Having A Hay Day

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Pumpkin Painting

So we decided to paint our pumpkins this year,

and we got brave and even let the boys join in!

Here's my punkins holding their pumpkins!

So serious with Mr. Boots in his hands.

Mr. Cool refusing to smile.

So this was the boys first experience with finger painting.

And, I so loved to see the different responses between these two.

Noah dove right in. He stuck his little fingers right into the paint and started in on his pumpkin.

Micah, my clean freak, was not into getting his fingers dirty-at least not at first.

He chose a sponge and gently dipped it into the paint and then onto his pumpkin.

Dab. Dab.

Micah dipping his sponge, and Noah slopping his fingers in the paint.

And here are the finished products!

I think they turned out pretty cute!

My only regret is that we didn't get a little pumpkin for Jeremiah this year!!

I hate that I forgot.

The Hay pumpkins!

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Warning: As I went back and read this blog post, I thought it seemed a bit strange for me to share some of these thoughts on the internet, but this blog truly is for my memories, and this is just part of that.

And, following suit with October 12th being a myriad of emotions,

here are pics of us celebrating with Jeremiah.

To me it has become both strange to celebrate a birthday at a grave yard

and yet so necessary!

Aunt Brittany left a little car for J.

Noah immediately fell in love with it!

We were not the only ones

who stopped by to see our little guy that day!

One of those moments that seems so strange to me.

My two year old sons standing over their brother's grave

on the birthday they share with him.

Triplets again.

I feel sad that I seem to have lost that word.

We get a balloon for each of the kids to send into the sky to Jeremiah.

I'm not really sure why I buy five; I suppose the last one just represents Jeremiah.

Perhaps that is Jeff's and my balloon to our little boy.

I like this pic.

The head stones of a graveyard juxtaposed with God's beauty in bright fall colors and the innocence of a child.

Only a 4 (almost 5) year old runs through a grave yard wildly waving her balloon in the wind.

Carefree.

Enjoying the fall wind.

Noah preparing to release his balloon.

Emma pointing out the other balloons in the sky.

Noah letting his go.

Emma helping him to watch it fly into the sky.

This guy wasn't so ready to send his balloon soaring.

He needed a bit of coaxing. :o)

My baby.

On his second birthday.

In a cemetery.

The last balloon flying into the sky.

Oh, how the previous caption now works here as well.

day

NEVER

goes

without us remembering you, Jeremiah.

My heart bleeds for the day that I can touch you again.

For this too, I thank my God.

Micah and Noah Turn 2!

Beware! The following is a photo fest!

The boys' 2nd birthday has now come and gone.

Two years.

I ashamedly remember being scared to death when I was pregnant with the boys.

How that now seems so far away yet only as if it was yesterday.

It's absolutely AMAZING to look back over these past 2 1/2 years and literally watch God's hand travel through our family and change the way I love and view Him. I am SO glad that I've realized that my fear was based in lies from Satan, and that I was finally able to see God's truth and blessings in my life through my boys' lives.

Parenting has been the single greatest influence on my relationship thus far with Christ.

And, I am so grateful that God chose me to be the mommy of these boys and reveal his love and truths to me through them.

Of course, their birthday always brings me to a reflective state. As it reminds me of the lessons I learned through my pregnancy and their birth, and as it also brings me to the first day of the only 9 weeks I had with Jeremiah.

Two years.

So much gained and so much lost.

It's such a confusing time because on the one hand I want to celebrate their births, yet on the other hand, it reminds me of the loss.

Fragmented thoughts and emotions.

Well, we certainly did enjoy the boys and their smiles!

Micah man shining me his grin.

Noah being Mr. Serious not revealing even a hint of a grin.

Presents! Aunt Brittany got the boys these Elmo slippers. The boys thought these were the COOLEST gift ever. They are IN LOVE with Elmo!

And, in step with ELMO, Aunt Caroline made the boys some DELICIOUS Elmo cupcakes when we celebrated the boys on Sunday at Barn's house. I am SO mad that I did not get any pics! The boys thought they were super cool, and of course, they ate every bite of them. I know she got a pic, so I'll have to swipe one!

Micah and Aunt Brittany

Mommy and Daddy with the birthday boys

The Hay Crew

Aunt Brittany with the boys

And, Aunt Holly bombing Aunt Brittany's photo with the boys.

Oh, how this one cracks me up!

We didn't have a party for the boys. I've been feeling lazy about parties! But, we did invite the Brown's, Robbins', and Flick's over for some cake and to hang out.

Ems, Adrianne, and Addie

Jenna loving on her Dani.

Micah scooting in with the girls pretending like he is big stuff!

And, there's our Annerson--as the boys refer to him! Anderson was born on November 30th, so it's super fun to watch our little guys growing up together!

Now sweet Molly Kate has jumped in with the big girls.

Jordan Wesley! What's a party without this guy?

I've made it a goal so far to make sure the boys each have their own cake. I don't want to traumatize them or anything, ya know! I don't want them on Oprah one day emphatically exclaiming how they were not loved because they had to SHARE a cake!

Micah feeling like he is big stuff as we sang to him.

Sadly these big grins were dashed into tears as his negligent parents put a flaming candle in front of him thus allowing a curious two year old to grab the flame! Yeah, we got an award for that one!

Now, after tears and dousing the little fingers in cold water, we attempt to cautiously slide the flame to Noah. You can't see 5 adults standing all around Noah making sure the same problem does not befall him! Even Emma has her hand on his arm to make sure he stays back!

Now he's relaxing as the adults ease up a bit.

I love this sweet one of Emma kissing his cheek!

Haha, there's the adult restraint in attempt not to spoil two little boys' birthdays! Thanks, Jen!

Cake eating!

They are just so stinking cute!

What appears to be a large, booming party is really just four families hanging out! Ha!

Annerson enjoyed his piece of cake too!

There's Miss Megan!

We had a few attempts to capture the two year old crew.

The pics make me laugh!

Somehow I didn't make my nephew Little Ray get in the pic. He just two months ahead of the boys. So, he too is a member of this two year old crew!

And, then I took a couple of Emma and Adrianne.

They really are beautiful girls!!

... and bossy first borns! ;o)

And, finally I had to take pics of the cards the boys received so that I could forever remember the beauty of each card! Oh, I just love how these girls are beginning to be able to communicate with their own writing and pictures! Priceless!

These are Emma's cards to the boys.

I LOVE, LOVE reading Emma's thoughts to the boys. And, I love even more her little pictures on the right side of her with each boy!

This next picture has Jenna's cards. She wrote the boys names as she she's them, and then Emma went back and wrote their names above and below Jenna's letters. Then she drew pictures on the other side. I can see that in Micah's card she drew a picture of herself and Micah. I think she may have started that out with Noah's but got excited about drawing balloons, as I know that is what the colored circles are.