Vacation

Saturday Dec 10th

Life on Maui is so wonderful (actually the word "wonderful" doesn't do it justice). The weather is unbelievable even the bad day are gorgeous! Haha.  There is no extreme heat, no heavy humidity, it just completely comfortable all the time.  We have been to the beach every day so far but one day we drove to take a train ride.  It took a little over 1 1/2 hours to travel 12 miles but the boys had fun. However the drive up and back, the train ride than lunch left Tom and I exhausted(the boys were too) and a headache for me.  So no moving anywhere the next day.   Tomorrow is Jonas birthday and he is so excited to turn three.  He told me that tomorrow he is going to be bigger and will be a big boy haha.  I love my little men. They sure make me smile.  So we are leaving the day up to him.  Most important is going to the store and getting a small cake for the big day, with candles.  And I managed to pack some new lighting McQueen cars in the suit case for his present.  Which I know he is not going to let them out of his sight. :).

We have four days left and we fly out on the red eye on the fourth day.  Not looking forward to that flight as Lucas is not a little baby any more like the last red eye I too back to NS and hates to sit still.  But fingers cross that they will all sleep.  We don't have anything else planned just the beach.  Man I love it here the water is a little cool at first dip but completely warm almost  like bath water once you are in.  All the boys love it and we sit on the beach and let the water crash into us, soaking us from head to toe.  It going to really hard when we are back to reality on Thursday. Thankfully Christmas is not far and grampie and dad(a little more than normal) will be around.

Happy Hallowe'en

Well like always I didn't get everything done for the boys. One day I hope I have it together. However the boys didn't seem bothered but I didn't get the cookies done or I didn't get one of the pumpkin craved. However the boys got their pumpkins done and the got their costumes on and oh my we got candy. Noah was going nuts, Jonas was still shy at going to the door but would still run to the next house to the drive way and than need us to walk with him. Lucas really didn't get it since he'd go to the door and give them his candy and than throw the candy that they gave him on the ground, it was funny.

Lucas and I came back early to hand out candy and we got 60+kids, we didn't count last yr and ran out and this yr we have way too much but it seemed that we got about the same as last yr so now I think we know how much to buy for next yr.

Here are a few pictures of our Hallowe'en.

Dancing Lucas

This was taking a while ago not sure how long but before his first birthday! We are a little slippery where we have one sock on and one sock off but that is how we roll lately. Sorry for all my talking I know it's annoying but what can you do!

So Last few weeks have been exhausting but than that is parenthood. We had some virus lately and too many teeth trying to come in at the same time. Last night we got about 6 hours of sleep so hopefull we'll get back to getting some sleep again.

Lucas had a not so good birthday since he had a fever which turned out to be Roseola in the end. He is growing pretty good, 21 lbs 8.5 0z and 30" tall. however they are going to keep an eye on his height for a while because even though he is almost in the 70% i think for height he has fallen off his growth curve with a spike downwards. we are hoping that the other measurements were taken after a growth spurt and the just hasn't had it this time yet. However we aren't to concern but it just something we have to watch for a bit. Since he had a fever and the rash at the appointment his needles had to be delayed which wasn't too up setting for me haha. not looking forward to getting those 1yr shots. Hard to believe my baby is one yrs old now, where did the time go!

Happy 7th Anniversary

It's been 7 years since one of the most amazing days of my life!!!! It hard to believe we tied the knot 7 years ago. Some days it seem like yesterday and some times it seems like many moons ago. However it doesn't really matter how long it has been because these to crazy love birds are deeply in love!

Back Swinging the K bell

Well after much humming and hahing and trying to work it in our budget I found a class that isn't exactly all I want it to be(meaning I wish it more than one morning a week) I found an exercise class that I can attend. I am back working out with Kettlebells. First class was this morning and man did it kick my butt. It feels so good to have my body healed from having Lucas. Who thought it would take 10 months to recover from having an uncomplicated birth but than I guess getting sent home with Vicodin(a very strong pain med) something they rarely send ppl home with, normally it's 600mg Ibuprofen(which I never took after Noah or Jonas...in fact I still had the full bottles of Ibuprofen they sent home with me after having them) and almost getting sent home with a walker it wasn't completely uncomplicated. But than having a fast labour with a 10lbs 2.1oz baby(which everyone assumes I had a c-section but I didn't) which do to the intensity and speed of labour broke the blood vessels in the whites of Lucas eyes. Anyhow that can all be read back in his Birth story. It feels good to be able to exercise once again and not be in pain and to be able to run hold my sons it is great. I know I am going to be a good sore tomorrow!

