I Love to Hear...

My children's laughter.(The most AMAZING sound EVER!).

My husband telling me he loves me.

The chatter and laughter of my family together.

Thunderstorms.Or steady rain on my house.

Waves crashing at the beach.

Music blaring.

The sound of my camera capturing memories.

Cats purring.

A baby's belly laughs.

The guy's hanging out and joking.

My kids playing.

School Year

The new school year is almost upon us.The kids are getting excited.The stores are full of all the new clothes and supplies they will need.My daughter is bugging to go break me at the mall for new school pants.Kade is ignoring all my pleas of picking out all his stuff he will need(except his backpack).Jake is no is no longer waiting patiently for his turn to board that big yellow bus(or van as he calls it).He is ready to go to school.As for me, I am just ready for all the craziness the weeks before school starts to be over.I am ready for them to start.I love my kids being home for the summer but am always excited about the school year.

I miss the school year during the summer.I miss the one on one I have with Jake.Where we take our walks or just sit around watching cartoons and trying to teach him things.I miss our picture taking time where it is just the two of us.I mean I love that with all my kids but with Jake loving photography as much as me it is special between us.I love watching him learn all about the camera and watching him take the pictures.I miss the visits to the schools.Where I can watch my them put on their little plays or Mercedes' and all her school adventures.

But what I miss the most is waiting for them to come home at the end of the day excited to tell me about their days.Waiting for Kade to get off the bus and those moments he tells me about playing with his friends and what he learned.When Mercedes' gets home and tells me all the drama the seems to fill a teenagers life.Those few moments a day that belongs to only them and me.Where they are still excited to tell mom about their life.Yeah I miss that the most.

(This post is in response to the writing prompts at Mama Kat's Writer's Workshop)

I am such a slacker!

(I have been so busy with four kids that it is hard to keep up with this blog sometimes.I know that when my kids go back to school next month it will be easier and I will be back to posting a lot but right now it just is on the back burner.But I never got to post about Chloe turning 3 months last week.)

On July 12th Miss Chloe turned 3 months old.She is growing so fast!She is rolling over now and start to grab at things she wants(especially my hair!LOL).She is also pushing up when on her belly.She laughs and smiles all the time.In fact she is such a great baby!She only cries when she is hungry or with someone she doesn't really like.And such a daddy's girl it isn't funny!And Jack is such a great daddy.Doing the parenting thing by himself is hard but he's got it.They will be fine.

Here are a few pictures from the day she turned 3 months.She is my sweet Chloe:)

Hugs and Love,
Brandi

Wow!It will calm down...right?

So this past month has been absolutely hectic!I have tried numerous times to sit down and post but something always stops me.I have all my kids home right now plus I have my best friend's 2 month baby during the day while  he works.So my house is quite crazy most days.I have a moment now so I thought what better way to spend it then to bring everyone up to date?

This past month in our crazy life...

Jake has started to really talk more!YAY!He even repeats you now sometimes.Which to me is awesome.Plus he communicates so much better.Which means a lot less frustration.I know everyone tells me to just enjoy the fact he doesn't talk because when he does he will never stop.Well I want to hear his sweet baby voice saying the words all crazy.I want to be able to hear all those wonderful toddler words.I don't want to miss that with him.

My best friend's baby Chloe turned two months on the 12th.She is such a happy baby who loves to smile at you.She loves her tummy time and can roll over to her side so far.And she is definately a daddy's girl!When she sees Jack she gets so excited!And I will admit I tend to spoil her with all those cute,awesome baby girl clothes...but I can't help it!They are to cute!And I never got to buy baby girl clothes.Anyways here is precious Chloe

My Kade is just Kade.He is very excited about turning seven next month.I really can't believe it has already been seven years since he was born!Anyways he planning his birthday and is very specific on what he wants.He is more like me than his dad in the respect.I love to plan where Tom likes to play it by ear.Other than that Kade has just really been enjoying his summer vacation.

As for my Mercedes...she turned 15 on the 24th.15!My where have the years gone?She is becoming such a beautiful woman.I am glad that I was the lucky one to be able to raise her and see her grow all these years.She really is my saving grace.Now to start planning the sweet 16:)

We also celebrated Father's Day with their wonderful dad.And it was Jack's first one.We decided against store bought gifts and made our own...well the kids did,I just helped.And they loved them!Here are a few pictures:)

Even with all the craziness this past month it has had some great moments.I will TRY to post more often but I make no promises.These great kids of mine sure keep me on my toes.And that is if I ever can get to my computer for more than 5 minutes again.Thank you for reading!

