Wednesday, May 30, 2012

When the Biggest Big Guy Has a Birthday...

...we want to throw him a party.

But mama worked two shifts today and spent a grand total of four waking hours with all three boys today.

When the biggest big guy has a birthday, we want to give him lots of gifts.

But with mama's work schedule, shopping didn't happen and when she attempted to take the boys to the store yesterday after their dentist appointments, not much was accomplished.  

When the biggest big guy has a birthday, we want to let him sleep in.

Nope.

When the biggest big guy has a birthday, we want to send him golfing.

It rained.

When the biggest big guy has a birthday, we want to take him to dinner.

Again, that whole mama working thing.

When the biggest big guy has a birthday, we want to make him a cake.

Whew!  We got something done! {Cake idea taken from HERE.}
{Thanks for the idea, Missy!}


When the biggest big guy has a birthday, we can tell him how sorry we are this his day was a flop.  
We'll tell him that we'll party for the next few days to make up for it. :)
We can tell him that we love him sooooo much and don't know what we'd do without him.  
We can tell him just how crazy we are about him.
And that we think he's pretty super.

So we'll do that instead.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BRAD!



Monday, May 28, 2012

The Summer List 2012

As today/this holiday weekend is dubbed "the unofficial start of summer," and school is out for us around here, the guys and I have compiled our official List.

For the first time, I got a little input from the boys.  Drew was all "YAY!" for all of the ideas and Reed, just because he's Reed, was all "YUCK!" with every idea we talked about.  Punk rocker.  I would have to say that our list is pretty ambitious this year.  Our goal is not to cross everything off the list as completed, but rather to have an abundance of ideas to pick and choose from.  Some are things we've done for the last couple summers, some are ideas that have been on our list the last couple years but we have yet to accomplish them (third time's a charm?), and some are brand spankin' new ones.

{Why do we do this?  Cuz it's fun, really.  And because it gives us some intentionality and purpose in the extra, unstructured free time we'll have the next three months.  To review, we did Summer Lists for 2010 and 2011, as well.}

Here we go!

Craft Wednesdays


Fun Food Fridays


go on vacation


go to the zoo


visit the farm at Sibley Park


throw rocks in the river


go on a picnic


fly a kite


go to an outdoor movie/drive-in/theater {I'd love to take the boys to a drive-in, but we may not get the opportunity so a regular ol' movie theater may have to do!}


photo booth fun


go on a scavenger hunt


participate in the library's summer reading program


go to a Twins game


build a fort


backyard water fun


Kinect bowling tournament


bike rides


make homemade ice cream


vacation Bible school


swimming lessons


visit local parks


catch lightning bugs


write letters


play in the rain


Here's to a summer filled with sun, fun, and each other!

What's on your list???

Saturday, May 26, 2012

My Favorite Thing


Yep.  It pretty much tops the list.

Friday, May 25, 2012

His Last Day


Wednesday was Drew's last day of preschool.  Ever.


I could just leave it at that.  I should just leave it at that so that I don't get all blubbery and sad on you.  The truth is, I kinda missed it.  His last day, that is.  The entire last year has flown by, really.  Easy to say now as there were moments in the midst of it that sure seemed to crawl by at its own slow and steady pace.  But now...there just seems like so much has taken place.  Not the least of which is the aging of my boys.  And on Wednesday, there was no celebration, no pomp and circumstance for the last day of school.  Drew was excited, yes.  He's been counting down the days since the first of the month.  But I was gone.  I worked that morning so I was gone before he left for school and I didn't get home until after he did.  So I missed it all.

{Granted, it was just another "normal" day at school; meaning, no fun preschool graduation ceremony.  I wouldn't have missed that. :)  But still, I missed taking him and picking him up and watching him as he said good-bye to his teachers and friends.}

By now I know you've heard me crying my eyes out enough about having to work.  Shoot, you're probably crying your own eyes out at the hint that I might just bring it up again.  Just hear my heart on this one, ok?  To me, I missed something big.  The last day was a big deal to Drew, and while we'll have plenty more last days and first days, it's still a bummer to me to have missed even one.  There are bigger things, more important things that, if I'm honest with myself, I'll miss, too.  I guess I'm just trying to grasp at the kid who is growing much too quickly.  Kindergarten is next.  Whoa.  That's the big leagues, people.

