So much to blog about

I'm a little behind in my blogging.  There is just always so much to blog about and so little time.  The holidays are SO fast approaching.  We keep things low-key but it is still busy.  Honestly the busyness right now seems to be appointments and a baby who is cutting four teeth and STILL has a cough.  The kids OT, PT, Neurosurgery appointments have all gone SO well but they have kept us hopping and working with them on these various treatments plans.  I will dedicate a whole post to that this weekend assuming I have time to catch up on my blogging.

For now here are the pics from last weekend when the boys and I made sugar cookies with what was on hand.  So if you are thinking they are not very "Christmas-y" it is because I only had leftover sprinkles from previous cookie endeavors.
 
Pre-bath


Post bath and time to decorate.
Eli dumped the entire contents of the container on each cookie every time. Thankfully most of the jars were almost empty.


This was there first time licking the beaters.  What kind of mother am I?  They are almost 5.  :)  Seriously thought this was just frosting so I didn't have to worry about salmonella.  As a kid on the other hand we ate raw batter often and lived to tell about it.  I have great memories of my Mom or Grandma yelling "Who wants to lick the beaters??"  I am pretty sure I won that race every time.  Should I admit that??? :)


Have a great weekend!!!

So this is how it went down...

Thanksgiving went really well.  I had fun decorating and kept it simple.  The turkey came out well and the sides were delicious as were the desserts.  My sister Missy made a lot of the sides and the famous peanut butter pie so between my cooking and hers and Linda's goodies we had a TON of food.

In the midst of getting everything together my sweet children came to me and were so proud that they had dressed themselves.  One thing I have learned in my almost 5 years of parenting is you have to let some things go.  So they donned sponge bob shirts and too big sweats and mismatched socks.  It didn't make for a family portrait but it did provide my favorite pictures from thanksgiving.  These kids crack me up.

Jared googled "how to carve a turkey" and it went well.  Incidentally, I googled everything I wasn't sure how to do and called my sister in law Kim who was SO helpful. 
Jared had to remove the boys from the table once and talk to them but other than that the kids table did well and it was fun to hear them giggle together. 

My first big holiday is over and now we move onto Christmas Eve.  :)

Let the games begin

The baking and chopping has begun.  Tomorrow I host my first Thanksgiving.  I have been fine and not too stressed about it but last night I kind of "hit a wall".  I told Jared to help talk me off the ledge.  I started with what if the turkey is so disgusting we can't even eat it?  Jared, who always knows what to say to his crazy wife said...."It will be funny and we'll have a story to tell".  He's right.  Everyone has one of THOSE stories.  I don't want one but it may come along with this holiday hosting gig.

I've prepped all that I can and plan to finish my Pioneer Woman mashed potatoes this evening along with a couple of pies.  Oh yeah and then there's the dreaded turkey.  Why does the turkey freak me out????  I am going to have nightmares about turkey's attacking.  Ugh.  Oh well.  At this time on Friday it will all be a memory.  A good one I hope.  :)

Last night at 10:30 I decided I would feel better if I got all the dishes, pots, pans ready and labeled them.  My recipes are printed.  Lists are made.  This all brings comfort to this rookie.
Apple Sauce Done!

Baby bathed!

Cheerios spilled!
This happened this morning as I was trying to get things done.  Alex picked up the box upside down and most of the box spilled. After a shared moment of shocked silence we both just sat on the floor and laughed and laughed.  Addie failing to find the humor just parked her self in the middle of them and had a feast.  It was like Christmas for her.  
This was when Alex thought she had a great idea and joined her.  I'd like to be able to say I had JUST cleaned the floors so it wasn't that gross BUT I hadn't and it was that gross.  :)


Happy Thanksgiving.  I am thankful for all the moments that make up this crazy life.  God is good.

