Week down

I am exhausted. I was up so early for my standards! We usually all sleep in till about 830-9 and I have been getting up with Natalie at 645. Then we run around all day I feel like doing this or that and i am so tired.
I'm tired of fighting them to eat. Boots held this pizza in his hand for 2 hours until he gave it up for no food. I don't get that, nor will I ever. Why kids don't just hurry and eat it so they can have a treat. Hello?!

Brian got head butted at basketball and
Got split open. He is fine now but that game can be rough! He has been sporting the avengers and Mickey mouse bandaids. He's cool like that!

I got re-ombred and I love it! Thanks kat you rock girl!

ALSo school update, boots starts preschool next week. Helmet his teacher today and loved her. I can't believe he will be in there all by hisself! So proud of him... And me!
Natalie has been loving her school as well. It was so Large that they had to open a new kinder class and randomly chose students to go. Of course we were chosen. Nat is sad but she will
Do fine. she was just sad that the
Room Wasn't as pretty. Oh and the new teacher keeps their
Behavior chart in her phone and iPad. She didn't Like That! Haha

She bought her lunch on Thursday and won't Stop Begging me to let her do it every day. I think once a week will bending though. she loved her choc mill and nachos though. Sounds intense.

How could something like this happen?

I know I know.... I should just deal with it and grow up. Stop saying that you are sad or that your baby is all grown up blah blah blah. But for real, My baby is all grown up. I CANT believe not only that she is old enough for Kindergarten, but that I AM old enough to have a kindergartner. I mean, I still feel like I am in high school half of the time. When  did this all happen?! I was so excited for her and so was she. She usually doesn't do well to be woken up early, but this morning she was surprised to see no sun when I got her up and she even asked me if I was kidding. She couldn't stop smiling till she left. Brian said (he took her) that he could tell she was nervous because she didn't talk much on the way to school and then she wouldn't hold his hand at school. She is so beautiful! 

While she was gone, I had a little anxiety over it. The ladies at the gym daycare said that they could tell Courtney missed Natalie, and it totally made an empty little spot in our day without her. I wanted to drive by the school just to look at the school. haha I am lame. 

Well when I picked her up, she immediately told me that some moms and dads done make their kids lunches, they get to buy stuff like pears, chocolate milk, and shell mac and cheese. She wants me to not pack her a lunch she said! 

She loved recess, and there are lots of rules. Her teacher is pretty and she sits at the Tiger Table. She got to see her friend Daisy (who is in another class) a lot which was fun. That is about all that I got out of the day. haha Oh and in PE you aren't allowed to pick your nose! 

So we headed over to get Frozen Yogart with cousins after which was so fun to see the girls in their matching 1st day of school outfits which they both picked out (they didn't even plan it!)

Root Root Root for the Rangers

We have decided to put Boots in T-ball this year instead of soccer and see how he likes it and how he does. So far he has had quite a few practices and he is loving it. He is so stinkin cute out there hitting and catching and throwing the ball around. Too bad he is on the Angels, and not the Rangers :( I wish we would have known we had a choice. Brian is NOT happy about that one! Oh well, he is loving it! 

After Practice we got home on Saturday to find Uncle Garrett Loving on Courtney and sharing some tortillas and Breakfast Burritos. All the kids wanted in. He is a lucky guy to have these 3 kiddos living with him! I know he loves it. He is such an awesome Uncle! We love having him around. He always says how much he loves having us stay with them because he always has a little hug and kiss in the morning from the kiddos. 

After some hanging out and catching a quick morning nap, we headed out to the Rangers game with the kids. It was their first game of the season so they were excited! We sat up at the top, which was perfect with the breeze, antsy kids, and we had a perfect view of the roller coasters at six Flags. I learned something new about boots. He has mastered the sunflower seed. He knows how exactly to eat them the right way and he loves it. He even can spit the shell out! Natalie on the other hand, eats it all like they are popcorn. She says she loves them, sorry that sounds gross!

She insisted on bringing her purse into the game. Contents of the purse: lip gloss, powder puff(without the powder), sunglasses, and a fake cell phone. She went through it and did a very thorough job of freshening up at the game. She would have died if she saw me taking these pictures, so I had to be sneaky but she was so cute!

Great day of baseball. We love the sport but more important, we love our team. The Texas RANGERS!

on a funny note, on the way home Natalie asked for some "ONE RECTION music" well if you know the girl at all, she tends to be a tad dyslexic when it comes to saying things. For instance Yougart= Ogrit, Hospital=hopstibal, etc. So I tried to take it slow and tell her how to say it "De-rection" Brian immediately corrected me and said "Di-rection" but it was too late and boots already had gotten out the phrase "MOM, I want one erection!" haha we were all laughing so hard! He obviously had no idea what he had just said but it was great.

wet eyes

Earlier this week I went to Natalie's Kindergarten orientation, then tonight it was meet the teacher. Natalie has an awesome teacher and we are so excited to be in Mrs. H's class! Natalie thought she was so pretty and so nice. She had this cute little sack of lucky charms and a msg that says "I am luck to have you in my class." so sweet! She found her hook and her desk and is just so excited for school! She has no idea what is coming to her... Neither do I! 

