A Moral Question...

Would it be very wrong to put an anti-barking shock collar on my daughter? You know the kind that if dogs make too loud of a bark shock them? I mean I wouldn't make her wear it all the time. I know she has to express herself sometimes. But maybe she could just wear it while the babies are trying to sleep and she suddenly feels the need to burst into full volume song right outside their door? I'm just wondering...

Oh, while we're on the subject do you think it would be wrong to put the invisible fence collars on two twins who always run in separate directions when I take them outside? I realize shocking could possibly be construed as child abuse so I thought of an invention along the same lines as the invisible fence. The kids wear "devices" (collars sound bad) and when they approach the boundaries instead of the warning beep dogs get they would hear mom's pre-recorded voice saying, "Jon Wesley Dodd you get back here this instant!" That is just an example name and in no way implies that that child is in need of discipline :) Don't you think that would be a great invention. However, as I used my real voice to yell at them to return and they kept on running (in opposite directions) it occurred to me that my invention has the fatal flaw that hearing the mother's voice must actually cause the child to obey. Hmmmm, back to the drawing board!

I'm Eavesdropping Again...

I know lots of my posts lately have been of overheard conversations, but I have to add one more. I was fixing lunch with the 2 big kids when we heard the babies wake up through the monitor. Jackson asked if they could go up and "entertain" them while I finished lunch. However, I think they forgot I had the monitor on. First I heard the expected screaming as they scared the poor babes. Then I heard Ashton say, "Jackson did you know if you lick a baby in the mouth you'll turn into a baby?"

Um yeah, gross and what??? I gotta stop eavesdropping!

Why You Shouldn't Leave Ashton Alone at Her Easel...

I was working in the bedroom knowing Ashton was painting on her easel in the garage. Apparently Jon decided to take Jackson and go to H*me Dep*ot leaving A alone with paint. This is what showed up in my bedroom:

The most upsetting part to me was the fact that these paint covered toes had traveled the full length of my house upstairs and down to arrive in my bedroom leaving me to wonder how many places they left paint on the carpet???

I obviously threw her in the shower. I adore this mischievous look, kind of...

She didn't want me to take a picture of her because I might show her pen....let's just say we haven't covered anatomy in homeschool and what parts belong to boys and girls :)

If Only They Loved HIm...

It Pays to Be Nice to Your Neighbors, Literally...

Jon walked next door to ask our neighbors, who sadly we don't know as well as we should, if they needed help removing a tree they cut down. Instead of taking help they gave us a high chair, 2 almost new booster seats and these 2 amazing little chairs their grandaughters had outgrown.

I think Will and Wesley like them! They won't stay out of them. All I can say is thank goodness there are 2 of them!!!

Happy Birthday Baby Ryan...

Today we gathered as a family at my nephew's graveside to celebrate what would have been his 5th birthday. I cannot believe it's been 5 years! Each year we release ballons to wish him a happy birthday. This year due to a mishap where the teddy bear let go of half the ballons we actually released only 5, which I think was the perfect number any way.

Here is his sweet family which will be one more come December!

The blue balloons looked beautiful as they float up to heaven to our little guy.

Justin had a lot to say and was very excited about the balloons flying so high.

And while it's hard to put into words how regretful we feel for what we've missed and how blessed we feel to rest in the assurances of heaven, as usual Jackson's prayers say it all:
"Dear God, thank you for today and for Ryan. Please tell him happy birthday from me. Let him always be happy and to have a great time. Thanks. Amen."

So, to my angel of a nephew happy birthday! Holding you again is one of the sweetest things I anticipate when I get to heaven!

What Does Joy Look Like???

A boy in 1 shoe playing outside with his Daddy. As Jon says, "You can tell how happy Will is by his tongue."
If that's fact the case, this is sheer Will joy...

Validation???

Ashton: I definitely got the right parents.

Me: Well, that's good. How do you know you got the right ones?

Ashton: Because you're so nice to me, and there's nothing I can do about ya'll.


I was really touched until that last part???

Jackson's Perfect Prayer...

"Dear God, thank you for letting Baylor's baby brother get born safe. Please be with CA's (He actually named his baseball buddy but I'm being a little discreet!) baby and help it grow and be born safe. Please let him always to grow and trust in you. Amen."

Me: ditto!

Jon's Perfect Father's Day...

The kids and I were really excited to give Daddy his fishing basket we surprised him with. It contained a water bottle, a Coke, Snickers, homemade cards, Cracker Jacks, and most importantly 2 containers of chicken livers. This was really his dream gift because he has been wanting to go fishing really badly. We wanted to do this as a family. It was the twins' first fishing trip which is a major milestone in this family. However, the idea was much more fun than the reality of Jon baiting everyone's hook, unhooking the fish, babies crying, Jackson getting hooked in the hand (luckily it came out or we'd have been on the way to the emergency room like we had to do with Jon once!). Poor Jon didn't even get to reel in a single fish himself. I guess I really owe him a redo fishing trip alone! Still, it was fun and I got some special pictures which is really all it's about anyway (for me at least!).

