Under Construction

To do list: Rip out carpet Rip out linoleum Paint kitchen cupboards Paint trim/doors/closets New hardware on doors Rip down mantle Retexture wall for TV Rip out tile by fireplace and backdoor Retile all of that (Thank you Brian and Nathan!) Paint

Easter

 Look at my three little men in their Sunday best.  So cute I can hardly stand it.  I didn't even buy them anything new or super coordinated and they STILL look handsome!    They were all ready for the egg hunt - long before those eggs were hidden.

 The kids love being with their cousins.  They always bring in a haul!  It was fun to have Grandma and Grandpa finally home again and things running as usual.  Holidays weren't quite the same without them!

 I am grateful for my little family and that I get to be with them forever.  Really, there are no other people I'd rather be with.  That turned out to be a nice deal, I think!

Moving

Three weeks after our house was listed, in about mid-March, an offer came in on our house that ended up being the one that stuck.  The month that followed was still stressful, as the buyer kept coming for more showings and asked us to fix several things based on the home inspection.  It made us nervous that she would back out and we would be back at square one.  So for a few hundred dollars and a few miracles, we gave in to her every demand.  We fixed some electrical stuff, the garage, a leaky toilet, a sticker on the furnace, and a brand new water heater.  While I was angry at times because I felt we were playing a game, things really did fall into place.  I had been going through rooms cleaning things out for a week and then started packing things up.

I mostly did ok - boxing up closets and shelves of books and things we don't use was not hard.  I was a machine!  Filling up that garage and showing Brian my progress each day.  However, I did have to call in the big guns to do the hard stuff.  Karen came over and single-handedly took down my curtains and pictures and homey things in the front room.  I don't know why but it was just so hard for me to do it.  Our house looked plain and uninviting.  It made me sad.  Things were feeling real at that point.  So I really waited until the last week to do that.  The next few days before the move there was a pretty constant stream of sweet, nice friends who helped me get the kitchen packed and then later our bedroom.  They were so kind.  They made it go fast.  They made it much less painful.

There were so many kindnesses shown to our family, particularly in that last week that made it possible for us to get out quickly.  Dinners day after day after the kitchen was packed up and even the day or two after we moved.  Kids being taken care of so I could work quickly.  Kids of others' kids being watched as well so that their moms could be with me to help.  A water heater.  Trailers and trucks delivered to our house and keys left on our porch.  So many helping hands to move boxes from the crawl space to the garage.  From the garage to a trailer.  From the trailer into the basement of our new house.  It was incredible.  People are so, so good.

We closed on April 15.  Had to be out by Saturday, the 17th.  They were long, long days.  I was beat.  The kids were out of sorts.  We moved into grandma and grandpa Robinson's house for two weeks while we worked on the hew house and got it ready for us to move in.

For the most part, I was composed.  But the ending there was pretty hard.  Ripped my little heart out.  I have so many happy memories of our little house on 1010 West.  We moved in 8 years ago with just the two of us and a puppy.  So much space - and room to spare!  We brought our three, sweet little boys home here.  We sat on the front porch and watched snow fall or ate popsicles.  Kids ran laps around the kitchen and the family room while Brian played the piano.  I can see Gavin army crawling down the entire hall.  I can see McKay standing up in the cherry tree waiting for me to come get him down.  I can see Jonah standing at the back door watching his big brothers and wishing he was big enough to join in the fun.

This little house is where Brian and I spent hours working together - finishing the yard, building a garden, making it ours.  The kids rode bikes and scooters down the path in the backyard over and over. Dug for worms in the backyard.  Found rolly pollies.  Learned how to ride bikes on the street out front.

I can't list them all here.  But I will forever remember the happy feelings associated with our first home. It was a good place.  Love grows best in little spaces…  We had great neighbors and we made friends that I truly believe will last a lifetime.

When we went outside for the last time the Belliston's and their girls were outside.  I was fighting hard to keep it together.  But I did.  We took pictures and said goodbye.  We walked back in the house and as I walked up the stairs to the laundry room door for the last time, the floodgates opened.  We went in and kneeled in our bedroom - our little family of five - and said a prayer.  Grateful for the opportunity to live here.  I had to go lay down for two hours before I was composed again.  It was so hard to say goodbye.

I know this move is great for our family and many new adventures await us.  And I'm excited for the next phase and know that the next chapter can be just as great.  So like Dr. Suess said - I will smile because it happened!

Year Ten!

The week before we closed on our house (of course!) was our Ten-Year Hawaii trip.  We had tried to go several years before, but we looked ahead and promised that this would be the year.  So forget being in the middle of buying a house!  Forget being eight weeks pregnant and sick!  WE WERE GOING!

Even though I was a little worried about the timing, it turned out to be for the best.  We really needed a break.  And to spend it with my best friend was just what the doctor ordered.

Although I've only been to one island, I think Kauai may be hard to beat.  It was so beautiful.  It didn't feel super touristy.  We filled our days with drives around the island - good food - zip lines - kayaks - hikes - waterfalls - macadamia nuts - luaus - books by the pool - luau - yummy breakfast and time to actually have a conversation! - snorkeling.  No agenda.  Just me and Brian.  It was seven days of heaven.  There's nothing like being in a beautiful place doing pretty much nothing with the person you like most to make happy memories.

