Christmas...I love this season!

We decided about two weeks before Christmas that we would be moving in January.  Which meant we needed to find a renter for February. And just like God always does he provided.  We have a renter all set.

Then came Christmas.  This season is filled with so many traditions for us.  I love all the traditions and when I don't have moving on the brain I love this season.  There were many times I had to stop and remember what I was doing, why we were celebrating, and who was really in control.

My kiddos loved Christmas day (and who wouldn't).  They were so very thankful for all their gifts.  They loved the day so much that they slept straight through till 7:45 the next morning.  Mason went to bed at 6:05 that night and we didn't hear a peep from him till the morning.  It was sooooooo nice. 

Here is some pictures from Christmas morning:

Just came down stairs to see what's under the tree :o)

Grammy & Grampy

This is what happens to Daddy on Christmas morning :o)

Len and Mason

I loving having family so close that they can come by for the morning!! 

Holding on!

With the tragedies of this week, I felt even more compelled to hold on to my family and enjoy the gifts God has given us.  I wanna hold on tight and make as many sweet memories as we can.

Tonight we went on our annual light seeing tour of the town.  PJ's, hot chocolate, and christmas carols.  Grammy & Grampy piled into the car with us and we spent an hour touring our town looking at the christmas lawn ornaments and lights! 

Then my oldest broke out in song and soon the whole car was singing a I quietly held back the tears of joy for all that we have been blessed with!

My thoughts and prayers go out to all affected by the horror of this week and I pray for peace!

Balancing

I've been praying a lot (and trying to listen a lot) about just what is best for our family.  I have three boys that are so different and so similar it makes for very interesting parenting. 
I work at a job that God designed for me. I LOVE it and all I am able to offer Him through it.  And at the same time I question what about the family he gave me? Am I neglecting them?

While I haven't gotten my answer to that question yet, I have heard from other Mamma's that struggle with this "balance" too.

This weekend with all the family time we shared the word that was loudly echoing in my head was SLOW DOWN.  It was so FUN!  Like the kind of fun you can't replicate but wish would never end.  My kiddos felt heard, loved, and important.  There was no yelling, no tantrums, and no sibling drama. 

My hubby and I sat down Sunday night after the kids went to bed and commented on just how fun our kids are and what a great weekend we had!

Our kiddos need Mommy & Daddy to be present, not just here but truly present with them.  Tyler needs for us to laugh at his jokes, his silliness, and to honor the leadership role he has in our family as the oldest child.  Dylan needs to be heard. Not just yep, uha...but wow Dill, that's a great thought.  And Mason, he needs for us to delight in him.  He likes to be watched.  He does like us to play with him but what he really likes is to explore and have his two favorite people (Mom & Dad, in case you were wondering :) watch, and giggle with him.  He wants to run over for a quick snuggle and go back to exploring the world.  And sometimes when we let our world get too crazy we forget that THIS is our real job!

It's beginning to look like Christmas...

We made Christmas cookies today.  It's something we haven't done in years because it takes way too long for my liking.  And up until this year we haven't been able to decorate them. 
Our oldest is allergic to dye, and well everything fun has dye in it!!
So I bought natural dye and made my own colored sugar.  They're not your typical Christmas colors but beggers can't be choosers.  This year we will enjoy mauve and pea green Christmas cookies :o)

 

 

 



Yummy!!

The joy of having boys...

 It means help with yard work.....if you can call this help?!?



Running...

Jump!

Where's Tyler??

Where's Dylan???

Here's Mason!

Ahhhh, Have I mentioned I love this time of year?!!!!

Being a Mom

Sometimes I'm completely overwhelmed.

I spend my time worrying about:

• dishes
• house
• behavior
• finances
• the future
• aging
• work
• people

The list could go one and on!!  The one that is bolded, highlighted, and underlined is the one that  most often is overwhelming.  UNTIL... I stop looking at the future as something I can control and humbly and rightfully give it back to my heavenly Father.  He's got this and I need to let it go!

The blessings I've been given are completely overwhelming as well:

• a big family
• a loud house
• noisy toys
• giggles & loud belly laughs
• Friends who truly care
• mommy, mommy, mommy
• cookies crumbs everywhere
• a pig pile of boys on top of me as we watch "America's Funniest Home Videos" together on the couch

Boy am I overwhelmed, and when I choose to focus on all the good, life is good!  Just as God meant it to be...so full that the only way I can make it through my day is to look to HIM to fill me up to handle whatever this overwhelmed life has to offer. 

