Icky Icky Devon is sicky...

5am and Devon starts calling "DADDY!" from his room, John went to check on him and I could hear Devon say that his tummy hurt. John, wanting to get back to bed asap, told him to go back to sleep. Motherly instincts wouldn't let me sleep so I got up and took him downstairs as I could hear him tossing and turning in his bed. He hardly complained and was so sweet. I laid a towl down on the recliner which is a great mommy tip! It really helps if they "toss their cookies" to make clean up easier, just swap out towels. I laid on the couch and dozed a bit and could hear that he was going to be sick, I lept off my couch throwing the bowl under him as quickly as I could to catch it. I had to do that 3 other times but at least I caught it EVERY time. If it was a sport, pretty sure I'd be a contender. Vomit catching, look out I'm sure it'll be in the next winter olympics ;) While it isn't fun to see your babies sick its nice to get to cuddle with them and give them some love, relax and watch movies and completely clear your schedule. I choose to look at these sick moments as as a mini vacation, yeah I know its weird. BUT I'm able to ignore all my other responsibilities and focus on just taking care of my babies. John came home for lunch today which was fantastic, he let me go out for a 3.25 mile run since its like almost 60 outside! It felt great. I wasn't sure how my body would hold up from just running on a treadmill for months other than a few short runs in Arizona. We head off to a foster care meeting tonight which I am greatly looking forward to, hopefully finding direction in our pursuit to further our ministry of children =) God is faithful and I know that He will provide the answers. Hopefully Devon is feeling better, his auntie Becca will be staying with them while we go. I ask for prayers as we seek out God's desire for our lives. Thanks!

Funny noises... =)

Heres a picture of Devon after he put his pajamas on all by himself, he was pretty proud of the fact that he got them on. It took me a minute to even realize what he was wearing since he put them on inside out and backwards =) Funny kid

Devon came running into the kitchen to find me since I was working on dinner. He was saying, "Mommy, mommy, mommy!" all the way in and quickly came to a hault infront of me. Completely serious he says, "Mommy, there are noises coming out of my butt!" If you know anything about my upbringing I have been raised to think that these things are hilarious. I burst out laughing at his realization of quite the bodily function and quickly told him to go tell his father. I could hear John laughing from in the kitchen at Devon who repeated his discovery to his dad. Apparently the second time he turned around with his back to John waiting for "the noise" to come and looking over his shoulder with a big grin. Little boys =) Devon returned to me yesterday and informed me, "Wow, my butt is really noisy!" Again, I laughed and laughed at his innocent face. Its too bad that this will only last for a short while, I would love to hear teenagers express themselves saying, "That was a big noise out of my butt" instead of other phrases I've often heard =) Too funny is it to have little boys.

"From there to here, from here to there.... Funny things are Everywhere..."

From Whom ALL blessings flow...

 I've thought alot about heaven since I read the book "Heaven is for real" by Todd Burpo on my vacation and it has forever changed my views on such things. Theres something about heaven that I've often felt not ready for and I think alot of it is that I enjoy this life so much that I don't want to "miss out" on whats to come. I want to see my kids grow up and see them have their own children. I've experienced so many wonderful things here on earth that I almost can not fathom leaving it. I would almost say that I have had a small fear of death and its solely based around my selfishness. After reading this book I mentioned I have a curiousity and joy about heaven that I never have had. I have a peace about what is to come and know that God created a place for each of us, created it that we might feel his peace and love for all eternity.

I recently visited my grandfather in the hospital, he has parkinsens and dimentia and it has quickly progressed. Its not easy to see the people that you love going through such difficulty, everything within you wants to just make it better but it doesn't work that way. Relationships are important, family is important and God created such things with purpose. When we arrive in heaven there will be a whole crowd of those gone before us that will welcome us with such pure joy and excitement that we will never look back. I know with all my heart that those we lose watch from heaven, not in a creepy "look out because your great grandma is going to see you swearing at the guy that just cut you off in traffic" but in a way that they are enjoying watching your life. My Dad's parents are in heaven and I know that my grandmother is looking down on her great grandchildren and loving them even from above. My grandfather, my mother's father, couldn't be more excited about heaven, he's ready. There is a sadness that comes along with this realization but there is a comfort and joy for me now that God's plan is more perfect than my own, and always will be.

Today is more of a serious post as I pray for the health within our family, my grandfather as he transitions into hospice care and walks towards the light of God in His perfect timing. I also pray for my aunt Debbie today, she has been battling breast cancer and had surgery on Wednesday. She is one of the strongest women that I know, she is named well =) If you aren't familiar with Deborah from the Old Testament I'll share a little. Deborah was a judge who led the Israelites against the the Caananites in a war that they shouldn't have won. God's power shown through Deborah overcoming the unlikely odds to give victory to those who were faithful to the one true God. My aunt Debbie's spirit is strong even when her body has been weak and I believe that God is showing His almighty power through her situation. She is fighting a battle that only God could overcome.

I had music practice last night at church, something that fills my spirit =) We were talking about God's direction in our lives and I shared something with the group that came out of my mouth but it wasn't really my words. "God is the wind in our sails..." Its an analogy John and I started using early in our relationship. John's family loves to sail so it came naturally for him to relate to such a thing. Its easy in life to feel like we're waiting for God's direction, waiting to know "what God wants us to do". John and I became a little fed up with waiting around for such an epiphany and decided that its much easier for God to direct us if we're moving. If He doesn't want us to be moving in a certain direction, His winds will redirect our path. The storms we experience can either make us better sailors or forever fearful of the water. I could go on forever about how this analogy works but I think the main picture is what is most important. As we sit in the boat we can either have our sails down as we wait for the waves to toss us around or we can raise our sails letting God's almighty wind direct us. Let me tell you it doesn't work to go against God's wind either, when we try to change directions and the wind hits the sail wrong it can be dangerous. But when the wind is perfect, the sail is full and we glide across the waters of God's grace. I found this picture of a lighthouse I took and kind of thought it was perfect to pull all my random thoughts together today. I started with talking about heaven, praying for my family's health and wrapping it up with an analogy of God's direction. When the waters are rough we look for the lighthouse (God) to guide us back to where its safe. My prayer for you is that God be the wind in your sails as you go through this life.

