Buddies and Birthdays

a little taste of what my sweet sweet Nolan has been up to:

{Sharing a snack at the nearby Sensory Park with two of his best buddies}

{Peace Out! He learned this from the school cafeteria since all the kids have to do this when it gets too loud during lunch}

{Building his bird feeder at home depot with his very pregnant Mom}

{It took us three tries, but we finally got it soundly constructed and were ready to paint it.}

{Playing hard at the indoor soccer complex.}

{Whoa, that's a new soccer move!}

{Helping Mama construct Warren's treat to bring to school for his birthday to share with his class.}

{Ended up deciding on these two color schemes, losing the "antenna jewelry," and opting for a MUCH less healthy treat of candy and marshmallows.  Oh well, they still turned out super cute and fun. 

We love crafts!

I finished Warren's annual birthday letter and went ahead and printed a couple pictures to send too...already, even though his birthday is June 1.  I just feel this urgent need to minimize my workload in May and I want Warren's even year birthday celebration to be extra special this year and not at all overshadowed by the birth of his youngest brother.  His party is mostly planned and it is gonna be killer ;)

Mark my words...

...this boy, our middle-son for now (hmmmm what are we gonna call him when there's not really a middle child?), our foodie, our child who loves to be coddled and nurtured just a scosh more than the average bear--I'm quite certain he won't go far from the comforts of home as he grows up. I predict a very maternal woman in his future...someone crafty in the kitchen who keeps a super clean house.

I made this soup twice this week for neighbors who have just had babies. The first night, Jack inquired as I was packing it up to deliver. The second night, I indulged and served him a bowl (and then another) before packing it up. He actually cried as I was leaving "don't take MY soup!"

So, of course I had to make it for him today for lunch. It is hearty Italian soup with tomatoes, kidney beans, Italian sausage, pasta, and spinach. Practically should be called "Jack soup" since it has all his favorite ingredients. I served it to him with sourdough french bread with a healthy portion of butter and he devoured saying "I love all these ingredients, Mom!"

Oh Jack, what a special little kid you are!! Nine times out of ten when I ask you if you want to eat out for dinner or lunch, you say "no thanks, just make me a sandwich." You LOVE to be home. You love your family and your routine and your bed.

You also say you want "about 12" kids. Ha! Can't wait to meet this amazing woman who will be privileged to be Mrs. Jack Lawson :)

Love you kiddo!

Babies!

{Car-napping babies...}

{...allow for Mama to spend time with homework-doing babies.}

{And when homework is all done, Mama can focus on making Dutch Babies...}

{...with fresh-squeezed lemon and powdered sugar and plain fresh berries to serve. Yum Baby!}

{Not at all related...but proof positive that we're raising independent babies, who can sniff out a juice box a mile away.}

Worst Blogger Ever

After all that lapse of time, all I can manage are some cell phone pics and titles...life is BUSY!

[We are looking into finishing our attic!  We are not "basement people," and wouldn't mind having another bedroom and bathroom up there.  Maybe I'll get that bathroom with floor to ceiling tile and an urinal after all for these boys! Still in the research phase to see if what we want is possible and acceptable by our HOA.]

[Seriously, has anyone ever had any luck sprouting an avocado seed? Hmmm...]

[New haircut, with some bangs!]

[From the other side.  Got new makeup (Josie Maran!) and did Davinci Teeth Whitening!  Feeling all sparkly and new :)]

[Even with all the headaches I was having, we got out on this day for a much needed change of scenery.]

[The belly at 15 weeks!  Tomorrow we find out the gender!  Okay this is funny because I took this last week and my belly isn't nearly that big now...maybe I just had a huge lunch.]

[These two are becoming such good buddies! (Now that she finally carries a nerf gun willingly!)]

[I was so sure Warren would test gifted recently that I started some pre-emptive researching, I mean the kid got lots of A's on his report card and has the witt and humor beyond most adults.  Well, he is not.  Not by a long shot.  And chances are neither is Jack, even though he constantly blows my socks off.  "This is 10 bundles of 10 pretzels, mom!  That's one hundred pretzels.  If I did this 10 times, that would be one thousand pretzels!"  All while I made his lunch...]

[Can you guess what we did this morning?]

[The boys loved it!  My cheecks hurt from smiling by the time I cleared their plates.]

[Oh my goodness, this is the shirt Jack was wearing at the hospital when Nolan was born!  How does this happen?  And preschool registration is in less than a month!]

[Jack is the "Star of the Week" this week at school.  I laminated his star after we finished it.  I am obsessed with laminating things these days. :)]

[Mom and Dad snuck out last week for the Kid Rock Concert at the Fillmore in downtown Denver.]

[Jack got his shoes all ready the night before his field trip at school to the Denver Puppet Theater.]

[Our Family's newest addition.  Yes, it really is THAT exciting.]

[I got to chaperone Jack's field trip.  It was so cute.  Love love love that boy!]

[Warren first ever science fair project!  My heart nearly burst with pride when someone asked him what his project was on and he replied "Newton's third law of motion."  He made a newton's cradle out of a shoe box, string, beads and tape too.]

[Such a little stud, that #7!]

[If all else fails when you are taking care of 5 kids, build a tent with a "camp fire" and give them crunchy snacks.  Then you can lay down on the couch nearby for at least 20 min.]

Gotta brag

Because they are only my little guys to brag on for so long, and then their achievements and milestones will truly be all their own.

So...

While I can still take some credit ;)...

