It's happening..

Life is happening...faster than I can keep up with most days and certainly faster than I can blog about.  We are blazing right into busier times and while some days I think whew this is a lot, most I enjoy the busy-ness.   I enjoy most of the day at home with Nolan we have a good little routine and with our occasional errands or trips to the school we stay close to home.  So my days are busy and slow...house hold "chores" and hanging out with my little bear.   Afternoons tend to get a little chaotic and by 8pm I stop and think well ok then...another day down.  It's 9 now and like most nights I am in bed scrolling thru "my websites" I frequent and enjoying my quiet down time.  I am an odd bird and rarely turn on the TV.   During the day Nolan and I listen to Pandora a lot...my current favorite stations are the "Of Monsters and Men" station and the "Lana Del Rey" station.   

Nolan is all about "Bubble Guppies" and asks to watch "Guppies" a lot during the day....last week he called them "Gubba Gees" and now he has mastered "Guppies".   He is talking so very much lately.  Many words he couldn't say he is mastering...Phone used to be "feefee" and now it's "phone".  Fortunately he is still calling Gavin "Guy-Guy" and Jakeb is still "Sobe'", Zachary has now progressed from "Zassy" to "Zachy".   

The boys are all doing fabulous with school.   I am so very proud of all of them.  They really are great little and not so little boys.   I would love to toot our own horns but most of it is just them...sure we parent how we parent but their personalities certainly shine thru and I love watching them grow and blossom into the people they are.  Jakeb is doing so well with middle school so far and I am so thrilled with him and for him.  Homework is catching up with him a little and right now he's rocking a cold but he is doing so well keeping up with his assignments and folders.  I am sure the novelty will wear off soon enough but he is just doing great.

Zachary our "wild man" is so studious it is some times surprising.  He has a wonderful work ethic and he too tries very hard to do well and keep up with his work and assignments.  He is in 4th grade now and I am still having to remind myself that he's no longer in 3rd and the fact that he is closer to 10 than 9 is amazing.   He is thoughtful and considerate.  This past week he brought home a little note a classmate had written about him stating "Zachary talked to me and played a game with me".  I love that his teacher does this.   

Gavin, our silly goose lately.  He's our little math whiz.  He is now in 2nd and again I keeping calling him my 1st grader... and then saying wait no 2nd.  I swear this last year went by at lightening speed.  We all keep having to remind ourselves that he is now 7 and not 6.  He is so darn sweet and thoughtful....he loves to be helpful.  He also isn't is a fan of school and rebels that nearly every single morning.  He is trying to be better and I know he will get there.  He struggled with homework the very first night and now rocks it out without much complaint.  Tonight I felt his frustration growing but he was able to keep that in check and stayed calm and that is awesome.   He is learning to love to read too and that is fantastic!

A brief update on the kiddo's....or a brief brag fest eh?   Two days ago I wouldn't have said all of this...I would have griped about how they didn't do dishes and didn't pick up their clothes....but sometimes I just like to remember how really great they are...how all of the other frustrations are so minimal compared to all of the ways that they do so very well.  The frustrations that I know echo nearly every other parent around.  Certainly not reason to ignore them but definitely not things to dwell about...

I wanted to do a 12 yesterday but obviously didn't...maybe next week.  Our summer weather has been so mild lately and I am loving it!  Poor Nolan is pretty eaten up with mosquito bites from our outside time but it's just been so nice out we have to enjoy it.   Hope everyone is able to do the same!

  

Twelve on Tuesday

1.  We made it thru the first week of school relatively unscathed.   Despite 2 colds already we are trucking onto week 2.

2.  Jakeb is enjoying middle school and the independence it allows...while he seems overwhelmed with the abundance of new information he is receiving he seems to be really enjoying tackling it all in new larger environment.

3.  I find myself wanting to video every little cute thing Nolan does...so we don't forget.  I never can catch it all...my new faves are him cheering when people applause on TV.  He claps, says "yay" and "woo" in the cutest little voice ever.   He also likes to copy me calling for Lucy in a stern voice...claps his hand yells "suuussssy COME" in this little growly tough boy voice. The cutest.

4.  Discovered we had a few more paperwork items to knock out for our home study....nothing hard to obtain and in fact I had everything but one item in my hand in 5 minutes.  The last (a septic inspection) is a little bit more time consuming so working on getting that finished up.  

