Little boys are just superheros in disguise...

I can't tell you how many times I get asked what life is like with two little boys.  Friends, co-workers, random strangers on the street or in the museum.  My response, "There's never a dull moment".  Clearly, on a Tuesday evening after work and school, capes, fire department hats, and underwear are just a mere sample of what our house is like.

I watch little girls sit contently at a restaurant coloring pages in a princess coloring book and wonder, "did I bring enough in my bag of tricks to keep my two entertained so I can crush down my salad before one of them has a meltdown?"  Shoot, dinner at our own house is complicated enough.  Staying in their seats, not screaming at the top of their lungs because they think it's funny, and lately, not spraying the food they've chewed up at each other are our daily dining battles.

It's go-go-go all the time.  From one activity to the next, barely taking the time to clean up one thing before another is out and interest is lost.  It's a miracle if we've made it a day without stepping accidentally on a hot wheel car (have you ever stepped on one?!  ouch!!!!!).  I have no problem hitting my step goal on my fitbit with these two these days.

But, I wouldn't trade if for the world.

I fight for those snuggles, cuddles, and kisses as they're few and far these days.  They're far too busy for that gushy stuff.  But, when they make the time for "Mama bear", there is no love like a little boy and their mama.  And for that, I'll excuse the messes they make, the noise they bring to the house, the chaos, the exhaustion, and the frustration of raising little boys.

So, here's my real answer to what life is like with two little boys:

You will never have this day with your children again.  Tomorrow they will be a little older than they were today.  This day is a gift.  Just breathe and notice.  Smell and touch them.  Study their faces and little feet.  Pay attention.  Relish the charms of the present.  Enjoy today.

A little of this and a little of that

We are on the home stretch with the school year!  Starting the 4th card marking this week, I'm elated.  Disney World is a mere 64 days away with fastpass reservations coming up this Friday!  I won't admit how many hours I've put into researching and creating an itinerary to be able to make the said fastpasses, but I'll just say that it's become my nightly addiction.

Spring break came and went so fast, as it always does.  While we didn't have any major plans, we enjoyed getting some things done around the house (cuz, ya know, brewing beer is high on the priority list) and playing with the boys.  Sean had a field trip to go bowling Tuesday and a trip to get ice cream on Wednesday, so we sent the boys to school.  Which was a blessing!  Scott and I were able to head down to Greektown for some gambling, lunch, and a Tiger's day game!  It was a little chilly, but it was so awesome!

It definitely helped that they won!  There was certainly no winning going on at the casino.  Oops!

The rest of the week was spent taking the boys out as much as we could.  A Friday morning trip to Airtime and Panera for lunch is now turning out to be a tradition.  We picked up a movie at the library on the way home for later that evening.  We're on a mission to expose the boys to some of the Disney classics like 101 Dalmations, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, and many more before our trip.

Saturday morning I met my mom at Great Lakes Crossing to finally go to Sea Life Aquarium.  The boys fought over the single umbrella stroller (my mistake...) throughout the entire exhibit, but it was still neat to see the stingrays and baby sharks.  The rest was just....mehhh?  Considering our tickets were just shy of $80, I was expecting a bit more.  More variety of fish, more interactive exhibits, something.

We went right next door to the Rainforest Cafe for lunch.  Second time over the span of a year...and Evan is just as scared as he was the first time.  I ended up eating my lunch with him in the bar away from the "gorillas".  Poor little guy.  Should I be worried about our T-Rex dinner reservation at Downtown Disney?

Sunday, our last day of break, we decided not to be cliche and stay home getting ready for the work week with grocery shopping, laundry, and other chores.  We took the kids to an early morning showing of Home at the theaters, ate popcorn for lunch, and came home to ride bikes and enjoy the warm temps!

I made a delicious crockpot lasagna for dinner and we had a bonfire in the backyard to burn all the sticks that fell during the winter.  No bonfire would be complete without s'mores...yum!

And just like that, it was over.  I think my favorite part of spring break each year is the realization, the glimpse, of what summer vacation will be like.  Every year, as the boys get older, we are able to do more things as a family.  We can push the envelope on naps, we can go on family bike rides (yes, Evan is riding Sean's old bike!!), we can go "diaper bag free" out in public.  It's liberating and exciting.  I passed on summer school this year so the summer is wide open.  If this week was any indication as to what life could be like this summer, we are in for an amazing one!  Less than 9 weeks...bring it on!

Hope, Renewal, and New Life

A friend posted a quote recently about Easter and it resonated with me.  "Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life."  With so many things up in the air in our life right now and so much change on the horizon, I needed this reminder that God has a plan for us and to trust in Him.
I hope that we have our answers soon, whatever they may be and that I will be at peace with what those answers are.

I embrace the possibility of renewing a former part of our lives.  Being reconnected with people and our hometown.

I strive for a new life with new possibilities for our family and it's ever-changing needs.

And so, in the mean time, Easter came quickly this past weekend.  I know I wasn't the only one that felt caught off guard with how it snuck up on a lot of us this year.  Scrambling to prepare Easter baskets, finalize plans, and stuff plastic eggs, we started our spring break rushed.

We managed to dye eggs.

We met friends in Southfield for a Marshmallow Drop on a beautiful morning.  It was quite a feat not getting the boys to actually eat the marshmallows.  Adrenaline was pumping as we ran across the field ready to scoop up a marshmallow and head back to trade it in for a prize.  We even were lucky enough for Channel 4 news to capture Evan trying to sneak a lick or two of the marshmallows!  Our big TV star...

Scott and I escaped that evening for dinner and bowling with some good friends.  The boys were snug in bed at Grandma and Grandpa's house loaded up on sugary treats from their Easter basket.  The following morning we all went to an Easter Egg Hunt in Rochester and to lunch at Rochester Mills.  It was a ridiculously chilly morning.  Hats, gloves, the whole lot were needed.  But, we all enjoyed our morning out.

They even got lucky with an encounter with the ever-busy Easter bunny!

We made it back home to Plymouth late afternoon on Saturday.  It was nice having a relaxing evening at home before Easter morning.  It gave me time to assemble my french toast casserole I was in charge of baking for brunch and to finalize the baskets.

Easter morning was the usual scramble.  Sean was up at 5am ready to look for his basket.  We were lucky enough to get him to go back to bed, but he was back up by 6:30am.  So, baskets were found, toys were assembled, a small breakfast was put out, and everyone got ready for church.  9am mass was packed.  We stood the whole time in the back and the kids were amazingly well behaved.  I was impressed - how about some of that hope, renewal, and new life with their behavior?

And we capped off the Easter celebrations with brunch at my sister-in-law's house and an egg hunt for the kids in our backyard.

As the Lenten season came to an end this weekend, I try to remain positive that while life is continuing on and we are keeping the kids busy, big things are happening behind the scenes for us. I don't have the answers today and may not for a while, but I trust that what's meant to be, will be.

For now, I'm almost grateful that rain is in the forecast all week.  It forces me to slow down, rest, and reboot.  I have some new books with my name on it, Groupons to AirTime for the boys, and cleaning projects that have been put off for too long.     I just hope it doesn't rain tomorrow from 1-4pm...let's go Tigers!