meeting Koda

Today was a long time in coming. Darren took me and the boys to meet Koda. Darren and Koda have spent the past few weeks bonding, but this was the first time for the boys and I to meet him. I was concerned about meeting him (I have it in my head that all GS's are vicious and mean), but all my fears were washed away upon seeing him. He was everything Darren told me he is...an absolute sweetheart that acts much like Ellie.  Now my concern is that Ellie and Koda won't get along.  It won't be the end of the world if they don't because Ellie Mae will continue to live the good life indoors and Koda Kai will be living outdoors regardless. However, it would be nice if they could have fun together and wear each other out on a daily basis!  While I do have some reservations, I truly believe that before too long we'll be one big happy family.  Time will tell....but oh, how I hope I'm right!

excuse the iphone pics...it's all I had with me for our impromptu visit

{D would kill me if he saw this pic}
He is in love with this dog!

Poor Koda watched as we left him. :(  I can't believe I'm saying this about a German Shepherd of all things, but he really is sweet!  I can't wait to bring him home.  Let the adventure begin.

fifteen years

Fifteen years ago today I married the love of my life.  At times I simply can't believe that it's been 15 years since we said "I Do" but then there are other times that it seems like it's been longer (we've been together since the summer before 8th grade...that's 22 years...WOW)!  We've had our ups and downs and in between times, but I can honestly say that there is no one else that I can imagine doing this life with!

Darren and I celebrated our anniversary a bit early last month with a vacation.  We spent a week in Rosemary Beach, FL.  It was our first real vacation without the kids and it couldn't have been more PERFECT!!! {I wish I was there right now!}

More on our Florida getaway to come, but for now I'm off to a date night with the hubs a quick dinner with all four of my boys (Swadley's BBQ) and then we're heading to Cale's baseball practice.  Our anniversary date night will have to wait until next week.  AHHH, such is married life with kids!  :)

bike rider

Cale learned to ride his bike without training wheels today.  Over the past year we've asked him a few different times and he just wasn't ready (or in the mood) to learn, but tonight he looked at me out of the blue and said, "I want to learn to ride my bicycle without training wheels."  SO, I immediately looked through Darren's tools until I found what I needed to get the "trainers" off.  From there it took all of five minutes before he was riding with confidence.

We ran inside to tell daddy to come watch (he had NO idea what we'd been up to) but he immediately guessed as he was coming out to watch.  So much for surprising him!  

Don't let his picture fool you.  I am the one who taught Cale how to ride! :)

Cale and I went to get snowcones to celebrate and then I told him we should ride our bikes over to GramPat and Papa's house to show off his new skill (his brothers were already over there...they like to bike over there and have ice cream after dinner and poor Cale has to stay behind because he isn't old enough to go without mommy and daddy).  When we were getting ready to head out,  Cale sincerely said, "Please Jesus, let this go well."  It was precious.  It went okay...he fell down a few times on the way, but that is to be expected.  He reluctantly got back on after each fall and we eventually make it over to GramPat/Papa's house.  Cale had a snack and then GramPat took pity on him and drove him home.  The rest of us had fun racing home to see who could beat each other on our bikes and also GramPat and Cale in the van.  Darren won, Coby lost and obviously Connor and I were somewhere in the middle.  We all beat GramPat and Cale. :)  

Proud little guy.  He was doing his Johnny Bravo moves (Don't ask!!)

I'm so proud of my little Calebug!!!

baseball

Baseball has been a huge part of our lives in the spring/summer for the past six years or so. This year has been no different. We've spent many evenings at the ball field lately (Connor had three games just this week and Cale was supposed to have two, but one was cancelled due to wet fields so he just has one).  Tuesdays game didn't start until 9:30 which meant that we didn't get home until 11:30. That is a late night for the boys, but hey, at least it's summer!

I just have to brag on Connor for a minute....he hit his first HOME RUN last week and then he hit another one at the next game! I was SUPER proud of my boy...in fact, I may have had tears in my eyes as I watched him run those bases! I think the reason it got me so emotional is because just the week before he told us he was ready to quit baseball at the end of the season. It made me sad because I think he has a lot of potential and he really does love the sport. I know he was just down on himself because he wasn't getting many hits for several games in a row and he felt like his fielding wasn't where he wanted it to be. BUT that happens and we explained to him that we didn't raise a quitter and that we didn't want him to quit just because he was having a few "off" games. Everyone has those times, even the best of players. Thankfully Connor is gaining his confidence back and I don't think he'll quit after all. :) HE told me that he finally found his rhythm! I'm so glad, I'd really miss our evenings at the ball field if he quit. I couldn't have honestly said that a few years ago....my how life changes!

