Ten Things

Old Puppy

1. I'm really learning a lot from the Octonauts cartoon. I have considered watching it by myself while the angels are napping.

2. I'm planning on going to the toy store tonight to look for a birthday gift for our train loving boy. I'm so excited! I love choosing gifts for them!

3. My grandparents celebrated their 62nd wedding anniversary this past week. And our favorite Welsh aunt and uncle were in the states to celebrate with everyone. Squirms now says that "Uncle R is my friend" and keeps planning what she will talk to him about next: volcanoes, her Bell Steeple, orcas, and the difference between orcas and okra. Orcas and Okra - both things we discuss often at our house, and difficult to say back to back. 

Everyone wants their picture.

4. Cabela's opened a store just down the road from us. So far I have purchased fudge from the new super store. Excellent choice.

5. The Great has been into building Towers and Tunnels from Lego blocks.....his towers and tunnels both look like towers.

This is what he thinks of selfies.
This look kills me. I love it.
Such a "I'm a man, don't bother me" look.

6. We visited the Green Mountain Nature Trail on Sunday evening. Picturesque. Idyllic.

7. I really really really need to go to the grocery store.

8. The Great is learning colors. So far every color is orange. And Squirms will no longer wear socks with any threads on the inside of the sock (so no designs on socks) or socks with "bumps" (writing on the bottom of the socks). Please help.

9. We still have not gotten the Great his first hair cut. I'm not sure that I want to. Can I end the sentence with to?

10. We are missing our Central Florida friends! There are some great people who live in Central Florida.

October the First

It's October!

After coffee this morning I moved boxes around in the garage to find my pumpkin door hanger and the kids halloween baskets. And then I hung two wreaths on our front door because a) I had forgotten that I had a fall decor wreath; b) I wanted to hang the pumpkin since it's October; and c) I could still close the door after layering the decorations.

The weather is cool and a bit dreary today. Perfect for the first day of October. 

I love it when she dresses herself.

Watch out Tanner - dump truck coming through!

Is anyone else just really excited about Fall?

Squirms received a package from Mamé yesterday with a Fall dress, including a pumpkin on the skirt, an Auburn shirt, and matching bows. She is ready for the pumpkin patch.

Just because. It's not raining.

October also means the Great has a birthday soon. Which also means birth parent update letter*. Which means I've been thinking how to describe with words our mischievous, sweet, active, sweet, always hungry, sweet, train-loving, sweet boy.

At almost two the Great loves to play peek-a-boo, read train and truck books, repeat everything his sister says, play chase, and in general just be as loud as possible. He is so very kind, quick to say he is sorry and give a hug, and asks to be rocked to sleep at nap time. He has a favorite soft blanket toy, carries Thomas trains with him everywhere, and uses "thank you" better than most adults I know. 

*The update letter is normally much longer than a blog post and we try to include, well, everything we can think of: health, personality examples, adventures and travel, favorites and dislikes, and I always to attempt to somehow convey how dearly we adore and love him (it's difficult to express the honor we feel at being his parents, and I think if I sent a vial of my tears they might think I was strange).

The Squirm's preschool teacher has used words like independent, strong willed, and the phrase she could be a lawyer when she grows up when describing our little girl. The other day as the Great and I were exiting the classroom after morning drop off I laughed and asked "What is the chance of having two children that are both incredibly strong willed?"

She replied "Maybe it has something to do with the parenting." 

Our silver faced Shelby Ann loves Fall too.

Vulnerability?

Squirms and the Great have really upped their game recently.

I find myself thinking it would be great to go back to work someday. Like tomorrow.
Or that my mom should go ahead and retire. And move next door.
Or that it's a good idea to start my day off by locking myself in the bathroom and waiting for R to get home.

I haven't yet figured out how to up my game.

Extra coffee, reading parenting book chapters on discipline and behavior expectations for toddlers, joining a MOPs (mothers of preschoolers) group, building arm muscle, and taking time to stare at their beautiful faces when they're still are things that I'm trying.

What? Oh, yes. I should probably try stepping up my prayer time. Good idea.

_______________________________________________________

The above was written last week....but still applies even though my angels both wanted to be rocked to sleep this afternoon and were so sweet and cuddly before their naps.

This morning was a MOPs meeting day. The discussion topic today was Vulnerability. I've been mulling over that concept. The video speaker today is of the opinion that humans being vulnerable to a small group of other humans (friends) is good for mental health. The small group I was with this morning had varying levels, or definitions, of what being vulnerable to others looks like; and one woman just needed to talk so we didn't actually discuss Vulnerability very much. 

