December Update...quick...

December Update...

I love Advent.  I love all the added bible readings, special prayers, candle lighting, singing, etc. I love how I always think I am going to be relaxed and calm with all my presents wrapped and under the tree before we light the first purple candle...hah!

But, it has come to my attention that it has been way too long since I put any updates on here.  So here I go real quick before I get back to my last minute presents.

Curtis is changing SO much this month.  He lost both of his front teeth.  He has grown at least two inches.  He is READING. Yay!  Reading level one books with great fluency and level twos with a bit of help and getting quicker and more fluent by the day.  Its so fun to listen to him reading street signs and bumper stickers and everything he spies as I drive.  He is writing phonetically which I LOVE!!! I really love getting letters from him "I Luv You" one of my favorites was his letter to "Crisby" (kristy) LOVE IT!  He is still a total space cadet.  Getting him to focus is a struggle...his energy levels are through the roof.  I run while he bikes for three miles almost every morning just to try to wear him out a bit.  He eats like a teenager now and really looks like a little athlete.  He is going to set the world on fire with all that glorious energy...now if only we could harness it!?  He turns six in two weeks, can't believe it!!!!

Nicholas is the sweetest little guy EVER!  He wakes up in the morning asking what he can do to help the family.  He is always wanting to hold the baby, set the table, do the dishes, get the baby's paci, always wanting to help in some way.  He loves to jump and when he is particularly happy about something he hops around like a little bunny.  He is into everything and often gets himself into little messes playing with soap, dirt, bugs, or markers.  His clothes will absolutely be given away with he is done with them as he stains everything with all the above messes :) He gets in trouble often when he has been left on his own for more than two minutes...you never know what he has found....oyyy!  He loves to be a part of school and loves to "read" just like Curtis.  He loves to spell his name (b, i, h, k, l, m, p).  He loves nutella and would eat it at every meal if I let him.  His sweetness is absolutly contagious. His laugh can get the entire room going and those dimples...oh be still my heart!

Andrew is really growing up.  He is sitting up on his own and loves to sit around with the big boys.  He loves solid foods and devours his cereal and bananas or squash.  He definitely doesn't like carrots, that was hysterical!   I predict that he will be our most rambunctious child.  He is really silly already and loves to "wrestle" with his brothers.  He kicks and laughs the entire time he gets his bath.  He loves to babble and LOUD to make sure we all hear his new sounds.  He is sweet sweet sweet with his baby kisses. I can't believe he will be six months old next week!

Okay, so there, I posted.  Sorry it took so long.  No promises on the next one either :)

Have a blessed Advent and a Merry Christmas!!

UGGG....REALLY????

After my children heard me grunt and groan about the election for an entire 24 hours...UGGG...Really America??...and so on and so forth...over and over again...

I came across this article by my dear friends who are wiser and holier than me and it set me back on my feet towards progress.  I wanted to pass it along to you all in case you are stuck in the same "post election funk"
 
http://livesdifferently.blogspot.com/2012/11/100-things-you-can-do-to-make-country.html?m=1

And because who knows when I'll blog again...here are my sweet saints on All Saints Day last week

St. Jerome (translated the bible into latin), pray for us!

St. Jerome and his trusty lion

St. Michael the Arc Angel, pray for us!  Defend us in battle!

Oh the sweet little smiley lion!!

Boys and frogs

I totally thought that boys putting frogs in their pockets was only in the movies...until this day happened...

This frog was the source of our entertainment for at least three hours.  He didn't even seem to mind being put in the boys pockets.  After a few hours I insisted the boys let their best friend go...oh how dramatically sad we were to say goodbye! Did I mention that I LOVE having boys!!!

Just the boys

big smiles and deep dimples...melts mommys heart!

baseball season is here again and this time its machine pitch.  Recognize the coach? yep, its Jacob and I'm the team mom! Its a Counts family operation!

School is in full swing.  This is Nicks interpretation of Tuftla trees from our Lorax theme last week

Arachnids week this week

waiting for the day he can finally take the field!

Curtis's First Day

Here he is...our big boy waiting for class to begin!

cheesy cheese face

This past Wednesday Curtis began classes at The Children of the Holy House Catholic Institute .  He goes each Wednesday from 9 to 12.  He loved it and is eager for next Wednesday already!  This Institute is a wonderful supplement to our home schooled education for Curtis.  He is surrounded by wonderful faithful friends and a curriculum rich in the beauty of our Lord.  We are eager to see how this Institute will bless our family this year, and also pray that our family thru Curtis can be a blessing to the institute!

Minn-ee-sota!

Drafted this a few weeks ago and never posted it...oops!!

We headed up to Lake Vermillion in Northern Minnesota last week.  This is our second trip (hopefully of many many more!) to this wonderful resort and cabin.  We spent an entire week enjoying the beautiful weather, cool water, and wonderful friends!  The beach area of the resort was just beyond our front porch and the kids played there for hours upon hours.  We rented a pontoon two of the days we were there and spent the whole day trolling around on the massive lake.  The other five days were just spent relaxing on the lake, skiing, tubing, and lots and lots of fishing.

Curtis had the opportunity to ski this year.  We were so proud of him when he said he was willing to try it.  The first time he tried he wasn't able to get all the way "up" and ended up squatting on the back of the skis for most of the short ride.  After his tumble he gave us a big thumbs up...though he wasn't quite ready to try it again.  The next morning he woke up wondering when he would get to try again.  He was able to get up and ski the next three times he tried...and with a HUGE smile on his face! We were so proud of him for being willing to try again even though he was definitely scared after that first fall.

Nicholas was in heaven the entire week, outside + water = perfect day for Nicky!  He loved to fish and was self labeled "bait man" on the boat.  He would fetch worms for everyone and even held Emily's fish while she took the hook out of their mouths.  He is such a joyful little guy and we all loved seeing him get excited about each new adventure.  His least favorite part of the lake was Curtis skiing.  Sweet boy had a melt down when Curtis fell...and kept telling us all how scared he was.

Andrew was amazing, as always!  He was super easy going and just enjoyed all his cuddle time with Mommy and Daddy.  He loved the boat and enjoyed nice long naps to its soothing white noise.  He started smiling a lot while we were there too, nothing better than a gummy baby smile!

Also, while we were in Minnesota we got to spend a lot of quality time with Jacobs grandmother and aunts and uncles and cousins.  They were gracious enough to feed us and we gave them lots of entertainment with two rambunctious boys!  Those boys have a special sweet spot for their second cousin Robbie! He is such a wonderful man and is fantastic with our boys.  Too bad he lives so far away or he would be a wonderful babysitter...though the kids may never want us to come home!

Andrew's Baptism

Andrew Gabriel baptized August 5th

Andrew with his Godparents Kesa & Brian.  Love these guys so much! We are honored they agreed to be his Godparents!

Sweet boy wide awake and happy as the priest baptized him

Andrew with Father Santy

What a wonderful and beautiful weekend we had celebrating the baptism of precious Andrew.  We were surrounded by lots of friends and family as Father Santy welcomed him into the body of Christ.  Andrew did wonderfully throughout the service and was wide awake just looking around as the water was poured over his head.  Curtis and Nicholas were right in the middle of the action as always and were super excited to watch Andrew get baptized.  After the service everyone headed back here for a reception.  Thank you to our entire family for helping out with all the details.  We are so blessed!!