This Is How We Do It...

The boys showing off their stuff....Enjoying a beautiful September evening, with some golfing, walking for Kys, and getting that last bit of energy out after a long day.

A walkin, wobblin, Ky

An escapee down the sidewalk

Future Locker wanna be (football is a little heavy :))

Price Cousin Gathering

Rachel and Lindsay, two of Chris's cousin's organized a Price cousins night.  ALL of the cousins were able to make it, so we had to take a picture to prove it!  Overall it was a nice night to get caught up, have a delicious dinner, and see everyone.  Our boys kind of ran the show with all of their loud, crazy, aggressiveness.  Although Tom "Tackle Tom" and the wild dogs, didn't exactly help in trying to stay calm.  I think everyone was going into this as a nice, relaxed, quiet evening, but little did they know what kind of atmosphere my boys bring with them.  Kader is just too dang perfect still and doesn't say a peep.  Cute little duder.  And after that Lindsay and Tom are expecting their first in February... So we are STILL waiting for everyone else, but after nights like these I can see why they are waiting....:)

Top Row: Elizabeth and Rich, JJ and Rachel, Lindsay and Tom (Brody), Me (Crew) Emily
Bottom Row:  Becca, Cole (Kade) Chris (Kyler) and Hayley. 

A little music in the mix....

Emily patiently helping a very curious and focused Brody play her violin.

Tom bringing the boys together yet again with another loud activity...

Brodes really needs an animal...Everywhere we go, he is drawn to them, and just loves them. Some day, we have enough 'animals' and young ins already the way it is!

Thanks Lindsay and Rachel for organizing this, it was great to see everyone!  Linds your hospitality was great and we found out quickly how kid proof your house is for baby.  Even if Tom used the kids for mops on the floor with food and crackers all over.  Never mind the dog poop, and the cars racing across the hardwood...

Lotsa Snot... & "Unplugged"

It must be the start of school because 4/5 of us are sick. I am the one to blame bringing home the germs, and it hit me first, so for the past 4 days I have been in bed early, and not feeling very good with a sore throat and head cold, yuck! Nothing like having to take care of yourself being sick, sick kids, and getting up and working through it.  I don't have enough humidifiers! I finally took a sick day yesterday, and Chris took a sick day today. Crew has managed to stay mostly snot free, and Kyler and Brody have had some temperatures along with their head colds.
Round 1, it is just the beginning of cold season, so I am hoping since we are getting it early we can stay clear for while. Although I am not counting on it!
Not a very exciting post, but we have been laying low around here.

Although it worked out to be the perfect week for the "Unplugged Challenge" I gave to my freshman.  We signed a contract to no texting, facebook, twitter, online gaming, computer use, email, etc for 3 days.  It is completely crazy how dependent this generation is with social media and networking.  Day one I thought they were going to die, a girl even told me she felt like throwing up...I got death looks from some, and most of them responded really well, and agreed that since they sleep with their phones on their pillows it might be a good choice to see what life was like without it.  Now the one's that actually completed the challenge are so proud of themselves.  It was a great experiment to try, and even for myself giving up facebook a few weeks back has really been good.  We survived...It is hard to remember what it was like before all of this, especially for 14 year olds, it is all they know...

F double O, T B A double L "Football"

So you might say I have a little school spirit right now. After 3 weeks of school, 2 home football games running the concessions (for FBLA), and selling over 300 hot dogs with me behind the grill, seeing lots of people and remembering why I like LHS so much, I can still say I love our school spirit and pride.
I have a new energy being back after taking a year off, and I am finding that I am enjoying my students more than ever. They may not think all of my jokes are that funny, or computers are that cool, but I have a good start on some nicknames for them, and a really great group of students in my classes. I feel as though I use to teach to teach, but now I have a new appreciation not only for my job, but being a mom in general, and feel it is my calling to really try to connect to each and everyone of my students, and try to just go with the flow more.
Crew got to take some quarters in his wallet because him and Lane got to go pizza before the game. He was estactic, it is so crazy to see how grown up he is becoming, and just seeing him run around with other boys at the game.
He kept taking his wallet in and out of his back pocket, because that's where dad's keep their wallets, he said.

