More Than Three

Rather than the "game" I've been playing lately, I'm not going to stay up late tonight. I am pooped! I've been staying up later than Erk lately cause I know when I go to bed I will just lay there wide freaking awake. But the lack-o-sleep is catching up to me. I tried to take a nap today and was almost 'out (as were the boys) when our contractor stopped by. He hasn't been here in a long time and did a quick stop to measure a doorway in the basement. While we were down there talking, Jack came on down in his underware :) It was certainly hot enough to wear nothing but undies today!! Anyways, so naptime was nothing today (although Mikie stayed in bed and slept good) and Jack ended up watching a video while I dinked around on the computer for a bit. So now I'm really tired and my eyeballs are hanging out :) Sleep well - here's to hoping for more than my usual 3 hours I've been getting a night!

Pictures from the Weekend

Jack eating some apple crisp on the front porch... who needs a fork? :)

Mikie playing catch with Bean dog the other night

Jack and some other kids checking out the horses on our hayride last night. We went out to visit our friends at the campground and ended up on a hayride. I think me being on the wagon made the tractor driver a bit nervous ;)

Jack and Chet feeding the horses

Mikie and Ivan going to check out the horses...

Both boys thought the horses were pretty cool :)

Our family on the wagon :)

Jack and Mikie liked the ice cream part of the ice cream social at the campground!

Mmmm, ice cream!

Uhh Mikie, I think you're wearing more than you are eating!

Both boys conked HARD on the drive home! A long and eventful day for the little men :)

This afternoon Daddy came in and told the boys to come quick - he found a toad on the driveway...

The toad was floppin' all over the yard so the boys were trying to grab it but would pull back when it's hop away. Cracked me up! You'd better believe I wasn't wanting to get close to it! Jack and Daddy ended up taking him back to the woods and letting him free back there :)

How Do Ya Do With Two?

I'm sitting here with the sound of the oven preheating (I hear it clicking) and Erk is out grocery shopping. Granny and Gampa called a bit ago and offered to come get the boys and take them to the park and to get some ice cream! So once they were on their way, I made up a pizza that Erk and I will eat once he's home. A nice break in the action having Granny and Grampa stop by :) It surely lightens my load (literally) not doing the grocery shopping now. It's a kind of shopping I don't at all mind doing, but it was getting kinda difficult reaching and bending all that time.

Speaking of bending and reaching, I was in nursery at church this morning and there were the twin baby girls who are like 3 months old now. Umm, lets just say the other "helper" wasn't much of one and most of the church hour I was holding BOTH babies on my lap. I'd rock them then have to do something for one of the other kids... Up and down - then they both got really fussy so I laid them on the floor and wondered how the BEAK do ya feed 2 babies at once?? So I looked around and grabbed their infant carseats and sat them in there and grabbed their bottles. Wouldn't ya know, Jack and Mikie were happy and anxious to lend a hand? I wish I had my camera - they were both feeding a baby! Mikie's arm would get tired of holding the bottle up and he'd ask me to do it, then he'd rub both the tops of the babies heads and say "hi baby!" It was really cute. I don't know HOW the parents do it with TWO? Wow... I suppose ya get in a rhythm, but gee whiz... Let's just say I'm thankful there is only one in my belly :) Hope you have a nice evening!

Random Pics

Here's Mikie playing t-ball last weekend while we were camping...

And our "lefty" Jack at the T

Jack on Auntie Jane's 4-wheely (he still talks about this!)

Mikie checking to make sure Papa's boat is in proper working order :)

Make Any Parent Proud

The day turned out a little differently than planned, but it’s a-ok. I would have been up at some friend’s cabin for the morning/afternoon but opted to stay put. With the whole 3 hours of sleep I got in the night (that’s a rough estimate, but I’m guessing pretty accurate) I just couldn’t do it. I was crabby this morning and felt bad for being that way towards the boys. I was able to laugh it off with Erk and told him sometimes I just get tired of feeling tired and wish I could take the belly off for one night so I could actually SLEEP! HA! I’m happy to put the belly back on in the morning, just give me a night! :) So anywho, they’ll be back to get me around 3pm or so and we’re headed out to the campground to visit some friends. Nope, we aren’t campin – just visitin’!

