Spring time

I started writing this post a long time ago.  I'm going to leave it and then continue below, so it's kinda like 2 posts.

Yay, it's spring time and that means more time outside, grilling and more fun!  We've had a taste of some warm weather and we have been to the park, playing basketball outside and have grilled, well Kevin has and it was delish!

Baseball is also going to start soon.  If only the weather would cooperate and stop raining and be over 45 degrees.  I feel bad that his practice was canceled, he was so excited and just wants to play ball.  He got a new throw and field trainer and goes outside whenever he can to throw the ball and practice.  We went to the store to buy all of his gear and the excitement in his eyes was awesome.  He met his team, so all that is left is to practice!  So April weather, warm up and save the rain for the hours of  9p.m.-4 a.m.

We have awesome readers on our hand.  I'm so happy that they love to read.  They read before bed every night and just love getting new books at the library each week.  They have really grown.  Although it's hard to get use to both of them reading signs on the road, or at restaurants and we definitely can't spell or they will catch wind.  I'm happy that they are growing so much and a little sad too.

Boys are having a fun time texting from my phone.  So be warned, if you get a text from me that doesn't sound like me, it very well could be Austin or John David.  They love receiving messages too.

We enjoyed spring break.  Boy did it go by fast.  We did a lot  and I'm sorry that it's over.  the boys are pretty amazing and I was lucky to be able to spend a whole week with them. 

I'm laughing right now because, I just wrote about how we just enjoyed spring break, and now we are 1 week out from summer break!  I tell ya, life has been just so hectic and crazy as of late.  Work has been crazy busy and home too.

John David had a great baseball season, we are just beyond proud of him.  He made plays at first as the first baseman,  caught 2 fly balls, stopped ground balls and threw to first and second, hit the ball from the coach and cheered on his team.    He loves playing and can't wait to play fall ball.  As crazy as the season was, practice 1 night and 1-3 games a week, I'm sad that it's over.  We really enjoyed watching him play. And he was way too cute in his uniform.

Austin had a blast playing with his friends from the baseball team.  We've met some new friends in the neighborhood so that's been fun.

School is over next week and I'm sitting here thinking where did the year go!   Just looking at how far both of them come over the school year.  Both are great readers!  Austin is doing fractions, adding, and subtracting and spelling! (much more too). I can't wait to take a picture on Friday to see the difference from their first day of school. 

Both boys start summer camp on the 6th and I think they are going to have a blast.  Lots of fun things happening for them.

Kevin is doing good.  He got his father's day gift a little bit early.  The boys got him a smoker, he's been wanting it for awhile now and it's perfect that the weather is nice.  He can cook for us even more now!  Win win!  


I'm having a hard time with the boys turning 7 and 6 and going into 2nd and 1st grade.  What happened to my babies!?!?!  I'm still thankful, they still like to cuddle.

The next weeks will be crazy with school ending and birthdays for my 2 special boys.

Artinghelli Happenings

It seems as though I do this every year.  I just can't seem to find the time to blog.  So I apologize that's its been nearly 3 months since my last blog.  So much has happened.  We went through the Holidays, which were amazing.  We had a lot of activities surrounding the holidays which always turns out to be fun.  This year we went on a train ride with Santa and his elves, my work Christmas party, made cookies, had a bunch of celebrations and even started a new tradition, driving around the neighborhood looking at lights and going out for ice-cream.  I really enjoyed that.  We were going to send holiday cards oversees but didn't make the deadline, but we did send a Christmas Card to a girl who was asking for them because she lost her family in a fire and was wanting these cards to make her feel better and we adopted a boy who wanted Minecraft toys, just like Austin.   Boys, of course were spoiled with love and toys.  They got their 3DS's from us.  This was the present of the year, and Austin has been talking about wanting it for months. It was great to see their expression when they opened it!  They got a lot of great toys this year and are super super lucky.  We keep trying to tell them that they are lucky and that there are people/kids out there who don't have it as good.  Hopefully, they do know they are lucky.  We had a lot of questions this year about Santa.  Is he real, are the parents giving the toys, he's not the same Santa as we saw, etc.  It makes me sad to think that the innocence and the belief might not be here for much longer.   Hopefully we can get a few more years, and I hope the older kids keep the magic going for us.

