Daddy's Boy and Mommy's Boy

Parker is our Daddy's boy.
He has grown very attached since baby Kaden arrived). The past few weeks Parker has been saying some of the funniest things -and a couple sayings are worth "blogging" about. He sure knows how to melt my heart and make me and his daddy laugh!
Wednesday morning when Mike was leaving-Parker insisted on doing his morning ritual;

•  walk daddy out to the car in the garage 
• wait for daddy to start the car and help him shut the door then...
•  Parker gives him a kiss (through the window) and then I walk Parker back inside.

But that morning I was upstairs with Kaden and unavailable.However, I heard their conversation and it made me laugh so hard my stomach was hurting!
Mike said good bye and Parker was saying "Bye Dad! ~Go Make Some Money!" Have a good day! Go make some money! O.K!?
HILARIOUS!!
I am so glad that Parker has caught on to daddy's job-he makes some money! :)
Another funny thing we are laughing at these days is Parker's confusion with "Pun-kins" and Snowmen!
Yup-two completely different seasons yet one determined three year old mind made up! Pumpkins are called "snowman!" And if you try and correct him HE WINS the discussion. Or we have a major meltdown, with the full red-head temperamental fit included! Trust me here,even his pre-school teachers are tuned in at pre-school on this one. Pumpkins are his favorite color, orange, and his favorite shape-circle. But we have one small confusion..."NOT PUN-KINS-"THEY ARE SNOWMAN!"

 We live in GA and I am still trying to figure out this one??!
LOL... I guess he loved making a snowman with the Hoeyes in March. He saw snowmen only on the lawns. So, now "pun-kins" are on the lawns therefore, they are "orange snowman!"

Our Mommy's Boy is Baby Kaden.

I am sure it has alot to do with the boys birth order and favoring a particular parent. But, it is great for us that each of the boys prefers a specific parent. Makes the night-time load easier for us both.
Kaden is such a charmer and has me wrapped around his finger He has just begun the "separation anxiety" phase. The night time fits have begun at bed time. And I am not budging...but he is our baby. So, I budge a little. However, he is a great sleeper and napper (when I am not on the run from errands while P is at pre-school).
We are so excited that he is officially 10 months old today! It has been a fun journey in deed! Especially the last two months...and the photos can explain well. He is fascinated with any new looking object, but some how he has a deep longing and desire to bond with the dog food and water dish.

 Guess we don't need to get him much for his birthday? LOL
We love you baby Kaden-Happy 10months :)

(...taken with my phone camera..not the clearest...but maybe the cutest yet of our chunk of love)
We are so smitten and love them both!

Grateful to God for both of our sweet boys :)
AND a sneak peak at our little "trick-or-treater's" this year ....(again another photo from my phone)

Go "Orange!" (Our football player and our football baby!)

thirty something?

That's right? Last week I turned "thirty-something" and life has been BUSY in my thirties! (And I thought being a teacher was tough....!)

I hear that "life begins at 30!" In alot of ways I can agree.

My immediate family is still being established but DID begin in my 30's.  I am so grateful for another year that God allowed me to have with my family. In many ways-I survived my first year as a mommy of two kids. 

I have many days that I want to run back into the classroom of 20+ third graders and have a break from the boys! Teaching a class of third graders is much easier some days then being a SAHM.

LIFE BEFORE my boys as a teacher:

•  I had scheduled breaks
• I had an Aid
• I never had to get the kids dressed or bathed for class
•  they all were doing the same task (ok 98% of class was doing the same thing)
• I had a begin and end to my teaching day
• I had weekends off!

Life AFTER my boys as a SAHM~

• No such thing as a scheduled break when you are a SAHM -
• 3-4 days a week I can usually get a "scheduled" break and get them both down for a nap.
• I have an AID -her name is Abbey (she is a DOG)~ BUT...She cleans up the floor for me after lunch time. You should consider a small dog if you have young children. They come in handy.
• Unfortunately, I have to get the boys dressed daily and I love it-bath time Daddy steps in THANK GOODNESS!
• Usually the boys are doing different things-some day they will be doing the same thing? Right? 
• SAHM-is 24/7 and I am thankful when I can have a window of time from daddy to myself.
• Weekends don't exist as a SAHM-BUT weekends are relaxing for me! Daddy is home and we usually take 1 of the days each to "sleep in" while the other takes care of the boys!

