Happy Birthday Maylin

This little birthday girl was a little less than enthusiastic about waking up on her birthday! Adam and I went in singing "happy birthday". (It was time to get up for school)

She did at least hold up her fingers to let us know how old she was, and she mustered up a little smile for her birthday crown!

 After she was fully awake she was all smiles! Isn't she the most beautiful birthday princess you have ever seen?
An interesting side note: I asked if she had ever celebrated her birthday before with cakes and candles and presents and songs? She acted as if she didn't hear me, but Pierson chimed in... "No Mommy! Not at all! We no have dis before." :( True or not it broke my heart just a little. I am so thankful that they are with us now and that we can celebrate their lives with them!
 I got to substitute in her class that day! So much fun! I was with her all day! This was her cupcake covered birthday grin!

 During gym time they played duck-duck-goose. Maylin got to go first as she was the birthday girl! And if you will notice she let "my Jen-ee-fuwr" wear her crown!

 More duck-duck-goose.

 That evening we opened more presents!  We also went to eat  Pizza! (I mistakenly didn't take my camera to the restaurant). Her presents ranged from cash registers, princess shoes, princess jewelry to vacuum cleaners!

 This was one happy birthday girl!

 I just had to throw this one in. She thought it was hilarious to scan her 'shinny hinny' to find out how much it was worth!

Happy Birthday Pumpkin Pie!!! You are the best gift anyone could ever ask for!

Happy Thanksgiving!

From two little pilgrams to you!

PS more to come from Maylin's birthday (yesterday) and Christmas tree lighting in small town USA. We have been pretty busy around here... I am getting behind! I will catch up after all the Thanksgiving festivities.

Just Another Afternoon...

under the maple tree.

If this tree could talk it could already write a book about how these two have climbed it, been shaded by it,  rested under it, played beside it and eaten snacks below it's branches. It has watched countless hours of swing set time, seen sand castles built and sandcastles demolished.  It has watched kids plummet down the nearby slide in fantastic ways. It has been the guardian of 'sword' fights and the protector from the rain. It has witnessed tantrums as well as delightful tea parties. It has been here through thick and thin standing firm and tall. It never judges us nor leaves us. Reminds me of our true and mighty God. He stands with us and never forsakes us.  

A Girl Who Knows She is in Trouble

 thinking: "not even going to try to explain my way out of this one."

 "uh huh, yep I have had it now"

 "Oh dear!  I didn't see that one coming!"

"What? I loose my toys for how many days?"

That's my little angel!

Yes! It is what it looks like!

That's my child plummeting off a sliding board in a wheeled-laundry basket.

Nothing else to say... : )

Quotes on a Rainy Day

after the rain let up

"Mawm, God stop da ga-wain!... I yike Him. Tanks God."

What's that I hear?

 As I was picking up toys in the living room I heard a faint jingle coming from somewhere in the distance. Was is Santa's reindeer coming early this year? Was it little Elf bells ringing with joy while checking to see if my kids were being naughty or nice?'
 ... NOPE
to my dismay it was the sound of Mom's China dishes clinking together as Maylin was unloading the dishwasher!

"Umm... Honey, what are you doing?"

"I hep u Mawm"

"Oh, do you mind if I help you?"

"No es OK I do it mysewf"...

Ummm... yikes!
While trying to convince her to let me help I hear a quiet rustling around the corner. Maybe that is where the elves are hiding. :) So I tiptoe around to try and figure out what the noise is...
To my surprise there was a tiny boy stuffed in the toy box.


(this picture was actually taken a few day later while hiding again)
This one wasn't an elf either. Nope. It was my son hiding in the toy box!? I guess he didn't want to get stuck helping unload the dishwasher?
How in the world did he fit in there?

Meals on Wheels

Thanks Mrs. Amanda and Emma for letting us tag along with you guys on your 'meals on wheels'
 route!
It is very important for Adam and I to teach the kids the importance of being a servant. At their age there isn't a whole lot they can do by themselves yet. But... exposing them to it and teaching them as they grow is our goal so that they will grow up with an understanding of what living a life of servant hood looks like, something that I am not sure I really understood until I was in high school or even later. If I am being honest I I am still working on it. I did local missions and did some short term overseas mission trips and loved it. I loved the act of serving while I was on a cool trip, but it was the living it everyday part that I was missing. We really want Pierson and Maylin to see service to others as a way of life and something that is the 'norm'. To do this successfully we have to be living this kind of life ourselves. Adam does great because his job is all about servanthood. Me... welll I am working on that. I'll share more about what I am trying to do later. In the meantime however we got to tag along with our friends Amanda and Emma on their meals on wheels route.

