What's Working For Us... and Not So Much

Thumbs Up...

　
Bribing the boys with M&M's to go to the bathroom is super (thanks Cassie). Especially since we upped the anty to 5 for doing the deed in the BIG potty. (Sooooo much less clean up if you catch my drift). They will now no longer even go near their little toilets. Even though they get sung to if they sit on those! Instead they just hop around waiting for their brother to finish before they take a turn.

　
Ever since the boys were moved to beds last January we have been battling them about staying in bed all.night.long. Even after we bought Mr. Green Light (a.k.a. "Buzz"), they had a hard time staying in bed. The constant chase back to their beds was becoming exhausting and some nights Chris and I were finding ourselves sitting outside their door until near 10 p.m. every night, only to have a few minutes to spend together before heading to bed ourselves. About a month ago we started doing a sticker incentive (thanks Angela!) where if the boys would stay in bed from the moment prayers were said, all the way until Buzz turned green in the morning at 7, they were given a sticker. After five stickers we take them to the dollar section at Target and they can pick out a prize. Ethan loved it from the moment it started. He has already picked out three prizes (cotton candy, a snake, and a bouncy ball). Grayson had to make sure it was truly worth it, but after seeing his brother get that snake, he too has now jumped on the sticker wagon and got his first prize yesterday. The past few nights this entire house has slept all night long. Simply marvelous.

　

　

　
A bonfire with friends this past weekend certainly worked for us. It is so nice to just slow life down a few notches once in awhile and just sit together and drool as you get lost staring in to the flames talk.

　
Carving "Popcorn" the pumpkin was a hit with E and G this year. I remember last year they wouldn't touch the ooey goo inside, but they were all about it this go round.

What Ain't Workin So Great...

When this moment played out for us yesterday afternoon. K, ready?

Just moments before Chris had to leave to fly south for the winter (or just a couple days...perhaps it just felt a bit longer than that)

Adelyn woke up crying in her crib. Chris and I were trying to have this deep discussion, but upon hearing Adelyn cry I knew something was up.

I walked in to her dark room and just knew. She had a bug. My poor girl was covered in vomit. She was terrified and tired. Not a good combo.

Chris helped me strip her down and run some bath water for her, and then he literally had to go before he missed his flight.

I got Adelyn washed up and dressed.

Ethan woke up.

Grayson woke up.

Ethan had to go to the bathroom.

Grayson wanted his snack five minutes ago.

Adelyn starts throwing up again in my arms. All over me, her clean body, my clean floor...

I looked at her.

I looked at the boys. (Who were looking at Adelyn with mouths hanging open. They were frightened to see their sister sick like that).

I looked down at myself.

And then I said out loud, "I really have no idea what to do."

I was totally at a loss. Where do I put Adelyn? Do I help her first? Obviously the snack can wait, but what about my other son who desperately needs to use the restroom before I have another mess to clean up.

I just put this image in my mind of what life would look like an hour from that point, when everyone would be cleaned up, tended to, and content.

And I just tackled it. One thing (kid) at a time. I'll spare you all the details. Let's just say we got er done.

(Thankfully, after a 14 hour sleep last night, Adelyn woke up pretty much back to herself this morning, and by this evening was rockin and rollin in her costume and seemed back to her party queen self again!)

Grayson wearing my boots didn't go so well. That boy has no grace when it comes to wearing heels! I just had to laugh when I came around the corner the other day and saw this boy in his underwear and his mother's shoes.

You win some, you lose some. :)

A Little Time Away...

This past weekend I got a little bit of me time.

It was glorious.



I flew out to Virginia to visit some family and friends, six months after our move. I was lonesome for all those beautiful faces, and just needed a fix.



I walked away from the weekend feeling so loved.



So full.



I have been blessed with some pretty incredible relationships in that beautiful state. Some people that know me to my core, and love me all the same.



And at the same time, loved and known here in Minnesota too.



It is an incredible feeling, one I feel undeserving of.

And then...I got to come home to this...





Thank you to every.single.one.of.you who made the trip so amazing for me.

My Dear Mother and Father H for picking me up and bringing me back (even in rush hour to downtown D.C.!)

My friends and family who made me feel like a guest of honor in their home, making me meals, letting me be a part of their family if even just for an evening, allowing me to sleep in my own bed (even though I could have had the honor of sleeping with two four year olds two nights in a row!) I was spoiled rotten.

A trip to the spa to get a coffee scrub and 55 minute massage - fully paid for by someone who shall remain nameless, but may or may not be the mother of my husband. :)

I was sad that I didn't get to see everyone that I wanted to see, or that I didn't get to take a picture of every person I was able to see so I could include them on this blog post! You all know who you are!

Thank you for the hugs, the laughs, the smiles, the memories, the conversations...

I'll be back Virginia! You can't get rid of me that easy!

(And a HUGE thank you to my parents and Chris for taking care of our children while giving me the opportunity to get away for a bit! I truly could not have gone without your help! Love you!)

A Little Time Away...

A Home Tour (Of the Downstairs...all Rooms Occupied On the Upper)

A couple of you have commented to me that I haven't posted many pictures of our new home yet. Well...let's do it then shall we?

I will have to do a Part II when the kiddos are awake and not sprawled out across every bed we own in this home.

This is the view when you walk in the front door. You can go up the stairs to the bedrooms, straight in to the kitchen, or turn left to go in to the living room.

Here is looking down from the kitchen in to our family room. I'm at a bit of a loss with this room right now. I love the built ins, and I love the fireplace...but something about it just seems really dated to me. I just have no idea what I would do to improve it. I'm thinking (dreaming) about maybe one day putting wood flooring down, painting those built ins some other color, and I have no idea about that fireplace. Paint it? Recover it in stone? New mantel? See...told you I was at a loss. If any of you reading this have any ideas about renovating this space please let me know! For now though it suits our family perfectly and we spend a lot of time in this room!