Austin is rocking with the reading.  I can't begin to tell you how proud I am of him.  It's amazing to hear his sweet voice read to me. He's comprehending too, which is awesome.
A funny story, so for school, Austin had to write about which book he preferred out of 2 books he recently read about ducks.  He had to say why he preferred the book, what he would say to someone who was asking.  So, my little guy, said he liked one of the books better because it was a shorter book.  Little stinker.  I laughed to myself, but then he had to redo the work because his teacher said, that wasn't a good reason!  Hahaha.

Austin is really loving basketball!  He wants that ball to go in the hoop and will keep shooting til it's in there.  He likes to count how many shots he can make in a row.  Can't wait for it to warm up a bit so he can do this at home and not after practice.  I feel bad for him because he is the smallest on the team and it's definitely hard for him to get and keep the ball because everyone is so much bigger.  

Both boys love watching Impractical Jokers.  They just crack up at all of the things the jokers need to do!  It's nice to have a show, we can all enjoy watching.  Not just those pesky cartoons.

We have been enjoying playing Minion Life.  It's definitely different than the Life we played growing up, but it's a lot of fun.  I love playing games as a family.  Uno attack is another fun one, love it when the boys get blasted with cards, haha!   I'm sure Kevin can't wait until we can all play Monopoly!

John is also doing an AMAZING job with his reading too.  I love listening to him read.  So proud of how good he is with sounding out his words.





We signed John David up for the travel league for baseball.  We can't wait to see him out there.  He can't wait either.  He was so good at t-ball, can't wait to see how he does off the tee.  Can't wait to see his arm in action!!!!!  And we are also getting ready to sign him up for flag football.  I know he can't wait for that one!  He is so excited about sports.  Well, John David is excited about everything, he really is just a well rounded kid!

I think we are all ready for it to be nice outside again.  While, we have been blessed with a mild winter, can't wait for spring/summer, when we can be outside!  I miss the burgers and brats Kevin would grill and having the windows open!  It's coming, I know it! 

Happy

We are very happy.

Boys are doing well in school.  They both just seem to love it.  They both love their teachers and are filled with excitement.  Austin has homework just about every night and now that there is a good routine he doesn't seem to mind.  He has spelling words every night, lightening words (where you have to quickly read the words and are timed, reading and one math sheet.  Austin has taken off with the reading!  I'm just so proud of him that I can't even begin to tell you.  It's like something clicked.

John David has popcorn words at school, so they work on 2-4 words each week, that are constantly showing up that week during the lessons.  Well, while we are reading John David is pointing out his popcorn words.  It's great.  I just know soon we are going to have 2 awesome readers on our hands.

We just love our neighborhood.  The boys are always outside playing with the kids in the neighborhood.  They ask to look outside to see if they are outside playing and quickly run outside.  What amazes me, is that our neighbors are a little bit older than our boys, but that doesn't seem to matter.  John David can hold is own when playing football and they both have really gotten into playing hockey which is great because they all seem to like it.  Kevin and I have loved having the basketball hoop because it gives us something to do when they are outside playing with their friends.  Kevin and I have enjoyed playing HORSE and PIG, although I don't think I've won a game yet, but I do give Kevin some competition.  Boys are loving playing basketball too.  It truly has been great.  We have also noticed that our neighborhood likes to decorate for Halloween. It's crazy, we have put up a sign and some pumpkins and that's about it, but I'm sure next year, it will be different and I can't even imagine the decorations when it comes to Christmas time!  I can't wait.  Although, we will need to go buy some outside decorations.

