Only a few more days of summer vacation.  Live it up.

It never fails.  99 cents spent on water balloons (c/o Grandpa) that let to a solid 90 minutes of goofing around.  The hustle of getting ready to go back to school is roaring.  You all feel it too.  You’re kids are probably 1/2 excited to see their friends and 1/2 angry that summer is over.  Mine are still “a wee little” and are mostly scared.  They get the butterflies, Owen is already crying that kindergarten will be “too hard for me”.  I really hope that ships sails, quickly.  Brody thankfully has a few familiar names on his class list, so fingers crossed the positive vibes stay strong!

We’ve got 2 more days of official summer break.  I think we’ll be spending the next 48 hours running errands, tossing water balloons, eating ice cream, staying up a bit past bedtime and enjoy the calm before the school storm.

How do I have a 2nd grader + kindergartener already?

Sigh ….

Someone hand me a glass of wine 🙂

This is a sponsored post with Ryobi – thank you for supporting the brands that help support our blog!

Remember these beauties?

Our besties over at Ryobi  were all game when they heard we wanted to bring some new products on our vacation – helping to not only make our days at the beach a breeze, but much much more enjoyable!

Don’t think for a minute that Ryobi tools are just meant for the garage.  It’s funny after vacationing with these few products, how I know we will never go away without them again! Who would have thought the entire crew could benefit from these gems??

The 18V + One Hybrid Fan was the golden ticket to keeping Max cool at the beach.  The humidity was so high, and keeping him cool and comfortable would have been such a challenge without this fan! The power behind this fan was so impressive, it was able to keep multiple family members cool under the sun.

Just look at that smile on his face! The fan, in the corner of the picture, kept his temperature down the entire time.  We always charged the battery the night prior and we were set for an entire day in the heat!

The 18V ONE+ Dual Power Sterro with Bluetooth Wireless Technology  knocked our socks off.  Dan and I always have music on.  During the day, during dinners, and always when we have guests over.  Music just sets the mood just right – and this stereo at the beach with its bluetooth capabilities were just what we needed! We were able to stream Pandora radio the entire time, and I think everyone sitting next to us benefitted from it.  Heads were turning for this Ryobi stereo!

Say goodbye to spending 30 minutes huffing and puffing blowing up rafts at the pool.  Ugh.  I think every parent secretly dreads that! This compact 18V ONE+ Dual Function Inflator/Deflator made our afternoons at the pool so much easier.  It almost made us wish we had more to inflate 🙂

 Thank you again Ryobi for giving the opportunity to share our love for your products with our readers!

And lucky you – it’s GIVEAWAY time!

Head on over to our Instagram account TOMORROW @ TheThomeHome and enter to win the Dual Power Stereo and a Battery Charger!

p.s.  the love for these pieces are still rolling strong.  the fan has been the greatest addition to our deck to keep max cool + keep away the mosqitos!

I just got done watching an episode of Duck Dynasty – (yes, we are truly reality t.v. lovers) and amongst all of the laughs that show can provide, I adore how their love for family shines through.  True stand by your side, say it like it is, support one another and respect one another kind-of-family.

It was about the kids graduating high school, and the fear of “what they will do” when someone said, we should not worry about what our kids will do one day, simply who they will become.

An ah-ha moment for sure.

Dan and I have always been on the same page for that matter, knowing that our main goal with our boys is to raise wholesome, loving, thoughtful and compassionate boys that will one day become men.  Boys that will open doors, invite a friend to play who feels left out, stand up for themselves and others, and love so deeply.

It has to be one of my biggest fears, raising them right.  Because, let’s face it.  I’m not perfect.  Dan and I as parents are not perfect.  Where I lack, Dan always seems to balance me back out – and vise versa.  Parenting isn’t easy … at all.  It is one of the most trying, difficult, emotional experiences.  In the same hand it is the most beautiful, rewarding and exciting experience I would not trade for the world.

Of course we want our kids to have goals.  We want them to dream, reach for the stars and know that with hard work and dedication they can truly achieve anything.  We do not want our kids to feel like pressured them to play a certain sport, or take part in activities or groups that they are not into.  We do not want them to feel like there is a bar set, and that is all that matters in life.

