Who Looks Like Who?

Okay, so there isn't a week that goes by that i don't hear: "Your boys look JUST alike!" And my response is usually something along the lines of "Really? You think so, because i can tell they are brothers but i don't think they really look that much alike." As babies, they looked totally different & when Eli's dark baby hair all fell out & his blonde hair came in is when all the comments started. And i also get "Where did your boys get all that blonde/white hair?" And my response is always, "We (randy & I) both had blonde hair as kids...mine stayed that color longer, but we both started out as toe heads." So the proof is in the pudding & i now put the question out there to you all: Who looks like who?

{Randy at approximately age 2- bad quality scanned photo- his hair was lighter than this!}

{Rachel at approximate age 2}

Okay, so here is my opinion: When i came across these pictures I hadn't seen them in a few years & so help me i gasped! The resemblance of Jackson to Randy is outright scary! And i have to tell you that i totally think the same thing of Eli to myself- in the picture anyway. But honestly, i totally think our kids are a good mix of us both. Jackson looks like Randy & only Randy, but his temperament is all mine! Eli overall favors me, but he has those gorgeous baby blues, but i think he is more laid back like Randy & although he is coming into his personality & becoming more head strong, that is typical for his age & in general he is more easy going than Jackson. The funny thing about Jackson is that he is so much like Randy in little ways. He uses the same mannerisms & even uses his hands in the same way. It is very fun to watch!

Dilly Bars are YUMM-O

I think the pictures pretty much sum up our trip to the DQ (dairy queen)....

Music Camp

We are so lucky to have Aunt Becca who teaches Kindermusik classes nearby. As a result, the kids are in music classes weekly for most of the year. We did take a break for most of the summer but for the last 4 weeks, both boys were in a multi age "camp" called Drums, Drums, Drums where they learned all about different percussion instruments & even got to make some of their own during craft time. My boys just love music & any day of the week you can hear Jackson singing some song he made up & Eli just loves to play with the instruments so far! Here are some pictures i took one day while we were there:

{the rainsticks the kids made}

{future drummer}

{take note: they are SHARING}

{just dancin' & twirlin' with the scarves}

{tapping along with our sticks}

{getting some one on one instruction from Aunt Becca}

Jacksonism & Eli-ism....

• So okay, Eli isn't really ready for an "eli-ism" but i was so excited today about something he said, yes that's right, he SAID something! He reprotoire of words basically amounts to "ball," "dat" (that), "eh huh" (no) & other grunts that we are able to decipher pretty well. However, this morning, when i was driving the boys over to the Moss', we passed one of MANY fields & i heard a grunt & a "orse" (horse!). I turned back to see & sure enough he had pointed to the horse! The next field comes by & i said, "Eli, what is that?" He pointed, & replied, "ow!" (cow!) I was so excited! This went on the entire way to the Moss'- yes there are lots of horses & cows in between! Then tonight, when we ordered pizza, i asked jackson if he wanted pepperoni or cheese when it arrived & he said "pepperoni", so i asked Eli the same, & he said "eese" (cheese!). He has said this a few random times, but only when saying "cheese" to smile at the camera, so i was excited about it anyway!

• On to the Jacksonism..... Tonight at the dinner table, when we were eating pizza, Randy was outside mowing the backyard - trying to get it all done before dark & while the weather wasn't so HOT! We can see the backyard from our kitchen table & the boys were watching Randy. Jackson said, "If daddy doesn't come in, his pizza will be cold, huh?" I said,"yes, but it will be alright- daddy is working hard." Jackson said, "Yep, him working real hard..... {pause}.... Him works as hard as me sometimes!" HA! I said, "sometimes?" J said, "Yeah- sometimes him works as hard as me." Then he thought a little more & said, "I can do that sometime." (the mowing). So i replied, "That is something i can guarantee you that you can do sometime!!" So he says to me {pointing to the lawn mower} "You'll have to buy one of those for me." No problem little man, that one can be all yours is about 10 years! How awesome is it, that at 4 years old, the best thing in the world to you is the prospect of having your very own lawnmower & a yard to mow right by yourself! This is truly a joy of having a boy, because in a few years, Randy will have LOTS of extra help in the yard! But here is my question, Where is my little helper for the laundry? Or the dishes? Or the mopping? or the Dinner? Can i get one of those?

