playing outside

Today was a glorious day to play outside... so we did!!

We were outside all morning, ate lunch out there, all afternoon, insert a quick change into Jasper's monkey costume, and before dinner, after dinner, and before bedtime. It was so wonderful and Jasper was just in heaven, and so was I, frankly. :o)

We did sidewalk chalk... for hours...

Then our hero came home... and we did more sidewalk chalk...

Lots of chase...

hide and seek...

 tickle torture...

 spinning...

and digging and "hiding" in the garden.

B's smiles

Brody woke up smiling one day last week and hasn't quite since. :o) It's the cutest thing you've ever seen. He smiles when either Andrew, Jasper, or I start talking to him and he just grins and grins and moves his head back and forth and grins. I've yet to get a great pic of Brody's sweet smile, but this afternoon, I sorta captured one.

Also, we've been having lots, and I mean LOTS of really fun playdates/adventures recently, and I've been so lax in putting up pics. Here are a few from the last week or so...

Play date at Stacy Leemkuil's house today. Lots of kids, lots of food, lots of fun! :o)

My little brother, John, is graduating from Med School, and this last friday, he and his wife found out that they "matched" with the Mayo Clinic (John's 1st choice) for John's Orthopedic Surgery Residency. So in honor of "match day", they had a "Match Party" for family. Andrew sadly had to work, but I took the boys up to Toledo and we partied hardy with my family. We're so happy for John and Ali!

 Ali made a skeleton out of veggies since John is a bone doctor. 

We're posing in front of the letter John got that states the he got matched with Mayo.

Of all the people in my family, I was the first one to get a ball stuck on the roof. Jasper LOVED the excitement of it all and he loved helping his daddy get the ball off.

One random afternoon, in the 2 minutes it took me to dry my bangs (just my bangs, not my whole hair), Jasper got out the peanut butter, jelly, took the lids off, a bag of baby carrots, an ensure with a straw, a bowl, a fork, and a spoon and was eating feverishly. I left him playing with toys. 2 minutes later, I came back to this:

Last week, we had a St. Patrick's Day party with the Westgate stay-at-home moms group (I'm really getting to love these women!!) and it was loads of fun!!

One evening, I was getting all weepy because I feel like Brody is growing up too fast, so I took this pic to remind myself that he's still pretty tiny.

We had a fun playdate with a dear friend, Titus, at our house one day.

Then one day last week, Jasper, Andrew, and I all got the flu at the exact same time. It was truly miserable. I felt most bad for sweet Jasper since he's never really been sick like this before. He threw up constantly, had the "runs" horribly, and was downright miserable. That week was super, super tough. I only took a shower 1 time that entire week and it's because I was covered, from head to toe, in Jasper's projectile vomit. Jasper actually remembers it fondly, though, because I let him watch as many Curious George's as he wanted since he was sick and he watched the entire season 5 and half of season 6 in ONE DAY. I justified that much tv only because Andrew was sicker-thana-dog in the basement that whole day and I was sicker-thana-dog upstairs that entire day. Curious George saved us.

There's more I want to write, but my bed is calling my name. Both boys are napping soundly right now, it's snowing outside, and I'm moderately tired, so I'm not going to miss this opportunity to rest. I just want to record, however, how wonderful our God is. Each new day, I'm realizing more and more the abundant blessings He pours out on my and all the ways He shows His love to me. I've been highly convicted of how little I notice and/or give thanks for the sweet ways God loves me and I'm begging the Holy Spirit to help me with that and to also help me show it to Jasper and Brodybug. Life is so, so sweet and I'm so thankful to God for it!

J's heart

I love talking with Jasper. I really, really love it. I love hearing what he has to say, learning what's on his heart. Listening to his fears, his dreams, his loves, his dislikes, etc. It's such a precious privilege to get a glimpse inside his little mind.

