we are back

i have so much to report about our trip to oklahoma that i don't even know where to begin! i plan on using this week to give a travel log of sorts, so tune if you want that info. if you would just rather know the perspective and emotion behind the trip, then jump on over to pete's blog to read his thoughtful take. click here for that post. if that's not enough, then just keep checking back for the rest of the report.

i'm leaving on a jet plane...

heading back home, with my 2 boys, and not with pete. wish me luck on the traveling alone. i know i will love it once i'm there. and sam can't stop talking about going to the farm. i hope it's all he has been hoping for. finally after all these years i've learned that there really is no place like home. lots to report next week.

stickers

love this free download, too. thank goodness for these kind of talented people who let us use their great ideas! these will come in handy for us since will still LOVES putting stickers on everything especially his face!

who will help me bake the bread?

i've been on a mission to make our own bread. awhile ago i read a post on the handmade dress that spoke to me. i loved the daughter recognizing that they live the "slow way". it spoke to me and reminded me that i want to live the "slow way" in so many ways. plus, i, too, love homemade bread. i have been trying to tie this recipe into my weekly routine at least once. the recipe is quite simple and creates a dense but not too dense for sandwiches kind of bread. how to store it you might be wondering? i recently read that homemade bread will stay fresher if stored in a breathable yet tight fabric. that was a perfect inspiration for me to make these bread bags using the boys hands. it was quite simple. i used a dish towel that i cut in half and embroidered the hands on from a pattern i traced. hopefully the bread process, including these cute bags, will be a reminder of slowing down and enjoying the good things in life.

it doesn't take that much time

ok, i've been a little overwhelmed lately (actually most of my life) with all of those little tasks that don't really take that much time but that make such a difference when they are done...

*cleaning the microwave
*wiping out the silverware holder
*changing the paper towels
*dusting the kitchen window sill
*cleaning the front glass door
*mopping the hallway
*dusting the vents
*cleaning the refrigerator

you get the idea. please don't inspect these closely when you are at my house. i still haven't found the motivation to just do it! but maybe someday...

finally done and delivered

remember this blanket? well, it was finished awhile ago but the post was just forgotten until now. it has now been delivered to little Stockton. i loved it so much that i really wanted to keep it. it's a good thing he's so stinking sweet or else it could've easily found a happy home here.

i don't want to miss a thing

6/8
Sam: you completely embarrassed me today! when the fast offering boys from church came by this morning i was just getting out of the shower and was only wrapped in a towel. the doorbell rang, and i knew exactly who it was. pete was at a meeting, so i had not planned on answering the door. however, sam raced for it as i was begging him to please not open it because i didn't have any clothes on. well, before i could stop him he had opened the door and told the 13 year old boys standing at our door that his mom couldn't come to the door because she didn't have any clothes on. thanks, sam! perhaps next time don't be so honest? or better yet, just don't open the door!

Will: you are always so sweet! you are always spontaneously leaning over and kissing me, pete, or sam. we all love it. sometimes sam pretends he doesn't, but i know deep down he really does love it. :) i hope you are always so affectionate.

6/9
today was Emi's birthday. you both love her so much, and i am so grateful you have each other and enjoy each other as much as you do. there's no question sam and emi are best friends. it seems like will and emi have more of a brother/sister relationship. sam couldn't wait for her party tonight. will loved the big lollipops at the party. sam had to get her a light saber for her birthday, and now all you talk about is playing light sabers together. we went to her dance recital tonight. will loved everyone dancing and would clap after every performance. sam not quite as impressed; he informed me that he wants to do dance again but only with boys in his class. :) sam wanted to buy emi the flowers he saw at the recital. instead he picked a flower and was just as happy to give that to her.

6/10
Sam: you don't forget a thing, and tonight your memory was clever. pete told you earlier in the day that you would not be getting a story tonight because of bad behavior. at bedtime i forgot the punishment and told you to go pick out a book. you were a little confused and said "but i thought..." and trailed off and finished with "...nevermind." you so hilariously reminded me of that punishment. you thought you were so sneaky. it was pretty funny though.

Will: you have decided that you like riding your bike in the street. almost everyday lately you have ridden your bike out of the driveway and down the street. i'm not happy about this. i'm just really thankful that one of the cars that came around the corner a few days ago wasn't flying like most do because they had to steer around you before i got to you. PLEASE stop doing this!

6/11
Sam: you have gone back to needing every stuffed animal you own to be in bed with you at night. you sleep with them all right up at your head. it appears you are almost crowded out, but you wouldn't think about getting rid of any of them. you tell me that you love them all so much so you want them all there. that reminds me of exactly how i was as a child; i never wanted to hurt any of the animal's feelings so i had them all next to me.

Will: you absolutely adore cheese sticks! you open the fridge now saying "STICK!" you can get one out of the drawer all by yourself now. you eat at least 3 a day and would eat more if i let you. i think it's your favorite food right now.

6/12
you both have loved picking the strawberries out of our patch in the back yard. sam really loves getting in there and picking all he can find; he especially loves going out in the morning and picking a handful for his oatmeal. will doesn't care much for the actual picking, but he does love eating them. he hovers around like he wants to pick some, but as soon as you offer to help him he runs off to his swing in the apple tree. he would spin and swing in there all day while sam eats himself sick in the strawberry patch.

6/13
dad set up a bike jump in the driveway for you boys today. you both love going off of it. you neither one have ANY fear! norma brought sam down a helmet (will already was wearing one), and sam hasn't taken the helmet off hardly at all this weekend! you both LOVE riding bikes. you both have had your bikes in the house all week because it has been raining, and when you are tired of riding in the house you take them outside and ride in the rain. sam thinks he is ready to have his training wheels off; pete took them off for fun and sam didn't last long before wanting them back on. i love watching will stand at the door saying "bike! bike!"; he wants to ride ALL the time.

another thing... sam has been dying for the fruit stand near our house to open. today he noticed that it was open, so he insisted on going to the stand over anything else. he got corn on the cob and has been eating it raw. he has always loved raw corn on the cob ever since DD gave him an at the farmers market when he was 18 mos. the boy still loves all vegetables. will needs a lesson.

6/14
church was a little rough today; i thought we had finally gotten to a good place when it comes to church. for the most part you will both sit pretty quietly and entertain yourselves. NOT today. sam was constantly pestering will by taking away whatever toy he had until he would scream bloody murder. then will would chuck another toy at the people behind us. every time they gave it back he would throw it at them again. will also kept running off and wrapping himself up in the curtain. sam kept trying to hit me for no reason and just wouldn't obey. it was long and tough. the crazy thing was that after primary sam's teacher told me that sam is the most reverent one in the class. she said he is the only one that sits the whole time and doesn't climb on his chair or hit the kid next to him. she said he always listens and cooperates. well, that's nice to know he's not a wild tiger for everyone! that made the day better.