What, what, it's Day Two!

Day Two!

Ok, so a lot of these upcoming projects will be for Zander.  There's a reason for that.  Each boy has their own bedroom and I promised them while we were building the house that I would get their bedrooms painted up and decorated just how they wanted them.  I let them know it wouldn't happen all at once or right away, but that it would happen.  Because I feel like my middle guy sometimes gets a little lost in the shuffle, I decided to start with him.  So there are a few projects I'll be finishing up in the next few weeks that are for his brand new superhero bedroom.

However, this project is not for his room, but still for Zander.

I'd seen it on pinterest (of course) a few times and I really thought it was cute.  I knew Z would think it was awesome.  So I gave it a go and it turned out so well.

Essentially, he had a hole in the knee of his jeans (like nearly every 6 year old boy ever!).  I wanted to make this super cool monster patch for him.  (Ps, I have no idea who first came up with this and posted it so sorry original poster!!)  I did it and it was great!

Here's Zander finished pants:

I'm pretty sure he's not taking them off for bed.  That's what this mama calls success!

Day One of May's Craft Bonanza!

Ok, so I come back here every once in awhile thinking I'm going to write here in addition to the blog I keep for school.  But I never do.  :(  Until now.

For the month of May, I'm going to do 31 projects/crafts/something I saw on pinterest..  It won't necessarily be a project each day because the hubs and I are taking off a weekend for our anniversary in a few weeks, but I'll make up for those days other times throughout the month.

To get things started here's a project for Zander.  He's learning to tie his shoes and I thought this would be a super cool project for him (and super easy and fast!).  I saw it on pinterest so I'm going to link you there.  I found another one that had this cute poem on it so I used it, too, because I knew Z would like it!

So far he LOVES it!  He's been practicing nearly nonstop.  Pretty sure he'll have it figured out in no time!

Another project tomorrow!!

just a wish...

I haven't been here in awhile because I'm busy over at my other blog and maybe someday soon I'll get to stop by here and update the blogosphere on the happenings in our lives, but right now I feel like if I don't get out what I'm feeling, I'm gonna explode.  :)

If you know me, you know it's no secret how much I've wanted to have a daughter.  When I was pregnant with Jax, we decided to be done having children and I had a tubal ligation done.  Shortly after Jax was born, though, I felt like maybe that wasn't the right decision.  Because I don't know if I'll ever get over the desire to have a daughter.  I love my sons.  My entire life is lived for my children (and my husband).  My day begins and ends with these boys and I love them tremendously.

I should be perfectly content to have three happy, healthy little boys.  My boys are the light of my life.

But I can't stop wanting a daughter.  I can't help it.  I don't love my boys any less, it's just how I feel.

So my heart has been pulled in the direction of adoption.  And not just any adoption.  It's not a baby I'm wanting to adopt, because everyone wants babies.  I'd like a daughter a little older...and by a little, I mean 13+.  Because I sit here and look at kids waiting to be adopted and my heart just breaks, like I can almost feel it literally breaking.  Breaking for a child who won't find a permanent home and will age out of the foster care system.  Breaking for a daughter who just wants to be loved.

We don't have a lot of money, the house (while I love it!) isn't the grandest, the largest, or most expensive.  We clip coupons and shop secondhand to save some cash.  So I can't offer the world to a daughter, I can't offer designer clothes (well, not a full price anyway), or a new car to drive, or little brothers that won't be annoying.  But surely that's ok, right?  We don't have an endless amount of material possessions (and lately, I seem to want to get rid of more and more), but man could I love my daughter.

If only it was all that easy....

Some nights, I don't know anymore

I haven't updated in awhile.  :)  Oops.  Well, there's a few reasons why.

#1.  The biggest reason I haven't blogged here in the last few weeks is that I started a homeschool-specific blog and after I've spent time writing there, I'm all worded out for writing here.  :)  It's a fledgling blog, but I hope to use it to chronicle our time schooling this year, especially since we use an online curriculum.

#2.  We've been BUSY!  Scouts started back up, Adam's been busy for work, I joined a bi-weekly (every other week) Bible Study down on post, and we've been trying to add in more field trips.  Which makes for a very busy family and a very tired Nicole.  :)

#3.  And my most exciting reason that I've been too busy to post....we're building a house!  :)  Ok, so Adam and I aren't actually *building* it ourselves, but we have contracted with a builder and they are building it.  :) So far, the whole thing has been AMAZING and fun albeit a little scary.  The building process has already begun.  Our foundation should be poured today.  It's near the house, so we can drive out there and check it out when we want.  It's on Adam's way home from work so he can see it everyday if he wants.  He's in a class in another city this week, so he can't drive by, but we'll take a few trips out there ourselves.  :)

There's more going on, but I'll save it for another post.  Hopefully, later this week and not sometime next month!

