November Rain

Chase and our scarecrow in camo

The cutest monster I've ever seen

Go, Go Power Ranger!

Chase holding the pumpkin he picked out from the pumpkin patch

What a happy monster!

I didn't know monsters mowed grass!

November Rain

I’m typing this blog update as it’s raining outside and in the mid-70’s.  It hardly feels like the first day of November with the warm temperature and humidity, but we’re already halfway into fall.  The past two months flew by between church and company picnics, October birthday celebrations, going on FOEC school field trips to Disney on Ice and the pumpkin patch, travelling to a funeral, celebrating Halloween, and just keeping up with the daily grind. 

A couple weeks ago, my great uncle Richard (“Dick”) Armstrong was called to his heavenly home.  Tim, the boys, and I travelled up to Staunton, VA to attend the funeral and visit family.  Even though funerals often have a solemn aura, it was more of a celebration of life and family reunion for us.  Chase got to play with cousins that he normally doesn’t get to see and some family met Gabe for the first time.  We also got to soak up the mountain air and see the leaves just starting to change color this season.

Last night, we celebrated Halloween with Tim’s parents joining us for trick or treating.  Gabriel was dressed up as a blue, furry monster (some people called him the cookie monster, others called him “Sulley” from Monsters Inc.).  Chase was the red Power Ranger.  Much to my surprise, both boys hung in there without any meltdowns for well over an hour trick-or-treating and racking up more than enough candy. 

One of my favorite highlights from the past month:  Chase is learning to pray!  He prayed for my mom one day when her knee went out on her.  Lo and behold, God heard and answered Chase’s sweet prayer and my mom’s knee went back in place for her within seconds. 

Although Chase and Gabe have their sibling rivalry moments, Chase is really proud of his brother when we’re out in public.  He never misses an opportunity in a grocery store to introduce strangers to his brother.  In fact, Chase never misses the opportunity to talk in general!  He is quite the chatterbox and isn’t shy at all.  I’m enjoying seeing the differences in personalities between Chase and Gabe.  Chase is the sensitive, cautious, and outgoing child.  Gabe can be shy, but he’s more of a risk-taker and doesn’t seem to get his feelings hurt as easily. 

With the exception of seasonal allergies and an ear infection for Gabe, both boys have been healthy.  Chase weighs in at the 40-pound mark, with Gabe trailing by about 15 pounds.  Chase is starting to eat a little better, but is still the picky eater of the two.  Gabe, on the other hand, still eats well and isn’t nearly as selective with trying out new foods.  Both boys are still in great sleeping patterns with Gabe settling down for the night between 6 and 7 and sleeping until around 6 the following morning.  If I hear him stirring before 6, I just let him entertain himself in his crib for a while.  Chase goes to bed around 8 and usually sleeps until around 6:30 (slightly later than that on the weekends). Chase doesn’t nap during the day and Gabriel’s naps are starting to shift later towards the afternoon hours.  I’m thankful to have two sleeping beauties! 

Speaking of being thankful, it’s already that time of year again with Thanksgiving right around the corner.  I’ll take the time now to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving month and to encourage all to reflect on their blessings.  I’d be a hypocrite if I didn’t admit that I fall short of being thankful for all that I have from time to time, but I’m really trying to make an adamant effort to appreciate God’s enduring love that has carried me through so many obstacles. 

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever….” –Psalm 136

Farewell Summer of 2013

Although this fire truck is a hand-me-down from our neighbor, it's been a huge hit with both boys!

Sitting in the shade (Gabe has my cell phone in his hand, which is a big NO-NO!)

Enjoying the sprinkler on our back deck while the weather is still warm

LOVE moments like these cuddling with my boys

Chase posing on Daddy's John Deere

My, oh my, where did summer go?  Although we still have a couple weeks left of the official summer season, the unofficial season ended after Labor Day as kids went back to school and pools closed for the year.  Chase started K4 at FOEC (Faith Outreach Education Center) the week before Labor Day and already has a fun-filled year of learning mapped out including Bible stories and field trips.  There’s nothing that warms my heart more than turning on K-Love (Christian radio) in the car and hearing Chase sing along to some of the songs since FOEC often plays K-Love over their intercom. 

