Big Boy Joy - Day 31

While we've outgrown the Cars stage around here, I couldn't help but capture the memory for old time's sake.

Big Boy Joy - Day 30

Do you see the finger action and conversation happening here? At Disney World, this was their thing – the start of a foot race between Roo and Pop Pop.

Before the race started, Roo would point to one finger and ask, "Fast?," and then point to a second finger and follow up with, "Or slow?" And then he would tell Pop Pop if they were going to go "fast or slow" in their race.

"Fast? Or slow? FAST!"

And just like that, it replayed over and over and over again.

Big Boy Joy - Day 29

Our Transformer Rescue Bots headquarters.

Big Boy Joy - Day 28

A little backyard fun in the sun.

Wait a minute...on second thought...



The fun has turned to a screaming cat fight.



Yep. Friendly fun to fierce fighting in zero point five seconds. And that's why my "job description" now includes "referee."

Big Boy Joy - Day 27

At school last year, Alex took a science workshop class where he made all kinds of projects using a hammer and nails. We acquired quite the collection that I've packed away for safe keeping. ;-)

His skills have improved tremendously over time, and we've enjoyed watching him at the Lowe's Build and Grow workshops we've attended; he hammers more of the nails in straight than not. So recently, Jerry pulled him in on a little project we had working around the house. He helped nail together the back of a storage unit and did great! Looks every bit as good as if Daddy had done the work himself.

Big Boy Joy - Day 26

This little guy has been under the weather the last couple of days. He's had a cold that has kept him up in the night with coughing and a stuffy/runny nose. He was so tuckered out today that he found himself a little nest right in the middle of our living room where he curled up to get some much-needed rest. I wasn't sure how long he'd last like this, but it must have been cozy because he snoozed for three hours.

Big Boy Joy - Day 25

You know if one was to have a dragon mask, the other was, too. Only his color of choice was green. Both wanted them "sparkly" so the artist added just a touch of glitter to their fire, making them extra fierce, I suppose.

After their faces were all done up for the night, we took them on bumper boat rides. That had water gun squirters. That splashed in their faces. That caused their dragons to run. Onto their shirts. And now we have lasting memories beyond our photos. :-/ #goodparentingchoices

Big Boy Joy - Day 24

The face painting really caught on after the first round. Here we have an ice and water dragon. A fierce ice and water dragon. This one does love him some dragons.

Big Boy Joy - Day 23

Have you ever read The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson? Ours is well worn. Such a witty, clever story, and it just so happens to be Roo's favorite. He also loves to work his finger puppets with the story. He retreats to the same characters each time: the owl and the snake. Also as clever is The Gruffalo's Child. If you haven't read them, they're worth checking out.

Big Boy Joy - Day 22

This is the closest thing to a splash pad that you can find in our town. It's a few squirting fountains that run in front of a newly built amphitheater stage. So one day after taking a free trolley ride around downtown, we hopped off and headed here for the kids to run and splash around. They had full-run of the place and were delighted to have something wet to play in!

Big Boy Joy - Day 21

Love them.

Big Boy Joy - Day 20

No trip to the beach is complete without the pink goggles. Still his favorite color, although, now he's added purple and green, too.

Big Boy Joy - Day 19

He is his Noni's big boy joy, too. And, I might add, an excellent shell collector.

Big Boy Joy - Day 18

We've attended a handful of events over the years where face painting was an attraction. And by attraction, I mean an activity to do, not something that seemed attractive to my boys. ;-) Nope. They've never been interested in face painting...until our trip to the beach this month. Thanks to one of the "suzzins" (that's, "cousins" in Roo-speak) who got her face painted, Alex decided he wanted to give it a go. And if Alex was going to give it a go, well, you know Roo was not to be left out.

I wasn't too sure how they'd take it, but they were giddy with excitement over the whole thing. Good thing, too, because we waited in line for about 45 minutes before they started painting this little work of art. Let's just say that those smiles made the (excruciatingly long) wait a little less painful for momma in the end. ;-)

Big Boy Joy - Day 17

"Mommy, I want to give you just one more hug and siss (kiss). Here. (On the forehead.) Here. (On the right cheek.) Here. (On the left cheek.) And here. (On the lips.)" His tiny hands rested gently on my face. All too soon, moments like these will be gone. And so I cherish every ounce of his precious, tender heart. 

Big Boy Joy - Day 16

Big boy joy...and some family joy, too. We just returned home after a fantastic week of fun in the sun with our Griswold crew. ;-)

Big Boy Joy - Day 15

Hidden behind the toys in his hands is a little alligator printed on this shirt he picked out at the store. He, however, calls it a "fracodile" (or "fracdactile" before it evolved into fracodile). They are a favorite of his.

