Thanksgiving Feast!

Today Matt and I had the opportunity to join Cale and Mallory at their Kindergarten Thanksgiving Feast!  

The class cooked a delicious vegetable soup, cutting all of the ingredients and all the while keeping all 10 fingers for all of them!  I am thoroughly impressed that Mrs. Chipman and her mom were able to get 21 kids to pull this together.  It was awesome and these kids were so, so proud of their meal they cooked for us.

They each had to try at least 3 bites, per Mrs. Chipman's rules, and most LOVED it and ate the entire bowl.  Some went for second helpings!

We enjoyed cornbread which Cale LOVES, with butter of course.  We topped off our yummy lunch with pumpkin pie.  Mallory didn't want any and went for a second helping of soup and Cale actually loved more than the whipped cream on top and ate some pie!

I know I sound like a broken record when I say we are truly blessed with amazing teachers in our children's lives but we truly are blessed.  These folks go all out and teach our children so much.  It is so much more than ABCs, math and reading.  I never would have imagined  my kindergartners could chop and dice!

We even were entertained with some Thanksgiving songs, getting us ready for the Christmas performance next month!

We have a lot to be thankful for this year and today I most thankful that my job allows me the time to do what is important with my kids, making memories.

We so enjoyed our lunch with our Littles!  We even got to say hi to the Bigs while were there!

Today we are thankful for lunchtime memories and AMAZING schools with even more AMAZING people who are touching our children's lives!

GGGGGOOOOOOOAAAAALLLLL with the big boys!

As a parent there is no better feeling than watching your kids accomplish a goal and to conquer something they were not sure would ever happen!  Well for Cale that something was scoring a goal while playing up with the big boys team and last Monday he did it!

He scored plenty in lollipops but it is way different than playing against these big boys and he doubted that he would ever score with the big boys this year which made this goal all the better.
Not only did he score that goal, he now is hungry for more and is continually looking for opportunities to score more!

Cale started playing on Matt's 8U team this fall when they were short a player, we thought why not put him out there and at least give the other kids a couple of minutes to rest.  Well he actually kept up with those kids and as small as he is, he is trying harder than most kids to play and play well.  Towards the end of outdoor season, we watched one game where he went all out and looked like he had just crossed the finish line after a half marathon, he left it all out there but yet had that high of accomplishing your best.

Cale on the left after his all out game and on our way to watch the high school boys at Semi-State!

He has LOVED playing with his big brother and we often find him looking to Caden for direction and help.  Same game where he scored that goal he had an awesome assist to his brother for a goal.
It is like he knows what he is doing out there.

We won't always get the opportunity to watch our boys play together with the 2.5 year difference but we are enjoying it now and so are the boys.  Sunday, on the way to the game we heard them talking about how Caden owed Cale an assist so he could score, they almost had it but Cale missed the ball and stumbled a bit.

Watching him score that goal, running back to the middle with his hands in the air to say, "I did it!" was a top moment for this mom.  I won't lie I think I cried a bit.  I am always proud of my kids but it is moments like that which makes being a parent that much sweeter!

Cale Man you did good buddy.  I look forward to watching you score many more goals in life and will be there for all of the accomplishments, the tries and the learning along the way!  

Back to School 2015 - KINDERGARTEN and 2nd Grade here they come!

I am rolling back my blog to August 5th 2015, the first day of school, Mallory and Cale's first day of Kindergarten and Maggie and Caden's first day of 2nd grade!

It's here the first day of school, I think momma is more nervous than the kids!  Although Maggie is very nervous it is more so about the change in friends in her class and that 2nd grade you do more on your own.  We have our supplies there, Cale got a MAJOR haircut, our back packs are ready, we know we are riding the bus from home and to daycare, and there was nothing left to do but go!

So off they went, not without the pictures mom had to take of course, this is just a small piece of what I actually have.  Everyone picked their own outfits out and had the nerves and excitement that comes with anything new.