This is my favorite picture. Though it isn't the best shot of everyone (though I adore Will peeking around Jon's leg), it is incredibly special because it is a picture of Jon with our 4 kids right where it all started. They are standing in the exact place where Jon proposed
(Hey, I told you fishing was important in our family!).

I think this picture is cute because my curly headed darling looks like he really knows what he's doing!

Jackson checking out his and Ashton's joint catch (I'm going to strangle him if he doesn't stop letting his shorts fall down!!!).

The funny part was when we tried to show the babies' their first catfish. They both cried and ran to me! I know that will change soon or that lifetime hunting/fishing license we are about to buy will be a huge waste of money!
It was a hot, exhausting day full of adventure, but all our days seem to be that way lately so I guess it was appropriate. It really meant a lot to me being there with all the kids on Father's Day.
Jon, if you kneeled (on both knees) with my diamond dangling below a huge chicken liver and proposed to me all over again I'd...
say "yes" a thousand times because while you are my best friend, the prince charming I never felt I deserved , the answer to all my prayers, the one who makes me laugh more than anyone, someone I could spend every waking moment with and never run out of things to talk about, the person who can make the most mundane task fun, and many more wonderful things
most importantly you are a great father and the best gift I could've ever given my children was having you as a father.
I love you, Jon!
Wanna go fishing?

Jackson Embraces a Chore...

One of the kids' chores on their chore chart is "brush your hair." It was put there more for Ashton than Jackson, but he's embracing it. Only, instead of brushing he's experimenting with the hair gel. I actually think he does a great job and I really like it.

Even better, he's decided he likes brushing his sister's hair and does a great job. He is very gentle (though very liberal with the detangler) and Ashton is much more patient with him doing it than with me, by far! Besides it's extremely cute to see...

Fruit Loop Friends...

Lightning Bug Hunt...

We had a great night the other night hunting lightning bugs. I can remember hunting lightning bugs countless hours as a child and now it's a favorite pastime of Jackson and Ashton. This was Will and Wesley's first hunt. They loved it and I loved the great pictures I got.

Will looks like he is really about to catch one. There wasn't really a bug anywhere near him. He was just imitating big bro and sis:

Wesley is saying, "Wow" as J shows him what he caught:

This is Will's classic pose, the "Where Hands". He's asking, "Where bug go?"

This is not the best photo but is so cute that they are both pointing up and so excited:

These little moments here and there doing things as a family are the stuff life is made of. Go "catch" some today!

Ballet Recital...

Saturday afternoon it was finally the big day. For the ballerina the fun part was hanging backstage with her friends:

We were also very glad to be dancing right after our sweet friend Leah at her ballet debut:

The miracle of the day was that I actually got in a picture:

Jackson insisted on being the one to present her with her flowers (complete with his new hair gel obsession):

Daddy did a great job buying the flowers again this year:

I had to secure 10 tickets or would've been in big trouble with her many adoring fans, including Aunt Heather (who is now hoping she's having a girl!):

Nana was there of course and gave her a beautiful ballerina necklace:

Gram and GranBobby were there as usual:

And Mawmaw and Aunt Joan got to come for the first time:

Just when we thought the fun was over, we were treated to another performance, lucky us?

3 costumes, 2 hours, 2 awkward hip hop dances, 3 exhausting trips by me to the dressing room for complete costume changes, 10 adoring family members, dozens of pictures, 1?? high recital fee, + 1 beautiful ballerina= priceless.

Ballet Rehearsal...

I can't believe that Ashton was in her 3rd ballet recital! She was only 3 when she did her first and that seems ridiculously young now! The first year I was on bedrest and got to watch her dance then go home. Jon stayed with her to get her trophy. The 2nd year I felt the need to volunteer to be the backstage mom to make up for what I missed while on bedrest. I didn't make that mistake this year!

So, here are some beautiful pics I took during dress rehearsal. Of course, my favorite costume (of her three this year!) was the beautiful ballet one, made even more beautiful when two beautiful girls twirl:

2 ballerinas and one in training:

Or when modeled by pirate ballerinas:

After the first costume change they were now tapping girls:

I was really excited about their tap song because it was "Movin' Right Along" from the Muppet Movie which was the exact same song I tapped to years ago in my brief ballet career!

The grand finale was thier jazz song from HS2- "Fabulous"-P-E-R-F-E-C-T! It has been her signature song since she first heard it 2 years ago. She already knew all the moves from the movie so just had to learn some new moves which were sassy and cute.

She was in little girl heaven!

A glimpse of the sassy:

I really enjoyed rehearsal because it is the only time I'm allowed to take video and pictures (and I'm a big time rule follower but did see some people videoing!).

My girl also had fun which is after all what it's all about!