Busy Busy Busy

I feel I am so busy, but don't want to be. Sometimes we go go go and I want to be more like Bo and just pick up sticks, grass and rocks and just look at them with wonder. Can't we all be more like Bo? Day's go way to fast these days. I feel like it is always morning time, getting Baylen out of his crib while he hands me everything in it. It is always time for coffee and breakfast for the kids in pj's. It is always time for hang out time just going through the house doing random things. It is always lunch time, nap time, snack time, and then dinner time. Time to sing our dinner prayer, clean up dishes and rooms, go outside for icecream cones and catching lightning bugs, bath or pool time, reading and lights out. My point is the cycle goes on and on and I feel it is like spinning and I want to slow it down. Is it possible I have a eight, five and one year old? Is it possible that Riley is gone from this earth when I was just bringing her home? Is it possible that Walker is ten and I have been married almost 12 years? Is it possible that my little sister is about to have a baby? The second I start to get worked up about something, as if Satan is saying, come on, you should be stressed or worried about this, God gives me a wake up call and says, no, no no, just be. Just let me take the reins and lead on, you just enjoy. I get thinking and obsessing about the little things and then I remember that I am just a little speck in this world. I think of doctors, leaders and friends that are sick have way more on the line then I do...is this craft good enough, is this fitness routine perfect enough, is this dinner healthy enough, am I a good mommy, wife, daughter, friend, sister? I realize that I do the best I can do, and I know that as long as I am enjoying what I am doing, letting God lead the way and always putting others first then I will be just fine....

Good ole summer days as a stay at home mom

Did I mention how much I enjoy being a stay at home mom...that is not sarcastic, I am being serious. It is never boring and ever so changing. For instance, I sat down to post this blog and in five minutes before I could type two words, I changed a diaper, sat down, got Samantha more mac'n'chees, sat down, answered the phone, sat down, let Walker out, sat down, put Baylen down for a nap, sat down, got Bo some chocolate milk, sat down and pushed "play" on the movie....this is suppose to be quiet time while mommy blogs and does chores time...while still getting some one on one time with the kids, no wonder Bay's two hour nap goes so fast....
Any hoo, wanted to comment that I love summer time at home with the kids. We have been going to the library a lot, which Kevin thinks is "super cool", now that was sarcastic. Hey, the library totally rocks, free fun for all. And the kids love it! Today we went to a puppet show about Ber' Rabbit, so good. We also checked out new movies and books. Sam and I have been reading our seperate books on the front porch at night, so great! Tomorrow we will go to a magic show...love being a library groupie! Yesterday we went to the kiddie show for a dollar and got candy and popcorn all for just 5 bucks! It was fun to come home and spent the afternoon with nothing to do but build with lego's, drink tea and get our crafts on! Dropped the kids at swim team and Baylen and I went through a stack of mail as he pushed a ball through the grass and I was able to look up every few minutes at Bo giving me a thumbs up after a lap in the pool! Bo, forgot to mention that yesterday he broke his nose while pitching a fit and running into the island in the middle of the kitchen....that boy is sweet as pie, but has a temper! Baylen is pointing at everything and loves his nap. He actually gets excited and laughs when he sees his pack n play and fan. Gotta love that. This morning was awesome hanging in the playhouse before it got really hot, just love being in the front yard and just being. Could see Riley's garden from the playhouse front stoop, we were all together while I read my devotion:
"Being content with your journey" Sometimes we do not focuse on the goal we have such a hurry up attitude of just getting there. Like our kids on a long trip! God is with us always, he wants up to pray to him and ask for help. Are you doing what your true passion is? What is that that you want to do on this earth. Are you doing what your purpose is? Satan is out there throwing road blocks all the time, it is our job to press on, looking forward, not worrying about mistakes we make or how long it takes to get there, but knowing it is a journey and God is right there with as along the way!"

Summer Weekend

Magazines that I love...Real Simple, Prevention, Health, Fitness and Good Housekeeping...incase you were wondering!

Had a fun summer weekend. Just got back from swimming with the kids for a early evening swim. Great feeling when you get the house clean and then go. Went and picked up Barberitos, made them so happy, it is the little things in life you know! Taught Bo how to play categories in the pool and Marco Polo and he loved it! So much fun being in with the kids and just playing. Bo lost his first tooth this weekend and he said, mom you are a genious, you told me to wiggle it and I did and it came out! Hope he always thinks his mom is a genious. I finished the book "Heaven is for Real" it was amazing. I love to read now, feel truley inspired by a good book. Started a book club with mom, starting Eat Pray and Love. Super excited. Sam got Baylen up this am and just played, she war really proud of herself, she had such a happy day! Bo did something amazing today too, he decided to go clean his room on his own and get on his bathing suit and a change of clothes and he even put his slippers by his bed. My sweet sweet babies! Bo made a really cool fort today and he and Sam are sleeping in it tonight as it storms, watching a movie on the laptop. I love my kids, my family, my dogs, my house, Athens....thank you God for my many blessings and please keep them coming!

