TBT: Best. Mom. Ever.

I have a pretty great mom! What a blessing to have her right next door! Happy Mother's Day, Mom! 

Love you then...love you still!

A Kindergarten Concert

"Mom, I don't think we HAVE to dress up, I just want to." Those were Matthew's words to me as we were getting ready for his kindergarten spring concert Monday night. He was so cute as he found his dress pants and shirt. The only problem is that his good shoes don't fit well so he opted for his sneakers. That made it just a little cuter!

It was a warm night in the classroom and the gym as we listened to the kids share all they had learned in music class this year. I can't believe that he is almost done with kindergarten! I can't believe that last year at this time I was fretting about whether or not he was ready. He is such a little man and he takes all challenges head on. 

I knew that when we sent him to kindergarten but what I didn't realize is that kindergarten wasn't going to really be a challenge for him at all. It was the perfect place for him this year!

Dirty Undies Anyone?

Posted on the boys' bedroom door this morning...

Gentlemen:

 Just a friendly reminder..

if you are all out of underwear and socks it is because your mother is waiting for your sorted dirty clothes to show up in the laundry room for washing.

 Today would be a great day to sort your dirty clothes boys! (especially if you want undies tomorrow)

xxoo  Mom

I am looking forward to seeing if this will work...telling them multiple times in the past week that they need to sort their dirty clothes has not been successful! This morning my middle son asked me if he could just wear dirty underwear since he didn't have any more clean! I found him a clean pair from his big brother's drawer but I don't think that will work for many more days.

On the Farm...Sort Of!

I got to ride along with the kindergarteners on Friday for Ag day at the Linn County fairgrounds. It had been a long time since I was at the fairgrounds but it was still as fun as it always is. We got to see a lot of baby animals and try out some things. Matthew pet every animal that was there. Horses, sheep, goats, baby chicks, ducks, and of course this cow here!

The FFA big kids were trying to get Matthew to snuggle with
this cow! He actually did get a little more snuggly but the
picture was too blurry to post! :(

Jumping up into the Caterpillar

Petting an alligator!

Three baby goats eat at the same time!

Then there was this mama goat who had triplets!
They actually all were trying to eat at the same time. You can see number three just barely  on the other side.

The crazy thing about it was when the babies weren't trying to eat, you could see a third teat sticking out of one side of her milk bag. There were actually THREE places for babies to suck! (For those of you who don't know, goats are equipped with two teats, unlike cows who have four.)

That would have been handy if I had grown a third nipple when I was trying to feed three at a time!

76 Trombones...Well, Let's Start With One!

Ryan has become quite the musician this year. Up above you will see him at the spring band concert peeking up over his music stand about mid picture. This is where he sits in the band this year with the euphonium players. He started with the baritone last year in fifth grade and has that place in the sixth grade band this year.

He took it upon himself to learn the drums so he could play in the show choir band and excelled in that this year which was one of those times I can be proud that he has taken the initiative and sought after something that takes hard work and patience. I have already reported a little bit about his drumming earlier this spring at competition time.

It is here though that I would like to insert a couple of new pictures into his musical story. There is a need for more trombones in the seventh grade jazz band next year so his band teacher asked him if he wanted to learn trombone. He was all over it and has now been bringing home the trombone and practicing all of the music he has played in fifth and sixth grade band on his baritone/euphonium.

The music seems familiar to me, but the sound is just a little different. I hear from the other side of the house and pause to remind myself that he is actually playing the trombone. He has picked it up very fast!

Still plugging away on the piano I know that the background he has gotten with Rosie on the piano has opened so many doors for him to learn new instruments. He is so excited about all these opportunities! There is definitely music in his blood and he is learning to share it!

Friday From the Heart: Let's Try Something New

I have an idea...instead of taking sides on yet ANOTHER public temper tantrum resulting from thousands of people who weren't even IN the back of the van to witness any details of this case, lets stop and take a deep breath.

Ready...set...BREATHE. Okay, great. Now lets decide for one week that not a single one of us in this great country will break any law. Let's just follow the rules for ONE WEEK.

You see, humility is what we are lacking. Humility is not pointing to the other side and making your long list of grievances. Humility is turning to yourself and looking at what is there. God knew it would take a lifetime to set our hearts on Him. It takes a lifetime of day after day, drawing closer to him. Our country was founded on this, no matter how history is being told as of late.  It was. Read the documents, listen to the words of the people who came before you, black, white, every other color.

There are pages I could write on the commentary of this land that I once recognized. I am tired of everyone's opinion and I am sure you are too. The wisest man who ever lived wrote this in Ecclesiastes 5:1-2 "Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. Do not be rash with your mouth, and let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few."

Just because we have outlets like blogs, Facebook, Twitter, and every comment section after every article we read online these days doesn't mean that everyone wants our opinion. In fact, I know that very few people may NEED our opinions at all! We have just become so used to being able to hastily say whatever is on our mind.

Let's see how a week of living by the rules affects the world we live in. If only it were that easy.

TBT: Didn't They Just Turn Seven?

I posted my cutie patootie picture from yesterday and have been thinking a lot about motherhood. There are so many things that happen that don't meet my expectations. I mean, really, have I EVER really executed a plan A through to completion? Seems like there are always alterations to the plan when raising a family.

Here is that famous example. I have been working slowly again on scrapbooks. The kids like to have the books that I have finished because they can sit down and look through memories. We always have such fun conversations recollecting the events and the feelings that went along with the activities that are documented on the pages.

I am still working through 2009. It was September, I had a scheduled C-section on Monday (the 14th) with a triplet birthday party to host the Saturday (the 12th) before. After the three birthday cakes were done though, late Friday (actually, early Saturday) a night of rest was not in the ultimate plan. By 7 a.m. I was in the hospital getting prepped for my C-section. Someone did NOT want to wait for the party!

I didn't get to go to this party, I just have the pictures and the stories as told by others. That is why when I put the pages together for the scrapbook, there are lots of pictures and no words. I just have to say I wasn't there.

The triplets are asking me what we are going to do in September for their 13th and GOLDEN birthday. Of course I have been thinking about some ideas with all their asking, but for now I answer with a smile and say "didn't you JUST turn seven?"

Time flies when you are having fun!