Other random things I am grateful for |November 2012|

1.  That my kids have never had lice....... (knock on wood).  I know I might as well start this list off right.  I really do think about this one every once in a while.  I am so relieved.  It is something I have worried about since Olivia was born.
2. That Beckham tells me, "I love you too momma." Every time I tell him that I love him.
3.  That Gwen loves to do the little things I ask them to do every day before I ask her just to make me happy. (How is that for a run on sentence?)
4.  That Olivia is teaching me how fun it is to be a mother of an 8 year old.
5.  For the hours of fun BR and I have had throwing our kids in the lovesac.
6.  That I am feeling much more patient this year.
7.  That my kids don't fight everyday the way they fought the last two nights.
8.  For Christmas traditions.
9.  For the nights that bedtime goes smoothly.
10.  That my 30's are a time when I don't get as worked up about the things that frustrated me in my 20's.
11.  I can call my siblings and parents anytime I want.
12. Pinterest brings me in contact with so many great ideas about being a better mom.
13.  For nights when my kitchen is spotless before I go to bed.
14.  that I like to floss my teeth.
15.  My parents are coming next week =0).
16.  I had a really, really great childhood because of them.
17.  For My 2 brothers and 2 sisters, and the way I felt growing up in a full house.
18.  We have made good friends with our neighbors.
19.  Our other crazy neighbors finally sold their house.
20.  I have good friends who I love like family.
21.  My kids still laugh when I tease them, or act silly, or tickle them.....
22.  The sunshine.
23.  Sweaters.
24.  My Uggs.
25.  My nice, warm bed.
26.  Books that make our kids excited about reading.
27.  Hearing Olivia play the piano. . . .*one of my favorite things ever*
28.  Watching our kids learn new things.
29.  Our kids artwork.
30.  Exercise.
31.  A healthy body. . . And stable back (knock on wood).
32.  Pictures that capture our life.
33.  Good food (especially when other people cook it for me).
34.  Christmas lights.
35.  Going to bed at the same time as Brad.
36.  Clean, Vacuumed floors.
37.  A vacuum that works really well.
38.  Systems that make keeping the house clean more efficient.
39.  That I am an artist (even if that same creativity makes me flighty, random, crazy sometimes.)
40.  Kind in-laws.
41.  Cousins.
42.  Wool socks.
43.  Organization.
44.  I can play real, fun games with our kids now.
45.  Having Beckham home with me all of the time.
46.  Wonderful, exceeding my expectations, teachers and school system for our kids.
47.  Reading with Gwen.
48.  Cuddles and loves from the kids.
49.  Getting into TV series with Brad and being so excited to watch them.
50.  Saturdays with plans.
|51.  The way I feel when I think of my blessings.

Today I am grateful |November 2012|

2.  For Brad.  I am crazy about that guy.  I feel so lucky to have him and so blessed every time I get to be with him.  When Brad is around, my life can't get any better.  He is so good to me and he is a great dad.  He comes up with great ways to connect with our kids whenever they are together.  Brad is kind and thoughtful.  He comes up with fun things for us to do as a family and he is great at giving each of us sincere compliments.  He loves us and we each know it.  And boy do I love him.  We make a great team, and he means everything to me.  Lucky. me.

Today I am Grateful |November 2012|

1. That we get so much time together as a family in the summertime.  That our time is low key, and that we all work on achieving our summer goals together.  That we have summer family hobbies, and we make a lot of memories.

Halloween 2012

Evening Fires

I can't think of a better way to end a day.

Gnome Catching |Quebec September 2012

The day after the bike race was Gwen's birthday and Brad planned a special outing to the secret forest,  a woodland scavenger hunt inhabited by gnomes.  We wore hats to let the gnomes know that we were friendly, we shook our bells to enable us to find them, and made our way through the forest to find the answers to all of our clues and eventually end up on an island with a small gnome house where we watched a play.  The kids thought it was amazing and Brad and I had a great time too.  Best of all, Gwen felt special on her birthday.  We sure love that little girl!

Quebec City |Summer 2012|

In the first of September, we headed up to Quebec City to watch a cycling race.  The race was structured as a course through the old city that the cyclers repeated 16 times.  We hung out along the course and cheered them on as they road past each of the 16 times.  The kids collected all kinds of free souvenirs (including these blue cycling hats), and we all enjoyed the Quebec apples they were handing out.  I was amazed that we were able to stand right next to the racers at the start and also amazed that we were able to watch some of the best bikers in the world.  The same teams that compete in the Tour de France.  Brad and Olivia even got autographs from some of their favorites, and I was thrilled to my all time favorite, Thomas Voeckler  race upclose and personal.  All in all, Brad and I were thrilled that it turned out to be fun for the whole family.  The whole weekend was perfect, and better than we expected.  

• One of my favorite memories was of a volunteer handing Beckham this Quebec flag, and him immediately waving it proudly and yelling, "GO AMERICA, GO AMERICA, GO AMERICA!"
• Also, Brad asking for water bottles from the Russians
• Olivia getting "Autograph fever" and asking every cyclist around to autograph her hat

Autumn Bucket List 2012 | Treeworgy Orchard and Corn maze|

-Clue Style Who done it

-Sibbling race.  Each one started in order according to age.  Gwen won.
-Life is More fun with BR around.
-I love weekends!

Autumn Bucket List 2012 |Bald Mountain|

{Pictures of us at the peak 2008, 2010, 2012}

Just about the only thing that could rip me away from summer without kicking and screaming is Autumn.  The change of the air brings around so many fun memories and traditions.  Each summer our bucket list seems to have new things we want to try and goals we want to accomplish, but our bucket list for fall seems to be filled with traditional adventures we have done year after year.  Bald Mountain is among my favorite of those traditions.  This year, I was amazed at how much easier and faster it seemed when everyone could hike it on their own.  Olivia was the first to the top, and she and Gwen were the first to the bottom.  Beckham marched to the beat of his own little drummer while Brad encouraged him along.  The weather was foggy, and threatened rain, but held out for us.  We ate fresh picked apples from the orchard, whoopie pies, and buffalo style pretzels at the top =0) {which Olivia carried in the back pack up and Gwen carried down!}

Aren't traditions the best!?  Isn't it fun to see these pictures of us at the top year after year??

How to spend the last weeks of being 2

(if you look at this picture larger, you can see his little tongue out in concentration.)

When I asked Beckham if he liked knee boarding, he replied, "Yeah!  I goed unduh dah watuh!"  Funny how the part we were worried about (him falling off into the lake all by himself) was his favorite part =0).  Cute, brave boy. He was thrilled, "Omma(momma)... I'n not a baby any moe-uh!"

Beckaroo turns 3

Our sweet little man turned 3 today.  He seriously melts my heart.  This boy is pure joy, all the time.  He is full of happiness, and it is contagious.

Favorite things: the color "Geen" and anything "Geen."  Food, especially "Geen" food.

Favorite things to do: play cars, ride his bike, color, play with Ginny, or his sisters.

Favorite person: Daddy.

Favorite foods: yogurt, shakes {especially a "big one."}

What he does when he gets frustrated: hit

Imaginary play: All about monsters, trains, planes, cars, and more monsters

Chef

This is my first attempt at starting to pick away at the posts I need to catch up on.  Miss Olivia loves to cook/bake.  In May, she made her first cake.  Carrot cake from scratch, and she made it all by herself {except for one important help from me..... a little reminder that she forgot the baking soda =0)}