Proud Mama Pictures

So, I've gotten numerous (well, two, actually) requests for updated pictures of our little J-Man. Poor child. So many nicknames, so little time.

Anyhoo, I'm not sure that you people know what you're asking for.

Maybe you think I've been lazy and not taken enough pictures of Baby #4. HA! Not exactly. I've actually been mercifully holding myself back from posting new pictures every day! Come to think of it, you people should be thanking me! You see, this child is one of the most beautiful children of all time. There are only three more in the entire world. Funny, they all belong to the same family. Hmmm. Go figure.

Well, you people asked for it. Prepare to be inundated with pictures of...

JU-JU!!


Awwww! I could just look at him for hours.


Looking Pensive.


As Ya-Ya and Bubba say, "There he goes again!"


Ain't it the truth?


He smiles with his entire body.

So, there you go. You know, now that I think about it...

No one was clamoring for a picture update of me. Hmmm.

The Tea Queens

I have a girly-girl. It's absolutely FABULOUS!!

This girly-girl's mama said to the previouly mentioned girly-girl, "Girly-girl, would you like to host a tea party for your friends on Saturday?"

"Oh, Mother, you are so good to me! This would be a dream come true. I will love you for always and obey you no matter what."

Well, it was something like that. Ahem.

Cut to last Saturday. Gi-Gi invited her two best friends to join us at our house for a loverly afternoon tea. Gi-Gi worked hard all week making illustrated menus and sewn crafts for her girls, as well as tidying up her room.

Mama was busy in the kitchen making fruit salad with fresh whipped cream, double chocolate banana muffins and chocolate no-bake cookies.


When our girls arrived, they were immediately escorted upstairs to become "queenly". This entailed dressing up, complete with giggles, squeals and downright screams when a little brother was pestering them by opening the door. :) The girls then proceeded downstairs to partake of their dainty tea.


The girls munched (or is it more ladylike to say nibbled?), delicately drank their tea with pinkies up and talked girl talk. Amidst more giggling, you understand. While having high tea, I asked the girls what they would chose for their own queen name, if they could. Let me tell you, their eyes lit up like fireworks!


There was some hemming. There was some hawing. Back and forth, back and forth. What would they choose? What would the perfect name be? Oh, the pressure!





So, may I now present to you...(trumpets blasting)


The Queens! In order, we have Queen Rebecca, the Benevolent. Queen Jasmine, the Just. Queen Rose, the Joyous! Our queens. Are they expecting us to grovel? I'm not sure I "do" groveling. Well, I could curtsy as a measure of politeness. I just hope my own Queen Jasmine doesn't forget she has to go back to making her bed and dressing herself.

All in all, I think the tea party was a success! I enjoyed it just as much as they did. And I didn't even get any tea.

Whaddya think?

I'm converting.

What?!, you may ask.

Yes, you read correctly. I'm converting.

"To what?", you may ask.

Well, I'm trying to decide if I go all the way or just dabble a little bit.

I guess I'm still working that out.

Oh, and by the way, I want to be Amish. Or maybe Mennonite (the Amish cousin).

Hmmm, what'll it be? Maybe I should think a little more about this.

I've always been attracted that kind of lifestyle, simple and slow. I'm amazed, especially, with the women and the things they can do. They cook (from scratch), clean (outhouses. Ewwww!), bear children (many times three times the number I have), plant enormous gardens (both for their own use and pleasure), make all of their own clothes, as well as awe-inspiring quilts, by hand and knit or crochet anything their family or other's may need. This, I'm sure, is only scratching the surface. Plus, take into account that there is no electricity (unless you're Mennonite).

Do these women have more hours in their day than I do? Where do they get this enormous amount of stamina to get all of it done?

Um, okay, so maybe this wouldn't work for me.

Let's face it. I'm not the Amish-y kind of girl.

Here's the number one reason I can't become Amish:

I like makeup.

Yes, it's true. I would love to think that I would be okay with being a natural. But, yeah, it's not going to happen! I don't leave the house without my face slathered in the stuff.

What was I thinking?! I mean, really, not shaving my legs ever again? Not a pretty thought. An outhouse? Oh, dear. Then there are my tweezers. They would have to pry them out of my cold, dead hands!

