The last half hour was tough on Ben but his older brothers tried their best to make him laugh and keep him occupied until we got to our favorite "up north restaurant". It is a combination bar and restaurant and the bartender just happens to look like Santa. Not only that but he makes the boys their own special drink called a "Sucker Punch". It is orange juice, pineapple juice and a bit of cherry juice topped off with a sucker stuck in the straw. The boys always know when we are getting close and can barely contain their excitement.
Not only did they get their special drinks but the owners also added a pigeon coup in the back where the sillies come right up to the window. The boys just couldn't get enough of them. They were so cute!
Oh, and video games! Did I mention the video games?
After the boys were done eating like champions it was only another 20 minutes until we reached our cabin. Whew! At last!
The rest of the weekend went by in a blur. The boys watched daddy put the pier in.
Played around on the four wheeler and went for rides.
Went fishing with daddy and grandpa. 
Enjoyed the beautiful scenery.
And even roasted some marshmallows.
Even the ride home was fun. The boys only managed to sleep for a little bit but were so patient for the rest of the way. When we were about a half an hour from home Tommy said, "This twip is takin' forevah! We shoulda taken an aiwpwane!" Okay, buddy. But you're buying!
Yesterday morning we got up and got the boys ready for the Memorial Day parade. It was a beautiful 80 degrees outside. Absolutely amazing weather for Memorial Day in Wisconsin. The boys were able to wear shorts and sandals for the first time this year. They were so excited and had a blast watching the parade. There were firetrucks and loud drums. It doesn't get much better than that for little boys!
Then we went out and bought some gorgeous flowers for our yard and spruced and planted the rest of the afternoon away.
After that we went to a cook-out and then to the park. It was nonstop action this weekend and the boys managed it wonderfully.This past weekend I saw myself as the kind of mother I always want to be. I was fun and loving. Laid back and carefree. I was even patient! I wish I could be this mom all the time. And I'm working on it. I really am.
But I wake up this morning to 45 degree weather and cranky boys and I find myself struggling to maintain a good attitude. Struggling with my own tiredness and the boys' sass. And I'm struggling. But I'll keep trying. Trying to turn my mood around so that I can turn their mood around. I'll reread this post, and look at the pictures again to remind myself how good these boys really are. And I'll turn this around. These sassy little monsters are really good boys. I'll keep telling myself this until I remember it is true. And I'll remember the mom that I was this past weekend. And I'll keep trying.
44 comments:
Gorgeous!! So much fun!
Glad y'all had a good time.
Oh my! Sounds like the perfect weekend!! :)
Look at how TAN you are, girl!! :)
It was your last paragraph that got me. We all have those days and moments. And, you are not in charge of turning their moods around. You are only in charge of remaining calm with them, even if they are grumpy. They are responsible for their own moods.
that crashed out in the backseat look is too cute for words.
and i must say a bar/restaurant owned by santa who keeps doves and makes you a special drink? now that's a priceless sort of mom and pop operation.
sounds like a perfect weekend.
How fun! Your boys are adorable. I love the curls on your youngest. :)
Can I just say I am so jealous that your boys sleep in the car? Mine likes to scream instead. Must be nice to take car rides with your family!
That cabin looks like the place I'd like to live - how ever do you leave it? What a wonderful place for a vacation!
Patient and carefree...what I aspire to be as well, but I'm not always so good at it. Maybe that comes with time? :)
That does sound like a good time!
Your weekend sounds absolutely wonderful. I hope the boys get their crankiness out soon. I'm sure a day or two and good naps, and they'll be back to their charming selves. Deep breaths!:-)
It's funny how we always pay after a great time away--I think they just have a bit of trouble readjusting, and it's safe to take it out on us!
I hope they all nap well, and at the same time, today.
You are human! What a wonderful life you're living though-- a cabin, a grandpa that likes to fish, kids who take pleasures in simple things. Can I just say again that the header pic is fabulous!
Sounds (and looks!) like you had a good time! It's funny, I went away over the weekend and also felt relaxed and like I was the mom I always wanted to be. It stinks being back at work. :(
Hope your day gets better.
Oh I love times like that with my family too! So glad you had fun and the picture of you and the 3 boys is beautiful!
Sounds like a perfect weekend. It is great that you notice and give yourself credit when things go the way you want them to. It does help when the day doesn't go just like you would wish.
First of all, the new photo in your header is gorgeous! I enjoyed reading about your great weekend. You've got it right...just remember those wonderful times when things get a little more difficult with the kids. ;)
That last bit just sums up motherhood for me completely. We just keep trying to have more good days than bad ones, and hope they remember the good ones when they're grown up.
I can relate to all of this- the good days and the not so good. Some days I am just not the mom I want to be. But you said it perfectly, all we can do is just keep trying!
