Things That Make Me Smile 4/3/20

Jake (14), Alyssa (12), Zac (10), Tyler (8), Nicholas (5)

This lists covers two very busy weeks of Smiles. We celebrated two birthdays (Alyssa turning 12 and Tyler turning 8), played games, assembled puzzles, had our pizza and movie marathon as part of our Experience Christmas, got some yard work done, completed a family quarantine bingo challenge with our church youth group, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire, built a fort in the living room, went on family walks, performed science experiments, baked muffins, read books, and created more memories. I love this family of mine!

1. Nicholas: "It's a good day to play outside. It's shiny and stuff!"

2. Tyler, chewing gum: "I haven't had this in so long. I love it so much that I want to chew my teeth off!"

3.

4. Nicholas: "I smell pink."

Me: "And what exactly does pink smell like?"

Nicholas: "Bubblegum!"

5. Tyler, about the arm-knitted blanket on my bed: "Did Alyssa make this?"

Me: "Yes."

Tyler: "Wow! How did she get that kind of skill?!"

6. Alyssa was excited to receive a quill and ink for her birthday.

7. Nicholas, because he didn't want to see something: "I'm just going to plug my eyes."

8. I walked into the kitchen first thing in the morning to find Jake at the cutting board with an apple. His hand was wrapped in a blood-saturated paper towel A bloody knife was sitting on the counter. "What did you do?!" I asked. And then he smile. That's when I remembered it was April Fool's Day.

9. Tyler had a mint Oreo ice cream cake (with trick candles, ha) for his birthday.

10. Nicholas, telling me about his dream: "And then I said, 'Don't patro-nose me."

Me: "Patronize? Did you just use patronize?"

Nicholas: "Yeah, patron-eyes."

11. Nicholas, looking at the number 69: "Look. It's the two 6s. The up one and the down one."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 3/20/20

Jake (14), Alyssa (11 1/2), Zac (10), Tyler (7 1/2), Nicholas (5)

Happy Friday! This week we made triple berry muffins, assembled a couple puzzles, did some deep cleaning around the house, and enjoyed being together as a family.

1. We spent the day building a giant Rube Goldberg machine throughout the living room.

2. Nicholas: "A long time ago, when I was 4 . . . "

3. Alyssa: "I find it funny that Mom and Dad are putting together the puzzle that they got us for Christmas."

Me: "Why do you think we bought it?"

4. Tyler playing with our Brain Blox.

5. Jake: "If I had billions of dollars, I'd buy you a new house. Actually, if I had billions of dollars, I know what I'd do first. You know how the church wants to build that like $9 billion building? I'd just give them the whole amount. And then because $9 billion looks messy, I'd just give an even 10. Then I'd buy you a new house."

6. Zac, assembling a puzzle about the US presidents: "What's a Whig?"

Nicholas: "I know what a wig is. You wear it on your head."

7. Since everyone is supposed to stay at home right now, our church building has been empty, but our pastor is streaming the services live.

Pastor: "The greatest thing you can do for your family right now is not to stock up on staples, but . . ."

Kids, looking around confused: "Staples? Why would you need staples?"

8. Nicholas, singing the Alphabet song: "A-B-C-B-L-E Yes, that's the book for me. Wait-- {laughs} I was singing the Bible." 

9. Tyler, playing Continent Race and reading the Kyrgyzstan card: "I found Crazy-stan!"

10. Nicholas was watching Alyssa complete her drawing lesson for the day and asked, "Why are you doing dot-to-dot?"

11. Jake: "Mickey, Donald, and Goofy get thrown into the fiery furnace, and the guy getting ready to throw them in says, "Mmm, roast duck."

12. Alyssa, watching a hockey game: "What happens if they tie? Do they cast lots?"

13. Tyler, sitting on his bed because he had gotten in trouble: "Dad, can I get up?"

Leighton: "Yes, but stop bickering."

Tyler, from the other room: "What did you say?"

Leighton: "Stop bickering."

Tyler: "I can't hear you."

Nicholas: "He said stop pickling!"

14. Nicholas, pointing to the presidents: "That's George Washington. That's George W. Bush. And that's Donald Trumpet."

What made you Smile today?

Things That Make Me Smile 3/13/20

* This post may contain affiliate links.

