MIA for YEARS...but I have thoughts seeking a place outside my head

Yeah, it's been years, and do people even really blog any more? 
I don't expect anyone to read this other than myself.
Still, if YOU are here reading this, let's just pretend you're caught up to current times, and another post could come to bridge the gap from the last few years.

I feel that I'm in a unique, blessed stage of parenthood. Motherhood, in particular. 
This morning my husband left with 3 of our boys for a Scout campout. Grant it, one of the boys is only an honorary scout, not officially joining until the fall. Still, Donovan and I said goodbye to THREE of my boys leaving for the night. I'm home with just my almost-3yo.

It's such a crazy stage of life, but what a blessing, such a blessing, to have not only multiple children, but kids spanning the years like this. I have a teenager now, he's awesome and old enough to babysit, quite independent, etc. Then our youngest is 2.

On any given day, I can be listening to The Wheels on the Bus while also hearing 21 Pilots in the background. It's crazy and so cool at the same time. I've got the growing-into-adulthood child, and my "baby". I can feel so much more intensely how fast these moments are fleeting.
Aidan, Brennan, and Cillian are off to camp. No diapers. No excessive amounts of extra clothing. No tears in saying goodbye to mom.
BUT, they were just sitting there listening to nursery rhyme songs! Aidan was just 2! They were the ones staring at me through the window, heartbroken that I'd actually go somewhere without them (like Kroger). I mean, they were just there. And now? Now they're nearly taller than me. Aidan's voice is changing. They SMELL, people. 😆

HOW? How did it go from them sitting next to me, excitedly singing nursery rhymes, to this? 
It's beautiful and right, I know. But you don't think that a blink can change things so much. 
Because that's it. It feels like I've only blinked my eyes. 

I complain and I grumble and get grouchy, but you know what?
I am so very blessed. To not only have 4 children on this earth, but to have them the ages they are. I have the oldest showing us how fun and great it can be to embark into teenager-hood, and at the same time the joy of toddlerhood to help us slow it down and remember the growing phases, which Brennan and Cillian still show us. It does go by so fast. 

God has given me quite a gift in motherhood. 
💙💙💙💙

Thank You, Home Depot

Have you checked out the kids' clinics at Home Depot?
They are educational, fun, and best of all, FREE! :)

We hadn't gone in a while, so 2 weekends ago we went and the boys sure enjoyed themselves.
I love seeing their brains at work in such a masculine-feeling place. (yeah, yeah, call me sexist or whatever)

 What did they make? A 4-compartment organizer. 

Aidan did really well on his own, hammering, reading directions, etc.

Brennan needed a bit more help. 

Cillian was there to cheer them on and take off his shoes 100 times  

They have such a good daddy...

Once the product was built, they went to a different station to paint it. This was Brennan's favorite part.

 All done! With a very wet, painted organizer!

 I got to have a little fun, too.

After the kids' clinic, we checked out the flowers.

See these pretty geraniums? 

They found a nice new home in my window boxes. :)

 I also bought 2 hanging baskets full of gorgeous Gerber Daisies...I love those!

 All in all, we enjoyed ourselves. Oh! And Home Depot also had free hot dogs, popcorn, and bottled water that day, too! So a big shout out "Thank You, Home Depot!".
If you haven't checked out their kids' clinics, go do it!

Ham It Up

No, this isn't a post about ham...or pork...or bacon (even though we sure love bacon over here).

It's a post about how Cillian just hams it up for the camera these days!
Complete with him saying "cheese!", which actually comes out like "chz".
That's one of his new words. Cheese.
The other? Shoes.


Our little guy has stopped for the camera a few times recently, so being a good mommy & not neglecting to have pictures of the third child, I'm sharing these:

Biker Boy!

 Too young for yard work? Not this guy!

Memorial Day 2012

 He stopped specifically for the camera here. HAM

 In the middle of saying "cheese", can't ya tell?

 Maybe it's me, but I think he looks too old in the overalls! Adorably cute, of course. Unbiased opinion. 

 Camera!

 He got closer to assure I saw him uttering "Cheese!"

 In true stinker-fashion, he darted off into his brothers' room as if we'd never guess he was in there.

Alright, so perhaps I posted too many Cillian pictures.
PISH....wait for it...POSH.

He's my current baby and these are the moments, right?

