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Spring snows

2010-02-05T15:04:00.001-08:00

As the first week of february is under way we are greeted with our first spring snowstorm, It seems for the seasons just as with life, change comes first with pain then surrender. I'm ready for warm breezes.
John-

the boys with their friends... priceless

2009-04-15T06:49:00.000-07:00

boggs/leavell

Sick of being sick!!!

2009-04-15T06:39:00.000-07:00

Its been about a month since anyone in our house was well. Now that Jenni and I are starting to recover from our diseases, the boys are getting it. Gabriel has been hit pretty hard the poor little guy... something about being sick on a rainy day... at any age.

COLD SNAP

2009-01-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Well as most everyone has had recently we have had a cold snap here in Ohio. I'm glad I had installed PEX piping in the house because the pipes in our half bath froze. No bursting as was the case with at least one of our neighbors. I crawled under the kitchen and insulated and it seems to be cured, a couple of hours later the pipes began to flow again! Its funny how when it rains it pours. The pipe thing happened just a day after I took the car to the shop to get a new front main seal in the Transmission. through God's peace and strength we get through trials of all kinds and count it pure joy. God's strength is evident in our weakness.

this is late, but Gabriel on his birthday "2"

2008-09-19T16:45:00.000-07:00

squirrels live in the jungle

2008-09-19T16:41:00.000-07:00

After his nap today, Elijah informed me that squirrels live in the jungle, and that if the jungle comes here than the squirrels will too. sometimes I wish I could have such innocent and basic thoughts. Like a child before the father is played out everyday in our house. Lord that I may too be like a child before you just as Elijah is before me.

bite marks

2008-09-11T06:33:00.000-07:00

yesterday we were taking a walk and the kids were in the bike trailer/stroller. everything was going fine until Gabriel started crying about Elijah taking his fire truck. Jenni looks down to discover Gabriel has some serious bite marks on his arm! me..."Gabe how did you get those bite marks?". Gabe..."Eyija bite me". Me... "Elijah did you bite Gabe?" Elijah... "Gabe took my fire truck!" Me... "lean away from your brother and no talking until we get home, you are going to bed without dinner!" then there was silence for a few seconds... Gabe, leaning over to Elijah touching his knee..."It ok Eyijah you my big bruver, It ok Eyijah.". Elijah... "Dad I'm sorry for biting Gabe." Me... "I forgive you." Gabe..."I give you Eyijah". Elijah... "Dad can I have dinner tonight?" Me..."yes Elijah" Elijah... "Dad since Im being good now and I can have dinner, if I'm really good till dinner maybe I could have a special surprise after dinner!?" Me... "don't push it!"

another day in the life of our young boys.

2008-08-11T17:54:00.002-07:00

With the 08' Olympics at hand and all the amazing athletes competing its easy to get caught up and inspired by it all. Elijah today showed a level of commitment I think few athletes have. His game..."basek ball". the object of this game from what I understand it to keep the basek ball away from Gabriel at all costs. he is so committed to this that today he even skipped using the toilet, went in his pants (#1 and #2) and kept playing "basek ball". Me..."whats that on your pants Elijah?" Elijah..."nothing my pee is still in my tummy, Im ok Im playing "basek ball".

Olympians you got nothing when it comes to committment.

Banky bear

2008-08-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, we recently moved from Vermont to Ohio, and have been restoring a 1920 foursquare. Its getting closer to time to start on the front rooms of the house but up until now its been full of boxes. Yesterday I built some shelves in the basement and while moving boxes down there I came across a couple marked stuffed animals. Gabriel latched onto this stuffed bear that has a blanket attached and its all his little 2 year old mind has thought about since. "look at me daddy...banky bear" gabe says while hugging banky bear. Now at bed time all the boy's "friends" have to be present or sleep cannot be achieved. New toys are not needed as long as there are always some old ones in a box.

new pictures of bathroom

2008-08-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

to view more pictures of the bathroom, click on photos in the column to the right.

finally the bathroom is getting closer. the closet is done, the floors are done and the counter went in yesterday. little by little its getting there

truth and kids

2008-08-04T05:34:00.000-07:00

From the land of make believe I write about truth. John; "no we aren't going to the park because you hit your brother after I told you not to". Elijah; "but I'm not hitting him right now" John; "that doesn't make what you did go away" Elijah; "o.k. ... is it gone away now, can we go to the park?"

the problem with some of the choices we make is that we have to face consequences for those choices. its a struggle teaching these little guys about life while they are so little but in my mind its probably the hardest thing to learn especially in a world where truth is what we want it to be.

Ephesians 6:4 and 6:10-19

Ice cream scream

2008-08-01T06:52:00.000-07:00

we have been having a stretch of hot weather as is normal for this time of year, and all is normal around here, but there always seems to be something that gets under my skin. for the last few nights around 9:30 or 10:00 PM let me say that again PM!!! the Ice cream truck has been making the rounds through our town. this girl has a huge yellow flashing light atop her creme mobile and speakers so loud you can here the annoying song from inside our family room from three blocks away. It is summer, kids are out of school playing during the day... during the HOT day. Is there any trace of the ice cream truck and its refreshing contents during the hot afternoon, No! Instead the proprietor of the cream machine is intent on tormenting all the little sweaty children of mount vernon as they lay their clammy little heads on their sweat soaked pillows at night.

secret kid code behavior studies.

2008-08-01T06:37:00.000-07:00

its now obvious to me that the value our kids place on things is not directly proportionate to how much they cost, but rather some secret kid code. the secret kid code is inborn and little is actually known about it. what seems to be a rule is that the more expensive, the less they like it and visa versa.

case study #1.

Geo Trax, (expensive) attention span; approximately 30 min.

time to set up; 45 min.

case study #2.

homemade wooden boat. (free) attention span; 2 days and counting.

time to set up; 0 min.

case study #3.

plastic tricycle (not sure on cost but I'm guessing expensive) attention span; 10 min.

time to set up; 0 min.

case study #4

free bike found in garage dropped off by friends at church that I spray painted black and took the wheels off. (free) attention span; 3 weeks and counting.

i could go on and on with examples but so far at least the general rule of thumb for the secret kid code so far seems to be, expensive =less play time/ less expensive=more play time.

Ill keep you posted to further developments.