Winter Wonderland

He woke me with a bark!

2009-09-22T11:36:00.000-07:00

A few days ago Caleb jumped on my bed really early in the morning and woke me up with a bark. I asked him what he was doing and he just barked. I asked him what he wanted to do for the day and he barked. I gave him his clothes for the day and he barked and shook them in his mouth with his teeth. I told him to get on his chair for breakfast and he barked and shook his head signalling that a dog can't get in the chair for breakfast. I put his food on the floor for him to eat. We went outside to play and he ran around and scratched and smelled and jumped like a dog. He wanted me to pet him like a dog and talk to him like a dog all of which was communicated through barking. All morning long was like this so after considerable thought I decided we would skip doggy potty time. I can not imagine that going well...

Often Caleb is a different animal when he wakes up but some of my favorites are frog day and crab day. They make for interesting entertainment! I attribute much of Caleb's imagination to his cousin Nicholas who is in the picture above. As you can see they are great friends!

The Happy Child

2009-09-22T11:17:00.001-07:00

There are some not so good babies and then there are normal babies and then there are good babies and then there are miracles. I would definently define baby Timothy as a miracle. He is what you call an overly good baby. He cries only out of absolute despair. He lets you dress him without complaint, lets you rock him and hold him when you want and put him down when you are tired. He could care less about food but drinks my milk like a champ. He thinks everyone is his friend. He laughs at you even when you aren't funny. There are actually days he goes without crying. I'm being serious.

Now, I know you are not suppose to compare your children, but if we are talking about babies I think we can make exceptions. Caleb, never stopped crying the first two years of his life. Really, he cried allllllll the stinking time! Now he is a very happy child but babyhood was not his thing. Timothy, ahhhh, life is good! I really hope this does not mean that Timothy will grow up to be unhappy. Yikes!

Honestly, Timothy is a miracle baby. When I was preganant with him so many difficult things happened...both Grandfathers passed away, two home breakins by a repeat sex offender, the hurricane and no electricity for 3 weeks, I was hospitalized for being sick...I could go on and on but lets just say that there was alot to grieve over when he was in my belly. I tried to stay very calm and cry sparringly, but I was always worried he would pop out having absorbed all the fears and sadness from his 9 months in utero. God answered our prayers when we asked him to protect baby Timothy. I guess I absorbed all the sadness and he absorbed all the happiness! He is a miracle!

Yep and Nope

2009-09-22T10:55:00.000-07:00

For some reason Caleb has decided that this is "yep and nope" week. He has forgotten "yes maam, no sir, yes please, oh thank you mommy". Every bit of manners we have been working on for the last 3 years is now gone. Gone with his new found love for the words "yep and nope". Oh well, we can always dream of the way things were!

Yes, this is a picture of our son riding the paddle boat in his underware with his little brother asleep in his bumbo seat in the back. They went to rescue the turtle floaty and no you are not mistaken, the baby grabbed a quick nap with his face in his lap on the way home. Some things I know I will never see again in this life time.

The Zig Zag Pattern

2009-09-22T10:37:00.000-07:00

This is Caleb in his frog rain boots, his frog pjs, his frog helmet, his frog tricycle that is way too small, and his frog horn. Ahhh the joys of childhood!

I went to pick up Caleb early from his new preschool (because I can't stand to leave him there the full time...which is another issue I will blog about another time!) and got to watch him playing duck duck goose in the gym. All the kids were in a neat little circle and all of them were doing the right thing-duck, duck, goose- and running in a small little circle and sitting at their seat.

Now, I know my son well enough to know he was not going to be doing anything in a neat little circle, but what I saw was surpising, even to me.

When it was Caleb's turn he said duck, duck, duck, duck, and on and on until his teacher forced him to say goose. So when he finally did say goose he took off screaming at the top of his lungs running in a zig zag pattern all around the gym and finally collapsed in hysterical laughter all the way across the room. The kid who was suppose to be chasing him was just staring in awe, open mouthed, in the same spot he was tagged goose. Caleb was laughing so hard at himself that he was rolling on the floor totally ignoring reality. Personally, I think the shock and awe technique is very effective when playing competitive games...

I like the cloth ones...

2009-09-22T10:23:00.000-07:00

Tim and I are very different in many ways and it seems like those differences have really magnified as we are raising our boys. The biggest issue here is me. I seem to change my mind often and to the extreme as a naturalist. Oh well, I guess he knew what he was getting into when he married me! Here are some conversations we have had recently...

Me: I've been reading some stuff on having children and have decided that I don't ever want to use birth control again.
Tim: Stop reading.

Me: I really like these cloth diapers. I think I will use them for all the kids we have.
Tim: Seriously?

Me: I think we should have a garden and grow our own vegetables this fall.
Tim: Do I have to help? Will it save money?

Me: Natural childbirth was way better than using medicine. I think I want to have all our children naturally from now on...maybe at home.
Tim: No

Me: I've gone green on all our household products. Have you noticed?
Tim: Was I suppose to notice?

Me: What do you think about homeschool?
Tim: uhhhh, isn't that two years away?

