Another Day in the Life of the Lays

Ahoy, mateys! Summer is upon us!

2011-05-30T15:54:00.000-05:00

Well, summer is here, and for our family summer means eating meals in a loud dining hall full of crazy kids, making new friends with our summer staff, and of course, theme night costumes! Tonight is the "Quest for the Key to Outback Island" so we've gathered up our best pirate garb and are going to set sail for another delicious dinner at camp tonight. Enjoy a little sneak peak...

Oh, and in case you're still wondering what our lives consisted of between last December and the beginning of camp...stay tuned. The regularly scheduled updates will continue shortly!

December 2010

2011-03-31T13:27:00.003-05:00

Hank turned 5 on December 1st! We are always in Tyler for hiring week on Hank's birthday, so it's become a tradition to celebrate his birthday dinner at Chuck E. Cheese's. We were joined by some of our sweet Columbus friends who were also in town for hiring week and by some of our sweet Tyler friends and family. Grammy made Hank's chocolate chip cookie cake with Lightening McQueen on it!

One week later, on December 8th, Tucker turned 2! We've adopted a family tradition of going to get donuts on the mornings of the kids birthdays, but because Daddy was sick this year, Tucker and I went to the donut store to pick up donuts and bring them home. He couldn't wait until we got home to dig in - he had to get a head start!

We were so blessed to have Grammy and Pops spend Christmas Eve and Christmas morning with us at our home in Columbus! We got all dressed up and went to the Christmas Eve service at church. Grammy snapped a picture of each of the kids in front of our Christmas tree before we left. Yes, our Christmas tree is tiny. No, Hank did not want to smile. :)

November 2010

2011-03-30T22:23:00.001-05:00

One of the biggest moments of November was Landry's first hair cut! I took her with me to get my hair cut so she could watch and know what to expect, then it was her turn! She was so tiny that even with the booster in the chair she was too short. Heather, the sweet gal who cuts my hair, knelt down on the cushioned booster instead and had Landry stand while she did the cutting. Then Landry got to sit in the chair to have her hair dryed and styled. She loved every minute of it and was smiling ear-to-ear. We got 10 inches cut of to give to locks of love.

The next two pictures don't have much of a story, I just think they are awesome. I think my cousin Haley took them with my brother Jesse's camera. We were taking big extended family picture at Thanksgiving, and Hank and Tucker were taking a closer look at the camera.

It's a rare moment indeed when all 3 kids are sitting still enough to snap a pic! Not the best ever, but awfully sweet! (Obviously this was taken before Landry got her hair cut!)

October 2010

2011-03-29T14:24:00.001-05:00

One of the highlights of October was our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. We were so excited to get to go to Pappy's Pumpkin Patch while we were in Tyler. I am convinced that this place is every bit as fun as any other pumpkin patch in the country and it is FREE!

We also went trick-or-treating in the neighborhood behind ours. This particular neighborhood closes off the traffic to their streets, and nearly all the kids in Columbus stop by to fill their goody-bags!

Is that not the cutest little puppy face you've ever seen?

I love the adorably awkward faces these two are making!

September 2010

2011-03-28T15:11:00.000-05:00

The big event in September was Hank beginning his first soccer season!!! Here in Columbus, they pack a lot of soccer into a short amount of time. Hank had just one practice, then 5 or 6 weeks worth of games with a game every Tuesday and Thursday.

Soccer for 4 and 5 year olds is a hoot to watch. Everyone on the field is within a 5 yard radius, with the soccer ball smack dab in the middle. Hank's tendency was to run around the circle of people just waiting for the ball to pop out of the pack...which it rarely did. And bless his heart, his shorts were way too big his first game so he was running around pulling his shorts up the whole time. He didn't get alot of contact with the ball, but he didn't seem to mind. He just ran and smiled and sometimes giggled! He did get one goal this season...in his own goal. But he seemed surprisingly unbothered by that fact. He enjoyed playing goalie on occasion, and was surprisingly good...like his Daddy. Jeff was one of the coaches, so that was special for Hank.

Landry and Tucker were great little cheerleaders for Hank. I just had a hard time keeping them off the field...

It was fun, but we were ready for it to be over when the season finally ended. Columbus doesn't have soccer in the spring, so we're getting ready to do t-ball instead. But we're already looking forward to soccer next fall...when Hank and Landry will be teammates!!! Look out Columbus!

has it really been over 7 months?

2011-03-28T15:10:00.000-05:00

So, I really have no explanation for why I haven't posted since last August. I've even had persistent reminders and strong nudgings from some dedicated readers...you know who you are - wink, wink! Anyway, I've finally had the urge to blog again, and don't have any idea how to pick up after such a long break. Sooooo, I decided to give a quick little review on each month since my last post to catch us up to present-day. I'll go ahead and post September's review right after this, then I'll do the following months here and there over the next week or so. Enjoy! And welcome back!

highlights of summer 2010

2010-08-18T22:08:00.002-05:00

You may have noticed that it's been nearly 4 months since I last posted. Most of you know the Lay fam well enough to know that it's only because of our crazy summer schedule. It has been a wonderful summer, and I could spend hours telling you all about it, but instead I'm going to attempt to summarize the past 100 or so days with some of our favorite pictures and stories of our favorite moments (in no particular order)...

highlight #1: our wonderful nannies

Deo was our first half nanny... We love her and miss her dearly! She was our nanny second half last summer, so it was fun to grow even closer to her this summer. She is back at school in Tennessee, but we are hoping to see her at Winterfest in December, if not before! Deo, thank you for the amazing ways you served and blessed our family this summer!!!

We also enjoyed a visit from Chrismiss, our beloved nanny from past summers. The kids couldn't quite understand why she wasn't our nanny again this summer, but they enjoyed a couple of brief visits from her, nonetheless. The picture above was taken with the photobooth program on her MacBook. Chrismiss is starting grad school at Auburn, so we will miss seeing her on a regular basis, but look forward to many skype dates between now and the next time we get to see her.

I don' have any pictures to prove it, but during week 2 the kids and I took a quick little "tour de tejas" to see some family (more on that later), but on our way to Keller, we drove through Waco and got to see Skwirlie, another nanny from the past! It was fun to have a quick little Chick-fil-A lunch date with her and to caravan part of the way to Keller.

Deo left after week 5, and our second half nanny wasn't scheduled to start until week 6, so we had the pleasure of spending a week with Hidden Treasure. The kids and I had a ton of fun with her!

HOP was our second half nanny, and was a wonderful blessing to our whole family! She was so creative and always so willing to help! We were sad to see her go when camp ended, but we also know we'll be seeing a lot of her in the months to come since she goes to school in Austin, only about an hour away! HOP, there aren't enough words to express our gratitude! Don't be a stranger!!!

highlight #2: being outside

Well, the weather since the last week of camp has NOT been conducive to being outside (heat index today was 110 degrees), but in the early part of the summer, we had some fun rainy days and some nice moderate sunshiny summer days. We loved being outside...

rain or shine...

highlight #3: visiting family and visits from family

During our "tour de tejas" we went to Keller to visit my brother Jesse and his wife Cassie and see their gorgeous new home. Thanks, Aunt Cassie, for taking us to the neighborhood pool! We also went to stay with my parents at their new barn-house on the Lucky 13! Unfortunately, I have no pictures to show, but it was a fun visit!!!

My grandfather, Dad-Dad, stopped by to see us on her way to Mexico. Always good to see you Dad-Dad!

We had a couple of brief visits from my parents. We always love it when Grammy and Pops come to visit!!!

And toward the end of camp, we had a last-minute visit from Aunt Claire and Baby Kay!!! And we even got to see Uncle Joey for a few minutes too!

highlight #3: birthdays

I am so sad that I don't have pictures to show of this, but as a gift to Jeff for Father's Day and his birthday, I signed us up for a couple's hands-on cooking class called Southwest Sizzle. We had SO much fun! We got to learn how to make some delicious dishes along with the other couples attending the class. At the end of the night, Jeff told me it was his favorite date he had ever been on with me!!!

Grandma Sharon also had a birthday! We took her to breakfast at Beckey's (a local diner-type restaurant) to celebrate her!