We had a great time at the Red Raiders game a few weeks back.  It would have been better if it wasn't cold though, the boys weren't too happy.  Next time we go when it's a little chilly out we will be more prepared with blankets, we were bundled with hats, gloves and coats, but were still cold.  John David even saw his teacher, which made him so excited!  I think Kevin really enjoyed going to the game, although it might be another year or two before they can handle a Michigan game!  It was just great being out with all of the excitement.

Buster is happy too.  When we are outside in the front, he needs to be with us.  If he's not, you can hear him barking by the garage door and jumping on the door.  We have to be careful, because he has been known to lock us out.  Good thing, the back door was open or we would have been in trouble.  So we just let him out front with us, on his leash and he just loves the attention he gets from all of the kids. 

We have been enjoying the fall weather.  We went to Goeberts and the boys had a blast with their friends, we got pumpkins that we are looking to carve tonight, Kevin is enjoying his Pumpkin Spiced Latte and we are all enjoying Apple Cider Donuts!

Football is now over for John David.  It was more of a basic type class which was too basic for Johnny. It seems as though he got more out of playing with the neighbors than the class.  Next year, it'll be different though, maybe flag, we'll see.  He has a great spiral, can catch the ball and can even punt it.  It's just crazy that you give him a ball and he knows what to do with it.  We were at the park and a high schooler was there with a friend with their lacrosse sticks.  Next thing I know, John David picked up a stick and was catching and throwing.  Just crazy at how natural he is with balls.

Austin started Karate and he is loving it.  He got is gi 2 weeks ago and looking more official.  And he is starting basketball next month, hoping he likes that as he loves shooting hoops outside.


 Our little munchkins sure do keep us busy and we are enjoying it.

Back to School

It's hard to believe that summer is over and that school has started.  With all of the anticipation of school coming, it's hard to believe it's finally here.

Friday was the boys last day of Day Care.  It was definitely surreal.  I really LOVED this daycare.  Austin and John David went in there after running the old daycare and this place quickly whipped them into shape.  No not literally, but they definitely were strict!  After nearly 2 years here, it was so bittersweet to say goodbye.  The boys absolutely loved their teacher and were in tears as we drove away.  I felt horrible.  Before we left, they each gave the kids a hug and hugged their teachers and it made me smile knowing how much they were loved. Thank you Learning Tree for teaching my kids, guiding them and most importantly loving them.

I took Monday and Tuesday off before school started.  We went on a Chicago adventure with grandma on Monday.  We went to Maggie Daley park and visited the Bean.  The boys love Chicago. They love looking at the tall buildings, pointing out the taxi's and buses and watching the hustle and bustle.   On Tuesday, we went out with friends and enjoyed the day and had John David's last t-ball practice!

Austin had a great first day.  He got on the bus, and had THE BIGGEST GRIN on his face as he drove away.  The excitement in his wave made the drop off easy.  As we walked away, John David started crying.  Just like last year when we dropped him off.  And just like last year, I didn't anticipate it.  I knew I would be sad, but not Johnny.  We got home and played and he was much better.  That kid wore me out.  We played with his stuffed animals, played catch, got my new license, picked up some stuff at Aldi, went to breakfast, mini golfing, made Austin cookies, played more catch and went to the park!  I'm exhausted just writing it.  I just wanted to make his last day special with mommy.  And was it!

Austin came home loving first grade.  His teacher gave him a Popsicle.  The way to a kids heart--Popsicles!  He said he loved it.  He ate most of his lunch, and ate the rest when he got home.  After the cookies of course. He talked about his day and was looking forward to going back.  He was a bit crabby before dinner as to be expected and was in bed by 7:30.  

