Pictures

It snowed again! On Christmas Eve, no less! See our snowman? Paul in the snow

TJ in Shep

Cowboy TJ. Today he asked where his "cowboy shoots and pistols and gun" are. We left the cap guns with Poppy in Shep.

Paul Wants to Dress Like Dad

TJ's Snack

TJ says (for the 253rd time that day), "I'm huuuungry."

"Go find a snack," I replied, thinking he would find one of the 5 or so options available in the fridge or pantry.

A few minutes later, I heard him spitting something out. He had a white substance running down his chin and continued spitting and sticking out his tongue. On the table, I found this...

Did he think the mix would turn into corn muffins in his mouth? Or did he think the mix would taste good dry? I'm not sure, and TJ "can't tell you."

The True Meaning of Christmas

TJ said something about "the true meaning of Christmas."

I asked him, "What is the true meaning of Christmas?"

No answer.

"Does it have something to do with Jesus?"

"You eat Jesus and you drink Jesus."

Maybe he can explain John to me one day.

Paul and TJ Smile for the Camera

Snow Day? Snow Hour

TJ got in bed with me and said he wanted to look out the window. How did he know it was snowing? We rushed (as much as TJ would rush) out and enjoyed before it melted away.
Paul wanted to sled. He didn't care that we don't have a sled.

"I'm coooolllld."

Paul Wearing Glasses

You may not see this very often; it's tough to get him to wear these. Cute, though!

Note to Self

Teach Paul and TJ Romans 12:19a. "Do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath..."

I should work on patience and sharing, too.

Thoughts on Romans 1, 2, 3?

The Bible verse of the day is fitting for what's on my mind, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.” (Psalm 119:18)

My reading from BibleGateway.com was Romans 1, 2 and 3. Romans 1:32 is, "Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them." Romans 2:1 is, "You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things."

Romans 3:9-19 reminds us that no one is righteous. So, I know I am not righteous on my own. I am not to approve of those who practice evil, yet I am not to judge them. That's tough; I'm still digesting. I thought it would help to write it out. We'll see...

Maybe I should just take TJ's advice. He brought me the phone and said he wanted to call God. I told him we call God by praying to Him and reading the Bible. He said that he had already prayed and insisted that he wanted to call God on the phone. Finally, I asked if we could call Amina instead.
"Yes!"
And we did.

Trunk Or Treat

TJ trick-or-treats at our car. He had a piece of candy every time I turned around. No surprise he complained of a stomach ache before we left. Santa and his good buddy, the Incredible Hulk.

As usual, I wish I'd taken more pictures. Coker did a great job setting up an "Alien Autopsy." It included cauliflower "brains," olive "eyes," a ginger "heart" and noodle "guts." Paul was Count Dooko, which I have no idea how to spell, Coker was a Man in Black and I was an alien.

I Like the Beach!

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This is on Manhattan Beach in California. Paul did not remember going to the beach before this, and TJ had not been to the beach.

A Little Cilantro

Coker and I love watching Top Chef. We imagine that we can cook and Coker has tried a few of the recipes. I can follow a recipe, but my outcome isn't always what I'd hoped. The contestants on the show throw ingredients together and create fancy new dishes.

One of the challenges tonight was an amuse buche, which could be anything. Coker asked what I would make, to which I responded, "for whom am I cooking?" (Well, not exactly. I'm writing here, not talking.) If I were to cook the ultimate one bite for Coker, it would have to include bacon. I named off the ingredients I would use: toast, bacon, egg, Tabasco. Coker said it would need to be rye toast with butter and strawberry jelly, and don't forget the salt. Otherwise, my choice would be the best bite he'd ever had.

Listening to all this and talking at the same time, we realized Paul wanted a turn. His amuse buche would be, "a little cilantro, a snail (the first ingredient the chefs had to use), and a cracker." He would "make" Coker eat it, because of the snail.

Show Me Your Mad Face

Coker and TJ started a new game. It always begins, "Show me your mad face..."
Show me your happy face.

Your sleepy face...

Your surprised face...

And on and on!

Games We Play

I was inspired to write about fun games, made up and otherwise by Antique Mommy.

Reading her post, the first one I thought of was "Turn me loose, little goose." When I was little, I sat on mom's foot and hugged her leg with my arms and legs. She would drag me around, chanting, "turn me loose, little goose!" Both Paul and TJ now enjoy this game. I am less graceful than I remember mom, as I hobble around with a boy on each leg. I had to change the chant to, "turn me leese, little geese." Now that I give it more thought, I could have addressed each "goose" separately and used the more correct, "turn me loose..." Alas!

