Bridger Funnies and a Major Award

Bridger came home with this gem today. The booklet was full of different women who have contributed to history, but there was also a blank page for him to add his own information. I’m dying over the picture of pregnant me, and that my contribution is good Mac ‘n Cheese! 🤣🤣🤣 #winning

Not sure I've ever related to a picture so much in all my life.  At 9 months pregnant it definitely feels like there's a full-blown human just standing inside me and even my arms have to come out of my face because there's no room left.  Hahahaha!

The very next day Bridger came home carefully clutching this grand award so as not to bend it or mess it up in his backpack.  He was given the "Viking Pride Award" for the month for being a great kid, and demonstrating the five areas of character outlined in PRIDE......Positivity, Respect, Integrity, Dependability, and Empathy.  Bridger is generally the kid who sits on an "island" a.k.a. at his desk alone and isolated from classmates because he can't stop talking or sit still.  He was as shocked as I was that he earned this honor.  His words were, "it's crazy Mom, I'm usually the bad kid!  Well not always bad, but kinda bad."  Hahaha!  Poor kid, but we're riding this thing for a positive spiral upword in behavior for the rest of the year.  Way to go Bridge!
 

Goodbye Young Women's

I had a fun surprise visit Wednesday night from this group of cuties!! It’s seriously bittersweet after 3.5 years of serving in Young Women’s at Church to be moving on to something else. I love these girls SO much and I have learned so much from them too! I’m also grateful for all the incredible women I’ve rubbed shoulders with as we’ve had the blessing of serving together.

The Young Women dropped by as soon as we got back from Landon's induction ceremony, and they brought a sweet card and treats.  I remember how intimidated I felt being called as Young Women's President.  Having all brothers and all boys, girls were SCARY!  But that quickly changed.  I immediately loved every, last, one of them, and relished the girl time.  It taught me and stretched me as we navigated through a pandemic and activities were on Zoom.  There have been lots of ups and downs the past 3.5 years with individual girls or all of us as a whole.  I worry about, and pray for each of them, and that's something that won't change.  I'm so grateful for the chance to be a part of their lives and for everything they've taught me.  Now I'm on to new adventures in the Primary.
 

Dress Ups

It's a constant battle over here to keep kids off screens and using their imaginations instead.  But when I succeed, their creativity always makes me smile.  It's been awhile since they've pulled out dress ups.  In fact, I thought maybe we'd grown out of that stage completely, but the other night Braddock and Bridger got out all the things and wanted me to document each one.  Landon even helped as their costume designer behind the scenes.  I'm sure the new baby will help keep us young and we'll get to re-live all this stuff again with him, but it's fun when my big boys aren't too grown up to have a little good-old-fashioned fun. 

What you see is not what you get.  Who knew he could be wearing FIVE superhero masks at once! Hahahaha!

NJHS Induction

Landon is officially a member of Hopewell's chapter of the National Junior Honor Society.  We're sure proud of his work ethic and all he's done to qualify to be in NJHS.  Thanks to Wednesday night youth activities Dean, Mom Nelson, and I were the only ones at the induction ceremony and it was nice just to sit and enjoy it without kids.  Hahaha!  When Tanner was pinned his teacher dropped the pin and it almost rolled off the stage.  When Mrs. Hewitt pinned Landon her earring hoop snagged on his glasses and they were stuck together for a minute.  Never a dull moment at pinning ceremonies!  ;)

Mrs. Hewitt was easily Landon's pick for a teacher to pin him.  We met her back in 2013 when Tanner started Kindergarten in her class and since then all the boys have had her for 4th grade (meaning Tanner has had her TWICE!).  She loves them exactly how they are and sees the potential in all their crazy creativity.  We're so grateful for incredible teachers who have helped our boys along the way.....a good teacher makes ALL the difference.

2013

Joe and Landon are good buds and everyone accuses them of being twins.  It was worse when Landon wore his black glasses but we had to snag a picture of these cute boys.

Ignore the fact that I look like a freaking blimp.....hopefully that changes REALLY soon! ;)

Goodbye Schaeffers

 

Yesterday some of our favorite people hit the road for their new life in Virginia.  Holly (in the middle) moved here the summer we were both pregnant with Braddock and Sadie.  We quickly bonded and we've loved their family ever since.  10 years later and life has called them elsewhere and we're so sad to see them go.  We've served together in many callings, most recently in Young Women's as she served as our secretary.  Praying they settle in well and that it's a great thing for their family, but man will they be missed.  Love you Holly (and Steve and Caprie and Sadie)!!