It does take a balance of powers to keep a family moving in the best direction! I guess we will see how natural the Winter family will be...

*These are pictures from a twenties party Tim and I attended this summer at the home of one of Tim's California clients.*

Just how clean are those toilet seat covers???

2009-07-27T12:52:00.000-07:00

Caleb was washing his hand in a public bathroom this morning and he couldn't find the paper towels so...he walked right over to the toilet seat covers... pulled one out...wiped his mouth and his hands...and threw it in the trash. Huh, I wonder how often he does that???

Should I be worried?

2009-07-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

Baby Timothy won't eat...anything! He is 7 months old and all he wants is Mamma's milk. This seems very normal to me in some ways and a little worisome in others. He doesn't take a bottle, won't eat anything from a spoon, and I tried all the little tricks people suggest to no avail. Should I be worried about this? How long should kids go before they eat at least oatmeal? Would love some feedback...I am getting mixed reviews from people. My friend Jeni only nursed her son for at least a year and he is happy and healthy and I know women use to do that all the time, but I am getting mixed reviews from some pediatricians. Any thoughts you Moms???

I know you aren't suppose to compare but I just wanted to give you a rundown on how different my boys are. Last night we found Caleb eating something hard and crunchy from the carpet. We asked him what it was and he said, "I don't know!" and just went about his business as usual.

This is what Caleb had to eat ONE day last week:
two plate size blueberry pancakes
half a pint of blueberries on the side
a glass of milk
a peanut butter and jelly sandwich
2 peaches
1 apricot
1 apple
half a sweet potato
2 slices pork tenderloin
raisins
spinach salad
an ear of corn
a lot of water!

YIKES! It is a miracle he hasn't blown up his stomach yet! I had to force him to stop eating. Do you see why I am struggling with having a child who doesn't eat???

Baby TJ

2009-07-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

This is Baby TJ at six months! This is his usual pose, smiling, with his fingers in his mouth! He is the happiest Baby! I am having trouble uploading the pictures so I will add more later!

The Curling of the Tongue

2009-07-23T12:18:00.000-07:00

Today baby Timothy and I were watching Caleb play at a place called "The Little Gym". This place is like Heaven on earth for Caleb. It is non stop balls, bubbles, bars to hang on, rings to swing from, trampolines that blow up, running in circles, running in lines, running up the walls...
Anyways, as he was playing I saw it! The Russell family trait. He stuck out his tongue, curled it a little and bite down! Whenever he tried to do something that took a lot of thought he just stuck it right out. Ahhh, all the pictures we have of people in our family sticking out their tongues at piano recitals or playing sports or at big events. It is the ultimate sign that he is in fact my child (even though he looks just like his father). I love my little munchkins!

Love-Hate Relationship

2009-07-23T09:49:00.000-07:00

In Fantastic memories of our Julieta!

I have a love-hate relationship with MD Anderson hospital. In the last year I have seen so many friends check in to MD Anderson to be healed, and we rejoice in the results, and then to soon afterwards I go back to MD Anderson to say goodbye. There is a glass wall that I pass every time I go to visit someone. From closeup it is a jumble of random cut glass pieces. They are all in chaos melded together and they look ugly and random. But from far away that glass wall is simply beautiful. It is orderly chaos that makes a fantastic piece of art. When I pass that wall I can't help but think about the fact that on this earth all we see are the little pieces of life that make up such a small portion of an eternal purpose. They often seem confusing and chaotic, but I know that some day we will see the whole beautiful work of art and all those fantastic moments in time, that left this earth to soon, will make perfect sense. Sometimes I long for the day when I will look at life from far away and understand the beauty in the chaos.

The Middle Console

2009-07-23T09:06:00.000-07:00

Tim and I have been having car trouble so my parents graciously let us borrow their car for a few weeks. For the first few days I drove mindlessly around just moving from point A to point B. But about the third day I was sitting in the car waiting for Caleb to get out of Church School and I opened the middle console.

A flood of memories and emotions filled my heart. There in the middle console I saw all the things my Dad has always carried with him on road trips and in his cars. I was so surprised at how an old Willie Nelson gospel CD could jog so many of my childhood memories...driving across country, seeing the grand canyon, the red wood forest, stopping at every historical marker in sight, getting in trouble for not eating my cantaloupe, picnics at rest stops with peanut butter and lays potato chips (mom's favorite), all three of us kids playing in the back seat, reading Little House on the Prairie on the road...

Here are a few things Dad had in his middle console that brought back so many memories:

matches

a fire extinguisher

a chewed on cigar

3 flat pocket knives

dental floss

hydro cortisone cream

8 blue sanford micro pens

5 notepads all scribbled on

a tire gauge

a cigar cutter

multiple screwdrivers

old random sized light bulbs

multiple unmarked keys

white, round, unmarked chap stick (the same brand and smell as always)

a measuring tape

the Academy of Engineering Business Cards

(and if Mom would still allow it) I am sure he would have a whole pile of Masters Five tapes that we all had memorized after hours and hours of listening!

I love my father for all of these little things, but mostly I just love my father!

