Most Wonderful Time of the Year

We've been living at hockey rinks, but that is ok! We are having a blast.

My favorite christmas ornament 

Super fun stage we are in right now.

Our beautiful house before all of the snow

Oh christmas tree oh christmas tree

I spy Frosty Thomas Clark

What doesn't belong

I bought this felt tree this year. It's been a huge hit, until Leo comes stomping by and pulls everything off. 

A Lockdown Scare

It was a Thursday morning. I was cleaning the house playing music on the tv. Leo was playing sweetly with his toys minding his own business. Finn was at preschool. My phone rang and it was my neighbor, she never calls me. I quick muted the music. She asked me if I had heard anything from the school. Immediately, my heart sank. Did something happen with their bus, I thought. It had just snowed a ton the day before. She said the school was in lockdown. Apparently someone claimed they saw someone enter the building with a gun. Cue gut wrenching feeling in stomach and tears welling up in my eyes. My neighbor said her friend was inside the school with her kid while this was going on and texted my neighbor. So my neighbor decided to drive up to the school. Figuring, if it were a drill there would be no police. Sure enough the school parking lot was filled with police cars and ambulances. My neighbor waited there with other parents. Finally, the lockdown was lifted and school resumed as usual. Apparently what the person saw was an armored truck service worker who handles money transfers. The school was in lockdown for forty minutes. FORTY minutes is a LONG time! So by the time ny neighbor called me everything was in the clear. Thank God, because I don't know what I would have done. I would have for sure gone up to the school. The crazy thing is I had just driven by the school right before the police got there after dropping Finn off at school. If I would have seen all of those police cars and ambulances I would have for sure stopped over there. My heart sank for my Jack. I knew deep down he probably had no idea what was really going on, but I just kept picturing him in his cute little kindergarten room hiding under the tables or something. I was actually more scared for the older kids who would be able to comprehend the seriousness of this. I guess the teachers were pretty scared as well, obviously. I guess Jack actually had a substitute that day too. His teacher got stuck in her driveway that morning and by the time she got to school, she was locked out.

I was very pleased with how Jack's school handled this situation. I hope whoever reported this person doesn't feel dumb or like they did anything wrong either. I'm thankful for that person, looking out for our children and teachers. It just makes me extremely angry and upset that we as parents or teachers or kids for that matter even have to be concerned about these situations in the first place. It's really such a shame. I hope and pray that my kids never have to experience another lockdown again and I am thankful that this situation resulted in no danger.

I forget...

I forget how fast the time goes. Leo is cutting his last two eye teeth (then only 2 year old molars left!!) and has been waking in the middle of the night. The other night I could not get him to fall back asleep. Usually it's just a pop of the nuk and he's back snoozing. Or maybe a squirt of ibuprofen. But not this night. So I scooped him up and rocked him. As I was rocking him I started crying. I remember when Jack was this little and how I was so sad how fast he was growing. How he would soon be an older brother. I wanted time to stop. And now Jack is almost six years old. I said a little prayer thanking God for letting me have this time with Leo to just soak him up. It's so hard during the days to embrace him and be truly thankful for him, because let's face it - he's climbing on the table. Constantly whining. Holding onto my legs. In the hustle and bustle I forget at how precious he is. But when he is holding me, breathing heavy, and just loving on me I am reminded of how truly blessed I am.

Sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision to be an at home mom. I feel like I have so much more potential than just cleaning the house and yelling at my children. I could be someone's boss. I could actually get raises, or paid for my time. What? But then I look at Jack. And Finn. And Leo. And realize that 5 years of being with them for 24/7 is nothing in the great span of time. This is such a short season of my kids lives and it's hard to remember that, being that I am in the middle of it right now.

I bought myself a piece of wall art the other day that says "Good moms have sticky floors, dirty ovens and happy kids" not because I want to feel good about having a messy house. I'd like to think I keep my house kept up fairly well actually. In fact I think I spend TOO much time organizing and cleaning. And so this wall art is to remind me (in the kitchen, where I spend 95% of my time) to slow down. The cleaning can wait. The kids will not be kids forever and they won't always be asking me a million times to watch them. So sometimes the cleaning cannot wait, but sometimes it can.

I forget that in a blink of an eye I forgot what it felt like to have my babies inside of me. Or how their heads felt all curled up under my chin. Or how they'd sleep on my belly in the middle of the night.

