Brownies!

Baking with Jackson goes something like this…  I have no idea where he gets it from.

Hey mom, how about I crack this egg on my head?

Can I lick it now?

OK, I need to lick a little bit right now.

Ohhh yeah, this is gonna be so good mom.   

snow day

Well, it finally snowed here.  Right on the morning I was planning a quick solo trip to California to visit with my sister.  It was cancelled and I am here hanging with some sick boys and husband.  Jackson did some sledding and snow ball throwing, Nash did a quick walk outside and then took it easy with mom.  We made brownies, chicken noodle soup and pimento cheese.  I am feeling fat and happy snuggled up with my boys, waiting to get sick myself.  Thanks for the one good snow, now bring on summer time!

Sled time!

Meh, snow.  Southern boy.

Racing with my friend down the big huge hill!

Snow day tv time snuggles in our 'comfy cozy spiderman nest.'

paint

Today was the first time I have ever done finger paint with the boys.  We don't do paint in this house.  We barely do markers.  Their art easel is set up in the cold garage.  I mean these kids are a disaster waiting to happen.  I like a little bit of order.  I like to pretend my house will be clean one day.  So we just don't do paint.  Today I decided to be 'fun' and we got finger paint at the store.  Guess what, I was right.  Because I am the mom and moms really are usually right.  They 'painted' for maybe five minutes.  Then Nash took the paint and threw it across the kitchen.  Jackson laughed and before I could get over there, Nash did it again.  So long finger paint, we will try again next year, outside on the porch.  

This Girl is on Fire!

Mother's Day Tribute - Girl on Fire from People's Church on Vimeo.

We are jamming over here.  My kids already get embarrassed when I sing, too bad, so sad.

23 weeks!

My sweet Jackson- 'Mom can I rub your belly and give your baby a soft kiss?'

Me - 'Of course you can, he is your baby too.  You are gonna be such a good big brother.'

My honest Jackson - 'Yeah and your gonna need some even bigger clothes.  If your belly keeps growing I think your baby is gonna be a giant!'

Yep, everything is growing right along over here.  I still have almost 4 months to go / holy shitakibomb I have less than 4 months to go before we have 3 kids.  I am thankful for these boys who don't judge how lazy I am or how many snacks I have and tell me I look pretty even though I may not be feeling it.  I am thankful for their selfless dad who hurries home to play with them every afternoon, puts them to bed at night, makes me a bowl of ice cream and gives really good foot rubs.  I hope these boys turn out just like him.

new tank!

While playing the 'silent game' in the car with our cousins today someone pooted.  Pooting is funny no matter what your age.  Oh and check out all that space.  We got a big fat used suburban for baby boy #3, watch out!

Saturday Mornings

Overheard this while the boys were wrestling and playing football on my freshly cleaned sheets and made bed this morning.

Nash - 'Let's go players!'
Jackson - 'I'm not a player, I just crush a lot.'
Dad - 'Haha, can't wait to tell mom this.'
Me - Shaking my head, pretending not to hear.

Park-hood-rats.

Proud Sister

This past weekend Charlie and I attended the 100 Year Anniversary Gala  for the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.  I had a wonderful job with NCHSAA before the babes came along.  At the gala they celebrated the top 100 Female Athletes to Remember, one of which was my sister Sarah!  She was a pretty B.A. soccer player.  I mean how could she not excel with an older sister like me teaching her the basic skills…  She even let me accept her award.  I may or may not have pretended it was mine while sitting amongst all the other high school star athletes over the past 100 years.

Ahh the blurry photo bomb prom pose.  Pants are always optional in this house.  

My pretty co-worker and I before the awards ceremony!

deja vu

This morning Jackson was at pre-school and the sun was finally out!  Nash and I headed for a stroll to the park but instead took a detour around the pond and tossed in every pine cone we could find.  I had a bit of deja vu.  Jackson and I used to do this every single day right before Nash was born.  It tugged at my heart a little.  Nash and I do not get as much one on one time as Jackson and I did.  They have each other to hang with now and I am there to make sure no one 'slips' into the pond.  The whole time Jackson is at school Nash says, 'Jacksy at school.' As soon as we pick up Jackson from school he asks what we did all morning.  I love the way they miss each other.  I love that they get to add one more to their brotherly bond in May.  

Come on mom, dis way! (Much more of a talker at this age than his brother was)

Turtles! (Taken the morning Nash was born)

Nash-y do it.

Check out this stud.  He will be two years old in just over a month.  TWO.  I can't believe my baby will no longer be a baby yet I can't remember what life was like without him.  I say 'baby' but he is far from it.  He wants to be just like his big brother and copies everything he does.  He can count to twenty, sing his ABC's and and watch an entire episode of Jake and the Neverland Pirates. I take zero credit for any of this and give it all to his brother Jackson.  His favorite thing to do is play football and tackle and yell gooo taahhh - heellsss and hit.  Yep, send any stop hitting techniques this way.  He only hits his big brother, so far, and his big brother is sweet, so far.  Being the sneaky little charmer that he is, he usually smiles and says no hit afterwards and gives me a hug.  I am not sure he or his mom understands what to do just yet.  He loves his mama and dada and loves seeing 'my baby.'  Laying his head on my belly and giving it kisses.  He loves it almost as much as he does MILK.  If he is ever upset or tired or just in a bad mood he says, 'I need a lil bit of milk peees mommy.'  I guess he is working on his strong bones for some football. 

Books!

Every night before bed (does it take you 2 hours to get your kids ready for bed?) the boys read books and take down some milk.  It looks like we may need a big King size come summer time?! Jackson's new thing is to read Children's Bible stories.  He knows more than I do about the Bible, I am a proud mom, embarrassed but proud.  And Nash likes to read about Dinosaur Kisses, Frogs, and Tahh-Heels all while wearing a hard hat because you just never know when you may need to tackle someone.  

Christmas Card Pictures

I love getting Christmas card pictures!  Not so much taking them.  I have fond memories of being younger and taking family pictures in our matching Sunday best outfits.  Everyone had been crying or was about to be crying.  So this year we decided to keep it real.  Sorry for the picture of the picture quality we got going on here.

We tried ya'll, we really did.

Farris, Carinci, Asma Families!

Winslow, Farris, Fowler Families!

Happy New Year!

A New Year's Prayer 

May God make your year a happy one!
Not by shielding you from all sorrows and pain,
But by strengthening you to bear it, as it comes;
Not by making your path easy,
But by making you sturdy to travel any path;
Not by taking hardships from you,
But by taking fear from your heart;
Not by granting you unbroken sunshine,
But by keeping your face bright, even in the shadows;
Not by making your life always pleasant,
But by showing you when people and their causes need you most,
and by making you anxious to be there to help.
God's love, peace, hope and joy to you for the year ahead.
~ Anonymous

Happy 2014!  I made it to midnight last night.  It may have been because I was eating ice cream, watching football and changing peed through diapers, but I made it up.  The Farris family resolutions are to eat a little healthier (don't you have to say that), read a few books (that is for me, all the boys around here are serious readers already), put down my cell phone (I deleted Facebook off of it for fear I was becoming that mom at the park, it will suck you right in) and I promise to gain at least 20 more pounds between now and May.  Ahhh pregnant lady resolutions.  Let's do this 2014.