The most wonderful time of the year....

Indeed it is! I love Christmas and I love everything it stands for. I love that we have a day set aside to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! He is the most important part of Christmas. In fact with out him there would be no CHRISTmas. I love all the traditions, old and new, that we participate in. The part I don't love is all the running here and there, buying this and that, spending your life savings on one gift for one child, and on and on and on. People get so caught up in the material things in life that they forget what it is all about. I had to step back and catch my breath recently about this very thing. I realized that in less than two weeks it would be Christmas and then it would be over. Just like that it would be gone! Starting this week I have a list of things to clean, bake, buy and wrap.....all before Christmas. Thursday I need to get groceries(because there is no other time of any other day to do it!) and finish buying the last few gifts on my list. Friday I have to start baking for my goody boxes I'm making and also bake cookies for the 20-25 children at my Nannie's house for Christmas. In addition to this busy morning, I will also have to start the cleaning process of my house because more family is coming over Sunday night to eat. Friday is also my man's birthday! He will be 34!(Happy early birthday!) So late Friday afternoon/night we are going out for his birthday while Mimi and paw watch the babies!(Thank you Mimi and Paw!) OK so I really wasn't stressed about this because I love spending time with him! Then there is Saturday. Saturday morning I have to finish baking for the goody boxes, cook for the family get together on Saturday night, and clean some more....all while my hubby is taking his mom Christmas shopping. HA! Then we have the party at 6:00 Saturday night. Then Sunday we have church. Then we are coming home and getting the house ready for guests and cooking some dishes for another family party at our house that night. Whew. Then the next week we have yet another family party on Christmas Eve with more cooking and baking and cleaning. We will then come home open our one traditional present(new pj's for Christmas morning... a tradition my folks did with us as kids!)then off to bed and preparing for Christmas morning. Then there is the rush of opening all presents on Christmas morning. All presents opened and done in 30 minutes! Then one last gathering on Christmas night....with yup you guessed it more cooking. As you can see I was beyond flustered! I thought Christmas here and gone in two very fast weeks and I wasn't going to be able to enjoy any of it! Then I got a grip on the situation. I thought it will only be a burden if I let it be one. How many Christmas's will I have a one year old, a two year old, and a three year old? Only one, this one. If I will just take it one day at a time this was all going to be fine. Instead of being upset about it, embrace it! So I plan on cooking with my kids and letting them help with what they can and take plenty of pictures. The kids love to help me cook. I also love to cook. Thank God we have many opportunities to turn off the TV, turn on some Christmas music, dance, sing, and bake. Instead of dreading the upcoming get together's, I'm taking the time to breath it all in. I am going to try and talk to each relative I can, because let's face we are not promised tomorrow. Family is very important to us so why should I let other scrooges dictate how I feel about them? And on Christmas day we will make it last as long as possible. How? Well we will let the kids play with their stockings and the gifts that Santa will bring. Then we will eat breakfast. After breakfast we will open one gift, let them play with it for a while, and then move on to the next gift and so on. That way Christmas last for more than 30 minutes. We will also read the Christmas story...the real one, you know about baby Jesus! So as I finish up this rather long post, my point in all of this is that I will not be a scrooge this year. No, I'm going to embrace my family because after all this will be the only year they are 3, 2, and 1! This truly is the most wonderful time of the year!.....JFowler

Sweetie Pie turns 2.....

we are singing happy birthday to her!
(I think she is disgusted by it!)


Showing me that she's 2!



The Elmo cake I made!

My little Sweetie Pie turned 2 a few weeks ago and it seems so hard to believe! It seems like we were just bringing her home from the hospital. She is one of the sweetest little girls ever. She is so laid back(most of the time!) and can be a little mischievous at times! She is my little mommy. She is always trying to take care of a baby doll, a stuffed animal, or her siblings.(that doesn't go over very well sometimes!) God has made her a very compassionate and caring child. She is my little dimpled face darling! For Sweetie Pie's birthday we had an Elmo party. She absolutely loves Elmo. This year we decided to have just close family over for a party.(because I have at least 50-60 people just on my dad's side of the family!) This year I decided to start making our kids birthday cakes. It is a new challenge for me and I actually enjoyed it even more than I thought I would! Here's a few pictures from my Sweetie Pie's birthday party. Enjoy....JFowler

I'm a big girl mommy and yes Virginia there is a Santa Claus......

