Oh Christmas Tree

We decided to put the Christmas tree up a little early this year. This is the first year the boys have been able to really get into decorating the tree. They were so excited about every bit of it!

10 freshly polished silver bells - 1 for each year we have been married. A family tradition for almost 40 years!

New camera just in time for Halloween!

I decided that it was time to get a new camera so I could get a renewed zeal for taking pictures (and because I hated my other camera and I couldn't find the cord to upload the pictures). We will also be doing a lot of fun things in the coming months (trip to Orlando and Disney World over Thanksgiving and trip to Indiana for Christmas to name a few) and I wanted to make sure I could capture those memories sufficiently. So, here are some super cute pictures of our trip to Austin for Halloween! If you feel lead to post comments about how awesome the pictures are and how great my new camera must be, feel free ;)!

Super Cooper!

This was the first Halloween where I really let the boys go around from house to house. Jack kept saying, "Are we going to keep getting candy?" They were pretty pooped by the end of the night!

Does he look sick to you?

It has been a LONG summer and the beginning of the school year has been a rocky one in the Chupp house. Jack has had a cough for a while and on Saturday, he got sick twice after his nap. On Sunday, he had a fever of a 102 and I couldn't get it to come down with Tylenol. Fortunately, it didn't get any higher than that and he started acting better Sunday night. Monday morning, after acting like he still felt bad, he started playing with James so I figured he was good enough to go to school. We went ahead and scheduled him for a doctors appointment and it was a good thing we did. The doctor took one look at his throat and said he had strep throat. He listened to his lungs and said that he had bronchitis and the beginnings of pneumonia. Strangely enough, during the examination, Jack was walking all around the office, jumping off the table, and looking in cabinets. Definitely not what you would expect a kid with that diagnosis to be doing. So, we were forced to stay home today even though it was clear he didn't feel that bad.

Staying home with one sick boy who doesn't act sick and one well boy is pretty tough for this mom. Half way through the day I knew I had to get them out of the house and run some errands. We had dinner at Chick-fil-A where they had police officers sitting outside talking to little kids. This was so exciting for Jack and James. They got to make the siren go and even got to sit in the cop car. Hopefully that will be the last time that happens :)!

You tell me . . . does he look sick?!?!

Who needs a waterpark?

So I know this isn't the most . . . sophisticated activity that you can do on a Sunday afternoon, but in Texas during the summer, when you have two little boys who are climbing the walls (often literally) to do something, you have to do your best thinking! So, 1 slide + 1 pool + 1 water hose = some good Texas summer fun!

At first, they were a little nervous about it and needed help from mom.

But they warmed up to it pretty quickly!

We had a really fun afternoon!

So it all started . . .

last Sunday. It was about 12:30 p.m. and I was having a terrible time staying awake. . . VERY ready for my Sunday nap. Jesse decided that would be a good time to put the boys down for their nap. Now, the boys have had a horrible time with naps lately so when I put them down, I have to be very diligent about checking on them to make sure they are still in their beds and asleep. Because Jesse was the one putting them down though, I thought they would know he meant business and would go right to sleep. I stayed on the couch for about 10 minutes and didn't hear anything so I went back to my room and laid down.

I wake up at about 2:00 to noises of the boys playing in the living room. Not a bad nap right? About 2 1/2 hours. They seem to be playing fine and I can't think of any knives or scissors that I have left out so I decided that I can lay in bed a little longer (Jesse is taking a nap with me by the way). At about 2:20, I open my eyes and see both boys standing in our bedroom doorway. Let me paint you a little picture . . . James is completely naked from the waist down and is eating a lolly pop (it was pina colada if that helps you). Jack has put ALL of his church clothes back on including big boy underwear OVER his pullup, COLT socks that were inside out and has a huge wad of gum in his mouth. Clearly they have been in my purse. As I get up, James says, "Mommy, I poopooed in the potty!" "Oh really?" I said, "Is that why you have a sucker?" James nods his head. I, of course, start to investigate whether this is true or not and immediately go back to their bathroom - no sign of any boy going to the bathroom. I check James - no sign of him going to the bathroom so I took the sucker away and took the wad of gum away from Jack since neither of them asked to have these treats.