Hugs and Love,
Brandi

Pretty Awesome...

So a back in April my best friend Jack became a father to his first child,Chloe.Now I have known Jack for close to 13 years.He has always been my single and unattached friend,the terminal bachelor so to speak.But on April 12 that changed.It was so weird at first seeing him with his daughter.Not a bad weird,just a different weird.Watching him settle into fatherhood has been pretty awesome.It has only reaffirmed what I already knew...Jack is one hell of a person.And a great dad.It just makes me so proud of him,the way he just embraced being Chloe's dad.He really is a great guy and I am so happy for him.

Just wanted to give some props to Jack.Will try to post more sometime this week.

Hugs and Love,
Brandi

It's been awhile...

I am sorry it has been so long since my last post(a month in fact...wow).For two weeks I couldn't even get into my blog.That made me super annoyed.But it finally let me log in.It has been such a crazy and hectic month.All the end of the school year events,kids,well just life in general.My daughter graduated 8th grade.I now officially have a high schooler.Crazy!

    Here she is at her graduation.She looks so grown up:(

Kade got three awards.One in reading and writing.He also got the Most Improved(the only one in his grade).I am so proud of him.He worked so hard this year.

We have so much going on this summer so there might be periods I don't post a lot but there will not be a month in between again.That was mostly not being able to log in.

I really just wanted to pop in and say hello to all my blogging friends and let everyone know that I still live:].And that I am back to blogging.Will be posting tomorrow.I really missed everyone here and will be catching up on reading now:]

Hugs and Love,
Brandi

My Role in this crazy house...and why no one else could do it

I thought about this all week.Of course the most important role I have in my home is mommy and wife.I am also supposed to write about why no one could take on this important role.Why I will tell you.

Nobody knows my babies like me.They don't know their moods or how to navigate these moods to best suit everyone.They wouldn't know the best way to soothe them when they are sick.Nobody would be able to look back and tell them stories of their births and stories of them growing up like me.No one knows the best way to get them to laugh.Plain and simple...no one else is their mom/mommy.I am.And that is why no one could take on that role in my home.

My role as a wife is just as simple to explain why no one else could take it.Nobody and I mean nobody could handle my husband's moods(believe me many have tried).Nobody else could take care of my Tom like me.That is not me being conceited or such...I just know.Tom is a very complex person and very difficult person to get along with at times.But I wouldn't trade him for anything in the world.I don't know why out of everyone in the world I was the only girl to be able to handle him(for a lack of a better word)but I sure am glad it ended up that way.

Really what it comes down to is I know my husband and children.Not only is it my job(I hate when it's called that)but it who I am.I am their mommy and his wife.I am okay with this.I just couldn't see me being anything else.

Sorry

I have been majorly slacking on the blog end.I have been very busy this past week and am glad to announce that my best friend Jack and friend Staci had their baby girl.Chloe Rylian was born  April 12th and very healthy.I couldn't be more happier for them.And that is has kept me busy the past few days because Staci and Chloe moved in with us and I just love her to death!

Anyways I will not be finishing the A-Z challenge.I have gotten behind again but I just don't see how I can catch up and still keep up with all the craziness around here.I am trying to help Staci during the day as she is still recovering.I wish I could...I was curious on what x and z word I would have wrote about.But life happens.

And to make up for it I will share a picture of precious Chloe:)

And one of proud daddy with her:)

Hugs and Love,
Brandi

Day 20:Thank You

Thank you Jesus for blessing me with my children.They were the best gift of all.

Thank you Jesus for giving me such a wonderful man to be my husband.One that understands me,accepts me,listens to me,loves me.

Thank you Jesus for giving me the best family anyone could ask for.Maybe we don't always get along but I couldn't imagine my life without them.

Thank you Jesus for giving my the most awesome friends ever.They are truly the best a girl could have.

Thank you Jesus for giving me a life that I love.

Thank you Jesus for dying on that cross so that I could be saved.

Thank you Jesus for loving me.

Happy Easter!!!

Hugs and Love,
Brandi

Day 19:Son

From the moment I found I was pregnant(both times)I wished for my baby to be a boy.I got lucky both times and was blessed with two beautiful and very awesome sons!I could(and often did)lay there holding them and watch them for hours.They are the best parts of Tom and I.

Sons can bring such happiness and joy to your life.My sons have brought so much to my life.Unconditional love,amazement,fun,laughter,and enough worrying to last the rest of my life.I couldn't and wouldn't change any of the past 7 years with my Kade and Jacob.

Do you have son(s)?What does the word son mean to you?

Hugs and Love,
Brandi