Kindergarten: Easton's First Day

Well, we survived our first day of school! Actually, the first week now.  

It's so surreal thinking that my first born is now in Kindergarten.  That's a big deal.  A really big deal.  

I knew he was ready, but I wasn't sure that Lance and I were ready.  

But we took the leap and he's done so wonderful!

After a full week in, he's made some friends, he's had his feelings hurt and he's learned new things.

I'm not sure he'll ever get past the little girl 'smacking' him on the first day of school in the cafeteria, however after seeing her response when I dropped him off on Monday, I'm certain that 'smack' was a love pat.  She seems a little boy crazy over my Easty.  #tooearlyforthis

They allowed us a week to walk them in and then we had to start dropping them off at the door with the rest of the kids.  I think this was the hardest for me, because it's a long walk from the gym to his room, but he did it with confidence.

I cannot wait to see how much he grows in this school year and see all that he learns.  

He amazes us daily with just how smart he is.  

His love for others and his tender heart is such a blessing.

Easton Garrett, you make us proud buddy!

Easton Turns FIVE:: Ninja Turtle Birthday Party!

We had such a fun time this weekend celebrating Easton's upcoming FIFTH Birthday!

I really can't believe he's going to be 5!  TOMORROW!

We sat down together a few weekends to look at Pinterest to see what kind of party he would like.

We saw one Ninja Turtle Party and he was sold!  

I did my best to make that happen in the cutest, non Ninja Turtle graphic way!

Touches of green with red, orange, blue & purple and away we went!

The food is always the most fun for me!

Ninja Turtles eat Pizza, so we started with that!

We also had Pasta Salad, Fruit (do you see the ninja turtle on the fruit?!!!), chips & salsa and dipped pretzels. 

It's not a birthday at the Farrar house without dipped Pretzels.

And of course, cupcakes.

The cupcakes were just a white cake mix that I made green and then made the white icing a color for each of the Ninja's.  

I got the cute Cupcake wrappers and toppers at The Wal-Mart's.

For Party Favors, I purchased Ninja Turtle cups at Target and also had a Ninja Turtle coloring set (not pictured) that I found at Joann. 

I added washi tape to the straws for the kids so we could add their names.

The decor was simple.

I made a fabric scrap bunting, Ninja Turtle Paper Lanterns (from these---they sell them in green sets), and then I got 4 sheets of felt and some elastic for the masks.

My dad picked up the balloons for us on his way to top off our green theme!

I designed the invites myself, using Ipiccy.  So easy and they turned out so cute!

Shirts by my SIL, Jamey! Fabric from Joann.

Cowabunga Dude!

Doing all the Christmas Things:: Gingerbread Houses

It's no secret I'm a sucker for tradition.

So if we do something one year, and enjoyed it, you better believe we're going to do it again.

We bought a kit a few weeks ago on one of our Target trips and finally got around to putting them together.

I did the construction, and Easton did the decorating.

I love seeing his little creativity and imagination go to work.

He's so serious and concentrated. 

I so cherish this time I have with he and Emerson at home.

There are long hard days, but there are so many moments even within those hard days that are just beautiful.  Priceless days for sure.

He wanted to share the houses with Emerson and put 2 in her room, but with no place to put them we decided it best to be in his room.

Our village has 5 little buildings.

I went in his room later that night to put clothes away and noticed we were down to 4.

After further investigation, I learned that he was holding on to his dresser, while balancing on his green bouncy ball looking out the window and he pulled #5 off.  Kirby took care of the clean up.

Oh, the memories.  Never a dull moment at the Farrar House!

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?  

I love trying to do all the Christmas things we can during this Season.

It comes and goes so quickly.

I Like Today

Not every day is a mothering win.  Can I get an amen?  In fact, more nights than not, I go to bed wondering if I'm equipped to do this mothering, day in and day out.  Some days my cubicle seems so inviting.  Yet, others, like today, I know without a doubt that I'm cut out for this.

I'm uptight by nature.  I like a schedule.  I like routine.  I like a plan.  Type A, shall we.  And I've found that with staying home, I don't really have any of these things.  Sure, I can say, Monday we are going to do 'this' and Tuesday & Thursday are school, Wednesday is such-n-such, but I'm talking a real plan and purpose.  Hello???  Motherhood is my purpose.  But, having worked outside the home since I was 14, cleaning new homes under construction every Saturday, not having a 'work' purpose is hard for me.  Laundry & dishes & toilets only go so far.

But today, today was a good day.  We went Bowling & had lunch at Chick Fil A.  Nothing spectacular, per say, but it was a really good day.  Easton & I bowled together, while Emerson sat in her stroller and watched.

 We got Ten Dollars worth of quarters and headed to the arcade to play us some games.  A fun game of Air Hockey was first on the agenda.   I won.  7-6.  But his smile, every time either of us got the little yellow puck into the 'goal' at the opposing end...man, that was winning more so than anything.

