Personal Pepperoni Pizza Party!

We let the boys create their own little pizzas with english muffins, mini pepperonis, pizza sauce and shredded cheese. Then 5 minutes in the oven to melt the cheese, they all gathered around the oven window with the light on, anxiously waiting for their creations, mouths watering. It was fun and we all loved them!

Playtime~all the time!

 When child locks fail...

 tigger gets a tail...

 and they all check their email...(except Jaron~he's said "where's my laptop?)

 The fish are not alone...

 And there's two kings on their throne...

then Jonah wrote his numbers on his own.

Letting Go...

I set high expectations for myself and never reach my goals. I have good intentions but when I can't complete my "To Do List" I beat myself up for it. I want my house be perfect, spotless and organized.
It sounds so crazy as I type because I know that's impossible with 4 children. I want all the papers on my desk to be filed in the correct place. I want to create and plan crafts for my kids but never do. I read online and get tons of ideas but never follow through with them.
Keeping up with the check book and making sure bills get paid is priority over the other paperwork.
I want to get on a regular cleaning schedule with sweeping and mopping and vacuuming.
Chris washes clothes almost daily and they stay piled up on the couch most of the time until I feel so guilty I make myself fold them.
Most of this sounds like normal things most people probably have under control. I guess it's the lack of sleep that makes me unable to focus. I feel like I'm in a fog. I try to sit down and work on something and just can't muster up the energy. I need to prepare for taxes but haven't started yet. I need to research homeschooling curriculum but haven't done it yet. I drink caffeine to stay awake and feel like I'm in survival mode most days just making sure everyone is fed and bathed.

I need to stop giving Justus milk bottles in the bed but I haven't. It's my fault he's still on the bottle and not fully transitioned to milk in a cup. I have been slacking on that too. If I could just get a good 7 hours of sleep every night I am sure I'd be able to skip napping with the kids and really knock out all of that stuff while they sleep 2 hours each day. So every night I pray for God to make the children stay asleep so I can get some sleep too. I have high hopes that tonight will be better than last night. But Justus is teething and also is croupy today so sleep is not really happening much.

I have to learn to let go of the things that aren't important and focus on what needs to be done. The rest can wait. I shouldn't be so hard on myself and then I wouldn't feel so guilty for the lack of accomplishment. It's a vicious cycle I need to break and I am determined....

Creative Minds

Jaron and Jonah wanted to be pirates this morning so we got out the laundry baskets, papertowel rolls and used a golf club to make a flag.

 It's amazing how they can entertain themselves just by using a little imagination.

Sundays...

This was the second sunday in a row Chris made me bacon, eggs and toast for breakfast. And for years he's ironed everyone's clothes for church. He really is a good daddy and husband.

This is our typical routine.

 I get up and eat breakfast. (He usually lets me sleep and feeds the boys breakfast.)

Then I pick out what I want them to wear for church and he irons while I shower.

I dry my hair and the 2 youngest usually join me in the bathroom for that.

I clean out my bag and put only the necessities for church (diapers, wipes, snacks, toys, paper, crayons, pipe cleaners with ABC beads, bottle of milk, one thermos of water and smarties for good behavoir.)

The boys go into our room and get dressed where they find all their clothes lined up on the bed in age order and ironed thanks to daddy. :-D

Then they all need a snack because they ate breakfast at 6:30am and it's 9 now and we're about to leave for church so they usually all have a yogurt.

Sometimes we go through a drivethru on the way home and yesterday was one of those days. 

 Justus got a taste of Mcdonalds fries and wasn't happy when the box was empty. 

 He flipped it and flopped it....

 and waved it around....

and after realizing they were definately all gone he enjoyed a warm bottle of milk followed by an afternoon nap.

Thoughtful Thursday

We watched Ratatoullie today and the boys love to get the fake food out. They pretended to cook and after the food was all cleaned up and we were getting ready for bed, I looked up to find this one soup spoon hanging with the keys. Because we never know when we're gonna eat some soup. I forgot to ask who put it there but someone was being thoughtful.

I love these boys...

(Oh and if you don't follow me on facebook)

After stepping out of the bath Jonah held up his hands "Look mommy uncles!" He was talking about his wrinkled hands because he was in the bath for a while.

Wordless Wednesday

Note to self: stop trying to quit caffeine while raising 4 boys. It's impossible to keep up without it.

Wobbly Walker

Good Deals at the Goodwill

I took the boys the goodwill yesterday and we found some really expensive toys for REALLY cheap!
We got a VTECH kidzoom camera that takes pictures and records video for $1.91 not knowing if it worked until we got home it was worth a try because I already knew it was $80 brand new and guess what it WORKS! They love it. We already have one that takes pictures only but they always fight over it. They play for hours recording each other and then I decided to record Jacob while he was recording his brothers. (yes that's a mountain of laundry on the couch)  :-D

And Justus was too cute tonight in his flannel pjs

(and yes the dishwasher is covered in fingerprints)

I have learned that having fun with the kids is more important that a clean house. I do the housework after they go to bed.

Random Stuff

 Found this cute picture from the summer and don't think I ever posted it.

 Here's how the boys earn money by helping fold laundry

And last night we made a for with a sheet tacked to the ceiling but it only lasted about 20 minutes because Justus pulled it down.

Learning to Walk

New Year~New Beginnings!

Justus started taking steps on our anniversary (Dec. 26th) while we were on a date and my mother was babysitting. And each day that passes he is taking more steps alone without holding anything. He'll step out when no one is looking and just go so I guess we can say its official~He's WALKING! I have a little video of him walking down the hall but I cannot get it to upload. So for now this will have to do.

Our desktop computer had a virus and we had to take it to the geek squad for the cure. Then we got a stomach virus and there is no cure for it. We all suffered the wrath of the 4 days virus with vomiting, diarhea and severe gas in that order. I think we are all over it and the boys are ready to go back to school tomorrow after this long christmas break they had.

Jaron keeps asking "when's the snow coming?" and Jonah prays for snow every night. Justus is experimenting with baby snacks and cheerios but he still gags. So he's till on baby food. Jacob has developed a passion for baseball and got a real bat a glove for christmas. He desperately wants to play on a team next season. Jaron is excited about homeschooling and Jacob is not. We are going to make the best of it. Jacob doesn't like waking up in the morning for the bus so that will be one of the many positive things about homeschooling next year.

After months of being without a neighbor because our previous neighbors had to foreclose we finally have some new ones. They have 2 boys and 2 girls and Jaron is already in love with the little girl his age. They played outside together one day.

Have I mentioned Jonah has started writing his name and other letters and numbers too. I know he will love "homeschooling" next year too even though he'll only be in pre K.

God knows my heart and my strong desire to make this work so I believe He will provide a way to make it happen.