Yesterday the boys had their “well child” check-ups at the doc and all is well. They are both big boys or “meaty” as the doctor told me, for their ages (apparently, although I think they are normal size) so I left there shaking my head. What a JOKE! These boys have never been “small” if that’s what the scales are looking for. No they aren’t scrawny, never have been. Heck when you are born 9 lbs 3 oz and 9 lbs 6 oz, what can you expect of them at 4 and 3 years old? Can you tell that irritated me? :) Ohh well – I’d rather grow them big! Anywho, I knew Jack was going to get some shots but I didn’t want to freak him out ahead of time so I waited until the doctor had left the room and we were waiting for the nurse to come in. Jack says, “let’s go Mom,” and so I told him… I said “I don’t want you to be mad at me Jack, but you are going to get some pokes today.” He thought on it a minute and looked at me and said “I won’t be mad Mom.” There we sat, in 2 nurses came, Jack willingly climbed up on the table and laid back and put his arms up to hug me tight. There I stood talking about whatever I could think of in his ear to try to distract him and I tell ya what? Tears came into MY eyes, not his. He didn’t even cry, let out a noise or get tears in his eyes. I was so proud of my little man that I welt up with tears. My dude… That was a proud moment. He told me later “those shots kinda hurt Mom,” then a while later “those shots really did hurt Mom!” As the day wore on, I could tell his legs were getting sore and his face was getting a bit flushed. We hung at Nanny and Papa’s for the afternoon and supper and once we got home, both boys crashed hard – Jack was ‘out’ immediately. Funny how when they are tiny babies and have to get shots, your heart goes out to them, but once they are old enough and you can explain it and they handle it like that? Wow, that’ll make any parent proud :)

Kick

Mol emailed me this picture today - what a cute one :) Jack loved picking fresh strawberries when we were at the farm about a month ago. His favorite food!

We had a nice day today - I feel now that perhaps I overdid things, but it can be hard when I feel so good! We went to the park this morning with our usual Thursday group and had fun. We hoped to swim at the beach, but the weather just didn't quite cooperate. The kids had fun just the same playing and runnin' around. We then came on home for naps (both boys took one again today - YIPEE - they slept 2 hours each!) and then I got on this kick of making a big dinner. I haven't done that in a while and was just in the mood. I even peeled apples and made a cobbler for dessert :) Mmm was it good and the house smells really tasty.

In the morning Papa is gonna come relieve me for a bit and take the boys to their house. Then tomorrow afternoon both boys have a "well child" visit at their doc. Jack doesn't know it yet but he has to get some shots :( Poor fella! Ohh and I need to remember his preschool paperwork too - better grab it!

A Leg Up

I’m sitting here with my leg up on the desk… Erk just left to go workout, then pick up the boys from Granny and Grampa’s house. The boys and I had a nice day here at home – there was some thought given to them heading to some friends from church’s house today but it didn’t work out. That wasn’t all bad; we really enjoyed a day of just doing… nothing. I tend to do this-that-and the other during the day when we’re home, but today I made a conscious decision to just enjoy the time we had together. It’s easy for me to get wrapped up in the day to day stuff that needs to be done (laundry, dishes, picking up), but sitting at the table and coloring for a while? We haven’t done that in SO long. While we were coloring, Jack asked me if we could play restaurant for lunch and if I would be their “waiter.” Funny :) That’s the stuff Meg and I used to do! So I ran thru the day’s special “peanut butter and jelly with Shrek fruit snacks…” and they were really cute about it. Mikie kept calling my name from the table, “Mommy!” Jack would correct him and tell him “that’s not Mommy, that’s our waiter Mike.”