There was a time when being married for ten years seemed far away.  Once upon a time Brian's heath made things questionable.  But I am forever grateful for the time that we've had together and hope for many more happy years.  With time comes a comfort and safety and trust that is important.  We get each other.  The good and the bad.  I know that he will love me regardless.  And our three (+1!!) kids in ten years are pretty miraculous.

Thanks to my honey for making this trip happen and for sticking it out with me.  Let's do it again!!

Jonah turns ONE!

 The only picture I have to show for Jonah's 1st birthday doesn't even have him in it!  I am a failure as a mother.  Who does that??  I won't lie - I was a bit frazzled.  We were in the middle of packing a house, getting ready for a trip to Hawaii the following day, getting things settled for babysitters so we could leave for a week.  His birthday did not go how I planned at all.  Luckily, he didn't really know or care.

We went over to Brandi's and had dinner with Mother, Susan, Jourdan, Jake, Spencer, Brandi, and Gilbert.  The kids played and came up and we sang to him and had him open a present.  A towered spinning ball thing that he figured out and loves.  We tried to get him to dive into his cake but he wasn't into it.  Oh well, neither were we, I guess.

We tried cupcakes again a few weeks later on Easter and it was a hit.  So we'll count these as his birthday pics as they are the first true tastes of that yummy treat.  He ate three!  Of course, there was at least a full one in crumbs!

Dear Jonah,

I can hardly believe a whole year has gone by.  I honest to goodness feel like we JUST got you!  It's interesting how things change the more kids you have.  I think I've tried hard to appreciate you and the time more.  That hasn't been hard for me to do at all.  Although somehow this year has gone so quickly!

You are such a good baby.  Really.  You have been the best and pretty low maintenance.  Unless you are sick or teething, you really don't have much to complain about.  You are happy and so pleasant.  While you were our smallest baby at birth, you have turned into the biggest!  I never thought we'd have a kid pass Gavin up in size, but you did it, buddy.  You weighed in at almost 28 pounds at your year appointment.  You have started babbling all the time.  You say mom, mommy, mama all the time.  ALL the time!  I love it.  I feel like you are starting to understand what I'm telling you.  You can say dad and owie too.  You feed yourself and make a very big mess every time you eat.  There's really no point in having you wear clothes!  Your brothers love you and take good care of you.  Sometimes they pick you up and carry you wherever they want you and you usually go along with it.  Although you are letting them know when you've had enough.

I really do love everything about you.  You are squishy and smiley and perfect.  And that strawberry blonde hair is so cute.  It's definitely toned down since you were born, but it's most certainly there.  I can't wait to see what you learn this year.  We are so grateful for you and glad to have you around.  I can't imagine it any other way!

Love you,
Mom

McKay turns 4!

McKay has been waiting for his birthday for 365 days.  Seriously.  On his last birthday it was about noon and he said, "For my next birthday can we…."  Right when we were in the middle of living that one.  So funny.  He's into legos and Chima and so that's what we went with.

First he had lunch at Old McDonald's with Gavin and Owen.  Sister Knapp and her boys decorated the front door for him and Grandma & Grandpa Woolf sent him a Power Rangers costume.  Score!  The bummer was later that day when he and Gavin and Jonah ALL got pink eye.  I took them into the doctor about 3:00pm - right before his Chuck-E-Cheese party.  So we had to cancel that.  And his cake and ice cream.  His birthday request was to have Kaylee and Sage come to CEC with him.  Then for cake and ice cream he wanted Sister Hill, Sister Lee and her nine-year-old daughter Aubrey.  Such a sweet boy.  I was more sad than he was that we had to change things.  He was more excited that he'd get another birthday in a few weeks.

So we improvised and did our cake and ice cream and had hot dogs at home.  Right when we got back from our Hawaii trip we had our Chuck-E-Cheese party.  The kids loved it.  The ticket blaster was for sure a highlight.  A fun few days to celebrate our sweet four-year-old.

Dear McKay,

Boy howdy are you a wild one!  You bring so much life and energy into our home.  Sometimes we're not sure what to do with it, but along with that comes a sweet and soft side.  You are the first one to my bedside every single morning.  Up and at 'em with a hug and ready for a treat.  Not breakfast - a treat!  You go go go all day long.  You also can fall asleep in 60 seconds flat at night.  I would too if I moved around like you do!  You love to play with friends.  You are getting really good at sharing and watch out for your little brother.  You love Jonah and give him hugs all day.  You still lick him sometimes - not sure what that's all about…  You and Gavin are best buds and share a room.  You have a pretty normal brother relationship - buds one second, fighting the next.  You can keep up with him on your bike and your scooter now.  That's been fun to watch you get good at both of those the past few months.

You love taking a bath and going to get a treat at the gas station.  You love to watch Power Rangers and Paw Patrol.  You recently learned how to work the Netflix remote and navigate it like a champ.  You are being such a good helper and when I ask you to do something you usually do it pretty quick.  The other day you grabbed a wipe and a chair and started wiping down the windows.  You said, "Look mom, I'm doing service!"

I'm so glad to have you around.  I am learning that you do things and need things different than your big brother did.  You need things to be soft and calm.  You don't respond to me freaking out or giving you sass very much.  In fact, if I do that you give it right back to me - ten fold!  But that's what it's all about.  Learning what makes you tick and what is best for each child.  What fun would it be to have two kids just the same?  Thank you for teaching me and being patient as I keep learning.

We are so glad to have you around.  Life wouldn't be nearly as fun without you!

Love,
Mom