Sunday, May 24, 2015

Springtime around our Home

 
Some views from around our home.
 
I love this front porch. It is so peaceful.
 
 
 
 
Green grass, bushes that have gained color, and new sprouts are all a sign that Spring is really here.
 

My boys picked this hanging basket for Mother's Day for me. It is beautiful
 
 
 
A freshly tilled garden. It looks much different now. I will have to take some new pictures and show you how much it has grown.
 
 
A sign that summer is coming! Flowers, and flags.
 
 
But, my favorite part of Spring is the open windows and the nice breeze through the house.
 
 
Hope you're getting wonderful spring weather where you are.
 
 
 
Image Map

Saturday, May 16, 2015

Thoughts on Motherhood

 
I have done A LOT of thinking about what being a mother really is.
 
ANYONE can be a mother. 
 
But it takes dedication, perseverance, patience, kindness, gentleness, selflessness, and stillness to be a GOOD mother.
 
I'm not writing this post towards anyone, but for myself. To remind myself what my boys need each day and to maybe inspire some of you that are struggling.  
 
 
 
I have a whole different outlook on motherhood now that my boys are 6 and 4. When I first started this journey with a newborn baby boy, I was much different. I had different thoughts and different values than I do now.
 
I would say I have grown leaps and bounds over what I felt 6 years ago.
 
 
 
It's not about the money, or the amount of toys your children have.
 
It's not about how many hours of work you put into your career each week to give everything to your child and more.
 
It's not about pushing your child to the extreme in every sport just to "look" good to others.
 
It's not about the brand name clothes that you just have to have for your child or they may be labeled differently.
 
It's about TIME.
 
Really spending time with them and playing. That is what they are remembering.
 
 
I see so many parents at the parks these days with their phone in their face. It makes me sad they are missing LIFE.
 
Why do you take your children to the park in the first place? To me it's about getting them out and interacting with them outdoors. To get fresh air. To run and play.
 
Not for you to sit on the bench and be busy on your phone.
 
 
 
It hits me like a ton of bricks when I actually hear kids talking about their parents. Teaching Kindergarten this year has been a HUGE eye opener for me.
 
I'm going to leave you with a conversation I had with one of my five year old students just this month coming up on Mother's Day.
 
ME: I want you to write down what your favorite thing to do with mommy is.
 
Student: What do you mean?
 
ME: Well what does she play with you, or what do you all enjoy together?
 
Student: She doesn't play....
 
ME: So what do you do with mom when she's at home? What does she do?
 
Student: I just play in my room by myself, and mom looks on her phone.
 
 
That was a hard conversation to choke down. It was even harder to find something to write on her Mother's Day card that she could say her and her mom do, when in reality there is nothing they do together.
 
There is so much more to life than looking on facebook, or Instagram, or even blogging. What are we really gaining doing any of these things?
 
Soak in the moments with your little ones.
 
These are the days you will look back on. Even the horrible, long, kid screaming, messy house, days that you want to be over so bad. These are the days you will remember the most.
 
 
 
 

Friday, May 8, 2015

Baby #3 is.....

 
Another sweet baby BOY!
 
Our boys are thrilled, and we are just thrilled that God is giving us another blessing.
When the lady announced it was a BOY they were hugging and jumping! It was a sweet time.
 
 
I have come to the realization there will probably never be baby dolls in my house or much pink until maybe grandchildren. But I am perfectly ok with that. God knows what I need.
 
I love boys. I love the fact that I am raising these boys to be good husbands and fathers.
 
I have been thinking about how being a BOY mom has changed ME. I am much different than I was in high school & college. I have always been a "girly girl". I LOVED clothes, pink, shimmery things. I do sometimes still love these things, but they are just not necessary for me anymore.
 
Now it's fishing, hiking, mud, dirt, baseball, creatures, and lots of FOOD!
 
That will give us 4 boys in our house!
 
My husband loves to teach the boys. They are now in fishing season which means lots of baits, line, and patience.
 
 
Lots of baseball right now too!

 
Little brother is not playing due to his surgery he had but he sure is a good helper!

Getting brother dressed and ready.

Look here, I'm ready!!!

A very unofficial picture of their team, but so cute nonetheless.



 
So I see lots of loud, messy, crazy moments in my future with a house full of boys.
 
I am not quite sure we are finished having children, but God sure has blessed us with these boys!

Sunday, May 3, 2015

Karson's 6th Birthday and Easter Egg Hunt

I am way behind. 

Karson turned six years old on March 10th. We had a small family only party on a Sunday afternoon for our birthday boy. He actually wanted small and at home. I too love just small birthdays. 


He loves Skylander characters, so that's what his cake had on it. 


It was just his brother Kipton (left), Karson (middle), and Dane (cousin right) there. He had the best time just playing and talking to all of his family. 



The week before Easter, Karson had an Easter egg hunt at Kindergarten. His class dyed the eggs and then the parents hid them. I loved that they actually did it the "old fashion" way. That is fun!



Here are a few of his favorite buddies!



I sure do love my Kindergarten Boy!