The Call

I was born at 7:07am on February 8.

For as long as I can remember... maybe 20 years (?), my parents have been calling and singing "Happy Birthday" to me at the exact time of my birth. They have to set their alarm clocks so they don't miss it. I'm an early riser and I look forward to it every year. I love it!

My mom is a fabulous singer and my dad has had 20 years to practice. He has come a long way. ;)

This morning, after their call (which I put on speaker phone so the boys could hear)
Ethan said: "I love how when Poppy sings on your birthday he makes animal noises too."
To which Aaron said: "Yeah I heard a cow and a horse."
Ethan replied: "Today, I heard a frog."

Hilarious!!

Goofy Boys

One morning this week, the boys decided it would be funny to 

put on as many socks as they could find in their drawers. 

I think they counted at least 10 socks on each foot. Goofy boys!

Can you tell how "swollen" his legs look from all the socks?

They viewed it as extra padding and even layered many socks on their hands. 

It made it tricky to eat breakfast. :)

They were laughing hysterically and sliding around on the hardwood floors. Definitely a challenge to  refocus the boys for school after so much silliness! It's amazing how long this kept them entertained. How about an A+ for creativity and team work? Maybe we should donate the toys? 

Luke & Basketball

This winter, at Luke's request, we signed him up for Upward basketball. It's his first team sport and I'm so proud of him for trying something WAY out of his comfort zone. He is a lot more aggressive with his brothers then he is on the court, but he is having a great time.

I love how they all run through the red sign at the beginning of the game as their name is called. Can't seem to get a picture of Luke coming through, but you get the idea.

Each week he is gaining a little more confidence and is a little less intimidated by the ball. ;)

I'm thankful for a great team and a laid back coach. Darin is the assistant coach. 

You should see the confidence he has when he practices with his brothers.

Sometimes it seems like he is dancing while dribbling and 

I'm sure he is hearing a Toby Mac song running through his head!

Go Team!

Head Coach: God and Jesus

Coach: Daddy

Assistant Coach: Mommy

Players: Luke, Ethan and Aaron

We're really taking advantage of the team mentality around here and trying to establish a fresh start with family service. (We have been majorly slacking in this department!) Luke has joined his first ever team sport (more about that soon!) Anyway, it has helped us to all visualize what it means to be on the same team. Surely you wouldn't want a team mate that grabs the ball and heads towards the opposite goal!

The white board: I added some black electrical tape to divide it up. Our actual chore system is not that much different, but different enough to make it easier for me and more exciting for the boys. 

The only way we can function as a family is if we work together as a team and 

keep our eyes fixed on our head coach: God and Jesus!

These are our Daily Drills (above). The boys got to choose two each that they will "practice" for one week (Monday-Saturday). No jobs on Sunday. The jobs are a little different and I wanted them to take some ownership by getting to CHOOSE their jobs. We'll pick new jobs every Monday.

These are our Weekly Drills (above). The boys each chose two that will stay the same for an entire month. Once they complete it for the week, they can take it off. Saturday will be pay day for the weekly drills. I like thinking about it being a month of training. They won't do it perfectly, but I hope to see improvement as the month goes by. 

Here is what they choose. Hmmm... how come Aaron's jobs are the hardest ones? He eagerly chose them, but I'll have to be his helper for sure and set my expectations appropriately. 

We'll see how it goes. Let's get this team moving!

Sometimes the set-up looks prettier then the results. I hope that is not the case. ;)

All You Need is Love

Thanks to a reminder from my creative friend, I was able to pull out these hearts I made last year. Thanks Ali!!

We are all set and ready to work on loving and serving one another this month. Real life has been full of sibling conflict, obedience training and lots of ups and downs. We are in need of practicing acts of kindness and thinking of others before ourselves. So, the month of February came just in the knick of time. I'm glad I saved these and actually knew where to find them.

Each day we'll pull a little strip of paper off from behind the heart, read a verse and then participate in some loving act of kindness or service. I simplified some of the tasks from last year so that it doesn't become stressful. I didn't want to add any more stress to the already challenging season we are walking in. I am praying that God's word penetrates our hearts and we learn a little more about how great the Father's love is for us!