Category Archives: Holidays

Happy Independence Day!

Posted on by
2

On this 4th of July, 2012, let us please remember the history of our incredible founding, the principles upon which the freedom-loving ideal is based, and the documents that were written as lamps to guide our feet during this great American experiment.

As a history junkie, I have read and studied Thomas Jefferson’s Declaration of Independence, and James Madison’s U.S. Constitution and its enshrined Bill of Rights — the latter which was based on the writings of another famous Virginian, George Mason.

My home state has produced many exceptional political leaders (save Woodrow Wilson, who was merely born in the Old Dominion). Our state motto is Sic semper tyrannis — Thus always to tyrants! — after all.

On March 23, 1775, Patrick Henry delivers his stirring & eloquent speech @ St. John’s Church in Richmond. 

During these pivotal times in our nation, we can wax philosophical about America’s libertarian roots or her federalist system of government. But instead, let us simply revisit the words spoken by yet another revered Virginian, the iconic statesman Patrick Henry.

Described as “the rhetorical backbone of the American Revolution,” Henry gave this famous oration at the Second Virginia Convention. It is fiery, yet cogent — explosive, yet reasoned.

Please take a few minutes this holiday to relax and soak in the words of the entire speech. And I’ll leave you with the passionate words of Henry’s conclusion:

Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

Happy belated Easter!

Posted on by
1

Easter says you can put truth in a grave, but it won’t stay there. — Clarence W. Hall, author

Easter weekend

We kicked off Good Friday with a Moms Club Easter egg hunt. Saturday consisted of geocaching and playing at the park with Daddy, doing a resurrection egg hunt I set up for the boys, Maddie and Dixie, and then watching Puss In Boots.

Houston gets coached on proper shooting techniques during his first time handling a BB gun.

Sidebar: Zeke is now quite passionate about pretending he’s Puss. He discovered some hand-me-down cowboy boots hidden in the closet and wears them proudly, while also donning my Tilley hat snapped up on one side with a feather poking out of a grommet, and a piece of Hot Wheels track (what the 3 Amigos have been using as swords as of late) stuck in the waist of pants.

Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime. — Martin Luther

On Easter Sunday, the boys received chocolate crosses and Bible-story puzzles as sweet and simple gifts celebrating the resurrection of Jesus and its significance to us as Christians. Then we attended a glorious church service and spent the afternoon outside, appreciating the exquisitely sunny and temperate weather. It was a lovely weekend for which I am thankful.

The 3 Amigos relish the freshly fallen snow.

From the Lone Star State to the Shenandoah Valley

Stephen and I were in Texas from 3/30-4/2 to go the wedding of one of his dearest pals, Ryan, who was also the best man in our wedding. The nuptials and festivities that followed were held at a private campground in beautiful Dripping Springs. The Hill Country was the perfect backdrop to see Ryan commit to his lovely bride, Amanda; catch up with old friends and make new acquaintances; and rock out late night to an excellent Phish cover band.

We also feasted at the legendary BBQ restaurant, The Salt Lick in Driftwood, and did a lot of chilling in Austin. We devoured authentic pescado y carne de res tacos at a dirty, but delectable roadside joint; munched on ceviche y cordero empanadas at Curra’s Grill; visited H.E.B., the best supermarket in the world, at least four times; and relaxed and slept a bunch at the hotel.

Then the boys and I made an impromptu visit to Roanoke to visit Stephen, who was there for work last week. It was his birthday on 4/5, so we drove up the day before to do dinner. Interestingly, Auntie Lisa also happened to be there on business and was staying in the hotel right beside Stephen’s, so we met up with her for a bit so she could get her 3-Amigo fix.

Of course, the dudes were super excited to sleep in Daddy’s hotel room and then do a continental breakfast with him on his birthday. After that, we trekked up to the Roanoke Star. Although it was drizzly and foggy, we were able to see some good views of the valley, snap some nice photos and take a brief hike before hitting the road for Carolina.

The dudes, Alyssa & snowman, made of not-so-fresh snow.

Critter fever

On 3/26, Houston found an injured winged ant. So, he adopted the flightless bug and named him Jeremy, since J was our letter for the day. Although we were never 100% sure Jeremy wasn’t a termite — yep, these destructive insects look quite similar to winged ants — Houston took great care of him.