"Pillow House" is a current favorite with my boys. They pull out every pillow they can find and pile them up in the living room. My designs that include little rooms using the sofa and other furniture are not well-received. Burrowing into the house is more fun than crawling. I don't get it, and neither does Coker. His distaste for a pillow mess is greater than mine. Pillows are easier to pick up than legos or play-doh, I say.

I love "Hide and Seek." Paul is becoming a good hider. His seeking ability is coming along; he often has to ask me for a clue, unless TJ is hiding with me. When TJ hides with me, he giggles or "whispers" and gives us away. Little TJ loves to play, but just needs a little help. He's always on my team.

"Tickle Monster" is our version of chase. One person is the Tickle Monster and chases the others around the house until someone has to stop to catch his breath, OK, her breath. It's almost always me.

We Are Family

My cousins planned a weekend getaway to the Lake Texoma region. The lake was fun, the food was good, and the company was great. My boys are WORN OUT! TJ dealt with it by getting a little grouchy and Paul just kept going and slept on the way home. He didn't even wake up for the DQ Blizzard stop. That's tired!



Well, TJ did catch a couple of catnaps, like here during our family worship service. He bowed his head for prayer, but didn't raise it until the service was over. That may have happened to me before, but never in service, of course! Casey lead a fun children's service before TJ dozed off. He wanted to sit with her after she finished.



Paul shares his artwork with Shannon, who is also an impressive artist. You should see the eyes and hands she can draw!



Here are my mom and her sister, Maeda. I wish I'd pulled out the camera more often this weekend. We certainly saw much more beautiful backdrops than these video games and there were better picture opportunities. Alas!

The visiting, the boat ride to and on the lake, the meals, the family worship service (complete with bulletins) and learning a little more about some of the people I love made for a wonderful time. Thanks and love to you all!

Today's Sweet and Funny Memories

TJ:
"It's not diaper-rhea!"

When I asked TJ to give 80-something-year-old Mrs. B a hug goodbye today, he ran up, gave her a big hug, put his hands on her cheeks and gave her a big kiss. She was so happy, she had tears in her eyes.

When I picked TJ up from class, he yelled, "mama" and ran fast to grab me around the legs.

Paul:
"Nana has whale water in her pool." I clarified that it is whale like a fish, not well like a hole in the ground.

At breakfast, "Did a mouse really eat TJ's cookies?" Coker told the boys an elaborate "story" about a mouse eating TJ's cookies, even though I ate them. This was at least two months ago. He's still thinking about that mouse.

Paul gave me lots of hugs and even a kiss today - just because.

ABCs Duet

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No Nap for TJ

He couldn't stay awake any longer after missing his nap today.

Ready for Summer

Jokes Only a 4-Year-Old Understands

Like Coker, Paul enjoys telling jokes. Like me, he's not very good at remembering the punchlines. This is a little odd when I consider the fact that his brain is like a steel trap for just about all other information coming his way. Here are a few of the jokes he's shared with me lately:

"Knock, knock"
"Who's there?"
"Banana head"
"Banana head who?"
"Banana head with a pineapple on top!"

"Knock, knock"
"Who's there?"
"Monkey head"
"Monkey head who?"
"Monkey head eating a banana!"

"Knock, knock"
"Who's there?"
"Googly head"
"Googly head who?"
"Googly head woobly!"

I Never Wear a Dress Anymore

Getting ready to go out on a date with Coker, I put on a dress. TJ looked at me and laughed, "you don't have pants on!" I thought this was funny, and tried to explain that girls wear dresses sometimes. TJ would not be convinced and chose a pair of pants from my closet. He brought them to me and told me to "put you' pants on, mama."

Just Hangin' Out

That Makayla's a Smart Girl

Paul: "Will we be together forever?"
Meredith (wishfully): "Sure, sweetie."
Paul: "No, someday I'll grow up and get my own house."
Meredith: "Yes, you'll grow up, maybe go to college and move out. You'll meet a girl. Are you going to get married?"
Paul: "I'm going to marry Makayla."
Meredith: "Really? How did you decide this? Is she nice to you? Is she pretty?"
Paul: "She told me she's going to marry me."

Come Home, Cowie, Come Home

Cowie was lost. TJ was sad. He asked for Cowie whenever he was tired or hurt. We could not find Cowie for nearly three weeks. Here is his story...

Cowie went to the playground with TJ. He fell off the slide and couldn't find his best friend. He looked and looked, but TJ was nowhere to be found. A little girl began to cry, and Cowie wanted to make her feel better.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"My big brother pushed me down," she sobbed.
"Give me a hug," said Cowie.
The little girl picked him up and held him close. She stopped crying. "Where did you come from?"
Cowie told her about TJ and asked if she knew him.
"No, sorry."