We are blessed once again with amazing teachers.  Cale and Mallory have Mrs. Chipman and are part of the Monkeys class.  Maggie has Mrs. Marshall who is awesome and like family to us. Caden has Mr. Seymour who he actually wanted in 1st grade and cannot wait to wear his Purdue gear to school because Mr. Seymore went to IU!

In the end, Mallory and Cale are ready, I am not. I am not ready to let go of the innocent babies they are to me.  I know now that this is the year of independence because they learn so much during this year of Kindergarten.  Things change, they won't need me as much anymore and that makes me sad.  They are growing up and becoming their own people, who are pretty amazing if you ask me.

I held it together, until I left them in their classroom which I didn't want to do.  I know they are in great hands but they are my last two to go to Kindergarten so it was a big step for me.  I did take the day off and did what I wanted when Caden and Maggie went to Kindergarten, enjoyed a lunch with my hubby and then a nap then picked them up to see the excitement of the day from them all.

It was a great day and they are doing awesome in school.  We are all learning so much and each day is something new but that's okay because that is what we do - we learn and grow.

To my babies, I am so proud of you all.  

Each one of you is your own being and making your way into who you will become.  

To their teachers, thank you for taking care of them and helping them to write the pages of their lives!  Here's to the school year 2015-2016!

Excited and ready!

Our little Monkeys

Mallory Lynne

Maggie Lynne

Cale Joseph

Caden Joseph

Mallory and Brooklyn - her new friend!

Accomplishing her dreams and goals!

 I am a proud pageant momma, proud that my girl Maggie has set some big dreams and is working hard to make them come true.  On September 26th she was crowned Little Miss Hoosier High and is so excited to win her first title!  We are thrilled to be a part of the White Rive Pageant Productions family.  Miss Carrie is a wonderful director and is so patient and caring with all of the girls.

We started pageant life when she was 4 years old, she has wanted to win and has worked hard.  She placed top 15 in NAM this past summer when moving up in age and I was so excited, but immediately she started talking about what she needed to do to WIN that crown!  She is my driven and passionate little one.  She has big dreams and goals, I will always support these dreams and goals and have told her so.  I do have glitter in my suitcase and will be sparkling while working this week!

Many ask if the pageants we do are like what they have seen on Toddlers and Tiaras, um NO, we work on poise, confidence and speaking skills. That my friends is only one side of pageantry, we do not do glitz as I want her to look her age and we want to meet friends, not make competitors out of folks.  Maggie has grown so much in these 4 years and her confidence has too.  I have learned a ton as well!

I am proud of her and super proud that her dreams and goals keep growing.  We will see where her pageant dreams take her, they are big dreams, really big dreams!  We are so grateful for all who have helped and supported her along the way, watch her grow, she isn't done yet!

Maggie Lynne, I hope you never give up on your dreams and goals.  I will always support you and help you along the way in all that you do.  Keep reaching for the stars (or tiaras) and know that no matter what we are proud of you!

After being crowned!  She is so excited

Making new friends, like she always does!

Spirit wear - hence my glitter suitcase!

Ready to call it a night! 

riding in the Farmer's Fair Parade!

Top 15 NAM 2015 and Photogenic Winner!

NAM 2014 - where she wanted to try talent and did!

Casual wear competition 2013.  She won Photogenic!

Ready for interviews at Nationals 2013 

After her first pageant in 2012 - there were tears and goals set!

Celebrating 13 years of marriage!

Tomorrow, October 12th, will be the day Matt and I celebrate 13 amazing years of marriage.  WOW so much has happened in our lives in 13 years yet I can remember our wedding day like it was yesterday.

When I think about where Matt and I started in our lives and where we have come I am amazed. There are so many memories, outings, heartbreak and joys.  We never envisioned two sets of twins but then again we know we do not know the plan for us but I must say we have managed it pretty well thus far. Even when do not understand what is happening and why we have made it through and each day we get stronger.

It's hard work, but it is worth it because there is not anyone else I would rather be on this journey with, it's our story and we will keep adding pages and chapters for many more years.

I am so grateful for the great father he is and the support to my crazy ways!  He is there to make me laugh when I really want to be mad or sad and he is a trooper to the outings I plan for the 6 of us.