Jake (14), Alyssa (11 1/2), Zac (10), Tyler (7 1/2), Nick (5)

With all that's going on, now is the perfect time for a few laughs! This week, Leighton and I were able to get away by ourselves for a few days. We did a little shopping, some relaxing, and a whole lot of enjoying being together while my parents watched our kids. Leighton has been wanting to go to an escape room for years, but instead of spending a lot of money, we decided to stay in and do an escape room in a box. We had so much fun that we bought a different type box with 10 cases and worked through the first one the next night. We had such a great time just the two of us. And, of course, the kiddos had a great time being spoiled by their grandparents.  

1. Alyssa: "Come on, Zac, please? I'm your favorite sister!"

Zac: "Well, you're also my least favorite sister."

2. Me: "You ain't kiddin'!"

Alyssa: {gasps} "Mom! You used improper grammar! Are you ok?! Are you sick?!"

3. Our interesting game of Clue.

4. The little boys had fun making rock towers while at my parents'.

5. Alyssa: "What time is it?"

Leighton: "Time to go to bed!"

Alyssa: "Hmm, that's a nice time."

6. We stopped at the store to look for presents to bring home for the kids after our weekend away.

Me, after not finding anything: "Well, that was a waste."

Leighton: "Walking around holding your hand is never a waste."

7. I walked into the kitchen to find a stack of Great Illustrated Classics on the table."

Me: "What is all this?"

Alyssa: "Oh, just a little bit of light reading."

8. Nick, because his voice was raspy: "I sound like an old man."

9.

10 .Alyssa, knitting: "My scarf is 3 feet, 6 inches. It's taller than Fred."
Jake: "I think it's funny that that's the thing she came up with."

11. Tyler, because someone had moved his character in Clue to a room for a suggestion: "Who teleported me?"

12. Tyler, chasing a rogue bouncy ball: "Come here, you little rascal!"

13. Nick, running a balloon on his head and sticking it to the wall with static electricity: "I can do that because I have sticky stuff in my hair."

14. Jake: "When I grow up, I'm going to sky dive and solve the Rubik's cube at the same time."

Me: "Only if you want to give me a heart attack."

Jake: "Ok . . . I won't solve the cube then."

What made you Smile this week?

* Some of the links in the content above are affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I recommend products or services that I have used personally and all the text and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 225.

Things That Make Me Smile 2/28/20

Jake (14), Alyssa (11 1/2), Zac (10), Tyler (7 1/2), Nick (5)

I posted a Things That Make Me Smile list consistently every Friday for many years. Every now and then, I'd miss a week but was always able to catch up right away. 

Then something happened and I got behind. Really behind. One week turned into two; two turned into a month. And now here we are with over a year of unpublished laughs. 

My purpose in sharing these is two-fold: to share the funny things my kids say, and, more importantly, to preserve these memories for our family. While I have  kept track of many things, there have been many more that I've forgotten. Quotes, jokes, sweet words, and special moments have been erased from our memories. I let the amount of work it would require to catch up discourage me from being truly present in all my moments with my kids, looking and listening for those precious reminders of my abundant blessings and writing them down. 

I've lamented that I would never get caught up. Then Leighton--always encouraging, always supportive--had a suggestion. Why don't you forget about catching up for now and just pick up this week. Start posting the current week again. 

He is a wise man. And while it's taken me a couple months to heed his advice, ahem, I'm starting that today. Here's to appreciating little things and recording more memories.

1. Nick, playing with Legos: "Mama! I made a portal!"

Me: "Cool! Where is it gonna take you?"

Nick: "To you!"

2. Me: "So, your mom kinda knows how to cook, huh?"

Ayssa, shocked: "Understatement of the year! No--understatement of the century!"

Me: "Wow, that's saying something."

Alyssa: "I couldn't say year, it's only February."

3. Me, to Jake: "I want to make sure your brother and sister stay alive."
Nick: "Me?! I'm already alive."

4. Nick made a chiropractor out of Duplo and asked, "Who needs getting adjusted?"

5. Nick, staring at an image of a person on the computer: "I'm having a staring contest with him! He's winning."

6. Alyssa: ". . . Come on! Let's go try it!"

Me: "Are you guys trying to give me a heart attack?"

Jake: "Mom, the simple way to avoid that . . . is to make sure you don't know when we do these things."

7. Alyssa started learning calligraphy. 

8. Me: ". . . biscuits and gravy."

Nick: "And eggs! You always forget the eggs."