Cowie tried asking adults for help, but they didn't seem to hear him. Children always heard him and felt better after giving him a hug. Some knew TJ, some didn't, but none could tell him how to get home until...

One day a little boy was hiding at the bottom of the slide by covering his eyes. Cowie had seen TJ do this many times. Of course he could still see the boy, but he pretended to bump into him since he was supposed to be invisible.
"Excuse me. I didn't see you there," said Cowie to the boy.
"I hiding," explained the boy.
"Why are you hiding?"
"I scared."
"Well, give me a hug. I'm a little scared too." The boy felt better and began to talk to Cowie. As it turned out, the boy knew TJ. This little boy was very smart and asked his mommy where TJ lived. His mommy said they couldn't go today, but when the boy showed her Cowie and explained that he belonged to TJ, she agreed to stop by.

They left Cowie at the mailbox. It took him a lot of work and a little time to climb the steps to the door. His stuffing seemed heavy and his fur was dirty. He jumped, but couldn't reach the doorbell. Cowie was so tired, but so close to seeing his best friend that he kept jumping.

TJ's mommy heard what sounded like rice being thrown at the doorstep. She looked over and saw through the glass a little white and mostly brown Cowie bouncing and flopping just outside. TJ's mommy hurried to the door and opened it, not believing her eyes. Cowie came in and asked where TJ was. He was asleep, and TJ's mommy asked if Cowie could wait until the morning to see him. Cowie agreed and curled up outside his best friend's bedroom door.

Cowie woke up cold in the night. He looked around and spied a fuzzy orange backpack. He decided to crawl in to keep warm. The next morning, Cowie was not outside TJ's door. TJ's mommy was puzzled, but decided she must have dreamed the whole story and chose not to tell TJ so he wouldn't be upset. It was better not to mention Cowie since he was still missing.

Later that day, cleaning the playroom, TJ's mommy found Cowie in that orange backpack. He didn't say anything like he had the night before. The tale of Cowie's adventure must have all been a dream, but Cowie was found and TJ was happy!

Best friends reunited

Watermelon

The boys chose a watermelon at the grocery store today. It's a good one!

Like Father, Like Son II

Just for comparison...

Like Father, Like Son I

Look what I found!

Zost-o Cheese

TJ was grouchy, so I told him that he was exhaust-o TJ. His pouty answer: "I not zost-o cheese."

Too Cute

They fell asleep waiting for Coker to get off the phone.

Paul's Artwork

Ok, I'm a proud mom. Here are some of Paul's drawings from last night. Coker challenged me to name each character. It's no problem, because the drawing is so good. Left to right, top to bottom: Spiderman, Spiderman, Hulk, Static Shock, a monkey, Batman, Super Paul (his power is being smart), Two Face, Super TJ(power of headbumps), Invisible man, Dinosaur head guy, Superman, Supermom, Superdad (with force power), Force man, and Fire man.

Happy Birthday, Papaw!

Today is my dad's birthday. I got him a little gift and had him over for dinner. It's sad to me that I don't get to make a cake. For medical reasons, he doesn't eat sweets. No sweets means no birthday cake or even a nibble of a Christmas or Thanksgiving treat. He has more willpower for that sort of thing than I would. We had salmon with a black bean and corn relish, broccoli, brown rice, and bread. Healthy. Mostly. The boys entertained us, and oh yeah, the gift.

The boys and I went out looking for a hat for Papaw's birthday. For medical reasons, he has to stay out of the sun. A hat is a necessity and a thoughtful gift idea. I couldn't find one that suited me, or that I thought suited him. Noticing the clothing with extra SPF, I picked a nice polo-style shirt, but it's the same one I've given him before. When did I realize this? When he showed up at my door wearing it.

Does anyone have good dad gift ideas? I'm obviously out.

And I Thought Boys Didn't Play Dress-Up

Paul had us all dressed up tonight. He wore his Power Ranger costume, TJ wore a diaper and Superman cape (the Jedi cloak was too much for him under the cape) and I wore the Jedi cloak. Paul gave us all weapons and then rallied his troops, "let's go defeat the evil mentions!"

I don't like potty talk, either. Let's go!

The "Whys" I Remember from the Past Two Days

Why do we have to have girls?
Why do we have moms?
Why won't you let me eat everything I want and do everything I want?

Why do we have noses?
Why do we breathe?
Why don't we have superpowers?
Why do we have eyebrows?
Why do we have hair?

You can see the progression with many of the questions. The jump from breathing to superpowers is logical, but it was a long conversation.

No Hablo

Paul is in the office playing an old-fashioned computer game and yelling, "de-stinkos!" I think he's trying to say a word Miss Rosa used on PBS kids recently. Destinctos? I don't know Spanish, and neither does Paul.

