Popeye

 Aunt Tessa Bug used to have a big crush on Popeye.  

She wanted to marry him when she was 5.

She must have thought he was pretty cute, but Alekzander is way cuter!

Dapper Dudes

 {Love my dapper dudes}

Queens Cup 2012

Fun family memories ...

 ...and a few horse races.

How Many Trucks?

How Many Trucks Can a Tow Truck Tow? 

by Charlotte Pomerantz has become a nightly favorite.  

{Confession:  Nightly favorites sometimes get stashed away for a week or two 

before they are re-introduced into the rotation.}  

Tonight, though, we were both happy that we let Alekzander indulge in his favorites 

{multiple times a day}.  

"With my read lights turning

and my blue lights winking

and my headlights burning

and my green lights blinking,

I race to the place and what do I see?"

Do you know?  Alekzander does... and can recite it from memory.

"Not a car, but another

tow truck like me!

His right front tire

is very, very flat.

It sits on the road like a big squooshed hat."

We 'tested' him on other parts of the book and surprisingly, he could finish most of the lines!  We were amazed ... and a little sad that he is growing up so fast!

---------

Other cute/amazing things Alekzander has done/said lately:

Told me that he is a prince because I am a princess.

Told me that I am like a butterfly.  Because butterflies are beautiful.

Peeled his own mandarin oranges.

Said he wanted to go on a date with Aunt Tessa Bug and Mommy ... not with Daddy.

Purchased a cracker from Andrew for a quarter that he had hidden in his pocket.

Climbed up onto the kitchen counter to wash his hands.

Asked Maureen for a book to read while he was trying to use the potty.

Yells for inanimate objects when they're lost :: "Keeeeys, where are you?"

Immediately recognizes "Coach C" and requests fist bumps and high fives.

Says, "Some-thins wong, Mama," when he wakes up crying.

Its such a blessing to be his Mama.

Twice this afternoon, I had strangers comment about his sweet nature.

I am always conscious of how much he talks...

I love it... but it is incessant... and I doubt others 

{especially strangers}enjoy it as much as I do.

At a little boutique today, the sales girl said she could listen to him talk all day.

{It was a great day for listening :: No whining at all!}

Then while I was in a dressing room at another store

with the cart wedged half in/half out of the dressing room,

a woman came and stood outside the {open} door

and proceeded to tell me how much she loved his voice

and hoped that I recorded it for him to hear in the future

and how she thought I could get him in commercials.

Super sweet of her ... though slightly awkward as part of what Alekzander

was saying {over and over} was, "I tickle Mommy's belly." 

Or, "Take off dress Mommy, I see cute belly."

{Do all little boys love their Mama like mine does?!}

I do agree, his voice is so sweet, as is his personality, 

and he does make his Mama feel loved.

And because I love Alekzander so much,

I will gladly read How Many Trucks...

a few more times before hiding it!!

Take Me Out to the Ball Game

 Checking out the lineup.

 

Working on his pitch.

Hugs

Happy that this {sad/sensitive} big boy 

isn't too big to be comforted by Mama!

Flying High

 {love}

Andrew's kite flying {and videoing} skills!

Let's Go Fly a Kite

MacRae Meadows

At {the entrance of} Grandfather Mountain

:: an Easter Sunday excursion ::

Forever and Ever

It looked like the mountains went on forever and ever {amen}.

Just a little reminder of God's great big love for us

on the day before Easter {2012}.

TIE-Dyed Easter Eggs

How to make TIE-Dyed Easter Eggs

Start with 100% silk ties. Sometimes the uglier the better and if you don't have ties laying around you can always make a quick trip to Goodwill (like we did).

Cut up tie to get remove inner linings and threads until you're left with a flat piece of silk.

Wrap egg in portion of tie (outside of design facing the egg) and cut to size.

Tie up loose end of silk with twist tie.

Wrap tightly in cut up white fabric or pantyhose.

Add to cold water with 1/4 Cup vinegar in large pot and bring to gentle boil for 20 minutes.

Let cool and unwrap... or burn your fingers because you are excited to see what it looks like.

Finished products

Out of the Park Adoration

 If this is Bam Bam ...

 this is his Pebbles.

These two have a pretty adorable relationship going on.

I think she loves him as much as he loves her.

Hali gets all of his attention ... and she dotes on him

in the sweetest ways.

I hope it lasts for a long, long time.

 Doesn't everyone need a first 'out of the park' love story?

Bam Bam

We may have a future baseball player on our hands... 

or a little modern-day Bam Bam!