Messes and Fun

After eating dinner at Cracker Barrel, I let Mason walk around the store area while Ben waited in line to pay.  Don't ask me how he knew the way, but he went strait for the toys.  The toy tractors to be exact.  "Tac-tor!" "Tac-tor!"  He kept saying excitedly as he picked up various toy machines in their cardboard boxes.  I wanted to buy him every one right there on the spot.

Watching Mason get excited about the tractors brought me so much joy.  I remember what it was like being little and how exciting it was to pick out a new toy.  Cara and I would beg our grandfather to take us to the "candy store" (Shop Right) so we could get a "prize."  We even made up a song to entice him... the words were "Papaw's taking us to the candy store in his green truck."  It was really original.  He would quickly oblige and we would load up in his old green (yes, green) truck and off we'd go to the Shop Right for candy and mainly a notepad of blank white paper and some pens.  Eventually mom and dad told us that we were not allowed to buy any more pads of paper and pens because we had so many.

Reflecting on these things brought this passage to mind that I recently read in Matthew:

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?  Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?  If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" 7:9-11

How wonderful is that?  I have learned so much about God's love just from being a mother and knowing how much I love Mason.  It is very hard for me to comprehend that God loves me even more.

 (John 3:16 says it all.)

We have been having a lot of fun around here lately, as you may be able to tell from the pictures.  Mason got to participate in making his first batch of brownies and he loved it.  He was a huge help adding the oil and all....

Then he helped clean the bowl....

And when he was all done, he decided that the dogs deserved a treat, too.

 There is a wonderful website, Productive Parenting, that my mom and my friend Heather both shared with me that gives TONS of age specific learning activities that you can do with your child.  I have done several of them, one of them being homemade finger paints.  

The finger paints consisted of flour, water, and food coloring.  I only made 2 colors to start out with.  That was a smart move.

  Mason took one look at them, dipped his hands in, grabbed a handful, and then rubbed his hands  together smearing the paint all over them.

Then he sat down in his chair and rubbed the paint all over his belly.  I was dying laughing and so thankful that I thought to bring my camera outside.

This is Mason hearing an airplane.  Every time he hears one he makes the "airplane" noise and moves his hand like it is going across the sky.

This baby loves some flowers.  He loves to pick the petals off (unfortunately) and then smell them, holding them practically in his nostril.

One thing I love about having this blog is that I can document all of the little things he does in pictures that I wouldn't necessarily print out to frame.  Also, I can share with my family (and all of you who care enough to read this) the little aspects of his personality that you may not know about otherwise.

Like how dirty he got while finger painting for the first time....

 Or the way he always crosses his feet.

Or his random little curls...

 And his constant curiosity...

Or the way he waves and blows kisses to everything from chickens, to the trucks on the shirt he is wearing, to random people that walk by, to inanimate objects on his book shelf....

Or how much he loves his Bunny...

And carries it everywhere...

Often in his mouth if he needs to use his hands for something else...

Or how Daddy is his favorite!  (But he loves his mommy a whole lot, too!)  And the feelings are mutual on both accounts.

Thanks for stopping by!

Hermit Crabs and Ice Cream (Fair Hope Part II)

This is the continuation of my Fair Hope post from 2 posts ago.  I had too many pictures for one post so this one primarily consists of Mason showing off his bucket of crabs to the entire family. 

I couldn't help it.  I had to take 500 pictures of him carrying around the bucket and looking in the bucket, etc. etc. and then I couldn't choose between them and thus posted 40 of them.  Sorry.

There were TONS of little crabs running all around the sea wall by our doc and as soon as my brother arrived he jumped down there and scooped up a few for Mason to put in his bucket.  There were hermit crabs and spider crabs(?) and Mason was beside himself.

He had to show them off to everyone.  Here, he is showing them to BopBop.

Can you see his black eye?  He woke up early that morning and I put him in the bed with us.  He kept crawling around and fell against the iron headboard hitting his eye perfectly on the iron bar landing himself his very first shiner.  It stayed black and blue for a good week.  After that cleared up he hit is head on the coffee table.  After that cleared up he hit his head on a toy dump truck.  The cycle never ends.

   

In these photos, Mason has decided he wants to carry the buck to Na Na and show her the crabs....

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The 10 foot journey took a while...

But he finally arrived.

Rewind to earlier that morning...

When Matt and Ben went deep sea fishing, Dad, Mom, Mason, and I went to the community pier. (These pictures really go in post one but I got mixed up.)

When everyone arrived back at the cottage, Matt crashed on the couch and Mom, Dad, Ben, Mason, and I all went to dinner at Wolf Bay Lodge and then returned home for some homemade Butterfinger Ice cream. (Recipe: Mix together 1 pack of small Butterfingers crushed up, 1 container of cool whip, 1/2 gallon of chocolate milk, 1 can sweetened condensed milk, 1 can eagle brand evaporated milk, then freeze in your ice cream maker!)  It. Is. Awesome!  P.S. Use lots of rock salt. That is the secret (thanks Dad).

