Carve it up!

Our annual pumpkin carving FHE.  Our lesson was explaining what jack-o-lanterns were originally used for (to keep bad spirit away) and we talked about what is it we do every day to protect ourselves from evil influences.  Then we got to it.  I prepped the pumpkin for surgery as the boys came up with their designs for our 2013 Jack-O-Lantern.  Adam and Zach collaborated on what portions of their individual designs they wanted to include into our family masterpiece.  I drew the face out and the carving began.  Adam was most excited about the mouth (it had a vampire flare) and he carved that with a little help from Andrew.  Zach really wanted to do the eyes and I got to do the rest.  We lit our Jack up that night.  I think he turned out pretty good.  I just really enjoyed that everyone got to carve this year and everyone had a good time.

Pumpkin Patch

Something that I like to do every year is go pick some apples and pumpkins with the kiddos.  We met up with the Guriguess Family at Geamarisse farm in East Brunswick.  We headed out first for the apples.  We found the long poles to pick a few apples.  Adam and Zach really love doing that.  It took us a while to find our picking pole so the three of us fell behind the rest of the group but we met back up in the pumpkin patch.  The kids had fun looking at the different pumpkins and horsing around.  Zach found a cool green pumpkin that he thought was super cool.  I refuse to pay $50 for a pumpkin that is just going to wrought on my front porch.  So we look at the big pumpkins, buy the small sugar pumpkins and then I go buy one at the local grocery store for $5.  Some people might call that being cheap but I prefer to call that smart.

Andrew got to have a pony ride.  He got on it and I could tell he had visions of woody on bulls-eye in his head so I said "ride like the wind bulls-eye."  And he said "Yee-Haa."  He is such a cutie!

Belting Up

Since the beginning of the school Adam has been taking Karate and from what I could tell has enjoyed doing it.  I got to see him start in his first class and little glimpses here and there but I haven't really seen him perform.  This ceremony let me see Adam in a different light.  He was so focused and serious.  All of this punches were sharp and powerful.  I was really shocked.  He moved from a white belt to a yellow belt.  It was one of those proud parent moments.

Birthday Girl

My birthday was very enjoyable I got woken up to my boys singing to me, presents and a card that made me cry.  Josh got me what I wanted which was a bike rack for the car.  Jenn Guirguess took me out to lunch at an Indian buffet.  Josh brought dinner home for me; my favorite coconut shrimp form Bone fish grill.  We celebrated that night with cookie cake.   Super bonus was all of the birthday wishes from facebook friends and family phone calls.  It was a great day.

As an extension of the celebrating we went on a family bike ride on the Delaware raretiane canal.  It was a perfect day for a bike ride flowers were out turtles sunning, everything green and new.  I absolutely loved being able to be there with my boys.  Josh gets the best husband award for that day because as he was getting out our bikes from the shed he saw that my bike's rear tire was punked.  So to make this bike ride happen for me he told me to ride his bike and he would ride mine pulling Andrew.  What a guy!  We did the bike trade and I had a great time and Josh got a good work out.  Adam loved being the fastest and Zach rode with me.  We stopped to look a the turtles and flowers and enjoyed our selves.  That was my real present.  I really want to have authentic experiences with my children.  I don't want something that is manufactured and prefabricated.  I want to go out and explore all the different things that this earth has to offer and I want to do it with my children.

That evening we had a gumbo party.  I made a huge pot of gumbo and fed about 25 people and still had tons left over.  It was really nice to have the kitchen done and people over to enjoy a meal together.  Kevin and Morgan got to come too.

Kitchen Remodel

We have been wanting to gut the kitchen since we moved into this house and the stars alined just right for us to pull the trigger on this project.  So for the last few months I have been searching, shoping, interviewing/getting bids, thinking, stressing etc about this kitchen.  We hired a couple of men and they started work on March 11th.  Like most projects when you tear things out or open up walls you find unexpected things especially in New Jersey.  So needless to say things have been moving a little slower than expected but I'm pleased to say that we are in good hands.  A two week project turned into a 7 week project and 7 weeks with out a sink down stairs was a little ruff.

Before and Afters to come :)

Easter 2013

Lots of fun this Easter and a little different than previous years just because we didn't have a kitchen to make some of the traditional meals and I was limited to what I could do for the boys. 

The boys celebrations started in school with their class parties on Thursday.  Friday was their first day of Spring Break.  I had to take them to a granite place and for their good behavior I took them to get a new toy and get happy meals.  We had a picnic in our backyard and played outside for the rest of the day.  It was beautiful!  I wanted to soak up my cute kids and thier sweet excitement for life and the renewed earth around them. 

We had the coolest egg hunt with our friends the McIntyres in the wood accross the street from where they live.  We hid the eggs in a clearing in the middle of the woods.  We had them all over in the grasses, downed logs, bushes etc...  it was great.  Adam and Zach had a good time finding eggs but it got a little competive with the other kids.  Andrew really didn't get that he needed to gather eggs and then eat the contents.  He just picked up an eggs, opened it, threw the wrapers into this basket and enjoyed.  It was cute.

I learned somthing about Zachary during the egg hunt event.  I learned that he really is a peacemaker.  Even if it means that he loses out on getting candy/ ahead, he will sacrifice his personal gain for his friend.  During the hunt there were some giant camoo eggs that were very desireable and he found them.  Jacob his friend expressed his desire for this eggs and even though Zachary was really excited about it and wanted it too he traded it for a lesser egg.  He did it and was happy to do so because he knew it would make his friend happy.  He does tihs same kind of thing at dinner time.  He will profess his graditude and love for the food all the while choaking it down just to make me happy.  He puts others before himself.  May I learn from his Christ like example.  Truly if we could become like a little child.....

Finding baskets was fun this morning.  The bunny went for more toys this year and so there some fun surprises. I had a lot of fun dressing everyone in coordinating outfits for Easter.  I tried my best to take pictures after church and Andrew was tired and had  had enough.

Andrew

It won't be long until my little baby is an official Toddler.  He is going to be turning two March 21st.  He is such a joy.  Andrew likes: to play with his brothers, friends, loves anything with a wheel, to read books, and climb.  He is talking a lot.  I can't understand him yet but if you ask him a question he will give you an answer which is more than I can say for my 7 & 5 year olds.  His favorite toys are his Thomas train set.  He plays with those every morning and evening.  His most recent train game is he sets up a very long train and pushes it to the top of the mountain and pushes it off and exclaims "Oh No!" Andrew enjoys watching Thomas, Cars, Cars 2, Toy Story 1, 2, & 3.  When he is put on a swing he looks as if he will explode with excitement.  Shoveling sand, sliding down the slide, jumping on the trampoline are some of his favorite things to do but it has been so cold lately that we dont' get to do it as often as we want. 

Still loves the passy and his favorite friend big dog, watching cars in Mommy's room.

Climbing onto Adam's bunk.  I've watched him drop down from it just like his big brothers do.

climbing

This was a hard nap day and he feel asweel in my arms.  I loved the snuggles.

Best friend Steel and Andrew watching Cars 2 on a tablet.

Wearing his favorite thomas shirt.  It is a good day when he is wearing this.

Taking the time to read.

One of his favorite spots to be.

Did I mention that he likes to climb.

I often find him in his chair reading to himself.  I want to squeel he is so cute.

Holley is his favorite Cars character.

I forget to mention that if there is a puddle of water/mud he will find it and explore.

He is a boy through and through and I am so grateful that the Lord has loaned him to me for this life.  Every moment is special.