It's the little things...

Our first week of school went very well!  The boys had a good time and I worked pretty hard to stay on top of everything and be prepared.  It was such a great feeling to finish out the week knowing we had all done what we were supposed to do and as well as we should have done it!

Cub Scouts officially gets started next Tuesday.  Adam and I have been working hard on getting things ready for the boys.  He thinks I've been working a little too hard.  I have no problem admitting that I like to be in control of things...and I think he is feeling like I'm taking over.  :)  Oops.  I'm not.  I just want to get the information part--the business stuff--done and communicated to the parents.  I want him to do the fun stuff with the kids.  Of course, I'll be taking over those duties in a few weeks while he's away.

Yesterday we got to do some shopping.  We had to run down the Scout store and pick up a new uniform for Adisson.  He's outgrown his blue shirt and I wasn't buying another blue shirt for him to wear for six months and then spending the money for a tan shirt.  Scout clothes are NOT cheap.  As a matter of fact, I'd NEVER spend $25 on ONE shirt for him to wear.  Then we ran to the grocery store...all five of us.  :)  Fortunately, my boys were very well behaved and since Adam was with us, we were in and out in less than an hour.  That man means business when we're grocery shopping...you either want it or you don't.  :)

Last night, Adam and I got to go out on a date!  It's been awhile and we weren't even sure what to do. We ended up having some Japanese and doing some shopping.  It was nice to be able to have some time alone without the kids.  It doesn't happen too often.  :)

Today, I'm hoping to take the kids to see a movie and then Adisson is going to spend the night at a friend's house.  Not just any friend...his best friend ever!! :)  We're hoping to do something super fun with Zander when he gets home, I just haven't decided what that is yet. :)

Tomorrow, we have a HUGE party to attend!!  We are pretty excited!  Then, yard clean up on Monday.  Back to school on Tuesday and so will start another week of work! :)

Give your heart a break

Wellllll, we made it through the first day of school.  If everyday went like today, I'd be a VERY happy homeschool mom.  Well, I didn't get much housework done.  :(  I'm feeling a little under the weather so not as on top of my game as I could have been.

Zander couldn't have been more excited for school.  :)  He smiled and laughed the whole day.  He loved it. And it made me happy to see him so happy.  Adisson, on the other hand, was less than thrilled about starting school.  Not sure why, he does well and his curriculum is great.  :-/  But we got through it.

Like I said, I didn't get much done around the house.  Dinner was a complete cop-out (I made fries, nuggets, and mac-n-cheese) but the boys thought it was the best dinner ever.  Went on and on about how great it was and the perfect meal for back to school.  So if they are happy then I'll take it!

In other news, my class started today.  I did my first assignment...super easy, just introduce myself on the forums and comment on two people's introductions.  Now if every assignment was that easy, I'd be set.  But it's not going to be and I'm nervous.  It's supposed to be an intro. class but already some of the terminology is way over my head. :-/  I think I should have taken the modern poetry class.  :)

This weekend is a long weekend thanks to Labor Day!  Adam still has a few more weeks at home before he takes his "solo vacation"...and if you can read between the lines, you'll know what that means.  He won't be gone for toooo long, but it will be the longest he's been away from us as a family of four, the longest he's been away from Jax, who gets antsy if he thinks Dad's been at work too long during the day.  Part of me is ready for him to go so we can get it over with (I always feel like this right before) but the biggest part of me is not ready to be without him and parent alone.  I'm a much nicer Mommy when Daddy is here to help out.  :(  I hate that he'll miss so much (birthdays, Halloween--the boys favorite holiday, Thanksgiving--my favorite holiday, and Christmas) but this is our job, this is what we keep signing up for so I'll take it in stride and deal with it.  And I can't complain because he won't be gone for as long as he's been gone in the past, as long as other wives have to say goodbye for, so I can't whine about it.  (I do sometimes, to Tiffany, because she loves me anyway)

We are going on a family retreat in a few weeks and staying in an oceanfront hotel with amazing views and amenities.  It will be really nice to have this time together.  And the awesome-ness of the ocean will only make it even more amazing.  More details on that later.

Anyway, off to bed....

I was never one to believe the hype

Yesterday, I took a day long Cub Scout training called BALOO (Basic Adult Leader Outdoor Orientation). The Pack needs BALOO trained adults/leaders because at least one is required for camping overnighters.  Prior to yesterday, the Pack had 3 BALOO trained adults, now there are six.  :)  It was a VERY long day.  And it was a little more basic than most of us needed, but it is what it is and now I'm done.  I didn't get enough sleep the night before so when I got home I didn't feel well...and didn't feel well throughout the night and not so great today.  :(  Here's hoping that changes because school starts tomorrow!

