Category: Tom and Jodi

Trick or Treating…

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Halloween night was so blustery that we ended up going trick or treating tonight. It was perfect weather, and we enjoyed getting to share the trick or treating experience in our neighborhood with Grandma and Grandpa. (Just in case you can’t quite tell…Jonas was Curious George, Tom was The Man with the Yellow Hat, Xander was Blue, Jodi was Steve, and Roman was Pooh Bear.)

I always get a little anxious about Xander’s peanut allergy on Halloween night, but Jonas was ALL ABOUT protecting him and Xander did a great job of protecting himself, asking, “Is this peanut-free?” and “Does this have peanuts in it?” in his sweet little voice. I mean…who can resist that preciousness. By the end of the night, Xander had gotten really good at identifying the candy that was safe for him to choose (even though Grandma and Daddy still went through everything after the boys had gone to bed just to be on the safe side).

It went by quickly with the setting of the sun, but we still had fun…the boys and Grandma and I especially liked wearing our glow necklaces and bracelets.

Halloween Parade…

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Jonas and Xander were so excited to wear their costumes to preschool this morning for their Halloween parade, trick or treating, and Halloween parties. (I even put Roman in his costume…nothing’s cuter than three little boys on the front porch in their costumes on Halloween morning.)

North Carolina…

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Jonas and I went on a mommy/son trip this weekend to North Carolina to visit my precious friend from college, Kim, and her family. It was so good for my soul to spend quality time with Jonas, reconnect with an old friend, and enjoy a quick weekend break from day-to-day life in Tennessee. Thanks to Tom for holding down the fort with Xander and Roman so Jonas and I could go on a little adventure together. Here’s to more where that came from (next year it’ll be Xander’s turn)!

Apple Picking…

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Tom surprised the boys and I by joining us on our drive out to Pratt’s Orchard for an apple picking adventure this morning…what a great way top off the long Fall Break weekend!!! The boys picked mostly Fuji and a few Yellow Delicious apples, and we all enjoyed one on the way home. Now, we’re just trying to figure out what special treat we want to make with them this afternoon.

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Fall Creek Falls…

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Tom and I went on a two day/one night backpacking/camping trip in Fall Creek Falls State Park this week!!! We are indebted to my precious mom who graciously took care of our three wild boys for us (they all ended up getting sick but were grinning from ear to ear when we got back from all of the quality time they got to spend with Maw). We hiked 12 miles (7 fairly level miles the first day and 5 very up and down miles the second day) with 20 pound packs. All I’m going to say is…I’m not getting any younger and…Ibuprofen is a good thing. HaHa! It was so much fun but it WORE ME OUT…it’s taken me a good two days to recover. It’s amazing how something so physically demanding can be so rejuvenating but it was…and spending time with just Tom in the mountains was the absolute best.

School Picnic…

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We went to the boys’ school picnic tonight. They had a big time coloring on the paper covered picnic tables, playing soccer with Daddy, and rolling down a grassy hill with Jonas’ fun friend Keatyn (who was in his class last year). (Note to self…Roman and picnic tables don’t mix….notice the tired look on my face in the picture with him sitting on my lap. I saw a mom who had brought a booster seat and strapped it to the picnic table…she said she worried it was too much, which is probably what stopped me from bringing one, but it ended up being a stroke of brilliance for a more peaceful dinner for her family…next time I’ll trust my mommy gut.)

Xander’s First Day of Preschool…

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Today was Xander’s first day of preschool! He was so funny about it all morning…”Mommy, I don’t want to go to preschool” then “I go to preschool two days” then “Mommy, I don’t want to go to preschool” then “Do they have snacks there?”…up and down (so clearly illustrative of anyone’s heart, if they’re honest, stepping out into a new situation). He got a little nervous when we started walking down the hallway, so we asked him to help us drop Jonas off first. Because it was the first day, Mrs. Cathy let us come in and get him settled. We helped him find his cubby, put away his backpack and lunchbox, and find his favorite toy from Get Acquainted Day (magnets). He puckered up when we said our goodbyes, but we got an email a short time later from the preschool director saying that he was doing great and busy painting. Roman and I stopped by the park on the way home and had so much fun playing…just him and me. It reminded me of not too long ago when Xander and I went to that same park after we said goodbye to Jonas on his first day of preschool. Time is a funny thing. I’m starting to sense a little bit of that speeding up thing that people keep telling me about that I’ve always had such a hard time believing. Now that I’m beginning (key word…beginning) to emerge from the survival mode fog, I’m seeing some truth in it…pretty sobering yet inspiring stuff.

