#20 - Just Because!!!!!

Ha - there I did it-- 20 posts for the month of October!!! Really just poking fun at myself and Gabe. Two truly in love nerds that use blogs for banter! Being married to Gabe has given me the freedom to release my inner nerd. I could just blame it all on Gabe for using his influential nerd skills to sway me to the "other side" Truth is, I have always been a nerd. God knew what he was doing when he put us together!

Fall Festival

Isn't he the best looking farmer you have ever seen?! When thinking about what to dress up as for the Fall Festival, Isaac first wanted to be a dinosaur, then it was Curious George, then Clifford, then Super Why etc. He changed his mind every time we read a new book. That was, until he went to visit my parents. Isaac did "real" farmer work with Granddaddy on the "tractor" (riding lawn mower) and he helped tend the goats. Oh and lets not forget, he also rode Red-eye Sam (tire horse) After that trip, Isaac proudly proclaimed that he wanted to dress up as a farmer, just like his Granddaddy! Awe!!

Isaac got a kick out of getting freckles on his cheeks. He made a big deal every time I came near him with a napkin (which I did often at the festival - hot dog, snow cone, cotton candy - just to name a few!!) Isaac wanted to make sure I did not wipe off his precious and I must admit very adorable freckles. At the end of the night as I was tucking him into bed, I kissed him on the cheek and he said, "The freckles make your kisses stick Mommy!"There was no question as to what Julia would dress up as. Her beloved bunny was our inspiration! We practiced with the ears and tail before the festival to see if she would "allow" it. I would say,"Look Julia, you are a bunny. Can you hop?" She would try her best while sort of saying "hopity" SO CUTE!! She had a blast at the festival and danced her little "tail" off on the dance floor. No joke - she really did!! That girl can boogie!!

The "Wild West Fall Fest" as it was called was so much fun! Thanks to Gabe and all the many others that pitched in to make it such a fun and wonderful night. There were games of course for all the kids. They received candy for completing the game. Julia skipped the game, walked right over to the candy buckets, and grabbed handfuls of candy. She was too cute for anyone to tell her no!! As I mentioned above, we did end the evening on the dance floor. I even got to dance with my handsome husband. Well sort of, the kids cut in and all four of us finished the dance together.

Great Memories!!!

New Look

As you can see I got tired of the polka dot look. Gabe started working on a personalized blog page design for me (love being married to a computer "nerd"!!!!), but due to other more important and pressing things he hasn't been able to finish it. So this will have to do for now.

Gabe, whom strongly encouraged and basically challenged me to start my own blog, is now giving me a hard time for posting more than he does. He even checks my "stats" - how many blogs for one month. I admit there are quite a few!!! I should just rename this blog "All about Isaac and Julia"!! If nothing else, this is a good way to share my children's lives and growth with family that live far away. Well sort of, poor Betty can't see any of the pictures. Gotta get that fixed!!! So this is officially post #18 I believe. And there will be one more with pictures of the kids from last nights Fall Festival. Maybe, if I try really hard I can get to 20 posts for the month of October. Beat that Gabe!!!!!

Sleeping Beauty

She fell asleep in the stroller as we took a walk around the neighborhood. I brought her in, took off her shoes, washed her hands, and laid her on the couch amidst the hustle and bustle of her brother. She never woke up through it all. She definitely wants and needs her beauty sleep and is not afraid to get it whenever and wherever she can.

Little Miss Copy Cat

Julia is definitely in "copy cat" mode. She copies anything and everything. Today it was putting on make-up. She wanted to do everything I did. She brushed her hair and pretended to put on blush and eye shadow (well sort of - she just held the eye shadow compact up to her eye) It is humbling that she watches my every move. Reminds me to make sure my actions are worthy of being copied!

First Day of Fall

All bundled up and ready for fall !!! Today was our first cold and blustery day. Julia walked out of the house, was hit in the face with a burst of cold air, turned around, walked back to the front door and said with a dazed look, "Whoa"! I am sure it was quite a shock to her because just yesterday it was 90 degrees!! Gotta love Texas weather!!!!

Shoe Diva

Julia is quite a "shoe diva". She tries to wear everyones shoes, including Isaac's. Just the other day she was racing around the house with Isaac's sandles on her tiny little feet. Here she is in Gabe's boots practically up to her waist. You should have seen her trying to walk in those. She didn't make it very far.

Midnight Stargazing

As I was cleaning up our bedroom the other day, I came across something very close to my heart. It has been in my bedside table for as long as I have had it. It may not look like much, but this small box contains a very special memory.

I was a typical distant and generally moody teenager. Most are! I did my own thing, my parents did theirs. We did not spend much quality time together. One night after spending time with some friends, I came home to find my Dad sitting in a lawn chair in the front yard. It was at least after 11pm. What in the world was he doing?.....He was star gazing and promptly invited me to join him. Honestly, my first reaction was to bolt and avoid all genuine attempt at a conversation. I was a moody teenager after all whom thought she had it all figured out without the help of her "lame" parents. With perhaps a gentle nudge from God above, I accepted the invitation and have a precious memory to carry with me for the rest of my life.

