Tuck-In

Every night since the day my kids were born (with the exception of a few nights I've been away), I have tucked them in after they fall asleep. It's a compulsion. I can't NOT do it! I do it for me, I suppose. I sleep better knowing that I've pulled their covers up so they're not cold, put them back in bed if they've rolled out, remove the book that rests on their face because they fell asleep "reading" it, brush their hair back off their face, give them some medicine because they are coughing in their sleep...the list goes on. 

I have a sinus infection and I took some NyQuil last night and it knocked me out before I remebered to go tuck them in. 

At breakfast this morning, out of the blue  Linkan asked me why I didn't tuck her in last night. This caught me off guard because I wasn't really aware that she knew I did this every night. So, I asked her how she knew I didn't tuck her in - if she was asleep? And she said "because I didn't feel your hand on my face, mom."

It struck me, in that moment, how profound a mother's love is for her children. How it manifests itself in the smallest ways... And how my small, every-day things have a big impact on my babies. I knew that - but then again, I forget. How blessed am I, that I get to be Linkan and Palmer's mom?  Moments like that remind me that I was made to be their mom. No one else besides their earthly and Heavenly Father can rival my love for them. 

Things Kids Say

I have to do better about writing down the funny things these kids say! They crack us up all. the. time!

Tonight at dinnertime prayer, Palmer thanked God for "Valenton-hearts day". 

Shortly after that, Linkan said, "mom! Have you ever seen potato pudding!?" Of course I said no (I made soup with potato chunks) and then she proudly proceeded to open her mouth and show me. Couldn't help myself from laughing! 

The best conversation happened a few weeks ago when we were driving around in the car. It went like this:

Link: Mom, your arms are hairy.

Me: Ya, they kind of are! (Giggling)

Palmer: Mom! Get no-no!!

Link (without skipping a beat): It's surprisingly painless!

I laughed so hard. And also face-palmed because, clearly, this was a sign that my children had been watching too much TV! 

First Day of Preschool 2014-2015

Linkan First Solo-swing :-)

Linkan learned how to "pump" this week. She is so excited about this new skill! She is finding great joy in swinging around the clock. Oh, to be 4 years old again. :-) Love her. 

Eagle Banding

We joined Ben today for baby eagle banding at Clinton Lake. Ben climbed up 100 ft trees, sat in the nests (they are enormous!), put the babies in a bag one-by-one and lowered then down where the KDWP and Army corp folks took measurements and banded the birds. Then they placed them back in the bags and raised them back to Ben where he put them back into the nests. 

These particular babies were very close to the age where they will start flying. The male baby got very nervous when Ben got to the nest and jumped out! We watched him glide and then take his very first flight as he flapped his wings and flew into the trees. He wasn't totally ready to the fly and landed on the ground eventually. The other folks ran into the woods and were able to find him and bring him back to safety. Thankfully, the eagle didn't break any wings on his way down. 

Mike said that it had been about 20 years since he saw a baby jump out of the nest. We felt pretty lucky to be able to see this beautiful bird's first flight. 

Linkan and Palmer were totally fascinated with the eagles and asked lots of great questions that the KDWP guys enjoyed answering. They both got to pet both babies as they were banded. They got to choose the band color too! They thought they were pretty special!

Ben worked real hard a did a great job handling the birds. It was a really fun afternoon. :-)

South Park

We visited Daddy today, on the job. He was building raised beds and planting flowers at a local catholic grade school. South Park was right across the street and it was a perfect day. Truly, I pushed those two on the swings for a solid hour. They were in Heaven. My arms are dead. :-)

Mother's Day 2014

I had a wonderful Mother's Day. I got to spend a nice quiet day with my fam. Great church service honoring mamas, lunch at my fav - Aladdin's and an impromptu visit from my folks and sis. 

While we were getting ready for church, Palmer wanders into the bathroom, eating a big Roma tomato like an apple. She must have discovered it on the kitchen counter and thought that it sounded like a good treat. Link saw her "treat" and insisted on having one of her own.

#1, these are definitely my children...because tomatoes are nearly my favorite food in the whole world. (And their too.)

#2, we haven't called them "tomotoes" since 2011, when Linkan renamed them "nemos".

#3, this perfectly illustrates my quirky little off-spring...and why I love them so. 

Happy Mother's Day to me, indeed. :-)

Sinckdoodles

Grandpa P. made snickerdoodles cookies (with extra cinnamon!) and then hand-delivered them to me and my sister! Now he holds the keys to my heart. :-)

Daddy Date Night

I was invited to this week's daddy date night because it was their first movie in a theater! We saw Disney's Frozen. It was so good! The girls were mesmerized the whole time and we've been singing the Frozen songs ever since (like non-stop)....for the love! Ha

My Favs

These are my peoples. :-) I heart them.

Eagle Day

Tagged along with Ben today to the Kaw Valley Eagles Day. He works the Westar booth while we get to do all the fun stuff. Link and Palm's fav was dissecting owl pellets. Link's had bird bones and Palm's had the bones of two mice. They also enjoyed petting a couple snakes and making some crafts. 