I want our boys to be raised in a house where morals and values are seen and heard.  In a house with plenty of love and laughter.  In a house where mistakes are made, and lessons are learned.  A house where it’s okay to cry.  In a house where they can express themselves and confide in both Dan and I.

Our kids will oh so quickly become adults you guys.  As we all have hopes and dreams of what they will achieve and become down the road, we must keep in mind what is important.

We live in a scary world these days.  One that our kids are exposed to far to frequently on a day to day basis.  I do my best to pull them away from the news.  Not that I want them living in a bubble by any means, but we as children did not encounter 1/2 of what is happening now.  We choose to take responsibility for our littles.  To know that we help shape them in ways we can’t even begin to imagine.

I know 50 years from now we want to rock back and forth in our chairs, and be proud of the gentleman we have raised.   I want nothing more for our boys to see the good in the world.  To find joy and love in the scariest of times.  To know that if they chose to put on a smile and be the good, they will see good in return.  And that when the world goes through its darkest moments they will surround themselves with positivity and light.

For now, Brody wants to be a professional athlete, and Owen wants to work for Toys R Us.  (It’s true) And at the end of the day, when we tuck them into bed we have had a typical day raising little boys.  We are doing our best to give them the confidence within themselves that they will need not only now, but always.  We are doing our best to show great examples of love and kindness so that they will do so themselves as the years progress.

Parenting isn’t easy.  Parenting isn’t meant to be perfect.

Where we screw up we must put our best foot forward and try again in the morning.

We should, though, always remember that we are RAISING children to BECOME adults.

They are not little forever.

Let’s stop worrying about what they will do, and focus on who they will become.

xoxo

We’re baaaaaack!

Outer Banks 2016 was a hit.  The sun, the sand, the sunburns.  Oh, and the margaritas, holy canoli let us not forget the margaritas.

 Give me more, give me more.

Dan and I were terrified to go on vacation with Max – his first 8-9 weeks proved to be exhausting and trying, with his all day fussiness.  Heavens angels plopped reflux medicine in our laps a  few weeks or so prior and Max was a whole new kid.  He has been the happiest, sweetest, sleep-through-the-nighter babe.

I could smooch his cheeks all freaking day.

We broke up the ride down – drove a few hours, stayed over night in a hotel and finished the ride the next day.  I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone traveling with a newborn, it gives not only the baby a chance to break out of the car seat, but a chance for the parents to wind down and get a breather.  3 boys in a car for over 25+ hours of traveling – POW.  It’s alot.  Hence the margaritas…

I tried my absolute best to detach from social media.  Only allowing a post a day on Instagram.  I would check my emails a handful of times a day which is next to nothing in comparison to my daily grind of corresponding with our sponsors.  So, kudos to me.  It was so strange to not be snapping pictures around the clock.  We worked hard on staying present, and only jonsing for the camera when we just couldn’t pass up the moment.

I have to say detaching from the blog has been such a weight on my shoulders this summer.  I feel oh so guilty for not maintaining my posts – going from 4+ a week to one, two if I am lucky.  I really wanted to focus on our new little man and B + O.  But during those few months I have gained some much needed inspiration and clarity for this space.  I will consider myself officially off of “maternity leave” HA. And kick it back into high gear.  Stay at home moms still deserve a few months to get their stuff together, right?

Lot’s of fun things coming at you guys 🙂 Fun renovations, recipes, family stories and GIVEAWAYS!

I love you all – thanks for sticking by me letting us getting our act together with 3 kids!

Cheers to The Thome Home for being back in action!!

xoxo, abby

May 1 2016

The morning of induction day.  Up bright and early at 5:30am to shower, shave, wash my hair – feeling calm one second and anxious the next.  Nervous for how the day would go.  Feeling guilty of having an induction set (regardless that there were health reasons) wishing I would go into labor naturally.

 But, alas, gotta do what you gotta do – Dan finished getting ready, bags were packed, grandparents slept over and were ready to take care of the big kids + we were out the door.

For some reason, being in labor and giving birth is hands down my favorite thing on earth.  It is surely the most emotional day(S) of my life.  Nerves, excitement, worry, happiness, pain … so much to process in just a matter of hours.

  10 months of growing.  10 months of nurturing and watching your every move.  10 months of anticipating this new piece of your family.

The excitement starting crawling in the closer we got to the hospital.  I couldn’t even eat my breakfast as my doctor made sure to tell me to do,  my stomach was so full of butterflies.