Anyhow my workout oh my did the instructor kick my butt. I had sweat going everywhere, dripping it off me hitting the floor! I was tired, out of breath and feeling good. I feeling I have long to feel for such a long time. A workout like that can make the worst/hard day of your life feel great and that glass you thought was half empty to be over flowing full. So I am excited to be back into the exercising life. Now I just have to try and fit my home work into the other 6 days a week, fingers crossed I can but at least I have that one day which is better than no days!

On another note.

Noah is loving Pre-school which makes me so happy and makes life a little easier than if he was crying and not wanting to go etc. Jonas and Lucas play together when Noah is at school and seem to be happy to play together. I can really tell the age difference between Noah and Jonas when Noah is at school. At many times in the pass it didn't really seem like there was a 17month difference between the two but lately it coming more and more apparent and has been hard to not treat Jonas like Noah but I have been trying very hard to remind myself that Jonas will be three in Dec and he's not 4. That sounds funny but Jonas has acted so much older than he really is. I mean this kid walked early, talked in my mind very early he has even done a few things before Noah has and Noah watches and than doesn't them after seeing his younger brother. I think that is why he might have done some hitting behaviour(out of frustration where we have been fault of treating him older). So I been working hard and looking back at what age did we do stuff with Noah, which has helped.

Now I am hoping I have learn from my mistakes with Jonas and don't treat Lucas like he is older than he is, where he seem to be on the fast track too. This kid as more words at this point than I think at least Noah did for sure. He walked before 10months, waves, claps, even got teeth early compared to the other two boys, The most hardest thing for me is accepting he will be 1 YEARS OLD on tuesday! I know some might rolling eyes and thing I am lame etc but really I am sad about it. Time just goes faster with each kid. I remember noah's first yr so well, jonas went a little fast but oh my goodness Lucas well I don't even remember it and it is also true that you don't take as many pictures as you do with your first child. But not having a camera for the first 5 months of your kids life doesn't help either :(. SO we were going to celerbrate this

Adjusting to Adding Pre-school to our life

It's been a while and I apologize...Just the normal crazy life and not a lot of time lately. I was told that when we got Noah in school that it would sent a routine and things would fall into place. LOL I am laughing now b/c right now I feel like I am swimming and just staying a float lately. But I guess the good thing is I am still swimming right???

Well Noah's Preschool is going awesome, he loves it! He wakes up, gets dress right away, eats and is at the door waiting to go. I love it and I have to say he has made it so much easier on me with the fact that he wants to go and loves going. I don't know what I would do(well i would take him out probably) if he cried like some of the girls and boys we know(but then they are about a yr younger than him...I don't get why some parents push their kids to grow up when they aren't ready). I say that but than I know I am hard on Jonas sometimes b/c he acts so much older than he is at times, I have to remind myself he and Noah aren't the same age....I think it will be good for him that he gets held back a yr from school(I get an extra yr with him and Lucas too b/c the cut off for school is Sept 1 down here). Noah is also learning the days of the weeks at home b/c he wants to know what days he has school, soccer, dad softball etc in order(he knows the days things are on. But we are practicing what day comes after what.)

Anyhow I am always running place to place which I know other parents of older children know all about it! I listen to my sister has told me all the running around they do with my nieces and nephew. I can really see where my life is going and it's not about to slow down anytime soon... It like as soon as I drop Noah off and get home I am running back to pick him up, or on Thursdays if we are running behind Tom runs Noah to school and I take the other two boys to Music class and than race back to get Noah, than home for lunch, Lucas's nap, try to clean up the place so I can make supper and than it's bath, supper bedtime routine, do Lucas bed time stuff to get him to bed, and clean up the kitchen and finally bed for me oh my haha.

