Ten on Tuesday

{1}
Got your Mother's Day card in the mail yet?

{2}
Progress!

{3}

I won a free photo session with a local photographer last week on my friend's blog. Hip hip hooray! And just in the nick of time too, as I want to do Kendry's 3 year photos.

{4}

I'm making something fabulous for the baseball birthday party this weekend.
Here is a hint:

Anyone fancy a guess?

{5}

In the absence of Picnik (now defunct) I am giving PicMonkey.com a try.

So far I'm loving it - although it appears they are a little behind in their collage capabilities.

{6}

Cilantro should be its own food group.
I love it that much.

Unfortunately, the cilantro plants in our back yard appear to be perishing already, and its not even mid-May!

Boooooo.

{7}

Mutton-busting practice for next year's fair:

{8}

The stuffed lamb above belonged to Justin when he was a child.

Kendry has fondly named him "Lambie".

{9}
This is our 300th blog post.
Craziness!

I feel like we should do something to celebrate.

{10}

This Week's Blessing:

Celebrating our little boy.

In his '3' birthday t-shirt and boxing with his new gloves.

Three Candles

To our precious Kendry Dru:

Today you turn three years old.

Three.

Daddy and I can hardly believe it - even if you do have the vocabulary of a five year old. 

If there is one thing we will recall from this stage of your life its that you talk non.stop.

And you like to perform non.stop.

We love you to pieces, Bud.

Your endless energy exhausts us sometimes, but it also keeps us young at heart. Whenever we seem a little drained, just know we're  trying our very best to keep up with you each step of the way. And if we occasionally roll down all the windows on the drive home from church to muffle your 10 minute repeat of "Your grace is enough, Your grace is enough, Your grace is enough, Your grace is enough...", rest assured it is done out of love.

You are still an early riser, but thanks to your trusty alarm clock you know to stay in your room until 7am. That does not stop you, however, from occasionally performing a drum solo at 6:30am, regardless if there are guests sleeping in the next room. (Auntie Amanda thanks you for that one.) When 7am hits and your clock turns green, you always emerge with a happy face and a full battery. If we are still in bed you love to snuggle between us, but never for very long. Your attention span is still pretty short.

Your imagination has begun to develop. You pretend to have a pet puppy, or you act like a frog or a kitty. Your latest game is to hide from a lion by shutting yourself in the bathroom; you are still learning why locking the bathroom door for this game is a big no-no.


You have an imaginary friend named Gink Gink Gonk who pops up unexpectedly from time to time. Daddy and I have never seen Gink Gink Gonk ourselves, but from what you tell us he appears to be a bit mischievous. With a name like Gink Gink Gonk I can't really blame the kid for acting out.

You love riding in the pickup with Daddy and baking cookies with Mommy.

You love reminding us that Jesus didn't stay 'in the cave'.

Your favorite books are "If You Give a Moose a Muffin" and "The Monster at the End of This Book" (mommy's childhood favorite). Your attention span doesn't hold for long with movies (not that we mind this at all), but you adore Veggie Tales "Dave and the Giant Pickle" and the "How to Build a Road" construction movie from Cousin Caden.

You still sleep with your bear from GG.

Your love of basketball continues to grow. You call yourself a basketball player. If permitted, you would wear your basketball shorts 24/7. You are undaunted by 10 foot hoops, and when you miss the shot you remind me that some day you will be tall like Uncle Dru. Just this weekend you gave me a speech about how "we always keep practicing."

You finally understand the meaning of the word 'privacy', although the last time you used this word it was to assure me that you, in fact, did not need privacy while you were on the potty.

You are smitten with mustaches and beards, pointing out each and every one you see, even if we're halfway across the restaurant. "Mommy, that guy has a beard!"

Daddy and I never worry about losing each other in a store because we can always hear your foghorn chatter. Its like our own family game of Marco Polo.

You continue to grow like a weed. We won't know your official height/weight stats until your three year appointment this week, but you wear 4T bottoms and are starting into your 5T tops. You wear a size 10 shoe.

You love rocking out on your guitar and using our front porch as your stage. You always open with "Hi guys! How're you doin' tonight? Do you wanna sing some songs?"

Always the entertainer.

We thank God for the strong personality He has gifted you, and pray that you always remember to be kind and respectful.

