The Mom Challenge

I have been feeling I need to communicate better with my children.  They are growing up so fast and I feel I am missing out on some things in my life because I put other things 1st.  I found this on pinterest (what would we do without pinterest).  I am committed to this challenge.  I know it won't be easy but things worth doing aren't always easy.  

The 1st weekly challenge is to:

Eat dinner with kids at least 3 times this week.

I know this will be easy for us because we eat dinner together every (almost) every night.  What I need to concentrate on more is talking with them.  Having them share what happened during the day.  Their happies and sads.  (I got that from 71 toes).

This challenge is found at:  liveafabulesslife.blogspot.com

I can't wait to see how our relationship grows.  I think this is going to be awesome!

I want to be a good mom!  That is my number 2 goal in life.  My number 1 goal in life is to be the best wife I possibly can and support my husband.  He takes really good care of us.  He is amazing!  I wish everyone could have what I have been so amazingly blessed with. 

 Brad is awesome!!!!

And realllllly goooood looooooking! :)

Big Day for Tyler

Today has been a big day for Tyler.

Not only was it his last day of school but also he learned something today.

This is Tyler's pizza party, his class and teacher.  He also made a great friend this year, Jacob.

But on to what he learned.....Yes, he finally learned how to ride his bike without training wheels.  He has been wanting to try for the longest time but with Brad in a boot for his Achilles and me in a brace for my ACL, we haven't been able to help him.  Occasionally we would take off one training wheel but he just didn't get it but today is the day.  Brad gave him a push and he has been riding ever since.  He doesn't need help to start, he can do it all on his own.

 

 

This has been a great day.  We are looking forward to the summer.  Sleeping in, playing at the park, swimming, feeding the ducks, reading books, exploring and getting into all kinds of mischief.  It is going to be great!

We hope everyone has a great safe and happy summer!!!

Air Force Academy Graduation

Today was the Air Force Academy graduation.  The Thunderbirds always do an air show after the ceremony to celebrate their accomplishments.

This was the stadium from where we were sitting. It was a busy place today.

Before the airshow got started the President decided to leave the graduation and post-pones the air show.  We all sat around wondering if it was going to happen or not.  Apparently this helicopter is the President's escort so we knew he was coming.

This is some photos from the motorcade.  I was a little behind on them because I was wrestling with kids.  The President is in one of those cars?

We decided to have a picnic for the airshow.  This is a horrible photo, it was taken with my cell phone.

On to the show!

This jet put on his brakes for the crowd.  It was really neat to see it slow down so much.  I could actually track it with my camera.

It is amazing to watch these pilots and the maneuvers they can do.

While I was tracking them, they flew directly over our head.  I actually rotated this photo 90 degrees because they were straight up.

We had a great time as a family.  Our neighbor, Brad, also came with us and he had fun too. It was a nice day.

This also helped me finish one of my 101 goals:  To have a family picnic.  Nice show, good food, great family.

Homemaking

I have been reading this book "A Joyful Mother of Children" by Linda J Eyre.  I think she knows her stuff.  She is the mother of 9 children.  Her and her husband are a great team together.

As I was reading this book, I came across a quote from CS Lewis. I love C.S. Lewis.  I have read several of his books and they always make me stop and think.  This is what she quoted:

I LOVE THIS QUOTE! 

I equate homemaking with motherhood.

"Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children."

I admit being a mother is not always something I wanted to do, but once I held those precious babies my heart swelled with love and joy and I knew that was my calling in life, but sometime I don't enjoy it, but I know how important it is.

I have been greatly struggling with my responsibility as a wife and mother and also as an individual.  I am trying to find balance and true joy. 

If there are any suggestions of what you do, please feel free to share them.  I am open to new ideas. 

I want to be a "Mother Who Knows".

Katie's 4th Birthday

Happy birthday to my sweet baby girl Katie!

She was born weighing a mere 1 lb 7.9 oz and 13" long.  She spent 100 days in the hospital and came home a healthy baby girl, on oxygen.

My sweet friend Grace who is an amazing scrapbooker, scrap booked this page for me.  It is the story of Katie's birth.  It just so happened it was featured in Creating Keepsakes Magazine for the March/April 2012 issue.  I love this page.  Thank you so much Grace!

4 years later, we have this cutie pie. She is full of sass and sweetness.  She has a tender heart and loves to play with her brother and constantly gives compliments.

We were able to celebrate her birthday on her actual birthday.  We invited a few friends of her to come over for a tutu party.  I, with the help of my friend Brittney, made tutu's for all the little girls. 

We started the party with pizza since it was lunch time and then moved on to more interesting activities such as:  pinning the bows on Katie's hair, painting our finger nails and making bracelets.  Even Brad got in on the fun.  We passed out the magic wands and rings and they were very cute little princesses.

Katie was so excited to open her presents, blow out the candles on her cake, eat the cake and have a great time with her friends.  

 One of Katie's favorite books is Pete the Cat, I love my white shoes.  Online is a narration of the book with music and all.  We played it several times so the girls could jump around and dance.  They absolutely loved it!  It has a very catchy beat.

Happy birthday to our sweet Katie Beth.  May there be many more celebrations to come.  I can't wait to see you grow up and have your own personality and become your own person.

I LOVE YOU!

101 in 1001 days

With my recent injury (post to come) I am going to have to re-write some of my 101 in 1001 days.  It makes me sad to change some of my goals but there is no way I can do some of them.  List to come in the next week or so.  I need to figure out what I am going to do.

Cute Kiddos!

I think I have the cutest kids in the world.  They smile a lot, give me a lot of sas and are just fun to have around. I mean look at that pose with that hand on her hip.  And his hair, he just couldn't wait to wear it like that.  He has always wanted his hair spiked.

My sister in law Emily made that way cute skirt and tote to match.  She is very talented.

Random posts, random pictures

During St Patrick's week, Tyler needed to make a leprechaun trap. This is what we came up with.  We went to hobby lobby and picked out some green paper and I think we had everything else.  We collected sticks from outside and hot glued them together for the ladder.  He put the shamrocks on it and voila you have a leprechaun trap.  Tyler said he didn't catch a leprechaun but several leprechauns made a big mess in their class room.  There were chairs on top of the tables, paper all over the floor, but he did leave a few treats for everyone.  That is one happy little boy.

Tyler and Katie have been playing pirates lately.  I needed to buy some bandanas for young women and they wanted one also.  They really enjoy wearing them, a lot!  Especially Tyler.  Sometimes he ties it around his head and goes to sleep that way.  Man I love those two little ones.  They play so well together and laugh constantly, if they aren't fighting.