Friday, December 26, 2008

Faces of Fever

Just for fun, here's a one-minute excerpt of our Christmas day. A little mood fluctuation caused by the fever. Who knew a male could experience so many emotions within one 60 second period? By the way, Eli's fever broke and he's been fever-free all day! Praise God for answered prayers.

Christmas Pictures

Despite Eli's first fever ocurring on Christmas Eve and lasting until today, I think we all had a blessed Christmas! We missed being with the family in Wilson, but know we'll see them all soon! Here are some pictures from our family Christmas Exchange and Christmas Day! Hope your's was great, too!

Thursday, December 25, 2008

Warm wishes!


Christmas Card '08

Friday, December 19, 2008

Because everyone else is doing it!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Monday, December 15, 2008

It's been real people, but I'm outta here...

Friends, I think we're in trouble!!

Just a few things:

1. Yes, there are 3 big dogs in the video--Scout, Emma (neighbor dog), and Eva!

2. Please ignore the ghetto trash can and accompanying cardboard boxes--just keepin' it real. You never know when you need a box for wrapping those Christmas gifts!

3. Yes, that is a dog door, even though a grown man can fit through, and has on the occasion of being locked out of our home!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Cookie Exchange Time

Here we are, ready for our online cookie exchange!

Early this season, I mentioned to Matt that I'd like to host a cookie exchange. You know, just gather some of my girlfriends and family around for some chit-chat and to share some recipes. Then life happened! Nothing big, just the daily cooking, cleaning, diaper changing, playing, laundry, rocking, diaper changing, singing, baking, errand running, Christmas shopping, diaper changing, bottle feeding, homework helping, and did I mention diaper changing!! Well, with all that life happening, the cookie exchange fell through the cracks.

I was so glad when my sister-in-law reminded me of last year's recipe swap. It was great to get some new ideas to satisfy my baking urges. I can't wait to try Matt's great-grandmother Britt's orange cookies this year. You can find that recipe in the comments section of last year's recipe swap.

Now, on to this year...feel free to either leave your recipe in the comments section, or if you want, you can post your cookie exchange ideas on your own blog and just leave the link in the comments section. I'm calling it a cookie exchange, but feel free to leave any baked good recipe you love around the holiday season (brownies, bars, mixes, drops, etc)! Happy Baking!!

WHITE CHOCOLATE PARTY MIX~
1 (10 ounce) package small pretzels
5 cups Cheerios toasted oat cereal
5 cups Corn Chex
2 cups salted peanuts
1 (1 lb) bag M&Ms plain chocolate candy
2 (12 ounce) packages vanilla chips
3 tablespoons vegetable oil

In a very large bowl, combine the pretzels, Cheerios, Chex, peanuts and M&Ms. Set aside. In the microwave, heat vanilla chips and vegetable oil on a medium-high power for approximately 2 minutes, stirring once. Pour melted chips over cereal mixture and mix well. Spread on wax paper. Allow to cool completely, then break into bite-sized pieces. Store in airtight container.

MONSTER COOKIES~
3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter
1 stick butter, softened
3/4 cup multi-colored chocolate candies
3/4 cup raisins
2 teaspoons baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats (I use my baking stones). In a very large mixing bowl (I use my KitchenAid mixer as the mixture becomes quite difficult to manage), combine the eggs and sugars. Mix well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the chocolate candies, raisins,baking soda, and oatmeal. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
Bake for approximately 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Let stand for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool. When cool, store in large resealable plastic bags

ENJOY!!

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

Cookie Exchange (edited)


Edited to add: Please invite your friends to join us. You can even copy and paste the invite picture (I think!!) The more the merrier!!

Thursday, December 4, 2008

No biz, like "Snow Biz"

Tonight was the annual Winter Concert at Jacob's school. I don't know if you've been to a Winter Concert, but nothing says, "Merry Christmas" like a big group of kiddos singing about snow while performing some choreography rivaling Paula Abdul circa 1989 and throwing the fake snow!

Since we have a little one whose bedtime routine begins around 7:00, I stayed home with Eli while Matt headed out with Jacob and our camcorder for the big event.

Videography goes a long way for a parent who has to miss a Winter Concert. I have watched both videos Matt recorded at least twice, because, unlike my hubby, concerts and/or choral singing of any kind makes my day!

