graduation!

So today Zeke graduated from kindergarten!!
What in the world I cannot believe how fast time goes by! He is so big and somewhat grown up! Whenever I get overwhelmed at the calamity that is life and my kids are not listening I think back to when Zeke was 2 and life was literally insane! My sweet six year old gave us a run for our money all the time. We always joked that he was in the terrible two phase from age 1 until age 4!
Those close to us I am sure remember some incidents!
But today watching him cross the stage with his shirt tucked in (he didn't go to school that way), I was so proud of how far he has come and what he has learned and accomplished in his little life.
He has an amazing talent of looking at things from a different perspective, seeing something in a way we never would have if it were not for him. Everything is new and he wants to learn how it works and I am constantly learning from him.
He has so much passion for the things he loves, fans lights, bikes!
I am constantly realizing how huge my role is as his mom, to help shape him and steer him toward Jesus, I long for his passion to be for the heart of God.
All this to say that today was awesome, I have a 1st grader now!
And man are my kids cute or what!

Battles

It has been such a long day. It seems lately everything is a battle with Zeke. He is our strong energentic boy, who loves to have his own opinion and is not afraid to tell you what he thinks and how he feels.
All day today was a fight, getting dressed, what to eat for breakfast, what shoes to wear, doing homework, wanting to play in the water outside (he seems to think 60 degree weather means bathing suits and the hose being on).
We had battle after battle today, and it is like that every single day. I can't just ask him to do something easy, it always turns into a fight.
I just get discouraged and tired sometimes.
I don't like how impatient I get, how frustrated I become.

Just a minute ago Zeke came out of his room, I was laying on the couch he came and kissed my forehead and said he loved me. As he was walking back to his room he turned around and said mama you know God is always with you, and you can talk to him anytime, he hears you.
Moments like those make the rest of the chaotic day melt away and I see a little piece of Jesus coming out in him. What a gift.
I am pretty sure God knew I needed a little something.

Choices

Lately we have been talking to Zeke about making the right choice. Unfortunately he has been deciding to make the wrong choices lately.

Like when he decides to try on a whole package of Sofia's swim diapers and wear them around. I woke him up Monday and he was wearing a swim diaper again.

Like when he dumps out 6 tubs of toys in order to stack the tubs up and get stuff down from the top of the closet. He fell on his head.

Like when he decides to take a blue crayon and write all over the black couch and wood dresser.

Like when he cuts my shirt up to use the ribbon for one of his "projects"

Like when he gets the tamborine out and bangs on it while Sofia and Moses are napping.

Like when he somehow gets to the top of his closet and opens up presents that are not for him and plays with them during his rest time.

Like when he uses my razor to cut his hair

Like when he gets into Dan's drawer and comes out smelling like a whole bottle of after shave.

This has been in the last week or so that all of these things have happened!
It is just so weird, maybe it is his rebellion and his way of getting used to having a new baby, but it has been crazy, we never know what is going to happen next!

EZ-E, wouldn't it be cute if we called him that!

I just found this old pic of Zeke 2 years ago, so cute!!!

Just wanted to share some funny things that Zeke has done in the last couple of days.

First of all a couple of months back Zeke decided he was going to get into Dan's tools and take the training wheels off of his bike. But then he wouldn't let us help him learn to ride. So it has been months of not riding his bike. This past week he hops on Davey's bike and takes off! He is literally jumping his bike off the curb and off the speed bumps. Amazing

This week he goes into the trash can in our bathroom and digs out the blade off of my razor. He cuts his bangs and his forehead! We thought it was from a fall off his bike but then I discovered hair all over the bathroom floor and my razor sitting on the counter. He cut his bangs in the spring as well with his kid scissors.
Why he thinks he is qualified to cut his own hair every few months is beyond me!!!
I guess I need to keep up with haircuts or he is going to take things into his own hands!

Also this week he has been quoting America's Funniest Videos. We have one on tape courtesy of the Osbornes and he loves it, watching people crash into others and little boys hitting a ball at their dad's crotch is always good laughs! Anyway there is one where a hampster gets his behind caught in his spinning wheel.
Well as we are driving home from church on Sunday Zeke asks me in between giggles if I have junk in my trunk!
I start cracking up and then realize later it is from the video, I just hope he is not asking his teacher if she has junk in her trunk!
It seems like all of our kids are about keeping us on our toes lately, no sleeping on the job for us!
As soon as we relax one of them does something crazy!
I guess that is the joy of parenthood, and really it is pretty fun!