 Our nurse, Mary welcomed us into the room and got us situated.  Hooked me up to all of the monitors and discussed the plan of the day.  I needed at least 6 hours of antibiotics to protect Max during delivery ( reason why I was induced ) – so that s where we would start.

The medication was started, and we laid down and settled into the day.

Well, wouldn’t you know within 30 minutes or so the contractions started.  consistent, but mild contractions.  Mary was thrilled, she was excited to see that my body was going into labor all on my own.  I was so happy – it was time to sit back and attempt to enjoy the ride.

10:00 am –

The contractions are uncomfortable, but completely bearable.  I’m a freak and I love contractions, that is until they get to the point where your clawing the bed and crying.

I was so so happy I was at 3cm and the contractions did not back away.  I look up at the t.v. and to my surprise, Father of the Bride came on.  Folks, if you don’t know this by now, it is my all-time-favorite movie.  I just grinned ear to ear and Dan laughed.  He knew that would help tie over the hours – sure to follow, Father of the Bride 2.  Come on, what a perfect day.  I teased Dan for months on how badly I wanted to name this baby George because of my love for the character George Banks.  So the fact that this movie came on while in labor was just hysterical.

Daddy caught a quick snooze.

Hours passed – 12:00pm rolled around and the contractions were picking up in intensity.  The nurse checked me and I made absolutely ZERO progress.  She said I had quite the stubborn cervix, which I knew because that is exactly why both boys needed pitocin to get things rolling.  Since the medication was given fully by the time they checked me, they started pitocin.  I was thrilled and relieved they were going to help it along.

Nothing happened for a while – the contractions were getting really painful and they kept checking me every hour on the hour and I was making zero progress.

Out of the blue around 4:00 things got really intense, really fast.

I was checked, and I jumped from 3cm to nearly 6cm.  Just like that –

We were prepared for that, with Owen and Brody I went from 3cm-10cm within an hour.  So, it was an insane rush of “GIVE ME THE EPIDURAL BEFORE IT’S TO LATE!” moment.

Listen, kudos to you natural birthing babes.  Really, you rock.  But since there was no t-shirt, or glass of champagne waiting for me at the finish line I decided I’d rather not feel my who-ha ripping into pieces.

My OBGYN is the best around.  Literally the friendliest and thoughtful doctor you could ever ask for.  She hung out in the room, preparing for this labor to just progress just as rapidly.

Well, it didn’t.  This little stinker was going to make us wait.

The dear nurses that coached me along the entire day were on edge waiting for his arrival, and their 7pm shift was coming to an end.  They tried their best to hold out – but I was stuck.

Stuck at 9cm for an entire hour folks.  That’s where it gets scary.  His heart rate kept dipping time and time again, I remember telling the nurse I didn’t care how he got here, just to get him here safely.

And then, there it was. THAT feeling.  The feeling like a watermelon is sitting on your bottom and the urge to push was finally, finally here.

Dan did not want to watch anything this time around, not even hold my leg.  I was okay with that – even though I am one who loves to have a mirror set up to watch the entire process.  It helps keep me focused, keeps my mind off of the pain and gives me a visual as to how close I am.

But, I agreed not to.

First push — was an amazing one.  My OBGYN and the nurses were impressed.  Telling me I have great birthing hips, amazing pushes and should be a surrogate.  I laughed.

Second push — he made his way even further down, when my OB said “Didn’t you want to watch” I gave her the speech about how Dan didn’t want to “see all of that” this time around. She looked up at him and said, “Dan, this is her last baby, if she wants the mirror, she’s going to get it.” Just like that she held him in, so I wouldn’t push anymore and had the nurse grab a mirror.

Ah, girl power.  I was SO happy to watch.

A few pushes later and plenty of nurses in the room watching the show, this sweet itty bitty little man came flying at me.

He was peeing in the air as he came towards me, I had to actually dodge the stream of pee.  It was something for the books.

I held onto him so tight – just in that complete stage of euphoria.  There is absolutely nothing like the minutes following giving birth.  You just fall into the deepest transe of peace and happiness.  Ugh, it’s the best.

I felt awful as he was being cleaned up, because I told Dan I thought he was a “little ugly” when he came at me.  He laughed so hard and said he thought the same thing.  Now, were not awful people, he just has these crazy bug eyes flying at us, and the poop and pee may have swirled my vision.  HA.