Maylin loved packing the basket of food. The first house we went in was pretty low on the social-economic scale. I waited to see what her reaction would be to the smell and the clutter but she really didn't bat an eye. She looked around a little bit, but she does that in any house we go in. I was very proud of how she handled it all! She acted as if she did this everyday and these people were no different than her! Praise God! If only we could all see the world through the eyes of a child. So many barriers would fall. But since that isn't likely to happen in our lifetime the only thing we can do is continue to live as servants to the best of our ability and pray we make a difference.

Wanting to be Like Daddy

I can't think of a better role model for our little boy than his Daddy. Pierson looks up to Adam so very much. He wants to play guitar like Daddy. He wants to wear a fleece jacket like Daddy, He wants to wear shoes like Daddy. He wants to brush his teeth like Daddy. He wants to fix his hair like Daddy. And...

 he wants to eat his cereal like Daddy.

I used to cook him eggs every morning for breakfast, then he discovered Daddy ate cereal for breakfast...

Learning to Rephrase My Questions

After finding this permanent marker stain on Mom's antique rocking chair I say.

"Maylin! What is this!"

her reply...

"ba ba B!!!!"

if it hadn't been for her sheer delight in knowing her letters she would have been in big trouble! LOL It was all I could do to walk out of the room biting my tongue to keep from laughing! It is a good thing she is cute. :)

Trick or Treating!

Cute and innocent little siblings right?! Two that adore each other and look out for each other. Two that have been through a lot in their short little lives together. Two that love each other and will always do what is in the others best interest...

 uh huh! :)

 Yep! Always looking out for each other and making sure they look their best in all their pictures.

 
Maylin and Princess Abigail. Maylin thinks Abby is awesome. Abby was so sweet explaining what Trick or Treat was all about. Going up to someone's house for no reason was a strange concept to Pierson and Maylin. They would ask, "Why we do dat?"

Think about it. That is a very reasonable question. One which I had no answer for. "Ummm, just for fun?" As lame as I knew that answer was they accepted it and followed their cousins around.

 Even Superman needs a hug from time to time! :) This is one little guy who loves his Daddy!

 Walking to the first house. Notice my kids were bringing up the rear... All too soon they realized that if a porch light was on someone was going to be behind the door with a bowl of candy. After that they were hard to keep up with! On the way to the second house I said, "Look the light is on! Should we go there?" Pierson exclaimed "Oh Yeah DO DAT!" and he was gone in a flash!

 and the race was on! :)

This house had a spooky coffin. As the kids walked past this vampire sat up! At first Pierson ran backwards. Maylin stood still in shock. As Pierson started to tiptoe around it Maylin yelled, "Don't yeave me!" and began to run. But Curiosity got them and they snuck back up to it to get a better look.

 Pierson got the shudders! :) "Why her do dat?" he asked... again... I got nothin'! "ummm... because...?"

This is what was waiting for us when we got back to Tricia's house. All of the Grandparents sitting comfortably around the fire ready to make smores! I can't think of a better way to end trick-or-treating! Grandma's who love them, Great Aunt and Uncle who adore them, homemade apple cider, a toasty warm fire with chocolate, "mushy mewwows" (aka marsh mellows) and Graham crackers! Ah.... the finer things in life!

The Church Fall Festival

Pierson and Maylin had NO IDEA what to think about what ever this "Halloween Thing" was. They were excited to wear their costumes. And the prospect of getting "gum" (Maylin calls all candy 'gum') was even more enticing! On our way to church Pierson said, "Ma, whewr you go-n?" I replied with a simple, "Church!" Maylin immediately said, "NO you say we go get GUM!" LOL! I guess I forgot to mention that we were getting all of the glorious "gum" at church!

 It took them no time at all to start fitting right in to this Halloween silliness. There were games to be played, hot dogs to eat, hayrides to ride and candy to eat!

 This is the face of sheer excitement!

 Going on a hayride!

 Maylin discovered that she REALLY likes pixie sticks! I could do a whole post with pictures of her eating these! Do you think they have a 'program' for pixie stick addicts? :)

 Then it was time to Trunk-or-Treat! Grandma Miller made a great "nice witch"!

 It was so fun to go from car to car seeing friendly faces. The kids were so excited to see Cakie and Befany (aka Katie and Bethanye).

 Pierson became overwhelmed with all the glory! At one point I caught him just staring at all that was going on! I think the night was a hit!

 Pierson needed to try Grandma's hat on. He makes a cute witch/superman!

 Maylin took the Trunk part of Trunk-or-treat seriously!  Trunk AND Treat!

 The night was complete with a photo opp of cousins! Sara, Devin, and Zao. It was good to have you guys come out with us!

 Lois Lane would be jealous! Super man was dancing with Cakie! :)

next post will be of Halloween night!