3 months old!

Guess who turned 3 months old?

This handsome guy!!

He's wonderful! Such an easy temperament, he's been sleeping through the night for about 5 weeks now (I know not fair right?) he sleeps from about 10-6, eats and sleeps as he should during the day. I can (and do) take him everywhere and he just goes with the flow. The only time he fusses is when he's strapped in his car seat and it's not moving. He smiles easily and is absolutely adored by his siblings! We're so glad he's in our family!

Water fun

Our ward had a primary activity this past week where they played water games after being taught a scripture story. Here are some shots of them on the popular water slide!

Oh What do you do in the summertime?

So summer is crazy! I wouldn't think that having one more at home would throw me so off kilter but it has, I feel like it's such a struggle to fit it all in and I think I just need to get over myself and lower my expectations. But I started the summer with such high hopes of LOTS OF FUN activities for me and the kids, making memories and doing things that school days don't allow. BUT alas, life happens and the day to day chores part of life have to have a place too so we're finding a balance.

I LOVE having a routine, I don't function well without one (and neither do my kids) so we've worked to find a new one that's working for us.

Here is what we ARE doing well this summer:

MORNING DEVOTIONAL: A few months ago I felt a really strong impression that our children needed to be more familiar with the scriptures and their stories. It was a crazy time, Matthew was a newborn and Stephen was working even more than now and I was struggling just to run the show at home as practically a single parent so I accepted the impression and guidance and prayed that the Lord would help me think of a way to fit this in. My answer came in the form of the Scripture Readers on DVD. The evening after dinner and before bedtime was a crazy time around our house and the thought (not from me) came that I should turn those on in that 30-45 min period before bed to help the kids wind down. I was almost always nursing Matthew then and it gave me time to not only watch with the kids but pause and take moments to explain and ask them questions. It was amazing what spirit entered our home by doing this.

So fast forward to this summer when we don't have the crazy get ready for school mornings. After breakfast, getting dressed, making beds and tidying rooms we have SCRIPTURE STUDY. We watch 1-2 stories on the DVD and then we READ from the Book of Mormon. Kaitlyn can read (with a little help) a column a day. I read with her and explain what words and phrases mean and help her understand the story. Then I help Sam read 3-4 verses and then I show Lindsey a picture in the front and tell her the story. Then if things are still somewhat calm we sing a song and say a prayer.

My kids are learning to LOVE the scriptures, Kaitlyn tells me she feels happy, Sam is using gospel language in his prayers at dinner and like Elder Bednar counseled in our last general conference, I'm finding ways to spontaneously bear my testimony with my kids about how a certain verse has blessed my life! I'm loving it. I am convinced that unless my children learn to love the scriptures they will have a hard time staying on the straight and narrow. And by doing this while they're young and are willing and happy to do it we're setting a pattern of consistency with regards to reading the scriptures. I am so grateful for the scriptures AND for modern day prophets who counsel us on how to raise these special children who are going to grow up in a rough world.

CHORES: A few months before Matthew was born we started (again) to try and have the kids do chores, but this time it actually stuck (AND IT CHANGED MY LIFE) and now that they're home more (and messing more) I'm having them help me with even more housework. They each have their daily jobs but about 3 times a week they have to help me clean a bathroom, vacuum their bedrooms, make their beds and clean their rooms daily....and I know it takes me A LOT longer to clean my house with "help" than doing it by myself BUT this is an investment in my future because in a couple years they'll be able to do these jobs without my help. It's been great!

PLAYING OUTSIDE: The other day I'd been busy on the phone and computer for most of the morning and was feeling like I was really neglecting my kids so we spontaneously had a picnic lunch outside in the front under our trees and I read books to them--it felt so good to get myself away from all the distractions of my to do list and focus on them.

We also try and get out first thing in the morning to play on the play set or ride bikes or kick a ball. It gets so hot here by the afternoon and my kids are up with the sun so on a good day we're outside right after scripture study so that we can get some energy out. Both Kaitlyn and Sam need to work on learning to ride their bikes so that's a goal of mine for the summer.

Other things I'm still trying to fit in: school time where I keep Kaitlyn's brain engaged (she's READING like crazy) and helping Sam learn to write his letters, and then there's all the other fun stuff summer HAS to include like swimming and trips to the library.....

But I have to just take a step back and let things happen, my kids are doing a lot of creative play inventing their own games and diversions and they all get involved. The TV is not on a lot (Horray!!) and we're crafting and reading and enjoying each other.

All in all, I'm loving the flexibility that summer offers us!

Fathers Day 2010

I was lucky enough to spend my fathers day with 2 of the best fathers I know: my own and my husband.

