Dollywood Adventures!

We got in another visit to Dollywood this past week. With Ryan off all week it was a nice break from our cabin fever. The nice thing about season passes is, we can come in later and not kill ourselves trying to ride everything. We had a day full of veggies, heat, water, rides, heat & water. The veggitales were at the park and got to enjoy a live show in the AC of their theatre. Hopefully we can go back before Zaboomafoo leaves.



Joseph & Daddy pose by the Dollywood Express that we got to ride.



Thomas & Daddy pose too!



Here the train engineer is loading up the coal in the fire to prepare for the ride ahead. The last two times we rode we sat in the first car and since it's an open car, we ended up with coal dust all over us. It's also very loud up there.



There was a sandcastle making exhibit. There was actually a person there making this castle as we watched. And believe it or not this was 100% sand & water. Incredible!



Joseph finally got up enough guts to ride these cute little duckies after seeing Thomas go alone. Joseph, Joseph, Joseph...What are we going to do with you?!





Here are the boys at the Beaver Creek area of the park. It's a great place for little ones ( and Mommys ;) to cool of in the running water. Both boys managed to break the no running law and both left with bumps on their heads to prove it.



Here Ryan and Joseph rode together on the 50s style Rockin' Roadway. Ryan was sure glad he didn't get the pink, purple or aqua car.



Thomas drives Mommy around on the Rockin' Roadway. AAAAHHH!

The Kitties are Here, Jen!

Yesterday evening "Lady" went into labor with her kitties. She insisted I stay and mid-wife the whole thing as she followed me anytime I left her. So for 3-4 hours straight she labored and birthed three cute grey kitties as I assisted. I know I must sound like some crazy animal lover who thinks cats are human, but really they pretty much do the same thing we human-women do. I have to give it to them for birthing multiples and some other gory stuff they have to do that I won't mention. She's been a good mommy cat and doesn't get to bothered when we handle them. At one point I was handling a kitted who started to scream and "Lady" gave me a genlte nip as to tell me, "I really don't mind you holding them, but I think I should take over now." Unfortunately the first one was still-born even after my attempts to revive it. I think she just labored to long with it as it was the largest of the three. Here are the pics.:



This was kitty #1 who didn't make it


This is kitty #2 who is the laid back of the two.


Joseph was excited at the chance to hold this wiggly kitty as Mommy-Cat birthed #3 (He was also hyped up from all the chocolate ice cream Daddy gave him)


Kitty #3(left)who is feisty and a little more slender. He gave me a scare as he struggled to breath at first. Good Mommy-Cat nurses one baby while cleaning up the other.


By the way there are plenty more yucky pictures if anyone is teaching biology! ;)

My Crazy 24+hrs. with Four Kiddies In Tow

(Quentin's hiding inside the yellow sleeping bag as Thomas pounces him)

My sister called about a week in advance and was desperate for someone to watch her kiddies, Quentin-7 & Cheyney-5. I gladly accepted and got out the pool for the first time this summer (I'm kinda lazy about outdoor stuff this year). It took me more than an hour to pull out the pool, blow it up, fill it with water and swim toys & catch my breath! It took the kids 20 mins. to have their fill and muck up the water with grass clippings, oh well! We also made fourth-of-july cookies and went to the local park. They are two good kids and were eager to help for the most part, as much as kids can be I think. Thomas was actually the most difficult to deal with as he learns how to share his toys. So please, we invite all to come over with your kiddies so Thomas can learn how to play with others. The great thing was that I caught myself telling Ryan, "This isn't so bad, I think we could handle four kids." So praise the Lord for showing us he will always give us everything we need to care for our children or future children. Above are the pics of our outdoor fun & the 2 hour long going to bed process(whew, they wore me out getting them to go to sleep):

Obama, please do explain!

Hilarious

Here in the past few years we have cought a lot of grief over our choice to homeschool our children. No matter how much we explain it to people, they still seem almost disgusted by our choosing to exercise our freedom to educate our children in our own home. The internet has opened up a whole world of fellow homeschool like-minded people. It's encouraging and I am starting to see our oddity as amusing, as seen in this GodTube video (yes, that's right, a Chrisitan version of YouTube). What will they do next?

