Family Time

Jimmy has been in his new position for exactly a month now.  Although it's stressful, it suits his personality very well.  Jimmy has attained a lot of new and challenging responsibilities and I know he's going to do great things for the hospital and Soldiers.  

However, it's definitely been an adjustment for our family. Jimmy has been working long hours during the week. Most days, Jimmy leaves for work around 6:30am.  There are some mornings a week, he leaves by 5am.  He typically gets home between 6-7pm, just in time to see the kids for about an hour before they go to bed.  Once the kids go to bed and we have dinner, he starts working again from home around 9pm until about 11pm.   

I take pride in the fact that we are a resilient family and can work through pretty much anything.  We've worked out a plan and schedule to fit in as much family time as possible.  The weekends are even more important for us now.  

Even when Jimmy has to go into the office during the weekend, we all tag along and make a family day out of it.  It's only been a month, but he's had to go in during the weekend twice already.  Thankfully, there is a large lobby, a large office area, and parks and restaurants nearby!

On this particular day, we went to the park before heading to the office and then ordered lunch.  The kids and I watched movies and played in the lobby while Jimmy put in a few hours of work. 

Amelia having a "princess party" while daddy works

Thankfully, the lobby has a TV and DVD player.  Alex and I watched Wreck it Ralph.  Yes, the kids did spin on the office chairs a few times ;0)

Alexis?

"When Alex turns three, he'll turn into a girl."  I think Amelia is going to be very disappointed.

Amelia loves to put makeup on Alex

Snow White and Fairy Princess Tiana

Last Day!

We are so proud of our smart, sassy preschool graduate!

I put her in the same dress she wore on the first day of school back in August

click here to see that post

Alex picked out a special treat for Mimi to celebrate her last day of school.  The two of them are so freaking adorable!

The Lehman Family

Family pictures from our trip to Spokane in March

Strawberry Pickin'

We went strawberry picking again this year with our long time friends.  Just like last year, it was blazing hot and humid, but just like last year, the kids had an absolute blast!  They were pretty much on auto pilot and I enjoyed just watching them roam about and do their thing.

After about an hour, they slowed down on the strawberry picking and just focused on eating the berries.  At one point, they just sat down and ate dozens of strawberries.  The giggled and smiled with such delight.  The laughed at each others red faces and hands covered in strawberry juice. 

Click Here for Strawberry Pickin' 2013

Nolan, Kristel, and Madi

I treated the kids to ice cream after our farm trip.  I figured it was well earned after almost two hours in the hot sun and most importantly for being so well behaved.  As you can see, they wanted to get each and every drop of ice cream.

Mother's Day

I love all the little things my family does to make me feel special.  Jimmy made all my favorite foods and did the best he could with allowing me to relax as much as I could during the day.  (We haven't exchanged gifts, for any occasion, for almost 10 years.  We usually just do special outings or just skip gifts all together.  However, we recently started again this year as a New Years resolution.)  The kids and Jimmy got me a necklace, which I love.

We didn't do anything fancy, but it was perfect.  We stayed home, relaxed, played as a family, Amelia set up and hosted two parties for us, and we spent a lot of time outside.  The kids just kept saying it was "mommy's special day" and that made me feel so happy.

Our neighbor even brought over our Mother's Day dinner!  Her husband is deployed and she can't drive.  I've been helping her with grocery shopping and running errands.  She always thanks us by bringing us yummy food!  She brought over made from scratch enchiladas, Mexican rice, and a coconut cake.

Jimmy and the kids made me a sign

Jimmy interviewed the kids for me!  Their answers are funny.  I guess they were eating cereal and reading a princess book before the interview, so some of their answers are a direct result of the situation.  Also, Jimmy said Alex started just repeating Amelia's answers.  I love it, they are so silly ;0)

My Mom is _____ years old.

Amelia: I don't know

Alex: 25

Her hair is _______ and her eyes are_______.

Amelia: black, brown

Alex: beige, black

My Mom likes to wear_______.

Amelia: dresses

Alex: blue shirt

She loves to eat________.

Amelia: cereal

Alex: cereal

She is smart because she knows________.

Amelia: I don't know

Alex: I cry in my crib

My Mom works hard at_________.

Amelia: meetings at Daddy's work

Alex: work

Mommy always tells me________.

Amelia: to read princess books

Alex: to read princess books

It makes my Mom happy when__________.

Amelia: we read books

Alex: we read princess books

If she could go on a trip, she would go to________ and she would take_______.

Amelia: Chuck E Cheese, us

Alex: home, us

I really love it when my Mom______

Amelia: reads special books

Alex: reads special books

If I could give my Mom anything it would be_______.

Amelia: a princess book

Alex: a princess book

My favorite thing abut my Mom is_________.

Amelia: she let's me play with the Kindle
Alex: she let's me play with the Kindle

Special Mother's Day cake

Amelia made the blue flower and Alex the orange sun

Amelia set up a "make-up party" and did everyone's make-up

Later, Amelia set up a coloring party.  

She is a great party planner and gracious host, ha ha.

"Dump Truck" (video)

Alex is saying dump truck... really, he is.

Preschool, Time of Your Life

Next week is Amelia's last week of three year old preschool.  I have mixed emotions.  When I think about it, I always hear that Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) song by Green Day in my head.  Cheesy, I know, but it just keeps happening, ha ha.  Seriously though, I'm an emotional mess.

I feel so happy and proud of Amelia for adjusting and thriving in school.  She has developed close relationships with her classmates and teachers and even has two official BFFs, Alexis and Ethan.  

She has always been a smart child.  It's her emotional and social growth that has been amazing.  She is still generally very sensitive and anxious, but she has really come out of her shell.  She is a different person than she was at the start of the school year.  Her personality is blossoming, growing, and I'm really starting to get a sense f what type of person she'll grow up to be.  It's exciting. 

I only feel sadness that this specific time in her life is over.  She is just getting older and time does go by so fast.  I try to relish in these moments: our silly conversations, her attempt at telling jokes, and her ability to have a meltdown for no logical reason.  But most of all, the questions... why, why, why?  Her little brain is on overload trying to understand everything she sees and feels.  

I keep telling myself that new and exciting things are to come, but I will still miss this specific time of her childhood.  I know she's only three, but she's only three once!

We are looking forward to a laid back summer.  Next Fall Amelia will be attending the same preschool, but she will be a Koala Bear, which is the four year old class.  Because of Alex's January birthday, he won't be able to start three year old preschool until Fall 2015.

Here are a few posts from the beginning of the school year:

Choosing The Settlement

The First Day of Preschool

The First Week

Miss Christina, Jaiden, Alexander, Noah, Blaine, Ethan, Amelia, Uryiah, Jackson (not pictured, Alexis)

Amelia, 3.5 years

Bike Gang

A Gorgeous Greenway Day

Now that the weather is starting to warm up, we are back on the Greenway for family walks and running.  Jimmy took turns taking the kids running with our jogging stroller.  (Maybe it's time to get a double jogger??).  I took whoever wasn't in the stroller for a walk/jog/exploratory hike.  The weather was gorgeous and the kids were in great moods.  What more could you ask for?

Jimmy and Amelia back from their run and Alex very excited to see them!

Snack Break

"Mommy, let's take a picture.  I want to show Nana."

Amelia was in the BEST mood

Twirling in her tutu

 Alex's turn in the stroller

Kids absolutely love the "Giant rocks" on the pathway.  They kept wanting to climb up them.