My mom, by Paul (4) and TJ (2)…

This is an interview many of my Facebook friends have conducted with their children.
1.What is something mom always says to you?
P: I don’t know
T: Puppy, bath

2. What makes mom happy?
P: flowers
T: candy

3. What makes mom sad?
P: dead flowers
T: cry

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
P: when I get in her bed
T: candy

5. What was your mom like as a child?
P: A baby girl
T: baby

6. How old is your mom?
P: 34
T: 4

7. How tall is your mom?
P: 30 feet tall
T: mom big

8. What is her favorite thing to do?
P: stay in the bed
T: candy

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
P: boog (as in booger = blowing the nose)
T: poopy

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
P: I don’t know; ask dad
T: poopy (I think we’re stuck on this answer)

11. What is your mom really good at?
P: taking a shower
T: cookie

12. What is your mom not very good at?
P: golf (true)
T: ride a bike

13. What does your mom do for a job?
P: golf (???)
T: dad is working

14.What is your mom's favorite food?
P: rice crispies (not really)
T: foood (with an eyebrow lift)

15.What makes you proud of your mom?
P: talking to dad
T: (he’s too busy talking to his truck to answer)

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
P: Hannah Montana
T: TJ

17. What do you and your mom do together?
P: go to the toy store
T: candy (Coker gave him a Starburst)

18. How are you and your mom the same?
P: brown hair
T: I have candy

19. How are you and your mom different?
P: mom has more hair
T: (no answer)

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
P: books
T: I want oranges mama

21. What does your mom like most about your dad?
P: he’s her wife
T: (no answer)

22. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?
P: the waterpark
T: mumbles

Zoo Day

We met some friends at the zoo today. The little guys are looking at the monkeys and the big guys are acting like monkeys.Here, everyone is checking out the Pumbas. What are they called? Warthogs? Well, I have a picture of each of the two of them at Paul's insistence. I had to take a picture of one playing with a ball and the other sniffing. Paul examined each picture on my camera to make sure it was just what he wanted. This is "Digger" the armadillo. I've never seen one so close up in 3-D. I've never really looked at a flat one, either. That's too yucky. I kept thinking that many of my neighbors would not have fond feelings for "Digger." TJ really liked him and petted him for a long time. We washed hands carefully.

TJ is a true animal lover. Here he is watching the huge snapping turtle walk around under water while Paul climbs on everything he can find. We had fun and promised to return soon, but not tomorrow or the next tomorrow or the next tomorrow...(if you know Paul you know where this is going.)

Paul's Sandwich Order

I asked Paul what kind of sandwich he would like me to make him and he thought for a minute. "I want a little bit of peanut butter, a little bit of honey and a lot of jelly. Oh yeah, and onions and lettuce." I brought some lettuce along separately, but claimed the onions would be too smelly to pack.

I Need to Bye-Bye

My mom stopped by tonight for a few minutes and we walked her out when she left. Coker, wanting to make sure TJ was safe, took his hand as mom was ready to pull away from the curb. TJ protested, "I need to bye-bye." TJ took his hand back, waved big open-handed waves and called out "bye-bye, bye-bye."

TJ's Party

Mom shared some pictures she took at TJ's birthday party, so here are some of each of our photos...

This is the amazing birthday cake that inspired the cowboy theme. It's made to look like "Cowie," TJ's favorite stuffed animal. You can see more of Tammi's amazing cakes at http://luckeycakes.com/LuckeyCakes/Luckey_Cakes.html She even has Cowie in the gallery on her website.

The cake tasted as good as it looked!

Here's TJ dressed up like a little cowboy sheriff.

Coker and TJ rode togetherYep, we rode horses up and down the street in our neighborhood. Teresa's leading Paul's horse and Coker is leading Alec's horse.

TJ's proud of his new crayons. I like this funny shot of him.

Paul Says

I want to be a coach of football when I grow up because coaches can play really well and I'm already a good thrower.

TJ Says

I want some milk-y in my cup for the bible tells me so.

Two Today

Happy birthday, TJ! My baby is two today.

Here he is with cake on his face. We had a cowboy-themed party, so Teresa brought horses to ride. What's a cowboy without a horse?

Conversation with TJ

A true Roswell, TJ has a conversation starter. Once introductions have been made or if he feels there is a lull in the conversation, he says, "this is my mama." He motions to me, his treasure. Every time he does this, I want to sweep him up and tell him that he's my treasure.

I've also heard him say, "this is my Paul," and, "this is my Amina." Sorry dad! Maybe there just aren't any lulls in your conversations.

How much time have you got?

Paul: Where do words come from? I mean where do we get the words microwave and tree and house?