A Few Captured Memories

Okay, so while being engulfed in mom guilt we also made some new memories this month. I went back and looked at pictures and it was a busy month. Might have felt like a blur but I'm glad that I actually captured a few moments with my phone camera.

We went to see the lights at CALM. Was a fun night!!

We don't take always take the boys to see Santa but this year it was a spur of the moment because I was running errands nearby. And I'm so glad we did! The picture came out GREAT! They were all looking & smiling. Another miracle, the picture is already in a frame :)

We made a gingerbread house! Landon ate more than he put on the house and was wound up from the candy for a few hours afterward, seriously he went a little crazy! We let him have the back of the house so he could decorate it how he wanted without disrupting his brothers' creativity. We usually let them each do their own house but it was fun this year to watch their different personalities work on one project together. Daddy is the perfectionist. Nathan decorates a little well...in a hurry. Carson is the artist and wanted everything even on both sides. And Landon well he had the whole back and he loaded it up while he ate as much as he could shovel in.

 

 

 We took the kids to look at Christmas lights and we did a Scavenger Hunt for the second year in a row. It was fun watching the kids work together this year while they tried to find each item on the list. Even the littlest was trying to figure out what the words said and mark off things as his brothers found them. One of the few times, we let them all sit next to each other in the car......

On Christmas Eve, we played a bunch of fun games. The kids look forward to this more than Christmas morning. Remember all those unmatched socks? Well, we put them to use on Christmas Eve during one of our games.  We also let the kids have a contest in which they got to decorate their dads, the dads were good sports!

 

And here are a couple of pictures from Christmas morning. Although we don't have any family around on Christmas Day to spend time with, it is always such a peaceful day. We eat a nice breakfast, stay in our jammies most the day (sometimes the entire day), and just relax playing with new toys, taking naps, and watching movies. I think it may be the most relaxing day we have all year. I try really hard not to put anything away and just let the kids enjoy their new presents without me trying to find a "home" for them right away. It is a day of being present with our kids and it is my favorite day of the year!

 

 

 

 

Loving on his dog.

 

 

We're excited about new castle blocks...Whooaah!!

 

Why should he get dressed for breakfast on Christmas? Seriously, keeping clothes on him can be pointless sometimes....

 

 

 
If pictures are the proof, then we had a great month and even if Mom didn't get to all the things she wanted to or document every special moment....our family enjoyed some special moments, some I think the boys will remember. I feel so grateful and blessed for my family and our imperfect life!

It's A Busy Season.......Too Busy For Mom Guilt?

Four months. That's how long since I've written or documented anything on my blog. I guess you could say I've been a little busy. But it doesn't mean I haven't wanted to write. It is my outlet, every part of my being has been calling me back to this computer screen. Not to mention my lack of documenting my children's  lives, especially after losing 600 pictures off of my phone. However, life is busy....and I can't always say what I'm busy doing. Days go by and I can't remember what happened for the previous 3 or 4 days....life, REAL life keeps people busy. You know the kind where people have jobs to tend to, bills to pay, meals to cook, children to discipline, errands to run, laundry to wash, houses to clean.........just day to day life is busy.

And then I remembered, that was the point. The point of why and when I started my blog. It was to force myself to slow down, to take in lessons from everyday life, to find the beauty in the mundane, tedious parts of our lives.

And so it's not some special Christmas memory, or the miracle of carrying a baby, or anything that I particularly care to remember. It's not some vital life lesson that I've learned that's driven me back to writing.

Nope, instead it's just plain old Mom Guilt. Nothing new, nothing unfamiliar. Same old insecurity, fears of inadequacies, and the blame game in which the finger is always pointing back at myself.

In the past two years, during the Christmas season we started some new traditions, made a ton of crafts, and seemed to really enjoy and take in the holiday season. Even though we experienced the loss of our baby during this time last year, our family seemed to really engulf the holidays.

In the last two weeks that I have been on vacation, I have been completely engulfed in mom guilt. You'd think that being on vacation I'd be able to do all of those same things that I've purposely done the last two years to help create special memories with the kids. But it just seemed that I was so behind on everything for countless reasons and  everything felt rushed. Every time I turned around I felt like there is another one of my inadequacies staring me in the face. And I'm not talking just about the holiday part of this mom business. Closets full of disorganization to the point where things are falling out. You know when you have to shut the door super fast so nothing falls out... Pictures laying around, stacks of paperwork that need to be filed, lists of phone calls to be made, and the to do list goes on.....

