Day in the life.

So, when I created this blog I knew that my days would be interested with boys.  I don't think I really knew how interesting they really would be.

I woke up this morning after being up all night with an 8 month old who is cutting his first two bottom teeth.  Exhausted.  I was so tired in fact that after getting myself and the boys all ready to take Ryder to school I looked at the clock and realized that he had been supposed to be already signed into school ten minutes ago.  No school for Ryder today.

The boys then started yelling and playing in the bedroom while I was getting myself some much needed coffee.  Ryder comes running out... "Momma!  Spider in room!".  Oh boy.  This wasn't just a spider, it was a spider of the giant toe eating variety.  Just as I was about to make him a squish on the wall with my shoe the silly thing decides to crawl into the corner.  Sentenced to death by drowning in bug spray.

A little later, while sitting at my computer taking care of some things the boys got into the closet and found some of the Christmas presents that I have stashed away.  Ryder: "Momma?  What those?"  Me: "Those are for Jesus' birthday buddy, can you please get out of the closet?"  Ryder saying to Wyatt: "Wyatt! Those for Jesus birthday!  He share us!"

Moving on from the toys to find other trouble they pulled dada's guitar out from under the bed and started strumming it.  Me: "Boys, I really hope you don't have that guitar pulled out right now."  Ryder: "Momma, me put it back.  You not see."

Keep in mind, that as I write this its only noon.

After they finished eating lunch, Ryder put his dishes away and the boys were still in the kitchen.  Ryder, who's been potty training for the last month says to me. "Momma! Me poop kitchen!"  I never in my life would have thought I would hear those words.  He took himself to the bathroom and cleaned himself up.  Changed his clothes and put his things in the dirty clothes.  All the while Wyatt is standing next to it like it is the most interesting thing in his little world and telling me "Poop, Momma! Poop!"   Then as I'm helping Ryder, Wyatt walks out with his entire hand covered in poop that he had pulled out of his own diaper.

Yes.... It is only noon.

Memories

We spend our whole life making memories.  Whether good or bad they stay with us, and sometimes pass on to the next generation.  I pray that I live life making the best memories and passing them onto my children.

Right now the boys are out in the garage with dada.  Shane is repairing his four wheeler and the two boys have tools and are working on their own peddle bikes.  Anything to be like dada.

I'm exhausted.  It seems like every day is too short and there is far too many thing to accomplish in such a short day.  There's a million things I should be doing right now, and that makes me feel guilty for sitting here on my computer.  Where is the balance?

It's been a little over a month now since the passing of Shane's Dad.  Hard to believe that the man I thought would be here forever is now dancing in Heaven with Jesus.  I miss him.  I try and hide it because I feel like that's what is best for Shane and the boys but it's not easy.  The little boys aren't old enough to understand what happened to Grandpa.  Ryder says that Grandpa is now fixed in Heaven.  It's amazing how touching the logic of a child can be.  I will forever think about Dad as being fixed in Heaven now.  But that doesn't stop the tears.

One day I will write about the man Dad was so that when the boys are older they will have a piece of him to help remember.

Sawyer is getting so big.  He's starting to sit up on his own, scooping across the carpet and chattering to himself.  I'm already starting to experience baby fever.  Ryder officially starts pre-k in 11 days.  I'm so excited for him.  He is going to love school and I'm going to love having that time to spend with Wyatt.  I pray that God blesses this experience for him and keeps him safe.  Wyatt is starting to talk in sentences and pronouncing his words so well.  I thought he had a speech problem but it turned out the whole time he was just stubborn.  And stubborn he is, the boy could hold a grudge for a week if he wanted to!

Shane is getting baptized this weekend.  I'm so proud of him.  I've been waiting for him to grow into the Godly husband and leader that I know he can be.  I finally have the husband that I've always wanted. He really is amazing.  I have God to thank for it.  I pray that God works in my life and makes me into the Godly woman and wife that He wants me to be.

Off to bed... so tired tonight.

Half a year already!

Four Month Old Bug

Happy Four Months old my little bug.  I cannot believe you are growing so quickly.  I'm so proud of you and excited to see what you will become as a toddler, a little boy, and a man.  God bless your path my little man.

Love you always.

"Me Ready to Fly, Momma"

As tired as I am tonight, I really thought this was worth a special post.

