A few of the Joys of being THIS mom

It has been a whole semester since I last blogged. We've had a good, but busy fall - a move, home renovation, visits from different sets of family, and well -life. So, with everything going on, blogging has fallen thru the cracks, and unfortunately, I haven't written down some of the "most memorables" from the past several months. And, since birthing three children, even if something makes the "most memorable" list, if it isn't written down, I rarely remember!

In an effort to record a small fraction of the wonderfully real and innocent conversations I am blessed with day in and day out, I thought I'd write down the two most recent...before they leave my memory like all the others...

Yesterday, Ace's preschool class hosted a birthday party for Jesus. We had been talking about it for a few weeks and Elyse knew that she was going to the party too. She kept mentioning it in "small talk" with friends and perfect strangers. We purchased a gift for Jesus (diapers for the local pregnancy center), baked cookies, and Ace prepared some songs. It was clear, although Austin was excited, Elyse's enthusiasm took the cake.

Yesterday, as Elyse and I prepared to get in the car to head to school, she ran upstairs to get one last thing. As I put her in her car seat she said, "Mom, I got my camera so I can take a picture of baby Jesus at His birthday party!"

Several thoughts ran thru my head and we discussed how Jesus wasn't actually going to be there, because he's in heaven with God (to which she said she'd get a picture of Jesus and God), but after I chuckled a bit and tried to clear things up so I didn't have a completely disappointed 2-year-old and the coinciding tantrum, I smiled and realized she is definitely focused on Jesus' birthday more than Santa and all the presents she would like!

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Tonight as I was brushing Austin's teeth, I said to him, "It's almost Jesus' birthday! But, who's birthday comes before Jesus'?"

Instead of the expected response, "Daddy," (I should know by now not to have any expectations for Austin's responses...), Austin shouted and spat some toothpaste all over me, "John the Baptist!"

Ha! He's right, I guess...funny kid!

My little Princess

A post I found in my "drafts" from a few months ago...

It's happened. I finally understand it. The reality that others have talked about has finally become mine! My friends, we have entered the terrible twos!!

Don't get me wrong, the boys had their moments and phases, but they didn't seem this, well, bad or long!

Clearly God knew that I need some humility in my life. I just didn't know that I needed this much humility!

Elementary-bound

Isaac's first day of Kindergarten was Thursday morning, August 19th. They start the kindergartners slowly. The parents stay with their kids and the class lasted a whopping 50 minutes. Albeit short, Isaac enjoyed seeing his classroom, re-meeting his teacher, seeing, yes seeing (I'm convinced young children don't actually meet one another for several weeks, after playing side by side) his classmates, and most importantly endulging in a donut and juice box

He enjoyed his first full week, but has sorely missed play time and time outside. The first day I asked him how recess was and he replied, "It was SOOO short."
"I know, it's 10 minutes," I said.

"Ten minutes?! 10 seconds!"

Needless to say, I think he and I are both very pleased he's only doing a half-day.

Free Day at the Denver Botanic Gardens

Early on in the summer I marked my calendar with all of the upcoming "Free Days" for Colorado activities and sites. However, with all the fun we've had at the pool this summer and with two weeks of VBS, there hasn't been a lot of time for our typical summer field trips.

We finally enjoyed a free day on July 22nd. The kids and I drove up to Denver to go to the Botanic Gardens. Even though our planned picnic lunch in the gardens turned into a picnic lunch at Whole Foods, watching the storm roll in, and parking was nearly impossible, we really had a great time. The kids always enjoy seeing something new.

Capturing all three of them in one shot is a lot harder than one might think...

This is one of my new favorite photos of my boys!

Their favorite part was rolling down this hill over and over and over again!

What happens...

If you leave three crazy kids in the hands of MiMi and PopPop for dinner, fun, and bedtime?

This...

This...

This...

This...

AND...This...

A great hike up the incline, a jog down Barr Trail, and a Margarita to top it off for Mom and Dad!

At the base, with the incline straight up behind us.

The view from the top

A Simple prayer...

After a myriad of thankful prayers tonight, Austin had just one simple request..

"And please make StarWars real..."

Where Did These Kids Come From?

Today we took the kids to the Airplane Restaurant for a special treat. This is a restaurant that literally has a retired cargo plane as part of the restaurant. Let's see: a restaurant, kids menus, model airplanes and photos of airplanes everywhere, AND a cockpit to play in...that's how you spell Heaven to a particular 4 and 6-year-old boy. I guess I should mention Elyse was pretty darn excited too!

