Art

The kids are really into crafting.
Painting is their weapon of choice.
Anything is free game to paint, and in their mind looks 100 times better once it's been decorated.

They had a lovely time painting themselves {with the help of my mother}.
They're a fairy princess and prince.
Can you tell?

That idea resulted in permanent marker art the next day. 
Super awesome.
And an exploded pen on the wall the next day. 
All the writing utensils are hidden out of site now. 

I finally managed to get them to paint something that wouldn't harm anything.
They weren't totally convinced, but after telling them we could put them in our weed garden area,
they thought it was pretty cool.

They took their art so very seriously.
Look at those pudgy hands working so hard.
They are just so precious!

Ellie has mastered her painting skills a bit more than Tripper and had lots of helpful suggestions.
His answer is always, "Otay, Eya."
They are the sweetest of friends.
I love watching them together.

And that's my kind of art.
No mess, colorful rocks, optional clothing, in the middle of a parking lot.
It doesn't get any better than that!

We've been up to some "real" art around here too.
Slightly more time consuming, but just as colorful as those rocks!
And I think they really like it!

And on a side note...everything I post is coming up DAYS later than when I post it.
It's SO obnoxious, and I'm not awesome enough to know how to fix it.
Poo.
Has that ever happened to you?
I have it on the automatic setting, so it should come up right when I post it, but it's not.
Blah.

tripper's tractor ride

Tripper loves tractors.
Anything big and loud is considered a tractor.
And everyone that drives a tractor is designated as probably being Papa.
Papa doesn't even own a tractor...although he would love to have a collection of them!
But it's pretty sweet that Tripper still thinks tractors=Papa.
And I guess if a John Deere lawn mower counts, than he's definitely right.

So with Tripper's love for tractors and anything on a farm,
his big adventure to see Uncle Joel and Uncle Owen at the farm was a really big deal.

I would have loved to go with him, but Matt informed me it was more of a boy's only kind of thing.
Well, poo.
I told him he had to at least take a few pictures if I couldn't come.
He's so sweet and took a ton just for me.
I may or may not have shed a few little tears.
Goodness sakes being a mom is hard!
You have days where all you can wish for is for them to be out of the crazy stage they're in, and then the next minute you're crying because they're growing up and you can't believe how fast it goes.

He hung over the door like that the entire time and didn't move.

When he really likes something, he just seems to take it all in and sits really still.
And that's pretty much the only time he sits still.

Uncle O is such a great uncle to Ellie and Tripp.
They always love being with him.

After the grain cart, they got to ride the big green tractor.
Need I say more?

They drove late into the night and came back with lots of stories to tell.
And one little guys heart was definitely full of happiness.

Hey Guess what!

We know something!

And I bet you'd like to know too...

Baby B. is a HE!!!

Run for my money

This babes is giving me a run for my money.
They all are actually.
Can you believe that?
These precious faces?
Being hard?

Well, believe it.
Combined with my amazing ability to be tired ALL the time, we've had more bad days than good.
Boo.

But when they are turned around, looking serenely at the lake, all your troubles melt like lemon drops and you say, "Oh...those are the sweetest little babies in the whole wide world and I could possibly gobble them up."
They are sweet, and they do try to be helpful, and they love so unconditionally no matter how ucky acting I can be.
They have definitely given me as much grace in parenting as I have given them for being ittle, bitty growing, learning, slightly disastrous goobers on a daily basis.

I am trying to figure out our fall schedule.
I always like the summer.
It feels like a big lazy vacation with no set plans.
And I'm always REALLY ready for fall.
School starts, schedules get made...it's always a good change.

And I am realizing that with a 4 and a half year old and a 2 and a half year old, we are entering a new stage.
It's no longer the baby/toddler stage.
Holy cow when did that happen?
Sometimes I wish kids had signs on their head that let you know what's about to happen for the next few weeks/months/years.
"Don't worry mom, I'm about to enter the 'take-my-diaper-off-and-smear-poop-everywhere-phase.' Not every kid goes through this, but I am. It's awesome, and I don't know why it took me so long to figure out. But have no fear, I'll only do it a couple times."
Or, "Hey! I just figured out I can talk back...and it's amazing! Who knew! I'll let you know how it goes..."

Ellie is 4 going on 16.
She is under the impression she is going to be able to drive pretty soon...maybe at 5 or 8.
She is saving her money to meet Free Willy and Bindi Irwin in Australia, and swim with whales in the ocean.
{Our backup plan is Sea World.}
I'm beginning to realize she has more of my personality than her daddy's.
Oh dear. I was totally banking on her daddy's.
Her daddy is a rule follower, logical, doesn't push, easy to discipline (say his parents...I don't really do that much disciplining of my husband!)
I like to have the last word....so does she.
She can't just say ok...neither can I.
She loves life and puts her whole emotion into every little thing she does...me too.
She's very emotional, not as logical, and loves relationships more than tasks...I'll take that.
She a rule bender and sees them more as optional advice...definitely me.
And she pushes, and pushes, and pushes. No is never really no....me.

*I must say I am learning, and am not nearly as bad as this sounds (I am older than Ellie after all)...but I do have to admit, this is more my natural tendency...just in a more grown up way*

So, as we begin to see more of these traits, it is SO difficult for me to know what to do.
Those traits that are incredibly hard to manage are the same traits that make her incredibly bubbly, fun, and real.
And, as the parent, it's so hard to see past the fact that that is exactly how you would respond, and then realize you have to figure out how to teach her to respond differently.
How do I break her will, without breaking her heart?
How do I explain that she can't do that when it's exactly how I would react, and in some cases, am still working on in my own life.
I can't believe some of the things I've told her....the ones your parent's told you and you thought you'd never use.
Well they happen to be true and helpful, so I use them and am thankful I was taught them.

She is sassy....facial expressions and words.
SO SASSY.
That's our main topic of conversation during time outs in her room.
We could probably go the whole day trying to have the last word and get each other to "break."
I know she is sticking her tongue out at me and making silent (sometimes not so silent) faces at me while in her room.
I've occasionally done the same thing out the kitchen window.
Very mature I know, but I've decided it's better than swearing a hundred times.
And, just like my mom has said over and over...
Usually when you're trying to teach your kids something, God is trying to teach you something just as important.
I kind of hate hearing that.
I wish God could just write it down for me, then I would organize it neatly, print it out in a lovely font, put it up in colorful paper on my wall to remember, and check it off my list.
I guess it doesn't work that way...God's way is much deeper and more fulfilling, and most of the time it's hard when you're going through it.
So, right now, life's just hard.
Hard to know if I'm parenting the right way, hard not to break down from absolutely retarded pregnancy hormones, hard to feel like I'm adequate for this job, and sometimes just hard to keep going.
It's nice to know at least someone will learn something through these hard parts.
And I'm so grateful for God's truths...for me to lean on, and to teach Ellie.
To become more like Jesus, to love him, and lean on him and his truths.