The words I thought I would never hear came in the form of a sweet little whisper from my Sweetie Pie: "Mommy I'm a big gurl, I not need no paci's!" What? Did I just hear those words? It has been a struggle(probably just as much for me as it was for her!)over the past few weeks, but we have managed to take away Sweetie Pie's paci! I was beginning to doubt this could be done. It made me think of little Virginia and how she wondered if there was a Santa.We tried cutting the tip of the paci off and giving her the paci and this worked....for a little while! She would magically switch the "broke paci" as she called it to a perfectly normal paci and how? I have no idea! The things they do never cease to amaze me! So after a few days, the "broke paci's" would disappear and new ones would appear. (This is a trick that I am certain Harry Potter would be proud to call his own!) So we are back at square one...again! Sweetie Pie is now two and we decided to bring out the big guns! That's right, we have decided to use the "you're a big girl just like your sister" tactic. Boy, where we wrong...again! (And the Marine Corps just thought they trained daddy for everything!) This worked during the day but come time for a nap or bedtime, nope! She so proudly informed us that she was not a big gurl and that she was a baby and needed her paci! Well now. What next? We decided to back her off her paci instead of quit cold turkey. So for 2 weeks she napped with no paci and woke up so very happy that she was a big gurl! Then there was still bed time. We were very happy to give her the paci at bedtime because, well....we were exhausted!(What can I say? You pick your battles and sleep just happened to win this one!) The boy was in the middle of cutting teeth and we were having a couple of rough days(Sweet Pea was sad that a certain rabbit was missing that no one has seen in well over a year or longer. And we all know how dramatic she can be!)so sleep and a few hours of quite where worth giving my two year old a paci! Then last night came and she so proudly announced once again that she "was a big gurl and I not need no paci" and to my amazement she went to sleep with no paci! I rocked her for maybe five minutes and holding her dolly she drifted into a sweet sleep. She was right she was a big girl and she didn't need a paci! So just as Virginia needed reassuring that there was in fact a Santa, I needed reassuring that I would survive the paci ordeal! Thank God Sweetie Pie is a big gurl and maybe, just maybe there is a Santa Clause....JFowler

Things my children say....

Children have so many talents that I was unaware of until I had my own. Some talents come out at birth(the ability to throw up formula across the room, pee straight through a diaper,etc.)some come about when they start walking(playing in the toilet, eating out of the trash can,etc.)and most of them come out when they start talking. Today I would like to share with you some of the conversations that my husband and I have with two of circus clowns we so lovingly call our girls!
Sweetie Pie
Mommy: Sweetie pie you are 2 now! Yay you're a big girl. Do you know what that means?
Sweetie pie: ?
Mommy: That means no more paci's! Yay you're a big girl like your sister and you don't need that stinky paci anymore!!
Sweetie pie: (LAUGHS) I not a big gurl mommy!
Mommy: but you are sweetie! Give me your paci!
Sweetie pie:(running) No I NOT A BIG GURL!
Please Note: after chasing sweetie pie through the house I successfully retrieve the paci!
Sweetie Pie: (tears) I not a big gurl! I need to go to mimi and paw's house!!(And yes this is her favorite thing to say when she doesn't get what she wants!) Day 1 and Day 2 at nap time have been successful with no paci's!(I will check back in if we make it through Day 3!)
Sweet Pea
Oh, the things my oldest daughter can come up with!
Mommy, Mommy, come quick we have been captured by the mean King! His name is brother and He is trying to rule in the land of Big Sisters!

Sweet Pea: Daddy, Monsters don't poop!(hello, didn't you know that?)

