I Miss Being Here

Ever stop doing something and then you realize months (or even a year) later that you really miss it?   Well.. that is me with this blog!  I started it when we moved to Utah so everyone back home could see what we were up to - it was a fantastically easy and fun way for everyone to hear/see what we were up to and to keep in touch with those that wanted to watch our boys grow up across the miles.  Once we moved to Missouri, I continued it - but maybe not as frequently since we did see family a bit more when we were there.  Now that we are back home... we see everyone from the family on a pretty regular basis, there is facebook, smartphones make sending pictures/texts so dang easy, and we are just a lot busier now.  Doesn't mean that there are less fun things happening with our family and the boys, but we just see and talk to those that I originally started this blog for.  

But you know what... I miss it!  I miss looking back at what we did, the stories, the silly things the kids said, or just the "every day life" that I used to record on here.  And my books... oh, how I miss printing out my books at the end of each year! 

So, what am I going to do about this??  Well, I could say, I am going to try to catch up on all that I missed, but that would be a completely unrealistic and daunting goal to have since I am so far behind.  But, I AM going to try to put an update on here every few days.  Even if I don't have something "new" to report on, I am going to do a "catch up" post about something in the past that I want to have record of.   Is that do-able?  I think so.   Wish me luck :)

Trevor's 1st Holy Communion - April 26, 2015

Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church

April 26, 2015

1:30pm Mass



Sunday was a very special day for Trevor! 

It was the day that he would participate in his 1st Holy Communion at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.  He has been waiting for this day for a long time and it proved to be worth waiting for.  He was smiles all day and did such a great job! 

Trevor came down from his room after getting dressed (with the help of Dad) and I felt like the father watching his daughter come down the steps with a prom or wedding dress on.   He was so handsome and put tears into my eyes (and it still does, as I type this).  He had this beaming smile on his face - some of it knowing how handsome he looked and the other part from excitement for what lay ahead. 

 

Before Mass, Trevor was all business.  He wanted to be in his seat & made sure he was out in the gathering space on time with the rest of his classmates.   I just love the smile on his face in this picture as he is waiting to enter the church.  The look of innocence, excitement, awe for what he is about to experience.

 

During Mass, Father Tim did such a great job with the kids.   He brought them all around his chair as he gave the homily.  He talked about the saying "You are what you eat", and related it to the fact that these 55 children would be eating the Body of Jesus today and so they, too, would become (like) Jesus.  He nourishes them and He is within them when they continue to receive communion at church.  

 

Following the homily, as Father was consecrating the bread and wine, he invited all the kids to come up on the alter and surround the table.  Trevor was glued to what Father was doing.  There were several children that were "not as tuned in" to what Father was doing, but Trevor's concentration never wavered.  He made us so proud as he stood there, watching, paying attention and being reverent at this special time.   Once again, he put tears into my eyes -- I could not have been more proud as I watched him up there. 

 

 

 

As he received the Body and Blood for the first time, he did fantastic.  No faces.  No silly chewing.  He was a pro!  I got the picture of him receiving the wine; however, as I was trying to take one of him receiving the bread, a little girl moved her head right into my camera -- UGH.   I had been watching and she didn't budge while the 4 kids ahead of Trevor received communion.  I thought I would be in the clear, but nope... she decided it was time to move just as Trevor walked up. 

 

It was a beautiful Mass.   We were so happy that family could join us in the celebration as well.  Those that joined us for all or part of the day included Grandmas & Grandpas, Uncle Russ & Ruari, Uncle Craig, Sara and Cooper, Auntie Traci, Jordyn & Jackson, and Aunt Bev.  Uncle Ken and Jake were unable to join us :(  Cooper was with us as well; however, he decided it was time to nap instead of pay attention.  It was a little blessing for Rick and I as it made Mass much more relaxing ;)

 

 

 

It was a fun day.  Following Mass we came back to the house and chatted, ate & opened presents.  The kiddos played & the sun was shining.   Trevor picked out and was thrilled with his ice-cream cake.  

He received many wonderful gifts from everyone... including (and this is more for our record than sharing what he actually received) neat sayings (Faith, Believe, etc) to put on his dresser, as sign that said ASAP (Always Stop to Pray), a "Jesus with the Fish" figurine, a cross to hang up in the window, a music/jewelry box, clothing, money, and a 1st Communion Bible.  Some very neat things that he will have with him for a long time to come. 


Even though Trevor's special day is over, he now will have a special day every Sunday as we attend Mass.  He will get to fully participate in Mass each and every time.  That is something he has been looking forward to for a very long time.

 





 

 

 

 

 

 



Over a Year??? What?!?

Wow... It's been over a year since I last posted on this blog 'o mine!  What the heck happened to me?   Well, I'm not even sure if this will work anymore, so I want to check before writing a long detailed post about what we've been up to the last 365+ days. 

Assuming this will work, I will see you back here soon! 

Mini-Phantoms

This winter we have done a lot of basketball with Ethan - practices, games and tournaments.  However, Trevor is getting his shot at playing basketball this winter as well.  The full league play doesn't start until 3rd grade, but the West DePere district has a smaller session for 1st and 2nd graders so they can learn the basics of the game.   Trevor has loved these Saturday clinics and is always excited when he gets to go play ball. 

You're doing a great job Trevor and we are looking forward to having spring weather so we can all get outside and shoot some hoops!

