Mother's Day 2013

This was a wonderful Mother's Day. Johann and the kids made me breakfast in bed, complete with a Monkey card and iTunes gift card.
When the kids asked what I wanted for Mother's Day I told them a 10 day trip to Hawaii. 5 days with a nanny for the kids, and 5 days without a nanny for family time. Johann said he could fly me there, but that was all. So then I said we could just go to Florida. Again not going to happen. So next best thing-we had a wet weekend with all baseball games cancelled so at the last second we booked a trip to The Wilderness in Wisconsin Dells and headed there for the weekend. It was the perfect get a way and if we couldn't go to Hawaii or Florida this was the next best place.
I love these sweet kids that Johann and I have been entrusted with. They make life entertaining, loud, fun, stressful, full of love, chaotic, meaningful. I'm so greatful to be a mother for the past 12 years.

I LOVE these kids

I LOVE these kids.

I LOVE these kids when their laughing, playing, teasing, LOUD, snuggly, sickly, happy, grumpy, needy, helping, cooking, sleeping, running, praying, silly, rough & tumble, shy, reading, best friends and worst enemies.

I LOVE seeing these kids come in the door after school. 

I LOVE hearing them coming before I can even see them. 

I LOVE snuggling with them before bed, or watching a movie, or reading a book, or just snuggling to snuggle. 

I LOVE cooking with the kids. 

I LOVE hearing them tell me about their day, or their latest book, or an awesome move they did.

I LOVE when they show me something they have created and are so excited to share it with me.

I LOVE hearing about their adventures playing outside.

I LOVE hearing about their Lego creations and the battles the boys their guys get into.

I LOVE seeing the girls dressing their babies and taking such good care of them.

I LOVE when they help each other out with pouring a drink, or getting more toilet paper, or picking up something that fell, or sharing the markers, or passing something during dinner.

I LOVE when they say their prayers and ask for the others to be watched over, or to have a good time at their activity.

I LOVE watching them cheer each other on and be excited when the others do something that's pretty awesome.

I LOVE these kids to the moon and back any day of the week.

Being their mom has been the biggest blessing in my life.

Look what I found

Today while we were re-arranging our room I was going through a stack of papers and found a gem of a find. I came upon a picture drawn by one of the kids for me.

Obviously the kiddo who drew this for me loved  me very much and spent alot of time drawing hearts all over the paper so I would know the love they have for me. Too bad it doesn't have a name on it, so I can thank the artist and let them know again (I'm sure I told them when I got it) how much I love it.

I found the perfect spot for it-right next to my bed where I can see it everyday and remember that the kids love me even when I'm not their favorite person.

*I think Ammon drew this when he was in kindergarten, but he doesn't think so because it has too many hearts on it, and he wouldn't draw hearts all over the paper and flowers either!

Where's Rebecca?

Rebecca LOVES her babydolls. 

All 16 of them!

Tonight she wanted all her baby dolls to sleep with her. We got all the dolls we could find, but she knew there were a few missing and she wanted us to go find them to add them to her bed to sleep with. 

There is a picture of me less then a year old surrounded in my dolls and toys just like this picture.

I love this kid

I love this kid! 

I love when he chases Rebecca around the house. 

I love when he laughs his contagious laugh. 

I love watching him practice his kicks and punches.

I love our early morning cuddles as he slowly wakes up. He's just like his momma!

I love his hugs and kisses.

I love his love of books.

I love watching him climb our hallway walls!

I love watching him run into the library and come out with an armful of books. 

I love his excitement to go grocery shopping just with me. 

I love how he thinks Wendy's chocolate Frosty's are the best treat ever! 

I love sitting and listening to him read. 

I love the way he says his R's and L's. (I'll be sad when he stops saying them like he does now.)

I love how he loves to jump off any and everything.

I love how he gets completely into his Legos creations. 

I love how he hides and waits for dad to come home from work.

I love how he swings HIGH and hard. 

I love how he dresses in camouflage head to toe. 

I love watching him jump in puddles.

I love how he draws pictures. 

I love how he gets into what he loves. 

I love that he loves to swim in the deep end. 

I love that he's not afraid to try something new. 

I love that he wants things fair. 

I love that he rides his bike up and down our hill over and over.

I love the great brother he is.

I love that he can make something out of a stick and duct tape. 

I love that he thinks his siblings are awesome friends.

I love that he loves to play outside.

I love that he loves to learn. 

I love when he bursts through the door after school and talks a mile a minute about something new he learned from his teacher or from a book.

I love his love of climbing.

I love that he can be in constant motion, then switch and sit a play something quietly for an hour. 

I love how he plays goalie and is aggressive with the ball. (Even if he scares me how he dives on some of the balls.) 

I love the pictures he takes.

I love how he wants to give to others.

I love how he loves to explore new or old places.

I love his perspective on life around him.

I love how he hangs off his bunk bed, does a flip landing on his feet with a huge smile and does it again. 

I love his love of apples and pizza and hot chocolate and anything sugary. 

I love his love of life. 

I love this kid. 

I'm so glad he fought so hard when he was so sick as a new baby to stay with our family.

 Life would be so terribly dull without him.

I love this kid!