Smiles (for some of us), Swimming, Strawberries and Slip N Sliding

Well, here it is, our Easter picture this year. This was the best I got of the boys in their adorable Easter outfits. We did get professional pictures too, which I will post at some point, but don't get too excited, Connor IS 18 months old after all. :)

This year marked the beginning of any type of formal lessons for my boys. We decided to enroll Landon in swimming lessons. He did GREAT! I was so proud. I had set my expectations low so that I would not put too much pressure on him. I was really impressed with his teacher and with the program the downtown YMCA in Durham offered. The instructors were great and Landon is definitely more willing to get in the water and try to swim.

Sorry the pictures are blurry. It it was a lot to keep up with- Landon, Connor and trying to take pictures...

Here Landon is working hard, you can tell he is really trying. It is amazing the amount of confidence this gave him.

Here's what I was tending to...Boy, I got my work out chasing this little bull around. Connor LOVED the water and could not get enough. Might I add, he has NO fear of the water. Yikes.

Fortunately for all of us, Janise enrolled Sophia in the same classes. So, not only did Landon have his best friend to cheer him on and encourage him during the lessons, Connor got to play with Emelia and I got to hang out with Janise!! What a fun time we had!

On to strawberry picking! I have been wanting to take Landon strawberry picking since last summer and I am so glad we had the opportunity to do it this year! Lucky for us, we got to go with our best play buddies here too!!

What a precious friendship these two have. Janise told me this morning that Sophia said that Landon was her "best bud". How sweet is that, really? :)

On to the slip in slide, the coolest thing since sliced bread. Welcome Spring, welcome Summer, welcome lots of fun for our boys and their friends in our yard.

Happy Landon!!

And, a sweet surprise for us, we got to keep Zaiya while these two love birds went on a hot date!! We had to show Zaiya the water slide too!

Mini-Marc. What a happy little guy. He just loved watching his crazy cousins!!

Speaking of...Stan aided Landon down the slip in slide, what fun!! Brings back a lot of memories for me. :)

Connor loved the water spouting out. Pure joy for my boys...

And even more fun with Sophia...

And Emelia. I love this one. Connor with a snake and Emelia has a watering can. Such a little boy and such a little girl.

And last but not least, sweet snuggles before work from both of my fellas. I just love these little boys. What a precious gift. Hope you enjoyed the update! Next stop: Holden Beach!!

Grateful for My Gardener

This new growth sprung from entirely bare branches many told me to give up on. This is my Magnolia tree in my back yard. It was looking so puny last fall, I trimmed it back- a pretty drastic pruning (not supposed to do this I have since learned). I have been very reflective of this tree as I have watched it slowly bloom this spring.

I first saw a tree bare, sticks only, looking dead. I thought, I should get a pretty Crepe Myrtle and place it there so I can look out my back window and gaze at something beautiful...instead of something basically dead. I decided to give it the summer and see what happened...this after Stan's aunt came over and just bent the twigs of the tree and said, I think it is still alive! She is an avid gardener and I trusted her judgement.

I decided to water it, to feed it miracle grow, lime, anything I could think of to help give it every opportunity to survive.

A few weeks later, I saw what I thought was a little green bud...it was and there were several! The closer I looked, the more green growth I saw. I was amazed and excited!

Now, each time I gaze out my back window, I see new growth. It is really starting to thrive and I have every bit if faith that it will survive and be a beautiful centerpiece to my back yard.

I have since learned that it takes a good 10 years for a Magnolia tree to become established. We are at year 6.

All of this thinking and planning with this tree got me thinking about how Christ sees me and how he prunes me. I am so thankful he has not given up on me when I have looked "dead", instead he has his living water and spiritual nourishment available to me all the time, ready for me to grow and bloom. There are those times when he prunes me. Motherhood has and still is a time of pruning for me. He continually strips away what I thought was important, cutting back the mess and the dead growth, even making me feel bare at times- cold, wet and thirsty.

I am so grateful that he offers to quench my thirst daily, moment by moment. He never thinks of giving up on me. Unlike the fickle gardener I can be, Christ is not. He is so patient. He never thinks of replacing me with something new and more beautiful. He loves me just as I am, broken branches, bare branches, and all.

I am so grateful He is my gardener. I am so grateful he loves me and that even in the things of this world that seem so simple and mundane as a once thought dying tree, He speaks to my heart. How about you?

Mother's Day and Then Some

This Mother's Day was a bit crazy as Stan and I were both under the weather...and Stan much more so than I. Let's just say, I mentioned to Stan that a "do-over" would be nice this weekend. He was such a trooper and fully agreed. :)

We did make the most of the day and were able to see both of our moms!! My mom came into town and we went out for brunch with Karen, Marc and Zaiya at Ruby Tuesdays. Let me tell you, if you have never had their brunch....you have to try it!! Homemade biscuits, omelets, yogurt parfait with granola in a martini glass, coffee, OJ...it was heavenly. What a wonderful treat not to have to cook and clean and enjoy a delicious meal!

My mom was a sweetheart and let me take a nap while she and my "non-napper" Landon went on a walk. They had a great time together- as if you couldn't tell by the picture. :)

Then, we headed to Kay's house. Here Moo and B are helping out Connor who was adamant about getting on this little big wheel. They are SO great with the kids and it is just a joy to watch them grow in their relationships with their nephews.

See what I mean?

Nanny was all play as usual. She pulled out all the stops and got out this complete garage and racetrack set she found at a yard sale for Landon. He was as happy as a Lark.

Here is a shot of Stan and I. It is hard to believe we have been together over 11 years now, married for almost 9. What a gift it is to have such a loving and giving husband. Days like Mother's Day really make me reflect on the gift it is to be a mother- and for my kids to have the daddy they do.

And, not to be forgotten, Connor pulled a picture off of the end table of Kay and L.D. He was calling out "Nanny, Nanny" and pointed to the picture of L.D. for Kay to tell him who that was. This is the picture of Kay telling Connor about his Pappa. Connor promptly starting saying, "Pappa, Pappa". I am sure L.D. was smiling down on us all.

Here is Anna, performing the "true test of a Cole" on Landon. She starts at the ankle, walks up to the thigh...you have to be able to make it all the way to the top without giggling...I guess you can see how much fun we had with this game.

Here are my little joys. A little popsicle break before swim class. Landon is in swimming lessons and Connor and I swim in the pool at the same time Landon's lessons are going on. Everyone has always told me that 4 is a good age to start swimming lessons and I have to agree. We are taking them at the YMCA downtown (which by the way has been great!) and Landon is really catching on....minus the fact that one of his classmates pushed him in the water tonight!!!! GRRRR, says momma bear! But, the swim teacher got him out and Landon brushed it off with a smile after mommy came over and gave him a little squeeze.

And...Connor's big news...tonight was his first night without his pacifier. I must admit, it is a hard thing to give up for me as well. It is like his last real little baby item...but I SO enjoyed rocking him to sleep. Gone will be the days I am able to rock him to sleep, way too soon, so I am treasuring each of these precious times with him.

I am so in love with my little boys. It is such a gift to be a mother and to be given the privilege of raising two boys. I have picked up James Dobson's "Bringing Up Boys" again and am delighting reading about the insight he gives to this task, esp. from a Christian standpoint. I am in awe that God would choose me to raise two boys and I humbly pray each night that I would please God and do my very best to raise them to be strong men of God. Oh, what an awesome responsibility!!