FALL

We had a great weekend. Will went to the Alabama game, so I had the children by myself all Saturday and Sunday morning. It was a pretty uneventful weekend, besides Wilson's little mishaps: 1) on Sat. morning I was doing housework and I put Henderson down in the kitchen floor to put something in the refrigerator and he was just sitting there happy, so I thought I would take advantage of the moment and I ran downstairs to clean up something. After being down there about 5 minutes, I realized it was a little too quiet (knowing Wilson and Henderson were both upstairs), so I went up to the kitchen and Wilson had emptied out the entire cabinet under the sink and emptied out a brand new GIGANTIC box of garbage bags and was giving them to Henderson to play with - now Henderson was having a blast, but little did he know the suffocation risk that was associated with such a fun game!!!! I did not have my camera nearby, so no pictures, but it gave me some insight on the times to come with these 2 hooligans!

2.) As we were getting ready to walk out the door for church on Sunday morning, I was in the kitchen getting bottles and sippy cups out of the refrigerator when I heard an extremely loud bang of metal on wood from the living room. I slowly (b/c no crying could be heard and I was fearful of what I might find) walked into the living room and found Wilson cowering in the corner b/c he had pulled my curtains right off the wall - and broke the bracket too. I was not a happy camper - I screamed a little too much at the little guy and his innocent sister too - just cause she was there. I sent them downstairs to play while I re-grouped. We then had our own little prayer group where I apologized to them and to Jesus for screaming and yelling and asked for their forgiveness and we hugged and kissed and they prayed to Jesus and said they were sorry for acting so badly. All was good the rest of the morning.

Saturday afternoon we went to my SIL's house to watch the game with great friends - the children played outside most of the time and had a blast - ROLL TIDE!

The rest of the weekend is portrayed in pictures!

It's Halloween everyday around here!

A little FALL!

Peek a Boo!

(this is a picture from the "terrorized basketball game" Thursday night - this is Wilson constantly scanning the crowd for Big Al - before he realized that just maybe he could climb over the rail himself!!!)

Henderson and Stanton pre-bath last night at their Nana's house

I'm working hard on letting Wilson go to school in BIG BOY clothes!!

I got this out for Henderson - look who had a great time!

Basketball Game Terror

As a family, we ALL went to the Alabama Basketball game last night

We were all excited - especially to see this guy

He's always the highlight of Alabama sporting events

This little man is obsessed with him, but only from a distance

And when I say obsessed, I mean obsessed

He couldn't get past it, constantly saying "where's Big Al"

He loves him, but when he finally came over to us, wouldn't touch him

He clutched me so tight I had claw marks on my arms.

The rest of the game he was constantly scanning the Coliseum for Big Al

It didn't help that we were sitting on the row with a rail in front of us

Wilson wanted to climb over the rail and go find Big Al himself

It also doesn't help that the last 2 months everytime we've seen Big Al, it's been in a situation where he was free to move around as he pleased.

Wilson doesn't like being contained.

Wilson was very bad

Wilson screamed and cried alot

Wilson, mommy and Henderson left at halftime

Going up the stairs, I was holding Henderson in one arm and dangling Wilson by one arm b/c he was throwing a semi-fit - not screaming, just being VERY stubborn

I could hear people laughing at (with) me - it was very humorous - I have learned to laugh at situations like these.

I was not laughing when Wilson bit me in the shoulder when I finally picked him up

He got a very hard spanking when we got to the car

Henderson was very good, by the way

Emma Claire was an angel - it took her the entire 1st half to eat one tency box of nerds - one by one by one - can you imagine - I inhale the whole box in 0.2 seconds.

Wilson attended his 1st and last Alabama basketball game this season.

Don't let this sweet face fool you.

This is the prayer I prayed for Wilson this morning (adapted from The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie Omartian- I highly recommend this book:

Lord,

I pray that you would give Wilson a heart that desires to obey You. Put into him a longing to spend time with You, in Your Word and in prayer, listening for Your voice. Shine Your light upon any secret or unseen rebellion that is taking root in his heart, so that it can be identified and destroyed. Lord, I pray that he will not give himself over to pride, selfishness, and rebellion, but that he will be delivered from it. By the authority You've given me in Jesus' name, I "stand against the wiles of the devil" and I resist idolatry, rebellion, stubbornness, and disrespect; they will have no part in my son's life, nor will my child walk a path of destruction and death because of them.

