The boys have been cracking me up lately and I wanted to record a few down before I forget...
We've been doing a "thankful" paper chain every morning where I made a paper chain and every link is something that we are thankful for and then every morning during morning devotions, the boys get to go tear one off and we pray and thank God for whatever is written on that chain. Regardless of what the chain says, Cole starts every one of his prayers by saying, "Frank you Jesus for this bootiful sunny day...". It doesn't matter if it's pouring rainy, he always says the same thing. I love it so much I hope he never learns to say "thank you" the right way :o)
Fin tore a chain off one morning and asked what it said. I said it said "brothers" and that we should thank God for our brothers. He looked at me skeptically and said, "Um, can I trade this chain in for another one, because Cole is kind of a knucklehead..". I laughed SO hard and told him no he could not trade it in. He is such a grumpy old man sometimes.
Every morning when I help Cole get dressed, I pull down his jammie pants and always exclaim "AH WEENIES!". (I know, really mature). I did this like normal and normally Cole giggles but when I did it one morning he knit his eyebrows together and said, "Ummmm Mom, please don't say "AH WEENIES" anymore b/c....Weenies are my friends". Understood.
Fin ran in from his basketball the other day and was So excited. He immediately said, "MOM...I Played SO good. Like SO SO good" and was so proud. I love his confidence. He thinks when he makes a basket that it's called dunking so he said, "I dunked like SO so many times". He tells other people how much he dunks too and they always look so confused :o)
When I went to pick up Cole from the Y this morning, his teacher said that during circle time Cole kept leaning over to the boy next to him (who is is friend from church) and kissing him on the cheek. Finally after 3 kisses, the teacher said, "Ok Cole,that's enough kisses" and he said Cole got SUCH a mad look on his face and said, "TEACHER, I have to kiss my friend!". We're hoping he either phases this stage out...or becomes a Quaker :o)
Pat was talking to Fin after his game the other day and said, "Fin there are three things I want to tell you... 1) You played your hardest and that makes me so proud of you. 2) You listened so well to your coach and that makes me very proud too. And 3).." And Fin interrupted him giggling so excited and said, "I LOVE number three...it's always the best one". Kind of threw Pat off and I'm pretty sure he forgot what number 3 was in the first place...
These boys always keep us on our toes. Heaven help us when Lilah starts talking...
Friday, November 22, 2013
Friday, November 15, 2013
Facts of Life
I thought it would be fun to write down some random facts about our family in this stage of life, to look back at one day and remember. Goodness knows it's all a diapers, water cups, naptime blur most days :o)
We live on a cash budget, but nothing makes me happier (and Pat too I suspect) then when he doesn't use our cash on the weekends when he goes and gets us Starbucks. It may sound silly but its like a forbidden splurge that we're not counting or acknowledging. Makes that peppermint mocha taste that much better...
My most frustrating time of the day is getting in the car to go somewhere. God bless my minivan, it has made things a lot easier, BUT for some reason it takes my boys 3 hours to walk 5 feet from the house to the van. There route will include circling the tree a few times, wandering around looking for rolly poley's, walking with one shoe on while the other is in their hand, and just general things to make me want to throw a toddler fit. I admit, I start out calm in the house telling each one directly to walk straight to the car, get in and buckle but it all usually ends with me saying, "SERIOUSLY you have three seconds to get in the car. We are LATE. Buckle yourself and you're not allowed to talk until your buckled and NO I will not help you with your shoe right now, we will just do it when we get there".
Almost every evening ends with the kids in bed and then Fin sneaking out to tell us that Cole won't stop talking to him. We then go in and either spank or threaten to spank and then peace is restored. It's a sweet little family tradition we have ;o)
Pat gets up with Lilah when she wakes up at 6am and hangs with her for a half hour before he has to go to work. He said he turns the lamp on and she will just lay on his chest while he scratches her back. She will NEVER lay on me like this because she's always on the hunt for some nummies. I would be jealous but let's be honest, I'm in my sweet sweet warm bed while this is going down, so they can have their moment :o)
Most days the kids have "room time" while I get dinner ready. They go in their rooms (Lilah included) and can play whatever they want as long as they aren't leaping off the top bunk and they know they're cleaning it up later. I spread a line on the floor of the hall using a spongebob blanket and tell them they are not allowed to cross that line but can play anywhere up to that line. This includes no yelling tattles to me OVER the line. It's blissful and peaceful, but all hell breaks loose if Daddy walks in the door during that time. That line is quickly hurdled over in an effort for tackle hugs.