5.  We are still having to work out the kinks in the pick up/drop off routine....thus far I take Zachary and Gavin come home and snag Jakeb and then head home.  Z and G ride the bus home and shortly after they get home we go get Jakeb....not sure how we are going to work out his bus venture.   The bus won't get home until 4:15 and he has swim team starting at 4:30 soon.  That's not going to work. 

6.  I don't mind the morning shuffle it gives me some quiet car, coffee, and chat time with the boys.  

7.  I would like to load some more beach pictures up one day this week...hopefully I will get to it!

8.  Nolan is at the age I miss the most with the big boys and while there are times when I need a break for the most part I am just really having fun with him....despite his less than stellar sleep habits he really is a happy cheerful little guy.  

9.  I still can't believe I have a middle schooler.   Amazing but also kinda cool.  

10.  Zachary has turned into quite the worrier lately...I hate that feeling that he is having...I know it all too well worrying is no fun.

11.  I am trying to be better about getting to sleep at a decent time.  It really makes a huge difference in my near painful feeling of having to get out of bed at 6!

12.  Gavin is turning into quite the little reader and is really enjoying the "Magic Treehouse" series of books!

First Day of School

(they are laughing because I told Gavin to fix his face....the grumpy mad one)

Twelve on Tuesday.

1.  School started yesterday!  On one hand I was ready and on the other I really do enjoy the boys being home and the relaxed schedule.  

2.  Dropping Jakeb off yesterday at the big middle school was HARD.  I had geared myself up and was ok and he was ok...until the morning of and then he was really nervous which made me really nervous and then he got out of the car and looked so little and nervous and scared and then I nearly burst into tears.   When I sent him off to kindergarden I walked him to class and stood around with him and introduced him to his teacher and made sure he was ok.  You can't do that when they are 11 even if you want to....even if he deep down wanted me too.   He had to navigate something new on his own...and that's scary and good and part of growing up.  I was very proud of him.

3.  Gavin and Zachary barely even told me bye...they let me take their picture in front of their classrooms and didn't give me a second glance.   They have both been at the same school for 3 years now, they know all the teachers and all the kids so they were ready!   Perks of a small school!

4.  We are days or weeks away still from being approved for foster care...crazy!  I have been saying the same thing for weeks now...it hasn't changed.

5.  Robert finished the boys "closet" in their room over the weekend.  I LOVE that that is finally done...no more clothes stuff all over.

6.  I am finally starting to feel less guilty over hiring cleaning people.   It's a HUGE help....I rarely have help with the house work or the kids and this is my help.  It's a splurge for sure but a well spent one.  

7.  This is my last week keeping the little baby girl I have been watching.  We will be sad not to see her every week but it was time...our schedule is going to be picking up and both her parents and I need more of a set "schedule"  

8.  Nolan is talking up a storm...his newest phrases have been "Dog, bark" "Mommy, Home" and "Mommy, comp!" aka come

9.  With the return of school is the return of "morning Gavin"...morning Gavin stomped down stairs this morning and announce he was NOT going to school.  I told him he needed to get dressed and he said "No I don't, I already told you 100 times I am NOT going to school"   Ok then....we try to ignore "morning Gavin" he usually snaps back to nice everyday Gavin as soon as he eats.

10.  Zachary is in 4th grade this year and seems so very "mature" and ready for 4th grade.

11.  We have had a very mild summer...it's been wonderful!

12.  I can't think of another one!

Back to the grind...

