So I thought I was being smart every year when I let the kids pick their own Halloween costumes. Except for that first year or two of life, I’ve always let the kids pick what they wanted to dress up as. I assumed that this would make my life easier…no fighting! So back in September when we were away for the weekend and we stopped at Cracker Barrel and were looking at Halloween costumes and Kylie wanted to get the long red velvet dress, I asked her over and over again if she was sure this is what she wanted. The costume was technically a queen, but she was going to wear it as a vampire princess. She assured me, all through lunch that she wanted it, so we bought it.
Around the beginning of October I started hounding Josh about what he wanted to dress up as, and he finally decided he wanted to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. Again, I spent the next week asking him over and over again if he was sure that was what he wanted to be, and he told me over and over again he was sure.
Starting about 3 weeks ago Kylie started complaining that kids were going to make fun of her costume. She said they were going to think she was a princess. I told her that she was wrong (princesses usually don’t wear long dark red and black velvet dresses) and that her teeth and make-up would make her look like a vampire. It finally got to the point that I told her if she complained one more time about the costume SHE PICKED OUT she was not going to go trick-or-treating.
Then last night at dinner Josh started complaining! He started saying that kids were going to make fun of him because “everyone” else will be dressed up as something scary. We reminded him that he just went to a Halloween party where 1.) there were lots of kids not dressed up as something scary; and 2.) no one made fun of him. Again, I told the kids that if I heard another word they would be sitting with me around the fire Monday night instead of trick-or-treating with the daddies.
Seriously??? Where did I go wrong? I know one day we’ll look back at this and Kylie will wonder why she was so worked up about it, but in the moment right now it’s really frustrating!
Friday, October 28, 2011
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Look, We Can Do Impromptu Things!
Last night was kind of an impromptu night, which unfortunately, doesn’t happen very often anymore. That would probably be one of the downfalls of having a large family for me – the lack of impromptuness because we are always so busy and our lives are always so scheduled. But I digress…
Yesterday, John went golfing with some work people, one of which happened to be my uncle (he’s one of John’s business partners). After they were done, John called me and asked if I had any dinner plans, and since I didn’t, he came and picked us up and we headed to a local restaurant (Liberty Tavern) for dinner with my Uncle Mike (when I told Ryan his response was “like in New York?” because we had spent a lot of time with my uncle and his family at the wedding).
Anyway, we got to the restaurant and got everyone situated. And by everyone, I mean John and myself, my uncle and his brother-in-law, and Ryan and Colton. Josh was a friend’s house and Kylie was at gymnastics. I ordered food for myself and for Ryan and Kylie, but not Josh (because he was eating dinner at his friend’s house). After the orders were in, I headed out to go and pick Josh up (had already set up a pick-up time before our impromptu dinner plans). After I got him, we got gas because the car was running on fumes, and then headed down to pick Kylie up from gymnastics. While I stayed within a 5 mile radius the whole time, the entire trip still took about 35 minutes :(
After I got Kylie we headed back to the restaurant and Kylie and I ate dinner. My uncle was being such a good sport with the craziness because of course Colton was sick of sitting in a high chair and Ryan was done eating and bored (they had been there for over an hour at that point). He kept making comments like “watching you guys is making me tired” and “you guys are reminding me of my past life” (because he also has four kids of his own). In the end it was a good dinner and a fun time.
And since Liberty Tavern happens to be right next to Rita’s, the kids begged to go there after dinner. Since I love Rita’s, I couldn’t say “no” :) So we went in and Ryan got half cotton candy/half orange, Josh got half root beer/half chocolate, and Kylie and I got Cookies and Cream. We got everything to go and headed home to begin the rush of homework and bedtime.
The kids ate their dessert, I put Colton to bed, John and Ryan showered, and then Kylie and Josh worked on homework. The last child (Kylie) finally got into bed around 9:15 and John was already asleep on the couch. I finished the night up with a long phone call with my sister Suzie and then desperately tried to watch TV but was unsuccessful and fell asleep within about five minutes :(
So while it was crazy and chaotic and NOT something I can handle doing all the time, this family of six can still be spontaneous…even if that spontaneous activity is just a dinner out :)
Yesterday, John went golfing with some work people, one of which happened to be my uncle (he’s one of John’s business partners). After they were done, John called me and asked if I had any dinner plans, and since I didn’t, he came and picked us up and we headed to a local restaurant (Liberty Tavern) for dinner with my Uncle Mike (when I told Ryan his response was “like in New York?” because we had spent a lot of time with my uncle and his family at the wedding).
Anyway, we got to the restaurant and got everyone situated. And by everyone, I mean John and myself, my uncle and his brother-in-law, and Ryan and Colton. Josh was a friend’s house and Kylie was at gymnastics. I ordered food for myself and for Ryan and Kylie, but not Josh (because he was eating dinner at his friend’s house). After the orders were in, I headed out to go and pick Josh up (had already set up a pick-up time before our impromptu dinner plans). After I got him, we got gas because the car was running on fumes, and then headed down to pick Kylie up from gymnastics. While I stayed within a 5 mile radius the whole time, the entire trip still took about 35 minutes :(
After I got Kylie we headed back to the restaurant and Kylie and I ate dinner. My uncle was being such a good sport with the craziness because of course Colton was sick of sitting in a high chair and Ryan was done eating and bored (they had been there for over an hour at that point). He kept making comments like “watching you guys is making me tired” and “you guys are reminding me of my past life” (because he also has four kids of his own). In the end it was a good dinner and a fun time.
And since Liberty Tavern happens to be right next to Rita’s, the kids begged to go there after dinner. Since I love Rita’s, I couldn’t say “no” :) So we went in and Ryan got half cotton candy/half orange, Josh got half root beer/half chocolate, and Kylie and I got Cookies and Cream. We got everything to go and headed home to begin the rush of homework and bedtime.
The kids ate their dessert, I put Colton to bed, John and Ryan showered, and then Kylie and Josh worked on homework. The last child (Kylie) finally got into bed around 9:15 and John was already asleep on the couch. I finished the night up with a long phone call with my sister Suzie and then desperately tried to watch TV but was unsuccessful and fell asleep within about five minutes :(
So while it was crazy and chaotic and NOT something I can handle doing all the time, this family of six can still be spontaneous…even if that spontaneous activity is just a dinner out :)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Girl Time With Ky-Bear...