After air hockey we played a few rounds of ski ball.  We played football, which he insisted he was tall enough for, but he wasn't.  But we played anyways.  We played some deer hunt game that kept his attention for about 2.4 seconds.  I finished it off by shooting an elk or something.  We lost a few quarters to the games where you try to win 587 quarters in return.  Then we went back to use a few more quarters on ski ball.  We'd passed the Prize Counter several times and he had his eye on a Bow & Arrow set.  "Momma!  I wanna win the bow & arrow!"  It was 200 tickets.  I knew our 10$ wasn't going to get us more than a few air heads and maybe some army men.  But as we played ski ball, I rolled a ball into what must have been the lucky number for the day and the sirens started blaring!  Tickets were pouring out like crazy!  396 was the Jackpot winner!  He started hooping & hollering like we'd won $1,000!

483 tickets, and we still have 10 quarters left.  All the excitement sent us right to the prize counter!

One Bow & Arrow set, one duck hunting gun set, 3 airheads & a whistle later, we were ending our fun at the arcade.

"Momma!  You hit the jackpot!  We hit the jackpot!  I can't believe I got the Bow & Arrow!"

His day was made & most certainly, so was mine.

He sang a little ditty on the way home...that I wish I'd recorded, but I got it word for word in my phone...
"I've got a bow & arrow.  It is so cool.  I love it the best.  Mommy hit the jackpot!  And it was so fun!! I got a bow & arrow, I got a bow & arrow..."

It really doesn't get much better than that.  To make him happy & spend time doing something 'fun for him' is really what it's all about.  The more I let go of expectations (of myself & of him) the better life is.

I like today.  Like really, like today.

Easton's First Day:: Pre K

My Baby Boy.

PreK.

What on earth is going on here?

I feel like he was just born.

We took a year off from school, but it was time to go back.

He's just going part time and he was so ready!

He went back to his old school, so he was so excited to see his old friends.

With nap mat ready, lunch packed, school supplies bought, back pack on, he was ready to go.

I was excited for him, but anxious to pick him up and hear all about it.

He had a great day.

"The playground wasn't as big as he remembered"

And when asked what they did, he just said they played all day.

He said 'school is pretty fun mom...reeeeeal fun.'

The director approached me Thursday when I picked him up and told me how happy they were to have him back.

She said it was like he'd never left.

All the children were so glad to see him.

He'd picked up right where he left off.

I am so glad he's back.

But it sure is quiet at home when he's gone.

We'll find our rhythm.  We'll get used to him being at school.

But for now, I keep looking around the corner for him.

Waiting for him to talk to me.

My little friend...off to school. 

What a handsome little fella.

I am so proud of this little boy.  He's such a good boy.  He's a little magnet.  You can see that everyone loves to be around him.  He has the best heart.  He's tender.  He's funny.  He's thoughtful.  I am so thankful that he's ours.  

Time: Eastons Love Language

Being a mom is hard.

Being a mom to more than one, is even harder.

Twice as rewarding, but it comes with it's difficulties in those first few months of learning how to juggle two that need your love and attention.

The baby requires so much right now, and the big brother ends up with a lot of independent play time.

Some weeks are really, really good.

But some are really, really bad.

Some days I am almost in tears by 9:00, feeling like I've ruined his "normal life".

He used to get to go to school, play with friends, have one on one time with me and with Lance.

But now, he's home with me, all day.  With his little sister, who requires so much of his mom.

Last week, was a bad one.

If I said up, he said down.

If I said peanut butter and jelly, he said Lunchable.

By Tuesday, I was ready to go back and sit in my cubicle. 

By myself.

But that's not an option.

So we had to figure something out.

He couts down the minutes till Lance gets home, almost every day.

Lance is the fun parent.  He plays.  He laughs.  He sits.

Easton is a different child when Lance gets home.

I had to figure out what Lance had, that I didn't have.

One night, at my wits end, after Easton had been sent to his room, for what, I don't even remember, we had a breakthrough. Well, I did. He was asleep.

He had supper and was sent right to bed, by 7:30pm.

It was an emotionally draining day for both of us.

I felt sad for him going to bed early and upset, but I was so weary and tired.

After finally getting supper cleaned up, Emerson a bath and put to bed, I peeked in on him.

So, little and still.  My little baby boy.

Who still needs his momma, even though at times he acts out.

Or worships the ground his daddy walks on.

I went and got my monitor for Emerson and set my phone alarm for midnight when she'd need to be fed again, and crawled in his bed.

As I laid down and got under the covers he opened his eyes.

"Can I lay with you buddy?" I asked.  "Yes" and he nestled in a little closer.

You couldn't have gotten a tooth pick between us.

Every part of his little body was touching mine, as we lay nose to nose.

He needs me.  He needs my time.  He needs my one on one.

I ended up falling asleep in there, and woke to my alarm sounding that it was time to feed Emerson.

The next morning, he remembered that I got in his bed.

He remembered that I took that time to love on him.

To snuggle him.

And that night, he asked for it again.

