Fun in the "sun"

This is the most recent family picture we've taken in several months.  Even though it's poor lighting and the boys aren't exactly smiling (or even looking at the camera for that matter) I'm very glad we took it!  It shows what the day was like.  Ben was annoyed that he had to stop having fun to take the picture, and Coop clung to mommy for dear life. . . a kind of cuddling I never get anymore!  So here's to Embracing the Camera this week . . . even in our clingy moments!

When Daddy comes home for lunch

We are very fortunate that Matt is able to come home for lunch during the week as much as he does.  This is not to say he comes home to a fancy lunch each day (usually chicken nuggets with hot sauce!) but he does come home to two boys who are always happy to see him in the middle of the day.
We are getting a little to used to this tradition because his "busy season" is right around the corner and days of lunch together will be a luxury.  Either way, we'll take whatever we can get of seeing Daddy right now and the boys sure love watching for him out the window and waving goodbye when he has to return to work!

(and yes, Ben is still in his pajamas . . . one of the advantages of getting to stay home with my boys!)

Loving Grandpa

This past weekend my in-laws came up for a visit!  We had already scheduled a day at a local indoor water park with Matt's work so they tagged along and helped with the boys.  Cooper quickly became Grandpa's boy because he was willing to walk around with him and didn't really make him get into the water too deep!

This is just another reminder about how blessed we are to have grandparents who love our kids just as much as we do!

Date night . . . with a three-year old

Embracing the Camera this week with my latest date!  Friday night, Ben took me to eat at the local golf course restaurant and then we headed to the middle school to see their rendition of Charlotte's Web.  Ben was so excited because his aunt's name is Charlotte and he got to "meet the spider" after the show.  What a handsome dude!

Joining the act...

Because of my step-mom's talent and playing in the Sioux City Symphony, I get to go to some pretty neat performances! This past weekend it was Cirque de la Symphonie.  There was some amazing acts to watch and of course I had to get my picture taken with them afterwards to show Ben.  The mime-looking guy was the funniest and I think I just might need to join their act!

Where did my baby go?

Not much to say today!  Thanks to my wonderful husband I had a relaxing weekend of family, shopping and the symphony.  We were also able to get together with our small group from church last night which somehow hasn't happened in awhile - so refreshing.
My dad was here long enough this weekend for me to transfer some pictures from his camera to my computer.  Looking at this one I can't help but think Coop looks like a little boy and not so much a baby anymore.

Job Security

Life.Is.Messy.  I am realizing this more lately as I have two boys who enjoy playing with their toys . . . but do not enjoy putting them away.  Yes I realize they are kids, yes I realize that one day I will miss this and yes I realize that it bothers me way more than it bothers them.  But still . . . it's hard to see into the future when we won't have brightly colored toys littering the floor.  It's hard to think there will be a day when I don't step on a Lego and it pokes into my foot, causing me to hop up and down and yelp in pain!  Someone the other day said that things like messy family rooms and tiny handprints all over my freshly cleaned windows should remind me how great my job security is.  And they are right . . . my job is definitely secure for the next 18 or so years. One day I'll look back and wish for the everyday, mundane tasks that is my "job" right now!

A typical day at our house - by 10am

Butterflies

 Yesterday, Ben and I got to go to the Butterfly House up in Sioux Falls with his preschool group.  They had a great time walking around and trying to identify all the different kinds of butterflies from different continents.  Ben was not a big fan of them coming too close to him but he did enjoy looking at the guide sheet and finding the Common Blue Morpho butterfly.

We finished off the field trip with lunch at a park and letting the kids play on the playground.  The weather is unseasonably warm for our area this time of year so we are taking full advantage.  Today will be another almost 80-degree day so we are looking forward to playing quite a bit outside again!  Matt even took the boys on a bike ride last night to celebrate spring being just around the corner.  We're hoping that spring is here to stay!

Living the good life!

 

As it is seemingly impossible to get these boys to take a picture together, I guess I'll have to settle with separate ones for awhile.  This was taken this past weekend in what seems like will probably be the last time with any snow on the ground this winter!  You can see the mound way in the back behind Cooper and in a shady area by Ben.  Both areas are completely gone as of yesterday with our almost 60-degree weather!  Signs of spring are everywhere and we are very ready to get outside and enjoy them...without mittens and stocking caps!

Praising the Lord...out LOUD!

Last Thursday, we had another MOPS (Mothers of PreSchoolers) meeting.  It started out like any other meeting: eating brunch, drinking coffee, talking with friends we had not seen in awhile and a beautiful devotion by my friend Amy.
Then we had a nice change of pace...the three and four-year old MOPPETS kids came and sang for us.  What a treat!  We are so blessed to have two ladies that come each time to work with the kids on some songs and she had decided that they were ready for a "concert!"  They sang at least seven songs and when they first started, I was very curious to see how Ben would handle being in front of a crowd.  He has never had the opportunity to sing in a "formal" setting where he had to both sing the words and do the actions (because kids are always cuter singing if they do actions!)
He. Was. Awesome!!!  It has been a long time since I have laughed so hard that I cried but he sure helped that to happen.  And it felt good!

