The week of the big

This is probably going to sound weird to all my non-Catholic people ( and maybe to the Catholic people) , but I am sharing anyway. During Communion, there is always one big Eucharist piece that the priest blesses and then breaks up into a few pieces. It is very, very rare to receive one of these pieces because there just aren't that many. Anyway, I have always felt like it was sort of like a lucky omen for the week. I cannot remember the last time I was the lucky recipient, but I know it was way before I had kids. So, last week I got a piece of the BIG!! I knew it was going to be an epic week, and it totally was. 

Aunt Paula & Mom: if I am being totally sacrilegious, I am sorry. I meant well. 

Sunday: (yes, this is a day by day) I got to help "coach" Anderson's soccer team at the Y and it was so much fun. I was completely sore the next day, which speaks to my need to work out more since it was half of a field and they are 4. Being on the field with him and high fiving after he scored was just really, really fun.

And, Max saw a digger!!! So, basically we did win the lottery that week.

Anderson got to play football with Brandon & the neighbors and that was his version of lottery money. ALL he wants to do is play football. Literally, all day long.

Monday: Mom & I painted a space themed firefly thing (sort of a long story on that one) with some wonderful people from Powell as a fundraiser for a teacher. It was so much fun hanging out with her & I was so happy to introduce her to everyone that I work with because she is basically the reason I am able to work there & keep my sanity.

Tuesday: Anderson's first Coach Pitch game! I love seeing Brandon standing on the field with him. It is my happy place. 

*Baseball is NOT my happy place. But, Brandon supporting our kid definitely is. 

And, he got to high 5 Jack after his first hit! I am still resentful that they are not on the same team, but this is a nice consolation. 

Wednesday: Anderson drew this picture of me & him at school. I hope I am not quite that wide in real life, but it is pretty cute. 

Thursday: Bop brought us doughnuts at 6am!

We also had a baseball game that night, but I did not get any pics because chasing Max is a full time job. I mean, I am sore and sweating after the games.

Friday: Birthday party after school-how cute is this picture? I mean, it is terrible quality, but both of them just sitting there and eating pizza is too much. It is really just everything that I wanted in my life.

Then, I had to go back to "work" and forced Anderson to come with me where he sat in the press box with Pops, ate candy that was bought especially for him, wore his new Powell shirt and played football with some older kids. He has a rough, rough life.

Saturday: Another baseball game (and no pics again), followed by 2 birthday parties and...

his first library card! True highlight of my weekend, without a doubt. He kept asking for one and I told him it would be his reward when he could write his whole name. When I told him we were going, he asked, "Can we celebrate after I get it?"  Yes, baby. Yes.

*I love the library and have so many memories of weekly visits there as a kid. Truly, there are a few places from my childhood that I can vividly describe down to the detail and the library is one of them, for sure. I remember where the water fountain was, where the different sections were, the limit of books that could be checked out per person (we met it almost every week), the "computers" that existed at the time in the corner, etc. It was definitely my happy place, too.

One of the parties at Pump it Up. I am so grateful that other moms are nicer than me & have these awesome parties and invite us.

The gymnastics place party was pretty fun for this guy, too.

Sunday:  (I am counting Sunday twice because I can) I hung out with Goose in the church nursery! She was totally crying until she saw me and then we bonded like crazy.

He is such a good big brother. 

Brandon was out of town so I got to "coach" again. I pretty much loved it. 

Also, this was not captured by any pics, but we spent the weekend nights with Noni & Bop, which is always pretty amazing. On Sunday night I said, "We had a pretty good weekend, didn't we?" to which Anderson replied, "Yep, but now we are going to Noni's and that is the real fun." Love.

I was definitely right in my prediction for the week, as it was awesome!

A Weekend

We had a pretty epic weekend a few weeks ago and despite the fact that I am a few weeks behind, I still want to capture it.

First, a park trip with Noni, which is always the perfect way to begin the weekend.

Then we hit up Lowe's to make some binoculars with the Brimer's & went to the Diocesan church picnic, which was so much fun!Anderson's highlight was definitely the dunking booth. It is too bad he doesn't enjoy baseball as much as he enjoyed throwing the ball at the target.

Then, we got to celebrate Thomas & Kayla at such a fun wedding with perfect weather!

The original Anderson and his namesake.

They both looked so beautiful/handsome and we just loved being there to celebrate them.

A Glover party.

Lots of family seilfies because that is really the only way to go.