In the past few months, I haven't taken very many pictures of my kids. I feel like their growing up so quickly and I don't take enough pictures. And then when I do, what do I do with them? They sit on my phone for a long time or I put them up on a social media site, and occasionally they get transferred to the computer where they sit. I haven't put a new picture up in our house in a REALLY long time. My kids all took school pictures this year but none of them are in a frame. I don't even think I sent any out to family members. The other day in the hall closet I found their elementary scrapbooks where you keep their school memories......half empty from last year and not even filled in at all for this year. Let alone, hopefully I can find the pictures needed to go in the books.

So, in photo documentation ...this momma is not making the grade.

And all of my other guilt eaters are not new if you know me, I think I was just able to fake it for awhile. The busier you get the harder it is to fake things that you weren't really good at in the first place. I told my husband last night, I'm not any good at any of that mommy stuff; I don't cook well, can't sew, I am clean but have been a horrible housekeeper lately with the laundry always five steps ahead, hate baking, and honestly anything domestic really seems to be just a little out of my reach. He tried to make me feel better and say that when I have time to dedicate to those things I can be good at them, but I told him there are other people who do it well and they work, they have kids, they seem to manage it all. And he really can't understand. On Christmas Eve, he cooked tamales, chicken enchiladas, baked a cake, and made homemade sugar cookies for Santa.......all after I had messed up at least three dinners the previous week......

So in the domestic arena.....failing miserably.

And it seems like it all comes down to time. So I rush through the days, hoping to get everything done. Hoping at the end of the day, the house will be clean, laundry done, I'll have prepared a healthy meal for my family to eat, the kids will be getting along when dad gets home, and when there is work involved I'm always hoping it's completed and I'm ready for my teaching days. Oh and here's to always hoping the first graders schoolwork is completed so that we don't have to do anything after dinner except baths and bedtime. Do you know how often that happens?......Hmm, rarely if ever. Today is a good day, because the house is clean and the laundry is pretty much caught up. The kids have been entertained and so when the husband gets home....all will be peaceful and I've planned us a nice dinner...... out at a restaurant. And we didn't have school work today, lesson plans, or grading. So all of this makes me feel inadequate. Like I should be able to get more done, and wishing what was getting done was getting done better. Seriously, where does the time go in a day??

So this mom guilt comes in many forms and sometimes I convince myself I must be the only feeling it, like I'm the only mom who thinks it's difficult to balance it all. But I don't think it's true, I just think it shows it's ugly self in different ways for different mamas.

And after the last few days of letting the guilt eat away at my self esteem, I have come to the conclusion that it is what it is.  Life goes through many seasons, I may not be able to be as intentional as I'd like to during this season of our life.  I have a job that I love where I feel like I'm contributing and making a difference. A job that for so many reasons I truly believe God has called me to do. But in order to do that job well, it takes up a lot of time that I used to have for other things and there's only so much time in a day.   I have a fourth baby on the way and I'm homeschooling my first grader, which on some days feels like a full time job.  And the energized four year old...... let's just say he keeps us on our toes. None of those are a small task all on their own, put them all together and there's a lot going on. We are in a busy season in our lives.

But here's what it boils down to. There are days we are so tired that we are just trying to get to the next day. If we could fast forward the time from 6pm-8pm on some days we probably would. Does that make us bad parents? Does it mean we don't want to enjoy every moment or that we don't love our children? No. It just means we're human. We do the best we can and on some days the best we can involves eating fast food and skipping baths. I'm not a supermom, I'm not a perfect mom. And some days I don't even feel like a good mom. But what I know in my heart is, I'm doing the best that I can for my family. And instead of focusing on all of the things I'm not doing or that I should be doing better, I need to focus more on what I am already doing. Because they're watching me all the time and they're learning more from my character and how I treat others more than anything I could ever do for them. So maybe they'll grow up with a mom who's the worst cook, one who didn't take a lot of pictures and put them into cute baby books, one who forgets appointments ALL of the time, and they may remember the constant pile of laundry and having to get clean clothes off the floor in my room and their mismatched socks from the sock bucket (because I hate matching socks). But if I can teach them how to treat people, how to be patient, and how to love another person......then honestly nothing else really matters.