John David has a great first day too.  We took him to the bus and when the bus got there, he didn't even look back.  He got on the bus, just like he was suppose to.  I waited for the bus to leave and saw Austin in the window seat. Again, big smile and a big wave, and I saw him tell John David to look out the window and I saw a big smile from him and a big wave.  I just know my Austin was looking out for his brother.  We met John David at school.  He knew we were so I'm hoping that's why he didn't even think to give me a hug goodbye.  We waited outside his room for him.  He looked so small in the hallway as he was walking down it.  It was important for him to do the bus the first day so he would be use to it.  All of the parents were in the hallway waiting for the kids to make sure they got in the room.  We walked him in.  Right away, "good morning, Ms. ____  Just hearing him say her name is so sweet.  We went to his seat, made sure he was good and gave him a great big hug.  He said, "Mommy, daddy wait", Oh no I thought to myself, he came up and said "one more hug", gave us a hug, and sat back down and say "bye mommy and daddy"  No tears, what a big boy he was is.  I got home from school, and went to work.  Wow, was it quiet.  I could hear myself think and Buster snore.  The day dragged on.  I was working like a bee but as expected kept thinking what is Johnny and Austin doing now.  The bus was late dropping, as to be expected, making sure everyone gets on the right bus, and that was the hardest wait.  Just wanted to see how their day was!  We got them and drove to get ice cream and talk about John David's first day.  He loved it of course and couldn't wait to go back.

Now, I officially have 2 kids in school.  The fun has begun, making lunches, checking the backpack daily, emails from teachers, spelling words start this week and homework soon, I'm sure.

They are ready to learn and fly. 

John David goes to Kindergarten

Dear John David,

Can you believe it?!?!  It's time to go to Kindergarten, and you are so ready for it.  We picked out all of your school supplies, bought new shoes, laid out your outfit, went to your classroom and met your teacher.  It's time, and boy are you excited, and yesterday for the first time before bed, you said you were a little nervous.  Let me fill you in on a little secret, I'm nervous too.  I have this pit in my stomach, will you get on the bus, will you cry, or will you just go and not look back?  I will be strong for you, I promise, but as daddy and I walk away from the bus stop, I will have tears.  You see, you are my baby, my last born and this is the last first day of Kindergarten I will have and it makes me a tiny bit sad.  You are just growing way too fast.  Stop it.  Okay? 

I really enjoyed our date yesterday.  It was important for me to spoil you as much as I could.  Thank you for not suggesting we go to the toy store ;-)  I enjoyed going out to breakfast with you and going mini golfing.  Great job on the hole in one!  Playing catch will you is one of my all time favorites!  I remember playing catch with my dad and enjoying it too.   And you rocked making cookies (I'll take credit now, for your future wife, yes I'm teaching him to cook, you're welcome, ladies).  Austin was so surprised and excited to sit at the table and talk about his first day with you, me and daddy while eating cookies.  We will talk about your day too, but we are going out for ice cream :-)

You loved getting a call from your teacher yesterday.  How sweet was that?!?!  Too bad we missed her, but she called us three times.  When we tried to call her back, how you said her name was so sweet in the voicemail.  I just love your sweet voice.  I just love you!

So, as you go to Kindergarten today and I want to give you some advice.  Much I like I did Austin on his first day.

• Make sure you sit and are quiet on the bus.  I want you to get to school safely.
• Listen to your teacher, she has a lot to say, she may be teaching you something important, or may be telling you something funny
• If you need to go to the bathroom, please lift the toilet seat up.  No one wants to see any pee pee on the seat.
• Wash those hands, count to 20 or sing a song in your head, not out loud.
• I know how much you love to sing the songs you hear in the car, please please please do not sing Shut up and dance with me.  While it's super cute to hear you sing that, it's not appropriate at school and you may get in trouble for saying shut up.
• Meet new friends.  
• I know you like to be funny, there is a time and place for it, so look at your surroundings.  If your teacher is giving you the look, you know "the look"  stop and wait for recess.
• Oooh this one is important, listen up.  Eat quick!  You only have 20 minutes to eat.  So as Miss Diana says, "talk a little, eat a little, talk a little, eat a little"  
• Have fun!
• And learn!

Kindergarten is so much fun and you are going to have a blast.  We can't wait to hear about your first day.

I love you to the moon and back.  You are my number one favorite surprise! 

Have a great first day buddy.  Enjoy the bus ride, enjoy learning, meet new friends and fly!

