Oh Boys!

Do you journal?

Do you blog?

Seriously- are you writing these things down?

These are the questions I constantly get asked when I tell people about my day. I never imagined how fun, challenging, and utterly exhausting raising 2 and 1 year old boys could be.

From Kallen peeing in random places (like yesterday when he was sitting on the heat vent in our kitchen and said "mommy- I peed down there!") to Lincoln constantly trying to throw things in the toilet or trash (like the TV remotes) I am on my toes all day.

But despite the tears, frustration, and exhaustion I can honestly say that the chaos is fun!

I LOVE my boys! I LOVE that their little minds are constantly thinking! I feel blessed beyond words that I have two healthy children, an amazing husband, and a roof over our heads.  

I do NOT love that my boys feed off of each other and gang up on me. (like the other day when Kallen started to break something and while I was disciplining him Lincoln finished it off) I do NOT love that my house is NEVER clean. I do NOT love that most days my frustration (or exhaustion) gets the best of me. I do NOT love having my lines used back on me. (like when we were in target and I was ignoring Kallen to focus on my grocery list so Kallen said "mommy I need you to look into my eyes")  But I really do love the chaos! I would be lying if I didn't say that there are days when I long for the simplicity of life before kids, but I have been blown away by the way raising children has brought my relationship with God to a whole new level!

Kallen is at such a fun age! He is often naughty around Lincoln - I think it's an attention thing- but if you get him by himself he is such a fun, tender hearted boy! He is at that age where most of the things that come out of his mouth keep me laughing all day.

Like today alone:

"Mommy what this is?"

When I told him we were going to run to Target real quick his response was "No mommy I walk!".

 Or while we were at Target and he wanted to leave so he said "mommy you need to go home and make supper".

While I was changing Lincoln's diaper, Kallen walked up and said "whoa mommy, Winken's wiener is big!" then proceeded to drop his drawers, check out his own wiener and say "mommy, Kawen's wiener bigger than winken's?" (seriously I can't believe it starts that young!!)

In the car on the way home he threw his car and said "whoa, that car does NOT fly!"

"mommy wike my hat!?"

Just to name a few. :)

Lincoln is also at a fun age, although he tends to be very whiny (could be due to cutting 4 molars at the same time!) and needy. He copies everything he hears and is talking Much sooner than Kallen did. He gives kisses and hugs to all stuffed/toy animals and Kallen, but rarely gives them to adults. :'(

Kissing the animals at Bass Pro Shops tonight.

The highlight of our day is when Daddy gets home! I would say that both boys have a Very special bond with their daddy.

And despite alot of fighting, the boys are really starting to become good friends!

I may have my moments but I LOVE my boys! I thank God for them every day!

Our home is filled with constant growling, wrestling, destruction beyond belief, motor sounds, shooting....

...and I would not have it any other way!

And to answer my first questions: no I do not journal, and I really stink at blogging, but I write when I can. (or when my brain has not been turned into complete mush from the chaos of the day) And I know that someday I will look back at these blog posts and long to be back in this phase of life. (although that is hard to believe right now)

Another month, another lack of blogging

Ok, I realize that it has been almost an entire month since I have blogged, but I have been trying to stay on top of my house a little better which means very little computer time.

That and my children are needy. It is a rare moment that they are playing by themselves and when those moments occur I am usually scrambling to get something done. (you know like cook super, or clean something, or get on facebook get some work done on the computer)

 I still have not blogged about my baby turning 1. That or maybe I am just still trying to process it.



I could probably blog every day about this guy. The words that come out of his mouth and the things that he comes up with keep me laughing all day.



We tried letting him stay up a little later the other night to watch Cars 2. He didn't make it very far. :)

My boys have moments when they get along great and play well together...

...and I know that someday they will be best friends...



....but oh boy do they fight! Lincoln screams the minute Kallen touches him, which makes Kallen mad, and I'm pretty sure his thought process is "I'll give you something to scream about", which leads to me coming in to save the day. Sometimes I sit back and let it happen- just hoping that they will learn to work it out on their own- but we are just not quite there yet. By 4pm everyday- this gets pretty old.

We have learned recently that all you have to do is take the boys to Bass Pro Shops and they are in heaven! We met Shawn's family there last week for dinner

(Faith is looking at me like "why won't your son hold my hand?")