Courage....The Most Perfect Word

Right now, I should be lesson planning or doing one of the other twenty things that is staring at me from my to do list. I should be doing something more productive than writing on my blog. But I can't because I feel like if I don't write something soon I may go a little crazy.

 

I haven't written about my One Word in a long time. But let me tell you, it is not because it hasn't been on my mind. At the beginning of the year,  I wrote about how I felt like God had chosen my word and how I wish I could have chosen a word that was more fun or exciting or easier to live out. But if there's one thing I've learned, it's that God doesn't make mistakes and he always knows what's best for us. He knew that having that word in front of me for the past five months would help to give me the strength that I would need. If you remember, it wasn't just the word but the verse Joshua 1:9 ; "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” And so it wasn't just the word "courage" that has been engraved in my heart but the part that says "do not be discouraged".

 

You see when God chose my word for me, he already knew that my husband would become sick with Valley Fever. He already knew that the illness would keep him out of work for four months causing not only healthy problems but financial difficulties as well. It was a constant reminder to be grateful and to not be discouraged during those months. And shortly after he returned, it also became clear that God had other plans for me as well. I had another plan for a job this school year. One that fit quite easily into my life and wouldn't require time out of the home. It was going to be easy and simple and something I knew I would be good at. I knew where my kids were going to go to school and my youngest would be at home with me where I felt he was safest due to his allergy. All was good, right?......God must just laugh at us when we think we have it all under control.

 

Anyways, I don't find it a coincidence that the month I would have given birth to our fourth baby is the same month that I was hired for a new job........one that I was not looking for. You see  God knows all the details and we don't always understand them but when we are obedient to him and follow his will, we are blessed. My new job couldn't be a more perfect fit for me. I only have to teach 2 days a week, I am teaching a grade I am familiar with both in a homeschool environment & in the classroom, I will teach 1st. grade (the grade I taught when I left teaching) at home to my 6 yr. old, my school is less than 10 minutes from my house, and about 2 minutes from my son's preschool. The people I work with are amazing and I get to express my faith in the classroom. It is as if the perfect job has been created for me.

 

But all of this also means lots of changes. My life is not on the path that I thought it would be.

We have one son starting his last year of elementary school, another one leaving his school to attend my new school along w/3 homeschooling days, and our youngest attending a preschool which is not what we ever intended. And so in a span of the summer, I have taken on a new job, enrolled our 3 yr old in the safest preschool we could find while still having to advocate on his behalf, and I will be homeschooling. Oh, and by the way I am now a Juice Plus consultant which was just one more thing that I never intended to be because I hate selling stuff. It's as if my life has just been redirected in a whole other direction. And let me tell you, I am sure there is more change on the horizon.

 

So with all the new changes and rattled nerves because I haven't been a classroom teacher for 7 years......the only word that makes sense to help me move forward is "Courage". Courage to try new things, courage to fail and learn from my mistakes, courage to allow my son to be in the care of others, courage that I'll be able to effectively advocate for him, courage that I will be able to give my 1st. grader everything he needs academically, and the courage that I can balance our family's health including my own health struggles along with all the other new demands that will be placed on me. I will also need courage to start a new business I don't really have time for and courage to have faith in the new blessings God has provided for our family.  You see courage has nothing to do with not being afraid, it's everything to do with having fear and moving forward anyways. If he is calling us to do things, we must not rely on our own understanding or our own abilities. He will equip us with all that we need if it is for his will. And so I am excited to start our new journey and am so grateful God gave me this word for this year. It couldn't have been more perfect.

The most perfect gift given by a friend.
Will need to remember next week!

 

Sibling Rivalry.....Frenemies Full Force

I have birthed three very different children. I think the only thing they have in common is the fact that they are boys. Between the three, you'd think at least some of their character traits would overlap but they really don't. One is a complete introvert, another an extreme extrovert, and the oldest a mixture of both. And I love that they are so different! However, although I love their differences, they haven't quite learned how to love each other's differences.

If you don't have boys, there is something you should know about boys. They are very competitive! So when you have three boys and no girls to break up the mix and they all have very different personalities, you can get a lot of conflict. And by the way, when I say competitive I mean about everything. They race to see who gets dressed first, whose in their car seat first, who finishes their chores first, who is behaving best in the car, who is being nicer, .......and the list goes on. I can not lie, it's exhausting. Because they are so different, they play with their toys differently. One of them is very careful to keep his things in order, he keeps the pieces together, and sometimes even likes to save the packages. The other one loses everything and doesn't care much for any material items and therefore doesn't take great care of them. And the last one, well he should be a toy tester because if it can get past him without breaking....it's a keeper!! So if someone touches another person's toy or plays with it incorrectly it can be an all out World War 3.