On the other hand, Gabriel’s schooling occurs at home with me constantly telling him a firm “no” when he tests the waters.  For instance, he is obsessed with the home phone and TV remote controls in spite of the many toy phones and gadgets with buttons we have. Why is it that kids still prefer the real thing over the toys? And, why do parents and grandparents still get suckered into buying the toys?  Ha. Ha.  I have to admit it can be hard being firm with Gabe at times since he’s always sporting his dimply smile.  Needless to say, he’s growing and trying to figure out boundaries right now.  Other than a few rough nights due to his molars coming in, he’s been content and healthy all summer.  He survived the rounds of shots like a champ back in July and has his 18-month check up in October.  He’s still eating well and has been drinking from juice boxes all summer.  I’m impressed he’s not like most toddlers his age who will just squeeze all the juice out; he actually knows not to squeeze the box and has mastered drinking out of a straw; but, his challenge is to figure out how to put the straw back in the box when he pulls it out.

Most evenings consist of me coming home from work and not even being able to change out of my work clothes and bring my bags in the house since the kids start playing outside as soon as we hit the driveway and get out of the car.  Chase has really enjoyed riding his Lightning McQueen bike all summer.  Gabe loves pushing around the bubble lawnmower (even though the bubbles don’t come out anymore) and his fire truck.  I usually have to carry them both inside kicking and screaming so that I can fix dinner and get them ready for bed.  Gabe still goes to bed pretty early (around 6:30), but Chase has been able to stay up a little later now (no later than 8 on weeknights). 

Summer was a little hectic with my work schedule and other challenges.  We never made it down to OBX this year, but managed to squeeze in a few trips to Huntington Park.  Fortunately, Chase got to do plenty with the FOEC summer camp.  We tried to enjoy things locally, like going to the pool here in Smithfield, enjoying the park 5 minutes from the house, strolling around the block, playing with the sprinkler right in the backyard, sliding on the slip-n-slide, etc.  The bottom line here is that you don’t have to go far from home to enjoy a season, especially with children.  One thing I enjoy as a mom is how Chase and Gabe constantly remind me to enjoy the simple things in life with their sweet innocence.  We could all benefit from viewing life through a child’s eyes.

Summer Freedom

Batman Brothers in their PJs

Having Fun with Bubbles

Chase during his last week of school on Fashion Disaster Day

Beachbum

Daddy and his co-pilot

Victory walk after coming in first racing go-karts

Here we are at my favorite time of year: good old summer! Thankfully, this blog posting finds all of us healthy after wrapping up spring with colds, allergies, and a double ear infection for Gabe. We celebrated Mother’s Day, Chase’s graduation from K3, my mom’s 60th birthday, and Father’s Day in the past few months. Chase is well into Summer Camp at FOEC, and has already done lots of fun activities, such as going on trips to the Bounce House, Bluebird Gap Farm, the zoo, bowling, etc. Chase had his first fishing experience with Tim and Papa this June and caught several perch. Aunt Laurie and Bella also took him to the beach at Huntington Park last weekend and he had a blast. We’ve also visited Smithfield Swim Club a few times this year. Chase still isn’t a swimmer, but I’m hopeful Tim can work with him more as summer continues. Tim has already introduced Chase to go-karts and the taste of victory, which has caused him to ask me during every car ride on the real road why I’m not passing the car beside me…life is a constant race for Chase. One thing is for sure; Chase stays on the go constantly and has no excuse to be bored this summer.


Gabriel is over 14 months old now. He’ll get to weigh in and endure another round of shots (yay!...sarcasm intended) during his 15 month checkup in July. Weighing him at home, he comes in at a whopping 22 pounds. There’s no doubt I have a hearty eater, which is refreshing after dealing with Chase’s picky eating habits. Chase is only 38 pounds at 4 years old, so I have a feeling it won’t take long for his little brother to catch up with him. Gabe is for the most part a happy baby. He started walking right at a year old and now he’s hard to keep up with as he toddles through the house trying to keep up with Chase and even climbs up the stairs at times. I definitely have two children who are all boy as their two speeds are unconscious or running. During their conscious hours, they laugh at their own burps and farts…nothing funnier than seeing a 14 month-old laughing at himself hysterically while he’s passing gas.

