A Day in the Life of Ady

 

Ady loves “Me and You Days”.

 This is how she describes school days for us. 

She asks me at night when I tuck her into bed, “Is tomorrow going to be a Me and You Day, Mom?”

“Why yes it is Miss Ady.  Just Me and You sister.”

(Photo taken with iphone)

I Instagramed these photos a little while back.

Our day started out normal.

Me - working around the house in the morning.

Ady - watching her favorite shows.

Then we typically get ready for the day, have lunch and  move  on to whatever activity we are doing that day (this used to be naptime.  Sometimes I really miss naptime).

We chose to make Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies that day. Yummmmmy!

(Photo taken with iPhone)

She is my helper in the kitchen and knows the routine.

Aprons and music and we are set!

Well, of course after a little while she lost interest and went in the backyard to play.

In the sandbox.

I have a love/hate relationship with the sandbox.

I love that it is hours of  entertainment.

I hate that within minutes it can get to an out of control level of messy.

Kind of like this.

Well, this time it wasn’t as bad as that (she has learned) but it did involve sand and water and the trampoline.

She decided to clean herself off from the sandbox by attaching the sprayer to the hose and then putting it on the trampoline.

When I notice that all of this happened (we are talking a couple of minutes) I find her on the trampoline jumping in muddy clothes.

Really Ady???

No photos of that.  I wasn’t quite sure how I felt about the incident and if it was worth burning cookies over.  :)

I decided I needed to side with my cookies for the moment.

I did however, change her clothes and let her finish out the afternoon in her swimsuit on the trampoline.

 

I was proud of her for knowing what she wanted and how to go about making it happen.

 

She knew where to find the sprayer and how to attach it to the hose all by herself.

She was not going to let me ruin her fun or give me the chance to say “No. Not now Ady.” 

And I am glad she didn’t because I loved watching her have her own kind of fun.

She keeps asking me when will she get to be 5 years old.

I tell her she only gets to be 3 once and to love every minute of it.

 

Sometimes she takes me a little too literal.

 

She had waaaaaay too much fun in the bathtub after that. 

See what I mean?

Water ALL OVER the floor.

It was bad.

The above photos are how I found it after she had tried to clean it up on her own.

And this is how I found her.

 

And that my friends is a day in the life of Ady.

We live and learn together every. single. day.

Starting tomorrow I will be living and learning with all 4 of my kids every. single. day.

It’s

SUMMER TIME!!!

We LOVE Baseball!

Our baseball season is coming to an end. :(

Before that officially happens I thought I better blog about it…because dang it…I am going to be a better blogger!

Our family loves baseball.  We enjoy going to any baseball game whenever we get the chance.  I especially love being a baseball mom to my two boys.  It is magic for me. Something about it calms me and I completely forget about my mile long to do list and any other thoughts  floating around in my head.  I am just happy to be in the moment with my boys; being their best cheerleader.  

I love watching them on the field.

 

You can always find Casey behind the fence as one of the coaches.

  

Did you notice Kaylee’s striped hair?  It was opening day and man was it a partaaay!

There was plenty of entertainment for the kids in between games this day.

Usually Ady spends the whole game digging in the dirt…

but she makes sure to check in on the game every once in awhile.

Kaylee reads or does homework…

or something.

Did I mention that I am the best cheerleader???

Yeah, I need to rub off on Kaylee a little.

However, she is very good at taking care of this little chick for me so I can watch the game and not miss a great play. 

Because we all know that is the worst! How do you tell your super excited son that you missed his awesome play???

I don’t know how you other sport mom’s do it, but I bring my camera to ONE game.  I usually choose a day that both of the boys are playing but at different times (so I don’t miss a great play. :) Double duty is HARD!) I focus on snapping pictures that day.  I get what I can and then that is it.  No more camera at the fields anymore. Even if I didn’t get the pictures I wanted or had in mind.  For me, watching the game through my camera lens isn’t the same and I end up getting distracted.

         

I tell them to be baseball ready so I need to be cheerleader ready! 

But for one game the distraction is worth it.

I love me some baseball playin’ boys!

 

P.S. I remembered an old post from Jake’s very first T-ball season at the Y. This is how it all started.  It was fun reading it and seeing how much we have all grown since then, especially my little man!

