Wednesday, December 24, 2008

Gingerbread House

I'm sitting here waiting for the kiddos to fall asleep so "Santa" can come so I thought I'd share or fun project we did today! Last night, I had to run to Target to pick up a few things and I saw a gingerbread house kit. "Cool!" I though, this will be something fun to do with the kids!! So today, we all got up and started in on it. It was really easy and really fun. I put the house together, Jason took pics, and the boys decorated with all the candy it came with. Even Sawyer sat up on the table and helped decorate! It turned out pretty cute our first try at a gingerbread house. Later in the day, I was showering and Jason was watching the boys. He noticed that Sawyer had slipped out of the bedroom and he found him in the kitchen.... on the table... eating the gingerbread house!! The candy was all GONE, the side of the house was caved in, and the poor little gingerbread man had no legs. SO funny!!! I'm glad I took pics before hand. It is just a funny thing that happened that will turn into a funny family story we can talk about for years to come! I think the gingerbread house will surely be a new Christmas tradition in our house. 

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

Snow Day!!

What a fun day we've had! We woke up this morning to school being canceled. We have been in our jammies all day watching movies. Matter of fact, it's after 2 and we are STILL in our jammies! We had some soup for lunch and I'm going to make chicken and noodles for dinner. My house is a wreck since we have been home all day and the boys have been playing, but I don't even care! We've had such a fun day!

Sunday, December 7, 2008

The Great Bed Switcheroo!

This past weekend we had a big time bed switcheroo. We are just trying to prepare for the baby which will be here in about 12 weeks and also make the most efficient use of our small space. So, we moved Sawyer from his crib/pack 'n play into a toddler bed. He is doing pretty well! That first night I had to pick him up and put him back in bed about 10-15 times before he got the hint that ti was bedtime and this is where he was sleeping. Once he went down though, he stayed down for the night and looked like such a big boy! Tonight is night #3 in the toddler bed and he is snoozing away in there! Some friends of ours are letting us use one of their bunk beds as well. So we tore down Brodie's twin bed and the other toddler bed and moved the bunks in. It has a twin on top and a full on bottom. So, Brodie is sleeping on top and Deacon and Truman are sleeping on bottom. They LOVE it! Right now it's a toy and a bed for them! Overall the bed switcheroo went very well and all the boys are happy!

Sunday, November 30, 2008

We're done!

Having kids that is. Yes, I know....I know, I've said it before. And, yes, this is coming from the person who canceled her tubal at the last minute after Deacon and Truman were born and after Sawyer was born but it feels different this time. For the first time I feel like I am ready to be done being pregnant, done giving birth and ready to move on with just raising my family. As scared and freaked out as I am about having a little girl, I feel like she is the perfect way to complete our family. 4 amazing sons and 1 beautiful daughter. It sounds perfect to me. And you know what, I'm not going to lie, kids cost a lot!! And the older they get the more they are going to cost. I'm ready to just enjoy my kids. I am ready to move on from child bearing to child rearing and I'm actually really excited about. I've cried a couple of times knowing this is the last time I'm going to have a baby growing inside of me, the last time I'm going to feel those kicks and those hiccups, the last time I'm going to experience the amazingness of birth but it's time....it's time for us to move on.

Friday, November 21, 2008

Thanksgiving!

Hard to believe we are less than a week away from Thanksgiving! I really love this holiday because it lets you take a look at your life and see all the blessings you have. Here are a few of mine:
Brodie: my sweet, first born,the one who first made me a mommy. 2nd in command after daddy.
Deacon: my little one who always has a song on his lips and a dance for anyone who care to watch
Truman: my biggins who goes against the stream & does his own thing (this will be a good thing!)
Sawyer: my littlest guy and the one who can put a smile on my face no matter what
My baby girl: God has finally given you to me
Jason: the man who has given me these blessing, puts up with my crap on a daily basis, can make me laugh all the time, and who has my heart.

This is just the very surface of a list that could go on and on. I'm going to take this next week to really think about how thankful I am....

