Squirrely Days and Chicken Nights

I've Moved!

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Wed, 16 Nov 2016 01:23:00 +0000

Exciting news! I've moved my blog!

Check it out at LegosAndLegacy.com
And thanks for stopping by!

One Step at a Time

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Mon, 14 Nov 2016 17:55:00 +0000

So I have a confession to make. I'm a HORRIBLE stay-at-home mom. Not so much in the sense that I lack the skills to take care of my house and kids, but in the sense that I'm not satisfied. The lack of adult conversation, the never-ending laundry cycle, and the mind-dulling monotony are all challenging for me. While I am CERTAIN that God wants me to spend some time at home taking care of Abie right now, I'm also pretty sure that I need an outlet for community and creativity. And since I love to write, blogging is a natural fit.

Honestly, the amount of laundry I deal with daily makes me wonder if there might be additional persons living here that
I haven't yet met.

I've been blogging off and on for 5 years now. Most of my entries have been ramblings about motherhood and stories of what my kids said or did. Recently, though, I've added in some reflections on Scripture, sharing some of what God is teaching me. And one thing God has really pounded into my brain lately is that He has created me with specific desires and gifts that are to be used for Him. So. I need to blog. I need to share my experiences, my challenges, and my "learnings" with others. Because that's one of the things God wants me to do right now.

As I've embarked on this new blogging journey, I've read countless articles and watched numerous video tutorials on how to launch a blog. Oh. My. Goodness. It's SO MUCH MORE complicated than I ever imagined. Like, buy a domain. Select a framework. Choose a child theme. Design your site. Activate plug-ins and edit your widgets. (WHAT THE HECK IS A WIDGET???!!!???).

Obviously, I'm in waaaaay over my head. So I ask 2 things of you:

#1. Read, smile, and support!
I hope you visit my new blog often, read what's there, and offer your positive feedback and support. I don't want to blog in a vacuum; I crave community!

#2. Be patient with me!
The site may not be super pretty or uber sophisticated. My links may not all work properly, and glitches may occur. I'm still learning - just taking it all one step at a time. (And if you happen to have expertise in the blogging world, feel free to HELP ME!)

So thanks for reading, following, and supporting me. I'll be back tomorrow to share the link for my new blog website! Be sure to check back then!!

Hungry, Thirsty, and Lost

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Mon, 07 Nov 2016 15:02:00 +0000

For some reason, the Israelites’ 40 years of desert wandering has always fascinated me, so I read about it often. Take a look with me at Deuteronomy 8:2:

“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness these forty years to humble and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.”

Ever wondered about this “testing your heart” business? God is all knowing, right? He already knew their hearts! So why the test? It occurs to me that maybe it was the people who needed to see their own hearts. God already knew, but maybe they needed a reality check. Maybe God wanted to put their faith to the test to show them how hollow it was. Or maybe God allowed difficulties to come their way in order to expose their prideful self-reliance. There’s nothing like wandering in the desert hungry, thirsty, and lost to make you realize your limitations.

Take a look at the next verse:

“He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but on the word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” Dt 8:3

Boom. There it is! God purposefully put the Israelites in a place of need so he could bring some things to light. Because only when they were hungry, thirsty, and lost could they truly see:

The emptiness of their faith

They knew the right words to say. They went through the right motions. But confessing trust with your mouth and living it with your life are two very different things.

Their spiritual bankruptcy.

Despite living a lifetime of devotion to God, they were still sinful and unable to faithfully follow him.

Their complete helplessness.

In the middle of the desert, they were totally helpless to feed or clothe themselves. There was absolutely nothing they could do to meet their own needs.

The limitless wealth of God.

Their hollow faith and selfish hearts had been exposed. Their need was obvious. And God’s provision was all that was left. Ironically, it was also all they needed.

The desert: a place of desolation and struggle. But that’s exactly where God wanted them. Because now they were humble and ready to depend on him. And God didn’t disappoint! Throughout every day of their desert wandering, God met their needs.

So what about me? What about you? Walking through a desert in your own life? Feeling lonely? Scrapping the bottom of the barrel financially? Lost and without direction? God sees you. And maybe you’re exactly where God wants you. Now its’ time to let go of your prideful self-reliance, confess your limitations, and trust God. Really trust him. He’s waiting to show you his love and faithfulness in a way you never saw coming.

Following First-Hand

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Tue, 11 Oct 2016 12:50:00 +0000

"Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written." Jn 21:25

It's interesting to note that Jesus said and did so much more than what we know about from the gospel accounts. He was the Son of God, the Lord of Lords, and the Creator of the Universe walking around in human flesh. Everything he said and did had divine importance. But he didn't share it all with us. In a day and time where we tend to overshare our lives through social media, Jesus' approach is quite opposite. Jesus obviously didn't have social media, but if he had, his account wouldn't be one of the most active. He wouldn't post photos or tweets every time he healed or preached. He wouldn't have posted his travel plans or checked in at destinations on Facebook. He could have, certainly. He even could have commissioned someone to follow him around and record every second of each day he spent on Earth. But He didn't. For some reason, Jesus wasn't much on advertising Himself.

In fact, if we read the gospels carefully, we discover that Jesus was a bit secretive about his identity. In Mark's gospel account, we find Jesus telling some "not to tell others about him" (Mk 3:12). There may be several reasons for this "messianic secret" as theologians call it, but one specific reason stands out to me. I think Jesus wanted people to experience Him first-hand. Instead of just hearing about him, reading about him, or stalking him on Facebook, Jesus wanted people to know him. Really know him. Jesus's "secretive" nature required people to take time and effort to get to know him, to search him out, to walk beside him and figure him out. Still today, I think Jesus wants the people he created to know him personally, individually, intimately. He wants real relationships, not Facebook followers.