Me: "Eggs, of course. I'm sorry."
Nick: "You need to write it down on paper so you don't forget. Every time you talk to Daddy, if there's a paper in your pocket, check what it says."

9. We spent the day at the hands-on museum. 

10. Nick: "Can I ride my bike?"

Me: No. It's not even bike-riding weather."

Nick: "What? Bike-riding weather?! That's not even a thing!"

11. Me: "Who left this here?"

Alyssa: "Probably Zac."

Me: "I'm going with Nicky."

Nick, innocently: "You're going with me where? You're going with me where, Mama?"

12. Nick: "You know how much I love you? A 0 and a 0 and a 1!"

Me: "In that order?"

Nick: "100!!!"

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 12/28/18

Jake (13), Alyssa (10 1/2), Zac (9), Tyler (6 1/2), Nicholas (4)

Happy Friday! I am finishing up my Smiles for 2018. These took place the second half of December. This is my favorite time of year, filled with family and fun! 

1. Nicholas, singing along with the dreidel song: "Oh, turtle, turtle, turtle! I made it out of clay, and when it's dry and ready, the turtle I will play!"

2. Nicholas: "Dad's going to fix that later. He's the master."

3.

4. Nicholas, because I had a charcoal facial mask on: "Mama, with that on your face, you should put pickles on your eyes." (cucumbers)

5. Nicholas calling truffles troubles.

6. Me: "When you wake up, you're not going to be my favorite 3-year-old anymore."

Nicholas: "Why not?"

Me: "Because you're not going to be 3."

Nicholas, smiling: "Oh, yeah, 5!"

Me: "Not 5. How old are you going to be?"

Nicholas, pouting: "4. I don't want to be that one."

7. Me: "Do you know how much I love you?"

Nicholas: "100! And 3, 4, 5!"

8. Every year my mom and I have a big baking day and make a bunch of goodies to pass out to family and friends.

9. Nicholas: "Mama, at church, I do not want to dive in that water." (baptistery)

10. Me: "Nicholas, you're going to have to wait a minute."

Nicholas: "Yes, sir, mother."

11. Nicholas, wanting to be excused for dinner: "Mama, may I be stuffed?"

12. Zac: "The wise men didn't show up until about 2 years after Jesus was born."

Alyssa: "But the wise women showed up right away, because they took a shortcut."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 12/14/18

* This post may contain affiliate links.

Jake (13), Alyssa (10 1/2), Zac (9), Tyler (6 1/2), Nicholas (4)

Happy Monday! This list of Smiles covers the first half of December 2018. It's been fun looking back through all the fun of the holidays. So many reasons to stop, be thankful, and smile.


1, Nicholas, randomly and with no other explanation: "I watched two things at Gramma's: this and the other thing."

2. We celebrated Jake becoming a teenager! He requested a variation of our Boston cream pie. Instead of chocolate ganache, he chose a cooked caramel icing for the top.

3. Nicholas: "What can I eat?"
Me: "We're going to eat dinner when Daddy gets home."
Nicholas: "What's for dinner?"
Me: "Soup."
Nicholas, with a big smile: "I have a headache, Mom. Can I not eat soup?"

4. Decorating the house for Christmas with our annual traditions: a warm drink (this year was hot chocolate with fresh whipped cream), festive music, and homemade gingersnaps.

5. Zac: "You're the best mom ever!"
Me: "All because I let you have hot chocolate?"
Zac: "No, because of your baking and because of who you are."

6. Me: "Stop growing up."
Nicholas: "Yes, sir."

7. Nicholas didn't like my answer so he told me he was the mom and I was the boy. I got to play while he did chores. He was having too much fun washing dishes and doing laundry. He kept calling himself "Mama Nicky."

8. Tyler, eating a homemade cookie still warm from the oven: "Mom, I'm glad God made you!"

9. While playing Pictionary during our monthly Game Schooling Day, Zac drew a cross covered in flames. His word was crossfire.

10. Nicholas, trying to say rhino: "A hippopotamus is a wino."

11. Making and decorating sugar cookies as a family.

12. Me: "Is it almost your birthday?"
Nicholas: "Yes!"
Me: "How old are you going to be?"
Nicholas: "5."
Me: "What happened to 4? 1, 2, 3, 4, 5."
Nicholas: "I don't want to do it like that."