Last night was such a great girl night with Kylie!
First, she got to ride her bike while John ran, so they got to have a really good conversation about school buddies and God giving us opportunities. She got paired up as a buddy with a little boy with down syndrome, and she was nervous being around him because she didn’t know how to act, so John had a really great talk with her about how God gives us opportunities to show His love and to show kindness, and it was her choice whether or not she would go for it or not.
Once they got back she and I headed out to the mall to find her a winter coat. Luckily we found one she liked at the first store that we went to. After that we went looking for jeans for Ryan (we officially hit the age in which Josh put holes in the knees of all of his jeans, so Ryan has to get new ones from now on). After that I told Kylie that she could get a feather extension in her hair. She was ECSTATIC! She has been asking for one for a long time! It looks really cool!
After that we went to dinner at Cantina Laredo. She and I had some great conversation about boys and getting married. She said something about liking her best friend’s brother and I told her to never pick a boy over her best friend (because I told her that if she liked him she would not be allowed to go over to Rachel’s near as much anymore!). It was just such a fun night!
We got home late, around 9:30, so she showed John her stuff and then headed right up to bed. John had a pretty easy night with the boys…Colton slept the entire time I was gone and they just ate pizza and watched football! So definitely a successful night!
First, she got to ride her bike while John ran, so they got to have a really good conversation about school buddies and God giving us opportunities. She got paired up as a buddy with a little boy with down syndrome, and she was nervous being around him because she didn’t know how to act, so John had a really great talk with her about how God gives us opportunities to show His love and to show kindness, and it was her choice whether or not she would go for it or not.
Once they got back she and I headed out to the mall to find her a winter coat. Luckily we found one she liked at the first store that we went to. After that we went looking for jeans for Ryan (we officially hit the age in which Josh put holes in the knees of all of his jeans, so Ryan has to get new ones from now on). After that I told Kylie that she could get a feather extension in her hair. She was ECSTATIC! She has been asking for one for a long time! It looks really cool!
After that we went to dinner at Cantina Laredo. She and I had some great conversation about boys and getting married. She said something about liking her best friend’s brother and I told her to never pick a boy over her best friend (because I told her that if she liked him she would not be allowed to go over to Rachel’s near as much anymore!). It was just such a fun night!
We got home late, around 9:30, so she showed John her stuff and then headed right up to bed. John had a pretty easy night with the boys…Colton slept the entire time I was gone and they just ate pizza and watched football! So definitely a successful night!
Friday, October 21, 2011
A Good Day!
Yesterday was such a great day :)
I got to work from home, which meant that I got to have lunch with Kylie and Josh. So Ryan and I headed over to the school at lunch time and had a great lunch with the kiddos.
Then last night we took Josh over to a birthday party at a laser tag place. After we dropped him off, we headed over to pick Kylie up from gymnastics. While we were waiting for her to finish, we talked to our neighbors as they were watching their little girl in the preschool gym. When Kylie was finished, we headed out and headed over to Polaris for dinner. We were going to go to Max and Erma’s, but we decided to be adventurous and try Mellow Mushroom, which we had never been to before. It was busy and loud and fun! Our food took a long time to come, so once it did we had to scarf some of it down because we had to leave to pick Josh up from his party. But the food we scarfed down tasted SO GOOD!
We picked Josh up (he had so much fun at the party!) and we drove up the road to Dairy Queen and everyone got a blizzard. We took them home and ate them and then everyone got ready for bed. Poor little Colton was done! He was so tired! He snuggled right into me when I fed him and rolled right over to sleep when I put him in his crib.
And for what feels like the thousandth time, I got all comfy in my bed and started watching one of my DVRd shows, only to wake up an hour later realizing I fell asleep during it! I’m so sick of being so tired! But I don’t think that is going to change for about 15 years, so I had better get used to it :)
I got to work from home, which meant that I got to have lunch with Kylie and Josh. So Ryan and I headed over to the school at lunch time and had a great lunch with the kiddos.
Then last night we took Josh over to a birthday party at a laser tag place. After we dropped him off, we headed over to pick Kylie up from gymnastics. While we were waiting for her to finish, we talked to our neighbors as they were watching their little girl in the preschool gym. When Kylie was finished, we headed out and headed over to Polaris for dinner. We were going to go to Max and Erma’s, but we decided to be adventurous and try Mellow Mushroom, which we had never been to before. It was busy and loud and fun! Our food took a long time to come, so once it did we had to scarf some of it down because we had to leave to pick Josh up from his party. But the food we scarfed down tasted SO GOOD!
We picked Josh up (he had so much fun at the party!) and we drove up the road to Dairy Queen and everyone got a blizzard. We took them home and ate them and then everyone got ready for bed. Poor little Colton was done! He was so tired! He snuggled right into me when I fed him and rolled right over to sleep when I put him in his crib.
And for what feels like the thousandth time, I got all comfy in my bed and started watching one of my DVRd shows, only to wake up an hour later realizing I fell asleep during it! I’m so sick of being so tired! But I don’t think that is going to change for about 15 years, so I had better get used to it :)
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Some One-On-One Time With Colton...
Wednesday??? I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already…this week is going by so quickly…so quickly in fact that I haven’t done the weekend recap from last weekend yet…agghhh! Well here it is…
Last Friday evening we had a nice night at home just relaxing. I got the bright idea to make fried chicken, but had the unbright idea to use a small pot, so I ended up frying chicken for 2 hours before it was all done! Nonetheless, it was a good dinner and a good evening.
Saturday was absolutely amazing! John took Kylie, Josh and Ryan down to Athens for Homecoming. It was a chilly day, with brutal winds, and along with trying to squeeze in naps I realized that Colton would be miserable and a pain if we tried to take him down there too. So he and I stayed home and had a wonderful day together! John and the kids left at 7:30 AM, and I got to go back to bed for about an hour before Colton woke up. When he woke up we played and my dad came over and played with him too. After a little while it was nap time, so he went down and I got a ton of work done around the house.
The rest of the day I was able to play with him and get stuff done around the house that has needed to be done for a while. My biggest accomplishment was getting my scrap room completely cleaned out and organized! And I had such a great day playing with Colton and watching him explore as he army-crawled his way around the house.