I remember feeling worried because he seemed so tiny to me, Brody was 8pd 6oz, and Owen 7pd 7oz.  I apologized to him for not stuffing my face with sweets this pregnancy 🙂

He was weighed, 6 pounds 13 ounces, our tiniest babe yet, we just feel so smitten with him.

Maxwell John – Joseph had arrived, and by gosh was he not ugly.

He was the sweetest, tiniest most brilliant little babe we could have every wished for.

I think here I was saying in the classic baby talk “I so so sorry I said you were ugly, you are the most beautiful little boy I have ever laid eyes on.”

There is nothing quite like saying, “I have 3 boys” I have 3 little boys and they have one amazing Dad.

Max has the classic “Thome nose” Big blue eyes and fluffy fluffy hair.  Oh, he was kissed a million times that evening.

His name was a tricky one.  I loved Gage, Dan hated it.  He loved Connor, I hated that.  Max was always a name I adored, and it grew on Dan throughout the pregnancy.  We did not want to offend any of the grandparents by not picking their name for the middle name.  So we did not pick the midle name until the week prior when I went into false labor.

John Joseph is my grandfathers name.  A man I adored – A man that Dan adored just as much, knowing him since he was a teenager as well.  A grandfather who showed the deepest truest meaning of love for family, life and an amazing care taker.  It just clicked, John is Dans dads name – so blending it all together was just perfect.

I sobbed like a baby when I facetimed my mom in (she was sleeping over with the boys at our house) and told her we had Max’s middle name after her dad.  He passed last year, along with my grandmother and it was a really tough year for the entire family.  Carrying on his name just meant the world to us both.

It was somewhat sad that night because it was so late no one was there to visit him until the later the next day.  There wasn’t a rush of relatives with the excitement.  But, let me tell you – Dan and I quickly realized how amazing it was to just be the 3 of us that night.  I stayed up all night long staring at him.  I never wanted to put him down.  Even with how exhausted I was, i just could not stop looking at him and holding him.  I was high from the entire experience.

Brody and Owen meeting Max, no words needed.

Ugh, now I’m crying.  Look how tiny he was.

We always wanted a 3rd baby.  Truth be told, we really never thought it would happen.  We had a rough few years getting Brody + Owens health as much “under control” as we could.  We were fearful that adding another to the bunch was selfish, and we should focus only on the boys.  Now that Max is here, we have quickly learned he was beyond meant to be here.

He has brought so much joy, and filled our house with even more love, as if that was even possible.  He has completed our puzzle – and gives our entire crew so much pride to call him ours.

Max – you are everything we could have asked for, and everything we never knew we needed oh so much.

xoxoxo,

mommy.

Two months Mr. Max is.

This summer is rolling by quickly and this little man is growing just as fast.  It’s crazy to think I’m two months post partum – there is such a weird transition from being pregnant, then having the baby, being totally enamored with your newborn and then suddenly realizing weeks later you’re still not quite back to your old self.  Heck, it takes months and months.  It’s a lot of time spent transitioning physically and emotionally all the while figuring out the new little babe in your life.

Maxi love is not the easiest babe in the world – he is high demand, as I like to call it.  And you know what, very rarely do I let it get to me.  I can’t say it’s miserable, I just feel bad for the little guy because he doesn’t seem content for long stretches, and by long stretches I mean there’s usually only 20 minutes of sheer happy/calm before the storm.

At the same time,  there is something so bittersweet about this newborn stage, and knowing he’s our last that I just don’t let it get to me.  I know this stage will pass and if I spend it miserable and annoyed, I’ll just be – well, miserable and annoyed. 🙂

Just look at this giant peach, he is getting to be a chubby bunny and is just delicious.  He likes to be sung to and held facing forward.  He is definitely picky and wants what he wants, when it wants it.  I oh so love this stage of smiles and cooing, and I know it’s just going to keep getting better.

He is nearly 12 pounds at 2 months old –

Those thigh creases that are beginning to show, oh baby, you’ve stolen my heart.  Today we discovered you love being sung “twinkle twinkle little star” Mommy’s rendition of course, you smiled so big and just locked eyes with me like none other.  Oh it just made my day!