We got home from vacation on Sunday.   Aside from rain and some stomach issues we really had a good one...REALLY we did.   It was as usual much too short but the house was great, the pool was great, and the beach even better (minus the itsy bitsy jelly fish the first 2 days)   Nolan was not quite as eager to hit up the beach as I was hoping...and I really wasn't expecting one way or another.   In fact the kid is usually so go with the flow (unless we are talking sleeping all night or eating) that I do expect from time to time for him to have some "wait just a darn minute" moments.  So fair enough he wasn't as into sand all over his body and water that moved as I had hoped but he napped like a champ on the beach and by the end of the week was enjoying it more.  
We ate the best fish tacos ever--granted I don't eat fish very often and I don't think think I have ever actually eaten fish tacos...but these were really really good.   So good we got them twice and had they been open a 3rd as it was our last stop on the way off the island.   We made a pit stop on the way down at Silver Springs which used to be an amusement park of sorts with animal exhibits and boat rides...it's somewhat sad to see how run down it is now because the springs are so incredible we were really in awe.   We knew ahead a time thanks to various reviews online that everything except the boat ride was gone so we just stopped to explore the springs and check out what was left...definitely worth the stop!  Robert and I both were dying to be in kayak's cruising around, absolutely gorgeous.   So on the way home we decided to stop and check out another spring site,  Juniper Springs...this one you are allowed to swim.   The water stays at 72 degrees so it's quite chilly but the boys all got in and spent some energy for the trek home!   I wish we had more time to spend there exploring and checking things out.   I certainly have a curiosity to explore and discover new areas and I especially love some that are a little "off the beaten path".   Next time you are on your way south take the time to stop at one of the springs they really are worth the stop!
So now it's back to reality and the boys are back to school in 12 days...and one minute it's a good thing and the next I am thinking it's not.   We all need a break from each other for sure but gosh our summers are short!   Nolan will certainly be missing them during the day.   I am just floored by how quickly the year has gone by....I know I say it all the time but as I am putting August on the calendar and knowing that the next months will get here just as quickly it's is just baffling.   In just 3 1/2 months Nolan will be 2 and in 6 months I will have another double digit kiddo in the house.  Time certainly flies and it seems to fly faster the older I get.
And with that a few pictures from the first part of the trip!

Wait, What.

As I was putting Nolan down for a nap today I read one of my favorite bloggers most recent blog on parenting and it got me thinking on my own parenting ideas and wisdoms.   My plan was to finish putting him down for a nap, fix the big boys and I lunch, swap some laundry, and come blog about my thoughts on said parenting wisdoms.   However my mom called halfway thru lunch preparations and we talked until Nolan woke up and there went my blogging chance.  The rest of the day has been dealing with a very whiney demanding going on 2 year old (WHAT!?) and has ended with 3 fighting big brothers.  So my parenting wisdom isn't feeling very wisdom-ey other than I have the wisdom to cancel extra bedtime reading time and instead lights out everyone.right.now.  Mommy needs a beer and some quiet time.  Whew today, while not really all that terrible, has drained me.
Nolan for some reason is going thru quite a whiney screechy "I need this NOW" phase and I am not a fan.   I love that he is finding his voice and finding his words but I will be glad when he finds a little bit of his patience and his manners.   Something we all could work on but he REALLY needs the most work on that one.
On the flip side vacation is happening very soon and the big boy arguing is typically short lived and if I haven't learned anything else in my 11+ years of parenting the one thing I do know is every phase does end and happy times return.  

Hold on to your hats...

I always think to sit down and post a few pictures but then realize all my pictures are still sitting on the cameras and realize getting pictures posted will take more time that I had planned....sometimes I can squeeze in the time and sometimes not.   I am also not sure where to start!  When you go weeks...months without posting it is a bit daunting to "catch up" so I usually don't and just post some recent pictures---but that sends us back to the original "problem" they are on the camera.   Fortunately today I have some extra motivation to get cameras "cleaned up" and ready for vacation!   So today you get pictures!

Twelve on Tuesday.

1.  I hate that these are the only posts I seem to write lately.   I know this is just a "phase" and will pass eventually...I hope!

2.   We are going on vacation very VERY soon and I am READy.  All of us are!

3.  I am working on editing some pictures I took for a neighbor the other day, I gotta say this part of the picture taking process makes me really dislike the picture taking action.   It's really a pretty quick deal but I am so out of practice that it's just not quick these days.  PLUS the only time I can do it is at night so that makes it take even longer...because my night is pretty much the part of day that I am basically worthless.

4.  Jakeb tried out for swim team today at a local place and made team and I am super duper proud of him.   He starts in August and wishes it was sooner.   I am seriously borderline obsessed with his new swimming "career" and probably a little jealous.   He rocks it in the water and I am so thrilled for him that he has found something that (at least for now) he loves doing AND is good at it.

5.  Did I mention vacation?

6.  We had our home visit again yesterday...it was the 2nd and should be the last before we are approved as a open foster home.  Could be 3 weeks could be 6...either way EEK.  I am getting nervous about the whole thing...the process...the system...all of it.

7.  Nolan's newest word is "huh?"....it was cute for the first day or so.  Now he says it every time I speak to him all.day.long.  Makes me a wee bit nuts but also makes me laugh.

