The Luckiest No Matter What!

Last year for Nolan, Judah, and Carter's birthdays, we got them balance bikes.  Up until that point, my kids only experience riding things with wheels were big wheel bikes, a train you scoot on, and a hand-me-down bike with training wheels from our neighbor.  The training wheel bike was just starting to get some serious attention when spring broke last year.  Before that, the boys hadn't been terribly into riding bikes and would much rather dig, dump, and draw while outside than anything else.  Josh and I thought getting them bikes for their birthdays, which are in the first week of May, would be an awesome gift so I started doing what I always do before buying things for my boys- I researched.   I am kind of an obsessive researcher of things, which started when I was putting together our baby registry for Nolan and Judah.  I had no idea what I should ask for as a new mom so I read, and read, and read. While it drives Josh crazy because it seriously takes...

Preston's second month seems like a big one!  I think part of this reason is that we've finally gotten into our groove, our new normal.  The first month, the month of May, had a lot of visitors, the busyness of the end of the school year for our older sons, and the addition of Josh being home a lot more as he took time off of work. This second month has been mostly me and the four kids at home all day together.  That adjustment, while busy and difficult at times, has been a lot more seamless than #mycrazy had ever let it be in my head when I was anxious about it.  I think we get out a little less and watch a little more TV than I would like, but we are making this four-kids-five-and-under thing work! What We Learned About Preston: Even though Preston has had to be very flexible and accommodating of his three older brothers and their activities, needs, and schedules, he is very much his own person.  When I am just feeling like I can predict when he might h...

I LOVE the World Cup... so does Josh. When both the United States AND Italy did not get in, I was distraught, sad, angry even.  I vowed I wouldn't watch and wouldn't care.  I was robbed of my favorite teams so, in return, I would boycott the World Cup- take THAT, world! My reaction, clearly, was irrational and selfish.  One of the most special parts about this particular World Cup was that Nolan and Judah were old enough to get into it too.  Josh and I watched four years ago cheering as we had two one year olds at home.  We kept talking about how fun it would be, next time, to watch with them.  I needed to let my frustration of not having either of "my" teams in the competition go so I could enjoy with my family.   Nolan and Judah, 2014, 14 months old with their USA pride for the World Cup So, a month ago, we welcomed the World Cup 2018 into our home.  As an always-in-training global citizen, I knew this tournament would be more than a b...