So, dear readers, we are so pleased to offer you a glimpse into the Winter Concert, too!

For your viewing and listening pleasure, please enjoy Jacob Sloan (2nd row, blonde buzz cut) and the fourth graders singing "Snow Biz"!

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

I've gotta G-O!!

Eli's been "crolling" for a while now. For those of you who aren't privy to crolling, it is simply pivoting in a sitting position so that your body is aimed correctly, then falling over (gracefully, of course) and rolling to get to your destination. Eli is a pro and more than capable of getting anywhere and everywhere by crolling.

However, he's recently taken interest in other ways of travel. He's now mastered cruising. Given the freedom, he'll pull up on any unmoving object, then navigate it to get to any object that came with the label "keep out of the reach of children!" Here he is working his way around the end of the couch.



Another mode of transportation he's recently taken up is the walk-behind toy. On Saturday, he made the discovery that this thing that was once just a toy with spinny things, is now a tool to help him get from point A to point "keep out of the reach of children" with speed! Check out the video we captured!


And without further ado...

...CRAWLING!!! Real, true crawling!! And, just in time for the Christmas tree. I think it's time for a rewrite of the old tried and true carol "Oh, Christmas Tree!" Sing it with me...No Christmas tree, No Christmas tree; Eli stay out of the branches!


Wednesday, November 26, 2008

Thankful

Is it really Thanksgiving again?

As I look around my kitchen, I suppose it is. The island is covered with flour, brown sugar, vanilla, and measuring cups. The baking has begun. I L-O-V-E the holiday baking!! Cookies, pies, cakes, oh my! I get a sugar-high just thinking about it all.

As wonderful as the food is, it's not the heart of the holidays. Oh, yes indeed, friends, it's a fabulous bonus, but not where the focus should be.

Tomorrow we'll pause and reflect on the wonderful blessings we have been given. And, boy have we been blessed! Our Jehovah Jireh is such a wonderful Provider. We have all we need. Sure, we budget, cut back, and live frugally. But now, even in the midst of the country's financial crisis, God has proven to be greater!

So, I challenge you to look beyond the economic mess and take the time to see what God is doing and has done! You'll be surprised! There are so many things to be thankful for!

And above all, I'm thankful that God loves me (and you) so much that he sent his son to die for my sins, so that I might have eternal and abundant life!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Friday, November 21, 2008

It's not what you're thinking

I love this blogger's spin on baby's first word. Check it out at One Thing.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Around lunch time today, I looked outside to see a beautiful sight. With Eli all bundled up, we headed outside. I caught a little on video. God's displays of beauty and splendor never cease to amaze me. I'm sure that's obvious by the oohs, aahs, and wows. Enjoy a rare treat...

...SNOW IN NC IN NOVEMBER!!

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

More fun than a barrel of monkeys

This past weekend, my parents demonstrated their insanity love by inviting 6 of the 7 grandkids to their house for a slumber party and field trip to the planetarium. I'm sure the level of activity and noise in their house on Friday night was commensurate to that of a room full of 2 year olds high on birthday cake. That kinda happens when those kiddos get together. My saint-of-a-mother loves having them there. My dad turns his hearing aid off (just kidding...he loves it, too)!

On Sunday, we loaded the family up in the van and headed back to Wilson for Becca's birthday party. She's 12. WOW...starting to feel old over here! The kids had a blast running around the playground and chowing down on cake.

And some yummy cake it was!

And some sweet cake it was!

Which attracted the yellow jackets.

Which caused the pre-teen girls to scream.

At decibel levels that would cause dogs to howl.

And made me appreciate being the mom to boys!

I had some fun snapping photos while the kiddos played and the relatives took turns holding and playing with Eli. Here are a few of my favorites.








Monday, November 10, 2008

Happy Birthday and thank you!

Happy 233rd Birthday, USMC!!

From the halls of Montezuma, to the shores of Tripoli. We will fight our country's battles in the air, on land, and sea. First to fight for right and freedom, and to keep our honor clean. We are proud to claim the title of United States Marines.

Semper Fi!



To all the Marines (including my fabulous hubby), soldiers, airmen, sailors, and members of the Coast Guard, I extend my heartfelt appreciation for your willingness to sacrifice it all for our freedoms.

May God Bless you!!



Thursday, November 6, 2008

Idle hands here...NEVER!!!