There just doesn't seem to be a moment to sit down!

My niece Violet Marie Flynn

This little princess came into the world with lots of drama, don't know the whole story but this little pink bundle of 8lbs 6oz was born on her grandparents drive way and deliver by her father, as well first girl to be born in a family of 4 brothers and 7 grandsons.

I want to bake/cook

bSo what do I want to do today but cook and bake. How hard is that to do with three boys around?, very!!!!!! Plus I am trying to loose the extra weight that lies on this body of my and to have baked goods, even homemade bread in the house is just not a good idea with me, a person like myself loves food.

So I look at recipes and dream of making things. I dream of cooking fancy dinners like I use to do for Tom and I(now they were fancy for us but probably not for others) before the kids but who has time to do all that prep work etc. Especially when so many of my simplest meals don't turn out b/c "wait how much did I put in"... before getting interrupted and distracted or helping someone open this, close this, reach this, help with this, solve fights or problems. The list goes on. haha

No not complaining!!, just saying in my house I find it hard to do things that i use to do b/c of oh so many distractions. Now the boys love to help with the baking(I am making sure they know how to bake and cook...My future daughter in laws hopefully will love me haha Just joking) and well we do run into some of the same problems with quality b/c they all want to put stuff in, see into the mixing bowl and hold the raw eggs(oh hold on tight but not too tight please don't break the egg by accident, I don't want it all over the place....that is what goes through my head when they are holding the eggs.).

Than the big reason I don't bake as much as I want to is b/c my waist line! I don't have my mom here to monitor how many times my hand dips into the cookie tin, or pie plate or brownie pan etc haha. What can I say I am an addict to eating. the melting and chewiness of chocolate chip cookies, or the oooey gooey brownies, or the zestfulness of the lemon or key-lime pie. How about the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger etc spices that just fill the house and make it feel so great and just dipping a ginger snap cookie into a cup of tea/coffee or for me as a kid and still now a glass of milk. I could go on people like really, on and on. No self control and eating like you did when you were exercising 5 days week and pregnant does not turn out well during the timestimes that you aren't pregnant and it took 10 1/2 months to recover from having that baby(whole other story that is not going to happen here), and couldn't exercise(thankfully I am back or trying to get back in that saddle).

Some of my favorite memories as a kid was either baking with my mom or was when I finally went to school is walking home wondering what smells were filling my house, wondering what mom might have made. Opening the door and having the smell wrap around you was so comforting and to this day special. I can't wait to make those memories for my kids. nothing like coming home from a long school day and having a oatmeal chocolate cookie, made with love!!! Miss ya mom.

Okay going to go clean and dream of a thinner waistline!!! Oh and Please Hand stay out of the bag of Chocolate chips that are sitting in the cupboard, open and lonely Haha

Hair cut

Not even a curl here and very girlish but that is what happens when mom doesn't wash his hair the night before and it's not humid to make it curl. Today however we drove by the hair dressers and it was jonas that asked for a hair cut and I was ready for sure to do it. So happy I did.

There goes the curls...

And my beautiful Little Man!!!

Proud to be a parent

Parenting is not easy and there might be moments that you wonder if your decisions are the right ones. Everyone does what they think is best for their children too. But those hard days where you are tired, exhausted and can't even think, can sometimes make you question the way you do things, or at least they do for me.

HOWEVER!!!!!!!!!!

There is a flip side to that those days though; where your heart melt, words of wisdom and knowledge are repeat from your sponge absorbing(meaning it in a good way) children that I love so dearly!!! There a moments all the time and many times a day that I am proud to be the parent of my boys. They can melt my heart in an instant, make me laugh with their silliness, and make me want to hold them tight and not let go. It is wonderful to be a parent even through the challenges they hand me.

my little drunk man.

Life at the zoo

Well that is pretty much what our house feels like, and most of the time I don't mind at all. We are all trying to adjust to being back home now after over 3 wks of being back in Canada seeing our families, well the three boys and I!

It was an unexpected trip which was bitter sweet, So we tried to make the best out of it. I am going to focus on all the great things on our trip in this post.