After mulling, and the grocery store and preschool pick up, I looked up the word vulnerable. 
Cambridge English Dictionary says: ​able to be ​easily ​physically, ​emotionally, or ​mentally ​hurt, ​influenced, or ​attacked. 
Merriam-Webster says: capable of being physically or emotionally wounded; open to attack or damage; liable to increased penalties but entitled to increased bonuses after winning a game in contract bridge. 
The word vulnerable is an adjective, and vulnerability is a noun.
I didn't find vulnerable or vulnerability in the concordance of my study Bible. I think the speaker was using Vulnerability as a concept of being open, honest, and truthful concerning ourselves, and then sharing that with others at the risk of being judged, and hurt by others.

This left me with more questions and perhaps some opinions.

Is it Christ-like to be vulnerable? If yes, with how many others, and are there different levels? Is posting a picture of a messy living room on Facebook a vulnerability if you don't care that your living room is messy? Does this MOPs group play bridge? Can we be vulnerable to others if we are not first vulnerable before God? Why do people like to declare that they are different? Isn't everyone? Oh, now I've derailed. 

Perhaps it is healthy to be capable of being hurt by others....I think Simon and Garfunkel may have a song about this. Perhaps it is unhealthy to be capable of being hurt by everyone you meet.

Conclusions. That may or may not concern the topic of Vulnerability.
-I do not like the phrase "being real". What does this mean? Are people who are not "being real" robots? Does "being real" mean that you have to be a "hot mess" all the time (I adore the phrase "hot mess" by the way)? Does "being real" mean that you cannot try to be more organized, arrive places on time, wear pearl earrings, and post happy photos of your children on Facebook? Can we just use the phrase "be honest"? 
-I think vulnerability between friends should involve conversations and time. And not an open blog post or Facebook.
-I may not be getting the concept of make new friends if I feel the need to call R and talk to him about what I'm feeling after spending two hours with other women in my life stage. 

We Heart State Parks

Whew.
This was a weekend full of surprises, and some outdoor fun.

Last Thursday the kids and I went to Guntersville State Park to visit our favorite Mamé and Papa. We went on a walk with Mamé and ate lunch at the lodge there. The Lodge at Guntersville has impressive views of the lake; beautiful views!

On the trail at Guntersville

They have an agreement: only one child will look at the camera at one time.

Friday evening R's parents came to us and we got to walk around one of our favorite shopping places here. And they brought some new books for the kids - so we read about trains, the alphabet, and clever mice.

A TRAIN!!!!

Saturday, well, everyone knows what Saturday was. The first Saturday of college football. And LGC's birthday, still proving that she's slightly older than me. And ALM's eldest son's birthday (we miss you!). And a surprise from dear Central Florida friends that has kept them in our constant thoughts and prayers since Saturday. And the day that AnniePants went into labor with her beautiful baby girl (technically I think her birthday might have been Sunday).

We traveled to my Grandpa's and Grandma's house to watch the game, exposing my in-laws to the extended family for an Auburn Football game. Only time will tell if this was a wise decision, if they will ever hang out with that side of the family again....

Half the room. The other half took turns closing their eyes in the pictures.

Monday was just lovely. We explored one of the trails atop Monte Sano and had a wonderful time. And even though the sign said it was 3.4 miles long and we thought, wow, Squirms is loving this, let's keep going, she can do it and we can keep taking turns with the Great (who wasn't that thrilled about just walking), when the actual loop back to the parking lot was almost 5 miles we thought, Squirms cannot be still even when sitting on my shoulders! Please stop squirming precious Squirms! Hold on to my head instead of telling stories with your entire body. R and I were impressed that the four of us not only made it, but had a lot fun too - a pleasant surprise! I should mention while we were on a mountain, we were at the top, so the trail was flat.

And, then another surprise, a free (used) swing set arrived! Last year someone gave a swing/play set to one of my uncles, who gave it to my dad, who gave it to another one of my uncles for his grandkids to use. They were done with it so my parents and H brought it to us. Squirms is calling it "her playground".

Yeah. I've got four trains. So?

You're welcome world for this picture.

He's looking at the camera! 

"Red-dee"

It really is more like a play ground than a swing set....

Convoy.

The "Post Office" is also the "Motor Cycle Parking".

"Boo!"

He had to park his car in there too.

To celebrate Labor Day we grilled hot dogs and fried okra. We were thrilled to have so many family visits this weekend, and I'm especially looking forward to going to Monte Sano State Park again soon. And frying okra again.

