Way too long of an absence!

Okay, so it has been over a year since I posted.  A lot has happened and a lot has stayed the same.  I am now finishing up my first year of teaching preschool.  It has been a wonderful year where our entire family has had to adjust to a new normal.  Our crazy mornings are even crazier.  It has taken work to get kiddos ready and lunches made (Daddy has taken over the lunches part).  While this year has been full of challenges it has been wonderful!

My sweet baby is no longer such a baby and will be graduating from preschool within the next two weeks and I will finally graduate with my master's degree in Christian education.  I actually completed my work on it back in January, needless to say, I have enjoyed the break in school work.  While I have gotten a break from being a student, my little guys have kept on working.  My oldest two had wrote pieces that their gifted teacher submitted to a college journal published.  They both read at the college a few weeks ago and this week they were recognized by the school board.  I am amazed by their abilities in just the first and third grades and cannot wait to see what God has in store for them as they continue to grow!

"Red, White and Tuna"

Life has been a bit consumed yet again by a play.  Add that to the rushing between soccer practices, cub scouts, and church we have had a busy few months (which is really our norm now).  I will update more with pictures of the past few months, but for now I wanted to share these cute little treats I made for R to give the cast and crew of the play he is currently directing.  The play is set in Texas on Independence Day and I think these little creations seem entirely appropriate. 

Valentine's Day

We have had a wonderful Valentine's Day.  The boys made homemade Valentine's Day cards for their brothers, R, and myself.  They are precious.  

E had asked for the heart shaped pizza I make every year.  In all honesty, I only did it last year, but in the eyes of a seven year old, "that is the way we have always done it."  The boys and I spent part of the afternoon outside building a snowman, and then ended up having a snowball fight before we came inside for their hot chocolate.  The hubby is on another bout of the stomach virus.  It seems that we cannot get rid of colds and the stomach virus these past few weeks.  While I hate that he is sick, he did get to spend dinner with us and is going to settle in with us for a quiet evening.   

Valentine's Day is meant to be spent with those you love.  While R and I would of enjoyed escaping for a date night, we also enjoy our little evening in with the boys.  I am grateful that we can make their Valentine's special.  In a bit the boys will head to bed, and we will get our own date night at home.  While I know the days are long (some more so than others), the fact is the years are short.  In the coming years the boys will have other plans for Valentine's, so for now I am going to enjoy my little boys… heart shaped pizzas, homemade Valentines made with lego stickers, snowball fights and all.  

Polar Vortex Anyone??

I have lost count of how many snow days we have had this winter, but it is a lot.  Yesterday the boys were out for the impending storm.  It didn't snow until 2 p.m. so we had a lot of quality time, and since Daddy R had taken off work for D's birthday we had a nice family day.  However, the novelty of a birthday is gone, Daddy is at work, and we have a foot plus of snow outside.

This is the second snow day this year that I have not pushed the kids to get dressed.  C likes to wear normal clothes and that is good, but the older two love the idea of a pajama day.  After Daddy went to work we decided to venture outside.  Yes, that meant that we put our snow bibs on top of our pajamas and off we went.  It got a bit rough, and after a suggestion from a neighbor, our googles came out.  We do not own ski goggles, so the boys pulled out their swimming goggles.  We have now settled back in and the kids are warming with hot chocolate, hopefully later I can convince them to make snow cream.

I hope all of our friends along the east coast are doing just as well with this latest wintery blast.  In my attempt to be "hands free" I am off to spend some time with my boys.  Stay safe and warm!
 

A glimpse at D's official birthday

Now he is officially six!

Great Wolf Lodge Getaway

The hubby and I have came to the conclusion that we need a little getaway in the midst of winter.  Being stuck in the house with gloomy, snowy, weather takes its toll, probably more on me than him since he escapes for work (at least this is my take on things).  Three years ago we ended up moving our Disney World trip from the spring to February so that we could be with R's family as his grandfather's health began to decline.  For the past two years we have taken an overnight trip to the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg, Tennessee area.

This year, when D decided to do a Chuck E. Cheese party, we were already debating on trying to get away for a night.  In the end, we decided to go to Great Wolf Lodge in Concord/Charlotte, North Carolina.  The idea of getting some time in at a water park in-between the seemingly endless snowstorms we have experienced this winter was very appealing.  With R working evenings, these little times with him and the boys are so precious.

E and D were tall enough to hit every slide (making their father ecstatic).  He has been waiting years to have little buddies to accompany him on these things.  D managed to hit every slide, including the Howlin' Tornado-- pretty good for a little boy on the brink of six.  E, was like his momma, and couldn't quite bring himself to take on the Howlin' Tornado.  However, we did hit every other slide.  C was not tall enough to ride everything, but had a blast on the slides at Fort Mackenzie.  He would of rode everything if he had been tall enough.  There was not a single part of the water park that we did not enjoy.  We made the most of Monday.  We were at the water park at the 9 a.m. opening and left a bit after five to grab dinner and get on the road home.

We stayed in a Kid Kabin that was extremely spacious.  We chose this option because it had bunk beds, and an additional day bed, allowing all three boys to have their own beds.  There was so much other stuff that we did not get a chance to do-- we could certainly of stayed another night.  E is already deciding whether he wants to venture to Great Wolf or check out Wilderness at the Smokies for his birthday in May.

D's Sixth Birthday Party

Our sweet D went back and forth this year on what type of party he wanted, but ultimately decided on Chuck E. Cheese.  Of course, we live about a hour and a half from the closest Chuck E. Cheese, but when your child wants to be a Birthday Rock Star, what choice do you have?  In the end we decided to combine his party with a quick little overnight getaway (more on that later) and drove three hours instead.

Being that we took the party on the road, we made it clear to D that this was not going to be a friends party.  We could never ask people to drive that far for a birthday party.  Chuck E. is not my favorite place, in fact I dread going there in most cases.  However, I embrace the opportunity to make my boys happy.  While he knew we couldn't have friends come, he did know that his Grammy and Papa would willingly drive to be with him, so he did make that a priority.  After some negotiating, we were able to convince him that all Chuck E. Cheese's were similar and any location we went to would give him the rock star treatment.

While I had my reservations, I was pleasantly surprised.  We were met at the door with a party hostess who very attentive and did everything possible to make sure D had a wonderful party.  I could not of asked for a better evening to celebrate this special guy's sixth birthday.  He was thrilled and everyone had a great time!