Queen Esther

On the last chapel day last week, the students could dress up like their favorite Bible character.

So HK chose Queen Esther.  

We found a purple dress, borrowed some jewelry from Greatie, a gold tiara & wig from Nana...HK was set.  

 Queen Esther 2012

Lesson From Dad

This is probably just the first of many posts that will fall under this title!

I could have just pulled up a seat in the grass and watched this whole interaction.

It touched my heart to see Nate teaching Nolan how to use a rachet. 

If you know anything about Nolan, he wants to help.  He wants to figure things out.  

When someone takes the time to teach him how and actually let him have hands on help, he is in his love language heaven!

They were switching the coupler (for the bike trailer) off of Daddy's bike onto my bike

The lesson even came with grunting sound effects as you are trying to "break the bolt"!

He did well with that I might say!

Nolan always takes these moments very seriously!

HK is waiting for Daddy to help her with her roller skates.

Then he got to twist it off all by himself!

Daddy waiting to catch it.

I love this picture...big hands and little hands working together!

It is amazing what it does for your child when you allow a job to take an extra 5, 10, or 15 minutes!

It truly is priceless!

So slow down and let a child help even if it takes longer or isn't done perfectly!

Yes, this mother is speaking to herself!

They will remember these times through the years and will feel loved.  

Hallie-Kate, Nolan, and Liam I hope you always know and remember that you have a wonderful Daddy.  He loves you very much.  He always tries his best to make each one of you feel very loved!  

My Yard Sale Queen

It is official...

HK has a new favorite hobby...

It is going to yard sales!!!

I am pretty sure we have Jessica Vinyard (and her Mom) to thank for this!

Back in April Jessica had a rummage sale to raise money for her mission trip to London this summer.  The sale was held on the church parking lot next to my parents' home.  Our children had stayed all night with Nana & Grampy the night before the sale.  So HK saw the action bright and early that morning and had to check it out.  Nana gave her quarters to go shopping.  

...And Did she ever go shopping!!!!

Ughhh!  (I am not a keeper of stuff or things)

She bought things that I had donated to the sale (without her knowing of course).

So the love of yard sales began.  

Then a few weeks later when Nate & I were out of town Grampy and HK hit up some of the yard sales in the town wide sale on that Saturday morning.

She found a really good deal that day (a nice Strawberry Shortcake doll for $1).

So this morning I decided to join HK on some yard sales.  

It's obviously going to be a great source of memories.

So we joined Nana & Grampy early this morning in trying to scope out some deals.

HK has been asking for roller skates for her birthday.

She found this black pair at our first stop.  

They just happened to be size 1 and hardly worn.

So she asked the lady if she would take $4 (instead of $5).

Sold to HK!

HK has had a recent obsession with shells!  At another home there was this basket of large shells.

HK asked them how much they wanted for the shells.

The sweet older ladies told her that she could have them all (basket included) for a quarter.  

Jackpot!
She was so excited!

They are now decorating our deck.

 She also got a chance to try out her new roller skates with Daddy today!

 I think it was much harder than she had anticipated!

Daddy trying to give her pointers...

-  use your toe stop

- use your butt muscles

- you can't just go crazy (my favorite) 

It was a fun morning or as HK said... a great morning.

I see many more bargain hunting adventures in our future!

Evenings in the Yard

As I mentioned in the previous post, we have been enjoying the spring evenings outdoors.  

This one was Thursday evening.  We were playing kickball/volleyball/monkey in the middle.  It changed every minute.  Daddy hit the ball into the tree on the other side of the fence.  

At the same time, you could hear the music from the ice cream truck.  It was Thursday night, the night for it to be in our neighborhood.  Daddy & I had no cash.  HK's eyes got humongous and, she began acting as if she would never have another chance to have ice cream...ever.  

We told her she had to use her own money if she wanted some.

So she ran to stop the ice cream truck and I got her money.

Meanwhile Daddy began the task of getting the ball "unstuck".  He had already tried using a broom and got it stuck too.

He had a captive audience!

He had to use another broom to get the first broom down. 

Then eventually he had to move the ladder...

and there it came tumbling down.  

Everyone cheered as the ball came falling from the sky.   

And this is the beginning of brain freeze!

I kept telling Nolan to hurry up and eat his fudge bar (not sure why I even say those words to him...hurry is not in his vocabulary).  So he finally shoved the rest in his mouth.  Then after about 5-8 seconds he started crying, spit it out on the ground, and grabbed his mouth.  

Major brain freeze!

