S'more Fun!

Another item on our summer fun list was to have a campfire at Pop an Grandma's house. We accomplished that on Monday night! Joel and I had been to the store earlier that day and picked up marshmallows and graham crackers so it was just perfect timing!!
We were all very tired, including Pop an Grandma, so it was a short and sweet fire with a few s'mores. Delicious!

Wedding

We had a couple in our church get married last Saturday. I didn't think Cade would enjoy it but he really was attentive and interested in what was going on during the service.
At the reception in the gym they had candles lit on the tables and the lights off in the gym. To pass time Cade and Tom read Romans. Though they only got through 8 verses it was just the cutest thing to see Cade so excited to read by candlelight.

Drive In Fun!

We went out for an extra fun and LATE Friday night at a drive in movie theater. We drove an hour to get to the drive-in. Cade didn't know where we were going so that added to our adventure. We took our friend Megan with us which also added the our adventure!
The drive in had an old school playground which the boys enjoyed playing on before the show started. Cade's favorite piece of equipment was the merry-go-round. When he learned he could let go of the merry go round as he was pushing it he experienced many less falls. I think he went around and around 1000 times. He kept going and going and going.
The movie Brave, the new Disney Pixar picture, was the first feature of the night. We thought it would start at 8:45, but it wasn't until 9:20 when it came on. It was dark for sure by that time. Joel was so snugly which help keep me warm. I loved when he looked up at the sky and pointed to all the stars. It was so precious. I love the wonder God gives children. Case was so into the movie. It was right up his alley - archers, Vikings. I kept myself awake he whole time which was a rarity at that hour of the night. Curtis enjoyed the backend if the van for the show.
It would have been nice to stay for The Avengers but it was very late, 11pm, and the boys were not ready for the intensity of that movie. If they were ones to just fall asleep anywhere it would have been fun for us to stay, but with an hour drive, a mommy with a headache, and two boys who needed their bed, it was time to pack up.
What a fun adventure!

Frog Find!

Today on our garage sale adventure we stopped to take a break by a little pond. We came home with a pet!

Birthday #6

We celebrated Cade's 6th birthday on June 19th! We started the day with fun cards we got in the mail from aunts and grandmas! Then we got news that another Sparks cousin was born! Great grandma Sparks has 3 great grandchildren with June 19th birthdays - Sage, Cade, and Natalie!
We celebrated in the evening with a Lego party at Pop and Grandma's. We invited Don over to celebrate with us too. Cade requested Pizza Hut so we had an easy dinner. We played a few Lego birthday games - challenges to build a person the fastest and the tallest tower and also 'pin the smile on the Lego head'. Cade got some great gifts and had so many smiles. And we finished the night was a Lego cake. To be honest it didn't taste very goo but it sure looked good!
My happiest moment of the party for me was seeing Cade respond to Don when he gave him a gift. Don blessed him with a set of Matchbox cars. They were nothing fancy. Cade was so grateful and had a beautiful thank you to Don when he opened it. He also opened them so Don could feel them
Children are amazing. Praise God for my healthy 6 year old. Praying he grows more and more to be like Jesus as each birthday happens. That is the true meaning of happiness.

