Summer Memories

It's time for me to dump a bunch of poor quality pictures from my phone onto my blog for memories sake. 

We've had such a great summer together. I love these boys and the bond they share. It's unbelievable! 

They love playing at home, on our playground. Eating popsicles. 

We enjoyed the 4th with Nana and Papaw Brad. We sat by their outdoor fire. It is so nice. Kevin and my dad put off a few fireworks for the boys. Mom cooked pizza breads on the grill. 

Sparklers and pop-its were a hit. Anything with a BANG is what boys like. 

They have went to VBS at a church near our house. I am so proud of them, because they have never been to this church but have loved all of the days. They made these masks the first night, and proudly wore them when we got home for a picture. 

They have had many visits to the fishing store with their daddy. A rare can of pop and a fishing store are a highlight! 

We have visited the park and met new friends. I am thankful that my boys are not shy in making friends. They will walk right up to other kids, and make friends instantly. 

Karson went with his Nana (my mom) this week and picked out his Kindergarten backpack. He chose Lego's. It was a great idea because he LOVES building with Legos each night before bedtime. He also got a lunch box. They finished up their fun trip with lunch at McDonald's per request from Karson. :) 

They love to pick me flowers, roots and all. I have to laugh everytime. 

More park days. Fun summer playing.

They have visited with both sets of grandparents many times this summer. This day they were visiting their Mamaw (Kevin's mom) and after swimming, they built a tent. 

Then, they hoped into their Papaw's boat for a picture. They sure think they are special. Cousin Dane is also in the picture too.

They have both grown so tall this summer. 

It has been one great summer, with many great experiences. 

The best memories do not include money. It's TIME & relationships. That's what is important. 

I can think of a million memories from my childhood. They all have to do with time.

Playing barbies all day long. Swimming, playing house, being with neighborhood friends, VBS, riding my bike, church events, and being with my family are the memories in my mind.

The memories are just priceless. 

Being a BOY Mom

When we found out that I was expecting our first child 6 years ago, I had thoughts of baby girl things instantly. The cute bows, dance classes, shopping for pink, and playing baby dolls. However, GOD had other plans for me and my life. 

I would consider myself pretty girly. I started taking dance and baton lessons at age 3, and didn't stop until I graduated college at 25. Being in dance, you are really doing "girly" activities all the time. 

I'm not quite sure I could call myself a girly girl anymore though. Life has changed, and I am okay with that. I know that in a days time, I will be dirty myself with the messes and the outside chores that are waiting for me.

 I still love to dress up for church, and dates with my husband, but the day to day normally consists of boy activities. I really enjoy watching them "be boys".

I didn't know you could mow a creek.....did you?

Playing in the creek, fishing, playing in mud puddles, catching critters, feeding the animals, mowing grass, jumping on the trampoline, splitting firewood, planting and watering, playing baseball or football, and hiking in the woods are some of the fun we have at home. I sure do love being a boy mom.

I will say, I am so thankful for Karson when we go fishing. Many times when daddy is at work, the boys ask to fish. I'm no fan of pulling a hook out of a fish's eye. Karson keeps us all ready with worms on our hooks, and taking off the fish. I tell him that he is a true fisherman now that he can do it all. He puffs out his chest and says "Just like daddy?" I say "Yep, just like daddy!" He sure comes by it honest. I think they could both fish every single day.

So if you're new to this whole "boy mom" thing, don't worry God will help you through. It may not be what you have invisioned for your life, but the rewards will be endless.

Choose to embrace the choas!

Being a boy mom means....

It's always loud in your house....

There is normally rowdy play....

You hear them, before you see them...

There if normally a mess with whatever they are playing....

There is a lot of reminding and having patience.....

But overall they are so easy. They don't care about what clothes they wear or how their hair. They just care about having fun!!! I love life without pink :)

More Hunting

We live in a place where you hear gun shots MANY times throughout the day during gun season.

Sometimes they sound TOO close but I know they aren't. I have made the boys wear their blaze orange a few days because there is soo much woods around our house and even though it is our property and my parents, you never know who is hunting out there.

 

Plus, they love wearing it like daddy :)

 

 

Kevin has killed 3 deer this year. He is really loving it in the country. He has had a few friends come out to hunt with him. Most days, the boys and I wait and wait and they ask me 100 times when daddy will be home with his deer. The boys are so bummed when he comes home empty handed. haha

 

 

I know it's kind of sick but Kipton LOVES to pet the deer. Like LOVES it.