Saturdays

Gotta love a Saturday. Baylen napping, kids playing outside, daddy sleeping on the couch watching golf, mommy getting a million things done. Taking a break for the kids to play in the sprinkler and for Bo to dress up like darth vader. I abosolutly love when Baylen wakes up from his nap with a sleepy restful look and drinks his water and snacks on a cracker. I remember this with Sam and Bo too, gotta love it.
Had fun picking blueberries with the family this am. Baylen ate more then he picked, Bo loved it and loved to squish them, Samantha not so much, she was so hot, hotter then in her whole life. So fun picking and eating and showing the kids what farming and healthy eating is all about!
Headed to the pool for late afternoon swim and dinner...maybe a little margaritta on the front porch after the kiddos go to bed. Walker loves chillin on the porch at night while hubby and I swing on the front porch swing and finally talk for the day....love summertime
Oh and the ice cream cone I had this afternoon on the porch with the kids was amazing also! It is so cool how when you are finished there are no dishes! A mother dream...

Bo got his breakfast

Bo got his own breakfast this moring, frosted flakes, he used the biggest spoon in the drawer to dig into the box and got half of the cereal in the bowl and other half on floor and counter. It was the coolest scene ever, the whole time his tounge was out, he tried so hard! Love it!
Ahh, jittery joes coffee and a Friday with nothing to do but hang with the kiddos and Walker (and riley too) and find random things to do around the house....bliss!

Samantha loves soccer!

Oh my check out those thighs!!!!

Baylen decided he wants a popcicle for dessert too!

More Beach

Baylen says say what?

St. Simons in June! Can't beat day 14 at the beach!

Walker does not let the kids out of his site!

Beach fun

Baylen is tired after a day at t-ball and the soccer fields!

Bo playing t-ball for Academy Sports!

What I love

What I love...

Birds chirping in the morning while I am sitting in rileys garden with my coffee and morning devotion

Smelling the air after a summer rain

Being in my cozy house when it storms outside

Hugging Bo because he loves to hug and really hugs back

Listening to the kids make new discoveries and get really excited about things

Rubbing baby lotion on Baylens plump feet

Looking at the rolls of skin Baylen has on his wrists

Rocking Baylen to sleep with his bottle and soft music, just the two of us

Walker laying on my bed at night while I read

Listening to a fan to sleep

Cozy sheets at our beach house

When I make something that is truly yummy for dinner and everyone is delighted

When my mom and dad or sisters just drop by and visit

Going to Target

Watching my kids be kids and just play and then crash

Watching Bo did in the dirt and get dirty

Ice cream in an ice cream cone

Samantha rolling around the house on roller skates

Taking pictures and having one turn out really good

Feeling Riley near me

Date nights with my hubby

Just being at home not having to rush to go anywhere

The few minutes after a workout class when you feel oh so good

Eating healthy and liking it

Feeling God near me

Watching Walker and the kids at the beach and knowing Riley is there too

Family dinners

Bedtime routine having one on one time with each child

Fruity froo froo drinks

Magazines

Organizing something

A clean house

I love

I love...bathtime watching yall get clean and putting baby lotion and Baylen and brushing his hair. Reading chaper books at night with Samantha and having girl talk and journaling with her. Singing your are my sunshine to Bo as he falls asleep. Getting water balloons ready for yall, watching you play in the sprinkler and the yard, sitting on the front porch and playing, family dinner time at the table praying and talking about our day. Watching yall eat icecream cones, watching yall make new discoveries. Just being at the house together with yall in your pjs and me with me coffee with no where to go. Going to the pool and beach. Just being with you, I just can't get enough!