Now when they're not having conflicts, they can be found "getting along". Getting along at our house can sometimes look worse than the fighting. Seriously; they are wrestling, tackling each other, chasing each other around the house, or throwing the bean bags at each other. And boys are LOUD, so even if they're getting along it still sounds like they're having some sort of battle. Often crying and laughing alternating so quickly you can't tell if someone should be in time out or if you should be glad that they're finally "getting along".


See they're getting along, or are they?

And now I have to be honest and say this is one of those areas where I feel like I'm failing in the mom department. I know lots of families with multiple children who never complain about their children fighting. It doesn't even seem to be an issue. When you see them their kids are smiling, you don't see any of them fighting, and it seems as if they all get along.  They're all cohesive and everyone likes each other most of the time. If you run into me with all three of my children, you may hear one of them  yelling at the other or see the littlest one push down his older brother. Someone might tackle another for a toy or electronic device. Seriously, one of those things you just figure every one else has all together.



What our jar looked like early on.......

During the school year, the frenemies are more friends than enemies because they are not together as often. However, after a few weeks into summer I realized we needed to do something to encourage them to get along. So we are working on filling up a jar we have labeled "Brothers Love Brothers". When they are being kind or doing nice things for each other we put some of these little cotton balls into the container. They created a list of things they get to do once it's full. Now don't judge me.....I'm well aware that is just a hidden form of bribery. But sometimes a moms got to do what a moms got to do.........

	 What our jar looks like now.....they're getting there. A little bit of bribery works sometimes ;) 

The Beach







The Beach

A place we used to call our home

A place where the kids love to roam

Sandy toes, shiny shells

Blue skies and Ocean swells

Could watch them all day building castles

Forgetting all life’s little hassles.

If only we had known it then,

Beach trips would have been more often.

From blue sky to sandy ground,

Peace and beauty all around.

If we knew then what we know now,

Spending more time there would be a vow.

 

We watched the cousins frolic all day.

Jumping in the surf, with no dismay.

Boogie boarding in the sea

Shouting always, BURY ME!

The very best part

was the memories they made,

Forever in their heart,

never, never up for trade.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To Label or Not To Label...That Is The Question?

I follow different blogs and read a variety of articles/information regarding kids, families, and parents dealing with severe food allergies. There is a main consensus among all of these parents in that we want to do everything we can to keep our children safe. However, each family has some differing opinions or approaches as to how they do that. For us; we have made our home a  peanut free environment, we advocate on his behalf while trying to educate others around us, we ask the 20 questions at restaurants, I am ultra aware of our surroundings when in public, and we're armed and ready to use epipens at a moments notice.

This isn't true for all families.....and I am not here to judge that. Some families are comfortable allowing the allergen to remain in the home. Others will home school their children so as not too risk a reaction at school. Some parents of peanut allergic children allow them to eat foods with "traces" or food that has been processed on the same equipment as peanuts. I have heard of one little boy who wears a shirt to school every day that says "I'm allergic to peanuts".  I am not saying I agree with all of these things. However, it is only my job to make decisions for my children, for our family.

 

Something that does seem to divide parents is the topic of "labeling" our children. Some parents of allergy children do not want them to sit at the "peanut free" table. They don't want them to be identified by a sticker or bracelet because they don't want them to stick out or be "labeled". These parents want their children to be able to have as "normal" life as possible and they don't want them to be bullied. By the way, if you don't know it, food allergy bullying is increasingly becoming a real problem with kids. So like I said before, I am not here to judge those parents and what they see fit for their families.

 

HOWEVER, I disagree.

Landon is constantly being labeled. He is labeled when I advocate on his behalf. He is labeled when I tell others that I have a son whose allergic to peanuts. I don't think there is one person who knows me, even as an acquaintance, who doesn't know he has a peanut allergy. In searching for preschools, I labeled him within the first few minutes by telling them he has an allergy. If you talk to me longer than 20 minutes you will probably learn that my son has a severe life threatening allergy to peanuts.

I KNOW. I AM THAT MOM.