The boys got balloons from Kroger the other day when we went.  There is this wonderful woman there that brings them balloons every time she sees them being impatient.  She is my hero.  She told me last time, "I remember what it's like to have three boys in the grocery store."

Remind me to someday do something like this for some other poor mother with three boys in the grocery store.

On with the story....

Tonight Ryder walked up to me wearing dada's hat with the balloon clipped to the top of his hat.  He has his backpack on as well.  He says to me "Me ready to fly, momma.  Go outside."  And then he walks away with the balloon clipped to his hat dragging behind him.  The intelligence that child has surprises me all the time.

Legal Shoplifting - Love it.

Quick money saving post.  One day I'm going to look back on these and be shocked.  And remind myself of how awesome I am.

Went to Kroger the other day.  They have a promotion right now when you purchase 2 Huggies diapers you receive a $5.00 register coupon good on your next order.  I just happened to find 6 packages of Huggies diapers on manager's special for $4.49.  Split them into three transactions with two packs of diapers each.

First transaction:
2 packs of Huggies Pull ups priced at $4.49 each
Used 2 $2/1 Pull Ups Coupons
Paid $5.52 cents and received a coupon for $5 off my next order.

Second Transaction:
2 packs of Huggies Pull Ups priced at $4.49 each

Used 2 $2/1 Pull Ups Coupons
Paid $5.52 cents and received a coupon for $5 off my next order.

Third Transaction:

2 packs of Huggies Pull Ups priced at $4.49 each
and purchased 10 Lysol all purpose cleaners priced at $1.49 with a raincheck

Used 2 $2/1 Pull Ups Coupons and 10 50/1 coupons that doubled.
And used 1 $5 off coupon
Paid $6.32 and received a coupon for $5 off my next order.

Fourth Transaction:

Purchased 2 16 count double roll Packs of Scott toilet paper priced at $5.99 each

and 6 packages of Stayfree feminine care products on manager special for 99 cents each

Used 1 $1.50/1 coupon and 1 75/1 and 6 $1/1 coupons

Also used 2 $5 coupons from previous transactions.

Paid 17 cents and received a $3 on your next order coupon from purchasing the Stayfree.  

That's a total of $17.53 cents out of pocket for 6 packages of diapers, 6 packages of feminine care products, 10 bottles of Lysol and 2 large packages of toilet paper.  And I have a $3 coupon off my next order.

Went to Rite Aid next, my favorite store.

Purchased 16 nail polishes - 6 Sally Hansen and 10 Wet and Wild.

Sally Hansen Priced at $4.99, reduced to $3.99 after my 20% discount.

Wet and Wild priced at 99 cents on sale for Buy One get One 50% off.

Used 6 $4/1 Sally Hansen coupons and 7 $1/1 Wet and Wild Coupons

Paid $2.22 out of pocket and received a $10 +Up Reward for my next purchase.

Uneventful Day - Is there such thing?

Today has been a pretty uneventful day.  There was no poop on the floor or keys in the bathtub (yes that has happened).  Just a lot of toddler fits and deep calming breaths for me.

Ryder had speech this morning.  We pulled up to the school and both of the boys were throwing their hands into the air yelling "Hooray!".  They love going to play with Miss Dionne and she has taught me so much about how to help the boys and what is good to work on with them next.  I would have never thought about some of these things that she informs me to do and I will be able to carry it on with all of my boys.

Some words I will miss from Ryder's toddler talk.

Es - Yes
Wubbin - Welcome
Wheaton - Blanket
Aunt Ebbie - Aunt Stephie

Ryder's very first words were 'one more'.  Just out of now here while he was sitting building things with dada.  Shane said 'I need one more of these.' and Ryder responded 'one more'.  We probably made that kid repeat those words 100 times because we were so excited.  Wyatt's first words were 'uh oh'.  Seems like that fits him perfectly.  Especially considering he is currently standing on the side table.  Lets hope I didn't speak too soon when I said that its been an uneventful day.

Sawyer has slept through the night since he was a month old.  From 10 at night until 6 or 7 in the morning every night without fail until last night.  Last night he decided that he was going to wake me up to eat four times.  Four times?  Really!  It made waking up this morning very difficult.  I suppose I'm sort of spoiled in that way.

Like I said, rather uneventful.  I'll update you on any excitement that may happen.... If I can keep my eyes open that long.