My dad went and got us all dinner, and he, my mom, Colton and I sat around eating and just relaxing! Around 8:30 John and the kids got back and they were fired up with stories about their day. Especially Ryan – he was sound asleep but as soon as he heard my voice he popped up to tell me all about the football game. And then I found out that he had gone potty all day and didn’t have any accidents the whole time, so he had a really great day! After all the stories were done, we got the kids ready for bed and Kylie and Josh went over to my parents’ house and we all went to bed.
Sunday was church and then Joshie’s football game. Thankfully, the weather was gorgeous, so all the coats and blankets I had packed were not needed. Joshie had a great game (one touchdown and three flag pulls) and they won by a ton! The whole team did really well!
When we got home we ate some food and then relaxed a little. Josh and Kylie both wanted to play with the neat toy-things they had gotten from their grandparents the day before, so we helped them with those – Kylie got a piece of rock that she could chip through to find gemstones. She really loved it and it was really fun! Joshie got these Orbeez things that you put in water and watch grow…they were cool too! After that the kids went over to my mom’s to play for a little bit while John and I played with Colton and organized the house a little. When the kids got back, I surprised Josh and Kylie and took them to Menchie’s (a great frozen yogurt shop with a bunch of flavors and a huge toppings bar!). We each made up a dish and took them home to share with John and Ryan. After we ate our dessert it was time for bed.
So a pretty low-key weekend and most importantly, a great Saturday (and a very quiet one) with some great one-on-one time with Colton!
Last Friday evening we had a nice night at home just relaxing. I got the bright idea to make fried chicken, but had the unbright idea to use a small pot, so I ended up frying chicken for 2 hours before it was all done! Nonetheless, it was a good dinner and a good evening.
Saturday was absolutely amazing! John took Kylie, Josh and Ryan down to Athens for Homecoming. It was a chilly day, with brutal winds, and along with trying to squeeze in naps I realized that Colton would be miserable and a pain if we tried to take him down there too. So he and I stayed home and had a wonderful day together! John and the kids left at 7:30 AM, and I got to go back to bed for about an hour before Colton woke up. When he woke up we played and my dad came over and played with him too. After a little while it was nap time, so he went down and I got a ton of work done around the house.
The rest of the day I was able to play with him and get stuff done around the house that has needed to be done for a while. My biggest accomplishment was getting my scrap room completely cleaned out and organized! And I had such a great day playing with Colton and watching him explore as he army-crawled his way around the house.
My dad went and got us all dinner, and he, my mom, Colton and I sat around eating and just relaxing! Around 8:30 John and the kids got back and they were fired up with stories about their day. Especially Ryan – he was sound asleep but as soon as he heard my voice he popped up to tell me all about the football game. And then I found out that he had gone potty all day and didn’t have any accidents the whole time, so he had a really great day! After all the stories were done, we got the kids ready for bed and Kylie and Josh went over to my parents’ house and we all went to bed.
Sunday was church and then Joshie’s football game. Thankfully, the weather was gorgeous, so all the coats and blankets I had packed were not needed. Joshie had a great game (one touchdown and three flag pulls) and they won by a ton! The whole team did really well!
When we got home we ate some food and then relaxed a little. Josh and Kylie both wanted to play with the neat toy-things they had gotten from their grandparents the day before, so we helped them with those – Kylie got a piece of rock that she could chip through to find gemstones. She really loved it and it was really fun! Joshie got these Orbeez things that you put in water and watch grow…they were cool too! After that the kids went over to my mom’s to play for a little bit while John and I played with Colton and organized the house a little. When the kids got back, I surprised Josh and Kylie and took them to Menchie’s (a great frozen yogurt shop with a bunch of flavors and a huge toppings bar!). We each made up a dish and took them home to share with John and Ryan. After we ate our dessert it was time for bed.
So a pretty low-key weekend and most importantly, a great Saturday (and a very quiet one) with some great one-on-one time with Colton!
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Colton is 9 Months Old...
Colton turned 9 months old yesterday, and I’m just sick over how fast the past 9 months have gone by…
Seriously…how does that happen? I feel like we were dealing with all of his “issues” (RSV hospitalization, circumcision, reflux, not sleeping) and then all of a sudden we blinked and have this happy, exploring, sweet baby boy. I’m glad the newborn months are behind us…I’m not really a fan of those anymore, but it all didn’t have to go so quickly :(
So Colton can finally sit well on his own, although that really doesn’t happen much because as soon as I sit home down somewhere he flops himself onto his belly and takes off! He army crawls everywhere! He has no interest in getting up on all fours and crawling the right way…probably because the time it would take to learn how to do that would take away from time he could be exploring somewhere in the house. He loves to crawl on top of and wrestle with anyone that gets down on the ground in his way, so of course the boys love doing that with him!
He still nurses, but I’m not sure how much longer that will last (at least at any time that is not the middle of the night). He is just too busy to sit there and nurse! He gets distracted too easily and always wants to be looking around. He has also given up on bottles :( He’s starting to take up sippy cups, but not as much as I would like…the poor kid is not getting very much liquid during the day! But he can eat, let me tell you! He has his two bottom teeth, and his top two coming in (canine and top right), so he can down some cheerios and puffs like it’s nobody’s business! He eats at least two jars of stage 2 baby food each meal, and loves yogurt and cheese. He is such a messy eater that I’ve had to bathe him each night before bed. Thankfully I can now bathe him in the kitchen sink while I’m cleaning up after dinner :)
He still gets up 2 or 3 times in the middle of the night to eat. I’ve gotten pretty used to the lack of sleep, and him eating in the middle of the night gets him the liquid he’s not getting during the day and keeps my supply up, so I really don’t mind it too much (but I’m on the 3 month countdown to being done with nursing and hopefully getting him to sleep through the night!).
He is just such a fun baby…when he sees me for the first time, he kicks his little legs like crazy, flails his arms, and digs his face into my shoulder when I pick him up. When I get him from the crib, we pause in front of his bathroom mirror and I ask “where’s the cute baby?” and when he sees his reflection and hears that he smiles and starts the kicking all over again :)
I love this little guy so much! I just wish he would stop growing up :)
Seriously…how does that happen? I feel like we were dealing with all of his “issues” (RSV hospitalization, circumcision, reflux, not sleeping) and then all of a sudden we blinked and have this happy, exploring, sweet baby boy. I’m glad the newborn months are behind us…I’m not really a fan of those anymore, but it all didn’t have to go so quickly :(
So Colton can finally sit well on his own, although that really doesn’t happen much because as soon as I sit home down somewhere he flops himself onto his belly and takes off! He army crawls everywhere! He has no interest in getting up on all fours and crawling the right way…probably because the time it would take to learn how to do that would take away from time he could be exploring somewhere in the house. He loves to crawl on top of and wrestle with anyone that gets down on the ground in his way, so of course the boys love doing that with him!
He still nurses, but I’m not sure how much longer that will last (at least at any time that is not the middle of the night). He is just too busy to sit there and nurse! He gets distracted too easily and always wants to be looking around. He has also given up on bottles :( He’s starting to take up sippy cups, but not as much as I would like…the poor kid is not getting very much liquid during the day! But he can eat, let me tell you! He has his two bottom teeth, and his top two coming in (canine and top right), so he can down some cheerios and puffs like it’s nobody’s business! He eats at least two jars of stage 2 baby food each meal, and loves yogurt and cheese. He is such a messy eater that I’ve had to bathe him each night before bed. Thankfully I can now bathe him in the kitchen sink while I’m cleaning up after dinner :)
He still gets up 2 or 3 times in the middle of the night to eat. I’ve gotten pretty used to the lack of sleep, and him eating in the middle of the night gets him the liquid he’s not getting during the day and keeps my supply up, so I really don’t mind it too much (but I’m on the 3 month countdown to being done with nursing and hopefully getting him to sleep through the night!).
He is just such a fun baby…when he sees me for the first time, he kicks his little legs like crazy, flails his arms, and digs his face into my shoulder when I pick him up. When I get him from the crib, we pause in front of his bathroom mirror and I ask “where’s the cute baby?” and when he sees his reflection and hears that he smiles and starts the kicking all over again :)
I love this little guy so much! I just wish he would stop growing up :)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
A Chaotic, Apple Pie Evening...
Last night was a little chaotic…although it should have been a fun, quiet evening. What sent it into a tailspin? The little voice inside of me demanding that I make apple pie…
I was supposed to make apple pie on Sunday, but then John got his migraine, so I wanted to make it Monday night, even though clearly, something so time consuming should really be saved for the weekend…
I love my apple pie…I even took it to the next level this year by rendering my own leaf lard and making it extra flaky and good this year. So when I had to go two weeks without making it because we were out of town, I knew that I desperately had to get more made.
So last night I got home from work and immediately started making dinner. I should have known things were no going to go my way when I couldn’t get the grill to light. Thankfully, John stopped mowing and changed the propane tank for me :) So then I continued making the burgers while the kids played outside. After they were done, we all went in and I got them all situated for dinner and eating and I started making pie.
But Colton was crying because I was not giving him snacks fast enough in his high chair. And then I was about to throw my apple peeler out the window because my apples were getting soft and they weren’t peeling. Again, Johnny saved me by peeling and slicing my apples for me :) Then I started wrestling with the dough for the crust…cursing it the whole time and telling any of the kids that walked by how much I hate pie crust dough (but thankfully knowing how well-worth all of this pain would be in the end).
I finally got the pie in the oven around 7:30 and was able to work on spelling words with Kylie and get Josh started on his weekly homework. I also popped Colton into the sink for a bath and cleaned up the kitchen. All the kids then got ready for bed and tried some of the pie – none of the kids like it, which is fine by me because between John, myself, and our nanny, the pie goes fast enough as it is!
Finally, everyone but Ryan went to bed. I made myself a nice little serving of fresh apple pie and vanilla ice cream and sat and watched The Hart of Dixie (I love Rachel Bilson). After I was finished, I got Ryan ready for bed and he came and snuggled with me and we both fell asleep rather quickly.
So it was by no means a bad night, just a little crazy. And thankfully the little voice telling me to make apple pie has shut up, so maybe tonight we can enjoy more of this beautiful fall weather and relax a little :)
I was supposed to make apple pie on Sunday, but then John got his migraine, so I wanted to make it Monday night, even though clearly, something so time consuming should really be saved for the weekend…
I love my apple pie…I even took it to the next level this year by rendering my own leaf lard and making it extra flaky and good this year. So when I had to go two weeks without making it because we were out of town, I knew that I desperately had to get more made.
So last night I got home from work and immediately started making dinner. I should have known things were no going to go my way when I couldn’t get the grill to light. Thankfully, John stopped mowing and changed the propane tank for me :) So then I continued making the burgers while the kids played outside. After they were done, we all went in and I got them all situated for dinner and eating and I started making pie.
But Colton was crying because I was not giving him snacks fast enough in his high chair. And then I was about to throw my apple peeler out the window because my apples were getting soft and they weren’t peeling. Again, Johnny saved me by peeling and slicing my apples for me :) Then I started wrestling with the dough for the crust…cursing it the whole time and telling any of the kids that walked by how much I hate pie crust dough (but thankfully knowing how well-worth all of this pain would be in the end).
I finally got the pie in the oven around 7:30 and was able to work on spelling words with Kylie and get Josh started on his weekly homework. I also popped Colton into the sink for a bath and cleaned up the kitchen. All the kids then got ready for bed and tried some of the pie – none of the kids like it, which is fine by me because between John, myself, and our nanny, the pie goes fast enough as it is!
Finally, everyone but Ryan went to bed. I made myself a nice little serving of fresh apple pie and vanilla ice cream and sat and watched The Hart of Dixie (I love Rachel Bilson). After I was finished, I got Ryan ready for bed and he came and snuggled with me and we both fell asleep rather quickly.
So it was by no means a bad night, just a little crazy. And thankfully the little voice telling me to make apple pie has shut up, so maybe tonight we can enjoy more of this beautiful fall weather and relax a little :)
Monday, October 10, 2011
A Fabulous October Weekend!
What a weekend!
Friday night was the kids’ school carnival. John and I were “lucky” enough to volunteer* to work a booth the whole time. We took pictures of the kids and printed them on a little card that had the school’s name and the date. It seemed to be pretty popular this year which was good. In the beginning of the carnival I took Ryan out to jump on some of the big bouncy things which he loved. Josh was walking around with some of his friends, and Kylie was with her best friend. My dad also took Ry-Ry out while John and I were busy…he came back with rainbow colored hair :)
Saturday was so gorgeous here (the whole weekend was actually)! John and Josh had football practice in the morning and I did a bunch of stuff around the house. It was so great having the windows open and just relaxing! Even though I was organizing and “working,” the beautiful weather and sounds from outside made it so enjoyable!
Saturday evening was our niece and nephew’s first birthday party. So we went over to John’s sister’s house and all the kids had so much fun playing together! Again, the weather was so gorgeous and it was great sitting outside, hanging out with everyone, and watching the babies :)
When we got home from that party, Joshie headed over to the neighbor’s for his birthday party sleepover. John set up the Buckeye game outside to watch with a neighbor, and I got Colton to bed, Kylie over to my parents’ house, and sat and watched some TV.
Sunday morning we had church – John and I were teaching the little kids, as well as graduating our Kindergarteners during the service. It was a little hectic, but once we got back to the classroom after the graduation it was much better. Colton was the only baby in the nursery for a while so he got spoiled by the two workers :)
After church we headed over to Joshie’s game. We picked up lunch on the way, and Colton fell asleep :) So since Joshie had pictures an hour before the game, he and John went over there to get those done while the rest of us stayed in the car and ate our lunch. We had fun listening to We Sing Bible Songs and eating and talking :) About ½ hour later Colton woke up and we walked over to see the team.
Joshie’s game was fantastic! He had a really great flag pull, a long run, and a touchdown on top of all that! As always, I had such a great time watching him and his team play! They won by a ton which was nice too :)
After Joshie’s game I was supposed to go to the grocery store…on the way home in fact. But John was getting a Migraine. So we went straight home (on the way, Colton, Ryan and Josh fell asleep). When we got home, John took Ryan up to bed and laid on the couch with a blanket over his head. I took Colton upstairs to bed, Josh went out to play with Noah, and Kylie went over to my mom’s house. I took this time to very quietly fold laundry, unpack the car, and do some other miscellaneous stuff. I didn’t want to go to the grocery store because I was afraid Ryan or Colton might wake up and John was in no position to take care of them! So I had no choice but to do nothing :) What started out as an inconvenience and a pain (I hate it when I have plans and they get messed up), was actually a blessing in disguise! The weather was gorgeous! So I headed outside and read my Nook on the hammock…something I have not done since last fall! After I did that for a while, I went back inside and laid on my bed and watched some TV. With the windows open it was so relaxing! I kept telling myself how lucky I was to have this hour and a half to really enjoy myself!
Around 5:45 John woke up and his headache was gone. I was able to run to the store while he played with the kiddos and started dinner. When I got home, we all ate the pizza that he and Kylie had made, finished up homework and got the kids ready for bed. Kylie and I snuggled for a little bit and John and the boys watched football. Then it was bed time for everyone!
So a great and relaxing weekend! A nice treat after the crazy busy weekends we’ve been having!
Friday night was the kids’ school carnival. John and I were “lucky” enough to volunteer* to work a booth the whole time. We took pictures of the kids and printed them on a little card that had the school’s name and the date. It seemed to be pretty popular this year which was good. In the beginning of the carnival I took Ryan out to jump on some of the big bouncy things which he loved. Josh was walking around with some of his friends, and Kylie was with her best friend. My dad also took Ry-Ry out while John and I were busy…he came back with rainbow colored hair :)
Saturday was so gorgeous here (the whole weekend was actually)! John and Josh had football practice in the morning and I did a bunch of stuff around the house. It was so great having the windows open and just relaxing! Even though I was organizing and “working,” the beautiful weather and sounds from outside made it so enjoyable!
Saturday evening was our niece and nephew’s first birthday party. So we went over to John’s sister’s house and all the kids had so much fun playing together! Again, the weather was so gorgeous and it was great sitting outside, hanging out with everyone, and watching the babies :)
When we got home from that party, Joshie headed over to the neighbor’s for his birthday party sleepover. John set up the Buckeye game outside to watch with a neighbor, and I got Colton to bed, Kylie over to my parents’ house, and sat and watched some TV.
Sunday morning we had church – John and I were teaching the little kids, as well as graduating our Kindergarteners during the service. It was a little hectic, but once we got back to the classroom after the graduation it was much better. Colton was the only baby in the nursery for a while so he got spoiled by the two workers :)
After church we headed over to Joshie’s game. We picked up lunch on the way, and Colton fell asleep :) So since Joshie had pictures an hour before the game, he and John went over there to get those done while the rest of us stayed in the car and ate our lunch. We had fun listening to We Sing Bible Songs and eating and talking :) About ½ hour later Colton woke up and we walked over to see the team.
Joshie’s game was fantastic! He had a really great flag pull, a long run, and a touchdown on top of all that! As always, I had such a great time watching him and his team play! They won by a ton which was nice too :)
After Joshie’s game I was supposed to go to the grocery store…on the way home in fact. But John was getting a Migraine. So we went straight home (on the way, Colton, Ryan and Josh fell asleep). When we got home, John took Ryan up to bed and laid on the couch with a blanket over his head. I took Colton upstairs to bed, Josh went out to play with Noah, and Kylie went over to my mom’s house. I took this time to very quietly fold laundry, unpack the car, and do some other miscellaneous stuff. I didn’t want to go to the grocery store because I was afraid Ryan or Colton might wake up and John was in no position to take care of them! So I had no choice but to do nothing :) What started out as an inconvenience and a pain (I hate it when I have plans and they get messed up), was actually a blessing in disguise! The weather was gorgeous! So I headed outside and read my Nook on the hammock…something I have not done since last fall! After I did that for a while, I went back inside and laid on my bed and watched some TV. With the windows open it was so relaxing! I kept telling myself how lucky I was to have this hour and a half to really enjoy myself!
Around 5:45 John woke up and his headache was gone. I was able to run to the store while he played with the kiddos and started dinner. When I got home, we all ate the pizza that he and Kylie had made, finished up homework and got the kids ready for bed. Kylie and I snuggled for a little bit and John and the boys watched football. Then it was bed time for everyone!
So a great and relaxing weekend! A nice treat after the crazy busy weekends we’ve been having!
Friday, October 07, 2011
A Typical Weeknight...
