Wordless Wednesday

31 Days of Real Life with Boys!!

Welcome, welcome!

Can you believe it? It is October. October, people. You know...pumpkins, boots, sweaters...

Weren't we JUST in the pool??

Anyway, within the many festivities that October brings there is one that I have never been a part of, yet always wanted to try out.

Welcome to our 31 days. Yes, 31 Days of Real Life with Boys!

Starting tomorrow evening there will be a post for the next 31 days on our lives as parents to 3 boys. I know this is a new thing, but maybe the tips and trick that I have to share can help you in your life with boys. Maybe on the days I write in CAPS LOCK will give you the nudge to leave a comment to help out that terrible day.And, yes, we have those. Who doesn't?

So, welcome! Welcome to the ups, downs, and everything in-between. Here's the "How I do it" (or
"not do it" depending on what the day holds).

And, as my husband says before crossing 4 lanes of traffic, "Hold on to your hats, boys! This here's going to be wild!"

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Day 1: Peaceful Takeoffs & Crash Landings
Day 2: I Got $5 for Dinner...or $6
Day 3: How We Do It: The Morning Routine
Day 4: How We Do It: The Library
Day 5: Weekend Recap 
Day 6: The Day After 
Day 7: Busy, Busy Day! 
Day 8: The Slow Start to Fall Cleaning 
Day 9: Pumpkin Patch in Pictures 
Day 10...oops, missed that one!
Day 11: Saturdays: Just as Busy 
Day 12: Sunday Prepping
Day 13: Extra Post: What's in the Bag? 
Day 14: Wordless Wednesday
Day 15: Backtracking a bit.... Tuesday - Just Like "Old Times" 
Day 16: Making Up Thursday - Zoo
Day 17: Friday's Funny
Day 18: Saturday's Duties 
Day 19: Sunday Sweets 
Day 20: Even Dinosaurs Need a Fresh Start 
Day 21: Sick N Stuck
Day 22: Wordless Wednesday
Day 23: 2 Weeks and Counting 
Day 24: 7 Quick Takes 
Day 25: Sabotage! 
Day 26: Boo at the Zoo 2014 
Day 27 Didn't Happen...
Day 28: It's the Hangry Preschoolers!
Day 29: Wordless Wednesday
Day 30 Didn't Happen Either
Day 31 Ditto - Happy Halloween!

Wordless Wednesday {Terrible 3}

7 more months until he's 4...

7 Quick Takes

1. Legos, Legos, Legos!

 They really are quite the master builders, right?! Everything is awesome!!

2. Costco Memberships...even for the littles!

Thank you to the membership desk at our Costco for making "secret club cards" for our boys! They think they are just the coolest now!

3. Playtime is the best time!

 Austin is just all about the playing now. He is starting to grow his little imagination. He is doing everything now it seems. He "cooks" in the kitchen and "talks" on the phone. So cute! Alex thinks its pretty cool that he likes Batman and Robin. Actually, he think it is rather hilarious! And, Andrew showed him a new trick: making insanely loud horn sounds with his stacking toys (which by the way is THE BEST baby toy ever).

 4. Zoo Day!

Come on... Did you really think I'd leave zoo pictures out? We do go a lot, huh? It's a great zoo!

Also see this next picture?

 

Yes, it's not the best quality. But, look past that... Look at Andrew (brown). They wanted to get a closer look at these Guinea hens (after years of going here, we finally figured our what they are!) and Andrew is keeping close tabs on Alex (green). See him holding his shirt?? I LOVE that these boys are so close. They really are best friends and it is so wonderful!

5. Picnic time!

It was such a beautiful day!! It wasn't super hot and there was a nice breeze.

6. Mornings with my little buddy

I'm back to waking up before dawn and enjoying the quiet and my coffee without the need of the microwave. And it is wonderful! I'm usually up by 5:45 am. Enough time to get what I want done for me for the morning. Around 6:30, Alex comes to join me for some reading time. Just the two of us. It is so sweet. 

7. Speaking of coffee...

 

Oh. My. YUM! Thank you, Target.

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That's all for now. Y'all have a fabulous weekend! 

"Birthdeja Vu"

After dinner this week, we celebrated once more that Andrew turned 5 years old! I had some cake batter leftover, so why not? If there is a way to have cake, then so be it. Done!

 And you should definitely start the cake extravaganza with panCAKES!

After dinner: Happy 5th, sweet boy!

Alex had a present for Andrew, too! I had taken Alex to Target and he asked if he could get Andrew some Legos. Sweetheart, yes! Best brothers ever.

Andrew also got to spend some of his birthday money, too. He's checking all the prices of things and seeing what he can get.

Fun times!

Wordless Wednesday {Goodbye Summer}

Homeschool: Week 6

We changed up a little of what we are doing around here with school since some people wanted to have a complete meltdown were bored with it the other day.

And since last week went MUCH better, this is what we will stick with until they want to do something different.

We are taking a break from FIAR for the moment and are fully using Twenty-Six Letters to Heaven now.

We worked on the letter F last week and learned a few words and a great verse. (It is becoming kind of comical that things that I choose randomly are somehow perfect for events and things happening at the House. Well played, God.)