Linkan's Lovey Daddy

Tonight, Link came downstairs (she hardly ever does this after she goes to bed) and told her daddy that she just wanted to lay with him. She sure knows how to wrap him around her finger...and I truly mean that in the best possible way.  So, of course, he let her crawl into bed and snuggle for awhile and then carried her up to her room. I witness these types of tender exchanges between him and the girls every day. He plays almost non-stop with them when he gets home from work. "Daddy, let's wrestle! Daddy, throw me! Let's play princesses! Let's play tag!" Earlier this evening, he was playing with them and their Little People Princess Castle. Ben is quite testosteroney but there is nothing that he won't do for his babies...even if it's a bit on the girly-side. ;-)

I am so blessed that Link & Palm get to grow up with him as their daddy. He is the most amazing model to them....showing them every day how a man should love them. Someday, I know they will pick a man that loves them deeply, respects and honors them just like their daddy does.

And yes, I found and chose the best man because that's the kind of love that my daddy modeled for me too. :-)

Here is a pic of Ben giving Link her first skateboarding lesson last week at the lake. 

Painting

We visited the Discovery Center today. It's been awhile since we didn't have much time during December to do a lot

extra. They both always ask to go to the paint station first. :-) On a side note, I'm loving my new iPhone 5s. My pictures look so much better! 

Snuggle & Tangled

Ben said that he woke up last night at 2am and noticed that a light was on. He got up and found Linkan lying with Boss and petting him. As soon as she saw daddy, she started crying and said her legs were tangled. That's her way to describe growing pains in her legs. (She also describes a yeast infection as "hippos are biting me".) :-)

I asked her about it today and she said that she was cold so she curled up next to Boss under his blanket. She giggled when she told me that. Made me laugh. 

No matter how many times we've told her that it's ok to come wake us up in the middle of the night, she still won't do it...stating that she thinks we'll get mad at her. We've never told her that we would be mad and never have been mad if she wakes up in the night needing something. Silly girl. :-)

In the end, I'm sure Boss appreciated the extra snuggle time he got from little love. 

Get In My Heart

Written in early Nov. 2013...

We're in Oakley, Kansas with Ben. He has been working with the Nature Converancy on an enormous ranch and we got to tag along with him. It's been a great few days. I left the ranch with the girls after dark and as we were driving back to the hotel, Linkan and I had this conversation...

L: Mom, I don't want to go to Heaven.

M: Why not?

L: Because I don't want to die. When I close my eyes, it's scary. 

M: (after I explained the difference between closing your eyes and dying) 

Dying is a little scary, I agree. Even I am a little afraid of dying. I don't want it to hurt. But I'm not afraid of Heaven. It's where you get to go after you die if you believe in Jesus. And remember who is in Heaven, waiting to see you?

L: Uncle Sammy. Mom, How do you believe in Jesus?

M: You just pray and tell Him that you believe in Him. Then he'll be in your heart forever. 

L: How does He get in your Heart?

M: (long pause...grasping for an explanation that makes sense to a 3 yr old...haha...I've got nothing) Um, that's a good question. Kind of confusing, huh?

L: Yea... (then a little whisper from the back seat) Jesus, I believe in you. Will you get in my heart?

M: *tears*

Halloween 2013

My alarm was messed up this morning due to a software update on my phone so I woke up at 8:28 a.m. with my hair on fire! I was supposed to have Linkan a dressed in her costume and at school at 9 a.m. Linkan came down the stairs about 5 minutes later. I could have been grumpy from waking up so late but I got such an amazing response from her about my space kitten pants, it turned my frown upside down...and really, made my whole day! She was crazy excited to wear her Ariel wig. Score, mom! Palmer isn't in school but she insisted on wearing her owl costume. So, I got all three of us dressed in our costumes and out the door by 8:55. Can you believe it? Of ALL the days to sleep late! Whew!

I wore my space kitten outfit to jazzercise and it was a hit! Those pants are quite a hot item online. Thanks to some preplanning and Amazon.com, I snagged a pair. My instructor, Amy, sure was jealous! She had tried to buy a pair only to find out that they're sold out EVERYWHERE. ;-) Ben found a great "boy scout" get-up at a local thrift store. He is too much!!! Ha!!

When Palmer put her costume on, Linkan said, "Palmer!! You look AWESOME!" Too cute. They enjoyed trick or treating tonight. I walked up to the house with them (and reminded Linkan every darn time to thank the candy-givers - dang that child!) and daddy pulled Palmer in the wagon to each house. Fun times in the B'Woody neighborhood!

Surprise!

We surprised Great Granny a few weeks ago.  We got her good! It was the Valley Center Fall festival and she was over at the Historical Society giving tours for the day.  Our visit was really cool for two reasons.  We got to see her AND we got to tour the historical society which is none other than Great Granny Pat's childhood home.  What a treat! The girls were fascinated by all the things inside.  They didn't want to leave when it was time.  Their favorite part was trying on cool vintage hats with Great Granny.  The picture of the stove is the very stove that her mother cooked on when she was a child. So cool! Linkan & Palmer's Great Granny is such a doll and so much fun. She just turned 85 in mid-September but you wouldn't know it! We love her so much!