LOVE THEM. Live in the present. Remember grace abounds. Feed them real food. Let them see you struggle. PRAY LOTS. don't be afraid to let them fail. Ask for forgiveness. BE STILL. LOVE THEM.

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

The Random Rad & Ice

 

002

Daddy is home tonight, as I write but let’s back up to when he left.  Here he is putting Gavin to bed before he goes out of town for work.  He was in Arizona since last Sunday the 20th.  I feel like this may be why I have not blogged.  I actually have more time to blog when he is home than gone.  Or, maybe it is that when he is gone but the end of the day I feel fried and after putting the boys to bed, making lunches, cleaning the kitchen and organizing my game plan for the next day I have no brain power to blog.  Although this is not a requirement.  Brain power while blogging is always nice.  The boys completely know when I am done too.  Bradley just said to me tonight (talking me out of him going to bed at 7:30), “Mom, Gavin and I can watch a movie on your phone we didn't finish and then we will be occupied so you don’t have to deal with us!” Although that was a slap in the face to my parenting, I just busted out laughing and he joined in with me.  Then I picked him up off the bed, hugged him and let them watch an episode on Netflix.

003 004 

Here is some of what we did while Daddy was working this past week.  The boys got down to business fighting off the bad guys.  Easton loves guns and he says, “I wanna shoop momma.” for shoot if it is a hard one and he needs help pulling the trigger.  He says “shoop, shoop” every minute and you have to reload the gun so he can pull the trigger.  I noticed after I took this how he stands in a shooting stance.  Bradley and Gavin were just caught in action being tough!

page

Sunday, we went to Jordan’s 6th Birthday party.  We once again are thankful for these friends we have to share life with. 

DSC_0068-001

A moment captured in time, thank you Celia!  I don’t get these special moments captured so I love seeing me in pictures with the boys.  I mean that actually turn out and I don’t look awful.  I guess it is because I barely wear make up anymore. That must be why the pictures aren’t looking too hot.

001

Bradley off to school with his ‘Arctic Hare’ project.  They have also started taking spelling tests every Friday.  He has scored 105% each week.  His handwriting is improving and he is reading books on his own from home and doing so well we feel.  So proud of him for his growth and always doing his best to improve.

002

Hugging it out times found often around here.

003

This doesn’t even top the baby powder episode the same week. He poured a economy size bottle of baby powder all over his bed when he was supposed to be sleeping.  I told him we were passed this stage and I expect this kind of behavior to see from Easton and not him.  He said “well, I had to wash Easton’s car! It was dirty!” I was like “what?” and then it hit me.  I looked in the corner of the room and sure enough the tiny 4 wheeler was covered with powder.  The pen he snuck into bed twice.  If you look closely you can see the before drawings that had not washed off yet and the new ones. 

005 

Easton on the counter is a regular occurrence now too.  I think he whines enough and Bradley and Gavin help him up.  One bag of chips just isn't enough! What mom? Or as he actually says when I say “Easton what are you doing?” he says “nuffin!” I swear is this a teenager or two year old here?!

001

One can never have enough pretzels or nuggets to shove in their face either.

006

Bradley rocks at tying his shoes now!! Velcro and Crocs sure does slow this learning process down but he has honed in on this skill.

010

Gavin found a reindeer nose under his bed when we cleaned it all out vacuuming up the baby powder.  This is fitting because I feel like Christmas was forever ago and they are still talking about Santa, North Pole and where did all the mangers go?  The Christmas spirit has not left this house.

IMG_1800 IMG_1801

Last Friday all the schools were dismissed three hours early in preparation for ice and snow. We did get freezing rain right away and snow after that.  We woke up to very little snow and mostly ice. Saturday we got out just in time in the morning before everything melted that afternoon.  I always forget to buy sleds so in a predicament I opted for skateboards.  They each had there own so no fighting or taking turns.  It was perfect and the slid down with ease. 

 IMG_1802

This was a great morning.  The boys loved every minute and after they helped me ice off the car.

IMG_1803 

IMG_1807 IMG_1808

Yesterday, Monday, Liz and I got together for the second time just to work on this project.  We are following a tutorial but there has been some glitches.  We are determined to let this project beat us and it won’t.  It’s just, will we want to hang our handy work?! ha-ha! That is the question.  I am really hoping these boards will turn into something beautiful.

009010

 

The same day before we left to head over there I took these pictures.  Bradley is too big for his own good and quiet the strong big brother.  He now lifts Easton out of his crib and throws him over his shoulder.  This will happen that is if Easton doesn’t beat him too it.  He has been climbing out of his crib more frequently these days.  I don’t know if I can handle my last one free, eeekkkk.  The end of an era is upon us.

 004

005 006  

IMG_1810 

This week at school Bradley has spirit week and a pep rally on Friday.  It flashes back some fun pep rally days when I was in school.  Today was mismatch shoe day! He also has gone to school for 100 days and yesterday they celebrated that.  He is 100 days smarter! In honor of that, If he had 100 dollars he would…..

IMG_1811

Saving his money for a woman already!! Also would be shopping at the dollar store after that and Daddy thinks he would make more money by charging people or having a reality show on catching these so called alligator and snake then sell them to make more money too.  Our little husband entrepreneur in the making.

 

Its been a full week!

Sunday, January 20, 2013

Just January

So far this year I am glad I have not made any resolutions.  I am pretty sure at this rate I would not have kept them.  There are no major life changes over here.  Some things sure could use a change but most days I am just in survival mode. I wonder when this will ever change? I did see through reading a prayer book for the boys and now am on to another commitment of 21 days of prayer diving in deeper with what I originally read. I guess that would be a little bit of a resolution complete.  I always think its a success getting through a book. I hate starting off the year with the craziness and not being able to make progress in the things I have in my head as possible resolutions.  These boys and this house seem to keep me busier than I ever imagined though.  They also make me happy and blessed not just busy.