I celebrated my birthday during week 9 at camp. It was a wonderful day!!! HOP made me an adorable (and yummy) cake! (Sorry I can't figure out how to turn the picture the right direction.) The kids sang to me (maybe I'll upload the video of that for another post). I had lots of notes, cards, and phone calls from so many of you loved ones, and I felt very loved!!! When Jeff got off work he came home and made me chocolate mousse for dessert. Then he pulled out his lap top and played some cheesy 80's love songs and danced with me in the living room. So sweet and romantic!

highlight#4: camp!!!

Of course, one of the things we love most about our summers is camp! And what would camp be without the staff? This is a picture of the leadership staff. We loved getting to know all the college kids who served the Lord at Outback this summer, and we sad to see them go. Please keep in touch and come back to visit!

One of my highlights of the summer was getting to lead a group of girls each half through a "half-time" Bible study. We went though portions of a book called "Girls Gone Wise in a World Gone Wild" by Mary Kassian. It was such a privilege and such a joy to study truth with those girls. (And I highly recommend this book to any girl!)

As much as I love my summer-time friends, I am increasingly grateful for my year-round Columbus friends. It has been a privilege to serve alongside the other staff wives like Julie and Meg. One week, Meg and I got away for a pedicure to enjoy a little quality time together!!!

The last week of camp was a highlight for sure! It wasn't your typical week of camp at Outback. Mercy Street, an inner city mentoring ministry in West Dallas brought a group of kids to experience camp. It was so fun to watch those kids just soak it in and live it up! And Hank, Landry, and Tucker had a great time playing with one of their staff member's three kids...L.J., Coleman, and Ayla!

highlight #5: sweet time with the kids

We had our first family movie night (minus Tucker, who was in bed). We popped popcorn, ate movie candy, and watched Beauty and the Beast. It was a blast!

Hank and Landry got to go to VBS for the first time ever. They were worn out by the end of the week, but had a great time. I got to work with the fifth and sixth graders, and had fun doing hands-on ministry with some kids besides my own for a few hours that week.

Big news: we broke ground on the treehouse we've been dreaming about for months! But that's all the details you get for now...more coming soon in a treehouse exclusive!!!

And this will merit it's own post, as well, but let's just say we've had some sweet conversations with Hank lately. Some of them have stemmed from reading this great book "The Jesus Storybook Bible" that we read to the kid at bedtime. More on that later, too...

Well, that's our summer in a rather large nutshell. If you were part of our summer, know that we miss you and definitely want you to keep in touch! If you weren't part of our summer and wonder where on earth we've been, give us a call or shoot us an email. We're back into the swing of "normal" life...whatever that is!

flocked

2010-04-28T08:00:00.002-05:00

The youth group at our church has been having a fund raiser for their summer youth camp and mission trip. It's really creative and quite hilarious. You can pay money to have someone's yard "flocked," which means they end up with a dozen hideous flamingos in their front yard.

This afternoon I was picking up around the house and as I bent over to pick up something off the floor something purple in the front yard caught my eye through the front window. Yes, we had been flocked! Thank you Sam and Rebecca. I'm actually incredibly impressed at whoever the actual flocker was... I was home all day with my front windows open and I heard NOTHING.

I find it rather funny. The kids think it is AWESOME...built in pets, and so colorful, too! I'm not sure what our neighbors think.

Landry: "Look, this one has a necklace!!!"

So for $5 we can have the flock removed...but for only $10 more we can have the flock placed in someone else's yard. Hmmmm, revenge on Sam and Rebecca? Or "bless" another unsuspecting friend??? If you live in Columbus, you better watch your front yard!

One more funny side note: You can pay $50 for insurance that you won't get flocked again. Something worth considering, I guess. :)

splish splash

2010-04-27T08:00:00.002-05:00

Well, it officially reached 90 degrees earlier this week, so I decided it was time to break out the sprinkler!!! At the end of the summer last year I got this fun "Toss n' Spray Seal" toy for less than two bucks!

Supposedly the point is to try to balance the ball on top of the cone of water that sprays out of the seal's nose. BUT I wasn't even able to do it, so I don't think any of my kiddos would be able to either. But they get wet in the process of trying, so I can that's all you can ask for!

They were so excited to bust our their swimsuits for the first time!

Tucker had to take it in from afar before he was ready to jump into the fun...it didn't help that I woke him up from his nap to come out and play.

Landry was cold!

It was hard to get him to sit still long enough to get a good picture of him.

So it was fun while it lasted...I don't think we got in the 90's this day, so once you were wet, it was a little chilly. I'm not complaining...it'll be in the 100's before we know it.

Doesn't he just look like he's up to something?

bright sunshiny day

2010-04-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

We had been blessed with some gorgeous weather lately, and we've tried to take advantage of it by being outside A LOT! Here are some pics of our outdoor adventures...and an attempt at a photoshoot of all 3 kids...not my most successful, but funny nonetheless!

This is when I went and grabbed my camera...this wasn't even posed...so cute.

Oops...he spotted me! And yes, he is saying, "Cheese!"

I love that little face!

Watching "Thomas" the train pass by on the tracks down the road.

"Do we really have to do this, Mom?" I should have known it was too close to lunch and naps for this to be a successful endeavor.

Hank's tummy was hurting.

I put Landry's stuffed kangaroo on the roof to get them to smile and all look in the same direction...I think Tucker was more concerned than amused.

The smiles didn't last for long.

"Last picture, guys - I promise!"

"God created the"- earth day

2010-04-24T14:07:00.001-05:00

So, earth day was a couple of days ago. I was reading a blog post about a Christian perspective on earth day and could totally relate to one of the comments regarding the post:

"Wonderfully written! I want to teach earth day today to the kids, but I didn't want to do it in a radical 'the polar ice caps are melting the polar bears are dying and its all because mommy drives an suv' kind of way. I do think we are to be good stewards to what the Lord has entrusted us with. Thanks for the scriptures."

So, I decided that rather than focusing on global warming, saving the whales, or even "going green" I would use earth day as an opportunity to remind my kids that it was God who created the world, so we should enjoy it, thank Him for it, and take care of it. We read the creation story out of Genesis and out of a few of our children's Bible story books, and we read and worked on memorizing Psalm 24:1:

"The earth is the Lord's and everything in it..."

Then we headed outside where we went on a scavenger hunt to find things that God created...grass, flowers, bark, sticks...the kids found a rollie pollie, but since I was planning on taping our found items to a poster board, I had them put the little bug back. :) We had a lot of fun! While the younger two napped, Hank continued the project and cut scraps out of magazines to put on the poster. He ended up with a few categories...animals, people, water, trees, rocks, and sky.

It ended being a really fun day. It was exciting to have some added purpose and direction to our day, and I was proud to have taught my three little ones about how to be good stewards of the earth our great God created! If I had a little more energy I would have made dirt cake with gummy worms for an earth day dessert...but there's always earth day next year!!!

having a WILD time

2010-03-13T15:30:00.000-06:00

So we took a family outing to the Houston zoo! We had only been there once before, and that was shortly after the summer of 2007, when Hank wansn't even 2 and Landry wasn't quite 4 months old. It was a nice sunshiney, but cool day. We all had a great time...so much so that we decided it would be worth it to get a year-long family pass, so we'll have many more zoo adventures in the months to come.

Talk about deja vu...the pic above on the left was Jeff and Hank in '07...the one on the right is Jeff and Tucker on our most recent visit.

Best friends!

So big and so beautiful!

The sea lions!!! One of my favorite exhibits of the day.

Another blast from the past...Hank in the "eagle's nest" in '07 on the left and two-and-a-half years later on the right.

My boys!!!

A tunnel that goes right through the aquarium...so fun!

Three peas in a pod!

Landry trying her first frosty on the way home.

Hank doing the same!

brotherly (and sisterly) love

2010-02-23T13:55:00.000-06:00

One day last week, it was cold and rainy outside, so we let the kids watch The Fox and the Hound. Toward the end of the movie there is a rather intense part when a bear is attacking Copper, the hound, and Todd, the fox, is trying to help protect Copper. Hank has only seen the movie once before, several months ago, but he remembered when the scary bear part was about to come on. He turned to Landry and said, "Landry, a scary bear is about to be on the TV, but you don't have to be scared. I'll protect you." Then, Jeff and I watched in amazement as he completely of his own accord went over to Landry and put his arm around her. PRECIOUS!!!

He also ate a little snack with his "baby bwu-duh Tuck-uh" during part of the movie. Tucker didn't sit still for long, but this pic was too cute to pass up.