The best opportunity for me to talk one-on-one with Jasper is when we play outside together after lunch. Brody is napping in his crib (Brody is such a precious little one! I simply can't stop kissing his sweet cheeks!) and Jasper has me all to himself for an hour or more. It's become one of my most cherished times. Jasper thinks we're just playing outside. But I confess. I have a hidden motive. It's my chance to ask him questions and really, really listen to him and learn what's on his heart. it can be pretty darn cute as well as insightful.

Some recent examples of little glimpses into J's heart:

The other day...

Me- "Hey buddy! For your birthday party, you can invite any 2 friends you want to come to your party! Do you know who you might want to invite?"

Jasper instantly responded "NOT MAX!"

I had to try so hard to not laugh out loud. Max is a bully at bsf who hits Jasper, and Jasper has recently started hitting Max back. We talk a lot about showing Max love and we pray a lot that God will help Jasper to really love Max the way that God really loves Jasper. But no, my sweet Jasper, I won't make you invite Max to your birthday party. :o)

The other week...

I was holding Jasper on my lap on the white swings in our driveway and we were just sitting there, looking for airplanes, and I said, "Hey buddy! I love your little ankles!" (my hands were holding his ankles which is what prompted the comment). Jasper said, "Yes. And dadda has boo-bib-ful ankles, too!" Why yes, little one, daddy's ankles are quite beautiful. :o)

The other day...

Jasper- "I wike Curwious George. No, no, no, no!!! I WUVVVV Curwious George." Yep! You really do.

Today...

We were sitting on the front porch and out of the clear blue, Jasper says "Dadda's a good man. He's uh workin' guy." Again, you are quite right. You're daddy is a great man who works hard for his family.

There are so many other little comments that I just want to remember for forever, but I sadly forget them already. But these are such precious times and I cherish them quite a lot.

a conversation with Jasper

Life with Jasper and Brody is so fun these days, and one of the things that I really enjoy is just talking with Jasper. Most of the time, we just chat away and talk about anything and everything; we have such fun doing it and I often pray for ways to weave godly principles into our everyday chatter.

Sometimes, however, chatting with Jasper can be a bit mind-boggling in the sense that he's smart. Really smart. and he's not satisfied with answers like "just because" or "oh, you know." and he actually thinks things through and asks follow up questions.

For example, the other day,  Jasper, Brody, and I were driving back from a picnic at Yutzy's and I had a car full of amazing Yutzy's food. I was munchin' on a Yutzy's apple, finished it, and my country-girl-habits kicked in (since we were, indeed, in the middle of the country) and I rolled down my window a crack and threw the apple core into the ditch.

The following conversation thus ensued:

J- "What was dat?"
me- "what was what?"
J- "what was it dat you thwew?"
me- "Oh. I threw my apple core."
J- "I's not see it. I's not see da apple core."
me- "Oh well, that's ok. I threw it fast."
J- "Why's did you?"
me- "Well, I just threw it and it went outside really fast."
J- "I's see it pwease?"
me- "Well, buddy, you can't see it b/c it's behind us now."
J- "ittsa in da twunk?"
me- "no, bud, it's not in the trunk."
J- "where's is it?"
me- "It's in the ditch back there."
J- "I see da ditch pwease?"
me- "Buddy, the ditch is kinda far behind us now. You can't really see it anymore."
J- "like allllllllllllll da way to gwamma and bepa's house? Like dat far?"
me- laugh "no, not all the way to Grandma and Grandpa's house. Just a little far away."
J- "like a tiiiiiiiiiiiiiny bit away?"
me- "Um, yes. Just like a tiny bit away."
J- "Why's you throw da apple core?"
me- "Well, sometimes it's ok to throw out apple cores if you're not in the city. Sometimes it's ok if you're far out in the country by all the fields and things."
J- "I's throw out my's crackers wight now pwease?"
me- "no, buddy, don't throw out your crackers."
J- "why's not?"
me- "well, b/c you're still eating them."
J- "who's gonna eat your's apple core?"
me- "well, sometimes maybe animals will eat my apple core and other food they find in the ditch."
J- "animals wike doggies?"
me- "Yep! you got it! animals like doggies will come eat my apple core."