Thanks for the memories you middle console!

The Itchy Itchy Spider

2009-07-23T08:47:00.000-07:00

Caleb has learned what it means to be embarrassed. A few days ago he was singing to himself from his car seat and Tim and I stopped mid sentence in our conversation to hear Caleb singing a new rendition of the "Itsy Bitsy Spider".

"The itchy itchy spider went up the water wout. Out came the wain and the sun was up and wound..."

We stifled a laugh and asked him what he was singing. Immediately he covered his face and said "No listened to me pwease, no listen."

He realized that he was struggling with the words and was creating his own song. It is the first time I have seen him show embarrassment. We tried to encourage him to keep making up his own song, but it was to late...gone is the innocent mindless chatter...they grow up to fast. Next time we will just enjoy the melody of the "itchy itchy spider" for as long as it lasts and not say a word!

Gospel Plumber

2009-06-02T18:40:00.000-07:00

Last week I had to call a plumber to come and fix our kitchen sink. Since our break ins this fall, I always get a little nervous inviting a stranger into my home. However, when this man arrived he looked much like my Grandpa. I felt very guilty when he bent over to clean our kitchen pipes. He was to old to be doing manual labor. For the first time in my life I wished that I could clean out dirty pipes on my own.

After he fixed our ever increasing problem of clogged pipes, he asked me if he could talk to me. As usual, a red light flashed in my brain, and I was looking for all of the escape routes for the boys and I if this Grandpa went crazy. I positioned myself strategically between him and the back door so I could bolt out first and grab the boys from the yard! So sad I think of these things....

Anyways, he asked for a pen, which messed up my escape plan idea, but I got it for him anyways. He started to draw a chart on a paper and started talking about his life. "Oh no, we could be here a while. I am to busy for this can't he see that..." and then he drew a cross.......

A Believer. He is a believer and he feels called to share his testimony with me. My immediate and shameful thought "I have already heard this, maybe I should just interrupt him and let him know he doesn't need to waste his time. I already believe." But then I got that feeling. You know, that feeling deep in your stomach that feels like your body might tie in knots if you don't just shut up, sit down, and listen. So, I shut up, sat down, and listened. He didn't get very far before I was crying...no bawling!

I am certain he thought I was much crazier than he was and he was in fact the one looking for the nearest escape route! But he just kept on going..."and this is what separates us from God and this is what Jesus did to love us and give us grace"...and then he prayed over me and then he left.

Out the exact escape route I planned for myself.

It is astonishing to me that after being a Believer in Jesus, for more then a decade, I still can't hear the story without crying. The thankfulness I feel for my Savior and the love he has pored down upon me through His example and forgiveness still baffles me. I am so thankful for that gospel plumber for cleaning the dirty pipes in my home and the dirty pipes in my soul. Thanks for the reminder my Gospel Plumber!

Ties and Slides

2009-04-27T13:59:00.000-07:00

Caleb really wanted to go in the water!

I love these pictures of Tim in his tie playing on the playground with the boys. About once a week we go pick Tim up at his office and eat lunch with him. Tim is in his suit and tie and we are all wearing tennis shoes but Tim doesn't care. He goes right down the slide and on the trampoline and climbs the jungle gym with Caleb. He is definently the only guy wearing a suit at every park we go to, and I love it that he could care less what others think of him. He is a fun Dad!

Chocolate and Squids

2009-04-27T13:36:00.000-07:00

Today Caleb and I were at the Natural History Museum and we were looking at fossils of giant acorns. I was talking to him about squirrels eating small acorns in our yard and Caleb said, "Mommy I don't eat acorns, I eat popcorns."

Then we were making a cake for a friend and the top of the cake had a big crack in it. Caleb looked really hard at the crack and said, "Mommy, is that a giant squid cake?" It really did look like a squid imprint but how in the world did he get from chocolate cake to giant squid? For Caleb just about everything can be related to food! It must be his learning language...food.

The Baby!

2009-04-27T13:22:00.000-07:00

Timothy is growing so fast I feel like I am losing my baby! He is rolling from his back to his front and his front to his back...he smiles and cooes when you get close to him...his eyes get really wide when you sing to him...he pushes with his legs and arms when he gets really excited...he follows a mobile with his eyes...he is so cute at this stage. If Caleb growls really loud Timothy's bottom lip comes out and he starts to cry. It is so cute I had to video it! I love the 3-6 month stage where they realize you are there and start responding. He has been such a happy baby that I don't ever want it to go away! Today I rubbed noses with him and he just laughed...it was so sweet! He has been an easy baby except for the 3 hour sleep pattern he is perpetually in! I love my little munchkin even every morning at 2am!

Our Beekle Bug!

2009-04-25T06:36:00.001-07:00

A friend once told me that every stage of your child's life gets better and better. My friend was right! I really thought that when Caleb was born I could not love him anymore; and now three years later, my love has grown immensly! I was praying for him last night and thinking of all the little things that he does that I love...here are a few I listed off in my mind!