In addition to soaking up the sun’s rays this summer, I hope to soak up each and every one of God’s blessings—including the small ones that are often overlooked. I’m enjoying the simple things in life, like going for evening walks with the kids once it’s not so stifling; Chase rides his Lightning McQueen bike (with training wheels) while I stroll Gabe. I love just watching the expressions on their faces as they absorb their surroundings and breathe in the fresh air. My challenge to you is to do the same this summer. As we celebrate the 4th of July and the freedom of our nation this year, acknowledge the freedom we have in Christ too.

Birthday Boys

Grandma's Boy

Birthday Boy

Birthdays are only complete with icing all over the face!

Chase and Jaycee anxiously awaiting for everyone to sing "Happy Birthday" and dig into the cake.

Gabe having a ball hanging with Dexter

Chase opened his birthday gifts outside and tried on his new helmet.

I realize this is only my second blog post of the year thanks to an extremely hectic end to winter and stressful beginning to spring. However, no matter how crazy life gets, I couldn’t miss this opportunity to wish my baby boy Gabriel a Happy 1st Birthday today and also wish Chase a Happy 4th Birthday for tomorrow. Tim and I spent today with our parents, my grandmother, sisters, four nieces, and one nephew celebrating our sons’ birthdays with a Spiderman themed birthday party here at our house. I must say it was nice being able to combine both boys’ birthday celebrations into one party even though some may frown upon this approach—but, hey, their birthdays are just one day apart and at this age they don’t mind. It sure made things easier on us. It was a little chilly outside, but the kids still had a ball running around. I think the biggest hit of the day was them playing in our boat in the driveway.


Our “baby” is rapidly evolving into a toddler—kind of a bittersweet moment for me to witness as I know this is the last baby Tim and I plan on having. Gabriel isn’t walking yet, but he’s so close! He can stand on his own for a few seconds at a time and he zips around the house with his walker. He has another bottom tooth that just popped in since the last blog posting and there appear to be several more teeth right about to break through the surface of that little smile. Our little guy is passionate about food (totally opposite from Chase) and is enjoying trying out different table foods—so far, the winner is cheese balls; not the healthiest choice by far, but he makes up for it with the various fruits and vegetables he eats. He’s also transitioning from formula to whole milk. I won’t have the latest measurements on him until later this week at his 1-year check-up, but I know he’s gotten longer and heavier. He’s already in 18-month clothing and size 4 diapers. Since the weather has warmed up, he enjoys swinging on our neighbor’s swing-set and going for strolls and wagon rides. His favorite thing to do is to take random toys or objects and scoot them across the floor—sounds simple, but it keeps him entertained for quite some time. So much for all of those baby toys! Overall, we have a very healthy and happy 1-year old.

Our other “baby” turns a whopping 4 years old tomorrow. He is quite the chatterbox these days. There is never a dull moment with him. He was punching numbers in the home phone the other day and I asked him what he was doing; his response: “Mom, I’m busy checking my email.” I’m either laughing at him or calling his name most of the time. Guess what one of Gabe’s first words is? “Chase!” Only, he pronounces it “Days!” Gabe has heard me call after his brother so many times that he often calls for him. Chase most definitely lives up to his name as he stays on the go all of the time. His two speeds are on and off—there’s hardly a medium. If he’s not running around outside, riding on his John Deere Gator, or trying to master riding the bike he got for Christmas, he’s inside banging on drums or wanting to bake sugar cookies. We stay busy, for sure! Chase and I were able to go to the circus this past Friday with his school. His favorite part of the show was watching a girl get shot from a canon. I love his laughter and excitement in doing just the daily routine in life; the circus was fun, but just being silly around the house is equally fun. It’s hard to believe he’s almost done with the K3 school year at FOEC. We’ve already enrolled him to continue at FOEC for the K4 school year and he’s also going to attend summer activities there in the months to come.

Working full time (and overtime every now and then) and raising our two little tornadoes doesn’t give us time to do much else, but Tim and I are beyond blessed to be parents to our two birthday boys. Thanks to our family for sharing another birthday with us. And, if you’re reading this, I thank you for taking the time to keep up with our adventures.

