Yummy in My Tummy

I've always said that Luke is scrumptious enough to eat. Yesterday I guess he wanted to prove me right!

I Love My Job

SCENE: mama and Luke in the kitchen making cocoa drops

MOMMY: Trying hard not to lose her patience with the mess and the finger licking taking place

LUKE: "You're my best friend!"

MOMMY: in love

Snow Day--HOORAY!

Wednesday was my turn to teach preschool. My topic was Winter and I had decided to do a Winter Carnival. Since we have had lovely, warm (40s & 50s) weather and nothing resembling snow, I had all kinds of indoor winter activites planned; painting with icicles, a mitten match game, roll-a-snowman (dice with pen and paper), snow sculptures out of suger cubes, and excavating toys out of frozen ice blocks. It was going to be awesome.

Tuesday night however, I was told that magically it was going to snow and that we should wake up to some in the morning. When I left the house at 5:15 for the gym there was no snow, however when I headed home it was snowing and sticking too. Perfect day for Mother Nature to do her thing. :) At the end of preschool we bundled everyone up in their warm snowclothes and played. Such a fun way to end our carnival. Then to top it off Carter's dad came to pick him up on a four-wheeler and gave us all rides and then we headed over to the golf course and did a little sledding. FUN FUN DAY!

Luke loving the bunny hill

Braden, Carter, and Sarah--FUN FRIENDS!

Sarah and mama go for a ride.

PLEASE snow come again! We didn't get quite enough of you yet!!!

BIG BOY

Just within the last couple of days Luke has really discovered his independence. Naps have become tricky and bedtime, HA! He's out of his crib and at the top of the stairs practically before we get out of his room. Well, last night was a bit trying. When he went to bed he was wired and all kinds of crazy. After a lot of bribing, threatening, raising of the voice, I finally decided that if he wasn't covered with blankets he would survive and that eventually he would lay down on his own. We left the room and thought for sure he would be right behind us. He never did come out of his room, however this morning when Richard went to get him up, this is what he found...

Yep, that's Luke halfway underneath his bed with all of his important items: binky, lovey, and pillowpet. I wonder when he found himself a new spot to sleep?!
Then to top it off, today we spent a few hours at Bounce on a preschool fieldtrip. The kids had so much fun and really wore themselves out. When we got home I made them a quick lunch. At one point Luke said, "Done. Upstairs." He proceeded to take himself upstairs and shut the door behind him. I helped Sarah finish up and got her tucked in for her nap then I went to help Luke out. Well, I could barely get the door open because he was sprawled out on the floor,right behind the door, again with important items, SOUND ASLEEP!!

Little Mr. Independent. I can't get enough of him!!

OUCH

The grocery shopping didn't end up happening this morning as planned because Sarah and Luke accidentally decided to play dominoes with each other in the parking lot. Sarah lost.

This photo was taken shortly after the incident and it's looking much better already.

Thank goodness for ibu and m&ms. We might not have survived this, had it not been for them. :)

Appreciation = One Happy Mama

Last week a friend posted this statement to facebook, "Is it bad that I want to fall into a coma for the next 16 years?" I thought it was just a funny statement until the next day when I wanted to join him. Sarah woke up 3 or 4 times in one night, then proceeded to wake up much too early with stomach issues that have been bothering her off and on. She could not keep it together and was a mess all morning long. While I felt bad for her, I was feeling badly for myself as well. Later that day when she was finally feeling more like herself, out of nowhere she came up to me as I was cleaning the bathroom and said, "Mama, thanks for taking care of me. For always taking care of me!" The coma all of a sudden sounded much, much less appealing!

Luke also showed me some much needed appreciation last week. One of my favorite things are squeezies (hugs) from my kids. I must make them give me what to them must seem like a hundred a day. Well last week I gave Luke a little love and he looked at me and said, "No mama, give me a big squeezie." ANYTIME my love, ANYTIME!!

I like these kids of mine!

New Year. Great Intentions.

It's 2012. Already 5 days into it. I have really great intentions to do a better job recording the happenings at the Atchley residence this year. Sarah Jane and Luke are growing like weeds and E.V.E.R.Y.D.A.Y. they each say or do things that I MUST remember. Since my memory is poor, very, very poor, I need to be writing them down. So while they might be short posts, with possibly fewer pictures, I look forward to recording these memories.

So to start us off...

Sarah Jane

1) At the beginning of December, Grandpa and Grandma Atchley came to visit. Richard and Sarah were talking about their visit before they came and she said, "It's your dad and mom, right?" Richard proceeded to clarify that it's his dad and his step-mom, reminding Sarah that his mom is in Heaven. Sarah got a concerned look on her face and asked, "Is she wicked?" I looked at Richard confused and he clarified that she is not. To which she replied, "But Cinderella and Snow White have wicked step-mothers!"

2) Kim to Richard: "We need to pay our property taxes."
Sarah: "We don't pay taxes."
Kim to Sarah: "You don't pay taxes but mommy and daddy do."
Sarah: "Mom, we don't live in Bethlehem!"

Luke

The kids and I spent the day at a childrens play center with some friends. They allow you to come and go all day and so tonight when Richard got home we decided to head back there for an hour before they closed. Luke and Sarah were playing in the contraption with a slide (like at McDonalds). Richard and I looked up to see Luke making friends with a little girl, obviously younger than him. We proceeded to watch him wait for her and then help her up to the slide. At every new area, he's climb up, and then reach back down attempting to help pull her up or he'd stand behind her and push her up when she began to climb. Then they'd get to the top of the slide, go down and the pattern would begin again. It was so touching for me to watch him be so kind and gentle to another little being. He's off to a good start to become the young man I intend for him to be!! He really made his mama proud.