Sweet Little Moments

Below the title of our little blog is my favorite quote. Over the years it has grown to mean different things for me. At one time it was healing, now it try to live the quote. Lately, there have been lots of these breathtaking moments in my life. As my little family has grown, my love for all these men in my life grows as well.

This morning, as I end my first week as stay-at-home-mom-of-two-boys-who's-hubby-has-returned-to-work-after-paternity-leave, I'm getting McKinley ready for school when Jackson wakes, hungry. McKinley said, "Mom, I'll go see him!" Okay, so I make a quick trip to the living room to drop backpack, coat, etc. I come back to find McKinley, on his stool, standing over his baby brother. I peeked inside the crib and found a very quiet and transfixed Jackson, who was obviously hanging on his brother's every word while studying his face. That did very good things for my heart. Thankfully, I thought fast enough to grab the camera and snap a few photos of the moment.

Camera by my side lately, I've also snapped these cute shots of moments that are precious to me.

Jackson, trying to enjoy his bath (we're getting there!), he discovers the faucet sprayers and loves to touch it with his toes. TOO CUTE!

McKinley & Cary, on their way out for some Man Time at the ISU basketball game. At that game, the boys caught a little basketball from the cheerleaders. McKinley was thrilled! He had a blast with his Daddy.

The boys aren't the only ones who give me precious moments to capture. Valentine, our beloved white cat (and the only other source of estrogen in our home) loves her boys so much she cannot decide where she wants to spend her time. So, she floats back and forth between the two rooms all night and all day. This morning I went in to wake McKinley for school and found this: Valentine back to back with McKinley, both sound asleep. After I woke McKinley, she sauntered into the nursery to lay under the crib for an early morning nap. What a life...

Love these sweet little moments in my life,

Lynn

Clabber Girl Country Christmas

What a wonderful day!  McKinley, my Mom and I visited the always busy, always fun Clabber Girl Country Christmas today.  McKinley completed every craft they had to offer, we had a yummy lunch, took a very chilly carriage ride and saw the red-suited man we all adore. 

I wobbled around with McKinley and Mom and even made it up on the carriage - much to the surprise of the young woman taking the tickets, who literally stood at my side with her mouth open and was no help at all and made me feel like a beast.  Ha!  

None of that matters, just look at the smile on this boy's face.  Love it...and I cannot wait to take TWO boys next year!

Lynn

 

Haute Holiday Happenings...

What a lovely evening to spend with my family! Tonight was the 2nd annual "Miracle on 7th Street" here in the Haute. After only hearing about it by chance, on the fly (like within 1 1/2 of the thing starting), Cary and I made our game plan and headed for the festivities.

First thing we did was watch Santa light the lovely tree at Crossroads Circle. (to whom it may concern...I'd kinda like to have a Haute Christmas tree re-do. Colored lights? No. No star/angel/tree topper? Needs one. And how about a giant unbreakable ornament or two? On the cheap? No one ever picked up our leaves as promised, so there has to be SOME unspent cash in the budget? And maybe can we throw in some Christmas Music and a Santa that...well...LOOKS like Santa? The Clabber Girl Santa is fab...)

After the tree lighting we zipped over to the Indiana Theater (an old favorite of mine, and even more beautiful with holiday decor) to hear the Terre Haute Childrens Choir sing beautiful carols. Nice!

We continued our trek through downtown, passing by the Swope, through the marketplace and by the Childrens Museum we ventured to Clabber Girl for some cookie decorating and treats. McKinley LOVED decorating his cookie and could not get enough sprinkles!

After Clabber Girl we walked back to the downtown boutiques and shops (which was like cookie decorating to me!). As we wrapped up our evening snow began lightly falling, promising a beautiful show in the morning. It was the perfect way to end the night!

Way to go Haute!

Next weekend, Clabber Girl Country Christmas!

Lynn

Get Lost

Well, it may be hard to believe but Fall is here! All of the beautiful festivities are right around the corner and yours truly can hardly wait! Zoo Boo, Street Fair, pumpkin and apple picking...it's my very favorite time of year! Tonight we visited Hobson's Farm with the Semmler Fam and had some great kid-sized fun.