"...Yesterday is but today's memory and tomorrow is today's dream" ― Kahlil Gibran

Yesterday.

I really need to take more minutes to update about my days.  One day I will look back on all of this and wish that I had kept better track of how amazing these days are watching my little men grow up.  All the crazy things they say and do should be recorded for them to enjoy and their wives and children.

Note to self:  PLEASE write more.

Yesterday I had some errands to run and across from one of the buildings I had to go into was a toddler sized park.  They boys have been cooped up for so long that it was the perfect treat for them.  Wyatt climbed all the way up a set of bars and climbed down counting as he went.  When he got to the bottom he threw his hands in the air and yelled "Hooray!!"  That little boy has so much personality.  Never lose it little man, its one of your best qualities.

Ryder came up to me the other day and said "Momma, look at my funny face."

Priceless.

I finally after three years of living here broke down and bought myself a baby gate for across my kitchen.  And it couldn't have come at a better time.  Ryder is so adventurous and likes to "cook dinner" (his words).  And Wyatt's middle name should have been mess.  This keeps them in the kitchen at mealtime and out of the kitchen all the rest of the time.  It's seriously about the best thing I've ever bought.  Makes life as 'momma' much easier!  

And it's pretty.

Wyatt decided the jump on the potty training band wagon.  Ryder isn't all that enthusiastic about the whole process.  He politely tells me "No Thank You" every time I ask him if he has to go potty.  If I push a little harder he will go in there and sit down on the potty and tell me "No potty in there, Momma".  Wyatt runs in there when I ask him and whips off his diaper.  Plops himself down on the potty (with help of course) and sits there and continuously wipes himself with a square of toilet paper.  You know, I'll take what I can get.  Then we get down, throw a miniature party over the fact that he 'went potty' and go about our day.  

Another note to self:  Show Wyatt's future wife that photo. 

There so much more to say, so much more that has happened.  It's so late now and I'm so exhausted from all the chaos each day holds, I think I'll say goodnight before strange things start coming out of my mouth... or my fingers.... or... well you get the idea. 

Goodnight to one adventure

Today was an adventure, as it every day with boys.  I sit in bed tonight writing this thinking about how perfect my life feels.  Like I've finally found my place and I'm happy.  Happier than I've ever been.  My husband makes me happy and my kids make me happy.  My full time job taking care of them all makes me happy too.

Did I just admit that?

Back to the adventure part.  This morning Ryder woke up so cranky.  Crying and whining over everything.  And it seemed like there wasn't enough minutes in the morning to get everything done.  He was sitting at the kitchen table fighting with his breakfast wearing only his diaper.  Makes much more sense to get him dressed after he eats than before.  Less changes of clothes for the day that way.  Miss Becky got here and he refused to leave the kitchen in just his diaper.  When did my three year old learn modesty?  He just stood there with his hands over his eyes grinning like he was embarrassed until I got him dressed.  Then he was all ready to play!

Nap time rolled around.  I put Wyatt down first like always then got Ryder in bed and Sawyer sleeping and laid down myself.  This mom stuff gets tiring.  Wyatt usually is asleep almost immediately but today he played in his room for over an hour before he fell asleep.  Ryder woke up, Wyatt woke up minutes after.  I opened Wy's door and he was standing in front of me with his pants off, shirt over his head but still on his arms, and diaper on the floor.  There was poop everywhere.  He had been playing in it.  I took him out and cleaned him up with a wipe.  Cleaned his room up.  Then asked if he wanted a bath.  No.  He refused but Ryder wanted a shower.  So into the shower I take Ryder.  As the water is warming up for him I go back out to finish with Wyatt.  Check cleaning poop off my list of chores for the day.  Go back in to get Ryder into the water and he was all excited.  "Momma!  Me potty in there!"  And he ran to the toilet to show me the pee that was in the bowl.  I was so excited!  My little man used the toilet all on his own!  Then I saw the floor.  He made the toilet a little bit and the rest was in a puddle in front of the toilet.  So I suppose I can check cleaning pee off the floor off my chore list for the day too.

Like I said... adventures.

My boys really are the most amazing little men.  They make me so happy and so crazy both at the same time, that's pretty talented of them if you ask me.

Now it is bedtime.  Ryder has made me sing "Twinkle Star" to him at least twice before he goes to bed every night for the past two months.  I've sang it so much that even with his speech delay he can sing the song almost perfectly all on his own.  Earlier today I caught him singing the "abc" song to himself too.

