The Great Fuzzer Rescue!!

Last night was a night that solidified Aaron's place as a country man. You see, we've lived in the country now for about 3 years and he's worked on the country home, he's done some country landscaping, he's even thrown the ball with the boys in the tall grass of the fields. All of that being said, he hadn't quite earned his country badge. Not until last night.

Last night, I "closed shop" (stopped editing photos) about 12:30. I thought Aaron would be getting in bed soon after me, but I drifted off to sleep before he made it. What I didn't know was, about 1:00, Aaron heard what sounded like a little girl screaming in our back yard. He ran for his flashlight and took off out back. When he got out there, he looked into our chicken coop to see our poor Fuzzer (the bunny, who has been LOVING being in the big chicken coop),being shaken back and forth in the mouth of a fox.

It was not a girl screaming... it was our beloved bunny. Oh No!

Aaron sprung into action! He ran into the chicken coop, grabbed the aluminum lid off of a feed container and started hitting the flashlight on the lid and running towards the fox. (of course, as his wife who is hearing this story, I see him in gladiator clothes with a great tan and veins popping out of his muscles! lol)... The fox dropped Fuzzer, so Aaron took a big empty feed container and put it over him as he went to handle that fox.

The fox will now lovingly be known as "That Dumb Fox."

That Dumb Fox ran into the little house area of the chicken coop... grrrr. He found the tire that Fuzzer typically likes to sleep in and he wedged himself inside that thing tight. After some effort, Aaron finally got the thing out of the tire... for That Dumb Fox to go into the big area and forget how he had gotten himself in. He was jumping all over trying to get out.

Aaron, armed only with a flashlight and feed lid, had That Dumb Fox try to attack him a few times in it's fear. If you've ever been around a fox, those wirey little suckers are FAST.  Trying to keep the flashlight on him, and get him OUT was no small task!  Aaron had propped open the coop door and finally That Dumb Fox backed his way out the door as Aaron was walking towards him... and he ran away.

Our poor Fuzzer will live to see another day. He was shaken (literally), but not killed. We found the hole where That Dumb Fox got in (and many dig marks where he tried)... but we did not find a hole in Fuzzer! Thank God!  This morning, when the boys woke up and heard the story, I think they saw their Dad with the same gladiator suit and popping muscle veins as I did!

The first day we got Fuzzer... He and Joe were both small!

I love this photo... Fuzzer didn't even know he'd rescue him someday!

He doesn't want to hear what the fox says!

The end. ;)

Light Testing with the Boys!

Sometimes, I'll use my family to test out some new techniques I want to try with my clients. :) I was going to be doing my first maternity session in the new studio, and used the boys as my testers!  What I didn't expect was to see such muscle-y little fellas! I did show Joe how to use his other hand to push up his bicep on the last two images! :) He LOVED that trick! The photo showing his back, though, is all him. He looks like such a little man!

Funnies from Facebook...

Wow, it has been TOO LONG since I have added a post in here! My life has been really busy with my business picking up and the opening of the new studio in Worthy of Love. BUT, I just wrote out a Facebook status update that made me laugh and I realized I needed to write it in here too! I may just Copy/Paste some of the FB fun I've been having! :)

5-26-14

Joe: MAMA... Matthew was messing with my pile! He was about to hump them.
Matthew: Nooooo, I don't even know how to hump!

Aaron and I, in our rooms where they can't see, giggling with each other.  Oh these boys!

5-24-14... I saw this saying on FB and re-posted it with the added note: This Just made my decision... no need for a casket for me!"  The saying was: Being Cremated is my Last Hope for a Hot, Smoking Body!" Ha ha ha

Same date... I posted a little sign that had this saying: Behind every GREAT KID is a Mom who's pretty sure she's screwing it up!"  (SO true!)

5-4-14

Joe: I'm confused, you say one thing and mean another. 

Me: women do that all the time. 

Joe: I don't understand. 

Me: you're a man now son. 
Lol

4-29-14, a saying I posted and LOVE: "The reason we struggle with insecurity is because we compare our behind-the-scenes to everyone else's Highlight Reel"  <3 THAT!

4/29-14

As I'm waking up, joe comes crawling in my bed. 
"Mama, did you have a good night sleep?" I said Yep... He says, "good, I love you."
Awww.

2-11-14

Matthew: Mama, does the Bible say we should love our enemies? 
Me: yes. 
Matthew: That shouldn't be in there! 
Me: why not?
Matthew: that's just too much. I mean MAYBE we could like them, but having to LOVE them is just too nice!
Me: Well, you don't have to tell them you love them, but you have to treat them in love like God treats you in love when YOU don't deserve it. 
Matthew: Well ok then I guess. 

Ha ha! Life lessons while we wait for Joe.

2-9-14

Matthew: Mama, do you have any balls in your peepee?
Me: No.
Matthew: I mean, when you touch your peepee, can you feel balls inside?
Me: No
Matthew: They got taken out, didn't they?
Me: No, I'm exactly the way God made me.
Matthew: Oh, some girl at school told me her balls got taken out.

