Light

Last week we did lots of fun things for Easter, but one of the favorites of the boys was our nightly family devotion time. We used candles to do sort of a backwards Advent thing. On Palm Sunday we had all 6 candles lit (5 white ones and one red one). Then each night after that we would blow one candle out to show that the light was getting dimmer as it got closer to the death of Jesus. The boys loved blowing out the candles each night. So Friday night we had blown out of the candles except the red one as we talked about Jesus dying on the cross. Then we blew out that one and it was totally dark. Joshua did NOT like that it was dark. Daddy kept talking and telling more of the story, but Joshua kept making little comments about it being too dark and maybe we should turn on the lights. Then he said, "I wish if there was an angel here." So we asked him why he wished that and he said, "Because then there would be a lot more light in here!". So cute. Our hymn for the week, which we sing at the end of devotion time, was "Up From the Grave He Arose". So we told Joshua he could turn on the light when we got to the chorus (since the verse talks about Jesus being in the grave, then on the chorus He arises). When we got to that part, Joshua turned on the light (with us thinking what a great effect it would have) and we're all covering our faces and closing our eyes because it's so bright after being pitch dark in the room. We stumbled through the rest of the song, but it didn't quite have the same impact that we were hoping. :o)

Delinquent Crawlers

So far none of my children have crawled on their knees. Why is that? I know that it is perfectly normal for little ones to crawl different ways, e.g. army crawl, slide on their bottom, etc. But all 3 of my boys have done the same thing. Of course, the jury is still out on Micah to see if he will really get up on those knees or not, but so far he's followed in his brothers' footsteps (can I say that in reference to crawling?). So, we're into the army crawl here. You know, where you slide your body forward by pulling with your arms. Luke almost looked like he was kayaking, the way he would move his arms from side to side and drag himself along. He could slither really fast! I really thought Micah was going to break the mold and crawl like other normal kids, but alas he's slithering with the best of them. Joshua and Luke both learned how to crawl on their knees the same day they started walking. We'll see if Micah will go that far in being like his big brothers!

Repeat

We had two guys over for dinner the other night and Joshua was at the top of his game that night. Both boys always get excited when we have company, and it usually just exemplifies itself in them having way too much energy. This night, however, Joshua was just really, really talkative and quite funny. He wasn't trying to be funny. He was just being himself. First of all, my 4 year old talks like he's an adult. He likes to use words like "actually" and "assume" and "might you...?". The other day I heard him say "precisely". He also tends to repeat things from his computer games in normal, every day conversation. So, when the friends were here... We were having fajitas and Daddy was fixing Joshua's. Joshua proceeds to tell Daddy what he wants on the fajita (and where he wants it, etc.). Our friends are talking to Daddy at the same time, so Daddy is not really paying attention to Joshua because Daddy already knows what Joshua wants on his fajita. Joshua realizes that Daddy is not paying attention to him. And since Joshua thinks that what he has to say is more important than anything that anyone else might have to say, he says, "Daddy, do you need me to repeat my instructions to you?" This tickled both Daddy and me. Joshua was totally serious.

Something else that Joshua does is to refer to people by the color of their shirt, particularly if he doesn't know their names. Later that evening Joshua called one the guys "Daddy's black friend" because he was wearing a black shirt. The other guy had on a white shirt, so he was "Daddy's white friend". These guys are neither white or black in skin color, just their shirts. :o) Daddy and I were both trying not to laugh, and thankfully our friends didn't catch what Joshua was saying. Oh the humor in a house filled with little ones.

Sadie Hawkins Dance

We have this great Veggie Tales c.d. called Christian Hit Music. It features popular songs from Christian artists like Steve Curtis Chapman, Newsboys, Audio Adrenaline, etc. sung by our favorite vegetables. It's really funny to hear Larry the Cucumber singing "Big House" and "Shine". :o) Anyway, one of the songs on there is a song by Reliant K called "Sadie Hawkins Dance" and the lyrics are quite humorous. The boys love it, and we all laugh when we listen to it (which is every time we're in the car). So, because they think it's so funny, they've been going around the house singing the words to this goofy song. You can picture my 2 year old and 4 year old, who have no idea what a school dance is, much a less a Sadie Hawkins dance, singing this song with everything they've got. It's funny enough to hear the veggies singing it, but it's even more hilarious to hear Joshua and Luke! Here are the lyrics...

