Moments that melt my heart!

I don't want you confused by the title of this post. I do not want to paint some picturesque idea of life with three children and all that comes with that. Like the complaints of what I fixed for supper, or that I packed the wrong things for lunch, or maybe that I didn't get the laundry done fast enough. Because that is all well & true, and said around this home front. Those, I would like to go on the record, are NOT things that melt my heart. ;) But oh, in the moments when the very sweetest things are said and shared......I melt. Those heart melting things might include but are not limited to:

• "Mama, this is the BEST meal EVER!!!! Make this every night!" (For full effect, please hear that in the most demonstrative, Abshire-esque tone, at the supper table. 
• "I missed you so much while I was at school." 
• "I am sorry I was unkind and disrespectful. Please forgive me." 
• "Next year I start school, Mama. I am gonna miss you and you are gonna miss me. You're gonna cry. I'm gonna cry and we will be okay." Wow, that one made me cry. :') 
• As I tuck my almost teenager in, burrito style, my neck is grabbed and "I love you SSOOOOOO much Mama" is whispered so tenderly in my ear, I just want to hold on to that moment as long as I can. 
• Today, as a sleepy son rises from his nap, he crawls into my lap, "I just want to hug you, Mama, and never let go" I'm game!!!! :)
• Tonight, as I tuck them in bed, "I love you to the moon and back..." & huge hugs from my almost teenager, like she hasn't seen me in days, after a long day at school.

So I will take the melt your heart moments when they come. I now get it when I am complaining to a grandparent that they just smile and say, "I don't remember any of that. I just remember the good stuff." I love this "good stuff"!

Our Techno Boy!

Luke is growing up in an age of ever advancing technology.  He has only known that you can text, email,  or Skype people.  I know, if I had an iphone it would be Face Time, but that isn't the case.....yet.  He loves his games on Abbey or I's Kindle Fires & plays on any ipod or smart phone that people are silly enough to let him play on.  Boys are definitely different then girls....but is another post.
So, yesterday morning he was so excited to sing his Bible study song to me that he pulls his boom box from his room and brings upstairs so I can listen to him.  I am trying to dry my hair and get ready while he is doing all this.  I see his frustration starting to build while he is trying to start is good old fashion boom box with no success.  Finally he asked me, "Is there no wifi here Mama?"  I can't even correct his poor grammar at this time, I am laughing so hard.  My 5 year old boy thinks his boom box has a wifi problem when it is simply a power problem.  I turn the power button on for him & he proceeds to march around singing the walls of Jericho, Veggie Tale style!

Handsome!

As I was getting Luke ready for Bible study today, I told Luke we had to do his hair.  He had slept well on his hair! ;)   Upon his disapproval of me doing his hair, I showed him in the mirror how crazy it was!  He conceded to me fixing that crazy hair!  I showed him the finished product to which he replied, "Someone gonna say I am handsome!"  Insert one cute grin & you got warm fuzzies that melt my stinkin' heart!

Luke Builds A Bear

Luke was quite helpful this week with the purchase of a couple presents for friends. This Mama that rarely gets to the mall has been there three times this week!! I am done....insert towel throwing in here!!! :) Luke has been a trooper with all these trips. Upon our second trip into Build-A-Bear, in a week, he realized that he didn't have a bear. He stated this fact & his desire to both his Papa & Mama. He said he would love it, sleep with it, and it would go everywhere with us. Both our girls have a couple of animals from this great store. We were delighted when he showed interest in getting his first stuffed animal from us. I love this stuffed animal stage. Why can't we stay here?!?! So off to Build-A-Bear, during Christmas week, for Luke's bear. I am sure this is all part of his spoiled, golden boy, "Luke-gets-everything-he-wants" complex that his sisters complain of. Oh well, let's give them something to talk about....(I started singing that song in my head)....I am back! Here are some pics from Luke's own adventure in getting his very own bear!
Luke picked a camouflage bear. How "boy" is that? I love it!

