End of Summer

 It was the last day before the boys went back to school. So we emptied out my stash of water balloons, made a water balloon sling shot and shot them across the back yard. I didn't get pics of  the sling shot because I had to hold one side for it to work.
After the water balloons were gone I turned on the sprinklers and let the kids run wild.

 

 

  It seems like so long ago to think that at the beginning of the summer she was just learning to walk and now she is all over the place.

This is how I feel about summer ending. We've done so much this summer. No big family trips, a few smaller camping ones. Nothing extravagant just adventures out. I got to spend lots of time with my kids and enjoy them exploring. Makes me glad they wouldn't pay for me  to go summer semester and I got to play with them instead. 

Tball

Tball is over. Seth enjoyed it and got to spend time with his Dad. He got to make some friends. So we will call it a success. 

 After a HUGE mixup by the photography company we finally got our pictures. 

They Rec center didn't do anything for the end of the season so I made up the boys a quick certificate just so they got something. 

Super 4 year old!

Dear Christian,
My sweet booboo bear I can't believe you are 4. You are very big for your age and super strong. You love Gymnastics and love to tumble and swing from anything and everything you can find. You would live on chocolate milk if I let you. You still love your blankets and cuddles. You are a sweet boy that loves to make everyone happy. You love to say "I have an idea!" "Or guess what? I love you because you are awesome like me." You still love trains. You love Superman and will go days wearing nothing but your superman shirts, underwear, shorts, PJ's. I had to get you enough that you will change but still have some Superman clothing to wear. You even got Superman shoes for your birthday today.
We wandered the store yesterday for over an hour letting you try to decide what treat you wanted to take with you to school today. You didn't like any of the sweet ideas (no cookies, no cupcakes, ice cream, no Popsicles, you just aren't my sweet eater) I had you almost convinced on little bags of chips, until you said "I have an idea!" you wanted to take pepperoni pizza and capri suns.  Now to find a place that makes Pizza at 10 o'clock in the morning. I did and you were so happy when I walked in to your class today.
You love to make your sister laugh and will often give up what you are playing with to keep her happy. You fight with Seth quite often and it usually ends with you in alligator tears. One day soon you are going to realize you are bigger than him and stand up to him. You are not innocent in the fights you are sometimes the instigator but will play off the victim.
You are a smart boy. You are ahead in verbal skills, you can count to 30, you are very coordinated, you know all your letters and are starting to learn sounds.
You will tell me that you came from Heidi's tummy and from my heart but you're not adopted. I've tried to help you understand but I'm sure it will come. We talked about how Superman is adopted and that I think made it a little better for you.
Christian know that we love you. That we feel so blessed to be your family and that we are lucky you choose to be part of our family. And I hope you have a very Happy Birthday!
Tonight for dinner you wanted Pizza and to play Laser Tag with Daddy so that's what you get to go do.

Love you Boo Boo Bear!

Mom  

Pine View

A few weekends ago we got invited to go boating at Pine view. 

Sam's extended family reunion was in Roy so we were going to be almost there anyway, so why not.

Seth loved the boat

 Chris not so much.

 Lexi seemed to like the boat but not the life jacket.

 Seth was so not sure about the floating banana at first but really wanted to try so Sam went with him.

 But he loved it. 

 I took my turn

 Chris just wanted to go back to shore so  the floating banana was of no interest to him.

 So after a few turns for everyone the boat had to go home. So we played in the beach.

 Which Christian enjoyed so much more.

 Sam gave the kids rides in Lexi's little boat, this was more enjoyable for Chris.

 And Lexi loved it.

 After a few hours at the beach we headed back up to the campsite the other people had reserved and we cooked dinner over the fire.

 My little diva

Everyone had a great time. We got to play in the water and I'm the only one who got sun burnt so we will call it a success.

Picking a School

This was Seth's first day of Preschool way back in 2010. I know so long ago he looks so little.

This was Christian's first day in 2012. 