Love,
Mommy

Summer is ending

I'm sitting here, feeling a little bit emotional, thinking about how my boys are gearing up for Kindergarten and 1st grade.  I'm thinking back to when I first found out I was pregnant, to their birth day, all of their firsts, and it is just a bit overwhelming.  I just can't believe how fast they are growing.  And it's great.  I really do love the stage we are at,  I'm still "cool", they don't need me every second of the day, but I admit, I miss miss miss, holding them and rocking them.  I'm lucky that they love to give me hugs and kisses and we do have our little bedtime routine which is pretty amazing.  But, I look down the road, and I'm definitely NOT ready for what I see.  So, can we just please hit the pause button for a little bit.  Please.

Climbing to the top with Daddy

The boys are adapting very well to our new house.  They absolutely love it here.  They have a pretty cool play room, where we are trying to keep the toys.  And they have pretty awesome rooms.  One thing that Austin said when we were driving there on moving day still makes my heart melt.  John David said something like, "we are own our way to the new house" and Austin said, "No, John David, we are on our way home." So sweet. 

One thing we did not anticipate was the difference in temperatures upstairs vs downstairs.  It's pretty cool downstairs but pretty hot upstairs, we have been sleeping with the ceiling fans and even slept with the window open when it was cool outside. I do look forward to sleeping with the windows open when it's fall outside.  All nice and cozy in my bed with the cool air coming in. 


John David has been loving t-ball and he is a star.  He has quite the arm and is always asking Kevin and me to play catch outside.  He's even starting to catch.  He has his own bat and brings his bag to t-ball.  I think he loves it.  He does awesome with the ground balls too.  We are definitely proud of him.

Austin has mastered the monkey bars.  He has successfully gone across.  He has quite the serious look on his face as he is doing it, but the big smile on his face afterwards are great.  We joke that he will be on American Ninja Warriors because he loves creating these obstacles at the park.  And now he can add monkey bars to it.  He also loves the show!

Austin has a huge heart.  Lately at daycare, he has been making bracelets with one of his friends, we even got him his own kit.  Toy day is on Tuesday and every Tuesday he would come home with 3-4 bracelets on his wrist.  His friend Dana made them for him.  Dana this, Dana that.  So one day, he tells me, he is going to Dana's house on Saturday.  Ok buddy, how are you going to get there, maybe I should talk to Dana's mom, maybe we can set something up, you know the drill.  So I give Austin my number on a piece of paper, so he can give it to Dana, so she can give it to her mom, so we can talk.  The chances of my number ending up in Dana's moms hand is SLIM, I know.  I told the teacher, so she knew why I was giving my number.  Austin's teacher said, "Austin, didn't tell you?"  So apparently, Dana was moving to Texas in 9 days.  I pick up Austin from school, and say, "Hey buddy, how come you didn't tell me that Dana was moving to Texas?"  "Oh yea, no problem mom, we'll just drive there".  Poor guy doesn't know its not a quick drive.   Fast forward to this morning, Dana's last day was on Tuesday.  We are driving to daycare.  "Mommy, are we going to get on a plane to go to Texas? ..... On Saturday?"  He was legitimately upset, when I told that we were not going to Texas.  Poor guy and his little sad heart.  I feel for him.

Almost at the top with Daddy

John David is a comedian, he's always coming up with the funniest things.  I woke up with a stiff neck.  I asked Austin to get me an ice pack, thinking he would bring me, my blue or green one.  Nope, he comes back with a frog one.  I ask Austin, "what do you think the people at my work will say when I show up with this frog ice pack.  Austin thought this was funny and had a huge smile on his face.  John David was a few feet away putting on his shoes and says "Ribit"  -----Where does he come up with this stuff!?!?!



All is good with us!  We are very happy in our new house, we are getting ready for school to start in 2 weeks (seems really late this year) so stay tuned to see how the boys first days of Kindergarten and First grade go.  I truly can't believe we are here....they say it flies by, and when you are in it you don't think so, but when elementary school rolls around, you really start to see it! 