I started to get teary  in the orientation when they started to talk about two things.

1. "pay your money on Friday for your class T-shirt!" They then went on to explain that the 6 kinder classes each have their own color of shirt for field trip days (I'm fine at this point). The first F-trip is coming up soon they said, they are going to a pumpkin patch. WHAT?!! no! I take my kids to pumpkin patches. I have for her entire life up to this point and I never imagined someone else doing this. I cant see her reaction and see how much fun she will have! TEAR TEAR TEAR.

2. Then they explained lunch in the cafeteria. Scary enough just as it sounds. But then you can add on to that...they can buy their own lunch and guess what? They pick it all. no teachers are there to help, or mom to say yes or no. If they want ice cream, they get ice cream. I just thought of her going through a line picking and paying for her own food and sitting at a table with other kids. Tear. 

I am feeling super emotional about it. My little girl is almost 6 and she is growing up. I never imagined this day EVER! I still remember her little and no hair and not crawling till she was 1. She is so smart and social and will have so much fun. She will learn so much and love it I know, it will just be hard for me to lose her each and every day, all day. 

Well at least I have these 2 gooses to look forward to spending more one on one time with. Boots will also be starting preschool this year, 3 days a week - half days. So it isn't bad, but me and Court will for sure have some good momma baby bonding time. It will be so strange! These 2 are wild and crazy, so I know we wont be bored or quiet. They weren't born with a quiet gene in their bodies, either of them.

A little trip to the house tonight to check on it. They have poured the driveway and finished the drywall! That means texturizing and painting walls, and  landscaping are next! Did I already say that this is NOT the stone color we picked? I am a little miffed about it, but I do not want to extend our closing date out anymore than we already are by replacing it. So picture the trim in a medium brown and the shutters are stained, and our actual front door is on.... What do you think of the color? I think I can live with it and love it. I am just irritated that I know what I wanted, and this wasn't it. 

In all this growing up with NATALIE business that I have been emotionally dealing with, I have been thinking about this little sas. She is my baby, which I think I am gonna have to start to get it through my head that she is almost 2 and so NOT  a baby anymore. So I will keep her in a pack and play, and in footsie jammies for as long as possible. I will cuddle her and baby her and let her keep her wanky (blanky). She is just so stinkin funny! I love having her sweet spirit in our home. She is so spunky and full of energy. She is ALWAYS making us laugh, she is hilarious! Love ya girly.

Friday Family Movie night

We have been lacking in the Friday Family Movie night department. We have been too busy with summer and moving etc to even do it! But It was fun to do it again this weekend. We decided on Lady and the Tramp. Earlier in the day, the kids helped me make dog bone shaped chocolate chip cookies (for humans!) and they were so good. I have been craving some cookie dough. 

A little later, we watched the movie and after the movie Brian, our head chef, made some Delicious spaghetti with meatballs. Natalie insisted on eating like a dog. I guess If I am making them doggy ears and it is themed around dogs, it is OK for them to eat like a dog. If I would have thought about it a little more, I would have taken them to the pet store earlier in the day to see the puppies, but I of course didn't think of it till after. 

Saturday Boots had his first baseball practice with his team. He is on the Angels this year (we are really sad he isn't on the Rangers with all of his soccer team from last year, but what can ya do right?) Baseball feels like a more natural sport for our family to watch, so I hope it goes smoother than soccer did for him! Later we met up with our Friends Matt, Cade, and Jana for a little rainy day pizza and swim. The temperature dropped into the low 90's and it was SO nice!!

With "LIFE" happening too fast, we haven't been able to have a date night in, I actually don't know how long. So we scheduled it off and went on a new kind of date. Since we got married 7 1/2years ago, we have had most of our furniture and what would be large purchases given to us as hand-me-downs. I am NOT complaining because it has been sooo wonderful to have so many nice family members and friends who can give. However, with the new house, we felt it was time for some new furniture in some new styles. We are going with more of a grey, white and black in this house (vs the browns and maroons of the last house) therefore we need new furniture. 

So our date started out at over half a dozen furniture stores sitting on couches, chairs, ottomans, and beds. It was really fun. Even if we weren't trying to find stuff for real, it would have been fun. So we picked out our couch, some rugs, and a new bed. I have to say I am in LOVE with Z Gallerie, West Elm, and Anthropologie. Lets just say, furnishing this house how I want, may take us a little while! Stuffed avocado's at a new Mexican place topped it off and we were home to watch Sherlock, a British TV series that is really good! It was a really fun and needed date night out alone. Next up on date night is Mattress hunting.

