Saturday, February 25, 2017

A Team Week 125: Growing Up Too Fast

This week was a mostly typical week for us (i.e. work, daycare and sleep with chaos at home in between and then the weekend)...

Monday: Baths, potty practice and videos for Grandma

Video: "Err Mat-ey"
As I've mentioned before one of Avery's favorite shows is Jake and the Neverland Pirates and he has somehow picked up saying his version of 'Aye Matey'.  I was telling my mom about this and trying to get it on video since I think the way he says it is too cute.  This is the best I could get from him.

Tuesday: Avery loves to drink.  I think if I blended all of his food I'd have no problems getting him to eat his dinner.  He rarely gets anything other than water (with milk at meal time), but he can chug it down like none other!  He especially likes to drink out of Mommy's water bottles which can often be found in several locations around the house.  On this particular day he found two of them and thought it would be a good idea to hold on to and drink from both!


Wednesday: Today was my day off, but much of it was spent alone while the boys were in daycare.  I started the morning off with a chiropractor appointment, then headed over to Target to try and find a swimsuit for our upcoming vacation (I didn't find one and instead realized just how badly I need to start working out!).  From Target I went to the eye doctor to get new glasses and then made a stop at Meijer to pick up a new pair of shoes that Avery badly needed and I had promised him (he kept telling me "shoe hurt me" regarding his old pair which were too small and falling apart). :(  By the time I was finished running to all of my appointments and errands it was lunch time and the boys were napping, so I headed home to take a quick nap myself.  Then once everyone was awake I picked up my little buddies so we could spend the remainder of the day together.
While I was trying to select some new glasses I sent these pictures to Eric to see which ones he liked best.  He said they all looked the same and until I looked back on them myself, I didn't quite see how right he was!  Without zooming in to see the stickers on the glass, I really can't tell them apart!  More proof that I am not good at change!  :P

For dinner on Wednesday night I tried out a new recipe I found on Pinterest for pizza casserole.  While I put dinner together I had a little visitor keeping my company.


Thursday: Typical Day

Friday: When work was over, we tried to figure out what to do for dinner.  Eric and I wanted Qdoba, but the boys insisted on Culvers.  We compromised.  We had dinner at Qdoba and dessert at Culvers.  Everyone was happy.  Typically going out to eat with the kids is quite stressful.  Rather than enjoying conversation and good food we tend to spend our time asking the boys to sit still, be quiet, get off the floor, eat your food...but not the food that fell on the floor, etc.  It can be a frustrating time and I have to say I look forward to going out to eat much less now that we have kids...although we still go just as often so we don't have to cook!  On this night though the boys were very enjoyable and we had a great night together.  If only it could be like that every time!


Avery had a tough time getting his spoon to work in the custard, so he just dove right in!

On Friday night, it was my turn to put Avery to bed.  We went through our usual routine and then it was time for prayers...

Me: "What should we pray for tonight?"

Avery: "Baby Cheezuz" (aka baby Jesus)

Me: "Ok, thank you Lord for sending baby Jes..."
Avery (interrupting me): "and boo-bah, boo bah!!" (aka the minions)
Me: 




Saturday: When the weekend came, I really wanted to take Asher to the new Lego Batman movie.  He had no idea it existed, but I thought that his love for Legos, The Lego Movie, and most recently Batman would be the perfect reasons to take him to the show.  The movie was rated PG though so I was a bit hesitant to take him and even more hesitant to take Avery.  After talking with Eric we decided that he would stay home with Avery and Asher and I would enjoy our first movie date together.  So, during nap time on Saturday Asher and I snuck out of the house to see the show together.  We had a great time, he kept thanking me over and over again for taking him.

FB/Instagram Photo: Two of his favorite things: Batman & Legos. One of my favorite things: Him ❤
#myafternoondate #batmanlegomovie

Asher enjoying our popcorn.  I also made the mistake of getting Sprite to go with it (we never let the boys drink pop).  I thought a clear soda might not be too bad and that we would want something to drink.  Unfortunately though I had to tell Asher throughout the movie to "not drink too much" so that he didn't have to go potty and didn't get crazy.  The latter part didn't work very well.  He was quite a maniac that evening!