It looks and sounds like you all had a great weekend. Your boys are so cute together on the four wheeler. And I love your new picture in your header - so lovely. Did you take that this weekend? Love. It!
And, you are doin' the best you can, Momma! It's tough some days but the good ones outweigh the bad. Thank God! : )
wow, looks like you guys had soooo much fun! Your boys sure are lucky!
Looks like much, much fun! I love the new picture in your header (it is new, right?). The idea that you are even consciously aware of working toward the kind of mom you want to be is huge, and you are probably closer to it than you might think. Your kids are lucky to have you as mom. Seriously.
Sounds perfectly wonderful!
Love the photo of you and your boys---beautiful!
Sounds like a fabulous weekend! I'm jealous! Wonderful pictures. Thanks for stopping by....Looks like I'll have to spend some time here to get you know you. :)
You're doing great. Just get enough sleep!!
And I love how the boys slept through most of the ride.
I'm jealous of your weekend. Mine was mowing, rain, and then rain.
Dang-looks like you guys had a great time! I love that first pic of all of your boys sleeping-so cute!
That does sound like a great weekend. And Kat - I think you are always that type of mom! You're GREAT!!!
Loved ALL the photos -the kids, the lake, parade, backyard, flowers -whole nine yards. And I especially can appreciate you comments about struggling. Yep! Some days it can be a really rough effort to make the best of things and then, other days are just a breeze and totally enjoyable. In the end, I think the "enjoyable" does generally outweigh the not-so-nice though.
Seriously that first shot speaks volumes alone. What a wonderful weekend!
What great times you had. You look adorable in the picture with the boys.
Thanks for stopping by and never forgetting to stop by my blog even though I'm kinda going through hell and back right now. Your such a good friend. You, ME, Brittany need to be drinking some mudslides together SOON!
Love ya girl!
That definitly was a great weekend - I'm so glad you all had such a good time!
Hope you have a good evening - see you -Kellan
What an amazing weekend with photos to accompany the post! I love recounting moments like this. I'm so glad you had the chance to document it all to reflect upon later :)
It sounds like you guys had a great weekend. Don't dwell on today. The weather will come back & so will the shorts.
Okay, where do I begin? First, I LOVE your new header photo. It is absolutely PERFECT!
I'm a wee bit jealous of your "northern midwest" lifestyle. The cabin, lake, marshmallow, 4-wheeler kind of lifestyle. So fun, and so unique to where I live.
And Kathryn, your thoughts on being a patient mother nail it for me too. Thanks for always being so honest. You help us all to seek our own sanity.
Love, love,love your new pic at the top of your page!! It sounds like a wonderfully beautiful weekend. Isn't it awesome when the stars align just right and everyone gets along, behaves, and has fun?? It makes the moments even more magical. You last part sounds like me. I want to be more patient and be the mom I want to be, the mom I know I can be, but some days it's soooo hard. We've had so much crummy weather too and that definitely dampens the spirits. Thanks for sharing yoru wonderful weekend with us. Your boys are so adorable!!
Sounds/looks like a perfect weekend!
Looks like you had fun:)
the photos speak for itself for such a happy well spent weekend indeed! you sure have an army of gorgeous boys around you!to keep you sane, i guess...
Sounds like a wonderful time!!! I love the sleeping babes . . . so cute and peaceful. Makes me sleepy!
This time around, there were no endless choruses of Old MacDonald on our nearly 8 hour trip. I bought a CD this time . . . And, he finally is into finger foods :)
Cry . . . munch, munch. Cry, "moo, moo." Worked like a charm :)
it's good to hold on to those perfect moments on the hard days!
never, never do my girls sleep on car trips. if they do, it's about five seconds before we hit our destination. you are a lucky woman.
in so many ways. what a lovely family you have!!! i'm bitchy more than i'd like, but i get over it, and you will too!
m.
You are so pretty!!!
Love the sleeping picture. Bliss. ;)
What a truly lovely family you are. Please take me on your next vacation. It looks awesome!
What a truly lovely family you are. Please take me on your next vacation. It looks awesome!
Your determination to turn the day around is an inspiration to me. I'm glad you had a delightful weekend, and I hope your boys decided to follow your example and be sweet this week, too. Good luck.
Looks like you had a great vacation from your (other) vacation! Isn't that always the case though when you leave and come back you need another one?
I hear you on the "remember the good days", I am having a tough time with my eldest, it's not consistent enough to make me slobber and mutter nonsense to myself, but enough to keep me riled up. I'd like three, I really would, but some days when it's quiet while their eating dinner, I really wonder if I could cope...*sigh*
It does, indeed look and sound like a wonderful weekend! That pic of your boys all passed out is too cute for words!
Exchange the lake house for the beach house and I know exactly how you feel. We opened ours this past weekend also and it felt so good to have the grit of sand under foot again:) I love your new header picture - really beautiful!
Post a Comment