13. Nicholas, listening to Tyler explain something: "This is confusicating."

14. Nicholas turned 4 years old. He got a big boy LEGO set and a set of Brain Flakes.

What made you Smile this week?



* Some of the links in the content above are affiliate links. If you click on a link and purchase an item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I recommend products or services that I have used personally and all the text and opinions are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 225.

Things That Make Me Smile 10/5/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10 1/2), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6 1/2), Nicholas (3 1/2)

This week, we had game schooling, science class with our city, and baked some yummy fall treats.

1. Zac: "Mom, I want to name all my kids names from the Bible. Unless I have 5 kids--4 boys and a girl. Then I want to name them after the Nexo Knights." (LEGO)

2. Tyler, after eating breakfast: "I'm stuffed. May I have water with no ice, please?"

Me: "No ice?"

Tyler: "Because water with ice just makes me stuffed-er. Water with no ice makes more room in my tummy. Somehow."

3. Alyssa: "Why do you think the Bible is true?"

Zac: "Because I was taught that and who would make up such cool stories?"

4.

5. Jake: "Can we hang this poster in our room, please? If you say no, that would be so cruel."

Me: "Cruel is my middle name."

Jake: "Mom Cruel Leaf."

Me: "Yep, that's it. Though I didn't realize Mom was my first name."

Jake: "It is now that you have kids."

6. Nicholas, watching Alyssa draw: "Very impressive."

7. Jake: "Hey, Mom, don't you like my giant ribs? I worked hard to get them to stick out like this."

Me: "You worked hard at not eating?"

Jake: "Trust me, with your cooking, that is hard!"

8. Nicholas, going potty: "Mama, I am killing the bubbles!"

9. Jake: "Mom, I'm going to tape Nicholas up."

Nicholas: "Yeah, like my mouf! So I can't talk!"

Me: "And you're excited about this?"

Nicholas: "Yeah!"


What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 9/28/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10 1/2), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6 1/2), Nicholas (3 1/2)

This week Leighton and Jake went deer hunting, we practiced being cold case detectives, played a rousing game of hide-n-seek, made some crafts, and just enjoyed the benefits of homeschooling. 

1. Zac: "I love making dinner. I never thought cooking would be this much fun."

2. Jake: "Want to hear my joke? A knight is preparing his horse for battle. He gives him a long speech about his importance and then asks, 'Are you ready to carry me into battle?' The horse says, 'Neigh,' and walks away." (nay)

3. Me: "How much do you love Mama?"

Nicholas: "All of them and a half!"

4.

5. Nicholas: "Mama, was dis Tyyer's cup when he was a baby?"

Me: "Actually, this mug was mine when I was little."

Tyler: "Whoa! That's old! I'm surprised it's not broken."

6. Tyler's drawing.

7. Alyssa, cleaning up her craft area: "I'm going to try to keep my desk clean from now on."

Me: "Good idea."

Alyssa: "It's not an idea; it's common sense."

8. Zac, walking up to me: "I want to tell you something . . . I love you."

9. Zac: "Whoever created pizza, I'd like to shake their hand and talk to them for hours. And sit and eat pizza with them for hours."

10. Nicholas really got into making his personal pizza.

11. Tyler: "I can survive one whole hour without eating."

Me: "Wow, a whole hour, huh?"

Tyler: "Yeah, one time I went from 2 o'clock to 3 o'clock without eating."

12. The problem with raising readers . . . 

Me: "Please do not run through the parking lot."

Jake: "Can we hasten through the parking lot? Ooh, maybe we should canter through it. Walk briskly?"

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 8/24/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy weekend! This week, we did more canning, went geocaching, had a family water balloon fight, roasted hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire, and enjoyed being together. 

1. Alyssa: "When I grow up, I'm going to come to your house for dinner often."

2. Nicholas: "Can I have toast with tuna on it?" (meant Nutella: 'tella, tuna)

3. Nicholas, pointing to the clock: "Mama, look. It's 30 o'clock."

4. Nicholas, about the dough attachment for the KitchenAid: "Mom! I found a grappling hook! It's for pirates."

5. Nicholas, in the basement hearing Tyler upstairs through the heat vent: "Ty? Ty, I hear you! I am Nicholas! I am talking to you!"

