Birthday Celebration and outside fun!!!

As most of you already now, it was Logan's third birthday last week. Mike was unable to be home on the actual day so we celebrated when Mike was home this past weekend. I decided to make a monster truck cake and opening the rest of the presents would happen too. This cake was a lot easier because I bought a mold (that I know I will use again and maybe others) and I used chocolate donuts for the wheels. The car cake had to be propped up with other cake to make it "higher" for the monster truck effect. It was a lot of fun to make and Logan enjoyed seeing the creation come to life! Definitely was a lot of cake left over which Mike took back to training with him this week! Enjoy all the pictures!

HHe enjoyed us singing to him! He was singing to himself all day long!

Blowing out his candles! Happy Birthday love!

A little tribute to Austin. He is such a character and has been growing up so much! He is starting to have his own personality when it comes to playing with his brother. He always tries to kiss him and lay on Logan. It just ends up the other way around! Austin loves to slide down and climb up at the same time. Always has the biggest smile on his face! He enjoys sitting on the chair and can climb in it himself. Such a little man! Some updates for him is that his top molars have started to break through and now we can give him a whole new bunch of food! He signs more and milk with such pride and we are going to work on please and thank you now. He loves to bring me toys to play with and gets upset when I don't sit down to play. He will sit in my lap to make sure I stay there. He loves blocks right now and is actually getting pretty good and connecting them together (kinda like big legos). It is so nice that the weather has gotten better because I can't wait to go to the beach with two walking and playing little ones!

Logan got a cowboy outfit from Mike's Grandparents for his birthday. So cute! He loves to wear the hat so he looks like Woody from Toy Story.

Mike got him a t-ball set to start playing sports with him! It will take a little while for Logan to get the hang of it, but I love the Father - Son time it brings! I love how happy and excited Logan is in the pictures below!

Here Logan is saying "cheese" and I am trying to get a picture of him and his new watch...he is so proud of it!

I also bought a bubble gun (they are so cheap!) and he has had a blast with it! Otis loves to chase and eat the bubbles so we all get a kick out of it. So great he can do it all on his own!

Trying to get a family photo (not sure why this text is so big?)

One last picture of me and the love of my life!!!

Is thinking my thing....?

So life has been happening, just day by day. Mike training, Mike home, boys playing, boys sleeping, vacuuming upstairs, vacuuming downstairs...just going on and on. I love being and am so content being a SAHM and SAHW. The work and purpose of raising these boys is so great, hard, and will be so rewarding. But I know and have a purpose so much greater than me or anything that I could ever do. (emphasis on the "I") How often do I really get out of my comfort zone? How much do I reach out and do the nudges that God gives me? Sometimes I just sit in bed and wonder, what is going to go wrong. Life is sooo good right now, or seems to be so good, that I am just waiting for the time that I will need to rely on the Lord with every ounce and prayer that I have. As selfish as this may sound, when I was in elementary school, I used to wish that I would break my arm or leg, or have something tragic happen to me so that I would have a testimony or more of a "reason" for relying on God. Sometimes that haunting feeling creeps back to me late at night (although now I don't wish something bad would happen, I fear it). HOWEVER, I have seen God's work in my life and those around me, so I know that I have relied on Him and He has been faithful.

So I have decided that I am going to use this time, until God calls me to show His glory through hardships, to study His Word, to reach inward and be truly motivated to reach out. I have learned lately that I have some great purposes here on earth. I have also learned that I need to work on them! Please share with me your callings and purposes and how you have learned them or even achieved them. What do you want to work on? For me right now, it is going to be working on being an honest and emotion wearing person. To share what Jesus reveals to me and to not be ashamed to share with others. What do I have to loose?

Logan's Birthday Day...

Logan's day yesterday was pretty low key, but I kept the excitement up by singing frequently to him Happy Birthday to which he would tell me every time "mommy don't sing!". He tried to blow up his balloons, opened one gift from us (Toy Story 1) and Grandma and Papa got to watch him eat his cupcake over the internet. Thank God for technology! The cupcakes I made yesterday were for his school today to share with his friends. He was so excited to share, especially with his teachers. Got some left over if any one wants some!!!

Logan Rodney Morris

As my oldest son is getting older, I am grateful he isn't at an age yet where I feel old because of his age. Three years is getting older, but it's not 5 or even 10! Anyways, my little man's birthday was today and we had fun with it! As he gets older he obviously understands more and more. Unfortunately Mike couldn't be here today to celebrate with us, so we didn't go anything real big, but will wait till this weekend to open presents and make another 3D cake! Tonight I did make some cupcakes for his class tomorrow which is really fun making something special for him for his school...now that makes me feel old!

