Peyton and TJ have birthdays four days apart, so on January 14th we had their joint birthday party.  This is a picture of our dining room table.  I was going for a John Deere tractor motif, with a  side of old fashioned at home parties.  The party was at home, and family only.  I succeeded. 

I made the birthday cake.  My mom helped me by making the chocolate buttercream icing.  I used  green frosting in an aerosol can for the grass, and the tractors were courtesy of Jake.

TJ did not like all the attention he was receiving.  He was especially frustrated that so many people were invading his house.  If you remember, TJ hid during presents at my parents house.  He may not be as outgoing as his brother. 

Jake and I even took a picture, even though he REALLY did not want to. 

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Peyton, as always, fully enjoyed all the attention he received and the gifts. 

Special thanks to Amanda Iles for rushing our t-shirt order. 

We love cowbell!

Bless him, Peyton just wanted to ring his Daddy's cowbell!  As happens so often to small people, he dropped the cowbell on his toe.  This happened LAST Wednesday, but today (Tuesday) his poor little toe is still suffering.

bless him

If I Had a Tear....

...for every time I've been frustrated today - I'd have a river! 

BUT- I am still here and so are the kids. 

Well, actually they are on their side of the hall. 

I am hoping to finish "Knowing We're Showing" this week; first part of the week hopefully.  The worst part of deep cleaning your house to put it on the market: surely is dirty-ing up one room to clean another. 

I don't have pictures to prove this, can you trust me?

Something else I don't have pictures to prove?  Our first poison control scare!  Peyton swallowed trace amounts of a cleansing medicine. 

Dude, I am tired.  This single mom stuff ain't no joke. 

not the poison control issue- this is when they spilled apple juice and found candy corn

water bottle courtesy Peyton

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??

fan blade?

"Mommy,  I  took a picture of your beautiful clothes!"

I'm thinking maybe PeyPey has a future in photography. 

What a Man (little)

Peyton and I were alone this weekend.  We started with learning about puzzles and ABC's. 

little ashamed of the mess in my floor, but I was concentrating on learning

I wanted us to clean, clean, clean!  But we wound up just being us.  Daddy left us his truck, and we took it to the 'nasty' place.  It is really just a dirt road.  But Peyton loved every minute of it!  

Sunday night after the church ice cream social, we came home to no internet or Netflix.  What to do? Wash dishes and fold clothes! 

proof

He folded!!

21 Days

I would like to have that outfit, Kate's outfit

I follow a Kate blog, click here, but she has been woefully unsighted lately.  When she returned I saw this greatness.  My mother-in-law told me that Kate and William moved into the palace recently, sad.  After seeing this picture, should my next shoe purchase be riding boots, as shown here, or closed toe pumps, that we all know she wears constantly. 

I considered several titles for today's post, one of which was 'Blood Poisoning.'  The Keys recently dropped off grid to check on my mom and attend to other business.  Mother had a very serious case of blood poisoning caused by a run of the mill infection.  And our other business will remain private for right now, but no new Keys are in the works (cause I know that is what you think.)


'Craps' was another title I considered.  Part of Peyton's schoolwork is crafts, or craps as he says.   Today we finished last weeks stuff.  Bluberry pie and a bublebee.    And you know I took pictures.

Combining circles and the color blue: blueberry pie!

TJ was painting...kind of

TJ working hard on his bumblebee

Peyton working on his bee, notice the owie

Supper tonight will be cornflaked pork chops and sweet potatoes of some kind.   I'm going to pound the pork chops thin too...  :) 

Stunna

This week started out just spify.  I went to see "The Help" Sunday, I enjoyed the movie.  Unfortunately, I can't recommend the movie because of language.  Not just the n-word, no the unmentionable Lord's name in vain.  I should have walked out, but I didn't. 

My lovely backyard

another angle

Peyton learned about circles this morning; we searched our house for our first shape.

Peyton pointing to a circle!

Take your hand off the wiper!

I took this video to share.

After nap, the boys went back outside because today was GLORIOUS!

 can you see the scratch by his eye? 

I bought new sunglasses at Charming Charlie's.  Jessica doesn't like them, Leslie does.  What do you think?

???

I had to move the grill outside the fence.

Maybe a fence will keep the boys out

I took pictures when we were in the swing.

It was a wonderful day.

Weary Morning

Today I decided to capture our whole day on digital camera.  I attempted to play with natural light as I worked.  So here goes:

Breakfast: baker's dozen lemon poppy seed mini muffins

For my friends who are planning imminent weddings and dream weddings: I desperately wanted a brunch wedding where we could serve mini muffins and coffee punch at the reception.  My coordinators (Mama and Aunt Donna) loved the idea of this, but logistically it wasn't preferrable.

 I still think it was a wonderful idea, but I say this to encourage you to let a few dreams go so that everyone enjoys the day more.  I would probably be the only one who was happy with a brunch reception: 9:30 am ceremony, 5 am makeup/hair call time? Someone would have shot me.