Sweet Pea: Mommy?
Mommy: Yes sweet pea
Sweet Pea: I have someone I would like for you to meet!
Mommy: You do? Who is it?
Sweet Pea: Mommy meet my dog, her name is Sparky!
Sweetie Pie: BARK BARK
Mommy: Sweet Pea your sister is not a dog!
Sweet Pea: Mommy we are just pretending. She is my Sparky
Sweetie Pie: BARK BARK

And my favorite line she always tells us when something doesn't go her way: Everything is ruined! She cries and is quickly followed by her sister who copies her every move and her brother who is going to stand just close enough to make her scream at the top of her lungs! I must admit that I don't remember being so dramatic when I was a child(So of course I blame this on my husbands gene pool!)but my girls are so dramatic. I think that they would make perfect actress!(You know the good kind not the Lindsey Lohan or Britney Spears kind!) All this drama made me think of something. (Insert your own joke here!) I was thinking how God said that man(and woman)were made in His own image. Hhhmmm. Food for thought. Earlier this week I started reading the book of Jeremiah and if you read this book as if your were actually Jeremiah listening and talking to a visibly upset God, you would find that this was a very passionate book. I thought God was so passionate about His people all He wanted was for them to follow Him and turn from there evil ways. God is a passionate God. Think about it He doesn't do anything lightly. Examples are: The creation of Earth, The parting of the Red Sea, The ten commandments, The Great Flood, The virgin birth, Jesus. Sure there are so many more that I could name but it really does make you think. God is big. So I said all this to make my point, God is passionate therefore this is the reason our kids are so passionate. They were also made in His image. They are loving,kind, compassionate, beautiful,caring, and yes even passionate! So today I am thankful that I have to very passionate little girls! Until next time....JFowler

the many talents of my children.....

God has blessed us with three beautiful children. He made them very compassionate, loving, funny, and he also gifted them with many talents. These talents are really amazing and I must say unique.(In fact I think God may look down on us every once in a while and laugh!Who said God doesn't have a sense of humor?) They have so many where do I start? Let's start with Sweet pea and her amazing ability to talk non-stop and never get tired.(She would probably make even the very best therapist want to change professions!) She even talks in her sleep. Sweetie pie has a very sneaky talent. She can be as quiet as a mouse. You would think I would appreciate the quietness but no, I don't. In fact when she is quiet, 99% of the time she is doing something she probably shouldn't be doing. For instance, earlier this week she was so nicely pouring Parmesan cheese on the side table in the living room so that she and her siblings could all partake in the eating of cheese.(at least they were sharing...right?) And then there's the boy with his sly smile(and he looks just like his daddy when he does!)and his no shame way of doing things. He just straight up does something,runs as fast as his short legs will take him,and laughs. Yup, he laughs. He has the talent to eat,nonstop all day long. And for some reason eating straight out of the garbage can is more appetizing than eating off a plate.(don't worry we now have a garbage can he can't get into!) They all three also have the talent of producing food. They come out of nowhere holding cookies, crackers, and even the occasional apple. Where did it come from? I have no idea! Maybe they hide them in their toy boxes or maybe they get them from under the bed. Honestly I don't know! They aren't suppose to even have food in their rooms and yet they come toddling in the living room and kitchen holding food and smiling...while they eat it. Yes the good Lord gave our children many talents and yes I do believe He has a sense of humor. Even though my kids have all these wonderful talents, I must say a day without the boy taking the vent out of the floor, Sweetie pie eating lotion, and Sweet pea getting toothpaste all over the bathroom(and her very long hair!) would in fact be a very boring day. So until my next adventure in chaos, or as I like to call it life, I pray you will be blessed, just like we are........JFowler

my boy turns one.....

