Becky

Spotlight: {Jacob}

February 17, 2014 Leave a Comment

It’s Jacob’s birthday and time for his spotlight!! Perfect.

Grandma (visiting): Jacob is very kind when we play chess. He is very kind when he beats me in chess.

Daddy: One thing that I love about Jacob is that when I tease him he is starting to catch on. He is maturing enough to appreciate my amazing humor. Oh wait, this is Jacob’s spotlight.

Josh: I love Jacob’s protective nature. Whether he is protecting us when babysitting or keeping his Doritos safe.

Caleb: Jacob loves me.

Daddy: How do you know?

Caleb: *shrug* He loves.

Autumn: I have one word to say: Smart!

Jacob: Okay, I can live with that.

Caleb: Jacob, you are such a good boy!

Katey Belle: *whispering into Daddy’s ear* I like Jacob because he plays games with me.

Andrew: I love Jacob because of his big smile.

Jacob: Personally, I prefer small grin.

Mommy: Jacob is constantly asking me how I’m doing. He offers to help – with babysitting so I can shower or read. He also is more than willing to help with chores around the house and never complains.

Meri: Candy.

Grandma: Does Jacob share candy with you?

Meri: Yeah.

Jacob is a scholar and a gentleman. He is such a knowledgable young man that is kind to everyone. We love his quick mind, ready to please manner, happy bursts of laughter and that he was brave enough to ask for a later bedtime on his birthday with an “official” document. Still in talks – we’ll see how it plays out. 😉

Filed Under: {*spotlights*}, {tickles and smiles}

Spotlight: { Mommy }

January 20, 2014 1 Comment

Daddy: Meri what is something you love about your mommy?

Meri: Rainbow ice cream! (whispered intensely)

Daddy: Mommy feeds you rainbow ice cream?

Meri: Yeah!!! (not whispered)

Caleb: Orange slices. I mean I love she feeds me oranges.

*Jacob raising hand*

Daddy: Jacob we’re going youngest to oldest.

Jacob: But everyone takes mine.

Katey: I love that mommy gives us hugs and kisses and makes stuff for us. Well, not sewing stuff. But she makes the food!

Drewby: I love mom because her smile. It’s really big!

Autumn: Yes? I like mom because she’s awesome. I can’t think of all the ways. …Yoga! And she’s a really good cook.

Josh: I love mom because she gives the kids an education before they go to public school. I also love mom for her Chicago deep dish pizza. And I also say whatever Jacob is going to say.

Jacob: I hereby forbid you from annexing my comment. But there is someone that is older than Josh and younger than me that needs to comment.

Duke: I love it when she gives me bacon fat.

Jacob: My turn…

Autumn: ooh, I’m excited to hear Jacob’s.

Jacob: I love mom because she’s always willing to lend me a hand. Whether it’s math homework or doing my chore or whatever. And I don’t mean whatever disrespectfully. It means she’s always there.

Daddy: I love mommy because she is willing to do the hard things that a mommy needs to do sometime to take care of her family. And she will always, well, almost always – give the last special treat away to someone. She also rarely thinks about herself before someone else – she’s selfless and I love that about her.

Caleb: And one more thing I like mom for… she let me stir the pancake batter today!

Becky is an amazing cook (that hasn’t been mentioned yet…), a lover of all things that are sparkly, loves everyday moments & capturing them and finds Ocean Spray CranGrape SodaStream refreshing & irresistible. Her favorite activity is enjoying a quiet afternoon in the sunshine with a good book.

Filed Under: {*spotlights*}, {capturing everyday}, {tickles and smiles}

Spotlight: { Daddy }

December 9, 2013 Leave a Comment

Caleb: I love you Daddy. I love your tickles!

Drewby: I like Dad because… um… um…

Daddy: Is it so hard to think of something?

Jacob: He’s trying to think from the eternity of possibilities.

Drewby: I like Dad because he smiles a lot!

Autumn: He is not a scowly dad! Josh is the only one brave enough to tickle him though.

Daddy: He has a death wish. I think I am ticklish because I got it from Grandma Pipes. She’s ticklish! Grandpa Pipes was not though. At all. It was so frustrating.

Autumn: I love Dad because of his cuddles and his whiskers!

Jacob: I love Dad because even though he is always busy with a bunch of work he always finds time for each of us and he gives us as much as he can.

Daddy: I try. Sometimes I don’t find enough time, but I try.

Katelyn: I like Dad because of his smiles and his hugs.

Daddy: Katey is so sweet. She always gives me a kiss on my cheek and a hug as she’s getting out of the car at school.

Josh: I love Dad because after searching the universe of endless possibilities I found out he is very reasonable and persuasive.