In Support of Homeschooling

Here is a great article that I found on a fellow bloggers site that was writted by an alternate author:

SONNY SCOTT:Home-schoolers threaten our cultural comfort
6/8/2008 9:39:01 AMDaily Journal

You see them at the grocery, or in a discount store.

It's a big family by today’s standards - "just like stair steps," as the old folks say. Freshly scrubbed boys with neatly trimmed hair and girls with braids, in clean but unfashionable clothes follow mom through the store as she fills her no-frills shopping list.

There's no begging for gimcracks, no fretting, and no threats from mom. The older watch the younger, freeing mom to go peacefully about her task.

You are looking at some of the estimated 2 million children being home schooled in the U.S., and the number is growing. Their reputation for academic achievement has caused colleges to begin aggressively recruiting them. Savings to the taxpayers in instructional costs are conservatively estimated at $4 billion, and some place the figure as high as $9 billion. When you consider that these families pay taxes to support public schools, but demand nothing from them, it seems quite a deal for the public.

Home schooling parents are usually better educated than the norm, and are more likely to attend worship services. Their motives are many and varied. Some fear contagion from the anti-clericalism, coarse speech, suggestive behavior and hedonistic values that characterize secular schools. Others are concerned for their children’s safety. Some want their children to be challenged beyond the minimal competencies of the public schools. Concern for a theistic world view largely permeates the movement.

Indications are that home schooling is working well for the kids, and the parents are pleased with their choice, but the practice is coming under increasing suspicion, and even official attack, as in California.

Why do we hate (or at least distrust) these people so much?

Methinks American middle-class people are uncomfortable around the home schooled for the same reason the alcoholic is uneasy around the teetotaler.

Their very existence represents a rejection of our values, and an indictment of our lifestyles.

Those families are willing to render unto Caesar the things that Caesar’s be, but they draw the line at their children. Those of us who have put our trust in the secular state (and effectively surrendered our children to it) recognize this act of defiance as a rejection of our values, and we reject them in return.

Just as the jealous Chaldeans schemed to bring the wrath of the king upon the Hebrew eunuchs, we are happy to sic the state’s bureaucrats on these “trouble makers.” Their implicit rejection of America’s most venerated idol, Materialism, (a.k.a. “Individualism”) spurs us to heat the furnace and feed the lions.

Young families must make the decision: Will junior go to day care and day school, or will mom stay home and raise him? The rationalizations begin. "A family just can't make it on one income." (Our parents did.) "It just costs so much to raise a child nowadays." (Yeah, if you buy brand-name clothing, pre-prepared food, join every club and activity, and spend half the cost of a house on the daughter’s wedding, it does.) And so, the decision is made. We give up the bulk of our waking hours with our children, as well as the formation of their minds, philosophies, and attitudes, to strangers. We compensate by getting a boat to take them to the river, a van to carry them to Little League, a 2,800-square-foot house, an ATV, a zero-turn Cub Cadet, and a fund to finance a brand-name college education. And most significantly, we claim “our right” to pursue a career for our own"self-fulfillment."

Deep down, however, we know that our generation has eaten its seed corn. We lack the discipline and the vision to deny ourselves in the hope of something enduring and worthy for our posterity. We are tired from working extra jobs, and the looming depression threatens our 401k’s. Credit cards are nearly maxed, and it costs a $100 to fuel the Suburban. Now the kid is raising problems again, demanding the latest Play Station as his prize for doing his school work … and there goes that modest young woman in the home-made dress with her four bright-eyed, well-behaved home-schooled children in tow. Wouldn’t you just love to wipe that serene look right off her smug face?

Is it any wonder we hate her so?

Sonny Scott a community columnist, lives on Sparta Road in Chickasaw County and his e-mail address is sonnyscott@yahoo.com.

