career day/snow day

Wednesday was career day at Cale's preschool. He was to wear something that reflects what he wants to be when he grows up. Not surprisingly, he was a policeman. Like most three years old, he wants to follow in his daddy's footsteps (hopefully he'll change his mind as he gets older!). GramPat made this shirt a few years ago out of some of Papa's and daddy's old uniforms. It is just like the real deal only smaller. Cale loves to wear it.

We were excited to see that Cale wasn't the only aspiring policeman. This is Cale and his friend Cole. I love that they were holding hands in this pic!

The boys were out of school yesterday and today (they love snow days). We had ice and sleet most of the day yesterday and it snowed all day today. It was so beautiful to watch come down.

Playing in it was pretty fun too. We wanted to make a snowman, but the snow just wasn't the "packing" kind. I couldn't even get a good snowball out of it. Even still, Darren and I managed to get each other pretty well covered in snow just by kicking it at each other. Fun times!

The boys had lots of fun outside (Connor was playing on the other side of the house and I was trying my best to keep Cale off the ice so I didn't get many pics of Connor...plus, his eyes were covered in all the ones I did get). Cale and Coby made lots of snow angels and thought "ice skating" (while wearing slippery rain boots nonetheless) was fun even though they kept falling down. I was worried sick that one of them was going to break a bone or get a concussion. I may have to make them wear their bicycle helmets out there next time if they keep insisting on staying on the ice rather than the snow. BOYS!!!!

We had fun outside, but most of the day was spent inside....

Coby searches the craft drawer for something to do (he opted to paint).

Cale spent the day playing his Leapster, reading Dinosaur books with me, painting pictures, building legos and playing with his trains.

Connor played the DSi and read his Hardy Boys books.

It has been a wonderfully relaxing two days, but I am really hoping to get out of the house soon!

(My mom got on to me today for not keeping up with my photosite so it's finally updated. You can see the pictures here.)

bummer

It's Friday...that's family fun Friday if you live in our house. I forgot to mention that we watched Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs last week for FFF and it was SO cute (there's a pic below from last week). Here it is a week later and Cale is still talking about baby Brent and laughing about it!



Darren and I thought we'd be really crazy and change it up this week by actually taking the boys out to a movie rather than hitting up the Redbox and Papa John's. We're crazy like that. ;) We went to a 5:15 showing of "Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakqual" and sadly before 6 we had to leave. Darren had a call out for the tactical team (high risk search warrrant on robbery suspects). I wasn't sure how the boys would handle having to leave the movie halfway through it, but they were so good about it. I was bummed, but what else could we do? The boys and I dropped Darren off at home and then went out to dinner and to rent a movie. We got "Night at the Museum 2." We're starting to run out of kid-friendly options...we might have to find something else to do for our family fun Fridays! I think roller skating would be a fun change. Not sure if I can talk D into that though. We'll see.

This is completely unrelated, but today was pajama day at Cale's preschool. I took this pic before taking him. As you can see, he was a bit to into his Star Wars Leapster game to have time to look up. I take what I can get.

singing

As I drove Cale to school this morning I was singing the Hillsong United song "Lead Me to the Cross" (I LOVE that song!).

Cale: Are you singing mommy?
Me: Yes. (I held my breath as I waited for him to beg me to stop)
Cale: Oh, that is so beee-uuuu-tiful!
Me: So you like my singing?
Cale: Yes. Now let me sing you a song....

Hmmm...that's not quite the response he gave me back in March when I was singing, remember this?

I guess I just get better with age. How lucky for the men in my life....now that I know I'm good I'll feel more confident belting out some more tunes for them! ;)

what a bargain

Anyone that knows me well knows that I LOVE candles. If you know me very well you also know that I LOVE bubble baths (with Bath and Body Works black currant vanilla bubble bath being my favorite flavor) just as much. On rough days with the boys, I retreat to my bathtub after Darren wakes up (he works nights thus sleeps all day). I light my candles, pour my bubbles and settle in for some quiet time before starting dinner. (My quiet alone time doesn't usually work out as planned though since Cale almost always comes in and tells me how he is soooo dirty and needs a bath. Therefore, my nice quiet bath alone turns into a bath for two...plus boats, a toy fish and cups so that we can pretend to pour each other coffee and orange juice. Most days, I wouldn't trade those not so quiet moments with Cale for anything else in the world though...I said most days!)
So, getting to the whole point of this post...I decided yesterday that I should see if they make my favorite bubble bath scent in candle form too (WHY did I not think of this sooner?) I grabbed Connor and a coupon and off to Bath and Body Works we went. I found my candle (plus some other things...wallflowers were only $5 each) and took it to the counter to pay. The price on the bottom of the jar was $10.50 which is what I was expecting to pay, but guess what? It rang up $1.05. Unbelievable. The girl at the counter was as surprised as I was. I emplored her to find me more, but sadly it was the last one. I. love. a. bargain. Especially those that are unexpected! That $9 I saved on the candle helped offset the cost of the wallflowers I bought unexpectedly! What can I say, I told you that I love a bargain...just don't ask how many bargains I brought home with me! I'll never tell :)

