Our Week

Wow - it has been some character building days around here. For Mommy and the kids. I was just bragging a couple weeks ago how we haven't gotten sick much, and that we haven't had the flu bug since last year. Ha. Can you say KNOCK ON WOOD. :) First Blake got it, we had a pretty rough week last week with him. Lots of sleepless nights for me and him. Lots of crying and not feeling good. (From both of us.) Jason was out of town again so it was just me and them. My Mom was a great help though. She let us come stay with her and helped me out with the other two.

Then...I thought "I think we are in the clear". Ha. Can you say KNOCK ON WOOD. :) Then Madison got it. Jason left again. So we have had a pretty hard second week with lots of crying and not feeling good. Poor babies, it breaks my heart when you can see how yucky they feel. It's the worst when you can't really do anything to make them feel better. So sad. :( But I think Madison is finally on the mend and hoping Cam doesn't get it.

Blake is starting to sprout a very surprising stubborn side to himself. I never thought he would be the one I would have stand off after stand off with. -Sigh- Man, can this kid throw a fit and man is he stubborn. Poor kid, got a double dose of stubborn from his mom AND dad. We are staying consistant and trying to teach him to having a loving, obedient spirit. Hope he learns soon... He does have such a sweet side though! That's why it surprises me so much. He is just a sweetie most of the time. Is good a sharing, being thoughtful. The other day we were all four sitting on the floor and I was giving them oatmeal for breakfast. They always think it's hot, so I pat them and say it's not hot just eat it. Madison was taking a bite and starting whining that it was hot. So Blake tilts his head to the side, pats her on the head and says in the sweetest voice "No hot, omeal no hot sissy." SO CUTE!!!

So after this long week of no sleep and LOTS of character building Jason comes home tomorrow! YEA!! Just what we all need!! So thankful for Aunt Boo and my Mom and Dad though, cause they make these harder days SO much better.

Pumpkin Patch

We went a pumpkin picking!

Kristen came over a couple weeks ago and helped me take the kids to get some pumpkins.

My pics are in the wrong order but I didn't want to start all over. :) So, here is the finished product from our pumpkin trip!
Loading up the pumpkins. I have such WONDERFUL helpers!

Wait a minute...where are the helpers??

Cam was in a very unusual mood for him (grumpy) and was having a hard time finding a pumpkin he could be happy with. There was a nice guy helping us pick and carry them (since he could tell me hands were a bit full) and he kept bringing little pumpkins to Cam. Cam just continually snubed him and his pumpkins. Hmm..little stinker. We finally all got just the right one though! :)

Madison was having a blast! This is her little pumpkin!

Aren't they all cute?!?!

It was a wonderful trip - I didn't know we got a hay ride so that was a very fun surprise!!

Thanks Aunt Kristen for all your help!!

Let's Party!

Happy Birthday Cam, Blake and Madison!

We had a wonderful family party for the kids.

We went with a fiesta!! Yum - it was good! Oh, and pumpkin pie for dessert!
Blake enjoying his pie
Cam thinks Mommy made a good choice!

Open just a littttle wider Madison! :)

Zoo Day

This was our very first trip to the zoo! We were so excited to finally make it. I had been wanting to take them for months, and we were finally able to get there! My Mom and Grandpa went with me to help out. We had so much fun - the kids LOVED it! Can't wait to go back!!

The Battle

Well it happened! We had a MAJOR battle of the will at the McKinney house today! I think maybe Blake has stored up all his frustration from the last 2 years of his life and let it all come crashing out today! Whew...

Jason has been out of town again. So needless to say I am already pretty worn out and stressed. The kids started off the morning being kind of naughty, steeling toys and being ornery to each other. Mommy was getting a little frustrated but we were working through each situation that came up (about every 3 minutes! :)) We had been in Nampa/Boise for the weekend and were getting ready to come home. I decided to stop at Wal-Mart in Nampa to pick up some things before heading home. The kids did pretty good in the store, Blake was being a little hard to handle but nothing to major.

In the check out line, Blake wasn't getting something he wanted and lost it! He just started crying. I was trying to get him to stop but that just made it worse. All the while, trying to keep tabs and the other 2 two years olds with me, pay for me groceries and not notice all the people staring at me. :) A worker came over to Blake and tried to talk to him. Oh man - not good! He lost if even more! He was throwing a major fit! It was bad. I was trying to talk to him while we walked out but to no avail. This continued and escalated the whole 45 minute drive home.

We got home, I took him to his room and put him in his bed. I didn't think the fit could escalate from there but it did...Long story short over 2 hours later it was finally over. Lots of tears from mommy, lots of tears from Blake, lots of loves from Cameron while mommy was crying! The last time I went in to talk to Blake he jumped up, smiled at me, said sorry and he loved me. I gave him lunch and put him to bed and it was over. It was amazing to me, he just decided he was done and I could see the change.

So one battle down..many more I am sure. I am just thankful that though it was hard the Lord worked in me and Blake. I was able to handle the situation calmly and with love. I learned a lot, I hope Blake learned too. So thankful for the strength the Lord gives! So thankful for a Dad who called to check in on the situation every 10 minutes and give support and strength since I could talk to the hubby, thankful for a Mom who is now coming over to give this Mom a break, thankful for friends who knew what was going on and prayed and offered support. Thankful that I am able to see all of this and be thankful! The Lord is good!

A special day!

Time to wake up and find your presents!
They LOVE LOVE LOVE phones right now! They were so excited to get their own cell phone. Blake is hilarious!! He will sit and blabber into his phone for 45 minutes - no exaggeration! He cracks me up! You thought it was girls who were the talkers! Blake's conversations sound like this "A blad fosfnhos abjbadfhh Bampa!! A bsosif bnfsoeife nsofih Mammy!! Adnlkf sdfkjs vnlsdfkpeof Mommy" and so on and so on. And then he hollers BYE BYE! He then hangs up and starts over. LOVE it! :)

My very cheesy, funny little boy! Yes, he also loves pink. He wants whatever is pink and is always pointing them out to me! Cracks me up! He is going to be a MAJOR class clown! He knows how to get a laugh! Or, if he hears someone else laughing he throws his head back and starts belling laughing! So cute!
Madison and Cameron's phone. She is going to be a girly tomboy. Does that make any sense? One minute she is playing in the dirt, climbing everything in sight, barreling over her brothers and playing with a snake. The next moment she is screaming and crying cause there is a fly in the same room as her or she got a tiny piece of dirt on her shirt. Funny girl! She keeps us hopping!

We took them to the park for part of their special day. They loved that of course, especially since Daddy got to come!

Swinging....

Cameron and his best friend Monkey. Original huh?

Three Amigos

They are swinging like big kids. I don't know about that!

Birthday cupcakes and candles. They thought the fire was pretty cool!

Yes, I made them eat them outside cause I didn't want to clean up the mess! :)

Cameron just savors things. He just took tiny little licks of his frosting. If I would have let him, it would have taken hours to eat!! He has had a fruit snack in his mouth for an hour before because he just doesn't want it gone. He does that a lot! Madison took 2 or 3 bites and that was enough for her. Such a healthy girl!! Blake devoured his and made a HUGE mess!

We also had a really yummy special breakfast, and pizza and popcorn for dinner! I asked them what they wanted to eat for their birthday and Cam said pizza (peessa) and popcorn (pacorn)And balloons, we didn't eat those but I did get them the balloons too! So cute! Love these kids - they are getting so funny! I HAVE to start documenting the things they say and do. Priceless!