Saturday, November 15, 2008

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

This morning on my way home, it was flurrying (is that even a word?!?) and it really got me in the mood for Christmas! I LOVE this time of year! Not only are we celebrating the biggest event in the history of time but it is a time rich with family traditions that I love. Here are some of my favorite family Chistmas traditions:

*On Christmas Eve you get to open 1 gift and it is your new Christmas jammies to wear that night. My brother and I got to do this growing up and it is something we have done with our kids since Brodie's first Christmas.
*Breakfast on Christmas morning is always cinnamon rolls. Again, this is a tradition from my childhood that we have carried on with our sons.
*In your stocking you always get money and new underwear! Even on Brodie's first Christmas, we got him a little tiny pair of boxers for his stocking. My boys really look forward to this because they LOVE underwear for some weird reason.
*Sometime before Christmas, we go and drive through Krug Park to look at all the pretty lights.
*Anytime if would snow and my mom would see it before my brother and I she would leave a note on the table that said "look outside!" and we knew that meant it was snowing! Even today, she will still call or e-mail us to say "look outside!" when it is snowing.

I think a lot of people get really caught up in the material side of Christmas, they try to get the most gifts they can and spend the most money. We try very hard to NOT make Christmas about that in our home.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Marriage Retreat

This past weekend, Jason and I had a fun time at a marriage retreat with several other couples from our church. It was all day Friday, Saturday, and half a day on Sunday. It was nice to get away form the business of life and just be with each other. We got to go to several different workshops of different topics about marriage and family, I won't bore you with the details!! We just felt like we came back renewed and refreshed and more committed to our marriage and our family. We have some things we are working on with the boys and so far so good! Even Jason has said that it was a life changing experience and if you know my husband he hardly takes anything seriously (which is one of the things I truly love about him). the fact that he had a good time this weekend and really got some things out of it meant the world to me! We are already making plans to go back next year!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

It takes a village.

I'm sure you've heard that old saying that it takes a village to raise a child, right? I'm coming to realize more recently that this is true. I have always been the kind of mom who does everything for myself and my kids and I have always felt that I do not need any help and even the idea of asking for help obviously means that I have no clue what I'm doing and cannot handle my family. This is really not true! I am blessed enough to have a wonderful large extended family who is more than willing to help out even when I don't ask them to. I'm to the point now where I don't see this as a weakness, but as a strength. How many people are lucky enough to be surrounded by a huge extended family that loves them and would do anything for them? What a gift I am giving my children by allowing my family to be involved in their lives. This country has really gotten away from the importance of family in my opinion, and to me there is nothing more important. Could I do everything on my own, sure I could and a lot of times I do! But it is also nice to know that I have that amazing support system behind me every step of the way.

Monday, November 3, 2008

So glad to be home

Last week was a rough week for me. I had to be in Liberty every day for training for my new job and I was gone from about 7am-6pm every day (well, I got home early on Friday,but STILL!!). I am so stoked about my new job and I learned so much from training, but it was so hard to do. My heart just broke every morning as I walked out the door and left my boys behind. Even though my grandma was watching them, I still felt bad for leaving them all day every day. It really made me realize that there us no way I will ever work full time again, I just don't think I could do it without making myself sick. I thought about them the whole time I was gone and wished I was home with them and wished I was the one running them around where they needed to be. I'm just glad it is all behind me now and I can move forward with my new job and not have to leave my boys anymore!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

A momma can brag, can't she?!?!

Tonight, Jason and I went to Brodie's very first parent/teacher conference! I am proud to report that he is doing so well! He is reading on his own at a level most kids don't read on until way later in the year. They need to know numbers 1-25, and he can go up to 69! He can recognize 10 of their "sight words" and he only needed to know 6. He knows how to subtract and they haven't even started learning that yet! He can recognize all of his capital and lowercase letters by sight, and not in alphabetical order and the numbers 1-31 by sight and not in numerical order. He is just an amazing little guy and he has learned so much since he started school. Jason and I could not be more proud of him!!!!!!

On a side note, some exciting things may be happening on the "home" front! Conveniently enough, my brothers feels like the house he bought is a little too big for him and we just happen to need a bigger house! We may be buying it from him and hopefully moving before Elliot gets here! More to come....

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Some days I feel like a bad mom...

Yeah, today is one of them :( I just feel like I have a very short fuse today and am getting irritated with the boys way too easily! Also, I cannot get motivated to do anything around the house that needs to be done today. Today....I just suck....

Monday, October 20, 2008

Deke and Tru will be the reasons for my 1st grey hair!

