Jeans and Cross-breeds

Aren't these new jeans that I bought Lexi the other day cute?

I am sure that is just what all the other moms on Aaron's field trip were thinking today when they saw these jeans on, yep, AARON!?!

Note to self and any other moms out there who are rushed to get your kids off in time for school:

1) don't grab jeans in the dark

and 2) check your sons rear end before he walks out the door!

Bless his heart, the whole time we were on the field trip today, I kept yanking his shirt down as far as it would go to cover up the hearts! I saw many mothers looking at him rather strangely at times. I wanted to announce that I had "grabbed his sister's jeans instead of his," but he would have been mortified! He still does not know! This will be our little secret! I felt a little better when I saw another little boy there with pink converse hi-tops. His mom must have had the same morning I did!

I forgot to take my camera with me to go to Exotic Animal Paradise today, which was too bad, because you would have all enjoyed the pics of what they call "exotic" there at the park. We saw everything from a LIGER to a ZEDONK! Nothing like seeing animals the way the Lord intended them to be! Right? Nothing like confusing a bunch of 4 year olds, as well! But, we did get licked in the face by a camel and spat at by a Llama! As you can see, I laughed well today. God is good!

Life

Kevin calls me a "binge blogger" because I will come out with 2 or 3 in a row and then go several weeks without anything. Well, it has been a busy few weeks! We have gone to 2 of my brother's football games, which have been within an hour from us (what a blessing), had a couple visits from my mom (one of them as Ike reaked havoc on her hometown and my brave step-dad, Steve), and have been busy preparing and teaching for Aaron's Arts and Crafts class at his school, as well as preparing for the Ozarks Craft festival that my friend and I will be working in October.

The kids are great! Aaron is beginning to adjust at school and is having less frustrations at home. Right now he is quite fixated on playing "football marbles" in which he uses different colored marbles as teams and plays entire games. He uses all kinds of sound effects and even incorporates the Notre Dame fights song when a touchdown is scored. It is quite impressive! I hope to get it on video tape when he is not looking. He won't perform in front of a camera. Alexis has lost her first tooth! What a day that was! She was so excited to become a member of the "snaggle-tooth club" at school. She is having a little difficulty giving up the lost tooth, though. About an hour or so after she lost it she asked if she could have it back so that she "could spend a little more time with it." Eli is the definition of a "toddler." I will upload a video later of him "toddling" around. He moves at one speed, but walks everywhere!!! he kind of reminds me of a penguin. He is also feeding himself with a spoon--and is quite insistent on doing that by himself. He makes us all laugh, and enjoys doing it.
One note of encouragement for any one who is fearful, worried, or just plain frustrated about the world around us--it's a mess, I know--remember that God has already overcome this world and believe it or not it is still in His hands.

Here are some pics of the last few weeks:

Aaron and his cousin Ryder, before uncle Ryan's football game

Me and Eli at the hottest football game ever! Don't ENVY the shades--I got them at the gas station right before the game. That's what they were called "Envy"!

Aaron watching every minute and learning way too much about what football players say off the field. Yes, things were repeated during football marbles! All you football players out there--these little ones are listening!

Alexis and her nachos

My sister, Alyssa feeding Eli a snack--he loves her likes she is me--I think he might think she is

Aaron about to cook with apples at school, wearing his Johnny Appleseed "pan"

stirring the muffin batter

This is basically where Alexis sat for 2 days until her tooth fell out

The "snaggle tooth" girl with our neighbor Elsie, The cutest and sweetest English bulldog ever! We got to dog-sit briefly this past Sunday.

Lexi would really love to have Elsie--sorry, hun, $1500 for a bulldog is not in the budget!

I think Kevin even loves her

And, last but not least, another great look from our boy, Eli

My heart is heavy with the loss of a dear family friend. Sharon Lewis, a good friend of my mom and little brother, died last night. She was at home with her family when she left this life to begin her new life with her Lord, whom she served whole-heartedly while she was on this earth. I will always remember her with a smile on her face and as such a wonderful mother to Ashley and Kyle. I know their hearts are broken. May God wash over this family with the comfort of His people and give them peace.

Pure Talent

This is just one of the many "shows" my kids put on weekly. Much preparation went into this show. This is one of the many songs they performed for us that night. Can you tell which one prefers the spotlight? Sorry it is so dark--it was taped by my camera.

***To turn off the music, just hit the pause button on the playlist!

Good, Bad & Ugly

Okay so here is the good:

1-- We closed on our land today and now we are officially the proud owners of 3 acres. The process was painless--thank you Lord! Not one issue--that is a first for us! WE love the previous owners so much, and the realtors were so wonderful. Their realtor even bought Kevin and I a gift--a beautiful wire basket full of ivy--real ivy. I love it.

2--second good: Eli's skin is looking so good. The eczema is actually healing. I haven't seen him scratch in 3 days! Praise God for that. I'll show you a picture later.

Here is the bad (not really so bad, though)

1--We are not going to move the farmhouse. After much prayer and lots of professional input, it would cost us more to move that house over and restore it than it would to build a new one. Just to move the wires it would cost us around $12,ooo. We can't in good conscience spend that much money for 3 companies to take down 12 wires for about a half an hour. Wasteful? I think so! So we are going to begin building as soon as our house sells. I was a little sad over it, but excited to build something that we will live out our lives in.

(that's all the bad)

Here is the UGLY--

REady? I put Eli down for a nap today and he never quite went to sleep. About a half hour later I heard him talking and fussing. I peeked in the door to find him half naked. And then I smelled it--oh, no. How did he get his pants off?! He was sitting with his diaper in one hand and a fistful of, yes, you guessed it,
C-R-A-P in the other (I won't dress it up and call it something less gross). This is a first for me. I have never had a baby take off his dirty diaper and play in it. I thought my children were above that sort of thing! He just sat there and laughed as I stood there gagging and wondering how I would touch him. His shirt was covered in it. I somehow got his shirt off without getting it in his hair, and managed to stick him in the bathtub without getting anything on me. As I was giving him a bath he stood up and just as I was about to make him sit back down he peed all over me and the side of the tub, and even tried to grab the pee to play with it, laughing in the discovery! Nothing like soaking in a warm bath full of your own filth! Right ? So, that's the ugly.

Sweet "E" with healthy skin and quite happy!

.

I particularly love this picture--"it's just a little pee, mom"

Here are just some random pics of the kids, etc.

Breakfast at the Chisms

waffles with berry artwork--lexi's cross surrounded with hearts

Her beautiful, berrilicous butterfly

So, the last couple of days have been tough on Aaron. He loves school, but he is beginning to put all kinds of pressure on himself. The teacher says he does great at school--no problems--but, when he gets home he lets it all out. He gets really frustrated at anything he can't do or can't do "perfectly." Oh my? They just started this week on handwriting, and we think that might be what is bringing it on. That can be pretty frustrating to a little guy. Well, today his pinned up frustration really came out. They had an ice cream social at school tonight, and a boy (we know and love) who is 3 years older than Aaron, would not take no for an answer, I guess. (He tends to pick on Aaron just a bit.) Kevin looked over at Aaron on top of the boy, pinning him down with his knees, as he unleashed his frustration. Thank goodness his parents know and love us. Kevin had a really good "father and son" conversation about using his strength to protect and not to hurt. He is one of the most tender hearted boys, but when he has had enough, he has HAD ENOUGH!

I hate technology

I hit some "revert" button accidentally on the layout section, and lost all of my new layout. Now I have no "layout" button, and I can't change a thing. What in the world?


***as you can see, I worked it out.