Planting a garden? This chica cannot keep a cactus alive in Arizona. Really. True story.

Plus, you know, I have to think of my family. I don't think they'd be so keen as to want to lose cameras, cd's, pink clothes (for the girls), beer (for the Hubster). Oh, and the thought of washing the cloth diapers. ~moan~

So what is a girl to do?

I've got it! I think I'll join a sewing class this summer. The first thing I'll sew is an Amish dress. *chuckle, chuckle, chuckle* That should take care of this crazy, uncontrollable idea!

Thanks for seeing me through this. Whew, crises averted!

Now, back to my blow dryer and nail polish. I'm back!!

Bubba is 4!

My Bubba. Oh, how I love this child! Here is (finally!)my birthday tribute to my son:


For many of you not familiar with Bubba (which is now, apparently, not a cool nickname for a four-year old), he is so darn sweet! Our first born boy... Oh, I remember the first time his daddy laid eyes on him, during the ultrasound. I think he may have been close to dumping Gi-Gi off of his lap when he jumped for joy at the obvious sign of a son. Even at that point, there was this incredible bond between the two of them. In fact, while I was pregnant with him, he would start flipping around and acting crazy about the time his daddy got home from work.


Life is not easy for a boy sandwiched in between two sisters. While he loves his sisters, he really loves being around other boys. Big or little doesn't matter, he just loves the surge of testosterone! Already, the sense of keeping up with what the other boys can do has pervaded his sense of boyhood. He's constantly sharing stories about what his older friends can do, and he's busy being impressed with their feats of strength.


Do you know how funny my son is? This guy has inherited his father's gift of cutting people up! He will do almost anything for a laugh and then do it over and over and over... We've just made it through the hysterical (and always embarrassing) stage of saying his random thoughts about people out loud. "Mama, that man has a squishy neck". He says this in church. Aye-yi-yi! "Mama, that lady has a big -"! Ahhhh!! Again, as we're walking into church. My hand barely made it over his mouth in time. Heaven knows, I won't be walking around in a bathing suit in front of him any time soon! That's a good thing for everyone involoved.


One of my favorite things about Bubba is his desire to do the right thing. When we can get him to slow down an think about what he's doing or saying (no easy task at times, let me tell you), he honestly wants to make the right decision. I love this teachable spirit of his. God has such great things planned for this boy, maybe using his love of music. (*When he was barely walking, he used to go into the laundry room and bounce to the rhythem of the washing machine*) He goes around the house singing the Sunday school song, "I'm In the Lord's Army". It sure is music to this Mama's ears (and heart).

Mother's Day

Ah, Mother's Day again. I love this holiday! Okay, I love almost any holiday.

I enjoy looking for ways to make this day special for the mamas in our lives. If it's daisies at the places at the dining room table or the special, lucious chocolate-dipped strawberry cake, it's fun for me to try to show how special Shirshy, Gramma and Nonnie are to us.




My favorite cake

We got to spend Sunday with Hubby's mom (aka Gramma), my mom (Nonnie), and my grandma (Shirshy). With so many moms in our lives, Mother's Day can be overwhelming for my poor husband. We don't go out to eat on Mother's Day because it's so crazy busy out there (not to mention expensive, although, our mothers are worth it!), so dinner is prepared at our house.




Because it does take preparation to prepare such a meal, my Mother's Day has a tendency to get overlooked somewhat. This year, I got smart! My special day will be occurring next Saturday. This way, Hubby and I worked together in the kitchen to bless both of our moms (oh, and Grandma, too).




I didn't forget about four of my favorite people in the world who were the one's to allow me to join the League of Motherhood.



I can't wait for my special day on Saturday! Wonder what I'll do. Hmmm, first thing is sleep in. Think that will happen? Naaaaahhhh! :) Maybe I'll get lucky and get lunch and a shopping trip. We'll see, we'll see.

Happy Birthday, Bubba!

I have much to do in dinner preparations for the birthday dinner, so I'm taking just a minute to show pics of my special boy. I'll do a proper tribute later.


Perfect blackmail picture!


So very handsome.


I love that smile!


Trying to sneak candy at the Easter Egg Hunt.


Happy birthday, my sweet boy!