Big Boy Joy - Day 14

He's become so independent in the last year - getting dressed, putting socks and shoes on, brushing teeth, doing chores with no assistance. I love watching this kiddo grow up and see the young man he's becoming. He's an excellent problem solver. His memory is like a steel trap. His creativity is blossoming. He is loyal. He is thoughtful and kind. He loves for me to read to him. He loves peanut butter sandwiches. He doesn't care to color, but he loves doing full-blown craft projects. He loves his friends. He often picks flowers to give to me because he knows I love them. He is simply one amazing little, excuse me, big boy, and I adore him.

Big Boy Joy - Day 13

He works that tongue hard. Kiwi crafts. Water sports. It's all better when that tongue is hanging out.

Big Boy Joy - Day 12

Whether it's piggy back rides or push ups on his back, they love taking rides on their daddy.

Big Boy Joy - Day 11

Say, "Cheese!"

Big Boy Joy - Day 10

Their imaginations have caught fire lately. I eavesdrop on Alex and Roo's conversations - developing all kinds of Transformer Rescue Bot missions where they need to "roll to the rescue" to help someone in need. Or defeat the bad guys. Or defeat each other. It seems the stress and intensity of those rescue missions gets the best of them sometimes. ;-)

Big Boy Joy - Day 9

For as long as I can remember, this is where he's been the happiest.

Big Boy Joy - Day 8

The one who opened my eyes to a kind of amazing I had never dreamed possible before he was born. He turns five today. He had my heart from the very first instant I held him in my arms. I adore this one. Happy birthday, Alex. No doubt, God has extraordinary plans for you, son.

Big Boy Joy - Day 7

The magic of childhood. One of my favorite Disney memories, right here.

Big Boy Joy - Day 6

Ask him his favorite part of Disney World, and this was it. Getting to meet Sofia the First. It was all he wanted to do. I wish you could have seen his face beaming when she walked up. He was smitten. He touched the pearls on her dress. He hugged her. And she acted as though she was smitten right back in return - even wrote "I love you" on his autograph book. Couldn't have been any sweeter.

Big Boy Joy - Day 5

In February we took the boys to Walt Disney World, and Noni and Pop Pop joined us there. It was fun, but admittedly, not all that I had hoped it would be. Jerry warned me he thought our boys were too young. I refused to listen. I justified it that they loved Sesame Place last year and that Roo could get in free since he was still two. We should have saved the money and gone later. (See, babe? I'm admitting publicly that I was wrong and you were right. ;-) )

It was a fun vacation and we all enjoyed it; I just wouldn't say they loved it the way I do (and hoped they would - especially for the cost of that vacation). We'll try again one of these days, but it will be years on down the road. Funny thing is, we kept seeing kids having meltdowns (and ours having a few of their own), parents yelling at their kids and at each other, and all the while the adults in our group would say to each other, "Happiest Place on Earth!" LOL!

On the brighter side of things, our lodging was heavenly. We splurged and stayed at the Grand Floridian Villas - a bucket list wish of mine. Oh. My. Goodness. It was worth every penny in my opinion. I was ready to move right on in, and it was the perfect place to come home to at the end of a long day at the parks. ;-)

Big Boy Joy - Day 4

He's not interested in coloring with crayons. But give him a whole craft project to tackle, and he is all over it. He will stay busy for an hour with his Kiwi Crate crafts. He's building the base of a campfire with brown clay and rocks in this picture.

Mirabelle in her patriotic dress

This ol' girl is a traditional American Foursquare style home. I love her. She's come so far from how we found her. Look how proud she stands with her flags. Makes my heart skip a beat for the love of country (and home). Happy Birthday, America. And unending thanks to those who serve and protect our great nation and our freedoms. Land of the free and home of the brave! GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Big Boy Joy - Day 3

This one here has a keen eye for detail. And his memory is like a steel trap - nothing escapes him.

The other day he sounded out his first word: MOTTS (as in, the applesauce and fruit chews brand). I was (literally) jumping up and down with excitement. He is very curious about what things say and letter sounds, and he likes playing "I Spy something that starts with the letter ____." Smart boy. ;-)

Big Boy Joy - Day 2

One night after our church life group wrapped up at the house, the boys went straight to the coat closet to grab their umbrellas and galoshes, and then they raced outside to hit the water puddles. Jerry and I sat on the porch swing watching them laugh and run and get soaking wet. Summer days and nights just don't get any better than moments like this.

Big Boy Joy - Day 1

I seem to keep falling further and further behind in my blog posting. {sigh} :-\ Once you fall off the posting wagon, it's hard to catch up. Or find the motivation to get started again. But, I'm going to make an effort to get back after it with "30 days of big boy joy." These boys are growing up right before my very eyes. Hard to believe they're so big. Alex is soon to be five, and Roo just turned three. They won't let me call them "little" anymore. Such an insult to them. ;-) Without further ado, here's the kick-off to my big boy joys.

Rode this pony hard and away into the sunset...

And scoped out the trees for bird life...