Stationery Sweetie

I've been faced with a slight dilemma lately. Although, not a bad one by any means.

Our precious little girl has fallen in love with stationery and her desire to practice writing, spelling, drawing, labeling envelopes and placing stamps has provided a bit of a storage issue.

I collected her wide array of "gifts" to just mommy and daddy for about 2 weeks and this is what we got from our cutie patootie:
Storage dilemma aside, because we all know I'll figure that one out, I love watching her little talents flourish and especially looking at her envelope labels: Mommy Kelle Boyer, or Daddy Jim Boyer.

Most of the time, her drawing pictures are of a multi-colored flower, in healthy green grass, with a bright yellow sun in the corner and cheery blue skies.

She's mastered writing all of our names and I Love You.

For those that asked, I even suggested stamps, envelopes and more stationery for her birthday presents.

She has already taken a liking to folders, labels, stickers, colored pencils, light-up pens, envelopes, stamps and mailing things to her friends/family. She's her momma's girl.

Getting stuff in the mail is the ultimate treat!

I never tire of receiving her hand-written notes/drawings sealed inside her personalized envelopes.

She is such a sweet girl.

Beware the crazy swollen foot lady

Those of you with young who are easily scared, BEWARE! Stay clear of the brick house with the swings out front.

There is a lady that lives there and is walking 'round town who is frightening young children.

But not on purpose. She's a mom herself.

Thank goodness, her own children are not scared of her, for that would be cause for alarm.

But it's possible she will frighten other children caught off guard and unaware of her "condition".

You see, she has one abnormally enlarged foot, because of the baby growing in her tummy (edema, pressure on the vena cava, and all those official medical terms, yada, yada, yada). Which in turn has caused her to resort to the only pair of shoes that fits: flip flops. Not a good combination for Easter attire.

The other foot is slightly larger, but not terribly noticeable. It's the same foot that has decided to show off every single pregnancy and has won the race all three times.

The good news is, this lady is harmless. Although, her looks from the cankles down may be scary, she really just wants to GET THE BABY OUT!

GBB Spring Program

It's been a whole year since last year's Spring Program.


I still needed a hanky, but this time for a little different reasons.
Besides being big pregnant, uncomfortable and frustrated with the boy for not sleeping exactly when and how long I had planned on him to sleep, all I could do was think about how 5 years ago I had an infant just a week old. And now I'm sitting in the church watching her sing in front of hundreds. She just seemed so much bigger than last year.
She wasn't nervous or anxious or scared. Just singing like she had been taught and practiced many times. She was a year older, a year cooler, a year wiser, a year bigger and a year smarter. And it all showed in her confidence walking up onto the stage, ready to perform.
Nathan did better than I thought he would have, thanks to the Job-like patience of Daddy.
There was one incident where my tears were caught by a family member's video camera and I had to quickly hold up the crinkled up tissue to hide my red-splotchy face. It's all so embarrassing, can you imagine how my husband feels and how my kids will feel?

After the performance, Katherine got to hang out with the cousins and friends and play in the grassy area.
These girls have become good friends: A, AC & Katherine. All blue-eyed cutie-patooties.
That night was a little harder than usual also because of the National Exam I was scheduled to take the next morning. After the performance, the kids went with Bamah & Papa to stay the night and Daddy and I went home to finalize the packing of my books, pencils, protractors, erasers, snacks, calculators, etc. We woke up bright and early the next morning at 3:45 and we were out the door by 4:45. We grabbed a quick bite to eat at Perkins before we got to the testing facility, and I was checked in by 7am.

Everybody keeps asking, "How do you think you did?" and my answer is:

I have no idea.

There was about half an hour where I was fighting sleep, but soon the York Peppermint Patties kicked in and my sugar rush perked me up. There were many moments of doubt, "Why am I doing this again? Who in their right mind would go to this much trouble to do this?" There were moments of confidence, which must have happened right after the sugar high because I was flying through the questions then.

My first 4-hour test I finished in a little over 3 hours. The sweet 80-year-old proctor lady declared me a genius and told me when to come back after lunch. And the second 2-hour test I finished in a little less time.

