Project life - week 27 & 28

I didn't do my PL update last week, I am going to put up 2 weeks today!

Sunday, July 4 - BigBoy learned to play frisbee. He did great with it until it flew into the storm drain! (See the orange frisbee on the left side of the pic.)

onday, July 5 - Happy Birthday Mimi!! Your grandsons sure do love you!  (Had to include 2 pics - the one with BooBear in the car and holding onto the mower just cracks me up! Baby Hoarder!)

Tuesday, July 6 - It just makes me laugh that BooBear always sits with his feet crossed!

Wednesday, July 7 - Dinner * 3!

Thursday, July 8 -BigBoy loves all sorts of puzzles and logic games.  He also loves art projects, so this is a great toy for him.

Friday, July 9 - Rain rain, go away!  Come again another day!  Seriously.  We're sick of the rain!!!!

Saturday, July 10 - Eric has had this couch for 13 years.  3 boys have torn it up!  We bought a new couch and I will not be sad to say goodbye to this one!

Sunday, July 11 - We took BigBoy to the track to learn how to ride his bike.  He did awesome and took off after only a few minutes.  He gave Daddy a good workout too!

Monday, July 12 -Curly is all-boy, but he still likes a good cuddle with Mommy!

Tuesday, July 13 - The hair.  Oh, the hair.  It just makes my heart happy to see the curls peeking out from his helmet!

Wednesday, July 14 - Sweet BooBear is a great sleeper and just makes me happy to watch him sleep.

Thursday, July 15 - BigBoy is pretty proud of himself on his bike.  We are pretty proud of him too!

Friday, July 16 - BigBoy has been at VBS all week.  They did a presentation the last day and sang the songs they learned.  BigBoy did not want to get up there and sing, but after the first 2 songs, he got up with his class and sang!

Saturday, July 17 - After 10 months of refusing all bottles, BooBear finally decided it is not the enemy and started taking a bottle this week.  Daddy gave BooBear a bottle for the first time.  BooBear seems pretty proud of himself for taking a bottle.

BooBear - 10 months old

On Friday, BooBear turned 10 months old.
I can hardly believe he will be 1 in just a few weeks.
I remember BigBoy's first year went by so slowly. I remember thinking that if we just made it to his first birthday, he would be such a big boy then. I also remember how excited I was on his first birthday that we made it through the first year and we managed to keep him alive. Seriously - what were they thinking sending me and E home from the hospital with a baby. We were clueless. We had no idea what we were in for. Thankfully, BigBoy was a very easy baby.
Curly. Whew. If you were around for Curly's first year then you KNOW that we were clueless that time too. We left the hospital with jaundice and reflux (although we didn't know at the time it was reflux- it was simply notes in my nursing journal that he was spitting up and maybe he was overeating. Ha!). That led to months of medications, tests, gross expensive formula, ear infections, crazy high fevers, tubes and finally a febrile seizure. I again remember at his first birthday just being thrilled that he was healthy and still alive.
Sweet BooBear. There are no words to describe your first 10 months. (I could say there are no words because I hardly remember them!!!)

You are 21 lbs and have hit a crazy growth spurt in the last couple of weeks.   You did hit a growth spurt, but you are somehow down to 18 lbs.
You have 4 teeth.
You started taking a bottle a week ago!!!!!!!!!!!! (I plan to blog this amazing story later this week). Daddy gave you a feeding for the first time Saturday night (10 months, 1 day old).
You LOVE LOVE LOVE your big brothers.
You are busy and HATE to get put in your bed to sleep.
You love to eat, but only if you are feeding yourself.
You have learned to point.
You have started having more "stranger danger".
You put your head on the ground and cry when you don't get your way.
You have started standing on your own -just for a few seconds at a time, but walking is getting closer and closer.
You like to stand at the train table and pull the train tracks apart or just watch your brothers play there.
You wave bye-bye and love peek-a-boo.
You enjoy your k1ndermusik class on Saturday mornings with mommy.
You have us wrapped around your finger and hold our hearts!

