Happy Birthday TJ

Happy Birthday to my baby.  I can not believe you are 5 and I don't know where the time has gone.  I thank God that I have had the opportunity to be a stay at home mom and share every moment with you.  I love you to the moon and back a million times TJ.  You are the sweetest, funniest and most affectionate.  I love you.

Sayings

Afternoons are busy.  There is homework and cooking and reading.  It seems like those after school hours are a little crazy.  The kids get off the bus and it's game on!  Snacks, cleaning out lunch boxes, helping with math, yelling out the window for Owen to put a jacket on while he plays hockey outside in 30 degrees.  Before you know it's dinner and time for bed to get ready for a new day.  I admit that by 7:30, I am tired and it's bedtime for all. There are nights while I feel I may rush the bedtime routine and then I am reminded by my kids to make sure we say our sayings.  It's those sayings that always put a smile on my face and no matter what's going on, there is always time.

Ryley - I love you and you love me forever and ever

Joey - I love you will all my heart

TJ - I love you to the moon and back a million times

Owen - You give me huggies and kisses and I give you huggies and kisses

I will never get tired of saying them.  Warms my heart every night.

Time Flying

Well we are a couple months into school already.  Everyone has adjusted.  This is Ryley's favorite year.  She loves her teacher  and really enjoys going to school as a third grader.  Joey has adjusted to first grade and handling homework well.  He has no problem being social! Owen is the cutest in kindergarten and loves that his brother and sister are there.  Every time they see each other in school, they run and hug each other.  I watch the three of them get on the bus and I am happy to see them together and yet do not know where the time has gone.  Thank God I still have TJ with me.  I am loving every minute I spend with him. Since school started, the days and weeks are flying by! There is homework to do and projects to finish.  There have also been some very exciting soccer games with the Dargan kids and it makes our Saturdays filled with fun. That is a whole another story!  Ryley, Joey, Owen and TJ (watching you guys play sports is amazing).  I love your determination and spirit.  Time is flying by, but I am capturing every second and holding onto it.  I hug you a minute longer at night and look at your eyes and take in as much as I can.  I know I can't turn back time, but I know that I am there every step of the way and  even when time is flying I take a moment and always appreciate.  Love you guys so much.

Holding on

I am holding on to summer tightly.  I am holding on to waking up late and wearing flip flops and sundresses.  I am holding on to days of doing whatever we want.  We have filled our summer days with trips to the beach, different parks and swimming at grandmas.  We joined our cousins for a fun filled night on the boardwalk and made memories in Sea Isle with our cousins and GG and Grandpa. I want to stop time and keep Ryley, Joey, Owen and TJ the ages they are now.  I want to hold onto waking up with all 4 of them cuddled next to me in bed.  There is nothing better than that.  I want to delay school another month and have them to myself just a little longer.  Last night I listened to the 4 of them laughing in Joey and Owens bunk bed.  They giggled and read books and talked.  I loved listening to them and just want to hold on to that.  For now though  I need to get them ready to head down the shore for the day to an adventure on a pirate ship!  I will keep making memories and hold their hands today and kiss them and watch them smile.   We are holding on to summer as long as we can!

Kicking off summer the right way

As each day passes and my babies get a little older, I am more and more proud of who they are becoming and yet a bit sad that they are growing up. 

TJ has finished his first year of preschool.  I cried so hard the first day he went, yet I am so proud of how he did.

Owen just graduated from preschool and in September he will be in kindergarten.  I held him a year so now I really have to let him go.  We are so proud of you Owen.  Your teacher said you were very independent and the most well mannered boy.  I am not surprised. 

Joey just finished kindergarten and had such a great year.  Joey is so confident just like his daddy.  He talks to everyone and really loved school this year. 

Ryley just finished second grade.  Boy does third grade sound so much older.  You are the sweetest and so smart.  Even though you are the oldest, I love that you snuggled up to me last night at the ball game because the fireworks scared you a little. 

Fantastic report card all around.  So proud of you guys.

Well it's summer and these next couple months belong to us!  No more schedules or planning.  Now it's about being together and having a blast this summer.  I think we stated off right.

We met our cousins for a 3 hour hike which ended with a swim in the lake and a stop for ice scream.  Maybe the ticks on Joey wasn't the best part but he forgot about that already.

We spent our Friday afternoon and night at the pool.  Pizza, swimming and friends on a Friday - a blast.

We started off Saturday morning with a bike ride.  We spent our afternoon and night at a baseball game with snacks, music and hundreds of kids.  I think you had a great 7th birthday Joey.  You had that handsome smile on your face the whole day.  I love you buddy.  So proud of you.

Today is a family day with our cousins which means the world to my kids.  Tomorrow we hit the beach.  Now that is making memories and that is the way you kick off summer with your kids!

Slow down the pace

We left tball a little early today and skipped a lacrosse game for Ryley.  We take their sports seriously but sometimes we just want our Saturdays back.  We felt guilty for a little while but that feeling was gone as soon as we were in the car together.  We drove upstate to my cousins house.  I always love taking the drive because we pass horse farms and drive to an area that is less busy and congested.  I felt relaxed as soon as we arrived.   The highlight of my day was watching my kids play in the pouring rain with no care that they were soaked.  Their clothes and hair were soaked to the bone and yet they were running around with smiles on their faces.  The backyard was one huge playground with lots of laughter.   What sports did we miss?  I don't remember.

Little Things

Sometimes the smallest things can bring such a smile to your face.  Ryley, Joey, Owen and TJ; I hope someday you realize the little things you guys did or said, brought me such happiness.  Here are a ew:

1.  Ryley, I love the books and notes you write to me.  I love when I go upstairs and I see one taped to my door or resting on my pillow. 

2. TJ, I love that you tell me you love me 100 times a day.

3.  Joey, I love how you just can't get close enough to me when we lie onthe couch and you want to snuggle.

4.  Owen, I love when you wake up in the morning and come into my room, you wake me up by saying "good morning, mommy," and give me a big kiss.

I also love: (this is the competitive part of me)

That Ryley scored 2 goals in lacrosse and wants to play midfield so she can play the whole field.

That TJ can handle a lacrosse stick and throw the ball better than older kids.

That Owen likes someone to pitch to him so he can hit the ball far.

That Joey loves to play hockey, tball and now lacrosse and wants to be good.

You guys make me smile every day.