Wrapping up April

Mid-April, the Grenada Fast Pitch Softball team hosted a Strike Out Cancer event with the American Cancer Society. Mom and I were honored to be invited to participate and even more so when they asked us to throw out the first pitch of the game. The event began with so many obvious hours of hard work by the players and parents committed to honoring cancer survivors. 

Dozens of survivors were recognized at a special ceremony then Mom and I headed (with Avery) to the pitcher's mound for the first pitch. Silas had a t-game, so he had to stay in Madison with Bruce. I tried to convince Mom to throw the pitch, but she would not have it. (and I was a little nervous.. saying to myself, "just don't bounce the ball in front of the plate, don't bounce it" haha).  

All went fine (and I threw a strike (SMILE)) and we had a great time watching those sweet girls play fast pitch, reminiscing the thousands of wonderful hours we spent there on the field when I was growing up.  

It was such a special night! 

The next weekend, we took the opportunity to spend a night at Mimi and Papaw's house. Weather was perfect for fishing… and there was much work to be done on the farm. Papaw needed a little more help, and he had two very eager volunteers!

We always LOVE spending a low-key day riding the polaris (and tractor), enjoying the outdoors…. again reminiscing so many days my friends and I spent exploring these woods.  I think I enjoy re-living these experiences just as much as Silas and Avery enjoy them!  

School is almost out… 

Peter Rabbit Party… Then Buggin' & Fishin'

One of the events I signed up to help with for the kids' class was the Beatrix Potter party. Their library teacher had this room set up just like Mr. McGregor's garden… with real plants, real fish, wow! I loved getting to attend this fun event!  I wasn't quite sure why I needed to bring 17 carrots "with the green on top" peeled and ready-to-eat, but now I see!

Their class came into the room single-file and sat around while Mrs. J read the story of Peter Rabbit.  They were very interactive (wink!).

After the story was over, they went on a walk through the garden. Each one loved the detail that had gone into the set-up, the cat that was trying to put a paw into the fishbowl, wonderful smell of the herbs…

and especially the sugar cookies that sat next to their carrots and tea cups…

Um, yes, they used real china cups.  So cute!

We parents aren't allowed to attend "every event" for many reasons, and I sure love the ones I can enjoy!

Then, Friday, we headed up to Grenada to spend the night. Mom, Grace and I had an event in Coffeeville on Saturday morning, and we thought Silas and Avery would love a night away at Mimi and Papaw's!  We arrived (oh, and they each insisted to wear their "cow boots" to Papaw's) and they immediately wanted to go bug hunting!  Mimi had a little magnifying glass toy that Silas took while Avery had the bug jar and these two were unstoppable.

But all she wanted to touch were the flowers…. ;-) 

Meanwhile, we just sat back and watched them as the sun set, our hearts full.

Mimi always has a fun dessert planned when we come! Check out this cupcake Monkey:

This weekend coincided with the Bright Box shipment… so we were able to preview the boxes from the loading dock!  Don't you want one too!!  See details at www.essentialplay.org !

Saturday morning was beautiful… a perfect day for fishing!  Look at the size of those poles they're lugging with their bait (Avery wanted crickets and Silas wanted worms): 

The loot.  These two caught a bucketful of fish! The videos are hilarious…

We always hate to leave, and Mimi prepares a "go bag" of goodies for the ride home… Silas was more than pleased with his "bag" (mound of leftover cupcakes) for this trip.  He did not fall asleep on the way home.

Mr. Goodbar and Manic Mondays

Monday, Silas and Avery were out of school, enjoying a fun day.  About 2:15, Elizabeth (Sue Sue), their babysitter called frantic - saying something about Silas and allergic reaction and throwing up everywhere and he was screaming... told her to call 911 and both Bruce and I sped up the interstate to get there.

I don't think I breathed once (okay, maybe twice) during that flying 14 minute trip (usually 20 minutes) with my hazard lights on... we know he is allergic to peanuts and we have an Epi pen at home, but all I could see was Silas having a hard time breathing, scared, scratching all over...  it was a looooooong 14 minutes. I prayed the ambulance would be there. I prayed SueSue just overreacted (highly unlikely). I prayed he just had the stomach virus.... so many things... I did call on the way again and she said he was "breathing okay" but was "maroon all over". 