And that makes so much sense! Think about it. Compare seeing a picture of the Grand Canyon to actually standing on the edge of it in person. Somehow, there's a cheapness that accompanies second-hand information. But so often, that's what we settle for! We're good at hearing about it, reading a post about it, seeing images of it, and settling for surface-level familiarity. As Christians, we're great at studying about God, talking about Him, and singing about Him at church without every really meeting with him personally. And oh the fullness and richness we sacrifice when we settle for second-hand!

Go back to that pic of the Grand Canyon. When you hear a story and see a picture of matchless beauty, aren't you drawn to go see it for yourself? Absolutely. But do you go? Do you actually take the trip to experience it first-hand, or do you stop at the idea?

I have a hunch that the type of Christians that influence the world for good, that really make a mark and leave an enduring legacy, are the ones who know Jesus firsthand, not just follow him on Facebook.

But God

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Mon, 26 Sep 2016 13:30:00 +0000

Check out what Paul pens in 2 Corinthians 7:5-6:

"When we came into Macedonia, we had no rest but were harassed at every turn - conflicts on the outside and fears within. But God, who comforts the downcast, comforted us by the coming of Titus."

Sound familiar? Maxed out. Exhausted and overwhelmed with no rest in sight. Seems like everything and everyone are against you. Just wanna raise that white flag and be done. Just D.O.N.E.

BUT GOD.

Sometimes the most powerful words in Scripture are the smallest: BUT GOD.

I'll be the first to admit that it's tough to feel spiritual when I'm tired and overwhelmed. (Can I get a witness?!?!) And the longer the situation drags out, the worse things become!

BUT GOD.

Paul's words in 2 Corinthians remind me that in the middle of my exhaustion, God hasn't changed. He's still there. He's not tired or stressed out. In fact, He's patiently waiting to give me the comfort and rest I so need. All it takes is for me to take my eyes off my circumstances and focus on Him; to shift my mental and emotional energy from selfish sulking to God-centered praise.

Life is hard. Kids are demanding. Work is consuming. Ministry can be tiring.

BUT GOD.

He's got it all together. Always has and always will. I think I'll focus on Him today. You?

Just You

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 13:51:00 +0000

1 Kings 19.

Elijah has just had a pretty incredible experience. Facing off against hundreds of pagan priests, boldly daring them to have their god send fire to ignite the sacrifice. Watching them pray, dance, even cut themselves for hours, all to no avail. Even taunting them... "Shout louder! Maybe he can't hear you. Keep asking! Maybe he's in the bathroom and will be back in a minute!" Pretty confident. Then praying to the one true God to ignite his sacrifice. Watching with mixed shock and satisfaction as God answers in a HUGE way, completely consuming the sacrifice with fire from Heaven. Slaughtering 450 prophets of Baal. Praying for God to send rain. Feeling the raindrops as God answers, ending years of drought. It's been a big day.

But then Queen Jezebel sends word that she's after Elijah, swearing that she will get revenge, promising to find and kill him. What does Elijah do? After being so full of faith, fearlessly challenging the nay-sayers, risking everything for God's reputation, what does this mighty man of God do in response to the queen's threat? He freaks out. He flees. And God sees it all. God watches as panic takes over and drains Elijah's faith. But instead of abandoning Elijah and his fickle faith, God runs after him. God meets him and minsters to him, giving Elijah the food, water, and rest he so desperately needs. But God's not done. Elijah doesn't realize it yet, but there's something else he needs much more than physical sustenance. Don't miss what God does next.

God speaks to Elijah. Not through a gale-force wind or an earth-shattering earthquake or a consuming fire, but through a soft whisper. And in the whisper, God teaches Elijah about Himself. In the middle of a life and death situation, God stops time to reveal Himself to Elijah. Because that's what Elijah needs most. Surrounded by deadly threats, lacking the basic necessities, running for his life - Elijah needs a lot of things. Food, water, shelter, protection, encouragement. But what he needs most is God. Elijah needs God to reveal Himself. He needs a fresh encounter with the Lord of the universe who creates, sustains, and controls everything. Through this encounter, Elijah's spirit is humbled, his faith rekindled, and his purpose renewed. The challenging circumstances remain, but now Elijah remembers the complete sufficiency and matchless might of God. Is anything too difficult for the God who set the stars in the sky simply by stretching out his hand?

Lord,
I now see that here and now, in the midst of my questions and worries, what I need most is not answers or provision. I need you. Just you. I need a fresh encounter with you. Reveal yourself, God. Speak to me. Show off! Split the sky, shake the ground, or just softly whisper. I'm waiting, watching, and listening for you. Because YOU are what I need. Just you.

Momma Bear

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Wed, 24 Aug 2016 01:41:00 +0000

I've heard moms refer to their "Momma Bear" instinct, but I've never really experienced it first hand. Until today.

So we're back in the dentist office for the 4th time in 2 weeks (and that's a whole 'nother story). Jackson is back getting a filling while I'm sitting with Abie and Levi in the waiting room. Out of nowhere, a kid that is older and meaner than Levi walks up and, without introducing himself or waving or saying hi or anything civil like that, proceeds to whip out a pair of plastic handcuffs from his pocket, grab Levi's hands, and handcuff him. Levi looks at me with pleading eyes but doesn't say anything to the boy. And I'm totally taken aback. Honestly, I wasn't really sure what to do or say. The kid's Dad was sitting 6 feet away watching the whole thing. He looked at me, looked at his kid, and then shrugged his shoulders and chuckled.

Really? Who is your kid, and why is he handcuffing my kid? Who even does that?
Now let's review. The handcuffs are plastic, so there's nothing to worry about. BUT I'm pretty sure my kid is not enjoying what's going on. And suddenly my inner "Momma Bear" awoke.

Image from unsplash.com

Momma Bear. As in I may look cute and cuddly right now, but if you keep messing with my kid, I'm gonna tear your limbs off your body.

