Mom's Day 2011

I started receiving Mother's Day gifts on Thursday from the little boys, which they made at CDO. I'm going to say this (and don't tell my husband,) but those handmade cards from my kids are the BEST! When they thrust them to me and they are just bursting/beaming with pride. Gosh, I just love it (and them) so very much.

Blaine's card. I love the scrubber as the flower.

he wrote his name and glued the pink paper!

Britton's card

flowers from Britton, in a green pot! They actually look a lot better now, this was right after I received them.

Brandon's card!

Like any other day, mom duty called so I missed church on Mother's Day Sunday in order to nurse a sick one back to health. I was sad to miss church, but wouldn't have been anywhere else but with my kiddo. I love my kids and absolutely love being called "mom" "mama" "mommy."

to encourage my reading goal, Ryan and the kids gave me a Nook! I love it!!

There are days when I feel at my wits end and think that I'm not cut out but I know without God I couldn't do it. With 4 kiddos I try very very hard to cherish moments that I know I will look back and miss....
Between cutting up food/fetching ketchup/assisting in feeding the kids, by the time I sit down my food is no longer warm. Once I actually sit down to a warm meal means my kids will all be old enough to not need my assistance. With toys all over the living room and in the "bus" and just the fact that I need a "bus" (Suburban) to haul our family around. Yeah no toys all over the place and a smaller car will bring many tears when that day comes. Some days I have to remind myself when I am washing down cold food, tripping over toys and using the last little bit of energy I have left to get back in the back of the bus to buckle or unbuckle a kid, that 9 years have already gone by (very quickly) and it doesn't slow down from here.
After chatting with a great mom friend this week following Mom's Day, who also has 4 children, we gave ourselves a challenge of spending 2 solid hours (at least) with the kids. That means no laundry, chores(!), phone, computer, nothing but getting in the floor or going outside, really anything that the kids want. It sounds so simple but there are some days when at the end I feel like I haven't spent as much time as I should or wanted to.

 

Gracelyn was very concerned about Berkley, our dog. She was telling him "no,no" and he wasn't doing anything to deserve it, just standing there.

Blaine has been begging us to wear his suit since he first wore it on Easter. Britton's boots are a must-wear everywhere

a picture of me with my kids, finally. Berkley is in the bottom left corner and I forgot to take off my glasses.