Brody and Owen are really getting into Max as of lately.  The smiling competitions are hot – and they just love seeing who can make him smile first.  Needless to say, you’ve grown to recognize their voices and your sweet little head turns to find them when you hear them come into the room.

Whether you’re smiling, crying, pooping, grumpy, calm, cooing – we’ll take it all.  We love love love you so little boy –

xoxo

5 years ago if you asked me what pets we have in our house I would tell you this, “One fish, and I even regret that.  He’s cute, but he stinks and his fish bowl is disgusting to clean”.  I was fresh into parenthood and wanted to please my boys when they were little and give them a pet.  I figured a fish would be the easiest route to take, and their life expectancy is well, less “committing”.  I would never say a dog (oh the hair) or a cat (sometimes their personalities are just, well, off.)

We moved into our current home over 2 years ago, pets were not on our radar for any decade soon. A new fixer upper, two boys and the daily grind were enough to handle.

Then the mice came.  You guys, it was like the movie Ratatouille – the scene where the ceiling falls in and it is covered in mice.  Just take a look, and for a good laugh it’s in spanish, so if you speak spanish you’re in luck – but the scene will give you the giggles regardless.

So two obvious things. We did not have THAT many rats.  We are not violent people, nor with weapons.  So on the day we found a mouse in our kitchen, we considered it game over.  Dan and I literally turned to each other and said, “that’s it, we need to get a cat.”  And as mean as this will sound, we were not cat people, at all.  So we went into this whole adopting a cat situation knowing that the mice were the reason, sure, we’d learn to like the cat and show it some TLC, but we would never be cat people, ever.

Our local pet store has monthly “adopt-a-thon” where those who foster kittens/cats can bring them in to meet potential families.  The kids were over the freaking moon to go look at a pet, I do not think they even believed us 100% that we would be leaving with a new pet that day.  We turned the corner to where all the kittens were set up, and there she was.  Cuddled in the owners arms, purring away – this bright white calico 5 month old kitten.  She was so so sweet.  Her coloring was beautiful and she let the boys pet and poke at her over and over without a hiss or a scratch coming their way.

It did not take more than 20 minutes until we knew she would be just the right fit for us, and even better for the mice.  At the same time it took only 20 minutes until our “search for the mice solution” grew on us so deeply we suddenly thought of her as another part of our family.

We, the “never cat people” suddenly fell hard for this furry feline.

What. The. Heck.

My little chefs in the kitchen so lovingly named her, Olive Oil.  Which we adored.

Adopting a cat was such a great decision for our family, and if you are interested in doing so, DO IT.  Not only are cats super easy to have ( very low maintenance ) they can be oh so sweet.  I have a few tips for bringing your new lovie home.

1. Be hands on.  Hold them, love on them 24/7.  The more you show TLC the more they will back.

2. Obviously have a litter box – and ask what litter they used, believe it or not kittens can have a preference and prefer to “go” on what they like, and food they are accustomed to eating at first.  You can gradually mix in the new food of your choice.  It’s best to keep things familiar.

3. We limited the space she was allowed to roam at first, keeping her comfortable on our first floor and let her get use to her new surroundings.

4. Toys – play as much as you can with your new kitten.  They have energy!

5. We did not declaw Olive, in fact we signed paper work to agree not to.  We live in a wooden area, with other animals, so if she were to get out, we want her to have her built-in defense.

6. We have the food and water dispenser that refills itself.  And we do clean her litter box every single day.  Cats enjoy a clean bathroom as much as we do 🙂 Avoiding accidents is key.

It has been nearly two years and she has been the most social, friendly, sweet, laid back cat we could have ever gotten.  She will greet you at the door, hop on your lap, never run from visitors, she is chatty and in your face wanting some loving 24/7.

Anyone who comes over calls her name and she comes running down the stairs to greet.  She still isn’t on the same page as Duke (our german shepard, yes, we got a dog now too) She wants to hang with him and he’s just a bit to antsy still.

She sleeps with the boys every single night, and it warms my heart so.

Adopting her was such a fantastic decision.  There are so many cats that need good homes guys, and I would recommend it to anyone!

Olive Oil, we were never cat people.  Ever.  And suddenly you turned that around.  You have surprised us in so many ways.  You have been the easiest pet to take care of, and the sweetest.

You turned us into cat people, and you got rid of all of the mice.

We love ya girl.