With my Momma Bear raging inside, I calmly looked at Levi and said, "Levi, do you like what he is doing to you?" Wide-eyed Levi shook his head. "Okay, then you need to tell him you don't want to play like that." Levi looked over at the kid and mumbled "please stop." To the kid's credit, he probably couldn't understand what Levi said, but he stopped, unhooked his handcuffs from Levi's hands, and went back over to sit with his Dad. But before I could put Abie down and talk to Levi, the kid came over again with handcuffs in hand.

This time, Momma Bear was not to be tamed. I looked at the kid and said, "You may not have heard him, but he said to please stop. So I think it's a good idea for you to go back over and sit with your Dad." The kid looked at me, looked at Levi, and then sauntered back over to his Dad. The Father never took his eyes off his iPhone. Some model parenting going on, obviously.

As soon as we got in the car, Levi and I chatted about being brave and speaking your mind, even if the person is bigger or meaner than you. I'll be transparent here: I never dreamed I would have to explicitly teach this skill of self-advocacy. Pretty sure I came of of the womb making my demands and desires clear to everyone. I've never had a problem telling others what I'm thinking, so I didn't realize this had to be taught. And thinking back, I'm glad we had that experience. It's important that my kids to learn to stick up for themselves before they're in a situation when the stakes are much higher.

PS: When I told Jackson about the incident, his response to the whole thing was, "Mom! Why did you let that kid bother Levi? You should have beat him up. I never woulda let nobody mess with my brother." Wonder how long it will be before I get a call from school saying the big brother has given someone a black eye for bothering the little brother.

PSS: For another story of a brave little learning to advocate for herself, check out this incredible kid-written blog by Ms. Ruby Witt. http://metalmouthinthesouth.blogspot.com/2016/08/ready-or-not.html

I Bet There was Blood Everywhere!

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 16:54:00 +0000

This morning's Sunday School lesson was about the suffering of Job.

On the way home from church, I asked the boys what they learned in Sunday School. The conversation went something like this:

Me: So boys, what did you guys talk about in Sunday School today?

Jackson: We learned about a guy named Job. Lots of bad stuff happened to him.

Levi: Yeah, and a big storm came up and killed all his family 'cept him. And I bet there was blood everywhere!!!

Jackson: And Job got sick and had these sores all over his body.

Levi: Yeah! And blood was just coming out of his skin probly (that's Levi-speak for probably).

Jackson: Levi, hush. So at the end, God told Job, "Do you know how this world works? Nope. I do. So just stop whining and believe in me."

Levi: Yeah, and God probably had blood on his head and stuff, too!!

At this point, I felt like we might be focusing more on blood and gore than Biblical truth, so I stopped the conversation. But I made a mental note to ask Levi's Sunday School teacher exactly what she taught them in Sunday School.

Being a SAHM Means...

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 16:54:00 +0000

So I'm back home again. Not that I ever really left it (makes me sound like a prodigal!), but I returned to work 2 years ago when Levi was 2 and Jackson was 4. Now that we have a new little in our family again (Welcome Abie Jay!), I'm taking a break from teaching (again), and I'm back staying at home. (And just FYI, the previous sentence is a beautiful example of a Compound-Complex sentence. See? You may leave teaching, but it never leaves you.)

As I was piddling around the house this morning doing chores, some ironies came to mind. Some conflicting dualisms, if you will (or even if you won't, too bad!).

Being a Stay At Home Mom Means:

1. Being able to be the one who feeds sweet Abie Jay (but sometimes that feels like that's ALL I do. I mean, EVERY. OHTER. HOUR. for crying out loud. Plus it means that I'm the one who gets thrown up on. A lot.).

2. Getting a jump-start on tonight's dinner, cutting up the veggies for stiryfry ahead of time! (However, being on one income means fresh veggies for stir fry are a treat and not the norm.)

3. Having my morning Bible study - my "Quiet Time" - at 8am instead of 5:30am (but the later time means I have a buddy that helps me with Bible study, and it's no longer a "Quiet" time.).

4. Being able to wash dishes and vacuum in the middle of the day instead of at midnight. (Beware, though! Others WILL misunderstand your job description and think this is all you do. Even the hubster may be prone to ignorant remarks. Recent example: "You didn't get this celery washed and cut today? What happened?")

So let's review. These days, my hours are filled with:
- lots of making, feeding, and washing bottles
- lots of preparing, cooking, and cleaning up meals
- lots of baby snuddles (in case you don't know, that's snuggles and cuddles combined)
- lots of household chores
- lots of budget balancing and couponing

It's way different from working, and it is its own kind of hard. But I'm thankful for the opportunity, and I'll work every day to enjoy this season of life.
#thedaysarelongbuttheyearsareshort!

What Are We Doing Tomorrow?

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Mon, 28 Apr 2014 01:38:00 +0000

Jackson Bird asks A LOT of questions, as do most kids his age. But the most annoying question is easily the one he asked 45 minutes ago, and then again just now, and will ask again in 30 minutes. Without fail, totally out of the blue, multiple times each day, Bird will ask, "What are we doing tomorrow?"

Sometimes I think ahead and briefly list aloud our routine for the next day. Other times I'll switch it around on him and say, "Well, what do YOU think we're doing tomorrow?" But most often I feel like pulling my hair out and yelling "I've already answered this question 50 times today! And if you ask it again, you won't live long enough to see tomorrow!!"

Despite my frustration, the same question keeps coming. So I had a brilliant brainstorm. I created a "calendar" just for Bird. It has the days of the week on it, labels for YESTERDAY, TODAY, and TOMORROW, and picture cards for various activities that might come up during a normal week (like school, church, library, grocery store, bank, playground, going to grandparents' etc).

