Holiday Weekend Family Fun

Today is Monday and another wonderful week is ahead for the world. The festivities of the weekend still linger on the lawns of those who celebrated with their sparklers and personal fireworks and in my home the only remnants of the weekend are the memories and fun that we had as well as some fun pictures. 
While we did not participate in outside activities due to my recovery, the heat and Spencer being a cranky handful for part of the day we still had a pretty good 4th of July! 

The day started out like any other with the kids ready to greet the day a little sooner than I wish they would on a weekend. (They tend to get up with the sun.) Mckenzee proved just how mature she is getting and just how great it is that she pushes herself to accomplish things with her Scouting because she got up and made scrambled eggs and toast for her and her brothers! I was so surprised and impressed! She was very proud of herself too because as she said "I didn't get ANY shells in my eggs Mama!" A wonderful feat for my 7 year old love! 

Andy's little bit of color

Before

I decided that morning that I would also cut and color my hair. Now to anyone who ever cuts their own hair you know how difficult it can be to cut it straight and good on the back since you can't see it well but after several tries and a few too many inches off it was finally a good looking cut length and I was ready to color it. This is what it looked like before I colored it and finished getting it to an even length. (see picture on the left) Andrew decided he wanted color in his hair too but I didn't want to over do it and I wasn't 100% comfortable with the color I was using going in his hair but being a mom who wants to let the kids try new things I put a little in his hair after I put the majority of it in mine (since I WAS doing my WHOLE head in the color) This is how his turned out. (See ^) Mine ended up being more red than I had anticipated, but I figure I can get the color I really wanted NEXT time (another 6 months or so from now) I do like the way mine looks though so I have no real complaints. (See right -->) 

We wanted to go somewhere or do something with the kids, but with it being so warm and me still not feeling 100% we didn't want to overdo it. Plus we really didn't have much money to go to the places where everyone else seemed to be flocking to. Since we did have a little bit of money to use we decided to take the kids to Shari's for some pie shakes! (They take a piece of their fresh made pies and blend it into some ice cream to make and awesome shake!) They had so many flavors to choose from too, Andrew chose Chocolate Silk, Mckenzee and DJ had Peanut butter chocolate, Spencer had a kids ice cream sundae, and I had their Montana Cherry Pie shake. They were so yummy and a perfect cool down treat to have with the family out and about! 

We finished the night with out cookout of yummy chicken, hot dogs, burgers, potato salad, beans, DJ's special recipe Cole slaw, and chips! It was delicious and we were all very full! We watched Independence Day while the kids played and did their reading for the night. Then the kids then had some Popsicle while we watched the televised fireworks from around the states and they danced with each other to the music. After putting them to bed the neighbors seemed to think it was a good time (10pm) to start setting of some fireworks of their own so DJ took them outside to enjoy them since sleep was out of the question. They went on for quite a while (and the garbage was left out all over the parking lot which I was NOT happy about) but the kids were happy so I was happy! So like a said, all in all a pretty good day! Sunday we just spent hanging out, cleaning up the house while DJ did the grocery shopping, and then had an early turn in night. 

Today we just are recovering from the fun of the weekend and are all a little run down, so after doing the quick chores and some laundry it has mostly been a chill out day. Which I think we all needed as I haven't really had one since leaving the hospital. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and made some fun memories! From my family to yours! Have a wonderful week! 

Heat Wave Awesomeness

It seems that in this wonderful state we moved to that I had loved the weather in for the last two years is doing its best to make me miss Autumn and Winter! Living up on the third floor during what has been said is the "Highest Temps since 1885" is making me a little cranky.

However I chose today to be the day where I refuse to even attempt to yell at the kids for anything. I am resting! I haven't really done that well since getting out of the hospital but I really needed to today. So amidst the heat and sweat I have done a whole lot of nothing except delegate and stir some Mac & Cheese.

Even the kids have been cooperative therefore I have let them kinda do what they want today. I gave them fair warning about two hours ago that I would be asking them to do some chores and told them that no matter what they were doing that as soon as I said "Okay kids time to clean up" they would put down their toys and help without any "Just one more minute"s or "Oh Mom, do I have to"s.  The best part, I did it and they listened! I didn't have to repeat myself or anything and they did exactly what I asked them to! I was shocked but didn't let them know how over excited they made me. (I didn't want to jinx it).

Right now as I type this I look around the room and one child is reading, once is playing a game on their tablet, and the third is sitting at the coffee table with some toys using his imagination to play. Though the TV is on they are barely watching it and as to not risk it being inappropriate programming I have Netflix on playing a show called Life that shows how (in this particular episode anyway) the creatures of the sea survive. With actual undersea video and moments caught it occasionally catches one of their attentions and it interests me so I feel like it is a small Mommy win, especially when they ask me questions about what is going on and it inspires my son to talk about one of his favorite subjects, the TITANIC! It seems he is a huge fan of all the things he can learn and knows about that famous ship and its demise! I am very proud that he can have a conversation with me about it and tells me all the things he knows including about the maker of the ship and who made decisions about it and EVERYTHING! I am even grinning now as I type away here enjoying the semi-quiet, non-fighting, easy to breathe in moment the children have allowed me.

I just felt like sharing this little bit. On this hot day, where it seems I just cannot get cool. Hope you are all enjoying your Friday and have big plans this weekend!

Feeling Wonderfully Surprised!

Today turned out to be a very surprising day for me. First we started our day with a breakfast made by DJ and me, more him though (he made the breakfast quesadillas). Then we got everyone dressed and headed out to get our Christmas tree, Spencer slept through it but Mckenzee had fun! Then after that we went to pick up the presents that were gotten for us by a Sponsor family through the "Angel Christmas Program".  

     THIS is where the surprise came in, see when I have been a part of these programs before back in CT it was usually just a gift or two bought for the kids and they had to be wrapped. Well that is not the case this time around, this time we owe a lot of thanks to the family that sponsored us because they were more generous then I could have ever dreamed.  Not only were the gifts all wrapped, tagged and bowed, but there was a massive amount of them, when I did a final count there were at least 50 gifts! It was crazy! I was shocked, I wanted to cry tears of joy and surprise and immense blessing! When I pulled them all out to stack them and see if any needed repairs (and to separate the ones for Andy for when he comes in the summer) I was literally shaking! My heart was like the Grinch's I swear it grew "3 sizes"! 

     Our first Christmas in WA is going to be even more wonderful, and Spencer's first Christmas ever will be better than I ever thought it would be! 

HAPPY HOLIDAYS ONE AND ALL!!!