life

I feel like we've been so busy lately that I just haven't had the brain power to keep things updated! So, to avoid my dad getting mad at me for not updating, I thought I'd quickly update.

 This is Grant sleeping at the top of the stairs one night. We put him to bed and he wanted Steven to cuddle with him. Steven said he'd be up in a minute, and when we went up stairs a while later, this is how we found him. This boy is just TOO cute. Honestly, everything he does is fun and funny. Even when he's sassy I think it's cute. He's at my favorite age. I was cutting his hair last night and he was telling me which guard I should use on the clippers. When I put the guard he wanted on and started cutting his hair he said 'Oh yeah, that's perfect!'. Cracked me up!

 Seriously, can a baby be any cuter than Ella? I don't think so! She is SO busy. She is constantly crawling around, making messes, climbing the stairs, and trying to get in the toilet!!! Luckily, family home evening this past week was on bathroom etiquette. We now have signs posted " Wipe, Flush, Seat (put it down), Wash, Door (close it)". The kids have been really good at remembering, and I hope they keep it up, because I don't think she's going to slow down any time soon.

Landon is doing great. He's doing awesome in school and is really a great kid! He just finished soccer. I think he enjoyed playing the game, but he didn't like being committed to going three times a week (and I don't blame him!). I told him that he's starting piano lessons next week and he wasn't too excited about it, I think mainly due to the fact that he just finished soccer. I was so impressed when he said 'Mom, could you please ask me from now on before signing me up for things'. That might not seem like a big deal to anyone else, but I was SO thrilled that he expressed his feelings in such a productive and positive way!! He's such a tender and emotional kid sometimes, so we often have a hard time expressing emotions in a productive way, instead of just venting. I miss him while he's at school, but glad that he loves it so much (and SO thankful that he has such an amazing teacher who loves him too!).

Addie May has become my good little helper. She loves to work with me. If she's doing some work by herself, she doesn't like it quite as much. She loves to play with Ella. She really likes school, although, I'm not quite sure if she's really just liking the social aspect of it. She's made some cute friends who she's really enjoyed playing with. She just finished soccer as well and I'm not sure that she'll play again. In at least two different games, we've looked over to see her sitting on the sidelines with our family, when she should have been on the field! Or sitting on the field. She's so laid back and easy to get along with. She loves to cuddle and I love when we get the rare moment to just sit and cuddle, while she rubs my arm. Addie is such a sweet girl!

Steven is just as handsome and wonderful as ever. He's been keeping busy with work and church and the family. Sometimes I try to bribe the kids to leave him alone when he first gets home from work because I want his undivided attention. He's everyone in this houses favorite person.

 I've been babysitting lately, which is more stressful than I thought it would be, and I'm realizing that I'm just not cut out for every day babysitting. I don't like being tied to someone else's schedule. I'm also realizing more and more that as a mom, you have to teach your children EVERYTHING! I mean, I never thought I'd have to teach people how to get clothes out of their drawers (not just throwing everything out of their drawers onto the floor until they find what they want), or that they have to have clothes on to go outside, or that they should keep their cups away from the edge of the table or it WILL get knocked off, and a million other things.

I'm amazed every day at how much I love being able to stay home with my kids. Mainly because, I don't love doing house work, making meals and cleaning up after meals all day long, changing diapers, never getting a full nights sleep, cleaning up mindless messes, one after another, breaking up arguments, listening to whining, never having a second to sit down and read without being interrupted, never having a conversation with another adult without being interrupted, and everything else that is challenging about being a mom. But for some reason I can't explain, I really do love it. I mean, honestly, look at that face in the picture above. Who in the world wouldn't want to spend their day's with that?!?!

In the picture above Grant wasn't wanting to leave the park, so he was 'hiding' so I wouldn't find him and put him in the van. Ah, I could eat that kid up!!

On Sunday, Addie came home with this ear of corn. We were told it was popcorn, so all we had to do was put it in the microwave and it would pop. Well, did it ever!! It was the most exciting thing our microwave has ever seen (well, since the time I accidentally put the metal in there which is what burnt that black spot on the wall of the microwave! oops!).

 There, that's our 'quick' update. Now, I'm off to bed!!