Winter Drag

I don't let anyone use the word "bored" in our house. But, this isn't really my house, it is the web, and if you know me I don't ever get "bored," however, the only word that can sum up this week is boring! The reason....It is April 20th and still Winter in Nebraska. I'm not exaggerating....it is still winter!!!

With 4 kids in our house, boring doesn't mean uneventful! A few things that our boring week churned out....

Potty Training Take 2 was a success! Austin is potty trained! 3 down and 1 to go! When you wait until your kiddo is ready it is pretty amazing how much simpler the training process goes! Remember...toddlers like to be in control!!!! Even if you have to do some pretending that they control the process, when maybe it is the Skittles, Ring Pops, Soda,  and new Train Apps on Ipad, that is calling the shots!

Molly and Grant got a lecture in respect. Now we have laid out the rule of answering us with a "yes mom" "yes Dad" response. This will be very challenging as every response up until this week has been a, "can Grant do it?" "I don't want to" "that's not fair" or something similar!  When we had them practice answering this way with some role playing it was rather funny!

Molly's room is filled with list!
This one is a list of all stuffed animals, names, and date of birth!!!

She loves baby dolls!

The kids built a fort everyday after School with the couch cushions.
I joined these two in there...it was hot, but worth the smiles I got from their excitement in me being in there!

Bribery works wonders when Potty Training.
When I handed the spare pants/undies to his Sunday School teacher Austin said, "Potty Training?!"

Heidi pulled herself to a standing position!!!! This is HUGE, cause the 11 month old has done nothing with her legs in regards to standing. She is a beautiful crawler, so we ruled out anything serious being an issue. As a mom who had 3 kids walking before they were 1, it has caused me a little worry. My firstborn didn't say an actual word until she was Austin's age (28 months), and now she doesn't stop talking. So, hopefully Heidi waits to join the track/field club until she is 12 and not at 2!

Spring brings a very busy calendar. I would be a little embarrassed to share my calendar for April and May. I know Families are busy and everyone's "I'm so busy" looks different. I  just feel that as Moms we are harshly judging other Families "busy." So, I would hesitate to share it. 

I have School aged kiddos. The good ole days of participating in 1 sport for 1 season and then moving onto the next sport in the next season is gone.  My bf's and I talk about how annoying this is...they shouldn't have to decide at 7 years old what sport they want to play. If you don't pick one then you end up playing two and this puts a whole kink on the quality family time. This has all just begun for us. I'm not ready to give my kids up every night of the week for a couple hours. It is more the rushing of getting them where they need to go that is the challenge. Not the hour they spend practicing. Everything lands between 5:30 and 6:30pm. When do we eat?! Most nights it is around 4:45/5pm!!! Right now my kids are learning the game of Soccer! First time trying this sport...well, 2nd time for Molly. She was 5years old and didn't like "running" for 45 minutes. I didn't blame her!

He is enjoying Soccer!
I was hoping this wouldn't be the case...it is an intense sport in
 the town of Gretna!!!

Zoe and Jayna
Dance BFF's

 My kids will read this someday and wonder why I wrote I am frustrated with being forced to choose a sport, yet I have Molly in competitive dance! This is a good question! I don't have a good answer...maybe because dance is a gradual progression of growth, and it always changes, and she is less likely to get burned out or bored with it, it is indoors, being on stage is where Molly shines! and the big part...she loves it. Never complains, goes into dance studio with a smile and leaves with an even bigger one. She is at a studio that fosters fun and positivity and embraces that everyone has different things they do well, she gets a totally different group of friends outside of School to spend time with...I could keep going. If or When Grant finds something like that then I will probably do the same thing! Then maybe when Heidi wants to do it I will have a firm No!!! Our firstborns are the ones we practice on!!!! It is why they are statistically the ones who end up in Therapy!!!!!!

Please God....bring us Spring!