Easter 2014

What a beautiful Easter we had this year. It was so pretty and warm. Just perfect for spending the day outside enjoying God's wonderful creations. We didn't travel to visit our families this year due to soccer games and the shear craziness that is our life right now. Although we missed seeing our families greatly, it was nice to spend the weekend at home and celebrate in our home town. We did have brunch with some great friends and a egg hunt for the kiddos. I think we're good in the candy department for months to come!! I always get stressed about getting everyone dressed and to church on time and still be able to snap a few pictures. It's not that often we're all dressed up. Since we didn't have anyone visiting there was no one to take a family pictures. I promise Brad was around :) He was just the photographer!

 Dyeing of the Easter Eggs

(Sorry Matthew and Miles, you're a little too small yet!)

So it's not that often that I am in a picture with these little men. Most of the time I'm the one taking the photos :) Love these guys more than I could ever imagine possible !

Max and a Field Trip

It's not too often that I get a chance to spend time one-on-one with each boy. Throughout the craziness of our days I try to find time with each one of them. Some days it happens, some days it doesn't. But..when an opportunity like a field trip arises, I try as much as possible to be there with them. It is so fun to see their different personalities and to see how they interact with others. Max is a social butterfly. He loves doing school work but only for a few minutes and then would rather be playing with his friends. It was so fun to watch him want to hang out with his buddies on the field trip and equally exciting to see his friends light up when Max was around. This guy tends to want to be the life of the party!! I can't believe I actually got him to pose for a picture without a crazy face so I thought it worthy to show twice!!

Max helped me with laundry the other day. He no longer is interested in taking naps every day which is good and bad. I am sometimes wanting to get things done while the little ones are napping but it is also a time when Max can get all by himself attention without the little ones barging in! Really not ready for him to grow into daddy's shirt! Think I'll keep him little for a while longer :)

Three Months and Cereal

The baby of our family is three months old already!! I really can't believe it. He's growing so fast (which could also explain why he wants to eat ALL THE TIME!!). Miles has hit the 12 pound mark and is starting to hold his head up more and like to either sit up or stand with help whenever possible. He's sleeping pretty well, but most nights still wants to eat a couple of time during the night. We've starting giving him cereal, which he loves to eat!! More solid food to come big guy :)

Spring Break Staycation

The Bartholomew County school system has recently started a block school year that allows two week fall break, two week winter break and two week spring break. With the exception that if snow days are used throughout the winter, spring break days would be taken away. It doesn't need to be mentioned again that we have had a ROUGH winter. So....that allowed only one week for spring break this year. Which, being that we are a new family of six, wasn't so bad. It was just enough time for us all to enjoy school being out but not get on each others nerves too much. I wanted to have a few things planned for the week so the older guys wouldn't get bored just hanging around the house. We visited the zoo with cousins early in the week, headed to an indoor play area and Abe Martin Lodge for some swimming towards the end of the week. Brad took a day off which always helps!! Loving that the boys are getting a little older and we can do some fun things together. Don't get me wrong, I don't want them to grow too fast though!! Looking forward to summer vacation!!

We had a rainy day mid week. Perfect for fort building and movie watching :)

Mason and Max are also totally into Ninjas at the moment. My attempt at ninja masks with shirts, ha!!

I was totally impressed with Mason and Max at the Abe Martin Lodge. They knew there was a big water slide there from when the visited the water park with their cousins. This visit, they BOTH went down the slide. Mason went four times! Crazy! Matthew enjoyed the water but really was done about an hour after we got there. Miles just hung out for the photo ops :)

I have to admit these boys make me laugh EVERY SINGLE DAY!! It's amazing what their little minds can come up with. I so enjoy being their mom! I also enjoy capturing these crazy moments for future laughing opportunities :)

Their were a lot of first this spring break as well. Mason tried corn-on-the cob. I major feat considering he only eats certain foods. It seems he's breaking out and trying new things now. Max has always loved it and was so excited to have it for the first time this spring! Matthew decided it would be a good idea to learn to climb up into Mason's bunk bed. He also thought it would be fun to try out a new set of drums and give motorboats to Miles.

This spring is also our first attempt at spring soccer. The beginning of the season was a little rough. Cold, raining Saturdays with temperatures in the freezing mark. Mason is really enjoying playing. Max, I think enjoys it but doesn't really have the attention span for it yet :) He's good for about 20 minutes then is ready for something else :) One thing is for sure, we're ready for more spring Saturdays at the playground!!

My boys!

The first picture I was able to get with them all together and all halfway smiling/looking at the camera!