6. Alyssa: "If I have kids--and I hope I do--I hope they're like Nicky."

7. Zac: "Mom, can you give me your recipe for (strawberry) compote? That way my wife can make it someday."

8. Alyssa: "Nick, did you take a bite of my cookie?"

Nicholas, making a confused face: "I thought it was Tyyer's cookie."

9. A portion of our canning for the week.

10. Nicholas: "Mama, Tyyer won't let me play wif his camera. And Zachy won't, and Jacob won't."

Me: "Then you'll have to find something else to play with."

Nicholas: "I know! Lyssa's!"

11. Me: "Do you want Netflix or Amazon Prime:"

Nicholas: "Hmm . . . Amazon Slime."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 8/17/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy New Year! I think my New Year's resolution should be to get caught up on Smile posts, ha! Maybe my Word of the Year for 2019 should be progress or consistency or finish in order to get up to date, but alas, I have chosen another goal that I will share soon. My plan is to blog more frequently again though.

These Smile are way back from the summer months, when the weather was warm and our days were filled with fun in the sun.


1. Nicholas calling his calf his "leg cheek."

2. We canned dozens of quarts and pints of veggies from both my parents' and grandparents' gardens, including sweet relish, crushed tomatoes, bread & butter pickles, pickled banana peppers, pickled jalapeno peppers, bell peppers, and green beans.

3. Leighton and Jake built a bean bag toss game for our carnival night to match the shipwrecked theme of Vacation Bible School.

4. Nicholas refuses to believe any pictures of Leighton with hair is his daddy, no matter how much I try to convince him. I have an older picture of him as the lock screen on my phone. 

Nicholas: "Can you show me the other daddy on your phone?" 

5. Me: ". . . and I think we should get some chocolate ice cream."

Alyssa: "Ooh! Wait, you did say chocolate, right?"

Me: "Yes."
Alyssa: "Those are my two favorite words together."

6. The surprise I found in the refrigerator. 

7. Me, to Leighton: "Hey, these kids are smart. You can't trick them."

Alyssa: "You taught us."

8. One of the days of VBS was crazy hat night. When Alyssa found out, she immediately knew she wanted to wear a fez. The next morning, she drew her own pattern on felt, cut it out, sewed it together, and added a tassel.

9. Junior High Girl (JHG): "Did you graduate yet?"

Me: "Graduate what?"

JHG: "High school."

Me, chuckling: "Yes, I graduated high school, and I graduated from college many years ago."

JHG: "How many years?"

Me: "18. I'm 36 years old."

JHG: "Wow. My mom is 35. You look young."

10. Alyssa: "I have common sense, I just choose to ignore it."

Me: "Why?"

Alyssa: "Everyone does nowadays."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 7/27/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Friday! This week, the family had good reports at the dentist, the kids enjoyed playing in the rain, Nicholas accidentally gave me a pretty impressive black eye, and the little ones helped me bake peanut butter chocolate chip muffins. What made you Smile this week?

1. Alyssa: "My favorite thing after reading is going to the library to get more books."

2. Nicholas, stalling bedtime, coming back for a third hug: "I could hug you forever!"

3. Zac: "I really want to be an explorer when I grow up, but there are 2 reasons why I don't want to. One, because it can be very dangerous, and I might get really hurt. Two, because I would travel all over the place and be gone all the time, and I wouldn't see you a lot. Other than that though, I really want to be an explorer and find a snow leopard.

4. Nicholas, while driving, seeing a wedding party getting pictures taken: "Look! Pwincesses! I see pwincesses!"

5. Some of the artwork Tyler drew one day.

6. Zac: "I can’t wait until tomorrow! One, it’s Sunday so we get to go to church. Two, I get to do more devotions! I already did two and then read today’s again to Tyler."

7. Alyssa: "Mom, you need to keep having babies until you get another baby girl."

8. Me, in the van: "Why are you taking off your sock: "

Nicholas: "Because I found it on my foot."

9. Me: "You’re going to run out of undies in your drawer. Why do you change your undies all the time?"

Nicholas, because I do a lot of online shopping: "Because mailboxes always bring me more undies."

10. Zac, about Luke 11:43: "Mom, I just found some of my favorite words in the Bible! I love this story."

11. Me: "We need to wash your hands."

Nicholas: "Can I just wash them on my pants?"

In case you missed it, I posted a bonus list earlier this week to work on catching up with my Smiles! Click the link for more laughs.   