Here's What I Did:
1. Bought an oil drip pan from Wal-Mart. ($13??)
2. Covered it with burlap & ribbon using hot glue
3. Printed the label cards on the computer & mounted them on card-stock
4. Printed the picture activity cards from Mrs.Riley's.com (free 24-hour trial to create these)
5. Laminated all the labels and picture cards
6. Took plain magnets I had left over (from Hobby Lobby) and hot-glued plastic buttons on top
7. Hung it on the wall using 3M removable adhesive strips
8. Allowed Jackson to help me arrange the board in the correct days-of-the-week order and put the activity cards under the correct day.

Here's a closer look:

So I'm hoping this will help him learn the days of the week, recognize YESTERDAY, TODAY, and TOMORROW, and it might even reduce the number of times he asks me, "What are we doing tomorrow?"

We only spent about 5 minutes on it tonight, but so far he LOVES it. Bird enjoyed picking out the pictures and putting them under the appropriate days. And because my Bird loves logic and order, I'm guessing he will take great joy in seeing that the activity picture cards match up to the real activities of each day.

Very proud of his new calendar

Levi, on the other hand, has already discovered his favorite activity card. It's a picture of the Chick-Fil-A logo. Eating nuggets & playing on the indoor playground at Chick-Fil-A is one of our favorite Friday activities. You can see how Levi feels about it...

Ready to dominate the Chick-Fil-A indoor playgournd

Pure excitement coursing through his 21-month-old veins. Nothing better than Friday lunches at Chick-Fil-A.

So, how do you teach your littles about calendar skills & routine? Any ideas?

Mother Hood Is:

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Fri, 25 Apr 2014 01:41:00 +0000

Motherhood is lots of things, and much of it really defies description. But there are a few basic elements of the motherhood experience that can be put into words.

Motherhood is missing your daily mid-naptime treadmill workout because your 20 month old is hammering on his bedroom walls instead of napping.

Motherhood is doing a 20 minute workout video in your living room while a toddler sits on your stomach during crunches or hangs onto your leg during jumping jacks.

Motherhood is listening to an opinionated 4 year old yell about his distaste for water served with his hot dog, and then giving him water anyway.

Motherhood is watching any given Disney movie no less than 20 times straight before a new movie is even considered.

Motherhood is going to the bathroom with children in tow. Every. Time. (I mean GOOD GRIEF! Little People! Can I not even put in a tampon alone?)

Motherhood is going out of your way to make a fresh-fruit smoothie for you kids and then having your oldest tell you, "This is gross!" while the youngest gulps down both servings.

Motherhood is trying not to throw up while on your hands and knees cleaning up the 2 servings of smoothie the toddler drank and then up-chucked after playing chase.

Motherhood is calmly ignoring your kicking, screaming, struggling-against-the-buggie-straps kid at the grocery store while smiling at others you pass.

Motherhood is counting down the minutes until Daddy gets home, only to have him walk in the door and ask, "Is dinner ready now, or do I have time to go work out?"

Motherhood is early-morning snuggling during Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, late-afternoon reading to lap-dwelling littles, and just-before-bed splashes in the tub with giggling boys.

You can't beat it.

Laugh or Cry?

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 02:42:00 +0000

So after many ups and downs, lots of rain clouds that seemed to take days to lift, and the general struggles that come along with staying at home with a gregarious three-year-old and an attached-at-the-hip one-year-old, I'm finally getting to the point where I can see the sunshine at the end of the tunnel. In fact, some days I even get a full-on blast of sunshiney goodness.

As Levi gets older, he and Jackson are playing together better, and they seem to genuinely like each other! At least until one steals a toy the other wanted... But my point is that after a year and a half of barely coming up for breath before the next wave hits, I finally feel like I'm treading water pretty darn well. I'm adjusting to my stay-at-home life with 2 active boys, and I'm enjoying it more than I'm surviving it. Most days. And those other days that used to threaten to send me under? I'm trying to learn to laugh, shake my head, and not worry about the furniture (or other important things that really aren't that important).

So here's one of those days that previously would have knocked me under, but instead just left me laughing and wishing I could record my boys' silliness.

The morning started with the boys sitting together in Daddy's recliner, watching Mickey Mouse. (The allegiance to the mouse is so intense at our house that "mouse" was one of Levi's 1st words.)

They were behaving so well, I decided to sit down and make a few phone calls in the office. As I was on the phone, I saw Jackson run by with Levi following close behind. Since chase is a common game at our house, I didn't think much about it. A few minutes later the boys ran by again. This time Levi was missing his shirt. A few more words on the phone... another lap made by the boys. Levi's sans pants. I decide this might warrant my intervention when Levi then streaks past the office door completely naked, clutching his private parts and squealing with delight. So much for a quiet phone conversation.

Later in the day, I didn't allow Jackson to have the snack he requested (powdered donuts and sprite - really kid? Do I look that stupid?). His response: "Fine. Then I'll just cut off your head and get another Mommy." I just smiled at him and told him he'd better find a big sword. He responded: "Yeah, I know! You've got the biggest head I've ever seen!" Well, thank you, son.

That night after dinner, the boys played with legos. Jackson (who had experienced a bit of tummy trouble earlier in the day) decided to hide his legos from Levi by placing the blocks in the back of his underwear. Jacin noticed the bulge in Bird's rear and sternly said, "Jackson, son, get those legos out of your pants! You're gonna leak butt juice on them!" Bird stopped in his tracks, turned to Jacin with clear anxiety on his face, and asked, "What exactly is Laking Gutt Deuce?" We couldn't help but crack up (no punn intended).

Whoever said first it was right - laughter is the best medicine. Every day I have a choice: laugh or cry? Laughing is much more fun.

The Line Leader

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Thu, 16 Jan 2014 03:15:00 +0000

Jackson Bird loves his stuffed animals. He calls them his "friends." He has 15 or so that he plays with - loading them in trucks, pulling them with tractors, and lining them up for concerts or parades. At night, I try to stick to the "only 6 friends in the bed" limit. Otherwise, I worry Jackson would suffocate! (Besides, starting a habit of sleeping with multiple "friends" in the bed could be a bit shady later in life, right?) His favorite friends include Clifford the Big Red Dog, Tigger, Cowboy Mickey, pillow Panda, Cow-Cow, Pickle the Dog, and a few beanie babies passed down from Great Gran & Quincy. There are several other friends, but these favorites seem to receive more snuggle time.

