Friday, June 27, 2008

Camp Carolina, 2008

We spent June 16-20 with several churches' youth groups in Banner Elk, North Carolina. It was quite a feat getting two under two up there (a 10-12 hour drive, depending on traffic and emergency "run around the gas station parking lot because you're driving us crazy with your pent-up energy" stops). On the way up, we wisely left at 3am Monday morning, and it was quite a tolerable trip. But on the way back, we got off to a late start because of two boys who decided not to sleep the night before, and drove all day. With Iain awake all day, save one blessed quiet hour. It was rough.

But camp was nice. Despite the craziness of being out of our routine, eating most meals in a cafeteria (good food, hard logistics with little guys), and Jeremy playing drums morning and night, for the most part, we had a good time. The weather was absolutely beautiful, and so was the town. Our quad, referred to by Iain as "Lid House" meaning little house, had a deck overlooking a creek backed by mountains. Painfully beautiful. I wanted to stay there in the cool weather and beautiful mountains forever!

The boys and I spent a lot of our time in the back of the auditorium while Jeremy and the rest of the camp band practiced or played.







This was fun:


We got to hang out with many friends, and went swimming twice. Those things, along with the nightly Drive the Bus ritual (a wacky and hilarious youth group song) were the highlight of Iain's trip.




(driving the bus)

Jeremy played some mean drums, and heard some kids leading small groups and doing a wonderful job. That was the highlight of his trip.


Cory ate and slept. He also got held by just about everybody and doted on to no end. That was the highlight of his trip.


The beautiful surroundings, and not cooking dinner, were the highlights of mine.

He's Just So Cute!

(June 11, 2008)








Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Favorite Songs

Today in the car we were listening to Raffi (Google him if you don't know who he is; he sings children songs). Iain LOVES him and always says "More...Raffi, more...raffi". Anyway, we got to one song, "Listen to the Horses Clipping Clopping." I had told Iain a few days ago that it was my favorite Raffi song. He said it was his, too (although I know he likes Sambalele best - pronounced sahm-ba-lay-lay. It's a West Indian traditional song.). Anyway, on with the story.

Today when the horse song came on, Iain, as predicted, said "Fave-rit." I asked whose favorite it was.

"Dod."

Apparently, God really likes Raffi. Sorry Matt Redman.

Friday, June 13, 2008

For the Record



...the baby record, that is. Here is the grand slam post to catch me up and make sure I've got the noteworthy (to me) things duly noted. Since this may be as close to a baby book as these boys get, I have to get it all in! So you have been warned! Stop now if you are faint of heart.

*Beach*
Iain's second (?) time; Cory's first. Iain was terrified of the water at first, but gradually got braver. He loved hanging with the cousins and especially being buried with Luke. This was from back in April, when the Bells were down.







*Playground*
Iain has mastered the plastic rock wall thing. My favorite part was when he pointed out the "B" in the graffiti carved into the top. (Funny note: the graffiti spells out the alphabet. If you want to do graffiti, I think you should have something more interesting to say than your ABC's. At least it's clean, though!).








*Funny Iain*
Sometimes a picture is worth... well, you know.




This is the table he set by himself! Well, he did the forks, his cup, the syrup, and the peanut butter. Pretty good getting one fork on each side, though, eh?



Here, he learns to make pizza. He dug the holes in the dough himself, a technique that has already caught on in fine culinary schools throughout Europe.



*Iain-isms*
Iain is now rhyming all the time. He came up with this by himself: he'll say a work (cup, sleep, buzz, etc) and then say as many words or sounds as he can think of that rhyme with it. Sometimes we go back and forth and he'll say one and then I'll say one. He does this for five or so minutes probably ten or fifteen times a day. Sometimes he plays this game quietly to himself, and I just overhear. Word games already! A genius!