The morning started off making Stephen is FAVORITE breakfast--Homemade Cinnamon Rolls from scratch. Of course I had lots of help:
and for your information, YES the mis-matched dress-up shoes and jewelery ARE a necessity. This is one of Lindsey's FAVORITE spots in the house. "What making Mom?" is something I hear (along with the pitter patter of her feet) when my mixer starts whirring.

Then just when they were about to come out of the oven, Dad emerged from his morning of rest to the bombardment of cards, loves and even an impromptu concert from our older 2 as they gave him a preview of the performance they'd give later in sacrament meeting. They were so cute, they went up in front of the TV with Dad sitting on the couch, they stood side by side and began to sing. Then Lindsey,who doesn't know the songs yet,but who isn't one to be left out, ran over to join them. Don't you just love fathers day?!?! Someday we'll miss Father's Day's like this.

Then after church we headed over to dinner and a relaxing evening with my Dad. I wouldn't have done anything different! I am so blessed! I was raised by a man who is honest, hard working, funny, a romantic who has always adored and honored my mom, and who has a solid testimony of our Savior and His gospel and he worked hard to teach it to his children.

And I married a man who loves the Lord and serves Him diligently, who works hard to support his family, who is involved with his kids and loves and cares for me.

Happy Fathers Day! The world needs more like these 2 that's for sure!!

Blessing Day!!

What a special day we recently had when we blessed Matthew Lewis McKneely. (in our faith we wait until age 8 to baptize but as an infant we do present children in church and give them a special blessing, or prayer for good things in their life). Earlier this month, was that day for our family!!

He's REALLY big so thankfully we were able to locate an outfit (12 month size) to fit him (yes it was big but not by too much)

Here are some shots of the day:The first official McKneely family photo!!

(I'm embarrassed that it's taken us this long to all get in the same shot--but I was desperate so we took it even though Lindsey was asleep!!)All the McKneelys! Carl & Susan, Rachel and Sarah...(Lindsey had woken up by this point!)And then the Lewis'....Don, Deon, Ben & Summer with Ellie....

And here is the shot of those who were in the circle blessing him,

And then the funniest thing happened. Sam--who is such a "man's man" took a look at that shot and realized he was the only boy NOT in the photo and ran up to get in the shot.

Sam says, "This is where I belong--with all the boys!"

It was a special day for our family! I feel so strongly that little Matthew was intended for our family and he has brought such a special spirit into our home. We're so glad he's here and that so many we love were able to be with us on this day!!

Last Day of School

Does anyone else think that Kindergarten Graduations are silly?!?!

We do.

It's not like your kid is GRADUATING to a new school (like in pre-school--because they'll be there next year for 1st grade). And what's worse is they're this big important program that if you don't attend you're a "bad parent" who can't support your kid. Stephen thought it bordered on the ridiculous to the extreme that he considered keeping her home from school that day, "because how else are we going to communicate that we think this is silly?"--but we CAN'T let her be the one to suffer and not have her moment to shine so Matthew and I went to her graduation. Silly girl wanted to dress nice for the day so she wore one of her church dresses.

The program was BRIEF--there are 6 kindergarten classes so her time slot was from like 1:50-2:00 for 2 classes worth of kids. Long enough to read a poem to the group and call each child's name. And of course they had the lone parent in the corner with a boom box playing "Pomp and Circumstance"(silly).
But right after there is the fun party and the time to take photos. Like this one of my cute graduate!
AND I realized that I'd never taken a shot of Kaitlyn with her amazing teacher, Heather Janek. Oh how I fretted over who Kaitlyn would get as a teacher to start her school years off. Mrs. Janek was hand selected by God I'm convinced for she truly loved Kaitlyn and saw her for all of her goodness and desire to do what's right and harnessed it to help her just THRIVE!! I just LOVE her and Kaitlyn does too.

So even though it was silly, it was still nice to go and see Kaitlyn be special.

(*Side note: I have since learned that Kindergarten graduations started years ago in inner city and impoverished communities as a way to communicate to the children AND PARENTS that this was only their first graduation and to help them set a goal to have another graduation at the end of their High School years--and it caught fire!)

always on my list.....

This BLOG along with scrapbooking are ALWAYS on my to do list, unfortunately they fall at the end of the priority next to poopy diapers, dirty laundry, dishes and children. And then as of late Baby Matthew has decided that evenings with mom ROCK because she can spend time holding me and lets face it--he's only so little once.

Sigh--so once again I'm going to begin a week with updating this Blog on my list of things "to-do" and we'll see if we can get there!