Bruce and I pulled in about the same time to the house. The fire truck was there with a few police cars and the paramedics had him sitting on the couch with the oxygen mask on and the oximeter on his finger. He was calm and looked at us with his eyes as if to say, "Yeah, where have YOU been." Bless his heart.  The paramedics said his O2 sats were fine and he seemed stable for us to drive him to the ER in lieu of the fancy chariot (ambulance).  Little buddy was still covered in hives otherwise pretty calm, but obviously tired and shaken. I held him while Bruce went to get his shoes - I asked SueSue to go thru the eggs from his basket on the table and she eventually found an empty Mr. Goodbar wrapper.  Bingo.  Mr. Goodbars aren't so good for those allergic to peanuts. He had obviously found it somewhere (GG and her nanny know about his allergy and had hidden all the candy with nuts!)...

We loaded into my car to head to Batson.  Oh, and meanwhile, Avery slept through the WHOLE thing!!  She was still sound asleep when we left... they sleep in the same room... amazing. 
Sweet Silas had three questions (really his first words to us since we'd been there) when we left.  First, "But Mommy, who's going to keep Avery?"  I said SueSue would be there with her.
Second, "But Mommy, who's going to clean up my mess"  Awwww, my sweet little man couldn't think of anything but that in this instant?! God bless him.
Third and valid question, "But Mommy, why did the ambulance come in the fire truck??" 
After I tried to say something that made sense, he rested all the way downtown. 

Batson was wonderful (as always) and had him back within seconds of us signing in.  After medicine and a few hours observation, we went home that night.  Praise God for him being okay.  I did check on him every few hours during the night and gave benedryl every 6 hours for 24 hours... and he is fine.  

Whew, I just thought I knew what Manic Mondays were. Now I have a whole new perspective. 

 

 

This reminds me of another favorite saying of Silas'.  He and Avery were talking about dressing up in a costume for something and I heard him tell her, "I only like Halloween because that's when I get candy."  Bless him.  Chocolate really is his love language. 

 

And he did ask me the next morning, "Mommy does my muffing have nuts in it?"  Poor guy, no, I did not put nuts in your muffin.  

Easter Weekend 2015

I cannot believe it is already time for Easter!  We were so excited that Moppy and Poppy and GayGay and Uncle Bobby were coming down with Mimi and Papaw for the weekend!! GayGay and Bobby arrived Friday night and took us to dinner... no need for entertainment with Warfs and lobsters!

Especially when Uncle Bobby lets you feed him!!  Avery says "say ahhh, okay dip in sauce (butter), now here you go"

Sweet little man loves his GayGay! (and didn't put down the lobster claw the entire meal)  After supper, Gay Gay came over and watched a movie with us - the kids (and GayGay) were in heaven!!

The weekend of Easter, the Meck's always host the big Eggstravaganza, super egg hunt at their home!  This is always a highlight of our holiday weekend and the kids were so excited about it Saturday morning (albeit their 4th or 5th egg hunt of the season)!  Silas knew the eggs would really be hidden, so he was ready!  I was behind all the kids this year so didn't get the typical surge from behind the gate to start off the hunt... but watching about 100 kids sprint with buckets looking for eggs is such fun to see:-)  Here's the only shot I got that wasn't blurry:

 

 

It was wet and muddy from the 40 days and 40 nights of rain that we've suffered been blessed with, so Silas and Avery wore their rain boots. However, as indicated in the picture below, apparently the boots were hindering to the princess.

 



 

Our executive pastor joked that the Warf duo had "no fear" with the jumpy slide... the other kids sat down and slid down while our two viewed the top as a launching pad for a cliff jump...
We joked that minister's kids were pros/veterans at the Jumpy Jumps... haha.

This one is one of my favorites!

After the hunt, we bribed them into a short nap... they woke up to Mimi, Papaw, Moppy and Poppy!  The ladies went to run errands and Poppy was a good sport.

 

Precious moments. 

We cooked burgers at our house and had a great night!  Except that time KY lost in the Final Four. Bruce was a good sport... at the buzzer (after animated spectating for 2 hours), Bruce calmly said, "Wow. I think I'm going outside to talk to my dog for a minute."  He did finally come to bed at some point that night. 

Precious moments, number 11,728,901.  We LOVED having all the family in town.