Oh, those twins of mine!!! The 3's are a hard age anyway, in my opinion. Mush worse than the so called "terrible 2's"!! What's worse is that they are boys and there are 2 of them. When one of them starts in on something, the other just feeds off of that and it quickly escalates. I wouldn't say they are bad, they are just kids and this is just the age they are at right now but it is hard! I find myself losing my cool with them pretty much daily! Like right now, I just looked in their room, why are we playing with the baby Q-tips?!? WHY?!?! They are little sweethearts though, always hugging us and telling us they love us which is nice but hen I turn around and see them kicking the dog or pushing Sawyer over. Oh my!! They did melt my heart today though.Brodie was at school and Sawyer was taking his morning nap so I gave them some paper and markers and told them to draw me a Halloween picture. Well....Deacon drew some fog, but with a door on it so you can get out and Truman drew a spider eating a Halloween sandwich :) How can you not just want to eat them up, even when they do drive you nuts??

Friday, October 17, 2008

To go for 6 or not...

Jason and I have been talking a lot lately. Are we really "done" having kids?!? At the age of 26, am I going to really say, "Yes, I am for sure never going to have another baby." I just can't honestly do that!! Having 6 children has kind of been sticking out in my mind for some time now,and I know Jason is on board for a 6th as well. I know kids cost money, etc but if you don't have a large family or the desire to have one then you really just cannot understand. I LOVE being surrounded by my children and having a busy, happy home for them to grow up in. I think they will be better adults having grown up in a large family. More caring and more thoughtful of others. Some people think that large families are leading to the overpopulation of the world, but I don't really see it that way. I mean, YES, if every single person in the world had 6 children then we would be looking at some big time overpopulation but that is no the case. I feel like I am in a very small minority of people who wants to have a family that large. Think of all the people who choose not to have children or only have one child, etc. I'm just making up where they left off :)

You know, Jason and I never stared out saying, "We are going to have a huge family, let's start popping them out!!" There was actually even a moment, a very brief moment, when we thought about stopping with Brodie! HA!!! Once we had Deke and Tru and went from 1 child to 3 overnight, we saw how amazing it was to be surrounded by our. We knew we were not done and along came Sawyer eventually. Even after Sawyer, I just knew he was not the end of the line for us and here we are expecting our first daughter!!! When I clothes my eyes and imagine my family sitting on a bench, there are still some people missing. I see Jason and I, Brodie, Deacon, Truman, Sawyer, Elliot, but there seems like there is one more spot waiting to be filled....

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Every age is my "favorite" age!

I swear that every age my kids are going though is my favorite! There is just something so fun and exciting (and also bittersweet) about watching your children grow and learn. Here is why each age they are in is my "favorite":

Brodie: Brodie is about 5.5 now and s in kindergarten and he is just an awesome kid! He is learning to read and write which just amazes me! He is making his own little friends outside of our family unit. He has a definite clothing style that he prefers and hobby's that he enjoys and a certain way he likes his hair ("not handsome", as he says). You can carry on a conversation with him just like you would an adult. He knows how to use humor and sarcasm at appropriate times and he is just fun to be with!

Deacon and Truman: These two are going though an age of discovery! Not only are they becoming more independant by being able to dress themselves, put on their own shoes, put their own dishes and clothes up, etc but they are learning so much! They are at an age where they are learning colors and numbers and shapes and just really starting to notice the world around them. This is the age where they ask they cutest questions like "Why does a duck have wings?" and "Where does the moon go when it sleeps?" and you just want to bottle them up because they are so precious! I love to watch them learn.

Sawyer: Such a fun age!! He is walking and talking now! His favorite thing is to yell for our dog Zelda when he can't find her. He feeds himself with utensils now pretty well and he tries so hard to put on his own shoes and socks. He gets very frustrated when he knows what he wants to do but can't figure out how to do it. He loves to give big hugs and kisses. When the phone rings he looks at me and says "Hello?" like he is telling me to go answer it. He just does something new every day and it is just too fun to watch.

My children may drive me nuts at times, but when I sit down and really think about how blessed I am it just amazes me. I love those boys with all that I am!

Monday, October 13, 2008

I never thought I would be like this.