Our families finally got to meet Lucas which made us happy. We stayed at my parents for a while and the first three days our family was almost complete but just missing Tom. My parents had 12 grandchildren there and they all had a great time together! I have to say I enjoyed seeing them all play together and the Boy having a great time with their cousins. My older nieces and nephew were awesome with the younger one! Every morning they ask if they were going to see at least some of their cousins. We did some beach trips with my sister Sandy and her family and it was a lot of fun and the boys loved every moment with their cousins.

We did a trip up to NB to visit the Flynn families too. We stayed at mom Flynn the first night for a rest before driving the last hour to Trevor and Sarah's place. I as so exhausted from the drive that I am glad I stop at Mom's b/c I fell asleep putting the boys to bed. I never got in my pj's or finished making my tea, eat the peach I cut and lastly never finished talking to Mom(sorry mom). Well the boys had a great time with Sean, Hayden and Rowan. I have to say they all did really good pretty good playing together and not too many arguments over toys! I loved the fact that Rowan would come up and cuddle with me on the couch and fallow me, I even had some bushy eyebrows for him to play with too :D. Miss ya little buddy. We were happy that Uncle Dan, Aunt Genevieve and Victor could make it out to see us for the BBQ. The dark brown eye's victor has are going to stop many girls in their tracks. I was a little sad I didn't get to play with him but since I am a stranger I figure it was best I didn't pick the little man up but I did steal a quick game of peak a boo with him when he was play on his cousins play structure! The were all awesome boys.


Well on our trip home and the last month Lucas has changed so much and dad could tell right away.
1. Lucas took his first steps before we left and before Tom left for Ottawa. But he is now walking 8 step in a row, he does prefer walking on carpet or rugs, than hard floors at the moment.
2. He can drink from a straw
3. clap his hands
4 .the day before we left he stood up in the middle of the room with out any help or assistance. It was all him with nothing around.
5. He also started saying UH AH instead of UH OH when we had pizza with Grampie before we left NB when he dropped his straw on the floor.
6. And just being home for a little over a day now he is already getting up and walking after the boys, He walked the whole length of our family room after Jonas. It not going to be much longer now that he is going to want to walk all the time and say good bye to crawling.

7. waves bye

I am sure there are other things but that is all I can think of.
He is having a hard time yesterday, hoping today is better. He got so spoiled with our families cuddling him and holding him so much which he does not get here or I wouldn't be able to get things done so there was lots of crying.

We still have some jet leg a bit and getting up too early and waking up some at night but I am hoping that will end soon. Especially for Lucas who I think only slept through the night 2 when we were home which were the first two nights. Now that he is in his own room and I am not worried about waking anyone else up

Well I have to say we came back to beautiful windows though. I love them I just wish I got the before and after pictures of them, which I was hoping but Tom didn't think of it when they were installing them but I will try and take some photos of them anyhow and show you the finish product. I do have to call them back thought to see if they can do something about our screen door b/c the lock on it is not really good and Bella can actually unlock the door and gets out. Hopefully something can me done. So now hopefully next summer we can get another project on the house done. But for now I will keep looking at my windows!

just another update

Not too much going on here. Tom leaves Thursday very early to fly to Ottawa for four day for Quentin's wedding. Pretty disappointed me and the boys can't go but not much we can do about that now. Money sucks period. I do hope he'll have fun b/c lets face it we sure don't get to go out or do anything fun together, and he pretty much works no stop so I really hope he can have some fun even though I am seriously jealous!

Well it sure now that the Flynn family is going to finally have a girl in the family. Tom's brother Dan just found out that they are having a girl in late September. So I am pretty sure everyone is very excited! So congrats to the two of them I know Genevieve really wanted a girl.

Well we get our windows soon Got the new credit card in the mail so we can pay for them woo hoo just what we need more credit haha. Well at least it will hopefully keep the summer heat out and the winter cold out. Tom and I are really excited to have a working patio door than the windows. So next Thursday they start and I am hoping it will be a one day job but the book Friday too just in case.

Got to get on the ball and get Noah's pre school papers done. he's suppose to start next month. Seem strange starting school in August but the do down here and they get out the beginning of June. It's going to through me off big time since I always think as August as summer since it still is really.

