Meat and Potatoes...

What is happening with us!?

Time is flying. Kids are growing. Minds are learning. Hearts are changing. Patience are thinning. Calories are burning. Did I mention time is flying!? Yet, our God is always the same. Good!

I decided, it's time for a post with some info! I always love sharing pictures but, today just some "meat and potatoes" of what is happening with us.

The Children.
My sweet little Avery Nathan is becoming a defiant little bugger in his ripe old age of 6. It is really quite surprising to us because he is usually the one who 'goes with the flow'. Stubborn is a good word for him.
He is liking school, but we learned at his 1st grade conference that he is one of the more "social" kids in his class. (If my parents had a dollar for every time they heard that from my teachers over the years, they could have put both of my brothers and I through college on that money.) So, together we are working on that. Avery is a perfectionist; he is an excellent student; things come really easy for him. He is reading and writing very well, along with learning addition and subtraction. He loves the color gray...we even call him Mr. Gray. He only wears two pairs of pants in his drawer, one of which is gray and the other is a pair of navy blue/green Nike wind pants. He almost always either wears one of four gray shirts, or something close in color. Ashley and I both, remember having these same "favorites" as children. I quote my mom when I say to him: "Out of all of these nice clothes that I've bought for you and you wear the same old GRAY clothes!?" So, I have surrendered to his gray fetish and I just fulfill my motherly duty in the name of Jesus and make sure that they are washed and dried for him at his convenience; this too shall pass:) He is really proud of himself because he has earned fifty dollars in his wallet. He loves cookies and TV and of course he still has a heart for his mangy old puppies, even though the tags are completely gone.
God made Tate Benjamin difficult by nature. He is the one that is most often in trouble in our house! I knew this when he was in the womb. Baby B would be Tate Benjamin, named after my brother. (Ben was always the one to get the blame when we were growing up. If anyone were ever crying without even knowing the situation my mom would yell "Benjamin!") Like his uncle Ben, Tate is always up to something! He loves to get a rise out of people, especially his dad. Tate and I have similar qualities so I understand his quirks. Ashley does not. Tate had a shockingly good great conference! His teacher adores him, she had all good things to say. She spoke of his kind heart and good friend qualities. Ashley and I looked at each other with our jaws on the table and thought "our son Tate?" PRAISE GOD! He showed us his journal; it is full of race car pictures. He especially likes to draw pictures of 22jr (uncle Benny's race car). Tate struggles with academics a little lot, he is just not interested. He is also, reading, writing, adding and subtracting...not quite as well as Avery; which is why it is a blessing that they are in different classes! Tate is a typical boy...he would wear the same clothes every day if I let him; he would go without a shower; forget his backpack etc. He has a one track mind. He is: hands on, outdoors, building, playing, moving, hauling, hunting. He is a rough and tough boy with a soft heart. Tate has earned forty dollars in his wallet, he thinks it is unfair that Avery has more than him. Tate still has "Grady" (his blanket) but offers it to the babies from time to time...somehow it always winds up back in his bed:)
Some of our "big boy's" favorite things right now are: Karate, playing in the great outdoors, building forts and pretending to hunt, Riding their four wheelers and dirt bikes, Building with Lego's, Racing match boxcars and of course showing the little guys the ropes of life as a boy...They are already praying for snow, they can't wait to ride their snowmobiles...
Blane Jonathan is the "good son." He is so easy going and relaxed. He is very much "attention to detail". He loves to color, look at books, and race a single matchbox car around in circles for long periods of time, never bothering a soul. He has a little servants heart as helps pick up around the house and occasionally walks around with the dish rag "cleaning." He never hesitates to tell the truth, when someone is in trouble. Lucky for me he is speaking in very clear sentences. When I need factual information on what happened in the situation, Blane is my guy! However, if Ryder is up to something you will always find Blane right by his side. He even encourages Ryder to make a good choice so that he doesn't get hurt or in trouble. He always accounts for his "little brother." Blane is the only Anderson boy not attached to a stuffed animal or blanket. Whatever he finds that night before bed will do.