Here's a pic of Bird getting ready for bed, surrounded by his friends. He's kinda hard to pick-out among all the stuffing - Bird's the one with minimal facial fur.

At night, Bird picks one special friend and brings it and his tat-tat to the den. (NOTE: His tat-tat is a special mini-blanket lovey sort of thing that he's slept with since birth. Meme has made 4 different ones so we're never without, even during laundry days.) Every night, Bird, his one selected stuffed friend, and Daddy sit in the recliner, giggle, and watch TV for a few minutes before reading a book in bed and saying prayers. Recently, when it was time to select his one special friend to sit in Daddy's recliner, Bird has said, "Let me pick a line-leader for tonight." The first time I heard him say it, I was a bit confused. A line-leader? But now that it's part of the nightly routine to pick a "line-leader," I just smile while an immense appreciation for preschool swells in my heart. My 3 year old kid is teaching turn-taking skills to his stuffed animals. For real. Oh the wonders of preschool! I will never understand how pre-k teachers teach so much in so little time to such rascally little ~~monsters~~ kids! Thank you, God, for preschool!

Just so you're up to date, last night's line leader was Clifford (which explains why I woke up with a big stuffed red dog in my face this morning). Today's naptime line-leader was Cowboy Mickey. Tonight's line-leader: Snort ,the red beanie baby bull. And, of course, tat-tat. Tat-tat is a permanent line-leader of sorts.

Love this smart, order-loving little Bird!

The Winding Down of Another Year

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Wed, 01 Jan 2014 04:25:00 +0000

So it's 11pm on the final night of 2013, and there a few things I need to transfer from brain to paper (or computer screen) so I don't forget.

1. I don't know if it's left-over Christmas magic or what, but over the last few days, the boys have been getting along and playing together marvelously. It's so fun to see them chasing each other, squealing together, and laughing at each other.

2. Getting a free appliance is a pretty sweet deal, but getting to keep the BOX it came in is even sweeter!! Oh, how the boys love a good box. Need a remedy for the rainy day crazies? Try a box. It entertains for hours!

3. It's not even January 1st yet, but I'm already trying to get back to exercising. I took a major vacation from healthy eating (or really healthy everything) during the holidays. So in an effort to get back into the groove, I've tried to do a workout dvd in the afternoons. Yesterday and today, it proved to be pretty difficult. Not just because I'm horribly out of shape, but mainly because my two "helpers" won't leave me alone long enough to complete a jumping jack on my own. And forget any ab exercises. The minute I get on the floor, both boys are on top of me. On to the next exercise strategy...

4. Yesterday, Jackson Bird jumped into my bed at the end of naptime. He snuggled down next to me and said, "Momma, I just love you so much."
I responded, "Oh Buddy, I love you too!! I love you even more than chocolate ice cream!"
He giggled, sat up, looked me in the eyes, and said, "Wow, Momma. That's a serious deal for you!"

I've had the privilege to be a Mom for 4 years now. And at the near-close of the year 2013, I would like to say that being Mom to these crazy-sweet two little boys is the most frustrating, smile-causing, difficult, joy-generating, challenging, special-moment-rendering, exhausting, yet life-giving thing I have ever done. I love them more than words can say, and I can't wait to see what adventures next year holds!

Our Christmas Morning

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 02:40:00 +0000

At about 8:30am Christmas morning, these 2 charming little boys were ready to see what gifts had been left under the tree!

We were all surprised to see that Santa had left stockings filled with a few small treasures, and had left the boys cameras! Jackson got a real VTech camera (with which he now runs his new business - JBP - Jackson Bird Paparazzi) and Levi got a play Mickey Mouse camera (which is clearly not anywhere close to cool as compared to big brother's. What a flop. Way to go, Santa!).

While Jackson couldn't open gifts fast enough, I had trouble getting Levi excited about anything except breakfast. All he wanted to do was drink his milk, eat his cereal, and be left alone.

Jackson opened a Transformer fire station, complete with firemen figurines and transformer action figures, a Mickey Mouse sing-a-long book with microphone, a Bass Pro Shop t-shirt, and a Duck Dynasty marshmallow launching gun. (What was I thinking on the last one, there??)

And still, while we opened gifts, Levi continued eating. I tried to entice him with a gift a time or two, and I was rewarded with a grunt and a swat.

So while little Scrooge ate and Bird played, Jacin and I opened gifts. Jacin got some Gordon Central Warriors pants & sweatshirt, a lunch thermos to take left-over soup on the go, and a new shirt and vest from Bass Pro Shop. I got a new charm for my Mom necklace and a new iPod!

(INSERT HERE pic of Mom & Dad opening gifts... oh wait. It doesn't exist. Mom was behind the camera TAKING all the pictures.)

Finally, Jacin persuaded Levi to employ the "one-handed opening" technique to remove the wrapping paper from his presents. To master this technique, one must always hold tightly to his sippy cup with one hand while utilizing the other hand to carefully remove wrapping paper. At no point should one use both hands. Simultaneously utilizing both hands to open gifts might cause a delay in consuming one's breakfast.

Levi wasn't especially thrilled with any of his own presents. He was much more interested in his breakfast and in anything that his big brother might be playing with. In retrospect, we should have let Jackson open Levi's gifts. Then maybe Levi might have wanted them.

The final present was a play welding helmet and torch for Jackson from his Daddy. Bird was THRILLED!

And as soon as Jacin, Jackson, and I finished gifts and sat down to eat breakfast, little brother moved in, stole the welding equipment, and hid behind the houseplant playing. Figures.