I love it when...
He says "Iluyoutoo" instead of I love you.
I love it when...
He crawls up beside me in bed, kisses me on the forhead, and cuddles with me.
I love it when...
He laughs so hard that I start laughing and we roll on the floor laughing together.
I love it when...
He stuffs all the food on his plate in his mouth and he tries to talk!
I love it when...
He wakes up in the morning and asks to make cupcakes for breakfast.
I love it when...
He sings and reads to his animals when he thinks no one is listening.
I love it when...
He gets every color mixed up and tries to convince me that everything is really red.
I love it when...
He says "Can I want some?" instead of "Can I have some?"
I love it when...
I find him covered in mud and naked after 5 minutes of playing outside.
I love it when...
We go to the zoo and he knows every animal on the same route that he has taken us on for the last two years.
I love it when...
He calls all restaurants "donalds with big slide"
I love it when...
He goes to bed easily if I tell him we will make eggs together in the morning.
I love it when...
He calls all bugs "beekle bugs" and he thinks that is his name also.
I love it when...
He begs me to hold his brother or "howd bwada pwease"
I love it when...
He calls Tim's work "Daddy's Castle"
I love it when...
I hold him and he stops crying.
I love it when...
He calls a balloon a "boon"
I love it when...
He tries to play hide and seek but jumps out right after you get done counting to scare us.
I love it when...
He asks "it's better?" when he spills or breaks something or falls down
I love it when...
He says "my Mommy"

Finding Jesus...

2009-04-13T07:21:00.000-07:00

This week I found it very difficult to focus on the true meaning of Easter. I felt like I was walking down a long hallway with amazing doors that entered rooms on either side for me to walk through, explore, and spend my time in. Each room was filled with good things to see and be a part of but none of them ever helped me reach the end of the hallway to the true and eternal purpose of this week. Jesus.

We had a lot of fun and new experiences for the boys with egg hunts and doing crafts. The easter bunny came and the boys got new clothes. There were endless amounts of food to cook and eat, loads of laundry to wash and dry, people to have over and entertain. All along the way I found myself wondering what happened to the days when I could attend an Easter service at a different church each night of Easter week? What happened to the hours of quiet time in beautiful parks thanking God for his gift of grace and comfort for this life? What happened to the long spiritual debates my friends and I would have over coffee late into each night? All in all we had a great Easter, but did I ever reach the end of my walk to spend time with Jesus like I did before life got busy with kids and a million distractions?

The answer is "Yes". I did find Jesus this week, it may not have been in hours of meditation or sacrifices to those in need, but every door I walked through this week Jesus was right there. I may only remember one thing from the entire sermon Sunday morning (because I was focused on keeping a newborn from screaming) but the simplicity of that one song is as powerful a reminder of Christ as 20 complicated sermons. I may not have spent hours in coffee houses having lengthy debates, but I sat in the grass and showed my son all the miraculous things God made just for him to enjoy. I may not have had long quiet times in a beautiful park but I held my boys in a hug and for the first time recognized the true sacrifice God made by sending His Son to the cross...amazing! Jesus was there, He was right beside me through all the chaos of kids and celebrations and fun. Jesus is not some high I reach at the end of the hallway, He is right beside me in every moment and every joy and every struggle of motherhood. So for this tired but happy mother of two, I say "Thank you Jesus for teaching me that it is as easy to find you now as it has ever been".

Easter

2009-04-13T06:24:00.000-07:00

This is my friend Julie. Her family has lived next door to my family our whole lives. When we were little girls we played together every day, mostly in the woods because we were both tomboys. Julie organized an Easter egg hunt this year for all of our kids. It was really fun to watch our children play together just like we use to many years ago! The Brooks are as close as family can be to each of us! Thanks Julie for letting us join in!
Great Grandmother has a way with babies! Every time they sit in her lap they relax and fall asleep. It was sweet to watch baby Timothy fall asleep in her lap!

Tim taught Caleb how to pick up more then one egg at a time. He got a whole basket full this time instead of just one!

All of our kids lined up for the egg hunt at The Brooks house next door!

This is everyone dying eggs. I am pretty sure the adults had more fun than the kids with this one! We are never to old for a little glitter and dye! Caleb did not try eating a boiled egg this time!

Yaya and Papa hosted us all for Easter this weekend and the kids had a "fabuloso" time! Caleb loves his cousins and follows them around like a little puppy dog doing everything they do. This weekend was no exception. Thank you Mom and Dad for having us all weekend. The company and food were spectacular!

Playdates...

2009-04-10T14:22:00.001-07:00

Thank you Tricia for hosting and planning an Easter Party for the kids! It was great fun!A picture in the basket seemed like a good idea at the time! Poor child!Caleb and Vince dying eggs...they both thought they were candy eggs until they tasted them! It was very Funny when they took a bite out of a real boiled egg thinking it was candy!

Thanks Chevonne for hosting a trip to the butterfly museum!

Me and my boys!

Almost every week the boys and I get to go for a day with friends somewhere. The last two weeks have been lots of fun with our Impact friends so I thought I would share some pictures! I especially loved the egg hunt. Caleb would get one egg and sit down and eat the candy. I could not convince him that no one was going to take his candy if he got a bunch of eggs before eating his candy! Since then we have practiced finding eggs so that Caleb can have a successful easter egg hunt at Yaya and Papa's house this weekend.