Ahh, the irony.  As I am typing that last line Alex and Eli knocked down my glass vase that was filled with cranberries.  The vase shattered and cranberries rolled all over the floor.  It wasn't funny like the cheerios, due to the fact that I had been asking them to get off the table for the past 10 minutes.  Oh well, still thankful, just a bit annoyed.  :)

  

Decorating Nani and Papa's Tree

Last year the boys joined in on the tradition of decorating Nani and Papa's tree and in previous years I think my niece & nephew, Amanda & Andrew did it. This year we headed there to do it again.  The boys loved it.  Addie had fun too.

I love this picture of Eli and Papa.

Halloween 2011

The Whole Gang.  Eli's back is in every one of my pictures.  I kind of gave up.  There were 5 families at the party last night.


My Super Heroes

Best picture of the night.  Some bachelor was giving out Mountain Dew and spicy nacho chips.  Eli walked a few steps away and said "MOM!  Isn't pop BAD!"  Nice.

Tis the Season

The boys have colds/coughs and Addie has cold/cough/ear infection/teething.  Long story, short we had to miss our Church's Fall Festival.  Bummer.  Jared still went to help and I was home with the boys making super hero masks and we carved our pumpkin.  After carving we headed outside and they had fun running around acting goofy.  We went back out after it was dark and made spooky noises.  They loved it of course.

This is Alex showing me the face he wanted on his pumpkin.  I love Eli's expression.





BTW MRI's were rescheduled due to colds.  They will be at the end of the month instead of Wednesday.

Mother's Day

Mother's day in a nutshell w/ lots of pictures.

Church. Baby Dedication. Brunch with 1 side of the fam. Sister get-together with the other. Too much food. Tree climbing, cousins. Sweet smiles. 4 sisters, 4 husbands, 13 children and a partridge in a pear tree. Chaos, but lots of fun. Basketball. Sidewalk Chalk. Baby-feeding. Laughs. Realizing it is inevitable that you become the generation before you. Old-school music discussions. Flowers. Hugs. It was a good day.

I somehow managed to miss 1/2 the cousins and all the husbands in these pictures. Oops, I guess I was enjoying the company too much to take all the pictures I could have. That is a good thing, right?

Being a Mom

This morning as I ironed our clothes for church tomorrow. I remembered when I ironed the boy's outfits for baby dedication 3 years ago. My first Mother's Day was a bit rough. The boys were both a few weeks old and in the NICU. The 2nd year I was so thrilled to have them home with us. And now this year I prepare yet another child's clothes for the dedication. A GIRL, no less. Crazy.

It really got me thinking about "officially" dedicating Addie tomorrow. With the boys I was VERY anxious. I had just come through hell with them. I was happy they were alive and I wasn't sure I wanted to lose "control" by giving them over. It is laughable, really. We are NEVER in control, even though, as Mommies, we all wish we could be.

With Addie it is much different. It is truly just a public admission of what was decided previously. Not to lessen the meaning of it or what it means to dedicate your child publicly but because I gave Addie to God in the womb. I've NEVER felt like I had control over this one. She is His, as are the boys.

In my four years being a Mom I have learned so much and yet I know there are volumes of knowledge ahead of me.

I took a walk with the kids while Jared was at work. During the course of the bike ride Eli's peddle fell off his bike. I fixed it despite struggling a bit and felt a bit triumphant. We proceeded and Alex had to stop and chat with each neighbor we passed. "Are they our neighbors, Mama?" "Yes, Alex, now how 'bout we let them enjoy the day." He charmed many a neighbor let me tell you.

On the way back as I yelled "Alex, stop at the end of the street.", several times. He didn't. I gave him the look and assured myself that he'd gotten the message. Until, that is, he looked at me and said "I am coming back over". He proceeded to cross the street AGAIN.

We entered the house and they were thirsty I poured the milk in their glasses and before I could hand them to them Eli grabbed his and spilled it onto the floor and it splashed and hit the clean, ironed clothes that I had spent time ironing this morning.

This IS motherhood. I was walking and enjoying the sunshine and thinking it was such a charmed life I led. Within an hour I was snapping at the kids and my husband feeling overwhelmed. It has it's ups and downs but I admit to loving it.

SO......

to Alex, Eli and Addison, I love each of your MESSY little FACES!

Thanks for putting up with my flaws as I navigate through this unknown territory that is Motherhood.

