Two Amazing Mothers

I have been watching and reading as everyone keeps posting about "the best mom" and reading all of the comments.  I know there are so many amazing women that have made great impacts on the lives of those around me.  I have two women that I have learned so much from.  

My MOM:  She is one of the most selfless people I know.  She gave everything she had to us when we were growing up.  It wasn't until we were all out of college that I feel she really focused back on some of her interests.  She never complains or even questions why if you ask for some help.  She right away comes up with all sorts of options and things she can do to accomplish it.  I know from my own experience that sometimes being "mom" can be a little exhausting  tiring, but I have learned from watching her that I have got to do a better job of hiding it.  My mom has always been there for me.  She taught me so much as a child and still helps out with my phone calls from the grocery store asking for recipe advice.  She is an amazing role model to me on being a mother and I just hope that I can be half the mother she is.  

My Mother-In-Law:  Karlynn is such a caring person.  She truly is always concerned with her family and just wants to make sure everyone is taken care of.  I am so thankful for the son that she raised.  His faith and family values are so important to him and has helped us to form our own family bond and values.  I am still a little intimidated by her cooking skills though.  I swear you can give her any ingredients and she just whips up dinner like its nothing (a dinner that her son will just devour in minutes)  She has been nothing but accepting to me since the first time I met her.  I know I could call her for anything and she would be there to help us out however she can.  I hope that someday when my boys are grown and married that my daughters-in-law look at me as another role model in their lives.  I am so thankful for gaining the one I got when I married Erin.

Both of these women have two other little fans that just adore them.  They just light up when talking about their grandmas.  They do a great job of spoiling them rotten :)  Thank you for all that you do for my whole family.  It means more to us then you will ever know.

Easter

So I know I am a little behind, but we did have a great Easter.  We got to spend a lot of time with family and just enjoy being together.  The boys loved getting to hunt eggs and eat all the candy.  Lukas started making his own egg hunts of hiding them and then going and collecting them again.  He loved it :)  It was a wonderful weekend of celebrating our faith with those we love.  He is RISEN!

Mack and Lukas did some damage at the GB egg hunt

Got some extra squeezes of this little lady

Making cookies with Grandma Keeley

It was pretty windy and sunny on Easter so we didn't get many great pictures.  We were either squinting or my hair was everywhere.  Not a great combination.

Our Weekend with 4 Kids

So I am a little behind with my posts, but didn't want to leave this one out.  A couple of weeks ago Matt and Jana got to go to Dallas for the Final Four.  It was an adult weekend for them and they entrusted us to watch Cade and Reese.  I had been looking forward to the weekend, but also a little nervous about being outnumbered by the kids.  We had  some melt downs, some giggles, a bathtub full of bubbles and kids, had to color code sippy cups to keep them straight, and I even got to attempt doing a little girls hair.  It worked out great and the kids had a lot of fun!

Van fully loaded with car seats

 It was really nice out on Saturday so we were able to do some outdoor activities.

Love these kiddos!  Thanks Matt and Jana for letting us keep them for a few days :)

18 months

Lawson is 18 months old as of yesterday.  I no longer have a baby.  He is all toddler and spends his days trying to keep up with his brother.  He doesn't want to be left out or left behind for anything.  He is our ornery little boy and always getting in to something.  It keeps us very entertained.

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18 month update:

• Height 32 1/4 in.(53%) Weight 23 lbs 1 oz. (16%)  Head 48 3/4 cm (78%)
• Wears 4 diapers, and will come to us every now and then and pull at it if dirty.  Not ready for potty training but does acknowledge it.
• Clothes are 12 months in getting in the 18 months.
• His mouth has a lot of teeth, I try to count but get bit in the process.
• Eating is one of his favorite past times.  He is always the first to sit down for dinner and the last to get up.  If you walk in the kitchen he thinks it is dinner time.
• Loves football!  He loves to play with Dad and brother or with the little figurines we have.
• Has a bit of a rough side to him.  He thinks its funny when people say "ow", not good I know.  We are working on it.
• He will put himself in timeout.  It is hilarious to us every time, but we try not to let him see us laugh.
• Sees himself as a 3 year old with no fear.
• His vocabulary has changed so much in just the past 2 weeks.  His favorite word is Daddy.
• Has started to get more into animal sounds, especially growling.
• He is a great sleeper and is our late sleeper or later anyway.
• He has had some medical issues already between his finger and now we think he has a hernia. (Poor little guy)
• Has started throwing himself on the ground face down when he gets upset.
• Has started to be very interested in books.  He likes to listen to them and just look through them by himself.
• Calls any liquids juice.  
• Loves to play outside especially slides and wagon rides

Lawson is such a fun, loving little boy.  He is such a perfect fit for our family.  We love you Lawson and look forward to watching you continue to grow and change.  

Down, Set, HIKE

Our evenings these days consist of either playing cars, Ninja Turtles, or football.  Both boys just love to clear out the living room floor and play.  It is a great way to end our days playing together.  The other night may have topped them all though with the laughs.  For Christmas Lukas got a football helmet.  He felt it was necessary to bring it out for our family game.  No problem, except that Lawson then had to have a helmet.  He first brought out this.....

This helmet is a small one that was bought for Lukas from one of the GB coaches.  It fits over your fist.  I tried to explain that it wouldn't fit his head, but after failed attempts of that explanation I moved on to find a new helmet we could use.  My quick thinking came to this...

He LOVED it!  He walked into the living room and Erin and I could not stop laughing.  He was happy as could be and ready to play.  He would not play a down without it on.  Of course when Lukas saw the bowl he tossed the actual helmet and needed a bowl for a helmet as well.  

These are our "tough" faces

The minds of little boys.  They couldn't have been happier and it put smiles on all of our faces :)