Family Pics 2012

Here are just a few of the amazing pictures we had taken by Sarah over Thanksgiving. I seriously get a little speechless when I see them. I feel so blessed to have this fun, wild, and loving fam!

Sharing

Beckham and I were having a talk this morning while cuddling in bed. Becks has felt a little neglected lately since I've been putting up Christmas decorations. Unlike the other boys he's never really learned how to play on his own. So we took lots of time to cuddle this morning.

He was telling me all about something that happened at preschool, And how he had been told that it's important to take turns. I asked him why we take turns? He thought about it for a while and then finally said really seriously "because I'm not the bad guy."

That's what your perspective on life looks like when you watch too much G.I. Joe, Transformers, and bay blades. It's so black/white and good guy vs bad guy. I am really happy that he relates with the good guys :-)

Happy Halloween!

Wow what a crazy day! They boys all wanted to be Ninjagos this year. We had Kai, Jay, and Zane. Mr Bishop used our Mummy in the cafeteria!

The boys could not wear their costumes to school right away so they wore their Digital Dudz dudz to start the day off.

Beckham got all dressed up to participate in Davis parade and party!

Davis was such a proud and nice brother.

Then we got to run the party for Davis' class!

We had about an hour off and then we were back for round two - Caleb's parade!

Wow! I was exhausted by the time we got home! We only had a hour to rest up before we got fully decked out to go to a birthday party for some friends and then Trick or Treating!

They were awesome! We have the nicest neighbors that had special treats just for our boys! We are so blessed!

Kumbaya :-)

We really have the most amazing group of friends! I feel so blessed and consider them family and know they love us and sincerely care about us. We had the best summer goofing off and even though things are busier now, I love when we all get together and it's just like old times!

Learning to love to read

Its finally happened, Caleb has engaged in a book! Caleb is an awesome reader - he is reading 3 grade levels above his own and has awesome comprehension. The only problem was, every book he read was like reading an encyclopedia for him. There was no emotion involved. He could read one book one day for reading homework and then the next day choose a whole other book. He wasn't engaging in stories and it seriously has made my heart break.

I don't read as much now as I would like but as a child and young adult I was an avid reader. I learned so much from books. They take you to places you cant travel to and teach you new words and customs. They really are the best education a person can find. I really want my children to feel that same passion and its been a killer to have such a great reader who couldn't have cared less.

I finally had the inspiration to allow him to read into the night for a while after the other boys have gone to bed. Ive always resisted allowing them to read in bed at night because it inevitably turns into playtime. Plus Caleb takes so long to fall asleep normally that the few times we did try it, he stayed up even longer into the night. Now I have him reading in the playroom chair and not only has it helped him look forward to reading but he is also going to sleep so much faster!

And what you may wonder was the magical book that made it happen....Harry Potter of course. There is something magical about Harry Potter. I'm not sure why but whenever something in my life has gone terribly wrong, I read them again. I escape into the magical world of Hogwarts and enjoy the struggle of good verses evil and the joy of triumph in the end. It might be cheesy and childish but I LOVE them and I can see Caleb does too and it makes me so happy. Even my Mom had a little bit of this. When she was sick she started them over again and was in the middle of book 4 when she passed away. I continued to reading them thought the end when I got home.

Seriously this Alan Rickman quote sums it up for me...

I feel the same way (even if I didn't play Professor Snape in the movies). There just has never been a seres that touched my heart in quite the same way.

I cant wait for all of the adventures that Caleb is about to embark on. What a glorious opportunity to have books and an imagination!

Like a freshly shaprened pencil...

The other morning I had a bad Mothering morning. Like - reallllly bad! When all three of the boys had left I sat and cried for a little bit. I was disappointed in my kids for sure, but I was more disappointed in myself. It can be so discouraging as a Mom. No one can be 100%, one hundred percent of the time. Yet, sometimes we expect that of ourselves. 

I spent a lot of time thinking that day and mucking through some of the physical piles that had built up in our house, and mucking through some of the piles in my mind. I came to some good conclusions, and decided it was time to forgive myself my shortcomings and press on. But I did want to show my kids that I was sorry too. 