Tia Juana

2009-04-10T14:09:00.001-07:00

Hangin' in the backyard with the boys.

Caleb's favorite way to go on walks with Daddy!

The Iguana!

Caleb's new dressup friend JoAnn!

Tim's sister JoAnn came from California to visit us this week. Tim and his siblings call her Juana and the kids all call her Tia Juana. However, Caleb had trouble saying Tia Jauna so he just called her "the Iguana" all week! Eventually it morphed to "tiguana" so there was some improvement. JoAnn and Tim have always had a strong bond growing up and a great relationship. I truly enjoyed watching them quote movies and laugh together. We love you JoAnn and liked all the walks, food, and deep talks we shared! Can't wait to see you again soon!

A "Bwadas" Love

2009-04-10T13:17:00.000-07:00

Caleb had fun holding the baby while I took some pictures of them in the backyard!

I am not sure Timothy had as much fun!

Caleb is one hundred percent sold on his brother. I believe he loves his brother more than he love his Mommy and Daddy which is a big deal! When Caleb wakes up in the morning he has to go look in his brothers room to see if he is okay. When the baby cries Caleb runs all around the house screaming for me to help him. If another kid tries to touch his brother he sits between the kid and his brother and blocks the way while swatting away onlookers hands. He wants to hold him about every 30 minutes which has proven to be a great problem for me as far as time is concerned. Caleb laughs at the baby when his head bobs up and down, he cuddles close to him when he is laying on a blanket, he brings him toys and reads him books. It has been fabulous! I was actually gearing up for Caleb to be jealous and violent, but I have been so happy to see him loving on his "bwada". I can't wait to watch them grow and their relationship develop. I imagine jealousy and fighting are coming soon, but for now I am enjoying watching the love develop.

Here are the names Caleb has for is brother Timothy:

My Bwada

Timopi

Timpi

Baby Joseph

Bittle Baby

My Tipi

Things he says about his brother:

He's so silly.

I lu my bwada!

He goes bonk.

He's cwying Mommy!

Poopy diaper!

I hold my bwada?

He's cute Mommy.

He drinks your tummy mommy?

Vote!!!

2009-04-07T08:23:00.000-07:00

Here are all the girls in my family this fall, my sisters and my Mom, and me 9 months pregnant!

I love my girls! Elizabeth is on the right. She is sooo talented!

Hi all,
My sister Elizabeth is trying to win a contest to sing at a baseball game in Washington. The person who gets the most views gets to sing! You can watch it as many times as you want and each view counts as one vote. Please help us vote!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cPZeVZDgYQ

The Dinosaur Party!

2009-04-06T16:58:00.000-07:00

Caleb hung out by the food most of the time since

he is still a little shy in crowds and loves eating!

My sister Christyn and the kids!

Nicholas was dressed up in a dinosaur costume and he was so proud of his cake!

Papa jumped in the jumpy toy with Caleb.

Yaya, Timothy, and Rebecca!

Last weekend we went to San Antonio to celebrate cousin Nicholas' 4th birthday! My sister Christyn is the hostess with the mostess! They had dinosaur nuggets, dinosaur cookies, a dinosaur cake. It took us three hours to ice that cake! In the back yard there was a jumpy toy and the kids could dig in the sand for hidden dinosaurs. This party was a big hit with Caleb! He is still talking about it. We had a great time with the cousins and loved making memories!

Total Insanity...

2009-03-29T16:36:00.001-07:00

There is no easy way to describe the intense love and emotions I feel when I have a new baby. It is almost as if I go insane for a little while. I waver between crying with happiness and having the distinct desire to want to eat my child right up! When his bottom lip curls down I just want to hold him and reassure him and never let him go. When he smiles and cooes I can't keep my eyes off of him for a second and nothing else in the world matters. I feel so in love with my baby boy! He is such a joy to be able to hold, comfort, laugh with, talk like an alien to, squeeze, rock goodnight, and stare at. And the best part is he is all mine (and Tim and Caleb's of course :))! This is a great life!

He is a princess!

2009-03-29T16:33:00.000-07:00

This morning I dressed Timothy Joseph in a smocked gown that YaYa had given him. He is growing so fast that I don't think he will be able to wear it much longer. When Caleb saw him this morning he shouts, "Mommy he is so cute, he's a princess!" I thought Tim was going to fall over in agony! He hates those little gowns, but his babies look so cute in them! I'll put a tiger shirt on him tomorrow to make up for it!

He's wearing what?

2009-03-29T16:28:00.000-07:00

When I put together Caleb's room this fall I made picture and word labels for all his drawers. I was hoping that he could help me put things away and pick out his own clothes as he grows. I also wanted to use the labels as teaching tools. So far, they have not been of much use. Today I asked Caleb to go get a pair of pants and a shirt to wear. He comes down the stairs with a pair of van shoes and a red sweater vest! He fully expected me to put them on him and walk out the door in them. So much for useful labels!