And, yes, I am humbling myself enough to show you the piles of laundry to the left of our entertainment center rather than making the attempt to photoshop it out...it's all about being real, right?

love

2010-02-23T13:21:00.000-06:00

Well, Valentines Day has come and gone, but not without a fun little project in the Lay household. I got a free subscription to Southern Living magazine, and when the February issue arrived, Hank immediately spotted the cookies on the cover and asked, "Mommy, can we EAT those sometime???" I explained to him that to be able to eat them we would have to first make them...and that is when the seed was planted in my mind. I knew it would be a monumental task..and quite messy, but that's the stuff memories are made of!

So Hank and I took one day to make the cookies while Landry and Tucker napped. The cookies themselves are o.k. on their own, but much yummier with the icing! The next day my friend Michelle came over to help me decorate...I saved a few for Hank and Landry to decorate when they got up from their naps.

I think the favorite part of decorating for both Hank and Landry was eating the sprinkles...by the spoonful. Nothing like a Valentines Day sugar rush. I think my favorite part of the whole ordeal was watching Hank decide who to decorate his cookies for. Upon my recommendation, he decorate the first one for his daddy. Then, he decided to decorate his second one for Landry. Then, as he decorated his third one, he said, "Mommy, I want this one to be for one of my friends. I want this to be for Walker and Miller - and in the morning we can take it to their house!" What a way to melt a mommy's heart! (For those of you who don't know Walker and Miller were some of Hank's best buddies back in Tyler). I explained to him that Walker and Miller lived too far away to deliver it the next morning, but he still decorated one for them. We were going to try to send it with someone to them or mail it to them, but considering the cookies are over a week old and still haven't been delivered, maybe we'll settle with emailing them a picture of the cookie.

And for those of you who are curious, our cookie making and decorating adventure turned out to be a fun and successful experiment. I loved the idea the magazine gave of cutting holes in the cookies before you bake them in order to be able to tie them onto a piece of paper, making them an edible valentine!

If you don't live close enough to have been hand-delivered one of our edible valentines, here is one just for you!

counting it all joy

2010-02-06T14:53:00.000-06:00

I was about to sit down to blog about the adventure our family just had when Jeff reminded me that this past adventure was only one of the many we experienced this week. Allow me to recount, if you will...

Sunday:
A fairly uneventful Sunday comprising of Sunday school, church and naps until... We are vegging out in the living room, enjoying playing with the kiddos and catching snippets of the Pro Bowl. Jeff is laying on couch. Hank is wrestling with Jeff laying on couch. Hank jumps on Jeff. Hank's teeth meet Jeff's knee. Jeff hears a snap. Hank immediately covers his mouth and lets out a blood-curdling scream. First words out of Jeff's mouth, "It's bad, babe." I grab a rag, take it to Jeff, then grab the phone...not sure who I thought I was going to call, but I was ready. Jeff looks at Hank's mouth to find one of his front two teeth slightly pushed inward...and a lot of blood. Once we got Hank calmed down, and our blood pressure to return to normal, we were able to think a little more clearly. I called our pediatric dentist office, got an emergency number, but decided to wait until the morning to call. We moved Hank's tooth back into place and just kept a rag on it to take care of the bleeding. The next morning there was still slight bleeding and his gum was badly bruised, but his tooth continued to stay in place and didn't feel too loose. The pediatric dentist office reassured me (they made it sound like they get calls like mine on a regular basis) and told me I could hold off taking Hank in unless things seemed to get worse. We have been blessed...less than a week later, it's like it never happened. One disaster averted.

Thursday:
Jeff wakes up saying his stomach didn't feel very good, but went in to work not thinking much of it. The kids and I meet some friends for lunch at McDonald's. All is well until Tucker "gives back" his whole meal as we were finishing up lunch. I didn't think much of it (other than how disgusting it was) and chalked it up to him gagging on a large piece of PB&J Landry had so kindly shared with him (bless her heart, I talk to her about sharing, then tell her not to share her food with Tucker...so confusing!). (Side note: yes, we were eating lunch at McDonald's, as in the hamburger joint, but being the cheapskate that I am, I packed PB&Js and milk for us, and bought fries to go with it!!!) Shortly after I get home and get the kids down for naps, Jeff comes home, still not feeling well, and with the news that one of his co-workers and his daughter had come down with a stomach bug. Yikes! Sparing you the gory details, lets just say all 3 of my boys had the bug!

Friday:
Can't get the CD player in the car to work...realized it was probably because the kids had "fed" the CD player some tortilla chips. Again, we need to work on the right and wrong times to share our food. Also, I realize our dishwasher won't drain completely. We tried some DIY fix-it tips to no avail. Luckily, we got a home warranty when we purchased our house last June - we'll be putting that to use come Monday.

Saturday:
Jeff is working the weekend out at camp, so the kids and I drive out to join him for lunch. Again, all is well, until out of the blue Tucker decides to "give back" his entire lunch again. First of all, I am very perplexed...he seems to be past his stomach bug and feel fine...his gag reflex just seems overly sensitive??? Secondly, I had not yet restocked the diaper bag from the aforementioned episode at MacDonald's, so I had no change of clothes for him. He looked adorable in just his diaper, but we looked like such a little red-neck family...sorry Pine Cove.

But wait, it gets better!!! Jeff was so kind to walk the kids and I back to the mini-van, then heads back to get to work in the dining hall while I buckle the kids up and head home for naps. I buckle Tucker, then Landry, and Hank buckles himself. I shut the side door, then I notice a bee trying to get in the front door, so as soon as it vacates the premises, I slam the front door shut to keep the bee out. Then, as I walk around to my driver's door, I hear a noise that made my stomach sink...CLICK! Yes, the doors locked and I see my keys sitting in the drivers seat. I have replayed this in my head a million times already and still don't know what happened...maybe the kids were playing with the automatic lock button before they got in their seats, maybe Jeff or I turned the key the wrong way in the door before we took the keys out, causing the doors to lock, maybe the locks just malfunctioned...who knows? So, the positive...it's a nice cool day...the thermometer on the mini-van mirror said 58 degrees as we were driving out to camp. The negative...as I look into the van windows to see how the kids were reacting to the situation, I notice that there are two bees inside the van. I'm not panicked (yet), but my mind is definitely spinning. I try to get Hank and Landry to unbuckle themselves. Up until this moment, I was glad that they can't undo the bottom buckle by themselves. I tried to coach them through pushing the chest harness buckle down and the wriggling out through the top. They just looked at me like I was crazy. And they start to panic about the bees. Extra key? Nope. Keyless entry? Nope. Finally, I decided I needed Jeff. My phone is stuck in the van, too, so I have to run nearly 200 yards (out of the kids view) to get him. I tell the kids what I'm doing, and start running...hear them start screaming, then I start sprinting. Get Jeff, sprint back together. I couldn't have been gone much longer than a minute, but by the time I got back, all three kids are SCREAMING! Jeff goes to work trying to get something in through the window to push the automatic lock button. I continue to try to comfort the kids and coach them through getting out of their seat. Every time one of the bees moves anywhere near the two older kids, they lose it completely. One of the weekend guests at Pine Cove walks by and sees what's going on and tries to help Jeff for a couple of minutes. Then he goes to get another guest who is a fireman. In the meantime, I realize that the kids are starting to work up a sweat. The van is is the sun, so I know it has to be getting warm in there, not to mention all the body heat they are generating with their screaming and crying. At this point I am starting to get a little panicky and want my babies OUT even if it means breaking a window. Enter the fireman. He asks how long the kids have been in there, and suggests we go ahead and get them out. They wrap a hammer in a t-shirt and break the front passenger window. The automatic lock button won't work, so Jeff has to reach and in open the door with the handle (cutting his finger in the process). Automatic lock button still won't work, so Jeff reaches across to unlock the driver door. I crawl in (noticing that it did feel stuffy inside), get Hank out and hand him to the fireman. Then I get Landry out while Jeff is getting Tucker out. The fireman hands Hank to me and I just fall on the ground holding my oldest two as they sob...and the tears start to come, but I try to force them back. The fireman looks the kids over and said they were fine - they were probably just upset because they were scared of the bees. Jeff takes the kids and I in to the camp store to get the kids some water...at this point I'm sitting on the floor holding all three of my sweaty, teary-eyed, red-cheeked children and I lose it! It all hit me at once...heartbreak over the look of terror on my kids faces during the whole ordeal, relief that it was all over, knowing it will be a funny story someday, and a broken window to top it off! Once the kids recovered, we talked about it a little bit. Hank, in true tough-guy fashion said, "I was just screaming to scare the bees." (Yeah, right!) And Landry, with her best frowny face, said," I was screaming and screaming because I didn't like the buggies and I wanted you to drive." And sweet Tucker just put his head on my shoulder. I think he was the least traumatized of them all...he just cries when big bro and sis do. We're home now and the kids are all resting. I'm still a bit shaky from the adrenaline, and I'm laughing about it a little bit. I think it will get funnier as time goes on. Other than the window, we are no worse for the wear, and maybe even a little bit wiser.