When I visited my grandfather my grandmother kissed him goodnight and sang him a hymn "Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow". I was given a gift that night as I experienced this moment between my grandparents. She was praising God among the circumstances, even though there is such heartache that comes along with it all, she praised God. Tears may have been present in her eyes but there is such a hope and love that poured out of her words to my grandfather. I praise God today for such a love and for the chance to see such a thing. I hope that God blesses my marriage as much as He has my grandparents. I put together a 50th Anniversary slideshow for my grandparents a few years back and this was the first song that played as it showed pictures of my grandparents as children growing up, getting married and having children of their own =)

Oh Arizona... part deuce

Welcome back! Here continues the adventures of the Phillip family.

Thursday we went to the rodeo parade which meant we had to wake up earlier than we had our entire trip, 7:30am. We woke everyone up to get them going and my dad couldn't believe that we were actually going out the door so early even though he was the one who initiated it all! We bribed Tim to come along with the promise of donuts but he was a little disapointed by donut holes and turnovers. We drove to the south side of Tucson, to the rodeo grounds where the parade was and found a spot. My dad had been talking about this parade and how it is the longest unmotorized parade in the world. Jack was put on John's shoulders as you see here and everytime he is put on someone's shoulders he holds onto their ears AND he uses them like reigns. He tugs on the ear towards the direction that he wants to go, its almost like he's meant to be a cowboy and has an instinct =)

Just because a parade is "the longest unmotorized parade in the world" doesn't mean its a very good parade, sorry to offend any Arizonians but as you can see Devon decided to play in the dirt rather than watch the parade. I think next year we'll watch 10 minutes of the parade from the comfort of our home and save ourselves the gas money although it was a fun experience. We got back to the parking lot and Tim took the stroller with Devon in it over some speedbumps. It went a little air born actually, tested the shocks pretty well and got the attention of some nearby kids who started counting down and cheering for Tim and Devon. Maybe we'll join the parade next year, add some excitement =)

We came home to eat some lunch and John helped my dad change the breaks out on the suburban. We packed up and headed out again, this time for Mount Lemmon. It is quite the drive as you head up the mountains. There are moments that your looking over the edge of quite the drop off. This is where I will explain that I am terrified of heights. Like when I go to a Brewers game I get anxious walking up the stands to my seat, pretty sure if I fell I'd just roll down the stands and onto the field... okay, I know its unrealisitc but its what I picture. Anyway, so as we drove up I hit a panic moment that continued until we got to the restaurant in SummerHaven on top of Mount Lemmon for pie. It was excellant pie and the boys were each given free rock candy for coloring a picture. Everyone thought it was really funny to pull me towards to edge to make me look well my mother and sister Rebekah anyway. We made our way down the mountain again and made a few stops for pictures, this one of John and Devon is pretty great to show how it feels like the mountains keep going forever. Some pretty fantastic views even for someone as terrified as myself =) We were supposed to grill burgers but hadn't even stopped at the grocery store yet and it was already 7pm so we got Uno's deepdish pizza instead and let me tell you, we were not dissapointed! I haven't had deepdish in forever and it was pretty great. We watched Despicable Me while we ate our pizza, great kids movie if you haven't seen it.

Friday John used the leftover steak from our tbones to make steak and eggs for breakfast with homemade breakfast potatoes. One of my favorite parts of this vacation was how involved in cooking John was =) He did alot of the grilling which took pressure off me. My sisters and I decided to tackle our tye dye mission so we set out to tye dye tshirts, tank tops and sports bras. I did all this in my black swimsuit outside with my back to the sun and got quite sunburnt on my back but that didn't stop me from laying out to continue reading my book.

We had relaxed for the morning and after the kids had naps we went out to Sabino Canyon. It was a nice easy hike with some great views and a gorgeous dam that we came upon. Again I was in awe of the mountains surrounding us. I still can't get over the fact that my parents have 3 palm trees in their backyard. Devon talked most of our trip about wanting to climb the mountains and would get so excited when given the chance to climb even the smallest hill.

Jack was so excited about the water at the base of the dam that he walked right in with his shoes on, thankfully John scooped him up quickly. We took the boys shoes off and let them explore a little. The water was freezing but the boys still thought it was fun to put their toes in. The sun was setting as we started walking back and the mountains start changing as the light hits them differently. The sunset that day was truly amazing. The sky was painted with pinks, deep purples and blues almost like God was telling me ,"Hey Rose, I like to tye dye too. Top this!". I will be posting some of those pictures I took to my website if people want to buy them but I don't want anyone stealing them since they are pretty awesome pictures. I'll get them up in the next week if you want to check them out at http://www.rosephillipphotography.com/

I'll end this day with a great picture of my brothers. These are my baby brothers and all of them are taller than I am. I am proud to be their big sister, its fun as we get older how our relationships to eachother changes. They are each unique and I love seeing God shape them into the men that God wants them to be.

Whoa, I must apologize for forgetting to tell you what we had for dinner. John grilled burgers for dinner and we had tater tots, YUM! Sorry, that was a close one =)

Saturday we made a discovery! For those of you who don't know that I'm a Thrift store aholic you should be aware that there is such a thing and that I just can't help myself. You won't find me at a mall, you'll find me at the local goodwill buying all the name brand clothes that you would for $3 a shirt. My dad escorted all us ladies out thrift store shopping, I'm pretty sure he had no idea what he had gotten himself into. We had a blast! We started at Goodwill and found some fun deals and then we made our way to a store called the Buffalo Exchange. Its down near the University for you Arizonians that don't know of this amazing store. Basically people sell their awesome clothes to this place, you'll find more name brand better condition items than you could goodwill. You do pay a little more but you get better quality everywhere you look. I got two pairs of cowgirl boots ($18.50 a pair), a jean skirt, two pairs of jean shorts and a pair of skinny jeans. I will make sure to post pictures of my new boots when I wear them. My thrift store obsession actually started after I went to Africa which was something my parents and I reminised about as we drove from each store. I'm not sure what exactly from Africa made it click but I have been a thrift store shopper ever since. We came home and made steak and chicken quesadillas with rice and beans, YUM!

Sunday, you might be wondering why I have a picture of a snowman for our Arizona trip... because it snowed! We woke up Sunday morning to find about an inch of snow on the ground, it was strange to see snow on palm trees. Whenever the sun would peak out the snow started melting like crazy but Tim ran outside and made a snowman as quickly as he could, heres his work =) I thought our Arizona snowman should definitely be apart of this blog. We went to church and the weather was still crazy, raining one minute, snowing and sleeting the next. It was a day to stay inside and we relaxed while my parents visited with some of their friends that came for a brunch. I took a fantastic nap that afternoon, read some more of my book and then made pizza bread again. Its a cheap way to feed alot of people and great for Sunday nights. We rented the movie Megamind with Will Farrell, Tina Fey and Brad Pitt and LOVED it! Such a funny kids movie with an interesting plot, definitely a must see.