brotherly love...

My boys have always shared love/hate relationships with one another. They play so well together and have so much fun (in fact, Connor rarely wants to have friends over...I think he considers his brothers his live-in friends), but I'd be lying if I said that they don't argue as well. Oh boy, do they fight!!! My mom is always saying, I just don't remember you all (me and my siblings) fighting like that. I remind her that she has two boys and two girls and we were born alternately (boy, girl, boy, girl) with most of us being spaced four or more years apart. I think that having all same sex siblings creates more rivalry....at least that's what I keep telling myself. I really do think that there is more competition among kids in families when there are either all girls or all boys. I don't have anything to base this on, it's just a hunch I have.

All this being said, over the past few weeks I've been noticing more from the boys on the love side of the relationship and less fighting. It has been heartwarming to watch. I've especially noticed Connor making very specific efforts to lift up his brothers and really take on the responsibility of being a big brother that Coby and Cale can look up to. I've been telling him for so long how important his "job" is as a BIG brother and how his little brothers look up to him and will want to emulate him. How that makes it so important for him to compliment them when they do a good thing and to also just be a positive role model for them. I love seeing him slowly wanting to be the proud big brother rather than just one that finds his brothers annoying OR even the one who spends his time annoying them. Over the past month, I have witnessed some really positive changes in Connor. It is such a beautiful thing to watch...our firstborn is really growing up on us...he's slowly becoming a young man (whether we're ready for that or not!). I've always known that Connor has a very big heart, I am just glad that he's choosing to show it a little more freely here at home.

There have been so many sweet moments shared between the boys lately, but here are just a few that come to mind for now...Connor and Coby's school had a colonial fair on Wednesday. This is a fundraiser for Pennies for Patients. Each student is to take only 25 pennies and they are able to buy popcorn, root beer, tealight candles, marbles, homemade goods, candy, etc. with it. Connor spent the majority of his money on me and Cale. He brought Cale home a marble and some candy and for me, a little yarn ornament. I thought that was so sweet and Cale was so excited about his colorful marble (but mostly I think he was thrilled that Connor had thought of him). He just kept saying, "Thanks for the marble Connor" over and over...the whole way home from school! Another sweet thing happened after school on Thursday...Coby was going through his backpack when he pulled out a dinosaur book and handed it to Cale saying, "I found this at the school library for you Cale. I need to return it tomorrow." Cale LOVES dinosaurs and I thought it was so thoughtful of Coby to see that book and check it out with Cale in mind...even if he was going to exchange it the next day for a book for himself (he can only check out one book at a time since he's only in 1st grade).

It was nice to have a week where the brotherly love outweighed the brotherly battles. It was a much needed "break" for me...I needed a little time off from playing referee. Yes, it's been nice, but I'm no fool. We have a three day weekend ahead of us and I'm sure I'll be intercepting many an argument during that time. At least I won't get bored.

seven

Happy birthday Coby!!!! I simply cannot believe that you are SEVEN years old today. Time has a way of passing by all too quickly. You are such a blessing to us. Some of your favorite things to do over the past year include building legos (in fact, you are almost always in your room building something!), drawing pictures, riding your bike, you are obsessed with Star Wars, taking pictures (you love to borrow my camera...that makes me very nervous), you like to dress up in old halloween costumes, you love to wrestle with daddy, poppy and papa (and boy are you strong!!) and you've recently told us that you want to try out karate. You are the most helpful, loving and sweet boy a mom could ever ask for. I am so thankful that God blessed us with you.

I took this of you today while you were watching Scooby Doo and building some legos that you got at your party last night. I just love your little button nose and beautiful brown eyes...it's funny how the one thing I used to hate about myself (having "boring" brown eyes) is one of the things I love the most about my boys!