As I was sitting her, just cleaning up from lunch and laying Sawyer down for a nap I was thinking about my life and how different it is than I ever imagined it to be. I always knew that I wanted to get married and have my kids young, I knew that I wanted to be a young mom and hopefully a young grandma. I never imagined that I would be married when I was 20 and be expecting our 5th child when I'm 26. It has just been an amazing ride! The thing that is most different from what I imagined was the fact that I love being home with my children. I always thought I would just work full time and then do the mom thing on evenings and weekends and that I would be ok with that. Ha...wrong! As soon as I held Brodie in my arms, I knew that I needed to do whatever I could and make whatever sacrifices I needed to to be home with my babies. It has been a long journey! I thought that working full time in the lab was going to work out well, I went in from 3am-11:30am and was home the rest of the time. After 4 years of that I grew tired and unhappy and knew that it was not enough. I wanted to be there for all of my kids good mornings and good nights. Now, I'm at the point where we took a huge leap of faith and I'm home and I love it. Whatever sacrifices I have to make, I'm willing to do it. God has always taken care of us and I have no reason to doubt that he will continues to do the same. I can honestly never see myself working full time again.

Friday, October 10, 2008

It's a girl!

Wow, even writing that is taking some getting used to! We had our ultrasound today and it looks like we are having a sweet, perfect, healthy. baby girl! Wowsa! Talk about a shock!! I am just so used to boys and so comfortable and happy with them, that this is taking just a minute to sink in! I am so, so excited about having a daughter. I look forward to that special bond we will share and I look forward to how she will fit in so nicely with the rest of our family. The boys are very excited about having a sister already and Jason has already said, "That girl is never going to leave my arms!". We went to the girl department at Target for the first time today and bought her a little dress and another little outfit. I almost feel like a first time mom again since this will be such a change for us!! We are thrilled that we are going to have a daughter. Elliot Isobel :)

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Tomorrow is the BIG day!

Tomorrow, at 3:30pm, we go for our anatomy and gender ultrasound!! I am bursting at the seams in anticipation. The closer it gets the harder it is to wait! I am just so excited to find out who is in there and starting calling him or her by their name and start buying some things. It will just make everything seem more real. I honestly and truly do not care if it is another boy or our first girl. There are positives about both!

If we have another little boy, I will feel very relaxed! Jason and I kind of fell like we have this whole boy thing down pat. We have a definite boy vibe going on in our house and I would love to have all sons. It is nice to be the only woman in the house (well, except for Zelda) and boys just love their mommas so, so much. Even though the boys are small they just really look out for me already and I know a 5th son would do the same. Also, if we have another boy, I would have absolutely nothing to buy! Except for cloth diapers, because I'm going to do that this time around.

If we have a girl, it will be very scary for me and will take me a bit to get used to! I've never had a girl and, even though I am one, I don't really know what to do with a baby girl. It would be nice though to have another girl to bond with, talk with , shop with, plan a wedding with, etc. So the thought of having that mother daughter relationship does sound pretty appealing!

Either way, we'll know tomorrow!!

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

My "calling" in life.

Jason and I have talked about this a lot and we seems to share the same idea on it. It seems like a lot of people think they need to try and do something great with their lives, and by great I mean something BIG. Be the best at something, be president, etc. Some people are called to be surgeons, some people are called to be doctors, some teachers, etc. Jason and I feel that God has called us to be parents. That's the BIG thing we are to do with our lives. Who knows if someday my great-great-great granddaughter might find a cure for cancer or win the Nobel prize and she wouldn't even be here were it not for me being a mom to my children. I feel like it is my calling to instill in my children the values that I hold dear such as loving every human and treating people with respect and kindness and who knows what that will blossom into? Now that I have finally come to this realization, I feel very content with my life. It seems like I used to always be searching for something. "What can I be?" "What can I do?" But now that I know, I love what God has called us to do.

Sunday, October 5, 2008

A new family member and a day at the patch

We have a new member of our family! We got a baby puppy on Friday and the boys are in love with her! She is a rat terrier and we named her Zelda. She has been such a nice addition to our family and it just shows me that love continues to multiply and not divide. We all just love her so much and are having a good time with her. Her is a pic of her on the day we brought her home:
Photobucket

This Saturday we all went up to the pumpkin patch in Amazonia. By we I mean, my family, my mom and dad, my brother, my aunt and uncle and 2 of my cousins! What a fun time! We have gone there every fall since before Brodie was born so it has kind of become a tradition. The boys rode a little train, we took a hay ride, they went through a hay maze, we got to cook food over a fire, and they go to run around in the pumpkin patch! Whew! They were worn out by the time we got home. Of course Brodie found this HUGE pumpkin that he wanted and my dad can't tell him no s now we have a huge pumpkin on our front porch! I think I did pretty well. Usually going places like that puts me on edge and I just end up being mean and crazy to everyone. I was pretty proud of myself and we all had fun!

