Muddy Memories

I'm sitting at the kitchen table listening to some of the boys playing out on the patio. I am filled with so much joy listening to them laughing and giggling! Then I realize what my sweet boys were doing......they have created a gigantic pool of muddy water. My first reaction was frustration because it is 58 degrees out and obviously not warm enough for water! Then I decided to grab my camera and take a picture of this precious memory. I realized that not only are they having the time of their life they are creating memories together. I have so many awesome memories of making mud pies and playing in the mud with my cousin and sister. I think as parents we sometimes forget what it is like to be a child and how much fun mud can actually be.

Boys like dirt but they especially like to take water and add to that dirt to make a nice concoction of mud! They are being creative and having loads of fun, they are happy! I think I have come to understand that when mud is involved the arguing goes away. So we exchange fighting for a big muddy mess and that's okay because mud can be cleaned up!!

So the next time your son goes for the mud just take a deep breath, look away and listen to the joyful noises that will come from him!

Cheri

Peter Parker

So do you wonder if your son is normal if he won't take off that costume???

From the time my boys were little and started using their imagination during play, I discovered a very important thing about males. They are not just playing and using their imaginations they have truly become whatever it is that they have created up in their minds. My Samuel was not just acting out scenes from Star Wars he was Darth Vader or which ever character he was playing. Benjamin was Woody for the longest time. He would wear his Woody costume everywhere we went including church. If the outfit was in the wash well, he wore his cowboy boots and he was still Woody. I did let him wear it everywhere and whenever he wanted because I knew it would not last and it was important to him. He probably does not even remember wearing it, but I sure do and what a great memory that is! My nephew Solomon has been Peter Parker for months now. It is the cutest thing ever, and good for you Kimi for letting him explore his imagination. They are only little once and someday down the road they will begin to loose that gift of imagination, so let them express themselves even if it is a little embarrassing!

Cheri

Hands On Learning

My boys LOVE to take things apart. I think most boys do. There's just something about taking apart anything that makes a boy happy. The other day, Aaron had been begging Chris to please let him take something apart. Chris found an old computer that had been harvested of anything useful and let Aaron explore the inner workings of the computer. Aaron unscrewd and dissasembled the whole thing. I love the look on his face in this picture. He's completely focused on the task at hand. Now if only I could get that same concentration when it's time to clean up...

Rachel

What Was I Thinking

I love this picture even though it's blurry. The boys were so excited about the Monster Truck Jam, they could hardly contain it!

My family planned to attend the Monster Truck Jam together. I was really just going along to be a good sport. But, Chris, Daniel, and Josh had a ski trip for the same day. Jonah really wanted to go last year to the Monster Truck Jam, so I decided to just go ahead and take the four youngest boys to the event by myself. I mean really...how bad could it be???


We had great seats. The boys had a blast! However, I spent most of the time bored out of my mind. I really wish I had brought a book! Since I had nothing to do, I took out an envelope (the only paper in my purse) and wrote down some thoughts about why this was the perfect event for boys...

BIG, BIG, BIG (the tires on these cars were at least 6 feet tall)
Loud!!!! (even with earplugs)
Dirty (you can taste the dirt in the air)
Fireworks
Competition (Who can go the fastest? Jump the highest?)
Smoke & Exhaust
Jumps, Flips, Wheelies

Even the names of the cars were manly...El Toro Loco (in above picture), Grave Digger, The Eradicator, Maximum Destruction.

The real fun began when we were trying to leave the event. The show sold out which meant there were 60,000 people trying to leave at the same time. The autograph table was set up right beside the door I needed to go out to get to my van. It was very cold out that night so I wanted to stay inside as long as possible. I held on to Noah's hand and the other boys' coats to make sure we did not get separated. After much crying and relaxation breathing, we finally emerged from the west side of the building. What a night!!!

Tip for keeping track of kids in crowds: Make sure your cell phone # is on your child and they know who go to for help.
-I usually write my phone number on their arm somewhere, but I didn't have a pen that would write on their skin this time. (I know it's not the best thing, but it works.) So, I wrote my number on paper and put it in each of their pockets.
-I made sure we talked about what to do if we got separated on our way to the event.
-Once we were in the stadium, I pointed out to the what the event staff workers were wearing.
-I teach my kids to find a Mom and ask for help if they can't find security or can't remember anything else!

Rachel

Sanity Saver

Raising boys is not for wimps. The messes they create can make the strongest woman cry. Ask me how I know... However, once the initial shock wears off, it can be quite entertaining. Some of my favorite memories are the moments that nearly brought me to tears. This picture is one of those moments. We had been cooped up in the house all winter long. Spring was warm but very wet that year. My mom had given us some fill dirt to re-grade our yard with. Lots of rain plus lots of dirt equals lots of MUD! The boys had gone out to play with direct instructions to only play in the front yard where there was grass. When I wasn't looking, they ventured into the mud pit of all mud pits. By the time I noticed, it was way too late. Josh and Aaron are sitting in holes about 2 feet deep completely filled with mud. Adam's pants actually fell off because they were so filled with mud. The boys' rain boots were full of mud!

What's a mom to do??? I let out a little whimper and told them to stay put while I grabbed the camera. You heard that right. I told them they might as well enjoy the mud now since they were already filthy. My mother in law gave me this wonderful piece of advice - Think like a Grandma. It really does help when you think you can't survive another day. If you were the Grandma instead of the Mom, I bet you'd grab the camera and get pictures of this amazing mess so that you'd never forget the day the boots were full of mud.

Rachel

Life with Boys

Many times when I am out with my crew, I meet other women who stare in wonder. "I can't imagine what it's like living with all those boys!" Another comment I hear way too often is, "Oh, I feel soooooo sorry for you. It must be horrible to be outnumbered by all boys."

Please do not have pity for me. I love my life surrounded by boys. Don't misunderstand. I would have loved to have had a daughter, but that hasn't been God's plan for me. This is my life and I'm thankful for it.

For those of you who are curious what it's like, I'll give you a little sneak peek.

-My younger boys scream whenever their Daddy & I kiss.
-My older boys think I am way to strict when it comes to video game choices.
-They look forward to date night with Mommy:)
-They love to show me their latest Lego creations.
-They dig holes in my yard with shovels in order to plant the maple tree seedlings they found in the gutter.
-They sometimes decide to climb on the roof and chase each other (I guess they didn't think I'd hear the footsteps on the roof.)
-They like to see who can climb the highest in our pine tree.
-They play war for hours with the neighbor boys with very convincing dialogue.
-When they are hurt or sick, they always want me:)
-They are very low maintenence. You can fix their hair just by rubbing their head.
-They have all gone through an "I will marry Mommy" phase. One of them actually had a pretend ceremony for me in my Mom's bathroom.

How could you not enjoy a life like mine??? Feel free to add your boy stories in the comments. I'd love to hear them!

Rachel