St. Patty's 2023

St. Patty's was low key around here, but the leprechaun did drop off some gold coins and Lucky Charms and even turned the milk green.  The boys were actually out of school for the day, but we mostly just hung out at home and took it easy.  When Dean got off work we went to the Church to help clean and then stopped by McDonald's on the way home to use the giftcards Sister Smagelski had kindly given the boys.  They were in heaven with their giant baskets of fries and drinks.  We came home and whipped up a rainbow array of fruit and french toast for dinner.  Braddock made things extra festive with some green jello too.  I managed to avoid any pinching, but the boys did their fair share.  Happy St. Patty's from our crew!

17 Years and Counting

17 years ago I made the best decision of my life and married this guy. Life is rarely what we would have planned, but man am I grateful God has helped us curate the life we’ve perfectly needed to learn and grow and become what we are today. Looking forward to an eternity with this guy and our soon to be FIVE amazing boys! Happy Anniversary Dean! I love you more than I could have even imagined 17 years ago and I thought I loved you then. ❤️

Dean spoiled me this year while I did absolutely nothing but waddle around hoping to keep this baby in long enough to celebrate by going out to dinner.  The day before our anniversary he came home with roses.  Then the day of he came home with a card, letter, and giftcard for me to do a little shopping for myself.  I don't deserve him.  Especially when I made zero effort this year, but he was so sweet and just grateful for the sacrifices I'm making to have this baby.  Luckily we did make it out to dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse.  The food was yummy and we went early enough on a Thursday that it wasn't busy at all either.  There were a few items I wanted from the store, but I wasn't feeling up to walking through the store so I hung out in the car while Dean ran in and grabbed a few things from Ikea and then from Sams Club.  We made it home before 7pm and then laughed our heads off when the card he got me actually came true (see pictures below....).  The boys captured the moment on my phone.  We ended the night by watching a movie together and after having napped earlier we did manage to stay awake for the movie but that's a rarity these days.  

Thank heavens Dean is willing to do the shopping while I wait in the car.....such a romantic anniversary!  Hahaha!

Pinewood Derby

The Activity Day kids worked for weeks on their cars with the help of their awesome leaders (Grandpa!) and they were SO excited and proud to race when the day actually arrived.  We cancelled Young Womens for the night because four of us have kiddos in Activity Days so we wanted to cheer them on.  They had the gym all decorated and the kids had all made posters.  The boys were definitely not the fastest but they still loved every minute of it and had so much fun.  We topped the night off with refreshments and it was a smashing success.

NHS Induction

Tanner is one of the newest inductees of the National Honor Society.  He asked his Jr. High teacher Mr. Marchetti to pin him just like he did 3 years ago for NJHS and it was fun to see how much they both have changed in the last three years.  A LOT more hair and Tanner's now as tall as him.  Dean's one of the sponsors of NHS at the school, so it's fun that he and Tanner will get to work together on service projects and activities.  Proud of the work Tanner's put in to qualify and the awesome young man he's growing up to be.  

Biking Bros

Last summer Bridger was adamantly against learning to ride a bike.  Now he's resigned to the fact that although he's scared, he's old enough he should already know and he needs to figure it out.  A couple weekends ago the sun was shining and he and Braddock decided the time was right to try it out.  Braddock was a very stubborn bike learner too, so he could relate to what Bridger was feeling and was so sweet and patient with him.  He taught him all the tricks he's learned to figuring it out and staying balanced and helped hold him up when he was unsure.  There is ALL sorts of fighting, wrestling, name calling and crazy around here so I relish in these sweet moments when they come.  Bridger's still not riding a bike yet, but I hope he always remembers his big brother's help along the way.

CPR Certified

Back in February the youth had the opportunity to participate in some CPR and First Aid Training through a local nurse.  Landon was SUPER excited and took it all very seriously.  (Tanner is already certified through school, and he had other obligations most of the weeks so he wasn't around.) We had a great turn out and almost all the kids that participated managed to make it all three weeks so they would qualify for their official certification.  We learned a lot and hopefully it's something we'll remember under pressure if we ever need it.