Master Zeke

If you don't know my son, (the older one) then you might not know how creative he is. He loves to take things apart and put them back together. Or take things apart and make new things out of the parts. We have gotten used to this and know that many things in our house are in pieces, but for the most part it is Zeke's toys and things that see the wrath of his imagination.
A couple of days ago he informs me that he made something and he wanted me to see it. I was nursing Moses so I said I would in a minute, I said but why don't you tell me about it until I can see it. So he explains that he found some ribbon, cut it up and taped it to his little table fan and when he turns it on the ribbons blow and it looks so cool!
So the day went on and we forgot to go check it out, until it was bed time.
I happen to see his cool invention and think to myself those ribbons look familiar what are they from?
It just so happens he cut up one of my shirts to use the ribbons! The ribbons were literally part of my shirt and tied in the back. He found scissors and just started cutting my shirt up for his creation!
I was so dumbfounded, thinking how could he have thought that it was ok to cut up an actual piece of clothing!!!! His response was oh sorry mama I didn't know!
Anyway I had to throw the shirt away since it was cut up!
I guess that is the price I pay for a little mind that wants to create!

why is it so quiet around here?

So Zeke left today for over a week! Dan's mom took him down to hang out with friends and family in So cal. He was excited up until this morning when it was time to go. then he said nope I am not going, I am staying here! He calmed down and was excited again 2 minutes later!
He has only been gone a few hours and it is already so weird.
He has more energy than anyone I know so the house is so quiet and still.
Sofia and Scarlet are going to be so bored.
They won't have to watch their backs constantly to make sure Zeke is not going to wrestle them to the ground!
We had a family nap time this morning, it was great. Sofia still takes morning naps and we got up early to get nana and Zeke to the airport so of course Dan and I took advantage and took a little snooze.
This week should be a good opportunity to get things ready for the baby, I have so much to do! One less kid and more nap time should allow me to get things done!
Or maybe the quiet will make me lazy and want to sleep all the time!

Things to ponder from Zeke

You gotta love the photo booth on imac it is hours of fun for Zeke!

Some thoughts by Zeke:

Two of these thoughts/memories were said to me in the car on the way to Mom's group this morning. The other one was yesterday in the car on the way home from the aquatic center.

We got on the 44 and Zeke said "hey mama this one time Grammy and Grampy had to drive so super very fast on the freeway because I had to poop and it was hurting me real real bad. So Grampy was driving way too fast and we made it home and I pooped."

What is funny is this was like a year ago, I don't know what brought the memory up again?

Next we were listening to some worship music and I was singing along, Zeke says,
"hey mama, please stop singing, you just need to listen and hear the words, not sing them to us, ok."
Ouch, I know my voice is not that great, but he usually doesn't mind when I sing, it must have been especially off key today!

The other funny one happened yesterday when our whole family was driving home from the pool.
" Hey daddy and Mama, um my teeth are really tight I need to just take them out of my mouth like Grandpa Oyler does with his"
What is funny is he has not seen my Grandpa who I guess can take his teeth out of his mouth, for over a year. They live in Indiana and we have not seen them since they visited last spring!

I love Zeke's memory he always brings up things from so long ago, it is funny what stays with them or what impresses them! I guess someone being able to remove their teeth completely was pretty important!

It's getting hot in here...

Today the temp is 105!!!!
I am not ready for this heat yet!
Zeke had western day today and they got to ride a pony!
I had no idea how it would go, I thought for sure he would refuse, but he surprised me and jumped right on with a smile!
In the fall at his old preschool they had western day and a fake wooden horse he would not get on, now look at him riding a real horse! What a difference a year makes!

It was out in the middle of the field and it was at noon. The sun was blazing down on us and Sofia gets so hot and sweaty. I have a feeling she is going to be a bit moody this summer, as you can see from the picture.
We might head to the pool later today but right now it is way too hot!
I am just praying it cools down again for a few weeks, note to self don't buy a 2 story in Redding!

My baby is 5!

Zeke turned 5 today and he woke up and said "yesterday I was 4 now I am 5, how come I am 5 now?" I love his questions, they are almost always unanswerable. Like why is fire hot?
I don't know it just is!
Dan wrote an amazing blog for Zeke, check it out I cried just thinking about his little lifeand how special he is.
I feel so blessed to be Zeke's mom and I am grateful everyday that I get to learn from him and love him.
We went to round table pizza with a few friends for his birthday, not because he loves pizza actually he hates it, but they had fans and games so of course he chose it!
Anyway today we are taking cupcakes to class and tomorrow he gets to fly on a plane and see all of his favorite people so I think this is going to be a great birthday!

