Life Lessons

While on pinterest the other day I saw this quote and it really struck a cord with me.

I believe as a parent you try so hard to be perfect and a good role model, but I also believe that we can always improve. So while trying to be the person I want you boys to be I have developed a list of qualities that I want you to see daily so you can understand their importance.

1. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE: It is so easy to walk around being angry, but in the end that does nothing but hurt yourself. If you try your hardest to only focus on the things you love and the things that are good in your life you will find your heart full.

2. Forgive quickly...This is by far the biggest challenge for me because I am so much like my dad. Forgiveness is not something that comes easily to me but it is something I am working on. What is the point of holding a grudge when you can let it go. That doesn't mean you should forget the lessons it taught you.

3. Material things are NOT important. I have always given you boys the best. I am stating today that this will no longer be the case. While you will always wear clean nice clothes you will no longer have a new outfit everyday (This is a bit over exaggerated, but not much...). There is no need for a billion toys when you have these amazing imaginations that get more use than any object I could buy you.

4. Play... There will always be time to clean but we have so many limited beautiful days that we will take advantage of them 100%.

5. Work Hard. While playing is important it is also important to remember that in order to play you have to work hard on the other days.

6. Don't sweat the small stuff. Krew the other day you drew all over the recliner and in all honesty I just walked away. I wanted to yell I wanted to put you in time out, but I also knew that I would not put your feelings below a piece of furniture. I came back into the room a few minutes later after screaming into my pillow to hear you say, "Look at the e I drew mommy. Aren't you so proud of me?" At that moment I knew I made the right decision of walking away when I was angry. Don't get me wrong we had a very serious conversation afterward about writing on the couches.

7. Read. You can never read enough. You will find so much joy reading a book and losing yourself in the story.

8. Get out and move! While I have not made it to the gym nearly enough this summer I think I've done something much more important. I have showed you how to get exercise in your own back yard. We have spent hours running through the sprinklers, Daddy and I have strapped you on our backs and hiked the bridal trail, you've gone on walks every day. Needless to say I am glad I made the decision to spend this time with you.

9. Disagree respectfully. I think the reason your daddy and I work so well together is because we have very different opinions, but the majority of the time we disagree respectfully. This is also something I know I can do better on and I work on it daily, but you will know how to state your point without hurting feelings.

10. Give.  Your grandma is the picture of giving. I mean this in many different ways, and this is something I plan on showing you rather than telling you about.

There are a million other little things I want you to become, but right now I am choosing to focus on those 10 little traits and we will go from there. I have no doubt that you will become great men, but I also know that my role in who you become is much more important than I may have noticed. I promise to remember that you are always watching, and I hope you see something great!

XOXO,
Mommy

~3~

Dear Krew,
I cannot believe that tomorrow you will be 3 years old. You are such a big boy and mommy is so proud of you. Over the last year you have accomplished so much that I don't even know where to begin! Your biggest accomplishment is being 100% potty trained. YAHOO!!! You continue to be one of the sweetest little boys I know and play so good with all of your friends. You have a heart of gold and truly care for other people and animals. Whenever Kade cries you remind him that it is going to be ok and you are the first person to comfort him. The other day I got out of the shower and I heard you tell him, "It's okay Kader mommy is never going to leave us." While we were at the fair the other day you were so sad for the animals at the petting zoo and kept telling me and daddy they were starving and it wasn't nice. I think it is so funny how you have an intuition for things like that because you did not say a word about the 4-H animals because you just knew they were taken care of.

Not only do you have a heart of gold but you have brains that boggle my mind on a daily basis. It is so funny how fast you learn things when I am not aware of it. We have been going to science camp at the science zone and at your first lesson they taught you about the eye. I thought it was way over your head and just let you wrestle with Maddux the whole time. Then a week later we were driving and you said, "Mommy what color is your iris?" I told you brown and you said, "Yep and your pupil is black." I will never doubt how much you can take from a lesson again.

With both of these amazing attributes it does not surprise me one bit that playing doctor is one of your all time favorite games. When you fix one of your animals you take such care and talk to them in the sweetest voice. You then fix their problem and help your next patient.

Not only do you have brains and a beautiful heart but I must also mention just how handsome you are. When you sleep at night I still sit there and stare and your perfect little face and think about how there is not one thing I could change on you. Your smile stretches across your face and your laugh makes everyone laugh with you. Your blue eyes dance when you are doing something mischievous and your naughty little grin make it so hard to be mad. You are just flat AMAZING!!!


Krew I want you to know that mommy thinks the world of you and cannot imagine life without you. From the day you came into my life it has been brighter and full of love.
You have taught me so much over the last 3 years that have made me a better person.
Always remember sweet boy that you are loved by so many people, especially your mommy and daddy.

To the moon and back my big 3 year old!!
XOXO Mommy

So here are your answers to your birthday questions... I have to admit some took a little prodding and some I think you completely made up :-)



What is your favorite toy? "My dinosaurs"
What is your favorite show? "Jake"
What is your favorite food? "Apples"
What is your favorite thing to do with daddy? "I like fishing wif daddy"
What is your favorite thing to wear? "My skivvies"
What is your favorite game? "Hide and Seek wif daddy"
What is your favorite color? "Blue and Pink"
What is your favorite animal? "The Horses and cows and dogs and tigers and dinosaurs."
What is your favorite book? "This one" (How do Dinosaurs say Goodnight)
Who is your best friend? "My very best Parker and my best Maddux and my best Kade and my best cohen."
What is your favorite thing to do outside? "Play in the water"
What is your favorite drink? "JUICE"
What is your favorite holiday? "Santa Clause"
What is your favorite thing to sleep with? "My Riley" (Riley does not sleep with you....EVER)
What do you want to be when you grow up? "Catch the bad guys"
What is your favorite movie? "Rio"
What is your favorite thing to do with mommy? "I do not know....read books"
Where is your favorite place to go? "The Animal zoo"

All boy all the time

Fourth of July

This is by far my favorite holiday of the year.

BBQs with family.

Flags on nearly every house.

Patriotic shirts.

The amazing music that makes my eyes well up with tears. 

This is the holiday where I feel so proud of the country I live in.

I feel proud of my husband and our friends who serve it.

Not only our military friends but the police officers, firemen, teachers, nurses, and every other person who helps make this country great. 

May we always remember what an amazing place we live in and do our part to keep it great for our children.

God Bless America

You're My Best

Krew's most recent adorableness is to call the people his best ____.

We were at the science zone and he heard his buddy and yelled, "Mommy I hear my best Maddux." 

I seriously about died.

He now calls me his best mommy, Seth his best daddy, best brother, best Kasha, best grandma, best papa, best Mo, best Riley...you get the point.

However the other day we decided to take the boys on separate adventures so they could each enjoy undivided attention all day. Krew was off with Seth to go fishing and I stayed home with Kade.

That night when they were reunited they instantly became attached at the hip. Kade broke down crying for his brother when he went to the bathroom and was instantly relieved when he returned a few moments later. The next morning Krew woke up and didn't ask for me or Seth but wanted his tater chip. When Kade came into the room he wrapped his arms around him and said, "Kader you are my best buddy. I missed you so much when I was fishing."

Talk about melt a momma's heart! 

While I was thinking he just started call people his best ____ because he thought that's what you did, I now know it is because those people are his best.

The people he likes to be around.

But most importantly the people he loves.

He is my best Krew.