Cheers

Cheers to my last night being a single parent!

Lord willing, we will be picking Ben up tomorrow evening...in the rain probably, but who cares!

We are doing school for as long as we can (I'm even going to try to get some done in the morning) and today's snack was extra special.  Apples and pretzels with caramel dip.  Not so fancy, but today's snack time gave us time to talk about daddy coming home and Alison was able to talk through some things she is worried about.  She's a smart cookie and even put some things together that I hadn't.  We've been planning a party for the day daddy comes home and she realized that if he comes home tomorrow night, she'll be tired and we won't have time for our party.  Then Thursday Ben has a ceremony in the morning and she has soccer in the afternoon and she pieced together that it would be awhile before the party actually happened.  She is also worried that daddy won't be able to find us when he gets off the ship.  These are valid worries and I'm so glad she shared them with me!

 

it took Colin all morning to do his one job of putting on pants!

This clip is not as funny as usual, but it gives you an idea.  We always have sandwiches for lunch and everyday I'll ask Eli if he want a jelly or ham sandwich and he'll give me a 5 minute tutorial of everything he wants and I can never keep up with everything he asks for.  I love how he says mayonaise...it sounds like bandaids.

This is probably the longest clip I've posted on this blog, but we're always talking about how we wish we had the camera set up so we could just tape our everyday life.  Remember the good ole days when you could record hours at a time?  I was getting some things done at my desk this afternoon and Colin came in the school room and just started jabbering away.  Every sentence lately has ended with Momma.  This kid just cracks me up!

School today...

I pulled a muscle in my neck yesterday morning, simply by handing Colin something. 

So, I bunkered down on the couch in the school room, with an ice pack and Alison's planner to write up another week of school.  I had the kids pick a subject and bring me their books so I could teach without moving and it gave them a chance to decided what order of school they wanted.

The kids asked if we could have pj day and thought it was hilarious when I actually said 'yes'. 

 

  I'm thankful that we can do school in our pj's, on the couch and I can look at my beautiful girl's smile.

Thank you Nor'easter

We should be getting ready to go to the base to pick up Ben...but we're not.  Thanks to the Nor'easter, the ship is still down in Florida waiting for the storm to die down and will hopefully be home Tuesday.  We are seeing the affects of the storm here.  High winds and lots of rain and did they cancel soccer?  Oh no.  Because apparently 8 year olds are tough enough to play in storms.  

Alison still had soccer pictures and a game yesterday morning, so we spent the entire morning out in the storm.  We spent a chunk of time in the car waiting (I was praying they would send everyone home!).  The boys played Minecraft and we sent silly pictures to daddy.

I confess that I bribed Alison.  She was feeling anxious about soccer even without the rain factor.  So I told her that I would pay her $0.25 for every time she touched the ball.  She said that it helped her feel less nervous about the game and she did actually touch the ball 3 times, which is huge for her!  

Alison confessed that she wanted to quit playing after the game was done, but she had a great attitude and tried to have fun playing in the rain.  The boys and I huddled under the umbrella, but still got very wet. 

It was not my favorite day.  I'm proud of us for sticking it out but looking back, I kinda wish I would have pulled her out of the game.  I get the vibe that they forget they're just 8 year olds and if she gets sick from it, I'll really be kicking myself.  We're just not hard-core sports people.

 

Right after the game, we went to a birthday party.  It was a "bounce" party and the kids were supposed to be outside in the bounce house, but again, thank you rain.  They jumped in it some, but it got too slick and ended up doing crafts inside.

 

They did the pinata on the porch, but when the candy fell out, it went flying into the pouring rain and the kids got even more soaked trying to get their treats.

 

We came home to warm showers and pj's! 

 Hopefully Ben will be home this week!  I'm sure we'll have to wait in the rain for him, but it will be worth it!

This weekend

We went to some friends down the street for dinner and a movie on Saturday night.  The kids were counting down the minutes until it was time to ride down.  I told them to go outside while I got waters...and then realized I needed to switch the laundry and lock the doors and start the dishwasher...they sat like this, at the end of the driveway waiting for probably 5 minutes!

Playing with friends and watching 'Home' made for a perfect Saturday night.

 

These friends have been great lately.  They also started homeschooling and will come over most days when they're done to play outside or we'll meet them at the library or park.