I thought the conversation was over. I was lost in thought and basking in the glorious countryside and sunshine. Totally lost in thought.

then, from the backseat, I hear...

J-"Where's are dey?"
me- "Where is who?"
J- "Where's da doggies dat wanna eat your's apple core? I's not see em."
me- "Oh. Um.. they're kinda far away right now."
J- "but where's are dey? Allllllll da way by gwamma and bepa's house?"
me- "um, boy. Well, they're probably with their family right now."
J- "Wid deir mommy and daddy's?"
me- "Yep! they're probably with their mommy and daddy."
J- "What is deir mommy name?"
me- "Um, doggy's mommy's don't really have names."

quiet for a moment.

J- "Der daddy's name is and-woo?"
me- laugh "no, buddy, their daddy's name isn't andrew. Doggies don't really have names. They're just doggies."

silence for a moment. Then...

J- "Nana papa's doggie is name is Marwey."

me- blink. blink. blink. hmm... he's totally right...

I glance in the rearview mirror and J is looking back at me, his head cocked to one side, waiting for my explanation.

me- blink. "Um, you're right, buddy. Nana and Papa's dog's name is Marley."

J- still looking at me, waiting for an explanation.

J- "Marwey has a name."
me- "You're right, buddy. well, I guess sometimes doggies do have names. If, like, they have people who love them very much, then sometimes those people give them names." (thinking to myself, "does this even make sense?!")
J- "I wuv Marwey very's much."
me- "I know you do buddy."
J- "And papa's a farmer!!"
me- "Yes he is buddy! You're right!"
J- "When I's grow biiiiig and stwong wike Daddy, I's gonna be a farmer too!"
me- "that sounds great buddy!!"
J- "but I's not hab a combine! Where's my combine?!"
me- laugh "no, buddy, you don't have a combine."
J- "but where's is it?!"
me- "well, when you get big and strong like daddy and have a lot of money, then you go to a store and buy a combine."
J- "I's go to Meijer to buys my's combine?"
me- "Um.. not really Meijer. A different store."
J- "What store?"
me- "Um... a special combine store."
J- "Where's is it da special combine store."
me- "oh, you know."
J- "but I's not see it."
me- "um, it's out by the farmers."
J- "wike, da special combine store all da way by papa?'
me- "Yep! It sure is!"
J- "And when I's biiiiig and strwong wike daddy and I's hab lotsa money I's go to da special combine store and buys a combine and I dwibe it in da garden?"
me- laugh "yep, buddy! You can buy a combine and drive it in the garden. That's a good idea."
J- "But where's my's siwos?"
me- blink. "Well, buddy, we don't have any silos. But papa has lots of silos. Maybe you can use his silo."
J- "Dat's a good idea! Where's is it?"
me- "It's kinda far away. It's by Papa's house."
J- "But where's my's corn bield?!"
me- "where's your corn field?"
j- "Yes! where's is it? I's not see it!"
me- "Um.. when you're big and strong like daddy and have lots of money, you can buy a corn field."
j- "buy's it from Meijer?"

and on and on it went till we (thankfully) got home. :o)

skipping naps

Today, for the first time in history, I let Jasper skip his nap (and thus my nap, too) so we could play outside.

Yep, I know. I'm livin' on the edge.

But it was so totally worth it.

As you can see from a pic i took earlier this morn, it was dark, cold, and windy/rainy when we woke up, but we were thankful to have the unexpected excitement of a random cable guy to provide Jasper with an hour of entertainment.

But right around nap time, it turned into a brilliant, warm, sunshine-y day and, despite exhaustion, I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to take the little lovebugs outside to enjoy God's beautiful day!

And like I said, it was totally worth it!