Appeared originally in the Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal, 6/8/2008, section 0 , page 0

(some edits made by blogger)

A Daughter's Gift on Father's Day

This Father's Day, I received the best gift. This Sunday I invited my Dad & Mom to church with us and they were glad to come. I was so excited and Joseph really thought that was neat to sit between them through the service. I enjoyed introducing them to our Pastor and friends. The last times they came was for our wedding and soon after at my baptismal when Ray Rhodes preached. I was really shocked to hear the really enjoyed the music of our music team, as they grew up with choirs. In fact, my mom sang in chorus in high school and grew up singing in the choir with her sister and father. So she has a lot of neat memories doing that. After church they took us to Ruby Tuesday's to experience their weight loss secret: The Ruby's Garden Bar. Between them both they have lost 80 lbs. That's more than Joseph & Thomas combined. I, however, have lost a measly 9lbs. We really had a great time.

Previously on Saturday, we did Father's Day for Ryan. I made him a fold out of pictures of him and the boys, as well as a poem:

Thank you Daddy,

For cuddling me with your big strong hands,

And loving me from day one.

Thank you Daddy,

For teaching me right from wrong,

Even though it hurts my bum.

Thank you Daddy,

For working so hard at work and school,

And taking time to build me trike for my fun.

Thank you Daddy,

For your will to jump on an animals back,

And showing me that petting a goat is fun.

Thank you Daddy,

For playing on the playgrounds,

Even though your thirty-one.

Thank you Daddy,

For taking us to the surf and sand,

Even when you wanted to learn a ton.

Thank you Daddy,

For teaching us about the Lord,

In hopes we'll know Jesus, God's own Son.

Daddy opens his new lounge pants. Thomas opens up Daddy's new belt.

Daddy opens up his new Starbuck's coffee mug that he thought he was getting and then lost hope that he was, when I wrapped it in something different. That's why there is such a big grin.

Daddy reading his Father's Day poem and looking at all the pics. of him and the boys.

Joseph giving Daddy his Father's Day kiss.

Thomas giving Daddy his Father's Day kiss.

Daddy took Joseph for a spin on the Wharf St. runway.

This went on and on until Daddy crashed on the couch with exhaustion, much to Joseph's disappointment.

Joseph's version of dress-up.

He gets Daddy in on the fun too.

I also made one for my Dad, who is known by our kids as Papu:

Some may ask,

What is a Papu?

Well I have a Papu,

He's well past fifty-two.

My Papu is as big as a bear,

that's why he's affectionately known as Pooh.

My Papu loves the beach,

But be careful he needs not too much sun.

My Papu like to cut would,

His projects always weigh a ton.

My Papu loves to take pictures,

Of me and of you.

So if you see a Papu,

Take a picture or two.

I love my Papu,

And he loves me too.

Uncle Brandon's Cool 35th Birthday Party!

My brother, Brandon, turned 35 at the end of May and we celebrated over at his house with his wife & kids. Also joining us at the party: Tiffany & her children, my parents & my sister-in-law's sister, Nicole & husband Maurice (sp?). We had a great time and it was actually more geared towards the kiddies than the adults. The kids, ranging from age 2mos.-9 years, thoroughly enjoyed the badminton, slip-n-slide, & kiddie pool. The adults, well we just tried to keep cool with the 98 degree storm infused humid weather.

Cheyney(5) splashes around with Joseph & Thomas

Quentin (7) & Ethan (9) play two on one with Uncle Ryan (not shown)

Joseph is a little confused on what he's suppose to do with the slip-n-slide

Thomas kept laying down on the slip-n-slide and asking the bigger kids to push him. Jonah & Cheyney give him a helping hand.

Riley takes on the slip-n-slide with grace.

Our fun quickly ended as Danielle, Tiffany and I had just finished asking on another, "When do you think we should round up the kids and go in?" Just as the sentenced ended a loud crack and lightening appeared, followed by three squawking mothers exclaiming, "Time to go in kids!" Next up, Jonah's birthday party in July. See you guys soon.