001 

Taking down Daddy.

005

Squeeze hug picture.

008009

Alone time to play. A must being the baby and he could stand for some more moments like this.

 

016

The second Friday of January I co-hosted a little baby shower for two pregnant moms at my Mops table.  When I say little I mean, it was just three of us and the two moms of honor. It was so nice and quaint though. 

021

My banner I made in an hour before I walked out the door.

   031

Faith is expecting her fourth girl and Shelia is expecting her second boy.  I wish these two moms the best of luck and pray for them each completely differently.  Eeeek! I have no clue what Faith is going through and am glad I can not relate to her at this moment.  Shelia, on the other hand, I remembered myself in her situation.  The transition from one child to two can be tough in the unknown.  She actually asked me, “What do I do when my first needs to take a nap and be put in the crib and I am holding the baby?”  Bless her heart.  She is nervous for the unknown but thankfully so many before her like myself have gotten through this time.  Now Faith and I refer to that as the “easy days”  and would welcome the chance to go back to that if only for a day.

034

Me, Shelia, Mary, Faith and Alexis.  I have been honored to get to know these women this year.

 IMG_1773

Saturday we enjoyed the park after getting some Dilishi froyo.  It was Brad’s first time and now he is hooked. The weather was 75 or something like that this day.  Beautiful!

 IMG_1777

IMG_1780 IMG_1781

On Tuesday, the boys had a double dentist appointment after school.  This is Gavin’s second or third time and I still have to have him sit on my lap and lay him over and hold his arms down.  He screams and chokes on his spit but it needs to be done.  He really could hurt the nurses or I if her were not pinned down.  Trust me, it is torture for me too, not just him.  He made it out unscathed.  Traumatized, I am not sure?  He was a proud member of the No Cavity Club though.  Bradley is a pro now and got his name on the tree too.  He also confirmed he has his first official LOOSE TOOTH! The subject of the tooth fairy came up and Gavin said “Mom, I want chocolate coins!” I love his enthusiasm for what will happen years down the road for him.  Also, he has is completely wrong, the tooth fairy never can leave candy or chocolate.  I think he is brilliant though for thinking it is still money.

IMG_1787

On Wednesday, Mimi and Great Granddad came to visit overnight.  They were on there way back to Brevard from a trip.  We had to take them to Dilishi of course!

 IMG_1785    

Daddy’s little helpers.

photo 1

Our crazy sweet mess Easty! He had us sitting there for 30 minutes longer until he finished.  He was taking his precious time and he would scream if I suggested he be done.

003

Granddad telling all sorts of stories!

photo 2

Easty loves to come up in mine or Brad’s lap these days and he says “ I sit down, momma, sit down!” He can be very bossy with what he wants ;) I try and soak in all the snuggles I can get as I know moments like these wont last forever.

photo 3

photo 4 photo 5

They left the next morning but we are so thankful they stopped to stay. The boys love the attention when family comes to visit.  After this it was life as usual for them though.  Daddy left today for a little over a week long work trip. They are already missing him and asking for him a lot.  Easton is such, I repeat, SUCH, a Daddy’s boy.  We hope it goes by quick!

Sunday, January 6, 2013

A New Year ~ 2013

It has been pretty uneventful in the Woodward house so far this twenty -thirteen. Pretty much the only news to report is we have all been sick and are trying to get better.  Brad and I are both on antibiotics for a nasty upper respiratory infection.  Pretty much a bad cold.  The boys after I was thinking they were in the clear came down with the stomach bug that I got on Christmas day.  It happened over a week later though and it also happened the exact night before Bradley was supposed to return to school from his 17 day break.  So, with the weekend included we got to have him home for 4 more joyful days.  Making that 21 days with all three boys!! Mommy is ready to pull her hair out so I am glad tomorrow, Monday, starts a new week of school and productivity for us! Here is a few pictures of what we have been doing since New Years.

IMG_1757 IMG_1758

New Years day we spent with friends in Southern Pines.  I did the cupid shuffle in the cold and we missed the “pine cone” drop at 8 pm! Laugh now!! There was no countdown from 10 so literally if you blinked you missed it. 

001

We have done a lot of laying around…

 IMG_1764 IMG_1765

We went to Fun Gym and the boys both climbed the rock wall for the first time. 

  IMG_1767 IMG_1768

We have been watching lots of Football together.

002

Playing…….

004

And going to the park…..

005

006 007

008 009

010

Racing Daddy on the slide is so much fun!

011

The boys love to watch Brad punt the soccer ball or football really high up into the sky and then chase it and catch it all to have him do it all over again.  They think it is the coolest that he can get the ball that high in the air.  Well, there is a funny story this time.  Gavin, being the social creature he is went up to another couple at the park with their two boys and said “my Dad kick the ball way up high….” anyways he is talking a mile a minute to this couple and demonstrating and he went to show a kick and kicked his own legs clear out from under him and landed on his back.   He got up and said “whoa!” and giggled at himself and then ran away.  The couple any myself were busting out laughing!! He is a trip I tell ya, A trip!!

IMG_1766

Remember God loves you this New Year as he always has! Look for how he shows you and count it as that instead of brushing it off.

I am excited for the possibilities this new year brings as I take the steps and aim for change to happen with God to lead the way and help me when life is tough.  We all know the tough stuff doesn’t fade but the good part is that God doesn’t either as long as we don’t let him. He’s got my back in 2013 just like he did in 2012!! Thank you Lord!