Friends leaving

Yesterday was the saddest day in history.  I swear.  We found out our friends were accepted to early separate from the military and will be moving away real soon.  I was devastated.  They are our BEST friends.  Our one REAL friend.  There were many times throughout the day when I'd think of them and just tear up.  I'm really going to miss Pam!  She's always been a true friend.  I could call her up and talk about nothing.  I could vent.  I would encourage her that everything would be okay.  Many times in Germany, which is where we met, we lifted each other up because it can get lonely over there without any sort of family around.  We became family.  Now a part of my family is moving and I just don't know how to handle this.

Part of me hates the military.  Why would they let them separate and not us?  The whole officer and enlisted differences is the reason, but I'm jealous.  We really wanted out.  To have a normal life.  They get that chance to start a normal life with their beautiful family.  Jealous?  Yes, definitely!  I'm still extremely happy for them and the new possibilities of their new future.  I'm sad.  I'm happy.  I have a lot of emotions right now.  The kids don't understand yet, but when they don't get to see Lily on Fridays, they will be sad too, I know it.  They love their little buddy and partner in crime.

Here's to hoping our friendship remains after they start their new life!  

Pam, Jason, and girls...Good luck on all your new endeavors and hopefully we'll cross paths again!

May Week 2

May 12th:  The start to a very cold week.  We stayed inside and finally wrote out thank you's for the kids' party back on Easter weekend.  Nick worked night shift this week, 930 pm-630 am, so the kids and I tried to be quiet all week.  Good thing they had 4 days at school so he could at least get peaceful rest until 230.

May 13th:  School day for the babies, it's the last week!  While the kids were in school I headed to the store to pick up some teacher appreciation supplies.  It was a busy day of running around trying to find everything I needed and multiple trips to the craft store.

After the kids got home, we assembled the teacher gifts.  I found this 'simply' tag from here .  The takes printed larger than I wanted because I bought the individual size of lemonades, but Office Max peeps are awesome and shrunk them for me.

I also thought it was too 'boring' with just the one tag so I added a tag  in the back with a cute little message, then added a bow and straw and Sterling signed her name.

Xander gave chocolate!  The way to the ladies heart :)  I loved how personalized they were for each teacher.  I found these tags here

And because his name I had printed on the front, he wrote 'thank you' on the back of his and added a sticker

Since Nick was trying to get in one last quiet nap before he headed to work for the night, the kids and I headed to Culver's to get a shake.  Sterling loved it! 

May 14th:  My purse is always a complete disaster and it dawned on me that I won't be taking it to Florida when we go and I don't know how I'm going to survive 

I'll be taking this crossbody bag and only this

I also started a 2 day project of organizing the 'catch all' room.  My, what 4 months of not taking the time to put stuff in the right place can do.  It's looking much better now, I just forgot to get a picture of the after

May 15th:  The last day to pack a school lunch.  I continued working in the basement this day also.

May 16th:  Last day of school!

 

And just for comparison, their 1st and 2nd day of school...

After school, Xander and I tackled the front of the house and freshened up the mulch.  Xander was more interested in the bugs he was finding.  The plants the owner planted last year I'm wondering if they will grow back.  I sure hope so because I don't feel like digging them up.  

May 17th:  Sterling still swells up from syrup.  This girl!  Our friends came to dinner this night!

Our friends came over for dinner.  What a great night.  We haven't hung out in so long that it was nice to get everyone together.  Kids didn't go to bed until after 1030 and they didn't take naps, so it was an easy put to bed kind of night

May 18th:  A few I never see at 0840!  I loved it!

What a fun second week of May we had!  It was busy.  I didn't spend much time on my computer worrying about school work and emails.  It was so nice to get things done around the house and not have school hanging over my head.  It was also easier to keep the house in order all week!

Now I get to enjoy my kiddos for a few weeks until they go back to school.  So excited to have them home with me!

Everyday Life

Now that school is done I can hopefully stay caught up with the blog.  Hopefully.  This post will catch us up to today.

May 1st:  Caught this sweet moment of Xander reading his Bible before school.  While the kids were at school, we received the 'playground', as Xander calls it.  After school I took some pictures since I forgot before school.  Xander was kind and shared his beef stick.  Minnie goes everywhere with Sterling.

May 3rd:  We got up early and was in the yard at 8 putting this fun thing together.   

May 6th:  It was our first warm enough day to wear a tank top, so we took advantage and went to the park.  We also noticed the seeds we planted a few weeks before have started to form flowers.  The red pot is Xander's and his is sunflowers.  The white pot is Sterling's and hers is daisy's.  Mine, well mine is still just soil...nothing!

May 7th:  Another nice day so we played in the water! 

May 8th:  I hung pictures in Sterling's room and I just love this picture!  I just need to find a coordinating piece to go on the wall next to this wall. 

