Bikes

More Gresham Funnies...

So Gresham has really been cracking us up this week...

Background info: Usually in the spring and fall, we go to an event in Grapevine at the historic Nash Farm. They have pony rides, farm animals, tractors, etc. This year we missed the spring one, and Gresham can't wait to go in the fall. We also found a farm in East Texas where you can rent a cabin for a weekend and help with farm chores. We were hoping to go this weekend, but we will have to wait until fall. We haven't talked to Gresham directly about any of that, but he has picked up on the fact that "fall" is when we will get to see a farm!

Mom: Aidan, today we are going to visit a PE class that you are going to be in. You won't actually get to be in it until fall...
Gresham: OH! Mommy! We are going to Nash Farm in the fall! There will be horsies for me to ride!

Mom: Oh, whoops, my watch is still set on "timer" after cooking the chicken...
Gresham: Chickens! They will have chickens at Nash Farm! I will see them!

Aidan: Look at that brown tree by the side of the road, Mom. It thinks it is fall.
Gresham: We are going to Nash Farm in the fall!

Also, this morning my mom was here with the kids while I was at school. She and Aidan were doing his reading lesson, and Gresham came over to listen to the book. He stood by Aidan's chair. Aidan said, "No, Gresham, go sit with Grandma." Gresham responded with, "No, I will stand by you because I love you..." Too cute!

Say what?

One of the fun aspects of raising children is that you never know what is going to come out of their mouths...

Today we were grocery shopping at Target. On one aisle, there was a man stocking shelves. He was overweight with a big ponytail and lots of tattoos. While I was figuring out which bagels to buy, Gresham kept saying over and over, "Is that God? Is that God? IS THAT GOD?" That can't seriously be his mental image of God... surely we are doing a better job than that...

We saw the same man again a few aisles over. In case Gresham hadn't made his point clear enough, he said, "That's the same guy! That's the same guy!" Yes, Gresham, we all know!

Spring Pictures

Today we were out at the Town Center, and I happened to have my camera in my purse, so we decided to take some pictures... a nice man saw us and offered to take a picture of all of us, which was a nice thought... None of them turned out very well, but this was the best. Gresham kept closing his eyes on purpose, and Aidan never stops moving.

34 weeks along... not far to go now! This picture doesn't make me look much bigger than my last picture at 29 weeks, but I think it's the outfit...

Mom the Super-chef

Last Sunday we had Easter dinner at my parents' house. Some of their neighbors came (who also attend our church) and they brought lemonade. It was really good lemonade - I love lemonade, but have been avoiding it because it gives me heartburn. Hers was not very acidic and had fresh lemons, limes, and oranges floating in it. I asked her how she made it, and she said she just uses Kool-Aid and then adds the fresh fruit! So I bought some Kool-Aid.

Fast-forward to Wednesday:

Mom: Aidan, we're going to make lemonade.
Aidan: Wow, really? You know how to make that?
Mom: Um, yes. It's not that hard.
Aidan: Can I have one of those too? (eyeing the Kool-Aid packet)
Mom: No, you don't need your own. This makes a whole pitcher.
Aidan: A whole what?
Mom: Just watch.
Aidan: Wow, that was really fast. I thought it would take you longer to make it.

And on Thursday...

Aidan: Hey Grandma, look what Mom can make! (pulls the pitcher from the refrigerator) She made lemonade herself!

Honeybear

On Saturday, we received an ebay order in the mail - a "honeybear" for the new baby. I laughed as soon as I opened it, as the other two in this picture looked exactly like him at one point! I had to buy the new baby one, since honeybear is such an important member of our family! The one on the far left is Aidan's. He received it as a gift before he was born from some of my science students. One day shortly after he turned two, he discovered honeybear in his stuffed animal basket, and told me, "He has nice ears!" He has loved honeybear ever since. (I actually suggested the name, and he took my suggestion - something that hasn't happened since then...)

The middle honeybear is one that I bought on ebay as a back-up for Aidan's. We only needed it once - when he left honeybear in Daddy's car, and honeybear ended up going to work with him. The back-up was NOT the same, and he called Dad at work to ask if Dad would please switch them out when he got home even though he would already be asleep. I can't remember how old Aidan was at the time - probably close to 3.

We gave that one to Gresham when he was born. He has not been as attached to his as Aidan is, until just recently. Now his honeybear goes everywhere with him, and has acquired a nice grubby toddler smell.

The one on the right is the new one - it will be interesting to see if the new baby ends up being attached to his!

Hymns from the Perspective of the 21st Century...

The other day, we were singing "Amazing Grace" during Bible time. I told Aidan a little of the story of John Newton (who wrote Amazing Grace) and how he was a slave trader until he came to know Christ. I asked Aidan, "So now that you know his story, what do you think he meant by 'I once was lost, but now am found'?" Aidan said, "Oh! He means he was lost from God, and now he is found from God. I used to think when we sing that that he was lost on a walk or something. I knew he wouldn't be lost driving, because he could just type it into his thing (meaning a GPS)."

Maybe his grasp on history has a ways to go, but I'm glad to see him understanding the hymn!

Boys

When they grow up...

Yesterday, Jordan and I were talking about finances and how we have spent a lot of money on renting Aidan's violin. I was wondering if it was worth it to buy a violin, so I called Gresham over to ask his instrument preference since we can hand the violin down to him. Usually he talks about wanting to play cello.

Mom: Gresham, when you are 4, do you want to play a violin or a cello?
Gresham: Um (pause) I want to be a worker-man!
Mom: Well, you can't do that when you are 4. When you are big like Daddy you can be a worker-man. Aidan, what do you want to be when you are big?
Aidan: I want to be Buzz Lightyear!

Well, at least I'll be well taken care of with sons who are worker-men and super heroes!

Finger Snapping and Construction Trucks

I never knew that being 5 was so much fun. There are just so many things to learn that adults don't even think about! On Thursday, Aidan told me, "Annika can snap her fingers! She did that at children's choir, and I told her it was really cool because I can't snap my fingers. Abby says she can't snap hers either."

Throughout the day, he practiced about 10,000 times and finally learned to snap his fingers! He practiced during meals, during school, etc, etc... He kept saying, "Did you hear that one Mom? I think that one was a little louder..." He couldn't wait to show Annika and Abby at church the next time he saw them! He got to see Abby this morning when he went up to church with Jordan to watch the construction on the new children's building, and so he showed her his snapping!

Jordan said that last night when Aidan went to bed, he had a sore spot on his finger from practicing snapping so much.

It's the simple things that make him happy...

The highlight of Gresham's week was watching the construction vehicles excavate the land for the new children's building. We went up there to watch on Wednesday, and Jordan took them again today while I was at the women's retreat. When we walked up to the building on Wednesday, Gresham said, "This is amazing!" He knows the name of all the trucks - bulldozer, excavator, dump truck, etc. He was disappointed that there wasn't a front end loader, and he also was disappointed that the excavator wasn't moving. When I got to the retreat this morning and saw the excavator filling an enormous dump truck, I had to call them right away!

Watching construction for long periods of time is not my favorite thing, but I told Jordan on Wednesday that I think I can handle that a whole lot better than playing ballerina all day... so maybe it's good that I have all boys!