{{friday/favorites}}

we have had a pretty quiet week getting back into our routine and catching up from being gone.

despite the frigid temps, we are oh so loving  being home. theres just not place like it.

favorite snowed in breakfast buds:

snow days are much more fun when shared with ones we love.

favorite "last minute" house full:

sawyer, willa, harrison, wesleigh and bentley.

a typical night at home turned into dinner with friends and cousins.

wouldn't trade it for the world.

favorite supervisor:

keeping an eye on my morning run!

favorite blog post {from a favorite friend!}:

http://sluiternation.com/2014/02/church-sunday/

Kate and I have been neighbors since I moved into this house with my husband. Over the last few months, God has used each of us to bless each other in many way, and our friendship continues to grow. I am so proud of Kate, and the Sluiter family for taking a step in their faith!

favorite bible verse:

"Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."

-Galatians 6:9

This verse has spoken to me in multiple ways this week. I am thankful it was a pertinent part of my bible study this week. Clearly, the Lord knew I needed it.

We have a weekend full of friends and fun! We are really looking forward to it.

Hope you all had a great week and enjoy a wonderful weekend as well! xo

Our {impromptu} Florida Trip ::

My bosses (aka my hubby and Jake) decided to head to an equipment auction in Florida last minute, about a week ago. They were going to drive, and had to seriously go right past where my parents spend the winter. Being that we took our adult vacation already this winter, we had no plans to go see them. But knowing the guys were driving right by, meant the boys and I were jumping in the backseat for a free ride...there was simply no way around it!

We headed out after dinner Saturday night - the boys have never been on a road trip this far before. We were all a bit nervous, but they honestly did great. We watched The Jungle Book umpteen times and played iSpy while the big guys drove! After this trip, I am not afraid to travel long distances with my guys anymore! They did awesome!

We arrived about noon on Sunday and hit the pool right away before naps. The boys could not wait to get out that slider and into the water!

&& Harry began the start of a million and one laps around the pool deck with his favorite dump truck!

it felt so good to be in the sunshine again!

We woke up Monday and took another ride a few hours south to Stuart Florida where my parents had to drop off their motorhome. We had called my gramma who also winters down there and she drove up one hour and met us for lunch!

We ate a really great place that had a sand patio - the boys stayed so busy the entire time!

& it was so great to see my Nana. I miss her so much when she's gone all winter!

after dinner we headed down to town for ice cream and to walk the board walk. 

Gramma had brought some bread along by recommendation of some friends, to feed the fishies! The boys had a blast.

All the fish movement brought up the gator. I have NEVER been so close to one in my life, and now that I have been, I think I am good for a while! What an ugly looking thing!

The boys quickly got G&G into a nighttime routine of reading books together before bed, which they all loved.

I was so hard to even get these boys to eat in the mornings, all they wanted to do was swim! I finally figured out it worked to let them take a "kick" and then come back in and eat!

Harrison just enjoying some afternoon lounging.

Bentley did awesome swimming with just a noodle - I can't wait till this summer!

Harrison was pretty leary at first but had no problem repeatedly jumping off the edge once he got comfortable!

We spent the majority of our time in the pool and sandbox at Gramma's but had one cloudy day so we decided to head to Legoland.

Every.Single.Thing here was made out of legos - it was truly amazing!

They even had a times square replica - with a Forever 21 {that they spelled Forever 12}!

Bentley and I rode some rides -- he loved it

and of course we hit the lego store on the way out for some more Planes duplos. ;)

Thanks Gramma!

Our last day we headed back to town to walk , shop and grab lunch.

Bentley began a serious search for the gator again...but to no avail

We grabbed lunch at Codys and headed home for naps and to pack to come home.

My begging and pleading to hitch a ride down resulted in a one way ticket home - the guys weren't sure how their schedule was going to end, and honestly 20 hours one way was plenty from the peanut gallery for them! ha!

Harrison flew as a lap child, but we ended up having all three seats in our row so he got to ride like a big boy too!

sky high snuggles -- just the best!

Kaindls picked us up from the airport and all the boys were SO excited to see each other!

People stopped and watched as they all squealed while hugging and kissing.

Hard for them to be away from each other for a week when they are typically together on a daily basis!

We had a great time, but it feels so good to be home! There's just no place like it.

Thanks again, Papa & Gama...the boys and I had a blast! xo

Valentines Day 2014

I {super giant pink puffy heart} love Valentines day!

But I love to spoil my boys, so Hallmark holidays make it even more fun for me! ;)

Now that Bentley is in school we actually got to make Valentine's for friends. We had so much fun making these melted crayon shaped hearts! Bentley loved cracking the crayons, watching them melt through the oven window, placing them in the snow to harden and he loved using the paper cutter and stapler. Other than that, he could've cared less. He has zero interest in even writing his name or actually putting the hearts into the bags. Typical boys I guess. Either way we did have fun doing these together!