8.  Zachary apparently has decided to point out all of my bad characteristics but taking them on as his own.   Those super critical sound comments I say but don't really mean to sound like a bitch...yep he is saying them.   That smart ass comment I said joking around...yep he is doing it.  Apparently Zman is my mini mean personality wise, thanks dude for magnifying all my flaws.   At the same time the kid is F.U.N. with a capital F.

9.  V.A.C.A.T.I.O.N

10.  The boys go back to school in just a little over 3 weeks....the summer has yet again FLOWN by, I am not ready for them to go back but I never am.  The routine is always nice but getting up at 6 is not and I really do enjoy their company.

11.   Our poor Bailey dog is miserable with his ears again and we are terrible doggie owners for letting it get bad again...we have one dog with ear issues, one with a busted knee, and a cat that has injuries from some sort of animal bite.   We are golden here with the pet care taking...oy.   I will give us props for having them all fixed and up to date on the important shots and flea meds.  

12.  Gavin is turning into our fact man....he can tell you random facts about all sorts of things...he loves reading animal fact books and the stuff he remembers from them or things people have told him amaze me.  He's a cool little guy.

Summatime

It's summer and we are thoroughly enjoying it.   I honestly was expecting a bit more crazy and chaos but so far things have been darn great.   I always long for summer and the relaxed schedule and then it seems that it turns out to be anything but that.   But this year seems different and in fact just that.   Maybe my attitude has relaxed a bit...because while there are certainly chaotic times I have learned to roll with it a bit better than in the past.  In the past freak out Rachel would emerge and we would all be OH.MY.GOD.WE.ARE.LATE!!?!?!   Now thanks to better planning and better chill the crap out skills we are able to avoid panic Rachel on most outings.   It's all about attitude and perspective folks.   

Currently Nolan is sleeping, Zachary is at a friends, Jakeb and Gavin are upstairs playing, and I am sitting here eating corn dogs and drinking lemonade.  Health food for the win!   We are trying to avoid chick fila and much worse foods than oven cooked corn dogs so 2 corn dogs for lunch works for me...for now.   I am learning that baby steps towards a goal are better than nothing.  So for now convenience food at home is working better than trying to be all "I KNOW!   Let's buy a bazillion fresh produce items and I am going to whip up a fancy salad and home made mac n cheese and fresh squeezed lemonade!"  Because 2 weeks later when all of the food is rotted in my fridge and we have spent $75 on lunch at restaurants we really aren't getting anywhere now our we?   So realistic baby steps....corn dogs at home...garbage pizza and chicken nuggets at home...are at least a little better than a fast food joint and are certainly cheaper.  We also do PB&J (on wheat!) ham and cheese (on Hawaiian!) chicken salad (from the farmers market I certainly don't make it...and also on Hawaiian) lots of yogurt and our beloved smoothies.  SO now that we have established that...you still won't find pop tarts and little debbie snacks here.  And these are all beef corn dogs and darn good at that.   My goal is to break the habit of eating out...get used to eating at home and then work on changing how we eat at home.   One step at a time my friends.  

We are leaving for vacation in a couple weeks and I seriously cannot wait.  Cannot wait to be kicked back in a beach chair watching my babies romp in the water and roll in the sand.   We all love, love the beach and can be there all.day.long.   

Gavin has recovered amazingly well from his surgery and we are so glad to have that behind us.   Can't believe we are nearly at July the summer is trucking right on by, crazy!

Have a fantastic weekend!

Twelve on Tuesday

1.  Pretty sure I am trying to get a cold....I would say I have one but let's not go there just yet.  

2.  Thus far I have really enjoyed our summer break...we have gotten into a bit of a routine in our days and it's going well.   The boys are playing far more video games than I would like but you know...

3.  Zachary would sit in front of a screen of some sort ALL.DAY.LONG.  

4.  Nolan is now closer to 2 than 1 and that's insane.  He is starting to talk so very much more and while he is STILL not.sleeping.thru.the.night he is better and napping consistently at least 1-2 hrs daily.  

5.   I am not sure how I missed getting pictures of the boys for their birthday but I did....I am slowly trying to get "caught" up with that.   Oops.  

6.  I have a handful of projects waiting on me to finish...or rather START them and I finally am feeling like I could actually do that.   I hate starting things I can't finish so consequently I haven't started a great many things.   Just going thru the motions of keeping up with the kids and the house and the dogs and the cats....and wash, rinse, repeat.

7.  We have had some serious rain lately....it certainly hasn't helped my grass situation or rather lack there of but it's nice to not have to remember to water my planters...which means I in fact have flowers still living in the planters!   Go rain and go me.

