Q-tips and Cleanliness

It's been a while since my last post but I'm not gonna go on and on about slacking cuz I am afraid I will forget one of the best things ever said by one of my kids.

A little background.......
Nate and I were on our way home from getting him a new pair of sandals.  I'm driving (duh) and he's in the passenger seat.  I look over to say something to him (he is looking straight ahead) and I notice the lack of cleanliness in his ear.  I remind him ever so gently, think of the tone of voice of mrs. brady, that he should clean his ears after every shower.  I say, "Nate, there are even q-tips in your bathroom you don't even have to walk to mine." (which isn't very far away)  His response.....

         wait for it....

"Mom, I don't really care about being clean like you guys do.  If i didn't have to

go to school every day, i probably wouldn't be all that clean." 

I am bursting.with.pride.

You call this fun???

So somehow, someway Nathan agreed to get shot at by Doug using his own air-soft rifle.  Sometimes I just don't understand what makes the male species tick.  Then again, I was the one taking pictures of the event. 


Nate is the little figure to the left of the big tree
Doug is, obviously, holding the air-soft gun





he got hit!




laughin all the way back




obviously got hit in the shoulder



Just one perk

 Just one of the many perks of being the oldest boys (corey and nate) in the family is that you can get the youngest boy(ezeekai) in the family to do something like this over and over again.

HaPpY 12th BiRtHdAy NaTe!!!

Today is Nate's big 1-2 birthday!!! 

Well, actually, Feb. 17th was the big day but it took me two days to post this post. Agh!
I love our kids birthdays.  I love being able to make a big deal about them throughout the day without feeling guilty about NOT making a big deal about someone else.  I've had to make these comments in the past, "Hey, it's (insert child's name) birthday today.  It is all about (insert child's name).  It's not about you.  When it's your birthday it can be all about YOU, but for today it is all about (insert child's name).  Everybody doesn't get a ribbon today people!"
So for today, we celebrate (NATE)!!!!!!!!  Our nature-lovin, outside-explorin, football and basketball playin kid just lookin for a great time!!!

Nothin like a little KFC to celebrate!

Obligatory kid picture

(pretty girl in top left corner is Corey's girlfriend)

yeppers...that's a whole other blog post :-)

something went very wrong w/this picture

Nate does such a great job when he opens the "regifted" gifts

from his sisters!

prime example of "regifted" gift

some awesome headphones!

the unveiling of the 30-06

one proud poppa!

Ralphie and the Red Rider b.b. gun come to mind

"You'll get yours Black Bart"~ralphie

nothing good can come from this!!!

Happy 12th Nate!  We love you!!!





What Nate Showed Me...

After church last night, Nate asked if he could show me a video they watched in their cluster group.  Of course, I thought it went something like this...

But it was really this...

Cool.



It's the big 1-1!

Yesirree, we are celebrating Nathan today!!  11 years ago on this day our nature-lovin kid came to join us on this big round ball!  He was a week late, but as his life has shown, when he is ready for something, he.is.ready!  I was in labor for only a couple of hours at home and by the time we got to the hospital, i was ready to deliver and *POOF* out he came.  (yeah if only it was that painless!)  Nate was a late walker but when he decided he wanted to walk, he was walking around the house that day.  Potty training is a whole other story.  :)  He wasn't too keen on learning to ride his bike, but when he was ready for it, he was zippin on down the road that day!  That is just how Nate is.  You cannot cojole him into doing something before he is ready, but once he is ready, look out world!!!

So today we celebrate Nate.  Our 11 year old nature lovin, frog catchin, snake sneakin (snakes are NOT allowed in our house), picture taken kid!!

You have opened our eyes to the wonders of nature and now you are ready to capture those wonders with your new camera.  I can't wait to see the kind of pictures you will take!!

We love you buddy!  Happy birthday!

>Science Fair Schmience Fair

>Another science fair experiment has been completed by Nathan.

 He did a great job with it.  He came up with his own topic, he did the majority of the work when setting everything up, he even wrote all of his info out and input all of his info in the computer, and he met all of his deadlines.  BUT...let's face it, when it comes to putting the board together, that is my job.  My "i will take all day and ignore every other long and tedious chore in this house to get this done" job.
So, hours later, 1 gluestick kicked, and no laundry done...here is the result

  Nate, I am proud of you...kinda tickled w/the outcome of the board, too ;)