"this is going to be epic!"

My baby walks! Don't tell him I told you though. He's trying hard to keep this a secret.

I was working in Adelle's Kindergarten class today and this little boy looks at me with his math paper in hand and says, "Mrs. Ashmore. This ones going to be epic!!" I asked what epic meant and he said, " It means cool." Fair enough.

Gage is 1 now, and he walks. It's official. He still crawls because he's faster on fours but he can walk across the room and he does it if we beg him.

My blogging career is suffering but my toilets are clean and tonight for dinner I made homemade Artisian bread and pumpkin lentil soup. It's days like today that I think I could enjoy being a vegetarian... for about 24 hours.

My neighbor and I are becoming better and better friends. I think as people we all have this innate desire to help each other. It brings us closer together. Earlier this week I was in a bind. Jeff and Braxton's wrestling practice went until 7 and my PTO meeting started at 7. There was like 20 minutes of overlap so I texted my neighbor to see if she and her little boy could come over and play with my youngins during the overlap. She was so happy to help and her little boy, who is an only child, loved playing with the kids.

The next night her husband and boy came over to borrow some popcorn.

I like being neighborly.

Braxton started wrestling. Jeff is one of the coaches. This topic causes me a lot of anxiety. I don't know what my problem is but I am having a difficult time with a lot of it. First of all the club he is wrestling for is super expensive. Like we actually told him if he wanted to do it he would have to fork out some of his own dough because we thought it was outrageously priced. And... he still decided to do it. Then, he has to get a wrestling card, also expensive. I ask my husband why the card and he says it's like insurance, basically, and then he goes on to try and convince me that wrestling is just as safe a sport as anything else. I'm not sure why the card then? The tournaments are mostly out of our county so we have to travel and they too cost more money to participate in. Not to mention they last all day. I just can't wait to have my own wrestling match in the bleachers with my other three kids while trying to support Brax and his team. 

Agh!

It's good too though. Really. Jeff has been gitty since he put his wrestling shoes back on. There is something in him that really comes alive when he wrestles and it's been fun to watch. I am excited for him and Brax to get to do this together. 

I guess underneath all these complaints I am just a scared momma bear. Scared isn't the right word. I guess just having a hard time with all the changes would be a more accurate statement. All of a sudden he turns 8. He gets Baptized ( future post in the works), and now he's gone 3 nights a week at wrestling practice and 1 night a week at cub scouts. Then he's gone all day Saturday at a wrestling tournament. What? It's just a lot and I guess I am having a hard time. There, I said it. But Brax is just awesome. I love being his mom. He is so kind and patient and thoughtful of other people. I sort of scolded him the other day for something he didn't do and then the next day he was totally doing it. Like, how awesome is that. He really tries to do right and sets a really good example for everyone he is around.

Our baby chicks are not so little anymore. They are actually quite large and we have introduced them to the rest of the ladies who live in the coop. So far so good. Did I tell you we named them? Adelle picked the yellowist and fluffyest and named her Fluffy. Emmett picked the little gray one, the only gray one, and named it Ruffy Fluffy. Braxton named his Cupcake. I named the orangest one Pumpkin and Jeff named the last one Omelet. My husband makes me laugh, a lot. He's so funny!

Emmett has been going and playing indoor soccer on Tuesday mornings. It's been really fun for him to have his own little outlet since the kids are always talking about school. It gives us something to do together since I am watching Colton now and obviously Gage is always around too. This morning before Colton came over and while Gage was napping Emmett and I went in the backyard and played soccer. It was fun. I am trying to remind myself to suggest that more. If Emmett had it his way he would color and do worksheets all day. The boy honestly is constantly asking me for homework. 

I am learning more about Emmett every day. He has such a different personality than Adelle and Braxton and it's one that takes time to really uncover and understand. He tells me every day that I am the best mom ever and I think he really means it. He is so loving and kind and gentle and so quiet and timid. I feel like Emmett's soul is 60 years old and he is stuck in a little boy body.

Gage is keeping me so busy. He is a climber. We made the mistake of laughing at him the night we carved pumpkins and he climbed up onto the table. Now he is always climbing from the floor, to the chair, and onto the table. Always. He thinks this is a really fun new game. He has fallen off the chair on the way to the table numerous times but that doesn't stop him. He gets on the table and if I am not watching he either spills the water or sticks the food from the table into the water glasses. The kids have found lots of interesting things in their water lately. We are all over it. 

