Learning to Share

You know as parents we occasionally have to learn a few lessons along the way from our dear children. Isn't it wonderful? I will answer for you...not really!

Learning to share can sometimes be one of those lessons. Although I really don't think it is fair to say us mothers have to learn this lesson. We are pretty much thrown into sharing regardless of how we feel about it. I always say I don't know how I can have problems losing weight because I have to share every meal and snack and drink I have (sometimes with 3 people instead of the usual 2). Sometimes it would be nice to eat in peace, but I have to say when I get that sweet little "Tank You Mommy," or that cute little grin it is all worth it.

When Evie was a baby, John Reagan and I started getting a slice of pizza and coke when we would go to Sam's. We would sit down and have a good mother/son time. Evie was always with us, but she would be in her car seat in the cart. As she grew she joined us at the table, and we began to split our pizza 3 ways. Sometimes Daddy would join us. This habit quickly became a fun family time. This family time has not been happening much here lately. We live about 35-40 minutes from the nearest Sam's, and Mommy has been making the usual trip while out for my doctor visits. Needless to say, the kiddos have been missing out.

While we were in Tennessee, we had to go to Sam's for something, and we made a point to have our family pizza and coke time. As is typical of our trips to Sam's this is what happened to Mommy and Daddy's cokes when we got in the vehicle.

Needless to say, we were experiencing the valuable lesson of sharing. Aren't our kids the ones supposed to be learning this lesson? I guess we don't have to share, but it is so much easier when it means keeping the peace. I am sure you understand. Sharing is well worth the peace that follows.

Of course this next picture is a few days later when we were on our way home, but this is a good example of why sharing is worth it most of the time. I just love the grin on John Reagan's face. Of course Evie is thinking, "Really, do we have to have our picture taken right now."

I know that one day I will miss sharing my time and meals with my precious children, so I am thankful for the time I have with them. They grow way too fast. At least my usual sharing experiences only involve a possible tummy growl but usually not. You know how kids are: like us they only want the GOOD stuff...chocolate and coke.

Tennessee

YAY...pictures up from our trip to Tennessee. We had so much visiting everyone and catching up. As usual with our friends, it felt like we had never left. Even riding around town felt like we were home and it was a normal day. If we missed you this visit, we are so sorry. Wish we could have fit everyone in. One thing we realized after our visit is we are going to have to do it more often. We have let life get in the way this year. Of course I can go through the list of why our trip was put off so long, but those things do not matter. We definitely need to learn when to slow down and take time with our friends. We miss all of you greatly.

I just love this group picture. It is the epitome of how things are when we are able to spend time with everyone. Kelsey and Kristin, I don't know what happened to you two swapping during pictures so we could get both of you in. At least I did get some separate ones of you Kelsey.

When it came to the kid's pictures, there were so many with the kids spread out everywhere till I decided to spare you.

I had to put this one in because John Reagan had so much fun. When we got in the car to leave, Greg asked him if he had fun with all his old friends. He said, "Their not old friends Daddy, their new (whatever that means)." All I know is we have heard non-stop about how he remembers doing this or that in Tennessee. While we were there he wanted to know why we were going to "our" Sam's and "our" grocery store. He started in about remembering something last night. I said, "Buddy, you miss Tennessee, don't you?" His response: "Yea I do, I'm ready to move back there." Of course he thinks we will go back to the same house and everything. Sometimes I wish there was a video reel of what goes on in his mind. It would be interesting.

We also got individual pictures of everyone, but I just have to pick on 2 of them. These 2 pictures are like the group picture...Kristin and John to a tee. Love them! And love you 2 too!

Thanks to the Koffman's for putting up with us for 4 days and nights, and thanks everyone for coming out to see us. Again, if we missed you, we will definitely catch up with you next time. And if we saw you but didn't get to visit much, we will make up for that too. We love all of you and consider ourselves greatly blessed to call you friends.

An Unexpected Visitor

John Reagan was outside the other day supposedly picking up his toys when he started hollering at me that there was a bird by his golf club. Me being used to the hollering scenario responds with something like, "That's good," while I go about my business. I know all of you moms have been there before. John Reagan being the way he is kept on and kept on until I decided to go check it out. Sure enough he was right, and this is what I found.

A baby hummingbird.

At least I think he/she is a baby. I have seen a hummingbird nest before, and I am pretty sure the little guy here wouldn't fit in it anymore. But he still didn't have a lot of color to him besides a line of green down his back. So the assumption remains...a baby. I left him alone for a little while until I got to thinking about the cats around the neighborhood, including our own. I decided to take him to the hummingbird feeder in the backyard hoping his mommy would find him there.

We do have a frequent visitor to the feeder, but he is a male. The male did show up later in the afternoon, and the two had some type of discussion no doubt about baby invading his space. We don't know what became of baby, but he was gone by the next morning. After reading a little about hummingbirds, we are hopeful mommy reunited with baby. He was nowhere to be found.

John Reagan really enjoyed him while he was around. As a matter of fact, it brought his nurturing side out even more. The next day he found a cricket in the house. We had to make cricket a nest to sleep in, and cricket slept on Daddy's nightstand. Thankfully for Daddy John Reagan had already played with cricket enough till his legs no longer worked. I am sure you get my drift. We put cricket in the backyard the next morning.

Evie pays a little bit of attention to all this nurturing going on, but she would just as soon go about her own business. We bought John Reagan (ahem...Daddy) a Wii not too long ago since we still haven't gotten the television hooked up. Daddy and Brother have been busy bees playing around. Evie as usual could care less about all the excitement going on. As a matter of fact, the same night we found birdie, she said she had had enough of all the excitement. She got Daddy's pillow, laid it smack dab in the middle of Daddy and Brother and proceeded to pass out. Daddy looked down to find this.

Unfortunately for us she took it as only cat nap time. Fun times!

If you are a Tennessean, the next time you will be hearing from us will hopefully be face to face. Yay! We leave tomorrow and are looking forward to seeing all of you. The excitement runneth over in the Hasley House. See you soon!