The Botanical Gardens

The crisp air of fall is in the early morning and late evening air. I've tried to be more appreciative of the summer warmth because I know that we get to experience cold this year, and that I should soak up the heat while it's here. Several weekends ago, on a hot afternoon, we visited the Botanical Gardens of our new city. I was surprised at how open and spacious it is, and how much freedom we could give the kids. Squirms and the Great ran, climbed, and splashed their way through the children's gardens. 

The rocks with geysers were a favorite of the kids.

The Splash Pond....or the Swimming Hole as our kids used it. Yes, Percy and Thomas went swimming too.

They also enjoyed the giant chimes.

"Here Turtle Turtle. Here Turtle Turtle."

Chase the butterfly!

The Great loved trying to catch a butterfly.

And Squirms was fascinated by the bee hive.

They were both looking!

Our cousin volunteers at the gardens and provided us with free passes. The gardens were a perfect place for the kids to explore and run free, so I'm already wanting to buy year passes. I can see why the gardens are listed as a favorite place for toddlers and preschoolers by the RocketCityMom website (which also has an app that I've put on my phone and am already loving - their list of events around the city is informative, helpful, and can add to your calendar).

Hopefully on future visits R and I can learn some names of plants and trees that we see; because in my imagination I'm going to garden more and cultivate flowers in the future.

And did I mention that the Botanical Gardens has a train display?

Oh Tanner

According to our veterinarian, this is what a lab in perfect health looks like: 

Of course, it's difficult to get such a healthy dog to be still for a picture.

And if you try to get close with the camera, a very healthy dog tries to lick your face. And your camera.

He's happy that he received such a good report from the vet.

And happy that the weather is so great his favorite tiny humans are outside with him today.

And happy that I keep getting close enough for a kiss.

A very healthy dog isn't necessarily a very photogenic dog.

Shelby Ann is doing well too, we haven't forgotten about her. She isn't in perfect health, but she is much better at letting me take pictures of her.

Hot Chocolate after Running

My mother-in-law gives me hot chocolate called Silly Cow Farms Hot Chocolate. It's a sign that she loves me, and I like to make a large mug, using milk of course, on the rare afternoons when both angels are napping. Like this afternoon. I also like to slowly eat a spoonful of the hot chocolate mix while the milk is heating. You have to be careful doing this, always breathe out or hold your breath so you don't have a coughing fit after inhaling cocoa powder.

Today I'm enjoying this cocoa and gathering my thoughts after an impromptu exploration of a local church's administrative and pastoral offices. Squirms and the Great are not lacking in confidence and charm (both of which I lack), and they find such joy in exploring new places and meeting new people (which terrifies me)....and in being chased. "Chase! Chase!" is a new favorite word of the Great and he loves to make anyone who visits our home, like Auntie L this weekend, chase him around the circle that is our kitchen, dining room, and living room.

Today after we left the preschool hallway with my well behaved and quiet children - who continually whisper "Quiet, quiet, ha ha ha" on the walk down the hallway pass where the day care children are napping - I needed to go by the church office to pick up a registration form for something called MOPs (mothers of preschoolers). This group of moms meets bi-monthly, and at the invitation of two friends from our Auburn days, I'm going to visit. A moms' group at our central Florida church was so encouraging and refreshing, I think finding another group is an excellent idea.

Squirms and the Great followed me to the main office, after taking a break to sit in tiny chairs at a tiny table in the foyer, and let me say "Hello, I'm here to pick up a MOPs form. I called the other day about joining...." before they squealed and ran. Now, I'm in flip flops, and thirty two years old, and know better than to shout their names for them to stop. So I followed them, walking purposefully, past the front desk, past an open area, past the Children's Minister's office, down a hall way of offices, past another open administrative desk (where a nice lady let me know that there was a door back there that would stop them), past the Finance Administrator's office, into the Executive Pastor's office where Squirms had climbed into a leather executive chair behind the desk.

Hello, church, we are the J family. Nice to meet you.

A very flustered me picked up the very happy the Great and held the Squirm's arm as the finance administrator helped us back to the front of the very large offices area. It was a nice indication that all four of the women who came to meet us were very friendly, understanding, gave the kids toys, and talked about how beautiful they are. And we got to meet the Children's Minister (thankfully the executive minister was not in his office when my children barged in and made themselves at home) who gave me the registration form.

And now I can mark, pick up registration form for MOPs, off my to do list.
And drink hot cocoa.