It's Our Anniversary....

Happy Anniversary to us! Randy & I have been married for 7 years already! On one hand, I can't believe how fast it has gone by & on the other hand, it seems like ages ago when we were dating long distance over that first summer & having to talk free via the internet to save on phone charges. We started dating in April,

{excuse the horrible quality- i actually had to scan the earlier photos in!}

got engaged in October,

& were married the following July!

{my handsome groom!}Three years later, our little Jackson arrived....
Then two & a half years after that, little Eli arrived....

And now were are a family of four! (We soooo need a new family photo!)Are we a complete family? Well, that is yet to be determined, but for now we are grateful for the family we have built together & still love each other as much (more) as ever! We have seen each other through great loss, trials, & changes but have also been side by side for all of the blessings that God has given to us- and they have always been plentiful. Randy is an incredibly sweet husband (& endures alot from my high maintenance self- no comments from the peanut gallery on that one, folks!). He works hard to provide for us & always puts his family first. He even still opens doors for me! What a gentleman! Anywho- i am proud to be married to this man & i have enjoyed every (mostly, i am honest- no one lives in a fairy tale!) minute of our 7 years together!

Shalom!

Jackson (in the tribe of Zebulun)

Kaleb (in the tribe of Zebulun) Eli (in the tribe of Judah)
This past week was one EXHAUSTING week for us all! We have had VBS (vacation bible school) every night & not only are the kids so tired, but so is their mama! We had to cram a lot into our days to make up for the 3 hours (including travel time) we were out of commision each night. It was well worth it though, because Jackson especially enjoyed himself this year. He got to bring his cousin Kaleb a few nights & he even participated in going up to the front of the auditorium to sing songs with the group! I couldn't believe my eyes as this is usually WAY out of character for him. I guess he really is growing up! He especially enjoyed the crafts & games & has gotten GREAT at spinning his homemade dreidel. Eli only went 2 nights & stayed home with daddy every other night because he is having some separation anxiety & doesn't respond well (to say the very least) when i leave him these days. And i can't keep up with him so well when i am helping with registration. On the other hand, that first night he attended 2 activities with his "tribe" (of israel), the animals (llama, goat, bunny, sheep, donkey) & the popsicles! Two of his favorite things; animals & food & then he was back to my lap! Maybe next year....

{playing games in Jerusalem Marketplace}

{more games with Ms. Kelly & Mr. Vince, his tribe leaders}
{Eli feeding the goat grass}{Jackson, Kaleb, & Eli checking out the bunny}

{Mr. Kevin dressed up as a Roman Soldier}{Jackson on stage to sing with the group!}{Singing & signing the words to songs, next to cousin, Leah!}

It Ain't a Striper, but It'll do!

Check this baby out! Randy & Jeremy went night fishing over the weekend out at Jordan Lake & Randy was thrilled with his catch. This catfish was so big (about 10 lbs) that he had to use both hands to hold it up! If only he had caught a striper this big..........

A Funny Story..... (enlightening!)