For Adisson, I've been putting together a binder with all of his assignments and it's going pretty well!  I'm just not sure how to organize Zander's stuff.  He'll be doing T4L with Adisson (well, Adi will be doing 4th grade and Zander, Kindergarten) because he enjoys doing computer work so much, but I know we need to have some more hands-on stuff for him to do and I'm kind of at a loss on how to organize that.

Soccer starts this week.  It's just a team selection meeting/practice, but it's on Tuesday.  Cub Scouts starts this week.  Our Round-up for the beginning of the year kickoff is on Tuesday (yep, both at the same time.  Thank goodness Adam is still around, he'll be going to one while I'm at another).  Technically, my class starts tomorrow as well.

I probably didn't tell you about that... :)  A few weeks ago, I read an online article about Coursera.  Essentially, it's a site that offers online college classes from great universities for free.  You don't receive college credit for them (because they don't have a way to regulate that....yet).  But when I read it, I was excited about the idea of getting to take a real college class from a real professor and college. :)  I signed up for Introduction to Sustainability.  I'm not sure I'll stick with it, it seems a little advanced for me, but I thought I'd at least try it.  Plus, if it doesn't work out, there's another course I like that starts in a few weeks.

This may all be a moot point because I'm not altogether sure that I have the time to focus on a school course for myself.  When I signed up for the class, I didn't have after-school sports for the boys or a job.  Or a book club that I'm going to participate in that's every other week for two hours.  :)

Anyway, lots to do before school starts tomorrow.

Waking up is the hardest part

I'm tired.

And my brain hurts from thinking too much.

So tonight, I rest.  :)

Who is a working gal?? This mama!

I got a job!!  I haven't worked in almost ten years, but I have a real job!!  I'm a military marketing rep. for the curriculum we use, Time4Learning.  It's an at-home position and it's part-time (so perfect for me!!) and I get to hang out on social networks and talk about how great it is to homeschool with T4L as a military family...and I get paid for it.  Honestly, it could be my dream job! :)

So between work, school for the boys, a college class I'm taking (only for fun and now I'm not sure if that's going to work out), Cub Scouts and being a Cub Scout leader, two different soccer teams/practices, and spending time with Adam before he leaves for his solo vacation, I really want to get some stuff done around the house.  I've been decluttering and reorganizing.  I'd like to get a few more projects finished up before school starts.

I'm hoping to get the school room finished up soon because I really wanna snap a few pics of it.  That way I can stay motivated to keep it clean and organized!!

Anyway, there's more I wanna talk about but I'm really tired and we have a lunch date tomorrow with friends of ours.

I'm just really happy!! :)

The story of your life, you live it everyday

So, I'm just a happy mama.  I'm working hard on some things right now and it's nice to see hard work pay off.  :)

School starts for us the day after Labor Day.  We use Time4Learning for the boys.  Adisson is in fourth grade this year and Zander is starting KINDERGARTEN!!!  We used T4L when we moved to NC in February and loved it!  We took the summer off, but we're starting back up in two weeks!  I'm pretty excited about it, but then I always get excited at the beginning of the year!!  T4L is entirely online, so it's such a blessing for us.  I'll do a full review later this week.

Cub Scouts officially gets started up next week.  Adam and I are Den Leaders this year.  Adam will be busy traveling for a little while soon so I'm co-leading with him so I can take care of stuff while he's gone.  I'm pretty nervous about it because I feel like I have no idea how to teach a bunch of fourth grade boys anything about the outdoors.  I'm taking a day long training class this week so hopefully that will build my confidence up a little bit so I'm not so apprehensive when I have to take my three boys to a Cub Scout Camp-o-Ree and have activities planned for a den full of boys, too.  Sometimes I wonder what I'm thinking when I say yes to things.  :)  Just kidding, I knew what I was getting into, but I'm still nervous nonetheless.  

Soccer starts up next week, well, sorta.  It's team selection night but I don't think things are starting up until after Labor Day.  I'm nervous because we've never played with this league.  In Frederick, the soccer program through the Rec. Center was so great and we all loved it.  Things are a little different down here in Hillbilly Land so I hope it works out just as well.  I doubt it, but I'm trying to remain optimistic.  

I think I found a babysitter for us today.  I "interviewed" a lovely girl this afternoon.  I use the term interview loosely because it was awkward for me to pose so many questions like I was hiring her based on an application.  Regardless, she's lovely.  The boys seemed to really like her as well, so I'm hoping she likes us enough to be our sitter.  This means I could actually start going to the doctor every month like I'm supposed to...what a novel idea!! :)

I guess it's time to wrap it up and head to bed.  I don't have any Netflix DVD's to watch tonight, so I'm likely going to take some school work to bed and work on it for a little while before I fall asleep.  In the middle of the bed.  :)  You have to have perks when the husband travels so much for work.