This fall weather has been so beautiful that we've been outside as much as possible trying to store away Vitamin D for the dreary months. The only way I can do a decent long walk with the kids is I load up Cole and Lilah in the double jogging stroller that has a half flat tire and then Fin drives ahead of us in his gator. It's kind of hilarious to see as we are our own parade, but that gator is awesome; we can do a 3 mile loop with. It's quite the workout for me between pushing the stroller and telling Fin when to stop and start when crossing the streets.
There's a million more random things I can think of but I think these tidbits pretty well sum up where we are at right now. I purposefully did not record stories of Poop-explosions and why on earth can boys not pee in a straight line. Your welcome, kids.
We live on a cash budget, but nothing makes me happier (and Pat too I suspect) then when he doesn't use our cash on the weekends when he goes and gets us Starbucks. It may sound silly but its like a forbidden splurge that we're not counting or acknowledging. Makes that peppermint mocha taste that much better...
My most frustrating time of the day is getting in the car to go somewhere. God bless my minivan, it has made things a lot easier, BUT for some reason it takes my boys 3 hours to walk 5 feet from the house to the van. There route will include circling the tree a few times, wandering around looking for rolly poley's, walking with one shoe on while the other is in their hand, and just general things to make me want to throw a toddler fit. I admit, I start out calm in the house telling each one directly to walk straight to the car, get in and buckle but it all usually ends with me saying, "SERIOUSLY you have three seconds to get in the car. We are LATE. Buckle yourself and you're not allowed to talk until your buckled and NO I will not help you with your shoe right now, we will just do it when we get there".
Almost every evening ends with the kids in bed and then Fin sneaking out to tell us that Cole won't stop talking to him. We then go in and either spank or threaten to spank and then peace is restored. It's a sweet little family tradition we have ;o)
Pat gets up with Lilah when she wakes up at 6am and hangs with her for a half hour before he has to go to work. He said he turns the lamp on and she will just lay on his chest while he scratches her back. She will NEVER lay on me like this because she's always on the hunt for some nummies. I would be jealous but let's be honest, I'm in my sweet sweet warm bed while this is going down, so they can have their moment :o)
Most days the kids have "room time" while I get dinner ready. They go in their rooms (Lilah included) and can play whatever they want as long as they aren't leaping off the top bunk and they know they're cleaning it up later. I spread a line on the floor of the hall using a spongebob blanket and tell them they are not allowed to cross that line but can play anywhere up to that line. This includes no yelling tattles to me OVER the line. It's blissful and peaceful, but all hell breaks loose if Daddy walks in the door during that time. That line is quickly hurdled over in an effort for tackle hugs.
This fall weather has been so beautiful that we've been outside as much as possible trying to store away Vitamin D for the dreary months. The only way I can do a decent long walk with the kids is I load up Cole and Lilah in the double jogging stroller that has a half flat tire and then Fin drives ahead of us in his gator. It's kind of hilarious to see as we are our own parade, but that gator is awesome; we can do a 3 mile loop with. It's quite the workout for me between pushing the stroller and telling Fin when to stop and start when crossing the streets.
There's a million more random things I can think of but I think these tidbits pretty well sum up where we are at right now. I purposefully did not record stories of Poop-explosions and why on earth can boys not pee in a straight line. Your welcome, kids.
Monday, November 4, 2013
Daylight Devastation
These kids...they look so innocent. But there is a day once a year that is bound to throw them off their game for at least 2 weeks. It is not a holiday (although it once was one in my mind). It's Daylight Savings. While everyone without young children gain an hour, my kids are up an hour early in the new clock time. Which means breakfast at 6am new time...which means filling time 3 hours before church...which means Mama better start learning to like coffee because it is not acceptable to eat chocolate before the sun is up, so says Ms. Manners.