Preface: Vacation Bible School is next week at church & they are getting the kids "pumped" about it......
Story:
In the car ride home from church tonight, Jackson all of the sudden announces, "Jesus came to class tonight!" (I thought he said, "Jesus Christ came tonight"
Me: Jesus Christ came tonight??
J: No, Just Jesus came to class!
Me: Oh, what did he say?
J: I not know..... (thinking.....Then he said something i misunderstood -i thought he said he liked Jesus)
Me: You liked him?
J: No. I not like Jesus
Me: (crushed) You don't like Jesus!?
J: Well, i like him a little.... He looks funny.
Me: What did he look like?
J: (thinking) I not remember, i am thinking. He looks funny.
Me: Oh! Well, I am glad Jesus came to your class tonight & i hope you gave him a big hug & told him you loved him.
J: No, i didn't hug him- nobody hugged him. But i do love him.
Me: Oh, good.
J: Him come from far away. Jesus lives far away.
Me: Where does Jesus live?
J: Far away, i not know where.
Me: He is God's son, & he lives with him... you know where God lives.
J: No, where?
Me: In heaven of course.
J: Oh, YEAH! And that is far far away...... (thinking more)
Me: And he can see everything all at one time!
J: ANd he knows everything too. He knows everything all over this place.
Me: Yes, he does.
J: We go far far away sometimes too.... like when we go to the campsite & to Nanny's, right?
Me: Yes, that is far far away, but Heaven is even further than that!
J: Oh! Emma & Leah went far far away. Them went on an airplane & flew to Texas, right?
Me: Yes, they did.
J: Jesus lives far far away in Texas.
Me: He lives in heaven, and from Heaven he can see everything here & in Texas & everywhere.
J: Oh.....
(About this time we pulled up in the driveway from church & i got right out the car & said to Randy who met us at the driveway, "I have GOT to go in & blog a funny story before i forget what Jackson said! And then Jackson hopped out the car, ran to Randy & said, "Daddy, Jesus came to class tonight!! Randy said, "WHAT?" And you can imagine where it went from there!!)

Jacksonisms....

1. The other day we were all in the Jeep & there was a song on the radio. They were singing, (slowly)"Thank... you... for... being... a......." And before they could fill in the obvious "friend", Jackson joined in song in the backseat and said "listener..." He kept the tone, the beat, everything. Randy & I laughed so hard! He is so used to hearing "thanks for being a good listener, buddy" that he assumed that was what would come next!

2. We were camping over the weekend & they had a church service down by the river. There was a nice breeze blowing & we were singing & jackson kept talking. I bent over & said, "Jackson, be quiet, we are having church." He replied, "THIS is NOT church!" I guess it was a bit unorthodox in his mind to be sitting in a lawn chair, by the river, & having church! It was humorous to me though!

3. You may have already read this in my previous post but if not, here it is again. When i decided to make Jackson sleep in big boy underwear (instead of pull ups) last week, he got really upset & started crying. When i asked him why he didn't want to wear them, he replied "Cause i want to pee pee in them [pull ups] some more!" Exactly, the reason why we AREN'T wearing them anymore! At least he was honest!

Camping KOA: Part 2

So here is the rest of what we did on our trip this weekend...

A HUGE part of our time was spent at the pool! Between the pool party with a DJ & free lunch, the HOT weather, & the shallow 2ft section, it was the perfect place to "camp" out! Hee Hee.







Of course, Eli wasn't as big of a fan as Jackson & Kaleb. He needed breaks from all the splashing from strangers & so he hung out with his Daddy some doing "other" male bonding activities... They "fished"...... (which Jackson then wanted to join in on!)

And they shot some hoops together! When the kids weren't in the pool, they were on the playground. This playground had a TALL slide which was great for Jackson, but too fast for Eli. Luckily, they also had a little climbing/sliding/hiding fort on one corner also. It was the perfect height for Eli & the other two decided it was pretty good for them too! Kaleb & Jackson also practiced their casting skills over the fence & onto this playground!

Eli would get so worn out from all this playing & swimming & exploring, that he would practically fall asleep eating! Bless his little heart...

The kids play so much & so hard when we go camping that it takes DAYS to recouperate! They have been napping & sleeping great all week since we got back! In fact, Eli got a head start on the way out of the campground Sunday- before we could even get to the dump site (literally about 100ft away), he was already doing this.... Unbelievable!

Whew! So there it is.... all the posts/pictures from our trip! I am exhausted now just from the update! So enjoy all the pics!