Your Word instructs, "Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord" (Colossians 3:20). I pray that You would turn the heart of this child toward his parents and enable him to honor and obey father and mother so that his life will be long and good. Turn his heart toward You so that all he does is pleasing in Your sight. May he learn to identify and confront pride and rebellion in himself and be willing to confess and repent of it. Make him uncomfortable with sin. Help him to know the beauty and simplicity of walking with a sweet and humble spirit in obedience and submission to You. Amen

Who's Out There?

Hey! Welcome to all who read our blog! Please let me know who you are - you don't have to have your own blog to leave a comment - just click on "comments" and type in your comment, then choose "anonymous" - sign your name if you want to under your comment, so I know who you are - let me know what you think! Thanks for visiting!

It's a wrap!

First of all, GO VOTE - I'm about to, with 2 little boys in tow while EC is at ballet!
God Bless America -please be in prayer for our country today, but, no matter what happens, our King is in ultimate control - our leaders will answer to Him. God works out everything for the GOOD of those who love Him, and are called according to His purpose.

Well, the FULL week is a wrap - after a lot of fun and a lot of sugar highs, we survived it!

Halloween week started on Monday night with the Fall Festival at the chidrens' Dayschool. The highlight was the pony rides - both Emma Claire and Wilson LOVED it - no surprise to anyone who knows their love for animals!!!! We ate chili and hotdogs and the children had a great time playing games. Henderson slept in his stroller the whole time, which enabled me to actually enjoy the other children even more!!!!

Emma Claire and her teacher, Miss Crystal

On Tuesday night we went trick or treating on Sorority Row with cousins. It was alot of fun, we got SOOOOO much candy, but it was FREEEEZING!!!!!!

On Friday night we went to the costume parade through the neighborhood, kicked off by the fire truck, and then had fun trick or treating!

Saturday morning we woke up bright and earyl to make it to the Homecoming Parade. We started off at Hamner Realty for a brunch and then went a block down to a friends' house and watched the parade from there with good friends.

Henderson enjoyed his 1st Parade!

I think Emma Claire was kind of disappointed - (it really wasn't that great), the fun came in becoming #1!!!!! ROLL TIDE

After the parade we walked ALL THE WAY to the KA house and had lunch - this is how we traveled (until Henderson got tired and fussy and I put him in the Baby Bjorn - this is how you make the most of a double stroller!!!!)

We had a great lunch and even ran into Ellen, Stan, Patton and Chandler (Ellen is Will's sister) next door. The children played a little and then we make the long trek back to the car and Will went to the game.

Sunday morning we woke up, got dressed and kept the nursery during church, we had breakfast for homecoming during Sunday School, then came home and the children napped. THEN, we went to our Sunday School Fall party/hayride and it was so much fun. We have an awesome SS class with so many children. It was potluck (which means lucky for me b/c we have some GREAT cooks in our class), the children jumped on the trampoline, played on the playground, and went on the hayride (EC must have riden that thing 8 times - she loves an adventure). She was super excited once it got dark and it turned into a SCARY HAYRIDE!!! When we were leaving she said next year she wants to be the one that jumps out and scares people - that child is not afraid of anything!

Little Tots = Big Buddies

Wilson loved Lee's school bus

Such a happy boy!

Henderson played in the excersaucer until he got tired and I put him to sleep in a pack and play - he slept the rest of the party!!!!!

Emma Claire and Marlee on the Barbie jeep - the tamest of all the motorized vehicles out there (there were go carts and 4-wheelers - that EC was DYING to go on)

All the chidren getting off after the hayride, only to get right back on for another round of fun!

What would YOU do for Halloween Candy?

If you've been around much, you know a little about the trials and tribulations of Wilson's low weight and non-existent eating. Here is our latest saga....

Last night Will had to work late, so I fixed the children their dinner early. On the menu was macaroni and cheese, black eyed peas and strawberries (I realize there was no meat, but Wilson rarely eats meat anyways, and Will was planning on grilling chicken when he got home and I knew EC would want to eat again anyways, and she did eat chicken with us), so back to the story. Emma Claire made a happy plate (as usual) and immediately asked for a piece of halloween candy - I said "yes" and she got her candy. Well.... little brother saw her get candy and of course he wanted candy too. He had eaten all his black eyed peas, but none of his macaroni and cheese or strawberries (2 foods that he normally loves)!!! I tried my best to tell him he had to eat his food all gone in order to get some candy and he seemed to understand, but was determined not to eat and still get the candy - he even attempted to pull the kitchen chair over to the counter to get it himself. I was very diligent in taking him back to the table and trying to get him to eat. After a while I knew there was no way he was going to eat his mac and cheese or strawberries, but b/c he seemed to enjoy the black eyed peas, I figured he would eat more of those and that would suffice. Well, he appeared more open to the idea of eating them, but everytime he would open his mouth for me to put a spoon full in, he would gag. I kind of thought he was just putting on a show UNTIL after about 3 times of doing this over and over he finally let me put them in his mouth and....


