Winter Fun!

I've really been wanting some snow days this winter. The season doesn't feel complete without at least one day of playing in the snow. So this past weekend when we started hearing about some icy weather headed our way, I decided that ice might be the best that this part of Texas was going to get this year. Monday we woke to enough ice to sled on and we took complete advantage of it. Jeremy stayed home from work even though the roads weren't that terrible. He got out our makeshift sled (the lid of a storage bin) and the boys had some fun outodoors. This was Abe's first time to really play in this type of weather. He went on the sled twice and then he was ready to be inside. On Tuesday the refreezing of the melted ice closed schools again. So Pax and Abe were home from MDO and Holden's morning class was canceled. Wednesday morning we had more ice and later some snow. Today we had a little more snow that didn't stick. But we took Holden to his class and then went to two grocery stores. We needed groceries badly! But it was flippin' cold. The wind...oh that wind nearly killed me as I loaded boys and groceries in and out of the van several times. As of right now, the weather is showing us that we will be seeing more of the snow and freezing rain for 2 more days. Honestly it has been a nice change of scenery. But after this week, I'll be ready for spring. I like to have a little time in each season and now I've had my winter fix. A few pictures from Monday when it was new and fun.

 

 

And a few pictures from Wednesday when the cabin fever had begun to get the best of us.

 

 

 

 

Flashback Friday

Spring 2012. Holden was almost 4 and sportin' some pieces from his last Halloween costume.

Valentine's Day Pictures

flowers for me

 

balloons for the boys

 

 apparently daddy led a little craft time while I was out doing a some shopping. The boys were very eager to shove these cards in my face as soon as I stepped inside the house.

the boys prepared their own heart shaped pizzas

 

 

and we ended the evening with cupcakes from Nothing Bundt Cake...which are just so so so good. It was a fun Valentine's Day, celebrated with the boys I love the most.

Flashback Friday

I have a Valentine Themed Friday Flashback today. Apparently I didn't snap a picture in 2009 or last year. So here's what I do have. My how they have grown!

 2010

 2011

 2012

2013

And 2015. I took this picture on Thursday before the younger two headed off to MDO and Holden to his class. 

Every year on Valentine's Day the boys receive a balloon from us and a little chocolate. A simple balloon is a huge hit every single year. And chocolate....well, who doesn't love chocolate. Besides Pax, who doesn't love chocolate. I was a little surprised by being asked out on a date by my sweet Valentine this year. But it was quite a feat nailing down a sitter. So we celebrated with dinner out and a play last night. And tomorrow it'll be the 5 of us and some homemade personal pizzas. Happy Valentine's Day!

Life with my boys.

I had a conversation with Jeremy a few weeks ago after someone looked at me and said, "I don't think I could do 3 boys". And the overwhelmed look in her eyes and facial expressions said as much as her words. I have had that comment directed at me twice in the past year. Maybe more than twice but these two times have stuck out. Neither of these were some random strangers at the grocery store. They were both more than an acquaintance. But not friends that read this blog or else I wouldn't be posting this. :) So when I had the conversation with Jeremy and mentioned this, he shrugged it off. As most men probably would. I'm not saying it hurt me, but it made me think about the off handed things I might say to people without really thinking through my words. Because with her words I felt her thoughts were, I would not want your life. And I think my life and my family is pretty great. It's not easy. But something God has been whispering to me for a while now is that he never called me to an easy/luxurious/relaxing life. He did call me to raise these 3 boys to the best of my ability. And while my own abilities fail me daily, I'm still determined to follow that calling. I will admit that dressing a girl would be fun. She'd be dressed cute if I had myself a daughter. That's what I think about the most when I think about daughters, though I know they carry with them their own special kind of blessing and bond that is so much more than the eye can see. I'm not that superficial. But since I'm not experienced in the world of daughters, I mostly think about having a little baby doll to dress. And I know boys can have boundless amounts of energy. They can be loud. {On Saturday I walked to our mailbox across the street and two houses down and I could hear my crew inside our house. No windows were open. And they were just having fun. But yes, they can make some noise.} Us moms and other females often just can't understand these little boys. They are obsessed with bodily fluids no matter how often I try to derail those conversations. But they can be pure fun. And they bring me more laughter and joy than I ever knew possible. I also love their simplicity. Boys are just pretty simple. I have a little boy that runs only to me when he is hurt. He wants his mommy when there is any type of injury. Daddy hung the moon and is typically his first pick in any other situation, but mommy will always show comfort and affection. He knows this with his 6+ years of experience. I also have a little boy that tells me often that I'm beautiful. That he loves my necklace. And if I'm wearing a long dress... I look like a princess. He melts me. Some girl will be mighty blessed one day. :) I also have a little boy that says "hold you, mommy. Wock" He asks to be rocked. He gives me the tightest squeezes around my neck when he hugs me. He now sings every word to You are My Sunshine when I rock him before bed and naptime. He is a complete momma's boy. I'm crazy for these three boys. Completely crazy for each of them for all different reasons. They are individually unique and different from one another and bring so many wonderful things to our family that make us the way we are. Before Abe, I was convinced that our #3 would be a girl. I was pretty certain about it. And then I fell in love with a third little boy. So completely in love. So much so that the thought of a 4th boy excites me. I'm not making any announcements. I'm not sure that there will ever be a 4th. But I'd take me another boy in a heartbeat. So maybe not everyone is cut out for 3 little boys. And maybe that seems less than desirable to some. But I can be certain that I was created for it and I'm daily being equipped to handle the task.