"momma, can you get your monitor and your phone and lay with me again?"

This week has been so much better.

It's so hard to manage my time.

When Emerson naps, which is rare, I try to scurry around and get things done, but that leaves Easton alone again.

So this week, instead, I've managed to get her in her bed, for even just a 30 minute nap and we play.

Just me and him.

And it fills his little love tank up and gives him the reassurance that he needs from me, that I'm here, and I love him.

Forever.

We still have our moments.  He's 4.  I'm tired. It's bound to happen.

But I'm also learning, that it's in those moments, that he's really saying STOP.  Just look at me.  Hold me.  Sit with me.  Read me a book.  Throw a baseball.   Catch a baseball.  JUST STOP.

I'm learning to say 'yes' more.  I'm picking my battles.

After all, most of the battles we have are not life or death, so there's no need to make them out to be that.  

Life is really to short, and these babies grow up way to fast to be anything less than happy & fun!

And he's such a good boy.  Really.  Not just because he's mine.  

He's really a good, good boy.

And loves his sister so tenderly. 

And he loves his daddy & me so genuinely.  So freely.

He's gracious to forgive.  So quick to move on after a rough moment.  

So helpful and loving.

And full of life and joy.

I'm so thankful to have discovered what he needs from ME.

Because the "mommas make happy hearts" and the "i love you's" out of the clear blue, and the "I like it when you take me to baseball, just me and you." 

Those are priceless.

Those are what dreams are made of.

My greatest joy in this life is to be a mother, and these children need to see, feel, believe, KNOW that.

Even though mommy does need Grace too at times.

These days are priceless.  

They are sometimes long and hard, but they are the very best days of my life.

Easton plays Baseball!

We had our FIRST T-BALL PRACTICE on Monday!

I don't think I've ever seen or heard him so excited about anything in his 4 years.

I'm pretty sure Baseball trumps duck hunting.  

It's big, y'all.

We loaded up on Baseball gear at Academy on Sunday.

We let him spend his birthday money and it was all baseball related.

He wants everything just like Lance, so he was in heaven.

He got some little slicky shirts like Lance wears that say Baseball across the front.

Sliding shorts.  New pants.

He was REA-DY.  

He woke up Monday morning talking about it.  We talked about it all day.  Everywhere we go, everyone we meet, strangers or not, he tells them 'Imma play Baseball.  My daddy is the Coach.'

The kid is excited!

I've told him, that when he wakes up from nap, that he can come upstairs with me and Emerson.  More times than not, when he hollers out, I have Emerson and she's asleep and it wakes her up.  So, he hollered out, then remembers he can get up.  I hear his footsteps coming down then hall.  He gets into the lower corner cabinet in the kitchen and I hear the wrapper crinkling.  He comes up the stairs, fruit snacks in hand.  He looks at me and says 'I got 2 packs, one for me and one for you.'  Then, he says 'we need to go downstairs and pack for my baseball practice.'  This boy.  I tell you what.  He's something else.  

When he likes something, he goes all out.  

He's like his daddy.

Once it was FINALLY time to get ready to go, he was dressed to the max.  

 So, now we count down to Monday night, all week long.

What day is it Momma?

It's Tuesday Easton.

How many days till Baseball?

It's on Monday Easton.

How many days?

Tuesday-Wednesday-Thursday-Friday-Saturday- Sunday-Monday.

Gotcha.

Every day.  Baseball.  This should be fun!

Baseball Party:: Menu & Recipes

When we finally decided on a Baseball Party, I knew I wanted to have Concession Stand style food with some more yummy favorites mixed in.

If you missed the party post, click {{here}}

So, for our menu I came up with the following:

Pretzel Rods dipped in Red Candy Melts

Melt the candy in the microwave at half power for 4 minutes.  

Stir every 30 seconds until creamy.

I do this in my glass mixing bowl.

DO NOT OVERHEAT

Once the candy is melted smooth, transfer to a tall skinny cup.

{{I use my Si Robertson Tupperware Cup.}}

Hold the cup at an angle, about 45 degrees.  

Dip the pretzel in and spin against the cup all the way out.

That scrapes off the excess candy and puts a little swirl design in it.

Lay on wax paper to harden.

Store in ziploc until ready to eat.

These are a hit at every party!!!  Make extras!!!

Pasta Salad with cut up cucumber and mini pepperonis.

Cowboy Caviar

This changes every time we make it.

Half a white onion- finely chopped

Can of black beans drained

Can of black eyed peas drained

1 Can of Rotel

1 Can of Corn

1 Can of Chick Peas (optional)

1/2 cup Italian Dressing

1/4 Cilantro

Combine all in a bowl and refrigerate until time to eat.

Homemade Salsa {{RECIPE HERE}}

SO EASY!  

Made this in my NINJA blender in about 10 minutes!

It taste like Chilis Salsa!

Putting all the food together is so much fun to me!

It's a lot of work, but once a year it's worth the work.

However next year, we might have a Pizza Party!

Happy Party-ing!