No blankies

September 15, 2007 will be ingrained in my memory forever.

I couldn’t find Benjamin’s blankies at nap time. It was terrible. He sobbed himself to sleep….pitiful heart wrenching sobs.

“Blankieeeeeeee……”

It broke my heart. I searched everywhere for them and couldn’t find them. I think Justin hid them but he was asleep and I wasn’t about to wake him up to ask him. Thankfully, Haeley, Jasmine and Gabe were able to find them before bedtime. It wouldn’t have been so bad had I been able to find one, but I couldn’t even find one of them!

Quiet days...yeah right!

They boys keep me busy during the days. Benjamin and Justin play really well together. They love to wrestle and scare me to death! They will go at it for a solid hour. Justin takes off running and knocks Benjamin down. Benjamin gets up laughing and goes after Justin. I need to convert my spare bedroom into the wrestling room. We’ll take the bed out, put up padded walls and a bouncy floor. That should work. =)

Labor Day Weekend

We had family come in town for Labor Day. Brad’s brother Daniel, his wife Summer, and their 2 kids Zeke and Dory came up from North Carolina for a couple days. We went to the Salem Old Fashioned Tractor Days. It was fun! Brad and Dan got to drive tractors through the parade. The kids got a TON of candy! It was a nice drive out there and the area was so pretty. I love little old towns!

The kids had a blast playing with each other and we enjoyed just relaxing. The kids enjoyed the homemade slip-n-slide. I think enjoyed though is an understatement! Brad and Dan camped out with the kiddos Sunday night. Gabe came down with some bug. I’m still not sure what he had, but then Haeley started feeling ill and running a low fever too. Thankfully it was short lived and they were back at school without missing any days!

Painting....painting...paint...pain

I’ve got my projects going! I stripped all the wallpaper glue off of our walls the end of August and began to paint. It was an interesting experience doing this with my munchkins underfoot. Thankfully the biggest mess was Justin and Benjamin brushing up against a wall and getting primer on their clothes. BUT I must say, I did a pretty darn good job getting my “Loyer” (area between the living room and foyer) painted. It’s called Sugar Loaf. I like it a lot. I’m waiting on Brad to finish patching some spots up in the hallway and then I’ll continue my painting up the hallway. After that it’s on to the living room. Then I’ll do the kitchen and spare bedroom. After that is the dining room. I dread that room. It’s gonna be a big job. It should keep me busy through the winter though!

I’ll be happy when I have all of these projects done!!!

School....

Jasmine and Haeley are in the same class and they love their teacher. Their favorite part about school is getting to sit on their desks and play with the bearded dragons. They are being challenged, but I think in a good way. Jasmine has had to learn that reading is important and it will be required of her more than it has been in the past. They have quite a bit of homework daily and it has caused me to re-learn some math concepts. It’s amazing the things that they are learning so early on!

Gabe loves his teacher Mr. Cole. I am so pleased that he has such a phenomenal teacher! Gabe’s favorite thing about school is recess and lunch. =) Gotta love that! He does very well in math and loves science. He reminds me of his daddy! He’ll do well this year, we just have to get his behavior in check!

School Started!!!!

August 16^th the kids headed off to school. I think it’s going to get easier as the years go by, but it doesn’t. In fact, it gets harder. I think that as they leave I realize that we are just one year closer to them actually growing up and leaving home. I don’t like that.

Benjamin's 2!!!

Benjamin turned 2 August 12, 2007. It was a bittersweet day for me. I think the first birthdays are hard, but they are still a baby. At 2, Benjamin is walking, talking, eating big boy food and drinking out of sippy cups and all around a little boy. His favorite toys are cars. He LOVES cars. Benjamin sleeps in a cars bed and usually has both of his blankies pulled up to his chin and a car in each hand. He brings such joy into our lives. He is not as wild as Justin was and I pray that is a sign of what is to come. He is very observant and doesn’t like the question, “Do you need a spank?” He immediately grabs his diaper and says, “No Maeee. No spank.” Other people can understand what he is saying or trying to say. He is my baby. He is my cuddle monkey. He will come and crawl up in my lap and just sit with me. I eat it up every time.

Locks of Love

The girls have been growing their hair our for Locks of Love for quite some time now. Today was the day to get it cut. They look absolutely wonderful! I'm so proud of them for doing this.

Haeley is anxiously awaiting the first cut!

Jasmine was excited but a little nervous too.

The first cuts!!!!!

And here are the two beauty queens!

(complete with lollipops)

And the 5 munchkins all together!

What a Day!

We spent the day re-arranging the boys bedrooms. We moved Benjamin into the boys' room and gave Gabriel his own room. So now, Justin and Benjamin are sharing a room and Gabe has his own.

It was a very emotional day for me! Call me crazy, but I cried as we took the crib down. This will be the first time since we have been married that we haven't had someone in the crib. And since we are done having babies, there will be no one in the crib again. It was terrible! Brad said to me, "Just think, in 17 years we'll be empty-nesters." I said, "I don't want to think about that!!!!"

BUT, all this to say...Gabe is thrilled in his own room! Justin was so sweet when he saw what I had done in his room. He said to me, "Mommy I really 'precciate what you did in my room. I really 'precciate you making it look so nice." He stole my heart! And Benjamin was thrilled when he saw his new race car bed---complete with "Cars" bedding. He squealed and said, "Maaeee, Qeen!!!!" Translation "Mommy, Lightning McQueen!!!!"

I was a little concerned about bedtime tonight. But, it went smoothly! Brad sat in the hallway for about 15 minutes and the kids stayed in bed. No one got up and we checked on all the little "angels" and they are all in their beds sound asleep.



Last weekend Brad and I ran the Tractor Tram at the Hendricks County 4-H Fair. It was a blast! And we got to see our first Demolition Derby. That was a trip! I'm putting a couple pictures from that on here too. We took the kids and they got to get up close and personal with a lot of the animals. They absolutely LOVED it!

God has blessed me beyond measure with my family. Today was a great day. We were all together and Brad was home! The kids loved having their daddy home. He's been working some crazy hours here!

....It's Sunday Morning now. Benjamin stayed in his bed all night! Me, on the other hand...I heard every noise and was up constantly checking on him. I guess he really is getting to be a "big boy". =(

My Sleeping Girls

Gabe in his "new" room. He is so precious!

Doesn't Justin look comfy?

"Cheese Maee"

He's such a big boy!

What a cutie!

Brad says, "She thinks my tractor's sexy..."

This is how Brad wathces a Demolition Derby. =)

To pick or not to pick?

Justin decided yesterday that he was going to pick his nose. Gross, yes I know. BUT, he was picking his nose...with his toes.