For starters it was dark when we arrived...and dark for all of the activities, but we made it work! We fed some animals...I'm still not sure what we fed because it was so dark. I think we fed goats, a miniature horse and a donkey! After that we decided to head out to the corn maze - prepared with our make-shift flashlights...our cell phones. We ended up getting lost...but just a little. We found our way back out, and the kids loved every second of it!

After the corn maze we made many trips down the roller slide (FUN!) and then did a lot of jumping on the giant pillow bouncer (SERIOUS FUN!). I don't know about the other adults in our party, but I definitely had a few moments where I felt like a little kid again. Those things ROCK! I loved watching Cary and Rick bouncing high into the sky and their little 3 year olds bouncing up and down on the bouncer like popcorn. They weren't REAL sure about what their Dads were doing, but in the end they enjoyed it...and let's face it...it was really funny for Robin, Austin and me to watch!

We sat for a few moments by the fire and were back at it in the soybean maze (much easier, by the way). McKinley and Savannah enjoyed a few rounds on the corn 'train', and gave our furry friends a late night snack.

Two hours flew by! We are already planning a 'next time' but want to be there longer and earlier. Great time with great friends!

Happy Fall!

....Almost!

Lynn

Down on the Farm

This morning McKinley and I visited a farm on our play date with Kylie & family, Robin & family and a few other friends and kiddos. We drove into the country to the home of The Wrightsman family. Of course, it was raining...but we were prepared! McKinley had his rain boots on and was so ready! We did have to patiently wait inside the house for a little while, but eventually the rain let up a bit. The kids headed out to pick some corn to feed to the horse, then we headed out to the fields of animals. The horse was a wee bit intimidating for the kids and most of the ears of corn were tossed just inside the fence. The horse did not care! It was a real treat for her to get more than one ear of corn per day and so she happily chomped away, oblivious to the children standing around her, mesmerized.

Then everyone stepped inside the chicken coop. WOW! Turkeys, baby chickens, big chickens! EVERYWHERE! All of the children took right to feeding them, so excited! I looked away for just one second, turned back around and McKinley was fully-engulfed in feeding turkeys that were nearly as tall as him. I briefly thought to myself...huh! there IS some of me in him! I mean, you wouldn't know it by looking, but I grew up in the COUNTRY. We didn't have farm animals, but my grandparents owned farmland, my parents and I lived on 3 acres of beautiful country with a HUGE red barn, a little creek running through and wild animals abounding. It was a great upbringing and I treasure beautiful memories from it. I loved playing outside at my grandparents home and getting to do things like gooseberry, raspberry and blackberry picking. Anyway, there's my boy...clearly enjoying every second with these animals.

Soon it was time for the highlight of our visit...the alpacas. We've been around alpacas before at St. Mary's, and knew they are kind animals, so I was so excited. I actually stood eyeball-to-eyeball to them! We went INSIDE their little field and were standing next to them. Those alpacas RUSHED to the children (who were holding big buckets of feed), but they were so gentle and a bit taken by their little feeders. I got some amazing pictures of the whole thing, but I LOVE this one...this little girl stood and looked right at my camera! FUNNY!

And the look on this one's face...I couldn't stop laughing when I downloaded these photos!

After we were finished feeding the animals it began raining again, so we went inside to see if the chickens had laid any eggs...and they had! So each child got to collect an egg for their very own. McKinley was thrilled with his pick...and even more thrilled that Savannah placed her egg inside his bucket. He was so careful with them! Precious.

The day wasn't over yet! We took our eggs and moved onto the pear orchard where each child picked some pears to take home. The rain continued and the kids were hungry, so we went inside where the farm owner fed the kids pbj's, fresh eggs and cookies.

Can I just say how well McKinley napped? Frankly, me too. I don't often nap but man! Between the cool, rainy weather, the early morning drive and all the events piled into two hours on the farm, this mama was POOPED!

