These kids of ours.

There are some days when I take a step back, relax for a minute, and think about how lucky we are to have THESE kids of ours.   Each of them are so different in their own little way.  I picked up the kids from school today at their classroom doors.  I could hear Wil's laugh before I even got to the front of the pick up line.  His teacher was laughing at his antics and when I finally got a peek at him, he was filled with so much joy.  Laughing with his classmates.  They were playing a game where one person sat in a chair trying to stay solemn faced while the other 4 tried to make them laugh.  Will's teacher was explaining it to me and then she says 'and he lasted all of 2 seconds.  His laugh is just infectious!'  Infectious!?  Why can't I always see the infectious nature to Will's outbursts of laughter?

And then when I turned the corner to Addi's room I could see her diligently picking up boxes of books and carefully making sure that pencils were in order.  Anything. Everything that her teacher asks her to do.  Addi is diligent and thorough and such a good helper.  When I get to school on time and can pick her up at the door she is OVERJOYED to see me.  Jumping up and down waving her arms mouthing 'HI MOMMY!'  It is so special.  She runs out a gives BIG hugs and I look around and realize that, that doesn't happen with everyone else.  She's a special little gal that just overflows with love.

And then the three of us chatted in the car about swim lessons and the 'what if' we put Kenedi in swim lessons and how she would probably poop in the water because she poops in bath tub almost every time she gets in it. And we laughed.  And then we picked up Kenedi and everyone raced to the door to grab her cute little self. When Katie's door opened there she was, so proud that there we all WERE!  She raised her arms like she'd just won an award.  

Being a mom is tough, it's long hours and so many dinners to make and lunches to pack and messes to clean up and tupperware to put back over, and over, and over (kenedi loves to get tupperware out).  But these little kiddos of ours, there worth it. They sure are worth it.    

Kenedi.  1 year ago.  Just learning to crawl and LOVING hats. 

Avoiding...

I'm doing anything to avoid work.  UGH.  grading papers at home is no fun and writing tests is even less fun.  Honestly, I hate taking tests myself which maybe makes me dislike writing them even more.  On a multiple choice test I can always get 3 solid answers and that fourth one is just a doozy.  

Anyhow, today we went to Sky High and trampoline jumped our hearts out.  Well, I didn't, I chase Kenedi around, but the  kids did.  There are some epic dodgeball games at this place and I even saw a guy with a camel back water pack.  You know it's serious when water devices are involved.  Will got nailed in the face and then the stomach and left with a head ache.  It made me remember getting head aches as a kid.  Yuck.  My mom would give me nuprin (I think that's what it's called) and I'd lay with a wash rag on my head.  Every time I poked my head in on the dodge ball game, Addi had her arms crossed in front of her and she was just bouncing up and down calmly.

This morning I made the most delicious homemade bagels in the world.  I did not actually taste them, because I'm not eating carbs this month, but man, they smelled delicious. and the kids loved them.  I followed the recipe over at Clover Lane which used my new bread machine and called for boiling them before baking.  They were great.  I added cinnamon sugar to the top and Will's trying to ration them out for the next few mornings.

A year ago today...

When I look back through pictures to a year ago today (exactly) I am reminded of babies and remodeling.  We were well into the kitchen remodel, hanging cupboards and turning a room full of IKEA boxes into something that closely resembled a kitchen.  What a JOB that was!  WHEW.  I have a few projects on my 'want to do' list that every time I think to start them, I'm reminded of the remodel and I flashback to a kitchen set up on a folding table and the 'want to do list' quickly gets pushed away.

The island came together ever so carefully.  I can remember my Dad squaring it up at least five times.  Darn those old houses with no square lines!  

These two have grown up so much.  Will has grown 2 inches and lost 4 pounds.  

And babies...oh babies....couldn't everyone just have a million of these cutie pies?!  SO sweet.  This one, sweet Miss Kenedi is the missing piece of our family puzzle.  What a joy she is.  I chased her around the library today for an hour cleaning up thrown books and pleading with her not to rip pages.  She had a tantrum and I was reminded of those terrible twos.  But last year, well she was jsut a cuddly little think all snuggle up in our arms.