Things That Make Me Smile 9/14/18

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

This list covers 2 weeks worth of Smiles. During this time, we went on a vacation to northern Michigan. We took a ferry to Mackinac Island, climbed the sand at Sleeping Bear Dunes, toured the forts and other sites of the Mackinac State Historic Parks, searched for Petoskey stones in Lake Michigan, played at the beach, went geocaching, and so much more. 

Days after we returned home, I was able to go with my mom to an overnight ladies' retreat with our church and spend quality time with her. The beginning of September with a special time filled with many memories. 

1. Nicholas, about a coconut doughnut: "Mom! Dat doughnut has white 'prinkles all over it! It's so yummy!"

2. Nicholas: "Mom, can you make grape juice yesterday later?"

3. Our first day of school for this year.

4. 

5. Me: "We need to get ready to go buh-bye."

Nicholas: "Where are we going?"

Me: "Mackinaw City."

Nicholas: "No, we are going to Gramma's house."

6. Zac finished reading The Hobbit.

7. Me, while we were waiting in the van while Leighton ran into a store: "Here comes Daddy! Daddy is our favorite."

Nicholas: "No he not."

Me: "He's not? Well then, who is our favorite?"

Nicholas: "You."

8. Zac, eating a blueberry muffin I had just pulled out of the oven: "Mmm, that crumble tastes like sugar cookies. It's sugar cookie on top of goodness."

9.

10. Every night, as the kids are going to bed, we say, "Good night. Sweet dreams. I love you." Nicholas must not have completely understood us, because one night, he hugged me and said, "Good night, green beans. I love you." We've been saying that every night since. 

11. Nicholas: "Daddy, pwease?"

Leighton: "No, not tonight."

Nicholas, whining: "Mama, pwease, can I?"

Me: "If Daddy says no, Mama says no."

Nicholas: "Pwease can Daddy say yes?"

12. Tyler, sincerely: "If you go the wrong way into a car wash, do you come out dirty?"

13. Tyler: "Gramma is a girl."

Nicholas: {gasps} "No, her not! Her is a mom!"

14.

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 2/23/18

Jake (12), Alyssa (9 1/2), Zac (8), Tyler (5 1/2), Nicholas (3)

We have been SO busy the last couple of months. It's a good busy though, making new memories and Smiling a lot. Because of it though, I am quite a bit behind with my lists. 

This week we went to Missouri for a vacation with my parents. So much fun! We met my uncle and aunt at a pizza place and arcade, experimented at the science center in Springfield, released butterflies and held lizards at the Butterfly Palace, did some geocaching, ate at Lambert's Cafe, played lots of games during the rainy weather, and more. We had such a fantastic time as a family. Here are a few more of our Smiles.   

1. Alyssa: "That's crazier than meatball pie!"

2. Nicholas, watching Alyssa paper quill: "It's magic!"

3. Nicholas, wanting a light on: "Daddy? Can you turn the kitchen on?"

Leighton: "How do you turn the kitchen on?"

Nicholas: "You push the button!"

4. Nicholas calling a heron a flamingo. 

5. Nicholas, asking me when dinner would be ready: "Is it 40 minutes, babe?"

6. Nicholas, looking at the bouquet on the table: "Daddy love you? Daddy love you wif fowers?"

Me: "Yes, he does."

Nicholas: "I don't love you wif fowers. I just a kid. And a baby."

7. Nicholas, loudly, pointing to a man in Walmart: "Daddy, is dat Santa?"

8. Tyler, about baby animals: "They're so cute!"

Nicholas: "Wait. I so cute."

 

What made you Smile?

Things That Make Me Smile 6/2/17

Jake (11 1/2), Alyssa (9), Zac (7 1/2), Tyler (5), Nicholas (2)

These two weeks we spent on vacation were amazing. The kids (and us, ha!) had been looking forward to going to LEGOLAND Florida for so long. (Here's how we surprised them!) We were able to go two days and could easily have gone a third, because there's just so much to do. We also experienced the Orlando Science Center, did a lot of swimming (pools, splash pad, water slides), went to the beach, toured Hope Children's Home (where Leighton grew up), did some geocaching, visited with family, and so much more. We stopped in Gatlingburg, Tennessee for a couple days on the way home and did some hiking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Such a busy, fun, memory-filled week. The Smile list is endless this week, but here are a few of my favorite quotes.  

1. Nicholas calling his bathing suit his baby soup.

2. As we were leaving the pool, it started to rain. We began running back to our room, but Alyssa got tripped up.
Alyssa, shouting: "Don't wait for me! Save yourselves!"
Jake: "Never leave a man behind! Let's go!"

3.

4. Alyssa: "It feels like I've known myself my entire life."

5. Tyler, looking at a giant hypnosis wheel: "Whoa! That's a huge lollipop!"

6. Tyler, frightened: "Ah, a mosquito!"

Alyssa: Tyler, mosquitoes are harmless. All they can do is suck your blood. "

7. Tyler: "It's called an accididnt, so you didn't do it."

8. Alyssa, as we were packing up to leave the resort: "Do you think if I put a sticky note with a Bible verse on it, they'd read it? I'm going to do John 3:16."

9. Zac, after we got home: "Our van looks so regular without the topper." (car top carrier)

10. The kids thanking us 5.2 million times, give or take, for taking them to Florida.

What made you Smile this week?

Things That Make Me Smile 9/11/15

Jake (9½), Alyssa (7), Zac (5½), Tyler (3), Nicholas (8 months)

Happy Friday! These Smile were from our vacation. If I could put the entire week on this list, I would. We had such a fun time! I am hoping to get a post or two (or three . . . ) written about the week, but here's a glimpse.

1. Leighton: "Zac, don't worry about your baby brother. Eat your dinner."

Tyler, whining: "But Daddy, Nicky is my baby brother."

2. Zac: "How do you make an S in Spanish?"

3. Tyler, after taking a drink: "Look! I have a mushtache!"

4. Dressing up like pirates at an old time portraits place.

5. Alyssa, about a bottle of Powerade: "That's for Dad, because it says power on it."

6. Zac: "Aww! Nicky was lying down and cuddling with a blanket. And he had his cute eyes on! It was so cute!" 

7. Tyler, about the elevator: "Can we ride the alligator?"

8. Tyler: "It's too sunny; I think it's going to rain."

9. Tyler: "Mama, look at that nice flower! I will pick it for you."

10. Zac, about Nicholas: "Every day he's happy at me."

11. Tyler: "Mama, there's a hole on my sock. Can you take off the hole?"

12. Tyler: "May I have some fishies now?"
Me: "No, how about some string cheese."
Tyler: "No, that's too young for me."

13. Tyler, seeing a cornfield while driving: "Corn and the cob!"

14. Alyssa, after riding her first roller coaster: "That was terrifying. Can we go again?!?" 


What made you Smile this week?