All the gifts (and breakfast) aside, we are so blessed in many ways. Happy Birthday, Jesus! And Merry Christmas from our family to yours.

Naptime Secrets

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 04:43:00 +0000

Bird's naps are getting shorter and shorter. Earlier this year, he would nap for 2 to 3 hours every day. His sleep time has gradually decreased, until now he usually only sleeps for 30 minutes or so during naptime. Now when he gets up, he comes to find me and we snuggle and watch cartoons for a while.

Today, it was a rainy Sunday afternoon, and I was hoping for a L O N G nap. It didn't happen. About 30 minutes into naptime, Bird came in, crawled into bed with me and stated, "I just can't sleep. I don't like naps." I told him he could cuddle with me for a while.

After a few minutes of dozing (me) and chatting (him), I realized that he had brought his headlamp with him to my bed. He strapped it onto his head, dove under the covers, and started "working" under the sheets.

One time he popped up, grabbed my hand, and with headlamp bouncing as his head bobbed excitedly, Bird told me something that struck me as profound.

"Momma, let me tell you a secret. Do you know what happens to shadows when you shine light on them? They disappear! Them shadows disappear!"

For some reason, shadows bother Bird. Especially at night or in the dark. So he was pretty excited about his shadow-busting discovery. Pretty sure he'll wear his headlamp to bed from now on.

And let me also say that I'm so thankful for a Savior that brings light to a dark world and shines into the shadows of our lives, just like a headlamp under the dark covers.

Words of Wisdom

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Wed, 04 Dec 2013 04:10:00 +0000

It's no secret that Jackson Bird is a talker. And lately, his words seem wiser than his 3 years. Here are a few quick examples:

1. Mom, do you know who these guys are? (pointing to a picture of the 3 wise men in a nativity book) And don't say wisemen, either. They're the MAGI!!
I'm not quite sure where he heard and learned this word, but I was a bit stunned.

2. Momma, I'm not eating this ice cream. It's frozen, and I say No! (He then points to the ice cream and sternly speaks to it) And don't talk back to me! I said NO for frozen!
I have no idea why Bird was so emphatically against frozen ice cream, but I was impressed with his strict tone of voice and the brief, no nonsense chat he held with the ice cream. Wow. Where did he pick that up? Must have had a run in (or 2) with a strong disciplinarian!

3. Momma, do you know what this duck is for here? (pointing to a stuffed toy duck he's put in the middle of the kitchen floor) It's a decoy, and it's here to attract the real ducks. So be quiet please, unless of course you need to quack.
Aside from noticing that Bird loves giving directions, likes to "hunt" in the house, and chooses to use phrases like "of course" in his regular, day-to-day chatter, let's focus on the fact that my 3 year old just explained the word DECOY to me. Really? REALLY?

4. (The pest control man came today to spray for ants. Bird followed him around "spraying" with the spray gun he had built earlier out of legos and talking to him) Sir, you don't have to spray in that back bedroom. I sprayed for ants earlier, and me 'n Wevi checked it. It's all clear.
Not sure which reassured the Pest Man more - Bird's DIY lego spray gun, or the head's up that Big Brother and "Wevi" had already taken care of things. Either way, why pay the Pest Guy when I have such good help at home? :)

The Thankful Thingy

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Thu, 14 Nov 2013 02:38:00 +0000

Last year, Jacin and I made a Thankful Tree with Jackson (Levi was there, but still a baby-baby). We collected twigs from the yard, cut out leaves from construction paper, and wrote down things we were thankful for. Here's a pic from last November:

This year, I was ready to do the same thing, thus making it a tradition. (Right? I mean if you do it for more than 1 year in a row, it qualifies as a tradition?) I got out the mason jar, filled it with acorns, and was intending to find some twigs later in the day. It never happened. The jar only sat on the buffet table for a grand total of 3 hours because Levi pulled it down about every 20 minutes. I quickly decided that we would have to make an alteration to the Thankful Tree tradition. So... this year we did a Thankful Garland. Over the past few days, Jacin has had trouble remembering the word garland, so he calls it our "Thankful Thingy."

I hot-glued a line of twine across our mantle, then printed leaf outlines on various patterned scrapbook paper. I had the leaf papers laminated before cutting them out (that way we'll be able to write on them with dry erase marker and use them again and again for years to come! TRADITION, remember?). Then we gathered together as a family, brainstormed things we were thankful for, wrote the ideas on leaves, and pinned them on the twine with tiny clothespins.

Admittedly, I was hoping this experience would be a type of kumbaya moment where we bonded as a family and really spent time digging deep and expressing heartfelt thanks to God. It didn't happen. Here's what DID happen: Jackson scrambled around the den hauling chairs and blankets in, trying to build a fort while shouting out random things he was thankful. Meanwhile, Levi toddled in circles swinging rubber caterpillars around like nunchucks.

Caterpillar Nunchucks

Nunchucks stolen and fort building in progress

Not really a kumbaya moment. But I was impressed that the 1st thing Bird gave thanks for was "God because He made us and died on that cross for us." (I'm a proud Momma!!)

Other things on Jackson's "thankful list":
hot dogs and waffles (cause that's basically all he eats)
jeans and boots (cause that's really all he wears)
legs for running and tools for building (cause that's all he does)
Wevi (AKA his brother Levi)
cocounts and leaves (he calls acorns coconuts - not sure why)
helicopters and planes (?? not sure where that one came from)

Jackson was also in charge of helping us think what Levi might be thankful for. Bird suggested:
Mickey Mouse (Levi LOVES to watch Mickey Mouse)
His paci (seemingly a permanent fixture in the kid's mouth)
Snoopy (his stuffed animal sleep snuggly friend)
Food - all types (cause, unlike his brother, Levi eats ANYTHING & EVERYTHING)
Me! (of course Levi would be thankful for his older brother, despite the MANY things suffered at his hands)

Among many other things, Jacin and I added leaves to our Thankful Thingy representing our thankfulness for our busy little boys, coffee, naptime, and Jesus.