Yesterday was Sunday and it was an interesting day for our family. The 2 older ones had a rough first hour of church. They were in and out of timeout a few times, which is rare. Then it was onto second and third hour. I was pulled out about 4 times to go talk to Boots about the way he was acting. I tried to convince him with threatening to take away his blanket and his juice box that he was so excited about, but it didn't work. Then when I picked him up, we were informed that he was not to come back to class if he was going to continue acting like that, since it has been that way for the last 3 weeks. WHAT?! I was shocked. I know he is crazy for me, but I was always under the impression he was pretty well behaved at church. Guess not. So after going to his teachers houses to apologize, he lost his blanket for good, and then he had 2 hours to sit and show us how we act at church. Lets hope he knows we are serious and changes his ways, or I don't know what else to do. Bad day ended so great though eating dinner at Libby's with her family, my cousin Heather's family, and My long time friend(since we were 3 yrs old) Stacey and Aaron who just moved to the area a few weeks ago. It was so nice to hang out and chat!  

Lets hope that this week goes a little smoother int he mothering department. I plan to take them to the zoo before school starts next week and do some back to school shopping. We also have meet the teacher night. I cant believe I will have a kindergartner! I am getting so old!! 

Remind myself daily

When you think about jobs, there are so many out there to choose from. There are MANY that I would be horrible at and I have no interest in. I would never make it through medical school, I would never be able to be a lawyer since I never know what to say, I would be a bad teacher since I have little patience and tolerance, I would be horrible at sales, I would get bored at an office punching in numbers, and I could go on...but I wont.

Well I have a very important job, but it doesn't feel like that a lot of the time. I get overwhelmed with things that need to be done, things that should be done, and things that don't get done. I not only have my own life and well being to worry about, but I have 3 other little lives to worry about. I ONLY have 3 kids and it is so hard for me to keep track of them, and focused on them. I could not imagine my life with more than 3. 

I love them, they are wonderful and bring us so much joy into our lives, but they are also a handful and bring a lot of anxiety and stress. Financial stress, emotional stress, physical stress...etc. Sometimes I feel pressure that I should not be done having kids. I feel like I "should" have more, and should be able to have more. I have a healthy body that does well having babies, I can get pregnant and I am so grateful for that. HOWEVER, I know my limits and I know what I can do as a mother, wife and just as a person. I am at my limit. 

Sometimes I feel lame saying that I am at my limit and that it is hard, because I know there are moms out there without Dads to help out, without the ability to have children, who have 4, 5, 6, 7, and up children and are just fine to have more, yet I know deep down that NOBODY else matters. I know what I feel and how to handle my life. I wouldn't like to live in a lot of people's shoes, just like having the before mentioned jobs, NO THANKS. But I have my job as a mother of 3 beautiful healthy children. I love my job, and it just stinks when I have to remind myself that I love my job many times a day. 

You would think that I should just love it and nothing would stand in the way of that love, but you would be wrong. I have more bad days than good, my kids have WAY more bad days than good, I am a ball of stress a lot. I never ever get around to most of the stuff I think I should be doing, or the stuff I really should be doing. Then you put on top of that the worry for the future. Will they make good choices? Will they have good friends? Will they gain and maintain their own testimony? Will they get married in the temple? Will they work hard and excel and the things they love? Am I doing this right, am I teaching them all the things and tools they will need in this life? Will they know that I love them? The constant worry of the future is ALWAYS on my mind. 

So I am having a bad day today. My kids had a pretty good day, until about 3 hours ago when they got their daily dose of wild and crazy pills to get mom all in a panic. Maybe I am feeling the effects of this more than usual since I am not in my own house and my own space. Maybe it is because I am constantly worried about other peoples things and noise tolerances, and messes, and food, and a million other things that I would NOT care about if I had my own space. Maybe it is because I never get enough sleep, or I am not eating well, or I worry too much about myself, or my husband, or don't worry enough... I don't know what it is. But I know that I am having a bad day, or at least a bad night. 

It is on days like today that I need to look back a few days ago at these wonderful fabulous gorgeous pictures of my kids...

and remember how awesome they are, how blessed my life is, how much the savior loves me, how fabulous it is to have a great place to live with people around us who love us, and how My Father in Heaven has hand picked these special spirits to be a part of my life and he know that I can do it right!

 I need to remind myself what a great job I have daily. So... here is my reminder for the day!

(The girls love a good photo op! They are such cheeses!)

Surprises

Thursday night I was gone late at some church meetings. I knew Brian had been over babysitting my sisters kids earlier so I headed over there when I was done for a fresh Diet Coke and some Olympics watching after we put the kids to bed. 