In the past, we've eaten in the airplane, but today it was a 45 minute wait to be in the actual airplane, so we just ate under the wing. It took some convincing for ACE, but eventually his enthusiasm about being there came back. All three kids were so extremely excited that they were louder than usual...hard to believe! In between our plentiful pleas to get them to be excited QUIETLY, I said to Kurt, "where did these kids come from?" thinking it so strange that all three of our kids are incredibly outgoing, loud, and almost boisterous, especially considering both their parents are the quiet ones in their respective families.

Although it was intended to be rhetorical, Austin quickly responded to my question with a slight roll of the eyes, some gesturing in my direction and a "Mommmmm, you know where we came from! We came from your belly!"

Following in the shoes of her great grandmother

Elyse's great grandmother, Gram, was a tap dancer. And, from what I hear, a pretty good one! (If her swing and ballroom dancing are any indication, I'm betting she was incredible!)

Although Elyse doesn't have the official shoes...yet, tapping may just be in her future, too!

Dreams

This year we became members of a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program with Grant Family Farms in Fort Collins. We pick it up weekly less than a mile from our house and it keeps me away from the grocery store, which, being the anti-shopper I am, I LOVE! It has been fun enjoying fresh, local, organic, seasonal produce and figuring out how to prepare it all. Even the kids are starting to get into it, even with foods their palates aren't as accustom to.

Yesterday for lunch, we pulled out the pea pods and we had a "popping party," popping the pods open and then pushing the peas out into a bowl. Elyse couldn't wait to eat her peas, so she kept eating them raw, directly from the pod, rather than waiting for me to cook them, but the boys and I cooked ours and had a little agricultural lesson in the process. I was explaining that when we get frozen peas from the grocery store, there is a long process before we put them in our cart. They grow in a pea pod first, then they are harvested, and then someone (or maybe even a machine) removes the peas from the pod, etc. "So, if you were a farmer, this is part of what you would have to do before you sold the peas."




Isaac said, in a tone that almost hinted at some annoyance that his mom had forgotten his plans, "Mom, I already told you, I'm going to be an inventor!"

"Oh, okay, I was just telling you about farming..."

"Yeah, and I'm going to be a pilot," Austin piped in. "Or maybe a football player."

"And I'm going to be a GIRL," added Elyse!

We all have our dreams...some more ambitious than others!

The boys then asked Elyse what she was going to do for her job. She said she'd play soccer for money. That's when Austin said he is going to use the money he makes playing football to help other people. I'm so thankful for the heart of compassion that God has given him.

Plans for the Day

This morning Isaac came down from his bedroom ready for breakfast and said, "Austin and I decided we're going to start our own business today."

Well, that puts a kink in our previously laid plans, but...okay! ;-)

They're going to make special magnets and sell them.

The simplicity and perfection of summer nights

Even with an upcoming move and the stress and work that comes with that, we've had some wonderful family days/nights this summer. I don't want this summer to be remembered as the year we packed and moved. So far, I don't feel like the kids feel that way. We've spent many days at the Little Dipper Pool, which I'm so grateful we joined. We hesitated spending the money, but it has been such a fun community and family activity.

We've also allowed for flexibility in our schedule, which is fun! The kids have had some late nights because we've been spontaneous and headed for ice cream well after bedtime, or stayed at the pool until 9. Most nights, have proven to be worth the possible "pain" the next morning.

Below are a few photos from one such evening. Good old fashioned, family fun!

6 Years Ago

Six years ago, today, God blessed us with the most incredible gift...ISAAC!

It's hard to write much more than that...I'm overwhelmed trying to find the words to describe my feelings about being a mom, the young boy Isaac's developing into, and the fact that this phase of our life with our young kids is just FLYING by.

So...

I'll leave it at that and share a few photos from his first day of life.

It's actually amazing to see how much he still looks like this! (He still has the same hair cut...)

Giving Credit where Credit is due

My previous post was all about Lisa and her new adventure of motherhood.
I didn't forget about Dan, I just thought he needed his own post...

It was a true joy to watch Dan with his daughter!! He is a natural and was clearly head-over-heels for his daughter immediately.

While I was visiting I witnessed his first Daddy-daughter...oops...Papa-daughter dance lesson. It was the sweetest sight!