Unfortunately, just two days later, the Jeremy died. We had a short funeral for Houston’s beloved ant, buried him on the mountain and marked the spot with a cross made out of found branches.

That evening, the 3 Amigos and I dug in wet soil in search of easier-to-maintain pets for Houston. As of today, earth worms named Hermie, Wormie and Billy have been living quite contentedly in their coffee-can ecosystem.

I had also told the boys about caterpillars — low-maintenance pets that I had every spring as a kid. Houston spotted one on a family walk last Friday, so he brought him home and named him Friendly. A few days later, Friendly got a new pal, who Zeke named Dinky. The two butterfly larva seem to be thriving in their makeshift ecosystem: a Spidey shoe box covered with a thin cloth.

Gabriel as a snowman, made of toilet paper (unused, of course).

Yesterday, the boys stumbled across a baby caterpillar, named Zinky. Regrettably, he wasn’t as lucky as Friendly and Dinky: he was got critically injured by accident this morning, so I had to euthanize him. It was actually quite sad. The 3 Amigos and Jessie buried the tiny, green caterpillar beside Jeremy and marked the spot with another homemade cross.

And then there’s Norman the Nightingale, another critter who has become part of our family this spring. No, we don’t have him in a box, a jar or a cage. Norman simply visits a tree alongside our driveway, which runs up right beside our living room. So, on nice evenings when the windows are open (which are most nights these days), Norman sings us to sleep with his lilting melodies.

Kicking & bouncing

Miss Jessie surprised the boys by showing up to their second soccer practice with her boyfriend, Joseph, and sister, Kaylee. Daddy says the dudes loved having all the “fans” there to watch them play.

The game on 3/24 got rained out, so Granny ended up taking the kids to their first game on 3/31, since Stephen and I were in Texas. Not only did she lug them to the Y, but she also took them to their pal Matthew’s birthday party prior to the game. It was at a bounce place, so the twins were pooped for soccer. But Granny says, “Houston played his little heart out.” Thanks, Granny!

“There’s no snow south of the border, so I’ll wear this sombrero instead,” Zeke says.

From butts to eyeballs to boo-boos

On 4/4, I got official pediatrician approval to take a brief hiatus from potty training. I was going nuts with all the accidents and the cycles of progression to regression. It has been nearly a week of total liberation from the messes, headaches and wasted time that constant accidents produce. But we’ll be back at it as of 4/18 (sigh). Please pray for us … seriously.

On 4/9, Houston went back to the doc for his pink eye, which never fully healed. Turns out, the redness is due to seasonal allergies, so he has to take a daily regimen of oral, nasal and eye meds for the remainder of spring. Poor little dude … well, he now weighs exactly 50 pounds, so I guess he’s big dude … but at least his allergy symptoms aren’t as nasty and severe as when he was a toddler.

Picture this: While sprinting across the grass, Gabriel dramatically trips and falls. Cries of pain echo throughout the backyard. “Are you okay, Gabe? Did anything get hurt?” Miss Jessie asks. “The ground,” he replies.

To check out February photos, click the top pic to see Part 1 and the group snowman shot to see Part 2. You can also view February fun had a Chuck E. Cheese — the boys’ reward for painstakingly earning 30 marks on their good-manners-while-eating chart.

Ketchup

Posted on by
1

I’m not only playing catch-up with photos (obviously), but I’ve also found myself falling behind with keeping the blog up to date. Here are some recent happenings, along with a few older items to boot.

The vine that ate the South

As some of you know, I’ve been battling kudzu on our wooded property for years. I finally had to call in an expert in late February. The landscaper and his crew spent two days creating a buffer between Liberty Loop and the evil weed (which can grow up to a foot a day) still residing in my neighbor’s yard.

The landscaper clear-cut all the dead trees and dormant kudzu, and dug up and sprayed as much of the root system as possible to create a clearing. The thinking is that this buffer, which the kids named “the mountain,” will stop the spread of the vining vegetation.

