Ten on Tuesday

{1}

We had a blast at the WSU football game last Saturday!
Pics to come soon.

{2}
Thanks for all the love on Kendry's bathtime vocals.
This week he added the "Veggie Tales" theme song to his repertoire.

{3}
You should also know that Kendry plays a mean air guitar.
And just before he strums the first note he tells you:
"Its almost music time..."

{4}
Note to self:
buy the kiddo a play guitar for Christmas.


{5}

I do not advise waiting until the third day of your three day weekend to start what should have been a one weekend home improvement project.

This is what our front door looked like early Monday morning before we removed it from its hinges for prep and painting:

And this is what it looked like 12 hours later when we put it back on the hinges, obviously sans paint:

And thats all I'm going to say about that for today.

Except, that is, to ask if that green looks like lead paint to you?

Okay, moving on...

{6}

There is no way a slightly derailed home improvement project such as that is going to stop me from heading out for one last summer camping trip this weekend.

No way, Jose!

{7}

Coincidentally, the words "No way, Jose" came out of our kiddo's mouth completely at random last weekend.

A human parrot, that one is.

{8}

All helmeted up with no place to go:

His new wheels should arrive by Thursday.

{9}
Would you believe it if I told you this bike helmet fits both Kendry and his daddy?

{10}

This Week's Blessing:

An amazing long weekend with my boys, which included an early Saturday morning run on the levee followed by blueberry pancakes, a college football game, Sunday morning church and a beautiful evening spent around our makeshift fire pit.
I love my boys! 

Blogolution Update: De-Stumped

Just a little update on our progress out back.

Justin worked so hard, in horrible heat no less, to get that enormous felled tree cleaned up – a feat he accomplished just in time for our back yard play date with friends last weekend.

I think its safe to say we are set for firewood this year:

Mmmmmm…a warm fire in the fireplace on a chilly Saturday morning, with a hot peppermint mocha in my hands.

I am so very ready.

On Monday the tree guys returned to grind down both stumps.

Along with tire tracks all over our back yard, here is what they left behind:

To help you fully comprehend the progress in our back yard, here is a photo with both trees still standing:

{2008}

And here it is now:

{2011}

Do you think our ShopVac would work on this mess?


Yeah, I didn't think so.

The back yard feels a bit nekkid without the trees, but hopefully thats only temporary.

Happy Face

If you've known the Binder family (a/k/a my gene pool) for very long, you are no doubt familiar with the phrase "have a happy face".

Its a simple reminder to have a good attitude. 

A reminder that I received from my mother countless times growing up.

Now that I'm grown and can no longer be punished for it, I confess that sometimes this reminder only succeeded in fueling my bad attitude, and it may have even triggered a few eye rolls.

{Sorry, Mom.}

I blame it on teenage angst.

Or my sister Angel.

Which excuse is more believable?

{Love you, Ang!}

Regardless, the reminder stuck with me.

And now that I am a parent, the "happy face" has made its way into our home.

As most toddlers do, Kendry occasionally whines when its not necessary,

or displays a little bit of attitude from time to time.

He is familiar with the "happy face".

The other morning I prayed with Kendry before his breakfast.

We thanked God for our food and blessings, and asked Him to help us have a wonderful day, to obey Him and to obey Mommy and Daddy.

Following 'amen', I turned to walk back to the kitchen and heard Kendry whine:

"And happy face, Mommy!"

I had forgotten to ask God to help us have a happy face through the day,

and Kendry called me on it.

Just like my mother's "happy face" reminder, our Heavenly Father has little reminders for us, His children.

And that morning He used my kiddo to speak to my heart.

Have you heard this prayer?

Dear God,

So far today, I've done all right.

I haven't gossiped.

I haven't lost my temper.

I haven't lied or cheated.

I haven't been greedy, grumpy,

nasty, selfish or overindulgent.

I'm very thankful for that.

But in a few minutes, Lord,

I'm going to get out of bed;

and from then on,

I'm probably going to need

a lot more help.

Amen.

 

 

I am a total morning person.

When my alarm goes off in the morning I have that wonderful moment of peace and contentment.

The day ahead of me has so much potential!

 

And then I discover that Kendry wet the bed during the night.

Or I forgot to wash the load of whites and now Justin is stuck without a clean undershirt for work.

Or the birds in our front tree took out their vengeance during the night on my newly washed car.

 

But when I stop and take the time to talk to God in the morning, asking Him to help me through my day (with a "happy face"),

I can hold my peace,

no matter what comes my way.

 

A bad attitude looks good on no one.

And life is too darn short.

 

 

"This is the day the Lord has made;

I will rejoice and be glad in it."

-Psalm 118:24-

Bathtime Vocals

Eat your heart out, American Idol!

I Took His Hand and Followed

I Took His Hand and Followed

My dishes went unwashed today,

I didn't make the bed,

I took his hand and followed

Where his eager footsteps led.

 

Oh yes, we went adventuring,

My little son and I...
Exploring all the great outdoors

Beneath the summer sky

 

We waded in a crystal stream,

We wandered through a wood...

My kitchen wasn't swept today

But life was gay and good.

We found a cool, sun-dappled glade

And now my small son knows

How Mother Bunny hides her nest,

Where jack-in-the-pulpit grows.

We watched a robin feed her young,

We climbed a sunlit hill...

Saw cloud-sheep scamper through the sky,

We plucked a daffodil.

 

That my house was neglected,

That I didn't brush the stairs,

In twenty years, no one on earth

Will know, or even care.

But that I've helped my little boy

To noble manhood grow,

In twenty years, the whole wide world

May look and see and know.

-unknown-