Letter to my kids

Okay so I decided to write each of you a letter about what I think you will be like when you get older as a reflection of your personalities now.
Samantha, Zeppa, Pepper: I can not believe you are eight! You are spunky. You are careful and a rule follower. You want things to be fair, and will let us know when things are not fair or if someone is breaking a rule. You are sensitive and love things very deeply. You are full of energy and are bubbly. You can light up a room with your smile. You have smiling eyes too. You are shy, yet a leader. When you warm up you really shine. You are careful, yet like an adventure. I have never know someone to be so shy and cautious yet at the same time can be such a dare devil and go getter. I am so proud of how far you have come. You use to be so shy and scared to try new things, now you encourage your brothers that it will be okay and to get other there and just do it! You are an awesome soccer player, runner, bike rider and swimmer. You are definitly the competitor. You like to win, you like to win at everything. You are determined to give your best and play hard. You want everyone else to do the same. It is a bad scene when you do not win at something. You are also so creative. You are always coming up with neat crafts to do and new things to make out of just about anything. You dream up the neatest things, from recreating the zoo with popcicle sticks to molding things with clay. You love to pretend and still be a little girl with your Disney princesses, poly pockets, littlest pet shop and barbies. You love to dress up and roll around the house in your roller skates. You are a picky eater and know what you like. You are a big planner. You want everything the way you want it and you want to know the next step at all times. You love to plan for parties and be social. You love events with your friends, yet you love to be home too. You are so well adjusted and more then a could ever dream for in a daughter. You say the cutest things and are staring to do the most grown up things, like going into the library all alone and doing a long list of things that mommy asked for. You do have a temper and you can get so mad so fast. You are a force to be reckoned with! You worry, but try so hard not to. I picture you growing up being a party planner, organizer or an artist. You love to be busy go go go! I know the next few years will be so much fun as you grow and we do new things together, yet still do kid like things since you are so young at heart and have no desire to grow up too fast!

Bo Bo Bo: You are five. You are one special little boy. Today in the car I realized that you will be the class clown. You make everyone laugh, all the time. You are full of energy all day, and then crash. You have the sweetest heart of ANYONE that I know. You always say things like, I love you mommy, I just love you so much, you are so sweet to me, thank you thank you, and the list goes on and on. You love life, and appreciate every little moment of it. You smile all the time and are also so sensitive. You get your feelings hurt easily, you also love very deeply. You want to make everyone happy. You are always so kind and want to share everything that is given to you. You want to be with people and just be, yet you also are able to be so imaginitive in your play. You will play for hours and create the neatest things, I have never seen someone think like you do. You amaze me. You love to be outside. You would sleep out there if you could! You also love to eat, you are always hungry and will try and like just about everything, even though candy is your weakness. Even though you are the life of the party, you are very shy and inverted in new situations. You do the cutest thing with your mouth when you are nervous. You love to catch things, you catch frogs, lizards and crabs like it is nothing. You love to catch them to be your pet. You ask the neatest questions about animals and life in general. Your faith is so deep, you have taught be so much about what Jesus is all about. You are always thinking, your wheels just turn all the time! You are always climbing, dancing or just being silly. You laugh more then anyone I know. You are so cute and fun to be with, and give the best hugs. I see you being a vet, or and actor. Whatever you do you will be perfect at it. I look forward in watching you as you grow up be the hit of the party and the one that everyone wants to be around because you are just so fun and positive. I have a feeling that I will spend a many hours discussion with your teachers your zest for life and "having fun".

Baylen Bay Bay: You are one. Can't believe it. You are so smart. You are always trying to really figure things out. I can see your brain really thinking and wondering about everything you come in contact with. You are sweet, cuddly and so easy going. You love to be close to people and just take your time. You are so handsome and full of life and love. You are careful, yet not afraid. You love to climb, like your brother and love to eat. I see you being our brain of the family and being a doctor and taking care of us like we are taking care of you right now.

Bo news

Bo learned to dive into the pool today, he is so proud. Of course Samantha was not liking him having any attenion so she refused to watch. Baylen loves to just sit and watch people, with the most curious look on his face, wish I knew what that boy was thinking! Samantha and I had a fun girl talk tonight. We made a secret handshake and she asked if we could have girl talk everynight forever...I can only hope. Good day today, Walker enjoyed day 12 on the beach. Love to watch him in the ocean ride the waves. Yummy CJ's pizza...mmm good, had a pizza party watching scooby doo. Fun times on Jordan Lane.

