Today Joshua turns three and when we asked him what he wanted to do today, he responded, “I want to go to the Apple Store and Costco.” Ah, like father like son.

Happy birthday, Joshua!

With little sleep, we all tiredly started off our morning before the sun was fully up and opened some gifts before going to church. I got an iTMS gift certificate from Katelyn. It was such a surprise.

See, the story behind it is that I was in Staple with Katelyn and Joshua last week and I pointed it out to Katelyn that that’s what daddy liked. She asked if she could call mommy on my phone. I called mommy and she talked to her out of ears shot. She then handed me the phone and Liz told me to buy it, but to “forget you bought it!” Katelyn kept telling me to forget that I bought it I promised her that I would. It was just too cute! So today, I “remembered” and got it.

We’re now waiting on Liz’s side of the family to arrive to start Phase II of Christmas Day.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Originally posted on The Dad’s Group

Katelyn is a bit shy. When someone will come up to here and say hello, she will hide her head in my or Liz’s legs. We’ve been trying to figure out how to get her to at least acknowledge someone if we’re around (and thus safe to,) but it’s been a difficult road to drive to this point.

Last night we went to our churches Christmas Carol Sing and in between songs we were able to share a special Christmas memory. One of those that shared was my niece. Now she’s very outgoing and has no problem talking to strangers. She’s just too cute to handle. After her little cute story we continued on with another song. Soon after, Charles picked someone else to share and I was amazed to hear my daughter’s voice from my left. I looked at her — then to Liz — in shock that she was taking to a largely filled room. This from the child who usually shrivels away from our pastor when he says good morning to her was telling the whole room a fully in depth story. She must have spoke for at least 30 seconds if not an entire minute. By the end of her story, the entire room was filled with laughter. She was adorable beyond belief! Who was this girl?

Liz and I were talking about it last night after the kids went to bed and we just laughed. We believe her cousin was a large reason for the stepping-out-the-shell moment and we are happy for that. I guess God just works it when it’s time to be worked.

Originally posted on The Dad’s Group

You’ve got to love boys. The curiosity that drives them to better their lives and to add spice for their parents. Take for example, Joshua and his space heater.

We got each child their own heater as the weather has made their rooms very cold in the evening when they sleep and the folks at PG&E has made our natural gas very expensive. So I purchased the heater to keep their two rooms warm while the rest of the house freezes through the night. They’ve worked wonderfully and our utility bill has been pretty decent for this time of year.

Last night when I put Joshua down, I turned on his heater. As I was about to pray, Liz asked what the horrible smell in his room was. I didn’t smell anything but the lights quickly revealed smoke rising from Joshua’s heater. Liz turned it off and upon a quick glance, she found the source of the smoke. Crayons on top of the heater. Yup, they melted on down the heater and dripped onto the carpet. Joy. So needless to say, Joshua slept without a heater last night and by 4:00 a.m. plopped himself into our warm bed due to his cold one evicting him out from it.

Today I took it apart and got off the wax. While doing so, I just had to chuckle and think, “Boys.” Notice Katelyn had no interest of “testing” out her heater and even told Joshua last night that it wasn’t ’smart’ to do what he did. hehehe. Boys.

Originally posted on The Dad’s Group

Wow, it was exactly five years ago at this moment that Katelyn was born. Our first blessing from God and what a day that was. It was a sunny day and warm for Decemember and out she came crying and announcing herself to the world. It was so a joyeous moment and I’m just blown away how fast her first five years have come…and gone. Amazing.

Happy Birthday my little apple pie!

Hey, we’re having Katelyn’s 5th birthday party today and we’re all horsin’ around! If you’re coming, see you…now!

After avoiding the Santa Claus thing last year, tonight our — just shy by a week — near five year-old tonight asked who the red man on the sleigh in the sky was. She pressed me this time and I couldn’t spin it as I have in years past. Nope, this time she knew it was something and that I knew the answer. To put an end to the Marine like questioning, I told her I would tell her at bed time when Joshua wasn’t around as it was not appropriate for his little ears to hear it. She agreed and stopped her interrogation of her poor old daddy.

Come bed time, we said our prayers, kissed good night, and out I was from her bedroom. Out but not off the hook. It took a minute, but she called for me as I sat in my office. I walked in and asked what she needed. She then asked, “Remember that man in the sky?” “Yes sweetie, I remember,” I drudgingly replied. “Are you going to tell me who he is now?”

So I told Katelyn that he was a make believe person that doesn’t exist. His story did come from a real man, I assured her, but people didn’t feel comfortable talking about him due to the Jesus conotation and added to his story until it was just all fiction. I further explained that many people no longer celebrate Christmas for the true reason and do the Santa thing instead. I explained to her that Liz and I did not tell her and Joshua about Santa because it would be lying to them and the Bible tells us not to lie. While I know some Christian families do do the Santa thing, our family’s personal conviction is that is plain and simple deception and that is not right.

In fear that she may respond to someone asking her if she was ready for Santa, I laid a foundation for her in response to such a question. I told her that we simply say, “Oh, we celebrate Jesus’ birth and are excited about it.” This would be a great way to witness to someone who may not really know Jesus, is what I told her. She smiled and liked that.

So, what will she do with her new found knowledge that many kids don’t find out until twice her age? I don’t know. I hope she doesn’t abuse her power and go off putting out the fires with her water, but rather ignite fires for Jesus. I really think the later will be the end result.

(PS: Of course Joshua is going to find out from his sister’s responses and most likely slip of the lip, so his enlightenment may come sooner then his older sisters. )

Originally posted on The Dad’s Group

Yesterday Joshua came to Liz inquiring about his gum. He told her, “I don’t know where my gum is.”

She replied, “Joshua, you need to find your gum. Where is it?”

“I think on my back,” came his answer.

“No, buddy, I don’t think it’s on your back. Go back and find your gum.”

Joshua turned around running off to find his gum. That’s when Liz saw square on his back a large piece of gum. Just like he said!

Joshua really, really, wants a Little People man for his tractor. Katelyn has all the men and I asked her to choose one to give to Joshua. She gave him one and he started crying because it wasn’t the one with the hard hat.

When I asked to him to come over and explain his problem, he told me that his sister gave him the Noah. I told him that Noah was a man and Joshua said he wasn’t. When I asked what Noah was, he cried out, “Deeeaaaad.” LOL, too funny!

Katelyn wrote this story today. I simply put her story into type.

Dear JoJo’s,

I love you.

Once upon a time, there was a little girl and a rabbit. They had a barn. The barn was really big. The girls name was Cornfield. The rabbit’s name was Lucky Foot.

The next day Cornfield remembered it was her birthday. When they looked out the house window, they saw a cow in the barn. Then they went downstairs to eat breakfast and wash dishes.

Then they went to the barn and saw father in the barn. They asked him, “What is that cow for?” Father said, “It is for you. Instead of milk, it squeezes out chocolate milk! You should hurry in, it’s almost cake time!”

Can you determine which character I named?