Preschool Snacks

I really don't know what my problem is when it comes to bringing snacks for Cooper's preschool class. I just love to do "cool" treats. So far, I have done a cookie snowman and a heart shaped rice krispie treat dipped in chocolate with sprinkles. Well, it is our turn again for snacks in a couple of weeks and I am already stressing over finding something cute. I don't feel like I have to make something cute to be better than the other moms. I guess I just feel like it is the only time I can be creative. Plus, the kids totally love it. The week that we have snacks, they are learning about eggs and flowers. So, I have found a super cute egg shaped rice krispie with M&M's inside! But, I am kind of stuck on what to do about the flowers. Any ideas?? And remember, they have to be somewhat simple for me. I am not that talented.

Wordless Wednesday

Thought for the Day

You don't choose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them. ~Desmond Tutu

Somewhat Wordless Wednesday

Seriously, my favorite time of day!

Cooper

Our first born who was supposed to have been a girl. What a smart, caring (most of the time), and handsome boy he is. Cooper amazes me with some of the things he says. He is such a funny kid! But, he is also a sensitive little boy. He hates to watch movies with "bad"guys in them. If I am having a bad day, he will come up to me and give me a hug and a kiss to make it all better. I wish I could say that he is a good big brother. He has his moments, but most of the time he is fighting with Sara over EVERYTHING! He actually pushed her off the coffee table the other day. He is all boy!

Cooper just turned 4 in January. It is so hard to think that he will be in kindergarten in a little over a year! He is in preschool right now. He goes twice a week and he loves it! I am so thankful that we have been able to put him in preschool. He has learned so much this year. I am also lucky to have made some more friends. A girl can never have too many friends! Cooper has also made some good friends that I hope we can keep in touch with as the boys grow up. The really cool thing is the little boys that are Cooper's friends, also have little sisters Sara's age. The boys also go to preschool together and some of them even play soccer together. Cooper has become obsessed with dinosaurs this year. He can tell you the names of so many different dinosaurs and random facts about them. Thank you Dino Dan! Cooper also LOVES to read. He is starting to learn how to read. Cooper also loves to do puzzles and play games on the Leapster. He is definitely a smart little boy. There is no way I could go through all the things that he has learned and accomplished in the past year.

I am so thankful that Heavenly Father decided to send me a Cooper instead of a Sara first. It is amazing how much he has grown up in the past year. He can really be a wonderful helper, when he wants to. The kids and I went to Georgia this past summer to see my family and he was such a help everywhere we went. Oh, another thing that makes me so proud of Cooper is that he is really learning about Jesus and our Heavenly Father. He can tell you that we are supposed to obey and follow Jesus. This Christmas, he also learned what the true meaning of Christmas is. We are trying very hard to raise our children right and to teach them the things that are important in life. I cannot tell you what it feels like when your child reminds you to read the scriptures and say prayer before we go to bed. Or to tell you stories about Jesus that he has learned. Or to tell you that Christmas is about Jesus's birth and that we should always help others first. What a beautiful little boy Cooper is and is becoming. I feel so very lucky that Heavenly Father chose me to be his mother.

Sara

Our sweet baby girl. OK, so she really isn't that sweet. She has her moments, but for the most part she is a fiesty, stubborn, and downright mean little girl most of the time! I really believe it must be an age thing. For my sake and hers, it better be an age thing!

I thought I would just catch up on what she is doing right now. It is so hard for me to imagine that in 3 short months, she is going to be 3!! When did this happen?? I totally believe that 3 is the new terrible 2's! Sara is definitely a talker. Just like Cooper. She is also very much a girlie girl. She loves to wear dresses and cute shoes and loves to have her nails painted. However, she still loves to eat the dirt and dig in the dirt. She knows her ABC's, thanks to Leapfrog. She can count to 8 pretty good. Not sure why she stops there, but whatever. She is slowly learning her colors. She definitely knows pink and purple. We have been potty training for a while now. She was pretty much potty trained, except at night, back in December. But, one day she decided that she wanted to be a baby and wear diapers. So, we have slowly been working on it. She is doing much better these days. She got her first ever strep throat back in November and her first ear infection Sunday. For an almost 3 yr old, I would say that is pretty good.

I am in the process of planning her birthday party. I sure don't know what our lives would be like without her in them. I think one of the funniest things she does is when she gets mad at you, she starts yelling at you in jibberish. Bryce and I always say that she is cussing us out in Japanese! We are truly blessed to have such a beautiful little girl to call our daughter!

Life

Being a mom is hard. But, being a single mom is even harder. Not that I am single, although there are many times here lately where I feel like it. When, Bryce started back with home health, we really thought that our lives would be "normal"again. Whatever that is. This, however, is so far from the truth. Out of the 7 days of the week, Bryce is maybe home 2-3 nights a week. I do not know how single moms and dads do it. I am most definitely not cut out to be a single mom. I really hope that his work life gets better because if it doesn't soon, we are going to have to make some changes. It breaks my heart when the kids ask for dad because they haven't seen him in 2 or 3 days. (He usually is gone in the morning before they get up and they are asleep by the time he gets home at night). Especially Sara. She is such a daddy's girl. I am thankful that Bryce has a job. Please don't get me wrong. I just wish he was home a little more.

So It Begins

I am officially a soccer mom! Cooper had his first soccer game yesterday. It was a sight to see that is for sure. Our team, South Africa, has 7 four yr olds and 1 five yr old. The team we played had mostly 5 and 6 yr olds. Our boys loved to fall down! But, they had a great time and that is what matters.