Things That Make Me Smile 7/20/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

It's a bonus list this week as I'm working to catch up on late Smiles!

This week, we got some painting done both inside and out in our back porch, Alyssa made a loaf of golden white bread, and we had game schooling day. We also went geocaching and picnicking at a new park. At our first cache, Zac was standing on a decaying log that apparently had a wasp nest inside. The wasps defended their home by attacking our family. There was a total of 16 stings for 5 of us with Zac receiving 7 of them. We abandoned our adventure and limped back to the van, stopped for slurpees, and spent the evening playing UNO together instead. It was a scary situation for the kids, but they were brave and had good attitudes afterwards. 

1. Zac, sincerely, after the wasp incident: "This was my first time getting stung, and I think it may have been too big of a first experience."

2. Jake: "Sadly, Dad doesn't think any of the wasps were radioactive, so I'm not going to wake up in the morning with super wasp powers."

3.

4. Zac got up in the night because of the pain in his finger from one of his stings. We put a paste on his finger, read information about wasp stings, and ate some chocolate chip cookies that I had made earlier that day.
Zac, in the morning: "I think it was your cookies that made my finger feel better, Mom."

5. Nicholas, about his food, pointing to the microwave: "I want to freeze it like Zachy did."

6. Jake, teasing: "It's a free country! I shouldn't have to do that."

Me: "There's the door. Bye."

Jake: "Wait, what?"

Me: "Well, if it's a free country and you don't want to do what I say, you're free to leave."

Jake: "But, it's your job to take care of me."

Me: "And it's your job to obey."

Jake, still teasing: "But it's my job to explain to you why I shouldn't have to do it."

Me: "And it's my job to explain to you why you're wrong."

7.

8. Me: "You look like Daddy."

Nicholas: "Daddy look like bald."

9. Nicholas: "Jakey, what are you doing?"

Jake: "Shining my shoes."

Nicholas: "I want you shine my foots." {gets his shoes and starts rubbing them with his blanket}

10. Nicholas: "You are a crazy boy."

Me: "No, you are a crazy boy."
Nicholas, reprimanding: "Mama, are you arguing?"

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 7/13/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Friday! This week, Alyssa was away at junior camp with our church. The boys filled their days with bubble blowing, slip-n-slide splashing, birthday party going, and extra rambunctious-crazy-wrestling-bouncing-boy-fun.


1. Nicholas, eating a plum: "I call dis a yum ball!"

2. Alyssa, first thing after waking up the day she left for camp, since Leighton was at work: "I miss Dad already."

3. 

4. Nicholas, after Alyssa left for junior camp: "Mom, we need Lyssa! There are tigers at the camp!"

5. Tyler: "Mommy, I love you."

Me: "I love you, Ty-Ty."

Tyler: "I don't know how many times I say I love you to you."

Me: "Neither do I, but I like it."

Tyler: "I say it all the time, because I like you."

6. Zac's note for Nicholas.

7. Leighton designed and built a new table and benches for our kitchen. It fits our space so much better. I love it for many reasons, but most of all because he made it for me. I wrote a silly poem about our old one. Even though I am glad it's gone, I appreciated having it all those years.

8. Tyler: "What is that?"
Me: "Spinach noodles."
Nicholas, shocked: "No, those are carbs!"
Me: "It's ok. Just Daddy and I are not eating a lot of carbs right now."
Nicholas: "Oh. Can I have some carbs, please?"

9. I quickly spread Babybel cheese on crackers and broke some of them.
Nicholas, frustrated, pointing: "Mom, why did you do that? And that and that and that?"
Me, sarcastically: "I'm sorry I didn't spread that up to your standards."
Nicholas, agreeing: "I'm sorry too."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 7/6/18

Jake (12 1/2), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3 1/2)

Happy Friday! This week we spent a lot of time enjoying the outdoors--roasting marshmallows over the fire, geocaching at the park, picnics on the grass, and playing in the yard. What made you Smile?


1. Nicholas and I were cuddling on the couch and practicing animal sounds.

Me: "Hmm, what next?"

Nicholas: "A pwincess!"

Me: "Ooh, good one. What does a princess say?"

Nicholas: "I love you, Dad."

