Random photos from the week.

Isn't he the coolest looking cat? He is an interesting personality mix also, chill enough to sit on a kids lap (tummy facing up, something you have to see) but also super playful a feisty.

Luke posing during chores.

Okay. We have been meaning to get a picture of this exact pose for weeks now. See how she is looking over her shoulder, hand cocked up at her side and sticking her bum out? Well we see this pose at least once a day. This is her I'm poop y stance. She will come up to us and bust out this pose (every single time) and loudly say "I poo-py!" or sometimes she mixes it up with "Mama, I poo-py!"

...think maybe it's time to potty train her?

She was just too cute to resist here. Especially when she is stuffing her face. Which, forgive me dear Lily is ALL THE TIME. We already feel like we have a hungry teenager in the house. She is a growth machine. Especially when you see her standing taller than four year olds, (she's two). Guess that 6'2" stuff was NO joke.

Putting her beloved Zu zu pets in a hat for some safe keeping.

Some really safe keeping.

Her eyes are the neatest color. They are green with brown flecks in them. If I do say so myself. Which I do. So I will. ....name the cartoon character which originally made that statement.

So happy when daddy comes home from work! While looking at this photo just pretend you can hear, "Daddy daddy daddy!" Being screeched out by multiple children.

O's bball game and Lukes new toy (that is already lost).

Owen (the big O) as he is known on the court, running out of the tunnel on Saturday's game.

I was so happy I got this shot, Owen had just stolen the ball and ran it down court and made a basket. He was thrilled and Luke cheered SO SO loud for his brother. A very exciting point in the action.

Warming up. Currently Owen is playing two sports, tennis and basketball. I need to take some pictures of him on the tennis court because I'm amazed at how good he is. He's serving overhead and can rally back and forth like twenty times!

This is our cheering section, Luke and Mr. MnM. Mr. MnM came into out lives a week ago. Luke saw him at a store last Saturday and asked for him for his birthday (which is in November, we adhere to pretty strict rules of no toys except your birthday or Christmas).

As you may know our dear sweet Luker has a bit of a problem with crustiness. He tends to scream and get frustrated fairly easy and you definitely DO NOT want to give him a reason to defend himself. Just trust me on this (we (anybody that even remotely knows Luke) think his sport is going to definitely be football...he's just got the killer instinct). So I thought I'd come up with an incentive to come to the sweeter side of relationships. Enter Mr. MnM. Luke got three strikes for one week and if on the last day he still had a strike left he could get his new toy. The rules were no screaming, you have to talk your problems out. And no whining and crying if something doesn't go your way, just get over it.

So he did so great! He got two strikes, one a few hours after system was devised and the other on Wednesday. He played with the toy constantly and brought him to the game. Which is where he consequentially lost it. Should I buy him a new one or have him learn a life lesson on being more careful with your toys?

Morning hair and somebody is starting to dress herself.

This is how Lillian presents herself in the mornings. A huge smile, and, huge hair.

She is always ready with a side pose though. She holding her newest, dearest possession. Zu zu as she calls it, now if I could only keep it working.

I happened upon her like this earlier this week and knew it HAD to be documented. This was her fifth outfit of the day and a few of them were her brothers clothes. Her favorite thing to do it take off her diaper and put on Luke's underwear.

...Yes one day she will kill me for telling, but who could resist.

Just warms my heart.

The sight, memory and results of this photo just make me happy. I'm sure I have mentioned it a thousand times but seeing my kids working makes me SO happy. Not just for the obvious selfish reasons either, even though those are great! But having hard working children is probably one of the most important things to me (of course I want them to be; honest, courageous, intelligent, follower of Christ, loving, etc). Being able to work I feel will serve them well their whole lives and I see it as a gift I can give them in their youth.

When we work we put on music (my girly dance music as Chad calls it) and we have fun while we do it. We play it loud and get down to it. But oftentimes the music will just take me and we all take a dance break. Where I'm sure if you could see it you would all loose whatever little respect you may have for me.

One thing you have to let go of is the results. At first the results will not be great and quite often it will only cause YOU more work. But with guidance, patience and practice they will become more and more able. One day what is expected is what will be delivered...one day.

I start them young helping out, as early as two. I'd have them help me pick up toys etc. And I just gradually add more to their repertoire. You would be amazed at how quickly they do pick it up. I don't have set daily chores for them. On a daily basis I see what needs doin and I farm it out to them and we usually have an extended work on Saturdays.

The things Luke is now proficient in are; emptying dishwasher, vacuuming, picking up the house, disinfecting door knobs/light switches, sweeping the garage, separating clothing and putting it away and raking. Luke is working on how to clean a bathroom and washing windows.

Owen can do all the above and sweep and mop the wood floors, wash windows, clean a bathroom top to bottom and load a dishwasher. Owie is working on how to run the washing machine.

Like I said it's a work in progress.

I have a theory about work. I enjoy being productive and working. I think it's because it was often the way my family would spend time together growing up. We'd work and talk and it would last FOR HOURS, but I don't remember being upset or not wanting to do it. It was also a way we'd serve another, I can remember organizing my brothers and getting the whole house clean as a surprise for my mom.

...Now Owen does that for me. In those moments I could just die of happiness. He's using his time and talents to serve me and help me.

Owie loses another tooth

With his freckles and those brown eyes I just can't help but smile. Owen is such a sweet boy with a passion for teasing. Looking at this picture I can see that his facial scars are fading. You can hardly see the one on his nose where his brother hit him with a garlic press (Owens teasing passion is only used on Mr. Luke (who has his own passion for violence)). Or the one on his cheek where Peggy bit him. But the one between his eyebrows is still there; this one came when he was learning to walk and would run like a bull with his head down.