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Are things finally looking up?

It seems like things in out life may finally be starting to look up!! I have been so depressed and just ugly these past few weeks and I feel sorry for all of the people who live with me! Anyway, I got the call today saying that I got the job with Parents as Teachers!! I am so unbelievably excited about this! I feel like this is the right job for me and it just feels right. I can see myself doing this as a career and it is something that I am going to be proud to do. We so love our parent educator and so do the boys and I cannot wait to form those bonds with other families. I cannot wait to be there and be a support system for them and encourage them. Besides the job itself being wonderful, the "perks" of the job are great, too. I get to set my own schedule, I do visits on my time. Since I work for the school district, I will have all holidays, breaks, and snow days off with the boys!! I go to Liberty for training the last week of October and I can't wait! I haven't been able to wipe this smile off of my face all day!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The most terrifying morning of my life...

Let me start out by saying that everyone is fine now, but here is what happened to us this morning...Everything started out normal, we took the boy's to their dentist appointment, dropped Brodie off at school, and came home. I was in the kitchen starting some laundry and hanging up the boy's new school paper's on the fridge. Sawyer was int here with me, just hanging out. I noticed that he started making a funny noise and when I looked down he was gagging and choking. His face was turning red, so I grabbed him and ran to the bathroom. He was not making a sound like his airway was blocked by something. I swept his mouth and nothing was there. He gagged a little, but the sound was muffled. So I screamed for Jason and called 911. By this time he was starting to turn purple. Jason was rubbing his back and patting him and he started making more noise but was still coughing. He then started coughing up something mucusy and started breathing much better. By the time the ambulance got there he was breathing just fine and he never did cough anything up. The paramedic checked him over and told us to call our doc so he could check him out and get some x-rays to see if he swallowed anything. So, here we are waiting an hour until our doc appointment. He is doing much better now, but I have never been so scared in my whole life. We have been pretty lucky *knock on wood* and this was the first time anything involving an ambulance has happened to us. Made me realize how fast something can happen even if you are right there....

Monday, September 29, 2008

Cookies and Prayer

So far so good today! Jason didn't have to go into work until one so that meant that I got to take a nice, morning nap after I got home from taking Brodie to school. It was SO nice! Very much needed and very much appreciated. I thought that when I stopped working as much, I would have so much time to do everything that I need to do. HA! I am so much more busy now that I ever was when I was working, but I do love it. I love that I'm the one who takes the boys to school and picks them up, I'm the one who cooks their meals, and I'm the one who tucks them in at nights. Honestly, I wouldn't trade that for all the naps in the world.

Later, I have to run by Target after I get Brodie from school and amidst all the stares I typically get when I take my children out by myself, I need to get the things to make rice crispy treats. I'm going to make those and also some no-bake cookies. Tomorrow night is Jason and I's night to bring snacks to our small group and since I'm preggo, they all get whatever sounds good to me and I have been cravings those two things badly. I'm sure they won't mind!!!

Church yesterday was AMAZING. It was a totally different service entirely focused on prayer and it's 4 components (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, and supplication) and we were called to try "30 Days of Prayer" and it came with a little book to guide you. I'm definitely going to do it. I some ways, I feel like my spiritual life is the most important things in my life. After all, were it not for God I would not have all of the wonderful blessings in my life: Jason, my boys, our new baby, my amazing extended family, etc. A lot of times thought, I feel like it takes a back seat to all of the things that I have to get done in a day. Instead of making it a top priority, it turns into a thing I do only I have time left and I am really looking to change that. I'm going to do this 30 days of prayer and am going to gradually work back up to the point where I am having a quiet time everyday like I used to.

We've got some busy, busy things coming up soon! From now until Christmas is going to FLY! We are taking the boys to the pumpkin patch on Saturday, October 24-26 we are going and staying in Columbia for MU's homecoming, Halloween night we are having our family costume party, November 7-9 Jason and I are going to a marriage retreat in Tan-Tar-A and then it will be Thanksgiving and Christmas before you know it!! What an exciting time of year!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Shedding our skin.