Peyton and his yellow sunshine

A good night's rest helped Peyton understand the color yellow.  He drew a circle to color in so he could make a sun.  This picture is my second attempt at light play and photography; you like?

This is a hug, notice Peyton's flat palms.

TJ has taken to getting his lovin' from Mommy and Brother; I ask him for a kiss (he sticks his face up to  me,) then runs to Peyton and gets a kiss from Bubs.  So precious, the one moment it lasts.

Lip-rebusted

What happens when I prepare lunch in the kitchen while the boys watch Sesame Street?  This.

Poor baby TJ.  His lip bled more today, and I ruined another shirt (blood doesn't come out of cotton,no?)  I really don't believe Peyton hurts his brother on purpose only he does not understand how his actions affect little persons.

Still riding baby toys

One day, soon I hope, I will combine this new picture of Peyton with an old picture taken in this exact location. 

Day 1: Tracing his name

Day 2

Day 3

The 'P' on the right is Mama's

Day 5: making progress writing from top to bottom, which is the first step in writing a 'P'

Finally, their favorite activity.  Playing on the lawn mower!  I instructed Peyton to drive and make his noise.

Blue/Yellow

With our first week almost finished of attempting to learn, I'd say we've been successful.  Peyton adores Red Light, Green Light and the Bumblebee song.  Unfortunately, he also adores telling me that yellow things are blue and that blue things are yellow.  But I'm not really sure if he is not able to tell the difference yet, or (and this is probably it) Peyton just thinks it's time to have fun with Mama.

He is also making strides in writing his name.  When I give him lined paper (and I know his paper should not be lined, give me a break) he sometimes takes the time to draw a stick on it (a stick being the first attempt at a 'p'.)  Fridays are set aside for review and catch up: maybe we'll focus more on blue and yellow?

View from my kitchen door Wednesday evening, scary storm approaching

TJ watching the storm approach

Busted lip

Peyton pulled him to the concrete

Hambone- he is changing literally every day

 So several years ago, Jake and I were in a couples' Sunday school class that read The Five Love Languages.  Read this book.  So much human conflict arises from unmet love languages.

 I experience love through quality time, and Jake experiences love through physical touch (hugs, hand holding.) 

Last night, at the church library, I checked out The Five Love Languages: Children.  I skimmed the book last night before bed and have already decided what the kids' languages are, pretty much. 

Peyton- quality time
 TJ- physical touch

Those apples didn't fall far.....

Going to Stay with Grandmommy

Peyton, Jake, and Ginger will be going north on Friday.  Peyton and Jake will return on Sunday.  Ginger bit Peyton on Monday, so she is going to live with Grandmommy for a while.  Peyton's poor little finger took the brunt of the event.  Dr. Shot  gave him a tetnus shot on Tuesday, along with a strong antibiotic, and directions to cleanse twice a day and squeeze infection out.  In case you ever wonder, infection looks like snot.

Dr. Shot poked two holes in Peyton's finger today, to let more infection ooze out.  We will be recuperating from this for the foreseeable future. 

I tried desperately to capture a video of TJ saying 'banana' today, but he would not perform.  I was, however, able to capture a video of TJ splashing in a mud puddle.  And since this blog's title is about mud puddles, I will share that video. 

If you are in the habit on following my button, Pray for Kate, please check out today's post.  I think tomorrow I will post WILW (R) that is, Thursday, not rated R.  Teaser:  We are lovin' Bones. 

WILW

I love..., this picture is the best I can do.  I'm still a newbie to blogging.  I love VBS. 


I love... Jake!

I love... Peyton!

I love... TJ!

I love... my life, today.  It's good, today.

Corner Slice

On our last day:

I got a new dress, shoes, and braziere (spelling?)

MSU VS UF

Peyton has a gapped up hair-do.  Papaw has his razor where Peyton could reach it you see, (if he moved a chair and climbed, which he did.)

We got pizzas from the Corner Slice, a place here in Corinth. 

We'll return to Demopolis Saturday.

Navy dress, metallic shoes, king size, Peyton's hand

Even with a gap, he's handsome

What I'm Loving Wednesdays (I'm stealing this idea, Buggy)

LOVE....heart multiplication.  Useful for teaching fifth graders how to plug numbers into a formula and isolate a variable.

*lengthy search for an image was negative*

Sleeping in the floor- Peyton that is.  He started requesting last week that he be allowed to sleep in the floor.  I was NOT going to let this happen, (think of the back aches, neck cramps, eck) but my wise husband suggested that I let this one go.  Win the war, not necessarily the battle. 

Peyton sleeping in the floor

TJ"s hair- Jake likes to say TJ looks goofy with his hair sticking up.  Grandmommy reminded him that he looked goofy until he grew into his ears.  HAHA




TJ's wild hair

 5 Year anniversary- two and a half weeks away, I have no pictures to upload that don't require a scanner.....who wants to help me learn to scan real quick??