Yup, hardest job ever is being a SAHM~ BUT-I love it. I don't want to go back to my teaching world right now. Though, some days I am easily enticed too. I must say that this is my life in my "thirties-something" and  I love it even though I LONG for the breaks by myself! I often find myself singing, Isaiah 40:31-because some of my days are SO long and I have nothing left of me. But that is when I need to wait upon the Lord, run to him for strength and he will renew it EACH day for me! I can NOT do this "MOM" thing alone~ NOPE! I know that the time I have alone with my Lord is so vital to my overall outlook on my day. And it is so tempting to just stay in bed a few extra minutes. BUT, I love those moments (that I can get SOME mornings-when the house is quiet and I can be alone and get in that shower, spend some time in the word and make a high protein breakfast). This does not always happen each morning. So, I am cherishing the mornings and moments I can get alone! I know that in about 5 years it will be a norm to have some children that understand what it means to give mommy "alone" time. But right now, they need me-I cherish it and I appreciate a loving husband who understands me and my breaking points. I have seen a bigger picture now that I am a mom and have seen what really matters most and that is time with my family and capturing it all. But I LOVE it when I get time to myself and  have some time with my friends too...you know...GNO! It makes me a better mom when I can get some down time with my girls :)

Me and Pam :)

Some of my sweet friends took the time out from their families to celebrate with me.
Thanks for a fun night and looking forward to our next night out!

(I have been very lucky to celebrate many birthdays with Joy~ She came to visit me 5 years ago for my birthday (and that was the weekend she met her hubby) so fun to have one of my closest friends living in town :)

 Sweet friends from my MOPS group who loved to come out for a break...and we love to go out and celebrate birthdays! (Great excuse to get out and have down time!:)

 Lorelei and me...taken on 10.12 and baby Kai arrived 1 week later!
 (I will post soon about his arrival! Such an awesome joy to have him here!)

 Me and Samantha :)

Grateful to God for my sweet friends and three of the greatest gifts ever...my hubby and two sweet boys!

Sisters and Cousins Weekend

Aunt Julie and Cousin Jack came for a special visit last weekend.

This was Kaden's first time to meet Jack. (And Jack loved holding "HER") All weekend, Kaden was "HER! It was HILARIOUS to hear him talk to Kaden.

 Satuday Julie and I bonded at a wedding she was the make-up artist for!

Cousin Jack was never in the original plan for the weekend visit. But, the week before they arrived-some plans changed with my brother-in-law's job. So Jack got a last minute EXPENSIVE FLIGHT to GA with mommy! (I actually had a voucher left with Delta so they were able to use it to bite a  "little" chunk out of the pricey flight!)

They arrived Thursday night and Friday morning we ventured off with the boys to a local Dairy Farm.

 Isn't that just what you would do with two 3 year olds and a 9 month old?

We loved the time and even got a hay-ride to see some cows out in the pasture!

 

                                             Kaden's first time with the pumpkins!

Julie is a professional Make-Up Artist and one of her clients was getting married 45 minutes from us. Hence the main reason for her trip to GA. Most of her jobs are local, but this one she took since I lived so close. So, I got to be her personal assistant for the wedding. Julie always takes an assistant to prep her brushes and clean the tools between the clients. I have never been to work with any of my sisters, and now I can say I have! It was a blast! I loved meeting the bride, her family and bridal party. As shy of a girl I am -I did not enjoy myself at all! I LOVED being the assistant for the day and Julie would say I "talked the day away" to all. My best wishes to Susan and her husband in their new life together.

(Setting it all up...including her AIR BRUSH!)

 She is top notch makeup artist!

                     Sister of the bride (whom we thought looked alot like Reese Witherspoon)

                                          Julie and her friend Jen the Photographer for the wedding!

 Special thanks to Mike, who watched Parker, Kaden AND Jack from 8:30-4 that Saturday, while we went to the wedding. I don't know to many dad's that will take on this role too often! Do You? I love my husband! :)

 Parker and Jack are only 4 months apart and they just clicked. They had their moments but LOVED being boys, playing "ball", puzzles and most of all got entertained at times with Jack's IPAD! *(Yup my 3 &1/2 year old nephew has an IPAD!)
Sunday we had a fun lunch at Steak and Shake before they departed home.

We put the boys at one table and sisters and baby(s) at another. He-He!

Julie and Rob are expecting Baby #2 in December. Baby Graham is due the week after Christmas. I sent her home with plenty of baby clothes from Cousin Kaden. Julie could not get enough of sweet "Mr. Chunk of Love"! She was in awe of how chubby Kaden had gotten since seeing him in April!

                                                        I LOVE this photo of them.

and this one too....

We hope to make it home the first of the year to meet baby Graham, spend more time on Jack's IPAD and play with cousin Jack (and Grace and Josh too!) .
So glad for a fun weekend and even more thrilled that the last minute plans involved Jack!

Parker misses him a ton and can't wait to see cousin "Jack & Jill Went up the hill" again!

                         The whole week before Jack arrived -Parker was calling him that :)
                         Sweet memories as sisters and cousins we will always remember!