Congratulations to Ryan for passing his first two classes with A's

Florida Fun!

Well, we made it back home from the beach in one piece. We had such a great time that it was hard to leave and after being back to the "real world" for a couple of days we deeply miss it. We went to Panama City Beach, FL with my parents, my Aunt Shirley, twin cousins (Ashley & Alyssa), Shirley's boyfriend (Mike) & Iowa friends (Bob & Sherri). We all (except for Ryan & Thomas) rented a pontoon boat in the bay for 1/2 a day & cruised around shell island. We spotted several dolphins, fish, crabs, cranes, & pelicans. There was a neat little area to pull into that was secluded and the water was only 2-3 feet deep. Since there were no restrooms we used God's natural restroom, the ocean. Of course Joseph thought it was pretty funny. However, I should have told him that we only do that in certain situations. Later we went to the side of the island that tour boats drop people off to hunt for shells and as we are all searching for any shells that weren't broken, I turn around to find my son, with pants down to his ankles, as he pees in the sand. I was pretty red & not in the sunburned way.

Thomas repeatedly threw himself in the pools at the condo (even when there was no one there to catch him). We had one successful rescue attempt when he literally fell in and began to swim and then sunk (My mom felt so bad as she was suppose to be watching him). All is well that ends well and by the end of the trip Thomas learned to hold his breath under water and swim about a foot. Joseph's fear of the water seems to grow stronger every year. I really don't think he ever got his hair wet, although he really enjoyed the sand.

Wed. night the boys stayed overnight with my parents and Ryan and I got to go out for a well needed night alone. We ate out at "The Back Porch" & enjoyed Mahi Mahi sandwiches. Then headed back and walked on the beach for a short time and then put our feet in the hot tub. We really wanted to get in but Ryan developed his usual rash early in the week. I think the sun and him don't get along. It was so nice to just have a calm night and remember that we are married. Sometimes we seem to forget that as we are tending to the boys every need.


Lastly, Friday night, as we are getting together with everyone for one last hurrah before leaving, Thomas does a face plant into the tile floor and had a gusher of a cut on his bottom lip. Thankfully no ER visit came of that one.

We're already working on Daddy to go back next year. He's been great to take us the last three years. Maybe we can push out one more trip to the beach next year. My love for the beach is getting so bad that on the way home we threw around the idea of moving there.

The boys improvise seats as they watch the cartoons that we don't get back home.

Every day was a struggle to get through lunch and many days the boys never made it to the table as you can see here.

Dad as the skipper of our grand voyage, it was a four hour tour and we made it back!

Joseph enjoys his first ever boat trip.

Bob & Sherri share a laugh on the boat excursion.

Ashley & Alyssa take a break from texting to take a quick picture. Cute girls.

This is the only time Joseph would play with his floatie, since we weren't in the water.

Our camp site down in front of the condo. I am sure all the other vacationers were glad to see our circus tent go at the end of the week.

Daddy & Thomas

Joseph & Thomas

Mommy & Thomas

Mommy & Joseph

Thomas shows off his battle scars from his face plant.

Ouch!

Quentin, my nephew, had his 7th birthday party sat. at the Icearium in Farragut, TN. Initially when we found out about his party my sister asked if we were looking forward to playing a football game with the kiddies. I quickly replied that I would not be joining in on that game, "I don't play football and never have." Well, I got drafted into the game. It was just going to be a harmless game of flag football with 6 & 7 year olds, how hard could that be? The thing about 6 & 7 year olds is they really know nothing about the American sport we call football, which left the 8 adults (well Tiffany, my sister, left after the first play!) carrying the game. Our team ended up with 4 adults which the other, of 3 adults, was fine with that cause they thought I would be more of a hindrance for my team. I, for the first time in my life caught a pretty long pass and made 1 or 2 touchdowns (we didn't really keep score). It was pretty boosting when I began to hear the other team yell, "block Megan, just block Megan!" Ryan, who repeatedly took the game to seriously as he threw himself into the end zone and tackled a few little ones (hey Ryan it's flag football), scored 2 or 3 touchdowns. Well we had a great time and we were all winded and sweaty by the end, but felt pretty good about the whole thing, until.... The next morning Ryan and I awoke feeling as if we had been through a car wreck. And as the day progressed we noticed muscles we didn't know we had, ouch! It was all worth it though; we had such a great time and we are already wanting to do it again, so we must not be in enough pain. Lessons learned: Never underestimate a girl. Never play football when your out of shape. Don't tackle little kids, it's just mean! Go out for the big pass, you might just catch it. Hopefully there will be pics. to follow.