Looking Back on 2012 {Part Three} THE END!

Let’s be honest… It is ridiculous how long it has taken me to get this blog post done. The motivation just hasn’t been there.  It is no fun feeling behind on blogging all the time. That is a huge motivation zapper for me!  I have all of these great current photos sitting on my computer that I would much rather be spending time sorting through and sharing but I can’t bear to leave gaps in my blog.  It is my family history.  Our timeline of events and bits and pieces of my journal.  So bear with me for one more post while I fill in the gaps on my blog.  It’s time to catch up!

Ady enjoyed having the TV all to herself every morning after the kids left for school.  This is how she starts every single day – Jammie’s, blankets, and show of her choice.  Football season started.  Everyone (except for me) was glued to the TV every Sunday.  I made Casey a football cake for a contest at work.  Kaylee had the opportunity to swim with the Olympians. We made a trip to the beach.  Ady insisted on dressing up and having a tea party lunch.  She makes my days fun!

The boys met Brooks Reed - a linebacker for the Texans.  It is a tradition every Fall to make caramel apples. Ady turned 3.  We had a lazy morning with breakfast at Shipley’s Donuts in our pajamas.  We celebrated Halloween. Drew – Skeleton, Kaylee – Egyptian, Ady – Kitty Cat Pirate (her own made up costume) Jake – scary guy from Scream. We were home for maybe 5 min. from trick or treating when we lost power.  It made for an interesting Halloween night. 

I went on a trip to Pennsylvania to visit Andrea.  It was much needed time together.  I enjoyed every second of it!  My family surprised me with roses, just because. We took the kids to the movies.  Family movies are the best! I joined the boys at school where they hosted a breakfast for mothers. Over Thanksgiving weekend Santa was welcomed to town with fireworks and the Christmas lights went on in Town Green.  We went to Sea World for Thanksgiving with the Dickamore’s.  We loved spending time with them!

We decorated for Christmas.  My parents came to town to celebrate with us.  Drew painted an awesome reindeer at school which I framed and displayed for the holiday.  It is my favorite piece of child artwork yet. We celebrated Casey’s birthday.  Ady enjoyed being creative with her Christmas gifts.  We took a family picture and sent out Christmas cards. I loved the reflection of Christmas lights in the mirrors and windows all over my house.  We made our traditional gingerbread houses.    We had a beautiful Christmas morning breakfast (one of my favorite things). We made sugar cookies for Santa. 

Well, that’s a rap! 

THE END!

Just incase - Here is Part One and Part Two

Feel free to follow me on Instagram (krystamoes)  if you want to see the more current happenings! 

Looking back on 2012 {Part Two}

We have had two weeks worth of company and fun!  March is a birthday month around here so there is a lot to celebrate.  My Mother in law came first.  We celebrated her 75th birthday!  She also brought our niece with her.  A cousin to play with is always a good thing.  The day after they left, my sister and her two cute little boys came.  We celebrated my 35th birthday while they were here.  Casey and my sister actually pulled off a mini surprise party for me.  It was the best birthday I have had in a long time!

Back to 2012  - If you missed my previous post, here is Part One.

The kids and I cheered Casey on while he did the CB&I Triathlon. Drew was able to try on a firefighters uniform.  He even got to put his hand into a fire. We made a trip to the beach with friends. I spent many days at school with my kids for field days and award ceremonies, lunches and many other things. Kaylee and Jake received many awards at school.  Kaylee was awarded a trophy for Top Student in the entire 5th grade for Science.  Then she won a rip stick in the school raffle.  It was a perfect day for her! We enjoyed an outing to the Children's Museum. The last day of school and first day of Summer was a jump for joy.

We completely enjoyed our new relaxed summer bedtime routine. Kaylee would stay up late and read while the boys would play cards. We started our summer off with the library and bowling. We had a great Cuda season and finished our swim season off strong. Ady loves my makeup.

