Friday, February 20, 2015

February.

{Church-bound boys}


Web journal,

I have written four times since December ended. Four times. And while we’ve kept ourselves very busy, and March is almost here, I need to recommit myself to this.

I’ve been feeling so sentimental lately over old photos and old stages that have come and gone. Sometimes I find myself catching a glimpse of my children and marveling at their growth, and then I ask myself, where have I been the last three years? When did Morgan get so tall? Why is Danny almost four? These questions puzzle me, as the days are long, and seemingly the same, until one day you look at your children and realize they are not the same. Yesterday was different than today is, and you will not get it back. I've been too busy lately with things that don’t matter; empty things. I need to focus on these fleeting moments. They are feeling far too fleeting as of late. Why can’t we hold things longer? I feel as though I want to pause it all, just for a moment. We spin on.

I can’t believe the maturity I see in Morgan. He puts me to shame so many times. He’s so beyond his years in understanding. And he’s such a peacemaker. He will often forgo something he’s earned or something that he had first (when playing with Danny) or go out of his way to calm me when Danny is being difficult. He’s so connected with how I’m feeling, he sort of understands without me saying a thing to him. What a gift this flourishing friendship is. I’m so thankful for his sweet spirit. Mr. Keller and I often wonder how we were so blessed to have been sent this gentle person into our home. We love him so. He’s doing very well in school, even though he’s missed a lot of days due to being sick. The week he was really sick, he did three days’ worth of make-up work in less than one hour. This makes me crazy. I feel so robbed and it makes me feel I’m sending my child to free government daycare. We will explore options in the coming months for next year. I know we’ll find the right schedule/place for him. The other day I told him how handsome he looked, and he said, ‘Well, thank you. You look so pretty.”. I melted. He also got some candy hearts from school and saved the last two for Mr. Keller and I. The last two! Can you imagine the sacrifice? The other day when I was feeling extra tired, Morgan asked me what was wrong. I told him how tired I was and he told me to go lay down, and that he could watch Danny for me while I rested. Last Sunday as we were getting ready for church, he kept saying he didn’t want to go and kept asking me why we had to. He said, “We went to church last week, so can’t we just stay home?”. Hahaha! I mean, is this my child? I still remember Grandpa Dixon nearing passing away and finding some humor in pondering if there will be home teaching in heaven. He always did it willingly, but really DID NOT enjoy it. I am a Dixon. In heaven, will we have to go to church? I kind of really hope not.

Danny boys keeps us on our toes, and is pretty hysterical. There was a while there I thought I would pull my hair out. I kept praying really, really hard to love him more and to yell less. Well, those prayers must have worked, because he’s evened out a bit and I’m back to trying to refrain from eating him. He kills us. All of us. Morg and I are always laughing at the funny things he does and says. When we were shopping at Costco the other day, there was this huge old guy with a big white beard pushing a cart around. Danny turned to me and loudly exclaimed: There’s Santa!

He’s also made up this game where he runs from one end of the house, to the other, saying, ‘Watch me go cheetah-fast!”. I said to him today, “I don’t know anyone who is Cheetah-fast. Do you?”. He said, “I am! I am Cheetah-fast!”. He’s gotten really good at putting together Morgan’s United States puzzle. He does it in a specific order, and will concentrate and work really hard at it until he’s completely done with it. It’s impressive. His dessert even waited at the table for him while he finished putting it together. We thought for sure he’d come running when we served it, but he had to finish the puzzle before! He’s getting so tall, and so smart. He went to work with daddy the other day and he got to pack a backpack and he thought he was SO COOL with it strapped to his back. He’s still got the biggest sweet-tooth I know. He climbs the fridge, pantry shelves, cupboard doors, countertops, all in search for treats. And he likes the good stuff, too. You can’t offer him cheap stuff if he knows there’s better in the cupboard. He loves my expensive nongmo chocolate I get at Costco. Loves it! And anything mint.

As for Mr. Keller and I, it seems we've been playing catch-up with just about everything, sleep, housework, laundry, dinner, sleep, naps, sleep, and repeat. With Morgan being so sick, we've both felt drained. I'm so thankful to have such a devoted, kind, supportive husband. He is mine. He's been loving his new tools he bought with Christmas money. He's built two sets of shelving units for the basement and garage, in addition to the few projects I've put him up to on the weekends. A keeper, for sure.

Ready for an insta-overload?
  

 Danny's new Einstein book. He is still ever so obsessed with Baby Einstein


To the park we went, in the rain, because we HAD to get out of the house!


Quite the haul from Goodwill. All vintage!


Danny got tired of waiting for me to finish what I was doing, so he found a seat in the bush! Haha!


Playing in mama's shop, and finding some vintage goodies himself


Valentine's date night -- Mackenzie River and Hunger Games at the old Reel Theater! Baller-style! 
I don't think we've been there since our newlywed days.  


 Valentines!


Gorgeous tulips
 


Handsome boy ready for school 



Goodies for my little valentines. That stuffed animal fox sings 'What Does the Fox Say?'. 
It is outrageous. And loud. So very, very loud.  


'Moms and Muffins' morning at school, or as Mr. Keller called it, 'Muffintop Moms morning'. 
Haha! True, though. 



Memory lane, gosh dang it. I could die.




The sweetest little book in the world. 


From my Morg



A few weeks ago, when the boys were really sick, my mom came to help. It was such a nice distraction, and such a needed break for me!



And of course we found time to sew.


And Uncle Dude was in town for drill. The boys were so excited to see him, and didn't want him to leave. They were blocking the door!




We spent a lot of days in our pajamas over the last seven weeks. 



The end of 'Laundry Thursdays' as we know it --- the last episode of Parenthood. 
Mr. Keller and I have folded hundreds of batches of laundry over the last several years on while we watched Parenthood together. 



My lifeline/lifesaver the last two months. 


I couldn't hold off on 'spring-ifying' things any longer. 


This one! 


Quiet afternoons we've had. Even though we've been sick, I've quite enjoyed them. 

 

I finally got my office put together! I had my friend Jamie paint on that huge piece of metal. I found that at a yard sale a few years ago and have held onto it for this long. I was so attached to it. It's the coolest thing, and has the coolest patina. I'm so sentimental over this sign. I love it. She did such a good job. 




Whenever Mr. Keller buys a property, I get to rummage. I've kept a treasure from almost every place he's owned. In December, both boys were sick and I was having a trying day, and he came home with these lockers in the back of his truck from a property he had just closed on. For me! He knows me so well and loves me and it was such a sweet gesture, it made me cry. Also, I think we can officially say he's no longer my little junk-padawan. Status Jedi Master up in here! I couldn't have dreamed these up



Those oars were a Valentine's present from Mr. Keller in 2011. 


Another quiet morning, and this mother has done ran out of winter-play ideas! 



A family outing to lunch and bowling, or 'rolling-bowling' as Danny boy calls it. 
The boys' first time! And they did so good. Danny nearly beat Mr. Keller. I just watched. Mostly because I'd rather die than wear nasty bowling shoes. Judge me.  


Those tiny bowling shoes, though? I mean, come on! Could they be any cuter?



Everyone's happy place: Danny.





The end of a long day.


Danny's favorite 'selfie' face. He thinks he's so funny. 
And he is. 

January and February sunsets have been killer this year. 



My growing firstborn.



"Dis me, dis my mogan, dis mommy". All lined up. He's pretending all the time.




Our special family home evening lesson on missions. Mr. Keller pulled out his old mission photos. The boys were enthralled. 


And lastly, another sunset for the books. 




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