Catching Fireflies with Pa and Grammy

It's summer y'all.  We have thrown bedtime out the window.  We are sleeping in (can I get an AMEN???).  Our house is messy.  The kids almost always smell like chlorine. There are broken water balloon remnants in the back yard.  Our van smells like a swim mom van.   Laundry baskets are full.  Sometimes we eat cereal for dinner.  We are eating way too much McDonalds.  Flip flops are everywhere.  The beach is on our brains.  Yep, it's summer time.  Thank God for special moments.  If I'm honest, my house and the laundry are totally stressing me out, but....

Sometimes you just have to stay up late and catch fireflies... oh the simple stuff that makes summer magical.  My house will be clean in 18 years.  Maybe.  ;-)

Little updates...

these boys... keep me busy and keep my house dirty, but also are the loves of my life and are so very special.  Here's a few updates about what's happening with each of my loves. 

First, Jacob  - my very spunky 7 year old.  He finished first grade with flying colors, reads like he's in middle school and LOVES sweet treats.  He is a terrific big brother and helps me entertain Joshua all the time.  He also loves to be with Jonathan and feels lost when he's gone for some reason!  He loves to watch TV, but would much rather be outside riding his bike, shooting water guns or playing on the swing set.  He is creative and has a passion for learning.  He is also the silliest of all my boys - never know what that boy is going to say! He continues to be a painfully picky eater, but is hungry all the time.  Probably because he only likes to eat carbs and he burns them like crazy! He is a total fish - would stay in the pool 24/7 if he didn't have to eat or sleep.  He's quite the talented swimmer too!

Second, Jonathan - my sweet, sweet 6 year old.  He is amazing and has such a kind heart.  That boy is OBSESSED with basketball.  For real.  We got him a goal for his birthday and our garage has now become a basketball court.  I don't know what he'll do when it's winter time and we insist that our cars be parked in the garage.  He loves legos and can do the entire set (hard ones!!) by himself.  He is a great reader too, but not nearly as confident as his big brother.  He recently was in the little Mr. Shelby County pageant and I couldn't have been prouder of him as he recited a Bible verse for the whole crowd. He got 2nd place - totally should have won, but oh well!  :-)   He is loving summer time and also loves to swim, but not as much as basketball!!! He's taken an interest in NBA just like his daddy and can name way more players than I can!  In fact, he requests that his daddy DVR every game he always wants to watch the games during rest time. 

Last but not least, Baby Joshua (TAZ!) - oh buddy.  How we love him so.  He is so busy and full of life.  He is talking a lot and says "where's da da?" at least 417 times a day.  He loves shoes and loves to bring them to people.  He is a great eater and has slowed down on the throwing food (thank.you.very.much!).  He loves to be "outshide" - in fact, you grab your shoes first thing in the morning and say "outshide outshide."  He loves bubbles and is still fairly fond of shovels and rakes, but finally, mommy and daddy got smart and hid the darn plunger so he can't carry that thing around.  He loves bedtime and is a fantastic sleeper and napper.  Praise the Lord!  His nighttime routine is so precious - one of my favorite times of the day!  He likes us to sing a few songs, say some Bible verses and sit in "momo" chair (Elmo) and read the Bible.  He's a bit of a fudger at bedtime - how could he ask for "mo bible" and us say no.  :-) 

(some photo credits - go to the amazing and awesome and fabulous Rachel Webb!!! - thanks Aunt Rachie!) 

Happy Father's Day!

 

Ahhh - summer is in full swing here.  And I love it.  Every single second of it!  We are having so much fun.  I have so many blog posts that need to make an appearance, but they are mostly only in my head.  I know one day I'll deeply regret that since I don't have a great deal of time to scrapbook...but I'm going to try to keep this thing updated better.  My 60 year old self will thank me many years down the road.  :-)  I think I'll just start fresh and then if time allows, I'll fill in the gaps, so off we go. 

