happy birthday grandpa b. and grandpa s.

Here is a weird, unusual coincidence.

Both our dad's birthday's are in March.

Both our mom's birthday's are in May.

Odd. 

Yes convenient.

And slightly expensive.

This year was the first year in a very long time that we were actually HERE, in Rapid City to be able to celebrate.  And with Gary {Ben's dad} turning 60, it was a big one {although he does not want to talk about it ;)  }

Saturday March 8th, Gary's 60th birthday, we celebrated with KFC {Gary's favorite} and some quality family time at the Stewart's house.

The kids all had fun helping grandpa with his candles and finger licking the frosting to pieces.

Spending a gorgeous March day was just what everyone needed after too many days of cold, snowy weather.  Running around in T-shirts and shorts... YES PLEASE!

 

Grandma was guilty too!

Stewart Boys {I swear every picture with all three of them is around the kitchen table}

This is what Lucas is saying "My turn Madison? My turn? 5 more minutes. 5 more minutes.  My turn Madison? My turn?"

Using the last little bit of snow for a mini snow man

This picture had ALOT of out takes

Bicycles. Walks. Tennis. Kick Ball. Big Wheels. Snow Climbing.  Life's fun moments!


And Sunday was Grandpa Benson's birthday celebrations {next post!}

geocaching, our new obsession

Our new obsession is geocaching.  In a nutshell, we use a GPS to find hidden treasures based on coordinates in the city and around the world.  From downtown to the middle of the forest, geocaches have been placed everywhere.  Literally.  There are 2.3 million hidden around the world!

So. Much. Fun!

We love hiking and we love to pretend we are modern day treasure hunters {excuse the corniness}.

Just today we made a stop at Target and grabbed a geocache hidden under a lamp post.

Other than the initial cost of the GPS everything else is free!  Perfect activity!

This was our VERY FIRST geocache and we were giddy.  Typically the caches {aka treasure container} on hiking trails include toy treasures as well.  You take a toy and leave a toy.  A perfect bribe for a little girl named Madison to continue hiking.

Below: Do you see the small container in the rocks with the word CACHE.  In that rock is where we found it!

All the tradable treasures

Carson flying like superman {and eating...typical}

Gorgeous day with our gorgeous family.

home est 2014

We are completely blessed to say the two houses we have owned, we have built new.  This has been a dream come true.  Never could have imagined this life being completely amazing.  God has blessed us with a wonderful, adorable family and surrounded us with amazing people.

 

With limited choices {compared to our previous locations} and school district being a driving force we came upon Red Rock Meadows which is located next to a golf course {not directly but within a five minute walk}.  Our town home we rent is less than a one minute drive. The home has an open layout with good size bedrooms, nice upgrades {granite!!} and a perfect basement set up for 2 bedrooms, theater, storage room/hobby room, bathroom and family area!  Of course, Ben will be finishing the basement on his own {yay for much cheaper labor!}. 

 

Here are a few pictures of the progress.

 

This picture sums up our difficulty to really get started.  We have been having SUPER cold temperatures {tools do not work in negative temps} and small snow storms often.



 

We are super super excited...Can you tell?!?!

This is me walking in from the garage to the laundry room.  Straight forward is the Master and to the left is the living room.

Madison's room

Front Door

Caron just trying to help out.

Living room with the fireplace to the left of Ben.

perfectly said

I love this post!!

Someone Needs You

when you have no more patience

As a parent I feel like my limits are tested daily.  Being pulled in too many directions as a wife, mother, friend, family member.  The problem is I want to love and support each aspect of my life but at times I feel completely insufficient.

Today has been a hard day.

Both of my children have been clinging and whining all morning but I really needed an hour to get ready, pack lunches, start laundry and finish dishes to start the dishwasher prior to going to a "B is for Beaver" class at 10.  My children had other plans.

As I tried to literally jump in the shower to wet my bed head, Carson some how gets in the medicine closet, pulls out the plunger, proceeds to wave it "like he just don't care" and wash his sister.  {Now I am in the shower for 2, no joke, 2 minutes}.  Madison decides to rearrange our entire dresser full of underwear, work out gear, t-shirts and mix that with the dirty laundry basket.  TWO MINUTES PEOPLE!

My pure frustration at the situation and all the moments leading to this, was putting me over the edge.  I felt my patience thinning to the point of non existence.  I wanted to scream and yell and throw a tantrum.  Instead, I took a breath, spoke kindly but firmly and asked them to both go to Madison's room. 

Madison "why mommy?"

"I feel like I might explode right now and need a minute to breath.  There has been too much whining and too many messes to count in one day. I just need a minute."

Madison "Okay, Mommy.  But I love you to the moon and stars." {proceeds to shuffle her brother to her room}

Well now I feel like an A**Hole {yes, that is the word that went across my mind}

Who me?!?

