I am sitting here typing while Ben is taking a much needed nap and the other two are doing something---I don't know what it is but I think it might go away if I ignore it--I'll let you know. Charlie wanted cookies this morning and had a full blown fit when he found out they had nuts in them. I made the dough a month ago and put it in the freezer for days like this, "Charlie wants a cookie day." I convinced him to eat one and he has inhaled two or three more, when I wasn't looking. When I go back in there they may all have disappeared but that is okay. I suppose it won't hurt them to have a little treat every now and then. I wonder if the sugar crash will affect their behavior the rest of the day, hmmm, nahhh--they will be just fine but it may alter my mood. Oh no, I hear the door opening. Charlie has learned how to open ALL of the doors and thinks that he can just out anytime he wants.....well they are not in the road, just in the backyard terrorising Ocee, our dogie.

What in the world have we been doing?

Easter, that was so long ago!





Savannah, my sister, spent Easter with us.

The boys always love to "help." I had really bad outcome with a chocolate cake but it still tasted good.

Maris spent-the-night with us and had to wear Wyatt's PJs and I am not sure what Wyatt was doing except making one of his many faces.

Charlie and Wyatt took swimming lessons again this spring and they did really well. Charlie loved and as you can see Wyatt cried the whole time but he learned to swim.

Ben is just happy that he doesn't have to get in.

Sometimes you just gotta play in the rain!

Ben likes to wear his big brothers boots and play with cars.

Our good friends kept the boys while we went to Mexico with our church and I am pretty sure they didn't miss us!

Charlie celebrated his 4th birthday and got to help make the robot cake for his party.

Ben seems to always have food on his hands and face.

Below are pictures of Ben's birthday, July 21st, and of his party!

He had some help with the indian look on his face!

Charlie likes to make rockets out of anything.

PawPaw came and did some work on the farm. The boys got to help and enjoy playing on big boy equipment.

These are a couple of the many faces of charlie, he loves to have his picture taken so he can make faces.

Ben is a happy guy!

Wyatt broke his toe when a John Deere 8020 fell hitch down on his foot. But some gummies made it all better.

Charlie and ben play well together and yes that is a pink sippy cup that Ben has and he is secure enough.

We had tons of fun at the beach last week with the whole gang and the boys demonstrated that the swimming lessons were worth it. Wyatt loves to jump in the pool and swim to whoever is there and turn and do it again. Charlie loved the waves the most and really got into it.

Robert's mom gave him this Fresh Air BBQ cap. I am prety sure that these two will be fans!

We are back online!

It has been too long since I have posted an update on our family. We are finally back online for me to do so. For a few days it was hard not to be able to surf the net but I got used to being without it and I have lived to tell about it. I didn't realize just how much I used the net.
Ben has since turned one year old and I will soon be posting some pictures of his birthday and cake on the face! Charlie also had a birthday--number 4! He helped make his robot cake and he helped eat it! This summer has gone by so fast and has been really HOT!!! Okay, check back in a day or so for the summer in pictures.

Baby Stuff that works for us.

I dreamed about this last night so I thought I would blog it and maybe you can benefit from it. I have had a couple of dear friends ask me about "baby stuff." They wanted to know what we liked and what we didn't so I thought I would just run down a list. I would welcome your comments and additions to what I say. So here goes....

About diaper warmers...we didn't use one. I thought it was a waste of my time and space. Before you say that I am a terrible parent for wiping hineys with cold wipes(sometimes hot if left in the car or frozen)..let me say this, my kids still can use their bottoms, they seem to be doing just fine and we are fine without the clutter.

Bibs: I love love love the bibs that just slip over their heads but if that scares you then the velcro ones are great too. When they start baby food you will need something like 5 a day, three for the meals and some to catch drool througout the day. Save the cutsey ones for church.

Wipes: We have always used the Babys R Us brand of wipes. The unscented newborn ones. No, there isn't a BabysRus for miles and miles but when we are near one we stock up. They are around $12 for a box of 6 and each package contains 80 wipes. They are great because they don't smell like a big ole pile of baby powder.

Powder: you really shouldn't use too much powder(babies don't need to inhale it) but we do sometimes especially on bigger bums. I love the target brand that is lavender scented, it doesn't take your breath away when you smell it or when your little angel sprays it all over his room and self--not that yours would ever do something like that--mine never have for they are perfect!