This is the view of the mountains from my parents backyard. Isn't it crazy beautiful! This was Sunday morning I ran outside in shorts and a tank top to quick take pictures while their was a layer of snow on everything. The mountains are just breathtaking and magnificent. I still can't believe this is where my parents live and while I'm sad that they are so far away from us, way to pick a fantastic place to live! Spending two weeks in Tucson was just the right amount of time to truly appreciate it and yet there is SO much more to see.

Monday I tried something new and laid out in the sun for a few hours reading my book and then we went and got In and Out Burger. Let me tell you, if I ever open a restaurant chain this is it! Everything is made fresh and you can watch them as they make it while you are going through the drive thru there are windows the whole way showing into the kitchen so you can see them make your food! The potatoes are made from fresh potatoes, never frozen and its all not over priced. SO GOOD! Arizonians, if you haven't experienced all that In and Out Burger is you are missing out!! We then went frolfing for the afternoon and then came back for grilled chicken and cheesy broccoli rice for dinner. We played "Darn it!" as a family where Tim learned what trump meant =)

Tuesday I did laundry and started to pack =( while John and my brothers thought they would climb down Mount Lemmon. They started down the trail though but it was SO snow covered they lost the trail so they turned around. They hitch hiked down the mountain to where my dad was waiting for them. They came back and I was (SURPRISE) laying outside by the pool soaking up the last bit of sun I could and reading. John and I organized our things so we were all packed and then we had brats, hot dogs and home made potato wedges for dinner. Oh, we do eat vegtables with every meal but its not what I am passionate about so I almost always forget to mention it =) After dinner my dad made margaritas and then we played "Darn it!" again. We said our goodbyes and I took pictures of each family member with the boys. Its hard to say goodbye when your not sure when you will see your family next. At least now I can picture where they are living, the house they are in and visualize what they describe to me. These two weeks we had were so fantastic, such a great vacation and it never would have happend if my parents didn't move to Tucson. So today, I thank God for what He is doing with my family. I know that it isn't an easy transition but God is at work regardless. I am amazed by the world around us, there is so much to experience and its so easy to stay in our little comfort bubble.

Wednesday morning came early as we had to leave the house by 4:30am to get to Phoenix for our flight at 7:50am. The boys were a real hit this time in their matching monkey and turtle footy pajamas in the airport. Here the boys are watching Cars on the plane. We borrowed a dvd player from John's coworker Mandy that was a real blessing, I think we would have gone crazy without it. Our flights and layovers were less eventful this time which I suppose means things went very smoothly. Don't worry we changed the boys in the O'hare airport into their Packers gear so we as a family were once again all dressed in pride. I lay on the airport floor and took about an hour nap and then we hopped onto our little puddle jumper plane to Milwaukee where our friend Devin was waiting to pick us up from the airport (what a great friend!). Walking in the door to our house was a strange feeling, two weeks of being gone and having John's sister Rebecca house sitting had me feeling like Mama bear looking for goldilocks =) While its good to be home its hard to come off of such an awesome vacation surrounded by God's wonder. Thankfully I didn't have too much time to focus on all these feelings as we had to repack our bags and leave for the Dells as soon as we could. Our trip was great, I can't wait to go back again.

Wow do I look tired in this picture. From our travels we found, "From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere..."

Our travels... Part one?

So I first should appologize for my lack of writing in the last month, its been a little crazy for us as you'll read in this post. I didn't realize how many people read my blog until I took a month off and had quite a few people asking when I was going to write again, thank you for the compliment. I enjoy writing and telling stories. So I'm going to share our adventures as we traveled to Arizona to visit my parents...

Tuesday night we were running around gettting everything ready, packing as much as we could into 3 carry ons because we refused to pay to check our bags. We were prepared, I could hardly fall asleep as I mentally checked my many lists of things to pack, things to straighten around the house and wondering how tan I could really get in 2 weeks. Wednesday morning we were ALL packed so the boys and I headed to Mom to Mom and John went to work, we all got home by 11:30 and John and I literally paced the house for 30 minutes because we had EVERYTHING packed and in the car but weren't leaving until noon. We went through security and everything very smoothly, the boys ate peanut butter and jelly as we stood in line and drooled over the planes on the runways. We boarded the plane early (yeah for having little kids) and the kids were invited up by the pilots! They were able to press a few buttons and then received their wings, pretty exciting.

We flew into Chicago for our layover and spent 3 hours there. Oh, did I fail to mention that we ALL had Packers gear on? Yes, our entire family wore as much Packers apparrell as we could and received much feedback, especially in Chicago =) Okay, so we're a little proud of our team! We of course had to go to the opposite end of the airport and decided the shuttle was a hassle so we walked.

Moving Sidewalks =) I handled the kids while John handled the bags. We climbed onto a moving sidewalk and the boys thought it was pretty great. We climbed off and Jack decided that he wanted to do it again so he took off running back towards the start of the sidewalk we had just gotten off of while Devon kept moving forward to the next sidewalk. My head went in two different directions as I had to choose which child to follow. Where's John you ask? He got ahead of us and I couldn't see him. So I chased Jack and picked him up like a piece of luggage by the back of his shirt and started running back towards Devon who was now in the middle of the moving sidewalk. So I'm running along the outside carrying my child by the back of his shirt running and trying to beat the moving sidewalk to catch Devon while onlookers laugh at what is taking place. When I catch up to Devon he's holding a strangers hand and she's helping him off the moving sidewalk. She said that he fell getting onto the moving sidewalk and she helped him up and he just didn't let go of her hand. No stranger danger fear in this little boy as he continued holding the woman's hand until she took her other hand to release him. I continued to our gate where I finally found John and greeted him with, "Where the heck were you?!" and gave him a brief... okay, when am I ever brief but I quickly described our ordeal. Pretty sure next time we are in an airport everyone gets a leash, including my husband. We ate a quick bite and let the boys watch Lion King as we waited for the next plane. Devon slept most of our 3 hour flight to Phoenix while Jack rolled around between our laps.