Menu Plan Monday- -June 11, 2012

Where have we been?!
The craziness that is blog neglect...oh well. Picking myself up to get more organized, take ###! Right?
This week's tentative menu plan:

Monday: Crock pot Cola Sandwiches, raw carrots, corn muffins (willpower-permitting, I'll skip the corn muffins).
Tuesday: Grilled Cheese & Bacon sandwiches, apple slices (Brennan's pick)
Wednesday: Vegetable Stir-fry over rice (similar recipe, not exact)
Thursday: Hot Dogs, Baked Beans, broccoli or carrots (Aidan's pick)
Friday: Spaghetti Marinara (meatless Fridays)

Summer is off to a very busy start for us, and that is reflected by some quick-meals in our menu plan.
Wednesday and Friday Aidan has baseball games at 6pm, Brennan has Safety Town all week long, we have 2 homeschool meet-ups, another get together at a friend's house...super busy.

I hope to get back full swing into posting my menus, as well as updating for our schooling decisions, summer fun, and much more. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Seeking Grace

So many events over the past month or so have made it very clear to me: without God's grace, life is too darn hard.
Thankfully He pours His grace over us time and time again.

As I thought about this, I realized that He presents us with many opportunities to accept this grace, but are we actively embracing it?
Something is there, just waiting for us, but are we acting on our own to use that gift, and let is transform us?

In the Catholic faith, we have the Sacraments, and in frequenting those Sacraments, it draws us closer to God, and He bestows grace upon us. But that's the catch...making use of those Sacraments.
Mass.
Prayer time.
Adoration.
RECONCILIATION....how many Saturdays do you plan for it, then find a reason you're "too busy"?
("Just as darkness disappears from a room when the light is turned on, so too must sin disappear from the soul with the coming of sanctifying grace.")
Happens here all the time.

I find moments when I realize I could use more grace to be the wife & mother, friend and daughter I need to be, and perhaps, it's my own fault for not seeking out that grace.
For not working harder for it.
God's there, waiting for me.
Why am I not going to Him?

Ephesians 2:8: For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God 

As I attempt to get back into the groove of blogging (lots to share;), I kick off with this somewhat deeper thought, coming your way from my brain at 5:45 a.m.

It's [still] Empowering

Wearing my baby.

We wore Cillian all the time his first few months, and still regularly once he was mobile.
But lately, with him walking, it feels like forever since we wore him daily.

Enter the past 2 weeks.
I don't know if it's the massive teething he's doing or what, but the boy has not been napping well, sleeping horribly at night, and more cranky than usual. He's usually not cranky, he's so good-natured.
It's been impossible to cook dinner, he gets into everything of the boys, then they whine, and it's a cycle that's not fun to be in.

Lightbulb moment: wear him.
Again.
Just like when he was younger.
(except now, on my back)

Boy has the Beco been a lifesaver! I've been wearing Cillian on my back, and it's empowering.
It gives me that "I can do anything!" feeling.
With Cillian on my back, he can't mess with the boys, and he is happy because he's being held.
I'm cooking dinner while wearing him.
Putting away laundry.
Playing with the boys.
Heck, it was adorable...they were running in circles on the trampoline, and C & I were running around on the outside of it, alongside them. We were all cracking up.
I'm able to do homework with Aidan while Cillian is on my back, dance with him...

It's so empowering.
I forgot just how empowering babywearing can make you feel.
To be able to take care of your baby, get things done and take care of the older kids...it's a good feeling.

The Running Man

Who is the running man, you ask? 

My husband!

Patrick started running last summer, and he is just a natural. I'm both envious and proud of him.

I'm glad he's found some form of exercise that he truly enjoys. The health benefits, the stress-relief it offers...it's just so good for him.

2 weeks ago he did his first half-marathon, finishing in under 2 hours. He succeeded in making the time he aimed for, and compared to the seasoned runners, he did very well!

Finished!! 

We're so proud of him, and it was a cool experience for us to watch him cross the finish line.

I love that our boys are seeing the non-chore aspect of exercise, too...hopefully it will inspire them to run cross-country in the fall.

Aidan was very happy for him, (Brennan, too, just elsewhere with his train;).

His next half-marathon is less than a month away.
I'm looking forward to that for him, and eventually, when he does his first full marathon!

Keep it up, Pat! As I like to say, Now we know why God gave you those long legs!