Things I Want to Remember

Things I want to remember about ages 4, 21/2 and 8 months....

We are brothers,
and a close team.
Together we conquer,
together we dream.

 

Each other's minds,
we regularly read.
When one of us is hurt,
both of us bleed.

 

Without a thought,
we offer a helping hand.
Next to each other,
proudly we stand.

 

No matter what,
we'll always be close.
The bond that we share,
everyone knows.

 

That I really did take everyone grocery shopping

 That you love using your imaginations (below playing in the water park:)  and my boys are.always.(half) naked.



 How cute this little boog is in a hat

...and how much Corey LOVES baths!

 I want to remember that Caden could actually do this when he was still 3

How the bigger boys always take care of, look out for and play with Corey

How Charlie "calls" daddy at least once a day and tells him to "Come home from work and play with me"

 

More.To.Come!

 

5(ish) months old!

This little piece of deliciousness is 5(ish) months old! 
Personality:

• chilled out.  For the most part; you are super chill, go with the flow kinda little baby
• you LOVE your brothers to play with you and love, love, love to be talked to, snuggled and loved on
• you are overstimulated fairly easily. When this happens; you don't want anyone to touch/hold you; you want to go in your bed with your sound machine on and swaddled up with all the lights off and go to sleep.
• you are not a morning person:)

Milestones:

• you are rolling over (both ways) every once in a while
• starting to reach for toys

Health Update

• Saw your pediatric cardiologist yesterday.  Still have a tiny hole in your heart; but we just have to go get it checked in a year:)
• 13 pounds.  27 inches....having some trouble gaining weight so we are going to start trying a few different things with nursing AND you get to try some oatmeal tonight for the first time.

We love, love, love you so much!  Corey, you are such a bright, happy place for our family:)

50 is FABULOUS!

My mom had a BIG birthday yesterday...she turned 5-0!  SO (and I realize this is just for her:) here are FIFTY reasons why she is awesome.  And I had to narrow it down.
First a pic of what me and the boys made her for the big day (thankfully they cant read; and for someone reason with two pairs of extra hands helping me, we only ended up with 48 suckers:)

1. She loves Jesus.  So much.  And everyone that knows her, knows this.
2. She is the best wife.  ever.
3. She loves my boys.
4. She gives great advice when I want it; and doesn't when I don't (most of the time:)
5. She is funny; in a totally nerdy kinda way.
6. I don't think she has ever said "no they can't come over."  This means in highschool when I would have half of the school over every night and now when we bring the basketball team with us.  Her door has always been open.
7. She makes the best m & m cookies.
8. When I was in college she sent the most awesome packages to me.  My friends would get SO excited when my name was on the package board.
9. She's beautiful on the outside.
10. I am pretty sure she has never missed a softball game, volleyball game, basketball game, play, cheerleading competition, etc. ever.
11. She likes black coffee.
12. With all my family has been through; she has been our constant.
13. Everyone that has ever met her loves her.  seriously its true.
14. She was in the room with me when Caden was born and the first to see Corey and Charlie after their births.
15. All the nights she took care of Caden when he was a newborn and I couldn't.
16. All the times she sat in the NICU with Corey and me.
17. She is the best cook of anything.
18. She has a calming presence.
19. She is an incredible writer
20. She is the most selfless person I know
21. She loves Chris like he is her son.
22. She gives of everything...time, money, resources, clothes, anything and everything
23. She is a great daughter
24. She is awesome at figuring out how to be a mimi, mom, daughter, sister, wife and friend. and teacher. and mother in law.
25. She is encouraging.
26. She love, love, loves my dad.
27. She can laugh at herself
28. You can call her anytime.  for anything.
29. Her fashion/decorating sense has come a looonng way.
30. She lives close to me.
31. She has somehow perfected the transition from mom, to mentor, to best friend; but can also be all 3 to me at the same time.
32. She never complains about the fact that they only have one car and she is at the total mercy of my dad to get to and from places:)
33. She is a GREAT friend.
34. She loves the beach.
35. She always finds the positive in everything and every body (Which drives me crazy:)
36. Now that I am a mom; I have SO much for awe and respect for how she raised us.
37. She can sing.  Great.
38. She let me go to the high school I really wanted to even though it was a big sacrifice.
39. She watched me screw up a lot (still does) and loves me through it.
40. She listens well.
41. and without judgement.
42. She is an excellent teacher/speaker
43. She knows when I am losing it; and intervenes without me having to ask/tell her
44. She texts:)
45. She likes to house hunt and has passed this hobby on to me:)
46. She knows how to make everyone feel special
47. She can function on very little sleep.
48. She has a great smile.
49. She is fun to shop with.
50. She is actually excited about her 50s!