8.  I ventured into the attic yesterday and felt brave enough to cross the beams and grab the box I needed...I had Zachary with me for emotional support and stability.   I have a history of stepping thru the ceiling so I am basically afraid of the attic.   BUT I got the box and there are no holes in the attic floor.

9.  The box I needed was a box of random clothes I had kept from the boys toddler days...apparently I felt the need to keep all of the shoes they owned and should have never purchased a single pair for Nolan in size 6 because I am pretty sure he now has about 20 pairs of shoes, with the old combined with the new.

10.  Zachary and Jakeb are doing swim this week...seriously loving watching them in the pool.   We will get Gavin started up once he is feeling better!

11.   He has been a trooper...the pain meds they gave are straight up nasty so he refused to take them much past the 2nd day.  He's been relying on Tylenol and today and yesterday didn't have anything at all.  So he's feeling better for sure.  I know we are ready to get back up to speed.  

12.   So glad we have the surgery behind us and we are week into the recovery.  I am really hoping the tonsils being gone helps with his immune system this next school year....I am also wondering if those big golf balls being out of his throat will help with his speech some.  He still struggles with his "R's"

Twelve on Tuesday.

1.  Gbabes had his tonsils out yesterday....he is so far doing AMAZING.   Currently upstairs playing with his brothers like no big deal.   He is so awesome.

2.  I am feeling antsy....I get this way from time to time and especially in the summer.  Ready for a trip or a change of scenery or something to break up the days.  

3.  Often when I get like this I rearrange furniture but can't for the life of me figure out what to move.  Everything is as it should be for now.   Or just too darn hard to move.   I do "need" to shift things around in Nolan's room a bit but worry that will mess up his "routine".  

4.  I have emailed again about the foster care home study and what not....haven't heard a word back.  ANNOYING?  Yes.  So much for the urgency of good foster homes....oy.

5.  Jakeb has been taking swim lessons trying to move towards being on a swim team...he is doing awesome and we seriously love watching him swim.

6.   Our summer so far has been pretty low key and not overly stressful.

7.  Despite #6 I have felt moderately stressed lately...in a mood of sorts I guess....probably relates to #2.

8.  The grass seed I planted in the spring has called it quits...the entire front yard is brown.  Nice.   However the back yard is growing like wild fire and looks great.

9.  We hit up the library a couple weeks ago...full intentions to do the summer reading program...that fizzled out after about 2 days.  I will keep trying to encourage it though!   They are all 3 good little readers...but video games seem to keep winning if I let them.

10.  Nolan has finally found a love for books and is wanting to be read to more frequently.

11.  We are planning on hitting up the beach sometime in July.

12.  July is not soon enough!

Eighteen

Hard to believe that Nolan is well over a year old!  At 18 months he is a busy busy boy.   He is currently sitting next to me at the kitchen table in a big chair coloring all over my "summer notebook" and chattering away at me.   I am letting him because he is happy and not destroying something or making a mess.   He has a chocolate covered face from his Nutella bread he had for breakfast.  Chocolate is a good breakfast...I think it has some protein right?   

At 18 months we follow him around stopping him from doing the same things every single day.  He things my computer mouse is his toy....the kitchen table is for climbing on...the lego's and rocks for eating...the dog water is for splashing in...my bathroom drawers are his toy box.   Basically he's a pretty typical 18 month old.   He is rocking 13 teeth and is saying so many words now I have lost count.  He is starting to put 2 and 3 words together like "Mommy watch" "Mommy help"  "Mommy get it" Most of his words only I understand at this point like "gogo" = yogurt.   "Baba"=water/cup/milk/bottle  but a few he says quite clearly like "Ow" "Mommy" "Daddy" "goggles" "shoes" to name a few.  He seems to understand everything we say to him and sometimes listens and most times not.  

He has learned how to make us laugh and does so with intention daily.   He cracks us up and at 18 months we are all still pretty obsessed with him.   We are still working on hitting and throwing things...he has quite a little temper!  He still has rocking hair and brown eyes...still quite a peanut.   Obsessed with shoes and loves putting his little crocs on by himself.   He is still a huge fan of his paci and is starting to carry around, request, and sleep with his little monster or puppy "snuggly".  He is a ball of energy and happy and moody and love.  

At 18 months he is at a fun and trying age and we are enjoying every second.