A Mother is Born

I've been wanting to blog about several things for over a month now, but time just hasn't allowed for that. So, tonight, I'm on a blogging marathon.

On June 8th, 2010, my beautiful little niece, Eleanor (Nora) entered this world and our family. She was born 8 or 9 days late, but the hardest wait of it all (for me, anyway) was the five days after her birth before I got to fly out and meet her, and see Lisa and Dan. She is truly a perfect little miracle! It's funny, I always say I'm not much of an "infant person," but I sure did enjoy holding her and staring at her!!

As incredible as it was to meet this new little family member, it was even more moving to see my sister as a mom and to share that piece of life with her! I've always known she would make a phenomenal mother, but I didn't realize how journeying thru motherhood together would deepen our relationship! A true gift! I'm now anxiously anticipating the birth of the next mother - Megs - sometime this fall or winter, most likely! I can only imagine the bond that it will bring to all three of us...actually all four, including our mom!

Happy BIRTHday, new mama! I love you!

What's in a Name?

Yesterday afternoon, I was looking up recipes on the computer, while Elyse and Austin were coloring at the kitchen table. From the other room I heard Elyse say, quite randomly, "Are you Austin Eilmes?"

Ace responded affirmatively.

Then she said, "Oh, I'm Elyse...Eilmes," and continued in sing song fashion repeating her last name over and over again.

She's definitely a two-year-old and reminds me of that nearly minute to minute. Like her brothers, she's certainly not lacking in personality, which makes things interesting, comical, and challenging all at the same time. What a joy it is to be called mommy by this little girl (and her brothers).

Here's a photo of her with PopPop a few weeks ago. She was SO excited to sit in his SmartCar, just the two of them. You would have thought they were riding an amusement park ride! And that was when they were sitting parked with the keys in PopPop's pocket. THEN we decided she could buckle up and pull into and back out of our driveway.

WOW, now that was beyond exciting!

Soward Ranch

It's no secret that our family has a long history and love for Soward Ranch. I've been going there since I was three, Kurt and I celebrated our first anniversary there, the kids have been there every year since birth, and our dog is named "Soward." I think that proves my point.

Just in case the above didn't prove our love for Soward Ranch, a few weeks ago Austin showed how he has Soward Ranch on the mind, just like JT has Carolina on his...

For dinner I had grilled salmon to throw over a green salad. Normally the kids eat whatever salad dressing we have, but for some reason, Austin wanted his own. He said very politely, "May I please have some Soward Ranch Dressing?" It was very cute.

ACE at Soward last year.

I can see the confusion...can't you?

Unloading the dishwasher

Some days are more crazy than others. Most of the time, they don't seem all that bad to me...just my normal every-day life, but if I stop to think about how it might look to others, I realize how funny our life can look.

Today, for instance, I think I started unloading the dishwasher 4 different times.
First...before the birthday party started. I had a handful of plates unloaded, then kids started arriving.
Second...after the party, I got the utensil carrier out and a few things from it put away, before I realized if I didn't go change the laundry right then, it may get musty and I'd have to run it for a third time (since I already forgot about it yesterday).
Third attempt...went back to finish after the laundry and was greeted by my favorite four-year-old, but he was naked and wet. Only half of his hair was wet, so I knew I had to throw him back in the tub to "re" wash his hair. As I was sudsing up his hair, I realized just how comical a little task like unloading the dishwasher could be...
Fourth time was a charm! Correct that, I just realized it wasn't! I saw the need to vacuum before finally finishing the dishwasher, so Kurt finally completed my task! What a wonderful partner he is!

Her Own Little Compilation

Elyse likes to sing as much as ACE does. (So much, that sometimes they argue about whose turn it is and we hear, "NO! I'm singing this myself!)
Lately, no matter how well Elyse knows a song, she leaves out different parts of it everytime she sings it. It's almost as if she's rushing to get it done. She also tends to combine many of her favorites, into one big compilation.
The other day, we just happened to capture one such compilation.

Windy with a Chance of Indoor Play

We had quite the windy spring here and it has carried into the early part of June. Even if it's warm, we really can't go out some days because of the extreme wind. (Our neighbors entire roof blew off one day!) So, for the first few days of summer break I felt like we were on Christmas break, because we were baking a lot and doing other indoor activities.

A few Saturdays ago, the girls made some energy bars and granola, while the boys had a massive lego party!