The highlight of the whole test-taking experience was when the sweet 80-year-old proctor lady fell asleep in her chair sitting in the back of the class. She fell out of her chair with a loud thud, unharmed thankfully, but I started my giggle fit and couldn't stop. Reminded me of when I'd get in trouble in Mrs. Brydon's Honors Biology class for laughing at other classmates for nodding off in her class. Something about people sleeping, including myself, cracks me up and I can't stop.

I've got enough going on to worry about this test. I'm guessing just about the time when I truly forget about it, the results will come in the mail and my heart will fall into my toes.

Ragamuffins Wanted

This email came to me from the Mother's of Preschoolers group I attend, and it couldn't have hit home any closer.

Ragamuffins Wanted

By Tally Flint, Mom-E-Mail Coordinator

Do you ever look around at your life, and wonder what God was thinking when he gave it to you? I do. I love my large, boisterous family. But I so often feel inadequate to the task of mothering my brood. Just the other day, I lost my cool trying to contain my three-year-old twins at my seven-year-old’s school performance. I yanked their arms, hissed shushes into their ears and let out little sighs of disgust. On the way home, I not only felt exhausted from trying to keep them under control but also ashamed at how easily I slipped into the mean mama I so don’t want to be.

With all my faults and foibles, how did I possibly deserve the gift of raising four beautiful children? The answer: I didn’t. I don’t. My life is not a reward for my performance, but instead a grace-filled outpouring of God’s love for me.

"No life is too far gone
for God’s restoration."

One of my favorite books provides a passionate description of how God's message of grace and love was designed especially for the ragamuffins – the dusty, broken, screw-ups who shuffle along on the road to grace. At Easter, we celebrate God’s ultimate gift of grace: sending his son to redeem a hurt and fractured world. No life is too far gone for God’s restoration. In fact, it’s in the messiest of situations when God often does his best work.

I’m beginning to think God gave me the challenge of raising my children, in part, so that each stumble would land me in his loving embrace. Ragged little me, beautifully redeemed.

Dear God, thank you for loving me so much that you went as far as sending your son to save and restore me. Help me to never lose sight of your grace and how it redeems my life.

Our finished bedroom

Ta Dah! The new and improved master bedroom!

Make sure you look at these old pictures because the difference is shocking!

The old bedroom

The new and improved bedroom decorating project, designed on a dime...
Biggest change = blue-ribbon blue paint was replaced by a silver-y blue. Can I say Love It enough? No, I cannot. The bed quilt has been around since when we got married, almost 10 years ago. Even before then I had this same quilt back in the college days. Only back then, it was a queen size.
I stopped by the same used furniture place that I bought the short cross-beamed bed frame, and bought two Cape Cod inspired night stands. They didn't match exactly, but after a nice, fresh, hi-gloss coat of white paint, they look almost identical. I had the baskets left over from the bathroom reno BK (before kids).
For some reason, I've had a strong desire to create a window-inspired structural piece above our headboard. These windows came from a house that was literally falling apart, located in the "back 40" of Jim's parent's land. We made a trip with the grandparents in Papa's red truck, trudged through the 12-year-old pine trees and undergrowth, overgrown bamboo and carefully entered the house with the collapsing roof. Jim and Papa carefully removed 6 windows: 3 with muntins, 3 without. Then it was my job to clean up these two and paint them. Love them! I even added a light behind it.
For the window treatments, I used the same sheers that we already had, just cut them in half (because they were being used as a swag pattern) and raised the curtain rod to create the appearance of higher windows/ceiling.

We ended up removing the two dark-wood dressers Jim brought to the marriage from his childhood and "the boys" inherited them. So we're down to 2 dressers, from 4. Yes, that was difficult, but there's more room now. :) Especially for the bassinet.
Ultimately, the only "purchases" were the paint and night stands. Some sewing, painting and rearranging later, it looks like we have a brand new bedroom. But most importantly, I love it. It is a relaxing place for me to rest and one I am extremely proud of.

Kind of like these two "posers". They insisted on being in the pictures also, and why not.

And she's officially 5!

Which means I officially have a 5-year-old! Redundant, I know, but a must to give my brain enough time to let it sink in.

