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We met over 8 years ago at church as Shaun was walking in and I was walking out. The few words exchanged sparked an interst that kept Shaun coming back. When we FINALLY began dating 4 years later we soon knew there was something special here. Our first year quickly flew by and we both decided we never wanted to spend another year with anyone else or without each other. We married in the place where it all began on January 1, 2011 (1/1/11) and gave birth to our beautiful daughter Ava Marie on September 22, 2011 our next little one, Clara Rose came 16 months later on February 11, 2013. This blog began with our preparation with our wedding and has entered into recording the days and events of our newlywed life and new motherhood.

The Happy Couple...

Daisypath - Personal pictureDaisypath Anniversary tickers

Ava Marie

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Third Birthday tickers

Clara Rose

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Second Birthday tickers

Gabriel's ticker

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Angel and Memorial tickers

Twins ticker

Lilypie - Personal pictureLilypie Pregnancy tickers

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

First day of Summer!

Today is the first day of Summer and I'll be spending many of my days with some lively boys that I've known since they were ...much littler than now.  Our days have already been filled with honest chats over breakfast and lunch, morning walks (with the boys saying things like "Walks are good for you and Ava, right?  We'll make sure you take one every day!"), field trips and outings, morning rosary and prayers, LOTS of playing outside (and inside), practicing math facts in the car and reading and reading and reading, journal writing about our Summer days, quiet time in the afternoons and movies together, beach and playground runs and more.  I love sitting with these little ones now when things aren't so rushed (like during the school year) and seeing how they've grown over the years and the things they have to talk about and questions to ask.  It makes me so happy to think of being a mother soon myself (well, technically I already am, but you know what I mean) and the possibility of having those chats and special times myself with my daughter.  The boys ask about "Ava" all day and take such good care of me "Can I get you water?  Do you need anything" and kiss and talk to her all the time (in my belly) that I cannot help but be incredibly grateful for such good company to spend my days with.  Happy Summer everyone!

3 comments:

  1. wow... now I totally feel like a slacker mom! Reading what you guys do all day kinda makes my successful day at the pool talking to the grown-ups while the kiddos splash and swim seem... well, boring! lol

    How do you fit it all in?? Please, I think I need tips!

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  2. You're so funny! I think if I had a pool I'd probably be doing the same thing. We don't get to everything, but these are "lively" kids and need to be kept busy.

    We start our morning when I get there with breakfast and then we say a decade of the rosary and our morning prayers together. We get ready to take a quick morning walk/bike ride before it gets too hot (and I think it helps the day get going). Then we come back for a snack and pack up if we're heading out for the day. We go over math facts in the car and bring Summer reading books (or just books) into the car with us to make sure we review every day.

    We assign "jobs" for the day (waiter, cook, clean up helper, etc.) to contribute to the household and keep the kids from treating me like a "servant". The boys practice writing when they have to take lunch orders, math when they have to assemble lunches and make sure they've "checked off" everything on the list and responsibility when they clean up after themselves (and each other). They also practice writing when they "journal" about their days every day (or few days) and draw pictures of what they've done or remember. When they need help about what to write, I give them a starter and some hints or we play "hi-low" (what was their favorite and worst part of the day)

    I pull them aside one at a time to make sure I spend time with each of them and they play a lot by themselves/with each other.

    Because I need a "pregnancy break" later in the afternoon and they tend to get at each other throats if we don't separate them after a while, we have assigned "Quiet time" for between 45min to and hour. The boys play quietly somewhere by themselves or read. Today we were out a lot, so they all agreed on a movie and we sat and chilled out together.

    After the movie they were kicked outside to play and called in a little later to write in their journals before Mom came home. They're used to the drill from last year, though. We do journals "whenever"... in the car, whatever.

    I find it so much easier than trying to fit in everything during a school day. Compared to 25 3 year olds and much less time, 3 boys all day seems like tons of time!

    Don't be fooled, though. I don't get everything done. NO one does... and I want them to have lots of play time too. I come home to all the laundry and housecleaning and thank God I have Shaun because I'm usually pretty pooped at the end of the day.

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  3. wow.. still very impressed :) I can't wait til I actually do the laundry and start organizing my sunroom so we have room to craft!! woohoo!

    I am hoping that I will be cleared for everything next week, but since it was initially 6wks "recovery" and I talked the nurse down to 3-4wks in the recovery room, I'm not sure how the doctor is going to feel about it next week. lol

    Good luck! Get some rest... and I don't have a pool... I just have lots of friends with pools :) To there was tons of Girl Power! Me with 4 little girls... and Friday I had 5. It's been a blast!

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