My Funny Valentine

Josh and I went out for dinner ALONE to a restaurant that will remain nameless on Monday night.  You'll see why it remains nameless after my story.

First, we gladly waited in the lobby for almost thirty minutes.  With our kids this would have been an exhausting balancing act between the two of us, but with just Josh and me, it was a chance for us to hold hands and actually talk without being interrupted.  So, a nice start to the evening.

After being seated at a booth in the furthest corner of the restaurant, we settled in for our salad to arrive.  That's when things took a turn for the worse.  Just as we started our first bite of breadstick, I felt a big thump on my head.  It jolted me pretty hard and I couldn't figure out what happened until I saw not one, but two broken wine glasses on the seat next to me.  They had fallen from the shelf behind me and hit me right on noggin.  Ouch.

The busser didn't really seem to speak much English and just mumbled "I'm sorry" and then swept away the glass in the general direction of my open purse.  Hmmm...Josh and I just kind of looked at each other in amazement like, "Did that just happen?"

Thankfully the manager saw our expression and came over to investigate.  To make a long story short, we got a free meal out of the deal.  I think she was just grateful that we weren't threatening to sue the place.  She took my name and address.  Let's hope there are more gift cards on the way.  Anything for a free meal....

In addition to a free dinner, I also got the cutest valentines from my little guys.  Their babysitter Laura helped them make one-of-a-kind keepsakes for me.  Things like randomly placed glitter stickers and tracings of tiny hands are right up my alley when it comes to prized possessions these days.

We, in turn, got Joel one of his prized possessions as of late - donuts! - complete with a donut card.  Later on that day, the boys took turns opening their valentines they got in the mail.  Joel was beyond excited to get Batman magnets and five WHOLE dollars.  It's the little things.

We hope you had a Happy Valentine's Day full of love.  I know we did!

Sssssshhhhh....

Quietest time of the day.

Find Rest

Well, the time has come for me to change how I do things on this here blog.  For nearly five years now, I've been writing a post for every single day of the year.  I really have loved doing it and until recently I didn't see it as a burden at all.  However, lately I have felt pressed for time in other areas of my life and this blog seems like one more thing piling up.

I have kept up with this pace of blogging for so long for two primary reasons:

#1 We live at least two and a half hours away from any family member and it is an amazing way for me to keep in touch with everyone.  Often times I've felt like posting what we did everyday would help them feel like a part of what we're doing and maybe not so far away.

#2 I have a TERRIBLE memory.  Ask me about something that happened a few years ago, and I could barely piece together the details.  Ask me about something that happened when I was a child, and I've got nothin'.  Blogging about what my boys have done every day of their lives since they have been born has been an incredible way to look back and remember it all.  With a click of the mouse, I can see Joel taking his first few steps, talking his first few words, and mailing his pacifier off to little boys and girls that need them.  Then I look before me now and he's almost five years old.  I can see the pictures that Josh took of Jude on the very day he was born and read what I wrote about his birthing experience and remember just how that felt.  I realize I can do that all in my own personal journal, but to be able to share that with my friends and family all at once has been, for lack of a better word, amazing.

I am not sure what the future of this blog will look like.  I haven't really wrapped my mind around that yet.  For so long I've just been snapping pictures pretty much daily and posting them along with accompanying stories about these unbelievable kids of mine.

I want to keep posting, but as I enter a new chapter in my life with quitting my job and staying home with the boys, I'd like things to start to look a little different around here.  I want slow down a bit.  I've been going at mach speed for awhile now and it's time to put on the breaks, which is going to be a big growing process for me.

So, please bear with me as this all shakes out.  Some days I just might post a picture, some days a story, some days an insight into Scripture, some days a tutorial on how to entertain your kids or decorate your house (or even cook! eek!) on a budget, and other days nothing at all.  I want to keep documenting what we do because there is something I really love about that idea.  There's something I really love about taking a break, too.  I need some rest.  Matthew 11:28

And because every post is better with pictures...from day one until now.

The Field (Museum) Trip

The boys and I ventured out to The Field Museum today.  Free museum admission always equals a field trip day!  It is getting more and more exciting to take these little dudes around to some of the best places in the Chicago.  Joel is like my little companion now.  He has become legitimately entertaining and pleasant to be around.  I know the fact that we get to go to one of the best museums in the country is lost on him at this point, but maybe someday he'll appreciate it.  I mean, it was the home base of Indiana Jones.  How much bigger can you get than that?