Ps... BigBoy told E and I at breakfast this morning that when BooBear is 5, he wants to have a baby sister - that way mommy will have a girl to play with.  We were both speechless.

Hard and easy

It's hard living in a house full of boys.
It's easy to lose sight of the fact that God has bigger and better plans than mine.
Isaiah 55:9  As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

It's hard having E gone all week.
It's easy to get lonely and have a pity party.
Philippians 4:6-7 (The Message) Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

It's hard to prepare my mind and my heart to send my sweet, tender-hearted first born into Kindergarten, a new school and a foreign environment.
It's easy to make it about me rather than about HIM (God, not BigBoy)
Jeremiah 29:11 (The Message) I'll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.

It's hard to keep the boys busy, entertained, out of trouble for 14+ hours every day.
It's easy to lose sight of what is important and get caught up in the mundane.
Deuteronomy 11:18-20 (The Message) Place these words on your hearts. Get them deep inside you. Tie them on your hands and foreheads as a reminder. Teach them to your children. Talk about them wherever you are, sitting at home or walking in the street; talk about them from the time you get up in the morning until you fall into bed at night. Inscribe them on the doorposts and gates of your cities.

It's hard to remember everyday that this time is short and is just that ... a stage in life.
It's easy to focus on the urgent but forget the important.
Matthew 6:19-21 Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

It's hard to remember to pay some attention to my husband and to myself from time to time.
It's easy to focus on the boys and their needs for attention, time, daddy, mommy.
Ephesians 5:22-24 (The Message) Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands.

It's hard to go outside my comfort zone and share my heart openly.
It's easy to take things inside and try to deal with them myself.
Hebrews 10: 24-25 And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

It's hard to hand things to God and trust him.  Daily.
It's easy to pick those same things up later and try and deal with them myself rather than continuing to trust.
2 Timothy 1:12b I am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day. 

It's hard to be content.
It's easy to fall into the American dream for always wanting more.
Philippians 4:11-13  I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.


It's easy.
Matthew 11: 28-30  "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

Two in one day!

I have been so absent on the blog lately and I have a hundred thoughts in my head that I need to write about.
So, my thoughts, in bullets :)

• BabyBoo cut his 2 top teeth sometime in the last couple of weeks.
• Sorry BabyBoo for not noticing them sooner.  And for having no idea when they came in.  I understand you may think ugly thoughts that every moment of BigBoy's life is recorded, journaled and scrapbooked and yours is well, not.  Being a 3rd child, I get it.  Totally get it.  I'm trying.
• I owe a (HUGE) apology to my mother for all those ugly thoughts (and comments that surely I was adopted - she must have adopted me and not known when things happened otherwise my baby book would surely have more than just my NAME in it!).  Go ahead and leave a comment and say "I told you so".  You did.  I didn't believe you.  
• I now believe you.  Total and complete belief!
• Sad that after 4 bullets, my mind is blank.  What is wrong with my brain?  It functions on about 25% capacity most of the time.  I have a degree in electrical engineering and an MBA.  Seriously!  What happened to my brain?????
• BigBoy starts kindergarten in 5 1/2 weeks.  I can't even type that sentence without tearing up.  
• Moving on.....no, I can't!  Too sad.
• Will add more later :)

Ahhhhhh.....Quiet

It is 8:21AM right now and I am sitting curled up on our old ratty sofa, sipping coffee, while BooBear stands near my feet eating cheerios.  It was a long night in the Kimball casa.  BooBear was up quite a bit for the second night in a row.  I am not sure why and right now I am a bit too tired to figure out why.

It has been a whirlwind of a last week.  Last week, E worked very long days and the boys did not see him from Monday night to Friday morning.  So, we had lots of family time over the weekend. On Friday, we took BigBoy and BooBear to the Leg0 store to get a new set and then out to dinner (at the mall food court.... let me just say that N0rth Park needs to have a bit tighter security in the food court on a Friday night.)  BooBear went to bed quickly and BigBoy stayed up until about 10:45 working on his new car.  It is a set for 7-12 year olds and he did an awesome job putting it together on his own!