Lucas is starting to walk. Just a few step here and there. Very different from the other two boys. Once the other two took even two steps they were walking the next day none stop but there is no hurry for him to get going fast, well at least I don't think he should hurry. But I have no doubt he'll be going full steam at the end of August for sure.

The boys are in bed and I am just waiting for tom to get home and putting off cleaning...sigh I really wish I had a live in maid or someone to walk behind the boys and Tom to pick up everything they just drop and leave around. But I guess that is what I am here for right. Mom's work never ends. Well should run because nothing will get done if i keep sitting here now will it.

I need to post some new pictures I know but I was hoping to edit some actually but at last I have no time to do that so I will just post the un edit pictures, soon.

what a day

Well Lucas had his 9 month and his %'s are going down a lot now.He is now 29. something % for weight down from 90+% from birth and his height is 78% down also in the high 90%. He is totally one of our kids. So he is 19lbs 8oz and 29 1/4 inches at 9months. He is babbling non stop and I find he is very much like his big brother Noah , right down to expressions and looks. The only think I am not liking very much is since we were all sick last month we are not sleeping that well at all and it is wearing on me. Looks like I will be doing some sleep training again....so so tired. He is just not happy today and is screaming like mad if he's put down and will not sleep, it like he got needles too which he didn't.

Well Noah completely surprised me today...He had to get some needles even a TB skin test for pre-school and he screamed and cried like I never heard before in my life, he even yelled Stop that at the nurse and get it out!!! He has never really cried at all with the needles and I had to pin him down and he cried all the way to the car. He made Lucas and Jonas cry in the injection room. Tom will becoming for his next set of needles which most likely will happen next month I think.(he doesn't have all his needles yet). And he still screaming now and than about his arms which I know are sore but he will for get about it and play and t have all of a sudden remember and he can't lift his arms and screams...long day. Jonas is tired too so he's just hitting and screaming...is there a full moon today?!?!
Well in the dr. office, Jonas started screaming he had to pee so I ran out of the room with Lucas and Jonas to the bathroom down the hall and Noah stayed with the dr and talk her ear off that she was laughing when I got back. She told me he told her all about his birthday and that he is 4 now, he had a bouncy house at his party and he spelled the word Zoo. I didn't even know he knew how to spell that yet but he has been pretty much learning a new word each day I would say, He has duck down, cat,dog, his name, mom, dad, and so many more. He is such a sponge these days and every day I am in a spelling test and it's is getting harder for me b/c he is picking out much bigger words and the English subject is my worst subject and my very weak point sigh.

Well I am still waiting on Lucas's passport to come. I was really hoping it would have been here yesterday. Jonas's passport came in a week but I guess this time around it's not going to happen :S. Still hoping any day now.

Well Tom will be leaving in a little over a week to Ottawa now! Completely and ultimately down in the dumps and I could say depressed to some extent that I can not go with him. I haven't been back to see our friends in Ottawa since we left and what more fun could it be to go back for one of our friends wedding!! Money sucks is all I can say I wonder if I will ever get back there I love that city and our friends! I know it wouldn't be the same life with the boys there but still it suck that I can't go to the wedding too. But tonight I am going to see Deathly Hollows Part 2 I am so excited I an't even express myself. I love the HP movies/books and As well getting a little get away from this day is just what I needed!!! Woo hoo can't wait the movie is going to be awesome!!!!!!

Before and after

Well it not finished but we finally got furniture!!!! Woo hoo. still need like end tables, stuff on the walls but that is not a big thing. We have paint touch ups and well actually you can't see it but the seems of the wall paper under the paint are starting to show and cracking. Not sure when we'll deal with that but now we can sit in this room. I love being able to sit and read in the room and in the winter I can't wait to sit comfy and watch the fire. The boys love the furniture too. I am not sure if these are the pieces we would have picked out if we didn't have the boys with us. I like the look but not sure if they are really comfy. Shopping for furniture with three kids is pretty much not a good thing but what can you do. I figure if we don't end up loving them than well if the family furniture ever breaks these pieces can go in there and than we can get new pieces for the living room but some how I don't think the family furniture will die. hahaha. Anyhow I want a mirror in a white frame over the fireplace and have that wall painted a light blue with the other walls an light cream color I think sort of like the color behind the couch but more yellow than brown it's a very light beige. I have some wall decals to go up like a small tree with birds but not sure if I want to put them up where I know we have to remove the painted over wallpaper(this really bothers me because it is not easy to remove, I think I have ruin the drywall in Lucas room and I worry that we may have to replace the dry wall, which in this house in order to get done mean I have to hire someone to do it, unless there is some crazy person that wants to help me out. haha I was hoping tom and I could put the walls up in the laundry room this summer but I don't think that is going to happen at all. sigh But Hey look at the living room we have furniture :)

