Picture Overload

My oh my does life fly by. We bought a house and moved and I'm still trying to catch up on unpacking. I may never unload every box, but somehow life still keeps going. I am so grateful for this little family of mine to help give my life purpose and meaning. I've never wanted to be anything but a mom and although I am taxed to my very core most days, I'd also like to think that perhaps I am getting stronger every day too. Or maybe I just go a little more crazy every day. That works too. 

Anyways, because I'm sure we all could use a few more smiles and laughter, I'd thought I'd share a bunch of pictures so you can get lost in our world for a little while. 

Proof that we actually go on dates sometimes. Even better when it's free and we didn't have to plan it..on Valentine's Day. And thank goodness for friends to watch our kids. 

What happens when mom tries to keep him awake so he'll fall asleep in church...he falls asleep anyways and is of course awake and crazy all through church. He's so cute though!!

When you have the best of friends who let you tag along to an amazing place. Love all of these little boys!!!

When mom asks you to change the laundry and you fall in and can't get out. 

Baby Liam steals daddy's hat. So stinking cute!!

Bedtime was sooooo close!!! I was working on putting the younger two to sleep and was about to read a story and close the door when I come into the kitchen to see this young man mixing up something brown in the kitchen and pouring it into a dish to bake. I didn't know whether to laugh and shout for joy that he feels comfortable enough to make something on his own in the kitchen, or to cry because of the mess and prolonged bedtime...I did neither. I took a deep breath, helped him add a few things to his "peanut butter brownies" and put it in the oven for him. Then daddy got home and we played and then tried the brownies. They weren't great and he declared they needed to be sweeter, but I am so proud of him for trying. And looking at this picture now well, bedtime just seems a funny thing to worry about when he is learning and growing in the kitchen. 

The cute cupboard baby. I was walking around the house trying to find him. Thank goodness he started jabbering or I don't think I ever would have looked in the cupboard. 

The palm trees in our front yard. So fun not to have thousands of leaves to clean up. 

I could get used to shopping like this. He insisted on bringing his balloon into the store and then fell asleep on it. Most peaceful shopping trip the three of us (Liam was in the front) have ever been on. 

The big blast! James' and Seth's fundraiser for school. I tried to go watch but they wouldn't let me. James earned money all on his own for this. Thank goodness he has such nice grandparents and an awesome uncle. 

"Mom!!! come quick! There's a turtle!" I walk outside and saw three little boy lying in the street looking at a turtle. Thank goodness for neighbors who came out to tell them to get out of the street. 

We loaded the turtle in a box and took it back to the lake. In the words of James, "mom. I have such a good feeling for helping that turtle." Kind of a fun, spur of the moment, activity for the evening. 

We got two days of soccer in for James and Seth and then....cancelled until further notice. Kind of sad, but when things are out of my control then I choose not to worry about them. Hopefully it will start back up and things will be ok. 

I don't know why I bother putting things in the cupboards. He just throws them out so he can go in them. 

Proof that the toilet paper shelves were indeed empty. Crazy times. 

I threw a baby shower for some friends at my house so dad took them fishing and they each caught one!!

I'd take them fishing too just to get that little smile! 

Then they went for a hike. 

What do you do when a real life pandemic is swarming all around...you play the game Pandemic of course. We cured the illnesses once and totally wiped out the world the next. You just never know. 

Due to moving and my lack of planning, we realized we were completely out of toilet paper at the same time the shelves were empty.  Fun times. But thanks to the truckers who brought more we found some. And I promise I will stay stocked from now on. Nothing like a for real wake up call to get better prepared in all aspects of life for the days ahead. 

My phone got highjacked by a Matty who caught Liam carrying around his favorite toy, a spatula, and eating a pancake. 

Playing with our camera settings. 

"Mom. Take a picture of us."

That innocent little face.  Thankfully, I have three extra pairs of eyes lately who also help keep him from the fireplace. I'd like to think that maybe he's finally getting the idea that perhaps it's not he best thing to play with. I had a chair in front of it for a while, but it moved for the baby shower and I want him to learn that we don't touch it so that when it's actually hot it won't be a temptation anymore...It's a work in progress. He hasn't touched it in days.