Warning: This Post is X-Rated...

I'm not sure you are allowed to use this word on your good Christian blog, but I had to share.

We were just outside carving pumpkins. OK, Jon was carving. I was sitting on the porch taking pictures. Ashton came running up to me very excited saying. "Mommy, Mommy come see Daddy carved nipples on my pumpkin's smile!"

Yeah, those would be dimples :)

Don't worry, the human body is on our homeschool curriculum coming up soon. Although I wasn't planning on covering those. hmmmmm?????

Mom, How Do You Turn the Cheek...

Ashton was very proud to read a book to me. I told her to read to me what happened while I got the babies ready for bed. Jackson, who had already read the book, started telling what happens. I assured her that I wasn't listening to him and to keep going. However, she was getting very frustrated with him and finally she did a big sigh and said, "Mom, how do you turn the cheek?" I asked her what she meant and she said, "Like the Bible says to turn the cheek. I'm trying, but I don't know how to turn a cheek!"

I don't even think I answered her because I was running upstairs to call Jon and tell him so we could laugh together!

You Know You're in the Terrible Twos with Two If..." #13

You innocently pull back your curtains and find this:

Since they laughed hysterically you do it again and again:

When you get distracted you realize they have been back there for awhile quiet which is a major red flag. You pull the curtain back and notice 1 has a pen and 1has his sister's make-up. Seems innocent enough so you return the curtain to see what transpires:

After a few more quiet moments you pull it back to see that your floor has been lovingly painted with several shades of lipgloss, great :)

Anniversary Surprise...

I know the standard joke is to blame everything on your mother-in-law, but I honestly lucked up and got the best in-laws around. They have been married 40 years this year. I'd been thinking all year that we had to do something special. We decided to have them a surprise party. First, we snuck in their house and stole all their old pictures. The kids were very upset that we were stealing! We then used their wedding picture to invite friends and family.

We had the food:

We had cute girls:

We had a huge banner:

All we needed were 2 unsuspecting people who thought they were coming to my party. They were very surprised!

Lucky Nana and Pop were treated to an impromptu stunt show:

We got to visit, eat and enjoy the centerpieces made of old pictures of them:

The stunt drivers took a break for some food:

The highlight was the video we made of all their pictures through the years. Jon and I had a great time making it, and it was fun to watch all together. We made sure to put lots of embarrassing pictures-of everyone!

Wesley enjoyed the video more than anyone even though he had watched it at home several times as we previewed it. He's laugh and point out people. He really loved the "Bad to the Bone" song that played when Pop's childhood pictures came on. He'd sing,"I Bad Bone".

David enjoyed his embarrassing photos too!
When it was present time there had to be a monkey card- it's a Dodd tradition:
Of course, Ashton made a gift:
And, of course, I made a scrapbook. This one was of all their wedding pictures and was beautiful, if I do say so myself :)
As the party wound down for the adults, the kids were just getting going.The twins had Uncle David pushing them around in the go kart:
Addie was farming with some chips:

Their were more stunts and some wrecks:

Their audience was munching and cheering:

This was my favorite shot of the day of my sweet hubby and my cutie nephew:

It was a great honor to do something for Nana and Pop who do so much for us. It really was a fun party and a great entrance into the next 40 years!

The Tooth Puller...

Ashton has decided that Donnie is the magic tooth puller. I guess because she worked for a dentist for so long (as a receptionist) that that qualifies her to pull teeth! She wouldn't let us do it but sat right down for Donnie.
You'll see Jackson there watching because what self-respecting big brother would miss the opportunity to see his sister in pain ;0

According to this smile in lieu of tears she still thinks Donnie is the best tooth puller. That is just fine by me because it totally freaks me out! Of course, Jon is a little disappointed because what self-respecting dad doesn't like to dabble in the gross?
On a very positive note, the tooth fairy actually remembered to come at night while she was asleep rather than making mommy "find" it under her pillow the next morning!

Yeah, That's My Boy, Actually His Daddy's...