First, a 1 mile bike ride (the tiniest lovebug is in the turquoise sling).

Next, refreshments on the swings. Honestly, nothin' says "summer" like drinking kool-aid straight from the bottle.

 Then, to Jasper's extreme delight, he found, captured, and litterally loved-to-death his first Josie (aka lady bug) of the year! 

Now, after a short rest time, we're preparing to put shoes on again and walk down the street to meet Daddy as he's driving home. Boy, I've missed these days and am so thankful they're back!!

"Come in here, burds!!!"

Jasper made a birdhouse in Sunday School last week. To say that he loves it is quite the understatement.

He really, really loves this birdhouse and the birds that "sleep" in it at night.

He talks about the birds, dreams about the birds, talks TO the birds, cares for the birds, prays for the birds, and loves on 'em like crazy.

For example, last Wednesday, Jasper was quite concerned that the birds weren't getting cared for properly. So, we spent our morning loading up the birdhouse with goodies for the birds. First, Jasper filled it with water and 1 pump of soap (I've finally had to put a limit on Jasper's usage of soap since he goes through a bottle in a day or two) so the birds could wash their hands. Then he brought the birdhouse to the kitchen and put quite a few of his Christmas Altoids in it and then loaded it up with lettuce for their dinner.

It was so stinkin' cute b/c he was so very sincere and thoughtfully planned what the birds would need.

We keep his birdhouse on Jasper's windowsill, so once the birdhouse was stuffed full of water, soap, Altoids, and lettuce, we bundled up in our winter gear, and headed outside.

Instead of putting the birdhouse on the windowsill, though, J ran around the driveway all morning, holding the birdhouse as high as he could, and kept saying,

"Come in here, burds!! Come in here!! Burds, come in here!! I's got ah houze for you, burds! Come in here, burds!!! Come in here!!"

Jasper truly thought the birds should be flying right into his house, and it was heartbreakingly adorable when he was so confused as to why the birds weren't coming into their new house. Oh Jasper, how I love you, buddy.

it's been a while :o)

So.. it's been quite a while since i've blogged... not because of a lack of desire, but rather because of a lack of time. We're slowly getting life into a rhythm again and we've found a good routine that works well for us from day to day, and i'm just now fitting "frivolous" things (like texting, calling ppl, bsf lesson, blogging, plucking eyebrows, etc) into my daily routine.

That being said, I want to stress how positively wonderful life is right now!! People keep asking us, "How's life with 2 little ones now?!" with this look on their face that conveys that they think it should be nothing but pure stress and frustration. We always respond, "Oh! It's so wonderful! We just love it! The transition has been pretty smooth overall and things are going so well!" and people act shocked! :o) I give the credit solely to God for giving us SUCH a truly wonderful, smooth, joyful transition into life with 2 precious little boys. Brody is such an easy, very peaceful, and truly cuddly little guy and Jasper continues to be a blessing to our hearts! Jasper's vocab is expanding exponentially and he's truly talking much like an adult now. He picks up phrases and uses words that continue to astound us and make us laugh!

For example, the other day, I told Jasper that I was going to Kroger, and he instantly responded, "Oh momma!! Don'(t) borget to buy me some hair gel pwease!!" I literally laughed out loud! Hair gel?! for real?! I didn't even know that he knew about hair gel, and here he is wanting me to buy him some from Krogers. It was so cute. So... we went together (with Brody in tow) and picked out Jasper's first (of many, i'm sure) bottle of hair gel. He uses it about 18 times a day and it's not unusual to see globs of blue hair gel slowly cascading down the side of his forehead. It's so cute. He loves his cologne and loves to ask questions and loves to be with his family and loves to talk about things that he loves. He's truly at a very precious stage!

I must run, the littlest guy is getting hungry.

But we are so, so very blessed and the transition is just so smooth and our hearts are often overflowing with thanks to God for giving us such a precious life and family.