I knew Logan turned three today because during our play time tonight he ran into the bathroom and I called out asking what he was doing (usually announces he has to go potty), Logan answers: "I am going pee mommy!" Me: "Do you need help?" Logan: "No mommy, I do NOT need help". And he did it all...all of it, pants pulling, sitting down, flushing, pants up, all by himself! What a big guy! He has been saying so many full sentences and it is fun to hear what he has to say...I will have to start writing down more what he says so I can remember! I know he is very interested in the lights when we drive. He constantly tells me what color the light is and if it is a circle or arrow. He even knows on a left turn that I have to wait for the cars to go by first! Silly guy. He still loves puzzles and monster trucks, still runs into Austin when he walks by (but now Austin can hold his own better), they wrestle and laugh together. Logan has a gentle heart yet is very adventurous when Daddy is around. He is starting to get a grasp on the Lord by remembering verses that we share with him and doing a devotion every once and awhile. He is so special to us and I am so grateful to have him as our first son. As much as people say it is actually "terrible threes" I am still so excited to see what this year holds for us.

Some friends of ours told us about this song that is playing on the playlist and it totally melted my heart. I am so glad that Mike has Logan AND Austin now. If my sons are anything like Mike, they are going to be incredible, loving, Godly, humorous, and amazing....

"He's gonna love me and hate me along the way
Years are gonna fly by I already dread the day
Hes gonna hug hes momma hes gonna shake my hand..." Brad Paisley

Logan is (in order) 4 days old, 15 months, 7 or 8 months, and 2 years.

I took these pictures the other day of my silly boy. Such great faces!

Sham Rock On!!!

Today was the big day! Got up early this morning and got us all ready for a morning at the beach. This will have been my 3rd time running 5 miles and I wanted to get a good time, or at least get a time better than my last. I realized however, that this 8K race isn't that big of a challenge for some people. People hadn't really trained and weren't running all that fast. During and after the race I felt an inner challenge and desire to run longer and more! To keep challenging myself and pushing myself. I know there is a half marathon coming up in September I might try and do...only time will tell! Here are a couple pictures of my day!

I also want to say thank you from the tips of my heart to everyone who encouraged me to no end. All you guys have made me feel like I could run 10 miles today and that is a feeling that I haven't had before. Your support and love toward me shone through and helped me run faster and faster. Thank you for loving me! To those who donated money, I know many people are going to be so grateful for those generous gifts. Who knows, perhaps someday I will know someone very close to me who has cancer and I will look back and think about all of you who supported the cause. You are all so awesome!!!

My goodie bag, the t-shirt for the day, my race number, and team jersey!

The date I have been waiting for!

The purple team! These are some of the girls from our Crosscurrent (church) team. The girl on the second to the left is Erin. She has cheered me on and encouraged me on my training saturdays. Also, God has given us some amazing conversations!

The start line!!!

Mike saw me at the start!

Logan and Austin waiting during the race! It was a BEAUTIFUL day! First day in the 70's of the year!

Such a great shot of me...NOT! But I am crossing the finish line!!!

Me after the race in my Shamrock gear!!! So many people dress up for this race and wear green head to toe!!!

Getting lucky!

Thank you again, so much, for you guys my wonderful friends who have supported me so much. My wonderful husband who wanted to run with me, but had to a dad instead. Mike ran with me so much to help me train, and in the end I may have beat him!!! HA!

oh the humor...

something funny logan said today.

I was changing Austin in his room and Logan said he had to pee. His stool and seat were in my bathroom all the way down the hall, so i told him to go potty by himself and i would be right there. Sometimes when i don't make it to him in time to supervise or he gets flustered when he can't get his pants off quick enough, he ends up peeing in his underwear right in front of the toilet. well, that is what happened today. So i told him it was ok, and he can still try and pee. So he sat down and in a frantic voice said..."it's not coming! I want a new pee!"

funny kid...maybe next time you can have a new pee. love my little logan.

Inside Slide...

It was so beautiful this past week, but with the wonderful jets, we were unable to enjoy the outside. So mike brought it inside! The slide is a little small for Logan but that didn't slow him down. Austin also learned how to climb up the back and slide on down! Yes, I was a bit nervous at one point in the clip, but that is because he almost fell backward off the slide. Anyways, it was a lot of fun!

Some thoughts, stories, and a few pictures!

There has been lots on my mind lately, but one thing that seems so awesome to me (and this may be random) is how fitting Jesus's job was before he started preaching....a Carpenter! Think about what a Carpenter does. He created things, pieces of furniture, from scratch. Carved them, fit the pieces together so intricately. He had the plans in His head before the creations were created. Just like us, He created us, weaved us together before time began! A Carpenter creates pieces of furniture for a purpose, to serve others, to be a reason for doing something. Just like us, we are created for a purpose bigger than ourselves. The pieces of furniture are many small pieces made up into one large one. Just like there are many Christians making up one body. My favorite part is this...that when the Carpenter sees an imperfection, or sees that something needs to be fixed, he sands the wood, touches the wood with his hands lovingly to make sure the part of the wood is perfect. He then stains or paints the wood to create a beautiful masterpiece. Jesus has sanded down my imperfections, reached in a lovingly touched my heart and sees me as a masterpiece because of the blood shed for me (the stain or paint covering my sins/imperfections) God is so smart sometimes I just smile and am in such awe of the perfect plan He has had from the beginning!