2-1/2 Year Comparison... the two brown-eyed boys

Ethan and Cooper have been little carbon copies of each other since the day they were born.  I haven't done this in awhile, so figured I would put another comparison up here at the age of 2-1/2.  
 
They have their own looks, but are still definitely very similar.  

 

 

 Can you tell which "sleeping beauty" is which??

 

 

 

A BIG day

January 29th?  What's so big about this day?  It's just a normal Wednesday.  Ethan and Trevor are at school.  Cooper and I went to the YMCA - where he went into the Kids Korner without crying, I might add.  With our previous history of going into that room screaming, and I mean blood, curdling SCREAMING, everyone looking at us, then looking away because they didn't want to stare, Cooper's arms outstretched toward me as he screams, "Mama, no, Mama, come back", and I give him a kiss as I walk out the door and give the child care workers a quick glance and an "I'm sorry for leaving you with my screaming child" look, that should be cause enough for celebration today.  But nope.  We are adding one more thing onto that. 

And no.... no worries, we are not moving again.  Nor are we pregnant.  Honestly, we're not!

But today, I enrolled our youngest child in preschool for next year.   My baby, MY BABY is signed up for preschool!!!  Insert some teary eyes and some cheers as well.   It will be just two days a week for a half day each, but still... this mama is going to be childless for two half days each week starting in September. 

I am excited to start that phase of life, but at the same time, this is the beginning of it all... all three in school, me needing (or having the opportunity) to get back into the work field, and dare I say, having some "free moments" during the day to get things done!  Along with being excited, I am sad.  I love my days with Cooper.  He can be a stinker and test my patience, but I love this kid to pieces (along with Ethan and Trevor, too, of course).  He is silly, he loves to play with trains and cars and puzzles and board games and loves to read books.  He is my baby and I can not get enough cuddle time after naps with that boy.  What am I going to do when I don't have it anymore? 

There is one thing that I am a bit nervous about, though.   In order to have him go, he needs to be potty trained.  WHAT???  I have never had my boys potty trained by the time they are 3.  I usually start when they are 3.  YIKES.  Looks like I am going to have my work cut out for me this summer!  Any and all suggestions are welcome in the comment sections, please. 

So, that's my BIG news today... My youngest little man is going to his school come Fall.   Wish me luck, wish him luck and wish those teachers the most luck of all!

Just Silly Pictures

A few random silly pictures I came across as I was doing the other posts....

Posting these to remember that life is not about being serious all the time - you have to stop, have fun, and be able to laugh as well!!

 

Cooper has the duck face craze down to a T ;)

 

Rick got some body wash from a family member for Christmas and it said it had the scent of cedar in it.... he was acting like a moose (or maybe a deer) getting in the rut with the yummy smell.

Cooper "smiling" on Christmas morning during our donuts and milk breakfast.

Jordyn, my niece, modeling a pair of Grandpa's shorts as a beautiful little black dress.

 

After getting a good picture of the Heck kids on Christmas Eve, we told them it could be silly picture.  YIKES - silly or scary, I'm not sure ;o)

 

Trevor, just being Trevor.  Don't remember what this one was from.

St Nick & the Little Elf

The boys woke up the morning after St. Nick was supposed to arrive and they had a little surprise not only in their stockings, but in Dad's as well.   You see, we have a little elf in our house during the holiday.  Not an Elf on the Shelf (yet), but rather a little 3 inch tall, ceramic elf.  It moves from place to place each night (sometimes staying in the same place for several days if it is a good hiding spot.  insert - if someone forgets to help the little elf move to a new place).

Well, while St. Nick was here, the little Elf must have been trying to see what was in the stockings and had a little mishap...

 

The little Elf, you see, must have fallen in Dad's stocking as he was bending over the mantle and trying to see in it.   He fell right in and couldn't get out.  Thankfully, he somehow had a piece of cardboard to write on and wrote a message to the boys, "HELP ME...." with an arrow pointing down.  

 

The hard thing is that the boys know that they can't touch the elf.  So, what was their solution to getting him out of the stocking?  They laid it on the hearth by the fireplace and let him crawl out on this own time.  Whew.  The elf was out and safe to move about the house.    

After figuring out what to do with the elf, the boys decided it was time to look in their stockings.  This year from St. Nick.... shirts, watches, rubber bands for rubber band bracelets and a little bit of candy (insert - left over candy from Halloween that was still in the cupboard) for the big boys & a small tractor and bouncy balls for Cooper.

 

Ethan and Trevor were more than happy to help Cooper figure out what was in his stocking!!

 

Painting hands

Hey All,
This is Cooper!  My mama doesn't let me write on here very often, but when she said I could show you my masterpieces, I was not going to pass up this chance. 

She let me PAINT!!!   I always hear that she doesn't let me do this as often as what my bigger brothers did, but it's ok.  I get to do lots of other fun things, like play football, tackle my brothers (but mama doesn't always have a good reaction to that).  I also have a train table in my room and make our black puppy bark  (and man is she (the puppy, not mom) grouchy... she barks all the time at me)!

But on this day, Mama and I brought out the paints.  She has a WHOLE bin full of them.  Big bottles, little bottles, some that I only have to add water to, some that all I had to do was "dab" on the paper and they made circles and even different kinds of brushes.  I used a big brush, a little itty-bitty one, a sponge and even my hands!  It tickled my fingers a whole bunch when Mama was putting paint on my hands - I giggled a lot.

See, these are some of my masterpieces.  Do you think I can make some money off of them?  Maybe even a penny from my grandmas & grandpas?