May 10th:  Today was Sterling's day to hang with mom while running errands.  First up was shopping.  We were on the hunt for raincoats, but not the thick raincoats.  I wanted the ones with the mesh lining and were lightweight.  What a challenge to find.  We did find some at Scheels, but I didn't feel like paying $55 for each kid on one.  We also went into GapBaby and as I was shopping for a swimsuit for her, Sterling was trying stuff on!  She said 'look mom', I turn around and this is what I saw!  Hilarious...I told her to stand still so I could take her picture.  Creative little fashionista. While we were in Scheels, she wanted to ride the Ferris wheel, but of course is a hair too short (and still couldn't ride!) so the sales person told us of an event they were having in the north parking lot.  We went to check it out.  This was a day that I wish I had Bubba with.  He would have loved it!  They had a firetruck open, Swat team and their weapons, police car open, and a strider bike event with a free helmet.  Sterling of course wouldn't take hers off and fell asleep in the car...with it on.  

What a fun start to May so far.  Now that school is done, it's just going to get better.  This week is the kids' last week of school until July and I'm looking forward to having them home with me everyday!  We can get our painting back on.  We can take trips to the zoo.  We can play games.  We can take nature walks.  We can go to the pool.  We can have fun.  I'm so excited to have my kids back everyday, all day.  Life is good!

Mother's Day

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

Today marks 4 years of celebrating this wonderful day.  I longed to be able to celebrate this day for 10 years before my 1st celebration.  It was 10 years of heart ache.  10 years of hiding and not wanting to be around others.  Not anymore.  I love spending this day just like any other day, with my family.  But just a bit more special.  I may still have to cook, clean, and play with the kids.  But I love it.  So it's okay!  I may have other days where I just need a break from it all.  That's okay to.  At least I can be honest about it and recognize when a break is needed.  I love my family on the good and 'bad' days and all the days in between!

At school the kids made these cute cards and picture frames. 

The inside of their cards...I love it! 

These are the two beautiful cards from my hubby and kids.  Nick used the kids hands to write inside their card...so creative and thoughtful :)  

Then I decided to ask the kids some questions all about me.  Just to see what they'd say and we can compare them to the years to come.  I figured Sterling's would be a lot of one worded responses.  She didn't disappoint, ha!  

Xander gave some responses but I'm still confused on his "sissy doctor basket" response.  And I guess I like to get in a rocket ship?, ha!

I have no real big plans today, but that's just the way I like it.  Nice and simple.  Today is my LAST day of classes until fall, so after I get this one last project turned in, I'll be done for awhile.  This is the best gift today, ha!  

So I have to tell you.  I wanted to make those rice krispies  chocolate scotcheroos for my 'treat' today.  I made them yesterday.  I've already failed at making regular rice krispies last month, so why would I even attempt to make this more challenging treat?  I'm nuts!  Well they failed too.  I think I cooked the syrup and sugar too long?  Or not long enough?  How do you know?  Ugh!  I give up.  I guess I didn't 'need' them anyways.  I need to lose a few...or a lot of pounds anyways.

For lunch today i'm creating a yummy chicken salad with watermelon and grapes (on the side).  Dinner is my favorite of fried shrimp, steak for Nick, corn on the cob, and chips.  Can I cook it now?! Yumm-o!

I feel so honored that Xander and Sterling call me their mama!  And I'm so honored to call them my children!

April - Week 4

Catching up...

April 25th:  We had a play-date with the kids' best friend, Lily

  

April 26th:  Xander and I made a run to Home Depot to buy a deck box and some plants

April 28th:  Xander fell ill.  High fever and stayed sick for the next 5 days! 

April 29th:  Xander stayed home from school.  I made a homemade chocolate chip scone for breakfast (at 0615!).  It was delicious!  I made it again 2 days later! 

April 30th:  Xander stayed home from school again.  Sterling ate her lunch at school...which means her sandwich too!  That's big in this house.  She's known to just eat her fruit and sides.  Her teacher took this picture and texted it to us...how sweet!

Easter (late!)

Late and for the books...

This year we celebrated Easter with family.  It was so nice to be a part of the gatherings again!  We headed up to Sioux Falls on Friday afternoon, had the kids b-day party at Chuck E Cheese Saturday for lunch, then headed over to my aunt and uncles place for supper and a kids egg hunt.

Sterling was a pro at hunting for eggs.  She fit 2 eggs in each hand!

This was the toddler group 

After the hunt and before supper was ready, the kids blew bubbles that they found during the hunt 

Cousin Caleb helping Sterling 

My cousin Emily is sitting down and all the little kids were huddled around her.  She's SO good with the little ones! 

Easter morning the kids woke up to small packages.  The giant egg had a small toy and some chocolate, then they also got a bigger toy.  Xander went straight for the chocolate! 

Sterling went straight for the baby doll!

She's already a good mommy 

Packing up from the hotel and taking a cart ride with some cousins 

When we got home, they had their baskets already waiting for them.  Books and sand toys this year. 

We had a great weekend spent with family.  Excited to have many more family weekends over the next 2 years or so!