Halloween!

What a busy day we had! Started off by having orange pancakes for breakfast, followed by making some pumpkins to deliver to Great Grandma and Auntie (who works at my grandmas assisted living facility). Then we headed home for lunch consisting of Mac & Cheese with pumpkin shaped toast & dirt (pudding, cookies and gummy worms)! We topped the day off with a pumpkin shaped pizza and some hardcore trick or treating! Our kids had a blast today, & I certainly did too!

New Cousin

Our kids received a new baby cousin named Joseph this week! They are so excited to have a baby to hold. However, "Joseph" is a difficult name to pronounce when you're two! Today the kids and I had a conversation similar to this today.

Bree; Um, mom? Eli keeps calling Joseph Jof Op but that's not right. His name is Joseph.
Me: Eli is younger than you and he's learning to say his words right. That's how Eli says Joseph, it's okay.
Bree: but it's now right! His name is Joseph!
***eli enters the room***
Bree: Eli, say Joseph!
Eli: Jof Op.
Bree: No! That's not right! It's Joseph!
Eli: that's what I said! Jof Op!

Ha! I love those two.

Bree had a great birthday! She received several great gifts and when I asked what her favorite was she politely replied, "I love them all.". I can't believe she is four already, where has the time gone? I got a bit choked up when I tucked in my four year old into bed tonight. She said to me, "mommy thank you for everything. I love all my presents. Can you please leave the decorations up for one more day because I love them too.". Yes, darling girl I will leave your decorations up as long as you'd like. Thanks to all who made Bree's day extra special <3

Happy Birthday BREE!

Happy 4th Birthday Breena!

 

 There are no words to accurately describe the ways you've blessed my life. 

 

 

I am so proud of the beautiful, unique, intelligent, lovable little lady you are.

 

I love you right up to the moon and back.  Always & forever.  Pinkie Swear,

 

All my love,

Mommy

4

This beauty turns FOUR in two days... Oh how my heart beams with pride over what an awesome kid she is.

 

 

family photos

I'm in love with our latest family pictures and I haven't even seen them all yet!

Naps

After months/years of battling to get the kids down for a nap I finally did the unthinkable: I gave in. This past week we implemented a one hour quiet play time in place of a nap. And it has been HEAVENLY! Honest! I would battle Eli to lay down for over an hour just to get him to sleep for one hour. I was often left with a scratchy voice from constant scolding and the feeling of being a complete failure as his mother. Breena has gotten better about laying nicely but struggled to fall asleep. And so we put a cabosh on the naps in exchange for an early bedtime. Our house is running much more peacefully. Much of it is probably because I am not facing that witching nap war daily. The kids pick up on when I'm feeling stressed and it makes them stressed too. I wish I would've given into the nap battle sooner, but happy the transition has been great for all parties involved!