Lego Birthday Party

Case requested a Lego birthday party for his 6th birthday party. After talking with a friend and looking at some of her family photos of their trip to Lego Kids Fest I decided instead of having friends over with a million Lego pieces flying all over the house, we would go to the Lego Kids Fest in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is a three hour trip for us and we debated about an overnight trip, but after spending $60 on the tickets to the event plus gas and parking we decided an early morning departure would work out just fine. And with the events of our week and Joel's sickness it was a good choice.
Cade was stoked when we walked into the huge room of Lego activities at the Frontier Airlines Center in Milwaukee. He was very excited and very overwhelmed. We tried to get him to try a few activities but he was so stimulated he couldn't make any decisions. Finally we got going with a Ninjago activity where we built a fighting Spinner Lego guy equipped with weapons to knock another Spinner off.
Cade has been waiting sometime to buy a new Lego set. His dream was to go to the Lego store so we sir passed that dream with this big adventure. We were gong to wait to go to the store at the end of the day but I realized quickly how that was just not going to happen. We needed to get this done and out of the way. And the shopping didn't take long at all. He went right to the Star wWars sets and picked the smallest one. I was quite surprised. He definitely has enough money from his piggy bank to cover it!
We spent time just building things at various stations. Cade created a Bonicle out of various pieces he had found and even got to display it in a glass case. At the big Lego pile he made a grey airplane ship. It was fun to watch him wander across the millions of Legos laid out on the floor.
We enjoyed the Lego Challenge. You went to a building table and the leader gave a challenge to build a certain creation in just 3 minutes. There were categories like something on a farm or something in the ocean. This was great for Cade's perfectionist personality because he couldn't fret over it looking just perfect. I am sure I aid him in this perfectionism, something I wish I did my pass on to him. He got right to building a red barn in which he simply put together lots of red bricks and then put brown bricks on top for the roof. We got fun Ninjago spinner sets a prizes.
Joel's favorite stop in the morning was the race cars. You created you own car then sent it down the ramp. Joel found a car that had already been made and he raced and raced and raced. The car was great because it hardly ever broke.
We also tried out the new Ninjago game. We attempted playing but Cade's perfectionism and lack of patience made this difficult. He always wants to win and can not enjoy the process of a game. It is only the outcome that matters to him. I am stumped at how to change that attitude other than to keep playing and talk through each episode and fit of anger.
We took a break from the over stimulating event by having a homemade bagel and ham sandwich out in the calm and cool lobby. We were refreshed to finish our last hour and a half. We split up so Cade ad Curtis enjoyed Ninjago and a building center and Joel and I played at the Diplo area with the animals and people. We all had a great time!
What a great birthday party! We need with a yummy meal at Cracker Barrel or Cracker in the Barrel as Cade called it on the way home from Milwaukee. We are now just 20 minutes from home and Joel just informed us that he needs a hug. What a fun family!

Baseball Boy

Cade went early to Curtis' church league game on Friday night. He got a special treat of getting to hit in the batting cage. He felt very important with his baseball bag from cousin Lance's baseball days. He had a lot of fun and felt really special being in the dugout helping and playing.

The hunt for a bike!

Cade and I have been hunting for a 20" boys bike. He isn't quite ready for it but he is very very close. He is getting to the point of almost dwarfing his 16" bike.
Since the beginning of garage sale season we have been hunting but he not come across anything. This size of bike is hard to find because boys ride them for so long and they wear out. Last week we finally found one advertised at a garage sale. We west to the sale and it was a great looking bike, new in fact. The one negative was the price - $75! Yikes! The mana adjusted the seat so Cade could give it a try. The lowest he said he would go was $40. I went home and looked up the brand of bike and found that a similar bike sold for $56 at Walmart. And the reviews on the bike were very poor. We debated but I knew in my gut it was not a good deal. I just wasn't sure when we would find another one.
God put one in our lap just a week later on our way to Walmart. We were going to pick up a few groceries and a lady was setting out a number of items for a sale in a parking lot. Cade spotted the bike and we were past the turn. I told him we would go back after our stop. We prayed that if it was God's plan for us to have the bike it would be there when we returned and it would be the right price.
When we returned it was there an the price was almost right. I had $15 cash on me but the lady wanted $20. I found enough change in the car to make it to $20. The bike was missing handlebar grips and one pedal was a bit disformed, but was still useable. We thought we could buy some new grips and make it look jut right. What a great find just days before Cade's 6th birthday! Happy Birthday Cade!

Homework!

Cade said one of the things he really wanted to do was his homework. He loves working on his letter. Yesterday we tried a new workbook I picked up for him and that isn't go over so well. He had a really sour attitude. He loves to do everything on his terms, plain and simple. Well today Joel and I got out the chalk board. Joel colored and was so excited to show Cade. The bad part was that Cade took over the chalk board from Joel. Joel deals with it, not always without violence but he does well. When I turned around the next moment Cade had covered the board with his letter and numbers. There he was doing his homework on his terms. I just don't think that homeschooling would go so well until we established some major rules. I was glad he was practicing and he really was enjoying it too!