We do let him pick out his clothes sometimes and this is usually what he looks like. He wears his cowboy boots that Great Grandaddy gave the grandkids and some kind of animal or fire shirt! No pants necessary. Our crazy kid!

Modern What???

2009-03-26T09:33:00.000-07:00

I believe Caleb, like his father, does not get Modern Art. Here is a piece of art outside of Tim's building. We have been picking Tim up from work because we are a one car family for now so we sit and stare at this piece for a while each day. This is how the conversation went...

Caleb...That's a carrot Mommy?

Me...A carrot? No son, that is called Modern Art.

Caleb...It's an ark?

Me...That is close son, but no, it is called Art.

Caleb...No Mommy, you silly, that a heart. Heart Mommy heart!

Me...Actually son, I don't know what that is but they call it modern art.

Caleb...Hmmmmm, it's a whales tail Mommy. A umback (humpback) whales tale!

(Then he starts making the whale sounds and laughing. Caleb has a slight obsession with humpback whales due to Diego)

I had nothing to say after that.....I just let it be...maybe today it will be something different!

Timothy's Tea Party

2009-03-25T14:24:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend Tricia!

Yaya, Aunt Jan, and their cousins! Thanks for coming Beverly and Cheryl!

Great Grandmother and Timothy. He loves Grandmother!

I love my sisters!
My friends!

A group of friends organized a tea party for baby Timothy Joseph. It was such a special event. There were petit fours, cucumber sandwiches, and icecream punch! Lots of family was there including Timothy's Great Grandmother. There were friends from the Impact church, friends from 1st Baptist church, neighbors, and college roomates there. It was fun to get so many people who support our family together to laugh and celebrate! The most special time was at the end when the girls prayed over Timothy and our family. They asked God for wisdom in our marriage and in raising the baby, they prayed for him to be a strong spiritual leader, they prayed for his future wife, and they prayed for my strength as a mother. It was such a gift! Thank you Andrea, Christyn, and all the hostesses for pulling it all together. I loved it and will cherish the memories!

Jenny's Birthday!

2009-03-25T14:09:00.000-07:00

My friend Paige came to stay for a few days so we could take our friend Jenny Wims out for a birthday dinner. We went to eat at a greek restaurant, then went shopping for a gift for Jenny, and later we went to eat desserts together. We were all so full by the end of the night we could barely talk and that is impressive for three old college friends! Look how big the desserts were! Thanks for coming Paige. Jenny and I had a great time with you. I love my sweet friends, they are such encouragements to me!

Lots of visitors!

2009-03-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

Sara and Megan coming to play!

Tim beating the College students at cards!

Aunt Ebee and the Baby!

Grandpa Winter Meeting baby Timothy!
In one weeks time we had twenty five people come and eat, or spend the night, or visit the baby! It was packed with fun and the boys loved it! Grandpa Winter flew in to Houston on a layover and got to meet his newest Grandson over lunch. My sister Elizabeth came to stay for a few days and we went on long walks, memorized verses together, and did crafts. My cousin Sara and her friend Megan came to meet the baby, eat dinner, and play dominoes. We had a group of 18 College Students from Harding come over for dinner, games, and a devo. They were in Houston to help the Impact church and our intern who stayed with us last summer, Jordan, brought them by to have a night of fun!

Auntielle!

2009-03-25T13:39:00.000-07:00

This month we have had lots of visitors and lots of fun! Tim's sister inlaw Donielle came to visit us from California and we had a great time talking, shopping for the boys, relaxing and I got alot of good advice. Donielle has four boys of her own and is a really great Mother. We loved the time we had together and appreciate her flying out here to see this kids! This is a picture of the boys in the outfits Auntielle gave them. Thanks for coming Donielle!

The Dinosaur Museum

2009-03-25T12:47:00.000-07:00

The Natural History Museum

Daddy and the Dinosaur!

We went to the dinosaur museum today, one of Caleb's favorite places on earth. He woke up asking for the "disaurseum, please Mommy, please". So, my friend Mandy and her three sweet kids went with us for a play date. While we were there we looked at all kinds of animals from all over the world, beautiful gems and crystals, a display on gravity, a display on drilling oil, etc.

All throughout the museum I talked to Caleb about things and tried to teach him. I was thinking some day this will be good to know and he may remember. I must say I was put in my place...while we were walking in the museum we saw a display of a Woolly Mammoth and Caleb stops and stares for a while. Then he turns and screams at me "Mommy needs aircut! Mommy needs aircut!" I finally realized that he was telling me the Woolly Mammoth needs a haircut! On our way home I asked him what he learned today and guess what he said..."needs aircut"

So much for teaching him something, maybe next time!

A Stinky Day!

