Rainy Saturday Morning

We woke up this morning to some heavy gray clouds.  It didn't take long before the heavens opened up and poured down buckets of rain.  We had some good heavy rain for quite a while and then lighter rain into the afternoon.  I was content to sit inside and snuggle up in a blanket.  Ricky thought the kids would have fun playing out in the flooded yard and streets.  Of course he was right out there with them.  I snapped a ton of pictures from inside our dry warm house.  Good thing our kids have such a fun dad:)

I was about to get Connor dressed and figured there was no point in dressing him only to get his clothes soaking wet.  So yes, my baby looks like a rug rat.  He enjoyed watching the rain and feeling it with his hand but would only go out in it with Kambry and her umbrella.

Abby had the right idea.  After playing in the rain, she came in and snuggled up in a blanket.  I didn't have any hot cocoa, so she made some warm cinnamon milk.  It turned out so good!

Boys and Cars

After watching for a few minutes as these two cuties played together...

I knew the camera had to come out! I am so in love with these little hands and toes and sparkley eyes and I could never get enough of their smiles. There is just something I love about watching little boys on their hands and knees pushing around thier cars, trucks and trains. That's what little boys were made to do. I love that these two are the best of friends and have so much fun playing together. I'm a lucky mama!!!

 A little slice

Every mom has those moments. The ones you want to freeze. The ones that make you realize how lucky you are to be a mom.  I had one of those moments this evening, it wasn't anything significant but a moment I wanted to remember...rain pouring outside, smells of dinner filling the kitchen, a clean house with fresh Dyson lines, music playing in the background (this sounds cheezy and I'm almost emberassed as I'm writing this because it makes me feel so...so....old, but I love the "easy instrumental" music station on the satellite, it makes me feel like I'm in a fancy restraunt) and my three little munchkins perched at the bar.  Kylie helping Jayden with his homework, Maddox pretending like he's as big as them and all three of them playing so well together.  It didn't last long, minutes later Jayden was trying to make Maddox say "poop" and wouldn't give him his juice until he did, so he was crying.  Kylie's juice got spilled on her homework (which is why we don't do juice that often in our house) and my lovely easy instrumental music was soon drown out by all the crying and chaos.  But for a moment I had a little slice of heaven.  A short moment, but a moment nonetheless.

What 6 year olds do on their birthday


They wake up at 5 am to open presents

They act surprised even though they already picked their present out 2 months ago and have asked about it every day since

They love all the special attention

They think everything tastes better with a candle in it

They spend all morning absorbed in the new legos and get mad when they can't skip school to play with them

They get so excited for mom to come eat lunch with them at school. They look so cute when mom comes to eat lunch with them at school.

They thrive on being the center of attention because everyone wants to be friends with the boy who brings cupcakes

They have been counting down the days and hours until their party for the past 11 months and anxiously await the arrival of each guest

They insist on plain cheese pizza because next to ramen noodles and cold cereal, that's all they ever want to eat

They don't care that their whole party had to change at the last minute since the movie times at the drive-in switched and they had to see a movie at they dollar theater that they've already seen, because all they really care about is the presents anyway

They love their friends. Especially the ones that give really good presents.

They don't care that their mom makes really crappy cakes, as long as it has lots of frosting and candy (I saw these cute cake/cupcake toppers that were right up my ally, it's just dum dums dipped in water-not licked, contrary to popular belief-and rolled in sprinkles)

They don't care when their little brother blows out their candles. Okay, maybe they do, but they're quick to forgive

They have way too much energy and show off way too much, but hey, it's your birthday. Go buck wild, you deserve it.

We love you Jayden, you bring a whole new element of excitement into our family. You are a very determined little guy, and although your stubborness can get the most of you sometimes, I love that when you set your mind to something you don't stop until you get it. You march to the beat of your own drum and I admire the way you could care less what other people think. You have such an infectious laugh and a smile to die for. I can't wait to see what amazing things you accomplish as you grow up, we love you Jayden! Happy birthday!

Beezus and Ramona


I told Kylie I would take her to this movie when she finished reading the book, but I couldn't wait that long. It was such a cute movie (I loved those books when I was little) and I walked away all inspired that I should be one of those moms that don't care what their kids wear but let them thrive in the lime light of their individual personality. That lasted a whole 12 hours until Kylie was begging me to the point of tears to let her have bangs and I refused. Sure I shouldn't care, as long as she is confident about herself and loves the way she looks. But seriously, I have been counting down the days until her bangs are long enough to tuck behind her ears and I am going to scream if I see another strand hanging in her eyes ever again. Bad mom, no bangs, end of story.

Today

Today I woke up 3 hours earlier than I had in two months.

Today I folded up the futon and cleaned up blankets from a 2 month long sleepover.

Today I cooked a "real" breakfast for the first time in 2 months.

Today I cleaned the house and it stayed clean.

Today I ate a grown up lunch that excluded peanut butter and noodles in any form.

Today I washed swimsuits and towels for the first time in 2 months.

Today I made up for taking a spiritual hiatus in the past 2 months and listened to conference
talks while cleaning a quiet house and was reminded that "our everydays will soon become our yesterdays" and was grateful that I made the most out of our "everydays" in the past two months.

Today my little buddies started school.

Today I was sad. I was glad I was sad, usually I can't wait for school to start but I really made an effort and put alot of planning into our summer and it made me sad that it had come to an end.

Today I missed them.

(However, as soon as they walked in the door they let 6 hours of bottled up energy go and the chaos that ensued made me realize that although I missed them today, tomorrow I think I'll appreciate the quiet house a little bit more.)

(first day of "real" kindergarten)

(our big third grader)