If you've talked to me very much over the last 8 months you've probably heard about my school dilemma. I just knew in my gut our neighborhood school wasn't right for Seth. It's not a bad school by any means it just wasn't right for him.
I made a spread sheet with all sorts of categories, testing scores, curriculum, bully reports, lunch options, playground, locations, observations of teachers and the list could go on. I talked to parents about each school. I looked at charter schools, other public schools. I researched and researched every school that I was willing to drive to.
I narrowed it down to a few and took  Seth with me to finally see the final choices. One based on the Montessori principles, one that was recommended by his current teacher and one that was right on paper. The Montessori school was not ok with Seth he looked at me like "what were you thinking." He told me he needed more structure (He didn't actually say structure but after his explanation that's what it was)  The one that was right on paper Seth said made him feel creepy in his stomach and he didn't like it there. So  that one was out too. So we went to the one Kids Village recommended and he walked in and said he could deal with this school. So that's the one he is going  to. We are hoping that it will be a good fit for him and hopefully Christian in a year or so.
No place is ever going to be exactly like Kids Village. He loved it there. He loved the teachers, he loved how they taught, he loved it.
Seth is jealous that Christian gets to go back to Kids Village. And to be honest I am too I'm  going to miss going to Kids Village every day. Going to back to school night was so much fun for me. I got to talk to all the teachers, get caught up on what they did all summer it was almost like I was back on the first day getting caught up with friends. When Lexi is old enough to go to school I should be done with my degree, or almost done and I just might just volunteer a whole lot. That sounds like more fun  than getting a job that would use my degree.

18 months

Dear Lexi Lou,
I haven't written you a letter on here for 6 months. I sit here thinking that it wasn't so long ago that you were a tiny little newborn with oxygen tubes up your nose glowing from a blue light and how badly my heart ached to hold you and make it all better. 

Just a short 18 months later you are mobile and into every thing. You follow your brothers into mischief and mayhem quite often. You love to have on a dress and twirl. I love it when you dawn your tutu with your scraped up knees from all your adventures with your big brothers. 

You hold your own with the 2 of  them. You are stubborn and won't let them win most often. You make sure  they know what is yours, even if it's not and you think it is. You will say "MINE!" take what it is and walk away. If you don't get what you want you will cry the most pathetic cry and they usually give in and let you have it. If not Daddy comes to save you and scoops you up and makes it all better. You have him wrapped around your finger. 

I love your little piggy tails. You will walk down the hall in the morning when I'm in the bathroom getting ready and try to climb up onto the counter. I will lift you up and you will sit  there and "brush" your teeth as I get ready. After I'm done you will hold my comb and say "har" So I will do your hair up in little piggys and you will look in the mirror and say "pitty baby" I want you to always look in the mirror and see how beautiful you are. 

You love shoes. You love your pink sparkly shoes. You love to have your nails painted. You will walk up to me and hold out your hand and blow. That's how you try to tell me you need a manicure. 

Each day, Lexi lou add new and amazing things to your never ending list of abilities, and each one is more exciting than the last. You love to dance and will shake and stomp your feet and then twirl with a huge grin on your face. 

You are still very petite and that alright by me. There is a little bit of me coming out in your looks but you still look an awful lot like your Daddy. 

Lexi know that your Daddy and I love you. I love the sweet little girl you are with a HUGE stubborn spirit that keeps me on my toes. I hope you know that your brothers adore you. 

We love you Lexi Lou who, 

Love your Mama

First day of no school

With both boys back to school it was Lexi's first day home alone with me in a while and with my semester starting next week we won't have many days with nothing to do. 

I could have done a million things, put laundry away, grocery shop, vacuum etc. 

But you know what I did, I cuddled my little girl for hours and we sat on the floor and read stories, tried on shoes and giggled. 

I have a bunch of neighborhood friends that are sending their little girls away to college, one that just had her little girl get married, and one who's little girl didn't get the chance to live very long.  Listening to them talk about sending their little girls to grow up and not having the chance to let their little girl grow up, made me think about my little girl. I'm not ready for her to grow up or let her go. And in a 17 years, which I'm sure will fly by, when she is ready for college (or whatever she chooses) I will have to let go. So I decided that today I was going to hold on tight. 

She won't remember the day we spent reading on the floor of her room, but I will. 

I will remember her little giggle, watching her sign "more book". Listening to her say "shoe" over and over as she pulled them out of her closet and made me put them on her little feet.  

   
 I will remember her playing with my camera and  babbling, pointing and then waiting for a picture to show up on the camera screen.

 I will remember not wanting to stand up even though my legs were going  to sleep because she wanted more books and was wrapped in her favorite blanket in my lap.

 I will remember having a "tea party" and playing with her baby.

 I will remember listening to her mimic random words in the story "Green Eggs and Ham" as she read it to Pugsly. Chuckling to myself because she was "reading" with the same inflection that I do when I read "Green Eggs and Ham."  

 

 I will remember her little piggy tails that never stay in until the end of the day.

 I will remember playing this little piggie went to market on her tiny little toes.

 

 I will remember  my sweet little baby girl who loves to say "Mama"

 

 I will remember all the little moments like this and make sure they happen more often so, hopefully the day I have to let her grow up she will remember just how much her Mama loves her.