Note to self:  Sing more.

So now we say goodnight to this adventure and await the new one that is tomorrow.

Goodnight moon.

Happy Mother's Day - A Little Late.

It always seems like I'm slightly behind with my blog posts.  I think I get so busy with all the other 500 things I have to do during the day that by the time I get a chance to post I'm already too tired to stay awake.

Can I just say that my boys are the most amazing little men that God has put on this earth?  They are so special.  And they are my ultimate mother's day gift.  Without them, my days would be boring and quiet and I would actually sleep at night... but who wants that, right? 

They were so happy to just sit together.  I am so blessed.

Ibotta - New Obsession

What's better than earning money for shopping, right?

Ibotta has become my new best friend.

It's easy, fun, and earns you money!

After signing up here and then downloading onto your Android or Apple phone, you look through the products offered.  Complete the circles below the product and purchase that item at a participating store.  Take a photo of your receipt and scan the barcode.  Within 24 hours the money will be applied to your account where you can then transfer it to PayPal or donate it!.  In the last few months I've earned $74 from completely offers and bonuses from Ibotta.

Ibotta is offered on Android and IPhone and super easy to use!  I find myself checking it often looking for new offers and easy ways to earn money.  The great thing about it is that you can use it along with your coupons!  At Walmart the other day I used my coupon overage to get all of the items I was purchasing for only 70 cents, and then I earned $1 from Ibotta!

Sign up using this Link, or any of the links above and then download the app from your AppStore or Google Play.  Easy as can be!

(Okay, so maybe a little overkill on the links, but at least you won't have trouble finding it!)

Wyatt

Things I love about Wyatt:

• He has a huge attitude.
• He greatly dislikes socks.  He never leaves his own on for longer than a few minutes, and if he sees someone else wearing them he will take them off too.
• He says 'no' about 2000 times a day.  
• His facial expressions, they make him an open book.
• He loves his blanket and carries it around everywhere.
• He puts himself to bed.  Gets his pillow and blanket and lays down all on his own.
• He knows what he wants and won't accept anything less.
• He does everything that Ryder does.
• When he's not around his brothers he is extremely well behaved.
• He only cuddles when he feels like it.

Just a few for now, there are so many more.

Sunday

Sunday.

I love Sunday.  Shane's day off... Shopping day... you can't get much better than those two together.

My shopping wasn't really worth mentioning.  The most exciting purchase I had was Dial hand soap for 18 cents each.

We spent the rest of the day outside.  I'm so glad for the nice weather, and Shane spent the whole day cleaning the yard up.  I love our yard after he's finished each year, it's beautiful.

We blew up the boys Christmas present today.  A bounce house from Grandma and Grandpa R.  Ryder calls it his "Jumpin' house".  The boys had a blast with it, but trying to teach a toddler not to bring rocks and toys and all the other fun sharp stuff into it was quite a challenge.  Then Ryder decided that it was going to be part of one of the fun towers that he has been building recently and started piling everything large in the yard he could find against it.  Suddenly it became his rocket ship.

Then the lawn mower broke.  And it couldn't just snap a belt or break a gear, it had to bust the whole mower deck.  After we come up with $400 to replace it we can have pretty short grass again.  Maybe I'll start taking donations.  I'll write on the can: "Help poor people mow their lawn."

If only it worked that way.

I do have to mention the cupcakes I made yesterday.  I've decided that I need to try my hand at all those pretty cupcakes that you see them making on television.  I can do that right?  It can't be that hard!  Maybe.  Anyway, I'm really proud of my first try at pretty cupcakes.  Chocolate banana cupcakes with chocolate butter cream frosting.  Yum!

 Yeah, I'm gonna be that mom at the bake sales.

My highlight of the day.... which is hard to choose really when you think about how much fun we had today, happened tonight when I was getting Ryder ready for bed.  I was cleaning up the toys in the boys room when Ryder walked in.  I said to him:

Me: 'Ryder, this will be your bed soon'

Ryder: 'Up there momma?' (pointing to the top bunk)

Me: 'No, baby.  When you get bigger you can sleep up there.'

Did I really say that to a three year old?

Ryder: 'Food me bigger, momma!'

This is when he took off running into the kitchen and I followed.