Today is Father's Day.  What a blessed day we've had. A great church service, a wonderful afternoon with sweet friends, a nice family nap, and the evening with Billy's family.  The night ended with daddy getting to watch the NBA finals with two of his special dudes.  They definitely have a special bond over basketball - especially daddy and Jonathan. 

 

 

I'm so grateful for this man.  I've said it before, but Billy really is the greatest daddy ever.  He was built and specially designed to be a daddy to our sweet boys.  There is no greater role model for them.  He loves the Lord, adores his family, respects others, works hard and is a friend to anyone he meets.  He teaches the boys to be honest, live with integrity and consistently try to be the man God wants him to be. This man is the same whether he's teaching little girls in Sunday school, working in his office or with judges across the state, playing basketball or hanging out with his friends.  I am so grateful for his consistency.   I'm so grateful that God saw fit to bring us together.  Jacob, Jonathan and Joshua all have a special bond with him - each relationship is unique and he loves them fully.  When he's home, he's all daddy - they get his undivided attention and his time, a special gift from parent to child.  Happy Father's Day to the love of my life! 

Happy Happy Father's day to my daddy as well.  Hate that we didn't get to be together today, but can't wait to celebrate with him next weekend.  I was always a daddy's girl growing up.  He, like Billy, gave of his time and energy to my sister and I every single day.  He worked hard, but when his work day ended, he was all about us!  Some of my favorite memories of my daddy were our weekly trips (dates) to Bowling Green for gymnastics or music lessons.  What adventures!  Yes, he is indeed a great daddy - but he might even be a better Pa!!!  He hung the moon in the eyes of all three boys and I love the relationship they have with him.  Pa is completely wrapped around their fingers and will do anything they ask.  Especially if it involves a trip to DQ or Dollar Tree. 

And lastly, I'm a blessed momma to have a super duper father-in-law too!  I love how helpful he is to everyone and how much he enjoys being with family.  Billy's had a great role model too - Bill loves the Lord and loves his family.  He is a TERRIFIC Papaw too - my boys love "papaw adventures" - that usually include going to breakfast and getting a BIG Hershey bar.  :-) So grateful for the legacy he is building and pray that the Stover boys continue to love the Lord just like these awesome men in their lives. 

Mother's Day - what a blessing!

 

My job is mommy.  Yes, I have a real J-O-B too - I'm a part time therapist.  But I'm a full-time mommy.  Y'all - it's better than any job ever.  Harder too, but definitely better.  I used to think my mom was cuh-razy for keeping all the homemade stuff we made her.  I mean my sweet momma STILL carries the ugly key chain I made her in 7th grade shop class.  It is leather and painted pink.  It is HIDEOUS, but she still uses it every single day on her car keys.  Did you catch that?  I made it in 7th grade... that's like a million and ten years ago.  Really it's like 24, but who's counting.  She carries it because it's special to her.  The same reason that I have my homemade cards under magnets on my refrigerator and the same reason that I wear the necklace Jonathan made me at school as often as possible and the reason that I carefully water the plants the boys made me so they do not die this summer.  I am a total sucker for anything with hand prints too.  Sigh.  I love my littles.  They are making my hair gray and they've made my body look way different than before, but I wouldn't trade places with anyone on the planet.  I know this is late, but happy mother's day!

 

 

Fancy Nancy Tea Party with my big boy Jacob at school.  See his little tie he made?  Precious and so fancy.  He was so proud. 

 

Mother's day dinner with the best momma ever... and oh, being Grammy suits her so well!

 

Me and my loves on Mother's Day after church.  Just so cute!

 

There are no words.  (oh and check out that new swing set lovingly put together by daddy and our good friend Andy-tales.)  I am one blessed momma.  My prayer for these sweet boys is that they truly seek the Lord and that they strive to do what's right in life, even when others do not.  I pray that they grasp how high and wide and long and deep is the love of Christ.