Notice the antenna...it's bent from trying to force it through the window seal. Also, the windshield is cracked from our entry efforts. And lastly notice the passenger window...or the lack thereof.

the missing window

the t-shirt wrapped hammer

our glass-covered floor board

Hank assuring everyone that he is OK...out of the car and front teeth in tact!

So, yeah, that was my week in a nutshell. I'm glad I don't usually have much to blog about...weeks like this can be few and far between in my opinion. And don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to complain...I'm trying to count it all joy...

"Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

perspective

2010-01-20T09:41:00.000-06:00

So, one of my friends wrote on her facebook profile that she considers this the "wiping" phase in life...constantly wiping noses, bottoms, counters, hands, faces, etc. I found that description rather funny, but also rather true. Sometimes I'm amazed at the amount of bodily fluids I have to deal with in a day. With one potty trained (yet still has frequent accidents because he gets too busy to take the time to actually make it to the bathroom before he goes), one potty training, and one still in diapers, that's enough bodily fluid alone. But when you add snotty noses, blood, spit up, and on days like yesterday - vomit, yes vomit, it gets to be too much to handle. I'll spare you the details, but yesterday I had to deal with vomit and urine mixed together. What?!?! Disgusting. I'm laughing...kind of.

Being the perfectionist and control freak that I am (yes, mom, I'm admitting it), having 3 small children is quite the challenge...emotionally as much if not more so than physically. I easily get overwhelmed by all the details: keep sick child away from the not sick children, sanitize everything, be consistent in discipline, sanitize everything, figure out how to help your son not be afraid at night, sanitize everything, dishes, laundry, spend quality one-on-one time with each child, sanitize everything, etc.

I love how when I reach the point where I want to pull my hair out and yell, "I can't handle this!" the Lord sends gentle reminders of truth to me. Reminders that I can do all things through Him who gives me strength. Reminders that my perfectionistic expectations for myself are not His (or anyone else's) expectations for me. Reminders that children are a blessing from Him. Reminders that I don't have it that bad...I have an AMAZING husband who is such a support and so involved; we are healthy (except for the occasion aforementioned snotty noses and stomach bugs); we are so blessed with a wonderful home, plenty of food, and so many other things I take for granted. My most recent reminders have come in the form of a couple of blogs written by my best friend from high school and her husband (her blog is private, but his blog is here). She is a doctor in the air force and was sent on her first deployment on New Year's Day. She left her husband and 18 month old daughter stateside. She recently wrote a post about how much she misses her daughter, with precious details about all the things she misses... She'd probably give anything to wipe up her daughter's bodily fluids right now. The most inspiring thing about their blog posts is that although they are being honest about the challenges they have in their lives right now, they are clinging to His truth through Scripture. What an encouragement, inspiration, and healthy slap in the face their words have been to me.

my prayer:

Father,

Thank you for the amazing blessing of three beautiful, healthy (usually) children. Thank you that I have the privilege of staying home with them and spending time loving on them, playing with, disciplining them, instructing them, and even "wiping" them. Give me the strength and patience to get through the challenging times. Give me the wisdom to be the kind of mom that takes advantage of every opportunity to point them to you. Give me the perspective to see the bigger picture in all things. And, Lord, be with my friend and her precious little family as they have their own set of very different challenges. Give them safety and peace. Continue to bring glory to yourself through their words and the ways they are approaching this stage in their life. Thanks for being big enough to hold all things in the palm of your hand, yet loving enough to care about the little details of our lives...you are truly my all-in-all.

Amen

...and he's off!

2010-01-06T21:22:00.000-06:00

Well we've entered a new phase in our family of five...we have three walking children. I'm not sure how that's going to play out when they all 3 decide to go in different directions...this could get interesting! Seriously, though, it's exciting! He's been taking steps since Christmas, but just today he gained the confidence to take several steps consecutively and to venture out on his own. Side note: the hammer he is carrying is one of 5 toy hammers of which he always seems to be toting around...probably just because he wants to be like Jesus...a carpenter. (ha, ha!)

Enjoy the little video clip. I really need to stop taking videos sideways...or figure out how to rotate them before I load them...anyone have any suggestions? I apologize in advance if you get a crick in your neck.

I'll try to get some Christmas pics loaded soon, but until then I'm living in the moment (see previous post if you don't know what I'm talking about!).

living in the moment

2009-12-18T10:12:00.001-06:00

Ok, so first of all, I'll briefly attempt to explain why I've done such a horrible job of updating the blog. My desire is to record every detail of every day, and until I have time for that, I just put blogging on the back-burner. Well, I'm slowly coming to the realization (duh!) that such a feat will never happen (at least not until my kiddos can do their own laundry, wipe their own bottoms, and fix their own PB&Js), and even when (or if) that time comes, maybe taking the time to blog every detail rather than just sitting back and enjoying every moment isn't the best idea anyway. So I'm trying a new approach: something is better than nothing. Maybe one day I'll back track and post stories and pics of our very fun fall (including my two boys' birthdays!!!), but until then, here is a small "snippet" of what is going on NOW...

So, Christmas is always a fun and exciting time of year, but it takes on a whole new look through the eyes of an incredibly enthusiastic four-year old boy. Unpacking the Christmas decorations, shopping for Christmas presents, listening to Christmas music, putting the star on the tree, setting out the nativity scene, driving around looking at Christmas lights, coloring Christmas pictures, eating Christmas cookies...all of it has been thoroughly enjoyed and treasured, by Hank especially. Of course, our desire is that in his enjoyment of this season, he is able to recognize the reason behind all the celebration. Hank has this neat kid-friendly nativity scene made by Fisher Price Little People that his Grammy and Pops gave to him on his second birthday. We put it away with the Christmas decorations each year so it is a special "Christmas only" toy. All 3 kids are loving it this year.

A two-year old Hank playing with his nativity scene at Christmas 2007.

Last night as I was putting Hank and Landry to bed, I sang "Away in a Manger" to them and explained what the words meant. I talked about why Mary and Joseph and Baby Jesus were in the stable with the animals, and how Mary probably laid Baby Jesus in the manger with the hay to keep him warm. Then Hank said, "And then did the angel come down and sit on the stick and all the stars lit up?" (Notice the top of the stable in the picture above...the angel fits on the stick-like knob, and when you push it down, "Away in a Manger" plays and stars in the background of the stable light up.) As I tried to remain composed, I told him that wasn't exactly how it happened and promised to read him the story out of the Bible in the morning, so we could see how it really happened. This morning we read the story out of Luke (I paraphrased on the spot), and it was a really sweet time.

For a four-year-old, he really is starting to "get-it". As we were driving around town looking at Christmas lights Wednesday night, my and Jeff's hearts were warmed by the following conversation:

Hank: I'm so excited about Christmas?
us: Why, buddy?
Hank: Because I get to open presents...but (mumble, mumble, mumble)
us: Wait, what did you say, bud?
Hank: but that's not what Christmas is about
us: That's right! What is Christmas about?
Hank: Jesus' birthday!
us: and why are we so glad that Jesus was born?
Hank: because he died on the cross for us!

Jeff and I just looked at each other in amazement! Praise the Lord, he's getting it!!!

I'm loving this Christmas season! Being in a new place, I feel like we have less commitments (aka distractions) than the typical holiday season. We have plenty of fun parties and events to keep us occupied, but not enough to overwhelm us. It's been such a blessing to take the time to truly savor this special time of year...and we have another week to enjoy it! May your week preceding Christmas be blessed as well!

An unintended "prom picture" taken when we went to see the trail of lights in the nearby town of La Grange.