Family Moments

We drove to Zearing Park last evening so mommy could get out for a bit and get some fresh air from the sickness house. Daddy had never been to the new pond at the park so we ventured down that way on the wonderful walking path. Case was on his bike and Joel in the stroller. We enjoyed throwing a few rocks in the pond and hearing the peaceful sounds of the outdoors. We had a great time but when we got home Joel was miserable. We enjoyed the happy moments when we got them!

Craft Time

Joel and I spent many moments in the recliner yesterday. It was a blessing to have a friend keep Cade for the afternoon so I could focus on Joel's needs. After many books, a nap, a movie, we tried a craft. Joel loves little things to touch and hold and play with. He is different from Cade in this way. I got out some rubber cement and we then covered the paper with sprinkles. Yes I am crazy for letting my 2 year old play with glitter but we had fun. Then he found a bag of star beads. He line all of them up on a piece of paper wanting to be perfect in his placement of each. We had a great time using Great Grandma Opal Bents' tins sf craft supplies. I am sure we will haw many many more to come, especially this fall when Cade is off to school.

The Sickness goes On

This momma has been struggling the last few days because the sickness is still here. My patience is dwindling and my heart is heavy. I feel like a grouch and am at the end of bad attitudes, crying, whimpering, and demands. I love to help a serve but I have felt very unappreciated by my children lately. I know they are not feeling well but I d feel like a slave to them.

Joel took round 3 of his antibiotic today. I haven't been able to keep his temp down so I am giving him ibuprofen every 6 hours. Last night he was at 104.4. Today the highest it went was 104. These are scary degrees to me. Just praying it all stops and we can be happy and normal and grateful!!

New pool!

We set up a new little pool in the yard today. The temperature is suppose to be rising so we hope it gets lots of use. It was really cold today. Cade did a great job filling it and playing. We even had our little neighbor boy over to play a bit.
Joel didn't feel well enough to play on Thursday but on Friday evening he jumped right in for some fun!!

Saga of Sickness

Cade came down with a fever on Saturday midday. He complained of a headache all day, but I brushed it off as fatigue because we have been running this way and that. By Saturday night he didn't want to move and was sick. We left a family gathering early to get him home to bed. The fever continued Sunday and we stayed home from church to rest. We enjoyed Mary Poppins and just laid around. Joel is a relaxer so he was not too hard to handle. Monday the fever continued the Tylenol and ibuprofen would bring it down but not keep it away. We decides to visit the doctor Monday afternoon with the news being he had a sinus infection. We got started on amoxicillin right away. Unfortunately Tuesday and Wednesday we saw no improvement. I called the doctor back before closing Wednesday and he chose to switch the antibiotic to azythromician. In just 6 hours I saw improvement. He is not 100% yet but he is getting there. Praise the Lord!

Bird Feeders

Today we gathered supplies and made a few pinecone peanut butter bird feeders. We started the morning with a walk to Ace Hardware. We needed to buy birdseed as well as a few supplies for a bubble wand. I used my fancy iPhone to look up the items needed for the bubble wand which was pretty cool. We trekked home and went to swim lessons and on our way out of we found a few pinecones under a tree which was just what we needed to finish off our supply run for our projects.
We had great success making our bird feeders. Peanut butter everywhere and Joel loved the birdseed immensely. We now have 4 pinecones ready for the birds to come. As Cade said, 'Mom the last step is patience.' We enjoyed reviewing all the steps it took for us to make the feeders. Very fun!
The bubble wands are to come!

Bounce, Bounce, Bounce!

We happened upon another GREAT bargain at a garage sale . . . a pogo stick! Yes for just $1 we had a bouncing boy! Cade asked me a few days prior to our arrival at this garage sale if we could buy him a pogo stick. I told him we would have to wait to find one at a garage sale. When he saw the lady carry these out from her home as we were exiting the sale, his face LIT up and he was so excited. Love at first site! We are working on our continual bounces, but after just a day or two of practice he could do 6 in a row!!

