Guns, Tigers, or Ballet Slippers???

Tonight, like most nights, Colten was watching Chris get ready for work. He likes to "help" Daddy. Sometimes Chris let's him hand him his keepers, the clips that go on his gun belt. But most of the time Colten is jumping on the bed pointing to Chris' gear and asking "Daddy what's that?" Well tonight he started asking about bad guys. "Daddy you go to work and shoot those badguys!" and Chris was explaining that he doesn't want to shoot the badguys just catch them. Any ways this led to Colten explaining to me, "Daddy gonna catch those badguys, and kick them! But not me! I don't want to touch the badguys. Badguys are scary." This then turned into a conversation of what Colten will be when he grows up....

Chris was trying to get Colten to say he wanted to be a soldier. He was making it very appealing to him, explaining how big and tough he would be and all the cool guns he would get to shoot. As a mom, I don't want to picture my now 2 year old some day growing up and heading to war. So I interrupted. "Colten you can be anything you want to be. What do you want to be?" his answer was "I want to be a Saver, a saver of the tigers!" NOOO idea where that came from but I went with it! Telling him how good he would be at saving tigers and such. Once again, that stubborn husband (who LOOOVES to aggravate me!) went back to talking about the cool guns and big muscles you get with being a soldier and Colten was seriously listening to this BIG guns and BIG muscle idea. So I thought "Fine! Two can play this game!" I then proceeded to tell Colten how I think he would make an excellent ballerina. "They get to dance all the time. You get to do shows on stages with pretty music and mommy would come and watch you!! And I'd bring you candy and flowers for dancing so good. And everyone would think you were the best dancer ever." his eyes were growing big and he was smiling... "Show Daddy how good you can twirl, Colten. Oh wow!!! Look at how good he is daddy!" Colten then proudly proclaimed to his daddy "Daddy, I gonna be a ba-wa-weena!"
ONE POINT FOR SALLIE!!!

I'm grateful for porch swings

The summer afternoon heat has finally died down. There is actually a light breeze blowing. And I have 2 little kids who are full of energy! Where would you find me??? On our front porch swing!!

When Chris and I were house hunting 4 years ago basically the only requirement I had was I wanted a large front porch. For one reason- I wanted a front porch swing. Well we bought a house, it had a porch, and thankfully my WONDERFUL bridesmaids gave us a front porch swing as our wedding present! Awesome, I know! So we hung it up and would swing in the afternoon... Just Chris and I. And I would dream of the days we would have a little one to rock to sleep on the front porch swing. Well after 3 1/2 months into our marriage we found we were on our way to fulfilling that dream!! I can remember sitting on that swing rocking my big ole belly and anxiously awaiting Colten's arrival. And sure enough, as soon as I was released from the hospital I told Chris. "When we get home the first thing I want to do is sit on our porch swing!" Thankfully my mom was there when we got home and she took a pic. Our first family pic at our house!!! It was the moment I had dreamt of for the past year.

And now??? Goin on 4 years later? Well our porch swing is still my favorite part of our house. I spend many evenings with a glass of wine sitting there; watching Colten and Allie run around the front yard. And if I'm especially lucky Chris is off and he is sitting next to me. Tonight was one of those nights. Allie was playing in the sandbox and Colten was watering the grass with the hose. (he LOVES to do this) And Chris and I were sitting side be side.

So when I'm counting my blessings tonight. I'm going to thank God for our front porch swing.

Very 1st post!

Woohoo!! First blog!! So, I've been wanting to do this for some time. But, keep putting it off and telling myself I'll start a journal instead... But forget the journal! Blogs are more fun, right? You get to title it, design it, and can post pics. Plus I can share with friends and family! So I set it up today... From my iPhone which was challenging! And I can't upload pics from my phone, only from a computer so that will have to be done later. BUT it's a start. Any ways, STORYTIME!!

This afternoon the kids and I were out in the front yard waiting for it to rain. Colten and Allie were playing in the sandbox while I was sitting on the front porch. The clouds were getting dark and the wind was picking up. Suddenly a loud and long thunder sounded. Colten SCREAMED and came running to me, obviously scared. I bent down to him "It's ok. Don't be scared. Don't you know what that noise was?" He nodded his head, looked at me with tears in his eyes and said..... "Yes. A big fart."

Gotta love 2 year old little boys!! And I totally blame him thinking it was a "big fart" on Chris. There is NOOO way he got that from me :)