Thomas' words

As the younger of the two, Thomas sure has a lot to say. In the past we listened to his mumbles and babbles all day long, but never really heard much in the way of vocabulary. However, times they are a changin'. He'll be babbling along and the funniest comments come out of him as if he understands how to deliver a really clever line. Like tonight at dinner when asked if he wanted a cucumber, he answered back in his little Thomas voice, "No...cause I don't like it." We kind of did a double take as that seemed to be a pretty long and complex sentence for such a little guy. Joseph is just now learning words that Thomas is picking up on as quickly as Joseph is. Thomas always has a look about him that he is just thinking of the next thing ahead. I am encouraged as his words grow that he is learning to use please and thank-you without being prompted. He always enjoys sharing kisses/hugs. He is right there to hold the door open and never does it grudgingly. I hope his older brother can learn a thing or two from Thomas about manners and thoughtfulness. Whereas, Thomas, we hope will learn from Joseph a thing or two about not destroying our house with all his wild ways. This just goes to show you that you can't choose whether boys are easier than girls, because really every child is so uniquely different. With an emphasis on unique.

Living with a giant in the making

I sometimes wonder about Joseph. 1) Will he ever slow down growing? 2) Does his body know he's only 3? Seriously, I think he's becoming a giant! LOL The hardest part about it all, is that he gets weird looks from people wondering why he acts like a 3 year old and looks like a 5 year old. And I have to admit, I forget that he's only 3 and expect way too much out of him. The boys are only 1 1/2 years apart and although they really look like 2 1/2 years apart I am starting to realize how really close in age they are. Joseph has regressed behaviorally and picks up on Thomas' 2 year old antics. And Thomas is easily encouraged to do ANYTHING his brother tells him to do. We've seen more than our fair share of permanent marker murals, toys in the tub/toilet, food smashed in the carpet, and toys spread through the house like confetti. For those who happen to stumble upon this please pray for me and Ryan, but especially me as the child rearer. I struggle with anger, impatience, discontentment, pride, you name it. I really need the Lord's help as I raise up not only the "giant in the making" but the child lovingly compared to "Animal" from the Muppet's.

Enjoying the Lord's Day

We were just leaving church this past Sunday and knowing we were between pay periods and we had already over spent our budget, we decided a picnic was a great plan. We came home and changed out of our Sunday best and loaded up the food and drinks. One of our favorite parks is in Farragut, TN kind of tucked into the little town, although people seem to find it okay when the weather is as beautiful as it was Sunday. The boys quickly bee-lined for the playground as we hurried to remind them that they had to replenish their energy filled bodies. We found a quant little spot and enjoyed our meal just after we thanked the Lord for his abundant faithfullness. As we were eating we spotted some geese at the bank of the lake and noticed further, 4 geeslings fuzzy and small. Thomas and I went over for a peek and to share our bread. Well, momma goose and daddy goose didn't care for us or our food as they proceeded to "hiss" at us. Yes, they were geese not cats (I'm pretty sure I know the difference). So we left them behind and went on to the playground and had a great time playing. Here are the pictures:

Protective mommy goose. Her babies we just down the bank, playing in the water.

Joseph, Come on dowwwwn!

Thomas can't let his big brother outdo him!

Although Thomas is our busybee, he always seems to have time to pause for a photo op. That's why we always get more pictures of him than Joseph, not to mention he takes the cutest pictures!