He has already learned so much from his few trips there and sat quietly watching a video about fish and how they survive in the ocean.  It was animated, so I think that was the key.  Nonetheless, he's learning.

There were a few places that I could let Jude down to explore on his own and if he could answer me, I think he would say that was his favorite part of the day.  Otherwise, he happily chirped and babbled as I pushed him around in the stroller.  That is until he hit the wall and gave me the look of, "Mom, I've GOT to take a nap right now."  After three hours of walking around the museum, I agreed.

You've Got a Friend in Me

I finally got to meet the mom of Joel's buddy.  He has a friend that has been coming over to the babysitter to play every once in awhile and I kept thinking it would be good to meet his mom.  That way, we can stay in touch after the school year ends.  He seems to really hit it off with this kid and they have a great time playing together as the big boys while the younger boys hang out.

I once again able to catch Jude sound asleep.  Precious.

Pillowland

This was a day for the books.  My days home with the boys just keep getting better and better.  It must be because I see the light at the end of the tunnel with my job.  In a few glorious months, I'll be home with them every day.  So excited!

I'm also excited to see how their relationship continues to develop.  They love each other so much.  Today they played together all day long in Pillowland - laughing, climbing, wresting, and shouting.

Mr. Personality

I'll let these faces speak for themselves.  They totally capture the differences in the personalities of these boys.  If Jude is not smiling, he's as chill as can be.  If Joel is not expressing his um, passion about something, he's clowning around.  Their little personalities are developing right before my very eyes.

Super Bowl Sunday

What is Super Bowl Sunday without a youth group Super Bowl party?  I have known nothing else for the past twelve years.  The thing is, the students don't even sit down to watch an ounce of the game, but hey, it's a party.

I brought the boys along to join in the fun tonight.  Joel found a Dora big wheel and he was set for the night.  He rode that thing around the gym (and the whole church for that matter) until he couldn't ride any more.

My most favorite part of the night was catching these two at a stoplight laughing with each other.  Joel is in love with his brother and I couldn't be happier.

Go, Daddy, Go!

Home all day with absolutely nothing on the calendar.  Now that's what I call a Saturday.  Joel attempted to keep up with Josh on the treadmill while we put Jude on lockdown in his exersaucer until he was done.  That was pretty much the extent of our day and I loved every mundane minute of it.

Boys Will Be Boys

Our whole crew joined with another whole crew tonight as we visited some friends who have three boys under the age of five.  It was a perfect fit for our little guys!  They ran around like crazy all night and laughed so hard with each other.  We could hear them yucking it up from the basement and it was so cool.  Come to find out, most of the laughs were due to potty humor of course.  Boys.  Sheesh.

Wrestlemania

Jude wrestled with us tonight for the first time.  He was seriously "yelling" and jumping and climbing on us so he could get in on the action.  I can only imagine what this is going to look like in a few years with the two of them wrestling at full force.  Oh my.

One More Month and Counting...

Jude turned 11 months old today.  Wow.  I know people say this all of the time, but I have no idea where the time went.  I'm about to have a one-year-old and it feels like I just gave birth to him.  I really have a lot to say about this precious boy, but I'll save the sappiness for a post on his first birthday.  The joy he has brought me this year has been much needed.  Enough said.

That other little guy of mine is pretty awesome himself.  Here he is showing off one of his signature faces for the camera.  Cheese, mom!  Again, I could just gush and gush about how much he has grown by leaps and bounds, but someone has a FIFTH birthday coming up soon, too.  Yikes.  I'm old.

On a side note, I had to post a picture of the lotion I've been using with Jude.  It's uh-mazing.  Amazing!  He went from scaly skin all over to smooth baby goodness just after a few days of using this.  Please give me free stuff, Aveeno, when you scour the web for this post.  This mama is a believer!

Park Weather

We went to the park today!  I seriously cannot believe this weather.  Although we needed our coats and hats, it was genuinely legitimate park weather.  It was a bit muddy, but after all, boys + mud = a good time.

Case of the Mondays

Back to the grind again today and I can't help but admit that I totally feel like Garfield every time Monday rolls around.  There really is just something about Mondays that are tough for me.  With Joel watching old Garfield episodes on Netflix lately, I'm reminded of how much he doesn't like Mondays either.  My kindred spirit is a cartoon cat.  Nice.

Things always take a turn for the better after I get to pick the boys up after work and bring them home to spend the night together as a family.  That's the highlight of Mondays - no work, no plans, just us all night long.  Now that's a remedy for a case of the Mondays.