Sunday morning, everyone came to church with us, which is such a treat.  It was a glorious celebration of our Jesus, the culmination of our Gospel, the reason we have HOPE. 

We all went to lunch... and I snuck a cute pic from way down the long table...

Then a coupla fun selfies:

Garnett is very picky with her snuggles... her Papaw is just about number one on her list.  So sweet.

After lunch, we kept with tradition and spent the afternoon at the Sturdivant's house. Some napping...

Some relaxing...  There's no better way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

 

Sweet little Garnett has no trouble hanging with the bigger kids. Actually, ("actually" ...if you read a previous post) Miss Avery might have met her match....

This reminds me of another funny Avery-ism.  We have been talking a lot about the meaning of Easter and now they say eggs only about 50% of the time:-)  Their little chocolate egg that the Easter Bunny brought them was hollow so we asked them what was inside... they said "nothing!"... like the tomb, right?!  They said, yes, Jesus is alive!  Heart smiles.

We were also driving back home from tball practice last night and the kids were in question mode (which is about 80% of their life). Silas: "Mommy, who made the machines and roads? How did they make that wire, that bridge, that..."  Avery: "God made the grass and the sun, right Mommy?" "God made the Bernstein Bears, right Mommy?"  Well........ ..........  sometimes, I must be really creative in my answers.

God did give us family and there's not much, if anything, that we are more thankful for.

 

What a fun, glorious weekend!!

 



Catching up...

We've wrapped up soccer for the Spring 2015!  This little team had the best time and became sweet friends. (Have I mentioned that I'm not sure if there's anything cuter than boys in soccer uniforms!!) They played hard, rain (lots of it!) or shine (one day!), and all said their favorite part was the snack. Of course.

We've enjoyed a few rites of spring with cookouts and friends!  Finally, we are seeing longer days and playing outside after work... fun times!

And princess dresses are inevitably involved in all events.

Last week, we went to a fun birthday party at Home Depot!  We received the invitation and thought, hmm, Home Depot?  Didn't know they hosted parties... but let me tell you, this was so much fun!  We arrived and were led back to the boardroom (no joke, with wood custom bookshelves, long conference table, and fancy pictures) by friendly workers clad in orange aprons... where we had our own aprons waiting on us with our tool kit materials. These kiddos hammered (by themselves!) and put together toolboxes, then custom painted them to their individual preferences:

Then, there was the piñata... and pool noodles...

Let's just say the boardroom might not ever be the same!!


Along with the end of soccer comes the beginning of t-ball! Avery said she didn't want to play soccer, but after watching Silas... she didn't turn down the offer for t-ball!  Here is the little lady at her first practice:  "Mommy, I'm ready!"  (We'll cover offense and defense later...)

While Silas is on a team with only 4 year-olds and younger, Avery is on a team with 4, 5, and 6 year olds... and coach pitch!  Look at this slugger!!

 

There are so many things I find myself saying, "Gee I need to write this down so I won't forget!"... and I remember to write some down... forget others...

Silas and Avery are the funniest and most fun people I've ever been around. Bruce and I aren't joking when we say, "we've never had so much fun in our lives!"  So true.  I'll try to write a few things down here that they're saying these days:

Avery's new word is "Actually."  She says it all the time... "Well, actually.... " and "Actually, Silas didn't do this, etc.. " Hilarious.
I suppose I'll just sit and wait for the "like" phase... ha.

Silas still says "Why is Millie woofing?"  I repeat and say "I wonder why she is barking - maybe there is a duck out there"... and he says "yes, she must be woofing at the duck"

Yes, they both tarry for bed... I suppose this doesn't stop... it's hilarious. Mommy, I'm thirsty. Mommy, I need to go to the bathroom. Mommy, I NEED one more hug. Mommy, my tummy hurts. Avery says, "but mommy, I'm having growing pains." 

At the soccer games, it's the sweetest thing... Silas scored and "actually" ran off the field to give me a high five.. then he said "I need to go tell Avery" and ran literally 50 yards to where she was playing to tell her. She then proceeded to give him a high five and a HUG! 
Avery, when she is spending her 5 minutes on the sideline cheering for "my brudder" says as loudly as she can in her sweet high pitched voice, "awww, good try Silas, kick ag-ai-hun"!

I'm trying to mark these things in permanent ink in my small brain... we just laugh and laugh and savor every moment.  Man, we are blessed.