We Sloans tend to take the saying "idle hands are the devil's playground" very seriously. Either that, or we have a serious disorder that prevents us from sitting still for long periods of time. We are always on the go and we like it that way. So when Jacob's teacher workdays were coming up, I started making plans. Boy, did we have things to do and places to go!!

On Monday, we started our day with regular household chores. (BTW, I discovered the "daily jobs list" from Katherine at Raising Five and it has worked beautifully and saved me from repeating myself 'til the cows come home! She has some awesome hints for raising kids based on her experiences!!) Jacob did his "before school" stuff then played legos, while I completed my "to dos." We ate some lunch, then Jacob settled in to paint some letters for his door. I think they turned out wonderfully.



After he finished his letters, we moved on to baking. Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies--yum! I love to bake and Jacob is picking up on that love. It's so neat to see him getting more and more comfortable in the kitchen. He's gonna make a great hubby to someone one day. Sidenote: I shared with Jacob not long ago, that I pray for his future wife. I told him that I pray that God provides him with a really cute, Godly girl. He laughed and said, "What about Eli...do you pray for an ugly one for him." Wha???? :)



Later that night, we had a rousing game of Scene It, Jr. No pictures of that, but I will admit that Jacob and I got stomped by Matt. It was an ugly defeat! But it was fun!

On Tuesday, Jacob and I headed out to vote. We went while Eli was napping (Matt works from home and had the monitor...don't call DSS), so it was easy peasy. In and out in 15 minutes! I think it was a great learning experience for Jacob. Of course, we're still old school and had paper and pen ballots. I think that surprised Jacob more than anything.

We headed home and Jacob and I settled in for some reading. We are reading The Horse and His Boy from the Narnia series. I am really enjoying the book and the time with Jacob. He's working on earning those Accelerated Reader points for school and the Narnia books are worth lots of points!

After the other brother woke up, we loaded up the van and off we went to Target. We all know that no long weekend is complete without a trip to Target! Jacob was a little disappointed in the toy selection, so he opted to save his money. Eli, however spent his $5 on a cute little Elmo doll! In reality I could have just bought Elmo's tag and he would have been happy. Who needs an Elmo doll when you can play with the plastic taggie thing used to hang him from the store hook?!

After lunch, Jacob practiced guitar. Check out his progress. He's practicing the chords from "Every Rose Has It's Thorn." Gotta love those 80's Power Ballads. Reminds me of pegged multi-color jeans, and Rave hairspray!


Jacob finished his last day off on a high note. Nonnie and D (Niki's parents) met us at guitar lessons and swept him away to the world of toy stores and restaurant food--a nine year old's fantasy land!

So, here's what I learned over the past two days. When I taught school, I loved teacher workdays. My classroom was empty and calm. I was able to write lesson plans, sanitize and clean everything, change bulletin boards, chit-chat with coworkers, and actually leave the building for lunch!! Monday and Tuesday I loved teacher workdays for a whole 'nother reason. I spent tons of quality time with the kiddos and wouldn't trade it for chit-chat or lunch out.


Reflecting, I just realized that Jacob is already halfway through his time at home with us. And I don't want to miss one minute of what we have left!

The apple doesn't fall far...

More proof that Eli is indeed his Daddy's boy! Pappy reminded me that I had this picture of Matt stuck in a dressing table. It's eerily similar to Eli's little incident! I guess boys will be boys.

Wednesday, November 5, 2008

Series of Unfortunate Events

Confession: Eli doesn't crawl.

But, let me assure he gets where he wants to go. We call it"crolling." Last night he was on a "croll" and quickly found himself caught between a rock and a hard place a pack 'n play and an exercise ball. Before we saved him from his little situation, I had to snap a picture. Yes, his entire upper body is wedged under the pack 'n play. He's a silly kid!



Today we had some fun with a mixing bowl. Or at least I think we had fun...maybe it was just me.








Disclaimer: No babies were injured in either incident as evidenced by the really cute smile on this kiddo!


Stop by tomorrow. I'll be posting about the great fun the boys and I had Monday and Tuesday thanks to some time away from school! See you then!

Saturday, November 1, 2008

Busy Boys

Jacob had career day at school yesterday. I think it's just an excuse to let the kiddos dress up for Halloween. He was a baseball player. And a handsome one at that!