He also has a Bible story he can tell now. Here's how it goes:
Me: One time, there was a big lake. What was in the lake?
Iain: Boat!
Me: And who was in the boat?
Iain: Jesus! (pronounced Gee-us)
Me: And what was Jesus doing in the boat?
Iain: Sleepin'!
Me: And there was a big storm, with lots of rain, and
Iain: Thunder!
Me: And?
Iain: Wind!
Me: And the disciples came to Jesus, and what did they say?
Iain: Wake up!
Me: That's right, they said "wake u"p because they were afraid they were going to
Iain: Dump!
Me: Yes, dump in the lake. So what did Jesus say?
Iain: Peace, be still. (Actually, it comes out "peez, be... kill." And he usually needs a reminder about the "peace.")
Me: And what happened to the rain?
Iain: All gone.
Me: And what happened to the wind?
Iain: All gone.
Me: And what happened to the thunder?
Iain: All gone. Stopped it. (sounds like "kopp-it")
Me: That's right. Who stopped it?
Iain: Iain! (the same answer every time!)
Me: No, Iain can't stop it. Can Daddy stop it?
Iain: No.
Me: Can Mommy stop it?
Iain: No.
Me: Can Iain stop it?
Iain: No.
Me: Who can stop it?
Iain: Jesus. God. ("Gee-us. Dod")

So cute! We tried to do the feeding of the 5000, but gave up when I couldn't convince Iain that the boy gave Jesus bread and fish, not "p-pum and dip," as he kept insisting. P-pum is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and dip is ketchup, syrup, dressing, or anything else that can be dipped into!

Going further into his theological training, Iain this morning asked God to play chase with him. Jeremy said that he hoped Iain would win. :) Then Iain ran up and down the hall once or twice. Maybe God was chasing him after all!

*Traffic Jam*
For some reason this sequence is funny to me. It shows the energy and craziness of these boys. In the car. Out of the car. You push it. Now I push it. Now both in a car. Out again. I'll crawl in the back. You get out now. I get in. And so on. And then there's Cory, counting down the days until he can play too.











*Cute Cory*
Cory is rolling and scooting all over. He'll be five months on Sunday! He still doesn't sleep through the night, in part I think because he's such a violent sleeper. He likes to roll to his tummy, and then he'll lift his head and throw it to one side, making his body roll quickly to that side. This often wakes him. Or he'll be on his back, scratching the blankets with his fingernails. Or he'll kick his feet together on the matress (slam! slam! slam!) startling himself and me awake. And oh, boy, does he love that jumpy!







He's a sunshiney one though. He always reaches for faces when being held, and loves to snuggle. He also likes to grab the hairs on the back of ones neck when snuggling and pull! He grabs his own hair, too.







Yes, he does chew on his toes. Iain never put his feet in his mouth, but Cory has been known to use his toes to pull his pacifier out of his mouth, and then stick his toes in there in its place.

He can put the pacifier back in most of the time, too. With his hands. What do you think he is, a monkey?


*Visit to Grammy and Papa*







Iain helped himself to scoops of the cherry topping off Jeremy's birthday pie!

*Epcot*
After a lot of long work days, Jeremy took a day off so we could go to the Epcot Flower and Garden Festival (thanks, Aunt Gloria!). We left Iain behind with Grace, as he wouldn't have made it very long, and took the more flexible Cory with us. We had a good time - Cory especially liked the Mariachi band in Mexico. Iain had a great time, too.







*The fort*
Every kid must have a fort like this for a few days after his parents bring something home in a box. Iain likes to read and play with his buddies in his.





*Where's Iain?*
This is what he has started yelling out whenever he wants to be found. :) He is a ham!




*Miscellaneous*










(Iain likes to sway like an elephant, and pick up imaginary food with his arm as the trunk. Last time we were at the zoo, he and Jeremy got to see the elephant show!)


(Mother's Day ice cream)



Whew! You made it! Give yourself a pizza trophy. Dig some holes in the dough if you REALLY want to be cool.