Quick Memorial Day Weekend Recap

We had a great long weekend.

It was a good balance of being at home and getting out.

Caleb had to work Saturday and Sunday, so Brady and I sat out by his kiddie pool all morning Saturday.

We made berry smoothies, or milkshakes as Brady called them, and did a little lounging.

I sent Caleb this picture and he said Brady looks like his mother's child. Ha Ha! I love the sun, a pool, and a cold, fruity drink. What can I say?

Caleb picked up some ribs and sides for dinner and Caleb's parents came over to eat with us. Brady ended up back in the pool. Ha Ha!

Sunday was a typical day with church and my parents house. We took a little walk to the creek. Noah and Brady both enjoyed some water fun and throwing rocks. We didn't take any pictures. :(

Monday, we went canoeing with a group from church. (I only took 2 pics because I didn't want to risk drowning my camera in the river.)

We had a lot of fun! Brady absolutely loved it. He called his life jacket, his "water jacket". And would correct anyone who said life jacket.

He kept saying in the canoe, "I need to swim!"

He cried and cried when it was time to go. He cried until I bribed him with sweet tea at the restaurant we at for lunch.  Sometimes bribery is the only thing that works.
He was so worn out after his canoeing adventure, he took a 3 1/2 hour nap today! Ha Ha!

We have great friends and family. Every one was so sweet to Brady on the canoe trip(and other times as well). It was just overwhelmingly evident on this particular trip. There is nothing like seeing people LOVE your child, just because they want to. It warms my heart for friends of ours, family, and acquaintances to be so kind and loving to Brady.  I can't even fully express how much it touches my heart.Thank you! You have know idea how much it means to the mommy!!! 

Feel Good Friday

I am so glad it is Friday! I seriously live for Fridays.

Here are a few reasons why I am feeling good this Friday...

• Caleb was off today, so he a Brady had a boys day at home. I am so thankful for a husband who is willing to do this!! Brady LOVES it and tells me all about their day when I get home.

• It is the beginning of a 3 day weekend!!!

• I got to spend a little alone time shopping this afternoon after work since Caleb was home with Brady. I bought Brady a Toy Story cup from the dollar section at Target. You would have thought I bought him a pony. He kept calling it his present! Sweet Boy!

• I heard about this sweet story on the radio. It is always nice to see a touching feel good story after such a horrible tragedy.

Happy Friday!

Busy DIY Saturday

We spent Saturday doing a lot of work/projects around our house.

Caleb and I both had(and still have) a pretty big list of things we needed to get done around our house.

It was really warm out so we got Brady's wading pool out for him to play in while we worked close by.

HE LOVED IT!!!

 

I promise he had on swim trunks and a swim shirt. At this point he had come inside and I had stripped him of the wet clothing. Then he decided to get back into the pool with his play clothes on and quickly stripped himself of them.

 Please, ignore my knee in the above picture. 

He wouldn't get his head or face in the water. It was quite funny!

Brady also enjoyed a looong nap, which helped us out greatly!

Caleb was able to accomplish washing a little less than half the siding on our house, cleaning out all the gutters, mowing the yard, pulled some massive weeds I couldn't get up, and helped me with a couple of my tasks.

(This is a picture of the weed I had Caleb get up. Look closely, It is HUGE!)

I made 2 strawberry pies, a pasta salad, cleaned some of the house, planted some flowers and a knock-out rose bush, sanded and painted a rocking chair for the front porch, and gave the dog a bath.

Before:

After:

It was nice to get to work on some of our projects and get some things accomplished, but we were so worn out at the end of the day!

I decided I need longer weekends! ;)

Sweet Prayers

One of my favorite moments of the day is when we put Brady to bed.

Caleb and I both put Brady to bed every night together.

It has become one of my favorite family times and I hope it will be one Brady favorite family memories.

I love it!

And I love that my sweet husband loves it, too!

One of us reads a book, then Brady and Caleb each say a prayer, then we do a few silly good nights and tuck him in for the night.

I am always anxious to hear Brady's prayers.

He often thanks God for family members and friends by name, whatever he has eaten that day, and the toys in his room.

He has even broken out in an excited version of the ABC's right smack dab in mid prayer.

And of course he always ends with Amen!

The past few nights his prayers have been the same.

I quote...

"Dear God,

Thank you for my dreams.

Thank you Jesus Christ.

(a few words not yet acknowledged by the English Language)

In Jesus Name,

Amen!"

Yep,  Brady's sweet prayers are definitely the highlight of my day!

Zoo Day!

Note: Blogger has been acting crazy the past few days and deleted my last post for a while and any comments that were left. It all seems to be fixed now, but the comments are still missing. Crazy! 

Yesterday, I took off of work to take Brady to the zoo with my mom, sister, and Noah.

It rained a little, but we pushed on through and actually had a great day!



Crazy tourist bag lady!

This is the first time we have taken Brady to the zoo and knew what was happening.

These pictures were just so funny! A good picture together is such a challenge.



He could name some of the animals and react to them.