Tucker wasn't so sure about Mr. Clause...with a look like that, I'm not so sure about him either!

crack me up!

2009-10-23T20:31:00.000-05:00

So, my kids give me a lot to laugh about these days! Most recently, Tucker was the culprit!

We went to church Wednesday night, and once we got home I decided to feed him a little more baby food since he didn't eat as much as normal before we left for church. I fed him a jar of sweet potatoes, then gave him a mum-mum (yes, that's really what it's called...I think maybe it's french for "a rice cracker with a fancy name so you'll pay big bucks for it even though it's not that different than a Saltine").

First, Tucker started a new "trick" - sharing! It was precious. He'd take a bite of his mum-mum, then offer me one, and so on and so forth. Too funny, and too cute...and I must admit impressively generous for a 10-month-old! I'd like to think he learned it from his sometimes-incredibly-generous big brother and sister.

Then, all of a sudden, he starts sticking his tongue out, like he had just discovered it for the first time. Hysterical!!! And I was lucky enough to catch a little video of it! Maybe it won't do as much for you as it did for me, but I hope it at least gives you a little chuckle and brightens your day a bit! (And I apologize if you get a crick in your neck watching it...I'm not sure why I videoed it sideways???)

And before I close...Happy Birthday, Pops! You are incredibly loved by a family of 5 in Columbus, TX! I hope it was a wonderful day, and can't wait to celebrate it with you (a little late) in a few weeks!

it won't be like this for long

2009-10-14T13:41:00.000-05:00

I apologize for my lapse in updates...I guess that's what happens when you live in a town long enough to "have a life." I'm mostly kidding. But, seriously, this fall has been comfortably busy. We took a trip to Tyler and I got to go to Denver for a wedding, and we've settled into life in Columbus, getting involved at church and enjoying time with our Columbus friends.

I have no idea how to adequately update you on all that has happened in the past month, so I'll stick with the important stuff...the kids!

Ten-month-old Tucker the Traveller:
Well, Tucker has been "inching" since before camp ended, but he is now officially crawling, and crawling fast!!! I've thought several times since I became the mom of 3 mobile children how I wish the Lord gave moms one extra hand for each child they have after their second. Actually, though, Tucker seems to be able to entertain himself quite well now that he can get where he wants to go. He is also eating some table food: lunch meat, cheese, cheerios, spaghettios, etc. And probably my favorite of his new talents is his ability to pull up...I LOVE walking in to get him up in the mornings or after naps and finding him standing there waiting for me. Oh what a blessing Tucker is in our lives! His huge smile, his bright eyes, and his cuddliness are almost just more than I can handle!

One of Tucker's favorite tricks these days!

I think he looks like such a little man in this outfit

don't worry...it's not a real lizard
visiting Grammy

Landry the Little Lady:
Our Miss Priss has developed quite the vocabulary over the past month. There's not much she can't say - and not much she doesn't. Purple has joined pink on her list of favorite colors. She continues to have a great appreciation for pretty things, and continues to have strong opinions on which items in her closet qualify as pretty things. I'm a little nervous about when the temperatures finally start to drop here, because I don't think Landry thinks pants or jeans are very pretty. We may be wearing a lot of skirts with tights, which I think will be a nice compromise that is both pretty and functional. Some of Landry's favorite activities include being mommy to her dolls (and Tucker), playing with play-do, taking bubble baths, singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, and doing whatever Hank is doing (or trying to ruin whatever Hank is doing, depending on her mood). I know I am quite biased, but I truly believe she is the most beautiful little girl I have ever set eyes upon, and we are loving teaching her that inner beauty is more important than outer beauty.

splish, splash!

one of Landry's ideas of pretty...the more bows, the better! and notice what's on her tummy...it was when she had the stomach bug and she wanted a band-aid to make her feel better :(

I put her in a skirt and tights on the one cool day we had this fall...I'm not sure what she's doing with her hands, but she's been doing that a lot lately

Handsome, Happy, Helpful Hank:
Hank never ceases to surprise me these days. I am truly in awe of how big...and smart...and responsible he is. He is growing like a weed...he looks so tall and skinny! He has an amazing memory and is learning so much. He can recognize all his letters now and knows what sounds most of them make. I have a feeling that sounding out words is just around the corner...hello hooked on phonics! He knows his days of the week, too...is that normal for a 3 year old??? And Hank truly is my little helper. Although there are occasional exceptions, he is so good at cleaning up after himself, looking out for his little brother and sister, and lending a hand when I need it (which is very frequently). I am so proud of him. Where has the time gone? I feel like it was just yesterday that Hank was the one learning to crawl and pull up and eat table food. My little buddy isn't so little anymore!

he's showing me the snail he found

so big, so tall (relatively speaking, of course...he still barely fits in 3T clothes and he's about to turn 4)

Pops is so funny!

So, if the title of this post didn't sound familiar to you, then you probably haven't had the pleasure of hearing the country song called It Won't Be Like This For Long by Darius Rucker. (Warning: it's a tear-jerker.) I'll end with sharing the lyrics, because they do a good job of summing up the thought process I go through often during these oh-so-wonderful-yet-sometimes-so-challenging days...

He didn't have to wake up
He'd been up all night
Layin' there in bed listenin'
To his newborn baby cry
He makes a pot of coffee
He splashes water on his face
His wife gives him a kiss and says
"It gonna be OK"

It won't be like this for long
One day soon we'll look back laughin'
At the week we brought her home
This phase is gonna fly by
So baby just hold on
It won't be like this for long

Four years later 'bout 4:30
She's crawling in their bed
And when he drops her off at preschool
She's clinging to his leg
The teacher peels her off of him
He says "What can I do?"
She says "Now don't you worry,
This will only last a week or two"

It won't be like this for long
One day soon you'll drop her off
And she won't even know you're gone
This phase is gonna fly by
If you can just hold on
It won't be like this for long

One day soon she'll be a teenager
And at times he'll think she hates him
Then he'll walk her down the aisle
And he'll raise her veil
But right now she's up and cryin'
And the truth is that he don't mind
As he kisses her good night
And she says her prayers
He lays down there beside her
'Til her eyes are finally closed
And just watchin' her it breaks his heart
Cause he already knows

It won't be like this for long
One day soon that little girl is gonna be
All grown up and gone
Yeah this phase is gonna fly by
He's tryin' to hold on
It won't be like this for long
It won't be like this for long

(you can watch the video of this song at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53Rm-Vgf7h8)

Oh, Lord, may I be willing to cherish the challenging moments right there along with the cheerful ones...May I make the most of every opportunity and savor every experience, recognizing them as a blessing from You!

sigh of relief

2009-08-30T22:30:00.000-05:00

So, the summer has come to an end. We have gotten past the withdrawals of missing our summer camp family (not that we don't miss y'all...it's just sunk in that y'all don't live here anymore), and are easing into the fall - if you can call it that. With the temperatures still in the upper nineties, it's hard to believe fall will ever arrive, but I'm holding on to hope. We've enjoyed time together as a family and a few quick day trips to Katy and Austin. We've spent time with our year-round Columbus friends, and even made some new ones! We've begun to discuss what a typical week will look like this fall and are getting plugged in to some fun opportunities at church and in the community. And if you know me at all, you know that I can't just sit back and enjoy a nice relaxed pace...there's always more to do! So here's just part of my fall to-do list:

get rid of Landry's pacifier
get Tucker sleeping in his crib (in Hank's room) at night
paint the built-in cabinets in our dining area
lose 15 pounds
potty train Landry

Ummm, I'm tired just thinking about all that I have to do! Actually, though, it's exciting. I know there will be hard days, but the results will be rewarding. And really there's nothing I'd rather be doing than spending time investing in my family and home that the Lord has so richly blessed me with. Let the adventures begin!