We wish you many more little boy days - shoes weighted down with sand from the sandbox, countless grass stains, wrestling matches with Daddy, and ripped holes in your jeans from driving your matchbox cars for miles on your knees.

May you never despise your long toes - rather, may they remind you that you come from two athletic lines of genetics, for which the long toes must deserve some credit.

We pray that you never lose your amazing enthusiasm for life and that it will be contagious for everyone around you, just like your smile.

May you keep the sprinkle of freckles on your nose and that tiny dimple in your right cheek.

Never stop learning, laughing, praying and singing.

Know and believe every single day that you are a true miracle and a child of God, and that He has plans for you beyond your wildest dreams.

Love Always and Forever,

Daddy and Mommy

Ten on Tuesday

{1}

Hooray for May!
A pina colada cake is on the menu for Saturday.

{2}

And a double hooray for my big brother coming home from Afghanistan this month!
Hurry home, Just!

{3}

I love this little goofball.

{4}

Baker that I am, would you believe that I don't own a standard bundt pan?

How's that for a subtle birthday gift suggestion?

{5}
My girlfriend Amanda surprised me with Martha's organizational bookazine this week.




As Amanda so aptly stated in the note that accompanied her gift:
"not everyone has organizing fantasies like us".

Girl, I love that you total get my crazy OCD self.
Love you to pieces!

{6}
View from our front yard this week:

Kendry is on cloud nine.
That kiddo LOVES heavy machinery.

{7}

Our baby turns three in one week.

I am looking forward to filling his bedroom with balloons the night before, so he wakes up to a party.

Then we're gonna make these cake batter pancakes for his birthday breakfast.

{8}
We may have home improvement projects demanding our attention these days, but do you think that stops Justin from catching every single play by play of the NFL draft while working outside?

Noooo, sir.

{9}
Rumor has it ACE is giving away another free quart of paint this Saturday, so go print out your coupon and pick out a fun paint color for that spring project.

{10}
This Week's Blessing:
A wonderful weekend with Justin's family in Q-town, specifically to celebrate this little cutie's 5th birthday. We love you, Pax!

Book Review: Boys Will Be Joys

Boys Will Be Joys

by Dave Meurer

GoodReads description:

Parenting is not for wimps. When it comes down to it, sometimes parents just have to wing it, says Dave Meurer, father of two rambunctious boys. In this delightful read, Meurer waxes humorously on the miraculous feat of raising boys and staying sane at the same time.

My Review:

I snatched up this funny read while it was a Kindle freebie last month. I am always on the lookout for great Christian parenting books - and parenting boys books are even better. I cannot remember the last time I laughed so hard reading a book, particularly in the first few chapters. While the author doesn't dive into any new and deep parenting concepts, I really enjoyed his insights. This quote really stood out to me:

"The Bible speaks of believers as "living stones" that are being built into a temple for God. I think that is an apt metaphor for parenting. Our kids are not widgits or robots or computer programs that predictably react to our "input". They are living stones. Of course, the comparison breaks down, because God is all-powerful, which is an extremely helpful attribute when you are dealing with living stones. Fortunately, God does not require you to make an entire temple out of these squirming, scampering, bouncing, and, eventually, driving stones. He is asking that you do your level best to set them on a solid foundation. Then He will do the heavy lifting. "

 

I only gave this book 3 stars because it contained more anecdotes than parenting principles. However, I loved the author's down-to-earth writing style and it is obvious he has a heart for God and his family. I would love to read more of his work.

 

 

Linking up here:

 

 

Not Just Any Other Week

April 22-28 is
National Infertility Awareness Week.

1 in 8 couples is affected by infertility.


I encourage you say a prayer this week for those who are still waiting on God for their miracle baby.

 

"No one ever plans for infertility, just as no one plans to be in a car accident or to lose their job. Life knocks you down sometimes. Life is not what you planned. But only you can choose how to respond to the blow.

 

The picture of my life and family as it currently exists differs significantly from the picture I had in my mind ten years ago. But if I choose to dwell on the picture in my mind for too long, I will miss the joy God has for me right now in this…dare I say?...wonderful infertile life."

-excerpt from my recent essay-

I share this video each year because it has a special place in my heart. Singer Kellie Coffey captures the emotions of infertility so well.