Discouraged

"Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving." -Colossians 4:2

I use this blog for ME more than anything. I don't have time to write in a journal or much in the boys baby books about every tiny detail so this is my way to remember times as we go through this season of raising small children. I'm not really worried about the amount of peole who read this blog, it is mainly for ME and someday for my children to read.

Therefore, I have to admit the bad and the good. I have been super discouraged. I have been praying, praying, praying harder than I ever have before. It feels like when I get on the path of discouragement I can't get off for a few days/week. Kevin is probably writing me off to go to the nut house at this point because I worry and dwell so much on my children and when there is a rough patch.

Karson (our oldest son 3) is having a hard time leaving us me. Church drop offs, and the start of preschool last week has been a total nightmare. I am praying for God to help him though this time of being apart from me. I have read and researched and trialed and error how to make it better for him. I feel like a failure as a mom, but I also know this is normal and eventually it will get better.

 

 

Have your child ever had a hard time leaving your side? How did you deal with it?

 

“Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these."

 

Matthew 6:25

Our weekend

Our weekend started Friday with the 2nd day of preschool for Karson.

 

 The boys were heading out with their new shirts for fall football!

 

 

Since daddy was working we had a fun Saturday morning with Nana and later that evening we celebrated Kevin's birthday. We were super sad that daddy had to work on his birthday, but such is life I guess!? We had a celebration that the boys LOVED getting ready for, and we even said SURPRISE to him as he walked into his balloon filled home.

 

We ate yummy pizza and had cake that the boys helped mommy with. It was wonderful :)

 

 This morning we had church where Karson had a rough morning. Feeling a little (ALOT) discouraged as we go through the 3 year old "phase". 

 

 Here are a few other pictures from our weekend:

 

Swing time with daddy!

 

Cheerin on THE HERD from home since daddy was working.

 

 

Rocking babies :)

 

Getting ready for the big Surprise party for daddy!

 

Wearing new jommies :)

 

And, playing lots of dress up these days! Kipton is a hoot and will wear ANYTHING!

 

Thankful for buying about 10 costumes at a yard sale last year for about $5.00

 

Hope your having a great weekend!

Daddy's Vacation

Kevin had 2 weeks of vacation time this year at work. We didn't go on any big vacation so he had time to just take randomly and stay home with us. He used 4 days and put with his 4 days off. We've had him home with us for 8 days and it has been super nice!!

 

 

The boys love having their daddy home. 12 hour days are long and they are normally getting ready for bed when he is getting home. We miss him so much, but we are so thankful for his good job and that he does get to come home every night.

 

 

The boys have been busy with our new fall schedule and working/keeping up with the house. Kevin also painted our bedroom sage green and finished all of the trim work. I am a little uneasy about such a dark color but he assures me that it will rub off on me. I am really into tan and white but trying to go half way with him. I'm hoping I will warm up to it.

 

We have also started a new bible study group at our church on Wednesday nights. It's super fun and the boys love going to be with their friends from church.

 

 Kipton is a hoot these days!! Look at him with his finger up his nose...just smiling away. This picture is soooo Kipton! Ornery to the core :)

 

 

We made pizzas one night and let the boys do it ALL. Boy was that fun :)

 

 

But they were super proud, and we ate them for a late night snack. We will have to do that again soon. They had a great time with it and of course I gave a little lesson about making pizzas. It was a fun activity to do!

 

 

We have stayed busy in those 8 days and they have really went by fast. Just 7 more days until we can have more special time with daddy :) 

1st day of Pre-School 3

Well...it finally came! After months and months of talking about heading to pre-school, the morning was finally here! We have decided to put Karson in a 3 yr old preschool class at a local church. He will go on Wednesday & Friday from 9-11:30.

 

I will be honest, the few days leading up to the big day, Karson was a little hesitant. Ok ALOT hesitant. I would mention it was just 3 more days away and the tears came. He would say things like:

 

"I don't want to go to preschool, I just want to stay home with you Mommy!"