We were pretty glad when we finally landed and were able to stretch our legs and unleash our toddler. My sisters ran to us, squeeling with delight to see their nephews. We had about an hour and 40 minute drive home so we stopped at McDonalds for chicken nuggets "for the kids" of which they each maybe took a bite and then passed out in the van as we drove. I could see the silhouttes of mountains as we drove but had no idea what we would be arriving to see. When we got to my parents house most everyone was awake and waiting for us at midnight, we got a brief tour of my parents mansion. The house they are renting is AMAZINGLY beautiful, it truly is one of the best houses I've ever seen. We crashed in my parents room and slept soundly. The next morning began 2 weeks of awesomeness. We relaxed that first day just taking in our new environment and enjoying the company. My Danish cousin Henriette was visiting from Denmark and we were able to go for a run together along the mountains. I couldn't get over how close my parents live to the mountains as we ran along them. We grilled pork chops and played cards with my brothers that night. We played a game called "Darn it"... as some would call it, it has many names actually but it has come to be a favorite of John and mines.

Friday came and we ate donuts, eggs and kielbasa and then hit the road for Old Tucson. We drove about an hour to get to Old Tucson which is where many western films were done. You really feel like your walking through an old western movie as you go through an entire town that is set up with movie scenes being played out. We got to sit in a saloon and drink frozen lemonade and watch the "Can-can girls" perform. Then we went outside to watch Billy the Kid duel a few men and thats where this picture is from as you can see Devon isn't too sure on the whole guns thing. We rode a train around the entire set, let the boys go on a pony ride and went through a haunted mine. The haunted mine was too scary for the boys so we covered their eyes and moved quickly. We got to drive old fashioned cars around a go kart track and then go on a carosel. It was alot of fun, so much to do. One of the best scenes we saw hand alot of stunts to it including a man falling backwards off a 2 story building. We then went from there to an old spanish mission. There was a beautiful white church (where a wedding was actually taking place) and hill with a cross on top. We walked up the hill and some climbed to the top to enjoy the view. We closed out our day by heading out for mexican food at Guadalahara Grille, which was some FANTASTIC food! John and my dad sure enjoyed the margaritas =) not that we all didn't have margaritas, but they especially enjoyed them.

Saturday we went frolfing or frisbee golfing but it was SO incredibley windy! It was like being in a sand storm at some moments. Henriette left that day to head home to Denmark so we said our goodbyes early afternoon. I wish Denmark wasn't so far away =( I so love our Danish family. Chicken broccoli casserole for dinner that night and another round of "Darn it!".

Sunday we raced to church having been promised AMAZING donuts and we missed them! We were able to hear my daddy preach and he gave a fantastic sermon as always. We returned home for hot ham and rolls which we had to warm ourselves because apparently the state of Arizona didn't get the memo on Hot Ham and Rolls on Sundays. We relaxed for the afternoon and then in the evening we relived a proud moment for our family. We rewatched the Superbowl, we're even nerdy enough that we all tried to talk with anticipation as if we didn't know the outcome. I made pizza bread with Rebekah and Tim. Its the easiest pizza recipe ever. Use a loaf of french or italian bread, cut it lengthwise. Use pizza sauce or spaghetti sauce, cheese and toppings of your choice and then stick it under the broiler for 4-5 minutes and BAM cheap, easy, fast, awesome pizza. The Packers won again =)

Monday I started reading a book that my Mom recommended called "Heaven is for real", if you haven't read this book stop reading my blog and go get the book. It is a fantastic book which really affected my outlook on heaven. I devoured the book in one day, so seriously stop reading my blog and go get the book! I laid out in the sun for 2 hours reading and got sunburnt, I was just glad to be a color other than pastey. Then in the afternoon we went frolfing again with my brothers. My mom made fetucchini alfredo with chicken and spinach for dinner which is always a family favorite, fantastic recipe of my mother's. Have you noticed I tell you everyday what we ate for dinner? I like food...

Tuesday I lay out in the sun again and started reading another book called "House Rules" by Jodi Picoult which was over 500 pages so I couldn't quite devour it in a day, although I wanted to. If you haven't read this book, I highly, very highly recommend it too. Who knew I read so much?! Maybe I'll start using bigger words and sound smarter. Stay tuned to see what happens =) I lay outside reading for another 2 hours and then in the afternoon my brothers Justin and Charles, John and I went hiking to Romero Pools.

I started the hike feeling all energetic, I'm a runner and the boys teased me for wanting to run up the hill. They were smart to be pacing themselves. Hiking is very different from just running, different muscles are involved of which I can describe to you which ones by how those muscles were sore by the time we finished our hike. Roundtrip we hiked 5.5 miles and the pools were well worth the hike! It was beautiful, a series of pools that feed into eachother nestled up in the cavern of some mountains. The views were fantastic. Charles slid and got a boo boo and me being the "mommy" had a first aid kit =) BUT I'm also a baby when it comes to blood. So I handed him gauze and a band aid and squeeled at all the blood. I'm no nurse for a reason. We made our way down as the sun was setting and got to see how Tucson is surrounded by mountains, its truly amazing how in every direction you look there are mountains, and they are all a little different. We made it home and then John grilled Tbone steaks, it was great to feel like I earned my steak with that hike. The meat was a great price at $5 a pound so John bought plenty of steak! We wanted to grill as much as we could before returning home where we won't see our grill until April... maybe May.

Wednesday Theresa and Rebekah stayed home from school and spent time with us. Rebekah and I laid out by the pool for a few hours reading and then walked to Walmart to buy stuff to do tye dye! If you don't know this about me already, I have a weakness for tye dye, I'm still a 10 year old girl at heart. The boys went frolfing in the afternoon and then we did tuna melts for dinner. I love me some pickles, cheese and tuna =)

That was our first week in Arizona, its so fun to relive and try to remember each day. We had such a great time so very relaxing but also lots of adventure. Stay tuned for the second half of our trip. If you made it to the end of this posting, give yourself a pat on the back for having such an attention span =) This is a long post!

Family style Football

The pro bowl is on and its pretty lame, so the boys in our family started their own game of football. I sat back with my camera and enjoyed.

I couldn't help but include two videos of them playing. The first is of them getting lined up, its entertaining but shorter, the second is of the actual chaos. I love watching John interact with our boys, its fun to see him enjoy being a dad. The boys love playing with him, there is a special bond between father and son =)

Our faithful friend

I was watching our dog interact today with my kids and thought today I would thank God for our dog, yes our dog =) I have a love/ can hardly stand relationship with my dog. He is absolutely fantastic with my kids and is very well behaved. We got him from the Humane Society and I had been shopping on their website for a few months. I don't think that all dogs are cute so I wanted to make sure to find one that I thought was and was also not high energy (crazy labs). I was looking for a few specific things but its amazing how few dogs fit this criteria. FINALLY Sawyer popped up on the website, we went and met him, spent 10 minutes with him and brought him home.

