Facepaint

This is one of those things that never gets old. I wonder if the pilgrims did face painting. I know Queen Elizabeth did. Maybe that's when it became popular, I don't know but it just thrills my kids to have their face painted. Tatum milked this character all day.

Tater is 8

Tater tot, T-rod, Tateman, Tate, babe, sweety...my first born son is 8. This year he has...decided he doesn't like firealarms...developed an opinion about what he eats...learned how to button his shirt...lost alot of teeth...learned how to swim...gotten stung by a bee...gotten on my last nerve...made me laugh hysterically...made me cry...made me a mom with a purpose...made me love him even more.

Here's my tooth

He pulled it himself. Unbelievable. This kid is MAJORly sensory defensive when it comes to his mouth. The whole time I am brushing his teeth I am reminding him to "open your mouth, open your mouth, open your mouth" while simultaneously holding the back of his head so that he won't go backwards off the stool from pulling away. I didn't even know this one was loose until about 3 days before he pulled it and that was because we saw the permanent tooth poking half way out of the gums behind this one. He was only fooled once by the ole "let me look at it" while giving it a quick, hard wiggle. Then he just walked into the room with the tooth in his hand and blood on his lip. Just like that, no drama, no crying, no hyperventalation or hand flapping. Just, "hey, here's my tooth!"

Easter 2010

Easter is all about dying farm fresh eggs...
spending time with the family we love...

worshipping together...

and remembering that we do all this because our God sent his only Son to die for us, while we were still in rebellion against Him, so that we would not have to pay the price for this rebellion. God loves us so much that all we have to do to receive this free gift of forgiveness is to accept it. We can never be good enough or do enough good deeds to deserve this gift, we just have to say "yes" to Him and let Him love us. And again, I am reminded that my God lives, and I say "yes".

Maybe I'm a Mom

Have you ever gone to a bonfire and come home to realize that the smell of the fire has permiated every part of you down to your pores. Or maybe you walk into your office and a coworker says..."You had mexican food for lunch". Sometimes I forget that motherhood seeps into every pore of my being, there is not a part of my life that doesn't bare the marks of my job. Even now, as I type, my sweet Emma is sitting behind me braiding my hair. This is what I do, this is my passion, this is mission, this is my frustration, this is my love. And I am reminded yet again of this as I am getting dressed this morning. I pull on my shirt and turn to look at myself in the mirror (so glad I did, because sometimes I don't even look at myself before I head out the door) and I see this...Elmo stickers. In case I may have forgotten, there is my reminder that...maybe I'm a mom!

How much longer?

Emma has been waiting for summer since last November. Anytime it rains she sees it as God's invitation to play. Anytime the sun shines she she's it as a great chance to go to the pool. Finally the combination of rain and temperatures above 50 degrees presented themselves and I just couldn't say no again. So she braved it just as long as it took to smear herself from head to toe with fresh mud. Of course that had to be followed by a wash in the hose...funny...she hasn't asked to play in the water again.

News-worthy snow

The last time more than an inch of snow fell in the Austin area was February 14th, 2004, when 1.6 inches fell. So this is cause for celebration....and school closures!