Where is the Love?

On Tuesday afternoon I was sitting on the grass enjoying a tiny bit of sunshine while Jacks and Miles played in the sandbox together. All was going well until I heard a small crash and looked over just in time to see Miles bulldozing Jacks' city that he had built. Then came the lovely sentiment from my oldest, "Miles, you're totally ruining my life!"

When I pictured being a mother 6 years ago did I not picture moments like this. I pictured all the kids, lined up in a row with spotless matching clothing, staring lovingly at each other (and me) as they engaged in all sorts of productive play.

But then yesterday, Miles fell off the curb on his bike and started to cry. Jacks, from 2 houses down, drops his bike and breaks into a dead sprint to pick his brother up off the road. Never mind that I was standing a mere 10 feet from the sprawled out boy, Jacks was there.

I guess that's what most of my days are made up of. Little moments that are either bad or good. It's just a matter of finding a way to cling to the good ones in order to get through the bad!

Easter Sunday

Here are my best efforts at getting my kids posed in their Easter Sunday best!







We went to church with Nate's parents and then had dinner at their house with the whole family. It was so great to be all together and the kids had so much fun with their cousins.

Easter Eggs

I cringe at the thought of dying easter eggs with my little Miles. Although fun, he turns even the simplest of things into a gigantic mess. Easter egg dye + Miles could be disasterous! He did great though and we completed the tradition with only minor spills.

There really is nothing quite like a bouquet of colorful easter eggs. Happy Easter all!

Thinking Spring

It is still so far away from being spring here, but the kids have been dying to be outside all day long, even with the snow patches on the front lawn and the chilly temps. We've been good sports about this horrid winter so far but now we're all just plain done!

Lola is so funny outside. She just runs and explores, it's so cute to see her discovering this new world.

Lola's cheeseball goofy smile!

Happy Jacks

Lola chasing after the boys who were currently being paleontologists and on an important dinosaur discovery expedition!

Graduated!

Lola has been begging for weeks now to go to nursery at church. She knows exactly where the classroom is and every week wanders down that way and bangs on the door hoping this time we'll let her in. So Sunday was the big day. She walked right through the doors, plopped her little self down at the play-doh table and never even so much as glanced in my direction. After standing there for a moment, I realized that I truly was not needed and went off to actually get something out of Sunday School.

I was so proud of my little Lola. I think had she been my first, I would have stood there wondering why she didn't need me just a little bit more. Why she didn't so much as shed a tear at my departure. But being my third, I could just enjoy the fact that she was confident and secure enough in her little 18 month old self to know that she could do this. That she could survive in the big world without me for a moment.

For some reason this was a big day for me. With my kids being so close, it seems like I've always had one baby or another with me throughout church and has felt like it will always be that way. It feels so good to graduate to this stage!

Boys, Boys, Boys

Sometimes I get overwhelmed with all the boy paraphernalia in our house. It seems like it's all about trucks, tractors, transformers and pirates ALL THE TIME. Yesterday we cracked open their tool kits and they had so much fun together pretending to finish the basement.

I love having boys. I love their intensity. I love to see the joy they find in something like a tool kit. I can't imagine life without all that crazy boy stuff!

Tag, We're It

My kids have been tagged. . . here goes me trying to think of 8 things you just may not know about each of them. Oh, but I think I'm going to cheat and shorten it to 4 for the sake of the readers. Really, I don't know if you want to hear that much about my kiddos!

Mr. Jackson



1. Jackson was a HUGELY fat baby. He weighed 30 lbs at his 1 year checkup. He also weighed 30 lbs at his 2 year checkup. . . and his 3 year checkup. Now he is of quite average size.
2. When he gets interested in things, he gets completely engrossed in them. It started with everything ocean when he was really young and he wanted nothing to do with anything else. He has to learn every single little fact about whatever it is he's into. Usually by the time we've spent a ton of money collecting things, he moves on to the next infatuation.
3. He loves movies and has since he was teeny. He really makes his dad proud on that one. He picks up on the craziest little details and remembers them for years. He is currently working out the script for Transformers 2 and Pirates 4.
4. Jackson loves to be outside. Now that the weather is above freezing, he wants to be out all day playing with all the neighbor kids and riding his bike.


Miles Cooper



1. He is the smiliest kid you will ever see. He may be a little imp, but he is so happy to be alive.
2. Miles is teeny. He has been in the 3rd percentile for weight and height for his whole existence. He eats like crazy but moves so fast that I'm pretty sure he burns way more calories than most people thought was possible.
3. He has a crazy obsession with kitties. He has this ratty old stuffed kitty that is his life. He calls Petsmart the kitty store and makes sure we frequent it quite often. He spends his summer days chasing the neighbor cats around. Too bad Nate and I are not cat people and will never give in on this one!
4. Miles loves to dance. He loves music and even though he has a very limited vocabulary, hums songs all day long and hums along with the radio in the car. All my kids like to dance, but Miles is a dancing nut and has quite the moves. I'm pretty sure he gets most of them from me.

Little Miss Lola



1. Lola is the best eater in the family. That girl will eat anything and everything. One day I told my sister that it was possibly her best quality. I won't live that one down. But really, after having super picky boys, it's so fabulously wonderful to not have to force feed!
2. She is such a loving little person. She loves, loves, loves hugs and kisses and walks around all day giving them to everyone in her family. Nothing makes me feel better than a Lola hug and a nice sloppy kiss.
3. Lola is so girly. She loves Sundays when she gets to put on her frilly dresses and twirl around. All day long she picks out different shoes and begs me to put them on her little piggies. She loves her bracelets, hair clips, fingernails painted and all other things girl.
4. Lola loves her brother Miles more than anything else. Being only 20 months apart, those 2 have a really tight bond and have the best time together. Lately they've become especially good at getting into trouble together.

I'm tagging Megan's, Amber's, Britt's, and Jamie's kiddos.