Water Fun!

I wanted to share some fun pics from about a month ago. Our good friend, Brynn had knee surgery, so her kids got to come hang out with us while she was at the hospital. Daisey, Isaac and Maggie just love playing with Marisol and Omar! They get along great and have since day one. It's pretty cool!

It was still warm and sunny at the time so we spent most of the day playing outside. Ari was there that day too. The more the merrier!

The next day Brynn was tired and still in some serious pain, so my friend, Clarissa and I took the kids to the new Splash Pad.

They had a great time! It's too bad we discovered it at the end of the summer. I think we would have spent a lot of time there! But, there's always next year. I think even if Aunt Clarissa didn't always have fun toys and yummy treats and let the kids play with her camera, I'm pretty sure they would  love her all the same. But, it sure doesn't hurt! They ate all her candy and used up all the bubbles in her bubble wands. She's awesome!

So fun! Summer really wasn't long enough!

Family Fun on Labor Day!

On Labor Day we headed to Boondocks for some family fun! I feel a little guilty saying "family fun" since Robert wasn't there. He had to work all Labor Day weekend. We sure missed him!
We went down with Grandpa Kent and met up with Chris and Jessica and Danny and Shayna and their kids. It's always fun together! The kids had a great time with their cousins!

This was our first time going to Boondocks. There was a lot of fun to be had!

They had mini golf:

Isaac

Noah

Maggie Mo

Lauren

Daisey

Boppa watching the fire with Noah.

Bumper Boats!

Chris and Adeline spraying Grandpa!

Isaac and Maggie

Grandpa, Daisey, Chris and Lauren all spraying each other!

Every man for himself!

Isaac and Maggie spraying Daisey, spraying Grandpa!

Ethan and Ari

This Mancub was spraying everyone!

Maggie, Daisey and Lauren spraying Ethan and Ari!

Arcade Games!

Maggie and Ari are chasing each other in tanks!

I have no words....

:)

Ariana

Maggie loved the little carousel! She rode it over and over!

Go Carts!

There goes Daisey! Watch out world!

My little Dale Earnhardt Jr!

Grandpa loves his grand kids!

But, they're all so busy I didn't get a pic of all of them together!

Boondocks also had Laser Tag, but I don't have pics of that. We had so much fun! I lost...
There were so many things to do we didn't even get to do them all! We'll definitely have to go back! With Daddy this time!

May We Never Forget

Remembering

It's hard to believe that the tragic events of 9-11 took place ten years ago.Then, I look at the ten year old sitting at the breakfast table and remember that yes, of course it was ten years ago.
None of my children were here that day. I was hugely pregnant and on bed rest with my oldest daughter, Daisey.
I remember watching the news in horror throughout the day. I bawled, as the realness began to set in. I felt such sorrow for those who had lost their lives and for those who had lost their loved ones. I felt fear for what might happen next . Being pregnant, I felt fear for my unborn child. I was soon going to have a little person to love and keep safe. How could I keep her safe from something like this? How could I bring a child in to a world filled with evil?
Daisey came in to our lives 8 days later and filled our lives with joy. I realized that life must go on. I felt a great sense of  pride that I would bring something so beautiful into this world filled with evil. Although there is ugliness in this world, there is also beauty and joy.
As my children get older they have more and more questions. Especially that ten year old! Daisey is a girl who just HAS to know WHY! Seeing as how I don't fully understand myself why all these terrible things happened, it's difficult to try and explain them to my children.
Earlier this week we had a conversation that went like this, "But, WHY would those bad guys fly airplanes in to the buildings? Why do they hate us so much?"
"I don't know," I reply, feeling very unsure how to continue to this conversation.
"Didn't they know that they would die too?", my Isaac asks.
"I guess they did. And, it's very sad. Sometimes people makes bad choices and do bad things."
"But, we know not to do bad things, huh Mom?", Maggie chimes in.
Well, there you have it. If there is one thing that they can learn, it would be that violence is never the answer. If I can teach my children to love their fellow men, then I will feel like I've done my job.
I have tried to focus on the positive side and tell my children about all the heroes who saved lives that day and how our nation came together. I've tried to teach them that we can remember and honor the lives that were lost that day.
I'm not saying I know all the answers, or that I even handled this the right way. Being a parent is a tough job. Kids don't come with a manual. It would be nice if they came with a guidebook filled with answers to the endless questions they ask! Until they come up with one, my husband and I will continue to roll with the punches in this adventure called Parenthood!
This is a video I watched with my kids on nickelodeon.com. I felt like it was helpful in answering their questions, but in a sensitive manner without scaring them.
http://www.nick.com/videos/clip/nick-news-what-happened-the-true-story-of-september-11th-full-episode.html
May we never forget.