So now I'm sure he will even eat it that much slower next time.  

Just the beginnings of wonderful summer evening memories!

Kickball is Our Game

Last week we had several beautiful evenings that we were able to enjoy!

One evening Papa & Grandma Cathe came over for supper.

We ate on the deck, which HK has been dying to do ever since we got the furniture back out.

After dinner we played! 

Kickball seemed to become the game of choice, and eventually everyone was a part.  

It did finally become girls against boys.  Kicker was that  Nate had to hold Liam and Papa had Nolan on his shoulders.  We had to do something to take away the obvious disadvantage we had!

Nolan loved being up on Papa's shoulders.

Of course, Liam wanted his turn too!

The pitch from Papa...

The kick from HK!

The boys really want to get Grandma Cathe out!

HK rounding the bases with Grandma Cathe close behind.

Papa is determined to get her...

Showing no mercy he throws!

(HK actually got tripped up by the ball and fell down)

Papa up to kick!

Liam chillin' on the slide.

Good seat to watch the game.

Nolan finally decides he is ready to try kicking.

Oh and Papa showing no mercy again!

HK loved it!

So kickball may have just become the Oldham family game to be played by all through the years.

It's the first organized game with a ball we have actually gotten Nolan to participate in...and for quite awhile!  He really seemed to enjoy himself.  Plus Mommy likes to play and doesn't feel totally uncoordinated!

Looks like we will be on the hunt for a real kickball and some bases!

Remember...

Dear Hallie Kate and Nolan...

 These pictures are being well documented so that one day I can help you remember how much you loved playing together.  I love walking in and seeing you to playing with Nolan's Leapster...together.

Someday (ughhh..probably soon) I will here...don't touch me, get off my bed, that's my Leapster.

When I hear those things I am going to pull these pictures up and show you...

Look what you use to do.  Look how inseparable you were!
Oh yes...I will say look here my lovelies...

Find your way back home!

But for now...I will keep on hoping and dreaming that I won't have to do that and just enjoy the wonderful little picture this makes!

If it wasn't for Liam's new fascination with Nolan's new Nerf gun I'm sure he would've been up in the bed too!  The Nerf gun is a whole other story for later.  

Mother's Advice

The three most amazing children I know...

I can say that because I am their Momma!

Some Mother's Advice for Our Daughter...

Savor these childhood years.

The days may be long, but the years are so short. 

Laugh when you can and roll with the punches.

Stuff's gonna happen---it's how you deal with it that matters.

Believe in yourself.

You're smart, capable, and fun...

a wonderful daughter and a really great mom!

Happy Mother's Day!

Only a Mom would know that those were the perfect words that her daughter, now a mother of young children, needed to here on this Mother's Day!

They are so true and embody what I am trying to do better.  

Savor and enjoy, let go of some of the control, laugh, believe in who the Lord made me, and roll with what each day brings.  

Thanks Mom for reminding me of these things today!

I love you, and I am so thankful to now also be called "Mom"!

My Three Little Musketeers

Nate worked the ER Saturday and there was just lots that needed to be done.

So my three little musketeers got ready to be my helpers.

We had lots of errands to run.

So here they are...

The lady at the bank drive thru said they looked like they were getting ready to go to the beach.  

If only that had been true!

Either way...I had a good day with my three little musketeers!

HK's First Lost Tooth

Let the tooth count begin...

HK has been extremely anxious to lose a tooth.  Several kids that she knows have lost teeth and she has wanted a lose tooth so desperately.  Then she finally got one...at the top.  It was ever so slightly loose, but she wiggled and wiggled.  Then she would ask her Daddy to see if it was loose enough to pull.  Daddy & I went on our trip, and it was still in tact when we got back.  I picked her up that Tuesday at school, and she smiled at me with the biggest smile I have ever seen from her.  There was a missing tooth on the BOTTOM.  Her teacher had pulled it that afternoon, and she proudly showed me her tooth in a zip loc bag.  Every day since, she has been smiling bigger than normal for everyone and showing me how she sticks her tongue in the little space where her tooth use to be.  

Oh yeah...and she had to put it under her pillow for the tooth fairy!  

She excitedly put her dollar in her "save" drawer for vacation.  

And the milestones just keep ticking away...

We love you our toothless girl!

One more thing...Nolan now thinks he has a loose tooth.  He keeps telling me that he has a loose tooth and that Daddy needs to pull it!

 Two little monkeys...

 Jumping on the bed...

Thankfully no one fell off or bumped their head!

Rotten little monkeys!

Always finding something new to do!