I have a child months away from starting Kindergarten. Three-year-old school was hard enough.

I have a child half way to double digits.

Wasn't it just a week or two ago I found out I was pregnant?

I have a child who is 5 going on 15, with a touch of Valley Girl!

And I couldn't be more proud of her.

Just the other day, our neighbor was commenting on how proud we should be of our kids and my response was, "Yep, and it all started the day she was born. All it took was for her to be. To eat, poo, cry and sleep and I felt like I had sliced my heart wide open for the world to see."

There was no turning back. I was Done. Sold. Gone forever. Amazed by the amazing-ness of our precious baby.

And here she is, growing beautifully and gracefully.

She has embraced turning 5 with much pride.

Many questions have surfaced revolving around being 5.

Timeline-type questions:
Mom, so will I still be 5 when Nathan turns 3?

Will I be 5 for next Christmas?

Responsibility-type questions:
I remember you telling me I couldn't eat gum until I was 5, but I started at 4.

You know, if you had twins, you could feed the boy baby and I could feed the girl baby, because I'm 5 now and even bigger a helper.

Her birthday party was on a beautiful Spring day.

I prayed for a Spring baby, because I love Spring time so much.

She was born less than a week after the first "official" day of Spring in 2006.

We brought her home to warming temperatures, flowers blooming everywhere and sweet orange blossom fragrances.

She is a great mix of her mommy and daddy. Stoic, yet dramatic. Head strong, yet compassionate. An observer, yet spontaneous.

She can't wait for this baby to arrive. She's anxious to help any way that she can and I know she'll be great.



Katherine, Sweetpea, Sunshine, my precious girl. You are loved and adored by so many. I tell you all the time that when you were still up in heaven as an angel, Jesus did a great job matching us up to be your parents and you, to be our daughter. We are having a marvelous time learning all about you, ourselves and Him, through you. You have opened a whole new world for us to explore and learn from. We couldn't be more proud of you.

I see speckles of myself, your daddy and brand new traits scattered throughout every single day. You are truly one of a kind.

Congratulations on another beautiful year. Keep up the great work, Punkin.

~Mama

Sweet Rotundness

I remember being pregnant the first time. I subscribed to numerous websites that kept me updated daily on how big the baby was and what my body was going through and soon to go through. I sat in front of a computer quite a bit, so I got to fully experience and be aware of multiple bathroom breaks, hours of conversations revolving around being a mom soon, a sedentary life coupled with eating anything and everything I wanted, which, no surprise, led to weight gain, swelling and stinky feet.

Every little movement was noticed, every new physical and emotional feeling was discussed and every bulge was noted and embraced with pride.

Fast forward 5 years, two healthy and active kids running around, and a third pregnancy. I'll admit, it's been harder just finding the time to remember that I am pregnant.

My diet, on an average day, consists of left over peanut butter and jelly sandwich crust. My sleep usually plays second fiddle to whoever or whatever is pressing for that night. My activity level is so frequent that when the Dr. asks me to recall if there have been 10 baby movements within any 2-hr. stretch of time per day, I look at him and ask, "I know this baby is moving, but you're asking me to count it now?"

I couldn't tell you what baby parts developed at what week, how big the baby is now or even what his name will be.

Awful. Just awful.

There is no way around it though, really. This would be the reason why so many people have bought into the idea of birth order's significance. I certainly have.

There is good news in all of this...

It took 3 pregnancies to finally figure out the difference between a kick and a contraction. :)
It took 3 pregnancies to not obsess on the health of our baby. God is in control.
It took 3 pregnancies to realize my sweet rotundness and the benefits of...

thicker hair (coming from a fine, thin-haired person, this is a big deal)...

My belly over-powering my 'junk in the trunk'...

And the belly popper to signify this baby has cooked long enough, that's been popped for months now.

Each pregnancy has had it's ups and downs, and it makes me sad I haven't had the opportunity to really relish in this last one. The last time my body will ever go through the miraculous transformation of growing another life. The last time I'll feel the stretches, kicks, twists and turns of another precious gift I have yet to meet. The last time I'll wonder what his little face will look like or what his personality will be.