What more could I ask for!? A potty trained, medium sized, great with my children dog! He was 2 years old when we got him and weighed 30 lbs, just a little guy. We get asked all the time if he's a puppy. The kids often follow me into the kitchen when I'm letting Sawyer back in and squeel to see their friend.

I think its a really great thing for kids to have experience with animals. I used to make the comment that kids can't grow up right if they don't have a dog but I've made too many friends that don't like animals that I don't want to offend (even though I actually do still believe this). We always had a dog growing up, my mom loves animals and we never lasted long without a dog. Watching my kids with their dog makes me realize how God really looks out for us. This dog loves my kids, when one of them is sick he sticks near their side. He howls when the kids play their recorder or when the kitchen timer goes off. He takes a nap with us everyday and heads right for his bed when we all head up for our naps. He follows the kids from room to room and lays there watching them play. He even cleans the floors under the table where the kids dropped food so their poor mother doesn't have to clean it up =) Its funny how crazy your dog can drive you when he's shedding or just wants some attention but he's a good dog, a faithful friend to our family. The combination of my children and our dog makes me laugh, three balls of energy flying through my house.

Ready or not...

My sister in law Michelle is getting induced today with her first baby girl. Its such a life changing experience when your first child is born so I thought today that I would tell the story of Devon's (my first born) birth =)

It was the beginning of August and I wasn't due for another two weeks, we had gone up to my in laws to celebrate my brother in law Bob's birthday. I walked in the door and was greeted with my father in law telling me about this pizza place in Texas that is known for putting women into labor, all I could think was "sign me up for that roadtrip". It just so happend that we were having pizza for dinner that my sister in law Michelle made and it was SOOOOO good. I ate SO much pizza and the joke at the table was that Michelle's pizza was going to put me into labor... Well I ate so much I had to go lie down after dinner, so I found a comfy place on the couch. When everyone started filtering into the livingroom, someone said something funny that made me laugh so hard I felt like I peed my pants a little... not too out of the normal but I headed for the "little girls room". I COULDN"T STOP PEEING! I was sitting there wondering what was wrong with me and it suddenly occurred to me that my water broke. But another thought came to me VERY quickly, what if my bladder control has hit an all time low and I go out and annouce that my water has broken and it is really me just not able to stop peeing... So I waited, and waited and waited some more. Someone came to the bathroom to check on me and I said I was fine. Then I finally waddled into the livingroom and announced "Either I'm having major bladder control issues or my water just broke". John's face turned white, he flew up out of his chair and started pacing the room trying to remember what we were supposed to do. Someone grabbed me towels to sit on and I sat down to relax. John wanted to fly out of the door as quickly as possible so I called the nurse's number that I had and asked what to do. They told me to get into a hospital as soon as possible. We ran to our apartment to pick up our things and John told me to stay in the car, I wasn't about to do that, what if he forgot something important! (My bags were packed but needed my toothbrush and deoderant.) I gushed with each step and laughed uncontrollably at such a situation. John couldn't believe that I thought this was all so funny and almost seemed upset by my giggles. Back to the car!

We got to the hospital and I told the nurse I could walk just fine to the room but she insisted on wheel chair, good thing because I soaked it... We got to the room and waited and waited and NOTHING was happening. Apparently my body hadn't gotten the message that my water had broken and it was time for this baby to come out now. So they brought in petocin(spelling?) which induces your labor, you have to have your baby within 24 hours if your water breaks. My contractions became crazy, having no rhyme or reason to them so I wanted an epidural as quickly as humanly possible. The poor anesthiologist (again, spelling!?) was on call and had literally just left to get home so they had to have him come back. I got the epidural and passed out for a few hours of sleep. So wonderful. At around 12:30pm I started pushing. My doctor was out of town so I had the on call doctor. She came in and would look at me and tell me "Your just not doing it right" and then leave the room. I cried and cried because I couldn't figure out what she was telling me. The nurses were encouraging me and I made progress everytime the doctor left the room. This baby's head was turned and making it alot harder to do what I needed to do. After 2 1/2 hours of pushing (I only remember the first hour) Devon James was born. I cried for SO many reasons!

Thankful that he was safe, thankful that I didn't have to keep going. I had wanted to hold Devon right away but the doctor said he needed to be cleaned up first, which was ridiculous. After about 10 minutes of the room spinning and starting to slow down, I asked "So what did we have?" I was SO out of it! I had blown blood vessels in my eyes and knots in my arms and legs, I looked like a wreck. The doctor was awful, not only did she discourage me while I was trying so hard but she didn't let me hold Devon or let John cut the cord. While those things might have been nice what mattered was that he was here, and he was safe. Each birthing story is so unique and amazing in completely different ways. I know how much I appreciated my mom after experiencing what she went through for me. Today I'm thinking about my beautiful sister in law Michelle and how soon she will be holding a beautiful baby girl, God is so good.

Ready or not, here they come! From there to here, from here to there, funny things are every where.

I wonder...

Today's post is about one of our children, one that we haven't even met yet. Curious? John and I are adopting so lately I've been wondering, where is she?

John and I knew that we wanted to pursue either foster care or adoption before we were even married. After having two boys of our own we've felt called to grow our family through adoption. Its interesting the mixed opinions that I get from people. I honestly don't care what other people's opinions are, we are doing what we have prayed about and feel is best for our family at this time. We just sent in our formal application and are starting our home study in the next few weeks.

We were told that we will more than likely have a baby within a year so I began thinking that it could happen any moment that she might be conceived, I know its almost weird to think about but I'm dreaming about her. We have no idea what color hair or eyes she will have. We are not making specific requests on race so it leaves a range of possibilities. The process usually takes 18 months but since we haven't set restrictions they said that it will more than likely happen sooner. I'm SO excited, she is going to be so loved and have two older brothers that will adore her.

I share this with you to ask for prayers as we go through this process, its going to take a lot of faith as we walk into the unknown, something we've never done before. Tonight I'm wondering about my daughter and praying for her because I love her already =) Someday I'll get the chance to tip toe up to her crib, hold her little hand and pray for her. I love you baby girl, wherever you are...

