Boys Birthday Bonanza

We have a family tradition we started on Belle's third birthday.  Every child on their actual birthday gets a day with mom and dad all to themselves and they get completely and ridiculously spoiled.  It usually involves their theme park of choice, meals, games and lots of extra treats that we can never do with all 4 kids together.  I LOVE this tradition.  But, this year a family vacation landed right in the middle of our older boys birthday week (their birthdays are a few days apart).  So, we went back to the tradition we had when it was just the two of them and we had a birthday weekend.  It was so much fun to have these two together.

We stayed at the Grand Californian and somehow got the bunk bed room they always wanted without even requesting it (#welookedlikeawesomeparents)- woot!  woot!  We spent two days with the two of them and then on the third day we were joined with more family members.  It was a fantastic trip and one I hope the boys always remember. 

There was also a ton of reminiscing between myself and hubby... we never have time with just the two of them like we did before the other two came along and it was nice.  They have blossomed into amazing little (i mean BIG) boys.  Cuddlebear is the oldest and the son that made me a mom.  He is amazing, sweet, intelligent and he is the best big brother in the world.  This one is so attached to our family right now that he cries when he doesn't have time to play with his siblings (usually bc he has too much homework or soccer ran late).  Captain Crazy was a crazy toddler but he is now the most considerate, sweet and loving child around.  He is witty and insanely funny.  He loves women and thinks they should be treated like royalty which is fantastic for Belle and myself.  Captain sings me love songs, tells me I am beautiful and loves for hubby to kiss me or tell me something sweet.  I am one lucky mom to have these two amazing kids.

I love our real tradition, but this years detour was nice too!

Here are some pics:

Getting back on the horse... blogger style

Wow... life happens and if you blink years can pass by.  Especially, when you have 4 kids and own two businesses and are in the process of expanding.  Days and weeks just merge together between homework projects, work reports etc...

I got so lost in the whirlwind BUT then I started reading the book "The Happiness Project" and realized how much fun I had blogging about my life.  It was my pause button.  My moment to stop... to reflect on the days chaos and see the beauty that existed within it.  It was magic to me.  Not to mention the added benefit of being able to recall that magic whenever I am in front of the internet. 

So, I decided to get back on the horse and start blogging again.  It is really great timing anyways because life is great right now and I know that there will be rain clouds to come and I want to remember how life only brings you what you can handle.  How the darkest days can bring the brightest tomorrows.  And, this is how I will do it.  My own pause and rewind buttons for life.

Spooktastic Times!!

This time of year is crazy.  It seems like once October comes... you blink and it's the New Year.  I am trying this year to slow it down and enjoy all the small moments.  I feel so so VERY blessed to have the amazing family that I do.  I feel fortunate now for the struggles we went through together bc in some crazy way it has formed this amazing unbreakable bond that feels surreal.

 Right now life feels SO GOOD!!!  The kids are all getting along impeccably.  They are all respectful and loving towards us.  They all are doing well in school.  And, they are all happy.  Life is as good as it gets.  Seriously, people I am just soaking it up and my heart feels like it could just burst.  There were so many tearful, sleepless nights when Sweet M* first came home that this day was never even in my dreams.  This was something I assumed I had robbed my family of.  And, yet somehow now it is mine and it is real.  Thankful... I suppose thankful is the right word and a fitting word as me move onto the Thanksgiving holiday.

 I am thankful that God brought our family together.  I am thankful for the amazing support we received from our family and friends.  I am thankful I married a man who walks through everything with me and tries everyday to make me smile (no matter what).  I am thankful for each of my children and their amazing personalities and unique qualities.

 Just thankful!!!