Thank goodness for Shawn's cousin Alexis who was so patient and great at entertaining the kids while we finished dinner. 

and while the guys went bowling, and the ladies shopped, my mother-in-law and I tried to keep up with 2- 2year olds and Lincoln as they were turned loose in the store.

My kids wanted nothing to do with Santa, but here their cousins Faith and CJ being very brave!

These boys would spend hours on the four wheelers if we'd let them.



Typical kids- I hold up the camera and Faith smiles and poses, while Kallen starts moving uncontrolably while making engine noises.



They had a blast racing these little cars!



Exploring the ice fishing huts



And watching the fish!



I am pretty sure this will be our go to place this winter. There are not the crowds of the mall playplace, my husband is also in heaven, and I am not tempted to spend any money, and Shawn actually controls himself very well despite the hundreds of things he would probably love to buy!

I will try to catch up on blogging soon. Although I am not going to make any promises. :)



A photo dump

Here is a little photo dump of what we have been up to lately:

For each meal I cook- I pay a price. (meaning that while I am cooking Kallen is doing something naughty)

Here is the price I paid yesterday:

 He filled up the bathroom sink, added some hand soap, and washed his toys.

It didn't get too out of hand until I was just finishing up, and heard water splashing onto the bathroom floor as Kallen overflowed the sink.

We went to our 3rd and final pumpkin patch of the season with my family.

Howell's Tree Farm just 15 min. south of DesMoines- it was really fun!

We attempted a picture of the boys

Oh wait, we forgot Lincoln!

Ok, everyone look this way and smile!



.....Nevermind

A new development: my boys are Finally starting to play well together!!!

We took a little wagon ride out to the corn maze.

Doesn't Steph look great?! It was sad to not have Cru with us- but next year will be Awesome!!



Kallen hangin with Aunt Karlee!

"Hey Winken, look at that!"



I didn't get any good pictures because it was so dark, but Saturday night we went to Living History Farms with Shawn's family.

Isn't this just the cutest little tiger you have ever seen!?

Kallen  being a vampire. 

Catching a ride on Papa's shoulders :)

Kallen just walked up and started hugging this ghost. haha



Kallen has been making some Great progress with potty training!!

He has been doing a lot of this:



And this little boy has me completely wrapped around his little finger.



We had a few rare cuddling moments:

And for the most part we have just been trying to get outside as much as we can while it is still warm!



Check out the snot mixed with drool on this kid!



"I don't want to go inside!"

I Am Learning.

I am learning that 1 lb. of hamburger does not last 2 meals anymore- it is gone at the end of 1.

I am learning that sometimes it takes a child almost a year to get jealous of his baby brother, so that when you think you are in the clear it catches you completely off guard.

I am learning that I cannot do this on my own and am a Much better person when I take time to spend with my heavenly father.

I am learning that anyone who has more than 2 children is a rockstar in my eyes. :)

I am learning that I really stink at potty training.

I am learning that one of the hardest things about having 2 boys 19 months apart is having energy for your husband when he gets home.  (And I don't even necessarily mean in the bedroom- I mean even having the energy to have a conversation)

I am learning that my house will probably be a pit for the next 6-10 years and for the first time- that does not even bother me.

I am learning that I am not capable of giving up pop, sugar, or coffee. (one or all of these three is what gets me through the day)

I am learning that I will fail as a mother, but thank goodness 2year olds have a short memory.

I am learning that Bringing Up Boys by James Dobson may be a book I read every single year.

I am learning to let things go. (some of those things being shopping, voluteer opps, selfishness, pedicures, a clean home)

I am learning how to better handle my time.

I am learning that although my boys, right now, daily push me past my breaking point- the good moments truly do make up for the bad.

I Am Learning.