I still must remain vigilant, keeping an eye out for any attempt at encroachment. But with my newly sharpened machete (thanks, Mr. Milt), my hardcore weedkiller and my keen kudzu-spotting kids, I am hopeful that we will eradicate (or at least, control) the evil plant.

It takes true grit & teamwork to get the easel box open. (Click to view “Christmas – Part 1” pics.) 

Now if I could just get rid of those darn moles — which are a protected species in my wacko state — that are infesting much of our subterranean lawn for the second year, my yard-improvement progress would be even more appreciable.

Who says child labor is bad?!? 

Wth all this work to be done, I am teaching the boys how to be good little yard-workers themselves. In early March, they assisted me in demolishing the old rip-rap-bordered sandbox and building our new “sand egg”: a much larger construction, which is oval and surrounded by vinyl landscape edging.

Since then, the dudes have helped me plant two fruit trees, and weed and mulch our berms, beds and gardens. And being the fans of water that they are, the 3 Amigos also enjoy using the huge watering can to soak our thirsty plants.

“The home is the ultimate education lab.”

This comes from a book I’m reading by Terrie Lynn Bittner, Homeschooling: Take a Deep Breath — You Can Do This! And like the above lessons in horticulture, everyday life is brimming learning opportunities.

Miss Jessie and I find these sentiments ring true with pre-schooling. Here are some things the boys have been working on:

  • Ocean-them week — Learned about the seven seas and many of the critters that inhabit the water through books, art and games. Jessie also brought over “Finding Nemo,” which enthralled the dudes and evoked many pressing inquiries. We tied up the week by feasting on fish at Libby Hill, the kids’ favorite seafood restaurant.
  • St. Patrick — Learned about the Apostle of Ireland, pressed shamrocks, went on a leprechaun treasure hunt and ate green pancakes.
  • Ireland — The agenda for our coming is week is more about the Emerald Isle: history overview, early Christianity there, the Great Potato Famine, cooking Irish Meat Pie, etc.
  • Vikings — We will also introduce the kids to these Norse warriors through their time spent in Ireland and will continue with that theme the following week.
  • Pirates — Since vikings are infamous for their acts of robbery and criminal violence at sea, I thought that would tie in nicely with a much-overdue lesson on pirates, which is one of the boys’ main obsession these days.

Zeke, one of our resident train aficionados, is in choo-choo heaven. (Click to view Part 2).

Sunday school

Our church has outstanding children’s programming and the 3 Amigos truly enjoy their classes. But for whatever reason, kids are sometimes aloof about discussing what they learned in school.

However, Zeke bolted from his room last weekend and eagerly asked, “Hey Mommy, you want to know what I learned in class? I am not ashamed of the Gospel!” He was so proud of himself and his succinct recitation of the lesson. And as a mom, it was wonderful to see my child’s enthusiasm for learning about the Bible.

Español

On 3/8, I attended the open house for a Spanish-immersion magnet school. Although, it seems like a phenomenal public school, I’ve decided not to sign up Houston for their kindergarten lottery.

Instead, we will work on Spanish at the home front, weaving the language into the kids’ lessons and conversations whenever possible — something Miss Jessie, Stephen and I are already doing. Eventually, Stephen wants to implement a Spanish-only day, in which no English is spoken during the allotted time.

Amigo merriment

Here are some fun things the boys have been up to lately:

  • The kids love to dance, especially to the current pop song, “Move Like Jagger” by Maroon 5. Zeke is particularly gifted at boogying. It is hysterical watching him shake his stuff just like the Rolling Stones frontman … very groovy indeed!
  • On 2/23, we attended two play dates. In the morning was interactive-sports activities hosted by Moms Club. Then in the afternoon, we met Miss Christie, Asher, Jackson and Piper at McDonald’s for eats and Play Land fun.
  • Dina, Kara and Meredith visited the weekend of 2/24-2/26. As always, we had a blast with our Virginia brethren.
  • Gabriel finally got his pool date with Daddy on 3/2. (This was for the second diamond competition.) Stephen said it was a blast and looks forward to his next one-on-one outing with Houston, and then the with Zeke, who just won the most recent round.
  • On Thursday, Houston went to Alyssa’s for a “game date” — a new reward opportunity that treats Houston to an hour of Wii video gaming at her house. This helps limit his video game requests for at-home play and serves as a powerful leveraging tool for motivating good behavior.
  • On Saturday, the family attended a reenactment of the Battle of Guilford Courthouse. The boys we enamored with all the different types of soldiers, the cavalry, the wartime musicians, and of course, the weapons and artillery at the 231st anniversary of the dramatic Revolutionary War struggle.

