PRETTY PASTELS

so pretty~ pastels at Easter... the clothes, the eggs, the wildflowers everywhere... the little pink rosy cheeks... this pic reminds me of when he was little... he's still little~

54 eggs to color... lickity split... Coop could do about 3 a minute I think~ he didn't have time for the egg dipper~ I wonder if his thumb tasted like vinegar~ either way he still sucked it~

and loved hunting for eggs... I loved watching him

where are they looking? I have no idea~ I told them not to look at me... trying to make an artsy photo~ don't really think it turned out that way but this was the best pic of the 3 of them together

fIVe GooD thInGs

1. linen shirts
2. stain remover
3. flip flops
4. messy boy hair
5. wonderment

ciao~alicia

MISS KIM'S... MMMMM

You can find us every week at Miss Kim's... she makes the BEST donuts ever and has known our family for over 3 years... when we started hanging out here Nate could not even walk... memories... Miss Kim is a darling~ always smiling... always sweet visiting with her~ and she does cool stuff like go to the Korean Market in Dallas... I told her I want to tag along some time... she asks Nate every week if she can take Nasher to her house~ you should see the look on Nate's face... it's a mix of yes and no... with a nervous giggle... as much as he loves Miss Kim I think he's a little unsure about that one!

Nate has renamed this donut... THE MONSTER DONUT!!!... He orders it by his name of course!

Will Nate always make my coffee? I hope so!

I want this pic forever burned in my memory... good times...

If you are reading~ we love you Miss Kim!!

fiVE GoOd ThINgs

1. small towns where everybody knows your name;)
2. sprinkles... always makes the boys smile!
3. tons of art supplies... even though they are overtaking my kitchen... time for some organizing!
4. crazy 8 games with Nate
5. bible time with Christopher... he's looking up verses now... so big

ciao~alicia

THE GRAND PRIX

Winner Dad~Son project!!! The boys made pinewood derby cars for the big race in Awanas... Cooper is not old enough for Awanas but made one too... and what a surprise he was in for!

step 1~ cut and sand the car... and yes, Christopher LOVES silly bands... he can tell you how many are on his arm any day of the week~ I have to make him take them off some days so that whatever might grow in there dries out;)

step 2~ paint them as original as you can using your best imagination.... we took them to Home Depot to pick out their paint colors... so fun! and they have these little sample jars in hundreds of colors... after much thought we had some beauties!

Nate had to have Ns on his and said the dots were just to make it look cool...

Christopher said he was going to paint his like Van Gogh... his fave artist of course!

Eyeing the competition...

Surprise!!!~ Someone saw Coop with a car ready to go and got him a license to race!!! He was the littlest and cutest racer there and kept up with all the big kids as he sat and watched his car go down the ramp... I melted... and wiped a tear... oh my boys!

AND.... Nate took 4th place out of almost 100 kids!!! Christopher took 7th and Coop was just glad to have raced a few times!!

Chris & the boys already have plans for next years cars!

FivE GooD thInGS

1. bummy clothes we live in most days that can take the stains!!
2. my squeaky dryer... means some stuff is getting clean anyway...
3. Chris teaching the boys guy stuff like how to sand wood
4. Cooper coming in from the back yard saying "Mama!~ I peed in the grass!" ~ sorry I missed that one... yes, it's innate!!
5. creative messes!!!

ciao~alicia

FARMIN

Meet Batman, Chix & Radio...

The best part... they live at Poppy's... fresh eggs to come too!

fiVE GooD ThIngS

1. kisses for chickens
2. dirty little boy hands
3. dirty little boys clothes to wash
4. sunny days shining on long little boy eyelashes
5. little boy giggles

ciao~alicia

FLaSHbACk pOSt 4.11.11

BABY

fIve GoOd THinGs

1. sleep
2. sleep
3. sleep
4. sleep
5. sleep

ciao~alicia

THE PINK SUPERBALL

Chris & I loved doing these valentines with him... of course Abby was first~ and of course her ball had to be pink... how does he know girls like pink?~ he calls Abby his best friend~ maybe they have shared stuff like favorite colors~ maybe he just knows more about girls than I think~ he's told me that girls like pretty things... he's told me girls are silly...

to be the only girl in the house gets funny~ to be the mom of boys is a gift~

he likes it when I fix my hair & asks me to wear it down when it's up... he always notices when I change my toe nail polish and always asks me why I paint my fingers~ silly he says~ he fixed my hair for me the other day~ a clip and a headband~ I should have taken a picture... the next day when my hair was different he asked me if he could fix it again... these moments~ scrumptious!!

Five Good Things

1. hard lessons... sometimes so tough but so good to make them strong~ and me... later that night he got a stomach bug and missed his valentine party... disappointments make us appreciate what we have... I'm not so sure he felt that way yet as the tears flowed... I was glad I was here to comfort
2. thinking of others... a lesson we talk about EVERY DAY~ harder for some than others
3. my valentine card from the boys... little handwriting... presh
4. Beth Moore... started another one of her studies and already have had some aha moments!! LOVE her!
5. My sweet hubby ~ postponed our valentines day and came home ready to help with all the sickies... we all got it except for Nate... birthday boy was spared!

ciao~alicia

I LOVE NATE

Nate turned 5 today...

I can't believe it... he's so big and so little all at the same time...

my sweet Nate~ he reminds me to slow down... he reminds me to be silent but to be loud with what is really important... he reminds me that life is beautiful both inside and out~ around and in between... he is so beautiful~ inside and out... my sweet Nate Nate...

his sweet whisper wish... I could swim in this moment for a while...

Five Good Things

1. Nate's amazing gift to think of others... he would give you his last m&m... for real
2. Nate's amazing smile... so full of life... delicious
3. My weekly dates with Nate at the donut shop... the monster chocolate donut rocks for Nate and his smile is just as presh every time he sees it on the tray
4. Nate's little lego space ships~ I find them everywhere and they are so intricate~ they totally make me smile
5. To spend time with Nate is like a hot bath... you feel warm, you smell a sweet smell and you finish just a little more relaxed than before...

ciao~alicia

CHILLY CHILLAXIN

last week I got spoiled... the snow was here~ and of course this texas town shut down... Christopher & Chris were home... dreamy...

.

so, it was a good day to...

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lick sugar off the counter from daddy's homemade donuts... yes, he is delicious in the kitchen~ he also made maple syrup...

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from scratch...

.

oh, how I love you ... let me count the ways... they were soooo yummy!!! powdered sugar like the snow outside, sparkly cinnamon and sugar & sticky maple... oh be still my heart

it was also a good day to...

help mommy put away baby things... to jump on the clean blankets right out of the dryer... to put funny things on Nasher's head to just look cute...

to do a puzzle...

to take a good nap...

& of course napping is better than cleaning up like you are supposed to...

it was the best day to...

do marshmallow art...

to help make hot chocolate to warm up...

to read a good book... if you have boys & haven't read this... you must!

& to make these petite red potatoes... too pretty... I just had to take a pic!

it was A Good Good Day!! .

Five Good Things

1. little hands learning to cut snowflakes... and decorating my kitchen with them... LOVE
2. late nights watching a little face
3. hearing my kids using kind words with each other
4. Cooper's "it's ok baby ~ don't cry"
5. 4 brothers... I'm still amazed!

ciao~alicia