Here are a few pics of my guy at the game tonight...

 

And here's Cale at the game (he came late with GramPat who was gracious enough to take him to have his team pictures made tonight).  Thank goodness for GramPat who is always willing to help us out when we have more than one sporting event in a night.  Those days are becoming more and more frequent now that all three boys are involved in sports.  It gets REALLY crazy when all three boys have something to be at at the exact same time.  Somehow we always work it out though and I try to remember to enjoy these moments because they'll be over before I know it.  The boys are growing up WAY to fast. :(

first swim of the year

The boys and I had a great second day of summer break (I knew things could only look up after yesterday!).  The boys had a ball playing together this morning.  All THREE of them playing together rarely happens so I was thrilled when I heard all of them in Coby's room playing today.  I didn't dare venture into Coby's room to see what they were doing because I didn't dare interrupt this rare moment.  When they finally came out though I saw that both Coby and Cale were dressed in some of their Army get-up.  They told me that they'd been playing Army.  I don't know exactly how that is played, but I'm pretty sure it included several nerf guns and make-shift barricades (I've never seen so many pillows piled strategically placed around Coby's room).  

Sgt. Coby

Cale came out of Coby's room and was all business.  He walked into the living room and got out my weights and began to work out.  He lifted weights, did push-ups, sit-ups and sprints into the piano room.  Connor asked him what he was doing and he said, "Workin' out so I can win the war!"  ha  After lifting weights he came over to me and flexed.  He said, "Feel my muscles."  I did and then he felt them too and said, "Ahh, they're still squishy!" and from there he went back to lifting weights!  He is so funny.

Late this afternoon the boys and I loaded up and headed to mom and dad's for the boys first swim of the year. Darren had to work so I figured that would keep the boys and I entertained until dinner time and I was hoping to wear the boys out (apparently it didn't because they came home and played Army again and I didn't send them to bed until about 10:30.  I just couldn't send them to bed when they were having so much fun!).  

Of course I took swimming pics....

 Connor went back and forth between swimming and playing basketball

What a fun Saturday I had with my boys!  I can't wait to spend many more days in the pool with them this summer!

first day of summer break

Today was the first day of summer break and I must admit that it really didn't go so well.  We were at Connor's baseball game until 11:00 last night and the boys are used to going to bed by 9 pm at the latest so the morning started out with three tired boys.  Then, we spent the afternoon running errands.  It was really HOT which equaled a sweaty/cranky mommy and kids.  So by the end of our errands I was really at the end of my rope.  Apparently the boys noticed because this afternoon Connor looked at me and said, "Are you on your period today?"  I told him NO.  To which he replied that he sure would hate to see me when I was then!  And so it begins....

I'm thinking the first day of summer could've gone better.

here and now

This post is pretty random, but it's just some things that have been swirling around in my head lately. Sometimes in life it is so easy to focus on the negative, but recently I've just been thinking about how very blessed and happy I am. I just truly feel so fulfilled and content lately. I keep thinking to myself, WOW! EVERY single thing in my life (the good, the bad and the ugly) has led me right HERE to this very place. And what a beautiful place it is. I am so thankful for everything I've ever gone through because truly, I wouldn't be who I am today and I wouldn't appreciate all that I have today if my life had always been perfect. I have the most AMAZING husband, the marriage I've always dreamed of (please don't wake me up if I'm dreaming...the past year has been the BEST yet) and three precious boys (who yes, DRIVE ME CRAZY at times, but I'm always thankful to be their mommy!). Mostly though, right now, I am just so happy with where I am, where I've been and where I'm going. That's all. I just want to be able to look back on this next year and remember this season. It's too good to forget.

All pics with the boys were taken two weeks ago before school. They didn't really want their pics taken with mommy but I FORCED them (hence their lack of enthusiasm, plus it was EARLY!) :)