The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him

Psalm 28:7

Listening

As I sit here listening to the tropical storm type wind outside all I want to do is curl up in my nice warm be and sleep the night away.  What's stopping you?, you might ask.
Well, my precious 1 year old who is struggling to sleep. 

Here is one of the struggles for a kiddo with sensory issues.  Something that worked last week doesn't work this week.  We are playing the ever popular "What will help Mason sleep tonight?" game sometimes it's the "What does Mason need?" game but the sleep game seems to be the most frustrating for all.  See he WANTS to sleep just as much as we WANT him to sleep, but his senses need more then we are offering and here in lies the root of our game. 

We rock...he wakes
We put down...he wakes
We bounce...he wakes
We move him to our bed...he wakes
Even when he does sleep with us he is so restless

The poor kiddo needs his sleep as much as he wants it.

But we will prevail eventually, It's just exhausting and frustrating, and sad, and overwhelming, and sad, and sad.  I want to provide for this precious baby all that he needs and yet in this case we haven't figured it out yet. We are thinking Mason may be getting a vibrating matress for Christmas...

How can you help?
Well I'm so glad you asked :o)
Can you please join us in praying for the wisdom to help our baby boy sleep or be comforted while he's awake and wanting to sleep, or whatever it is that the Lord needs to show us to help fufill Mason's needs.  We are listening Lord! We thank you in advance for your prayers. 

Gotcha Day!!

At this time last year we were preparing for a major storm.  This year we are preparing for a major storm.  Funny huh?!...well no not really!

Anyway we were also learning how to be a family of five.  We had little Mason in every fun baby apparatus, was kissing him constantly, and loved snuggling with our new little man. 

 

 

 Our Family was meant to be this way.  This is defiantly God's plan and I am so very thankful for his many blessings!

My husband said it best this morning:
One year ago today, this little boy came into our family and has touched us all in ways that I can't fully describe in a brief paragraph. From joy, laughter, much love to the long nights that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. Mason buddy, we love you so much and are so happy that we are celebrating our "gotcha" day.

This Fall!

This time last year we had just learned of a little boy who needed a family.  It just so happened that we were a family in need of a little boy.  God's good like that!

We scrambled to convince the social workers that we were the right family for this boy, then we waited!  We waited for his birth mom to sign the papers, we waited for word that he could and would be coming home.  While we waited I imagined what all the fall fun would be like this year with our little one home. 

It is so much more then we could imagine.  He is a little bundle of curiosity and we LOVE it!  Here is what pumpkin picking was like this year:

 

 

Look who's mastering the stairs

Eye surgery

So this morning really early we travel to our local children's hospital so that Mason could have surgery on his eyes. This surgery was (as the doctor said) his only change of having eyes that focused together, thus giving him the opportunity to see 3D movies. There is a fancy name for it but since spell check doesn't know what I'm trying to spell we'll leave it at that....ummm k.
This surgery was hard on me.
Not to make it sound like it was a cake walk for Mason because let me tell you he told us just how mad he was in the recovery room.
I struggled so much with what this would do to him, and how would this effect our relationship with him. Seemingly silly questions that weighed heavy on my heart.
You know what???
God had it....just like every other time in our life where we struggled.
All our worries, He took care of.
Mason's eyes aren't nearly as red as they said they'd be. His surgery started 20 minutes early, which by the way was just about the time he began to realize he was hungry. He took a two hour nap when he got home. He ate like a champ with no stomach issues. He was a real trooper and I was again reminded just how much God is in control!

Look who's 1

Exactly one year ago, our son was born. 
I can not imagine our life without him.  Dylan gets up every morning and looks for this little man to say hello.  Tyler is in love with the only person in this house who LOVES his enthusiasm about everything and can match his energy level. 
WE.
ARE.
BLESSED!

Here are pictures of our little man through the year :

Our little peanut at 3 days old!



So little only 5.9lbs here (at 1 month)

This year he has grown in leaps and bounds

HAPPY BIRTHDAY OUR PRECIOUS MASON!!!

Apple Picking

So in New England, fall just isn't the same if you don't go apple picking.  We tried somewhere new this year.  We picked a good day to go because it was the last day of pick-u-own apples. 

Notice sweet baby is sleeping...almost the whole trip...so I had to improvise on his apple picking pictures:

He did wake up right at the end for a few fun hay moments

He's smiling through the Paci

so excited to play with hay!

And a few fun kiddo pictures (I LOVE the last one):

Happy Fall Y'all!!