Landon's Pirate Party

We decided to postpone Landon's 4th birthday party a few weeks in order to have a pool party at Mema's house.  I thought if I planned it for late June it would be nice and hot and rain-free, and as irony would have it it was in the 90s and super hot in May and the forecast called for rain and temps in the low 80s.  But thank God the weather held out!  No rain - woohoo!  My streak of rainy big events is broken!!



The Birthday Boy



Treasure cupcakes...there were reese's peanut cups hidden inside chocolate fudge cupcakes with a whipped peanut butter icing.  Not too shabby, even though I am not really a fan of chocolate cake. 

Landon was armed and dangerous!

Landon has always "treasured" fruit

Love this picture of Koen....so silly :)

What's a pool party without a pool?  Thanks Mema Busch for hosting!

Gearing up for the treasure hunt

Clues led us to a treasure box pinata and after the kids all took a whack we let the adults relieve some stress.  Apparently Mema Maggos had some built up tension because she really whacked it! 

Can't believe my little pirate is 4!

What great friends Landon has!  Love that they have all grown up together :)

Ummmm....Delaney Cochran HAND CHECK!!

Shark rides were popular!

Papa Maggos is such a big kid!  Getting ready to throw the beach ball at the birthday boy!

Koen must walk the plank since he is the first kiddo to leave ;)

Noodle sword fight with Mema Busch

Girls relaxing in the hot tub

This picture cracks me up!  Allan sporting the 7 up with a hot tub full of youngsters.  Little creepy if I didn't know him, but super sweet and funny since I do!

Whoa...check out those Double B..beach balls!!

Arggh...my Eyes!  My eyes!

Landon had such a fun day.  I had set up the back yard with all the decorations and was putting some things away in the garage when he came out and saw it.  I heard him saying, "Wow!  This is awesome!  So cool!  I just can't believe it!"  When I came out and he saw me he came over and gave me a big hug.  Mom, I really like what you did!  Thanks so much!  That made all the effort worth it!  I try hard not to spoil my boys, but really want them to feel special on their birthdays, so it was so neat to see that Landon was so excited and thankful!  My boy is growing up! (Sniff) 

Pity...Party of One

Pity...Party of One.  Pity...party of one, your table awaits.  And for some reason I think my last name must have changed to Pity, because the last couple of months or so...I feel like I have been lingering at this table of patheticness.  I know...womp, womp.  I really don't like to be a whiner/complainer and don't understand the Negative Nellies and Debbie Downers of the world, but lately my positive outlook/perspective has definitely been skewed.  Maybe it was due to some stressful preschoolers at work (and not getting my typical fun summer break), or the constant monotony of housework, or just the neverending demands of being a mother and spouse; but I was just getting to the point that I wanted to just get through each day.  I was definitely surviving, not thriving.  I tend to be a giving person and worry about pleasing people, but sometimes I feel like I am giving, giving, giving and not meeting any of my own needs.  Selfishness shouldn't be a defining trait, but it is necessary to take time for yourself.  I kind of stink at this.  I can't say no for the life of me - and if I do feel so guilty might have been less effort to just say yes.  I just kept going through the motions, through the motions....and feeling pretty lonely and depleted in the process.

And then after attending a memorial service for a friends' mom and applying some sermons and small group lessons at church - I realized I just needed a swift kick in the rear.  Put things into perspective.  God gave me a good smack in the face and said wake up - what is wrong with you?!  You have so many blessings.  A great husband who works hard...yeah he works a lot and can be crabby, but who isn't?!  And two amazing boys who are very BUSY and noisy, but full of so much love and passion.  You need to just flip that pity party table upside down - Teresa from New Jersey Housewives style.  Well maybe God didn't say that since he probably isn't a fan of the shallow housewives show, but you get the point.  I needed a change.  A new perspective.  Sometimes when we start getting down about life, we start seeing the bad in everything.  I was forgetting the reason I am here.  The joy and hope that Christ gives me.  I had forgotten one of my favorite verses....Colossians 3:23  Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.  I was working with all my heart, but was forgetting who I should be working for.  I was getting things done, but just getting exhausted.  I need to rely on God to rejuvenate me and give me energy and zest for life.  I am snapping out of it, but it's a choice that we have to make each day.  But I am happy to say I am not currently sitting at the table, and don't plan on it.  Rather be at a table with people I love and loving the life and blessings God has given me.  I am also planning on putting a little more fun activities into my schedule.  After all, all work and no play, made Jill a dull girl.  Buh-bye seriousness...hello fun!

11 years in the making...

Well, the following poem took 4 years of dating, and 7 years of marriage....but it was worth the wait.  We celebrated our 7 year anniversary yesterday and Josh wrote me his first ever love poem.  It was the perfect gift...good thing since that's all I got. ;)  Actually, we didn't really do gifts in hopes that we are going to treat ourselves to a kid-free weekend away.  Hopefully soon!!!!!  I could really use it!

***A little background info for those of you who don't already know....We had our first kiss in college.  I had gotten eaten up by mosquitoes the night before I went to hang out with some friends at his apartment.  We had only met once and he told me he had some lotion to help my bites.  I followed him back to his bathroom where he gave me some sun-ripened raspberry lotion.  I began mocking his manliness for using such a girlie lotion and said thanks but I don't think those will help my bites.  In the middle of my joking he just leaned over and kissed me.  BOOM!  Fireworks...seriously, just like the movies :)  And the rest is history :)  As for the broken back, broken toes, and rain (terrential downpours would be more accurate)...those all unfortunately happened during our wedding adventure.  Still one of the best days ever!

Seven Years

It's been seven years of wedded bliss

That all started with a little kiss

I'll get you lotion for those bug bites

I didn't think you'd put up much of a fight

Filled with dreams of an ocean side wedding

Broken back, toes, and rain we would soon be forgetting

After all that happened love remained

Good family and friends remain the same

Along came two boys that are God's true blessing

Ready to laugh, cry, and play and often confessing

The things they have done as we try to raise them right

For God's direction and purpose we cling tight

It's been seven years of wedded bliss

I couldn't have imagined a love like this

I love you!

Josh

He did GOOD!!!

Crazy for Carbs!!

Landon loves, loves, loves bread.  We had gotten some leftover STL breadco loaves from a friend at work and I came in the kitchen to find him gnawing on this huge piece. 

Trying to escape with his tasty prize.

Treemendous Houses

We recently took a family trip to the Missouri Botanical Gardens to spend the day and see the new exhibit Extreme Treehouses.  The houses were dispersed all throughout the gardens and were really neat to look at and crawl through, but extreme may have been a little generous of a term to use.  I was expecting these huge houses in the trees, but all of the structures were more artistic and natural.  I am thinking they didn't want to mess up the integrity of the trees at the garden.  Nevertheless, the weather was absolutely perfect and we had a glorious day!!

Landon liked this house because he thought it looked like a spider.

Inside of my favorite house...all of the siding was made out of real tree bark

Landon's in the doghouse

This one was made from recycled/salvaged wood

These purple flowers were super tall and gorgeous!

Preschool Program

We recently had our Graduation and Preschool Program at work.  My class performed the 23rd Psalm and sang two songs.  The kids did great and everyone said our class really shined!  Landon was a great leader and really helped lead the kids. 

The boys with the grandparents before the show started...I was watching the other kids in my class, but apparently Landon went up on stage and was attempting to direct all the parents in a performance.  He had one hand behind his back and was pointing with the other as he loudly stated, "I need you, you, and you on stage."  Apparently he has been watching mommy a little too much :)

A Group shot of my Class

The performance