He LOVED the flamingos, water falls, and feeding the birds!



He would not turn around away from the Flamingos!





I think this might have been Brady's favorite part.



When we left the zoo, we went to sweet CeCe's, and did a little shopping.

As we were driving away, Brady said, "we have to tuun aound and go that way!" (he wanted us to turn around and go back to the zoo.)

The promise of ice cream quickly changed his mind! Ha! He is certainly my child!

EVERY ONE was worn out at the end of the day!

It was a great day!

Haircut Success!

I had an appointment to get my hair done today. My awesome hairdresser sweetly agrees to trim Brady's hair while my color sets nearly every visit.

Every time she has trimmed it, Brady has cried his little eyes out!

I am talking HUGE alligator tears!!!

See Exhibit A:

From his first haircut, he wouldn't even sit in the chair.

But today my big boy told me on the way, "I a big boy and I not cry like a baby! then I get a sucka!"

He did just that. He sat in the chair, named the colors of the cars on his cape and counted them, laughed when a hair fell in his face, asked questions, and answered questions.

He also saw someone getting their hair washed when we walked in and said rather loudly, "Mommy, she is giving her a bath back there." Ha Ha!

I am so so so proud of him and a little embarrassed after the bath comment!!

He even stayed right with me while I finished with my appointment. He did not act like a crazy two year old, but rather a very mature little boy.

You have know idea how it makes me feel that he was that good!

I think all parents need moments like this, so they can have hope that, just maybe, we are doing a good job.

I have tried to praise, praise, praise him tonight.

I am often afraid, I am too hard on him and the only time I am speaking to him is to correct him. I know that is not true, but it often feels that way.

I made it my goal to let him know how proud I am tonight!

I think he got it because in the car on the way home, he told me, "I not cry for my haircut, so I got a sucka AND a rye kispy teat!"(Sucker and rice Krispy Treat)

Its true, he did!

Mother's Day weekend

Our weekend was pretty ordinary.

Caleb had to work Saturday and Sunday, so Brady and I were on our own until the afternoon.

Saturday we ran some errands, played, and cleaned house most of the morning.

We had some friends over for dinner, so we also had to get ready for that.

Brady helped make the cupcakes! He informed me often that he is a good helper, just in case I forgot!

He takes care of really important things like adding sprinkles and taste-testing!!!

 

We had invited our friends over earlier in the week, but didn't think they would be able to make it. They ended up having a change of plans and called to re-invite themselves Friday night!  We are so glad they did!!

The boys played and played!!! They were both so tired at the end of the night!

I discovered that Brady might be a tad bit bossy!

Ethan was standing in his chair at the table during dinner. Brady looked at him, threw out his pointing finger, and said, "Efan, Sit down,  now on your bottom!" After reminding Brady a few times that Ethan's mommy and daddy will tell him to sit down and we don't boss our friends, he stopped.

Well, until Ethan did something else Brady isn't allowed to do...

At least Brady is clear on our house rules, I  guess!

Since Caleb worked Sunday he was off Wednesday and Thursday of last week. Brady and Caleb bought my mother's day gift then and went ahead and gave it to me.

This year I decided to ask for something specific, instead of getting something I don't really need.

I asked for a medium size suitcase and carry-on bag that were unique. I hate hate not being able to tell which bag is mine at the airport!!!

This isn't exactly what I had in mind, but it fit what I asked for and I like it.

Brady also gave me a flower that we planted and colored the pot at the babysitters. It is super sweet!

I am so thankful to be a mommy to such a sweet boy! I love him more and more each day!

 I also and am so thankful to have a great mom and am so so so thankful for her every day!

My mom was out of town this weekend for my SIL's graduation from law school, so my mother's day was pretty simple and didn't involve much.

It was actually kind of nice, since we usually stay so busy! 

I hope everyone had a very happy Mother's day. I know it can be bittersweet for some, so I said a special prayer for those who desire to be a mother, have lost a mother, or have lost a child.

Big Bellies!

Brady and I finally felt so much better by Friday night and by Saturday morning we were both itching to get out of the house.

 My brothers were in town for the weekend so we caught up with them and my parents. Brady was so excited to see his uncles!!! He has started to remember them from trip to trip and gets really excited to see them. He talks about them all the time! Unfortunately, I did not take one single picture this weekend, so I don't have any to share.

We basically spent the rest of the weekend with family eating and just hanging out. Brady was so good and kept us all entertained. He is at such a fun age and is so sweet, as my brother Cameron said you never know what he is going to say next.

That is so true!

For example, I was getting in the shower the other day and Brady ran in and said, "I see Mommy's big belly!"

(Yeah real good for the self esteem, especially considering this was at the point of stomach virus 2011 that I had yet to keep any food down for 24 hours)

Caleb pulled Brady aside and said, "Brady, Mommy doesn't have a big belly."

 To which Brady replied, "yes she does, I see it!"

I am certain this comes from us saying things like where is your big belly or I see your big belly and not from he really thinks I  have a big belly, BUT  I  may consider beginning some sit-ups soon, just to be sure.