Yep...That's My Kid

This is how Will started the soccer game today:

He was saying "Oh yeah! Oh yeah!" and swinging his hips around in a circle. One of the grandparents told me after the game they call Will "Swivel Hips." Nice.

This is one of Will's many "intimidation" faces during the game.

Scared much?

Finally, I saw this face during the game:

and wondered what that was all about, as he was making this gesture to a player from the other team. Andy asked him after the game what he was saying:

"I told him I rule and you drool."

Yep...that's my kid.

A Busy and Productive Week

**Please note - in the following pictures you will see nasty scabs and bruises on my children's faces - I do not beat my children. I promise.

Things are going pretty well around here this week...except for Jack going head first over his scooter onto the concrete, all my kids having nasty allergy-eyes and nose and Brooke scratching herself into a nice scab under her nose...oh yeah, and I did not perfect the "fade" with Jack's haircut yesterday (Dad took one look and said "Wow. I might be able to fix that in a week or two.") Like I said, things are going great!

Seriously, here is Us in a nutshell...


This is where you find Brooke all the time - trying to get in the car to play. I always know if she has snuck in there because the horn will honk or the garage door will go up and down. Girl does NOT like it when I lock it.


We celebrated Grandma Goshorn and Uncle Pete (her twin)'s birthdays this week. We got Grandma boxing gloves to help with her workouts (or to kick Grandpa's butt - not sure which) and a whistle to help with watching the kids outside. Should be a very interesting summer.


Yesterday we went to cousin Robert's graduation party and the kids got to visit with Great-Grandparents Sawyer (Bob's Mom and step-Dad). Grandma is always wanting kisses (and understands when she doesn't always get them from little boys) and Grandpa is always up for fun. At 81 years old he was playing cornhole and putting together airplanes with the boys.


So cool my boys (and hopefully Brooke) will know and remember 2 sets of Great-Grandparents. I love it!

Jack and The Golden Gloves played really well yesterday, with Jack having 2 good pitched hits and 2 good tee hits. Will and the Hornets play today if the rain holds off.

And the biggest news of all this week?


Brooke is pacifier free! She only cried once and has only asked for it once and is sleeping great.

Hope you had a great week, too!

This Little Lady

...whispered to me today just before I put her down for a nap
"Mommy...I want a paci."

I told her no, played with her for a few minutes, gave her the 2 kisses she requested...
and she went right to sleep.

Tonight - all she asked for was to brush her teeth.

I am one proud-praising-Jesus-Mommy.
Way to go, Brooke!

Today

My sons told me again (as they have at least once a day since Wednesday) that they were buying me a bracelet from Kay's Jewelers for Mother's Day. Bless their hearts! Guess we have seen that commercial one too many times this week!

I somewhat got a nap at my MIL's after lunch. Nice.

We went to the Urgent Care because Will was complaining his ear hurt. Sure enough - ear infection HOWEVER in and out in 30 minutes. Happy Mother's Day to me!

It was one of many First Communion services at our church. Will said "Look Mom! They are getting married!" And then later told me that he is marrying Brooke, me and his "other Mom."
I gotta find that bitch.

Lastly...
Today, because it is time, she is tired, and I gave her a little Vitamin B due to allergies, Brooke is starting night 1 with no pacifier. It has currently been 25 minutes of crying. We "gave her pacis away" to the new triplets at church. Girl DOES NOT like it. I just keep repeating "One Bad Week, One Bad Week, One Bad Week...and then it's over." Wish me luck!

Hope YOU had a great TODAY!

Mother's Day

I had a great MAGIC (my mom's group at church) meeting this week where the topic was "Living in the Moment." Often we get depressed about the past and what we can't change, anxious about the future and the unknown, and forget to be calm and live in the present. A mindset I have tried to come back to often this week as I worry about how to pay for this or yelling at my kids for that...just Live in the Moment. Truly, words to live by.

We also discussed what our perfect Mother's Day would be. Mine was easy...
It would be perfect for me to have my grandmothers and my aunt/godmother back for one perfect Mother's Day to see me with my children. Of course I know they can "see" us and often guide us. But it would be amazing to sit and see them with my babies, as they saw me as a baby. If only...what I wouldn't give for that one perfect day.

On Mother's Day I don't think so much about it being MY day, as I think about mothers who have influenced my life...my Mom, my grandmothers, all my aunts, my sister, Aunt Ju (to my kids!). I especially think of my nephew Cade's birth-mother and pray for her, as she made the ultimate selfless act and allowed my sister to become the fabulous mother we always knew she would be. Happy Mother's Day, indeed!

We received this prayer at my meeting and I wanted to share it, as I feel it is the true essence of what this day is all about.

God our Creator, we pray:
for new mothers, coming to terms with new responsibility;
for expectant mothers, wondering and waiting;
for those who are tired, stressed or depressed;
for those who struggle to balance the tasks of work and family;
for those who are unable to feed their children due to poverty;
for those whose children have physical, mental or emotional disabilities;
for those who have children they do not want;
for those who raise children on their own;
for those who have lost a child;
for those who care for the children of others;
for those whose children have left home;
and for those whose desire to become a mother has not been fulfilled.
Bless all mothers, that their love may be deep and tender, and they may lead their children to know and do what is good, living not for themselves alone, but for God and for others. Amen.

Have a blessed Mother's Day!

The Cultured Life

Angela and I decided to be "cultured" today and took the kids to Krohn Conservatory for the Butterfly Show. Mother of the Year Nominations the week of Mother's Day - we rock.

Pre-Butterfly festivities included a picnic by the fountain, which the kids loved.


Will really isn't in pain...I promise.


Our "besties" The Markarians


Me and My Baby Girl

Thought it would be better to backpack it today instead of my purse...which always has a spare battery for my camera...which I forgot to put in the backpack...which only allowed for a few pics before my camera pooped. Ugh.


But here is one of the boys trying so patiently to have a butterfly land on their flower. They were all pretty jittery at first. But by the end, they all had "caught" a butterfly...with the exception of Ben - he wanted NOTHING to do with it.

Will even had one on his finger a few times.
He told Miss Angela it "stinged" him.
He told me it "stinkered" on him.

Like I said...cultured.

YEE-HAW!

This past weekend we celebrated Cade's 2nd Birthday in true Cowboy style!


Do you want to eat him or what?!

Everyone dressed up in their best gear and moseyed over to The Austin Ranch for a fun party.


This was the 1st time we put "Cow Girl" in pigtails. Soooo cute!


Cowboy Ed and Cowboy Ted.
Mommy thought it would be so fun to get the boys cap-guns and holsters as souvenirs from Texas and use for the party...want to know how many times I have asked them to "STOP shooting that GUN!" in the last 5 days??!!


Happy 2nd Birthday, Cade!
Nandy, Ju-Ju, Ack, Wull and Buk
(his little names for us)
LOVE YOU!