Summer Bucket List....

Now who came up with a name like "summer bucket list"? (just thinking)

Anyway, it's time to "plan" summer! YES! I said "plan"! For the past 6 years we have had to remain pretty darn flexible in order to keep up with all the going ons here! When you have a pre teen and start adding babies, 4 to be exact within a 33 month period, yes, less than 3 years and 4 all in diapers, life as you know it COMPLETELY changes, and I do mean COMPLETELY!

In order to continue with each new day we had to say good bye to many things like -

1.  a clean house
2.  being on time to anything..........ever!
3.  sleeping all through the night...........also, ever!
4.  money
5.  Any kind of simple run to the store to pick up anything but instead found chasing little ones who can quickly spread in all different directions, a major part of any outside excursion
6.  Volunteering for pretty much anything to save  our energy and focus for our kids!
7.  Furniture - and  anyone with small kids can figure this one out in a minute!
8.  Quiet moments - that says it all, because there truly are none!

On the flip side we then said "Hello" to a list of newbies like -
1.  fast food or cold cereal dinners
2.  returning items to the store from innocent and curious tiny shoplifters!
3.  HUGE piles of laundry that only took 2-3 days to accumulate!
4.  stained clothes - especially mine
5.  globs of acrylic paint on the dining room carpet - finding NOTHING that could remove it!
6. Ongoing markers pencils pens decorating walls, floors, and pretty much anything else the little artist - wanna be - could get to before I hunted him down and confiscated his source.
7.  Kids in our bed at night! I know, I have read all the articles out there on returning sleeping kids to bed but let me just say this once.................they don't work and whoever is writing these articles clearly does not have kids!
8.  Pantry raiders! We have learned to put the lids on all containers tightly.

Needless to say, our lives did take a dramatically different direction for quite a few years. And as I sit here writing the many mishaps and changes we have and are still to some extent living through, I have to honestly say I would not trade this time for anything! We have learned to lean on each other, we have learned to find humor in many things quickly now! We have learned that we can live without spending a lot of money on items we use to think were necessities and most of all we have learned how to love each other. Our family is so close, so connected and so there for each other.

Our youngest is going to turn 4 years old the end of July! This summer, is the first summer in a really long time that I feel I can actually set down some kind of a plan. Now the beauty of summer is the relaxed feeling of being able to enjoy minimal committments, absence of school demands, reduction of specific times we need to be anywhere etc. However, I want a sense of some routine, focus for personal development and enjoyment as well as contribution.........So, for the next few days, I am going to give this some serious thought and then after I meet with my family and organize it, I will post my results back here!

I am so ready for summer this year!

"Bake and Take" Sunday.....

Now this one has been a hit! I was trying to come up with an idea for my kids last month to reinforce the monthly value for April that our family had been working on (which was unselfishness and sensitivity) and since Sundays are days I would like to fill with more meaningful activities,

"Bake and Take Sundays" were invented.  Here's how they work -

On the 2nd and 4th Sunday of each month, we are going to bake something together as a family and then deliver half of it to a person/family of our choice! We divided up the weeks for the next couple of months and assigned each family member one of the weeks. That way we all get to take turns selecting the lucky recipient for that week. Man, was this fun! Definately a keeper.

These guys were pretty excited to be the first ones in the family to choose our goodie and where we were going to deliver them. They picked a special school friend and boy was he excited when we showed up at his house with some yummy warm cookies!

Melting?

So...I was scrubbing the bathrooms and by the time I was done, I was really hot and sweaty! I sat down to rest and Hallie (5 yrs) looks at me and says, "Mommy, are you melting?"

So unresistable! All my kids! I just couldn't be surrounded with any more love and cuteness!

I love my life. It's so full and rewarding! 

Quiet Morning Thoughts....

Another 4 months gone by and boy my life is full! I'm sitting here in the wee hours of the morning (5:00 am) I've been up since 3:30! I went to bed around 10:30 last night and was so excited to get a complete and full nights sleep. (I've been so tired lately) and yet, I just can't sleep! So why fight it?

Outside I hear some birds chirping. It's so dark and morning still beckons me! <---I'm trying out my poetic side!

My life is rich and full. We have been so busy and this winter has been full of many changes for us.

Jesse will be registering this afternoon for his junior year in high school. He has vacillated back and forth about the many choices in classes and what will be fun and benefit his future. I am so proud of him. He has straight A's right now with the exception of one class (he missed for and SEOP) Wow! What a great accomplishment. He saved his money and purchased a long board last week. He is having so much fun with that. His brothers think that is really cool especially Nathan. I can always count on Jesse. He jumps in whenever and wherever he is needed with a willing heart. What more could a mother ask? He is kind and sensitive to others and a whole lot of fun!

Nathan and Joshua love school, Beyblades, stories, wii, long boards, biking, any kind of outdoor play and their family. They are clearly best friends and yet very individual, confident, friendly boys. They had their first dentist appointment last week and boy what an adventure! The whole office fell in love with their curious, inquisitive personalities. They have loved school this year and are learning so many new things. They are not fond of dogs or bedtime. They are funny and love to try new things.

Hallie is so sweet. She loves playing with small toys, purses & bags, babies, running and playing around outside, bugs & cooking with mom. She learning quite a bit too and enjoys being on the computer with her Upstart program. She is very excited for Megan's upcoming new baby due next month. She is always looking around for items for the baby! She loves playing with her siblings and of course, still ADORES HER DAD! She has given the phrase "Daddy's girl" a new meaning. She's the easy one to tuck in at night and goes right to sleep!

Abby is so much fun. She too, loves the great outdoors! She enjoys playing with her sister, loves her big brothers and has Jesse pretty wrapped. She loves visiting "Rocky", Megan's horse, unlike her next 3 closest in age siblings, enjoys dogs and other pets. She continues to keep "Teddy" nearby and still sleeps with him every night. Needless to say he is looking extremely "loved" these days! She loves stories, Caillou, enjoys most foods, She has a darling little voice. She loves driving the "Dune Racer".

Bryce and I are enjoying our children so much. I feel so fortunate to be close to each one of them. I just wanted to write a few things down to look back and remember these special moments in our lives right now. I relish them.

I love living close to Megan and Melinda. We enjoy getting together so much. We have 5 adorable grandsons between them and will be adding our first granddaughter next month. We couldn't be more delighted. Their husbands are just like our own sons and we are so proud of them all. How great to have grown daughters who have become my best girlfriends!

My life is so full and rich! This past winter, Bryce has been working hard on a new business. He has put in many hours and much sacrifice and it has been full of challenges. I admire his perseverance, commitment, vision and attitude! We will be celebrating our 29 anniversary next month and I am still pinching myself! He is my best friend! We LOVE being together and have SO MUCH FUN! He is the most thoughtful, kind, sensitive husband! I feel very lucky be his wife.

I have so many tender feelings in my heart this morning and just felt the strong desire to write a few things down. I could go on and on and on and on! (and probably will in other posts) but this post will get me started blogging again. This blog, after all, is really for me. A way to journal my feelings and thoughts. I never want to forget these precious moments and feelings. I need to write down more often the sweet and funny things my kids say and I will end this post with one from Hallie........

I was scrubbing the bathrooms and sat down to rest. I was so hot and a bit sweaty and Hallie looked at me and asked, "Mommy, are you melting?"

YES, LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL!