For $1

There aren't many things you can purchase for just $1 these days...

I brought the older 2 to the Dollar Tree on Saturday and told them they could pick 1 thing.

For $1, my 3 year old became the happiest boy in town.

I forgot how much junk, I mean treasure, is contained within the walls of that store.

While I saw aisles of endless items that my children could destroy in hours or days, my boys saw the same items and imagined how they could be a pirate, a detective, or a superhero with each piece of treasure.

The boys were torn between glow-stick light sabers, those crazy glasses with the nose and mustache, race cars, and sand toys.

Elijah originally chose a different prize, but then his dreams came true when he spotted this:

Not to long ago I shared here about Elijah's new love for kittens and butterflies.

He has also been devastated on numerous occasions when he sees butterfly items for little girls. He doesn't understand why they don't make things for little boys with butterflies on them!

He was really in heaven when my sister gave him an old trophy she won in an 8th grade basketball tournament. He loves it because it has the number 3 (3rd place) on it and he is 3!

Jonah chose a GIANT magnifying glass for his treasure!

Richard thinks I have scarred them for life by documenting these special moments.

I don't agree.

If anything, they will be great for graduation down the road.

Or blackmail for when they are teenagers.

Either way, I am pretty proud of our dollar store treasures and I think these pictures are great!

I pray they are able to grow up without caring what others think of them.

I know I have wasted many hours of my life doing that.

I am so grateful for the amazing imaginations they have been blessed with!

Plus, for $2 this picture will make lots of people smile for many years.

It may have been the best $2 I have spent in a long time.

Elijah has been "snuggling" with his wings for nap and bedtime and

he even wore his wings to lunch after church on Sunday.

If the smiles on the boys' faces weren't enough to justify spending the $2, the smiles on almost everyone we encountered at the restaurant sealed the deal.

Three months old already?

Last week my baby turned 3 months old!

I can hardly believe it!

When Jonah was born my dad asked me to take a picture of him each month so they could see how much he had grown. Even though we lived 12 hours away, they made the journey from ND to Iowa quite often. However, pictures just don't do a growing baby justice as to how big they really are getting!

So, I used the same blanket each time to take his picture and would email it to them. It was a great way to reference how he was changing so fast!

I did the same for Elijah and am now starting the tradition with Isaac.

The first one is always at 1 week old

Then the monthly ritual is started...

here is Isaac at 1 month

2 months

and 3 months!

Isaac,

I am still madly in love with you and can't believe how perfectly you have adjusted to our crazy family! You are still the best baby we have had, as you continue to sleep for nice long stretches at night and have such a laid back attitude about life. You are certainly the biggest little man so far. We are thinking God made you a little sturdier so you can withstand your bigger brothers. Your smile lights up our home and melts our hearts. Your big brothers can hardly wait to "play" with you and love testing out your new toys.

You don't like to miss anything and prefer to be sitting up or held upright so you can be entertained by your brothers. The Moby wrap has saved my life on many of an occasion for this reason! Your newest "trick" is standing up and testing out those adorable legs. I have even managed to get a few giggles out of you! You still aren't a fan of tummy time, but continue to love getting your diaper changed and taking a bath. In fact, bath time has become a bit of a challenge as you become so excited kicking your legs and flapping your arms that I have a hard time keeping a good hold of you.

You still love your momma best and I am just fine with that! Going back to work was sure difficult, but knowing that you usually sleep all night for your daddy makes me feel lots better. I was also comforted in knowing that Auntie Laura was taking excellent care of you while I was sleeping! Your eyes are still blue and your hair is still strawberry blonde! We are just so blessed to have you in our family and even though I wish you could stay little forever, I am looking forward to watching you grow!

Keep up the great work little man!

Love your Momma.

How do you tuck in a superhero?

I bought myself a present for Mother's Day this year.

I thought long and hard about the perfect gift for myself.

I really want a necklace from Lisa Leonard's fabulous collection, but quickly remembered my birthday is in June so I could save that for a different occasion.

Plus when I dropped a hint to Richard that this would be a special gift, he reminded me of another necklace he purchased for me that I rarely wear.

Hmmm, pretty sure there are 5,000 tools in the garage and I am not offended that I have only seen him use the tools I have purchased for him a few times. Nor do I question his need for new tools when they enter the house.

He didn't see the comparison.

I went to the Christian Bookshelf in town and browsed the aisles desperate to find something that would be encouraging to me as a mother.

(I LOVE looking in book stores by the way! I LOVE to smell the new books and touch them. Weird I know, but it is true. As a mother of boys I appreciate things that are clean, not torn, and not destroyed because they were used as a spaceship for an alien to fly down the stairs!)

I found many things I probably could have justified as being "encouraging," but decided on a few devotionals for mothers of preschoolers.

I thought of a few fitting titles that would be perfect for me such as,

"How to survive life in a male dominant household"

or

"A dummies guide to mothering boys"

or

"Signs and symptoms of hearing loss after raising little boys"

I was a little disappointed I didn't find any of these titles until I saw this on the shelf:

(cue angelic music)

The title caught my eye as I was making my way to the check out before my two full-of-life toddlers gave the sweet elderly couple leisurely shopping a heart attack.

You must know that I am an avid library-book-checker-outer, so it is often difficult for me to purchase a book.

Mostly because I read them so fast that it seems silly to spend the money when I can usually just check it out from the library. And I am overwhelmed by the amount of stuff we have and thinking of adding more stuff to our house makes me hyperventilate and get sweaty.

Unfortunately, the library in Grand Forks is a little behind the times.

However, our church library is phenomenal and makes up for this a bit.

I was spoiled by the library in Iowa City, which often had holds on new releases that were added to the library's collection the day it was released to the bookshelves of stores!

(I have been getting used to this, and as a result have purchased more books recently)

I hurried home and read the first few chapters while I fed Isaac.

For the first time in weeks, okay months, well actually years, I felt normal.

The author, Rachel Balducci, describes life as a mother of 5 boys.

As I read each page, and digested each paragraph, my heart began to sing!

All this time I thought perhaps I was doing something wrong, or seriously messed up somewhere, but I am feeling a lot better about how I am doing after reading her book.

She does an excellent job sharing her families antics, offering advice, and providing facts about raising little boys.

I laughed, I cried, I read some out loud to Richard.

Then I thanked the Lord for His divine intervention and great Mother's Day gifts.

Richard didn't get me a necklace, but he did write a post that meant the world to me and still makes me tear up when I read it.

You know when you read a book and enjoy it so much you feel as though the author has become a good friend of yours? And by finishing the book you are ending the relationship you have together? Okay, maybe just another weird trait about myself again.

Anyway, that is definitely how I felt about this book and I savored every word until I reached the end. With tears in my eyes I turned to the back cover and was thrilled to learn Rachel has a blog! I checked it out and learned she just had her 6th child, who happens to be a girl!

I have been encouraged by her vulnerability on her blog as she has been struggling with adjusting to life with a newborn too. Forget the fact that I only have 3 kids and she has 6!

If you have a superhero at home and need words of encouragement I would strongly recommend you purchase this book!

It is well worth the laughs and if it doesn't make you feel normal than you should win an award for doing such an excellent job raising your son or sons already!

As crazy as these days are, I do cherish my days with a house full of superheroes.

Someday I will miss these days filled with soaring imaginations, adjusting of capes and masks and nights of tucking in my sweet little superheroes.

Is your neighborhood safe?

Is your neighborhood safe?

I looked out my window this morning to find Batman and Spiderman.

The crime fighting duo were keeping the "bad guys" off the streets (and our front lawn).

My fears were relieved when I saw Batman in his superhero pjs saving the day!

(He can even fight crime with his flip flops on the wrong feet)

He and Spiderman were using their GPS phones to communicate "the plan"

Don't be fooled, that truck wasn't really a garbage truck...

it had Joker, Penguin, and The Green Goblin in it!

Fortunately, I had two adorable superheroes to keep me safe!

How about you?

Is your neighborhood safe?

I know mine is!

Right Now

Right now rain is pouring down, the sky is filled with lightening

and the house is shaking from thunder.

Right now I am overwhelmed by God's presence and power.

Right now I hear the sweet sound of silence...well almost.

If you don't count the whispers of two little boys who are marveling at God's beauty and wishing they could watch the "sweet thunderstorm" instead of going to bed

or the sweet sound of our littlest man sleeping soundly.

Right now there are piles of laundry to be washed and folded

the floors are dirty, things are strewn about, and there are toys that need to be put away.

Right now I am sure that can be done tomorrow...or the next day.

Right now I am thankful for recent days filled with giggles and exploration

instead of time outs and tears.

Right now I am thankful for days of encouragement and progress

instead of feelings of failure and frustration.

Right now I am thankful for God's abundant grace as we continue to climb out of the nasty rut we had been in with LONG days filled with testing toddlers and adjusting to life with a baby.

Right now I am thankful for strength to face each day on minimal sleep

and for caffeine in the form of Starbucks.

Right now I am blessed to have a husband who finds my post-baby body beautiful and encourages me to embrace my baby gut and wear it proudly.

Right now my soul smiles thinking about bear hugs & sticky kisses from little boys or sweet smiling faces covered in dirt from a hard day playing outside.

Right now I am thankful for the moments of sunshine amidst the storms in our lives.

Right now I am enjoying today and trying not to worry about tomorrow.

Right now the storm is passing and I pray the sun will continue to shine.

Meet Michael

A few weeks ago Elijah started talking about a friend of his.

Michael is his name.

His name first came up one day in the car when we were driving home and Elijah randomly shared a fact about his friend Michael.

This is not terribly unusual for Elijah to share random information so I didn't think much of it.

Then Michael's name began coming up in conversation's at a rapidly increasing rate.

I would hear, "Mom, did you know that Michael likes cheese pizza too. His favorite color is even green!"

Michael also was the guilty party when I would hear words that shouldn't be coming out of little mouths from the other room.

Whenever I probed Elijah for more information about this Michael character I got the same answer each time. "He's just a friend mom."

I didn't think much of it until I was asking Elijah what Michael's full name was.

Me: Elijah, what is Michael's whole name?

Elijah: What do you mean?

Me: Your whole name is Elijah Richard Dafoe. What is Michael's whole name?

Elijah: Oh, well his name used to be Elijah but he thought that was boring so now his name is Michael.

Me: (Hmmmm interesting don't you think) What is his last name Elijah?

E: Well his mom's last name is kickinthemouth, but his last name is Angelo.

Me: So his name is Michael Angelo?

Elijah: Yep.

I tried to give Elijah the benefit of the doubt, but I am pretty sure the only Michaelangelo I know of is a green turtle with a bandanna over his eyes and plastic swords in his hands.

Thus began the story of Michael.

Jonah has struggled with Elijah's friend named Michael.

Jonah likes things black and white, he colors grass green, and is practical with his imaginative play. He may be a pirate, but he lives on a ship and searches for treasure.

Elijah, on the other hand, keeps life interesting. He doesn't care for rules and certainly doesn't want to follow them. Grass can be purple when you are coloring and pirates don't always live on ships. They sometimes are actually detectives hiding from bad guys and like to eat chocolate chip cookies at their grandma's house.

I have explained to Jonah on multiple occasions that Michael is pretend, but it is okay.

Elijah loves telling you about his friend Michael.

I am a firm believer in imaginative play and imaginary friends.

(I had two of them myself, but we'll save that for another day).

I have been using my detective work to learn more about this boy. I am sure I will discover much more about Michael in the future, but here are some of the cold, hard, facts I have learned so far about Elijah's beloved friend:

• His name is Michael Angelo.

• His age varies depending on the day, but I gather he is a little older than Elijah.

• He has blue hair and orange eyes.

• He has a younger brother named, and a little sister named Emily.

• His mom is also having a baby, or I mean a babe, as Elijah refers to him. It's a boy and his name is Hiccup.

• He can't ever come over for dinner or for a visit because he is at the bank. (He doesn't work there he just is always visiting). Elijah says it's because of the free cookies.

• He likes cheese pizza, chicken nuggets, and french fries (Elijah's favorite foods too)

• His dad is dead, but it's okay because he is with Jesus so Michael isn't sad.

• Michael likes to make BIG messes with the toys in the basement and has a hard time not saying things he isn't supposed to!

I am not sure how long this friendship with Michael will last.

I am hoping it will be for awhile as I might be enjoying it more than Elijah.

Whether Michael moves away tomorrow or ends up becoming a part of our family, I will continue smiling and being entertained by a 3 1/2 year old and his imagination.

Like a small child believing that one man really can bring presents to all good children in one snowy night, a part of me wishes this blue haired, orange eyed, pizza loving friend would come over for dinner one night so we could really meet Michael.

What's Not To Love

I worked all weekend and am a bit behind on my blogging, but...

I am so thankful for my great co-workers who helped me get through the weekend.

So grateful for Richard who did an excellent job caring for the three amigos while I slept.

He probably wouldn't choose to do that every day, but he kept everyone alive and managed to stay sane in the process!

It may have helped that Isaac slept for 10 HOURS each night for him!

However, I thought it would only be fair of me to share this adorable picture of Isaac while I play catch up at home and with the boys.

We all headed to the indoor water park this morning for a fun day of splashing, laughing, and wetness. My sister Laura joined us too!

We had a nice picnic when we got home and everyone is passed out!

Isn't he adorable?

I mean what's not to love?

Off to tend to the piles of laundry that are calling my name while the little ones are sleeping.

I better hurry.

I have a date with some dinosaurs, army men and a 3 year old when he wakes up.

Plus it is 80 degrees outside so I may have to sneak in a few minutes on the picnic blanket before the chaos begins after naptime...

Hey there mister mister

Hey there mister mister how did you become so big so fast?

It seems like just yesterday Isaac was this little 8 lb peanut coming home from the hospital.

And somehow, 11 weeks later he weighs almost 16 lbs

(fully clothed at the doctor yesterday...he has pinkeye...compliments of Elijah)!

Poor little man!

I was in denial that he was getting so big so I found the same sleeper we brought him home from the hospital in to help feed the delusion. Only this one is a 6-9 month sleeper instead of a newborn one!

Instead of thinking about how fast he is growing, I am channeling that energy into other things like trying to find a nick name for him.

Jonah pronounces his name "Izeeke so Richard thought "Zeke" would work.

My sister suggested "Zeke Bobby" (Isaac Robert)

I have been calling him mister mister for now.

The Jury is still out. We are welcoming suggestions.

Isaac is 11 weeks old and still a great baby!

Praise the Lord!

He has been going a little longer at night and not eating as often during the day.

His hair is growing in nicely (it is still strawberry blonde if you were wondering), and his cradle cap is almost gone (thanks to head and shoulders shampoo)! Hurray!

He also started grabbing things. So cute!

He is still adored by his brothers.

He likes to practice big boy things like sitting up.

He is "cooing" more and more and has blown a few raspberries with his tongue.

The big boys find this entertaining.

Most of all my mister mister still fills my heart with joy and gives my arms an excellent workout.

Don't you just want to kiss him?

Cliff notes for mother's of boys

When I was younger I spent many hours dreaming of motherhood.

I only had sisters, so naturally I dreamed of life with my daughters.

I dreamed of playing barbies with my girls, having tea parties, playing dress up and spending hours shopping together. I dreamed of their adorable pink and purple clothes, dance recitals with tutus and glitter, and princess birthday parties.

I wondered if we would have sleepovers filled with painted toenails, putting on makeup and giggling about boys.

And God laughed.

When our 1st son was born I had no idea what I was getting myself into.

What was I supposed to do with a little boy?

I was scared to death that I would ruin his life because I knew nothing about raising a little boy.

Fortunately God did an excellent job creating an amazing bond between a mother and her child so strong that it doesn't matter what lies between their little legs or what color their itty bitty clothes are...you are so madly in love with them you can't imagine life any different.

That is exactly what has happened to me.

Then you learn all about boys and begin filling your brain with important boy facts.

If you are a fellow mother of boys you can relate. If you are a new mother to a little boy or have never had boys you better take notes. Chances are this information may be beneficial to you in some shape or form.

I decided I am going to make cliff notes for mother's of boys...if only I had been privileged to this information earlier...hopefully I haven't scarred them for life.

• Boys have only one volume level: LOUD. Do not waste your energy trying to compete with this or trying to understand why they came with no other volume choices. Also, they are only capable of being quiet for a very short period of time. Save the precious moments of quiet for emergencies: church, funerals, or baby brother's nap times.

• Burping and farting will occur in your home. Voluntarily and involuntarily. We all know that ladies do not fart. They burp, but in a ladylike fashion. Boys, however, do both. After many frustrating moments trying to stop these horrible habits or at least decrease them, I have since focused on not allowing them at the dinner table. It is a work in progress. Bottom line: Pick your battles.

• There are magnetic forces that attract boys to three things: 1) themselves, 2) anything that may possibly be dangerous, and 3) everything that will make a mess. Don't try to understand it ladies. It is just how they are made. You can try to depolarize the magnets, but it doesn't work either. Instead I offer you these suggestions that have helped me cope with this reality.

1. First, when the magnetic force between their hands and their boy parts can't be severed, make them wash their hands...every time you find them in this predicament. I have found this curbs the behavior for the most part because they hate washing their hands. Most importantly don't make a big deal out of it.
2. Secondly, I have spent countless hours instructing the boys on safety and what is acceptable to me. Pretending you are a superhero is great, but trying to jump off your bunk bed and fly with your cape is not great. Having a "sword fight" with your brother is great, but using metal bars you found outside to do so is not great. The other part of this is realizing that God is in control and you can only pray they will chose to follow your safety guidelines when you aren't around. For those times when they are with their father and allowed to do "unsafe things" in your eyes, look the other way, take a deep breath and pray.
3. Thirdly, boys can be cleaned. It is no easy task, and the color of the water after is enough to make a person nauseous, but it can be done. Don't allow them to wear nice clothes on a daily basis. This way you can celebrate with them when they want to show you their "creation" in the backyard after 6 inches of rain and lots of mud. They are also able to make messes at catastrophic proportions. Use this to your advantage: like allowing them to "wash" the floor. They will inevitably get water everywhere and get themselves soaked. In the end you have a clean floor and clean boys.

• Shopping = death. Unless you are planning on picking out something special for them or a friend. I do have to say Elijah might be the exception to this rule. He is an excellent shopper and loves to just go along for the ride. Jonah, however, hears the word and his world is ending as he knows it. He is on the floor moaning, groaning, and writhing about. Fortunately this is how Richard behaves when he hears the word so I had some prior experience with this area.

• It doesn't matter what it is supposed to be, little boys can make a weapon out of ANYTHING! A stick, a hanger, a sock, etc. They come with a software installed in their brains titled "101 ways to turn ordinary objects into weapons"

• Boys are attracted to things that are fast and blow up. Especially if it is a movie and one involving superheroes. Despite efforts you may make to shield your little men from these facts of reality, it will do no good. Instead, I encourage you to embrace this reality and start studying up. The movies are actually quite entertaining and it is a fun way to spend time with your boys. Isaac has proven that this bond begins in utero. Towards the end of my pregnancy with Isaac we watched lots of movies (that will happen on bed rest). Including ones that involved lots of action and explosives. He would kick like crazy during these moments. Not during the chick flicks. On Mother's Day we all went to Iron Man 2. I fortunately brought a bottle with and was able to watch the movie, only because Isaac was happiest facing forward, leisurely drinking his bottle and taking it all in. He is only 2 months old!

• One of my favorites is if you ever see your son fly through the house into the bathroom and you ask what they are doing and their response is "just washing my hands" don't ask them why or what for. Mainly because you don't really want to know the answer and also because it is best to just encourage a good habit and pray they won't contract any horrible disease from whatever they touched or whatever they did.

• You also should make a habit of not only checking your little boys' pockets for "treasures" before washing them, but the washing machine in general. I have found many interesting things in there. Who knows how they got there? My boys don't seem to know!

• The best part about little boys is they love unconditionally. Their short-term memory loss allows for them to forget if you had to discipline them or if you happened to loose your temper a few minutes before. They will dish out hugs and kisses in between fighting off Batman's enemies, or saving the world as a brave warrior. They also spend most days pretending I am a princess and make sure I am protected and safe. You can't beat that!

I may not be able to name all the Disney princesses, get to have tea parties, or play barbies.

The only toenails I paint are my own and my shopping partner is my mom.

I can, however, reenact most movies involving superheroes, build pretty much anything out of Lego's, and make a mean PB &J shaped like the bat signal.

My days consist of disputing feuds between brave warriors, being "rescued" from bad guys, and the only costumes at our house are ones worn by superheroes.

The clothes in my kids closets aren't pink and cute, but have knees tattooed with grass stains from the latest wrestling match or sleeves stained from dinner or dessert.

My life as a mother is nothing like I dreamed it would be when I was a little girl.

It's so much better.

I would have laughed at you if you told me I would be the mother of 3 boys someday!

I have no idea what God has in store for us down the road.

I do know that I am one happy momma of 3 amazing boys and I wouldn't trade it for the world.

P.S. I am thinking of starting a support group for Mothers of Boys...the M.O.B maybe?

Sounds fitting doesn't it? If you are interested in joining let me know.

To the Mother of My Three Sons

My fabulous husband, my fantastic husband, my amazing husband who does no wrong….hmm, I often wonder how Becky has managed to keep this second husband of hers hidden from me these last two years. As I read Beck’s posts I am often amazed at how her perspective of me changes as she reflects on her life while addressing the keyboard. Not only her perspective of me, but of her children, her immediate family, and even her in-laws. As she pauses she is able to see with great clarity the love that Christ lavishes on her. She is able to see His great and continued blessings. Though she is able to see beyond the nitty gritty of the day to day grind of relationships when she sits down to spill her life out into the seemingly unbounded world wide web, in my experience she struggles greatly to step away from herself and see the amazing woman that God has created. On perhaps more than one occasion after an exasperating day of toddlers, she has plopped into her favorite spot on the couch in tears and demanded to know why, or even if, I love her. In those moments it doesn’t matter what I say, for her jury of one has already condemned her as a terrible mother and wife.

I, however, have the pleasure of watching this beautiful woman each and every single day from a vantage point that is much different than her own. As I watch, I see a woman of great value, not only as a wife and mother but as a friend, a sister, a daughter. One aspect of her personality that I find irresistible and frustrating at the same time is her sensitivity and compassion. When God paired us together, he went with the opposites attract cliché, for I do not exactly exuberate sensitivity or compassion. Becky is my balance; she keeps me from completely obliterating relationships with blunt words or rash actions, words or actions that are without malice. They are simply without understanding, understanding of how they will impact others, whether that be directly or indirectly. She, on the other hand, always picks up on the unsaid. When I ask how someone is doing and they say fine, I take it at face value. Becky on the other hand can see beyond the obvious and detect when someone is hurting and needs more than I am able to offer. I am amazed again and again how she is able to minister to the needs of those around her, whether they be emotional or physical. These characteristics make her an amazing mother, friend, and nurse.

As great as this sensitivity and compassion are to those around her, they sometimes seem a curse to her. It is from her care, her passion for others, that so much of her frustration and feelings of inadequacy derive. It is almost as if she feels too deeply, to the point of not being able to separate herself from others’ hurts or failings. Where she senses need unmet (for example my inability to be sensitive or our children’s need to respect and honor adults), she takes that need upon herself, not only the need but their failure as well. Here in lies the problem. It is at this point that frustration sets in. When she is not able to fix or help, she goes crazy. When she goes crazy, rationality goes out the window, and she then demands of me why I love her.

Rebecca, it is for this great love, this great caring and compassion for others, that I find you beautiful and irresistible. I look forward to our boys recognizing this someday, probably many years form now, and realizing with great awe with what an amazing mother they have been blessed. Happy Mother’s Day, Dear. I love you.

My 3 Sons

These are My 3 Sons.

Three boys I love with all my heart and would do anything for!

Three boys who have taught me so much about love.

Three boys who fill our house with life and laughter.

Three boys who can drive me a little bonkers.

Three boys who keep life VERY exciting!

Three reasons I feel blessed each day.

Three boys who call me Mommy.

Three boys who have helped me to see each day as a gift and not take them for granted (even when I feel like my world is spinning out of control). Being a mother is the hardest job I have ever done. Yet, it has been so rewarding and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Tears of joy roll down my face when I consider how blessed I am.

I certainly have many to thank. God for one, my own fabulous mother and mother-in-law, and my incredible husband. I also have been blessed with so many friends who are mothers and have taken me under their wing and supported and encouraged me along the way.

I pray for those Mother's who have empty arms today. I pray for the Lord to wrap his loving arms around you and comfort you today as you celebrate this bitter sweet day.

I pray for many more Mother's Days to celebrate the road I have traveled and the one that is to come. I pray God continues to mold and shape me into the Mother He intended for these 3 boys. I pray for God to continue to use these 3 boys as well to teach me about life.

Most of all on this Mother's Day I am thankful for My 3 Sons.

Happy 2nd Bloggerversary!

(Thanks to my fabulous little sis Laura who photographed and designed this too)

2 years ago I started this blog to keep family and friends posted on our whereabouts as we moved 2 states away.

Since then it has become so much more than that to me.

A journal for my thoughts, a peek into our crazy lives, a place I can be honest and real about life, truth, and God's love, a place to document growth of our 3 beautiful boys, and myself.

I feel so blessed when I look back at the journey God as led me/us on over the past 2 years.

I also love reading comments and hearing comments from family and friends who are entertained by our crazy lives! Thanks for encouraging me too!

I pray God continues to use this blog as a place to encourage others and help me continue growing into the Godly mother and wife He wants me to be.

Cheers to another year and for the many blessings we have had bestowed upon us!

Happy 2nd Bloggerversary!

(I just might get myself a gift for the occasion)

(Maybe even some cake too)

I did survive

I had to go back to work this week and I did survive.

It was so hard to leave my baby and the boys.

Despite the rough time we have had around here lately, the transition went surprisingly well.

By the grace of God, my transition back to work went well also.

I am not going to lie. There may have been a few times I felt like crying, felt inadequate, and wondered if I could go home scared.

After being on bedrest from mid December to early February, working for only a few weeks, and then having Isaac and thus being home on maternity leave for 10 weeks I was feeling a little rusty!

It didn't help that I was the most experienced nurse working + had two new nurses with me (who were amazing) and was not only trying to remember how to just do my job, but learning a new computer system for charting that went live while I was on maternity leave!

I have FABULOUS co-workers though, and I couldn't have imagined celebrating Nurse's week any differently. It is such a blessing to be working with so many nurse's who truly value our profession and give so much of themselves to help these babies grow.

I also received a few phone calls and notes from friends and family wishing me good luck! Thanks!! That meant so much to me!

The best part about it all was knowing my babies were in such great hands! Richard is an amazing daddy and his first nights alone with all 3 went pretty well I think. He even humored me by texting me when he was feeding Isaac, so I wouldn't worry about him!

My baby sister Laura watched the 3 boys while I slept each day and she did fantastic. The older two LOVED the extra attention and time with their auntie Laura and Isaac loved the snuggle time.

It was humbling to be back at work though. I still feel so blessed that Isaac is a nice BIG healthy boy instead of the tiny little preemie that he could have been! God is good. I am thankful for the added perspective to my job, after my own experience with pre-term labor, bedrest, and Isaac being born. I know it has made me a better nurse.

Even though it was so hard to leave, I forgot how great it is to hear "Mooommmmyyy!!!!!" when I walked in the door. Or how fun it is to see your infant get so excited at the sound of your voice (certainly not just because I am his milk source, but because he missed me)!

Either way I survived. Thank you Jesus.

Toddler vocabulary

Elijah's favorite thing right now is to ask why things are called what they are. Jonah does a pretty good job explaining things to him, but every once and awhile they both get phrases a little mixed up or wrong and it's simply adorable. Here are a few comments or phrases I have heard them say lately...

• "Last one to the car is a sloppy egg!" (I am pretty sure they mean rotten egg)

• "It's okay that we are going to the mall after supper because the mall stays up late" (open late)

• "Mom have you seen my suitbag? I need it for my sleepover at Grandma's!"(also known as a suitcase)

• " This gun is really sweet because it doesn't die me. Only you, because I have super powers" (or it doesn't kill me)

• "For my birthday I want the new Iron man that I saw in the path at Target. You know the path with all the superheroes" (pretty sure this one is supposed to be aisle).

• "Oh, I remember this store! I love Old Lady" (Old Navy)

• "Yeah, we are eating at Ground Ground" (Ground Round)

• "Can I have yogurt with grumpies in it?" (We refer to granola as crunchies so this is what he was meaning)

• "Mom I am just doing what God says...be helpless!" (Elijah was saying this as he was putting his dishes in the dishwasher...I told him it was helpful. I guess he is kind of listening to me)

• "I want to wear jammies with long shorts, not short pants mom." (also known as pants and shorts)

• "Well it looks like it's going to be a floggy day. Bummer." (foggy)

• " Lets go to Warmlart. I love that place! That's where brave soldiers like me shop" (Walmart)

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The other day we were at my parents house and my sister Laura was trying to open a new package of deli ham.

Laura said: "How do you open this?"

Elijah took it from her and said: "here, let me do it!"

Laura: "okay..."

Elijah: "Mom, I need you to open this!" (and he brought it to me to open and then gave it back to Laura after I had opened it!)

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It's tough having an English teacher for a hubby when your kiddos say such cute things wrong! Sometimes I just want to refer to the phrase or word like they do because it is so cute and they won't say it forever!

Kitty needs some milk

One thing about motherhood that I love is watching my children's personalities develop.

I love learning all their quirks, favorites (food, color, superhero, etc) and uniqueness.

I also love how they share so many qualities, but yet are so different at the same time.