I am sitting here in my hotel room sad that we are not together to celebrate, I only know of one other time when we were apart on our anniversary but I at least made it home before midnight that time, I won't be so lucky this time.  It's 13 years, so many lessons in life and so much change.  Here is a few photos over the years!

To each and everyone of our family and friends, we are ever grateful for your unconditional love and support.  You all have been a huge part of our story and we are blessed to have had you along for our journey!

Matthew, I love you - here's to many more years of memories, laughter and growing old together!

Our wedding day!

Caden and Maggie's 1st dirt track race

Our first family photo as a family of 6!

SO many Bengals Games together!

We do clean up nice

Family of four!

Almost a family of  6 celebrating Adam & Haley's wedding!

Halloween

One of our many road trips driving 16+ hours straight! 

He holds sleeping kids at Indy!

Can paint toes like no other! 

Blessed we got to go to Italy together!  

Running for a cause - it makes me run faster!

When I first signed up to run a half marathon I did it for two reasons, to see if I could last 13.1 miles and because it was at Disney.  When that goal first came into my brain, my second set of twins were 9 months old in 2011 and I never, ever imagined I would be hooked as using running as an outlet in my life.  Yet here I am in 2015 and I not only ran that Disney Princess Half Marathon, I have run 2 others and I am on my way to my first and maybe only Glass Slipper Challenge!

Goals are awesome, I usually set some lofty ones when I am still on a runners high.  Most of mine are crazy but I am fortunate that my husband, family and friends always support me! Back in 2014 after finishing the Princess I knew what my next goal was, The Glass Slipper Challenge before I turn 40, yes that is not far off!  I even spoke that goal out loud unlike my first half goal!  What is the GSC?  It is a 10K on Saturday and the Half on Sunday, both run through the wonderful and amazing ground of Disney but yikes that's a lot of miles for two days!

Registration was coming close, I was nervous, this race combo sells out in MINUTES so I started thinking how can I make this race a guarantee but yet help someone in need so here I am August 2015 signed up to take on the Glass Slipper Challenge and for a cause that most will not know about - Girl Power 2 Cure and the girls who are fighting Rett Syndrome.  And friends I need your help.  Not only to raise money so I can make my goal a reality but to help these girls who cannot run, walk or talk but yet still are alert and alive!

What is Rett Syndrome?  Great question which I asked myself after a mom reached out to me on one of my running boards and said they have spots for GSC.   So research and reading I did, talking to Sophia's mom and pouring over her photos and videos brought tears and now I am honored to be able to run for the girls who cannot.

Rett Syndrome Quick Facts:
• Debilitating neurological (movement) disorder that predominantly affects females
• Baby girls are born "normal" but begin to lose acquired skills between the ages of 1-3 years old
• Caused by a single gene mutation that leads to underproduction of an important brain protein
• The leading genetic cause of severe impairment in girls - most cannot speak, walk or use their hands
• Despite their physical disabilities, girls with Rett Syndrome are believed to be functioning mentally at a much higher level than previously thought
• As prevalent as Cystic Fibrosis, ALS and Huntington's
• Another little girl is born with Rett Syndrome every 90 minutes
• Rett Syndrome is a potentially REVERSIBLE disorder. Research has proven once protein levels are back to normal levels, symptoms subside

Basically these young ladies are unable to do all of the things they love for themselves, but with your help we can bring the fun to them.  Check out this photo of Sophia water skiing this summer - look at that smile!  And all of those awesome people in the water behind her were there to help!  

I know I just asked for your support earlier this year and I am grateful for all that you do to support me and my causes which I team up with.  I am once again calling out to you my friends and family to help me help others.  I will be holding some fundraisers at home but if you can spare $1 or $5 you can donate here: 

https://gp2c.kindful.com/princess2016/trinas-gsc-powered-by-gp2c

Girl Power 2 Cure is connecting all of the runners for this amazing cause and helping us with many ideas but without you all we cannot help these girls smile.