After a few trips he was well acquainted with the procedure - filling the bear, picking a heart, doing a silly heart dance before inserting the heart, and sewing bear up.  Luke was very clear that he was not going to do a silly heart dance. I clued the bear maker in, who stilled tried to make him do the silly dance. I let the bear maker come to his own conclusions after several non-responsive requests. Upon receiving his heart being sewn up, Bear needs a bath to get the fuzzes off him!

I love this stuff. Third child, umpteenth bear, and it still gets me. I love stuffed animals. Hey, I don't have a Build-A-Bear!! I would choose a monkey, with sound & all! Missy Monkey needs to retire. She has lived a full & exciting life. Okay, back to Luke first bear.  Super clean Bear ready to roll!!!!
One cute boy with his very cute bear!

I look forward to many memories with our new little critter!
Fun times!

Little Handy Man

Luke is very creative in his time home with Mama, while the girls are at school.  This week, while I was wrapping presents and folding laundry, Luke comes in the laundry room and asks for a screw driver.  This in and of  itself is not unusual.  He likes to "fix" things around the house, "Like Papa!"  What was unusual was his third request for batteries.  Yikes!!!  All the "broken" toys that Luke had now work!  The sham is up....Luke has figured out what "broken" means - it needs batteries!!  Snap, it has become very noisy in that little boy's room!
Counting the moments until those toys "break" again.
I am sensing a shortage of batteries coming soon at the Abshire home front.

Simple Things

In this season where I feel the UPS man is almost my best friend & my neighbors watch the endless "smiling" boxes (aka Amazon) coming to my door, it brings me much joy to see the simple things that bring my little man happiness. He makes music with the bubble wrap that comes in those "smiling" boxes.

I love it! He reminds me to look for joy in the simple things.

"If you can find joy in the simple things,

you will really enjoy the extravagant,

but never need it! ~ Eric Simpson

Happy Thanksgiving!!!

We had a blast at Thanksgiving. We headed up the hill to Grandpa & Grandma Cavey's, for dinner. The whole family was there, armed with FOOD, hugs, & enough laughter to make your side hurt! The three siblings are too much together! Throw in some spouses, and crazy kiddos you have a recipe for side-splitting laughter! We have so much to be thankful for. My heart was so touched looking around at my family. There is a sticker I saw once that captures these moments:

"We may not have it all together,

but together we have it all!!"

Nicholas getting brave with his Uncle Aaron

One little 'turkey" in the air!

One "ham" in the air!

One princess in the air!

And they all come tumblin' down!!!

Silly cousins ~ Ashleigh & Abbie

Happy Thanksgiving!!!
Enjoy your turkeys!!!

Home Sweet Home

Luke says some pretty funny stuff, but one thing we don't want to forget is the saying he says as we pull into our driveway:
"Sweet home, sweet home!"
It is a sweet home!  :)

Bump, Set, Spike..

Abbie had her first volleyball game today.  This was a big day for her.  She has been practicing her serves & bumps for weeks.  We got her knee pads to protect those precious knees.  Alright, actually we had to buy new ones because Abbie didn't want some one's sweaty old ones.  I don't blame her.  So she was decked out in her 3 sizes too big school uniform and lookin' way older then I want her to look.  

Remind me, how did we get here so quick????  

Oh yeah, we blinked!!!!  

The team did really good for their first game.  Abbie even scored two points!!!! You go girl!!!!  Papa & Mama were so proud of her.  Luke even cheered the girls on.  

Too stinkin' cute!  Good times!

For the Love of Reading

This is the sight I walked into tonight, as I went to tuck girls in bed.  As one who LOVES to read and wanting so badly to impart the same love in my children, I about cried right there in their stinkin' doorway!  I got a grip on my swelling heart & just smiled at both of my babies reading away.  

Heck, I even gave them 20 extra minutes to read.

Love it!