You're nuts!

My dad stopped over today. Ben wanted to show him the water (our creek that is running because it rained). This resulted in a race to the back yard. We have a ton of walnut trees in the back that dropped tons of walnuts last night. Dad started throwing them into the water. Ben and Hadley threw nuts for a while, giggling and squealing at the splashes.
Ben looked at Dad and said, "I'll be right back, Poppa." He ran around the side of our shed and we didn't hear from him for a while. I was telling my dad a story about Ben getting hit with a falling walnut a few weeks ago when a nut fell at his feet. We kept falling when another nut fell.
I turned around just in time to see a walnut come sailing across the top of the shed. After that, a barrage of walnuts flew towards us. Jeremy yelled, "Hey, what's that?" His question was met with a huge laugh and a few more walnuts! Not only does he have a good arm, but that little boy is sneaky!!!

Bed time songs

I remember being a little girl and having my mom sing to me every night. We sang whatever songs she thought of - from Christmas Carols to show tunes. I've started the same thing with Hadley. She loves to snuggle down into my shoulder and drift off to sleep while I sing.
I started making up songs just so that we could keep singing. I sing her prayers to tunes of songs she likes. Every time I stop, she says "Do it again, Mom" in her little Hadley voice. It's the single most peaceful part of my day!
Tonight she started singing with me. I made up a "Jesus song" that we now sing. It's to the tune of "Good Night my Someone" from Music Man. (My originality is amazing! ;)) The words are
Thank you Jesus for today,
for time to play.
Thank you Lord for family.
Please give me good thoughts and good dreams.
I sang a line and then she'd repeat it. If you've ever heard her, she occasionally has a register that only dogs can hear. This is how she sang with me tonight - maybe that's how I sound to her!
It's in these moments that I realize how blessed I am to have my kids. They keep me grounded and in perspective. It's in these moments that I remember that I can only be effective as a parent if I'm rooted in Jesus and allowing him to guide me. I've learned to take the little things seriously because I don't want to miss this.

Rainbows and Happiness

A few days ago on the way home from Walmart we saw a rainbow. It was so huge and beautiful. By the time we got home it was a double rainbow outside our door. Ben thought it was amazing.
Today we went to Walmart again (because it's what we do). On the way, Ben asked if we would see a rainbow. I told him probably not because it wasn't raining. He told me, "No, Mom. We have to go to Walmart, buy lots of stuff, and come home at bedtime to see a rainbow. That's what my Dad said."

A bonus conversation:
Me: I'm going to take a shower and then we are going to pick up before Daddy comes home."
Ben: And then we can be happy?
Me: What?
Ben: And then we can be happy?
Me: When Daddy comes home?
Ben: Yeah!
Seriously, he sounded like he wasn't allowed to be happy today!

Stinky bugs

Somewhere in the last few months, I have developed a bug phobia. It could be the 3 or so inch long spider that I found stalking me in the basement a few weeks ago. I'm not sure where it came from, but it's here just the same.
As we were getting ready to tuck Ben in tonight, I reached to switch off the living room light and at just the last second looked up to see a rather large stink bug. I shrieked and Jer came to the rescue. Ben was supposed to be going potty on his way to bed, but, needless to say, he was distracted by my freaking out. Jeremy caught the stink bug with a toy cup and threw it in the potty. Ben looked at it with glee, especially after Jer told him to pee on the bug. Ben did with all the joy of a three year old boy peeing on a bug!
Just as he got done, he yelled to his dad, "Now it's a stink bug, Dad! It stinks like pee!"

The anatomy of cows

A few weeks ago, Ben spent some time with my sister Cara and her friend Andrew. At some point through the course of this time, Ben inquired about the udders under a toy cow. Andrew explained that they are where milk comes from.
Tonight we went on a walk/run down our road. As we passed the cows, Ben said, "Dad, I need you to let me go in that fence so I can squeeze the things under their bellies and get milk."
Jeremy said, "No, first of all they aren't our cows and second of all, they don't have those yet."
(The cows are young heifers who haven't had babies.)
As I am writing this blog, I asked Jeremy for clarification about what Ben said to ensure accuracy. He asked Ben what he wanted to do. Ben hopped off of his lap, found his farm animal puzzle and pointed to the udders and said, "These things, Dad. Can you see them? I need to do that some day."
Apparently, we have a farmer in the making!

water, milk, and soil

The other day I made myself bran muffins. They are one of my favorite breakfasts, so I don't share them with my kids (not to mention, my kids don't need the bran, if you know what I mean!). I told Ben that when we went to the store we could get the stuff to make his own muffins.
At Walmart today he picked out Triple Berry Muffins. These are then pour the mix in the bowl and just add water. That's why I bought them.
He would not put them down. They never made it into the cart. He personally handed them to the cashier who had to hand them right back, and then he carried them in the car.
*On a side note, I told him we were going to stop for ice cream on the way home. He said, "I don't want ice cream. I want a muffin." That changed when we pulled in to the Dairy Queen and he decided he could have ice cream and then a muffin at home! Boy after my own heart!
As we were driving home he said: "Mom, this says we need to put in a cup of water and milk and soil."
Jeremy and I discussed whether he meant soil or oil. We aren't totally sure, but it was cute either way. Knowing that I bought those muffins just because it only needed water, I was worried he'd be disappointed. He wasn't though! He loved them so much! I can't wait to watch him eat them for breakfast tomorrow!

a "cheerful" giver

Tonight Ben's devotion was about giving. It asked questions like, "Do you give away toys that you don't play with or clothes you don't wear?" He doesn't really get the concept, but explained that when he grows out of clothes we give them to other people, mainly his friend Kai.
Ben said, "But, I need cool things. If we give all my clothes away, I won't have anything cool things to wear!"
Apparently, I'm raising a more materialistic child than I thought! Ooops!
We did explain that we don't give away his clothes until he has new clothes that fit him and we only give away the clothes that don't fit. However, he was slightly disgruntled! We'll put that on the list of things to work on this summer.