(Mason 6, Max 4 1/2, Matthew 20 months, Miles 2 months)

A trip to the airport with MOPS

Our MOPS group headed out the the airport for a little tour. Miles stayed home to sleep in peace! Max, Matthew and I headed out for the excitement. Max wanted to wear his police costume and who am I to say no! The firemen loved his jacket and hat. Both boys loved seeing the different fire trucks and sitting in the cockpit of the airplane (something they haven't been able to do for a while since it's been cold and Daddy hasn't flown us anywhere!). It was so much fun hanging out with friends and even meeting Daddy for lunch after. It's hard as a mom to not be able to include all your children in all activities. But, it's also nice to be able to spend a little one-on-one time with each kid. It's something we as a family are going to start doing more often!

Cousins

With Mason's birthday parties just taking place we really tried to get pictures of all the cousins together at the different parties. I think we succeeded!

 Kissel Clan

 Moore cousins

(Missing Mercy Hagar...hoping to see her soon!!)

Mason is Six!

Our oldest is getting even older! Six already?!?! I really can't believe it. It's been a year of a lot of firsts for Mason. Starting Kindergarten, first basketball team, first pair of glasses, first time mom lets you ride your bike around the neighborhood with your friends without having a constant eye on you! Mason you really are growing up. You have such a great heart and are so caring to your brothers. You have been a big helping hand this year with your little brothers and as your mom I can't thank you enough. You have really grown out of your kind of shy self this year. You won't wear hardly anything but jeans which has caused me to be on my toes with the laundry. You always want to wear a belt and often have your shirt tucked in. Quite the little man! You are starting to want to play with your friends more than hang out at home, which although kind of sad to me, also makes me happy that you are adventuring with others. You've started to branch out on the foods you eat (with the help of a little bribery!) and are already raiding the food cabinet any chance you get! You love riding your bike, legos, playing outside, and still enjoy dressing up as a fireman or policeman! You are doing very well in school and love to learn. Which I hope keeps stays with you for a long time! You are starting to test Dad and I on your personal vocalization but also make us laugh every day! Thank you for being such a great big brother and awesome son. I am so happy to be your mom and so blessed to share your adventure of growing up!

You are also the luckiest to have two birthday parties with your family. You wanted to just have family for your birthday this year and spend it at home! I think it worked out great! You wanted a dragon theme this year which suited you perfectly. You are enjoying drawing dragons and especially playing dragon fighters and ninjas with Max :)

The dragon pinata was a big "hit"!! It was so fun to see you and your cousins take turns knocking it down! We also all packed into the van for a trip to FFY. What a car ride with all you little ones!

These two pictures rank up there with my all-time favorites. You had asked for a fire shirt juts like Papaw's. You were so excited to put it on that day and have worn it constantly since then.

As a side note. Miles and Matthew really were present for the party :) Just happened to be sleeping during all the excitement! I love that Mason and Max are so close with their cousins. I really do hope their relationships continue to grow and stay so close in the years ahead!

Karate and wait for it....a nice Spring day!

Mason and Max starting taking Karate lessons this spring. It's a perfect starter class with just the right amount of karate lessons and free play that helps with coordination and agility. They LOVE it. I love that we signed up with some friends of theirs (and mine) so once a week I get to visit with friends while the boys practice their moves! Win, win! The boys were so excited to get their uniforms and wore them at once every day for the first week we had them. They are adorable in them so who can complain!

Evan, Mason, Max & Mason

Yep, it actually happened. A nice day outside. Can you tell we're ready for warmer weather and baseball season!?!?

MIles Two Months

I think Miles has changed so much in such a little amount of time. I really do believe that time seems to go faster when you have little ones. And..the time seems to fly by in a blink when your kiddo number four! Miles, you love to eat and have made of rethink the need for sleep.You think you're bigger than you really are and try to hold your head up by yourself and want to stand on a daily basis. But, those toothless smiles of yours melt our hearts!

Basketball and new glasses

Mason played his first season of basketball this winter in the Basketball and Beyond league. It is set up for the grades 1st and up but when they don't have enough 1st graders they allow Kindergarteners to play. He loved it! It was a learning process and really helped him get over some of his usual shyness. So proud of him for giving it a try and sticking with it!

Mason also got new lenses for his glasses. He is making great progress in his eyesight and there is no need for one lens to be fogged over anymore. Now if we can just get him to keep up the good work. The newness is wearing off and with such a good report he is not so excited to keep them on! He's such a handsome boy!

Happenings during the frozen months!

Has it been mentioned in any of the recent posts that this winter had be BRUTAL. I mean extremely cold out there. I think there were a few weeks when none of us really left the house unless absolutely necesssary. Poor Mason thinks that schools delays and cancellations are part of the norm and not the exception. It's been, should I say entertaining, to keep all these boys occupied while confined to the house. I mean it's been to cold to even enjoy the snow outside. Crazy!!! We've made due though and everyone has survived. So far!

There has been some snow playing...

A bit too much watching television...

Lego movie with my older boys!

A lot of sleeping...

A fair amount of dress-up play....

And just the right amount of craziness....