I have a few things that remind me of my children, and are very special to me. They are on top of our piano, and a couple of times Tucker has tried to move them. In an effort to help him understand how special these little trinkets are to me, I explained how each of them of them was given to me by someone whom I love, and that they reminds me of my children.
This one Toph bought for me for our anniversary right after Tucker was born, and reminds me of Tuck–
This one Amy bought for me for my birthday last year, and reminds me of my Trubee–
So the past few weeks, I have been noticing that this little dog kept ending up upstairs on the piano, next to Tuckers statue.
I never see the children playing with him, so I have carried it back down the play animal bin, quite a few times, but didn’t think to much about it, until I went to pick it up again the end of last week.
Tucker said, Mom, I keep that dog there, next to mine, so that it will remind me, that we need to get a dog. Cause that’s where we put our important things right?
Right-o. I wonder how long that dog collection is going to keep him satiated? I am going to keep that little dog there next to the statue, so I can remember my sweet boy, and his dedication to things that he wants, and wants to remember.
Category: Emily
So I wish I had a secret video camera to record all of the funny things my kids say and do all day long, because sometimes by the time I get the video camera out, they are not saying or doing it anymore… But the other day I got lucky, and got some ‘secret footage’ (Tru didn’t know I was filming either time until the end of the clips). Truman was singing a little ditty with the word “Everytime”, we had just finished washing dishes, and I overheard him singing in the other room…I just love that sweet voice, and wish I could imprint that song and face forever in my mind.
everything.mov
“How does time fly by so fast?”
But it’s because of the random things that are popping up in life right now, like–
–baking. Truman takes after his father who also loves to lick the batter off the mixing spoon…
–constantly catching buggies, and sharing/comparing with the neighbors,
–catching up with the spring things that have to be done, like purchasing/hauling 1 TON of wood pellets (for our stove), that had to be hauled under our patio, for next winter, (I only hauled half, then took a break, and Toph came home and finished it before I got a chance to finish it! What a good hubba!)
–buying wood, nails, and etc. for finishing building the treehouse, and building it! (this was all Toph on this one, I don’t know how to build. I assist where needed, but really he has done a majority of it!) 2 Railings up, we are getting closer!!!
–Taking care of a garden that is just beginning, ( I don’t do this one very well, thank goodness it is still raining, and these poor peas aren’t relying on me for their sole water needs!)
–And most importantly raising two little mischievous, handsome, and wonderful boys!
And when I look at those things, I think, man it’s not to bad being so busy!
**(It’s a good thing I didn’t list the other things that I don’t love so much like laundry, dishes, and vacuuming, because then I couldn’t be so optimistic about being so busy!)**
Two of Tuckers passions coming together…Sewing and stuffed animals.
For AGES Tucker has wanted to make a stuffed animal out of an old sock, (we once read about Jessie making Benny one in the Box Car Children Books) and for ages he has been asking to do just that.
Forever ago, I made a banana butt sock monkey, out of old socks from a kit my brother Ryan gave me for Christmas many years ago, so basically new how to do it,
so the adventure has begun for Tuckers own Banana Butt.
We use a large needle (a good size for his little fingers, and easier for him to make straight stitches)–
And short lengths of thread–
This is often his facial expression while sewing, love it–
Sewing the arm shut–
Stay posted for a finished project, but for now, I am loving that he has taken ownership in this project and wants to do it by himself.
Last week on Tuesday the weather was beautiful enough to do this–
Play in the Sprinkler that Truman got for his birthday, and has just been asking when he could do it, so when it was finally warm enough to be able to do this (we reached over eighty) he was so excited to be able to finally play with it!
Waiting for the sunblock to dry,
And then play, play we did! Don’t you remember being like a child and just loving being in the water? I do…
Tuck–
Tru–
And yet how is it possible that the very next day it was dark, cloudy, stormy and yucky like this?
Any excuse to get the umbrella out…Truman was there!! Funny thing is, we have rain boots too, that are worn often, but never on the days that it rains!! Funny!!
And no matter the weather, there is always time to hunt for bugs, and put them in their new ‘bug playground’.
