Today

Today is bittersweet for me.  Cy woke up with fever today so I stayed home instead of going to work…and it was heaven.  Man, I miss staying home sometimes.  I miss this sweet little boy growing up with me.  He is doing all his growing at the daycare.  Now – the good thing about that is he LOVES his teachers and they LOVE him.  He is truly so SO happy, and that is a huge blessing.

But, when this sweet, feeling better with medicine, little boy asks if he can blow bubbles outside, the answer is unequivocally YES!!

He has been asking and asking.

But – we couldn’t make very many bubbles with the teeny tiny wand, and he may have accidentally dumped the bubble soap all over the ground.   So, then he asked if he could dig…

He loved it!

He also told me he was a good digger and the reason why he is so good is because he is four…

FOUR!

Days like this are bittersweet, but so important to me.  I love this special time with my youngest.  LOVE HIM!

At the Ballfield

It’s baseball season at our house and we have three boys playing this year.  Sweet, little Cy is playing T-Ball.  He is so cute out there.  Collin is playing one more season of coach-pitch and Cole is playing one more season in the minors (kid-pitch) before heading to the majors next fall. 

Last Saturday was Cy’s first game, but I missed it because Cole and Collin had PSIA in Argyle and I was with them.  But, I was able to make it to all three boys’ games today Saturday, and I got some great pictures of Cy.

Getting instruction from the coach (also known as dad)

This is his ‘baseball ready’ pose.  He really did pay attention most of the time.

There was also some playing in the dirt goin’ on as well!!

     

He made a few stops at pitcher and was just thrilled.  After every play (whether he made the throw to first or not) he had a mini celebration…

He also celebrated as he crossed home plate a few times…

  

It really was a blast to watch and I look forward to so many more games this season.

And for good measure, here are a few pictures of his big brothers.

  

  

Beauty

Macie participated in the Youth America Grand Prix ballet competition this weekend.  She performed a classical pointe solo and a contemporary solo, as well as a group pointe piece and contemporary piece.  While she didn’t place, as she would have hoped, she danced beautifully.  She is constantly growing and improving her time to place at this highly competitive competition is coming.  We are SO proud of her and the ballerina she is becoming – as well as the sweet, kind and compassionate young lady she is becoming.  We wish her luck this summer at the School of American Ballet summer intensive in New York City!

Fun on the Ship

We had a blast on the Carnival Magic!  The kids had the best time doing the ropes course, playing mini golf, and so much more.  Here are a few of the many photos…

  

  

Todd and I even did a little ropes course of our own…

It was so fun and beautiful out on the water.  It was crazy being up there and looking out into the ocean and seeing nothing for miles.

Wish I was here

 

Right about now I am missing our Christmas Cruise!  I loved the family time and the uninterrupted kiddo fun time!   

I also loved seeing the awesome wonder of God’s creation every day!

That time I didn't take pictures on Halloween

…or even buy costumes.

I guess what they say is true.  By the time the fifth kid comes around – mommy and daddy are too tired to make an effort out of anything!!  Gone are the days of searching and planning months in advance for a Halloween costume.  Its more like this – What?  Halloween is TOMORROW??  Go get the dress up box and find something out of there – it will be fine!

And then – your sister sends you a text the day after Halloween and asks for pictures of the kids in costume…Uh?  What pictures?  I was supposed to take pictures??

It is sad, really.  I’m pretty sure I have scrapbook pages devoted to costumes alone, then pages dedicated to the actual trick-or-treating, then pages dedicated to the sorting of the candy.  For Cameron and Macie, for sure.  Maybe for Cole.  What’s that Collin?  Where is your scrapbook??  Hmmm – let me see…

I don’t even have one picture on a page for Collin and Cy.  #momfail

Well – we did do one awesome thing this year.  We went to the Pumpkin Patch.  It was Cy’s first time.  (He will be four next month!)  I had a plan to take pictures, it was a beautiful day.  I had my good camera – it was going to be perfect.  Then – my camera battery died.  Completely.  Wouldn’t even turn on.  Had to use my cell phone.  This is what I got…

Not too bad – kinda cute.  Let’s take some individual photos…

Cy being Cy, or Popeye – whichever works best!  (It was bright that day)

Collin had to hold the pumpkin.  Such a cutie!

Cole wanted one by the hay with a small pumpkin.  He is just looking so grown up to me lately!

Ugh – no words – just Gorgeous!  Love her!

And this guy.  It was like pulling teeth to get him to smile his real smile.  I think what made him sort of smile for real in this one was because I told him to say … I love my mom!!

We ended up getting some great pictures with a little ole phone.  So good, in fact, that even fell in love with them when I texted them to her and she printed them out and framed them for us.  They are hanging on my wall right now and it makes me SO HAPPY to see them.

Of course, there is always the one where they are looking at me like I’m a nut…

And the one of Macie doing a dance pose…

Not exactly framers – but memories just the same.  So – I may not have Halloween night forever saved by photo, but I do have the afternoon at the pumpkin patch forever etched in my heart. 

St. Maria Goretti Performance

Every new dance season, the girls have the opportunity to dance their solos at a local church in our community who has a fall festival.  The girls usually perform a duet or trio that they choreographed themselves, and their ballet variation.  This is the first time I see Macie's new solos every year.  Its a very exciting time!

 

  

I know I’ve said it before and I’m sure I’ll say it a million more times.  I am AMAZED by her.  Every year, every performance, she improves.  Such grace and poise on the stage.  And, I see what goes on behind the scenes…the grit, determination, frustration, and repetition to learn and perform.  So proud of her!