ABC Dancing

The boys love playing with this toy on our fridge that sings the ABC's. They take turns hitting the button and dancing to the music, enjoy =)

Today we celebrate.... WINTER

With it being 0 degrees with wind chills well into the -20's I thought why not celebrate it. Its easy to get discouraged at this time of year and I know with my boys being trapped in the house can have us all bouncing off the walls. So today we celebrated a little... well in our own sort of way. We began with a little picnic breakfast, cinnamon raisin bagels on our little blanket in the livingroom while Mommy enjoyed her coffee and we watched Curious George. Its my favorite way to start the day, a cup of coffee in peace. You know what I'm talking about Mommies! The blanket idea is brilliant, when the kids are done I bring it in the bathroom and shake it into the tub and BAM my carpets are cleaner. Its called being resourceful =)

So this is actually a cake that I made for a Mom's group that I'm apart of that got together, so yes it was leftovers but it was STILL winter festive appropriate with the blue frosting and snow sprinkles. Devon was quite fascinated by them as you can see. He picked each one off and ate them first of course, then devoured the frosting and then picked at the cake... like any child's order of eating cake.

Jack cooperated quite nicely with his huge goofy smile. He ate his cake with a little more of the shove as much in my mouth as possible tactic, this is obviously a before picture where I captured his anticipation =) How did I celebrate winter? I stayed in my pajamas till 3:30pm and only got dressed for my husband's sake. It was the first day in weeks that I woke up from my afternoon nap feeling refreshed instead of exhausted which is FANTASTIC! I hope this means we're on the up with the whole mono thing. I have bloodwork this next week to make sure its out of my system and that my liver is functioning properly, making sure there was no permanent damage. Prayers appreciated.




While feeling couped up in the house I tried to think of fun things to do with the kids, something we don't do everyday, so we made a fort in our livingroom. The kids absolutely loved it, I used my camera tripod to prop up the middle which worked wonderfully and then chip clips to hold the blankets. We've done this a few times, John does the best job but I thought for today that I would try it out with the kids.

It took up our entire livingroom, it was pretty big. If mommy was going to climb in there, it was going to be roomy.

So what spurred on my Winter appreciation day? I called and talked to my mom this morning, and she tells me "I'm sitting out on my veranda and I need to move into the shade because its just too hot." BOO! I can't go outside because my nostrils will freeze shut, its cold! So instead of feeling bad for myself or jealous at how great my mom has it (which I am a little jealous but we'll be with them in February!), I decided to appreciate the moment and make the best of it. I think far too often we get caught up in what is wrong with the world instead of what is right. I've ALWAYS tried to be a glass is half full kind of girl so I hope today that I could pass it along to you. Today we appreciated winter, the beauty and the wonder of snow from the warmth of our house. I love living in Wisconsin, having 4 seasons makes you truly appreciate each one. We can get caught up in what we don't have (sunlight, warmth or the ability to feel our fingertips) or we can look to what we do have. Have a fantastic warm night! Go light some candles, cuddle up with a blanket and movie.

Puzzles and Books, Books and Puzzles

These are two things that the boys enjoy just about everyday, I'm not quite sure how I lucked out so much. Devon will ask to sit at the table and make puzzles and Jack is usually standing there asking to do the same.

Here Devon is sitting at our kitchen table with a book of puzzles, its one of his favorites. Its pretty impressive at age 3 he can make 48 piece puzzles by himself (the one here is only about 16 pieces). He loves finding me after he's completed the puzzle so I can jump up and down with him and be excited over what he's accomplished. Its AMAZING to me how long he can spend doing puzzles, sometimes over an hour. I never have enjoyed such a thing but I guess its just how we are wired differently.

I like to think that Jack is wired like me but then he can sit at the table for an extended amount of time as well. He watches intently as his older brother works on his puzzles and mirrors this. He can whip through this ABC puzzle pretty fast now, he does a great job and I love hearing him babble as he's working (usually a mixed up version of the ABC's). Jack usually doesn't last as long as Devon at the table but can sit for a long time as well. I love watching children grow in knowledge and character, there is something just miraculous about it. To think that not too long ago Jack was just an infant relying completely on me and now has achieved so much indepence. I guess its what we all want as parents, makes us feel like we're succeeding.




This video I took I had to do a few times, anytime the boys catch me with a camera they often freeze up and stop whatever cute adorable little thing I've tried to catch! So I sat in the office pretending not to watch and caught them in the act of being just too cute. Devon has enjoyed the role as big brother and one of his favorite things to do is read to Jack, it gives him a sense of responsiblity and accomplishment as his little brother looks to him to hear what the story is about. Again I find alot of joy as a mom in moments like this, so I thought I would share =)

And okay, one more picture of Jack. We were all ready to go out the door to go somewhere and all of sudden Jack isn't around, so I start calling for him to come and I hear "No!" from the toyroom. I found him sitting reading books all bundled up and ready to go. I thought it was pretty cute.

My babies and blocks

Ah brotherly love, funny how that Jack is grinning in this picture and Devon is crying. Devon threw a block at Jack, Devon got in trouble and Jack got his "owies" kissed.

One good thing about being a little more confined to the house is the amount of playtime I've gotten in with the boys. I'm often too busy trying to get things done but I've had ALOT of time to sit down to play trains, blocks and do puzzles. One thing we've been working through is the boy's frustration when playing with blocks, they get SO mad when their tower falls and they didn't want it to yet. Its hard as a parent to incorporate life lessons into play time, trying to figure out how to guide our children as they work through their emotions and feelings. I definitely don't have everything figured out when it comes to parenting but one thing I've definitely noticed is how our kids can mirror us. Its hard to stay calm when we've burned dinner, broken a dish, or tripped over a toy. I know there have been SO many times that I've blown up or lost my cool over the smallest things. Then when either of my boys bursts out in frustration I scold them for it? Its something that I'm working on, its hard to keep in mind how much our kids see what we do and how to work through things based on how we do.

Devon sat at the table for an hour and a half today making puzzles, it amazes me his attention span for that. I could NEVER do that! Jack's shenanagens (spelling?) for the day is his curiousity with the potty. He took off his little pants about 3 times and sat on the potty with his diaper on. I'm not sure if I'M ready for it! We cuddled this afternoon and watched "How to Train Your Dragon" and ate popcorn, I love those moments =)

I had some quiet time tonight as John took the boys with him to volleyball aand I stayed home.

I was playing with my camera today, as you can see from the pictures I chose a single color to stand out in the pictures. It was fun to play with a little.