(Updates on the kids, more pics, and maybe even some videos coming soon! I tried to include a video on this one, but it's not working right now for some reason...)

five

2009-08-21T21:38:00.000-05:00

Well, it's way past time to post again, and I have all kinds of things to write about and a few cute new pictures to share (all of which WILL come in the next few days...I promise), but for now I want to focus on the milestone which tomorrow will mark - five years of marriage for Jeff and I!!! What a five years it has been, full of so many happy moments and some exciting adventures. I often look at my life and think, "Wow! How did I get here?", and I wouldn't trade it for anything. And there's no one in the world I would have rather shared it with. In honor of our five years of marriage and to attempt to express my appreciation for my beloved, here are 10 of my favorite things about Jeff (in no particular order):

He has such a genuine compassion and concern for others. I love the way he cares about people...and the way it motivates me to care about people. I love that he shares generously when he sees a need.
He knows how to have fun. "Young at heart" is definitely an accurate way to describe Jeff. Playing and being silly is one of the things he does best, which makes him an amazing dad and an incredibly fun husband.
He's a manly man. Forget v-necks and skinny jeans - he looks HOT in his t-shirts and gym shorts. I love that he portrays what biblical manhood looks like and has a passion for seeing the younger generations of men (including Hank and Tucker) grasp that concept, as well. And the fact that he's a Brett Favre look-alike doesn't hurt anything either.
He'll sacrifice anything for the good of our family. He sold his maroon dodge ram truck so we could get a mini-van...need I say more? I love that he truly is a family man, not just in word but also in deed.
He's a dreamer. I love the times that we sit side by side and talk about what our lives might look like in 20 years. I love his imagination and his ability to dream big. I'm excited to see where the Lord leads us in the days to come and to see which of our dreams come true.
He makes me feel like "it's all going to be ok." On those days when I'm anxious and fretting (usually because I'm failing to trust the Lord), Jeff's great big bear hugs (and his gentle reminder of the Lord's promises) are all I need to get through.
He loves with a Christ-like love. I so appreciate that Jeff loves me, and our kids, and his staff at camp, etc. enough to love us with a true, deep, Christ-like love. A love that isn't always a warm-fuzzy kind of love (although it often is), but is loving enough be challenging and tough when necessary in order to foster growth. Seeing him discipline our kids out of this love is one of the most attractive things to me.
He is loyal. A die-hard Aggie. Anything but a fair-weather Cowboy and Ranger fan. Just finished his 14th summer at Pine Cove. Ask any of Jeff's friends, loyalty is something Jeff is known for. And what a comforting trait to have in a spouse! I love his desire to remain faithful to me, and all the steps he takes to do that.
He is a servant. He helps around the house. He is incredibly helpful with the kids. He even cooks...often...and he's exceptionally good at it (yes, I'm a lucky woman!). What a servant's heart he has - one that inspires me to serve him in return (although there's no way I can keep up!) and seek to serve others in my life.
He truly is a man after God's own heart. Jeff made it clear when we were dating that I would never be more important to him that the Lord is...and that has remained true. I love that! I love that Jeff desires to learn and grow and be the man God desires him to be. There's a Toby Mac song with the lyrics, "I gonna be a daddy who's in the mix, and I'm gonna be a husband that stays legit." I tear up every time I hear that song on the radio because it makes me think of Jeff and how he truly desires to please the Lord with the way he prioritizes and lives his life.

So, there you have. The list could go on and on, but I have to cut if off somewhere! I don't know why the Lord chose to bless me with Jeff, but I'm so glad He did! And I'm so grateful for ALL that the past five years have held, the good and the challenging. I'm excited to see what the next five years have in store for us...and the five after that...and the five after that...etc...

I love you Jeffery Dean Lay, even more than I did five years ago when I walked down that aisle and said, "I do." And just so you know, I still do.

country livin' is the life for us...sometimes

2009-08-09T14:53:00.000-05:00

So, last night we went to a little town down the road for a bluegrass festival we had heard about. We, along with Chrismiss, got all "dolled" and "duded" up in our best country attire (to get in the mood) and headed to Fayetteville, TX (population a couple hundred I think...at the most).

(Side note: the main reason we put on our country attire was because my awesome little brother Joey hooked me up with a free pair of boots this past week and I couldn't wait to wear them!)

Well, let's just say the bluegrass festival wasn't all it was cracked up to be. There were two groups of people who were playing their instruments and singing, and that was entertaining...for about 15 minutes. Honestly, if we didn't have the kids, I bet we could have been entertained, just by people watching if nothing else, for a good long while, but it was hot and the kids got restless, so we took a little evening drive down the country roads, picked up some ice cream at the Dairy Cone, and headed back home.

Probably the best parts of the evening were the fun photo opps, so enjoy!!!

a few of our favorite things...

2009-08-09T14:02:00.000-05:00

I've somehow let two weeks pass since I last posted, so in order to summarize the past 14 days, I'm going to use pics of some of the favorite moments we've had lately...

...a visit from Grammy and Pops!!! Our sweet second half nanny, Deo, was needed as a counselor for week 10, so my mom graciously offered to come lend a helping hand for a few days! Pops dropped her off, so we got a little time with him, too. Always a treat!

...playing outside!!! Despite the crazy heat, the kids love playing outside on our great big driveway. They play with sidewalk chalk and ride on their tricycles until they're cheeks are bright red...and then they play some more.

....playing inside!!! We like to build tents, play dress up, build towers, color pictures, etc. It's been so fun to watch as Hank and Landry are truly becoming best friends. Most the time they play amazingly well together, BUT they also know how to push each other's buttons better than anyone else, too. Tucker is also getting to where he can "play" with his big brother and sister. And watching them is probably his favorite thing right now.

...Daddy time! Oh, what a treat it is when Daddy is home. One more week, and we'll be seeing a lot more of him! Yippee!!!

A few other quick updates...

I had a wonderful 30th birthday...thanks to everyone for your phone calls, facebook messages, cards, etc. My sweet hubby surprised me a couple days after my actual birthday with a get-away to Katy...a yummy dinner, a little shopping, a NEW CAMERA, uninterrupted sleep, sleeping in (kinda), and just having time together...so nice! Deo and Chrismiss watched the kiddos and did a fantastic job! About the new camera...if you notice an improvement in the quality of pictures on our blog from this point on, that's why. Thanks, babe!

Camp is continuing to go so well! I've heard story after story of the exciting things the Lord is doing in the campers and in the staff! I'm really enjoying this summer and have loved getting to know the girls at camp. I think we'll experience a little culture shock more this year than in the past because things will seem SO QUIET and SO SLOW in Columbus once summer camp has shut down. I'm sure it will be nice, but weird!

There are so many things I'm looking forward to about the fall, but we'll save that for another time!

busy doing...???

2009-07-26T14:09:00.000-05:00

You know how you just have those days (or weeks) where you know you were really busy and you know you're exhausted, but you don't really have any idea why??? That was this week. I sat down to type thinking that surely I had all kids of excited stories since I feel so wiped out...but I'm fresh out. So, instead, I decided to pick a few favorite pics of the week...

(above) This is my new favorite pic! I'm usually on the other side of the camera, so it's quite the treat to have a picture with me and all 3 of my kiddos in it! Now, if we can just get a decent family pic one of these days...

another fun one with my bundles of joy!

OK, in the next 4 pictures, notice sweet Tucker's little face...he is smiling and I mean SMILING for the camera...what a cheese ball!

It's getting to be that time of the summer when we're ready to have Daddy home more...3 more weeks! We can see the light at the end of the tunnel. We definitely don't want to wish away the last 3 weeks of camp. We will be so sad to see all the staff that we have fallen so in love with leave at the end of the summer, but we will also enjoy some much-needed family time, too!

A rare moment indeed...all 3 of my children sitting still!

We had the pleasure of a visit from my grandparents...Nana and Paw-Paw. It was such a joy to have them in our home. I loved visiting with them and watching them enjoy their great-grandbabies.

A few more highlights from "week 8" before I wrap up:

Hank has learned how to use the computer! Stephanie East (who I had the pleasure of getting to see briefly last Monday...and showing her our new home!) showed Hank an educational website (Hank calls it Mrs. Stephanie's favorite website) that Walker has learned to navigate. It teaches kids about letters and sounding out words. Hank has quickly caught on! He can use the mouse to click on the "spawkwy awohs" (sparkly arrows) and navigate through the different activities on the site. Fun for hours! We're already having to limit his computer time each day. Technology these days!

Landry continues to love picking out her own clothes. Now it's the first thing she says when she gets out of bed in the mornings..."I need a shirt!" We had a traumatic moment this week...I decided it was time for bear-bear (her beloved pink teddy bear that goes everywhere with her and truly is her best friend and greatest source of comfort) to get a bath. I threw him in the washing maching one morning...BIG MISTAKE! After a little over an hour, many tears, and several failed attempts at distraction, Landry had a very happy reunion with her cleaner (and much pink-er) bear-bear.