I literally label him as well. If he is not in my care, such as Sunday School or if we're at a large gathering where someone may offer him a snack, he wears a small sticker. The sticker usually says "Peanut Free" or "No peanuts for me. I am allergic." He also wears a bracelet that identifies his allergy. In addition, we mark his bag, that carries his epipens, Peanut Allergy. 

 

Landon's lunch labeled for VBS.



Backpack  w/epipens & a "peanut" label.

The wristband he wears identifying him with a peanut allergy.

 

Now don't get me wrong. He doesn't just wear these things around the house or when he's going to the store with us. We use the stickers and labels when he is with people who don't know him as well. I KNOW how easy it is to forget.  It only takes one nice parent to bring in cupcakes or offer him a snack and he could have a reaction. Not just a reaction. If he didn't get his epipen soon enough, it is highly likely he would go into anaphylactic shock and possibly die. Now if you know me well enough, you know I am far from a paranoid mom. I have 3 boys, there is no room for that. It's simple to me. Educate myself, educate him, educate others, and provide a safe environment.....and PRAY.

 

Anyways, my issue with not labeling is this. And this is not just in relation to food allergies.

Kids are different. God made each one of us unique and special in our own way. We were born with strengths, weaknesses, disabilities whether they be emotional or physical, different physical traits, different ways we learn, and the list goes on. But yet we want our children to "fit in".  It just seems , as a society, we are more concerned with children "fitting in", blending in with the other children, not appearing to be too different in fear that they may be bullied. When instead, we should be celebrating their differences! Let's teach them to accept themselves for who God created them to be. Not teach them how to blend in with the crowd. We should be  more focused on teaching other children to accept others for their differences and to show empathy towards others.  After all, don't us grown ups have enough issues of insecurity and self-consciousness from "not fitting in"?

 

So my goal, as a mother, is to teach my children to rejoice in their gifts that God gave them to use. Honestly, if they don't fit in then that's probably a good thing. Let's allow them to own who they truly are, not pretend to be like everyone else. After all, there's enough grown ups walking around doing just that very thing.

 

Landon's allergy does make him different. I don't care that I have labeled him as a kid with a peanut allergy. As far as I'm concerned, that just helps protect him because he is still pretty young. Of course, we have high hopes and I pray that he will outgrow his allergy. However, if he doesn't I hope that he grows up to accept his allergy. To own it as something that does make him different. To use it to advocate for himself, for others, to teach empathy to people who don't understand. 

"Why fit in when you were born to stand out?"......Dr. Seus

A Little Love For The Men

I feel like you do when you haven't seen someone for a long time. I wish I could just hug my screen. Ha! I've had no time to write and it's been awhile so that' s my way of saying I've missed it. Besides the little bit of writing I've done in the boys' journal, I haven't had time for any writing. And like I recently told a friend, it may be a good thing as I am an all or nothing kind of gal and letting it all spill out isn't always what everyone wants to hear. So anyways, for those of you who read my blog and keep up on our family, here it goes......

Today I've enjoyed looking at all the Father's Day posts on Facebook. The pictures and the kind words for all the wonderful men who are showing up in their childrens' lives and their grandchildrens' lives. Grandpas, Papas, Fathers, Father in laws, Brothers, Brother n laws......all the men who are giving their all to be there for their families. And I had fun looking through the pictures of my own husband with his sons. I could see the love and the memories that he's creating with them on a daily basis. Sometimes we're all so busy that we don't have time to reflect.

 

This morning we served breakfast to my husband, my brother n law, and my own father. And when I looked over at the kitchen table it was full of boys. And it struck me how blessed my boys are to be growing up in this generation of fathers. Often times in our society, the focus is on mothers and the sacrifices we are making for our families, how much of ourselves we give up for them, and  how difficult it can be to balance work, finances, faith, our children, and our marriages. But I started thinking about how difficult it must be for fathers. So much is expected of them as well......they have pressure to provide for their families, to be the spiritual leader, to support their wife in her career choices, to contribute to household duties and chores, to discipline their children effectively, and to spend what us moms consider to be "quality" time with their children. Furthermore, they have their own career pressures and their wives' expectations which may include; being a better listener, trying to figure out our love language, making enough time for us, etc. etc. etc......