Now I run with a purpose, I believe it makes me faster and if you know me I am NOT a fast runner.  It helps me focus, especially when I am hitting mile 10 and just want to quit.  I cannot quit, because others that I am running for do not quit. They cannot run yet they never give up!  

Thank you for taking the time to read and if you so choose to support me I am forever grateful!  If you see me out running, beep the horn or give me a holler - it makes me go faster!  

Much love!  

How did we get here????

That is the question running through my head right now, how is it possibly the night before my little ones head to Kindergarten? Where have the last five years gone?  Is the day when all 4 of the minions are in the school together here?  It just cannot be - but it is and this momma is a HOT mess.

Five years ago I had not even begun my blogging journey, it was in my head of should I write this all down or not, will I care to keep it, does anyone want to see what I have to say?  These were my thoughts and wonders, nothing about do we have everything for Kindergarten.  I was a very sleep deprived mom of 4 kids all 2 and under.  Not one thought would cross my mind about Kindergarten, I could barely remember who I fed at what time and had they all pooped that day or not.  I had one mad at me because he still went to daycare when I stayed home with the littles, one who thought she was bigger than she was and was testing her independence and two who needed me ALL the time.  Kindergarten was YEARS away, or so I thought.

It's time, they are ready their preschool teachers told me so, it's time for me to let go and to watch them grow into who they are destined to become.  It's time to once again meet a new teacher and see how we can fold her into our lives.  It's time for Cale and Mallory to make the big step into Kindergarten.

We have been counting sleeps for a few weeks - everything is counted in the number of sleeps remaining around here.  They are excited, just the last two days did I see any nerves come out.  The fears, they are there but that's okay they will make it.  Matthew and I have been answering questions along with Maggie and Caden about their day, where they will go and what they will do.  They are asking us where all of their friends are, we are making sure they know but that they also know there are many new friends to meet.

We got our supplies, WHEW what a night, we go in shifts next year!  We have our outfits for the first day picked out.  We know that Mommy and Daddy will be there when they walk into school.  We know who is packing lunch and who is buying lunch because it is Hot Dogs and chips.   We know that their years they spent with Ms. Lauren has prepared them for this day.  We know that they are ready but yet this momma is struggling to let her babies go.

I think it is definitely harder this time to let them head to Kindergarten since I know they will grow so much and change so much.  They learn at rapid speed and never look back from day one of Kindergarten, I am supposed to love that but part of me just wants time to stand still.

Five years ago, Caden had hand, foot and mouth and we were divided into two different places so the babies did not catch it.  We were getting by no sleep, no showers and no plans other than making it to the next feeding.  We were not thinking about our kids starting school and the fact that they are the Class of 2028.  We had different vehicles, jobs and goals for our careers.  We had no idea this day would actually come but it is here with full force.

We are ready, we will survive tomorrow and Kindergarten will become our routine.  We will see our brother and sister among the halls and on the bus and know that they are there if we need them.  We have our angels at school and in heaven watching out for us and guiding us.  We are READY!

Watch out LPS here we come, Mrs. Chipman is in charge of my babies and I know she will take care of them!

Caden and Maggie are excited and nervous about 2nd grade, they are the BIG kids in school and will be the ones who rule.  They have fabulous teachers and we cannot wait to see what the year will bring!

So ready or not the school year is here, Kindergarten and 2nd Grade are here!  There is nothing left to do but embrace it and celebrate!

Let's go - here's to a great 2015 - 2016 school year!

A sweet moment with my big girl

95% of my mornings when Matt is not traveling I take Mallory and only Mallory to school.  It started a while ago and has been that way.  Just the two of us out the door and starting our day. Some days we chat, some days she sleeps, some days we call Memaw Donna and some days we just listen to the radio.  Every once in a blue moon either Maggie or Cale will join us, but that is rare and Caden is almost never with us.  It's usually Mal Mal and momma.