Seriously, weeknights are kicking our butts! I constantly feel like I’m playing catch-up and I’m always so far behind…
Last night was a great example of where I feel so defeated. Kylie had gymnastics, so I dropped her off there and then came home and we all played outside while John mowed. I knew that the kids were starting to get hungry, but I couldn’t go in and make dinner because then I would have had to bring Ryan in with me, and he was having so much fun playing with Zora, so I decided to wait to make/eat dinner until after Kylie got home. That way too, John would be able to eat with us. So I played with the boys/entertain and fed Colton. I also had to clean Ryan up as he had an accident while playing (and I had just taken him potty 15 minutes before that!). Thankfully my neighbors were out and watched Colton for me so I didn’t have to drag him inside.
At 6:15 I loaded Ryan and Colton up in the car to go and get Kylie. We get home around 6:45 and Kylie immediately goes in to start homework and I go in and start dinner. Thankfully Colton really likes his doorway jumping thing (we call it “bouncy-bouncy”), so he jumped around and watched Ryan play while I made a simple dinner of mush and sausage. Right as dinner was about ready John came in and we all ate dinner. At this point it is about 7:15.
After dinner Kylie and Joshie shower and I go up and give Ryan and Colton a bath while John cleans the kitchen. After everyone is clean, it’s time for homework. Kylie studies math and Joshie finishes his homework packet and then studies for his spelling test. I get Colton fed and into bed, and then get Ryan’s teeth brushed and then him into bed. Joshie finishes his homework up around 8:40 and heads up to bed. Kylie whines about not being able to do well on her stuff, I pack her lunch for today and then she finally heads up to bed around 9:00.
Now John and I are ready to collapse at this point, but we have to get our stuff ready for the kids’ school carnival that’s tonight. We have a picture booth, so we need to test out the camera and printer. Finally, at 10:30 we sit on the couch. John is asleep within 10 minutes, so I head upstairs and go to bed myself. We are dead! On top of all that, Colton gets up to eat around 11:30 and then again at 3:00 AM.
This is a typical night for us…if Kylie doesn’t have gymnastics then Joshie has football, or John has a meeting, or I have something…and trying to stay on top of all the homework/schoolwork is draining! But don’t get us wrong, we do love this life that we have created, and while it may be hectic and chaotic while we’re in the fire, we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Last night was a great example of where I feel so defeated. Kylie had gymnastics, so I dropped her off there and then came home and we all played outside while John mowed. I knew that the kids were starting to get hungry, but I couldn’t go in and make dinner because then I would have had to bring Ryan in with me, and he was having so much fun playing with Zora, so I decided to wait to make/eat dinner until after Kylie got home. That way too, John would be able to eat with us. So I played with the boys/entertain and fed Colton. I also had to clean Ryan up as he had an accident while playing (and I had just taken him potty 15 minutes before that!). Thankfully my neighbors were out and watched Colton for me so I didn’t have to drag him inside.
At 6:15 I loaded Ryan and Colton up in the car to go and get Kylie. We get home around 6:45 and Kylie immediately goes in to start homework and I go in and start dinner. Thankfully Colton really likes his doorway jumping thing (we call it “bouncy-bouncy”), so he jumped around and watched Ryan play while I made a simple dinner of mush and sausage. Right as dinner was about ready John came in and we all ate dinner. At this point it is about 7:15.
After dinner Kylie and Joshie shower and I go up and give Ryan and Colton a bath while John cleans the kitchen. After everyone is clean, it’s time for homework. Kylie studies math and Joshie finishes his homework packet and then studies for his spelling test. I get Colton fed and into bed, and then get Ryan’s teeth brushed and then him into bed. Joshie finishes his homework up around 8:40 and heads up to bed. Kylie whines about not being able to do well on her stuff, I pack her lunch for today and then she finally heads up to bed around 9:00.
Now John and I are ready to collapse at this point, but we have to get our stuff ready for the kids’ school carnival that’s tonight. We have a picture booth, so we need to test out the camera and printer. Finally, at 10:30 we sit on the couch. John is asleep within 10 minutes, so I head upstairs and go to bed myself. We are dead! On top of all that, Colton gets up to eat around 11:30 and then again at 3:00 AM.
This is a typical night for us…if Kylie doesn’t have gymnastics then Joshie has football, or John has a meeting, or I have something…and trying to stay on top of all the homework/schoolwork is draining! But don’t get us wrong, we do love this life that we have created, and while it may be hectic and chaotic while we’re in the fire, we wouldn’t have it any other way!
Wednesday, October 05, 2011
Journey Softball...
Last year our church started a softball team. I was bummed because I love softball, but I was pregnant and couldn’t play :( So this year when they played again I was super excited! However, the league did not have enough teams sign up in the “for fun” league, so we were stuck in the competitive league…bad move…Our games are on Tuesday nights (were supposed to be on Friday nights) and some don’t even start until 8:20, and we always have a double-header. So needless to say, John and I have only played two nights because there is no way we can keep the kids out that late.
Last night was one of those nights…the games started at 6:20, and the weather was really nice, as opposed to the cold and rainy weather we have been having. So we loaded the kids up and brought along our neighbor girl that has just started babysitting.
When we got there, Kylie and Josh immediately ran off to play with their friends (there are always so many kids there!), and the babysitter entertained Ryan and Colton. John and I had a great time playing (although one of the first balls hit came right at me hard at third base and hit me smack in the knee…still very sore!). And it was so nice this time not having to worry about Colton and Ryan!
On the way home we grabbed dinner for John and I (the kids ate before we left) and Frosties for all the kids. Then it was time for showers and bed! We were all pretty exhausted from playing!
Last night was one of those nights…the games started at 6:20, and the weather was really nice, as opposed to the cold and rainy weather we have been having. So we loaded the kids up and brought along our neighbor girl that has just started babysitting.
When we got there, Kylie and Josh immediately ran off to play with their friends (there are always so many kids there!), and the babysitter entertained Ryan and Colton. John and I had a great time playing (although one of the first balls hit came right at me hard at third base and hit me smack in the knee…still very sore!). And it was so nice this time not having to worry about Colton and Ryan!
On the way home we grabbed dinner for John and I (the kids ate before we left) and Frosties for all the kids. Then it was time for showers and bed! We were all pretty exhausted from playing!
Monday, October 03, 2011
A New York Wedding Weekend...
This past weekend was amazing!