And so perhaps, I have focused on how hard it is for me to juggle it all while neglecting  to consider how difficult it must be for my husband to do his own balancing act. My husband is one of those fathers who is hands on. He participates in every part of parenting and is an amazing role model for my boys. He, along with so many other fathers I know, works so hard for our family. Men are making sacrifices too. They are working long hours and choosing jobs that are best for their family whether that be due to location, benefits, hours, or pay. They are making time for their kids, changing diapers, cooking, taking out the trash, and trying to love their wives the best way they know how.

So when I look at a table full of men surrounding my boys, I feel so blessed. My young boys will no doubt grow up to be incredible men because they are surrounded by nothing less. Their Papa has a heart of gold and treats his wife with incredible tenderness and love. Their Grandfather loves the Lord and is showing them what it means to put God first in your life and how vital scripture is to their lives. Their dad is constantly showing them what sacrifice means and what it truly means to put your family's needs first. He is creative, funny, generous, handy, hard-working, and loving. And they've got Uncles who are also showing them what it means to care for your family. Seriously, this is why God gave me boys! Not because "I am a good boy mom", as many people say, but because he has surrounded my boys with incredible men. So today, let's give it up for the men!!

Here our some special pics of the men in our lives & some that show just how special our daddy is....



Curt and his dad. A great role model.

Grampa being his silly self.

He takes his kids everywhere. This is him & Nathan at Monster Trucks.



Most people do not know this but Curt is the most amazing birthing coach ever.
I never could have got through 3 natural childbirths without him. And I am pretty sure he
cried at every birth.

He's a way better cook than me!!

Birthday Parties: Legos & Loved Ones



Birthday Parties.
We love birthday parties. Our children do not have birthday parties every year. We usually have them every other year or sometimes every 3rd year. For example, Landon has never had a birthday party. This year he will be four, he will probably have his first birthday party. This works for me. One year we have parties and the next we don't. And it's fair, everyone gets a party or no one gets a birthday party. Simple and fair. So when we get to throw a party, they're lots of fun. Of course, they're lots of work too but it's fun work so that's okay.

This year I realized that there will only be so many birthday parties to throw. As the 11 year old is already beginning to simplify his birthday celebrations and his next party will not be until he's thirteen. THIRTEEN, oh lord help me. Soon, I will have a teenager. Anyways, that's another story. But the 6 year old won't have another one until he's 8 and the 4 year old til he's 6 and so forth. So when I really think about it, there are not that many birthday parties left to throw. Therefore, I think it's perfectly fine to put all the energy, creativity, and fun into birthday parties as I can muster up!

Sometimes it's a little tiring as the two older boys have their birthdays only 5 days apart and they are not close enough in age to share a party. So for cost reasons and for sanity we usually have one early and one late. This seems to help. This year had some other challenges. With almost 4 different events to host all within a span of 5 weeks and with the husband being out of commisssion it just took some extra planning. And you see the thing is I'm horrible at asking for help. I won't ask for help. I didn't ask for help. But I was proud of myself because when help was offered, I was quick to take people up on their offer. I'm finding it takes a little bit of courage to let people help.  This mama is learning that I just may have some issues related to  pride and trying to do it all on my own.  I know, big shocker for you friends.

Anyways, the only point of this post is to say that I love all the little details that go into birthday parties. I love the planning, the decorations, the food, the decorating, the cupcakes, the kids, the presents, and all that good stuff. But even if all of those things turn out absolutely perfectly, the best part of a birthday party is watching close family and friends come together. I LOVE having people who are close to us all in one place at the same time. I think it's so awesome to watch our different friends and family mingle together. If it weren't for birthday parties, this may never happen. At Carson's party, I also thoroughly enjoyed watching him play with his friends (I wasn't quite sure if he had any, that is another post for another time).

Carson's birthday party and hanging out with family & friends afterwards were great reminders that our family has so much to be thankful for. And sometimes, just sometimes you need those reminders a little more than others. It may appear to others that we have a huge family support system or that we have tons of friends. The truth and reality is that we have very few family that is close enough to help and we do not have a lot of friends. But the people who step up for us, the people who show up, the people who lend us their helping hands.........help in big ways, they really SHOW UP, and although they are not big in numbers they are STRONG and MIGHTY and feel like an army when they show up to help. Honestly, all I have is gratitude.



Lego Centerpieces for Tables

 

What 25 lego face balloons look like in your car!

 

Lego candy you can build with!



Because silverware is more fun when it's in a lego container ;)

I love him!

I guess Landon's job at the party was to eat all of the Fun Dips from the kids' party bags.......

Coloring Lego People



Fun in the water!