Take Me Out to the Ballgame

Nothing like the seriuos, "gatorade ring around the mouth" look from Grant

Ryan wore us out the day of his first TBall game...."is it time yet, Mom?" "How much longer?"

..."for there's one, two, three strikes your out at the old ballgame!".... We LOVE this time of year! We eat many a concession stand suppers and swat at a bunch of mosquitoes, but it is SO worth it. Between both boys we spend pretty much each week night at the ball park and a lot of weekends. Even though Jason and I have to juggle schedules and find rides for this kid and carpool another, the smiles on their faces are payment enough. I grew up at the ballpark and loved every minute of it. The boys are so excited that we are going to a St. Louis Cards and LA Dodgers game in late July. They are already asking about getting autographs....we'll see!!!

Memorial Day Weekend 2009

We spent Memorial Day Weekend 2009 playing catch up from Emily's unexpected stay in the hospital the weekend before. So on Monday, after Mom and I went to put flowers on the graves, I set out on a first time adventure: an on-location photo shoot with ME the photographer. I got a new camera for Christmas that I love, butI haven't been able to get out and really see what I could do with it. And of course, I wanted to use my 3 favorite subjects! I decided to take them to a place called Azalea Path. It is a gorgeous place about 25 miles from here with hundreds and hundreds of azaleas and other plants. It is absolutely phenomenal. Words cannot describe it. I actually grew up about a mile from the place, so taking my kids there was kind of sentimental for me. Driving down the road brought back a lot of memories....good ones! So here are a few of my favorite pictures of them.....hope you enjoy them!

My Praying Mother

Mother's Day has always been special to me. From the time I was a little girl making my mom something handmade at school or home to when I would go shopping to find the perfect gift for her, I loved Mother's Day! I'm sure everyone can say this about their mother, but I don't know anyone who worked as tirelessly and unselfishly as my mother did to provide and care for her family. It has only been since I became a mother myself that I can comprehend all that my mother did for me, and continues to do for me. She used to tell me that "someday when you are a mother you will understand", and she was RIGHT! Now, my children are making homemade cards and crafts for me. And when they give them to me, they look at me with those puppy dog eyes wanting the same gratitude and accolades that my mother gave me. They are my most precious gifts. Now that I am older and wiser (I hope) I realize that one of the best gifts my parents gave me was a Christian home, and during mass Sunday I was overcome with some unexpected emotions. Father Gary's homily, of course, was about the praying worldly mother and our heavenly mother, Mary. He quoted several famous people who attributed their success and belief in God to their praying mother. One of them was Abraham Lincoln....."I remember my Mothers prayers and they have always followed me. They have clung to me all my life." Ironically on a recent shopping trip with my girlfriends, I bought a framed picture with that exact same quote. Instantly I was trying to fight off the tears during mass, but couldn't. Grant looked over at me, seeing that I was emotional. I winked at him.....and he winked back. No words were said, but such a very special moment for me. The Lord has blessed me with three beautiful children. I hope I pray for them as lovingly and fervently as my mother did for me!
Proverbs 31:10 A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies.......

Tales of The Tooth Fairy

I just had to share this story! Ryan lost his first front tooth on Saturday. He was so excited! I swear that thing had been loose since the fall. Well we put it in a ziploc baggie and under his pillow. The next morning, as I was making waffles before church, he stumbles into the kitchen with his head down and carrying the baggie with his tooth in it. My heart dropped!!! Jason was in the bathroom brushing his teeth and Ryan wanders in to show him that the Tooth Fairy forgot him.....again. I swear I heard Jason gag on the toothpaste. He felt just as bad for him as I did. So Grant hears the ruckus and yells at Ryan to follow him to the bedroom. There just must be some mistake. In the meantime, Jason and I are looking in our billfolds for a dollar bill. Neither one of us had anything but a $5 or a $20, or coins. Wanted to be sauve about the whole issue so decided on the $5. (Note: The Tooth Fairy has only left $1 in the past) By the time we got to Ryan's bedroom, it looked like a bomb went off....blankets, pillows, sheets were everywhere, and Ryan was looking sadder by the second. Jason got up on the top bunk to see if "he" could find the missing money. He looked under the sheets, etc and then looked inside the pillowcase where he found the missing loot: $5. Ryan's eyes about bugged out of his head...and so did Grant's. Grant spouted out "What??? $5??? All I ever get is $1!!!!!!" There was a second or two of silence, and then Grant said so matter-of-factly...."Maybe it is part of the stimulus package!" (He is so his father's son!)

Testing :)

Out of the Mouths of Babes.....

Since the Easter weekend is upon us, I thought I would share a couple stories about Ryan and his concept of Jesus Christ, our Savior.

I was in the kitchen one day, and Jason had just walked outside. We were disagreeing about something.(As a disclaimer, the disagreement was over something very small) So, I was mumbling, talking, whatever you want to call it, under my breath. Ryan walks in the room with Emily following shortly behind. He asked, "Mommy, who are you talking to?". I answered, "Ahhh, no one." Ryan softly bent down to Emily's ear and said, "Shhh Emily, mommy is talking to Jesus!" My heart instantly smiled!! I then told Jason that he was off the hook at whatever I was upset with him about. Isn't it funny that I forgot in an instant what I was upset about because my son gave me a new perspective.

The second story just happened a couple days ago. It was after supper and Ryan was buck naked using the bathroom waiting to jump into the shower. He yelled "Mom", just like he does 199 times a day, so I went to see what he wanted.

Ryan: "Mom, do you know I love you, and daddy, and Grant, and Emily more than I do my new birthday toys?"

Me: "Well Ryan, thank you, that is so sweet and thoughtful!"

Ryan: "But Mom, Jesus loves you more than I do. He died on the cross for you. Did you know that?"

Me: "Yes, I did know that."

Ryan: "Mom, I bet Jesus' mom cried when he died on the cross and went to heaven."

Me: "Yes, she did, Ryan. And do you know that is what I think of when I want to cheat on what I gave up for Lent?"

Ryan: "Yep, Mom. I gave up my most favorite candy, Reece's cups. All for Jesus, Mom. All for Jesus!

Remember this conversation took place with Ryan in his birthday suit and me sitting on the edge of the bathtub. It is times like these that I just want to freeze frame and remember forever. The moments where my kids "get" what our Saviour did for us. It makes my heart smile! I absolutley love it when my kids humble me to the simplest of details. As adults and parents, we tend to stress over little and big things. When your child can bring it full circle and into perspective for you, "Blessed" is the word that comes to mind! I know there are days when I question if I am a good Christian, wife, mother, daughter, friend. I think God answers me by giving me stories like these.

John 3:16: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son..."

Ryan's 6th Birthday

The cupcakes we made for Ryan's party......they were a "hit"!

Ryan.....giving me his infectious, lovable, and well known smile!

Ryan showing off one of his birthday gifts from his friends!

Ryan showing off his personalized Dodger Jersey!!

A picture of the birthday cupcakes that he took to school. It's a long story of why these are "red" instead of blue. Basically we are a house divided....I love the St. Louis Cardinals and Jason loves the L.A. Dodgers, which in turn the boys love the Dodgers, too. Since I am the odd man out, Ryan decided he felt sorry for me. He "allowed" me to "airbrush" these cupcakes red because I never get to have anything "red" in the house (We used that color mist spray for these beauties, but Ryan called it "airbrushing") with the premise that we had to "airbrush" the ones for his party at home "blue". It was a deal! The Cardinals were represented at least once in the Holzmeyer household!!