We were in Utah for most of July. We enjoyed spending our time with family, especially seeing the cousins play together. We visited Bingham Copper Mine, Thanksgiving Point and The Planetarium to name a few. We celebrated the 4th of July where the boys rode in Grandpa’s little red car in the Murray Parade. We enjoyed many movie nights in the Bancroft's home theater. We took a boat out to Utah Lake.  I had my first motorcycle ride ever which was not just around the neighborhood – it involved going on freeways and through canyons riding to Park City at night during Sundance. We celebrated the life of Casey’s brother, Calvin Rupe, who passed away unexpectedly while we were there. It was a sad time but we were grateful and felt blessed to have been there with family and be a part of it. After getting back home and settled in again, we visited the Butterfly Museum in Houston.

We went to an Astros game with friends. Kaylee  painted her siblings faces one morning. She did a great job and this was hours of entertainment. Ady went on a field trip to the fire station. Back to school for everyone – first day of school pictures.

Check back for Part 3 – THE END!

Just Because… Looking back on 2012 {Part One}

This post is just because…

Just because…I have worked my tail off for the sake of getting ALL of my pictures organized and edited for 2012.  I have no more RAW images floating around.  Only JPegs. Getting a post done is my own personal reward for so much work!

Just because…I talk myself out of so many posts because I am later than I wanted to be in posting the event or idea.  Too late to post Christmas, too late to post Ady’s birthday, too late to post my end of the year wrap up…the list goes on.

Just because…I want to share with you.

Just because… it’s never too late to count your blessings from the previous year. 

Just because…I need to get into the habit of posting again.  I miss it!

Just because…I want to feel productive and creative and record a few memories.

Just because…I started these collages at the beginning of last year and never finished.  I want to finish something!

Just because…2012 was not my favorite year and I need closure! Enough said.

For those reasons I am dedicating this week on “These Are The Days” to 2012.

Enjoy January – April of 2012

(Photo collage templates from Simple As That. Thank you Rebecca!)

 

Pinewood Derby. Ady and Drew baking treats. Kaylee finding time to relax. Ady got her very first haircut. Kaylee swimming year round which means outside in the middle of Winter. Potty training Ady. Jake turned 9. The boys love to have boxing matches. Ady loves her bed. Jake loves to read all hours of the night.

Ady learned how to be self sufficient in the kitchen – peeling oranges by herself. We enjoyed spending time with friends celebrating the Super Bowl. We attended our annual ward campout. We celebrated Valentine's.

Casey and I enjoyed our very first cruise with some amazing and dear friends. We spent our Spring Break at home slowing down and enjoying each others company. Ady is a true Texan and chews on grass while at the boys’ baseball games. Drew lost his two top teeth. Ady plays in the rain on a lazy afternoon. Time for me to cheer my boys on in our favorite sport – Baseball. Ady loves the mud.

Easter, Easter and more Easter.  Easter egg hunts. Easter baskets. Spring photos. My favorite Easter candy – Cadberry Eggs.  I enjoyed lunch at school with Kaylee and her BFF.  Drew loves helping in the kitchen. 

Come back this week to see the rest of 2012!

My weekend away in Instagram photos {York, PA. 2012}

I really wanted to have Ady’s birthday posted by now or even Halloween, but sadly I haven’t gotten to those pictures yet.  I am actually sitting in the car right now while we travel to San Antonio for Thanksgiving.  We are having a non traditional holiday and spending it at Sea World.  So I get to sit here and enjoy the drive and spend time on my computer.  Which is the ONLY reason I like road trips.  My husband loves them while I feel suffocated.  Somehow we make it work.  :)

My new favorite thing these days is Instagram.  The quality of the images are not the best, but the picture is done and a short story about our day is shared so quickly.  Right now that is working for me.  So those of you that follow me on Instagram have probably already seen these photos.  Sorry y’all.  I’ll make up for it later.

A few weeks ago I hopped on a plane all by myself and headed to Pennsylvania to visit my dearest friend.  I couldn’t wait!  We hadn’t seen each other in 10 months.  Both of us could not believe it had been that long.  We are used to seeing each other at least every 6 months.  Sometimes life gets too busy and time gets away from us.  Thank goodness for free air mileage and a husband who is more than willing to party it up with the kids while I am away. 

 

Even the airport with out kids is a vacation. 

