conversations

We have quite a number of interesting conversations around here.  If only I had a recording of all of them!  Last Sunday at Taco Bell (of course!) we were discussing our various Sunday School classes and I was telling the boys that Mike and I had been studying Paul.  I made a comment something about the really cool thing of his story was that he was such a bad guy but turned into a really good guy.  Either Caleb or Logan asked how, and I said that God can change anyone's heart.  Wouldn't you know it, the next question one of them asked was, "Why didn't He do that for Satan??"

A few days ago Logan said something about not wanting kids when he grows up.  Levi's response (said in his funny voice), "But you could have one like me!"

peanuts

Levi had his well-child visit with the doctor today.  He checks out good!  (Not that I'm surprised.)  He is 3' 3.25" tall (87th percentile), and 37 lbs (91st percentile).  Those stats seem pretty normal after the way he was off the charts when he was born!  I have to laugh at the paper they send home with us - right where his height and weight is listed it also says, "Smoking Status: Never Smoker".  I sure hope not!

I planned to do a little peanut butter test while in the office today.  Almost two years ago when I gave him peanut butter for the first time he got hives about 10 minutes later, so we've been avoiding it ever since.  Last year at his check-up the doctor said we were just best avoiding it for the time being, he might grow out of it, and allergy testing is really expensive.  Wanting to know this year whether he was grown out of it, I figured the doctor's office was the best place to test it out, so I just packed a cracker with peanut butter on it for him to eat in the office.  No reaction!  Woo-hoo!

I always enjoy visits with this doctor.  He's very down to earth, laid back, not uppity at all, and good with the kids.  I don't remember how it came up, but today he made a comment about how his oldest is 18 and he thinks God makes teenagers a little difficult on purpose so that as parent's we're ready to let our kids go - I heartily agreed that God must do that with kids when it's time to send them to kindergarten, too.  :)

my baby is three!

Levi turned THREE a few days ago, and I can hardly believe it!  What a joy to have this guy as part of our family.  He's trying to grow up too fast, which I suppose is what happens when you have two older brothers.  He certainly doesn't just sit back and let his brothers walk all over him, which is what they try to do, of course.  Levi has a pretty extensive vocabulary, but needs a little work on learning his colors.  :)  He LOVES heavy equipment, and that was the theme of this years birthday presents.  Weeks ago he said he wanted a tractor and baler, so that's what he got from Grandpa and Grandma.  Grammy and Papa got him an off-road articulating dump truck.  We got him a Lego set of construction stuff.  Levi still sucks his thumb - I've told him he could earn a new tractor if he stops, and he'll try for a little while and then forget.  :)  And, even though months ago he was wearing underwear successfully, we still haven't got back on track after the holidays messed things up.  Oh well!

We love you Levi and love the special dynamic you add to our family!

How can you possibly resist this face when he asks for a second cupcake?!

moving

What a whirlwind April has been - I can't believe it's almost May!  There have been many, many hours spent working on the house to get it ready for the house movers.  We moved out one week ago, and I was more than ready when the time came.  The last several days of living there were getting pretty challenging due to all the digging that was done around the house.  The day I packed the camper was cold and rainy, and I had the privilege of making several trips through the dirt as my only way in and out of the house was through the garage, and that concrete had been torn out a few days before.  :)  We've been in my parent's house for this past week, and will be moving to a campground probably this coming weekend - Friday is the soonest we can get in there, and we'll just see what the weather forecast is before we make the transition.  :)  It's been a little rough with the kids as Mike has been spending any extra time he has over at the house, but hopefully that will lighten up soon.  There will still be some things for him to do, but it's been such a big push the last few weeks to get things ready for the house movers (who came today).

In between all that we did manage to celebrate my birthday.  My boys gave me a beautiful new watch, and a cool plaque with a verse on it.  We celebrated that weekend before thinking we were going to be moving the day of my birthday, but then that got pushed back.  So, instead of having to get moved that day, the boys and I just had FUN.  Went out to donuts with a friend in the morning, and then of course brought some to Mike at work, lunch with my parents at Pizza Ranch, and it was a gorgeous day so I just sat out and enjoyed the sun for the afternoon.  The next couple days after that I helped out at a garage sale that some girls at church were doing, that was interesting and a lot of fun.  The boys had fun playing with friends, and really did pretty well.  Between what I sold and what I bought (found some great clothes for the boys!), I broke even.  :)  Oh yeah, earlier in the week Caleb and Logan went to Kindergarten Round-up at their school and had a lot of fun.  They were able to meet some of the other kids that will be in their class and spend some time with their teacher.  I enjoyed meeting some of the other parents, and we had a little time with the teacher as well to ask questions and such.  Cannot believe I will have two Kindergartner's in the fall!!

It's been nice and peaceful in the house here as the boys have been playing outside since lunchtime...Ahhhhhh......  :)

gone!

The tooth is finally gone!  We were on our way home from the gym/groceries (in the driveway, in fact) when Logan said something about chipping his tooth or something.  I looked back and there was a hole in his mouth!  We were very excited, so I quickly parked the van, and then we had to search a minute for the tooth.  Thankfully we found it.  :)

K

Last week Caleb and Logan had Kindergarten screening with their teacher (now that we've decided where they'll go to school).  Caleb got himself in a funk right beforehand, and I pretty much had to shove him in the door, but apparently they've decided they'll still take him! :) Talked to the teacher yesterday, and a couple interesting things she said was that they both counted the highest of any of the kids - they both made it to 43 (she met with them separately, by the way).  Also, between the two of them they know when their birthday is - one knew November, and the other knew 29.  :)  Not a big surprise, we should work a little on lower-case letters.  I've noticed for a while that they don't know those like they should.

Logan STILL hasn't lost that tooth yet.  It's getting all pushed to the side and skeehawed from the tooth coming in, but it's not coming out.

Levi has not yet gotten back to where he was in the underwear wearing area.  Can't believe he was doing good for like a month, and now he's been back in pull-ups for a while!  And lately he's been crying wolf alot lately about having to pee.  Sometimes he insists he has to go, gets all set at the toilet, and then says, "Actually, I don't."  And most of the other time he just doesn't care and goes in his pull-up.  Doesn't make sense!  (What DOES make sense with an almost three-year-old??)  Thankfully, he's still good with #2.

cultured

The boys are watching The Sound of Music for the first time, and for the most part are enjoying it.  :)  They get a little antsy during some of the slower parts, but otherwise they are halfway through the movie and are still into it!

Mike and I are going to see The Phantom of the Opera on Saturday, and I cannot wait!  I just told the boys about it the other day and they're a little bummed that they aren't going, as they're huge Phantom fans, but I promised when they're older we'll take them.  :)