Mommy: Not sure how to add to those…

Josh: Wait! There’s something else I want to add on to Jacob’s. Dad spends his fraction of his time for me tickling me.

Daddy: Only when you’re asking for it!

Mommy: Daddy does have a great amount of love for each of us! He’s patient and kind and patient some more. Highly devoted! And he’s a huge tease that likes a good time. *Right now Meri is getting the tickling & her toes are being devoured.* He’s also one for a good deep discussion and a late night snacker. An amazing and willing masseuse and gets a sparkle in his eye when experimenting with photography. We love our mister!

Josh: What are we supposed to do while Mom thinks and types out hers?

Daddy: You can just reflect on how awesome I am.

Jacob: Okay… …that’s probably enough time.

Daddy: * laughing*

{Thankfully Daddy can take the teasing too.}

Filed Under: {*spotlights*}, {capturing everyday}, {tickles and smiles}

Pie!

December 2, 2013 1 Comment

Thanksgiving morning our older kiddos went to grandma’s home to play with cousins. Meri stuck around to help me bake pies. She was such a sweet little helper. She loved putting her hands right in the pie crust and said it was “boingy”. Like a little trampoline she bounced a few of those crusts a few times. 😉 Meri also loved rolling out her own little crusts and would pull small pieces off and say “Teeny!” It was so much fun to have her around making this delicious task even more yummy.

Started out by making lemon meringue. Jim Bob’s dad’s favorite. It also reminds me of Thanksgiving growing up when we traveled to Grandpa and Grandma Smith’s home. Aunt Lillian always made lemon meringue. Sometimes I would spend the afternoon playing with my cousin Emily at her place after the big meal was done. When I did – we always had leftover pie for dinner. That’s it – just lots of lemon pie. Good memories! The secret to the way Grandpa Pipes’ loved them is the graham cracker crust and putting in 1/2 cup of lemon juice instead of water in the first part of the pudding recipe. Gives it a tang that is irresistible.

The pumpkin recipe is the one straight out of the Better Homes & Garden cookbook. We made our own pumpkin puree though – from pumpkins grown in our garden this year. Yum! And because I always forget – 15 oz. of puree is 1 3/4 cups. 😉 This year I also tried the Carmel Pecan Pumpkin recipe the next page over. So glad we did – delicious!

And a few photos of the apple in the process. I was afraid the light would be completely gone by the time we finished those. Two regular and two dutch apple. Just a little side note. While finishing the dutch apple pies I realized I forgot the 2 T. flour per pie in the two that were already baking at Mom’s. I figured not a big deal – what difference would 2 T. of flour make? Just so you know – a big one. Those 2 pies tasted good – but were so soupy and made a mess when trying to dish up and eat. After they were drained it worked much better. Another reminder that little things make a big impact.

And the final product. So much goodness. The leftovers were divine too.

Filed Under: {capturing everyday}, {holidays and celebrations}, {one little word}, {scrumptious schenanigans}, {tickles and smiles}

Spotlight: { Meri }

November 25, 2013 Leave a Comment

Katey: What I love about Meri Jane is that she is cute and so playful!

Drewby: I love Meri because she laughs a lot.

Caleb: What?

Daddy: What do you love about Meri?

Caleb: Her kisses and her hugs. She hugs like this. And sometimes she falls down and gets hurt. One time we put cushions down by a chair and we all three (Meri, Katey and Caleb) fell at the same time and we did not get hurt. So I love 4 things about Meri.

Autumn: I like Meri… because… of her smiles. She is almost always smiling and her giggles!!

Jacob: I love Meri because of her vocabulary. She is such a fast learner and will use a word like as if she’s always used it.

Josh: One word that describes Meri? Cute. Lovable. Playful.

Jacob: Um, that’s three Josh.

Josh: Is this your comment or mine?

Drewby: Hi Mom. *wave*

*And now a full-on confession about how Josh and Drewby borrow Daddy’s socks when they can’t find any. News to Daddy.*

Autumn: I also love Meri’s personality. She is so adorable.

Daddy: Meri Jane.

Meri: What?

Daddy: I love your indomitable spirit and how you find things so funny!

Meri: Kitty, kitty!

Mommy: Meri is always up for a challenge or adventure. She is also a very good memorizer and expresses herself and feelings so well. My favorite is when she jumps in the air and says “Yes!!”, then crouches down again, jumps up her whole body length again and says “Yes!!”

We love having such a sweet & feisty sweetheart in our family. She can hold her own and is such a sweet cuddler and lover of long stories. She knows so many body parts including chin, elbow and bum. She also adores ice cream and knows how to get our family eating it more than we used to – little miss charmer.

Meri: Look!