A FEW FIRSTS

1-I french braided my hair for the first time this weekend! When I looked up how online it said to not do it with wet hair and not in the mirror...well, I did it with damp hair and had to have a mirror...my arms were killing me (those of you who can d

o it are probably laughing) but I was so proud of myself!

2-Logan played outside in the backyard by himself for the first time this weekend! We had beautiful weather and Logan was so stoked to be outside. He had a great playmate, Otis, and they played and played.

3-Logan also had an accident this weekend for the first time in months! It was so strange because he had two accidents right in a row...I have chalked it up to him playing outside and not wanting to come inside to use the potty.

4-I ran 5 miles in 45:39. Can't believe it....!!!

Anyways, the Morris family is doing well. Mike is going away for a couple of weeks for some training soon, hopefully he will be back for the weekend of my 8K and then have to go back to training. Austin is enjoying his new walking freedom and doesn't seem to mind that he tips over almost as many times as he steps! He enjoys "talking" on the phone and I swear he is saying "hello". Logan and Austin have been playing together so nicely lately, mostly making big messes with their pretend food, but hey, at least they are loving each other! We just bought tickets to a Monster Truck Show on the Beach in May. A special date that Mike and I will take Logan on. We were wanting to rent a hotel room with a view of the show for that weekend, but they are all booked...probably booked since the last show! We have also bought tickets to see NeedtoBreathe...a Christian group. They are awesome and have really enjoyed running to their music. We are pumped to get to go to another concert, Mike and I really enjoy those times and always come back refreshed mostly because the music is all about glorifying God! I am stoked to run the 8k in 8 days and have already gotten some "Shamrock" gear to wear during the race. I have been very blessed to have reached my donation goal, actually exceeded it! Thank you to all who donated and supported me and the Lymphoma and Leukemia society! You guys ROCK! Anyways, Austin is awake, so I must go!

I love this picture because it is typical Austin with his phone, and Logan climbing (doing something he shouldn't)
The boys playing together

My almost 3 year old!

He has some pretend food in his hand...I think it is a radish

typical walking stance for Austin...pointing his fingers for balance

The Hurt Locker

What does Hurt Locker mean? Well, it means to be in a place with a lot of pain, or harmful box...basically Mike told me that if you were near a bomb and it went off, you would be in a Hurt Locker or in a lot of pain. I know that Mike would kill me if he knew I was posting on this, even though he will find out, I thought as an EOD wife I should clear some air about the movie. I am glad and interested that it won best picture at the Oscars. Didn't really expect that. We watched the movie in Jan and I thought it was good...very different and interesting. The main character is one of those guys on the team that you would hate to have. No teamwork, in it for himself. Even though he disarms all these crazy bombs, he is ignorant as to how it is affecting the rest of the team. In this I find it unrealistic. Now, don't get me wrong, I am sure those kinds of bombs exist and those situations have happened before, but there are protocols and certain ways to disarm the bombs, not just "lets go!". Anyways, I don't know enough about the EOD job to say anything important...just a wife! One thing that did scare me about the whole movie is what seemed like a lack of security. I mean, Mike and many other techs are out in the open disabling bombs while the Iraqi people can watch and sometimes video tape! I don't know what it is like there, but I pray there is more security than what I saw! I think it is a neat movie, however, I know Mike would disagree...and I can understand how frustrating would it be for me to watch one of the only movies about motherhood that totally misrepresented the whole thing! It was a good action movie and had a lot of intense scenes! Mike said they did represent the country and location fairly accurately. Let me know what you guys think if you have seen it!

New on my wish list...

I probably collect slings or carriers like some people do purses or shoes. I have acquired about 4 since Logan was born, two were given to me and 2 I bought. I swear by the Baby Bjorn and the Moby Wrap, but I have learned that both of those are meant more for younger babies and once they hit 23lbs like my chunky Austin, then it can be hard to carry them that way. At our church there are many, MANY families with many little ones. They all have their creative ways of toting around their kids and one gal who is about 9 months pregnant carries her toddler on her back with one of these carriers shown below. I was like, if a very pregnant woman could comfortably carry her large child (probably 2 year old), I could comfortably carry Austin! I have come to the conclusion that the carrier may ease many of my outings that I do by myself with the boys. Especially with Mike gone training and then deployment I could use the help! (today's grocery shop sent me over the top!). I am praying and hoping that maybe a new carrier may ease my issues, but only time will tell right?

I have narrowed it down to these two awesome carriers that can also carry the child in the front. Neither of them wear like the Baby Bjorn when a child is in the front and forward facing. If the child is in the front then they have to face the wearing adult. But the Baby Bjorn and Moby Wrap do not carry on the back for heavier kids. I don't know if I will want to tote around a 45 lb (the limit) child, but at least it would be an option! It would just be like carrying a high school backpack full of books! Right?!?!? Anyways, I am going to research the reviews and try and get a good deal, AND of course if Mike says it is ok. I will let you know! Which one do you guys like based on the pictures...which one looks more comfortable for me or for Austin?

This one is called the BabyHawk Oh Snap! and to me looks the most comfortable and easy to get on.

Another view of the BabyHawk

This is a Beco and is the kind the gal at church wears. What do you all think?