Magic Moments

Sage had been begging me all week to take the training wheels off his bike and teach him how to ride on two wheels. I kept telling him he'd have to wait until the weekend so that Daddy could do it because A) my foot is broken and I can't run beside a bike right now and B) Daddy is just WAY better at this kind of stuff than I am. I tried for days with no success to teach Aiden how to ride on two wheels and then Tom came home and did it in 10 minutes. So, this is one thing I've washed my hands of and just hand over to Tom. And Tom is a wonderful Daddy so he's thrilled to do it. Tom took Sage to the tennis courts nearby and just as I figured, it didn't take long and Sage had it down. He's been practicing all weekend. Tom sent me this video and it's to die for cute. So proud of our Sage! Untitled from Jenny on Vimeo .

Just another lazy day around our house on Saturday so since public school is over we were able to spend the afternoon at the boys' favorite school playground.  I can't say Cade is in love with parks, maybe when he's a little older or when my foot is better and I can help him more he'll love it. Nonetheless, the day was pretty and it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. Just over the bridge on the Ohio River. It's a pretty little spot.

I think Tom thought I was a little crazy to attempt strawberry picking today. The fields were reportedly muddy from all the rain, my foot is broken, I have a 20 month old, Tom wasn't up to going because he has a cold, and it was an hour and twenty minute drive to the strawberry patch. But we went anyway because I needed to get away for awhile...even for a little bit. And I don't regret going at all. The day as a whole was beautiful. Besides, strawberry season doesn't last long. Last year I missed it entirely because I wasn't used to strawberry season coming in May. So this year I was ready. The strawberry patch in West Virginia is everything you think a West Virginian Strawberry Patch would be and nothing like a Minnesota Strawberry Patch. In Minnesota when the strawberries are ready there is a line of cars driving into the patch. The patch is usually only open in the morning and you'd better be there on one of the first days or you'll miss getting berries. Yo...

The soccer season wrapped up for Aiden today. He's played hard and had fun and that's about all that matters. This season he found a love for being goalie, although I think he's content being any position assigned to him. Here he is in action....

Sage is our music man. I feel like I live with a teenager because he is constantly playing his music on the speaker and "rocking out." I get sensory overload easily and I'm ready to buy that kid a smart speaker for his room so I don't have to listen to all the "rocking out" songs his Daddy shows him. Sage remembers just about every song and the artist who sings it that his Dad shows him. Music is clearly his thing. He tries to sing like the various artists he listens to and is content to just hang out and listen to his tunes. It's adorable and maddening and concerning and wonderful all at the same time. We don't want Sage pursuing a career as a Rocker, but we do want to fuel his passion. So when Sage announced he wanted to learn to play the guitar Tom took him to the music store to make that happen. For now, Tom is giving him lessons. When we aren't able to teach him anymore we'll find someone who can. We bought him a child's guitar but h...

We went to the park today. The park we went to was nothing special. I woke up this morning wanting to go to Teddy Bear Park because Cade would LOVE it.  It happens often that I wake up with a place in mind I would like to go and then I remember I'm 15 hours away from all our favorite places and West Virginia has almost no fun places and almost no fun parks. We've been here for a year now (as of 4.22) and I had intended to blog on our 1 year anniversary of calling this place "home" but I never got around to it and part of me avoided on purpose because it's just hard to write about. Homesickness is still a part of our everyday. After a year of living here I thought it would be easier than it was at first, but in most ways it's actually harder now than during the first few months. I'm trying daily to be thankful. We are well taken care of and Tom's job is going well. I don't want to miss the provisions God has showered on us nor do I want to miss the ...

These are the boys that made me a mama. These are the boys that challenge me each day. These are the boys that make me question my sanity and loose my mind. But, never were there three little boys who were loved more. These are the boys I would give my life for. My dreams for them are big and my prayers for them are constant. These boys are my life's work and I'm so proud of them. I often think of how much they are learning and how much I need to teach them. The reality is, they are my teachers each day. They teach me how to forgive and how to be graceful and how to love and trust without reservation. Lord, thank you for these boys. They are making me a better person and I can't even imagine life without the joy they bring. Tom and I never had an exact plan for building our family but God sure knew what he was doing. Tom made the day special with a card from the boys and, as with any holiday, a sweet letter from him. He knows those are my favorite. I woke up to chocolate ...

Cade Luther. Oh my goodness. Can I even find the words to capture everything you are? You are the sweet little baby we never planned on, you were the laid back infant that the other two never were, and you are the wild child toddler that daily makes me pull my hair out. Your development is EXPLODING and thus you needed a post all your own so I could try to convey everything you are in a paragraph or two, because even though these days are so very long, in a heartbeat you'll be grown and I don't want to forget your sweet little self. Cade, you are a busier little boy than I remember the other two being and I thought they were busy and quick. You cannot be contained. I cannot turn my back for a minute. You constantly climb on the counter and get into who knows what. Today I found myself flying across the room because while I was in the middle of breakfast you had climbed on the counter and were heading straight towards the carton of eggs I had yet to put away. Last week you dum...

I attempted to take the boys' pictures today. It didn't go well because Sage is usually in La La Land and Cade is a toddler. Maybe Tom can be talked into a professional photographer for Mother's Day. The funny part of these pictures is that in all their "imperfectness" they showcase the boys' personalities perfectly. Aiden is posed nicely in just about every pictures. Not surprisingly because he is my first born rule follower. In fact, he's almost too posed. I kept trying to get him to relax a little. I have more pictures of Sage with a funny face than I do smiling or looking at the camera. Most of the shots of Cade are action shots or of his back because he was just busy, busy, busy. While candid pictures are my favorite, they still have to be good candid pictures, which non of these are. So, laugh along with me .... Here's the outtakes....because ALL the pictures are outtakes. :)