Here he is "marching in the Lord's army"

And here he is playing his heart out for God's glory!

He was not shy at all...in fact just the opposite. I think he sang every single word, did every single action and played every note as directed by his teacher. I was so proud of him and cannot wait to see him do it again sometime.  He truly was singing the Lord's praises in the way we all should - without a care of what others think and as loud as we can!
Afterwards, I told him how proud I was and he said "I know, I could see your teeth."  I guess I show a lot of teeth when I'm smiling with pride at my little performer!

First timer here...

I've been reading the blog of someone I went to high school with for awhile now and just love looking at her insight to things!  She is the mother of six and still makes it a priority to get in front of the camera with each of her kids on different occasions.  Each Thursday she hosts an "Embrace the Camera" day where people are encouraged to take pictures with their kids instead of just of them.  So now that I have my own blog and have kept up with it for awhile, I've decided to give it a try and link up with her blog.  Sure hope I'm doing it right :)

This is me with my Valentine's dates last month!  Matt was out-of-town for work again so we got all dressed up and headed to Culvers for supper and ice cream - what a treat! Oh...and they all sent me roses - love my boys!

Poor kid

Last night we made Ben try some brussel sprouts mixed with broccoli and spinach...not really!  This is actually what we went through just trying to get him to eat some soup.  Regular, old, potato soup with ham which he has eaten before and loved.   But he was bound and determined that he DID NOT like it this time and his stubborn streak came out.  After almost 45 minutes, 2 timeouts and several tears, he finally ate some and remembered that he liked it...until about 7 bites in when he did not want anymore.  What do we do with this kid?! 

Half our lives...

Part of the reason that we traveled back to Kansas City last weekend was because my best friend from high school (also my matron of honor all those years ago!) was in town from Arkansas to celebrate two of her kiddos' birthdays with family and friends.  We have been blessed by this friendship since our freshman year when we were just two 14-year olds with lockers next to each other. It was an instant connection and we haven't looked back since. 
We went to dances together (not together together...but with our dates), dated the same guy (don't ask!), had MANY sleepovers, hung out at football games and pizza dances and did the typical high school girl stuff! Even when we went to different colleges, she attended all the "best friend weekends" my sorority put on, we made Sunday nights our catch up night on the phone, and even took an amazing spring break trip together to Hawaii our junior year!!! Eventually we were each others maids of honor, threw baby showers for one another and now get to share the joys of being stay-at-home moms together.
I am so amazed and blessed to have her in my life and cannot believe we have been friends for over half of our lives.  We continue to talk at least once a week on the phone, even if it is usually interupted several times by one of my two boys or one of her three kids!  I hate that we live so far away.  It would be so much easier if we lived in the same town but for now, we'll just have to keep our cell phones charged!

15 years ago for a high school dance

 This past weekend

This past summer with our older kids at the water park in Kansas City

Four Generations

This past weekend, we had the opportuntity to take my grandma back with us for a visit to Kansas City.  Although she did have to give up her refreshment duties at church for Sunday night in Sioux City (quite the issue for her generation apparently!) she was very glad that she was able to come along!
We had a very busy weekend: visiting with my brother and his wife and with my dad and stepmom, picking Matt up from the airport, spending some much-needed face time with my high school best friend (we talk once a week but it's just not the same), attending a birthday party, catching up with people from church and the ever-long drive back to Iowa...quite the experience with a screaming one year old! 
Now that we are back and the laundry is going I realize how blessed we are to have so many people we want to see when we go home!  We never have enough time to do everything we want, but we sure try!
Overall, I think Grandma had a great time too.  She LOVES having family together whenever possible and although she didn't really leave the house much, she just enjoyed sitting back and watching all the goings on and visiting until the late hours of the night - she's quite the night owl for an 83-year old!

Things I thought I'd never have to say...

Having a three-year old and a one-year old lately has been interesting.  I am forever saying things to them (mostly Ben these days) that I never thought I would have to say.  For example:

- don't put the hamburger on Cooper's head
- can you at least get a little pee IN the potty?!
- we need to we our underwear UNDER our pants
- please don't put the cow in the dog bowl
- please don't rub your hand on the shower wall and then lick it (seriously said this last night TWICE!!!)

Then there are the "mommyisms" that I remember my mom saying to me that I SWORE I would not use with my kids...wrong again!

- do you need something to cry about?
- because I'm the mom!
- don't talk back (not sure a three-year old really understand this but we're working on it)
- go to your room
- don't look at me like that! (see picture below)
-1, 2...(Mom, what is supposed to happen after I get to three by the way?!)

But as much as I hear myself repeating some of these phrases (usually more than I'd like) I do hear myself telling my boys how much I love them ALL THE TIME!  I grew up in a home where you tell each other how you feel and I want my boys to always know how much they are loved.  My mom says that when I was little I would say "I love you Mommy" all the time, even in public and someone once asked "why does she say that?"  And my mom told her that it was because I loved her.  Ben is really good at randomly telling Cooper and myself that he loves us throughout the day... and I know it's because he does!