wouldn't do)!! Today he contacted a breeder of his new favorite dog - a NEAPOLITAN MASTIFF. I capitalized the name of the dog - b/c they are huge!!!!! You can't just feed them dog food - you have to give them raw chicken - RAW CHICKEN! And who, you ask, would be feeding this dog, ohhhhh, your's truly!!

The question I pose to all you faithful readers is this, what's your vote, Dog or no dog??

P.S. - I'm going to get in so much trouble for this post!!!!

Yoga and more snow!

Yoga is the biggest rage in our household this new year - The kids love it too. Esther is really funny b/c she loves to do downward dog - here's proof! Now, we can say - Es, do your yoga and she hits the floor with her pose!

The snow is also big news around here - this was Josh on Monday getting ready to go up on the roof to clean off the dish so we could have TV. It was cold, he was snowy, and thank goodness he didn't fall off the roof!

Snowed in to watch the Colts!

We've been under some serious winter weather here in MI the last couple of days. Yesterday we were in a blizzard warning all day and today under a winter weather warning. So, all services have been cancelled for today, which means Josh can watch the whole super bowl, in which his COLTS are playing. We are hoping for a BIG win today! We've all got as much blue on as possible, Josh and Garrett are in Colts gear, so we're all ready for a big win!

The pictures of the snow include one of our cats on the deck (that was earlier this week, before the blizzard!). And Olivia doing a snow angel, she didn't realize how deep it was and had snow all over her!