Eli has been busy cutting teeth. He now has two on top and three on the bottom for a total of five. See there, a math lesson. This blog is so well-rounded :) Here's some pictures I took trying to get those teeth on camera.



Then, there's Eli's newest trick. He loves to stand up. He can't quite pull himself up on the furniture, but has certainly mastered doing so in his crib. We learned that quickly last Saturday. I laid him down in his crib for his afternoon nap. I grabbed the monitor and headed downstairs to eat lunch. He was whining a little at first, which is normal. Quickly that whine turned to a cry. One of those cries a mama recognizes as "not-okay." I booked it up the stairs only to find my screaming baby standing up in his crib with his mouth pressed against the railings. I picked him up and was met with the horror of a bloody face. He had busted his mouth on the crib railings. Forgive me for not getting that on camera, but I was in Mama-mode, not blogger-mode. After giving his face a wipe down and offering a cold, wet washcloth to bite on, he was all better. Matt even congratulated me on handling the situation without panicking. What can I say, 8 years of teaching kiddos with autism prepares you for pretty much anything! Here's a few shots of him being big!



Couple of Characters

Last night as we prepared to hand out the goodies to some cute trick-or-treaters, we got a phone call. Niki was calling to ask if we wanted to go trick-or-treating with them (they have Jacob right now). This was our second year without Jacob for Halloween and we decided to head on over there with Eli for some blended family fun. We are so glad we did! The boys were precious together and wonderful memories were made (including some scantily-clad policewomen handing out candy that I'm sure the hubbies won't forget)! Fun times!!

Here are some pictures of our boys.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Bedtime blessings

For baby heads that smell like Johnson's & Johnson's, and birdy mouths seeking out a bottle;

For the heaviness of a sleeping little angel resting in my arms, and the sound of a contented sigh as I lay him in his crib;

For big boy heads that smell like sweat, and crooked smiles that light up my heart;

For the unexpected hugs during bedtime prayers, and the "I love you, too";

I'm undyingly grateful!!

Monday, October 27, 2008

This made me happy!

I smiled as I read this blogger's post, knowing that the respect and manners we are teaching Jacob (and eventually Eli) are not outdated and backwoods, but wonderful, kind, thoughtful, and selfless acts that show the love of Jesus in a world that needs it! Enjoy the read...I know I did!

"Staples" at Derfwad Manor

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Sing-along (part deux)

Quite a few months ago, I posted a video with Eli singing along with me.

Well, last week we recorded a new duet. I don't want to get ahead of myself, but I've heard some Grammy Award buzz :) Check it out for yourself!


Monday, October 20, 2008

The blog fodder...he keeps it coming!

Tonight, we were all just hanging out for some family time before Jacob's tournament game. Eli and I were staying home since the game began at 8:00pm (past the little guys bedtime).

We were all gathered in our bedroom. Eli and I were playing, Jacob was practicing guitar, and Matt was changing into some warmer pants for the cooler evening weather. He lives in shorts!

I made a random comment about Matt's red underwear. I'm sure it was something along the lines of "check out the red drawers!"

(Please forgive me for airing your laundry, honey--ha, ha, "airing your laundry"--I crack myself up.)

Anyway!

So, Jacob said, "What if he went to the ballgame like that?"

"Oh, no!" I said. "I don't want to be fighting the women off with a bat!"

Cue Jacob:

"Why, to make them stop laughing?"

OH,

MY!!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Please join us in prayer!

After a phone call with my mom this morning, I headed over to Nate's blog. According to the doctors, Tricia's chemo is not doing what is was hoped to do and a new spot has appeared. Please join the hundreds and hundreds of people praying for this family! We trust God in this and every situation!

Family Visit

We had the privilege to visit Matt's family in PA this past weekend. Matt's dad hadn't seen the boys since Eli was a week old, and Grandma hadn't met Eli at all. Matt's sister, Mary, and her husband, Iain also came in with their little one, Callum. It was so nice to finally meet that cutie in person! Here are some great photos from the trip



The car ride was better than expected, but still took quite a long time with little Eli (almost 11 hours to get there and almost 10 hours to get home). The foliage in the mountains was gorgeous, but as I was so ready to be done with the car ride, we did not stop the van to take pictures. So sorry!

We had a great time and can't wait to visit again. Family fun is the best!!