The boys check out the globe — one of the two gifts Houston requested from Santa.

Soccer studs

We signed the 3 Amigos up for soccer. This is Houston’s third sport and the twins’ first! The Y league is for 3-4 year olds and the dudes are all on the same team. (We didn’t want to have to attend three separate practices and games.) We met their coaches last weekend and then their first practice was Friday.

The players were broken into two groups: Houston and Zeke trained with Coach Nellie and Gabriel was with Coach Tiffianie. I think splitting them up whenever possible will be a healthy thing for the boys.

Daddy, who watched the whole practice while I took off to get some exercise on the recumbent bike, said they did fantastic following instructions and delighted in all the kicking and running. I caught the first few minutes and it was simply too cute!

Merriment for Mommy & Daddy

On 3/8, our pastor’s wife, Donna, invited the woman from our Families On the Grow class to her house for eats and conversation. It was nice to get to hang out with some of these ladies outside of Sunday school, and it was lovely to get to know Donna.

Stephen happened to return from a biz trip that night , so I met him out for a bite to eat en route home, since Miss Jessie was already babysitting the kids.

Then the next morning, we continued the kid-free theme with a jaunt to the gun club. This outing was actually my idea. Who says “date nights” have to entail romance and darkness? I can’t think of anything much more enjoyable than heading to the great outdoors with your hubby to tear off a few rounds for target practice and stress relief with? It was incredible fun!

Mommy milestones

  • February 21 marks the day that I completed my first entire book since becoming a mom. (Having the opportunity to read uninterrupted and without distraction is definitely one of the perks of riding the recumbent bike at the Y.) Sure, I’ve started a few tomes over the years, but haven’t made it cover to cover in a long, long time. Sadly, this was a huge deal for me!
  • Then on 3/1, I took my first shower while the boys were awake and I was the solo caregiver. (If you can’t use TV for that, then it ain’t worth having.) It actually went fine: nobody got into the kitchen knives, opened the door to a stranger or burned the house down. And it proved that the dudes are indeed growing up and can take care of themselves when need be. How liberating!

Gabriel & Houston open yet another Christmas present.

Small world

  • During one of my recent visits to the local CC communities, I ran into the midwife who tended to the latter stages of my agonizing 32-hour labor and delivery with Houston. Turns out that the person who brought my first beautiful baby boy into this world now homeschools her kids and uses the method we’ll begin using in the fall.
  • It also turns out that one of Stephen’s co-workers has twins and his wife had a difficult pregnancy, which required a high-tech operation. But beyond that similarity, they also went to Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, where the very same surgeon who saved Gabriel and Zeke also did their prenatal surgery.

Zeke’s lungs & Houston’s eyes

Speaking of fancy operations, I emailed Dr. Petty, the surgeon who performed Zeke’s lobectomy to remove his CCAM back in June ’09. I inquired as to whether Zeke’s “yucky” might reside in a jar somewhere on the campus of Wake Forest School and if we could possibly come sneak a peek at it. He said after the pathologists made slides for studying it under a microscope, the actual mass was incinerated.

However, the good doctor was kind enough to send me some links in hopes that they’d “hit the ‘gross out factor’ the boys are looking for.” I haven’t showed the images to the kids yet, but click here if you wanna check out what a “yucky” looks like. If that’s intriguing to you, here is another one. I’m sure the 3 Amigos will find these disturbingly cool.

The drops we were using to treat Houston’s bloodshot eyes weren’t helping. On 3/15, I finally took him to Dr. Gay, who diagnosed him with pink eye. She said symptoms of the virus aren’t always goopy and/or crusty eyes, which is what I had been looking out for and why I hadn’t taken Houston to the doc sooner. Anyway, his new Rx seems to be doing the trick.