So my plan is to embrace these last few weeks, as much as I can. Sure, it is much more uncomfortable this time around and harder because of the level of activity that is demanded of me now. I plan to embrace the strong thick fingernails, the wedding band not fitting without hand lotion applied first, the mandatory pedicures because I can't reach my feet, people rubbing my tummy and me reminding my little ones about what it will be like when this baby comes and that they'll always be important and loved, no matter what.

Only 3 1/2 weeks to go until due date. Let the final stages of embracing begin.

Church Chicks!

Check out this website. A friend of mine I grew up with, and her mom, have started this business. It was too cute not to share and pass along!



Good luck Ronda & Jessica!

Visit to Homosassa

We took a visit to Homosassa Springs Wildlife Park about 2 1/2 years ago. Nathan was there, in utero. :) It was enough of an enjoyable trip we decided to go back this Spring, before it got hot and I got too large and uncomfortable. It is a terrific-ly kid-friendly park and relatively cheap to get in. I highly recommend it!Poor guy, it's difficult to get a shot of him from the front because he's allergic to the camera. So, here's Nathan's back side.
And might I add a cute little back side, tags sticking out and all! Sometimes, before mommy can get some sewing accomplished, the only solution is to roll the top band of the pants down to create more bulk for "staying up" power. All I can say is, "Enjoy your pants being loose son. It won't be like that forever."
A view from the dock.
A view from the aquarium.I remember when my legs used to look like toothpicks. I had to roll my pants down also.But, I don't worry about that anymore. My pants roll down all by themselves. Usually until I'm flashing someone the gut shot.This is what happens most of the time. These are the official pictures taken of me on the trip. Marvelous material to work with.Silliness.A view from the Fish Bowl, a floating underwater observatory.And Lu. Have you heard about Lu? Here's his story...

The hippopotamus named Lucifer first came to the Homosassa Springs Attraction in 1964 as part of Ivan Tors Animal Actors. Lucifer, or Lu for short, is now one of the park's longest residents. He celebrated his 50th birthday in 2010. Why, you may ask, is an African species found at a Florida park with all native wildlife? Well, Lu has lived here all his life. He was a big movie star when Homosassa was an exotic animal park. Local residents took a special liking to Lu and often visited him between his many movies. When the Park went to strictly native species, Lu was bound for a transfer. You can imagine the demand for a 6,000 pound hippopotamus is not particularly high. When the locals caught wind of the intended transfer they put up a fight to keep Lu here. Needless to say, their voices were heard by signing a petition, and Lu was granted honorary state citizenship by the late governor Lawton Chiles.The Lu feeding show.Katherine enjoying a nice view of the feeding.Lu is full. He politely excuses himself from the feeding, backs up to his special spot along the bridge wall, proceeds to empty his bowels while his tail rapidly swishes back and forth and flings "poo from Lu" approximately 15-20 feet in all directions. Thank goodness the ranger was there to warn the innocent bystanders.Lu stinks.On to view other animals. Flamingos.Well, hello there, Mr. Regal!This bear looks like he's spotted food wrapped up in a 2 1/2 year old blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy. That's it, we're moving on!
Another perfect example of how different our children are.
The herpetarium.I have fond childhood memories of our trips to State Parks. We'd usually end up at a lake, river or springs because of my father's love of the water. I've inherited that same love of water. It's the reason I chose my unusual wedding band. It's possible my parents were only trying to save money by taking us to the discounted parks located nearby. Regardless, what they did do was instill in me a love for the area I grew up in.

I absolutely love this area. The short distance to the beach, the stunningly beautiful springs and rivers flowing from them, the forested areas, the abundance of lakes, rolling pasture land and one of my favorites (although, I'm not a horse person), the breathtakingly beautiful horse farms lined with black 4-board fence and oak trees. I think this area is beautiful and because of my many adventures seeing the natural beauty, I desire to preserve it for my kids and grandchildren. Hopefully our trips to the local natural attractions will do the same for them. Roller coasters and theme parks were the only thing on my mind growing up, but now I truly appreciate my exposure to what God created here for us to enjoy.

Check out Homosassa's website for yourself. It's a fabulous and inexpensive day trip for the family.