Saturday, October 11, 2008

On the Road Again

We are away visiting Matt's family in PA this weekend! We are having a blast getting caught up and playing with cousins. I'll be posting some great pics when I get home. Until then, take care!!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

If you're happy and you know it...

...clap your hands! Check out the video Matt caught this morning while I was serving at church. He had to do the"stealth videotaping" since Eli has become acutely aware of cameras and refuses to continue to do the cute things we try to catch on film. The video is kinda long, but I just couldn't bring myself to cut it! Hope you enjoy!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

We heart birthdays!

My family loooooves birthdays!!
When Matt joined up with our family, he was quite surprised by the emphasis made on birthdays in our family.

We are known for the "birthday week," theme parties, and assuring that even adults celebrate with cake and candles, ice cream, and a song!

Birthdays are the best!

Last week was Jacob's birthday week and we celebrated.

On his actual birthday, Tuesday, Jacob woke up ready to open his present. It was a little big to be wrapped, but he seems to love his new bike. Boy, was it needed. He has grown so tall that his old bike looked like it was built for a toddler.

Later that day, Jacob's mom, stepdad, Matt and I took the birthday boy out to dinner. He chose to go to Kaze, the local Japanese restaurant. We love the food and Jacob loves watching them cook right in front of you. It certainly looks nothing like what he sees when I'm cooking :) After dinner, we headed home to have some homemade cheesecake per Jacob's request.

On Saturday Jacob celebrated with a lego themed party with his mom's and stepdad's families. You can find out all about it at his mom's blog.

Then on Sunday, we had a Steeler's football party with my family. We missed Matt's family (they all live out of state), but look forward to seeing them this month!! We enjoyed cake (even with all the melted frosting) and ice cream. Jacob had a blast opening presents. His final present was the hit of the party. Matt and I had decided that Jacob was finally ready for his first pocketknife! Boy, was he totally thrilled!! Of course, with the changes in society, we had to discuss the when and where it can be carried. Matt also gave him a little lesson on knife safety. Thanks so much to everyone for everything (including the support over the cake catastrophe)! Jacob is truly blessed!!



Wednesday, October 1, 2008

1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer during her lifetime.
Early detection is the key to survival. Please, perform monthly breast self-exams, get yearly clinical breast exams, and beginning at age 40 get yearly mammograms! Protect yourself.


In honor of my mom and my aunt, both breast cancer survivors!!

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Surprise guest

Today, Eli and I were enjoying a little playtime on the floor together. We were having some fun playing the LeapFrog drum. That little guy loves to pat, so he does great with the drum! He's our little drummer boy. Teehee!

Anyway!

As we were playing, Eva walked up beside me. She just stood there, so I turned to give here a little pat only to be confronted with the most awful sight. Was she bleeding?? Another mast cell tumor?? A tick??

No, friends! It was none of the above.

It was this!




In her mouth! Inches from my face! Eva had caught herself a squirrel and was proudly bringing it to Mama.


Well, in less time than it takes to say, "AHHHHHH" I'm up off the play quilt with the baby in my arms, making a run for Matt's office.


Now, for those who don't know, Matt works from home. With him being home, it's tempting to talk to him all day, so we have a system. If the office door is closed, he's too busy to chat.


His office door was closed.


I hesistated an entire half second before knocking on his door and screaming that the nature had invaded our home via the dog door and he must come rescue our family.


By this time, Eva has given up the prize and it is now resting on my living room carpet.


Matt rushes out of his office--because through the door all he heard was a panicked wife yelling and for all he knew, we were being robbed at gunpoint--to find the deceased resting in peace where my baby plays. where my baby plays!!


My hero hubby grabbed some paper towels, because we all know Bounty is the quicker picker-upper. In a moment of clarity, I stopped him before he picked up the corpse and reminded him of the necessity of a photo, because nothing says "blog fodder" like a dead squirrel laying on your carpet.


Once photographed, Matt gathered the dearly departed up in the paper towel shroud and headed outside to toss the critter carcass over the fence. Meanwhile, inside I attempted to lower my blood pressure and recover from the shock.


Rest in peace, Mr. Squirrel, rest in peace!

Monday, September 29, 2008

Jumping the Gun

When Matt got off work today, he let me know that the buyout is not certain. It is contingent on the government bailout, so they are in a holding pattern.

Matt has a great peace about the whole thing. Of course, my female-driven hysteria makes up for his peace. Just kidding!! I know we are blessed!!