Last weekend while playing with a friend Owens tooth fell out. It's been loose for a few months but was expedited when Owen tried to open a bottle with his teeth. Afterwords Owen and John Michael talked (fantasized) for approx. thirty minutes about the tooth fairy. What she might look like, how old she was, does she really have wings. They concluded that Owen must lay down that night and pretend to sleep and open his eyes just in time so that they could really, really know what she does in fact look like.

The tooth fairy reported to me that he was fast asleep but proved to be a more difficult client. Because he was still clutching his tooth.

School cancelled today. There must be a great reason.

It's Thursday afternoon and instead of my "day off" (Lily goes to preschool on Thursdays and the boys are in school) where I do whatever my little heart desires. Which usually ends up being; shopping, tennis and lunch with friends (it's a tough life) I'm here in my kitchen.

Cooking up some lunch for crazy, wild children. Whom are stir crazy due to the terrible terrible weather. What kind of terrible weather you wonder? Would cause school and store cancellations? Cause the streets to look like a scene in a post apocalypse film. Well, it is a dozy.

It is so awful that I sent these children out in it(I am not from these parts and would consider today a day to possibly wear flip flops). Because of behavior that insults my fragile sensibilities (shouts and screams of delight at the notion of no school). I am terrible, just like the weather.

Here is a scene from another horror film, entitled Chilly day in Texas. This picture was taken from my front porch as I braved the terribleness that is . . .a 35 degree day in Texas. I KNOW! Hold your little ones extra close at the thought of that awfulness.

Native Texans, and all those who truly think this is terrible and the local news stations who interrupted ALL programming to report continuously about THE COLD WEATHER. Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of my chilly heart. I mean for a moment there, I, I was almost. . . . a tad uncomfortable, almost. Crisis averted.

More cat torture and a scary similarity.

Major really owes me his life, literally. Because Lily would seriously love him to DEATH if we let her do as she would.

Sometimes I am cruel though and snap a photo before peeling her off of him. I keep thinking he will learn and just steer clear during the daytime but he's a glutton for punishment apparently.

And last Sunday after I finished getting ready for church and enduring the question of, "Is that what you're wearing?"

Upon hearing my loving reply which I won't share here he asks, "Do you remember that TV show Punky Brewster? Yeah, if you only had some pigtails you would look dangerously close to her."

. . .Your wish is granted. Or also be careful what you wish for.

Her first time primping.

Last Sunday Lily primped for the very first time, (if you don't include the countless hours she has spent adorning herself with necklaces then admiring herself in the mirror). Okay, so the first time primping her hair?

She played with a little jewelry bag and necklaces while I put curlers in her hair.

Now just the waiting game as we wait for them to set. Time for a little Spongebob.

Unfortunately I don't have an after photo because she ripped them out of her hair too soon and it didn't curl. This is probably a sign of things to come as far as her being girly. But then again I just love a rough and tumble girl.

Friends, stairs and sleeping bags. An excellent start.

Had some of the kids friends over the other day (even though we love having kids over and it's usually a daily event to have additional children running my halls). Luke would not only go down but he'd roll around while on the way down. Mix it up boy!

We threw in some sleeping bags and told them to have at it. Upon seeing what level they took that to we gave a couple safety instructions. These kids have NO conception of what ER co-pays run these days (even though we're on the frequent customer card).

The instructions were; lean your head back (not directly towards the large stair post at the bottom stair), and slow yourself down with your hands.

Owen and his BFF Harrison getting ready to have a race.

They did this for about two hours. I CANNOT imagine doing that now (post traumatic roller blading injury) but twenty years ago I would have been right there. Going down head first baby, and yes they get this stuff from me.

The girls got style, she gets that from me. I mean she's not afraid to take risks.

Three bold competing patterns aren't the boss of this girl. And if you got it . . . flaunt it, I say.

Even when put to the test with big brothers and their friends you keep your cool. Knowing that their just jealous that they can't pull off leopard print shoes with a strip shirt and flower vest. WORK IT.

Everyone loves a fashion risk taker. And he's wearing Crocs so he's just made the what not to wear list of all time.

He came out this way.

One of the first things we noticed about our firstborn dear sweet Owen was his fur. Which covered his entire back, face, head, arms, legs and even his ears. Not kidding about the ears either.

He had a haircut three weeks ago too. And just look at that mop.

Last time he got it cut the hairdresser pulled down his shirt and motioned me to come over. "Umm? Where should I stop trimming? I guess we just got to draw a line, . . . down here??"

But he is just so darn manly that we can't resist him. His mother at least. :)

Thirty minutes in a warm car.

Makes babies sleepy. So sleepy that their suckers stick to their shirts after falling out of mouth.

If you look closely you can see a drool thread connecting his mouth to the sucker.

Yes, she can even get naked while strapped in. Her shirt/socks/shoes are on the floor. Along with her baby whom she also saw fit to undress.

Owen is also asleep back there. Today we went out to breakfast (where Lily barfed all over the area by the soft drinks). Then we went to Costco (a beloved Saturday tradition). Came home and cleaned up this filthy house (I took yesterday off and slept off New Years eve). Washed the dog, got all the boys haircuts and went into Dallas to go and get a cookie from Paradise Cafe. Which I've discovered and haven't been able to stop thinking about. It was on the way to Dallas where the inspiration for the post and pics came from. A good day.