A New Craft Blog and an Etsy Shop

I've been thinking about doing a craft blog or opening an etsy shop for a while now. I've come close before but usually talk myself out of it because, frankly, I'm scared. But, I've decided to just bite the bullet and go for it! I did both!

This is, and always will be our family blog. One day I would really like to make our blog into a book for us (using Blurb, or a similar sight). I'd like that book to be filled with memories, like a scrapbook of sorts, rather than filled with random crafts I've done.

So, from now on I will be posting my crafty goodness on my new craft blog, Crafty Mischief. I still plan on posting crafts the kids and I make together and things like that here on our family blog.

I'm also hoping a craft blog will promote my etsy shop and I don't want to share my personal family blog with the world. 

Feel free to go check them out if you want or stay right here, whatever makes you happy! Any feedback or constructive criticism would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Kindergarten!

The day has come. The day we've all been waiting for. My Maggie girl started kindergarten!!!

She's lucky to have a big brother and sister to walk to school with and watch out for her.

Look at her, doesn't she look big in her new kindergarten clothes? Aww....

The look on her face is priceless! You can tell she's so excited and nervous at the same time. This is a huge milestone in her life (and mine!)

Daisey's hand wasn't burned that morning, so she agreed to let me take another picture that didn't make her look so sad.

And, there they go. *sniff*

For years I have dreamed of the day when all three of them would be in school and I would have some time to myself! But, now that the day has come I have some very mixed emotions.

It's a very bittersweet feeling that I can't quite put in to words. I love seeing my kids grow up and learn new things and become more independent. But, at the same time it's hard for me to let them go. 

I miss my babies! I don't want a new baby. I just wish that I could go back in time and cuddle my babies for just a few minutes longer. *sigh*

Come back babies!

All morning I kept thinking "this is the last time I'll be doing this". This is the last time I'll send a child off to kindergarten. So, what did I do that morning after she left?

I cried. I bawled my eyes out. I made a big stack of pancakes for children that weren't there. I don't like pancakes. This was my nervous breakdown of pancakes and tears!

Eventually I pulled myself together and went to breakfast with my husband. It's been a long time since just the two of us have gone to breakfast. It was great! I didn't have to tell anyone to sit down and be quiet, stop eating the crayons! I forgot what dining out was really like!

When Daisey and Isaac started kindergarten I made them a school bus cake. Maggie has been reminding me for weeks that she would be expecting a school bus cake after her first day of school.

As you wish, my child. She had a school bus cake waiting for her when she came home.

She liked it so much that she wanted to use the leftover cake to make little buses for her brother and sister. They look a little more like monster trucks than buses but Mags was happy and Daisey and Isaac enjoyed them!

I'm so happy that Maggie loves school so much. She told me every little detail about her day. From what the other kids were wearing to the games they played at recess. She couldn't have been happier. And, as if Maggie sensed that I was in low spirits she hugged me and said,"Don't feel bad Mom. You didn't miss much. We mostly just sang songs and colored all day." Haha!

This is a new chapter in my little girl's life and a new chapter for me, as well. I have no doubt that she'll do awesome! Now I just need to figure out what I'm going to do! Wish me luck!