Jesus plays basketball

I just love the mind of my almost 5 year old. This morning I was talking with him about what he learned at church last night, he told me there were some people who didn't have food so some other people gave them some. They were talking about Acts, I was glad he had soaked some of the lesson up, then he went on to say that he also learned Jesus played basketball and that in the summer when Jesus comes to the park downtown he will turn on the fans for us.
Thanks Nate!
On Saturday night we went to Pizza with the Edwardsons and then went to a grassy area where they do Marketfest on Thursday nights in the summer. There were these huge tall industrial Fans and Zeke really REALLY wanted to turn them on. We kept telling him that only people who work at the city can turn them on when it is really hot. But Nate decided to say that Jesus had to power to turn them on and to ask him! So of course Zeke has been talking about how this summer Jesus will come to this park and turn them on!
As far as Jesus playing basketball, the only thing I can come up with for that thought is that on the front cover of his little story a man is holding a basket of food that kind of looks like a basketball??? So of course he assumed Jesus feeds the hungry and plays a little b-ball as well!
I love how it all comes back to fans, even the Bible story and Jesus, everything comes back to his beloved fans!

Kids say the darndest things!

So if you don't know my son he is pretty funny, he keeps us on our toes and is constantly cracking us up. In the last month he has said some things that we have chuckled at. The problem is he does not have what we call a "filter".
Here are some conversations from the last month.

Setting: Winco shopping for food, we are in a long line, Zeke has just learned that I am pregnant and it is a source of constant conversation. A lady walks right next to our cart, she is a little bit overweight.
Zeke: (in a very loud voice)Hey mama does that lady have a baby in her tummy too???
Me: Shhh Zeke, everyone comes in different shapes and sizes, that lady is just bigger, please don't ask that about other people it could hurt their feelings.
1 minute later
Zeke: (pointing obnoxiously)what about that lady mama does she have a baby in her tummy?

Setting: our bathroom
Zeke:hey mama I have baby in my tummy too, it is a huge cat and its name is Imogene.
(Our friends Steve and Karen also have a cat with the very same name!)

Setting:Our backyard, Zeke is chatting with our nice neighbor next door.
Me: Hey Zeke it is time to come in for dinner
Zeke: ok I was just talking to the old lady, bye see ya (she was still out there)

Setting: Dan and Zeke on the couch wrestling and talking together
Zeke: Hey daddy why you have yellow teeth?
Dan: cracking up laughing
Zeke: did you get the yellow marker and color them?
(dan has 2 teeth that lost their enamel in a childhood accident)
We cracked up about that one all night long

Setting: Driving in the car passing a retirement home
Zeke: hey mama what is that place?
ME: that is a place where people can live when they get older and can't take care of themselves
Zeke: like who grammy and grampy and nana and papa?
Me: no they are not that old, when people are much older than that
Zeke: my nana can live there
Me: no she is not that old Zeke
Zeke: yes she is, she is a pretty old girl
(sorry Carol)

You just never know what he might say, but is makes life interesting!

The Roadster, don't act like you aren't impressed!

First of all isn't Zeke's bed head so cute! He has the thickest hair and these crazy cowlicks (sp?) that are amazing. Until it gets longer he always has the best crazy hair!
So usually in the morning when Sofia takes a nap Zeke and I either do his homework or build things with legos.
I am proud to say we built this "roadster" all by ourselves today! Zeke is amazing with legos but I am not, so when he wanted to put together this new car, I did not! Anyway we had so much fun and it was like 15 steps, yay for easy legos! It also glows in the dark!

Dan has been out of town and Zeke had this whole week off of school, so needless to say it has been a really long week. But today Dan gets home and I am so excited! The kids actually did great, it is just hard not having a break. We planned trips to Old Navy, walks around our complex, and dinner with some new friends. So it was good to have things to do. I just heard that we are getting a big storm today, with crazy winds up to 50mph! I hope it waits until Dan gets home!

Every movie is bad

That is how Zeke feels right now, and it is so annoying! He is in this phase where he vehemently swears all movies are bad. The only movie he will watch is Cars. In class they showed a cartoon and he cried the whole time and sat on the teachers lap, at the gym last week they had cartoons quietly playing in the background and he cried, but refused to stop watching it!
We keep trying new movies and it is always a disaster! My parents got him Curious George for Christmas and we have made him watch it twice, most of the movie he laughs but some parts he covers his ears and yells at us, then afterwards says it was a bad movie and he didn't like it at all! So we decided to rent Ratatouille since we heard how cute it was. So as I am putting it on he is already crying and mad at me for making him stay downstairs. But that is the problem he won't even give it a chance! Of course one of the first scenes is an old lady shooting at the rats with her shot gun, and a million rats running through the gutters. He is already crying and covering his ears, good times. So we made it through but I missed 70% of it due to his yelling at me! I really hope someday soon we get over this phobia!
On a lighter note I have seen two movies lately which I enjoyed. Now you might say, "um Alyssa those movies have been out for awhile", I know this but I am a bit behind on movies!