I skipped basketball tonight for no reason other than I am just mentally, physically, and emotionally tired. So I am blogging and sipping herbal tea instead. Good move on my part.

I sort of quit one book club and joined another. Actually to be honest I have been reading the books for both book clubs, partially, for a while and just not attending the monthly meetings of both. To make a long story short I am excited for book club tomorrow. I really enjoyed this book and it's not just because I had a midwife, people. The experiences in the book are for any nurturer. I highly recommend it. My friend Sarah is hosting book club and I can't wait to see her. We used to see each other so much more and our kids would play, or we would run together in the mornings, but all of a sudden our paths don't cross as much. Life gets so busy. 

I am still doing weekly meal planning and it's working. It's helping me avoid the grocery store and plan better. I feel like I am entering a new mothering stage. The one where I am not in my sweats as much but more in jeans and wearing mascara. My time at home is more organized because there is so much more to do and more places to be. I used to take all my kids to the store whenever we needed anything and think nothing of it. Now it's almost like I have to schedule a shopping trip. 

Adelle is big. She is blowing my mind with how well she is doing in school. She is a young Kindergartner and I had my concerns about sending her this year but she was so ready to go and it's proved to be a good move. She loves school. Her teacher told me she wants to clone her. The girl comes home from school and gets out her homework and coloring book and works and colors until dinner. Seriously, not the Adelle I know. She is studious all of a sudden. I think her brain is just like a big sponge right now. She wants to spell and read and write words and I am having a hard time keeping up.

Second grade is challenging Brax. I think it's the first year that he's really had to work at school, really use his brain and work things out. Ihat's hard for him. He likes to just know stuff and it's not that way anymore. We are practicing a lot at home and working on being teachable. 

I painted almost all the furniture in my family room and I love it. My talented friend Jama was my go to. I told her I needed a new look for the room and she suggested I paint all the furniture white. Then she came over in her painting clothes and we got busy in the garage while the kids played inside. I love it!! White wasn't enough for me though, I needed a splash of color so I stenciled the top of my tv stand and end table. I was pinterest inspired. It's exactly what I needed. I love being with girlfriends. It's so good for the soul! My friend Jama is my soul sister. We think the same and it's so fulfilling to talk to someone who sees things the way you do and understands. She's a blessing.

Oh, I have an iphone now. I succumbed to technology. My aunt, thanks to marriage, gave me her old one and at first I didn't activate it. I prided myself on being removed from the world of tech. But then I was carrying it around for the camera, as well as my own phone for the cell service and it just got annoying so I got the iphone activated. It's darn handy if I don't say so myself!  

Jeff's work is slowing down as we get into the cold season so he has been home more which means we are readjusting our norm. I have had more time to study which is awesome because I love my program and he is getting more involved in helping Emmett work with his eye patch amongst other things. If any man could be a Mr. Mom it would be my husband. He is just that good. Like he looks at my weekly meal plan now and he says, "let's switch hamburgers from Wednesday to Tuesday because I can cook hamburgers." And then yes, he cooked dinner last night while I was hauling kids to Bellingham for the candy buy-back.

My perspective is widening. Being the month of thanks I am so Thankful for age and wisdom and perspective. That doesn't mean that I am old, or wise, but, I am learning. 

I miss my sister. I so much took her for granted when she lived her. I have been making an effort to befriend new people that I meet because I am earnestly praying that someone in her new town will befriend her, include her, help her feel at home. It's hard to make time for more friends but it's so important to have support and I know that so I am trying to reach out more.

I am sad that my husbands family is so far away from us. When they come and visit it's so temporary and I feel like it inhibits us from being able to really get to know each other really well. Our kids are the same age and I wish they got to see each other more and grow up together. 

Also with both of my brothers being married now I am more aware of how I treat my husband. I know, lame, since I have been married 10 years, but honestly I never saw it in the eyes that I see it now. Like when I punch his lights out now I actually feel a lot of remorse. Ha. Just kidding... but I think I  do think about his feelings more now. I am more aware of my facial expressions and the tone of voice I use because I am always thinking, "Does _____________ look at _____________ like that?" And then I think, "they better not be!!" 

Ha. So I guess this is the end of my blog therapy. I was feeling a void and I think it's filled now that I've gotten some of my thoughts out there. My tea is gone. It was very soothing. Blogging is so refreshing for me. I guess the point of all of this is just seize the day. Seize the year. Seize the season of life that you are in. Seize the baby who climbs up onto the table all day. Seize change and newness. Seize the people around you. Seize the blessings you have. Ado.