Big Boy Toys

In an effort to level the ground in my parents backyard for our easy-set pool, Josh brought home "help." Once again, he and my dad were like little kids talking about the tractor, using the tractor, and just LOOKING at the tractor. We got a lot done yesterday thanks to the "toy." All the moving of dirt would have taken much longer and the pool wouldn't be up and filled had we not had it. I'm thankful to Lawn Connection for lending us the equipment.

Here's the kids taking turns sitting in the drivers seat.

This is the truck that Josh drives everyday. It pulls the trailer with either the tractor on it, or all the other lawn care equipment they use.

Garrett's turn in the drivers seat. The two kids you don't recognize are neighbores who are frequently found playing in our yard. :)

Daddy and Gideon backing the tractor off the trailer. Esther was really scared and yelling at Josh, "Daddy, Gideon, ok?" Over and over.

In other boy news, here's Garrett's latest scrape. Actually, a slice, that I thought was going to need stitches. Luckily, it was a diagonal slice and not straight across the chin. He did this while running down the sidewalk, tripped and fell, hitting his chin on a brick. I didn't see it happen, but I'm assuming it was the corner of the brick. I'll be surprised if there's a time this summer when he doesn't have some sort of cut, scrape, or bruise on his body. He's sooo rough!

I love these faces!

Howcould
you

NOT LOVE

these

faces??

Boy Fun

If you're male and you are somehow related to my family, chances are you LOVE Jeeps. Wranglers to be exact. My dad has owned three (one that was actually my brothers), we have had two, Corrie has expressed the NEED for one, now that they live in a "4 wheel drive" town. I do have to say, they are fun to drive, especially with the top and doors off.

My dad got his hands on a free Jeep a couple of years ago that "needed work." Basically, it wouldn't start and the clutch was totally broken. It's been sitting in his garage all these years waiting for some tender loving hands to come fix it (and someone with some money to put into it). When we moved in, dad had to roll the Jeep out because all our stuff needed to go in it's place. A couple of weeks ago, we moved our stuff to the attic so that the Jeep could regain it's position and the guys could get to work on it. Did I forget to mention that a week before that, they got it started? The reaction of Josh and dad would have made you think that Jesus had come back for them, they were so excited! And actually, for mother's day, they thought that the highlight of the day would be starting it...so they did. Highlight?...not exactly...at least not for the mothers.

Esther sat in it on Sunday when they started it and was frozen with fear from the noise. She was sitting in the passenger seat crying for someone to get her out of the "scary Jeep." She probably can't appreciate the Jeep for what it is because she's female...

Gideon sat in it yesterday, full of smiles and laughs. I'm sure he was dreaming about the day when he could have one of his own.

Watch out! Here I come!

And what spells fun for a boy more than a pile of dirt and rocks. And man, is there more then enough of that around this place.

"I grab this here...and then...

I put this thing on this hard, dirty stuff....and (grunt) lift.


Check out my findings...

...looks good to me!"

Of course, I did say that this post was about boy fun, but seriously, I couldn't leave out this picture of Esther. She can get just as dirty as the boys and play just as hard, and that ragamuffin face...LOVE IT! She is my little girl who loves "spin-'round" dresses, but she can wear anything and be super cute, don't ya think?

Ok, and since I've already veered away from the boy theme once, I'm going to do it again and share some Olivia quotes from when she was sick the last couple of days.

I explained to Olivia when she feels like she's going to throw up to use the puke bucket...you all know what I'm talking about. Anyway, during her second spewing at 3 in the morning, I ran out to hear her saying, between gags and pukes,

"Oh, man, (gag) I got it on my pj's! (gag, gag)"

"It's ok", I reply, as I grab for the bucket. "Why don't you have the bucket?"

"Mom, I couldn't help it, it zoomed up so fast!" As she ran her finger up her throat.

The next morning, I was sitting with her while another bout of sickness was coming out of her, holding her hair back and rubbing her back. When she was finished, she looked up at me and said, "I'm all out."

That says it all folks, doesn't it?

not me again

This Monday has been extremely productive! For the first time in my married life I hung my laundry on the line outside (5 loads)! Garrett and I had some good mother/son time while he moved the line for me, and took down some dry clothes. The clothes are at this moment, folded and put away! I also got the van COMPLETELY clean. I mean, scrubbed the grime off the arm rest, vacuum the snot out of the carpet, take the car seat covers off the seats and washed them, smells like a new car, CLEAN!

In the spirit of some of those things, here's my "NOT ME" list.

I did not enjoy hanging the laundry out on the line. I did not hum a little tune, say a couple prayers, or utterly enjoy the quiet breeze whispering around me.

I did not let my 3 year old "help" me clean the van. I did not let her have unlimited access to the environmentally safe armor all and window cleaner to spray and 'clean' where ever she wanted. This control freak mother would never let a child "help" clean and not go back over to do it the "right" way! NOT ME! (I'm not sure how that reads, but really didn't go back over and re-clean her spots!)

I did not leave my 18 month old son unattended on multiple occasions this week while he successfully emptied food items. I did not have to clean up,

Cheerios (I did not make my mom clean these up!)

Tea bags, some of which he opened and was ready to brew up!

Or Cocoa Puffs. At least this time he was trying to get them in a bowl.

I did not find any of these things funny, cute, or bloggable. NOT ME!

I did not put off my blood work for this pregnancy AGAIN, just because I don't want to go. I would never ignore doctors orders, I'm always such a compliant patient.

I did not go 5 for 5 in guessing the sex of our children, before we had them or the ultrasound. I did not tell my husband last Monday, that I thought this baby was a girl. I did not listen to him tell me how he prayed that, although he knew the sex was already determined, he would really like another son. I did not gloat about being 5 for 5 to anyone, what kind of person would do that?? I am not kinda excited that I have a pattern going with my kids. Patterns aren't my thing...Not me!

And, on a sad note...I did not forget that my wonderful husband had planned a date for us this past Saturday. I did not start cooking dinner so we couldn't go out...I would never forget a date, we go on them SOOOOO often!

Joining the "Not Me" club!

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

In an effort to keep my humor fresh and laugh at myself during this transition time in life, I am joining the "Not me!" Monday. I hope you enjoy these things that I would never, ever (not in a million years) do...EVER!

On Saturday, I did not keep my pajama pants on all day, put a sports bra on with a blue, "V" neck maternity shirt, which showed my purple sports bra (did I forget to mention that it was purple?) and walk around the neighborhood all day watching my kids.

On this same day in question, I did not run out of the house like a lunatic, screaming and yelling at my five year old son b/c he wiped out off his bike in the road. And I would never yell at him b/c he disobeyed me, but only b/c I was so worried if he got hurt or not. I would never think that he got what he deserved for disobeying! Not me, I'm way more compassionate than that.

And to make it a solid, three strikes and your out kinda day, that evening, I did NOT run down an entire street block (in my awesome, stay-at-home-mom outfit) screaming and yelling for Mr. Softee, the local ice cream truck, to stop so my kids and niece could have an ice cream cone for a snack.

I'm way above doing any of those things...it was "Not Me..."