Thursday, as soon as the kids were done with school, we loaded up the car and headed out on a 7 hour car trip to Rochester, NY. The last of my nine cousins was getting married! Our car was packed to the brim, and I had snacks and toys ready to go!
The kids did wonderfully! We made a bathroom stop, and then stopped in Erie, PA around 8:00 for dinner. We got complimented by two different people about how “beautiful” our family was and how well-behaved our kids were. At 8:00, after being in the car for four hours, with tired and hungry kids, those comments absolutely made our night :)
We pulled into Rochester around 11:30 and checked into the hotel I had got on priceline.com earlier that day. The kids were so tired, but Josh and Kylie were great helps in bringing the stuff to the room (there was no elevator anywhere near our room and we were on the second floor!). Colton had a crib, and the room had two queen beds, and Ryan slept on two plush chairs that I pushed together for him (a perfect little bed!). When we woke up the next morning (at 6:30 thanks to CoJo), we hung out and played for a little bit, and then headed down to the pool. The pool was awesome! It had a separate little section (roped off) that was only 1 foot deep, so the kids could easily play there. They also had a really nice hot tub that John and I took turns in. The whole time Colton sat very content in the stroller and watched us play.
After we were done swimming, we went back and showered and packed up and went to lunch. The lunch was great, the kids were great, and again, a wonderful older lady stopped by to tell us how beautiful our family was (she also told us that she had eight kids herself). We left lunch feeling full both physically and emotionally :)
Then it was time to head to my aunt and uncle’s house. They were so kind and invited us to stay with them the whole weekend. We got there and got unloaded and the kids immediately went down to the AWESOME basement they have set up for all of the grandkids and played. John and I visited with my aunt and then my aunt and uncle from Columbus were also there. I loved sitting there and catching up! And my aunt kept going above and beyond making us feel comfortable and playing with the kids…I felt so bad that she was doing so much, especially when her son was getting married that weekend! John and I played board games with Kylie and Joshie while the younger two were napping. We were ashamed to admit that it has been a long time since we have both felt relaxed enough to just sit and play with the kids…it always feels like there is something that needs to be done when we’re at home :(
That evening the babysitter that my aunt had hired to watch my kids when needed over the weekend came over to watch Colton. He immediately took to her and the rest of us headed out to the rehearsal dinner. I got to see all of my cousins! I loved seeing some of their kiddos and catching up with all of them. We also had a really fabulous dinner!
We went back to the house and got ready for bed. My aunt and uncle’s house is quite large (wouldn’t it have to be to accommodate nine kids?), so when my aunt was showing us our rooms, she just kept stopping in doorways and saying “you could sleep here or here or here…” and Kylie and Josh loved it! They couldn't decide which room to pick! I ended up in the nursery with Colton, John ended up in a room with Ryan, and Kylie and Josh ended up in a room clear at the other end of the house (their choice!). We all slept very well that night!
The next morning Colton actually slept in until 7:45, which was a very nice treat for me! We all then went downstairs and ate breakfast and just relaxed in their gorgeous family/sun room that is full of windows! We talked with aunt a little bit before she headed out for make-up, talked with my uncle before he headed out to get breakfast for the groom and his friends, and then we all started getting ready for the 12:00 ceremony. The wedding was beautiful, and I spent most of it in the crying room with Colton and a few of my cousins and their kids :)
After the wedding we all headed back to my aunt and uncle’s house for a mini-reception. We got to change clothes and eat a fabulously catered lunch out in a gorgeous tent, and then there was football and hanging out in their “barn” (not a real barn…animals…here anyway :)). I loved that I could put Colton and Ryan down for a nap and still enjoy time with my family…I honestly couldn’t thank my aunt and uncle enough for letting us stay there!
Later on we all started getting ready for the reception. The babysitter came and John and I headed out for an evening of fun! The reception was gorgeous and a ton of fun! I got to hang out with my sisters (both of them came with their husband and boyfriend) and my parents.
Around 10:00 John and I decided we should leave. The reception was by no means over (it actually was really just beginning), but we had to leave at 5:30 the next morning in order to be back for Joshie’s football game. So we went around and said “good-bye” to everyone and headed home. The sitter said that the kids were wonderful (I was again so thankful to my aunt for finding such a wonderful sitter!) and that they had a lot of fun playing with the new toys my aunt had gotten them. John and I then packed up as much as we could and headed to bed.
We got up super early (Colton actually had me up at 4:50 to eat) and loaded up the car and headed out. To say we were tired would be an understatement. The trip went fairly well (Colton did amazing!) considering how tired we all were. The only downfall was that about an hour into the trip Kylie tells me that Ryan is crying. I look back and he is rubbing his eyes and kept telling me they itched. So we pulled off to get him some drops and got him to fall asleep. When he woke up his eye was swollen shut! But it didn’t itch anymore and it didn’t hurt, so it really didn’t bother him (thank goodness!). As the trip progressed, his eye got better, but nowhere completely better.
We made it back in time to stop at the house, grab some lunch, and then head out to Joshie’s game. It was great to get back into football! His team is the Buccaneers this year and he is in the older group this year, so he’s the youngest of the older kids. He’s also the smallest by far! But he’s fast and had some great plays! They ended up tying, which I think is great considering it was the first older group game for him and coach Dad (John’s coaching again). The team played really well together, which make sense because over half of them have been playing together for years now!
After the game we went home and John crashed on the couch, Ryan took a long nap, Kylie and Joshie played, and I watched Colton/tried to clean up and do laundry. I made dinner, and as we were sitting down to eat, Ryan finally woke up (he was down for about three hours!). John gave him a bath and when he came down he said his eye was really bad and that we should probably take him to urgent care. I looked up the hours of the Children’s Hospital urgent care and we had 25 minutes to get there before it closed! So Ryan and I zipped over there and got right in. The doctor thinks that since he’s been sick, some bacteria has gotten up by his eye and caused it to swell and turn purple. So he prescribed an antibiotic and sent us on our way. Ryan did great the whole time and also while we were waiting for the prescription to be filled. I got him a Happy Meal (since he didn’t get to eat dinner), and when we got home he happily ate it and told John about our adventure! Then it was some couch time with Daddy and then bed time.
So it was a fabulous weekend! I’m tired and worn out, but it was all wonderfully worth it!