We then hung outside for a while and then headed up for naps. I lay down and after a few minutes heard something downstairs. With Chloe here, it could have been Bean and her, but I figured it was Jack. So I called his name down the stairs and wouldn’t you know it wasn’t only Jack, Mikie’s face appeared from around the corner too. “Upstairs boys, and in your room.” Jack came up covering his ears thinking I was gonna yell, but I didn’t, I just told them they aren’t to play downstairs when Mommy is laying down (they TOTALLY know that rule) and that they lost the privilege of playing today – they had to take a nap. It worked! They both conked out for 2 hours! NICE! I took a snooze too with Chloe at my side and enjoyed a few minutes of GH before they got up. We then headed to Nanny and Papa’s and dropped Chloe off and then to Granny and Grampa’s house. And that leads up to where I am now, sitting here with my leg up on the desk :) I hope you had a good day today too! I think once the boys get home, this waiter mommy is headed to bed :)

Chain Slipped

These pics are of course "before" the bike conked :)

Today was a fun day… kinda interesting too :). The boys and I met up with some friends at a nearby park and this time we brought bikes along. On our way there it was sprinkling out, but that came and went pretty quickly. The boys rode their bikes down the trail a little ways to one of 2 parks right in town. While we were there and the boys were riding their bikes, Mikie’s chain slipped off his and alls he could do was petal and get no where! The mechanic that I am (NOT) tried to put it back on with no luck (just lots of grease on my hands). So I told him we’d have Daddy fix it. An old dude there at the park with his grandkids offered to try which was really sweet. Unfortunately he couldn’t get it fixed either and said this and that need to be tightened… So we just sat there a while longer, the kids played and rode bikes (Mikie was so good about not having his to ride, he really handled it like a champ :) and we had a picnic lunch. After a bit we decided to head to the other park right across the way. Again, Mikie being the champ that he is, he pushed his dud bike up the hill and towards the other park while the other kids rode theirs. We were almost there and the wheels on his bike just stopped spinning. So I went to carry it and bless Shawna’s heart, she picked it up for me. We decided to leave it on the side of the trail while we were at the park and would grab it on our way out.

Well, we weren’t at the park for 2 minutes when a John Deere Gator (I’m familiar with these cause Mikie is seriously obsessed with them) marked “Police” pulls up and asks if we know who’s bike that is. Umm, yep! So I tell him the story and long story short, the kind policeman gave me and Mikie’s bike a ride back to where our truck was parked and he loaded the bike into the truck for me! Wow, that was really nice! I wish Mikie could have ridden on the Gator with me, his eyes lit up when he saw it! But he thinks it’s pretty cool I got to ride on one :)

I then hopped in our truck and drove it to the park parking lot so when we were done there we wouldn’t have to venture back on the trail and all. By that point (it was after 1pm) Jack was a basket case and ready for a nap. He was protesting everything and just really struggling. At one point he called me an idiot, which went over REAL well. Let’s just say when we got home, Jack took himself upstairs and climbed into bed all on his own! He knew he was pooped out!! They both took 2 hour naps and I snoozed in the chair for a bit. Tonight we’ve been playing outside and watching Chloe and Bean dog irritate each other :) I must say, at this point it is more Chloe wanting to egg Bean on than the other way around! And Erk just got home so I’m gonna go catch up with him on his day. Good night!

Baby Girl's Nursery

Just peeking in the door, here is the baby's nursery. I'll show ya another angle sometime when the lamp has a post and the toys are cleared outta the corner (Jack plays in here during naptime on the days he skips his nap...)

Isn't this quilt cute? Mom got it for me and I love it!

As you can see closer here, I went with a solid red dust ruffle instead of gingham. I think it really pops :)

I’ve had a few requests for pics of the baby’s nursery so here you go! It’s not all together the way I want it yet, but we’re getting there slow but sure. I love the red in there, it sure adds to what we have going on here at home in this here farmhouse :) The 3 frames look crooked on the wall but oh well. I plan to put black and white pictures of the baby in those frames once she's here. For now I have a beautiful piece of art Jack did while on a camping trip "just for baby girl's room," he told me, and the middle frame has an ultrasound picture. I wanna put letters up on the other wall once we decide what her name will be :)

I can’t wait to have her in the crib and have pics of her sleeping in there!