{Warren's first spelling test of 2nd grade. I work with him daily on his words in fun ways like writing them on our magna-doodle or aqua-doodle or using our magnet letters}

{Can you see my little guy? At baseball camp last night, Jack was scooping up balls with his mit, setting up and then throwing the ball back. He had so much fun}

{Jack is SUCH a little buddy. He eats everything I cook, like last night's slow cooker chicken that he gobbled up seconds and even thirds of, calling it chicken pot roast :)}

We are taking the "big boys" to the Bronco's game tomorrow. I hate to leave Nolan behind, but it is no place for a toddler. Soon enough, Bryan and all three boys will be going and I will be left behind. :)

And Warren has his third football game today! Go Outlaws!

This past few days...

...were a busy blurr.

Jack started his baseball camp.  He looks GOOD with a baseball glove.  I love these 6 weeks camps that are put on by a nearby high school retired coach.  Such a good introduction to a sport - Warren did the basketball one last year and loved it. 

We had the Outlaws pancake breakfast fundraiser at Applebees early (early!) on Saturday morning.  Watching my big boys hustle around carrying plates and saying things like "may I clear any of your plates?" and "may I seat you?" completely melted my heart and was reinvigorating after the major butt-whopping they got by the Golden team the night before.  As usual, my neighbors who showed up reinforced the fact that we have a kick-ass community who all supports each others' kids in a way that makes me swell with pride. 

Speaking of our neighborhood, we had our end of the Summer picnic/BBQ, wherein there are always many highlights like our tent nearly blowing away this year and the kids re purposing the corn hole game, shirts optional. 

By Sunday morning though, I was tired and so very crabby about keeping up the house. My {self-diagnosed OCD} was kicking in big time and all I could see was fingerprints covering the entire house. SO, we packed it up and headed out! Anywhere! Ended up in Nederland for a perfect day of awesome Wild Mountain BBQ lunch, underground thrifting :), eating blueberries right out of the clam shell, letting kids each pick out a toy (Nolan got a train, Jack got a dinosaur "fossil", and Warren picked a Newton's cradle) from a local "Science Store", riding the Carousel of Happiness, eating ice cream in a re purposed railroad car, and walking to Chipeta Park where the kids had a dirty all out blast before piling up in the car and making the trek home just in time for a big Costco haul. Whew. That had to be a run-on sentence but I am too lazy to proof read today.

{Looking leery of the Carousel of Happiness}

{Oh hello, Mama Lawson... future homesteader??... Hmmmm....}

We took highway 72 from our house to Nederland and that route offered a much more authentic peek into the mountain lifestyle. All the way there my mind was gradually letting go of the grime at home and marveling at all the rustic cabins we were passing. I couldn't help but wonder what that would be like. Having a homestead with some land. I spend so much time maintaining this house, it is exhausting at times. Wouldn't it be great to try on a different living arrangement for size?? Ahhhhh, or maybe I just need a vacation from the monotony of my suburban life ;) At any rate, I wonder if we would have still chosen this house and location had we known we would be a single income family with three (and I'm SURE we'll end up with a fourth boy someday soon, hi Roman! ;) ) rowdy rough and tumble boys. Maybe it's the third generation Alaskan that is coming out in me but sometimes I wonder if I am not more suited for a less cookie cutter existence. What would my Great Grandma, Nola, who homesteaded in gold mining camps in Talkeetna and authored Talkeetna Echos and Talkeetna Cronies think...

Anyhow, I'm definitely not done with this train of thought but the Sunday routine is calling and I've got three seriously filthy boys to feed and wash and put to bed!

Be still my heart.

Just to keep the pendulum in full swing, today we are checking off those last few items from our Summer to do list.

First up, take these three jammied darlings to iHop for breakfast bright and early, per their request many times this Summer. This time when they all came into my room this morning to rouse me and asked again I said simply "yes." They squealed and ran downstairs and helped each other get shoes on and even stopped to pose for a picture. I love how Warren is trying to put his arms around his brothers.. that is so him.

Anyhow, lots of bacon was had by all and they had "coffee" like Mama, and I'm all around pretty sure this will be a long term memory for them, at least the big boys.

And then since returning, Warren has been wearing his football gear off and on (more on) - he love football so much! I think we are really onto something! Jack and Nolan love going to his practices, where they play on the expanses of grass and trails with the "cool trees" (more on that later!) with all the other little siblings. It is a sight to see! There is a real sense of camaraderie among the parents and the kiddos. We are all loving it!

We were even able to go grocery shopping and pick up supplies for the "party" we are hosting this weekend with our neighborhood. Making crepes and tie dying Bronco's shirts! Yep! It is random and for sure messy and totally memorable too. 'Cause we're all about making memories around here :)

"What's for lunch?"

This question is oft asked/wined/shouted around here seemingly 15 seconds after I finish cleaning up breakfast. Sometimes, I actually have an answer, like today.

Today is a "home day" for us. No outside responsibilities and my to do list looks like this: vacuum (check), check PTA email and voicemail (check), look at Rec Center catalogue for Fall extracurriculars for Nolan and Jack (check), return books to the library, get Warren enormous water bottle for football.

So, obviously we will have to venture out of the house here shortly for the last two items. But for now, the house still smells like the homemade flax and buttermilk waffles from breakfast, happily intertwined with lunch.

Lunch:

{blueberries, broccoli, and chicken breasts}

"Swiper, no swiping!"

Simple and good.

We call him a brocco-vore!

"Way to go Mom!"

"Muwaaah!"

You gotta celebrate what's good, 'cause who knows I might just serve Popsicles for lunch tomorrow!