Hot Chocolate by the Fire

These boys will use anything as an excuse for hot chocolate. 

We've had more cold weather in the past two months than we had all winter last year.

Seems I'm the only one who's noticed. I wear a sweatshirt, they go naked.

Something so simple that makes us all happy - them for the chocolate, but me for the precious memories.

Judah's Three!

With every single birthday that comes for my boys (and for me!), I have a moment of, "Really? Already?"  Somehow, even though the days can be long at times, the years are strangely short.  My baby is three.  He is not a baby anymore.

After a family Christmas dinner we celebrated with cake and presents.

Intense concentration.

So, what does this three year old do these days?  Run. Jump. Climb. Tackle. Wrestle. Challenge. Persevere. Laugh. Scream. Snuggle. Kiss. Hug. Build. Destroy. Dance. Sing. Share. Snatch. Wiggle. Love.

One thing I can say about Judah is that whatever he does, he does it 100%.  There is no half-hearted emotion with this boy.  Which can make navigating going to the store - any store - tricky.  But it also makes my every day so much fun.

Judah's naps are coming to an end.  He can nap for about 30 minutes without night time being a misery. That is, if I can get him to sleep at a decent time.  Keeping him up, while challenging in itself, is easier than dealing with forcing a nap and then paying for it at night.  We're going to have to get rid of the bedtime passie soon, which I am pretty sure will end naps altogether.

Potty training is done!  We kept falling off the wagon until, finally, one day he just decided he was ready, and we haven't fallen off again.  There was a little trouble with #2 making it to the potty, but when he came back from staying a week with Grandmama in Georgia and she told me he never had an accident and always told her when he had to go, I was on to his tricks. After that, he figured out that just doing his business in the potty was more pleasant than dealing with me.

Judah Lee, you are my joy!  I have never thrown my head back and laughed before as much as I have in the three years of being your mama.  You exude life!  You know how cute you are, what a treasure you are, and I know that you will carry that with you.  You will know and understand what joy you bring to your Heavenly Father and just how much He delights in you.  Out of that understanding you will lead others into that kind of relationship with Him.  You hold His heart, and you will unlock the treasures of His heart for others.  I know you have already done it for me.  I looooooovvvveee..........YOU!

The Rundown of the End of 2012

Since my last post:

1. Thanksgiving
2. End of Year programs
3. Christmas preparations
4. Judah's birthday
5. The Plague
6. Christmas
7. Broken arm
8. New Year's trip

And I'm sure there are more things in there that I forgot.  I will (eventually) elaborate on several of those, and I have many times lamented recently at the lack of posts.  However, as I type my boys are outside screaming like wild Indians (completely politically incorrect, I know), and I'm afraid the neighbors are getting ready to call the police.  Or DCFS.  I must intervene.

Have faith, I will return.

Luke's Birthday Weekend

For his birthday this year, Luke asked to go to Clearwater Beach to visit the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.  If you've seen the movie Dolphin Tail, that's where it was made and the home of the dolphin, Winter.  We got a hotel on the bay for the night and swapped Judah for cousin Cole.  The boys had fun jumping on the beds, eating out and playing in the water.  And, of course, being silly.

 The boys collecting treasures.

 Proud of his find.

 Silly, I tell you.

 Attempt at a couple's photo.

 Their collection.  Every piece (Except for the seaweed. That, I refused.) came home with us.

 Friendly fella'.

 Okay, so maybe just Eli was silly all weekend.

 Yep, it was just Eli.

 The birthday boy.

 Spotted eel

 Rehabbed turtle.  It's back legs were damaged, so it was unable to be released.

 Winter

 Winter's prosthetic tail

 I kept waiting for someone to stop the boys from practically swimming with the sting ray, but no one did.  It was probably their favorite part of the day.  It was pretty cool to actually pet it, even if I did keep asking Kris nervously, "Isn't a sting ray what killed Steve Irwin?!?"  He ignored me.

 Nicolas was a true star.  He loved his audience (or maybe all the treats they kept feeding him for every trick he did).

 It was just fun to be with the boys and to be able to say "Yes" to Luke's request.

 When we got back into town we ate dinner at Kris' parents' house and had Luke's favorite. Key Lime Pie!

 Judah getting his dance on.

 Luke really didn't care about having an official party as long as he got a cake and presents. 

It was a fun time for him and for us.

DeLand Fall Festival of the Arts

This weekend was the Fall Festival of the Arts here in DeLand.  Each grade in all the area schools had a piece chosen to be on display, and Luke's art was chosen to represent the first grade class at his school!

Okay, I need a moment.  I was sure I was going to be proud of his work, but I was not prepared to be stunned.  I'm not naturally gifted in the arts (understatement), so the fact that the child who created this art and the art below came from my gene pool sometimes overwhelms me.

 If I'm going to be completely honest, I had no idea that there was such a thing as "Chalk and Glue" media.

 The artwork was being housed in the downtown government offices building where Kris sometimes works. The boys were being silly.  Their daddy is the best property appraiser in the county.