Relaxing and Beautiful

A nice relaxing day at home today - that's what it's been. Bean dog and I have been hangin' out, Papa came and picked up the boys this morning which is a huge blessing :) For some reason, I was so freaking whipped when I got up this morning, I could hardly see or talk right. Maybe it was that 1/2 Unisom that hadn't worn off from last night? Either way, once Papa was here and gone with the boys, I went up to bed immediately and was 'out' for 2 hours. Then made myself some mac-n-cheese and watched soaps and folded camping laundry all afternoon. Baby girl is awake right now and movin' around in there. I can't wait to see her face and hold her!!

Tonight is dinner out with the M2 group from church. I haven't done the summer things we planned out (mainly cause I'm just too pooped!) so it'll be really nice to catch up with them tonight over dinner. We are headed to a restaurant that will seat ya inside or out, so I hope they have room for the 10 of us moms to eat outside. It's a beautiful day yet again today!

TOO short

Why are weekends so short? We had the best time this weekend camping, man was that fun. We went with 2 other families this time, 6 of us adults and 8 kids! The kids had a riot riding bikes all over creation and just hanging out. We’re so thankful for our trailer, it sure is a nice way to camp. I decided to sleep at the campground after all Friday and Saturday nights. I gotta tell ya, that was the best sleep I’ve had in 2 weeks! Felt good to sleep so peacefully and have the convenience of our bathroom right there just like home (plus had I gone home I would have missed the laughs and hanging out around the campfire after all the kids were in bed)! Thank the Lord for such great friends and good laughs :)

Yesterday we came “into town” for a surprise party for Granny. Grampa really pulled the party off! Granny seemed pretty surprised! We got to see all sorts of people we haven’t seen in years and some family that we haven’t seen in a while. Nice to visit and catch up, but mostly we were so glad Mom was blessed by it :) Happy Birthday Mom!

Here's Mikie right after we left Granny's surprise party :)



Jack, Mikie and Ivan geared up for a bike ride this mornin...

We headed to the beach this morning at the campground, it was a beautiful day!


Jack trying out for Baywatch :)

Another Baywatch shot!

Mikie had more fun playing bat and ball all by himself at the beach today.... rare!

I thought this was a cool picture of Erk and Mikie's feet!

Mike and his famous ability to steal food from anyone who is willing to give him some! (this is Jay and Shawna by the way :)

Like this pretzel Mom?

Jack and Daddy playing ball :)

Moses

The other night the boys were playing in their new pool and Jack says to me as they were putting toys away outside "but we need to leave Moses in there!" I had no idea what he was talking about until I saw "Moses" floating in the pool on the foot stool! How FUNNY! He's so rare :)

Last Camping Adventure

We are headed camping today! This will be my last outing for the summer - if you can even call it camping for me! I'm going to sleep at home instead of the trailer tonight and tomorrow night. Erk really thinks I'll be much more comfy in our own bed (and since the campground is like 10 minutes away...). I'm sure Bean dog will appreciate the company here at home anyways :) Then I'll head back out first thing in the morning and spend the day there with them. We are joining 2 other families so it'll really be a blast. And the campground is really nice (it's the first one we went to with our trailer this year).

The trailer is pretty well packed and ready to hook up, so I'm just relaxing today. The boys are at Nanny and Papa's for a bit and when I called around lunchtime, they were floating out in the middle of the lake :) I have Erk's car today, so after naptime, I'll go pick the boys up and head to the campground - Erk will come on home from work at normal time and then hook up the trailer to the truck and meet us out there. Hope you have a great weekend!

Happy Birthday Mikie

Known to take huge bites, here's Mikie eating breakfast today, his third birthday!

The boys and I had fun watching Mikie's first hours "outta my belly" on home videos this morning :)

We went to McD's or "Donalds" as Mikie calls it for lunch.

After lunch, the boys, Nanny and I went to see the new Disney Flick, "Ratatouille." Too bad Mikie had 2 poopy pants during the movie and Jack had to go potty twice! Still a great time was had by all...

Here was one of Mikie's birthday presents that got noticed a day early! The boys saw it in the back of the truck, OOPS! Mikie wanted a pool so bad, now they think they have a "big one" :)

Picky got a birthday card today from his good buddies Chet and Ivan...

Jack was so cute reading it with Mikie. Sometimes these kids can drive me batty, but then they are so sweet like this and I'm a proud momma :)