2. Leighton and I spent the day alone canoeing to celebrate our 15th anniversary.

3. Nicholas, singing: "Dear, Jesus, I love you. Dear, Jesus, I love you. Dear, Jesus, I love you!"

4. Nicholas, lying across my legs: "Can you give me a back assage?"

5. Nicholas, eating a marshmallow: "So squishy! It looks like a trampoline."

6. The kids set up a free lemonade stand on the 4th of July to celebrate Independence Day with our neighbors. Because it was incredibly hot outside, many people stopped for a cool drink and were very generous with their donations. It was a memorable lesson in benevolence, kindness, and doing good.

7. Zac's chant to attract attention for the lemonade stand. 

8. Nicholas was in a daze after he woke up.   

Me: "What's wrong?"

Nicholas: "I am afleepy again."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 5/11/18

Jake (12), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3)

Happy Friday! Here's our list, but what made you Smile this week? Leave us a comment letting us know! 

1. Alyssa: ". . . and you're shorter."

Nicholas: "I not Shorter; I Nicky!"

2. Nicholas calling his knee his "leg elbow."

3. Nicholas: "'Matoes are my favorites! And cucumbers. And carrots."

4.

5. Nicholas calling pears "parrots."

6. The message Jake left for me during school one day.

7. Nicholas, in the bathtub, pointing to all the cuts and scrapes on his legs from playing outside: "I want you wash these away."

8. Zac, because I mentioned something about the animal: "A liger. It's when a male lion marries a female tiger."

9. Nicholas, yelling at a bird: "Hey, you! Get off the bird feeders! Dat for squirrels!"
Because normally we see this:

10. Nicholas, because he accidentally walked into the running sprinkler and got wet, pouting: "Now I'm sprinkled."

11. Jake, discussing Shakespeare: "I know Romeo and Juliet. Oh, and Hamlet. Is that about a little pig?"

 What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 5/4/18

Jake (12), Alyssa (10), Zac (8 1/2), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3)

This post is loooong overdue, but the Smiles are still good! This week, we celebrated Zac's half birthday, Jake made batter from scratch and fried corn dogs by himself for Kids Cook Monday, and we went out to dinner with my grandparents. We also spent time with family from Texas and got to love on my cousin's precious baby boy. The rest of the week was filled with reading, science experiments, and lots of Lego.

1. Tyler: "Mom, I can't find it."

Me: "Me neither."

Tyler: "That's because you're not looking for it."

2. Tyler: "I love Mommy more than anything else in the whole wide world! Except God. And Jesus."

3. Nicholas, hugging me: "I love you. You look so sunny."

4.

5. Nicholas calling tweezers "chopsticks" because they're so similar.

6. Nicholas, holding the broom, looking for the dustpan: "I want to sweep. Where is the shovel?"

7. Tyler: "Are you making coffee?"

Me: "No, tea."

Tyler: "Aw, almost lucky guess."

8. Alyssa won her first sewing machine at our church's Mother Daughter Luncheon.

9. Nicholas, about music playing in the house: "Dat too loud for my eyes!"

10. Nicholas and Alyssa were playing with magnets.

Nicholas, pointing to Alyssa's creation: "What is dat?"

Alyssa: "It's called a failure."

Nicholas: "I can't make it."

Alyssa: "You can't make what?"

Nicholas: "The failure."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 4/27/18

Jake (12), Alyssa (10), Zac (8), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3)

Happy Friday! This week, Leighton and I were able to spend 3 days in Chicago while my parents watched our kids. It was such a needed time alone and so very much enjoyed. We packed a ton of touristy things into those few days including exploring the Museum of Science and Industry, walking around Millennium Park and taking our pictures in The Bean, enjoying the exhibits of the Adler Planetarium, walking and shopping along Navy Pier, experiencing 360 Chicago, learning about the architecture in the city on the Shoreline River Tour, eating award-winning pizza at Giordano's, and more. Such a perfect experience with my best friend. 

1. I was in my room working on a review when Nicholas threw open the door, shouted "I love you, my Love!" and slammed the door shut again. 

2. Tyler, eating pieces of watermelon: "Mom, I found a square! Actually, it's a cube, because squares are flat."

3.

4. Me: "Who's my favorite 3-year-old?"

Nicholas: "Daddy."

Me: "Daddy is?"

Nicholas: "Yeah, my daddy. Daddy is your favorite 3-year-old, and my favorite, too."

5. Nicholas, hugging around my neck: "I love you, little boy."

6.