A view of our "formal" living room. This is directly to the left when you come in the front door. We have the piano in there, along with our couch that we were hoping to get downstairs, but it won't fit. Not sure what we want to do with this room to make it fully functional and used, but I really like it. The previous owner used to teach piano lessons here.

This is the dining room, right between the living room and the kitchen. I love this room, the light it lets in, those windows...it's just a cozy space.

Here is one view of the kitchen. I was concerned about the cupboard space in this kitchen, certain that without having a closet pantry that there wouldn't be enough room, but there was plenty! In fact, we still have a few bare cupboards to fill! This home was built in the early 80's and all of the appliances (except for the fridge I think) are original. The previous owners did an amazing job keeping them all in pristine condition. I have a dream one day of painting all of those cabinets white, and then adding either a touch of green like this

or possibly orange. I would love to install wood floors, as well as change the counter tops and appliances, painting the fridge with chalk board paint...A girl can dream eh? :)

Another view of the kitchen. I need to get some curtains in that window, and I am debating sewing some myself! Gulp. That would be a completely new experience...but we'll see if I can get up the courage (and skill!)

Last on this level is the sun room. I love this room, but will be sad to say goodbye to it for the next six months! I was hoping the sun would keep it warm enough to use, but it sounds like that's not the case - so we'll have to say goodbye until spring.

I didn't take a picture of the basement, but that is where our playroom/tv room is. It's just a huge open room that is now filled with toys and a couple pieces of furniture.

We are loving this home! I am loving how well it suits our family right now. We have room to spread out and play. I do have some hopes and dreams for this house about things I would love to see done with it, but I also realize that with three young children this may not be the practical time in our lives for renovations and upgrades. I truly am just working on remaining content with the current status it is in (which is not bad!), doing little things I can like hanging pictures on the walls, figuring out how to decorate the fireplace mantel, and maybe, just maybe, picking out some fabric for that kitchen window!

I will try and get some pics of the upstairs soon and get those sent out!

My Decorators

I am so very fortunate to have two little interior decorators living in my midst!

Published with Blogger-droid v1.7.4

And There Was Rest

I love myself a fall Sunday.

Ever since childhood there is just something about Sundays this time of year.

Maybe it's the crispy air you breathe in as you settle yourself in to the car to head to church.

Maybe it's the comfort food you stuff your face with eat for lunch.

Growing up football was a big part of a Sunday afternoon in our home. I remember countless naps taken on the couch while we cheered on the Vikes (I stay awake solid for the first quarter...after that I'm typically a goner).

It's just a day where I allow myself to have my to-do list sit on the counter and not touch it.

A day where I just want to put my feet up. Read a book, read the paper, bake something, play with my kids, talk on the phone...whatever it may be.

It's just a day to get refreshed, recharged, look back on the week behind and look forward to the week ahead.

It's a good day.

Speaking of the week behind. Here is a small recap of ours:


This girl is a full blown walker (and get a look at those bottom teeth)! I have yet to truly capture it on film because every time the camera comes out, she goes down!

Completely off topic - but my Dad has thought for a while now that Trixie from Hi and Lois reminds him of Adelyn. I can't help but see a small bit of the resemblance!


We made cookies and apple crisp together this week. The apples were picked off trees at my Great Grandma's place. The boys had fun pitching the rotten ones in to the corn field.




Potty training has taken off this week! The other night Chris worked with Grayson for over an hour on overcoming his fear of the toilet. He just talked with him, explained the way things worked (ha!), and in general just talked at Grayson's level (literally and figuratively). Grayson came downstairs at the end of their time together, sat on the potty, and hasn't looked back since! They have done great this entire week with going to the bathroom. Just one major accident to speak of. And trust me, it was pretty major. I told Mom I'm not sure if I am cut out for this job. Gag.
(And speaking of the above picture...after a potty episode Ethan's underwear went missing. I found them hanging like this on the gate. Better than on his head like his brother I guess...)


We see at least a few of these a day from our sweet angels. Here is Ethan in action during one of his. I believe this one was because he couldn't lick the beater with raw egg on it. Mean Mom.


We visited a couple more pumpkin patches. I am addicted. I just love Adelyn's feet in the pic above!







Yesterday morning my parents came to help us tackle our yard. We had many overgrown bushes and trees. They were an amazing help and knocked it all out in just a few hours.


My brother Mike and nephew Micah also came up and spent the morning with us.

There was just a moment yesterday morning in our kitchen where my three kids and Micah were making crazy amounts of noise and playing together, Mike was sitting in the kitchen talking to me, and my Dad came in from outside, stinking to high heaven of fuel from the chain saw. The sun was pouring in the window. We were all just talking. I was just overwhelmed with this sense of feeling content.content.content.

Last night we went and had some time with some family from my Dads side. It is always such an awesome treat to spend some time with my Grandpa and Grandma, who are both in their mid 90's now. My entire immediate family was there, along with my Dad's sister, her husband, their three children, and their children. We had seven kids total there last night - ages 4, 2,2,1,1,1, and 8 months. Such noisy, fun, chaos!



This photo was taken this morning before church. Chris is out of town for a couple of days, so the kiddos and I did it on our own this morning. Yes, I completely wore that same dress last night and again this morning - but when you already do at least a load or two of laundry a day a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

Happy Sunday everyone!!

(Looking to the week ahead...I am SO excited for Friday morning when me, myself, and I head out to Virginia to catch up with family and friends for a few days!!!)