We rode our bikes home in the dark and the boys kept shouting, "The moon is following us!!!"  

Sunday was "Kids' Appreciation Day".  I wanted to celebrate the almost end of deployment with the kids and let them know how awesome they've been over the last few months.  We started with lunch at the Bakery after church.

 

I love how Eli's face is planted in his muffin.  

 

 

After they were all sugared up, we headed to Target.  I gave them each $10 to buy whatever treat they wanted.  Alison was very strategic and got a Ken Barbie (she's been excited about getting a boy Barbie), a trick-or-treating bag and some gummy bears.  Eli followed her lead and got a small Lego set, a bag and skittles.  Colin had no concept of money and went over budget :)  He really wanted this large playset, but somehow we talked him into a truck that carries matchbox cars.  But he of course, had to have the bag and gummy bears too and I wasn't about to argue with a 3 year old about budgets.

 

You have to watch this one in Target (really wish this wasn't blurry!)

 

  

He will throw whatever he can into the cart.  It took me awhile to figure out he was following me around carrying this giant thing of cheese balls (he calls them cheese pops).

On the way home from Target was my favorite.  The kids were saying the most hilarious things...probably the aftermath of the muffin.

Alison: "Hey Momma, I was just thinking, if I'm not a swimming champion or spy when I grow up, I think I'll be a pop star because I'm a really good singer."

Eli: "I'm not a good singer, but I'm a great dancer."

We spent the afternoon playing with the new toys and watched a movie.  Alison said it was her most favorite day ever and I'm really hoping they remember this day more than the disappointing days they've had over the last few months.

Alison said today, "I'm making today 'Momma appreciation day' and I'm going to take you out to lunch and then to Disney on Ice!"  She's such a sweet girl.

Pictures from Haiti

These are the pictures Ben sent this week from Haiti.  He led a COMREL to play soccer with kids and to take supplies to an orphanage.  He said said that Haiti was the poorest country they visited and the scariest to drive through (like guards waving guns kind of scary), yet it was the most rewarding place to be.  The ship only has 2 more short stops for supplies and they're on their way home...9 more days and I get this handsome man back!

Words are a growin'

Colin's language has been growing and growing and he's been saying the sweetest and funniest things.  I wish I could record him talking all day long.  

Remember that map he mailed to Ben?  He told me the next day that daddy needed it because he can't find his way home and that's why he's been gone for so long.  It broke my heart that he thinks his daddy is lost at sea, but I was so thankful that he was able to verbalize what he's been thinking so I could show him on the map where daddy is and the route in which he'll come home in 11 days!

Allison came over to play on Sunday.  Colin kept saying, "Where are the Alisons?"...for some reason it just made me laugh.

I picked him up from the Y and he ran into my arms, gave me a giant hug and said, "I was so worried about you momma."

We had some friends over yesterday afternoon and he wanted to help me make the brownies.

"I can do it momma.  I'm super strong now because I'm 3."

P.S. He picked out his own outfit.  Step #1 of preschool for Colin is learning to get himself dressed.

He set the table for our friends all on his own.  As he put the cups down he said, "Bailey (her name is Zelie), other kid, other kid, baby."  Ha!  He doesn't know their names, but was so excited to host them.

And don't even try to leave him out of a conversation!  We got a text from Granddaddy at dinner about Minecraft (Elizabeth and Kent started playing with Eli when they were here) and Eli was going on and on about what to tell Granddaddy...it was too long to type, so here's your response Kent:

Sunday Snapshot

So I realized that I totally dropped the ball on Sunday Snapshots.  Apparently I stink at consistency.  So this Sunday I'm stealing Kent's photo of the kids.  We recreated this picture:

A fun and dirty day

 Before I get to our day today, yesterday Colin went straight to the school room when he got up in the morning and started drawing.  He worked diligently for awhile and marched straight outside when he was done.

"I have to mail this to daddy!"

Today when he said, "I knew the mail truck would come get my map for daddy; he needs it for his adventure!"  So daddy, if you are reading this, please pretend you got that map because I had Alison sneak it out of the mailbox while I was doing school with him.