Sadie Hawkins Dance
In my khaki pants
There's nothing better
Oh oh oh
Girls ask the guys
It's always a surprise
There's nothing better
Tell me, do you like my sweater?

If you've never heard the song, this might not be very funny to you. But it at least makes us laugh every time we hear it. :o)

Volcano / V Week

Last week was "V" week in our home school preschool. When I was preparing for it the weekend before, I thought it would be hard to come up with things to do that start with "V". Boy was I wrong! There are tons of totally fun things to do that start with "V". On Monday we talked about volcanoes, looked at erupting volcano videos online (WOW!), then built one ourselves. We used a coke bottle, and I made the clay to form around the outside of the bottle. The boys thought it was great when the orange "lava" started coming out. Joshua wanted to go get his plastic animals to watch it with him (that's what is in that box on the table).


Throughout the week we also studied about violins, veterinarians, Vikings, and vultures. Fun stuff. Then this past Sunday we were are some American friends' house. Their 10 year old daughter plays the violin, and she got it out and played a demonstration for us. The boys were absolutely fascinated. They had never seen a real violin before, though we had watched an online demonstration of one being played. It was really fun to watch them be so interested like that. Their fascination with music and instruments is due, in part, to Little Einsteins, which (in my humble opinion) is one of the best cartoons ever made for preschoolers. My boys love it, and they learn a ton from watching it. Yay for Little Einsteins! And yay for "V" week!

Puzzle Fiend

Luke's latest passion is puzzles. Joshua didn't really get into puzzles until he was like 3 1/2, but Luke is totally into them right now. If there is a lull in anything, he runs to the cabinet to get out a puzzle and work on it. We have several big floor puzzles that he likes to help with, though he can't do those on his own yet. His specialty is about 25 pieces, and his favorite is a Little Einsteins puzzle that we have. He's been branching out to several other 25 piece puzzles we have though. He cannot be distracted when he is doing one either. Like the end of the world will come if he can't finish the puzzle he's working on. And he doesn't want anyone else to put the pieces together. He also will work on several different puzzles at one time. He's so funny because he will have a piece that he's trying to figure out, so he'll ask us where does it go. But he really doesn't want us to help him because he goes ballistic if we try to put a piece together for him. I think he just wants the company while he does the puzzle himself. I'm actually quite impressed at how much he can do as a 2 year old.


Joshua has really been enjoying building log cabins with the Lincoln Logs we bought them for Christmas. Luke can't really do it yet, so he's not so interested. Recently we also inherited a Little House on the Prairie kids book that the boys really like. So because of that book, I think, Joshua thinks building log cabins is really cool. Both Joshua and Luke now know where Wisconsin is because of that book. They're totally stoked about Wisconsin. So funny.

Well...

You would think that 3 boys is enough for one family. But then, what's one more? And maybe this time God will choose to finally give us a girl. Not that I would know what to do with a girl since everything we have - toys, clothes, experience - is with boys only. If you haven't guessed by now, I'm expecting our 4th child. Funny how God tends to do things so unexpectedly in our lives, isn't it? I'm not usually into these kinds of surprises, but I guess that doesn't really matter, does it? :o) Seriously, though, whatever our 4th child will be, I will be thrilled because ALL children are a gift from God, even 4th boys. :o) What would it be like with 4 boys running around our house? Well, that would be twice the number of boys running around than I have currently (since Micah is not yet running, though that probably won't be long in coming). This soon would mean a definite playmate for Micah since they would be so close in age (Micah is not yet 9 months). Speaking of 9 months, I'm not so sure how I feel about being pregnant again, especially so soon. I already feel like I'm getting so old! Carrying around 30-40 extra pounds (not including carrying Micah also), is not an easy task. But God will give me the strength I need to do what I need to do. This is just so unexpected... He IS the giver of good gifts!

Was I convincing enough for you? April Fool's! I am so not pregnant. Sorry. I just couldn't resist today. :o)