Noah's Party

window it is.

Well we bit the built and I am very nervous if it was right or not. But since we could get financing with interests free payments for a yr we decided to go for it. We'll have new windows probably sometime in August. The papers are all signed and they were supposes to come this morning and do the final measurements but they called to say the person that was suppose to come out was really sick and couldn't make it. I have to say I was extremely relieved and thanking whoever was looking down and realized I had enough going on with sick kids. The house is a disaster and I was already running around trying to pick up things...which is not going well b/c the littlest one of all hasn't been sleeping and only wants to be held(which is actually sad to see). So next Wednesday they will come out and than it's 4-6wk wait, than 1-2 day insulation. So excited now everyone one in our neighborhood won't hears us anymore.

So we had Noah's 4yr well child dr appt. I took all three kids hoping she could look at them quickly. I knew what ever Noah had the others had. So we get there and some how they aren't sure how but our appt got cancelled during the night(they are looking into it). I was extremely tired and well could have cried but I was tired too. I just asked what do they want me to do. I didn't care what it was I just wanted to know. Anyhow they managed to get us in fast which was nice but bad too because now they are rushing us and well I don't think everything got looked at properly and not all my question got answered. Anyhow during the appt she quicky listen to Jonas lungs and said we need to make an appt Jonas and Lucas to get better looked at. So back out into a waiting room with three sick kids which all had temperatures, till the next opening. Noah and Jonas wearing mickey mouse hospital mask but over all well they did okay for not feeling well. Jonas whine A LOT and kept crying to go home... I have to say the staff was wonderful to us, that I can't complain about it too much. I was just exhausted and it was a long day. Noah and Jonas have walking Pneumonia and are antibiotics, Lucas I am pretty sure has it but since he was only just over 24 hours with the symptoms and not 5 days like the boys it was to soon to tell but I have to keep watching him. We are hoping that I got the virus but have had it sometime in my life so that my body has the antibodies and Lucas is getting them through me(yay for breastfeeding is all I can say). So they are on some pedilite too but I can't get them drinking it it and of course they hate the medicine I had to pick up(they say it's too spicy...LOL). So I am fighting with them trying to get them to drink fluids(This house has more juice in it than the last 4 yrs...which they aren't into grape, mango stuff tom pick out or the orange and apple that they normally have on a rare occasion) so hard on the head, but I think they have peed twice today woo hoo.

However Noah stats are in and he is 31 1/2 LBS and 39" tall. Noah also has an eye appt with the Ophthalmologist to get his eyes looked at since he is having some trouble reading now and than. Not to surprise that he's having trouble seeing. Tom and I haven't really passed on the best eye genes to our children sadly.

Well Jonas and Lucas got weighed too at their sick appt and

Jonas at 30 months weighs 28lbs 15.5oz

Lucas at 8 months weighs 19 lbs 7.5oz

HOT

There is no other word to say with that but HOT HOT HOT. I don't like it, even the walls are sweating and having sick kids with fevers in this heat is not much fun either. So it's 95 and don't ask me what it feels like b/c of course it feels hotter than that. Normally we have the heat but not the humidity and normally it cools down at night but last night it did not and it was already 86 at 10am. Lucas is having trouble napping b/c it's so hot, not having AC on days like this really sucks.

right!

So not much is getting done and I am going crazy b/c I can't seem to get stuff done and the place is getting more and more a mess, and I am in just in survival mood!!! So hope things get a little easier around here. As well for this weather to go away.

Oh to be BOYS!!!

Noah sing.