Usually when you visit a place you have never been before you want to go out and explore everything you possibly can.  This time all I really wanted to do was hang out at home with Andrea and just be us.  Andrea’s home is my home away from home.  I feel like I am in the comfort of  my own home with out all of the hustle and bustle of my real life.  It was the perfect vacation.  That is when you know you have found a very best friend.  When you travel across the country and what makes you the happiest is spending time together at home.  Staying up late catching up, watching our favorite shows, sitting on the computer or playing with our phones side by side.  Yep, the simple things make us happy!

We did get out and go to the Eastern Market where they buy most of their produce.  Some produce that I haven’t even seen before.  And to the farm to buy fresh milk.  It was a really fun and different experience to see how parts of life in Pennsylvania are so different.  In a good way.  I saw the Amish working the market.  We stayed for lunch and had the best chicken pot pie.  It was a good day.

 

I was spoiled at home with yummy treats like homemade funnel cake. 

I had my own personal hair dresser.  Sweet Tessa!

 

My kids would call me to say goodnight.  They can’t get enough of face time!

I loved every second I spent with one of my favorite families.  We are blessed to be able to share in each others lives. 

  

Thank you for having me and thank you to my hubby for letting me go! 

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving everyone!

Easter 2012

Easter weekend was a crazy one for us and a little out of the norm.  Casey and I were asked to attend Youth Conference for our church.  We would be gone from Thursday evening until Saturday evening of Easter weekend.  We decided that if we could line up somewhere for the kids to go then we would say yes.  We knew it would be an awesome experience to be a part of Youth Conference if we could make it work.  We also knew that it was a lot to ask of someone over Easter Weekend.  Luckily, we really do have amazing friends who truly love our kids.  Ady went with the Dickamore’s and the other 3 went with the Terry’s.  Kaylee actually spent half of her time at the Terry’s and the other half at the Dickamore’s.  By day 2 Tami and I were thinking Ady might be wondering where in the heck her entire family went, so Kaylee went to stay the night.  It was a win, win for Kaylee because she has a best friend at each house.  The kids had such a fun weekend and we had an amazing, insightful experience.  As for the Dickamore’s and Terry’s…we love you guys and we owe you big time! :) 

Casey was out of town that week.  He got home just in time to pack us up for Youth Conference.  Sadly, we were so busy that my kids didn’t get to dye eggs or any other fun crafty thing I had intended on doing with them.  They survived and didn’t complain at all.  We did our usual Easter egg hunt the weekend before.  We usually do it at my house but we simplified things this year and had everyone meet at the park.  There were so many kids and the big kids were so fast!  The only pictures I got were of Ady, but fun was had by all.  

Easter morning was a blur.  We have church at 9:00 in the morning which makes for a big rush anyway and then you throw Easter in the mix and I am ready to pull  my hair out.  We managed to make it work. :) 

We did our traditional bunny trail.  The Easter Bunny delivers the baskets for the kids and then leaves a trail of candy from the bottom of the stairs to their basket.  They have to figure out which trail is theirs and then follow it to find their goodies.

They look forward to this each year.

We start with the youngest going first and then work our way to the oldest.  They have learned to be so patient!

Ady was fun this year because she actually took the time to look at each item in her basket.  Last year all she cared about was gathering her bunny trail candy and eating it.  Then she started eating everyone else's.  This year I think one of the other kids gathered her candy for her.  She is growing up!

Next was Drew’s turn.

Then Jake.

And last was Kaylee. 

They each got a new outfit, a chocolate bunny, glow sticks, pencils, a cereal bowl (my kids are obsessed with cereal bowls) water balloons, and one toy or craft activity each along with a couple of eggs full of candy and a few with money.  Pretty easy and they were happy. 

Then it was a mad dash to church.  Once we got home and all the hub bub of the weekend was over I crashed hard.  When we were at Youth Conference we had very late nights and very early mornings.  It was non stop activities and lessons.  I took a VERY long nap.  Probably the longest one I have ever taken.  Ady did too.  When I woke up it was time to throw a simplified Easter dinner together.  Not much as far as celebrations go but there are always other years. 

I did manage to persuade my kiddos to get back into their Easter best and run around the corner for some quick photos.  They are so sweet to me and didn’t put up a fight at all.  I sure love them!  Visit me here to see more.

I hope  you all had a wonderful Easter and are enjoying your Spring!  Are you getting ready for summer???  Summer is definitely on my mind.  I have to get myself psyched up a little bit. :)