Cloth Diapers: we used Bumgenius cloth diapers. Yeah they stink, there is poop in them but we save so much money and they are super easy, much easier than the ones you wore.

Disposable Diapers: we use Seventh Generation disposables on the more advanced child, simply because I don't like big poop in diapers the little ones not on solids is doable. Seventh Generation diapers are cholrine free and they work great. I get free shipping from Amazon, through the subscribe and save program(it is free to join).

Breastfeeding:
I nursed my babies for as long as I could or they would let me. The saying, "breast is best" is true. You don't have to wash anything or fix anything, milk is always on tap! I have read that it might help your kids have 10 extra IQ points, mine need all the help they can get.

Bottles: we use Born Free, they are glass but I think they make some BPA free plastic ones as well. Their sippy cups didn't work for us but they may have new ones now.

Sippy cups: I always chunk them after the kids have chewed them up, plastic freaks me out, chemicals etc. I love the Sigg water bottles for the kids. You can get handles for them too. They will leak so you have to be sure you don't let them roam around with them, they work better for 3 and up.

Formula: we used parents choice with Wyatt, I nursed him for 7 months and Ben is now 7 months and on Formula, not my choice but for some reason I'm not the milk cow I once was. We use Earth's Best for Ben. It is more expensive but it is organic and soy based. I get it from amazon as well, subscribe and save is a great tool.

Baby Food: I made tons of food and we are using what I made. I also got some Earth's Best baby green beans and apples for Ben. It is hard to get the green beans fine enough and I haven't had the time to do more apples. It is really easy if you are up for it. You really just need a good blender and something to freeze it in. Watch out for the plastic ice cube trays, I don't know what kind of plastic they are made unless you cool the food before you put it in. This time I used muffin tins and lined them with plastice wrap, I cooled the food first. After they are frozen you just pop them out and put them in a freezer container and thaw them as you need them. Easy and much cheaper.

Socks: Gap and old navy have the best socks, the long ones. They are harder for them to kick off.

Clothes: you will find stuff you like and don't. Don't spend tons of money when you don't have too. Find a good consignment store and you can find some nicer things for much less. I do believe in brand new onsies, Carters has the best, not the wal-mart carters but the ones you find at the outlet or department stores. they are thicker and I learned from a friend that they stay warmer if you put one on under their PJs.

Pacifiers: they are from the devil but you should buys one of each kind and take them to the hospital with you. Babies have a biological need to suck until they are about 6 months old and after that just chunk it and don't look back. They will cry for a little while but they will stop and go to sleep. (Ben still has his, I am waiting until Robert has a few days off and then take it from him)

Okay, don't email me or post mean stuff about this next one, especially if you have not read it. I have to tell you how much Preparation for Parenting(Baby Wise) helped us. You don't get an instruction manuel with your new baby. What you will get is tons of advice and my advice to you is to get a plan you can STICK with and just smile and thank those that give of their advice freely. Consistancy is what will keep you sain. We are still reaping the benefits of training our babies to sleep on their on and getting them on a flexable schedule. It works if you do it the way the book suggests. Prep for Parenting(I recently learned) is the version that has scripture and written to the Christian parent and Baby Wise is written by the same folks but written to a "secular" audiance.

Ben is blowing on his arm right now and it is really cute.

I have a changing pad that I love, a friend had one and I love it. They can just lay on it as well. Patemm is now sold at Target. It has pockets for all your stuff and built in handles.

Let me think, what else can't we live without?

A blog: you gotta let us all and your family know what your precious baby is up to.

DBDs(DVDs) Charlie calls them DBDBs. Hermie and friends, Veggie Tales( I sit in church and when we talk about Bible stories they come to my mind in the form of vegetables but I always remember them. Boz, Bob the builder etc.

CDs: I love the collection of Bible action, sundayschool etc songs that we have, the kids love them and sing them.

Potty seat: The family potty seat is a good one. I like that it blends in.

Britax car seats, we have three of them and love them and feel that our babies are safest in them. I am a perfect driver but other folks are distracted by their kids!!!!

Nursing pads: Lily Padz are a must have. I must tell you that I am a geizer in the first few weeks andt he Lily Padz filled up with milk and spilled on me when I took them off. They worked for lots of my friends and I used them when I didn't have as much milk. I also like cloth nursing pads they are better than the paper ones.

That is all I can think of right now but I am sure something will hit me later, if it is super important I will post it.