OUT ALL HIS DINNER CAME!!!!!
He threw up and threw up and threw up some more.

Needless to say, Wilson got his candy =)

{The funny thing is, he used to do this as a baby when I would try to feed him peas}

I Guess there will be no force feeding Wilson anymore!!!! =)

Idols

At school this month, the children have been learning about the life of Moses. They started with Moses as a baby and have worked up to his adult life. This week, they have been learning the Ten Commandments. Emma Claire is a rock star when it comes to saying Bible verses. She says them over and over and even turns them into songs sometimes. Well, the other night she was reciting some of the Ten Commandments and this is how the conversation went:

EC: You shall not worship idols.

Mommy: (Assumming she knew, but not sure) Emma Claire, what are idols?

EC: (pointing to her eyes) "Eyeballs" mommy!!??? (in her sarcastic, duh, don't you know that mommy, voice?!!)

Will and I laughed soooo hard and then went on to TRY and explain what idols are - in the times of Moses it would have been like a cow or a statue, but today it usually is something less-obvious, like money or fame or people.

How I love these blessings God has given me - they keep me on my toes and keep me laughing everyday!

Wild Weekend, Part 2

If you haven't read Wild Weekend (the previous post), you may want to scroll down and read it first, this is the continuation.

These first pictures are from Saturday morning - I forgot to mention that our day started out with a visit from an examiner for our Life Insurance Policy. Will and i had to answer a billion questions about our health and give blood and urine samples - all without having eaten within 8-10 hours (which for me is a HARD task) and while keeping 3 rowdy children contained and quiet! I finally took them in the living room and we had a pajama photo session!

****Wilson's eye appointment went great (well, he wouldn't say it did - having 4 drops put in each eye, then having blurred vision for half the morning is not his idea of "great") he has "intermittent something" - I can't for the life of me remember the term, but in lay terms, one of his eyes drifts outward when he focuses on things at a distance, but his eyes are looking "together" much more than they are apart. So, at this time we will not do "the straightforward, simple surgery" to strengthen his muscles. We are just to watch him and come back if it seems that the eye "wanders" more than not. For now, NO SURGERY - thanks for any prayers, I know mine were answered!

Now, onto the rest of Sunday, after the end-of-year cheerleading/football party at Bryant-Denny we left early to go to Emma Claire's Fall Choir program at church. She did AWESOME - she scored a front-row position close to all her friends!!! This little girl sure loves to sing!

AFTER the hour-long Choir program, we got the boys out of the nursery and set up our tables at the TAILGATE PARTY (at the church). Will's dad picked up a pizza for us in between the cheerleading party and the choir program and we ate and chased the children around for nearly 2 hours. There were jump castles and obstacle courses and a huge rock wall. I couldn't believe Emma Claire climbed all the way to the top, but she did -- that's my girl!!!!

Daddy and brother cheering her on!

Henderson was quite content most of the time in his exersaucer - he's growing so fast!!!

Big Al made an appearance, which Emma Claire was exuberant about - Wilson, not so much, but at least he's not one of those who screams his head off the entire time Big Al is around - he just likes to keep him at a "safe" distance.

(I'm not exaggerating when I say she absolutely LOVES Big Al!!)

(notice the "clinger")

All in all it was an AWESOME, but busy weekend -God has blessed us so richly with great friends and family, a great church and a great preschool. Last night we went to the Fall Festival at the childrens' Dayschool. It was a lot of fun too - a post and pictures to come at the end of the week or Monday. Emma Claire gets to dress up at her Ballet class this afternoon and tonight we go trick or treating on Sorority Row! All I can say is thank goodness my brother-in-law is a dentist - b/c after this week, I imagine there will be lots of cavity bugs in our mouths - the candy bowl on our counter is filling up quickly - any ideas how to get rid of this without a particular 4 year old noticing????