I've started praying over my kids every night, something I love doing and I hope that it is a habit I keep. Right before I go to bed, I tip toe into their room and kneel beside each of their beds and pray for them. Pray that God would keep them strong and grow them spiritually. That the things they struggle with would be overcome by God's Almighty Power and that they would know how much I love them and God loves them. Theres just something about a sleeping child that makes everything in the world seem alright, even after the worst day its something that melts my heart. I'll often try to touch their little foot or place my hand on their back as I pray for them, sometimes startling them a little in their sleep. I know that God will hear my prayers for my children and bless their socks off =) I'm excited to see what God is going to do in the lives of my boys, what grand adventures he has in store for all of us.

We've been out of bread and Devon asked for peanut butter and jelly so I put it on a tortilla and rolled it for the boys for lunch. The entire time the kids were eating they were making "mmmmm" noises and thanking me for their lunch. Its funny to me when I feel like the kids go above and beyond on the gratitude thing, thanking me after almost every bite =) I guess you could call them obnoxiously polite.

Packer Backers

Its interesting to think back to my early experiences watching the Packers. I remember the phase where I was thrilled to sit next to my dad watching the game, pretending I knew what was going on and yelling whenever he did. Then there was the phase where I was annoyed with having to have football on every Sunday, wanting to watch something else on tv and not understanding the importance. In highschool and college I hardly missed a game and wanted to see every one. I met my husband and he enjoyed watching football but definitely wasn't as passionate as he is now. I think that John and my dad bonded alot over football, they would try to arrange to watch it together most weeks. I can remember last season when it came down to the last play of the season for us, my dad, John and Devon standing infront of the tv holding hands, yes holding hands praying the Packers to pull through. It was a pretty sad moment when their little "holding hands" moment didn't come through. But that was last season.... This season has been a different story. Both the boys get so excited over wearing their Packers gear and Devon will bend down to "hike" his imaginary ball as soon as he's dressed. Jack immediately runs away because this often means he will be tackled.

While I do think my husband can be obsessed, wanting to see every football game on, I do still enjoy the excitement. Its one of my favorite things about living in Wisconsin! I really enjoy watching Aaron Rodgers play, thats talent. I remember loving to watch Brett Favre and it actually makes me sad the way things played out for him. I wish he would have retired and gone out with Wisconsin loving him still. There are those that still love Brett but then are those (including myself) that feel a bit cheated, like an ugly breakup. I will admit I wrote this during the playoff game where we beat Atlanta but I've always been a great multi tasker. Theres something about the loyalty I feel towards the Packers, I was born in Wisconsin and therefore they will always be my team. I find it interesting that the Packers have the most loyal fan base, but I can say its not something that surprises me. I mean who doesn't love Donald Driver? Clay Matthews? Enough said =)

Its fun for me to think that my dad and grandpa were Packer fans and I'm raising two more =) Go Pack!

No pictures today...

So I thought it would be such a good idea to take a really hot bath, to try to relax and feel better. I filled the tub, lit some candles and climbed into a luke warm bath, definitely not hot or relaxing. I had run out of hot water, something John said he could fix and either he didn't fix it or what he tried to fix didn't work. So I started trying to heat water on the stove, running around the house in my towel. This continuing the "unrelaxing" I was doing, making me feel more tense. Finally I got the water warm, still not hot but I figured if I used all that water I should try to take this dang bath. I climb in and just as I sit back, screams come from the livingroom. They were hurt cries so I flew out of the tub. Jack had bitten Devon and then Devon pushed Jack over and he hit his head. Both kids are screaming, crying, pointing at eachother and yes I'm standing there in all my glory (towel-less) trying to console them. I think both of my boys earned a counseling session down the road for that moment. I should more than likely keep track so that when both of them are in counseling at least I can point to the specific moments that attributed to it. I gave up on the bath, showers are faster and more practical. I share this story mostly to remind myself of the humor in it, because at the time it wasn't funny and part of me still won't laugh about it. But I know in a few days when I come back, read this post and relive the moment, I'll laugh.

"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere..."

A little tooooo ironic, yes I really do think...

Yesterday I signed up for a half marathon in April, on the 9th. I want to keep up with running and training and haven't had the motivation or energy these last 3 weeks to do it so I figured registering would get my butt in gear. Today I got a phone call from my Doctor telling me I have mono and not just any mono! Mono that apparently attacked my liver causing my bilirubon (spelling?!) count to sky rocket and on top of that the mono has made me anemic. Whats interesting is that I NEVER would have thought I had mono, I honestly don't feel too awful. I lack energy and my body aches but other than that I feel okay. I was at my sister in laws baby shower and wasn't feeling myself. My sister in law Christina said that my eyes looked a little yellow and when my mother in law agreed I made a doctor appointment, otherwise I never would have gone in! We're pretty sure that John has mono as well, we kiss each other everyday... and its called the kissing disease =) My children more than likely have it too... but I'm trying not to kiss them just to be careful. Which let me tell you, is actually pretty hard! I have to be very conscious about it! So today, I have Alanis Morisette's song "Ironic" going through my head. So instead of feeling sorry for myself I take this moment to rejoice in the excuse that I have to rest and take it easy. I feel alot less guilty about the 3 baskets of laundry that haven't been folded or the fact that I have NO idea whats for dinner. So I've pretty much canceled everything for the weekend and will just enjoy some down time. If I gave anyone mono, I am SOOOO sorry but I really had no idea!

Boys?

I've often thought of myself as a girly girl, I like to wear make up and I think its fun to shop. When I found out I was pregnant I would have SWORN that I was having a girl each time. I'm not exactly sure why but I envisioned little dresses, hair clips and baby dolls. I thought about playing dress up and teaching a little girl what it is to be a girl. Then it happend, out came a baby and the doctor announced that, "Its a boy!". I wasn't quite sure what to do with that, so I asked, "What did I have? Did you say a boy?". I wasn't prepared for having a boy, not ready for what it all entailed and yet here I am, mother of TWO boys. When Jack was born, AGAIN I asked, "Are you sure? A boy?". Its not that I was dissapointed but its that when you don't know what your having (boy or girl), your mind plays games with you as you try to figure out what is inside. Boys are a whole different breed, I am in awe of the amount of energy that can come from such small bodies. Just when I think I've done an activity that will "knock them out for the afternoon" they run laps around the house. We speak dinosaur and dragon, sword fight and wrestle. We throw anything small enough to fit in our hand and find such entertainment in using one object to hit another (bat and ball, stuffed animal and blocks). If someone would have told me that I was going to have two little boys, I'm not sure what I would have thought. There might have been a little fear, so maybe its a good thing I didn't know what I was getting myself into either time.

