Sick Day

I love having these random sick days with you. I hate that you are sick but it is so fun getting to snuggle you and watch movies all day. This morning you woke up and came straight to my bed and we watched Jurassic World, Fallen Kingdom together. You've already seen it but I had not yet. It was so funny each time I cringed or felt anxious you would say, "no mom it's fine _____" then spoil the part for me. I never corrected you because I loved it. Through the whole movie you were trying to calm my nerves, but I also saw how you strategically stood up and and went to the bathroom or got some water when the more scarier parts of the movie happened. Love you my sweet and sensitive boy.

Oh How I Love You Sweet Boy

If you could have any superhero power what would it be : I would like to be strong like hulk because he is crazy strong and shoot webs like spider webs -- "what if you had to pick one" -- "well what if we just did both".... okay then.
If you could eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be : corn on the cob
What would your dream job be : zookeeper
If you could travel anywhere where would you go : Chicago -- why -- I would like to make more memories at the beach up there.
If you had a million dollars what would you buy : a house made of candy.
What is your favorite color : orange
What makes you happy : hanging out with my parents
What is the coolest thing about you : that I lost two teeth
If you were brave enough to do anything what would it be : go check out a super dark cave
What's one thing you can't live without : my parents and my sister.

Fears

She does not like things that move and talk. We had a Mickey that didn't make the cut, even when n the closet she was afraid it would get out. This talking elephant has also haunted her dreams, but today I found her laying like this pushing his button and giggling. <3

Makeup with Friends

A little before bed makeup party with friends.

Midwest Fall

 On Tuesday it was 90 degrees and we were all wondering when it was going to turn to fall. On Friday it snowed.... snowed. Huge flakes and it lasted about 30 minutes. These two loved it, I kind of wanted to go cry in a corner somewhere. But I mustered up the strength to act so excited. They ate their dinner while looking out the window and they kept screaming "snow". I don't know why in the midwest we even answer fall when someone says "what is your favorite season". Everyone always says, "oh I love fall". Why? Why do we love fall. We don't even get a fall. If we do it lasts about 1 week.

Wildlife

 She loves to sit here and watch the ducks and geese fly by in the evenings before bed. Our home is amazing for wildlife here. We have 3 herons right now, probably about 25 ducks, and well over 100 geese. She freezes when she hears the geese start talking and runs to the windows and screams "geeeessseee", because she knows they are all going to start flying past.

The Great Corn Maze of 2018 :)

Well he left scared and she left wanting more. He was nervous at each corner and it didn't help that dad kept jumping out of the corn stalks. **palm/head** Evie walked up to the "dead" and would flick them in the head. Ryder tried to stay as far away as possible. These two are so night and day it cracks me up.

Pumpkin Patch 2018

Little miss was all about the pumpkins, she found a small one and carried it with her the entire time. When she found the big pumpkin she wanted she sat down with it between her legs and would not leave it until we put it into the wheelbarrow.

...sigh

Happy Birthday to You

Ryder what is something you are really looking forward to now that you are 7? 

..... long pause .....

*turns to me and whispers* "mom what kinds of things do kids do when they are 7"

Happy 7th Birthday Sweet Guy

Quiet Heart

He takes after his mama, it is nearly impossible to get this kid to leave the house on the weekends. He's always in his own little world and if we let him call the shots, we would only hear from him when he was hungry. Sometimes I worry about him, but then I remember I turned out just fine.

Bath Time Fun

Monkey See, Monkey Do

When he sits, she sits. when he builds, she builds. She always wants to be part of what he is doing, and he's usually pretty good about it. The LEGO obsession is real over here and seems to be getting worse (when I thought that wasn't possible). Little miss is even starting to get pretty good at them also. #realgirlsplaylegos

Sweet with a Side of Sass

You are so sweet yet in those eyes you can see that tiny yet there ornery side. :)

Piece of You

Three years ago, I called my dad asking for his advice on floating shelves. My sisters and I had a tendency to do this when we were hinting to him that we “wanted” something. His response was, “I suppose you want these yesterday”. He knew how impatient I was on my ideas. My dad loaded up his table saw, what seemed like a million tools, and headed to Indiana within a week or two. If there is one thing about my dad — he was a perfectionist. He didn’t do anything halfway when he set his mind to it. He asked me the dimensions I wanted on this shelf and when I told him he tried to talk me out of it and said I will hate them that small. I told him he was crazy. He made the shelf that day while I was at work and I came home and he said “I only made one because it’s too small”. He was right, it was way too small. He read it on my face as soon as I looked at it. So he walked out to the garage and began making two more for me. He made them perfectly, he hung them and I’m pretty sure if our house was knocked down, these shelves would have been completely untouched and unharmed. The part of the story I wish I could unfeel was my dad holding his side the entire time he was here and him wincing in pain frequently. I wish I could unfeel the part where he couldn’t leave the house and go do “our favorite” things together because he didn’t feel well. I ended up asking my dad to leave that trip, I told him he was going to the emergency room here or home but he wasn’t allowed to stay at my house if he wouldn’t see a doctor. I wish I could unfeel the feeling as he pulled out of my driveway that day. That was his last trip to Indiana. These are his last things he built for me. They have been weighing on my heart that I haven’t hung them yet in our new home but today five days before the third anniversary of his death they are hung and they are beautiful and a piece of him will be next to me as I pray for him nightly to watch over my family. I hope to never forget these stories of him. He loved us more than life and would jump in his truck to make our ideas happen. He loved to help us and he loved when we were happy.

I hope I never forget the feeling as we stood back that day with his arm around me and looked at the shelves and tried for 30 minutes to try and decide if they were perfectly even on my wall. We giggled as we remeasured and decided they were perfection because they literally are. 💙

Necklace

We were at the mall and she saw this sweet rainbow heart necklace and couldn't stop looking at it. I hardly buy her anything and used to buy Ryder anything he remotely showed interest in, so I made a big deal and asked her if she wanted mom to get it for her. She was super excited and asks to wear it everyday. <3

Rainy Days & Rainbows

She kept looking out the window and then told me that she was waiting to see the rainbow. <3 

First Day of 1st Grade

 First day of first grade for this handsome boy. He had a wonderful day and is excited to go back tomorrow. Can't believe how much he has changed in just a couple short months.

Goodbye Summer

I think she is wishing for summer to come back too. 

Happy 2nd Birthday Little Girl

We lit your candles and you blew them out about .3 seconds into the song, your brother turned to you  and said "jeez I wonder what she even wished for". You asked us to light your candles again and again and again. You loved it, it is hard to find things you like to do but I am pretty sure this one takes the cake. #nopunintended

It Was a Great Day

Summer Mornings

I love these mornings with you, I am going to miss waking up slowing and snuggling in bed with you and letting you climb and snuggle me. I hope that next summer your snuggles are still as long and you love being with your mama just as much. Let the crazy school mornings begin, hang on sweet girl, don't grow up too fast before next summer. 

Literal Perfection

Daddy Daughter Love

I just love these two together. Leave it to a dad to jump in with all his clothes on after his daughter says she wants to swim in the creek. 💦