"Mommy, I want you to go to preschool"

"Will you be my teacher Mommy?"

"Will you stay a LONG time Mommy?"

 

 

But the morning came, and he was excited and actually in a great morning mood! (which is rare)

Some mornings you are more like your daddy than your mommy. You are a slow person to wake up and NOT a morning person. Thankfully Mommy had a few "special surprises" for you at the table.

 

 

They were just a few things to cheer you up and get you going in the morning.

 You are such a joy Karson!

 

 

Of course Kip had to have a few special surprises too! Very happy to be up, but not happy to be staying back at home with daddy while Karson goes to preschool.

 

 

Just checkin a few e-mails before we head out! No baby brother for this trip. It's just my big 3 year old boy. Karson went in just fine. He had a great time and when we picked him up I think my heart sunk when I first saw him. I was so happy to see my baby smiling.

Here are a few things that were said in the car:

 

 

Did you like preschool?

Yes, it was very very good.

 

What did you do?

Play, and have fun and stuff.

 

Did you have a snack?

Yep. Juice and crackers.

 

Did you get to go outside and play?

Yes and I got to play on daddy's row boat.

 

Were there lots of kids in your class?

Yes

 

I asked him about the picture/paper that was sent home.

Did you color this by yourself?

Yep, the teacher didn't have to help me.

 

 

That was about all that he said. I stopped asking him questions because Kevin was giving me the "crazy mom" look. HAHA!

 

On the paper we got at the orientation meeting it said that they will be getting progress reports in November and January. O my this makes me so nervous! Because I have a degree in teaching I think I worry so much about my child's education, as I'm sure all moms do, but I OVER worry! Are they ready? Are they fully prepared? Have I done enough? I feel like my job as their mom is to give them the best foundation possible. I hope we get that A+ progress report because he is so prepared, even if it is for Pre-School 3. I want them to really cherish and grow in their education. Learning and growing in school and in the Lord are the two areas that I really want my boys to focus on. Nothing else matters to me. No sports team, or fancy clothes can compare to growing in the Lord and having faith fullness for him, for family/others, and for their education.

 

Just for a funny, here is Kipton behind a scary mask that we found upstairs! The boys LOVE it.

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome College Football

Kevin and I LOVE College Football!!

 

We were so thankful that it was September 1st and especially because it was the opening games for both of our favorite teams.

 

West Virginia & Marshall University

 

I'm sure you know who he roots for! Like LOVES his WVU Mountaineers. Wearing the clothes every day almost. I get so sick of seeing gold and blue! HA

 

 

We have been going to the friends of Coal Bowl for the past 5 years. I twirled in the band for the first 2 years that they played against each other and then once I stopped twirling Kevin and I went the past 3 years. I was really happy we made the choice to just stay home and watch it.

 

It is so much better watching in your living room without the elbow to elbow people in the stands plus normally very hot the first few games. Last year in Morgantown it down poured and they ended up canceling the game. Sooo..we made yummy food and had friends and family over! It was PERFECT :)

 

Kevin has brainwashed my boys into loving WVU. But since I am a Marshall ALUM..I just can't put on that blue and gold. It would be soo bad of me!

 

Funny story: Friday before the game I took Karson grocery shopping and out for a morning with mommy while Nana kept Kipton. We went to a sporting good store to buy some Marshall gear. I bought the boys a new Marshall Jersey and bought it so both could wear it. We have 1 WVU and this new Marshall jersey. None of the boys would wear it! They were trying to rip it off and Karson even cried when I put it on him. They want to be just like daddy and wear Mountaineers.

 

Kipton ended up taking one for the team...and wearing mommys jersey! :) Makes a momma proud..cupcake face and all :)

 

Love my boy even though he is 100% WVU

 

We LOVE college football and have pretty much been watching it all weekend. It is so strange to be in the house and not working on a project or working outside on something. We have really enjoyed the family time with food, football, naps, family, friends, and games. It really has been great!