Aunt LoLo did such a great job with all of the details that night! It was such a fun theme and I kept telling Anderson that normal weddings aren't outside with sunglasses favors, BBQ & s'mores. We were all totally spoiled by the evening, actually.

I love their expressions.

Anderson & Jack are in the same Children's Liturgy class! This is exceptionally exciting because we requested the same baseball & soccer teams to no avail. 

Babies in the nursery and big kids doing their thing meant mass for us!! Super thankful for a Catholic best friend. 

Mom took this pic at the Y of Lucy & Max just hanging out together. So grateful that Lucy is there to keep an eye on him when I am not around. 

Anderson: Cutie

This does sort of relate to Anderson because it is ALL of his winter clothes. I clearance hoarded so much last year: pants, shirts, jackets, gloves, hats and a super nice coat. I love nothing more than opening my season bins to see what I bought the previous year. I always leave the tags on everything because seeing 2.97 on a fleece jacket will make my heart smile every time.

He is so much fun.

He better ALWAYS want to hold my hand.

Soccer team!

My poor kids get this while the other, nicer moms are paying for the picture packages. I had him pose and then ordered a free 8X10 from Walgreens. There is always some kind of free code and I figured I was going to scan any that I ordered anyway. How cute is he? He is seriously perfect and adorable and I am so grateful he is mine.

Posing with Coach Daddy & Uncle Curtis!

Max: Cutie.

Max is obsessed with all shoes. He insisted on wearing Anderson's soccer cleats around one day & was really just incredibly proud of himself.

Real life. Also, HOW BLOND is his hair??

Truman Monkey had to sneak in the tub one day.

I am not even kidding.

Here either. He is also obsessed with hats.

Constant unsuccessful mission to keep him entertained at Anderson's sporting events.

He fell asleep in the car but muscled through to eat his snack. He was seriously trying to chew while he was asleep.

He is such a perfect, adorable kid and I cannot get enough.

The last days of summer.

A Science experiment with an egg & vinegar. It was actually pretty cool.

Why is this not it's own post??? Because I am lazy. Sorry, future niece. 

Nicole is having another baby!!!

I am SO excited and please expect many, many updates on this event for the rest of eternity. 

Lots of bug catching in pajamas because it is never, ever bedtime.

We finally got some hang out time with the Brimers! Please check out the amazing face paint artwork that Clare did on Jack! I seriously was a bit angry when I first walked in because I thought they had been to a festival of some kind without us because it looked SO professional! Actually, I know a balloon man that she might be able to work with, now that I think about it.

Our girls came to visit us again and Max harassed Reese in various ways.

And, Lily had sleepovers at our house! It was SO much fun and made me realize that I actually really like this age. We watched movies, decorated cookies, played Legos, went to a cookout, ate a lot of snacks, played games and had a really fun time. 

Bug Bingo. 

Anderson was SO excited and kept trying to tell her about each kind of bug and even went & brought his nature box* to show her a real wasp nest, bug egg, dead bugs, etc. She was less than thrilled. 

*Life with a boy.

There was a real rainbow!! You can't see it that well because the pic was too light, but it was really fun. 

Lily is so crafty and made me a purse! She is seriously so impressive with her artistic ability and she definitely has better handwriting than most students I know. 

And, she had her first visit to Krispy Kreme! I love KK (first name basis) because of the hats, the ability to watch the doughnuts be glazed, the fact that they always donate to my millions of requests for things at school and, of course, the doughnuts themselves. Anderson & I have started a tradition where we go to KK the 1st day of each month. It is a pretty amazing set up.

I overheard some hilarious stories. Here a few:

A: Lily, fairies are not real.
L: Yes, they are. Like the tooth fairy is real.
A: Fairies are not reptiles or amphibians. They have hair, so they are mammals and mammals can't have wings. Except bats. So, fairies are not real.
L: Well, they are still real.


A: I am worried about Daddy; I hope he is safe at work (this clearly does not come from his neurotic mother)
L: Your daddy is brave and strong and he is definitely safe. And, if there is a bad guy, he will shoot them.
A: No, he doesn't shoot people. He just under arrests them. And, if they are really bad then he lasers them.
L: My mama has a gun. It is purple.
A: Mama, can a laser go through metal?

This splash pad is my friend. 

 Brandon has to work all of the UT games, but because he is awesome and extra important, he gets to basically escort Butch Jones during the Vol Walk. I love this pic because they are basically making the  same face. Hilarious.

 My mom in a tree house.

We will gorge on popsicles as long as we can.