3rd Annual Burns' PCB Vacation

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Fri, 18 Oct 2013 02:00:00 +0000

This year was the 3rd year Jacin's parents have graciously taken us on a fall week-long vacation to Panama City Beach, Florida. Just like the previous 2 years, this year's beach trip was awesome!

Everybody went, and by that I mean Granny & PawPaw (Jacin's parents), Uncle Jared & Aunta Yaya (Jacin's brother & sister), and our little family of 4.

It was great to get away and be together. And for me, it was truly a time of rest and relaxation. For everyone else... well, you'll just have to ask them. Let me explain:

Somehow, when I signed up for stay-at-home motherhood, I didn't realize that I was accepting a job with no off hours. You see, stay-at-home moms never clock out. The work day doesn't begin and end. The job of mom is perpetual and never-ending, in more ways than one. In some jobs, you have specific office hours and then leave for the day. Not so with motherhood. In the work-a-day world, you might get a lunch or coffee break every now and then when you can gather your thoughts or spend time with a friend. Not so for a stay-at-home mom. For many employees, a big job perk is working with fun and creative adults. Adults? At home, you're working with (sometimes )fun and (potentially dangerous) creative KIDS. Big difference. And the deadlines and to-do lists some may have in the office? Forget it. Although stay-at-home moms may check off some things on their own to-do list, those things never really have a definite ending. (Even when you empty the dishwasher or fold and put away clean clothes, there will ALWAYS be dirty dishes or clothes awaiting you.) So you get my point. Motherhood is a 24/7 job that is cyclical and constant.

So back to vacation... taking a family trip means, first of all, that I have other ADULTS to talk to during the day!! Second, taking a family vacation means that I have other adults to HELP ME entertain and take care of the wahoos! What's not to like about this situation? And (let me just brag a bit here...) every single day of our PCB vacation last week, my precious hubster got the boys up, took them downstairs, and fed them while I slept in until 8:30 or 9am!!! At meal times, other family members besides myself helped feed the boys meals. On the beach, the boys had so many playmates and snugglers that they hardly needed me! And the last night of our week there, Granny & PawPaw took the boys while Jacin and I went out to eat by ourselves!! This was a week when I was truly free to relax (while Jackson shot everything that moved and Levi ate anything that didn't).

Now, Jacin, on the other hand, may not have experienced the same level of relaxation. Several times I heard him mumble, "Gosh! It's too much work to take 2 kids down to the beach!" And I do understand how sunscreening 2 wild things can be a bit tiring. And Granny & PawPaw? I am completely confident that they thoroughly enjoyed their time with the grandboys. But, I'm equally sure they're wishing they had some additional time off to recover from the week of "vacation" with us.

All in all, it was a great trip. The weather was great, and the company even better. I'm so thankful for the many blessings we get to partake of through God's generosity to our families.

And have I mentioned that I love my 2 little buddies?!

Even without a vacation, I would never trade my stay-at-home moments with my 2 littles for anything in the world.

Daddy Said I Could!

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Wed, 16 Oct 2013 19:35:00 +0000

A few nights ago, we were all in the kitchen cleaning up from dinner. No sooner had I noticed Bird's absence than he came swaggering back into the kitchen, zipping the fly of his jeans as he walked.

"Guess what?" he said proudly.
"What?" I asked, with great trepidation.
"I just pee-peed. And you know where I did it?"
"Where?" I asked, stealing a side glance at Jacin.
"In the shower," he said, smiling.
"In the shower? Why did you do that?" I asked, with a sense of partial relief, realizing that the chosen location could have been much worse.
"Daddy told me I could!" Bird answered, nodding his head and pointing at Jacin.

I looked over at Jacin, who was standing with his mouth open, mumbling, "uhhh, when did I say that?"

I felt the need to help remind him.
"You guys were bathing in our shower the other day. Did you happen to tell him then that he could pee in the shower?" I asked Jacin.

Jacin rubbed his head, tried to look confused, and then smiled.
"Oh. Yeah, I guess I did."

I turned back to Bird. "Buddy, I think what Daddy meant to tell you was that he thinks it's ok for you to pee down the shower drain only when you are already in the shower rinsing off." Then I turned to Jacin. "Is that what you meant?"

Jacin nodded wordlessly, and I turned back to Bird.
"And what Daddy forgot to say is that he will now take over responsibility for cleaning the showers."

This actually worked out quite well for me, because I despise cleaning the bathrooms.

Levi the Leg Leech

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Sun, 08 Sep 2013 20:32:00 +0000

If you've been with our family at all over the last 12 months or so, you've observed that Levi is a Momma's Boy. And that's an understatement. The boy loves his Momma. If I'm in the room, he's not interested in being with anyone else. He loves snuggling with Momma. And after he wakes up from a nap in the afternoons, he expects me to either hold him while I do my housework or sit down and play with him on the floor. Either way, he wants 100% my undivided attention. Many evenings, you'll find me trying to fix dinner in the kitchen, stumbling along with Levi the Leech attached to my leg.

The other adult in the house (I won't name names) is oh so helpful at times like these. He says things like, "Good grief! All that baby does is cry!" or "Gosh Almighty. I can't even think straight with all that crying!" or my favorite.... "Well, get him, Baby! He just wants you!" As if I needed these things pointed out to me.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love my little ~~Leech~~ Momma's Boy. Most of the time, he's happy and content. And if his big brother is around to give him attention and play with him, he can be distracted away from me. But during Arsenic Hour (the term we use for the time period between awakening from nap and eating dinner), no one else but Momma will satisfy. And while I appreciate this passionate display of love, it would really be dreamy to fix dinner without a leech firmly fixed to my leg. Just sayin.

