Victory...

In an earlier post, I spoke of the naptime battles that occur around here on a daily basis. Well, I am quite pleased to say, I have won the war! How did I do it?? Well, wimpy mama went away, I put on my supermom cape, donned my sheriff's badge, and put into use my stern autoritarion voice. Jasper takes his morning nap around 9:30 and they both go down for afternoon nap around 1:30. Caillou has found a new nap spot that he is quite fond of... he peacefully slumbers in our hammock between the two shade trees out front. After lunch he actually is excited to go lay in the hammock! I have sweetened the deal with a treat as well. Caillou knows that if he takes his nap like a good boy, he can get a sweety from the ice cream man, or a homemade cookie or cupcake from mama. One day last week, as soon as he woke up from his nap, he ran inside the house, grabbed a dollar from his treat fund, pulled up his little chair by the front gate, and sat and waited for the ice cream man for 45 minutes! Sunday naps are a bit more tricky, due to our church schedule being 1-4 pm. So, Caillou naps at 11:30 and Jasper takes his afternoon snooze during church snuggled in my arms. Bedtime got bumped to 7:30, this always happens during daylight savings time, however, Jasper is usually passed out before this time, and Caillou is still protesting bedtime sometimes until 9... but I won the nap battle, I can win this one too! Now, if only I can tame those biting teeth of his!

Babies... no greater gift

Tonight I cannot contain my feelings for motherhood and the blessings in my life, my dear sweet Caillou and my precious baby Jasper. I am so thankful to be the mother of two healthy, living, breathing, smiling, baby boys. I am so thankful to have had each and every moment that I have had with them, and am so thankful that I have their whole childhood ahead and a bright future to look forward to with them. I am thankful for the smiles, and laughter, and hugs, and sticky kisses. I am thankful for skinned knees, stained t-shirts, and muddy handprints on my walls. I am thankful for the adventures, snuggles, storybook reading, bedtime kisses, "wake up mommy" bounces on the bed. I am even thankful for the tantrums, and chaos, and wild misbehaviours. I am thankful for every moment of motherhood and all that it entails. My life is my children. They are my all and all, my everything. There is no greater gift than a child, no sweeter sound than the first cries of a newly born baby, no reward greater than first smile, first laugh, first time hearing "mama" sweetly spoken, no greater love can be found than that in the embrace between mother and child. I firmly believe that there is no more noble of a calling for women than that of motherhood. To be able to partner with our Father in Heaven in bringing a life into this world, nurture, love, and teach that life, there is nothing more important than that. I pray that more women will realize the importance of their children, and the importance of their role in their children's lives. I am proud to be part of a church that recognizes the importance of family and the importance of a mother being at home with their children. I am thankful to be part of a church that teaches it's men to to do all in their power to ensure that the mother stays in the home. I am thankful that even during our toughest times financially, I know that I am doing my part, I know that I am exactly where God wants me to be, I am at home with my children. My job isn't to bring home the bacon, my job is to fry it!!! I love my children with all my heart, and know that with each blessing God gives me, my heart and love will grow. My adult life has been full of ups and downs, tears, hopes, and prayers, I do not know what the future will bring me, there is so much that is out of my hands, but I am going to do all that I can do to make my home a happy home, a house of peace, happiness and hope. I am going to work hard to love not as the way the world loves but love with the pure love of Christ. I will do all in my power to teach my boys to love, to love God, to love others, and to do good with their lives. I am so thankful to be a mama. All right, I will stop rambling now, I have chocolate to eat!

Move over Caillou, there is a new Sheriff in town...

It seems as though with Caillou, everything is a battle. He is a very spirited and active little boy, with an opinion of his own, and a mind to do just what he wants and refuse to do what Mommy asks him to do. NAPS.... perhaps the biggest battle of all has been naptime... Since the day he was born he has not liked naps! I have been off and on, off an on again and again and again with enforcing his naps. Naptime usually requires so much effort, time, sweat, and physical labor, to get him in his bed, chase him ...put him back in his bed, repeat... oh roughly 1,987,652, times... that sometimes it just doesnt seem worth it. However, Caillou is miserable and tired by afternoon time without a nap, so.... I am laying down the law, afternoon naps are hereby mandatory and will be enforced. This will put a damper on our out and about adventures, and be a problem on Sunday due to our church scedule, but a happier more rested toddler will be well worth it. Wish me luck, I need it with Mr. Caillou the nap outlaw.

Thinking pink....

Having two boys, I have not yet had the fun of being able to sew frilly little girl clothing... until now. My best friend Sarah is having a baby girl this summer. My stash of pink fabric is no longer in hiding... I am winding my bobbins with pink and lavender thread, bringing out the lace and rosebuds, and getting ready to sew the little angel some ruffled and ribboned dainty little frocks. Hurry up and get here little baby, you have cute clothing awaiting you!