 

Pup came which is Karson's favorite "friend" (Kevin's friend from work)

 

We had a big "American" dinner with all the works. Hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, beans, corn on the cob, garden tomatoes, desserts, it was all so good!!

 

Here are a few pics from my iPhone that go along with getting ready for football:

 

Baking football cupcakes with mommy

 

An awesome pin I bought...just to rub it in with Kevin :)

 

My boy at the pet store in his Marshall shirt! He agreed to wear this for momma :)

 

Tackle on the play! There has been lots of footballing, and tackling, and wrestling

 

Aunt Amanda came from out of town to enjoy some time with us!! Miss you!

 

Hope you are enjoying the football!

We aren't much into NFL but there are a few College games on today too.

Makes it feel so much like Fall!

Chalkboard Picture

I got this idea from Pinterest and thought I would do it for my boys.

 

It is a great way to show their picture, their age, their likes at that age, and their expressions/personality at that age. I will probably continue to do this every year and probably during the half way point of their year as well. Super fun!

 

 

 

It was tricky getting the camera to focus good with the glare of the flash. I could've played around a little more, but this is what you get from a busy mom. I may try again and read up on some photography tips to get a better picture with the chalkboard.

 

Any suggestions?

 

More coming from Kipton and his interests :)

 

Insta-Monday

An iPhone dump of pictures. What we've been up to:

A trip to the new Cabela's store. All of our boys were in love! I admit it was pretty awesome :)

 



 

We went up on a Friday evening and stayed in there for almost 2 hours and the boys didn't say 1 word. They were in awe of the fish tank and the stuffed animals. Then we had dinner at a steakhouse and it was just AWFUL! Awful food, service, and Kipton took about 8 years off of my life that night. We soon remembered why we don't go out to eat. The 2 year old restaurant style is no fun.

 

 

Nature hikes with momma!

 

 

Trying to get a picture with the boys is HARD! How do people do this?

 

 

Karson has really been enjoying the Wii. He loves playing Wii Sports and the new hunting game that daddy got the boys from Cabelas

 

 

Pinterest Idea: Gummy worms in Dirt :)

 

 

Kipton at his friend Haley's house for a playdate. He LOVED this baby doll. It was super sweet. Karson wanted NOTHING to do with it. Kipton rocked it, hugged it, kissed her, put her in her crib and told her Awwww about 100 times. It was super funny.

 

Then he found a REAL baby at bible study at church. He was IN LOVE except for he wanted to touch his eyes and head and that made me a little nervous for the mommy.

 

We made homemade playdoh! He was so easy. I will never buy it from the store again.

Super fun and easy

 

Enjoying a Sonic slushy. Loved grape!

 

Homemade spaghetti sause and baked in the oven. YUMM! Kevin ate 3 plates. :)

 

 

What a face!!

 

Another moment with a baby doll - O boy!

 

Hope you have a great week!! We are getting everything ready for Karson to start preschool next Wednesday. I am SOO excited for him to get this experience.

Show us your Life: Laundry Rooms

 

Kelly's Korner is hosting Show us your Life: Laundry Rooms

 

I really wanted to have a laundry room in our new house and made sure there was one in the house plan that we decided on. There is nothing special about it but I'm so happy to actually have one!

Eventually I would love to paint the laundry room and add special sayings around about "laundry"

 

 

 

 

We have 1 local grocery store about 10 minutes from our house and right beside is a Goodwill. I hadn't been in there but decided to give it a try. They had this wreath for $2.00

 

 

It was just the grapevine with the yellow flowers and I added some fall flowers inbetween and a scarecrow on the side. I LOVE it! All for $2.00 I was so excited.

 

 

I LOVE FALL!

 

How about you? Are you getting anxious to put out all of your decorations?