Let them eat cake.

I have always enjoyed the first birthday party when the baby gets his first chance to eat his own cake. This time though it was different. He really didn't want to dig in. I even put his hands in it a couple of times and he reared back. He'd eat it if I put a fork into his mouth but otherwise didn't really dig in. So unlike my other children. What's funny is that the next day he sure shoved it in. I'm wondering if he's just shy and didn't want to do it in front of others. Wonder who that's like?


Now these girls know how to eat cake. One is my niece Lily who definitely joined in the 1st birthday delight when it was her turn. Green icing matches her clothes. Sohaila is a daughter of a former student of mine (ESL) who really enjoys her cake too. They are both two now. Maybe Liam can get lessons from them about how to let go and really enjoy!

Liam's Birthday Part 1

Well we spent the day at the park celebrating Liam's birthday. The first part of the day we had a obstacle course game that Dana led the kids in. It was fun. The kids tried to go through the tents and things as fast as possible. The other game was sticker tag. We had planned on some water games but it was such a cool day that we didn't think that wise. People from all over the country came. Brett and Thea came from Chicago. Kim came with her family from Tennessee. It was great seeing family and friends. With it being at the park I didn't have to clean my house. Whoo hoo.

Sunday, sunday!

On Sundays we try to do something as a family after church but lately the weather has been so rotten so we haven't been able to do much. The weather was great this past Sunday so we did what we always like to do...go creekwalking. The kids love it. Since they paved the path back there a lot of people show up but no matter...we have fun anyway.
Liam enjoyed playing with the rocks Bill provided him with. We find fossils back there sometimes. Once we found a whole dog skeleton and a petrified bone of a horse that was about 300 years old (according to an archeology professor friend). Austin always says that Sundays are his favorite day, I would have to agree with him.

One day I was sewing and look what I saw!

It was ELmo. The kids think this outfit is adorable. Liam's opinion is mixed. Sometimes he likes it and other times he hates it being on his head. He loves bending down so you can't see him and then when you ask "Where's Liam!" He pops up and says, "That!" or something that sounds like it. I was sewing when he snuck up on me and popped up with his little outfit on. How could I keep sewing with such cuteness around?

One day he won't be wearing such outfits so I'm enjoying snapping the pictures while I can.

A request!

I was told that former students of mine from Robbins, IL are reading my blog. I'm so excited. Whoever you are...I'd love to hear from you. I'm actually writing a book about my experiences there. Don't be shy okay? Email me at wendy.william@att.net.

Also, I changed my comments acceptance so anyone can comment now. If you've tried and been unsuccessful at commenting now is your chance! I love to get feedback. If your comment is rude or innappropriate then I will have to delete you!

Do the Hard Thing

I love to read and I really love to read exciting books. The one I just read and am going to review for you is very exciting. It's called Do Hard Things by Brett and Alex Harris. They are teens who are writing a book to teens. They encourage rebellion. What? You say. YOu like a book about teen rebellion? My answer? Yes!

They're encouraging teens to rebel against low expectations that adults put on them. They're encouraging rebellion against a culture that says to just play around and entertain your desires rather than make a significant contribution. This is a message that I would have loved to gravitate towards when I was a teen. It's imperative that every teen who loves the Lord get a copy of this book and READ it. I think that teens will enjoy a book that's written by teens rather than parents telling them what to do. It's a chance to channel that need to strike out on their own but to do so productively rather than destructively. It's something I've been saying for years about the myth of adolescence and this isane obesession we have with youth.

The authors encourage teens to strike out beyond their comfort zone and make contributions to society through serving the Lord. They encourage teens to rely on the Lord to do this. They apparently have quite a following on their blog and have followed their own advice by getting involved in politics and the Alabama Supreme Court.

I have a copy to give away. You need to comment on my post and I will draw a name on Friday and send it to you. Happy Reading.

Say hello to free money!

Here's a great deal. There's a new company that's offering $25 for opening a new account with them. They're FDIC insured and are trying to compete with paypal. If you do a lot of online shopping it's nice to have and these guys don't charge fees the way paypal does. Let's give paypal a run for their money! If you click the button below and sign up I get $10 and you get $25. Not a bad deal huh? If you do sign up, let me know so I can thank you. Then you can refer friends and get $10 per referral too. The offer is only good until April 15th so don't delay!

I just found out that they are extending the deadline so you can sign up until May 15th! Hurry! Hurry!

More Lego Fun!

Austin is really excited about his new lego creations. The first one is the Empire State building. He was on a kick to copy famous buildings. He did the Eiffel Tower too. The second one is his entry in the latest lego.com contest. It's supposed to be a combined alien and human technology endeavor and he had to write an essay too. If he wins he gets a lego set of his choice up to $100 dollar value. Whoo-hoo.

He's going to start his own lego club too. He's been inviting children on his own to it. It's so wonderful to see him come out of his shy shell.

Such a sweet face

I just love pictures like this. He has such a sweet face that I know it will be hard to discipline him when he's older. My heart melts. The other day he bit me and I yelled, "Ow!" and swatted him on the arm. He bowed his head down, buried his face in my lap, and tightly shut his eyes like he was trying to hide from me. It was really cute. I think he's teething again because he wakes up at least once or twice a night. Fortunately he goes back to sleep after I turn on his mobile but I hope he stops before the new little one comes!

Just Hangin Around

In case you haven't noticed...my kids like to clown around. We were playing on the bed one day and I snapped some photos. These are the two children that look the most different but they are definitely kindred spirits. Liam laughs and acts goofy whenever Dylan is around and Dylan gets a big kick out of his new audience. He also appreciates not being the baby of the family anymore. I've noticed him maturing in ways that have come naturally. He apologizes on his own, offers to help more, and is very protective of his little brother. I hope they will always be good friends like they are now.

Happy Birthday Taylor!

Here's a picture of Taylor riding one of Liam's toys for his pleasure. I can't believe she's twelve now. Soon she'll be driving and who knows what else??? So far we're enjoying this sweet time with her as she's starting to discover new things about herself and her new world. It's such a pleasure to see her with Liam and to have her offer help with other things when she can. Now that she has new rollerblades she can cruise the neighborohood with her brothers. They all love her...whenever she's around it's a party. She has great fashion sense too. You should see all of her new clothes...her relatives know what she likes. I predict she will develop into a fine young woman.