I thought I was prepared. I knew it would be bad but this is my 5th Daylight Savings with children...I'm no rookie. But no my friends, yesterday everything and everyone were gunning for us.
It started out pretty good, minus the boys protesting loudly from their room because they were awake but the time on their alarm was not letting them get up yet. We had waffles, we cuddled, and I even let Pat sleep 15 minutes later than usual on his morning to sleep in. Because I was in this generous "can't touch me" Daylight Savings spirit. But then Pat got dressed and looked for his wallet and the stuff hit the fan...
Wallet...gone. His Iphone...gone. And we were all over town the day before so he had no idea where he could have left it. He darted out the door at 7:30 am to try to retrack his steps and be home in time to leave for church at 8:30. I got the boys playing and told them I was putting Lilah down for her nap. Right as she falls asleep, Fin kicks in the door to tell me that Cole was gone and running around outside. People...this child does not go out by himself and it was a solid 45 degrees outside and...oh yea, he was running around neighborhood without a parent. I put a now fully awake and crying Lilah in her crib and flew outside with no bra, wearing XXL shirt of Pat's and my pink Santa pajama pants, O yes I did!
I see Cole at the stop sign with a grin on his face...DANCING...until he saw my face and hauled his little soon-to-be-spanked butt home. One spanking, several tears, and a napped Lilah later we were ready to leave for church. Except Pat still couldn't find his wallet that had a lot of valuable things in it. And his phone. And while we tried to figure out a game plan I swear my children multiplied from 3 to 76 because everyone was talking at once and I could.not. form a thought in my head. So I took the kids to church while he stayed behind to keep looking.
Just as I arrived at church, a thought popped into my head of where it could be. But I had no way of letting Pat know because he had no phone. So my saint of a sister Sarah took the kids into Sunday School while I raced 20 min back home to try to find Pat and let him know. I drove around and found him in the Target parking lot where I ripped open the top of the canopy on the stroller and....there was his wallet and phone. People...moments like these can make or break a marriage. Luckily we were both so relieved we hugged it out, I told him he owed me big time, and we rushed back to church before Sunday School let out. We even made it back in time for the end of the sermon.
Except...When I went to take Lilah out of her carseat I realized she had had a poop-explosion allllllll over herself. So we christened the new minivan by changing her in there. And we made it to pick up the kids on time just to hear from Fins Sunday School teachers that Fin came in and immediately announced, "My brother ran away and my mom is really overwhelmed". Thanks Fin, thanks :o)
We survived. We all apologized to each other from stressful reactions and we ate bagels and had a merry ol' time. But I've learned a lesson. You cannot beat Daylight Savings. It will always win. Don't get cocky...and for goodness sake, always lock the doors when putting the baby down for her nap.
Sunday, October 20, 2013
O Fall
We just love you so much...
Yes Kids, Grandma is this limber at the age of 59. Yes, we were all impressed.
Please stay forever.
Yes Kids, Grandma is this limber at the age of 59. Yes, we were all impressed.
Please stay forever.
Lilah at 6 months
Can we just please kick off her 6 month post with this awesome pic?
I'm sorry Lilah (but I'm not sorry). I love those rolls so very much. They are kissable, and dimpled and I nibble them everyday and they are some kind of soft baby drug to me.
Moving on...
Our Janie is 6 almost 7 months now. Still so so happy, still so sweet, trying new things now like...
A pumpkin waffle and sitting in a highchair for the first time.
Hanging in an icecream shop with the bros.
Cooking with Mama (dream come true for me!). I have such sweet memories cooking in my moms kitchen and I cannot wait to do the same with her.
Snuggling on the couch with Fin like she's fifteen years old or something.
Cat naps in the car. That's not new both this is a really cute pic of her and her foot :o)
Still crashing mom and dads date night. She's about to get the boot soon though because while always giggling, she's become a little bit of a wiggle worm and she competes with me for her daddy's affections.
Still one of the cutest monkeys I've ever seen.
Lilah seems so big to me lately. She's sleeping better, while still not all the way through the night. That's ok though, Mama's been broken by the other two and now the expectations are very very low. Basically if she's not trying to climb out of her crib or waking up every half hour, anything else goes!