Date Day Selfie with my boy.

He wanted me to take pictures of him with the different Lego characters...

...all of them!
When we got back from the movie, Avery had just woken up and thankfully didn't know what he had missed but was happy to see the leftover popcorn!  Asher stole my phone to take some pictures of Eric and then we all headed outside for the most exciting and momentous part of the week.  Earlier that day Asher had asked Eric if he would take the training wheels off his bike and teach him to ride without them.  Since it has been abnormally warm for February Eric agreed and after we were home we all headed outside to do just that.  Asher had a hard time learning his balance without the extra wheels and after a few times of trying was ready to quit and frustrated that it was so difficult for him. Knowing that he takes after his momma and be quite hard on himself, we both assured him that we were SUPER proud of him for trying and that he will get the hang of it.  We also told him that we were both older when we learned to ride bikes (I don't really remember an exact age but I know I was between 6-8), and he seemed to be proud of himself too with that information and decided he wanted to try more on Sunday.
Photo Credit: Asher

Photo Credit: Asher

Asher without training wheels with Eric and Emma trying to keep up.

Sunday: Today we finished out the week with our standard Sunday donuts, church, naps and a bit more bike riding practice.
Taking cues from The Joker #donutface

Messy little boys

The boys ate dinner so well on our night out on Friday that they barely ate any of their desserts.  We let them finish them off on Sunday afternoon for snack and they were happy boys.

Chocolate Custard Face.

Asher practicing his balance WITH the training wheels.

Avery following close behind.

Video:
Sunday afternoon, Asher worked on learning to ride a bike again.  The wind was strong and cold, but he persevered and after a few tries he did ride his bike on his own for a good 10 seconds or so.  Progress.


When we had had enough of the brutal wind outside, we headed back into the house where Eric called Gramps and Grammy so Asher could tell them about his bike riding experiences while Asher got a hold of my phone to take more pictures.



Mommy & Her Leftover Custard = Happy Mommy

Finally, before bed the boys were (for some unknown reason) begging us to draw tattoos on them, but we kept ignoring their requests.  Finally, Eric took the Crayola markers and drew these for the boys...



Sunday, February 19, 2017

A Team Week 124: #whatsyourlegacychallenge

As I mentioned in my previous post we attended the funeral for our dear friend Mike Hryshkanych in the Upper Peninsula on the Sunday evening before this week began.  On Monday, we headed back home to start the new week, but unfortunately it didn't start out very well.  Instead, Asher and I both woke up that morning with the flu and rode the entire way home later that day feeling quite miserable and exhausted.  Thankfully though the week got better after that.  By Tuesday morning both of us were feeling much better and were able to continue on with our typical schedule, and the boys were thrilled to wake up to snow on the ground after playing in the snow at Grandma and Papa's house and then returning home to find bare ground.
Happy to shovel the driveway...if only this would continue into their teenage years!
On my drive in to work on Tuesday, I cried.  I thought more of the life of Mike and the song Legacy continued to play in my mind.  I was already thinking that I wanted to do something special for the month of February.  January was such a rough month full of sickness, frustration, grumpiness, etc.  I was sick of seeing the negativity on Facebook and was thinking of challenging people to put nothing but positive posts on Facebook for the "Love Month".  As I thought more about Mike and his legacy though, I realized that I needed to take the challenge further than that.  On Tuesday I decided to take on a What's Your Legacy Challenge for the month.  During Mike's funeral, everyone kept talking about how he showed love to others and made everyone feel nothing but loved.  They also talked about how he cherished his wife and rose to the responsibility of fathering his children along with his devotion to being in the Word and faithfully praying daily.  As I thought of this I realized that my legacy included several parts, so I decided to challenge myself to #belikemike throughout this month by praying, being in the word and showing others love every day in hopes that it would become second nature.  I want to live a life that points my children, family, friends and everyone I meet to Christ.  When it is time for my own funeral/life celebration I want others to say the same things about me, that I was faithful, prayerful, loving and devoted to the Word of God.  I want others to see Christ in me and thereby see their need for Christ.
"Ever since we celebrated the incredible life of Mike Hryshkanych, I cannot stop thinking about the legacy he left behind, the thousands of lives he touched, and what my own legacy will look like. I will be the first to admit that I can be apathetic, discouraging, frustrating, impatient, unfriendly, unpleasant, disloyal, disagreeable, tactless, selfish (etc., etc.), but I do NOT want any of that to be my legacy. Rather I wish to live a life of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control...a life that honors my Savior Jesus Christ...a life that points my family, friends and everyone I meet to my Creator. 