My Sweet Boy

One minute he is a boy being a mud ball and the next minute he is a sweetheart smelling and picking flowers for his Momma.

Cade growing up

I simply like this picture because it shows Cade getting bigger and bigger. He doesn't love when I take pictures, so it was sweet of him to look at me. This photo was taken on April 23, 2012.

Bed Time!

One of our everyday routines is bedtime. Everynight it is pajamas, brush teeth, a book, prayer together, singing songs, hugs and kisses with the proper blankets and stuffed animals in place, and a goodnight with the sound machine on, Christmas lights plugged in, and usually the fan or space heater on. I feel like this process takes forever, probably because I am so exhausted myself. I do enjoy this routine because I feel like we end our day on a positive note versus anger or loneliness. I always want my boys to go to bed without anger or frustration. They should go to bed knowing I love them, and most importantly that Jesus loves them and wants to live in their hearts. hugs

Ear Injury

In mid-April Cade was playing on his playground and found out the hard way that it is not a good idea to shorten the swinging rope and then swing off of it. There was not enough swing in the rope and Cade hit the side of the playground with a BIG SMACK. His ear took the brunt of the smack, and he had a purple ear for a good week. I was inside helping Joel get a band-aid for one of his many "wounds" and Cade came inside screaming hysterically. He was in so much pain. He is an amazing solider, but his ear was no doubt bruised and his body was hurting with much pain.

Another Garage Sale Find

Joel and I rode in the bike/trailer to garage sale to find a GREAT bargain, a dragon costume for just $3! The best part was that it is a bigger size costume. We have many costumes but they are all 4/5 size and just don't fit my 60+ pound Cade anymore. The dragon is a big snug on Cade, but it works! And there is plenty of room for Joel to grow into it. I thought Cade would enjoy this costume, but it has really been Joel who has wanted to wear it. Cade would rather slay the dragon, I guess! !

April 4, 2012 - Sprinkler Time!

Everyone is talking about the CRAZY weather that we have had this last year, with such a mild winter and very early warm weather this Spring. Though every part of me said no you can not play in the Sprinkler because it is only April 2, 2012, I knew that it was warm enough to get out the sprinkler and play. So the boys enjoyed cooling off on some upper 80 degree days at the beginning of April. They are learning to work together to play. Most of the time I need to stay out of their play because they work it out, but I can always foresee an injury and it is very hard for me to let it go. Cade forgets how little Joel is and that extreme water pressure 1 inch from someone's face is not a good idea. Patience. Yes, patience everyday!

Robin Hood!

While Cade was at school on the second of April, Joel and I did a little garage saling without Cade. To be honest it is very strange to go to a garage sale without my Cade. I have in a sense "trained" him to go saling and to find deals, and I missed him this Spring while he was at school on Friday mornings. Joel is attracted to the "pretties" much more than Cade, so I have to do more watching with Joel. I can not just trust him to go play with the toys like I could Cade. Joel wants to play with the porcelain dolls and animals. We visited a sale and I found what I would call a Robin Hood outfit, but it was actually made for a 12 year old girl. Yes it was a dress. I knew that this piece had potential for my Cade. He loves to dress up and be in costume all the time. I debated and debated about it at the sale, and the man who was working the sale finally just gave it to me. When I brought it home Curtis said, NO WAY! Well, I got out the sewing machine and did a little work with the scissors and made a long Robin Hood shirt. Yes, it could look girly if you looked closely, but I don't think I did too bad. It was FREE and my boy had no clue it was for a girl. So, if you happen to see a Robin Hood running through Wal-Mart or down Putnam Street, just know his Mommy is proud of her "rework" and the smile that is plastered on her son's face.

Picnic Outside!

Our Little Tykes Picnic Table is on its last leg, but we are hoping to make it through this Spring before it completely collapses. We have been enjoying a lunch or two at the table, along with some yummy ice cream sandwiches and popsicles. I am hoping to get a new patio set with a table and chairs sometime at a garage sale. Trying to wait till the price is right, of course! The boys won't be able to slide into it as well, but in another few months Cade might be stuck in the little picnic table!