Oh the joys of raising boys!

1-22-14

I ran into an antique shop to grab something for a shoot... There was an old mirror caddy corner to me, and an older gentleman stood looking into it at my reflection. He said, "Mirror Mirror on the wall, who's the fairest maiden of them all?...Oh, there she is!"... lol Old men can get away with so much, I thought he was adorable!

I think that just about catches us up. :) There are some that came with photos that I haven't shared... I'll try to do some photo adding here too! :) 

Joe's Art: Mixed Emotions

For those of you who know my son Joe, Art is kind of his thing. The thing about his art, though, is many people see it as dark. Really, Aaron and I have had our moments of concern because of the depths of the darkness he creates. For me, I was mostly concerned when I saw bullet holes with blood dripping down... WHAT? He doesn't play "shoot-um-up" games, we don't let them watch shows with shooting etc... So, it is sometimes hard for me to grasp where it all comes from. I'm sure he sees some from school influences etc.

Sometimes, though, I can look at his work and see his heart. If not his heart, I can see his mind and the struggles of a little man trying to grow up and learn how to socialize etc. It's tough to know exactly how to "blog" what it is I am thinking because I know Joe can pick up my blog book and read it whenever he wants. Basically, I know life can be really tough on a 9 year old, and when I saw this drawing it touched my heart. If I asked him, he'd probably say it has nothing to do with how he feels etc... but in my heart I know it's the expression of an inward struggle and I'm so thankful he has art as an outlet.

I'm working really hard as his mom to build him up. To help the smiley face overtake the struggling one, and to remind him HE is EXACTLY who God has made him to be and we will work together when it's tough. When you see Joe, I hope you'll join me in building him up and encouraging him! Every child has their struggles and every single one needs to hear they are loved, they are good, they are EXACTLY who God made them to be, and they can keep on growing and learning how to be the person they are meant to be!

Spring Break Road Trip!

We took a last minute road trip to Kingsburg for spring break! Jacki & Charlie were supposed to spend the night at our house, but I asked Christina if I could take them on an adventure instead. So, just me myself and I took all four kiddos on a trip! (Yes, I AM crazy!) Here's a little video I put together from our adventure:


http://www.smilebox.com/playBlog/4e4441774f444d784d44413d0d0a&blogview=true

I hope that link works for you!... I hope you and yours had a great adventure during Spring Break too!

Unbreakable Water Balloons

My life is never boring. This blog entry had to start with that truth!

Last night, we changed time... we sprang forward, but I don't have as much "Sprang" in me as I used to. Unfortunately, the boys do and my husband is out of town for work! ha ha

I woke up to giggling. That is always dangerous! The good news is, though, that I'm fully aware of what giggling means and it helped me to get out of bed! :)

I walked out of my room, into the kitchen to see my boys playing with these:

 

What ARE they, you might ask? Well these, these are "Unbreakable Water Balloons." You didn't know they existed? NEITHER DID I!! ha ha

 



We went to Jacki & Charlie's birthday party yesterday, and the boys came home with empty balloons. Full size. This morning, while I was resting still, they filled them with water. Since they are full sized balloons, they are much stronger and not so "Stretched" as regular water balloons. The boys thought they were unbreakable and were throwing them back and forth in my kitchen! :)

That's one way to wake up... I hope your way wasn't quite so.... hmmmm, what word to use... "Ignorantly Inventive." Ha ha

Matthew's Peepee question...

Matthew: Mama, do you have any balls in your peepee?
Me: No.
Matthew: I mean, when you touch your peepee, can you feel balls inside?
Me: No.
Matthew: They got taken out, didn't they?
Me: No, I'm exactly the way God made me.
Matthew: Oh, some girl at school told me her balls got taken out.

Oh the joys of raising boys! ;)

Joe is 9 Years Old!!!

My oldest little buddy has turned 9 today. I can not believe how much this past year has changed him! I came across photos of his 8th birthday party earlier today, and put a "side by side" from this year together:

Jojo with his 8yr cake and his 9year cake!

Last year, he was 68 pounds and 50 inches. This year, he is 94 pounds and 53.25 inches.

This year he has decided not have a birthday party. He'd rather have one friends come spend the night and go bowling with him... so, that is what we are doing. Tomorrow night, his friend Armando will be spending the night (It's Armando's very first sleep over, his mom and I are hoping we wont have a 1am phone call to go home! lol).... BUT, Joe said he wanted to have a little family dinner, "So he can still have a cake from Aunti Christina!" ha ha... and that we did.