With today the start of "The Love Month", I am beginning a challenge to myself to be in prayer, be in The Word and do some act of love and kindness EVERY DAY this month in hopes that it will quickly become second nature. I want to leave a Legacy behind that changes the world and brings people to Christ, and I encourage you to join me. Facebook can be a discouraging, unloving, depressing place but together we can change that! Even if you don't have the same beliefs as me, please take on the challenge and see what God can do! Will you join me? Please feel free to share this and include these hashtags to light up Facebook/Instagram/Twitter/EveryDayLife, and light a spark in this dark world!"

So, I made the commitment and on Wednesday February began.  I selected a bible reading plan on my phone to follow and woke up excited to start the journey.  I started the month by showing love to my littles along with another commitment...to fill their bedroom doors with hearts explaining all the reasons I love each of them.
Day 1: Loving on my littles ❤ #whatsyourlegacychallenge #belikemike

On day two (Thursday), I challenged myself to show love outside my household, and that has continued to be my challenge as the month has gone on.  For someone that spends almost every waking moment either at work (with only 3 other people) or with my boys this is difficult.  My prayer is for God to not only give me the opportunities but to also open my eyes to them so that I can take advantage of them.  It is a difficult and ongoing challenge, but I am up for it!
Day 2. Lord, please show me opportunities to show Your love to others today. #belikemike #whatsyourlegacychallenge
On Saturday, it was Day 4 of the challenge.  I woke up and opened up the bible app on my phone.  These words jumped off the page screen to me: "There are many who say, “Who will show us some good? Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD!” You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety." -Psalm 4:6-8.  With the election and now new president, the past year has been one of anxiety, discouragement, discord, and fear for many, thus this morning these verses spoke to my heart.

With the Lord's encouragement and reminder that He gives us hope and is the source of our joy, I continued on in my day and we began our weekend together by heading to Lake Geneva to meet my brother and his family for the Winterfest.


My favorite snow sculpture...Space Monkey! :)






Avery, Caleb, Asher, Hudson, Eric & Micah playing on the climbable snow sculptures...A Giant Ice Cream Cone.



Hudson


Hello!


:P


Climb Every Mountain






Meeting a Yeti
Asher was shy of the Yeti and refused to participate in a picture.



When we were finished looking at the Winterfest snow sculptures (& frozen from the brutal wind) we headed over to Potbelly for lunch.
Life with Boys...lots of them!












After lunch at Potbelly, we headed back to our van and then back home.  The fresh air and bitter wind must have wore us all out because all four of us headed to our beds to take naps and we all slept for almost three hours!!  That evening, Eric headed out to run some errands while the boys and I stayed home.  At one point I was trying to get some things accomplished in the office and sitting in my desk chair when Asher started pulling me around with a string.  Avery and I pretended he was a horse pulling our carriage and although they both enjoyed this idea, Asher quickly got another idea and it changed into Avery and I being a boat driver and spotter while Asher water-skied behind us.  This kept us quite entertained for a decent amount of time until Daddy came home.  :)

Video: Waterskiing

On Sunday, we finished up the week (& the first week of the #whatsyourlegacychallenge) with a quiet day at home.  There was nothing really specific that took place other than this little incident at lunch, so I will leave you with this...

Life with a 2 year old:
Me: Avery you haven't eaten any of the food you asked for for lunch. Eat your lunch
Avery: No!
Me: Yes! Eat your lunch
Avery: No. Done. Downstairs (to play)
Me: Avery good boys eat their lunch. Are you a good boy or a naughty boy?
Avery: No!
Me: Are you a naughty boy?
Avery: Yeah! (As he gets down from the table)