Lunching with Liv

One of my favorite things to do in the summer is to go out to lunch with Liv.

Any given summer morning I may call her and ask her if she's available.

Most likely I will get a yes and confirm a time and pack up the kids and pick her up. 

Then we're off to Champps.

I love to lunch with Liv.

She's laid back.

She loves my kids to pieces.

And she totally doesn't mind their interruptions, or the ketchup all over the place and she seems to enjoy their stories as much as I do.

One day I only had Brecken for some reason.

He slept for most of them meal and woke at the very end.

Liv asked me to hand him over right away.

For some reason he was still in his jammies.

To this day they go down as my all-time favorite outfit of his.

Liv loved his little bunny feet.

I couldn't choose just a couple pictures.

They were so cute together, I had to include them all.

She's clearly teaching him something here.

Clearly, learning is exhausting.

They are so happy together and friends already.

** Written way back in September.

I gave those jammies to a teacher who had twins and he sent me a picture with his little baby boy wearing them.  It warmed my heart.

Star of the Week

Victoria was chosen as the very first Star of the Week in second grade.

She was pumped.

I was shocked to see she let Christian help her color her poster.

Victoria with her teacher.

Have you ever seen her on the blog before? ;-)

Her poster that hung on the door for the week.

If you look close, you can see Christian made it on her friend list.

So sweet!

She's off to a great start in second grade!

** Written way back in September

Just Stay Little a Little Longer

I kinda wanna keep Brecky little.

Could you hear me whining there?  I hope I sounded like a three year old wanting a sucker, because that's so how I feel.  Please, please, please, baby, stay, little, for, ev, er.  

Even though he's my third baby I am convinced, that the older they get, the better they get.  I believe it. But each and every stage is magical.  But that baby stage it the most magicalist.  For the record, spellcheck is not recognizing that word, but I think it would make a great addition.

Of course, pretty much every moment I'm thinking, "Appreciate this!"  "Oh my gosh, this won't last long!"  

Yesterday Christian said, "Look at him!  He's crawling all over!  We need a new baby!  Soon this one will be walking!"  Mark asked him, "How many babies do you think we need?"  He held up ten fingers.

**Written way back in August

Chuck E Cheese - The Beginning and the End

I took the kids to Chuck E. Cheese on the first Friday of the summer and the last Friday of the summer.
Over the summer Chuck E. Cheese came up with a pretty cool app.
Doesn't it look like Chuck E. is jumping right out at you?

We were the only ones in the whole place and the "real" Chuck E. came out for a visit.

How cool is that app??

JACKPOT!

Even Brecken loves the app!

Brecken's first ride.

Victoria liked the app as much as I did:-)

I love that photo booth!

How cute are those brothers?

4th - Better Late than Never

Better late than never....

The 4th of July

It was Papa's Birthday.

Mark had amazing fireworks.

Everyone had a blast. 

Everything Is Perfect - For Now

Many many pictures I have called my "All Time Favorite"

This one is my current favorite!! 

I love everything about it...

except Brecken's little feet aren't sticking out from his jeans.

Beyond that, it's perfect. 

Their smiles.

Brecken's little teeth.

The way they hold on to their little brother.

It's perfection.

This picture is perfect for me to talk about how challenging it is to have three kids.  (I totally deleted hard and inserted challenging)  It is hard.  It takes a lot of organization.  It takes a lot of time.  Divide and conquer is our theory lately.  It takes a lot of patience.  

To do this right you must devote your life.

Tonight was the most perfect night.

I had dinner planned - no it was not a full moon -

chicken, steamed veggies, au grautin potatoes and a delicious salad.

(Yes, I typed that out because it made me feel good!) 

Brecken tried new foods (bananas and chicken) that kept him busy.

Christian is working on his table manners.

Victoria talks through the entire meal.

Mark and I get up for everyone's requests.

It was bliss.  

Tonight was a night I would yell down the street, "Everyone should have three children!!"

And really mean it.

Now, mind you, tomorrow might be the night I may (want) yell, "Nobody should ever have THREE children!!!"   

You never know what's going to happen.  I'm always on my toes.  Or at least have my eyes (half) open.

*Originally written on Oct. 21

A Million Bucks

Today I felt like a million bucks when the lady who observed me last week told me, "When I left your classroom, I called my husband and told him I wished Nathan was in your class.  He would just love it!"

No better compliment than someone saying they wish their kid was in your class!