We simply sat together watching the night sky and talked. I don't particularly remember what we talked about. I just remember feeling completely at ease with my Dad. Quite a feat for a teenager and a parent. My Dad made me feel cherished and special. Our time together was not forced, but rather genuine. I loved every minute of it.

The next day when I got home from school I found a small gray velvet box on my pillow. Inside was a rock with a small note that simply said:

"Maybe another father and daughter were watching the night skies when this fell to earth 100 years ago. In Memory of our midnight stargazing and deep conversations. - August 12, 1993
I Love You, Dad"My Dad knew and still knows how to love me. I adore and respect him greatly. He may have been a busy man, working to provide for his family, but he made time for his little girl! I love you Dad!

Oobleck

I read the book Bartholomew and the Oobleck by Dr. Suess to Isaac yesterday before nap. Cute story (except for the magic and magicians part) Anyway, I told Isaac I knew how to make Oobleck. Boy, did his eyes light up!!! I promised that after nap we would make some and so we did. (recipe at the bottom) He literally played in the slimy goo for an hour. I admit, I enjoyed it just as much. When Julia woke up she joined the fun and giggled at the way it felt in her hands. It was a mess, but I promise it was an easy clean up. Just washes away with water. What a fun way to spend our afternoon. I didn't get a picture, but even Gade couldn't resist the oobleck when he got home from work. Lots of fun!! Give it a try with your little ones!

Oobleck:
1 1/2 cups corn starch (more if needed)
1 cup water
food coloring

The consistency should be a bit runny but not too watery. I followed the recipe above and had to add a little more corn starch to get the right consistency. It should "clump" up when you squeeze it and then run smoothly when you let go. Have Fun!!

Love Languages

It has been evident to Gabe and I for sometime that Isaac's love language is Quality Time. Give him focused attention and you can actually hear his "love tank" filling. Gabe usually snatches this time with Isaac on Saturday mornings for "Peanuts with Papa". Isaac looks forward to this time with Gabe. They just sit at the edge of the garage in the early morning snacking on peanuts and talking about anything and everything. It is sweet to see Isaac's eyes light up when he knows it is peanut time!!

Last night was date night for Isaac and I. We are going to start having a date every Wednesday before AWANA. We did this quite often when Julia was an infant, to get away from her screaming and to let Isaac know he was not forgotten even though there was a new baby in the house. Sadly we have gotten away from our date night for awhile. Quality time can be hard to give when you have so little time to begin with!! Anyway back to last night... he gets to pick the place to eat and last night it was Wendy's. I think he was curious about that little girl with red pigtails!! It is hard to describe how his demeanor changes when feeling loved in this way. He was very affectionate with his touches; holding my hand, hugging me, wanting me to sit as close as possible, etc. He also showered me with "I love you" and even an "I adore you Mama". Awww, my tank was obviously being filled as well !!

We haven't quite figured out Julia's love language yet. If I had to guess, I would say that it is Physical touch or Quality time. She is very relational and loves to be with us at all times. She loves to be held, cuddled, and played with. She often finds her way to my arms. It is hard to resist her sweet face and her desperate pleas of "bup pease" which translated means "up please". When I was pregnant I remember saying, "I hope this baby wants to be cuddled a lot" Isaac seemed to grow up so fast and was on the move most of the time. He didn't have time for cuddles. Well, my wish came true. Julia is a my cuddle bug as I call her. HA - just as I am typing this she came in with arms outstretched to me saying "bup pease"! LOVE IT!

I adore Isaac and Julia more than my mere words can describe. I marvel knowing that God has allowed me this privilege and honor of being Mommy to Isaac and Julia. I thank God out loud in front of them both. I want them to know that it is a privilege even on days when it feels like a job. Thank you God for the blessing of my children!!

Five Love Languages for Children

Medina Pumpkin Patch

This was our 3rd annual trip to Love Creek Orchards Pumpkin Patch in Medina. Well worth the drive. Some friends of ours, Jake and Jill and their son Dillon, joined us for the outing. There was a hay maze, pumpkin painting, petting zoo, music, hay rides, pony rides, scarecrow building and everything fair related. We always have so much fun there and this year was no different. Dillon and Isaac are the same age and had a blast running all over the place climbing in, on, and under everything. At the end of the day they even found a hollowed out tree. A little boy's paradise!!! I tried my best to get some cute "pumpkin" pictures of the kids. They would have none of it. You can even see Isaac and Julia scowling at me in one picture by the water. Stopping to take a picture is not their idea of fun. I don't blame them!! Julia had more fun "investigating" the pumpkins. She even gave one a hug! Julia had a great time and even got to paint her own pumpkin (with help from Papa of course) Here is a link to Love Creek Orchards. Enjoy the pictures!!

