The Little things will be the Big Things

Let's see if this works. I'm laying in bed trying to post a blog from my phone.

What are Little Things you might ask?

Flossing my kids teeth

Bedtime foot rubs

Reading to kids

Hugging and kissing

Baking cookies

Filling each plate with food every night

Saying good morning

Making their beds

Prayers together

Forgiveness



I am more excited for this summer than any other summer of mommy

hood. Good night!

Breathe.  That is the title of the bible study I just started.  I am so excited for my kids to see their mama breathe and relax and hopefully sit down more.  3, 7 and 8 days away from being 10 our life is so richly blessed.  To wake up each morning to one or two or all three of them climbing in bed with me and knowing I get to spend all day with them is a dream come true.  (Unless its before 7:30am)  I love that I am keeping Rylee home this year with me.  I find myself having to stretch for moments at the gym or to sit at my piano for more than 10 minutes or to drink my coffee while its hot but I wouldn't trade it for anything.  Thank you Phil.
Well, Easter is on the horizon already.  We dodged Winter this year.  No snow, not much rain actually and we have loved being outside in shorts most of March.
We are MOVING!  How exciting and scary all at once.   I love throwing old stuff out.  I feel renewed. Lighter.  Ready for a new place.  Kids are sort of nervous about a new school but I know God will give them peace and great new friends.

Oh how we love spending time with our kids.  Phils knee recovery has been wonderful.  Well, what else is new since January?  Rylee is a champ without her binki.  So happy we got rid of it when we did. It was time.  Andrew had an awesome season playing basketball for Swoosh.  Wow, he is improving like a pro!  So proud of him in school too.  Miss Emma is enjoying a Lyrical Theatre Dance class and is so excited for her performance.  Seeing her on stage amazes me.  Her confidence and her smile make me believe she was made for the stage.
Our spring break consisted of lots of Sorry and movies.  Andrew fought a fever all week.  He is feeling much better now.

Rylee's Post

Happy New Year.  I will post some Sunriver and Christmas pictures soon but this post is not for that purpose.  This post is to tell you Rylee that we (as in ALL of us) are so proud of you as tonight marks night number one without your…….

That's right. Binki

This picture is around a year and a half old but it had your binki in it and its the first one I came across. 

I have to tell you a secret, you're not the only one that cried tonight.  I sang you to sleep since you cried your eyes out and exhausted yourself.  After I could tell you were asleep in my arms I cried too.  You are 3 years and 7 months old and I remember the night daddy gave you your binki.  You were less than a week and it was love at first suck.  That binki has made many trips and has been the source of turning our car around more than once.  That binki gave you comfort and love.  It was a loyal binki thats for sure.  My tears tonight came from knowing you are my final little blessing that I will have to rock to sleep because of missing your binki.  It's okay if you wake up tonight crying. I'll come hold you and rock you and probably cry with you again.  

I have video and pictures I need to put on this computer so I can add to this post.  They are priceless and I know you'll read and watch this when you're older and probably laugh.  

I should add that I went through this same grieving process with Andrew and Emma as I watched them want something so badly that I took away.  However, with you Rylee my tears aren't drying as quickly.  Maybe they will always show up when I think of this evening. I love you babe.

Happy Thanksgiving 2014!  We celebrated our blessings by spending the entire day in the kitchen and on the sofa with the kids.  Staying home on holidays is special.  Quiet yes, but rich and loud in opportunity to discuss our gratefulness.  We are heading to Sunriver tomorrow morning and we couldn't be more excited.  Phil surprised all of us with new snow gear so we are ready for the elements. So blessed even in the stressful moments that leave a plastic bowl flying out of my hands and shattering on the floor. (Monday) That resulted in me taking a time out in our closet.  Raising these three amazing kids renders me speechless in joy and at times yelling loudly.  God is good all the time.  Amen.

Took kids to the McMinville water park, Wings and Waves.  A great time except Andrew wasn't feeling all that good. 

Go Seahawks!  We love spoiling Leslie Wolgamott!  We had a blast a few weeks ago driving up for the game.  Thank you Phil for taking us!  Love spending time with you babe.

Little bit of this and that

Sorry kids, I had to add a couple photos that didn't necessarily showcase family time but our trip to Vegas was over the top amazing! Thank you Phil for 17 years of marriage.  I love this journey we are on. 

New York.  I'll be making a photo book on that trip.  Enough said.

And here begins a lock at our summer.  Bike ride across the west salem bridge and enjoying a fun gondola ride in Spokane.  More to come on our summer but present day I am…

Alone.  Well, not really. Rylee is napping and I am taking a few minutes to sit down and write about what our life looks like today.  My intentions are to do this once a week but its been way longer than that since my last post.  Oops. 

Piano is going great!  The hard thing about taking piano lessons is that darn piano stares at me as I walk by and I swear it is whispering "play me."  I love learning and wish I could play more but that day will come.  

Andrew is loving his 3/4 blend and I am hearing amazing reviews about his teacher Mrs. Costas.   Emma is not at school all day and loves having "hot lunch."  I let them buy lunch a couple times a week.  She also loves school but I sure miss those two all day.  

How am I really doing…..

My head is itching.  We all might have lice

Phil tore his ACL, we get confirmation tomorrow.  He has and will be on crutches for what seems like years.   I don't need to add my feelings to this post…… he knows. 

Emmas appt with Dr Harding at Dohrnbecher went beautifully yesterday

So to sum up my day, life is good even in the tough days. 

I'll be back soon.

 

Summer begins!

Summertime has begun and so far so good.  What I mean by that is there hasn't been any major blow out drag out fights and no serious injuries from playing outside all day.
 I've basically been voiceless for 10 days now after arriving home from New York.   Andrew, Emma and Rylee are enjoying my inability to yell and bark orders for them helping around here.
 I am doing my best to listen to my kids.  When I hear them say "mommy, mama, mom, (or if Andrew is mad) Aimee I want to look and hear them.  I get so busy and find myself saying, "just a minute" "hold on" "I gotta do this real quick then I can.."  When really I want to say yes babe and put down the phone, the dishes, the laundry  - wait, Phil is the clothes folder around here.
 Tomorrow I am sure the kids will start their morning watching Michael Jackson videos, building a fort and wondering why we are out of milk for their cereal.  Life is good.

Loving Life with the 5 of us!

Even this picture is 14 months old. Am I treading water or living life so on fire everyday that I neglect to capture these amazing moments. I am ready to begin again. Baby steps. I can do this! If Facebook can get my attention a few minutes each day so can putting memories down that will last a life time.