Winter Wonders

Bath time!

Gabe's favorite seat: waiting on food!

Chase, Daddy, and their Mini Snowman

Snow Dusting in our Backyard

9 Months Old and Ready for Church!

"Spiderman" and His Sidekick Gabe

We’re well into 2013 and over halfway through winter. I have to admit this has been a hard year so far. I always find this time of year to be dreary with the cold weather and short days. I’ve personally experienced a lot of spiritual warfare over the past couple of months—I won’t go into great detail with personal issues because I like to keep the tone of this blog positive. I’ll just leave it at I’m looking forward to better days ahead and thankful to see God at work in my life. One thing is for sure, every Christian experiences seasons of hardship in their life; although it’s often hard to understand why we go through these painful times, we have to trust that God is molding us into better people through these encounters. With that said, I open this blog post with the theme that I’m trying to turn my winter woes into spring joys.


Even though raising two boys isn’t a cakewalk, it keeps Tim and me laughing (when we’re not pulling our hair out) and helps keep our focus optimistic. Gabriel is growing incredibly fast—is it just me or does it seem like the second child grows up quicker? Gabe is 9 ½ months old and not only crawling all over the house, but he’s pulling up on his own. The baby gates are being put to use, but that still doesn’t stop him from getting into mischief. He’s exploring everything and can be brazen at times, which means we have to watch him like a hawk to prevent him from getting hurt (doesn’t always work, but we try). He still has his hearty appetite, but crawling and constant activities keep him long and lean. He weighed in at just over 19 pounds at his 9 month check-up, which puts him in the lower percentile for weight, but he’s just the opposite for height (much like Chase). There are two new additions to his dimply grin: both upper front teeth. I was up at 5 in the morning today thanks to those two little rascals cutting the surface. Some blondish shade of hair is starting to grow—looks darker on the sides and lighter on the top. His eyes are a dark shade of blue and look to have a touch of gray and hazel; without good lighting it’s hard to tell they’re blue, but they are. Mornings often come too soon with him (teething may be to blame), and it’s easy to tell when he’s ready to take a nap or turn in for the night because he starts sucking his thumb.

Chase is still as rambunctious as ever, but I’m proud of him for learning so much in school. He’s had wonderful reports from his teacher. Mrs. Urquhart describes Chase as a very outgoing, fun-loving kid. His vocabulary has expanded and he talks so much more clearly now. He still has the same infectious smile, but behind that smile are habits that still need to be corrected. I know some people leave out anything negative about their kids and act like they’re angels, but I prefer to keep it real. Chase’s biggest challenges right now are: not wanting to share toys with Gabe and retaliating by hitting or pushing; interrupting Tim and me when we try to talk; stalling for bedtime and not cooperating in the mornings; not always using manners. None of this is out of the ordinary for a 3 year old, but we’re still trying to nip these bad habits in the bud and discipline accordingly. Overall, he’s still an “awesome” kid (he uses the word “awesome” to describe his favorite things). And, everything is still all about Spiderman in Chase’s world. He likes to wear his Spiderman costume (the one from Halloween and another one he got for Christmas) and pretend he’s conquering all of the bad guys in the world. I’d like to thank my sister for getting him a Spiderman drum for Christmas (sarcasm intended). On the flip side of his boyish hobbies, he still enjoys baking cookies and cupcakes with me—especially the part when he gets to use the sprinkles!

Tim and I are still struggling to figure out the perfect balance between work, spending time with the kids and time with just the two of us, keeping up with the house, cars, etc. We also had sickness mixed in with the daily grind to make it even more challenging during January. I had a nasty sinus infection and bronchitis and the kids had something similar. We’re attending a seminar at church on Wednesday nights called “Real Marriage,” and we’ve learned many “dos” and “don’ts” from a biblical perspective, but I’ll be the first to admit that consistently putting these principals into practice is easier said than done. As Valentine’s Day approaches, my personal goal is to try to show others the same love that God shows me everyday; that’s unconditional love for imperfect people—after all, I’m one of those imperfect people too! Thank God for loving us in spite of our flaws!  Happy Valentine's Day!