party time

We celebrated Connor's birthday with family and friends on Saturday.  We were worried all morning because instead of the nice mid 80s weather we've been having it was rainy and chilly.  The inside of my house was not going to handle the party and I was worried we were going to have to cancel but thankfully all was cleared up by 4.  It wasn't the super sunny day I was hoping for but the kids didn't seem to care.  They just turned slightly blue ;)

Though my boys are Star Wars obsessed right now it wasn't too long ago that they were in LOVE with Swiss Family Robinson and still watch Jake and the Neverland Pirates so that's where the pirate theme came from.  The food was ocean inspired.  We had octopus hot dogs, seafood salad, cajun crab dip, shrimp pasta salad, colors goldfish and vanilla cake goldfish.  

Star Wars definitely came through in the gift giving.  His friends definitely know his heart!  I love birthdays and I love birthday parties.  The main reason is because we are not the only ones who love our kids.  Each of us have people in our lives who genuinely love our children and are an integral part of their lives.  As a mom, it is such a blessing to see others love your children and appreciate the person God made them to be.

diy bouncy place

Micah and Connor wanted to make a bouncy place the other day.  That just means I pile up couch cushions, pillows, and beanbags in front of the coffee table so they can jump off.  Like all things in our house nowadays, it turned into a Star Wars themed bouncy place.  They were Luke and Darth Vadar fighting and took turns cutting off each other's hands and falling off the Death Star.  They're obsessed I tell you!

sunday song

For my mother who continually shows me how to lay my life down for another, my mother in law who prayerfully and sacrificially raised the man who loves me like no other, and my beautiful friends, sister and sisters in law who are going through this mommy journey with me.  I am a better mother because of each of you!  Happy Mother's Day.




Add to the Beauty
Sara Groves

We come with beautiful secrets
We come with purposes written on our hearts, written on our souls
We come to every new morning
With possibilities only we can hold, that only we can hold

Redemption comes in strange place, small spaces 
Calling out the best of who we are

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

It comes in small inspirations
It brings redemption to life and work
To our lives and our work

It comes in loving community
It comes in helping a soul find it's worth

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out the best of who we are

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

This is grace, an invitation to be beautiful
This is grace, an invitation

Redemption comes in strange places, small spaces
Calling out our best

And I want to add to the beauty
To tell a better story
I want to shine with the light
That's burning up inside

mama's day

Being a mama is one of the great joys in my life and one of the hardest things I've ever done!  I am so blessed to have 4 men/boys in my life that love me unconditionally.

Last week I got to celebrate Mother's Day with Micah at his class.  They each shared why they loved their moms and then made us ice cream sundaes.  His was "I love my mom because she taught him how to play war (the card game).  Connor's teacher made me a flower picture of his handprints and footprints.

This morning I got woken up at 6:30 by Logi Bear who decided  he was wide awake and Connor who got in our bed around the same time as well.  They were just too excited about telling me they loved me to sleep ;)  My awesome husband went on pinterest and found a cute card/craft to make with Micah and Connor to share why they love me.  They did a great job with their artwork.  I also got a gift certificate for a massage (YES!) and my car detailed.  Nothing says Happy Mother's Day like a massage and clean mini!

i wish i was han solo

Connor had one wish and one wish only for his birthday...to be Han Solo.  Well technically he said he wanted Han Solo pants and Han Solo shirt and Han Solo vest and Han Solo gun and Han Solo boots and Han Solo hair.  I just translated that to mean if he could be Han Solo he'd be a happy boy. 

 We had already gone the week before to pick out his bike.  We wanted him to have a two wheel (with training wheels) so we've been telling him he was getting one for his birthday.  They were on sale the week before it though so I figured saving $30 was better than waiting for his birthday day.  However the morning of the big day he opened...dun da da dun...HAN SOLO STUFF!!!  He wore his costume to school and looked oh so cute!

It seriously cracks me up how Micah and Connor have gravitated towards their basic personalities on Star Wars.  Micah loves Luke, the quiet one with the need to defeat evil, while Connor loves Han Solo, macho short tempered daredevil who is in it for the fortune and glory.

donut birthday breakfast

Hey Han Solo

Frozen in carbonite

Blasting storm troopers

finally three

Our newly "middled' child turns 3 today!  Oh Connor Connor how we love you!  To say his personality came out more in this last year would be an understatement.  Connor has always been a smiley goofy thing but multiply that by 100 and you have the 'stinker nut' that is a part of our lives today.  Apart from being an energetic little thing, Connor...

*  Is completely potty trained and though he wears a pull up wakes up dry almost every morning.

*  Is very into doing things "by self" 

*  Can dress and undress himself.

*  Just learned taught himself how to buckle himself in his carseat.

*  Can count to 29 without help and can keep going as long as you remind him which tens place comes next.

*  Loves to swing and is learning to pump his legs

*  Prays with his hands on the table and his head on his hands...very reverant ;)

*  Is completely addicted to his ba bas (pacifier) and his mama is not excited about the process of taking them away.

*  Still needs a nap in the afternoon but lies awake way too long when he gets one.  I hate this stage :(

*  Follows Micah's lead on pretty much EVERYTHING!!  I love the friendship they have and pray Micah continues to be a positive influence.

*  Wants to play baseball like Micah and practices in the backyard with Zach.

*  Has the most awesome voice.  Listening to him talk is favorite activity among our friends.  He enunciates each. word. to. make. sure. he. gets. out. what. he. needs. to.

*  Is a great big brother to Logan.  His favorite thing is to get close to Logan when he moves his hands or feet and then flies backwards and pretends that Logan knocked him down.

*  Can't pronounce words that begin with L (Logan=Wogan) but can start Y words with the L sound (Yellow=Lellow)

*  When he doesn't want to listen to whatever we've just told him to do his responses are "but I need to tell you sometin", "but my belly hurts", "but I'm in the forest."  That last one means he is apparently stuck in a forest and can't get out unless you come back and grab his hand and 'help' him out.

I'm sure I could go on and on and if anything pops into my head I'll definitely add to the list.  Being Connor's mama (like being anyones mama) is a complete joy and a challenge all mixed in together.  My life is better because my children are in it.  They each teach me different things and help me grow in different wants and they all make my heart so insanely happy.  Connor Thomas May you are loved beyond your own imagination because our Father loves me beyond mine.  Thank you for being my sweet baby boy!

May 2011

June 2011

July 2011

August 2011

September 2011

October 2011

November 2011

December 2011

January 2012

February 2012

March 2012

April 2012

baby toad/frog

On Friday morning while Connor, Logan and I were eating lunch on the back patio I spotted a baby frog next to our grill.  He was so cute and teensy!!  I wanted Micah to be able to see him so I caught him in a shoe box so we could show him when he got home from school.  Neither of them wanted to touch it but they loved seeing him hop off and Micah commented on his good camouflage :)