Sideline experience

We won a Father/Son sideline experience and the chance to lead the team out of the tunnel at the Hammond Auction back in February.  Jack loved pretty much every minute of it-and so did we!  It was such a treat to watch him take it all in!Jack and Mark even got to go into the wrestling barn to listen to the pregame talk and then walk out with the team!He was so nervous at first!  I saw him sizing up the big football players and could tell he was unsure. I gave him a thumbs up, he put on his helmet, and he was ready to go.  I think.  He took a few pretty deep breaths…and then it was time to run!!  Oh, I had the biggest butterflies in my tummy and then the biggest tears in my eyes!  I just know this will be him for real in no time!  Thankful for the NOW!We found big Sam!  How fun is this to have this picture!  Can’t believe big Sam is old enough for this!Mr. Angel, Headmaster, was so amazing to Jack!  He was looking out for him the whole time and getting him as involved as he could.  He picked him up to bring him into a huddle and see the plays being called.  What a treat!  We wrote him a thank you note the next day!He was having the best time hanging with the big football players!  What a dream come true for this football-loving first grader!  The football players were all so polite and well mannered-even on the football field!  We’re so thankful for the Hammond community and all our kids will learn here, in and out of the classroom!  Loved this night

The little two

I just LOVE when they wake from nap!

Her first knock knock joke!  I love it!!!

And we just play!  I mean look at this face!  I just want to eat him up!

And what about this dream come true (for mommy!) moment!  I can’t wait for her to be a little ballerina!  But for now, we just try on our big cousin’s old shoes!

George!!!

A year ago, tonight, we found out we were expecting!  So intensely grateful for this little love!!

The Horseshoe

I took the kids to the Horseshoe today for a picnic lunch.  We walk around when they finished, and I showed them where Mark purposed!  So fun!

Watching them walk like this made me flash forward way to many years.  What if they all go to Carolina together?!?!

Oh, goodness

Now this is something I’ve been dreaming about since I was a little girl!  I loved, LOVED peeking into our closet and finding Margaret trying on some of my heels!  Oooh, ooh, ooh!  I love you, my girly, girl!

Last day as a family of FIVE!

I took the kids for some frozen yogurt this afternoon-last time just the three of them!

And here we are as a family of FIVE-for the last time!  Cannot believe it’s almost time to meet our sweet one!

Kindergarten Rocks!

Jack had his first performance at Hammond today-it was the cutest thing, and of course I cried!  They all did so great!  The children could volunteer for a speaking part, and Jack did.  His line was, “Meet us in the lobby for a quick hug.”  Delivered just perfectly!

Of course I did!So proud of this boy and all he did and learned this year!

This little sleeper

He can sleep anywhere.  And I just want to scoop him up when I see him!

Takes my breath away!

Can’t wait for her to wear this for real!  I mean I TOTALLY can, but won’t that be a special day?!

Little reader

Jack was a guest reader in Sam’s class today, and it was so great!  I thought he may get nervous, but he wasn’t at all!  Brought a few tears to my eyes watching him be so big!And when he was finished, Sam stood and said, “Hey everyone, this is my brother, Jack!  He’s my best friend!  Clap for him!”  I melted.

Thank you, LORD, for these boys and how they are learning!

Encouragement from our firstborn

Jack is LOVING that he can sound words out and write.  He’s very much in to notebooks and pens and making books.  These were two notes he brought to me after bedtime tonight.  Oh, wow!  Be still my heart!

The best little helper

After putting everyone to bed, I came downstairs to set the table for Thanksgiving dinner-and turned on Christmas music, of course!  About fifteen minutes later, Jack walks down.  “Mom, Sam’s asleep.  I was wondering if there was anything I could help you with?”  Oh, goodness!  Melt my heart!  So he so kindly, and with such a loving heart, helped set the table.  Loved working on that together!  Hopefully we just started a tradition!

When we were done with that, we moved on to a few Christmas decorations!  So thankful to have him with me-even if there were a ton of questions and “Mommy, look a this” requests that are usually in bed by now.  I hope these are moments he’ll never forget.  I know I won’t!  Thank you, Father, for these surprise treats of one on one time.  Help me to be in the moment when they come.

Bed-time scenes

Bed-time scenes like this.  Pretty much pure gold.  Of course they argue and fight and get the lamp turned off, but all of that doesn’t matter when you see moments like these.I’m so thankful they share a room.  We hear so many arguments, but we hear way, way more sweet conversations and funny chats.  They use their imaginations to come up with some really great stuff.  They get to be each others best friend.  Oooh, so thankful for a front seat to watch their brotherly bond grow and strengthen!

Meant to be a big brother

Yep, God made him to be a big brother.

First lemonade stand!

After church, Mark and Jack went and gathered the goodies for the boys’ first lemonade stand!  They set it up, Jack made the sign, and he was open for business!  Sam was still napping when Jack got started, but when he woke up and saw it, his eyes were as big as saucers!  They both loved it-and so did Mark and I!  They raised $37.62 for St. Lawrence Place!

Love this sweet sight!

Our sweet sleepers!

I could watch this ALL NIGHT LONG!  It’s such a treat to walk in to check on them and find this!Or to find this at nap time!Oooooh, these sweet babies!

The beach!

Always a good day at the beach with our G&G, Aunt Linds, Kendall, and Ethan!

Afternoon Light

She has the best afternoon light in her nursery.  And she’s loving books!

Those little piggies!  She uses them to scoot around.  Just want to eat them up!Blonde, blonde like her brothers, so it’s hard to see, but she’s starting to get more hair!