Tucker continues to amaze me with his sweetness. Even his "bad" days are relatively easy. His first tooth is minutes away from poking through his gums. I'm still waiting for him to start crawling...now he just uses the "rock'n'roll" method of movement...he gets up on all 4's and rocks, then rolls over onto his back, then tummy, then back, then tummy, to get where he wants to go. He eats almost two full jars of baby food at each feeding, and takes an average of 5 ounces of formula three of four times a day. And as you saw above...he smiles a lot!

Jeff is tired, but doing great! He's doing a phenomenal job of keeping things going smoothly at camp but also keeping his family a priority! I'm so proud of him!

I got to go to dinner with Chrismiss this week...tomatillo enchiladas continue to be a fave! And we tried a stuffed avocado...yummy! We had fun chatting, and I'm grateful to be introduced to one of her favorite desserts...the pazookie! I have been thankful for her friendship this summer!

Today is my last day as a "twenty-something." I don't know how I feel about that. It's been a pretty amazing 30 years! I am truly blessed!

No particular reason, but Columbus is feeling more and more like home. I've emotionally moved from being "ok" most the time, to liking it most the time, to now loving it sometimes! I look forward to unpacking those last few boxes, finishing up those last few projects, and getting into a normal-life routine this fall. The Lord has been faithful to hold me close during the challenges we've had over the past several months and to even teach me much through it all. I'm excited to see the blessings...and "learning moments"...he will continue to reveal in the days to come. I don't know why I ever doubted. I guess He knows what He's doing after all. =)

[Quick side note: In the margin on the left, you will find a place where you can subscribe to our blog so that you'll get an email every time there's a new post. I thought it might make things easier on you "regulars." Also, this may sound silly, but if you do stop by our blog, I'd love it if you'd leave a comment every now and then...I like positive feedback and knowing that people do actually read this. Thanks! =)]

popsicles and pools...what summer is all about!

2009-07-17T22:29:00.001-05:00

I've let so much time go by since my last post that there is soooooo much updating to do. Where to begin? Well, it has continued to be CRAZY hot here in Columbus. We keep cool by playing in the baby pool and sprinklers in the back yard. Also, I'm loving the cheap little popsicle molds you can buy and use to make your own homemade popsicles. We make apple juice and orange juice popsicles to have on hand at all times. They are a little messy, but the kids LOVE them, and don't even know that these popsicles are relatively good for them!

This is Deo, our second half nanny. Her birthday was yesterday, so "Happy Birthday, Deo!"

We were lucky to have visitors this past week! Matt and Caitlin Clyde spent a few days with us. They were our first guests since we purchased our new "guest bed" (a queen size air mattress), and we discovered that we actually have a decent make-shift guest room...the air mattress fits perfectly in the play room, the window unit A/C keeps it cool and quiet, and there's a door and blinds for privacy. Who needs a fourth bedroom, anyway? Matt and Caitlin, happy first anniversary (a few days early)! Thanks for gracing us with your presence. We always enjoy your company. Come back soon!

We also got a visit from one of our last-summer nannies, Skwirlie (aka Alissa). I'm wondering what was going on in Landry's mind while Skwirlie was here because of this conversation:
Mommy: "Landry, who's this?" (pointing to Alissa)
Landry: "Oh! A skwill!" (Skwill = squirrel in Landry language)
So funny! Even funnier...Hank saw that we laughed at Landry when she said that, so for the rest of the evening he continued to repeat, "Oh! A skwill!" and laughing histarically, so hard in fact that he almost fell over at one point. Alissa, it was so fun to see you and catch up! We'd love to see you again soon! We're praying for you...keep us posted on where the Lord leads you!

Tucker has a couple new talents. First of all, he's sitting up like a champ! He's getting so big...I can hardly stand it! Secondly, he knows to smile for the camera (as seen below)...what a cheese ball! He'll be crawling any day now...I'll try to post a little video as soon as he does! Also, he's building up quite the repetoire of foods he's eating now. I'm not noticing any obvious favorites yet. I think he just enjoys the groceries. And this hot of the press...he may be an all bottle-fed baby pretty soon. He seems a lot more satisfied after a big bottle of formula than he does after nursing these days. We'll see???

So, Hank started swim lessons this week! The James' nanny, Fairy, has taught swim lessons with her mom since she was 12, so she and Deo taught Grace and Hank this week. I wouldn't go so far as to say Hank is swimming...yet. He is fearless in the water, and his eagerness is probably his biggest enemy at this point. He's just too excited to actually concentrate on learning. He's working on "locking his head up" (putting his arms above his head), putting his face in the water, and kicking his legs...all at the same time. He loves jumping into the water for Deo to catch him, and he's able to swim a couple of feet. It's been a fun week, and we're excited to see how he continues to progress.

Mr. Hank is getting so big. Besides learning to swim, he's also developing quite the little vocabulary. I decided to start keeping a list of the words he uses that surprise me, especially because he uses them in the right context. You'll find the list in the margin on the left. One quick funny story. One day this week when he was getting ready for swim lessons, Deo and Skwirlie were putting sunscreen on him. He saw a picture on the bottle of a little dog tugging at the swim suit of a little girl. Hank put up his hand and said, "Wait. Is that for dogs?" Deo and Skwirlie, laughing, quickly assured him that it was indeed for people, not dogs, and he seemed satisfied with that answer. Oh, to know what he was thinking!

So, I'm saving the best part of the post for last. I want to share a conversation I had with Hank the other night as I was tucking him into bed...one that I won't soon forget:

Mommy: Hank, do you want to thank God for anything?
Hank: No, Mommy, I want you to.
M: What do you want me to thank him for?
H: Going camping with Daddy, playing in the playroom, my cars-cars...
M: Any people?
H: Walker and Miller and their mommy. My mommy, my daddy, my stista, and my baby bwudda Tucka.
M: OK. (then I proceeded to thank God for the things Hank had listed and to pray for Hank, but I prayed in a much more conversational way than normal) Amen.
H: I want to tell God some stuff.
M: OK, go ahead.
H: God, thanks for my new toy (referring to his McDonalds happy meal toy he had gotten that night). I hope it doesn't break and stuff like that. Thanks for my mommy, my daddy, my stista, and my baby bwudda Tucka. Amen.
M: Hank, that was great!
H: Mommy, I want to go in the sky and be with God.
M: Well, Hank, did you know that God is everywhere...even right here with us.
H: No, Mommy, God doesn't fit in the Mesquite house.
M: Well, I know it's hard to understand, but even though God is bigger than our house, he's still here with us, but we can't see or hear him...that's called faith. Did you know God is in my heart?
H: I want him to get out of there! (very serious face)
M: No, I want him there. I asked him to come in. Want to know why?
H: Yeah.
M: Do you do bad things sometimes, things that you get a whopper for?
H: Yeah, I hit Landry like this (hitting one had with his other) and that makes her feel bad.
M: Well, that's called sin, and God doesn't like sin. But God sent his son Jesus to the earth. Jesus was perfect, he didn't do anything wrong... he didn't hit his sister, or bite his brother, or disobey his mommy and daddy. So God put all our sins on Jesus, and he died on the cross. But then he came back to life. And if we want him to, he can wash all our sins away and come live in our hearts.
H: I want him to walk out of your heart into mine.
M: Oh, buddy! He can be in my heart and your heart at the same time. He's in Daddy's heart, too!
H: I want God and Jesus in my heart.
M: Why?
H: Because I love them!

So, the conversation continued on a little while after than...mostly rehashing some of the things we had already talked about. And even though he expressed interest in having Jesus "in his heart." I didn't feel like it was time to lead him in a prayer. I could see the wheels turning, and I know he's starting to "get it". Later I was telling Jeff that the comforting thing is that if he gets it, he gets it...it doesn't take a magical prayer to make it official. And if he doesn't really get it yet, at least he's curious! Oh, I can't tell you how that conversation blessed me. Of course, as a parent, probably my biggest goal in life is that my children know and love the Lord. What a blessing it was to begin to see some of the fruit from the seeds that Jeff and I (and probably many of you reading this) have planted over the past three and a half years!

