Three Bears Week

I have been working with Clark on preschool stuff.  We are having thematic weeks, and this week we are reading the Goldilocks and Three Bears and doing activities with bears.  Today, we watched a fun British animated story of the Three Bears and made finger puppets today.   Along with the bears, we are learning about the letter B.  We fed Goldilocks foods that started with B.

 Tomorrow we will retell the story with the puppets, sort beans, and hopefully make patterns with them.  Then we'll glue them onto a paper to made the letter B.

It's not much, but it's a start.

http://www.britishcouncil.org/kids-stories-goldilocks.htm  (The movie on line)


http://www.first-school.ws/t/craft/3bears_puppets.htm (The finger puppets)

Big Six Date Experiment #1

Well we did it....we went on date #1 and had a blast.

Thanks to First Things First for the ideas.  http://firstthings.org/page/newsletter/great-datexperiment

We went out to eat at a restaurant that we got a $25 certificate for $4 on restaurants.com.  We really enjoyed the Big Six questions and had some good conversations.  My assignment was to pat his bottom at least twice.  I got some funny looks when I did that in public especially from the men.  He had to call me silly pet names. 

Then our next assignment was to buy each other very cheap, meaningful presents at a store.  We stopped off at Wal-Mart and with a few minutes to spare before our carriage became a pumpkin.  He picked out a vanilla candle with the story that the smell of vanilla will forever remind him of me.  Awwww.  I picked up a piggy bank to start saving money for Michael's dreams which I found out during our dinner conversation.  We also had to take a picture of ourselves.

It was so nice to get out of the house and focus on each other.  I was reminded of why we fell in love and felt my heart grow even more in love with my prince charming.

Valentine's Day Celebration, Crafts, and Ideas

I officially LOVE Valentine's Day.  We have been busy celebrating and preparing for the special day by making gifts and cards.

For Michael, I took some sweet pictures of the boys and put a cute heart border on them.  Check out the picture below.  I took this idea from MOPS and converted it into a V-day gift for Michael.  It's five envelopes stuffed with sweet letters and lists.  The categories: Why I love you, thank yous, my favorite memories of us, a poem, and a present on paper are my categories.  (Thanks Sara for giving my the Heart Attack idea.)

Here's Daddy's secret V-day gift from the boys.  (This one is actually Winston's, the boy I watch.)

Clark decorated a mailbox with heart stickers.  During the day, we check the love box for special treats, notes, and snacks.

For the big day, I'm making a heart shaped pizza and heart shaped cookies.

For Michael's present, I have secretly arranged a sitter for a surprise date night.  We are going to try out the Big Six Date experiment that I learned about from First Things First.  It's six dates planned with fun and crazy questions to discuss and optional activities that are CHEAP.  The first one is go out to eat, discuss the questions, take a pic of yourself and your sweetie on your camera phone, and then go to a store with $2 each to buy something for the other person.  Fun!! 

 Here's the website, if you are interested too.  I'll definitely blog about it later.  http://firstthings.org/page/newsletter/great-datexperiment

All of this is TOP SECRET until Valentine's Day.  I just couldn't help but want to share and inspire.

Whoo whee! Look who's three!!!

Clark David Christopher Lofton

Born February 8, 2007

Newborn

One year old

Two years old

Three years old

Our Clark is three.   He is such a blessing to us!  Here's a list of what makes Clark our special boy.

so silly and humorous with his stories and antics

plays with his imaginary white rabbit and loses it all the time--we're always looking for it

meticulous about his trains and cars--spends hours on them

social and friendly to everyone--we can't stop him from saying hello to everyone 

 loves avocados, oatmeal, Cheetos, and cheese

loves to share his food with us even when we don't want it

wakes up extremely cranky and with bed head

begs to be the first to pray every single time we eat

gives us lots of hugs and love yous!

says, "Hold you" when he wants to be picked up

Clark's Train Birthday Party

Clark is still in love with trains. So we had another train birthday party for his third birthday at his request.

We made him a huge cardboard train.  Every Thomas train has a name, so we named this train Clark.  He's the number three train.  And yep that's Clark on the front. One kid at the party said, "Oh that's a scary train."

Here's Clark the train cake. 

Clark got a bike for his birthday, but Joel got to play with it too.

He couldn't resist the temptation.  Here he is sneaking some icing off the cake.

Each car had something edible in it.  One car was the coal car (with chocolate covered raisins); one was a jewel car with M&Ms; one was a dirt car with yummy worms.

We had train tables set up and a jump house in the play room. 

Overall I think this party was a tootin good time. Thanks everyone for coming out (even if it was snowing a bit) and celebrating with us.  We are so thankful for our sweet Clark and his wonderful three years.

Spring is almost here, right?

We have enjoyed the warm weather in January.  And it is proven hard to explain to the boys the difference from winter and spring.  Clark has taken advantage of the spring like puddles in the backyard with his "froggies" that Uncle Danny and Aunt Diane gave him on his second birthday.

Joel enjoys playing with his legos.

Clark and his little friend digging in the sand.

God loves goof ups like me... I've got proof.

I was reading Genesis last night and something hit me like a Mack truck.   I love that about God's word; it's living and breathing and revelant to our lives each time we read it!!!