Aunt Suzie with Colton:
Thursday, as soon as the kids were done with school, we loaded up the car and headed out on a 7 hour car trip to Rochester, NY. The last of my nine cousins was getting married! Our car was packed to the brim, and I had snacks and toys ready to go!
The kids did wonderfully! We made a bathroom stop, and then stopped in Erie, PA around 8:00 for dinner. We got complimented by two different people about how “beautiful” our family was and how well-behaved our kids were. At 8:00, after being in the car for four hours, with tired and hungry kids, those comments absolutely made our night :)
We pulled into Rochester around 11:30 and checked into the hotel I had got on priceline.com earlier that day. The kids were so tired, but Josh and Kylie were great helps in bringing the stuff to the room (there was no elevator anywhere near our room and we were on the second floor!). Colton had a crib, and the room had two queen beds, and Ryan slept on two plush chairs that I pushed together for him (a perfect little bed!). When we woke up the next morning (at 6:30 thanks to CoJo), we hung out and played for a little bit, and then headed down to the pool. The pool was awesome! It had a separate little section (roped off) that was only 1 foot deep, so the kids could easily play there. They also had a really nice hot tub that John and I took turns in. The whole time Colton sat very content in the stroller and watched us play.
After we were done swimming, we went back and showered and packed up and went to lunch. The lunch was great, the kids were great, and again, a wonderful older lady stopped by to tell us how beautiful our family was (she also told us that she had eight kids herself). We left lunch feeling full both physically and emotionally :)
Then it was time to head to my aunt and uncle’s house. They were so kind and invited us to stay with them the whole weekend. We got there and got unloaded and the kids immediately went down to the AWESOME basement they have set up for all of the grandkids and played. John and I visited with my aunt and then my aunt and uncle from Columbus were also there. I loved sitting there and catching up! And my aunt kept going above and beyond making us feel comfortable and playing with the kids…I felt so bad that she was doing so much, especially when her son was getting married that weekend! John and I played board games with Kylie and Joshie while the younger two were napping. We were ashamed to admit that it has been a long time since we have both felt relaxed enough to just sit and play with the kids…it always feels like there is something that needs to be done when we’re at home :(
That evening the babysitter that my aunt had hired to watch my kids when needed over the weekend came over to watch Colton. He immediately took to her and the rest of us headed out to the rehearsal dinner. I got to see all of my cousins! I loved seeing some of their kiddos and catching up with all of them. We also had a really fabulous dinner!
We went back to the house and got ready for bed. My aunt and uncle’s house is quite large (wouldn’t it have to be to accommodate nine kids?), so when my aunt was showing us our rooms, she just kept stopping in doorways and saying “you could sleep here or here or here…” and Kylie and Josh loved it! They couldn't decide which room to pick! I ended up in the nursery with Colton, John ended up in a room with Ryan, and Kylie and Josh ended up in a room clear at the other end of the house (their choice!). We all slept very well that night!
The next morning Colton actually slept in until 7:45, which was a very nice treat for me! We all then went downstairs and ate breakfast and just relaxed in their gorgeous family/sun room that is full of windows! We talked with aunt a little bit before she headed out for make-up, talked with my uncle before he headed out to get breakfast for the groom and his friends, and then we all started getting ready for the 12:00 ceremony. The wedding was beautiful, and I spent most of it in the crying room with Colton and a few of my cousins and their kids :)
After the wedding we all headed back to my aunt and uncle’s house for a mini-reception. We got to change clothes and eat a fabulously catered lunch out in a gorgeous tent, and then there was football and hanging out in their “barn” (not a real barn…animals…here anyway :)). I loved that I could put Colton and Ryan down for a nap and still enjoy time with my family…I honestly couldn’t thank my aunt and uncle enough for letting us stay there!
Later on we all started getting ready for the reception. The babysitter came and John and I headed out for an evening of fun! The reception was gorgeous and a ton of fun! I got to hang out with my sisters (both of them came with their husband and boyfriend) and my parents.
Around 10:00 John and I decided we should leave. The reception was by no means over (it actually was really just beginning), but we had to leave at 5:30 the next morning in order to be back for Joshie’s football game. So we went around and said “good-bye” to everyone and headed home. The sitter said that the kids were wonderful (I was again so thankful to my aunt for finding such a wonderful sitter!) and that they had a lot of fun playing with the new toys my aunt had gotten them. John and I then packed up as much as we could and headed to bed.
We got up super early (Colton actually had me up at 4:50 to eat) and loaded up the car and headed out. To say we were tired would be an understatement. The trip went fairly well (Colton did amazing!) considering how tired we all were. The only downfall was that about an hour into the trip Kylie tells me that Ryan is crying. I look back and he is rubbing his eyes and kept telling me they itched. So we pulled off to get him some drops and got him to fall asleep. When he woke up his eye was swollen shut! But it didn’t itch anymore and it didn’t hurt, so it really didn’t bother him (thank goodness!). As the trip progressed, his eye got better, but nowhere completely better.
We made it back in time to stop at the house, grab some lunch, and then head out to Joshie’s game. It was great to get back into football! His team is the Buccaneers this year and he is in the older group this year, so he’s the youngest of the older kids. He’s also the smallest by far! But he’s fast and had some great plays! They ended up tying, which I think is great considering it was the first older group game for him and coach Dad (John’s coaching again). The team played really well together, which make sense because over half of them have been playing together for years now!
After the game we went home and John crashed on the couch, Ryan took a long nap, Kylie and Joshie played, and I watched Colton/tried to clean up and do laundry. I made dinner, and as we were sitting down to eat, Ryan finally woke up (he was down for about three hours!). John gave him a bath and when he came down he said his eye was really bad and that we should probably take him to urgent care. I looked up the hours of the Children’s Hospital urgent care and we had 25 minutes to get there before it closed! So Ryan and I zipped over there and got right in. The doctor thinks that since he’s been sick, some bacteria has gotten up by his eye and caused it to swell and turn purple. So he prescribed an antibiotic and sent us on our way. Ryan did great the whole time and also while we were waiting for the prescription to be filled. I got him a Happy Meal (since he didn’t get to eat dinner), and when we got home he happily ate it and told John about our adventure! Then it was some couch time with Daddy and then bed time.
So it was a fabulous weekend! I’m tired and worn out, but it was all wonderfully worth it!
Aunt Suzie with Colton:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