Oh, just a side note, let your husband change diapers, feed the baby etc. If you are nursing, pump some milk and let him feed the baby while you sleep or shop etc. I know some folks are worried about nipple confusion, we started early with ours and they did just fine going back and forth. You will benefit from the break and even if he doesn't do it the way you do, that does not mean that it is wrong--unless it is--you know the difference. Your baby is a gift from the Lord to both of you. This goes for diaper changing too. Guys reading this let me just tell you a secret...most women don't know as much as you think they do about newborns---unless they have had one. You will be learning this together. It is an act of love to "help" your wife. I think it isn't helping as much as it is your responsibility too. Your wife will look upon you a bit differently if you step up and are able to do what she does, don't be on of those Dad's that is afraid to be left alone with the baby. What I said before about letting them do it their way, Ladies, fits in here. If you never let me do it or alway tell them they are wrong then they will give up lets encourage one another and LOVE LOVE LOVE--that is what got you this bundle of joy. Oh--be a team, make a decsion about your parenting and stick together, don't let other folks, even well meaning parents, devide you on anything. Remember no mean posts or emails--I won't take it well!!


If you have any questions just let me know and I will try to find an answer.

Much love to you all. May you have wisdom from the Lord, ask Him for it and it will be yours.

My newest sweetheart

I wanted to share these sweet pictures of Baby Ben on Valentine's Day, and of Robert showing Charlie and Wyatt a bit about engines. They might grow up to be gear heads or grease monkies but as long as its what the Lord calls them to do then we will be happy.

They're all in bed!

Okay, all three boys are asleep. Ben went down at 7, his usual time and the other two went to bed a few minutes before 8. Robert is at a wild turkey federation meeting and I am just catching up on some "stuff." It is a bit weird that there isn't any noise going on around me, I am not sure I know what to do with myself--maybe that is a sign that I need to do this more often!?

We went to a birthday party at the arts Center. It was an art party. The kids got to paint on a canvas and this is Charlie's creation. She may have told everyone the same thing but she told me that Charlie was the best in the class. We have it displayed for all to see. The colors are good and he is so proud of it. I just had to include this picture of him sleeping. His hair was standing on end and he was sleeping good! I also finished up the Valentine treats for our Homeschool pre-school party in the morning. The bags are the treats the other cookie is one that looked like a profile to me so I iced it accordingly. It took Robert a while to see the face, in the middle is the ear and earring. I think it has a receding hair line. I have been inspired by my dear friend Laura to do project 365. That is taking a picture everyday. I have done pretty good at remembering to take pictures and I have them posted in an album in my Picasa web albums.

As I sit here thinking about what to blog about, with wonder pets in the background, I notice yet another sock in the floor. How do they get there? Do they just wonder around the house at night while we are sleeping? I also smell a diaper that got thrown in the garbage can that is right beside me, wheww it ain't pleasant! That makes me wonder about the future and what it will be like to have underwear days only and NO diapees. Well I guess I should update you all on what we have been doing around here since Christmas.

Christmas seemed to have lasted for weeks. Our families all came down after Christmas and my Mom came the first week of January. The boys loved it because they got to open gifts everytime someone came. My mom fed Baby Ben his first yummy bite of rice cereal. He now enjoys sweet potatoes the best.

The same day Robert put a tie on each of the big boys and Wyatt demanded to wear his all day, don't let the happy camper t-shirt fool you, he is two and has a bad hair day alot.

Oh by the way that is a booger on his finger. Wyatt doesn't get grossed out by much and he doesn't mind getting dirty, really dirty but even he has standards. A booger on the finger is an emergancy for him, he will scream until you get it off.

Ben finally rolled over on January 12 but still can't get back the other way, I think it may have something to do with the chunk.

We also had a great opportunity to visit our local fire house and fire fighters. They were so gracious to let us poke around and crawl around in the fire truck, they even demonstrated how they get into their gear so fast. It was impressive. Wyatt, of course, had to investigate even the bathroom, which by the way, was spotless and all of the beds were made.

Last week we had the opportunity to go to the beach with my Mom and Auntie Ann.

We left Robert at home and took off for a week, we sorely missed him. The boys loved the sand and the heated pool. They played along the shore with no complaints of how cold the water was, we did have a couple of days of 70 degree weather.

Well the boys have had enough of me over here on the computer so I need to go and put the sofa back together and confiscate a baloon that is causing some issues. I need to say one last thing. The kisses and good lovin are worth every sock and various food item on the floor. Children are a blessing.