The other morning I was trying to get to work early to get caught up on a few things.  I was getting ready to walk out the door and Maggie came bounding down the stairs and asked if I could take her to school.  My first instinct was to say no and that I was in a hurry but something stopped me and I said sure we just needed to get moving.  I am so glad my inner momma voice was talking and listening, it was a great few minutes together just us.  We had some great conversations and I realized just how much she is growing up.  We even took time to make her some hot chocolate since momma had her coffee.  It was only a total of 20 minutes but it was 20 minutes where I reconnected with my spunky little 7 year old who lives life fully.

I am so grateful I had that morning.  So much is going on in her little life and had I not said yes to taking her to school that morning I may have not known.  She reminded me that work can wait and slowing down some days and getting in the office at 7:00 AM vs. 6:30 AM on a Friday is okay because it means I got to connect with my family.

Maggie Lynne, I am grateful for you and so happy we had this morning.   You were a joy and made my day.  You brought me a perspective that morning that I did not know I needed.

I love you and look forward to many more mornings of coffee, hot chocolate and chatting.

The last day of school - here we come 2nd Grade!

Maggie and Caden have completed 1st grade and we could not be more proud of how much they have grown!

Both had an awesome year, largely in part to the awesome teachers at LPS.  We are extremely blessed at our school to have so many great influences for these kids and to have had amazing teachers once again this year.

They made new friends and kept in touch with the old. They learned to WRITE and READ so much - something I keep telling them they will need no matter what for the rest of their lives.  They really blossomed on their own and did great despite not having their twin in their class with them.  They were still competitive with each other on grades but in a healthy way and they know they are two very different people who are smart in different subjects but we saw them push each other in a way no one but your twin can!

From day one to the last, they sure have grown:

And since they would not take a photo together check out the twin in the window!

A special thank you  goes to Mrs. Sampson and Mrs. Fox, you two are amazing and were a blessing to not only the kids but to our family .  We love you and the kids and I will definitely miss you!

Caden and Mrs. Fox, so glad to see him bloom and go on his own and LOVE his teacher

Maggie and Mrs. Sampson, she loves her Mrs. Sampson!

It was a great year in 1st Grade - we are now officially ready for 2nd Grade but first lots of summer fun!

Hanging with William from China and Aubrey

Our 2nd Graders!

GRADUATION! Good Bye Pre K Hello Kindergarten!

May 21, 2015

It's Pre K Graduation Day and we have two happy little people

They have practiced and waited for this day for months.  Momma is ready with her Kleenex in hand and a smile on my face because they want me to be happy that they are graduating Pre K and are on their way to Kindergarten.

I honestly can say I only cried a little bit, these kids kept me laughing and smiling the whole time.

They all did great and had a ball.  You can tell they are close to their friends and loved every minute with Ms. Lauren and Ms. Mandy

Opening gifts, a new jersey and new earrings!

Our graduate!

Because Silly Faces are FUN!

She picked out her dress with Meamaw Donna

They had us laughing the whole time!

Mallory with her award, Teacher's Helper

Cale with his award, The Entertainer 

Our graduates! They did it!

The 6 Cools - always an odd photo!

Mal Mal with Ms. Lauren and Ms. Mandy

Cale with Ms. Lauren and Ms. Mandy

Our babies with Ms. Lauren - our Lorax!

I think I have teared up more looking back at these photos than I did during graduation.  Their buddy Brecc kept it funny, he yelled, "good job ______" to each graduate as they got their diploma.  He kept us all laughing. Cale took a relaxing approach to the risers and kicked back.   He made me think Dazed and Confused, let's hope not.    I truly just enjoyed the moment with these kids.  They have worked hard and it showed.

We cannot finish out Pre K without thanking Ms. Lauren and Ms. Mandy.  They put up with all of those boys and the few girls each day to teach them so much and to help them grow their minds.
We are grateful for their patience and laughter - it is what gets them through the day I am sure.
And Ms. Lauren, you know you are my Lorax, you have helped all 4 of my babies grow and you are the keeper of my trees!  I am forever grateful and so glad we have formed a friendship.

To Cale and Mallory, we are so proud of you and all that you have accomplished.  You will do great in Kindergarten and I am sure you will miss Pre K but remember you are ready and you can do anything you want to!  We are blessed to have you two in our lives and cannot wait to see what your future holds!