Jackson has taken the big step to kid pitch baseball this season. He is one of the younger kids on the team. At practice they asked who all was interested in being a pitcher. We have in no way pressured him to be a pitcher, but he does know that's what his daddy played. He is determined to be one, of course! So, at practice he would try pitching, and Jon said he did really well. Jon decided not to coach this time so he could help me with the twins but mostly so he could focus on helping Jackson something he never gets to do when coaching everyone. Therefore, when it came time for the first game we had no idea if Jackson would pitch at all since he is so young and this is his first year. We walk up to the field and the coaches yelled, "Go warm up Jackson you're our opening pitcher."

We were floored and really proud. To be chosen to be the opening pitcher in your very first ever kid pitch game is pretty impressive I think! Then when it came time for the game to begin I was a mess! If you'll remember I cried at his last game last season because it would be the last time his dad would pitch to him, and this time I teared up because he was so big and looked so much like his dad!

This was the first pitch because you know I was snapping some pics between tears!

How about that form?

He really did a great job. He had 2 strikes on the first batter when he hit him- oh well! I'm sure the kid jumped in front of the ball ;)

He did strike out a few, and we were obviously very proud. However, it is nerveracking being the pitcher's mom. I found myself holding my breath and trying to will the ball to be a strike just like I used to when his daddy was pitching!

Sorry for all the bragging, but this was a really big moment for us! I wonder what we'll do if both boys want to be pitchers? You can't have 2 opening pitchers??? I think a pitcher and a catcher will be a neat match except they will probably fight over what pitch to throw!

Anyway, a great night for our great budding pitcher!

Ballet Portraits...

My talented friend Amy again took A's ballet pictures before her recital this year- in June, and well let's just say don't call either of us if you want things done immediately! So here, 4 months later are her pictures. They are so worth the wait I'm sure!

This year's ballet was so fluffy and beautiful!

You have to be a little sassy in the tap. I think it's the fringe. I was thrilled because she tapped to the same song I tapped to in my recital when I was younger. I was sassy in my fringe too I'm sure!

Then when you get to wear this and jazz dance to "Fabulous" from HSM2 you get to be

a whole lot sassy!

I can live with sassy (most days) as long as there is a little bit of this mixed in!

I have to post these pictures to continue convincing myself ballet is worth the great expenditure :) Now if I could just get them developed this decade...

My Top 5 Wish List...

Superheroes and Princesses hosts top 5 Fridays. This week is Mommy wishes and I felt like doing a little dreaming:

Here are my top 5 completely self-centered mommy wishes:

1. To add on to our house- schoolroom and bonus room. We thought we were going to do this and I had plans (literally and figuratively) but it can't happen right now. I'm trying not to be bitter about it but I can sure wish for it!

2. I'd like a week alone in my home to clean out, organize and purge every drawer and closet. While I was here alone my kids and husband would be at cleaning boot camp learning how to maintain what I was accomplishing!

3. A scrapbooking retreat with my friends.

4. A get-away to work on homeschool lesson plans. This would be awesome if I had my homeschool friends there to plan with!

5. My digital pictures printed and organized. This would really help with step number 3.

Wow, after looking at this it occurs to me maybe I should just wish for their to be 48 hours in a day or a clone of myself because it is all things that have to do with time! What can I say, I am 1 busy woman who is typing and dreaming rather than working on any of those things :)

Feel free to head over and link up your wishes too!

You Know You're in the Terrible Twos with Two If..." #12

You see this and know that all those others are so worth it...

You Know You're in the Terrible Twos with Two If..." #11

You leave the boys outside with Daddy to come in and cook supper. You kind of notice out of the corner of your eye that Wesley is close to the hosepipe.

8.2 seconds later you hear screaming and crying and see this:

This is one wet, mad and confused boy

who was apparently not Wesley's only victim!

I laughed so hard at them that eventually even the wet ones cracked a smile!

Not pictured: the culprit who apparently knows how to turn on the spout:)

You Know You're in the Terrible Twos with Two If..." #10

You pride yourself on being the "Brat Whisperer". When a fit is thrown you walk around with said fit thrower, apt their back and say things like "I know you are very frustrated." Meanwhile, your wife rolls her eyes behind you.

You gloat and think you are so smart and talented, until he throws a fit at a restaurant and your wife reminds you of your new title and you miss out on eating cheese dip because you're walking a child around outside:)