While I am talking about "putting up with my flaws"...thanks to Jared for making me a Mommy and for buying me flowers and the sweetest card, despite my crankiness.

Good Friday

Read to the boys from their "Jesus Storybook Bible" tonight. Jared read it at dinner and then they wanted to hear it again before bed. We read the story of the crucifixion and Alex asked "Why are they hurting my Jesus?" which Eli followed with "Why is Jesus sad?" Uh, love the innocence of their questions and the dialog that it allows.

Sharing your faith with your kids. There is nothing like it (on earth). :)

Wait 'til they hear what's coming on Sunday!

I love their simple (although not really) questions. We should all strive to have faith like a child. I wonder what are the simple questions I should be asking of my Father (the heavenly one of course).

Valentines Day

I like Valentine's Day. I dont' do 55 heart crafts and decorate my house but I like the chance to tell my boys and now girl why and how much I love them. Our family (Me, Jared, Alex, Eli and Adds)say's "I love you" a lot. We don't hold it in until specific designated days and for that I am grateful but why not enjoy another day to pour out some love, right?

Our lives have been crazy and I have yet to write about that. Addie is well following her surgery to have tubes put in and have her hearing tested. She had some complications regarding her breathing following the surgery. We spent a couple of days at the hospital but all is well. For that I am grateful. She still, after her tubes were put in, has mild to moderate hearing loss in one ear. I like to focus on the fact that she has complete hearing in one ear and some in another. We'll face the rest as needed.

It's been a long week month year. BUT (and this is the important part)God really has taken care of us. He does not leave us. He does not forsake us. He has taught us what love looks like. Perfect love and that is another nice thing to remember this Valentine's Day.

Jared and I are actually going to go on a date tonight. It's been WAY TOO LONG since we have done that I am really looking forward to it. He just happens to have to the day off of school today too. yay.

Christmas 2010

I love Christmas morning. I love being home with the boys, the jammies, the excitement, the yummy breakfast. Love it. The past 2 years we have invited Nani and Papa over for Christmas morning to watch the boys open gifts. This year they went a little crazy with the gifts and the boys got ponies (stuffed ones) that they can ride. It was fun to watch their excitement.

We had breakfast, opened gifts and spent the rest of the day watching them play with them. Perfect day.

Alex saw this cat piano in a catalog weeks before Christmas and when you asked what he wanted he kept this same answer. I found it at Target and the rest is history. I love the smile on Jared's face as he watches him open the ONE thing he wanted.

as is usually the case, he has hardly played with that :)

Eli's face in this picture is priceless

here is Eli reading the Bible pop-up books that I got from a lady at church at the Mom2Mom sale for $1

there are 4 of them and they are a HUGE hit

total investment $4

isn't that hysterical

Christmas evening we went to my sister Molly's house and had dessert and we had a great time.

This year we led up to Christmas by telling the boys that Jesus' Birthday was coming, was tomorrow, etc. So when I mentioned it to Eli on Christmas day he said "where is his cake?" (the boy will always find an angle for baked goods, not sure where he got that from) :) I said we would have dessert at Aunt Molly's.

When she got the pies out I mentioned that if they had a candle we could celebrate Jesus' Birthday. Uncle Jack found a princess candle and we sang Happy Birthday to Jesus. It was a sweet moment that I will not forget.

When I told Eli we were going to sing Happy Birthday to Jesus he said "Where is he?" and when we lit the candle Bella said "I will blow out the candles because Jesus doesn't know how".

I often in my life think of what must amuse Jesus as he delights in his children and I have to think that gave him a good chuckle!

Christmas Eve

Christmas Eve is always with Jared's side of the family

we attempted family pictures also

It was worth a try....

ahh, the upside to teenagers...they will actually stand still and look at the camera ;)

precious

Aunt Linda, the sweet soul who let us all invade her home :)

and last but not least

the belle of the ball :)

I cannot say enough about how fun it was to dress her in her red velvet dress and bloomers not to mention the hat with the bow. Hmmm, all the girly-ness. LOVE it!