Another great thing is how just when you think you have them pegged, they throw a curve ball in there and totally surprise you.

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So Elijah is our tough guy.

Even when he was little we noticed he was different than his more sensitive and dramatic older brother. Elijah would run into something (as a normal toddler would) and would just shake it off. He also is fearless in many ways, and lets few things stop him or slow him down.

He used to be quite the bully at the playground a few summers ago. If anyone happened to bump into him or look at him the wrong way he would turn and shove them as hard as he could before they could even blink. The gasps from all the other moms on the playground could be heard from miles away.

Needless to say I spent a lot of time that summer apologizing to the other mothers and forcing him to apologize to the unfortunate children who happened to cross his path. We also spent lots of time sitting together in time out.

Elijah was very different from his older brother who would run up to the playground, scan the perimeter, chose a child he has never met before to be his "bestest friend in the whole world" and play with them until they or we left the playground. He often plays by himself pretending he is a brave warrior saving the princess (me) from dragons or just "bad guys" or a superhero who is rescuing a girl (me again) from an evil force.

Elijah also doesn't share his affection very easily. Ask his father. They are two peas in a pod and often their similar personalities result in butting of heads. Elijah makes a big stink about not giving Richard kisses because of his "pokies" (facial hair) and is reluctant to even hand out a hug or two. This pushes Richard's buttons and Elijah knows it. However, nights when I am at work I can just about guarantee that Elijah will climb into bed with Richard, unbeknownst to him, and snuggle all night.

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Furthermore, Elijah doesn't care what others think of him.

This is also different from his older brother who is definitely a people pleaser.

This is one of my favorite qualities about Elijah. One I admire.

Because I am not like that and unfortunately Jonah inherited that trait from me.

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But, the funniest thing about my "tough boy" middle child is that he does have a soft side.

The little boy who spends his days running around as a brave soldier, warrior or superhero killing bad buys and saving me from evil isn't always so tough.

He is a momma's boy.

He also LOVES butterflies and kittens.

He begged me to buy him a pink butterfly shirt from Target the other day.

(I didn't get it in case you were wondering)

When we play princess and brave warrior there may not be kissing, dancing, or marrying ('cause that is girl stuff), but we will have a pet kitten.

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Richard has mentioned getting a puppy this summer once or twice.

I said over my dead body.

I have plenty on my plate with 2 toddlers, a baby, a job, and housework. The last thing I need is a puppy to take care of!

Elijah thinks we should get a kitten since we aren't getting a puppy.

One problem: Richard and I both despise cats.

Elijah is heartbroken over this. All he wants is a gray kitty.

(He was also heartbroken when he learned he couldn't have a butterfly for a pet because you can't touch butterflies or you will kill them)

So we compromised and my parents brought home a stuffed kitten from Disney World.

A gray one at that. Elijah is in heaven.

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So today after we picked up my parents from the airport, we headed to Ground Round for lunch. Elijah brought his precious kitty inside and shared everything with his kitty. Kitty had some popcorn, chicken strips, french fries and a few drinks of chocolate milk.

During the meal I used my hooter hider (piece of fabric used to cover myself up while I breastfeed-if you don't believe me click on the link above where you can purchase one) to feed Isaac. After I was done Elijah asked me for my blue thing. I was confused at first but realized he meant my hooter hider (which has blue polka dots on it).

Then he told me never mind and I when I looked over he had his shirt up and was breastfeeding his kitty in Ground Round.

This got a few quality looks from neighboring tables!

My mom and I were laughing so hard we were about to pee ourselves and also trying not to let Elijah see us laughing so he wouldn't be hurt.

Then he brought his kitty over to me and asked me if I would let his kitty have some of my milk because he was out and "kitty needs some milk!"

I kindly told him I would not be able to feed his kitty at Ground Round and that we could go home and find milk for his kitty because kittens only like cows milk.

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As we left the Ground Round I was smiling.

Smiling because I have a 3 1/2 year old little boy who is ALL boy, loves the color green, cheese pizza, chicken strips, hot chocolate and snuggling. Spiderman, Ironman, and Robin are his favorite superheroes. He is particular about the way his clothes fit, and is not in any rush to learn how to ride a bike. One of his nicknames is Lou and he likes having his back rubbed when he can't sleep. He loves brave soldiers, warriors, dragons kittens and butterflies.

And he is not afraid to breastfeed in public if kitty needs some milk.