Ryder: 'Momma, please have banana? Make me bigger.'

I gave him the banana, he peeled it himself of course.  Would an other three year old yet their parents peel their banana?  He ate it.

As he was running to the trash can to throw the peel away....

Ryder: 'Momma, look!  Me bigger now!'

Why you ask, is that out of everything, the highlight of my day?  Because the logic of a three year old is so simply.  He wanted to get bigger so he ate a banana.  He is such an amazing little man and I am the most blessed parent that God gave me his as a son.

The 'flowers' that the boys picked for me today from the yard.

Happy Sunday.

Yoo-Yoo and Sawyer talks

Currently out of Ryder's mouth;  Some of this stuff is as entertaining as reality tv.

Sawyer made a loud noise and Ryder turned to him and then turned to me all excited and said "Momma! Sawyer talk!"  You can't help but smile about that, right?

Tonight at dinner the kids had some Yoohoo boxes that I got them as a treat.  I personally think the stuff is gross but they love anything that comes in a box with a straw.  One of the techniques I use to help the boys with their speech is to ask them to say different things throughout the day.

"Ryder, say YooHoo"

"Yoo-Yoo!  Momma, this Yoooooo-Yoo!"

That kid is so funny.

Currently out of Wyatt's mouth;  more and more each day!

He says momma and dada.  He says No about 2000 times a day.  He says stop and yes and bye and hello and truck and car and kitty and almost all of the animal sounds.  The other night he was saying dark, and I've gotten him to say Love you momma a few times.  He's got the biggest attitude a little man his size could have, so any words I can pull out of him is an accomplisment.  And although he's very behind on the verbal part of speech I think hes doing amazing!

I love my boys.

"Heavy Junk"

Ryder has started this new thing where he likes to take all of the large items in the house and pile them up.  Pillows, blankets, bean bag chairs, any furniture hes strong enough to drag.  Large toys, boppy pillow, crib, etc...

This morning he was making one of his large towers and said to me "Momma, this my heavy junk. Heavy junk, Momma"  Then he pointed to the horse and said "This gas, Momma.  This need gas.  Need my gasser"  He went and grabbed a juice box and pretended to put gas in the horse while making pouring sounds. 

"Glug, glug, glug.  Look, gas in there, Momma"

Really?  This kid says the craziest things!

Yesterday, we were outside playing and enjoying the beautiful weather.  He came up to me with a rock in his hand.  

"Momma, this space rock.  From space.  The moon up there." (this is where he looked up, reached his arm way up in the air and started jumping)  "Can't reach it, Momma"

Look how little!

Look how little my boys were!

How time flies....

Happy Two Months, Sawyer.

Once again I'm a day late and a dollar short.

Happy Two Months Little Bug.  You're getting too big too quick, would you mind slowing down?

First Laughs and Funny Things

I remember very clearly the first time Ryder laughed.  It was such a strange little sound that I wasn't sure what it was at first!  He would get tickled while I was getting him dressed and start squirming and giggling.  While I was dressing Sawyer two days ago he started squirming like it tickled.  I reached up under his little arm tickled and he starting laughing!  Such a wonderful sound!  I immediately ran to get Shane so he could hear.  I tried for 10 minutes to get that kid to laugh again... he won't do it!  I haven't been able to get him to laugh again since, but I have no doubt that before too long my little boy will me laughing and smiling without end.

I've been trying to get family photos for a "family album" that is being made for Shane's father.  I'm wondering at this point if a family photo with toddlers is even possible.  Has anyone even accomplished it or is it just one of those things that is so rare that it never happens?

My failed attempts...

I'm so glad the weather is getting nicer.  Every year it seems like winter is so long that spring will never come.  And then when its hear, it can never decide whether it wants to be here, so one day its 70 and the next its 30.  What fun it is not to live in California! Not.  I decided to take advantage of the warm day yesterday and let the kids get some fresh air.  Seems like with my pregnancy and the long winter we have been in this houses forever!  Have I mentioned how beautiful my children are?

See, I'm right aren't I?  They're amazing.

"Me did it, Momma"

Ryder decided to make his own lunch today.  Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

A little heavy on the peanut butter, I had to remind him of the jelly before he used the whole jar.

But when he was finished, he was so proud of himself.

And definitely enjoyed eating his hard work!  He said: "Me did it, Momma!"