Things we learned: 

• St. Francis
• What does "faith" mean?
• Bible verse: Matthew 17:20 "If you have faith nothing shall be impossible."
• F is for "fish"
• Made the letter "Ff" our of cheerios and goldfish
• Made a collage for the letter f: pictures that start with the letter f, words that start with the letter f, and 
• Played "Go Fish" for counting and number recognition
• Worked on "food groups" and eating healthy
• Books read: Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni, One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss, Ten Little Fish by Audrey Wood, Brother Francis and the Friendly Beasts by Margaret Hodges, and The Berenstain Bears and Too Much Junk Food

The boys loved the new change. Lots of learning done and a better week for mama!

Andrew is 5!!! {Birthday in Pictures}

Before heading to Mass, I had to grab a picture of my big kid!! Can you believe it?!

 

Party favors done the night before - mini bubbles and lollipops!

Andrew made a Lego Packer Logo for the party

Of course, I had to add my girly touch with flowers

Love him!! And, how about that Alex? Pulling an Aaron Rodgers move, I see.

All the little Packers in the House!

Ever since he saw Eddie Lacy #27 wearing The Hulk underarmour(?) tee, he loves that player!

 

The finished cake per Andrew's request!

Decoration done so...Game on!

Party table all set!!

 

Watching the first quarter and waiting to get this party started

These guys are so serious they just kept it here...and watched this...until the game started LOL

Gulping down some energy before the party

One of the cutest ninja turtles!

 

The girls are dancing and all the kids are saying "let's get the party started!" as I bring out the cake. So cute!!

I am just in love with that face of Andrew's!! He was so happy and so excited!!

Singing "Happy Birthday!"

And realized that I accidentally mixed up the trick candles with the regular candles...

So did all the kids! They started getting closer and were amazed that the candles kept "coming back on" - oops!!

Such a good group of friends we have!

The kids played and played and played!!

We were so glad to have everyone come out and party with us!

Thank you so much to all of our wonderful friends who made it out here to celebrate Andrew's big #5!!! He said that this was "the best part ever with the best friends!" We love y'all!!

GO PACK GO!!!

Her Words Will Be My Words {1 Day}

News flash: Being a mother is hard. 

Actually, there are no words to really explain how I feel most days as a mom. Sometimes my husband comes home to a clean house and happy children. Others (more often these days) he comes home to a house with someone screaming in time-out, another yelling in the high-chair for more whatever, and one asking 500 more questions...plus a messy home and an exhausted wife who is packing a bag for Australia in need of a break.

But, then something happened the other night.

I have been constantly thinking/praying about my brother, Brendan, lately... And wondering how in the world my mother is handling this? He leaves for Basic, like, right after graduation. Like, 4-5 days later.. And the way this insane world is right now, we have a pretty good idea of where he would be headed after training... (Don't get me wrong, we FULLY support him. It's just, you know... Let's just say the news is no longer on at my house.)

While I was talking to her and asking a million questions, I really didn't like her answers. But, as the oldest and the only girl...that's just me. I have to have my way some how, right? Anyway, she said that while it is the hardest thing she has had to do at the current moment, this is her job as a mom. She spent most of his life teaching him, protecting him, caring for him, etc. And, while it completely seems to contradict everything that she has done, she knows it is time to let him go. 

Hours after this conversation, I remembered a another one. While chatting with my mother-in-law, Sarah, about her boys, I asked her about when Jason moved away for college. And when Justin, his brother, moved even further away and saw, like, the whole world. Really. (He's been China and stuff. Very cool...and scary!) How was she ok with that? She also knew it was time. She said it was time to give him back to God in a sense.

I realized at this moment, remembering all of these words, why I didn't like their answers...


One day her words will be my words. 

One day I will have to know when it is time to let go. One day I may have to sign papers to give one of my boys to the Armed Forces. One day I may have to just let my child spread their wings to study abroad. 

And that "one day" is going to come a lot faster than I think (or even want it to).

I just hope and pray whenever that "one day" comes, I can be as strong at these two mothers.

Wordless Wednesday {5 Years Old}

Currently. {Vol. 1}

Hopefully, I will get back to the regular posting soon. We've been running off of our Labor Day weekend high

Starting the boys off early with a Catan lesson

We still have been going at it with the homeschooling. Though, we have had to change it up a bit. I'll tell you about soon. Week 4 before the trip (letter D / make Way for Ducklings FIAR) and Week 5 after trip (Letter E / Babar: To Duet or Not To Duet).

This guy wants to walk SO bad... And, I'm ok with him crawling just a tad bit longer.

He turned 10 months old on the 6th!!

I got Jason to search the attic and grab my boxes of Fall/Halloween items. Don't worry. Halloween won't go up until October 1st. But, all the Fall stuff is out!

We are working on a reward system... And, I'm not sure how it's going just yet. But, so far, the fact that Lightning McQueen and Mater are on these charts seems to make a small difference.

The Homily from the past Sunday's Mass really hit me hard... My brother, Brendan, signed the papers... He will be serving in the United States Army after graduation. And, while I am supportive of whatever any of my brothers do, this is just hard. I question his decision all time - at least I have since I found out 2 weeks ago... And, I question what is wrong with our world... And why it seems like God is doing nothing...

But, back to the Homily... Father Muller told us a story (pictured below) and I realized what it is that we need to do when we know nothing else that we can do: PRAY. Just pray... And, while yes, that doesn't seem like much to those that don't "get it" or are losing faith in all of this, we are reminded that when we are gathered in prayer God is there....

Love that kid. He is going to be an amazing soldier.

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." ~ Matthew 18:20 (outdoor Catholic Mass, Vietnam circa 1966) source