Everyday Joys {Week 4}

This past week was one filled with snow, fun, sleepovers, cuddles, and more snow.

Here's the recap….

Early morning cuddles.  {January 22}

I know Valentine's Day is still a couple of weeks out but Rylan and I worked on his school Valentine cards.  {January 23}

Sleepover fun!!  Holden had his buddy Grant over for a sleepover.  Not sure there was a lot of sleeping going on but there sure were a lot of laughs and giggles. {January 24}

Leyton has found his new spot in the pantry…in the drink bucket.  He looks pretty excited and contained.  {January 25}

Playing in the snow!!!  You know building a snowman is serious business!  {January 26}

Leyton loves to get in the refrigerator when it is opened and every time, he pulls out an apple and starts eating it.  This little guy is something else! {January 27}

I watched Batman work on his moves in the mirror.  Yes, I know I have a tough job.  {January 28}

Snow Cream

Our afternoons are usually busy with homework, cooking dinner and just getting everything in order before bed.  Earlier this week the boys decided that they wanted to make snow cream.  Rylan of course volunteered to go collect snow to use.  I set up a towel and just let them make their snow cream the way they wanted it.  Leyton jumped right in the middle of the towel to see what was going on as these little chefs mixed up their concoctions.

I actually thought it was pretty cute.  Surprisingly, Leyton just sat there watching his brother.

After Holden finished making his snow cream he gave Leyton a little taste…

 

he loved it.  And asked for more, and more, and more.

This was one of those sweet unplanned afternoons with these brothers.

Bringing the outside in

The temperatures have been bitterly cold here but that has not stopped Holden and Rylan from playing in the snow.  However, I've kept Leyton inside where it is nice and warm.  Since it is still snowing, I decided to bring some snow in for Leyton to play with while the boys were out sledding.  At first he was a little unsure about snow but then he quickly warmed up to it.

And since everything still goes into his mouth, that's where he put the snow…into his little mouth.

  Leyton's first experience with the snow was not exactly a lot of playing but was a lot of tasting.

Everyday Joys {Week 3}

And this is what 5:00 looks like at our house.  I am trying to get supper finished and poor little Leyton is wrapped around my legs.  This is exactly why I prepare our meals ahead of time, to avoid the 5:00 witching hour.  {January 15}

Snow started falling and Rylan plopped up on the counter top to watch.  Notice the cookie spoon he is licking.  This little guy is living the good life! {January 16}

More snow!!!  Rylan volunteered to shovel the driveway before we went to pick up Holden from school.  He loves to stay busy!{January 17}

Basketball Saturday! {January 18}

After church, I took Holden and Rylan swimming at the gym with friends.  Of course,  we could not leave with climbing the rock wall.  Rylan finally made it to the top after months of trying.  {January 19}

Just a typical Monday night, I finished bathing Leyton and Rylan jumped into his baby tub!  These two are like two peas in a pod! {January 20}

More snow and a snow day!  We brought a little snow inside for Leyton to play with and he loved it!  I will post more on this sweet "joy" soon. {January 21}

It has been a week of cold temperatures,  snow and lots of little joys.

Basketball Season has begun!

Basketball season has begun for the boys.  This is Rylan's first year to play and he is loving it.  Now his little team at times they seem a little lost but they are so cute.  Rylan, aka Bubba, is hustling and trying his best to make a basket.  Finally he was successful and made his first basket!  He was beyond excited.  He was high-fiving teammates, Coach Dad and pointing at me to make sure I saw him!  This kid is hilarious.  I am sure this season will be an exciting one except for the 8:00 am Saturday morning game time.

Holden's season began too.  This year his team is running plays and they are doing all kinds of exciting stuff.  His games have become pretty entertaining.  The first game, Holden made 5 baskets, which was a record for him.  He is loving playing with his buddies from school and learning all about basketball.  I am certain his season will be a great one.

Now we have moved from football Saturdays to basketball Saturdays and before we know it, it will be baseball season.  Gosh these boys are growing way too fast!  Thankfully, I still have lovable to cuddle up with me during the games.

Everyday Joys {Week 2}

Wednesday was "one of those days".  School was back in session after Christmas Break and two additional snow days.  Everything seemed fine until after supper….Holden had a headache, Rylan was getting in the shower and I was cleaning up.  As I have said before, Leyton has hit the busy stage and is into everything.   I was trying to tend to Holden when I heard a crash.  Leyton was in the pantry and had thrown the top to the crock pot.  This was partly my fault, I have them stored at the bottom of the pantry…yep, big mistake.  I quickly picked him up to make he was not cut.  Luckily, he was fine.  In the meantime,  Rylan, my helper comes running downstairs naked and poor Holden was sick!  Yes, it looked like a war zone!  But I left it all and put Holden and Leyton to bed.  I was walking out of Leyton's room and guess who was waiting for me with the shopvac and a broom?  You guessed it, my sidekick Rylan.   Yes, he is a handful but he is also very helpful.  Especially when he knows that means stalling going to bed!  Thankfully, Thursday was a much better day.   {January 8}

After school games. {January 9}

Friday Night bubble baths are the best. {January 10}

Daddy is the best playmate. I know I said one picture but we have three kids and they all had to ride on daddy's shoulders.  {January 11}

I finally took the kids to see the movie FROZEN.  It was wonderful! {January 12}

Brotherly Love. {January 13}

I made Melting Snowman cookies for Slipper Day at school. {January 14}

And that was our week of Everyday Joys.

Everyday Joys {Week 1}

With every new year, I try to come up with goals for the year.  Last year, my goals were ones of survival.  Having three little ones, school, activities and so forth, many times I was overwhelmed but we made it.  This year one of my goals is to have more joy.  Not that I am not happy by any means.  It is that I want to look at the messy parts of our days more joyful.  For example, when Leyton pulls out every piece of tupperware onto the kitchen floor, I want to look at this mess with a joyful heart and know that one day I miss all this.  Or when Holden and Rylan decide they are "Gator Boys" and use my bathtub for catching gators with goggles and snorkels.  These are just bits a pieces of our days but just remembering these moments make me laugh and ones that I do not want to forget.  Sure our days are not perfect but at times I just have to sit back and laugh and know that tomorrow is a new day.  To help me in this effort, I came up with taking a picture of our everyday life each day.   However, I know posting everyday is just not going to happen, I have to be realistic. Instead, I decided to do a weekly post called "Everyday Joys" where I will post a picture from each day.  I will still blog stories and happenings but this will just be an additional post each week highlighting the joys of our everyday life hence the name, Everyday Joys.

Here is our first week….

Kicking off the New Year with a celebration breakfast. {January 1}

Our Weather man called for a dusting of snow however, we had 6 inches. We were excited! 
{January 2}

Building snowmen was our highlight on this cold day. {January 3}

Family Game night! Deer In Headlights has become a favorite around here. {January 4}

He is a climber!  Holden has mastered two of the four climbs on the rock wall at the gym.  {January 5}

A snow day and bitter cold temperatures call for science experiments! {January 6}

Leyton is into everything!  This morning I was trying to make breakfast and this little guy got into my baking cabinet.  Powder sugar was everywhere!  It's a good thing he is so lovable. {January 7}

These little people are growing up so quickly that I hope these daily pictures will help me to appreciate these crazy times and look back on this with a joyful heart.  I have a feeling it will, plus I enjoy taking pictures of our little family.