I got into our pencil drawer and found some Halloween pencils we had. I sharpened them all up and set them on the table with some new Halloween erasers Grandma & Grandpa Henderson had sent.

  

 When my boys came home I was ready to tackle homework and life again with a nice fresh start. 

  

In many ways I felt like those pencils. Dull for a time, but then I took the time to sharpen myself up, refocus, and start over. I know my edges will wear down again and I will have to resharpen again at some point, but for now its enough. 

 

 I don't think we have to do big things to show our kids we care and love them. Sharpening pencils took me all of 5 minutes, but the excitement of sitting down at the table together after school with the boys made up for our really bad morning.

Christmas lists

I am having the boys write out their Christmas wish list during fall break this year. I figured it would keep them busy for a while and it has! I remember as a kid flipping through catalogs. I'm pretty sure it was the Toys R Us catalog and having so much seeing all the new toys available.

I put the boys on the Internet on the Toys R Us site, but really its not the same. In fact I think its pretty lame. There is something about holding a catalog in your hand and looking through it. Bummer for them.

There are so many things the technological advances have given us, but there is also so much they have stolen from childhood. Kids do not have the imagination they use to have and they don't use their minds like we did. Makes me sad for the boys.

I usually know what the boys will like and just buy for them without really asking for a list but I decided to get an official list this year because John says he thinks it really important that they get at least 1 thing they really want.I love that John is providing such a great childhood for our boys. Not spoiling them by any means, but caring that they get something special they really want.

Here is what they asked for this year.

Caleb:

 Wont have any problem finding one thing on that list to buy him :-)

 Davis:

Its so funny to see the difference in their personalities. Caleb put everything on the list that he even might want. Davis put super expensive weird things on his list. Like a train table...we just converted ours because they never used it! His response, "well, it would be nice to have two." Good heavens - maybe they are spoiled! At least we can afford the Lego City Space Shuttle!

They also keep going around saying, "I'm getting____for Christmas!" I keep reminding them, this is just a list of things you might WANT! Just because they are on the list, doesn't mean you are going to get them!

I still don't think they believe me, but I better get it to sink in or they are not going to have a very happy Christmas!

Time alone

I am loving the few days a week I have just to myself. I feel so much more put together and ready when the boys come home from school. For the last few years Ive just felt within a step of cRaZy! I know I do it to myself and overbook myself, but that's just something I'm going to always have to fight and work on.

After school today I had our Halloween playlist going and we were all at the table doing homework. There was just this beautiful moment where it was quiet as we all worked. Davis was doing a hundred hearts assignment. Caleb was working on math, and Beckham was practicing his name. I just looked around and loved the concentration and the learning going on at our table. We have such smart boys!

I also love how fun its getting. Last night we grabbed the key to the church, a soccer ball, and 4 cones and just went and played indoor soccer as a family. It was fun! We can all play and no one is left out or left behind. Its so great!

I always felt guilt that the baby bearing years were not the highlight of my life. I always expected them to be. Perhaps if my pregnancies had been different...But I also see people who don't enjoy the teenage years and I think I will love them. They are much more suited to my personality.

I feel contentment setting in with our stage of life. I know uncertainly and frustration will cycle back around, but for now I'm loving it!

Sleepwalking!

Lately our boys have started sleepwalking. I know I did it as a little girl and I think it's so funny. John thinks I'm insensitive that I laugh but really it's super funny what they do!

Tonight we heard something as we were in bed. We came out to find Davis trying to get comfortable on the pool table using the pool balls for a pillow. I tried to get a picture but John "protected" him from me :-)

What a good dad!

Staheli Farm 2012

We went to Staheli Farm for our annual fall FHE!

I love this tradition, and the way the boys faces lighted up when I announced that tonight was the night to got to the farm. We had a great time of course - the weather was perfect. It seems to get better each year. Of course there are always our favorite things.

This year they also had some sort of trampoline/bounce house that was half out of the ground.

Wicka D. Witch was also a fun addition to the pumpkin patch. She was pretty creepy but fun.

They also had pig races!

We were there for over 3 hours and could have stayed for 3 more!

Until next year...