70 on January 30th

Ahh.....we've missed this kind of an afternoon. Luke was introduced to the sled/blanket and the swing. I think he liked it!

ps....Calvin did wear that shirt/had/nun-thing on his head all day. At one point he asked me for a hair twistie to tie it back.....I drew the line there.

Jabber Box

Jack was not the intended star of either of these videos, but he seems to be stealing the limelight lately!  He really is talking incessantly. And to think we were concerned about his speech....

Since they seem to be on their way out, here are the sweet mispronunciations and phrases we've loved hearing:

"Calwin: or "Cow" - Calvin
"Downtairs" - downstairs
"Tiss a pummy" - kiss a tummy
"Zessel me daddy" - wrestle me daddy
"Pime out" - time out
"Pummy pime" - tummy time
"Flemenflime" - clementine
"Pook me up" - scoot me up
"Baneena" - banana
"Peese you show me your merkout" - Please you show me your workout
"Peese Go-why-eff come a our house" - Please Goliath come to our house
"I wery trong" - I'm very strong
"I eat it all gone, so you can't have it!"
"Uh huh, I are" - Answer to any question
"Uh, huh, I might! - I definitely will...
"I uh know"- I don't know
"You don't ace-er me!" You aren't answering me
"hay-mer"- hammer
"Oh, ma-an"- when the ball rolls into the street
"I got my poop out" - I pooped and peed on the rug in my room after taking my diaper off and Daddy please you clean it up
"Please I have a yittle teeny teeny djink" - I've had about twenty drinks in the past hour but I want another so I don't have to go to bed


And Calvin still has a few, too:
"My-ain-go" - mango
"Breafix" - breakfast
"Yuke Daniel" - Luke Daniel
"Griddle" - grill

Come right here, Calvin!

Knight Monkey

It all started with Monkey having a patch on his eyes like Cal. Then, he had a helmet....earmuffs (of course)...shoes...a shirt...and overalls. There are outstanding requests for a parachute backpack, a tail cover, and a face mask....

A typical morning in Cal and Jack's room

This about sums it up....Calvin already dressed since the crack of dawn.  Jack asking for help to get dressed to go down"tairs." Luke patiently playing with whatever he can reach.

Jack has just started taking interest in dressing and undressing himself. I couldn't resist capturing the scene today.

Eye appointment

I was so proud of Cal at his ophthalmologist appointment. He wanted to sit by himself in the chair and cooperated while I tended to Jack and Luke. He now wants this resident to come to our house. I kind of do, too...she was great with him!

A girl clementine

Dan was off yesterday for the MLK holiday, and he watched the guys while I tutored.  I think they wore him out on his day for "rest," but I think he'd say it was exactly what he wanted for his day. When I came downstairs at the end of tutoring one student, here is the scene I found.

After I made an appearance, everything fell apart (naturally). Everyone suddenly remembers how hungry/tired/etc. they are when they see my face. Especially this guy!

But I managed to get in the picture at the offer of my student's grandmother before the happiness waned too much!


Tonight, I came down from feeding Luke to find this scene....all this lights off reading books by headlamp and flashlight. I guess the power outage last week has had a lasting effect!

And, in case you were wondering.....

This is a girl clementine. There is a face and a pony tail in the back. So says Calvin.

Happy Birthday, Grandma! From The Tobacco Trail

Happy Birthday, Ace! We wish we could see you on your birthday, but we thought you'd at least enjoy seeing the guys on the blog. Love you!!

Yesterday we took the boys to the Tobacco Trail for a bike ride/walk. With Cal on his bike and Jack walking, we made it all of a half mile.

 I think Jack is about ready to give the balance bike a try, so maybe soon we can make it a little farther.

It was a beautiful day, we got to see some people playing soccer and flag football, and we got to play on some big baseballs.

Thankful for a beautiful weekend together!

Fire!

After being stuck inside most of the rainy week, we had a blast making this masterpiece together yesterday. I loved it since the guys actually joined in. I loved watching Calvin make an extended ladder, fire hoses, and fire.  Jack was making me laugh so hard...every time I drew something new, he would come over and "make fire" on it before I could even finish. Calvin and Jack would giggle saying, "That's not good!" imitating my first response to Jack's fires. Thankfully, by the time we went inside, there were 3 fire trucks in response to the fire. If only the fire hydrant itself had not been enflamed, the fire may have been extinguished.

Jack was disappointed in himself for the first time yesterday when he tried to make a wheel and it didn't turn out as he thought it should. He eventually started drawing again, but he refused for a while. He's growing up....sweet buddy.

The guys seem to want to participate in about everything these days...and are marginally helpful. We made pizza dough and granola this morning. 

Jack didn't want this picture, but I think he actually did.

Rocke Christmas Photo Shoot 2012

Ace's friend Beverly took these pictures for us while we were in Indiana for Christmas. I read on someone's blog that it is important to look between the faces on these "Christmas card" shots. Though we (somewhat embarrassingly) planned out outfits, staged the location, and all actually showered up for the pictures, the real story is read between the faces.

The year has been really good in a lot of ways for our family. Dan has found friendship with the guys at work and satisfaction in what he is doing. I have really enjoyed this year at home with our boys. I feel content with them and have experienced a joy I have not known before. We have been healthy (for the most part) and enjoying each other's company.

This year has also been hard. Dan's hours are long. My hours are long with the boys and tutoring. But God has provided the strength we need. Dan and I have been talking a lot recently about how we need to rely on God to give us the rest we need instead of "x" amount of time together, on the couch, sleeping, etc. I am thankful that we are having to learn this lesson even though our schedules are intense.

We have emotionally cried out to God on behalf of the people we love going through difficult things this year. We have gotten angry and wrestled to understand why God just doesn't fix it, but I think He is trying to teach us to trust that He is in control of these hard things. Increase our faith to trust in your goodness in these things, Lord.

I am thankful that we are together as a family and able to hope on the Lord together. Thanks for the pictures, Beverly!