School is approaching

Long time no see! Well, since last time, the boys have grown by leaps and bounds, Matthew built a massive treehouse in the backyard, Declan is already standing up on his own and will take a single step before falling down, we've added 6 hens to our homestead and we've decided to give school a try for this coming year. Milo and Autry got into the Montessori Learning Center at our charter school and we're going to see how it goes. I'll be homeschooling Fin with Rod & Staff this year and I just signed up the 3 oldest for Awana. I'm so excited for them and I get to serve as a Cubbies leader. It's going to be an exciting year but good grief all this back to school shopping is expensive and stressful. I've personally decided to quit Facebook and Instagram which has been so freeing.

Finlay!!

So my 3rd born baby is 3 now! I can't believe it. He's growing so fast! Yesterday, 3yrs ago, Finlay Costello brought new joy into our lives and it's has been amazing watching him grow and develop his own personality and carve out his place amongst his brothers. We are so in love with him and every day with this precious boy is a treat. We woke up a little early and Fin went out with Daddy for some one on one time. I know they went to Starbucks and a hardware store and walmart to pick up a few things. When they got back we feasted on doughnuts and he got to open and play with his gifts from us. Then Matthew took Milo, Autry & Fin out to ride bikes while Declan took a nap and I cleaned up the aftermath. Then my parents came up and we went out to eat supper at SmashBurger per Fin's request before heading back home for carrot cake and presents from Nana & Papa and Bama & Papa Mike. It was a wonderful day and we thank God for blessing us with our precious boy, Finlay Costello.

Gosh, I'm terrible at this...

It's not that I haven't been online. I just haven't had the desire to share the minutia of our days, I guess.
So, as of today, I am 35 weeks 4 days pregnant with little Declan True. I'm feeling great overall. My hips are starting to hurt while I sleep and my back only if I sit to long. And I'm getting tired earlier and earlier in the evenings. But still, nothing to complain about. :o)
Milo turned 7 on Sept 13th!

He' doing fantastic with school. Honestly, Calvert's 1st grade is a little too easy for him. But I'm pressing on and just adding a page of copy work and a math worksheet to each day and letting him read through his included Reading text books as fast as he wants and he hasn't gotten bored so far.
Autry has been asking to take his training wheels off his bike pretty much since he got the bike for his 5th bday in June. But I was the one dragging my feet about it. I finally consented and the boy was riding perfectly the first day. None of that running behind them holding the seat for balance stuff. Silly Mama. He did run into and knock off a neighbors mailbox, though. :o/ lol (we fixed it, btw.)

He is also doing fantastic in school and loves all the hands on activities. My only struggle is figuring out what to turn in as a work sample for Social Studies. ?? The Calvert is a literature based curric versus last years history based WinterPromise. So, that's where I'm having to supplement for him.

Finlay is just fantastic. He is so sweet and sensitive and empathetic and curious and I can't take his cuteness. It's just overwhelming. I just want to eat him. We do alot of snuggling, reading, tickling and imaginative play like knights and super heroes.
These great photos were a gift from my bestie, Delane, who came down to visit and take some maternity photos with her new camera.

Thank you, Delane!!
My baby shower is next weekend and I can't wait to get together with all my friends and family and have fun. :o)
Matthew is going back to Indiana next week on Oct 3rd! It's been way to long since he's been there so, I'm so happy he's able to go.

Tuesday with Papa

We got up early (for us anyway) and got ready real quick to go out to breakfast. And Daddy let Alvin drive.

I figured we'd go to this little local mom and pop cafe we found recently but Matthew had much grander plans for our day. We headed down to Hillcrest for some Hash House A Go Go "twisted farm food."

This is a pic of what I COULDN'T finish if my life depended on it, but delicious Biscuits and Gravy.
Then since we over fed the meter we walked down to Buffalo Exchange and I scored two new tank tops on the cheap.But then we had to practically run back to the car to make it back in time. lol
After getting all loaded up in the car again, Matthew says, "Let's go see your dad at work." :o) Now, for those of you who don't know him, my Dad works for the Navy on North Island. I haven't been on base in forever and the kids hadn't ever gone. So, he called up my Dad to see if we could swing by and 20 minutes later we began the tour. We started in my Dad's shop where they build/ load with explosives the ejection seats for the jets. Then we got to walk through the hangar where they rebuild to perfection the jets that need love. After that we got to visit the airplane graveyard and hangar where volunteers restore to mint (though not operational) condition for the Aerospace museum. They were working on a WWII fighter plane that had been sunk in Lake Michigan for the last 50 years and was just pulled up. It was incredible to see and talk to these men who were so knowledgeable. But the best was yet to come.
My Dad had made a call to a friend and all the boys got to sit in the "display bird," an F-18, on the flight line.