Grand Ole Opry…

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We were all SO excited to get to go to the Grand Ole Opry tonight. We loved watching Pops and Maw rehearse backstage. We also enjoyed joining them on stage with Jonas, Xander, and Roman. (Maw likes to walk all of the grand babies out onto the Opry stage to introduce them to the folks…I’m sure she introduced all of her babies there too…what a tradition!) It’s always magical to watch Pops and Maw sing, and it was such a delight to my heart to get to share that moment not only with Tom but with Jonas, Xander, and Roman too.

Jonas’ Get Acquainted Day…

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Jonas had his Get Acquainted Day at preschool today. He was a little cautious at first as he tends to be in new situations but started to warm up when he saw his Daddy and his best friend, Henry, from preschool last year. I was so happy to see that five of his classmates from two years ago will be in his class this year as well. He had fun checking out the building center and the science center and decorating his own train car for the bulletin board outside the classroom. I know Jonas will really enjoy his Pre-K class and will have fun learning so many new things!

Xander’s Get Acquainted Day…

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Xander had his Get Acquainted Day at preschool today. I was probably more nervous than he was about it (amazingly enough) and was SO excited to see him being a little cautious but not totally freaking out like he normally would have in that new situation. Thanks be to God for reminding my heart to pray for him last night and this morning when I was starting to get anxious about how he would react…so many times that’s not my first response as a parent and oh my how it needs to be! Xander met his sweet teachers and classmates, checked out his cubby and rest mat, said hello to “Marshmallow” the class guinea pig, tried out the kid-sized bathroom, played with cars and puzzles and magnets, and even worked on a few art projects. I’m so excited for my little Xan-Man and for all that he will learn body, soul, and spirit in his first year of preschool…I know it will be so good for him and for us.

Baby Bunny…

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Tom found a little baby bunny in our backyard this morning! Luckily, he was able to rescue him from Petra. I called a small animal hospital, and they recommended putting the baby bunny back in his spot and keeping Petra away from him during the day and overnight in hopes that his mommy will come back and move him. If he’s still there in the morning, they suggested that we take him to Walden’s Puddle, a Wildlife Rehabilitation Center in Joelton, TN. I’m so thankful for places like this that take care of all creatures great and small!

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Lily’s Visit…

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When we came back from the lake, we brought Lily, Tom’s niece, to spend the week with us as a mother’s helper. It was the perfect timing for our family and, honestly, really: helped to lift me out of a dark place, softened the dynamic between the boys themselves and between the boys and I, allowed me to keep my head above water with the housework and with the toughest transitions of the day (and even get some organizing done), and graced me with the presence of a sweet and strong girl in the house (we painted nails, brushed and braided hair, sewed a reversible tote bag, and shared some wonderful conversations and prayers together). I only hope when my boys are bigger and away from me that they do Tom and I as proud as she did her parents…I was SUPER impressed and inspired.
We had a busy week that included: going on a long road trip from NC to TN (13 hours!!!), taking a walk around the neighborhood, picking up Petra at Aunt Beans house and playing the drums, going to the pediatrician’s office for well visits, enjoying a visit from and sharing dinner with Maw, going blueberry picking, making blueberry crisp and chocolate ice cream, painting rocks, playing on the backyard water slide with neighborhood friends, touring the fire department with Tom, having a blast at gymnastics, and taking a short road trip (just us girls) to East Tennessee to return Lily to her dear mommy.
For the week in pictures, click on the “Lily’s Visit 2013” page to the right.

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Family Vacation on Lake Gaston…

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(Let me preface this by saying that in no way did I come home from a ten day trip followed by a thirteen hour car ride with four children to write a post about our family vacation…I’m back posting for chronology’s sake…haha!!!)
We spent ten days in a great lake house (thanks to Grandpa and Grandma Seyfried) on Lake Gaston in North Carolina with Grandpa and Grandma Seyfried, the Seyfrieds, the Longs, and the Paccassis. Highlights of our time together included: taking boat rides, going tubing, swimming in the lake, relaxing in the hot tub, fishing, playing pool and four square, having fun with sidewalk chalk and bubbles, doing crafts (tie-dying pillowcases, painting sun catchers, building and decorating little wooden boats, making homemade Gak, etc.), going to mass, participating in the family talent show, watching fireworks, celebrating the 4th of July with Father Anthony (the Ugandan priest from the local Catholic church), roasting s’mores around a campfire, reading, and cooking and eating and cleaning A LOT.

For more pictures, click on the “Family Vacation in NC 2013” page to the right.