Thanks for your prayers and please continue to keep us in your prayers. We will also be lifting up all the many who have been or will be displaced due to the country's awful financial situation.

Financial Crisis Hits Home

The news has broken that Wachovia Corp, Matt's employer, is being bought out by Citibank. Please join us in prayer for Matt's job security! Employees are receiving very little information right now which leaves lots of room for speculation and breeds worry and concern! With all that said, Matt takes great pride in his ability to provide for our family and works tirelessly to be sure that we are well cared for. We believe that God will reward him for his efforts. We are trusting Him and know that no matter what may happen, He is Jehovah Jireh, Our Provider! Thanks so much for praying!!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Cake Catastrophe

After last year's R2D2 cake, I was feeling kinda cake-confident. So, one afternoon Jacob and I sat down and searched the internet for a great birthday cake. He and I decided on the football helmet cake and I was stoked to give it a try.

Today, I spent all afternoon in the kitchen working on the helmet cake. I finally finished it and was quite proud of how it turned out. Don't get me wrong...Duff at Ace of Cakes has absolutely nothing to worry about. But, I thought it was pretty good. Here's what it looked like...



Not bad, right??

Well, lots of icing + warm kitchen = sliding Steelers logo, not so pretty cake, and stressed out stepmom. So, for all of you who will be seeing the cake tomorrow at the party, please just scroll up one more time to see what the cake actually looked like (yes, past tense). Etch that picture in your memory! Then, when you see the mess-of-a-cake tomorrow, you can just close your eyes and everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be fine. Everything will be...oh, sorry! I was trying to convince myself!!

And, of course the consolation is that chocolate cake with chocolate icing tastes good no matter how it looks!!

More party stuff

Here are the Rice Krispie Treats we made. I used Cocoa Krispies instead of the regular Rice Krispies, and added some peanut butter, just to shake things up! I'm crazy like that, you know! I had my football-crazy hubby shape them for me. Then, I piped on the white icing and ta-da...football treats!


Making of a Football Party

The next few posts will be related to Jacob's 9th Birthday and the party that is scheduled for tomorrow. He asked for a Pittsburgh Steelers birthday party and I took a little liberty and generalized it to a football party.


There will be a football helmet cake, football rice krispie treats, football games, etc.


I just thought I'd narrate as I prepare, so follow along...


Here's the invitation I created on my scrapbook software.

I love birthday time, because I can really tap into my creativity. I'll be back later with some more football party fun!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

These two little guys are easy on the eyes!


Tuesday, September 23, 2008

9 things I love about you!

Dear Jacob,
Today marks the beginning of your ninth year and in honor of that I'd like to list 9 of the many things I love about you!

1. I love that you are so curious and inquisitive. You are always asking questions and seeking knowledge, even when I consistently repsond with "I don't know, Buddy!"

2. I love that you always have a song in your heart. You walk (or skip, or dance) around the house singing. It makes my heart happy to hear you singing. It makes my heart overflow when the songs you choose are "church" songs.

3. I love the way you care about your brother. If you hear him crying, you rush over to do one of those many things you do to crack him up.

4. I love your sense of humor. You make me laugh...out loud!

5. I love to watch as you turn into a gentleman. You are learning to hold doors. You say ma'am and sir. You choose to be polite. You are beginning to think of others before yourself. The evolution is a joy to watch.

6. I love your enthusiasm for the board game. I love how you've changed and matured through the years when it comes to games. Although winning is more fun (and you tend to win quite a bit), you've learned that sometimes you lose and that's okay, too!

7. I love the pride you take in your work. You want to share your accomplishments and I'm so thankful that you share them with me.

8. I love that even though you are 9 years old, you're not too old to cuddle with your dad or me. I know the days of those cuddles are drawing to a close as you get older and I treasure each one.

9. I love you!!!

I am so thankful that God has blessed me by allowing me to be a part of your life. I hope you have an awesome 9th birthday!! You certainly deserve it, buddy!

Monday, September 22, 2008

Another milestone

Our little Eli hit another milestone. It actually happened two weeks ago. And now, I am finally able to post about it, because I've finally been able to catch it on camera. Check it out!




Don't know what it is yet? Try this photo.


Still nothing? Okay, here's a hint. Look closely at his bottom gumline.


Looks eerily similar to this...

Just in time for Halloween. :)