7. Tyler: "Ooh, Mommy, you look pretty."

Me: "Aww, thank you, Ty-Ty."

Tyler: "You're always my Pretty."

8. Alyssa covers her ears every time Junior Asparagus from Veggie Tales sings, because his voice is so high and squeaky. We were listening to a CD when she said, "I can't wait until they show an episode after Junior goes through puberty."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 4/20/18

Jake (12), Alyssa (10), Zac (8), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3)

Happy Weekend! Do you have a Smile to share with us this week? Share your funny quote, special memory, or happy event below so we can Smile with you!

1. Tyler, holding fresh laundry: "Mmm, this smells warm."

2. Nicholas: "Don't sit on dat!"

Zac: "Who said?"

Nicholas: "Nobody!"

3. Nicholas, because the older kids like to look on Lego's website: "I want to look at Duplo .com."

4. My Dad: "What's your name?"

Nicholas: "Nicholas."

My Dad: "Oh. I like you."

Nicholas. "Yep."

5. Tyler: "Nobody can beat you at making stuff, Mom. Well, except two people: God and Jesus."

6.

7. Zac: "Guess what! I just reached the oven timer to shut it off--without a step stool!"

Me: "Whoa! Who said you could get that tall?"

Zac: "Me."

Me, teasing, giving him the evil eye: "Hmm . . ."

Zac: "God! God, God. You can't mess with God."

8. Tyler, drinking ice water: "The ice cubes are going to get smaller and smaller and smaller and smaller and then they're going to be a myth!"

9. Nicholas, because Tyler knocked him down: "Tyler, stop falling me down!"

10. Zac: "Is this a softball?"

Me: "It is a soft ball, but not a softball."

Zac: "Well then, what is it?"

Me: "Do you know what a softball is?"

Zac: "uh, no?"

Me: "It's a big, hard baseball."
Zac: "What! Then why is it called a softball?!"

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 4/6/18

Jake (12), Alyssa (10), Zac (8), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3)

This was the week of Easter and all of its celebrations; we took the kids to their first Hockey Game at Little Caesar's Arena; and we spent time with friends.  

1. Zac, wrapped up in a blanket: "I'm a mummy!"

Nicholas: "I a daddy!"

2. Nicholas, first thing in the morning, pointing to the window: "Mommy, I want you turn off dat light."

Me: "Honey, I can't. That's the sun."

Nicholas: "I want you turn off dat sun light."

3.

4. Nicholas: "Can I have a cookie?"

Me: "Did you already have one?"

Nicholas: "I had one next week."

5. Nicholas: "Mama, you have a cute little face."

6. Nicholas: "Can I? Pease, Mama?"

Me: "No, honey, I'm sorry."

Nicholas: "But I did dat next week!"

7. Alyssa, reading: "Col-o-nel."

Me: "It's pronounced kernel."

Alyssa: "Wait. What happened to the R?

8.

9. Nicholas: "Is Gramma here?"

Me: "No."

Nicholas, pouting: "I want candy."

10. Alyssa, looking at the bunnies my parents bought the kids for Easter: "Oh, phew, it's solid milk chocolate."

11. Zac: "When I grow up, do you think I'm going to grow chestal hair?"

Me: "Maybe. But it's chest hair."

Zac: "Well, it's facial hair, so it should be chestal hair."

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 3/30/18

* This post may contain affiliate links.

Jake (12), Alyssa (10), Zac (8), Tyler (6), Nicholas (3)

Happy Friday! This week Tyler celebrated his 6th birthday, we did many science experiments, we had a birthday party for Alyssa and Tyler, and we made many memories.
  

1. Me: "Trust me."

Alyssa: "I know I can trust you, because you gave me life."

2. Tyler and his cinnamon roll cake.

3. Alyssa, eating homemade garlic bread: "Every time I take a bite of this bread, my mouth explodes with flavor."

4. Tyler, the day after his birthday: "I was waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting and waiting for my birthday. Now I'm going to have to do it aaaaaaaaaaalll over again."

5. Tyler: "Mommy, what's this word?"

Me: "Danced."

Tyler: "Danced? There's not even an S."

Me: "Sometimes the C makes the S sound."

Tyler: "Huh. That's strange."

Me: "That pretty much sums up the English language."

6. Zac looking for teeth in his shark tooth dig kit.

What made you Smile this week?


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