The boys were so excited and all agreed, "Papa's work is sooo much cooler than Nana's work!" No offense Nana. hahahaha
Then, per my request we stopped at Ikea for a few things and the big boys played in the kids playroom while we shopped. Poor Fin slept in the stroller the whole time.
Then Rancho's for supper. And a visit to Nana and Papa's house completed our day. It was such a wonderful day. Praise God!

Photo Day!

I make curry a lot. A lot a lot. All different kinds and ways. Last week before our vacation started I made this and it was delicious.

Chop chop

Boil your potatoes

This is the curry I used this time. I definitely recommend the medium because it
s still not spicy.

Serve with basmati rice and naan and you're all set.
We also took the boys to Mulberry Park and had some fun to hanging out together.

Then we decided to take advantage of Matthew's time off and ran out to Las Vegas for a few days before our camping trip.

We noticed a chip when we stopped in Menifee at the Super Target and by the time we finished shopping it looked like this. :( Matthew had the insurance co send out a chip repair guy who turned out to be someone we knew (!) and he did his best but before we left Vegas we had to get a new wind shield. Lame.

In an Auntie Anne's pretzel trance

If you're ever in Vegas, go here. Killer.

After Vegas, we came home, unpacked, washed clothes, repacked and went camping. I'll post camping pics later. Too many to go through right now.
Today I drove up to Menifee again but this time I got to hang out with my bestie, Delane, and finally deliver Scarlet's birthday presents. A full two weeks late, geez. I made her two dresses and a reversible skirt. (And knit a beanie with built in pigtail holes that turned out poopy, so I didn't give it to her.)

Whew.... I think that covers it for now. I'll post the camping pictures asap.

Not a Toy!

I forgot to post a pic of what Autry cut his finger with. Tin snips are not toys. Now they know why I said, "don't touch!" Don't touch seems like a simple enough command, doesn't it? But no. They needed to find out why. And now they know. Handled.

note: these were in a box of irrigation pieces and mending supplies that somehow got left in the backyard. hmmmmm....

Today started out pretty normal. Things went awry right after snack time when I was laughing at myself putting out basically a party platter for the boys for snack,

and then within 4 minutes it was gone! lol The little jackals. Geez louise.
It was funny enough to me that I thought to take pictures, obviously. Then while I was cleaning up the boys went out back to play and I checked my facebook to see if the pictures had posted. Suddenly I hear Autry screaming bloody murder and Milo is running towards me yelling "Autry got cut!" I could see the blood dripping from his finger from far away and my brain started freaking out. As I was washing it and the blood just kept coming and coming, I decided "ok, this is going to be our first ER run."
So, I wrapped it in a dish towel and had him pinch it while I got all the kiddos dressed in record time. Yes, they were still in jammies at 10:45. Don't judge me. And we rushed over to the urgent care at Kaiser(thanks to a call from my ever calm Hubbs.) Of course, urgent care didn't open till noon. Of course, right? Well, fortunately the bleeding had stopped and he was just wimpering at this point. We waited for almost an hour for it to open but then got right in. All in all, he got an expensive bandaid.

Because he's fine... That's right. His finger's life flashed before my eyes for naught. He's fine. lol
But during the wait I was texting with a good friend and sister in Christ about how ridiculous it's going to be to feed these boys when their teenagers and she confided about their current financial hardship. She is so on my heart and I've been praying for her and her sweet family. After we got home, the boys and I were just hanging out and I was reading my new Above Rubies magazine

and there on pg 5 was this encouragement:

Do you feel poor? Can't pay the bills! Your house is too small! You are in the very situation to make many people rich (2 Corinthians 6:10.) You can make your husband rich by making your home a sanctuary of love, joy and contentment. You make your children rich by showing how to have a joyful attitude even in trials. You make them rich as you impart God's Word richly into their lives (Colossians 3:16.)
- Nancy Campbell

This is both challenging but hopeful. I think we can all apply this no matter our circumstances.
That's all for today.
Much love!

Tuesday- Today

This is how we roll at the beach... lol
Matthew and Milo were too far out in the waves for me to get a clear picture of them but they were there having a great time, too. We plan to go back next week!

And today we had quite the harvest party in the back yard! We've been harvesting deliciouseness for the last 2 weeks but never as much in one day as this. Then I blanched and froze the beans and peas and we'll be having those tomatoes in salads tonight and tomorrow.
Some sad news, for me anyway, is that my bestie, Delane, and her family are moving about 45 minutes away. But it's a good move for their family, so, who am I to complain about a 45 minute drive. Selfish selfish.