Week 44 of 52 - Super Heroes to the Rescue!

We bought the costumes weeks ago. At the time, I thought, wow, he will wear it one time, I could have bought an outfit for that price.  Then I recalled last year, when he wouldn't wear his mask, and wondered, did I make a mistake splurging for the "deluxe" version with cape and mask? Little did I know, he would wear it almost daily - costume, mask, and cape.

He wore it while watching a 1968 Batman episode on Youtube, literally dozens of times.

He wore it while eating a popsicle - he even let me put a towel over him to catch the drips.

And he wore it while playing with his little brother.  "Mom, dress Samuel up, make him be Wobin."  They ran and chased each other, finding something they could play together.

The costume is picked and grass-stained for tomorrow, but I will never forget this season of Batman.  It was worth every penny.

This last photo is one of my favorites of the year.  George was posing on the ramp, and without any warning, Samuel slides down the ramp, right into George's legs as the shutter clicks.

It symbolizes much of their relationship - George careful and deliberate in his actions, even at play, and Samuel crashing right through his days.  I believe their differences will help shape them each into better people.  It's our job to make sure they don't wipe each other out in the process.

Week 42 of 52 - Pumpkins!

We visited a pumpkin patch at a local church over the weekend.  I attempted to capture the season while we picked out pumpkins.

Most of our moments went something like this:  Here comes mom with the camera – RUN!

Other mothers see their child stumble and pick them up.  Moms with cameras see a non-moving toddler on the ground, do a quick visual sweep for absence of blood or tears, and hit that shutter button FAST!

So yeah, maybe I did say, "Mommy won't buy you a pumpkin unless you look at me for 2 seconds."

After we bought the pumpkins, we compared notes on our previous pumpkin carving skills and finding none between us, we did the only thing left to do  – head to Wal-Mart.   

We bought stuff we thought we needed but didn't, so learn from our mistakes: 

• Electric pumpkin carving knife - $5.87  USELESS.
  Would barely move through the pumpkin. George also had a sixth sense for finding it on every counter so we tossed it before the $5.87 knife could yield a $150 emergency room visit.

• Pumpkin Carving Kit ~ $3.87  A BIT USEFUL. 
  We used the little serrated knives and scoops.  All of the picks to trace the stencils broke off. So he used a tiny flathead screwdriver to tap out the pattern which worked well. 

• Stencil Book $1.47 USELESS. 
  We bought an extra book to have enough non-ghoulish stencils.  I ended up googling "funny pumpkin carving patterns" and finding these patterns!   This link gives printing instructions too.

What this sweet moment doesn't capture:  Walt trying to hear the Georgia game on the radio while saying 982 times, “No George, you can’t use the knife to carve the pumpkin. George, don’t cry, just let Daddy carve the pumpkin.  Yes George, when you are older, you can carve the pumpkin.  Get out of the floor and let your mother take a picture . ”

If we had it to do over, we would've bought him a little pumpkin to decorate with markers so he could participate more in that aspect.

Turns out Walt is quite the pumpkin carver.  He was disappointed he lost a tooth on Big Tooth Magee, but he did much better than I could have done.  (Sadly, I suffer from “I can't cut straight lines without left-handed scissors” craft-time baggage from childhood.)  We had fun and hopefully started a new tradition for our little guys.

Weeks 40 and 41: Toes in the Sand

We just returned from vacation.  As you may recall, we had bypassed an earlier beach vacation for our debt-free goal.  So now past Baby Step 2, we were very grateful for the time and opportunity to celebrate and take a break from our daily lives.

We visited Panama City.  Walt would have preferred to visit a remote barrier island with no signs of life, but alas, we chose a kid-focused vacation spot.  Needless to say, we were among the thousands of families who hit PCB for Fall break, but we really enjoyed ourselves.

I spent more time playing with my kids than taking photos, but here’s what I want to remember…in random order.

1.  The fabulous motorcycles and their riders.  Much to our excitement, PC was hosting a Thunder Beach motorcycle rally while we were there.

We watched them until dusk.

2.  My mom, our conversations, her laughter, and her delight in the Harleys.  No need to guess where I got my love for shiny chrome and loud engines.  Nor did I need to guess where George gets his ability to avert his eyes at the last second from my camera!

3. George’s delight in "the jumpy thing".  He asked to go to the jumpy thing at least 500 times.  We went twice.  He reminded me of myself when I get obsessed with something.

4. Samuel racing into the surf, too young to yet feel any fear.

5. The crystal-clear waters and the dozens of hermit crabs we found and tossed back.

6.  The duct-tape sign to claim our rented beach chairs in the most redneck fashion.

I made the sign after a confrontation with a guy who took our chairs.  When I asked him to move, he refused, and between drags on his cigarette, he used a certain 4-letter word as a noun, verb, and adjective.  I smiled,  prayed I wouldn't be the first victim of beach chair rage, and continued to stand over the chairs.

At one point, I told his girlfriend my mom had a bad hip (a half-truth) and we couldn't just go steal someone else's chairs as he suggested, we needed the ones on the end.  We got the chairs back, I marked them, and my mom limped every time we saw him.  We laughed the rest of the week about these folks and the conflict.

 7. Good budgeting pays off – we came back with $35 in our pockets.  And that's after several over-priced meals and giving into George's incessant pleas to "go back to Targets (sic) and get the Big Buzz and Big Woody" after discovering little Woody only said 3 different things and caused much frustration.  "Mom, do you remember the Big Woody?  Do you think we could get it?  Mom, do you like the Big Woody?  Samuel can have the Little Woody." 