And I'm also trying to remind myself that someday I will forget that Leo climbed on all of the furniture. Whined all day long. And never sat still. Hello 17 months. This too shall pass and this is the last of my babies. I will never be going through this stage ever again. But oh how easily we do forget.

Stories About My Favorite Finn

How can I become better about this? I just need to force myself to write, because I feel like I've got a lot to say during the days - and no one to talk to besides a one year old and a almost 4 year old. ha.

The other day Finn told me that his leg elbows hurt. HAHA. It took me a while to understand that the body part he was referring to were his KNEES. Leg elbows, omg that is awesome. He also told me that sunday school is called ice cream sunday school. And at ice cream sunday school he filled out a sheet of paper (well his teacher did) and it said " I am happiest when I am watching the shark at the zoo" hahahaha OMG. Oh and at his preschool they filled out a poster board of everything they are thankful for:
Finn Starkey : I am thankful for my baby Leo, my mom and dad, and Triston.

Triston is one of Finn's many bff's. Ugh, sorry Jack. I guess this is what happens when you are constantly pissing off your younger brother.

Finn always wants to go to other kids houses to play with their toys. When it was warmer out, like a month ago - Finn and the neighbor kids were outside. They all ended up at our neighbors house. When all of the kids went back outside, Finn stayed inside playing with the toys in the basement. He continued to go ring their doorbell to play, even though he really just wanted to use them for their toys. We ended up asking them if Finn could borrow some toys so he wouldn't keep asking to go play in their basement. haha. Their kids are older and don't even play with the toys Finn likes. We talked to them before we let Finn go ask. haha.

Finn ran across the culdesac to our 8th grade babysitter neighbors house and rang their doorbell. When her dad answered Finn asked if she was home and could come out and play.

We were going over to a friends house and Finn tells me, I hope I can play with Chloe's toys by myself. hahaha. Sad.

Surprisingly, Finn has awesome social skills and very very good at playing with others. It definitely helps if you have the right toys, though.

This middle child CRACKS me up!!!!!

Halloween 2013

We had a great Halloween this year!

Jack got to carve a huge pumpkin with Grandma and Grandpa Loney this year.

We got "ghosted"

Leo hated the mustaches in our "ghosting" bags

Finn picked out this design and "helped" me

Leo's pumpkin was the best

Here they all are, Jack did his own.

Finn went trick or treating at his school. Leo and I handed out candy.





Leo dressed up for this too:

After the preschool party, we headed home to give Leo a quick nap and then we were off to Jack's halloween parade at his school. Leo was a nightmare there, which didn't surprise me. Here's Jack:

And then when Jack got off the bus it was time for pizza and some trick or treating!

Leo made it around the culdesac before he just started wandering aimlessly around. He and I were inside handing out candy at 6:30. Finn made it until about 7:20 and Jack made it until about 7:50. The rain was kind of a bummer. But everyone had a great time. The candy is out of control over here. The were eating some at 6:50 this morning. Ugh, Halloween you kill me. ha. 

Picture Day 2013!

When Jack was running a super high fever, it began the Sunday before Picture Day. I really didn't want him to miss it, but knew there was always retakes. He ended up being able to make it, but I was worried that he'd still be pale or super flushed or something.

Picture day morning, his teacher emailed us this picture:

I mean how hilarious is that? Three girls in the exact same dress. Six kids in the exact same color. Hilarious. We got his pictures back and they are classic. Not perfect, but definitely good enough for no retakes. Sidenote - as a mother of boys there is nothing I hate more than little boys wearing mohawks. I'm not judging you if you give your kids them, I'm just saying in my opinion and as long as my kids live under MY roof they will not sport the 'hawk. But funny because Jack's hair kind of looks like he has the mohawk thing going on. I love him so much. haha. 

October and Halloween Prep

We've had a very busy and fun fall so far. This is our last calm week before double hockey begins!

A few weeks ago, the Kindergarteners had a Pirate Pancake day. They were working on the letter P that day.

Before Jack got his fever, luckily, we had our family pictures taken by one of my friends. They turned out incredible. Here are just a few.

Don't mind my tired eyes in this next picture, but I knitted this infinity scarf with my arms. Love it!

Today we finished prepping for Halloween. But those pictures will be in my Halloween post. Look at me. Setting goals for myself in blogging. Go me!

Oh and I ordered a planner. Tom asked me if I ordered it from 1995. haha. I can't help it. I can't use my iphone for calendar stuff because it doesn't fulfill my need to make lists and write everything down. Does anyone else still use a paper planner, or is it just me?

Happy Monday! Cheerio.