Jason said this to m the other day and I totally love it and agree with it. He said, "I feel like our family is shedding it's skin. Getting rid of all the bad things we don't need anymore leaving us with only the good." I feel like this is so true for us right now! First of all we got out of our duplex and have made plans with our landlord to pay off the money we owe on it. Honestly, that place had always been a struggle for us to afford and it feels like such a weight lifted that we are out of there! God provided us with a free home to live in which is amazing and something that we never thought was possible. It's like all of the pieces feel into place and we are where we should be right now. Secondly, we are going to be getting some of our medical bills done and over with. We don't have huge medical bills at all, but there are some and that is another cloud that has been hanging over our heads that will be taken care of very soon. We decided several years ago to NEVER have credit cards and we have done very well sticking by that. The only card we have is a Target card that has a $250 limit which we will keep, other than that we have NONE! So, basically (except for our van...which is actually a whole other story!!) we will be totally and completely debt free by the first of the year. What a wonderful start to the year and as we prepare to welcome our 5th blessing in the world. For the first time in a very, very long time I am hopeful about our future and I know things are going to be great! Oh, also last week Jason got his acceptance letter into college...he is finally going to follow his dreams and I couldn't be more proud !

Friday, September 26, 2008

Babies!

My good friend, Heather, found out yesterday that she is pregnant with their second child!! I am over the moon excited for them. They have had a bit of a rough go not as rough as some, but still) and have been trying for about 9 months, I think. They are very special friends to us. Heather's husband, Kip, and my husband, Jason, have been friends since they were in grade school! My baby, Sawyer, and her baby, Gavyn, are only about 6 weeks apart and it looks like our next babies will be pretty close as well. I'm looking forward to being pregnant with her again!

Thursday, September 25, 2008

Some tough qustions

Toddy after I picked Brodie up from school, we were talking in the car about his day like we always do and then he started in with some tough questions.He's at an age now where I'm not surprised that he is starting to ask these things. First of all he asked why they don't talk about God or pray at his school (he goes to public school, but his preschool was at our church where Bible study and praying were a part of daily lessons).I told him it was because not everyone believed in God and then be asked why. I said that people are free to believe whatever they want and not just what we do. Th e asked what happens to people who don't believe in God. I told him that those people will not be with God since they do not believe in him. Then he said, "You mean with the devil?" and I said, "Yes". Then he said, "Well, Deacon and Truman believe in God, right?" I told him yes and that was that. I think he is getting closer to the point where he is going to ask Jesus to live in his heart and get baptised, that will be the proudest day of my life.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

My Life Group

I love these guys! They are a small group of 5 couples from my church, we are all in our mid-late twenties and early thirties and all of us married. Some of us have children (like The Calhoun's also have 4 little boys who are 5 and under!) and some of us don't. We get together once a week to do various things.Some nights we just have snack, hang out, and play board games. Some nights we do Bible study and have real, in depth talks. Other nights we volunteer at a local Salvation Army type place here in town sorting through donations. We have been meeting together for about 9-10 months now and I can honestly say that these people are my friends and I look forward to seeing them every Tuesday (and Sunday...and Wednesday!). Not only do I feel very close to them, but I feel like they help keep me on track spiritually which has been a wonderful thing in my life. I just feel very blessed that God has brought these wonderful people into my life.

FYI....this morning was not nearly as perfect as yesterday, but it was still pretty dang good!

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Pretty much a perfect morning!

If all mornings could be like this morning, life would be grand! The boys got up early, on their own and didn't come wake Jason or I up. Brodie got breakfast for him, Deacon, and Truman while Sawyer still slept. I had their clothes laid out for them and after they ate they went and got dresses. They even put on their own shoes!!! When I got up, I went and got breakfast for Sawyer. When I went in the kitchen, their dishes were already in the sink and the table wiped up! They even brushed their teeth and combed their hair without being asked to do so a million times. The 3 older boys made their beds (!!!) and had their backpacks on and were lined up at the front door in plenty of time for us to leave to take everyone to school. Seriously...can all morning be this way ? Are they finally learning to do things without being told 100 times? What a bunch of sweetie pies!

Funny Boy Quote of the Day: Brodie got his school pictures back yesterday and he said,"Mom, I look so ugly. I look like Truman."