Bentley had fun exchanging "treats" with his friends at school and couldn't wait to get home and start devouring his loot!

Our actual Valentine Day was spent at home, with Sawyer and our boys.

I just love having a house full of wild, loud and busy boys.

Full House = Full Heart!

{at least for me}

We don't do much in lieu of gifts, for any occasion, so I found this cute idea on pinterest and made these for each one of my guys' valentine basket.

I made each of my guys a small basket with some things in it that I knew they would like. Daddy is the only one who gets candy, because I don't love filling my kids up with useless sugar {that makes them crabby!}

The boys treasures I scored mostly from the dollar section at Target. Gotta love it!

Daddy got a love note and some candy in his - I actually found him a steal of a deal on something I thought he would love, but it didn't arrive in time. Guess he will get to celebrate twice! ;)

The boys enjoyed their baskets, but Bentley's first question was: "wheres my candy?"

Maybe someday he will appreciate my looking out for his well being! ;)

{{Friday/favorites}}

Happy Friday && Happy Heart Day! 

Personally my favorite hallmark holiday! ;)

favorite attitude change:

{who knew just a penny would do the trick?}

favorite sleepy heads:

favorite troublemakers:

favorite sweet boys:

they loved having a girl over to play!

favorite valentines:

I am one blessed momma!

Hope you and yours enjoy this special day of love!

"We love, because He first loved us!"

The Paci Fairy

Quite a few months back, we decided it was time to try and break the paci habit. Bentley had expressed a new found love for Doc Mcstuffins, and I approached him about writing a letter to the paci fairy...asking her to exchange his paci's with a Doc toy. He agreed, to my surprise.

So we wrote the letter...and "mailed it" to the paci fairy.

That night while they were in the tub, the fairy came and left Bentley a return note and some Doc toys. She praised his decision and reminded him what a big boy he was and how proud she was of him for doing this.

He was pretty excited for his new toys, and laid right down.

It only took about three sleepless, tear filled nights and no naps {in which my super sweet toddler turned into an over-tired monster} for me to cave in and give the pacifiers back. My hubbs thought we should stick it out, but I just couldn't.

When I say sleepless, I mean him still awake crying at 4 am. 830 is bedtime. And then when he was awake he was just a mess! To my soft mom heart, having a pacifier while he sleeps was no trade off for the unhappy overtired stinker he was becoming. So back to paci's {for bed only} we went. And things went back to normal. I just kept telling myself someday they would break the habit...I mean they sure aren't going to go to high school with a pacifier, right?

A few months later he started to struggle with falling asleep at night if he took naps. So I decided if he wasn't going to nap, taking the paci away would be fine because eventually he would just get tired enough to sleep. That and he is now 3.5 years old. {come on, mom...whose habit is this?} 

Cue mommy + daddy going on vacation ... and leaving our princes with the worlds best.

We came home to paci-less children after a week away.

Seriously.

I owe Casey & Kevin my life. Because they successfully completed doing that which my pushover mommy heart could not do. And they didn't break just one of the boys, they broke both.

We came home and I wasn't sure I could endure much sleeplessness, in fact I was pretty sure it would just be a matter of hours before I caved.

But I can proudly say its been nearly a week, and I haven't yet!

The boys both go right to sleep at night, and Harry has no trouble with naps either. Bentley has been sleeping 12+ hours at night and we don't hear a peep.

Sometimes B has a little struggle with calming himself down, and I find this when I go check on him in the night.

But so far, so good.

Next baby probably will not get a paci. I never ever imagined breaking them of it would be so hard! If he/she does get a paci...it will disappear wayyyyy earlier than it did for these two.

Thanks again, Case & Kev! One more reason you will always bee the worlds greatest in our book! xo

1st Annual Robert Greving Jr. Poker Run

Saturday we were blessed to be able to spend some time remembering and honoring Robby whom we lost this summer. His friends had gotten together and decided to put together a snowmobile poker run ride in his memory.

We were absolutely ecstatic with the turnout, since the idea was put into play on Tuesday of this past week! {way to plan, guys! ;)}

they stopped at 6 places in hopkins, allegan and fennville and ended up back in fennville at a restaurant where they were dealt their poker hands to see who had the best one!

While we were waiting for everyone to assemble at the park before noon, our boys conned Ryan and Jackie into a quick ride! 

Thanks for always spoiling our boys! They love you both so much!

It was a perfect day celebrating a life taken far too soon with Family and Friends. 

Always and forever in our hearts, Rob! xo