The kids were all still awake which was fine, but they were all acting kind of strange. LOW AND BEHOLD, some very distant visitors had come to town!! My parents who where NOT driving through, decided to make a quick stop by and see us!! It was the greatest surprise!! We have been having so much fun and the kids just love to have them here. 

Also some of my cousins were in town visiting for a girls weekend and so we all met up for lunch one day. So fun and so weird since we haven't been all together in probably 15 years! Its fun to finally see someone you know in real life, rather than on a blog or facebook! 

Lunch was followed by some mani's and pedi's that were ruined walking  back into the house. Classic.

Super "cat eye crazy blurry" picture I know, but we all headed to the temple on Friday night. Of course dinner was followed up at one of our favorite places LA DUNI (its latin food and it is so good!). 

Today was a great day!! We hung out at the pool with Nana and Grandad and the kids couldn't get enough of them swimming around having fun with them!! Lots of breathing lessons, diving lessons, and just silliness! 

Tonight just topped off the weekend with dinner at Fogo De Chao. Man, that is some goooood meat! Boots was scarfing it down and when I took him for a bathroom break he said, "mom, this place has the best steak ever. This is my favorite place to eat. I think Natalie would like it, but not as much as me." haha sorry little man, this will not happen for you again in a LONG time. He and Bray were lucky to come along with all the adults tonight since we had extra tickets for the FC Dallas soccer game that we went to next. 

The boys had a great time cheering, eating cotton candy, and just being together. They get along great, even with a 4 year age difference! Love those two!

We will miss you ma and pa. You have spoiled us with your time since you have been here! We love having you visit!!  Sure makes for an exciting weekend!! 

sleepy summer

Maybe it is because it is over 100 degrees outside and we have been going to the pool almost every day,maybe it is because we are staying up late for the summer and watching movies and being lazy and having fun, but my kids have been so tired. Sunday when we got home from church, we decided that EVERYONE was getting a nap. Natalie was NOT happy with this, but within 5 minutes they were all out cold. I dont care how old you are, we all need a good nap!

House progress - CHECK. Finally after a month of what seemed to be NOTHING being done on the house (but checking everyday) they have finally started to make some more progress! They have finished the stone and brick and I am happy with it (even though they used different stone than what we had asked for, I think it turned out better than it would have!) I am so anxious to get in and be settled in my own space.

VIP

Sometimes we get some perks and I love it. Today, Saturday, we got some sweet tickets from Donnie Nelson, the  manager of the Dallas Mavericks to go to the Barnum & Bailey Circus that was in town.

We headed down a bit early for some sweet Pizza at "Neo", The best Pizza in Dallas. The kids loved being downtown and looking at all the buildings. 

We then were escorted from the W Hotel Lobby, down through the Tunnels at American Airlines where we were taken through the Mavericks locker room, hence the picture in Dirks chair. He's so cool. Anyway, we then were taken back stage past the elephants and acrobats and costume racks to the back elevator where they took us up to Donnie's suite. It was so much fun! 

Snow cones, Cotton Candy, fries, popcorn, and a huge Diet Coke, and we were able to enjoy the fun circus! The Tigers and elephants were really neat, and all the acrobats were super impressive. All 3 of the kids had a lot of fun! Courtney really enjoyed the lights and action of everything. The only bad side is now I think Boots has some more bad bad ideas of how to be crazy and of becoming an acrobat. 

I'm hot

I mean it has been over 100 every day for weeks, feels like my whole life! So we have been pooling A LOT or watching movies a lot at home. It is hard to budget but try to keep your kids entertained. Really hard. If you have inexpensive ideas PLEASE fill me in! Courtney has even been complaining about the heat. "It hot Mommy, too hot!" That girl is talking SO much. She repeats every thing anyone says and is always on the move. She has hit the age of complete destruction and getting into EVERYTHING she can, whether it is on her level or not. She's nuts. 

So we finished soccer camp for Natalie last week. She was at a British soccer camp, man I love those accents! She had fun and now she is torn between soccer and gymnastics for next year (ok, so I am torn) but she is trying to decide what she wants to do in the fall! The girl is just so fast and flexible, she will be good at whatever she chooses, but I want one over another. haha 

Natalie also LOVES to steal my camera to take pictures around the house. This is me at her level. Sunday afternoon resting and NOT in the mood for a picture! I have been working hard on my indexing. As long as I make time for it every couple of days I am good! I am really enjoying it and I think I am getting pretty fast! 

aaannnndddd..... I LOVE HAVING MY SISTER CLOSE! LOVE YOU LIBS! I have been dreaming of these days to just sit and chill and hang out each day! Well HELLO!! It is radical! We have been Olympic watching and I AM OBSESSED! I mean, gymnastics? THEY ARE SO STINKING GOOD! GO FAB 5!!