An eventful night

My sweet Lincoln scared the crap out of me today. The boys and I had run to Target and I promised Kallen that we could have pizza for supper if he was good and stayed dry (almost potty trained!) the entire time. He did awesome so around 5:30 we headed on over to the food court, ordered our pizza, and sat down to eat it. I was feeding Lincoln bites of pepperoni pizza, and trying to keep Kallen in one spot so he could eat his, when Lincoln let out a terrible scream. I thought maybe he was trying to pass some gas or something so I grabbed him and started patting his back. He continued to scream uncontrolably (this is a child who Rarely cries and has Never screamed like this) so I loaded Kallen and our dinner up in the cart and started heading to the van. Lincoln screamed the entire way home and, I suppose it was my imagination, but I could have swore his lips were starting to swell. We got home, and Lincoln did not calm down at all so I decided it was time to take action. I called our clinic and told them I was coming in, then called my sister in Polk City to come get Kallen (Shawn had an away meet in Ames tonight), then ran Kallen over to the neighbors to hang out until Steph could get here.
By the time we got to the clinic, Lincoln had been screaming for an entire hour. (you know, that painful scream that kids make when you know something is wrong) I guess my mind just kept going to "allergic reaction" for some reason. None of us have allergies so I am not really sure why I even thought that is what it could be. After what seemed like forever, but in reality was probably only 5 minutes, the nurse took us back and started the usual routine. ( undress them down to the diaper, listen to their heart, take their temp, etc..) Lincoln began to calm down and as I layed him on the scale to be weighed he started giggling. (At this point I am thinking "You have got to be kidding me!")
As we waited for the doctor to come in (not our usual doctor whom I love) Lincoln began to explore the room, and by the time she came in he was smiling, jabbering, and dancing. She checked him over, glanced in his ears, and quickly said "Oh, he has a double ear infection". I asked how bad and her words were "Just your typical infection, not too bad!" She called in a prescription for amoxicillin and we were on our way back home. (Now- my opinion on doctors (especially any doctor besides our usual one who is basically the only one I trust), anti-biotics, and ear infection diagnosis's would lead into an entire new blog post....and a long one at that. Let's just say I have no plans to fill that perscription)
While I am very relieved that Lincoln is fine and that he was not, in fact, having an allergic reaction of any sort- it does really bother me that my child would cry- that painful, "mommy please make it stop"-cry for an entire hour and then just suddenly stop. And it especially bothers me to not have an answer as to what it could have been. (Kallen had at least 15 ear infections in his first 2 years of life, so I know what an ear infection looks like. And I really do not feel that Lincoln's crying had anything to do with his ears.) I suppose I may never know what was going on with my little boy- but lets just hope it never happens again! I am not a mother who freaks out easily, and i must say, Lincoln had me freaking out a little.
I guess when it is all said and done, I can only thank God for great neighbors, and awesome sister and b.i.l., hug my babies a little tighter tonight, and be thankful it was nothing serious!

Naptime Please!!!

"I don't care what you do as long as you stay in this room until I tell you that it's time to come out!"

These were my words to Kallen when he decided to come downstairs after a short 20 minute nap.

I NEED NAPTIME!!!

 I have found that it is absolutely crucial that I get at least an hour to myself to do the things that I need to do, or the rest of my day just spirals out of control. And when that happens, I loose all patience with my children, I find myself storming around the house frusterated at the chaos, and by the time my poor husband gets home from a long day at work....Watch Out!!!

Luckily Kallen plays pretty well in his room by himself.

Although today perhaps I should have been a little more specific on what I meant by "I don't care what you do". I do care when you hammer the walls with your plastic hammer (this kid swings a mean hammer- his room has many dents to prove it :/ ), throw books in the air and say "it's raining", and empty out all of your drawers, pull them out, then proceed to stack them saying "I built a tower!" - All of these things I have found him doing in the last 30 minutes.

Ah Kallen, I pray that someday you are able to put all of your energy, ingenuity, and mad hammer skills to good use!!

Center Grove Orchard

My sister and I made a last minute decision today to head up to Center Grove Orchard.

It is located near Cambridge and if you have not been there- it is Totally worth the drive!!



"I push Winken mommy!"

Little Stinker

They have a huge corn pit to play in and my boys LOVED it!!

Lincoln may have consumed some corn :P

"Mom- I want to walk like Kallen!"



They also have tons of animals! Goats, pigs, horses, chickens, turkeys, ducks- I'm probably forgetting some.

The goats were a big hit with my boys. 

And TONS of these paintings (what is the official name for these anyways?) to put your face in.

The tractor course was also a big hit.



And leave it to Kallen to spot, and get excited about the lawnmower.

We went on a wagon ride:

Jumped on a giant trampoline:

Practiced our bullriding:

And ended with a couple rides down the giant slide!

I did not get any pictures, but perhaps the best part of Center Grove Orchard is the fresh apple cider, and amazing caramel apples that call your name as you leave.

My boys must have had fun, because they both passed out as soon as we got in the car.

We had Perfect weather and it was a Great day!!