Jonah and the Whale Revisited!

I am proud to announce that Jonah is no longer Moses. Tyler has finally gotten the Jonah story under his belt. He struggled a bit with the Tarsus/ Ninevah facts, but hey he is only 3. Enjoy the video clip.

Don't you love seeing things through the eyes of a child! I loved the way he explained the tummy wobbling and wobbling. :) Who knows, maybe next week Adam & Eve will no longer be known as Moses. Slowly but surely we are making progress over here at the Slagenweit household.

The Day My Elevator Got Stuck.

I love cabbage. I know I'm an odd sort, but cook it with kielbasa and its like a steak with buttered potatoes to me. Yesterday, I looked forward to my precious cabbage all day. I figured I deserved it after spending my afternoon in the Doctor's office for Zach's one year check up. When I say afternoon, I mean THE afternoon...left at 1:50pm didn't arrive home until close to 5:00pm. The good news is he is right on track, and of course, he remembered the Doctor and started tearing up as soon as he saw him. Tearing up not in joy, but sheer terror, as you can well imagine. He got his shots, and they tested his lead and hemoglobin level. He survived everything and we got so tickled at how he kept holding up his pricked bandaged finger to anyone who would look at him. A little sympathy for the wounded.

Back to my beloved cabbage. This is how I looked while cooking my cabbage. Keep that thought in mind!

 I was deep in thought as I was chopping and fixing the cabbage~ that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it! The longer the cabbage cooked though I was amazed at how it was shriveling. It looked pitiful. I chalked it up to a bad head of cabbage. I finished cooking it and was distributing it on the plates, and it was terribly stringy and crying out for life to be breathed back into its pores. I was discussing the sad state of my cooked cabbage with my husband when he looked at me  and said, "Honey, you put a head of lettuce in there--that wasn't cabbage". Charming.  Has anyone ever tried cooked lettuce--word of advice DON'T. I decided I would be brave and eat some, and even with salting and peppering it to death it still was a grotesque slimy little mess. Ick. I did chuckle at myself later! Lesson learned, no thinking while cooking!

Tyler has learned a valuable lesson today. Everything happened last summer to him--it could be yesterday, last year, a few months ago, and its still last summer. He told my Mom today that last summer ( translation: a few months ago) he puked. He didn't eat it though. (shew. that's a relief) Mom went on to explain that he should never eat his puke to which he replied,"oh, Mama, it was just milk and water".  See I told you, he learned a valuable lesson-- no puke eating. Although, he came close to it with my slimy lettuce. No worries. I didn't make him eat it or even taste it for that matter.

Tomorrow is the last day of September....where has this year gone?? I remember my 7th grade teacher saying that the older you get the faster time seems to fly by. I'm sure I smirked when he shared this little fact. I guess he is the one smirking now. ha. How right he was!



OLD WINDOW=NEW TO ME PICTURE FRAME!!

I have been wanting an old window for a long time,  but they are pricey and I wasn't willing to shell out the money. During our sojourn in Kentucky we of course went yard saling, and happened upon a beauty of a window. As soon as I saw it, I shoved everyone out of the way and made a mad dash for it. Okay, so I didn't shove anyone or dash, but I'm sure I hyperventilated. ha. Truth is I didn't even notice it, my dear yard saling Buddy, Eagle Eye Ruth, is the one who spotted my precious window. They were asking a whopping $2.50 for it, and I snatched it up and hung on to it for dear life. I had to smile when I paid for it, and the son said ( in his Kentucky accent), "See, I told you someone would buy it". I should have asked him if they had anymore of these here winders out yonder in the backyard. Totally kidding. Kentucky yard sales, in a lot of ways are much better than Florida yard sales. They have cheaper prices on kids clothes, and the boys made out like little bandits. My best find was a super nice winter jacket, that came with a wind breaker, for $2.00 it should  fit Tyler next winter. Most of their children's clothing was 50 cents each, and one yard sale was fill a bag for $2.00. Don't mind if I do.:)

On to the window, I was so excited about this window that its already found a home on my wall. I LOVE IT!
Here's the little dandy before and then after...

My favorites are the pictures on the left hand side...I'll give you a closer view.

The top picture is Tyler when he was a year old.

The bottom picture is Zach. It was so fun to be able to take pictures of the boys in the same outfit, at the same location, and at the same age. What a treasure! Can you tell they are brothers?? :)

Another favorite is the middle picture of the boys peeking in the barn. Don't you love how I took pictures of pictures. At least you get the idea!

I'm not quite finished with my window project. I still have to put the wording, "Today's Moments are Tomorrow's Memories" around it. I am incredibly sentimental, and the wording seemed to fit since only yesterday it seemed like I was dressing Tyler in the sailor outfit...and its been two years ago. It is now just a memory. sniff.

I have to share a couple Tyler funnies with you. I overheard him telling Zach yesterday, "Zach, you have to say please before I give you this train". He kept repeating this to Zach, "Come on Zach, you have to say please or I can't give it to you".  Needless to say, Zach  never said please, but still got the train.

