God is ALWAYS watching (even in the bathroom)

Goodness . . . where has the time gone . . . . I could make a long list. I know I said I'd keep up with this blog and I've failed. But honestly, I failed on purpose. I realized that I wasn't really writing this blog for me, and that was the reason. I'll quote my long lost amazing friend, Alana, I felt like my blog was becoming the "Christmas letter" where I bragged about my kids, but never wrote about the "not so good things." I decided I was better off writing my thoughts about my kids in my journal as I have been doing. Funny, when I was in high school my best friend and I kept a journal where we wrote funny thoughts and funny sayings . . . nothing has changed--only now I do it about my children.

BUT---I had to share this story about Rebekah. I knew I needed to share because it's so funny and cute and this was the easiest way to share.

Rebekah (3) had decided that she is old enough to go to the bathroom on her own with the door shut. I said, FINE BY ME!! This was fine until I noticed toilets being stopped up and the toilet paper roll shrinking much faster than normal. Yesterday I discovered why. Rebekah has been using TONS of toilet paper and shoving it in the toilet (and she knew this was wrong). I talked with her about this and asked that she leave the bathroom door open until I can be sure that she is using the "proper" amount of toilet paper.

Fast forward to last night's dinner. Aiden was telling us all about Abe Lincoln (he's been learning about him in school). We were talking about Lincoln being called Honest Abe and what honesty is. This turned into a conversation about lies which turned into a conversation about God and that God always knows what we are thinking, saying and doing. I turned to Rebekah and told her that God even sees her playing with the toilet paper in the bathroom. She didn't comment about this, but Mike and I could tell that the "wheels were churning." She didn't look too pleased.

About an hour later she was getting ready for her bath and announced that she had to go to the bathroom (actually it was a "I HAVE TO GO POO POO"). I heard her going an" d then she ran into her room where I was and showed me a small piece of toilet paper and said, "this is all that I am using Mom." I praised her for following directions and followed her back into the bathroom. She finished going to the bathroom and looked at me and with a big smile said, "Now God doesn't have to watch me while I go to the bathroom anymore."

Lets just say it took all my will not to burst into laughter. Mike and I got some huge giggles about it after the kids went to bed.

Conversation between a boy and his Dad!

Mike gave Aiden a haircut this morning. Aiden sat like a perfect customer in his underwear while Mike buzzed away. When they were finished Aiden's chest, back and legs were covered in hair so Mike decided to throw Aiden in the shower with him. Mike took off his shirt and Aiden looked up at Mike's chest and said, "Hey, your chest looks like mine. How did you get hair all over you?"

Traditions

I come from a family rich in holiday traditions . . . eating beef stew on Halloween (my mom was convinced it would keep up warm while Trick or Treating--and we HAD to eat the whole bowl), drinking orange juice and taking our vitamin before getting to see what Santa brought, cutting down our Christmas tree, making cheese crackers at Christmas, cinnamon rolls on Christmas morning, homemade Birthday cakes, coke floats with cherries with my grandmother, collards and kale at Thanksgiving, laughing until we are crying while playing games at Thanksgiving and cuddling up to watch all of the holiday TV specials as a family--especially Charlie Brown. These are just a few of the many traditions started when we were young. My brother has continued these traditions with his family and I have been lucky enough to marry a man who loves these traditions as much as I do. We continue to carry these on and make our own. Last night we continued one long tradition of watching The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown. I had tears in my eyes as I watched Aiden BELLY LAUGHING on the couch at the antics of Snoopy and the gang. Such simple pleasures . . . What are some of your favorite traditions?

Changing times!

Rebekah and I were reading a Curious George book this morning. There was a picture of a Jukebox in the book. Rebekah said, "what's that, Mommy?" I said, "It's called a jukebox, it's like a big box that plays music." She sat for a second looking at it and said, "Oh, like a giant Ipod."

My how times have changed.

First Camping Trip

I've been slacking on my blogging lately! And I've got so many wonderful fall shots to share. Our first big fall event was our first camping trip (way too many pictures--and I have to share them all). We went to Big Meadows on the Skyline Drive for the weekend. This is the same place where I camped my my family growing up. It was so neat to take the kids and have them experience the same things I did as a child. The weekend was WONDERFUL! The kids absolutely LOVED camping and were asking when we could go back before we even left. Aiden LOVED hiking and thinks he is a hiker extraordinaire. We wore them out both days, so much that they were asking to go to bed before we were ready to send them. The sky was so clear both nights and we hoped to keep Aiden up so he could see the star filled sky, but he was asleep before it really got dark. I call that a successful day! :-) We couldn't have asked for better weather--although Mike and I did freeze the first night. The kids loved eating scrambled eggs at a picnic table and were really surprised when Mickey and PopPop surprised us Saturday afternoon by showing up. We took them on a little hike and they stayed for chili and "smacos." The funnies moment of the trip was when Aiden told a stranger that he had to go rest in his tent because he was going to hike from Maine to Georgia. We're already planning a spring trip, anyone want to join us?

Fairy House

Legend has it (according to The Fairy House Series http://www.fairyhouses.com/home.html )that if you build a fairy home and leave it in your garden, you might attract a fairy into your domain. Aiden and Rebekah were given their first Fairy House book this week and were immediately excited about building their own fairy house in the woods. Aiden spent Friday afternoon building his first fairy house in a stump found in the woods behind our home. We've spent the remainder of the weekend looking for items to add to our first fairy home. We picked up berries at the bell tower across from Luray Caverns and leaves and acorns from the Monticello Grounds. Today we gathered more leaves from the apple trees at Carter Mountain. Aiden is excited about his next project, a Fairy Boat for the creek.

Girl Talk

Rebekah and I were shopping in Target yesterday and were standing next to the bras when we had a little "girl talk."

Rebekah: (picking up a bra from the rack) You wear one of these Mommy.
Me: Yes, I do Rebekah. That's called a bra.
R: Yes, you wear a bra.
M: Yep--I do (mumbling . . . unfortunately I have to).
R: You wear them because you have boobies.
M: Yes, I do (at this point I'm looking around to see who is listening).
R: I don't wear them because I don't have boobies, I have minnies.
M: Oh you do--you have minnies?
R: Yes, and when I'm a mommy I won't have minnies anymore, I'll have boobies just like you.
M: Yes you will.

Rebekah then looked up at me and gave me a great smile and moved on to another department.