Whether it is slugs, or
Potato Bugs, (or Rolly-polly ollies as Truman calls them)
Everyday new bugs must be found to enjoy the excitement of the bug pool and playground! (Plus many don’t survive the night 🙁 )
Looking forward to summer days full of bugs, sprinklers and being outdoors!
Truman has been really into watercoloring lately.
As I watch him, he is really into how ‘it moves so good’. I think that means that watercolor paints just flow as opposed to the rigidness of a pencil. He loves to paint, and here are some of his masterpieces, (they don’t scan so well!)
I don’t remember what this one is, oops! 🙂
Truman Dad and Mom:
Tucker and Truman:
A face:
While Truman was busy watercoloring, Tucker decided he wanted to do something he’d seen in the family fun magazine, trace a picture then color it. Of course, it was a robot picture that he chose, and we worked long and hard to produce this piece of art!
Again, I love seeing my children in the creative process, and how they and their art changes every time. LOVE IT!
So Truman spent an hour outside at the treehouse, while Tucker was at school, and I watched from the kitchen window and washed dishes…
I am loving this treehouse already, I know the boys love it too.
It is nice for the boys to have a safe fun place to play where I can see them clearly, and still get things done. Once the railings are up, I will fill alot better about the safety of our children, and will be able to let them loose back there anytime!
Like I said, LOVE IT!
I love having guests, and it was so fun to Matt, Emily, Owen and Ava come down to hang out with us. And lately all Saturdays are dedicated to the Treehouses, so they were gracious guests who let us work on the treehouse….
Here it is when we started with three floor boards down:
The boys didn’t care if the floor was done or not yet, they loved to be up there…
and there was plenty of digging in the sand, here is Owen,
And of course bug hunting
We worked hard, sawing, putting in screws, and measuring the floor boards, all day long…
I love this picture, we don’t have too many with both of us working on the treehouse.(thanks em)..
One of the highlights of the day, was a trip to the hardware store with Owen, my boys could care less about trips with me–I’m just there mom, so I was thrilled that Owen wanted to go with me, a perk of being an aunt. We had a good time, and got some free popcorn, which is always a perk. 🙂
We came back and made a picnic,
And then before they left, Toph, Tuck and Owen got a good game of the Jazz in…
If I am remembering right, Toph was Boozer,
Tru was D-Will and
Owen was A.K.
Good times, please come again Huffs!
So, after they left, we went back to the treehouse, and worked, worked, worked…
The boys stayed there with us, helping for a bit, as well as learning they can push large items down the slide,
As well as each other,
At about 6:00 PM, we finally finished the flooring, and took our first family photo in the treehouse, I was thinking it would be a fun tradition to take one there every year, but we’ll have to see if I can remember that!
We were pretty excited, but tired, I was too tired to cook, and needed to pick up somethings from Maceys, so off we went for a chicken dinner and soft serve icecream…
Here is a look at the finished flooring…
We’re getting closer!!!
So it’s not often that we all go out on the town for a night of crazy wildness with all four of us, so I had to document it!
We picked up Toph at the train station after work, the boys loved watching the trains come and go as we waited..
We went to go meet up with with My dad, mom and bro–Eric, but they weren’t there yet, so I went shopping for some new jeans
and a little something something for mothers day, (to be revealed more on Sunday)
Then off to dinner, we went to Fazoli’s, ’cause the boys wanted pizza–My little boys that is.
While sitting there, I realized one of the things I loved about my classy momma is how she always where the perfect accessories, look at those fun bracelets,
The crew,
Sharing the drinks,
Although Truman is getting bigger, he is still not to big to sit and eat on his daddy’s lap…
The Handsome boys of my family,
Toph, Tru, Eric, Tuck
Thanks for the delicious food grams and gramps,
We came home, and told the boys they could watch a few minutes of the Jazz game, (and maybe stay up late enough to see our guests who should be arriving shortly) but when we went to turn it on, this is what happened,
crying, because they were so tired and wanted to watch the entire game.
I just laughed, definely time for bed, they could see cousins in the morning~
Tucker often draws pictures, notes and cards for Topher to hang at his office, so when he came downstairs carrying this the other morning….
my little heart melted… like I said, I heart little notes, especially ones written like this….
thanks Tucker!
Notice: Tucker doesn’t like to write out his whole name, so has taken to shortening it to ‘tuc’
🙂