Yesterday was one of those days that did not go as planned. The big boys were out of school for the day. I was excited to have them home and truly looking forward to spending time with them.
But, (there's always a 'but', right?) I had been up all night the night before. So instead of play, there was just a tired mama with very little patience.
I was sad about this missed opportunity until I found this today while sweeping the kitchen.
Remember Philip's Valentines last year? His teacher had her students write a personal note to each child in the class. It encourages their writing skills and hopefully sets the stage early that a hand-written note is always best!
Well, Daniel finished up his Valentines last night while Philip and I did homework. Apparently, he had one left over and so he wrote to Philip, "You are my best friend." Melt my heart...
I pray daily for my boys to have at least one good friend to travel through their school years together, but to be reminded that they have each other makes me so very happy! And it is also serves as a reminder that even when they don't get the best of me, they have each other. What a blessing!
And so another hunting season has come and gone for the Gill family. I can't say I'm sorry to see it go, but I will say we had a good time.
In November, the boys and I are always excited to get up to the camp with Chris. I can relax and everyone has a good time. December is busy and trips aren't frequent. Then there's January. Chris goes every weekend...usually with a boy or three along. By the time the season closes, I'm ready for some normalcy!
Daddy has some big shoes to fill!
I do love the memories that we make there. I love seeing my boys in the outdoors...playing, exploring, and rarely hunting! It seems William is the only one really interested in the actual hunting part.
William and Daniel with Phyllis...the cat named for PawPaw by camp members
This weekend Philip and Daniel chose to stay with me each time Chris and William went out. Once while another member was cleaning a deer, Daniel said to me with tears in his eyes, "Mama, deer are just too pretty to shoot." Philip then questioned how hunting even got started. As I talked about hunting for food, Daniel said, "I like the meat. I just wish we could buy it at the market."
the boys terrified of Daddy's New Year's Eve fireworks!
Thankfully, Chris doesn't put pressure on anyone to hunt and equally thankfully he has William who loves all things hunting!
Everyone has a favorite part about the camp, but John's right now is the tractors. (Not ironic that each boy has loved this part at his age!) All day, he'd say to me, "ride tractor, ride tractor." Here's a cute clip of my up-and-coming country music star...
So goodbye hunting season...goodbye cramped trailer. See you in November!!
Trust me these mice have played! Daddy is enjoying a weekend in the woods alone. So the boys and I are enjoying some time to break bend the rules a bit and have some fun! There were a few tears when he left...
We started with ice cream after school. Moon Pie ice cream for all.
Friday night was homemade pizza night. I used a new recipe for the dough and it was delish! The boys at it up. Susan and Campbell join us and visited for awhile after the boys went to bed.
Saturday night started early. William and John joined me for snuggles...then we headed downstairs. I went to bed with my sink looking like this (a Daddy no-no)...
so I started washing. I had promised Daniel that I would wait on him for breakfast. See he requested demanded chocolate muffins for breakfast. I spent the week looking for a recipe that satisfied his requirements while also being breakfast worthy. I found this and we loved it!
I'm glad everyone participated in the cooking because they got to see the healthy ingredients and hopefully draw the conclusion that healthy can taste good!
There may have been a dance party that got a little out of control...
Then off to a birthday party. Only the Davidson's would give a bunch of boys plates of shaving cream...
On the way home, we drove by the church. I had to stop and snap this shot. Made me smile!!!
After some quiet nap time for John, we headed outside for our new favorite game...Tackle Tag. A little violent, maybe, but boy do these boys love it! It definitely gets the energy out.
A few stories and Lego building and before you know it, it's time for MOVIE NIGHT!! Complete with popcorn and lots of candy. (C, your popcorn directions were awesome!! So easy!)
We watched Peter Pan. Well, I say "we". John did a lot of this during the movie!
The movie was great...perfect for my guys. Daniel (my homebody!) was so worried about whether Wendy, Michael, and John were going to make it back home. He asked me every 5 minutes!
Tomorrow it's back to the real world. We've got church, Sunday School, and lots of laundry/housework to do. And that other guy that lives here returns home.
I hope the boys have enjoyed our time together this weekend as much as I have! Fun memories!
Adult ADD...I think I have it. These days I have little bursts of free time...three boys at school and John napping or after everyone goes to bed. The bursts are generally about an hour and a half long. "How do I best spend my time?" I often think to myself.
There are first and foremost my responsibilities...cooking supper, cleaning the house, tending to laundry, bill paying, etc. Then there are my passions...extra time in the kitchen to fix something special, time at the sewing machine stitching something up for William, John, or Campbell, reading, etc. There are new hobbies I want to pursue...especially vegetable gardening...and I need to start learning. And, of course, there is that telephone and all my friends I like to catch up with!
At times, I am frozen by the possibilities! Don't know what to do with myself. I'm working on balance. That is my New Year's Resolution!
Nothing else much to report from here. We are carrying on with January, and as always, I won't be sad to see it go. It's cold and grey. I need sunshine. I need it now. I can handle cold...just give me sunshine. Till then, there's always homemade hot chocolate. It makes us happy.
A few pictures to share...
I have been sewing again like crazy. Funny how a few projects kick me in gear and make me want to do more. William saw me smocking a dress for Campbell last night and asked when I was going to make something for him. Better get on it...he's not getting any younger.
William has learned how to ride a bike. He's been on the tricycle for awhile, but now we've got the big boy bike down!
Many trips to the hunting camp for little boys. They have a blast but it does leave us a little tired.
Maybe there will be more to report later. For now, we are just living the life one day at a time!
At least that's how John saw it. Daddy took his three older brothers to the camp Friday night to do this...
and he was left behind.
But, sweet JohnJohn, I want you to know how much I enjoyed our time together. You played so happily at my feet Friday night while I prepared dinner for your Aunt Susan and Aunt Mary Dawson. You pushed trucks around and played with tools...no one bothered you or distracted your play.
After some good snuggling Saturday morning, we enjoyed breakfast in front of the fire.
We took two stroller rides with Aunt Mary Dawson and snuck in visits to GranGran and PopPop and Aunt Susan, Uncle Rob, and baby Campbell.
You took a fabulous nap which allowed me to finish this for baby Campbell to wear after her baptism.
The time alone with you was just what I needed. I hope you enjoyed it as much as me!!
And friends, I'll leave you with the only picture I took of sweet Campbell and her mama on her christening day!
Today is the day before school starts. Instead of spending it enjoying time off with my boys, I cleaned. The house was a post-Christmas mess, and I had lots of people coming over.
William and I hosted his teachers and classmates from Trinity for a last goodbye. I strongly felt that he needed a chance to say goodbye...to get some closure. Because the last time he saw his teachers and friends, he thought they would be together again. Unfortunately, they will not.
Trinity Children's Center has closed its doors indefinitely. My sweet boy will be headed to Westminister which thankfully feels pretty close to home too. The director made room for him and his friend, Claire. I'm glad they've got each other and I'm glad that he and I know his "new" school so well. The transition couldn't be easier.
But goodbye is hard. As Ms. Donna hugged him goodbye this afternoon, I got teary. She has loved on my boy for two years now and to be honest, it's hard to imagine school without her.
But life's about transitions, so here we go. A new school for a new year. Wish us luck!!