So, I go into the boys room to get clothes for James and immediately see that their room is TRASHED!! You have no idea how bad it looked (I didn't take a picture because at the time, I was becoming enraged!). There was play dough EVERYWHERE! They found some lotion (from where I still have no idea) and it was open and EVERYWHERE!! They got into the diaper rash cream and it was EVERYWHERE!!! Their stuffed animals and clothes completely covered the floor! It was very clear that they had not been asleep for a second of the time Jesse and I were asleep!

I start cleaning up the mess and they boys are saying things like, "Mommy, I played with the play dough! Mommy, I needed some lotion!" Very unaware of how upset I was . . . I honestly couldn't think of anything to say . . .

Anyway, that was my afternoon last Sunday. Yes, the boys were FORCED to take a nap as soon as I got their room cleaned AND YES, I will make sure they are asleep before I take my nap in the future!

They're in disguise!

So, the boys have had these glasses for probably two years now. I don't know why but they love them! When they first started wearing them, both boys refused to take them off . . . they wore them everywhere. One of the first places they wore them in public was to Sam's club. For some reason that day, James had his on but Jack didn't. We passed by a couple that was very taken back by James and his glass. After we passed them, I heard the husband say to his wife in a low voice, "One of them is in disguise!" I thought that was the funniest thing I had heard in a while. So, every time the boys wear them, I think of that . . . And now for some reason tonight, we decided we needed to take a bath in disguise!

Four Easters

Having twins born in early April makes Easter even more special than it already is in our family. Here are our boys on Easter Sunday for the past four years.

Easter 2006

Easter 2007

Easter 2008

Easter 2009

What a difference a year makes!

For most of my life, I was fortunate enough to get to hear by Dad sing "He's Alive" on Easter Sunday. I haven't been able to hear him sing it for a while and for some reason, I really missed hearing it this year. If you haven't heard it, here are the lyrics. It's worth the search to find someone sing it if you can't hear my Dad.

"He's Alive!"
(the resurrection from Peter's perspective)

The gates and doors were barred
And all the windows fastened down
I spent the night in sleeplessness
And rose at every sound
Half in hope of sorrow
And half in fear the day
Would find the soldiers breakin' through
To drag us all away

And just before the sunrise
I heard something at the wall
The gate began to rattle
And a voice began to call
I hurried to the window
Looked down into the street
Expecting swords and torches
And the sound of soldiers' feet

But there was no one there but Mary
So I went down to let her in
John stood there beside me
As she told me where she'd been
She said they've moved Him in the night
And none of us know where
The stone's been rolled away
And now His body isn't there

We both ran towards the garden
Then John ran on ahead
We found the stone and empty tomb
Just the way that Mary said
But the winding sheet they wrapped Him in
Was just an empty shell
And how or where they'd taken Him
Was more than I could tell

Oh something strange had happened there
Just what I did not know
John believed a miracle
But I just turned to go
Circumstance and speculation
Couldn't lift me very high
'Cause I'd seen them crucify Him
Then I saw Him die

Back inside the house again
The guilt and anguish came
Everything I'd promised Him
Just added to my shame
When at last it came to choices
I denied I knew His name
And even if He was alive
It wouldn't be the same

But suddenly the air was filled
With a strange and sweet perfume
Light that came from everywhere
Drove shadows from the room
And Jesus stood before me
With His arms held open wide
And I fell down on my knees
And I just clung to Him and cried

Then He raised me to my feet
And as I looked into His eyes
The love was shining out from Him
Like sunlight from the skies
Guilt in my confusion
Disappeared in sweet release
And every fear I ever had
Just melted into peace

He's alive yes He's alive
Yes He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive yes He's alive
Oh He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive He's alive
Hallelujah He's alive
He's alive and I'm forgiven
Heaven's gates are open wide
He's alive He's alive He's alive
I believe it He's alive
Sweet Jesus