For the love of Lego's!

Joseph's mom is amazing. That woman has kept so many great memento's from his childhood. We got 2 boxes of Lego's in the mail the other day. Getting the Lego's was exciting because the boys love Lego's and we don't have very many since they are so expensive. But the most exciting part was that they were the Lego's that Joseph played with when he was a boy! Isn't that so fun! The kids actually have lots of toys that belonged to their Daddy when he was a boy. That's just so cool to me...



Above is a picture of Caleb, thrilled with all his Lego's and a picture that Caleb took of the spaceship he built.

Love and I have both been quite surprised at how much Luke loves Lego's. For some reason it doesn't seem like a wild enough activity to entertain that wild child. But he really likes them. A lot. And he's driving me crazy with them. He is still too little, so can't maneuver them as well as he would like and gets so frustrated that he throws the Lego's against the wall. At 6:45 am. UGH! He really is driving me crazy with the Lego's. Very, very crazy. If this continues, I may have to ban him from them...I'm already crazy and don't need to be driven further into the abyss!

He is Risen!

He is risen indeed!

Alleluia!

Caleb loved saying that yesterday. And I loved hearing it from his little mouth!

We made Resurrection Eggs together last year and I was shocked, when we got them out this year, at how much Caleb remembered. It was really amazing to open each egg with the boys and hear Caleb explain, by memory, the meaning of each item inside the egg. I think Joseph and I were both impressed with how much Caleb remembers and has learned over the past year. We talk through lots of things to the kids, read the bible with them and try to use the opportunities that arise to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. And I love how it is reinforced at their little school and at our church. They are learning about Jesus love for them and I love it!

My favorite thing that Caleb said, when explaining what the Ritz cracker represented was, "the bread is for his body and the wine is for his blood that he gave for our sins." Joseph and I were both just shocked and excited that he put all that together!

He is risen indeed!!

At church yesterday we sang, The Wonderful Cross by Chris Tomlin and I cried as I sang the words to that beautiful song. It's an adaptation from When I Survey the Wondrous Cross which was originally written by Issac Watts. The original hymn is gorgeous and Chris Tomlin does a great job too. Check out the powerful words to this song...

When I survey the wondrous cross

On which the Prince of Glory died

My richest gain I count but loss

And pour contempt on all my pride

See from his head, his hands, his feet

Sorrow and love flow mingled down

Did ever such love and sorrow meet

Or thorns compose so rich a crown

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live

O the wonderful cross, O the wonderful cross

All who gather here by grace draw near and bless Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine

That were an offering far too small

Love so amazing, so divine

Demands my soul, my life, my all

He is risen indeed!

Alleluia!!

Our Easter egg hunt at church

Here are some photo's from our Easter egg hunt at church.

I love the picture below! Check out all those eggs right in front of Caleb, yet he is intently staring at the ground looking for eggs...all morning both of the boys overlooked the obvious eggs in front of them!

Case in point...check out all the eggs within reach, yet Luke goes for the obscure egg in the bushes!


Caleb and the Easter bunny. He's so cute! After he got his picture taken with her I said, "Wasn't that a cute Easter Bunny?" Caleb's response was an enthusiastic, "Uhhh-HUH!"
And this was the pose that Luke did with the Easter Bunny...Oh yeah, he refused to have his picture taken with that cute bunny girl. This was the little fit he threw! So dramatic!

Right of passage for Caleb and his mama!

The day that I had been dreading for 5 years came a month ago. I knew that it would come, but I just kept telling myself that I still had plenty of time and would deal with it when it came. And I have. But not in the way that I thought I would

When Caleb was a baby, I always said that I would never allow my boys to have guns. Real, fake or pretend, I was not interested in my boys having guns. They hurt people, kill and have no place in the Mad house.

And then Caleb turned 18mo. old and was saying, "bang" and shooting me with french fries. I ignored and admonished, but that didn't stop him. By the time he was 2 1/2 he was turning everything into guns...broom handles, wooden horse sticks, green beans... all became weapons. Now he has every pretend gun known to man. Obviously I gave up. But not without rules! Clear rules. There will be no shooting mama, no pointing guns at friends who aren't playing the game or don't want to be shot, and no guns at the dinner table.

Well, now the day has come where joseph asked me if I was okay with him getting Caleb a BB gun. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm. pause. silence. Hmmmmmmmmm. pause. silence. (BIG SIGH.) And then I had questions. What does that mean? What kind of BB gun? What would the rules be? How would this work? Do you really think this is a good idea? And he had some really good answers.

Joseph grew up in Alaska. Born and raised. He shot his first rabbit at like 5 or something like that. He was taught gun safety from day one. He grew up understanding the power of guns and proper use of guns. And he wants to teach that to our boys and someday go back home to Alaska and hunt with our boys. And while I don't understand that (afterall I am a city slicker!!) I completely respect it and respect him for wanting to teach our boys.

When Caleb got the news he was THRILLED!!! And that is an understatement. Here are some picture of my handsome boys.

This is what Caleb does even when he doesn't have a gun in his hands.

Daddy teaching Caleb the proper way to hold a gun. He didn't need much teaching.
Joseph made a target for shooting practice.

Of course, now Daddy wants a turn! There are some things that make men digress...playing with guns in one of those things.

Pure joy on my baby boys face!

And the sniper pose...Caleb's favorite!