I may not have been prepared for what it was to be a mother to boys but God shaped me through it. I now know how fun it can be to just run in circles or build a train track to fill our toyroom. Being a mom to boys is better than I could have ever imagined. Its almost like God knew what was best for me, knew that I wasn't quite ready emotionally to handle little girls so He gave me boys to "prepare the way". Now I dream of when my kids can play sports and camping adventure trips. I've become a different person since having my boys and I like myself better because of it. Today we talked about self esteem with my Mom to Mom group and I think its something that we all struggle with. Trying to figure out where we fit in the world, what role we are supposed to play and asking ourselves, "do we fit in?". Sometimes its not going to be a natural fit, its like shoving a block that is a circle into a square hole. If we set who we are as being a certain way, setting it in stone that we can't change, we won't fit. BUT if we allow ourselves to be flexible, softening our edges (lets envision some playdoh here), a circle can fit into the square hole. Softening our edges, our attitudes, our hearts we can enter into a place with others that we feel like we fit. I've noticed that people with very strong opinions tend to only get along in certain crowds of people, people that think like them. When they are surrounded by people that they don't necessarily agree with, theres often conflict. God softened my edges when He placed beautiful baby boys in my arms, softening my heart and allowing me to become a mother that loves having her boys. There is a book called "I love you forever", if you haven't read it, what kind of childhood did you have? Just kidding, but you should probley go out and get the book from somewhere and be prepared to cry as you read it. The line that repeats itself throughout the book is "I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be." At the end of the book, the son crawls across the floor, scoops up his elderly mother and rocks her and tells her, "I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I'm living, my mommy you'll be." My prayer as a mother of boys is that I express love to them enough that they feel good about who they are. That my boys feel secure in themselves but "soft around the edges" that they would accept others for who they are as well.

As I write this I listen to sounds of the boys in the toyroom. Occassional screams, alot of banging and Devon just told Jack, "I'm not happy with you. Don't be sassy to me!" Jack's response, "No! Naughty!"... I think its time for naps...

"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere..." 

<3 Rose

God's artwork

Today I have to say goodbye to my family, my parents and siblings as they leave for Arizona. I'm still not ready for this day and yet here it is. I don't mean this post to be sad but for it to be a moment where I appreciate who my family is to me and how they have shaped my life. Maybe it will reveal the origins of my theme, "Funny things are everywhere" as I've been raised with humor all around me.

My dad is my hero, I remember being a child and convinced that he was the best basketball player in the world. When I asked him why he didn't play professional basketball he told me it was because he loves Jesus more than basketball and wanted to tell others about him. And that is just who my dad is, loves Jesus and wants to tell others, he has a real servant heart. He went to Haiti this last year and I couldn't be more proud of what God did in and through my dad because of that trip. I feel a connection with my dad that we never had before, we're missionaries. We maybe always were, but now I really know it. He has such a heart for his children and a love for us that I can hardly describe while keeping my emotions together. Okay, back to to funny. I still think he's the best basketball player in the world =)

My mom would sing us songs when we went to sleep at night, crazy silly songs about lollipop trees. "Under my lollipop, lollipop, lollipop, lolli, lolli, lollipop tree." I always felt safe going to sleep at night after she would sing to us, like everything in the world was the way it was supposed to be. She worked so hard with us on our schoolwork, putting in hours to help us finish projects. My mother's love I would describe as "full of grace". She has never ever looked at her children with any less love than the first time she held us, even when we've hurt her or disappointed her. I love telling her my stories, she laughs harder than anyone and has such a joy for the humor in life. God has done great things in the last year healing my mother and I think despite what has all happened, she will be stronger because of it all. I think sometimes the potter looks at his clay and decides that He's going to make a new creation, even more beautiful than the old. Its a process that is painful, not easy to go through or understand. But when its complete, the glory of the Lord is SO apparent. God's fingerprint is not just on our heart but on our entire life.

This post could be the longest post ever if I talked about each of my siblings individually as I am the oldest of seven. As you can see from the picture we're quite the crew. Growing up was never boring and I actually remember thinking to myself, "Another one?!" when my parents would announce they were having another baby. God's plan was bigger than our own. I love each of my siblings in completely different ways. There are times where I've felt that insecurity with my brothers where I wonder if they even like me =) But then there is that moment and it doesn't happen very often but I get a glimpse of the real love they have for me. I know without a doubt how much each of my siblings loves my kids, I watch the interaction with more joy than I could have imagined. I'm proud of all of brothers and sisters, not because of the things they have done or haven't done but because of who they are. I'm an artist and I see them all as creations of art that have just begun. The fresh paint is still on the canvas, God is still trying to decide whether to the leave the original color or blend another into it. The final outcome hasn't been decided, there is still room on the canvas. God is still working on me as well but right now I appreciate each of my brothers and sisters.

Justin, Charles, Rebekah, Timothy, Miriam, and Theresa =) We may be on opposite sides of the country but we will be JUST as close as if our bedrooms were just down the hall. I remember holding each of you for the first time, okay slight exaggeration when it comes to Justin seeing as I was 4... but anyway, I was in awe of such a small person (I continue to be in awe of midgets). So much life in such a small being, so much possibility and opportunity. While you travel far away from me, remember the good times. Remember the times we've laughed over the most ridiculous things because that is what makes us family. From Wisconsin to Arizona...

"From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere..."

Rocketship anyone?

So we're sitting and eating lunch and as ANY parent knows who has small children, vegtables aren't necessarily the easiest things to always get your kids to eat. So I've been trying to figure out how to get my kids to eat raw carrots and today I tried thinly slicing them, handing them each a baby carrots cut into four pieces. Devon, my 3 year old, looks at it and says, "Its a rocketship!" Which I have no idea where that came from but I took that thought and ran with it. We proceeded to have each piece of carrot "blastoff" from his plate and into his mouth. He would make comments about how yummy the rocketships were and he ate 5 whole baby carrots, which he may have eaten more but I didn't want to push my luck. Jack this whole time is watching me carefully and starts blasting off his carrots as well to be eaten. Jack doesn't quite have the molar abilities that Devon does so he held a whole carrot in his mouth for about 15 minutes before deciding to go back to Peanut Butter and Jelly (spitting out the wad of carrots onto his shirt). Its hard to find the humor each day but when you stand back and realize that you spent the last 45 minutes pretending that carrots were rocketships to get your children to eat decently you realize, its funny. So instead of feeling sorry for ourselves for the ups and downs of life I take this moment to say..."From there to here, from here to there, funny things are everywhere."