8.  Our Creator greets and ends each day with His signature.  

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God. Romans 1: 20

9.  And at the end of the day, His love, care, and direction for our family is what matters - I'm thankful to have this time with them.

Happy Father's Day...

On this day, we celebrate dads and I have two reasons to celebrate.

 My own dad for starters. 

I could write a book of Dicky-isms and have most of what I need for living (besides the Bible of course).

He has a knack for calling it like he sees it.  Last year when I contemplated a 401k loan, his words rang in my ears, "You can't borrow your way out of debt."  I realized I needed to grow up, roll up my shirt sleeves, and truly eliminate debt, not just borrow from another source.

Calling it like he sees it extends to our personal characteristics.  From an early age, he told me, "You could argue with a fence post."  He was describing my innate ability to think and talk any particular topic to death.  A trait I've carried on into my adulthood, much to the delight of my husband.

He is one of the most generous people I know.  At times, he did with less to make sure we did with much.  Even as a young adult, he would slip up to me and say, "You need anything?" as he stuffed money in my hand before I made the drive back to Athens.  He may not have understood why I left my family, our mountains, and a full-time job to pursue a dream, but he went above and beyond to support my efforts.

My time in Athens ended with meeting my husband and now that we are parents, he rocks as a dad too.  I can think of several reasons, but three fun ones spring to mind:

1.  He makes sure we are well-fed.  Yes, I'm a dietitian who doesn't enjoy cooking. (Stop and ponder those implications for a moment.)  Thankfully Walt does enjoy cooking.  He was gone this weekend and we ate PBJs for three meals in two days.  We even ate them in the woods to "change it up" a bit.

2.  He thinks first of their comfort before fashion.  Samuel has been crawling in the yard in the last week. Walt dressed him in long shorts and high socks as he was concerned about his knees in our dry yard.

 3.  Whenever I don't want to play something, I can count on being able to say, "Oh, that's a game that daddy will LOVE to play with you."

Happy Father's Day guys!

Week 18 of 52 - Vanity and Maturity at Odds

When we considered what we could we could do without for six months, we agreed no new clothes for the adults.  Believe it or not, it was actually my idea.  We were rocking along just fine; I was even surviving quite nicely in the small segment of my closet known as post- baby-and- not-everything-fits-quite-right-yet.  Then an email from Facebook,  “you’ve been tagged in a photo”.

I scanned the photo and thought how pretty – all the lovely ladies from my church at a wedding we all attended.  Then I paused, who was that older girl on the end?  And what was she wearing? Oh my, that’s me and that brown polka dot dress, that’s mine too...except it just wasn’t as attractive captured there for all time.

Suddenly I realized – I still have Easter to go!  Then my cousin’s May wedding!   What ever will I wear?  This dress will never do…  I will say I did pray over my childish behavior.  And without hearing of my “plight", a dear spiritual mentor calls to tell me that she’s proud of me for the financial changes we are making and God put it on her heart to send some money to buy a dress.  I was quite surprised, thanked God, marveled at His provision, and bought a dress.  

Wouldn’t it be an uplifting story if it ended there?  But it didn’t.  I then bought another dress for the wedding because after all, it was also on sale and I wouldn't want the same people to see me at the wedding wearing the SAME dress.  Then the next day, I bought a third dress because it was one of my favorite colors and I had a coupon!  I reasoned, if it had been at the first store, I wouldn’t have bought one of the other dresses, so maybe I will take back one of those dresses.  But later decided it really didn’t make sense to return the first dress because after all it was on sale and I might need a third dress before summer’s end.  Oh and Walt could use a color-coordinated polo shirt… so in my shopping haze, I end up spending $150 of our dollars.

I like the dresses and while Dave Ramsey would never understand, I tell myself that maybe his wife Sharon would… sometimes you just feel better in a new dress, or three.

As for now, I will enjoy the dresses and work on regaining my focus and maturity with our finances.   I heard Dave say, adults devise a plan and act on it while a child just does what feels good at the time. So I am trying to take Dave’s advice and devise a plan – a plan so big and long-term that the goals are more appealing than what I’m not wearing.  I can only hope my maturity outpaces my vanity.

As for my photography project this week, here's a few:  couldn't resist a shot before pushing those toes back in the crib.  Not as worried about his safety as I was his sleep being interrupted by a stuck foot...

 

While my brother was swinging him sideways...

I joked that this odd shot may be our monthly family photo... Samuel, a blurry George, Walt's arm, my foot...

Week 17 of 52 - Easter Sunrise

Thankful for the chance to watch a beautiful Easter sunrise over those Smoky Mountains with my mom and G.  She commented that she almost expected to see Him in the clouds.  "And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.  And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other."  Matthew 24:30-31

I have to share something that warmed my heart this weekend. In my hometown is a Christian family that has worked hard and profited immensely from their efforts.  They have given back so much to my town - a performing arts center that showcases Christian recording artists and jaw-dropping local talent, a factory converted to a huge playroom for kids and restaurants, as well as multiple stores and businesses that employee many people.

On Saturday, they opened two buildings to the community's children for egg hunts.  This photo does not do justice to how many eggs were in this room.  Each egg was filled and many contained prizes for larger gifts. Perhaps some would scoff and remind this isn't why we celebrate Easter.  Of course it's not, but every direction my eyes turned, I saw laughing children. I have to think God was enjoying those smiles and this act of generosity.  Thank you Drake family for all you give to your community and how you shine Christ into the world.

Decided that starting this month, I will capture a family photo of us each month.  Here's my first.  Most will be just capturing life versus a posing moment, but since we were all cleaned up...

And a few more favorites...