Football Stance

I can always tell which football player is my son by the way he is standing on the sidelines. Hand is on his hip and his left leg is over his right. This boy loves football. He loves sports. He would play every sport if we let him.

Let It Go!

You have to give me props. I did something pretty fab last night for my three little boys. Sommer is on the swim team at the Freedom Center and has practice on Monday and Friday nights (Ethan is too but he just goes on Mondays). The plan for Friday night is usually me taking Sommer and then I swim laps while she practices with her team.

I have noticed that it is family swim on Friday nights. That means the water slide is open (I am foreshadowing here), the whirlpool, and dumping water buckets in the main pool are all there waiting for kids to play.

I decided it was high time to take the little ones with me so they could enjoy a night of swimming fun. Calvin has football practice each Friday night...so he is already a busy man, doing what he loves best. Garth and I had gone back and forth if I should take Ashton with us or he should go with Garth to football. I didn't want him to miss out, so I insisted he join us.

The boys were so excited when they saw the "water park." Laughter and joy rippled along the waters as they splashed and played. UNTIL...the water slide was spotted. Ethan and Tate both bolted up the stairs with huge smiles and big eyes. And then, dear Ashton did too. I run over to him (by this point I am so cold from the water's temperature and who doesn't just love running around the pool deck in a swim suit...ugh!) and try to gently explain (in my sweetest mother voice) that he isn't tall enough to go down the slide (since this is my fifth kid, I have gone through stuff like this with each kid and it breaks me heart). TANTRUM number 1 begins and I understand his pain. I decide to go ahead and let him climb up the stairs to ask the lifeguard if he can go down the slide. Up we go (cringe...swim suit), get answer of "sorry, no." TANTRUM number 2 begins. This one is louder. I have to pull his hands from the bars to get him down. Eyes are on me. People are thinking, "I am so glad that isn't me. Poor Mother. But I wonder how she is going to deal with that child." I am patient as I pry his hands off the bars and carry him back down the stairs. I do my best to explain why he can't go down. We walk over to the "rules" sign and I read all of the pool rules. He wonders why there are so many. I have calmed him. Whew. Back into the pool we go. Ethan and Tate come over and we play in the swirling whirl pool. We are having fun! And then, Ethan and Tate decide it is slide time again. Off they go. Ashton starts to cry again. Loudly. TANTRUM number 3. This cycle goes on throughout the 2 hours we were there. But everyone had fun. Even Ashton. Even me. Tantrums and all.

Fast forward to 2 am this morning. I hear screams from the back room. I quickly jump out of bed to see who is crying. It is Ashton. I gently say in his ear, "What is wrong? Are you having a bad dream?"

"NO!" he cries.

"Do your legs hurt?" I say.

"NO!" he muddles through his screams.

"Then why in the world are you crying!" I am starting to lose it just a bit at this point.

He then says, "Because I want to go down the water slide!!!!"

Oh Brother child, LET IT GO!

Side note: I loved, loved, loved the hot tub...for adults only...and when Sommer came back from swim team, she watched Ashton so I could thaw.

Need To Do This More Often

Having lunch with the kids at school is something I totally need to do more often. Today was Tate's day. As I walked into the school to sign in, I saw his class coming down the hall. His teacher winked at me and said, "Tate has been talking about your lunch date all day." I then saw Tate's eyes light up when we saw me standing there. He then said, "Do you have my McDonald's?" So typical.

He grabbed my hand and we walked to the lunch room. He wanted to eat outside (you can do this when your mom is with you). We went to a little table and ate our tasty (and oh so healthy) lunch. Ethan ran over when he saw us (he was at recess) and drank all of my diet Coke and half of Tate's fries. He then gave me a big hug and asked when it would be his turn.

It was fun to see so many kids from the neighborhood and church waving (have to say...kind of a celebrity was I) at me and saying, "Hi Mrs. Porter!"

I totally need to do this more often!

Holding Hands

I took the kids for a walk on Sunday afternoon. While Sommer, Ethan and Tate raced ahead playing a wondeful make believe game, Ashton and I took up the rear. He asked to hold my hand since he kept "getting tripped by mean sticks" (roots). So there we were in a quiet little forest nestled in a bustling area, holding hands. I thought how quickly children out grow the wonderful stage of hand holding, replacing it quickly with friends and other more "cool" things. But I still have a hand holder who is content walking along, with his Mom, seeing two deer that obviously had been scared off by the kids up ahead on the trail who were playing loudly, talking about simple things in a day where simple isn't so easily recognized. I can't believe his small hands will someday be out grow mine and be strong like his father's. And then he will have the opportunity to hold a small hand and understand the feeling I had when I held his little one.

Our Queen Bee

I have mentioned our sweet neighbor Brittany before in the past, but after spending the day with her at their 3rd Annual "Queen Bee Golf Marathon," for research on her disease (NBIA), I wanted to post again. To see us giving her our love click here.


A Bee?” You ask…you wonder, “Why?”
It’s because the bee wasn’t meant to fly!
Its body is too big for its tiny wings –
But no one told the bee such a silly thing!
So it lifts its body with wings too small
And buzzes on by to show us all
That faith in the One who created you
Is what gives you strength for what you must do.
What is the lesson for you and me?
We must “BEE THE ONE” HE has called us to bee.

Colleen Corrado


I got a little upset today with my kids. Actually I did this more than once. I don't know why I can't be a bit more patient, more grateful for their uniqueness and the amazing people they are becoming. I think about Brittany often and the sacrifices she has made to come to earth. She has a body that is not perfect and will not do the things she asks of it. Yet she is happy. She is joyful. Sommer loves her dearly. And we love her too. My neighbor told me about their next fundraising event and an amazing video that was made on behalf of their family. After my most selfish attitude day, I was humbled beyond words. You will be touched by this amazing family too: Click The Leaps the view.

We Get Chase

We get Chase Merrill! Michelle and Jason are going on a little anniversary trip to New York City (and David Letterman too)! We are lucky enough to have Chase stay with us while they are off enjoying some kid free time...AHHH!

Tate and Ashton are so excited. Chase will be sleeping with them in their room. They already have stories planned for bedtime and special toys picked out just for her!

I keep asking Michelle how to care for a one year old...I have totally FORGOTTEN what that entails. My kids are at that stage where I don't have to do much except provide "snacks." Do your kids do that? Mine come in, ask for a snack. I then say, dinner is ready. They look utterly disappointed. So they reluctantly eat the dinner. Then they ask for the previously requested snack. This cycle then goes on throughout the day...

We have some fun things planned for our little lady of the house. I will definitely be posting pictures.

Power, Strokes, and Stain (and the snake)

Here is what I did the past two days: After opening the basement door and realizing the stairwell was disgusting...

I call our lovely neighbors who let me borrow their power washer. Before even starting the power washer, I noticed a snake on the basement stairs. Other lovely neighbor to the rescue, who then wrangled the snake and saved my nerves. I began power washing our basement stairwell (and kept looking for more snakes). This is an impossible feat if you want to stay dry. I was soaked from head to toe (with not only water but that green goo). Next I figured I should go ahead and tackle the deck. So off to power washing the deck. The force of the water blasting the weak, old, barely hanging on white paint caused most of it to fly off. Therefore, painting the deck rails was necessary, so off to Lowes for me for painting supplies. After that I figured staining the deck would "seal" the deal.

I feel like I am a squirrel preparing for winter....going "nuts" and all.