(almost) Wordless Wednesday

 

The big boys. 

 The little boys.  (the top pic was not staged; it is what I found when I walked into the den:)

The look I got when I told him to look "tough" BTW those are his football shoulder pads:)

Peace in the Madness

Okay; so life.is.crazy.  In a great way; but it is definately a challenge balancing personal spiritual growth/discipline, work, mommy, wife, woman and any other roles that I can play on any given day.  SOOO here are some things I have learned over the past four and a half months that help me to find time for "me" and in the meantime keep me semi-sane:)  *I realize these are totally tailored to my life but I would LOVE to hear some things that help you:)

Daily

• Get in the Word.  Not like sit down for an hour and journal and pray and just be still (although if you can do that everyday than WOOHOO!) but the realistic Jesus meets me where I am, sleep deprived, mom of 3 little ones gettin in the Word.  One way to do this that has really helped me is by having scripture written and taped up throughout my house...so when I am getting ready, or doing dishes or whatever it's there right in front of me.

• Along those same lines; pray without stopping.  Becoming a mom has amped up my prayer life in SO many ways; I pray about everything.  All the time...that my kids will take good naps, that I will have patience, that I will have discernment in how to train and discipline and teach, that someone will call me just when I need that phone call....and on and on and on.  It has become my total lifeline and really, I couldn't have a better one:)   
• Drink Coffee:)         
• Eat Healthy    
• Try to focus on the blessings bc it is SO easy to focus on the hard.
• Laugh with your kids                                              

 

At Least 3x a Week

•  Sit down to eat lunch or dinner.  Like make a plate.  And sit down.  And eat.
• Get "ready."  I think one of the easiest traps to fall into is this one.  Just wearing my sweats and t-shirts with my hair up and no make-up.  BUT I try to get "ready" (even if I have no where to go) at least 3-4 times a week; shower. fix hair. put make up on. wear real clothes.
• Exercise.  This one is new for me.  I have started to run again.  Not because I like it or bc I am still trying to lose baby weight (which, I am times 3) but because it makes me feel better; it gives me more energy and it is "me" time

At Least Once a Month

•  Go on a date.  With your husband.  Even if it is sitting at the coffee shop or going on a walk or whatever.  Just.go.
• Go out with your girlfriends. 

At Least once every 6 months-a Year

•  Read a book.  That is just for fun.
• Go somewhere over night(S) with you husband.  Or your girlfriends.  Without kids.

The list will continue to grow I am sure but for now; this is enough.  What are some things you have learned to do that help you be a better momma, wife, friend, etc?

 

 

 

A Day in the Life

I used to be SUCH a type A personality...I wanted to know not just the when, the where, how much, with who; but how all those details were going to come together.  I make lists for everything.  Mostly just so I can cross things off as they get done:)  I like my home to be in order, my car to be clean, my bills to be paid the second I get them in the mail.  I balance my check book all. the. time.  Am I stressing you out yet?!  Needless to say this flew out the window as we had more babies.  My life quickly got less out of my control and after baby #3 I pretty much went into survival mode.  I hate survival mode.  It's not fair to anyone...especially my boys.  SO I have very slowly been learning how to come out of survival mode and into the land of the living and thriving.  How?  My returning to my roots and making lists:)  (see the pics below).  This has really helped me to not be so overwhelmed and to just be more planned out with the day to day events.  BUT I am super flexible and I do not freak out (anymore) if the things on the list don't get done or if we don't stick to the schedule.  What do you do to help maintain your sanity?

Wordless Wednesday