He keeps petting it's head over and over and says "awwww baby deer" lol

 

 

My boys are destined to be hunters, and I am so thankful for a husband who teaches his boys about hunting and the outdoors. I love that they are learning and getting these awesome life experiences with their daddy. So blessed!

House full of boys

Kevin has been hunting a lot since season started. His friend Pup from work has hunted with him a few times and they hunted for squirrel last weekend. Pup ended up staying with Kevin for 2 days hunting in different places and they had a blast.

 

The boys and I had a Halloween to go to this day and when we got home around 1 we had this on our back porch. Horray :)

 

 

 

To say that Karson loved this would be a complete understatement. HE WAS BESIDE HIMSELF!

He talks about it everyday and even told his preschool teachers. Lovely :)

 

 

It has been all about hunting here. Especially because Karson was a hunter for Halloween and has his own camo attire. Kipton had to have some too....you know how that goes :)

 

 

 

The boys LOVE Pup! I think he is one of their favorite people. For 2 complete days that Kevin and him were off work they wrestled the boys, worked outside with them, hunted, ate, slept, ate, worked, hunted, ate, slept, and yeah ate!! With 4 boys in the house I could barely keep up with their eating.

 

 

They had a blast with the boys! Karson can't wait until Pup comes back for a "sleepover". I know it sounds so weird but guys don't care where they have to stay if it means they get to go hunting early in the morning and in the evenings. He slept on the couch and had 2 little boys giving him early wake up calls :) I guess this was just a taste of what life will be like with my 2 boys and their friends over. 

 

They are already planning their next hunting trip for this Tuesday and Wednesday! Lord helps us!

Boys

Boys are so many things, but when I think of my own two boys I think about these characteristics: rough, rowdy, loud, energetic, and full of energy! Add in the occasional whining and crying and you have a mental picture of my house.

 

 

When Kipton was still a newborn baby I had a friend come over to visit. She also had two boys that were 17 months apart. She said the stage that your boys are in is super easy rather than having two toddlers. I really thought she was crazy. No WAY! How is having a newborn any kind of easy?

 

Well she was right! This stage in my life is the hardest so far. They are everywhere and into everything. The Type A personality of wanting everything in order, and being in charge is out the window! You can try...but you will be nagging and even screaming all day to keep it that way.

 

 

I could have typed up this post with a bunch of hoop that makes you think everything is perfect and my children are so well behaved and life is so grand! But it's not. I want to remember how I dealt with these days that my boys were 3.5 and 2. It's rough I tell ya!! VERY rough. Because this is like my baby book for the boys, I want it to be the truth. Somedays are good, but most days are crazy.

 

 

I wish I had the answer on how to raise the best boy so he could grow up to be the best man. But I dont. I am living day to day trying to make it work and get through the day most of the time. I am hoping that our talks and our discipline will someday rub off and the boys WILL turn into those great men. I feel like most days I teach and teach and preach and preach to them on how we SHOULD act and how we SHOULD talk to others.

 

I think boys are SO hard but then again I don't have girls. I do teach in Karson's Sunday School class and can say that the other boys are following along with the same characteristics as mine. Energetic, full of energy, in their own mindset.

 

Daily praying is really getting me through right now. Even somedays I question if God is really hearing me, but normally there comes something from my praying. Whether it's a good day, or a lesson taught to me through a struggle.

 

 

But, at the end of that long hard day with lots of prayer they are still my babies. I just pray that I am doing the best at raising them.

 

 Parenting is sometimes SO hard, but also so rewarding!

 

Summer Evenings

Summer evenings are HOT but boy are they are fun!

Karson loves anything with water so I put him to work.

He LOVED it!

"Let's wash the wagon Mommy." "It's dirty."

Kipton trying out big brothers tricycle. Anything that big brother does

little brother repeats :)

Lots of swimming to stay cool

4-wheeling is always a big hit

(don't worry I was riding behind Karson)

Kevin's favorite thing to do: take the boys fishing.

Even though Kevin is on the Ohio River all day at work he still

loves to take the boys there. They love it just as much!

Both boys...loving life :)

I was not too crazy about this part but Kevin insisted that he would be fine.

He was and he LOVED it!

After coming back from the river....the fishing continues in the back yard!

This boy is ATE UP with fishing.

Maybe Karson will be in the FLW (college fishing)

We had our 1st campfire of the summer

This was Karson's 1st ever campfire and he was so excited.

We put Kipton to bed because he is set on his bedtime but maybe

next summer he can enjoy his 1st campfire.

I don't even know how many marshmallows were consumed.

Here is Karson and his cousin Dane. They are best buds!

What are you doing in the summer evenings?