Playing Catch-up

2009-07-09T21:33:00.000-05:00

Well, Tucker was officially 7 months old yesterday! Wow, how time flies! He had his six month check-up on Tuesday (better late than never!). He weighs 17 pounds and is 26 inches long! He continues to amaze me with his sweet demeanor and cooperative disposition. As of 3 days ago, he eats breakfast, lunch and dinner with the rest of the family, and then nurses before bed...and he's still sleeping great through the night! So far he hasn't turned down any of the foods I've introduced to him...rice cereal, oatmeal, green beans, peas, carrots, sweet potatoes, squash, applesauce, and bananas! I think his little face looks a little rounder every day! He still gets up on all fours like he's about to take off crawling, but no forward movement to speak of yet. My favorite thing right now is watching him watch Hank and Landry...oh, how he adores them!

Landry continues to keep us all laughing. Sleeping in the big-girl bed is still a little "if"y. She starts out in it every nap and night, but ends up in her pack-n-play (her consequence for getting out of bed) more often than not. I think she's just too social to stay in bed when there's people to see out in the living room. I keep telling myself that she'll "get it" eventually. Getting dressed every morning is an adventure, too. She has quite the opinion about what is "pretty." Notice the blue tie-dye shirt with floral print shorts. I think she likes colorful clothes, whether they match or not. She's looked a little bit like a clown the past few days...a very cute clown!

So, we've decided that Hank is Daddy's little sous-chef (the technical term for assistant chef). One morning Jeff was making breakfast for Fuzzy Wuzzy, the program director at Outback this summer, and Hank wanted to help. So grown-up! No worries, he's only holding a butter knife! We've noticed Hank's vocabulary expanding, too. Just today, he used the words "colorful" and "generous," and in the right context, too! He is slowly but surely gathering quite the collection of "cars-cars" (the little matchbox cars that are the characters from the Disney Pixar movie Cars). Today he got Guido and Luigi, and he's told me several times, "I'm so glad I got Guido and Luigi!" We've started making sticker charts for him so when he does something kind or goes all days without having an accident, etc., he gets a sticker, then when he fills up the chart he gets to go get a new "cars-car."

Yep, the Lay family is doing just fine these days. We have our fair share of trying moments (Tucker was awake from midnight to 4am the other night after he got his shots), but it's so worth it! Things at Outback are going well. It's hard to believe that the summer is over half-way over! It's been amazingly hot, but our air conditioner works great and apple juice popsicles help keep us cool! We are looking forward to some visitors in the next week. Chrismiss' sister will be in town this weekend, so we're excited to say hello to her. Mr. Matt and Mrs. Caitlin (as our kids loving refer to the Clydes) are coming for the weekend, and our nanny from last summer Skwirlie is going to spend a few days with us, too! We bought a queen size air mattress today to be our designated guest bed, so we are ready for some guests to use it...not just this weekend but in the future, too! (hint, hint)

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-05T22:31:00.000-05:00

Well, our Independence Day was spent saying good-bye to the first half staffers who were leaving and greeting the second half staffers who were showing up. In Pine Cove terms, this weekend is called MAWOG (stands for Men and Women of God...if you want to know more about the origin of MAWOG check out this really cool book called Forty! Let's Count 'Em!) It's always a bittersweet time closing out one half but being excited for the half yet to come.

One of the things that made it especially bittersweet for the Lay family was a little switch-a-roo of our nanny. Outback has been operating one female senior counselor short all first half of the summer. Chrismiss is incredibly qualified to fill that role, so in the best interest of camp, she has moved from being our nanny to being a senior counselor. She will do a great job, but she will be missed! Instead of Chrismiss, we now have Deo (short for Deo for my C-Oh...long story, maybe I'll blog about that another time) as our nanny for the second half of the summer. The kids love her and she is oh so sweet! I know we will be blessed to have her in our home.

Part of the MAWOG celebration included a little pool party, our first time in the pool (other than our tiny little yellow baby pool in our back yard) this summer! All 3 kids LOVED it! Tucker splashed like crazy. Landry giggled. And Hank was fearless! He liked to jump off the side to Jeff, but didn't want Jeff to catch him. And he went down the giant slide with his Daddy, too. So fun! We're looking into swim lessons for Hank before the summer ends...he is ready!

There were plenty of willing hands to hold the kiddos in the pool. Here, Guac (short for Unholy Guacamole) is holding Tucker, and Chrismiss is holding Landry

If you know me at all, you know it doensn't take much of a reason to justify going to Sonic. I figured Independence Day wasn't Independence Day without a little (or maybe a Route 44) Vanilla DP. Watch to see what Hank's and Landry's drinks of choice were.

Jeff did get done last night in time to come home for our own little July 4th family celebration. We were going to try to go see the city fireworks demonstration, but it was cancelled because all the firemen were putting out a fire out in the country just outside the city limits (which is still blazing today?!?! Supposedly there are helicopters with buckets of water flying around!). So we went to a fireworks stand and got some sparklers. Always fun!

This is the firework stand where we got our sparklers. (No worries, Jeff was right there with Hank.) Hank kept peeking around the corner and sticking his head in the doorway and saying peek-a-boo at the workers. Such a silly goose...like his Daddy!

I guess I'll end by stating the obvious:
Praise the Lord for allowing us to live in a country where we are free to worship Him! May that freedom continue!!!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

2009-07-03T23:12:00.000-05:00

Well, it wasn't actually "life" that gave us lemons today...it was our wonderful nanny Chrismiss (or as Hank calls her "Chrismiss, my manny"). Lemonade is one of her faves, so last weekend she bought lemons and sugar and brought them over for us to make homemade lemonade. We decided that even though it wasn't the most efficient way to do things, it would be fun and entertaining to include Hank and Landry in the making of the lemonade. So a few laughs, messes, and puckers later, we had some very delicious lemonade! Hank and Landry liked it, too!

For those of you who are curious, here's the very simple recipe:
juice from 4 lemons (I recomend using a lemon squeezer to get ALL the juice out easily)
1 cup sugar
water to make a quart
I would plan on AT LEAST doubling the recipe, because it's so yummy you'll want a lot of it to drink!!!

Cowboys and Cowgrills

2009-07-01T22:49:00.000-05:00

We love dressing the kids up for the theme nights at camp. Tonight's theme was Back at the Barnyard. I was already at camp leading a Bible study for some of the girl staff, so our amazing nanny Chrismiss got the kids dressed and loaded up and brought them to camp for dinner. When I opened the mini-van and saw the kids in their boots (thanks Grammy and Pops for Landry's fun red garage sale boots!), I told them how great they looked. Hank said, "Yeah, Mommy! I'm a cowboy and Landry's a cow-grill!"

I'm pretty sure I got some fun points as a mom today, because I let Hank and Landry play in the hand-washing station after dinner. They got pretty soaked, especially Landry, but they had fun and stayed cool.

Landry had her two-year-old check-up today (better late than never, right?). We weren't suprised but were certainly pleased to find out that she's a healthy little girl!

She was so cute at the doctors office. First of all, I think she was thoroughly enjoying a little one-on-one time with mommy...I left the boys with Chrismiss. And although she was a little nervous, she cooperated very well with the nurse and doctor (more than we can say for her older brother!). Praise the Lord for healthy children! And praise the Lord for the sweet moments we get to have with them!

I'm chalking it up to lack of sleep, but I almost teared up tonight in the dining hall when they played a certain country song...you know the one called The Front Porch Looking In by Lonestar. I'll end with a portion of the lyrics and you can see for yourself why it got to me!

I've traveled here and everywhere
Following my job
I've seen the paintings from the air
Brushed by the hand of God
The mountains and the canyons reach from sea to shining sea
But I can't wait to get back home
To the one he made for me
It's anywhere I'll ever go and everywhere I've been
Nothing takes my breath away
Like my front porch looking in

There's a carrot top who can barely walk
With a sippy cup of milk
A little blue eyed blonde with shoes on wrong
'Cause she likes to dress herself
And the most beautiful girl holding both of them
Yeah the view I love the most
Is my front porch looking in

I see what beautiful is about
When I'm looking in
Not when I'm looking out

it's time

2009-07-01T00:01:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I've been holding out on the whole idea of blogging for awhile. While we lived in Tyler, blogging really wasn't necessary. Most of our friends and family were a part of our every day life and didn't need updates on the happenings of the Lay fam. Well, things have changed, so I'm going to try to frequently post pictures and little stories that our loved ones might find interesting, or at least entertaining. Check back soon for my first "real" post!