Last Thursday my little blue caboose(name given to him by a cousin!)turned one. I can't believe that my BABY is one. When did that happen? Wow! I must say the past year has been one adventure after another! It was a year of all things new. A new house, Micah received a promotion, and of course a new(and unexpected by us, not God!)baby boy. He was such a cute little thing! He weighed 9 pounds and 4 ounces and was 20 inches long. He was bigger than the other babies in the nursery. In fact one nurse called him a bruiser of a baby. The little white t-shirts they put on them after they're born and after their daily bath was not big enough to fit him. Although somehow the nurses managed to stretch it around his tummy(and head....). He was and is such a doll. He is a mamma's boy!(not to be confused with a sissy!) He is all boy. He naturally loves cars, trains, and all things that have wheels. He loves to play ball and can magically be so in tune to the television that you have to call his name repeatedly to get his attention.(and yes I do think this is a male thing...sorry Micah but it's true! I LOVE YOU;])Anyway. I must say that I have been so blessed to have this beautiful baby boy in my life. As we go toward his next year of life, there will be things that I miss(sitting still in one place, crawling,baby food,etc. and just that fact that he's not a "baby" anymore)and even some things I won't miss.(the puking,the baby food, the bottles,the late night feedings..)I am excited about what God has in store for our family. And I am also excited about the ministry God has in store for him and his family.But there are two simple facts that remain, he is and will always be my baby boy(whether he likes it or not!)and that I will always love him! So happy birthday to my sweet little man, mommy loves you!;) until next time......JFowler

a lack of spoons and laundry overload....

Yesterday was an interesting day. It was Monday so we were dealing with our usual Monday routine.(With the exception of Micah who was off work and hunting.)You know clean up from Sunday, start the laundry, what to cook for supper,etc., etc.,etc. But for me it was a little bit of a sad day. It all started Sunday afternoon when we gave our changing table away. I know you're thinking a changing table why is that so sad? Well let me just tell you. This is the changing table that I used with all three of my children. I changed them all on it, they have all played on it, tried to eat the baby powder I stored on it, and even destroyed numerous boxes of wet wipes on it. This was more than a sturdy changing table, to me it was a memory table. As long as I had this table in my house I still had a baby around. It was there and so where my babies. Of course my babies are still here but they're older. And when I thought about this it made me so sad. Just last year I had three kids under the age of three and this year I have an almost four year old, a two year old and a one year old. How did that happen? I have always heard people say that time flies by and they'll be grown before you know it. Well apparently they (whoever "they" are)were telling the truth! Couldn't they lie just this one time?(Yes I know you shouldn't lie and yes I am teaching my children that!)Anyway for some reason this hit me hard yesterday. It made me want to crawl into bed and cry. Thank God I have three children and that couldn't happen. At supper time I was setting our supper on the table and was looking in the drawer for silverware and found one spoon, then I moved to the dishwasher and found a few more, for crying out loud where are all the spoons? Then I thought about the mound of clothes coming out of the baskets set in my room. Where is the housekeeper for Pete's sake? Doesn't she know I have a family to take care of? And then I realized hello you're the housekeeper. Hhhmmm. This isn't good. How can I dwell in sadness when my life is sitting before me. Then I looked at the table and I realized my life IS sitting at the table,Micah, sweet pea, sweetie pie,and the boy. While I was deep in my thoughts of how they weren't little babies any more, I had missed an entire day with them. I was here but was so preoccupied that I missed valuable time with my babies. I was upset that time had went by so fast that I forgot to take the time and enjoy them today. The bible says we only have today, we are not promised tomorrow. Then God reminded me of something else, that while yes they are older, they are also healthy and happy. We have not had to live at the hospital, we have a roof over our heads, clothes on our back, and food in our tummies. What do I have to be so sad about? Nothing. So with this new revelation that God has given me(and trust me he gives me new aha moments everyday!) I realize that they will grow up and it's up to me and Micah to teach them the right way to live. It's our job, that God has so graciously given us, to raise these kids to be compassionate, loving, morally sound, God fearing adults. So while I am now over my sad mood, I have decided I will enjoy every moment I have with them and cherish it forever. There will probably be many more days of laundry overload and a lack of spoons but there will never be the promise of another day. So I will live my life to the fullest, love with all God has given me and maybe even get the laundry done but today I will enjoy my babies! Until next time...JFowler