13 months

And another month has ZOOMED by us and little Jake is another month older....

Here is another set of pictures from the past month:

Jake on Daddy's shoulders watching Noah's flag football game and below in his little chair.

When Greg's Mom brought Noah and Blake to the hospital to see Jake for the first time, Noah was so precious with him.  She said when they left the hospital, he looked up at her and said, "I can tell he is really going to like me!"  Jake loves all the boys, but he does seem to have a special connection with Noah. 

Jake looking at his new Little People Super Heroes.  You can see his little arms still broken out from his birthday rash/virus. 

You just have to love this toothy grin!

This was Jake playing in the grass at one of his brother's games.  I just thought it was precious.

Jake already loves legos/blocks just like all of his brothers.  He is actually pretty good at putting them together and REALLY  loves knocking towers over that Mommy builds.

Jake has begun to enjoy playing with cars.  We got out this little garage that Andy used to play with all the time.  He loves watching the cars zoom down the ramp.

Now THIS is the way to watch a game, right?  Jake was kicked back in his stroller and Andy had his popcorn and water for the football game.

Jake's face is so sweet in this picture.  We were in the pediatrician's office trying to get his 12 month shots for the second time.  We were denied again because he had another double ear infection.  So instead of shots, he got a stronger antibiotic.  I was giving him goldfish to keep him entertained.

Jake at play in the floor with his Little People bus.

Below - at Qdoba one Sunday after church.  He loves the quesadilla there.  I can't help but love these blue eyes!!

We went to play at a park in Lexington that the boys love.  Jake was content in the swing the whole time.

Jake sitting with my Mammaw looking at a magazine.  We stayed with her a few days when Pappaw died.  I think she enjoyed the distraction of the kids being around.  She definitely got her hugs and cuddles in while we were there!

A Whirlwind Week

I know I have been so neglectful of my blog lately.  It isn't because I haven't wanted to write.

Life has thrown us a few curve balls lately.

We started off on Fall Break with big plans.  We were going to enjoy Blake's soccer game, have a few days at home and then head up to Northern Kentucky/Cincinnati for an overnight visit to Great Wolf Lodge.  We were going to take the boys to the Creation Museum and the Lego store.  Later in the week, we were going to enjoy a lazy weekend with only Noah's flag football game to go watch.

Well you know what they say - "the best laid plans...."

On that Tuesday, I was working at school for a little while.  Blake and Noah were there with me and playing in the gym with some friends.  I got a call from my sister and she was crying and hard to understand.  She said, "Mom" and I asked what was wrong.  I immediately thought something had happened to my Mom.  Jenny had gone with her family to South Carolina for fall break to my mom's house.  Then Jenny said, "Pappaw is gone" and for a second, I didn't register what she was saying.  Eventually, I realized what she was saying.  I quickly rounded up my things and boys and called my husband.  Since I was the only one in Kentucky at that point, I knew I had to go be with my Mammaw.  Some good friends of ours volunteered to come over and keep our boys at our house so Greg could drive with me.  My grandparents live about an hour away from us.  We got there and my Uncle got there about the same time.  My Pappaw's sister, brother and sister-in-law came.  One of her friends was there and a good friend of our family was there also.

We coasted through the remainder of the week.  I confess I was in a bit of a fog.  Our plans were shifted and Greg ended up taking the three older boys on to Great Wolf Lodge for two days.  I went and stayed at my Mammaw's.  Mom and my sisters came back from South Carolina.  Funeral arrangements were made, calls started and pictures were gone through by the dozens.  We made some displays for the funeral home.  Jenny and I decided to speak about the wonderful man Pappaw was.  Laura had to sing.

We made it through the visitation and the funeral.  Mammaw did really well.  At one point, she was crying and my Mom said, "you had 64 years together".  Mammaw's response was, "it feels like 64 days".  Isn't that amazing?  They had been married that many years and she still felt that way about him.  She said when she saw he was struggling to breathe and the color drained out of his face, she told him, "Don't you leave me - I'm not ready for you to go!".  But he looked at her and then took his last breath - sitting in his favorite spot - his recliner.

We have a hope and a peace because we know Pappaw loved God.

My words at the funeral were all about how he was a servant.  He served his family - helping to take care of younger brothers and sisters at the young age of 13.  He served his country - he was a marine in WWII in the Pacific.  He served his children and grandchildren.  He served his neighbors and his church.  I firmly believe Jesus greeted him in heaven with, "Well done, good and faithful servant". I only wish I had one more chance to tell him how much I appreciated him and loved him.  I hope with all of my heart that he knew that!

Marshall Emanuel Williams
10-18-1923 to 10-9-2012

We love you Pappaw!

BIG Remodel - Part One

Greg and I were having a some conversations about whether we stay at our home, fix things and try to sell or do some updates and stay.  We decided on staying and making a few changes.

Labor Day weekend, we began the process.

Here is a picture of the kitchen BEFORE:

Here is a picture of the kitchen AFTER:

The first step was to knock out the "pole" and header wall in the kitchen.  We've never been sure why it was there, unless they knocked out part of the wall previously to open up the kitchen/family room more.  The pole got in the way and I just didn't like how it looked.