Monday, September 22, 2008

Job interview and dang landlords!!!

I had a job interview today and I think ti went pretty well. It was with Parents as Teachers to be a part time parent educator. Seems like a job I would really like and that would fit well with my lifestyle and the things I want for myself and my family. It has an uber flexible schedule which is one of the things that really appeals to me about it. I should know something by next week. I won't get my hopes up though....seems like I am always being let down. I'll just have to pray and leave it God.

I finally talked to our old landlord today, the one from our old duplex. What a bunch of morons they are and talk about horrible book keeping and communication skills! Here's a tip, never go through Coldwell Banker when renting...you are just a number to them, just a paycheck to them, and they keep horrible books!!! ANYWAY.... I got a deal worked out with them on the back rent they say we supposedly owe them. I think we could probably fight them on it in all honesty, but it is just not worth it! I will pay them the money and be DONE with them!!

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Soccer, Ren Fest, and Eclipse

Yesterday was Brodie's first soccer game and it was so cute to watch! He has played indoor soccer before, but this was the first year he has played real, out door soccer complete with shin guards and cleats. He was just running around out there and having such a fun time with his team. They don't officially keep score, but one of the boys on their team did and said that they won. It is fun to watch Brodie grow up and do new things, each stage he enters is my new favorite!
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After soccer, we took the older 3 boys to the Ren Fest down in KC. We decided to leave Sawyer here in town with my grandma because he is not really old enough to enjoy it and it annoys me so badly when people take strollers to places like that. So we were able to have a lot of fun with Brodie, Deacon, and Truman. We rode down there with my mom and dad. Deacon and Truman rode an elephant, but Brodie didn't want to. I think they all loved the joust the most. They talked about that for the rest of the day and were still talking about it this morning. Of course they had to get their own swords and shields. (yes, made out of real wood....I'm sure I'll be regretting that purchase before too long!) They also had little stuffed swords and shields so we got one of each for Sawyer. It was a long, tiring day but the boys had a blast so what more could I ask for?

Last night, I finished reading "Eclipse" which is the 3rd book in Stephanie Meyers "Twilight" series. Oh, it was SO good! I just really love those books. Jason thinks I get all depressed when I read them because I wish he was a vampire or something stupid like that but that is not the case. It just makes me think back to when Jason and I were first together, I feel like we were like Edward and Bella. We were drawn to each other like magnets, the nights could not be over fast enough so I could see him again. I wanted nothing more than to spend all of my time with him and him with me. Not that I am not still totally in love with him, but once you get married and add real life and kids into the equation it makes it harder. I guess I just miss the innocence and simplicity of when we were young and first in love and that is why I sometimes seems sad when I read those books....

Funny Boy Quote of the Day: Truman kept asking if we were going to The Vegetable Place. Turns out he meant Renaissance Festivle!

Friday, September 19, 2008

Some days I wonder what the heck I am doing!

So, pretty much...I'm crazy! Ask Jason, ask my mom, ask my dad, ask ANYONE! I am a certifiable nut and some days that just does not mix well with having a large family. Today was an especially bad day for me for whatever reason. I woke up in a bad mood and it just quickly spiraled out of control. Seems like poor Jason is always the one who gets the brunt of my craziness...poor guy, good thing he loves me. Sometimes I feel like it is hard for me to see past all the chaos and see the true blessings I have. I see the peanut butter smears on the table, but don't stop to be thankful that we have food to eat. I see the fact that the boy's room is not cleaned up after the 500th time I asked them, but am not able to see how blessed we are to provided fun things for the boys to do. I'll admit it, I get overwhelmed A LOT! Just the day to day functions of having 4 kids is enough to drive a sane person mad!! 4 bowls of cereal, 4 cups of milk, 4 sets of clothes to get out, 4 sets of shoes to put on, etc, etc and that isn't even counting getting myself ready and that is just first thing in the morning!! Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having 4 (almost 5!) children and I do feel like God has called Jason and I to have a large family, but is it too much to ask to have 5 minutes of quiet in a day to collect my thoughts?!?

Funny Boy Quote of the Day: We saw a teenager walking down the street carrying a skateboard and the boys saw him. Deacon then proceeded to yell, "Look! It's Tony Hawk!" I'm sure it made that kid's day!!