Lunch Ladies

That was me, Fletch and Sawyer today. We went to Niles' school for lunch duty, because if they don't have a volunteer, the teachers have to stay in the classroom with the students. That means ALL DAY in a room with 7th graders--and while that sounds like a really good time, I thought I could help out once in a while. It was fun, Niles seemed genuinely excited to see his brothers at school and by the way they were alternately playing it super cool and running around on the play ground, I think they had fun too. It was so sweet too, he kept his desk back by us, until he kind of smiled and said "I usually sit up there" while pointing to a group of kids. I was touched by the gesture of him sitting by us and told him to get up there with his friends. The best part is he only had to tell the class once that his mom is weird (I wish this was a joke).

Of course, this picture is not from today, pulling a camera out on a 7th grader in front of his friends at school is risking life and limb, this is from the 4th of July...I just think he's so blasted cute:


Oh, and by the way...he hugged me goodbye, with friends around.

The best moment of the day

I have lots of moments every day when I think to myself that I'm so lucky that this is my life (I do have my fair share of moments when I think "THIS is NOT what I signed up for", too) But yesterday, I realized at one definite second that I was living my favorite moment of the day. I was picking the boys up from pre-school. They have to sit on the steps and wait for the teacher to bring them to their car. Sawyer tried to worm his way out and come to the car, but he was caught in the nick of time. Then Fletch stepped down and looked around. I could see the recognition when he spotted me and a smile started creeping across his face until it was a full blown smile. The smile was pure joy, not a babyish grin at all, just very happy to realize I was there and he really liked me. My heart almost broke from happiness and a little sadness that they are really growing up. He didn't try to run to the car, he just turned around and sat down and waited. It brought back memories of when Niles was little and he would run to me with reckless abandon because I was there finally and YES, this is HIS mommy.

Another bright spot was seeing Sawyer decided to behave enough at school to get his race car stickers and pick a prize. Roy and I laughed pretty hard at what he chose, but I'm not going to deny that they are pure Sawyer...sorry the picture is a little blurry, my camera was dying so I was trying to hurry. (those of you that know Sawyer know he wanted the blanket on his shoulders:)



Enjoy the moments in your day today.

The Thing about Roy is...

He has some rule book, and in it he has written in big letters "DO NOT LOOK NORMAL IN PICTURES!!!" That's what I think anyway. Here are a few examples:




But luckily, him making us look like a Gap ad isn't what is important to me (free clothes would be nice though). He is an amazing daddy. I can't imagine my live without him as my partner. I am so blessed to have a man who loves his family so much and works so hard. He makes me laugh and he makes me proud. It's kind of like he told me at our wedding reception five years ago (Oct. 5th), "Sonja, you're the luckiest girl alive!"

It's a really good book...

Note: This is not tonight, this is last night. Tonight, Fletch decided midnight was a good time to go to sleep, therefore, I can't sleep now. But I will have time to nap tomorrow as the children are going to Chicago to visit Aunt Ashley so Roy and I can hang out for our anniversary, being the wild romantics that we are we got each other the same gift. Car repairs!!! Yes, nothing says the fires of romance are still burning like a fuel pump, but hey, it's better than walking everywhere.

Hey Mama!!

Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear mo-ther, happy birthday to you:


For those of you who don't know, this is my mom. For those of you that do, you know this face is exactly my mom. Here she is on the 4th of July in all her sassy glory. Who knows what she was saying, but she has the funniest way of being, well, her.

Tonight was her birthday and we went out for dinner and some of the best roast beef in the world (2nd only to my mother-in-law's). It was a very good time and while I thought I forgot my camera, it was actually in my purse, so I just forced everyone to take pictures just before they left.

The cute birthday girl (don't worry Ash, she has brown and black on ONLY temporarily):

I thought maybe if I posted this, I'd stop trying to look so goofy in pictures (I look pretty deranged, but my mom looks darn cute):

And everyone just say it with me "AWWWW":

So mom, Happy Birthday. I love you for so many reasons, most of all just because you're you...and you make me laugh pretty hard. Thanks for all of the love you've given me and my boys...There's no one like you.

And just a few quick other things, I just have to show everyone this, because I've been meaning to since Monday and I want to before I forget:

It's a Major Award!!!!


I'm very proud of Fletchy-doodle. He got all of his race cars on his track at school (for good behavior) and got to pick a prize, you would swear that plane was made of pure gold:)

and one last thing, I just love this picture from today when the boys were playing so well together and made my heart all quivery:




This also makes my heart all quivery, he really is growing up and he is just so stinkin' cute (umm, yeah, he gets that from his mom):

Lesson Learned

Never think that you can "just run really quick" say, to pick up your oldest from football practice with one of your little ones looking like this:

Because the minute you think you can, your car will break down, as it did to me tonight. Luckily, we were just about a block from the house and I got a message to Niles to wait for me. My mom came and saved the day (after we walked home in a Spiderman costume and no shoes on either child, what a delightful story that makes) Anyway, Sawyer's assessment of the whole situation is "We need a different car, a fast car, we need a firetruck!!!"

Just moments before the shoe-less walk, Fletch came up and showed me this:

You probably can't see what that is exactly, it's perfect little arm with perfect little teeth marks in it. The conversation went something like this:

Fletch: A spider bit me, see? (thrusts arm a half an inch from my eyes)

Mommy: frowning, That looks more like a Sawyer bite to me.

Fletch: No, it isn't!!! A spider bit me.

Mommy: Did you really bite yourself?

Fletch: No, a spider bit me.

Mommy: Are you going to turn into Spiderman now?


All I can say now is bring it on, Green Goblin.


With all of the car frustrations, I really realized how lucky we in this family. We rarely have to deal with headaches like this and we always have somebody to call if something as minor as this happens. I really am thankful for the wonderful life that I have. My husband goes to work to provide for a family that he loves, my kids keep me laughing and constantly on my toes, I have parents and siblings and in-laws that would move Heaven and Earth to help us how ever they can. And I have this kind of silliness to tuck me in at night:


That's my dirty-face Sawyer shorts head, cheese ball extraordinaire.

It's clear to me that God loves me and I'm just so grateful for that love.

picture happy

Sorry about this, I just like sharing pictures of my children and how crazy, silly and funny they are. So if you don't like looking at crazy, silly and funny children, I'd leave now if I were you...otherwise, enjoy:

Story time (last night):


The funniest part of this picture is that Niles is posed, he's gotten so sick of me taking pictures of him, he's made it into a little game (I told him I was going to tell everyone he was picking his nose):



Playing around in the yard this evening (they saw the pictures of me jumping at my crop, looking ridiculous, so of course they wanted to try it:):

Niles looks pretty graceful in this, and man has he got some leapers (that's leapers, not lepers, I just want to be clear on that, but I'd be very proud of him if he dedicated his life to caring for lepers)


At dinner tonight (no this is not my dining room, Roy wasn't home tonight, so we went out for dinner, we so rarely do, that is sarcasm folks):

This is more posing on Niles' part. Sawyer is genuinely laughing, Niles is being silly.

Fletch and Mommy (in my defense, he started making this face and then stopped as soon as I started taking pictures, oh well, it's not the first time I've looked silly and it sure won't be the last time):

So there you have it everybody, lots of fun at the Elsholz house. I hope you have a great night or day:)