"Beauty Shop"

I always thought my first pretend "beauty shop" would be with Julia. Oh no, Isaac did me up quite pretty as you can see!! Gabe has been working long hours lately and needed to catch a few zzz's on Saturday afternoon, so I needed to keep the kids quiet. Beauty shop it is!!! Isaac started playing with my hair, then got the brush and water bottle. He had fun torturing me with the water bottle. Pay backs I assume! He hates to get sprayed when I am fixing his hair. Last came the beautiful bows. I made a big show of how beautiful it was and he loved it. However, he was a bit upset that I messed up his masterpiece when we went out to get dinner. Ok, so I am not "Mom of the Year"! He he!!

"Rit"

Snack time at the Landes house... Isaac chooses Ritz crackers.

Isaac: "Where is "Rit"? (pointing to the crackers)
Mama: "Huh?"
Isaac: "You said is was Rit's crackers."
Mama: "Oh (giggle to self), see that little brown spot? That is where Rit lives!"

Sometimes you just have to "play along"!

MOPS

Ok, another plug for a Mommy related topic. It is like my life revolves around Motherhood or something!!! If you are a Mom of preschoolers (0-5) check out the link to MOPS. It is awesome to be apart of this group at NEBC. And what a ministry it is to many, many mothers in our community who are searching for a church home or are non-believers. Besides our opportunity to share our faith, we are able to get together, get a break from the kids, and just fellowship. Girls gotta talk!!

Kickin' Back!

Like mother like daughter! Julia loves to find a quiet spot and "read" books.

Afternoon Fun

Yesterday afternoon Isaac and I decided to eat popcorn outside for snack. Then we planned to play with some shaving cream on a table (his idea!!) As we were enjoying our time together outside, we heard a faint, but very recognizable sound (at least to me). It was the fanciful music of an ice cream truck and it was heading our way. Without hesitating ,I ran inside to grab some change and began running towards the truck as Isaac looked on with an expression of "My Mom has completely lost it now!" He had no idea what was going on! For me, it brought back memories of chasing down the ice cream truck on hot summer afternoons as a kid. My reminiscing ended abruptly when I saw the $2 price tag for one Spider Man ice cream. YIKES! Oh well, it was well worth the experience. And as you can see Isaac thoroughly enjoyed his afternoon treat!Julia joined us outside and thought the shaving cream table was just for her. She got messier than Isaac ever did. In fact, Isaac would not even touch it. Julia had that shaving cream EVERYWHERE!! I love watching my children truly enjoy themselves. Yesterday was that kind of day!

Super Why!

You know you are a stay at home Mom when you blog about a new cartoon on PBS!!! Pathetic, I know! Anyway, there is this new cartoon called "Super Why" that just recently started showing on PBS. It is fantastic. All about reading, letters, problem solving, classic fairy tales and stories. And of course the main characters are "super heroes". You can't beat that.If you have little ones, you may want to check it out. You can also play games at www.pbskids.org

"Saw the Water Tower First!!!"

If you don't know my family, then you may read that title and say, "WHAT?!!!" Ok, so many years ago this game started in my family. The way I remember it starting was when we would go visit my grandparents in Morton, Texas. They had a small little house very near the water tower. As most kids do, my sisters and I would continually ask, "Are we there yet?". My parents finally came up with a way to focus our attention. They told us that when we saw the water tower then we would be there. That turned into a competition of course...... who could see the water tower first. As the years progressed, the game changed into the one that saw the water tower first would get the next meal from the other passengers.

We have taught Isaac this game and he is finally catching on. Yesterday we were on our way to meet Gabe when Isaac spotted the water tower and proudly proclaimed that he would get to make dinner for us. Ok I thought - that is a new variation of the game. I didn't really think he would go through with it, but when we got home he asked Gabe and I to go hide while he made us dinner. He wanted to do this completely by himself. He made peanut butter and honey sandwiches. Well, his had peanut butter and honey. Gabe's was just peanut butter and mine was just honey. Isaac did give Gabe and I permission to add to our delicious sandwiches!!!He was so proud of himself for doing it all on his own. What a big boy. I told him that we could start planning one meal a week that he could make or help make for the family. We may have a little chef on our hands!!Good thing, because Mama doesn't like to cook!!!

Real Life Lesson

For the past several weeks, I have been taking Isaac and Julia to REACH, a home school co-op sponsered by and hosted at our church, NEBC. It has been a lot of fun! The moms rotate in as either teachers or helpers in the classroom for the three hours we are there.

Last week I walked into Isaac's classroom to find him snapping all the crayons in half. I don't know why. I asked him to apologize to the teacher, which he did, but I felt he needed a "real life lesson" about respecting other people's property and fixing mistakes made.

So yesterday Isaac had to "work" to earn some money. The money of course will go to replacing the crayons he broke. Isaac "helped" clean the bathroom. I don't know if he saw it as "work" though. At this age, kids love to help. He also folded a small basket of laundry and put it away. At the end of his "work" he did wipe his brow and said "Whew, that was hard work!"

Hopefully this lesson will help him the next he has the urge to snap a few crayons!

Creative Kids

Who would have thought a couple of cereal boxes could be so much fun?!!