(Note...I did take pictures, of course, but am not totally sure where my camera is right now (and I haven't really looked for it).  Must find it today.)

Anyway, Curly had his first solo sleep-over at Nana and Papa's house Friday night.  Apparently, he was an angel and enjoyed the attention he rarely gets of being an only child in a place. :)  We ran errands and did things around the house on Saturday.  After naps, we took the boys to the track at the local high school and BigBoy learned how to ride his big boy bike without training wheels!!!  He did awesome and literally picked it up within just a few minutes.  We still have to work on stopping and breaking, but he really did awesome!  We took curly's little bike and he learned how to pedal and stop.  He also did a great job and only ended up with one skinned knee.

Sunday afternoon E left to go out of town for the week and the boys and I have been on our own a few days.

Monday, BigBoy started VBS in the mornings.  Just before we went to pick him up for lunch Miss Hannah came to spend a few hours with us.  Miss Hannah is a relative on my mom's side, 15, cute as a bug and the sweetest thing ever!!  She is going to spend a few hours with us 1-2 days a week to help me out and give me a chance to spend time one-on-one with the boys and do crazy things like go to the grocery store with just one kid in tow (GASP!!!).  Anyway, Miss Hannah helped up hop in the car, sat with the boys while I ran in to get BigBoy (walked into the building all by myself!!), we went to Ch1ck-fil-a for lunch and were able to go inside to eat.  (The boys always ask me to eat inside rather than do the drive-thru, but they are just not at an age where I can do that by myself.  So, for the rest of the summer, I don't have to! YEA!)  We went home, the boys and Hannah painted, BooBear napped, we all went swimming and generally wore the poor boys out!  Hannah left, we had a quick playdate with 3 brothers that are close to our boy's ages (yes, 6 little boys in my house at once!  SO fun!)

Tuesday, BigBoy had swim at the Y at 8, took him to VBS and Hannah met me there. We took the 2 littles home.  BooBear napped and Curly played in the sand box with Hannah and then played inside a bit.  I did laundry, made beds, straightened the house, read, made a few phone calls.  It was heavenly!  I picked up BigBoy, we made lunch, went swimming again, boys took a short nap, had snacks, and then Mimi came over.  The 2 big boys spent last night at Mimi and Grandpa's house.

Which brings me to this morning and ahhhhhhh...... quiet.  The house is so quiet with just one little in it.  BooBear seems to be at a loss without his buddies around to entertain him!  I know that there are a dozen things I need to do, but I am enjoying a quiet house and a little downtime for mommy.  The rest of the week is going to be busy busy busy.  Up tomorrow - swim team at 8, vbs at 9, the class I help teach at 10,  pick up BigBoy at 12, lunch, naps, something to wear the boys out before bed-maybe more swimming at the Y?

I need a nap!!!

Project life - week 26 - Half way through!!

I cannot believe that we are half way through the year.
I really cannot believe that I have been able to keep up with this album.  I love having so many everyday moments captured.  I love how easy it is to keep up with this album! 

Sunday, June 27- I love love love the scene at our table. Three happy boys three four 5 times a day. :)

Monday, June 28 - BooBear has a virus that has caused him to break out all over.  Poor guy just feels miserable!

Tuesday, June 29 - As a third child, BooBear often sees life from the stroller.

Wednesday, June 30- BooBear has started throwing mini-fits.  He will start crying and put his head down on the floor.  Right now, it is funny.  In a few more months, probably not so much!

Saturday, July 3 - We did our annual trip to the Addis0n fireworks.  The boys loved it!!  They played in the rain, ate hot dogs and cookies, and enjoyed being with friends! There were too many great pics to choose just 1.

(I love this one - all the kids were in their pjs to watch the fireworks then to fall asleep on the drive home.  It is a very popular show and usually takes about an hour to get home!)