She's tried some oatmeal and I've given her little crusts, fruits and waffles to suck on. We're going to do the same route that we did with Cole and do minimal pureed foods and mainly breastfeed with a little bit of food in its true form. I loved this with Cole (partly because of how easy it was) and it worked great so if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Lilah is LOUD with the vocals. She's a growler, a shrieker and a singer. I joke and say she's the most masculine baby we've ever had b/c she has the funniest deep throated growls. She rarely fusses though and mainly is just training to be as vocal as her brothers. We're very excited about this....actually we're very scared of adding another talker into the bunch. We can only take so much.
Lilah is doted on by her brothers. Her daddy smothers with kisses and when he's walks into the room and sees her, he always say, "well well well, if it isn't little Miss Holly Springs", which cracks me up everytime. She's my bestie and such a joy to us.
Lilah, You.are.Loved.
I'm sorry Lilah (but I'm not sorry). I love those rolls so very much. They are kissable, and dimpled and I nibble them everyday and they are some kind of soft baby drug to me.
Moving on...
Our Janie is 6 almost 7 months now. Still so so happy, still so sweet, trying new things now like...
A pumpkin waffle and sitting in a highchair for the first time.
Hanging in an icecream shop with the bros.
Cooking with Mama (dream come true for me!). I have such sweet memories cooking in my moms kitchen and I cannot wait to do the same with her.
Snuggling on the couch with Fin like she's fifteen years old or something.
Cat naps in the car. That's not new both this is a really cute pic of her and her foot :o)
Still crashing mom and dads date night. She's about to get the boot soon though because while always giggling, she's become a little bit of a wiggle worm and she competes with me for her daddy's affections.
Still one of the cutest monkeys I've ever seen.
Lilah seems so big to me lately. She's sleeping better, while still not all the way through the night. That's ok though, Mama's been broken by the other two and now the expectations are very very low. Basically if she's not trying to climb out of her crib or waking up every half hour, anything else goes!
She's tried some oatmeal and I've given her little crusts, fruits and waffles to suck on. We're going to do the same route that we did with Cole and do minimal pureed foods and mainly breastfeed with a little bit of food in its true form. I loved this with Cole (partly because of how easy it was) and it worked great so if it ain't broke, don't fix it!
Lilah is LOUD with the vocals. She's a growler, a shrieker and a singer. I joke and say she's the most masculine baby we've ever had b/c she has the funniest deep throated growls. She rarely fusses though and mainly is just training to be as vocal as her brothers. We're very excited about this....actually we're very scared of adding another talker into the bunch. We can only take so much.
Lilah is doted on by her brothers. Her daddy smothers with kisses and when he's walks into the room and sees her, he always say, "well well well, if it isn't little Miss Holly Springs", which cracks me up everytime. She's my bestie and such a joy to us.
Lilah, You.are.Loved.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Chicken Butt
Oh Cole.
So, a few weeks back, Pat taught the boys all of the Chicken jokes. The "Guess what...chicken butt" one and the "Guess why...Chicken Pie" one...You know, all important intelligent things you want to pass onto your children. I clearly was not in the room when this was going down and as soon as they both ran into Lilahs room to ask me, "Guess what?" with giant smiles on their face....I knew the damage had been done.
So they incessantly asked these jokes until we put the kabosh on the whole thing aboooouuuut one hour later. Fin, like any reasonable 5 year old, saw a spanking in his future and obeyed. Cole, not so much. He kept on with the Chicken Butt joke until he was punished.
As time went on, he would stop telling the joke altogether but would just randomnly yell out "CHICKEN BUTT" regardless of if it was to a family or stranger, at home or in a restaurant. This.had.to.stop.
SO we told Cole anytime he said "Chicken butt", he would get a spanking. And mostly he can contain himself. But at least a few times a day he cannot and he will run into the room I'm in, whisper (chicken butt), get a TERRIFIED look on his face and run out of the room with his little butt covered with both hands.
It takes ALL of our will power not to burst out laughing at the sheer terror on his face because he seriously cannot help himself. I really feel like we are weaning him off of crack cocaine or something, he just loves saying those words so dang much.