A day on our farm...

We had a busy weekend. On Saturday, we enlarged our chicken yard with the fences from mama, more than doubling it's size, making it plenty big for the goats, chickens, and duck to live happily together. And we painted both of the little houses for our farm friends. Mr. Piggy ( the duck ) is the leader of the pack. He herds everyone where he thinks they need to be... and at night he herds everyone into the large wooden dog house and sleeps in the doorway with his head peeking out, as if he is keeping watch for anyone who might do his friends any harm. We named our goats... Pickles and SugarPie. It is very cute to hear Caillou when he tries to say their names. We dug up a small area for my corn crop to be planted. Originally I was planning to plant it in one long row, but I found out that if you are not going to plant rows and rows of corn it is better to plant them in a square and they will pollinate better. I am waiting for my birdhouse gourds and watermelons to sprout in their little greenhouses, nothing yet... I think it has been a little too cold and that is why it is taking a while. The birdhouse gourds should be fun. Craft projects for Caillou after growing season. For dinner I made vegetarian nachos, and we had ice cold rootbeer in the glass bottles. Caillou really enjoyed his dinner. Jasper had a little bit of avocado and Gerber cheese puffs. I suppose one of these days I will stay inside and sew, but lately I have been too busy out in the yard! I did sew a quilt night before last. I will take pictures soon. It is very sweet to bottle feed the baby goats. They are just so precious. On Sunday, I decided to make something unusual for dinner... Couscous and falafel.... or as my family has now renamed it... litter box loaves, I liked the stuff, but daddy and Caillou wouldn't touch it. Our duck wouldn't even it, and he eats everything! Today, I planted gazania sproutlings, took the boys to visit Boo-Bah, made a brick planter box for my sugar baby pumpkins, mowed the lawn, played with the boys on their swings, and taught Caillou about the Creation. We are looking forward to Saint Patrick's Day tomorrow! Grammy is coming up to visit and we are having an all green feast!

Our babies....

Here are the newest addition to our Little Hillbilly Farm.

Nigerian dwarg goat brothers. They are four weeks old and the size of a full grown cat! They are very playful and loving. They drink from a bottle and are very snuggly. From the moment they arrived here they have been following us around like little puppy dogs. These cuties and the chickens and duck are all getting along swell. Tomorrow we will work on enlarging the pen area. All though, none of them stay there long! They all prefer roaming the yard, or their most favorite place of all, gathering in the living room! Silly animals!

Sunshine and smiles...

" My boys give me a world of sunshine and smiles. " That is something my mama said the other day about me and the boys. I can't imagine a more perfect way to describe it.

Today was full of...

giggles

grass stains

sand

boogers

french fries

spit up

chicken chasing

leaky diapers

chocolate pudding

smiles

muddy pants

story telling

chubby cheek kissing

runny noses

balloons

AND

at the end of the day my floor is covered in cheerios, and my bath tub full of sand.

And I wouldn't have it any other way!!

Like my mama said... sunshine and smiles.

When you have the two greatest baby boys in the whole wide world,

you really don't need much else.

Here I go again....

Okay, so some of you may know I have a history of not always behaving myself. I am naturally curious, and have a great love of old things including abandoned places. The above sign, might as well be written in Greek.... because no matter how many of them are posted, I pay them no mind! There are two abandoned houses and an abandoned store on the end of my block, they were built in the 30's.... Anyhow, they are scheduled for demolition in three weeks, so I decided I would go and have a looksy. Caillou and Jasper bundled up and made themselves comfy in the double stroller, and I pulled the red wagon and our large shovel behind us. When we returned to our Little Hillbilly Farm, we had four large daisy bushes. Hey, if they are just going to knock the place down, I might as well save the plants. Tomorrow... we will be saving the stepping stones.

New adventures...

Our week began with Daddy's baptism on Saturday. It was a long awaited for day. The boys wore their new bow ties for the special day.

Jasper had his first playdate! It was a very fun and special day for him.

We started our own 4-H future farmers club!

Had a campfire in the back yard and ate yummy smores.

And Jasper discovered a food he finally likes. Gerber puffies!

Goats and geese...

I am looking to add another member to our little family. Another baby would suit me just fine, but at the moment I am considering something with fur. A goat! The search is on... me and the boys will do anything we can to get some goat money... mow lawns, collect cans, scrub toilets... you name it! We are saving up $100 for a goat! We can't wait! Besides dreamily thinking of our new little goat friend that we will have soon, today we went out on adventures.... our adventures included feeding ducks at a lake... where I was viciously bitten by two very large geese that did not fancy me trying to pick them up for a cuddle. Oh well, can't blame me for trying. They were just sooooo cute.