Beautiful day

Another great day. Beautiful skys pure blue and a nice cool breeze, and it is June at the beach! I love St. Simons Island. It is great to be at home away from home. Really looked at my kids today and realized Samantha is a true Brodrick, Bo is a true Carley and Baylen is me! That is who he looks like, it is so neat to watch him. At the pool today he just sat on his knees and watched people walk by. I wonder sometimes what goes on in that little head of his. He does the funniest thing with his mouth. Bo I am so proud of you you swam back and forth in the pool. I loved seeing your little head bob up and down. Nothing like you looking at me, trusting that I will be there to catch you when you swim to me. Sam, you did so good with your headstands in the water and look so cute in your one piece sweet ruffle bathing suit. Loved sitting on the beach today with mom and dad and just listening to the ocean. It was so realxing and perfect. Loved having lunch with my awesome husband at Brogans and bringing home Sam and Bo fudge. Saw a youth on the beach and had a great time talking about our dogs that had passed and how they were watching over us now. A blessed day. Ending with sitting on the porch with Samantha and doing fun picture searches. Love it!

summer fun

Baylen your hair has gotten so blonde. Had so much fun today with you kiddos at the pool and beach. Daddy surprised us today and showed up at the beach house. It was amazing! He walked in and really blew us away! What a great family I have. Love nights at the beach with my family. Loved eating Fried Shrimp at the beach house after a fun day. Bo you make me laugh so much. You were yelling out of the golf cart today funny things at Samantha. Baylen you ate out of a bowl today and were so proud of yourself. Samantha you are so fun to work puzzles with. I rode yall today on the bike to the grocery store, quite an adventure! Bo you have quite the angry temper, you can have outburst so fast. Baylen you loved crawling through the pool today, I love it when you poke out your bottom lip like an old toothless man. Sam you had so much fun surfing the waves today!

Beach Fun

Blogging from the beach! I have had the best week ever, the only thing that could make it perfect is if Riley and Daddy were here! The weather has been beautiful, the kids are perfect and it has been fun being with mom and dad and Walker. I can not believe we have been here at the beach house for 10 days. Some things I love...

Baylens Blonde hair and his cool tan he is getting

Samantha on her Bike barefoot and in a bikini with her cute little self

Bo playing in the front yard with sticks and talking to himself

Walker surfing the waves and how he closes his eyes as he basks in the sun

Baylen sitting on the beach really focusing on the buckets and shovels and what he can do to make all of it work, you can see his little brain ticking!

Samantha working puzzles at the kitchen table.

Bo wanting to go to the pier to get his prize, he picked a devil head with worms this year and Sam got a bird in a bird cage.

Mom and dad loving Walker now.

Taking Riley to the beach and putting her ashes in three places to remember her,

Eating dinner each night as a family

Going to the beach in the am in the golf cart and riding our bikes to the pool in the afternoon

Bo and Sam collecting their pool bands on their arms each day and just walking up to the pool worker and they recognized them

Bo saying he use to know how to ride a bike but he lost his skills, Samantha doing 11 tricks on her bike and doing a bike show.

Baylen playing with Sam and Bo with a yelling game on the golf cart.

Going throught he DQ in the golf cart to get ice cream

Using our coupon book for fun stuff

Running with Baylen in the am while he drinks his bottle and I push the stroller

Going to the library and checking our books and movies

Chill time while Baylen naps with the kids, doing art work and resting together

the list could go on and on, but these are just a few of the things that I love about being at the beach. Samantha, you are so cute, I love you toothless smile and your personality. You are spunky, sweet and so smart. Bo, I love your creativity (you set you books up with figures with them) you always play alone and have something awesome cooked up! You are so cute and fun, and constantly "on". Baylen there is something about your sweet little smile that melts mommies heart. I wish I could just freeze you in time. You love just being. You are so sweet and I love you so much! I love your little toes and your little nose, and your big chubby thighs...

Beach trip

Having an amazing time at the beach with the kids. We have been in St. Simons for a week now. We have a nice little pattern going. I run with Baylen in the am with his bottle. Just thirty minutes. I love to look down at his chubby legs in the stroller. Then I come in and Bo and Sam eat breakfast. We go to the beach at ten with Bo Bay Sam and Walker. Walker has been so much fun to watch at the beach. We have been taking the golf cart. It is so fun. We went through the DQ in the golf cart. We have also gone to the pool in the afternoon in the bike, Sam you have gotten so good at the bike! I pull Bo and Baylen. Sam you ride your Bike in the am while MeMe walks and you go to see Ms. Ann. We have rest time from 1-3 and then head to the pool. Rest time is fun, we play. I love to sleep with yall at night. It is so cozy here to sleep. I am missing Riley so much! It still just hits me like a ton of bricks. Walker is so sweet, I just miss my pie. Walker you watch the kids like a hawk. you are such a nervous ninny. Sam you are doing tricks on your bike. It is so fun to ride home after a big day. We work puzzles, do art work and read books. Walker is so great here. I love every minute of being at the beach. Bo you said you use to know how to ride your bike but you lost your skills. I have the best family ever, I love you so much!