Tyler came to me this morning to tell me that his tummy was wobbling and talking to him. I would hate to know what it was saying! Tyler also told me that he loved Mama, my Mom, and he kept repeating it over and over, and finally stopped and said, "yeah, I pretty much love her". ha.

Tyler still has Moses confused with Jonah and every other Bible character it seems. While we were in Kentucky, I had to explain to him that he could not run around the house naked because his cousin Katie was there. ( I promise, we don't let him run around our house unclothed either.) He stopped and looked at me and said, "Naked LIKE MOSES". Now poor Moses is in the beginning with Adam and Eve. ha. We have specifically been working on Jonah and the Whale and Moses and the Bulrushes to help him get them straight. Now, we need to add Adam and Eve to our list. :)

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jog!

We have been out touring the countryside of Kentucky the past week and a half. We had an amazing time with Aunts, Uncles, Cousins and my Brother and his family. We had some wonderful food--including bratwurst and corn on the cob, my Dad shot Bambi a deer, we hit up lots of consignment stores, visited Tim Horton's frequently, we took pictures of all the cousins together, we stayed up way too late and ate too much popcorn and laughed and laughed. A sure sign we stayed up too late was when I fell asleep on the couch one night, and woke up talking about Rumpelstiltskin. Anywho, I thought I would share a couple quick photos of the kids.

Getting six children to cooperate for a picture is NOTHING short of a miracle. I'm glad no one was around because we were doing anything and everything to get them to look at us. My favorite is our barking like a dog for Zach, and we may have thrown in a few Moo's for good measure. ha.

Tuesday's Tyler-isms

There truly is never a dull moment in our home. Sometimes, Tyler makes me howl with laughter, sometimes I'm howling with frustration, and then there are those moments that I'm howling with tears. I love him to pieces regardless of what howling stage I'm in :) A few moments ago, he told me he had caused a mess on Zach's shirt~ uh,oh. Zach's shirt didn't look messy other than remnants of his lunch (good old pb&j), then I patted his shirt and realized I was patting a living, breathing sponge. Tyler had poured most of  my entire cup of water on Zach ( too bad I forgot to put Z in swim diapers today) - I am not exaggerating when I say he was dripping wet and his diaper had to weigh a good 3-5 pounds. Tyler was trying to be helpful by giving Zach a  drink, but his plans didn't go so well. Zach had his second bath of the day, and was unphased by it- although, I did notice he was walking around stiff legged like he was carrying a load. ha.

Just for my memory sake ( and for Pappy and Grandma) , I thought I would try  write down a few things Tyler has said recently.

 1. I saw him taking the lid of our Boggle game, and stopped him to ask him what he was doing. He held up his hand to show me a dice and said, " Mom, I'm just putting this back where it lives".
2. He told me the story of Moses it went something like this.... did you know there was a big shark and then he spit him out like this ( and of course, he showed me how it all went down sputtering and spitting;). I believe he had the wrong name, he must of meant MoNah. :)
3. When told that he needed to go to the bathroom before playing with his toys he said, " He-Haw, that's a good idea!
4. He is becoming so loving, and Daddy does not leave the house at any time without giving a kiss, hug and a squeeze--in that order. The other day Daddy was in a hurry and forgot, and Tyler cried and cried and cried for a good five minutes:( 
5. We had company Sunday night, there were thirty of us in all, and he loved every minute. When everyone was leaving he said, "Don't leave me" in this pitiful voice. I did notice that three of the ones he stopped were girls in their early twenties....( although he calls them kids) hmmm, let's hope this isn't a pattern...liking the older woman:)

Last, but not least, Zach wanted to stop by and say "HELLO".

A Home Where Children Live!

Monday's are typically laundry/ clean-up days from the week-end at our house. I'm beginning to feel like every day is a Monday, and have long since learned to NEVER say that I'm all caught up with the laundry. As soon as I say those magical words piles of laundry seem to appear--it's amazing. And, I have also decided that the dust bunnies in my house keep giving birth to dust bunnies--how else could they be multiplying like crazy??

One of the hardest things for me is the feeling that my house is NEVER clean. I get one thing cleaned up, and two messes are found elsewhere. For instance, I was busy cleaning on Saturday, and was feeling a sense of accomplishment until I walked into Zach's room to find that Tyler had poured out the UNO game on the floor among all kinds of other goodies. Nice. We have a rule with Tyler --he makes a mess he has to clean it up. Typically that means Mommy and Daddy help, but he still has to do the majority of the work. Recently, I feel like his little phalanges have been into everything, and his little Co-hort in crime, Zachary, isn't ever far behind him. Zach typically tends to want to swish the toilet water or remove the  knob on my coffee table....Tyler tends to enjoy painting the toilet seat and throwing the knob.You see how they work together. ha!  I came across this poem that has been a MUCH needed reminder of what really matters when it comes to keeping a clean home.

This is a Home Where Children Live

You may not find things all in place,
Friend, when you enter here.
But we’re a home where children live,
We hold them very dear.

And you may find small fingerprints
And smudges on the wall.
When the kids are gone, we’ll clean them up,
Right now we’re playing ball.