Greg did the demo and then fixed the drywall on the ceiling and existing wall.  We will eventually paint all of this.

The second phase is to knock out two short dividing walls in our current living room/dining room.  I have moved furniture and removed items from those walls in preparation.  Hopefully, we'll be able to knock them out this coming weekend.

The PLAN is to remove the walls in the front rooms, reconfigure the wood floor in there (it is really old and we like it!), paint the walls and ceiling and then move our "family room" into that as one big room.  I'd like to have a built-in bookcase along the west wall.

Once we move our family room into the front room, we plan to tear up the carpet/linoleum in what is now our kitchen/den.  We plan to put down new hardwood floor, paint the ceiling and walls and add a new island with seating in the kitchen.  Additionally, we'd like to add cabinetry along the wall beside our pantry to make the kitchen area bigger and more user-friendly for our large family.  We plan to use the remaining space as our dining area.  I'd like to have our table in front of the fireplace.  Additionally, a window seat with storage under the three large windows overlooking our backyard would add seating and storage to the room for when we are entertaining guests.  The island will give me some much needed workspace/prep area for cooking and offer a few spots for the boys to sit and eat breakfast/snack or do homework.


Obviously there are several steps in this process and we've only done STEP ONE.  Doing the work ourselves saves money, but it also takes a lot longer.  I would LOVE to have this all done before Christmas, but that may be too ambitious.  I just can't wait to see the finished product!

Hit the Wall

Some days I just hit my wall - like right around 9 am.  Know what I mean?

There are just days where it seems that nothing is going right.  It starts with the boys arguing before school.  It starts with Jake waking up early and me not getting a shower without a child nearby.

 It continues on when I realize I forgot something important I was supposed to do at work the day before but what I need to finish the task is at my office and not at home.  So what was supposed to be a quick drive through to get Andy at preschool involves me having to look presentable because I have to go inside the school to my office.

I get home and my four year old is whiny and not cooperative.

I accomplish about 25% of what I NEED to get done during Jake's nap time (see above re: 4 year old being whiny).

We scoot back to pick up the big kids and rush home to do homework before someone has a scheduled practice or game.  This is NO SMALL TASK!  Keeping two kids focused and motivated to do homework and study for upcoming quizzes/tests is a HUGE undertaking.  Throw in me trying to put together dinner so we can eat before the practice (or risk hearing how someone is STAAAARRRRVINNG) and you have an interesting afternoon.

By the time we finish all of that and change into practice clothes or uniforms, find cleats, socks, shin guards, etc., wake up the baby and get everyone in a car, I am exhausted.

Then we come home and do that whole bedtime routine, brush teeth, bathe, pajamas, read stories, etc. and it is easily 9pm.  I then get backpacks together, pick clothes out for the next day, pick up any assorted toys and collapse on the couch to "work" for a few hours on my computer.

THEN - some days are smooth sailing and make me forget the bad days and I realize I can get up again tomorrow and do it all again.

The problem is - I feel like time is flying past me.  I've shared a quote before that I saw Beth Moore post on twitter one day - "the days are long but the years fly by".  SO TRUE!!!!

Some days all I can focus on is getting to naptime or bedtime when I can actually breathe for a second or two.  BUT I DON'T WANT TO FEEL THAT WAY!

I want to cherish these moments.  I want to relish even the fury and frenzy of it all.  I know all too soon they will be grown and gone and I'll be wishing they were here with problems to solve, laundry piling up and toys scattered about the house.

So for now, I am going to take a few deep breaths.  I'm going to stop worrying about tomorrow.  I'm going to give myself "the night off" from work.  I'm going to sit down with my husband and mindlessly watch a funny tv show and rest.

"Tomorrow is another day" - thank you Scarlett O'Hara - it is my chance for a do-over and an opportunity to have a better attitude.

Pray for me to seize that chance!

Birthday Celebrations

This week of September is full of birthdays for our family.

 On September 9, we celebrate Ellie, my niece.  She turned three this year!

Jenny did a Little Einsteins birthday party because Ellie said that was what she wanted.  She had a great cake and little favors/decor with the characters from the show.

We got Ellie some Little People Disney Princesses toys that just came out.  She was pretty excited!

We also got her some clothes for fall.

Jake is ONE!!

 I CANNOT believe he has already had his first birthday.

If you read my previous post, you know that sickness invaded our home and Jake was an unwilling victim.

In fact, he was miserably sick on his actual birthday.  I sang to him and spent a great deal of cuddle time with him that day to make up for it.

Finally on Sunday evening, we were able to celebrate a little with Greg's parents.  We had a nice dinner prepared by my mother in law and chocolate cake with ice cream.  Jake was a fan of both, but still wasn't eating a whole lot, so he only had a few bites. 

He also opened some presents (with help from his brothers, of course!).  He wasn't sure what to do at first, but eventually played with the paper a little.

 Sharing a birthday pose with "Ninny" since they share a birthday!

You know we've been crazy because it has taken me two weeks to get this written and posted!