But anyway...time stands still for no one, so we're here, done with school for the year and looking forward to summer!        

*********************************************

There are a few fun things that I haven't blogged about that rounded out the last month and a half of school for Drew.

The first was their spring program, where the Purple Class performed songs, recited memory verses and told jokes for their parents and families.  We gathered on a Friday morning to be entertained and humored by a group of good-natured and silly preschoolers!








At the very end of April, Drew's and Avery's classes gathered together for a field trip to the local fire station.  They learned all about fire safety, fire fighters and their equipment and trucks.






The fire station is just up the street from school, so the kids were able to walk.  Reed and I joined them, and I thought it was both a fun and educational trip for the kids, as well as for me.  Although...I'm not so sure it was necessary for that fireman to mention that a little girl was sleeping on the pillow he showed as an example of something that had gotten burned by a candle!  Leave it up to a 5-year-old (not mine) to ask, "Was she killed???"  Thankfully, no...but yipes!

And the school year finished with one last class trip to Sibley Park.  I was working so I couldn't tag along, and according to Drew, they didn't do much.  At a park.  With play equipment and farm animals.  Nope, didn't do much at all.  Do you see why it's so important for me to be able to go to these things?!?! 

Lastly, one of my favorite things the last couple months of school has been the "Joke of the Day" Mrs. Tramp has been sharing with the kids.  Drew was always quick to tell us the joke when we came to pick him up, and the best is when we know that Drew has no idea what makes the punchline so funny, but he enthusiastically cracks up anyway. 

Like, "Why was the car smelly?  Because it had too much gas!"  

Sure is funny...but I know Drew doesn't know why!

************************************************
So...

Good-bye 5C's.


Good-bye Mrs. Tramp.

Good-bye preschool.

You have been so, so good to us.


Sunday, May 20, 2012

What's Happening Around Here

Eek, I didn't realize it had been quite so long since I took my "temporary hiatus."  May 1?  Sheesh.  I didn't realize...which I guess is a pretty darn good sign that we've been busy around here.

I wanted to hop on quick just to give a little update on some things that have been happening around here...

  • This is Drew's last week of school.  Two days left, to be exact.  He's quite excited about this as he's been counting down since day 12.  Preschool, people, and we're already counting the days until summer.  My goodness. 
  • We had what I would call our first successful day of potty training today.  Reed is quite the little independent warrior, and while we feel like he is absolutely ready for big boy pants, his brain, or more likely his will, hasn't given in yet.  I will break him yet.  :) So here's to more successful potty days ahead! 
  • I have kept busy with work, and although I'm not quite reaching full time hours, the hours are varied so it tends to feel like I am gone more than I actually am.  So far this month I have had one client pass away as well as start with a new client.  Tomorrow I start 14 straight days of work.  This will not be technically full-time {34 hours this week, 30 hours next week}, but definitely enough to make me feel detached from home and my "normal."
  • Soon we will celebrate Brad's 36th birthday.  I'm not totally sure when I'll get a present bought or a cake made...
  • We continue to seek your prayers during the next month (and well, forever and ever on after that, too).  Communications are up in the job search department, so we remain hopeful and prayerful for when this season will come to an end.  Rest assured, we're doing well. :)
I told Brad last week that I needed to get back to blogging.  That I wanted to get back to blogging.  And then I remembered my work schedule. :/  I have a lot to write about and fill you all in on...and that may happen in one ginormous "Project Life" post, we'll see.  Thanks for hanging in with me and with us. 

And because I won't leave you empty-handed...

Mother's Day 2012

:)

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

A Temporary Hiatus

I felt it necessary to let the four people ;) that regularly check and read my blog know that things are going to be a bit quiet in these parts for a couple weeks.  Although I am not yet working full time hours, the 19 that I worked last week and the 25 I'm in the middle of for this week are exhausting me {and I am currently scheduled for 13 straight days of work later this month}.  When I get home, I'm pretty dang excited to see the boys and just play.  I've been on the computer less and less as the days have passed, and while I have a running list of stories and pictures to share, it is not at the top of my "to do" list at the moment.  I hope I can hop on here and there to say "hi" and I plan to be back to regularly scheduled blogging as soon as I can get settled into this new routine.

Man, this whole working-for-a-living thing?  For the birds. :)