Chris came to the game too with Kys and Brody in the stroller, they did great, and of course it made my night getting repeat visits at the concession stand. Although they kind of already act like they own the place with trying to take whatever they want..

Brodes and his Toy Story shrine. He is having a ton of fun with his new babysitters. He gets really excited to see them, so it makes this whole process a lot easier. Although when I get home there is always a very long and much needed snuggle time.

He is obsessed with cars and airplanes right now, and still loves numbers and counting. And his terrible twos have become a little less terrible, but he is very much an instigator for all of the countless hours of wrestling and fighting with Crew. I still can't not figure out his skinny body has so much power to give Crew such a fight!

He is still our little "doot doot", coming into our bed in the middle of the night, reaches his arms up high with both "neenies" and is just too sweet to say no too. They always say your kids won't want to sleep with you forever right? His snuggles are just too hard to resist!

Have a pumpkin spice candle going today, some Husky football on (they are sucking big time), turned it off, and decided to do some picture stuff....A nice relaxing Saturday afternoon, and the boys are all napping. I think they could sense that mom needed some quiet time....

Happy Birthday MEMI

We hope your day was as wild and crazy as we are! I am sure your students kept you on your toes!

Enjoy your night and we are looking forward to dinner and pictures this weekend. It was fun tearing up your classroom. Thank you for making time for us in your busy schedule, it is always a treat to spend the day with you and papa. WE LOVE YOU!

Amazing Grace and Amazing Woman

I have started spending more time at night after the kids are in bed on YouTube playing different music videos, to relax and have some quiet time. Chris Tomlin and Jeremy Camp are two of my favorite right now...Tonight I came across Chris Tomlin's "Amazing Grace"... Every time I hear this song, it can almost be instant tears. Tears of joy, tears of memories, and tears of hope.

One of the very most influential people in my life, my Grandma Pat, this was her favorite song, and it brings me back to her funeral, and they way she lived her life every time I hear it. It has been 12 1/2 years, and I still miss her so much and know how much she would enjoy her great grand kids, she was like a second mom to me. I can only hope I can touch someone's life like she did mine. I learned so much from her, in every situation, she always showed love, and always cared about everyone. She kept herself very busy, but always had time for the people she cared about. To her, there wasn't anything that couldn't be worked through, and she had such a way with people, that they still talk about her today. I am so thankful for God's promise, I keep a small Dutch couple, snow globe on my dresser....Crew gets to shake it and we talk about meeting Grandma Pat someday in Heaven.

Love this one too

It Probably Won't be the Last Time

Kys is really trying to walk, and happened to hit just the right spot on the kitchen chair to get his first shiner. Day one, it still looks pretty good. This picture of him crying reminds him so much of his daddy. Ha.

Day two, the color is starting to pop more...

Day 3...Poor dude....

And I couldn't even blame one of his brothers for this one!

Thursday Night Lights & Long Weekend

The sounds of Fall are in the air! Thursday evening the Lynden Football team always holds night practices and since we are SO close to the HS, Crew could hear them chanting and yelling, he started yelling at me "mom! football is BACK". So he begged me to take him over there to watch the guys. Big adventure for a school night, and we walked over to check out the action and he ran around and played.
By the way I LOVE LOVE LOVE today. A Monday holiday, a full weekend of being with my family, and now a nice relaxed RAINY day, to top off. Man I love it!
We had the chance to kick off Husky football season in true form at Court and Shane's new place, and the family was all decked out in purple and gold, and beads galore. You would have thought of the million pictures I take we could have gotten a family shot... nope. Kyler is 10 1/2 months and still no family picture. It was a great day, although Husky's lost, and Chris is still shaking his head about it. We loaded up our riding toys and all the kids had a great time playing together.
What a goofy dude.
Chris and Kobe, what cool mom to be sporting the roller blades and playing some hockey! This picture just cracks me up...

Brodes and Kyle. At these kind of gatherings, he won't be too far away for a quick trip back to grab some more snacks.