Happy 5th birthday, John David

Happy birthday to my little man, John David.  Today you are 5 and such a cute 5 year old you are!  Mommy and Daddy are so lucky to have you in our lives.  You are so much fun and you teach us so much.  Your smile lights up the room, your laugh is contagious and your generosity is so natural.

You have all of us cracking up.  You are such a funny kid.  Grandpa thinks you're going to be the class clown.  You're always making these funny faces and sounds and you love a good knock knock joke!

I was looking at my birthday post from last year and a lot of it is the same.  I was looking at your favorite foods and while I have some to add, you still enjoy all of the food you ate last year.  You still like your blankets a certain way on your bed at bedtime and you still change your nightly routine.  You love balls, throwing, catching, rolling, kicking, shooting, all things balls.  And you still love to make pancakes with grandma and make daddy and me our morning coffee.

You love tacos!  Last year it was cheese roll ups, and now it's tacos, with meat, cheese and sour cream!  And you can eat!  You like the rice that goes with the tacos.  Let's talk about your sandwiches!  You like and I still think this is gross, Mayo, mustard and cheese sandwiches!  EWWWW.  Put that turkey back on ;-)  Sometimes, you'll eat the turkey, sometimes you don't, I guess it all depends on the mood you're in.  You love love love daddy's cheeseburgers (I agree, they are the best in the world), spaghetti, sausage, brats.  I make crunchy pork and chicken and you stick your nose up at it, but once you eat one piece, you say you like it.  You just gotta try it and if you don't want it, that's fine, but just try it!  You never know, you just may love it.

This year, t-ball is going to be awesome.  Last year was awesome!  But I swear, you just have a way with the balls.  We can play catch and that is so much fun!  And the best part is daddy is going to be a coach!  Woot woot!  And I can't wait for you to open up Austin's present to you.  Spoiler alert, it's a big boy bat.  One you can bring to t-ball.  And we got you sports bedding.  After all when we move next month, your room is all ready a sports room, so it's perfect for you!  I can write this because, one you won't be seeing this before you open your present after school and 2 you can't read quite yet.

But you know all of your letters and numbers and are starting to read words here and there.  You have been having fun playing sight word bingo and the new game grandma got for you and Austin, Zingo!

You love playing games on the computer at school, and my phone and i pad.  You have been playing daddy at Mini Golf on the phone.  That game is quite addicting!  I've been playing it too.  You like playing I spy, and Morgan taught us a new car game too.  Alphabet, where you look out the car and look for things that start with the letters in the alphabet. I rocked it ;-)  and you will too!  Grandma got you Don't break the ice so that will be fun.  And let's not forget about Infinity with all of your guys.  You and Austin love playing together and I think  know daddy loves watching you!

You are going to have a bunch of nicknames.  We call you John David, or John, then you have JD, Johnny, Johnny boy blue, Johnny Longsleeves (why, because you always want to wear longsleeves, even now that it's hot outside), the names keep coming.   I really miss when Austin called you on babid.  And then of course, I miss when you called Austin, utin.  You boys are really growing before our eyes.

You love making things and coloring.  You like putting your letters in envelopes and giving them to us.  You like taping your pictures to the wall.  I think instead of bedding for your room, we should have gotten you tape and paper!  You are very creative with all the things you make.

At the park, you love the swing!  You love when I push you, I think you could swing for hours.  You also love the spinning thing at the park and the slides.  When we go to the park, you have a blast.

 You and Austin have such a cool relationship.  I'm so thankful you have each other.  You both look out for each other and love to play together.  I hope that you are always close and truly cherish each other.


You love Buster!  You are constantly giving him hugs and kisses.  Before we leave in the morning and before bed you need to give him some love.   You're constantly petting him and loving him.  He's lucky to have you too!

 We love you so much!  You are such a joy to be around.  We look forward to celebrating with you today and look forward to enjoying your 5th year.