Filed Under: {*spotlights*}, {tickles and smiles}

The Yum

November 22, 2013 Leave a Comment

Sometimes I get a little conceited about the lunches I pack…

I think the note worked – Drewby came home today and said it was his best lunch ever!!

Filed Under: {bonne buche}, {capturing everyday}, {one little word}, {scrumptious schenanigans}, {Ta-Da! accomplishments}, {tickles and smiles}

Armpit Fudge

November 20, 2013 Leave a Comment

The recipe from Scout Round Table last week:

I knew as soon as I saw it that not only would my 8 & 9-year-old scouts love this, but my little ones too.

I was sooo right. Fun, easy, yummy and a little bit gross. Enjoy!

p.s. You can totally just squish it up with your hands if you want! 😉 Or double bag the ingredients and make a throwing, running, squishing game out of it.

p.p.s. The recipe is from cubscoutideas.com. My only adjustment – snip the corner of the bag and squeeze out – much less messy than a spoon. 🙂 There is also a Cub Scout requirement list included on the paper & site.

Filed Under: {capturing everyday}, {scrumptious schenanigans}, {tickles and smiles}

Painting Piggies

November 3, 2013 Leave a Comment

Katey decided it was about time to have her nails painted and took it upon herself.

Toes:

Fingers:

Then she sat in front of the small box fan to dry them.

When I came back a short while later I found her like this:

Just gone.

Nothing better on a late summer afternoon.

{August 22, 2013}

Filed Under: {capturing everyday}, {one little word}, {photography captures}, {tickles and smiles}

Spotlight: {Caleb}

October 28, 2013 2 Comments

Daddy: You ready? Please be thinking of something you love about Caleb. I will start! I love Caleb…

Caleb: I love Dad because he eats hot dogs so fast.

Daddy: Caleb, I love it when you help Meri and give her treats. When you share with her and help her do something that she needs help with.

Jacob: Excuse me. Not like toot excuse me, but can I go next excuse me.

Jacob: I love Caleb’s energy and enthusiasm. Whenever he sets his mind to something he always gets it done no matter how long it takes.

Caleb: The coconut canon is a slice of butter.

Josh: It’s a slab.

Daddy: It’s called a pat. Focus people, focus. It’s almost bedtime.

Meri: Me bed. Mommy’s bottle.

Josh: I love Caleb’s active imagination.

Autumn: I love Caleb because of his laugh… and his funny jokes… and his imagination.

Drewby: I love Caleb because he likes to play a lot. Play with games.

Katelyn: Is it my turn? Is there anybody else?

Caleb: There are three ones left. Meri, Mommy and Katey!

Mommy: Caleb is soo smart. He currently loves science books and is quick to grasp concepts. He has been pointing out solids, liquids and gases… and is almost always right. He is very goal oriented if there is a reward he wants to get to and yes – his imagination is charming.

Daddy – to Meri: Do you love Caleb?

Meri: Uh-huh!

Daddy: Good enough.

Katelyn: I like Caleb because he is so playful and happy and stuff like that.

Meri: Mess. Whisker mess. (playing with Daddy’s chin).

Meri: Love Caleb. Mommy love Caleb… and me. Nose.

We love our humming-during-every-song-during-the-Primary-Program little man. He keeps our family – and the neighbors laughing with his outdoor nature shenanigans and is just so much fun! Love our sweet, active three-year-old.

Filed Under: {*spotlights*}, {tickles and smiles}

Sleepy One

October 27, 2013 Leave a Comment

One of those sweet little memories I don’t want to forget.

Jim Bob took the photos and wrote the notes:

“Today Meri came home from church exhausted. She couldn’t even last through a short movie and crashed in the chair.”

“Caleb came along and plopped down next to her, apparently oblivious as her sleeping body flopped over onto him. She never made a sound.”

Such a cute little sibling moment and a testament of how Meri lives her life – full on no matter what she does. Including Nursery: coloring, singing time and sliding all. No wonder she’s worn out each week!

p.s. Looking at these photos I realized that Meri had her binky back then. She was so sleepy it was popped though. These photos were taken Sept.22nd. A little over a month ago and she’s been long done with the bink. She bit a hole in it, was so sad it was “broken” and threw it away. Asked about it a couple times, but never fully broke down or mourned the loss – just moved on. She has definitely been the easiest to transition on that one.

Filed Under: {capturing everyday}, {one little word}, {photography captures}, {tickles and smiles}

Spotlight: {Jacob}

Spotlight: { Mommy }

Spotlight: { Daddy }

Pie!

Spotlight: { Meri }

The Yum

Armpit Fudge

Painting Piggies

Spotlight: {Caleb}

Sleepy One

About This Puddle Jumper

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