2009-03-24T05:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was not the best of days. Usually when Caleb wakes up in the morning he stands at the top of the stairs and shouts my name until I come up to get him, but yesterday he did not call my name. That is never a good sign, so I went up to see him and sure enough he was wide awake sitting in a pile of poop. His night time diaper had leaked and he found it very interesting to play with. It was disgusting. While I was cleaning him up the baby wakes up and starts crying. Guess what? He is laying in a puddle of pee. So both boys get baths and I start the laundry.
While the laundry is going the washing machine starts leaking. It has leaked before but this time it is lots of water all over the floor. So, I stop the machine and prepare to hand wash. After I get the boys cleaned I get the dishes loaded and start the dishwasher. It won't start, no electricity running to it whatsoever.
So the next three hours I spend talking to customer service reps, being on hold, and trying to find out if we have warranties. Turns out we have a warranty on the washer and it will probably be fixed by the end of the week but the dishwasher does not have a warranty. All that time on the phone for nothing. When Tim came home the house was a wreck, the dishes all over, the laundry not done, the kids screaming, he just looked around and smiled and then spent an hour helping me clean. I love my husband!

Looks like we will be hand washing dishes for a while and I will be going to check on Caleb much earlier than usual each morning! Maybe Moms should register for pooper scoopers when they have babies.

Pictures from Hurricane Ike

2009-03-21T19:06:00.000-07:00

I was looking through some old pictures and found these of the Hurricane we had this fall. It did was a sight to behold! Every home in our neighborhood was affected somehow. Most of the trees in our neighborhood are at least 30 years old so they are tall, thick, and fall readily. Many trees fell on homes, cars, fences, neighbors home...We were very blessed because no one in our neighborhood was injured and we personally only lost our fence and part of the roof. The pine tree that fell on our fence split in half before falling, otherwise it would have landed squarely on our home! Our neighborhood went three weeks without electricity and a number of days without water. Here is a list of the things you go without when you don't have electricity...

Phone
Lights
Stove, Oven, Refrigerator
Air Conditioner
House Alarm
Fans
Washer and Dryer
Hair Dryers
Garage Door Opener
Grocery Stores
Gas Station
Hospital Help and Police
Computer and TV and Phone Chargers

We stayed at home for about two of the three weeks because Tim had to go back to work, but when it got really hot (Caleb would sweat through his clothes at naptime) we would go stay for a night at friends. I was 7 months pregnant so I was also very thankful for airconditioning, hot food, fresh fruits and vegetables (which we couldn't get because our grocery stores were closed) and clean clothes. Here are some of the people who let us stay or do laundry during the 3 weeks. We are so thankful for their help!

My Parents
Elizabeth my Sister
Duane and Becky
Wes and Tricia
Ashley and Jonathon
Ben and Tiffany
Katie and Brady

We sure appreciate their love and support...what a gift they were to us! I will tell you that there was much peace in having no electricity. We stayed close as a family, played games, cooked on the grill together, walked and laughed together, read by candlelight, washed clothes outside. There were many joys in not living the way our world expects us to. The simplicity of life was a good reminder of what life is truly about. I am thankful to God for that time, especially the trust we gained in knowing that God would protect us and provide for us and keep our two year old and unborn baby safe.

This verse really helped me not be afraid during our time.

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:19

Egg Obsession

2009-03-19T06:44:00.000-07:00

We have quickly discovered that Caleb has an obsession with eggs. He wants to make them every day and eat them at every meal. Usually we have to make him stop eating them because he will eat as many as you put in front of him...truly! He gets very emotional if we are not eating eggs that day. Each morning when he wakes up he say something like this...
"We make eggs Mommy? I help you? We cwash (crack) them? We cwash the castle eggs? You get butter? I help you? It's hot Mommy? I help you? It's better? Bwow (blow) on it Mommy? Is better now? I bweak them? You bweak the eggs? Can I eat? You eat eggs Mommy? No, I eat eggs? We cwash them? I help you?" And on and on and on...
Actually, he has gotten very good at making eggs with me. He counts them and sort of breaks them and can flip them on his own. It is a fun morning ritual even if I can't get a word in anywhere!
*This is a picture of Caleb drinking his first fruit smoothie. He thinks smoothies are ice cream so he has quite a good time with them.*

The Best Time of Day...

2009-03-16T12:12:00.000-07:00

The best time of day for all of us is when we hear Tim's keys turn in the back lock. It is like a mass stamped to the door when he gets home. Caleb clings to his leg, I cling to his waist, and the baby is smashed somewhere inbetween. I am always ready for Tim to get home because Caleb is tired of Mommy time and needs wrestle time, the baby is tired of me cooking and not holding, and I am ready for adult conversation! Sometimes I feel bad for Tim because he doesn't get 30 seconds to change before Caleb is jumping on the bed asking to be thrown around or I am asking him about work. But most of the time I don't feel bad about smothering him when he gets home, I feel thankful that he is such a good Dad and husband that we can't wait for him to get home each night! (and i think he really likes it)

Our Newest Family Member

2009-03-16T11:48:00.000-07:00

Here are some 6 week pictures of our baby Timothy Joseph Winter. He is a cutie! He seems to be very satisfied with life these days. He only cries if his diaper is dirty or he needs some food. It just so happens that he needs food often and his stomach is really starting to show it! Caleb is like a little smoke alarm with him because every time the baby starts to cry Caleb runs in circles around the house yelling "poopie diaper, help my bwothe!" He thinks that babies only cry if they have a poopie diaper so when Timothy cries so does our little poop alarm! We love our little baby so much and his big brother Caleb...

