I WIN......No I WIN!!!

Everything in our home that you can imagine is turned into a competition. With 3 boys....the competition is FIERCE! Here are a list of things the kids "race" to see who gets rights to the coveted first place crown:

*Getting out to the car to sit in the middle-front seat. (Highly popular spot in the van). 2 can sit there, but over time, one has been banished to the back since they can't keep their hands off each other. Now they willingly keep this arrangement. Sometimes I say, you both can sit there, but they will say no cause the other won't leave them alone. So hence the race EVERY TIME we go somewhere. We even have to switch off and take turns of who gets to sit in this seat.....good grief!!

*Getting out of the car when I drop them off at school. They will push and shove up to the front seat to give me a kiss then scramble out of the car, cry over who has to close the door, cause they want to be first to the cafeteria for breakfast. Then they will see a friend who is getting to the cafeteria first, and cry for me to hurry cause so and so might finish their breakfast before them.....

* Any BINGO game at school (many tears have been shed after a loss)

* Bop-it (and it repeats the high score EVERY TIME you play and that only intensifys the desire to beat it). Jesse is the Bop-it master. He just walks around "twisting, flicking, pulling, spinning, and bopping". Right now the high score is 46! Amazing!

*Who gets their food served to them first at dinner time

* Who buckles up first in the car

*Who gets their hair styled first

*Who gets kissed by Dad first when we drop him off at work

*Then the usual bike and scooter races

*First in line at school (they love to be line leaders)

* Finishing classwork assignments first (they try to beat other kids). I notice this mostly with Jesse

*Finishing dinner

* Wanting high scores on Kinect Sports Games. (They will restart the game if they are loosing).

* Getting the most Easter Eggs!

*Getting dressed at night after showers

*Who is first in bed after family prayer

*Who gets kissed goodnight by Mom or Dad first

This is all I can think of at this time. I am sure this list will change as they get older. I try to encourage that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, what matters most is that you have fun or did your best. I don't think they hear me :(

No one races to be first to take a shower though?!

The right kind of guy for me

Many people will say that, "They are the luckiest girl in the world cause they married the best guy ever." Well, I am not here to say that, but what I am here to say is I married the right guy for me and here are some reasons why......

I am a sensitive person, and Michael is highly in tune to my feelings both good and bad, happy or sad. I need that and I love that about him!

He wants me to be happy and 99.9% of the time, he gives up what he wants for the good of the family or our relationship. (Not because I force him, or that he is a push over, it is just he is wanting to do good for others, especially those he loves and cares about).

To illustrate his sensitivity, the other night I was complaining about how it took me a half an hour or so to warm up in bed so that I could fall asleep. It was looking like it was going to be another cold night. I went to grab another blanket, and came back to find him under the covers on my side of the bed. When I asked what he was doing, he said, "I am warming up your side of the bed." I climbed into bed as he scooted over, and instead of lying on cold sheets I was wrapped in warmth! I just love my Honey! Then we laughed as he vocalized how cold his side of the bed was :)

I love when he combs my hair. This morning he grabbed my comb and stood in front of me and combed my hair. Such a tender moment!

I struggle a lot with my self confidence on MANY levels. He hasn't cured me, but I am little by little starting to believe more in myself and in divine qualities I do possess, because of his tenderness, consistency, even firmness when I don't believe in myself or let the children "walk all over me". I find myself counseling with him more, which is helping me to believe in myself, not live in "mommy guilt land" and when to "draw the line" in parenting. I am slowly starting to say and do things that will hopefully make a difference in our home. Things I really struggle with doing on my own cause I am figuratively stuck in my ways, some of which are doing more harm than good. This has been with a lot of trial and error, since we both have come into this with weaknesses. But, now I am really learning HOW much I need him, and love him. Looking back on this week and these past 7 years I am starting to learn what the scripture means, "Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." How refining this experience has been. He is really helping me with my weaknesses in a way that no one or thing could ever do. Together with the Lord's help, we are on this journey facing whatever life throws our way, both good and bad. No gift Michael could ever compare to the gift he is currently providing by truly being my Helpmeet.

A Good Friday!

Friday we celebrated Easter at my parent's house. Mike bar-b-qued some tri-tips on his new bar-b-que and we headed on over for some good ol' fashioned Easter fun. The pictures are a bit of order so bear with me.

We had an Easter egg hunt. We counted the eggs prior so we didn't leave any behind for the lawn mower (not that it has ever happened before..........wink wink). We counted 96 candy filled eggs!

Jesse checking out what he got.

In the end, Damien got 35, Max 31 and Jesse 30.

In this picture Max didn't want to be in it, instead he wanted to sit and count his eggs.

Max proud of what he found.

Giving some clues to my VERY competitive boys

We let Katelynn start first and boy that was not a popular arrangement for Max and Jesse. They were certain that Katelynn was going to get ALL the eggs. We held them back as long as possible and then they were off......No worries Katelynn was no competition for these boys, she found her few and sat and ate the candy while all the mayhem was going on around her.

We tried to hide the eggs in "hard" places. But, Damien has been doing this for about 12 years now and knows ALL the hiding places in Grandma's backyard. The trampoline and swing set added a change of pace...

Tried out some bubble making.

Egg dying.....of course

EWWW......

Learning from the Master.....

This year we tried a new technique, we used a rubber band and wrapped it around the egg....it added a cool affect.

Freshly done!

See that full cup of yellow egg dye? Yeah, it got knocked over.....

Mark carefully observing his Uncle, wishing he could be apart of the Easter fun!

Upon prior approval, I ditched the traditional bunny cake for these....same idea and fun to make.

Happy Easter!

I wanna GREEN thumb!

Yesterday we got to work around here and we got our garden started, among other things. Below is our garden (obviously). But per a Sister's request, I will label the squares.

From top left to right we have: Watermelon, empty, cantaloupe, and cucumber.

Middle row: Jalapeno, cilantro, and maybe something else?? ((oops)) we'll find out later :)

Final row: Cherry tomatoes, radishes, empty, and Big Boy tomatoes!

We have our viney plants growing along the back row so that they can grow up our "lattice" worked pretty good last year. Hoping for a watermelon this year. Last year it got as big as a cantaloupe then cracked along the bottom before it ripened :(

Here is my first potted plant :) and transplant. My friend gave me some berry plants that she brought from her parent's house. (Need to ask her again what type she gave me). I took them home, put them in my garden until we got a new home for it. While there, it grew pretty good. When I got the plant, it was just twigs, since February it has gotten leaves and a lot taller. We are hoping to get some berries off it someday. Never grew one of these before, so we'll see how it goes. So far...looks good!

In the front of the house, we planted some flowers. Hopefully they survive! Among our flowers we planted two strawberry plants. Again, this is new for us. So, we'll see how they turn out.

Strawberry!

We are novices at this whole gardening thing. We have had successes, and some major fails. But it is fun!

We seeded the grass and spread some manure.

It is nice to finally have grass in the front after having rock hard dirt there!