Here are some photos from Joe's amazing 9 year cake. This year, Christina and I came up with a plan to "trick" Joe... He had requested a crazy difficult cake... a zombie, standing up. He always challenges Christina with the creations he comes up with to request in cake form.  This year, Christina made a "Gag cake"... A smaller cake with a zombie just drawn on in frosting. She called my phone and left a message that Joe would, "Accidentally hear" saying that she was not able to make the standing zombie, and she felt so bad, and she hoped Joe would understand and not have hurt feelings when she brings it... When Joe "accidentally" heard the message I "Accidentally played" while he was near me (and knew he'd listen in when he heard his name! lol).... His response was one of the sweetest things EVER. Christina and I were concerned he might cry... but, he said, "Ok, that is ok, it will still taste great!" Awwww, my sweet boy.

So, day of his party, the Danners arrive. Christina gets out of their car holding the much smaller cake...

Joe, as you can see, was still very happy to receive an Aunti Christina cake, and told her he liked the tie!  She asked him if he would hold it for a second because she forgot something in the car. Someone else held it for him after a minute and then he saw what was coming: 

His face tells the story of the awesomeness to come....

Yes, that is CAKE! (I "doctored" that last photo just for fun)... That is an almost 3 foot tall CAKE! Joe looked back at us all with excitement and a look of, "ARE YOU SEEING THIS?"

We brought the cake in, where he continued to adore it, play with it, and eventually cut into it's head to eat it all up! :) 

This year... Aunti Christina outdid herself in a big way... I'm not sure what to expect next year, since Joe tries to make it a little more challenging every time! 

Happy Birthday to my handsome, funny, brace wearing, long hair wanting, blue eyed baby boy!! I love you!

Funny Conversations....

I just put a funny conversation with the boys on my FB, and I decided it needed to be here too!.....

Joe: Mama, everybody in my class... exactly everybody has a phone, and I want a phone.
Me: Awww... as soon as you get a job!
Matthew: (From the toilet in the other room) Mama, I think I broke my neck. Every time I turn it fast it goes down.
Me: Can you still move your legs?
Matthew: Yes.
Me: Then it's not broken, just stop turning it so fast!

Yay, they are home from school... the funky conversations and inability to do anything because of "Mama....."  ...  "Mama......"  has begun! lol

I'm NOT the worst Mom!!

I haven't shared before about a club I'm in. I wont share who the other members are (Cynthia and Christina know)... It's the "Worst Mom Ever" club. I recently invited another member, who has a sweet little baby girl. :)

Anyway... as moms, things don't always go according to our awesome plans. SOMETIMES things go according to our crazy kid's plans... and "The Worst" can happen! lol  When that happens, either because of our own.... um, well, "mistakes"...or things our kids concoct, and things just go completely wrong for one reason or another... we call each other. The conversation starts with out a "hello"... it just goes directly into, "I'm the worst mom ever because....." We share our stories and have a good laugh.

Occasionally the feeling of being "The Worst Mom Ever" is a bit too real and we actually have to encourage each other about how awesome we really are... but, most of the time, it's just a comic relief for the chaos of a mom with young children! (Which I'm sure will continue as they keep growing!)

Today though.... today, I am NOT the worst mom ever!! Today, I rocked! :) You see, it's the 100th day of school and Matthew has had his project ready for over a week. He created one of those rubber band bracelets, but did it with 100 rubber bands and made it a necklace. He's been wearing it and ready for the 100th day. This morning, on the way to school, he says, "Mama, when IS the 100th day?" I said, "Today!!!!, are you wearing your necklace?"..... No, no he wasn't. The first day in over a week that the kid was NOT wearing his necklace. REALLY?  He took it like a champ, didn't cry, didn't throw a fit, just tilted his head back and leaned it on his chair in disbelief and disappointment.

I did not promise to fix it. Typically, I'm a tough love kind of mom... if it's their responsibility and they flub it up... they have to live with the outcome. He knows that about me, and to my surprise, he didn't even ask for me to bring it back to the school! (We live 10 minutes from school)

On my way home, I was thinking... about how sweet he is, about how ready he was for that day, and about how much time he put in to making a necklace with 100 rubber bands with those tiny hands of his... So, I decided I was going to get it and bring it back to him. (Of course, I have a HUGE project I'm working on and it's due to the client tonight)...

I get home. I can't FIND THE DARN THING!!! Grrrr. I'm looking, I'm praying, I'm looking again. No go. BUT, I found his bag of rubber bands. Yup, this Mama who has a huge project due.... MADE A NEW 100 Rubber Band necklace for her boy!

I drove to the school, interrupted his class to "Borrow Him for a Second" and showed him the new necklace. I showed him how he can count by 5's using the green bands. He said, "But Mama, I was supposed to count to the 100, not you." lol I said, "Well, you did, but I couldn't find YOURS!" He smiled and said, "It was in Chewbaca's head. LOL... Grrr, why didn't I look THERE??

He gave me a big hug (just about knocked me on the ground) and he proudly walked back into his classroom and right up to his teacher to turn in his project!

Today... no matter what else happens... I AM NOT the worst mom ever!! (I know, I know, I don't need e-mails encouraging me... I'm never ACTUALLY the worst mom ever!... well, "never" might be a little strong. LOLOL)

Now... hi-ho, hi-ho, it's back to work I go!!