Friday, July 15, 2016

Friday Favorites: Another Summer Week!

This week has been a fun one! Plus busy! We've continued to soak up summertime lots and I think mama and daddy have almost completed the big bedroom makeover and just about have things ready around here to host a last minute housewarming party tomorrow! So it's been fun, but also a whirlwind. =) 

My favorites from the week consist of just a few happenings I managed to take photos of to document. It's basically the same 3 things. Ha. Here's a peek...

*Monday night we finished supper and baths really early so we decided to take on Family Game Night with our littlest member present! We chose Zingo and he did great! We gave him a game card and all of the pieces we didn't need and that satisfied him through 2 rounds!


*I put Layton to bed shortly after our rounds of Zingo and when I came downstairs I found the big boys engaged in Twister. Hahaha. Game Night is a big favorite around here.

 *We were able to make another trip to the pool this week. YAY! It is miserably hot here and we can't go outside to play at all... unless we're swimming! Soooo thankful we've been able to take advantage of Ms. Debbie's generosity for the 2nd half of summer!

*AnAn and Piper came along this time! Baby Girl decided she loved the pool. =)

*AND... Breaking News... Austin Selph FINALLY jumped off the diving board! Phew. He wanted to badly but was so nervous and worried about going way under that he kept talking himself out of it...

*Until baby brother decided he would do it! Haha!! After hearing over and over about how wonderful jumping off the diving board would be and how fun it is and how much everyone loves it, he decided he'd just go for it. Ha! Little man loves the water and is pretty fearless. We didn't get a good picture of him jumping in because we were rushing around making sure he was ready...but he went for it twice! We put the frog puddle jumper on him really fast and I was in the deep end trying to catch him but he was ready and just went for it! And that was all it took for Austin to try! YAY. Austin jumped twice too. We were super proud. =)

*The boys have been playing with blocks every single afternoon this week. And it's been amazing. After nap time and a snack they just head down to the basement to build and call me every time they want me to see what they've built or to take a picture. =)

*Yay for creative, independent play!

*Our field trip Under the Sea was so much fun!!

*Baby Girl and her boys. =)

*More block creations!

*We had just a few minor issues when Layton wanted to throw a ball at the blocks or get close and knock them over but after occupying him with something else, he was satisfied with parallel play. Phew. Haha.

*On yesterday afternoon the boys spent the longest time playing in the basement without calling me down so I knew they were working on something big. And I was right! Check out the Selph 5 in block/robot form!!! Left to right: Daddy, Mama, Garrison, Austin, Layton

*I was so impressed and loved their little project!! It sort of melted my heart it was so creative and precious. =)

*Favorite Not-Pictured Moment: So this week the boys have been all over the place with me... Hobby Lobby (twice), Kirklands, Fred's (twice), Walmart and probably somewhere else I'm forgetting. And overall, they did really well at each of those places. BUT, it's never fun to take them to these stores. Some trips are easier than others, but for the most part it's stressful and hard work. Layton yells about being in the buggy, Austin touches everything, the big boys fight over who is going to stand/walk where, all 3 of them are too loud, all 3 of them want to touch things, someone gets crazy, someone gets mad, someone gets in trouble. I count it a success to get everyone in and out without a meltdown or public display of crazy. For the most part they really do a great job for me, but they're 7, 4 and a half, and 2. It's not easy for them or for me. So in Walmart, our last trip of the week, after being in there quite a while and everyone doing okay, things started to get a little crazy. Not terrible but enough for me to just want to cry. Seriously. I just didn't have the energy or positive attitude to make it through. I was defeated and tired and ready to give up. And then, just around the corner I saw another mom... with 3 boys.... and God said, you can do this. You can make it through Walmart. I'm encouraging you right now. You are not alone. She was an angel. We smiled, shared a knowing glance, and I said, oh you have 3 boys too! And she yes, and we're all still alive! =) It was just the push I needed to make it through. God's grace always finds me just where I am, just when I need it. It was the smallest, simplest thing but exactly what I needed. 

This weekend is all about family time and a housewarming party! We're looking forward a fun one. =) Happy Friday!!

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