We had such a great time and were so thankful for the invitation. McKinley learned a lot and enjoyed his time with his friends...new and old...furry, feathered and otherwise. Despite the rain and the first real day with a fall chill in the air - it was perfect.

Lynn

A Very Retro Movie Experience

Today was AWESOME! This summer (and evidently, for the last 5 summers as well), the Indiana Theater here in the 'Haute is offering a Free Family Film Festival. Rock on.

Not having to pay to test out our almost-three-year-old in a real movie theater for the first time? Free.

The look on his face and the audible, "WOW!!!!!!!!" when we walked into the old theater? Yeah, pretty much priceless.

For starters, I was seriously excited to share this experience with McKinley (as always, sad when we can't include Cary...darn jobs...blecchhhh) because this very movie theater is where I remember seeing my first movie with MY Mom...E.T.! Yes, that dates me...a week post 32nd bday too. Ugh. McKinley was in love. Obviously so was Savannah, who joined us with her Mommy too! I love that we did this! I'm hoping as the summer pushes on we can include more friends, more family and even those Daddies of McKinley and Savannah on their days off!

As we walked into the huge, still beautiful but in need of renovation, theater we were welcomed with that familiar smell of delicious popcorn...which we promptly purchased. We headed inside and so many memories came flooding back for me. I don't think I have been in the Indiana for a very, very long time...but I have always loved it. I went to movies there as a small child, in junior high I attended a movie there with friends and no parents! As a teenager I remember being there with my girlfriends and seeing my crush sitting in the next row and barely focusing on the movie - though I think it was either Batman or Speed...maybe both??? I remember performing there with my dance company (which was an amazing experience) and accompanying a friend on a date in which she was much too chicken to attend herself...I went as the third wheel because Cary was working nights at the time, and thus unable to join us.

Today definitely surpasses all of those memories. Being there with MY SON was incredible! I am definitely reaping the rewards of motherhood in moments like this.

I was so proud of McKinley, he sat through the ENTIRE movie, transfixed during part of it, even! We saw Ice Age 3, Dawn of the Dinosaurs. Cute! Robin and I really appreciated the little bits of adult humor, it kept us entertained in the extremely uncomfortable seats (hello? We need some padding in those suckers, please...). Savannah enjoyed herself quite a bit too, requesting to "watch it again! NOW!" several times. The kiddos even humored us mommies after the show with a quick photo shoot atop the balcony steps.

Once we left the theater, everyone came back to our house for an hour of play time in the new playroom (that currently still looks like the old nursery, but is getting painted next week - hell or high water, as they say). Robin and I agreed that we definitely have to hit the Indiana again for an awesome playdate!

What a great day!

Lynn

Recap

We have been so busy lately! So much to blog, so very little time...

So, to briefly recap events of recent:

Lunch in Indy with Diane (aka HONEY) and Shelby, my Mom, McKinley and I. Buca Di Beppo. Shopping at Castleton. Awesome! It was a gorgeous day and we really enjoyed spending time with Diane & Shelby. I love this pic!

Another fun outing was our impromptu dinner with the Douglas Fam. Cary, McKinley and I had a blast that evening visiting with our friends. The night was complete with Baby Ollie sleeping peacefully the entire time while our ditzy waiter danced around us and gave us over sweetened tea (YUCK. I HATE SWEET TEA), extra rice and a heart attack as he bumped Ollie's car seat, nearly toppling the newborn. YIKES! Aside from that, it was so great to spend time with them, as always. The boys (McKinley & Lincoln) were as cute as usual, arm in arm, being cheesy for the camera. So cute!

Finally, it's that time again! Spring Planting! This year McKinley picked out a pumpkin, a sunflower and a watermelon to grow from seeds. McKinley really enjoyed the entire process: moisten peat pellet with water, allow to expand, place seeds in peat, cover with soil and wait for some action! I'm happy to report the sunflower and watermelon have already sprouted and need planting this week! That was fast!

It certainly is an extra busy time for us right now! We are blessed with wonderful friends and family, fun events and special times together, and are grateful to have so many great opportunities to report!

Happy Spring!

Lynn