Mason is a fan.

It was a quick trip but it was so much fun!  We loved Fair Hope and definitely want to go back soon!

Fair Hope

At the end of July we took a trip to Fair Hope, AL with my parents for a little weekend getaway.  My mom had a conference nearby so she rented this quaint little cottage on the bay that was big enough for all of us.  It was small and simple and just right.

We arrived late Friday night and then woke up early on Saturday morning to pelicans diving for fish right off the dock.  

Mom, Mason, the dogs, and I all went down to the pier for a better view.  Mason liked watching the birds but was more concerned with his banana nut bread.  I should add that this was the weekend after his surgery that was on Wednesday and he was dealing with a little ulcer under his tongue that was giving him problems.  His appetite was not up to par but he did go for the nut bread (made in bulk by my grandmother). 

Pete and Berkley were infatuated with the pelicans.

After we spent most of the morning relaxing on the pier, we all got ready and went in search of a place to eat lunch.  Nothing seemed to work out the way we planned when it came to finding a restaurant.  However, we ended up at Wentzel's and it was alright.  Probably would do that over if we could.

But we did get a rare family photo in front of a really old tree in the parking lot.  After lunch it was pouring down rain and mom and I ran into Bay Candle Company real quick to pick out one (or 2) of their much loved candles.  Mom bought us all a candle there when she was in Fair Hope last summer and I am now obsessed.  I bought a HUGE one and I LOVE it.

We came back to our cottage and watched the storm roll in.

Then things got heated in a game of Monopoly.  Who plays Monopoly these days anyway?  My game piece was the thimble since I am such an avid seamstress and Ben's was the iron since he is an iron-aholic (not and not).  My favorite quote during the game came from my mother, "Katie, I will trade you both of your railroads for Larry's electric company."  Dad had just taken a drink and spit water all over the place laughing. By the end of the game we decided that property owners make all the money so we need to buy a rental property.  The End.

By the time the never-ending game of Monopoly was over, the sun was just coming back out and we spent a little time on the porch before getting ready for supper.

Poodle really enjoyed himself the whole time.  I thought he was a goner the first morning when we let him out to potty.  I could not find him anywhere. I was in near panic mode thinking he must have gotten hit by a car since he wasn't coming when I called him.  I have no idea where he went but thankfully he finally showed back up.  He is such a clown, much like this guy...

His cousin Big Charles. This one rivals Berkley in all things silly and crazy.  

We got ready for dinner and took a minute to take some photos.  Mason was cooperative and loved posing for the camera.

Matt arrived with Big Charles just in time to go eat with us!  Unfortunately the drive was too long for Cara to make for a short weekend.  We missed you Sissy!

We ate dinner at a neat little place with live music which was really loud and perfect for Mason who didn't seem to want to cooperate on any occasion.  

I guess it was due to the surgery or a coincidental little phase because he didn't want to eat anything but french fries (not normal for him) and was very stubborn when it came to whatever he wanted to do (like not sitting in his seat at meals).  Thank goodness I think we are on the upside because he is now back to his normal self eating just about everything and being more cooperative at meal times. Thank you Mason. 

I am not saying that there are never problems.  Right now he really loves to pull Berkley's ears very hard.  Hard enough to make Berkley whine.  So, we have implemented time out.  So far it works.  Sort of.  He actually sits where I tell him to and I find that amazing in itself.

Here he is trying to get my mom to take him down to the dock.  He can really work the pitiful face.  I was so thankful for that baby gate at the top of the stairs!!

Ba Ba (what Mason appears to be calling my dad these days) was able to keep him entertained with a box of Cheez its.  Cheez its are one of Mason's favorites along with granola bars.  Right, granola bars...?  He takes us to the pantry and points to them all the time trying to get us to give him one.  We are talking Oat and Honey hard granola bars.  When we ran out of those he ate the Quaker Oat chewy granola bars.  When we ran out of those he ate my Sweet and Salty granola bars.  He has eaten all of them.  He asks for one every day.  We have been out of them for several days and he is still asking.

Here he is relaxing in the car watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.  He loves it! When the theme song comes on his face lights up and he dances.  Then he waves at all the characters as they are introduced.

On Sunday, Matt and Ben went deep sea fishing for red snapper and Dad, Mom, Mason, and I all went to the community pier to see what we could see.

We stopped for breakfast at Old 27 Grill which sounded neat but turned out to be not so good.  But Mason had fun playing with the rocks and fake goat.  Also, I should add that my dad is doing so well!! He is now up and walking around (as you can tell from this picture) and his hip has healed!  When this picture was taken he had just started to walk again.  It sure was great to see him up and going.

Of course the trip wouldn't be complete without corn on the cob.

Mom and Dad bought Mason at least half a dozen ears of corn for his 2 day stay.  

I have more pictures from Sunday to post later so come back soon!