Alison had her very first soccer game this morning.  The grass was very wet from rain yesterday and it was pretty humid, so she was a hot mess by the end.  The boys did a fantastic job sitting on the sidelines with me :)

I have some not so positive things to say about soccer this year, but maybe I'm just at a grouchy stage in life.  The positives; her coaches are doing a good job teaching this new soccer player the game and she's having fun.  I was surprised to see for-real referees this morning (last year the coaches ran the games) but was proud of Alison for jumping in a following whatever someone told her.  It was hard to see who was who this morning because both teams were blue!

 

Alison's biggest fear on the field is getting kicked, so she doesn't really get in the game.  She's aware of what's going on and will follow the play, but she will not touch the ball.  At half time I gave her the same talk I gave Eli last year...this the one time you don't have to be polite and be aggressive.  You are strong!  I added to Alison's that she is fast and fierce and it's time to show her team that.  I don't think she believed me and made more friends on the sidelines than touched the ball, but she had a great attitude and I'm proud of her.

After soccer, we went to Eli's friend's birthday party.  Kristen set up a Ninja Warrior course in her backyard for the kids!  I was very impressed and also thankful that she welcomed all of our kids.  The kids went through the course one time and it started pouring!  We hung out on the deck until there was a little break and then the kids went back out in the rain.  I turned around and they were helping Colin on the zip line!

He jumped off and said, "I'm 3 now momma, I can do everything."

 

Eli wouldn't even go near that part, but Colin jumps on at the first chance he can get!

Part 2 of the course was swinging over the pool.

 

This is the rest of the course:

Not pictured is driving a little car around some cones and walking across 2 balance beams. 

The kids thought it was so fun to put on swimsuits and run around in the rain and mud.  I'm not sure it's what Kristen had planned for the day, but it worked and we all had fun.  We got in the car and Eli asked, "When Emmett turns 7, can I go to his party?"  and Alison asked when she could have a real birthday party.  All that to say, it was a fun and dirty day.

Alison Louise, 8 yrs old

School is in session

Before school begun, Kent took us to the movies for one last summer fling.  It was a really fun movie, although I felt I got more out of it than Alison (Inside Out...go see it).  Alison wanted a picture by the fountains after the movie because she's convinced she will never see water again when we move to Arizona.

 

Kent also took first day of school pictures for me.

Monday morning, before Elizabeth and Kent left, they played with the kids and I frantically organized school room.  My theme in life right now is "embrace the crazy".

Thankfully, Tuesday morning we were able to kick off school and it went way smoother than I anticipated.  The kids were excited and fell into our routine with ease.

I had to document our schoolroom at a clean state:

I love how Alison still got dressed up for the first day even though we were just at home.  Art for the day was painting the window:

 

We picked up ice cream on the way home from the Y that evening to celebrate a successful first day of school.

Real Life

That geography notebook I made at 6am the morning of our trip?  It sat in the trunk the entire trip, untouched.  I was mean and made the kids work on it when we got home.

 If you come to our house unannounced, you will find Eli's room a complete disaster.  He is the one who plays really well with all of his toys and while I love his imagination, it drives me bonkers how crazy his room gets.  All of the kids have really been enjoying listening to music and have been taking turns with an old phone and headphones.  However, they have discovered my running music and Eli spent an entire morning listening to "Shut up and Dance" over and over.  This was the first time I've ever heard him sing along with music.  Awesome, right?  He couldn't have picked Jingle Bells or Ole' McDonald?

 Ben is in Honduras right now:

He led a COMREL (I have no idea what that stands for, but it's basically a missions trip) to an orphanage today to take them supplies.  He has one more mission in Haiti and then he's on his way home!

Elizabeth and Kent are here visiting for a long weekend.  Alison made a 'to-do' list for their visit:

First on the agenda was girls day!  

 

We got pedicures, went shopping and ate LOTS of ice cream.  We let Alison get some frozen yogurt to keep her going through the boring-to-her stores and then we all ate at Baskin Robins.

Granddaddy stayed home with the boys and got a good dose of "let me show you how to play Minecraft".

We went to the pool for the last time today.  It's so sad.  The water was cold and the pool was empty and knowing that it's our last time there ever and Ben won't get to see them swim this summer is just sad.

Nana made up a game for Alison.  It was genius.  She stayed warm on the side and threw the hula hoop in the water and Alison had to jump in it.

I was happy staying warm with the best snuggle bug ever.