Well I was reading about how Jacob STOLE his brother,Esau's,  birthright by LYING and DECEIVING his father, and how that ticked off his brother so bad.  Well deceitful mama Rebekah told Jacob to hit the road and hide out until Esau's anger died down.  Or else Esau was going to kill Jacob.  Well Jacob high tailed it out of there.  He headed over to some family's land far away.  And you would think he would get what was coming to him, BUT NO he ended up falling in love and marrying NOT ONE BUT TWO WOMEN!!!!  (I haven't read that part yet, but I know it's coming) 

WOW!!!!!   God totally used Jacob's goof ups and sin to bring about the NATION OF ISREAL!!!! Which was intricate in God's story to bring to us a SAVIOR.

Wow!  Wow! Wow!

That hit my heart because I have been wondering about my life lately.   I sometimes get into the pit of feeling like I have made so many mistakes (on purpose and accidently).  I just can't seem to find peace about my decisions, and I struggle with regret and contentment.  I seek God but am constantly wondering "Am I missing Him?".  Well I choose to rest in the strength and wisdom of a God who can use a man who steals, lies, and runs away to avoid facing consequence to be the father of the twelve tribes of Israel and a forefather of Christianity.  I claim that our God is bigger than any mistakes I can make, and I humbly ask Him to use this goof up to bring Him glory. 

P.S.
I'm so glad that one day in heaven we'll see how our lives' "crazy" adventures were all for a purpose to lead us to God's perfect plan for our lives.   That's good news, HUH????

Striving to find Joy in the ups and downs of late

Here's a few updates on our lives.  We'll start with the downs as of late.  Then we'll end on the sweet notes. 

I had a miscarriage last week.  I was early along and had a feeling it was going to happen.  But it was still an emotional roller coaster to be on for sure.  The doctor says I'm okay and everything is fine.  I rest in knowing that my loving Father is in COMPLETE CONTROL.  These are the flowers that sweet friends sent me during the miscarriage. I'm not much into flowers but holding these flowers in my hands really helped me grieve.  Thanks to all my dear friends for loving me with Christ's love and supporting me during this time.

We have survived a killer stomach virus also this week. Clark got sick Friday right before our first date night with a sitter.  That was a bummer.   I was attacked and taken down Sunday.  I am so thrilled to be able to move around after 24 hours of being in bed.

Okay now for the ups.....

We have enjoyed the warmer weather today.  And the boys are really enjoying each other.  They love each other so much and enjoy playing together.  Clark enjoys pushing Joel around in the car, and Joel enjoys the rush of slamming into the wall and other unlucky objects.  I guess this is a precursor to when the boys turn 16.

I decided to make gingerbread houses a January thing since December gets all the fun Christmas stuff (and the kits are on clearance right now).  So we made a gingerbread house today and read Gingerbread Baby by Jan Brett.  Clark's favorite part: licking the icing.  I caught him licking the roof.  He also ate more candy than he put on the house.  Needless to say he had a lot of fun.  And so did I.

Life is going to have ups and downs.  And I am really working hard to remember what Jean Stockdale is teaching us in my Bible study, Joy in the Journey.  I have been telling myself constantly that nothing is going to steal my joy in Christ.  Nothing compares to the awesome gift of salvation and the cross.  I confess, I loose sight of this too often (this morning on the phone, sorry Amanda), but I pray as we are on life's ups and downs we will be overcome with joy.

 "These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 15:11

Another snow day

It snowed all day today, but there's not much to show for it.  But we take what we get.  The boys enjoyed playing in the glorious white stuff today.  They both love the birdbath and found it especially interesting today since it was frozen with acorn, sticks, and rocks in it.  Thanks to Clark's curiosity with water.

Joel and his little buddy I babysit walked around in the snow.  Joel  wanted to run around but kept falling and rolling down the hill.

"It's not fair!" Joel was so upset when he had to go in, and Clark stayed out.  We were freezing, but Clark wanted to play for another 30 minutes.  So Michael and I took turns with him playing outside.

Christmas Ends with a Dangerous CRASH!

We headed to see my family this past week.  It had been a LONG time since I had been home. I was very excited to see everyone and a little nervous too.   My mom had only seen Clark for a few minutes when he was four months old, but she had never meet Joel.  It was a great chance for the boys to meet their grandma.  The boys enjoyed meeting their Grandma. 

For a Christmas treat, we went with my sister and her three AWESOME kids to a fun pizza entertainment place with laser tag, go carts, bumper cars, archade games, etc. We all had a really good time.

Clark (and Michael) LOVED the go carts.  They rode them at least six times.   Don't let the scared face fool you.  Clark couldn't get enough of the go-carts. 

Later, we all went to see my dad.  All five kids played with GeoTrax while the adults talked.  It melted my heart to watch my boys play with their cousins whom they hardly know.  It reminded me that there is something very special and unique about blood relatives.  There was a bond there, that only God in His gracious love could make.   Here's my dad.  I have always been told I look just like my mom, but I think I have his nose!  Thanks Dad! ;-)

After spending a great afternoon with my dad and family, Michael and I took the kids to a store to pick up a few things.   Sounds like a pretty normal family get together so far, right????  Well if you know me, just wait for it.  You know something is about to happen with MY FAMILY.....

 While in the store, my sister called me and told me not to come home because it wasn't safe.   In a frantic craze, she told me someone had driven his truck into her house and was threatening to kill her and had a gun.  Thank God , we decided to stop at the store, or we would have driven up to a crazed gunman trying to kill someone, and we could have been his target.  Apparently, a neighbor and his wife got into a fight, and he tried to run his wife down and slammed into my sister's house.  The lady ran into my sister's house for safety.  My sister locked the doors and called the police.  He was finally caught later that night, but our last night together with family was a blend of police cars flashing, officers searching the property, and us singing Christmas carols loudly as we tried to make Christmas memories with a truck stuck in our house.