Little Boys Say the Sweetest Things

Back on April 7, 2008, I began a blog post about the cute ways that Joshua was saying things.
April 7, 2008...that was fourteen days before Matthew was born.

I never finished that post.
I intended to add more to it.
Then I got busy.
Very busy.

And Josh has grown quite a bit since then.



This past week, Matthew has said some things that I don't want to forget.
As I sat down to write them down, I remembered that forgotten post entitled "Josh-Speak".
I found it...

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muggy coff = coffee mug
bean beans = green beans
outoutside = go outside

Watching my pregnant belly move one day, Josh said, "Does my baby have lotsa legs?"

Rony Ponies = roly polies

One afternoon while playing at the park, Josh said "I'm so exciting!"
When we arrived home, he said, "That park is fun! I'm not so exciting anymore."

ear tube = you tube

Like his big brother William, he called ketchup check-up.

"Get on yours markets...Ready, set, go!" = Get on your mark. Get set. Go!

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I had forgotten that Josh had said nearly all of these things.
I wonder what else I have forgotten.

The only way I know to remedy my forgetfulness would be to carry around a pad of paper and a pen all of the time and record everything my kids say.

Or...I can jot down a thing or two when they come to mind.
Like these things that Matthew said this week...

I was teasing him and told him that I was going to take his nose.
He looked at me with one of his very serious expressions and said, "Jesus glued on my nose."



Or when I was taking Carrie to her Guard Start class one morning with Matthew riding along in the backseat.
I don't even remember why I exclaimed, "Holy cow!" but I did.
Again, very seriously--and a little surprised--Matthew said, "But I don't see a cow."

Oh, Matty!

These days go flying by so quickly without much thought to the sweetness of each moment.
So much energy goes to regretting the past or planning the future.
My prayer is that I would just slow down and enjoy the sweet simplicity of now.

Enjoying the simple things,

Blue Spruce Caverns

When we moved into our house seventeen-and-a-half years ago, there were these two great big beautiful blue spruce trees in the front yard. They buffered us from the road and they also blocked the headlights from the cars that go by at night since we live on a curve.

I loved those trees so much that when it came time to paint our house, we chose the color that most closely matched the new growth of a blue spruce tree.
Hawthorne Green is the name, I think.

Three years after we moved in, some straight line winds took the biggest of the two blue spruce trees and laid it on its side, roots and all.
What roots there were.
Root ball may be a more accurate description.

The next fall, we planted a baby blue spruce tree in its place.
It was so cute and fluffy. For several years we were able to string it with little white lights at Christmastime.
But, like most small, cute things, it grew up.
And up.
And up!

It is now almost as tall as the blue spruce that stands beside it.

That original blue spruce must feel like Carrie...watching her younger brother growing taller than she is.
Sorry, Carrie. :)

In defense of that original tree, it is being canopied by a really big, beautiful maple tree.
I don't really think it is able to grow to its full potential, although it does try really hard to reach through the branches of its protector.

Early this spring, Josh invited me into his imagination.
He took me to the original blue spruce, typed in a number on the imaginary number pad, and led me through the branches to some other world.
It was then that I thought, "Hey! This would make a great cave for the little boys!"

Just a little clipping of some of the dead, inner limbs.





Anytime there is the opportunity to use something large, tool-like, and sharp, William is your man!
With this job, there was opportunity to use three such items.

The limb clippers...



The chainsaw...



And the hatchet...



Sorry, William.
We don't need to buy a machete for this project.

But a good sidekick is never a bad idea...



O.K., Charlie.
A little too much help.



And "Clean-Up Carrie" is on the job!



While waiting for more limbs to load into the wagon, Carrie decided to give her rose bush a trim.



And what were the little boys doing?
Arguing AGAIN over the little green pedal tractor.
We have how many riding toys in the driveway?
But this one is the favorite right now...at least when the other little boy is on it.



Ah! Wide open spaces!



The entry to Blue Spruce Caverns...





And the tunnel (a.k.a. the doggy door)...



Another project complete thanks to a big brother and big sister who were up to the challenge of creating a cave for a couple of little boys!







And just in the nick of time, it appears!



I'm sorry, Charlie.
Did I forget to thank you for your help?
Thank you, Charlie.
I don't know what we would have done without your limb-mulching skills.



Enjoying the simple things,