We rented "Oh Brother Where Art Thou" and loved it, George Clooney's character was great, and his expressions were amazing.
Also "Becoming Jane" this was a girl movie that Dan kind of watched with me. He had just gotten a new phone so he was really doing that instead.
Anyway his comment half way through was sarcastically "oh I wonder how this will end, will they live happily ever after?" And I said well if it is true to Jane Austen's life then no Dan she won't! Anyway I will not spoil it if you have not seen it, it is great, but I LOVE period pieces and Jane Austen!
So this has been movies in the life of the Lances! Yes we are outdated, but that is what happens with kids!

Zeke's new favorite pass-time

Zeke is very excited about the fact that we have stairs, he is constantly sliding down them on his stomach and cracking up the whole time. I do not share the same love of the stairs with him. I have forgotten the constant up and down of cleaning up and oh I forgot my glasses or shoes etc. I have begun to make piles at the foot of the stairs so that I do not have to go up and down 50 times a day. We installed some safety gates with doors that open because Sofia is just as enthralled with the stairs as Zeke is.
Zeke began at his new school today and he did great, he goes everyday now and in the afternoon, he has a small class of 10 kids and I am so excited about that. They are much more academic than we are used to but I think it will be great preparation for Kindergarten next fall. What the heck we almost have a kid in elementary school! There are many changes with his new school, including a dress code! As well as he needs a backpack and a folder and he has homework! I think the homework will be great it keeps me diligent in working with him at home which I need.
Last night was the kids and mine first time to the Stirring and it went great. It was definitely overwhelming meeting new people and realizing I have to make new friends and start over! The kids did great and I am so impressed with how Zeke is handling so much change. Thank you Jesus for that! Anyway just wanted to do a quick update and let you know we are surviving and we are thankful for where God has placed us.
love to all our peeps in the 951, miss you all.

does zeke need new socks!

Zeke does not have one pair of socks without holes in it! I have been holding out for Christmas stocking stuffers! I know I am cheap, but when I know he will get some soon it is hard to go spend money!
Well today was finally a good day! We had an awful day yesterday and I didn't know if I was going to make it the whole 16 days without Dan, but today Zeke had a much better day. We are working so hard on obedience and speaking kindly to one another. He just struggles so much with things changing and Daddy not being here. The thing I need the most with him is patience and that is what I am lacking in the most! I am so grateful for family, they are so encouraging and positive. Thank goodness because I need it right now. Thanks mom and Dad for letting us take over your house, leave messes, be way too noisy, and eat all your food. It feels really nice to be home with my family during this season. Now I just need Dan here!

EnerGY!!!

This picture can't even capture Zeke and his energy today! He is shaking his head and yelling aaahahhahhhahhh!!
Today we had a goodbye Lunch at the Grove Grill with the staff at church, it was really nice to just fellowship with friends. But something happened that made our afternoon and evening quite crazy. Nana (Dan's mom) gave Zeke a huge, HUGE cookie after he ate his lunch. Well who knew that the result of that would be a ridiculously crazy 6 hours! I am not exaggerating when I say Zeke was wired for 6 hours! He was excited and jumping and wrestling, and laughing and yelling, and running, and did not stop all night long. It was so wild to watch him never slow down. Even when we put him to bed he was jumping on his bed and trying to wrestle with Scarlet.
I can't even put into words how much energy Zeke had. I might have to put myself to bed early tonight because I am tired from just watching him and his energy! Thanks Carol for the cookie!

forts, churches and sidewalks

(I don't know how to turn my picture, our mac is in the shop and I already forget how to use a PC!)

Lately Zeke has been making forts, churches and "sidewalks" everyday. He takes all of the cushions and pillows off of our couch and chaise lounge and makes things. He does it every morning while Sofia is sleeping and he and I lay under the fort and read books, or chase Scarlet on the sidewalk he makes. It is fun and he always comes up with something different we need to do. TOday we made a place for the Little Einsteins to play and rocket to park. It is so fun to see his imagination take off and he is so creative!

It is good for me to learn to be ok with a constant messy house as well. I have just accepted that our house will always be out of control for like 5 years. I have relaxed a lot about it and I am proud of myself for it!

THe other picture is of Zeke's room, instead of going to sleep last night he took out every toy he has and stuck 3 pages of stickers all over the wood floors, good times!