These toddler moments are too precious and I know I need to cherish all their need for me.  But it is hard.  Super hard some days.  You want to say, I am doing this for you.  Why don't you understand that the reason I am not spending time with you at this moment is because we are going to do something so fun in an hour.  Ha, if logic worked for a 1 and 3 year old like that!

But for all those people who tell me Carpe Diem or you will miss these days of toddlerhood, I get it.  Right now I just want to seize the day by myself, in a hole, with no responsibility.

I know our family is blessed. I know my children are amazing.  I love them both so dearly.  I think that is why at times I feel like I am failing.  But I know even after they wake up from their naps in a few minutes a new day will begin {and hopefully with a lot less whining}.

strawberry shortcake birthday

THREE YEARS OLD!!!!!!

AAHHH!!!!

I keep hearing the three's are much much worse {please no one comment saying this is true, I can not handle the anxiety}.  We had a few bumps {aka Everest size mountains} in the tantrum and sleep departments of the two year old phase but are saying cheers to new round of problems ;)  The terrible three's.

To kick off this terrible three phase why not throw a great big party!!

Strawberry Shortcake Party here we come!

Berry Bitty Café is the restaurant that Strawberry Shortcake works at.  We named our food station just that.  We had Chicken Salad Sandwiches, heart shaped PB&J, Fruit Salad, Chips, Blueberry Muffins and strawberry applesauce. 

{For a great chicken salad sandwich, click here. Rave reviews from the party! I used rotisserie chicken, threw out the onion and green peppers and added grapes instead.}

And then did a "Make Your Own Cupcake" area {hello, sprinkles are still being found in my house!}

 

 

This is how Madison parties!  {Sleeping the first half of her own birthday celebration}

 

 

Waking up just in time to open a few presents! {Wow, such amazing friends and family!}

 

Clothes, laptops, window crayons, legos, books, crafts, stickers, finger paint, engineering toys, Little Mermaids, etc.  The list was amazing.  She is having a blast with each one.  Each day I bring out a new one so that she can enjoy it a bit more than having this mound of new toys.

 

The swarm of unwrapping presents... Wow is all I can say!



Lets sugar these kids up!!

 

 

And then a party favor filled with strawberry shortcake candy, strawberry fruit snacks, play doh, slime  and a mini arcade pin ball game.

 

Huge success!  With such a range of children I was so surprised at how well everyone played.  I prepared myself for some tumbles and some fighting but there was none!  Great kids to have surrounding our little cupcake ;)

where does time go

I hate to be cliché but the truth is I feel like I was just holding my first born in my arms wondering what her voice was going to sound like or overwhelmed by how I was going to be her mother.

Time goes by quick.  I can not believe my little girl is 3 now.

A three year old child is a being who gets almost as much fun out of a fifty-six dollar set of swings as it does out of finding a small green worm.  ~Bill Vaughan

I try to remember this when I feel the need to buy a new toy because I am excited about the pretty pink princess doll she is loving on in the middle of Target.  The minute or sometimes even the second we walk out the door she is already wanting something new. 

Parenting a three year old is not buying new things or having the best of anything. For Madison, it is about creating fun new memories we talk about at night or meeting new friends at the park.  Those are memories she enjoys.  She loves playing hide and seek or rolling down the front lawn hill, while the pile of toys sit in her room.  Now, do not get me wrong, she loves toys too.  The difference is she rarely remembers them after that day {Until Carson is walking around with the new toy and she thinks her world is crumbling apart}.

Children make your life important. ~Erma Bombeck

My life was important before children but now I feel like I truly have more purpose.  I am responsible for these little munchkins.  Ben and I are forming them into responsible, loving, forgiving, kind people.  Everyday. Every Moment.  Every Decision.  Every Action.  We are the role models they look to.  My purpose is their being.

 A characteristic of the normal child is he doesn't act that way very often. ~Author Unknown

Oh how this rings true for our family.  Ben and I discuss on a routine basis, "Why is she so whiny" or "He is just fussy" or "What happened to our kids!?!"

Normal is just that,  the whiny, fussing, "something has to be wrong" child.  When a perfect day comes along we look at each other like "wow, that was an awesome day."  Normal is the abnormal day.  Life is about that unpredictability of the children.  You just really never know which one you are going to get.

Through our 3 years as parents we have discovered a true happiness in our marriage and in our family.  Never could we have imagined life being THIS good.  I mean the amazing, perfect, joyful, loving life.  We had it good before kids and now... it is overwhelmingly great!

We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching.

Roy L. Smith

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_parenting.html#wsvOvTF9JOFpLDwr.99

We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching.

Roy L. Smith

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_parenting.html#wsvOvTF9JOFpLDwr.99

We are apt to forget that children watch examples better than they listen to preaching.

Roy L. Smith

Read more at http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/topics/topic_parenting.html#wsvOvTF9JOFpLDwr.99