So again, husband, Muchos gracias for the nuggets of wisdom you are passing along to our offspring :o)
So, a few weeks back, Pat taught the boys all of the Chicken jokes. The "Guess what...chicken butt" one and the "Guess why...Chicken Pie" one...You know, all important intelligent things you want to pass onto your children. I clearly was not in the room when this was going down and as soon as they both ran into Lilahs room to ask me, "Guess what?" with giant smiles on their face....I knew the damage had been done.
So they incessantly asked these jokes until we put the kabosh on the whole thing aboooouuuut one hour later. Fin, like any reasonable 5 year old, saw a spanking in his future and obeyed. Cole, not so much. He kept on with the Chicken Butt joke until he was punished.
As time went on, he would stop telling the joke altogether but would just randomnly yell out "CHICKEN BUTT" regardless of if it was to a family or stranger, at home or in a restaurant. This.had.to.stop.
SO we told Cole anytime he said "Chicken butt", he would get a spanking. And mostly he can contain himself. But at least a few times a day he cannot and he will run into the room I'm in, whisper (chicken butt), get a TERRIFIED look on his face and run out of the room with his little butt covered with both hands.
It takes ALL of our will power not to burst out laughing at the sheer terror on his face because he seriously cannot help himself. I really feel like we are weaning him off of crack cocaine or something, he just loves saying those words so dang much.
So again, husband, Muchos gracias for the nuggets of wisdom you are passing along to our offspring :o)
Community
It's one of those perfect cozy afternoons where the 2 little are still sleeping, I got a nap myself (GLORY) and Fin and I are cuddling watching Tom and Jerry while he tells me every detail of his morning in preschool :o)
I have been filled to the brim lately in a good way, where I look around and am so dang grateful for where we are and who we are surrounded by. In Bible Study last week we talked about community and what that looks like being a part of a church body. To be honest, community has never been something I've sought out. Living so close to both of our extended famlies, I've always felt content with our little family, hanging out with our extended families and having 5 built in best friends in my sisters...
I've never been super social and I'm content to be a nester and just chill at home with my homies.
But we finally caved to JD's weekly encouragement to get in a bible study. The Epp's started one in our neighborhood that met after bedtime, so really, our excuses had run out at that point :o) Not that we didn't try to look for more...
But man is there blessing in community outside the family. In the past several months just by getting to know and hang out with several young mothers in Summit and then beginning to get to know the woman in our bible study, I have been so blessed by those friendships and just the day to day "doing life" together.
From bible study cookouts with a million sweaty kids running around and jumping on the trampoline...
To an impromptu "fall food" cookout with good friends; it feels nice to be able to be social with our three young kids because everyone is at the same stage of life as us and tantrums and snotty noses are as common as sippy cups and the sharing of highchairs all around.
It just feels like a very sweet time for our family and I'm so glad to be investing in these friendships. Because really, what friendship is not solid when based on a common love of Jesus and s'mores?
I have been filled to the brim lately in a good way, where I look around and am so dang grateful for where we are and who we are surrounded by. In Bible Study last week we talked about community and what that looks like being a part of a church body. To be honest, community has never been something I've sought out. Living so close to both of our extended famlies, I've always felt content with our little family, hanging out with our extended families and having 5 built in best friends in my sisters...
I've never been super social and I'm content to be a nester and just chill at home with my homies.
But we finally caved to JD's weekly encouragement to get in a bible study. The Epp's started one in our neighborhood that met after bedtime, so really, our excuses had run out at that point :o) Not that we didn't try to look for more...
But man is there blessing in community outside the family. In the past several months just by getting to know and hang out with several young mothers in Summit and then beginning to get to know the woman in our bible study, I have been so blessed by those friendships and just the day to day "doing life" together.
From bible study cookouts with a million sweaty kids running around and jumping on the trampoline...
To an impromptu "fall food" cookout with good friends; it feels nice to be able to be social with our three young kids because everyone is at the same stage of life as us and tantrums and snotty noses are as common as sippy cups and the sharing of highchairs all around.
It just feels like a very sweet time for our family and I'm so glad to be investing in these friendships. Because really, what friendship is not solid when based on a common love of Jesus and s'mores?
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