For there’s one thing of which we’re sure,
These children are on loan.
One day they’re always underfoot,
Next thing you know, they’re gone.

That’s when we’ll have a well-kept house,
When they’re off on their own.
Right now, this is where children live,
A loved and lived-in home.

I'm so thankful that I serve a God who cares about all the minute details and emotions in my life. It always seems like  He brings a different insight just when I need it!! Truthfully, in the light of eternity, my kids won't remember if my house was spotless. They won't remember the dust bunnies, the laundry or the dishes. They WILL remember if I spent time with Jesus, my attitude, and if I made time for them.  As the Evangelist said this past week, they will remember what you whisper in their ear. What am I whispering? Sure I want them to be upstanding citizens and good men, but most importantly I want them to love Jesus with their WHOLE heart and make heaven their home. While their home here on earth might be clogged with dust bunnies--they one day will know what it is to live in the PERFECT home with the King of Kings.

The Pilgrim People

I decorated for fall this week. I know,  technically fall does not begin until the 21st, but hey what's a couple weeks. One of my absolute favorite fall decorations is a pilgrim couple. Bet you can't guess where I found them??? Ding. Ding. Ding. If you guessed yard sale--you were right :) Tyler, has grown fond of my pilgrim couple, and yesterday went and stood beside them asking for his picture to be taken. haha.

Tyler adores  his cousin, Katie, who is a year older than him. He informed me earlier this week, after he had put on his worker boots, that he needed to get the keys to drive and pick-up Katie. I explained to him that he had A LOT of  years to go before he could drive, and Katie lived a whole day away (Ohio). I just hope that those lots of years pass slowly....gracious, I practically have a massive just watching him teeter his bicycle in the driveway. ha.
Here is a picture of Tyler with his cousins this past Christmas. Katie is right beside him.

Zachary on the other hand has two loves: food and his brother's firetruck bed. Any chance he can get he slips into Tyler's room and crawls up in his bed. He doesn't sit quietly in the bed though--he JUMPS, peers over the side, and is plain reckless. ( Thankfully, he won't be driving for lots and lots more years:)  Does anyone see a concussion in my future, or should I say Zach's future?

First up, checking to make sure the room is empty.

Next up, making sure the coast is clear.

Here he is happy as a bird with a french fry.

Zach can now say some form of "drink", "thank-you", and "ruff-ruff" -for a dog besides the typical mama, dada, hello, etc. We are working on MORE, as the precious begins screaming as soon as he runs out of food on his tray. On another note, he is doing great since we started the nebulizer treatments. That to me is an incredible blessing!!

Antique Dresser Remodel- CHECK!

My dear Husband used his Labor Day to remodel a dresser for Zach's room. I found this dresser a few months back at a yard sale for $20.  Did I mention its an antique?  I LOVE this dresser, and found myself a bit torn as to whether I should leave it its true color or not. The not won--and so, farewell sweet antique; hello shabby chic. What can I say, at the end of the day, I am a shabby chic girl all the way.

Before Pictures:

Unfortunately, we didn't get any before pictures of it all put together.

After Pictures:

I am incredibly pleased with the end results! Glad I went ahead and stuck to my ,shabby chic, guns:)

Linking up with Coastal Charm

Mom, Just Call Me A MAN!!

Tyler decided today was the day he would become a Man. Not just any Man, but  a Worker Man. My Mom bought Tyler a pair of boots, you know, like Daddy, Papa and Pappy wear, which means he is now the real deal. I had to chuckle when he told me that he just wanted me to call him a Man. Too bad this little Man still has to take naps, go to bed early, and eat his green beans. ha.

He is quite pleased with his boots, can't you tell? Boots and Jammies quite the combination.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. I thought I would share my Sunday night attempts at pictures with my guys. Attempt is the key word here.

As you can see, by the last picture Zachy was done. Tyler looks like he has been learning some "hold-em" tactics from the wrestling pros. ha. Maybe next time I will have better luck....I can always dream!

The Day Yurtle the Turtle Stopped By For A Visit

Yesterday, my husband was looking out our back sliding door, and there just so happened to be a turtle roaming in our back yard. My hubby, who is full of all kinds of facts, informed me that this is a gopher turtle. I will let you in on a secret, it looked nothing like a gopher :) Anywho, I prefer to call our turtle, Yurtle. Yurtle had one goal in mind....to get out of our back yard. He was quite speedy if you ask me, and definitely would have won the race against the hare~ hands down. I thought I would share a little video of Yurtle....promise me you will ignore my mindless prattle.

I know. I know. I am a complete and total wimp! Before you judge me too harshly, I need to tell you that Yurtle HISSED. Jonathan tried to stop him so that Tyler could get a better look and Yurtle hissed and then plodded on.  I will let you in on one last secret, I think the hubby was a smidge frightened of Yurtle too. ha. That about sums up hissing Yurtles visit to our back yard.

THE SENTIMENTAL SLAGENWEIT

I heard this song today, and it had me crying like a baby. Warning: Grab a kleenex, or a box or two if you are anything like me. ha. Makes me want to hug my boys a bit tighter today, and enjoy them a lot more!!