 Ryder Alden, is also known as the 'big boy in a little body' and 'Tate's clone' (he was also baby B). He is the baby of the family by one hour and one minute. He is into EVERYTHING! Ryder is rough and tough just like Tate! He is busy, always on the move and into something. On an average, I put Ryder's clothes back on three times a day. He loves to go down to the big boy's room to put on their underwear and socks or swim trunks, he wears whatever shoes or boots he can find, he loves hats and gloves and on and on and on...I think he would be most happy if he could just wear his birthday suit; He loves to be naked! He is constantly up to something, whether it's smearing desitin all over, climbing up in the refrigerator, playing in the sink, coloring on the walls, taking off his poopy diaper, riding his mattress down the stairs, launching things off the balcony, making it snow with the powder in the living room, racing his cars on the toilet seat. You just never know what you are going to get with Ryder. And because he is so cute, and my "baby" you will most likely find me taking pictures with a smile rather that scolding him because I know that someday I will look back and laugh at this crazy chaos that my life is right now...and I might will miss it! Ryder is ready for kindergarten already, every morning he gets one of the big boy's backpack on with a pair of their boots and stands their in his pajamas or diaper and says: "me go, yep mama, me go." Then as they rush out the door, big brother grabs his backpack from Ryder, Daddy's truck pulls out the drive way and Ryder is crushed, he cries for a solid fifteen minutes every morning:( I say to him, "someday you will be big; soon enough." He looks at me through tears and replies: "no, no." Ryder loves his "choo choo blankie" and what I call  "the 70's bear" (Ashley's bear when he was little) I think every kid born in the 70's had one:) Ryder calls him "Beary" and absolutely adores him, giving kisses and hugs, tucking him in and going in the car etc. He giggles at the sight of his sweet bear.
Ashley is still the love of my life. We just celebrated eight years of marriage on November 1st. He is an amazing husband and dad! We have our share of moments throughout our life raising two sets of twins/four boys; tempers flare and patience thin; but at the end of the day, I can speak for both of us when I say there is no place that we would rather be than where we are at. TOGETHER!
He is busy managing his anger and our family business, Anderson Bridges; building bridges and lately doing some bridge installation. On the side he is always searching the web for a good deal on repairable vehicles, boats, motor homes etc. He can't resist, fixing something up to sell it. I have learned not to get attached to something anything...Everything is always for sale, I mean everything!
Racing season has come to a close...thankfully. We never thought we would hear ourselves say that! But we are thankful. Now, the race car will sit in the garage for months until a couple weeks before next season, unless we sell it. There are lots of ideas being thrown around and we have come to one conclusion... We are undecided about the 2012 season.
As for me. I absolutely LOVE God and everything He has blessed me with. I try to serve the Lord everyday in every little thing I do. I have busiest most thankless most rewarding job on the planet and it never ends. These five boys are my life; it's good and bad, but mostly good. They come first. I am a small group leader of 14 women every Wednesday morning at SAMmy's (Strength Among Mom's ministry) I am passionate about it. I am thankful for it. It makes me a better person. It makes my heart sing. I also attend MOPS (Mother's of Preschoolers) once a month. I love connecting with other moms. Like most women my age I always want what I don't have or I guess I just wish I had more...I wish I had more quiet time to pray and read, sew and scrapbook. I wish I could quick grab lunch or a cup of coffee with a girlfriend. I wish I could carry a small purse. I wish I had a mini cooper instead of a minivan. I wish I could wear heels instead of keens. I wish I could go into a store and not need a cart. I don't and I can't, but someday I will.  I am a work in progress, growing everyday. I struggle with body image, investing in sucker inners and push up bras, I am on a forever and never ending diet; trying determined to make it my lifestyle. However, I've learned one thing: true happiness and inner peace comes from God, He is working in me everyday. His power is made perfect in my weakness. Someday, I will see me the way he sees me. He fills my cup, and my cup overflows.
Time is flying. Enjoy. Each. Moment.
Peace to you and yours as we enter into this holiday season.
God Bless the deer hunters.

Pictures soon to follow.