Back to School in Style

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 01:21:00 +0000

Last year, Bird started going to "prek" two mornings a week at the local First Baptist Church. He (and I) loved it. It was such a success that we signed him up to go again this year. When we recently started telling him school time was coming up, he wasn't too excited. He was also puzzled as to why he would have a new teacher and classroom. All the anxiety ended, however, when we went to orientation last week. When Bird walked into his new classroom, he looked around, did a fist pump, and said, "YES!!" The room is chock-full of awesome "big boy toys" like firetrucks, cars, tractors, and trains, and a few babydolls for the girls. No doubt sharing will be a hot topic this year in class.

So Tuesday was his first day of 3 year old PreK. Like most parents tend to do, we had a special outfit chosen for the first day of school. It was a cute solid blue shirt with plaid shorts that his Granny bought him. We washed it and set it out the night before. Tuesday morning, Bird got up and dressed without any complaints. He even agreed to wear his extra cute tan loafers instead of his tennis shoes! I fixed his breakfast and showered while he ate. When I finished, I went to check on him in the kitchen and found that he had completely changed his wardrobe. No longer was he wearing his cute plaid shorts and tan loafers. Instead, he had put on a dirty pair of jeans and his "work boots." And his nice, clean, ironed blue shirt now had chocolate milk spilled down the front of it.

Now, let's pause for a moment so I can give you some backstory. All spring and summer long, I have STRUGGLED to get Bird to wear shorts. He LOVES jeans and hates shorts. It's a battle I've fought EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. of warm weather. And basically, any outfit I choose for him is a loser. Now, you're caught up.

So Tuesday morning when he appeared in his jeans and boots, and I saw the determined look in his eyes, I decided I was done fighting. I've come to the conclusion that I have better things to do than argue with a 3 year old about his wardrobe. So, with that explanation, here's our "First Day of 3 Year PreK" picture. Now you understand why my kid looks like he chose clothes fresh from the dirty clothes pile. It's because he did. And because of that cute little smile - I'm ok with it.

Now I Totally Get It

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Thu, 29 Aug 2013 01:57:00 +0000

As a kid, I can vividly remember my Mom or Dad saying to me, "Hailey, let's just be quiet and enjoy the radio for a few minutes." I remember thinking What? Enjoy the radio? Why? We've got important things to talk about here! It just seemed silly to sit together in the car silently and listen to some faceless voice talk or sing through the car speakers.

Now, I totally get it. In fact, I even found myself saying the EXACT. SAME. WORDS. to Bird today. We were driving to Rome to run errands and then meet some friends for a playdate. He was excited and was even more talkative than usual. About 10 minutes down the road, I just couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was being bombarded with pellets of constant chatter. I marveled that his breathing could keep up with such a breakneck talking pace. He kept firing questions at machine-gun speed, and he would even resume talking before I could finish answering a question! I worried my ears might spontaneously combust and melt off my head.

While stopped at a redlight, I turned around and tried to get his attention. Bird was talking so hard it took 3 repetitions of his name (each gradually louder than the last) before he quieted enough to realize I was talking. "Jackson - be quiet and listen to me, please. My ears are hurting, and I really think we need to just all be quiet for a few minutes and listen to some music."

After quietly listening to me for (what must have been an excruciatingly long) 3 seconds, Bird started right back at it. "Why are your eaws huwting, Momma? Do you have a bat flying around in there? Them bats are mean." I turned up the radio and loudly announced, "Bird, I can't hear you anymore. Let's just be quiet."

With the music at full blast and Levi sound asleep, the only other thing I could hear from the back seat was an occasional "NEVER.... EVER.... UGLY....." From what I gathered, Bird was raising his voice at designated intervals to emphasize that I should "Never ever again be ugly to him and tell him to stop talking." Duly noted.

Levi's 1st Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 17:52:00 +0000

The fun started Friday, July 26th when Meme & Rayray arrived in town. We spent the day playing at the playground, grilling out, and opening some of little Levi's birthday gifts.

Then, on Saturday, friends & family came over to celebrate. We partied with a "Hungry Caterpillar" theme since Levi is my little bug. Meme made Levi a beautiful quilt, and of course made his party shirt and hat. The cake, which was SUPER yummy, was from Kroger.

We served sandwiches for lunch and let the littles play in the sprinkler and kiddie pool.

Levi had lots of help from his cousins opening gifts.

But he wasn't too thrilled about his birthday cupcake. My theory? He wanted a CAKE, not a miniature version.

After the party and a L O N G nap, the boys spent the rest of the day hanging out with Meme & Rayray and riding Levi's new motorcyle from Granny & Pawpaw.

It's hard to believe that an entire year has already gone by. Happy 1st birthday, little Levi Bug! You're really not so little anymore, but I love every single one of your 25 pounds of ~~chubby tubby~~ muscle! Thanks for bringing us so much joy!

Have Your Cake, and EAT It, too!

noreply@blogger.com (Hailey Burns) — Fri, 09 Aug 2013 02:01:00 +0000

Just as we did with Jackson, we bought Levi a cake the week before his birthday for the sole purpose of taking pictures of his first cake smash. Unlike Jackson, Levi LOVED it. (Here's a flashback to Jackson's 1st birthday cake smash a few years ago...)

My poor Baby Bird had an ear infection and wasn't too excited about cake.

Now, back to Levi. As you can tell from the pictures below, he took the slow approach at first. He picked at the cake for a bit, and Daddy had to smush his little hands in the icing. Once he realized that it was edible (and sugary), he dove right in. He ate several fist-fulls of icing, then skipped the hands completely, leaning over and eating the icing straight off the cake with his mouth. Finally, he made it an entire-body dining experience by shoving his feet in and then pulling the icing and cake off his toes and eating it. You can tell from the smile that the eating technique mattered little. It was all about the taste. Smash it, Little Bug! Smash It! Happy (early) 1st Birthday to my hungry little caterpillar!