***Our friend Wes Yoakum took these pictures at our house. He has started a side business taking pictures and is very talented! If you are interested in using his services look him up before he moves to Lima...theYoakums.net***

Brad Wims

2009-03-03T18:16:00.000-08:00

My faithful friend Brad Wims crossed over into the full glory of Christ this Monday. He was a fabulous friend, great husband, and wonderful father. I am thankful for all the fun memories we had together and I know that Heaven must be a wonderful place because he is there.

Some of my favorite memories with Brad and Jenny are:
-our musical concerts in the phillipines
-climbing a mountain beside Jenny and Brad
-watching him ride an elephant
-falling on the floor laughing when he put on a sarong
-learning how to play my first video game
-dinners at Pappasitos with his parents
-the skit "hit by a bus"
-Jenny highlighting my hair for the first time and Brad saying "atleast it will grow out"
-Aggie football games
-the endless poptarts
-listening to Brad sing at aggie devotionals
-All the nights they let me spend in their guest room when I was so lonely in Houston
-Watching Jenny and Brad date...watching them get married...their first child...their second child
-Seeing him courageously fight the battle of his life and love God through it all...

I will be forever thankful to Brad and Jenny for the way they have loved me over the years, their friendship has defined me in so many ways. Please pray for Jenny's strength these next few months as she figures life out without her true companion. Here are some pictures of them that I love from their website.

The Hammer

2009-03-02T01:58:00.000-08:00

Yesterday Tim and I were building a trellis for some vines and Caleb wanted to help. So Tim handed him a hammer and asked him to carry it for us. Well, he carried it somewhere??? So when it was time for us to use the hammer Tim asked Caleb for the hammer. Caleb put his finger on the side of his cheek and shrugged and said, "I don know, hmmmm". So we went on a search for the hammer but it was no where to be found. We kept asking Caleb where he put it but he kept saying "hmmmm, I don know". So, we finally found a different hammer and got to work and all of the sudden Caleb comes running out of the house saying "I found it, I found it!".

He was carrying his plastic hammer that lights up when you hit something...very useful. Needless to say we let him swing the plastic hammer while we built our trellis and the real hammer???!

A Heavy Heart

2009-03-02T01:49:00.000-08:00

It is with a heavy heart I am up praying for my friends Brad and Jeni Wims. Brad has been fighting cancer for a few years now and has been doing a courageous job of standing strong for his faith and his family. Their lives are an amazing example to me. Please see their website and join us in prayer...
Jeni's Last Blog
Yet again, mid-day seemed to be the hardest for Brad. He got into another coughing spell that just wouldn't let him rest. It is so difficult for him to cough at this point because his poor lungs just can't seem to get any wind behind them to push anything out. The coughing makes him super dizzy and really tired and then not being able to breathe easily makes him feel very emotional....I just know he must feel so helpless right now.He is doing better again this evening after a nice, long rest this afternoon. We just finished saying prayers together with Nonnie and Brad very specifically asked God to take his cough away for two days and to also give him enough energy tomorrow to get out of bed to do his treatments and to see his family. He asked for forgiveness during his prayer for struggling to believe that God still could/would heal him. I am so moved by his openess and honesty with the Lord about his struggles and doubt. He is such an amazing man.This afternoon wee were once again blessed with a personal bedside concert, given by our praise team. As I sat back and listened to this sing, I thought to myself, "yes, this must be a taste of what heaven feels like." Nothing stirs the heart like songs of praise to our Lord.We love you and thank you for your prayers.
Their family Blog: http://www.thewims.blogspot.com/

MY CALEB

2009-03-01T12:55:00.000-08:00

Well, everyone tells you that when you get married you really have to sacrifice and change yourself to become a new person. Not me! Marriage was very easy for Tim and I those first few years...all the books we read, the vacations, the double incomes, the quiet nights...

I really didn't change much when I got married (sorry Tim!) but I can hardly remember what it was like to be Jenny before my first son was born. He has filled up every extra space in my heart, my time, my dreams, and my laundry basket. Tim and I cannot imagine life without our spirited little boy! So here are some pictures of Caleb to help you see why life is so different and so fantastic now! This is "Our Caleb" or "Our Beekle Bug" as Caleb calls himself. Hope you enjoy!

Is Soooo Funny Mommy!!!

2009-02-25T18:05:00.000-08:00

I walked out of my bathroom the other day to see Caleb walking around with q-tips sticking out of his ears. He was moving very slowly while trying to balance them and saying, "is funny Mommy, is sooo funny"!
For Caleb life is just one big ball of fun these days. Today he saw a picture of cupcakes on a magazine so all day he followed me around the house asking me to "make cucakes Mommy is sooo fun pwease". So ofcourse we made cupcakes after dinner and he was so happy he wanted to eat all of them...and I mean all of them! Often I wish I still had that childhood spark in my life where everything is always soo funny!