Cookies...You would think by the way this kid can eat, he would be a lot bigger than his skinny, muscular, rail that he is. He is so quick, and I have been calling him"scuttle" lately, short for scuttle bug because of the way he speeds around and never stops moving. He is crazy on his plasma car, watch out!

Court and my favorite niece K K.

Josh and Kys

Brody and Cole in some serious conversation.

Court's house definitely got worn in after all of the kids running and eating everywhere...

Court and Shane's lawn just got put in by hydro seed earlier that day, so we couldn't walk on it. They made Trey go out and pick up some cups that had blown onto it... Good job buddy!

Alright back to our new normal tomorrow, Chris has his 5 night stretch, so we will keep hoping and praying that things continue to go smoothly!

Daddy Daycare & First Day

At least Nana got to get him ready and take some pictures...

He was in his PJ's when I left...but thanks to Photoshop (very quick attempt) I could place Crew and I in the same back to school picture I was hoping for :)

Ky is SO close to walking...stands up in the middle of the room on his own and was so excited to see me when I got home yesterday he even took 2 steps!

One of the things I am looking forward to now that I am back at work is that Chris has the opportunity to have his kids all day by himself a couple days a week. Not that he hasn't taken responsibility in the past, but lets just say a full 8 hours with all three of them is new. Both mornings I rushed out of the house and at least 2 of the kids were either crying or asking for something as he was running around trying to get everyone breakfast. Let me tell you, it felt real great to say "I love you guys, see you LATER!" Ha. It will be great for us to share these duties more now that we are both full time. We have already talked many times on being more efficient and time management. Are we running a business?

Only 4 days have gone by and I already appreciate those whinny, beautiful, dirty, loving faces of theirs so much more as I come in the door at 3:00. Now it is a whole other battle with trying to not only make up for that precious time I missed with them all day, but to find a chance to walk in the door, breathe, and make sure things are clean, and dinner is made? Being home was busy, very busy, but some days it seemed more mentally draining than anything. Now my days are still very busy, but different kinds of busy all in one. I honestly, wholeheartedly, am embracing this challenge. Even if our first home football game is this Friday so I will basically be up at the school from 7 am-10 pm. I have great classes and I am already enjoying my students and have a feeling this semester is going to fly by!

Bedtime for me is now before 9, kids' schedules are now starting to sink in, and a new routine is in full force. Crew did great on his first day of preschool yesterday. I missed taking him and picking him up, but boy did I get the earful of all the fun stuff he did. Nothing makes me more happy than having the chance to hear him talk about his day, this kid can be such a kick in the pants. Today when I got home to told me that Shelbie (one of his babysitters) was his girlfriend, but only when she lets him do what he wants. Then he asked me if he could go hang with his friends across the street....

Brody and Kyler seem to be adapting pretty well, both have been fussier and more clingy but I kind of expected that. The main thing for me is that I just need to reprioritze, try to simplify in this crazy schedule. Be more organzied, but not run myself ragged, and miss the true meaning of what God is calling me to do. I have already made some changes to "declutter" and really want to focus on the things that are most important. A teammwork approach with Chris and I, and a lot of faith, we will not only "get through" this time, but really learn a lot, and become a stronger family in the end.

Here is something I read today out of Jesus Calling, it really seemed fitting:

"Living in dependence of Me is a glorious adventure. Most people scurry aournd with their noses to the ground, trying to accomplish things through their own strength and ability. Some succeed enormously; and others fail miserably. But both groups miss what life is meant to be: living and working in collaboration with Me.

When you depend on Me cointinually, your whole perspective changes. You see miracles happening all around, while others see only natural occurences and "coincidences." You begin each day with joyful expectation, watching to see what I will do. You accept weakness as a gift from Me, knowing that My power plugs in most readily to consecrated weakness. You keep your plans tentative, knowing that My plans are far superior. You consciously live, move, and have being in Me, desiring that I live in you. I in you, and you in Me. This is the intimate adventure I offer you."

Tomorrow's already Friday! Woohoo! 3 days off and Chris has it off to, ready for some Lion's and Husky football!