Oops, you caught me taking your picture :)

We had a family birthday party last night. Coby was so embarrassed when everyone sang happy birthday. It was adorable. I put most of the birthday pics up on our photo album if you're interested.

I made cupcakes for Coby to share with his class at school yesterday and then we had a family party last night. Darren had to work from 3 pm til 3 am today (Coby's actual birthday) so we celebrated a day early. Since D didn't have to be at work til 3, I took Coby to the Lego store at the mall so he could spend the money he got at his party. He was so excited to find a few things he didn't already have (it's getting really hard to find any Star Wars legos he doesn't yet have). I had planned on taking him out to lunch (his choice) but he told me that we had plenty of pizza leftover from his party at home. I think he just wanted to get home so he could start working on all of his lego projects from his party and the ones he got today! I did talk him into letting me take him to Pink Swirls for some yogurt first though....there's nothing wrong with having frozen yogurt for lunch on your birthday (OR your child's birthday) right?!?! RIGHT!

Christmas '09

Wow...it's already twenty-ten and I just realized I never did get my Christmas pics up. It's been CRAZY here with the boys at home for two weeks. I can't believe Connor and Coby will be going back to school tomorrow (Cale only goes on Wednedays and Fridays). Overall, I am ready for them to go back so we can get back to a "normal" schedule, but as I went to bed last night I realized I was also a little sad that Christmas break is already over. I wonder if anyone can relate? Anyway, here is a little recap from our Christmas (there are many more pics here)...

We let the boys open all of their presents from Darren and me a few days before Christmas. The pic above is the only one from that day shared on here (I know it is not the best pic of Coby) but I loved what he said as soon as he opened his new BIG boy Bible. He asked me if we could read the Christmas story. I was so glad that as the kids were opening their gifts, that the TRUE meaning of Christmas hadn't been lost on them. I asked them just this morning what the most important thing about Christmas was and both Connor and Coby said without hesitation, "Jesus birthday!" Notice I'm not sharing what Cale said! ;)

Santa came...and surprisingly no one was left with just a stocking full of coal. It was iffy this year for sure for two of the boys (not mentioning any names)!

Why did I not have them dress in cute pajamas for Christmas morning? Oh well. (Cale was in his room having a time-out when the above pic was taken...story of his life I'm afraid).

We had such a beautiful view of the snow while the boys opened their goodies from Santa.

they were all happy...Cale got more dinosaurs and Leapster games, Coby got Legos, Wii and DS games, Connor wanted DS games and Tech Decks. But I think the things they enjoyed most were the fillers in the stockings...that was always my favorite part as a kiddo too.

this was at mom and dad's house (see post below this about how much work it was to get there)

Connor was cracking up when he unwrapped his present from Kennard and Kristen to find a diaper box...

No diapers here though...just this cool helmet to go with the skateboard they got him! Thankfully we have good insurance because I have a bad feeling we'll be seeing out first ever broken bone/trip to the ER after receiving this gift!

Coby got TONS of Star Wars legos...he was thrilled!

Cale was so excited to get this light saber set for the Wii (and they also seem to work well for hitting brothers too...did I mention that most of Cale's life is spent doing time-outs?)

On the 26th, we went to Clint and Michele's for the Heath family Christmas (while everyone else was eating, Connor just sat by the tree...he couldn't wait to open presents...I can't say that I blame him)

Connor helped pass out gifts....until he found some of his own to open that is!

Cale opening his new fishing pole...can't wait til it warms up so we can use it.

Coby got TONS more Star Wars Legos
(surprisingly we only got one duplicate)

Cale enjoyed cousin Braden's new elephant rocker. Poor Cale, he never did have a rocker. He's so deprived! ha

We had a wonderful Christmas. In all honesty, I'm thankful that a new year/decade has begun. Last year was a mixed bag of good and bad (no complaints though, God has always been so faithful to us), but I do look forward to a new beginning. My goal for the year is this: Be more positive. I want to try to see the good in things and people where in the past I much too often only saw the negative. I think changing this ONE thing will make a dramatic difference in not only my life, but the lives of those around me. Of course, there are other things I want to do differently as well, but this is the only one I'm sharing here.

Also, I read this on another blog the other day and I want to try to remember this and take it to heart on tough days with the boys...although the days may be long, the years are short. So true. I needed to be reminded of that. In fact, I think I'll write it out and hang it on the fridge because truthfully most days seem to be really long around here lately, but I still need to cherish them.

Happy New Year!